Saturday, December 31, 2016

DPRK propaganda station drops AM broadcasts

Echo of Unification (통일의메아리방송), a North Korean radio station that broadcasts propaganda towards South Korea, dropped all mediumwave (AM band) broadcasting on December 21.

The move seemingly confirms the futility of the broadcasts, which consumed large amounts of electricity but were blocked by powerful South Korean government jamming transmitters, but the station isn't giving up. In their place, it has brought on air additional shortwave and FM transmitters.

Echo of Unification launched in December 2012 with three blocks of programming each day: from 7am to 9am; from 1pm to 3pm; and from 9pm to 11pm (Pyongyang time).

The programs were broadcast on shortwave 3,970kHz and 6,250kHz, mediumwave 684kHz and 1,080kHz and FM 97.8MHz.

Source/Full story at :

Thursday, December 29, 2016

KTWR Guam's DRM test broadcast towards South Asia

DRM test broadcast from KTWR Guam towards South Asia :

Date :     9 – 13 January 2017
Time :    1445 – 1515 UTC
Freq :     9910 kHz
Power :  90 kW
Mode :   B 64 QAM
Azimuth : 290 deg
Target : South Asia (Ciraf 41)

Reception reports to : KTWRDRM@twr.org

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Ampegon upgrades shortwave transmission systems in Kuwait, to be DRM compatible

AMPEGON RENEWS SHORTWAVE TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS IN KUWAIT

Shortwave modernization project

Turgi, Switzerland, December 20, 2016. Ampegon has received a contract by Al Rashed company to upgrade five analog shortwave transmitters for the Kuwait Ministry of Information in Al Kabd station.

Ampegon will refurbish the five transmitters delivered in 1992 and 1995. Additionally, three transmitters delivered in 1995 will be upgraded to full digital DRM integration and converted to the new transmitter control system UCS (Unified Control System) including replacement of new motor drives within the tuning circuits. The latest DC motor technology allows faster and more accurate positioning of the transmitter tuning with digital control for fully automated frequency changes. Commissioning and on-site work by Ampegon and Al Rashed engineers will start in January 2017.

Al Rashed company provides turnkey projects in the broadcast field as well as professional services and integration solutions.

The Ministry of Information in Kuwait has one of the largest facilities in the Middle East and the project highlights that AM / DRM radio broadcasting keeps its important role in this area of the world.

(Source : Ampegon.com)

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Radio Mi Amigo International Christmas special




Hello listeners of Radio Mi Amigo International !

This Christmas we'll present you with 2-extra high power special event broadcasts that will cover a large part of globe.

What better occasion than X-mas to celebrate the fact that in 2016 we became the fastest growing AM/Shortwave station in Europe and possibly the world.
  • Our special 2 hour broadcast on December 25th will come from the Armenian 100 kW transmitter - aimed at the larger European region - including Eastern Europe and large parts of Russia and the Middle East. 

  • In the night of December 26th )* a very powerful 125 kW signal from Nauen in Germany will be aimed directly at North America, but with a large overlap in other regions as well.
The large European continent and North America together hold 15% of the world's population, over 1 billion people. Of course we know Shortwave is a niche but we're convinced that this time more people than ever will tune in to our special broadcast.

Our special Event show will be presented live from Amsterdam in the Netherlands, with contributions from all involved with Radio Mi Amigo, directly from studio's in Holland, The UK, Germany, Spain and Equador. We'll introduce ourselves to hopefully many new listeners, celebrate with the current ones, look back at our 2016 highlights and play some very special music. You'll get updates of our plans for next year and we'll talk DX and Shortwave.

Please note the times and frequencies below and calculate UTC times to your timezone.

(For instance: EST -New York- is earlier, so there it will still be on December 25: 7 - 9 pm)



Date: 25-12-2016 

Time:  19:00 hrs - 21:00 hrs UTC (20:00 - 22:00 hrs Central European Time)

Frequency: 6145 kHz (49 meter band) - via Armenia (100 kW)

To: the greater European region


Date: 26-12-2016 

Time:  00:00 hrs - 02:00 hrs UTC (01:00 hrs - 03:00 hrs Central European Time)

Frequency: 6080 kHz (49 meter band) via Nauen, Germany (125 kW)

To: North America and Greenland
Note that in the U.S. the broadcast date is still December 25! 7 - 9 pm [EST], 6- 8 pm [CST] and 4 - 6 pm [PST]

Of course all shows can be heard at the same time on our onlinestreams
All Infos also on our Facebook-page

We look forward to your reception reports. As always, we'll reward you with our colourful printed QSL card and Mi Amigo car stickers.

On behalf of everyone at Radio Mi Amigo International, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 

                        





Thursday, December 15, 2016

Gyan Vani FM channels to resume operation from January

Press Trust of India  |  New Delhi December 15, 2016

The operation of Gyan Vani FM channels, which were stopped in 2014 due to discontinuation of payments by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), will be resumed from January.
Signing of an MoU between IGNOU and All India Radio (AIR) last week paved the way for resuming the operation of the educational radio channels.

IGNOU Vice Chancellor Prof Ravindra Kumar, who was present on the occasion of the MoU signing on December 9, said in the near future, there will be 56 Gyan Vani channels.

Before being shut down on October 1, 2014, 37 Gyan Vani stations across the country were broadcasting educational radio programmes which were instructional and enriched in nature for different target groups.

The MoU will facilitate sharing of Prasar Bharati's broadcasting infrastructure for the transmission of Gyan Vani radio stations which possess 10 KW FM transmitters, Prof Kiron Bansal, in-charge of Public Information Unit at IGNOU, said.

Gyan Vani began operations in 2001 as a collaborative media initiative of Human Resource Development and Information and Broadcasting ministries. IGNOU was the nodal organisation running the channels.

Due to discontinuation of payments by IGNOU from April 1, 2013, resulting in accumulation of dues to the tune of Rs 21.64 crore, operation of Gyan Vani channels were stopped by AIR.



32 Community Radio Stations sanctioned in North Eastern States so far: Govt

Government has sanctioned for setting up 32 Community Radio Stations in North Eastern States so far. In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore yesterday informed that out of the sanctioned stations, three community radio stations are now operational.




New Law Would Reorganize VOA

Control over U.S. government international broadcasting will be consolidated under a powerful chief executive, under legislation expected to soon be signed by President Barack Obama.

The changes were included as part of an annual defense funding bill, the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, which was passed last week by both houses of Congress.

Full story at :


Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Extension of regional SW transmission of NE Services from AIR Shillong on 4970 kHz

With effect from 15th Dec'16 evening transmission of North East Service on 50 kW regional SW Transmitter of All India Radio, Shillong will be extended on 4970 kHz till 2310 IST (1740 UTC).

Revised schedule :

0025-0400 UTC on 4970 kHz
1056-1740 UTC on 4970 kHz

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

All India Radio Chennai Update

AIR Chennai update:

My monitoring observation regarding AIR Chennai after cyclone Vardha hit the city yesterday :

10 kW SW Transmitter:

7380 kHz off air from around 0830 of 12 Dec 2016 & missing today 13 Dec 16 morning broadcast.
4920 kHz on air evening of 12th Dec 2016 and morning of today 13 Dec 16

100 kW SW transmitter:

7270 kHz Off Air from scheduled broadcast from 1000 on 12 Dec 16.

Summary:

AIR Chennai frequencies on SW of 7380 (10 kW) & 7270 (100 kW) off air from afternoon of 12th Dec 16 (as their 2 towers have fallen down)

4920 (10 kW) Morning & Evening/Night frequency of 10 kW tx is on air as usual.

AIR Chennai FM frequencies on as usual.

AIR Chennai MW channels 720, 1017 kHz heard but with weaker signals than usual.

AIR Chennai 783 kHz DRM not heard

(Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio,Hyderabad, India)

Update 14th Dec, 2016 :

AIR Chennai back on 7380 kHz today after being off air for a couple of days due to cyclone.

NDR Chirstmas special transmission via Media Broadcast on 24th Dec'16



Norddeutsche Rundfunndr Chirstmas special 2016 transmission via Media Broadcast :

Date : 24th Dec 2016 (Saturday)

1900-2100 UTC on 6125 kHz 125 kW (Via Nauen, Germany) to North Atlantic
1900-2100 UTC on 9740 kHz 125 kW (Via Nauen, Germany)to Indian Ocean West
1900-2100 UTC on 11650 kHz 250 kW (Via Issoudun, France) to South Atlantic
1900-2100 UTC on 9800 kHz 250 kW (Via Issoudun, France) to Atlantic/Indian Ocean (South Africa)
1900-2100 UTC on 9790 kHz 100 kW (Via Moosbrunn, Austria) to Indian Ocean - East
1900-2100 UTC on 6145 kHz 100 kW (Via Yerevan-Gavar,Armenia) to Europe

2100-2300 UTC on 5930 kHz 125 kW (Via Nauen, Germany) to North Atlantic
2100-2300 UTC on 9765 kHz 125 kW (Via Nauen, Germany) to Indian Ocean West
2100-2300 UTC on 9830 kHz 250 kW (Via Issoudun, France) to South Atlantic
2100-2300 UTC on 9590 kHz 250 kW (Via Issoudun, France) to Atlantic/Indian Ocean (South Africa)
2100-2300 UTC on 9650 kHz 100 kW (Via Moosbrunn, Austria) to Indian Ocean - East
2100-2300 UTC on 6145 kHz 100 kW (Via Yerevan-Gavar,Armenia) to Europe

Please send your answer and reception reports to : QSL-Shortwave@media-broadcast.com

More info at :

http://www.ndr.de/info/sendungen/So-empfangen-Sie-die-Gruss-an-Bord-Sendungen,grussanbord326.html

On Christmas Eve, Norddeutsche Rundfunndr broadcasts messages to sailors all over the world in the radio broadcast "Gruss an Bord" or "Greeting aboard" - greetings to the ship's crew in their home country. The greetings to the sailors were recorded at two "greeting on board" events in the Adventszeit: on 4 December in the  Cultural memory in Wilhelmine gear in neutral and on December 11 in the Hamburg Seemannsmission "Duckdalben". Relatives and friends had the opportunity to wish their loved ones at sea a happy holiday and a good new year. The show "Greeting aboard" was heard for Christmas 1953 for the first time on the radio. It is thus one of the oldest existing radio broadcasts in the world.

More about program "Gruss an Bord"
http://www.ndr.de/info/sendungen/Gruss-an-Bord,grussanbord306.html

(Alokesh Gupta)

Monday, December 12, 2016

Band 2 Tropo Logs at 0300 UTC, 12th Dec 2016


Band 2 Tropo Logs at 0300 UTC, 12th Dec 2016

87.7 Unid from Nepal
88.0 Unid from Nepal
89.4 Suno Pakistan
90.2 Radio Surkhet Nepal
90.4 Radio IIMT, Meerut
90.8 Suno Sharda, Greater Noida
91.2 Radio Lok Manch, Greater Noida
91.4 Radio BheriGanga, Nepal
91.9 Radio Mantra, Bareilley
93.7 Fever FM, Agra
94.0 Krisnasar FM, Nepal
94.5 Unid from Nepal
94.6 Bageshwari FM, Nepal
94.9 Fever FM, Aligarh
96.4 Unid from Nepal
98.6 Bheri FM,Nepal
99.4 Shuklaphanta FM, Nepal
100.0 Radio Nepal
100.2 AIR Patiala
100.4 AIR Bareilley
100.6 Phoolbari FM, Nepal
100.7 AIR Lucknow
100.8 AIR Fazilka, Urdu Prog
101.1 AIR Bhatinda
101.3 AIR Aligarh
101.4 AIR Kurukshetra
101.6 AIR Lucknow, VBS
101.8 Kantipur FM, Nepal
101.9 AIR Faizabad (presumed) weak
102.1 AIR Mussourie (FM Rainbow)
102.3 AIR Lakhimpur Kheri all 5
102.7 AIR Jalandhar
102.8 AIR RaiBarely
103.0 AIR Jhansi
103.1 AIR Alwar
103.4 Unid from Nepal
103.5 AIR Rohtak VBS
103.7 AIR Kanpur VBS

(SONY XDR-S10HDiP + Stacked GP)

Tuesday, December 06, 2016

No shortage of radio sets in market, says Prasar Bharati

NEW DELHI: The Government has been told by Prasar Bharati that there have been no reports of shortage of radio sets in the market.

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore told Parliament that emphasis was being laid on 'FM-ization' - expansion of FM Transmission - to ensure superior stereophonic sound having, to ensure that old Medium Wave programmes are also available on FM mode to become available for wider reception even over hand held mobile sets for public convenience.

He said All India Radio had 419 Radio Stations and 608 Transmitters across the country. AIR does not have the data of number of users. AIR covers 92% of the area and 99.2% of the population of the country.

Full story at :

ABC Exits Shortwave Radio Transmission

Tuesday, December 6, 2016 — The ABC will end its shortwave transmission service in the Northern Territory and to international audiences from 31 January 2017.

The move is in line with the national broadcaster's commitment to dispense with outdated technology and to expand its digital content offerings including DAB+ digital radio, online and mobile services, together with FM services for international audiences.

The majority of ABC audiences in the Northern Territory currently access ABC services via AM and FM and all ABC radio and digital radio services are available on the VAST satellite service.

ABC International's shortwave services currently broadcast to PNG and the Pacific. Savings realised through decommissioning this service will be reinvested in a more robust FM transmitter network and an expanded content offering for the region that will include English and in-language audio content.

Michael Mason, ABC's Director of Radio said, "While shortwave technology has served audiences well for many decades, it is now nearly a century old and serves a very limited audience. The ABC is seeking efficiencies and will instead service this audience through modern technology".

The ABC, working alongside SBS, is planning to extend its digital radio services in Darwin and Hobart, and to make permanent its current digital radio trial in Canberra. Extending DAB+ into the nation's eight capital cities will ensure ABC digital radio services can reach an additional 700,000 people, increasing the overall reach of ABC digital radio to 60% of the Australian population.

ABC Radio is also investigating transmission improvements to address reception gaps in the existing five DAB+ markets. It aims to ensure a resilient DAB+ service in every capital city, with enhanced bitrates and infill where necessary.

"Extending our DAB+ offer will allow audiences in every capital city in Australia equal access to our digital radio offering, as well as representing an ongoing broadcast cost saving owing to lower transmission costs," added Michael Mason.

ABC International's Chief Executive Officer Lynley Marshall said the reinvestment from closing international shortwave services would maximise the ABC's broadcast capabilities in the region.

"In considering how best to serve our Pacific regional audiences into the future we will move away from the legacy of shortwave radio distribution," Ms Marshall said. "An ever-growing number of people in the region now have access to mobile phones with FM receivers and the ABC will redirect funds towards an extended content offering and a robust FM distribution network to better serve audiences into the future."

Once international shortwave ceases transmission, international listeners can continue to access ABC International services via:


in-country FM transmitters: see Radio Australia's 'Ways to Listen' at: http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/radio/waystolisten/fiji

the Australia Plus expats app (available in both iOS and Android)

partner websites and apps such as www.tunein.com  and www.vtuner.com.

Audiences can access further information via the reception advice line 1300 139 994, online at abc.net.au/shortwave, or via ABC Local Radio (Darwin and Alice Springs).

Sunday, December 04, 2016

Radio Taiwan International changes frequency for South Asia wef 1st Dec

With effect from 1st Dec'2016 Radio Taiwan International is using 6185 kHz ( ex 9405) for it's english transmisson to South Asia at 1600-1700 UTC

Friday, December 02, 2016

Radio Free Asia commemorates 'Year of the Rooster' with a new QSL card

Radio Free Asia commemorates 2017 as the Year of the Rooster with a QSL card highlighting the work called "Rooster" by Korean painter Jang Seung-eop, better known as Owan. People born in Rooster year are said to be deep thinkers, capable, and talented. According to tradition, they like to be busy, devoted beyond their capabilities and are deeply disappointed if they fail. They are also considered a bit eccentric and having difficult relationships with others. Roosters are considered to be loners and, though they give the outward impression of being adventurous, they are timid. This is RFA's 63rd QSL and is used to confirm all valid reception reports January – April 2016.


RFA's 2017 Year of the Rooster QSL

Created by Congress in 1994 and incorporated in 1996, RFA broadcasts in Burmese, Cantonese, Khmer, Korean to North Korea, Lao, Mandarin (including the Wu dialect), Vietnamese, Tibetan (Uke, Amdo, and Kham), and Uyghur. RFA strives for accuracy, balance, and fairness in its editorial content. As a 'surrogate' broadcaster, RFA provides news and commentary specific to each of its target countries, acting as the free press these countries lack. RFA broadcasts only in local languages and dialects, and most of its broadcasts comprise news of specific local interest. More information about Radio Free Asia, including our current broadcast frequency schedule, is available at www.rfa.org.

RFA encourages listeners to submit reception reports. Reception reports are valuable to RFA as they help us evaluate the signal strength and quality of our transmissions. RFA confirms all accurate reception reports by mailing a QSL card to the listener. RFA welcomes all reception report submissions at http://techweb.rfa.org (follow the QSL REPORTS link) not only from DXers, but also from its general listening audience Reception reports are also accepted by email at qsl@rfa.org and by mail to:

Reception Reports
Radio Free Asia
2025 M. Street NW, Suite 300
Washington DC 20036
United States of America.

(A.J.Janitschek,RFA)

Thursday, December 01, 2016

Sporadic E causing strange phenomena for radio stations

At this time of year, atmospheric effects can give stations interference problems by reflecting radio signals well beyond thier official coverage areas.
In Australia this week, stations have reported interference from signals thousands of kilometres away.

The cause is known as Sporadic E, an atmospheric effect that causes signals in the 30-300MHz range to reflect off the E layer of the Earth's atmosphere, around a hundred kilometers above Earth's surface, instead of flying through into space.

More at :

China revises rules for radio operations

China has released revised regulations covering the management of radio frequencies, stations, transmission equipment and radio operations related to foreign affairs.

The initial rules came into force in September 1993 to ensure proper development and use of radio frequencies.

Read the full story at :