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.
ANTARCTICA LRA36 Radio Nacional Arcangel is back on 15476. Carrier too weak to surpass my noise level noted at 1923 January 6, Mark Schiefelbein in Missouri then checked and confirmed hearing Spanish 1945 to past 2005. (Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
ARGENTINA The RAE transmitter used on 11710 and 15345 broke down on October 27. In November the purchase of a new transmitter was approved, and now, we are waiting for the new equipment. (Gabriel Ivan Barrera via Wolfgang Bueschel)
RAE noted back on January 23, noted heterodyne on 11710 at 0016, RAE interval signal at 0055, measured on 11709.4, too weak to confirm language at 0102. Sounds like old transmitter. At 0215 English in the clear as China had gone off., French at 0300. (Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest)
Message from German services says that RAE technicians got a new transmitter tube and repaired the transmitter. (Wolfgang Bueschel)
AUSTRALIA Palau is now relaying English, Burmese, Chinese and Indonesian programmes from Radio Australia. Schedule: 0000-0030 Indonesian 15225, 0100-0130 Burmese 15655, 0400-0430 Indonesian 15780, 0500-0530 Indonesian 15590, 1300-1430 Chinese 9890, 1600-1630 Chinese 9965 and 2200-2400 English 12040. (S. Hasegawa, Japan, DXLD)
Radio Australia is now using 17880 via Dhabbaya for English to South East Asia at 1100-1300. (DX Mix News Bulgaria via Alokesh Gupta, Cumbre DX)
AUSTRIA Checked for any English news, as on the previous schedule, on Austria’s domestic service relay on 7325 at 0039 January 5 and it was all in German. (Joe Hanlon, New Jersey, DX Listening Digest)
The 0700-0715 news broadcast on 6155 still includes English news starting around 0708 followed by French around 0711. (Mike Barraclough)
BELARUS Radio Belarus is using the Radio 700 transmitter on 6005 in Kall from January 1 at 0700-0900 for German programming. This currently runs 1kw. (Press release via Kai Ludwig, DX Listening Digest)
They have a fully functional 20 kW Transmitter in Kall as well. The only problem operating it is (or has been) that they have problems with the electricity line out there. As far as I know the operators have plans to build a better power line but that does cost a little bit. But with Belarus as a paying client there may be enough money to power up the 20 kW TX as well in near future. (Stephan Schaa, Germany, ibid)
BELGIUM I tuned to the very last shortwave broadcast from this country, RTBF silencing 9970 forever at 2215 December 31. Tune in at 2205 but signal quite poor in French talk. I wish I could have made out whether RTBF was saying anything special by way of farewell, but just too weak; at 2214 switched to a different announcer, 2215 still on the air with music, which ceased at 2217 and then the carrier was also gone. (Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
BHUTAN Bhutan Broadcasting Service was noted back on 6035 during the last few days after not being heard for some time. (Jose Jacob, India, January 14, DXLD)
BBS is still using 50 kW old transmitter. Waiting for Thomson to repair the new 100 kW. (Alokesh Gupta, dx_India via DX Listening Digest)
BRAZIL Brazilian heard on 11749.9 at 0648 January 8, Portuguese singing. (Glenn Hauser, Oklahoma, DX Listening Digest)
Radio Voz Missionaria has returned here, heard on January 11 at 1502, identification and frequency announcement at 1503. (Jorge Freitas, Brazil, radioescutas via DXLD)
BURMA/MYANMAR Burmese ethnic journalists met in Chiang Mai to discuss how best to cover the 2010 election and agreed that FM radio offers the best medium to reach a wide ethnic audience. However, it is not easy to create an FM broadcast station. Ethnic groups make up about 40% of Burma's population. No FM radio stations are run by in-country ethnic groups. Ethnic languages usually have about 15 minutes a week in broadcasts by the Democratic Voice of Burma and Radio Free Asia.
Burma National News (BNI), an umbrella organization of ethnic media groups, said that it is developing plans to set up a shortwave radio broadcast in ethnic languages. At least 10 languages would be broadcast in 15-minute daily programs, according the BNI secretary of development. It plans to ask ABC, based in Australia, or Burmese broadcasting media to air their programmes. (The Irawaddy 23/12 via Media Network)
Myanmar Radio heard on 7200 December 29 opening at 0030 with fair to good signals.
Also heard on 5915 at 0010 January 5 with talks and slow songs.
Myanmar Army Radio heard on 5770 January 5 at 0030, start of programme with trumpet, talks and slow music, fair reception. (Giampiero Bernardini, Italy, Cumbre DX)
BURMA/CHINA “As the world marks the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, the principle of Article 19 - the right to 'seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers' - still eludes billions in Asia. Throughout the continent, governments severely restrict free speech and expression - muzzling reporters, jamming international broadcasting signals, and using every means within their power to thwart public debate. Press freedom in this and many parts of the world has worsened, according to Freedom House's most recent index.
This silencing has its price. Last year, before Cyclone Nargis devastated Burma, the official state press waited a full 24 hours after international broadcasting services had already broken news of its imminent landfall to warn the Burmese people. Nargis left an estimated 140,000 dead and millions in dire need of humanitarian aid. The survivors had to rely mainly on outside broadcasters such as Radio Free Asia, The Voice of America, and the BBC to find medical care, food, and clean drinking water.” Radio Free Asia president Libby Liu, Huffington Post, 9 December 2009. (kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD)
The 1975 Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Helsinki Accords, had specific language about radio jamming, and put the Soviet Union on the defensive regarding its jamming. A similar accord in Asia might have impact on China's intensive jamming of international broadcasts and blocking of websites. (Kim Elliott, ibid.)
CHINA The Director-General of China Radio International (CRI) mentions in his New Year Speech that CRI received a new record high of over 2.9 million letters from overseas listeners and online users in the past year. He also said that “in 2009, we have 59 language services, including six new languages, turning CRI into the media agency with the largest number of languages broadcasting to the world. We also built another 14 overseas 24-hour radio stations, and our production capabilities of localized programming has also been enhanced dramatically.” The whole speech is at http://tinyurl.com/ycxgbcd (Media Network)
Reading this incredibly self-congratulatory speech I have to conclude that his definition of the truth is somewhat different to mine. (Mike Barraclough, Media Network blog)
I agree with Mike. Check the twitter feed of Radio86, the CRI affiliate, to see that those fantasy figures are not coming via Twitter. I cannot believe those webpages are scoring - or that they are shifting much Chinese tea. (Jonathan Marks, ibid)
Sound of Hope (SOH), an independent radio network headquartered in the United States, has been warned by its carrier in Taiwan that its contract could be terminated. SOH contracted with Taiwan’s Central Broadcasting System (CBS) in 2004. Broadcast times have increased by two hours every year since that time.
Madam Ke of SOH said “According to a source, since the second half of 2008, the Beijing regime has been using various means to pressure CBS to cut off the shortwave broadcasts by SOH. CBS President Wang Tan-ping told us that it was difficult to continue the relationship because of the pressure from Beijing. After the contract expires on 11 January 2010, we have been told that it will need to be reviewed and adjusted,”
“This is not just interference to SOH, but a challenge to the democratic Taiwan’s freedom of the press,” Mr Zeng of SOH said. (Epoch Times, December 24 via Media Network, Epoch Times and SOH were founded by practitioners of the Falun Gong spiritual discipline, after the Chinese government banned the movement in 1999)
International broadcasting ministry TWR has equipped more than 100,000 house church leaders in China to date. The broadcaster has been distributing
‘Radio Church Kits’ each containing a Chinese Bible, Christian literature and a portable shortwave radio for recipients to plug in to its teaching programmes. The ongoing campaign, which began in 1994, has seen more than 101,500 kits being distributed to various networks and provinces in the country.
TWR says the distribution is focused on the rural areas, which account for 57% of China’s population of over 1.3 billion people, and where there is acute shortage of fulltime pastors, Bible training and discipleship materials due to the dramatic growth in the number of Christians there. (Christianpost.com via Yimber Gaviria, Colombia, DX Listening Digest)
COLOMBIA La Voz del Guaviare heard again after many months on 6035 at 0120 on January 6, really nice songs, poor to fair with interference from 6040. (Giampiero Bernardini, Italy, Cumbre DX)
CONGO DR Radio Okapi in French and Lingala to Congo via Meyerton is now 0400-0500 on 11690, ex 0400-0600. (DX Mix News, Bulgaria via Alokesh Gupta, Cumbre DX)
CUBA My source within CRI today informed me a meeting took place January 7 and 8 at the Ministry of Communications, which included officials from the Ministry Of Culture, State Admin. of Film, Radio & Television, Ministry Of Propaganda, CRI and Cuban Government officials. The meeting was to discuss the leasing of land in Cuba to the Chinese.
A few months a ship that left Tinjian Port bound for Cuba with a few containers of broadcast equipment. The contents were: 3 250 kW transmitters, 2 500 kW transmitters, these are copies of Continental Electronics transmitters by a division of the Jiangxi Hongdu Aviation Industry Group Corporation, 5 HRS type antennas, these are copies of Thales Broadcast Multimedia ones built by a division of the China Leihua Electronic Technology Company. (Keith Perron, Taiwan, DX Listening Digest)
CYPRUS Over the Horizon radar, presumed from here, heard intruding in the middle of the exclusive shortwave broadcast 19 metre band on December 28 at 1429 covering 15260-15290, quite strong and severely interfering with S Asian language station on 15285. Also heard on January 8 at 1445 on 15495-15520, on January 10 at 1409 on 9100-9125 and on January 12 at 1440 on 9132-9158 and weaker on 10150-10172.
The ~25 kHz bandwidth is typical of Cyprus rather than China, but propagationally could also be something Austral - Asiatic, and there are a number of other such radars. (Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest)
CZECH REPUBLIC The Mailbox programme on January 17 said:
Once again, thank you - all of you who have written in in the last few months - so much for expressing your support. As we announced several times, our shortwave broadcasts are to continue according to the current schedule until the end of January. Radio Prague's management is now working on a new schedule starting on February 1st but the great news is Radio Prague will keep its shortwave broadcasts. There will be a certain reduction but it will not be substantial and the majority of our listeners should not be affected by it. Radio Prague will need to find other ways to save and make ends meet with the slimmer budget for 2010. This is the result of intensive negotiations between Czech Radio and the Foreign Ministry and we hope this is good news for you just as it is for us here at Radio Prague.
The future of shortwave, and more information about Radio Prague’s decision to retain it, was discussed in a Talking Point programme on January 19. This feature can be found in the Radio Topics section of this months magazine. (Jonathan Murphy, Edwin Southwell)
DIEGO GARCIA AFRTS Diego Garcia heard on 12759 at 1346 December 31 in USB with reports, weak, heard again after a long time.
On January 4 I heard them on 4319 USB at 2353 with talks in English, fair with a narrow filter to avoid RTTY above the channel. (Giampiero Bernardini, Italy, DXLD)
ECUADOR Instituto Oceanografico de la Armada HD21OA standard time and frequency station heard at 0640-0650 December 26 on 3810. Beep every 10 seconds followed by time announcement in Spanish, previously beeps were continuous with time announced each minute. (Leonardo Bolli, Italy, Appunti DX Radio Blog via DX Listening Digest)
ERITREA Radio Bana heard on 5060, ex 5100, at 0410-0450 fade out January 7, Vernaculars, Horn of Africa songs, 0430 talks maybe news and more songs, 35333, but at times interference from a voice utility station. (Anker Petersen, Denmark, PLAYDX via DX Listening Digest)
Eike Bierwirth has this listed as carrying Voice of Oromo Liberation 0400-0500 and 1500-1600, Michael Ford in last months Logbook reported hearing this programme at 1530 with jamming. (Mike Barraclough)
ETHIOPIA Radio Oromiya heard on 6030 0407-0504 December 28, news in presumed Oromo language. Instrumental music at 0414 with talking over the music ending the news. Identification followed by Horn of Africa vocals. Mix of talks and local music until identification at 0500 followed by more talk. Fair to good at tune in but beginning to fade around 0450. This is becoming a Monday morning UTC regular after the Cuban jammer leaves the airwaves. (Rich D'Angelo, Pennsylvania)
FREE RADIO Greek pirate Radio Pilio from Volos heard on 1625 December 23 at 1800 but best reception on it second harmonic, 3250. Had Greek carols, very bad versions, and female presenter identifying and asking for requests. Upon calling her I commented about the music. She told me that her husband was picking the songs and then offered to play two songs for me. (Zacharias Liangas, Greece)
South Herts Radio now broadcast every other Sunday 0800-2000 on 5835 with low power to Europe from the U.K. Weekdays Monday to Friday we will be on 3935 1900-2200. We are also testing 7325 in the 41 meter band with low power, times and days vary. When we say low power we mean just above micro power but effective when conditions are on our side.
We do offer an excellent listen again service and downloads. South Herts Radio is for the serious DXer and offshore radio enthusiast with DX related shows and pirate tributes mostly as listen on demand files, website www.southhertsradio.com (Gary Drew, DXLD)
Radio Bila Hora, the Czech pirate station, heard at 1536 December 31 on 3334.4. (Andree Bollin, Germany, BDXC-UK Yahoo group)
Had drifted to 3334.7 when heard here weak with utility interference at 1600 tune in. (Dave Kenny, Caversham, ibid)
They operate most years on New Years Eve. Their website, http://rbh.czechian.net
says that 2009 broadcasts started at 1500, was also using 1233 and 96.9.
(Mike Barraclough)
The website is in the Czech language, but via Google Translator I understood that this pirate station is developed by a Czech man of about 35 years of age who always has been very technical minded. He lives near Prague. He built the first transmitter in 1991 called “Radio Clipper”. Better TESLA technologies were introduced in 2004 and he developed and tested the three transmitters which, besides tests, only were broadcasting each year on New Years evening and night. (Anker Petersen, DSWCI DX Window)
Radio Jan van Gent heard on 6953 1530 to 1610 off January 9, non stop folks songs Northern and Balkanic style, later serious religious style, off at 1610, fair to good with strong slow fading. (Giampiero Bernardini, Italy, Cumbre DX)
Has been heard on this frequency in the UK at 1015 January 10, 1250 January 17 and 1540 January 23. (http://shortwavedx.blogspot.com)
GERMANY The Hessicher Rundfunk transmitters on 594 closed down at 0005 January 1. (Kai Ludwig, DX Listening Digest)
GREENLAND KNR Tasiilaq 3815 USB can still be heard until closedown 2215 with weak signals. Transmitter is automatically controlled by a clock which during autumn slowed down about a second per 24 hours. That’s the reason for it being observed closing down already at 2207. I sent a message to the station and the clock is now adjusted.
KNR heard with afternoon transmission on 3815 December 30 at 1500. Quite unexciting programme. Closedown just after 1614 so it seems the automatic clock is still behind, Also heard January 6 in the afternoon, weak signals. (Stig Adolfsson, Sweden, Shortwave Bulletin via Thomas Nilsson, DX Listening Digest)
GUATEMALA Radio Verdad made a third effort to repair its 4052.5 transmitter on January 14. They worked until eleven o’clock at night but did not find a solution. The solution to the problem is to order the construction of two new modules in the United States or to buy a new transmitter but they are unable to finance that. (Station via DX Listening Digest)
HAITI The initial quake shut down landlines and a satellite telecommunications system used by the World Food Programme (WFP), as well as GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) service, according to a comment posted on an internal WFP message board Thursday morning by Pierre Petry, a senior ICT (Info-Communication Technologies) specialist who was working in the northern city of Cap-Haitien when the earthquake struck near Port-au-Prince.
"The Port-au-Prince VSAT (very small aperture terminal) is out of order, the landlines and GSM phone lines are dead. Port-au-Prince Country Office can not be reached anymore even by e-mail or Lotus Notes, as the FoodSat (VSAT satellite unit) is probably damaged," Petry wrote. Trying to reach the WFP station in the capital, he finally was able to get through using HF (high-frequency) radio on 3 Mhz. (PC World via Yimber Gaviria, Colombia, DXLD)
Several online reports of amateur radio operators keeping frequencies clear and assisting in relaying messages to and from Haiti. (Mike Barraclough)
CNN ran a story “Low Tech radios connect some Haitians“. which said in part: "In the brutal aftermath of Haiti's earthquake, Jean-Robert Gaillard turned to his low-tech radio for solace and for a lifeline. When the earthquake hit, the 57-year-old from Petionville, Haiti, found most of his normal lines of communication -- his cell phone, the Internet, even his ability to walk down the street and talk to someone -- severed by the disaster. But Gaillard used a neighbour’s generator to power up his radio and connect to a handful of amateur radio enthusiasts in the United States -- many of whom were eagerly listening to radio static for calls like his.
But amateur radio is best viewed as one of many communications options in the wake of a disaster, said Keith Robertory, manager of disaster services technology at the American Red Cross, who has been helping in Haiti relief efforts from Washington. The best communication technology in a disaster, he said, is whatever happens to work at the time. “Amateur radio is a very powerful tool if the amateur radio operators are in the area where the disaster occurs," he said. "There's a window of opportunity for amateur radio operators right at the beginning of a disaster. That's where they are extremely valuable." Because that window has now passed, cell phone connections, text messages, Twitter posts and Skype calls are becoming more significant, he said.
Some mobile phone towers in Haiti fell during the earthquake, and cell phone service was not returned to much of the country until at least two days after the tremors first shook. (Shaun Geraghty)
Radio France International launched a daily transmission to its Haitian listeners in French and Creole January 18. They are using 6 local FM transmitters. (Media Network)
TWR Bonaire started relays of 4VEH from Cap Haitien on 800 0315-0700. (Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest)
A US Air Force C-130 delivered 50,000 hand-held radios for distribution to Haitian earthquake survivors. The small emergency radios are both solar powered and hand cranked so do not require batteries. The radios will be distributed by JTF Haiti. They are broadcasting news, public health, safety and information regarding relief efforts via a military aircraft fitted with FM and AM broadcast capability on 92.4. 104.1 and 1030. (US Southern Command press release via Terry Krueger, DXLD)
Caraibes FM and Signal FM were the only two stations in Port Au Prince known to be on the air after the quake. (Kate Michel, 4VEH via Bruce Conti, New Hampshire, DXLD)
Internews reported January 18 that at least 12 radio stations and one national radio broadcaster were back on the air. In addition they were bringing in a 300 watt transmitter that is expected to be able to broadcast up to 30 miles around Port-au-Prince. (Media Network)
BBC World Service broadcast special lifeline programming for Haiti from January 16. Schedule 1200-1300 on 9410 via WHRI and 11860 via French Guyana. They expected the programme also to be available via their partner FM station Radio Lumiere. They said they had lots of information from the country via Skype and Twitter and would be using both to inform people of the broadcasts. Programmes would be in French, Spanish and English. (Press release)
Times were previously used for the Spanish service to Cuba. (Eduardo Barra, Chile, DXLD)
Hours after Tuesday
’s earthquake struck near the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, VOA broadcast a 90-minute special program to the people of Haiti. VOA also set up a special call-in number for people to leave messages that will be broadcast to Haiti. Facebook and Twitter accounts were also created. Damage was severe to one of the VOA’s FM affiliates. VOA is the leading international broadcaster in Haiti, with a weekly audience reach of 50%.
VOA Creole expanded from 1.5 hours daily to 5 hours. The evening programmes were also broadcast via the 1180 Marathon transmitter, pre-empting Radio Marti. This was later expanded to 10.5 hours Monday to Friday, 9.5 hours weekends.
A US Defence Forces aircraft began flying January 15 broadcasting a five hour afternoon programme on FM and AM. The plane trails a 264 foot wire, kept vertical with a 500-pound lead weight, to act as its AM antenna. Four other antenna on the wings and fuselage are sending FM signals. The airplane flies an estimated 3,200 miles daily, most of it in a loop above Haitian waters.
The January 20 press release said: "Shortwave radio remains by far the most effective means of reaching audiences around the world, particularly in the developing countries. It is far from an outdated technology, as is sometimes alleged. A highly relevant case in point is earthquake-stricken Haiti, the poorest and most underdeveloped country in the Americas." (VOA Public Relations blog)
Not all of the schedule is shown on the VOA website. Glenn Hauser via DXLD has monitored this complete schedule 1230-1330 6135 (Bonaire) 9505 Monday to Friday, 1730-1930 15390 17565, 1930-2100 15390, 2102-2200 13725, 2200-2300 11905 13725, 2300-0100 7590, 0100-0200 5960 7465 and 0200-0300 7465 7590. Website schedule shows 1180 used 0100-0200, 1230-1330, 1730-1930 and 2200-2300, may be in use at other times.
INDIA AIR Port Blair noted on 4760 at 1723 December 27, fair with instrumental music, parallel to other AIR outlets on 60 metres. At 1728, Port Blair broke from the network and gave its own identification "Akashvani Port Blair". Musical interlude followed until 1730 when transmission closed after another local identification. This was a Sunday, when signoff time appears to be later. (Bryan Clark, New Zealand, DX Listening Digest)
INDONESIA RRI Jambi is active again on 4925, noted on January 20 1100 to 1600 off, later same day noted 2155 with bird call interval signal, anthem 2157 and Jakarta news at 2200. (Sei-ichi Hasegawa, Japan, DX Listening Digest)
LAOS Lao National Radio heard on 7145 at 2354 January 3 and 2345 January 4, talks and oriental music, fair when no radio amateurs using the channel. (Giampiero Bernardini, Italy, DX Listening Digest)
MADAGASCAR I was tuned to Radio Sweden on 9490 at the start of its 2030 English broadcast from Madagascar to Africa December 24. The programme just got into the meat of a report from Bill Schiller about Copenhagen when the carrier was terminated at 2032. I waited for the program to return but it never did. (Rich D’Angelo, Pennsylvania)
There was a fire December 24 in the high voltage room of the external mains power supply at Radio Netherlands Worldwide
’s relay station in Madagascar. Firefighters from the Madagascan capital Antananarivo managed to bring the blaze under control within hours. The fire destroyed the high voltage circuit breaker equipment, and broadcasts from Madagascar were suspended. Transmissions were moved to other sites.
Two transmitters were back on the air on January 1, a third on January 2. The station returned to its full schedule on January 17. (Media Network)
MALAYSIA Sarawak FM via RTM heard on 5030 at 1340, January 9. China CNR-1 off today. In vernacular with easy listening pop songs; 1400 1+1 pips;
“RTM” news; long music segment of repetitive indigenous drums accompanied by chanting/singing; phone conversations; sign off probably at 1600, tuned away at 1545, but off by a check at 1602.
S. Hasegawa in Japan confirmed that CNR-1 is no longer broadcasting on 5030 and that Sarawak signs on at 2155, signs off at 1600. (Ron Howard, California, Cumbre DX)
NETHERLANDS The Arabic music and announcements on Radio Netherlands noted by Edwin Southwell last month 2000-2100 on 5935 Saturday and Sunday is because at the moment we only have funding for Monday to Friday programmes, but we might be able to increase that in the future. Apparently it costs us no extra to be seven days a week on shortwave - I think it has to do with relay exchange arrangements. Weekday programming is Huna Amsterdam. (Andy Sennitt, DXLD to Glenn Hauser who had noted the same)
NIGERIA Voice of Nigeria 15120 sent QSL, sticker and schedule in 3 weeks for email report to englishvon@yahoo.com. (Artur Fernandez Llorella, Spain, Hard Core DX via DX Listening Digest)
The new Abuja station is ready to go in general service. All technical gear is ready. All four frequencies tested a lot on air, 7255 9690 11770 and 15120. 17800 may also be used. Some delays have occurred in civil works. Regular start will be in March 2010 when I will start local engineer training.
The 7275 site is in very bad shape, both 100kw transmitters need to be overhauled. It is hoped to be in regular service by mid-year. (Bodo Fritsche via Wolfgang Bueschel)
Voice of Biafra International via WHRI not heard here December 11 and on fairly regular checks since. The last audiophile on their website is dated December 11. (Glenn Hauser)
NORTH KOREA Shiokaze has moved from 5985 back to 5910 for its 1400-1430 broadcast, heard December 25 at 1419, another English Friday, announcer talking about Kim Jung-Il and other North Korean matters, his accent not so heavy that I could not understand almost every word. No interference, fair signal and 1426 into wrapup mentioning they are originating in Tokyo, Japan. (Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest)
PAKISTAN Radio Pakistan Urdu service to Western Europe 1700-1900 is now on 7535, ex 7530. (DX Mix News Bulgaria via Alokesh Gupta, Cumbre DX)
Islamabad-Rewat has reactivated the 250kw transmitter that has been off the air for some time though there still appears to be a problem with the modulation. Several transmissions can be heard on two frequencies again including the above mentioned service, World Services to Western Europe 0830-1105 on 15100 and 17700, and the English news to the Middle East 1600-1610 on 7535 and 11565, also listed to East Africa on 15100. (Noel Green, DX Listening Digest)
POLAND Polish Radio has started to combine the Multimedia and In Touch programmes in an effort to save on costs. Slawek announced the idea on Friday January 15 and is looking for feedback. The January 22 show had the first half devoted to Polish media matters and reception reports, with the remainder left to answer listeners' questions. The programme is tentatively being called Multitouch. (Jonathan Murphy)
RUSSIA With Austria on 6155 closing at 0715 I heard Arkhangelsk on 6160 January 1 finally more or less in the clear at 0900 January 8, good but fluttery signal here. Some splash from 6165. (Olle Alm, Sweden via Wolfgang Bueschel)
Voice of Orthodoxy in Russian now using 7430, ex 7435, for its Tuesday and Friday broadcasts 1530-1600 via Almaty. (DX Mix News via Cumbre DX
SERBIA International Radio Serbia, 6100 and 7200, sent QSL card in 19 months for e-report to radioju@sbb.co.yu. Envelope with old logo of Radio Yugoslavia but QSL signed as "Medunarodni Radio Srbija". Address: Box 200, Hilandarska 2, 11000 Beograd, Serbia. (Artur Fernandez Llorella, Spain, Hard Core DX via DX Listening Digest)
SLOVAKIA Radio Slovakia International reported that representatives of the state-run Slovak Television and Slovak Radio signed framework agreements with the Culture Ministry on December 21. The deals are for a period of five 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. (Edwin Southwell)
SOLOMON ISLANDS SIBC on 5020 was off during early December, a Radio New Zealand transmitter technician repaired the transmitter which is now on 24 hours. (Gordon Brown, New Zealand, NWDXC via Wolfgang Bueschel)
Much stronger than usual at 1340 December 24 with Christmas show. (Stig Adolfsson, Sweden, Shortwave Bulletin via Thomas Nilsson, DX Listening Digest)
SOUTH AFRICA QSL letter shows new address of Sentech Ltd: PO Box 234. Meyerton 1960. Signer was Sikander Hoosen. (Ron Killick, New Zealand via Wolfgang Bueschel)
UKRAINE Radio Ukraine International heard on January 17 January at 0145 on 7440 with "Hello from Kyiv." There was a stern (and well-deserved) rebuke delivered to a Texas listener who had addressed mail to "RUI/Kiev/Ukraine/Russia.": "After the word Ukraine you may add 'Europe' or 'Western Hemisphere' or 'Planet Earth", for that matter - but you must never never add the word 'Russia.'" (Jim Garman, Rhode Island, DX Listening Digest)
UNITED KINGDOM Media Guardian reports that the BBC says it is
“actively supporting” a formal complaint to the ITU about “deliberate interference” from Iran. The ITU confirmed it had received representations from regulators in France, home to Eutelsat, owner of the Hotbird 6 satellite, which suspended BBC Persian TV’s (PTV) transmissions last month.
The BBC says it is
“determined” to carry on broadcasting PTV and is telling viewers how to adjust their satellite dishes to receive programmes via a different satellite, out of range of jamming from inside Iran. According to Media Guardian, Eutelsat says PTV was removed from Hotbird 6 “in agreement” with the BBC, though sources close to the affair say the BBC caved in to commercial and legal pressures from other customers broadcasting on the same transponder. Another Eutelsat satellite, Hotbird 8, provides capacity to Iranian state broadcasting channels, including the English-language Press TV, which has offices in London. “We had to make a business decision,” Eutelsat said. (Media Network)
Latest RSL’s from the Ofcom website:
Accrington: Milaad FM 87.7 February 14 to March 13
Bradford: Milaad FM 87.9 February 16 to March 15
Chester: Lache FM 87.7 February 8 to 14
Coventry: RAW 87.7 February 27 to March 5
Dudley: Radio Milaad Dudley 87.7 February 20 to March 15
Huddersfield: Radio Milaad FM 87.7 February 17 to March 16
Kingswood, Bristol: Multi FM 87.7 February 15 to 19
Leeds: LSR FM 87.7 February 20 to March 19
Leicester: Lush Radio 87.7 February 22 to March 21
London N7: Market Radio 1134 February 10 to March 9
London W10: Avenues FM 87.7 February 15 to March 14
Louth: Heat Rays 87.8 January 30 to February 14
Manchester: Fuse FM 87.7 February 14 to March 13
Walsall: Milaad FM 87.8 February 15 to March 14
UNITED STATES Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has started broadcasting to the tribal areas of Pakistan in the local Pashto dialect to provide an alternative to Islamic extremist stations. The first programmes from the new Radio Mashaal were aired January 15. (RFE/RL via Zacharias Liangas)
Schedule is 1100-1300 on 9395 11605 and 13700. This was not the idea of the Broadcasting Board of Governors. Some senator put some language in some appropriations bill, and Radio Mashaal was created. (Kim Elliott, DX Listening Digest)
9390 is via Thailand, 11605 and 13705 via Sri Lanka. (DX Mix News via Cumbre DX)
WYFR has additional transmissions to Europe 2000-2100 on 6260 via Grigoriopol and 7240 via Dhabbaya. (Dragan Lekic DX Listening Digest, Wolfgang Bueschel)
WTWW first broadcasts with carrier and tones were on January 1 0545-0600 with 15kw on 5755. Further short tests made during the next few days. On January 23 tests were at 1600-1900 9480, 1900-2200 9475, 2200-2400 9480, 0000-0400 5755. Extensive testing continued past this date. (Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
Heard with a weak but clear signal in the UK January 23 at 1830 tune in on 9480. (Dave Kenny, Caversham, DX Listening Digest)
WJHR, 15550 USB, had an antenna failure. High rf caused melting in the wires. A new antenna is being installed as soon as the weather permits. The new antenna is a quality log periodic which should put out a substantial signal. (George Mock via Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
URUGUAY Radio Sarandi is now broadcasting in USB on 6045, 300 watts to an inverted V, 24 hour schedule. Reports to fgopar34@gmail.com (Horacio Nigro, Uruguay, DXLD)
VIETNAM Voice of Vietnam announced in the Letterbox programme that they have ceased using 1242 due to lack of feedback from listeners. (Edwin Southwell)
WORLDSPACE Worldspace terminated its subscription based service to India on December 31.
The main reason for the termination was that the potential buyer of much of WorldSpace’s global assets has decided not to buy the Worldspace assets relating to, and supporting, its subscription business in India. They said that they were not in a position to offer refunds. The service had 450,000 subscribers, over 50% via the AirTel Direct to Home service which replaced Worldspace channels with All India Radio ones. Subscribers were told that they should use US bankruptcy laws if they wished to make a claim against the company. (Press reports via Alokesh Gupta, dx-India via T.R. Rajeesh)
Worldspace later announced that the subscription service to South Africa on Afristar South would close on January 31. (Rapid TV News)
CONTRIBUTORS: Germany: Wolfgang Bueschel, Greece: Zacharias Liangas, India: T R Rajeesh, Ireland: Jonathan Murphy, UK: Edwin Southwell, Shaun Geraghty, United States: Rich D’Angelo. Until next month MIKE
