Friday, December 23, 2016

Merry Christmas from Utility Planet!


Holiday VOA Radiogram for Christmas and New Year's Weekends

Hello friends,


This note provides details about VOA Radiogram for the holiday weekends of 24-25 December and 31 December-1 January.

Listeners in Europe: Try for possible gray line reception for the broadcast Saturdays at 0930-1000 UTC on 5865 kHz.  And if reception on 17580 and 15670 kHz is difficult, you might have your best luck in the middle of the night, Sundays at 0230-0300 UTC on 5745 kHz.

The program for 24-25 December (program 195) is a holiday "spectacular."  It will all be in MFSK32 and will include 11 images of holiday lights from around the United States.

The show on December 31-1 January will return to the normal format, with one news item in Olivia 64-2000, which might be helpful if reception is poor.  Olivia 64-2000 works best if Fldigi's squelch (SQL) is off.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 196, 31 December 2016-1 January 2017, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

  1:45  Program preview
  2:50  Farming without soil*
  8:54  Dwarf planet Ceres flush with ice*
14:38  Olivia 64-2000: Planets developing around young star
22:02  MFSK32: Image* and closing announcements*

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5865 kHz         (To the Americas, try also in Asia-Pacific and Europe)
Sat 1600-1630 17580 kHz       (To Europe, try also in the Americas and Asia-Pacific) 
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz        (To the Americas, try also in Europe)
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz      (To Europe, try also in the Americas and Asia-Pacific)
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

The Mighty KBC broadcast to North America will be Sunday at 0000-0200 UTC (Saturday 7-9 pm EST) on 6145 kHz, via Germany. A minute of MFSK32 will be transmitted at about 0130 UTC. Reports to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com . See also http://www.kbcradio.eu/ and https://www.facebook.com/TheMightyKbc/ .  

DigiDX transmits DX news in MFSK32 and sometimes other modes:
Sunday 2030-2100 UTC on  11580Khz (Via WRMI Florida, to Europe)
Sunday 2330-2400 UTC on 11580kHz (Via WRMI Florida, to North and South America)

Monday 2000-2030 UTC on 3975 kHz (via IBC)
Wednesday 2100-2130 UTC on 3975 kHz (via IBC)

See http://www.digidx.uk/ and https://www.facebook.com/digidx/
 
Italian Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) has digital modes as follows:
EVERY WEDNESDAY ON 3975 KHZ 20.30-21.00 UTC in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500
EVERY FRIDAY ON 9955 KHZ 02.25-02.30 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SATURDAY ON 1584 KHZ 21.25-21.30 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SUNDAY ON 7730 KHZ 00.55-01.00 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SUNDAY ON 6070 KHZ 11.30-12.00 UTC  in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500 (VIA RADIO BCLNEWS)
For the complete IBC transmission schedule, including voice broadcasts, visit  http://ibcradio.webs.com/

Thanks for your reports from last weekend.  I tried a new system in which I prepared a "QSL" card for each transmission, each consisting of four images decoded by listeners, and sent those soon after the broadcast.  They are not as comprehensive as the gallery of all decoded images, but the cards do let me respond to your emails on a more timely basis.

If you can take some time off from your holiday celebrations, I hope you can tune in and write in this weekend.

Best wishes for the holidays and the new year 2017,

Kim Andrew Elliott, KD9XB
Producer and Presenter
VOA Radiogram
voaradiogram.net
Twitter: @VOARadiogram  (especially active just before, during, and after broadcasts)

Christmas Eve SAQ Alexanderson Alternator Transmission Set

Hopefully the annual Christmas message from this rather extreme method of generating RF will take place this year.  From ARRL Letter:

The Alexander Association plans to have Alexanderson alternator transmitter SAQ on the air for its traditional Christmas Eve transmission. The 200 kW Alexanderson alternator will transmit on 17.2 kHz on the morning of Christmas Eve, December 24, with tune-up at around 0730 UTC, and the message transmission following at 0800 UTC.

"Since the plant is old, there is always the risk that the transmission will be cancelled on short notice," the Association said in an announcement. Repairs following an early October fire in the long-wave antenna (attributed to arcing) had put this year's Christmas Eve transmission in jeopardy. Dating from the 1900s, the Alexanderson alternator -- essentially an ac generator run at extremely high speed -- can put out 200 kW but typically is operated at much lower power. Once providing reliable transatlantic communication, it is now a museum piece and only put on the air on special occasions. It was built in the 1920s.

Christmas Eve activity will also take place on Amateur Radio frequencies from SK6SAQ on or about 7.035 and 14.035 MHz (CW). Send reception reports of SAQ or SK6SAQ. -- Thanks to Lars Kalland, SM6NM

Friday, December 16, 2016

VOA Radiogram for 17-18 December 2016

Apologies for not including Kim's images. You can see them on the VOA Radiogram web site.  They were the result of last week's "interesting" propagation, including grey line paths and general solstice weirdness.

From Kim Andrew Elliott:

Hello friends,

Near-winter-solstice propagation has made reception of VOA Radiogram more problematic, especially in the higher frequencies (15670 and 17580), while opening up opportunities for reception south of the Equator.

In  recent weeks, the Saturday 0930 UTC on 5865 kHz show has delivered a signal to Europe via the gray line, though usually not good enough for successful decoding. If you are in Europe, keep trying this transmission, at least into February. 

For European listeners, this time of year the best opportunity for reception might, ironically, be the Sunday 0230 UTC broadcast on 5745 kHz. It's nominally beamed to the Caribbean, and in the middle of the night in Europe. Audacity's timer record feature can be helpful here. Just leave your radio on all night -- and sleep well!

This weekend's VOA Radiogram has some interesting items, including a story about the future of US international broadcasting, including VOA. If reception is difficult -- a likely scenario -- one item is in Olivia 64-2000. It might decode successfully even if you can barely hear the signal through your speaker or see it on the waterfall.

For best Olivia 64-2000 performance, turn Fldigi's squelch (SQL) off. And to keep the center audio frequency from wandering, Configure > IDs > RsID > turn off Searches passband. Set your audio frequency to 1500 Hz, and it will wander no more than +/- 200 Hz.


Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 194, 17-18 December 2016, all in MFSK32 except
where noted:

  1:36  Program preview
 2:42  Reorganization of US international broadcasting*
11:53  Off-grid solar power in Africa*
18:00  Olivia 64-2000: Shortwave greetings for sailors
25:30  MFSK32: Closing announcements*

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5865 kHz         (To the Americas, try also in Asia-Pacific and Europe)
Sat 1600-1630 17580 kHz       (To Europe, try also in the Americas and Asia-Pacific) 
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz        (To the Americas, try also in Europe)
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz      (To Europe, try also in the Americas and Asia-Pacific)
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

The Mighty KBC broadcast to North America will be Sunday at 0000-0200 UTC (Saturday 7-9 pm EST) on 6145 kHz, via Germany. A minute of MFSK32 will be transmitted at about 0130 UTC. Reports to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com . See also http://www.kbcradio.eu/ and https://www.facebook.com/TheMightyKbc/ .  
DigiDX has a new transmission schedule, both via WRMI Florida:
Sunday 2030-2100 UTC on  11580Khz (Targeted at Europe)
Sunday 2330-2400 UTC on 11580kHz (For North and South America)

See http://www.digidx.uk/ and https://www.facebook.com/digidx/

Italian Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) has digital modes as follows:
EVERY WEDNESDAY ON 3975 KHZ 20.30-21.00 UTC in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500
EVERY FRIDAY ON 9955 KHZ 02.25-02.30 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SATURDAY ON 1584 KHZ 21.25-21.30 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SUNDAY ON 7730 KHZ 00.55-01.00 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SUNDAY ON 6070 KHZ 11.30-12.00 UTC  in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500 (VIA RADIO BCLNEWS)
For the complete IBC transmission schedule, including voice broadcasts, visit  http://ibcradio.webs.com/

Thanks for your reception reports -- and reports of attempted reception -- from last weekend.

The past few weeks I've been especially busy with my pesky audience research job at VOA. But, now, with some holiday time off, I hope to answer many of your recent emails.

I hope you can tune in and write in this weekend.

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott, KD9XB
Producer and Presenter
VOA Radiogram
voaradiogram.net
Twitter: @VOARadiogram  (especially active just before, during, and after broadcasts)

Friday, December 09, 2016

VOA Radiogram for December 10-11

From Kim Andrew Elliott:

Club Diexistas de la Amistad 40th anniversary logo received by Mark in the UK, Saturday, 3 December, 1626 UTC, 17580 kHz, via North Carolina.

Hello friends,

This weekend, I am betting on adequate reception conditions, because all VOA Radiogram content will be in MFSK32 except for the transmission schedule in Olivia 64-2000 at the very end of the show. (For best Olivia 64-2000 performance, turn the Fldigi squelch [SQL] off.)


Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 193, 10-11 December 2016, all in MFSK32 centered on 1500 Hz, except where noted:

 1:49  Program preview
 2:59  Cassini probe beams back images of Saturn's atmosphere*
 7:28  Kremlin doctrine for "managing" Internet*
14:38  Australia's ABC to end shortwave broadcasts*
21:14  Closing announcements*
28:28  Olivia 64-2000: Transmission schedule

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5865 kHz         (To the Americas, try also in Asia-Pacific and Europe)
Sat 1600-1630 17580 kHz       (To Europe, try also in the Americas and Asia-Pacific) 
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz        (To the Americas, try also in Europe)
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz      (To Europe, try also in the Americas and Asia-Pacific)
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

The Mighty KBC broadcast to North America will be Sunday at 0000-0200 UTC (Saturday 7-9 pm EST) on 6145 kHz, via Germany. A minute of MFSK32 will be transmitted at about 0130 UTC. Reports to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com . See also http://www.kbcradio.eu/ and https://www.facebook.com/TheMightyKbc/ .  

DigiDX has a new transmission schedule, both via WRMI Florida:
Sunday 2030-2100 UTC on  11580Khz (Targeted at Europe)
Sunday 2330-2400 UTC on 11580kHz (For North and South America)

See http://www.digidx.uk/ and https://www.facebook.com/digidx/

Italian Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) has digital modes as follows:
EVERY WEDNESDAY ON 3975 KHZ 20.30-21.00 UTC in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500
EVERY FRIDAY ON 9955 KHZ 02.25-02.30 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SATURDAY ON 1584 KHZ 21.25-21.30 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SUNDAY ON 7730 KHZ 00.55-01.00 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SUNDAY ON 6070 KHZ 11.30-12.00 UTC  in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500 (VIA RADIO BCLNEWS)
For the complete IBC transmission schedule, including voice broadcasts, visit  http://ibcradio.webs.com/

Thank you for your reception reports from last weekend.

I am compiling a gallery of decoded logos of the Club Diexistas de la Amistad and hope to begin sending them out this weekend.

I hope you can tune in and write in this weekend.

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott, KD9XB
Producer and Presenter
VOA Radiogram
voaradiogram.net
Twitter: @VOARadiogram  (especially active just before, during, and after broadcasts)

December 11 Special Event will Commemorate Transatlantic Reception Anniversary

ARRL:

An Amateur Radio special event on December 11 will commemorate the 95th anniversary of the first transatlantic shortwave reception between Greenwich, Connecticut, and Ardrossan, Scotland. ARRL, the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB), and the Radio Club of America (RCA) are partnering in sponsoring the activity. The Greenwich Historical Society will also participate.

On December 11, 1921, a radio signal transmitted from the location of 1BCG in Connecticut, was heard in Scotland by Paul Godley, 2ZE, during the second ARRL transatlantic tests. The special event will use N1BCG, the call sign of Clark Burgard of Greenwich, a radio history buff who was instrumental in making arrangements for the event.

The N1BCG special event, which will be set up at a school near the original 1BCG site, will begin on Sunday, December 11, at 1200 and conclude at 0300 UTC on December 12. Operation will be on AM on 75 and 40 meters; CW and SSB on 40 meters, CW on 30 meters, and CW and SSB on 20 and 17 meters. Approximate frequencies are 3.880 (AM), 7.290 (AM), 7.235 (SSB), 7.040 (CW), 10.112 (CW), 14.280 (SSB), 14.040 (CW), 18.125 (SSB), and 18.088 MHz CW.

The event will include an attempt at a two-way contact between N1BCG and GB2ZE in Ardrossan.

Tuesday, December 06, 2016

Radio Australia gone end of January

Another one bites the dust.

This isn't utility, but if you grew up with RA's slushy music ruling the Pacific, it feels like it ought to be.  You know, like part of the infrastructure.

I'm glad I'm not a broadcast columnist.  We'll be down to Brother Stair soon.

ABC press release (via SWLing Post):


The ABC will end its shortwave transmission service in the Northern Territory and to international audiences from 31 January 2017.

The move is in line with the national broadcaster’s commitment to dispense with outdated technology and to expand its digital content offerings including DAB+ digital radio, online and mobile services, together with FM services for international audiences.

The majority of ABC audiences in the Northern Territory currently access ABC services via AM and FM and all ABC radio and digital radio services are available on the VAST satellite service.

...

“In considering how best to serve our Pacific regional audiences into the future we will move away from the legacy of shortwave radio distribution,” Ms Marshall said. “An ever-growing number of people in the region now have access to mobile phones with FM receivers and the ABC will redirect funds towards an extended content offering and a robust FM distribution network to better serve audiences into the future.”

Yeah, right.  Let's see them hit every cell phone on every isolated island in the Pacific with "a robust FM distribution network" or satellite receivers.  Silly.

Friday, December 02, 2016

VOA Radiogram for December 2-4

From Kim Andrew Elliott:

Christian in France decoded this image at 1939 UTC, 27 November on 15670 kHz. By 1947 UTC, the signal from North Carolina had disappeared completely!

As Christian wrote, « Sans doute la propagation, dommage. »

Sans doute!






Hello friends,

Last week’s transmission Sunday at 1930-2000 UTC on 15670 kHz again did not reach most of Europe -- for at least part of the show.  See the image above.

The Saturday 0930-1000 broadcast on 5865 kHz also did not reach most of Europe. Please try again this weekend, because we never know when gray-line propagation will be favorable. This transmission should be audible throughout the Americas and might also be heard in the Asia-Pacific region.

This weekend’s VOA Radiogram includes one news item in Olivia 64-2000. This mode might provide a good decode even in conditions which result in an unsuccessful decode of our usual MFSK32 mode. Turn off Fldigi’s squelch (SQL) for best results in Olivia 64-2000.

And to keep the transmitter hum from mixing with the RSID, resulting in an incorrect center audio frequency, do this in Fldigi: Configure > IDs > ID > RsID > unselect (turn off) Searches passband.  Set the audio frequency at 1500 Hz. Any self-adjustment of the audio frequency by Fldigi will be no more than 200 Hz.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 192, 3-4 December 2016, all in the MFSK32 except where noted:

 1:48  Program preview
 2:59  U.S. Coast Guard looks to increased Asia-Pacific role*
 8:47  Thomas Edison National Historical Park*
15:55  Olivia 64-2000: UK radio amateur's ISS project
22:16  MFSK32: Club Diexistas de la Amistad 40th anniversary*
27:07  Closing announcements*

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com.
VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5865 kHz         (To the Americas, try also in Asia-Pacific and Europe)
Sat 1600-1630 17580 kHz       (To Europe, try also in the Americas and Asia-Pacific) 
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz        (To the Americas, try also in Europe)
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz      (To Europe, try also in the Americas and Asia-Pacific)
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

The Mighty KBC broadcast to North America will be Sunday at 0000-0200 UTC (Saturday 7-9 pm EST) on 6145 kHz, via Germany. A minute of MFSK32 will be transmitted at about 0130 UTC. Reports to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com . See also http://www.kbcradio.eu/ and https://www.facebook.com/TheMightyKbc/ .  

DigiDX has a new transmission schedule, both via WRMI Florida:
Sunday 2030-2100 UTC on  11580Khz (Targeted at Europe)
Sunday 2330-2400 UTC on 11580kHz (For North and South America)

See http://www.digidx.uk/ and https://www.facebook.com/digidx/

Italian Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) has digital modes as follows:
EVERY WEDNESDAY ON 3975 KHZ 20.30-21.00 UTC in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500
EVERY FRIDAY ON 9955 KHZ 02.25-02.30 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SATURDAY ON 1584 KHZ 21.25-21.30 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SUNDAY ON 7730 KHZ 00.55-01.00 UTC in MFSK32
EVERY SUNDAY ON 6070 KHZ 11.30-12.00 UTC  in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500 (VIA RADIO BCLNEWS)
For the complete IBC transmission schedule, including voice broadcasts, visit  http://ibcradio.webs.com/

Thank you for your reception reports from last weekend.

I am compiling a gallery of Denali images and hope to start sending it out this weekend.

I hope you can tune in and write in this weekend.

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott, KD9XB
Producer and Presenter
VOA Radiogram
voaradiogram.net
Twitter: @VOARadiogram  (especially active just before, during, and after broadcasts)

PS: For information about the transmitters and antennas used for VOA Radiogram, see …

http://voaradiogram.net/post/47627164533/voa-radiogram-some-details-about-the-transmitters