Tag Archives: Paul Jamet

RTVE approves additional shortwave transmitter and “secures the future of the public shortwave service”

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributors, Paul Jamet and Tracy Wood for sharing the following article (translated into English) from RTVE:

RTVE secures the future of the public shortwave service of Radio Exterior de España

The RTVE Board of Directors has unanimously approved the purchase, installation, and implementation of a new shortwave transmitter. This is the first of five new transmitters that Radio Exterior de España (REE) urgently needs to guarantee the continuity of this public service.

The new transmitters will replace the current equipment, which has far exceeded its useful life and whose frequent breakdowns put the continuity of shortwave broadcasts at risk. They will be responsible for carrying the shortwave signal to West Africa, the Middle East, North America, and South America.

With this decision, RTVE fulfills its public service obligation set out in the Framework Mandate and in Law 17/2006 of June 5, which establishes that the Corporation must “aim to serve the widest audience, ensuring maximum continuity and geographic and social coverage, with the commitment to offer quality, diversity, innovation, and ethical standards.”

This is a great advance that ensures the continuity of REE’s public service to Spaniards who are outside our borders and to foreigners interested in Spain. This commitment by the Corporation comes after years of uncertainty. In 2014, the closure of REE’s shortwave was implemented for a few months. It was in 2018 that an eight-hour daily shortwave broadcast was achieved again.

The power of shortwave

REE’s shortwave carries the voice and vision of Spain to the entire world. For this reason, the director of the station, Luis Manuel Fernández Iglesias, has advocated in his speech before the RTVE Board of Directors to “involve the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Culture of Spain in the future of Radio Exterior, both in the design of its programming and in the financing of this public international broadcaster, such as REE.”

As seen in the invasion of Ukraine, shortwave escapes control and censorship, guaranteeing the democratic right to truthful and honest information. Another advantage is its free nature for listeners and the low cost and investment needed for its reception anywhere. These circumstances make it very attractive, especially for fishermen, merchant seamen, missionaries, or Spanish volunteers who carry out their work where the internet signal does not reach.

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RTI Tamsui transmitter tests for future broadcasts

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul Jamet, who shares the following article (translated into English, from the Radio Club du Perche:

RTI – Taiwan on direct broadcast from Tamsui transmitter center

As in recent years, the German and French services of RTI – Radio Taiwan International – will broadcast their programs to Europe and North-West Africa from the Tamsui transmitter center.

To determine which two frequencies will be used for the retransmissions, tests will be carried out on three frequencies in 10-minute increments, as follows:

Saturday July 6, 2024 by the German service:

    • 11,995 kHz (17:00-17:10 UTC) – 9,545 kHz (17:30-17:40 UTC) – 7,250 kHz (17:45-17:55 UTC)
      report your reception observations to the German service: [email protected]

Sunday, July 7, 2024 by the French service:

    • 11995 kHz (Angle 325 degrees)?17:00-17:10 UTC – 9545 kHz (Angle 315 degrees)?17:30-17:40 UTC – 7250 kHz (Angle 315 degrees)?17:45-17:55 UTC
      Report your reception observations to the French service: [email protected]

Official broadcast dates:

German service: every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from July 12 to August 4, 2024
French service: every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from August 9 to September 1, 2024

A special QSL card is being printed for all listening reports received as part of this “Summer 2024 direct broadcast” (test phase and official broadcast). RTI thanks you for your support.

Paul JAMET

See:

https://de.rti.org.tw/radio/programMessageView/programId/2001/id/108778

https://fr.rti.org.tw/radio/programMessageView/id/107165

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24 heures du Mans: TM24H callsign and special event QSL!

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul Jamet, who shares the following announcement:

TM24H callsign is active on the occasion of The 24 heures du Mans

On the occasion of The 24 Heures du Mans Automobile, Radioamateurs from the Radio
Club de la Sarthe – F6KFI – will activate the call sign TM24H from June 02 to 16, 2024 inclusive.

Traffic will be on all bands (SSB, CW, RTTY, PSK, FT8, QO100) and VHF.

A special QSL card will confirm each contact.

QSL manager: F6KFI via office, as well as the possibility of a diploma.

See rules: http://aras72.r-e-f.org/

Send your comments to: [email protected]

See also: https://www.qrz.com/db/TM24H

Official website of The 24 Heures du Mans: https://www.24h-lemans.com/en

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Stamp Commemorates 50th Anniversary of KBS

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul Jamet, who writes:

The French department of KBS has sent me the postage stamp issued on October 19, 2023 to mark the 50th anniversary of KBS – Korean Broadcasting System – a department with which I have maintained close relations for over 25 years as the station’s official monitor.

See also: http://radioclub.perche.free.fr/?p=12804

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Events Mark the 150th Anniversary of Marconi’s Birth

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul Jamet, who writes:

Tomorrow, April 25, 2024, will be the 150th anniversary of G. Marconi’s birth.

[…]I’ve just published an article on the Radio Club du Perche website in which I’ve included a few references to English-language sites : http://radioclub.perche.free.fr/?p=12658

The Poldhu Amateur Radio Club (UK) will be marking the event.

Finally, I’ve discovered a site which, since April 1, lists the amateur stations broadcasting on this occasion : https://www.150marconi.org/
Also :
https://www.dx-world.net/ii1gm-150th-anniversary-birth-of-marconi/

https://www.alfatango.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=343:wrd-imd&catid=70:special-events&Itemid=1303

Conferences are also being organized:
https://www.bolognawelcome.com/en/events/celebrations-anniversaries/150-anniversario-di-guglielmo-marconi-en

https://www.wirelessinnovation.org/marconi-anniversary-celebration

Here it is … Hope this helps … Best regards.

Thanks so much for sharing these resources, Paul! 

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Paul is impressed with the XHDATA/SIHUADON R-108 Shortwave Radio

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul Jamet, who writes:

Hi Thomas,

Near my home, there’s a small pond where shortwave reception is often very good…

Receiver: XHDATA SIHUADON R-108 with single telescopic antenna (No external antenna)
Recording with a smartphone placed close to the receiver, which explains the ambient noise, especially the wind noise in the microphone.

Here are two recordings:

1 – The Voice of Korea in English; at the end of the recording, the frequencies are announced. Note that the Voice of Korea broadcasts to Europe in English from 3 pm to 4 pm UTC on 12015 kHz … But I got the best reception on 12020 kHz; this is not due to a defect in the receiver. At the same time, I also received 5/5

2 – RFA (Radio Free Asia) in Tibetan from the island of Tinian precisely on 12125 kHz; Cf. attached file; very strong signal

[…]Voice of Korea is becoming commonplace, but what’s interesting is to be able to pick up these distant stations with a little 45€ receiver! I’m very happy with this little receiver for listening to shortwave.

Click her to check out the XHDATA/SIHUADON R-108 at XHDATA.

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UNESCO World Radio Day 2024: Club du Perche contribution

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul Jamet, who shares the following contribution to World Radio Day 2024 on behalf of the Club du Perche:


Word Radio Day 2024

Paul JAMET

Member of the Radio Club du Perche

Among the framing elements of the 2024 edition, UNESCO states on its website that the celebration highlights three important values:

UNESCO – The indelible history of Radio and its powerful impact upon news, drama, music, sports …

P.J. – Radio is a grand lady, a hundred years old, still young at heart and full of projects! Its birth and history have given rise to numerous publications and captivating accounts, because for over a century, radio has been the world’s sound memory. Radio stations regularly draw on their rich archives to help us relive key events, because history informs the future. Since the 1920s, radio has demonstrated its usefulness in explaining how the world works, educating listeners and providing entertainment (music, theater, sports, etc.).

UNESCO – The ongoing utilitarian value of Radio as a relatively free and portable public safety net during emergencies and power outages brought on by natural and human-made disasters such as storms, earthquakes, floods, heat, wildfires, accidents and warfare.

P.J. – In recent years, with the increasing number of conflicts and natural disasters resulting from climate change, radio has taken on a new and extremely important role, that of providing a public safety network for both emergency resources and victims. Dozens of models of portable emergency receivers are already available, while others are arriving on the market all the time, using new technologies such as the digitization of radio signals, the use of emergency frequencies for broadcasting warning messages: NOAA frequencies in North America, EWF (Emergency Warning Functionality) technology with DRM broadcasting, and expected also with DAB+ broadcasting.

UNESCOThe continuing democratic value of Radio to serve as a grassroots catalyst for connectedness within underserved groups including immigrant, religious, minority and poverty-stricken populations; and as an instantaneous bellwether of public opinion expressed through the auspices of free speech in the public space.

 P.J. – I was born after the Second World War. My mother often told me about the importance of [clandestine] listening to Radio Londres broadcast by the BBC to occupied France. At the time, the BBC was broadcasting messages to the Resistance operating in France and other European countries. Since then, radio has played a decisive role in many similar situations. Such was the case with Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty until the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989. More recently, a few days after the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian war, some stations reactivated their Shortwave transmitters to broadcast special programs to the conflict zone – Zone CIRAF 29. 

Since the start of the third millennium, or even before, several countries have abandoned international broadcasting for a variety of reasons: financial, but also linked to the declining audience, preferring to use the Internet, at least in the best-equipped countries. Many stations have disappeared, and not the least, stations that made a major contribution to the plurality of information and points of view, such as RCI – Canada and RSI – Switzerland, not forgetting DW – Germany and ABC – Australia. Some countries have even demolished their installations and taken down their antennas! 

Yet there are still vast areas of the globe without Internet access or a reliable Internet network. There are still countries where freedom of information is severely controlled. 

In a recent article published on the Radioworld website, Kim Andrew Elliott, who produced “VoA Radiogram”, argues for a revival of Shortwave by proposing Shortwave 2.0, essentially using the following argument: « radio is the ultimate internet circumvention tool ». The author criticizes DRM for dropping out when transmission conditions are poor. He prefers text transmission via the system he has experimented with, which he believes to be more robust. Finally, he adds that « international broadcasters should not close any more shortwave transmitting sites. They are essential facilities to relay information when the internet is blocked, which will happen in more places, more frequently and more thoroughly ».

Through regular listening and exchanges, I fully support international radio stations for the indispensable role they play in providing a plurality of information, but also in providing entertainment (there are many cultural programs) and education, enabling the discovery of other countries and, above all, a better understanding of other cultures.

 As for the Clubs d’écouteurs, they have had to adapt to changes in the radio landscape and advances in information technology.  On the strength of its 40 years of existence and experience, the Radio Club du Perche wishes to take up these challenges and continue its role of promoting international broadcasting – particularly French-speaking – by adapting as best we can to the technological evolutions that are taking place. 

In conclusion, international shortwave broadcasting not only makes sense, but is still very useful for a large number of listeners or in certain situations. Nevertheless, it must adapt to the new realities of modern communication if it is to remain relevant and viable. 

Paul JAMET  –  [email protected] 

Radio Club du Perche


Paul adds that his club members are writing stations to not only submit listener reports but to thank them for their service on the air. We encourage readers to do the same: reach out to any/all radio stations you listen to regularly and let them know you’re listening! 

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