Japan: Some broadcasters running trial suspension of AM radio

(Source: Japan Today)

Is Japan witnessing the death of AM radio?

Since February, some commercial radio broadcasters have begun a trial suspension of AM radio, with a real possibility the pause will extend to a permanent discontinuation across the country as broadcasters look to cut costs.

Thirteen of the 47 commercial operators in Japan have shut off their transmitters to see what effect the temporary end of AM broadcasts will have. AM was launched in 1925, bringing Japan into the radio broadcast age, but may not last long enough to see its 100th anniversary next year.

“Radio was at the center of the home, a medium enjoyed by the entire family,” said Tadanobu Okabe, curator of the Japan Radio Museum in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture. [Continue reading…]

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Raddy RF919

RF919 Bonus Antenna

I received a message yesterday from Raddy Marketing that they are offering a bonus antenna for the RF919 radio which will be shipped with future orders.

Here is the note they sent:

“All previous RF919 orders from our website or Amazon are eligible to request the new antenna. Customers can contact our customer service at [email protected] and provide their order number to receive it.”

I do not have any details about the new antenna, but wanted to post the info so folks who have purchased the radio as indicated above can receive the offer from Raddy.

Robert K4PKM

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Carlos’ Shortwave Art and recording of ZP-30 (June 2, 2024)

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who shares his radio log art of ZP-30 in Paraguay broadcasting in German.


Carlos notes:

ZP-30, Christian radio station in Paraguay broadcasting in German. Listened in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Click here to view on YouTube.

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Pacific Odyssey: Kindle eBook only 99 cents this week

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and DXer, Ralph Perry, who shares the following announcement (click here for more background in a previous post) :


99-CENT ‘PACIFIC ODYSSEY’ WEEK IS HERE!

Click here to check it out on Amazon.com (note that this is an affiliate link that supports the SWLing Post at no cost to you.)

PACIFIC ODYSSEY is a Wild Ride! Something Like ‘Poltergeist’ meets ‘Wall Street’ in a remote Asian kingdom. — James Roby, author of the gritty Urban Knights Series.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PACIFIC ODYSSEY, just published by Banana Leaf Books, is a treat for all fans of international adventure and travel fiction and even romantic fantasy. This captivating story from Chet Nairene, author of the bestselling PACIFIC DASH, offers equal doses of humor, exotica, adventure and romance.

It is available in eBooks all this week for just .99 at Amazon!

This is the story of a brilliant but shallow New York business star who gets in over his head versus dangerous Asian occult forces. In order to save his company, he must journey to an odd hermit kingdom hidden deep in Southeast Asia. And once there, things there soon escalate . . . all in the wrong direction!

In this closed-off, mysterious, but highly ethical new universe, all of Lew Clarke’s modern-day Western knowledge and expertise are essentially useless. He must attempt to navigate the rules of an unfathomable society, but is helped out by a cast pf exotic but charming characters, including Mr. Frog, Wongrat, Uncle Inpanh, Khun Khon and his Amazia sidekick, Boo. Romance strikes the ultra-rural town of Biti, when Lew falls headlong for Boo’s stunning cousin, Miss Nong.

But after discovering the dark secret that threatens the quirky kingdom, Lew’s entire mission transforms into far more than just saving himself.

PACIFIC ODYSSEY is humorous and at times harrowing, a cautionary tale that pits modern Western values and tech against Eastern mysticism and the occult.

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The Giant Antennas of Shanghai Coast Radio Station (XSG)

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Michael (BD4AAQ) who shares the following guest post:


Shanghai Coast Radio Station (XSG):

Those Giant Antennas!

The 17th of May is the World Telecommunication Day. It is also the open day of Shanghai Coast Radio Station. On this day, a group of amateur radio operators were invited to visit the transmission facility, a huge antenna farm, of the radio station, located on Chongming Island of Shanghai, the third largest island in China.

Google Satellite Photo

The transmission site of Shanghai Coast Radio Station is as shown below in the map of Chongming Island. Other sites of the station include a central control/receive station in Zhangjiang, a receive station on Hengsha Island and some VHF base stations in a number of other locations. All these locations in Shanghai, linked via cable and microwave connection, form Shanghai Coast Radio Station, also known by its callsign as XSG.

(Google map of transmitter location for Shanghai Coast Radio Station. Note the antenna farm on the left.)

Presentation by Station Officials

Fifteen or so local hams were cordially invited to have a tour of the station. The radio enthusiasts were greeted by station representatives, including Mr Wan, Mr Wang, Mr Zhou and Mr Niu (BH4BFS), who also gave them an overview of the coast radio station’s history and development. 

Antenna Farm

Mr Wang then showed the visitors around the antenna farm. Many of us, myself included, saw and were deeply impressed with these huge antennas for the first time! Indeed, many professional radio facilities and operators of similar coast radio stations work quietly around the globe and around the clock to provide for distress, navigational, business and personal communications needs of ships!

[Click on images to enlarge.]

The antennas cover a wide range of frequencies, from MF, HF, to VHF and UHF. Many of them are, however, shortwave (HF) antennas.

Transmitter Room

(I placed a Tecsun PL-330 radio near the transmitter at 12380.1 kHz (weather fax). The signal strength, in dbu, is 96. Given the margin of error of the receiver’s display, that’s probably as high as it could go.)

Shanghai Coast Radio Station (XSG) operates on a wide range of frequencies. Its HF frequencies include 4207.5, 4209.5, 4215.5, 4369, 6312, 6326, 6501, 8414.5, 8425.5, 8770, 8806, 12577, 12637.5, 13176, 13188, 16804.5, 16898.5 and 17407 kHz. Of particular note is that they have kept a CW frequency of 8665 kHz for general broadcast of information on a 24 hour basis.

The station’s VHF phone service covers 25 nautical miles of the coast. Its MF NAVTEX covers 250 nautical miles of the coast. And its HF phone and weather fax and HF NAVTEX extend to 1,000 nautical miles.

History and Current Status

Founded in 1905, Shanghai Coast Radio Station has been around 119 years. The XSG callsign has since remained in use.

China has in place DSC watch and NAVTEX broadcast in coast stations (including XSG) in accordance with GMDSS requirements. Among services provided by XSG are Radio Telephony (RT), Narrow Band Direct Printing (NBDP), “Voice of the East China Sea Coast” (voice broadcast on 161.600 MHz and 8806 kHz) and marine radio weather fax. The station is without a doubt one of the largest coast radio stations in the Asia Pacific region and plays an essential role in the region’s marine safety and communications.

QSL Cards

Shanghai Coast Radio Station issues QSL cards in Chinese and English, traditionally in paper form and nowadays electronically.

(This is an electronic QSL card issued to a Shanghai listener, who received their signal over the radio. Examples of QSL cards in English can be found online.)

Show Room

[Click on images to enlarge.]

Ham Station

Mr Niu of Shanghai Coast Radio Station, one of the tour’s organisers, is a ham himself with callsign BH4BFS. According to him, there are intentions to start a ham radio station within the establishment, possibly incorporating the letters XSG. However, there is much work to be done to make it happen. An amateur radio station with overlapping callsigns with a professional one would be really charming.

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Radio World: WRTH “lives on” and new digital option

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, David Iurescia, who shares the following article from Radio World: 

“World Radio Television Handbook” Lives On

With its comprehensive listing of radio/television stations worldwide, including their frequencies and general program content, the “World Radio Television Handbook” has been an essential companion for broadcasting listeners and radio professionals.

So when publisher Nicholas Hardyman announced that the 2022 edition of the WRTH would be the last, many reacted in horror — but not the folks at Germany’s Radio Data Center.

[…]Because books are hard to update, Radio Data Center also offers the WRTH WebApp. It is an online version of the WRTH’s content that is easy for Radio Data Center to update on a regular basis.

“An electronic product like the WebApp doesn’t have the same problems as a book that has to be printed and shipped, because it’s available online anywhere,” said Gunter.

Click here to read the full article at Radio World.

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Skybird returns to the supermarket shelves

FastRadioBurst 23 letting you know of our forthcoming shortwave transmissions this week. On Sunday 2nd June 2024 at 0900/1300 hrs UTC on 6160 kHz and then at 2000 UTC on 6160 kHz and 3975 kHz we bring you the return of Free Radio Skybird beamed to Europe via Shortwave Gold. Tune in and enjoy the return of the station that brings you the eclectic musical treats.

Our second show is KMRT on Wednesday 5th June 2024 at 0200 UTC on 9395 kHz via WRMI. This programme is part of the SOS – Supermarkets on Shortwave 2024 broadcasts. Expect “Blue Light Specials”, a nearing their sell by date cheese and crackers giveaway (*subject to availability and while stocks last) and a heart warming song from our night shift bakery team.  So cut out the coupon of the local paper to save yourself 10% off the broadcast (one coupon only per listener please) and be very suprised what’s on sale in the centre aisle this week. Remember when it’s gone, it’s gone!

For more information on all our shows please email [email protected] and check out our Mixcloud page here.

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