Radio Pakistan

Radio Pakistan (External Service) of  Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) in Islamabad, Pakistan was heard on 10 December 2011. An Urdu language broadcast, with News in English, was monitored from 09.00 to 10.00 UTC on 15.725 kHz. Reception (SINPO) at 09.00 UTC was 35523 -- good signal strength and clarity of speech, despite fading. At 09.17 UTC signal remained strong, but there was only transmitter modulation and audio was muted. At 09.31 UTC audio feed returned but with an echo effect. At 09.45 UTC reception was 45544 -- loud and clear, despite continued echo effect to audio.

Reception report was submitted by email and PBC replied promptly my mail on 21 December 2011. I submitted this reception report to test the email service and availability of a new QSL card. PBC passed with surprising efficiency, but issued a previous QSL design which I already possessed.

Voice of America (Greenville, North Carolina)

Voice of America, transmitting from Greenville, North Carolina, USA, was heard on 19 December 2011. Spanish language broadcast was monitored from 13.00 to 14.00 UTC. Frequencies observed included 13.750 kHz and 15.590 kHz.

Reception (SINPO) on 13.750 kHz: at 13.00 UTC was 15211 - weak signal strength, no QRM, atmospheric noise and slight fading, otherwise speech was audible but not always discernible. By 13.30 UTC reception was negligible due to severe atmospheric noise.

Reception (SINPO) on 15.590 kHz: at 13.00 UTC was 24231 - poor signal strength, slight station splatter from adjacent station, atmospheric noise and slight fading, otherwise speech was more audible and discernible than on 13.750 kHz. After 13.30 UTC signal and speech was still detected, although atmospheric noise was quite bad. By 13.45 UTC reception deteriorated to 15111 -- signal and speech was audible, but severe static pretty much drowned out any discernible voices.

For a look at the history of the Greensville transmitter B site, visit this link. 

Reception report was emailed to VOA and posted to International Broadcasting Bureau. 

Address: 

International Broadcasting Bureau

3919 VOA Site B Road

Grimesland, North Carolina 27837

United States of America

Honolulu Volmet - KVM70

Honolulu Volmet  - KVM 70 in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA was received 2 December 2011. The station monitored from 16.54 to 17.11 UTC on 6.679 kHz USB/SSB. Reception (SINPO) was 25232 -- weak signal strength coupled with atmospheric noise. Transmission entailed a synthesized male voice speaking English repeatedly announcing the temperature, dew point, visibility and surface wind speed in Honolulu, Hilo, Guam, Kahului, Anchorage, Elmendorf, Fairbanks, Cold Bay, King Salmon, Vancouver, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle-Tacoma,  Portland and Sacramento.

The funny thing is frequencies, other than the one I reported, are stated on the letter. The ID was definitely KVM 70. All the same, I count it as a QSL-letter from another short-wave station in Hawaii, other than WWVH.

Addendum to KVM 70:
To confirm the actual transmission of this station on the frequencies stated in this QSL-letter, I ran a check on two of the three frequencies. I observed a fax transmission on 18 December 2011, eminating from 16.135 kHz in USB/SSB at 03.55 UTC. Reception (SINPO) was 25222 - weak signal strength and hampered by QRN, but audible nonetheless. The same transmission was detected on 11.090 kHz in USB/SSB at a later time on the same day, but with slightly better reception.

Reception report was emailed on 2 December 2011. A letter arrived in the mail on 17 December 2011. 

Radio Free Sarawak

Clare Rewcastle and Peter John Jaban

An eQSL card from Radio Free Sarawak arrived in the email today, 14 December 2011. This unexpected verification from RFS was needless to say a VERY pleasant surprise. I am in seventh heaven!!! To view this eQSL card and details of the broadcast, time and frequency, please refer to my 3 October 2011 blog entry.  

For those mot familiar with Radio Free Sarawak, it is a clandestine station that broadcasts Sarawakian music and political commentary from a Malaysian opposition party to the indegenious people of Sarawak, East Malaysia. The programming is produced in a London-based studio by award-winning British journalist, Clare Rewcastle Brown, who was born and raised in Sarawak. A former Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) announcer from Sarawak,Peter John Jaban, the granson of a Dayak headhunter and aka Papa John, is the station's DJ. Transmission originates purportedly from a relay station in Pulau. 

Voice of Turkey

Voice of Turkey, transmitting from Emirler, was received on 27 November 2011.  An English language broadcast of news, Turkish language course and a lot of wonderful Turkish music was heard from 17.30 to 18.20 UTC. Transmission was monitored on  11.735 kHz. Reception (SINPO) was 55445 -- strong and clear signal strength with slight fading. At 18.00 UTC reception was degraded to 55334 due  to increased atmospheric noise.

Reception report was emailed immediately after sign-off. QSL card and a photostated copy of TRT's broadcast schedule arrived in the mail on 15 December 2011.

Voice of America - BBG/IBB -- Sao Tome Principe

Voice of America - BBG/IBB, transmitting from the Pinheira-Sao Tome, Sao Tome Principe relay station, was heard on 30 September 2011. A Portuguese language broadcast was monitored from 17.40 to 18.00 UTC (transmission time 17.00 to 18.00 UTC) on 9.800 kHz. Reception (SINPO) was 25232 -- weak signal strength and fading, yet audible and clear speech was observed.

Reception report was posted and emailed. A follow-up email yielded a facsimile of the QSL card posted and en route to Malaysia. QSL card arrived on 3 January 2012.

Email: 
HMenezes@sto.ibb.gov


Address:
IBB Sao Tome Transmitting Station
C.P. 522
Pinheira, Sao Tome
Sao Tome e Principe

Vatican Radio (via Uzbekistan)

Vatican Radio, presumably broadcasting via a relay station in Tashkent, Uzbekistan was heard on 9 December 2011. Transmission times for the follow languages were observed: 14.30-14.49 UTC (Hindi); 14.50-15.08  UTC (Tamil); 15.10-15.29 UTC (Malayalam);15.30-15.50 UTC (English). Frequency used was 7.585 kHz. Reception (SINPO) at 14.35 was 34333 -- fair signal strength with slight noise and fading; at 14.40 UTC  reception worsened to 25222 due to severe noise like jamming and fading; at 14.49 to 15.30 UTC reception improved to 45444 -- good signal strength with exceptionally clear speech.

Reception report was emailed to Vatican Radio. After several follow-up emails, this QSL card, stickers and brochures arrived in the mail on 2 August 2012.







Email:

english@vatiradio.va
engindia@vatiradio.va