Utility Planet: January 2017

Friday, January 27, 2017

200th VOA Radiogram 28-29 January

Note expanded schedule!

From Kim Andrew Elliott:

Hello friends,

Last weekend, I had problems with our Outlook contact lists, resulting in some of you receiving two emails, and some VOA Radiogram listeners receiving no email. I’ve reconstructed the mailing lists. If you have previously unsubscribed and are receiving this email again, let me know, and I will delete you again.

DigiDX is taking a few weeks off. VOA Radiogram will be heard during the DigiDX broadcast times on WRMI Florida and IBC Italy. See the expanded schedule below.

The expanded schedule is a good way to celebrate the 200^th program of VOA Radiogram this weekend.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 200, 28-29 January 2017, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

1:52 Program preview

3:02 Strange insect gets new scientific order*

8:54 China will crack down on VPNs*

14:02 Olivia 64-2000: Naval Academy HF Cubesat

21:30 MFSK32: 200th edition of VOA Radiogram*

25:09 Closing announcements*

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule (expanded):

UTC Day	UTC Time	kHz	Transmitter	Target*
Saturday	0930-1000	5865	North Carolina	Americas
Saturday	1600-1630	17580	North Carolina	Europe
Sunday	0230-0300	5745	North Carolina	Americas
Sunday	1930-2000	15670	North Carolina	Europe
Sunday	2030-2100	11580	WRMI Florida	Europe
Sunday	2330-2400	11580	WRMI Florida	Americas
Monday	2000-2030	3975	IBC Italy	Europe
Wednesday	2100-2130	3975	IBC Italy	Europe
* But often heard outside the nominal target area

The Mighty KBC broadcast to North America will be Sunday at 0000-0200 UTC (Saturday 7-9 pm EST) on 6145 kHz, via Germany. A minute of MFSK32 will be transmitted at about 0130 UTC. Reports to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com . See also http://www.kbcradio.eu/ and https://www.facebook.com/TheMightyKbc/ .

DigiDX is taking a few weeks off. See http://www.digidx.uk/ and https://www.facebook.com/digidx/

Italian Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) has digital modes as follows:
EVERY WEDNESDAY ON 3975 KHZ 20.30-21.00 UTC in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500
EVERY FRIDAY ON 9955 KHZ 02.25-02.30 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SATURDAY ON 1584 KHZ 21.25-21.30 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SUNDAY ON 7730 KHZ 00.55-01.00 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SUNDAY ON 6070 KHZ 11.30-12.00 UTC in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500 (VIA RADIO BCLNEWS)
For the complete IBC transmission schedule, including voice broadcasts, visit http://ibcradio.webs.com/

Winter SWL Fest. I am planning to attend the Winter SWL Fest, March 2-4, 2017, at Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. Hope to see you there. Information at http://www.swlfest.com .

Thanks for your reports from last weekend. I am still compiling the gallery from program 198 (14-15 January). I hope to have it finished this weekend and send it to everyone who provided reports.

I hope you can tune in and write this weekend.

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott, KD9XB
Producer and Presenter
VOA Radiogram
voaradiogram.net

Twitter: @VOARadiogram (especially active just before, during, and after broadcasts)

PS: A few operating notes:

For best Olivia 64-2000 performance, turn Fldigi's squelch (SQL) off.
The RSID at 1500 Hz sometimes mixes with the transmitter hum, most noticeable at 360 Hz, to move your receive audio frequency down to 1140 Hz, resulting in no decode. To prevent this, in Fldigi: Configure > IDs > RsID > unselect Searches passband. Your center audio frequency will wander no more than +/- 200 Hz.
Fldigi automatically saves your decoded MFSK images as png files in the folder \fldigi.files\images\ (in Windows; folder names might be different with other operating systems). You can attach those png files with your reception report.
The VOA Radiogram Twitter account @VOARadiogram is especially active before, during, and after the broadcasts. You don't need a Twitter account: just go to https://twitter.com/voaradiogram and refresh it occasionally.

Friday, January 20, 2017

2016 Utility Planet compilation now available!

This year's Utility Planet compilation e-book has just gone live on the Amazon.com Kindle Store. Here is a direct link to its catalog entry.

2014 is also available, and 2015 will be soon.

All 2016 columns from The Spectrum Monitor are included. The US $3.99 price is a steal for this much information in one place. I've also made editorial comments where updates were necessary, and added a few pictures that never ran in the magazine.

VOA Radiogram for 21-22 January

Hello friends,

I produced this weekend's VOA Radiogram yesterday (Thursday), during the administration of Barack Obama. It will be broadcast during the administration of Donald Trump.

The show will include one item about past inaugurations, and the final image will show the National Mall, site of the inauguration, with the VOA headquarters also in the picture.

One science news item this weekend will be in Olivia 64-2000, which may be helpful if reception is poor.

Mid-winter propagation continues to provide challenges and opportunities. Some listeners in northern Europe heard and decoded last weekend's broadcast Saturday 0930-1000 UTC on 5865 kHz. And the Sunday 1930-2000 UTC broadcast on 15670 kHz, lately difficult to hear in Europe (the nominal target), was received last weekend in New Zealand. (See images below.)

A few operating notes:

For best Olivia 64-2000 performance, turn Fldigi's squelch (SQL) off.
The RSID at 1500 Hz sometimes mixes with the transmitter hum, most noticeable at 360 Hz, to move your receive audio frequency down to 1140 Hz, resulting in no decode. To prevent this, in Fldigi: Configure > IDs > RsID > unselect Searches passband. Your center audio frequency will wander no more than +/- 200 Hz.
Fldigi automatically saves your decoded MFSK images as png files in the folder \fldigi.files\images\ (in Windows; folder names might be different with other operating systems). You can attach those png files with your reception report.
The VOA Radiogram Twitter account @VOARadiogram is especially active before, during, and after the broadcasts. You don't need a Twitter account: just go to https://twitter.com/voaradiogram and refresh it occasionally.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 199, 21-22 January 2017, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

1:46 Program preview

2:58 Presidential inaugurations in history*

8:18 Micronesia hopes Trump reconsiders climate change*

13:01 First freight train from China to UK*

18:24 Olivia 64-2000: Milky Way looting stars from near galaxy

24:44 Closing image and announcements*

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule

(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5865 kHz        (To the Americas, try also in Asia-Pacific and Europe)
Sat 1600-1630 17580 kHz       (To Europe, try also in the Americas and Asia-Pacific)
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz        (To the Americas, try also in Europe)
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz      (To Europe, try also in the Americas and Asia-Pacific)
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

See http://www.digidx.uk/ and https://www.facebook.com/digidx/

Italian Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) has digital modes as follows:
EVERY WEDNESDAY ON 3975 KHZ 20.30-21.00 UTC in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500
EVERY FRIDAY ON 9955 KHZ 02.25-02.30 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SATURDAY ON 1584 KHZ 21.25-21.30 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SUNDAY ON 7730 KHZ 00.55-01.00 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SUNDAY ON 6070 KHZ 11.30-12.00 UTC in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500 (VIA RADIO BCLNEWS)
For the complete IBC transmission schedule, including voice broadcasts, visit http://ibcradio.webs.com/

Winter SWL Fest. I am planning to attend the Winter SWL Fest, March 2-4, 2017, at Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. Hope to see you there. Information at http://www.swlfest.com .

I am compiling the gallery of decoded MFSK images from last weekend and hope to begin sending those to reporters this weekend.

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

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott, KD9XB
Producer and Presenter
VOA Radiogram
voaradiogram.net

Twitter: @VOARadiogram (especially active just before, during, and after broadcasts)

Friday, January 13, 2017

VOA Radiogram for 14-15 January 2017

From Kim Andrew Elliott:

Hello friends,

The VOA Radiogram broadcast last Sunday (8 January) at 1930-2000 UTC on 15670 kHz was heard in Europe, or at least parts of Europe, but also in western North America. The top row of images above was decoded by Franco in Italy, the bottom by Eric in California, both tuned to the same 15670 kHz transmission.

[Franco's are nearly perfect, Eric's look a lot like mine on the 5 MHz frequency. -Hugh]

This weekend's VOA Radiogram will be all MFSK32 except for the transmission schedule in Olivia 64-2000 at the end of the show.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 198, 14-15 January 2017, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

1:48 Program preview
2:48 Iranians fear health effects of jamming*
13:23 Flagstaff, Arizona, keeps night sky dark**
23:29 VOA 75th anniversary*
25:57 Closing announcements
26:31 Olivia 64-2000: Transmission schedule

* with image
** with two images

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule

See http://www.digidx.uk/ and https://www.facebook.com/digidx/

Winter SWL Fest. I am planning to attend the Winter SWL Fest, March 2-4, 2017, at Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. Hope to see you there. Information at http://www.swlfest.com .

Thanks for the many reception reports from last week's VOA Radiogram. A gallery of decoded MFSK32 images has been compiled and is being sent to the reporters.

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

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott, KD9XB
Producer and Presenter
VOA Radiogram
voaradiogram.net

Twitter: @VOARadiogram (especially active just before, during, and after broadcasts)

Friday, January 06, 2017

FEMA to hold monthly exercises in 2016

From ARRL:

FEMA Interoperability Exercise Deemed a Success, Monthly Exercises Set for 2017

Laura Goudreau, KG7BQR, Regional Emergency Communications Coordinator for FEMA Region X, said a December 21 Region X interoperability communications exercise on 60 meters went well.

FEMA Region X, which consists of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, now has announced that it will hold similar exercises each month in 2017, with all radio amateurs welcome to participate.

"We had 48 check-ins, of which 42 were amateurs," Goudreau said of the December event. "It was very successful and also included our first digital test." The "COMMEX" event consisted of check-ins from authorized state, tribal, federal, and Amateur Radio stations to test HF interoperability in case of an emergency or disaster response. The interoperability aspect between federal stations and Amateur Radio licensees was coordinated and authorized by the NTIA and the FCC.

The net included a digital component, intended as a one-way broadcast to test FEMA's ability to send messages and for remote stations to receive them. Goudreau said that while there's still room for improvement in the digital area, overall, she was happy with how the exercise played out.

During 2017, FEMA Region X will hold a communication exercise (COMMEX) on the third Wednesday of each month, 1500-2100 UTC. The initial exercise will take place on January 18.

"The intent of [each] COMMEX is to test and exercise interoperable communications (federal/state/local/tribal/amateur) during a major disaster, where communications infrastructure would be significantly damaged or destroyed," a FEMA Region X announcement said. FEMA Region X will use the call sign WGY910. Others taking part in these exercises will include, but are not limited to, other FEMA stations, SHARES stations, and Air Force and Army MARS stations. All stations are encouraged to participate.

The COMMEX will use the five 60-meter channels: 5,330.5 kHz, 5,346.5 kHz, 5,357.0 kHz, 5,371.5 kHz, and 5,403.5 kHz. The area of operation is the Continental US.

-- Thanks to FEMA Region X Regional Emergency Communications Coordinator Laura Goudreau, KG7BQR, and FEMA Spectrum Manager Dave Adsit, KG4BIR

Snowy VOA Radiogram for 7-8 January

From Kim Andrew Elliott:

Hello friends,

Eastern North Carolina is expecting snow and perhaps other forms winter precipitation on Saturday. If there is any disruption to VOA Radiogram transmissions this weekend, that might be the cause. You can follow weather developments in Greenville NC at http://www.witn.com/weather

For those of you who are new to sending reception reports, Fldigi automatically saves decoded MFSK images as png files in the folder \fldigi.files\images\ . That’s under C:\Users … on my Windows machine. Folder names might be different with other operating systems. You can attach those png files with your report.

Last week we experienced the first relatively good gray-line reception in Europe during the Saturday 0930-1000 UTC broadcast on 5865 kHz. If you are in Europe, especially northern Europe, try it soon, while the nights are still long!

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 197, 7-8 January 2017, in MFSK32 except where noted:

1:31 Program preview

2:41 Turkey moves to block Internet access*

10:46 McDonald's opens near Vatican*

14:56 BBC World Service feature re BBC Monitoring* **

19:08 Olivia 64-2000: FEMA interoperability exercise

26:07 MFSK32: Image* and closing announcements

* with image

** includes some audio from the BBCWS radio program

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule

See http://www.digidx.uk/ and https://www.facebook.com/digidx/

Winter SWL Fest. I am planning to attend the Winter SWL Fest, March 2-4, 2017, at Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. Hope to see you there. Information at http://www.swlfest.com .

Thanks for all the excellent reports to VOA Radiogram from New Year’s weekend. I think I have answered all of them with the gallery of images, which you can see in compressed form here: https://twitter.com/VOARadiogram/status/815980102563590148

I hope you can tune and write in this weekend.

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott, KD9XB
Producer and Presenter
VOA Radiogram
voaradiogram.net
Twitter: @VOARadiogram (especially active just before, during, and after broadcasts)