(Source: Radio World via Andrea Borgnino)
Ampegon says it is about to deliver and install its first rotatable shortwave high-power array antenna on the North American continent.
The system, which will be installed WBCQ in the United States, is designed for the transmission of shortwave signals of up to 500 kW, the high-power antenna offers different radiation patterns, an antenna gain of up to 23 dB and uses a technology characterized by a single-shaft structural design.
On WBCQ’s Twitter feed, Allan Weiner announced that the station’s transmitter building suffered a fire on December 10, 2017:
Lost one of our main transmitters in a fire. Total loss. Need to replace. Please help. https://t.co/DItb23ZHE0. Donate what you can. pic.twitter.com/x6K0XwxXDF
— Allan Weiner (@AllanWBCQ) December 15, 2017
Allan has set up a Go Fund Me campaign to begin the process of raising enough money to purchase a used transmitter. Here’s the note from their Go Fund Me page:
Free speech radio WBCQ international shortwave suffered a fire in its main transmitter building on December 10th. The building was saved but our main 50 killowatt trasnmitter completely burned up inside and is a total loss.
We are dedicated to the cause of free speech radio and have been for 19 years. There was no insurance and we have limited funds. We need to replace this transmitter to insure there is at least one free radio station broadcasting programs of individuals wishing to express their free speech rights to the world.
At least $20000 is required to buy a used transmitter and have it shipped to the radio station in Maine. We are on a reduced power backup transmitter and need to return to full 50KW power as soon as possible. Thank You.
Click here to view WBCQ’s Go Fund Me campaign and support the purchase of a transmitter. [Link Removed]
Many thanks to Dave Zantow for the tip!
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, John from VORW Radio International, who writes:
Hello Thomas, the broadcasting schedule of VORW Radio International has changed somewhat so I would like to provide an updated schedule for your readers!
Each broadcast features a mixture of my commentary and listener requested music. It’s the listeners who choose the playlist in every show, so you are guaranteed to hear a great variety of music! Hope you can tune in!
Thursday 2200 UTC – 9955 kHz – WRMI 100 kW – South America
Friday 0000 UTC (Thu 8 PM Eastern) – 9395 kHz – WRMI 100 kW – North America
Friday 0000 UTC – 9455 kHz – WRMI 100 kW – Central America
Friday 0000 UTC – 7730 kHz – WRMI 100 kW – Western North America
Friday 0000 UTC – 7490 kHz – WBCQ 50 kW – North America
Sunday 2000 UTC – 9395 kHz – WRMI 100 kW – North America
Sunday 2200 UTC – 7490 kHz – WBCQ 50 kW – North AmericaQuestions, comments, reception reports and music requests may be sent to [email protected]
Reception reports will receive a QSL!
Thanks for the update John and keep up the good work!
The Requiem For Radio QSL Card (Source: RFR Facebook)
I received a number of messages from Post readers who logged one or more of the simultaneous Requiem For Radio broadcasts. Many discovered that each frequency of the broadcast was actually a separate track of the piece.
Indeed, SWLing Post contributor, Shelby Brant, posted the following comment yesterday:
Listening right now, 11580, 9690, 9620, and 5130 are on, but nothing on 6850. To get the most out of this you really ought to have a receiver on all the frequencies at the same time, because each station is broadcasting something slightly different, but if you listen to all at the same time, they go together.
Later, Shelby added:
Here’s a link to a very impromptu video I put together of how I was listening to the broadcast, I managed to gather up 4 receivers (this was after I posted earlier) and tuned them to the 4 active frequencies. Part way through I turn the other three receivers down and tune to the individual stations one at a time to give an idea of what the 4 sounded like on their own, then it goes back to all 4 together again for the end of the video
Enjoy
Click here to view on YouTube.
Very –VERY- cool, Shelby! Amazing! Thank you for sharing!
And what a unique listening opportunity this presents us (thank you, Amanda Dawn Christie!).
If you missed the last on-air performance, you still have two more chances to catch it.
Remaining dates/times:
26th May 2017 2300-2400 UTC
27th May 2017 2300-2400 UTC
Schedule:
WRMI : Radio Miami International 11580 kHz
WBCQ : Free Speech Radio 5130 kHz
Nauen: Shortwaveservice 9690 kHz
Moosbrunn: Shortwaveservice 9620 kHz
Boston Pirate Radio 6850 kHz
View of the western cluster of curtain antennas from the roof of RCI Sackville’s transmissions building. (Photo: The SWLing Post) –Click to enlarge
(Source: Mauno Ritola via the WRTH Facebook Group)
From Christian Milling: A classical piece for 5 voices will be also sung where bass comes eg. from Nauen, alto from Moosbrunn, tenor from WRMI etc…
The European tx antennas are directed towards Canada / NAm.Airtimes:
25th May 2017 2300-2400 UTC
26th May 2017 2300-2400 UTC
27th May 2017 2300-2400 UTCSchedule:
WRMI : Radio Miami International 11580 kHz
WBCQ : Free Speech Radio 5130 kHz
Nauen: Shortwaveservice 9690 kHz
Moosbrunn: Shortwaveservice 9620 kHz
Boston Pirate Radio 6850 kHzThe content is identically on all three days. A QSL is planned.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, John from VORW Radio International, who writes:
Thanks to the support of our VORW Radio listeners, I am proud to announce that VORW Radio International now has a transmission to South America on 9955 kHz!
Each broadcast features a mixture of my commentary and listener requested music. You’ll hear a great variety of music in this program, from Classical to Classic Country, from Rock to Smooth Jazz, you’ll hear it all!
If you’re interested in listening, the updated broadcast schedule is as follows:
Thursday 1200 UTC – 9875 kHz – Tashkent 100 kW – East Asia
Thursday 2000 UTC – 11580 kHz – WRMI 100 kW – Western Europe
Thursday 2200 UTC – 9955 kHz – WRMI 100 kW – South America
Friday 0000 UTC – 9395 kHz – WRMI 100 kW – North America
Friday 0000 UTC – 9455 kHz – WRMI 100 kW – Central America
Friday 0000 UTC – 7490 kHz – WBCQ 50 kW – North AmericaQuestions, comments, reception reports and music requests may be sent to [email protected]
Reception reports will receive a QSL!
John, I’m so impressed with the number of relays you now have on shortwave–you’re truly a global broadcaster! Keep up the good work!
Many thanks to an intrepid SWLing Post reader who shares the following FCC application from Allan Weiner at WBCQ:
I contacted Allan and asked if he could provide any details yet. His reply was almost poetic:
“It’s simple. WBCQ will be constructing one of the biggest, most powerful, most versatile shortwave transmitter and antenna systems in the world. All for free speech radio. Freedom.”
Now that is something I want to see happen! We love WBCQ!