Topics

616

Equipment / AM Portables Mega Shootout – 2015 Update

« on: March 18, 2015, 1505 UTC »

A great review of portable AM Radios by Jay Allen.

http://radiojayallen.com/am-portables-mega-shootout-2015-update/

617

General Radio Discussion / Radio Spaceshuttle International - Broadcast on 03/15/2015

« on: March 14, 2015, 1925 UTC »

Radio Spaceshuttle International will broadcast tomorrow 03/15/2015 on 9600kHz from 1800-1900UTC via Kostinbrod (Bulgaria).

618

General Radio Discussion / KBC Radio - Schedule change

« on: March 14, 2015, 1920 UTC »

KBC Radio has the following announcement made on their Website today:Within a few days we will announce some important changes...

The rumor has it that KBC Radio will starting in April to cancel the broadcast on Saturdays via 6095 kHz.
They will then only broadcast on Sundays from 0800 UTC - 1500 UTC via Nauen.

619

General Radio Discussion / Shortwave transmitter in Guyana is being repaired

« on: March 12, 2015, 2223 UTC »

Found this article on: www.radioeins.de/programm/sendungen/medienmagazin/radio_news/beitraege/2015/guyana.html

Unfortunately was I not able to copy the pictures from the article.

The state radio Guyana (National Communications Network) has commissioned the repair of his 2012 failed shortwave transmitter. This is a solid-state transmitters installed in 2010 with 10 kW and operating frequency 3290 kHz. The previously used tube stations are apparently no longer exists.

By the supplier, specialized in the production of such AM transistor transmitter technician Jamie Labadia, the transmitter is activated provisionally on 2 February 2015 and is now running at 1 kW. A new full power operation is possible only after further repairs to the transmitter and antenna.

According Labadia is checked, switch the transmitter on a higher frequency. How has shown is the current frequency in the 90-meter band itself for the purpose of supplying the maximum 500 km away inland from Guyana to low.

In the past, the state radio Guyana also took a short wave frequency in the 49-meter band (most recently 5950 kHz). However, a higher current switching between day and night lower frequency, which supports the propagation conditions into account each different is possible only with transmitters in tube technology.

620

QSLs Received / Pink Panther Radio - eQSL

« on: March 09, 2015, 2154 UTC »

I just found this nice eQSL in my inbox.

Thanks a lot PPR and best 73 into the Netherlands.

621

General Radio Discussion / Amateur Radio based group rescues released broadcast frequency 6070 kHz

« on: February 25, 2015, 0027 UTC »

From Southgatearc.com

When the 'Deutsche Welle' decided to close down one of their 500 KW short wave broadcast transmitters near Munich at the end of 2012, a group containing some German radio amateurs applied for and were allocated the then available short wave frequency of 6070 KHz in 2013.

This group now have an operational 10KW station on the frequency, using the driver stages from the old Deutsche Welle transmitter. The rest of the transmitter was built by and is run by Rainer DB8QC . The licence allow transmission 24/7 but at present most transmissions are on a weekend during daylight hours.

Content is mainly provided by existing Internet Radio stations wanting to get their material "on-the-air" this includes several soceities that remember the days of the Pirate Radio pop music stations in the North sea between England and Holland and a lot of their music content is from the 60's and 70's.

Additional content is being sought and at only 15 Euros an hour, this is not a corporate big business rather a facility where smaller groups can afford to buy time to transmit their content. One such group is the Deutsche Amateur Radio Club, the National Amateur Radio Soceity in Germany, who hope to have a weekly 2 hour slot on the station from mid-March to send a DX orientated program, probably from 6pm local time on Sundays.

The DARC DX magazine will be in the German language and targeted towards German speaking listeners. Amateur radio is an international medium however so there are thoughts of also producing an international / English hour in addition, to reach out across Europe not only to radio amateurs but also to short wave listeners and the general public.

When I talked with another Rainer DF2NU who is one of the group running the station and the president of the Munich South section of the DARC, he told me that they hope to be able to broadcast more often once sufficient content is available however they are already seeing other broadcasters such as Radio China moving onto the frequency in the evenings as those stations percieve 6070 KHz as a free frequency.

Rainer told me that currently "Channel 292" has airtime bookings for 20-25 hrs a week, mostly on weekends at which times it runs at 10 kW output. When the station is idle (as there is no booking), the transmitter power is reduced to 1kW and transmits an infinite music-loop with no actual program. Late evenings, after 8pm local, the transmitter is switched off completely in order to save energy costs. Rainer stressed that the license is for 24/7 so they can use the frequency at any time when they have content.

With a current rate of EUR 15,-- per hour airtime you cannot earn any money. This broadcast station is an extenion of the amateur radio hobby and the group seek to simply cover their costs.

Thinking back to the very start of amateur radio, Hams were allowed to transmit music, news and entertainment programs, so it's nice to see some of this coming back onto the short wave bands thanks to the efforts of groups like this one.

I wonder as we see more and more broadcasters leaving the short wave bands in favour of Internet broadcasting, whether we'll see more licences and surplus transmitters being picked up by amateur radio groups? This seems to be somewhat of a repeat of the situation when it was said 200 metres and up is useless for broadcasting - give it to the amateurs. We all know what then followed.

Perhaps amateur Radio groups around the world can put new life into released shortware broadcast frequencies?

622

QSLs Received / Radio Alice eQSL

« on: February 23, 2015, 2144 UTC »

I received this eQSL today from Radio Alice for my reception report of yesterdays transmission at 2000 UTC on 3905 kHz AM via the Twente Web SDR.

Radio Alice (OM Herman), is broadcasting with 150 watts via a inverted V antenna in the Netherlands (Drenthe Province).
He modulates at about 105% with a little bit processing equipment.

Thanks a lot for the eQSL Herman.I also greatly appreciate the nice email you wrote.
Hope to hear you again soon, maybe already next week during my business trip to Germany.
I will pack my Tecsun to dial the bands and catch some European Pirates while there.

Aanhoudend goede transmissie omstandigheden.

Oliver

623

General Radio Discussion / Radio Blackbeard - New Website

« on: February 18, 2015, 1706 UTC »

Radio Blackbeard has a new website. It can be looked up under   www [dot] radioblackbeard.co.uk

R.Blackbeared can usally be heared on 6950kHz.

624

QSLs Received / Premier Radio International eQSL

« on: February 15, 2015, 2239 UTC »

Just received the below email and eQSL from Jimmy.
Thank you some much for the eQSL.
This was the first time that I caught you show on Shortwave.

Best 73


Hi Oliver,
Many thanks for your logging on the HF Underground site , Premier Radio still broadcasting from Ireland and the only SW station for now!
At this time we were on 6.325 Mhz !
The TX  used is a PLL 75Watt into an X80 Dipole with MFJ ATU still the same.
Check out premierradio.ie for further info.
Thanks again Oliver and a big HELLO to all in Kentucky.
Long Live Free Radio

Best 73's

Jimmy  
Premier Radio International
www.premierradio.ie

625

European Pirates and Private Stations / Premier Radio International 6325 AM 2200 UTC, 2/15/15

« on: February 15, 2015, 2203 UTC »

S3 with major static crashes.
2200 UTC, Music sounded like Les Reed Orchestra - Man of action.
2202 UTC, s/off

Thanks for the show Jimmy.

626

QSLs Received / The Crystral Ship Relay Network - eqsl

« on: February 11, 2015, 2207 UTC »

I receive this nice eqsl for the Monday Night 70's show.

Thanks JP & the Relay Network for the eqsl and the strong signal you have been putting out on Monday.

627

Broadcast Announcements / Grimeton Radio, 13Feb. 2015

« on: February 10, 2015, 0424 UTC »

The World Heritage Grimeton Radio SAQ in Sweden plans to fire up its Alexanderson alternator on 17.2 kHz on the occasion of UNESCO World Radio Day, Friday, February 13. The station will begin tuning at 1430 UTC, and a message will be transmitted at 1500 UTC. 

A message with a theme of “peace” has been put together by more than 200 citizens of Varberg, Sweden, via the “Varberg Calling for Peace” project.

SAQ will not be issuing QSL cards nor post a list of reports, but it will accept brief listener reports. The Grimeton site’s Amateur Radio station SK6SAQ will be active, using a special event World Radio Day call sign — 7S6WRD.Frequencies: 7035 kHz or 14,035 khz, CW, and 3755 kHz SSB. QSL to 7S6WRD via SM bureau.

The vintage SAQ Alexanderson alternator, dating from the 1920s, is essentially an ac alternator run at extremely high speed — can put out 200 kW but typically is operated at less than one-half that power level. Once providing reliable transatlantic communication, it is now a museum piece and only put on the air on special occasions.

The transmitter was developed by Swedish engineer and radio pioneer Ernst Alexanderson, who was employed at General Electric in Schenectady, New York, and was chief engineer at the Radio Corporation of America.

Six 400+ foot towers with 150 foot crossarms support a multi-wire antenna for SAQ. The actual signal radiates from a vertical wire, one from each tower. — Thanks to Lars Kalland, SM6NM

628

North American Shortwave Pirate / Old Time Radio, 6770 kHz , 2354 UTC , 23. Jan 2015

« on: January 23, 2015, 2358 UTC »

Old Time Radio with SINPO 53455 into Northern Kentucky.
2357 UTC, with music and the typical program

Thanks for the show Old Time Radio.

629

QSLs Received / WHYP - New Years Eve eQSL

« on: January 19, 2015, 2046 UTC »

Thank you very much for the New Years eQSL.

What a funny one on Glen Hauser  

73 & always good propagation for the next show.

630

QSLs Received / Channel Z Radio - Tenth Anniversary QSL

« on: January 18, 2015, 1835 UTC »

Thank you very much for this special 10th Anniversary QSL.