Wednesday, August 20, 2025

Encore classical music from Radio Tumbril

 
Dear Listener,
Regular Broadcast times of Encore By WRMI and Channel 292 are:
02:00 - 03:00 UTC Friday 5850 kHz WRMI to US
20:00 - 21:00 UTC Friday 15770 kHz WRMI to Europe
10:00 - 11:00 UTC Saturday 9670 kHz Channel 292 to Europe
01:00 - 02:00 UTC Sunday 5850 kHz WRMI to US and Canada


19:00 - 20:00 UTC Sunday 3955 kHz Channel 292 to Europe
02:00 - 03:00 UTC Monday 5950 kHz WRMI to the US and Canada
13:00 - 14:00 UTC Tuesday 15770 kHz WRMI to Europe, east coast of the US, and Iceland. (Sometimes RTTY on the lower sideband. Suggest notch out or use USB.)

Some Things to see on The Encore Website:  www.tumbril.co.uk
The Encore website is where you will find:
Important information about the funding of Encore - Radio Tumbril.
Up-to-date transmission times and frequencies.
The playlists for the most recent programmes.
An email link.
Informal reception reports as well as those requesting eQSL cards, are welcome.

WRMI and Channel 292 are very generous with their air-time but Encore still costs around 100 Dollars/Euros a month to broadcast.
If you can - please send a small contribution to help Encore keep going.

THE DONATION BUTTON is on the homepage of the website - www.tumbril.co.uk - which folks can use if they would like to support Encore.

(Please don't be put off by the POWR security wall when using the PAYPAL button - it is a harmless requirement of WIX the website hosting service.)

THIS FORTNIGHT'S PROGRAM - First broadcast on FRIDAY 22nd August by WRMI at 0200 UTC on 5850, and 2000 UTC on 15770 and then Channel 292 on SATURDAY 23rd August at 10:00 UTC on 9670 kHz:
Begins with organ music composed by Buxtehude, some Thomas Adés played in an interesting way, and Haydn's symphony No. 88 in G Major.
After that 'Whitescape' by contemporary composer Sally Beamish, and to finish a piece by John Dunstable sung by the Hilliard Ensemble.

(This bulletin is sent by Bcc to the many hundreds of listeners who have been in contact with Encore over the last nearly six years of broadcasting Encore.)

Brice Avery - Encore - Radio Tumbril - www.tumbril.co.uk
GMØTLY

Monday, August 18, 2025

Akashvani seeks reception reports for mediumwave and shortwave

 
A live performance from All India Radio

Akashvani (All India Radio) is looking for reception reports for MW & SW transmissions; all reception reports will be verified by paper QSL cards.

MW Frequencies 

SW Frequencies
https://www.qsl.net/vu2jos/sw/freq.htm

Reception Reports to :
Please submit your reception reports online at: https://prasarbharati.gov.in/reception-report/


or by postal mail to :
Director (Spectrum Management & Synergy)
Akashvani (All India Radio),
Room No. 204, Akashvani Bhawan,
Parliament Street
New Delhi110001, India
(Alokesh Gupta/New Delhi, India)

100 Yeras of Radio Broadcasting in Indonesia, Part 2

 Special thanks to Ray Robinson and Jeff White for this week's edition of Wavescan.  

100 Years of Radio Broadcasting in Indonesia

Jeff: In our feature this week, we conclude our two-part visit to Indonesia, which this month is celebrating the centenary of radio broadcasting in their country.  Here once again is Ray Robinson at the Voice of Hope studios in Los Angeles.

Ray: Thanks, Jeff.  RRI, Radio Republik Indonesia, was founded on September 11, 1945, with headquarters in central Jakarta.  Following the Japanese occupation during World War II, Indonesia initially came under Australian administration from 1945-1946, and the AAAS, or Australian Army Amenities Service, ran a 21-station network of low power shortwave transmitters until the Dutch colonial authorities were ready to retake control of the country and its radio facilities.  After a three year period of conflict, the Dutch then finally granted independence to Indonesia in 1949.

Throughout the 1950’s and 60’s, a plethora of low power tropical band shortwave transmitters were used by RRI for local coverage.  But in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, plans were implemented to replace most of those tropical band transmitters with medium wave ones.  Interestingly, it wasn’t until the 1973 edition of the WRTH that any medium wave stations were listed, but Wavescan’s editor-in-chief, Dr. Adrian Peterson, did hear some operating during visits he made to the country as early as 1968.

Well, as part of RRI’s plans, in 1967 they decided to provide nationwide coverage for domestic programming, especially to rural areas and remote islands, using high power shortwave.  For this, they constructed a new shortwave transmission site at Cimanggis, about a dozen miles south of downtown Jakarta.  The first transmitter installed there was a 100 kW Telefunken unit, Model SST338, made in Germany.  Callsigns in Indonesia before World War II were in the Dutch ‘P’ series, and afterwards in the independent Indonesian ‘Y’ series.  Accordingly, this new transmitter was assigned the call YDF.

Unfortunately, the story of shortwave broadcasting from Cimanggis is the saga of an almost constant supply of new transmitters which replaced earlier ailing ones; brought about by the harsh tropical climate with its high temperatures and monsoonal rains, and worsened by financial shortages and poorly trained staff.

There were times also when the delivery of electricity from the national grid
was insufficient to energize the high-powered transmitters.

Classic QSL card from VOI Indonesia

In his monumental compilation of shortwave transmitter histories, “Transmitter Documentation Project 1998”, Ludo Maes in Belgium presented this following litany of shortwave transmitters that were installed over the years at RRI Cimanggis:- 
         
1967 1 Telefunken Germany 100 kW SST338
1970 4 Philips Holland 50 & 120 8FZ514 & 8FZ515
1974 2 Funkwerk Germany 100
1982 3 Harris USA 100 SW100
1983 1 Thomson France 250 TRE2320

On May 21, 1984, the completed installation at Cimanggis with four new transmitters (the 3 Harris 100’s and the Thomson 250) was taken into service,
and the then President Suharto presided at an official commissioning ceremony.

This cluster of four transmitters was intended to provide RRI Home Service programming on a nationwide basis as a national unifying factor.
The three 100 kW transmitters relayed the RRI programming to the westward islands, and the 250 kW transmitter beamed the same programming eastward.

Then in 1992, RRI announced plans for a new overseas service called the Voice of Indonesia, to provide information about Indonesia to people around the world.  For this new Voice of Indonesia, RRI ordered another seven 250 kW Marconi B6131 shortwave transmitters from England, together with 20 curtain antennas for installation at both Cimanggis and at another site on Sulawesi Island.  All this new equipment was progressively installed over the next three years, and then the new double facility was officially inaugurated on September 14, 1996.

In September 2005, international radio monitors in Australia were surprised to hear
Radio Australia programming being relayed over RRI shortwave in Indonesia.
This program relay in the Bahasa (ba-HAH-sa) Indonesian language was educational in nature and it was presented under the title Kang Guru (Kangaroo).

These days, the WRTH lists the Voice of Indonesia with just one broadcast in English, daily except Saturdays to North America at 0800 UTC on 7780 kHz with 40 kW from a site at Palangkaraya in Kalimantan on the island of Borneo.  Other languages are heard daily to South East Asia on 3325 kHz from that same site, and also on 4755 kHz from Cimanggis, south of Jakarta.

RRI has several radio channels with broadcasts for Indonesia and abroad, serving all Indonesian citizens throughout the nation and overseas.  Extensive use of medium wave transmitters is still made for the domestic audience, along with a network of FM transmitters that carry RRI’s four domestic program services.  There are also hundreds of privately-owned FM stations, and a growing use of digital radio, especially in Jakarta, on DAB+.

Over the years, many international radio monitors around the globe have been successful in logging RRI, and their reception reports have netted an invaluable QSL card.  During the past 80 years since RRI was founded in 1945, they have issued a variety of QSL cards, usually in color; some as artistic renderings of Indonesian symbols, and some showing photos of various Indonesian cities.
Back to you, Jeff.
(Ray Robinson/Wavescan)

 For an audio clip of Voice of Indonesia English service, go tohttps://youtu.be/8exhkZ0w00U

Voice of Indonesia French service:  https://youtu.be/c6vLEauTs9o

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

 Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2025 Aug 18 0120 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC at  www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
#                Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 11 - 17 August 2025

Solar activity reached moderate levels on 11-12 Aug due to M-class (R1-Minor) flare activity observed. Region 4173 (S18, L=110, class/area=Dro/20 on 10 Aug) produced an M1.3 flare at 11/0352 UTC, while Region 4168 (N05, L=103, class/area=Eki/350 on 08 Aug) produced M1 flares at 11/1435, 11/1536, 12/0059, and 12/0123 UTC. Low levels of solar activity were observed over 13-17 Aug. No Earth-directed CMEs resulted from the activity observed over the past week. 

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit reached high levels on 11-17 Aug. 

Geomagnetic field activity reached active levels on 11-13 Aug, with quiet to unsettled levels observed on 14-15 Aug, due to positive polarity CH HSS influence. Quiet conditions prevailed over 16-17 Aug with the return of nominal solar wind conditions. 

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 18 August - 13 September 2025

Solar activity is expected to be at low levels, with a varying chance for M-class flares (R1-R2/Minor-Moderate events), through 13 Sep. 

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach high levels on 21-22, 27-28 Aug, and 04-13 Sep. 

Geomagnetic field activity is likely to reach G1 (Minor) storm levels on 19 Aug, and active levels on 20 Aug, due to negative polarity CH HSS influence. Active conditions are likely again on 28 Aug due to negative polarity CH HSS influence. Periods of G1-G2 (Minor-Moderate) storming are likely on 05 Sep, with active conditions likely on 04 and 06 Sep, due to positive polarity CH HSS influence. The remainder of the period is expected to be at quiet or quiet to unsettled levels. 

:Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2025 Aug 18 0120 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC at: www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
#      27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
#                Issued 2025-08-18
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2025 Aug 18     115          12          3
2025 Aug 19     110          30          5
2025 Aug 20     110          18          4
2025 Aug 21     110           8          3
2025 Aug 22     110           8          3
2025 Aug 23     120           5          2
2025 Aug 24     125           5          2
2025 Aug 25     120           8          3
2025 Aug 26     120           8          3
2025 Aug 27     125          10          3
2025 Aug 28     125          12          4
2025 Aug 29     130           8          3
2025 Aug 30     130          10          3
2025 Aug 31     140          10          3
2025 Sep 01     150           8          3
2025 Sep 02     150           5          2
2025 Sep 03     140           5          2
2025 Sep 04     140          20          4
2025 Sep 05     135          35          6
2025 Sep 06     130          20          4
2025 Sep 07     130          15          3
2025 Sep 08     130          15          3
2025 Sep 09     120          15          3
2025 Sep 10     120          10          3
2025 Sep 11     115           5          2
2025 Sep 12     110           5          2
2025 Sep 13     110           5          2
(NOAA)

Friday, August 15, 2025

Recent Video Additions to SW Central YouTube channel

  


 AM Airchecks Canada
CBC/CBK Saskatchewan  https://youtu.be/HXjMCCI-Rx8 

AM Airchecks United States
KFI Los Angeles, CA  https://youtu.be/BNQ32lDD1is
WOAI 1200 San Antonio, TX https://youtu.be/kngcuLGbqtc 

International Mediumwave
Armenia, TWR Europe relay https://youtu.be/cSI3lca2kF4
Bahrain, Radio Bahrain  https://youtu.be/55LrpSGRscc
Bahamas: ZNSi National Voice Nassau https://youtu.be/wXVWL8npiyc

Shortwave
Algeria,  Radio Ifrikiya FM https://youtu.be/uJNh6TPuELg
Clandestine, Radio Zaman Bidari https://youtu.be/KwTxb8RTcJo 
India, Akashvani-Independence Day 2025 https://youtu.be/F_TwE8vMbAE

U.K. Propagation Update

 

RSGB
GB2RS News Team | August 15, 2025

Last weekend was characterised by unsettled geomagnetic conditions caused by a massive coronal hole on the Sun.

At one point, the Kp index got up to 6, with a corresponding decrease in maximum usable frequencies, or MUFs. In fact, the Dourbes Digisonde failed to record much at all over a six-hour period. Luckily, that disruption had passed by Monday, 11 August, as the ionosphere started to get back to normal.

Meanwhile, the solar flux index reached a peak of 153 on the 10 August, before dropping back to 140 on Thursday the 14 August. There have been numerous C-class solar flares and ten M-class events over the past five days, but nothing of note.

The MUF over a 3,000km path exceeded 24.9MHz at times, but has generally been between 21 and 24MHz.

Another coronal hole is Earth-centric at the moment and could cause some disruption, with increased Kp indices by tomorrow, the 18 or Tuesday, 19 August.

HF DX has been good at times with the stand-out station being T30TTT in Western Kiribati. The station has been worked on many bands, including 20, 15 and 10m using CW, as well as FT4 and FT8. After two weeks there will be just one operator who is there until mid-September. So you have plenty of time to work him.

Stanley, AH6KO, in Hawaii, has also been spotted on the 15m band using CW. This is a relatively rare opportunity and good for anyone chasing their Worked All States award.

A little closer to home is Henri, OJ0JR on Market Reef who has been easily workable on the 30m band using FT8. Get in quick though as he is only there until tomorrow, the 18 August.

Next week, NOAA predicts that the solar flux index will remain in the
140 to 150 range. Unsettled geomagnetic conditions are forecast for tomorrow, the 18 August, until Wednesday 20 August, probably caused by the coronal hole mentioned earlier. Better conditions are predicted for the 23 to the 27August with a maximum Kp index of 3.

VHF and up:

Last week’s propagation highlights were SSB and CW QSOs between the UK and Las Canarias on both the 23 and 13cm bands between G4GLT, EA8DMF, ED8BRZ and EB8AYA.

There may be more Tropo next week with high pressure close to, or over, the British Isles. However, at this time of the year, any Tropo will be due to temperature inversions. These can be at the surface and are especially persistent over water, so look for marine paths across the North Sea or up the east coast to Scotland.

Other potentially good marine paths might be across the Channel or Biscay to Spain and beyond. The hot days of high summer break down these surface inversions over the land during the day so, if your station is inland, your best chances of Tropo in summer will often be overnight and until mid-morning.

Inversions can also be elevated in the region of the high pressure, say between 1 and 2km above ground, giving good DX prospects that are not affected by the heating of the summer day. In this high-pressure period, it is much more likely to be a surface inversion that drives the Tropo.

There will be little rain in prospect except for parts of Ireland, South Wales and southwest England, where a few thundery showers are possible. 
However, these will not be particularly good for rain scatter.

There continue to be some aurora alerts so monitor the Kp index and if it is rising to, say, 6 try beaming north on the 10, 6, 4 and 2m bands in turn to see if any genuine auroral signals are coming back.

Lastly, the Sporadic-E season is coming into its closing weeks. 10m is a good band to check first. If Sporadic-E is very short-skip there, try moving up to 6m or beyond for a strong event. Digital modes are best, so use these to get clues as to where the CW and SSB paths might show up next.

Meteor scatter operators have been very busy during the Perseids meteor shower. The Perseids should still provide some activity into the coming week.

Moon declination is positive and rising until Tuesday 19 August, so Moon window lengths and peak elevation will follow suit. Path losses are rising again as we are now past perigee. 144MHz sky noise is low to moderate all next week.


Thursday, August 14, 2025

Miami Pirate Faces Felony After Arrest During Live Broadcast

 

A habitual Miami pirate broadcaster who repeatedly defied FCC enforcement efforts is facing justice after being arrested and charged with a felony for continuing to operate his unlicensed radio station out of his home in Biscayne Gardens.

As first reported WPLG-TV, Abdias Datis, known as “DJ AJ 305,” was taken into custody by Miami-Dade Sheriff’s deputies on August 12 during a live broadcast, when agents executed a search warrant and seized broadcasting equipment. He is charged with unauthorized transmissions – a third-degree felony.

According to the FCC Enforcement Bureau, Datis had been running “Unique FM” on 91.7 FM back to at least 2018.

Additional story at: 

New mediumwave station from Argentina

Translated from Spanish:

A new AM radio station has been reported since Saturday, 9 August, on the 680 KHz frequency, identifying itself as Radio Chaco Argentina ‘La Radio de los Provincianos’ (The Radio of the Provincials). It broadcasts musical programming, currently featuring only chamamé music, typical of that province in the northeast of our country, with several identifications by an announcer such as: ‘

"The new radio station, Radio Chaco, your radio station.’ It also announces the contact telephone number (11) 4263-2645, which is why it would be broadcasting from the town of Monte Grande, Esteban Echeverría District, Province of Buenos Aires. 

We will provide more information about this station shortly. We appreciate the collaboration of our friend ‘Gonza’ who told us that he heard this new station for the first time.

Argentina en AM y FM Facebook group (2025-08-09)
(Ydun's MW)

August programming from Uncle's Bill's Meltng Pot

 



Uncle Bill's Melting Pot, August 2025 

In August, we will present music from Syria and the Syrian diaspora. 

(UTC/kHz)

Friday, August 15
6070 at 1700 
3955 at 2100 

Sunday, August 17
9670 at 1700  using beam E (repeat of August 15 episode). 
  
In addition to direct radio reception, we do honor reception reports using remote SDRs as long as the whole program is described and which SDR is specified. 

Special broadcast for India's Independence Day on August 15

 
Special  broadcast/programs for India's 79th Independence Day on 15th Aug, 2025

India is celebrating its 79th Independence Day on 15th August 2025, details of special programs by Akashvani for the occasion is as follows:

14th August 2025 (Thursday) 1330 UTC onwards “Address to the Nation” on the eve of Independence Day in Hindi and English by Smt.Draupadi Murmu, Hon'ble President of India.

All stations of Akashvani will relay this on MW, SW & FM.



August 15, 2025  (Friday) 0130-0240 UTC 

Akashvani will broadcast live the running commentary in English and Hindi on the Flag Hoisting and Prime Minister's address to the nation to be held at Red Fort, New Delhi, between 0130-0240 UTC on 15th August, 2025 on the following shortwave frequencies.

English:
15260 kHz Bengaluru 500 kW

Hindi:
11805 kHz New Delhi 100 kW
15410 kHz Bangalore 500 kW



The External Services on the above frequencies in Indonesian, Nepali, Burmese & Baluchi scheduled  at the same time will not be there on that day.

The Regional SW Station (Leh) will start using their daytime frequencies about 1 hour or more earlier than usual on 15th August, as follows, to relay the commentary. This may provide enhanced reception of stations compared to normal days.

kHz     kW       Station
-----------------------------
4760    2.5       Leh          

All stations of Akashvani (AIR) on MW, FM & ‘Akashvani AIR’ YouTube Channel will relay the running commentary.

Reception Reports to :
Please submit your reception reports online at: https://prasarbharati.gov.in/reception-report/
or by postal mail to:

Director (Spectrum Management & Synergy)
Akashvani (All India Radio),
Room No. 204, Akashvani Bhawan,
Parliament Street
New Delhi110001, India
(NASWA/Jose Jacob /Alokesh Gupta/DX India)

 

Wednesday, August 13, 2025

The Best Tabletop Radios

 

By Kathryn Rath

Kathryn Rath is a writer covering audio, video, and smart-home gear.

FYI
After completing new testing, we have multiple new picks, including the Sangean HDR-19, the C. Crane EP Pro, and the Studebaker SB2002.

August 2025
My own musical education began with radio, listening from the back of a green Ford Explorer while my dad drove me to kindergarten. The now-defunct “96.5 WHTQ, Orlando’s Classic Rock Station!” provided the soundtrack to my childhood. When I took over Wirecutter’s testing of tabletop radios, it was like being transported back in time, in the most delightfully nostalgic way.

Additional story at: 

Monday, August 11, 2025

100 Years of Radio Broadcasting in Indonesia, Part 1

 A special thank you to Ray Robinson and Jeff White for sharing this week's edition of Wavescan.

A classic QSL from Indonesia

Jeff: Today, we begin a two-part look at the story of radio broadcasting in the Southeast Asian country of Indonesia.  Over the last few years, a number of countries have celebrated the centenary of radio broadcasting within their borders.  Today, it’s the turn of Indonesia, where there have now been 100 years of broadcast radio, both domestically and for international audiences.  And actually, the beginning of wireless communication in Indonesia goes way back even further than that, to about 110 years.  Ray Robinson in Los Angeles has the story.

Ray: Thanks, Jeff.  Indonesia is an archipelago of over 17,000 islands, spread over an area almost as large as the United States.  The five main islands are Java, Sulawesi, Sumatra, most of Borneo, and the western half of the island of New Guinea.  It’s a predominantly Muslim country, although some islands, such as Bali, are majority Hindu.  The total population is now over 282 million, which makes it the fourth most populous in the world after only India, China and the United States of America.  Approximately half of the population lives on the island of Java, which is the most densely populated island in the world.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the area had been administered by the Dutch East India Company, but when that was dissolved due to bankruptcy in 1799, the Dutch East Indies was established as a nationalized colony of the Netherlands.

A classic QSL from RRI Palemberg

In the era just before the beginning of World War I, two spark wireless stations were established in the Dutch East Indies for navy communication.  This was in the days before internationally recognized callsigns were in general use, and one of these stations, located at Sabang, was on the air in Morse Code under the irregular callsign SAB.

Immediately after the end of the war, there were four such stations in the Dutch East Indies, and these were all designated with callsigns in the new PK series as:
        PKA     Sabang
        PKB     Weltevreden
        PKC     Sitoebondo
        PKD     Koepang
        
Soon afterwards, the Dutch government in the capital, Batavia, now known as Jakarta, announced that a monster-sized wireless station, using Telefunken arc equipment, was under installation at Malabar, near Bandoeng.  The date for the official opening of this station was set for May 5, 1923.  However, a tropical lightning strike destroyed some of the wireless equipment and the auspicious day was postponed until repairs were completed.

This massive 3.5 megawatt wireless station was established for reliable communication with the Dutch Foreign Ministry in Holland.  However, in the mid-1920’s, spark wireless transmitters were rapidly becoming obsolete, and so it was only a few years before this transmitter was replaced with one of a newer valve, or tube, design.

The first radio broadcasting station in Indonesia was installed in the capital, Batavia, exactly 100 years ago in mid-1925 under the callsign BRX.   Other broadcasting stations began to sprout throughout the Dutch East Indies and many of these were amalgamated into the newly-formed government NIROM network in 1934.

Shortwave broadcasting in the Dutch East Indies began in 1928 as a dual effort on the part of smaller local radio stations and the large communication stations.  In Batavia, the first on shortwave was station JFC.  The main communication station at Bandoeng, about 100 miles southeast of Batavia/Jakarta in the center of West Java, began to relay broadcast programming on shortwave for the benefit of listeners throughout Indonesia, as well as in Australia, other countries in Asia, and also back in Holland itself.

Over the years, a large number of stations appeared on the shortwave dial, mostly in the tropical shortwave bands.  These stations were on the air with callsigns in the P series and also the more recent YD series.

Three transmitters of Radio Batavia were installed at Bandoeng, rated at 2, 40 and 80 kW, with antennas beamed to Europe, North America and other parts of Asia and the Pacific.  Weekly music broadcasts were conducted on 15.93 metres (18820 kHz).  The three transmitters, using the callsigns PLE, PLW and PMB, took part in a round-the-world relay in June 1930, and again two years later.  These transmitters were frequently also used as intermediate stations for the relay of broadcasts from London and Holland to Australia and New Zealand.

In the pre-war era, the big shortwave stations in the Dutch East Indies, and several of the smaller stations also, were recognized as good verifiers.  The QSL cards from the communication stations were usually in the form of typed postcards in English, though the most famous card of that era was the NIROM certificate which listed complete details, including callsign.

Then, on Saturday March 7, 1942, at the end of its broadcast day on 15150 kHz, the announcer on Radio Batavia, Bandoeng was heard in Australia to sign-off with this announcement:  "This is Radio Bandoeng closing down.  God save the Queen.  Goodbye everyone until better times come."  And with that, the station left the air.

RRI Surabaya

Eleven days later, on March 18, 1942, the Dutch officially surrendered to the Japanese, and the Japanese began to take over the radio networks throughout the former Dutch East Indies.  The large colonial radio station in Bandoeng was by far the largest radio station operated by the Japanese authorities during the Pacific-Asia War, even larger than their home base at Nazaki in Japan with its three 50 kW transmitters.

A month after the Japanese had occupied the city, the shortwave service was revived, with communications beamed to Japan and Germany and with programming beamed towards Australia, New Zealand and India.  Using very high power, as it was in those days, of 40 and 80 kW, programming beamed towards Australia and New Zealand was heard under new callsigns, such as JBC and ABC.  The signals were always reported as "strong" in Australia and New Zealand.

The callsign JBC indicated Japanese Broadcasting Company, and ABC was a callsign for clandestine programming that mimicked Radio Australia.  Japanese station personnel in Bandoeng recorded off air the tuning signal, station announcements and other significant items from Radio Australia and then wove those segments into their own programming, with the intent of capturing unsuspecting listeners in Australia.

At around this time, an Australian government listening post near Melbourne took directional bearings from these transmissions and verified they were indeed coming from the 80 kW shortwave transmitter located at Bandoeng.

Several different callsigns were in use during this era. There was ABC and JBC as we have just mentioned, and then some broadcasts were identified simply as Radio Batavia, and at one stage they apparently used an earlier callsign, PMC.  The broadcasts on the air as "Radio Batavia" always signed off with the "Liberty Bell March" by John Philip Sousa, better known these days as the Monty Python theme tune.

In early 1943, the name of the city of Batavia was changed to Jakarta, with several variations in spelling.  Radio magazines ceased listing broadcasts from these stations soon afterwards, not because they had left the air, but because of wartime reporting restrictions in Australia and New Zealand.  It is known that the final Japanese broadcast from the radio station at Bandoeng was on July 26, 1945.

Indonesia 1942 via Wikipedia

During the occupation, the Japanese had encouraged Indonesia’s independence movement, and only two days after the Japanese surrender in August 1945, a Proclamation of Independence was issued by Sukarno, who was to become the country’s first president.  But there were still strong Dutch interests in the country including ownership of many plantations as well as it being rich in oil and other natural resources.  Immediately after the war the country was administered by Australia (since it had been the Australian Army which had liberated it from the Japanese), but in 1946 they transferred the administration back to The Netherlands, which wanted to re-establish colonial rule.  This led to a three-year guerilla conflict which only ended in 1949 when the Dutch, under international pressure, finally recognized Indonesian independence.
 
The first edition of the World Radio Handbook in 1947 lists all of the shortwave stations on the air in what has since become Indonesia under two series of callsigns, some in the new Y series and some in the old P series.  Not listed anywhere are the high-powered shortwave transmitters that were on the air during the occupation years.  It would appear that these units did not survive the war.

And we’ll continue the post-War story next week.  Back to you, Jeff.
Ray Robinson-Wavescan/10 Aug 2025)

Audio for Jen's Noise Fest for August 10 is now available

 


Here's this week's cast, 


I hope you enjoy my Noise Fest Cast,

until we meet again, happy Pogo-ing 

For correspondence, please use the following:


Next week just my regular Eclectic Views/Real Deal.Sunday, August 17th 18-21 UT

 
Jen In The Rad.

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

 Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2025 Aug 11 0200 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
#                Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#

Solar activity was at moderate levels throughout the week. Region 4168 (N05, L=103, class/area=Eki/350 on 08 Aug) produced a total of fourteen M-class flares (R1-Minor events) this period, the largest being an M4.4/1b at 05/1553 UTC. The M4.4 flare was accompanied by Type-II (865 km/s) and IV radio sweeps, a 200 sfu Tenflare, and a CME first visible in LASCO coronagraph imagery at around 05/1700 UTC. This CME likely arrived at Earth on 08 Aug embedded with positive polarity CH HSS influence. No other Earth-directed CMEs resulted from the activity observed over 04-10 Aug. 

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at normal to moderate levels over 04-09 Aug, and increased to high levels on 10 Aug. 

Geomagnetic field activity was quiet to unsettled on 04-05 Aug in response to waning negative polarity CH HSS influence. Quiet conditions and a nominal solar wind environment prevailed over 06-07 Aug. Periods of G1 (Minor) storming were observed on 08 Aug due to the onset of CIR and positive polarity CH HSS influence, and likely the embedded 05 Aug CME. Periods of G1-G2 (Minor-Moderate) storming were observed on 09 Aug due to continued positive polarity CH HSS influence. Unsettled to active levels were observed over 10 Aug as CH HSS influence weakened slightly. 

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 11 August - 06 September 2025

Solar activity is expected to be at predominantly low levels with M-class flare (R1-R2/Minor-Moderate events) activity likely over 11 Aug-06 Sep. 

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit, barring significant flare activity. 

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach high levels on 11-17, 21-22. 27-28 Aug, and on 06 Sep. Normal to moderate levels are expected to prevail throughout the remainder of the period. 

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to reach active levels on 11 Aug due to waning positive polarity CH HSS influence. Periods of G1 (Minor) storming are likely on 18-20 Aug, with periods of active conditions likely on 22 Aug, due to negative polarity CH HSS influence. Active conditions are likely again on 28 Aug in response to the anticipated negative polarity CH HSS influence. Periods of G2 (Moderate) storming are likely on 05 Sep, with active levels likely on 04 and 06 Sep, due to positive polarity CH HSS influence. 


Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2025 Aug 11 0200 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPCweb contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
#      27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
#                Issued 2025-08-11
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2025 Aug 11     155          18          4
2025 Aug 12     150          15          3
2025 Aug 13     145          12          3
2025 Aug 14     140          10          3
2025 Aug 15     140          10          3
2025 Aug 16     145           5          2
2025 Aug 17     150           5          2
2025 Aug 18     145          15          5
2025 Aug 19     145          25          5
2025 Aug 20     145          15          5
2025 Aug 21     140           8          3
2025 Aug 22     145          12          4
2025 Aug 23     150           5          2
2025 Aug 24     160           5          2
2025 Aug 25     160           8          3
2025 Aug 26     160           8          3
2025 Aug 27     160          10          3
2025 Aug 28     155          12          4
2025 Aug 29     145           8          3
2025 Aug 30     150          10          3
2025 Aug 31     150          10          3
2025 Sep 01     150           8          3
2025 Sep 02     150           5          2
2025 Sep 03     160           5          2
2025 Sep 04     155          18          4
2025 Sep 05     150          35          6
2025 Sep 06     150          20          4
(NOAA)

Friday, August 08, 2025

Jen's Noise Fest slated for August 10

 

Don't miss it! On Sunday, August 10, from 1800 to 2200 UTC

Music for the Punk/Alternative Culture, My All Music in the Raw special because of goings on in Blackpool UK, called Rebellion Festivals on many indoor stages, Electric & Acoustic.Thursday through Sunday - all day and night.

Playing the music of bands that played and are playing there, plus the bands she thinks should be there in the future.


Join us in our live chat room, open for you in


Click on connect, then web chat
Please put in the following:
For Nick: name or like me radionutress
The next line channel is the following:
#eyeradiojd
And you are in the room!

For your contact pleasure

Jen In The Rad.

Pogo on the keys at your own risk.

August broadcast schedule from SM Radio Dessau

 

SM Radio Dessau will broadcast the following programs in  August 2025:

GERMANY/U.K.  SM Radio Dessau  

Sun, August 10, 2025, 1100 UTC - 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM, 6070 kHz (ROB 10 kW),
6095 kHz (NAU 100 kW) 
Interview with Leonard Lansink (actor from "Wilsberg").

Sun, August 10, 2025, 1600 UTC - 4:00-5:00 PM, 6070 kHz (ROB 10 kW) Repeat
Transmitters will be used in Germany (MBR Nauen, Rohrbach).
New since June 2025 is the late afternoon repeat. According to the website, this will be available until August.

Broadcasts on the Austrian Museum Radio Bad Ischl 1476 kHz will be available again in the fall/winter, according to the website.

Transmitters will be used in Germany (MBR Nauen, Rohrbach) and the UK (ENC Woofferton). Detailed reception reports are welcome at maxberger@smradio-dessau.de
Postal address:
Max Berger
Saalestrasse 44, 06846 Dessau, Germany


Printed QSL cards are only available if sufficient return postage is included:
Germany 0.95 euros, abroad 1.25 euros.
(Thomas Becker-D / Dr. Hansjoerg Biener-D
(WWDXC Top Nx 1617/10 May 2025

Vintage QSLs Collection, August, 2025

 


                     Celebrating the Art, History, and Stories Behind Classic Radio Confirmations

Thank you  for the kind comments and suggestions for this month's Vintage QSLs Collection. This month, we're focusing on QSLs from Canadian contributor Kanwar Sandhu. Thank you, Kamwar.

The Vintage QSLs Collection is truly a step back in time, allowing you to remember classic QSL cards that tell stories of distant signals, fading stations, and the golden age of international radio. Whether it’s a card, a letter, or even a colorful pennant, each one has a story to tell.

Do you have a QSL with a special memory behind it?
Maybe it arrived during a holiday or a marathon all-night DX session. Perhaps it was captured from a remote listening post or marked the first—or final—broadcast of a favorite station.

Shortwave Central welcomes you to share your QSLs and stories with fellow listeners around the world.
Please send a scanned image and a brief description of the station or the logging occasion to: w4gvhla@gmail.com


                Israel once broadcast on shortwave from Jerusalem - will they ever return?







Radio Monte Carlo was active in 1989 on 1233 kHz, in German and French.












A verification from South Africa's Southern Sound - nice catch !










                                       Listeners were able to log and verify KYOI in Saipan. 


           Red Cross Broadcasting Service - International Committee of the Red Cross - 1986



 Radio Tirana from Albania used to broadcast daily on shortwave radio, featuring features about Albania and folk music.







A classic card from China's Radio Peking - now known as China Radio International








                        An Asian clandestine station from 1993 - with an interesting history.


  Radio Laos, now broadcasting on mediumwave only, was once heard on shortwave, broadcasting from Vientiane, Laos.

Encore classical music from Radio Tumbril


Dear Listener,
Regular Broadcast times of Encore By WRMI and Channel 292 are:
02:00 - 03:00 UTC Friday 5850 kHz WRMI to US
20:00 - 21:00 UTC Friday 15770 kHz WRMI to Europe
10:00 - 11:00 UTC Saturday 9670 kHz Channel 292 to Europe
01:00 - 02:00 UTC Sunday 5850 kHz WRMI to US and Canada
19:00 - 20:00 UTC Sunday 3955 kHz Channel 292 to Europe
02:00 - 03:00 UTC Monday 5950 kHz WRMI to the US and Canada
13:00 - 14:00 UTC Tuesday 15770 kHz WRMI to Europe, the east coast of the US and Iceland. (Sometimes RTTY on the lower sideband. Suggest to notch out or use USB.)

Some Things to see on The Encore Website:
The Encore website is www.tumbril.co.uk, where you will find:
Important information about the funding of Encore - Radio Tumbril.
Up-to-date transmission times and frequencies.
The playlists for the most recent programs.
An email link.
Informal reception reports as well as those requesting eQSL cards, are welcome.

WRMI and Channel 292 are very generous with their airtime, but Encore still costs around 100 Dollars/Euros a month to broadcast.
If you can - please send a small contribution to help Encore keep going.

THE DONATION BUTTON is on the homepage of the website - www.tumbril.co.uk - which folks can use if they would like to support Encore.

(Please don't be put off by the POWR security wall when using the PAYPAL button - it is a harmless requirement of WIX the website hosting service.)

THIS FORTNIGHT'S PROGRAM - Channel 292 on SATURDAY 9th August at 10:00 UTC on 9670 kHz:

Begins with some early French Renaissance music
Tthree love songs set without words -  from Guillaume DuFay, part of a string quartet by Luigi Cherubini, and a motet by high Renaissance composer Josquin Desprez. 
After that a duet for violin and cello by Paganini, and all three movements of Poulenc's Sonata for flute and piano.
The programme ends with the first movement of Mozart's String Quartet No.3.
(Brice Avery - Encore - Radio Tumbril - www.tumbril.co.uk
GMØTLY)

Upcoming Saturday broadcast from Atlantic 2000 International

 
Atlantic 2000 International will be on the air this Saturday, August 9, 2025 from 0800 to 0900 UTC (1000 to 1100 CEST) on 6070 and 9670 kHz via Channel 292, Germany.

Streams will be available at the same time on our website. 

Before that, you can listen to our 24/7 webstream or our podcasts on our website.




Visit our website and listen to Atlantic 2000, 24 hours a day: http://radioatlantic2000.free.fr   
And follow us on Mixcloud and YouTube 
(R Bender/BDXC)  

Radio Love Warbler RSL set for August 9 broadcast

Woofferton UK transmitter via Wikipedia


 United Kingdom

The Radio Love Warbler RSL will broadcast on shortwave! Radio Love Warbler is broadcasting internationally on shortwave from Woofferton, UK via Encompass Digital Media as; 

9 August at 1900 UTC 9500 kHz - to Southern Europe, Southeastern Europe and Middle East

Address is Creative Folkestone, Quarterhouse, Mill Bay, Folkestone CT20 1BN