Month: December 2021

Romania

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In the years 2003/2004, RADIOCOM replaced the Romanian LW as well as almost all MW transmitters with new “HARRIS” devices:
https://web.archive.org/web/20050330161322/http://www.broadcast.harris.com/news/view_pressrelease.asp?act=lookup&pr_id=1500

Now the last five older AM transmitters which are still in use will also be replaced. RADIOCOM will buy three new 50 kW, and two new 25 kW MW transmitters. They will be installed in the following locations:

CONSTANȚA/VALU LUI TRAIAN:
50 kW – 1458 kHz – SRR Radio România Actualități (currently 100 kW, off-air)
50 kW – 1314 kHz – SRR Antena Satelor (currently 50 kW)
25 kW – 909 kHz – SRR Radio Constanța (currently 25 kW)

ORADEA/RONTĂU:
50 kW – 603 kHz – SRR Radio România Actualități (currently 50 kW)

BUCUREȘTI/HERĂSTRĂU:
25 kW – 603 kHz – SRR Antena Satelor/Radio Bukarest/Bukaresti Rádió (currently 30 kW)

More information (in Romanian and English):
http://www.radiocom.ro/achizitii/Emitatoare_unde_medii/

Note: 1458 kHz is off-air since the beginning of Aug.2021 since the old Thomson TMW-100 tx is not working any more.

Here is a COMPLETE DETAILED LIST of all Romanian LW and MW broadcasts:
http://ab27.bplaced.net/ul-um_romania.pdf

Alexander Busneag to WOR iog (2021-12-15)

Netherlands

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Radio Emmeloord struggling with here AM outlet.
After nearly a week,  the Dutch LPAM station, Radio Emmeloord will return to the 747 Khz, from Pietersbierum in the western part of the provence of Friesland. Radio Emmeloord got a permission to start to use there earlier frequency of 1224 Khz., using the location in Pietersbierum. A week or so ago transmissions were started, but then still on the 747, the frequency on which the transmitter and antenna were tuned. After the frequency change to 1224, the 11th of Decembre, transmission quality was much more lower. The modulation was bad, and the signallevel was lower.
Also complaints came in of interference of foreign radiostations. Probably side-splatter from Absolute Radio from the UK on 1215 Khz.
Earlier this week on Monday one of the initiators Dick Offringa of Radio Emmeloord told in his own radioshow that  they were planning to bring there own AM transmitter, with a good old endstage with tubes, to Pietersbierum. And also better tuning of the whole antennasystem should take place. This plan is cancelled and as from tomorrow, Thursday the 16th of Decembre, 12.00 hours local time Radio Emmeloord will return to the 747 Khz.
Reception of the 747 was, and will be, on nearby KiWiSDR receivers quit well. Also propagation over the North Sea will be possible. Pietersbierum is near the coast of Friesland. Only disadvantage of the former Jumbo 747 from Dutch radio is that Radio Emmeloord will get into a co-channel battle with MCB Radio, a LPAM station near the city of Leiden. Especially in the western part of the Netherlands.

Willem Prins – Paterswolde / The Netherlands (2021-12-15)

Brazil

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Correction to the Brazil item (Rádio Nacional do Brasil 980 kHz) earlier today:
I haven’t noticed any improvement in their signal, nothing like it used to be at some point in the 80’s, when they had 300 kW. I asked EBC and they said, that the high power tx from Rodeador has been off the air for a long time and they are using 50 kW day and night co-sited with MEC mast 800 kHz.

Mauno Ritola (2021-12-15)

Brazil

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In an article (Kai Ludwig, Radio Eins Radio-News (2021-12-14)) about a new SW transmitter to Rádio Nacional do Brasil I found this about the MW:
(Google translated from German)
On the medium wave 980 kHz, the old tube transmitter has now been replaced by a transistor transmitter that runs at 230 kW in the evenings and at night. From 1999 to 2018, when the Trans World Radio station on Bonaire worked with “only” 100 kW, it was the most powerful medium wave transmitter in the western hemisphere.
https://www.radioeins.de/programm/sendungen/medienmagazin/radio_news/beitraege/2017/brasilien.html

Ydun Ritz (2021-12-15)

Italy

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On 12 December the Italian station AM Italia broadcast a special program to celebrate the 120th anniversary of the first transoceanic communication between Poldhu (UK) and Terranova (Canada) by Guglielmo Marconi. AM Italia (formerly Challenger Radio) operates from Villa Estense(Padua, northern Italy).
This program was transmitted on 207 kHz, 918 kHz and 1323 kHz and consisted in a loop with an announcement in English, followed by a speech in Italian by Guglielmo Marconi himself describing his experimental communications and by 20 “S” letters in Morse code, the signal sent on air during that historical contact.
I posted a video of my reception on my YouTube channel: 
https://youtu.be/wokPOwDB-xE

{below: I think he means that 918 and 1323 are off the air at this late hour – but still earlier — Glenn Hauser}
While 918 and 1323 kHz are now off the air, the 207 kHz LW frequency is still operating and might be received overseas, in spite of its low power (about 1 kW into a wire antenna). Voice is hard to be heard even from my QTH, only 100 km from the station, but the CW “S” letters ( … ) stand clear above the background noise on the band. The station is considering to leave 207 kHz on air continuously and without a precise final date, so have your try!
May I suggest to try and tune into the Morse code characters for your best chance to hear the station. The CW tone is 660 Hz, and during the CW section of the program you could consider the station as a simple A2A NDB and listen in CW mode, with as narrow a selectivity as possible, on 207 kHz +/- 660 Hz (207.660 kHz or 206.340 kHz).
Reception reports to info at am-italia dot it
73 and good luck!

Fabrizio Magrone (Italy) to MWCircle iog via WOR iog (2021-12-15)

United States

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Wine Down Media will flip Talk/Sports 1440 KVON/96.9 K245DK Napa CA to an undisclosed Spanish language format on Monday, January 3.
KVON currently features blocks of local shows mixed with Fox Sports Radio programming. A Spanish Talk show hosted by Nicolas de Luna currently airs in afternoons from 3-7 on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays as well as Sunday mornings. de Luna and current AAA “99.3 The Vine” KVYN St. Helena morning host Gabriela Fernandez will be heard on the new format.
Some elements from KVON will move over to KVYN. A “reinvented” version of KVON’s “Wine Country Live” morning show hosted by Barry Martin will take over mornings on The Vine. Station alum Jamie Miller will return to contribute features to the show, which is described as “a variety show covering community stories, trending topics, and features”.
KVON sportscaster Ira Smith will also shift to KVYN for daily sports reports and local high school play-by-play on Fridays.
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/216893/kvon-to-flip-to-spanish-language-programming-some-elements-to-move-to-kvyn/

Lance Venta, RadioInsight (2021-12-14)