Thursday, February 9, 2012

WYFR - Family Radio (via Almaty-Nikolayevka, Kazakhstan)

WYFR - Family Radiotransmitting from Almaty-Nikolayevka, Kazakhstan, was logged  9 February 2012. Religious programming in Ilocano language was heard from 11.00 to 12.00 UTC on 9.310 kHz. Reception (SINPO) was 55444 -- Good signal strength, but fading occasionally yielded bursts of atmospheric noise, otherwise a clear and audible transmission was observed. Reception improved after 11.45 UTC with less fading and atmospheric noise.

Reception report was emailed to Family Radio. QSL card along with book markers, postcards, pocket calendars and Family Radio literature arrived in the mail on 16 March 2012.

Email:
familyradio@familyradio.org,
info@familyradio.org,
international@familyradio.org

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

ABC Northern Territory (Alice Springs, Katherine and Tennant Creek)

ABC Northern Territory in Alice Springs, Katherine and Tennant Creek, Australia was heard in June and July 2011. After repeated emails and letters to ABC Northern Territory, an on-line email for the reception reports below FINALLY netted this eQSL on 9 February 2012. A follow-up letter was submitted to the address below; response is pending.

Reception Report for Alice Springs
Station: ABC Northern Territory
Location:  Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Date: 17 June 2011 UTC (18 June 2011 in Malaysia/Australia)
Time: Monitored 21.30-22.30 UTC
Frequency: 4.835 kHz 
Reception (SINPO) was 35323 -- fair reception at 21.30 UTC, which was by 22.00 UTC was severely degraded  by increasing QRN and finally inaudible after 22.25 UTC
Programming (in English):
21.30 - News and weather for Northern Territory (female announcer)
21.41 - Programme summary, followed by music (male announcer)
21.45 - 45th Alice Springs Show for a horse racing event and request for volunteers (male announcer)
21.55 - Music (Mary Wells "My Guy")
21.58 - Sports (football) hosted by male announcer
21.59 - Music
22.03 - 5-Question Quiz -- listener phone-in (male announcer)
22.09 - Music
22.10 - Talk (male announcer)
22.15 - News (female announcer)

Reception Report for Katherine
Station: ABC Northern Territory
Location:  Katherine, Northern Territory
Date: 17 June 2011 UTC (18 June 2011 in Malaysia/Australia)
Time: Monitored 21.30-22.15 UTC
Frequency: 5.025 kHz 
Reception (SINPO) was 25212 -- much weaker reception at 22.30  which worsened as QRN increased after 22.00 UTC. By 22.15 UTC signal was extremely weak and nearly inaudible.
Programming (in English):
21.30 - News and weather for Northern Territory (female announcer)
21.41 - Programme summary, followed by music (male announcer)
21.45 - Horse racing coverage (male commentator)
21.45 - Community announcements, including the Commodore Cup (male and female announcers)
21.54 - Music
21.56 - Commentary on dinosaurs in Australia (male announcer)
22.03 - Music
22.07 - Talk (male announcer)
22.15 - News (female announcer)

Reception Report for Tennant Creek
Station: ABC Northern Territory
Location:  Tennant Creek, Northern Territory
Date: 6 July 2011 UTC (7 July2011 in Malaysia/Australia)
Time: Monitored 21.40-22.10 UTC
Frequency: 4.910 kHz
Reception (SINPO) at 21.40 UTC was 25312. After 22.45 UTC no signal was audible due to atmospheric noise. 
Programming (in English): 
21.40 - Music (male announcer)
21.45 - Community announcement and discussion with an event organizer of fireworks competition, dance, etc. 
21.49 - Commercial advertisement (male announcer)
21.50 - Community announcements (male announcer)
21.52 - Music
21.55 - Community announcements. (male announcer) 
22.10 - Signal began to wane and unintelligible reception ensued. By 22.45 UTC signal was undetected.

Back of QSL


Address:

ABC Northern Territory
1 Cavenagh Street
Darwin, Northern Territory 0800 
AUSTRALIA

Website:
www.abc.net.au/darwin/ 



Radio Österreich International

Radio Österreich International via Moosbrunn, Austria was logged on  8 February 2012. German language broadcast of news and news journal was observed from 08.59 to 09.33 UTC on 17.630 kHz. Reception (SINPO) was 45444 -- good signal strength with no interference and some minor atmospheric noise, otherwise a clear and audible transmission.



Reception report was emailed to ROI.


Radio Romania International (via Galbeni and Tiganesti)

Radio Romania International, transmitting via Galbeni on 17.780 kHz  and Tiganesti on 21.600 kHz, was logged on these frequencies on 8  February  2012. A half-hour English language programme of news, weather, financial news and Romanian culture was heard from 06.27 to 06.57 UTC. Reception (SINPO) on 17.780 kHz was 35343 -- fair signal strength with  atmospheric noise, otherwise audible and clear speech was noted. Reception (SINPO) on 21.600 kHz was 45434 -- good signal strength with slight fading, otherwise clear speech and the frequency for the best reception.


Reception report was emailed to RRI. QSL card for Galbeni transmission arrived in the mail on 27 March 2012.

Voice of Vietnam (via Moosbrunn, Austria)

Voice of Vietnam, transmitting via  Moosbrunn, Austria, was logged on 7 February 2012. An English language broadcast was heard at 18.00 UTC, followed by Vietnamese from 18.30  to  19.30 UTC, then in French.  Transmission was on 5.955 kHz. Reception (SINPO) was 24332 -- fair signal strength, fading and atmospheric noise, otherwise audible speech. At 19.15 UTC reception was degraded to 14321 due to a weaker signal, greater fading and increased QRN.

Reception report was emailed to VOV. This QSL card arrived in the mail on 8 June 2012.

Friday, February 3, 2012

Voice of Malaysia

QSL cards with obsolete broadcast times and frequencies
Voice of Malaysia, broadcasting from its studio in Angkasapuri - Kuala Lumpur and transmitter site in Kajang,  was logged on 3 February 2012. Transmission was heard from 10.00 to 12.00 UTC on 6.050 kHz. Reception (SINPO) here in Malaysia was 55545 -- excellent reception. 

Programming (in English) consisted of the following content:
10.00 - Time signal beeps, followed by a song about Malaysia sung by female vocalist.
10.04 - Station ID for Voice of Malaysia in Angkasapuri presented by male announcer named Ray.
10.06 - Contemporary English pop songs with  IDs over music which was sung by Lady Gaga and Kim Long 
10.12 - Promotional announcement for the Leonardo da Vinci Exposition at Mines Wonderland which was presented by Ray.
10.13 - Music resumed with two songs and occasional station IDs (female announcer) over the music of  Mark Kearny and James Brown.
10.20  - Promo for the rain forests and biodiversity of Malaysia which was presented by Ray.
10.21 - Music resumed with four songs and occasional station IDs (female announcer) over the music of Nickleback, Kim Long and others.
10.36 - Islamic music leading into an Islamic programme called "Reflections" which focused on Muslim etiquette and customs as exemplified by the Prophet Muhammad (saw) and observed in the Quran. This was presented by Ahmad Fizal of JAKIM.
10.44 - Female announcer, followed by promotional song about "Enchanting Malaysia".
10.52 - Contemporary English pop songs resumed
11.00 - Time signal beeps, followed by Local News read by Ray. 
11.10 - Contemporary English pop songs resumed. Two songs were heard by Kim Long and a local artiste.
11.22 - "Learn Bahasa" using the word  "Barat" or west. 
11.23 - Contemporary English pop songs resumed. Songs by Eric Cooper, Uncle Ray and others were heard.
11.37 - Promo for Malaysian theme parks with malls, etc was presented by Ray.
11.39 - Contemporary English Country & Western songs  by Dolly Parton,  Dobbie Brothers, Conway Twitty, Shana Twain,  Roger Miller and others were heard. One listener from Holland mentioned listening to VOM  over one song.
11.58 - Ray recapped songs played and stated that Bahasa Malaysia programming would resume at top of the hour.
11.59 - "This Day in History" highlighted RTM's orang Asli broadcast and Radio Asyik's programming, followed by instrumental music.
12.00 - Time signal beeps, Negaraku, then VOM English broadcast ended, followed by programming in Bahasa Malaysia.

QSL signed by DJ Ray Nagarajan and mailed to US address

For a sound file sample of programme summary CLICK this Soundcloud link.
Voice of Malaysia Souvenirs
Reception report was emailed, sent on-line and posted to RTM. I posted a self-addressed, stamped and prepared QSL one week later. An email response (see comment below) was received on 11 February from RTM Producer/Presenter, Albert Ng. On 13 February, Voice of Malaysia DJ, Ray Nagarajan, emailed (see his message below) to confirm the details of the programme logged and indicated a "Card" would be sent to me.

Two QSL cards, along with souvenirs, were received on 10 March 2012: one signed by an RTM producer and another by RTM producer/announcer, Albert Ng who personally delivered these items to me. Later in the month of March I received another QSL at my US address, signed by Ray Nagarajan. So, if you can get VOM to QSL, they will send abroad, not just to Malaysia. My self-prepared/self-stamped QSL card has not been returned to date.

Albert Ng (left) and I over brunch in my home

Address:
Radio Televisyen Malaysia
Wisma TV
Angkasapuri, 50614, Kuala Lumpur
MALAYSIA


Website:
http://www.rtm.gov.my/rtmnew/

Email:
feedback@rtm.gov.my
vom@rtm.gov.my



Wednesday, February 1, 2012

KDSA_Adventist World Radio (Guam)

KDSA, Adventist World Radio in Agat, Guam was logged on 18 October 2011 at 16.00 UTC. An English language broadcast of WRMI's (Florida, USA) "Wavescan" programme was heard on 12.085 kHz.. Excellent reception was noted. 

Reception report was emailed with subsequent follow-up emails. KDSA replied by mail on 1 February 2012. Together with two QSLs (WMRI and KDSA), I received DX contest information, a pocket calendar and some Adventist literature.

WRMI (Florida) "WaveScan" via KDSA in Guam
WRMI via KDSA, Guam
Philately included with QSLs