Blog Logs

All times UTC // parallel frequency *sign-on / sign-off*

Bahrain
9745, Radio Bahrain, 0020-0050. Feb 21. Carrier + USB,Arabic talk. Lite instrumental music. Local Middle Eastern style music. Weak. (Brian Alexander, PA)

With protesters demanding change, Bahrain can be heard with lyric Arabic music (sounds like songs about Bahrain, if I get the singer right) on 9745.0 kHz (20 Feb 2011, 0000 UTC) with a weak signal, but in the clear. Just music, short news at top of the hour. While the carrier and USB are there, the lower sideband seems to be missing, or weaker. (Eike Bierwirth, Germany/HCDX)

Brazil
4925.23, Radio Educacao Rural, Tefe, Amazonas. Low signal with music at 1015. Male announcer in Portuguese at 1022. Orchestral bridge music, then into program of apparent taped soccer highlights. Held to 1037, about as late as Brazil sticks around. (Ralph Perry, IL/Cumbre DX)

15189.98, Radio Inconfidéncia, 2215-2245. Portuguese talk. Jingles. Station ID at 2234. Fair. Poor to fair on // 6010. (Brian Alexander-PA)

4865.041, Radio Verdes Florestas, 1103-1115. Principly noted a male in Portuguese with comments until about 1108, female takes over. At 1113 male's additional comments. This is the only signal on or near this frequency at the present time. (Chuck, Bolland, FL)

China
China resumed its government radio censorship this local morning with more Firedragon music crashing booming and banging. A sampling of frequencies observed on 21 Feb 2011 from El Mirage, Arizona, just after 17:00 UTC : 11940, 9905, 9455, 9355*, 7445, 7415; * music and audio of intended target (Radio Free Asia via Marianna Islands) could be heard underneath.(Rick Parton, AZ).

Clandestine
7610 Gunaz Radio (TDP) in Azeri from Feb. 21: 1430-1930 New frequency on 7610 SMF 250 kW / 130 deg to CeAS, ex 7510* *to avoid R. Pakistan in English 1600-1610 and FEBA in Silte 1730-1800 (R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 21)

7610 Gunaz Radio, 1643. Talk by female announcer in Azeri with short music intervals. Too many mentions of Iran after the short musical breaks that made me think, this program came from VoiRI (Iran). Also mentioned for Amnesty International. Dull audio, S10 44544 with co channel interference. (Liangas Ziangas, Greece/Cumbre DX)

17725, Radio Y’ Abaganda via France, *1700-1715.* Sign on with crowd noise and yelling. English announcement at 1701. Local vocal music at 1702. Choral music at 1708. Speech in local language at 1711 with many mentions of Uganda and Baganda. Sat only. Fair. (Brian Alexander-PA)

13740, Radio Dabanga via Germany transmitter, 1615-1627.* Arabic talk to station ID jingles. Fair to good signal, Weak on // 11515 - via Madagascar, 11515 about one second ahead of 13740. (Brian Alexander, PA) 　

11570, Radio Miraya via Slovakia transmitter, *1400-1435. Station sign-on with African music to Arabic talk. Station IDs at 1403 and 1421. Some local Horn of Africa style music. Fair signal. (Brian Alexander, PA)

Dominican Republic
2280,08, Radio Anacaona, 0145-0258.* Second harmonic of 1140v. Spanish music. Spanish announcements. ID at 0226. Appeared to sign off at 0258, but carrier remained on the air past 0320. Poor in noisy conditions but fair on peaks. Surprisingly good signal on occasional peaks. (Brian Alexander, PA)

Djibouti
4780, Radio Djibouti, *0300-0350. Station sign on with national anthem. Arabic talk. Qur`an at 0303. Arabic talk at 0314. Local guitar music at 0341 along with rustic vocals. Horn of Africa style music. Fair signal, had to use ECSS-LSB due to digital hash on high side. (Brian Alexander-PA)

Ecuador
6050 HCJB, Pichincha. Station relaying local BCB 690 kHz programming, 1040-1110. Clear frequency and nice signal with Ecuadorian folkloric music featuring groups of women in high-pitched yipping singing in Quechua or other local language along, with guitar accompaniment. Decent signal though announcer muffled. Mentioned "Pastor Carlos" and "La Voz Campesina". Piano and vernacular singers in pasillo style hymn with guitar at 1158 to time pips on the hour. Station ID at 1110 "Radio H-C-J-B . . ." Great listening, a treat to hear the local stream so well, especially at this hour when they are playing such great music. (Ralph Perry, IL/Cumbre DX)

Ethiopia
7235, Voice of Eritrea, *0359-0431.* Sign on with Horn of Africa music. Talk in listed Tigrinya at 0400. Horn of Africa music. Poor in noisy conditions. Signals stronger on // 9559.96v - drifting up to 9560.07 by sign off. Tues, Thur, Sat only. (Brian Alexander-PA)

Germany
Annual broadcast heard on 21 Feb., 15215, Radio Öömrang via Wertachtal, *1600-1700*
Noted here with marginal signal at sign-on, gradually improved. By 1635 signal was over S7 to S9 level!. All talk, by male and female speakers, some bits of English words, but no ID heard. Off in mid-sentence. Was hoping for something special, for this once a year event. Best heard on the windom antenna with the MFJ-941B tuner. (Ed Kusalik, ALberta, Canada)

Guinea
4899.98, Radio Familia, 2335-0001.* Afro-pop music. French announcements. Fair level but poor overall signal due to strong CODAR interference. (Brian Alexander-PA)7125, Radio Guineé, 0722-0745. French talk and local tribal music. Afro-pop music. Fair. (Brian Alexander-PA)

Indonesia
4749.978, RRI Makassar, Tentative, 1030-1045. Noted a male in Islamic type reciting until 1034 when a female talks in Indonesian language. After she comments, a brief interlude of music is heard, then more comments. At 1036 a male converses with the female. Signal was poor and muffled. As I decided to tune away, I notice a second signal on 4750.030 starting to fade in, but it's still too weak to copy anything. (Chuck Bolland, FL)

Madagascar
5010, RTV Malagasy, 0300-0315. Local Afro-pop music. Malagasy talk. Carrier + USB. Poor to fair in noisy conditions. (Brian Alexander-PA)

Nigeria
9690, Voice of Nigeria, 0840-0910. Tune-in to talk in listed Hausa. Local drums at 0858. Into English programming at 0900 with news. Program about weavers in Nigeria. Fair to good. (Brian Alexander-PA)

Pakistan
7615 Radio Pakistan 1718. Religious type Hindi songs. At 1730 man with Islamic type talks Found on //7530. Audio file: www.mediafire.com/download.php?dy4j6ttz9dkifjj (Zacharias Liangas, Greece/playdx)

Peru
4955.006, Radio Cultura Amauta, 1117-1130. Best signal on the band, noted a male and female in what sounded like serious Spanish comments. Heard the male mention "Amauta" here and there during his comments. This sounds like a news program with reports being presented by other anouncers. After listening for awhile, "Amauta and Peru" are mentioned rather often. Signal was good. (Chuck Bolland, FL)

4775, Radio Tarma. Also IDing at times as "Radio Tarma Internacional." Tune-in to program at 1102 already in progress with arpa musica> Announcer's station ID over "...4775 kiloHertz, Radio Tarma, la primerissima . . . muy buenos dias, senoras y senores . . ." After Peruvian folkloric musical riff, then sound of siren wailing, explosion and into morning news program. Long electronic music intro, followed by male announcer who rambled on with news items including taped actualities, "Buenos dias! Buenos dias! Buenos dias!! Radio Tarma, las 6 de la manana con 6 minutos . . . amables oyentes, nuestra programa . . . (sounded like:) 'El Demoledor' . . . " Signal fading but held to 1125. (Ralph Perry, IL/Cumbre DX)

4774.959, Radio Tarma, 1048-1100. Brief Spanish comments at tune in which was followed with Huaynos music. Signal remained at a fair level during this period. (Chuck Bolland, FL)

4789.92t, Radio Vision, Chiclayo. Tentatively the one here 1106 tune-in to 1125 tune-out, due to horrendous noise on the bands. Fair signal, news program by male announcer in Spanish with remote phone-ins by female. UTC -5 time checks matching Peru, 1120 announcer "...las seis de la manana . . . programa de noticias . . .". Widely reported in Europe on this precise off-frequency. (Ralph Perry, IL/Cumbre DX)

Zambia
6165, ZNBC, 0249-0250. Very weak Fish Eagle interval signal heard under Radio Netherlands.Only heard the distinctive interval signal for a minute before disappearing under a strong Radio Nederland.(Brian Alexander, PA)

Once a year broadcast today at 1600 UTC

HOT DX TIP

Germany

15215 The "ONCE A YEAR" broadcast of Radio Öömrang towards Great Britain, Ireland, North America (Canada and US) 21 February only, 16.00 UT 15215 kHz via Media Broadcast, Wertachtal Germany, 500 kW.
(Wolfgand Bueschal, Germany/HCDX)

Review: 2011 Shortwave Frequency Guide

The 15th Edition, 2011 Shortwave Frequency Guide, one of several radio reference books and CDs available from Klingenfuss Publications, has recently been released.
This year's book edition begins with a general overview of radio observations, followed by Monitoring Utility Stations. This chapter is of special interest to utility listeners which includes a basic explanation of the various aspects of utilities and a by-frequency listing of stations with call signs, station name, mode and details.
The Frequency list of broadcast radio stations introduce the broadcast section and details on the future of Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) including comprehensive DRM schedules. The broadcast radio stations section is listed by frequency (2310-26060 kHz), station name, location, start-end time, language, target area and remarks.
Listeners focusing on a particular country of interest, will find the same frequency listing and easy to follow format in the by-country section, Alphabetical List of Broadcast Radio Stations.
Frequency information for international broadcast stations, clandestine, and domestic stations are as accurate as possible considering the seasonal frequency adjustments. Broadcast information is gathered from a worldwide contributing staff of radio listeners and broadcasters.
The easy-to read book layout is an asset, whether monitoring a utility or broadcast station. This is a basic no frills radio reference guide and will compliment your monitoring.
The 2011 Shortwave Frequency Guide is an excellent annual publication for the beginner
or experienced radio hobbyist. It will continue to grace my listening post.
For ordering information on the 2011 Klingenfuss Shortwave Frequency Guide book, refer to www.klingenfuss.org or Universal Radio http://www.universal-radio.com/ Order # 5538, $ 49.95 + S/H/ Phone: 1-800-431-3939; Fax 1 614 866 2339. Universal Radio, Inc., 6830 Americana Parkway, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068-4113 USA.
Gayle Van Horn/Monitoring Times-March 2011

PCJ Media announces new shortwave service

For Immediate Release

PCJ Media announces the creation of a new international shortwave radio service with targeted programming to Latin America, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific.

PCJ sees an opportunity to fill a void being left by large publicly funded broadcasters. In the last few months a number of well-respected international broadcasters have dropped their shortwave transmissions to these regions in favor of internet and podcasts. Most notably are the significant cuts to the BBC World Service and the Voice Of America transmissions.

To fill this void, PCJ’s new service would broadcast in five languages, with programming targeted to the audiences of those specific languages. New distribution platforms such as the internet will also be used.

The five language groups which PCJ Radio would target are:

Farsi – Middle East
Mandarin – China
Spanish – Latin America
Ukrainian/Russian – Eastern Europe
English - to regions mentioned above

Launch date TBA.

For more information please contact Keith Perron of PCJ Media.
Email: pcjmedia@gmail.com
Tel: +886 938 408 592
(Keith Perron via Monitoring Times Shortwave Central Facebook page)

Radio Netherlands Program Preview, Feb. 19-24

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

This week: Let It Go

Imagine the biggest loss you could ever face, loved ones killed, your life savings stolen. Now imagine forgiving those who hurt you so badly. That’s what today’s guests have in common in this surprising, uplifting episode.

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: Fantastic plastic

The things you can make out of plastic. Houses. Blood. An island. And, of course, Tupperware. Plus, making a biodegradable plastic from plants. Doing good, for a change, with plastic.

First airing: Friday 02:00 UTC

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

This week:

Will Rwanda feel the pinch as the Dutch prepare to axe financial aid?
Kenya takes home first prize in ice carving.
How a jazzy voice from Ethiopia is conquering the United States.

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.

This week: For the love of chimps - an encounter with Jane Goodall

Until Jane Goodall decided to settle in Africa and devote her life to chimpanzees, we did not know much about them. She spent years with chimps and discovered that they have unique personalities and that they too can use tools. Meet the woman who introduced chimpanzees to the world and who is now working hard at protecting them and the habitats they share with humans.

First airing: Monday 18:00 UTC

South Asia Wired
Programme in which South Asians get to talk to each other, hosted by Dheera Sujan.

This week:

In the waters divided by Indian and Pakistani waters, local fishermen are being arrested and jailed for years because their boats slipped over an invisible border that does not appear on any map. But still they continue to set sail in their rickety wooden boats, never knowing if they’ll come home that day. Why?

And in the global battle against polio, Pakistan is still debating whether to make polio vaccinations compulsory – the fundamentalists say no.

(There'll be a new edition of the programme on Thursday 24 February)

First airing: Thursday 15:14 UTC

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

This week:

The Nearly Departed Soul - by Rosemarie Johnson Clarke (Bahamas). An irrepressible great grandmother.

First airing: Tuesday 00:55 UTC

Hear the World
Listen to the world’s musical heartbeat on RNW. A brand new world music series hosted by Dheera Sujan.

This week:

Oswin Chin Behili (Curacao), Mamr Kassey (Niger) and Djelimady Blues Project (Mali) feature in this programme with music from the Caribbean and Africa.

First airing: Monday 03:00 UTC

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

A relay of part of the music programming of our sister web station RNWclassical.com.

First airing: Monday 01:00 UTC

All times UTC

English
1000-1057 9720as 12065as (Asia)
1400-1500 12080as 15595va (various areas)
1500-1557 15595as
1800-1857 6020af 11655af (Africa)
1900-1957 7425af 9895af 11615af 11655af
2000-2057 5935af 7425af 11655af
(R Netherlands/Leo van der Wounde)

Castle DXing via amateur radio

Lionel F5NEP will be active on the 19th of February 2011 from Castle, WCA: F-05070, DFCF: 61-024. He plans to work on 80, 40 and 20 meters CW/SSB. On the 20th of February 2011 from Castle of D'Aunay Les Bois, WCA: F-02737, DFCF: 61-006. QSL via Home Call.
73 & 11! de Andrew RN1CW
Co-ordinator of WCA (World Castles Award)
http://www.wcagroup.org/
One operator of RZ1CWC team
www.rz1cwc.qrz.ru/

(ICPO)

VOA Chinese service employees 'furious' as end nears

The Tapei Times quotes an employee at the Voice of America (VOA) Chinese service as saying “There’s a lot of anger,” at plans to drastically cut its funding. Under a proposed restructuring plan, the US Broadcasting Board of Governors’ (BBG) budget submission for the VOA Mandarin service for the next fiscal year would include a US$8 million cut, which would be achieved in large part by eliminating traditional radio and TV broadcasting and shifting to a Web-only platform utilizing new media technologies. In addition, VOA’s Cantonese service would be eliminated ­altogether, with Radio Free Asia continuing broadcasts in the language.
(R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

On 80th birthday, Vatican Radio rides wave of digital technology

By John Thavis
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Eighty years ago, a persistent pope and a scientific pioneer teamed up to create Vatican Radio, launching an evangelization tool that reached virtually every corner of the globe.

Today, Vatican Radio is riding the latest wave of digital technology to expand its audience and its services, with an Internet presence in more than 40 languages.
(Alokesh Gupta, India/Cumbre DX)
Continued story at Catholic News Service
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1100669.htm

Huge solar flare jams radio and satellite signals

A powerful solar eruption that triggered a huge geomagnetic storm has disturbed radio communications and could disrupt electrical power grids, radio and satellite communication in the next days, NASA said. A strong wave of charged plasma particles emanating from the Jupiter-sized sun spot, the most powerful seen in four years, has already disrupted radio communication in southern China.

The Class X flash - the largest such category - erupted at 0156 UTC on Tuesday, according to the US space agency. “X-class flares are the most powerful of all solar events that can trigger radio blackouts and long-lasting radiation storms,” disturbing telecommunications and electric grids, NASA said yesterday.

Geomagnetic storms usually last 24 to 48 hours - but some could last for many days, read a statement from the US National Weather Service. “Ground to air, ship to shore, shortwave broadcast and amateur radio are vulnerable to disruption during geomagnetic storms. Navigation systems like GPS can also be adversely affected.”

NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory said it saw a large coronal mass ejection (CME) associated with the flash blasting toward Earth at about 560 miles per second (900 kilometers per second). The flare spread from Active Region 1158 in the sun’s southern hemisphere, which had so far lagged behind the northern hemisphere in flash activity. It followed several smaller flares in recent days.

“The calm before the storm,” read a statement on the US National Weather Service Space Weather Prediction Service. “Three CMEs are enroute, all a part of the Radio Blackout events on February 13, 14, and 15 (UTC). The last of the three seems to be the fastest and may catch both of the forerunners about mid to late … February 17.”

The China Meteorological Administration reported that the solar flare caused “sudden ionospheric disturbances” in the atmosphere above China and jammed shortwave radio communications in the southern part of the country. The CMA warned there was a high probability that large solar flares would appear over the next three days, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

The British Geological Survey (BGS) said meanwhile that the solar storm would result in spectacular Northern Lights displays starting today. One coronal mass ejection reached Earth on February 14, “sparking Valentine’s Day displays of the Northern Lights (aurora borealis) further south than usual.”

“Two CMEs are expected to arrive in the next 24-48 hours and further… displays are possible some time over the next two nights if skies are clear,” it said. The office published geomagnetic records dating back to the Victorian era which it hopes will help in planning for future storms. “Life increasingly depends on technologies that didn’t exist when the magnetic recordings began,” said Alan Thomson, BGS head of geomagnetism. “Studying the records will tell us what we have to plan and prepare for to make sure systems can resist solar storms,” he said.

A 2009 report by a panel of scientists assembled by NASA said that a sustained and powerful solar flare outbreak could overwhelm high-voltage transformers with electrical currents and short-circuit energy grids. The report, titled “Severe Space Weather Events - Understanding Societal and Economic Impacts” warned that such a catastrophic event could cost the United States alone up to two trillion dollars in repairs in the first year - and it could take up to 10 years to fully recover.

(Source: AFP/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

BBC World may reinstate axed shortwave broadcast during major events

The BBC is considering plans to reinstate axed shortwave World Service radio broadcasts on a short-term basis to regions where major events are taking place, following the revolution in Egypt, reports The Guardian.

Shortwave radio broadcasts of the BBC Arabic service, which has around 400,000 listeners in Egypt, will be significantly reduced within weeks as part of plans to save £46m from the World Service budget, a 20% cut from its £253m annual budget. World Service broadcasts on shortwave are being cut back in the Middle East, Europe, Africa and Asia as part of the cost saving drive.

An email sent to Bush House staff today by Peter Horrocks, the BBC’s global news director, revealed plans to respond to major events in particular regions by buying up shortwave radio capacity, against a backdrop of violent political uprising sweeping across the Middle East.

Additional story at The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/feb/17/bbc-world-service-short-wave

QSL Report Central

The following QSLs, were omitted from an upcoming QSL Report column in Monitoring Times, due to space constraints. Thank you to all who have contributed.
Gayle VH

Albania
Radio Tirana, 7425 kHza. Partial data QSL card, unsigned. Pennant and extra colorful postcard enclosed. Received 40 days for an English report. (Rod Pearson, FL).

Amateur Radio
Germany-DH1TW, 20 meters SSB. Full data color card of antenna array at sunset for the COntest Station. Received in 14 months via ARRL. (Van Horn, NC).

Nicaragua-YN9HAU, 24 MHz SSB. Full data card color card of antenna array for DFOCG. received in 14 months via ARRL. (van Horn, NC).

Norway-LA9VDA, 17 meters USB. Full data color card. Received in two years and three months via ARRL. (Van Horn, NC)

Switzerland-KH5H/HB9H, 21/28 MHz SSB. Full data autumn scenery card of the mountains, signed by QSL Manager-Luigi Casari. Received in six years via ARRL. (Van Horn, NC)

Armenia
Voice of Russia relay via Yerevan, 1377 kHz AM. Full data card with transmitter site notation. Received in five weeks for email repor tto letters@ruvr.ru (Artur Fernandez Llorella, Spain)

Australia
ABC/Radio Australia relay via United Arab Emirates, 17880 kHz. Full data QSL received in 31 days. Station website: www.radioaustralia.net.au/ (Dario Monferini, Italy)

HCJB Global Australia, 15400 kHz. Full data card of Barramundi fish. Noted live in both salt and fresh water and crocodiles love to eat them. They also change sex from male to female when they reach over 85cm. (Mukesh Kumar, India)

Radio Symban, 2368.5 kHz. Back in 2010, sent a CD Mp3/postal report to Radio Symban with recording of my reception report. Hearing nothing after several months sent an email follow-up. Received a reply from Tom Tsamouras that due to change in the staff, my report was over looked. He apologized for the delay. Better than nothing so far. (Ed Kusalik, Canada)

China
China Radio International, 11650 kHz. Full data card of The Great Family of the Chinese Nation-Miao ethnical minority group. (Mukesh Kumar, India)

Clandestine
Radio Dabanga via Wertchtal, Germany, 13730 kHz. Full data verification with site notation. Card of Canal in Dieman scenery from Radio Netherlands. (Edward Kusalik, Canada).

Czech Republic
Radio Prague, 5930 kHz. Full data QSL card in 14 days for report sent to francais@radio.cz. Website: qqq.radio.cz/fr. (Dario Monferini, Italy)

French Guiana
WYFR/Family Radio, 7360 kHz. Full data 50th Anniversary card, unsiged with site notation as Montinsery. Received after follow-up letter in 54 days. (Edward Kusalik, Canada).

Radio Taiwan International relay via Montsinery, 9840 kHz. Full data QSL card, unsigned. Received in 119 days for direct report to Taiwan and CD Mp3. (Luca Botto Fiora/playdx)

Germany
Radio 700, 6005 kHz. (1 kW) Full data card of Spanish tourist scene. Received in 80 days for English report and $ 2.00 US for return postage.(Al Muick, Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan).

Evangeliums Rundfunk, 1539 kHz AM (700 kW!). Full data Mainflingen antenna card. Received in 54 days for English report and $ 5.00 US for return postage. Card signed Juergen Werth and Lothar Ruehl. (Al Muick, Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan).

India
All India Radio-Banglaore, 17705 kHz. Full data card of Kandariya-Mahadev and Jagadambi Temple, Khajuraho. Verified by Director-Spectrum & Management and Synergy. (Mukesh Kumar, India)

Italy
Radio 101, 101.0 FM. Full data QSL card in seven days for report posted at www.r101.it. (Christian Chibaudo, France/playdx)

Japan
NHK World Radio Japan, 6115 kHz. Full data Acrobatic Display card. Received for report on Hidi service. (Mukesh Kumar, India)

Kazakhstan
Bible Voice BN/China One broadcast via Alma Ata. Received two full data card with site notation, unsigned. Received in 20 days for a postal report. (Ed Kusalik, Canada).

Madagascar
Radio Netherlands relay, 11665 kHz. Full data card, A Dutch Morning, unsigned. Received in 65 days for an English report. (Rod Pearson, FL).

Pirate
Radio Ronin Shortwave, 6924.8 kHz. Full data Defending the shores of Free Radio from Invading Armies card. Received for e-report to radioroninshortwave@gmail.com . (Edward Kusalik, Canada).

Russia
Voice of Russia, 6070 kHz. Full data color VO Russia 80 Years card. Received for report from Hindi service. (Mukesh Kumar, India)

South Korea
KBS World Radio, 7275 kHz. Full data Mt. Jiri card. Received for an English report. (Mukesh Kumar, India)

Spain
China Radio International relay via Noblejas, 9690 kHz. Full data card, The Great Family of the Chinese Nationa-Bai Ethnic Minority Group. Also personal note enclosed with station souvenirs and CRI's magazine The Messenger enclosed. Received in 46 days for an English. (Rod Pearson, FL).

Taiwan
WYFR/Family Radio, 6240/9280 kHz. Two full-data 50th Anniversary cards for Chinese broadcast via Bao-zhong transmitter. Large packet of religious material and decals, received in 84 days. (Edward Kusalik, Canada).


Turkey
Voice of Turkey, 11985 kHz. Full data card of a mountaineering training camp in Mount Kackar. Received for report on the Urdu service. (Mukesh Kumar, India)

United Kingdom
IBRA Radio (Radio Ibrahim Service in Arabic and Fur language, 12070 kHz. Transmitter via Wofferton. Full data verification with site notation in email verification from Maria Lavender. Received in 55 days. This in response to an email report to IBRA (Ed Kusali, Canada)

USA
Radio Free Asia, 15220 kHz. Full data 13th Anniversary card via IBB Tinian. Design was created by children of RFA personnel. Report details to qsl@rfa.org (Mukesh Kumar, India)

IBB-Voice of America's Hello Durfus broadcast via Wertachtal, Germany.After sending a postal report, received an email verification from Walter Brodowsky. (Edward Kusalik, Canada).

WYFR, 11855 kHz. Full data WYFR card. Received in 125 days for a Spanish report to espanol@familyradio.com (Rafael Rodriquez/playdx)

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletin

Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts:

Issued: 2011 Feb 15 1953 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
07 - 13 February 2011

Solar activity ranged from very low to high levels during the period. Activity was at very low levels on 07 February. Activity increased to low levels on 08 February when Region 1153 (N15, L=175, class/area Dso/180 on 09 February) produced two C-class flares. The largest of these was a C1/Sf at 08/2112 UTC. Activity increased to moderate levels on 09 February when Region 1153 produced an M1/Sf flare at 09/0131 UTC. Activity decreased to low levels on 10 February, with four C-class flares observed from Region 1153. The largest of these was a C4 flare at 10/1234 UTC. Activity decreased to very low on 11 February. Activity increased to low levels on 12 February when Region 1159 (N19, L=034, class/area Cso/020 on 13 February) produced a C2 flare. A Type II radio sweep, was observed at 12/2036 UTC. Two CMEs, both lifting off the east limb, were observed on LASCO C3 imagery at 11/1642 UTC and at 11/2318 UTC. The later CME was associated with the Type II radio sweep. Activity reached high levels on 13 February when Region 1158 (S20, L=034, class/area Eac/120 on 13 February) emerged on the disk and produced an M6/1N flare at 13/1738 UTC. Associated with this event was a 130 sfu Tenflare and a Type II Radio Sweep (estimated velocity 1119 km/s). (NOTE: An X2 x-ray event was observed from Region 1158 at 15/0156 UTC; more details will be reported next week.)

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at high levels from 07 - 11 February. Normal to moderate levels were observed on 12 - 13 February.

Geomagnetic field activity was mostly quiet during the forecast period.

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity
16 February - 14 March 2011

Solar activity is expected to be low to moderate with a slight chance for high activity from 16 - 20 February. Activity is expected to decrease to low levels by 21 February as Regions 1158 and 1159 rotate off the visible disk. An increase in activity is expected on 05 March when old Region 1158 (S20, L=14) rotates back onto the disk.

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at high levels for 14 - 15 February. Normal to moderate levels are expected from 16 February - 04 March. High levels are expected from 05 - 10 March followed by a return to low to moderate levels for the remainder of the period (11 - 14 March).

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at unsettled to active levels with a chance for isolated minor storm periods from 16 - 19 February. The increase in activity is due to the combination of a recurrent coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS) and a CME associated with an X2 x-ray event observed on 15 February. Predominantly quiet levels are expected for 20 - 28 February. Activity is expected to be quiet to unsettled with a chance for isolated active periods from 01 - 03 March due to a recurrent CH HSS. Mostly quiet conditions are expected for the remainder of the period (04 - 14 March).

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2011 Feb 15 1953 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 2011-02-15
#
# UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest
# Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index
2011 Feb 16 100 8 3
2011 Feb 17 100 18 4
2011 Feb 18 100 25 5
2011 Feb 19 98 10 3
2011 Feb 20 98 5 2
2011 Feb 21 95 5 2
2011 Feb 22 90 5 2
2011 Feb 23 84 5 2
2011 Feb 24 80 5 2
2011 Feb 25 80 5 2
2011 Feb 26 80 5 2
2011 Feb 27 80 5 2
2011 Feb 28 80 5 2
2011 Mar 01 80 8 3
2011 Mar 02 80 10 3
2011 Mar 03 82 10 3
2011 Mar 04 82 8 3
2011 Mar 05 84 5 2
2011 Mar 06 84 5 2
2011 Mar 07 88 5 2
2011 Mar 08 88 5 2
2011 Mar 09 88 5 2
2011 Mar 10 90 5 2
2011 Mar 11 90 5 2
2011 Mar 12 95 5 2
2011 Mar 13 95 5 2
2011 Mar 14 95 5 2
(NOAA)

DRM shortwave broadcast starting soon in Malaysia

DRM broadcasts are to start soon from Malaysia following the recent installation of HF Transmitters in Malaysia. DRM Members Continental Electronics have recently completed the installation of three HF transmitters in Malaysia and following a series of successful trial broadcasts last month, plans to begin regular DRM broadcasts are now being finalised by the Minister. There has also been an undertaking to purchase a large order of DRM receivers.

(Source: DRM Consortium/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Pirate Blog Logs

All times UTC *sign-on / sign-off*

Captain Morgan Shortwave
6925, 2153-2202.* Blues songs with man announcer giving ID and e-mail address at 2158. Signal fair to good. (Rich D’Angelo-PA/FRW # 783)

Childless Radio
6925USB, 2120. SINPO 35333. Child's voice giving ID as “Childish Radio,” to kid laughing. Rock music. (Ragnar/FRW # 782)

Coronal Mass Ejection
6900.4, 2053-2059.+ Top-40 hard rock to ID at 2054+ and 2059. SIO=3+53 (Frodge-MI/FRW # 783)

Liquid Radio
6900, 0353. Nice punching AM signal, wide enough to tune up to 6902 to avoid splatter from the satanists on 6890 and enjoy the music. Station ID at 0405. Excellent signal, somewhat noisy conditions. (Will-MD/FRW # 783)

Punxsutawney Pothead Radio
6930USB, 2346-0021.* Smell of Death, parody Addicted to Spuds and Hazy Days of Summer. Groundhog Day song, skit about NASA and Alabama, Daytripper. IDs by male/female and child. Music clear and sharp, but announcers a bit muddled. Some SS sideband interference. SIO 333, S-8 over S-3 noise. (Hunsicker, PA/FRW # 782)

Radio Ronin Shortwave
6925, 2347.+ Very noisy conditions. Gospel and blues to station ID 2348. Tunes - What Becomes of a Broken Hearted and Stop In the Name of Love. SIO=323 (Al Fansome-PA/FRW 783)

Renegade Radio
6930USB, 2252-2302.+ Station ID and non-Top-40 rock. SIO=4+34 with local buzz interference. Station ID at 2301 and signal dropped way down to barely audible. Slightly above 6930 (Harold Frodge, MI/Cumbre DX)

Snowball Radio
6925USB, 2012-2022:37.* Western tunes Ghost Riders in the Sky and Cool Water. JFK speech excerpt at 2018. Star Trek parody comedy skit (Space Balls?) at 2020. Many IDs, QSL via
snowballradio@gmail.com. Off abruptly. SIO=343+ with brief utility buzz. (Frodge-MI)

Voice of the Cat
6925 USB, 0015. 0015+. Stray Cat Strut and Mission Impossible theme. Station ID at 00:14 as 6YCAT, "Voice of the Cat." Reggae Fever. SIO=444 (Al Fansome-PA/FRW # 783)
782

WBOG
6900.4, 2324-2335.+ Long pop tune (aka DJ bathroom break music). STation ID to music at 2334. SIO=343. Signal (Harold Frodge-MI/FRW # 782)

WBNY
6900, 1942-2002. Al Fansome Memorial Radio Show. Music tunes Don't Fear the Reaper, and a repeated advertisement for a combination pizza and funeral parlor. Conditions were lousy and
the signal was mostly unusable. (Hunsicker, PA/781)

Wolverine Radio
6925USB, 0126.+ A bit of static now and then. Tunes - Traveling Riverside Blues and Down By the Riverside. Station ID at 0128. Song, Too Many Rivers. SIO=434 (Al Fanome, PA/FRW 783)

BBG Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2012

The President’s budget request for Fiscal Year 2012, sent to the Congress today, includes $767 million for the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), an increase of 2.5 percent from the FY 2011 full year Continuing Resolution level. The proposed funding reflects the importance of ongoing U.S. international broadcasting to critical audiences as well as technical infrastructure to support modern multimedia operations.

“The BBG is continuing to modernize across a range of communications platforms to be effective in the 21st century media environment,” said Walter Isaacson, Chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors. “As we continue our strategic review of U.S. international broadcasting, we will be seeking to introduce greater innovations and improvements in order to meet the challenges of our mission.”

The FY 2012 budget request continues to fund the operations of the BBG networks of the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio and TV Marti, Radio Free Asia, and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (Alhurra TV and Radio Sawa), which distribute programming via radio, TV, the Internet, and an increasing array of new media to over 100 countries. Through its global transmission network, the BBG delivers news to countries without independent media, engages audiences and promotes dialogue through interactive programs, reaches people in conflict and crisis, and combats Internet censorship.

The FY 2012 budget request supports ongoing programming as well as funding to:
*enhance the Agency’s global satellite transmission infrastructure
*initiate a global news-sharing network
*roll out new media technologies across the Agency
*ensure broadcast disaster recovery capabilities
*expand efforts to move VOA to an all-digital broadcast platform

The FY 2012 budget request proposes a number of reductions. They include: *restructuring broadcasting to China by realigning resources to implement a cost-effective and market-specific strategy
*eliminating VOA broadcasts to Croatia
*optimizing the BBG’s worldwide transmission network
*finding efficiencies within current operations
(VOA)

Blog Logs

All times UTC / // parallel frequency *sign-on / sign-off*

Bangladesh
4750, 1157-1206, Bangladesh Betar Shavar. English service with Hindi ballad at tune-in, lady announcer at 1159 followed by 4+1 pips and male announcer with news, talk and musical bits at 1206. Signal poor in ECCS-USB, only able to make out the occasional word or two. (Scott Barbour-NH)

Bolivia
4700, 1013, Radio San Miguel Riberalta, 1013. Spanish for male announcer w easy listening music to, "buenas dias.." and talk with different male via a remote. Strong, clean signal. (Scott Barbour-NH)

Brazil
5939.85, 0440-0525, Radio Voz Missionária. Portuguese religious talk and musical ballads. Ads. Weak signal with adjacent channel splatter. Better on // 9665.10 - weak but readable. (Brian Alexaner, PA)

4885, 0650-0715, Radio Clube do Pará, Belém. Brazilian songs and comments by male, program "Clube da Madrugada". SINPO 24322. (Manuel Méndez/Cumbre DX)

5940, Voz Missionaria, Camboriú, 0703-0710, 11-02, Portuguese. Male's religious comments. 14321. (Manuel Méndez/Cumbre DX)

9565, 0640-0655, Super Radio Deus e Amor, Curitiba. Portuguese text for announcer's religious comments. SINPO 24322. (Manuel Méndez/Cumbre DX)

9654.4, 0905-0912, Radio Bandeirantes, Sao Paulo. Portuguese announcer with news and comments. SINPO 14321. (Manuel Méndez/Cumbre DX)

9675, 0915-0923, Radio Cançao Nova, Cachoeira Paulista. Religious comments in Portuguese by male. SINPO 24322. (Manuel Méndez/Cumbre DX)

9695.8, 1015-1025, Radio Rio Mar, Manus. Male announcer's Portuguese news and comments. Relays program news: "Jornal Primeira Hora" from Radio Bandeirantes. SINPO 23432. Also *1000-1007, 11-02, signing on at 1000: "6 horas en Manaus, Radio
Rio Mar", male, comments and advertisements. (Manuel Méndez/Cumbre DX)

11735, 0945-0955, Radio Transmundial. Male announcer with religious comments in Portuguese. SINPO 24322. (Manuel Méndez/Cumbre DX)

11780, 1005-1012, Radio Nacional da Amazonia, Brasilia. Announcer's Portuguese news an comments. SINPO 24322. (Manuel Méndez/Cumbre DX)

11815, 0924-0925, Radio Brasil Central, Goiania. Male's Portuguese text for news program: "O Mundo Em Sua Casa", with world and Brazilian news, and sports. Station Identification as: "Radio Brasil Central, Goiania".SINPO 34433. (Manuel Méndez/Cumbre DX)

11925, 0938-0950, Radio Bandeirantes, Sao Paulo. Portuguese news program: "Jornal Primeira Hora", followed by news and comments from Brazil and the World. Station identification as, "Radio Bandeirantes." SINPO 24322. (Manuel Méndez/Cumbre DX)

15190, 0910-0933, Radio Inconfidencia, Belo Horizonte. Announcer's news in Portuguese, followed by, "7 horas 12 minutos, Jornal Integraçao", "Estamos a
presentar Jornal Integraçao, cultura, cidadania, Jornal Integraçao".(Manuel Méndez/Cumbre DX)

4885, 0935, Radio Clube do Para. Best signal in the band, booming in at 0935 with male announcer in Portuguese giving ID ("Radio Clube do Para, muito bom dia! . . . na faixa de 60 metros . . ." and frequency quote over musical backdrop. Same day, at 0940 on 4915 Anhanguera presumed, male announcer's Portuguese talk and music, but lower signal. Also an unid Brazilian on 4865 at 1015. (Ralph Perry, Illinois/playdx)

4965, 0954-1005, Radio Alvorada Parintins. Portuguese service. Malke announcer with talk at tune-in, into ad string. Station ID announcement at 1000, talk by various announcers. Signal poor and rapidly deteriorating after 1000. (Scott Barbour-NH)

5055, 0738-0802, presumed R. Difusora Caceres. Unid. language. Lite vocal music and a bit of talk. Signal very weak in ECCS-USB under band noise, though perhaps Vanuatu on reactivated frequency. Skeptical once heard again at 0509, also very weak on-line query recieved replies from W. Salminaw, V. Goonetilleke & M. Ritola that what they were hearing was Brazillian. (Scott Barbour-NH)

Chad
6165, *0427-0440, RNT, *0427-0440. Sign on with Balafon interval signal. National anthem at 0429. French announcements at 0430 and into Afro-pop music. Poor. Weak with co-channel interference. (Brian Alexander-PA) Heard also 6165, 2220-2231:40.* French talk to Afro-pop music. Sign off with national anthem. Weak. Poor signal with adjacent channel splatter. (Brian Alexander-PA)

6165, 2150-2215, Radiodiffusion Nationale Tchadienne, N'djamena. Good signal for pleasant African rhythms to 2200 news and commentary show in French, with remote feeds by lady and others. Gone at 2245 recheck. Slated to s/off daily 2230* except weekends when it runs to 2300*. (Ralph Perry, Illinois/playdx)

China
6030, 1305, China National Radio 1. Fine signal, with what sounded a lot like a Lion Dance performance with clanging symbols, drumming. Into local folk music by small band with local kazoo-like horns, drumming, etc. Seemed live performance. Wonderful listening, nice to play inthe background while typing, etc. (Ralph Perry, Illinois/playdx)

6035, 1400, PBS Yunnan/Voice of Shangri-La. Conditions poorer today, but still able to make out “this is the Voice of Shangri-La” and tentatively followed by the usual “brought to you by Yunnan Radio." (Ron Howard, CA/Cumbre DX)

4920.031, 1140-1200, People's Broadcasting Station, Xizang. Noted ordinary Chinese music at tune in. The music is continuous during the period as the signal stays at a poor level. (Chuck Bolland, FL)

Clandestine
17725, 1700-1715.* Radio Y’ Abaganda. Station sign on with local choral music. Talk at 1704 in local language with mentions of Baganda and Uganda. Abrupt sign off. Sat only. Good signal but began mixing with an unidentified station at 1714 at equal level with lite instrumental music and Afro-pop music past 1730.(Brian Alexander, PA)

6205 1211-1300* Radio Free Sarawak. Very good signal with usual Bahasa Malaysia phone talk(s). Musical interlude at 1221, close-down routine at 1254, with several ID's accompanied by theme music on string instrument. Ended with male announcer saying "bye-bye". (John Wilkins-CO/Cumbre DX)

5985 1425-1430* Shiokaze. Caught last few minutes of usual Friday English program. Very strong today, S9+25 dB. Back on 5985 again, ex-5910. Clobbered Myanmar on 5985.88, which was largely unreadable anyway beneath local band noise. (John Wilkins-CO/Cumbre DX)

Colombia
5910, 0701-0820, Alcaraván Radio, Puerto Lleras. Latin American songs to male announcer's religious comments in Spanish. Station identification: "Alcarán Radio". SINPO 24322.(Manuel Méndez/Colombia)

Ecuador
4814.98, 1050-1110, Radio El Buen Pastor. Decent signal and in the clear (utility missing) but noisy. Upbeat nondescript music to 1052 when quick theme burst and male on top, "Radio El Buen Pastor, nuestro programa esta manana . . ." time check and frequewncy quote. Into what sounded like brief religious talk, mentioning "El Senor . . . Dios . . ." and then middle-of-the road music at 1102 with another ID over. (Ralph Perry, Illinois/playdx)

Ethiopia
9705, 2010-2100, Radio Ethiopia. Local style of Horn of Africa music. Amharic talk. Sign off with national anthem at 2059. Fair. Weak interference from a weak Niger 9704.99. (Brian Alexander,PA)

Guam
9345, 1503-1509, Trans World Radio (Agana). Chinese. Woman with apparent religious talk followed by slow, contemporary religious music. Weak but steady signal. (Jim Evan, TN)

13362USB, 2225-2235, American Forces/AFRTS (Barrigada). English with male/female announcer's NPR programming. News at 2230. Poor signal with strong interference from Argentine feeder on 13.363.55 (LSB). Stronger parallels noted from Saddlebunch Key (5446.5, 7811, 12133.5). (Jim Evans, TN)

Guinea
7125, 0740-0758, Radio Guineé. Afro-pop music to French and vernacular talk. French announcements with “Ici Conakry” identification ID at 0752. Gone at 0814 check. Good signal.(Brian Alexander-PA)

7125, R0705-0725, Radio Guineé, Conakry. Male/female announcers with news and comments in French about Guinea to African music. SINPO 24322. Also 0710-0740, African songs and comments in French by male announcer.SINPO 34333. (Manuel Méndez/Cumbre DX)

India
5010, 1250-1255, All India Radio-Thiruvananthapuram (Chennai). Talk in Hindi by man. Poor signal with minimal fading. (Jim Evans, TN)

6155, Bangalore. Noting this 2/10 and 2/11 with good signal and in the clear, early local evenings. A bit unusual to hear the subcontinent in Illinois at this time, although a darkness short path exists. On 2/11, frequency clear when carrier switched on 0012 and 0015 female abruptly speaking. Believe this is the Urdu domestic service, 0015.30, chanting by male, sound like Islamic call to prayer (interesting to hear this on an India transmitter, but a reminder that about 15% of Bangalore population is indeed Muslim). Male announcer at 0021 in Urdu and then into subcontinental music. Female singer with subcontinental combo featuring sitar, tabla, etc. Segued to 0029 time-out. Same pattern programming heard prior day, when noting call to prayer already in progress at 0018, the 0021 announcement and then into Hindi music. Nice signal and just a lot of fun to hear this. Armchair level signal at the top of fade-ins. (Ralph Perry, Illinois/playdx).

4970, A1503-1512, AIR Shillong. English service with DJ's “Golden Classics” show. Played pop songs (Chuck Berry with “Roll Over Beethoven”, etc.), 1511 local ID, 1512 switched over to the audio feed from Delhi (chime/tone into Hindi with ads). Almost fair, but still noticeable hum.(Ron Howard, CA/Cumbre DX)

Madagascar
5010.3, Radio Madagasikara/ Radio Nationale Malgache, Antananarivo coming thru nicely. Already in progress at tune-in 0300 with fair-good power, lite fades and moderate static, 100 kWs listed and sounded like it! Pleasant, melodic African choral chanting/pop accompanied by local ensemble, heavy on rhythm and bass. Segued similar songs thru to 0330, when signal severely faded. Seemed newscast by male caught in fragments at bottom of the hour. Unable to raise a streaming broadcast to get a parallel, but did find their website: http://takelaka.dts.mg/radmad/. At same time, a decent signal on 4976 which I believe was Kampala also coming thru. (Ralph Perry, Illinois/playdx)

Mali
5995, *0555-0615, ORTM. Sign on with guitar interval signal. National anthem at 0558 Flute interval signal at 0559 and opening French ID announcements. Local rustic music at 0600. Weak but readable. (Brian Alexander-PA)Additional log: 9635, *0759-0830. Sign on with flute interval signal and opening French ID announcements. Vernacular talk at 0800. Rustic tribal music. Weak with low modulation but improved in strength by 0825. (Brian Alexander-PA)

5995, 0708-0720, Radio Malieene Bamako. French. Male announcer with talk, joined by another male via remote. Musical bridge at 0717 and talk resumes. Signal fair in ECCS-USB. (Scott Barbour-NH)

Mexico
6010, 0722-0734, Radio Mil Mexico City. Spanish. Easy-listening music and brief vocal music. Brief announcer between selections. Station IDs - short ad string at 07323. Signal poor and wobbly signal in ECCS-LSB. (Scott Barbour-NH)

Myanmar
5985.83, 1331-1451* Myanma Radio via Yangon. In vernacular, Shiokaze (5985.0) interference 1400-1430, 1442-1443 had the regular anti-VOA, BBC, RFA and DVB slogan. Seems the switch over at transmitter sites does not happen at exactly the same time every day.(Ron Howard, CA/Cumbre DX)

5985.0, * 1451, Myanma Radio via Naypyidaw. Much better reception than via Yangon. Indigenous music and singing. Wonder why they need to switch sites like this? (ron Howard, CA/Cumbre DX)



Nigeria
9690, 0903-0930, Voice of Nigeria. Tune-in to English news. ID. Program about the history of the Nigerian slave market. Fair to good strenght but audio a little muffled. (Brian Alexander-PA)

Sri Lanka
11905, * 1530-1550, Radio Sri Lanka-Radio Ceylon. Opening English “Radio Sri Lanka” ID announcements and announcement as “this is Radio Ceylon calling out to India”. English news at 1531. Local music at 1533. English and Hindi talk. Some US oldies pop music. Signal Poor, mixing with Polish Radio. (Brian Alexander, PA)

Tunisia
7275, 0445-0506, RTV Tunisienne Sfax. Arabic. Kor'an recitations to male announcer at 0457 into Arabic music. Station ID at 0501, presumed news headlines. Music at 0503(Scott Barbour, NH)

USA
9655, 1508-1513, KNLS (Anchor Point). English. Religious talk by man and woman. Weak signal with minor fading. Co-channel Romania in Arabic stayed on top through the period monitored. (Jim Evans, TN)

Vanuatu
3945, 0933-0950. Presumed Radio Vanuatu Port Vila, 0933-0950. Vernacular. Male/female announcers and occasional vocal music. Definitley AM mode and not usual amateur radio splatter via the perpetual ham net on 3947L which has been on every day I've checked since late 2009, too good to last as ham's started warming up the txmitters at 0948. Signal very poor/weak. (Scott Barbour-NH)

Zimbabwe
4828, 0406-0430, ZBC (Gweru). News in English by a man with an African accent. A few seconds of local pop music at 0408, then an interview with a second man. Flat audio made the subject difficult to understand. Moderate signal strength at tune-in, declining over time, with CODAR interference. Fading down into the noise much of the time by 0430. (Jim Evans, TN)

Radio Panorama RP8: Signaling Through the Earth

In the early eras of history, electricity was observed as a static phenomenon; that is, an electrical charge was observed for example, when amber material was rubbed with a cloth. The electrical charge remained on the surface of the amber for a period of time, and it did not dissipate immediately; that is, it was not a form of flowing electricity, but it was a stationary, or static charge.
However, when experimenters began to generate and experiment with moving, or current electricity, they discovered that a circuit was involved. In other words, it was not possible to induce a moving current of electricity through a single open wire, there had to be a return for the electricity, a circle, a circuit.
It would be suggested that the need of a closed circuit for the flow of electricity was first demonstrated at the time when Luigi Galvani in Italy joined two wires, zinc & copper, and touched the other end of each wire on the leg of a frog. This procedure made the muscles of the frog twitch. Although it was not understood clearly at the time, back in the year 1780, this experiment demonstrated the flow of electricity through a closed circuit.
Likewise, 20 years later, Alessandro Volta also in Italy, invented, developed, the battery cell. He inserted two joined wires, zinc and copper into a solution of salt water and he discovered that this created a flow of electricity, an electrical current.
During the year 1837, both Samuel Morse in the United States and Cooke & Wheatstone in England developed a telegraph system with the use of a twin wire circuit. That is, the electrical signal had to travel from the first location along a connecting wire to a second location, and back to the original location along another wire.
However, during the following year, 1838, Professor Karl von Steinheil in Munich Germany experimented with the concept of using the earth as the return segment of a telegraph circuit, thus eliminating the need for the return wire. He inserted a metal plate into the earth at each end of the telegraph circuit. He suggested that therefore it might be possible to use the earth itself as a connecting medium for the transmission of a telegraph signal, a wireless signal if you please.
When the Overland Telegraph was constructed in Australia in 1872, a single galvanized iron wire connected Darwin in the north and Adelaide in the south, a distance of nearly 2,000 miles. Each end of the wire was enabled with an earth connection.
In 1866, the dentist Mahlon Loomis, experimented with the concept of using the sky and the earth as the twin connecting media for a wireless telegraph circuit. He flew two kites, each with a spark gap and a connecting wire onto a plate in the ground, at a distance of 14 miles in the Blue Ridge Mountains in the American state of Virginia. This system worked, but he did not realize that he had succeeded in transmitting a wireless signal through the sky, not through the ground.
in 1880, Professor John Trowbridge at Harvard University in Cambridge Massachusetts experimented with the concept of transmitting wireless signals through the earth and he successfully received the university’s ticking time signals at a distance of one mile. However, he discovered that the signal strength quickly dissipated due to the fact that the signal transmitted through the earth was omnidirectional at ever widening circles.
Now when Guglielmo Marconi began his early wireless experiments in Bologna Italy, he discovered that he could transmit a wireless signal over a significant distance with the use of a spark gap transmitter and a spark gap receiver, each connected to an elevated aerial and an earth plate inserted into the ground.
Almost simultaneously, Alexander Popov in Russia developed a workable wireless system using a similar concept.
Thus it was that early wireless experimenters discovered that the earth could be used as a transmitting medium for wireless signals though it was a highly inefficient procedure. However, when wireless and then radio came to stay, the usage of an earth grounding did play an important part in the circuitry.
Another concept for the early wireless experimenter was the usage of water as a connecting medium for the transmission of intelligible signals, and that’s our story for another occasion.
(AWR Wavescan/NWS 103 via Adrian Peterson)

How do BBC World Service cuts affect arts program ?

Can Voice of America "rise to the occasion" ?
Elizabeth Kramer: "Nearly two decades ago, I spent three years living on an island in the Indian Ocean's Mozambique Channel. Radio was my only regular link to what was happening beyond the blue-green waters that lapped the shoreline. I learned not only about the fall of the Soviet Union, but that Mary Chapin Carpenter had made a hit out of Lucinda Williams' song 'Passionate Kisses.' I learned about police chasing O.J. Simpson and the death of Kurt Cobain. Much of this kind of news I got on my shortwave radio from Voice of America, the U.S. government's official broadcasting service. The arts coverage here was mostly of the pop-culture variety. It included news about Lisa Bonet's and Lenny Kravitz's divorce and of the movie 'Jurassic Park.' This information gave me a kind of cultural collateral that helped me not sound like an alien when I returned home. But, in general, this wasn't the kind of arts and cultural coverage I listened to much. My station of choice was the BBC's Africa World Service. It's there that I learned about the Young British Artists, including the provocative Damien Hirst, who had come onto London's art scene thanks to Saatchi Gallery, and of notable passings, including the deaths of composer John Cage and famed acting teacher Stella Adler. And of course, I learned even more about the nuance of cultural and political events happening in the United States via Alistair Cooke's weekly 'Letter from America.' ... [A]fter all the cuts [to BBC World Service] have been implemented, it will be interesting to see if these traditions will be audible over the airwaves and if there will be reporting that continues to embrace cultural and art-related topics. News, information about the arts and arts programming could be scarcer in Africa and other remote places. Then again, maybe the vacuum could be filled by some of the Internet and FM networks that have been growing around the world. It could be even more interesting if Voice of America would be able to rise to the occasion, now that it will be the leading global news broadcaster."
(Louisville Courier/Kim Elliott)

Comment is Free
Jonathan Freedland: "By insisting on cutting the budget of the BBC World Service, the government has cast aside what would once have been Tory guiding principles. The BBC estimates that the cuts will not just shrink the payroll by 650 journalists, but shrink the audience by a staggering 30 million listeners. Britain will no longer be the home of the world's biggest broadcaster, losing that pre-eminent place to the Voice of America. The 19th-century Tories who once gazed at the globe from their high-backed leather chairs in Pall Mall's clubs would be appalled: they knew the value of soft power. They would have realised the enduring benefit for Britain in the villagers of Africa, China or India for ever associating the free circulation of ideas with a British accent. With five language services closing entirely and the daily arts programme slashed by a third, Bush House insiders discern a direction of travel that ends with the World Service reduced to a glorified rolling news operation, lacking the country-by-country specialisation and arts, music and drama that made it nothing less than a global force for enlightenment."
(The Guardian/Kim Elliott)

Democratic Voice of Burma facing funding crunch

Clandestine

Burma’s media in exile, long a thorn in the side of the ruling generals, are being squeezed by funding cuts that some blame on a change in policy by Western donors in a shifting political landscape. Overseas-based media such as the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) are seen as an important source of news in the impoverished nation, where an authoritarian government keeps a stranglehold on domestic reporting. As a new political system emerges in Burma (called Myanmar by the regime), with a new parliament, some believe donors have been tempted to divert funding into the country, despite evidence it is still dominated by the military hierarchy.

Within weeks of the first elections in 20 years, DVB - an Oslo-based television, radio and online news provider that is banned in Burma - cancelled several programmes after suffering big losses in subsidies.
DVB deputy manager Khin Maung Win said the cuts amounted to about $1 million in 2011, partly because the group had received roughly $500,000 in extra funding last year to cover the November election. He said it would result in job cuts among some of the group’s 150 journalists based in Norway, Thailand or Burma. “As of now, we cannot conclude it is a policy change from the donors’ side, but it has a painful effect on us,” he said.

Burma’s exiled media derives most of its financial support from European governments, mainly Scandinavian, and from public and private donations from the United States. The DVB did not say which donors were behind the cuts, but it is believed to be mainly European governments.

Reporters working inside Myanmar for banned exile media organisations risk long jail sentences. Earlier this month DVB video reporter Maung Maung Zeya, 58, was handed 13 years in prison after being caught filming at the scene of a bomb blast in April 2010. His son Sithu Zeya has been given an 18-year jail term on similar charges, according to Aung Thein, a legal adviser for political prisoners.

DVB TV is watched almost as much as the state-funded channels in Myanmar, despite a ban on the sale of satellite dishes, according to Reporters Without Borders. The website www.dvb.no is also a respected source of news for those outside the country. Other established independent media sources covering the country include Radio Free Asia (RFA), financed by the United States, and the BBC’s Burmese service, which recently escaped being axed in severe cuts by the broadcaster. Many Burmese rely on such radio broadcasts from outside Myanmar to keep up with world news.

While access to exiled media websites in Myanmar is restricted by the authorities, some people use proxy servers to bypass the blocks. “We think the more sources for accurate, objective information in Burma, the better and the declining trends are troubling,” said RFA spokesman John Estrella.
(Source: AFP/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Democratic Voice of Burma

Burmese on shortwave targeted to Asia

0000-0030 7440/ 7510

1430-1500 11515/ 17790

1500-1530 11515/ 17790

2330-000 7440/ 7510

Website: www.dvb.no/

Wireless and Radio on Land and Sea in Artarctica

Tragic News Bulletin from the Antarctica Mainland

Antarctica is a barren and forbidding land, and yet it displays its own unique blend of form and beauty. It is the 5th largest continent and it is located right at the bottom of our planet. The twin names Arctica & Antarctica come from the ancient Greek language and have reference to the northernmost lands and the southernmost lands upon Earth.
The Antarctic continent is more than 3,000 miles across and it is larger than Europe and larger than Australia. Most of the continent is covered with ice and snow one mile deep and it contains more fresh water than is found in the rest of the world. In the harshness of the sunless winter, the temperatures reach more than 100 degrees below freezing, and in the 24 hour sunshine of the summer, the temperatures never reach above freezing. In fact the world’s coldest temperature ever recorded was measured at the Russian base Vostok in August 1960 at -127 degrees Fahrenheit, -88 degrees Centigrade.
Although Europeans in their explorations long looked for a continent down under, Terra Australis, yet it was not until the years 1773 & 1774 that the southernmost continent was circumnavigated by the famous explorer, Captain James Cook. This voyage established the fact that Antarctica did exist, but it was not possible for his ships to penetrate through the ice floes and make a landing in the coastal areas. The first humans to land on the Antarctic continent were crew members from a seal hunting expedition led by the American, Captain John Davis on February 7, 1821.
These days 30 different countries operate permanent research stations on the Antarctic mainland, and an additional 30 temporary camps are established each summer. The winter population in Antarctica is around 1,000, and the summer population is around 4,000, all of whom are involved in various forms of scientific research.
It was on December 2, 1911, that the small ship Aurora left Hobart Tasmania with personnel & equipment for exploration into the Antarctic regions. The expedition was led by Dr. Douglas Mawson and the first point of call nine days later was Macquarie Island where a small party of men disembarked for the purpose of establishing a wireless station to act as a relay station between Australia and the Antarctic mainland.
A month later, the ship Aurora arrived further south in Commonwealth Bay, Antarctica and they established a base camp at Cape Dennison. Work commenced on the installation of a wireless station, the very first on the Antarctica mainland, but the work was very slow, due to the harshness of the environment.
The equipment for the wireless station consisted of a 1½ kW Telefunken spark transmitter tuned to 500 KHz, a French made 9 horsepower Dedion petrol engine as the electricity generator, a sloping aerial system with masts 115 ft high & 20 ft high, and a simple crystal set receiver. Transmissions from this station began in September 1912, though it took a long time before meaningful messages got through.
We list now, several of the messages that were transmitted from the Antarctic mainland, taken from contemporary documents and newspaper reports, though we have been unable to discover just what callsign was in use at this wireless station.

* 1912 Sep: Transmissions began with the use of a temporary antenna.
* 1912 Sep 25: Antarctica sent a Morse Code message to station MQI on Macquarie Island asking that they relay a message on to the AWA station at Pennant Hills in Australia, but MQI could not read the content of the message.
* 1912 Sep 29: Antarctica reported to MQI that they were experiencing great difficulty in erecting the regular antenna due to weather problems.
* 1913 Feb: Transmissions re-commenced with full sized antenna system.
* 1913 Feb 3: First transmission with completed antenna system heard by MQI Macquarie Island. Bad news, Douglas Mawson & two fellow expeditioners were overdue from a long sledding trip inland.
* 1913 Feb 8: Antarctica transmitted a message asking the ship Aurora to return to the main coastal base. The ship received this message, but was unable to return due to the floating ice pack, and the ship could not reply because no wireless transmitter was aboard this vessel. Antarctica reported that two expeditioners had died; one fell into a deep crevasse and the other died from food poisoning. This message was heard by MQI Macquarie and it was passed on to Australia for publication.
* 1913 Feb 20: Two way communication between MQI & Antarctica was finally achieved. Antarctica confirmed the death of two of their explorers, and MQI informed Antarctica that Robert Scott and four of his men in another exploration party died on their return journey from the South Pole.
* 1913 Nov 18: The New York Times printed a message from Dr. Mawson in Antarctica, outlining difficulties faced by the explorers, including heavy snow falls, huge icebergs in the bay, strong winds, and the inability to retrieve supplies buried by the snowstorms. This was the last known transmission from Antarctica’s first wireless station.
* 1913 Nov 20: With the progressive increase in daylight, wireless communication on 500 kHz was no longer possible

During the time of its active operation, the Antarctica wireless station was occasionally heard by station MQI on Macquarie Island, which lies about half way between Australia and Antarctica, and on these occasions news was also passed on for publication in Australia and the United States. There were occasions when Antarctica was heard in New Zealand; and just once only was Antarctica heard in Hobart Tasmania, and by AWA Pennant Hills in Sydney.
The Antarctica station complained about interference from other wireless stations in Australia, from ships plying the waters south of Australia, and by spark discharges from the antenna system, known as St Elmo’s fire.
With the increase in daylight, communication by wireless was no longer possible and the station was closed. Thus, the first wireless station on the Antarctic mainland was on the air from September 1912 to November 1913. It was in use for a little over a year, in the transmission of personal messages, official communications, and news reports for publication.
(AWR/Wavescan, # NWS 103 via Adrian Peterson)

Egypt's state media squirms in new era

Journalists from Egypt’s state media, until last week the staid propaganda arm of a hated regime, are battling to overcome conservative management and win back the trust of their public. As the nation’s youth, mobilised by Facebook and Twitter, rose to topple former strongman Hosni Mubarak, reporters at state television’s Nile News and the Al-Ahram newspaper were caught on the wrong side of history.

“When the demonstrations broke out, we were following the news on the BBC and Al-Jazeera,” said Suha al-Naqash, a 41-year-old Nile News anchor. “They forced us to say ‘Calm has returned to the streets of Cairo’, when the country was boiling over. It was very painful for me. We, who were supposed to be the main source of news, were saying nothing was happening.”

Naqash walked out, and is now refusing to return to work until the state news channel is reformed to reflect the explosion of free speech and open national debate that flared at the protests and on the web. Others have also stepped down, and her colleagues who remained at work belatedly began to change their output in the final hours of the regime, once it became clear that the army was not going to suppress the revolt. Suddenly photographs and footage of the “patriotic youth” appeared, along with reports on the reforms that were planned to appease the street.

But for most viewers and readers, it was all too little too late. The state media had lost their trust, and as the protests reached their climax thousands marched on state television headquarters chanting: “Liars!”

Now that the formerly unthinkable has happened - Mubarak vanished from the scene and army generals sitting to discuss constitutional reform with rebellious cyber activists - the journalists want to reform themselves. Naqash, recalling her days at Nile News, said: “The people who script the evening bulletin never consulted the presenters. We weren’t allowed to speak out. We couldn’t oppose any editorial line.”

As anger against the regime was mounting over recent years, television news avoided reports on poverty and unemployment and instead focused on acts of charity by Mubarak and his cronies to “the great people of Egypt”. The personality cult is now history, but the media executives who promoted it are still in place, attempting to perform a 180-degree turn in coverage and lavish their devotion on a new generation of leaders. “Mubarak has gone, but the bosses are still there, the bosses who are used to the idea that the press just takes orders,” Naqash said.

But the problem in the hierarchy is not just one of cowardice and low editorial standards. As with other pillars of the system, the state media is riddled with cronyism and corruption. For Naqash, the best solution would be for the Radio and Television Union - which oversees all state broadcasting - to become a public but autonomous organisation, like Britain’s respected BBC. “It’s a new era. We must reform everything,” she said.

(Source: AFP/R Netherlands Media Network)

Radio Netherlands extends Al Jazeera web feed

As events in Egypt likely to escalate, here is a quick reminder to our blog readers. I kept this live feed on all afternoon in my office, with no streaming problems as in previous days. In checking daily shortwave logs, Radio Cairo on shortwave has been very sporadic and poor. You'd have better luck following Al Jazeera or network television.
Gayle VH

The arrangement to stream Al Jazeera English on the RNW website to cover breaking news from Egypt has been extended, and the stream will now be available on our website through Monday 14 February 2011.

Live feed at: http://www.rnw.nl/english/video/live-footage-cairo
(R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Voice of Russia adds new freqs to winter schedule

Voice of Russia

All times UTC

Effective from 01 February 2011

0200-0400 15250 IRK 100 kW 110 deg to EaAS in Russian
0200-0400 15520 TCH 500 kW 194 deg to SoEaAS in Russian
0200-0600 11870#IRK 250 kW 110 deg to EaAS in Russian
0400-0600 15250 IRK 100 kW 110 deg to EaAS in English
0400-0600 15520 TCH 500 kW 194 deg to SoEaAS in English
0500-0800 9680 SAM 250 kW 280 deg to WeEUR in Russian
0600-0800 17650^DB 500 kW 120 deg to AUS in Russian
0700-1000 12010*NVS 500 kW 110 deg to EaAS in Russian
0700-1100 15700 IRK 250 kW 152 deg to SoEaAS in English
0800-1100 17650^DB 500 kW 120 deg to AUS in English
0800-1500 NF7265 S.P 200 kW 215 deg to WeEUR in Russian, x7200 Feb 9
1000-1300 9720 KLG 100 kW 245 deg to WeEUR in German, x1000-1100
1000-1600 12025 SAM 250 kW 117 deg to CeAS in Russian
1100-1200 17650^DB 500 kW 120 deg to AUS in Russian
1500-1700 5975&S.P 200 kW 147 deg to NE/ME in Turkish,not 1400-1600
2300-2400 11830 P.K 250 kW 247 deg to SoEaAS in English,exDWL Chinese

# co-ch WEWN in Spanish
^ co-ch CRI in Chinese
& co-ch VOR in Serbian from 1600-1700!!!!
* co-ch AWR in French/Tachelhit 0800-0900
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 10)
(DX Mix News # 664 via Ivo Ivanov, Bulgaria & Wolfgang Bueschel)

Radio Free Asia frequency changes

Transmitters located in Marianas, Saipan and Tinian

Radio Free Asia

All times UTC / NF New frequency

1230-1400 NF 7245 TIN 250 kW 278 deg to SoEaAS, x7515 in Burmese
1400-1500 NF 7245 TIN 250 kW 278 deg to SoEaAS, x7515 in Vietnamese
1630-1730 NF 7245 TIN 250 kW 278 deg to SoEaAS, x7570 in Burmese
1400-1500 NF 6025 TIN 250 kW 280 deg to EaAS, x5810 in Cantonese
1500-1600 NF 6025#TIN 250 kW 296 deg to EaAS, x5810 in Chinese
1600-1800 NF 6020^TIN 250 kW 296 deg to EaAS, x5810 in Chinese
1800-2200 NF 6025*TIN 250 kW 296 deg to EaAS, x5810 in Chinese
2200-2300 NF 7250!TIN 250 kW 280 deg to EaAS, x7505 in Cantonese
2300-2400 NF 9585 SAI 100 kW 310 deg to EaAS, x13745 in Chinese

# co-ch CRI in Russain+Chinese Mx Jammer
^ co-ch VOR in Persian+Chinese Mx Jammer
* co-ch VOIROI French 1830-1930+Chinese Mx Jammer
! co-ch CRI in Spanish
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 10)
(DX Mix News # 664 via Ivo Ivanov, Bulgaria & Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany)

Eritrean officials panicked by events in Egypt

Gedab News via Awate.com reports: “As the people’s rage moves from Tunisia to Egypt and possibly to Yemen, the Eritrean regime is in a state of panic and is trying to engineer a total news blackout in Eritrea. The State media, which is the only legal medium of information dissemination in Eritrea, has maintained total silence on the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions, and the uprisings in Sudan and Yemen. Until now, Eritreans could get the information from international radio broadcasts and satellite TV. Now the Eritrean regime is attempting to control the latter.

“According to our reporter, Eritrea’s national security office contacted the ministry of information demanding that they “plug off” the satellite television transmission, just like Egypt was able to “plug off” the Internet and mobile phone service. The ministry of information replied that there is “no switch” to block airwaves coming through space.

“After mulling over the issue, the National Security Office sent out an order to every village, town and city administration demanding that cafes, restaurants and all public places which provide satellite-carried international news cease and desist immediately and that failure to comply immediately will result in loss of their licence.

“The business owners have protested that the major reason they have a clientele is because of the satellite dish, which carries news, sports and movies, and without that service, they will risk losing their business. The national security office stated that this was a matter of “national security” and they have to comply or lose their business licence.

“This leaves shortwave radio as the only source of independent news for Eritreans. Our reporter commented, ‘I still have my radio, glad the regime does not have the ability to block radio waves!’ The reporter also said that he is following all the news and he is up to date with the news.”
(Source: Gedab News via Awate.com/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

VOA launches "blog network"

The Voice of America (VOA) has launched a new “blog network”. All of VOA’s English language blogs are now conveniently listed on one webpage, including Digital Frontiers, a dynamic online discussion of privacy, identity and freedom in the digital age.

In addition to a single page that brings together links to all of VOA’s blog sites, visitors can see what others are saying about key issues, and what topics are generating the most interest. They can also interact with VOA journalists, see what story “tags” are being used the most, and find quick links to important resources.

VOA Director Danforth W. Austin says, “The new blog network has already generated significant audience gains because it’s easy to find original VOA content written for the web. Each blog is like a story beat, and all forms of media are pulled into one central place.” Mr Austin says, “It also offers our audience an easy way to have a dialogue with our reporters on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook.”

You can visit the new site at blogs.voanews.com, or click the “all blog posts” button on the main page at www.voanews.com.
(Source: VOA/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)


Blog: http://blogs.voanews.com/

Radio Liberty frequency changes

Transmitters located in Sri Lanka, Thailand and Tinian

Radio Liberty (a division of Radio Free Europe)

All times UTC / NF - new frequency

0400-0500 NF 7425 LAM 100 kW 055 deg to RUSS, x9760 in Russian
1200-1230 NF 11990 TIN 250 kW 315 deg to CeAS, x11805*in Kyrgyz
1900-2130 NF 9965 IRA 250 kW 332 deg to WeAS, x9340 in Farsi Radio Farda
2000-2100 NF 7485 UDO 250 kW 316 deg to CeAS, x5990#in Tatar-Bashkir
2000-2200 NF 5930 BIB 100 kW 063 deg to EaAS, x7485 in Belarusian

* to avoid Voice of Turkey in Chinese
# to avoid Radio Romania International in Romanian
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 10)
(DX Mix News # 664 via Ivo Ivanov, Bulgaria & Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany)

Voice of America frequency changes

Transmitters located in Germany,Philippines, Sao Tome and Sri Lanka.



Voice of America

All times UTC

0230-0330 NF 9440 IRA 250 kW 324 deg to WeAS, x9745 in Farsi
0330-0400 NF 9400 SAO 100 kW 114 deg to CeAF, x11750 in Kinyarwanda
0400-0430 NF 9400 SAO 100 kW 114 deg to CeAF, x11750 in Kirundi
1600-1700 NF 9340 PHT 250 kW 283 deg to SoAS, x11850 in Bengali
1930-2000 NF 5930 BIB 100 kW 105 deg to SoEaEUR, x6015 in Albanian
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 10)
(DX Mix News # 664 via Ivo Ivanov & Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany)