Dhivehi Raajjeyge Adu (Voice of Maldives) – 1449 kHz
I had noticed that the start of transmissions from the new site of Dhivehi Raajjeyge Adu (Voice of Maldives) would be likely at the end of 2019, so I had monitored their AM 1449 channel quite frequently and finally was successful in hearing the new station on Arctic SDR in the morning of Jan.8th. When listening to my recording @0100z I immediately heard the beautiful National Anthem ”Qaumii Salaam” just after the UK one had followed the ”Shipping Forecast” over BBC Radio 4 from Redmoss! The channel is challenging, giving BBC, two commercial stations from Japan, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. I heard Micronesia once. There are also North American stations on 1450 to reckon with. My email report soon had a reply from the Chief Technical Officer saying:
”It is really unexpected and surprising to know that you received our medium wave radio service on 1449khz. We just started the service as a test transmission after a long break of service roughly for one year. We have changed the transmitting site from the capital city Male’ to a nearby island called Thilafushi. If you could login to google earth and check geo location 4°10’58”N 73°25’45”E you will notice the ground radial of the station. Just to add more to your information; we’re radiating 25Kw on analogue radio service and the transmitter is ready for digital radio on DRM as well. Once we are satisfied with the coverage, we will start the digital radio service.”
I replied with thanks to this very kind man saying: ”I am sure with your splendid work and this strong signal you will get many listeners far and wide! I noticed with great interest your new site with mast and earthing system on Google Maps and found that very impressing, also it is very wise choice of site. Salt water is the absolute top in earthing. Although I am a layman in technical matters I have learnt much through the years from listening since 1964 also from my teacher in radio propagation, the late Knut N. Stokke of Norwegian Telecoms.
I am myself very engaged in broadcasting, being Chief Editor of the three stations (Bergen Kringkaster, Radio Northern Star and The Ferry) broadcasting from the former NRK site NW Bergen called Bergen Kringkaster. We are following the digital development in Asia, Maldives, India, China, Pakistan (DRM+) also now Russia with great interest and hope it will be possible to implement digital in the form of DRM30 in Europé as well.”
Dhivehiraajjeyge Adu is the premier radio channel of PSM. As a public service broadcaster, the channel’s content is based on educating, informing and entertaining listeners. Established on 29th December 1962, Dhivehiraajjeyge Adu is transmitted on MW 1449 kHz. http://www.psm.mv/brands https://www.facebook.com/DhivehiraajjeygeAdu/
1449 31.12 0100 Voice of Maldives, Thilafusi med den maldiviska hymnen. Jag fick kolla Youtube för att vara säker på saken. Nytt land i lurarna för mig och har kommit igång alldeles nyss. Även hyfsat 4.1. Dock inte dagarna emellan. Tyvärr inget QSL än. Messenger borde väl funka men... JOB/F
1449 6.1 0100 Voice of Maldives Thilafusi startade sändningen med sin nationalsång. Gick ganska bra och tidvis ostört några minuter. Men BBC, Saudi Arabien och Italien är oftast väldigt starka här. Fick ett par trevliga mail som svar på min rapport där man berättade att man kör med 25 kW men fortfarande brottas med problem med täckningen över öarna. Mauno Ritola meddelar nu ikväll 12.1: Asiawaves informs, Maldives 24h a day and "Relays Radio Eke 103.8 MHz overnight". TN
1449 Dhivehi Raajjeyge Adu (Voice of Maldives) has begun service 29 Dec. 2019 from its brand new 25 kW Nautel transmitter and the antenna field installed at Thilafushi island, 7 Km from Male, the Maldivian capital city. Heard in Norway 31 December via remote http://kongsdr.ddns.net:8074/ (Reidar Bø in DX-Listener’s' Club fb group 4.1.2020. See also Svenn Martinsen’s QSL in this issue)
------Later:
Dhivehi Raajjeyge Adu, Thilafushi 1449 kHz is continuing the test transmissions, running now at full power 25 kW. At the moment, the technicians are trying to identify the glitches, if any and get the antenna alignments right.
Separate teams are moving to Northern and Southern atolls with measuring equipment to evaluate the signal strength.
In case you don’t get replies for your reports, please be patient as most of the staff are out in the field.
Once the brand new Nautel transmitter is officially commissioned, the staff will be able to respond to your reports.
(Sarath Weerakoon via A-DX via Thomas Nilsson, ARC)
(ARC mv-eko 13 January)
