Newsy VOA Radiogram for December 27-28

From Kim Andrew Elliott:

Hello friends,

This weekend's VOA Radiogram includes VOA News story by Doug Bernard about the Internet in Cuba. It's longer that most of our items: about 12 minutes in MFSK32. I think it's all interesting, so I couldn't bring myself to cut any of it. I considered transmitting it in MFSK64, but given poor mid-winter propagation conditions in the northern hemisphere, I decided it best to stay with our reliable MFSK32 mode.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 91, 27-28 December 2014, all in MFSK32 except where indicated:

 1:38  Program preview
 2:38  Mobile computer lab in Nairobi*
 8:04  US wants open Internet in Cuba*
21:50  Launch of Russia's new Angara rocket*
26:18  Closing announcements*
28:22  Bonus mode: MFSK16

*with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5910 kHz
Sat 1600-1630 17860 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

The Mighty KBC will transmit a minute of MFSK64 Saturday at about 1230 UTC on 6095 kHz, and Sunday at about 0130 UTC on 7375 kHz. Both frequencies are via Germany. Send reports to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com .

Thanks for tuning in and writing in, and for all your support, during 2014. Best wishes for the new year 2015.

Kim


Kim Andrew Elliott
Producer and Presenter
VOA Radiogram

voaradiogram.net

Merry & Well-Illustrated VOA Radiogram for December 20-21

 From Kim Andrew Elliott:

Hello friends,


Last weekend, 15670 kHz on Sunday at 1930-2000 was fair into into Europe, better than the total loss of the weekend before.  And 5910 kHz Saturday at 0930-1000 is improving into Europe now that we are near the winter solstice.



This weekend, VOA Radiogram will include six MFSK32 images.


Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 90, 20-21 December 2014:

 1:47  Program preview
 2:58  India rocket launch*
 6:06  Cambodian "ghost" plane up for auction*
10:59  Mocking Kim Jong-un is serious matter*
18:12  Belarus law on online media*
22:10  Ukrainian photo collections*
22:24  U.S. Capitol Christmas tree*
27:36  Closing announcements
28:38  Bonus mode: Thor-16

* with image



Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com .


VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5910 kHz
Sat 1600-1630 17860 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.


The Mighty KBC will transmit a minute of MFSK64 Saturday at about 1230 UTC on 6095 kHz, and Sunday at about 0130 UTC (Saturday 8:30 pm EST) on 7375 kHz. Both frequencies are via Germany. Send reports to Eric at themightykbc@gmail.com .


This reminder about Al Holt's helpful guide to building a ground isolator, to reduce noise from a computer into a shortwave radio.



I hope you can tune in and write in this weekend.


Enjoy the holidays.


Kim


Kim Andrew Elliott
Producer and Presenter
VOA Radiogram
voaradiogram.net

"WWV" Solar Flux Hits 213!

Several complex active regions are pointed right at the Earth. They are producing class M flares and periodic minor R1-level radio blackouts. The "official" daily uncorrected solar flux broadcast by WWV hit 213 today.  I haven't checked, but that sounds like a peak for Cycle 24 or at least close to it.  Of course due to our planet relatively close to perihelion, it may go down when it's corrected.

All of this woke up VHF this morning, L.A. time, with a number of East Coast businesses audible on the West Coast. It might be a good idea to check on 6 meters at the usual times.

Wintry VOA Radiogram for 13-14 December 2014

From Kim Andrew Elliott:

Hello friends,

Many of us experience noise on our radios when audio from the radio is patched to a computer – especially a computer using an AC converter. VOA Radiogram listener Al Holt has provided these plans to build a ground isolator that might reduce some of that noise. [I used this type of transformer with a scanner once, and it works, if the problem is indeed grounding. -Hugh]

Noise from your computer cannot be blamed if you were unable to receive VOA Radiogram last weekend Sunday at 1930 UTC on 15670 kHz. Mid-winter propagation is the real cause. The 15670 kHz transmission was generally not heard  in Europe, but it was received fairly well in North America. And Chris in New Zealand received 15670 well enough for this MFSK32 image decode …

Let’s hope that 15670 is usable in Europe this weekend.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 89, 13-14 December 2014, all in MFSK32 except where noted …

1:34  Program preview (now)
2:43  News about amateur radio and shortwave
5:20  Citizen scientists track coastal ecosystem*
12:45  Controversy about South China Sea boundaries*
20:18  Russian television channel may be shut down*
27:39  Closing announcements
28:32  Bonus mode of the week: Olivia 32-1000

*with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5910 kHz
Sat 1600-1630 17860 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

The Mighty KBC resumes its minute of MFSK64 Saturday at about 1230 UTC on 6095 kHz, and Sunday at about 0130 UTC (8:30 pm EST) on 7375 kHz. Both frequencies are via Germany. Reports to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com .

The ARRL 10-Meter Contest is this weekend, Saturday 0000 to Sunday 2359 UTC.  Modes are CW and phone (no digital modes). An ARRL 100th anniversary station will operate during the contest from the Voice of America Amateur Radio Club, K3VOA, using the call W1AW/3. I may be operating phone from the station on Sunday, especially around 14 to 16 UTC.  The 10-meter band is 28-29.7 MHz, where propagation can be very good, or very bad.

The International Space Station is planning to transmit slow scan television (SSTV) on 18 and 20 November. Details here. The SSTV mode will be PD180, which can be received with MultiPSK.

Thanks for all your reports from last weekend, the inaudible 15670 kHz notwithstanding. I will prepare a gallery of the images that were decoded, then answer your emails.

Thanks also to all who reported on the sound of the new audio processor being tested from the North Carolina transmitter.


Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott  

Producer and Presenter

VOA Radiogram

voaradiogram.net

Freedom-Loving VOA Radiogram for 6-7 December (Plus Radio Check Request)

From Kim Andrew Elliott:

Hello friends,
Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 88, 6-7 December 2014, all in MFSK32 except where indicated:


 1:38  Program preview
 2:41  Audio processor and DX meetings*
 6:51  Internet freedom report*
14:45  Mineral, mostly inaccessible, is named*
18:57  Exhibition of Navajo jewelry*
26:43  Closing announcements*
28:29  Bonus mode: QPSK31

*with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com.


VOA Radiogram this weekend includes news about a new report on world Internet freedom.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5910 kHz
Sat 1600-1630 17860 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.


The Mighty KBC will not transmit the usual minute of MFSK64 this weekend. The MFSK64 will return next weekend.


Thank you for your reception reports from last weekend, especially from those of you writing in for the first time. I will prepare either a QSL or an image gallery and try to answer all of the reports before the end of this weekend.


Please tune in and write in.


Kim


Kim Andrew Elliott
Producer and Presenter
VOA Radiogram
voaradiogram.net

---------------
The International Broadcasting Bureau transmitting station in North Carolina is evaluating a new Orban 9300 Digital Optimod-AM audio processor on its transmitter GB-5.

The engineers in North Carolina "would be very interested in any listener comments regarding fidelity and the ability to overcome less than ideal propagation while using the new audio processor."

Here is the schedule:

UTC           kHz      Content
0400-0700     7405     Radio Martí
1230-1300     9610     Vatican Radio
1400-2000    13820     Radio Martí

These are normal voice broadcasts, with some music, not digital text modes! You may notice co-channel noise from Cuba on the Radio Martí frequencies.

Send reception reports to our usual address, radiogram@voanews.com, and I will forward them to North Carolina.