From the Isle of Music and Uncle Bill's Melting Pot schedules, February 28-March 6

 

This week, special guest Yunior Romero, leader of Yunior Romero y su Sello Cubano, helps us present music from his two albums. 

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) 

For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0100-0200 on WBCQ, 7490 kHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US). 

For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1300-1400 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 kHz from Rohrbach, Germany. 

Our Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/fromtheisleofmusic/ 

Our V-Kontakte page is https://vk.com/fromtheisleofmusic 

Our Patreon page is https://www.patreon.com/tilford 

Uncle Bill's Melting Pot, February 28-March 6: 

In episode 206, we present music from Uganda. 

The broadcasts take place: 

Sunday 2300-0000 (6:00PM -7:00PM EST) 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: http://splatterbox.us/wbcq1 

Tuesday 2000-2100 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 kHz from Rohrbach, Germany for Europe. 

Saturday 0800-0900 UTC on Channel 292, 9670 kHz from Rohrbach, Germany for Europe with a directional booster aimed eastward. 

Our Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/UncleBillsMeltingPot/ 

Our V-Kontakte page is https://vk.com/fromtheisleofmusic 

Our Patreon page is https://www.patreon.com/tilford 

(William "Bill" Tilford, Owner/Producer)

Tilford Productions, LLC

5713 N. St. Louis Av

Chicago IL 60659-4486

email: bill@tilfordproductions.com

website: www.tilfordproductions.com

SW Radiogram, weekend schedule

 

Hello friends,

Last weekend's experiment with Khmer text was usually successful. There were examples in which the MFSK64 English decoded perfectly, but the Khmer followed it showed some errors. This is not too surprising given that printing the Khmer seems a rather complicated process, with the  "carriage" backing up to complete some of the characters.

Here is the Khmer as decoded by Dana in California, 21 February 2021, 0811 UTC, 5850 kHz from WRMI Florida ...

Videos of last weekend's Shortwave Radiogram (program 192) are provided Scott in Ontario and Frigid RF in Virginia (both Saturday 1330 UTC). The audio archive is maintained by Mark in the UK. The analysis is prepared by Roger in Germany.

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

Here is the lineup for Shortwave Radiogram, program 193, 26-28 February 2021, in MFSK modes as noted:

 1:46  MFSK32: Program preview

 2:48  Rare earth magnets from old computers to be recycled

 6:13  MFSK64: AI is killing choice and chance

10:54  This week's images

27:33  MFSK32: Closing announcements

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 0100-0130 UTC 9955 kHz WRMI Florida

Saturday 0330-0400 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 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” 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 1300 UTC on 3584 kHz USB, and the Pennsylvania NBEMS net Sunday at 1230 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, Thursdays 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 

Back to the Radio Scene on the South Pacific Chatham Islands

Several weeks back, we presented our opening topic, on the radio scene on the isolated South Pacific Chatham Islands.  

The radio story in that the presentation featured the Maritime Wireless/Radio Station under the consecutive callsigns VLC and ZLC during the era from its inauguration in 1913 until it was officially closed in 1991.

 Interestingly for the past many years, a postal style cancellation identifying Radio Chatham Islands has been listed for sale on eBay and it is still available to this day.  The clearly marked cancellation date is March 23, 1916 when the station was just three years old, and the asking price is $130. 

The date for the official closure of station ZLC near Waitangi Beach on Chatham Island is listed in the government files in New Zealand, some 500 miles distant, as August 30, 1991.  At the time, the local fishermen in the Chathams bewailed the loss of this important radio communication service.

The historical files in New Zealand do not show the station in use after that time, though as far as is known, the the station is still on the air under the authority of the New Zealand government to this day.  Interestingly, various listings as shown in radio publications in different parts of the world in this subsequent-era show its various operating frequencies and callsigns.. 

For example, in 1992 ZLC7 is listed on 5254 kHz; in 1997 ZLC is listed on 2104 kHz; in 2003 ZLC3 is listed on 7740 kHz.  An aerial photograph of station ZLC near Radio Beach is available on Google Earth, dated January 6, 2019, and it shows the well-groomed property of station ZLC on the northwest side of Owenga Road.  Included in the picture is what appears to be a satellite receiving dish. 

  Although we have made contact with local officials on Chatham Island, no return information has been received.  The only answer to this puzzle would seem to be that the station, still under national New Zealand registration, was taken over by local authorities on the island.  Maybe some of the well-known international radio monitors in New Zealand can provide an answer.

 Back during the 1950s, Maritime ZLC was in use also for daily communication with a network of several other smaller stations scattered throughout the Chatham Islands.  At the time, half a dozen shortwave transmitters were available at ZLC for various local and regional communication purposes. 

A self-prepared QSL card dated in 1954 shows a total of five regional communication stations in the Chathams and these were listed as  ZLEC  ZLEG  ZLBE  ZMWO and ZLDD.  It is known that one of these stations was installed at Kaingaroa, near the elementary school on the northeast coast.

 A community FM radio station, Radio Weka was inaugurated on December 11, 1991, with 25 watts on 92.1 MHz under the callsign 3WKA.  The identification slogan of this station, Radio Weka honors the local Weka Bird that has the unusual the habit of giving cooee call each morning and evening as a male and female duet.

  Kiwi DXer Arthur De Maine visited the Chatham Islands last year (2020), and he states that a local FM station was indeed on the air, though somewhat intermittently, with the identification of the slogan, The Sound, on 89.3 FM.  So, although Radio Weka is no longer on the air, this current FM station would seem to be a revival of the local community station, and perhaps using The Sound, which is a New Zealand network, as a sustaining service.

 An official repeater station for Radio National with a program relay from New Zealand was also on the air for a while on FM 89.7 MHz.  There was also a local TV station on the air in Waitangi though it was closed when satellite TV became available.

Over the years there have been half a dozen amateur radio stations on the air at Waitangi and the operators were usually associated with the Maritime Communication Station ZLC.  During the era before World War 2, the Chatham amateur prefix was ZL2, such as with ZL2XL in 1933; and in more recent time the prefix has been ZL7 such as with ZL7STU last year (2020).

 Pitt island

 The second-largest island in the Chatham archipelago is Pitt Island and the only other island that is inhabited approximately 10 miles by 4 miles, with a population of less than 40.  It is more rugged than the 12 miles distant Chatham, and it was named in honor of the same William Pitt who was the 1st Earl of Chatham after whom the Chatham Islands were named.  The callsign for the small communication station on Pitt Island is ZLET. (AWR/Wavescan 623) photo NASA

Encore-Classical Music on Radio Tumbril schedules

 

Regular Broadcast times of Encore are: 

11:00 - 12:00 UTC Saturday 6070 kHz Channel 292 to Europe - Simulcast on 9670 kHz

Repeated:

23:00 - 00:00 UTC Saturday 7570 kHz to the US and Canada

01:00 - 02:00 UTC Sunday 7780 & 5850 kHz to Europe US and Canada - New Simulcast

03:00 – 04:00 UTC Monday 5950 kHz WRMI to the US and Canada

17:00 – 18:00 UTC Sunday 9670 kHz Channel 292 to Europe

22:00 - 23:00 UTC Sunday 3955 kHz Channel 292 to Europe

13:00 - 14:00 UTC Tuesday 15770 kHz WRMI to Europe, east coast of US and Iceland.

21:00 – 22:00 UTC Friday 6070 kHz Channel 292 to Europe. (One hour later than usual up to and including 12th March.)

Our email is  encoretumbril@gmail.com. Informal reception reports as well as those requesting eQSL welcome. The website is www.tumbril.co.uk where we show transmission times and frequencies, the playlist for the most recent programme, more information about Radio Tumbril, and the email link.

This week's program starts with Spring from Glazounov's Four Seasons, the Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia by Khachaturian, and the song Sea Fever by John Ireland based on the poem by John Masefield.

Two more songs follow - the Willow Song from Othello, and Where the Bee Sucks from The Tempest.

After that, we'll have part of an Oboe Quintet by Elizabeth Maconchy, and a Piano Quintet by Polish composer Grazyna Bacewicz.

The program concludes with part of Mozart's Symphony No. 29 and the String Sextet in D Major by Erich Korngold.

Channel 292 can be pulled live off the internet if the reception is poor in your location. Easy to find their site with a google search.

A very good site for online SDR receivers all over the world is: http://kiwisdr.com/public/  Click the 'Map' button in the top left of the screen.

Thank you for spreading the word about Encore - Classical Music on Shortwave on Radio Tumbril.

(Brice Avery - Encore - Radio Tumbril - Scotland)

www.tumbril.co.uk

Myanma Radio in Burma (Myanmar) Celebrates 75 Years

 

Radio Myanmar in Burma, or Myanmar as the country is known these days, celebrated its 75th Anniversary on February 15, 2021. 

It was back on February 15, 1946, that the radio broadcasting service in Rangoon Burma was restarted following the ravages of the Asian-Pacific War in the middle of the last century.  We are grateful to Jose Jacob VU2JOS in Hyderabad India in alerting us to this important radio anniversary in Burma.

Here in our program Wavescan today, we honor Radio Myanmar on the occasion of their historic 75th Radio Anniversary, so let's go back to the very beginning as we trace the progressive developments in the wireless/radio scene in Burma/Myanmar.  In fact, the very first wireless communication stations in Burma were installed under the British administration in India well over one hundred years ago. 

Burma/Myanmar with its 55 million people is the largest of the six mainland countries of South East Asia, and it stretches for 1,300 miles north-south.  The northern section is approximately diamond-shaped, 500 miles across; and the southern section is just long and narrow, and maybe 30 miles wide.  The erstwhile capital city, Rangoon, or Yangon as it is known today, lies at the mouth of the Irrawaddy River, near the junction area of the larger and smaller geographic sections of Burma.  

A new capital city, planned and constructed, is located in almost the center of the northern geographic section of Myanmar; it is known as Naypyidaw; and it was established in 2006.  This new capital city is some 300 miles due north of the original capital city Rangoon-Yangon. 

Asian peoples migrated into Burma from the north around three and four thousand years ago, and these days there are more than one hundred tribal and language groups throughout the country.  The women in the sub-tribe of the Kayan people are noted for the wearing of a multitude of brass rings around the neck, and the men who catch fish on Lake Inle are noted for their leg-rowing technique while standing upright on their small boats.

British colonial influence from India began in Burma in 1824, and the territory was annexed by Great Britain more than half a century later.  The British administration of Burma was separated from India in 1937; and five years later, in August 1942, Japanese forces invaded and established a military administration. 

Three years later again, in July 1945, British forces (together with American and Australian participation) again took over the Burma territory.  Then on January 4, 1948, Burma gained their independence.  The name change, from Burma to Myanmar and from Rangoon to Yangon, took place 41 years later on June 18, 1989.

One of the major tourist attractions in Myanmar is the thousand-year-old royal city of Pagan with its extensive ruins spread over 26 square miles, together with the 13,000 large and small temples.  Pagan is located 300 miles north of Rangoon, and rather close to Mandalay.  

Another major tourist attraction in old Burma is the double row of stone panels that are housed in an ornate double colonnade, also near to Mandalay.  Each stone panel stands about 5 feet tall, and each is about 5 inches thick.  Row upon row of inscriptions in the Burmese circular script were incised into each side of each panel, and the full set of 729 stone panels contains the entire official text of the Buddhist religion. 

For those who enjoy ecotourism, a visit to several of the 800 islands that stretch from the Myamna mainland out into the Andaman Sea is indeed a visit to Asia's last untouched and pristine wonderland, states the tourist brochure.  Modern accommodations and amenities are sparse, but the natural beauty is idyllic.

Communication wireless came to Burma very early; in fact, back at that time, experimental Marconi wireless in Europe was less than 10 years old.  During the year 1904, a whole network of  primitive Morse Code wireless stations was installed throughout India, including Burma, which was administered during that era by the British Raj in India.

It is known that five wireless stations were installed in various areas of Burma in that pre World War 1 era.  Those stations in Burma communicated with each other, and with similar stations in Calcutta India and with Port Blair in the Andaman Islands, sometimes direct and sometimes in a cascade relay when propagation conditions were bad.  

Three letter callsigns for these stations began with the two letters RO, and we take a brief look at each of the 5 original stations in alphabetic order, beginning in 1904.  

Morse Code wireless station ROB was installed at Bassein, a regional city of a quarter-million people located 120 miles west of Rangoon.  Bassein is famous for the manufacture of colorful Parasol sun shades that are sold throughout Burma.  Wireless station ROB communicated with Diamond Island ROD and Port Blair ROP in the Andaman Islands.

In the Burmese language, the name for Diamond Island means Beautiful Daughter Island.  In 1801, the British merchant ship Mermaid was wrecked on a nearby rock; and during the Asia-Pacific War in January 1942, the river steamer Yengyua rescued the British radio operators who were serving at the wireless station.  The original callsign for this wireless station was ROD. 

The Mergui Archipelago in the Andaman sea off the southern coast of Burma is made up of more than 800 islands, most of which have never been thoroughly explored nor charted.  Most of the local people are known as Moken, SeaGypsies, who live off the sea and move among the islands.  On one of the Mergui Islands wireless stations, ROG was installed. 

The wireless station listed at Table Island operated under the callsign ROI.  However, that station was actually located on Slipper Island, which is a small islet attached to the northwestern point of Table Island.  There was an old iron lighthouse on Table Island.  

Victoria Point is a town that lies at the very southern tip of mainland Burma.  Back then, the wireless station at Victoria Point operated under the callsign ROV, though one listing for this station gave the callsign as ROT, which seems to be a mistake.

In our program today, we honor the 75th anniversary of Radio Myanmar in Burma-Myanmar, and we have investigated the early wireless scene, beginning in the year 1904, and ending with World War 1.  More about Burma next time.

(AWR-Wavescan 625)

Unforgettable Radio Songs from BBS - Part 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-C26no4BWE

The Radio Scene in Brazil: Brazilian Backgrounds

 

The huge South American country of Brazil is a nation of many superlatives. It is the world’s fourth-largest country with 3.2 million square miles and a huge population of 212 million people.  Its people speak 228 different languages, 217 of which are native tribal languages.

Some authorities claim that the Amazon River is the world’s longest river, stretching more than 4,000 miles inland from the Atlantic coast.  Large ocean steamers can ply the Amazon River for a thousand miles inland, and smaller ships can ply another thousand miles further. This huge river system disgorges fresh water at the rate of 18 million tons every minute, sending it out for a distance of 250 miles into the Atlantic Ocean.

The dramatic Iguazu Water Falls lie at the border between Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay.  The water at Iguazu plunges from a height of more than 200 feet, higher than the famous Niagara Falls.  These South American Falls stretch across the landscape for more than a mile; in the season the water tumbling over the edge of the cascading cliffs at Iguazu is greater in volume than more than all of the other major waterfalls throughout the world combined, and the thunderous tumultuous roar from Iguazu can be heard for miles.

There are more than 2,500 airports in Brazil, and the major airport at Sao Paulo processes 20 million passengers each year.  Then too, a total of 6 million tourists from a multitude of foreign countries flow into Brazil each year.  Spectator sports rank high in Brazil with huge attendances at for example, football games, volleyball and basketball, and also at car racing.

In addition to so many superlatives, Brazil is also a manufacturing giant, though each factory is generally smaller than a similar counterpart in the United States.  Brazil manufactures two million motor vehicles each year, as well as airplanes, medications, chemicals, paints, clothing, footwear, processed foodstuffs, and just about everything else, you name it.  

The most populous cities in Brazil are Sao Paulo with 22 million, and nearby Rio de Janeiro with 13 million, both of which are Atlantic coastal cities.  The national capital is the beautifully designed and carefully constructed inland city of Brasilia with its nearly 5 million residents.  The very name Brazil is taken from the Brazilwood Tree which provides a dark red dye for the textile industry.

Around the time of the arrival of the first Europeans from Portugal 500 years ago, it is estimated that the total population of Brazil was already 11 million, made up of some 2,000 local Indian tribes.  And yes, they do call the tribal people of Brazil Indian; to differentiate in Portuguese the people of the Asian country India are called Indianos, though that same word in Spanish is used to mean native Americans.  

The current understanding of patterns of human migration is that most of the original inhabitants of all of the Americas including South America and Brazil itself migrated from Siberia across the Bering Straits into Alaska.  As they multiplied over the years, then their descendants fanned out into all of the lands of the Americas.  A study of their languages indicates though that the tribal populations in the Americas are not descendants from just one original tribal migration.  It is estimated that in Brazil alone, there are still 67 uncontacted tribes in the interior jungle areas.

As the Portuguese settlers increased in number, there was continuing and escalating friction between the original inhabitants and the new European colonial settlements, sometimes breaking out into actual warfare.  Brazil, along with so many other European colonies in the Americas, Africa, Asia and the Pacific, did not have a good humanitarian record regarding their dealings with the original inhabitants in their territories.    

In addition to the majority Portuguese populations in Brazil, there are also several minor settlements established by migrating foreigners, some of whom still speak their original homeland language.  Among these foreign settlements, it is estimated there are communal settlers from 60 different countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia.  

Brazil declared independence from the Kingdom of Portugal on September 7, 1822.  At the beginning of World War 1 in Europe in 1914, Brazil initially declared neutrality.  However, due to the several occasions in which German submarines sank Brazilian ships in the Atlantic, Brazil declared war against the Central Powers of Europe on October 26, 1917.

Again, at the beginning of World War II, Brazil declared neutrality, but due to the many occasions once more when German and Italian submarines sank Brazilian shipping in the Atlantic, again Brazil declared war against the Axis Powers of Europe on August 22, 1942.

Radio broadcasting in Brazil began almost a hundred years ago on 7 September 1922, with a speech by the then President Pessoa, and it was formalized on 20 April 1923 with the creation of the Radio Society of Rio de Janeiro.  However, before that, there was an era of wireless experimentation, and there was also the installation of the early communication wireless transmitters.  

More about the early radio scene in Brazil next time.

(AWR/Wavescan NWS 626)

Frequency and Information Updates

Clandestine - Tigray Media House Dimtse Tigray via TDF Issoudun relay, February 25

1500-1600 on 15160 ISS 250 kW / 130 deg to EaAf Tigrinya, good until 1501UT &

from 1501UT very strong jamming with digital noise, totally blocked reception

(DXB)

Updated B-20 schedule of World's Last Chance Radio (transmitter possibly via Bulgaria)

0700-0800 on 17510 (100 kW) to N/ME Arabic, ex 17520 to avoid CRI in Chinese

0800-1000 on 17520 (100 kW) to N/ME Arabic remain unchanged, ex 0700-1000UTC

In B-20 HFCC 17510 kHz is registered 0700-1000UTC & 17520 kHz is registered 0700-1900UTC

(DXB/edited for clarity by Teak Publishing)

France

French targeted to Central Africa

Upcoming frequency changes of Radio France International:

0700-0800 15300 ISS 500 kW / 155 deg to Feb.27

0700-0800 17850 ISS 500 kW / 155 deg from Feb.28

1800-1900  9660 ISS 500 kW / 160 deg to Feb.27

1800-1900 11995 ISS 500 kW / 160 deg from Feb.28

1800-1900 11995 ISS 500 kW / 150 deg to Feb.27

1800-1900  13740 ISS 500 kW / 150 deg to Feb.28

B20 DRM schedule of Radio France International is only 3965 kHz

French

0000-2400 on  3965 ISS 010 kW / non-dir to WeEu in B20 HFCC

0900-1200 on  6175 ISS 100 kW / 153 deg to SEEu (inactive)

0900-1200 on  6175 ISS 100 kW / 267 deg to SWEu (inactive)

1200-1500 on  6175 ISS 150 kW / non-dir to WeEu (inactive)

All other registered frequencies are not on the air, from February 21:

0830-0900 on 21620 ISS 150 kW / 105 deg to SoAs French addit.txion

1130-1200 on 21620 ISS 150 kW / 105 deg to SoAs French addit.txion

1300-1330 on 21620 ISS 150 kW / 105 deg to SoAs French x 11735 kHz

1500-1530 on 15310 ISS 150 kW / 105 deg to SoAs French ex 9905 kHz

1730-1800 on 11630 ISS 150 kW / 105 deg to SoAs French ex 9905 kHz

2100-2130 on  9580 ISS 150 kW / 105 deg to SoAs French addit.txion

2330-2400 on  9885 ISS 150 kW / 105 deg to SoAs French ex 5875 kHz

(DXB/edited for clarity by Teak Publishing)

Romania

Frequency change of Radio Romania International 

English 

2300-2356 9620 TIG 300 kW / 067 deg to EaAs English, ex 6090 / 52 deg

Tajikistan

Voice of Tibet - February 22

1300-1305 9894.0 DB  100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan, ex 9896.8

1305-1313 9886.0 DB  100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan, ex 9886.8

1313-1330 9864.0 DB  100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan, ex 9864.8

1330-1335 9876.0 DB  100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan, ex 9876.8

1335-1340 9884.0 DB  100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan, ex 9876.8

1340-1400 9864.0 DB  100 kW / 131 deg to CeAs Tibetan, ex 9864.8

(DXB)

Blog Logs-DXing Central and South America on mediumwave

 

Language services as indicated

Monitored February 17-19,2021

All times UTC

Antigua & Barbuda

Caribbean Radio Lighthouse 1160 kHz, 2235-2245. English religious sermon to easy-listening pop gospel tunes. Good signal at SIO 444. (Key West FL SDR) I initially logged this station two months ago, though I’ve received no response from my e-report. http://www.radiolighthouse.org Might be time for a follow-up e-report.

Dominican Republic (Dominican Rep SDR/AirSpy NC)

Emisora HIJB 830 kHz, 2305-2311. Two Spanish pop vocals by Paloma San Basilio, Nadie Tú, and Demaiador Amor. Male announcer’s clear Spanish identification into brief pop vocal, signal off promptly at 2311. (without sign-off routine) (SIO 434).        

Radio Guarachita 690 kHz, 2312-2320. Spanish pop tune Va Volvió by Ramon Torresto, followed by Ya Me Canse by El Chaval. Musical identification at 2318 to jingles and song, El Trago del Olvido by Marino Pérez. (SIO 443).

Radio Impactante 1440 kHz, 2320-2330. Religious sermon including many references to Rev. Jimmy Swaggart. This is a Pentecostal station. SIO 444.

Brazil (Pardinho, Brazil SDR) all Portuguese

Radio Cancão Nova 1370 kHz, 2330-2337. Station with references to Curitiba. Announcer’s Portuguese religious sermon with SIO 433 to 2339. https://radio.cancaonova.com/curitiba/

Radio Capital 1040 kHz, 2339-2345. Station via São Paulo with references to religious text and easy-listening vocals. SIO 343 https://www.capitalcomvoce.com.br/

Radio Cultura Brasil 1200 kHz, 2342-2350. Another station from São Paulo with easy-listening vocals into contemporary classical tune. The classical tune, Louanze å l’ eternité de Jésus by Eric Hofbauer. Station format is predominately cultural and classic.  http://culturabrasil.cmais.com.br/

Radio Morado do Sol 1260 kHz, 2351-0002. Closing minutes of religious sermon at tune-in over gospel music. Program promos at 2355 to full station identification at 0000. Frequency quote and station location, including additional info on station and jingles. This station is also a Pentecostal format.

Colombia (TWR Bonaire SDR/AirSpy NC)

Antena 2/Bogotá 650 kHz, 0025-0030. Rapid-fire Spanish with soccer commentary from tune-in, playing the match with Independent Medellin. (this team plays in the Categoría Primera A). Colombia’s Antena 2/Cali heard in parallel on 1030 kHz. (SIO 434).

Radio Nacional de Colombia/Bogota, 570 kHz, 0035-0040. Tune-in with the song La Tierra by Ekhymosis. Announcer’s Spanish headlines on Colombia. “Good evening” to listeners, to public service announcements, including items on COVID.

Radio Nacional de Colombia/Medellin 550 kHz, 0035-0040. Tune-in song, Tuno Le Amas Le Temes by Luis Enrique. Regional news-talk item and phone-numbers. Friendly chats with phone-in calls. RCN/Cali heard on 980 kHz, 0045-0050. Phone-calls, friendly chat, and items about Bogotá.

(Gayle Van Horn W4GVH/NC)

Annual broadcast of Radio Öömrang, set for February 21

 

The annual winter broadcast of Radio Öömrang (Radio Amrum), has been confirmed by Media Broadcast.

The annual program is broadcast on February 21, a North Frisian holiday. The program was founded by the amateur radio operator, Arjan Kolzow on the island of Amrum in North Germany.

The first broadcast was in 2006. Programming is in the North Frisian language (Öömrang dialect), as well as Standard German. Programming is aimed at the descendants of North Frisian immigrants in North America. 

The 2021 broadcast is scheduled for 1600-1700 UTC on 15215 kHz, relayed via Issoudun, France transmitter facilities. 

Send your program details to qsl-shortwave@media-broadcast.com or postal address: c/o Mr. Michael Puetz, Media Broadcast GmbH, Order Management & Backoffice, Erna-Scheffler, Strasse 1, 51103 Cologne, Germany. Additional contact info@media-broadcast.com

From the Isle of Music and Uncle Bill's Melting Pot schedules, Feb 21-27

 

From the Isle of Music, February 21-27: 

This week, we present a collection of new releases by various artists. 

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) 

For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0100-0200 on WBCQ, 7490 kHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US). 

 

For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1300-1400 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 kHz from Rohrbach, Germany. 

Our Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/fromtheisleofmusic/ 

Our V-Kontakte page is https://vk.com/fromtheisleofmusic 

Our Patreon page is https://www.patreon.com/tilford 

Uncle Bill's Melting Pot, February 21-17: 

In episode 205, our special guest, trombonist/composer/bandleader Papo Vazquez, shares some of his excellent bomba jazz and other Latin jazz with us including selections from his newest recording. The broadcast takes place: 

Sunday 2300-0000 (6:00PM -7:00PM EST) on WBCQ The Planet 7490 kHz from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe 

Tuesday 2000-2100 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 kHz from Rohrbach, Germany for Europe. 

Saturday 0800-0900 UTC on Channel 292, 9670 kHz from Rohrbach, Germany for Europe with a directional booster aimed eastward. 

Our Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/UncleBillsMeltingPot/ 

Our V-Kontakte page is https://vk.com/fromtheisleofmusic 

Our Patreon page is https://www.patreon.com/tilford 

William "Bill" Tilford, Owner/Producer

Tilford Productions, LLC

email: bill@tilfordproductions.com

Website: www.tilfordproductions.com

Shortwave Radiogram, weekend schedule

 

Hello friends,

It's icy here in northern Virginia, but not bad compared to many places in North America. We still have electricity, so I was able to produce and upload program 192. My wire antennas are still up, except for the 40-meter inverted V that fell during the previous ice storm. To listeners not reading this for lack of electricity, I wish you a speedy recovery. And, in the meantime, enjoy the quiet radio conditions.

Videos of last weekend's Shortwave Radiogram (program 191) are provided by Scott in Ontario (Friday 1300 UTC), Francisco in Brazil (Saturday 0330 UTC using TIVAR), Ralf in Germany, and Frigid RF in Virginia (both Sunday 2330 UTC). The audio archive is maintained by Mark in the UK. The analysis is prepared by Roger in Germany.

This weekend's show includes a VOA Khmer story about Cambodia developing a new internet firewall. This will be followed by an excerpt of the same story in the Khmer language. Khmer characters are very complicated, as will be evident when you see them printing. If you see rectangles instead of Khmer characters, copy those rectangles to a word processor, and you might see the correct Khmer words. Khmer-language printout requires the UTF-8 character set, but this now defaults in Fldigi and TIVAR.

Our modes for this weekend's show are the usual MFSK32 and MFSK64, with nine MFSK64 images.   

Here is the lineup for Shortwave Radiogram, program 192, 19-21 February 2021, in MFSK modes as noted:

 1:42  MFSK32: Program preview

 2:47  Lead-based anode for lithium batteries doubles the storage

 6:45  MFSK64: Cambodia to Create Internet Firewall

11:47  Khmer-language text

13:59  This week's images

28:35  MFSK32: Closing announcements

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 0100-0130 UTC 9955 kHz WRMI Florida

Saturday 0330-0400 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 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” 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 1300 UTC on 3584 kHz USB, and the Pennsylvania NBEMS net Sunday at 1230 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, Thursdays 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 

Encore-Classical Music on Radio Tumbril schedules

Dear Listener,

Regular Broadcast times of Encore are: 

11:00 - 12:00 UTC Saturday 6070 kHz Channel 292 to Europe - Simulcast on 9670 kHz

Repeated:

23:00 - 00:00 UTC Saturday 7570 kHz to the US and Canada

01:00 - 02:00 UTC Sunday 7780 & 5850 kHz to Europe US and Canada - New Simulcast

03:00 – 04:00 UTC Monday 5950 kHz WRMI to the US and Canada

17:00 – 18:00 UTC Sunday 9670 kHz Channel 292 to Europe

22:00 - 23:00 UTC Sunday 3955 kHz Channel 292 to Europe

13:00 - 14:00 UTC Tuesday 15770 kHz WRMI to Europe, east coast of US and Iceland.

21:00 – 22:00 UTC Friday 6070 kHz Channel 292 to Europe. (One hour later than usual up to and including 12th March.)

  

Our email is  encoretumbril@gmail.com. Informal reception reports as well as those requesting eQSL welcome.

The website is www.tumbril.co.uk where we show transmission times and frequencies, the playlist for the most recent programme, more information about Radio Tumbril, and the email link.

 

This week's program starts with Bach's Sleepers Awake, then Steve Reich's Wind and Brass and, falling back in time, part of the Sonata in D Minor by Domenico Scarlatti. The setting of Psalm 119 by Heinrich Schütz next, followed by some solo piano fragments from Anatoly Lyadov. The program concludes with part of Ned Rorem's Mallet Concerto, and the first movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 6.

 

Channel 292 can be pulled live off the internet if the reception is poor in your location. Easy to find their site with a google search. A very good site for online SDR receivers all over the world is: http://kiwisdr.com/public/  Click the 'Map' button in the top left of the screen.

 

Thank you for spreading the word about Encore - Classical Music on Shortwave on Radio Tumbril.

 

Brice Avery - Encore - Radio Tumbril - Scotland

 www.tumbril.co.uk

Frequency and Information Updates

 All times UTC

Bulgaria

World's Last Chance Radio via SPC-NURTS Sofia, Kostinbrod, Bulgaria relay site of SpaceLine Ltd.

0700-1000 17510 SOF 100 kW 126 deg to NE/ME Arabic, (ex17520) to avoid 0700-0800   17520 KAS 100 kW 174 deg to SoAS Chinese China Radio International. 

(Ivo Ivanov-BUL/HCDX/WWDXC/TopNx 1456-18 Feb 2021) 

France

Updated B20 DRM test schedule of Radio France International

-changes from February 16

1130-1200 on 21620 ISS 150 kW / 105 deg to SoAs French, addit. txion

1300-1330 21620 ISS 150 kW / 105 deg to SoAs French, ex 11735 kHz

1500-1530 15310 ISS 150 kW / 105 deg to SoAs French, ex  9905 kHz

1730-1800 11630 ISS 150 kW / 105 deg to SoAs French, ex  9905 kHz

2100-2130 on  9580 ISS 150 kW / 105 deg to SoAs French, addit. txion

-changes from February 21

0830-0900 on 21620 ISS 150 kW / 105 deg to SoAs French, addit. txion

2330-2400 9885 ISS 150 kW / 105 deg to SoAs French, ex  5875 kHz

(DXB 18 Feb 2021)

India

More All India Radio External Services are now back on shortwave

from February 9 at https://qsl.net/vu2jos/es/time.htm

(Jose Jacob-IND  VU2JOS, wor DXindia Febr 10)

The following transmissions of All India Radio External

Services are now back shortwave, effective from Febr 9

0300-0400  9949.8 DEL 100 kW 282 deg to SoAS  Baluchi

0400-0500 11739.8 DEL 100 kW 102 deg to CeAS  Nepali

0400-0500 15030.0 BGL 500 kW  60 deg to CeAS  Nepali

0500-0600 15030.0 BGL 500 kW 300 deg to NE/ME Arabic

1045-1200 11559.8 DEL 100 kW 102 deg to CeAS  Tibetan

1215-1315 15030.0 BGL 500 kW 240 deg to EaAF  Swahili

1930-2030  9620.0 BGL 185 kW 300 deg to WeEUR French DRM or AM

2345-0115 13695.0 BGL 500 kW  60 deg to EaAS  Chinese

Please see the latest schedule at https://qsl.net/vu2jos/es/time.htm

Kuwait/UAE

Frequency changes of USAGM Radio Free Asia RFA in Burmese

0030-0130    7435 DHA 250 kW  90 deg to SoEaAS Burmese, addit. freq.

1230-1330   15135 DHA 250 kW  90 deg to SoEaAS Burmese, addit. freq.

1230-1330 NF15120 KWT 250 kW  94 deg to SoEaAS Burmese, ex15110 KWT

to avoid odd 15109.7 kHz KBD 250kW 310deg to WeEUR Arabic GS DRM R.Kuwait

(Ivo Ivanov-BUL, hcdx via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Febr 10)

New Zealand

Frequency changes of Radio New Zealand Pacific from February 13:

0959-1258 NF  9700 RAN 100 kW / 325 deg to NWPa/PNG/As English Mon-Fri, ex 11725

0959-1258 NF  9700 RAN 050 kW / 035 deg to All Pacific English Sat/Sun, ex 11725

Very good signal on February 13 at 1030UT on 9700 via SDR Half Moon Bay, CA, USA

Romania

Frequency changes of Radio Romania International

0000-0056 11830 TIG 300 kW / 247 deg to SoAm Spanish, ex 11800

0300-0356 11830 TIG 300 kW / 247 deg to SoAm Spanish, ex 11800

0400-0456 13720 TIG 090 kW / 097 deg to SoAs English DRM, ex  9820

0500-0526 13720 TIG 090 kW / 067 deg to EaAs Chinese DRM, ex 13730

0800-0856 17750 GAL 300 kW / 110 deg to WeAs Romanian Sun, ex 17640

0900-0956 17750 GAL 300 kW / 175 deg to EaAf Romanian Sun, ex 17640

2200-2256 11790 TIG 300 kW / 247 deg to SoAm Spanish, ex 11800

(DX Bulgaria-18 Feb 2021)

Taiwan

Frequency changes of Radio Taiwan International RTI

0900-1000   12005*PAO 100 kW 225 deg to SoEaAS Amoy,      ex9735

1000-1030   12005*PAO 100 kW 225 deg to SoEaAS Cantonese, ex9735

1030-1100   12005*PAO 100 kW 225 deg to SoEaAS Hakka,     ex9735

2200-2230 NF 6085 TSH 300 kW 002 deg to NoEaAS Korean,    ex5955

*same time  12005 BIB 100 kW 105 deg to WeAS   Farsi Radio Farda

(Ivo Ivanov-BUL, hcdx via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Febr 10)

United States

WRMI-4  4980 kHz // WRMI-5  9455 kHz probably 24hrs, Febr 10/11

WRMI-4

0100-0700  4980 RMI LOW kW 160 deg to LaAM English Supreme Master TV

0700-0800  4980 RMI LOW kW 160 deg to LaAM Spanish Family Radio

0800-1000  4980 RMI LOW kW 160 deg to LaAM various RAE Argentina

1000-1100  4980 RMI LOW kW 160 deg to LaAM English Supreme Master TV

1100-0100  4980 RMI LOW kW 160 deg to LaAM English Brother Stair TOM

WRMI-5

0100-0700  9455 RMI 100 kW 285 deg to MEXI English Supreme Master TV

0700-0800  9455 RMI 100 kW 285 deg to MEXI Spanish Family Radio

0800-1000  9455 RMI 100 kW 285 deg to MEXI various RAE Argentina

1000-1100  9455 RMI 100 kW 285 deg to MEXI English Supreme Master TV

1100-0100  9455 RMI 100 kW 285 deg to MEXI English Brother Stair TOM

(Ivo Ivanov-BUL, hcdx via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Febr 11)

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

 

Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts

:Issued: 2021 Feb 15 0206 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 08 - 14 February 2021

Solar activity was very low. A B5 flare was observed on 10/1206 UTC from a region of plage in the SE quadrant. The visible disk remained spotless. 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 over 08-14 Feb. A peak flux of 434 pfu was observed on 11/1615 UTC. 

Geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to active levels. Weak influence from a positive polarity CH HSS was observed on 08 Feb. Quiet conditions followed nominal solar wind from 09-11 Feb. Unsettled conditions were observed on 12 Feb and active conditions on 13 Feb in response to the onset of a negative polarity CH HSS. Wind speeds briefly reached ~550 km/s early on 13 Feb and total magnetic field strength peaked at 15 nT while Bz reached a maximum southward deflection of -14 nT at 13/0216 UTC. Quiet conditions returned on 14 Feb as total magnetic field strength and solar wind speeds waned. 

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 15 February - 13 March 2021

Solar activity is expected to be 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 range from normal to high levels. High levels are likely on 22-26 Feb and 02-04 Mar in response to CH HSS activity. Normal to moderate levels are expected for the remainder of the outlook period. 

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at quiet to G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels. G1 (Minor) conditions are likely on 01 Mar; active conditions are likely on 21-22 Feb, 02 Mar, 06 Mar and 12-13 Mar; unsettled conditions are likely on 15-16 Feb, 23 Feb, and 03 Mar. All enhancements in geomagnetic activity are in response to multiple, recurrent CH HSSs. The remainder of the outlook period is expected to be quiet. 

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt

:Issued: 2021 Feb 15 0206 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 2021-02-15

#

#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest

#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index

2021 Feb 15      71           8          3

2021 Feb 16      71           8          3

2021 Feb 17      71           5          2

2021 Feb 18      71           5          2

2021 Feb 19      71           5          2

2021 Feb 20      71           5          2

2021 Feb 21      71          12          4

2021 Feb 22      72          12          4

2021 Feb 23      72          10          3

2021 Feb 24      76           5          2

2021 Feb 25      76           5          2

2021 Feb 26      74           5          2

2021 Feb 27      73           5          2

2021 Feb 28      74           5          2

2021 Mar 01      73          18          5

2021 Mar 02      74          15          4

2021 Mar 03      74           8          3

2021 Mar 04      73           5          2

2021 Mar 05      73           5          2

2021 Mar 06      73          15          4

2021 Mar 07      74           5          2

2021 Mar 08      70           5          2

2021 Mar 09      74           5          2

2021 Mar 10      76           5          2

2021 Mar 11      72           5          2

2021 Mar 12      71          18          4

2021 Mar 13      72          10          4

(NOAA)

Italian Broadcasting Corporation, returns to shortwave with new programming

 

The February 2021 issues of DX Fanzine, and NASWA, have announced the return of IBC radio to the airwaves. Your listening and corresponding is welcome.

Germany

The voices of IBC (Italian Broadcasting Corporation) are back on shortwave radio frequencies, 3975 and 6160 kHz. Effective February 15, a new program, broadcasting in Italian as Scorribande, and hosted by the three voices of IBC; Saverio, Manlio, and Gabriele.

Programming will focus on DX news of interest for shortwave listeners and amateur radio operators.

Reception reports are welcome and verified by e-QSLs to scorribande@shortwaveradio.de

Programming will be relayed from Germany's Shortwaveradio, on the following schedule:

All times UTC

1500-1600  Sat  3975

1900-2000  Sat  3975

2100-2200  Sat  3975

0900-1000  Sun  3975, 6160

1300-1400  Sun  3975, 6160

1500-1600  Sun  3975

1700-1800  Sun  3975

1900-2000  Sun  3975

1500-1600  Mon  3975

2100-2200  Mon 3975

(Teak Publishing)

From the Isle of Music & Uncle Bill's Melting Pot schedules, February 14-20

 

This week, we present Cuban music related to Valentine's Day and Mardi Gras. 

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) 

*  For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0100-0200 on WBCQ, 7490 kHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US). 

*  For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1300-1400 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 kHz from Rohrbach, Germany. 

Our Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/fromtheisleofmusic/ 

Our V-Kontakte page is https://vk.com/fromtheisleofmusic 

Our Patreon page is https://www.patreon.com/tilford 

Uncle Bill's Melting Pot, February 14-20: 

In episode 204, we "honor" Valentines Day with music about love for those who are not feeling particularly romantic and recognize Mardi Gras with music for that occasion. 

The broadcast take place: 

*  Sunday 2300-0000 (6:00PM -7:00PM EST) on WBCQ The Planet 7490 kHz from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe 

*  Tuesday 2000-2100 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 kHz from Rohrbach, Germany for Europe. 

*  Saturday 0800-0900 UTC on Channel 292, 9670 kHz from Rohrbach, Germany for Europe with a directional booster aimed eastward. 

Our Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/UncleBillsMeltingPot/ 

Our V-Kontakte page is https://vk.com/fromtheisleofmusic 

Our Patreon page is https://www.patreon.com/tilford 

William "Bill" Tilford, Owner/Producer

Tilford Productions, LLC

5713 N. St. Louis Av

Chicago IL 60659-4486

email: bill@tilfordproductions.com

Website: www.tilfordproductions.com

Blog Logs

Language services as indicated // parallel frequencies observed

 Monitoring from 21 January - 10 February 2021

 All times UTC

 

China 

Voice of Guangxi/Beibu Bay Radio. Noted on 5050 // 9820 from 1458 tune-in. Chinese pop music, time tips at 1500, and "Beibu Bay" ID. Brief piano melody into presumed newscast during mentions of "Washington." Intro's, PSA routines plus additional English ID. Mixed with Chinese and English text about "Family Reunion Dinner on the Lunar New Year's Eve." Chinese and English pop vocals. Routine of music, PSA, and slogans continued. Station did not sign-off at 1520 as noted on the schedule, and extended their broadcast past 1600. Good signal at a solid 434 SIO using a CHN SDR. Some of their pop tune titles included Lion, As Time Goes By, and Yei Chua Bao Gio Le Sai. These may be extended hours for the Chinese New Year.

Clandestine

New station initially testing on 15160 kHz. Monitored from 1605 to male announcer's script, talk, and speeches, all in presumed Amharic to intermittent Horn of Africa music. Speech segments match the speech recording at http://tmhtv.org/en/. This appears to be an Ethiopian station or organization. Previous loggings noted at 1605, and possible ID as, "Radio Tigray Media House" and "Dimtse Tigray". This station is relayed via Issoudun, France. (NLD SDR/Airspy Brasstown, NC) Their website at http://tmhtv.org/en/ in Amharic notes the following: "Tigray Media House is a media organization operating under the auspices of 501C to inform, discuss, mobilize and question the public. It is a platform that provides high-quality, high-impact, and highly influential media content through a variety of channels, such as satellite television, digital media, and social media." Virginia contact address: 5405 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22304 Email: admin@tmhtv.org Additional information from WRTH Feb Updates as "future plans for broadcast in Amharic, English, and Tigrinya."

Estonia

Radio Eli 1035 kHz from 1610 tune-in. Russian conversations and prayers. Religious vocals from 1615-1618. Phone number quote followed by listener's call-ins and male/female announcer's conversations. Excellent SIO 444 via Kuopio, Finland SDR.

France

Radio Algerienne relay on 6040 via Issoudun (500 kW)  from 2235. Male announcer's Arabic readings to 2245 Arabic vocals, followed by additional talk and text. This station, as a rule, is mainly Quran but also relays Chaine 1/3. Arabic chorus from 2257-2300 sign-off, without ID or info. (Elche, Spain SDR).

Iran

IRIB/Pars Today, 7310 kHz via Zahedan (SIO 333) // 9800 (Sirjan) (SIO 434) with Arabic radio drama in progress at 1550 tune-extending past 1600 with interruption. Arabic world headlines noted on 7300 kHz at 1600 instead of listed English service to 1620. Turkish service 1600-1700 on 9870 kHz via Sirjan. Urdu service 1600-1620 on 6000 with announcer's news script format to 1607. (Qatar SDR).

Japan

AFN Tokyo 810 kHz, (50 kW) from 1440 tune-in. PSA's on mental health issues and COVID. "The Eagle AFN" identification. Pop vocals tune Wake up Sunshine by All Time Low, Blackbear; Clarity by Zedd; Fallin' (Adrenaline) by Why Don't We from Slow Down release, followed by rap vocal tune Airplanes by Hayley Williams. 

Ichihara Slot Machine 1455-1510 with QPSK confirmed on 4154, 4233, 4292 (SIO 222) 6251 (under the jammer on frequency), 6418. No sign of 6146, 6446, 8589. Also noted // on 8314, and 8705 kHz.

NHK 2 Akita (500 kW) 774 kHz from 1512 tune-in. Japanese/English language lesson. Noted parallel programming on NHK 2 Kumamoto with IDs, web URL and contact info at 1518; Japan, NHK 2 Osaka 828 kHz and Japan, NHK 2 Sapporo 747 kHz; Japan, 

NHK 2 Tokyo 693 kHz; Japan's Radio Nippon from 1530 on 1422 kHz. Station promo, contact info, and English "Radio Nippon" identification. Listed as 50 kW Yokohama-24 hours. Male/female's friendly Japanese banter with SIO 444.

Kosovo

RTK Radio Kosovo 1, 549 kHz (Prishtine, Kosovo) from 1620 tune-in. Pop vocals programs with Albanian DJ's format and a brief mention of Prishtine. News headlines between fanfare effects. (Martinicuro, Italy SDR).

Malaysia

RTM Sarawak FM 9835. Malay DJ format from 1320 with pop vocals, phone-in calls, jingles with phone numbers, and PSA formats. Good signal SIO 434. Reading evening announcement to station slogan promo at 1326, into pop vocal At My Worst by Pink Sweet. Station ID info 1329 and tune Mimpi by K-Clique. Recheck 1401 with ongoing Malay news format. 

Malaysia's RTM Wai/Limbang relay, with two male's ethnic recitations from 1335 tune-in to 1352. Malay pop vocals to 1356. A bit of chat to a new Malay tune. Time tips 1400 into fanfare and Malay newscast, running parallel with RTM Sarawak on 9835. (SIO 434) to (Philippines SDR).

Moldova

Radio Moldova Actualitati 873 kHz (SIO 444) Russian. Two males conversation about Czech's during the holocaust to 2026. Intermittent fading and interference from 2028 of Arabic recitations on this frequency. No sign of // 1424. (Ukraine SDR)

Romania

Radio Romania Actualitati in Romanian from 1800 tune-in. Newscast from male/female duo on 756 // 855, 1152, 1179 and 1458 kHz (poor signal). Several ID's between headlines. 

Longwave station, Radio Antena Satelor on 153 kHz, heard from 1810. The usual flare of Romanian service covering news, ID's and ethnic folk music, with very good signal. Noted Romania's Radio Timisoara 630 kHz (400 kHz) via Ortisoara) playing 1950s doo-wop tunes at 1830.

Taiwan

Radio Taiwan International. Chinese service noted from 1420-1435 on 6075 (SIO 444) // 6145 (SIO 444), 6180 (SIO 443), 9660 (SIO 323). Music to announcer's ID and contact info at 1430. PSA style segments with fanfare intros, and likely features. Presumed RTI from 1435 in Chinese on 1098 // 1557 kHz. Classical instrumentals. Both freqs a solid SIO 434. Indonesian service on 9735 kHz, 1400-1500 (SIO 323) Vietnamese service heard 1410-425 on 9625 (SIO 322) Taiwan SDR)

Tajikistan

Radioi Tojikiston. Tentative as this station on 4765 kHz from 2310. Good signal (SIO 444) during male announcer's script via Novosibirsk, Russia SDR. Flute melody intro's males folk-sounding vocals in presumed Tajik. The announcer seemed to be in a friendly, festive mood and if this station, it may have been due to the mosques in Dushanbe reopening after no new cases of Covid have been reported. Mosques were under a six-month closure. Programming has an 'Arabesque' style of music. 

Thailand

USAGM-Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 9940 kHz Udon Thani, Thailand relay (100 kW). Uzbek service from 1605 tune-in. USA news headlines, commentary between fanfare segments // 9490 via Biblis, Germany relay (100 kW). SIO 444 // 433. (Hong Kong SDR) This hour's schedule to 1700. Via Viesntos, Lithuania in Belorussian, 1386 kHz (75 kW) commences 1800-1900. IDs and U.S. national news to fanfare intros and features. (SIO 444) Belarus SDR. Additional schedule: 2000-2100 on 1386 kHz.

USAGM-Radio Farda, 7580 kHz Udon Thani, Thailand relay (250 kW) Persian noted from 1830-1845 and // 5860 (Kuwait-250 kW) Two frequencies sked to 2130. http://www.rferl.org

USAGM-Voice of America, 6150 kHz Udon Thani, Thailand (250 kW). Burmese service with intermittent news segments in English // 9335, 9380 kHz via Tinang, Philippines (SIO 323).

Northern Marianas-Tinang Island 

USAGM-Radio Free Asia, 11590 kHz. 1800-1900 with Firedrake jammers // 9860 at SIO 555 via listed Tinang Island, Philippines relay. Followed over to 5890, 7520, 9455, and 9860 from 1900. A real mess! http://www.rfa.org/english

Saudi Arabia 

SBA Radio Jeddah 612 // 630 kHz at 2215-2235 with Qur'an in progress. Station on 24-hour schedule. SBA Radio Riyadh on 585 with the 24-hour schedule. Good signal, including features and mention of Riyadh at 2230. (Qatar SDR)

Tunisia

Tunisia, RTCI/R Tunis Chaine Intl 963 kHz. French service from 2210 tune-in. Good signal at 333, no fading for this 24-hour service in French. (Zakynthos, GRC SDR)

Turkey

Voice of Turkey, 5970 (SIO 444)// 9625 (SIO 232) French service with excellent Turkish vocals from 2115 tune-in to brief Turkish instrumental to 2123. German service 5945 kHz 1830-1900 with newscast script from 1835 tune-in. Station information, contact address, and web address to easy-listening Turkish vocal tunes. Lady's German ID at 1852.   

United States

USAGM-Radio Marti, 7375 // 7435 Spanish. Excellent signal via Greenville, NC (250 kW) from 2315-2345. Male/female present evening national newscast covering U.S. and Venezuela. Schedule from 0000 on 7435 //7365 kHz. (Key West FL SDR) DRM noted on 7345 kHz 1800-1900 (NC Airspy)

Vietnam

Voice of Vietnam 4/Buon Ma Thuot 6020 at 1415 tune-in. Jammer present on this frequency, lady’s ethnic music vocals (acapella) // with Voice of Vietnam 4/Buon Ma Thuot on 7210 kHz. Asian flute music followed to announcer’s brief comment. Very weak, and at times barely audible. (PHL SDR)

(Gayle Van Horn-Teak Publishing)