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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Jim Meirose, who asks:
Each day in NJ I am hearing China Radio International in German on 9.570 MHz. It “fades in” up out of the noise about 2 pm EDT, and strengthens until the broadcast signs off just before 3 pm (1800 UTC).
Two things: first, I have found on a couple of websites that a broadcast from CRI on 9.570 does run daily and signs off just before 1800 UCT, but–the listings say it is in English. What I am hearing is in German.
I would like to find someone who can explain the discrepancy in languages between the listings and what I hear.
Second, I would like to know for sure where the transmitter for this broadcast is located. I know CRI broadcasts not only from Beijing but from Albania, Cuba, and possibly others. Can someone tell me the answer?
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Nigel Holmes, who writes:
My good friend Peter has done an analysis of registered HFBC. Tentative results at this stage – with some clearly silly results – but heading in an interesting direction. He’ll refine the methodology based on feedback.
Mali relay site near Bamako is back on air diffusing China Radio’s shortwave signal. The site carries CRI’s shortwave broadcasts for more than 20 frequency hours a day to Africa. The move has also benefited Mali’s own shortwave transmissions, which were reportedly suffering from weak signals and poor modulation. “The reactivation of the facility is in contrast to the shuttering of other shortwave sites on the continent, such as the Sentech facility in Meyerton, South Africa,” writes Hans Johnson.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Roseanna, who shares the following note from her new blog regarding a change in CRI Japan’s QSL policy.
Roseanna notes:
You probably are unaware but CRI Japan has had a major change up in their QSL card policies. CRI Japan issue QSL cards for broadcasts in English which is why I’m mentioning this!
The new policies now state that a postal reception report will be answered by a postal QSL card and an email reception report will be answered by an e-QSL.[…]
Thanks for the tip, Roseanna! I believe this makes sense. CRI seem to have a backlog of paper QSL cards to post so by restricting paper cards to those who submit listener reports by snail mail, it will cut down on the processing time. Those seeking a quick confirmation can simply submit their reception reports by email and thus receive an eQSL in short order. Thanks again for the tip!
Beijing has a new propaganda weapon: Voice of China
China is creating a new giant broadcaster to ensure its voice is heard loud and clear around the world.
Voice of China, as the new outlet will be known internationally, will be formed by combining three mammoth state-run national networks: China Central Television (CCTV), China National Radio and China Radio International. It will employ more than 14,000 people.
The merger was revealed in a Communist Party document on a sprawling government reorganization program, championed by President Xi Jinping to reinforce the party’s absolute control in all aspects of state governance.
State news agency Xinhua released the document Wednesday after it was approved by China’s rubber-stamp parliament.
With echos of the Voice of America radio service created by the US government during World War II, Voice of China is tasked with “propagating the party’s theories, directions, principles and policies” as well as “telling good China stories,” according to the document.
It will be under the direct control of the party’s central propaganda department.
The new broadcast juggernaut is being formed at a time when Chinese authorities face growing challenges to control their message in the age of the internet and social media. They are making strenuous efforts to maintain strict censorship at home while pouring money into propaganda projects abroad.[…]
Each morning, I enjoy listening to Radio Australia on 9,580 kHz, but I’m forced to tune elsewhere due to interference when China Radio International starts broadcasting on 9,570 kHz, via Radio Havana Cuba’s relay.
Hypothetically I should be able to mitigate any adjacent interference from CRI by listening to Radio Australia’s upper sideband. But unfortunately, RHC’s transmitters spew spurious emissions a full 20 kHz on either side of their carrier. It’s most annoying.
Here’s what my waterfall looked like when CRI signed off:
Notice how clear the 35 kHz waterfall window became (that’s Radio Australia centered on 9850 kHz):
The reason for this is clear: obviously, some of RHC’s transmitters are in need of care–and they’re not the only ones.
Radio Cairo
I’ve received a number of requests from Radio Cairo to post notices about their English language broadcasts. Normally, I’m quite happy to post press releases, but in each case I’ve mentioned that their English broadcasts are almost impossible to understand. For years, RC has had a problem with AM modulation (I assume) and, to my knowledge, have never addressed it.
I’ve sent RC feedback on a number of occasions; in response, I’ve received only the inconclusive reply that they’re “looking into the situation.”
To underscore the point, on Sunday Andrea Borgnino shared the following video/audio of Radio Cairo via Twitter.
There are other broadcasters that emit messy signals, but Radio Havana Cuba and Radio Cairo are the most noticeable in my listening area. And, it seems, neither broadcaster is in any hurry to address their ongoing problems.
In Radio Cairo’s case, especially, the broadcaster is simply wasting money by attempting to broadcast a signal that can neither be received nor interpreted. It’s rather sad. Ultimately, one has to wonder why they bother to broadcast at all…
Radio Havana Cuba, China Radio International, and Radio Cairo (among others) take note: a little care of your radio transmitters will go a long way toward increasing your listenership.
What you can do: Consider contacting broadcasters when when you become aware of transmitter problems. Despite RC’s notable exception, oftentimes a broadcaster may not be fully aware of the issue––thus your feedback is necessary to help correct the problem.
The State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) said on Sunday that it has reviewed the application from China Radio International and plans to approve it.
A sound trademark is a sound that is used to perform the trademark function of uniquely identifying the commercial origin of products or services. Famous examples include the Nokia tune and the “I’m lovin’ it” jingle of McDonald’s.
China’s top legislature revised the Trademark Law to allow sound to be registered as a trademark in 2013.
The SAIC had received 450 applications for sound trademarks by the end of January since starting to accept such applications in May 2014.
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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Jim Meirose, who asks:
