September QSL Cards

September was a great month for QSL cards. I received the following confirmations:

American Forces Network  (QSL card) transmitting from Barrigada, Guam.
Radiodifusion Argentina al Exterior (RAE) (eQSL) transmitting from Argentina.
IBRA (Radio Ibrahim) (eQSL) transmitting from Woofferton, England (UK).
Bible Voice Broadcasting  (QSL card) transmitting from Issoudun, France
Kol Israel  (QSL card) transmitting from Israel.
Voice of Greece  (QSL card) transmitting from Greece.
Radio Romania International  (QSL card) transmitting from Romania.
Cyprus Broadcasting Corportion  (QSL card) transmitting from Limassol, Cyprus.
Shannon Aeradio (VOLMET station) (eQSL) transmitting from Shannon, Ireland.
Singapore Radio (VOLMET station) (eQSL) transmitting from Singapore.
Australia (VOLMET station) (eQSL) transmitting from Sydney, Australia.
Radio Habana Cuba  (QSL card) transmitting from Habana, Cuba.
Radio Bulgaria  (QSL card) transmitting from Bulgaria.

Promised QSL card:
Radio Azadi 

Radio Bulgaria -- August 2011 QSL Card

Radio Bulgaria in Sofia sent this QSL card for a 13 August 2011 reception report.  This particular BNR broadcast was logged on 6.000 kHz at 18.00-19.00 UTC. The report was my first attempt to email Radio Bulgaria, and surprisingly BNR did reply. It's always great to hear from these stalwarts of short-wave radio! Thank you Radio Bulgaria!

Voice of Greece (EPT5) - Fall 2011 QSL and Tourism Booklet

One of the four seasonal QSL cards -- I have two to date --  from Voice of Greece (EPT5) in Athens arrived in the mail today, along with a Fall programme schedule and a colourful and informative tourism booklet on Greece.

Brochure

All India Radio (Chennai)

All India Radio in Chennai (Madras), India was heard on 28 September 2011. Broadcasting a largely music format in Sinhala from 00:45 to 01:15 UTC on 7.270 kHz. Signal (SINPO) at 00.45 UTC was 25333. At 01.05 UTC reception worsened to 15321 -- speech and music was still audible, but increased static and fading degraded signal strength.

Reception report was submitted on-line at the AIR  website.

Website:
www.allindiaradio.org/

FEBA Radio (Relay station in Tashkent, Uzberkistan )

FEBA Radio, transmitting from a relay station in presumably Tashkent, Uzbekistan was heard on 28 September 2011, broadcasting in the Hindi language from 00:45 to 01:00 UTC on 7.485 kHz. Signal (SINPO) was  25432 -- weak reception degraded due to poor atmospheric conditions, otherwise speech and music was audible and clear.

Reception report was sent on-line at FEBA’s website.


POSTSCRIPT 30 SEPTEMBER 2011

FEBA Supporter Relations Coordinator, Carol Collins, emailed the following message regarding QSL cards from FEBA. Please take note. 

“Thank you for sending your reception report.  It’s good to know that you can hear FEBA’s programmes in Malaysia.

Now that FEBA no longer owns its own transmitting station, we are not able to verify reception reports.  This is because we use various service providers who are not able to provide this service for us.  I am sorry to disappoint you.

You can find information about FEBA and our broadcasts on our international website www.febaradio.net”

Website:
www.feba.org.uk/



Email:
lifechange@feba.org.uk

Radio Habana Cuba Freebies

A QSL card from Radio Habana Cuba (see my blog entry for 13 May 2011), 45th and 50th anniversary bookmarks and a Fidel Castro pocket calendar arrived, today. I’m flabbergasted, considering I heard only Radio Habana Cuba's interval signal under poor conditions; and for this, I received a verification from RHC. Let's see if Radio Marti can equal or better RHC. In any event, Muchas gracias, RHC! 

Shannon VOLMET, Ireland

Shannon VOLMET in Ireland, operating with a 5 kW transmitter, was heard on 26 September 2011. Time monitored was from 17.45 to 18.15 UTC (24 hour broadcast) on 5.505 kHz in SSB/USB mode. Signal (SINPO) was 15321 -- despite the weak reception and atmospheric disturbance, speech was audible and clear at times. Signal was heard on a Grundig Satellit 750 and Sangean ATS-909W; the performance of  the later receiver performed proved to be the best on this particular occasion.

A synthesized female voice repeatedly announced  "This is Shannon Volmet" followed by the visibility, wind speed, cloud cover, temperature and dew point for Amsterdam, Dublin, Frankfurt, London and other European cities, which on this particular day included reports of showers in most cities and temperatures of 16-17 degrees Celsius. 

Reception report was submitted on-line by email. I received this email reply within the day from Lilian Cassin, stating: "Thank you for your email. I have forwarded it to my colleagues in North Atlantic Communications on your behalf. We do indeed enjoy and appreciate hearing when our broadcasts have been picked up from around the world so I’m sure you will hear from my colleagues in the near future." True to their word, I received an e-QSL from EIAA a few hours later on 27 September 2011.

Address:
Irish Aviation Authority,
North Atlantic Communications,
Ballygirreen,
Newmarket-on-Fergus 
County Clare, IRELAND


Website:
www.iaa.ie 

Radio Romania 2011 QSL, Etc

Radio Romania International (RRI) recently sent this 2011 QSL card. As most short-wave enthusiasts know RRI issues new QSL cards every month. This one is apparently for a July 2011 reception report I submitted. Along with the QSL card, I received a letter inviting me to join their Short-wave Club and a summer programme schedule. RRI is truly one of the last remaining international short-wave broadcasters that is interested in the hobby of short-wave listening and the valuable feedback its short-wave listeners provide. Thank you so much RRI!

Stamps from Romania, courtesy of RRI

Summer Programme Schedule

Radio Marti - North Carolina, USA

Radio Marti, transmitting from Greenville, North Carolina, USA and studio in Miami, Florida, USA, was heard on 24 September 2011. Spanish language broadcast to Cuba and Latin America was monitored from 23.00 to 00.00 UTC. Signal was heard on 9.565 kHz and 11.930 kHz. Signal (SINPO) on 9.565 kHz at 23.00 UTC was 13321 -- weak reception with transmitter modulation and interference from adjacent stations, otherwise speech was audible and discernible at times. Reception worsened after 23.20 UTC due to weakened signal and severe transmitter modulation, making speech difficult to understand. Signal on 11.930 kHz at 23.45 UTC was much stronger at 15331 -- while reception was weak, speech was much clearer on this frequency.

Reception report was submitted on-line at Radio Marti website and by post. QSL card, along with brochure and programme schedule, arrived in the mail on 8 November 2011.

HCJB - La Voz de los Andes

HCJB - La Voz de Los Andes, transmitting from Santiago, Chile, was heard on 25 September 2011. The broadcast was monitored from 23.50 to 00.45 UTC (usual broadcast time 23:00 to 00:45 UTC ) on 11.920 kHz. Religious talk and music was observed in the Portuguese language. Signal (SINPO) was 12111 --   extremely weak reception which only worsened after 00.10 UTC. Signal was barely audible and  only music was heard well. To eliminate much of the QRN and interference, the radio was set in SSB/LSB mode.

Reception report was submitted on-line at HCJB website and by post. After sending several emails, I finally obtained this eQSL through HCJB's German language website. It arrived on 10 November 2011. A follow-up QSL card and 2012 desktop calendar arrived in the mail on 8 December 2011. A second QSL card for the same report arrived on 8 September 2012; (See blog entry on 8 September 2012).

Iris Rauscher replied with this email:

Dear OM Timm,


Thank you very much for your Report via Chile from the Portuguese Program. I will forward your letter as well to the Office in Brazil. They will be very exited to hear that you listened to the Program from Malaysia. Please find attached our QSL Card for September. Please find as well the new Program Schedule. We hope to hear again from you. And question, did you listen online via www.andenstimme.org? Well, we are the German Programm - but since you wrote via our homepage?


Greetings and blessings from Quito,
Iris Rauscher
for the German Department

VOLMET Stations in Asia-Pacific Region

The following VOLMET stations in the Asia-Pacific region were recently monitored on 6.676 kHz in SSB/USB mode. Each station reported the visibility, wind speed and temperature in the respective cities in their country or region, using a synthesised voice recording.

Singapore Radio e-QSL

Singapore Radio was received on 22 September 2011 from 18.52 to 1854 UTC. Signal (SINPO) was 54545. Singapore Radio carried weather reports for Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Soekarno-Hatta, Kuching, Brunei, Kota Kinabalu, Bali and Penang. Reception report was emailed to: Contact_NEA@nea.gov.sg. After a couple of reminders an e-QSL was sent on 29 September 2011.

Australia VOLMET e-QSL

Australia VOLMET Station was heard on 22 September 2011 from 18.59 to 19.01 UTC. Weather reports were for Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns, Melbourne, Townsville, Adelaide, Darwin and Perth. Signal (SINPO) was 44544. Reception report was emailed to: webops@bom.gov.au  After a couple of reminders also an e-QSL was sent on 30 September 2011.

Bangkok Meteorological Radio was heard on 23 September 2011 from 12.10 to 12.14 UTC. Signal (SINPO) was 55545. Reception report was emailed to: webmaster@tmd.go.th 

CVC International (1 Africa Radio) -- Zambia

CVC International (1 Africa Radio), with headquarters in Tygervalley, South Africa and transmitter site in Lusaka, Zambia, was heard on 22 September 2011, CVC was monitored from 15.05 to 16.00 UTC (normal broadcast 06:00-20:00 UTC) on 13.590 kHz. Signal (SINPO) at 15.05 UTC was  25312 -- weak signal, moderate QRN and fading, yet clear and discernible speech. At 15.45 UTC signal was overpowered by Bible Voice Broadcasting and CVC could no longer be heard until 16.00 UTC.

Reception report was emailed and posted. A QSL-letter arrived in the mail on 20 December 2011.

Radio Shiokaze (Sea-breeze) -- Japan

Radio Shiokaze (Sea-breeze) in Tokyo, Japan was monitored on 23 September 2011 from 14.15 to 14.30 UTC (broadcast time 13.30-14.30 UTC, Friday only) on 5.9850 kHz. Signal (SINPO) at 14.15 UTC was 21441 -- strong interference on 5.985 kHz from an adjacent station or jamming caused severe heterodyning. When retuned to 5.983 kHz reception was clear and speech understood. 

The station is sponsored by the Japanese government and public donations to obtain the release of Japanese abductees held in North Korea.

Reception report was submitted by email to comjansite2003@chosa-kai.jp  

Radio Cyprus (Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation)

Radio Cyprus (Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation) in Limassol was heard on 16 September 2011 and monitored  from 22.15 to 22.30 UTC (broadcast time 22.15-22.45 UTC) on 7.220 kHz. Signal (SINPO) at 22.15 UTC was 12411 -- weak signal strength, interference from China Radio International (CRI) and fading. Despite the poor reception, speech was audible and discernible until 22.30 UTC, at which point transmission could not be heard due to interference from CRI.

Reception report was submitted by post and email. QSL card received in the mail on 29 September 2011, within two weeks of submitting report.

Address:

Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation
Radio Cyprus
P.O. Box 24824
1397 Nicosia, Cyprus

Email:
rik@cybc.com.cy

Website:
www.cybc.com.cy

Democratic Voice of Burma

Democratic Voice of  Burma, based in Norway and transmitting presumably from Yerevan-Gavar, Armenia, was heard on 16/17 September 2011 from 23.30 to 00.30 UTC on 11.595 kHz. Signal (SINPO) at 23.30 was 14311 -- weak signal strength, fading and slight interference. Despite the poor transmission, speech was clear and discernible. Signal improved around 23.50 UTC to 45344 and remained strong.

A series of news commentaries and discussions in Burmese and national dialects were heard between music which was presented by female and male announcers. Reception report was submitted by post and email. An eQSL letter was sent in November 2011; as promised I received a QSL card and some old postcards commemorating Aung San Suu Kyi's 60th birthday.

Address:
Democratic Voice of Burma
P.O. Box 6720
ST. Olavs Plass
N-0130 Oslo
NORWAY

Email:
francis@dvb.no
acn@dvb.no

Website:
www.dvb.no

Trans World Radio India

Trans World Radio India, transmitting presumably from a relay station in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, was heard on 16 September 2011 from 13:30 to 14.10 UTC in the Hindi language on 11.930 kHz. Signal (SINPO) was 44554 -- slight interference from an adjacent station, otherwise signal was strong and speech clear.

Reception report was submitted on-line at TWR India’s website, which while they appear to have received it, subsequent months proved to be unresponsive to my request. Subsequently several follow-up emails were sent and eventually one to TWR headquarters. This prompted an immediate acknowledgement from TWR's Bob Hall on 27 February 2012. He confirmed my report, saying:
"Thanks for your message. We have sent a follow-up message to our folks in the region.  Hopefully, they will be able to get a QSL card to you soon. Thank you for your patience."  After several follow-up emails I received an eQSL on 18 May 2012. Apparently a QSL was posted but never reached my residence.

Website:
twr.in/technical_info.htm

Gospel for Asia

Gospel for Asia, an Evangelical Christian organisation based in Texas (USA), was heard transmitting presumably from Wertachtal, Germany on 16 September 2011 from 14.15 to 14.45 UTC, in the Kukna and Kotwali languages to India on 15.350 kHz. Signal (SINPO) was exceptionally strong and rated 45554. 

Reception report was submitted by post and email. QSL card arrived in the mail on 3 November 2011, but there is no mention of the transmitter site.

Address:

Gospel for Asia

1800 Golden Trail Ct.

Carrollton, TX 75010

USA

Email:

info@gfa.org

Website:

www.gfa.ca

Radyo-e Rahoya Iran (Oghabe Iran) or The Eagle of Iran

Radyo-e Rahoya Iran (Oghabe Iran) or The Eagle of Iran, an Iranian political organisation based in California (USA) and transmitting from a relay site presumed to be in Kishinev-Grigoriopol, Ukraine, was monitored on 14 September 2011 from 16.50 to 17.00 UTC (normal broadcast time 16:00 to 17:00 UTC) on 5.810 kHz. Reception (SINPO) was excellent at 45554. Programme content was in Persian/Farsi and entailed mostly commentary and some Iranian music. 

Reception report was submitted by email and post. A computer-generated message in Farsi was received indicating my email had been received, but no verification for QSL was indicated.

Address: 

Radyo-e Rahoya Iran (Oghabe Iran)

5319 University Dr. # 310

Irvine,  California 92612

United States of America

Email: 

eagleofiran@gmail.com

Website:

www.eagleofiran.com

VOA - Deewa Radio (Iranawila, Sri Lanka)

VOA - Deewa Radio, transmitting in Pashto from a relay station in Iranawila, Sri Lanka to Afghanistan and Pakistan region, was monitored from 03.30 to 04.00 UTC (normal broadcast time 03.00 to 04.00 UTC) on 13 September 2011. The broadcast format was largely discussion and news based and heard on 11.535 kHz. Reception (SINPO) at 03.30 UTC was 25121 -- a rather weak signal, but with clear and audible speech.

Reception report was submitted to VOA address in Washington D.C. and emailed. 

IBRA Radio -- Radio Ibrahim

IBRA Radio -- Radio Ibrahim, a Swedish Pentecostal organisation transmitting from Woofferton, UK, was heard on 11 September 2011. Monitored from 17.40 to 18.00 UTC  (normal broadcast time 17.00 to 18.00 UTC) on 11.655 kHz,  overall reception (SINPO) was excellent  at  55455.

Reception report was sent by email and post. e-QSL received on 26 September 2011.

Address:
IBRA Radio
Radio Ibrahim
SE-141 99 Stockholm
Sweden


Email:
infor@irba.se

Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty Stations (transmitting to Afghanistan and Pakistan)

Radio Mashaal, transmitting from the IBB transmitter in  Udonthani, northern Thailand, was heard broadcasting in Pashto on 11 September 2011 from 11:00 to 12:00 UTC on 15.320 kHz.Signal (SINPO): 25322 -- audible and clear speech despite weak signal, fading and QRN.

Radio Mashaal / IBB Udonthani

Reception report was submitted by post and email to RFE/RL and International Broadcasting Bureau. IBB replied by mail with this QSL card on 6 October 2011.  QSL from Radio Mashaal arrived in the mail on 2 March 2012, but after contacting Mr. Zach Peterson on a follow-up email in February 2012.

Radio Mashaal

Radio Azadi, transmitting from Kuwait in Dari language, was received on 11 September 2011 from 04.30 to 05.30 UTC on 15.680 kHz. Signal (SINPO) was  25322 -- clear and audible speech despite weak signal strength. 

Radio Azadi

Reception report was emailed to RFE/RFL. Within the hour of submitting it, I received this reply from Zach Peterson: "Thanks for your report. I will forward to our tech team tomorrow and get you a QSL card." QSL from  Radio Azadi arrived in the mail on 2 March 2012, but after contacting Mr. Zach Peterson on a follow-up email in February 2012.

Radio Farda, transmitting from Iranawila, Sri Lanka, was heard broadcasting in Farsi on 11 September 2011 from  03.00 to 03.58  UTC on 15.690 kHz. Signal (SINPO) at 03.00 UTC was 45534 -- clear reception and good signal strength despite fading; at 03.30 UTC signal was degraded to 25312 -- reception was still clear and audible despite a weaker signal, fading and increased QRN.

Radio Farda

Reception report was submitted by post and email to RFE/RL. QSL from  Radio Farda arrived in the mail on 2 March 2012, but after contacting Mr. Zach Peterson on a follow-up email in February 2012.

Four QSL cards from RFE/RL

Radiodifusion Argentina al Exterior (RAE)

e-QSL Card

Radiodifusion Argentina al Exterior (RAE) in Buenos Aires and transmitting from General Pacheco was heard on 5 September 2011. RAE’s Portuguese language broadcast from 11:00 to 12:00 UTC  was monitored from 10.58 to 11.30 UTC on 6.060 kHz. Signal (SINPO) at 11.00 UTC was 21211 -- extremely weak signal along with a lot of interference from adjacent stations. Despite the poor reception, station interval signal and Argentine pop songs were audible. At one point in the broadcast an announcer mentioned "RAE", confirming the station. At 11.30 UTC, Family Radio knocked out reception totally.

Reception report was submitted by post and email. The e-QSL shown here was received on 7 September 2011. This is the third Latin American station to be heard and the second to be verified, which is quite a feat in this part of the world!

Address:
Radiodifusion Argentina al Exterior
Casilla de Correo 555
Correo Central
C1000WAF Buenos Aires, Argentina


Email:
rae@radionacional.gov.ar
argentinainternationalradio@gmail.com


Website:
www.radionacional.gov.ar

Voice of Croatia

Voice of Croatia in Zagreb, Croatia, was heard on 4 September 2011. Signal was monitored from 23.20-00.30 UTC on 9.925 kHz. Signal (SINPO) at 23.20 UTC was 15332 -- weak signal and QRN marred reception. Nevertheless, speech was clear and audible. At 00.00 UTC reception worsened to 15111 due to weakened signal and increased QRN, which made speech difficult to clearly discern. 


On a side note, Voice of Croatia transmits daily from a relay site in Kranji, Singapore on the 25 meter band, yet -- given my relatively close proximity -- I cannot receive their signal due to interference from Voice of Korea and China Radio International. 


Reception reports were sent by email and post. Email was rejected due to server overload. QSL card arrived in the mail on 27 October 2011.


Address: 
Voice of Croatia
(Glas  Hrvatske)
Prisavlje 3
1000 Zagreb, Croatia


Email:
hrt@hrt@hr


Website:
www.hrt.hr 

Kol Israel

Kol Israel in Tel Aviv-Yavne, Israel was received on 3 September 2011 from 14.00-15.30 UTC on 13.850 kHz. Signal (SINPO) throughout much of the broadcast was 45344 -- moderate signal strength with some QRN, otherwise clear and audible speech. At 15.15 UTC signal was degraded to 43343 due to some modulation or interference from an adjacent station.

News and commentary in Persian/Farsi was broadcast to Iran. According to Israel Broadcasting Authority’s website, short-wave broadcasts of Kol Israel are only in Persian/Farsi; other services were discontinued in 2008 due to budget constraints. Reception report was submitted by post and email. QSL was received on 19 September 2011, much to my surprise!


Address: 
Israel Radio
External Service
PO Box 1082
Jerusalem 91010, Israel


E-mail: 
englishradio@iba.org.il