Good News from C.M.O. – Claudius Obrecht managed to find a MW station.
“My own music program will be to hear on:
1.9.2023 UTC 17.00 and 28.10.2023 UTC 17.00 – 17.30 (30 minutes each) on 1386 kHz AM via Radio Baltic Waves International, Lithuania with 75 kW”
Kari Kallio to nordx iog (2023-08-23)
Hörby regains an ephemeral place on the airwaves. This year again, the Horbÿ Radio Association has received authorization from the PTS to broadcast on medium wave on the old Hörby frequency. The Hörby Radioförening transmitter will operate between 27/8 and 9/9 2023, as part of Veteran Sound Day 2023, on medium wave 1179 kHz.
The call sign will be: SBH Hörby Radioförening. This call sign is the same one previously used by Hörby’s radio station.
The transmitter is located in Karlsfält, where the first 10 kW medium wave transmitter was located between 1928 and 1937. Karlsfält is located about 5 km south of Hörby.
During the years 1935-1937, the radio station and a new antenna were built in Grankarp.
Hörby was known worldwide for its shortwave transmitters from Radio Sweden Stockholm which broadcast from 1952 until October 2010.
During the day the transmitter has a limited range, but in the evening and early morning the transmission can go far: the only high power transmitter on this frequency is that of Galbeni (200 kW) near Bacau in the east from Romania.
Reports are sent by e-mail to: lysnarrapport@veteranljuddagen.se
Also visit Hörby Radioförening on Facebook and on the website www.horbyradioforening.se
Franck Fzeroduw to mwcircle FB group (2023-08-23)
IRCA Mexican Log, 26th Edition (Fall 2023)
The IRCA MEXICAN LOG lists all AM stations in Mexico by frequency, including call letters, state, city, day/night power, slogans, schedule in UTC/GMT, formats, networks and notes. The call letter index gives call, frequency, city and state. The city index (listed by state, then city) includes frequency, call and day/night power. The transmitter site index (listed by state, then city) tabulates the latitude and longitude of transmitter sites. Also, in this edition, there is a spread sheet with links to web sites, live broadcasts and facebook page of many of the Mexican stations. This is an indispensable reference for anyone who hears Mexican radio stations.
The 2023 Mexican Log .pdf is posted on the IRCA website for all to download.
The link is: https://www.ircaonline.org/editor_upload/File/2023-24_IRCA_Mexican_Log.pdf
Phil Bytheway to irca iog (2023-08-21)
A partition has been organized to keep BBC Radio 4 LW alive
https://www.change.org/p/keep-bbc-radio-4-longwave
DX Lithuania (2023-08-23)
Hawaii Puts AM Radio to Work on Maui.
Emergency officials in Hawaii will use AM broadcast equipment to help communicate with the public during the ongoing wildfire recovery efforts on Maui. The State of Hawaii Emergency Management Agency has purchased four RadioSTAT portable emergency advisory stations from Information Station Specialists in Michigan, which also makes specialized systems for applications such as Traveler’s Information Stations and Highway Advisory Radio.
The Wireline Competition Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission last week granted the state an emergency authorization to use the stations immediately at four locations including a checkpoint and police and fire stations. They can be used on 1620, 1650, 1670 or 1700 kHz.
The first of the four 10-watt ssystems has shipped, according to ISS. “These community-coverage radio stations are designed to inform residents and workers in Lahaina and at key checkpoints about where to find help and supplies and to update them on changing regulations that impact daily life, including curfews and safety requirements,” ISS wrote in an announcement.
Each station’s electronics are housed in portable cases. A fold-out antenna system allows a station to be set up in 10 minutes by one person. Messages typically are stored on a digital message player but the systems include an audio mixer for live messaging or to add other sources.
The signal is typically announced to the public by portable signage. Motorists typically can pick up broadcasts over 25 to 75 square miles. If AC power is not available the system scan operate from generator or battery pack.
Typical coverage radius over average soil is 3 to 5 miles with conventional whip-type AM antennas, according to Bill Baker of ISS. But for this application, he said the company is providing a taller, higher-efficiency antenna to counter the rather poor (volcanic) ground conductivity on Maui so the authorities can get the best range for the 10 watts. “When used in coastal placements — where most of the population is located — they will also get help from the shoreline salt water to conduit the signal parallel. In the middle of the island between the two end volcanoes is lots of relatively level farmland that may have higher conductivity due to the agricultural activities there.”
The FCC has an information page related to the Hawaii wildfires.
The full article in Radio World August 22nd, 2023.
Ron Trotto to WOR iog (2023-08-23)
World Music Radio (WMR):
927 kHz (200 W): 24/7 (silent 0157-0210 UTC)
5930 kHz (150W): 24/7
15700 kHz (300W): Sa 06 UTC -> Mo 06 UTC. In September 2023: 24/7
25800 kHz (60 W): 24/7
Radio208:
1440 kHz (500W): 24/7 (silent 0158-0202 UTC)
5970 kHz (200W): 24/7 (off air 0158-0215 UTC)
Zach Liangis to WOR iog (2023-08-23)
Centrale Milano 1575KHz frequency tests underway in Medium Waves.
The emission power is low (10w) with repeated test tones.
Enzo Bassman to mwcircle FB group (2023-08-22)
Crawford Broadcasting is going to give all-digital HD Radio a try on an AM station in Alabama.
On Sept. 1 the Christian broadcaster will flip WYDE in Birmingham to the MA3 mode; only listeners with HD Radio receivers will be able to hear the AM signal after that, though the same content will be available on two local FMs. Two other AMs in the country currently operate in all-digital.
“We’d like to give all-digital AM a try and see how it performs,” said Director of Engineering Cris Alexander. “The timing is right for us.
”The FCC approved the use of all-digital AM in 2020. WYDE airs at 1260 kHz with a 5 kW signal by day and 41 Watts at night.“That particular station is ideally situated for an all-digital move,” said Alexander, who also is technical editor of Radio World Engineering Extra.
“It’s non-directional with no antenna bandwidth issues. It has a late-model transmitter that’s already operating in the MA1 mode. And it’s 100% duplicated on two separate FM signals in the market, one of which is a full-power FM and the other is a translator with a downtown Birmingham transmitter site.” The station has been airing PSAs informing listeners of the pending change.
The station has a Nautel transmitter. Because the station has been airing the MA1 hybrid HD Radio mode for about 20 years, its air chain is already set up for the digital path, so no changes or modifications were necessary. “The conversion amounts to a couple of menu selections in the transmitter and exporter.”WYDE has conducted brief overnight testing in Birmingham. “We turned on MA3 in the experimental period to make sure that (a) we knew how to do it, (b) that the antenna didn’t have any issues with it, and (c) to make sure it worked,” Alexander said.
What will the company be watching for? “We’ll be looking to see how the digital coverage is compared to the analog, of course. Also, since this is in the deep south where the weather is hostile, I’ll want to see how well it rides through thunderstorms and convective activity. The MA1 lock will frequently drop out when there is a nearby lightning discharge or other noise burst. How robust will the all-digital signal be?” This is Crawford’s first foray into all-digital. “Our expectations are based totally on what we’ve heard and read from the Hubbard Frederick station,” he said, referring to WWFD in Frederick, Md. “It will be very interesting to see how our experience stacks up to those reports.
The entire article in Radio World here
Paul McLane, Radio World (2023-08-22)
Hermann Scharfetter of COHIRADIA has sent this request for supporting broadband LW recordings before Kalundborg 243kHz closes.
“It is really a pity that Kalundborg 243kHz will be closed by the end of the year (as you announced on your platform) and sadly it seems that the end of most well-established AM transmitters on the low frequency bands is approaching very quickly. In this context it would be important to make several recordings of the whole LW band (i.e. ca 150kHz of bandwidth) before this happens, and also on the day of closure (the last hours). In the context of COHIRADIA I would like to save these signals for people interested in broadcasting history, collectors of historic radio receivers and maybe also museums.
Me and a few colleagues in Germany and Switzerland will certainly make recordings, but of course the best would be if somebody with a good SDR and good antennas could record directly in Denmark or nearby (e.g. in GB) for the sake of best signal quality.
Probably you possess a good SDR, so my question: Would you volunteer to record a few hours of the LW-band (including the few stations which are still in operation), if the QRM background at your site is low enough. Or could you link me alternatively to somebody who is willing and able to do so ?”
I do not have the opportunity to make those recordings, but if anyone has and is willing to help Hermann and his colleagues, please contact Hermann Scharfetter hermann.scharfetter(at)gmail.com
Ydun Ritz (2023-08-22)
Good Karma Broadcasting Sports “ESPN 1000” WMVP Chicago has applied to move off its heritage Downers Grove IL site (still adorned with its historic WCFL calls) to diplex approximately 20 miles south at the night site of Newsweb Corporation’s 820 WCPT Willow Springs. WMVP proposes to operate with a directional 50kW day from two towers and 38kW night using four of the six towers outside of Joliet. WMVP’s 18 acre property was not included in the sale of the station to Good Karma from Disney in 2021.
Orlando Radio Marketing amends its application to move 1520 WNDO Apopka FL to the site of Star Over Orlando’s 810 WRSO Orlovista. WNDO will utilize two of WRSO’s four towers to operate with 4kW day, 3.8kW critical hours, and 8 watts night with a COL change to Fairview Shores adding the critical hours operation.
Relevant Radio’s 1390 WEGP Presque Isle ME applies to lower power from 25kW day/10kW night to 5kW day/night from its current site.
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/257629/fcc-report-8-20-espn-1000-chicago-on-the-move/
Lance Venta, RadioInsight (2023-08-20)