Ireland 252 to close down.
There’s a more detailed explanation on their news website.
https://www.rte.ie/news/2023/0331/1367393-long-wave/
and on RadioToday Ireland’s website
https://radiotoday.ie/2023/03/rte-radio-1-names-the-day-to-turn-off-252-long-wave/
Mike Barraclough to MWlist iog (2023-03-31)
Afghanistan DX Guide:
1296 kHz is only presumed to be from Orzu in Tajikistan by the editor of this guide. The USAGM/Radio Azadi
announcement about the resumption of broadcasts on this frequency did not specify where they are coming from. Kabul
could be a possibility but the current state of US-Taliban relations might suggest otherwise. Prior to the introduction and
expansion of broadcasts from Kabul (Pol-e Charkhi) on 1296 kHz, Radio Azadi had been relayed from Orzu on 801 kHz
until early 2004, along with 972 kHz at certain times which is still used by the USAGM for VOA broadcasts to Afghanistan.
Azadi was confirmed with an ID on 1296 kHz on 1 February 2023 at 2215 UTC using the KiwiSDR in New Delhi.
http://bdxc.org.uk/afghan.pdf
BDXC via Kari Kallio to nordx iog (2023-03-31)
RTÉ Radio 1 will cease broadcasting on Long Wave 252 (LW 252) from Friday 14th April 2023.
RTÉ bosses have confirmed that listeners in Ireland will still be able to access RTÉ Radio 1 on FM, but also on Saorview and Saorsat or on the RTÉ Radio player or Irish Radio player apps.
The broadcaster says the decision to take the Long Wave service off air is based on three interrelated factors including reducing energy usage, widespread availability and the launch of the new RTÉ Radio App on mobile devices.
It said: “Like all businesses, RTÉ is seeking to reduce its energy usage in response to the climate crisis, public expenditure efficiency, and to reduce the burden on the national grid – and LW consumes significant energy.
“Widespread availability of connected devices, which gathered pace during the global pandemic, is giving access to almost unlimited choice. RTÉ must adapt to meet this growing demand for a diverse range of audio services and must be able to make choices regarding investment.”
RTÉ said in a statement that the LW 252 is no longer sustainable as the transmitter in Summerhill, Co Meath uses up 2.5% of the organisation’s energy use.
The current cost is €250,000 a year and this could rise to £400,000 next year, it says.
When the move was announced originally there were complaints from Irish people in Britain, particularly the elderly, who would no longer be able to get RTÉ Radio 1 on their transistor radios.
The phasing out and closure of the Long Wave service was one of the recommendations of the Future of Media Commission report which was published by the Government in July 2022.
In 2019, the Government announced major upgrade works to an antennae in Co Meath to ensure that the transmission of longwave radio continued for the Irish diaspora.
At that point, the chair of the Oireachtas Communications Committee, Hildegarde Naughton said the works on the equipment would guarantee the continuance of the longwave service for a minimum of two years.
Steve Whitt to mwcircle iog (2023-03-31)
Demise of NZ Talk Radio Network – Today FM – affect on MW frequencies.
With the abrupt closure of MediaWork’s talk format network competing with NZME’s Newstalk ZB, the remaining AM frequencies that carried Today FM are now carrying the following alternative MediaWorks brands:
702 Auckland – Humm FM
738 Christchurch – The Breeze
1233 Wellington – The Breeze.
Announcements yesterday indicated a new format would be introduced on all Today FM’s FM and AM frequencies in April, so it is unclear whether the above are permanent or fillers.
Today FM was launched just over one year ago, and the overseas based owners of MediaWorks made the closure decision on economic grounds. Earlier Today FM frequency 1107 AM with synchro transmitters serving Tauranga and Rotorua closed down a few months back.
Bryan Clark (2023-03-31)
RTE in Ireland have confirmed that their Longwave service on 252 kHz will close on April 14th of this year. An announcement was made on their website.
“RTÉ Radio 1 will cease broadcasting on Long Wave 252 (LW 252) from Friday 14th April 2023.
In the UK, listeners can continue to enjoy RTÉ Radio 1 on Freesat (channel 750), Sky (channel 0160) and Virgin Media (channel 917), and on their preferred audio streaming service, including the RTÉ Radio Player and Irish Radioplayer apps.
Details of how to voice search RTÉ Radio 1 on Alexa or Google smart speakers are available on rte.ie/voice.
In Ireland, listeners can continue to enjoy RTÉ Radio 1 on FM, on Saorview and Saorsat and online on RTÉ.ie/radio, as well as on their preferred audio streaming service, including the RTÉ Radio Player and Irish Radioplayer apps.
Listeners can also contact the RTE Information Office on +353 12083434 or by emailing info@rte.ie for information.”
(Source: https://www.rte.ie/eile/2021/0301/1200837-keep-listening/).
Conor Burns (2023-03-31)
John Caracciolo’s JVC Media is expanding its holdings on Long Island with the purchase of Soft AC “93.3 The Breeze” 1440 WLIM Medford/93.3 W227CL Port Jefferson NY from Michael Celenza’s Commercial Assets Inc. for $500,000.
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/250525/jvc-media-expands-on-long-island/
Lance Venta, RadioInsight (2023-03-31)
License cancelled: 3/30/2023: WDSP-1280 De Funiak Springs, Florida
Dennis Gibson to irca iog (2023-03-30)
Subject: [bdxc-news] Radio Caroline -report on the Supporters Meeting
A well attended supporters meeting last night at Hamble. Good to join BDXC members Jon Ryland and Chris Morgan, with friend Peter and others. It’s always an excellent anoraky gathering, some travelling long distances to be there.
It was confirmed that an application has been made to Ofcom to increase power. Caroline also hope to discuss with Ofcom future strategy for medium wave.
Alan Beech, chief engineer, was in Scotland but very kindly updated us on technical matters and answered questions by phone. The signal on 648 has been improved with a very minor correction of the frequency, it should sound slightly louder and crisper which many present agreed was the case. Alan said he received a good signal by the coast in Scotland. Driving back to Bournemouth around 10:30 pm I enjoyed mainly excellent reception.
There are 62 solar panels at the transmitter site now fully powering the 4kW output of the Harris transmitter (which has a maximum of 25 kW). I’m not a techy and may have got this wrong but it’s currently using 12 kW daily input to output 4 kW. Even when it’s cloudy there is a good power generation, apparently the panels wash automatically with rain and it’s to be hoped that also washes off the mess from the many seagulls at Orford Ness! Alan thought there are very few radio stations in the world that are totally powered by solar energy, so Caroline is to be congratulated on achieving this. It’s planned to publicise more about it at Easter.
New books were discussed – all funds go to the Ross Revenge Preservation fund. The Ross is in urgent need of dry docking for major repairs, an expensive procedure, without that its future is uncertain.
I have just received and read hot off the press “Behind The Scenes at Radio Caroline (in the 1970s)” by Lyn Gilbert which lifts the lid on many aspects of the covert operation in those difficult days on air on (and off) from the Mi Amigo, how Ronan O’Rahilly and staff (many unpaid) kept The Lady afloat to the end, also the part played by George Harrison and other financiers, including Ronan’s film and numerous other sometimes unsuccessful ventures.
The next meeting is on Wednesday 7 June, well worth a diary note.
Mike Terry to WOR iog (2023-03-30)
Amador Bustos’ Bustos Media is expanding in Tucson with the purchase of Oldies “101.7 The Drive” 830 KDRI Tucson/101.7 K269FV Oro Valley AZ from Fletcher McCusker and Bobby Rich’s Tucson Radio LLC. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
KDRI will join a Bustos Media cluster that includes Conservative Talk “1030 The Voice” KVOI Cortaro, Spanish Rhythmic “Urbana 92.5” K223CI Tucson/KZLZ-HD2, Regional Mexican “La Poderosa 105.3” KZLZ Casas Adobes, and Rhythmic AC “106.3 The Groove” KTGV Oracle. Bustos will begin operating KDRI via LMA on April 1 with their cluster GM Patty Ruiz adding oversight of the station.
McCusker told the Arizona Daily Star, “The biggest challenge we’ve had is that we’re a stand-alone station. Everybody else is a package like Cumulus and iHeart. Even though we’ve risen to No. 2 in the market, we’re not going to get anywhere without a budget.” Ruiz added that no format change is planned for the station and that it’s current airstaff will remain.
Tucson Radio had acquired the former KFLT from Family Life Broadcasting in 2019 for $650,000 with “The Drive” launching in August of that year. Rich serves as Program Director and morning host.
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/250435/bustos-media-acquires-tucsons-drive/
Lance Venta, RadioInsight (2023-03-29)
ANOTHER X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE: This is becoming routine. The sun just produced another X-class solar flare, the 7th of 2023. The X1.2-category explosion came from sunspot AR3256 near the sun’s southwestern limb.
Radiation from the flare ionized the top of Earth’s atmosphere, causing a strong shortwave radio blackout over southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Ham radio operators may have noticed loss of signal and other propagation effects below 30 MHz for as much as an hour after the peak of the flare (March 29th @ 0233 UT).
A faint CME left the sun after the explosion. NOAA analysts have determined that it will miss Earth–no impact.
The real significance of this flare may be the number “7.” That’s the total number of X-flares in all of 2022. With today’s flare, the sun has already matched that total in 2023–and it’s only March.
https://spaceweather.com/
Ydun Ritz (2023-03-29)