Public Service Announcement for Radio Free Europe (1971)

"Radio Free Europe. Radio Liberty. Prague...Radio Free Europe. Radio Liberty. Prague..." This is how Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty signed-on at 13.59 UTC one evening while tuning the 19 metre band (15.255 kHz).

On hearing this interval announcement, I was reminded of a Public Service Announcement (PSA) Radio Free Europe aired on American TV in 1971. At the time it validate for me the importance of short-wave radio listening.

The PSA was obviously aimed at attracting younger Americans to support RFE. The young Hungarian announcer and The Drifters' jazzy tune "On Broadway" featured in this clip said it all. It certainly resonated with me. It still does.

WATCH IT HERE!!!

Shortwave Radio Schedules App

One indispensable tool in radio monitoring is a reference book, or as is the case today, a smartphone app for devices using the Android operating system. One such app is Shortwave Radio Schedules developed by Stephen Cooper. 

The app conveniently lists the complete schedules compiled by Eibi and AOKI, including almost every known shortwave station currently on air, their times, frequencies and transmitter sites. Best of all, this data can be recalled without an Internet connection should access be unavailable.

Identifying a station is simple and may be done a number ways. One can search a station by name, frequency or time. Additionally, the app uses Google Maps to show the targeted transmission beam of each station. One may even log and record one's observations with this app.

Android users can acquire the app HERE. For non-Android users the schedule can be found on the Internet HERE.

I have used the app on a Samsung Galaxy 3 Tab for nearly four months now, and I find it remarkably stable and useful. I heartily recommend it!!! Thank you, Stephen.

FEBC Radio (via Bocaue)

 

In 1945, two young men named Bob Bowman (who incidentally passed away earlier this year) and John Broger established Far East Broadcasting Company (FEBC). They had no financial backing, no supportive board, and no church denomination. With China in mind they aired their very first broadcast from Shanghai. But by 1948 all mission work in China was shut down. As an alternative site, operations resumed in the Philippines on medium-wave. International broadcasts to China started the following year in 1949 and have since expanded to cover most of South East Asia, as well as Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. FEBC’s sister organisation, FEBA, broadcasts programmes in Africa, the Middle East and India. Over 100 ethnic languages are broadcast over FEBC, covering a total 700 broadcast hours per day.  Iu Mien -- a Laotian dialect -- is one of the languages which I happened to catch just recently.  Whether one subscribes to FEBC / FEBA's religious convictions, their marketing effort to reach out to even these "hard-to-reach minority groups" is truly amazing.  73s!

FEBC Radio, transmitting from Bocaue, Philippines, was logged on 10 April 2014. Christian evangelical religious programming with choral music in Iu Mien was monitored from 23.10 to 23.30 UTC (broadcast time 23,00 to 23.30 UTC). Reception on 9.365 kHz throughout the broadcast was (SINPO) 54445 -- excellent signal strength with minor transmitter noise, slight atmospheric noise and fading.

Reception report was emailed and submitted on-line the following day. This eQSL and QSL letter arrived on 14 April 2014, from veri-signer Nhorie Estabillo.

Email:

info@febc.org

Website:

www.febc.org/

Historical source: FEBC website

Radio Romania International

Radio Romania International is one of the last remaining East European radio stations to broadcast on short-wave. The others are Radio Tirana and Radio Belarus. Radio Romania International and various stations using the services of Italian Radio Relay Station (NEXUS-IRRS), which operate from Tiganesti and Galbeni, are heard regularly in South East Asia at various times. I would urge radio enthusiasts to catch any of these transmitters sites in Romania if you haven't already. Not only is Radio Romania International an excellent verifier, they post their QSL cards with colourful Romania postage stamps. This is an added bonus for philatelists as well. Tune in and give a listen to the entertaining and informative programmes of Radio Bucharest...er, Radio Romania International. 73s!  

In fact I caught Radio Romania International, transmitting from Tiganesti, on 10 April 2014. An English language broadcast, featuring classical and Romanian folk music was observed between 22.40 and 22.57 UTC (broadcast time 22.00 to 22.57 UTC). Reception at 22.40 UTC on 9.790 kHz was (SINPO)  35433. A poor to fair signal affected clarity of audio due to atmospheric noise and fading. At 22.52 UTC some QRM splatter from an adjacent station degraded reception further to 34333.

Incidentally RRI's interval tune was also heard at 22.59 UTC on 9.765 kHz, but at 23.00 UTC China Radio International via Nanning strongly interfered and blocked reception of their signal. This was a Spanish language broadcast intended for Latin America.

Reception report was emailed to Radio Romania International on the following day. On 19 April 2014, their DX programme featured my letter and reception report, and promised to send along their QSL. Radio Romania International programme schedule, two postcards, sticker, 2014 pocket calendar, postage stamps and...what else?...a QSL card arrived in the mail on 3 June 2014.

Email:
eng@rri.ro
engl@rri.ro

Postal Address:
Radio Romania International
60-64 General Berthelot Street
P.O. Box 111
Bucharest
ROMANIA

Website: 

www.rri.ro

49 Metre Band Tuning on 9 April

 

The 49 metre band in South East Asia from 10.30 to 11.30 UTC was quite naturally chalked full of stations from Asia-Pacific region, today. Radio Australia was heard on at least three different frequencies, while various China-based broadcasters dominated the band. Tune in and give a listen. Happy DXing!!!

AUSTRALIA
Radio Australia // 6.150 // 35443 // Tok Pisin programming with music, RA promos and news at top of the news in English at 11.00 UTC

CHINA
China Huayi Broadcasting Corporation in Chengdu // 6.185 kHz // 24343 // Dialogue between female and male announcers in Chinese/Amoy at 10.45 UTC onward

CNR 6 // 6.165 // 33453 --  QRM from  Myanmar Rakhine Broadcasting Corporation // Hakka with local rap tune from 10.50 UTC

LAOS
Lao National Radio // 6.130 // 35443 // Local pop tunes hosted by female announcer in Laotian at 11.05 UTC

MYANMAR
Myanmar Rakhine Broadcasting Corporation // 6.165 // 33453 -- QRM from CNR 6 // Burmese with local pop tune from 10.50 UTC

Myanmar Radio // 5.915 // 35453 // Local pop tunes hosted by female announcer in Burmese from 11.15 UTC

JAPAN
Radio Japan // 6.090 // 45544 // Russian broadcast with talk and Japanese songs from 10.50 UTC

VIETNAM
Voice of Vietnam 4 in reportedly DacLac (former South Vietnam) // 6.020 // 44554 // Traditional music and local programming in Vietnamese from 11.15 UTC

Atlantic 2000 International (Internet Stream)

Atlantic 2000 International in France was logged on 6 April 2014, using their internet stream. Insomuch as their short-wave frequencies and times were not conducive for reception in South East Asia, I opted to listen to their broadcast at 24 kps via atlantic2000.listen2myradio.com. Between 09.15 to 10.07 UTC a selection of English and French language songs from the 80s and 90s was observed with frequent announcements of radio stations in Europe.

Incidentally podcasts of previous shows may me heard at their website.

A reception report was emailed to Atlantic 2000 International shortly after their broadcast ended. Their eQSL was received on 17 April 2014.

Email: 

atlantic2000international@gmail.com

Website:

radioatlantic2000.free.fr

Voice of Turkey

Voice of Turkey in Emirler radiated a strong and clear signal, with a SINPO of 55555, into South East Asia on 5 April 2014. And why not? With a reported 500 kW transmitter set at 15.520 kHz, their English language broadcast was easily received from 16.30 to 17.23 UTC. In this time a review of Turkish news, a DX Report featuring amateur radio reports, the Question of the Month and Turkish pop music was heard.

As before a reception report was emailed to Voice of Turkey a few days later. QSL Card arrived in the mail on 5 May 2014, along with another TRT QSL and miscellaneous items.