Hi there!
Welcome to the Electronic DX Press Newsletter of Feb 12, 2012!
Some of this information was broadcast in episode 294 of the internet
version of the Australian DX Report, which may be accessed at
http://adxr.podbean.com
The Australian DX Report is now testing via YouTube. It's at
http://youtu.be/-XSNezOI2h0
This is an experimental service to assess listener response, and is the same
audio as at the regular Podbean channel, with scrolling introductory overlay
text of key news items and some images of Australia. Comments and reactions
at the site would be appreciated!
IN MEMORIAM
It is with profound regret that I advise the sudden passing of long-time
radio monitoring enthusiast Christopher Hambly, at the age of 66, at his
home in Box Hill, Melbourne.
I had known Chris since he joined the Australian Radio DX Club in 1968, and
he had maintained a keen interest in many forms of long-distance radio and
TV monitoring.
Being handicapped, Chris was unable to drive, use computers or mobile
telephones, and his contacts with the radio monitoring community around the
world were mostly by fixed line telephone.
I used to speak with Chris every few weeks and visit him occasionally. He
lived alone, and relied heavily on council support and assistance. The
exact circumstances of his passing have not been made known. He had no
siblings.
I knew his late father and mother well, and he attended most of the
monthly meetings of the Australian Radio DX Club held in Melbourne until
its administration moved to Sydney in 1996, when Melbourne get-togethers
ceased.
His father would drive him to my hone, and he would go with me to the
meetings.
Chris worked in the Victorian Railways as a station assistant until his
retirement in 2000, mainly at Central Station on the passenger barriers.
He was a member of various Australian Railways and Tramways Historical
Societies, and had joined many radio monitoring organizations globally. He
was a staunch follower of the St. Kilda Australian Rules Football Club.
He undertook many railway excursions in Australia, using his Railways
staff concession, as well as outside of Australia, including the USA,
New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. He would also bring back souvenirs of
his overseas trips - one which I treasure greatly is a beautiful
carved wooden statue made in Fiji.
I memorial service was held on February 15, 2012, in Melbourne.
A valued friend - sadly missed.
MADAGASCAR
A new SW station is being constructed at Madagascar, known as "Madagascar
World Voice" ("MWV"). It will have three 100 kW transmitters, which are
currently awaiting shipping from Houston, Texas. The organization is a
member of the "World Christian Broadcasting Corporation", in Nashville, TN.
The new station will have between 30 and 37 hours of daily programming from
five antennas, for worldwide coverage, in English, Russian, Chinese,
Arabic, Spanish, and English for Africa
See http://www.worldchristian.org/Updates/LatestNews/updates.php
(Source: World Christian Broadcasting Corporation website)
MYANMAR
R. Myanmar minority language schedule:
Morning
2330-0030 Chin 7110
0030-0130 Kachin 7110
0130-0230 La 9590
0230-0330 Po 9590
Afternoon - all on 9590
0530-0630 Geba
0630-0730 Kokang
0730-0830 Karen
0830-0930 Shan
Evening - all on 7345
1030-1130 Kayah
1130-1230 Gekho
1230-1330 Mon
(Source: Babul Gupta, Kolkata, India, in hobby newsgroups)
(Note: These frequencies are not registered with HFCC)
NETHERLANDS
Radio Netherlands to end Dutch service on shortwave
On Friday, 11 May we will have a marathon [Dutch] radio broadcast in which
we look back with pride at 65 years of Dutch radio for expatriates, and
which will also serve as the 'farewell' broadcast. Activities in other
languages, especially those for the Dutch Caribbean and Indonesia, will also
be discussed in detail. The choice of date has to do with the preparation
time required to produce the radio marathon.
The activities of the Dutch department will be phased out, but the timetable
will depend on the progress of the reorganization and the available manpower
needed to guarantee the quality of the programmes. No formal decision has
yet been made about the date of the final Dutch radio broadcast. However it
is extremely unlikely that Dutch language radio broadcasts will continue
through the summer.(Source: RN Media Network Weblog
MALAYSIA
Voice of Malaysia closed down.
As far as I can ascertain, the external SW services of Radio TV Malaysia
have been closed down. I have not observed any activity for some
months for transmissions which were on the air to Australian and the Pacific
0400 to 1000 in English and Malay, on 15295, 67175 and 9750. The February
edition of the WRTH Updater declares all external services have been
terminated.
USA
Voice of America looks to the future on 70th anniversary.
Voice of America turned 70 on February 1, 2012 and VOA Director David Ensor
says the international broadcast agency is aggressively moving forward with
new programs that ensure it remains an "information lifeline to people in
closed societies like Iran."
Addressing VOA journalists at the agency's Washington headquarters, Ensor
pointed to a television news show for Burma that began airing in January, a
popular video blog that has been viewed more than 7 million times in China,
expanded TV broadcasts to Iran, and new health programs on radio in Africa.
He also described plans for a Russian language TV program that will harness
popular social media programs to make citizen journalists and the audience a
key part of the show. Ensor said the one-time cold war broadcaster is "as
relevant today as it was February 1st, 1942," the date of the first
shortwave radio broadcast to Germany."
Created by the U.S. government in the opening days of World War Two, the
Voice of America has evolved into a global multi-media organization,
broadcasting balanced and comprehensive news in 43 languages to an estimated
weekly audience of 141 million.
The first shortwave radio transmission, spoken in German just weeks after
the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, began with the words "Here speaks a
voice from America." The broadcast went on to promise, "The news may be
good. The news may be bad. We shall tell you the truth." Ensor, the 28th
Voice of America director, says the agency continues to be guided by those
words.
VOA radio remains highly popular in many markets, including Somalia, parts
of Pakistan and Haiti. Ensor says the agency is moving forward with new
television and Internet programs that target countries like Iran, where the
government restricts the free flow of information.
VOA programs are delivered on satellite, cable TV, mobile, shortwave, FM,
medium wave, the Internet, and on a network of about 1,200 affiliate
stations around the world. In addition to more than 1,100 employees in
Washington, VOA works with contract journalists in trouble spots around the
world. Last month the Taliban claimed responsibility for the murder of a
reporter working for VOA in Pakistan.(Source: VOA, February 1, 2012
New USA SW station testing
A new SW broadcaster has started test transmissions from Lebanon, Tennessee.
It's known as the "Leap of Faith", and initial public tests were carried out
on February 11, 2012, on 5085 0000-0400 and 9990 2200-0000. It appears that
there will be four transmitters on the air when regular scheduling
commences.
WORLD RADIO DAY
Free access without app or web? It's called radio!
On World Radio Day, 13 February 2012, UNESCO will remind the world that
there is a medium which reaches parts that other media can't reach.
Radio is still a vital form of communication because a radio station can be
set up much faster, and at much lower cost, than a terrestrial or satellite
TV station. Radio is especially useful for reaching remote communities and
vulnerable people such as the illiterate, the disabled and the poor. It also
provides a platform for such groups to take part in the wider public debate.
Read the full article at
http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/free-access-without-app-or-web-its-called-radio
(Source: Media Network Website, February 11, 2012)
SOLAR ACTIVITY
As at February 11, 2012, the 10.7 cm solar flux was 112, and the equivalent
sunspot number was 63. Solar activity is classified as "low". (IPS Sydney)
TROPICAL BANDS MONITORING
Those interested in DX-ing on the Tropical Bands may have a look at this
website from the Danish Shortwave Club International at
http://www.dswci.org/tbm
with the complete monitoring view of stations heard broadcasting during
2011.You have to look for "Click here to download DSWCI Tropical Bands Monitor
2011 for free". (Source: Anker Petersen, DSWCI)
WORLD RADIO TV HANDBOOK
The February 2012 update Supplement for the WRTH 2012 International
Schedules, is now available as a free PDF download, at http://wrth.com
WRTH is now seeking donations from people who download the updates, through
PayPal, with a suggested amount being US/AUD$3.
HFCC SCHEDULES
The latest update of the HFCC's Master Schedule for the A11 season is now
available for free download at http://hfcc.org
The A12 HFCC schedule is now being finalized, following the HFCC's frequency
planning conference in Kuala Lumpur, from Jan 9-13 2012.
Bob Padula
Principal
Electronic DX Press Radio Monitoring Association
Founded Jan 1996
Melbourne, Australia
Visit
http://edxp.org
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