Month: August 2021

Iceland

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Google Translated:
On August 11, 2021, an old antenna system from AM broadcasting disappeared from the scene again. This time the long wave masts on the southeastern outskirts of Reykjavík, in the Vatnsendi district, were eliminated.

The two masts (they bundled the transmission energy according to the geographic extent of Iceland to the northeast) are said to have been built when radio operations began in 1930.

The transmitter system that was last used is a bit more recent and is also shown in a relevant article. It comes from Brown Boveri (Switzerland), had an output of 100 kW and was probably installed between 1950 and 1960.

The operation from Vatnsendi ended in the 1990s. It was replaced in 1997 by the 300 kW strong, now still operated with 100 kW transmitter Gufuskálar near Helissandur, in the far west of Iceland. A 412 meter high mast is used there, which was previously used by the Loran-C (100 kHz) navigation system, which was shut down here in 1994.

This move was associated with a frequency change. Instead of the old Reykjavík channel 207 kHz, the transmitter Gufuskálar operates on the frequency 189 kHz, as the only station in the world on this frequency.

A single wave operation once ran on 207 kHz – which was also the reason for the frequency change: The Eiðar transmitter worked in conjunction with Reykjavík-Vatnsendi, in the east of Iceland near Egilsstaðir.
[….]
All the article here in German with some nice photos from the Icelandic LW transmitting sites..

Radio Eins Radio-News (2021-08-13)

Canada

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CKNT 960 in Mississauga denied application to go 22% ethnic.
An application by Elliot Kerr (8159203 Canada Limited) to amend the licence for CKNT 960 in Mississauga was denied today. The proposed amendment would have seen the station devoting up 22 percent of each broadcast week (27.7 hours) to third-language ethnic programs. Four operators of existing Multilingual stations in the Toronto area filed interventions opposing the application and the CRTC sided with them.
CRTC DECISION: https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2021/2021-283.htm
Canadian Radio News fb group (2021-08-13)

Ireland

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The RTÉ longwave transmitter on 252 kHz failed to return to the air yesterday after yet another long maintenance period. As well as being of interest to DXers, this is an important link for the elderly Irish diaspora on the west coast of Britain but has been threatened with closure several times in recent years. RTÉ’s transmission network 2rn can be contacted at 2rn@2rn.ie or on Twitter at @2rnNMC

John Walsh, Galway to BDXC-news iog via WOR iog (2021-08-13)

The RTE website said back on June 11th that 252 was off “until Saturday 14th August (estimated)”. (a couple of days later than the date 2rrn mentioned).
So the intention was to return to LW I think?
https://about.rte.ie/2021/06/11/essential-maintenance-of-rte-longwave-transmitter/

Alan Pennington to WOR iog (2021-08-13)

Brazil

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Quick note on ZYJ-455 Super Rádio Tupi 1280 KHz, Rio de Janeiro
Just to share Super Rádio Tupi, Rio de Janeiro (callsign ZYJ-455, 1280 KHz, 100KW) ceased altogether its transmissions over medium wave effective 23-june-2021.
Before it, Super Rádio Tupi was operating its MW transmitter in daytime hours only. Between 31-may-2019 and 23-jun-2021, the 1280 KHz station was active between 06h and 20h BRST (0900-2300UTC).
Super Rádio Tupi main frequency is 96.5MHz. Audio and studio video are available through digital platforms and paid-TV services. Tupi also has a fair amount of syndicated stations that relay their programming live during football matches.
About a week before its last day on the ether, DXer Carlos Latuff recorded a video of Radio Tupi 1280 KHz airing a news bulletin : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0b8p60jv4g

References:
https://radioamantes.wordpress.com/2019/05/31/super-radio-tupi-passa-a-desligar-seu-transmissor-de-am-nas-madrugadas/

Remarks:
As you may know, Brazil Telecom Authority rolled out the legal and engineering process to allow migration of MW/AM stations to VHF/FM. To handle the sudden and massive need of spectrum, the FM broadcast has been expanded by about 12MHz (from 87.5-107,9 to 76.1-107.9). Reason for the migration include low audience rating and advertisers on MW, increased noise and coverage complains from listeners and the fact most cellphones in Brazil market include only FM band in their embedded receivers*.
* I came to know recently the 2008 Ericson R300-series cellphone did include an AM receiver however it required to plug a very specific and somewhat large headphone adapter to enable it (perhaps ir was ferrite antenna?)
** Not aware of cellphone trends in North America and Europe; but in Brazil the majority of cellphones include FM radio, some even include digital terrestrial TV receiver (SD and HD). Only phones not carrying FM radio seems to be the Iphones and very high end/exec -like Android devices.
*** Before the decision to migrate the FM, Brazil had a few pilots of DRM (Radio Nacional 980KHz) and IBOC/HD Radio (R Globo, CBN, Gaucha, both on MW and FM) but it never got traction. Colleagues I’ve been talking are aware of DAB, but we are still to see any interest for it down here.

Huelbe Garcia, Brasil, to MWCircle iog via WOR iog (2021-08-13)

United Kingdom

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Radio Caroline North August.
The next Radio Caroline North broadcast is happening between 13th-15th August and takes in part of our annual Fundraiser.
Join the crew onboard our radio ship Ross Revenge for all the best music from the 60s – early 90s.
Listen in on 648 AM in the South and South-East, on 1368 AM in the North and North-West courtesy of our friends at Manx Radio, the Radio Caroline app and around the world online here (via the Manx AM Radio Player).
We’d love to hear from you during the broadcast via memories@radiocaroline.co.uk and remember, it’s the only email address that gets you straight through to our ‘North’ broadcasters.
Radio Caroline

Mike Terry to WRTH fb group (2021-08-13)

United Kingdom

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On this weekend, Carillon Wellbeing Radio (1476 kHz) has a special schedule remembering the days of offshore radio. https://carillonradio.com/schedule/ lists these programmes:
Friday, 13. August
[…]
20:00 Mi Amigo Music Through The Night
Saturday, 14. August
until 06:00 Mi Amigo Music Through The Night
06:00 The Breakfast Show with Tim Gillett (Mi Amigo Broadcast)
09:00 Jim Fourniadis (Mi Amigo Broadcast)
10:00 Sounds From the Sixties with Jon Sketchley
12:00 Neon Nancy (Mi Amigo Broadcast)
14:00 Mi Amigo Disco with Garry Lee
17:00 Paul Windsor (Mi Amigo Broadcast)
19:00 Tim Rice (Mi Amigo Broadcast)
20:00 The Reverend Rabbit (Mi Amigo Broadcast)
21:00 The Stonehenge Disco with Garry Lee (Mi Amigo Broadcast)
Sunday, 15. August
00:00 Dave Kent with Mi Amigo History
02:00 Paul Windsor (Mi Amigo Broadcast)
04:00 The Reverend Rabbit (Mi Amigo Broadcast)
05:00 Jim Fourniadis (Mi Amigo Broadcast)
06:00 The Breakfast Show with Tim Gillett (Mi Amigo Broadcast)
09:00 Jim Fourniadis (Mi Amigo Broadcast)
10:00 Jon Sketchley & Friends (Mi Amigo Broadcast)
12:00 Steven Foster (Mi Amigo Broadcast)
15:00 Garry Lee (Mi Amigo Broadcast)
16:00 Garry Lee & Tony O’Neill with LV18 History
17:00 Paul Windsor (Mi Amigo Broadcast)
19:00 Glam Rock Party with Ian Riches (Mi Amigo Broadcast)
20:00 Party Time with Garry Lee & everyone on board the LV18
Montag, 16. August
Return to the usual schedule
00:00 The Seagull Programmes
August 14th is an important day in the diary of offshore radio fans. At midnight on Monday 14 August 1967, the  Marine Offences Act became law in the United Kingdom. The Act meant that the operation of offshore radio stations became illegal if they were operated or assisted by persons subject to UK law.
Dr Hansjoerg Biener (2021-08-13)

Mexico

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Mexico’s IFT has released the list of AM and FM frequencies available for bidding at their next AM/FM auction. 85 AM allocations are available! Some of these look a little odd, and I don’t know if anyone will bid on them. Some are replacements of former AM stations that have finished moving to FM. I need to check all of these against the IRCA Mexican Log, since it’s possible there are a few AMs that have finished moving to FM that we didn’t know about. At the following URL, click on the download (“Documentos para descargar”) button, and look for the “Convocatoria” document. This document contains a few more details (such as day power) than the others.
http://www.ift.org.mx/…/licitacion-ift-8-radiodifusion…

Tim Hall to DXing.info fb group (2021-08-12)

Canada

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Nav Canada decommissions LW and MW non-directional beacons.
NAV CANADA, the country’s provider of civil air navigation services, conducted an aeronautical study that reviewed the requirement for Non-Directional Beacons (NDBs) and Very-High Frequency Omnidirectional Rangefinders (VORs).
The study concluded that given the comprehensive radar surveillance coverage, and the propensity of area navigation (RNAV) with GNSS equipped aircraft, many navigation aids (NAVAIDS) are no longer required and should be decommissioned.
Where a current NAVAID identified in the study serves as an instrument approach aid or anchors an airway segment, NAV CANADA will ensure that a RNAV (GNSS) instrument approach procedure or RNAV airway segment is published, where required, before removal of the identified NAVAID.
Implementation is ongoing and will progress for the next several years. The sixth phase is represented below. Subsequent Notices of Change will be published for each upcoming phase.
See the link for a full list of the beacons.
https://swling.com/blog/2021/08/navcanada-decommissions-lw-and-mw-non-directional-beacons

Mike Terry to Longwaveradiolistening iog (2021-08-12)

United Kingdom

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On the evening of 11 August 2021, the Supercup between Chelsea FC and Villarreal FC took place in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The winner of the Champions League defeated the winner of the Europa League 7:6 on penalties.
In Germany, the game was only broadcast on pay TV. So I had to rely on British or Spanish channels to follow the game. As in previous cases, I could only listen to the English commentary on BBC 5 live’s medium wave frequency 693 kHz, while https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_radio_five_live was geo-blocked.
In contrast, the game could be heard online at RNE1 at https://www.rtve.es/radio/radio-nacional/directo. My only Spanish medium wave frequency was 738 kHz. Radio Exterior de Espana broadcast the soccer game on the three operating frequencies (11940, 15520, 17855 kHz, 11685 kHz unheard).
Dr. Hansjoerg Biener (2021-08-12)