Speed Test on VOA Radiogram for March 29-30

From Kim Andrew Elliott:

Hello friends,

This weekend, 29-30 March 2014, will be program 52 of VOA Radiogram. This means that VOA Radiogram has survived one year of shortwave broadcasting.

VOA Radiogram has been successful because of its audience: tuning in, decoding, experimenting, and sending in reports.

We will mark one year of VOA Radiogram with a "battle of the 100-word-per-minute modes." The same VOA News story will be transmitted using four modes that have a speed of more-or-less 100 words per minute.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 52, 29-30 March 2014:

1:51  MFSK32: Program preview

3:28  PSKR125 (110 wpm): VOA News re Ethiopia

7:42  MT63-1000L (100 wpm): Same VOA New story

12:34  Thor25x4 (100 wpm): Same VOA News story

17:58  MFSK32 (120 wpm): Same VOA News story, with image

23:55  MFSK32: US international broadcasting FY2015 budget

25:58  MFSK32: Closing announcements, with image

Each mode will be preceded by 5 seconds of silence, followed by the RSID, 5 more seconds of silence, and the RSID again.

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule

(all days and times UTC)

Sat 0930-1000 5745 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.

(Many shortwave broadcast frequencies will change on 30 March with the beginning of the A14 season, but the VOA Radiogram frequencies stay the same, for the time being.)

The Mighty KBC, via Germany, will again transmit a minute of MFSK64 Saturday at about 1230 UTC on 6095 kHz and Sunday at about 0130 UTC on 7375 kHz. (KBC's change from 7375 to 9925 planned for this weekend has been postponed until May.) STF Radio International will also have a minute of digital modes during the same hour (simultaneous MFSK32 streams at 1500 and 2100 Hz).

Amateur radio digital nets: As KD9XB, I usually check in to the New York NBEMS net Saturdays at 1400 UTC (10 am EDT) on 7036 kHz and the Pennsylvania NBEMS net Sundays at 1500 UTC (11 am EDT) on 7072.5 kHz. I occasionally also check in to the USeast NBEMS net Wednesdays at 2300 UTC (7 pm EDT) on 7036 kHz. All these nets are USB and start with Olivia 8-500, then change to another mode such as MFSK32 or MT63-1000L for messages.

Canberra Control Heard on 15962 kHz USB in MH370 Search

Listeners Gier Stokkeland (Norway) and Dallas McKenzie (NZ) have monitored Canberra Control, Australia, working Chinese and Australian military aircraft involved in the vast search for the missing Malaysia Airlines B777.

Traffic passed includes weather information and flight following data.

Another All-MFSK32 (set and forget) VOA Radiogram for March 22-23

From Kim Andrew Elliott:

Hello friends,

Last weekend’s all-MFSK32 “set it and forget it” broadcast of VOA Radiogram worked well for most listeners, so we will do another one this weekend. This time, however, the program includes six MFSK32 images.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 51, 22-23 March 2014 (all in MFSK32 centered on 1500 Hz):

 1:33  Program preview

 2:33  Russia Internet, with image

 7:36  Greenland ice sheet, with image

13:45  Power from ocean waves, with image

19:26  Winter's slow retreat, with 2 images

25:30  Closing announcements and VOA Radiogram logo

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com .

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5745 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 (transmitter in Germany) will broadcast a minute of MFSK64 Saturday at about 1230 UTC on 6095 kHz, and Sunday at about 0130 UTC (Saturday 9:30 pm EDT) on 7375 kHz. Reception reports to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com .

Amateur radio digital nets: As KD9XB, I usually check into the New York NBEMS net Saturday at 10:00 a.m. Eastern (1400Z) on 7036 kHz, and the Pennsylvania NBEMS net Sunday at 11:00 a.m. Eastern (1500Z) on 7072.5 kHz. Each is USB, starting with Olivia 8-500 centered on 1500 Hz, then changing to MFSK32 or other mode for messages.

I have just about finished responding to VOA Radiogram reception reports from the weekend of 8-9 March, and will now start on reports from 15-16 March (program 50). Eventually, I will catch up!

I hope to hear from you this weekend.

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott

Producer and Presenter

VOA Radiogram

radiogram@voanews.com

http://voaradiogram.net

Twitter: @voaradiogram

Intresting Participatory Experimental VOA Radiogram for March 8-9

From Kim Andrew Elliott:

Hello friends,

On VOA Radiogram, program 49, 8-9 March 2014, the experiment will involve the audio frequency of a received MFSK32 transmission.

We hope that simple, receive-only applications (apps) are developed to decode MFSK32 on PCs and mobile devices. One requirement of MFSK is that the receiver and software be tuned to the precise frequency.

VOA Radiogram is typically transmitted on an audio frequency of 1500 Hz. The audio frequency as received tends to be a few Hz above or below 1500 Hz.

Would an MFSK32 app require an RxID to ensure that the received audio frequency is exactly correct? Or is there enough tolerance in MFSK32 that an RxID is not necessary?

VOA Radiogram, program 49, will begin with MFSK32 on a center audio frequency of 1600 Hz, with an RSID.

Just before 4:51 into the program, I will ask VOA Radiogram listeners to turn the RxID off and manually tune to an audio frequency of 1500 Hz.

Please let us know if you are able to decode the subsequent VOA News story without the assistance of the RxID.

During that VOA News story, you can turn the RxID back on.

For unattended reception, turn RxID off and set the audio frequency to 1500 Hz. You should decode everything after 4:51 into the show.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 49, 8-9 March 2014, all in MFSK32:

   1:37  1600 Hz: Program preview
 3:14  1600 Hz: Introduction to MFSK32 experiment
 4:51  1500 Hz: Cyber attacks on mobile devices, with image
10:33  1500 Hz: Ukraine telecommunications under attack
17:44  1500 Hz: Request for comments about shortwave, with image
20:11  1500 Hz: BBG FY 2015 budget request, with Flmsg* table
27:00  1500 Hz: Closing announcements

*Use Flmsg with Fldigi, both available from w1hkj.com.

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com

Winter SWL Fest

See you at the Winter SWL Fest, 14-15 March 2014, near Philadelphia. I'll be there to demonstrate to decoding of text and images on VOA Radiogram. Attend one or both days. Registration at the door is welcome. Information at swlfest.com.

The Mighty KBC

The Mighty KBC, with studios in the Netherlands and transmitters in Germany, will transmit a minute of MFSK64 Saturday at about 1230 UTC on 6095 kHz, and Sunday at about 0130 UTC (8:30 pm EST) on 7475 kHz. Eric enjoys receiving reception reports at themightykbc@gamail.com

The Saturday 0930 UTC broadcast

Now that this broadcast has been heard and successfully decoded in New Zealand, I will keep the 5745 kHz frequency for a few more weeks. Please ask your friends in the Asia Pacific region to try to receive the broadcast. Reception is also good all the way to the North America west coast. Try unattended reception while you sleep.

Daylight Savings Time in North America

On Sunday, 9 March, we in North America will move our clocks ahead one hour for "daylight savings time." For VOA Radiogram, this means that the broadcast Sunday at 1930-2000 UTC, on 15670 kHz, will now be at 3:30 pm EDT, 2:30 pm CDT, 1:30 pm MDT, and 12:30 pm PDT.

Personally, I would prefer that North America remain on "standard" time throughout the year. With year-round "standard" time, darkness, and a corresponding reduction in temperatures from the highs we have been experiencing in recent summers, would occur one hour earlier.   


Last weekend's Olivia experiment.


It was an interesting experiment. Olivia 64-2000 worked just about everywhere, including Japan. Olivia 32-2000 was almost as good. There were a few more errors with Olivia 16-2000, and several errors with the faster but less robust Olivia 8-1000.


I will begin responding to your reports Friday.


Kim


Kim Andrew Elliott
Producer and Presenter
VOA Radiogram
voaradiogram.net



VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5745 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.

Russian & Other Military Logs for March 4-5

From MDMonitor, Maryland, USA:

6685.0 ... 1932Z   Klarnetist w/76764 (IL-76MD) reporting departure from PRIRODNIJ (Russian AB, Butulirovka) at 2225 MSK 1 hr into flt and next is Buntar (Russian AB Orenburg). (2014/03/04)

6685.0 ... 1954Z   Proselok w/78809 (IL-76MD)--Acft is weak then fades out while passing flt info. (2014/03/04)

6685.0 ... 1607Z   Korsar w/76769 (IL-76MD) reporting departure from Dozhdevik (Russian AB, Pushkin) at 1955 MSK and ETA landing at Pskov 2030 MSK. At 1637Z   advises Polis that landed at Pskov at 2035 MSK w/fuel 20 tons. (2014/03/05)

6685.0 ... 1635Z   Polis comms checks w/76776 (IL-76MD) (2014/03/05)

6685.0 ... 1658Z   Korsar w/76713 (IL-76MD) reporting departure from (missed) at 2010 MSK w/fuel 40 tons. Next is Taganrog. (2014/03/05)

6690.0 ... 1546Z   Stn 66 w/Magic 56 (E3TF, NAEWandCF, Geilenkirchen GE) requesting that someone meet the acft when they land at 1900 Local. (2014/03/05)

11205.0 ... 1506Z   TASCOMM w/Ascot ?5?719 w/wx for LTCG (Trabzon Turkey) and EQBH (unid) (2014/03/05)

11205.0 ... 1518Z   Ascot 6666 calling TASCOMM. TASCOMM replies but no contact w/Ascot 6666 (2014/03/05)

11354.0 ... 1412Z   Priboj w/52753 (Russian Navy AN-26) reporting landing at Eisk at 1410 UTC w/fuel 3000 kgs. At 1612Z   52753 reports departure from Eisk at 1600Z   w/fuel 4800 kgs and alt 5500 mtrs. Next is ?Blasov?. (2014/03/04)

11354.0 ... 1417Z   Priboj w/75082 (Russian Navy IL-18/IL-20) reporting departure from Pushkin at 1415 UTC w/15000 kgs & ETA Severomorsk-3 is 1635 UTC. (2014/03/04)

11354.0 ... 1317Z   Priboj w/88630 (unid, Russian Navy) reporting depture from Eisk at 1310 UTC w/fuel 6500 kgs and alt 8500 mtrs. ETA landing at Ostrov 1540 UTC. At 1418Z   88630 reports passing ?Malo Skoratsovo? at 1413Z   alt 8500 mtrs. (2014/03/05)

11354.0 ... 1324Z   Priboj & Novator in comms checks w/75082 (Russian Navy IL-18/20). At 1502Z   Priboj w/75082 reporting departure from Pushkin at 1500 UTC w/fuel 14500 kgs. ETA landing at Severomorsk-3 is 1730 UTC. (2014/03/05)

11354.0 ... 1419Z   Toulouse Technique w/1703 (O/M French) selcal check DJ-DM. Acft is either A-330-300 FWWCB AIB25CB or A320 F-WWIF AIB01IF(Thanks to Andy for the possible idents) (2014/03/05)

11360.0 ... 1310Z   Korsar w/76613 (IL-76MD) reporting departure from Kvartet (Russian AB Taganrog). (2014/03/04)

11360.0 ... 1326Z   Proselok w/86870 (IL-76MD) reporting departure from (missed) at 1709 MSK w/fuel 35 tons. Next is Shaykovka. (2014/03/04)

11360.0 ... 1357Z   Proselok w/acft 89 reporting 2 hrs into flt at alt 2700 mtrs w/50 tons fuel. Proselok relays info to Klarnetist. (2014/03/04)

11360.0 ... 1432Z   Proselok w/76553 (IL-76MD) reporting departure from (missed) at 1825 MSK next is Anapa. (2014/03/04)

11360.0 ... 1435Z   Proselok w/78803 (IL-76MD) reporting landing at Rechnoj (Russian AB Shaykovka) at 1833 MSK. (2014/03/04)

11360.0 ... 1252Z   Proselok w/78809 (IL-76MD--not heard) reporting departure from Ukrainka at 1640 MSK at alt 2700 mtrs w/fuel 40 tons. Next is Khevichi (Thanks to Alex Shmel for location) (2014/03/05)

11360.0 ... 1257Z   Proselok w/76794 (IL-76MD--not heard) reporting departure from unk location (possibly Ukrainka) at 1630 MSK, alt 2700 mtrs, fuel 40 tons. Next is Khevichi (2014/03/05)

11360.0 ... 1456Z   Korsar w/78831 (IL-76MD--not heard) advising that his flt info has been relayed to Klarnetist. (2014/03/05)

11360.0 ... 1529Z   Korsar w/7674?2? (IL-76MD-not heard) reporting departure from Pushkin w/fuel 30 tons and ETA landing at Pskov 2005 MSK (2014/03/05)

More Russia Info

Air Transport:

6685  USB  Night primary
8847  USB  Day secondary
11630 USB Day primary



Naval Air Transport uses these call signs:

RJF94  Central Sector Station, Moscow (PRIBOJ)

RJC38  Northern Sector Station, Murmansk (NOVATOR)

RJC48  Southern Sector Station, Sevastopol (NORKA)

RCH84 Eastern Sector Station, Vladivostok (MONOLOG)

RCB ... Western Sector Station (KRAKET), Kaliningrad

7696  CW Alternate frequency

8816  CW Primary

11354 USB Voice primary

Naval Air Transport aircraft use IDs of 5 figures. These correspond to the aircraft's 

registration number. Many of these have been heard in the Ukraine area.

Some more calls used by Navy:

RCV                Black Sea Fleet, Sevastopol, Ukraine (RKZ, RKS, RJV, RIP90, RBE86, RGX)

RIR2                Navy, Polyarny

RIT                  Northern Fleet, Severomorsk (works group calls RLO, RKZ, RKS)

RIW                Navy Headquarters, Moscow (also group calls RJE56, RAA)

RJC62             RJD69             ISKATELX     Baltiysk Naval base 54.646N 19.919E

RJE56             PROGRESS    NCS station Moscow, has contact with many Navy stations

RJF95             ?

RJH25             KAKTUS        43N x 74.5E

RJH57             Same as RIT

RJV                 Collective: all Black Sea ships (used by RCV)

RHP99            Vessel Gorizont

RJS                  Pacific Fleet, Vladivostok

RKN                Caspian Flotilla, Astrakhan

RMP                Baltic Fleet, Kaliningrad (REO, RMU, RKZ)

RWM              Moscow

Russian voice phonetics:

 

А -- Anna/ Anton
Б -- Boris
В -- Vasily
Г -- Gregory
Д -- Dmitri
Е -- Yelena
Ё -- ёлка
Ж -- Zhenya
З -- Zinaida
И -- Ivan
Й -- Ivan kratkiy
К -- Konstantin/ Kilowatt
Л -- Leonid
М -- Mikhail
Н -- Nikolai
О -- Olga
П -- Pavel
Р -- Roman
С -- Semyon
Т -- Tatyana
У -- Ulyana
Ф -- Fyodor
Х -- Khariton
Ц -- tsaplya
Ч -- chelovek
Ш -- Shura
Щ -- shchuka
Ъ -- tvyordiy znak
Ы -- ery
Ь -- myagkiy znak
Э -- echo
Ю -- Yury
Я -- Yakov

Monitoring the Confrontation in Crimea

The Russian military maintains its Black Sea Fleet HQ and other assets in the Crimea, and in the past few days it has also been sending ground troops.

There are a few low band VHF channels used in the Crimean region by Russian assets.  Activity has been noted by well-situated listeners on 30.025, 36.65, and 38.25 MHz, in various modes.  The possibility of skip might potentially extend the listening range of at least the 30 and 36 MHz channels.

Here's a bit of what I have for Russian military in the region.  Voice comm, obviously, is in Russian. However, quite a bit is still in good old Morse code, CW mode.  They use standard procedures, and a lot of Q and Z signals.



Russian Navy Black Sea Fleet, Sevastopol:


  3378.0   3826.0   4055.0   5224.0   5312.0   7566.0
10201.0   10543.0 11688.0 12794.0 19201.0 20536.0 21438.0



Assorted air transport:


2013.5  CW  Naval Air Transport
4956.0  CW  Naval Air Transport
5808.0  CW  Naval Air Transport
7662.6  USB   Air Transport
7666.9  USB  Air Transport
7668.6  USB  Air Transport
7685.0  USB  Air Transport; selcal, voice w/priyom, data
7696.0  CW  Naval Air Transport
7883.1  USB  Air Transport
7884.5  USB  Air Transport
7980.0  CW  Naval Air Transport
7988.0  CW  Naval Air Transport
8120.0  CW  Naval Air Transport
8682.0  CW  Naval Air Transport
8816.0  USB  RJF94/PRIBOJ  Moscow Command
11254.0  USB  Central Sector
11354.0  USB RMP/RIW/RJF94/etc Moscow
11360.0  USB   Central Sector



Moscow Air Force HQ (REA4):

1176.0  2721.0  4379.0  5158.0  7054.0  11407.5



Ukraine AF net:

8974.0



Assorted Air Force:

  6685.0  USB  AF night strategic command net
  8131.0  USB  Katolik
  8816.0  CW   RCB
11360.0  USB  Korsar
11233.0  USB  AF strategic forces



Air Force IDs:

Akustik    Joint Strategic forces
Avora        Volgograd
Balans        New, unk
Davlenie    AF, Taganrog
Gazelle    Joint Strategic forces
Kansek    Joint Strategic forces
Katolik    New, unk
Klarnetist    AF, Tver
Korsar        AF, Pskov
Kraket        Air Transport, Western Sector, Kaliningrad
Maska        Joint Strategic forces
Midyalka    Joint Strategic forces
Monolog    Air transport, eastern sector, Vladivostok
Nabor        Joint Strategic forces
Nezyanka    Joint Strategic forces
Norka    Naval aviation, southern sector, Sevastopol
Novator    Naval aviation, northern sector, Murmansk
Ochitska    Joint Strategic forces, Moscow?
Polis        AF, Orenberg
Priboj        Air transport, central sector, Moscow
Procelka    Joint Strategic forces
Proselok    AF, Bryansk
REA4        Collective stragegic AF c/s
Saksofon    Joint Strategic forces
Seriozhka    Astrakhan
Shlagata    Joint Strategic forces
Shpora        Joint Strategic forces, Rostov
Shtat        Sochi
Stavok        Vladikavkaz
Sympatia    Joint Strategic forces
Triol        Elista

X4.9 Flare is Cycle 24's 3rd Largest

At 0049 UTC February 25, returning Active Region 1967 (since renumbered AR1990) produced a strong X4.9 x-ray flare with radio sweeps and coronal mass ejection.  A proton storm began soon after. 

Most CME was directed off into space, and it was slow arriving. This planet did experience a moderate bow shock last night, causing a G2 level geomagnetic storm.  Europe experienced some truly amazing auroral displays from this storm, which is now apparently subsiding. 

Polar absorption of radio signals has been quite high for several days now, though low band VHF skip has remained strong around 30-33 MHz at mid-day when illumination of the F2 region is at maximum.  Here in California, copyable signals have come from the Northeastern, Mid-Atlantic, Midwestern, and South Central United States.

Region 1990, formerly region 1967. and before that region 1944, has showed remarkable longevity.  This is its third trip across the Earth-facing solar disk, and it's still making significant flares despite showing signs of magnetic decay.