EDXC Radio 2017, to air today !

EDXC Radio 2017 on air today Wednesday 9th August 2017 with few short 15 minute tests on 9290 and/or 9270 kHz starting 16:00 UTC and lasting until 23:00 UTC! Direct transmission will be transmit from Finland.

All correct reception  reports came to e-mail addresses spaceshuttleradio@yahoo.com or to radiospaceshuttle@hotmail.com will be verified via Special Printed QSLs for those who will partisipate meeting in Tampere 18-20th August 2017. (QSLs will be left there to infotable and can be picked from there by anyone reported us! QSL-letter will include also more informative material  of EDXC Radio).

More info of the conference can be found from web  http://sdxl.fi/edxc/index.html Please take part and join with!
 
Others not taking part will get their QSL via e-mail!
Best regards,
EDXC Radio 2017
P.O.Box 2702
NL-6049 ZG Herten
The Netherlands             
(Harald Kuhl/HCDX 09 Aug 2017)

From the Isle of Music and Uncle Bill's Melting Pot, August 7-12

From the Isle of Music, August 6-12:
Charanga, Charanga and Changüi......
This week is dedicated to Charanga and Changüi. Our guest is Abilio Betancourt, Director of Orquesta Sublime, a charanga with a lot of swing that is noticed less than it should be outside of Cuba. You'll hear what we mean with some of their recordings. Also: Orquesta Estrellas Cubanas, another excellent charanga, and some seldom-heard Orquesta Reve from the 1960s. Be prepared to dance.
Four opportunities to listen on shortwave:
1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in all directions with 100Kw, Sunday 1500-1600 UTC on SpaceLine, 9400 KHz, from Kostinbrod, Bulgaria (1800-1900 MSK)
2. For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0000-0100 UTC on WBCQ, 7490 KHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EDT in the US)
3 & 4. For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1200-1300 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany.

Episode 24 of Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, a musical variety program that features a little bit of everything from around the planet, will air on WBCQ the Planet, 7490 KHz, Thursday, August 10 from 2300-2330 UTC (7:00pm-7:30pm EDT in the Americas). This week includes a wonderful new Tango recording, some progressive Folk music from Poland and what might be China's answer to Lady Gaga (not sure whether that was the question though) among other things.William "Bill" Tilford, Owner/Producer/Tilford Productions, LLC

Australian Shortwave Callsign VLN

SS Manuka at Dunedin Wharf

The three letter callsign VLN was first applied to a cargo/passenger liner that served in the Trans-Pacific service between North America and the South Pacific.  The ship was the SS Manuka that was launched in Scotland in 1903.

            The Manuka was a twin sister to the Moeraki that sailed under the wireless callsign VLM.  Both the Manuka and the Moeraki served with the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand, they both served as troop carriers during World War 1, they both carried passengers and cargo across the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean, and they were both ultimately broken up.

            The Moeraki (VLM) was sold to Japan and broken up for scrap in 1933; though the Manuka (VLN) was wrecked at Long Point on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand just after midnight on December 16, 1929.  During the windy and foggy weather, all 203 crew and scantily clad passengers safely transferred to lifeboats in which they remained overnight.  Next day they all disembarked at the nearby beach.

            The name Manuka refers to the Tea Tree in the Maori language of New Zealand, and the wreck site to this day is a popular tourist dive for those who are willing to brave the cold coastal waters.  The callsign VLN was apparently applied to the Manuka as early as 1912 when communication was achieved with the new wireless station MQI on Australia’s Macquarie Island.

            A new callsign appeared on the shortwave dial soon after midyear 1940.  The callsign was VLN, the frequency was 19300 kHz, and the occasion was test transmissions with Japan in preparation for a new telephone service between Australia and Japan.  (Remember, Australia was not at war with Japan until December 8 of the following year 1941.)

            The new shortwave station VLN was first heard in New Zealand in August and September 1940 and it was in reality a new callsign applied to an old communication transmitter located at the AWA Amalgamated Wireless of Australia, center at Pennant Hills near Sydney in New South Wales.  An additional series of test transmissions from VLN began in January of the new year (1941) and the reciprocating station in Japan was the communication station JUR4.

            A total of at least nine different shortwave channels were allocated to transmitter VLN, and each was numbered as a postfix, such as for example VLN2 on  20250 kHz and VLN8 on 10525 kHz.  AWA at its new office building in York Street Sydney issued a few QSLs to verify these transmissions, usually in the form of a short letter.

            Early in the next year 1942, a new AWA made 10 kW shortwave transmitter was installed at Pennant Hills and this unit took over the previously established VLN service, with communication to several different countries including the United States.  Transmitter VLN was often noted with the transfer of radio programming to the United Sates for local broadcast on the mediumwave networks across North America. 

            By this time, Australia Calling was now on the air from AWA Pennant Hills, with the usage of transmitters VLK & VLM and VK2ME, all under the callsign VLQ.  However during the latter part of the year 1942, Australia Calling needed a higher frequency for shortwave transmissions to the United States than was available from the VLQ transmitters, and so the new 10 kW VLN was taken into service temporarily.  (By this time, the  callsign at Pennant Hills for the program relays from Australia Calling had been changed from VLQ to VLI.)

            Beginning on November 5, 1942, VLN3 on 19300 kHz began to relay the programming from Australia Calling-Radio Australia that was beamed to the United States.  At times, VLN8 on 10525 kHz was also noted in the Australia Calling service to North America.

            This series of higher frequency relays beamed to the United States via transmitter VLN ended around midyear 1943.  A few QSL letters from Australia Calling under the VLN callsign were received by international radio monitors living in Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

            In the meantime, OTC the Overseas Telecommunication Commission in Australia, established a new shortwave communication station at Doonside, another suburb of Sydney in Australia.  The transfer of usable equipment from AWA Pennant Hills to OTC Doonside began on October 13, 1955, and on December 3, Pennant Hills was officially closed, though it remained in backup mode until the end of the Olympic Games in Melbourne in early December of the following year (1956).

            A major callsign at Doonside was VLN, and many QSL cards were issued verifying this callsign when it was in use for international shortwave communication.  These OTC QSL cards were initially simpler in design, though as time went by, OTC issued full data QSL cards with at least some of the printed elements in color.  OTC Doonside was closed on January 15, 1998.

            The final usage of the callsign VLN was as a line callsign for a program relay from the Melbourne studios of Radio Australia to the high powered shortwave transmitter base located at Cox Peninsula, across the bay from Darwin in the Northern Territory.  A new program service to Darwin was introduced on September 26, 1993 and the delivery via line and satellite was identified under the line callsign N.  When the Darwin transmitter base was closed at the end of the day on June 30 1997 for the second time, program line N no longer existed.

            During the nearly four year period extending from 1993 - 1997, Radio Australia issued many regular QSL Cards and Form Letters clearly identifying the location as Darwin with 250 kW, and listing the callsign on the QSL as VLN.

(AWR Wavescan/NWS 441)
(photo/http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/object/1188976)

The Radio Scene on a Small Island with a Large Volcano

The Radio Scene on a Small Island with a Large Volcano!  That’s our opening topic here in Wavescan today.  The small island with a large volcano is Montserrat in the Caribbean, but that’s not where we begin our radio story today.  Instead, let’s begin this radio story in El Salvador in Central America rather than on Montserrat in the Caribbean.

            Early in the year 1967, Deutsche Welle in Cologne Germany, announced that they planned to erect a shortwave relay station in the small Central American country of El Salvador.  This information about a new Deutsche Welle relay station, their first in the Western Hemisphere, was copied and recopied quite widely throughout the international radio world at that time.  Original planning for the El Salvador relay station called for four high powered transmitters: 1 @ 100 kW mediumwave; and on shortwave, 1 @ 150 kW and 2 @ 250 kW.   

            Two years later (1969), and still with no real sign of progress, international news media re-iterated the Deutsche Welle intent to erect a shortwave relay station in El Salvador.  In anticipation of a completed  project, Deutsche Welle went ahead and bought the transmitters for installation in El Salvador.  However, at that stage, the government of El Salvador disallowed the installation of the projected Deutsche Welle relay station in their country.

            According to Jerome Berg of suburban Boston in his outstanding volume, Broadcasting on the Shortwaves 1945 - Today, the shortwave transmitters originally planned for installation in El Salvador were instead diverted and installed in another new Deutsche Welle relay station, Radio Trans Europe in Sines Portugal in 1970. 

            However, at the same time, Deutsche Welle continued looking for a new host country in the Central American-Caribbean region, and two years later again (1972), they announced that they had become a shareholder in Radio Antilles, on the island of Montserrat.  In fact, over a period of time, Germany provided funding into Montserrat to the value of many millions of Deutschmark.

            Back in the times of ancient antiquity, Montserrat, a small island almost in the middle of the chain of small islands that separate the Caribbean from the Atlantic, was inhabited by Amerindians who had migrated from the American mainland and other islandic areas.  At the time when the famous Christopher Columbus discovered Montserrat in 1493, the island was uninhabited he declared, due to local tribal fighting.

            The local citizens on Montserrat describe their island as in the shape of a pear (fruit), perhaps we might say, a crooked pear.  It is eleven miles long, and seven miles wide at its widest point.  It is a quite hilly tropical island, very verdant, with what had been in earlier times a couple of quiescent volcanoes.  We are told that the island is home to 1,241 different species of small animals, and 718 species of beetles.

            Two hundred years after Columbus, a batch of Irish migrants was taken onto Montserrat, and in fact over a period of time, so many Irish migrants settled onto the island that the Irish Gaelic language was at one stage quite dominant in all of its communities.  During the year 1666, which incidentally happened to be the year of the Great Fire in London, the Irish migrant communities on Montserrat invited France to claim the island, but instead, England invaded and captured it. 

            However in 1782, during the still raging American Revolutionary War, the War of Independence, France did actually invade and capture Montserrat.  During the following year though, the island was ceded back again to England by the Treaty of Paris (1783).

            Hurricane Hugo on September 17, 1989 with its sustained wind force at more than 185 mph wrought horrendous damage to the island and this wide spread 90% devastation was compounded half a dozen years later with the onset of almost continuous volcanic activity beginning on July 18, 1995.  So powerful was the total devastation from the explosive eruptions of Mt Soufriere that the large bottom half of the pear shaped island is declared an exclusion zone, for which everybody has to obtain a police permit to enter.  It is claimed that Mt Soufriere has been the subject of scientific study more than any other volcano anywhere else upon planet Earth.

            The small capital city of New Plymouth was so overwhelmed with millions of tons of mud, volcanic ash and lava that the entire city has been abandoned.  At one stage, the town clock on top of its ornamental tower could be seen just above the level of the accumulated and solidified debris.  Some 8,000 citizens fled Montserrat and they were settled on other nearby islands, in England and elsewhere. 

            A new capital city Brades is under construction on the northern half of the island, and a totally new infrastructure is underway.  In 1994 the total population of the entire island was 13,000, but today their population numbers just 5,000.

            The well known European radio entrepreneur Jacques Tremoulet provided two mediumwave transmitters (20 kW and 200 kW) and two shortwave transmitters (15 kW each) for a new radio broadcasting station on Montserrat, Radio Antilles in 1959.  This equipment had been previously in use as a commercial broadcasting station, Radio Africa in Tangier.  These units, together with additional ancilliary equipment were installed in a new transmitter building located close to the Caribbean shore at the southern edge of the island.

            Soon after Deutsche Welle entered the radio scene on Montserrat, it is stated, they installed a 200 kW mediumwave transmitter that had been procured previously for their El Salvador project.  In addition, Deutsche Welle subsequently installed a new 50 kW Continental shortwave from the United States. 

            Thus, Radio Antilles, with its transferred equipment from the old Radio Africa in Tangier and also from the El Salvador project, together with the new 50 kW Continental, formed the electronic equipment that would be used as as a joint relay station on behalf of Deutsche Welle in Cologne Germany and the BBC in London England. 

            More about the Deutsche Welle - BBC relay station on Montserrat Island next time.

(AWR Wavescan/NWS 441)

Artificial Languages on Radio

It is very evident for the international traveler and for the avid shortwave enthusiast, that there is a multitude of different languages still in use around our world to this day.  Several authorities suggest that the current total number of spoken languages upon our planet stands at about 7,000, a few of which have still not yet been reduced into a system of writing. 
 I (Ray Robinson KVOH) remember the 1960 TV series Star Trek and the universal translator devices used by the characters.  These devices enabled two way translation of spoken languages in real time, and they were supposed to operate by using standing brainwave frequencies, and processing the results to create a basis for translation.

If only that were possible!  Well, we leaving science fiction aside.

 The matter of intercommunication between peoples who speak different languages has always been a cause of national and international difficulty, and many have been the attempts to alleviate this problem.  One suggested approach to solve this problem has been the development of an artificial language which could be easily learned with the intent of implementing it as a second language around the world.

 According to internet sources, there have been many hundreds of attempts at developing artificial or constructed languages during the past 500 years, with varying degrees of success.  One of the very earliest attempts at an international artificial language was the use of a different symbol for each separate meaning, somewhat similar to the ideographic symbols used in the Chinese and Japanese languages.  Interestingly, this old and original concept is again under consideration these days for use by computers in translating from one language to another.

 It was in 1879 that a German priest, Johann Martin Schleyer, began to develop an international artificial language, that he called Volapuk.  During the 1880s, three international Volapuk conventions were staged in Germany and France, wherein the usage of this new artificial auxiliary language was promoted. 

 Within ten years, it was claimed that nearly one million people were involved in the Volapuk language movement.  However, this artificial language is virtually extinct these days, due to its complicated grammar and difficult vocabulary.

 Perhaps the most unusual artificial language was named Solresol, which was developed by a French musician, Jean Francois Sudre in 1827.  This language was based upon the Italian musical scale that was made so famous in more recent time by Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music; do re mi fa so la ti do.  In the 200 year old artificial language, the musical notes were strung together in various combinations to form words that conveyed a specific meaning.

Obviously, this strange musical form of artificial language, which was really a code language rather than a spoken language, achieved very little success.  However, nearly one hundred years later, Professor Carlo Spatari in New York City modified the Solresol language and he reintroduced it as Sirela for use in the international radio world.

 The new Sirela radio language was in vogue for only a short period of time immediately prior to the commencement of World War 2.  In the Sirela code language, the single syllable words in the Italian musical scale were strung together to form a compound word that expressed a concept that was understood in the monitoring of international radio signals.

 A few shortwave stations printed QSL cards which contained code terminology in the Sirela language, and there were also some international shortwave stations that gave brief announcements over the air in Sirela terminology.  According to the informative radio historian Jerome Berg in his first very readable volume, On the Short Waves, there were some international radio monitors in the United States who sent their reception reports to foreign radio stations in Sirela terminology.   
 During the intervening years, there have been numerous attempts at creating an artificial  language for various purposes.  In recent time, most notably there has been an emphasis on the usage of the Klingon language, more as a communication novelty rather than for international communication. 

 The Klingon language was invented for the Star Wars series of movie films, and so well has this artificial language developed that some young people actually converse with each other in Klingonese.  In addition, some of the works of the English playwright, William Shakespeare have been translated into the Klingon language, as have parts of the Christian Bible.  According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the Klingon language is the world's most popular fictional language as measured by number of speakers.

Now, as far as an artificial auxiliary international language is concerned, by far the most widely used has been the Esperanto language, together with its various offshoots and descendants.  Some time soon, we will take an indepth look at the Esperanto language, and its use in radio broadcast programming.
(AWR-Wavescan/NWS 440)

Radio Sultanate of Oman, summer schedule update

(Gayle Van Horn QSL Collection)

Radio Sultanate of Oman:
All times UTC
0000-0200 on  9500 THU 100 kW / 315 deg to WeEu Arabic
0200-0300 on  9540 THU 100 kW / 220 deg to EaAf Arabic
0300-0400 on  9540 THU 100 kW / 220 deg to EaAf English
0400-1000 on 13600 THU 100 kW / 220 deg to EaAf Arabic, 9540 English Aug.2
1400-1500 on 15140 THU 100 kW / 315 deg to WeEu Arabic, instead of English
1500-2200 on 15140 THU 100 kW / 315 deg to WeEu English, instead of Arabic
2200-2400 on  9740 THU 100 kW / 315 deg to WeEu Arabic
(DX Mix news 1021/07 Aug 2017)

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2017 Aug 07 0315 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/weekly.html#
#                Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 31 July - 06 August 2017

Solar activity was mostly at very low levels with low levels observed on 01 August due to an isolated C1 flare observed at 01/0747 UTC. Region 2670 (S05, L=119, class/area Cso/160 on 02 Aug)
rotated around the east limb on 02 Aug. This region was the return of old Region 2665 which was responsible for two M-class flares as well as a fast halo CME on the far side of the Sun. However, during its return on the visible disk, the region has been relatively quiet and stable, only managing to produce B-class flares with the exception of the aforementioned C1 flare that occurred as it was
rounding the eastern limb. No Earth-directed coronal mass ejections were observed during the period.

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at moderate levels on 04 Aug and high levels from 31 Jul-03 Aug and again from 05-06 Aug. The largest flux of the period was 8,649 pfu observed at 06/1715 UTC.

Geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to active levels over the period. The period began at nominal levels with solar wind speeds near 340 km/s and total field around 4 nT. A solar sector
boundary crossing from a positive sector to a negative sector was observed around midday on 01 Aug along with an increase in total field to near 10 nT and an increase in solar wind speed to near 450
km/s. A general decrease in total field and solar wind speed to nominal levels was observed on 02 Aug. The geomagnetic field responded with quiet conditions on 31 Jul and 02 Aug with an
isolated unsettled period on 01 Aug. At approximately 03/1000 UTC, an increase in total field was observed to 20 nT followed by an increase in solar wind speed to near 750 km/s as a corotating
interaction region preceded an positive polarity coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS). Phi angle rotated into a mostly positive orientation around 04/0220 UTC and remained positive through the
rest of the period. Solar wind speed began a slow decline late on 05 Aug after having reached a maximum of 794 km/s at 05/1216 UTC. Quiet to active levels were observed on 03 Aug and 05-06 Aug with unsettled to active levels on 04 Aug.

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 07 August - 02 September 2017

Solar activity is expected to be at very low levels throughout the forecast period. No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach moderate levels on 08, 17, and 31 Aug while high levels are expected on 07, 09-16, 18-30 Aug and from 01-02 Sep due to CH HSS influence. Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be unsettled to active levels from 07-09 Aug, 17-22 Aug, and 30 Aug-02 Sep with G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels likely on 18, 31 Aug and again on 01 Sepdue to recurrent CH HSS activity.

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2017 Aug 07 0315 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/wwire.html
#
#      27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
#                Issued 2017-08-07
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2017 Aug 07      74           8          3
2017 Aug 08      74          10          4
2017 Aug 09      74           8          3
2017 Aug 10      74           5          2
2017 Aug 11      74           5          2
2017 Aug 12      74           5          2
2017 Aug 13      74           5          2
2017 Aug 14      72           5          2
2017 Aug 15      70           5          2
2017 Aug 16      70           7          3
2017 Aug 17      70          16          4
2017 Aug 18      70          18          5
2017 Aug 19      70          16          4
2017 Aug 20      70          14          4
2017 Aug 21      70          12          3
2017 Aug 22      70          10          3
2017 Aug 23      70           7          3
2017 Aug 24      70           5          2
2017 Aug 25      70           5          2
2017 Aug 26      70           5          2
2017 Aug 27      72           5          2
2017 Aug 28      74           5          2
2017 Aug 29      74           5          2
2017 Aug 30      74          12          4
2017 Aug 31      74          24          5
2017 Sep 01      74          18          5
2017 Sep 02      74          16          4
(NOAA)

The best $ 7.99 You'll Ever Spend on Shortwave

A BIG thanks to Bill Tilford for the review on my new summer edition of International Shortwave Broadcast Guide

Gayle Van Horn 

***** Five Star Rating

This excellent resource is so much more than just a time and frequency guide - the articles cover a multitude of topics including a great overview of web SDRs, some program overviews and some excellent "how to" articles. It costs less than a good supply of batteries and is well worth the investment, especially if you think there is nothing interesting on the air anymore (this guide proves that there still are programs worth following).
Kudos to Gayle and the rest of the team.

Bil Tilford/Tilford Production

Find out more at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071VMYYMH/

Shortwave Radiogram August 5-6

Hello friends,
Our transmission Saturdays 1600-1630 UTC on 9400 kHz, via Bulgaria, is intended for Europe is but often heard to the east, as far as Japan and New Zealand. To the west, the limit seems to be Iceland, but fragments of reception in North America are beginning to occur. Richard in New Brunswick decoded a few words of text on 22 July. And Bob in Ontario, 160 km northwest of Ottawa, was surprised to decode this image on 15 July, during unattended reception…

Last weekend, there were several instances of successful Olivia 64-2000 decoding in difficult reception conditions, when the MFSK32 was less than 100%. This weekend, our mode for difficult reception will be MFSK16, with most of show in MFSK32. There will be five MFSK32 images, including two that are gray scale, also known as grey scale, i.e. black and white.

Here is the lineup for Shortwave Radiogram, program 7, 5-6 August 2017,  all in MFSK32 except where noted:
 
 1:35  Program preview
 2:48  Old fish species returns to Illinois*
 8:04  Apple accused of bowing to Chinese censors*
13:52  Russia's "ghostly" radio station*
18:02  Millennials discovering TV antennas*
21:51  MFSK16: Tiny "Sprite" satellites
24:47  MFSK32: Image* and closing announcements

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@verizon.net

And visit http://swradiogram.net

Twitter: @SWRadiogram

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/567099476753304

 Shortwave Radiogram Transmission Schedule

Saturday 1600-1630 UTC 9400 kHz Space Line, Bulgaria
Sunday 0600-0630 UTC 7730 kHz WRMI Florida
Sunday 2030-2100 UTC 11580 kHz WRMI Florida
Sunday 2330-2400 UTC 11580 kHz WRMI Florida

The Mighty KBC transmits to Europe Saturdays at 1500-1600 UTC on 9400 kHz (via Bulgaria), with the minute of MFSK at about 1530 UTC (if you are outside of Europe, listen via websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/ ).  And to North America Sundays at 0000-0200 UTC (Saturday 8-10 pm EDT) on 9925 kHz, via Germany. The minute of MFSK is at about 0130 UTC.  Reports to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com . See also http://www.kbcradio.eu/ and https://www.facebook.com/TheMightyKbc/. 

Italian Broadcasting Corporation (IBC)  For the complete IBC transmission schedule visit  http://ibcradio.webs.com/  Five minutes of MFSK32 is at the end of the 30-minute English-language “Shortwave Panorama,” per the schedule below:
WEDNESDAY  18.55 UTC  6070 KHZ TO EUROPE
                        19.55 UTC  1584 KHZ TO EUROPE
THURSDAY     02.55 UTC  1584 KHZ TO EUROPE
FRIDAY           01.25 UTC  9955 KHZ TO CENTRAL/SOUTH AMERICA
SATURDAY     01.55 UTC 11580 KHZ TO NORTH AMERICA
                        20.25 UTC  1584 KHZ TO SOUTH EUROPE
SUNDAY          00.55 UTC  7730 KHZ TO NORTH AMERICA
                        10.55 UTC  6070 KHZ TO EUROPE

Thanks for your reports. It was good to hear from Zdnek in the Czech Republic, who decoded (appropriately) the Radio Prague logo during the 1600-1630 UTC transmission on 9400 kHz, 29 July 

I will begin sending replies and QSLs for SWRG program 5 this weekend. 

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott, KD9XB
Producer and Presenter
Shortwave Radiogram

Free Radio Service Holland program news update

Dear FRS Friend,
Following last Sunday's broadcast there's an update on the FRS site. In case you missed that broadcast or you suffered from less favorable reception,
next Sunday will offer a new chance to tune in (besides: between Thursday and Sunday there are four Internet streams!). Please visit:
http://www.frsholland.nl/20-latest-news/106-frs-on-air-sunday-august-6th.html
A special 'thank you' for all of you who sent a reception report by e-mail for last Sunday's broadcast.
I will be on holidays for two weeks, so after being returned a start will be made to reply with QSLs etc. That also counts for listeners/ SW friends I know a bit more
personal...please have some patience. Thanks for your understanding!
73s Peter Verbruggen (on behalf of the entire FRS crew)

Monitoring Bangladesh

Bangladesh Betar QSL (Gayle Van Horn Collection)

Reception of Radio Bangladesh Betar, August 2

All times UTC
1315-1345 on  9455 DKA 250 kW / 320 deg to SoAs Nepali
1400-1430 on 15505 DKA 250 kW / 290 deg to WeAs Urdu
1515-1545 on 15505 DKA 250 kW / 305 deg to SoAs Hindi
1600-1630 on  7250 DKA 250 kW / 290 deg to N/ME Arabic
1630-1700 on  7250 DKA 250 kW / 290 deg to N/ME Bangla
1700-1730 on  7250 DKA 250 kW / 290 deg to N/ME Bangla
1745-1800 on 13580 DKA 250 kW / 320 deg to WeEu English
1800-1900 on 13580 DKA 250 kW / 320 deg to WeEu Englih
(SWL DXing 02 Aug)

The ghostly radio station that no one claims to run

By Zaria Gorvett
2 August 2017
In the middle of a Russian swampland, not far from the city of St Petersburg, is a rectangular iron gate. Beyond its rusted bars is a collection of radio towers, abandoned buildings and power lines bordered by a dry-stone wall. This sinister location is the focus of a mystery which stretches back to the height of the Cold War.
It is thought to be the headquarters of a radio station, “MDZhB”, that no-one has ever claimed to run. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, for the last three-and-a-half decades, it’s been broadcasting a dull, monotonous tone. Every few seconds it’s joined by a second sound, like some ghostly ship sounding its foghorn. Then the drone continues.
Additional story at: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20170801-the-ghostly-radio-station-that-no-one-claims-to-run

From the Isle of Music and Uncle Bill's Melting Pot program, July 30-August 5

Concert Hall #1
No interviews this week – This week we feature selections from the nominees and winner of the Concert Soloist (Solista Concertante) category of Cubadisco 2017. If you enjoy Classical music, this is an episode especially for you.

Four opportunities to listen on shortwave:
1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in all directions with 100Kw, Sunday 1500-1600 UTC on SpaceLine, 9400 KHz, from Kostinbrod, Bulgaria (1800-1900 MSK)
2. For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0000-0100 UTC on WBCQ, 7490 KHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EDT in the US)
3 & 4. For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1200-1300 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany.

Episode 23 of Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, a musical variety program that features a little bit of everything from around the planet, will air on WBCQ the Planet, 7490 KHz, Thursday, August 3 from 2300-2330 UTC (7:00pm-7:30pm EDT in the Americas). This week we go south to Brazil and Puerto Rico.
William "Bill" Tilford, Owner/Producer
Tilford Productions, LLC

Voice of Hope Africa schedule update

Zambia
KVOH Voice of Hope Africa Lusaka, Zambia

All times UTC
0500-0800 on  9680 LUS 100 kW / 000 deg to SoAf English Mon-Fri tx#1, new additional
0500-0800 on 11680#LUS 100 kW / 315 deg to WeAf English Mon-Fri tx#2, new additional
1600-1900 on  4965 LUS 100 kW / 000 deg to SoAf English Mon-Fri tx#1, ex 1630-2200UT
1600-1900 on  6065 LUS 100 kW / 315 deg to WeAf English Mon-Fri tx#2, ex 1630-2200UT
1200-1700 on  9680*LUS 100 kW / 000 deg to SoAf English Sat/Sun tx#1, unchanged time
1200-1700 on 13680 LUS 100 kW / 315 deg to WeAf English Sat/Sun tx#2, unchanged time
1700-1730 on  9680 LUS 100 kW / 000 deg to SoAf English Sunday  tx#1, new additional
1700-1730 on 13680 LUS 100 kW / 315 deg to WeAf English Sunday  tx#2, new additional
# co-ch same 11680 KNG 050 kW / non-dir to NEAs Korean KCBS Pyongyang, QRM TRT 11675
* co-ch same  9680 PAO 100 kW / 352 deg to EaAs Chinese R.Taiwan Int+CNR-1 1200-1400
(Ray Robinson/DX Bulgaria)

New shortwave station begins test broadcast, August 1

 A new shortwave station will begin test broadcast on August 1, 2017. The new station, Shortwave
Radio Service which will commence test transmissions. This station is fully licensed, and is not a pirate. Full details will be announced by the station operators shortly prior t o the launch of full programming.  The signal will be audible throughout most of Benelux/UK/Ireland.

Test period: August 1-October 28. Test transmissions details:

All times UTC

1000-1200 on  6160 tx Lower Saxony, Germany ??? kW / ??? deg to NWEu English Mon-Sat
1200-1400 on  3975 tx Lower Saxony, Germany ??? kW / ??? deg to NWEu English Mon-Sat
1400-1600 on  6160 tx Lower Saxony, Germany ??? kW / ??? deg to NWEu English Mon-Sat
1600-1800 on  3975 tx Lower Saxony, Germany ??? kW / ??? deg to NWEu English Mon-Sat
1800-2000 on  6160 tx Lower Saxony, Germany ??? kW / ??? deg to NWEu English Mon-Sat
2000-2200 on  3975 tx Lower Saxony, Germany ??? kW / ??? deg to NWEu English Mon-Sat

Further info will follow soon. Contact/reports/audio/comments can be sent either to:
3975@shortwaveradio.de, 6160@shortwaveradio.de
Website: http://shortwaveradio.de/
(SLW DXing)

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2017 Jul 31 0238 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/weekly.html
#
#                Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 24 - 30 July 2017 Solar activity was very low throughout the summary period. A B1 flare, observed at 27/2136 UTC from a plage region near center disk, was the strongest event of the period. Region 2668 (N03, L=311, class/area Axx/010 on 25 Jul) decayed to plage by 26 Jul and Region 2669 (N18, L=255, class/area Axx/010 on 30 Jul) remained inactive. No Earth-directed CMEs were observed in available coronagraph imagery.

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at normal to high levels on 26 Jul, high levels on 30 Jul and moderate
to high levels throughout the remaining days of the period. A maximum flux of 18,800 pfu was observed at 25/1515 UTC. The enhancements in flux levels were due to persistently elevated solar
winds from a slowly-waning, positive polarity CH HSS. Geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to active levels over the past week. Quiet to active levels were observed on 24 Jul and 26 July; quiet to unsettled levels were observed on 25 Jul and 27-28 Jul; the remaining days were quiet. Geomagnetic activity was associated with the influence of a slowly-waning, positive polarity
CH HSS enhancing solar wind speeds. A steady decline in wind speed was observed over the entire reporting period from a peak speed of 705 km/s at 24/2219 UTC to a low of around 350 km/s by the end of 30 Jul.

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 31 July - 26 August 2017
Solar activity is expected to be at low levels with a chance for M-class flare (R1-R2/Minor-Moderate) on 31 Jul - 13 Aug due to the return of old Region 2665 (S06, L=113) rotating across the visible
disk. The remainder of the outlook period is expected to be at very low levels.  No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to range from normal background to high levels. High levels are expected on 01-03 Aug, 05-10 Aug, and 18-26 Aug; moderate levels are expected 31 Jul and 11 Aug; normal background levels are expected for 04 Aug and 12-17 Aug. All enhancements in electron flux are due to multiple anticipated recurrent CH HSSs.
Geomagnetic field activity is expected to range from quiet to G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels. G1 (Minor) storm levels are likely on 04-05 Aug and again on 17-18 Aug; active conditions are likely on 31 Jul, 06 Aug and 19 Aug; unsettled levels are likely on 01-02 Aug, 07 Aug and 20-21 Aug; quiet conditions are expected for the remaining days of the outlook period. All anticipated enhancements in geomagnetic activity are due to multiple, recurrent CH HSSs.

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2017 Jul 31 0238 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/wwire.html#
#      27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
#                Issued 2017-07-31
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2017 Jul 31      78          12          4
2017 Aug 01      78          10          3
2017 Aug 02      78           8          3
2017 Aug 03      75           5          2
2017 Aug 04      75          25          5
2017 Aug 05      75          18          5
2017 Aug 06      75          12          4
2017 Aug 07      75           8          3
2017 Aug 08      75           5          2
2017 Aug 09      75           5          2
2017 Aug 10      75           5          2
2017 Aug 11      75           5          2
2017 Aug 12      75           5          2
2017 Aug 13      75           5          2
2017 Aug 14      73           5          2
2017 Aug 15      70           5          2
2017 Aug 16      70           5          2
2017 Aug 17      70          15          5
2017 Aug 18      70          15          5
2017 Aug 19      70          12          4
2017 Aug 20      70          10          3
2017 Aug 21      70          10          3
2017 Aug 22      70          10          3
2017 Aug 23      70           5          2
2017 Aug 24      70           5          2
2017 Aug 25      70           5          2
2017 Aug 26      70           5          2
(NOAA)

August Specials, from DX Stamps & Supplies

Tahiti postage stamps

Dear Customer,

Below are DX specials and news for AUGUST  2017.  If you need a current stamp list or supply list, I can email it to you. 

 NEWS:   AUGUST COMBO DEAL:  BUY  200/200 European Mailers and Returns & BUY  500 x 49c stamp units (Forever, 3-stamp or 4-stamp units) & you'll get FREE SHIPPING!!!

 NEWS:  I have 125 Postcard Rate Forever stamps (34c). Face value=$42.50...Offered at 85% for $36.00ppd. Email me if you want it and I'll put aside for you.

 HAMFEST NEWS:  Did great with fountain pens and pencils at Sussex ARC Hamfest....You have rec'd latest pen and pencil listing. If there is something in the listing that interests you, let me know.

FLEA MARKET: 

NEW RATES:

 IN STOCK AGAIN:  Moldova

STAMPS ON BACK ORDER:  Saudi Arabia

U.S. DISCOUNT POSTAGE DEALS!!

                                         Save Big on your domestic mailings when you plaster 
                                                your envelope with colorful vintage stamps!

HAPPY  MAILING!!

49c units	Forever		in  2 stamps	3 stamps	4 stamps
x 100	$45.00		xxxx	$41.00	$40.00
x 200	$85.00		$65.00	$63.00	$62.00
x 500	$208.00		xxxx	$157.00	$157.00

 Payment by Credit card, check or money order

               for forever stamps and 49c units                   

No Charge for posting Discount Postage Offers, sending only to USA addresses. 

 AUGUST 2017  DX  STAMP  SPECIALS

2 Germany-$2.60       2 Russia-$2.60       3 Japan-$3.90  

2 Italy-$7.00    2 UK-$3.00    2 France-$3.60    5 Spain-$10.00

 AUGUST 2017  DX  SUPPLY  SPECIALS

200/200 European Plain Mailers and Plain Returns - $40.00

200/200 European Air Mailers and Plain Returns - $40.00

200/200 STATESIDE Mailers and Returns - $22.00

European AIR Returns are SOLD OUT!!

AUGUST  BIG TIME SPECIALS

500/500 European AIR Mailers and Plain Returns - $85.00

500/500 European Plain Mailers and Plain Returns - $85.00

500/500 Stateside mailers and Returns -$45.00

2 Deluxe QSL Albums - $70.00

2 Deluxe QSL Albums Slightly damaged - $55.00

Priority Mail Shipping Rates: Orders up to $40.00 add $9.00, orders from $41.00 to $100.00 add $15.00. orders from $101.00 to $150.00 add $20.00, orders over $150.00 add 15%. When ordering supplies and stamps, the stamps ride free, just use supply total to figure shipping costs. Shipments to Canada and overseas ship at a greater cost. (07/2015 modified)

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

William Plum

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