Messages

91

Equipment / RETRO RECEIVER REVIEW #10 - The DRAKE SPR-4

« on: June 09, 2017, 0947 UTC »

It’s been nearly three months since we published our last Retro Review by special MEDXR contributor Craig Seager VK2HBT. But this time, he has come up with a classic receiver for us to explore.

http://medxr.blogspot.com.au/2017/06/retro-receiver-review-10-drake-spr-4.html

92

Shortwave Broadcast / Re: Low Powered Canadian Making it to Australia!

« on: June 09, 2017, 0548 UTC »

It's actually a really good example of grayline propagation, which only happens when there's enough darkness at my end (i.e. June-July). This map (link below) was made at around 0745 UTC - 5.45pm at Mount Evelyn - 5:15am at St John. It's around this time that CKZN fades out. So currently there's about a 45-60 min window of opportunity to hear it. This may lengthen a few minutes as we get closer to our shortest day (June 21).

https://flic.kr/p/Uk6pkm

93

Shortwave Broadcast / Re: Low Powered Canadian Making it to Australia!

« on: June 09, 2017, 0507 UTC »

According to the 2017 WRTH, they transmit on 1 kW of power. Not much, but on the other hand it's a bit more than 300 W.

My apologies. You are correct. Thanks for spotting the error. 

94

Shortwave Broadcast / Re: Low Powered Canadian Making it to Australia!

« on: June 08, 2017, 2357 UTC »

We only hear CKZN in winter here, and only if the channel remains clear and as long as there is no QRM from adjacent channels. Under the right conditions, it appears to propagate quite well. Indeed, it does exceedingly well for its 300w output. But it's not there every night. Last night I heard nothing, and 6070 was also barely audible.

95

Shortwave Broadcast / Re: Gannan PBS

« on: June 08, 2017, 2352 UTC »

Apologies for the earlier typing error - I had 5920 instead of 5970 kHz. I've corrected the original post.

96

Shortwave Broadcast / 3260 Madang

« on: June 08, 2017, 1133 UTC »

3260 PNG - Madang. Nothing heard tonight at around 1000. Noted it around 1110 for several minutes and good strength, then it suddenly disappeared again. Tech problems or power outages perhaps....... Monitored the frequency till 1135 but heard nothing more. June 8.

97

Shortwave Broadcast / Low Powered Canadian Making it to Australia!

« on: June 08, 2017, 1127 UTC »

6070   CANADA. CFRX - Toronto. F/in around 0515 with the usual early morning chatter, adverts and rock music. This is the earliest I have ever heard this station, and indicates that current winter DX conditions are very healthy to that part of the world. Weak signal but strengthened to a fair level over the next few hours, June 6.

6159.97   CANADA. CKZN - St John NL. Instrumental jazz music at 0555, canned annct for a program (didn't get the name….John something?) on Saturday mornings on "CBC Radio 1". News at 0600. Not often heard and I've never monitored it at Mount Evelyn until now. Very weak signal. June 6. And again on June 7 at 0709 with a current affairs program focusing on the blockage crisis in Qatar. Slightly better signal on this day and started to fade by 0745 (5:15 am in St John).

98

Shortwave Broadcast / UNID - 6020 kHz

« on: June 08, 2017, 1126 UTC »

6020   UNIDENTIFIED. Believed to be Voice of Vietnam - Buon Ma Thuot with the Network 4 Minorities service at 1050. Two long traditional songs, then anncts and into a news report at 1100. Couldn't identify the language, definitely not Vietnamese. Very weak signal which made for difficult listening. This is sometimes heard with better strength here during the summer evenings. June 8.

99

Shortwave Broadcast / R. Dif. Roraima

« on: June 08, 2017, 1125 UTC »

4875.24   BRAZIL. R. Difusora Roraima - Boa Vista RR. At 1002 with pop ballads programming and occasional canned adverts. Poor signal and faded by 1015, June 8.

100

Shortwave Broadcast / Gannan PBS

« on: June 08, 2017, 1124 UTC »

5970   CHINA. Gannan PBS - Tianshui, Hezuo, Gansu Province. Managed to catch the s/on at 1020 with anncts and national anthem. Tibetan service with Chinese orchestral music programming. News reports at 1030. This is one of the few lower powered Chinese transmitters at 15 kW into a non-directional antenna. Not easily heard here and a weak signal. Nothing heard on its // 3990 outlet. June 8.

101

Shortwave Broadcast / Unscheduled WWRB Strangeness....

« on: June 04, 2017, 1134 UTC »

9370   USA. WWRB - Morrison TN. Weird singing, shouting, talking, groaning and general strange noises at 1120. Good wholesome Sunday evening entertainment! Overcomer Ministry with an earlier than scheduled broadcast. Fair signal on June 4.

102

Shortwave Broadcast / KCBS 9665

« on: June 01, 2017, 2201 UTC »

9665   D.P.R.KOREA. KCBS - Kanggye. Martial music at 2126, time pips and ID at 2130, into fake news. Fair signal, June 1.

103

Shortwave Broadcast / Voice of Hope Africa

« on: June 01, 2017, 2200 UTC »

4965   ZAMBIA. Voice of Hope Africa - Makeni Ranch. Heavily accented English preaching to SAf at 2035, ID at 2038 as "Live from Africa, this is the Voice of Hope, broadcasting on 4965 and 6065 kHz". Then into a very bluesy Gospel song. Scheduled on weekdays only. A weak signal here, but stronger on the // 6065, Jun 1.

104

Clandestine Stations / DANDAL KURA RADIO HELPING TO CHANGE NIGERIA

« on: May 31, 2017, 2254 UTC »

DANDAL KURA RADIO HELPING TO CHANGE NIGERIA

“It’s easy to overlook the power of radio, when being hit by a firehose of apps, websites, video and social media.  But when you’re out in the sticks, especially if there’s crisis or unrest, radio saves lives.”

An interesting PRI article on Dandal Kura:

http://medxr.blogspot.com.au/2017/06/dandal-kura-radio-helping-to-change.html

105

Shortwave Broadcast / Winter is Coming - Cuba 5040 . :-)

« on: April 29, 2017, 0531 UTC »

I suspect this is heard every night in the US! But here in OZ, it heralds the onset of the winter DX season. This is 3:20pm local time at Mount Evelyn:

5040  CUBA. R. Habana - Bauta. Sitting on the freq waiting for English to CAm, noted the f/in at 0520, first time for this winter DX season. Rapidly improving strength by 0525. Scheduled s/off is 0600. Apr 29.