READING INTERNATIONAL RADIO GROUP The next meeting will be on February 7 in the Main Hall or Room 3, Reading International Solidarity Centre, 35-39 London Street, Reading at 2.30 p.m. Amongst other items we will be continuing our look at pre-war shortwave broadcast listening. For more information email me or phone 01462 643899.
ALBANIA Radio Tirana has changed antenna orientation for the 1945-2000 English broadcast on 7465 from non directional to 300 degrees. English to North America 0130-0145 is now on 7425 replacing 9345. (Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest)
ARGENTINA Is the Argentine time signal station LOL on 10000 still being heard during certain hours? Have not seen it reported for a long time. (Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
I heard LOL when in Buenos Aires back in August 2008. Their schedule is only 1400-1500 now. Their signal originates directly from the premises of the Observatorio Naval. I went there with the radio and heard the last 15 minutes just in front of their gate, and there the strength of the signal and the appearance of the harmonic at 20 MHz made it quite clear. Not a strong signal at other locations. (Eike Bierwirth, Colorado, ibid)
AUSTRALIA Radio Australia mentioned that there was an online survey about their future. (Edwin Southwell)
It’s a wide ranging survey, the ABC and Australia’s future, as part of the consultations on ABC’s 2009-2012 funding. One of the questions is: Should the ABC expand its international services and if so, in what form? Later it says: The national broadcasters use a mix of platforms to deliver their international services: shortwave broadcasts, FM retransmissions, direct-to-home satellite, cable and online. In light of rapid changes in technology it is reasonable to consider whether this platform mix remains the most efficient and cost-effective way of projecting Australian values and perspectives to overseas audiences. For example, in relation to Radio Australia, it may be useful to consider whether shortwave radio will still be relevant in 2020, or whether resources would be better directed toward FM retransmission, online delivery or satellite distribution. The survey page is http://tinyurl.com/axyj4e. (Mike Barraclough)
Construction has continued at a good pace on the new International Broadcast Facility. Most of the towers for four of the new antennas are in place and it’s starting to look like a real antenna farm. Over 250 cubic meters of concrete have been poured for the tower bases and guy wire anchors. We hope to build and erect these four big antennas between April and July 2009. (Kununurra Update by David Maindonald, December HCJB News via DXLD)
DX Partyline on HCJB Australia is now at 0800 Saturday on 11750 due to complaints, it was at 1300 which is midnight in Eastern Australia. (Chris Hambly, Johno Wright, DXLD)
AUSTRIA ORF's Radio 1476 on mediumwave closed down at the end of 2008. The special programming at present carried there will remain online and probably be expanded.
ORS, the Austrian transmitter operator, plans to remove the former 585 kHz mast at the Bisamberg mediumwave site because it would have to be reconstructed and is no longer needed. This does not affect the availability of 1476, ORS emphasizes that it could still be used by another broadcaster. ORS said that it is planned to keep five hours a days of ORF on shortwave in the long term. The airtime at Moosbrunn no longer used by ORF will be offered to other customers; ORS does not intend to close the site. (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DXLD)
Radio Austria International final edition of Report from Austria December 31 was on Jorg Heider with nothing about it being the last programme. At the end of the weekend broadcast Kerry Skyring mentioned that the programme was ending, he said that the ORF will continue to broadcast programmes in English on its Youth network FM4 and that some of those programmes will be available on the internet: http://fm4.orf.at. He concluded by saying German programmes will continue on shortwave. A new schedule posted at their website shows no change in frequency usage. (Mike Barraclough)
BANGLADESH Bangladesh Betar heard on 7250 November 28 at 1228 with interval signal, flute music, possible identification 1239 but hardly any modulation, weak station underneath. (Dave Valko, Pennsylvania, Cumbre DX)
7250 is clear channel from 1330 when Vatican Radio Italian signs off, Bangladesh Betar Nepali service audible December 30 to 1345 off, local music then closing announcement, fair strength, modulation low but you could follow the programme. (Mike Barraclough)
BRAZIL Radio Senado, Brasilia heard on 5990 0854-0920, November 27, local Brazilian music at tune-in. Opening Portuguese identification announcements at 0902. Portuguese talk. Local ballads & pop music. Good signal. (Brian Alexander, Pennsylvania, Cumbre DX)
Radio Senado 5990, QSL finally arrived from verification signer Alexandre Campos. Address on the envelope: Radio Senado Ondas Curtas, Praça dos Tres Poderes s/n, Brasília DF 70165-900. Report sent to radio@senado.gov.br (Artur Fernandez Llorella, , Spain, Hard Core DX via DX Listening Digest)
The new Observatorio Nacional time signal station on 10000 is using a Collins transmitter, running 300 watts. (Marcelo Bedene, DX Clube do Parana via DX Listening Digest)
Radio Clube do Para heard at 0629 December 3 on 4885, man in Portuguese with extensive identification followed by light vocals, SIO 353.
Radio Diffusora Macapa heard same day 0631 to past 0636, peppy vocals with identification between the songs, SIO was 333. (Harold Frodge, Michigan, Cumbre DX)
New Brazilian station Radio 9 de Julho heard December 11 on 9819.5. Portuguese talks and full identification at 2118, SINPO 33333. (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, bdx via DXLD)
Radio Globo heard on 11804.7 2144-2209 December 12, A Voz do Brasil followed by an Iglesia Dies es Amor religious programme at 2202, SINPO 24432, also heard distorted on spurious 11960. (Carlos Goncalves, Portugal, DX Listening Digest)
David Miranda of the Iglesia Pentecostal Dios es Amor heard on Radio Tupi, Curitiba December 21 at 0610 on 9565, station is 24 hours. (Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest)
The Aoki B08 online schedule now lists this as Radio Tupi/Super Radio Deus e Amor. Heard here 0903 December 17, SINPO 34433. (Mike Barraclough)
On December 24 at 0012 heard on 9565 parallel to scarcely reported and seemingly rarely active 11765. (Carlos Goncalves, Portugal, DX Listening Digest)
CANADA Radio Canada International noted on unlisted 11805 in English 1800-1900 December 4, parallel to 13650 15365 and 17790. This additional frequency is from Sackville. Next day the four frequencies transmitted, without sign on announcement or other introduction, songs by Shania Twain, Sarah McLachlan and Alanis Morrissette. Deadair at 1811 followed at 1812 to 1859 with conventional RCI programming. 11875 via Singapore was transmitting conventional RCI programming 1800 to 1812. (Bill Harms, Georgia, DX Listening Digest)
That music fill is used at Sackville if there was a problem with the incoming feed. Last time I heard this was in 2006 during Radio Prague's morning relays from Sackville. It suddenly came on about ten minutes into the broadcast after a few seconds of silence. The music went on for ten minutes (same tracks too) before the hourtop news bulletin was played with only minutes to spare. I also once heard a whole hour of Canadian music when there was a problem with Austria‘s feed. (Jon Pukila, Ontario, ibid)
Sackville has the facility to play out CD's direct from the transmitter site. When we ran those extra Radio Netherlands (RNW) broadcasts to North America 7 years ago, the BBC refused to allow Merlin (now VT) to play the RNW stream through the Bush House control room, and Jonathan Marks produced a special CD which was sent to Sackville and played for several days until we could get a satellite feed in place. (Andy Sennitt, Netherlands, ibid.)
This refers to when the BBC stopped shortwave transmissions to North America, Radio Netherlands began using the same times and frequencies from Sackville. I seem to remember that there were some UK press stories about this critical of the BBC. (Mike Barraclough)
I seem to recall that somebody from the BBC commented on these transmissions, dismissing them as "a mere PR stunt". (Kai Ludwig, DXLD)
This was a last-minute idea, conceived and executed within 5 days. It was indeed a PR "stunt", though we thought it was a good one. It produced an enormous volume of mail and publicity. We were told that when the BBC management found out about these broadcasts they were "incandescent with rage" which is why they prohibited our programme feed from going via Bush House. (Andy Sennitt, ibid)
After seventy years of broadcasting Canada's official time, CHU will move the transmission frequency for the 7335 kHz transmitter to 7850 kHz. The change will occur on 01 January 2009 at 0000 UTC. CHU is a part of the National Research Council's system for disseminating official time throughout Canada, broadcasting 24 hours a day from a location approximately 20 km south-west of Ottawa. Listeners hear tones to mark the seconds, voice to announce the time in French and English, and digital data to set computers.
"Coincidentally, this frequency change comes at a time when NRC is investing resources to refurbish the aging transmitters at CHU in order to provide clear, dependable shortwave services as part of NRC's mandate to disseminate time to all Canadians." said Ray Pelletier, Technical Officer at the NRC-Institute for National Measurement Standards, who oversees the CHU facility "The shortwave time service is especially beneficial for those in remote locations where there is limited access to internet and telephone communication. CHU also provides a back up against failure of other services." (Press release, Raymond Pelletier, CHU, DX Listening Digest)
CFRX returned to 6070 December 17 will full modulation, heard 0653 on top of CVC Chile though still too much co-channel interference for pleasant listening. (Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
From the engineer himself: “CFRX is back on at 1000 watts and sounds great near field. The transmitter having recently been repaired and retested at the Armstrong factory in Syracuse, New York is running full out and very well. We will be getting an on site type approval of the transmitter by Industry Canada very soon.” (Niel Wolfish, Toronto, ibid)
CHAD Radiodiffusion. Nationale Tchadienne noted on 4905 again December 9 at 1609 with talk in Vernacular and hilife songs, SINPO 44334. (Zacharias Liangas)
Station heard back on 6165 to 2233 off December 22 by Paul Brouillette in Illinois but on December 24 they were on 4905 at 0601. (Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest)
Heard on 6165 to 2232 off December 26, on December 27 they were on 4905 again, also to 2232 off. (Brian Alexander, Pennsylvania, Cumbre DX)
CHINA Voice of Strait heard on 4940, 1500-1525, November 30, identification as "This is the Voice of Strait, Fuzhou, China", programme in English, Focus on China, only broadcast on Sunday, news items about events in China this past week, music bridges between items, brief promo for China, requests for listeners of Focus on China, the "weekly English program on the Voice of Strait radio station", to call in to the station or contact them at their website. (Ron Howard, California, Cumbre DX)
Xizang PBS, Lhasa heard on 4905 1630-1700 November 30 with "Holy Tibet" programme in English, promo for medical massage clinic in Lhasa, gives phone numbers, says clinic located in white building, door number 33, licensed students trained by doctors from Beijing medical massage clinic, foreign experts visit Lhasa to also train the students, gives prices for foreigners, for local people a massage cost 55 Renminbi (about 8 US dollars), parallel to 4920. Same promo heard next day. Station identifies as: "This is China Tibet Broadcast Company calling Tibet. Holy Tibet will take you to visit the roof of the world. Holy Tibet is the window into the world of Tibet". (Ron Howard, California, Cumbre DX)
Voice of Pujiang, Shanghai heard on 4950 December 3 1535 to 1600 off, Chinese announcement, songs, closed with time signal 23222, interference from Radio Kashmir and morse code, parallel to 3280 SINPO 15121 and 5075 SINPO 13221 with utility interference. (Anker Petersen, Denmark, PLAYDX via DX Listening Digest)
COSTA RICA Radio Nacional de Espana Relay Station, 5965, verified my reception report in Spanish with $2.00 by a prepared QSL card after 39 days via express mail. QSL signer was Sr. S. Esquiol. The mailing address was: Radio Nacional de Espana, Centro Emisor de Onda Corta, 500 Oeste Pali, Cariari, Cariari de Pococi, Limon, Costa Rica. (Takahito Akabayashi, Japan, DX Listening Digest)
CROATIA From January 1 Voice of Croatia planned to broadcast via Singapore at 0600-1000 on 17655, 100 kW, 135 degrees to Australia and New Zealand. Perhaps this will replace the long-path relay via Wertachtal, Germany on 11690. (Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
CZECH REPUBLIC Radio Prague has announced a new series of QSL cards for the period starting this month. The cards feature Czech Republic and Austrian steam trains. (Edwin Southwell)
ERITREA Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea is currently on 7220, possibly ex 7100. (Chris Greenway, Kenya, BDXC-UK)
ETHIOPIA Voice of the Oromo Liberation Front, who broadcast Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday 1600-1700, have added an additional frequency, 11760, in parallel with 9695. Broadcasts are in Oromo. (Andy Sennitt, DX Listening Digest)
Now 100kw via Julich. (Wolfgang Bueschel, ibid)
Amhara Regional State Radio is testing on 6090, schedule is 0300-0600, 0900-1100 and 1400-1700. It is announcing 6090 7264 and 9740, I have only heard 6090 which has good signal strength. Email: ammawebmaster@yahoo.com. (Chris Greenway, Kenya, DXLD)
Radio Xoriyo Ogadenia now 1700-1730 Fridays on 9485 11720 via Samara. The 1400-1430 Tuesday, Saturday broadcast on 21585 has been cancelled.
Ginbot 7 Radio schedule now 1700-1730 Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday on 9880 11530 via Samara. (DX Mix News, Bulgaria via DX Listening Digest)
FREE RADIO Mystery Radio heard in Connecticut on 6220 December 25 0226 to past 0324, poor to fair with heavy utility interference. On December 26 heard at 2040 with fair reception but faded 2110. On December 28 noted at 0040 to past 0110, fair with utility interference. (Greg Majewski)
GERMANY Another press release about Deutsche Welle's(DW) planning for the 2010-2013 period was posted on their website December 1. Some points: DW will focus on audiences that are open for various points of view, use the media intensively and have great influence on the public opinion in their country. These audiences prefer services in either their mother tongue or English as "lingua franca", thus it's of great importance to broadcast in many languages. Germans travelling abroad are instead being referred to the increasing possibilities to use domestic German media worldwide. Radio will rely on "modern modules" suitable for FM rebroadcasts and podcasting. Shortwave will be kept only where it is "still relevant for the target audiences". DW TV is to be expanded.
Another paper on their website said that in the 2009 budget year half of the current shortwave airtime for DW German to Europe will be cancelled and the German current affairs magazine will be cut to three editions per day.
About 100 DW staff members have set up a Pro Deutsche Welle action group. They are deeply worried about the future of DW as a far-reaching German voice for freedom, democracy and human rights and are ready to fight for DW, its service obligations, its quality and its audiences, hoping that they can count on council members and politicians as allies. They say that the law defines the primary language of DW as German, anything else would require a change in the law.
DW plans to greatly reduce the shortwave distribution of the German programme next year. Most of the money saved this way will be used for online services. The concentration on online services is problematic with regard to the increasing number of censored media markets. The head of Radio Vatican's German service has said that "they can switch off the internet but not radio waves". Many staff members from former East Block countries know that it was even with intense jamming it was not possible to block western stations completely. (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX Listening Digest)
Deutsche Welle is using new 9690 from Woofferton at 2000-2059 in English, ex 9545. (Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest)
GREENLAND Kalaalit Nunaata Radio, Tasiilaq heard on 3815 in USB December 16 and 17 2105 to 2214 off in Greenlandic/ Danish Greenlandic announcement, songs, 2200 jingle, news in Danish (presumed), song at close, SINPO 14232 to 12231, deep fades and morse code interference. (Anker Petersen, Denmark, PLAYDX via DX Listening Digest)
GUINEA Radio Conakry heard on 7125 December 26 in French at 0716, at 0731 announcements about three communiques, list of names, 0733 folk string and voice music to abrupt sign off mid-song 0734. (Lucio Otavio Bobrowiec, Brazil, Cumbre DX)
This would most likely be details of the new government following the coup. (MB)
INDIA Radio Voice of Kashmir, via AIR heard on 6100 1445-1500 on December 12,. Kashmiri talk and local songs, heard best in USB, SINPO 32343. (Anker Petersen, Denmark, PLAYDX via DX Listening Digest)
IRAN Voice of the Revolution and Voice of the Iranian Communists are not on air since approx November 7. Voice of the Struggle of Iranian Kurdistan was reactivated on November 30, noted on Sunday from 1355 (other days from 1427) to 1526 on 4270 with demodulated sound. (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria via Wolfgang Bueschel)
IRELAND Zenith Classic Rock has a temporary licence from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland Frequency is 1584, C-Quam AM Stereo, 1 kW into a 1/4 wave vertical antenna, also on 103.8, broadcast dates are Friday, Saturday, Sundays until February 22. Reception reports and recordings appreciated. (Andy Green, Radiowaves forums)
Zenith Classic Rock heard here from 1615 tune in December 28 on an Eton E5, could null out virtually all of the foreign interference, fair but with occasional deep fades. Website with three online streams is: http://totalbroadcast.net/zenith. Address: Zenith Classic Rock, Total Broadcast Consultants, City Enterprise Centre, Waterford Business Park, Cork Road, Waterford, Ireland, email zenith@totalbroadcast.net.
Total Broadcast Consultant's directors are Andy Green and Andy Linton. They are a professional company providing and maintaining studios and transmitters for lots of stations in Ireland. A poster on Digital Spy says that they are perhaps better known to some as presenters Andy Ellis (former Voice of Peace) and Dave Hunt, from the 80s Irish pirate in Waterford ABC Radio, and that Andy Green operated a shortwave pirate Radio Zenith from the UK in the 70's.
On Digital Spy Andy Linton says the AM stereo is for them to do their own real world research into how the system works under local groundwave and distant skywave conditions. (Mike Barraclough)
KYRGYSTAN Kyrgyzstan's state radio station has taken BBC programming off the airwaves, days after withdrawing broadcasting rights from U.S.-funded Radio Liberty's Kyrgyz Service. Melis Eshimkanov, who heads the state broadcaster, cited unspecified technical reasons for the suspension of BBC programs. The BBC has broadcast news programmes three hours daily on the state radio station in Russian and Kyrgyz. It has been operating in the former Soviet nation since the mid-1990s.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Kyrgyz Service, Radio Azattyk, also has had its radio frequencies withdrawn, which Eshimkanov said was due to shortcomings in contractual obligations. Radio Azattyk has declined to comment. (Associated Press, December 5 via Zacharias Liangas)
On December 11 BBC began a Kyrgyz service at 1300-1330 on 15180, 500 kW, 62 degrees via Rampisham. (Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest)
On December 15 Kyrgyz authorities said that Radio Azattyk will not be restored to the airwaves unless its programmes are submitted to the government for prior approval. (BBC Monitoring via DXLD)
RLE/RL resumed broadcasts in Kyrgyz on shortwave 1200-1230 on 9465 13755, 1500-1530 on 7150 11790. (Neven Nagy, December 15, Cumbre DX)
BBC programmes were restored after two weeks. (Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD)
LATVIA The last broadcast with 100 kW from the 9290 relay service was on December 30. The licence holder says a new relay service will start sometime in February with test tones and alignments. Maximum transmitter power will be 10 kW. (Tom Taylor, Cumbre DX)
LITHUANIA Radio Vilnius heard December 31 announcing at the end of the English programme that they would no longer be broadcasting on shortwave as of January 1. Programmes would continue to be heard via the internet. (David Crystal, Israel)
I checked their website, they had 80 archived English programmes. The announcement says that the English programme will be broadcast live on the internet at 1900 as well as on National Radio Programme 1 on FM, the programmes will also be available as a podcast. (Mike Barraclough)
This is a cost saving measure. Lithuanian Radio had to cut 500,000 Euro of expenses, and this forced them to sacrifice shortwave. The mediumwave transmissions on 666 kHz have been further reduced too. (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX Listening Digest)
MALI. Radio Mali heard on 5995 November 28 0555 to 0640, sign on with guitar interval signal, National Anthem 0558. Flute interval signal along with opening French identification announcements at 0559. Religious recitations at 0602 then Vernacular talk, more religious recitations and local Afro-pop music. Fair signal. On December 6 heard them signing off on 5995 at 0800 with flute interval signal. (Brian Alexander, Pennsylvania, Cumbre DX)
Radio Mali 2nd daytime frequency back to 7284.5, quite strong at 0800, and already fading in before 1500 in Europe. Often louder modulation compared to parallel 9635. (Thorsten Hallmann, Germany, DX Listening Digest)
MAURITANIA Radio Mauritania heard on 7245 signing on abruptly at 0830 December 6 with local chants. Local string music. Arabic talk. Good reception. (Brian Alexander, Pennsylvania, Cumbre DX)
MEXICO XEQM Merida on 6105 is now relaying the Mayan language station Radio Yook Il 1100-0100 and XENK Radio 6-20 0100-0500. (Julian Santiago Díez de Bonilla, Mexico City, December 20, DX Listening Digest)
MOLDOVA Radio PMR is now asking for listeners to send correspondence via ordinary mail and no longer announcing their email address. Address is Radio PMR, Rozy Lyuksemburg 10, MD-3300 Tiraspol, Moldova. They also request an envelope with your address and a stamp on it if possible. I don’t think this will be of any use unless they intend to post mail from the country of the sender. (Edwin Southwell)
MONACO Winter schedule for transmissions over Monte Carlo Rediffusion from Monaco/France is Fontbonne: Trans World Radio 0645-0700 in Polish and 0700-0715 in Czech Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday on 5915 7335, 0745-0920 Sunday, 0800-0850 Monday to Friday and 0815-0850 Saturday in English on 9800, 0900-0930 Saturday in Serbian and 0930-1000 daily in Hungarian on 7210, 1100-1130 Saturday in Romanian on 9440. Monaco Radio (utility) weather forecast in French and English is broadcast at 0730 1303 and 1830 on 8728 SSB.
Col de Madonne: China Radio International on 702, French 0800-1300, Chinese 1300-1500, Italian 1500-1800 and French 1800-2300. Radio Maria France 0500-1900 on 1467.
Roumoules: RMC Info 0330-2305 on 216, Trans World Radio 2045-2315 in Arabic, 2315-0000 in English (except 2330-0000 Friday when in French) on 1467. (Christian Ghibaudo, France, DX Listening Digest)
NEPAL Some schedules still show Radio Nepal on 5005, but as of last February, Victor Goonetilleke reported it missing, and I have not seen any reports of it since. (Glenn Hauser, December 14, DX Listening Digest)
NETHERLANDS Although Radio Netherlands no longer officially broadcasts in English to Europe, two frequencies during the current schedule period can regularly be heard in England with good reception, 9345 via Tashkent at 1400-1500 and 5825 via Dushanbe 1400-1600. Radio Netherlands has some excellent current affairs and feature programming, well worth a listen. (Dave Kenny, Caversham, BDXC-UK)
NORTH KOREA Shiokaze/Sea Breeze via Yamata on 5910 heard December 19 1415 to 1430 off, usual Friday English programme with "Today's News on North Korean Issues" and "Today's Editorial", fair, no jamming. (Ron Howard, California, Cumbre DX)
PALAU English religious programmes from TW8H, in addition to those on 9930 listed last month, have been monitored on 9965 1400-1530, 12130 1200-1300 Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, on 15680 0100-0400 Sunday, 0400-0500 Monday to Friday, 0530-0545 Saturday and 0600-0800 Saturday and Sunday. (Aoki B08 online schedule)
PERU Radio Cusco has been reactivated, heard with religious programming on 6195.8 December 13 2204-2310. (Rafael Rodriguez, Colombia, Connexion Digital via DXLD)
PHILIPPINES FEBC heard on 9430 Friday December 12 at 1450, scheduled in Chinese, but a truly bilingual program with man in English, woman in Chinese discussing origin of and playing Xmas carols. (Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest)
Radyo Pilipinas English schedule is now 0200-0330 on 11880 15285 and 17710. (Ricardo G. Lorenzo via Gayle Van Horn, Monitoring Times)
POLAND As of December 15th Polish Radio External Service's 1800 transmission in English on 6015 is in DRM mode, parallel 7345 remains in analogue. (Mark Coady, ODXA, Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest)
ROMANIA Radio Romania International 1300-1400 English broadcast is using new 11970, ex 17745, in parallel with 15105. (David Crystal, Israel)
15560 has replaced 15135 for the 0630-0700 English broadcast. (Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
SAINT HELENA During Radio St. Helena Day 2008 the station received 295 emails. There were two successful telephone calls, Mr. Shamim in Southern India and Mr. Chris Wood in Tennessee, USA. Do not expect any 2008 QSL cards to be posted before July. The cards will, probably, be printed this month. It will then take about two months to ship the cards to St. Helena. From about April or May Radio St Helena fill in the details and sign the QSL cards. That may take a month or two. This is the usual procedure and has been the approximate time table of events in the past years. (Robert Kipp via Rich D‘Angelo)
SOLOMON ISLANDS SIBC, Honiara noted reactivated on 9541.5 November 29. BBC "World Today" relay 0600, followed by identification 0630 "This is the National Service of the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation", followed by string of adverts in English. Local reggae-flavoured song after that, Pidgin announcements. Local news at 0700. BBC relay at re-check 1200. Also heard local mornings, 2000 with local news. Quite strong here. (Craig Seager, New South Wales, ARDXC via DX Listening Digest)
On November 30 at 1056 I heard a station on approximately 9541.5 with talks and music. 1100 apparently English news by female. Rather weak in splatter from 9540. (Jari Savolainen, Finland, DX Listening Digest)
Tentatively heard December 2 and 4 1005-1059 on 9541.6, talk in Tok Pisin, no interference until CRI started on 9540 at 1059. (Anker Petersen, Denmark, PLAYDX via DXLD)
The best signal here is around 0830 but suffers from the lower sideband of Deutsche Welle on 9545, Deutsche Welle signs off at 1000. (Nils Schiffhauer, Germany, DX Window)
The Solomon Star reported November 25 that local furniture shops yesterday donated 12 new chairs to the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC). The donation was made in response to a request from the national broadcaster. The chairs will be placed in SIBC’s recording studios and programme office, which were without chairs. The SIBC’s electricity was cut off in early August as well, due to unpaid accounts. (Craig Seager, December Australian DX News via DX Listening Digest)
SPAIN Radio Exterior de Espana Basque news segment, November 26 at 1350-1355 on 17595, was totally in Castilian, even the actualities, except for brief open and close. Preceded as usual by Catalan at 1340, Galician at 1345. (Glenn Hauser, Oklahoma, DXLD)
UNITED KINGDOM The BBC/Deutsche Welle DRM service have their own trails, listening to them in Dresden on 3995, at the top of the hour they said: 'It's just approaching 18 CET and you're welcome on our very first day to the new DRM channel from the BBC and Deutsche Welle. It's great to have you with us. DRM Digital Radio. The BBC and Deutsche Welle on DRM Digital Radio. Better radio. Altogether.' From the schedule, it doesn't appear that any content will be available which is not already available through other means. But I'll not complain too loudly, since this DRM service is a reasonable replacement for my recently-lost FM BBC relay here. (David Murphy via Kimandrewelliott.com)
Radioscape is no longer supplying the RS500 module used in the Morphy Richards and Himalaya DRM receivers, which themselves are relatively expensive and have only been available from online retailers. It’s also used in the Technisat Multiradio, now being offered in Germany at a hugely reduced price. (Mike Barraclough)
The director of the BBC World Service, Nigel Chapman, is to step down after four years to become chief executive of a children's charity. Chapman, who became BBC World Service director in 2004 after four years as deputy, has overseen a big growth in the Foreign Office-funded operation's audience during his time at the top. He also chairs the BBC World Service Trust, its charitable arm. He will leave the BBC in April to head charity Plan International, which works with children and their families to combat poverty in almost 50 countries, after being a UK trustee for six years.
In an email to staff, the BBC director of global news, Richard Sambrook, paid tribute to Chapman. "He has overseen the biggest restructuring of the service since it was launched and the move into language television and the strengthening of our internet presence," Sambrook said. The World Service today is stronger than when he joined it and enjoys the largest audience it has ever had - a fitting tribute to his hard work and commitment."
Chapman added: "There is never a perfect time to leave something as fascinating and all-consuming as the World Service. There is always more to do: new audience demands to meet, new services to launch and existing ones to improve. We will soon launch our Persian television service and extend our Arabic TV to a full 24/7 schedule. There is, I know, a huge amount of work going on to modernise the look and feel of our websites, and keep our outstanding radio programmes fresh and attractive to our record-breaking audiences. For me, in the same way as it often is for our audiences, the World Service has been the catalyst which has opened new horizons and taken me to places and people I will never forget." (The Guardian)
Latest RSL’s from the Ofcom website:
Bradford Apni Awaaz FM 87.9 January 23 to February 19
Bradford: Radio Muharram 87.9 December 19 to January 15
Leicester: Panj Pani Radio 107.5 January 2 to 29
London SW4: Generation Radio 87.7 January 5 to 26
London W10: Avenues FM 87.7 February 2 to March 1
Manchester: Fuse FM 106.2 February 8 to March 7
Romney Marsh: Romney Marsh FM 87.8 January 3 to 30
Southampton: Awaaz FM 87.7 January 19 to February 15
URUGUAY SODRE, Montevideo heard at 1200 December 13 on 6125 carrier here under heavy noise with weak modulation. It relays Radio Uruguay on 1050. So, this is active again and appears to be the only shortwave transmitter working from Uruguay. I have been told that plans are to keep the shortwave outlets from SODRE but improved results are still not evident. Nothing heard on 9620. (Horacio Nigro, Montevideo, Dxplorer via DX Window)
VANUATU VBTC on 7260 is being run by a amateur radio enthusiast; transmitter is only 400 Watts. Radio New Zealand International have been contracted to install two 10 kW HF transmitters. There have been delivery delays, but it is hoped to be on air by February at the latest. (Adrian Sainsbury, Technical Manager, RNZI via Bryan Clark, New Zealand, DX Listening Digest)
YEMEN Republic of Yemen Radio heard on 9780 1812-1827 December 7 with English news, western songs, feature about the Kor`an, Arabic music; SINPO 43343, adjacent channel interference. Weak audio, very hard to read. (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX Listening Digest)
ZIMBABWE Radio Voice of the People via Madagascar heard on 11610 1700-1755 November 29, sign on with African music and opening identification announcements in English followed by talk in vernacular with occasional Afro-pop music bridges. English talk at 1745-1754 about violence in Zimbabwe. Fair but with weak music loop jammer.
Heard again on 11610 0401-0456 November 30 with similar programming, poor reception, best in LSB. (Brian Alexander, Pennsylvania, Cumbre DX)
CONTRIBUTORS Germany: Wolfgang Bueschel, Greece: Zacharias Liangas, Israel: David Crystal, UK: Edwin Southwell, United States: Greg Majewski, Gayle van Horn, Rich D’Angelo. Until next month, MIKE
