Category Archives: Specials

Saturday, from Bulgaria, Dr. Elliott will control your web browser

As DRMNA.info says:

“Let Dr. Elliott take control of your PC!”

I agree.

On several occasions now, Dr. Kim Elliott has transmitted digital messages via shortwave radio in an assortment of digital modes. We’ve mentioned this in the past (and we even posted a tutorial on decoding his WBCQ message).

Early Sunday morning (UTC–Saturday night for many) The Mighty KBC will once again broadcast some of Elliott’s digital messages from 00:00-02:00 UTC on 9,450 kHz. This time, they’ll even broadcast two different messages in two different modes simultaneously (details below). No Johnny, this isn’t your granfather’s shortwave:

(Source: Kim Elliott)

The Mighty KBC, 21 Nov 2012: “This UTC Sunday, 25 November, more digital text during the broadcast of The Mighty KBC at 0000 to 0200 on 9450 kHz. At about 0130 UTC, PSK125 will be centered at 1300 Hz on the waterfall, MFSK32 at 2200 Hz. Decode one from the radio, and the other from your recording. Just before 0200, only one mode, MFSK32, will be transmitted, centered at 1500 Hz. For this message, please have Fldigi and Flmsg (both available from www.w1hkj.com), as well as your web browser, all running on your PC. If all goes well, at the end of this transmission, the message should pop up in new windows of Flmsg and your browser. (In Flmsg, click Configure, then Misc, then NBEMS, then check Open with flmsg and check Open in browser.)

[Elliott’s comments] “UTC Sunday 25 November at 0000 to 0200 UTC is the same as Saturday evening, 24 November, 7 to 9 pm Eastern Time in North America. This transmission on 9450 kHz is via a leased transmitter in Bulgaria.

To decode the two text transmissions, download Fldigi and Flmsg from w1hkj.com. Configure Fldigi to work with your PC’s sound card.

Also, in Fldigi, click Configure, Misc, NBEMS. Under NBEMS data file interface, click Enable. Under reception of flmsg file, click Open with flmsg and Open in browser.

During reception, patch audio from the earphone or line out jack of your radio to the microphone input of your PC. You may have to experiment a bit with audio settings. You should see a “waterfall” on your Fldigi display.

If all goes according to plan, when the text message just before 0200 UTC (9 pm Eastern) is completely received, it should pop up in a new window of your default web browser.

By the way, if you haven’t noticed, I’m a big fan of The Mighty KBC. Not only do they broadcast an excellent mix of music on shortwave radio, but they’ll also blast these digital messages to their listeners. Thanks, KBC!

Again, please comment if you decode these messages!

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VOA adds shortwave frequencies for US election coverage

(Photo source: VOA)

(Source: VOA via Kim Andrew Elliott)

Special election programming on the Voice of America

0200-0600 UTC, November 7:

Africa
0200-0300 UTC  909, 1530, 4930, 6080, 9885, 15580
0300-0600 UTC  Existing broadcasts

Middle East
0200-0400 UTC   9480, 12005, 15255
0400-0600 UTC   9480, 15255

Asia

a. South and Central Asia
0200-0400 UTC  13810, 15155, 15255, 15590
0400-0600 UTC   13570, 13810, 15155, 15255, 15590, 15640, 17525

b. East Asia
0200-0300 UTC  13810, 15230, 17525, 17615
0300-0400 UTC   13810, 15230, 17615
0400-0600 UTC   13810, 15230, 15405, 15640, 17615

c. Southeast Asia
0200-0300 UTC   11705, 15155, 17525
0300-0400 UTC   15155, 17525, 17615
0400-0600 UTC   15155, 15640, 17525, 17615

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Shortwave Radio Recordings: The Mighty KBC on 9,500 kHz

Once again, The Mighty KBC broadcast a two hour mix of music to the world on 9,500 kHz. Fortunately, I was able to record the entire broadcast–you can listen below.

The KBC signal and audio out of their transmitter in Bulgaria were both excellent. There was very noticeable interference from the clandestine station, Radio Republica, who broadcasts at the same time (00:00-01:57 UTC) on 9,490 kHz.  According to my spectrum display, Republica’s signal had a bandwidth of 20 kHz!  At times, I had to narrow my receiver filter to about 6.6 kHz and use a USB sync mode  to keep KBC’s broadcast clear.  Still, you can certainly hear some of the noise from Radio Republica in the recording.

Though somewhat difficult to see since this is a snapshot, Radio Republica’s signal covered a 20 kHz wide swatch of the spectrum. The KBC broadcast is shaded and centered on 9.500 MHz.

Since Radio Republica is broadcast from the US, I’m curious if listeners in other parts of the world (or other parts of North America) had the same problem. If so, please comment!  I’ll pass this along to KBC.

You can download the entire broadcast as an mp3 by clicking here, or simply listen in the embedded player below:

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Radio Station SAQ special transmission on United Nations Day, October 24

Alexanderson alternator in the SAQ Grimeton VLF transmitter.

(Source: SAQ via Alokesh Gupta)

Transmission on United Nations Day

We have the pleasure to announce that SAQ will be on air on United
Nations Day, Wednesday 24th October. We start the transmitter about
10:10 UTC, and a message will be sent at 10:30 UTC.

The frequency is 17.2 kHz CW.

Reports from the transmission will not be confirmed by QSL card.

The transmission is a part of the celebration of the United Nations Day
in Grimeton, see
http://undayorg.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/unday-english1.pdf

The start procedure will be streamed over Internet, appropriate link
will soon be published here.

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Shortwave Radio Recordings: The Mighty KBC test transmission

Last night, I listened to and recorded The Mighty KBC‘s test transmission on 9.4 MHz. The broadcast lasted 2 hours and was quite successful.

They had a little distortion in the signal for the first half-hour or so, but once that issue was resolved, audio was excellent. This was, after all, a test transmission.

Mind you, I was using the WinRadio Excalibur receiver and a rather large horizontal sky loop antenna–not a portable radio. But based on their signal level as compared with the adjacent Voice of Greece transmission (9.42 MHz), I expect they could have been easily heard on a portable radio here in eastern North America.

If you missed the broadcast, click here to download a full recording or listen below.  

Next week: another test broadcast scheduled

Update: Note that The Might KBC will broadcast another test transmission on Sunday 21 September from 00.00 – 02.00 UTC on 9,500 kHz.

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