Month: March 2026

United Kingdom

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A FLOATING radio station in Harwich is bringing the sounds of the 60s back to the airwaves with a live broadcasting weekend.
Historic lightship LV18, moored on Harwich Quay, has begun broadcasting permanently on AM under the name Radio Mi Amigo [1575 kHz / Ed] after securing a five-year licence from Ofcom.
Radio Mi Amigo airs from the vessel, playing music and telling stories from the golden era of offshore radio in the 1960s and 70s.
https://www.harwichandmanningtreestandard.co.uk/news/25970712.harwich-floating-radio-station-broadcast-60s-music/

Ydun Ritz (2026-03-27)

India

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A New Version of Vanthe Matharam on Akashvani stations from today!

It has been a tradition for Akashvani stations to open their morning broadcast with its iconic signature tune followed by the two-stanza version of the National Song “Vande Mataram” (duration 65 seconds), since Independence.
In view of the Ministry of Home Affairs guideline dated 28th January, 2026 on the National Song containing six stanzas, all stations of Akashvani will start broadcasting the new version of the Song with effect from 26th March, 2026.  The new version has a duration of 3 minutes 10 seconds.
The initial version to be broadcast is sung by renowned Hindi Classical Vocalist Pt. Chandrashekhar Vaze in Raag Des.
Several other versions of the National Song are also being recorded to accommodate regional variety of musical instruments.  These versions will be adopted by Akashvani stations located in respective states.
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2244935&reg=3&lang=1

Jose Jacob to dxindia iog (2026-03-26)

Japan

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NHK announced R2 will close its 95 years history at 1505UT on March 29, 2026. At 1500-1505 last closing message will be on air.

Most of the programs of R2 will be transferred to “NHK AM”(former R1) and “NHK FM” after March 30, except; Arabic Lesson, News in Thai/Chinese/Korean/Vietnamese (to online only), Stock Market Reports, “Easy Japanese”(to NHK World Radio Japan ) and other 4 programs.

The transmission licenses of all R2 stations(including 4 500kW sites – Shobu (Tokyo) 693kHz, Ebetu (Sapporo) 747kHz, Ogata (Akita) 774kHz, Otsu (Kumamoto) 873kHz) will be expired after April 1, 2026.

NHK says they will save 37 billion yen for the next 20 years by ending R2.

Takahito Akabayashi, Tokyo, Japan to WOR iog (2026-03-26)


I’m assuming that it’s 1500 – 1505 UTC on UTC March 29th???    Hopefully….

Walt Salmaniw to WOR iog (2026-03-26)

Iran

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Found an article about “Radio Hamaseh” here: 
https://twitter.com/ChrisGreenwayUK/status/2031731056924111302:
“Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB launched a new station, Radio Hamaseh (“Epic”), after the start of the war. IRIB already runs over a dozen national radio stations, plus many local ones and others for listeners abroad. https://mehrnews.com/news/6765865/“

Now very strong on 585 kHz, mp3 with the ID attached, recorded at 2030 UTC (0000 Tehran time). They using the “normal” IRIB interval signal. Overnight sometimes relays Radio Maaref, as previously mentioned here.
The programming mainly contains “Maddahi” songs, reports from demonstrations and wartime news. Maddahi meaning religious and patriotic chants with minimal instruments, you can hear a lot of this on Iranian radio and TV stations nowadays.

Tringer László (2026-03-24)

France

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Radio Six International via Roumoules [1467 kHz] on Saturday.

The transmission at 2300-2400 on Saturday 28th March will be broadcast at the reduced power of 500 kW instead of previous 1000 kW. This is a test to see if there are any differences in reception quality, especially in Northern Europe. So all reports are welcome, especially if reception can be compared with previous Radio Six transmission with full 1000 kW.
Feedback to M. Pascal Penella, head of Roumoules tx site: ppenella@mmd.mc and Tony Currie: letters@radiosix.com

Thanks for the info: Christian Ghibaudo

Mauno Ritola, MWlist iog (2026-03-24)

Iran

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Now (2150 UTC) Radio Khalij e-Fars is on air on 621 and 693 kHz, checked on a KiwiSDR in Qatar. Brave engineers!

Tringer László HNG (2026-03-23)

United States

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Midwest Communications will shut down 1290 WIRL Peoria IL at 12pm on Tuesday, March 31.
The one-time Top 40 powerhouse in the Peoria market in the 1960s and 70s, WIRL has been simulcasting Conservative Talk “Freedom 95.9” W240DM/WPBG-HD3 since February 2022. It previously spent a decade as Oldies from 2013-22, with that programming continuing on “Superhits 102.7” W274BM/WPBG-HD2.

To mark the end of WIRL’s operations, the station will run a week of special programming starting at 7am today with “WIRL Memories” leading to former personality Wayne Miller signing off the station on March 31.
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/343939/wirl-to-sign-off-with-week-of-special-programming/

Radio Insight (2026-03-23)