New Zealand DX Times - May 2023

About Our Club

New Zealand Radio DX League Incorporated

NZBN 9429042708728

Benefits

•Subscription to the New Zealand DX Times, published monthly and containing the latest DX news and what’s being heard on the wireless.

•Access to NZRDXL remote receivers located in Mangawhai (North Island NZ) and Hina Hina (South Island NZ).

•Membership of DXDIALOG, an email group where you can learn about the hobby and share your loggings with other members.

•Participate in DXpeditions, conventions and social gatherings with other members.

Patron

SUTTON BURTENSHAW

What is this thing called DX?

It’s the ‘Love’ of listening to radio stations in far off lands.

Committee

• Arthur De Maine

• Bryan Clark

•Peter Mott

• Steven Greenyer

• Stuart Forsyth

Member News

We welcome to DX League membership Peter Eade from Napier and Tony Greaves from Spencerville in Christchurch.

We hope you both enjoy your time in the club and look forward to reading about what you are hearing.

Future Events

Our Celebration 2023 social gathering is set for Wednesday 18 October 2023 in Wellington. More information in a future DX Times.

Subscription

To join or renew your membership to the New Zealand Radio DX League, scan the QR code or click “Pay Now” to pay the membership subscription of NZD $7.50 with your debit or credit card.

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New Zealand DX Times

ISSN 0110-3636

Club Remote Receivers5 SW Bandwatch32 NZ based KiwiSDRs with Ian Wells

Receivers from Days Gone By6Remote Listening40 by Bill Marsh with Dene Lynneberg

AM Broadcast 8 Utilities48 with Bryan Clark with Arthur DeMaine TV/FM News & DX28 with Paul Rawdon

Front Cover

How you can intercept secret messages being sent to spies by David Goodsell

Next Month

Email your news and loggings to hello@radiodx.com with the column name above as the subject prior to;

Wednesday 31st of May 2023.

Club Remote Receivers

City living has made DX’ing challenging. Man made interference makes it almost impossible to hear weak distant radio stations.

To solve this problem, NZRDXL provides members with two remote KiwiSDR receivers located in quiet coastal locations.

How To Connect

Click on the link below for the receiver you wish to use, then enter the password when prompted.

Check the monthly Members Update email for the latest password. It changes from time to time.

http://mangawhai-nzrdxl.proxy.kiwisdr.com:8073

http://catlins-nzrdxl.proxy.kiwisdr.com:8073

Online help is available at https://kiwisdr.com

Receivers From Days Gone By

By Bill Marsh

The Hallicrafters SX-28A

This receiver was manufactured by “The Hallicrafters Company” of Chicago, Illinois, USA during the years 1940 to 1946. The first models were SX-28 (Air wound coils) and the latter SX-28A utilised slug tuned coils.

The receiver was a 15 tube superhetrodyne covering 550kHz to 42mHz in 6 bands. It had excellent tuning/calibration including band-spread. 550kHz – 1600 kHz, 1.6mHz – 3.0 mHz, 3.0 mHz – 5.8 mHz, 5.8 mHz –11 mHz, 11.0 - 21.0 mHz, 21 mHz – 42.0 mHz. Band-spread could be used at any part of the tuning range but was calibrated for the amateur bands.

It was a very sensitive receiver and had excellent selectivity (6 stages). Was also well known and appreciated for its high fidelity audio reproduction. Was used by many Allied countries during WWII and was adapted to a rack mounted version for military use.

After WWII it became a great choice of receiver for Hams and DXers around the globe. A flood of war surplus valves kept these receivers going for many years. My own SX-28A was acquired from the “American Embassy” in Wellington about 1963 indicating it’s popularity even at that time.

I would anticipate a great many Ham Radio contacts were made using these receivers. I acquired a great number of MW verifications using my receiver and I expect other DXers as well. Arthur Cushion owned an SX28 model which then passed to Des Frampton. This receiver ended up in the Arthur Williams collection.

AM Broadcast

with Bryan Clark, Mangawhai

email hello@radiodx.com

subject “AM Broadcast”

A congressman from New Jersey wants the government to add AM radio to the list of safety equipment that carmakers must include in their vehicles. Rep. Josh Gottheimer has called on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to “add AM radio to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to require that all automakers, including EV manufacturers, include AM radio as a stock feature in their vehicles. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards are the minimum safety standards that a manufacturer must meet when making a vehicle — including requirements related to airbags, brakes, seatbelts, tires, controls and displays.”

The congressman said he is writing to the major electric vehicle makers, including Tesla, “urging them to reconsider their decision to discontinue AM radio in their cars and trucks and to include the public safety tool as a stock feature.” He cited AM radio’s role during the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and Hurricane Sandy as examples.

He also said he wants to ensure that AM stations remain safe and intact during national emergencies “through federal investment in backup power, hardening antennas and towers, and supporting key communications equipment for AM radio stations.”

Major carmaker Ford recently signaled that it plans to phase out AM in most of its vehicles, not just EVs. Other carmakers vary widely in their

comments about AM in electric and other vehicles. Tesla has said that electronic noise “causes severe disruption to AM radio transmission that makes the signal reception unstable and unusable.”

“I would think that if Elon Musk has enough money to buy Twitter and send rockets to space, he can afford to include AM radio in his Teslas,” Gottheimer said in his announcement. “Instead, Elon Musk and Tesla and other car manufacturers are putting public safety and emergency response at risk. … When the cell phone runs out, the internet gets cut off, or the television doesn’t work because of no electricity or power to your house, you can still turn on your AM radio.” Radio World 21/3 via Theo Donnelly)

NEW ZEALAND

On 21 April I heard on-air announcements by NZME station Coast that they would stop broadcasting on 1548 AM in the Manawatu from 1 May. Listeners were told to retune to 105.8 FM. (Adam Claydon via DX Dialog) [This AM broadcast license is held by Hawkes Bay company Shureview Radio & Television Servicing Ltd, so there’s always the possibility another broadcaster might lease the facility. BC]

The government has announced $117.8 million over four years in funding increases to RNZ and NZ On Air in the wake of the scrapped public media merger. Broadcasting Minister Willie Jackson said RNZ would receive an annual increase of $25.7m to ensure it was financially sustainable for the future.

"This investment will strengthen news and current affairs coverage through a free multi-media digital platform to reach new audiences, expand regional coverage to be truly national, establish a new initiative to prioritise Māori and Pacific content and support RNZ to

deliver civil defence lifeline emergency communications," Jackson said in a statement.

The announcement said RNZ's annual increase of $25.7m was for three areas:

• $12m for RNZ to maintain public media services

• $12m for a new digital platform

• $1.7m for AM transmission.

The $1.7m per year for AM transmission would ensure lifeline services could be provided on platforms people can access during times of emergency.

"As we have seen over the past few years, and in particular during the recent severe weather events, RNZ is a crucial lifeline utility in civil defence emergencies and is one of the places New Zealanders can turn to for reliable, up-to-date, accurate, and emergency information.

RNZ chief executive Paul Thompson said the funding came at a time of significant pressure on all media organisations and reflected the importance of supporting and preserving New Zealand's diverse stories and culture.

"Our ability to collaborate with others means we are very well positioned to provide a resilient and comprehensive service to connect and inform New Zealanders while also supporting the wider media sector," Thompson said. (RNZ via Barry Hartley) [The $1.7 million for AM transmission looks like a restatement of the funds previously promised to reinstate/replace the RNZ AM antennas in Northland. BC]

Better Public Media chairperson Myles Thomas questioned why RNZ didn’t receive more funding. “Funding for RNZ is significantly less than the $109m promised for the ANZPM,” he said.

He said the new funding level was below the average for what Australia and the UK spent on public broadcasting. On average, he estimated this would lift New Zealand’s investment for public broadcasting to $44 per person – compared to $60 for Australia, $73 for Ireland, and $129 for the UK. “This comparison shows that New Zealand is still under-investing in its public media compared to other democracies we compare ourselves to,” Thomas said.

(Glenn McConnell & Anna Whyte, Stu

ff 6/4 via

BC)

ALASKA

840KPEN Kenai is new with News/Talk format. (IRCA)

ARGENTINA

Here is some news from sound broadcasting stations operating on the Modulated Amplitude spectrum, that have happened during the last few weeks:

680Radio Magna, station with studios in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is reported largely inactive since the beginning of this year. Reasons for its absence from the air are unknown.

810La 810 Radio (ex Federal Radio), another AM station with studios in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is reported inactive since March, but it can still be heard through its website www.la810radio.com.ar Its absence from MW is presumed due to technical problems.

820LRI208 Station 820 (Radio Maria Argentina), station operated by the Bishop of Lomas de Zamora, with its transmitter located in Glew, Partido de Almirante Brown, has been off-air since midJuly 2022, due to technical problems and lack of budget for repairs.

850AM 850 (Moron) remains off-air since mid-2022.

1420LRI220 AM 1420 Con Vos (CA Buenos Aires), has not been reported on this frequency for several months now.

1580Radio Tradición (St. Martin) has not been heard for some weeks, but can still be heard through www.amtradicion.com.ar (Argentina en AM y FM Facebook page 9/4)

630LS5 Radio Rivadavia, has acquired the transmitting antenna of the former LR1 Radio El Mundo in San Martín, Buenos Aires. (Marcelo A. Cornachioni via Radiomaailma 2/2023)

860Radio Digital Radio, Lanus – inactive – seems to be permanent (Argentina en AM y FM via Radiomaailma 2/2023)

910LR5 Radio La Red, Buenos Aires has a new QTH: Jose Ignacio Gorriti 5554, (C1414BKD), CA Buenos Aires. (Marcelo A. Cornachioni via Radiomaailma 2/2023)

1160Radio la Mas Santiagueña, Gregorio de Laferrere – ex: 1190 kHz (Marcelo A. Cornachioni Radiomaailma 2/2023)

1190LR9 Radio Perfil, Buenos Aires - will soon be called "Radio Maxima" (Marcelo A. Cornachioni via Radiomaailma 2/2023)

1550Estación 15-50, Villa Florito BA observed on 1549.560 on Kiwi Buenos Aires (Radiomaailma 2/2023)

1580 Radio 26 de Julio, Glew has moved to 680. (Argentina en AM y FM via Radiomaailma 2/2023)

AUSTRALIA

It seems that the Wanneroo Perth ABC transmitter site is up for sale. This is part of a plan to move the Perth ABCs to FM (presumably from the Bickley transmitter site). No idea when this might happen though. From what I have been able to determine ABC Perth 720, RN 810 and NewsRadio 585 will be allocated 103.3, 104.1 and 104.9 (though in what order I don't know). (Richard Jary via ICDX-AM io Group)

CANADA

1010CFRB Toronto ON slogan is “NewsTalk 1010.”

1380CKPC Brantford ON new slogan is “Arise Christian Radio-AM 1380.” (DX MidAmerica via NRC DX News)

COLOMBIA

710HJNX Radio Cristal, Medellin (ex-R Red) has moved from FM 96.9 MHz to this channel (now Emisora Fantastica) (Radiomaailma 2/23)

1530HKV82 La Voz de tu Conciencia, Puerto Lleras reactivated. operated by Campaña Colombia para Cristo. Irregular, scheduled with Radio Avivamiento, Panamá.

(Rubén Medina and Rafael Rodríguez via ARC)

HAWAII

After surrendering the licenses of 650 KPRP Honolulu and 940 KKNE Waipahu in December, SummitMedia requested the licenses be reactivated and now we know why as the company is donating both to Saul Levine’s Advanced Public Radio. In addition to his commercial licenses in Los Angeles and Monterey CA, Levine’s Mount Wilson FM Broadcasters owns 105.7 K289BE Kawaihae HI and Advanced Public Radio holds CPs for new non-commercial signals on 90.1 Holualoa and 88.3 Kahului.” (Radio Insight 31/3 via NRC)

760 KGU HI Honolulu — Slogan to “Hawaii Sports Radio Network.” (Station Intel via NRC)

IRELAND

RTÉ Radio 1 ceased broadcasting on Long Wave 252 on Friday 14 April 2023. The station continues to broadcast on FM, on Saorview and Saorsat, along with RTÉ Radio Player and Irish Radioplayer apps. In the UK, Radio 1 will still be available on Freesat, Sky, and Virgin Media, along with online streaming services such as smart speakers.

The phasing out and closure of the Long Wave service was one of the recommendations of the Future of Media Commission Report which was published by the Government in July 2022. This was part of a wider recommendation aimed at ensuring RTÉ could invest available resources in innovation and digital services. Further investment into the mast and transmitter, which is no longer fit for purpose and has a significant carbon emission footprint, would significantly impair RTÉ’s ability to meet the emissions reductions target required to contribute to the National Climate Action Plan.

252 LW has been in use for many decades, including for a time, broadcasting Atlantic 252 from 1988 till 2002. It was then used for TeamTalk 252 which lasted just a few months. It has been broadcasting Radio 1 since 2004. The closure of the frequency has been announced before but was met with objections from listeners. RTÉ says its decision to take the Long Wave service off air is based on three interrelated factors:

a) Like all businesses RTÉ is seeking to reduce its energy usage in response to the climate crisis, public expenditure efficiency, and to reduce the burden on the national grid – and LW consumes significant energy.

b) The required investment to maintain the mast is very significant and given the greatly reduced number of listeners and the inaccessibility of longwave radio on newer devices means that this is a cost which is unfortunately no longer sustainable.

c) The increased accessibility of RTÉ services and content internationally in a range of other formats, which are reaching a wide audience.

RTÉ Director General, Dee Forbes said: “While RTÉ has invested considerably in prolonging the life of the transmitter to broadcast RTÉ Radio 1 on Long Wave 252, we can no longer justify this investment. Not only is RTÉ Radio 1 widely available in the UK across television and

online services, including apps and smart speakers, the energy costs involved along with the cost of replacing the transmitter mean that, in line with the recommendation of the Future of Media Commission Report, the time has come to bring the Long Wave service to a close.

“While this may be disappointing to some listeners, RTÉ must continue to invest in critical projects underpinning our production, distribution and business activities, as well as digital projects which are essential to ensure we continue to deliver value to our audiences.”

(Source: https://radiotoday.ie/2023/03/rte-radio-1-names-the-day-toturn-off-252-long-wave/ via DX Fanzine April 2023)

JAPAN

Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications announced the basic policy for “AM to FM removal” of private AM(mediumwave) radio broadcasters on 9 March. According to Japanese radio law, a radio license is deleted if the broadcaster stops transmission for more than 6 months without rational reason. By this basic (new) policy AM radio broadcasters are exempted from the law from 1 November 1 2023 until 31 January 2025. During this period private AM radio broadcasters can stop AM transmission temporarily for more than 6 months (“more than 6 months” is a must) without losing license. To use this exemption broadcasters should prepare the alternative method and apply when they renew their license after May 2023 (the

AM license of all the broadcasters will be renewed on November 1 2023). For the convenience of the authorization work, the actual stop of AM transmission can be done after February 2024. The stop can be interrupted and resumed when a large disaster happens. After the temporarily AM transmission stop, broadcasters can decide their “AM to FM path from the following 4 options:

1) AM remains as it is, no transfer to FM at all.

2) The AM master transmitting station remains, relay stations are all or in part transferred to FM.

3) Transfer of most transmitting stations to FM, leaving a few transmitting stations on AM.

4) Complete transfer to FM, no AM transmitters remain.

Only 3 broadcasters, HBC(Hokkaido Hoso) and STV(Sapporo TV Hoso) in Hokkaido, ABS(Akita Hoso) in Akita prefecture have already declared to select 1). This policy is for private AM broadcasters only. NHK preserves AM as it is.

The abolition of NHK Radio 2 is planned in 2025 as a part of management reform of NHK. Actually all the AM stations of NHK Radio 2 (no FM transfers) will disappear in 2025. Officially this is not related to the above "AM to FM removal" plan. That plan is applied to commercial broadcasters only.

(Takahito Akabayashi via Glenn Hauser’s WOR io Group)

MEXICO

760 XEEB Ciudad Obregón - the IFT has ordered XEEB Sonora (silent for over a decade!) to turn their AM back on, and they have apparently done so. Slogan is “La Zeta 98.5 FM”. This is part of a nationwide effort to get certain AM stations that should have stayed on the air after FM migration but didn’tt, either because the station was defying the order, or in some cases (possibly including this one), the IFT or its predecessor the SCT failed to

issue the AM continuity order until long after the AM had been legally turned off. The XEEB case is particularly bizarre, because the station turned off its AM over a decade ago (legally, I think), and sold the surviving FM to another licensee, who has now been issued a “move” by the IFT to the long-non-existent AM to (I think) the current transmitter site of the FM. (Tim Hall, NRC MWDX Facebook group via IDXD NRC DX News)

800XEROK Radio Canyon, Ciudad Juárez CHIH has been silent for a year now and their facilities are being dismantled. They were originally XELO then became a top 40 border blaster in the 70s. ‘Had a big signal onto SoCal in those days. I remember listening to X-ROK 80 and Wolfman Jack in days gone by from my home in Los Angeles County when they were 150,000 watts at night. More recently, the station had been broadcasting with 50,000 watts day and night. (Note: Facebook post lists 4 April 2022 as last day on the air. (Steve Mittman via Mike Sanburn IRCA)

940XERLA Santa Rosalia BCS is back on the air after being silent several years. This is probably part of the IFT’s efforts to get stations like XERLA that were not living up to their AM continuity obligations to put their AMs back on the air. This problem has been especially bad in Baja California Sur. XERLA slogan (and automated programming) appear unchanged from before. [Tim Hall, NRC MWDX Facebook group via IDXD NRC DX News)

1090XEPRS Rosarito BC,. Email verification received in a few minutes "Wow. This is great..." and then prepared letter, sticker and promo card in 35 days, v/s Bill Hagen, Advertising. (Martin Foltz FL via NRC)

PARAGUAY

At the end of April 2023, the well-known AM station operating on 1250 KHz from Asunción will return to the air identifying itself now as "RCC Radio Asunción" (ZP3).

RCC has an office in the city of Philadelphia, where it has a recording studio and radio booths for all the content generated in the chaco, and also a second studio and offices in Lambaré, where the 1250 AM radio booth will be mounted. Similarly, a third recording studio will soon be enabled in the same locality. To get in touch you can call +595 (21) 3298045 or write to E-mail: gerencia@rcc.com.py or visit Website:

www.rcc.com.py It is expected that the studios of RCC Radio Asunción will be located on Avenue Luis Maria Argaña and Cacique Sepe Street, Lambaré, Central, Paraguay. (Marcelo A. Cornachioni via DXing.info)

PERU

1470OAU4B La Mega is now identifying as "Radio MegaMix" - heard with many "La MegaMix" and "¡Tocamos de Todo!" IDs. (Andrew Brade, mwcircle 10/4 via ARC MV Eko)

USA (from National Radio Club’s “DX News” magazine)

690KRCO Prineville OR new slogan is “92.5 The Ticket.” (Radio Insight)

710 KSPN Los Angeles CA granted license to cover CP with U4 34000/2500, new site (diplexed with KRDC-1110) at 34-06-50/117-59-51.

720KDWN Las Vegas NV verified by Email same day, v/s Tracy Teagarden, CE. (Martin Foltz-FL)

790KFPT Clovis CA granted STA extension, U4 3000/2500.

790WAXY South Miami FL granted STA extension, U4 25kw day & night, Cuba QRM.

840 WHAS Louisville KY verified by Email in 62 days and prepared card in 66 days, v/s Gus Allen, PD. (Martin Foltz-FL)

860KTRB San Francisco CA granted STA extension, U1 5000/5000 from KDOW-1220 tower.

880 KCMX Phoenix OR license cancelled 13 March at licensee’s request.

940 WINZ Miami FL granted STA extension, U2 50kw/25kw due Cuba QRM.

940KIXZ Amarillo TX carries Coast to Coast AM. (John Wilkins)

950WKDN Philadelphia PA granted STA extension, U4 6000/21000.

970 KIXL Del Valle TX now part of Relevant Radio Austin. (FCC)

1090 WBAL Baltimore MD “News/Talk 1090 WBAL/101.5 W268BA Baltimore” has announced the addition of Premiere Networks’ Coast to Coast AM hosted by George Noory to its lineup. The move returns the show to the Baltimore market after being dropped by 680 WCBM in May 2022. (Radio Insight)

1100 KAFY Bakersfield CA changed format to Religion. (Radio Insight)

1150 KGDD Portland OR has a call change to KXET on 14 March.

1150WJBO LA, Baton Rouge. Prepared card and hand-written note in 11 days, v/s Jeremy Poursine, PD. (Martin Foltz-FL)

1160 WRLZ Saint Cloud FL new slogan is “Radio Luz.” (Radio Insight)

1180 KERN Wasco-Greenacres CA applied for license to cover CP with U4 10000/10000, from existing site.

1230 KCUP Toledo OR new format is Talk, including Coast to Coast. // KPPT-FM-100.7. (Station Intel & Wayne Heinen)

1230KKPC Pueblo CO had call change to KDZA on 21 April.

1280KFRN Long Beach CA granted STA extension, parameters at variance.

1320KNIT Salt Lake City UT verified by PPC in 13 days on 2nd f/up. V/ s Roger Lonnquist, President YNOP Radio. Address: YNOP Radio, PO Box 7393, Helena MT 59604. (John Wilkins-CO)

1320 KXRO Aberdeen WA granted STA extension, U1 5000/250w.

1340KOMY La Selva Beach CA slogan “News Talk,” (Dennis Gibson)

1370WDEA Ellsworth ME granted STA, U3 5000/5000, night pattern 24 hours.

1380WELE Ormond Beach FL granted STA, U4 5000/1000, ongoing issues from Hurricane Ian.

1400 KIXR Provo UT sent back note on my report in 10 days. V/s Douglas Barton, Owner. Address: Sanpete County BC Co., PO Box 40, Manti UT 84642. (John Wilkins-CO)

1400 KIXR Provo UT granted license to cover CP with U1 1000/1000, new site (diplexed with KEYY-1450) 40-13-48/111-41-09.

1400KIXR Provo UT format now all talk, slogan slogan “Kicks Radio,” “The Talk of Utah County.” (John Wilkins-CO)

1400 WZHR Zephyrhills FL is now silent. (Radio Insight)

1400WRDB Reedsburg WI granted CP with U1 1000/640, new 75' Valcom antenna at existing site.

1420KUJ Walla Walla WA granted STA extension, U1 1000/900.

1430KVVN Santa Clara CA granted STA extension, U1 250/625.

1490KXAR Hope AR silence since 22 April 2022 is back on air.

1520 KXET Oregon City OR had call change to KGDD on 14 March. Granted STA, U1 2500/42 from KXPD-1040 tower (as in CP). Format to SS:REL (ex-Russian:REL). (Station Intel)

1520 KVEN Port Hueneme CA verified w/PPC in 43 days. V/s Richard Williams, C.E., and ???, PD. (John Wilkins-CO)

1540 KZMP University Park TX silent (again) on 1March, flooding damage to transmitter.

1590 KVTA Ventura CA granted STA extension, U1 1000/1000.

1590 KELP El Paso TX new slogan to “Christian Radio,” adds // K240ER-95.9. (Station Intel)

USA (via IRCA’s DX Monitor magazine)

570WTBN Pinellas Park, FL new slogan: “Faith Talk”.

580KUBC Montrose CO format now classic rock, new slogan “KUBC The Canyon”

1010KOOR Milwaukie OR format now urban contemporary, new

slogan: “Urbana 1010 AM”

1080KSCO Santa Cruz CA new slogan: “KSCO AM 1080/FM 104.1”

1130KQRR Mount Angel OR was silent, now ethnic.

1150KXET Portland OR has new slogan: “La Gran D 93.5”

1340KOMY La Selva Beach CA has new slogan: “KOMY 1340”

1340KAND Corsicana TX has new slogan: “Real Country 104.9 FM 1340 AM”.

1400KNRO Redding CA has new slogan: “Fox Sports Radio 103.9 FM/ 1400 AM’

1450WLAY Muscle Shoals AL new slogan: “104.7 Rock ‘n Roll Gold”

1450KSIG Crowley LA format now classic country, slogan: “Freedom 95.1”

1480KSBQ Santa Maria CA has new slogan: “La Mexicana”

1520KGDD Oregon City OR format now regional Mexican, new slogan: “La Gran D 93.5”

X-Band Update

ARGENTINA

1610Radio Luz Del Mundo (Rafael Calzada) stopped airing a few weeks ago.

1640Radio Hosanna “Dios Salva Hoy” (Isidro Casanova) has returned to the air at this frequency, but its transmissions are heard very irregularly.

1710 Radio Selva, Ituzaingó, in the western part of Gran Buenos Aires, has reactivated on the new frequency of 1560 KHz, replacing 1710 KHz, after several months off air. The station began transmissions in November 2015 on 1710 KHz, and apparently the change to 1560 KHz, is believed to be because many receivers do not possess AM's "Extended Band" capable of achieving tuning in that part of the dial. (Argentina en AM y FM Facebook page 9/4)

AUSTRALIA

The station in Melbourne on 1629 kHz playing 50's and 60's oldies thought to be part of the Radio Nostalgia network continues to be heard but still with no announcements. (Ian Donaldson 5/4) Ian wrote to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) seeking information about this station – they referred him to the ACMA’s online Register of Radiocommunications Licences (RRL) at ACMA Register of Radiocommunications Licences (RRL) which contains information about active ACMA licenses.

The 1629 Melbourne license holder is JLS Media Pty Ltd, which looks like some sort of media broker. The station has the callsign VMS264 assigned. From their website: "We are currently seeking potential clients/partners whom may be interested in buying and/or leasing some of our licenses. We are also seeking partners to establish, develop and promote a new national radio network utilising our expansive list of licenses." Maybe they are trying to keep the frequency occupied or licence active before a new lessee is found? Alternatively, they could be using it as a sales tool. (Jereon Bet via ICDX-AM io Group)

MEXICO

1670XEFCR Focus Radio Reynosa noted 30 January w/top of the hour ID as "XEFCR 1670 AM Focus Radio con 10 mil watts en amplitude modulada. Transmíte Focus Radio ... Reynosa, Tamaulipas, México...Focus Radio, Focus Radio 1670 AM". (SARV/JIH&JEÖ in Radiomaailma, Finland 2/23)

This Reynosa station was new on air in November 2021 and was broadcasting Heraldo Radio until becoming Focus Radio. It had the same XEFCR callsign so clearly they intended it to be Focus Radio from the start. (Andrew via RealDX)

1630KCJJ Iowa City IA was off air 1 April apparently due to severe weather in that area yesterday. (Mason Vye via WOR io)

1640WSJP Sussex WI on 9/3 w/‘Relevant Radio’ ID for “1640 AM Port Washington, W260DP 99.9 FM, 100.1 FM.” (Mike Jeziorski Mexico via NRC)

1650WJFV Portsmouth VA. QSLed by Email in 1 day, v/s Julie Allen, Sales Director. (Martin Foltz-FL via NRC)

1650KBJD Denver CO hrd 3/3 w/program of SS Contemporary Christian music and spiritual guidance. ID at 2123: “Estas escuchando dieciseis-cincuenta AM, Radio La Red”. (Robert Vance Texas via NRC)

1670KQMS Redding, CA new slogan: “News Talk 1670 AM/105.7 FM/ 104.9 FM” (IRCA)

1690WPTX Lexington Park MD, Email "Thank you very much for listening" in 1 day, v/s Sharon Robertson. (Martin Foltz-FL NRC)

1700 WEUP Huntsville AL w/”1700 WEUP Huntsville, 1190 WEUV

Moulton, (W233BR) 94.5” multi-station legal ID. (Bruce Portzer via IRCA)

Broadcast Mailbag

STU FORSYTH Mangawhai reports in on his late April visit to Hina Hina (the site of the League’s Kiwi SDR3) with DXing colleagues: DXing was fun and we heard a few things, but conditions were not great and were not helped by a coronal mass ejection, which reached Earth in time for our last day. The usual marker stations were La Mega, or whatever it has now become, on 1470 and Martí on 1180, which was usually the stronger. It would have been good to identify the Latin on 1480 and there were a couple of others we couldn't really identify either, including a Latin on 1540, which Paul Ormandy is going to cast his ears to the recording to see if he can identify it.

What struck me is the frequencies you can listen on down south compared to what can be heard up north. I am really referring to the NZ stations that blot out certain frequencies. Down south you basically can hear very little from 1010-1100 and there are South Island stations on 1017, 1044, 1071 and 1098. Wellington also comes in very strongly on 1035. Up north there is more opportunity to squeeze between the gaps. I have my WinRadio memories set up for the kHz and the sideband, but these were often quite different down south. We had a marvellous 3 days. League President Arthur deMaine was there for the first two and it was wonderful catching up with him. A very big thank you goes to Steven Greenyer who hosted us and put up with us. He is the host with the most!

BRYAN CLARK, Mangawhai

On 22 April I finally got one of the 3 EWEs damaged by Cyclone Gabriele in late January rebuilt to get my first decent dose of MW Latins for the 2023 season. Interestingly, while the EWEs were without their tuned capacitors (removed for replacement due flood damage) and minus 1 broken mast, they still managed some DX, the highlight being tentative reception of Wyoming on 1360. See trail for details.

Broadcast Trail

Trail times & dates are always in UTC/GMT – 12 hours behind NZT. Member loggings made on the DX League’s remote New Zealandbased KiwiSDRs are indicated with a symbol after the frequency. # A hash after the frequency indicates logging made on the SDR at Mangawhai (Lower Northland) with EWE antenna to NE. cafter the frequency indicates loggings made on the SDR at Hinahina (Catlins Coast, Otago) with EWE antenna to South or Central America.

*after the frequency indicates reception made by a member

located outside NZ. a approximate. Frequency is well off its nominal channel vfrequency of station varied during reception.

CWIS = Reception in NZ is Confirmed With Internet Stream of station. CWSDR (and a location) = Reception in NZ has been Confirmed With SDR reception in specified overseas location to validate identity of station.

HHDXStu Forsyth WinRadio G33DDC and 5m EWE, Sutton Burtenshaw Palstar R30A and 5m EWE, Steven Greenyer Palstar R30 + longwire, all listening at Hina Hina on the Catlin Coast.

BCMBryan Clark, Mangawhai w/WinRadio G33DDC SDR & EWEs to NE, E & SE.

SMFStu Forsyth, Mangawhai w/WinRadio G33DDC SDR & 5m EWE.

5900717HAWAII KSSK Honolulu w/long advt block on 589.9955m, f/by pops, noisy condx, 23/4. BCM

8500732PERU Radio Nacional del Peru, Lima w/SS talk & eclectic mx variety, dominated past 0845 CWIS 25/4. BCM

8800934UNID LATIN w/religious talk & songs on 880.0085m 22/4, offset doesn’t fit previous logs of Peruvian and no web stream match. Mixed KRVN 879.9995m at times. BCM

8800645UNID LATIN fair at best with crooner type mx. Not any of the usual suspects as checked on the web. Some splash from 882 23/4. HHDX

8800804KRVN Lexington NE w/nx & wx, ident 0806 but bad 880 splatter 22/4. BCM

10100716USA UNID w/rock mx – doesn’t fit with any known format. MV 28/3. SMF

10400712HAWAII, KLHT Honolulu fair but with fading. Plenty of talk and splash from 1035 28/3. SMF

10700715USA KNX Hollywood CA audible, but bad QRM 28/3. SMF

11070715AUSTRALIA 2EA Sydney SBS Radio in ethnic lang, audible early evening now clear channel here! 15/4. BCM

1107c0617NEW ZEALAND Radio Dunedin here w/idents, prgm promos, poor. Presumed local spur ex 1305. 14/4. BCM

11100603PERU OAU4J Radio Feliz Lima fair but a bit up and down. Andean flute mx. ID at 0700 21/4. HHDX [Must be more than listed 1kw as quite regular now. BC]

11100609PERU Radio Cielo fair w/prayers in SS. CWIS 23/4. HHDX

11100659USA KRDC Pasadena CA fair dominant w/sports promos, till 0708 when KFAB up w/Coast to Coast talk 23/4. BCM

11100807USA KRDC Pasadena CA fair/ poor w/sports talk & interviews mixed classical stn not R Feliz 23/4. HHDX

11100731USA KFAB Omaha NE w/local advt block, ident, good solid signal 15/4. BCM

11400818UNID fair/poor w/gentle mx mixed with EE religious stn (CHRB?) 21/4. HHDX

11600554PERU Onda Cero fair w/SS anncts mentioning Peru and telephone numbers, but battered by 1161. Deep fades, but good when up 23/4. HHDX

11800601USA R Marti Marathon FL fair in SS 21/4 . Mixed with another Latin playing mx (not Rebelde) 23/4 HHDX.

11900720ARGENTINA LR9 R Nacional Tucuman fair w/talk (CWIS), mixed w/ unid Latin mx stn 21/4. HHDX

1270a0643CHILE Radio Festival, Vina del Mar on 1269.976m up briefly w/lively latin rhythms 22/4. BCM

12700827UNID w/rock mx format on 1269.999m mixing KNDI 22/4. Suspects KVMI California or KBZZ Nevada. BCM

12700829HAWAII KNDI Honolulu w/ relig prgm in Pacific lang (Samoan or Tongan) on 1269.995m, peaking fair 22/4.

CWSDR Hawaii. BCM

13600750PERU, R Bienestar Lima fair w/talk in SS CWIS 21/4 HHDX

13600949USA UNID w/”the Great American Playlist” promo, then Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s “Teach your Children”

classic song on 1359.998 18/4. Suspect KRKK Rock Springs Wyoming and I got a tentative match when tuned to a Colorado KiwiSDR 19/4 BCM

14001012UNID LATIN on 1400.001, poss relig format 26/4. BCM

14700605PERU Radio Mega Mix, Lima w/lively Latin rhythms, SS ident 0617 poor, fair on peaks 22/4. BCM

14700545PERU, R La Mega vg with usual pops 21/4. HHDX

14700627PERU Radio Mega Mix. Lima w/mix of Latin & Western pops, freq ‘La Mega Mix’ promos. Peaking vgd 25/4. BCM

1480a0755UNID LATIN on 1480.075 – possibly a religious station with what sounded like preaching. Up & down. Faded on the hour – of course! 21/4 HHDX

15400821HAWAII/ USA Korean, either KREA or KMPC at fair levels with KK talk 22/4. HHDX

15700815HAWAII KUAU fair with religious talk. HHDX 21/4

15800825USA KBLA Santa Monica CA fair with talk. HHDX 22/4

16400832USA KDIA Vallejo CA dominant but fading a lot, WTNI Biloxi, MS up & down over & under it 22/4. HHDX

TV/FM News & DX

with Paul Rawdon, Christchurch

email hello@radiodx.com

subject “TV/FM News & DX”

Welcome to the May edition, it’s hard to believe that we’re almost at the middle of the year. On the DX front things have been quiet on the home front but elsewhere activity is picking up. With a large number of DX tuners being online these days there is nothing stopping us from joining in the fun. News is all I have for this month.

DEMISE OF TODAY FM

As everyone will know by now Today FM is no more. According to Stuff the station was closed mid shift with talkback being replaced by music. A similar thing happened in Christchurch when Canterbury on Air 1017 kHz was closed down mid shift on a Saturday evening. Parent TV station CHTV which became NowTV and later was taken over by CTV. A bit of digging on the internet showed that CHTV/NowTV had applied for council permission to erect a repeater at the New Brighton Surf Life Saving Club to serve the Port Hills areas. The application was eventually declined.

MEMBERS PICKS

Music is MediaWorks’ strong point so the only certainty is that the replacement will be music. The logic Media Works has used to select which music brand went where depended on what MediaWorks had decided what was needed.

To quote a MediaWorks statement in Stuff:

“The frequencies occupied by Today FM will be switched to a range of music brands which aren't currently broadcast in those regions, so new to the listener, rather than new to MediaWorks,”

Several members have speculated about how the frequencies used by Today FM will be used:

Auckland: BRYAN CLARK The Rock moving back to 90.2 from 106.2

Christchurch: SIMON HILL George FM will commence on 95.3 in May

DAVID KAIO has done the research and has come up with the following list:

92.3PictonThe Rock

94.9GisborneThe Breeze

96.6DunedinGeorge FM

100.7KaikoheThe Breeze

702AucklandHumm FM

738ChristchurchThe Breeze

1233WellingtonThe Breeze

Manawatu: ADAM CLAYDON Following a cricket commentary noted the Sound commenced on 93.8 parallel with usual 94.6. In addition he reports that Coast currently using the AM frequency of 1548 and 105.8 will cease using the AM frequency on 1 May. Listeners were being directed to retune to 105.8.

OVERSEAS NEWS

It has been reported in the SkyWaves Io group that the summer Sporadic E season has got off to an early start. It has been speculated

that recent increase in solar activity was the reason.

Various correspondents to the SkyWaves Io group have reported reception.

MIKE FALLON Saltdean, East Sussex, UK experienced a very tight opening to Tarabulus, Libya which lasted four minutes. April 26 was a good day for Mike with an opening to Italy. Hopefully our colleagues in the Northern Hemisphere will fare better than us. Meanwhile Queensland FM has been received in Japan.

TONY MARR of the ICDX IO Group reports that Japanese DXers have been hearing ABC Stations from North Queensland on the 24 and 25 March via Trans Equatorial Propagation (TEP). Tony provides a link to the actual loggings at West Tokyo TV and FM DX https://konsu-sakurane-jp.translate.goog/bbsolid/light.cgi?

_x_tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc it will be noted that the translated page shows a number of analogue Pilipino TV stations are still on air.

That’s about all I have for you this time, any news during the off peak period will be much appreciated. Take care!

SW Bandwatch

with

Ian Wells, Dunedin

May, getting closer to winter, but more chance of low-power Latins, and according to the loggings appearing in this month’s listings, there are still a few around.

Thanks as usual to my support crew whose names appear below the loggings, because, without them, there would be no column. It’s a small band and new contributors are always welcome – please tell us what you’ve been listening to. No matter what it is, these days hearing anything is an achievement worth celebrating.

Show loggings as tentative (tent) if you don’t get a clear ID, or if there’s doubt about the logging, and provide as much detail as you can, including date and language, while keeping your notes concise.

Symbols used in this column:

# reception achieved using the Mangawhai, Northland SDR2 (NE)

“c” reception achieved using the Hinahina, Catlins SDR3 (East)

Otherwise, you used your radio or SDR equipment, and your aerial.

“a” indicates the station was slightly off its allocated frequency.

“v” indicates varying frequency during the broadcast

“h” indicates a harmonic of the true frequency.

“U” indicates using USB mode is recommended

“CWIS” reception validated by matching the station’s internet stream

“CWSDR” reception validated by reference to an SDR in a specified

overseas location to confirm the station identity

email hello@radiodx.com subject “SW Bandwatch” radiodx.com

Many common languages are abbreviated –

AA=Arabic, CC=Chinese, EE=English, FF=French, GG=German, JJ=Japanese, PP=Portuguese, RR=Russian, SS=Spanish. Others are usually spelled out in full.

NEW ZEALAND BASED RECEPTION

331009:20BOLIVIA R Mosoj Chaski fair, talk 22/04/2023 SMF

332018:40NTH KOREA PBS Pyongyang fair at best with opera type singing 21/04/2023 SMF

332518:45INDONESIA VOI poor/clear in presumed GG

22/04/2023 SMF

348018:36STH KOREA V of the People, fair/good in

21/04/2023 SMF

3480 09:56STH KOREA V of the People good KK 07/04/2023 BC

391018:42STH KOREA V of the People fair at best, // 3930c

22/04/2023 SMF

392509:30JAPAN R Nikkei 1, fair/good in JJ 22/04/2023 SMF

475018:53BANGLADESH, Bangladesh Betar audible, but awful Modulation 21/04/2023 SMF

481009:25PERU R Logos fair in SS w/mx 22/04/2023 SMF

482009:30PERU R Senda Cristiana good in SS, BCM tip

22/04/2023 SMF

4820 09:00 PERU R Senda Cristiana fair in SS opening w/National anthem & IDs in Quechua and SS 20/04/2023. First time heard w/their own prgms. BCM

488508:12BRAZIL R Club do Para poor in PP mx audible

21/04/2023 SMF

493018:55BOTSWANA VoA poor/fair, hard to copy speech

21/04/2023 SMF

494009:35COLOMBIA LA Montana, fair w/local mx 22/04/2023 SMF

501009:42USA Overcomer via WRMI good in EE 07/04/2023 BC

504018:58VANUATU R Vanuatu excellent, advts in Bislama and 21/04/2023

SMF

587518:47ARMENIA BBC WS good in Pashto 05/04/2023 BC

5909.95 06:34COLOMBIA Alcaravan Radio reactivated good SS songs. No mention on shortwave info 22/04/2023

SMF

5910 05:57 COLOMBIA Alcaravan Radio fair in SS w/eclectic Latin mx variety, slightly muffled SS anncts, per overseas reports reactivated on 5909.946m 12/04/2023. BCM

5910 08:20

COLOMBIA Alcaravan Radio fair in SS mainly mx 12/04/2023 JJD

596018:58TURKEY VOT good in TT 31/03/2023 BC.

6010 07:16 COLOMBIA HJDH La Voz de tu Conciencia fair in SS, reactivated w/popular Latin rhythms on 6009.997m. SS id "Escuchar La Voz de... Conciencia" at 07:20. Usual co-channel Radio Inconfidencia Brazil on 6009.956m subdued this day 12/04/2023. BCM

6010 07:25 COLOMBIA R Conciencia poor/fair in SS with many IDs 10/04/2023 JJD

603006:15USA R Marti good in SS 08/04/2023 BC

6070 17:28 GERMANY R292 poor with a Radio London prgm 08/04/2023 JJD

737504:35ENGLAND VOA fair, jazz prog. 21/04/2023 SMF

739004:37GERMANY AWR Excellent in FF 22/04/2023 SMF

946019:06TURKEY VOT good in TT 05/04/2023 BC

962019:3INDIA AIR Bengaluru good in FF 10/04/2023 BC

972505:25VATICAN STATE VOA good in Hausa 07/04/2023 BC

9855 19:32 IRAN IRIB Sirjan w/EE nx, solid carrier but weak audio // 9835.012 w/similar technical fault 17/04/2023 BCM

1165019:15MADAGASCAR R Dabanga fair in AA 02/04/2023 BC

1167020:34SPAIN REE good in SS 07/04/2023 BC

1172520:43NEW ZEALAND RNZI good in EE 07/04/2023 BC

1174004:44ROMANIA RRI good in Romanian 21/04/2023 BC

1205020:50ENGLAND R Ndarason fair Kanuri 04/04/2023 BC

1380005:38BULGARIA The Overcomer good in EE 07/04/2023 BC

1517003:14SAUDI ARABIA Saudi Radio in AA 07/04/2023 BC

15300 04:12FRANCE RFI good in FF 09/04/2023 BC

1551504:23GERMANY AWR good in Amharic 09/04/2023 BC

1566018:34ENGLAND VOA good in Amharic 10/04/2023 BC

15700a 22:23

DENMARK World Music Radio weak w/non-stop mx few anncts on 15699.671m on 13/04/2023. Better at 05:43 14/4 and 18:59 15/4 BCM

1570019:30

DENMARK World Music Radio 300w., poor with ID at 19:41 14/04/2023 JJD

1577022:16USA R Taiwan via WRMI good in SS 02/04/2023 BC

1769003:02THAILAND R Farda in Farsi 11/04/2023 BC

1772004:10TURKEY VOT w/ID in Malay 11/04/2023 BC

17760 05:50 ROMANIA RRI fair w/EE ID & talk // 21550 very weak. Closed at 06:00 08/04/2023 BCM

21470 07:16

VATICAN STATE BBC relay good in EE to Africa 30/03/2023 BCM

21470 08:53OMAN BBC WS A'Seela fair in Dari, ID 08:59 then Pashto 29/03/2023 BCM

21550 11:01 ALGERIA RTVA opened abruptly at 11:01:24 in AA, mx, then into Quran. Tx failed 11:02:38 for 3 secs, then off again 11:02:57-11:05:04. Quran followed past 11:13 but fading 30/03/2023 BCM

21560 07:21MADAGASCAR BBC WS good in EE to Africa // 21470 30/03/2023 BCM

21565 10:00 NORTHERN MARIANAS RFA very good via Tinian s/ on, EE ID then Tibetan 06/04/2023. BCM

21600 08:44

VATICAN STATE Vatican Radio good in Latin w/special Angelus Service on Palm Sunday w/occasional AA commentary over service. // 17775 which had EE commentary, 17790 in FF 02/04/2023 BCM

21630 07:30MADAGASCAR BBC WS to Africa w/brief nx then

Business Daily. Initially good but rapid f/out from 07:33 to completely inaudible by 07:35 - solar flare?

30/03/2023 BCM

LOCAL NZ BASED CONTRIBUTORS

BCBrian Carr, Christchurch

PLZ-QRM eliminator, Airspy HF+, EWE antenna

BCMBryan Clark, Mangawhai

WinRadio G33DDC Excalibur Pro & AOR7030+, EWEs to North, Central & South America

JJDJohn Durham, Tauranga

Airspy HF Discovery.. Eavesdropper trap dipole. SDRPlay pro 2 Cross Country Wireless.loop with LA++ amp

SMFStu Forsyth, physically on DXpedition at Hinahina, Catlins

WinRadio G33DDC + 5m EWE

EUROPEAN BASED RECEPTION

3310 00:24BOLIVIA, Mosoj Chaski, poor SS 15/04/2023 MM

475018:46BANGLADESH Bangladesh Betar fair w/talks, songs

14/04/202 MM

589520:12NORWAY Northern Star, Bergen poor, ID & country

songs in EE 14/04/2023 MM

591004:22COLOMBIA Alcaravan Radio poor, SS 15/04/2023 MM

594006:20BRAZIL Voz Missionaria fair, PP religious talk

15/04/2023 MM

599506:12MALI R Mali fair in local languages 15/04/2023 MM

601004:46BRAZIL R Inconfidencia poor PP, ID 15/04/2023 MM

603018:05ETHIOPIA R Oromiya poor in local languages

14/04/2023 MM

605004:21ECUADOR HCJB fair “Ritmos y Canciones de Nuetra

Tierra” in SS talk and ID 15/04/2023 MM

radiodx.com

607006:20CANADA CFRX poor in EE news 15/04/2023 MM

618504:55MEXICO R Educación fair SS local music songs, talk & 15/04/2023 MM

7254.906:41NIGERIA Voice of Nigeria poor, talk 15/04/2023 MM

726006:06VANUATU R Vanuatu poor in Bislama 15/04/2023 MM

728516:28TIBET PBS Xianyang poor in EE, local songs

14/04/2023 MM

9664.420:09BRAZIL Voz Missionaria fair in PP religious talk

14/04/2023 MM

1175020:06BRAZIL Voz Missionaria fair in PP religious talk

14/04/2023 MM

1178020:04BRAZIL R Nacional da Amazonia fair in PP, music

14/04/2023 MM

1181505:01BRAZIL R Brasil Central fair in PP 15/04/2023 MM

1183506:58VANUATU R Vanuatu poor 15/04/2023 MM

1189520:25BRAZIL R Boa Vontade poor in PP religious talk

14/04/2023 MM

1519020:00BRAZIL R Inconfidencia poor in PP 14/04/2023 MM

15476u21:2ANTARCTICA LRA 36, Base Esperanza, poor in SS with ID 12/04/2023 MM

EUROPEAN CONTRIBUTOR

MMManuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain

Tecsun S-8800, cable antenna, 8 meters

NORTH AMERICAN RECEPTION

477500:12PERU R Tarma poor in SS w/music 09/04/2023 RDA

494003:25COLOMBIA or VENEZUELA Fuerza de Paz Radio (tent)

Poor/fair in SS but no ID or local announcements

09/04/2023 RDA

5910 04:43COLOMBIA Alcaravan Radio poor/fair in SS

15/04/2023 RDA

1172512:16NEW ZEALAND RNZI good in EE until off 12:58

09/04/2023 RDA

1174500:18SAUDI ARABIA Radio Al-Azm Jeddah fair in AA

02/04/2023 RDA

1181500:43 R Brasil Central good in PP 30/03/2023 RDA

1188000.56USA KBS World Radio, good w/open carrier until s/on

00:59 w/IDs in multiple languages then SS prgm, off

01:59 07/04/2023 RDA

11995 01:46KUWAIT RFA poor in Uyghur until off 02:00

16/04/2023 RDA

12095 00:03UZBEKISTAN IBRA Radio, Tashkent, good in listed Bangla, off 00:28 22/04/2023 RDA

15050 00:32INDIA AIR Bengaluru good in Mandarin, Hindi music fading after 00:50 closed 01:15 16/04/2023 RDA

1516019:21ALGERIA R Algerienne fair in AA w/music and Quran

08/04/2023 RDA

1520017:51ROMANIA RRI good in Romanian 15/04/2023 RDA

15555u19:22USA WJHR good EE religion ID 20:02 22/04/2023 RDA

15580 21:36BOTSWANA VOA in EE, s/off 22:01 22/04/2023 RDA

1559000:08THAILAND R Thailand fair in EE until off 00:29

07/04/2023 RDA

US BASED CONTRIBUTOR

RDARick D’Angelo, Wyomissing, PA 19610, U.S.A.

Ten-Tec RX-340, Drake R-8B, Eton E1, Eton E5, Alpha Delta DX Sloper, RF Systems Mini-Windom, Datong FL3, JPS ANC-4

SHORTWAVE CHALLENGES AND NEWS

COLOMBIA

5909.950 kHz reactivated Alcaravan Radio noted 11/04/2023 at 00:48 UTC with SS talk and music.

From Rafael Rodriguez R., QSL manager “Hi DX friends, After almost five years off the air and an effort led by Martin Ste[n]dal, today the three signals originating from Lomalinda, Puerto Lleras, Meta are active: 1530 kHz, 5910 kHz and 6010 kHz. Monitoring and reports are appreciated and will be confirmed with eQSL. Reports to rafaelcoldx@yahoo.com

Remote Listening

with Dene Lynneberg, Wellington

email hello@radiodx.com subject “Remote Listening”

News

Welcome to this month’s remote Listening pages.

To begin with a little editorialising. To all active league members if you are listening on online receivers sdrs or others such as GlobalTuners.con can you I please ask you to send the results of your listening to the

Listening pages of the DX Times. Support for these pages has now reached an all time low, which in real terms means that I am now the only one contributing to these pages. When the idea of such a page in the DX Times was initially proposed there was a lot of support from members for the idea, but unfortunately most of these that supported the idea have not followed through. The Remote Listening pages are not supposed to be all about what I hear and what I report and QSL. So come on members show a little support for the Remote Listening Pages.

Now some news of an upcoming special of Radio Six International from TONY CURRIE.

Special radio six international SW & MW broadcasts from Scotland June 6th.

PRESS RELEASE

On 6th June 1963, four schoolchildren gathered in the attic of a house on the Ardrossan seafront in Ayrshire to launch their very own radio station. Cobbled together with tins, clockwork gramophones, and lots

of wire, the opening day’s programmes were line fed to a radio receiver two floors down. But it was a start and, against the odds, the station survived in a variety of forms and today can be heard 24/7 on the internet. With listeners in 208 countries, and both daily direct FM and regular shortwave rebroadcasts as well as a network of 30 affiliate AM, FM and Digital stations around the world, radio six international is a force to be reckoned with.

Programming is largely unsigned and indie performers worldwide, while at weekends a team of some 30 seasoned professionals provide specialist music programming.

The station is now based in a purpose-built headquarters on the Inner Hebridean island of Lismore, a tiny island sandwiched between Oban on the mainland and the much bigger island of Mull to the west.

To celebrate the station’s 60th anniversary on 6th June 2023, a day of original programmes from all the current station presenters will be broadcast, with the entire 24 hours carried on 9,670kHz in the 31 metre band from Röhrbach in Germany, as well as from FM transmitters in New Zealand on 88.2 and 107.6MHz between 00:00 and 23:59 GMT. And as well as the streaming at http:// www.radiosix.com (Alexa, “play radio six international”) the two hour live special programme “Sixty Swinging Years” hosted by Tony Currie will air on 1,323kHz from the Nexus-IBA transmitter in Milan, Italy between 19:00 and 21:00 GMT. A special QSL card will be issued for the occasion and reception reports are encouraged. They can be sent during the broadcast (with probable mentions on air) to: letters@radiosix.com

For further details contact: Tony Currie (Director of Programmes)

tony@radiosix.com Tel: +44 1631 760 100

radio six international The Studio, Port Ramsay, Isle of Lismore, Argyll, PA34 5UN, Scotland.

As Frankie Howard used to say “ A funny thing happened on the way to the forum ” or in this case on the way to kiwisdr.com.

Just by chance I was trying for a particular station located in Germany so happened to go on to a German Kiwi sdr located in Gerwisch, Germany.

When I tuned into the receiver the frequency was already set to 522 kHz. The frequency did very slightly starting at 522,23 kHz then going up to 522.31 kHz then 522.26, 522.22 and finally settling on 522.23 kHz. As this frequency is outside the European broadcast band which begins at 531 kHz, concluded that due to the signal strength and the overall very good quality of reception it had to be a German pirate station.

So, I decided to listen further to try and identify the station. The programme consisted of both English and German pop tunes and occasional German announcements which was to be expected from a German pirate station. Then to my great surprise it identified itself as Hit Radio Namibia. There was also a song in Afrikaans “ Jys Die Een in My Lewe ” a song made popular by Glenys Lynne, although not sung by her on this occasion. Glenys Lynne was the lead singer of the South African pop group Four Jacks and a Jill. See more details in the bandwatch trail below.

I can only conclude that a German pirate operator must have come across this German speaking Namibian station and decided to relay its programming.

I have sent Hit Radio Namibia a report telling them of my reception and asking them if they can confirm the programming as theirs, even if they cannot confirm the frequency it was heard on. Hit Radio Namibia only broadcasts on FM.

Mailbag

Your Ed has received QSLs from NDR – Gruss-an-Bord 6030 Issoudun, 6080 Tashkent, 9740 Nauen, 11650 Issoudun, 13725 Nauen, 15770 Okeechobee, WWNC 570 Asheville, North Carolina, USA from BrianHall@iheartmedia.com, BBC 25900 Madagascar and BBC 21560 via SMG, Vatican State. BBC 21470 Al-Seela, Oman, Radio Contikenzo (North East Side of the Netherlands) 5800 150 watts ( v/s Berry ovr email ffberry@live.nl ), C.M. Obrecht Shortwave Radio 21580 AM via Woofferton.

Reports are out to Radio Deltracks 6300 and 5807, Spaceshuttle Radio 9290, Radio Conti-Kenzo 6285, Radio Harmony 15050, Marconi Radio International 6700 and 5130 USB, Charleston Radio International 5140, BBC 25900 Madagascar. BBC 21560 via SMG, Vatican State, Radio

Azadi 9480 (Biblis), 15090 (Kuwait) 17880 (Udon Thani), C.M. Obrecht

Shortwave Radio 21580 via Woofferton, BBC 21470 Al-Seela.

QSL from NDR Gruss an Bord

Bandwatch

REMOTE RECEIVERS

1 = Twente SDR located at Enschede, Netherlands using a mini-whip antenna (PAR0DT design):: 2 = GlobalTuners IZ4AFJ’s Icom IC-R8500 located at Rimini, Italy using a multiband Dipole antenna: 3 = Kiwi SDR located at Weston-Super-Mare, England using a Top band dipole, Wellbrook loop & 28 MHz 5/8 th via a triplexer & 16 port multicoupler:

4 = SA4BNA’s Kiwi SDR located at Arvika, Sweden using a 100 meter Beverage antenna (directivity unknown): 5 = PY2GN & PY2PE’s Kiwi

SDR located at Pardinho São Paulo, Brazil using a G5RV (Double) 160m antenna: 6 = Kiwi SDR VN/SWL located at Hanoi, Vietnam using a longwire antenna: 7 = Kiwi SDR located at Gerwisch, Germany using an active K 180WLA loop antenna:

8 = GRMS Delhi Kiwi SDR located at New Delhi, India with a W6LVP

52271208GERMANY: German pirate station (location unknown) with relay of Hit Radio Namibia from Namibia frequency varying a little but seemed to settle around 522.23 kHz.

Popular EE and GG songs and one in Afrikaans. Frequent ids in EE as Hit Radio Namibia and jingles and adverts for Capricorn Asset Management, Namcor (the National Oil Company of Namibia) and Hansa Hotel. Mainly German announcements. 27/04 DL

5130U23091925ITALY: Marconi Radio International, Milano fair to poor in English and Italian with MOR songs. 1926 UTC id by female as “ This is Marconi Radio International broadcasting from Italy.” 09/04 DL

514021835GERMANY: Charleston Radio International fair- good with music from the 1920’s and 30’s and announcements in English 09/04 DL

58071830854NETHERLANDS: Radio Deltracks, Nijmegen poor w/fading. Oldies by The Style Council & Cilla Black and id in English. Frequency measured as 5807.08 kHz. 09/04 DL

628511035NETHERLANDS: Radio Contikenzo (North East side of the Netherlands) fairly good in Dutch and English with mix of English and schlager songs. Ids as “ContiKenzo” and “ContiKenzo your Parking station on Sunday on the 6285 ….” 09/04 DL

670023091749ITALY: Marconi Radio International. Milano poor- fair w/fading in English and Italian with songs such as The Beatles w/”Help” and Queen w/”Radio Ga Ga” Also id’s and email address 09/04 DL

727036081253NETHERLANDS: Radio Rock Power, Nijmegen Fair with oldie pop songs in English 1315 UTC full station id was given in English 12/04 DL

929041341FINLAND: Spaceshuttle Radio (unknown location) Fair in Finnish and English with pops and frequent ids and email address 12/04 DL

948013030359GERMANY: Radio Azadi via Biblis fair in Pashto with long spoken programme w/ female interviewing a male. Occasional music bridges and song by Haroon Bacha. Also fair on Mangawhai sdr (18138 kms)

20/04 DL

15050L11104ENGLAND: Harmony Radio (unknown location) Fair with oldies by artists such as Mario Lanza, Anita Day. Perry Como and Nina Simone, 1117 UTC full id in English best in LSB. 09/04 DL

15090828480858KUWAIT: Radio Azadi via Umm Al-Rimam good in Dari with songs by Asad Badie, Ahmad Wali and Farhad Darya. 0930 into Pashto 19/04 DL

17880829170854Thailand: Radio Azadi via Ban Dung (Udon Thani) good in Dari with programme of Aghani songs and occasional id. 0930 UTC into Pashtu w/news headlines 18/04 DL

21470648891030OMAN: BBC via Al-Seela good in Dari with spoken drama like programme and ethnic bridging music. 1100 UTC into Pashto 1102

UTC English language lesson based on “I get up at 6 o’clock etc. 1130 UTC s/off

27/04 DL

21595823161205UAE: Radio Ergo via Dhabbaya. NF ex 17845 kHz Good in Somali with news and interviews. Frequent “Radio Ergo” ids.

24/04 DL

25700 315531400VATICAN STATE: BBC via Santa Maria di Galeria fair at s/on in Hausa with news programme. NF ex 25800 kHz. 27/04 DL

25800315531400VATICAN STATE: BBC via Santa Maria di Galeria fair at s/on in Hausa with news programme 20/04 DL

25900 597861200MADAGASCAR: BBC via Talata-Volonondry fair in French with time pips then into news program to s/off at 1230 UTC 15/04 DL

NB: Reception distances are not given when the exact location of the transmitter is unknown.

CONTRIBUTORS

DL = Dene Lynneberg, Pukerua Bay

Well that wraps it up for another month. I look forward to your contributions next month. Meanwhile good dx on all those online receivers wherever they may be located.

Utilities

with Arthur DeMaine, Ashburton

Well it is very nearly May and winter is fast approaching and this morning it was 0c at 6.30 am. I am not long back from Hina Hina where I met up with Stu and Sutton at Steven’s place for two or three days Dxing.

It was good to catchup with these gentlemen. Stu even did a little Utility dxing and he has contributed a couple of loggings.

FREQUTCDETAILS OF TRANSMISSION

34850921CANADA Gander Volmet weather reports for Canadian airports good 22/4 ADHH

41461820NZ Taupo Maritime Radio ZLM coastal warnings, ID at sign off and listening frequencies, good 19/4 ABD

44170838NZ Bluff Fishermens Radio ZMH91Mary with weather forecasts and the outlook for the following three days, good 18/4, ABD

81130838AUSTRALIA VMW weather for Monday, 21/4 ADHH

8503.90840USA USCG NMG New Orleans weather Fax 22/4 ADHH

87431909THAILAND, Bangkok Meteorological Radio. Fair in Thai but with bad QRM from time to time. Into EE at 1910.

SMFHH 22/4

87640456USA USCG NMC Point Reyes ID This is United States Coast Guard Command good ADHH

88220815Flight Watch Male asking an aircraft to confirm its position 22/4 ADHH

89570431IRELAND Shannon Volmet fair. SMF HH 21/4

email hello@radiodx.com subject “Utilities” radiodx.com

130890450USA USCG NMC Point Reyes Male mentioned

Saturday north west winds good 18/4 ABD

132641620IRELAND Shannon Volmet with met reports for Paris, Zurich, Geneva, Milan. Good. 18/3, JS

CONTRIBUTORS

JSJim Stewart, Auckland: Receivers – Kenwood R-5000 x , 2

Sangean ATS-909. Unidean UBCT8 & UDC72XLT.

Antennas – Wellbrook ALA1530, Diamond D130j Siscone

ABDArthur De Maine, Ashburton: Receiver SDRplay RSPdx

Antenna – MLA30+

ADHHArthur De Maine, Hina Hina: Receivers RSPdx, AirSpy HF+

Discovery. Antenna - EWE and a Longwire.

SMFHHStu Forsyth, Hina Hina: Receiver WinRadio G33DDC

Antenna -EWE