Shortwave Logs From Alaska!

[Paul B. Walker, Jr.]

Nothing totally out of the ordinary but some signals were much stronger then usual. I listen from Galena, Alaska 300 miles west of Fairbanks and 300 miles east of Nome using a Tecsun PL880, 225 foot long wires, EmTech ZM2 Antenna tuner, Wellbnrook ALA1530LNP loop & DX Engineering HF PreAmp.

7275kHZ, South Korea, KBS World Radio, October 19, 2016 1855 to 1900UTC. My recording starts off with Korean classical music and then an announcement for KBS World Radio, tlaking about when/where/how you can listen and giving out contact information for the station, a short musical interlude plays before the transmitter is turned off. This is about the strongest I've ever heard this signal, A SINPO rating of 54444. The signal is pretty strong but at times, lots of interference from stations on nearby channels. There is some fading and atmospheric noise as well.  Audio of 7275kHz is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1MMKdTdF2c (Walker-AK)

7280kHz, VIETNAM, Voice of Vietnam, October 22, 2016  1901UTC to 1928UTC in English to Europe. My listening begins with a preview of the program and news headlines already in progress and actually almost over. The news intro begins and then the female announcer reads the news in detail. Stories in the newscast include talks about promoting economic development, the national economy and private sector. Another story talked about Vietnam and Belarus, there was a mention of the UN General Assembly. At 1919, the female announcer introduced a Vietnamese song. The female announcer said goodbye to the listening audience at just after 1926UTC then there was a bit of dead air before my recording ended.I would give this a SINPO rating of 45444. There was a bit of noise and fading, but a strong signal overall.The speech is a little hard to understand since it's at lower volume level then the music, apparently. Audio of 7280kHz from October 22nd is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5ougJ5G9Kk. 7280 was also heard on October 19 at 1904UTC with the usual fare of news stories/headlines. At 1915UTC, a short musical interlude played before the Letterbox program started with two female announcers. At about 1918UTC, the announcers read my reception report of 7315khz from October 15th. After the reading of my report, they played a song for me. SINPO for this broadcast would be a 54454, overall very strong signal with good audio and not too much noise, only some fading.Audio of 7280kHz from October 19th is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cw9RMVb2vN4(Walker-AK)


7315kHz, USA, Voice Of Vietnam,  October 23, 2016 0012 to 0019UTC in English to the Caribbean. The reception begins 0012UTC and starts with with a short piece of interlude music. A female announcer then comes on and discusses Hmong people and not knowing or having last names. At 0016UTC, another short bit of interlude music plays again then they do a segment on "major developments in Vietnam this week", they appear to be discussing new laws and economic development. I would give this broadcast a SINPO rating of 45324. The signal was overall pretty good but there was a fair amount of fading which made it a bit hard to listen to. Audio of 7315kHz here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1O8m1UJEGew (Walker-AK)

9420kHz, GREECE, Voice of Greece October 21, 2016 2148UTC to 2203UTC. Greece is heard here from time to time, but usually pretty weak. This broadcast includes their standard fare of Greek music. SINPO rating for this broadcast is 45534. The signal is great but propagaiton is fairly disturbed making for choppy audio. Audio of 9420kHz is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lP-DFeWthaQ (Walker-AK)

9526kHz, INDONESIA, Voice Of Indonesia, October 9, 2016 2032UTC to 2058UTC. There is a opretty apparent whine in the transmitter as it is evident during this broadcast in Russian.  that starts off with a man talking. Around 2047, a song starts to play.  A female announcer comes on about 2056 and I think she gives some kind of closing announcement, I recognize the phrase "Goodbye" said in Russian followed by some Indonesian classical type music playing and then the transmitter is turned off. SINPO rating of 45453/ I'm ratign this reception fair because that whine is annoying and extremely fatiguing to the ears, otherwise a good signal with good audio, not much noise or fading. Audio here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGD7WktomUs (Walker-AK)

9790kHz, ROMANIA, Radio Romania International.
9870kHz, INDIA, All India Radio Vivdh Bharati Service 1600UTC to 1645UTC on October 18, 2016 with their usual fare of lovely, light Indian music.SINPO rating of 55555! This is one of the best recordings I have of the station! You have to hear how good this is! Audio here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwNbyb029oo (Walker-AK)

11735kHz, ZANZIBAR, Zanzibar Broadcasting Corporation 2056 to 2059UTC on October 20, 2016. An excellent signal with music being played, maybe in Swahili? A female announcer comes on to talk at 2059UTC and is cut off in mid stence just seconds before 2100. SINPO rating on this broadcast is 55545. The signal is steady and strong, propagaiton is just a bit choppy and garbled up. This is a pretty good signal from them, but not the best I've ever had them. They've been a local AM station like signal at times. Audio here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKKU07Ueses(Walker-AK)


11735kHz, NORTH KOREA, Voice of Korea October 17, 2016 028UTC to 0550 UTC.The English service broadcast to "Latin America". Usual fare of propaganda talk,military/marching/orchaestral music. Super strong signal, SINPO rating for this broadcast of 6666!! Audio of 11735kHz here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3NQWbRnecw (Walker-AK)

12019kHz VIETNAM, Voice Of Vietnam, 2329UTC to 0000UTC October 22, 2016.English to Indonesia. Broadcast began at 2330UTC with the interval tune and then female announcer talking about whats coming up on todays show while going over news headlines as well then the news theme music playing followed by headlines in detail. at about 2351, the female announcer begins to talk about a song and then the song plays. Just a few seconds before 2358, the female announcer talks after the song ends and says goodbye to the listening audience. There's a little bit of dead air before the transmitter is turned off. I would give this broadcast a SINPO rating of 34222. The signal was OK, strength wise but alot of noise and some fading made getting exact details tough to gather Audio of 12019kHz here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZrhtrh3YaA (Walker-AK)

12035kHz, MONGOLIA, Voice of Mongolia. 0859 to 0930UTC October 9, 2016 The broadcast starts off with the very recognizable interval tune, a male announcing the name of the station. A female announcer comes on, mentioning what times and frequencies people can listen into the english show with a mention of the station website. Another female announcer then begins the show welcoming folks to the Sunday music show, with a news segment beginning the show A song begins at about 3 minutes and 15 seconds into the show an the female announcer introduces the song prior to it starting, but I can't understand the name of the song or artist. The announcer is talking about the music at about 0926UTC then thanks everyone for listening and says goodbye. An upbeat current Mongolian songs then plays and gets cut off with the transmitter being turned off. I would give this broadcast a SINPO Rating of 45344. The signal was pretty good and there was no interference but there was a moderate about of fading and slight bit of choppy propagation. Audio of 12035kHz here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxh3XbtVlko (Walker-AK)

15590kHz,THAILAND, Radio Thailand. October 12, 2016 2358UTC. The broadcast begins with time pips just before 0000UTC on October 13th and then an announcer saying "This is Radio Thailand's World Service....Broadcasting from Bangkok, this is Radio Thailand's World Service". Some orchestral type music plays before an announcer introduces Radio Thailand news from the public relations department office.  A Female and male anchor team begin the broadcast with a brief preview of national and global news headlines then going into those headlines in detail with stories including Bureau of Royal Household discussing the health of His Majesty The King and a Prime Minister's cancellation of his duties. A global news story includes a coast guard story and a business news story on political intervention. I would give this broadcast a SINPO rating of 45344. The broadcast was overall very listenable but there was a very high amount of fading and atmospheric noise.15590kHz audio here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETAkwLWu4sc . 15590 at 0000UTC and 9390 at 1900 UTC are very regular, stable visitors here. 9390khz had a very solid, steady signal here and segment on whats happening in Thailand on September 24, 2016 at 1937UTC, audio is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQnEexGUBoE (Walker-AK)

15620kHz & 17840kHz, PHILIPPINES, Radyo Pilipinas 0223UTC to 0315UTC.October 22, 2016. Their english service broadcast. 15620khz at 0255UTC is just ending it's  "It's more fun in the Philippines" segment when my recording starts. They give out contact information for the station and then invite listeners to their website to get more information and listen live online. After that website promotional announcement, a music program hosted by a lady comes on with music form Argentina and Uruguay.  I would give 15620 a SINPO rating of 44444. Overall, good reception with a moderate amount of fading and a slight it of noise. Audio of 15620kHz is here: https://soundcloud.com/onairdjpaulwalker/15640-radyo-pilipinas-loop   My recording of 17840kHz starts at 0223UTC with what sounds like a Filipino song. A male announcer comes on and mentions the name of the song then mentions taking listeners on a virtual tour of a Filipino province. I would give this a SINPO Rating of 45334. The signal was ok but there was a moderate amount of noise and fading, with the signal getting worse later on. Audio of 17840khz here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbxmhEqyV7w  15640khz and 17820khz were also heard here a day earlier on October 21, 2016 between 0214utc and 0330UTC. My recording of 15640khz this day begins with a male announcer talking about the station, giving the name as DZRP, RAdyo Pilipinas World Service then news comes on from the PBS News Center and does a long segment on local, regional and national news with an anchor in studio introducing various reports sound bites. I would give this a SINPO rating of 45334. The signal was fair to good, but a bit of fading and choppy propagation made it hard to listen to.  Audio of 15640 on October 21st is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs8ZTwY5aJo. I heard 17840kHz from 0323utc to 0330UTC sign off. There was a song playing when I tuned in followed by a male announcer giving out the station contact information, frequency information, broadcast schedule information, then I think either a station jingle plays or a Philipine national song plays before the transmitter is turned off. The signal this time was a SINPO Rating of 25223. The signal was strong but there was ALOT of fading and atmospheric noise. Audio of 17840 on October 21st is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sr5PUid5x0  (Walker-AK)