Ofcom looks like revoking Absolute Radio‘s licence for medium wave. The licence was meant to run to 2031 and ofcom could fine Bauer for ceasing the licence early. No final decision yet known. Details below.
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/manage-your-licence/radio-broadcast-licensing/cessation-of-absolute-radio-national-am-service
James Robinson (2023-01-27)
You can hear Radio Caroline North during 2023 on the following dates on 1368 AM via Manx Radio, our own 648 AM transmitter or online using the ‘North’ pop-up player or the Radio Caroline app.
14/15 January
11/12 February
11/12 March
07/09 April (Easter)
06/07 May
24/25 June
15/16 July
11/13 August (Annual Fundraiser)
16/17 September
14/15 October
18/19 November
09/10 December
Dates subject to change
Radio Caroline website via Kari Kallio, nordx iog (2023-01-27)
New 200 kW transmitters for 693 kHz (VoV1) and 819 kHz (VoV2) officially on the air since 15 January 2023.
Here is a more detailled report in VIETNAMESE incl. photos:
https://vov.vn/xa-hoi/dau-an-vov/vov-nang-cong-suat-phat-song-am-khu-vuc-tay-nguyen-post996605.vov
The tx location is the city of Buôn Ma Thuôòt in the Vietnamese Central Higlands, also known as Ðãìk Lãìk.
There were 2 antique SW txs carrying VoV-1 daytime on 6020 and 7210 kHz, now silent. I expect the new installed MW txs on 693 and 819 kHz should replace them.
If Google did translate correctly, the mentioned MW txs have been relocated from the South (Mekong-Delta, Cantho). So they are not brand-new.
Uwe Volk to MWlist iog (2023-01-27)
GHR stations [Greatest Hits Radio / Ed] were heard today as follows, all with normal programming:
990 Doncaster
1107 MFR 2
1152 Newcastle
1152 Clyde 2
1305 Barnsley
1548 Sheffield
1548 Forth 2
Andrew Brade to mwcircle iog (2023-01-26)
Then Absolute Radio shut down all of their medium wave transmitters this afternoon. Sad, but it allows for exciting DX on their old frequencies.
Here’s the first quick check:
1197: A 15 kW transmitter from Romania is now heard here.
1215: Here Z100 from Milan, Italy passes through with extremely strong signal strength. Sounds like a lot of kW.
1233: Here is another station from Milan, Milano XR, but it is heard very (!) weakly. Otherwise a fairly empty frequency.
1242: A 320W Smooth Radio transmitter dominates here. Shown with Oman in the background.
1260: Rádio Dechovka from the Czech Republic is usually the most powerful, but sounds like much less than the listed 10 kW. Sometimes Smooth Radio (640W) fades through. Later tonight we will probably also be able to hear Spain and Saudi Arabia on 1260.
And here at 20 Danish time, Milano XR then closed today’s broadcasts on 1233 kHz, after which there is not a single radio station on 1233 in either Europe, the Middle East or Africa. Officially at least. Basis to hear something Asia here?
However, there is apparently a Greek pirate going on at 1233. I hear something quite faint here – reminiscent of what I can hear rather faintly and disturbed on a KiwiSDR in northern Greece.
Now at 1930 UTC Spain starts pressuring the Czech Republic on 1260.
Stig Hartvig Nielsen (2023-01-26)
In the UK all Absolute Radio medium wave transmitters have now been switched off.
So many frequencies are now cleared for UK dxers to log US AM stations.
Mike Terry to WOR iog (2023-01-26)
New 200 kW transmitters for 693 kHz (VoV1) and 819 kHz (VoV2) officially on the air since 15 January 2023.
Google translated from German:
VOV – Voice of Vietnam – increases broadcasting capacity in the Tay Nguyen highlands
(VOVWORLD) – The management of the VOV channel took part in the launch of a project to increase broadcasting capacity in the region on Sunday in the highland town of Buon Ma Thuot. The project has now been completed after five months. VOV’s coverage area has been increased fourfold there, and the station can serve nine million residents in a radius of almost 40,000 square kilometers. Residents in Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Lam Dong, Binh Phuoc, Phu Yen, Ninh Thuan and some Cambodian provinces are benefiting greatly.
Two transmitters with a capacity of 200 kW in the Tay Nguyen highlands. Radio programs of the news channel VOV1 on the frequency 693 kHz and the cultural and social channel VOV2 on the frequency 819 kHz. According to VOV deputy director Vu Hai Quang, Tay Nguyen highland is a particularly important place for the country’s social economy and security. Therefore, the role of communication and the media should be strengthened there.
https://vovworld.vn/de-DE/nachrichten/vov-erhohet-die-sendekapazitat-im-hochland-tay-nguyen-1168541.vov January 15, 2023
VOV erhöht die Sendekapazität im Hochland Tay Nguyen
(VOVWORLD) – Die Leitung des Senders VOV hat am Sonntag in der Hochlandstadt Buon Ma Thuot, an der Inbetriebnahme eines Projekts zur Erhöhung der Sendekapazität in dieser Region teilgenommen. Das Projekt ist nach fünf Monaten nun abgeschlossen. Das Empfangsgebiet von VOV wurde dort ums vierfache vergrößert und der Sender kann neun Millionen Einwohnern in einem Radius von fast 40.000 Quadratkilometern dienen. Einwohner in den Provinzen Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Lam Dong, Binh Phuoc, Phu Yen, Ninh Thuan und einigen kambodschanischen Provinzen, profitieren stark davon. Zwei Sender mit einer Kapazität von 200 kW im Hochland Tay Nguyen. Radioprogramme des Nachrichtenkanals VOV1 auf der Frequenz 693 kHz und des Kultur- und Sozialkanals VOV2 auf der Frequenz 819 kHz. Laut dem Vizeintendanten von VOV, Vu Hai Quang sei das Hochland Tay Nguyen ein besonders wichtiger Ort für die Sozialwirtschaft sowie die Sicherheit des Landes. Deshalb solle die Rolle der Kommunikation und der Medien dort verstärkt werden.
https://vovworld.vn/de-DE/nachrichten/vov-erhoht-die-sendekapazitat-im-hochland-tay-nguyen-1168541.vov 15. Januar 2023
Dr. Hansjoerg Biener (2023-01-26)
DRM is now on air in the Czech Republic on a medium-wave channel that used to carry a powerful AM signal. It broadcasts on 954 kHz, with a reported power of 3 kW, from the České Budějovice transmitter site, in the country’s South Bohemian region, re-using the old AM antenna with a modulator connected to the existing 30 kW AM transmitter.
Radiožurnal, a news and journalism station that broadcasts 24 hours a day covering events at home and abroad, supplies the content. The station also carries music in between the news segments. According to the DRM Consortium, one Czech listener reported, “From my listening on the remote receivers, it seems to me that a few low-powered AM transmitters could cover the whole country.” A KiwiSDR in the country also reportedly received the DRM transmission. The DRM trial is scheduled to end in the second half of 2023.
https://www.redtech.pro/drm-tests-broadcasts-in-czech-republic/?fbclid=IwAR2G0Hbs3PAu-VHzBAKraEqI14P7Mbr-dH6plWN1eoEeTRi02t7I38WXico
Mike Terry to mwcircle FB group (2023-01-26)
Absolute Radio
1197 – Nottingham/Trowell Moor is off-air this morning.
Nick Button to mwcircle iog (2023-01-26)
1215kHz from Lisnagarvey in N Ireland is still on & probably the last. Someone probably has to fly there or catch a ferry!
Several listeners are hanging out on this frequency via the Malin Head Kiwi-SDR.
Steve Whitt to mwcircle iog (2023-01-26)
Perhaps Lisnagarvey but still very strong in the W of Scotland – Westerglen?
Paul Crankshaw to mwcircle iog (2023-01-26)
Weak in Central Scotland:
http://websdr.scotlandchat.co.uk/?f=1215.00amz10
Mauno Ritola mwcircle iog (2023-01-26)
A survey here in East Yorkshire shows as follows:
Absolute Radio
1197 – loop heard to the south-east
1215 – loop heard to the north-west
1233 – not heard
1242 – not heard
1260 – loop heard to the south-east
GHR
990 – normal – Doncaster
1152 – normal – Newcastle
1170 – not heard – neither Stoke nor Stockton
1278 – not heard
1305 – normal – Barnsley
1530 – not heard, presumed off
1548 – normal – Sheffield
73 Andrew Brade to mwcircle iog (2023-01-25)