(Source: ShortwaveService.com on Facebook)
Save the date: Easter weekend will bring a special broadcast about the lithuanian radio history and the shortwave station Sitk?nai which was switched-off recently. Sigitas Žilionis, Rimantas Pleikys and Audrius Matonis will tell interesting facts and stories from their life and work in lithuanian radio.
I have been holding off posting three recordings I made on January 30, documenting a few minutes of the final evening of the ABC Darwin broadcasts from the transmitters at Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Katherine.
I’m glad I took the time to prepare this video that is now available on my YouTube channel. There are lots of station identification announcements, and even information on how to listen to ABC after shortwave was switched off. Unfortunately, much of the advice is of no use to farmers and cattlemen camping out in remote parts of the NT bush, long-haul truck drivers, indigenous communities, tourists visiting the region, and fishermen off the territory’s northern coast.
Still, I hope you enjoy this brief video of the ABC’s last night of domestic broadcasting on shortwave. Click the video below.
73 and good DX to you all.
Rob Wagner VK3BVW
Rob Wagner, VK3BVW, is the author of this post and a regular contributor to the SWLing Post. He also blogs at the Mount Evelyn DX Report.
(Source: Radio New Zealand via Nigel Holmes)
The government of Vanuatu sent a formal submission to the Australian Senate asking for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation to resume its shortwave service.
[…]In a letter, Vanuatu’s prime minister Charlot Salwai said removing the shortwave service to Vanuatu could cost many lives in the likelihood of a major natural disaster, like cyclone Pam two years ago.
The Daily Post said radio broadcasts to remote parts of the country have been cited as a reason the death toll from the category five storm was relatively low.
After the storm there was practically no domestic communication, with shortwave the only radio means to reach a scattered population.
Mr Salwai said it could be reasonably stated that Australia’s shortwave service helps save Pacific lives and Australian tax dollars.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, John from VORW Radio International, who writes:
VORW Radio International has now added a new weekly transmission to Japan and East Asia as well as an additional frequency to North America!
Each broadcast features a mixture of my commentary and listener requested music. You’ll hear a great variety of music in this program, from Classical to Classic Country, from Rock to Smooth Jazz, you’ll hear it all!
If you’re interested in listening, the updated broadcast schedule is as follows:
Thursday 1200 UTC – 9875 kHz – Tashkent 100 kW – East Asia
Thursday 2000 UTC – 11580 kHz – WRMI 100 kW – Europe
Friday 0000 UTC – 9395 kHz – WRMI 100 kW – North America
Friday 0000 UTC – 7490 kHz – WBCQ 50 kW – North AmericaQuestions, comments, reception reports and music requests may be sent to [email protected]
Reception reports will receive a QSL!
Many thanks, John! Your program is truly becoming a global tour de force on the shortwaves! Keep up the good work!
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dave Porter (G4OYX), who shares the following item from The Telegraph:
An array of international infrastructure investors from the US, Asia and Europe are sizing up the £6bn mobile and broadcasting mast giant Arqiva as its current owners prepare to put the company on the block.
The crucial infrastructure provider, currently owned by Macquarie and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), is being eyed by at least half a dozen buyers, City sources said.
Discussions are at a preliminary stage, with a formal process to begin in the next few weeks, but known suitors include CKI, the Hong Kong-listed holding company controlled by Asia’s richest man Li Ka-shing. […]
Cartoonist George Aldridge’s take on Radio Outbackistan. (Photo Source: ABC Rural)
(Source: ABC Rural via London Shortwave)
Could Radio Outbackistan be the next shortwave broadcaster for rural Australia?
In response to the ABC abolishing its HF shortwave radio service, the Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association (NTCA) president has turned to humour to propose his own broadcast alternative.
On Friday, in front of hundreds of cattle producers, Tom Stockwell addressed the association’s annual conference on the status of the beef industry, listing challenges, opportunities and grievances.
While the Bureau of Meteorology’s decision to remove the Tennant Creek weather radar and the National Broadband Network’s restrictions on download quotas for remote users were both highlighted, it was the loss of shortwave radio that Mr Stockwell took most issue with.
The NTCA has been heavily critical of the ABC for making the decision, which was made to allow for the reinvestment of funds into digital services.
Inspired by the band Roadtrippers, Mr Stockwell joked about his desire for a new broadcaster called Radio Outbackistan to fill a regional communications void.][…]
Continue reading at ABC Rural online.
Thanks for sharing London Shortwave. That gave me a much needed chuckle!
Hi there, if you’re a subscriber to the Oxford Shortwave Log YouTube channel, you will be aware that I have been using a Wellbrook ALA1530 H field antenna, for 15 months or so, with (at times) excellent results. A while back I was on the lookout for a second antenna, however at more than £250, I couldn’t justify purchasing a second Wellbrook. Ultimately I splashed out on the Bonito Boni whip E-field wideband active antenna (20 kHz to 300 MHz) and with a very compact form-factor suitable for DXpeditions/portable operation in general, the Boni whip definitely ticked all the boxes. Furthermore, with reasonable second and third order intercept points of +55 and +32.5 dBm respectively, the Boni whip, on paper at least, looked like a pretty good buy at around £100.
Initial testing at home confirmed, perhaps not surprisingly that the Boni whip could not match the SNR provided by the Wellbrook ALA1530 in a noisy, urban environment. However, less predictably, the Boni whip has proven to be a truly excellent antenna away from the ubiquitous blanket of ‘electrosmog’ at my QTH. Furthermore, it really is so compact, I simply leave it in the car in a small flight case, with a portable and connectors etc. for ad-hoc listening sessions. Since returning from my most recent trip to Brazil, I have had a chance to review my most recent catches with the Boni whip, some of which are realy pleasing and most definitely underline the excellent performance of this diminutive antenna. In particular, signals from Radio RB2 on 11935 kHz and Radio Aparecida on 11855 kHz, both low power Brazilian stations, are testament to how sensitive the Boni whip is in an electrically quiet environment. Check out also the quality of longwave signals from Poland and the Czech Republic – simply amazing for such a physically short antenna. Finally, there’s a personal first from Lusaka, Zambia, Voice of Hope Africa on 13680 kHz. All the more rewarding that this was actually copied in my work office!
I hope you found this article interesting. There are embedded reception videos below and text links for all, which will take you directly to the relevant video on the Oxford Shortwave Log YouTube channel. Thank you for reading/watching/listening and I wish you all excellent DX!
Click here to watch on YouTube
Click here to watch on YouTube
Click here to watch on YouTube
Click here to watch on YouTube
Click here to watch on YouTube
Click here to watch on YouTube
Click here to watch on YouTube
Click here to watch on YouTube
Clint Gouveia is the author of this post and a regular contributor to the SWLing Post. Clint actively publishes videos of his shortwave radio excursions on his YouTube channel: Oxford Shortwave Log. Clint is based in Oxfordshire, England.