Bhutan back on 6035 kHz breaking the silence !

On November 20th, heard Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS) in english on 6035 kHz from 0847 UTC onwards with good reception with slight noise and  hum. Was surprised when I heard BBS in english on 6035 kHz after a long break and thought that BBS might have discontinued shortwave transmission and there is no possiblity of resumption of its shortwave analog transmission in future. Anyway, let me monitor in coming days whether it is a regular comeback or something else. The English Transmission was noted on air well beyond 1000 UTC (1028 UTC infact my last checked time). In the transmission there was discussion on "Salt Business", announcements etc, english songs aired, listeners calls with music requests, dedications and music mostly english songs aired as per my monitoring .

Please check my blog for more detail report plus links to audio files ....
www.gkcalling.blogspot.com

Today i.e. on November 21st, also heard BBS-Nepali Service with songs in Nepali at 0603 UTC on 6035 kHz, english programs with listeners calling show, music requests etc during afternoon 0830 UTC upto 0950 UTC upto my latest monitoring period.

(Gautam Kumar Sharma, Abhayapuri, Assam)

The radio chronicles

Radio in Bhutan has come a long way when with just a table, three chairs and a transmitter rented from a local telegraph office in Thimphu, the first radio station of Bhutan was formed by a voluntary group of youths known as the National Youth Association of Bhutan (NYAB) on 11 Nov, 1973.


More at :


http://www.thebhutanese.bt/the-radio-chronicles/

BBS FLASH

April 14th I didn't find Bhutan Broadcasting Service(BBS)'s signal during my aircheck late in the morning on its skd frequency 6035 kHz during its morning English transmission slot 0500-0600UTC and earlier.And just around 0631UTC it was still off the air. But again while checking around 0732 UTC, I found BBS signal in a local language. BBS English transmission heard around 0759UTC this afternoon i.e.April 14th. Anyway, let me keep 6035kHz in my close watch list for ensuing weeks.

(Gautam Kumar Sharma, Abhayapuri, Assam)

BBS is back on 6035 kHz:

Observed Bhutan Broadcasting Service had been back on air for the first time in many weeks on its usual shortwave frequency during my aircheck on 6035 kHz from 0544 UTC to 0600 UTC on April 10th.There was English songs with a host introducing the songs etc, closing announcements plus music, then announcements about a new language service transmission beginning around 0600 UTC. The signal strength was satisfactory and overall reception was good no QRM as such
observed.

And later in the afternoon, BBS English was also heard with News,public announcements & English songs on air on 6035 kHz from 0805 UTC onwards upto 0817 UTC or so as per my monitoring.

(Gautam Kumar Sharma, Abhayapuri, Assam, India)

Thanks to tip from Martien Groot from Schoorl, Netherlands via DXLD list, Bhutan was noted on air on 10th Apr 2012 at 1859 UTC on 6035, strong here // to live streaming at http://www.bbs.bt/news/radio-wan.html

Alokesh Gupta

BBS launches second channel

Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS), the National Radio and Television Service, launches its 2nd television Channel from today. Viewers can now watch Live the proceedings of the National Assembly and the National Council simultaneously from tomorrow.

Test transmission of the BBS 2 on terrestrial broadcast has been going on for the past week. The channel has been upgraded on satellite beginning today. The Chief Engineer, Rajesh Kafley, says viewers can receive the existing channel without any change in the existing set-up. While, for the new channel, cable operators and viewers using independent receivers will have to use MPEG 4 receivers.

The BBS 2 will continue with regular broadcast after the parliament session. The General Manager of the BBS 2, Tashi Dorji, said the channel will carry entertainment programmes, documentaries with a strong component on youth and children's programming.

The Managing Director of the BBS, Thinley Dorji, said the new channel will help to meet needs of the audience, adding that with just one channel the Public Service Broadcaster is faced with challenges, especially when important national events and parliamentary sessions are taking place.Bhutan Broadcasting Service has been planning for the 2nd channel since mid-last year.

(Source : BBS)

BBS 100 kW new transmitter back on air

100 kilowatt THOMSON TSW 2100D DRM short wave transmitter of BBS (Bhutan Broadcasting Service) which was inaugurated on 10th August,2007 was off air since more than two years has been noted back on air today. BBS was operating its shortwave services on 6035 kHz with the old 50 kW transmitter running with power output of 30 kW. An engineer from All India Radio flew down to Thimpu to get the new transmitter on air. Several shortwave listeners from India & Sri Lanka reported of improved reception on 6035 kHz which was barely/not audible earlier .

Here's a photo of the new transmitter operating on 98 kW.

Related posts :

Bhutan Broadcasting Service new 100 Kw Txer Inaugrated
http://alokeshgupta.blogspot.com/2007/08/bhutan-broadcasting-service-new-100-kw.html

THOMSON TSW 2100 D DRM 100 KW SW TXER
http://www.transmitter.be/tbm-tsw2100d.html

Live coverage of Royal Wedding by Bhutan Broadcasting Service

Listen to live coverage of Royal Wedding by BBS on 6035 kHz tomorrow, 13th Oct 2011 0200 UTC onwards.They are still using old SW txer at 30 kW.

Also BBS TV & radio live at www.bbs.com.bt

Related Links :

Bhutan's King to tie the knot tomorrow
http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/bhutans-king-to-tie-the-knot-tomorrow/854524.html

Royal Wedding Fever Hits Bhutan
http://abcnews.go.com/International/royal-wedding-king-bhutan-makes-plans-marry/story?id=14707772

(Alokesh Gupta)

Welcome to BBS, this is sherpem sherpa

This 31-year-old would not have been a reporter if she had not attended the national graduate orientation program in 2000. Sherpem Sherpa grew up with this dream of becoming a teacher until she came across the media team at one of the sessions. There, she abandoned her lifelong aspiration. But now, as the chief editor at Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS), she says, "my interest to teach now is more or less fulfilled." She has been training the interns on hosting radio shows and, in-house voice training.

Read the full story here :
http://www.businessbhutan.bt/?p=2014

BBS live broadcast continues on Radio & TV

Bhutan Broadcasting Service continues live broadcast of jont sitting of parliament on both Radio (6035 kHz SW) & TV all of this week.

BBS Live broadcasts on 28th May

Bhutan Broadcasting Service will broadcast live the opening session of Bhutanese Parliament today, 28th May morning on 6035 kHz. The Speaker of the Parliament of India, Meira Kumar, will be attending the opening session of the Bhutanese Parliament & will deliver the inaugural address at the opening session.

Live txn starts at 0240 UTC, address by speaker of Indian parliament at 1100 BST (0500 UTC)

BBS to cover SAARC Summit Live

Bhutan's national teveision channel Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS) will cover the two-day 16th SAARC Summit live. BBS radio will also braodcast the event live.

All the necessary arrangements to provide live coverage of the Summit on April 28 and 29 has been done say BBS officials. BBS has enough manpower and equipment to provide exclusive coverage of the SAARC Summit, said a BBS official. "Through our normal broadcast with commentary in Dzongkha we will cover the two day event," said Panchaman Rai, officiating chief engineer at BBS. "Along with the live coverage, we have also made arrangements to provide clean feed that is without the commentary of the main Summit for international broadcasters." The other television stations can downlink the clean feed of the summit at their respective stations. These clean feeds of the SAARC summit will be given for free. However BBS will also have an arrangement of up linking facilities at the Media Centre on booking basis, which will enable the broadcasters to uplink their news feed directly, said Panchaman Rai. These up linking facilities is on a payment basis in local currency equivalent to US dollar 20 a minute which covers the satellite space segment and payout of the feed. This rate is as per the norm being practiced in the previous SAARC Summits.

This is one of the biggest challenges BBS is taking up to provide exclusive coverage of the Summit with high quality of signal to meet the international standard, say BBS officials. "However, with experience we gained from the coverage of last election and coronation and centenary celebration, BBS do not have any difficulties to cover the event," said Panchaman Rai.
Apart from the live coverage of the main summit and up linking facilities, BBS will also be recording all the press conferences that would take place and provide video footages for free. BBS will also try to broadcast interviews of SAARC leaders.

(Source : Bhutan Times)

Workshop on Digitalising of audiovisual archives gets underway in Bhutan

Wednesday 25 Nov 2009

The "Workshop on Digitalising of Audiovisual Archives" is underway at the Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS) facility at Thimpu-Bhutan from the 23rd to 26th November 2009. This is the first workshop under the project UNESCO-CFI-ABU-BBS ARCHIVING SHOWCASE PROJECT: "Preserving 'Heritage' Archives".

More at :

http://www.abu.org.my/abu/index.cfm/elementid/56878/Workshop-on-Digitalising-of-audiovisual-archives-gets-underway-in-Bhutan

Earthquake on 21st Sept & BBS 6035 off air

It was a moderately strong earthquake that struck around 0855 UTC on 21st Sept, 2009. I was listening to BBCWS's Sports Roundup on 15310 kHz, its epicentre was in Mongor District of Bhutan. It was like sinewave type..low strength..at first..them suddenly a big surge ..then..low intensity...for a while..perhaps..for nearly a minute for the entire earthquake..& the quaking was there after a while...There were several earthquakes of different intensity that were felt in the region within a month with epicentre ranging from Anadaman Nicorbar Island range from August 11th ..& .then in Burma-Manipur Border.plus other regions as epicentre ..etc were felt here in North-east specially in Assam. I felt the night earthquake at August 11th plus the one at around 0855UTC on 09/21. In Guwahati, the one at 0855UTC on 09/21 created panic..& cracks plus slight leaning of some flats etc appeared..as flashed after a while in various TV News Channels ..immediately checked BBS Bhutan on 6035 kHz & 90.00 MHz...& regular Nepali Programme was going on...Later time to time I was checking all the National News Channels of DD plus other news channels like NDTV, Zee News, India TV..Bengali ones E-TV Bengali News..Akash News...& surprised to note it was felt in all North Bengal Areas...Siliguri, Malda..as far as away in Kolkata plus also Dhaka,Bangladesh ...Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang ...in the opposite side ...also in Lhasa..in Tibet.

Update - 23rd Sept 09

BBS is still off the air as per my latest check on 6035 kHz on 23rd Sept at 0859 UTC, however, its FM Relay on 90.00 MHz is loud & clear .... there may be problem again with BBS shortwave transmitter.

73,

Gautam Sharma

Abhayapuri, Assam, India

BBS Annual Report 2007

Bhutan Broadcasting Service Annual Report 2007 is now available for download using this link :

http://www.bbs.com.bt/annualreport07.pdf

Lot of interesting info & photo's of BBS, there is a photo of 100 kW SW Txer at Sangaygang,Thimpu on Page 10.

Excerpts from the Annual Report .....

TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT

Technical Department continued to upgrade and strengthen BBS's technical capacity to gather and disseminate news and programmes. New satellite technologies were successfully introduced and effectively used particularly during the mock elections and the National Council elections.

The following FM and Television transmitters were installed to enhance our Radio and TV transmission in 2007:
- 150W TV Transmitter installed at Yonphula,
- 500 W FM Transmitter and 150 Watts VHF TV Transmitter at Jabjey, Paro
- 500 W FM Transmitter and 150 Watts VHF TV Transmitter at Saureni, Samtse
- 500 W FM Transmitter and 150 Watts VHF TV Transmitter at Thonphu Gompa, Pema Gatshel
- 500 W FM Transmitter at Rameytay, Phuentsholing (accordingly the 1 KW FM Transmitter at Takti which serviced Phuentsholing was replaced with 5 watts solar powered FM Transposer to counter frequent power surge)
- 250 Watts FM Transmitter at Bumthang
- 100 Kilo Watt shortwave transmitter with Digital Radio Mondale (DRM) capability was commissioned.

With these installations most of Trashigang, some part of Mongar, most of Pemagatshel and Samtse dzongkhag could receive live TV signal for the first time using simple Yagi antenna. Similarly FM signal was strengthened in Bumthang, Pemagatshel, Paro, Chukha and Samtse. With the commissioning of the 100 KW shortwave transmitters, the Bhutanese population is able to listen to very high quality reception through short wave radio. Integration work for BBS/Kuzoo FM Audio was done using Multi Channel Per Carrier (MCPC) system. With this BBS satellite system could handle more FM audio for linking with remote stations.The BBS earth station is now transmitting three channels (BBS TV, BBS Radio and Kuzoo FM) through a single carrier of 6 MHz bandwidth via satellite.

The construction of the new TV centre with assistance from the Government of India continued during this period. Work for the supply, installation, testing and commissioning of two digital studio and automation facilities for the new TV centre was awarded to M/s Essel Shyam Technologies Ltd. Noida, India. Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) terminals, provided under Government of Japan grant aid, were used for the first time and enabled live reports from different places especially during the mock elections and NC elections. The project for installation of Television Receive Only (TVRO) systems at 172 geogs was signed. The project is funded by the Government of Japan through UNDP as part of institutional and human capacity building in preparation for the first ever democratic elections. Through this project, all 172 geogs in the country which have no access to the television network will be able to receive BBS TV signal. Phase II of JICA Technical Cooperation project started from September 2007 after the arrival of new JICA Expert. This new project will bring support to BBS in the form of content development and training along with some short term consultancies. Under Grant Aid from the Government of Japan, the basic design team finalized the main components of the project as follows:

1. Purchase of 1 4WD Satellite News Gathering Van
2. Setting up of Master Control System
3. Establishment of transmission system for Bureaus using Bhutan Telecom link
4. Purchase of News and Production Equipment for Bureaus
5. Purchase of Equipment for Continuity Studio
6. Purchase of Maintenance Equipment and Tools
Five BBS regional bureaus are included in the project: Kanglung, Jakar, Wangdue Phodrang, Paro and Phuentsholing.

Bhutan Broadcasting Service new 100 Kw Txer Inaugrated

Bhutan Broadcasting Service Corporation inaugurated the installation of a new 100 kilowatt THOMSON TSW 2100D DRM short wave radio transmitter on 10th August,2007.
The inaugural ceremony of the installation of the new transmitter was attended by the Indian Ambassador to Bhutan, Sudhir Vyas. Also present were the Information and communications minister, Lyonpo Leki Dorji and other government officials.
Addressing the gathering, the information and communications minister Lyonpo Leki Dorji said Bhutan being a mountainous country with rugged terrain, isolated and inaccessible settlements and far flung communities, BBS radio remains the most powerful medium to inform, educate and entertain the masses.
Speaking at the function, the Managing Director of the Bhutan Broadcasting Service Corporation, Mingbo Dukpa said Radio and TV are powerful tools of communication. He said any development to further enhance the capacity of the broadcast media marks an important milestone in the developme nt of the country.
BBS radio has come a long way since it was established as an amateur radio station in 1973. BBS Radio today broadcast 100 hours of News and Programs in 4 languages in a week.
Since its inception, BBS Radio has become the source of news and information for Bhutanese who live in scattered rural settlements across the kingdom.
Its importance cannot be emphasized with historic changes taking place in the country. With today’s inauguration of the new 100 kilowatt shortwave transmitter, BBS Radio can reach listeners around the globe as far as New Zealand and Netherlands.
The short wave transmitter was installed with financial support from the Indian Government.
This DRM capable 100 kW transmitter was installed in Sangaygang, 2660 meters above sea level and test transmissions were already going on.Transmitter was not being operated on DRM mode due to problem with the RF Exciter.However the problem has been rectified & they are having occassional DRM tests during txn b/down times with power output of only 25 watts.

Links :
THOMSON TSW 2100 D DRM 100 KW SW TXER
http://www.transmitter.be/tbm-tsw2100d.html