Friday, March 25, 2016

Easter VOA Radiogram for March 26-27

Hello friends,

Propagation last weekend was difficult on Saturday, especially within North America. Fortunately, it improved by Sunday.

If you are new to the program, note that Fldigi automatically saves decoded images as png files in the folder \fldigi.files\images\ probably within your C:\Users hierarchy. Operating systems other than Windows may have different folder names. When sending reception reports, please attach those png files.

VOA Radiogram this weekend  is all in MFSK32 except for the new VOA Radiogram transmission schedule in Olivia 64-2000  under the closing music. The only frequency change is Saturday at 0930-1000 UTC: 26 March is the last day for 5865 kHz; effective 2 April, 5745 kHz will be used during that broadcast.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 156, 26-27 March 2016, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

  1:34  Program preview
  2:39  Efficient internal combustion engine*
  9:00  Crop wild relatives for food security*
15:05  Rare flower blooms at US Botanic Garden*
19:49  Urban birds are smarter*
24:10  Closing announcements*
Olivia 64-2000 transmission schedule under closing music.

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5865 kHz (Changes to 5745 kHz effective 2 April.)
Sat 1600-1630 17580 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 Saturday at about 0220 UTC (lately it has been after 0225 UTC) (10:20 pm EDT or later) on 6040 kHz, via Germany. Reports for this KBC reception to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com . The KBC North America broadcast is Sunday 0000-0300 UTC (Saturday 8-11 pm EDT)
on 6040 kHz.

DigiDX this weekend is all in MFSK32, except for some MFSK128 in German.  Consult www.digidx.uk for any updates:

Date
Time
Frequency
Transmitter
Friday, 25 March
2000-2030 UTC
3985 kHz
Radio 700, Germany
Saturday, 26 March
2000-2030 UTC
6070 kHz
Channel 292, Germany
Sunday, 27 March
1100-1130 UTC
6070 kHz
Channel 292, Germany
Sunday, 27 March
2330-0000 UTC
11580 kHz
WRMI, Florida

Thanks for your reports.  I’m now compiling the gallery from program 153 and will try to begin sending them out this weekend.

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

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott
Producer and Presenter
VOA Radiogram
Twitter: @VOARadiogram (active especially before/during/after broadcasts)

Friday, March 18, 2016

Note N. America local time changes for VOA Radiogram 3/19-20

From Kim Andrew Elliott:

Hello friends,

In most of the United States and Canada, VOA Radiogram is now one hour later by local time because of the change to daylight time. The UTC times remain the same (see schedule below). Effective 2 April, the Saturday 0930 UTC broadcast changes to 5745 kHz.

VOA Radiogram this weekend will include an 8-minute stretch of Olivia 64-2000. Let’s hope for poor reception – or create poor reception conditions – to give the Olivia 64-2000.

VOA Radiogram reception and decodes were very good last weekend. Here’s an example by Alessandro in Italy, 13 March 2016, 1930-2000 UTC, 15670 kHz:



Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 155, 19-20 March 2016, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

 1:32  Program preview

 3:01  NASA plans large fire on spacecraft*

 7:26  Rotten tomatoes produce renewable energy*

11:54  Olivia 64-2000: Legislation to counter propaganda

19:48  MFSK32: Over the horizon radar in amateur HF bands*

25:04  Early General Electric shortwave broadcasting*

27:05  Closing announcements

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):

Sat 0930-1000 (5:30 am EDT) 5865 kHz (will change to 5745 kHz effective 2 April)
Sat 1600-1630 (noon EDT) 17580 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 (Saturday 10:30 pm EDT) 5745 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 (3:30 pm EDT) 15670 kHz

All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

The Mighty KBC will transmit a minute of MFSK32 Sunday at about 0220 UTC (10:20 pm EDT) on 6040 kHz, via Germany. Reception reports for KBC reception to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com . KBC is determining whether it will have enough sponsors to maintain its broadcast to North America, currently at 0000-0300 UTC on 6040 kHz.

DigiDX will transmit MFSK32, and some MFSK128L, this weekend:

Friday 18th March: 2000-2030UTC - 6070kHz (Channel 292, Germany)
Sunday 20th March: 1100-1130UTC - 6070kHz (Channel 292, Germany)
Sunday 20th March: 1230-1300UTC - 6070kHz (Channel 292, Germany)
Sunday 20th March: 2330-0000UTC - 11580kHz (WRMI, Florida)

Another DigiDX transmission Sunday at 0030 UTC on 6070 kHz (via Germany) will be in Olivia 64-2000, with some MFSK16 at the end. For listeners in the Americas, it will be interesting to see if these digital modes will decode under CFRX in Toronto, also on 6070 kHz.

Visit http://www.digidx.uk/ for any updates to this schedule.

Thanks for the VOA Radiogram reception reports last weekend, including several from new listeners. I finally sent out the MFSK gallery from program 135 (Halloween weekend!) last weekend. I’m now compiling the gallery from program 153 and hope to send that out in the next few days. 

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

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott
Producer and Presenter
VOA Radiogram
Twitter: @VOARadiogram (especially active before, during and after the broadcasts)

Friday, March 04, 2016

Pythons and astrophysics and other fun stuff on VOA Radiogram for March 5-6

From Kim Andrew Elliott:

Hello friends,

VOA Radiogram this weekend is all in MFSK32. There is no time for a slow mode such as Olivia 64-3000, because the MFSK32 stories are too interesting to cut.  

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 153, 5-6 March 2016, all in MFSK32:

 1:34  Program preview
  2:36  Ridding Bangkok of pythons and other snakes*
12:57  Astronomers locate source of a fast radio burst*
17:57  Distinguished visitors at the South Pole*
27:13  Closing announcements*

* with image

Decode with Fldigi or MultiPSK for PCs, or AndFlmsg or TIVAR for Android devices.

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5865 kHz
Sat 1600-1630 17580 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 MFSK32 Saturday at about 0220 UTC (Sunday 9:20 pm EST) on 6040 kHz, via Germany. Reports for KBC reception to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com .

DigiDX continues its MFSK32 transmissions this weekend via Channel 292, 6070 kHz, in Germany. The schedule is Friday (today) at 2000-2030 UTC and Sunday at 1100-2030 UTC (presumably including several repeats). This weekend’s DigiDX broadcast includes MFSK32 at the usual audio frequency of 1500, plus, simultaneously (a few minutes into the broadcast) at 600 Hz. You can decode both at the same time using two instances of Fldigi. Additional transmissions of DigiDX are possible during the weekend (consult facebook.com/digidx) as well as digital IDs by Channel 292 itself. 

Thank you for your reports from last weekend.  I’m still working on the gallery of MFSK images from program 135, and hope to be sending this out soon.

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

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott
Producer and Presenter
VOA Radiogram
@VOARadiogram   

PS:  See my new essay about BBC’s planned North Korean service.