Iceland

Spring 2023 Equinox bandscan.
I went outside with the radio at ca. 21Z. The weather was rather chilly; -4°C and a slight breeze. Hence, only one run over either
band.

LW feels a bit empty with my local sender gone. On the other hand, I no longer have problems with splatter on 198 kHz. The rest of the band… business as usual.

MW was rather weak. Whether it was conditions or batteries, I’m not sure. Either way, I had to turn up the volume to hear even the Brits.
Of course, an hour later, Talk Sport was audible inside the flat, meaning it had to be at good loudspeaker strength outside. Hrmf!

Reynir Heidberg Stefansson, Eastern Iceland (2023-03-20)

Space Weather

A LARGE HOLE IN THE SUN’S ATMOSPHERE: A large hole has opened in the sun’s atmosphere, and it is turning toward Earth. Solar wind flowing from the hole should reach our planet later this week, potentially igniting a display of equinox auroras at high latitudes. 
https://spaceweather.com/

Ydun Ritz (2023-03-20)

Moldova / Transnistria

At the Pridnestrovian Radio Center, the mode of limiting electricity consumption has been removed.
————————————————– ————-
This means that Radio Russii is reaching a power of 1000 kW and resuming round-the-clock work.
Radio 1+ Pridnestrovie also returns to the air (working days).
Changes coming soon
https://vk.com/public158109176

RUS-DX items March 19th via WOR iog (2023-03-19)

Russia

Petersburg Radio Maria on its air reports that the radio station’s debts for broadcasting are about 1 million rubles, and
therefore the station is forced to stop broadcasting on medium waves (1053 kHz) in St. Petersburg and in the FM band in Vyborg until April 21.
The broadcast will be suspended from March 21. Radio Maria will remain on the Internet for this time – live on the radiomaria.ru website (https://radiomaria.ru/), as well as on YouTube.
The station hopes to return to the air ahead of schedule – on Easter, and asks listeners for prayer support. Any possibility of an early return to the air will be used.
(Pogorim o radio – Telegram)

RUS-DX items March 19th via WOR iog (2023-03-19)

United States

Station Sales.
Radio World Inc. sells Silent 1400 WZHR/104.3 W282CC Zephyrhills FL to Ferris Waller’s Walco Enterprises for $150,000. Walco owns the Classic Country/Oldies “Boss Hogg Radio” network across four other AMs in West Central Florida.
The Lola Wagenvoord led Radio World Inc. retains Talk/Standards “Tan Talk1340 WTAN Clearwater and 1350 WDCF Dade City FL and Radio Hawaii Inc.’s Talk 1080 KWAI Honolulu HI.
Thaisa Santana’s Trust Investments Group acquires Spanish Christian “Radio Luz1160 WRLZ St. Cloud FL from Calvario Church’s Radio Luz Inc. for $600,000.
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/249910/station-sales-week-of-3-17-dove-fm-and-family-life-swap-in-pennsylvania/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=radioinsight_daily_2023_03_17&utm_term=2023-03-17

Lance Venta, RadioInsight (2023-03-17)

Ukraine

Just saw your message about the transmitter in Ukraine’s Chasiv Yar reposted by the BC-DX bulletin at topnews.wwdxc.de

Quote “I dont have more info about it like antenna type or transmitter. Currently it seems that it is switched off on MW like all other MW transmitters in Ukraine. I got more info:
Tx tower was shelled and destroyed in December 2022 <https://www.mwlist.org/mwlist_quick_and_easy.php?area=1&kHz=873> Does anybody know more about the transmitter building?”

The transmitter is Nautel NX-60 (though it operated at 25 kW). Similar model was installed in Chonhar/Chongar for RFE/RL’s project Crimea.Realities (648 kHz; shut down on the first day of occupation; reportedly moved by the Russian forces to Crimea). From what I know, both units were a ‘gift’ from the USA, and the Chasiv Yar tx is definitely owned by the Broadcasting, Radiocommunications & Television Concern (rrt.ua). There has been no info about damages done to the transmitter building, so let’s assume it’s relatively undamaged, which of course may change any moment. Back in July, I asked some technician at Ukrainian Radio to bring the issue of moving the tx to a safer place to the attention of their ‘leadership’. The reply was “We are working on this, but the transmitter is owned by RRT, not by the Public Broadcasting Company”. The tx should be moved somewhere, as it is definitely needed. In some occupied areas of Ukraine, mediumwave was the only option to catch a Ukrainian station. Acknowledging the problem, the officials are just citing a lack of funds. Of course, they would find those funds if they really wanted to…

Alex Miatlikov to mwmasts iog (2023-03-17)

Netherlands

Dutch RadioDay 2023.
Saturday May 13th the waiting is over. After nearly six years the international RadioDay once again opens her doors. The local brewery “Brouwdok” at the Nieuwe Willemskade and radioship Jenni Baynton, both in the old port area of Harlingen, the Netherlands, host the event.

In the Brouwdok you can roam the Radio market stalls with Tee shirts, stickers, old footage and audio recordings on offer and gaze at Hans Hettelder’s beautiful scale models. During the day you can attend the interviews, discussions and presentations with former Jocks.

Radioship Jenni Baynton is open for visits and on board a crew of well known diskjockeys broadcasts a live radio program. The list of DJ’s participating is growing fast and soon we will disclose some of the names.

Presale tickets for RadioDay can be purchased starting April 2nd . (details follow soon) A discount is applicable for presale tickets. Watch this website for announcements about further details of the program of Radioday2023.

Also visit us on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=radioday%20harlingen
https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=radiolichtschip

Hans Knot via Mike Terry, WOR iog (2023-03-17)

United States

KBRO-1490 Bremerton is moving to 1480 going to 5000/18.
The FCC has OKed KBRO to move from 1490 to 1480 with a power increase to 5 KW days but 18 watts at night. I wonder what that increase with affect KBMS Vancouver?

Patrick Martin to irca iog (2023-03-16)