UK Channel Islands

(Translated from Dutch)
Radio Caroline North [648 kHz] returns to the air this weekend, this time with a remarkable expansion. For the first time, the program will be broadcast not only on Radio Caroline and Manx Radio’s own transmitters, but also on the local radio station Quay FM in the Channel Islands. Thanks to this partnership, the program can now also be received on FM and DAB+ in the area.
Radio Caroline North broadcasts are made aboard the historic radio ship Ross Revenge. Quay FM, the local broadcaster on the island of Alderney, transmits the program on FM 107.1 MHz. Reception on this frequency is mainly limited to Alderney and the surrounding area.
Quay FM also provides a DAB+ broadcast via the Channel Islands multiplex, broadcasting on channel 12A. This network has transmitters in Guernsey, Jersey, and Alderney, meaning Radio Caroline North’s broadcast will be heard throughout the populated areas of the archipelago.
Radio Caroline North broadcasts are made aboard the historic radio ship Ross Revenge. Quay FM, the local broadcaster on the island of Alderney, transmits the program on FM 107.1 MHz. Reception on this frequency is mainly limited to Alderney and the surrounding area.
https://www.radiotrefpunt.nl/entry/9180-quay-fm-brengt-radio-caroline-north-naar-fm-en-dab-op-de-kanaaleilanden/

Nico in Gouda, the Netherlands (2025-11-07)

Space Weather

A CME passed close to Earth during the early hours of Nov. 6th, sparking a strong G3-class geomagnetic storm. This is just the beginning.
Three more CMEs (#1, #2, #3) are expected between now and Nov. 8th.
At least two should be direct hits.
This should keep the storm going (and maybe intensifying) for the rest of the week.
https://spaceweather.com

Mike Terry to WOR iog (2025-11-06)

Spain

RNE in Cantabria.
Unless a miracle occurs (which is completely impossible), we can consider the two RNE Medium Wave stations in Cantabria to be finished:
855 kHz RNE National Radio
1107 kHz RNE Radio 5 Todonoticias.
They’ve been off since September 17th, and the enormous sum it would cost to turn them back on doesn’t seem to have a budget allocation. Neglect, apathy, and a lack of interest in our flagship station have done the rest. So, two less!
(Internal sources at the station)

Jorge Garzón to iberiaDX iog (2025-11-06)

Space Weather

STRONG GEOMAGNETIC STORMS PREDICTED: Solar activity is suddenly high with multiple X-class and strong M-class solar flares since Monday. At least three CMEs are expected to graze or directly hit Earth this week, potentially sparking strong geomagnetic storms on Nov. 6-7.
Full story @ Spaceweather.com.

Ydun Ritz (2025-11-05)

Tanzania / Zanzibar

Sebastian Arndt just returned from a visit to Kenya. He reported today that while ZBC Zanzibar was heard on 585 kHz none of their shortwave frequencies was active. 
He also mentioned that Radio Free Africa was not heard on 1377 kHz either. 

Dr Hansjoerg Biener to WOR iog (2025-11-04)

Canada

CANADIAN RADIO NEWS – Jon Pearkins 
jon@pearkins.com 
 
No more radio stations for Vancouver.
The CRTC conducted a Vancouver market assessment to determine if Vancouver could support another commercial radio station. Vancouver currently has 24 commercial radio stations, including seven ethnic stations, but not including non-commercial stations operated by UBC’s Student Radio Society and 
Vancouver Co-operative Radio. The CRTC’s conclusion: Vancouver cannot support another radio station at this time. The CRTC will not accept applications for new commercial stations in the Vancouver market for the next two years. 

IRCA DX Monitor Nov 8, published Nov 3 via WOR iog (2025-11-04)

United Kingdom

Radio Caroline North November
Our next Radio Caroline North broadcast is between 8th – 9th November, live from our radio ship Ross Revenge.
You’ll hear some great music from the 60s to 90s – plus this month’s competition where three lucky listeners could win one of three retro portable record players courtesy of UK Fasteners Supplier of top quality window fasteners and consumables (see panel below).
Listen on 648 AM across England, The Netherlands, Belgium and beyond, on 1368 AM in the North/North-West courtesy of our friends at Manx Radio, worldwide online here via our Caroline North Player, on smart speakers and the Radio Caroline app.
We’d love to hear from you during the broadcast via north@radiocaroline.co.uk and remember, it’s the only email address that gets you straight through to our ‘North’ broadcasters.
https://www.radiocaroline.co.uk/#home.html
The programme https://www.radiocaroline.co.uk/#caroline_north_schedule.html

Nico from Gouda HOL (2025-11-03)

Western Sahara / Algeria

Western Sahara had been declared a ‘non-self-governing territory’ by the United Nations. It is located between Morocco to the north, Algeria to the east, Mauritania to the south and east, and Spain to the west (Canary Islands). It has been under Moroccan occupation since 1975.
So far, so clear. But the Polisario Front, ‘Frente Popular de Liberación de Saguía el Hamra y Río de Oro’, wants to end the occupation and has been waging a war of independence with the help of Algeria!
A UN decision had planned to hold a referendum to ask the Sahrawi people whether they wanted to become independent or Moroccan.
In the end, it was President Trump who made the decision without consultation!
The Polisario Front has its own radio station and television channel based at the headquarters of the Presidency of the Government of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. They are located in the Rabuni refugee camp, in the far south-west of Algeria in the wilaya of Tindouf.
It remains to be seen what the future holds for this radio station: will it shut down or continue its resistance? Algeria will certainly continue to provide support, but this will certainly not be the case for other countries, including Spain.
The POLISARIO has been broadcasting on medium and short wave for over 40 years. The transmission centre is located about 8 kilometres south of Tindouf, not far from the road connecting Rabuni to Tindouf. The medium wave transmitter has recently been re-equipped. It broadcasts on 1550 kHz with 100 kW and is coupled to a 120-metre guyed antenna. However, the 20 kW shortwave transmitter on 7460 kHz or 6297 kHz, which has an antenna directed towards Spain, is unusable.
Broadcasts are mainly in Arabic, but a programme in Spanish is broadcast every evening: ‘La Voz del Pueblo Saharaui’.
Broadcasts have also been available on the Internet since 2006. RASD Radio also has small FM transmitters to provide a link between the studio and the transmitter and to serve the camps located in other wilayas.
Between the heat and the desert sands, the teams and equipment work in difficult conditions: the heat is unbearable and the air conditioning systems struggle to cool the facilities, while electricity is produced by generators due to the instability of the grid.
(Translated from French)

Michel Fremy, Radio Magazine Facebook group (2025-11-02)

India

As India edges closer to allowing digital radio on the FM band, Digital Radio Mondiale is highlighting the growth in the number of vehicles in the country that can receive DRM signals.

The Digital Radio Mondiale Consortium said that as of July approximately 12 million passenger cars on the road are equipped with DRM receivers. It said this is expected to rise to 13 million by the end of this year.

Terrestrial radio broadcasting in India is delivered in medium-wave (526-1606 kHz), shortwave (6-22 MHz) and VHF Band II (the so-called FM band, 88-108 MHz).

Public service broadcaster All India Radio airs nationwide digital radio services in the medium- and shortwave bands using DRM. (Read a 2024 report from DRM about the standard’s use in India.)

This month the broadcast regulatory body in India released recommendations to allow analog FM band stations to add digital services, as reported by the Economic Times. TRAI recommended that India adopt a single digital radio technology standard for the FM band but it did not specify one.

Over several years, advocates for both Digital Radio Mondiale and HD Radio have made pitches for their respective technologies to be selected.

“Selection of technology among the two technologies suitable in VHF Band-II for deployment in India … may be done in consultation with the industry, including radio broadcasters and radio receiver manufacturers,” TRAI wrote, as reported by the website IndianTelevision in an article that explains TRAI’s suggested structure for auction prices and license fees.

According to a press release from the DRM Project Office, adoption of DRM is being driven primarily by in-car listening, “a key factor in the success of India’s ongoing digital broadcast rollout.”

“As India celebrates a decade of digital radio progress, the growth of DRM integration in the automotive sector stands out as a globally-exceptional success story,” it said. “From the first factory-fitted DRM receivers launched nearly 10 years ago to today’s thriving ecosystem, the momentum has only accelerated.”

Industry data indicates that one in every three passenger cars sold in India over the past decade has been equipped with DRM receivers, according to the release. DRM-enabled cars from major automakers including Maruti Suzuki, Tata, Mahindra, Hyundai, MG, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota are on Indian roads.

“By embracing DRM digital radio, an open, global digital radio standard, India’s automotive and receiver industries have fostered local innovation, technical advancement and long-term sustainability,” said the DRM Project Office.
https://www.radioworld.com/tech-and-gear/digital-radio/more-than-13m-cars-in-india-will-have-digital-radio-by-end-of-year

Radio World (2025-10-31)