QSLs for January 2014

QSLs for the month of January 2014:

Radio Habana Cuba (QSL card) transmitting from Habana, Cuba
Radio Habana Cuba (QSL card) transmitting from Habana, Cuba
Radio Africa (QSL card and letter) transmitting from Bata, Equatorial Guinea
NOJ - Coast Guard Communications Station  (QSL card) transmitting from Kodiak Island, Alaska (USA)
Radio Cairo - ERTU (QSL card and letter) transmitting from Abu Zaabal, Egypt
FEBA / Radio Selamna via IBRA (eQSL letter) transmitting from presumably Kigali, Rwanda
Voice of Turkey (QSL card) transmitting from Emirler, Turkey
The Overcomer Ministry via WRMI (QSL card) transmitting from Okeechobee, Florida (USA)
Radio Prague via WRMI (QSL card) transmitting from Okeechobee, Florida (USA)
Radio Prague via Radio 700 (QSL card) internet broadcast from Germany
NBC Radio Madang (eQSL letter) transmitting from Jomba, Madang, Papua New Guinea

Promised:
WWV (QSL) transmitting on 15 mHz from Fort Collins, Colorado (USA)
Radio Slovakia International via WRMI (QSL) transmitting from Okeechobee, Florida (USA)

Voice of Turkey

Voice of Turkey, transmitting from Emirler, was logged on 30 January 2014. An English language broadcast of Turkish news, cultural programmes and music was heard from 17.30 to 17.24 UTC. Reception on 11.730 kHz was (SINPO) 45444 -- good to excellent signal strength and clarity, despite  fading and occasional atmospheric noise.

Reception report was emailed to Voice of Turkey the following day. The station is an excellent verifier and consistently replies within a month for correct reports. This QSL card -- apparently a new design -- coaster and programme schedule arrived in the mail on 27 February 2014. 

Email:
englishdesk@trt.net.tr

Radio Romania International (Tiganesti)

Radio Romania International (RRI), transmitting to Western Europe from Tiganesti, was 29 January 2014. An English language broadcast of classical music, sports and feature on Romanian Holocaust Day  was monitored from 18.30 to 18.57 UTC (broadcast time18.00 to 18.57 UTC). Reception on 9.570 kHz was (SINPO) 24432 -- weak signal with atmospheric noise and fading, but audible and clear.

It's always nice to catch a transmission from Romania, one of the few East European countries still active on short-wave, both as a national broadcaster and relay site for international broadcasters. With transmitters rated at 300 kW and located in Tiganesti and Galbeni, their signal carries well into Southeast Asia and elsewhere in the world.

 A reception report was emailed and submitted on-line to RRI the following day. A reliable verifier, RRI generally posts their QSLs with colorful stamps. So, the attraction is not just a QSL card, but philately. Indeed, RRI did post a QSL alon with some lovely stamps, a 2014 pocket calendar and programme schedule. These arrived in the mail on 25 February 2014.

Email:

engl@rri.ro

WWV (Fort Collins)

WWV, transmitting from Fort Collins, Colorado (USA), was received briefly on 27 January 2014. Time pips/pulses and voice ID was monitored from 18.34 to 18.44 UTC. Reception on 15 Mhz at 18.34 UTC was (SINPO) 35443 - fair signal with some atmospheric noise and fading, but audible and clear male announcer speaking in English was heard. Voice announcement from male announcer at WWV, not WWVH surprisingly, was slightly weaker than the time pips, but clearly audible from 18.34 to 18.36 UTC, after which only time pips/pulse were heard. After 18.44 UTC signal gradually disappeared. The following day neither WWV nor WWVH was observed at this time.

This is the second time in two months WWV has been received on 15 mHz. Late last year WWV was observed on 20 mHz. Transmitter output on 15 mHz is rated at 5 kW, two times the output as their transmitter on 20 mHz.

A reception report was emailed to WWV a few days later.

Open Free North Korea

Open Free North Korea (ORNK), transmitting presumably from Tashkent, Uzbekistan, was logged on 26 January 2014. A programme of Korean pop music hosted by a male DJ was monitored from 20.00 to 20.30 UTC (broadcast time 20.00 to 21.00 UTC). Reception  on 7.470 kHz was (SINPO) 23332 -- weak with jamming, but audible and discernible speech.

According to the station's website, "ORNK broadcasts radio programmes are aimed to listeners in North Korea. Anyone who wants to deliver his/her voice to North Korea is welcome. ORNK is not limited to any political, economic, social, cultural or religious sphere. Any message can be broadcasted so long as it does not violate intellectual property rights and ethical regulations on international broadcasting. ORNK supports true reconciliation between North and South Korea. Sincere conversation is necessary for that to occur. We provide opportunities for heartfelt conversation between the brethren in North and South Korea and the global community."

Hopefully they will succeed in their efforts, and with a little luck a letter of verification from them will be forthcoming. If the jamming I observed is any indication, I'm skeptical my emailed reception report for this transmission will be read. Still, there's nothing like giving it a good try.

Postal address:

OPEN RADIO FOR NORTH KOREA 

 P.O. Box 158

 Mapo Post Office,

Seoul 121-600

Republic of Korea

Website:

english.nkradio.org/

Email:

opennk@naver.com

NOJ - Coast Guard Communications Station (Kodiak Island)

NOJ-Coast Guard Communications Station (COMMSTA), transmitting from Kodiak Island, Alaska (USA), was received on 28 December 2013. Weather and safety of navigation forecasts transmitted in facsimile over shortwave in SSB/USB mode was monitored from 19.00 to 19.10 UTC. Reception on 6.501 kHz SSB/USB was 34443 -- fair sign strength with clear facsimile transmission

Reception report was submitted a few days later. Postal reply came on 23 January 2014.

Postal address:

NOJ - Coast Guard Communications Station (COMMSTA)

P.O. Box 190017

Kodiak, Alaska

99619-0017

MW & SW Radio Recordings

Have you ever wondered what certain radio stations sound like? The recordings below represent some of the medium-wave and short-wave stations received in Malaysia. To listen, click the stations below.

CANADA

CBC Radio Nord Quebec via Sackville, New Brunswick



BRAZIL

Radio Aparecida



COLOMBIA

Radio Alcaravan



BRUNEI

Amateur Radio Operator V85DX



KAMPUCHEA

National Radio of Kampuchea



LAOS

Lao National Radio



VIETNAM

Voice of Vietnam via DakLak (former South Vietnam)



SOLOMON ISLANDS

Soloman Islands Broadcasting Corporation (Radio Happy Isles)



SRI LANKA

PCJ Radio International via Trincomalee

Sri Lank Broadcasting Corporation via Ekala



BULGARIA

The Mighty KBC via Kostinbrod



FINLAND

Radio Spaceshuttle International



GERMANY

Amateur Radio Operator DK1NO in Stuttgart



TURKEY

Voice of Turkey



UNITED KINGDOM

Amateur Radio Operator G0DBE in Liverpool



EGYPT

Radio Cairo - ERTU



LIBYA

Radio Television Libye



ISRAEL

Kol Israel

Galei Zahal



MADAGASCAR

Radio Madagsikara



SOMOLIALAND

Radio Hargeysa

Radio Free Asia (Iranawila)

Radio Free Asia, transmitting from Iranawila, Sri Lanka, was logged on 17 January 2014. A Korean language broadcast featuring a Korean music artiste and current event news on North Korea was monitored from 17.05 to 17.45 UTC (broadcast time 17.00 to 19.00 UTC). Reception on 9.720 kHz was (SINPO) 55545 -- excellent reception on all accounts, except for minor and occasional fading.

Radio Free Asia reportedly will issue a special panda mascot QSL card for the Sochi Olympics. Valid reception reports from 1 January till 31 March 2014 will be confirmed with this verification card.

Hopefully the reception report of the above transmission, which was emailed a few days later, will be honored with this unique QSL from RFA. Indeed, I did receive the Sochi Olympics QSL card on 6 February 2014.

Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation / Radio Happy Isles

Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) / Radio Happy Isles in Honiara was logged on 15 January 2014. An English language broadcast of Pacific Island music, Christian religious message for the day, local weather and news was observed from 10.30 till 11.00 UTC. Transmission has been heard in previous days from 10.00 UTC onward. Reception on 9.545 kHz is much better than their previous frequency of 5.020 kHz and is generally fair to good. SINPO on this particular day was 45433 up until 10.59-11.00 UTC when CRI in Beijing signed on at 9.550 kHz. The reported 10 kW transmitter of SIBC is no match to the station splatter created by CRI's more powerful 500 kW transmitter.

HERE is an audio file of SIBC at 10.57 UTC with their theme song, followed by a female announcer giving station ID of Radio Happy Isles, then a weather report. It's always such a delight to hear these mighty mites and their local programming. I wish they could live on forever in this age of the Internet, satellite transmissions and super-power transmitters.

SIBC Headquarters

SIBC was previously QSLed on 5.020 kHz a few years back. At the time the given email address on their website was for their news department, and rarely were reception reports passed along to the station engineer. Communication may have improved since and listeners should certainly try to email, FaceBook message or post a letter to SIBC.

To my surprise I received this reply from SIBC on 17 February 2014, more or less, confirming my reception report on 9.545 kHz. The note reads: "Hi Timm Breyel, We are so pleased that you are able to receive our signal from Malaysia. We would send you a QSL shortly. Kind Regards SIBC Engineering Team". Now, I await their promised and prized QSL. SIBC Engineering Team did indeed send eQSL on 22 April 2014 via their FB page.

National Broadcasting Corporation - Radio Madang

National Broadcasting Corporation - Radio Madang in Jomba, Papua New Guinea was logged on 5 January 2014. A Tok Pisin broadcast with indigenous music and station ID in English from YL on the hour was observed between 11.50 to 12.05 UTC. Reception on 3.260 kHz was (SINPO) 25322 -- weak but audible signal with fading and affected by static bursts from thunderstorm in my quarter. Around 12.00 UTC signal peaked and audio was much stronger despite the storm.

Reception report was submitted to NBC Radio Madang the following day. I received an email from Mr. Vitus Bongai, Technician at NBC Madang, in the afternoon confirming my report. The QSL shown here is self-made; the message itself is from Mr Bongai.

In his email I learned NBC Radio Madang's short-wave transmitter site would remain in Jomba; previously I had been informed it would be relocated to Mt. Nobonob. Only the FM transmitter will operate from this site. 

Mr. Vitus Bonai added the 10 kW short-wave transmitter was actually operating at 4 kW when I logged the station, owing to technical problems.

Radio Oromgenati via IRRS Milano (Tiganesti)

Self-designed QSL with actual message from IRRS

Radio Oromgenati via IRRS Milano, presumably transmitting from Tiganesti, Romania to East Africa, was logged on 4 January 2014. This clandestine station was heard from 15.00 to 15.30 UTC, broadcasting Horn of Africa music hosted by a male DJ speaking Oromo. Before sign-on The IRRS interval signal featuring Verdi was noted. Reception on 15.515 kHz (for this Saturday only) transmission was 35443 -- fair signal strength, clear audio despite noise and fading. Signal deteriorated significantly, but was still audible, after 15.20 UTC. 

Reception report was emailed to IRRS, even though I have had not been successful in receiving a QSL directly from them. I received this generic Letter of Verification from IRRS after a follow up email on 11 March 2014. Only their logo has been added and reference to the station.

European Radio Stations on Radio 700

Radio 700 in Germany offers German language broadcasts of Radio Slovakia International, Radio Prague, Radio Ukraine International and Polish Radio External Service on shortwave radio and Internet.

Radio Prague

Shortwave transmissions are heard on 3.985 kHz 6.005 kHz or 7.310 kHz. At one thousands watts these transmissions are impossible to receive in Southeast Asia due to  either Korean or Chinese broadcasters. Jamming is an additional problem on 3.985 kHz.

Radio Prague reverse

The following European broadcasters were logged via Radio 700 on 1 January 2014 in Malaysia using these Internet streams: Radio Slovakia International and Radio Prague on http://broadcast.funkhaus.info/radio700-kw1.m3u Polish Radio External Service on http://broadcast.funkhaus.info/radio700-kw2.m3u

Reception reports were emailed to Radio 700, Radio Slovakia International, Radio Prague and Polish Radio External Service.

Polish Radio

Radio Slovakia International

Email:

info@funkhaus-euskirchen.de (Radio 700)

deutsche.redaktion@polskieradio.pl (Polish Radio External Service)

Vincent.Stofanik@rozhlas.sk (Radio Slovakia International)

cr@radio.cz (Radio Prague)

For more information about Radio 700 and their scheduled transmissions click HERE.