VOA Radiogram for 22-23 April

From Kim Andrew Elliott:

Hello friends,

Last weekend, it was the Sunday 0230-0300 UTC broadcast on 5745 kHz that provided the most difficulty for listeners. Reception in Europe was non-existent.  And it was not as good as usual in most of the Americas. Ontario was an exception, as you can see in this video by Scotty in Toronto …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9_hRpxf7Ss

From the Saturday 1600-1630 UTC show, Youtube videos were produced by “BlackApple 62” in Italy …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yZ6F4mFZwo

And by Tim in Colorado, same time, same frequency …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWgurJkmEHA

You can watch their decoding, or do your own decoding using the audio from the videos.

This weekend’s VOA Radiogram will be all MFSK32, because I did not have enough time to squeeze in an MFSK16 item.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 212, 22-23 April 2017, all in MFSK32 centered on 1500 Hz …   

 1:46  Program preview

 2:56  Astronomers find another "earthy" planet*

11:15  Chinese party critic wanted after VOA interview*

18:28  Russian lawmaker says US media pressure Russia*

23:31  First iceberg of season off Newfoundland (photo)*

26:15  Closing announcements*

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com

VOA Radiogram Transmission Schedule
UTC Day	UTC Time	kHz	Transmitter	Target	Also try in …
Saturday	0930-1000	5745	North Carolina	Americas	Asia-Pacific, Europe
Saturday	1600-1630	17580	North Carolina	Europe	Americas, Asia-Pacific
Sunday	0230-0300	5745	North Carolina	Americas	Europe
Sunday	1930-2000	15670	North Carolina	Europe	Americas, Asia-Pacific
Sunday	2030-2100	11580	WRMI Florida	Europe	Americas, Asia-Pacific
Sunday	2330-2400	11580	WRMI Florida	Americas	Europe, Asia-Pacific

The Mighty KBC has a new broadcast to Europe Saturdays at 1500-1600 UTC on 9400 kHz, via Kostinbrod (near Sofia), Bulgaria. A minute of MFSK32 will be at about 1530 UTC. This is in addition to the usual KBC broadcast to North America Sunday at 0000-0200 UTC (Saturday 8-10 pm EDT) 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/.  (KBC will move to 9925 kHz on 7 May.)

DigiDX is taking a few weeks off, hence the VOA Radiogram transmissions via WRMI. See http://www.digidx.uk/ and https://www.facebook.com/digidx/

Italian Broadcasting Corporation (IBC)  For the complete IBC transmission schedule, including changes after 27 March, visit  http://ibcradio.webs.com/  The new English version of IBC’s “Shortwave Panorama” begins  31 March, via WRMI Florida, Friday 01.00-01.30 UTC on 9955 kHz, Saturday 01.30-02.00 UTC 11580 kHz, and Sunday 00.30-01.00 UTC on 7730 kHz. The last five minutes of these shows will be in MFSK32.

"IBC DIGITAL" - 5 MINUTES IN MFSK32:

WEDNESDAY   18.55 UTC  6070 / 1584 KHZ TO EUROPE

FRIDAY            01.25 UTC  9955 KHZ TO CENTRAL/SOUTH AMERICA

SATURDAY     01.55 UTC 11580 KHZ TO NORTH AMERICA

                        20.25 UTC  1584 KHZ TO EUROPE

SUNDAY          00.55 UTC  7730 KHZ TO NORTH AMERICA

                        10.55 UTC  6070 KHZ TO EUROPE

Thank you for your reception reports from last 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)

Easter weekend VOA Radiogram for April 15-16

From Kim Andrew Elliott:

Hello friends,

See the news below about the new Mighty KBC broadcast to Europe, Saturdays at 1500-1600 UTC, on 9400 kHz via Bulgaria.

Last weekend provided some interesting propagation for VOA Radiogram. The Saturday 1600 UTC show was heard very well in Europe, but for the second week in a row, there was a break in transmission. Perhaps the old (55 years!) transmitter does not like the 100%-duty-cycle MFSK32 mode.

This Easter weekend let’s hope for good propagation and no transmitter mishaps.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 211, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

 1:51  Program preview

 3:02  Loud shrimp named after rock band*

 7:19  Major Azerbaijani Internet provider blocking RFE/RL*

14:43  China blocks South Korean TV*

21:08  MFSK16: Free App Allows Blind Hams to Work PSK31

24:26  MFSK32: Image* and closing announcements

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com

VOA Radiogram Transmission Schedule
UTC Day	UTC Time	kHz	Transmitter	Target	Also try in …
Saturday	0930-1000	5745	North Carolina	Americas	Asia-Pacific, Europe
Saturday	1600-1630	17580	North Carolina	Europe	Americas, Asia-Pacific
Sunday	0230-0300	5745	North Carolina	Americas	Europe
Sunday	1930-2000	15670	North Carolina	Europe	Americas, Asia-Pacific
Sunday	2030-2100	11580	WRMI Florida	Europe	Americas
Sunday	2330-2400	11580	WRMI Florida	Americas

The Mighty KBC has a new broadcast to Europe Saturdays at 1500-1600 UTC on 9400 kHz, via Kostinbrod (near Sofia), Bulgaria. A minute of MFSK32 will be at about 1530 UTC. This is in addition to the usual KBC broadcast to North America Sunday at 0000-0200 UTC (Saturday 8-10 pm EDT) 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/.  (KBC will move to 9925 kHz on 7 May.)

DigiDX is taking a few weeks off, hence the VOA Radiogram transmissions via WRMI. See http://www.digidx.uk/ and https://www.facebook.com/digidx/

Italian Broadcasting Corporation (IBC)  For the complete IBC transmission schedule, including changes after 27 March, visit  http://ibcradio.webs.com/  The new English version of IBC’s “Shortwave Panorama” begins  31 March, via WRMI Florida, Friday 01.00-01.30 UTC on 9955 kHz, Saturday 01.30-02.00 UTC 11580 kHz, and Sunday 00.30-01.00 UTC on 7730 kHz. The last five minutes of these shows will be in MFSK32.

"IBC DIGITAL" - 5 MINUTES IN MFSK32:

WEDNESDAY   18.55 UTC  6070 / 1584 KHZ TO EUROPE

FRIDAY            01.25 UTC  9955 KHZ TO CENTRAL/SOUTH AMERICA

SATURDAY     01.55 UTC 11580 KHZ TO NORTH AMERICA

                        20.25 UTC  1584 KHZ TO EUROPE

SUNDAY          00.55 UTC  7730 KHZ TO NORTH AMERICA

                        10.55 UTC  6070 KHZ TO EUROPE

Thank you for your reception reports from last 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)

The saga of Frequency Table #50 continues

Yuck.

Now it appears, a few weeks after the HFDL system rolled out Frequency Table #50, that just about everyone has dropped back to #49. I haven't checked all the stations, but someone who's reliable says the only one he found that is not using #49 is Barrow, Alaska - and they are using #48.

Whatever.  This is why I told everybody to rename the old pchfdl.dat file instead of deleting it. The new file, the one with #50, can be renamed to something like pchfdl50.dat, and the old one can be renamed back to pchfdl.dat. And away you go.

This is why I feel silly.  I went to do that, and since - lucky me - PC-HFDL had updated itself without my needing to do anything.... the old file was gone.  Oops.  It's backed up, of course, and I'll go find it, but just saying.  If ARINC/ Rockwell Collins is going to continue their recent thing of churning databases, then we're going to have to keep both available. One can run multiple instances of PC-HFDL or just have the files for #49 and #50 somewhere else as pchfdl49.dat and pchfdl50.dat, copying in and renaming the relevant one as needed.  I like that second one, even though it's more work.


EDIT 4/14: The link to the file has been removed from this column's web site until this is resolved.

VOA Radiogram for April 8-9, 2017

From Kim Andrew Elliott:

Hello friends,

Last weekend's item about the Radio Quiet Zone near Green Bank, West Virginia, included this: "It becomes apparent in Green Bank that visitors have to navigate the old-fashioned way: by reading road signs. That's because GPS comes to a screeching halt as you approach this West Virginia town, which has two churches, an elementary school, a library and the world's largest radio telescope."

VOA Radiogram listener Warren in Arizona took issue with this, pointing out that "GPS units do not transmit."

I've never owned a GPS device. And I will never have a car navigation system because it's difficult enough for me to drive without having to look at stuff on the dashboard. And that's why, when I buy a car (which is not very often), I buy one of the lower-end models that does not have a lot of stuff on the dashboard.

Anyway, it's true that GPS satellite signals can be received, and location determined, even in the Green Bank Radio Quiet Zone. But, to the best of my limited understanding, some car navigation systems also involve maps that are downloaded through cell telephone networks, which are unavailable near the Green Bank telescope.

On to other matters: Last Saturday at about 1625 UTC, the transmitter on 17580 kHz abruptly left the air, leaving many of us with half a picture of the Sputnik satellite.  And because the transmitter did not come back, the International Geophysical Year logo (seen above from the Sunday 1930 UTC show) was not seen at all. Let's hope I don't break the transmitter again this weekend.

This weekend's VOA Radiogram has some interesting news items and six MFSK32 images.  One item is in MFSK16 in case reception is difficult.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 210, 8-9 April 2017, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

 1:50  Program preview
 3:05  New Horizons spacecraft halfway to next destination*
 6:45  Graphene-oxide membranes for desalination*
13:19  Ebay founder pledges $100 million to fight fake news*
18:11  MFSK16: NOAA's biggest ship ends 800-day voyage
21:56  MFSK32: Images* and closing announcements*

* with image


Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com .

The Mighty KBC broadcast to North America will be Sunday at 0000-0200 UTC (Saturday 8-10 pm EDT) 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/.  (KBC will move to 9925 kHz on 7 May.)

DigiDX is taking a few weeks off, hence the VOA Radiogram transmissions via WRMI. See http://www.digidx.uk/ and https://www.facebook.com/digidx/

Italian Broadcasting Corporation (IBC)  For the complete IBC transmission schedule, including changes after 27 March, visit  http://ibcradio.webs.com/  The new English version of IBC’s “Shortwave Panorama” begins  31 March, via WRMI Florida, Friday 01.00-01.30 UTC on 9955 kHz, Saturday 01.30-02.00 UTC 11580 kHz, and Sunday 00.30-01.00 UTC on 7730 kHz. The last five minutes of these shows will be in MFSK32.

"IBC DIGITAL" - 5 MINUTES IN MFSK32:

WEDNESDAY   18.55 UTC  6070 / 1584 KHZ TO EUROPE

FRIDAY             01.25 UTC  9955 KHZ TO CENTRAL/SOUTH AMERICA

SATURDAY       01.55 UTC 11580 KHZ TO NORTH AMERICA

                           20.25 UTC  1584 KHZ TO EUROPE

SUNDAY          00.55 UTC  7730 KHZ TO NORTH AMERICA

                          10.55 UTC  6070 KHZ TO EUROPE

Thank you for your reception reports from last 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)