Month: October 2023

Australia

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Recently, I have found a number of updates to some Aussie AM stations, which may be of interest.

 621kHz 6EL Bunbury WA AUS – Now identifies as SEN Spirit.
1494kHz 6EL Margaret River WA AUS – Now identifies as SEN Spirit.
1611kHz 6AY Albany WA AUS – Now identifies as Gold MX (or Gold Mix).
1611kHz 6??? Kalgoorlie WA AUS – Now identifies as SEN.
1611kHz AXW358 Esperance WA AUS – Now identifies as SEN.
1611kHz AXN432 Devonport Tas AUS – Now identifies as SEN Track.

Wishing everyone great DX.
All the best.

Robert Copeman to ICDX-AM iog (2023-10-26)

United Kingdom

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Sunshine 855 applies to end its medium wave service.

A RADIO station that covers north Herefordshire wants to cease its medium wave service. 
Sunshine 855 has held an AM licence since 1992. However, it can only be accessed during daylight hours due to heavy interference from European, and in particular, Spanish stations. 
The application states that, during 2022/23, a survey conducted by the station showed that only a minority of listeners tune in via the AM frequency.
“Sunshine 855 maintains switching off the AM transmitter will result in only a small reduction in the proportion of listeners who will no longer be able to access the service on AM,” reads the application.
Ginny Murfin, owner of Sunshine Radio, confirmed that the request is only for Sunshine 855, and not Sunshine Herefordshire and Monmouthshire, which has never held a medium wave licence.
“The request is part of Sunshine 855’s ongoing efforts to modernise its broadcasting technology and improve the quality of its programming,” she said. 
“The station will continue to broadcast on its two FM frequencies, online and soon to launch SSDAB for the area and will therefore ensure that its loyal listeners can still tune in to their favourite shows. 
“Our request is merely following in the footsteps of other radio stations.

“Local BBC stations across the country have turned off their medium wave transmitters and Absolute Radio closed down all of their medium wave transmitters earlier in the year.
“Talk Sport also requested to turn off many of their medium wave transmitters.
“It is an expensive service for very few listeners and surveys show that people listen to radio in other ways. Technology has moved on.”
https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/23876245.sunshine-855-applies-end-medium-wave-service/

Ydun Ritz (2023-10-24)

Russia

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Re. Bolshakovo 549 kHz

16 October. Daily test from Kaliningrad.
The antenna for this test has a circular radiation pattern. The most reliable reception is possible in the territories of Eastern Europe, the Baltic States, the Republic of Belarus, Northern Europe, and the European Part of Russia. We will hear where it will actually be during the test.
A test at this frequency has already been carried out. But another transmitter was working – a German one. At 100 kW. For this test, one of the Soviet tube transmitters of the Radio Center is used (created on the basis of the Typhoon), with a reduced output power. As I already wrote, previously the transmitter operated at a frequency of 1215 kHz. The tuning to 549 kHz was made due to the characteristics of the antenna used. Long-medium wave radio broadcast transmitter “Typhoon” –
https://vk.com/public158109176?w=wall-158109176_3415
(https://vk.com/public158109176)

From a letter from the production and technical group of the RTRS branch “Kaliningrad ORTPTS”, published in the “Radio Reception” group – Telegram.
“George, good morning!
In response to your request in the “Viewer’s Account” I inform you the following.
The decision to activate the high-power broadcast complex in the village of Bolshakovo has not been made at the moment.
Currently, test switching on of transmission equipment is carried out occasionally at the facility.
There is no talk of full-fledged broadcasting of radio stations from this facility yet. Therefore, we cannot give recommendations on how to configure viewers’ equipment to receive medium-wave radio.
Information on the selection and configuration of equipment for receiving digital terrestrial television and radio broadcasting is posted on our official website:
https://kaliningrad.rtrs.ru/... “

Kaliningrad Radio Center #5.
In the past, he was the leader of domestic broadcasting abroad. Unique transmitters, antennas. But first of all – people. After the closure of Voice of Russia, the center became an object of oblivion. There were prospects, like most similar enterprises. But this did not happen, despite all the prerequisites. A year ago, it was decided to breathe life into the center. Try to revive the giants that once broadcast 2500 kW.
We reassembled a team of those who had faithfully served at the Radio Center for many years. The condition of the transmitters was far from ideal. Dampness and corrosion took their toll. Some of the support systems were destroyed. People didn’t give up. Despite everything, we went towards our goal. Simply because these transmitters are their life.
Details in Russian –
https://vk.com/public158109176?w=wall-158109176_3446
Video – 0:42
The video shows the operation of the RV-372 transmitter. You heard it during the daily test. The material was filmed today – 10/19/2023. The footage is, in a sense, unique.
https://vk.com/public158109176?w=wall-158109176_3446
https://vk.com/public158109176?w=wall-158109176_3446&z=video-158109176_456239443%2F83c0b800b27fa114ed%2Fpl_post_-158109176_3446
(https://vk.com/public158109176)

Photo.
Museum in the directorate of the RTRS branch “Kaliningrad ORTPC”.
Kaliningrad. 10/19/2023.
https://vk.com/public158109176?w=wall-158109176_3450
(https://vk.com/public158109176)

From Rus-DX items 22 October via WOR iog (2023-10-23)

Germany

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PRESS RELEASE FROM RADIO DARC.

2023 marks the 100th anniversary of the first official broadcast of a radio program in Germany. On Monday, October 29, 1923, broadcasts became more regular Broadcasts recorded from the VOX house in Berlin.
On the occasion of this technical and historical anniversary, DARC e.V. is revealed as the founder together with the German Museum of Technology on October 29th and therefore exactly 100 years after the original broadcast, a memorial plaque not far from the broadcast location in Berlin.
The plaque will be unveiled at 2 p.m. at the Kollhoff Tower, Potsdamer Platz 1 – guests are warmly welcome!
At 4 p.m., DARC chairman Christian Entsfellner, DL3MBG, will give a keynote speech “100 Years of Broadcasting in Germany” in the German Technical Museum.

On the occasion of this milestone birthday, RADIO DARC will also have a special broadcast broadcast on medium wave – from the original location, from the Kollhof Tower. The VOX house used to stand there. It is also broadcast on the original frequency of 1923, that is 400 meters and corresponds to 747 kHz on an 80m long long wire antenna at 40m height. The transmission power is 100 watts.

As before, the anniversary special broadcast begins at 8:00 p.m. CET (7:00 p.m. UTC). Attempts at reception might also be worthwhile outside of Berlin.

Rainer Englert DF2NU reports on this
Editor-in-chief of RADIO DARC
RADIO DARC – Redaktion
Rainer Englert (DF2NU)
Stellv. DV / Distrikt C
Dorfstrasse 14
85567 Bruck-Alxing
GERMANY
Tel    +49 8092 83246
Fax    +49 8092 83247
Email  radio@darc.de

Christoph Ratzer to A-DX iog (2023-10-22)

Lithuania

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Radio Lenta 1557 kHz seems to be on the new schedule 14:55-21:05 UTC. Today I checked the time of the ending, while the shift of the start was reported by Rihards Millers (LVA) to the news section on dxguides.info

Alex Miatlikov, Dnipro UKR to MWlist iog (2023-10-21)

Denmark

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World Music Radio was knocked off air early today Saturday morning October 21st on 927 kHz (Hvidovre, Copenhagen) due to very strong winds. Late in the afternoon WMR successfully returned on the air on 927 but with reduced power only – 50 Watts. Previously it was 200 Watts.
WMR hopes to be back on 200 Watts late next week.

Stig Hartvig Nielsen (2023-10-21)

Bulgaria

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(Translated from French)
The country’s last medium-wave transmitter celebrates its 50th anniversary. It still broadcasts the BNR Horizon program on 576 kHz. РПС-1 Водна БНР is located between the villages of Vodna and Sratsimirovo, in the northwest of the country (43°50’13.8″N 22°42’56.1″E).
It was built in 1973, with the help of Russian specialists and all equipment and antennas were Russian-made.
Two Russian transmitters with a power of 500 kW were installed.
Vidin had the best medium wave antennas in Bulgaria.
One operated on 576 kHz. It was a 260 meter single mast ARPT with adjustable current distribution (ARPT). This type of antenna improves the circular radiation pattern (reduces radiation in the vertical direction and increases it in the horizontal direction), increases the gain and has an anti-fading effect. This transmitter broadcasts the program “Hristo Botev” on the BNR until 2010.
The second system is a square antenna whose direction of emission can be changed and the four masts measure 135 meters high. It broadcast radio Stara Zagora on 1224 kHz. It was used for international broadcasts to Albania and Turkey. It is now used on 576 kHz to target southwest Bulgaria. The transmitter covers a large part of Bulgarian territory,
A third transmitter had been installed in the late 1970s. It was a 40 kW Bulgarian transmitter, which broadcast the BNR’s “Horizon” program on 1017 kHz using a quarter-wave antenna, it was switched off around 2000.
From the year 2000, the BNR wanted to stop medium waves. After 2010, the power was reduced to 300 kilowatts and its final shutdown took place in 2012.
It was a brief stop for the Vidim transmitting center, it was chosen to become the national medium wave transmitter. In 2013, one of the old 576 kHz tube transmitters was dismantled to make way for a transistorized Thomson with a power of 400 kW. The other Russian-made transmitter was retained as a backup. The BNR very quickly realized that a back-up had no use compared to Thomson’s S7HP, especially since it very quickly operated at a reduced power of 200 kW.
From April 1, 2013, he will be officially responsible for broadcasting the Horizon program 24 hours a day. Finally, it was the following week that it entered regular service, following problems connecting the new transmitter to the old antenna.
It was planned to continue using the 260 meter mast for broadcasting on 576 kHz. It quickly became clear that using the second antenna, which is directive, would be a better solution if we wanted to cover the whole of Bulgaria.
The transmitter covers a large part of Bulgarian territory, however, the signal is very weak during the day in the south, east and north-east of Bulgaria.
The 260 meter mast was destroyed because it no longer had any use.

Radio Magazine FB group (2023-10-20)