Propagation and Monitoring Report

Image - The field monitoring site at the Mortimer Picnic Ground, Bunyip State Park, on June 25, 2009

Propagation
The shortest day for Melbourne has gone, and our sunset is now occurring a little later, at 5.08pm on June 26, (0708 UTC), which will move to 5.12 pm on July 4. While all this is happening, our sunrise is 7.36 am, (2136 UTC) and it will stay that way until July 5 , when it will occur at 7.35 am.

The days on which sunset is earliest and sunrise is latest do not coincide!

This means that HF propagation into Melbourne is now exhibiting signs of seasonal variability – the midday long-distance mode on 6 MHz from Europe, Middle East, and Africa has passed, but 7 and 9 MHz continue to hold up well from those regions, along with Asia and the Americas in the midday window.

During our mid-afternoon, 6 MHz and 7 MHz are not very good for longpath transmissions from the same regions.

Sunspot activity remains at zero, except for a brief temporary appearance of one spot recently, believed to be Cycle 24.

Sunspot Activity and Frequency Management
Negligible sunspot activity has thrown longer-term, frequency predictions into chaos. Many administrations have made, and will continue to make, frequency adjustments for the present A09 season in an attempt to avoid co-channel interference and to activate lower frequencies where long-distance propagation over darkness or semi-darkness paths is required.

Here are some monitoring results in the 0100 to 0200 window on 9 MHz which demonstrate the high level of spectrum occupancy in this band, as observed here in Melbourne on June 26, 2009, with some new or changed A09 relay usages included (shown asterisked)

9350 TAJIKSTAN RFA-Dushanbe, Uighur
9365 KUWAIT RFE, Tibetan
9380 SRI LANKA VOA-Iranawela, Pashto
9400 BULGARIA R. Sofia, Spanish
9410 CHINA CRI-Kashi, English
9420 GREECE VOG, Greek
9440 CZECH REP. R. Prague, various langs
9450 * PORTUGAL RN-Sines, Spanish
9470 CHINA CRI-Kashi, English
9490 * LITHUANIA RFA, Uighur
9505 * ENGLAND DW-Rampisham, German
9525 ROMANIA RRI, Romanian
9535 SPAIN REE, Spanish
9545 ENGLAND R. Republica, Spanish
9570 ALBANIA CRI-Cerrick, English
9595 CHINA CRI-Kashi, Spanish
9620 SPAIN REE, Spanish
9635 INDIA AIR, Sindhi
9650 VATICAN VR-SMG, various
9655 IRAN VOIRI, Spanish
9665 MOLDOVA VOR-Kishinov, English
9680 INDONESIA RRI, National network
9685 SRI LANKA DW-Trincomalee, Russian
9700 BULGARIA R. Sofia, French
9710 CHINA CRI-Kashi, Spanish
9715 PORTUGAL RDP, Portuguese
9750 F. GUYANA RFI-Montsinery, French
9760 THAILAND RFE-Udorn, Tajik
9780 SRI LANKA VOA-Iranawela, English
9810 * F. GUYANA VOR-Montsinery, Spanish
9820 USA VOA-G, English, to 0130*
9845 * ENGLAND DW-Rampisham, German
9855 SRI LANKA DW-Trincomalee, var langs to ME
9870 INDIA National network
9880 RUSSIA VOR-Armavir, Spanish
9890 RUSSIA VOR-Samara, English
9895 CYPRUS BBC, Dari/Pashto
9915 EGYPT R. Cairo, Spanish
9925 GERMANY V. of Croatia, Wertachtal, Croatian
9975 UZBEKISTAN CVC-Tashkent, Hindi

To finish off, some selections from monitoring research of June 25, 2009, 0430 to 0500, made in the Bunyip State Park, 60 km east of Melbourne, using the Eton, with a 5 metre wire, one metre high! This was at the Mortimer Picnic Ground, on the banks of the Diamond Creek. Good spot!

5025 CUBA R. Rebelde, Spanish
5810 USA WEWN, Spanish
5910 COLOMBIA Marfil Estereo, Lomalin
5915 * ENGLAND DW-Rampisham, Russian
5990 SLOVAK REPUBLIC IRRS-Rimatska Sobota, English (religious)
6000 BULGARIA R. Sofia, Russian
6010 COLOMBIA LV de Tu Conciencia, Lomalin
6140 CUBA RHC, English
7310 S. AFRICA BBC-Meyerton, English

Regards from Melbourne!

Australian DX Report audio news magazine 156 now available

HF propagation into Melbourne, on our shortest day, continues to be represented by good signals from Europe, Africa, the Americas, and theMiddle East during our late morning to mid afternoon periods on 6, 7, and 9 MHz.

I have included a summary of this propagation in episode 156 of theAustralian DX Report audio magazine, which features news and information about shortwave broadcasting, propagation, monitoring notes, new schedules, extracts from schedules, and schedule updates.

Theres also a special segment summarizing current reception here in Melbourne, of African signals in the 49 metre band, 2100 to 2300.

It's 15 mins duration, and may be downloaded from the Website of the Australian Internet Radio Magazine, at
http://airm.edxp.org

The site allows you to listen to the ADXR and other audio features directly(streaming audio) via your MP3 player, or via the site's embedded mini-player. Podcasts, Mobile Telephone delivery, iTunes capability, fullRSS/XML/Atom feeds, and free subscriptions are supported - full details are at the site.

You can also hear the episodes on-air, via WWCR Nashville, every Sunday at 0200-0215 on 5070 and on Mondays 1145-1200 on 15825. The WWCR release is also available as streaming-audio, live, from http://wwcr.com

Good listening to the Australian DX Report Episode No. 156!

Excellent winter propagation in the snow, Mt Donna Buang!

On Monday June 15 2009 I went up to the summit of Mt Donna Buang, 1240 m above sea level, 80 km east of Melbourne.

It was a sunny day, and about 20 cm of snow on the peak!

The views of the surrounding valleys and mountains were glorious – temperature at 1 pm was a warmish 6 degrees! The snow-covered icy road was closed about 500 m from the summit, meaning a careful hike up to the top.

I had the Eton E5 receiver with me, and checked out propagation in the 0300-0400 span, using a 10 m random antenna tossed into a snow covered tree. That’s 1 pm to 2 pm here, almost mid winter!

Excellent signals on 6, 7, and 9 MHz from Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas – no powerline noise at all, as there are no power lines there!

49 mb between 0300 and 0400

5810 USA WEWN, Spanish
5875 BBC-Rampisham, Russian
5890 USA WWCR, English
5905 ENGLAND BBC-Skelton, Arabic
5925 GERMANY RFE-Lampertheim, Russian
5950 USA RTI-Okeechobee, English
5960 CANADA NHK-Sackville, Japanese
5995 GERMANY R. Darfur, political broadcast, Arabic
6005 ASCENSION BBC English
6020 ALBANIA CRI, Cerrick, English
6040 CANADA Vatican Radio via Sackville, French to 0357*
6055 SPAIN REE, Spanish
6065 GERMANY AWR-Wertachtal, African languages
6080 SAO TOME VOA, English
6100 BULGARIA R. Bulgaria, Russian
6105 GERMANY RFE-Lampertheim, Russian
6125 SPAIN ERR, Spanish
6150 ROMANIA RRI, English
6165 N. ANTILLES RN, Bonaire, Spanish
6175 CANADA VOV, Sackville, Spanish
6180 RWANDA DW-Kigali, Swahili
6185 VATICAN VR, SMG, Belarusian, 0315
6190 S. AFRICA BBC-Meyerton, English

41 mb between 0300 and 0400

7205 GERMANY RL-Biblis, Russian
7210 ENGLAND BBC-Rampisham, Swahili
7215 SWAZILAND TWR, African langs *0330
7230 VATICAN RCI via Vatican, Arabic
7255 ASCENSION BBC, English
7270 GERMANY AWR-Wertachtal, African langs
7280 GERMANY R. Farda, Farsi
7300 RUSSIA VOA-Serpukhov, Spanish
7305 VATICAN VR, Spanish
7310 ENGLAND DW-Rampisham, German
7320 RUSSIA BBC-Krasnodar, Farsi
7335 VATICAN, VR, Belarusian 0320
7345 CZECH REP R. Prague, English
7360 VATICAN VR-SMG, French 0325
7380 BOTSWANA VOA, Swahili
7390 GERMANY RL-Lampertheim, Tatir-Bashkir
7400 BULGARIA R. Bulgaria, Russian
7410 CYPRUS BBC, Arabic
7440 UKRAINE RUI, English
7445 CYPRUS BBC, Pashto
7475 GREECE, VOG, Greek

Shortwave Australia - now on FACEBOOK!

I am pleased to announce that a new FACEBOOK social network group has beencreated, with the title Shortwave Australia, and this is a special invitation to join.

This on-line group is for people, anywhere in the known Universe, wishing to discuss and share information and news about shortwave broadcasting.

Joining is very simple and quick - if you are already a Facebook member,call up your Profile page and access the Groups icon, which is in theApplications bar at the bottom left of your page.

Then search for Shortwave Australia, follow the prompts - you will then see some general information about the Group and joining details.

There is also a Discussion Board, with the opening topic "The Future ofShortwave Radio" - this has some insightful comments!

If you not a Facebook member, join up easily at
http://www.facebook.com

Note that Facebook members must be over 18 years of age.

After you have joined Facebook, follow the instructions at the top of this present message to sign up with "Shortwave Australia".

You may post text messages, photos, videos, and links to ShortwaveAustralia.

If you are a member or administrator of a shortwave DXing or monitoring Club, you may post details about your organization into Shortwave Australia.

There are over 200 million people in Facebook!

I look forward to meeting you in Shortwave Australia, and if you are not already amongst my Facebook Friends, send me a message via Facebook or Email and I'll set up the connection!

My personal access URL is
http://facebook.com/bobpadula

Australian DX Report, episode no. 155 available

HF propagation into Melbourne, as we approach our shortest day, continues to be represented by good signals from Europe, Africa, the Americas, and theMiddle East during our late morning to mid afternoon periods on 6, 7, and 9 MHz.

I have included a summary of this propagation in episode 155 of the Australian DX Report audio magazine, which features news and information about shortwave broadcasting, propagation, monitoring notes, new schedules, extracts from schedules, and schedule updates.

It's 15 mins duration, and may be downloaded from the Website of theAustralian Internet Radio Service, at

http://airm.edxp.org

The site allows you to listen to the ADXR and other audio features directly(streaming audio) via your MP3 player, or via the site's embeddedmini-player. Podcasts, Mobile Telephone delivery, iTunes capability, fullRSS/XML/Atom feeds, and free subscriptions are supported - full details areat the site.

You can also hear the episodes on-air, via WWCR Nashville, every Sunday at0200-0215 on 5070 and on Mondays 1145-1200 on 15825. The WWCR release is also available as streaming-audio, live, from http://wwcr.com

Good listening to the Australian DX Report Episode No. 155!

Excellent winter signals across local noon on 6 MHz and 7 MHz

Melbourne is now in the depths of winter, with good snow falls in the Victorian Alpine areas.

The maximum elevation of the sun on June 12 is only 28.8 degrees – sunrise is at 7.30 am (2130 UTC), sunset is at 5.07 pm (0707 UTC) and we are only given 9hrs 34mins of daylight!

Hours of sunlight are now minimal, with good distance signals noted on 6, 7, and 9 MHz throughout our morning, across noon and into the afternoon.

These winter propagation events will continue until well into July, opening up many opportunities for propagation research and spectrum studies on these bands.

Of particular interest is occupancy in the 6 MHz band from mid-morning until mid-afternoon. This is in the 10 am to 1 pm window, 0000 to 0300 UTC, represented by short path signals from Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, and longpath from the Americas until around 0100. After 0100, the longpath mode for Europe/ME/Africa dominates, and signals from the Americas come to us via shortpath.

This is the observed spectrum occupancy on 6 and 7 MHz, in the general period 0000 to 0300, on Jun 11 – many interesting signals for the taking!

49 metres
---------
5930 CZECH REP R. Prague 0100-0200 var langs
5960 ENGLAND NHK-Skelton, 0000-0020* English
5965 CUBA RHC 0030-0100 Spanish
6010 CANADA R. Sweden via Sackville, 0100-0130 Swedish
6030 USA R. Marti 0100-0300
6055 SPAIN REE 0100-0300 Spanish
6070 CHILE CVC-Santiago 0000-0200 (shortpath throughout across Antarctica)
6100 CANADA RCI-Sackville 0100-0300* var langs
6115 ENGLAND DW-Rampisham 0100-0200 Russian
6145 CANADA NHK-Sackville 0000-0020* English
6150 HUNGARY Hungarian Radio *0100-0200* Hungarian
6165 N. ANTILLES RN-Bonaire 0000-0200 Spanish
6175 CANADA VOV-Sackville 0000-0300

41 metres
---------
7205 RUSSIA BBC-Krasnodar *0100-0200* Hindi
7210 ENGLAND BBC-Rampisham *0300-0330* Swahili
7225 MOLDOVA VOR-Kishinov 0000-0300* Russian
7235 IRAN VOIRI *0130-0230* English
7260 RUSSIA VOR-Serpukov 0000-0300* Russian
7270 ARMENIA VOR-Yerevan 0000-0300* Russian
7270 GERMANY AWR-Wertachtal *0300-0330*African langs
7280 GERMANY R. Farda, Wertachtal *0030-0300 Farsi
7290 GERMANY IBB-Lampertheim *0300-0400* Caucasian
7300 RUSSIA VOR-Serpukhov 0000-0300 Spanish
7305 VATICAN VR-SMG *0030-0300 various langs
7310 ENGLAND DW-Rampisham *0200-0400* German
7315 USA WHRI 0100-0200
7320 ENGLAND BBC-Skelton *0230-0330* Farsi
7325 PORTUGAL RN-Sines *0000-0200* Spanish
7335 VATICAN VR-SMG *0040-0300 var langs
7345 CZECH REP. R. Prague 0000-0300 var langs
7350 CHINA CRI-Kashi 0000-0100* English
7360 VATICAN VR-SMG *0230-0330* French English
7365 USA R. Marti, Greenville 0000-0300 Spanish
7365 ROMANIA RRI *0100-0200* French
7385 USA WHRI 0000-0100
7390 RUSSIA VOR-St. Petersburg 0100-0300* Russian
7400 BULGARIA R. Sofia 0000-0300 var langs
7425 ALBANIA R. Tirana *0230-0300* English
7430 SRI LANKA IBB-Iranawela 0000-0030* Burmese
7440 UKRAINE RUI 0000-0300 var langs
7460 MOLDOVA R. Bahei, Kishinov *0230-0330* Farsi
7465 USA WWCR 0000-0100
7475 GREECE VOG 0000-0300 Greek

These propagation modes will continue until the end of July.

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Daytime shortwave winter propagation notes

Did you know that the maximum elevation of the Sun, here in Melbourne, on June 7, is only 29.5 degrees, at solar noon, which is at 12.19 pm (0219 UTC)?

Our daylight allocation, nearing the shortest day, is now only 9 hrs 37 mins, with sunrise at 7.30 am (2130 UTC) and sunset at 5.08 pm (0708 UTC).

This means that propagation from all continents, over darkness or semi-darkness paths, on frequencies below 10 MHz, is now at its peak, during the various windows which exist.

BRAZIL
Several stations are currently audible during our "Morning Brazilian Mode", between 2100 and 2330, with propagation via the Antarctic region/

They include

4915 2100-2130
4985 2100-2120
5990 2100-2200
6060 2135 to 2300
6183 2200-2330 (nominally 6180)

CHILE
CVC Santiago is audible, propagation via the Antarctic regio
6070 *2300-2330
9635 2030-2200

OTHERS, via various propagation windows
5915 THAILAND VOA-Udorn 2230-2300* English
6045 JAPAN NHK-Yamata 2045 Asian langs
6065 S. AFRICA BBC Meyerton *2030-2100* Portuguese
6065 CHINA CRI-Beijing 2135 Mandarin
6070 BELARUS 2030-2100 Belarussian
6090 NIGERIA R. Nigeria, Kaduna 2200-2305*
6110 CHINA Lhasa, 2135 Tibetan
6115 GERMANY WYFR Nauen 2135 Arabic
6125 SPAIN REE earliest longpath signal to become audible on 6 MHz, 0230 onwards
6130 CHINA Lhasa 2145 Tibetan
6175 ALBANIA CRI-Cerrick 2305 Portuguese

Cold climate here now, so watch out for those Brass Monkeys.....

.Regards from Melbourne!

Radio Romania International QSLs show vintage radios

Radio Romania International is now issuing a new series of excellently produced QSL cards, depicting images of radio sets of the 1930s and 1940s.

Here are two of the new QSLs, showing

- Lorenz K10A, Germany, 1939 (at bottom)

- "Radio Popular" Galena Receiver, Romania, 1949, and "Radio Progres" Galena Receiver, Romania, 1948 (at top)

Just what I wanted to listen to Australian Digital Broadcasting!

Strong daytime signals for early winter!

Here in Melbourne, winter officially started on June 1, which is represented by very good daytime signals during the various propagation windows.

49 mb is good for shortparth from Europe, ME, and Africa until about 0000, and returns around 0200 for longpath, 10 am to noon here! 41 and 31 mbs from the same areas are good right through during our 10 am to 2 pm window, 0000-0400.

There is also excellent shortpath propagation from Europe, Middle East and Africa in the 19 and 16 mbs in the 0000-0500 period, with signals following the daylight route, and arriving in Melbourne from the west.

Yesterday afternoon I was out in the Olinda Forest 20 km east of here, and did some propagation research with the little Eton and a 5 m antenna, which revealed the following occupancies:

4790 PERU R. Nueva Atlantida, Iquitos, 0505

4985 BRAZIL R. Brasil Central, 0500-0530, peaking 0515 (Antarctic transmission path)

4915 BRAZIL Radiodif. Macapa, Brazil, 0510

5910 COLOMBIA Marfil Estereo, 0515

5945 GERMANY VOA-Biblis, Albanian 0515

5955 GERMANY RFE-Biblis, Moldovan *0400-0430*

6010 BELARUS 0515

6040 TURKEY VOT Turkish 0405

6090 AUSTRIA AWR-Moosbrunn, Farsi 0510

6180 PORTUGAL DW-Sines English 0400

6185 VATICAN VR various langs 0445
7205 GERMANY RFE-Biblis Russian 0355

7230 VATICAN RCI via Vatican relay 0355 Arabic

7265 GERMANY VOA-Biblis Turkish *0330-0400*

7290 GERMANY RFE-Lampertheim Caucausian langs 0300

7310 ENGLAND DW-Rampisham German 0300

7320 ENGLAND BBC-Skelton Farsi 0230-0330*

7350 ROMANIA RRI Romanian *0400

7390 GERMANY RFE-Lampertheim Tatir-Bashkir 0300

7410 CYPRUS BBC Arabic 0300

Higher Frequency Bands

11980 TURKEY Turkish 0415

15215 ROMANIA RRI Mandarin *0400

15350 ROMANIA RRI French *0500

17780 ROMANIA RRI Mandarin *0400

Regards from Melbourne

Bob Padula

Australian DX Report, episode no. 153 available

Excellent wintry propagation conditions are currently observed here in Melbourne on 41 mb, from mid-morning, across noon, and into the mid-afternoon. That's the four-hour window between 0000 and 0400, with this band now open for the full 24 hours.

Shortpath signals from Europe, Africa, and the Middle East dominate the period from 0000 until 0130; from 0130 until 0400, propagation from thoseregions is via longpath.

The 49 mb band is now open until 0030 for the same regions, for short path transmissions, and again from 0200 for longpath.

Good shortpath African signals are currently audible in the 49 mb band from as early as 1800, 4am Melbourne time, until 2300, 9am, which is two hours past our sunrise.

African signals on 49 mb include:

5895 RFI-Meyerton 2000-2200*

5915 R. Zambia 1900-2100*

5940 CVC-Zanbia 1800-2200

5995 R. Mali 1900-2300*

6005 BBC-Seychelles 1800-2230

6080 VOA-Botswana 2000-2200*

6090 R. Nigeria,Kaduna 2200-2305*

6165 Chad National Radio, 2000-2300*

6220 RTE-Meyerton *1930-2030*

Others of propagation significance:

5945 VOIRI morning Malay service *2230, parallel 7310

6055 VOIRI via Lithuania Spanish *2030

7240 CRI-Moscow 2250

7420 WYFR-Wertachtal Arabic 2245

7440 RRI new outlet in extended band English *2200

I have included a comprehensive summary of these 49 and 41 mb wintry propagation events in episode 153 of the Australian DX Report audio news mgazine, which also features news and information about shortwave broadcasting, propagation, further monitoring notes, new schedules, extracts from schedules, and schedule updates.

It's 15 mins duration, and may be downloaded from the Website of theAustralian Internet Radio Service, at

http://airm.edxp.org

The site allows you to listen to the ADXR and other audio features directly(streaming audio) via your MP3 player, or via the site's embeddedmini-player. Podcasts, iTunes capability, full RSS/XML/Atom feeds, and freesubscriptions are supported - full details are at the site.

Your comments and feedback are welcomed!

The Australian Internet Radio Service is administered by the Electronic DXPress Radio Monitoring Association.

You can also hear the episodes on-air, via WWCR Nashville, every Sunday at0200-0215 on 5070 and on Mondays 1145-1200 on 15825. The WWCR release is also available as streaming-audio, live, from http://wwcr.com

Good listening to the Australian DX Report Episode No. 153!