I’ve heard from several sources that NHK Radio Japan will end shortwave service to North America on March 31st, 2013. No doubt, this is due to the April closing of the Montsinéry site in French Guiana.
NHK is one of the few “big” broadcasters that still targeted North America. In truth, I’m happy to see NHK close down the North American service rather than closing down all shortwave services. Many radio hobbyists in North America will still be able to hear their broadcasts targeting other parts of the world–it’ll just take a little more DXing–but we won’t get that big signal from Montsinéry.
maybe it is because of television ban. NO AM TV ? I hate USA FCC
Sorry to hear this news. 51 years ago as a 14 year old I took a piece of old wire and attached it to the back or my parent’s console radio. They had bought it near the end of WW2. It had 3 SW bands. I fired it up and the very first thing I heard was Radio Japan in English. I was hooked! 🙂
After a year of this my parents bought an used Hallicrafters SX-25 Super Defiant from a Ham who was a customer of my dad’s. Best Xmas gift I ever got.
Ken
WOW, Ken, an SX-25! What a splendid first SW radio. I would love one. I have the Skyrider Defiant (SX-24) and would love an SX-25 or SX-28 too.
Radio Japan was certainly one of my first broadcasters, along with Radio Moscow, Radio Netherlands, RFI, BBC, etc. Gosh, I miss those days!
Besides my father’s 1936 RCA console radio, my first was the Zenith Transoceanic. My Great Aunt happened to find one in her basement of all places. Still have it.
Cheers,
Thomas
Hi Thomas….yes, the SX-25 was old when I got it but it worked and worked well.
Our console radio was a Viking which was the house brand for a large department store chain in Canada, Eatons. It was my only SWL radio until in 1989 I bought a Kenwood R-5000. Wow….what a difference! 🙂
Ken
That would have been a serious receiver upgrade! The R5000 is a classic and quite a good radio when coupled with a good antenna.
Thos.
The sunspot cycle through that 1988-1992 period was excellent. I had an inverted V and a Carolina
windom at the time. The R-5000 and I spend hundreds and hundreds of hours chasing DX.
At my QTH in the Vancouver Canada area I could hear stations like Singapore Radio working airliners S9+10. So strong I could hear other controllers in the same room working other aircraft.
It was a wonderful time. 🙂 I still have the R-5000….just about to put a new memory battery in and the chipset so I can run it with a PC. I also have a JRC NRD-535D which is a wonderful radio.
Ken
I built a 1 tube amplifier for channel 4 tv. I have not tested it. Maybe nhk will resume transmitting to north america when i test it. Wired as grounded cathode.