Month: July 2023

Kenya

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The Ministry of Information, Communication and Digital Economy has announced plans to revamp state broadcaster KBC.
[….]
The government also plans to move radio broadcast waves from the Medium Wave (MW) [It seems that KBC has only one MW frequency left – 1386 kHz / Ed.] to FM. Already FM transmitters have been installed in Marsabit, Lodwar, Webuye, Migori, Kapenguria, Bomet, Malindi, Nyambene, and Nyeri.
https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2023-07-31-revealed-states-over-sh340-million-plan-to-revamp-kbc/

Ydun Ritz (2023-07-31)

Romania

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(Translated from Spanish)

As reported by Victoria Sepciu from RRI…
“Dear friends, due to budget cuts, the Board of Directors of Radio Romania has decided to temporarily stop using two of the five Radiocom shortwave transmitters that broadcast Radio Romania International programs from August 1, 2023 .
As of August 1st, our programs can be received through each of the transmitters located in Țigănești, Săftica (both near Bucharest) and Galbeni (east). If Radio Romania’s budget is increased, we will broadcast again on 5 transmitters.
RRI programs in Romanian, English, French, German, Spanish , Russian, Arabic, Chinese and Hebrew will be affected . All of them can be received from August 1, 2023 in one frequency instead of two. We will announce in the broadcasts, on the website and on Facebook the frequencies in which the programs can be received, as well as the specific frequency changes operated by Radiocom, based on the monitoring of the reception and on the messages we receive from you about the quality of the broadcast.

Due to budget cuts, it has also been decided to halve the power at night on the medium wave transmitters that broadcast the internal programs of Radio Romania Actualități and some regional stations.
We invite you to follow Radio Romania International programs on www.rri.ro (including on demand), on SoundCloud, on Android and iOS apps, via TuneIn and via satellite.
You will find more details on the website. You can also follow our content on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Spotify.”

Jorge Garzon to iberiaDX iog (2023-07-31)

Jammer??

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Here is a 1 min recording https://voca.ro/1g9Hkt3mvPA3  (on line) of the relay of Radio London 1206 of Studio am 900 a local low power station 100 watts in Terneuzen , The Nethelands. This recording was made om a Pannasonic RF B40 at 14:25 UTC on monday , july 31 th , 2023.
The portable receiver was point is a South to South – West direction. Than I hear the jamming signal ? If I listen on my Icom IC R8500 with a 45 mb dipool point ZW – NE  than I do not hear the jamming signal. First I did think it will come out from the portable receiver only on 900 khz ? but I do think this not the case so is there anybody ho dos know if a Jammer is actif on 900 khz or not ? 
It sound very much as a jammer to me but where those it com from and witch station do the like to jam ?

Herman Content (2023-07-31)

Mongolia

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The antennas northern look like SW antennas (curtains hanging from the masts). I think they still use them for SW. Why should they modify one of the vertical MW antennas?

At 47.79103872611398, 107.18534244450012 were 8 ARRT antennas for MW, cage was up to the top. Sadly they’re gone.

Also have a look at the feeder line at 47.80058127235543, 107.18448413771165
What is its purpose?

Many more small antennas are in the western part of the area.

Marco (2023-07-31)

Mongolia

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MNB Khonkhor Transmission Site [164 kHz] in Ulaanbaatar.

Khonkhor(Хонхор) is a small town in Nalaikh District of Ulaanbaatar, about 15km east from the center of Ulaanbaatar. There is a railway station for passengers and cargo of Trans Mongolian Railway to Russia. Many railway workers are living there. 
Khonkhor transmitter site is near one station before Khonkhor, a small railway station Bumbat(Бумбат). The site is located at the foot of hill, the altitude is about 1470m above sea level. Trans Mongolian railway is going through the eastern side of the site, Bumbat railway station is located at the south eastern corner of the site. Also Nalaikh Road is going through the western side, there are some stores and supermarket along the road. We can see this site from both trains (with many curves, train moves very slowly) and cars.2 tall towers are seen at the southern end of the site, the tallest one seems to be for LW 164kHz(250kW), the second tallest one seems to be for ex MW, 990kHz(500kW). Transmitter buildings are between the 2 towers.  At the northern part of the site there are 8 short masts – probably for directional SW transmission on 12015/12085kHz.　What tower is the domestic shortwave transmission on 7260kHz(50kW) using?  Ex MW tower?
Locals call this site as “ex radio station of the communist era”.
Location:  47.80N  107.18EGoogle Map:  https://t.co/mxsDnXiSJW

Takahito Akabayashi, Tokyo Japan to WOR iog (2023-07-31)

Netherlands

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There is a relay of Radio London 1206 on 900 khz LPA station from Terneuzen , The Netherlands and we have a good signal here in Gent (even on a portable world receiver). I do not know how long the will stay on air with the relay .

Herman Content (2023-07-30)

Canada

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Rebrand and call change for CJRU 1280 Toronto.
CJRU 1280 Toronto Metropolitan University’s campus and community station has rebranded to MET Radio with a new set of call letters CJTM. This move reflects the institution’s move away from its former Ryerson University identity as part of a Truth & Reconciliation process.
MET RADIO WEBSITE: https://www.cjru.ca/

Canadian Radio News FB group (2023-07-27)

Ireland

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SUMMERHILL COMMUNITY CELEBRATES DEMOLITION OF ATLANTIC 252,
Just two days after the demolition of the former medium-wave transmitter mast of RTÉ in Offaly, yesterday marked the end of the 248-meter-high transmission mast in Clarkstown (Summerhill), which was built in the late 1980s for the legendary Irish long-wave station, Atlantic 252. Among the local community, there was loud applause as the construction of the transmission site was highly controversial at the time.
Earlier this year, RTÉ confirmed that it would discontinue broadcasting on the longwave (252 kHz) frequency of Radio 1 on Friday, April 14th, due to the rising costs and the unsustainable nature of longwave transmission. The longwave transmitter accounted for 2.5 percent of the total energy consumption of the Irish public broadcaster. Originally, the longwave transmitter was set to be shut down on October 27, 2014, but the decision was suspended under pressure from older Irish residents living in Great Britain.
Located 3.5 kilometers east of the village of Summerhill, the 248-meter-high transmission mast of this station was twice the height of the Spire in Dublin. The construction of the Moynalvey transmitter faced strong opposition from the local community in the quiet countryside of Meath. A bitter four-year battle ensued, ultimately reaching the Irish Supreme Court.
The transmission site was originally built for the commercial radio station Atlantic 252, which broadcasted from 1989 to 2001. The initiative came from Radio Tara, a joint venture between RTÉ and Radio Luxembourg. When the proposal to build the mast and transmitter was first introduced 37 years ago, it immediately encountered furious resistance from the small local community in Meath. They raised €50,000 to challenge the permit through the courts. The battle lasted for over four years.
Hundreds of people attended meetings during that period at the Moynalvey Community Centre. Concerns were raised about health effects, the physical dangers of the structure, visual impact, interference with other communication services, and property devaluation. The mast was planned to be located just 1 km from Moynalvey Primary School.In the end, the local community lost the case when the Irish Supreme Court rejected the High Court’s decision. Local newspapers reported that the ruling “left a community shattered and dismayed.” It seemed that the ordinary citizen had no real rights against the powers of state institutions and businesses, which could afford to fight all opposition with unlimited resources.
Atlantic 252 commenced broadcasting in September 1989 and was received all over Great Britain and beyond. The signal was even picked up in Brazil during the night. On the morning of September 1st at 8:00 local time, the very first song played on Atlantic 252 was “Sowing the Seeds of Love” by Tears for Fears, followed by “Monkey” by George Michael. The studios were located 12 km away at Mornington House, Summerhill Road, Trim. Atlantic 252 also had sales offices and studios at 74 Newman Street in London.
Atlantic 252 ceased broadcasting on December 20, 2001. The sports radio station TEAMtalk 252 took over the frequency in 2002, but that story lasted only a few months. The transmission site was later acquired by RTÉ Networks Limited (now 2RN) for the broadcasts of RTÉ Radio 1.
https://www.trinitybugle.com/techscience/summerhill-community-celebrates-demolition-of-atlantic-252.html

Patrick O’Brien in Trinity Bugle (2023-07-29)

Pakistan

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Radio Pakistan is going to launch Digital Medium Wave Transmitter project in Rawat tomorrow [Sunday].               
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb will perform groundbreaking of the project under which a 1000 kilowatt digital transmitter will be installed at HPT complex, Rawat.  
The project will be completed in two years at a cost of four billion rupees and is a milestone in modernizing the state broadcaster and enhancing the quality of its broadcast.
This digital transmitter will increase the signal strength and  range of Radio Pakistan’s broadcasts to several countries in Central Asia, Middle East, Far East, Turkiye and Greece in addition to south Asia.
This modern transmitter based on Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) technology, can transmit up to four different signals simultaneously. It will save 33 percent of electricity which in turn will reduce the expenses of state broadcaster.
An emergency warning system to alert people in natural calamities will also be available through this transmitter.
UK based international organization DRM Consortium has also appreciated the government’s initiative to convert Radio Pakistan from analogue to digital mode after 75 years.  
https://www.radio.gov.pk/29-07-2023/radio-pakistan-to-launch-digital-mw-transmitter-project-in-rawat-tomorrow

Radio Pakistan website via Ydun Ritz (2023-07-29)