Radio Africa via WRMI (Okeechobee)

Radio Africa, using the WRMI transmitter site in Okeechobee, Florida (USA), was received on 9 February 2014. An English language sermon and Evangelical music was observed from 21.45 to 22.15 UTC (broadcast time 21.00 to 23.00 UTC). Since interference from Radio Africa in Equatorial Guinea was previously reported, PanAmerican broadcasting apparently has pulled this time slot in Africa, allowing WRMI to be heard more clearly.  Reception on 15.190 kHz at 21.45 UTC was (SINPO) 24432 - weak but audible speech/music. By 22.10 UTC carrier signal was present but barely audible. Just before sign-off only a faint carrier was detected.

Reception reports were submitted to both WRMI and PanAmerican-Radio  on the following day. QSL card from PanAmerican Radio arrived in the mail before the end of the month, on 24 February 2014 -- 2 weeks! WRMI verified 2 months later on 17 April 2014; Jeff White and staff must be "swamped" with reception reports. Thankfully he posted this one, and a different design than the ones issued for previous reports. Kudos to Jeff and staff!

Radio Riyadh (Urdu and Bengali Service)

URDU SERVICE
Radio Riyadh in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was logged on 5 February 2014. Their Urdu language service was monitored from 12.00 to 13.05 UTC (broadcast time 12.00 to 14.57 UTC). Quran recital, discussion about Pakistani professionals in Saudi Arabia, business news, azan and Islamic topics were observed in over an hour. Reception on 13.775 kHz was (SINPO) 45343 -- strong carrier but under modulated audio feed, slight fading and atmospheric noise.

Reception report was submitted to their Urdu department on the same day, although I am highly doubtful I will get a reply. It has been reported Radio Riyadh does not QSL, nor have they for some years. 

Surprisingly a day later (6 February) I received a FaceBook message from Radio Riyadh's Urdu department. Based on a Google translation of Urdu to English the respondent acknowledged my reception report, saying:
 اس نشریات کی رپورٹ پر آپ کے مشکور ہیں ۔ مزید رپورٹ ارسال کریں (Thank you for the broadcast report. Furthermore send report). My first response ever from Radio Riyadh, although an inconclusive verification.


BENGALI SERVICE
Radio Riyadh, Bengali service, was logged on 26 February 2014. Islamic programming, Arabic/Islamic music and regional news was monitored from 13.55 to 14.45 UTC (sign-off is 14.57 UTC). Reception on 15.120 kHz throughout the broadcast was (SINPO) 55455 -- excellent reception on all accounts, despite slight atmospheric noise.

Reception report was messaged on their FaceBook page and emailed to Radio Riyadh shortly after the broadcast. Surprisingly on 27 February 2014, I received this email from the Bengali department of Radio Riyadh: "Salam. Thank you very much for sending the reception report. We are very glad to receive your nice reception report. We cannot send QSL card (sorry) to say. Sincere(ly) I believe it (they) should be recepting (receiving) again." I guess this acknowledgement is at least a partial QSL.

Random Log 3 February 2014

EGYPT
Radio Cairo in Abis // 15.710 kHz // 24322 // 13.20 UTC with male announcer speaking Indonesian

GERMANY
Radio Farda in Biblis // 15.410 kHz // 34333 -- fair and noisy // 13.25 UTC with music in Persian

LAOS
Lao National Radio // 6.130 kHz // 45433 -- good signal strength but poor audio which deteriorated suddenly to 25322  // 14.00 UTC station ID and national news in English

ROMANIA
Radio Romania International  in Galbeni // 15.170 kHz // 34332 - fair, noisy and fading, but audible speech and music // 13.30 UTC onward in Romanian

RWANDA
Deutsche Welle in Kigali // 17.800 kHz // 34443 // 13.30 UTC with news in Dari

SOLOMAN ISLANDS
Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation "Radio Happy Isles" // 9.545 kHz // 34434 fair to good signal until station splatter from CRI at 11.00 UTC // 10.15 UTC onward till 11.00 UTC with South Pacific music, IDS and current events in Tok Pisin/English

USA
WWCR in Nashville // 15.825 kHz // 14321 - very weak and noisy, but audible male minister // 13.15 UTC onward
WEWN in Vandiver // 15.610 kHz // 14221 - carrier present with peaks of audio // 13.25 UTC onward

Tajik Radio

Tajik Radio in Dushanbe was logged on 1 February 2014. Central Asian music in Tajik was monitored from 17.50 to 18.20 UTC.  Reception on 4.765 kHz at 17.50 UTC was (SINPO) 24332 -- weak with fading and atmospheric noise, but audible music and announcers. Reception was significantly degraded by 18.20 UTC to 24221 -- barely audible with increased noise and fading. Any hope of catchin Tajik Radio before 17.00 UTC is impossible in Malaysia due to station splatter from All India Radio in Port Blair. 

I hesitate sending a reception report to Tajik Radio inasmuch as previous reports, both by email and post, went without a response. Tajikistan relays transmissions for RFE and similar broadcasters, and one can certainly QSL these stations from Dushanbe, but to get a QSL from Tajik Radio would be the pièce de résistance.

Vatican Radio

Vatican Radio in Santa Maria de Galeria was received on 31 January 2014. The African Service of Vatican Radio provided Catholic news reports and messages from Pope Francis in French and English. These broadcasts, which included lively snippets of music, were monitored from 17.10 to 17.27 UTC (French 17.00 to 17.30 UTC); 17.30 to 17.32 UTC (English 17,30 to 18.00 UTC). Reception on 15.570 kHz was (SINPO) 35343 -- fair signal strength with atmospheric noise and occasional fading. Audio was present, clear and discernible. At 17.32 UTC, the transmitter closed abruptly and programming did not resume.

Nevertheless, a reception report was emailed to Vatican Radio the following week. I am confident, owing to past response, Vatican Radio will QSL. Indeed, on 3 February 2014, Sergio Salvatori for Vatican Radio Frequency Management replied with this message: "Thank you for the report. I have sent you the requested QSL". The above QSL card with stickers and calendar of Catholic holidays arrived in the mail on 18 February 2014.

QSLs for January 2014

QSLs for the month of January 2014:

Radio Habana Cuba (QSL card) transmitting from Habana, Cuba
Radio Habana Cuba (QSL card) transmitting from Habana, Cuba
Radio Africa (QSL card and letter) transmitting from Bata, Equatorial Guinea
NOJ - Coast Guard Communications Station  (QSL card) transmitting from Kodiak Island, Alaska (USA)
Radio Cairo - ERTU (QSL card and letter) transmitting from Abu Zaabal, Egypt
FEBA / Radio Selamna via IBRA (eQSL letter) transmitting from presumably Kigali, Rwanda
Voice of Turkey (QSL card) transmitting from Emirler, Turkey
The Overcomer Ministry via WRMI (QSL card) transmitting from Okeechobee, Florida (USA)
Radio Prague via WRMI (QSL card) transmitting from Okeechobee, Florida (USA)
Radio Prague via Radio 700 (QSL card) internet broadcast from Germany
NBC Radio Madang (eQSL letter) transmitting from Jomba, Madang, Papua New Guinea

Promised:
WWV (QSL) transmitting on 15 mHz from Fort Collins, Colorado (USA)
Radio Slovakia International via WRMI (QSL) transmitting from Okeechobee, Florida (USA)

Voice of Turkey

Voice of Turkey, transmitting from Emirler, was logged on 30 January 2014. An English language broadcast of Turkish news, cultural programmes and music was heard from 17.30 to 17.24 UTC. Reception on 11.730 kHz was (SINPO) 45444 -- good to excellent signal strength and clarity, despite  fading and occasional atmospheric noise.

Reception report was emailed to Voice of Turkey the following day. The station is an excellent verifier and consistently replies within a month for correct reports. This QSL card -- apparently a new design -- coaster and programme schedule arrived in the mail on 27 February 2014. 

Email:
englishdesk@trt.net.tr