QSLs for Month of June 2018

Furusato no Kaze. Paochung and Tamsui, Taiwan.
Radio Free Asia. Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
NHK World Radio Japan. Ibaragi-Koga-Yamata, Japan.
NHK World Radio Japan. Ibaragi-Koga-Yamata, Japan.
All India Radio Jeypore. Odisha, India.
Myanma Radio. Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.
Trans World Radio Africa. Manzini, Swaziland.
Reach Beyond Australia. Kununurra, Western Australia.
Radio Taiwan International. Paochung, Taiwan.
Radio Taiwan International. Kouhu, Taiwan.
Radio Republik Indonesia Singaraja. Buleleng, Bali, Indonesia.

Furusato no Kaze (Paochung and Tamsui)

Furusato no Kaze (il bon ue baram), Paochung and Tamsui (Taiwan), was heard on 15 March 2018, from 13.10 till 13.30 UTC. Music and commentary in Japanese/Korean was observed on two different frequencies and locations in Taiwan. Reception on 7.295 kHz rated a (SINPO) of 23322; on 9.950 kHz (SINPO) was 45444. HERE is Furusato no Kaze (with commentary on 7.295 kHz) and HERE (with music and commentary on 9.950 kHz).

Reception report was emailed on the following day. QSL card without details and letter with transmission times arrived in the mail on 29 June 2018.

Radio Taiwan International (via Paochung)

Radio Taiwan International, transmitting from Paochung (Taiwan), was logged on 10 May 2018. English language programmes including the news, "Here in Taiwan", Ear to the Ground", and "Jade Bells and Bamboo Pipes" was heard from 03.00 till 04.00 UTC. Reception on 15.320 kHz rated a (SINP0) of 55555

Reception report was submitted on the same day. QSL card arrived in the mail on 23 June 2018.

Radio Free Asia (via Dushanbe)

Radio Free Asia, transmitting from Dushanbe (Tajikistan) was logged on 1 May 2018. Tibetan programming with news reports, filler music and Tibetan music and RFA ID was observed from 02.05 till 02.30 UTC. Reception on 13.765 kHz emitted a (SINPO) of 43543 -- good signal strength but mixing with Chinese broadcaster (possibly CNR. HERE's RFA (Dushanbe)

Reception report was emailed on the same day. A follow-up email was sent in early June. QSL card arrived in the mail on 22 June 2018.

All India Radio Jeypore (Odisha)

All India Radio Jeypore in the eastern Indian state of Odisha,  was logged on 22 February 2018, 17.10 till 17.40 UTC.  A selection of Hindi music, presumably from Bollywood films, along with a female moderator was observed. This was followed by national news in English and Hindi, then closure of transmission. Reception on the medium-wave frequency of 1467 kHz rated a (SINPO) of 23322 -- signal strength was weak to fair depending on duration of fading, some co-frequency interference from a station in Thailand, and terrible QRN from a thunderstorm in my quarter. Otherwise signal was audible most of time with occasionally discernible speech. HERE is  AIR Jeypore medium-wave transmission. This a new 100 kW transmitter.

Reception report was emailed to AIR Jeypore and Spectrum Management & Synergy on the following day. AIR Jeypore confirmed a few hours later with an email.  Report was also posted to Spectrum Management & Synergy. Actual QSL card arrived on 22 June 2018. A follow-up QSL arrived on 23 June 2018.

Email:
airjeypore@rediffmail.com

NHK World Radio Japan (via Yamata)

NHK World  Radio Japan, transmitting from Yamata, was logged on 3 April 2018,  from 11.00 till 11.30 UTC. This Russian service began with interval signal, station identification, contact details, followed by news, more reports and programme on Japanese traditional theatre. Reception on 7.355 kHz emitted a SINPO of 44544 - good signal strength and clarity of sound, despite slight fading. HERE's an audio aexcerpt from this Russian service.

Reception report was submitted online and emailed to NHK World  Radio Japan Russian service on 3 April 2018. The Russian Service replied with confirmation and promised QSL on 5 April 2018. QSL card with postcard arrived on 22 June 2018.

Myanma Radio (via Nay Pyi Taw)

Myanma Radio in Nay Pyi Taw (Myanmar) was received on 8 March 2018, from 14.55 till 17.00 UTC. On this particular day their medium-wave transmission was on 590 kHz. This off-frequency transmission was observed for only one day. As a result their signal was much clearer with no co-frequency interference, rating a  (SINP0) of 45433. A selection of Myanmar pop songs, moderated by a female announcer, was observed from 14.55 till 16.00 UTC, then English language programming with Western pop songs till 17.00 UTC. HERE's Myanma Radio.

Reception report was emailed on the following day, 9 March 2018. Additional (follow-up) emails were sent in May. Finally on 11 June 2018, I received an email from the Myanma Radio English Team confirming the broadcast. Unfortunately a formal QSL card has yet to arrive. QSL in the form of an eQSL was received on 28 July 2018.

Trans World Radio (via Manzini)

Trans World Radio via Manzini, Swaziland logged 18 June 2018. Malagasy programming with station ID, followed by religious sermon preached by male speaker was monitored: from 14.55 till 15.25 UTC. Reception on 9.585  kHz was (SINPO) 33443 -- fair signal strength and clear audio despite transmitter noise and slight fading. Signal worsened after 15.20 UTC to the point it was buried under transmitter and atmospheric noise until sign off. HERE's TWR Swaziland. 

Reception report was emailed the following day. An eQSL was received on 20 June 2018.

Logbook 12 May till 19 June 2018

AUSTRALIA
Reach Beyond Australia in Kununurra (Western Australia) logged on 13 June 2018. English programm "Spotlight English" featured  "New World Wonders" from 15.50 till 16.00  UTC. Reception on 7.190  kHz rated a (SINPO) of 44544 -- good signal with minimal transmitter noise in the background of audio, otherwise clear content and decent reception. Reach Beyond Australia sent eQSL.

INDIA
All India Radio Bhawanipatna (Akashvani Bhawanipatna) via Belamal, Odisha logged on 8 June 2018. Indian classical music and national news in English noted from 17.00 till 17.36 UTC. Receotion on 1206 kHz (MW) rated a (SINPO) of 24322 -- weak signal, occasionally clear and audible content when not fading every few minutes under atmospheric noise. HERE's AIR Bhawanipatna. Spectrum Management & Synergy acknowledged report.

INDONESIA (Bali)
Radio Republik Indonesia Singaraja (PRO-1)* via Banyu Alit, Singaraja, Bali logged 29 May 2018 (30 May 2018, Bali Date). A mix of Balinese and Indonesian programming, i.e. Indo pop music, DJ discussing programme summary, followed by mantra "Om shanti shanti shanti Om" with Balinese music, then station ID "RRI Singaraja", was observed from 22.05 till 22.30 UTC (06.05 till 06.30 AM, Bali Time). Reception on 1080 kHz (MW) was (SINPO) 44433 - strong signal, clear audio when not fading every few minutes under atmospheric noise. However by 22.15 UTC, signal was much weaker and gradually mixed with atmospheric noise. In the early evening hours there was some co-frequency interference from a station in Thailand. Later in the night, China Radio International blocked reception of  station. Station has been received in Malaysia too with less clarity and strength in Malaysia. HERE's RRI Singaraja. Email from Music Director confirmed reception.

INDONESIA (Kalimantan)
Voice of Indonesia via RRI Palangkaraya transmitter in Kalimantan (Borneo) logged on 16 June 2018. French programming was observed from 19.00 till 20.00 UTC. Reception on 3.325 kHz rated a (SINP0) of 54444. HERE's VOI via Palangkaraya. Additionally,
VOI Mandarin service (on 3.325 kHz) --  news and VOI ID  from 11.05 UTC.

VOI Japanese service (on 3.325 kHz) -- Indonesian pop songs and ID from 12.50 till 13.00 UTC.
VOI English service (on 3.325 kHz) -- station ID, programme summary and news from 13.00 UTC.
VOI German service (on 3.325 kHz) -- station ID and news from 20.00 UTC (Some DXers have noted 18.00 UTC).

MADAGASCAR
Madagascar World Voice (World Christian Broadcast KNLS) logged on 12 June 2018. Religious content with pop/contemporary Christian music monitored: 03.10 till 04.00 UTC (broadcast time 03.00 till 04.00 UTC).  Reception on 15.515 kHz was (SINPO) 35423 -- fair signal strength and clear audio content, but deep fading was the only major issue on this particular day. I might add that MWV  has been heard on 9.600 kHz from 02.00 till 03.00 UTC as well. Reception quality however varied from just barely audible to good, depending on propagation from day to day. HERE's MWV

NEPAL
Radio Nepal via Sainbu, Bhainsepati (Kathmandu) logged on 12 May 2018. Discussion about visiting Indian PM Modi and music was observed from 15.50 till 16.15 UTC. Reception on 792 kHz (MW) rated a (SINPO) of 22421 -- weak signal but occasionally audible depite co-frequency mixing from Guangxi PBS (China) and Sathani Witthayu Krom Kan Phalang Ngan Thahan (Bangkok, Thailand) and static bursts caused by local (Malaysia) thunderstorm.

SOUTH KOREA
KBS World Radio via Kimjae, Republic of Korea logged 16 May 2018. English programming, including the segment "Alien in Seoul" with K-Pop tunes was monitored from 09.15 till 09.45 UTC. Reception on 9.770 kHz rated a (SINPO) of 44544 -- fair to good signal with fading, but clear and audible signal. HERE's KBS World Radio. 

SWAZILAND
Trans World Radio via Manzini, Swaziland logged 18 June 2018. Malagasy programming with station ID, followed by religious sermon preached by male speaker was monitored: from 14.55 till 15.25 UTC. Reception on 9.585  kHz was (SINPO) 33443 -- fair signal strength and clear audio despite transmitter noise and slight fading. Signal worsened after 15.20 UTC to the point it was buried under transmitter and atmospheric noise until sign off. HERE's TWR Swaziland. 

TAIWAN
Radio Taiwan International via Kouhu logged on 14 May 2018. Chinese (Mandarin) programming was heard from 10.45 till 11.05 UTC. Reception on 6.105 kHz rated a (SINPO) of 43543 -- good signal strength and minimal fading despite co-frequency interference from China National Radio which can be heard under your transmission. HERE's RTI (Kouhu). RTI sent QSL card.

THAILAND
Sathani Witthayu Ratthasapha (Parliament Radio Station) via Khet Bang Khun Thian (Bangkok) logged on 22 May 2018. Speeches from various ministers/dignitaries about Islam in Thailand, held in conjunction with the month of Ramadan, was heard in Thai and English from 16.05 till 16.30 UTC. Reception on 1071 kHz (MW) was (SINPO) 44433 -- strong signal, clear audio when not fading every few minutes under atmospheric noise. HERE's the Thailand Parliament Radio Station.

TURKEY
Voice of Turkey via  Emirler logged on 11 June 2018. Arabic programming of Quran recitation and nasheeds (religious songs) was monitored from 00.40 till 02.00 UTC. Reception on 9.735  kHzwas initially at 00.40 UTC rated a (SINPO) of 34443 -- fair signal strength, clear audio content with minimal atmospheric noise and interference. Around 01.20 UTC, conditions changed and reception deteriorated to a SINPO of 23322 -- still audible content with some occasional station splatter from Thazin Radio (a Myanmar station) after 01.30 UTC.

UNID
1476 kHz (MW) -- possibly Trans World Radio India logged on 16 and 17 June 2018 at 14.00 UTC with religious programming in Indian dialect mixing with Thai station (Radio Thailand - Chiang Mai). SINPO was 33433. On 19 June 2018, after 18.00 UTC, suspect Radio Siaran Niaga Hiukencana (Central Java) was noted in what sounded like a football match, with SINPO rated 25322 when antenna was rotated to a SE to NW direction, hence my suspicion that this is an unknown Indonesian station. Quran recitation was heard on 20 May 2018, after 18.30 UTC.

VIETNAM
Radio Voice of Vietnam via Hanoi logged on 19 June 2018. News, commentary on US-China tariffs and Society Segment and Vietnamese pop song observed from 12.30 till 12.55 UTC. Reception on 9.840  kHz  was (SINPO) 54554 -- Strong signal and clear audio despite squealing transmitter noise. VOV has promised QSL.

RX: Tecsun S-2000 (SW) and Degen DE-1102 and Sangean ATS-909 (MW) ANT: 1/4 wave (SW) and internal ferrite rod (MW) QTH: Central West Malaysia and *Singapore

Reach Beyond Australia (via Kununurra)

Reach Beyond Australia, transmitting from Kununurra, Western Australia, was logged on 13 June 2018.  A programmed called "Spotlight English" featured the "New World Wonders", a concept mooted by Swiss film maker Bernard Webber. This was monitored from 15.50 till 16.00  UTC. Reception on 7.190  kHz rated as SINPO of 44544 -- good signal with minimal transmitter noise in the background of audio, otherwise clear content and decent reception.

Reception report was emailed to Reach Beyond Australia on the following day. An eQSL arrived on 19 June 2018.

Email:
radio@reachbeyond.org.au
meloffice@reachbeyond.org.au

Radio Canada International Retrospective

Fifty years ago Radio Canada (International) and their unmistakable "Oh Canada" interval was an easy catch in the United States. I listened to the station regularly. Like many DXers of the day, I tuned in to hear Glenn Hauser’s DX Listening Digest, hosted by Ian McFarland, on Radio Canada. It proved to be an invaluable source when searching for new radio stations and developments in the broadcasting world. As a regular listener I QSLed Radio Canada more times than most shortwave broadcasters back then.

When I resumed the hobby in South East Asia, I discovered Radio Canada International  (RCI) relayed their broadcasts from many transmitter sites. These included Kunming, Urumqi and Xian (China), Yamata (Japan), Kimjae (South Korea), Tinang (Philippines), Santa Maria de Galeria (Vatican), and  Skelton and Woofferton (UK). Transmissions from their historic and now dismantled Sackville (New Brunswick) site was also received, but generally in the winter months. Even CBC Radio Nord was logged and QSLed from Malaysia.

Anyone who ever submitted a reception report to Radio Canada International will surely recognise the name Bill Westenhaver. He was the QSL veri-signer for RCI. He was the kind and helpful guy who promptly signed and posted the station's QSL cards. I remember him especially in the closing days of RCI. He worked tirelessly to ensure  listeners received RCI souvenirs and Verification Letters in lieu of QSL cards. Bill could easily have ignored them, but he didn't. That's the kind of guy he was...classy!

So it is with great fondness I recall and pay tribute to Radio Canada International in this short video. Thank you RCI for all the great memories.

Radio Taiwan International (via Kouhu)

Radio Taiwan International, transmitting presumably from Kouhu (Taiwan), was logged on 14 May 2018. A Mandarin language broadcast was monitored from 10.45 till 11.05 UTC. Reception on 6.105 kHz rated a SINP0 of 43543 -- good signal strength and minimal fading despite co-frequency interference from China National Radio which can be heard under RTI transmission. HERE's how RTI faired during this transmission. 

Reception report was emailed on the same day. QSL card arrived on 4 June 2018.

Radio Republik Indonesia Singaraja (via Bali)

Radio Republik Indonesia Singaraja (PRO-1) in Buleleng, Bali, was logged from 22.05 till 22.30 UTC, on 29 May 2018. A mix of Balinese and Indonesian programming, i.e. Indo pop music, DJ discussing programme summary, followed by mantra "Om shanti shanti shanti Om" with Balinese music, then station ID "RRI Singaraja", was observed.  HERE's RRI Singaraja.

SINPO on 1080 kHz (MW) rated 34433 - strong signal, clear audio when not fading every few minutes under atmospheric noise, Subsequent days reception was a bit weaker at 24332 with fading, household electrical noise and  static bursts from a local thunderstorm. Interestingly, RRI Singaraja is received in Kuala Lumpur too, but usually with co-frequency interference from a station in Thailand. And, signal is best received in the morning, both in Singapore and Malaysia. Early evening RRI Singaraja is heard, but Interference from CRI is a problem in later at night.

Reception report was emailed on 1 June 2018, then followed up a few days later to additional email contacts and mailed to RRI Singaraja. On 4 June 2018, I received the following email confirming reception: "Thank you monitoring and giving the report to us, M Breyel. The recording was indeed broadcast from PRO 1 RRI Singaraja, although somewhat less good to be heard. I am very glad to hear this report about our broadcast to Malaysia. Let me introduce myself to you. I am Kasaan, Music Director, RRI Singaraja. Warm greetings from me. This report I will submit to my boss later. Kasah, Music Director's Pro 2 RRI Singaraja." Now hopefully a verification from the station itself will follow.

ŔX: Degen DE-1102 ANT: internal ferrite rod QTH: Pasir Ris, Singapore

NHK World Radio Japan

NHK World Radio Japan via Ibaragi-Koga-Yamata, Japan was monitored on 2 May 2018. from 01.55 till 02.25 UTC. Japanese programming with discussion about the Philippines, news, Japanese pop music and IDs were observed. Reception on 15.195 kHz rated a SINPO of 45544. HERE's NHK World Radio Japan. 

Reception report was emailed and submitted online. QSL card and postcard arrived on 31 May 2018.

Rhein-Main-Radio-Club Calendar for June 2018

 

Rhein-Main-Radio-Club Calendar for the month of June 2018

KBS World Radio Calendar - June 2018

KBS World Radio Calendar for month of June  2018