Friday, April 20, 2012

Radio Netherlands Weekly Program Preview





For the week of: 20 April - 26 April 2012

The State We're In
Jonathan Groubert and his team look at current events from an unexpected perspective.

Street Warriors

A man in Belarus fights for gay rights in Belarus and loves it. A woman in Barcelona takes on pickpocket gangs and wins. A woman in Zimbabwe buys a van to start a business but it gets stolen. And a scientist in New York state uses evolutionary science to improve life in his town.

First airing: Saturday 02:00 UTC

Earth Beat
Marnie Chesterton and her team look at the footprint we’re leaving on our planet.

Coming up on Earth Beat, we look at necessary evils. Like the tar sands in Canada. There’s no getting away from the fact that we need the oil, but is it worth the obliteration of a once pristine forest landscape? We also hear from a woman who treats her pain with more pain, and the man who kills rabbits, to save an ecosystem. Stories of benefits that come at a heavy cost.

First airing: Friday 03:00 UTC

South Asia Wired
Stories from South Asia.

The culture of the river gypsies in Bangladesh is slowly sinking, what to know why? Listen to this week’s South Asia Wired.

(There'll be a new edition of the program on Thursday )

First airing: Thursday 10:00 UTC

Bridges With Africa
We're giving the microphone to Diaspora groups in Europe and are linking up with stations in Africa.

This week:

Fears in the Netherlands about an increase in suicide amongst asylum seekers
We have tea with the Tuaregs in Paris, and
Hip Hop Pantsula, Africa’s favourite rapper talks to us about his new album and his plans to go global

First airing: Friday 00:00 UTC

Africa in Progress
Inspiring round-table discussions with guest speakers and in-depth interviews give listeners food for thought.

Calling on brains to return to Africa

Every year, Africa loses about three billion euros in revenue because our most valuable professionals decide to go work in rich countries. Can this trend be reversed? That's the question we ask in this our programme. We find out why Africa’s professionals leave and what is being done to attract them back home where they are needed.

Guests: Dr Edith Munene (Kenya); Dr Arthur Kennedy (Ghana)

Producer: Winnie Onyimbo (Kenya), with additional reporting from Fiifi Koomson (Ghana)

First airing: Monday 18:00 UTC

Commonwealth Story
A selection of winning stories chosen from the large number of entries for the 2010 Commonwealth Short Story Competition.

“Praise Be” by Jena Woodhouse, Australia. A marriage at the crossroads read by Federay Holmes

First airing: Tuesday 01:50 UTC

Global Perspective
Who says I can’t… is the motto of this year’s collaboration of international broadcasters, offering stories of defiance and perseverance.

Who says I can’t squat?

Radio Netherlands Worldwide’s Dheera Sujan visits Sanne, Tom and Bo – three Dutch squatters. She hears their struggle to build – and keep – their home amid the new anti-squat laws in the Netherlands.

First airing: Monday 17:30 UTC

Hear the World
current series of European Jazz Stage has come to an end. But don’t despair, there’s plenty of good music to come. We’ve started a new series of Hear the World, hosted by Dheera Sujan.

The band Mokumba from Zimbabwe is opening the show. They play an energetic mix of Afro-pop and traditional rhythms from the Tonga region.

Kamel Farjani and Ahmed el-Kalai are two masters of the oud, the Arab lute, from Tunisia. Their music includeds makams, Andalusian folk music and traditional Tunisian melodies.

In our weekly Dutch World Music Delights slot, we present bandoneon player Carel Kraayenhof. He is a tireless promotor of Argentinian tango music.

Cuban pianist Ramon Vaye with his trio were recorded in Amsterdam. His style has been influenced by jazz giants Chick Korea, Herbie Hancock and Keith Jarrett, but he remains musically faithful to his Cuban roots.

First airing: Monday 01:00 UTC

RNW Classical
Classical concerts from the Royal Concertgebouw as well as studio recordings of Dutch performers, presented by Hans Haffmans.

Available 24 hours a day

Streaming audio: www.radionetherlands.nl/


Radio Netherlands English Service

All times UTC

targeted to Asia and Africa

0959-1000 15110as
1000-1057 15110as
1359-1400 9800as
1400-1457 9800as
1859-1900 7425af 11615af 15495af
1900-2000 7425af 11615af 15495af
2000-2057 7425af 11615af 15495af
(Leo van der Woude/R Netherlands)

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

QSL Report Central

The following QSL contributions, were cut from my monthly QSL Report column in Monitoring Times for space constraints. Thank you to all the contributors. Your QSL reports or loggings for Blog Logs are always welcomed at teakpub@brmemc.net
Gayle Van Horn, Frequency Manager

Austria
Polskie Radio relay, 9770 kHz. Full data QSL card and personal letter from Slawek Szefs. Received in 62 days after follow up report to veri signer. (Vashek Korineki, South Africa/playdx)
OEY601 Bundesheer Zeltweg, 3759 kHz. Full data QSL card via OE6PPF. Received in 287 days. (Patrick Robic, Austria/UDXF/LVH)

Clandestine
Miraya FM via Mykolaiv, Ukraine, 9940 kHz. E-verification letter from Dorji Wangchuk, Broadcast Engineer, United Nations Mission in South Sudan. Received in four days. This is the same person, who in 2008, verified my report and other DXers in Europe. At that time, he was Executive Broadcast Engineer at BBS. (Wendal Craighead, KS)

FM
Dubai: Gulf News Broadcasting, 99.3 MHz. Prepared QSL card verified. Received in 75 days after follow up report. Heard station while in UAE. (Vashek Korineki, South Africa/playdx)

Nigeria: Radio Gotel, Yola, 917.0 MHz. Personal letter and prepared QSL card verified from Engr. Kwaji Tari Kwaya. Received in 110 days after follow up report (Vashek Korineki, South Africa/playdx).

Germany
Radio Saxonia, 9480 kHz. Full data E-QSL card. Received in 22 days for reception report sent to: radiosaxonia@web.de (Manuel Mendez, Spain/HCDX)

MV Baltic Radio, 9480 kHz. Full data E-QSL signed by Ronald. Received in two days for report to: info@mvbalticradio.de (Artur Fernandez Llorella, Spain/HCDX)

Greece
Beacon PRV Preveza, 6852.1 kHz. No data email response, plus attached photos of station equipment. Received in one day for email to: sw6mu@yahoo.gr (Patrick Robic, Austria/UDXF/LVH)

Italy
Time/Frequency Station IBF, Torino, 5000 kHz. Full data E-QSL. Received in 12 days for reception report sent to: qsl@radiomaria.org (Manuel Mendez, Spain/HCDX)

Kuwait
Radio Mashaal/RFE relay, 12130 kHz. Full data card. Received in 42 days after follow up report. (Vashek Korineki, South Africa/playdx)

Medium Wave
Australia: 5PA (ABC) Naracoote, 1161 kHz AM. E-QSL from Adrian Mattiske, Producer ABC South East. Received in 15 days for an AM report to: Mattiske.Adrian@abc.net.au (Vashek Korinek, South Africa/playdx)

Lesotho: LM Radio relay, 1197 kHz. Personal email from manuel dos Santos, Studio Manager, Johannesburg. Received in eight days for an AM report to: manuel@Imradio.co.za (Vashek Korineki, South Africa/playdx)

Lithuania
HCJB relay, 5940 kHz. QSL card signed by Iris Rauscher and station newsletter. Received in 189 days. (Vashek Korineki, South Africa/playdx)

Madagascar
Voice of America relay, 12060 kHz. Full data QSL card, calendar, post cards and broadcast schedule. Received in 113 days. (Vashek Korineki, South Africa/playdx)

Moldova
Transnistria, Radio Pridnestrovie, 9665 kHz. Full data QSL letter and photo of rotating antenna structure. Received in 144 days for an English airmail report and two IRCs. (Al Muick, PA/Cumbre DX)

Northern Mariana Islands
Radio Free Asia relay via Tinian, 9825 kHz. Full data RFA QSL card. Received in 11 days for report posted online at http://www.techweb.rfa.org/ (Rudolf Grimm, Brazil)

South Africa
IBRA Radio relay, 12125 kHz. Full data E-QSL . Received in 15 weeks for report to: info@ibra.se (Artur Fernandez Llorella, Spain/HCDX)

Sri Lanka
Radio Free Asia relay, 9385 kHz. Full data QSL. Received in three weeks for report to: qsl@rfa.org (Artur Fernandez Llorella, Spain/HCDX)

Taiwan
Central Weather Bureau, MOTC, Taipei, BMF 8140 kHz. Full data laminated QSL card and letter, signed by Richard Kao. Received in five months. (Martin Foltz, CA/UDXF)

United States
NAVMARCORPS MARS on USS Midway in San Diego, CA, NNN0CQQ 7351 kHz. Full data QSL card and USS Midway brochure.Received in seven days for a follow-up report for reception during last years AFD broadcast. (Martin Foltz, CA/UDXF)

Domestic Broadcasting Survey 14 released


The 55 year old Danish Shortwave Club International, which contains radio DXers in 33 countries as members, has just released the 14th annual edition of Domestic Broadcasting Survey.

The survey is divided into three parts, which include all active broadcast stations on 2300-5700 kHz, including clandestines. Part 2 are stations in international shortwave bands above 5700 kHz, and Part 3 includes deleted frequencies between 2 and 30 MHz, that have not been heard during the past five years.

For additional information on the club and DBS, please refer to www.dswci.org/

I will be reviewing DBS-14, in an upcoming summer edition of Monitoring Times.
Gayle Van Horn, Frequency Manager

Radio Biafra London slated for return to shortwave



Clandestine

11870 kHz, Radio Biafra London will resume broadcasts begining this Saturday, Apr 21 according to their website www.radiobiafralondon.com/ . Their website ”Mission Statement” says broadcasts will be "twice a week" "at 8 pm". But a separate ”update” on the website contradicts this saying "daily on 11870MHz on 25 Metre Band Shortwave from 8PM to 9PM Biafra time" (so 1900-2000 UTC - but cannot see any HFCC entry for this yet).

"After two years of absence the legendary Radio Biafra London (RBL) is back on air and resumes on Saturday 21 April 2012, at 8pm broadcasting twice a week on 11870 kHz frequency on the shortwave band from its London studio to all African countries with concentrated footprint in Nigeria. Listeners in the Greater London area can tune into 94.3 FM at the same time whilst those outside London and elsewhere in the world can follow the program online by visiting http://www.radiobiafralondon.com/ and clicking on the daily broadcast play button. RBL is a public service broadcaster and will serve as the eyes, ears and voice for millions of dispossessed, disenfranchised, abandoned and oppressed people of various ethnic nationalities in Nigeria"

"The full version of the website will be available on Saturday the 21st of April to coincide with the first comeback broadcast. We would be broadcasting daily on 11870MHZ on 25 metre band shortwave from 8PM to 9PM Biafra time. Thank you for visiting Radio Biafra London website..." www.radiobiafralondon.com/

The London FM frequency 94.3 mentioned above is not a licenced frequency, though perhaps they actually mean 94.0 MHz, the frequency of licenced Voice of Africa Radio (VOAR) which moved to 94.0 from 94.3 in 2011?

The British DX Club's "Africa on Shortwave" at www.bdxc.org.uk/ has this entry for Radio Biafra (under Nigeria): Radio Biafra was established as an independent radio station broadcasting on shortwave in April 2009. The project was funded through donations from supportive private individuals in Biafra. It broadcast in Igbo and English via Skelton, United Kingdom. Broadcasts were discontinued prior to the B-09 season. (Pennington via Berg in DXplorer, Apr 17)
(DX Window 452 via Anker Petersen)

Updated information on Kurdistani clandestines


Clandestines

All times UTC

* sign-on / sign-off * // parallel

logs edited for clarity

3930v, Radio Voice of Kurdistan, Sulaimaniya, Iraq, *0140 (irr. *0157)-0355* or later, and *1357-1527.* Monitored A 12 schedule on Mar 26, 28, 31, Apr 01 and 07, frequency varies very little: 3929-3931. The Kurdistan anthem is played at 0200 and it is also used by the Voice of Iranian Kurdistan at 0230 on 3960v and 4870v. Years ago it was used by the social democratic party, but not from Komala (Pankov).

3960v, Voice of Iranian Kurdistan, Salah Al-Din, Iraq, *0225-0433* and *1225(presumed)-1427*, Mar 26, 28, 31, Apr 01 and 07. Interval signal and anthem 0230, frequency jumps 3959-3981 // 4870 (jumping 4864-4883). (Pankov)

4874.67, Voice of Iranian Kurdistan, Salah Al-Din, Iraq, *0230, Apr 15. Hymn to Qu'ran. Female talks and interview mentioning Kurdistan, CODAR interference. Signal fair, frequency drifting. (Bernardini)
(DX Window 452 via Anker Petersen)

Bhutan monitoring observations


Bhutan

log edited for clarity

6035 kHz. Bhutan Broadcasting Service, Sangaygang, Thimphu, 0544-0600 UTC, Apr 10, 2012. Its my pleasure to inform you that BBS had been back on air for the first time in many weeks on its usual shortwave frequency during my aircheck. There was English songs with a host introducing the songs etc., closing announcement, plus music then an announcement about a new language service transmission beginning around 0600 UTC.The signal strength was satisfactory and overall reception was good, no interference as such observed.

Later in the afternoon, BBS English was also heard with news, public announcement and English songs on air, on 6035 kHz from 0805 to 0817 or so as per my monitoring. There was slight interference from a radio station broadcasting on 6025 kHz. Slight problem of audio miss-audio break during the transmission from time to time for a period of a few seconds. In the evening and night, the reception was not very good..

Today on Apr 14, I did not find BBS's signal during my aircheck late in the morning on 6035 kHz during it's morning English transmission slot 0500-0600 UTC and earlier. Aaround 0631 UTC, it was still off the air. But again while checking around 0732, I found BBS signal in a local language.
(Gautam Kumar Sharma, Abhayapuri, Assam, India)
(DX Window 452 via Anker Petersen)

New broadcast times for Voice of Justice


Azerbaijan
9677.4 kHz. Radio Fedaletin Sesi / Voice of Justice, Nagorno-Karabakh, in Azeri heard all Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays in times as in B11 Winter schedule as follows: Tu/Fr 1400-1425 UTC, and Wed/Saturday 0600-0625 UTC (in previous summers respective from 1300 and from 0500 DST). So maybe in Armenia or in Azerbaijan, or in both the situation with their local times is similar as in Russia and Belarus. (Pankov, Apr 12)
(DX Window 452 via Anker Petersen)

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Twitter radio news bytes

For the latest shortwave news bytes, tips and Hot Spot reminders - don't forget to follow me on Twitter at Gayle Van Horn @QSLRptMT. Plenty of "extras" to keep you busy at your listening post !

Summer frequency updates


All times UTC

Egypt
New registered frequencies of Radio Cairo, maybe upcominig changes:
1300-1400 on 17725 ABZ 250 kW / 070 deg to WeAs Dari, now on 15065
1400-1600 on 15240 ABZ 250 kW / 070 deg to WeAs Pashto, now on 15065
1400-1600 on 17640 ABZ 250 kW / 070 deg to WeAs Pashto, now on 15065
1600-1700 on 13680 ABS 250 kW / 315 deg to EaEu Bosnian, new language




Italy/Romania
Changes of NEXUS IBA IRRS Shortwave:
Music, instead of Arab Woman Today in Arabic:
0800-0815 on 11910 TIG 300 kW / 140 deg to N&ME/WeAS Wed
1500-1515 on 15190 TIG 300 kW / 140 deg to N/ME/WeAS Fri

UK - Babcock
From April 1

WYFR Family Radio changes:
1500-1600 NF 13690 DHA 250 kW / 105 deg to SoAs English, ex 11605
1830-1930 NF 17550 ASC 250 kW / 065 deg to WeAf Hausa, ex 19-20 on 9685 DHA

Clandestine: Radio Damal The Voice of the Somali People in Somali, temporarily suspended
0400-0700 on 15700 DHA 250 kW / 205 deg to EaAf
1830-1930 on 11740 WOF 300 kW / 122 deg to EaAf
1930-2130 on 11650 DHA 250 kW / 205 deg to EaAf

Gospel for Asia in various SEAs langs, all transmissions are cancelled:
2330-2400 on 6040 DHA 250 kW / 085 deg to SEAs
0000-0130 on 6145 DHA 250 kW / 085 deg to SEAs
1600-1630 on 9810 DHA 250 kW / 100 deg to SEAs
1615-1630 on 9810 DHA 250 kW / 070 deg to SEAs Sun-Wed

USA
Frequency change of WEWN in English to SEAs from April 14:
1100-1300 NF 11520*EWN 250 kW / 355 deg, ex 11565 to avoid WHRI, re-ex 9390
1300-1500 on 9390 EWN 250 kW / 355 deg to SEAs, cancelled for maintenance!
*til 1200 co-ch WYFR Family Radio in Tagalog via Paochung, Taiwan

Frequency change of Voice of America:
1330-1430 NF 11565 IRA 250 kW / 073 deg to SEAs, ex 11540*in Khmer
1600-1700 NF 9400 BIB 100 kW / 085 deg to CeAs, ex 9435 in Georgian
* to avoid WYFR Family Radio in English via Hu Wei, Taiwan

Frequency changes of Radio Liberty:
1400-1500 NF 12025 BIB 100 kW / 085 deg to CeAs, ex 11730 in Turkmen
1500-1600 NF 12025 LAM 100 kW / 075 deg to CeAs, ex 9830 in Turkmen
1500-1600 NF 9400 BIB 100 kW / 088 deg to CeAs, ex 12025 in Azeri
(DX Re Mix 726 via Ivo Ivanov, Bulgaria via Alokesh Gupta, India)

Monday, April 16, 2012

World Amateur Radio Day 2012


Special Event Station HF87WARD
On April 18, 2012 we will celebrate the World Amateur Radio Day on the 87th Anniversary of the founding of the International Amateur Radio Union, IARU. To commemorate this event members of the SP-CFF (SP0CFF) will activate (April, 17-30) the special event callsign HF87WARD. QSL via eQSL.cc and WFF LogSerach. For those who want to send card direct, please send SASE to: Polish Club Flora & Fauna, Suchacz, Wielmozy 5b, 82-340 Tolkmicko, Poland.
More info: http://suchacz.eu/articles.php?article_id=42

WARD 2012 Award
Every year, April 18 is a special day for radio amateurs from all over the world. It is celebrated to commemorate the formation of International Amateur Radio Union - IARU. A special event award - WARD 2012 Award - is issued by MK QTC (The Polish Radio Amateurs' Journal)
and PZK (Polski Zwiazek Krotkofalowcow) in recognition of this event.
More info: http://suchacz.eu/articles.php?article_id=42
73 de SP2FAP
*******************************************
73 and Good DX!
Dave Raycroft, VA3RJ
Home of ICPO: http://www.qsl.net/va3rj/

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

All India Radio Summer Schedule

External Service

Effective: 25 March - 28 October 2012

All times UTC

broadcast daily unless otherwise indicated
target areas: af (Africa) as (Asia) me (Middle East)pa (Pacific)va (Various Areas)

Arabic
0430-0500 15210me 15770me 17845me
0500-0530 15210me 15770me 17845me
1730-1800 9620me 11710me 13640me
1800-1900 9620me 11710me 13640me
1900-1945 9620me 11710me 13640me

Baluchi
1500-1600 6165as 7340as

Bengali
0300-0400 7420as
0400-0430 7420as
0800-0900 7420as
0900-1000 7420as
1000-1100 7420as
1445-1500 7420as
1500-1515 7420as
1600-1700 7420as
1700-1730 7420as

Burmese
1215-1300 11620as 11710as 15040as
1300-1315 11620as 11710as 15040as

Chinese
1145-1200 11840as 15795as 17705as
1200-1300 11840as 15795as 17705as
1300-1315 11840as 15795as 17705as

Dari
0300-0345 9835as 9910as 11735as
1315-1400 11670as
1400-1415 11670as

English
0000-0045 6055as 9705as 9950as 11670as 13605as
0000-0045 DRM 9950eu
1000-1100 7270as 13695pa 15020as 15410as 17510pa 17800as 17895pa
1330-1400 9690as 11620as 13710as
1400-1500 9690as 11620as 13710as
1745-1800 7400af 7550eu 9415af 9445af 11580af 11670as 11935af 13695af
1745-1800 DRM 9950eu
1800-1900 7400af 7550as 9415af 9445af 11580af 11670as 11935af 13695af
1800-1900 DRM 9950eu
1900-1945 7400af 7550eu 9415af 9445af 11580af 11670eu 11935af 13695af
1900-1945 DRM 9950eu
2045-2100 7550eu 9445eu 9910pa 11620pa 11670eu 11715pa
2045-2100 DRM 9950eu
2100-2200 7550eu 9445eu 9910pa 11620pa 11670eu 11715pa
2100-2200 DRM 9950eu
2200-2230 7550eu 9445eu 9910pa 11620pa 11670eu 11715pa
2200-2230 DRM 9950eu
2245-2300 6055as 9705as 9950as 11670as 13605as
2245-2300 DRM 11645as
2300-0000 6055as 9705as 9950as 11670as 13605as
2300-0000 DRM 11645as

French
1945-2000 9445af 9620af 13640af
2000-2030 9445af 9620af 13640af

Gujarati
0415-0430 15120af 17715af
0415-0430 DRM 15185af
1515-1600 11620af 13645af 15175af

Hindi
0315-0400 11840me 13695me 15120va 17715af
0315-0400 DRM 15185af
0400-0415 11840af 15120va 13695me 17715af
0400-0415 DRM 15185af
0430-0500 15120af 17715af
0430-0500 DRM 15185af
0500-0530 15120af 17715af
0500-0530 DRM 15185af
1615-1700 7410me 9950af 12025me 15120af 17670af
1700-1730 7410me 9950af 12025me 15120af 17670af
1945-2000 7550eu 11670eu
1945-2000 DRM 9950eu
2000-2045 7550eu 11670eu
2000-2045 DRM 9950eu
2300-0000 9910as 11740as 13795as
2300-0000 DRM 9950eu

Indonesian
0845-0900 15770as 17875as
0900-0945 15770as 17875as

Kannada
0215-0300 11985me 15120me

Malayalam
1730-1800 12025me
1800-1830 12025me

Nepali
0130-0200 3945as 7420as 9810as
0130-0200 DRM 11715as
0200-0230 3945as 7420as 9810as
0200-0230 DRM 11715as
0700-0800 7250as 7420as 9595as 11850as
1330-1400 3945as 4870as 7420as 11775as
1400-1430 3945as 4870as 7420as 11775as

Persian
0400-0430 15210as 15770as 17845as
1615-1700 9620as 11710as
1700-1730 9620as 11710as

Pushtu
0215-0300 9835as 9910as 11735as
1415-1500 11670as
1500-1530 11670as

Russian
1615-1700 9595eu 11620eu
1615-1700 DRM 15140eu
1700-1715 9595eu 11620eu
1700-1715 DRM 15140eu

Sindhi
0100-0200 5990as 7370as 9635as
1230-1300 6165as 7340as
1300-1400 6165as 7340as
1400-1500 6165as 7340as

Sinhala
0045-0100 7270as 11740as 11985as
0100-0115 7270as 11740as 11985as
1300-1400 7270as 9820as
1300-1400 DRM 15050as
1400-1500 7270as 9820as
1400-1500 DRM 15050as

Swahili
1515-1600 9950af 13605af 17670af
1600-1615 9950af 13605af 17670af

Tamil
0000-0045 7270as 9835as 9910as 11740as 11985as 13795as
1115-1200 7270as 13695as 15050as 15770as 17810as 17860as
1200-1215 7270as 13695as 15050as 15770as 17810as 17860as

Telugu
1215-1245 13695as 15770as 17810as

Thai
1115-1200 13645as 15410as 17740as

Tibetan
1215-1300 7420as 9575as 11775as
1300-1330 7420as 9575as 11775as

Urdu
0015-0100 6155as 7340as 9595as 11620as
0100-0200 6155as 7340as 9595as 11620as
0200-0300 6155as 7340as 9595as 11620as
0300-0400 6155as 7340as 9595as 11620as
0530-0600 15210as 15770as 17845as 17845as (Haj season-Nov-Dec 12)
0830-0900 7250as 7340as 9595as 11620as
0900-1000 7250as 7340as 9595as 11620as
1000-1100 7250as 7340as 9595as 11620as
1100-1130 7250as 7340as 9595as 11620as
1430-1500 3945as 6045as
1500-1600 3945as 6045as
1600-1700 3945as 6045as
1700-1735 3945as
1700-1800 6045as
1800-1900 6045as
1900-1930 6045as
(AIR/Jose Jacob VU2JOS, India/email: vu2jos@qsl.net Reformatted by Gayle Van Horn, Frequency Manager-Monitoring Times)

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Radio Pakistan Summer Schedule


Effective: 25 March - 28 October 2012

All times UTC

broadcast daily unless otherwise indicated
target areas: as (Asia) eu (Europe) va (Various Areas)

Balti
0445-0500 7465as
0500-0530 7465as

Bangla
0900-1000 11870as 15620as

Chinese
1200-1300 15700as 17725as

Dari
1445-1500 7510as
1500-1545 7510as

English
0905-0910 15725as 17720as
1100-1104 15725as 17720as

Farsi
1700-1800 7510va 9370va (As/Middle East)

Gujrati
1145-1200 9805as 11865as
1200-1215 9805as 11865as

Hindi
1045-1100 9805as 11865as
1100-1145 9805as 11865as

Nepali
1000-1030 11870as 15620as

Pushto
1345-1400 7510as
1400-1445 7510as

Sheena
0530-0600 7465as
0600-0615 7465as

Sinhala
1230-1300 11880as 15540as

Tamil
1300-1330 11880as 15540as

Urdu
0045-0100 15490as 17710as
0100-0200 15490as 17710as
0200-0215 15490as 17710as
0500-0600 15725va 17830va (As/Middle East)
0600-0700 15725va 17830va (As/Middle East)
0830-0900 15725eu 17720eu
0900-1000 15725eu 17720eu
1000-1100 15725eu 17720eu
1100-1104 15725eu 17720eu
1330-1400 15290va 17520va (As/Middle East)
1400-1500 15290va 17520va (As/Middle East)
1500-1530 15290va 17520va (As/Middle East)
1700-1800 11575va 15265va (As/Middle East)
(PBC - http://www.radio.gov.pk/externalservice)
photo via Yimber Gaviria)

Radio Sonder Grense Summer Schedule


South Africa

Effective: 25 March - 28 October 1012

All times UTC

broadcast daily unless otherwise indicated
programming targeted to domestic audience

Afrikaans
0000-0100 3320
0100-0200 3320
0200-0300 3320
0300-0400 3320
0400-0500 3320
0500-0600 3320 7285
0600-0700 3320 7285
0700-0800 3320 7285
0800-0900 3320 9650
0900-1000 3320 9650
1000-1100 3320 9650
1100-1200 3320 9650
1200-1300 3320 9650
1300-1400 3320 9650
1400-1500 3320 9650
1500-1600 3320 9650
1600-1700 3320 9650
1700-1800 3320
1800-1900 3320
1900-2000 3320
2000-2100 3320
2100-2200 3320
2200-2300 3320
2300-0000 3320
(BCDX Top News 1059)

Streaming audio at: http://www.rsg.co.za/

*************************************************
kHz time zones loc kW degr
3320 1700-0500 57NW MEY 100 275 Afr AFS SAB SNT
7285 0500-0800 57NW MEY 100 275 Afr AFS SAB SNT
9650 0800-1700 57NW MEY 100 275 Afr AFS SAB SNT
(Andreas Tschauder-D, A-DX March 28)
(BCDX Top News 1059/Wolfgang Bueschel)

International Radio Serbia A12 Summer Schedule


Effective: 25 March - 28 October 2012

All times UTC

Serbia/Bosnia - International Radio of Serbia, A-12

Albanian
1645-1700 EU 9640

Arabic
1430-1500 EU 9640

Chinese
1630-1645 EU 9640

English
0030-0100 NAM/EU 9685 tu-sa
1300-1330 EU 9640
1830-1900 EU 6100
2100-2130 EU 6100

French
1530-1600 EU 9640
2030-2100 EU 6100

German
1600-1630 EU 9640
2000-2030 EU 6100 su-fr

Greek
1715-1730 EU 9640

Hungarian
1700-1715 EU 9640

Italian
1730-1800 EU 9640

Russian
1500-1530 EU 9640
1800-1830 EU 6100

Serbian
0000-0030 NAM/EU 9685 daily
0030-0100 NAM/EU 9685 su,mo
0100-0130 NAM/EU 9685 mo-sa
1330-1400 EU 9640
1930-2000 EU 6100 su-fr
1930-2030 EU 6100 sa

Spanish
1400-1430 EU 9640
1900-1930 EU 6100
(International Radio of Serbia webpage at http://voiceofserbia.org/program-schedule via Alan Roe-UK;BrDXC-UK March 26. Updated by Jean-Michel Aubier-F)
(BCDX Top News 1059)

The Story of Radio Broadcasting in Ceylon


Colombo Radio

In our program today, we present the second episode in the radio broadcasting scene on the island of Ceylon, or Sri Lanka as it is known these days. Our story covers the era from the mid 1920s up until the year 1939, an era in which the radio broadcasting station in Colombo was identified on air as Colombo Radio & Colombo Calling.
During the year 1925, plans were laid for the construction of a regular radio broadcasting station, complete with its own transmitter. As the first stage in the development of these plans, a new
studio was installed in the Central Telegraph Office building in Colombo.
In addition, the longwave transmitter at the Coastal Radio Station VPB, inland a short distance from Mt Lavinia, was modified so that it could be used also for radio program broadcasting. Three channels, all in the longwave band, were in use at this stage, all rated at 1½ kW, and these were: 130 kHz & 500 kHz for ship to shore communication, and 375 kHz for the new radio broadcasting service.
On December 16 of the same year, 1925, the new Colombo Radio was officially inaugurated by the British governor, Sir Hugh Clifford. At this stage, the total number of radio listener licenses in the Colombo area stood at just 176.
During the following year, an additional large studio was established in the University College Building, also in Colombo; and during the next year again, the entire studio function of Radio Colombo was transferred to the now very familiar Torrington Square. Actually, at that time, the large building at Torrington Square in the district known as Colombo 7, was located in an area known as Kumi Kele, Ant Forest. This building was constructed in the mid 1850s for use as an insane asylum, housing some 700 patients.
However, during this same time period, work commenced on establishing a radio transmission station at Welikada, out a little from what we might call Colombo proper. The first mediumwave transmitter for radio broadcasting in Ceylon was installed here, a unit rated at 1¾ kW. The original mediumwave channel was 600 kHz though this was changed to 700 kHz a few years later.
Then, in 1936, plans were announced for the construction of a much larger mediumwave transmitter, rated at 5 kW, together with upgraded studios in the building at Torrington Square. This new transmitter was designed and installed at the new facility at Welikada by the Divisional Radio Engineer, Mr. A. Navarasa.
The new double facility, studios and transmitter, were officially opened by the Minister for Communication, Major J. L. Kotelawala on June 6, 1937. The registered listener license figure now stood in excess of 5,000.
A large Receiver Station was installed in 1933 out from Colombo on Buller Road with what was described as directional antennas (diamond shaped rhombics, we would guess) and a powerful receiver. This facility was for the reception of incoming programming from the BBC Daventry, and also from All India Radio.
Around the same time, that is in 1934, experimental broadcasting on shortwave also took place, and initially several different shortwave channels were tested, before the frequency 6160 kHz was finally chosen. The transmitter was rated at just 500 watts, and the original intent was that listeners in the shadow areas of the mediumwave transmitter might be able to hear Colombo Radio on shortwave. However, there were occasions when Colombo Radio on shortwave, under the same callsign VPB, was heard further afield, in India, Australia and even in the distant United States.
It would seem obvious to us that the shortwave transmitter was co-sited with the mediumwave transmitter at Welikada, and the antenna system was a simple form of wire radiator. The “Transmitter Document Project” by Ludo Maes in Belgium confirms that the shortwave transmitter was indeed installed at Welikada, co-sited with the mediumwave facility.
Programming on shortwave was usually in parallel with mediumwave, though there were experimental occasions when the shortwave transmitter took over from mediumwave and was on the air on its own during daylight hours in an attempt to widen the coverage area. The identification signal for Colombo Radio on shortwave was described as bell music.
The last day for radio broadcasting on shortwave from VPB Colombo with ½ kW on 6160 kHz was May 31, 1939. The reason for the closure was that the reliable coverage area on shortwave was little more than on mediumwave. However, when the closure became known among international radio monitors in Australia, it was lamented in a radio a magazine of the time that this little station was one of the most reliable stations in the low frequency shortwave bands.
It was stated back then that the shortwave transmitter would be modified for use on mediumwave; however this intent was never implemented.
However, this little shortwave transmitter did not remain silent. In October 1939, Radio News in the United States reported that VPB was again heard on air. After these brief test broadcasts ended, the transmitter again went silent. But that is not the end of the story about this little shortwave transmitter, either.
At the end of the year 1939, there was thus only one radio broadcasting station on the air in Sri Lanka. It was the 5 kW mediumwave station on 700 kHz at Welikada, with the program feed from the Torrington Square studios in Colombo 7.
We plan to follow up on all of these matters in three week’s time.
(Wavescan/AWR/NWS162 via Adrian Peterson)

Radio Panorama 15: Early Cable Radio

The very earliest attempt at the transmission of concert music took place in the United States in the year 1876. At the time, occasional music programming was sent along commercial telegraph lines already in use in the eastern states. These music transmissions at this stage were purely experimental and they were intended solely for the wonder and the enjoyment of telegraph staff at various locations. As mentioned previously here in Wavescan, a short series of these music concerts was heard by a few members of the public who happened to be using the telephone lines at the right time.
Eight years later, Edward Bellamy included an item in a novel he wrote about the possibility of broadcasting music to subscribers in the comfort of their homes. The novel was entitled “Looking Backwards” and his forecast predicted that telephone music would one day be heard in every home on a 24 hour basis; cable radio, if you please.
The first commercial endeavor in this direction was launched by AT&T on September 20, 1890 in the eastern States. This new music venture was provided as a lunch time service, but it was plagued by technical problems and it was therefore not a success.
Still in the United States, the Televent Company in Detroit launched an experimental telephone music service in 1906 from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. The project never went much further than a few test transmissions over the already available telephone network. The Televent Company was dissolved three years later.
Another endeavor at telephone music in the United States was the Telephone Herald Service in Newark, New Jersey, which was inaugurated just a little more than a hundred years ago, on October 24, 1911. This project proved to be very popular, but it was not a financial success, and it was deleted soon after it began.
Over in Europe, the first experiment in providing music over the telephone lines took place in Paris in the year 1881. During the International Electrical Exhibition, music was piped in from local theaters as a public demonstration. Interestingly, two telephone lines were in use for the transmission of the music programming on each occasion, the earliest form of stereo music. Nine years later, the Theatrophone Company was organized in Paris, but this service did not last very long, either.
A very successful form of music by telephone was launched in Budapest, Hungary on February 15, 1893. It was Tivadar Puskas, with his Telefon Hirmondo Company, who inaugurated this service, providing news and entertainment. In 1925, he installed a radio broadcasting station to carry the same programming, which we would suggest was station MTI in Budapest, with 300 watts on 950 metres longwave, 315 kHz. The telephone music service was available in Hungary for a little over half a century, though it was finally discontinued during the year 1944.
Over in England, a similar service was instituted just two years after the successful inauguration of Telefon Hirmonodo in Hungary. The English Electrophone Company was launched in London in 1895, based upon the Theatrophone system in Paris. In fact, there were many occasions when the two systems interchanged their music programming.
The system in London grew over the years until it became available right throughout Great Britain. Interestingly, Queen Victoria was one of the appreciative patrons who was receiving the music programming over the telephone lines.
Soon after radio broadcasting began, and when radio stations were established throughout Great Britain, the music service from the Electrophone Company was discontinued. However, as an interesting aftermath, another form of program distribution via the telephone lines was introduced.
In the early days of radio broadcasting, many people in England found that the cost of buying a radio receiver was just too much. So a new system of program distribution was introduced. The local telephone office installed a radio receiver at the exchange, and then fed the programming into the telephone system. For a small fee, much less than the cost of buying a radio receiver, the people could listen to the radio programming in their homes, via the telephone line.
(Wavescan/AWR/NWS 162 via Adrian Peterson)

Monday, April 09, 2012

The Story of Radio Broadcasting in Sri Lanka


The Large Deutsche Welle Relay Station at Tricomalee

The picturesque and strategic harbor at Trincomalee is situated on the east coast of the island
of Sri Lanka, at around 1/3rd of the way down the total eastern coastline. The harbor is well attested in ancient times, and it was visited by the famous Italian explorer and traveler, Marco Polo, on his return visit from China in the year 1292.
The harbor was in use by the British Royal Navy as a submarine base during World War 2, acting as a guard point to the wide Bay of Bengal. There was also a British Royal Air Force base nearby.
On August 12, 1980, representatives from Deutsche Welle in Germany and the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation in Colombo signed a mutual agreement, whereby a large radio broadcasting station, mediumwave & shortwave, would be constructed at the former Royal Navy Base, a dozen miles north of Trincomalee Harbor. This original agreement provided for one mediumwave transmitter at 600 kW, three shortwave transmitters at 250 kW, and one communication transmitter at 10 kW. An additional clause provided for a doubling of the station’s broadcasting equipment, if needed.
The Trincomalee site is located in the community of Perkara and it was originally under consideration for use by Trans World Radio TWR, though they subsequently preferred to build their station north of Colombo, near the west coast of the island. The original concept on the part of Deutsche Welle was that the large Trincomalee-Perkara relay station would be a joint project between Deutsche Welle in Germany & Radio Tehran in Iran.
Throughout the development of the station, progress always seemed to be somewhat slow, due to the isolation of the area, and at times also to the incursions of local insurgents. Construction work on the 242 acre site at Perkara began in October 1982. Some of the old colonial buildings from the British days were modified and updated for use by the station, and several buildings were constructed new.
Local wildlife also played its part at various times in causing disruption at the station, with occasional elephant herds breaking through the perimeter fencing and tramping through the property. Then again, there were the occasional fights and adventures on the part of monkeys who enjoyed swinging through the wires in the curtain antenna systems. Crocodiles also ventured onto the station property on occasions.
Test broadcasts from the 1st shortwave transmitter were noted on December 1, 1984, and also from the 2nd shortwave transmitter a few weeks later, in early January 1985. In April, test broadcasts were noted from the mediumwave transmitter; and in mid year, the 3rd shortwave transmitter became airborne. Electric power was generated at the station itself.
The final configuration of the four broadcast transmitters was a little different from that which was originally envisaged. The 600 kW mediumwave transmitter became two at 300 kW, though the total output on 1548 kHz was dropped to 400 kW. The three shortwave transmitters at 250 kW each became two at 300 kW and one at 250 kW, though all were in use on air at 250 kW each. This electronic equipment was provided by the German electronics giant, Telefunken.
The original program feed was provided via Colombo, with 5 FM transmitters perched on top of Sri Lanka’s 2nd highest mountain, at Radella. In due course, the program feed from Germany was taken off satellite at Perkara.
Deutsche Welle Perkara-Trincomalee was ready for full service in October 1988, but this usage was postponed until the middle of the following year, due to a shortage of local trained staff. The three shortwave transmitters were heard at good level throughout Asia, and well beyond also. The mediumwave transmitter was also heard quite widely.
Multitudinous QSL cards have been issued in confirmation of wide coverage areas of Deutsche Welle Sri Lanka. According to one reference, the official Sri Lankan callsign for this mighty station was 4QQ, though no callsign was ever used on air.
There were times when the station was closed, and at times the staff was evacuated to safe locations when insurgents infiltrated the area. On those occasions, DW programming to the Trincomalee coverage areas was carried by Radio Veritas in the Philippines, and also by shortwave stations located in the southern countries of the former Soviet Union.
As is happening these days to so many important shortwave stations throughout the world, downsizing is now part of the picture. Deutsche Welle decided to close two of its major shortwave relay stations, Sines In Portugal & Trincomalee in Sri Lanka. At the end of October last year Deutsche Welle programming from the Trincomalee relay station came to an end, though some client programming remained on the air until the end of the year.
However at this stage, the noted Victor Goonetilleke in Colombo reported that the SLBC carried one program via the Trincomalee station, and this was a three hour broadcast in the Sinhala language beamed to the Middle East on 11750 kHz from 1530 - 1830 UTC.
Then Jose Jacob VU2JOS at Hyderabad in India noted a brief series of test broadcasts from the mediumwave transmitter on 1548 kHz, when a simple station announcement was given in several languages. That was earlier this year.
On January 1 earlier this year, the large international radio broadcasting station located at Perkara-Trincomalee was taken over by the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. That was the end of an era; alas DW Sri Lanka is no more!
(Wavescan/AWR/Adrian Peterson/NWS163)

Radio Habana Cuba - A12 Summer Schedule


Effective: 25 March - 28 October 2012

All times UTC

broadcast daily unless otherwise indicated
target areas: am (Americas/Central & South) ca (Central America)eu (Europe) na (North America) sa (South America) va (Various Areas)

Arabic
2030-2100 17750eu

Creole
0000-0030 5040va

English
0100-0200 6000na 6050na
0200-0300 6000na 6050na
0300-0400 6000na 6050na
0400-0500 6000na 6050na
0500-0600 6010na 6050na 6060na 6125am
0600-0700 6010na 6050na 6060na 6125am
1900-2000 11760am
2300-0000 5040va

Esperanto
1500-1530 Sun 11760am
2230-2300 Sun 15370sa

French
0030-0100 5040va
1930-2000 17750eu
2000-2030 11760am
2230-2300 mtwhfa 15370sa

Portuguese
2000-2030 17750eu
2200-2300 15230sa
2330-0000 15370sa

Quechua
0000-0030 15370sa

Spanish
0000-0100 6060na 6120ca 9810ca 11680sa 11760am 15230sa 17705sa
0100-0200 5040va 6060na 6120ca 9810ca 11680sa 11760am 15230sa 17705sa
0200-0300 5040va 6060na 6120ca 9810ca 11680sa 11760am 15230sa 17705sa
0300-0400 5040va 6060na 6120ca 9810ca 11680sa 11760am 15230sa 17705sa
0400-0500 5040va 6060na 6120ca 9810ca 11760am
0500-0600 9810ca
1100-1200 6150am 9540ca 9550na 9850na 11690ca 11760am 11860na 15230sa 17730sa 17580sa
1200-1300 6150am 9540ca 9550na 9850na 11760am 11690ca 11860na 15230sa 17730sa 17580sa
1300-1400 6150am 9540ca 11750ca 11760am 11860na 11690ca 13780na 15230sa 15340na 17730sa 17580sa
1400-1500 6150am 9540ca 11750ca 11760am 13780na 15230sa 15340na 17730sa 17580sa
1400-1500 Sun 11690ca 13680ca 15340na 17590sa 17750sa
1500-1600 Sun 11690ca 13680ca 15340na 17590sa 17750sa
1600-1700 Sun 11690ca 13680ca 15340na 17590sa 17750sa
1700-1800 Sun 11690ca 13680ca 15340na 17590sa 17750sa
2100-2200 5040va 9710ca 17705sa 17750eu 17750sa
2200-2300 5040va 9710ca 9810ca 17705sa 17750eu
2200-2300 mtwhf 6000na 15140na
2300-0000 6120ca 9810ca 11680sa 17705sa
2300-0000 mtwhf 6000na 15140na
(Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany/HCDX via RHC/Ivo Ivanov, Bulgaria) Reformatted by Gayle Van Horn, Frequency Manager, Monitoring Times)

The Troubled Triad: Titan, Titantic and Titanian


Next Wednesday, April 14, will be the 100th anniversary of one of the world’s most spectacular and heart-wrenching tragedies; 100 years to the very day, since the great passenger ship, the Titanic, struck an iceberg, and sank in the Atlantic Ocean south of the island of Newfoundland, with a massive loss of human life. This week here in Wavescan, and next week also, we memorialize this tragic event, particularly from a radio, or wireless point of view.
Let me read to you these several items of interest taken from an early publication, and we suggest that you listen carefully before you make a judgment:

She was the largest craft afloat and the greatest of the works of men. In her construction and maintenance were involved every science, profession and trade known to civilization.

Two brass bands, two orchestras, and a theatrical company entertained the passengers during waking hours; a corps of physicians attended to the temporal, and a corps of chaplains to the spiritual welfare of all on board.

From the bridge, engine-room, and a dozen places on her deck the ninety-two doors of nineteen water-tight compartments could be closed in half a minute by turning a lever. These doors would also close automatically in the presence of water. With nine compartments flooded the ship would still float, and so no known accident of the sea could possibly fill this many, (and thus) the great steamship was considered practically unsinkable.

Built of steel throughout, she was eight hundred feet long, of seventy thousand tons displacement, seventy-five thousand horse-power, and on her trial trip had steamed at a rate of twenty-five knots an hour.

Unsinkable - indestructible, she carried as few life boats as would satisfy the laws.

“Ice,” yelled the lookout; “ice ahead. Iceberg.”

Seventy-five thousand tons - dead-weight - rushing through the fog at the rate of fifty feet a second, had hurled its elf at an iceberg.

And so the story continues, with a huge loss of life during that notable April evening, with the
ship sinking quite quickly around midnight in the cold waters of the North Atlantic. It was her first, her maiden voyage, across that vast ocean separating Europe from North America. It sounds like the sinking of the Titanic, doesn’t it?
But no, that is not the case. The readings we just presented to you were taken from a novel, written by the American author, Morgan Robertson, in the year 1898, 14 years before the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. The name of the ship in Robertson’s novel, believe it or not, was “Titan”, almost the same name as the “Titanic” 14 years later. Robertson’s novel was named “The Wreck of the Titan”.
There is a strange coincidence linking the names of three different ships, each crossing the Atlantic, and each running into trouble in a massive field of icebergs in the North Atlantic during the month of April. You have just heard the story of the first ship, the fictitious “Titan” in the year 1898, at the time when the young Marconi was just developing his experimental wireless equipment.
The second ship in this triad of troubled ships with a similar name is the “Titanic”, which ran into the field of icebergs just before midnight exactly one hundred years ago, on Sunday April 14, and sank shortly after midnight, in the early hours of Monday April 15. This ship, the “Titanic” was carrying wireless equipment which was pressed into service in calling other ships to the rescue. We will present the details of that story here in Wavescan next week.
The third ship in this triad of troubled ships with a similar name was the “Titanian”, a cargo vessel traveling across the North Atlantic 23 years later, in April 1935. She was carrying coal from Newcastle in England for delivery in Canada.
The story about this ship, the “Titanian” has been embellished a little over the years, but the fact is that she was caught in the iceberg field and stalled, some distance out from Newfoundland. With the stearing gear damaged, she radioed ahead for assistance, and the tug boat “Imogene” was sent to the rescue.
All three ships had a similar name, “Titan”, “Titanic” & “Titanian”; and all three were damaged in collisions with icebergs in the North Atlantic; and all three during the month of April. The fictitious story of the “Titan” was during the era when wireless was under experimental development; the “Titanic” carried wireless equipment that was pressed into usage for the occasion; the “Titanian” used its radio equipment in calling for a tug to render assistance.
Quite remarkable. And like we said earlier, the story of the “Titanic” itself will be featured here in Wavescan next week.
(Wavescan via Adrian Peterson/NWS163)

Thursday, April 05, 2012

Radio Netherlands Weekly Program Preview, April 6-12


The State we're In
Jonathan Groubert and his team look at current events from an unexpected perspective.

This week: It ain’t over

A 101-year-old man on leaving his infant daughter on a neighbour’s doorstep during the Warsaw Uprising. And how an Ethiopian migrant worker escaped her brutal employer in Lebanon.

First airing: Saturday 02:00 UTC

Earth Beat
Marnie Chesterton and her team look at the footprint we’re leaving on our planet.

This week:

Things that are going places. From rubber duckies sailing the ocean seas for a couple of decades, to the world’s most gruelling marathon and the first man to walk around the world, we’ll take you places you’ve never been.

First airing: Friday 03:00 UTC

SOuth Asia Wired
Stories from South Asia.

This week:

When East Pakistan became Bangladesh in 1971 a minority community called the Biharis were stranded as stateless refugees in camps on the outside of Dhaka. Thirty years on they still hope to return to Pakistan one day.

(There'll be a new edition of the program on Thursday 12 April)

First airing: Thursday 10:00 UTC

Bridges With Africa
We're giving the microphone to Diaspora groups in Europe and are linking up with stations in Africa.

This week:

Could northern Mali become the 57th country in Africa?
As the African Union beefs up the quests for Joseph Kony, we hear from Jacob Acaye – the Ugandan boy featured on the KONY2012 campaign.
Music from a Rwandan up-and-coming star, marking the 18th anniversary of the country’s massacre.

First airing: Friday 00:00 UTC

Africa in Progress
Inspiring round-table discussions with guest speakers and in-depth interviews give listeners food for thought.

This week: Is China good for Africa?

In this edition we take stock of our relationship with the red dragon. One thing is sure: China is in Africa to stay, and it’s up to all to shape this relationship in a way that is beneficial to everybody.

Our guest is a leading expert who looks at facts and tries to dismiss myths about China’s engagement in Africa.

First airing: Monday 18:00 UTC

Commonwealth Story
A selection of winning stories chosen from the large number of entries for the 2010 Commonwealth Short Story Competition.

This week:

Swallow dive - by Melissa Madore, Canada. A moving story of loneliness and death.

First airing: Tuesday 01:50 UTC

Global Perspective
Who says I can’t… is the motto of this year’s collaboration of international broadcasters, offering stories of defiance and perseverance.

This week: Who says I can’t die… or live?

Bun Chai, who is paralysed from the neck down, made a public appeal to the Hong Kong government for the right to end his life… and in the process found a way to live. We hear Bun Chai’s story from Radio Television Hong Kong.

First airing: Monday 17:30 UTC

Hear the World
The current series of European Jazz Stage has come to an end. But don’t despair, there’s plenty of good music to come. We’ve started a new series of Hear the World, hosted by Dheera Sujan.

This week:

Guitarist Yamando Costa from Brazil is hailed as one of the world’s best guitarists.
French 10-man band Babylon Circus plays energetic and fast music, in an adventurous mix of ska, French chansons, punk and Balkan music.
Dutch Delight of the week is Giga Vôo, with Portuguese singer Magda Mendes.
Pablo Ziegler, an Argentinian nuevo tango pianist, and the Metropole Orchestra bring up the rear of the show in a dazzling mix of tango, jazz and classical music.

First airing: Monday 01:00 UTC

RNW Classical
Classical concerts from the Royal Concertgebouw as well as studio recordings of Dutch performers, presented by Hans Haffmans.

Available 24 hours a day

Streaming audio www.radionetherlands.nl/

English to Asia and Africa - effective to: 28 October 2012
0959-1000 15110as
1000-1057 15110as
1359-1400 9800as
1400-1457 9800as
1859-1900 7425af 11615af 15495af
1900-2000 7425af 11615af 15495af
2000-2057 7425af 11615af 15495af

Radio Free Asia announces new QSL card series

Radio Free Asia (RFA) announces a new series of QSL cards recognizing the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) relay sites used for RFA programming. RFA currently uses, and confirms broadcasts from the following IBB sites: Biblis, Iranawilla, Kuwait, Lampertheim, Saipan and Tinian. The first card of this series is from IBB's Tinian relay site.

In this picture, you are facing north from Tinian's Tower 16, part of antenna 305L, overlooking the antenna fields. The transmitter is at the upper right side of the picture and above it you can see the Island of Saipan to the north of Tinian. This is RFa's 45th QSL overall; it will be used to confirm all valid RFA reception reports for April - July 2012.



RFA is a private, nonprofit corporation that broadcast news and information to listeners in Asian countries where full, accurate and timely news reports are unavailable. Created by Congress in 1994 and incorporated in 1996, RFA currently broadcast in Burmese, Cantonese, Khmer, Korean to North Korea, Lao, Mandarin, the Wu dialect, Vietnamese, Tibetan (Uke, Amdo, and Kham) and Uyghur.

RFA strives for accuracy, balance and fairness in it's 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 broadcast only in local languages and dialects, and most of its broadcast 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 reporta. Reception reports are valuable to RFA as they help the station to evaluate the signal strength and quality of their transmissions. RFA confirms all accurate reception reports by mailing a QSL card to the listener. RFA welcomes all reception reports submissions at www.techweb.rfa.org (follow the QSL Reports link) not only from DXers, but also from the general listening audience.

Reception reports are also accepted by email at qsl@rfa.org and for anyone without Internet access, reception reports can be mailed to:

Reception Reports
Radio Free Asia
2025 M. Street NW - Suite 300
Washington, DC 20036 USA

Upon request, RFA will also send a copy of the current broadcast schedule and a station sticker.

Radio Free Asia - A12 summer schedule

ffective: 25 March - 28 October 2012

All times UTC

broadcast daily unless otherwise indicated
all programming targeted to Asia

Burmese (4 hours daily)
0030-0130 12115, 15700, 17835
1230-1330 7390, 9335, 13675
1330-1400 7390, 9335, 12140
1400-1430 7390, 9335
1630-1730 9945

Cantonese (2 hours daily)
1400-1430 9605
1430-1500 7280, 9605
2200-2300 9720, 11785

Khmer (2 hours daily)
1230-1330 12140, 15145
2230-2330 5840, 13740

Korean (5 hours daily)
1500-1700 648, 5820, 7210, 7455
1700-1800 648, 5820, 9975
1800-1900 648, 5820, 7465
2100-2200 648, 7460 9385 11945

Lao (2 hours daily)
0000-0100 15545, 15690
1100-1200 9325, 15120

Mandarin (12 hours daily)
0300-0400 13785, 15120, 15615, 15635, 17485, 17855, 21595, 21650
0400-0500 13760, 15615, 15635, 15660, 17615, 17855, 21480, 21580
0500-0600 13760, 15615, 15635, 15660, 17615, 17855, 21580, 21710
0600-0700 13760, 15615, 15635, 17495, 17615, 17855, 21720
1500-1600 9455, 9905, 11540, 11965, 12005, 13640, 13675
1600-1630 5855, 9455, 9905, 11540, 11870, 12005, 13675
1630-1700 5855, 9725, 9905, 11550, 11610, 11870, 13675
1700-1800 5855, 7280, 9355, 9455, 9540, 9905, 11695, 13780
1800-1900 7280, 7355, 9355, 9455, 9540, 9690, 11540, 13780
1900-2000 1098, 5855, 7260, 7355, 7435, 9355, 9455, 9875, 9905, 11785, 13780
2000-2100 1098, 5855, 6140, 7260, 7355, 7435, 9355, 9455, 9905, 11785
2100-2200 1098, 5855, 6140, 7355, 7435, 9455, 9905
2300-2400 7540, 9535, 11760, 11785, 15430, 15585

Tibetan (10 hours daily)
0100-0200 9680, 9885, 11695, 17505, 17730
0200-0300 9885, 11695, 11745, 17610, 17730
0600-0700 17510, 17765, 21500, 21690
1000-1100 13680, 15435, 17495
1100-1200 7470, 13830, 15670, 17495
1200-1400 7470, 11605, 13795, 13830, 15670
1500-1600 9370, 11585, 11795, 11835
2200-2300 7505, 9815, 9880
2300-2315 7505, 9805, 9815, 9875
2315-2400 7505, 9805, 9875, 9900

Uyghur (2 hours daily)
0100-0130 9350, 9400, 11895, 11945, 17640
0130-0200 9350, 9400, 11895, 11945, 17635
1600-1700 9370, 9555, 9975, 11590

Vietnamese (2.5 hours daily)
0000-0030 7445, 11605, 13730, 15570
1400-1430 1503, 9715, 11605, 12075, 13640
1430-1500 9715, 11605, 12075, 13640
2300-2330 1503
2330-2400 1503, 7520, 11605, 13730, 15570
(Jaisakthivel, ADXC, Trirunelveli, India, For A12 www.adxc.wordpress.com via AJ Janitschek 3/24/12)

Voice of America, English summer schedule


Effective April 2012 -- November 2012

Frequencies starting with:
4 = 75 Meter Band 5 = 49 Meter Band
6 = 49 Meter Band 7 = 41 Meter Band
9 = 31 Meter Band 11 = 25 Meter Band
13 = 22 Meter Band 15 = 19 Meter Band
17 = 16 Meter Band 21 = 13 Meter Band

USA, Voice of America - A12 English

All times UTC

English to Europe, Middle East and North Africa
0100-0130 Daily 1593
1500-1600 Daily 13570 15530
2000-2100 M-F 7485 9480

English to Africa
0300-0400 Daily 909 1530 4930 6080 9855 15580
0400-0430 Daily 909 1530 4930 4960 6080 9855 12025 15580
0430-0500 Daily 909 4930 4960 6080 12025 15580
0500-0600 Daily 909 4930 6080 12025 15580
0600-0700 Daily 909 1530 6080 12025 15580
1400-1500 Daily 4930 6080 12080 15580 17530
1500-1600 Daily 4930 6080 12080 15580 17895
1600-1700 Daily 909 1530 4930 6080 15580
1700-1800 Daily 6080 12015 15580 17895
1800-1830 Daily 6080 9850 12015 15580
1800-1830 Sat. and Sun. 909 4930
1830-1900 Daily 4930 6080 9850 12015 15580
1830-1900 Sat.and Sun. 909
1900-1930 Daily 909 4930 4940 6080 9850 15580 17895
1930-2000 Daily 909 4930 4940 6080 15580
2000-2030 Daily 909 1530 4930 4940 6080 15580
2030-2100 Daily 909 1530 4930 6080 15580
2030-2100 Sat. and Sun. 4940
2100-2200 Daily1530 6080 15580

English to Far East Asia, South Asia and Oceania
0100-0200 Daily 7430 9780 11705
1100-1200 Sat. and Sun. 1575
1200-1300 Daily 1170 7575 9510 12075 12150
1300-1400 Sat. and Sun. 7575 9510 9610 12150
1400-1500 Mon. – Fri. 7540 7575 12150
1500-1600 Daily 7540 7575 12150
2200-2300 Sun – Thurs. 5895 5915 7480 7575 12150
2230-2400 Fri. and Sat. 1575
2300-2400 Daily 5895 5910 7575 12150

English to Afghanistan
0000-0030 Daily 1296 7555
2030-2400 Daily 1296 7555

Special English
0000-0030 Daily 1593
0030-0100 Daily 1575 1593 7430 9715 9780 11725 12005 15205 15290 17820
0130-0200 Tues. – Sat. 1593 7465 9820
1500-1600 Daily 6140 7465 7520 9485 9760
1600-1700 Daily 12080 13570 15470
1600-1700 Mon. – Fri. 1170
1900-2000 Daily 7485 9490
2230-2300 Daily 7460 9570 11840 15340
2300-2400 Daily 1593 7460 9570 11840 15340
(VOA website)

Radio Canada International to leave shortwave

RCI News
April 4, 2012

Spending cuts announced last week in Canada's latest federal budget have reached Radio Canada International. Speaking to employees at RCI's headquarters in Montreal on Wednesday, RCI director Helene Parent declared that two out of three RCI employees---about 40 people---will lose their jobs by the end of July. RCI's Russian and Portugueuse sections will be closed along with the English and French-language newsrooms. All shortwave broadcasts will cease as well. RCI will continue to exist solely on the Internet in five languages---English, French, Arabic, Spanish and Mandarin.

http://www.rcinet.ca/english/news/15_56_27_2012-04-04-rci-slashed/

Following this decision, CBC/Radio-Canada will be closing its shortwave transmission site in Sackville, New Brunswick.
(Mike Terry/Cumbre DX)