Logbook 31 July - 16 August 2021

 AUSTRALIA
ABC Local Radio -  6KP in Karratha, Pilbara Region, Western Australia (presumed) was logged on 702 kHz after 17.55 UTC on  15 August 2021. Remarkably strong and clear signal.

ABC Radio National - 5RN in Adelaide, South Australia was received on 729 kHz  after 17.40 UTC on 15 August 2021.

ABC Local Radio - 5AN, Adelaide, South Australia, was logged on 891 kHz after 17.35 UTC on  15 August 2021. Excellent reception.

BULGARIA
Radio Dabanga transmitting from Sofia-Kostenbrod, Bulgaria on 15.550 kHz was received   around 12.25 AM (16.25 UTC), on 16 August 2021. This is a clandestine station based in the Netherlands that broadcasts Sudanese and Arabic language programmes to Sudan. At this particular time it happened to be Sudanese.

KYRGYZ REPUBLIC
Birinci Radio (Kyrgyz Republic) with Russian programming and music was observed on 4.010 kHz after 17.44 UTC on 11 August 2021.

KUWAIT
Radio Kuwait transmitting from  Sulaibiyah, Kuwait on 15.540 kHz was received at  12.15  AM (16.15 UTC), on 16 August 2021. Urdu programming and music targeted to South Asia and Middle East.

NEW ZEALAND
Radio New Zealand Pacific transmitting from Rangitaiki, New Zealand on 5.980 kHz was received  around 12.05  AM (16.05 UTC), on 16 August 2021. Broadcast of English language news and current events is a tad noisy, but undoubtedly much clearer for the targeted  South Pacific.

NORTH KOREA
PBS Pyongyang Pansong (DPRK) Korean programming was received on 3.320 kHz after 17.47 UTC on  11 August 2021.

ROMANIA
Radio Romania International via Galbeni, Romanian programming was received on 11.975 kHz after 17.48 UTC on 11 August 2021.

SOUTH KOREA
Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) transmitting from Kimjae, South Korea on 9.805 kHz was received  just before midnight (15.58 UTC), on 16 August 2021. This is KBS signing on with their interval tune and station ID in Indonesian and Korean. The broadcast that followed was targeted for Indonesia.

TAIWAN
Radio Taiwan International via Tamsui. Special German language programme direct from Taiwan, after 18.00 UTC, 31 August 2021. Signal on 9.545 kHz was decent enough to hear content for 15 to 20 minutes of the broadcast. By 18.35 UTC their signal was barely audible and had disappeared completely by 18.45 UTC.

TAJIKISTAN
BBC via Dushanbe with Korean programming on 9.390 kHz after 18.10 UTC on 15 August 2021.

TURKEY
Voice of Turkey transmitting from Emirler, Turkey on 9.765 kHz was received at 11.35 PM (15.35 UTC), on 16 August 2021. Persian speaking announcer leads off, followed by traditional music.

Afghanistan International TV

Afghanistan International TV (an anti-Taliban clandestine station) was logged around 22.00 UTC (06.00 AM Malaysia time), 18 August 2021 (19.08.21 Malaysia). News/current event reports with frequent station IDs in Pashto/Dari was observed. On the same day, sign-off was reported to be at 06.00 UTC. However, it should be noted the station initially operated 24/7.

 

This new shortwave radio station airs on 7.600 kHz and went into operation the day the Taliban entered Kabul. Volant Media UK sponsors the station, as well as anti-Iran programming.

 

Transmitter site remains a mystery. It may be located in either UAE or Kuwait, although there is no confirmation yet on their transmitter site. Transmission is strongly received in many parts of the world, including  Australia, Europe, Latin American, Middle East, South Asia and Southeast Asia.

 

For my part the receiver used was an Alinco DX-R8T. External antenna used was a vertically, east-west positioned Passive Loop aerial with 40 feet of 50 ohm lead-in cable linked to the receiver, Location of reception was in central West Malaysia.

Golden Days of Radio in Stamps from Australia Post

AUSTRALIA POST  in 1991 issued four first day cover stamps entitled "Golden Days of Radio". Insomuch as I have a love for all things radio, the nostalgia of these stamps, and in particular the maxim cards drew my attention rather than the FDC envelope with the stamps. 

I grew up  listening to old radios similar to the ones highlighted in the maxim cards. When I saw the canvas mesh/wooden cabinets, the valves (vacuum tubes), analog radio dial and the radio dramas/plays I knew had to have these cards. It brought back so many wonderful memories.

And now, I want to share these marvelous maxim cards with fellow radio enthusiasts. Enjoy and relive the joys of radio! 73!

Voice of Turkey

Voice of Turkey, transmitting from Emirler (Turkey), was received on 4 July 2021. Pashto-Dari language programmes on Turkish culture, traditional and contemporary Turkish music was frequent station IDs and Turkish pop music was monitored from 15.10 till 15.30 UTC. Reception on 11.765 kHz  rated a SINPO of 45444 -- good signal, clear content despite slight atmospheric noise.

Reception was emailed on on the following day, 5 July 2021. QSL card was received on 13 August 2021.

RX: Alinco DX-R8T ANT: 1/4 wave  QTH: Malaysia

 

Voice of Turkey

Voice of Turkey via Emirler was logged on 22 June 2021. English language programmes "Firsts of Anatolia", "Did You Know That?", frequent station IDs and Turkish pop music was observed from 16.55 till 17.30 UTC. Reception on 15.520 kHz rated a SINPO of 25322 -- weak to fair signal strength when not fading under atmospheric noise. Content was audible and clear when signal did not fade out.

Reception was emailed on on the following day, 23 June 2021. QSL card was received on 13 August 2021.

RX: Alinco DX-R8T ANT: 1/4 wave  QTH: Malaysia

Radio Taiwan International (via Paochung)

Radio Taiwan International,  transmitting from Paochung (Taiwan), was received on 3, 4 and 5 July 2021. English language broadcasts of news, music and current event reports relating to Taiwan was monitored each day from  03.00 till 04.00 UTC, Reception on 15.320 kHz rated a SINPO  55555 -- Excellent.

Reception was emailed on 6 July 2021. QSL card was received on 12 August 2021.

RX/ANT: Alinco DX-R8T / Passive Loop and  Panasonic RF-B45 /3 meter random wire QTH: Malaysia

Hedy Lemarr - Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum inventor

 

OSTERREICHISCHE POST in 2020 issued a first day cover stamp honouring Hedy Lemarr. The stamp was titled - "Frequenzsprung Verfahren von Hedy Lemarr" (Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum inventor - Hedy Lemarr) and "Osterreische Erfindungen"  (Austrian Inventions).

Most people know Hedy Lemarr as a screen goddess from the golden era of cinema, but she was also  a highly gifted inventor whose pioneering inventions are still being used. Together with the American composer George Antheil, in 1942, she devised the frequency hopping technique for the Allies that could be used to steer torpedoes. Switching between frequencies made radio signals difficult to locate and secure against interference. Whilst the complex process was not used by the U.S. during World War II, it became the basis for modern communications technologies like Bluetooth, WLAN and GSM.

In 1997, Lamarr and Antheil were awarded an Electronic Frontier Pioneer Award for their invention. In 2014, Hedy Lamarr was posthumously given a place in the National Inventors Hall of Fame in the U.S.

Atlantic 2000 International* (via Okeechobee - WRMI)

Atlantic 2000 International*, transmitting via WRMI in Okeechobee, Florida, USA, was logged on 18 July 2021. A selection of English and French songs, including Grand Funk Railroad - "We're An American Band", "Foreigner - "Urgent", The Manhattans - "Kiss and Say Goodbye", along with frequent station IDs between songs was observed from 13.25 to 14.00 UTC. Reception on  15.770 kHz rated a SINPO of 45444 -- good signal strength despite some atmospheric noise when signal faded.

Reception report was emailed shortly after the broadcast on the same day. An eQSL arrived on 2 August 2021.

 *RX: University of Twente SDR  ANT: mini whip QTH: Enschede, Netherlands monitored on the internet from Malaysia

RTI Calendar - August 2021

 

 

Radio Taiwan International calendar for month of August 2021