FCC Approves All-Digital Option for AM.
The Federal Communications Commission will allow U.S. AM radio station owners to convert their stations to all-digital HD Radio transmissions if they choose to do so.
The commission voted unanimously in favor today at its October open meeting.
Industry observers will be watching to see if any owners large or small take this step. All HD Radio receivers in the market are capable of receiving the MA3 signals; but making this switch would end analog listening on the given frequency.
Radio World NewsBytes (2020-10-27)
Month: October 2020
Germany
The antenna masts on Felsberg are history.
For decades they were landmarks on the German-French border: in Saargau everyone knows the four masts and the building of the former radiostation Europe 1 [183 kHz]. These masts on Felsberg near Überherrn are now definitely history. The last two antenna masts were blown up on October 27th.
Source: SR3 Saarwelle
Eric Znalesniak in A-DX Fernempfang fb group (2020-10-27(
Space
New sunspot AR2778 sharply increased in size overnight, and it is now crackling with C-class solar flares.
A pulse of radiation from this flare briefly ionized the top of Earth’s atmosphere, disturbing shortwave radio propagation around the Indian Ocean: blackout map.
The sunspot has been producing similar flares every few hours since then (0615 UT on Oct. 27th).AR2778 is the biggest sunspot of young Solar Cycle 25 with nearly a dozen dark cores sprawling almost 100,000 km across the solar surface.
Spaceweather.com
Mike Terry to WRTH fb group (2020-10-27)
Australia
A list of Australian MW broadcast stations by location.
Tecsun Radios Australia fb group via Georg Wiessala in fb (2020-10-27)
Mexico
XEFRTM-770 Fresnillo, Zacatecas (replacement for the widely-heard XEIH which moved to FM several years ago) is reportedly on the air with 25kW and W Radio programming via some kind of a lease agreement. Slogan is apparently W Radio Zacatecas. The W Radio network has seemingly not yet created individual web sites for their newer stations like XEQRMD-1310 and XEFRTM-770. Another target for my upcoming trip to the Nevada-Utah desert.
Tim Hall to MWDX – The National Radio Club (2020-10-27)
United States
This week I am going to be airing a Halloween special on WNJC 1360 AM. There will be no FT-8 test this week. I am going to play Halloween sound effects and music mixed with DX audio test clips.
I will be starting at 00:00 UTC 11/1 (08:00 PM EDT 10/31). This will continue all night and morning till 1100 UTC (6:00 AM EST). It’s the end of Daylight savings time, so I even get an extra hour to broadcast! Power levels and pattern along with more details will be announced before the event.
Duke Hamann in WNJC 1360 AM DX Tests fb group (2020-10-27)
Norway
On today’s trip to the broadcasting site we made some changes to the use of our radio stations, thanks again to LA7CFA!
1314 kHz Radio Northern Star is now on this frequency with its classic pop and rock format 1659-0007 CET. 700 watts from a Hercules 1 kW and Comrod antenna. Today, the transmission time was also increased to 0525-0950. The rest of the broadcast time is set aside for programs on health as well as FBK’s own programs. The new local radio licensee in Bergen Radio Rummur has also been given some airtime on Wednesday night.
1611 kHz has so far been Radio Northern Star‘s main frequency. But we plan that this channel at least the next six months will send our new country station The C. This is on the air from today from its Hercules 2 kW transmitter. Transmission time as before 1459-0007. Slightly down in transmitter power to 400 watts to adapt better to the inverted V antenna, but with better modulation than before makes us think this will still go far. So far heard in 15 countries.
[….]
Svenn Martinsen in DX-LISTENERS’ CLUB fb group (2020-10-26)
United Kingdom
New radio station’s bid to reach out to Bury’s lockdown listeners.
A NEW broadcaster has hit the airwaves in Bury – and is on the lookout for on-air talent.
Supporters of Project 29, in Moorgate, have achieved a long-held dream of transmitting via 1566 medium wave and online.
And despite the pandemic Salaam Bury Community Radio is looking to branch out.
Bury Times (2020-10-26)
[Bury is situated in the Greater Manchester Area between Manchester and Bolton. Ed.]
Norway
Radio Northern Star‘s medium wave transmitter on 1611 kHz is back on the air with test broadcasts from 1700 Norwegian time. Currently reduced power of 500 watts. Many thanks to LA7CFA.
Report to 1000@northernstar.no.
The regular program schedule runs on 1314 and 5895 kHz.
Svenn Martinsen in DX-LISTENERS’ CLUB fb group (2020-10-25)
Afghanistan
1296, R. Ashna at 1715 can be heard in Central Europe under COPE in this period of the year. As the grey line progresses, the signal from Spain gets stronger. But sometimes R. Ashna can even dominate the frequency at the time mentioned. At around 1715 there seems to be a litle break in their transmission of news in presumably Dari and they play a jingle giving the ID. So 1715 is a good period to look for R. Ashna.
Zeljko Crncic, Germany (2020-10-25)