The Radio Scene at the World’s Largest Toothbrush Fence

According to the best available information, there are two fences in the world that are decorated with old and used toothbrushes.  One of these fences runs along a country road in the North Island of New Zealand, and it was commenced a few years ago by a New Zealander of Scottish background as a retirement prank. 
 The Toothbrush Fence in New Zealand is a metal wire fence running along a winding country road near the town of Te Pahu.  It has become a common practice for admirers to send an old toothbrush by post to the location, and the Scottish owner affixes it to his wire fence.  Many notable people have donated an old tooth brush to the project, including a recent Prime Minister of New Zealand Helen Clark, who grew up in the town of Te Pahu.
 There is another Toothbrush Fence, and this one is located in Alofi, the small village that is the capital city of the exotic tourist location, Niue Island.  The Alofi Toothbrush Fence holds the world record as the longest.
 The Alofi national capital stretches along the inland side of the paved roadway running near the edge of Alofi Bay, on the west side of Niue Island.  This capital holds another record; it is the second smallest capital of any independent nation in the world, second only to Ngerulmud on Palau Island in the western Pacific.
 Niue Island is located in the center of all of the little corral atolls in the South Pacific, due west of the Cook Islands which were featured here in Wavescan in a mini-series of nine programs throughout this past year.  Niue is an autonomous island country linked in free association with New Zealand; its citizens are accorded the status as citizens of New Zealand; and its language is a Polynesian language similar to all of the other Polynesian languages spoken in the islands of the Pacific as well as in New Zealand itself. 
 Like so many other islands in the South Pacific, Niue is almost circular in shape, perhaps almost ovaloid, with 100 square miles of land surface, and a population of a little over a thousand.  Niue is one of the world's largest coral islands. 
 The terrain consists of steep limestone cliffs along the coast with a central plateau rising to about 100 feet above sea level.  A coral reef surrounds the island and the only major break in the reef is in the central western coast, close to the capital, Alofi.  A notable feature on the island is the number of limestone caves found close to the coast.
 The first settlers on the island were Polynesians who arrived from Samoa around 900 AD.  Another wave of settlers arrived on Niue from Tonga some 800 years later. 
 The English explorer Captain James Cook made three attempts to land on the island in 1774, but he was repelled by the inhabitants.  He named the island Savage Island, in part also because of their appearance; their teeth were colored by the red banana that grows in profusion on the island. 
 English Christian missionaries from the London Missionary Society visited the island in 1846.  The first Christian missionary to serve on the island was himself a Niuean citizen who had been trained in Samoa as a Christian pastor.
 In 1889, local chieftain leaders asked Queen Victoria in England for protection against a possible takeover from other European powers; and twelve years later the island was taken over by New Zealand.  In 1974 they gained independence, with free association with New Zealand, and all citizens of Niue are also citizens of New Zealand.
 Wireless came to Niue in 1924, when a small communication station was installed in Alofi by the New Zealander Mr. H. W. Cockerel.  The original callsign was VLK, but this was amended in 1927 due to new international wireless regulations.  We would presume that the new callsign for Niue Island Radio was ZLK.  Niue Island Radio is in use to this day, for local communication with shipping and aircraft, and also with distant New Zealand
 During the 1960s, consideration was given to the need for a local radio broadcasting station, particularly so that warnings could be given to local citizens in the event of major weather emergencies, such as approaching cyclones and ocean storms.
 A few years later on August 14, 1967, the same day incidentally that some offshore stations around the British coast closed down, a new radio broadcasting service was inaugurated under a New Zealand amateur callsign ZK2ZN, with the part time usage of a marine communication transmitter.  A 250 watt transmitter radiated 200 watts output on 550 kHz, with programming in both English and the Niuean language for a few hours each week. 
 This new broadcasting service was operated by the Community Development Office from a small temporary studio in a nearby tourist hotel.  Very few radio receivers were in use on the island at the time, so a bulk consignment was procured from Japan and these were sold to the local citizens at cost price.   
 Six years later, a new 250 watt Marconi transmitter was installed in a new building on a hill at an elevation of 100 feet, one mile distant from the studios in Alofi.  The mediumwave mast stood 250 feet tall.  At this stage, a new studio and office building was constructed for radio station ZK2ZN, now known as Radio Sunshine.   
 Sometimes, the programming from station WVUV on American Samoa was relayed off air after hours, at the end of regular local programming from ZK2ZN.  News bulletins and some special programming on shortwave from RNZI Radio New Zealand International and Radio Australia was broadcast from Radio Sunshine, with a microphone placed in front of the radio receiver.
 The radio station at Alofi on Niue Island has been noted on a total of five different channels over the 32 years of broadcasting on mediumwave, running from 1967 to 1999.  These five mediumwave channels have been: 550 620 531 837 and finally 594 kHz.
 An FM transmitter was installed in 1991, with 100 watts on 91 MHz.  In 1999, when the mediumwave service was closed, an additional 500 watt FM transmitter was installed, and this took over the 91 MHz channel.  The 100 watt unit was retuned to 102 MHz.  In addition to the government operated Radio Sunshine, there is also now another FM station in Alofi and this operates as Rock Radio.
(AWR-Wavescan/NWS 408)

Indiana Statehood 200th Anniversary: The Early Wireless Scene

On Sunday December 11, this year, the American state of Indiana celebrated their 200th anniversary of statehood. It was on Wednesday December 11, in the good year 1816, that President James Madison granted statehood to much of the territory that had been previously designated as the Indiana Territory.
 In earlier times, the Indiana Territory was home for various tribes of Native Americans for hundreds of years.  The first European visitor was the French explorer Rene Robert Cavelier de La Salle who had settled in Canada to the north.  La Salle visited the area, long since established as the city of South Bend, in the year 1679.
 The state of Indiana is located just south of the Great Lakes, it is 250 miles long and 150 miles wide.  The first territorial capital was installed in the settlement at Vincennes on the Wabash River, to the south west.  Thirteen years later, the capital was transferred to another small settlement at Corydon, almost on the river to the south. 
 However, four years after statehood was granted, plans were implemented for the layout of a planned new capital city on the White River in the center of the state.  Thus the new capital, Indianapolis, was laid out as a mile square city, with a circle in the center and a square pattern of streets wth two additional diagonal streets. 
 The functions of the state capital were transferred to the Circle City, as it is known affectionately, in 1825.  These days, the entire state of Indiana has a population of 6.6 million, and Indianapolis has a resident population of 2 million.  Indianapolis sometimes describes itself as the Crossroads of America, with 21 radial highways leading in all directions of the compass out of the city, probably more than any other city in the world.
 During the early 1900s, there were 200 models of motor cars manufactured and assembled throughout the state of Indiana, with some 60 in Indianapolis alone.  The Indy 500 is a motor car race that is staged on Memorial Day at the end of May each year.  The first running of the Indy 500 was in 1911; and for many years, this annual sports occasion was listed as the world’s largest one day sporting event, with anything up to a million people flooding into Indianapolis over the holiday weekend. 
 Good quality stone, quarried in the Bedford area in the central south of the state, has been used in the construction of buildings and bridges and monuments in almost every state of the union.  The exterior of the Empire State Building in New York City, for example, is clad in Indiana limestone.
 A total of 430 local events are planned as anniversary celebrations this year at a cost of $55 million.  Two hundred country barns are renovated and decorated, and a Torch Relay, as in the Olympic Games, has traversed 2300 miles within the state and it ended with a government ceremony in the city.  A 200th anniversary postage stamp has already been issued, and we might add that one of these new commemorative stamps will be adhered to a QSL card for every entry in our recent Wavescan DX contest. 
 Indiana has been the home, temporary or permanent, for many notable people in the radio world.  Reginald Fessenden was born in Canadian Quebec, but at the age of 26 he accepted a teaching position as the professor in the newly formed Electrical Engineering Department at the University of Purdue in West Lafayette. 
 That was in 1892; and six years later while serving subsequently in a university in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, he began experimenting with the newly developing system of wireless transmission.  He is accredited with the first transmission of speech and music, a radio broadcast if you please, at Brant Rock in Massachusetts during the Christmas season at the beginning of the new century, in the year 1900.
 Another Indiana resident, Charles Jenkins, who became an early experimenter with the transmission of mechanical television, was born near Dayton in Ohio, in 1867.  Two years later, his family moved into Indiana and they took up a farm property a few miles north of Richmond, on the eastern edge of the state.
 As a young man, he left the family structure and moved to Washington DC, where he began experimenting in his spare time in the twin areas of television transmission and movie film projection.  In 1894 at the age of 27, he returned to his Indiana roots for what became the world’s first demonstration of a movie projector, with a short film in color.
   At the time, a family member owned a jewelry store with an upstairs dwelling at 726 Main Street in Richmond.  A few relatives and friends, together with a newspaper reporter, assembled in an upstairs room for this important historic though unceremonial occasion.
   There was no electricity connected to the building, so Charles Jenkins attached his own lateral wire to the high voltage wires used by the trolley cars in the street below.  He reduced the high voltage with the usage of a bucket of water, and then in the darkened room he screened his short movie that had been colored frame by fame.  The title of his movie was the Butterfly Dance.  Today, in the street below, is a tourist marker, indicating this memorable event. 
 In 1928, Jenkins began a regular series of TV transmissions in Washington DC over his experimental station W3XK, which he sold three years later to Lee de Forest, who sold it to RCA, the Radio Corporation of America, a few months later.
 The radio experimenter Archie Collins was born in South Bend at the northern edge of Indiana in 1869.  As a young man he obtained employment in Chicago, and subsequently in 1898 he began wireless experiments in Philadelphia Pennsylvania.  During the following year, he made successful wireless transmissions across an intervening distance of 200 feet.  Progressive experiments increased the coverage distance, and in the process of time he was successful in the transmission of the human voice.      
 Another well known resident of Indiana, at least for a couple of years, was the famous aviatrix Amelia Earhart.  In 1935, she was invited to join Purdue University in West Lafayette as the Technical Advisor in Aeronautics.  During this tenure, she lectured on Aerial Navigation and also Partnership in Marriage.
 It was while serving at Purdue University that she was successful in raising sufficient funding to purchase a new plane, the new Lockheed Electra Model 10E.  While flying over the central Pacific on July 2, 1937, the plane with its two occupants, pilot Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan suddenly and dramatically disappeared, somewhere near lonely and isolated Howland Island.  The radio callsign for her plane was KHAQQ.
 More about the radio scene in Indiana next time.
(AWR-Wavescan/NWS 407)

Clandestine stations frequency updates

Clandestine stations

via Media Broadcast, Issoudun, Frances relays 

Effective 17 December

All times UTC

Radio Al-Mukhtar1500-1530 11670 ISS 100 kW / 125 deg to EaAf Arabic Tue, instead of 17580
1530-1600 11670 ISS 100 kW / 125 deg to EaAf Tigrinya Tue, instead of 17580

Radio Adal1500-1530 11670 ISS 100 kW / 125 deg to EaAf Arabic Wed/Sat, instead of 17580
1530-1600 11670 ISS 100 kW / 125 deg to EaAf Tigrinya Wed/Sat, instead of 17580

(DX Bulgaria)

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2016 Dec 19 0057 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/weekly.html
#
#                Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 12 - 18 December 2016
Solar activity was at background levels through the period.No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.
The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit reached high levels on 12-17 December and moderate levels on 18 December. A maximum flux of 10,187 pfu was observed at 14/1610 UTC.
Geomagnetic field activity was at quiet to unsettled levels during the period. The period began under the waning influence of a negative polarity CH HSS with unsettled conditions early on 12 December. The remainder of the 12th through late on 17 December saw quiet conditions. During this time, solar wind speeds slowly decreased from about 550 km/s to near 350 km/s. Bt was less than 5
nT while the Bz component varied generally between +5 nT to -4 nT. Phi angle was in a mostly negative orientation.
By midday on 17 December, winds speeds indicated a general increase to about 500 km/s while Bt increased to about 10 nT and Bz showed rotation from +6 nT to -7 nT. Phi angle rotated to a mostly positive orientation. This increase in wind parameters signaled the arrival of a co-rotating interaction region ahead of a weak, positive polarity CH HSS. The geomagnetic field reacted with quiet to
unsettled levels.
Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 19 December - 14 January 2017
Solar activity is expected to be at very low levels with a slight chance for C-class flare activity 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 moderate levels on 19 December and moderate to high levels for the remainder of the outlook period (20 Dec - 14 Jan).
Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at unsettled to active levels on 19-25 December, 03-07 January and again on 14 January, with minor storm (G1-Minor) conditions likely on 21-22 December and  04-05 January; all due to recurrent CH HSSs. Mostly quiet conditions are expected for the remainder of the outlook period.

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2016 Dec 19 0057 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/wwire.html
#
#      27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
#                Issued 2016-12-19
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2016 Dec 19      73          15          4
2016 Dec 20      73          15          4
2016 Dec 21      73          25          5
2016 Dec 22      75          28          5
2016 Dec 23      75          12          4
2016 Dec 24      75          12          4
2016 Dec 25      75           8          3
2016 Dec 26      75           5          2
2016 Dec 27      75           5          2
2016 Dec 28      77           5          2
2016 Dec 29      77           5          2
2016 Dec 30      77           5          2
2016 Dec 31      77           5          2
2017 Jan 01      79           5          2
2017 Jan 02      79           8          3
2017 Jan 03      79          10          3
2017 Jan 04      77          20          5
2017 Jan 05      77          22          5
2017 Jan 06      75          16          4
2017 Jan 07      75          14          4
2017 Jan 08      75           6          3
2017 Jan 09      75           5          2
2017 Jan 10      75           5          2
2017 Jan 11      77           5          2
2017 Jan 12      77           5          2
2017 Jan 13      75           5          2
2017 Jan 14      75          10          3
(NOAA)

VOA Radiogram weekend schedule

Hello friends,
Near-winter-solstice propagation has made reception of VOA Radiogram more problematic, especially in the higher frequencies (15670 and 17580), while opening up opportunities for reception south of the Equator.

In  recent weeks, the Saturday 0930 UTC on 5865 kHz show has delivered a signal to Europe via the gray line, though usually not good enough for successful decoding. If you are in Europe, keep trying this transmission, at least into February. 

For European listeners, this time of year the best opportunity for reception might, ironically, be the Sunday 0230 UTC broadcast on 5745 kHz. It's nominally beamed to the Caribbean, and in the middle of the night in Europe. Audacity's timer record feature can be helpful here. Just leave your radio on all night -- and sleep well!

This weekend's VOA Radiogram has some interesting items, including a story about the future of US international broadcasting, including VOA. If reception is difficult -- a likely scenario -- one item is in Olivia 64-2000. It might decode successfully even if you can barely hear the signal through your speaker or see it on the waterfall.

For best Olivia 64-2000 performance, turn Fldigi's squelch (SQL) off. And to keep the center audio frequency from wandering, Configure > IDs > RsID > turn off Searches passband. Set your audio frequency to 1500 Hz, and it will wander no more than +/- 200 Hz.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 194, 17-18 December 2016, all in MFSK32 except
where noted:

   1:36  Program preview
 2:42  Reorganization of US international broadcasting*
11:53  Off-grid solar power in Africa*
18:00  Olivia 64-2000: Shortwave greetings for sailors
25:30  MFSK32: Closing announcements*

* with image
Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5865 kHz         (To the Americas, try also in Asia-Pacific and Europe)
Sat 1600-1630 17580 kHz       (To Europe, try also in the Americas and Asia-Pacific) 
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz        (To the Americas, try also in Europe)
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz      (To Europe, try also in the Americas and Asia-Pacific)
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

The Mighty KBC broadcast to North America will be Sunday at 0000-0200 UTC (Saturday 7-9 pm EST) on 6145 kHz, via Germany. A minute of MFSK32 will be transmitted at about 0130 UTC. Reports to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com . See also http://www.kbcradio.eu/ and https://www.facebook.com/TheMightyKbc/ .  
DigiDX has a new transmission schedule, both via WRMI Florida:
Sunday 2030-2100 UTC on  11580Khz (Targeted at Europe)
Sunday 2330-2400 UTC on 11580kHz (For North and South America)
See http://www.digidx.uk/ and https://www.facebook.com/digidx/

Italian Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) has digital modes as follows:
EVERY WEDNESDAY ON 3975 KHZ 20.30-21.00 UTC in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500
EVERY FRIDAY ON 9955 KHZ 02.25-02.30 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SATURDAY ON 1584 KHZ 21.25-21.30 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SUNDAY ON 7730 KHZ 00.55-01.00 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SUNDAY ON 6070 KHZ 11.30-12.00 UTC  in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500 (VIA RADIO BCLNEWS)
For the complete IBC transmission schedule, including voice broadcasts, visit  http://ibcradio.webs.com/

Thanks for your reception reports -- and reports of attempted reception -- from last weekend.

The past few weeks I've been especially busy with my pesky audience research job at VOA. But, now, with some holiday time off, I hope to answer many of your recent emails.

I hope you can tune in and write in this weekend.
Kim


Kim Andrew Elliott, KD9XB
Producer and Presenter
VOA Radiogram
voaradiogram.net
Twitter: @VOARadiogram  (especially active just before, during, and after broadcasts)

Weekend Euro Relays

All times UTC
Hamburger Lokal Radio via Shortwave Station Göhren, Germany with 1KW to Western Europe
6190 KHz     Every Saturday      07.00 to 11.00
7265 KHz     Every Saturday      11.00 to 16.00  
9485 KHz     Every Sunday        10.00 to 13.00
Contact email: redaktion@hamburger-lokalradio.de

Radio City via
IRRS to Europe on 7290 KHz (every 3rd Friday) between 19.00 to 20.00 
IRRS to Europe on 9510 KHz (every Saturday) between 09.00 to 10.00 
Challenger Radio to Northern Italy on 1368 KHz every Saturdays from 20.00 onwards
Radio Merkurs on 1485 KHz Every Saturday between 20.00 onwards
Contact email: citymorecars@yahoo.ca

European Music Radio 40th Birthday Transmissions via
WBCQ to Central & North America on 7490 KHz on 17th December between 22.00-23.00
KBC to Southern Europe on 9475 KHz on 18th December between 08.00 to 09.00
KBC to Western Europe on 6045 KHz on 18th December between 09.00 to 10.00
Shortwave Station Göhren on 9485 KHz on 18th December between 09.00 to 10.00
Channel 292 on 6070 KHz on 18th December between 20.00 to 21.00
Contact email: emrshortwave@gmail.com
Internet Repeats on 18th December 2016:
EMR will repeat this months Transmissions via two streams running at the following Times:16.00, 18.00, 20.00
http://nednl.net:8000/emr.m3u will be on 96 kbps /44 KHz stereo for normal listening
http://nednl.net:8000/emr24.m3u will be 24 kbps / 22 KHz mono will be especially for low bandwidth like mobile phones.

KBC via:
Media Broadcast to America on 6145 KHz Every Sunday between 00.00-01.00
Contact email: themightykbc@gmail.com

Hobart Radio via
Channel 292 to Western Europe on 6070 KHz Sundays between 21.00-21.30
WRMI to Americas, Asia/Pacific on 9955 KHz Sunday between 03.30-04.00
WRMI to Americas, Asia/Pacific on 9955 KHz Tuesday between 22.30-23.00
WBCQ to North America on 5130 KHz Mondays 03.30 to 04.00 UTC
Contact email: hriradio@gmail.com
For outside the listening area please try the Twente/Netherlands Web RX at http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/
You can also hear many European free and alternative stations via the Internet at: http://laut.fm/jukebox
Radio Channel 292  Transmission schedules on 6070 KHz (on the air every day):
http://www.channel292.de/schedule-for-bookings/ 

Radio Mi Amigo Transmission schedules
www.radiomiamigo.es/shortwave
Good Listening!
73s
Tom
European Music Radio
website: www.europeanmusicradio.com
email:    emrshortwave@gmail.com

Denge Kurdistan frequency updates

All times UTC

KURDISTAN  

Denge Kurdistan is on air with new start/end of broadcast 0330-2130 on  9400 various transmitters to WeAs Kurdish, ex 0400-2200

Upcoming frequency changes of Denge Kurdistan, effective from Dec.16: 0330-0600 NF  7400 KCH 300 kW / 130 deg to WeAs Kurdish, ex  9400 KCH
0600-0800 NF 11600 KCH 300 kW / 130 deg to WeAs Kurdish, ex  9400 KCH
0800-1200 NF 11600 KCH 300 kW / 130 deg to WeAs Kurdish, ex  9400 ERV
1200-1400 NF 11600 KCH 300 kW / 116 deg to WeAs Kurdish, ex  9400 KCH
1400-1500 NF 11600 SCB*100 kW / 090 deg to WeAs Kurdish, ex  9400 KCH
1500-1600 NF 11600 SCB*100 kW / 090 deg to WeAs Kurdish, ex  9400 SCB
1600-1700 NF  7455 ISS*250 kW / 090 deg to WeAs Kurdish, ex  9400 SCB
1700-2000 NF  7455 ISS*250 kW / 090 deg to WeAs Kurdish, ex  9400 ISS
2000-2130 NF  7455 KCH 300 kW / 116 deg to WeAs Kurdish, ex  9400 KCH *SCB=Secretbrod/ISS=Issoudun not confirmed, registered as Grigoriopol
(NF/new frequency)
(SW DXing 15 Dec)

The Radio Scene at the World's Largest Clocks

Makkah Royal Clock Tower, Mecca, Saudi Arabia

It was billed as the world’s largest clock, or perhaps more accurately, as the world’s largest mechanical clock.  It was built in England, it was flown to China, and it was installed in a new tower in the regional city, Ganzhou in Jianxi Province in south China.
            According to Wikipedia, there are half a dozen or more clocks in different countries around the world that are larger than the south China clock.  However, apparently all of the other larger clocks are electrically operated, whereas the south China clock is operated mechanically and it is therefore the largest clock of its kind in the world.
            The world’s very largest clock is the Makkah Royal Clock Tower, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.  The clock itself has four faces, each 151 feet across, and they are illuminated at night by several search lights and by two million LED lights which are visible nearly 20 miles distant.  The clock faces are ornamented with 98 million pieces of mosaic glass, and each minute hand is 72 feet long.  The drive mechanism to each clock face weighs 21 tons each.
            This grand time piece, the largest in the world, is fitted into a towering building nearly 2,000 feet tall, getting towards half a mile high.  This building itself, which is overlooking the Moslem holy place, the Kaaba in Mecca Saudi Arabia, is the fourth tallest building in the world.  This mega-massive project was completed in 2012.
            Among other super large clocks is a floral clock in Surat, India where each hand weighs 1,700 pounds, ¾ ton each.  The face on a floral clock in Frankfort Kentucky is made up of 10,000 individual flowers.  A large clock on Lubyanka Square in Moscow, Russia has the world’s largest pendulum, 42 feet long and weighing 5 tons.
           

Harmony Clock Tower

The world’s largest mechanical clock was installed in the newly developed Harmony Clock Tower in Ganzhou City, south China in 2011.  Each of the four clock faces measures 42 feet across and each minute hand is 25½ feet long, which includes a balancing overhang on the other side of the pivot.
            The hands for each face were made of lightweight carbon fibre, because they would have weighed two tons each if made from traditional steel.  The swinging pendulum is 13 feet long; it is accurate to 30 seconds a month; and the entire mechanism is guaranteed for 100 years.
            The clock itself, which weighs ten tons, was manufactured by Smith Clockworks in Derby England, and it was flown out to China to meet the


needed deadline.  The four clock faces were made in China.

The Harmony Clock Tower is almost 400 feet tall and the entire project as a tourist attraction cost 72 million, including the tower, the clock, the horological museum, and the surrounding theme park.  However, just four years$ after its inauguration, the theme park suspended operation in 2014 due to low visitor turnout.
            The city of Ganzhou is the largest city in Jiangxi Province and it has a resident population of two million, with some eight million in the surrounding district.  The Harmony Clock Tower is located on Yangmin Road, near to the Ganjiang Highway Bridge on the western edge of Ganzhou city.
            The radio scene in Ganzhou is very similar to the radio scene in numerous other cities in China.   Over the past many years, transmitters have been on the air with national, regional and local programming which is presented in the national language Mandarin as well as in the local and regional languages.
            It is known that the government operated radio services have been on the air over the years in Ganzhou on mediumwave, shortwave and of course the now widely accepted FM.  As with all other areas of China, it is difficult to obtain reliable information about the local radio scene.
            More than half a dozen mediumwave channels for coverage of Ganzhou have been in use over the years, and the Pacific Asia Log from Radio Heritage in New Zealand lists two that are currently on the air: 630 kHz with 10 kW and 729 kHz with 50 kW.
            On shortwave, at least three channels have been in use over a period of time: 3990 kHz, 4865 kHz and 5970 kHz.  Back in the year 2001, two international radio monitors In Germany logged the outlet on 5970 kHz, and they both received an informal QSL verification from the station.
            It is understood that the shortwave station was located at nearby Gannan, which is not to be confused with another city in China with the same name Gannan, that is located near the border with Tibet.
            In tandem with so many other countries around the world, there are many FM outlets on the air in Ganzhou China, and one that is currently operative is 104.4 MHz which carries a full time relay from mediumwave 729 kHz.
 (AWR Wavescan/NWS 406 via A. Peterson)

From the Isle of Music - December 12 programming

From the Isle of Music begins NEW winter schedule December 12 

This week, our special guest will be guitarist and composer Sergio Valdés Garcia, who in addition to doing much of the soundtrack for the film Juan de los Muertos also recorded some excellent music with his group Elévense. Also, we will have some authentic Rumba by Team Cuba de la Rumba in honor of the Rumba's recent recognition by UNESCO.

NEW! Three options for listening on shortwave:
WBCQ, 7490 KHz, Tuesdays 0100-0200 UTC (8pm-9pm EDT Mondays in the Americas)
Channel 292, 6070 KHz, Fridays 1100-1200 UTC (1200-1300 CET) and Saturdays 1600-1700 UTC (1700-1800 CET)
See the From the Isle of Music  Facebook page for more information.

William "Bill" Tilford, Owner/Producer
Tilford Productions, LLC
5713 N. St. Louis Av
Chicago IL 60659-4405
email: bill@tilfordproductions.com
phone: 773.267.6548
website: www.tilfordproductions.com

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts

:Issued: 2016 Dec 12 0110 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/weekly.html
#
#                Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 05 - 11 December 2016

Solar activity ranged from very low to low over the period. Very low levels were observed on 06-09 December and again on 11 December. Low
levels occured on 05 and 10 December with isolated C-class flare activity observed from Region 2615 (S07, L=139, class/area Dai/200
on 05 Dec). 

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at high levels on 05-07 December and on 09-11 December with moderate
levels observed on 08 December. A peak flux of 24,002 pfu was observed at 11/1525 UTC. 

Geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to active levels with a couple of isolated G1 (Minor) storms periods. The period began with
quiet to isolated unsettled activity through midday on 07 December. Solar wind parameters were nominal with winds speeds in the 300-375
km/s range. By midday to late on 07 December, activity levels increased to unsettled to active as the field came under the
influence of a large, recurrent, negative polarity CH HSS. Phi angle rotated from a positve to a negative orientation, wind speeds spiked
from about 375 km/s to near 550 km/s, total field Bt increased to 16 nT while the Bz component was variable between +14 nT to -8 nT. From
08-09 December, wind speeds continued to increase reaching a peak of 731 km/s early on 09 December. Field conditions responded with
unsettled to active levels with G1 (Minor) strom levels recorded late on the 9th. From 10-11 December, field conditions were
generally at unsettled to active levels with some quiet periods on the 10th. Wind speeds began a gradual decline with values near 550
km/s by the end of the summary period. 

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 12 December - 07 January 2017

Solar activity is expected to be at very low levels with a slight chance of C-class activity 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 mostly high levels through the summary period with
moderate levels likely on 19-21 December. 

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at unsettled to active levels on 18-25 December and again on 02-07 January due to recurrent
CH HSSs. In addition, G1 (Minor) storm conditions are likely on 21 December and 04-05 January to include G2 (Moderate) storm conditions
on 22 December. Mostly quiet conditions are expected for the remainder of the outlook period. 

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2016 Dec 12 0110 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/wwire.html
#
#      27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
#                Issued 2016-12-12
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2016 Dec 12      73           8          3
2016 Dec 13      73           5          2
2016 Dec 14      75           5          2
2016 Dec 15      75           5          2
2016 Dec 16      75           5          2
2016 Dec 17      75           5          2
2016 Dec 18      75           8          3
2016 Dec 19      82          12          4
2016 Dec 20      82          16          4
2016 Dec 21      86          22          5
2016 Dec 22      86          30          6
2016 Dec 23      88          12          4
2016 Dec 24      88          10          3
2016 Dec 25      88           8          3
2016 Dec 26      88           5          2
2016 Dec 27      88           5          2
2016 Dec 28      86           5          2
2016 Dec 29      86           5          2
2016 Dec 30      88           5          2
2016 Dec 31      88           5          2
2017 Jan 01      88           5          2
2017 Jan 02      86           8          3
2017 Jan 03      86          10          3
2017 Jan 04      84          20          5
2017 Jan 05      82          22          5
2017 Jan 06      80          16          4
2017 Jan 07      80          16          4


(NOAA)

U.S. Coast Guard Testing DRM Journaline for Maritime Safety Broadcast

Blog Editor Note: This feature and more will be available in the new International Shortwave Broadcast Guide Winter 2016-2017 e-Book that will be released in the next few days on Amazon. Watch this site for an announcement of availability.

Story by Larry Van Horn, N5FPW

Most shortwave radio enthusiasts have heard of digital broadcast mode Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM). DRM is  a set of standards designed by a European consortium, and most commonly used for digital audio broadcasting and it is the only digital HF broadcasting mode authorized by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and Federal Communications  Commission (FCC) here in the United States.

DRM transmissions sporadically appear on the various broadcast bands and offer the listener high quality broadcast audio if the signal is strong enough for reception. There are also text stream, and other data sub-channels that can be imbedded in a DRM transmission streams.

For all the usual reasons, DRM has never caught on in North America. Among other problems, changing market forces had killed off most or all of the DRM-ready transmitting sites capable of a 12 dB signal to noise ratio to DRM capable receivers.

Recently while tuning outside the international shortwave broadcast bands, a Mojave Desert, California, DX’er nicknamed Token, came across some DRM transmissions on 5200 and 8000 kHz. The signals he monitored were using the Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM) in a tight waveform fitting the 10-kHz broadcast channel.

When he started decoding the DRM transmission what he found was not an voice audio broadcast, but instead a data sub-channel which identified itself as “USCG Journaline.” Journaline is a trademark of Fraunhofer IIS, in Germany. It’s a hierarchical data mode, using a “Journaline Markup Language” based on XML (eXtensible Markup Language). This is sent in one or more DRM data channels. It also works in DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting). It is currently being used by several broadcasters, including BBC and Deutsche Welle, for “multicast” information such as news stories and weather maps. While not interactive, it does give the user menus of data “objects” available for viewing. It somewhat resembles a very streamlined and compacted one-way version of what web browsers do.

Some quick research, by Token and Hugh Stegman, The Spectrum Monitor e-zine Utility Planet columnist, turned up that indeed, the U.S. Coast Guard was responsible for these DRM Journaline broadcasts.

COMMSTA Kodiak (Courtesy of USCG 17th District Blog)

Subsequent research by the pair found the following U.S. government website entry: “The United States Coast Guard Research and Development Center has a requirement to procure, install and provide technical support for Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) with High Frequency (HF) for testing in New London, CT and Kodiak AK.”

“Later amendments specify that the DRM equipment must work with existing (and nonlinear) HF transmitters by Rockwell Collins. The transmitting antenna must be the existing TCI 530. The receive antenna must be “suitable for installation on a medium-sized vessel (100-250 ft).” Another source, Doug Irwin in Radiomagonline, has the following information: “The USCG is very interested in testing the propagation characteristics of using DRM with High Frequency as a means to broadcast digital data for its ongoing project in the Northwest Passage. If successful, the USCG will investigate using the system to enhance existing means of distributing digital maritime safety information in the far north of the U.S.”

The Arctic region in recent years has become navigable in summer, and for the first time the fabled “Northwest Passage” actually exists as a shipping route. International groups have created new world navigation areas (NAVAREAs) for this region. The USCG has a number of testing programs regarding safety on this new frontier. Among other issues, these latitudes are a bit far north for geostationary satellites stationed in the “Clarke Belt.” That’s one of the reasons why we keep seeing interest in HF. The USCG became interested after a contractor called RFMondial reported the success of a similar system used by the German Navy. This one, according to the same source, “explored how to use encrypted data transmission for maritime broadcasting of information and entertainment to ships at sea.”

Utility DX Forum member Brendan Wahl WA7HL, a former U.S. Coast Guard radioman, dug further into the story by contacting the project office directly and passes along the following information regarding this new DRM service that the US Coast Guard is testing.

“The Next Generation Arctic Navigational Safety Information System (ANSIS) project is an ongoing U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Research and Development Center (RDC) project that is attempting to meet the challenge of disseminating Maritime Safety Information in the Arctic.

“I had a conference call on November 21, 2016, with the good folks at R&D to go over what can be offered by the monitoring community and me to their experiment. They are quite interested in reports that are as detailed as possible. I am running the DReaM software here and using DRMPlot to produce graphs of my logs, and they like those graphs very much!”

Officials associated with the project told Brendan, "For a variety of reasons we ended up with DRM over HF.  It is where the data rate would allow transmission of detailed weather, ice edge, and notice to mariner's information, as well as electronic chart updates. A one year field test is being conducted in Alaska. We completed installation during the week of October 23, 2016. We have been working with RFMondial and Fraunhofer. We are transmitting (at around 800 watts) from Kodiak and our receive equipment is in Cordova (shore side and aboard the buoy tender). We have 10 authorized frequencies to use between 2.45 and 29.9 MHz.  But have reduced them to the six lowest frequencies.

"Initial research indicates that lower frequencies are best, so we came up with a schedule for these transmissions.  The test will go for one year, so we may change this schedule at some point to maximize reception."

Brendan further asked about the antenna system and they confirmed that they are using a TCI 530 antenna (omnidirectional and NVIS).

He also addressed to the Coast Guard the frequencies being used for the test since two of them are in broadcast bands and he relayed his concerns about directly adjacent and on-frequency interference from much higher powered broadcasters.

The project office said that the frequencies may or may not change, as it was apparently difficult to arrange what they did get allocated. Currently they are 2450, 5200, 6850, 8000, 9900, and 12100 kilohertz (kHz) with three more inactive higher frequencies in reserve. The transmission site is located in Kodiak, Alaska, (Coast Guard call sign NOJ) and it is the only transmitter site for this experiment at present. The precise location of the station is at 57.778455N, 152.526588W.

Brendan also received a current schedule of dates/times/frequencies for these broadcasts for the next year and we have included that information below. The broadcasts are on 24 hours a day and last until the next frequency change in the schedule.  Reception reports may be emailed directly to the R&D Center in New London at the following email address: drminfo@uscg.mil.

If anyone has any questions, you can contact Brendan via the UDXF group and feel free to contact him there and he will contact members of the group conducting the test to get answers you may have.

We appreciate The Spectrum Monitor, Utility Planet columnist Hugh Stegman, Token in the Mojave, the UDXF newsgroup, and Brendan Wahl, WA7HL, located in Bellingham, Washington, for their assistance in preparing this article.

USCG Journaline Simplified Broadcast Schedule

      Start Time/Date (UTC) Frequency (kHz) 

16:00 12/2/2016 12100   16:00 12/5/2016 2450       

16:00 12/7/2016 6850     16:00 12/9/2016 5200

16:00 12/12/2016 8000   16:00 12/14/2016 2450

16:00 12/16/2016 9900   16:00 12/19/2016 12100

16:00 12/21/2016 2450   16:00 12/23/2016 6850

16:00 12/26/2016 5200   16:00 12/28/2016 8000

16:00 12/30/2016 2450   16:00 1/2/2017 9900

16:00 1/4/2017 5200       16:00 1/6/2017 12100

16:00 1/9/2017 2450       16:00 1/11/2017 6850

16:00 1/13/2017 5200     16:00 1/16/2017 8000

16:00 1/18/2017 2450     16:00 1/20/2017 9900

16:00 1/23/2017 12100   16:00 1/25/2017 2450

16:00 1/27/2017 6850     16:00 1/30/2017 5200

16:00 2/1/2017 8000       16:00 2/3/2017 2450

16:00 2/6/2017 9900       16:00 2/8/2017 5200

16:00 2/10/2017 12100   16:00 2/13/2017 2450

16:00 2/15/2017 6850     16:00 2/17/2017 5200

16:00 2/20/2017 8000     16:00 2/22/2017 2450

16:00 2/24/2017 9900     16:00 2/27/2017 12100

16:00 3/1/2017 2450       16:00 3/3/2017 6850

16:00 3/6/2017 5200       16:00 3/8/2017 8000

16:00 3/10/2017 2450     16:00 3/13/2017 9900

16:00 3/15/2017 5200     16:00 3/17/2017 12100

16:00 3/20/2017 2450     16:00 3/22/2017 6850

16:00 3/24/2017 5200     16:00 3/27/2017 8000

16:00 3/29/2017 2450     16:00 3/31/2017 9900

16:00 4/3/2017 12100     16:00 4/5/2017 2450

16:00 4/7/2017 6850       16:00 4/10/2017 5200

16:00 4/12/2017 8000     16:00 4/14/2017 2450

16:00 4/17/2017 9900     16:00 4/19/2017 5200

16:00 4/21/2017 12100   16:00 4/24/2017 2450

16:00 4/26/2017 6850     16:00 4/28/2017 5200

16:00 5/1/2017 8000       16:00 5/3/2017 2450

16:00 5/5/2017 9900       16:00 5/8/2017 12100

16:00 5/10/2017 2450     16:00 5/12/2017 6850

16:00 5/15/2017 5200     16:00 5/17/2017 8000

16:00 5/19/2017 2450     16:00 5/22/2017 9900

16:00 5/24/2017 5200     16:00 5/26/2017 12100

16:00 5/29/2017 2450     16:00 5/31/2017 6850

16:00 6/2/2017 5200       16:00 6/5/2017 8000

16:00 6/7/2017 2450       16:00 6/9/2017 9900

16:00 6/12/2017 12100   16:00 6/14/2017 2450

16:00 6/16/2017 6850     16:00 6/19/2017 5200

16:00 6/21/2017 8000     16:00 6/23/2017 2450

16:00 6/26/2017 9900     16:00 6/28/2017 5200

16:00 6/30/2017 12100   16:00 7/3/2017 2450

16:00 7/5/2017 6850       16:00 7/7/2017 5200

16:00 7/10/2017 8000     16:00 7/12/2017 2450

16:00 7/14/2017 9900     16:00 7/17/2017 12100

16:00 7/19/2017 2450     16:00 7/21/2017 6850

16:00 7/24/2017 5200     16:00 7/26/2017 8000

16:00 7/28/2017 2450     16:00 7/31/2017 9900

16:00 8/2/2017 5200       16:00 8/4/2017 12100

16:00 8/7/2017 2450       16:00 8/9/2017 6850

16:00 8/11/2017 5200     16:00 8/14/2017 8000

16:00 8/16/2017 2450     16:00 8/18/2017 9900

16:00 8/21/2017 12100   16:00 8/23/2017 2450

16:00 8/25/2017 6850     16:00 8/28/2017 5200

16:00 8/30/2017 8000     16:00 9/1/2017 2450

16:00 9/4/2017 9900       16:00 9/6/2017 5200

16:00 9/8/2017 12100     16:00 9/11/2017 2450

16:00 9/13/2017 6850     16:00 9/15/2017 5200

16:00 9/18/2017 8000     16:00 9/20/2017 2450

16:00 9/22/2017 9900     16:00 9/25/2017 12100

16:00 9/27/2017 2450     16:00 9/29/2017 6850

16:00 10/2/2017 5200     16:00 10/4/2017 8000

16:00 10/6/2017 2450     16:00 10/9/2017 9900

16:00 10/11/2017 5200   16:00 10/13/2017 12100

16:00 10/16/2017 2450   16:00 10/18/2017 6850

16:00 10/20/2017 5200   16:00 10/23/2017 8000

16:00 10/25/2017 2450   16:00 10/27/2017 9900

16:00 10/30/2017 12100

     

Radio Free Asia continues their Anniversary QSL

a reminder to our readers.....this card's last day will be December 31, 2016

Radio Free Asia (RFA) announces its 20^th 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 Burma, Cambodia, Laos, North Korea, the People’s Republic of China, and Vietnam.  RFA does not express editorial opinions but provides news, analysis, commentary, and cultural programming in the languages of the country of broadcast.  This design is RFA’s 62^nd QSL and is used to confirm all valid reception reports from September – December 2016.

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

 (A.J. Janitschek/RFA) 

The following winter schedule is effective to 26 March 2017 

RFA Broadcast Frequency Schedules

All frequencies are kHz, 1 MegaHertz (MHz) is equal to 1000 kHz. Conversion to meter bands: Meters=300000/frequency in kHz. e.g.: 17705 kHz --> 16.9 meters

Burmese                  
0030-0130 UTC  12115 15700 17510
1230-1400 UTC  11795 12105 13735
1400-1430 UTC  11795 12105
Khmer                    
1230-1330 UTC  11750
2230-2330 UTC  11850
Korean                   
1500-1700 UTC   1188  5885  7210  9985
1700-1900 UTC   1188  5885  9985
2100-2200 UTC   7460  9860  9985
Lao                      
0000-0100 UTC  13685
1100-1200 UTC  13685
Mandarin                 
0300-0500 UTC  11980 15340 17660
0500-0700 UTC  11980 15340 17660 21700
1500-1600 UTC   7415  9790  9850
1600-1700 UTC   6120  7415  9455
1700-1900 UTC   7415  9455  9860
1900-2000 UTC   1098  5965  7415  9455  9860
2000-2100 UTC   1098  5965  7415  7445  9455  9590
2100-2200 UTC   1098  7415  9410  9455
2300-2400 UTC   9825  9900 11775
Tibetan                  
0100-0200 UTC   9670 11695 13795 15270 17750
0200-0300 UTC   9455  9670 11695 17525 17750
0600-0700 UTC  17675 17815 21480 21680
1000-1100 UTC   9690 15665 17830
1100-1200 UTC   7470  9940 11550
1200-1300 UTC   7470  9940 11555 12055 15375
1300-1400 UTC   7470  9940 12050 13650 15375
1500-1600 UTC   5875  9940 11660 11805
2200-2300 UTC   7470  7480  9890
2300-2400 UTC   5905  7470  7540  9535
Uyghur                   
0100-0200 UTC   7480  9450  9700  9740 13705
1600-1700 UTC   7545  7565 11720 11800
Vietnamese               
1400-1430 UTC   1503 11850 13735
1430-1500 UTC  11850 13735
(RFA/Janitschek)

Special Upcoming Special Program Schedules

Hi All,
As well as the special program about the Danish Shortwave Club International, which has been made by the Rhein Main Radio Club, and is listed for broadcast on 6145 kHz at 2000 UTC on the 17th of December via the Shortwave Service in Germany, and using the 100kW transmitter in Armenia, in this week's episode of Wavescan, Jeff White also said that there would be a number of broadcasts via WRMI too,  but will be in two parts rather one. I assume this will be the same one hour program, but broken up into two 30 minute segments instead, and broadcast a week apart.

The times and dates given by Jeff were as follows:
December 3rd 2300 5850.0 kHz Part One
December 3rd 2330 11580.0 kHz Part One
December 4th 2300 5850.0 kHz Part One
December 5th 0230 9955.0 kHz Part One
December 10th 2300 5850.0 kHz Part Two
December 10th 2330 11580.0 kHz Part Two
December 11th 2030 11580.0 kHz Part Two
December 11th 2300 5850.0 kHz Part Two
December 12th 0230 9955.0 kHz Part two

More info about this can be found on the EDXC website, including QSL details:
https://edxcnews.wordpress.com/2016/11/16/kw-radiosendung-uber-dswci-shortwave-broadcast/

This page also gives details via Victor Goonetilleke showing two more broadcasts to Asia, and one to Europe via SLBC:

SRI LANKA Victor Goonetilleke, Program Manager
To EUROPE :
Sat., 03. Dec. 2016 (UTC) from 1930-2030 UTC on 9715 KHz
(350 degrees; 125 Kilowatts)
—-
To JAPAN, Asia, Australia :
Sun., 04. Dec. 2016 (UTC) from 1000-1100 UTC on 11835 KHz
or
Sat., 03. Dec. 2016 (UTC) from 1000-1100 UTC on 11835 KHz
73 for now, Alan.
(BDXC)

From The Isle of Music December 5-6 schedule

FROM THE ISLE OF MUSIC NOW WITH THREE LISTENING OPTIONS!

On December 6 (December 5 local date in the Americas), our special guest will be the delightful Cuban violinist Tanmy López Moreno, who in addition to performing with Interactivo has her own project. We will feature music from her two albums. We will also play selections from 4/1, an award-winning album by Cuban concert pianist Fidel Leal. And to add a little something extra, some vintage Cuban Rock from Los Gafas.

Three options for listening on shortwave:
WBCQ, 7490 KHz, Tuesdays 0100-0200 UTC (8pm-9pm EDT Mondays in the Americas)
Channel 292, 6070 KHz, Tuesdays 1900-2000 UTC (2000-2100 CET) and (NEW) Fridays 1100-1200 UTC (1200-1300 CET)
See the NOTES section of our Facebook page for instructions for listening online if you are out of range or don’t have a shortwave radio.
(Bill Tilford/Tilford Productions)

December Specials from DX Stamp & Suppy Service

Dear Customers,

Below are specials for December 2016.
 If you need a current stamp list or supply list, I can mail or email it to you. 

FLASH!!    I have Christmas forever stamps available, Madonna & Child, for your Christmas mailings...If you'd like these, be sure to mention when ordering from offer listed below. ALSO! I can make up 47c in 2 stamps with Christmas stamps too!! Just mention when you order!

EXTRA FLASH!!!  First Class rate returns to 49c in mid-January!! Time to stock up. SPECIAL OFFER: 1000 Forever stamps = $470. FV   Offered at 85% of face at $399.50 plus $3.50 shipping. Total = $403.00!!!
 
NEWS!!!: European Air Return Envelopes.....SOLD OUT!!!  I will NOT be restocking. With lower sales, restocking would be a smaller qty. to purchase at a much higher cost...I will sell  the European PLAIN Returns in their place. See special deals below. A few customers are QSL managers and they tell me they rarely see an airmail envelope from overseas anyway, except maybe from JA. My supply of European Air Mailers is greater (about 12,000), so they will last longer. Take advantage of the European Air Mailer close out combo specials while I have them!!!  The red & blue airmail border isn't necessary for international mail anymore. All international mail goes by air, renamed First Class International a number of years ago.

MORE NEWS:  VENEZUELA has been dropped from stamp list. My Supplier can no longer obtain.

IDEA:  Slightly damaged Deluxe QSL Album   now $30.00 -or- buy 2 for only $55.00!!!

NEW RATES:
 If you hear of or notice any new rates, let me know.

NEW PRICES:  

 IN STOCK AGAIN:  AUSTRALIA

STAMPS ON BACK ORDER:

 U.S. DISCOUNT POSTAGE DEALS!!

Save Big on your domestic mailings 
 with colorful vintage stamps!
HAPPY  MAILING!!
47c Units
 Forever
 
 in  2 stamps
 
 in 5 stamps

x 100
 $45.00
 
 $40.00
  
x 200
 $85.00
 
 $65.00
 
  x 500
 $207.00
 
 $157.00
   
Payment by Credit card, check or money order for forever stamps and 47c units!
Bulk Postage Lots of sheets & singles
$200FV: $130 ppd     $500FV: $310. ppd
                             
No Charge for shipping Discount Postage Offers

DECEMBER 2016  DX  STAMP  SPECIALS
2 Germany-$2.60    2 Russia-$2.60    3 Japan-$3.90  
2 Italy-$7.00    2 UK-$3.00    2 France-$3.60    2 Spain-$4.00

DECEMBER 2016  DX  SUPPLY  SPECIALS
200/200 European Plain Mailers and Plain Returns - $40.00
200/200 European Air Mailers and Plain Returns - $40.00
European AIR Returns are SOLD OUT!!
5 Packs of Extra QSL Album pages - $22.00

DECEMBER 2016 CLOSE OUT SPECIALS
500 European Air Mailers - $39.00
200/200 Stateside mailers and Returns - $23.00
500/500 Stateside Mailers and Returns - $43.00
 
Priority Mail Shipping Rates: Orders up to $40.00 add $9.00, orders from $41.00 to $100.00 add $15.00. orders from $101.00 to $150.00 add $20.00, orders over $150.00 add 15%. When ordering supplies and stamps, the stamps ride free, just use supply total to figure shipping costs. Shipments to Canada and overseas ship at a greater cost. (07/2015 modified)

Stamps Only Orders: Just add $1.00 P&H for posting to USA, add $2.00 for posting to Canada.

73, bill
William Plum
12 Glenn Road
Flemington, NJ 08822
908 788 1020
Email: plumdx@msn.com

VOA Radiogram weekend schedule

Hello friends,
Last week’s transmission Sunday at 1930-2000 UTC on 15670 kHz again did not reach most of Europe -- for at least part of the show.  See the image above.

 The Saturday 0930-1000 broadcast on 5865 kHz also did not reach most of Europe. Please try again this weekend, because we never know when gray-line propagation will be favorable. This transmission should be audible throughout the Americas and might also be heard in the Asia-Pacific region.

This weekend’s VOA Radiogram includes one news item in Olivia 64-2000. This mode might provide a good decode even in conditions which result in an unsuccessful decode of our usual MFSK32 mode. Turn off Fldigi’s squelch (SQL) for best results in Olivia 64-2000.

And to keep the transmitter hum from mixing with the RSID, resulting in an incorrect center audio frequency, do this in Fldigi: Configure > IDs > ID > RsID > unselect (turn off) Searches passband.  Set the audio frequency at 1500 Hz. Any self-adjustment of the audio frequency by Fldigi will be no more than 200 Hz.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 192, 3-4 December 2016, all in the MFSK32 except where noted:

1:48  Program preview

2:59  U.S. Coast Guard looks to increased Asia-Pacific role*
8:47  Thomas Edison National Historical Park*
15:55  Olivia 64-2000: UK radio amateur's ISS project
22:16  MFSK32: Club Diexistas de la Amistad 40th anniversary*
27:07  Closing announcements*
* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5865 kHz         (To the Americas, try also in Asia-Pacific and Europe)
Sat 1600-1630 17580 kHz       (To Europe, try also in the Americas and Asia-Pacific) 
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz        (To the Americas, try also in Europe)
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz      (To Europe, try also in the Americas and Asia-Pacific)
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

The Mighty KBC broadcast to North America will be Sunday at 0000-0200 UTC (Saturday 7-9 pm EST) on 6145 kHz, via Germany. A minute of MFSK32 will be transmitted at about 0130 UTC. Reports to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com . See also http://www.kbcradio.eu/ and https://www.facebook.com/TheMightyKbc/ .  

DigiDX has a new transmission schedule, both via WRMI Florida:
Sunday 2030-2100 UTC on  11580Khz (Targeted at Europe)
Sunday 2330-2400 UTC on 11580kHz (For North and South America)
See http://www.digidx.uk/ and https://www.facebook.com/digidx/

Italian Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) has digital modes as follows:
EVERY WEDNESDAY ON 3975 KHZ 20.30-21.00 UTC in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500
EVERY FRIDAY ON 9955 KHZ 02.25-02.30 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SATURDAY ON 1584 KHZ 21.25-21.30 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SUNDAY ON 7730 KHZ 00.55-01.00 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SUNDAY ON 6070 KHZ 11.30-12.00 UTC  in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500 (VIA RADIO BCLNEWS)
For the complete IBC transmission schedule, including voice broadcasts, visit  http://ibcradio.webs.com/

Thank you for your reception reports from last weekend.
I am compiling a gallery of Denali images and hope to start sending it out this weekend.
I hope you can tune in and write in this weekend.
Kim Andrew Elliott, KD9XB
Producer and Presenter
VOA Radiogram
voaradiogram.net
Twitter: @VOARadiogram  (especially active just before, during, and after broadcasts)

PS: For information about the transmitters and antennas used for VOA Radiogram, see …

http://voaradiogram.net/post/47627164533/voa-radiogram-some-details-about-the-transmitters