The DX Challenge is Back !

After a lengthy absence, the Shortwave DX Challenge is back and it runs for the month of January. Log as many countries as you can in the month. All loggings must be of at least five minutes in length with as much program detail as possible. Only shortwave broadcast and time signal stations count. Relay transmissions count as the country where the transmitter is located. All entries must be e-mailed in or postmarked by February 15th. NO HAND WRITTEN ENTRIES. I'm getting too old to decipher chicken scrawl. You can also send in entries as you log them and they will be tallied together at the end.

And there will be a nice prize for whoever logs the most countries over the month of January.

Use the NASWA country list available at:
http://www.naswa.net/images/NASWA_country_list.pdf to for your loggings. Use the snail/e-mail address below or see the January issue of my column, Your Reports, when it is posted to the ODXA website. All entries may be used in the column.
(Mark Coady/ODXA)

FRS slated for December 18 broadcast

Dear Radio Friends,

Sunday December 18th FRS-Holland will be on air with its annual special December broadcast.

Sunday December 18th FRS-Holland will be on air with its annual special December broadcast.
The broadcast will be on 7600//5800 between 07:52- 14:00 UTC/ 08:52- 15:00 CET.
That day we will feature a wide variety of quality pop music from the past 45 years along with
several radio related programme items.

FRS-Holland offers you the opportunity to send in your December greetings to radio friends and relatives.
Your contributions are highly appreciated and will add something special to our programmes!
You can easily produce a little (written) message and send it to [frs@frsholland.nl]. It only takes a few minutes of your spare time....
We raffle a radio DVD among those who participate in our December broadcast with their Seasonal greetings.
We'd like to ask you to do it as soon as possible as some shows will already be recorded this upcoming weekend.
Don't hesitate but just do it!
If you have the opportunity to send in an audio (mp3) clip you are more than welcome!

The staff of FRS-Holland hopes to hear from you...
73s,
Peter Verbruggen on behalf of the staff

"a Balance between Music & Information joined to one Format.... "

FRS-Holland
POBox 2702
6049 ZG Herten
The Netherlands

e-mail: frs.holland@hccnet.nl
e-mail: frs@frsholland.nl

Radio Romania Intl welcomes questionnaire 2011-212

Radio Romania International has a continued commitment towards improving the structure, content and journalistic quality of radio broadcasts (by modernizing short wave emitters, short wave digital content, expanding re-broadcasting services through partner stations). At the same time, we have enhanced our on-line presence, branching out on social networks and content sharing platforms.

This questionnaire is our latest attempt to gauge how well received and appreciated these efforts were by our audience. You are kindly invited to fill in this questionnaire and send it to RRI as soon as possible, but no later than 15 March 2012. The first 100 of our listeners who return the complete questionnaire by any means (regular mail, e-mail, fax, or by filling in the form received through RRI newsletter) will receive a small gift as a sign of our appreciation. Be assured that your answers are entirely confidential, and will be used by RRI for statistical purposes only. The only exception to that may be answers that we quote on the air with your explicit consent.

Thank you in advance,
Eugen Cojocariu
Head of RRI


For more...
http://www.rri.ro/art.shtml?lang=1&sec=1112&art=198982
(Yimber Gaviria, Colombia/playdx)

Don't let Voice of America broadcasts go static

Voice of America (VOA), the jewel in America's public diplomacy effort abroad, is set to be streamlined. Some programs can be downsized. But VOA is in the national interest, especially as Russia, China, and Iran expand state-supported media. Cuts should be handled with care.

By John Hughes / December 12, 2011

Read the CSM story here .....

http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/John-Hughes/2011/1212/Don-t-let-Voice-of-America-broadcasts-go-static
(Alokesh Gupta,VU3BSE New Delhi , INdia)

Marti Program Bridging Cuban and American Business

An innovative Martí program focuses on the future of Cuba through conversations bridging Cuban and American business people as part of the next episode of Avanza Cuba (Cuba Forward), scheduled for December 14, 2011 from 11am to 12pm.

The program, to be broadcast from Radio Martí’s Miami studios, will feature Cuban bloggers and entrepreneurs from within the island, in conversation with Cuban business owners in Union City, New Jersey, as well as other special guests and audience participation. The episode focuses on the nascent Cuban business community made up of "cuentapropistas", a uniquely Cuban term for entrepreneurs which roughly translates as "being-on-their-owns".

“We are providing a unique opportunity for Cubans interested in starting or operating small businesses to ask questions and share their experiences with practitioners in Miami, London and New Jersey,” said Carlos Garcia Pérez, Director of Radio and TV Martí. “The incremental relaxation of the market rules in Cuba invites a rich conversation about the current environment as well as the future of the Island.

Avanza Cuba premiered in September 2011, featuring prominent Cuban bloggers, professors, and students discussing new media and the role of technology in Cuba. The program incorporates all of the Martí’s radio, TV, and online streams and aims to create a dialogue and share information to help Cubans make educated decisions about the future of their country.

Avanza Cuba moves beyond politics to foster discussion of topics of interest to the audience, including creating opportunities to use social media and fostering Cuban entrepreneurship.

In response to the first Avanza Cuba program, notable Cuban blogger Yoani Sánchez Tweeted: “A lot of people calling me from the provinces after today’s show. Incredible how many Cubans listen to the ‘forbidden radio.’”

During the broadcast, join the conversation by following @AvanzaCuba on Twitter, liking the “Avanza Cuba” page on Facebook, or emailing avanzacuba@gmail.com.
Visit www.martinoticias.com for more information on Avanza Cuba and other Radio and TV Martí programs.
(Leticia King/VOA)

EMR - Radio Saxonia - Atlantic 2000 this Weekend

MV Baltic Radio relay service is on the air this Sunday the 18th of December 2011

MVBR Schedule:

All times UTC

08.00 to 09.00 on 9480 KHz - Atlantic 2000 International

09.00 to 10.00 on 9480 KHz - Radio Saxonia

10.00 to 11.00 on 6140 KHz - EMR

10.00 to 11.00 on 9480 KHz - EMR

13.00 to 14.00 on 9480 KHz - Radio Saxonia ( Repeat from 09.00 )
Good Listening 73s Tom

Due to Technical reasons the last transmission from MVBR on 6140 KHz will be on
the 25th of December 2011. MVBR on 9480 KHz will continue in 2012 as normal.
(Tom Taylor)

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2011 Dec 13 1738 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 2011
Solar activity was at predominantly low levels for the summary period. From 05 - 06 December, two regions dominated the disk in size and solar flare production, Region 1363 (S21, L=108, class/area=Eki/620 on 05 December) and Region 1362 (N08, L=131, lass/area=Eso/220 on 03 December). Both regions produced multiple C-class events with Region 1363 responsible for the largest event of the period, a C6/Sf flare at 05/2325 UTC. From 07 - 10 December, Region 1374 (S17, L=352, class/area=Dso/210 on 11 December) and
Region 1375 (N08, L=356, class/area=Cso/140 on 11 December) dominated the disk, each producing several small C-class events. The only days of the summary period with activity at very low levels were 06 and 11 December . Multiple coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were observed throughout the week, however, none of them were geoeffective.

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at moderate levels from 05 - 09 December. A return to background levels was observed on 10 December.

Geomagnetic activity was at predominantly quiet levels during the summary period. From 05 - 08 December, quiet conditions were observed at all latitudes. On 09 December, an isolated period of active conditions was observed at high latitudes. On 10 December, quiet to unsettled conditions were observed as a coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS) moved into a geoeffective position. Solar wind speed increased from around 330 km/s to around 500 km/s at the ACE spacecraft and the total IMF rose to around 11 nT. Another isolated period of active conditions was observed at high latitudes on 11 December as a result of the CH HSS effects.

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 14 December - 09 January 2012

Solar activity is expected to be at predominately low levels with a chance for isolated M-class activity from 12 - 22 December. A decrease to predominantly low levels is expected from 23 -24 December as Regions 1374 and 1375 rotate off the disk. An increase to a slight chance for M-class activity is expected on 25 December as Region 1363 returns and remain for the duration of the forecast 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 the entire forecast period (14 December - 09 January).

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at mostly quiet levels from 14 - 25 December. Quiet to unsettled conditions are expected on 26 - 29 December due to effects from a recurrent CH HSS. A return to quiet levels is expected from 30 December - 04 January followed by an increase to quiet to unsettled levels on 05 - 06 January due to effects from a second recurrent CH HSS. Mostly quiet conditions are expected for the remainder of the period.

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2011 Dec 13 1738 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 2011-12-13
#
# UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest
# Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index
2011 Dec 14 135 5 2
2011 Dec 15 135 5 2
2011 Dec 16 135 5 2
2011 Dec 17 135 5 2
2011 Dec 18 135 5 2
2011 Dec 19 135 5 2
2011 Dec 20 135 5 2
2011 Dec 21 130 5 2
2011 Dec 22 130 5 2
2011 Dec 23 135 5 2
2011 Dec 24 135 5 2
2011 Dec 25 140 5 2
2011 Dec 26 140 8 3
2011 Dec 27 140 8 3
2011 Dec 28 140 8 3
2011 Dec 29 145 8 3
2011 Dec 30 150 5 2
2011 Dec 31 150 5 2
2012 Jan 01 150 5 2
2012 Jan 02 145 5 2
2012 Jan 03 145 5 2
2012 Jan 04 145 5 2
2012 Jan 05 140 8 3
2012 Jan 06 140 8 3
2012 Jan 07 135 5 2
2012 Jan 08 135 5 2
2012 Jan 09 135 5 2
(NOAA)

Radio Stations in the UK 2012 now available

The new 2012 (23rd) edition of Radio Stations in the UK is now available from the British DX Club.

Radio Stations in the UK is a comprehensive 76-page guide to BBC, commercial, community and low power AM/FM services on MW and FM, with lists in frequency order and by station name. It includes transmitter power and site details, plus contact information and a new digital radio section. Frequencies are cross-referenced to help you find parallels. It comes with a separate guide covering Radio Stations in the Republic of Ireland.

Radio Stations in the UK is a must for anyone interested in UK domestic radio. This edition will bring you right up to date with all the changes since the last edition published almost two years ago, including many station mergers and new community radio services.

Despite the extra pages and higher postage rates, all prices have been held this year, including the special offer for two copies.

Price per copy (includes postage):
to UK addresses - £ 4.00.
to Europe - £ 5.00, 7 euros* or 8 IRCs
to Rest of World - £ 6.00, US$10* or 9 IRCs
Special price for 2 copies: UK: £7.00, Europe: 10 euros*

Please send orders to: British DX Club, 10 Hemdean Hill, Caversham, Reading RG4 7SB, UK.

UK Cheques/POs payable to British DX Club. *Dollar/Euro payments by PayPal or cash only

PayPal payments or email enquiries to bdxc@bdxc.org.uk

Full details also on the BDXC-UK website.

Radio Netherlands Program Preview, Dec 9-15

The State We're In
Jonathan Groubert and his team look at current events from an unexpected perspective.

Betrayal
A Norwegian filmmaker on joining anarchists in their fight against neo-Nazis, and the betrayal she regrets to this day. A Dutch wallpaperer and his comic odyssey in becoming part owner of one of the most expensive soccer clubs in the world. And a 97-year-old veteran on the Warsaw Uprising who was jailed by the country he put his life on the line for.

First airing: Saturday 02:00 UTC

Earth Beat
Marnie Chesterton and her team look at the footprint we’re leaving on our planet.

This week on Earth Beat, we’re heading up, up and away to take a look at the view from above. From using Google Earth to discover archeological sites to a scientist with a head for heights, and a group of intrepid twenty-something canoeists who decided to paddle 7000 km across the second largest country in the world to understand exactly how bit it is. Getting a bit of distance...
First airing: Friday 03:00 UTC

South Asia Wired
Stories from South Asia.

Bangladesh’s struggle for independence from Pakistan – 40 years ago this year – came with a price. Many Bangladeshi women were raped during the final stages of the war, but a very conservative society left no space for the victims to talk about their terrifying experiences.

On this week’s South Asia Wired, you can hear the story of two sisters who were both raped by the soldiers. They’re not afraid to break the wall of silence that, even 40 years on, holds so many other women in Bangladesh captured.

(There'll be a new edition of the programme on Thursday )

First airing: Thursday 10:00 UTC

Bridges With Africa
We're giving the microphone to Diaspora groups in Europe and are linking up with stations in Africa.

Violence flares on the streets of Kinshasa, over claims of election fraud in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We ask what the future has in store for peace in the country

In the first of two special reports, we ask what makes homosexuality such an anathema in countries across Africa.

And we hear from Ghanaian-American, Blitz the Ambassador, about his own blend of hip hop straddling Africa and America.

First airing: Friday 00:00 UTC

Africa in Progress
Inspiring round-table discussions with guest speakers and in-depth interviews give listeners food for thought.

Think out of the box and create your job!

More than half of African youths are unemployed. This is because there is little formal employment for them.

This edition features three successful African entrepreneurs who did not wait for jobs to come to them. They thought out of the box, and even broke a few taboos in order to create their own jobs. One is a professional toilet cleaner, one started a delivery business and another helps people run their businesses.

First airing: Monday 19:00 UTC

Commonwealth in Progress
A selection of winning stories chosen from the large number of entries for the 2010 Commonwealth Short Story Competition.

'Thembi's Bicycle' by Rachel Tucker (South Africa). A grandmother's gambling dreams. Read by Jack Klaff.

First airing: Tuesday 01:50 UTC

Global Perspective
Who says I can’t… is the motto of this year’s collaboration of international broadcasters, offering stories of defiance and perseverance.

Who says I can’t fish?

Around one billion people in the world rely on fish as their primary source of protein, but fishermen in many parts of the world are having greater restrictions put on their fishing because of concerns about the level of fish stocks and the marine environment.

The BBC World Service introduces us to Fred Normandale, one of the few remaining fishermen in the small town of Scarborough in the North East of England.

First airing: Monday 17:30 UTC

European Jazz Stage
Unique jazz performances from the continent’s hottest clubs, concert halls and festivals, including the spectacular North Sea Jazz Festival.

This week we make a virtual journey of 3000 miles from Seattle to New York, all via music stages in the Netherlands.

Originally a computer science prodigy, Aaron Parks from Seattle switched to piano playing aged 16. He characterises his own music as 'spontaneous and cinematic'.

Next on the stage of the Amsterdam BIM house is Dutch drummer Erik Ineke's band JazzXpress, joined from Kansas City by singer Deborah Brown. Their show is a tribute to vocalist Ivy Anderson, known for her work with Duke Ellington in the 1930s.

The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, known for its unbroken string of Monday evening concerts over 45 years in the Greenwich Village Jazz Club, ends the programme. Thad Jones compositions are the mainstay of their music.

First airing: Monday 01:00 UTC

RNW Classical
Classical concerts from the Royal Concertgebouw as well as studio recordings of Dutch performers, presented by Hans Haffmans.

Available 24 hours a day via our sister web station RNWclassical.com

Radio Netherlands streaming audio www.radionetherlands.nl/

Radio Netherlands English service to 25 March 2012

1000-1057 12065as
1400-1457 12080as
1800-1900 11655af
1900-1957 11655af
1900-1959 11615af
1900-2000 7425af
2000-2057 7425af 11615af
(original Excel via Leo van der Woude, R Netherlands)

WWCR sets Dec 10 for DRM broadcast

by National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters on Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 7:02am

A special 30-minute edition of "Ask WWCR," hosted by Brady Murray and Jerry Plummer of NASB member WWCR in Nashville, will air at 1930 UTC Saturday, December 10 on 7590 kHz in DRM digital mode, beamed to Europe from a 100-kw transmitter in Armenia. The program is part of the weekly "DRM Mix" block sponsored by Spaceline of Bulgaria which runs from 1800-2100 UTC on the same frequency. In this special program, Brady and Jerry will present a profile of WWCR, its history, programming and personnel, as well as some information about other privately-owned shortwave stations in the United States.

http://www.facebook.com/notes/national-association-of-shortwave-broadcasters/wwcr-drm-broadcast-on-december-10
(Alokesh Gupta, India)

Radio is the Real King of the Castle

The Koenigsberg-Kaliningrad Story


One of the great landmarks in the city of Koenigsberg for more than 700 years was its grand Castle. Construction of this monumental edifice began during the year 1257, soon after the city was founded by its early Prussian ancestors. Over the centuries, Koenigsberg Castle was enlarged and beautified, and it became the pride and honor of the city’s inhabitants.

During the year 1944, the city of Koenigsberg and its grand Castle were largely destroyed in aerial bombardment, and the last standing ruins were completely blown up 24 years later to make way for the modernization of the city. Today, all that is known about this once famous Castle is what is told about it in various forms of historical documentation.

The city itself was founded two years earlier than the Castle, in the year 1255. It became an important German city on the edge of the Baltic Sea, and it was at one stage the capital for the German state of Prussia. The city was taken over by the USSR on April 9, 1945, and during the following year, the name of the city was Russianized from the German Koenigsberg into Kaliningrad.

The surrounding territory, also known in earlier times as Koenigsberg, became the Kaliningrad Oblast, a province in the Russian Empire. However, in 1991, when several of the Russian states became independent, this left Kaliningrad separated from the mother country by more than 200 miles, with three or four independent countries in between.

Thus, Kaliningrad is described these days as a Russian exclave; that is, Kaliningrad is recognized as an integral part of Russia, though it is separated geographically from the main territory of Russia itself.

A major radio broadcasting station was established in Koenigsberg back more than half a century ago, a radio station that rivaled the Castle in importance. So, here in Wavescan today, this is the story of wireless & radio in Koenigsberg & Kaliningrad.

Back almost 100 years ago, a wireless communication station was established in old Koenigsberg, and this was identified on air in the German version of Morse Code with the two letters KO, remembering that there was an umlaut, 2 dots, over the letter O.

On June 14, 1924, the first radio broadcasting service was officially inaugurated in Koenigsberg, with 1½ kW on 462 metres, 650 kHz. This service was identified, not by callsign letters, but as Ostmarken Rundfunk. Because the city was important, so also was the radio station; and over the years, this grew in size, in programming and in equipment.

A second program channel was implemented in the early 1930s; and a 100 kW mediumwave transmitter was installed in 1937 for broadcast on 1031 kHz. At this stage, the 2nd channel was on the air with 2 kW on 1348 kHz. With the commencement of open hostilities in continental Europe in September 1939, it was stated that “a powerful broadcasting station was already on the air in Koenigsberg”.

During the following year, 1940, a new radio program was inaugurated over the main broadcasting system in Berlin; and in English, it was known as the “Radio Koenigsberg Program”, a nationwide broadcast indicating the national unity of the German territories. Soon afterwards, the production of this national program was transferred to the studios in Koenigsberg itself; and then in 1944, this program was transferred to Oslo in Norway.

In 1946, Koenigsberg Radio, or more accurately, Kaliningrad Radio now that the territory was part of the USSR, was listed with just 2½ kW on mediumwave 959 kHz. During the following year, the administration of Kaliningrad Radio was transferred from Kaliningrad itself to the major radio station located in Leningrad. Kaliningrad thus became simply an authorized relay station for Russian programming from the Russian motherland, with the mediumwave transmitter identified in Russian documents as RV129.

In 1953, a 135 kW Hungarian made mediumwave transmitter was installed at Kaliningrad and this was inaugurated on 1386 kHz as transmitter RV143. Eleven years later, a Tesla mediumwave transmitter was installed as RV 144. Interestingly, at this stage, the transmitters were physically located south of Kaliningrad city, though they were officially listed as Kaunus in Lithuania, some distance further north.

Then, in December 1974, a 2½ megawatt mediumwave transmitter was installed at what became a huge new transmitter site south of Sovetsk. This unit was described as the word’s most powerful mediumwave transmitter, made by Taifun, and it was heard on either 1116 or 1386 kHz.

At the same time, two Tesla shortwave transmitters at 20 kW were also installed at this new location. Soon afterwards, additional high powered shortwave transmitters were also installed at this location, rated at 50 100 & 250 kW. These units were in use as a relay facility for Radio Moscow programming, and also for jamming purposes.

When political circumstances in Europe changed and Russia dropped the jamming of incoming shortwave broadcasts, it is reported that a total of 30 jamming transmitters were removed from the Kaliningrad facility for installation at other locations throughout their country. It would be presumed that these transmitters were installed at their new locations for communication and broadcast usage.

During the year 1993, a tourist visited the massive Kaliningrad radio station, and he stated that the station is located a little north of the town of Bolshakovo. He described the massive mediumwave antenna system with three beams, each consisting of two parallel rows of four towers, each 850 feet tall. There was also a tall longwave tower, and a bevy of diamond shaped shortwave rhombic antennas.

In early 2006, this Kaliningrad radio station left the air on shortwave; and two years later, the mediumwave transmissions also left the air.

However, beginning in February 1995, international radio monitors noted the Kaliningrad station on air with the relay of programming from other international broadcasting stations on numerous occasions. In addition to the regular relay of programming from Radio Moscow, Radio Netherlands from Hilversum in Holland was noted first, with many others subsequently, including United Christian Broadcasters, BBC London, ABC Denmark, Voice of the Mediterranean, and lots of others as well.

These days, Kaliningrad radio at the Bolshakovo transmitter site is listed as follows:-
* European Longwave: 150 kW on 171 kHz
* Mediumwave: 50 kW on 549 kHz & 873 kHz, 150 kW on 1143 kHz, 1200 kW on 1215 kHz
* Shortwave: 9 transmitters at 80 kW

Numerous QSL cards from many organizations are known for the longwave, mediumwave and shortwave broadcasts via the Kaliningrad transmitters, including a picture card from Radio Netherlands showing the Kaliningrad facility.

Koenigsberg was noted for its grand Castle as an ancient landmark; and yes, in more recent time, another significant landmark was the massive radio station in Kaliningrad, verily one of the world’s largest.
(NWS 145 via Adrian Peterson)

Winter schedules via Kuwait

Transmitters via Kuwait and United States

Effective 30 October 2011 - 25 March 2012

All times UTC

1730-2030 5780 KWT 250 kW 070 deg ASH Dari/Pashto/Dari
0300-0400 5830 KWT 250 kW 355 deg RFE Avari/Chechen/Circassian
2230-0300 5830 KWT 250 kW 025 deg FAR Persian
2000-2100 5840 KWT 250 kW 350 deg RFE Belorussian
0300-1400 5860 KWT 250 kW 046 deg FAR Persian
1400-1600 6060 KWT 250 kW 050 deg RFE Turkmen
0030-0100 6170 KWT 250 kW 082 deg VOA Special English
1600-1800 7225 KWT 250 kW 056 deg RFE Turkmen
1400-1500 7255 KWT 250 kW 070 deg VOA Tibetan
2200-2300 7425 KWT 250 kW 062 deg VOA English Sun-Thu
0400-0500 7435 KWT 250 kW 355 deg RFE Russian
0100-0300 7470 KWT 250 kW 070 deg RFA Tibetan
1600-1700 7550 KWT 250 kW 050 deg RFE Uzbek
2300-2400 7550 KWT 250 kW 070 deg RFA Tibetan
0030-0130 7560 KWT 250 kW 070 deg ASH Pashto
1930-2030 7560 KWT 250 kW 070 deg ASH Dari
2030-0030 7560 KWT 250 kW 070 deg VOA English
1730-1800 9320 KWT 250 kW 200 deg VOA Afaan Oromoo
1800-1900 9320 KWT 250 kW 200 deg VOA Amharic
1900-1930 9320 KWT 250 kW 200 deg VOA Tigrigna Mon-Fri
0130-0230 9335 KWT 250 kW 070 deg ASH Dari
0230-0330 9335 KWT 250 kW 070 deg AFG Pashto/Dari
0330-0430 9335 KWT 250 kW 070 deg AFG Pashto
1130-1330 9335 KWT 250 kW 070 deg AFG Pashto/Dari
1330-1430 9335 KWT 250 kW 070 deg AFG Pashto/Dari
1430-1530 9335 KWT 250 kW 070 deg ASH Pashto
0500-0600 9535 KWT 250 kW 355 deg RFE Tatar
1530-1730 9975 KWT 250 kW 070 deg ASH Dari/Pashto
1100-1400 11590 KWT 250 kW 070 deg RFA Tibetan
1500-1600 11625 KWT 250 kW 070 deg RFA Tibetan
1400-1430 11795 KWT 250 kW 094 deg RFA Burmese
0100-0200 12020 KWT 250 kW 070 deg AAP Urdu
0300-0400 12025 KWT 250 kW 054 deg RFE Uzbek
0800-1300 12130 KWT 250 kW 070 deg MAS Pashto
0230-0330 12140 KWT 250 kW 070 deg AFG Pashto/Dari
0330-0830 12140 KWT 250 kW 070 deg AFG Pashto/Dari/Pa/Da/Pa
0830-1330 12140 KWT 250 kW 070 deg AFG Dari/Pashto/Dari/Pashto/Dari
1330-1430 12140 KWT 250 kW 070 deg AFG Pashto/Dari
1430-1730 12140 KWT 250 kW 070 deg ASH Pashto/Dari/Pashto
1500-1530 13785 KWT 250 kW 046 deg VOA Uzbek
0400-0430 15335 KWT 250 kW 070 deg AFG Pashto
0430-0530 15335 KWT 250 kW 070 deg AFG Dari
0430-0530 17530 KWT 250 kW 070 deg AFG Dari
0730-1030 17530 KWT 250 kW 070 deg AFG Pashto/Dari/Pashto
0700-0730 17680 KWT 250 kW 250 deg VOA Hausa
0600-0700 17715 KWT 250 kW 070 deg RFA Tibetan
0530-1130 19010 KWT 250 kW 070 deg AFG Pashto/Dari/Pa/Da/Pa/Da

AAP=Radio Aap ki Dunyaa
AFG=Radio Free Afghanistan
ASH=Radio Ashna
FAR=Radio Farda
MAS=Radio Mashaal
RFA=Radio Free Asia
RFE=Radio Liberty
VOA=Voice of America
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 6)
(DX Mix News 706 12/6/2011 via Alokesh Gupta, India & Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany)

Found at Last! The World’s 1st Reception Report!

This has to be it! The world’s 1st reception report! A reception report that was written down from an unexpected wireless transmission heard back 134 years ago, and the details were also published in local newspapers at the time. This is the story.

More than 130 years ago, the noted Alexander Graham Bell ran his first telephone line from New York City to Boston, and on April 2, 1877, the first voice message was sent along this line. Soon afterwards, telephone & telegraph operators began to notice cross-talk between nearby lines, in Morse Code and subsequently in voice.

It should be remembered also that three months after this first message was transmitted between New York & Boston, the original Bell Telephone Co was organized to develop their new telephone system throughout the United States. Even the telephone itself was still very new at the time.

At another location, though still in New York state, Mr. Charles Rathbone was a member of a prominent business family that supported the Dudley Observatory in Albany New York, an observatory that now forms a part of Union University. The Rathbone family had installed their own private telephone line running from their family home to the observatory.

During the evening of Tuesday August 28, 1877, when the invention of the telephone was still
less than five months old, Charles Rathbone was startled to hear music, vocal music, coming through his telephone system. Initially, he thought that the music must be coming from a vocal group at the nearby observatory, but, as he quickly discovered, this was not the case.

Charles Rathbone made a list of the pieces of music he heard, and he sent this list to the local newspapers, giving all of the details of what he heard and the conditions under which this music concert was observed. This reception report was published in the local newspapers. As a result of this publicity, it was discovered that an experimental concert had been transmitted over a telegraph wire running between New York & Saratoga Springs.

A few days later, another musical concert in Troy was transmitted over another telephone circuit, this time running from Troy to Albany. Again, this music program was observed on another nearby telephone system. Later, during that same evening, music was placed into the telephone circuit running from New York to Albany, and cross-talk programming was heard on another nearby telephone circuit.

According to the contemporary reports, music programs were heard as cross-talk programming on six separate occasions between August 28 & September 11, in the year 1877. Mr Charles Rathbone heard all six of the programs, and in addition, two other independent observers living in Providence, Rhode Island, heard the same programming on their telephone systems on five of these six occasions.

One of the observers in Providence was Dr. Channing, and he published his observations of these music transmissions. During these events, it was discovered, music concerts were given in the Western Union Office in New York City for the benefit of telephone listeners in Saratoga, Troy & Albany.

A current map of the entire area shows that all five cities - New York, Albany, Troy, Saratoga Springs & Providence - are all spread over an area well over 100 miles wide, and all of the telephone systems were not interconnected at the time of these music transmissions. So the question remains: How did the music programs transfer from one telephone system to another?

An investigation into the circumstances at the time indicate that some of the telephone systems involved in these experiments did share a nearby grounding. However, for those circuits without a nearby grounding, it was discovered that the different telephone systems shared the same telephone poles for distances running up to many miles.

Thus these cross-transmissions were by what is called induction, rather similar to the transfer of electricity in a power transformer from one winding to another. Truly, this first reception report of a music concert from one telephone system to another was by wireless transmission, though not by radio as we understand it today. The reception report of this wireless transmission by induction was published in local newspapers at the time, and that was way back 134 years ago, in the year 1837.
(NWS145 via Adrian Peterson)

Weekend special programming

MV Baltic Radio and Radio Gloria

Dear Listeners,

MV Baltic Radio is on the air this Sunday the 4th of December 2011

MVBR Schedule:

All times UTC

0900 to 1000 on 9480 KHz, 1 KW repeat of Radio Gloria (from last month )

1000 to 1100 on 9480 KHz, 1 KW MV Baltic Radio

1300 to 1400 on 9480 KHz, 1 KW MV Baltic Radio ( repeat from 1000)
(Tom Taylor)

Due to technical reasons the last transmission from MVBR on 6140 KHz will be on the 25th of December 2011. MVBR on 9480 KHz will continue in 2012 as normal.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IBB stations update winter schedules

All times UTC

Radio Farda
1030-1130 NF 15410 BIB 100 kW 085 deg, ex 11975 Farsi
1230-1430 NF 13635 WER 250 kW 105 deg, ex 13680 Farsi
1530-1600 NF 11785 BIB 100 kW 105 deg, ex 11750 Farsi
1600-1630 NF 11785 BIB 100 kW 105 deg, ex 15410 Farsi

Radio Mashaal
1100-1300 NF 13700 IRA 250 kW 334 deg, ex 13580 Pashto

Radio Liberty
0300-0400 NF 7425 BIB 100 kW 088 deg, add.freq Avari/Chechen/Circassian
0300-0400 NF 7435 LAM 100 kW 055 deg, ex 7425 Russian
0400-0500 NF 7435 KWT 250 kW 355 deg, ex 7425 Russian
1400-1500 NF 12010 BIB 100 kW 075 deg, ex 12015 Turkmen
1400-1500 NF 12025 LAM 100 kW 080 deg, ex 11715 Uzbek
1500-1600 NF 12025 LAM 100 kW 056 deg, ex 7325 Russian
1600-1700 NF 9445 WER 250 kW 075 deg, ex 7260 Tajik
1800-1900 NF 6140 LAM 100 kW 055 deg, ex 6150 Russian

Voice of America
0100-0200 NF 9435 IRA 250 kW 340 deg, ex 7325 English
1730-1800 NF 13625 BOT 100 kW 010 deg, ex 11675 Afan Oromoo Mon-Fri
1800-1900 NF 13625 WER 250 kW 135 deg, ex 11675 Amharic
1900-1930 NF 13625 SMG 250 kW 139 deg, ex 11675 Tigrigna Mon-Fri
1900-1930 NF 11975 IRA 250 kW 275 deg, ex 11615 Arabic "Afia Darfur"
(DX Mix News 705 via Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany)

Radio Free Asia winter schedule updates

All times UTC

Radio Free Asia
Mandarin
0300-0600 NF 21465 TIN 250 kW 304 deg, ex 15150 Mon
0300-0600 NF 21480 TIN 250 kW 304 deg, ex 15150 Tue
0300-0600 NF 21495 TIN 250 kW 304 deg, ex 15150 Wed
0300-0600 NF 21510 TIN 250 kW 304 deg, ex 15150 Thu
0300-0600 NF 21525 TIN 250 kW 304 deg, ex 15150 Fri
0300-0600 NF 21540 TIN 250 kW 304 deg, ex 15150 Sat
0300-0600 NF 21450 TIN 250 kW 304 deg, ex 15150 Sun

Tibetan
0100-0200 NF 15610 TIN 250 kW 295 deg, ex 15220 Mon
0100-0200 NF 15655 TIN 250 kW 295 deg, ex 15220 Tue
0100-0200 NF 15635 TIN 250 kW 295 deg, ex 15220 Wed
0100-0200 NF 15680 TIN 250 kW 295 deg, ex 15220 Thu
0100-0200 NF 15640 TIN 250 kW 295 deg, ex 15220 Fri
0100-0200 NF 15690 TIN 250 kW 295 deg, ex 15220 Sat
0100-0200 NF 15645 TIN 250 kW 295 deg, ex 15220 Sun
0600-0700 NF 21625 TIN 250 kW 279 deg, add.freq Mon
0600-0700 NF 21640 TIN 250 kW 279 deg, add.freq Tue
0600-0700 NF 21655 TIN 250 kW 279 deg, add.freq Wed
0600-0700 NF 21670 TIN 250 kW 279 deg, add.freq Thu
0600-0700 NF 21685 TIN 250 kW 279 deg, add.freq Fri
0600-0700 NF 21700 TIN 250 kW 279 deg, add.freq Sat
0600-0700 NF 21610 TIN 250 kW 279 deg, add.freq Sun
1000-1100 NF 17580 BIB 100 kW 085 deg, ex 17750 Mon
1000-1100 NF 17605 BIB 100 kW 085 deg, ex 17750 Tue
1000-1100 NF 17585 BIB 100 kW 085 deg, ex 17750 Wed
1000-1100 NF 17815 BIB 100 kW 085 deg, ex 17750 Thu
1000-1100 NF 17810 BIB 100 kW 085 deg, ex 17750 Fri
1000-1100 NF 17865 BIB 100 kW 085 deg, ex 17750 Sat
1000-1100 NF 17595 BIB 100 kW 085 deg, ex 17750 Sun

Uyghur
0100-0200 NF 17825 TIN 250 kW 313 deg, ex 17850 Mon-Wed/Fri
0100-0200 NF 17815 TIN 250 kW 313 deg, ex 17850 Thu
0100-0200 NF 17870 TIN 250 kW 313 deg, ex 17850 Sat
0100-0200 NF 17805 TIN 250 kW 313 deg, ex 17850 Sun
1600-1700 NF 12065 SAI 100 kW 310 deg, ex 12080 Mon/Wed/Fri
1600-1700 NF 12035 SAI 100 kW 310 deg, ex 12080 Tue/Thu
1600-1700 NF 12085 SAI 100 kW 310 deg, ex 12080 Sat
1600-1700 NF 12075 SAI 100 kW 310 deg, ex 12080 Sun

Vietnamese
1400-1500 NF 9400 SAI 100 kW 285 deg, ex 9990
2330-0030 NF 15145 TIN 250 kW 279 deg, ex 15170 Sun/Tue/Thu/Sat
2330-0030 NF 15135 TIN 250 kW 279 deg, ex 15170 Mon/Wed/Fri
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 1)
(DX Mix News 705 via Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany)

Winter frequency updates

All times UTC

Germany & Madagascar

Frequency change of Radio Netherlands WS in Dutch:
1600-1655 NF 9755 NAU 500 kW 143 deg to NE&ME, ex 9750*
1630-1655 NF 11965 MDC 250 kW 000 deg to EaAF, ex 11615#
* to avoid Voice of Russia in French 9745
# to avoid All India Radio in Russian 11620
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 1)

Morocco
Frequency changes of RTV Marocaine in Arabic:
v0800-1500v NF 15349.2*NAD 250 kW 110 deg to EaAF, ex15341.2
v1500-2200v NF 15349.2*NAD 250 kW 110 deg to EaAF, ex15344.2
* strong QRM VOT in Turkish till 1400 and RVA in Tagalog 1500-1600 15350
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 1)

South Africa
Frequency change of Channel Africa in English:
0300-0355 NF 6155 MEY 250 kW 019 deg to CeEaAF, ex 6120
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 1)

United Arab Umirates & Australia
Frequency changes of Radio Australia in Indonesian via BABCOCK
0000-0030 NF 9490 DHA 250 kW 105 deg to SoEaAs, ex 9620
2200-2330 NF 9525 DHA 250 kW 105 deg to SoEaAs, ex 9630
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 1)
(DX Mix News 705 via Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany)

Radio Free Asia releases final 15th Anniversary QSL card

December 2011

Radio Free Asia (RFA) announces the release of our 42nd QSL card. This is the seventh QSL card commemorating 2011 as RFA’s 15th anniversary. RFA’s first broadcast was in Mandarin Chinese on September 29, 1996 at 2100 UTC. Ms. Libby Liu has been the president of Radio Free Asia since 2005. As president, Ms. Liu provides strategic and operational direction to meet RFA’s mission of providing balanced, objective news to listeners in East Asian countries where such news is unavailable. Acting as a substitute for indigenous free media, RFA concentrates its coverage on events occurring in and/or affecting the countries to which we broadcast. This QSL card will be used to confirm all valid reception reports for December 2011. Learn more at www.rfa15.org.

RFA’s 42nd QSL card commemorates 15 years of broadcasting

RFA is a private, nonprofit corporation that broadcasts news and information to listeners in Asian countries where full, accurate, and timely news reports are unavailable. Created by Congress in 1994 and incorporated in 1996, RFA currently broadcasts in Burmese, Cantonese, Khmer, Korean to North Korea, Lao, Mandarin, 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 www.techweb.rfa.org (follow the QSL REPORTS link) not only from DX’ers, but also from its general listening audience. If you have a smart phone, feel free to use the QR code below to access the automated reception report system and submit your reception reports to the web site.

Reception reports are also accepted by email at qsl@rfa.org, and for anyone without Internet access, reception reports can be mailed to:

Reception Reports
Radio Free Asia
2025 M. Street NW, Suite 300
Washington DC 20036
United States of America.

Upon request, RFA will also send a copy of the current broadcast schedule and a station sticker.
(A.J. Janitschek/RFA)

Radio Vlaanderen Internationaal to close down Dec. 31

Guido Schotmans writes: Radio Vlaanderen Internationaal (RVi) will cease to exist after 31 December 2011. That also means that the Wolvertem transmitter (near Brussels) operating on 927 kHz will be switched off on 31 December at 23:59:59 hours local time. Norkring is the owner of the transmitter. It is unclear if they will put airtime on the market for rent. Mails to them are left unanswered. But I think the transmitter is in bad shape. It is left on the air at night with unmodulated carrier since several weeks ago. We have seen this too during extremely cold periods in recent winters. So I think there are no plans to use the site for other purposes.

On RVi’s website will only be mentioned that the service has ceased while Radio 1 and 2 are now available worldwide via the internet and satellite.

In Google Maps : http://g.co/maps/6h5ad

and in Bing Maps : http://bit.ly/tIlTQK
(Source: Guido Schotmans/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Related story: http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/radio-vlaanderen-internationaal-to-close

HOT SPOT DXING - Tehran, Iran

This morning's announcement of Iranian students storming the British embassy in Tehran, warrants additional monitoring from Iran's V.O.I.R.I. on shortwave radio.

Iranian Protestors Storm British Embassy
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iranian protesters stormed two British Embassy compounds in Tehran Tuesday, smashing windows, hurling petrol bombs and burning the British flag in a protest against sanctions imposed by Britain, live Iranian television showed.

Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency said protesters took six British diplomatic staff hostage from an embassy compound in the north of the city but it withdrew the story from its website minutes later without giving any explanation.

The attacks followed the rapid approval by Iran's Guardian Council of a parliamentary bill compelling the government to expel the British ambassador in retaliation for the sanctions. A lawmaker had also warned Sunday that angry Iranians could storm the British Embassy as they did the U.S. mission in 1979.

Additional story at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/29/us-iran-britain-embassy-idUSTRE7AS0X720111129

Iran, VOIRI/IRIB - Updated version from Nov 15 - Winter B11

Effective: to 25 March 2012

All times UTC

Albanian
0630-0727 on 13810 15500
1830-1927 on 6085 9760
2030-2127 on 6165 9760

Arabic
0230-0527 on 7350 9740 9895
0330-0427 on 7295 9500 "Voice of Palestine"
0530-0827 on 13690 15735 17820
0830-1027 on 13740 13790 15735 17820
1030-1427 on 13790 15735 17670
1430-1627 on 9830 17670
1630-1727 on 6065 9830
1730-2027 on 6065 7335
2030-0227 on 6065

Armenian
0300-0327 on 5915 7300
0930-0957 on 11820 15220
1630-1727 on 5915 7435

Azeri
0330-0527 on 6200
1430-1657 on 6200

Bengali
0030-0127 on 5915 6100
0830-0927 on 13680
1430-1527 on 7320 9730 11805

Bosnian
0530-0627 on 13760 15500
1730-1827 on 6030 9850
2130-2227 on 5950 9710

Chinese
1200-1257 on 13825 15150 15360 15525
2330-0027 on 5955 6110 7380

Dari
0300-0627 on 9805 11860
0830-1157 on 13840 15545
1200-1427 on 11640 13840
1430-1457 on 11640

English
0330-0427 on 7200 7365 "Voice of Justice"
1030-1127 on 21575 21695
1530-1627 on 13785 15525
1930-2027 on 6010 #6115 7320 13670 15450

German
0730-0827 on 15085 17690
1730-1827 on 6205 #7420 7425

French
0630-0727 on 17560 17865
1830-1927 on 6055 #6115 7380 15345

Hausa
0600-0657 on 17810
1130-1157 on 21480 21800
1830-1927 on 11965 13730

Hebrew
0430-0457 on 9755 11870
1200-1227 on 13740 15515

Hindi
0230-0257 on 9510 11710
1430-1527 on 11700 13750

Indonesian
1230-1327 on 17720 21630
2230-2327 on 7380 9675

Italian
0630-0727 on 13650 15085 (9770 SIT deleted)
1930-1957 on 5890 7215

Japanese
1330-1427 on 9585 9625
2100-2157 on 6145 7200

Kazakh
0130-0227 on 7205 7265
1530-1627 on 7380 9540 9850

Kurdish
0430-0527 on 7370 9610
1330-1627 on 5920

Pashto
0230-0327 on 5950 6095
0730-0827 on 13720 15440
1230-1327 on 7225 9725
1430-1527 on 5985
1630-1727 on 6005 7345

Russian
0300-0327 on 7370 9510
0500-0527 on 12025 13680 17680 21600
1430-1527 on 7285 9685 11860 (7420 SIT deleted)
1700-1757 on 3965 6090
1800-1857 on 6130 7305
1930-2027 on 4005 7205

Spanish
0030-0227 on 6010 7345
0230-0327 on 6010
0530-0627 on 13710 15330
2030-2127 on 5930 9630 (6055 SIT deleted)

Swahili
0400-0457 on 13680 15260
0830-0927 on 21510 21640
1730-1827 on 9830 11715

Tajik
0100-0227 on 5950 7300
1600-1727 on 5955 7295

Turkish
0430-0557 on 6085 7360
1600-1727 on 6175 7315

Urdu
0130-0227 on 3965 6100 6185
1300-1427 on 9715 11685 11720
1530-1727 on 6115

Uzbek
0230-0257 on 6175 7300
1500-1557 on 6070 7215
# via Sitkunai,Lithuania
(DX Mix News 703 via Alokesh Gupta, India)

photo/PressTV www.presstv.ir/detail/149636.html