GREAT CIRCLE MAPS
The type of map that Nick Ward describes is known as a Great Circle or Azimuthal Equidistant Projection. It is centred on a particular point and accurately preserves bearing and distance, but not shape or area (Mark Palmer, April BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD)
If Nick goes to
http://ns6t.net
he can download an Azimuthal map centred on wherever he wants (mine is in Cornwall) and has a bearing scale around the edges (Ross Bradshaw, ibid.)
** COSTA RICA. In 2002 Jonathan Marks visited RFPI for Radio Netherlands. RFPI were on shortwave 1987-2003 and were based at the University for Peace in Costa Rica. Jonathan’s report is here: https://vimeo.com/14321328
RFPI programming included political programmes such as “Far Right [Radio] Review” which was analysing some of the right-wing talk radio hosts hiring time on US shortwave radio stations at the time. Jonathan got the impression a new management team at the University did not want to get involved with such campaigns and activism. A year later, on November 5th 2003, the University would close down RFPI. The RFPI legacy website has a link to the Far Right Radio Review plus RFPI history:
http://www.rfpi.org/
(April BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD)
** U S A. Allen Weiner would eventually get a US SW licence and built his current WBCQ station in Monticello, Maine, near the Canadian border. As reported in ‘Communication’ he is currently building a new “super station” with 500 kilowatt transmitter and new antenna. WAGM TV reported on this here:
https://www.wagmtv.com/content/news/Tuning-in-to-Monticello-490955221.html
The organisation behind this new project is World’s Last Chance (WLC) who amongst other things believe the world is flat. Their website already includes Great Circle maps showing coverage from Monticello:
https://www.worldslastchance.com/wlc-radio
Here is a WLC video about their Flat Earth beliefs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5onXxxITqo
(April BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD)
** INTERNATIONAL. Classical Music on Shortwave
Around 50 years ago, when I was about 11 or 12, I was given three classical music LPs by my parents. I have no idea why they gave them to me - I hadn't shown any interest in classical music and (as far as I'm aware) they also had no interest in classical music. I wish I had asked them, but alas too late now. However, it was inspired! - the music from all three of those LPs are now firm favourites of mine. Top of those three was Bolero (long before the music was hijacked by a film and later Torvill & Dean). The other two LPs were the 1812 Overture and the Planets Suite.
So, with this in mind, and (although I still know very little about classical music), I always enjoy listening to classical music on shortwave. It is therefore a pleasure to see a new station, Radio Tumbril, being heard on the shortwaves (via Channel 292 and via WBCQ) with a weekly show called Encore playing well-known, or at least, very familiar, pieces of classical music. Encore is scheduled as follows:
1500-1600 UT Sundays and 1900-2000 UT Fridays on 6070 (via Channel 292), and 0000-0100 UT Mondays on 7490 kHz (via WBCQ)
There are, however, some other notable programmes of classical music to be heard. Here is a quick summary:
Radio Romania International --- The Romanian service includes a one hour rebroadcast of Radio Concert Season (a rebroadcast from Friday night’s two-hour broadcast on domestic Radio Romania Muzical) on Sundays, which I expect in the new A-19 broadcast season to be heard at 0100-0156 UT on 7420 and 9790 kHz.
The English service also has a ten-minute programme of classical music in Music Highlights, which (from 31 March) airs on Wednesdays and Thursdays 1730-1740 and 2230-2240 and Thursdays and Fridays at 0030-0040, 0330-0340 and 1130-1140.
ORF Austrian Radio --- The single remaining transmission by ORF, in German during the European mornings at 0500-0630 UT (from 31 March) on 6155 kHz, usually plays classical music extracts for all or part of the time between 0530-0630.
Vatican Radio --- Classical music can sometimes be heard towards the end of special broadcasts where the event being covered has ended prior to the end of the scheduled special transmission. The special broadcasts are listed, often at fairly short notice, at: https://www.vaticannews.va/it/epg.html#events
Increasingly these broadcasts are heard via satellite or internet, however with some luck you will find some of these on shortwave.
China Radio International --- Various CRI language services, excluding English, often have some classical music – particularly the Polish service (at weekends, I think). Try 6020 or 7305 at 2030-2100 UT.
From The Isle of Music. Finally, FTIOM occasionally features Cuban classical music, which is scheduled on Tuesdays 1900-2000 and Saturdays 1200-1300 on 6070 kHz (via Channel 292), Tuesdays 0000-0100 on 7490 (via WBCQ) and Sundays 1500-1600 on 9400 (via Spaceline, Bulgaria). Until next time, 73’s - Alan (Listening Post with Alan Roe listeningpost@bdxc.org.uk, April BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD)
RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM
+++++++++++++++++++++
AKIHABARA
Another guest post, by Chris Johnson, featured a visit to the Akihabara electronic district in Tokyo. "Just when I was ready to give up the search I turned [and] discovered a red awning with “Tokyo Radio Department Store” emblazoned on it, I felt like I discovered a lost treasure amongst the modernity."
More, with video and many great photos,
https://swling.com/blog/2019/01/guest
As SWLing post owner Thomas Witherspoon commented, I see some classic solid-state receivers, ham radio transceivers and even valve gear I’ve never seen before. Amazing!"
Chrissy writes: I visited Akihabara in 1989 and was overwhelmed by the way ahead of the European market. Some made it across here in the 1990s, as marketing gimmicks, such as credit card-sized radios, tuned to one frequency, emblazoned with station logo and advertising (April BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD)
** U A E. Radio Asia, Ras Al-Khaimah switched frequency from 1269 kHz to 1476 kHz in March. The long-established Malayalam station covers the Persian Gulf States and beyond with a 200 kW transmitter. Two other Malayalam MW stations have closed in the past two years: Asianet Radio 657 kHz on February 9th and Voice of Kerala 1152 kHz which closed in early 2018. This leaves two Malayalam MW stations still on air in UAE: Radio Asia, now on 1476 kHz and Pravasi Bharathi (Abu Dhabi) on 810 kHz (via Mauno Ritola, WRTH Facebook 28-Mar; Gulfnews.com 26-Feb) (via April BDXC-UK Communication via WORLD OF RADIO 1977, DXLD)
** AUSTRALIA. A19 schedule for Reach Beyond Australia in English
1115-1130 .mtw.f.. EAs 15575 (Spotlight)
1200-1230 Daily SAs 11875
1245-1300 .mtw... SAs 11945 (Spotlight)
1315-1330 .m.w.f. SAs 11750 (Back to the Bible)
1345-1400 ....tf. SAs 11900 (Spotlight)
1515-1530 .m...f. EAs 9770 (Spotlight)
(reach beyond via Alan Roe, April BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD)
** EGYPT. Tentative A19 schedule for Radio Cairo [some broadcasts may be inactive-ed]
0045-0200 SAm Spanish 9665 1500-1600 Eu Albanian 9705
1600-1700 Af Afar 15450 1700-1900 ME Turkish 9800
1700-1900 EAf Somali 15285 1800-1900 EAf Amharic 15285
1800-1900 Eu Italian 9490 1900-2000 Eu German 9570
1900-2000 Eu Russian 9665 1900-2030 Af English 15290
2000-2115 Eu French 9895 2115-2245 Eu English 9900
2215-2330 SAm English* 9720 2330-0045 SAm Arabic 9660 (HFCC)
(April BDXC-UK Communication via WORLD OF RADIO 1977, DXLD)
*this should be Portuguese, not English, but none of these 2215-0200 confirmed as really on the air (gh)
** GUINEA. Radio Guinee, Conakry, was observed with a programme in English on 9650 kHz between 1830-1855 on Sunday 17 March. Studio discussion about Guinean students at colleges in the US (Dave Kenny 17 March, April BDXC-UK Communication via WORLD OF RADIO 1977, DXLD)
This appears to be a regular time for English as Guinea was also logged in English on Sunday 11 February 2018 by Tony Rogers from tune-in at 1850 until it went back into French at 1901 (DK/TR, ibid.)
** IRAN. A19 schedule Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran in English
1520-1620 SAs 9800-sir 15235-sir
1920-2020 EuAf 9750-sir 9855-sir
(HFCC via April BDXC-UK Communication via WORLD OF RADIO 1977, DXLD)
** KOREA NORTH. A19 schedule for Voice of Korea, Pyongyang in English:
0400-0500 AsAm 7220 9445 9730 11735 13760 15180
0500-0600 As 13650 15105
0600-0700 As 7220 9445 9730
1000-1100 AsAm 11710 11735 13650 15180
1300-1400 EuAm 9435 11710 13760 15245
1500-1600 EuAm 9435 11710 13760 15245
1600-1700 MEAf 9890 11645
1800-1900 Eu 13760 15245
1900-2000 MEAf 7210 9875 11635 11910
2100-2200 Eu 13760 15245
(via Arnolf Piontek, Berlin, April BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD)
** KYRGYZSTAN. 4820 kHz carries 2nd program, but only between 0000-1230. Power is 15 kW (WRTH updates March 2019 via April BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD)
** MALI. Radio Mali in English --- Most programming on Radio Mali is in local languages such as Bambara and French but on 9th March I confirmed the weekly news magazine in English at 1850-1906 UT on 5995 kHz. On 30th March I heard English again at 1857-1910 UT on 5995.
I last heard the English news from Mali back in 2008 when it was broadcast on Saturdays at 1920 on 5995, but over the past 10 years the SW modulation from Bamako has been so poor that it`s been impossible to confirm it again - until now! Very pleased to have Mali back on SW and a nice surprise to catch their elusive English broadcast again. (Dave Kenny, 9-30 March, April BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD)
** MONGOLIA. 7260 kHz is on the air fairly regularly carrying 3rd program between 2300-0500 & 0700-1500. 4895 kHz has been on the air occasionally since the beginning of 2019 during local daytime, but carrying now 1st program instead, starting at 2300 unlike longwave frequencies at 2200. 4830 kHz has been off the air completely lately. (WRTH Updates March 2019 via April BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD)
** PHILIPPINES. A19 schedule for Radio Pilipinas via IBB relay station
0200-0330 ME English 12010 15640 17820
1730-1930 ME Tagalog 9910 12120 15190
(HFCC via April BDXC-UK Communication via WORLD OF RADIO 197, DXLD)
** ROMANIA. The 2019 RRI QSL cards will be about garments for celebration, chains made of coins and adornments from the Western part of Romania. Due to the fact that the state budget for 2019 is far from being approved and due to the public procurements procedure, we will have huge delays in producing the QSL cards. We will try to find a solution to produce them first in an online version (RRI via Chrissy Brand 5 March, April BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD)
** U K. A19 schedule for BBC World Service in English on SW:
BBCWS English to the Middle East
0300-0400 9440-sla 12095-sla
0400-0500 12095-sla 13580-sla
1500-1700 5950-sla
1700-1900 6195-sla 7485-sng
BBCWS English to East & Southern Africa (note the more extensive use of Madagascar, to replace he now closed Meyerton site)
0400-0500 9915-mdc
0500-0600 9410-mdc 13580-dha
0600-0700 9410-sao 13580-mdc 15400-mdc 15420-dha
0700-0800 13580-mdc 15400-mdc 15420-dha
1500-1600 7445-mdc
1600-1700 7445-mdc 15400-asc 17640-asc
1700-1800 7445-mdc 7265-mdc
1800-1900 7445-mdc 7265-mdc 9410-dha
1900-2000 6155-dha 7445-mdc 7265-mdc 9410-dha
English to East & South East Asia
1000-1200 6195-sng 9900-sng 11945-sng
1200-1300 15145-sng
2200-2300 3915-sng 3960-sng 5890-sng 5955-dha 6155-sla 6195-sng 7205-sla
2300-0000 3915-sng 3960-sng 5890-sng 6195-sng 11825-pht
English to Europe
0500-0600 3955-wof (drm)
English to South Asia
0000-0100 5970-sla 7300-wof
0100-0200 5970-erv 12095-sng
0800-0900 15620-sng (drm)
1200-1300 12065-sla 15310-sla
1300-1400 11890-sla 12065-sng
English to West & Central Africa
0500-0600 6005-wof 7345-wof 9915-wof
0600-0700 6005-asc 7345-asc 12015-wof 13660-wof
0700-0800 7345-asc 9410-asc 9915-asc 11810-asc 15260-wof
1600-1700 17830-asc
1700-1800 15400-asc 17780-asc 17830-asc
1800-1900 11810-asc 13660-wof 15400-asc
1900-2000 11810-asc 12095-asc 13660-wof 15400-asc
2000-2100 9410-wof 11810-wof 12095-asc
2100-2200 7310-wof 9410-asc 11810-wof 12095-asc (Mon-Fri)
(HFCC via April BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD)
** U S A. A19 Schedule for Voice of America in English
1130-1200 SAs 12030-udo 15715-pht 17790-pht (Learning English)
0300-0400 Af 4930-bot 5925-bot 6080-bot
0400-0500 Af 4930-bot(SaSu) 4960-sao 5925-bot 6080-sao 7375-bot(Mo-Fr)
0500-0700 Af 4930-bot 6080-sao 15580-bot
1400-1500 Af 4930-bot 6080-bot 15580-bot
1500-1600 Af 4930-bot 6080-bot 15580-bot 17530-bot (Border Crossings
Mon-Fri)
1600-1630 Af 4930-bot 5930-bot 15580-bot
1630-1700 Af 4930-bot 5930-bot(SaSu) 15580-bot(SaSu)
1700-1730 Af 5930-sao 13590-wof 15580-bot(SaSu) 17530-grv
1730-1800 Af 5930-sao 13590-wof 15580-bot 17530-grv
1800-1900 Af 4930-bot(SaSu) 6080-bot 15580-bot 17530-grv
1900-2000 Af 4930-bot 6080-bot 15580-bot
2000-2100 Af 4930-bot 4960-sao##(SaSu) 6195-bot 15580-bot
2100-2200 Af 6195-bot 15580-bot (HFCC)
A19 schedule for VOA Studio 7 to Zimbabwe in Shona/Ndebele/English
0400-0500 .mtwtf. 4930-bot 7270-bot 9885-sao
1700-1800 Daily 4930-bot 6040-bot 15460-sao
1800-1900 .mtwtf. 4930-bot 6040-sao 15460-sao (HFCC)
A19 schedule for VOA South Sudan in Focus
1630-1700 Mon-Fri English 11910-sa 13750-dha 15180-lam (HFCC)
(April BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD)
** VATICAN. A19 schedule for Vatican News in English:
1130-1200 Fri ME 15595-smg 17590-smg (Mass)
1615-1630 Daily ME 11950-smg
1630-1700 Daily Af 7360-mdc 15565-smg
2000-2030 Daily Af 7360-smg 9705-smg
(HFCC via (April BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD)
** GERMANY. 7265, 1145, Hamburger Lokalradio, Germany. OM talking about DRM frequencies, English, 222, 10/03 (Will Grocott, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warks, Icom RC-R8600, Wellbrook ALA1530N loop, April BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) That was a Sunday during WORLD OF RADIO, so guess who that OM was? (gh)
