23 January 2015: A Friday morning 31 meter band scan

31-Meter-Waterfall-SpectrumThis morning, I tuned around the 31 meter band and was surprised with favorable propagation out of Asia (see spectrum waterfall above–click to enlarge).

I started logging a few stations, but the effort quickly turned into a full band scan/survey.  I logged everything I could easily hear between the 9,390-10,000 kHz portion of the 31 meter band.

I logged 52 stations and omitted eight that I considered too weak for good copy.

I used my WinRadio Excalibur SDR connected to a large horizontal delta loop wire antenna.

The number of broadcasts originating in or targeting China is pretty phenomenal: the 31 band is your oyster, if you speak Chinese.

31 Meter Band 1200 – 1300 UTC, all frequencies in kHz

  • 9390 Radio Thailand Malaysian (1200Z) then English (1230Z)
  • 9410 China National Radio 5 Chinese
  • 9430 FEBC Radio Chinese
  • 9440 China Radio International Cambodian
  • 9460 China Radio International English
  • 9475 Radio Australia English
  • 9490 Voice Of America Korean
  • 9500 China National Radio 1 Chinese
  • 9515 China National Radio 2 Chinese
  • 9530 Voice Of America Chinese
  • 9540 China Radio International Chinese
  • 9550 China Radio International Vietnamese (covered by CRI Cantonese distortion)

    Note the CRI signal on 9,570 kHz which is blanketing the surrounding spectrum with noise.

    Note the blowtorch CRI signal on 9,570 kHz which was blanketing the surrounding spectrum with noise.

  • 9570 China Radio International Cantonese (transmitter spewing distortion 50 kHz wide)
  • 9580 Radio Australia English (covered by CRI Cantonese distortion)
  • 9590 China Radio International Russian (covered by CRI Cantonese distortion)
  • 9600 China Radio International English
  • 9620 China National Radio 6 Chinese
  • 9635 Voice of Vietnam 1 Vietnamese (slightly below freq)
  • 9640 Radio Havana Cuba Spanish
  • 9645 China Radio International English
  • 9655 China Radio International Chinese
  • 9660 Radio Taiwan International Chinese
  • 9680 Radio Taiwan International Chinese
  • 9700 Lower Sideband communication (UNID)
  • 9710 China National Radio 1 Chinese
  • 9720 China Radio International Filipino
  • 9730 China Radio International English
  • 9735 Radio Taiwan International Indonesian
  • 9740 BBC English
  • 9745 Guanghua zhi Sheng Chinese
  • 9750 Radio Kuwait Arabic
  • 9730 China Radio International English
  • 9770 KBS World Radio Chinese
  • 9775 China National Radio 2 Chinese (vy weak)
  • 9785 China Radio International Laotian
  • 9790 Voice Of Islamic Republic of Iran Pashto
  • 9810 China National Radio 2 Chinese and All India Radio Telugu
  • 9820 Radio Havana Cuba Spanish
  • 9825 Voice Of America Chinese
  • 9830 China National Radio 1 Chinese
  • 9840 Voice of Vietnam English
  • 9850 Radio Habana Cuba Spanish
  • 9855 China Radio International Chinese
  • 9860 China National Radio 1 Chinese (vy weak)
  • 9880 KSDA-AWR Guam Korean (vy weak)
  • 9900 Radio France International Chinese
  • 9920 FEBC Radio Bahnar (w/Jamming)
  • 9940 Reach Beyond Australia (HCJB) Indonesian
  • 9955 Radio Slovakia International English (via WRMI/WRN)
  • 9975 KTWR Guam Chinese
  • 9990 Radio Farda Persian
  • 10000 WWV Fort Collins English

I recorded two broadcasts during the scan–both at 12:30 UTC: Radio Thailand (9,390 kHz) and Radio Slovakia (9,955 kHz). I will post them soon.

DXtreme Station Log — Multimedia Edition, Version 11.0

dxslme_v11I just received the following note from SWLing Post sponsor, Bob Raymond (NE1I), at DXtreme software:

DXtreme Software is proud to announce the release of: DXtreme Station Log — Multimedia Edition, Version 11.0.

For details, check out DXtreme Software’s Product Announcement in PDF format.
And many thanks to DXtreme for supporting the SWLing Post!

Revised B14 Radio Australia schedule

Click to enlarge.

Click to enlarge.

I just received the revised B14 RA schedule (above–click to enlarge) which shows the reduction of broadcasts this year. The Brandon, QLD transmission facility has been closed and Radio Australia has also moth-balled the newest Continental transmitters at Shepparton.

For comparison click here for the current English HF schedule (PDF).

For what it’s worth, I’m still grateful to see that RA will continue their broadcasts on 9,580 kHz–a staple frequency in my part of the world.

The campaign to save RTE longwave

rte-logo-web1Bill Shepherd writes:

Hello Tom

I am one of the twosome who originated the campaign
against the closure of RTE1 Longwave.

We had been working on it for 4 years and more. We harnessed the press and the opinion of the Irish overseas who depended on this service.

Our website tells you the factors and motivation behind the move to close longwave originating in the EBU decision to go digital. We do not object to digital BUT NOT by reducing the choices offered to the listener especially by a service part funded by the public.

I include our website where the whole case is explored and recorded. we hope you may find it possible to display our link to your readers so that they can be made aware of this tendency.

http://savertelongwaveradio.com/

Thanks for the opportunity to bring this to your attention and good luck with your great website.

Happy to oblige, Bill, and many thanks for making us aware of your campaign to save RTE longwave. I’m sure there are a number of longwave listeners amongst our readership!

Interval signal ringtones via PCJ

Apple-iPhonePCJ International has sent a press release regarding a series of interval signal ring tones they are selling on their web site.

PCJ states:

Package one includes 35 interval signals from the past and present. In a few months the second package will be released.

The price is $1.99 US.

Package one includes:

  • BBC World Service 1
  • BBC World Service 2
  • Deutsche Welle
  • Radio Afghanistan (70s)
  • Radio Algeria
  • Radio Andora
  • Radio Anguilla
  • Radio Argentina
  • Radio Australia (News jingle)
  • Radio Austria
  • Radio Belgrade
  • Radio Berlin International
  • Radio Botswana
  • Radio Busapest
  • Radio Ceylon
  • Radio Denmark
  • Radio Free Europe (50s)
  • Radio Kiev
  • Radio Netherlands
  • Radio Norway
  • Radio RSA External Service
  • Radio South Africa
  • Radio Singapore
  • Radio Sweden (Vintage)
  • Radio Tallinn
  • Radio Tirana
  • RAI International
  • Spanish Foreign Radio (Vintage)
  • Swiss Merry Go Round (Theme)
  • Swiss Radio International
  • Vatican Radio
  • Voice of America (60s)
  • Voice of America (70s)
  • YLE Radio Finland
  • PCJ Radio International

More information can be found at: www.pcjmedia.com/pcjshop

Test Transmissions from Radio Revival Sweden, Thursday, January 22

SX-99-DialMany thanks to Jonathan Marks for sharing this release from Radio Revival Sweden:

Dear Listeners,

Radio Revival Sweden will be testing on Thursday, January 22 as follows:

  • 6035 kHz AM 5 kW 1200 – 1500 UTC
  • 9815 kHz A3H 10 kW 1200 – 1300 UTC
  • 9865 kHz A3H 10 kW 1300 – 1400 UTC
  • 9875 kHz A3H 10 kW 1400 – 1500 UTC

Please listen in and tell us how you are receiving our signal. Regular transmissions will follow this weekend and you are of course welcome to book airtime.

Good listening & 73s

Ronny Forslund
Radio Revival Sweden

Reception reports can be sent to radiorevivalsweden (at) hotmail.com. RSS doesn’t have a printed QSL card but have mentioned that they will respond by email.

Seeking a recording of the VOA Greece Station ID

GreeceMapMy friend, Gary Wise (W8EEY), recently wrote with an inquiry; I’m hoping an SWLing Post reader can help…

Gary writes:

“As you might know I was the Station Manager of the VOA Greece Transmitting Station when it closed down in 2006. I’ve been contacted by one of the Greek employees. They are planning a reunion of former employees in April and would like to put together an audio montage of station sounds. They have some material, but would like to find a recording of the Greece Station ID (and possibly the one from Rhodes too). This was a male announcer stating that “This transmission came to you from Greece” or words to that effect.

Would you have such a thing, or know who might? I know the crew would greatly appreciate anything you might have along these lines.”

I don’t believe we have a recording of this in the SW Radio Audio Archive, nor in my local archives.

Does anyone out there have a recording of the VOA Greece Station ID? Please comment below or contact me.