QSLs for November 2012

QSLs received for the month of November  2012 include the following:

Voice of Russia (QSL card) transmitting from Samara, Russia
Radio Marti (QSL card) transmitting from Greenville, North Carolina, USA
RTM - Sarawak FM (eQSL) transmitting from Kuching, Sarawak, East Malaysia

Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (eQSL) transmitting from Colombo-Ekala

Pan American Broadcasting / Media Broadcast GbmH (eQSL) transmitting from Wertactal, Germany

Evangelische Gemeiden / Missionswerk Friedensstimme (QSL card) transmitting from Wertachtal, Germany

Radio Alcaravan (eQSL) transmitting from Puerto Lleras, Colombia

Radio Ukraine International (QSL card) via  Internet broadcast from Kyiv

Chilena FM (QSL card) via  Internet broadcast from San Antonio, Chile

Radio Romania International (QSL card) transmitting from Galbeni

Radio Romania International (QSL card) transmitting from Tiganesti 

Radio Makedonias - ERT3 (QSL card) transmitting from Avila and issued by Voice of Greece

Promised QSLs:

Atlantic 2000 International (eQSL) via Internet broadcast from France
China Radio International (QSL card) transmitting from Habana, Cuba

CHU (QSL card) transmitting from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Radio Verdad (QSL card) transmitting from Chiquimula, Guatemala

The Overcomer Ministry (via Sofia/Kostinbrod, Bulgaria)

The Overcomer Ministry, using the 50 kW transmitter facility in Kostinbrod (Sofia), Bulgaria, was logged on 30 November 2012. Brother Stair was heard delivering a sermon from 19.25 to 20.00 UTC.  By 19.50 UTC reception quality worsened to 24321 -- mostly carrier signal,  except when fading peaked upward. Audio was barely heard and incomprehensible at times. Transmission was observed on  9.700 kHz. Reception (SINPO) was 34333 -- fair signal strength with fading and transmitter noise, otherwise clear and audible.

Reception report was emailed to The Overcomer Ministry. This eQSL arrived on 2 December 2012.

Email:

brotherstair@overcomerministry.org

Radio Nikkei 1 (Japan)

Radio Nikkei 1, transmitting presumably from Nemuro, Japan, was logged on (Friday only) 30 November 2012. A programme of traditional Japanese music with discussion and station promotions  was observed from  10.30 to 11.00 UTC. Transmission was on 3.925 kHz. Reception (SINPO) was 35443 -- fair signal strength with  some atmospheric noise, otherwise good clarity of audio.

Radio Nikkei 1 was previously QSLed on 9.595 kHz. This frequency, transmitter location and transmitter power is supposedly different, and hence the interest. As it turns out, the transmitter output is 50 kW, the same for the other Radio Nikkei frequencies; see the reverse side of the QSL card below.

Radio Nikkei  1  broadcasts on 3.925 kHz from Nagara, Chiba (call sign: JOZ) and from Nemuro, Hokkaido (call sign: JOZ4). They are synchronised regardless of the day of the week (when Nemuro transmits).

The Nemuro transmitting station (which was in Sapporo before 1996) was established for the purpose of anti-skip in the metropolitan (Tokyo) area in winter and at night.

According to Aoki's list, the schedule for the Nemuro site is as follows:

- Evening in Japan  (Monday-Thursday) 08.00-13.30 UTC, (Friday) 08.00-14.15 UTC, and (Saturday and Sunday) 08.00-12.00 UTC;

- Morning in Japan (Daily)  22.25-23.00 UTC.

Reception report was emailed and submitted on-line. This QSL card arrived in the mail on 14 December 2012.

Radio Marti (Greenville, North Carolina)

Radio Marti, transmitting from Greenville, North Carolina, USA, was logged on 5 September 2012. A Spanish language broadcast of news commentary and a few songs was monitored from 10.30 to 11.20 UTC  on 6.030 kHz. Reception (SINPO) was 25332 -- weak signal strength coupled with atmospheric noise, otherwise speech was audible and clear. 

Reception report emailed and submitted online to Radio Marti. This QSL arrived on the mail on 30 November 2012.

Email:

editor@martinoticias.com

RTM - Sarawak FM (via Kuching)

RTM - Sarawak FM, transmitting from Kuching, Sarawak (East Malaysia), was logged on 1 November 2010. A broadcast of Malay pop tunes and Islamic progammes in Bahasa Malaysia was monitored on 5.030 kHz from 10.00 to 16.00 UTC.  Reception of this 10 kW transmitter was (SINPO) 45444 -- good signal strength  with slight atmospheric noise and fading throughout transmission, otherwise audio was good and clear.

Note: Sarawak FM is currently on 9.835 kHz, transmitting from Kajang, Selangor (West Malaysia) with Studio / HQ in Sarawak. Transmitter output is purportedly 100 kW.

Reception report was initially posted and emailed to Sarawak FM in November 2010. Follow-up emails were sent periodically in 2011 and 2012. Finally, after preparing an eQSL for the Station Manager at Sarawak FM to sign and stamp, I received a reply on 26 November 2012. There were at least three additional RTM - Sarawak FM personnel I contacted who eventually referred my eQSL to the "Senior Assistant Director of Engineering (Radio) Malaysian Department of Broadcasting, Sarawak". It is he (Mr. Zulkifli) who signed and stamped this eQSL. He replied from Kajang (the current transmitter site for Sarawak FM, which has a transmitter output power of 100kW). He also promised to post the eQSL and, I presume, their QSL card. 

Address. website and email is stated on the eQSL.

Atlantic 2000 International (Internet)

Atlantic 2000 International in  France was logged on 25 November 2012.  Pop music with announcements in French and English was monitored from 08.53 to 10.05 UTC. Mode of transmission was by way of Shoutcast Internet stream at 24 kps. Short-wave broadcast on 9.480 kHz was impossible in South East Asia due to interference from China National Radio; European listeners should have had no difficulty in receiving this station.

A reception report was emailed to Atlantic 2000 shortly after the broadcast ended. This eQSL was received on 1 December 2012.

Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation

Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, transmitting from Colombo-Ekala, was received from 09.30 to 10.00 UTC on  6.005 kHz, on 23 November 2012. A variety of South Asian songs were heard between maile and female announcers. Reception (SINPO) at 09.30 UTC was 23322 -- faint audio, jamming and fading. At 09.50 UTC reception improved slightly to 33322 -- stronger and clearer audio, but still jamming and fading. By 10.00 UTC, jammer gradually overpowered SLBC. This frequency and time is probably the worst reception for any SLBC transmission. It competes with the jammer, presumably originating from North Korea. On most days, SLBC on 6.005 kHz cannot be hear due to the jammer.

Reception report was submitted the following day. An eQSL was promised a day after submission of this report. This eQSL was received on 26 November 2012.

China Radio International (via Habana, Cuba)

China Radio International, transmitting from Habana, Cuba, was logged on 24 November 2012. A Spanish language broadcast of Latin music was  monitored from 00.15 to 00.50 UTC. Transmission was on 15.120 kHz. Reception (SINPO) at 00.15 UTC was 23332 -- fair to poor signal strength with some station splatter and atmospheric noise, otherwise speech was clear and audible at times. By 00.30 UTC reception was degraded to 13321 -- gradually faded away and was drowned out by an adjacent station. By 00.45 UTC signal was barely audible.

Reception report was emailed on the same day. A few days later, Ying Lian emailed promising to send a QSL card: "We are thankful for your greetings and report of Spanish program. Your report and comment on our English programs will be welcome when it is convenient of you. We will send a qsl card soon." This QSL card, along with two bookmakers depicting the Great Wall, arrived on 20 December 2012.

Two bookmarkers depicting the Great Wall

Pan American Broadcasting (via Wertachtal)

Pan American Broadcasting, transmitting from Wertachtal, Germany, was logged on 18 November 2012. Time monitored was from 14.15 to 14.30 UTC  (broadcast time 14.00 to 14.30 UTC). An English language broadcast of Evangelical programming was received on  15.205 kHz. Reception (SINPO) was 45444 -- good signal strength with minor atmospheric noise.

Reception report was submitted on-line at Pan American Broadcasting on the same day. My email was forwarded to Media Broadcasting GmbH in Germany, who in turn sent this eQSL the following day.

Voice of Wilderness (via Trincomalee)

Voice of Wilderness (Bible Voice Broadcasting Network), transmitting from Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, was logged on 18 November 2012. A Korean language broadcast of religious songs was monitored from  13.45 to 14.00 UTC. Transmission was received on 15.180 kHz. Reception (SINPO) was 35443 -- fair signal strength with slight atmospheric noise, otherwise clear audio.

Reception report was submitted on-line at BVBN and VOW websites on the same day. QSL card arrived from BVBN in Canada on 17 November 2012.

Super Radio Deus e Amor (Brazil)

Super Radio Deus e Amor (SRDA) , transmitting from Curitiba PR, Brazil, was logged on 16 November 2012. Religious sermons and occasional music in Portuguese was monitored from 19.50 to 20. 50 UTC on 9.565 kHz. Reception (SINPO): 23322 -- weak signal, clear audio despite fading and some station splatter. Reception improved slightly around 20.45 UTC, providing a SINPO rating of 34333.

For a sample of the quality of reception in South East Asia at 19.50 UTC on 16 November, click HERE.


A self-made QSL card and reception report, composed in Portuguese, was posted to SRDA and emailed to their affiliated Pentecostal Church in Brazil.

Address:
Super Radio Deus e Amor
R João Negrão 595,
80010-200, Curitiba (Paraná)
Brazil

Website:
www.superradiodeuseamor.com.br/

CHU (National Research Council of Canada)

CHU (National Research Council of Canada), transmitting from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, was logged on 13 November 2012. Time monitored was from 22.25 to 23.00 UTC. Transmission was on the frequency of 7.850 kHz. Reception (SINPO) was 23332 - weak signal strength with time pips clearly heard and unintelligible audio despite interference from unidentified radio operators in Thailand and  atmospheric noise. Signal gradually disappeared after 23.00 UTC. Under grey-line conditions, time pips were clearly detected, then double beeps, followed by weak audio from male announcers, speaking in English and French, providing station ID and time in UTC on the minute.

Reception report was submitted on the same day and on-line on 15 November 2012. Bill Hoger, Technical Officer, Frequency and Time for CHU replied the following day, comfirming the report: "Thank you for your interest in our radio station. Your QSL card is on the way." This QSL card arrived in the mail on 5 December 2012.

Website: 

www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/services/time/short_wave.html.

Email:

radio.chu@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

Address:

Mr. Bill Hoger

Technical Officer

Frequency and Time

NRC | CNRC

M-36, 1022

1200 Montreal Road

Ottawa, Canada K1A 0R6

Alcaravan Radio (Colombia)

Alcaravan Radio, a 1 kW station transmitting from Puerto Lleras, Colombia was received from 10.50 to 11.10 UTC on 10 November 2012 at 5.910 kHz.  Reception (SINPO) at 10.50 UTC was 25322 - weak, clear and audible, despite fading and poor signal strength.  As the grey-line between Colombia and Malaysia disappeared at 11.15 UTC, signal gradually faded away and only a faint carrier was detected at 11.25 UTC. After 11.30 UTC, no signal was heard.

Within this period of time I enjoyed several lovely Colombian / Latin American songs with occasional moderation from a Spanish speaking announcer. 

To hear how Alcaravan Radio sounded in Malaysia at 10.58 UTC,  listen  HERE. The static bursts heard on the recording are from an approaching thunderstorm.  

A reception report was emailed to the QSL Manager, Mr. Rafael Rodriguez. Within six hours of submitting it, I received this eQSL and message from him. He wrote: "Greetings from Colombia. Many thanks for your reception report to our signal in 5910 kHz. This will help us to improve our signal. I send you our e-QSL. From January 2011 to all reports received by e-mail we send e-QSL, but if you want full QSL (card, sticker and other little gift) please send you report by airmail including 2 IRCs."

Email:

rafaelcoldx@yahoo.com

Address:

ALCARAVÁN RADIO
c/o Rafael Rodríguez R.
Apartado Aéreo No. 67751
Bogotá D.C. - COLOMBIA

WBCQ (via Maine, USA)

WBCQ - The Planet, transmitting from Monticello, Maine, USA was logged on 2,  3 and 4 November 2012. A largely talk format, occasionally with music mixed under,  was observed  from 18.55 to 19.15 UTC (broadcast time is 12.00 to 23.00 UTC) on 2 and 3 November. Station was observed again on 4 November from 14.20 to 14.30 UTC. Transmission was noted on 15.420 kHz. Reception (SINPO) was 15321 -- prominent carrier signal was  present with  faint audio when signal peaked, otherwise reception was poor.  WBCQ often cannot be heard earlier due to either interference from Radio Free Sarawak in Palau or Adventist World Radio in Guam. Generally after 19.45 UTC, it is impossible to hear anything except static.

A reception report was emailed in subsequent days after logging WBCQ. Their website states a SASE is required to obtain a paper QSL. True enough, this QSL card was sent in the SASE and signed by Allan Weiner. It arrived in the mail on 14 December 2012.

Email:

wbcq@wbcq.com

Address:

WBCQ The Planet
C/O Mr. Allan Weiner
274 Britton Road
Monticello, Maine 04760
USA

WYFR - Family Radio (via Mykolayiv / Nikolayev)

WYFR - Family Radio, transmitting from Mykolayiv  (Nikolayev), Ukraine was logged on 5  November 2012. Evangelical Christian programmes and music, broadcast in the Azeri language, was heard from 15.00 to 16.00 UTC on  9.380 kHz. Reception (SINPO) was 55545 -- excellent signal strength, clear audio with minor fading.

A reception report was emailed on the same day to Family Radio. 

Email:

familyradio@familyradio.org 

info@familyradio.org 

international@familyradio.org

Radio Verdad (Guatemala)

Radio Verdad, transmitting from Chiquimula, Guatemala, was logged on 2 November 2012. After many months of monitoring the station on 4.055 kHz in LSB mode, sometimes hearing only a carrier or no signal at all, I was fortunate to detect a trace of audio for approximately 10 minutes at around 12.00 UTC. Reception (SINPO) at  the time was 15321. Weak audio, lacking clarity, was observed. After 12.15 UTC only faint talking was occasionally heard when the signal peaked, otherwise carrier signal was  prominent amidst atmospheric noise most of the time up until 12.30 UTC.  

Generally Radio Verdad's signal is quite poor in South East Asia.  A carrier signal is almost always detected, and only in LSB mode shortly after 11.30 UTC, then peaks around 12.00 or 12.05 UTC when slight audio is heard.  This occurs almost regularly under a grey-line path from Guatemala to Malaysia. Shortly after sunrise in Guatemala, only a carrier is audible. By 13.00 UTC, no signal from Radio Verdad is observed. While no definitive ID has ever been heard, I strongly suspect this is Radio Verdad; no other station in South East Asia  or elsewhere operates on 4.055 kHz.

QSL and freebies from Radio Verdad

A reception report was emailed to Radio Verdad. Dr. Edgar Madrid replied within 24 hours, acknowledging receipt of my report and stating he would reply later in the week. He indeed followed up on 7 November 2012, confirming the above reception report and promising a QSL card from Radio Verdad. After a long delay, I emailed Dr. Madrid in mid-March 2013. In subsequent emails he emailed, at my request, Radio Verdad's QSL and posted it as well on 25 March 2013. QSL card, calendar, sticker and pennant arrived in the mail on 22 April 2013.

Address:

Radio Verdad

C/O Dr Edgar Madrid

Apartado Postal 5, 

Chiquimula, Guatemala, 

Central America

Email:

 radioverdad5@yahoo.com

Radio Makedonias (ERT 3)

Radio Makedonias (ERT 3), transmitting from Avlis, Greece, was logged on 29 May 2012. A Greek language broadcast with Greek music was monitored from 19.30 to 20.00 UTC (broadcast time 17.00 to 22.50 UTC) on 7.450 kHz. Reception (SINPO) at 19.30 was 34443 -- fair signal strength, minor transmitter noise and slight fading, otherwise clear and audible speech. At 20.00 UTC reception was 12441 due to strong interference from PBS Xizang

A reception report was emailed shortly afterward with follow-ups. Somehow I received this QSL, not from Radio Makeonias, but from Voice of Greece on 3 November 2012. I resubmitted the reception report on 19 December 2012. Within the day, an eQSL and brochure on Macedonia was sent to me.

eQSL letter from Radio Makedonias (logo was added)

Radio Cayman 1 - Breeze FM (Internet)

Radio Cayman 1 (89.9 Breeze FM) - "The Voice of the Caymans" in George Town was logged on  14 October  2012. Using an Internet stream at 31 kps in Windows format, a broadcast of local news, community announcements, advertisements and  raggae music was monitored from 08.55 to 09.55 UTC. Excellent fidelity was transmitted via WiFi to a Blackberry Bold using the TuneIn Radio application.

A reception report was submitted on-line at Radio Cayman 1.  After multiple follow-up emails, I received confirmation from Radio Cayman 1 - Breeze FM Programme Director, Norman McField. This self-prepared eQSL was submitted to her and subsequently stamped on 4 December 2012.