QSLs for January 2013

QSLs for the month of January  2013:

BBC (QSL card) confirmed by KBS World Radio transmitting from Kimjae, Republic of Korea
Guangxi Beibu Bay Radio (QSL card) confirmed by CRI and transmitting from Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang, People's Republic of China
Radio Habana Cuba (QSL card) transmitting from Habana
Vatican Radio (QSL card) transmitting from Santa Maria Galeria and Tashkent (two previous cards were sent for the same reports)
China Radio International  (QSL card) transmitting from Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China
Radio East New Britain (self-prepared eQSL) transmitting from Rabaul, East New Britain, PNG
Radio Oromiya (self-prepared eQSL letter) transmitting from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Voice of America (QSL card) transmitting from Kuwait
CVC La Voz (QSL) transmitting from Santiago, Chile
Radio Rebelde (eQSL) transmitting from Habana, Cuba
WINB (QSL card) transmitting from Red Lion, Pennsylvania, USA

Promised:
Radio N'djamena (self-prepared eQSL)  transmitting from N'djamena, Chad
China Tibet Broadcasting (2 QSL cards) confirmed by CRI and transmitting from Lhasa, Tibet
PBS Quinghai (QSL card) confirmed by CRI and transmitting from Xining, Quinghai Province, People's Republic of China
Radio Sonder Grense (QSL) transmitting from (Sentech) Meyerton, South Africa
China Radio International (QSL card) transmitting from Jinhua, People's Republic of China
China National Radio 13 (QSL card) transmitting from Lingshi, People's Republic of China
China Radio International (QSL card) transmitting from Shijiazhuang, People's Republic of China

BBC via Kimjae

BBC, using the KBS World Radio transmitter site in Kimjae, Republic of Korea, was logged on 29 December 2012. Transmission occurred on 6.135 kHz and was monitored from 22.30 to 23.00 UTC.  Reception (SINPO) was 33433 -- fair signal strength, station splatter and fading. Otherwise audible and clear reception. BBC news, "World Predictions" news commentary and BBC programme promotions were observed in this 30-minute period.

Reception report was submitted the following day. This QSL card from KBS World Radio arrived on 31 January 2013.

Sudwest Rundfunk 1 (via Internet)

Sudwest Rundfunk 1 (SWR1), transmitting presumably from Stuttgart, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany, was logged on 27 January 2013. Pop music, news, weather and sports was observed, using an Internet stream at 48 kps / mp3 format. Broadcast was monitored from 20.35 to 21.15 UTC.

A reception report was submitted on-line and at their Facebook page on 28 January 2013. This QSL, along with two postcards, was received on 20 February 2013.

Radio Bayrak International (via Internet)

Radio Bayrak International (BRT) 105.0 FM in  Nicosia, Northern Cyprus was logged on 2 January 2013. English pop songs and news hosted by a female announcer was heard  from 10.08 to 11.00 UTC, using an  Internet stream at 128 kps / mp3 format.

A reception report was emailed and posted to BRT a few days later.

China Tibet Broadcasting / Voice of China Tibet

CRI confirmed CBT with this QSL card

China Tibet Broadcasting / Voice of China Tibet --"Holy Tibet", transmitting from  Lhasa, China Tibet (Xizang), was logged on 6 July 2012 from 16.00 to 17.00 UTC and  24 May 2012 from 16.00 to 17.00  UTC. These English language broadcasts consisted of reports on Tibet and tourism promotion of  "Holy Tibet".  On 6 July, transmission  was received on 6.200 kHz. Reception (SINPO) was 35343 -- fair signal strength with atmospheric noise and fading,  otherwise clear and audible speech. On 24 May, transmission was monitored on  7.255 kHz. Reception (SINPO) was 44444 -- exceptionally good signal with minor fading and minor interference from presumably Belaruskayo Radyo 1.

CRI confirmed CBT with this QSL card

Multiple reception reports were submitted at various times, both by email and post. Initial posts and emails were shortly after logging the station. Various email addresses stated on their website were used, some of which bounced. Letters were sent by air mail and registered mail. I was able to track the registered letter to Guangzhou. Afterwards, this letter could not be tracked, nor was it returned. A follow-up letter was posted in November 2012 from the United States, courtesy of a fellow DXer, but to date there has been no reply. Another follow-up letter in December 2012 was posted in China by a friend. It reached Xizang, according to the postmark, but a month latter it was re-routed to my address in Malaysia. Finally, on 28 January 2013, I emailed Ying Lian, at China Radio International, English Section. Within the same day, I received an email confirming the reception reports and promising to send two QSL cards.

This is not the China Tibet Broadcasting QSL I have long sought to add to my collection of QSLs, but it will suffice, at least for now. These QSL cards from CRI confirmed China Tinet Broadcasting. They arrived in the mail on 18 February 2013. China Tibet Broadcasting did FINALLY post a QSL card, along with a postcard from Tibet, only after the report was mailed from the US by a DX friend and sent to a postal address in the US, then posted to Malaysia.

Radio Slovakia International (via Internet)

Radio Slovakia International in an internet broadcast from Bratislava, Slovakia was heard on 27 January 2013. A recap of the past week's news events in Slovakia and Listener's Tribune was observed from 19.30 to 20.00 UTC. Mode of reception was an Internet stream at 128 kps / mp3 format. Excellent  fidelity was heard using a Blackberry Bold 9700 with TuneIn Radio App. 

A reception report was emailed to Radio Slovakia International on 28 January 2013. This QSL card, along with a sticker, brochure and English language staff photo, arrived in the mail on 28 February 2013.

Flip side of QSL cad with Slovakia coin

RSI English staff photo and brochure

Radio Prague (via Internet)

Radio Prague in the Czech Republic was heard on 27 January 2013. A podcast of their Sunday Music Show, featuring the Czech group Nightwork,  was monitored from 05.00 to 05.30 UTC (via archived podcast). Mode of transmission was an  Internet stream at 32 / mp3 format. Excellent audio fidelity was noted for this English language broadcast.

A reception report was emailed to Radio Prague on 28 January 2013. QSL card, along with a fridge magnet and postcard,  arrived in the mail on 14 May 2013.

Radio Prague Fridge Magnet

Whither the Mail from China Tibet Broadcasting?

A month ago a friend visited China and posted a letter with a reception report to China Tibet Broadcasting (CTB) for me. It was addressed in Chinese and Roman script. I had approached him to post the letter in China after many unsuccessful attempts to contact CTB for over a year. Several emails were submitted to the station, each time with no response. Letters, both registered and normal post, were mailed from Malaysia and the United States, with failure resulting in each attempt. 

My originally addressed envelop to CTB

On Friday, 25 January 2013, the letter I gave my friend to post in China was returned to me. It had been placed in another envelop and delivered to my address. Upon closer inspection, I discovered a few anomalies:

(1) The Chinese postal clerk my friend had dealt with instructed him to reverse the sendee (CTB) and sender (me) addresses on the other envelop; and 

(2) while it did reach the post office in Xizang (Tibet), according to the postmark, it for some inexplicale reason was rerouted to my address in Malaysia. 

Nevermind. It's been done. I will make another attempt to post the letter in China. This time the procedure will be different: 

(1) the front of the envelop will be addressed only in Chinese script, stating "TO", followed by  CTB's address (preferably with a contact person and/or no mention of CTB, according to the postal clerk); and 

(2) the reverse side of the envelop will be addressed in  Chinese script "FROM", followed by the sender's address (me). 

Th  re-addressed envelop the Chinese postal offical  required

I know it sounds terribly convoluted. Yet, I'm feeling crazy enough  to give it a try, short of personally delivering the letter to the station in Tibet (which is unlikely).

At the same time, I will contact China Radio International and attempt to have them QSL the reception report of CTB. Even though this means the QSL will be issued on CRI's card, not CTB's. CRI has done this for me with CNR, PBS and Beibu Bay. 

I know CTB can be a difficult station, but not impossible,  to QSL. I have heard stories of guys sending multiple reports, after trying for many years, sometimes getting the QSL or ending up still with nothing to show for their effort. I've even been told by one DXer in China that CTB in  previous years was only too willing to comply with a QSL when a properly documented reception report was submitted. However, with a younger generation now staffed at CTB, they are generally ignorant about the purpose of a QSL. I suppose some listeners will, for some reason or other, will be able to QSL directly from CTB.

The elusive QSL card from CTB

So it goes and so I shall labour on in pursuit of that ever elusive QSL from China Tibet Broadcasting.

PBS Quinghai (via Xining)

CRI confirmed PBS Quinghai with this QSL card

PBS Quinghai, transmitting from  Xining, Quinghai Province, People's Republic of China was logged on 25 January 2013. A Tibetan (Amoy dialect) language broadcast of listener phone-in discussion, commercial breaks and provincial music was observed from 22.50 to 23.55 UTC.  Reception on 4.220 kHz was (SINPO) 43343 -- fair signal strength and good clarity of speech, despite some transmitter noise, atmospheric noise and slight fading. Signal began to weaken around 23.45 UTC.

Reception report was emailed to China Radio International. On 28 January 2013, CRI replied, promising to send a QSL card for PBS Quinghai. This QSL card from CRI arrived on 18 February 2013.

Vatican Radio

Vatican Radio sent an additional QSL card for three reports submitted in 2011 and 2012. This three-in-one card came with a blank QSL card and 2013 calendar.

Previous QSL for Vatican Radio via Uzbekistan can be viewed HERE.

Previous  QSL for Vatican Radio via Santa Maria Galleria can be viewed HERE.

Blank QSL card

Vaticn Radio 2013 Calendar

China Huayi Broadcasting Company (via Fuzhou)

China Huayi Broadcasting Company, transmitting from Fuzhou, Fujian, People's Republic of China, was logged on 21 January 2013. A Chinese / Amoy language broadcast of news commentary and opera music just before sign-off was monitored from 15.30  to 16.00 UTC (23.30 to 00.00 China local time) on 6.185 kHz. Reception (SINPO) from 15.30 UTC until sign-off was 24212 -- weak signal, but clearly audible whenever signal faded in. Prior to 15.30 UTC, reception was blocked by Voice of Korea.

Reception report was emailed the following day. However, I am not certain whether it was routed through a SPAM filter or actually reached the intended contact. By 13 February 2013, all email attempts failed on delivery. Reception report was also mailed on 13 February 2013, addressed in English and Chinese. On 5 April 2013, I received this eQSL from verisigner "Jonathan Short". To protect his identity, I have removed his email address and the digital stamp from this eQSL. According to the email that accompanied this verification, all paper QSL cards are no longer in stock.

Website:

www.chbcnet.com

Address:
China Huayi Broadcasting Corporation,

P.O. Box 251

Fuzhou, Fujian Province

People's Republic of China 350001

China Radio International (via Jinhua)

China Radio  International, transmitting from Jinhua, People's Republic of China was logged on  20 January 2013. The English language broadcast of "Beyond Beijing" news and reports, "World According to Words" and "China Studio" was noted  from 15.00 to 15.57 UTC. Transmission was on the frequency: 9.785 kHz. Reception (SINPO) was 54444 -- excellent signal strength and clarity of audio despite some interfering station splatter and slight fading. By 15.35 UTC reception improved slightly to 54544. 

A reception report was emailed to CRI the following day. I received this email later in the afternoon confirming my report: "Many thanks for your greetings and report of Jan. 20 programme.  We will send a qsl card.Your questions on our broadcasting will be welcome. Yours sincerely, Ying Lian, English Service, China Radio International." This QSL card arrived in the mail on 20 February 2013.

Voice of Turkey

Voice of Turkey (TRT) in Emirler, Turkey was logged on 20 January 2013. A Kazakh language broadcast of news and feature programmes was observed from 14.30 to 14.56  UTC on 9.785 kHz. Reception (SINPO) was 35433 -- fair signal strength with good audio clarity despite fading.  By 14.50 UTC some transmitter noise degraded signal to 33333.

A reception report was emailed to the English and Kazakh langauage departments at TRT on the following day. This QSL card, along with coaster and pocket calendar, arrived in the mail on 22 February 2013.

Coaster & Calendar 2013

Jakarta Radio (aviation)

Jakarta Radio (aviation) in Sumatra, Indonesia was logged on 19 January 2013. Air traffic communication between Singapore Airlines flight 478 (male announcer) and Jakarta Radio (male announcer), requesting landing and radar coordinates, was monitored. This was followed by Jakarta Radio air traffic controller mentioning Colombo Radio. This transmission was monitorered from 19.35 to 19.45 UTC on the frequency of  6.556 kHz  in SSB/USB mode. Reception (SINPO) for Jakarta Radio was 45444; Singapore Airline flight 478 was much weaker at 25332.

I have no idea who to send a reception report to, and even then I am skeptical that a QSL will be forthcoming. I have also had no success with Manila Radio (aviation).

China National Radio (via Lingshi)

China National Radio (CNR 13) in  Lingshi, People's Republic of China was received on 19 January 2013. An Uyghur language broadcast of ethnic music was observed after announcers greeted their listeners with "Assalamu 'alaikum". Time monitored was from 03.00 to  04.00 UTC on the frequency of  15.390 kHz. Reception (SINPO) at 03.00 UTC was 34443 -- fair signal strength with clear audio, despite slight fading and atmospheric noise. Fading increased around 03.30 UTC, degrading reception to 34433.  

Reception report was submitted on 21 January 2013. Later in the day CRI emailed and confirmed the reception report: "Thank you to sending report of China National Radio programme,we will send a qsl card.Your tuning in to our English programme and reports will be welcome. Yours sincerely, Ying Lian, English Service, China Radio International." This QSL was received on 20 February 2013.

Radio Oromiyaa - ORTO (Addis Ababa-Gedja, Ethiopia)

Radio Oromiyaa (Oromiyaa Radio & Television Organization - ORTO), transmitting from Addis Ababa-Gedja, Ethiopia was logged on 16 January 2013. News magazine / commentary in the Afar-Oromo language was monitored from 17.35 to 18.00 UTC. Transmission was on the frequency of 6.030 kHz. Reception at 17.35 UTC was 24331 -- carrier present with faint audio when signal faded in. No signal was audible before 17.35 due to strong interference from CRI in Beijing. At 18.00 UTC station splatter from PBS Xizang and Radio Free Asia on adjacent frequency of 6.025 kHz blocked reception.

Reception report was submitted on-line at ORTO website. An email-QSL was received a day later after submission. The above self-prepared QSL contains the  message received from ORTO.

China Radio International (via Shijiazhuang)

China Radio International, transmitting from Shijiazhuang,  People's Republic of China, was logged on 17 January 2013. Their Cantonese broadcast was monitored from 19.40 to 20.04 UTC on 7.215 kHz. Reception (SINPO) during the transmission rated 34443 -- fair signal strength with slight station splatter and minor fading.

Reception report was emailed to Ying Lian at CRI, who promptly confirmed with the promise of a QSL card.  "We are grateful to receive your reception report of CRI Cantonese program. A qsl card will be sent to your request. Your reports on our English programs and opinions will be welcome when it is convenient for you. Yours sincerely, Ying Lian, English Service, China Radio International" This QSL was received on 20 February 2013.

Unresponsive Stations for 2012

The following stations were either non-responsive to email and/or postal reception reports. 

AFRICA
Radio Omdurman (Sudan)
Voice of Tanzania Zanzibar
Radio Télévision Libye
Radio Dialogue (Madagascar)
Radio Fana (Ethiopia)
Voice of Broad Masses (Eritrea)
Radio Uganda
Radio Djibouti
Tunisia
La Voix du Sahel (Niger)

EUROPE
IRRS / Nexus (several broadcasts)
Radio Rossii (Murmansk)

LATIN AMERICA
Super Radio Deus e Amor (Brazil)

INDIA
All India Radio (Gorakhpur)
All India Radio (Nagpur)
All India Radio (Port Blair)
All India Radio (many other non-GOS stations logged in previous years)

ASIA 
Radio Rossii (Bishkek)
Radio Rossii (Magadan)
Voice of Jinling (PRC)
China Tibet Broadcasting Station  (PRC)
NK Reform Radio (South Korea)
Korean Military National Defense Radio (South Korea)
Free Radio Korea (South Korea)
Echo of Hope (South Korea)
Myanmar Defence Forces

PACFIC REGION
Radio West New Britain  (PNG)
Radio Manus  (PNG)
Radio Madang  (PNG)
Radio New Ireland  (PNG)
Radio East Sepik  (PNG)
Manila Radio - Manila International Aviation Authority

PROMISED QSLs (and still waiting)
Radio Rwanda
Radio Mediterranee International (Morocco)
Radio Damascus
Radio Kuwait
Radio Riyadh (reportedly do not QSL)
Voice of Maldives - Dhivehi Raajjeyage Adu (MW)
Caribbean Beacon (Anguilla)

Radiodiffusion Nationale Tchadienne (via N'djamena)

Radiodiffusion Nationale Tchadienne in N'djamena, Chad was logged on 13 January 2013. A French language broadcast of news and commentary was monitored from 19.25 to 20.05 UTC on 6.165 kHz. Reception (SINPO) was 23332 - weak but audible signal, clearly heard at times, despite QRM from an adjacent station. Reception improved slightly after 20.00 when the interfering station signed-off. 

You many click HERE to listen to a brief excerpt from this broadcast as received in South East Asia. 

A reception report with self-prepared eQSL and transcribed in French was emailed and posted to Radiodiffusion Nationale Tchadienne. I know a number of listeners have received a reply and / or confirmation from the Technical Director at Radiodiffusion Nationale Tchadienne. I was unsuccessful in a previous attempt to secure a QSL, either by email or post. Hopefully this time, fortune will favour me.

On 28 January 2013, I received this email from D. NGana Esaie, Le Directeur Technique RNT / ONRTV / N'Djamena, Tchad: "Mr Breyel bonjour, Merci pour votre rapport d'écoute. Ce n'est pas une négligence à répondre  à votre attente. je vais imprimer votre proposition de la carte QSL pour signature et cachetet vous l'enverrai dans les tous prochains jours. Soyez rassuré." God willing, in a few days he will indeed stamp and sign my self-prepared eQSL.

KCBS Pyongyang (via Hamnung, North Korea)

Korean Central Broadcasting Station  (KCBS) Pyongyang, broadcasting  from a 5 kW transmitter site in Hamnung, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, was logged on  13 January 2013. A selection of uninterrupted classical orchestral and vocal music was monitored from 12.25 to 13.00 UTC. Transmission was observed on 3.220 kHz. Reception at 12.30 UTC was (SINPO)  25322 - weak but audible signal with atmospheric noise and long fades. By 12.45 UTC reception worsened to 15211 - very weak and barely audible between long fades and atmospheric noise. At 12.55 UTC only faint carrier with occasional audio heard between fading.

Reception report was posted to Korean Central Broadcasting Station  (KCBS) Pyongyang.

Address:

Korean Central Broadcasting Station  (KCBS) Pyongyang

Pyongyang, Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Radio Rebelde (via Habana)

Radio Rebelde, transmitting from Habana, Cuba, was logged on 7 January 2013. A Spanish language broadcast, mostly talk format, was monitored from 10.50 to 12.00 UTC on 5.025 kHz. Reception at 10.50 UTC was (SINPO) 25331 -- weak carrier signal detected with transmitter droning and slight fading amidst atmospheric noise. At 11.10 UTC faint audio of a male announcer with music clips between commentary was detected in SSB/LSB mode. Signal did not improve much after 11.30 UTC. A much weaker carrier could still be heard up until 13.00.

Reception report was emailed, posted and submitted on Facebook to Radio Rebelde. On 12 Januray 2013, I contacted their Facebook site, and they replied with a confirmation and promise of an eQSL in a few days.

Radio Rebelde commented: "Saludos, es correcto su reporte, pero necesitamos su correo electrónico para enviarle la tarjeta. En unos días se la enviamos por el correo electrónico de nuestra Redacción. Un abrazo desde Radio Rebelde." 

This eQSL arrived by email on 15 January 2013 after reminding them of the promised eQSL 

Email:

web@radiorebelde.icrt.cu

2013 Calendar from Indian DX Report / AWR

This eCalendar from Indian DX Report / Adventist World Radio arrived a few days ago. It's a great public relations tool for promoting India, AWR and IDXR. Thank you, Prithwiraj!