22nd annual Ham Radio University (HRU) educational conference

With COVID-19 restrictions precluding an in-person gathering, the 22nd annual Ham Radio University (HRU) educational conference will be held as a virtual event on Saturday, January 9, 2021, from 8 AM to 4 PM EST (1300 – 2100 UTC) as a GoToWebinar online video conference.

Individual registration is now open for HRU's 14 informational presentations covering a broad range of amateur radio activities. Topics include amateur radio emergency communications; the basics of HF operating; communicating through amateur radio Earth satellites; remote station operating over the internet; software defined radios; HF and UHF digital communications, and using Raspberry Pi computers in amateur radio.

More at :

http://www.arrl.org/news/registration-is-open-for-online-ham-radio-university-on-january-9

Radio Free Asia, Middle East Broadcasting Networks Get New Leaders

The U.S. Agency for Global Media announced Tuesday that Stephen Yates will be the next president of Radio Free Asia and Victoria Coates will lead the Middle East Broadcasting Networks. Yates, who was an aide to former Vice President Dick Cheney, replaces acting president Parameswaran Ponnudurai. 

More at : 

https://www.voanews.com/usa/radio-free-asia-middle-east-broadcasting-networks-get-new-leaders

NDR Christmas Special - 24th Dec 2020

NDR Christmas Special special transmissions via Media Broadcast on 24th Dec'20

24th December 2020 (Thursday)

1900-2100 UTC

6030 kHz ERV Europe

6080 kHz NAU Atlantic - North

9570 kHz MOS Indian Ocean East

9740 kHz NAU Indian Ocean West

9800 kHz ISS Atlantic/Indian Ocean(South Africa)

11650 kHz ISS  Atlantic - South

2100-2300 UTC

6145 kHz NAU Atlantic - North

6155 kHz ERV Europe

9590 kHz ISS Atlantic/Indian Ocean(South Africa)  

9675 kHz MOS Indian Ocean East

9740 kHz NAU Indian Ocean West

9830 kHz ISS Atlantic - South

Please send your answer and reception reports to : ndr@ndr.de  michael.puetz@media-broadcast.com

On Christmas Eve, Norddeutsche Rundfunndr broadcasts messages to sailors all over the world in the radio broadcast "Gruss an Bord" or "Greeting aboard" - greetings to the ship's crew in their home country. The greetings to the sailors were recorded at two "greeting on board" events in the Adventszeit: on 4 December in the  Cultural memory in Wilhelmine gear in neutral and on December 11 in the Hamburg Seemannsmission "Duckdalben". Relatives and friends had the opportunity to wish their loved ones at sea a happy holiday and a good new year. The show "Greeting aboard" was heard for Christmas 1953 for the first time on the radio. It is thus one of the oldest existing radio broadcasts in the world.

More about program "Gruss an Bord"

http://www.ndr.de/info/sendungen/Gruss-an-Bord,grussanbord306.html

https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/info/programm/Gruss-an-Bord-So-empfangen-Sie-die-Sendung,grussanbord624.html

Vatican Radio Special Broadcasts on 24 & 25 December

Details of the Vatican Radio special broadcasts on shortwave for 24 and 25 December have now been published at https://www.vaticannews.va/en/epg.html#events as follows:

24 December  1600-1645  Holy Mass in Chinese

6105  7335  (to Asia)

From the Chapel of the Annunciation of Palazzo Pio, Holy Mass in Chinese on the occasion of Holy Christmas

24 December  1825-2015  Holy Mass

English commentary 5970 (to Asia)  6080 (to Africa)  7230 (to Middle East)

French commentary 7305 (to Africa)

Holy Mass on Christmas Eve 18:25 - 20:15 From St. Peter's Basilica, Holy Mass on Christmas Eve presided over by Pope Francis.

25 December  1055-1130  Urbi et Orbi Blessing

English commentary 15575 (to Africa)

Portuguese commentary 17805 (to Europe & Africa)

French commentary 17825 (to Africa)

Arabic commentary 15595 (to Middle East)

From the Blessing Hall, Pope Francis' Christmas Message and "Urbi et Orbi" Blessing.

(Alan Roe, Teddington, UK via WOR list)

Radio Free Asia announces year of the Ox QSL

Radio Free Asia (RFA) has announced its latest QSL card commemorating 2021 as the Year of the Ox according to the Chinese astrology calendar. 

People born in ox years are considered kind, caring, logical, positive, having a great deal of common sense, and live with their feet 'firmly planted on the ground.' They are also considered to be hard workers in order to provide comfort and security for their families, while also highly intelligent and strong minded. The ox is one of 12 animals used in the Chinese Zodiac; the others are tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, pig and rat. 

This QSL card confirms all valid reception reports from January 1 – April 30, 2021. The design was created by RFA's Brian Powell.

Created by Congress in 1994 and incorporated in 1996, RFA broadcasts in Burmese, Cantonese, Khmer, Korean to North Korea, Lao, Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, Tibetan (including Uke, Amdo, and Kham dialects), and Uyghur. RFA strives for accuracy, balance, and fairness in our editorial content. As a 'surrogate' broadcaster, RFA provides news and commentary specific to each of our target countries, acting as the free press these countries lack. RFA broadcasts only in local languages and dialects, and most of our broadcasts comprise news of specific local interest. 

More information about RFA, including our current broadcast frequency schedule, is always available at www.rfa.org.

RFA encourages listeners to submit reception reports. Reception reports are valuable to RFA as they help us evaluate the signal strength and quality of our transmissions. RFA confirms all accurate reception reports by mailing a QSL card to the listener. RFA welcomes all reception report submissions at http://techweb.rfa.org (follow the QSL REPORTS link) not only from DX'ers, but also from our general listening audience.

Reception reports are also accepted by email at qsl@rfa.org and by mail to:

Reception Reports

Radio Free Asia

2025 M. Street NW, Suite 300

Washington DC 20036

United States of America

(A.J.Janitschek, RFA)

DRM 2020 - New E-book published

E-book published - Digital Radio DRM, Stronger than Ever, Looks with Confidence to 2021

In its 100th anniversary year the DRM Consortium salutes radio as the mass digital communication platform for our challenging times. To celebrate the unique and relevant place of radio in people's lives and the progress made by Digital Radio Mondiale in this unprecedented year, DRM consortium has created first ever DRM e-book. Its aim is to give you a succinct overview of the best DRM events, activities and successes in 2020, while offering you a varied and wide digest of information, opinions and updates on DRM and digital radio.

In 2020 the value of the only global, open, all band digital audio broadcasting system, DRM, was conveyed to more people, further afield, than ever before. Old and new stakeholders and enthusiasts were the audience in the 2020 virtual conference rooms where a "show and tell" approach demonstrated DRM's services and advantages in both AM and FM bands.

DRM Consortium introduced new technical development of the extra-efficient use of DRM FM and devoted a lot of attention to DRM's capabilities to deliver multimedia and, therefore, textual information needed not only Emergency Warning Functionality (EWF) but also to facilitate distance learning. This is an area they aim to develop in 2021.

Manufacturers from China, India, Germany, South Korea, and U.K showcased dozens of receivers for AM (medium wave) but also for digital FM and in 2021. As manufacturers will receive increased orders, we expect them to bring larger volumes of affordable receivers to the market, as more countries adopt DRM.

Ruxandra Obreja, DRM Chairman, stated that "the new DRM e-book gives a complete, up-to-the minute valuable information on DRM. The DRM e-book demonstrates that this all band-standard has registered significant progress in 2020 and is poised for even bigger successes in 2021, when millions of new and old listeners will discover and rediscover the wonder of radio, of digital radio DRM."

Download the DRM 2020 e-book here :

https://www.drm.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/DRM-Review-2020.pdf

World Music Radio (WMR) on new frequency 15790 kHz

World Music Radio (WMR) has a new frequency in the 19 mb: 15790 kHz (Previously on 15805) On the air every Saturday and Sunday 0700-2000 UTC. Power is 200 W into a 3 element yagi (due South). 

Testing from today 11th Dec, 2020 (Friday) if everything works ok. I will probably leave the transmitter on all weekend - from now until 13th Dec, Sunday 2000 UTC. 

Reception reports are welcome to World Music Radio, PO Box 112, DK-8960 Randers SØ, Denmark (for a printed QSL-card, pennant and stickers - please enclose return postage 2 IRCs or 5 euro if you can) or via email to wmr@wmr.dk (for an eQSL). Please note that reception reports using remote receivers are not QSLed. I try to reply to all reports within 1-2 months. 

(Stig Hartvig Nielsen)

Band 2 Tropo Logs at 0330-0430 UTC, 9th Dec 2020

Band 2 Tropo Logs at 0330-0430 UTC, 9th Dec 2020

90.4 Radio Hint, Ghaziabad CRS
90.8 Suno Sharda, Greater Noida CRS
91.2 Radio Lok Manch, Greater Noida  CRS
91.9 Radio City, Bareilley
93.7 Fever FM, Agra
94.1 Current FM, Aligarh
94.5 Tadka FM,Agra
94.9 Fever FM, Aligarh
98.6 Radio Bheri FM,Nepal
99.4 Shuklaphanta FM, Nepal, CRS
100.2 AIR Patiala
100.4 AIR Bareilley (Weak co-ch in bg)
100.5 AIR Dehradun 555
100.7 AIR Lucknow
100.9 AIR Kasauli
101.3 AIR Aligarh
101.4 AIR Kurukshetra
101.6 AIR Lucknow
101.7 AIR Meerut
101.8 Kantipur FM, Nepal
101.9 AIR Kotputli +Faizabad mixing
102.1 AIR Mussourie
102.2 AIR Mathura
102.3 AIR Lakhimpur Kheri
103.0 Radio Nepal
103.1 AIR Alwar
103.5 AIR Rohtak VBS
103.7 AIR Kanpur VBS
104.6 Tadka FM, Aligarh
107.4 Radio Noida , CRS

(SONY XDR-S10HDiP + Stacked GP)

15th Edition ofthe Global Radio Guide (Winter2020-21) Now Available

15th Edition of the Global Radio Guide (Winter2020-21) Now Available

Rise and set. Day and night.  For many, that is the most observation that is required of the sun.

For radio hobbyists, however, our celestial neighbor holds a larger influence on our daily lives, requiring much closer examination.  The role it plays in our hobby can be that of a great awakener or a great destroyer.

Now, as we stand on the first steps of Solar Cycle 25, which is already positioning itself to be one of the most talked about solar cycles among radio hobbyists in decades, there is a renewed energy in the hobby for all things HF.  Many are venturing out, some for the first time, into the vastness of radio bands that once again crackle with life.

For this journey, you will need an experienced and knowledgeable guide.  Gayle Van Horn, as she has for the past 30 years, has stepped up to answer that call.

Teak Publishing is proud to announce the 15th Edition of the Amazon bestselling e-book, the Global Radio Guide (Winter 2020-21), by Gayle Van Horn, W4GVH.

"This publication will have wide appeal to amateur radio operators, shortwave radio hobbyists, news agencies, news buffs, educators, foreign language students, expatriates, or anyone interested in listening to a global view of world news and major events as they happen," says Larry Van Horn, co-founder of Teak Publishing and editor of the Global Radio Guide (GRG)

With the help of the GRG, you can tune in shortwave broadcast stations from hotspots such as China, Cuba, India, Iran, North/South Korea, Taiwan, and many other counties. If you have a shortwave radio receiver, SDR or Internet connection, pair it with this unique radio resource to know when and where to listen to the world.

This newest edition of the GRG carries on the tradition of those before it with an in-depth, 24-hour station/frequency guide with schedules for selected AM band, longwave, and shortwave radio stations. This unique resource is the only radio publication that lists by-hour schedules that include all language services, frequencies, and world target areas for over 500 stations worldwide.

The GRG includes listings of DX radio programs and Internet website addresses for many of the stations in the book. There are also entries for time and frequency stations as well as some of the more "intriguing" transmissions one can find on the shortwave radio bands.

Gayle has also updated her now famous SDRBuyer's Guide, a must-have compendium that helps you navigate through revolutionary world of software-defined radios (SDRs), the digital frontier of the radio hobby.

New in this15thedition of the GRG, Gayle dives into how and where to hear exotic shortwave stations transmitting in the world's tropical radio bands. Located in the lower portion of the HF spectrum, these stations serve as a window into the culture and daily lives of countries not served by large international broadcast stations.  Even in an increasingly connected and digital world, for many of the citizens in these countries, these radio stations serve as the only source of news and information they have at their disposal.

Spectrum Monitor magazine editor, Ken Reitz checks in with a primer on where you can hear global radio and television media broadcasters via satellite.

Fred Waterer, also of Spectrum Monitor, checks in with a feature on listening to music from around the globe on shortwave. There is a nostalgic look back at radio in 1922 by our friends at AWR Wavescan. Teak Publishing's Larry Van Horn will give the reader an exclusive tour of frequencies and radio services below 530 kHz in Radio's Basement Bands.

Whether you monitor shortwave radio broadcasts, amateur radio operators, or aeronautical, maritime, government, or military communications in the HF radio spectrum, this book has the frequencies to help you to hear it all. Teak Publishing's Global Radio Guide "brings the world to you."

You can find this edition of the Global Radio Guide, along with all of our titles currently available for purchase, on the Teak Publishing Web site at www.teakpublishing.com  

The 15thedition of the Global Radio Guidee-Book (electronic book only, no print edition available) is available worldwide from Amazon and their various international websites at

https://www.amazon.com//dp/B08PHX81Z1/

The price for this latest edition is US$8.99. Since this book is being released internationally, Amazon customers in the United Kingdom, Germany, France Spain, Italy, Japan, India, Canada, Brazil, Mexico and Australia can order this e-Book from Amazon websites directly servicing these countries. Customers in all other countries can use the regular Amazon.com website to purchase this e-Book.

You can read any Kindle e-Book with Amazon's 'free' reading apps on literally any electronic media platform. You do not have to own a Kindle reader from Amazon to read this e-book. There are Kindle apps available for iOS, Android,Mac and PC platforms.You can find additional details on these apps by checking out this link to the Amazon website at https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/fd/kcp

Review of the new Global Radio Guide 15th edition:

DRM Consortium Announces Creation of DRM Automotive Workgroup for India

The Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) Consortium has announced the creation of the first DRM Automotive Workgroup for India on November 25th during the second annual NXP India Cockpit and Infotainment Forum organized by NXP Semiconductors. NXP (www.nxp.com) is the number one in automotive infotainment systems and the global market leader for digital car radio solutions[1].  During this event, All India Radio presented recent optimizations of the national DRM coverage as well as upcoming, exclusive service offerings for their listeners on DRM.

Currently, on the Indian roads there are over 2.5 million cars (representing all the big automotive brands) fitted with DRM receivers at no extra cost to consumers.

The Forum was a high-power event including comprehensive presentations on the recent NXP milestones and future plans, as NXP is supplying inclusive and up-to-date infotainment solutions to the powerful automotive industry, the undisputed driver for radio consumption worldwide. NXP, a DRM Consortium member, continues to work hard on DRM firmware development (in the AM and FM bands).

In parallel, another DRM Consortium member, All India Radio (AIR), announced significant DRM improvements introduced very recently like: non-stop pure DRM transmissions with 3 services or programmes on one frequency in 4 key metros, more DRM transmitters for increased coverage, and more varied and exclusive audio programmes and Journaline content added, progress on national rollout of DRM's emergency warning functionality (EWF), and a programme information guide enabled by Journaline. This is doubled by the enhanced visibility and communication about DRM promoted and encouraged by a newly created project unit within AIR dedicated to the promotion of DRM.

All the above initiatives underscore that All India Radio is fully committed to DRM digital radio for all of India. During the NXP Forum the automotive industry was thus strongly encouraged to support and help the transition to digital radio, by making DRM available in all car models, while supporting the full DRM feature set, and  by promoting DRM to customers in cooperation with AIR.

NXP, AIR and the whole DRM Consortium are asking the Indian government for support to mandate DRM reception including EWF – Emergency Warning Functionality – in cars, in a similar way in which the EU has recommended that any car for rent or sale in the EU needs to have a radio receiver capable of receiving services provided via "digital terrestrial radio broadcasting" from 2021 onwards.

In order to strengthen the big role of the automotive industry in introducing DRM digital radio and making it part of the Indian successes and progress, the DRM Consortium announced during the Forum the creation of the Automotive DRM Workgroup for India. This industry body is accessible to all interested industry parties and enables an efficient two-way communication channel with AIR and India's government to ensure a smooth and successful DRM rollout. Those interested and requesting more details please write to: projectoffice@drm.org. 

Ruxandra Obreja, DRM Chairman, said: "The support of big companies involved in the full DRM rollout in India is essential in persuading the government that digital radio in all Indian cars is a way of delivering essential services like information, emergency warning, localised content in the right language mix for the benefit of listeners and digital progress of India."

[1] Strategy Analytics, May 2020

Mighty KBC tests on 14 November

The Mighty KBC is testing from Yerevan, Armenia & Taskkent, Uzbekistan on November 14th,2020 with the following parameters:

6080 kHz, 20:00 – 21:00 UTC, antenna 1780 with 305 degrees, 100 kW

6080 kHz, 21:00 - 22:00 UTC, antenna TAC_01R with 301 degrees, 100 kW

Please spread the word!

(Via The Mighty KBC Facebook Page)

Two DRM Specifications were published by ETSI this week

ETSI TS 101 968 - DRM data applications directory : 

https://www.etsi.org/deliver/etsi_ts/101900_101999/101968/01.04.01_60/ts_101968v010401p.pdf

This  fully backward compatible update and simplification of the core DRM standard itself contains updates to the table of FAC (Fast Access Channel) Application identifiers to include Slideshow and the special indicator that allows lower power monitoring for emergency warning receiver wake-up.

ETSI TS 103 771 - DRM regional text profiles : 

https://www.etsi.org/deliver/etsi_ts/103700_103799/103771/01.01.01_60/ts_103771v010101p.pdf

is a new specification for the regional text profiles, which include the Core Indian profile. This new specification is meant to support the DRM roll-out worldwide by ensuring proper receiver support for local Unicode scripts in various countries. It is a companion specification that will become fully effective when the main DRM system specification, ES 201 980, is approved and published because that has all the definitions for better text handling, the clean-up of the coding and modulation and the extra details for the low-power emergency warning monitoring.

Approval and publication of the DRM system specification, ETSI ES 201 980 expected in early 2021.

ETSI.org is the standards organisation that  facilitates interoperability, security and competitive advantages across all sectors of industry.

Avion releases firmware update for Avion AV-DR-1401 DRM receiver

Avion has released firmware update for Avion AV-DR-1401 DRM receiver, this firmware update resolves the issue of fc-9 in simulcast mode in Avion receivers.

Firmware update and documentation is available for download at this link :

https://www.avionelectronics.in/firmware-software/

DRM radio Software 1.8.4 

Issue 

1. Receiver not getting locked at fc-9 while simulcast mode -> Now resolved. 

2. Manual gain & automatic gain both should be in receiver for any sort of weak signal- >will be resolved after point 1 . 

To upgrade the software please follow below steps:- 

1. Download & unzip the firmware version 1.8.4. 

2. Save the firmware in SD card & insert in the receiver. 

3. Go to settings by pressing SETTING/MENUkey on remote then go to FIRMWARE section by using up/down keys of remote. 

4. Press right key to navigate towards UPGRADE & PRESS OK . 

5. Receiver will start rebooting & upgrading with new firmware & do not interrupt by pressing any remote key/ button or switch ON/OFF 

6. Once upgrade is FINISH or 100% done then make the receiver go MAINS ON/OFF & receiver will restart automatically & hence new software already inside. 

7. To verify software fully inside go to FIRMWARE window & check the firmware version which must be 1.8.4 .

CRI B20

CRI B20 Frequency schedule is available at :

http://www1.s2.starcat.ne.jp/ndxc/cn/crib20.htm

(Alokesh Gupta)

CNR B20

CNR B20 Frequency schedule is available at :

http://www1.s2.starcat.ne.jp/ndxc/cn/cnrb20.htm

(Alokesh Gupta)