Tag Archives: Shortwave Radio

Radio Exterior de Espana (REE) has returned to shortwave

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As a follow-up to my previous post on Radio Exterior de Espana, I can confirm that I’m hearing REE on all of their scheduled frequencies today.

We’re not totally sure why their analog shortwave broadcasts were cut last week, but it could certainly have been a knee-jerk reaction to the financial woes in Spain and at RTVE.

Again, if you’re an REE fan, I suggest you contact them ASAP ([email protected]) and show your support. Tell them what you listen to and why. Though services have been re-established, I suspect REE shortwave broadcasts may be on the chopping block again in the near future.

 

Radio Exterior de España leaving shortwave? Not yet.

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This week, Radio Exterior de España (REE) suddenly dropped many of their analog shortwave broadcasts. I waited to mention this on the SWLing Post because, even though they were no longer on the air, I had heard no rumors beforehand and I had recently been in contact with them.

SWLer, Mark Coady, made a post on Facebook today with a message from REE stating that there was a lot of internal confusion and frustration regarding REE suddenly dropping shortwave services. They also mentioned that REE is planning to restore shortwave services again, possibly as soon as this weekend. I just received a short message from an REE contact to the same effect.

So, we will see if they restore services this weekend or early next week.  I personally enjoy listening to REE’s services in English and French.  I especially love their music, when they play it.

If you’re an REE fan, I suggest you contact them ASAP ([email protected]) and show your support. Though services are being re-established, shortwave broadcasts may be on the chopping block again in the near future.

 

Pirate Radio Recordings: Grizzly Bear Radio

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A few weeks ago, I found a pirate I had never heard before: Grizzly Bear Radio. They quickly nullified my claim that Radio Appalachia was the only pirate I knew of that broadcasts bluegrass music. According to Grizzly Bear, they transmit from the northwest US, so the fact that I hear them at all speaks of good propagation and Grizzly Bear’s antennas.

At any rate, I did manage to capture almost their entire broadcast–nearly 5 hours!–on October 6th. Unlike many of my recordings, this one is faint at times and you’ll have to listen through the static.  Still, this is what I enjoy about pirate radio, hearing some unique audio through the static. As grandpa used to say, this “builds listening skills.”

You can download an mp3 of the full recording, or simply listen in the player embedded below.  Enjoy:

Radio World looks at DRM

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(Source: Radio World)

By: Ernie Franke

Once touted as the “Savior of Shortwave,” Digital Radio Mondiale has not lived up to its hype. Proposed in 1988, with early field-testing in 2000, inaugural broadcasting in 2001 and its official rollout in 2003, DRM has had a lackluster career over the last decade.

With the allure of FM-quality audio and fade-free operation, it had appeared that DRM might revive the shortwave community. Unfortunately, it has been overcome by other events, some technical and some social. The main weakness has been alternate sources of information and entertainment, fueled by the very technology that gave DRM hope.

Additionally, in areas of the world without ubiquitous social media, DRM has yet to realize receivers at a moderate cost with adequate battery life. The very processing technology that allows improved operation using the more complex DRM waveform costs more and consumes more power than the standard AM receiver. A quick look at standalone DRM receivers over the past decade shows almost a dozen companies entering the market, only to retreat when the promise didn’t materialize.

[…]The rise of the Internet has influenced many broadcasters to cease their shortwave transmissions in favor of broadcasting over the World Wide Web. When BBC World Service discontinued service to Europe, North America, Australasia and the Caribbean, it generated many protests. The shifting of resources from shortwave to Internet and television by the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees U.S. international broadcasting, further reduced broadcasting hours in the English language. […]Although most of the prominent broadcasters continue to scale back their analog shortwave transmissions or completely terminate them, shortwave is still common and active in developing regions, such as parts of Africa and South America.[…]

The article then goes into an in-depth look at both the reasons for and technology behind Digital Radio Mondiale–both on the broadcasting and receiving ends.

Read the full article at Radio World’s website.

Reminder: The Mighty KBC testing transatlantic signal on 9.4 MHz, October 7, 2012

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See if you can catch this test transmission on Sunday, October 7 (oo:00-02:00UTC) from The Mighty KBC in the Netherlands:

(Source: The Mighty KBC)

The Mighty KBC is testing on 9400 kHz on Sunday, October 7th, 2012 between 00.00 – 02.00 UTC with 100kW beamed to the USA, South America and Canada.

Propagation Map (Source: The Mighty KBC)