Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bill Hemphill (WD9EQD), who shares the following announcement he originally discovered via reddit user fastradioburst23:
Notice of a KTMS winter test transmission beaming to Europe/USA on 9670 kHz at 2300 UTC on 17.12.2020. This transmission will consist of interval jingles, engineer test signals, rare re-media mixes of cult radio favorites, strange tones, and vox. Thank you for your continued attention as the KTMS crew continue working to bring the SWL community unique transmissions.
Thanks for the tip, Bill!
Did anyone hear this? Nothing heard here in New Brunswick on the east coast of Canada.
I had wondered if this was just a program someone had bought time for on one of the many shortwave stations that will sell time to almost anyone. Looks like it might be the Channel292.
As it being a “vanity” program, I have no problem with that. If we were to remove all the vanity programs from the Shortwaves, there would be a lot fewer good programs to listen to.
We are living in a very interesting time. For very low cost, anyone can become an internet “broadcaster”. Likewise, for a fairly minimum cost, a person can buy time on an international broadcaster and host a true radio program. If you don’t care about when it is broadcast, the cost can be extremely low. Some stations will just broadcast it when they have a dead space in their schedule.
I have always though what a wonderful opportunity for organizations such as Scouting, high school/college media programs, etc. They could create a radio program and have it broadcast by an actual international radio station. They could request comments/reports in the program, and, of course, create and offer QSL cards.
73
Bill
WD9EQD
Smithville, NJ
@Ron F,
We are sorry you feel this way and will be missing out on a unique radio experience. Our aim as the programmers of the KTMS Test Transmission is to entertain, edify and get SWLs excited about the possibilities inherent in radio. The crew of KTMS consists of amateur radio operators, community and college radio aficionados, antique radio restorationists, low budget radio astronomers looking for alien life and in general people who love the hobby of radio in all its many faceted aspects.
Why diss the so called “vanity” broadcasters? People who put their own funds towards creating radio on the shortwaves are helping to keep the shortwaves interesting and alive and bringing programming that is original and idiosyncratic to a medium that is often otherwise overrun by nationalists, spies, and fundamentalist preachers. They also help to keep shortwave stations on the air -something that ain’t so cheap. Rather, our view, is that by injecting some creative energy into a project such as our KTMS Winter Test Transmission we are giving back to the SWLing community by 1) creating a show for any listeners who happen to catch it, 2) giving the listeners a mystery that doesn’t revolve around numbers, 3) to do our part to keep the airwaves a little less stodgy.
We view this Test Transmission as an exercise in conviviality, surreality, and genuine love of all things radio and shortwave. 2020 has been such a serious minded year we aim to lighten that load with a bit of old fashioned fun.
For anyone who wishes to enjoy a nice winter evening around your set or online SDR we welcome you to get warm with us around the glowing tubes.
Thanks to all who tune in, and until then 73s.
Amen Brother … keep it up ! thanks for the awesome show . from mr. SyCk0
“Just A slave to the sine wave” 2020
Some SWL’s think it has something to do with
Radio Channel292 – but it has nothing to do with Channel292!!!
André
Volunteer Channel292
Confusion solved!
The stations-Id. is KMTS and in postings it was one time KTMS and the next KMTS!
KMTS is scheduled indeed in list 9670 khz on Channel292!
A PACK of MYSTERIES
According to the Channel292 Website, the show is called “KMTS”, not KTMS. KMTS is an FM broadcast station in Colorado, But in the groups supposed post on Reddit, they say KTMS. Not sure why someone broadcasting from a commercial shortwave station in Germany would use an acronym that is a USA radio station callsign. Maybe we will find out later what KMTS or KTMS stands for. Nevertheless, there seems to be a bit of confusion.
https://www.channel292.de/schedule-9670-khz/
And who is this mysterious group attempting to broadcast to the USA with 10kw on SW from Germany? Nobody seems to know. What exactly will their programming be? What do they mean by “vox” and “strange tones?” Their further comments on Reddit just add to the intrigue:
“KTMS is located in the US but we are using the services of a major European relay to beam our signal to Europe and the USA. We will broadcast radio related transmissions as and when we feel like it. Our first test transmission has the loose theme of “Interval Signals”. First and foremost we are radio connoisseurs, amateurs, swls, community radio programmers and lovers of all things radio. KTMS is thus a project whose chief aim is to spread and share the love of radio to any listeners who happen to catch our transmissions.”
Another mystery is why they used a photo of a frozen microwave relay site to announce a shortwave radio broadcast. So many mysteries!?
> “So many mysteries!?”
I think that’s the point. Personally I have very little interest in vanity broadcasters, fake ‘mysteries’, and groups who can’t even keep their name straight, and give them a big miss…
There seem to be generational differences in the meanings of “radio program” and “radio station.”
In broadcasting a radio station transmits radio programs which they may or may not produce themselves. Radio stations have transmitters and antennas (a physical broadcast plant) and a name and/or call letters.
On the other hand, radio programs are live or recorded audio presentations that may be broadcast on radio stations. Radio programs often have names and may have producers and hosted talent. Radio programs my be produced in home or professional studios that are not located at radio stations.
In the case of KMTS/KTMS: this is a radio program. The producers of this program have purchased time on the regional shortwave station Channel292 in Germany for broadcast.
For some reason the producers of current radio programs intended for shortwave broadcasting have chosen program names that lead the listener to believe that the program is actually the same entity as the shortwave station that broadcasts the program. This creates confusion in the minds of shortwave listeners new to the hobby. One example frequently heard in the USA is “Voice Of theReportoftheWeek” which is a radio program and not actually a shortwave station, although VORW solicits and issues QSL cards as if they were a radio station.
To make matter worse, shortwave broadcasters like BBC WS, VOA, CRI and NHK have a long-standing practice of relaying their broadcasts from transmitter facilities owned by other shortwave stations or independent broadcast contractors, often from countries far distant from the original broadcaster.
Shortwave broadcasting is not always what it seems to be. Happy listening!