READING INTERNATIONAL RADIO GROUP The next meeting of the Reading International Radio Group will be on June 6 in the Main Hall or Room 3, Reading International Solidarity Centre, 35-39 London Street, Reading at 2.30 p.m. For more information email me or phone 01462 643899
MONITORING MONTHLY Pat Carty, Ops Normal editor of Monitoring Monthly, posted in the magazine's Yahoo group on April 30 that he had spoken to Kevin Nice, the magazine's editor and publisher, who has confirmed that Monitoring Monthly has ceased publication and that a letter is in the post to subscribers explaining the situation. The magazine covered radio monitoring in all its aspects and featured some very informative articles and columns, it’s demise is a sad loss to the radio monitoring hobby.
ALGERIA Radio Algerienne heard March 29 on 9375 1920-1925 with Arabic Qu’ran chants and commentaries. Also heard April 1 2114-2116 on 7495 and 5875. (Jose Miguel Romero, Spain, Cumbre DX)
Eike Bierwirth’s online frequency list at www.eibispace.de/dx/freq-a09.txt has the schedule as 0400-0500 5965, 0500-0600 5865 7295, 0600-0700 7295, 1800-1900 11775, 1900-2000 9375, 2000-2100 7495, 2100-2200 5875 7495, 2200-2300 5875. (Mike Barraclough)
ANTARCTICA. LRA36 Radio Nacional Arcangel San Gabriel is back on 15476, heard from 1833 onwards, with full AM signal March 27, songs with several identifications, full identification and address at 1900. (Jose Turner, Portugal, DX Listening Digest)
I received a reply to my email report in three days. The station said that they are often off the air because of the weather, temperatures always below zero and strong winds, sometimes more than 150 or 200 km per hour. Schedule is 1800-2100 Monday to Friday, email lra36@infovia.com.ar. (Manuel Mendez, Spain, Cumbre DX)
AUSTRIA Osterriech 1 noted with token 3-minute English newscast on 6155 March 30 ending at 0612, then into French. (Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest)
Radio Austria International heard on 9820 0030-0057 April 1. Strauss music with identification in German, English, French and Spanish. Spanish news 0030 to 0035 with long report on the restructuring of ORF. Seems they now have an arrangement where they get their funding with less political influence than before. Mentioned ORF's various services "inclusive este pequeno programa de onda corta." Followed by German news 0035 to 0045, mostly about Obama's trip to Europe. English news next at 0045 to 0046:30 (yes, a whole sesquiminute!), then French news to 0049 mentioning Chrysler restructuring and anti-globalization protests in France, then more German talk until off in mid-sentence at 0057. It's a fast paced programme format, but still informative, and good language practice. (Paul Brouillette, Illinois, DX Listening Digest)
Their schedule shows that the same programme is broadcast to Central America 0000-0030 and to South America 0100-0130 on 9820. (Mike Barraclough)
BAHRAIN Radio Bahrain noted in English at 0110 to 0120 April 6 on 6010 with announcements and English pop music, SINPO was 33333 with interference from Radio Sweden in Swedish via Sackville. (Anker Petersen, Denmark, PLAYDX via DXLD)
BABGLADESH Bangladesh Betar heard on 7250 from 1629 with local songs and announcer in Bengali. Vatican Radio seems to take a break at 1630 or changes transmitter beam. (Edwin Southwell)
It’s a change in transmitter beam from 326 degrees to 10 degrees 1630-1930 per the HFCC registrations. (Mike Barraclough)
BELARUS The Belarus home service channels on the 49 and 41 metrebands have reduced their schedules considerably, monitoring to April 15 showed sign on time as:
1430: BR1 on Brest 6010, Hrodna 6040 and 7280(ex 7110), BR2 on Hrodna 7265, BR1 Hrodna
1440: BR1 on Brest 6070, Minsk 6080,
1500: BR1 on Minsk 6115, Mahiliou 6190 and 7135 (ex 7145). (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DX Window)
Schedule now 1500-2100. (WRTH update via DX Listening Digest)
BELGIUM Radio Vlaanderen International schedule is now 0600-0700 and 1700-1800 13675 and 13685 both via Moscow, 1000-1100 and 1400-1500 13675 and 13685 both via Rampisham. (Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest)
Radio Vlaanderen Internationaal announced on its website that it would resume mediumwave broadcasts from 30 March. The station has new names for its two networks, RVi 1 becomes Radio Radio Vlaanderen Info and RVi 2 becomes Radio Vlaanderen. The mediumwave broadcasts are on 927, a frequency previously used for the domestic service. The mediumwave transmitter will carry the Radio Vlaanderen Info service. (Media Network)
The Radio Traumland project from the German-speaking part of Belgium is still around with their Sunday transmission via Julich, noted March 29 at 1350 on 5940. Full-blown promotion for a hotel in Bavaria, identificatiuon as "RTR 1". I believe that this project originates from circles of the former Radio Sunshine that once had some transmissions via Julich, too, and does not exist anymore. (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX Listening Digest)
Could be a typo as schedule is 1300-1400 Sunday on 5945. (Mike Barraclough)
BOLIVIA Radio Lipez in Uyuni noted on 4796.4 2230-0015 March 21, new name for Radio Mallku. Programming in Spanish and local language. (Rafael Rodriguez, Colombia, Conexion Digital via DX Listening Digest)
BRAZIL Radio Cancao Nova 9675 and Radio Gazeta de Sao Paulo 9685 both inactive lately, Radio Cancao Nova is still active on 4825 and 6105. (Celio Romais, Atividade DX, March 29 via DX Listening Digest)
BULGARIA Radio Varna noted on 6000 April 5 at 2055 sign on with test music, jingle, opening announcements then news and music. (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium via DX Listening Digest)
DX Mix News has schedule on 6000 as 2100-2400 Sunday, 0000-0300 Monday, 100kw non directional transmitter. (Glenn Hauser, ibid)
CANADA Radio Canada International on April 3 reintroduced an English broadcast to Europe on shortwave. The broadcast is on Saturdays from 1700 to 1759 on 5850. Listeners can hear the "Maple Leaf Mailbag" in this time slot. (Jonathan Murphy, Michael Murray, Nick Sharpe)
This frequency, via Horby Sweden, now airs French transmissions to Europe Friday and Saturday. These transmissions replace the Ukrainian service which has been cancelled. (Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest)
CHAD Radiodiffusion Nationale Chadienne noted on 6165 from 0430 sign on April with National Anthem, opening announcements in French and Afropop. Weak but readable with very weak co-channel interference until Radio Netherlands Bonaire signs on at 0459. (Brian Alexander, Pennsylvania, Cumbre DX)
CHILE Voz Cristiana in Spanish schedule is now 1200-0200 on 17680, 1200-2300 on 9635 and 2300-0200 on 6070. (Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest)
The Portuguese shortwave service to Brazil was discontinued on April 30, it continues on the internet and affiliate stations. (Jorge Freitas, Brazil, ibid)
We don't have any plans to close the Calera de Tango, Chile transmitter site. The global economic situation has forced CVC, in common with other international broadcasters, to seek cost efficiencies in its operating budget. In particular we have been hit hard by recent increases in the cost of power, and unfavourable exchange rates. Clearly budget savings can be made by cutting transmission hours at the times and places fewest people are listening. Nonetheless shortwave remains an important medium for CVC to reach its audiences, and we remain hopeful that DRM will also become useful in the future to reach certain targets.
When we took over the Chilean site in late 1996, none of the transmitters were close to working since the site had fallen into total disrepair since its closure as Radio Nacional. We had 6 transmitters operational by the time of our launch (as Voz Cristiana) in 1998. The remaining 2 transmitters were up by 2000. All 8 are still used in service, although, obviously, not concurrently. Several have now been converted to operate DRM. (Andrew Flynn, Director, International Broadcasting Christian Vision via Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
CHINA Voice of Strait schedule is now 2225-1700 on 6115, 7280 and 9505. 6115 is the Amoy Channel, 7280 the Entertainment Channel and 9505 the News channel. (Aoki A09 frequency list)
Xinjiang PBS is still operating on 7120 from 0320 and on 7155 from 0300. (Olle Alm, Sweden, DX Listening Digest)
At 1700 on April 2 I heard Xizang PBS on 7125 and another Chinese station on 7145. On April 3 at 0030 I heard Xizang PBS on 7170 and 7195. (T R Rajeesh)
Aoki has Xinjiang PBS on 7195. (Mike Barraclough)
China Radio International is now using the Pori, Finland 963 transmitter 0200-0600 and 1600-2200, starts with a two hour Russian transmission then one hour in Estonian and Lithunian mornings, Polish and Czech evenings, German 2000-2200. (Arto Mujunen, Hannu Perttula, Juha Solasaari, Heikki Aarrevaara, kotalampi.com via Jari Savolainen, DXLD)
CRI no longer uses the 1386 transmitter in Lithuania. (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid)
CRI, which has added more and more shortwave transmissions to become the world’s major shortwave station in terms of output, may be having second thoughts, considering reducing shortwave or even eliminating some services, based on audience research in English-speaking countries indicating there is really not enough interest in shortwave listening to justify the expense. Such resources could be put to better use, and the fewer shortwave transmissions for real listeners, the more transmitters available for jamming attempted broadcasts into China! (Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest)
CONGO DR Radio Okapi via Meyerton is on 11690 0400-0600 in French and vernacular, fair signal strength in Germany. (Wolfgang Bueschel)
Also scheduled via Meyerton 1600-1700 on 11890, noted here with talk and instrumental music in presumed Lingala at 1634-1640 April 23, fair strength and little interference. (Mike Barraclough)
CUBA Radio Havana Cuba English schedule is now 2030-2130 on 11760 17660, 2300-2400 on 13790, 0100-0500 on 6000 6140, 0500-0700 on 6000 6010 6060 6140 11760. (Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest0
CYPRUS Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation heard on new 5930 at 2235 to 2245 off April 3, ex-6180, with Greek talk. Parallel to 9760 and 7210, both at good levels but 7210 was mixing with China. Schedule is Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 2215-2245. (Brian Alexander, Pennyslvania, Cumbre DX)
ECUADOR HCJB German is now 1700-1800 on 6015 via Julich. They also broadcast via Rampisham 1600-1630 in Russian on 11740 and 2100-2145 in Arabic on 12025. (Eike Bierwirth A09 frequency list)
ERITREA Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea 2nd channel noted March 30 1630 to 2001 off on 7175. It is now heard with strong signal and extended programming in the evening, in the clear when jamming stops at 1700/1730. On March 30th probably two Eritrean transmitters followed by two noise jammers until 1700; the noise remained on 7165 and 7170 while 7175 was clear. (Thorsten Hallmann, Germany, DX Listening Digest)
ETHIOPIA Radio Oromiyaa Liberation is now Friday 1730-1800 on 13830.
Voice of Oromia Independence is Saturday 1700-1730 on 13830.
Voice of Oromia Liberation Front is Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday 1600-1630 on 11760, all via Julich. (Jeff White, DX Listening Digest)
Radio Ethiopia's external service is now free of broadcast interference on 7165, noted here in English April 29 with rap, rock and Horn of Africa music at 1617. Identification at 1630, three chimes, time in local and UTC followed by news bulletin starting with the headlines. SINPO 24433.
Radio Ethiopia Home service on 7110 also clear of broadcast interference now, heard at 1855 April 24 with talk in local language and Western pop music, fair strength,. Schedule per Eike Biewirth‘s A09 frequency list is 0300-0500 and 0800-2100 weekdays, 0500-2100 Saturday and Sunday. (Mike Barraclough)
GERMANY The MV Baltic Radio relay service is now at 0900-1000 Sundays on 6140 via Wertachtal. Schedule is 1st Sunday - MV Baltic Radio, 2nd Sunday - Bluestar Radio, 3rd Sunday - European Music Radio, 4th Sunday - Radio Gloria International. (Tom Taylor, Cumbre DX)
GREENLAND KNR Nuuk heard on 3815USB 2041 to 2111 off April 2, talks in Danish and pop songs, short news 2100 and interview, poor with CW interference. (Mikhail Timofeyev, with Alexander Beryozkin, DXpedition near St. Petersburg, Russia, Hard Core DX via DX Listening Digest)
HUNGARY Hungarian Radio in Hungarian schedule is 0100-0200 on 6150, 0400-0500 on 3975, 1000-1100 and 1600-1700 on 6025, 2100-2200 on 3975. (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, via DX Listening Digest)
INDIA AIR Bhopal heard March 29 at 0224-0233, Hindi opening after interval signal, frequency announcement, adverts, time pips, then news. Clear new frequency replacing 7180, slightly better than parallel 7420 Hyderabad ex 7140. (Martien Groot, Netherlands, DXLD)
The decision taken by All India Radio (AIR) to take up digital radio broadcasting using the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) system was described as "a major success" for the DRM consortium at their General Assembly in Germany. It was told that the Indian public broadcaster had started making significant investments in DRM technology and had purchased transmitters and other equipment.
AIR has already started DRM digital shortwave services to Europe using a powerful shortwave transmitter. The broadcaster is expected to roll out a major plan on providing DRM digital radio services in the medium wave band. (ABU via Alokesh Gupta, DXLD)
Checking through the reception reports of their European DRM service on the drmrx.org forums there are several mentions of hum, distorted sound, low audio, intermittent screeching noises and over modulation. The latest criticism (April 26) from a poster in Switzerland reads; the muck they are transmitting now at 2030 probably makes no sense to the people who speak the language either. (Mike Barraclough)
IRAN Radio Payem e-Doost via Grigoriopol, Moldvoa noted April 2 1800-1805 on 7480, music, identification and talk with background music, SINPO 45544. (Jose Miguel Romero, Spain, Cumbre DX)
Schedule is 1800-1845. (Eike Bierwirth A09 frequency list)
IRELAND RTE Radio One noted at 1935 April 4 on 6220, talks and music to 2027 off. (Jorge Freitas, Brazil, DX Listening Digest)
Via Meyerton, South Africa beamed due North with 100kw. (Wolfgang Bueschel)
ISRAEL Kol Israel Persian service now scheduled 1500-1600 on 9985 and 11595 per the Eike Bierwirth frequency list. Audible here well above the jamming on 11595 at 1515 April 27 but only heard jamming on 9985. (Mike Barraclough)
JORDAN Radio Jordan now using 11960 0500-0715 in Arabic. (Eike Bierwith A09 frequency list)
On the air here since March 29, six pips on the hour at 0700 followed by news, close is around 0710. There’s a parallel channel on 11810 but it is beaming eastwards and always weak here. There’s another transmission on 15290 from around 1045, often comes on earlier, until 1130, parallel to 11810. Time pips, identification and news are heard at 1100. (Noel Green, Blackpool, DX Listening Digest)
MADAGASCAR Radio Mada made its last transmission on 5895 April 6. (WRN via Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest)
MOLDOVA Radio PMR now Sunday to Thursday to North America at 2215-2300, 15 minute programmes in English, French and German, on 9665 before Voice of Russia takes over at 2300 in English. (Joe Hanlon, New Jersey, DX Listening Digest)
Excellent reception here April 23 at 2215, strong signals on clear channel. English feature on the history of Pridnestrovye. (Mike Barraclough)
MONACO Radio Monte Carlo (RMC) was off the air on 216 on March 31 and April 1. I phoned RMC in Paris, to find out what had happened as FM, satellite & Internet worked well. The answer was: "I don't know!".
After that, I phoned the transmitter site of Monte Carlo Radiodiffusion in Roumoules. The manager said that RMC management in Paris, asked to stop the transmitter for 48 hours. Maybe it would return on Wednesday April 2nd.
The morning anchor man Jean Jacques Bourdin, told that the transmitter was off for maintenance (it was not true), as many listeners called the station. When on Wednesday morning at 0300, RMC came back on the air I phoned Roumoules again. The same manager told me that it was a "test" from RMC to know if there are still people who listen to 216. As they received complaints, the frequency is still in use. If no complaints were received the transmitter was off for good. He confirmed that the power is 1400 kW day time and reduced to 900 kW at night. (Christian Ghibaudo, France, DX Listening Digest)
MONGOLIA Voice of Mongolia is using new 9665 for transmissions in Mandarin 1430, Japanese 1500 and English 1530-1600, replacing 12085. KCBS is co-channel as is CRI from 1500. (Martien Groot, Netherlands, DX Listening Digest)
MYANMAR Democratic Voice of Burma schedule is now 1300-1400 on 11685 via Palau, 1430-1530 on 15480 via Yerevan and 17625 via Madagascar. (Eike Bierwirth A09 frequency list)
Myanmar Radio moved to 7200 April 1, noted at 0030-0230 replacing 7185 under the new 7 MHz channel plan. (Alok DasGupta via Alokesh Gupta, India, DX Listening Digest)
NIGERIA A station identifying as Radio Biafra was noted 1900-1955 March 31 on 12050, several clear identifications as "Radio Biafra, Enugu" or "Radio Biafra, broadcasting live from Enugu, our capital city". (Dave Kenny, Caversham, BDXC-UK)
Listed as a daily broadcast 1900-2000 via Skelton. (Wolfgang Bueschel)
Voice of Biafra International has changed schedule and is now broadcast on Fridays 1900-2000 on 17520. (Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest)
FRCN Enugu is active on 6025, heard April 15 joining the network news, parallel to Kaduna on 4770. (James MacDonell, Nigeria, DX Listening Digest)
The Nigerian Minister of Information and Communications, Prof Dora Akunyili, expressed optimism on March 30 that the 5 billion Naira transmitting station of the Voice of Nigeria (VON) would be ready before independence celebrations on 1 October. Akunyili who spoke while inspecting the project at Lugbe, Abuja, expressed delight at the progress of work on the station in the last two years.
Malam Abubakar Jijiwa, the station’s Director-General who conducted the minister round the site, said that it would be inaugurated in August. The project, which started in 2007 on 120 hectares of land at Lugbe, is said to be the first of its kind in sub-Sahara Africa. Jijiwa told newsmen after the tour that construction had reached 98% completion while the civil works were 100% ready. “This is going to be the most sophisticated transmitting station in Africa. We have three new transmitters being installed and they are almost ready. We have begun test transmission and latest by August this year, we will be ready for the president to come and commission this project,” he said.
The Director-General said that on completion, the project would produce a radio station with capability to broadcast in digital and analogue systems on the short wave band. He explained that the new transmitters would expand the international coverage of the station to be heard worldwide. He added that the station has the capability of a rotating antenna that could send signals to any part of the world.
Jijiwa said that the project was faced with two major problems: electric power supply and an unresolved land dispute with the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA). “We need a 33KV line to power the station and I plead with the minister to take this up with her colleague at the energy ministry. The other challenge is that while this station is ready, the connection to the studio complex at Central Area, Abuja cannot be ready, because the land was taken away by the FCDA. The equipment and the antennae system to be installed at the site that was already configured for this purpose are lying idle at the transmitting station in Lugbe. We need that land back because even if another land is given to VON for the studio complex, it means the antenna systems will be re-configured at the factory and that is not necessary,” Jijiwa said. (Daily Triumph via Media Network)
NORTH KOREA Voice of America has boosted its radio broadcasts into North Korea by transmitting from Seoul with support from a South Korean president who has taken a hard-line stance against the reclusive communist regime. President Lee Myung-bak's administration is allowing the U.S. government-funded broadcaster to use transmission equipment in South Korea to send its dispatches into the North for the first time since the 1970s. That makes the signal much clearer than VOA's long-running shortwave broadcasts from the Philippines, Thailand and Saipan. Moreover, it's an AM signal, so listening in doesn't require a shortwave radio. South Korea had prohibited VOA from broadcasting from its soil for carrying a 1973 report on the kidnapping of Kim Dae-jung, then a leading South Korean dissident. The authoritarian Seoul government at the time is widely believed to have been behind the abduction.
Since January 1, VOA has been using the antenna facilities of the Far East Broadcasting Company-Korea, a Christian evangelical radio station, for half of its three-hour nighttime broadcast into the North. The antenna is only 40 miles from the border.
Some radio experts say VOA's arrangement with the Christian station violates a South Korean ban on broadcasters relaying foreign signals. But Kim Jung-tae, an official with the Korea Communications Commission, justifies his agency's decision to allow the VOA broadcast on the grounds that local networks are allowed to fill up to 20% of their airtime with foreign programming. (Associated Press via Sergei Sosedkin, VOAnews.com via Arnaldo Slaen, DX Listening Digest)
The relay is on 1188 with 100kw. (Kimandrewelliott.com)
A09 Broadcasts to North Korea:
Furusato no Kaze: 1333-1358 9585 via Taiwan, 1430-1500 11825 via Darwin, 1600-1630 9780 via Taiwan.
Nippon no Kaze: 1500-1530 13725 via Darwin, 1530-1556 9965 via Palau, 1700-1730 9820 via Taiwan.
Shiokaze: 1400-1430 6120, 2030-2100 6045 both via Yamata.
Radio Free North Korea: 1100-1200 7460 and 1400-1600 9985 both via Tashkent, 1900-2100 7530 via Yerevan.
Open Radio for North Korea: 1300-1400 11640 via Tashkent, 2100-2200 7510 via Yerevan.
Radio Free Chosun: 1200-1300 11560 via Yerevan, 1230-1300 12085 via Tashkent, 1545-1615 11570 via Yerevan, 2000-2100 7490 via Tashkent.
Voice of Wilderness: 1300-1400 11680 via Yervan, 2000-2100 Sunday 7410 via Wertachtal.
North Korea Reform Radio: 1300-1330 9950 via Taiwan, 1330-1400 11560 via Dhabbaya.
1330-1400 11560 via Dhabbaya.
Voice of Free Radio: 1600-1630 7520 via Tashkent. (S. Hasegawa, Nagoya DX Circle via DX Listening Digest, DX Mix News Bulgaria via Wolfgang Buschel)
PAKISTAN Radio Pakistan English news now one hour earlier at 1000-1004 on 15100 17835 and 1500-1515 on 9385 11565 due to local summer time. (Noel Green, Mauno Ritola, DX Listening Digest)
POLAND Polish Radio English transmission 1700-1800 is now using 9790 via Issoudon, France, replacing 9555. (Wolfgang Bueschel)
Polish Radio management have decided not to renew the contract to broadcast on longwave 198 from Warsaw/Raszyn. This decision has been made because of financial difficulties. The contract will expire from the beginning of August. (Media Network)
RUSSIA Voice of Russia chairman Andrei Bystritsky says his radio company will be holding a much higher profile on the Internet. There will be more radio, online and multimedia broadcasting. The Voice of Russia audience will be treated to video films, multimedia reports, and infographics. The Voice of Russia will be broadcasting in 40 languages, instead of today’s 38. Special attention will be paid to the languages of former Soviet republics – say, Ukrainian and Georgian. Twelve language divisions will limit their efforts to online broadcasting. Bystritsky wants Voice of Russia broadcasts to remain timely and true to life. He lays emphasis on professionalism and good judgment.
(Voice of Russia website via Alokesh Gupta, DX Listening Digest)
In an interview with Kommersant Bystritskiy says; “In terms of financing our plans will mean only savings. By developing online-broadcasting we will be able to stop using overlapping and expensive shortwave and AM transmitters that are located outside of Russia. (Sergei Sosedkin, Russia, ibid)
Voice of Russia English service to Europe is now on shortwave 1600-1700 on 12040 and 1700-2100 on 12040 12070. (Website via Mike Barraclough)
Voice of Russia no longer using 1323 for English 1900-2100, now in French. (Allen Dean)
The German service dropped shortwave completely, continuing in analogue only on medium wave March 29. However as a result of protests on April 10 they reintroduced shortwave, 1500-1900 on 7330 12010. (Wolfgang Bueschel)
Voice of Russia noted in English with very good signals at 1300-1400 on 12065, 1400-1500 on 15605, 1500-1600 on 12040 and 1700-1800 on 11610 and signing on at 2200 on 9890. (Harry Brooks, England, DX Listening Digest)
Tatar Radio via Samara at 0545-0700 on 9690 is being heard with strong signal and a much better audio quality. (Wolfgang Bueschel)
Schedule is 0410-0500 on 15110, 0610-0700 on 9690 and 0810-0900 on 11925. (Eike Bierwith A09 frequency list)
SERBIA International Radio Serbia has moved from 9580 to 9675 for the 0000-0130 transmissions to North America, English is 0030-0100 Monday to Saturday and 0100-0130 daily, in Serbian at other times. (Dragan Lekic, Serbia, DX Listening Digest)
SIERRA LEONE Dr. R.M. Ako of Jewels of God International recently sent the following appeal to the National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters: "We recently received a license to operate a not for profit private shortwave radio station in West Africa and would appreciate assistance by way of donations of new/used equipment or contacts to purchase used but serviceable equipment. All relevant broadcast equipment are needed and their donations would be much appreciated. We are looking at a 10 kW shortwave transmitter to transmit in the 10 kHz bandwidth. E-mail address: jewelsofgodinternational@gmail.com. (April NASB Newsletter via DX Listening Digest)
According to one website this shortwave license was issued for Sierra Leone (Jari Savolainen, DX Listening Digest)
SINGAPORE AWR Asia/Pacific will relocate to Batam, Indonesia in June. From then on, the headquarters also decided to discontinue Wavescan, and along with this, the listener relations department, which he now oversees. (Wavescan editor via Salahuddin Dolar, Bangladesh Yahoo group via Alokesh Gupta, Cumbre DX)
The future of Wavescan is currently being examined, but we expect that any changes would not take place until after the DX contest. (Shelley Freesland, AWR Communications director via Jon Pukila, Canada, DX Listening Digest)
SOMALIA Sam Voron’s site says Radio Hage from Galkayo came on the air April 5 with 1.25kw on 3980 and 6915, schedule is 0300-0500 and 0900-1000.
Thanks to Sam Voron tip via Harald Kuhl in Dxplorer on 30 March at 1535 tune-in I heard a nice signal from Radio Hargeisa on 7145. Alone on the frequency, not even ham interference. They had an identification around 1745 just before qur`an chant. (Jari Savolainen, Finland, Cumbre DX)
Heard here to 1900 sign off March 30 and 31. (Thorsten Hallmann, Germany, DXLD)
Radio Hargeisa was the first Somali speaking radio, established in 1948, but the first broadcasting began in December 1951. However in 1988, it was destroyed by Siyad Bare's forces, the last Somali dictator. For the past year, it has been under going some major improvements to its services and reception. Radio Hargeisa broadcasts Somali music, news and other current affairs. It mainly broadcasts in Somali language. Now Radio Hargeisa will bring back the beloved old school Somali mixtapes - time to dust off your old radios and enjoy your beloved radio again; Radio Hargeisa, the voice of Somaliland. (Somaliland Press via Zacharias Liangas)
SPAIN In Radio Corner, Saturday at 2100 on 9650, the announcer said that Radio Exterior de Espana again will be sending out QSL cards. Radio Corner is repeated on Monday, in their 1900 broadcast, usually around 1925 on 9665. (Erik Koie, Denmark, DXLD)
And on 11620 to Africa, weekdays only. (Glenn Hauser, ibid)
SUDAN Miraya 101 FM to Sudan via IRRS Slovakia heard April 3 signing on 1459 with local African music. Time pips, identification and English news , several identifications and mention of website, into Arabic at 1513, clear of interference and a fair signal. (Brian Alexander, Pennsylvania, Cumbre DX)
TAIWAN Taiwan Chu Yuyeh Kuangpo Tientai (Taiwan Area Fishery Radio Station) via RTI broadcasts in Cantonese on Wednesdays 0800-0900 on 15290 and 0900-1000 on 11550. (S. Hasegawa, Japan, Nagoya DX Circle via DXLD)
UNITED KINGDOM Latest RSL’s from the Ofcom website:
Aberdeen: Me FM 87.7 June 1 to 28
Aylesbury: Flame FM 87.7 May 16 to June 7
Belfast: Belfast Met Radio 106.3 May 18 to 22
Bradford: Radio Islam FM 87.7 May 31 to June 20
Chingford: Cubjam FM 87.7 May 22 to 29
Edinburgh: The Coast 107.0 May 23 to June 19
Exmouth: Bay FM Radio 107.9 May 18 to 31
Glasgow: Camglen Radio 87.7 June 2 to 29
Kilmarnock: Bonnet FM 105.7 June 1 to 26
Kingston on Thames: Kingston Green Radio 87.7 May 8 to17
Leeds: HUM FM 87.9 May 14 to June 10
Leicester: Amritsar FM 87.9 May 18 to June 14
Leicester: Rally Radio FM 87.7 May 21 to 26
Leicester: Wiggle FM 95.1 May 16 to 23
Marlow: Marlow FM 87.8 May 26 to June 22
Peterborough: Xpres FM 106.2 May 10 to 15
Portstewart, Co. Londonderry: Radio North West 200 106.3 May 10 to 16
Prestatyn: Light FM 87.7 June 7 to 14
Redhill: Redstone FM 87.7 May 27 to June 15
Romney Marsh: Romney Marsh FM 87.8 June 1 to 28
Sale: Sale High Soundzzz 87.7 June 7 to 12
Stafford: County Show Radio 87.7 May 27 to 28
Stoke on Trent: Create Radio FM 87.7 May 23 to June 6
Sunderland: Utopia FM 87.7 May 18 to 29
Tarbet, Argyll: Scottish Series Radio 87.7 May 21 to 25
BBC World Service heard in English on new 7400 1700-1900. Not sure which frequency it replaces. (Edwin Southwell)
Is via Meyerton replacing 7385, now used 1500-1700, ex 1500-1900. (DX Mix News Bulgaria via Wolfgang Bueschel)
UNITED STATES The Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 budget year request for the Broadcast Board of Governors (BBG) states that:
In FY 2007, Engineering initiated plans to install a shortwave broadcast capability operating on the region’s widely used tropical bands at the transmitting facility in Marathon, Florida. Work continues at the Greenville Transmitting Station to convert a medium wave transmitter, originally used at the closed BBG station in Belize, for these shortwave (tropical band) broadcasts from Marathon. In FY 2008, Engineering is installing a transmitter and basic antenna system to support broadcasts to Cuba.
To improve broadcast capability to East Asia, the BBG developed plans to augment a leased radio facility with a high-power shortwave transmitter and associated antenna system. In late FY 2007, negotiations have been finalized. Facility modifications and installation of equipment are expected to begin in mid-FY 2008, with a projected on-air date for broadcasts in mid-FY 2009.
The “leased radio facility” could be Orzu in Tajikistan. (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DXLD)
7545 has replaced 7430 for VOA News Now English 1400-1600 via the Philippines. (Alok Dasgupta via Alokesh Gupta, India, DX Listening Digest)
VATICAN Vatican Radio has moved to 9310, ex 9545, 0200-0320 including English 0300-0320. (Alok Dasgupta via Alokesh Gupta, India, DX Listening Digest)
ZAMBIA Radio Christian Voice 6065 and 4965 from Zambia is mostly given over to four local languages now - Bemba, Tonga, Nyanja and Lozi though some English programmes are still being aired. (Andrew Flynn, Christian Voice, DX Listening Digest)
ZIMBABWE Zimbabwe Community Radio via Dhabbaya is now on 5950 2000-2100. (Vashek Korinek, Dxplorer via DX Window)
CONTRIBUTORS: Germany: Wolfgang Bueschel, Greece: Zacharias Liangas, India: T.R. Rajeesh, Ireland: Jonathan Murphy, UK: Allen Dean, Edwin Southwell, Michael Murray, Nick Sharpe. Until next month, MIKE
