Wednesday, September 30, 2015

At a Beijing radio station, a little Hindi, Urdu and Tamil

How a few men and women from China Radio International are reaching remote corners in the Indian subcontinent.

Zhang, whose "Hindi name" is Shanti, is an intern at China Radio International (CRI). One day, she wants to be on air for the state-owned broadcaster's Hindi service department, which currently has 17 members — only three of them Indians. In a country where even English is used sparingly, a building full of Chinese men and women fluent in Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Bengali, Nepali and Sinhali — the six languages the CRI broadcasts in the Indian subcontinent — can take some getting used to.

Friday, September 25, 2015

All India Radio's special transmission for "Mahalaya 2015"

Date : 12th Oct, 2015 (Monday)
Time : 2225 UTC (11th Oct 2015) to 0015 UTC (12th Oct 2015)
0355 - 0545 IST
"Mahalaya" is a special two hour tranmission consisting of Sanskrit recitation and music orated by Late Shri.Birendra Krishna Bhadra. All India Radio has been broadcasting this program since early 1930s . Count down of Indian festival of Durga Puja starts from the day of Mahalaya.
Frequencies observed during 2014 :
SW
4760 - Port Blair
4810 - Bhopal
4820 - Kolkata
4835 - Gangtok
4880 - Lucknow
4895 - Kurseong
4910 - Jaipur
9425 - Delhi (Khampur)
9470 - Aligarh
MW

531 - Jodhpur
549 - Ranchi
594 - Chinsurah (Kolkata)
603 - Ajmer
621 - Patna A
648 - Indore A
657 - Kolkata A
666 - New Delhi B
675 - Chattarpur
711 - Siliguri
729 - Guwahati A
747 - Lucknow A
756 - Jagdalpur
774 - Shimla
801 - Jabalpur
810 - Rajkot A
819 - New Delhi A
828 - Silchar
846 - Ahmedabad A
909 - Gorakhpur
918 - Suratgarh
954 - Nazibabad
981 - Raipur
1008 - Kolkata B
1026 - Allahabad A
1044 - Mumbai A
1125 - Tezpur
1179 - Rewa
1215 - Delhi
1242 - Varanasi
1260 - Ambikapur
1296 - Darbhanga
1314 - Bhuj
1386 - Gwalior
1395 - Bikaner
1404 - Gangtok
1458 - Bhagalpur
1476 - Jaipur A
1530 - Agra
1566 - Nagpur
1584 - Mathura
1593 - Bhopal A
Sign on observed by Jose Jacob at different times as follows:

2225 UTC (3.55am IST) 4760, 4880, 4910, 531, 603, 666, 675, 747, 756, 801, 819, 828, 918, 1044, 1386, 1395, 1530.
2230 UTC (4.00 am IST) 4835, 1404.
2245 UTC (4.15 am IST) 4895 late start?
2250 UTC (4.20 am IST) 846
2255 UTC (4.25 am IST) 4810, 621, 648, 810, 954, 981, 1026, 1242, 1260, 1296, 1593.

The following stations which regularly broadcast at that time was also heard with Mahalaya program:
594, 1566.

(Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi)

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

India made DRM Receiver to Hit Market in October


Avion Electronics, a Communication Systems Inc. brand, unveiled the first, ready-to-ship, India-made Digital Radio Mondiale receiver at IBC2015, during an event hosted at the Fraunhofer IIS booth.

According to the disclosed technical specifications, the final version of the AV-DVR-1401 supports DRM in both shortwave and medium-wave bands, analog medium wave as well as analog FM with RDS, and will display images and information on a 3.5-inch TFT color LCD unit.

"The first batch of 2,000 pieces will be delivered in October, and a second batch is expected by the end of 2015. There is a firm commitment from the Indian government toward DRM, and we see a growing interest in both radio stations and consumers."

Avion's AV DVR 1401 DRM receiver is scheduled to go on sale through Amazon India as of October 2015 for $175.

— Davide Moro

Full story at :

Major Upgrade to the Fraunhofer IIS Content Server Technology Highlight New Features for Digital Radio Systems

Erlangen, Germany/Amsterdam, Netherlands, September 11, 2015 – IBC, hall 8, Booth B80: At IBC Fraunhofer IIS introduces its ContentServer R6 technology, which will immediately be available for controlled operation in form of products of Fraunhofer's OEM partners. The flexible and highly reliable one-box broadcasting solution enables broadcasters to get rich content on air over the digital radio standards Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) and Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM). Thanks to continuous development by Fraunhofer, broadcasters benefit from the latest standard upgrades and improvements including the effortless configuration of the Emergency Warning Functionality (EWF) and full support of MPEG xHE-AAC audio coding for DRM.

The ContentServer R6 technology combines internal audio coding, support for remote audio encoders, multimedia data management and multiplex generation with powerful redundancy features that work across remote sites. A convenient user-friendly web interface supports configuration and system monitoring via remote access, enabling Content-as-a-Service operation scenarios.

"The ContentServer technology has earned a reputation worldwide for highest reliability and quality. The greatly enhanced functionality of the ContentServer R6 technology allows broadcasters to bring audio content and attractive data services on air with ease. Due to its flexible configuration, it provides the ability to perfectly match the diverse needs of broadcasters and network operators from community stations, to local or regional broadcasters, up to large-scale national networks. At the same time, receiver manufacturers benefit from the solution's ability to reach close to 100 percent test coverage regarding signaling, audio configurations, data services and multiplexing options when operated in its Developer Edition," said Alexander Zink, product manager of the Fraunhofer ContentServer technology at Fraunhofer IIS.

One strong building block of the ContentServer technology's favorable reputation is its out-of-the-box support for a large number of versatile interfaces for audio and content provision, which allow straightforward integration into broadcasters' and network providers' broadcast environments. With R6, the range of supported interfaces is further enhanced, along with advancements such as new redundancy features – including local backup audio encoding in case of failing external audio provision – and innovative network structuring options such as Extended STI-C, where centralized service multiplexers feed into regionalized DAB networks.

Additional new features of R6 include:

• Emergency Warning Functionality (EWF) to quickly alert the public when disaster strikes

• xHE-AAC as the standard audio codec for Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) and support for multiple PAD multimedia applications per audio service

• Internal Audio encoders with AES67-AoIP live audio input (Livewire, Ravenna) as well as advanced support for remote audio encoders

• Powerful Monitoring System controlling all system functions including content provision

• Data provision via established protocols XML/JSON RPC API

The ContentServer is typically located in the studio, playout center, transmitter site, or within the dedicated network provider premises with full remote control for administration and data provision. The Fraunhofer ContentServer R6 technology is available for DAB and DRM as a complete package, including hardware and specific customers support services, from Fraunhofer's OEM partners.

To experience the new features of the ContentServer R6 technology visit Fraunhofer at IBC in Hall 8, Booth B.80 from September 11 to 15 at the RAI Congress Center in Amsterdam, or one of Fraunhofer's OEM partners.

A convenient user-friendly web interface supports configuration and system monitoring via remote access, enabling Content-as-a-Service operation scenarios.

When it comes to innovative audio technologies for the rapidly evolving media world, Fraunhofer IIS stands alone. For more than 25 years, digital audio technology has been the principal focus of the Audio and Multimedia division of the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS. From the creation of mp3 and the co-development of AAC to the future of audio entertainment for broadcast, Fraunhofer IIS brings innovations in sound to reality.

Today, technologies such as Fraunhofer Cingo for virtual surround sound, Fraunhofer Symphoria for automotive 3D audio, AAC-ELD and EVS for telephone calls with CD-like audio quality, and MPEG-H Audio that allows television viewers to adjust dialogue volume to suit their personal preferences are among the division's most compelling new developments.

Fraunhofer IIS technologies enable more than 8 billion devices worldwide. The audio codec software and application-specific customizations are licensed to more than 1,000 companies. The division's mp3 and AAC audio codecs are now ubiquitous in mobile multimedia systems.

Fraunhofer IIS is based in Erlangen, Germany and is a division of Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. With nearly 24,000 employees worldwide, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is comprised of 66 institutes and research units making it Europe's largest application-oriented research organization.

For more information, contact Matthias Rose, matthias.rose@iis.fraunhofer.de, or visit www.iis.fraunhofer.de/amm.

Head of Corporate Communications Thoralf Dietz | Phone +49 9131 776-1630 | thoralf.dietz@iis.fraunhofer.de | Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS | Am Wolfsmantel 33 | 91058 Erlangen, Germany | www.iis.fraunhofer.de |

(Press Release)

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

AWR Wavescan DX Contest 2015

The World's Most Unusual DX Contest

The time has come, the event you are waiting for has arrived! The new month of October is the official period for our big 2015 Wavescan DX contest. This year, we invite you to participate in The World's Most Unusual DX Contest, and this time you may design your own contest details. Read on for this years requirements.

Awards

The awards for the 2015 AWR The World's Most Unusual DX Contest will be similar to all previous contests, with the addition of several extra awards.

* Every entry will receive a full size copy of two historic American mediumwave QSL cards dating back to the early 1920s.

* Four entries will receive a special numbered QSL card featuring Thomas Kincade art in color showing twin radio towers, the only Kincade painting that depicts a radio station.

* All AWR reception reports will be verified with specially endorsed AWR QSL cards, and two new cards are now available.

* Additional AWR souvenirs, radio curios, Christmas card, AWR Magazine and small keepsakes.

* One entry from Australia and New Zealand will receive a copy of the new 5th edition of Dr. Bruce Carty's remarkable and readable book Australian Radio History. This large format volume, in full colour throughout, presents almost 100 pages of fascinating information about every known mediumwave station that ever took to the air in Australia during the past almost 100 years, beginning in 1918.

* Each continental winner will receive a copy of the 2016 edition of the World Radio TV Handbook.

* The World Winner will receive a copy of one of Jerome Berg's remarkable shortwave radio history books. The winner may choose which of the four thick volumes he would like to receive.

A. The World's Most Unusual DX Contest: Description

* You are invited to design your own DX contest in any way and in any form you consider is best. Your self-designed DX contest may be based upon any aspect of radio associated in some way with shortwave or mediumwave broadcasting, such as for example: Listening, monitoring, collecting QSLs, programming, script writing, radio history, current radio events, radio in the future, large radio stations, little radio stations, rare stations, distant stations, local stations, silent stations, visiting radio stations, radio magazines, radio receivers, personal radio memories, recording for           broadcast an so on.

* Your self-designed DX contest may be in any form you desire, and it may be ambitious and complicated, or it may be simple and quite easy, in whatever way you consider is most appropriate.

* You should then describe in a paragraph or two, the details of your own self-designed QSL contest.

* Not valid for this contest are amateur nor CB radio stations.

B. World's Most Unusual DX Contest: Fulfillment

* Please demonstrate the way you have fulfilled the requirements for your own self-designed DX contest, in a brief paragraph or two.

C. Your Best QSL since the 2014 DX Contest

* What is the best QSL that you have received since the 2014 DX contest? Please provide details and a photocopy, in colour if possible.

D. AWR Reception Reports

* You are invited to prepare three reception reports for the broadcast on short wave, medium wave or FM of any AWR programming in any part of the world. You may choose     the international shortwave programing from Adventist World Radio, via KSDA Guam; or any of the shortwave relay stations that carry AWR programming; or any of the 1,700 local medium wave or FM stations in any part of the world that are affiliated with Adventist World Radio.

* Please do not send a recording of your reception; we just need your honest reception report on paper. All reception reports will be verified with our two new QSL cards, and a special          contest endorsement will be shown on each card.

E. Three Radio Cards

* Where possible, you are invited to include three radio cards for the Indianapolis Heritage Collection with your contest entry. These cards may be old or new, and they may be QSL cards, reception report cards, or picture cards of radio stations, etc. Not valid for this contest are amateur cards nor CB radio cards.

Other Contest Details

* Well, there you have it, the details for our Wavescan 2015 'World's Most Unusual DX Contest'. This contest will run through the month of October 2015, and all contest entries should be postmarked at your local post office anywhere in the world on any date up to the end of the month of October 2015 and they should be received at the AWR post office address in Indianapolis no later than the end of the month of November 2015.

* Post your entry with all items to Adventist World Radio in Indianapolis, remembering that neatness and preparation, will all feature in the judging procedure. Due consideration will also be given to the area of the world in which the contestant lives.

* Where possible, please enclose return postage in the form of currency notes in any international currency, or mint postage stamps. Please note that IRC coupons are too expensive for you to buy, and they are no longer valid in the United States.

* Please enclose your postal address label also.

* Please remember that it will take a period of many months, well into the new year 2016, to process all of the contest entries and reception reports, but each will in due course be processed.

The only address for the "World's Most Unusual DX Contest" is:

World's Most Unusual DX Contest
Adventist World Radio
Box 29235
Indianapolis        
Indiana 46229
USA

(Dr.Adrian Peterson)

Relaunch for Radio Sweden

Starting Monday, October 5, 2015, Radio Sweden will relaunch with a new focus on all things digital: web, mobile and social media. This means that we'll be discontinuing our daily radio broadcasts and instead, we'll be providing you with a better news service online, which you can access any time.

We'll still broadcast every week on Thursdays from 16:30 to17:00. This broadcast will air again on Mondays at the same time and can be downloaded as a podcast whenever you like. It will also be available through Swedish Radio's smartphone app.

With our digital relaunch, we look forward to keeping in touch with you via social media, where you can comment on our stories, share your views on interesting questions or let us know about something we may have missed.

Find us on www.radiosweden.org, www.facebook.com/radiosweden, @radiosweden, instagram.com/radiosweden or on the P2 and P6 channels and, starting October 5, on the Swedish Radio app!


(Via Radio Sweden website)

Schedule of next test broadcasts of Marconi Radio International

Here is the schedule for the next  test broadcasts of Marconi Radio International :

22nd September 2015, from approximately 1700 to 1900 UTC
24th September  2015, from approximately 1700 t0 1900 UTC
25th September 2015, from approximately 1700 to 1900 UTC

Our frequency is 11390 kHz and power in the region of 30 watts. Test broadcasts consist of non stop music and station identification announcements in Italian, English, Spanish and Catalan. MRI encourages reception reports from listeners. Audio clips (mp3-file) of our broadcasts  are welcome!

We hope that you will share this information with your members.
Thank you very much for your cooperation

Marconi Radio International (MRI)

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

DRM demonstrates the most modern and flexible global digital broadcasting standard at IBC 2015

Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) demonstrated the new DRM commercial receiver with crystal clear audio and extra capability like the emergency warning functionality at this year's International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) in Amsterdam.

Pressing the emergency button on the new Indian–produced receiver was the highlight of the first DRM event at the Fraunhofer IIS booth (Hall 8 B80). The rich features of the Indian receiver (from the new Consortium member Communication Systems Inc. (www.avionelectronics.in) were in evidence: colour LCD with million colours, 10-12 hours of backup on single charging, xHE-AAC audio coding, emergency warning, alternative frequency search (AFS), DRM text and scrolling messages. The receiver  (available on www.amazon.in), was used to capture a daily SW DRM live broadcast (10-13th September) transmitted by Babcock international on 6040kHz, 100kW from Woofferton, UK, on 114 degrees to Europe. Featuring BBC, NHK and Radio Vaticana content, the transmission was crystal clear even on a boat under the many bridges of Amsterdam.

Recent and exciting market developments in Asia, Africa (where the DRM30 trial might be soon joined by a DRM+ trial in the Johannesburg area), Europe and Latin America featured large at the four DRM events on September 11th, 12th and 13th.

The Thomson Broadcast event on the 12th focused on transmitters for alert systems and gave details of a "hot off the press" announcement about a new transmission contract (DRM ready) for Morocco.

The Nautel event, held the same day in Hall 8 C49 and extremely well attended, featured new developments in DRM transmitter technology, more about the continued roll-out of DRM in India, news about the DRM+ trial in St. Petersburg and new innovative multi-band receiver in development.

On Sunday morning Ampegon and Transradio featured integrated transmission systems, demonstrated the energy efficiency of new antennas and transmitters like the low-power solid-state Ampegon transmitter sitting in the middle of their booth (Hall 8 D35).  

IBC is a great occasion for members of the Consortium to meet industry experts and contacts from countries as far apart as South Africa, Romania, India, Turkey and Indonesia.

Ruxandra Obreja, the Consortium Chairman, says that: "IBC 2015 has been the best ever for us and all those interested in the most modern and flexible truly global audio broadcasting standard, DRM.  During IBC 2015 we shortened our presentations and demonstrated more how DRM can close the loop between excellent transmitted sound with multimedia services, at much lower cost than before, and reception on state of the art receivers".

Other DRM members present at IBC are: Babcock International, GatesAir, RIZ Transmitters and RFmondial.

DRM will next be present at the Asia Broadcasting Union General Assembly in Istanbul, Turkey – October 27-30.

If you want more details on DRM and our next events please contact: projectoffice@drm.org  
--
DRM Consortium

(Press Release)

Friday, September 11, 2015

Sentech plans DRM trials on SW

Sentech will conducting DRM trials on shorwave bands for South Africa alongwith Channel Africa using a single 50 kW DRM transmitter. Sentech will sponsor infrastructure and operational costs.

There will be local trial for South Africa using only NVIS antenna with single audio service with data and using high gain antenna covering East Africa with 2 audio services with data.

All India Radio Nizamabad celebrates silver jubilee

All India Radio, Nizamabad, launched on September 9, 1990 in a sprawling 11-acre land at Nyalkal road in the town is all set to celebrate its Silver Jubilee in a grand way on its premises tomorrow.

Over a period of time, against all odds it endeared itself to the audience across the district and in peripheries of Karimnagar and Adilabad districts and also in Nanded of Maharashtra by transmitting special programmes. The station covers the entire district including the remotest villages like Manala and Madnur.

Full story at :



Next test broadcasts of Marconi Radio International

The next test broadcasts of Marconi Radio International  are scheduled as follows:

11th September 2015,  1700 to 1900 UTC on 11390 kHz
12th September 2015,  1230 to 1430 UTC on 11390 kHz

Our frequency is 11390 kHz and power in the region of 30 watts. Test broadcasts consist of non stop music and station identification announcements in Italian, English, Spanish and Catalan. MRI encourages reception reports from listeners. Audio clips (mp3-file) of our broadcasts  are welcome! We QSL 100%. Our E-mail address is: marconiradiointernational@gmail.com We hope that you will share this information with your members.  Thank you very much for your cooperation.

Marconi Radio International (MRI)

Wednesday, September 09, 2015

Fiji Broadcasting Corporation and Japan sign agreement on two new MW transmitters

THE Fijian and Japanese governments signed an agreement on the upgrading of radio capability in the country.The $14.5million grant given by the Japanese Government would see the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation "provide clearer" programs to remote maritime areas.

The Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama and the Ambassador of Japan to Fiji Takuji Hanatani signed the agreements which will modernise Fiji's radio broadcasting capabilities and increase access to information in even the remotest islands of Fiji.

The Japanese ambassador confirmed the project will be implemented under Japan's Grant Aid Scheme by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

He said the project entails the construction of a new transmission antenna, transmission house, supply of new two 558kHz and 990kHz transmitters.

Related :

$14.5m Grant From Japan To Upgrade Our AM Radio Frequency, Islands Reach


Fijian PM signs agreement for medium radio wave transmission




DSWCI - 6th INTERNATIONAL DX CONTEST "THE GRAND TOUR ACROSS ALL CONTINENTS" 2015

6th INTERNATIONAL DX CONTEST "THE GRAND TOUR ACROSS ALL CONTINENTS" 2015

This contest is held from Friday 2nd October 2015, 0000 UTC, to Sunday 25th October 2015, 2400 UTC. It is open to all shortwave listeners regardless to their membership in any DX club.

Primary contest frequencies are from 2300 to 26100 kHz. Logs outside this range will be valued by half points.

The contest fee EUR 3.00 / USD 4.00 (IRCs not accepted) shall be sent together with the contest form to:

Jaroslav Bohac, Svestkova 2828/7, 400 11 Usti n.L., CZECH REPUBLIC  trams@volny.cz

Deadline: 31st December 2015 (date of post stamp)

Each participant will receive a contest diploma with his/her classification and a list of paricipants with their results.

In Part 1 listen please to any BC station of the contest country, for 15 minutes at least. For one country one log only. Unofficial, pirate and clandestine stations are not allowed.

Scoring: 1000 points of each logged country will be divided by the total number of all logs of the particular country and rounded to two decimal places.

In Part 2 you can add other points to your score by listening to any DX programme. The number of DX programmes is limited to 4! No particular country limit. Scoring in the same way as in Part 1, maximum point value 100 points for one DX programme and 50 points for other log(s) from the same country made by the same listener.

In Part 3 you can even further raise your score if you answer correctly the quiz questions. All correct answers = 200 points = 20% to your total score from parts 1 + 2. Example: 86 points = +8.6%, 148 points =  +14.8% to your total score, etc.

Note: Please give sufficient details in your logs to be validated! Logs with general notes, such as "music", "male talk" cannot be accepted.

We wish you good listening!

Further details & downloable entry forms at :


Hindi makes foray into China through AIR

Anuradha Raman

For the first time, the External Services Division of All India Radio has started broadcasting Hindi lessons in China and Southeast Asia. Broadcast every Sunday, the 20-minutes programme, officials say, is aimed at countering the powerful China Radio International, which broadcasts in over 56 world languages, including Indian languages, right into India and other nations.
The teaching of Hindi in AIR's Chinese language service started on August 15, in an attempt to project India's image and point of view to listeners abroad.

Full story at :


Sunday, September 06, 2015

BBC plans TV and radio services for Russia and North Korea

World Service expansion will also include increased coverage in Middle East and North Africa as rivals such as RT and al-Jazeera continue to grow
 
The BBC is set to unveil proposals for a significant expansion of the BBC World Service, including potentially a satellite TV service for Russian speakers and a daily radio news programme for North Korea.
 
The proposals, which will be announced by director general Tony Hall on Monday, include beefing up the BBC Arabic service to offer more regional content, with increased coverage of north Africa and the Middle East.
 
More at :
 

 
 

New DRM transmitter to be inaugurated at All India Radio,Kolkata

New DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) transmistter at All India Radio, Kolkata ( 'A', 657 kHz) at Chandi to be commissioned by Prasar Bharati CEO Jawhar Sircar on Sept 8, 2015 making AIR Kolkata digital ready.

Related :

Tune in to nostalgia with new 'Kolkata A' avatar - TOI
IDXCI (Indian DX Club Internatonal) story on the visit to this txer site in 2012 :