Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Russian Buzzer disappears

The IARU-R1 Monitoring System newsletter reports the Russian buzzer on 6998.0 kHz has disappeared. For a long time the system has interfered with the lower edge of the amateur radio 7 MHz band

The Russian F1B transmission on 7193 kHz believed to be from Kaliningrad (formerly Königsberg) has ended its transmissions.

The IARUMS thanks the German BNetzA Konstanz for submitting the complaints and also thanks the Russian Military.




Digital Radio Mondiale to hold this year’s General Assembly in Switzerland

Under the banner "Digital Radio Mondiale Delivers", the 2017 General Assembly of the DRM Consortium is scheduled to take place on Wednesday 10th and Thursday 11th of May in Baden near Zurich, Switzerland being hosted by Ampegon.

The two-day event will start with the exclusive General Assembly meeting for members only on Wednesday, May 10th in the morning. At lunchtime the Consortium will open its doors widely to all those interested in DRM and digital radio. The Open DRM event will include updates from all the key DRM countries and will run through until lunchtime on Thursday 11th. Special VIP guests have been invited to attend the Open sessions of the GA where they will have an opportunity to review and receive updates from country representatives and specialists on an outstanding year of progress for DRM.

"As a founding member of DRM, Ampegon is delighted to once again host this event. We support and enhance the DRM standard which is fully integrated in our broadcast transmitters.", says CEO Josef Troxler.

For Ruxandra Obreja, DRM Chairman, this is a moment to take stock "and review the excellent progress made by DRM in India and other key countries like Pakistan, South Africa, Indonesia and many more, as well as the interest shown in some African countries, Brazil, Russia and other countries in Asia-Pacific. The fact that there are already ingenious standalone and car receivers featuring DRM gives confidence in DRM and the ultimate success of digital radio all over the world."

(Press Release)

Friday, April 14, 2017

Radio DARC to Cover IARU Region 1 General Conference on Shortwave this Fall

Radio DARC — the shortwave broadcast program of the Deutscher Amateur Radio Club in Germany (DARC) — has announced plans to broadcast six programs during the 24th International Amateur Radio Union Region 1 (IARU-R1) Conference, September 16-22 in Landshut, Germany. IARU Region 1 includes Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Northern Asia. Rainer Englert, DF2NU, of Radio DARC said the broadcasts from the conference, in English, will keep the IARU Region 1 ham radio audience up to date with news and background reports.

"Although targeted to IARU Region 1, the transmissions are likely to be heard in North America, too, as 2,000 kW EIRP from a log periodic antenna will be used for the Western European beam in the 31-meter broadcast band," Englert said.

Radio DARC is the weekly magazine of the German Amateur Radio Club for radio amateurs and shortwave listeners, with three broadcasts on 6,070 kHz for Europe. Typical programs contain DX news, technical features, and reports from the DARC, as well as commentary, propagation forecasts and music from the 1970s and 1980s. After the discontinuation of Deutsche Welle and other shortwave broadcasters, the weekly DARC program is one of the few remaining from Germany.

"Several transmitters of up to 300 kW and three shortwave bands will be used to allow reception in different target regions of the world," Englert said.

In 2015, a group of radio amateurs in Germany obtained a license to broadcast on the 49-meter band after German national broadcaster Deutsche Welle closed down a 500 kW shortwave broadcast transmitter near Munich. Using parts scavenged from the Deutsche Welle site, the ham group built up its own 10 kW transmitter and launched Channel 292. The Austrian Broadcasting Transmitters Corporation (ORS) near Vienna is a broadcast partner for the IARU R1 General Conference, and broadcasts covering that event will air via ORS and Channel 292 transmitters.

Preliminary Schedule: Sunday, September 17 through Friday, September 22, 2017

1730-1800 UTC: 13,775 kHz @ 300 kW for Africa
1730-1800 UTC: 9,790 kHz @ 100 kW for eastern Europe/Russia/ Middle East
1800-1830 UTC: 6,070 kHz @ 100 kW for central, northern, and southern Europe
1800-1830 UTC: 9,540 kHz @ 100 kW for western Europe

The venue for the 2017 IARU Region 1 General Conference is the Sparkassenakademie Bayern in Landshut. On the last day of the event, delegates will visit BMW Welt and Museum and then attend Oktoberfest.

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Special AIR programmes on 70th Indo-Russia ties anniversary


New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) The All India Radio (AIR) will broadcast special programmes on its domestic and external network to mark the 70th anniversary of Indo-Russia diplomatic relationship.

Details at :
http://www.india.com/news/agencies/special-air-programmes-on-70th-indo-russia-ties-anniversary-2022689/


Friday, April 07, 2017

OE17M - International Marconi Day Special Event Station


The Amateur Radio Section of ORF (Austrian Broadcasting Corporation) and the Documentary Archive Radio Communications/QSL Collection will operate for 72 hours only, a special event station with the callsign OE17M on Friday, April 21st­Sunday, April 23rd (00:00-24:00 UTC).

OE17M is an official "International Marconi Day" station.

Contacts made on Saturday, April 22nd, are valid for the IMD Award.

QSL info available at: http://www.qrz.com/db/oe17m


Mighty KBC frequency change

With effect from 7th May, 2017 Mighty KBC will change its frequency from 6145 kHz to 9925 kHz at 0000-0200 UTC, Sunday 9925 kHz.


Thursday, April 06, 2017

Government announces discontinuation of digital audio broadcasting services in Hong Kong

The Chief Executive in Council, after considering the report of the Review of the Development of Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) in Hong Kong (the Review), decided on March 28, 2017 that DAB services should be discontinued in Hong Kong, and DAB services provided by Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) be terminated within six months, or as soon as practicable thereafter.

A spokesman for the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau said, "In accordance with the market-led approach, DAB services were introduced in Hong Kong in 2010 to address the then local market interest in the development of the services and to cope with the trend of broadcasting technology development in the world.

"We have all along been maintaining this approach. The same approach is used in reaching the decision for discontinuance of the DAB services in Hong Kong."

The spokesman said that in response to local market interest and taking into account the development of DAB services overseas at the time, the Government granted licences in 2011 to three commercial operators. However, the retreat of the three commercial DAB operators in a short period of time due to difficulties in their operation and the lack of a critical mass of audience demonstrated the exhaustion of interest in the services. Currently, RTHK is the only operator providing DAB services as the public service broadcaster in Hong Kong, running a total of five DAB channels.

On the future of the DAB services provided by RTHK, the Review pointed out that in the absence of participation of commercial operators, it would not be realistic from a policy perspective to rely solely on RTHK to operate alone on the DAB platform, or to task RTHK to develop a critical mass of audience on its own.

The Review also mentioned that the fast development of the Internet and mobile applications have replaced traditional sound broadcasting services to a certain extent. The wider environment is not conducive to a revival of the DAB market. In fact, since the 1990s, there have been mixed results in the development of DAB services overseas. There has been stable development in some overseas countries, but there are also examples of termination of DAB services after launch.
     
The spokesman noted that upon the decision of the termination of DAB services provided by RTHK, the Director of Broadcasting will consult the relevant stakeholders to formulate detailed plans for programming changes so as to accommodate programmes currently broadcast on RTHK's DAB channels on its AM/FM analogue platform, and to ensure that RTHK continues to adhere to the programming objectives as stipulated in the Charter of RTHK, and that RTHK's public purposes and mission as a public service broadcaster are properly fulfilled.

The spokesman said it is estimated that RTHK will be able to complete its programming change and terminate its DAB services in about six months' time.

(Press Release)

International Marconi Day event set for April 22

Dozens of official 'award stations' have registered to take part in the 2017 International Marconi Day (IMD) event, this year being held on April 22, 0000-2359 UTC (starting on April 21 in US time zones).

Full story at :


Unexplained radio signals are coming from space, not Earth, scientists confirm

Scientists have confirmed that the most mysterious signal in the universe is coming from space. Fast Radio Bursts - the strange signals that are occasionally sent down to Earth - have been pinned down to everything from aliens to a measuring mistake. But researchers have now ruled out the most down-to-Earth explanation, that the signals aren't actually coming from space but from interference on Earth.

Read the TOI story at :


MEDIA BROADCAST A17

Wednesday, April 05, 2017

Additional Broadcasts of VORW Radio International

Dear VORW Radio Listeners, 

This is the third edition of the VORW Radio International Newsletter, it will be sent out when there is a significant change to the broadcast schedule or if there is a significant update regarding programming or other matters. 

I am pleased to announce that there will be a new transmission of VORW to Japan and East Asia via the Tashkent, Uzbekistan transmitting station. The transmission will be heard on a weekly basis each Thursday at 1200 UTC on 9875 kHz. 

I am also adding additional frequencies to North America, 9395 and 6855 kHz, these frequencies will help maximize signal coverage in the North American Continent so all listeners may be served. 

VORW Radio International is a light entertainment program, serving listeners in Europe, North America, Asia and the World. Programs consist of a mixture of commentary and listener-requested music of all genres. 

Comments, questions, reception reports and music requests may be sent to vorwinfo@gmail.com E-QSL's are provided for reception reports. 

Here is the Transmission Schedule:

Thursdays:

1200 UTC - 1 PM BST - 8 AM Eastern - 9875 kHz to Japan / East Asia
2000 UTC - 9 PM BST - 4 PM Eastern - 11580 kHz to Europe / Eastern North America
0000 UTC - 1 AM BST - 8 PM Eastern - 7490 kHz to North America
0000 UTC - 1 AM BST - 8 PM Eastern - 6855 kHz to Southwestern North America 
0000 UTC - 1 AM BST - 8 PM Eastern - 9395 kHz to North America

If you are not in the target area of these transmissions or if you do not own a shortwave receiver, please view this document which includes links to online shortwave receivers, which you can listen on. 


If you are unable to hear the broadcasts, archived programs are available on Soundcloud at:




Tuesday, April 04, 2017

BBC makes 1920s Radio Times magazines available

The BBC has made the earliest issues of the complete Radio Times magazines 1923-1929 publicly available online for the first time

This release is part of the BBC Genome Project - a digitised searchable database of programme listings - from 1923 to the end of 2009.





Airspy unveils Airspy HF+ specs

Airspy has unveiled details of upcoming Airspy HF+ at : http://airspy.com/airspy-hf-plus/

Technical specifications

HF coverage between DC .. 31 MHz
VHF coverage between 60 .. 260 MHz
-138 dBm MDS at 500Hz bandwidth in HF
-142 dBm MDS at 500Hz bandwidth in VHF
+26 dBm IIP3 on HF at maximum gain
+13 dBm IIP3 on VHF at maximum gain
110 dB dynamic range in HF
95 dB dynamic range in VHF
120 dB Image Rejection
Very low phase noise PLL (-110 dBc/Hz @ 1kHz separation @ 100 MHz)
+10 dBm Maximum RF input
No Silicon RF switch to introduce IMD in the HF path
Routable RF inputs
Wide Band RF filter bank
Tracking RF filters
Sharp IF filters
Smart AGC with real time optimization of the gain distribution
All RF inputs are matched to 50 ohms
2 x High Dynamic Range Sigma Delta ADCs @ up to 36 MSPS
600 kHz alias and image free output
18 bit Digital Down Converter (DDC)
0.5 ppm high precision, low phase noise clock
4 x Programmable GPIO's
No drivers required! 100% Plug-and-play on Windows Vista, Seven, 8, 8.1 and 10
Industrial Operating Temperature: -45°C to 85°C

TWR India upgrades its website

Trans World Radio, India has redesigned its website at www.twr.in , the new website gives a refreshing look , contains new articles, background information, features, audio  and interactive content .

The updated broadcasting schedule for MW and SW for the new season starting 26th March'2017 is available at :





Monday, April 03, 2017

Radio Nepal gears up for provincial broadcast

In a press conference organised by the RN here today on the eve of its 67th anniversary, RN Executive Director Suresh Kumar Karki shared that well-equipped broadcasting centres would be established in all seven provinces and the provincial broadcast would be launched from the next fiscal year.

New transmitters are being procured for technical upgrading for widening listenership of the RN that currently spans across 83 per cent of the total population.

Read the full report at :
https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/radio-nepal-gears-provincial-broadcast/



I &B Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu lays foundation stone for a 10kw AIR, FM Station at Nellore


Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu today laid the foundation stone of a 10kw FM Station of All India Radio in Nellore in Andhra Pradesh.

More at :
http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20170401/3084115.html

(Photo courtesy All India Radio)

AOKI A17

AOKI A17 schedules are available for download at :