Friday, April 07, 2017

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)