Monday, November 27, 2017

International Shortwave Broadcast Guide 9th Edition (Winter 2017-2018)

To the person who just who just purchased a copy from Amazon of 9th edition of the International Shortwave Broadcast Guide (Winter 2017-18), your copy is not the current one. It has new features for that new edition, but it still has the summer frequency schedules You need to ask Amazon for refund. To the SWL crowd the new edition will be out within the next 24 hours.

Larry Van Horn
Teak Publishing
Production Manager

December Specials from Airmail Postage and DX Supplies




Dear Customer,
Below are DX specials and news for DECEMBER  2017.

 If you need a current stamp list or supply list, I can email it to you. 

  DISCOUNT POSTAGE!!: I have a supply of Forever stamps in rolls of 100.  Minimum order w/o a shipping charge would be 5 rolls at the listed $208. ppd. price. BUT if you can use 10 rolls, the price will be $400. Email to reserve!

In single format, I still have a few. 100 single forever stamps at $40.00 ppd.

FLEA MARKET: Saturday, Dec. 2nd: I'll have a table at Bridgewater Middle School, in Bridgewater, NJ. I'll have fountain pens and mech. pencils for sale. On Saturday, Dec. 9th: at Somerville High School, in Somerville, NJ I'll have a table here with more pens and pencils... Including a beautiful 1914!! Sheaffer's Ladies' ring top pen and a good number of silver mech. pencils on pocket chains for that vintage steam punk look!

NEW RATES: EARLY WARNING NOTICE: January 21, 2018. US 1st class rate increases from 49c to 50c. Postcard rate increases from 34c to 35c. International rate holds at $1.15....Psst! Buy some forever stamps now, why don’t cha!! In January, I hope to offer 5 stamp units again.

 NEW PRICES: Suriname now priced at $2.50

IN STOCK AGAIN:  Azerbaijan, Indonesia
STAMPS ON BACK ORDER:   Saudi Arabia
STAMP LIST UPDATE:

U.S. DISCOUNT POSTAGE DEALS!!

Save Big on your domestic mailings when you plaster 

 your envelope with colorful vintage stamps!

HAPPY  MAILING!!

49c units
Forever

in  2 stamps
3 stamps  
 4 stamps
x 100
$45.00

xxxx
$41.00
$40.00 
x 200
$85.00

xxxx
$63.00 
$62.00 
x 500
$208.00

xxxx 
$157.00 
$157.00 

Payment by credit card, check or money order
                               for forever stamps and 49c units                   

No charge for posting Discount Postage Offers, sending only to USA addresses. 

 DECEMBER 2017  DX  STAMP  SPECIALS

2 Germany-$2.60       2 Russia-$2.60       3 Japan-$3.90  

2 Italy-$7.00    2 UK-$3.00    2 France-$3.60    5 Spain-$10.00

 DECEMBER 2017  DX  SUPPLY  SPECIALS

200/200 European Plain Mailers and Plain Returns - $40.00

200/200 European Air Mailers and Plain Returns - $40.00

200/200 STATESIDE Mailers and Returns - $22.00

European AIR Returns are SOLD OUT!!

Priority Mail Shipping Rates: Orders up to $40.00 add $9.00, orders from $41.00 to $100.00 add $15.00. orders from $101.00 to $150.00 add $20.00, orders over $150.00 add 15%. When ordering supplies and stamps, the stamps ride free, just use supply total to figure shipping costs. Shipments to Canada and overseas ship at a greater cost. (07/2015 modified)

Stamps Only Orders: Just add $1.00 P&H for posting to USA, add $2.00 for posting to Canada.
73, bill

William Plum
12 Glenn Road
Flemington, NJ 08822
908 788 1020
Email: plumdx@msn.com






The Radio Scene on Rottnest Island





The Island of Rats, that is Rottnest Island, lies just off the Western Australian coastline opposite Perth and Fremantle.  This island has featured on two separate occasions in massive wide area searches in the Indian Ocean. 

            The first occasion was after the firefight in the Indian Ocean off the Australian coastline between the two navy vessels, the Australian HMAS Sydney and the German HSK Kormoran, on November 19, 1941.  That was 76 years ago this weekend.

            The two warring ships tragically destroyed each other in a fierce battle lasting just one hour.  Both ships were sunk, with a heavy loss of life.  Aboard the Kormoran were 400 crew, 300 of whom survived and were taken prisoner along the Australian coastline.  Aboard the Sydney however were 650 men, none of whom survived, making it Australia’s deadliest wartime disaster.  The Australian naval authorities became aware of the deadly naval battle only when survivors of the German raider Kormoran arrived in lifeboats on the Western Australian coastline. 

            The first search over the ocean was carried out informally and unofficially by a Fairey Battle airplane on November 23 (1941), four days after this tragic wartime engagement.  The Fairey Battle was a light single engined bomber from England, and in this initial search flight over the Indian Ocean, the plane used Rottnest Island as its reference point.  During the two following days, a flight of 6 Hudson Bombers flew a fan shaped search pattern, again referenced on Rottnest Island, though no ship debris nor survivor lifeboats were found.

            It was not until 2008 that the wreckage of both the German Kormoran and the Australian Sydney were located by the Finding Sydney Foundation which was using sophisticated underwater technical equipment.  The scattered wreckage of both ships was found 12 miles apart in ocean waters 1½ miles deep, 128 miles west of Shark Bay in Western Australia in March 2008.

            The second major aircraft search in which Rottnest Island featured again began in March 2014, when the Malaysian airliner MAS370 went missing over the Indian Ocean.  This passenger plane with more than 200 passengers and crew began a regular scheduled flight from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia to Beijing in China.

             After one hour in flight, the plane turned around and flew back across the Malay Peninsula and then out over the Indian Ocean.  When the fuel was exhausted, the plane fell into the ocean. 

            Several different search patterns were implemented, with some based on Rottnest Island as a reference point.  Though some debris has washed up on distant shores, the wreckage of the sunken plane itself has not been rediscovered.  This search and recovery effort developed into the largest,  most extensive and most expensive aviation search in the history of the world. 

            The Island of  Rats, Rottnest Island, is 7 miles long and 3 miles wide, and it lies 11 miles due west of Fremantle on coastal Western Australia.  On the map, it looks like a scrawny ancient monster.

            This island was known to the Aborigines as Wadjemap who did inhabit it at times in the ancient eras, though not since European discovery.  The first European discoverers were Dutch explorers (1610), and the first to land on the island was Willem de Vlamingh who went ashore on December 16, 1629; he spent 6 days on this small and rather featureless island.

            It was Vlamingh who named the island Rotte Nest in the Dutch language, which later became Rottnest.  Vlemingh discovered the rare Australian animal the Quokka which is best described as a miniature variety of Kangaroo.  He thought that it was a large type of rat.

            The first European settlers were William Clarke and Robert Thomson together with their families, in 1831.  The island has since been used as a prison for Aboriginal criminals, a reform school for boys, an internment camp for Germans and Austrians during World War 1, and an internment camp for Italians during World War 2.  These days the island has a resident population of about 100, and it is a tourist destination for ½ million visitors each year. 

            Southwest of Rottnest Island is a ship graveyard, 7 miles in diameter, and the first ship was deliberately sunk there in 1910.  Since then, 47 historically significant ships have been sunk at that location, in addition to a whole host of American lendlease vehicles and aircraft towards the end of World War 2.

            The first wireless experiments in Western Australia took place during the year 1899.  A spark transmitter was installed in the Royal Yacht Club in Perth and a small police launch carried a coherer receiver on the Swan River and on Swan River Lake. 

            Right towards the end of that same year (1899), the police launch ventured out from the Swan River in an attempt to establish wireless communication with Rottnest island.  The simple electrical signal was lost soon after the launch entered open waters.

            Just six years later (1905), the Postmaster General, the Honorable Austin Chapman, made an official statement in which he indicated that the Australian government was giving consideration to installing a wireless station on Rottnest island.  Three years later though (1908), the federal government stated that the Western Australian wireless station would be installed on the mainland, not Rottnest.   Ultimately, the wireless station, with the projected callsigns POF and later POP, was installed at Applecross as VIP in 1912.  

            However, a communication station was installed on Rottnest around 1933 and it was on the air under the callsign VKN on 1620 kHz, just immediately above the standard mediumwave band.  Four years later (1937), the navy announced that they would install a communication station on Rottnest, and during World War 2, the army did so too, in conjunction with a radar station. 

            This army station was installed on the bottom floor of the 3 storied Rottnest Fortress.  It was this station, under Naval Commander Victor Ramage, that declared that they had heard no wireless signals from the two ships Kormoran and Sydney during their firefight 450 miles to the north.
(AWR/Wavescan 456)

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins




Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2017 Nov 27 0259 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/weekly.html
#
#                Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 20 - 26 November 2017
Solar activity was at very low levels. Region 2698 (N13, L=108, class/area Cao/060 on 26 Nov), the only spotted region on the disk, was quiet throughout the period. A filament structure, located in
the NE quadrant, was observed erupting beginning at about 25/0445 UTC. A subsquent CME was observed in LASCO C2 imagery lifting off the E limb, first visible at 25/0712 UTC. Analysis, and follow-on WSA-Enlil model output, suggested the CME has a potential glancing blow at Earth early to midday on 29 Nov.

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at high levels on 20 Nov and again on 22-24 Nov. Moderate levels were observed on 21 Nov and again on 25-26 Nov. A maximum flux of 4,658 pfu was observed at 23/1555 UTC.

Geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to minor storm (G1-Minor) levels. The period began with quiet conditions through most of 20 Nov. Late on 20 Nov, activity levels increased to
unsettled to active and persisted through 21 Nov into early 22 Nov. G1 geomagnetic storm levels were also observed early on 21 Nov. This increase in activity was due to effects from a recurrent, positive polarity CH HSS. Solar wind speeds reached a peak of near 625 km/s at about 21/1500 UTC, total field hit a maximum of 14 nT early on 21 Nov, while the Bz component reached a maximum southward extent of-12 nT at 21/0400 UTC.

The remainder of the period witnessed a slow, gradual decrease in wind speeds to finish the summary period near 350 km/s The geomagnetic field responded with mostly quiet to unsettled levels through the remainder of the summary period.

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 27 November - 23 December 2017
Solar activity is expected to be at very low levels throughout the outlook period.

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach high levels on 30 Nov - 02 Dec, 06-10 Dec, 12-17 Dec and 19-21 Dec due to recurrent CH HSS influence. Normal to
moderate levels are expected for the remainder of the outlook period.

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at unsettled to active levels on 27-30 Nov due to negative polarity CH HSS effects. Isolated G1 (Minor) storm conditions are likely on 29 Nov due to
effects from the 25 Nov CME. Unsettled to active levels are expected on 04-08 Dec, 11-14 Dec and again on 17-21 Dec due to recurrent CH HSS effects. In addition, G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels are likely on 04-07 Dec and 18 Dec with G2 (Moderate) levels likely on 04-06 Dec, all due to CH HSS effects.


Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2017 Nov 27 0259 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact  www.swpc.noaa.gov/wwire.html
#
#      27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
#                Issued 2017-11-27
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2017 Nov 27      76          15          4
2017 Nov 28      76          12          4
2017 Nov 29      76          20          5
2017 Nov 30      76          15          4
2017 Dec 01      76           8          3
2017 Dec 02      76           5          2
2017 Dec 03      72           5          2
2017 Dec 04      72          35          6
2017 Dec 05      70          40          6
2017 Dec 06      70          28          5
2017 Dec 07      70          20          5
2017 Dec 08      71          10          3
2017 Dec 09      72           5          2
2017 Dec 10      72           5          2
2017 Dec 11      73          12          4
2017 Dec 12      73          15          4
2017 Dec 13      74          12          4
2017 Dec 14      75           8          3
2017 Dec 15      75           5          2
2017 Dec 16      75           5          2
2017 Dec 17      74           8          3
2017 Dec 18      73          25          5
2017 Dec 19      73          10          3
2017 Dec 20      73           8          3
2017 Dec 21      74           8          3
2017 Dec 22      74           5          2
2017 Dec 23      76           5          2
(NOAA)

Saturday, November 25, 2017

Monitoring Sound of Hope for Winter 2017-2018 period


TAIWAN/CHINA   SOH Taiwan B17 Shortwave Frequency list of Nov 21, 2017
monitored by wb at 0000-0230 UT on Nov 25, 0900-1220 UT Nov 25.
'no nothing' mean, no any trace of an transmission could be noted, wb.


6230.074 S=8 1154UT 0000-2359 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
6279.917 S=8 1153UT 0000-2359 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
6369.931 S=8 1152UT 0000-2359 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
6729.961 S=7 1151UT 0000-2359 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
6869.956 S=3 1149UT OTHR QRM 0000-2359 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
6900.040 S=8 1147UT 0000-2359 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 OTHR
6969.927 S=7 1146UT 0000-2359 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 OTHR
7210.065 S=7 1145UT 0000-2359 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
7280.050 no nothing 1218UT 0000-2359 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
7309.990 S=5 1142UT 0000-2359 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 distorted rough harsh modulation
7650.194 S=7 1140UT 1600-1500 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
7730.064 S=7 1203UT 1600-1500 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 weak signal underneath WRMI co-ch.
7810.040 S=6 1138UT 1600-1500 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
9099.992 S=3 1205UT 2100-1600 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 but QRM co-ch 9100even by Echo of Hope, KOR, S=8 1136 UT Nov 25
9155.055 S=7 1132UT 0800-2255 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 100kW?
9180.025 S=9 1130UT 2213-1711 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 100kW?
distorted modulation, overmodulated.
9200.164 S=7 1129UT 2151-1530 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
9230.030 S=7 1127UT 0054-1610 * SOH rely RFA Chi ? 1-7
9255.173 no nothing 2212-1711 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
9280.173 S=7 1120UT 2212-1711 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
9319.947 S=7 1118UT 2357-1646 * SOH rely RFA Chi ? 1-7
9360.016 S=7 1116UT 2357-1646 * SOH rely RFA Chi ? 1-7
9539.954 no nothing 1206UT 2215-1800 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
9634.870 S=4 1113UT 2140-1710 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 QRM 9635.849 kHz VoVietnam 1st px from Sontay on very odd fq
9729.896 S=7 1110UT 2105-1705 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 distorted rough harsh modulation. QRM Myanmar 9729.994 kHz.
9849.946 S=8 1107UT 2130-1600 * SOH rely RFA Chi ? 1-7 rough harsh modulation. QRM KRE, Quinghai CHN Tibetan
9919.977 S=5 1106UT 2150-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
9970.196 no nothing 1208UT 2147-1702 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
10819.902 S=5 1104UT 2140-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
10869.974 S=8 1103UT 2103-1705 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
10920.103 S=3 1102UT 2125-1745 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
10959.793 S=8 1101UT 2130-1705 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
11070.066 S=8 1100UT 2210-1710 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
11099.857 S=8 1058UT 2200-1610 * SOH rely RFA Chi ? 1-7 11100even S=9+20dB 1056UT CNR1 jammer from China mainland. 10kHz wide
11120.178 S=3 1055UT 2150-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
11150.163 S=5 1053UT 2150-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
11284.995 S=7 1052UT 2110-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
11300.090 S=7 1032UT 2110-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
11368.988 no nothing 1209UT 2110-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 11409.970no nothing 1217UT 2120-1715 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
11440.009 S=8 1026UT 2041-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
11459.900 S=8 1024UT 2100-1710 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 11460even S=9+20dB 1021UT CNR1 jammer from China mainland. 16.4kHz wide
11499.859 S=8 1019UT 2030-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
11529.974 no nothing 1209UT 2000-1600 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
11580.024 S=5 1015UT 2300-1610 * SOH rely RFA Chi ? 1-7
11599.965 no nothing 1210UT 0000-1600 * SOH rely RFA Chi ? 1-7 11600even S=9+35dB 1014UT 1000-1100 R.TAIWAN INT. Indonesian Paochung 1-7
11715.071 no nothing 1211UT 2105-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
11765.131 S=8 1010UT 2131-1730 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Ch ? 1-7
11775.138 S=8 1010UT 2131-1730 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Ch unstable fq1-7
11970.047 S=7 1009UT 2130-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
12149.942 S=7 1007UT 2130-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
12189.935 S=7 1006UT 2350-1600 * SOH rely RFA Chi ? 1-7
12229.994 S=6 1004UT 2130-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
12369.969 S=8 0935UT 2105-1600 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 12429.870no nothing 1215UT 2100-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
12500.225 S=7 0933UT 2135-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
12560.143 no nothing 1215UT 2130-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
12799.997 S=6 0930UT 2130-1600 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
12819.856 S=3 0929UT 2130-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
12870.165 S=3 0927UT 2130-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
12909.936 S=8 00926UT 2152-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
12950.235 S=3 2200-1450 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
12980.134 S=6 0924UT 2110-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
13130.193 S=7 0022UT 2130-1430 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 13130even CNR1 jamming S=9+15dB, and 230 Hz heterodyne interfer tone too
13199.815 S=7 0921UT 2200-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
13229.978 S=8 0919UT 2200-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? CODAR QRM
13530.221 S=9 0219UT 2110-1550 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
13619.888 S=4 0917UT 2130-1430 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
13639.886 S=9+10dB 0217UT 2300-1500 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
13680.175 S=9+10dB 0215UT 2130-1500 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
13870.244 S=8 0212UT 2120-1400 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
13889.838 S=8 0211UT 2200-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
13894.986 0208 UT spur ?
13919.958 S=8 0207UT 2213-1420 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
13979.893 S=6 0206UT 2213-1420 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
14370.012 S=9+10dB 0203UT 2300-1500 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
14430.083 S=8 0202UT 2110-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
14499.902 S=9+10dB 0200UT 2200-1600 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 rough harsh modulation, unstable fq.
14560.145 S=8 0156UT 2200-1500 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
14690.209 S=9+10dB 0155UT 2200-1500 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
14774.804 S=9+10dB 0150UT 2200-1500 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
14800.136 S=5 0152UT 2200-1605 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
14820.234 S=7 0148UT 2200-1605 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
14870.168 S=9+10dB 0145UT 2200-1605 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
14919.837 S=8 0134UT 2130-1430 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
14979.956 S=9 0132UT 0100-1600 * SOH rely RFA Chi ? 1-7 rough harsh modulation.
15070.201 S=5 0702UT 2100-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
15339.805 S=9 0130UT 2100-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
15775.104 S=5 0656UT 2130-1600 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
15800.171 S=9+5dB 0127UT 0000-1703 * SOH rely RFA Chi ? 1-7
15840.296 S=7 0125UT 2100-1706 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 new
15869.942 S=9 0124UT 2100-1706 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
15939.994 S=6 0635UT 2130-1600 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 15940even S=6 0203UT CNR1 jammer from China mainland.
much distorted audio of CNR1 jammer.
15969.905S=9+15dB 0121UT 2110-1630 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 15970evenS=9+20dB 0302UT CNR1 jammer from China mainland.
much distorted audio of CNR1 jammer.
16100even S=9+25dB 0255UT CNR1 px jammer from China mainland,20kHz wide
16100.280 S=9 0257UT 2115-1420 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 unstable 16160even S=9 0627UT CNR1 program jammer from China mainland, 18 kHz wide
16160.097 S=9+10dB 0116UT 2130-1430 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
16249.824 S=9+10dB 0114UT 2150-1700 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
16299.935 S=9 0248UT 2200-1500 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 much distorted audio feed / phone line net.
16300even S=9+30dB 0246UT CNR1 px jammer from China mainland,10kHz wide
16549.999 S=3 0109UT * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
16599.898 S=9+25dB 0243UT 2100-1500 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 16770even S=9+25dB from 0200 UT CNR1 program jammer from China mainland,
20 kHz wideband signal.
16769.848 S=9+25dB 0106 UT * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
16979.968 S=5 0228UT 2130-1530 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
17170.049S=7 0236UT  * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
17194.999S=5 0104UT  * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 17200even S=6 1157UT CNR1 program jammer from China mainland, 16 kHz wide.
17200.181 S=9+10dB 0226UT 2200-1350 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 distorted audio quality. Scratchy signal.
17400.272 S=9 0225UT 2300-1300 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
17440.272 S=8 0224UT 2300-1300 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7 phone feederline breaks, audio distortion
18869.786 S=8 0223UT 2300-1300 * SOH Xi Wang Zhi Sheng Chi ? 1-7
21799.741 SOH, the highest fq ever noted on SOH Taiwan outlets.
S=4 signal at 0910 UT.
SOH signals differ often from day to day slightly up to 100 Hertz in frequency; so I guess there is a network pool of approx. 100 or more different small power software defined transmitter available, and used randomly be connected by an automatic computer to access switch on air from various TX locations ?
[selected SDR options, span 12.5 kHz RBW 15.3 Hertz] Nov 25 noted in remote SDR units at THA/CBG border in SoEaAsia.
(wb  df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Nov 25)
(wb/WWDXC Top News/25 Nov 2017)

Friday, November 24, 2017

Weekend Shortwave Radiogram schedule


Hello friends,
Last weekend’s experiment with the very fast 8PSK-500F and -1000F modes was interesting and fun. There were not many 100% decodes, but they did include listeners in Belgium, France, and Germany tuned to the transmitter in Bulgaria, as well as listeners in Texas and Oregon tuned to WRMI Florida. Several listeners did successfully receive entire paragraphs, but the decode turned to gibberish during fades (which are not uncommon on shortwave!). We will try more experiment with the 8PSK modes on future shows. 

 Special all-Olivia-64-2000 broadcast this weekend
This weekend, we will shift from the very fast to the very slow. In the past few weeks, the Shortwave Radiogram transmission Sundays at 2330-2400 UTC on 11580 kHz from Florida has experienced poor reception in most parts of the world. To improve the chances of a successful decode, this broadcast only (number 23S) will be in the Olivia 64-2000 mode. It will consist of one Voice of America news story. The broadcast will begin with a brief voice intro, then the RSID for Olivia 64-2000. If the RSID does not work, you might have to fine-tune the audio frequency for a correct decode.

 Olivia 64-2000 is very slow, about 28 words per minute, but robust in difficult conditions. Please note that the text will not print out until a few seconds after you hear the tones (if you hear them). Please record your reception if possible. We may be stretching shortwave to its limit. 

The other three broadcasts this weekend will be in the usual MFSK32, with four images.

Here is the lineup for Shortwave Radiogram, program 23, 25-26 November 2017, all in MFSK32:
 1:30  Program preview

 2:43  Poorest countries need avenues to electricity*

10:56  Russia may retaliate if Google downgrades RT, Sputnik*

18:16  US Sues to Stop AT&T's Takeover of Time Warner*

25:35  London's Crossrail construction image*

27:45  Closing announcements

 * with image
Please send reception reports to radiogram@verizon.net
And visit http://swradiogram.net
Twitter: @SWRadiogram
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/567099476753304


Shortwave Radiogram Transmission Schedule

23
Saturday
1600-1630 UTC
9400 kHz
MFSK32
Space Line, Bulgaria
23
Sunday
0600-0630 UTC
7730 kHz
MFSK32
WRMI Florida
23
Sunday
2030-2100 UTC
11580 kHz
MFSK32
WRMI Florida
23S
Sunday
2330-2400 UTC
11580 kHz
Olivia 64-2000
WRMI Florida

 The Mighty KBC transmits to Europe Saturdays at 1500-1600 UTC on 9400 kHz (via Bulgaria), with the minute of MFSK at about 1530 UTC (if you are outside of Europe, listen via websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/ ).  And to North America Sundays at 0000-0200 UTC (Saturday 7-9 pm EST) on 5960 kHz, via Germany. The minute of MFSK is at about 0130 UTC.  Reports to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com . See also http://www.kbcradio.eu/ and https://www.facebook.com/TheMightyKbc/

Italian Broadcasting Corporation (IBC)  For the complete IBC transmission schedule visit  http://ibcradio.webs.com/  Five minutes of MFSK32 is at the end of the 30-minute English-language “Shortwave Panorama,” per the schedule below:

To Europe
Wednesday
2025-2030 UTC
1584 kHz (MW)
Thursday
0325-0330 UTC
1584 kHz
Saturday
2125-2130 UTC
1584 kHz
Sunday
1155-1200 UTC
6070 kHz

To the Americas
Tuesday
0125-0130 UTC
11580 kHz

Friday
0225-0230 UTC
9955 kHz
Saturday
0155-0200 UTC
11580 kHz

Sunday
0055-0100 UTC
7730 kHz


Thanks for your reception reports! 

Kim Andrew Elliott, KD9XB
Producer and Presenter
Shortwave Radiogram

F4ECA in France successfully decoded paragraphs in the 8PSK-F mode 19 November 2017, 2041 UTC, 11580 kHz from WRMI Florida. See his results: https://twitter.com/F4ECA/status/93235229212007219 .  See other results at https://twitter.com/swradiogram (you do not need a Twitter account).


Wednesday, November 22, 2017

The Milcom Files - MT Editions - Are Now Available on Amazon




Mention the words "Monitoring the Military," and most radio hobbyists will immediately think of military air shows, sporting event Military Aircraft Flybys or a whole host of other military activities they would like to hear on their radios. There is a big radio frequency spectrum out there to monitor, and if you know where to listen, you can eavesdrop on some of the coolest radio communications you will ever hear on a scanner or shortwave radio. Military communications monitoring is the one segment of the radio hobby that has exploded in growth in recent years and is getting more popular among the listening community every day.

Larry Van Horn N5FPW, spent 15 years documenting activity in the military radio spectrum in his monthly Milcom column in the pages of Monitoring Times magazine. And now for the first time ever, he is publishing and making available all those columns here at Amazon in the Kindle E-Book format.

Teak Publishing is pleased to announce the release of their latest Kindle e-books -- the first edition of the Milcom Files – Monitoring Times edition by Amazon Bestselling author Larry Van Horn, N5FPW.

The Milcom Files edition one covers the 15 years of Military Communications (Milcom) columns that Larry wrote for the now defunct-Monitoring Times magazine from 1998-2013.

Volume one (ASIN: B077NN7RQ5) of the Milcom Files covers columns published between 1998 to 2006. The column was bimonthly from September 1998 to November 2002, and monthly from January 2003 to December 2006. Volume two (ASIN: B077NQXH3C) covers columns published between 2007 to 2013. These columns were published monthly during this period. A complete index to all the columns is available on the Milcom MP blog at http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html.

The MT Milcom columns documented the U.S. military conversion to narrowband LMR systems, the move from conventional to trunk radio systems, the 225-400 MHz band plan shift, including the new 380-400 MHz sub-band, and HF military frequencies, both foreign and US. This two-volume set of e-books has over 327,000 plus words, and nearly 1,000 pages of frequencies, call signs, and how-to style articles.

Even though these columns were originally published from 1998-2013, you will find a lot of material that is still valid even today. All US military services, HF. VHF. UHF, military satellites, FAA Air Route Traffic Control Center frequencies, base profiles, foreign military frequencies, airshow frequencies, equipment, and a lot more are included. Each column will be presented as it was published in MT in this e-book except for photographs.

If you are interested in monitoring the military, own a scanner and/or shortwave radio, then the Milcom Files two volume set is a must reference on your radio shack shelf.

Teak Publishing’s The Milcom Files Monitoring Times edition is now available for purchase worldwide from Amazon.com.

Volume one is on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077NN7RQ5.
Volume two is on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077NQXH3C.

The price for each e-Book edition is US$7.99. This book is being released internationally. Amazon customers in the United Kingdom, Germany, France Spain, Italy, Japan, India, Canada, Brazil, Mexico and Australia can order the e-Book from Amazon websites directly servicing these countries. All other countries can use the regular Amazon.com website.

You do not need to own a Kindle reader to read Amazon e-book publications. You can read any Kindle book with Amazon’s free reading apps. There are free Kindle reading apps for the Kindle Cloud Reader, Smartphones (iPhone, iTouch, Android, Windows Phone and Blackberry); computer platforms (Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8 and Mac); Tablets (iPad, Android and Windows 8), and, of course, all the Kindle family of readers including the Kindle Fire series. A Kindle e-book allows you to buy your book once and read it anywhere. You can find additional details on these apps at this link on the Amazon website at www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771.

For additional information on this and other Teak Publishing radio hobby books, monitor the company sponsored Internet blogs – The Military Monitoring Post (http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/), The Btown Monitor Post (http://monitor-post.blogspot.com/) and The Shortwave Central (http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/) for availability of additional e-books that are currently in production.

Information on other publications by the author is available on the author’s page at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00G1QMO4C.


Monday, November 20, 2017

Frm the Isle of Music & Uncle Bill's Melting Pot schedules



From the Isle of Music  episodes through December 2:

1. For the week of November 19-25, we will rebroadcast on of our favorite episodes from 2016, which includes award-winning Jazz piano virtuoso Harold López-Nussa and other good things.
2. For the week of November 26-December 2, we will feature some interpretations of part of Schubert’s Trout Quintet lead by Cuban pianist Frank Fernandez along with an part of an intriguing album from the 1980s, Leningrado, featuring moments by several of Cuba’s Jazz elite from the time.
Four opportunities to listen on shortwave:
1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most of the Eastern Hemisphere (including parts of East Asia and Oceania) with 100Kw, Sunday 1500-1600 UTC on SpaceLine, 9400 KHz, from Kostinbrod, Bulgaria (1800-1900 MSK)
2. For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0100-0200 UTC on WBCQ, 7490 KHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US) NOTE THAT UTC CHANGED FOR B17 BUT EASTERN US TIME IS STILL THE SAME.
3 & 4. For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1200-1300 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany.

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot episodes through November 26

Here is fair warning of the next 3 episodes of Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot:
Episode 38 (November 26) : Bluegrass meets Hard Rock
Sundays 2300-2330 UTC (6:00PM -6:30PM Eastern US) on

WBCQ The Planet 7490 KHz  from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe

William "Bill" Tilford, Owner/Producer