High Frequency News from Australia

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