AUSTRALIAN SHORTWAVE RADIO JOURNAL

Australian DX Report episodes 292 and 293 now available

2012-02-04T08:48:00.001+11:00

Hi there!

Episodes no. 292 and 293 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded
or accessed as a Podcast, RSS feed, via iTunes, or through the embedded
player,
at our website, the Australian Internet Radio Service.

http://adxr.podbean.com

They include spectrum research, lots of information about schedule and
frequency updates for the B11 season, notes about solar activity and
monitoring information.

A reminder that your reactions, comments and news for inclusion are always
welcome!.

Bob Padula,
Host/Producer
Manager
Australian Internet Radio Service

Good propagation into Melbourne

2012-01-27T09:16:00.000+11:00

According to the Ionospheric Prediction Service, Sydney, solar activity on
Jan 26 dropped to 126 (10.7 cm flux) and 79 (SSN). Predictions for Jan 28
are 120/72.

There is continuing excellent propagation into Melbourne in the 7 MHz band
during our post sunrise period, with signal paths from Europe, Asia, Africa,
and the Middle dominant.

This band has become heavily congested during the window 1930 to 2000, and
this is a summary of key occupancies observed in that time on January 26,
2012.

7200 SUDAN R, Omdurman
7205 IRAN VOIRI *1930 Russian
7210 ETHIOPIA R. Fana
7215 CHINA CRI Cantonese
7225 RUSSIA CRI-Moscow Turkish
" GERMANY RFE Lampertheim Russian
7230 RUSSIA VOR Moscow Russian
7235 GERMANY VOA Biblis *1930 Albanian
7245 CHINA CRI Russian
7255 CHINA CRI Turkish
7265 CRI Esperanto
7280 VIETNAM VOV French
7290 MOLDOVA R. Prednestrovye, Kishinev area, German
7295 MALAYSIA RTM Kajang English
7305 FRANCE CRI Issoudin Czech
7315 CHINA CRI Kashi Albanian
7320 RUSSIA R. Rossi, Magadan
7335 CHINA CRI Jinhua Portuguese
" IRAN VOIRI Arabic
7345 ROMANIA RRI Macedonian *1930
7350 CHINA CRI Urumqi French
7360 ALBANIA CRI Cerrick French
7365 VATICAN VR Romanian to 1940
7375 CYPRUS BBC Arabic
7385 ALBANIA CRI Cerrick French
7395 CHINA CRI Kashi German
7405 CHINA CRI Xian Portuguese
7410 INDIA AIR English to 1945*
7425 MADAGASCAR RN English
7435 VATICAN VR Latin Mass *1940-2000*
7440 CHINA CRI Xian Romanian
7450 GREECE R. Macedonia, Greek
7480 SRI LANKA Iranawela English
7520 THAILAND R. Farda, Udon
7530 SRI LANKA RL Iranawela Tajik
7550 INDIA AIR English to 1945*
7530 SRI LANKA R. Farda, Iranawela
7540 RUSSIA R. Dengo Mesopotamia, Nikol. Kurdish

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Good propagation into Melbourne

2012-01-27T09:12:00.000+11:00

According to the Ionospheric Prediction Service, Sydney, solar activity on
Jan 26 dropped to 126 (10.7 cm flux) and 79 (SSN). Predictions for Jan 28
are 120/72.

There is continuing excellent propagation into Melbourne in the 7 MHz band
during our post sunrise period, with signal paths from Europe, Asia, Africa,
and the Middle dominant.

This band has become heavily congested during the window 1930 to 2000, and
this is a summary of key occupancies observed in that time on January 26,
2012.

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Australian DX Report no. 291 now available

2012-01-25T10:43:00.000+11:00

Hi there!

Episode no. 291, of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded or
accessed as a Podcast, RSS feed, via iTunes, or through the embedded player,
at our website, the Australian Internet Radio Service.

http://adxr.podbean.com

It includeng spectrum research, lots of information about schedule and
frequency updates for the B11 season, notes about solar activity and
monitoring information.

A reminder that your reactions, comments and news for inclusion are always
welcome!.

Bob Padula,
Manager,
Australian Internet Radio Service

Australian DX Report no. 290 now available

2012-01-16T10:39:00.001+11:00

Hi there!

Episode no. 290, of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded or
accessed as a Podcast, RSS feed, via iTunes, or through the embedded player,
at our website, the Australian Internet Radio Service.

http://adxr.podbean.com

It includeng spectrum research, lots of information about schedule and
frequency updates for the B11 season, notes about solar activity and
monitoring information.

A reminder that your reactions, comments and news for inclusion are always
welcome!.

Bob Padula,
Manager,
Australian Internet Radio Service

High Frequency News from Australia

2012-01-15T11:42:00.000+11:00

BULGARIA
The announcement about the imminent closure (Jan 31 2012) of all SW and MW
broadcasting from Radio Bulgaria came without warning, but was not
surprising. An on-line petition to "save" the station has been launched at
Radio Bulgaria's website. The SW facilities at Kostinbrad and Padarasko are
to be dismantled.

Unless there is a last-minute reprieve, the article about Radio Bulgaria in
the 2012 WRTH will now become only of historical interest.

As the Frequency Manager of Radio Bulgaria said:

"The solution is that Radio Bulgaria is not necessary now its short waves
and medium waves listeners. The reason - no money for broadcast on short and
medium waves. And who listens to short waves today? Already has internet.
Maintaining the short waves was "Mission Impossible"! Hope dies last. As a
frequency manager in the last 19 years my main task was to provide best
quality signal of Radio Bulgaria in worldwide coverage. There will be no
short waves, there will be no frequency manager."

MALAYSIA
The Voice of Malaysia, External Service, from Kajang, in English and Malay,
has not been
heard here in Melbourne on its listed frequencies of 9750, 15295 or 6175 for
some months and is assumed to have been closed. Domestic broadcasts from
Kajang continue
to be audible on 5965, 9835, 11665 and 7295.

VIETNAM
The daytime services of the Voice of Vietnam, 9850 and 9875, which usually
provide good signals into Melbourne, have been unheard for several weeks and
may have been discontinued. 9850 was scheduled 0400-0530 carrying Dao and
Hmong programming, and 9875 was scheduled 0145-1000 with Vietnamese
broadcasts.

JAPAN
The daytime transmissions of Radio Nikkei, on 9760 and 9595, which usually
provide reliable signals into Melbourne, have not been audible for
some weeks, and may have been closed down. These were scheduled on 9760
2300-0800 (Network 2) and 9595 2155-1500 (Network 1).

SPAIN
On October 31, 2011, REE discontinued its transmissions to Australia, Until
then, those Spanish services were broadcast 0700-0900 on 17770

VATICAN
Vatican Radio is now listed for only one transmitter, 10 kW, from the
low-powered
facility in the Vatican City. This is scheduled on 3975, 0330-0745
and 1700-2315, for a target area of Europe. A new frequency of 6075, from
Santa Maria di Galeria, has been introduced for B11, scheduled 0520-2310,
for Europe. Good propagation into Melbourne at 1950 with Rosario, in Latin.

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Manager - Padula Broadcast Engineering Consultancy Services

Australian DX Report no. 289 now available

2012-01-11T20:13:00.000+11:00

Hi there!

Episode, no. 289, of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded or
accessed as a Podcast, RSS feed, via iTunes, or through the embedded player,
at our website, the Australian Internet Radio Service.

http://adxr.podbean.com

It includeng spectrum research, lots of information about schedule and
frequency updates for the B11 season, notes about solar activity and
monitoring information.

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula,
Manager,
Australian Internet Radio Service

High Frequency Report from Australia

2012-01-11T18:20:00.001+11:00

Good daytime propagation continues from Asia into Melbourne on 11 MHz in the
afternoon window 0400 to 0500.

This band is dominated by many transmissions from China, including some
regional services, which is one of my areas of specialized frequency
research.

Solar activity has fallen (again) and the 10.7 cm solar flux is now 135, and
the daily SSN is 89.

This is a brief summary of key occupancies observed on January 10, 2012,
from one of favourite field monitoring ites in the Warrandyte State Park, 1
km east of central Melbourne, using the E5 receiver and two metres of
antenna,
between 0400 and 0500.

11640 CHINA CRI Kashi, Hindi
11665 MALAYSIA RVM Kajang, Malay
11710 CHINA CRI Urumqi, Russian to 0400*
11765 BRAZIL R. Tupi network
11835 CHINA CNR2
11885 CHINA PBS Xinjiang, Urumqi, Uyghur
11905 CHINA CNR6 Amoy
11935 CHINA CNR2
11960 CHINA CNR1

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

DX Report from Australia

2012-01-07T11:53:00.000+11:00

HF propagation into Melbourne continues to be very good in our early to
mid-afternoons, on 11 MHz and 13 MHz, with all continents represented.

According to the IPS in Sydney, solar activity is still classified as
"low", with the 10.7 cm solar flux hovering around 135, and the daily
SSN around 94.

This means that long-haul multi-hop, multi-modal propagation on darkness
or semi-darkness path on frequencies over about 15 MHz will continue to be
unreliable, but daylight long-haul circuits will be satisfactory.

MALAYSIA
In recent weeks, there has been no sign of any activity, as observed from
Melbourne, for the Voice of
Malaysia English or Malay services on 15295, 9750 and 6175 in its scheduled
period 0400-1000. It could be assumed that these services have been
discontinued. The Indonesian (1200-1400 9750 6175) and Chinese (1000-1200
11885 6175 and 15295) services have not yet been confirmed. The domestic
networks continue as before, and are observed on 11665 (War FM)
9835 (Sarawak studio Malay) 5965 (Domestic Malay) and 7295 (Domestic
English)

11 MHz research - 0300 to 0400
------------------------------
11620 INDIA Urdu
" CHINA CNR5 Chinese
11665 MALAYSIA RTM Domestic Malay
11710 ARGENTINA RAE French
11735 INDIA Dari
11795 THAILAND RFE Udorn Tajik
11800 CHINA CNR2
11840 INDIA Hindi *0315
11845 CHINA CNR2
11860 CYPRUS BBC English
11880 PHILIPPINES R. Filipinas English/Filipino to 0330*
11895 ROMANIA RRI English
11905 SRI LANKA SLBC Hindi
11935 N. ANTILLES NHK Bonaire Japanese
11980 MARIANAS RFA Tinian Chinese
12015 SRI LANKA RFE Iranawela Turkmen
12025 THAILAND RFE Udorn Uzbek

22 MHz research 0300-0400
-------------------------

13600 CHINA CRI Kunming Tamil
13620 CHINA CRI English Xian
13630 ROMANIA RRI Spanish
13655 CHINA CRI Chinese Xian
13665 RUSSIA VOR PK English
13680 N. KOREA KCBS Korean
13700 CHINA CNR13 Mongolian
13735 RUSSIA VOR Vladivostok English
13780 CHINA CRI Kunming Nepali to 0330*

Lots of activity from China!

DAYTIME ASIAN SPECIALIZED MODE
-------------------------------
The December/January midday specialized Asian mode from Asia, historically
appearing on 5, 6, 7, and 9 MHz in the late morning and noon periods here in
Melbourne, have failed to materialize this summer. This Mode was supported
by specialized propagation via reflection off the top of Sporadic-E clouds
above Northern Australia with no intermediate ground reflection, with path
length up to 11,000 km in broad daylight.

This phenomenon was "discovered" by some of us way back in the 1950s, and
its study had long been a target for serious propagation research every
summer here in Victoria, particularly during years of low sunspot activity.

There's still three weeks remaining for this "window", and perhaps it may
yet appear?!

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Radio EDXP - special anniversary QSLs

2012-01-03T07:39:00.001+11:00

To commemorate the 16th birthday of the Electronic DX Press Radio Monitoring
Association (EDXP) on January 4, 2012, special QSLs are now being issued for
all correct reception reports received up to the end of 2012 for the "Radio
EDXP" programs hosted by various international shortwave broadcasters,
titled "The Australian DX Report".

The full colour QSLs show Australian scenes and wildlife, and indicate the
actual transmitter location and the name of the host broadcaster.

The Australian DX Report Radio is the EDXP's long-time broadcasting service,
offering news, reports and schedule updates about international
broadcasting, propagation, and monitoring.

Host broadcasters include:

Worldwide Christian Radio (WWCR) - Nashville, Tennessee, USA. Every week, on
Sundays, at 0300-0315 and on Mondays at 1245-1300

World Harvest Radio International (WHRI) Indiana, monthly
during the "DXing with Cumbre" English program

Adventist World Radio worldwide network, every month, during the "Wavescan"
program, on weekends. This may be heard over transmitters in Guam, Germany,
and WRMI (Miami).

Please refer to the Websites of the host broadcasters for actual times nd
frequencies.

QSL Reports must include sufficient details for validation purposes, and
indicate the date (UTC), time (UTC), frequency, quality of reception, and
interference effects, and should be sent to: Radio EDXP, 404 Mont Albert
Road, Mont Albert, Victoria 3127, Australia. Return postage is mandatory -
A$2 in mint Australian stamps (for Australian addresses), one IRC or US$1
elsewhere

E-QSLs: Radio EDXP electronic QSLs are also available and reports may be
submitted either by Email, to bobpadula@mydesk.net.au or via the on-line
Reception Report Template at http://edxp.org

E-QSLs are picked up at a special Website notified by EDXP.

A longer version of the Australian DX Report, with music, is also available
via the Internet, with a new episode produced each week, and may be
accesssed at the EDXP's Australian Internet Radio Service, at
http://airm.edxp.org

The Internet version may also be heard through:

LowSWR Amateur Radio Podcast
http://lowSWR.com

South Herts Radio
http://southernradio.com

The EDXP Home Page, http://edxp.org has an embedded player which links
directly to the main site.

The EDXP is a contributor to the World Radio and TV Handbook.

Full details are at http://edxp.org

Good listening to Radio EDXP, and your reception reports would be
appreciated!

Background:
The first edition of the ELECTRONIC DX PRESS was issued on January 4, 1996,
compiled by myself and current member Mick Ogrizek.

Bob Padula
EDXP Manager
Melbourne

Radio EDXP - special anniversary QSLs

2012-01-03T07:39:00.000+11:00

The full colour QSLs show Australian scenes and wildlife, and indicate the
actual transmitter location and the name of the host broadcaster.

The Australian DX Report Radio is the EDXP's long-time broadcasting service,
offering news, reports and schedule updates about international
broadcasting, propagation, and monitoring.

Host broadcasters include:

Worldwide Christian Radio (WWCR) - Nashville, Tennessee, USA. Every week, on
Sundays, at 0300-0315 and on Mondays at 1245-1300

World Harvest Radio International (WHRI) Indiana, monthly
during the "DXing with Cumbre" English program

Adventist World Radio worldwide network, every month, during the "Wavescan"
program, on weekends. This may be heard over transmitters in Guam, Germany,
and WRMI (Miami).

Please refer to the Websites of the host broadcasters for actual times nd
frequencies.

E-QSLs: Radio EDXP electronic QSLs are also available and reports may be
submitted either by Email, to bobpadula@mydesk.net.au or via the on-line
Reception Report Template at http://edxp.org

E-QSLs are picked up at a special Website notified by EDXP.

The Internet version may also be heard through:

LowSWR Amateur Radio Podcast
http://lowSWR.com

South Herts Radio
http://southernradio.com

The EDXP Home Page, http://edxp.org has an embedded player which links
directly to the main site.

The EDXP is a contributor to the World Radio and TV Handbook.

Full details are at http://edxp.org

Good listening to Radio EDXP, and your reception reports would be
appreciated!

Background:
The first edition of the ELECTRONIC DX PRESS was issued on January 4, 1996,
compiled by myself and current member Mick Ogrizek.

Bob Padula
EDXP Manager
Melbourne

Special DX Test from Costa Rica

2012-01-03T06:51:00.001+11:00

MEDIA RELEASE FROM WRMI

Special DX Test from Costa Rica

Radio Miami International, in cooperation with our client Radio Republica,
will be conducting a special DX test at 2000-2100 UTC January 7, 2300-2400
UTC January 7, and 0200-0300 UTC January 8, 2012 on the frequency of 5954
kHz from Cariari, Costa Rica. (These times are 3-4 pm, 6-7 pm and 9-10 pm
Eastern Time Saturday, January 7 in North America.) The programming aired
will be Radio Republica in Spanish. The power will be 10 kilowatts.

Shortwave listeners may be aware of the fact that Radio Republica has used
this frequency in the past, but it has been off the air for several weeks
now. Radio Miami International will verify all reception reports with a QSL
card indicating the special tests. Reports may be sent to Radio Miami
International, P.O. Box 526852, Miami, Florida 33152 USA, or by e-mail to
info@wrmi.net. Thank you to the DXing community worldwide for monitoring
these special tests and for letting us know if you are able to hear them in
your area.

Jeff White

WRMI Radio Miami International
175 Fontainebleau Blvd., Suite 1N4
Miami, Florida 33172 USA
Tel +1-305-559-9764
Fax +1-305-559-8186
E-mail: radiomiami9@cs.com
www.wrmi.net

Australian DX Report special New Year Episode 288 released

2012-01-02T07:56:00.000+11:00

Hi there and a Happy New Year!

The special New Year Episode, no. 288, of the Australian DX Report may now
be downloaded or accessed as a Podcast, RSS feed, via iTunes, or through the
embedded player, at our website, the Australian Internet Radio Service
http://adxr.podbean.com

This is our fist episode for 2012, including spectrum research, lots of
information about schedule and frequency updates for the B11 season, notes
about solar activity, monitoring information and a brief review of the newly
published World Radio TV Handbook.

Regards from Melbourne!
Bob Padula,
Manager,
Australian Internet Radio Service

WRTH

2011-12-28T18:01:00.001+11:00

TO all EDXP members,

Has anybody received a WRTH2012 from any source yet?

I am offering it for A$38 to Australian listeners, which includes air
delivery.

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Australian DX Report, special Christmas Eve episode no. 287 released

2011-12-24T09:28:00.001+11:00

Hi there,

Episode 287 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded or accessed
asa Podcast, RSS feed, via iTunes, or through the embedded player.

This is our Special Christmas Episode, with nice selections of Christmas
music.

It includes spectrum research, lots of information about schedule and
frequency updates for the B11 season, notes about solar activity, and
monitoring information.

http://adxr.podbean.com

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula
Host/Producer

------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/edxp/

<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/edxp/join
(Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
edxp-digest@yahoogroups.com
edxp-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
edxp-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

Latest shortwave QSLs received!

2011-12-24T06:16:00.001+11:00

This is an updated summary of my latest SW QSLs received, whhich include
some stations previously unverified (marked with an *) :

ALBANIA
R. Tirana 11635 thin paper colored QSL showing dancer

CHILE
*NHK, Santiago, 11880 colored cd shows "Spring Garden Blooms"

FRANCE
*KBS, Issoudin, 5950, col cd shows cakes and salad

KOREA NORTH
VOK Pyongyang 15245, col cd shows scene in Pyongyang

MADAGASCAR
*Vatican Radio, Madagascar relay, 13765, col cd shows VR studio

PHILIPPINES
*Vatican Radio, Tinang relay, 12035 col cd shows Pope Benedict

PHILIPPINES
*Vatican Radio, Puge relay, 15460, col cd shows Pope Benedict in Turin for
special showing of Holy Shroud

ROMANIA
R. Romania International, 5960 and 17760, col cds shows old paintings
"Cotroceni Palace" and "Cantacuzino Palace"

RWANDA
R. Netherlands, Kigali relay, 9500, col cd theme of "A Dutch Morning"

VATICAN
Vatican Radio, S. Maria di Galeria, 7300, col cd of 75th anniversary of VR

VATICAN
*R. Netherlands, Santa Maria di Galeria relay, 5930, col cd shows scene in
Amsterdam

--------------------------
ALL-TIME SW QSL STATISTICS
--------------------------

TOTAL QSLs 8470

TOTAL CURRENT COUNTRIES QSLd 230

TOTAL DELETED COUNTRIES QSLd 14

TOTAL STATIONS QSLd 1057

TOTAL RECEPTION REPORTS SENT OUT 10,955

RESPONSE RATE 77%

Note:

1. Stats are based on standards developed by the Australian DXing
Federation, based on the "Deleted Country" philosophy system developed for
management of DXCC amateur radio awards

2. Pirate, utility, amateur, hobby, bootleg, harmonics and time signal
transmissions are not included

3. No duplicate frequencies for any station

4. Except on very rare occasions, reports were sent via postal mail

5. Individual religious or political broadcasts are not normally considered
separate
"stations"

6. Statistics start on February 20, 1954, the date of my first SW reception
report, VOA Dixon 9515 at 1000 UTC

7. All reports are for reception spans of at least 15 minutes

8. I have several hundred other QSLs from mediumwave and utility stations

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Propagation and Moniitoring from Melbourne

2011-12-22T10:09:00.000+11:00

There continues to be excellent propagation into Melbourne at many times
over the full 24 hours.

Here is a summary of selected spectrum usage, as monitored on December 21,
2011:

11 MHz, early afternoon 0300 to 0400 - longpath Europe, Africa, Middle East,
shortpath Asia, Pacific, Americas

11620 INDIA Urdu
11625 MADAGASCAR Vatican Radio via Talata Swahili
11710 ARGENTINA RAE French
11735 INDIA Dari to 0345*
11785 GERMANY VOA-Biblis Somali
11795 THAILAND VOA-Udorn Tajik
11800 UAE Sudan R. Service via Dhabbaya Arabic
11825 ROMANIA RRI Spanish
11840 CUBA RHC Spanish
11845 CHINA CNR2
11850 ROMANIA RRI Spanish
11895 ROMANIA RRI English
11905 SRI LANKA SLBC Hindi
11935 N. ANTILLES NHK-Bonaire Japanese
" CHINA CNR5
11980 TAJIKISTAN RFA-Dushanbe Chinese
12015 SRI LANKA RFE-Iranawela Turkmen
12030 RUSSIA VOR-PK English
12035 CYPRUS BBC Arabic

9 MHz, early afternoon 0400 to 0430 - longpath Europe, Africa, Middle East,
shortpath Asia, Pacific, Americas

9500 IRAN VOIRI Arabic
9560 CHINA Xinjiang PBS Urumqi Uyghur
9655 TURKEY English *0400
9705 ETHIOPIA R. Ethiopia Amharic
9740 IRAN VOIRI Arabic
9750 Nei Menggu PBS Hohhot Mongolian
9790 CUBA CRI-Habana Chinese
9840 RUSSIA VOR-PK English
9850 VIETNAM VOV Dialects Network *0400
9855 RWANDA DW-Kigali English
9885 BOTSWANA VOA English
9895 IRAN VOIRI Arabic

MALAYSIA
The Voice of Malaysia, Kajang, has not been audible in Melbourne for several
weeks for
transmissions which had been directed to the Pacific in Malay and English,
0400 to 1000, on 9750 and 15295.

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Australian DX Report special Christmast episode. no. 286 released

2011-12-18T12:32:00.001+11:00

Hi there,

Episode 2865 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded or accessed
as
a Podcast, RSS feed, via iTunes, or through the embedded player.

This is our Special Christmas Episode, with selections of Christmas music.
It includes spectrum research, lots of information about schedule and
frequency updates for the B11 season, notes about solar activity, and
monitoring information.

http://adxr.podbean.com

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula
Host/Producer

Monitoring Notes - 9 MHz band - early evening in Melbourne

2011-12-16T17:41:00.001+11:00

There is continued exciting 9 MHz propagation into Melbourne in our early
evening window, 0800 to 0900, represented by a plethora of shortpath signals
from Asia and the Americas, and long path from Europe/ME/Africa.

Solar activity, as advised by the IPS in Sydney, is now categorized as
"low", with the 10.7 cm solar flux hovering around 130, and the daily SSN at
79.

This is a summary of key occupancies between 0800 and 0900 on December 15
2011.

9570 S. KOREA KBS English
9575 MOROCCO R. Medi, Arabic/French
9620 CHINA CNR2
9635 VIETNAM VOV East Sea service, rel Nat Network
9650 N. KOREA VOK Japanese
9665 N. KOREA KCBS Korean
9675 CHINA CNR1
9685 CHINA CNR5
9690 NIGERIA V. of Nigeria, Hausa. WAf txers are often heard via LP in this
time period here in Melbourne.
9750 JAPAN NHK Yamata Japanese
9765 NZ RNZI
9810 CHINA CNR2
9825 JAPAN NHK Yamata Japanese
9830 CHINA CNR1
9835 MALAYSIA RTM, Kajang, relay Sarawak programming, Malay
9880 CHINA CRI Chinese
9895 GERMANY RN-Nauen Dutch
9975 N. KOREA VOK Russian

Regards from Melbourne, one of the great cities of the modern world!

Bob Padula

Australian DX Report episode 285 available

2011-12-14T11:10:00.001+11:00

Hi there,

Episode 285 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded or accessed as
a Podcast, RSS feed, via iTunes, or through the embedded player.

It includes spectrum research, lots of information about schedule and
frequency updates for the B11 season, notes about solar activity, and
monitoring information.

There are also some nice Christmas songs!

http://adxr.podbean.com

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula
Host/Producer

Australian DX Report on WWCR, Nashville, additional release

2011-12-14T11:09:00.001+11:00

This to advise that the weekly Australian DX Report, sponsored by the
Electronic DX Press Radio Monitoring Association (Australia), is now
available in an additional transmission opver WWCR Nashville at 1700 UTC on
Saturdays, on 12160.

There are now two releases over WWCR:

12160 Saturdays 1700, azimuth 85 degrees
15825 Mondays 1245 UTC, azimuth 46 degrees

Full detail Radio EDXP QSLs are offered, either as E-QSLs or postal mail.
Visit http://edxp.org for an on-line report form template.

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula
Host/Producer

"LOOKING BACK – 1939-2011 - THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ROBERT V. J. PADULA, OAM"

2011-12-13T17:33:00.001+11:00

Hi!

I am pleased to advise that my Autobiography has now been published, as an
internet-based work, titled:

"LOOKING BACK – 1939-2011 - THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ROBERT V. J. PADULA, OAM"

I am inviting you to view this work, at this Web address:

http://bpadula.tripod.com/autobiography

My Autobiography is a Journey, spanning seven decades, in words, pictures
and sound, looking at the most important events and experiences of the
greater part of my life, surrounding my interests and activities, much of it
linked to my involvement in electronics, radio technology, the cinema,
photography, bushwalking, travelling, Australian Rules Football, swimming,
and astronomy.

A significant component of this concerns my continuing involvement in the
monitoring of international shortwave broadcasting and research into high
frequency long distance radio propagation, and antenna design.

My Journey begins in the days of crystal sets and spark radios, and I will
lead you through the succeeding years with articles, stories, images, and
anecdotes about my hobby experiences in electronics and radio
communications, which ultimately paved the way for my full-time employment
as a Technician, and later a Professional Engineer, in the Postmaster's
General Department (now Telstra).

After 41 years with the Company, I left Telstra in 1997, having reached the
ranks of senior engineering management, and since then I have provided
expert professional advice and consultancy in the field of international
broadcast engineering.

I am a Chartered Professional Engineer, and a Life Member of the Institution
of Engineers Australia.

There are 67 Chapters in this work, arranged in chronological order of the
year in which the interest or activity commenced, some of which span many
decades. There are several SPECIAL FEATURES included, and over 1000 images.
Links to sound files are also included.

This work is intended principally for my family, friends, past and present
business associates, colleagues in the broadcasting engineering industry,
college alumni members, and the many people with whom I am in frequent
contact across the Internet.

Most of the activities and events described took place in Greater Melbourne!

I look forward to your comments and reactions, which should be posted in the
"Feedback" box on the Home Page of the Website. Alternatively, you may reach
me via Email - there's a link at the bottom of each Chapter of the work.

Good luck with your exploration of my work - I am sure that you will find
many things of interest in it!

Best wishes for the Festive Season from Melbourne, one of the great cities
of the modern world.

Robert V. J. Padula, OAM (Bob)

December 13, 2011

Excellent propagation on 15, 17, and 21 MHz in our sunrise window

2011-12-11T07:14:00.000+11:00

Solar activity at this point in Sunspot Cycle 24, whilst low, is hovering
around 145 for the 10.7 cm solar flux, and daily SSNs are about 100.

For the first time this cycle, I am experiencing multi-hop, long-haul
propagation on 15 MHz, and above, over darkness or semi-darkness paths into
Melbourne, in our sunrise period.

This is a sumamry of band occupancy observed on December 10, 2011, in the
period 1900 to 2100 (unless stated to the contrtary):

15105 ASCENSION BBC Hausa to 2000*
15110 SPAIN REE Spanish
15125 COSTA RICA REE Spanish
15140 OMAN BBC Arabic
15190 PHILIPPINES PBS Tinang English/Tagalog to 1930*
15195 ASCENSION WYFR English *2000
15225 N. ANTILLES VOA Bonaire French
15240 S. AFRICA TWR Meyerton Fulfulde to 1930*
15290 CUBA R. Nac Venezuela via Havana Spanish
15305 CANADA RCI Sackville Portuguese to 2030*
15330 USA R. Marti Greenville Spanish to 2000*
15345 ARGENTINA RAE French 2000
15350 MOROCCO RTM Nador Arabic (hovering around 15349)
15365 CANADA RCI Sackville French 1900
15385 USA KJES NM English, targeted to E. Australia
15400 ASCENSION BBC English
15420 USA WBCQ English
15450 IRAN VOIRI English *1930-2030*
15480 S. AFRICA AWR Meyerton Arabic to 2000*
15520 ASCENSION WYFR English
15540 KUWAIT R. Kuwait English
15580 N. ANTILLES VOA Bonaire English
15610 USA WEWN English
15620 SAO TOME VOA French *2000
15650 GREECE VOG Greek
15720 NZ RNZI

17550 KUWAIT R. Kuwait Arabic
17625 EGYPT R. Cairo Fulfulde to *2000
17650 MADAGASCAR NHK Talata French *2000
17660 ASCENSION WYFR French 1900-1930*
17680 CHILE CVC Santiago English 2000
17695 ZAMBIA CVC English to 2000*
17755 SPAIN REE Spanish
17790 CANADA RCI Sackville French
17885 ASCENSION BBC Hausa to 2000*

21690 F. GUYANA RFI-Montsinery French 1940

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Australian DX Report episode 284 available

2011-12-06T18:13:00.001+11:00

Hi there,

Episode 284 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded or accessed as
a Podcast, RSS feed, via iTunes, or through the embedded player.

It includes spectrum research, lots of information about schedule and
frequency updates for the B11 season, notes about solar activity, and
monitoring information.

There are also some good Christmas songs!

http://adxr.podbean.com

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula
Host/Producer

Propagation and Monitoring

2011-12-01T12:52:00.001+11:00

The latest report from IPS in Sydney says that the 10.u7 cm solar flux has
fallen to 141, and the daily SSN has dropped to 95. These values are
expected to decrease to 140 and 91 in the next couple of days.

So, multi-hop long-haul propagation on darkness, or semi-darkness paths
above 12 MHz will not be
very reliable for the immediate future!

Here in Melbourne there has been some interesting propagation in our sunrise
period on 15 MHz, from the east, mainly the Americas and Africa.

This a summary of important frequency occupancies I made on November 30,
between 2000 and 2030:

15195 ASCENSION WYFR English
15385 USA KJES Vado, New Mexico, Spanish - primary target area is listed as
Eastern Australia!
15400 ASCENSION BBC English
15420 USA WBCQ English
15480 S. AFRICA AWR-Meyerton Arabic
15520 ASCENSION WYFR English
15580 N. Antilles VOA English
15620 BOTSWANA VOA French

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

DX Report from Australia over AWR Wavescan

2011-12-01T12:50:00.000+11:00

I produce the special monthly DX feature "DX Report from Australia" in AWR's
Wavescan program, in which I offer full detailed E-QSLs or hard-copy QSLs
showing Australian scenery and wildlife.

These shows are sponsored by the Electronic DX Press.

The most recent show was on November 28, broadcast over WRMI Miami, KSDA
Guam, Meyerton, Nauen and Wertachtal.

A listener in India sent in a very comprehensive QSL report, via the on-line
Report Form Template at http://edxp.org and I have sent him an E-QSL showing
an Australian Christmas theme.

I'd like to share his comments with you:

Your comments about our program:
EDXP report has always been one of my favorite sources of Dx info on
WAVESCAN over the years. EDXP report is a ready source of information for
Dxers in Asia-Pacific region like me who have little access to the internet
or WRTH and hence, mostly depend on shortwave radio for exact information
and DX log details & info.

I greatly appreciate your effort.

Thanks for sharing all these vital DX info and also a special thanks goes
out to Bob Padula for his detailed research and effort in making each EDXP
report so informative over the years.

Bob I like your way of presentation when you read out the logs, your
pronunciation makes it easy for me to note down all the log details exactly.
Keep up the good work guys ! I would look forward to receive EDXP e-QSL
soon. 73's

Your receiver:
Sony ICF-SW22 (Portable World Receiver) with Sony AN71 Reel Antenna (2
Meters)

So it seems that the Australian accent is easily understood!

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Australian DX Report episode 283 available

2011-11-29T07:42:00.001+11:00

Hi there,

Episode 283 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded or accessed as
a Podcast, RSS feed, via iTunes, or through the embedded player.

It includes spectrum research, lots of information about schedule and
frequency updates for the B11 season, notes about solar
activity, and monitoring information.

There are also some good musical breaks!

http://adxr.podbean.com

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula
Host/Producer

Australian DX Report episode 282 available

2011-11-22T19:42:00.000+11:00

Hi there,

Episode 282 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded or accessed as
a Podcast, RSS feed, via iTunes, or through the embedded player.

It includes spectrum research, lots of information about schedule and
frequency updates for the forthcoming B11 season, notes about solar
activity, and monitoring information.

There are also some good musical breaks - the closing song has an Australian
flavour!

http://adxr.podbean.com

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula
Host/Producer

New Radio Books and Products for 2012!

2011-11-18T14:45:00.000+11:00

Hi all,

The Summer 2011/2012 Order Form/Catalogue/Price List from my
mail-order/on-line radio bookshop "Padula Books" is
now available as a PDF file for downloading at

http://bpadula.tripod.com/padulabooks

It includes some new titles:

ARRL Handbook 2012 (comes with a CD) (November 2011)

Practical Antenna Handbook (Joe Carr) - brand new edition for 2012!
(November 2011)

World Almanac and Book of Facts - brand new edition for 2012 (November 2011)

"Thanks for Listening - the History of Australian Radio" (two DVD set - 300
minutes), based on the popular TV series (released 2008)

Plus many others, including:

World Radio TV Handbook 2012 (December 2011)

Klingenfuss Shortwave Frequency Guide 2012 (December 2011)

Klingenfuss Utility Station Guide 2011/2012 (December 2011)

Klingenfuss Super Frequency List on CD-ROM 2012 (December 2010, supplement
January 2012)

ARRL Antenna Handbook (November 2011)

If you wish to order from the new Catalogue, please do not delay! Prices in
the Catalogue are effective until December 31, 2011.

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula
PADULA BOOKS - established 1995

Australian DX Report episode 281 available

2011-11-14T18:27:00.001+11:00

Hi there,

Episode 281 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded or accessed as
a Podcast, RSS feed, or through the embedded player.

It includes spectrum research, lots of information about schedule and
frequency updates for the forthcoming B11 season, notes about solar
activity, and monitoring information.

There are also some good musical breaks - the closing song has an African
flavour!

http://adxr.podbean.com

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula
Host/Producer

Solar activity and propagation

2011-11-08T08:39:00.001+11:00

Hey all!

Did you know that Solar Activity has increased significantly?

Latest data from IPS in Sydney Nov 7 2011 is that the 10.7 cm solar flux
rose to 175 and the daily SSN increased to 129.

IPS has classified this level of activity as "moderate".

This high level of activity is not much good to me for reseaching daytime
propagation modes from Africa and Asia on the lower frequencies, due to
increased ionospheric absorption on multi-hop paths below 12 MHz.

I did some monitorong research over at the Warrandyte State Park yesterday
afternoon - some interesting occupancies on 15 MHz, as lower frequencies
were useless, in the window 0400 to 0430.

Here are some extracts, lots of daylight (shortpath) propagation from Middle
East and Europe.

15190 BRAZIL R. Inconfidencia
15210 INDIA Farsi
15220 ROMANIA RRI English
15260 IRAN Swahili
15285 S. ARABIA Swahili
15335 KUWAIT Azadi, Dari

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

B11 operating schedules

2011-11-08T08:37:00.000+11:00

Hi all!

The B11 Master Schedule is available for downloading at the Nagoya DXers
Circle website.

This schedule is updated frequently and is an excellent reference to current
HF broadcasting activity

http://www1.m2.mediacat.ne.jp/binews/bib11.zip

The HFCC Master Schedule is another good reference, but excludes certain
broadcasters which do not participate in the HFCC/ITU frequency planning
processes, such as those in North Korea, Cuba, and Taiwan. Languages for IBB
transmissions are not shown. Schedules for individual broadcasters are also
shown. This information is updated often.

It's at http://hfcc.org

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Australian DX Report episode 280 available

2011-11-06T08:01:00.001+11:00

Hi there,

Episode 280 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded or accessed as
a Podcast, RSS feed, or through the embedded player.

It includes spectrum research, lots of information about schedule and
frequency updates for the forthcoming B11 season, notes about solar
activity, and monitoring information.

There are also some good musical breaks - the closing song has an African
flavour!

http://adxr.podbean.com

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula
Host/Producer

Propagation

2011-11-02T19:40:00.000+11:00

To all,

The weekly Prop Reports published at the ARRL website can be quite out of
date!

There are daily reports issued by the IPS in Sydney, which provide a much
more realistic indication of current solar activity and forecasts up to
three days ahead.

The latest report, of November 1 advises that solar activity is "low", with
the 10.7 cm Solar Flux at 139. and the daily Smoothed Sunspot Number at 93.

Forecasts for Nov 2-4 are:

Flux 145-150
SSN 99-105

Go to http://www.ips.gov.au/Solar/1/5

The ARRL info is mainly an historical summary, with details about short-term
peaks of Flux and SSN, which can fluctuate widely from day to day.

Here in Melbourne, multi-hop long-distance HF propagation on frequencies
above about 13 MHz on transmission paths following darkness or semi-darkness
paths continues to be extremely unreliable.

As a matter of interest, the 21 MHz band is very lively here in Melbourne,
for transmission paths following daylight routes such as on Nov 2 2011
(applicable mainly to transmissions originating in Asia and the Middle East)

21510 IRAN VOIRI Swahili 0820
21540 MARIANAS IBB Tinian Chinese 0500-0530
21570 PHILIPPINES IBB Tinang Chinese 0500-0530
21580 FRANCE RFI-Issoudin French 0940
21600 IRAN VOIRI, HUGE SIGNAL Russian 0500-0530
21715 THAILAND IBB-Udorn 0800-0830
21725 AUSTRALIA RA-Shepparton groundwave into here 0200-0500
21805 RUSSIA VOA-Novosibirsk English 0800-0830 MASSIVE SIGNAL

Transmission providers have taken a big punt on the use of this band for
shorter-haul daylight routes!

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Australian DX Report episode 279 available

2011-11-02T17:44:00.000+11:00

Hi there,

Episode 279 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded or accessed as
a Podcast, RSS feed, or through the embedded player.

It includes spectrum research, lots of information about schedule and
frequency updates for the forthcoming B11 season, notes about solar
activity, and monitoring information.

http://adxr.podbean.com

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula
Host/Producer

B11 cutbacks for Australia

2011-10-31T08:19:00.000+11:00

Hi there!

For the new B11 season, Spanish Foreign Radio and Deutsche Welle
transmissions specifically targetted to Australia are no longer listed in
the ITU's HFCC Master Schedule, and it is assumed that those services have
now been abandoned.

According to HFCC, the only broadcasters maintaining external services
specifically to Australia are:

Voice of Russia (two hrs English, four hrs Russian)
V. of Turkey (one hr daily English)
HCJB-Australia (one hr daily English)
Croatian Radio (via Kranji) (four hrs daily Croatian/English)
Radio Cairo (two hrs daily Arabic)
KTWR (40 mins daily English)
Voice of Greece (many freqs registered, for Aus and multiple-target areas)
Radio Romania International (one hr daily English)
R. Netherlands (one hr daily Dutch)
KJES New Mexico (one hr daily)
NHK (one hr Japanese, 30 mins English)
R. Damascus (one hr daily English)
WHRI (one hr daily)
CRI (four hours daily English, three hrs Chinese)
RNZI - various services to Aus/Pacific
Radio Australia - 24 hrs - to mulitiple target areas
Voice of Malaysia/V. of Islam (eight hours daily, English, Malay, Chinese)
R. Thailand (two hrs daily English)
Vatican Radio (complex schedule, multi-target non-daily services in English
and Latin include Australia)

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Sangean ATS909X receiver

2011-10-27T11:13:00.000+11:00

To all,

The October issue of Popular Communications magazine features a
comprehensive review of Sangean's recently released ATS909X portable
communications receiver.

This is being offered at a discount deal at Amazon for AUS$237 - price
including shipping to Australia is AUS$268.

Recommended retail is AUS$449

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

B11 Transmission Season

2011-10-25T07:59:00.001+11:00

The B11 transmission season starts on Sunday October 31.

Tentative frequency assignments for broadcasters and frequency management
organizations participating in the HFCC process are now available at the
HFCC Website, http://hfcc.org, at the "B11 Schedules" area.

Of note is the projected use of a new frequency in the 15 metre band, 19000,
to carry Radio Australia programming from the Broadcast Australia site at
Shepparton, 0000-0200, 100 kW, 70 degrees, to ITU regions 56, 60-63, 76, 77.

The only other registrations for the 15 mb (18900-19020) for B11 are:

18910 AUSTRIA ORF Moosbrunn 0900-0935 to ITU 58-60
18910 NEW ZEALAND RNZI 2300-0400 (DRM Tests)
19010 KUWAIT IBB VOA 0530-1130

It is proposed that the 15 mb will be exclusively allocated for DRM services
in the future.

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

New episode no. 278 of the Australian DX Report now available

2011-10-24T11:16:00.001+11:00

Hi there,

Episode 278 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded or accessed as
a Podcast,RSS feed, or through the embedded player.

It includes spectrum research, lots of information about schedule and
frequency updates for the forthcoming B11 season, notes about solar
activity, and some details aboute Sangean's new portable communications
ATS909X receiver.

http://adxr.podbean.com

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula
Host/Producer

Australian Shortwave Guide ceases publication

2011-10-23T08:17:00.000+11:00

To all,

I regret to advise that there will be no further editions of the
Australian Shortwave Guide, either in print or electronic format.

The A11 edition, current until October 30 2011 is the final issue.

The Guide started life in 1995 as a multi-page supplement, known as
"Broadcasts to Australia", authored by myself, which was published in a
now-defunct Australian commercial electronics magazine.

When that magazine closed down, the BTA continued as a service of the
Electronic DX Press Radio Monitoring Association, as a stand-alone print
publication, and was offered for a small charge to members and non-members,
to cover research, printing and mailing expenses.

Its target readership was Australia and Oceania, and it was published four
times a year, but this was later reduced to twice-yearly, to coincide with
the international summer and winter transmission seasons, with over 200
copies sold of each edition in the period 1998 to 2005.

There were various changes to title and content.

In total, 26 editions were produced.

By about 2007, demand had started to drop off dramatically, resulting in
a decision to distribute the Guide via Email, for a small charge, as revenue
was insufficient to accommodate direct print-production and postal-mailing
expenses.

Demand continued to fall, and there was a short-lived reactivation of the
printed edition, which was not successful.

In 2010, the Guide was made available at a Website for downloading by
anyone, free of charge, and donations were invited from users, with
extensive promotion given across many E-mail lists, radio monitoring
websites, within radio broadcasts, weblogs and message boards.

These donations were intended to generate a small financial return to me for
my time, internet charges and effort in researching, compiling, and
promoting the Guide.

The A11 edition resulted in over 1000 downloads, with 95% of these
originating from outside of Australia/NZ, but only three users (EDXP
members) assisted with donations, a very disappointing and outcome.

The extraordinary drop in demand across Australia and New Zealand has been
due to the impact of the progressive abandonment of shortwave broadcasts
targeting these regions.

This is coupled with the reality that listening to shortwave radio in
Aus/NZ for entertainment and news has become an obscure archaic hobby,
pursued by a rapidly dwindling number of people.

In the past few years, various freely available lists of SW broadcasts
have become freely accessable on the Internet, further diluting the market
for such references as the ASWG.

Goodbye to the ASWG.

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

New Radio Books and Products for 2012!

2011-10-21T17:00:00.001+11:00

Hi all,

The Summer 2011/2012 Order Form/Catalogue/Price List from my
mail-order/on-line radio bookshop "Padula Books" is
now available as a PDF file for downloading at

http://bpadula.tripod.com/padulabooks

It includes some new titles:

ARRL Handbook 2012 (comes with a CD) (November 2011)

Practical Antenna Handbook (Joe Carr) - brand new edition for 2012!
(November 2011)

World Almanac and Book of Facts - brand new edition for 2012 (November 2011)

"Thanks for Listening - the History of Australian Radio" (two DVD set - 300
minutes), based on the popular TV series (released 2008)

Plus many others, including:

World Radio TV Handbook 2012 (December 2011)

Klingenfuss Shortwave Frequency Guide 2012 (December 2011)

Klingenfuss Utility Station Guide 2011/2012 (December 2011)

Klingenfuss Super Frequency List on CD-ROM 2012 (December 2010, supplement
January 2012)

ARRL Antenna Handbook (November 2011)

If you wish to order from the new Catalogue, please do not delay! Prices in
the Catalogue are effective until December 31, 2011.

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula
PADULA BOOKS - established 1995

Excellent 13 MHz propagation in sunrise window

2011-10-20T19:50:00.000+11:00

The 13 MHz spectrum is currently offering excellent propagation here in
Melbourne, during the window just after local sunrise.

Frequency occupancy is dominated by shortpath signals from Asia, the Middle
East, Europe, and Africa.

This a sample of spectrum occupancy observed on October 19, 2011, in the
period 1900 to 1930:

13570 BOTSWANA VOA African languages to 1930*
13600 IRAN VOIRI French to 1930*
13640 INDIA Arabic
13660 AUSTRIA BBC-Moosbrun Arabic
13675 FRANCE RFI-Issoudin Portuguese to 1930*
13695 FRANCE RFI-Issoudin French
13710 IRAN VOIRI Hausa to 1930*
13730 VATICAN RCI-Santa Maria di Galeria French
13740 GERMANY Bible Voice Broadcasting, Nauen, Arabic to 1930*
13760 N.KOREA VOK Spanish
13765 VATICAN VR Italian
13800 TAJIKISTAN RFA-Dushanbe Chinese
13820 FRANCE R. Algeria via Issoudin, Arabic
13870 GERMANY VOA-Nauen, Tigrinya to 1930*

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Excellent 15 MHz, 17MHz, and 21 MHz proagation

2011-10-19T09:25:00.000+11:00

Hi all!

The 10.7 cm solar flux is hovering around 125, and the SSN is around 79,
with these values categorised by the IPS in Sydney as "low".

Despite these depressed values, there has been intriguing propagation into
Melbourne recently in the predawn period, from 1900 to past 2000 on 15 MHz,
17 MHz, and 13 MHz.

So, broadcasters daring to operate on these bands for night-time
long-distance multi-hop coverage do so at their peril!

This is a sample of occupancies observed on October 18, 2011:

15190 BRAZIL R. Inconfidencia, shortpath mode over Antarctic region - rare
propagation - 1930 to 2200

15190 PHILIPPINES R. Pilipinas, Tinang, 1900-1930*

15190 USA WYFR *2200 Portuguese

17680 CHILE Voz Cristiana 1930-2000 mega-signal Spanish

17715 SPAIN REE 1930-2000 Spanish

17735 CANADA RCI-Sackville 1930-2000 French, 2000-1000 English

17755 SPAIN REE 1930-2000 Spanish

17795 ENGLAND BBC-Skelton 1930-2000* English

17895 SRI LANKA VOA-Iranawela 1900-1930* English

21690 F. GUYANA RFI-Montsinery 1900-2000 French

BRAZIL on 11 MHz
----------------

There is continuing Brazilian shortpath propagation evident in this band, in
our dawn window 2000-2100, as at Oct 18:

11765
11815

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

New episode no. 276 of the Australian DX Report now available

2011-10-18T07:19:00.001+11:00

Hi there,

Episode 277 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded or accessed as
a Podcast or RSS feed.

It includes spectrum research, lots of information about schedule and
frequency updates for the forthcoming B11 season, and notes about solar
activity.

There's also a little competition for you to enter!

http://adxr.podbean.com

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula
Host/Producer

Spectrum Resaearch - 11 MHz band

2011-10-15T08:25:00.001+11:00

There is continuing excellent propagation on 11 MHz band into Melbourne
during our mid-afternoon period. Good longpath signals from Europe, Africa,
and the Middle East, with shortpath from Asia.

This is a summary of selected occupancies, between 0430 and 0500, made on 13
October 2011 in the Olinda Forest, 40 km east of central Melbourne, with the
Eton E5 and a 3 m antenna.

11625 Vatican R, French
11630 China, CNR8, Chinese
11635 Thailand, R. Farda, Udon, Farsi
11660 Iran, VOIRI Arabic
11670 Botswana, VOA English
11690 S. Africa, R, Okapi, Meyerton French
11800 England, Sudan R. Service, Rampisham, Arabic
11820 Oman, BBC Arabic
11920 Romania, RRI Romanian
11930 Belarus, R. Minsk nat network
11940 Iran, VOIRI Dari
11945 Seychelles, BBC English
11960 Jordan, Arabic
11980 Turkey, Turkish
11995 France, RFI Issoudin English
12015 Cyprus, BBC Somali
12020 Cuba, RHC Spanish
12050 Germany, AWR Wertachtal Arabic

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

New episode no. 276 of the Australian DX Report now available

2011-10-11T19:18:00.000+11:00

Hi there,

Episode 276 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded or accessed as
a Podcast or RSS feed.

It includes spectrum research, lots of information about schedule and
frequency updates and notes about solar activity

http://adxr.podbean.com

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula
Host/Producer

New episode no. 275 of the Australian DX Report now available

2011-10-05T19:41:00.000+11:00

Hi there,

Episode 275 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded or accessed as
a Podcast or RSS feed.

It includes spectrum research, lots of information about schedule and
frequency updates, and notes about solar activity.

http://adxr.podbean.com

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula
Host/Producer

Latest Shortwave News

2011-10-05T06:47:00.001+11:00

TIME CHANGES
Summer Time is now in effect for the Australian States of Victoria, NSW, SA,
and Tasmania and the ACT. WA, the Hutt River Province, Queenaland, and the
Northern Terrtory times
remain unchanged.

UTC +11
Victoria, NSW, Tas, ACT

UTC +10.5 SA

UTC +10 Queensland

UTC +9.5 NT

UTC +8 WA

UTC +8 Hutt River Province

SOLAR ACTIVITY INCREASES
There has been a significant increases in solar activity over the past
week - the 10.7 cm Solar flux has moved up to 140, and the daily Smoothed
Sunspot Number has jumped to 94.

IPS Dept of Space Services Sydney, has tagged solar activity as
"moderate", the first increase from "low" or "very low" for some months.

Solar Cycle 24 seems to be progressing slowly, and the predictions for peak
activity are for December 2012:

Flux 139
SSN 90.2

So these present increases would appear to be a temporarty spike!

BRAZIL PROPAGATION OPENING
Sunday October 2 2011 was represented by an excellent opening from
Brazil, on 9 MHz and 11 MHz during the Melbourne mid-afternoon.

The domnant Brazilian signals between 0430 and 0500 were:

9645 Bandeiranrtes
9675 Cancao Nova
11765 Tupi
11780 Naciona
11815 Brasil Central

Propagation from Brazil into Melbourne in recent years has deteriorated
markedly on all bands, and it's interesting to note these enhanced signals,
perhaps due to the increase in solar activity. This propagation is across
the Antarctic Region, darkness mode, with the dominant signal path
favouring transmissions "arriving" into Me;Melbourne from the sough.

NEW TRANSMISSION SEASON
The B11 season commences on Sunday October 31 2011 and extensive
frequency and schedule changes are anticipated. The HFCC meeting to
determine the preliminary B11 data took place at Dallas, Texas, from
September 12-16, attended by 100 delegates from 32 countries and 40
frequency management organizations. This was a joint meeting with
representatives from the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU)

The public definitive master HFCC schedule for B11 is expected to be
available at the HFCC Website http://hfcc.org in early November.

These schedules are updated regularly - the most recent update was
released September 24, 2011.

Additionally, HFCC now publishes via its website the actual schedules
of participating organizaions, arranged by order of station andn FMO.

KLINGENFUSS PUBLICATIONS
This message is from my colleague Joerg Klingenfuss, Germany, which will
be of interest:

<Dear friends,

we're now working on our new products

- 2012 Super Frequency List on CD
- 2012 Shortwave Frequency Guide
- 2012 Frequency Database for the Perseus LF-HF Software-Defined
Receiver
- Supplement January 2012 to the 2011/2012 Guide to Utility Radio
Stations

to be published on 10 December 2011.

Full-resolution title page graphics can be found at
www.klingenfuss.org/r_2012.jpg
www.klingenfuss.org/s_2012.gif

If you are able to supply additional new frequencies and stations,
your cooperation would be highly appreciated. Please let us have your
data by 15 October 2011.

The printed Supplement will be attached free to all copies of the
2011/2012 Guide to Utility Radio Stations sold after 1 January 2012.
Those customers that did acquire the 2011/2012 Guide to Utility Radio
Stations before that date may download the pertinent .PDF file free
from our website, after 1 January 2012.

The continuously updated product Digital Data Decoder Screenshots on
CD is highly successful and now covers more than 8,100 (eight
thousand one hundred!) screenshots from 1997 to today. Feed your PC
with this CD and the "slide show" will keep you busy for a few days -
or weeks!

After more than five years of doom and gloom, solar activity finally
resumed in 2011. Currently we have sunspot numbers around 100 peaking
170 in September, resulting in excellent HF propagation conditions
and long-distance communication. At this moment, solar activity
remains very high. New HF e-mail services, stations, networks and
frequencies continue to emerge on a regular basis. HF e-mail booms
and service providers continue to expand. No other publisher
considers this revolutionary development accordingly.>

Note: as usual, I will be marketing and selling the 2012 Klingenfuss
Publications and the World Radio TV Handbook 2012 to listeners in Australia
via my on-line/mail-order bookshop, "Padula Books".

AUSTRALIA
It is not commonly known, but Radio Australia started life on
December 20, 1939, as "Australia Calling". It was also known as "The
Voice of Australia" - the title "Radio Australia" would not be
intoduced until 1945.

Australia Calling began with two low ppowered transmitters VLQ and
VLQ9, operated by to Amalgamated Wireless Australia located at Pennant
Hills, near Sydney, which started as VK2ME and VK2MA. In Victoria, Australia
Calling was broadcast over the Australisn Post Office's low powered
transmitter at Lyndhurst, near Melbourne, with the call VLR, which waa
formerly VK3LR. AWA was operatingm a SW station in
Perth, known as VK6ME and on the ship "Kanimbla", with the call VK9MI.

The Perth station took Australia Calling programming, with the call
VLW, for Africa.

In May 1944, the Pennant Hills facility was closed down, as the new
Shepparton site in Victoria had been opened in 1942, using a single
50k KW transmitter with the call VLC. In 1946, two further 100 kW
transmitteras were added, with the calls VLA and VLB.

At the outbreak of War in September 1939, the Government directed
that all private SW stations and amateur radio services to be closed down
for the duration of hostilities.

AUSTRAlIA CALLS THE WORLD - the Development snd Evolution of Australian
Government Shortwave Broadcasting.

I am currently working on production of this free ne publication,
which examines the introduction, developent and evolution of
Government-controlled external shortwase broadcasting from Australia,
spanning the years from 1923 until the present. This will include material
not previously published, using official Australian
out-of-copyrirght Government archival documents which have now been
de-classified and available in the public domain.

The publication includes many out-of-copyright images from Australian
Post Office (Postmaster General's Department) sources and focuses on
Australia's shortwave serrvice "Radio Australia".

I also draw on my own work wih Radio Australia from the 1950s, with
photos and other materials.

I include information about Australia's Beam Wireless services of the
1920s (sited at Rockbank and Fiskville, western Victoria), and images
of the former Australian Post Office Receiving Station at Kilmore,
Victoria, the Lyndhurst Transmitting Station (near Melbourne).

There will be a story and images about the Government's former Very Low
Frequency Naval Transmitting Station, at Woodside, Gippsland, Victoria. This
was buuilt in 1982 and run by Omega Tower Communications, and had been
broadcasting to submarines since but was deemed unviable by the Australia
Defence Force and closed down in 1998. The main tower is 432 metres high.

Additionally, I provide details of the former transmitting and receiving
stations of the Australian and USA military, which were located to the
west of Melbourne.

Historical audio files are included, from the National Library of Auistralia
(Canberra) in Canberra, coveriong significant historical events which were
broadcast over Radio Australia in its early years.

If you are interested in receiving advance notification about
availability of this free publication, please contact me without delay!

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

New episode no. 274 of the Australian DX Report now available

2011-09-27T17:49:00.001+10:00

Hi there,

Episode 274 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded or accessed as
a Podcast or RSS feed.

It includes spectrum research in the 9 MHz band, lots of information about
schedule and frequency updates, and notges abour solar activity.

http://adxr.podbean.com

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula
Host/Producer

Spectrum Research - 9 MHz band

2011-09-22T17:46:00.001+10:00

There is massive action in the 9 MHz band in the Melbourne post-sunrise
period, with strong signals from all continents in the window 2030 - 2100.

Solar activity remains low, with the 10.7 cm Solar Flux hovering around 144,
and the daily SSN at 98.

This is a summary of selected key occupancies as observed on September 21,
2011:

9280 EGYPT R. Cairo French
9305 EGYPT R. Cairo Arabic
9325 N. KOREA KCBS Korean
9430 CHINA CRI Urumqi French
9470 GERMANY AWR-Wertachtal Arabic, NEW TRANSMISSION
9620 PORTUGAL KBS-Sines Arabic, NEW SERVICE
9635 VIETNAM VOV nat network Vietnamese
9680 THAILAND R. Thailand Udon English
9780 IRAN VOIRI English
9830 IRAN VOIRI Albanian

Others 2100-2130:

9330 SYRIA R. Damascus English
9350 USA WWCR English
9385 MARIANAS RFA Tinian Korean

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

New episode no. 273 of the Australian DX Report now available

2011-09-21T17:14:00.000+10:00

Hi there,

Episode 273 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded or accessed as
a Podcast or RSS feed.

It includes another fascinating segment in the series "Australia Calls the
World", which looks at the history of Australian shortwave broadasting.

http://adxr.podbean.com

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula
Host/Producer

Splendid propagation at Pigtail Guilly

2011-09-16T07:12:00.001+10:00

I went over to the Warrandyte State Park on Thursday afternoon September 14
for some bushwalking in the former goldmining area of Pigtail Gully, near
Fifth Hill, 20 km east of central Melbourne.

I took the opportunity of doing a spectrum occupancy check on 11 MHz in
the period 0530-0600 and below is a sample of the action, using the little
Eton E5 and a 3 m antenna!

According to the IPS in Sydney, Solar activity continues to be Low -
predicted Solar Flux for Sep 17 is 145, SSN is 99.

11520 USA WEWN English
11530 UKRAINE R. Denge Mezopotamya, Mykolaiv, Kurdish
11560 UKRAINE R. Moraya, Mykolaiv, Arabic
11605 RFI-Meyerton, French
11625 VATICAN VR SMG Portuguese
11635 SRI LANKA R. Farda, Iranawela, Farsi
11645 GREECE VOG Greek
11665 MALAYSIA RTM Kajang Malay
11700 FRANCE RFI Issoudin French
11730 FRANCE NHK via Issoudin French
11775 ALBANIA CRI Cerrick Arabic
11790 IRAN VOIRI Bosnian
" S. AFRICA RFI Meyerton Swahili
11815 BRAZIL R. Brazil Central, Portuguese
11820 OMAN BBC Arabic
11830 PORTUGAL DW Sines Portuguese
11850 CYPRUS BBC Arabic
11870 USA WEWN Spanish
11885 TAIWAN RTI Chinese
11890 SPAIN REE Spanish
11905 GERMANY VOA Lampertheim Kurdish
11930 BELARUS R. Minsk nat network
11940 IRAN VOIRI Dari
11945 SEYCHELLES BBC English
11960 CHINA CNR1 Chinese
11980 TURKEY VOT Turkish
12015 IRAN VOIRI Turkish
12035 SPAIN REE Spanish
12050 GERMANY AWR Wertachtal Arabic
12070 RUSSIA VOR Moscow Russian

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

New episode no. 272 of the Australian DX Report now available

2011-09-12T18:02:00.001+10:00

Hi there,
Episode 272 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded or accessed as
a Podcast or RSS feed.

There is a special segment in this episode - Part One of "Australia Calls
the World", which looks at the history of Australian shortwave broadasting.
More Parts will follow!

http://adxr.podbean.com

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula
Host/Producer

11 MHz propagation very good - spectrum research

2011-09-08T10:56:00.001+10:00

Propagation on 11 MHz in our post-sunrise period continues to be excellent,
with strong signals from all continents.

These are the most important occupancies observed on September 7, 2011, in
the window 2030-2100.

11610 SPAIN REE French
11615 RWANDA RN Kigali English
11635 MOLDOVA VOR Kishinev French
11670 JAPAN NHK Yamata Japanese
11680 ENGLAND BBC Rampisham Arabic
" N. KOREA KCBS Korean
11755 GERMANY AWR Wertachtal Yoruba
11765 BRAZIL R. Tupi network
11780 BRAZIL R. Nacional
11810 ASCENSION BBC English
11840 ENGLAND VOV Skelton Vietnamese
11850 GUAM KSDA Chinese *2100
11910 N. KOREA KCBS Korean
" JAPAN NHK Yamata Japanese
11955 AUSTRIA AWR Moosbrunn French
11965 ROMANIA RRI Spanish *2100
12015 ENGLAND HCJB Rampisham Arabic *2100
12040 RUSSIA VOA Moscow English
12050 USA WEWN Spanish
12070 MARIANAS RFA Agignan Korean *2100

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

11 MHz propagation very good - spectrum research

2011-09-08T10:55:00.000+10:00

Propagation on 11 MHz in our post-sunrise period continues to be excellent,
with strong signals from all continents.

These are the most important occupancies observed on September 7, 2011, in
the window 2030-2100.

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

11 MHz propagation very good - spectrum research

2011-09-08T10:38:00.000+10:00

Propagation on 11 MHz in our post-sunrise period continues to be excellent,
with strong signals from all continents.

These are the most important occupancies observed on September 7, 2011, in
the window 2030-2100.

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

New episode no. 271 of the Australian DX Report now available

2011-09-06T19:17:00.000+10:00

Hi there,

Episode number 271 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded, or
accessed as a Podcast.

It contains Monitoring Research Analysis in the window 2000 to 2200, as
monitored in Melbourne, on 7 MHz and 11 MHz.

http://adxr.podbean.com

Regards from Melbourne

Bob Padula
Host/Producer

13 MHz spectrum research

2011-08-30T18:11:00.001+10:00

The 13 MHz band is very good here in Melbourne during our mid-afternoons,
with good propagation from Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

This is a summary made on August 22 2011 between 0530 and 0600, from one of
my favourite field monitoring sites in the Warrandyte State Park, 20 km east
of central Melbourne, at the old gold mining area of Fidler Gully.

Receiver was the Eton E5, 3 m random antenna strung in an acacia bush!

13610 CHINA CNR1
13630 AUSTRALIA RA Shepparton English
13635 TURKEY VOT Turkish
13650 EGYPT R. Cairo Setswana
13660 CYPRUS BBC Arabic
13670 IRAN VOIRI Bosnian
13690 AUSTRALIA TA Shepparton English
136956 FRANCE RFI Issoudin French
13710 BOTSWANA VOA *0600 French
13740 IRAN VOIRI Dari
13750 FRA RFI Issoudin Hausa *0600
13760 MARIANAS RFA Tinian Chinese
13765 MADAGASCAR Vatican Radio via Talata English
13775 RUSSIA VOR via Vladivostok English
13780 ENGLAND DW via Woofferton German *0600
13790 IRAN VOIRI Arabic
13800 IRAN VOIRI Arabic
13810 GERMANY R. Farda, Lampertheim, Farsi
13840 MADAGASCAR NHK via Talata French
13860 GERMANY RF. Farda, Lampertheim, Farsi

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

New episode no. 270 of the Australian DX Report now available

2011-08-29T20:12:00.001+10:00

Hi there,

Episode number 270 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded, or
accessed as a Podcast.

It contains a Monitoring Research Analysis in the window 2100 to 2200, as
monitored in Melbourne.

http://adxr.podbean.com

Regards from Melbourne

Bob Padula
Host/Producer

SW Propagation

2011-08-28T07:54:00.001+10:00

Michael Stevenson remarked about enhanced conditions during the afternoon at
Port
Macquarie.

This may be due to the increased solar activity of recent days, with Solar
Flux up to 105, and daily Smoothed Sunspot Count of 48.

49 mb has been quite active in our mornings, with heavy usage and
congestion.

6090 is interesting, with three signals observed 2100-2130:

R. Nigeria Kaduna
CNR1
VOIRI

6115 also of note 2100-2130:

R. Veritas Asia morning Chinese service
WYFR via Nauen Arabic

Also of interest 2100-2130:

5930 RN via Santa Maria di Galeria Dutch
5990 Brazil R. Senada huge signal shortpath
6125 RN via Nauen Dutch
6200 Xizang PBS Lhasa Tibetan, parallel with 6110, 6130 and 6025
6050 XIzang PBS Lhasa Chinese, parallel with 5935
6155 Polish Radio via Skelton, Polish

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Propagation

2011-08-25T16:42:00.001+10:00

All,

Continuing good signals into Mont Albert in the window just after sunrise.

Some important occupancies noted on 49 mb between 2100 and 2130, on August
24 2011:

5915 ZAMBIA local service
5930 VATICAN RN via Santa Maria di Galeria Dutch
5935 CHINA Xizian PBS Lhasa Chinese
5990 BRAZIL **** R. Senada, massive signal!
6085 JAPAN NHK Yamata Japanese
6090 Three signals mixed:
" NIGERIA R. Nigeria, Kaduna
" IRAN VOIRI Albanian
" CHINA CNR1
6110 CHINA Xizang PBS Lhasa Tibetan
6115 PHILIPPINES RVA Chinese xed WYFR
6145 FRANCE CRI via Issoudin Albanian
6155 ENGLAND Polish Radio via Skelton, Polish
6165 CHAD national service
6185 ALBANIA CRI via Cerrick Albanian

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

New episode no. 269 of the Australian DX Report now available

2011-08-22T08:19:00.000+10:00

Hi there,

Episode number 269 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded, or
accessed as a Podcast.

It contains a Monitoring Research Analysis of the 7 MHz band, in the window
2100 to 2200, as monitored in Melbourne.

http://adxr.podbean.com

As it costs real money to host this site, please donate a small amount
(US5/AUD$5) via PayPal to help with ongoing hosting expenses. There is a
PayPal link on the site!

Thabks!

Regards from Melbourne

Bob Padula

Host/Producer

New episode no. 268 of the Australian DX Report now available

2011-08-15T17:37:00.001+10:00

Hi there,

Episode number 268 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded, or
accessed as a Podcast.

It contains a Monitoring Research Analysis of the 6 MHz band, in the window
220 to 2300, as monitored in Melbourne.

http://adxr.podbean.com

Regards from Melbourne

Bob Padula

Host/Producer

New episode no. 267 of the Australian DX Report now available

2011-08-08T18:42:00.000+10:00

Hi there,

Episode number 267 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded, or
accessed as a Podcast.

It contains a Monitoring Research Analysis of the 6 MHz band, in the window
2030 to 2100, as monitored in Melbourne.

http://adxr.podbean.com

Regards from Melbourne

Bob Padula

Host/Producer

New episode no. 266 of the Australian DX Report now available

2011-08-01T19:07:00.001+10:00

Hi there,

Episode number 266 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded, or
accessed as a Podcast.

http://adxr.podbean.com

The show contains a special segment describing the latest QSLs received, and
a history of Radio Australia.

Hope you like it!

Regards frm Melbourne

Bob Padula

Host/Producer

11 MHz signals at noon

2011-08-01T07:34:00.001+10:00

Solar activity has jumped to 107 (Solar Flux) and 57 (SSN).

There has been some remarkable shortpath propagation into Melbourne recently
from Asia on 11 MHz, unusual for this time of year!

This is a summary of key occupancies noted July 31, 2011, in the 0200 to
0230 window

11535 SRI LANKA Deewah Radio, Iranawela, Pashto
11620 INDIA AIR Urdu
11650 CHINA CRI Kashi, Urdu
11695 CHINA CRI Beijing, Chinese
11715 INDIA AIR Nepalese to 0230*
11730 INDIA AIR Pashto
11770 CHINA CRI Kashi, English
11780 SINGAPORE NHK Kranji relay, Burmese
11800 IRAN VOIRI Kazakh to 0230*
11905 SRI LANKA SLBC Hindi
11985 INDIA AIR Kannada
12025 SRI LANKA RL/RFE Iranawela, Uzbek

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

11 MHz signals at noon

2011-08-01T07:32:00.001+10:00

Solar activity has jumped to 107 (Solar Flux) and 57 (SSN).

There has been some remarkable shortpath propagation into Melbourne recently
from Asia on 11 MHz, unusual for this time of year!

This is a summary of key occupancies noted July 31, 2011, in the 0200 to
0230 window

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

IRRS-Shortwave new daily broadcast to Asia and Australia

2011-07-20T17:36:00.001+10:00

Effective June 18, 2011, IRRS advises that it has added another daily
broadcast to Middle East, Asia and Australia from 1300-1400 UTC on 15610.

Transmitter is at Rimasa-Sobota, Slovak Republic - programming is the
Overcomer Monistry.

The complete schedule is at:

http://www.nexus.org/schedules/

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

New episode no. 264 of the Australian DX Report now available

2011-07-17T14:40:00.001+10:00

Episode no. 264 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded
or accessed as a Podcast.

http://adxr.podbean.com

It includes a Spectrum Analysis of the 6 MHz band in the Melbourne
mid-afternoon period.

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula
Host/Producer

Excellent signals on 6 MHz in mid-afternoon

2011-07-14T19:49:00.001+10:00

On Wednesday afternoon July 13 2011 I was in the Hamer Arboretum, Olinda,
some 40 km east of central Melbourne.

It was a bitterly cold overcast bleak day - I set up the Eton E5 and a
3 m antenna at the junction of Silvan and Mathias Rds, just down from the
Woolrich Lookout.

I was astonished at the excellent signals between 0500 and 0530 on 6
MHz, with may longpath signals from Europe, Africa and Europe, and
shortpath from the Americas.

This is my report:

5890 USA WWCR English
5910 COLOMBIA Alcaravan Radio, Spanish
WWCR English
5950 USA WYFR English
5955 PORTUGAL RN via Sines, Dutch
5965 COSTA RICA REE Spanish
" VATICAN VR-Santa Maria di Galeria, English
5975 ENGLAND NHK via Rampisham, English
6010 CUBA RHC English
6015 AUSTRIA RA via Moosbrun Dutch
6020 CANADA CRI Sackville English
6030 USA R. Marti, Greenville Spanish
6055 SPAIN REE Spanish
6080 SAO TOME VOA English
6090 ANGUILLA Carib. Beacon, English
6110 CANADA NHK Sackville English
6125 VATICAN RN via Santa Maria di Galeria, Dutch
6150 CUBA RHC English
6155 AUSTRIA ORF Moosbrun German
6165 N. Antilles RN Bonaire Du
6175 CANADA VOV via Sackville Vietnamese

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Articles of Lasting Interest

2011-07-12T18:25:00.001+10:00

To all,

This is a reminder that the public home page of the EDXP contains
several articles of lasting interest which have been written by the EDXP
admin and members in recent years.

These may be viewed by anyone, irrespective of whether they are members or
not!

They include:

Code of DXing Ethics
The B-Log Review
Contribution Guidelines
Keeping Your DXing Records
QSL Reception Reporting Guidelines

ANTENNAS and RECEIVERS
The Cliffdweller Antenna
The AlphaDelta DXer-SWL Antenna
The Antennas at Mont Albert, Australia
Multiband Antennas
Inverted Vee Antenna
The ICOM R75 Review
The AR7030 Receiver Review
35 Years of Receivers

The Home Page lives at http://edxp.org

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Articles of Lasting Interest

2011-07-12T12:19:00.001+10:00

To all,

Tiks is a reminder that the public home page of the EDXP contains
several articles of lasting interest which have been written by the EDXP
admin and members in recent years.

These may be viewed by anyone, irrespective of whether they are members or
not!

They include:

Code of DXing Ethics
The B-Log Review
Contribution Guidelines
Keeping Your DXing Records
QSL Reception Reporting Guidelines

The Home Page lives at http://edxp.org

I'd be interested in your comments!

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

New episode no. 263 of the Australian DX Report now available

2011-07-11T07:25:00.000+10:00

Episode no. 263 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded
or accessed as a Podcast.

http://adxr.podbean.com

It includes a Spectrum Analysis of then 11 MHz band in the Melbourne
post-sunrise window.

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula
Host/Producer

7 MHz signals

2011-07-09T08:41:00.000+10:00

Solar Flux has droopped to 86, SSN has fallen to 29.

There is a lot of action on 7 MHz in the Melbourne post-sunrise period,
dominated by Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia.

Congestion in this band is intense, due to multiple occupancies on many
channels.

This is a sumnmary of selected entries July 8, 2011, in the 2100 to 2200
window:

7200 NORTH SUDAN Omdurman, Arabic
7205 FRANCE RFI French
" TURKEY English
7280 VIETNAM VOV French
7285 ALBANIA CRI Cerrick English
7295 MALAYSIA RTVM English relay domestic FM network
7320 RUSSIA VOR Magadan Russian
7330 SRI LANKA DW Trincomalee German
7340 RUSSIA VOR St Petersburg Serbian
7415 CHINA CRI Kashi Chinese
7480 ARMENIA Open Radio, Yerevan, Korean
7495 FRANCE R. Algeria via Issoudin Arabic
7555 KUWAIT VOA English

Note: "Sudan" now becomes a "deleted" country, with two "new" countries
emerging "North Sudan and South
Sudan". It is expected that DXCC and ITU lists will reflerct these changed
details.

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Ham Radio far from over or out!

2011-07-07T09:10:00.001+10:00

The Melbourne Age newspaper of July 7 2011 published a long article
"Ham Radio far from over or out" about the amazing rebirth of amateur radio
in Australia.

Reasons cited for this rejuvenation include the growing disenchantment and
impersonal nature of social networking (eg Facebook, Twitter, etc), the
introduction of the no-Morse test for the foundation licence, and the
integration and convergence of digital technologies for amateur radio
communications.

About 20,000 Australians now have amateur licences, with a growing number of
women and younger children having taken up the hobby.

While diehards are lamenting the rapid demise of passive shortwave radio,
perhaps amateur radio might be something to think about?

Read the full article at:

http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/ham-radio-far-from-over-or-out-20110706-1h135.html

Full details about gaining an Amateur licence in Australia are at the ACMA's
website:

http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_1255#ma

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

New episode no. 262 of the Australian DX Report now available

2011-07-05T12:50:00.001+10:00

Episode no. 262 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded
or accessed as a Podcast.

http://adxr.podbean.com

It includes a Spectrum Analysis of the 9 MHz band in the Melbourne
mid-afternoon window.

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula
Host/Producer

11 MHz spectrum research

2011-07-01T10:27:00.001+10:00

It's mid-winter here in Eastern Ausdrtralia, and there is continuing good
propagation on 11 MHz into Melbourne during our post-sunrise window, in the
period 2130 to 2230.

Occupancy is dominated by signals from the Middle East, Asia, the Pacific
and Europe.

As advised by IPS in Sydney, the Solar Flux has fallen to 89, and the SSN
has dropped to 33, cited as very low levels.

This is a summary of entries of June 30, 2011, as noted 2130-2200, unless
indicated otherwise:

11535 N. KOREA VOK Chinese 2130-2230
11550 TAIWAN RA Tainan Indonesian *2200
11620 INDIA AIR English
11635 TAIWAN RTI Chinese 2200-2230
11650 AUSTRALIA RA-Shepparton English
11660 AUSTRALIA RA-Shepparton English
11680 N. KOREA KCBS Korean 2200-2230
11695 AUSTRALIA RA-Shepparton English 2130-2200, Indonesian *2200
11710 CHINA CNR1
11725 NZ RNZI English
11740 CHINA CNR2 2200-2230
11750 GUAM KSDA Chinese to 2200*
" CHINA CNR1 2200-2230
11765 IRAN VOIRI Japanese to 2200*
11785 MARIANAS RFA Tinian Chinese *2200-2230
11805 THAILAND VOA-Udorn Chinese 2200-2230
11850 GUAM KSDA Javanese 2200-2230
11865 RWANDA DW-Kigali English to 2200*
" PORTUGAL DW-Sines German 2200-2230
11880 ROMANIA RRI French to 2200*
11885 TAIWAN RTI Chinese 2200-2230
11910 JAPAN NHK-Yamata Japanese
11925 PHILIPPINES VOA-Tinang Chinese
11940 ROMANIA RRI English
11955 MARIANAS VOA-Tinian English 2200=-2230
11965 ROMANIA RRI Spanish to 2200*
12035 PHILIPPINES Vatican Radio via Tinang Chinse 200-2230
12080 AUSTRALIA RA-Brandon English

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

New episode no. 261 of the Australian DX Report now available

2011-06-25T09:16:00.001+10:00

Episode no. 261 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded
or accessed as a Podcast.

http://adxr.podbean.com

It includes a Spectrum Analysis of the 9 MHz band in the Melbourne
mid-afternoon window.

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula
Host/Producer

RadioResults link

2011-06-25T09:05:00.001+10:00

The EDXP Home Page, at http://edxp.org, has a new link.

This is to the Sydney-based company RadioResults, at
http://www.radioresults.com.au

Radio Results offers over 20 years of experience in radio advertising and is
qualified to prepare a tailored campaign strategy to Sydney's leading radio
stations, as well as a number of high profile stations in Melbourne,
Brisbane and Adelaide.

Check it out!

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

New radio station on the web for SW and amateur radio enthusiasts

2011-06-25T08:54:00.000+10:00

There's a new radio station on the web, and this one is aimed at amateur
radio and shortwave enthusiasts.

It's Radio Foxtrot 100, an internet radio service for radio operators and
listeners
alike - good music, chart, ham radio topics, shortwave news, propagation,
and lots of good dj presenters and fun. Is the radio operator's very own
internet station!

Is 24/7, all day, every day, and you'll also find the Australian DX Report
there!

Ths station is operated as a non-profit voluntary service, donation
supported, from the London-based Southgate Amateur Radio Club, and is
reached from

http://foxtrot100.weebly.com/

The Southgate Amteur Radio Club is at

http://www.southgatearc.org/

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

New episode no. 260 of the Australian DX Report now available

2011-06-21T18:01:00.001+10:00

Episode no. 260 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded
or accessed as a Podcast.

http://adxr.podbean.com

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula
Host/Producer

Scientists predict rare "hibernation of sunspots"

2011-06-18T07:01:00.001+10:00

Sunspots gone missing!

See this article from Media Network.

http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/scientists-predict-rare-hibernation-of-sunspots

Despite very low solar activity, propagation into Melbourne continues to be
very good during the various "windows", with 9 MHz now open 24 hrs for our
winter.

Long-haul multi-hop propagation on darkness or semi-darkness paths on
frequencies above about 12 MHz is now very unreliable, but the lower bands
are good.

In fact, our present winter daytime propagation is excellent!

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Propagation on the shortest day

2011-06-17T20:10:00.001+10:00

Here in Melbourne, we have just entered the shortest day period, which
extends from June 1u7 to June 25, with only 9 hrs and 33 mins of daylight
allowed for us.

During this period, propagation during our daytime will be at its peak, and
already the 9 MHz band is open for the full 24 hrs.

This is a summary of what the 9 MHz band looked like on June 17, in the
window 0130 to 0200 - solar flux was 103, and the SSN was 52:

9400 BULGARIA Spanish to 0200*
9420 GREECE VOG Greek
9430 ARMENIA VOA Yerevan Spanish
9470 CHINA CRI Urumqi English to 0200*
9535 SPAIN REE Spanish
9560 ROMANIA RRI French to 0200*
9570 ALBANIA CRI Cerrick English
9595 CHINA CRI Kashi Spanish
9620 SPAIN REE Spanish
9645 ROMANIA RRI *0200
9665 BRAZIL VOR via Brasilia English to 0200*
9680 INDONESIA RR Indonesia Jakarta Nat network
9690 SPAIN CRI via Noblejas *0200 English
9700 BULGARIA French
9710 CHINA CRI Kashi Spanish
9725 ABU DHABI FEBA via Dhabbaya Telugu
9740 SINGAPORE BBC Kranji English
9770 SRI LANKA SLBC English
9800 RUSSIA VOR Krasnodar English
9810 F. GUYANA VOR via Montsinery Spanish
9815 CHINA CRI Kashi Chinese
9870 INDIA Hindi
9895 CYPRUS BBC Farsi *0200
9905 IRAN VOIRI Spanish
9925 GERMANY V. of Croatia English
9945 TAJIKISTAN VOR Dushanbe Spanish
9975 UZBEKISTAN CVC Tashkent Hindi

***** Additional item:

11880 CHILE NHK-Radio Japan via the Santiago relay, huge signal on June 16
*2130-2200* carrying
Portuguese.

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

6 MHz and 7 MHz signals - post sunrise window

2011-06-12T19:21:00.001+10:00

Some early winter spectrum occupancies noted on June 11 and 12, 2011, on 6
MHz and 7 MHz.

6090 R. Nigeria, Kaduna, 2150-2305*, Hausa
6165 N. Antilles RN Bonaire Spanish 0055 shortpath
7245 ENGLAND Polish Radio, Rampisham, Polish church service 2150
7300 VATI(CAN VR SMG *2200 Chinese, Church service
7385 USA WHRI English 2145 long-path
" ROMANIA RRI English 0100 to 0200
7400 ROMANIA RRI Spanish *0200
7460 MONGOLIA RFA Ulaan Bataar, Mongolian, 2155

Lots of propagation action during our winter days!

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

New episodes of the Australiuan DX Report now available

2011-06-12T15:03:00.001+10:00

Episodes no. 258 and 259 of the Australian DX Report may now be downloaded
or accessed as Podcasts.

http://adxr.podbean.com

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Excellent winter daytime propagation on 7 MHz and 9 MHz

2011-06-11T08:04:00.000+10:00

We're well into winter now, and daytime propagation into Melbourne is
excellent from all continents on 7 MHz and 9 MHz.

Some interesting frequency occupancies noted on June 10:

CHILE
9780 Voz Cristiana, Santiago, strong level at opening at 2200, Spanish, to
past 0000. Propagation via night-time path over Antartica

CHINA
7350 CRI, Kashi, English 0100 to 0200

FRENCH GUYANA
7360 WYFR via Montsinery, Portuguese 0000 to 0100*

ROMANIA
9790, RRI, opening 2200 in English

TAIWAN
9745, Voice of Han, Chinese 2130 to 2230, co-channel R. Bahrain

VATICAN
7305 VR, Santa Maria di Galeria, Spanish - 0130 to 0230

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Excellent 6 MHz propagation at Woolrich Lookout, Olinda

2011-06-10T11:02:00.003+10:00

Solar flux has dropped to 88, and the mean Smoothed Sunspot Number has
fallen to 32, according to IPS Space Services, Sydney, June 9 2011.

IPS notes

"That solar activity was Very Low. No sunspot regions of significant size or
magnetic complexity are on the disc. The solar wind speed ranged between
450-600 km/s. The IMF Bz ranged between +/- 5nT with extended southward
periods.

Solar activity is expected to remain Very Low over the forecast period. The
solar wind speed is expected to gradually reduce for the first part of the
9th before increasing around the middle of the UT day due to the expected
arrival of a CME from the M2.4 flare observed on the 7th. Wind speeds are
expected to be elevated on the 10th and begin to reduce to quiescent levels
on the 11th."

I went up to the Woolrich Lookout, Olinda, on June 9, 40 km east of central
Melbourne, and was surprised et the excellent propagation on 6 MHz. It had
snowed there the previous day!

The Eton E5 yielded these results in the window 0500 to 0600:

5915 ENGLAND DW Rampisham Russian
5935 USA WWCR English
5950 USA WYFR English
5965 VATICAN VR SMG English
" COSTA RICA REE Spanish
5975 ENGLAND NHK Rampisham English
5985 USA WYFR English
5995 BOTSWANA VOA Hausa
6010 CUBA RHC English
6020 CANADA CRI Sackville English
6030 USA R. Marti Greenville
6055 SPAIN REE Spanish
6060 CUBA RHC English
6075 PORTUGAL DW Sines German
6080 N. ANTILLES NHK Bonaire Spanish
6090 ANGUILLA Car. Beacon, English
6110 CANADA NHK Sackville English
6125 VATICAN RN via Santa Maria di Galeria Dutch
6150 CUBA RHC
6155 AUSTRIA ORF Moosbrun German
6165 N. ANTILLES RN Bonaire Dutch
6175 CANADA VOV Sackville Vietnamese
6180 PORTUGAL DW Sines German
6190 CANADA CRI Sackville English
" S. AFRICA BBC Meyerton English

IPS Solar Data Graph of June 8 2011

Me at the Lookout

Yarra Ranges view from Lookout

Solar Flare of June 7 2011

2011-06-10T07:19:00.000+10:00

Don asked about the huge solar flare which erupted on June 7 2011 - this
report is
from the National Geographic Daily News of June 8:

"Solar Flare Sparks Biggest Eruption Ever Seen on Sun"

Enormous ejection of particles into space shocks scientists.

A mushroom of cooled plasma popped like a pimple and rained onto the surface
of the sun yesterday—shooting perhaps the largest amount of solar material
into space ever seen, scientists say.

The solar flare — an unusually bright spot on the sun — wasn't surprising as
a
"moderate" event. Space observatories in the past year recorded about 70
such solar flares, each roughly ten times weaker than "extreme" flares, of
which only two have occurred since 2007.

Instead, what shocked scientists was the unusual amount of material that
lofted up, expanded, and fell back down over roughly half the surface area
of the sun. The event's simultaneous launch of particles into space is
called a coronal mass ejection (CME).

"This totally caught us by surprise. There wasn't much going on with this
spot, but as it came from behind the sun, all of the sudden there was a
flare and huge ejection of particles," said astrophysicist Phillip
Chamberlin of NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), one of several
spacecraft that recorded the event.

"We've never seen a CME this enormous."

Solar Flares May Threaten Power Grids.

Chamberlin said it will take some time to calculate the energy and mass of
electrons and protons blasted into space. But he noted the volume occupied a
space hundreds of times bigger than a single Earth.

The ejection of particles burst from the right limb of the sun and sprayed
into space, so the blast will miss Earth—though the explosion may brighten
auroras near Earth's poles, Chamberlin said.

But he warned space-weather experts are concerned about future solar events.

The sun's 11-year cycle of activity, driven by tangled surface magnetic
fields, will hit its maximum in late 2013 or early 2014. Magnetic messiness
will peak around that time and prompt nasty solar storms.

"We'll probably see [extreme] flares every couple of months instead of
years," Chamberlin said.

If one of these powerful flares—and its coronal mass ejection—faces Earth,
the particles will pound satellite components with charged particles, short
some out, and potentially cripple them.

On the planet's surface, extra currents of solar particles drive extra
electric current through power lines and heat them up.

Power companies distribute loads to avoid such a disaster, but energetic
solar storms could still blow transformers and lead to power outages,
especially during heat waves like the one sweeping the eastern U.S. this
week.

"Despite great countermeasures, the power grid is still vulnerable. We could
be in for some serious problems," Chamberlin said. (end)

So no problems for the inhabitants of Earth, at least this time!

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

China - 6 MHz spectrum research 2100-2300

2011-06-08T16:45:00.001+10:00

The 6 MHz band is a delight in our early-winter post-sunrise period
2100-2300 for
studying propagation of transmissions from China.

Propagation is shortpath, with signals arriving in Melbourne from the north.

Transmissions from sites in eastern China are audible until about 2200 -
sites further to the west remain audible until around 2300.

This is a summary of June 5:

5915 CNR5 2100-2200
5935 Xizang PBS Lhasa 2100-2230 Chinese
5945 CNR1 2100-2200
5975 CNR8 2200-2230
6000 CNR1 2200-2200
6025 Xizang PBS Lhasa 2100-2200 Tibetan
6030 CNR1 2100-2200
6040 CNR2 2100-2200
6050 Xizang PBS Lhasa 2100-2200 Chinese
6065 CNR2 2100-2200
6080 CNR1 2200-2230
6090 CNR2 2100-2300
6100 CRI Kunming 2200-2300 Chinese
6110 Xizang PBS Ljhasa 2100-2300 Tibetan
6125 CNR1 2100-2200
6130 Xizang PBS Lhasa 2100-2200 Tibetan
6140 CRI Kunming 2200-2300 Cantonese
6190 CNR2 2100-2200
6200 Xizang PBS 2100-2200 Tibetan

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Voice of America to close down

2011-06-07T08:42:00.001+10:00

Colleagues,

See this article - nothing lasts for ever!

http://www.boingboing.net/2011/06/06/voice-of-america-ope.html

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

6 MHz snd 7 MHz midday propagation events

2011-06-07T08:29:00.001+10:00

Solar Flux 83; SSN 52 - very low levels as at June 4

The onset of the Melbourne winter has opened up the 6 MHz and 7 MHz bands
for long-distance multihop propagation for the full 24-hrs.

Some interesting occupancies have been observed across our midday period,
corresponding to the solar
transit at 0219 UTC, when the sun is at its highest altitude, at 30 degrees
above the northern horizon.

6 MHz and 7 MHz shortpath signals (night time) from Europe, Africa, ME, and
Africa are dominant up to about 0200, then longpath signals appear around
0200, which then becomes the dominant mode until our mid afternoon. Between
0130 and 0230 both modes are evident. North American signals are also
evident via shortpath across the Pacific at 0200-0230.

Solar Transit 0200-0230:

6020 ALBANIA CRI Cerrick Chinese
6100 FRENCH GUYANA WYFR Montsinery English

7270 ARMENIA VOR Yerevan Russian
7285 MOLDOVA VOR Kishinev Russian
7295 GERMANY R. Farda Biblis Farsi
7305 VATICAN VR SMG Spanish
7360 VATICAN VR SMG English
7365 USA R. Marti Greenville Spanish
7400 ROMANIA RRI Spanish
7440 UKRAINE VOR Kiev English

Channel occupancies will increase during June.

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Monitoring at Black Snake Creek Rd, Bunyip State Park

2011-06-05T12:15:00.000+10:00

I went out to the Bunyip State Park, 65 km east of Melbourne, on Saturday
June 4 2011.

There is no power line interference there!

We are now inside early winter, and our daylength has reduced to 9 hrs 39
mins - this will reduce to 9 hrs 33 mins on all days from June 18 to 25.

The highest point of the sun on June 4 was 0217 UTC (12.17 pm).

This means that our daytime long-haul multi-hop propagation is now at its
peak from our mid-morning and across midday - on June 5, Voice of Russia on
7270 appeared as early as 0115 (11.15 am) from Yerevan with its Spanish
service, followed shortly later by a heap of other 7 MHz European longpath
signals.

Spectrum research in the mid-afternoon between 0330 and 0430 revealed a vast
array of signals from all continents on 6 MHz, 7 MHz, 9 MHz and 11 MHz.

The receiver was the little Eton Et with 2 metres of random antenna!

This is a summary, all 0330-0400 unless stated otherwise:

5960 CANADA NHK Sackville Japanese
6020 ALBANIA CRI Cerrick Chinese
6030 USA R. Marti Greenville Spanish
6125 Spain REE Spanish
6195 CANADA CRI Sackville English

7200 SUDAN R. Omdurman Arabic
7230 VATICAN RCI via Santa Maria di Galeria Arabic
7240 RWANDA DW Kigali German 0405
7260 VANUATU Vila 0405
7280 GERMANY R. Farda Wertachtal Farsi
7295 FRANCE R. Algeria via Issoudin Arabic 0405
7305 CANADA Vatican Radio via Sackville Spanish
7335 ROMANIA RRI English
7390 GERMANY RFE Lampertheim Tatir-Bashkir
7400 BULGARIA R. Sofia Russian
7425 ALBANIA R. Tirana English
7435 GERMANY RFE Lampertheim Russian
7475 GREECE VOG Greek

9370 USA WTJC English
9410 ENGLAND BBC Rampisham English
9420 IRAN VOIRI Arabic
9430 ARMENIA VOR via Yerevan Spanish
9440 CYPRUS BBC Arabic
9480 GERMANY RFE Lampertheim Russian
9515 TURKEY VOT English
9610 CANADA Vatican Radio via Sackville Spanish
" IRAN VOIRI Arabic
9565 CYPRUS BBC Cyprus Farsi
9620 SPAIN REE Spanish
9635 LITHUANIA RFE Sitkunai Tatir-Bashkir
9645 ROMANIA RRI English
9660 MADAGASCAR Vatican Radio via Talata Swahili
9665 MOLDOVA VOR Kishinev English
9840 USA WHRI English

11635 SRI LANKA R. Farda Iranawela Farsi
11665 MALAYSIA RTM Sarawak via Kajang Malay
11960 JORDAN Damascus Arabic

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Excellent daytime propagation for early winter!

2011-06-03T18:02:00.001+10:00

Flux 112, SSN 63, very low!

Daytime propagation into Melbourne now very good on 3rd day of winter, with
all bands open at the relevant times. THese are some selected entries of
June 2 and 3:

NORTH KOREA - VOK
15245 English *2100, excellent
11535 Chinese 2150
13760 English 2145
9975 Chinese 2150

CROATIA - VOICE OF CROATIA - WERTACHTAL
9925 superb signal 0200 with English

ROMANIA - RRI
5960 English 2215

VATICAN RADIO
15460 via Radio Veritas Relay, Philippines, Indian languages 0215
12035 via Tinang relay, Philippines, *2200 Chinese

IRAN - VOIRI
7245 Malay 2200

USA - FAMILY RADIO
7360 via Montsinery, F. Guyana, Portuguese 2255

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Excellent mid-afternoon propagation on 11 MHz and 6 MHz, first day of winter!

2011-06-01T19:00:00.000+10:00

Solar Flux: 112, SSN 63 - low values!

There is continuing excellent propagation into Melbourne via various modes
during our mid-afternoons on 6 MHz and 11 MHz, in the window 0430 to 0600.

6 MHz - Americas, Europe

11 MHz - Asia, ME, Africa, Americas, Europe

Here are some sample entries of June 1, 2011:

0430-0500

11635 SRI LANKA R. Farda Iranawila Farsi
11660 IRAN VOIRI Arabic
11665 MALAYSIA RTVM Sarawak relayed from Kajang
11670 BOTSWANA VOA English
11690 S. AFRICA R. Okapi, Meyerton, French
11790 IRAN VOIRI *0500 Russian
11875 S. AFRICA DW-Meyerton English 0515
11930 BELARUS R. Minsk Nat Network 0505
11970 FRANCE NHK-Issoudin English 0505
11980 TURKEY VOT Turkish 0515
12015 IRAN VOIRI Turkie 0505

0530-0600

5890 USA WWCR English
5955 PORTUGAL RN-Sines Dutch
5975 ENGLAND NHK-Rampisham English
5985 USA WYFR English
5995 SAO TOME VOA Hausa
6010 CUBA RHC English
6015 AUSTRIA RN-Moosbrunn Dutch
6020 CANADA CRI-Sackville English
6060 CUBA RHC English
6080 N. Antilles NHK-Bonaire Spanish
6090 ANGUILLA Car Beacon English
6095 SAO TOME VOA *0530 French
6125 VATICAN RN via SMG Dutch
6180 PORTUGAL DW-Sines English

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Australian DX Report episode 256 and 257 available

2011-05-28T15:34:00.001+10:00

Episodes 256 and 257 of the Australian DX Report is now available for
downloading as
a MP3 files or as Podcasts.

They are at

http://adxr.podbean.com

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula
Host/Producer

Good signals from China on 6 MHz during our sunrise window

2011-05-27T08:24:00.001+10:00

Very low solar activity May 16 2011:

Solar flux 80
SSN 20

Winter is only three days away, and already we are experiencing very good
propagation on 6 MHz during our sunrise window, 2100-2200.

This band is highly congested in that window, dominated by shortpath signals
from Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

There are many signals from China.

This summarises the China mainland occupancies as at May 16 2011:

5925 CNR5 Chinese
5935 Xizang PBS Lhasa Chinese
5945 CNR1 Chinese
6000 CNR1
6025 Xizang PBS Lhasa Tibetan
6030 CNR1 Chinese
6040 CNR2 Chinese
6050 Xizang PBS Lhasa Chinese
6065 CNR2 Chinese
6090 CNR2 Chinese
6100 CRI Xian Arabic
6110 Xizang PBS Lhasa Tibetan
6130 Xizang PBS Lhasa Tibetan
6135 CRI Xian Croatian
6190 CNR2 Chinese
6200 Xizang PBS Lhasa Tibetan

CRI European Relays
-------------------
5960 Cerrick, Albania English
6145 Issoudin France Albanian
6185 Cerrick, Albania, Arabic

I wish you continued good reception from China!

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Asia and Americas in the early evening on 9 MHz

2011-05-20T08:29:00.001+10:00

There is a lot of activity on 9 MHz in our early evening window
between 0900 and 1000.

This summary may be of interest, as researched on May 19 2011, with the
band dominated by strong signals from Asia and the Americas:

9370 USA WTJC English
9430 PHILIPPINES FEBC Chinese
9465 TAIWAN WYFR Chinese
9475 AUSTRALIA RA Shepparton
9500 CHINA CNR1
9505 USA WYFR Spanish
9515 CHINA CNR2
9550 USA WYFR Spanish
9570 S. KOREA KBS Korean
9580 AUSTRALIA RA Shepparton
9590 AUSTRALIA RA Shepparton
9595 JAPAN R. Nikkei Japanese
9605 USA WYFR Spanish
9620 CHINA CNR2
9635 VIETNAM VOV Vietnamese
9645 CHINA CNR1
9665 N. KOREA KCBS Korean
9685 CHINA CNR5
9710 AUSTRALIA Shepparton English
9715 USA WYFR Spanish
9720 CHINA CNR2
9740 SINGAPORE BBC WS
9750 JAPAN NHK Yamata Japanese
9755 USA WYFR English
9775 CHINA CNR2
9795 CANADA NHK via Sackville Japanese
9805 USA R. Marti Greenville
9810 CHINA CNR2
9830 CHINA CNR2
9835 MALAYSIA RTM Kajang relay Kuching
9870 INDIA AIR Nat network early fade-in
9880 CHINA CRI Beijing Chinese
9930 PALAU Koror English
9975 N. KOREA VOK Korean
9985 USA WWCR English

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

News Release from National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters (NASB)

2011-05-20T07:09:00.001+10:00

NASB Releases Results of its Shortwave Listener Survey at 2011 Annual
Meeting

Around 1300 shortwave listeners from around the globe took part in the NASB
shortwave listener survey between May of 2010 and May of 2011, and the
results of the survey were announced at the 2011 NASB annual meeting on May
14th. In the conference center of Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas,
anchored off the coast of CocoCay in the Bahamas, Dr. Jerry Plummer of WWCR
announced the results for the first time. Jerry is the administrator of the
survey, which was posted online at the NASB website,
http://www.shortwave.org, with links on other shortwave and DX websites.

Most of the respondents were located in North America and Europe, with
significant numbers from Asia and Oceania as well. Nearly half of those who
responded were also amateur radio operators. Around 97 percent were male.
Not surprisingly, most listeners who took the survey listen to shortwave
stations for news and commentary, and many listen for cultural programs as
well. Around 7 percent listen for religious programming of a variety of
faiths. The number one shortwave station in the poll was the BBC. Full
results of the survey will be published in the next NASB Newsletter, which
will also be on the NASB website http://www.shortwave.org/.

The NASB meeting took place on the Majesty of the Seas May 13 to 16, sailing
from Miami to CocoCay and Nassau in the Bahamas, then returning to Miami.
Twenty-one persons from the United States, France, England and Finland
participated, including representatives of NASB member stations, associate
member organizations and DX clubs. It was the first time the NASB has ever
held its annual meeting on a cruise ship. In addition to the meetings,
delegates were able to enjoy a variety of entertainment onboard the ship, a
private beach resort in the Bahamas, and a sightseeing tour of Nassau,
capital of the Bahamas.

The meeting began May 13th with a presentation sent especially for the
meeting by Chinese shortwave listener and language teacher Cui Litang, who
explained about Chinese jamming of shortwave signals and Internet sites, as
well as about his use of shortwave station language programs for teaching
English in China. John Wineman of HCJB's Global Technology Center in
Indiana showed the new Pappradio DRM receiver housed in a small external
hard drive box.

On May 14th, Risto Vahakainu of the Finnish DX Association told particpants
about his country in northern Europe and the special challenges and
opportunities of doing shortwave and mediumwave DXing there. He presented a
video produced by his club about DXing in the Arctic at the very
northernmost part of Finland, where mediumwave stations from North America
can often be heard using so-called beverage antennas stretching up to one
kilometer through the forests of northern Finland. For a totally different
venue, Jerome Hirigoyen of TDF -- Telediffusion de France -- told about his
company's shortwave sites and other installations, including the large relay
station in exotic Montsinery, French Guiana, where a number of 500-kilowatt
transmitters are located, reaching nearly all of the Americas and West
Africa as well.

On May 15th, there was a slide presentation about the NASB's two member
stations in Florida -- veteran broadcaster WYFR in Okeechobee and relative
newcomer WRMI, Radio Miami International, in Miami. Michel Penneroux,
chairman of the DRM Consortium's Commercial Committee, explained the
difficulties and delays involved with the mass production of low-cost DRM
digital shortwave receivers, and he presented an investment plan for
producing a large number of such receivers within a 12- to 18-month period.
Rex Morgan, senior producer for Latin America for World Christian
Broadcasting, talked about his efforts to reach Latin American listeners
from Miami via shortwave and other media, and Kok Hai Tan from the same
organization presented a timely video about the progress of World Christian
Broadcasting's new shortwave station being built in Madagascar and where it
will reach with programs in Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese and other languages,
including transmissions to India.

Finally, at the NASB business meeting, two new members were elected to the
board of directors. George Ross, frequency manager of KTWR in Guam, was
elected to replace Bill Damick, also of Trans World Radio, whose term was
ending. And Charles Caudill, President of World Christian Broadcasting, was
elected to replace David Creel of Far East Broadcasting Company, whose term
also ended this year.

Others attending the NASB meeting included Arto Mujunen, a Finnish DXer who
works at the U.S. International Broadcasting Bureau monitoring office in
Helsinki; Michael Murray, a British DXer who is a former secretary general
of the European DX Council; Dino Bloise of Miami, who produces a syndicated
Spanish-language DX program called "Frecuencia al Dia;" Brady Murray,
operations manager of WWCR in Nashville; and Terry Borders and Ed Mathis of
the Catholic shortwave station WEWN in Birmingham, Alabama. A number of
spouses also took part in the cruise. The meeting was organized by Jeff and
Thais White of WRMI in Miami.

Next year's NASB annual meeting will take place at the headquarters of Radio
Free Asia in Washington, DC on May 10th and 11th, 2012. And just before
concluding this year's meeting, the NASB board accepted an invitation by
WEWN in Birmingham to host the 2013 NASB annual meeting.

(end)

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Shoreham Beach Pictorial Heritage Project - now published!

2011-05-19T16:53:00.001+10:00

I am pleased to announce the publication of the "Shoreham Beach Pictorial Heritage" website, a free research project which traces the development, history and evolution of the scenic Shoreham Beach since its beginnings in the early 1920s, until the present day.

Shoreham Beach is 80 km south of Melbourne, in the Mornington Peninsula, on Westernport Bay, and has a colourful and rich history, having started as a fishing port.

I first visited Shoreham in January 1952, on a 10-day camp at the YMCA's Camp Buxton, which was for underprivileged 10-14 year old boys from across Victoria. Photos of that trip are at the website! Many thousands of boys attended the Camp in the years 1939 to its closure in 1955.

There are three sections in the website about the history of the YMCA in Victoria, and Camp Buxton.

In the decades since, I have made many trips to Shoreham, in pursuit of my interests in rockpooling, swimming, beach-walking, hiking, long distance shortwave radio monitoring and photography.

The website contains many heritage images dating to 1907, supplemented by my own photos and videos taken in 2011 and linked by many articles and discussions, some humorous. These include photos of Camp Buxton as it looks today - many of the original buildings and features have survived.

Following its closure, Camp Buxton was subdivided - a major part was bought by Council and became the Buxton Bushland Reserve. The remainder is now a B&B business.

The site is at http://bpadula.tripod.com/shoreham

If you are in Melbourne and haven't been to Shoreham, or a visitor, you might like to take a drive down to Shoreham and experience for yourself the wonderful bushland and coastal scenery, at any time of the year.

I'd be interested in your reactions and comments on this new website!

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula

Australian DX Report episode 255 available

2011-05-16T17:52:00.001+10:00

Episode 255 of the Australian DX Report is now available for downloading as
an MP3 file or as a Podcast.

It's at

http://adxr.podbean.com

Regards from Melbourne!

Bob Padula