Logbook 10 - 12 November 2017

CHINA

China Radio International (Zhōngguó Guójì Guǎngbō Diàntái) was logged, from 16.05 till 16.50 UTC, on the medium-wave frequency of  1188 kHz via  Anning City (Yunnan Province). Reception for this South Asia broadcast was fair to good with clear audio, minor fading and co-frequency interference from a Thai station, rating a SINPO of 43433. HERE is an audio excerpt from this CRI Hindi service.

INDIA
All India Radio Diphu / Akashvani Diphu in Karbi Anglong District, Assam was logged on the medium-wave frequency of 1584 kHz under poor conditions with a SINPO of 14221. While terribly weak, I believe this 1 kW station did manage to reach Malaysia. I am aware many AIR stations, particularly AIR Mon, operate on this frequency as well, sometimes carrying the same national programming. Nevertheless, I suspect the transmission I received was indeed from AIR Diphu, based on my relatively close geographic location to Assam and, more importantly, the northeasterly direction to which the station's signal was best received. In any case, classical Indian music and news from All India Radio was observed from 17.05 till 17.31 UTC.

INDONESIA
Radio Republik Indonesia Padang (PRO-1) in West Sumatra was logged on 1179 kHz (MW) with SINPO of 33433. Reception has been monitored, both morning and evening, with almost perfect reception except for co-frequency interference from a Thai station. Reception is usually best in the morning until sunrise. On this particular day in November, Islamic development speeches in Padang, announcement of transmission closure, identification of station and signature RRI Hawaiian-type music, just before sign-off, was observed from 16:25 till 17.00 UTC. HERE is RRI Padang (PRO-1).

RX: Sangean ATS-909 ANT: internal ferrite rod RX LOC: Kuala Lumpur, West Malaysia

Voice of Turkey

Voice of Turkey English broadcast of news, cultural programmes and Turkish pop music was observed from 16.35 till 17.28 UTC (broadcast time 16.30 till 17.28 UTC), on 3 September 2017,  under fair to good conditions. SINPO on 15.520 kHz initially rated 34433 -- fair to good signal and clear audio, despite co-frequency interference from Radio Exterior de Espana and occasional fading under atmospheric noise. Reception improved slightly after 17.00 UTC with stronger signal, but with occasional fading and minor QRM, earning a SINPO of 44444.

Reception report was emailed the following day. QSL card arrived on 10 November 2017.

Logbook 6 - 8 November 2017

CHINA
China Radio International, transmitting from Anning City (Yunnan Province). was logged with English programming from 15.00 till 16.00 UTC. Reception on the medium-wave frequency of 1188 kHz rated a SINPO of 33433 -- clear and audible content when not fading under co-frequency interference from Radio Free Asia in Seoul (South Korea).

JAPAN
NHK World - Radio Japan. transmitting from Ibaragi-Koga-Yamata. was logged on 6.190kHz with programming in Chinese from 14.30 till 15.00 UTC. SINPO was 34443. 

THAILAND

Radio Thailand via Phuket was heard on the medium-wave frequency of 1062 kHz, rating a SINPO of 33433 -- fair signal strength with occasionally clear audio content, despite co-frequency interference and moderate fading. This broadcast was simulcast on an FM outlet in Phuket as well; at one point, the ID for the FM station was announced. Apparently this station is designed to attract Western tourist visiting the island of Phuket, if one considers the music content. Western pop music with station IDs in English was observed from 13.05 till 13.30 UTC. HERE is Radio Thailand in Phuket. John Lennon's song "Imagine" and Radio Thailand ID can be heard in this recording.

USA
WRMI, out of Okeechobee (FL), was heard for the first time in a long time this year on 9.955 kHz. SINPO rated 25322 with a fairly weak and fading signal breaking in peaks of clear audio, enough so that Jeff White, host of Wavescan, could be identified. Based on previous logs in the winter months, WRMI is probably best heard before the 23.20 UTC logging I made on this particular day. Carrier was observed in the evening around 11.00 UTC

VIETNAM
Voice of Vietnam was heard on the shortwave frequency of 12.020 kHz, under good conditions with a SINPO of 54544. News, Current Affairs and Letterbox was observed from 15.00 till 15.26 UTC. Of particular interest was the Letterbox report on Muslims and mosques in Vietnam, which highlighted the Cham community, their music and halal restaurants in the country.

RX: Panasonic RF-45B (MW/SW); Sangean ATS-909 (MW); Tecsun S-2000 (SW) ANT: long wire and 1/4 wave (SW); internal  ferrite rod (MW) RX LOC: Kuala Lumpur area

Voice of Vietnam

Voice of Vietnam, transmitting from Hanoi, was heard on the shortwave frequency of 9.840 kHz, under good conditions with a SINPO of 54544. News, Review of the Week and Fall Festival music was observed in this English language broadcast from 15.00 till 15.27 UTC, on 7 October 2017.

Reception report was emailed the following day. QSL card arrived on 6 November 2017.

Logbook 2 - 4 November 2017

GREECE
Voice of Greece in Avlis was observed at 19.15 UTC onward with Greek music and comment in Greek. Reception on the short-wave frequency of 9.420 kHz initially was 44433, but deteriorated gradually over the next hour with increased atmospheric noise. This seemed to be the case on much of the short-wave spectrum for this particular evening.

INDIA
All India Radio Kolkata was logged from 17.00 UTC onward with music, and surprisingly later in the same evening with news up until sign-off at 18.50 UTC. AIR Kolkata is quite strong, here in Malaysia, despite some minor co-frequency mixing with Pyongyang Broadcasting Station on 657 kHz. SINPO rated 34533 HERE's AIR Kolkata.

INDONESIA
Radio Republik Indonesia Cirebon (Pro-1) in West Java was logged from 14.45 till 16.00 UTC (09.45 till 11.00 pm, Cirebon time). A selection of Indonesian pop songs, advertisements/promotional spots, occasional station IDs were observed during much of the broadcast. From 15.40 UTC till sign-off (17.00 UTC), programming consisted of traditional Indonesian music with gamelan and bamboo chimes. Reception on 864 kHz rated a SINPO of 44333. Signal was strong and clear throughout the night. Fading occurred every three to four minutes, and even then the signal was still audible above the noise threshold, albeit faintly. HERE's RRI Cirebon late in the evening.

KAMPUCHEA
National Radio of Kapuchea (NRK) in Phnom Penh is heard regularly in Malaysia at sign-on and the evenings till sign-off at 17.00 UTC. SINPO on the medium-wave frequency of 918 kHz is consistently 54544. On this particular listening after 12.05 UTC, a report on a festival (judging by the fireworks in the backgound) was discussed in the Khmer language.  HERE's NRK.

NORTH KOREA
Pyongyang Broadcasting Station (presumed) was observed in what seems to be their routine format of uninterrupted music from 18.55 UTC onward. Reception on the medium-wave frequency of 657 kHz rated a SINPO of 34433. Before 18.50 UTC signal mixed with AIR Kolkata. HERE's PBS after 18.50 UTC.

VIET NAM
Voice of Vietnam 1 in Can Tho (formerly South Vietnam) was logged at 16.43 UTC with Western classical music. A female announcer hosted this Vietnamese language programme. Reception on  the medium-wave frequency of 711 kHz was SINPO 34433. HERE's VOV1.


RX:  Sangean ATS-909 (MW); Degen DE-1102 (SW) ANT: internal ferrite rod (MW); long wire (SW) RX LOC: Kuala Lumpur

Visit to Sonora FM, Palembang

A few days ago my family and I were in Palembang, South Sumatra. While on a social visit, we stopped by Sonona FM 102.6, one of several stations in the Sonora Network heard throughout Indonesia. As it happens one of our friends -- 'foster son' actually -- is an announcer at the station.

DJ Adi Putra

He gave us a little tour. I say 'little' because the station itself is quite small. It comprises a lobby with a 1960s desk console, turntable and telephone, portraits of past award-winning DJs and an early poster of Led Zeppelin. In another room, near a corner, sits their transmitter with lights aflutter. And, in an adjoining room lies their studio, with the most easily noticed equipment being fader/mixing console, headphones and microphone.

The transmitter is a low-power rig, sufficient to emit a signal over a 30 km radius. A handful of announcers spin mostly contemporary Western and Indonesian pop tunes.

The station takes listener music requests as well. And we duly made use of this service, requesting at least three or four Indonesia and Malaysian tunes made famous by M. Nasir, Hetti Koes Endang and the Indo-American group Debu.

All in all, it was a rather nice visit to one of the many radio stations in Palembang. One need only scan the horizon to see the numerous telecommunication masts around town to discover this. But, Sonora FM is the one that personally stands out.

Sonora FM radio mast near yellow structure

RMRC Calendar for November 2017

The Rhein Main Radio Club Calendar for month of  November 2017