READING INTERNATIONAL RADIO GROUP The next meeting will be on February 27 in Room 3, Reading International Solidarity Centre, 35-39 London Street, Reading at 2.30 p.m. Please note that this meeting has been re-scheduled from the previously announced February 6. Other meeting dates for 2010 are April 10, June 5 and July 24.
AUSTRALIA Radio Australia, the ABC's radio broadcaster to the Asia-Pacific region, has celebrated its 70th anniversary. A special event was held on the evening of December 1 at Radio Australia's headquarters in Melbourne. The ABC's managing director, Mark Scott, said that Radio Australia has transformed over the years in both its technology and content. Radio Australia was founded during wartime to "push a Government line", he said, but then "transformed into a truly independent public broadcaster, broadcasting the best of Australia to the region, the best of Australia to the world, and having a profound impact in those countries who have received our services." (Station website via Mike Terry, DXLD)
John Wright of ARDXC reports that Radio Symban is back on the air on 2368.5, now with 400 watts. (Don Jensen, Wisconsin, December 3, NASWA)
Radio Symban 2368.5 heard from Global Tuners site in Brisbane from 0815 tune in with Greek music and call-in requests. On December 4 they were still at 200 watts per station DJ Tom Tsamouras in an e-mail QSL. They plan to gradually increase power to 1 kW as various technical issues are worked out. (Bruce Churchill, California, Cumbre DX)
A post on the aus.radio.broadcast forum December 13 mentioned reception of bible readings on 2355, much weaker compared to Radio Symban in southern Queensland. Another station is close to getting on the air on 3210, 1kw to a Non Vertical Incidence Skywave antenna. (Ian Baxter, Australia, shortwavesites via DX Listening Digest)
AUSTRIA ORF shortwave relays via Moosbrun are continuing but on a reduced schedule from January 1. The schedule is to Europe Monday to Friday 0600-0715, Saturday and Sunday 0600-0710 on 6155. To Asia and Australia Monday to Saturday 1300-1330 on 17855. To North America Tuesday to Sunday 0030-0100 on 7325. To Central America Tuesday to Sunday 0000-0030 on 7325. To South America Tuesday to Sunday 0100-0130 on 9840. (Harald Suss, ADXB, ADX via Kai Ludwig, DX Listening Digest)
BELARUS Belarus Radio national first programme is now heard daily daytime on 6010, 6040, 6070, 7235 and 7280. No signal on 6080, 6115 or 7210 during daytime. Evenings usually no propagation from Belarus at my location. (Olle Alm, Sweden, DX Listening Digest)
BELGIUM As reported last month RTBF International ceased shortwave transmissions on 9970 at 2215 31 December. Transmissions continue on the 621 mediumwave transmitter in Belgium, on FM 99.2 MHz in Kinshasa, and via the AB3 satellite in Africa. (Media Network)
BHUTAN Bhutan Broadcasting Service is active on 6035 and appears to be 0030 sign on and sign off 1500. I hear the station best at 0100 to fadeout 0200 with very distinct Dongza format and language. I am sure this is the old transmitter or the 50 kW at much reduced power. Also hear it around 1000 till about 1100 when it is swamped by adjacent stations, which again indicates much less than 50kW. (Victor Goonetilleke, Sri Lanka, December 9, DX Window)
BOTSWANA Botswana has said it no longer listens to complaints from Zimbabwe over the Voice of America broadcasts relayed through its territory. Zimbabwe government newspaper The Herald, published early December, accused Botswana of hosting what it called a 'pirate radio station' from Voice of America (VOA). The paper said that Zimbabwe will make a formal complaint to Botswana over VOA. Zimbabwe accuses VOA of beaming hate messages to its people, in violation of the power-sharing agreement and says this threatens the survival of its coalition government. The Herald accused the Botswana government of lobbying for regime change in Zimbabwe.
The coordinator of Botswana government Communications and Information Services Dr. Jeff Ramsay said that they are used to the threats but they can do little because nothing illegal is going on: “VOA does its broadcasting from Washington and Botswana is only hosting its relay station. There are many radio stations with relays: for instance, South Africa is hosting a relay for the BBC"
The VOA programme, Studio 7, that Zimbabwe is complaining about is produced in Washington by Zimbabweans and it touches on the situation in that country and to some extent it is critical. He stated that Botswana will not just terminate the agreement it has with VOA for as long as it is in the best interest of the country. The VOA has had a relay station in Botswana since the early 1970s but Zimbabwe started complaining about it in 2003. (Mmegi newspaper, Botswana via Alokesh Gupta, Cumbre DX)
BRAZIL Voz Missionaria in Cambouri, Santa Catrina is a new station on 5940, heard overnight December 7 with religious preacher and call-in. (Horacio Nigro, Uruguay, DXLD)
Voz Missionaria heard 0132-0203 December 9, after vocal selection a canned identification, somewhat overmodulated, followed by Portuguese talk. Religious talk at 0148 and some choir vocals. Possible identification at 0200 followed by ballads. Poor to fair but steadily improving. Noted again December 12 at 0350. (Rich D’Angelo, Pennsylvania)
Radio Paz no Valle, Camboriu heard on 5940 December 19 at 0509, Portuguese sung identification, preaching, fair but slight heterodyne from presumed Radio Melodia on 5939.2 (Martien Groot, Netherlands, DX Listening Digest)
Radio Paz no Valle is a local FM station which they sometimes relay. (Jorge Freitas, Brazil, Cumbre DX)
Many Brazilian stations were heard at good strength over the past few weeks including:
4805 Radio Difusaora do Amazonas at 2330: 4815 Radio Difusora Londrina at 0815: 4865 Radio Alvorado at 2300: 4895 Radio Brasil Central at 0800: 5035 Radio Aparaceda at 2300: 5045 Radio Cultura do Para at 2330. (Patrick Cody, Ireland, December 18)
BURKINA FASO When listening to Radio Rossii coming in with good signals December 4 I noted an African station signing on at 0800 on 7230 with talk and typical African music, drums etc., in the background of Radio Rossii's signal. Time and propagation let me suppose that this is the reactivated Radio Burkina transmitter. (Robert Foerster, Germany, DXLD)
CAMEROON Radio Sawtu Liinjila via Issoudun, 9655, sent personal e-mail in 6 weeks, verification signer was Charles Mbayanga Senior Technician, his email address is: mbayangacharles@yahoo.fr (Vashek Korinek, South Africa, Dxplorer via Wolfgang Bueschel)
Schedule is now 1830-1900 in Fulfulde on 9800 via Wertachtal. Postal address Centre Multimedia Chretien, B.P. 02, Ngaaoundere, Cameroon. The station is Lutheran. (WRTH)
CHINA Voice of Taiwan Strait heard on 4940 1500-1530 November 22 broadcasting to Taiwan, with a distance from Fuzhou to Taipei of only about 240 km. Pips; briefly in Chinese; into English with identification:
“This is Voice of Taiwan Strait”. “Focus on China” theme music; “Hello everyone. Welcome to our program Focus on China. This is Gary . . . for the next half an hour we are going to bring you some important news”; news about China with musical bridges between items; “This is the Voice of Strait. This is Focus on China . . . For further details of China, please write to PO Box 187, Fuzhou, China. The zip code is 350012”; light interference from AIR Guwahati. This programme is only broadcast on Sunday. (Ron Howard, California, DX Listening Digest)
This is a station that no one in Taiwan has ever heard of and the people that may have don't even listen. China has a few stations on air directed to Taiwan including the Taiwan service of CRI, but one has to wonder who listens. Out of a population of 22 million the amount of people that listen to shortwave can be counted on one hand. Just like CRI Taiwan Service. If you think TV Marti is a white elephant, this service is the same. Just like radio in Taiwan. The last census found that fewer than 10% of the population listen to radio once a week (Keith Perron, Taiwan, ibid)
Voice of Tibet is using new 13695 via Dhabbaya at 1330-1400, ex 15430. (DX Mix News, Bulgaria via DX Listening Digest)
Xinjiang PBS Kirghiz language programme was well heard December 18 at 1055 on 9705. some interference from a digital signal on about 9702. Parallel 7295 was also audible, but weaker. Local music was aired through the hour and time pips. This service signs on later than the others and, as a result it is not often heard. (Noel Green, Blackpool, DXLD)
COSTA RICA Radio Exterior de Espana via Cariari heard on December 20 0552 to 0600 off on 3350, songs followed by closing announcements, SINPO 45444. (Manuel Mendez, Spain, Cumbre DX)
CUBA A former State Department official and his wife have pleaded guilty to federal charges stemming from their roles in a 30-year conspiracy to provide classified U.S. national defence information to the Republic of Cuba. During the time frame in which Kendall and Gwendolyn Myers were serving as clandestine agents for Cuba, the CuIS (Cuban Intelligence Service) often communicated with its clandestine agents in the United States by broadcasting encrypted radio messages from Cuba on shortwave radio frequencies. Clandestine agents in the United States monitoring the frequency on shortwave radio could decode the messages using a decryption program provided by CuIS. The shortwave radio the Myers used to receive clandestine communications was purchased with money provided by CuIS and was later recovered by the FBI. (FBI press release, November 20, kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD)
US Senator Russ Feingold, a member of the Senate Budget Committee, announced November 23 the launch of his Spotlight on Spendingseries to highlight actions Congress can take to reduce the deficit. The first featured provision is the elimination of Radio and TV Marti.
“This relic of the Cold War attempts to broadcast radio and TV signals into Cuba that virtually no one tunes in to,” Senator Feingold said. “Government studies show that Radio and TV Marti are riddled with problems, and fall short of journalistic standards. As we progress toward a more modern and constructive relationship with Cuba, Radio and TV Marti no longer have any real diplomatic or fiscal purpose. I plan to bring up this issue when the Senate takes up President Obama’s recently announced nominees to the Broadcasting Board of Governors. ”
A January 2009 report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that Radio and TV Marti broadcasts face jamming by the Cuban government. According to the GAO, the best available research suggests that the audience for Radio and TV Martí is small, and its effectiveness uncertain. BBG
’s International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) also found that Radio Marti fails to meet certain journalistic standards, “particularly in the areas of balance and objectivity.” During a June 2009 hearing before a House Foreign Affairs Subcommitee, a GAO official testified that there is “limited information to help assess the relative success on a return of investment for each of the transmission methods.” During the same hearing, John Nichols, a Professor of Communications and International Affairs at Penn State University testified that “even if (Cubans) are opposed to the Castro government…they are going to look for more credible sources of information and entertainment.”
Senator Feingold argues that the political environment has changed significantly since the inception of Radio and TV Marti, and that President Obama’s commitment to international diplomacy and dialogue offers a more effective way to engage with the people of Cuba. The Obama administration has already loosened restrictions on Cuban Americans’ visits to Cuba, and the White House and Congress are considering easing travel restrictions and other ways to normalize relations. (Press release via Media Network)
CYPRUS Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation heard December 4 at 2215-2245 on 9760. sign on with Greek music and Greek talk. Sign off with Greek music. Fair to good. Parallel frequencies are 7210, mixing with China, and 6180, mixing with All India Radio in English until 2230 sign off. (Brian Alexander, Pennsylvania, Cumbre DX)
Broadcasts are on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. (Mike Barraclough)
CZECH REPUBLIC Anker Petersen received the following reply from the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department for Culture, Communication and Promotion December 2:
Thank you very much for your letter of October 16, 2009. I would like to appreciate your interest in broadcast of the Czech Radio Prague. We are proud to have such a radio and there is no intention to stop its broadcast. The Radio helps promote the good name of the Czech Republic in the world and plays a key role also for Czechs living abroad. Great support and encouragement for Czech countrymen is also the Internet site http://www.krajane.netmanaged by the Radio.
Due to current financial crisis the Government of the Czech Republic decided in June 2009 to reduce the state budget by 20%. Following the Government Resolution No. 715, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is obliged to reduce the budget of the Radio for 2010 also by 20%.
According to the data received from the Radio the reduction will mean saving on all budgetary items and increasing of the Internet budget. The short-wave broadcast will be retained in reduced form. Foreign transmitters will probably replace some of the transmitters in Northern Bohemia. The broadcast in different languages should remain unchanged.
Thank you very much again for your interest in the broadcast from the Czech Republic. If you have more questions please do not hesitate to contact directly the Czech Radio or our Ministry. (Jonathan Murphy)
I was in Prague early December and was given a tour of the radio by Pavla Horakova, host of Mailbox at Radio Prague. I saw the programme being recorded in the extremely modern and well maintained studio and met with Editor in Chief Gerald Schubert and Director Miroslav Krupicka, and, the next day, Oldrich Cip. It was clear that the staff are concerned about the shortwave service and that a lot of work has gone into efforts to preserve it.
From what I gathered in conversation it seems that Radio Prague will still have a presence on shortwave. When I asked directly about the future of the transmissions I was told that the current transmission schedule remains in effect until February 1.
While there I also saw the recently remodelled/renovated part of Czech Radio, the historic building. A wonderful job has been done in restoring the building to its glory, right down to window frames and door handles. The original Paternoster lifts are in place and working, it was quite an experience jumping on and off the lift. (Chris Lewis, England, DXLD)
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Radio Cristal Internacional heard on December 14 2310 to 2350 off on 5010. Programme of lively Dominican vocals with Spanish talk sometimes over the end of the songs. Off suddenly after a song. Poor to fair reception. (Rich D´Angelo, French Creek State Park Dxpedition, Pennsylvania)
Heard in Ireland December 16 at 2305 but bad utility interference. (Patrick Cody)
ECUADOR HCJB noted via Chilean transmitters on 11920 at 0023 November 21 in Brazilian Portuguese. Retuned at 0044, they mentioned they were radiating via CVC in Chile, “despedimos; boa Noite,” 0045 to open carrier for a few seconds and off. HCJB’s service in Kulina remains at 2245-2300 on 11920, confirmed later same day. (Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
HCJB Quito planned transmissions via new mountain transmitter at Mt. Pichincha on 6050, with 10 kW of power, in directions of 18 and 172 degrees main lobe.
Schedule probably Monday to Friday 0000 Woarani, Monday to Friday 0030 Cofan, Saturday/Sunday 0000-0030 Spanish, Saturday/Sunday 0030-0300 Quichua, Monday to Friday 0100-0500 Spanish, Saturday/Sunday 0300-0500 Spanish.
0830-1130 Quichua, 1130-1500 Spanish, 1900-2400 Spanish (HCJB via Wolfgang Bueschel)
ETHIOPIA Voice of Oromiyan Liberation Front is now on new 11760 via Wertachtal, ex 11805 at 1600-1630 Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, via DXLD)
FREE RADIO Long running UK pirate Weekend Music Radio from Scotland returned to the air December 20 on 6400, good signal here, first noted at 0915. They have not been on the air for around 18 months.
This year is their 30th anniversary. Their website has been reactivated and includes an extensive station history. The programmes also web stream and are available on Listen Again. Website is www.wmrscotland.com. (Mike Barraclough)
GERMANY Bible Voice Broadcasting Network is now using 11880 from Nauen, ex 11895, for the 1500-1600 broadcast to South Asia, including English Saturday 1500-1530. (DX Mix News, Bulgaria via DX Listening Digest)
GREECE Radio Filia announced a temporary schedule December 4, shortwave relay is 0600 Albanian, 0630 English, 0700 French, 0730 Spanish, 0800 German, 0830 Russian, 0900-1000 Greek on 12105. My guess is that the satellite dish station, probably in Kavala, has been abandoned to save money so no longer any BBC or RFI relays in their programmes. (John Babbis, DX Listening Digest)
English programme Greek in Style noted Sunday December at 1445 on 15650, music to closing announcements at 1500, new time of 1405-1500, ex 1105-1200. (Alan Roe)
GUATEMALA Radio Cultural Coatan 4780 is off as they can’t find replacement parts for their shortwave transmitter. They would resume shortwave if they could find the parts.
Radio Verdad 4052.5 emailed November 24 saying that they had been off shortwave for 16 months. They said that they had no plans to leave shortwave and that the internet “does not hold a candle to shortwave in results.” When their transmitter burned out they spent some time looking for a technician as the person who had helped them earlier had died. A new technician did a lot of work on the transmitter early December but some spare parts are still needed. (Emails to Manuel Mendez and Glenn Hauser, Station blog via DXLD)
GUYANA Further to the report last month that Guyana is to resume shortwave broadcasts the Radio World International edition for November reported that Energy-Onix recently shipped one of its new Pulsar HF 10 kW solid-state shortwave broadcast transmitters to the Guyana Broadcasting Corporation. (Alan Pennington, Caversham, DXLD)
INDIA Radio Sedayee Kashmir, via AIR Delhi, noted on 6101 at 1447 November 21, Kashmiri (listed) talk, subcontinental songs to 1530 carrier off. Exactly 1 kHz off frequency, poor, barely holding out against DRM splatter. (Martien Groot, Netherlands, DXLD)
JAPAN Radio Nikkei-1 heard on 6055 at 1209 December 2 with Japanese talk and classical orchestral music. Also audible on parallel 9595. Signal was weak but improving. Blocked by co-channel Prague at 1228. Quite surprised to catch them at this hour because I usually hear them in our local morning. (Martien Groot, Netherlands, DXLD)
KURDISTAN Voice of Iranian Kurdistan, via Salal Al-Din, Northern Iraq heard on 4770 November 25 signing on 0300 to past 0330, Kurdish opening announcement, Call to Prayer and talk, jammed by Iran 33343. Jammer still heard at 0500-0510 November 29 after they signed off at 0500. On December 9 they were heard on 4783 0453 to 0500 off, on December 25 at the same time they were on 4780. (Anker Petersen, Denmark, PLAYDX via DXLD)
LAOS Lao National Radio Vientiane heard on 7145 at 1254 November 27, Khmer at tune-in, amazingly clear and strong, have never heard this so well since I first spotted them here 3 years ago. Then continued in French 1259, identification, frequency announcement and news preceded by "principaux titres". Very unfortunately signal went downhill again with hams butting in occasionally. English noted opening 1328 and closing as early as 1353 followed by Lao until 1400 carrier suddenly off. (Martien Groot, Netherlands, DXLD)
LITHUANIA HCJB via Lithuania is now using new 3955, ex 3960, for German at 1630-1730, on Sundays also used for Chechen/Russian 1530-1630. (Alan Pennington, BDXC-UK, Eike Bierwirth online schedule)
MALAGASY REPUBLIC Radio Nasionaly Malagasy heard on 5010 at 1730-1855 November 28. Malagasy announcement, folk music, radio play and Afropop, only audible in USB and AM, but not in LSB, best after AIR Thiruvananthapuram signed off at 1742. (Anker Petersen, Denmark, PLAYDX via DX Listening Digest)
Heard on December 30 on 5010 1537-1602 in French and vernacular, this time in LSB + carrier mode. Had noted them in usual USB + carrier mode December 26. (Ron Howard, California, Cumbre DX)
Madagascar World Voice continues to be built. Three 100,000 watt transmitters have been built, tested and are in Dallas ready to be shipped out of Houston. Two new 500 KW diesel powered generators are now in place. These generators are large enough to provide power for all three transmitters, all three antennas, and all other operations at the site for the foreseeable future. The three transmitters are digital ready, which means that from each antenna 4 simultaneous broadcasts on 4 different frequencies will be possible in the future as digital receivers become more plentiful. (Worldchristian.org website via DX Listening Digest)
MALAYSIA Traxx FM, via RTM Kajang noted on 7295 at 1000 November 21, English 3 minute news after pips at top of the hour, then into pop songs. In the clear but got blocked at 1010 by Xinjiang PBS Mongolian signing on. (Martien Groot, Netherlands, DXLD)
Voice of Malaysia heard on 15295 whilst in Samoa November 20, armchair level around 0800 with Voice of Islam, Voice of Malaysia in English at 0945, into Chinese at 1000. Parallel to 6175, which had fluttery signal, 9750 not heard.
They were again heard at excellent level on 15295 with a music programme from SE Asia 0720-0747 November 22. This is a Sunday only programme. Shows how shortwave can still produce excellent audio on a single hop, mostly water path. Filler music until 0758:30 when an announcer mentioned,
“Do stay tuned to the Voice of Islam coming up next”. No interval signal, just “This is the Voice of Islam” at 0800. Announced also 9750 (not heard), and 6175 (also not heard). They then went into the Kor`an, followed by translation into English. (Walt Salmaniw, aboard the cruise ship SS Amsterdam, north of Samoa, DXLD)
Klassik National FM shortwave relay returned to 5964.9 on December 1 after just 3 days on 5952.2 as reported last month. (Ron Howard, California, Cumbre DX)
MAURITANIA Radio Mauritanie heard regularly on reactivated 7245. Quite a good signal but weak modulation, starting at around 0850 a few minutes after they leave 4845. (Robert Foerster, Germany, DX Listening Digest)
MEXICO XERTA Radio Transcontinental de America heard here December 12,15,16 and 17 on 4800 around 0850-0915 with either talk or local music. (Patrick Cody, Ireland)
MONGOLIA Mongolian Radio on 4895 is now relaying MR-2, parallel to 7260. Schedule is 2300-1500, MR-1 continues to be relayed on 4830 2200-1500. (S. Hasegawa, Nagoya DX Circle, Japan via DX Listening Digest)
Mongolian Radio MR-2 heard at 0929 December 22 on 7260, Mongolian male announcement, long violin solos, indigenous songs, into presumed news 1000. Clear frequency as co-channel XPBS is off Tuesdays and Thursdays 0800-1100. Again noted at 1240 with westernised pop songs under CRI Japanese. (Martien Groot, Netherlands, DX Listening Digest)
NETHERLANDS Radio Netherlands noted on 5935 at 2000-2100 in Arabic December 26 and 27. Programme of Middle Eastern music with identification and address given several times. (Edwin Southwell)
Is via Sines, replaced 7385, listed in the WRTH, in November. (DX Mix News via DXLD)
The transmitter at Trintelhaven on 1395 returned to the air on December 3. It carries Big L International sponsored by KBC Import. The transmitter is off the air 1900-2200 when the frequency is used by TWR Albania. Programmes include Wolfman Jack 2200-2300, Emperor Rosko 2300-2400, both Monday to Friday, a number of UK based presenters 2400-0500 and Dutch Transport Radio 0500-0600. Power is 20kw 2200-0600 reduced to 10kw 0600-1900. Daytime is mostly continuous music with a live show by Roger Davies, usually starting around 1445 weekdays, some live programmes also weekends. (Mike Barraclough)
Signal becomes audible in the North West around 1500, very strong soon after. (Allen Dean)
Weak groundwave here daytime and then suffers badly from fading and phasing when the skywave becomes audible. (Mike Barraclough)
NORTH KOREA Open Radio for North Korea via Yerevan is now scheduled 1400-1430 on 7550, ex 1300-1330 on 11640.
Radio Free Chosun now 1200-1300 on 9950 via Tashkent, ex 1230-1300 on 11560 12085.
Nippon no Kaze now 1300-1330 on 9655 via Taiwan, ex 1700-1730 on 9820. (DX Mix News, Bulgaria via DX Listening Digest)
PERU Radio del Pacifico heard on 4974.8 at 0730 December 18 with religious programme.
Radio Vision heard on 4789.9 at 0920 on December 12 with programme of ballads and announcements. (Patrick Cody, Ireland)
PHILIPPINES Radio Veritas is being heard well here at 1500 on 11715 in Tagalog/English. (Allen Dean, Lancashire)
SAUDI ARABIA BSKSA Riyadh noted on 15250 with English programme November 28 with call-ins, discussion about the dangers of lightning. Abruptly off 1156, but back with increased strength 1159, identification as
“Radio Jeddah”, time check for 3 o’clock and then news in English. (Craig Seager, New South Wales, Australian DX News via DXLD)
BSKSA has apparently reactivated 9714.9 for the Holy Koran Service. Heard December 2 at 0930 with Koran. This frequency was widely use in 2006, but has not been heard for a long time. Signal strength not too strong. (Robert Foerster, Germany, DXLD)
SLOVAKIA Representatives of the state-run Slovak Television and Slovak Radio signed framework agreements with the Culture Ministry on December 21 for a period of 5 years. Slovak Radio will receive 4 million Euros annually. Support for broadcasting in six foreign languages via Radio Slovakia International is also included in the subsidy. (RSI news report via Edwin Southwell)
SOLOMON ISLANDS SIBC Honiara heard on 5020 November 28 at 1150-1305, English male voice fading in and out, the carrier was heard already at 1050, 1200 relaying BBC World Service English news. On November 29 the weak carrier was noted at 1040, but the station had faded out at 1157. (Anker Petersen, Denmark, PLAYDX via DXLD)
SOUTH KOREA
KBS Hanminjok Bangsong 1 is now being relayed on 6015 0355-2400. This is from the reactivated 100kw Hwasong transmitter which has not been operational since January 2007.
(S Hasegawa, NDXC via DXLD, Aoki B-09 online schedule)
Echo of Hope has revised its schedule, now 0854-2300 Monday to Friday, 0254-1900 Saturday and Sunday on 3985 6003 and 6348. (S. Hasegawa, NDXC via DXLD)
SRI LANKA SLBC is still using 7190 0030-1230 to Asia in Indian languages, parallel to 11905. Radio Amateurs have requested the station to move off 7190, but nothing is happening. Furthermore the 11905 channel is emitting spurs and is also heard on 11956 at fair level. (Victor Goonetilleke, Sri Lanka, DX Window)
SUDAN Miraya FM via IRRS Slovakia in Arabic and English at 1500-1800 moved to 9825, ex 15650, December 15. (DX Mix News, Bulgaria via DXLD, Allen Dean)
Heard in Greece on 9825 at 1504 December 19 with news in English, very good signals. (Zacharias Liangas)
According to research by Graham Mytton, formerly head of Media Research at the BBC, Darfuri listen en masse to radio broadcasts via shortwave. 95% of the population over the age of 15 listen to the radio at least once a week. Over 70% of the people in Darfur listen at least once a week to Radio Dabanga. After the state Radio Omdurman, which broadcasts the entire day, Radio Dabanga is the most popular radio station in terms of listeners. Asked which station people tune into to listen to the news, 39% stated Radio Dabanga. The survey was held among 1582 respondents over the age of 18. (December NASB Newsletter via DXLD)
UKRAINE Radio Dniprovska Hvylia heard on 11980 0751-0805 Sunday November 22, songs and talks, from 0800 President Yushchenko speeches. 25322 initially, then raised to 35333. Alexander Yegorov confirms the relay of UR1 by RDH at this time. Later, Mauno Ritola in Finland reported close down as 0857. (Dmitry Mezin/Signal, Russia, DX Window)
300 watts per WRTH 2010. Relays UR1 and regional programme from Zaporizhia. Schedule is Saturdays and Sundays 0600-0800 and 0900-1130, on the air irregularly.
UNITED KINGDOM Latest RSL’s from the Ofcom website:
Bradford: Eurorytm 87.7 January 18 to February 14
Leicester: Maha Shivrati FM 95.1 February 3 to March 2
London SW4: Generation Radio 87.7 January 17 to February 13
Oldham: Manchester Sada Radio 87.7 December 31 to January 27
As from 5th December there will be an extension of the UK football commentaries on a test basis to Scandinavia. Saturdays 1500-1700 and 1730-1930 and Sundays 1600-1800 all on 5800. Reception reports from Scandinavia would be welcome to freqdept@wrn.org. The commentaries are in English. (World Radio Network via DXLD, Allen Dean)
Strong and steady signal in southern Finland on 5800 at 1734 December 5. They announce e-mail address of radio@premierleague.com (Jari Savolainen, ibid)
The transmitter is in Mykolayiv, Ukraine. (Dmitry Mezin, Russia, ibid)
Radio Caroline transmitted again on 531 December 31 to January 3, many of the broadcasts live from the Ross Revenge. This was the first of a number of live broadcasts for the Ross Fifty, a year long celebration of the ship’s birth. (Mike Barraclough)
UNITED STATES KNLS is now using 7320, ex 6890, for the 1500-1800 broadcast in Russian. (DX Mix News, Bulgaria via DX Listening Digest)
I received Digital Aurora Radio Technologies experimental DRM station WE2XRH Delta Junction, Alaska on 4845 at 1745-1800, 1805-1817 and signing on 1819 on November 19, only data service (MOT Slideshow), there is no audio. First noted on November 18 at 1815 by Japanese DXer XYZ_Orz in Akita. NDXC members continued monitoring DART, nothing heard November 20 to 23 but was heard November 24 and 25. Not heard November 26. Seems to be a low power transmission. (S. Hasegawa, Japan, NDXC, DXLD)
WYFR Family Radio English schedule changes: additional transmissions at 1600-1700 on 5965 via Nauen, 1700-1800 on 7390 via Rampisham to the Near and Middle East. The 1700-1800 transmission on 9630 via Nauen has been cancelled. New transmission to Madagascar 1600-1700 on 9795 via Dhabbaya. (DX Mix News Bulgaria via DXLD)
WYFR heard on December 24 on new 9770 1415 to 1427 fade out with Harold Campling’s Open Forum. (Alan Roe)
Is via Nauen to India 1400-1500. (Dragan Lekic, Serbia, DX Listening Digest)
On December 8 at 1434 I came upon a fire-and-brimstone preacher on 15550 USB. No carrier, pure USB. Typical sermon about resurrection, etc., occasional murmurs of assent from audience. At the 1501 preacher was abruptly interrupted for a hymn, which led into an identification as WJHR Radio International, Milton, Florida, asking for reports to wjhr@usa.com (Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest)
Plans for the station were published in a February DX News report via Ben Kobb, DXLD. To summarise the applicant, Scott Mock, filed to broadcast from his home in USB with programming from a 40 year collection of recordings made at Smyrna Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. (Mike Barraclough)
US commercial shortwave broadcasters, which includes religious broadcasters, have to operate with a minimum 50 kW to be licensed. (Richard Cuff, Pennsylvania, DXLD)
Construction permit granted in June to George S. Mock, 5920 Oak Manor Drive, Milton, Florida. Transmitter (50 kW) supposed to be located at that address. A Google look at that address shows what seems to be a rather good sized residence in the piney woods just off the cul-de-sac at the end of Oak Manor Drive. (Don Jensen, Wisconsin, NASWA)
I spoke with Scott Mock. They are running 1,000 watts into a two element quad. They are testing, but not always on, between 1500 and 2300. The call stands for John Hill Radio. He recorded the church service programming that the station is playing. Scott said that it took a lot less power to operate in sideband. (Hans Johnson, Florida, Cumbre DX)
We hope to have a new antenna installed in a few days to improve reception in our area. (Email from Scott Mock to Jon Pukila, Ontario via DXLD)
Mock hopes to be able to begin regular broadcasts in March or April when frequency may be changed to somewhere around 13.8 Mhz. Even during regular operation WJHR will continue to broadcast only during local daytime hours. (DXing.info via DXLD)
AFN Pearl Harbour has been missing for about a month now on 10320 USB, checks made daily around 1330-1430. (Ron Howard, California, DX Listening Digest)
VENEZUELA Radio Amazonas heard on December on 4939.9 at 0905 with LA music. (Patrick Cody, Ireland)
Listed as inactive in the WRTH, Anker Petersen in DX Window says last reported in December 2008.
ZIMBABWE Zimbabwe Community Radio now using 4895 for its 1755-1855 broadcast, noted here December 19, talks in local language and music to 1856 off. (Zacharias Liangas)
CONTRIBUTORS: Germany: Wolfgang Bueschel, Greece: Zacharias Liangas, Ireland: Jonathan Murphy, Patrick Cody, United Kingdom: Alan Roe, Allen Dean, Edwin Southwell, United States: Rich D’Angelo. Until next month, MIKE
