Cambridge 105 FM in UK (Internet)

Cambridge 105 FM in Cambridgeshire, UK was logged on 31 October 2012, using their Internet stream. A programme of pop music, community announcements and station promotions, including a live Halloween feed called "Man on the Moon", was monitored from 18.30 to 19.30 UTC. The stream was received at: 32 kps in aac format over an application called TuneIn Radio, which was installed on both an Apple iPod Touch and Blackberry Bold 9700. 

A reception report was emailed to Cambridge 105 FM,  "Community Radio In Your City". In less than an hour I received two emails. One from the Station Director, who confirmed that I had listened to their Internet stream. Another message, I assume from  the station's engineer,  who apologised that the station's actual QSL card could only be issued for their "radio" transmission. 

Website:

cambridge105.fm

Email: 

studio@cambridge105.fm

publicity@cambridge105.fm

QSLs for October 2012

The following confirmations were received during the month of October 2012:

Adventist World Radio - DX Bangladesh Wavescan (eQSL) transmitting from Guam
RWN Russian Standard Frequency & Time Service  (QSL card) transmitting from Moscow
Radio France International (eQSL) transmitting from Montsinery, French Guiana
Radio Free Asia (QSL card) transmitting from Sitkunai, Lithuania
The Mighty KBC (eQSL) transmitting from Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Radio Trans Mundial (QSL card) transmitting from Santa Maria-Camobi, Brazil
Atlantic 2000 International (eQSL) Internet broadcast from France
Evangelische Missions Gemeiden/Media Broadcast (eQSL) transmitting from Wertachtal, Germany
St. Petersburg Regional Centre - VOR (QSL card) transmitting from St. Petersburg, Russia
Voice of Turkey (QSL card) transmitting from Emirler
Radio Argovia FM (QSL letter) Internet broadcast from Aarau, Switzerland
Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (eQSL) transmitting from Ekala
Radio PMR Pridnestrovie (eQSL) transmitting from Tiraspol,  Pridnestrovie Moldovian Republic
Adventist World Radio - Wavescan Indian DX Report (eQSL) transmitting from Trincomalee
Adventist World Radio - Wavescan Japan Shortwave Club DX Report (eQSL) transmitting from Wertachtal
Radio Free Asia (QSL card) for medium-wave transmission via Vladivostok, Russia

Indirect QSLs:
Radio Ukraine International (QSL card promised) via Internet stream from Kyiv, Ukraine
Voice of Russia (QSL card promised) transmitting from Samara, Russia
Voice of Maldives (verification promised) transmitting on medium-wave from Male, Maldives
Voice of America (QSL card promised) transmitting from Kuwait

CBC Radio Nord Quebec (via Sackville, NB)

CBC Radio Nord Quebec has been received the past few days (29 and 30 October 2012) with amazing strength and clarity on 9.625 kHz, here in South East Asia. Sadly its operation from the CBC Sackville, New Brunswick short-wave site is slated to cease at the end of October. See this article on the revocation of its licence to operate.

Needless to say, despite many letters and petitions to both the CBC and the Canadian government, over the past several months, this heritage site is to be foolishly dismantled. Interestingly enough, this did not have to happen. Keith Perron of PCJ Media, based in Taiwan, proposed to the CBC that his company would take over the management and funding of the Sackville facility. He provided a working model -- similar to one used at ABC in Australia -- that would have turned a profit within two years, but the CBC made it clear it had no interest in the deal.

Alas, I am thankful I had the good fortune to QSL this station in late December 2011. At the time -- as is usally the case -- I did not realise its days were numbered, just as those of Radio Canada International.

For me, it is another sad chapter in short-wave radio broadcasting.  I have great memories of first hearing and frequently listening to this station on the 49 meter band, back in the late 1960s, when I lived in Denver, Colorado. So long CBC Radio Nord Quebec via Sackville!

In memory of this wonderful station I give you CBC Radio Nord Quebec -- as heard in Malaysia on 29 October 2012 -- HERE and HERE.

CBC Radio Nord Website

Farewell ;-(

MTVA / MR1-Kossuth Radio (Solt, Hungary on Medium-Wave)

MTVA (MR1-Kossuth Radio), transmitting on medium-wave from Solt, Budapest, Hungary, was logged on 24 October 2012. When RRI Bandung, Indonesia signed off, a Hungarian language broadcast of news, sports and talk format was noted from 17.15 to 17.45 UTC. This medium-wave transmission was heard on 540 kHz. Transmission was heard again on 27 October at approximately the same time and checked against their Internet stream. Reception (SINPO) was 23322 -- weak signal strength amidst some atmospheric noise, slight interference from another station and fading every five minutes or so. Despite these conditions, audio was detected, but not always clear. After 18.00 UTC reception gradually worsened.

Reception report was emailed on same day, messaged to their FaceBook page and posted in subsequent days. This QSL-letter, along with sticker, arrived in the mail on 6 March 2013.  My understanding is MTVA (MR1) underwent reorganisation and restaffing in early 2013, thus the first QSL-letter was delayed. Even then, it was obtained with the help of a DXer in Hungary and an MTVA staff person who was among the station's retirees. On 5 March 2013 (assuming the QSL-letter overlooked), I sent a follow up email and the new verisigner from the Technical Department confirmed with a rubber stamp and his signature. To all of you, Köszönöm!

Solt Antenna Site

Email:

mr1-kossuth@radio.hu 

Address: (address may have changed since this posting)
Magyar Radio
MR1-Kossuth Radio
1088 Budapest, 
Brody Sandor u. 5-7. 
HUNGARY

WINB (Red Lion, Pennsylvania)

Radio Station WINB, transmitting from Red Lion, Pennsylvania, USA was logged on  27 October 2012. Christian religious programming was observed from 21.55 to 22. 55 UTC on 9.265 kHz. Reception (SINPO) at 21.55 UTC was 15321 -- initially a weak carrier was heard, then occasional audio was noted when signal peaked upward, otherwise reception was inaudible much of the time. Audio gradually improved around 22.20 UTC, allowing voices to be more clearly detected, but generally signal remained poor. As the grey line was ending (and sunrise approached) in Malaysia, signal disappeared entirely around 22.50 UTC.  

Reception report was emailed immediately afterwards and posted in subsequent days. A follow-up email to WINB Frequency Manager, Mr. Hans Johnson, yielded a prompt reply on 2 January 2012.  Unfortunately when I logged the station I did not make a recording. I learned later that an audio file  is crucial for Mr. Hans Johnson to consider issuing a QSL. In my follow-up report I mentioned this to him, and he rather curtly -- great PR for WINB I might add -- stated in so many words no QSL would be forthcoming unless an audio file accompanied the report. Therefore, take note, Mr. Hans Johnson is a stickler for "audio files", regardless of the quality of reception. 

Ironically, on 4 January 2012, I did receive a QSL card from WINB. It was signed by Mr. Fred W. Wise. I would assume he responded to my reception report I mailed to the station. Moral of story? For a QSL the old-fashioned way, submit your report by mail and address it to Mr. Fred W. Wise. A wise man, indeed!

Email:

winb40th@yahoo.com

Address:

Radio Station WINB

2900 Windsor Road

Red Lion, Pennsylvania 17356

USA

Manx Radio - Isle of Man (Internet)

Manx Radio AM 1368 on the Isle of Man was received over the Internet on 25 October 2012.  Listened to Alex in the Afternoon, lots of advertisements, news and a music programme in Gaelic from 15.45 to 17.05 UTC.  A 64 kps Internet stream in MP3 mode provided excellent fidelity and an unbroken stream. Broadcast was heard using an Apple iPod Touch and Blackberry Bold with TuneIn Radio application linked to wifi.

A reception report was emailed shortly after logging Manx Radio. This QSL card arrived in the mail on 24 December 2012.

Email:

studio@manxradio.com

reception@manxradio.com

Website:

manxradio.com/

Radio Ukraine International (Internet)

Radio Ukraine International (RUI) in an Internet stream  from Kiev was logged on 22 October 2012. A German language broadcast of news, Ukrainian music and Ukrainian news journal  was heard from 14.00 to 15.00 UTC. The broadcast began with the Radio Ukraine International (Radio Kiev) interval tune, formerly heard on short-wave. The streaming link used was http://pp.wi.com.ua/NRCU4?WMContentBitrate=20000. 

A reception report was emailed, submitted on-line and posted to RUI on the same day. On 26 October 2012, Vira Maliy on behalf of the English Section Letter Department of RUI replied: "A QSL card is on its way to you." This QSL card indeed was received on 7 November 2012.

Address:

National Radio Company of Ukraine

Radio Ukraine International

26, Khreschatyk Str., 

Kyiv, 01001, Ukraine 

Website:

radioukr.com.ua