New / Reactivated

Norway

mw

Radio Northern Star is back on the AM band, and on its old frequency until 2019, so now on LLE-4, 1611 kHz, 400 watts. Ex The Sea. Only evening transmissions at the moment. Will not exclude later extensions of schedule.
5895 kHz LLE-3 came back last Monday still carrying a mix of RNS and The Sea.
Schedule 0659-1931 CET, technically engineering tests. Reports 1000 at northernstar.no.

Svenn Martinsen to DX-LISTENERS’ CLUB FB group (2023-02-05)

Afghanistan

mw

Radio Azadi back on medium airwaves, RFE and USAGM reports say.

Also known as Radio Free Afghanistan, Radio Azadi, just celebrated its 21st birthday, is Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Dari and Pashto-language service.

This section of the USAGM conducts its programs from the RFE premises in Prague, following the Taliban takeover RFE/RL had closed its Kabul office in August 2021.

It was in 2002 that Afghanistan and the United States signed an agreement for the use of a 400 kW 1296 kHz average wave transmitter. The United States committed to restoring Pul-e Charkhi’s Afghanistan Radio TV facility near Kabul, shut down following a bombing by the U.S.

The agreement was amended in 2006. Afghanistan is giving the U.S. the right to build, install and operate a medium-wave radio transmission facility in the vicinity of Tani-Khost and other FM broadcasters.

The 200 kW on 621 kHz medium wave installation in Khost began operational distribution in March 2010 in the Pashtun-language areas of eastern Afghanistan, along the Pakistan border. The purpose of this second broadcaster was mainly to serve Pakistan.

As the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan, negotiations with the Taliban allowed broadcasters to be able to continue broadcasting.

On 1st December 2022, the Taliban-led government of Afghanistan removed all Radio Azadi, FM and AM broadcasts. Abdul Haq Hammad, a head of the Taliban-led government’s Information Ministry, had justified the arrest for “disrespect of journalistic principles and unilateral broadcasting” by the US-funded independent media.

An agreement has been reached with the Taliban, it plans to make Pul-e Charkhi broadcaster available for Radio Azadi. On the other hand, it removes the permission to broadcast on the FM network and excludes VOA broadcasts.

Starting January 18, 2023, the station will once again use the Pol-e Charki medium wave transmitter at 1296 kHz from 6 pm to 6 pm local time.

In addition to this nightly broadcast, the USAGM has upped the volume of its short-wave broadcasts and ensures increased presence on social media and app.

The USAGM was foreseen: The initial agreement allowed the U.S. to install a short-wave emitting center in Kabul. She preferred to use her own infrastructure at Lampertheim Germany, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, reputed for its electricity tariff!.

Radio Magazine FB group (2023-01-31)

Vietnam

mw

New 200 kW transmitters for 693 kHz (VoV1) and 819 kHz (VoV2) officially on the air since 15 January 2023.

Here is a more detailled report in VIETNAMESE incl. photos:
https://vov.vn/xa-hoi/dau-an-vov/vov-nang-cong-suat-phat-song-am-khu-vuc-tay-nguyen-post996605.vov

The tx location is the city of Buôn Ma Thuôòt in the Vietnamese Central Higlands, also known as Ðãìk Lãìk.

There were 2 antique SW txs carrying VoV-1 daytime on 6020 and 7210 kHz, now silent. I expect the new installed MW txs on 693 and 819 kHz should replace them.

If Google did translate correctly, the mentioned MW txs have been relocated from the South (Mekong-Delta, Cantho). So they are not brand-new. 

Uwe Volk to MWlist iog (2023-01-27)

Vietnam

mw

New 200 kW transmitters for 693 kHz (VoV1) and 819 kHz (VoV2) officially on the air since 15 January 2023.

Google translated from German:
VOV – Voice of Vietnam – increases broadcasting capacity in the Tay Nguyen highlands
(VOVWORLD) – The management of the VOV channel took part in the launch of a project to increase broadcasting capacity in the region on Sunday in the highland town of Buon Ma Thuot. The project has now been completed after five months. VOV’s coverage area has been increased fourfold there, and the station can serve nine million residents in a radius of almost 40,000 square kilometers. Residents in Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Lam Dong, Binh Phuoc, Phu Yen, Ninh Thuan and some Cambodian provinces are benefiting greatly.
Two transmitters with a capacity of 200 kW in the Tay Nguyen highlands. Radio programs of the news channel VOV1 on the frequency 693 kHz and the cultural and social channel VOV2 on the frequency 819 kHz. According to VOV deputy director Vu Hai Quang, Tay Nguyen highland is a particularly important place for the country’s social economy and security. Therefore, the role of communication and the media should be strengthened there.
https://vovworld.vn/de-DE/nachrichten/vov-erhohet-die-sendekapazitat-im-hochland-tay-nguyen-1168541.vov January 15, 2023

VOV erhöht die Sendekapazität im Hochland Tay Nguyen
(VOVWORLD) – Die Leitung des Senders VOV hat am Sonntag in der Hochlandstadt Buon Ma Thuot, an der Inbetriebnahme eines Projekts zur Erhöhung der Sendekapazität in dieser Region teilgenommen. Das Projekt ist nach fünf Monaten nun abgeschlossen. Das Empfangsgebiet von VOV wurde dort ums vierfache vergrößert und der Sender kann neun Millionen Einwohnern in einem Radius von fast 40.000 Quadratkilometern dienen. Einwohner in den Provinzen Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Lam Dong, Binh Phuoc, Phu Yen, Ninh Thuan und einigen kambodschanischen Provinzen, profitieren stark davon. Zwei Sender mit einer Kapazität von 200 kW im Hochland  Tay Nguyen.  Radioprogramme des Nachrichtenkanals VOV1 auf der Frequenz 693 kHz und des Kultur- und Sozialkanals VOV2 auf der Frequenz 819 kHz. Laut dem Vizeintendanten von VOV, Vu Hai Quang sei das Hochland Tay Nguyen ein besonders wichtiger Ort für die Sozialwirtschaft sowie die Sicherheit des Landes. Deshalb solle die Rolle der Kommunikation und der Medien dort verstärkt werden.
https://vovworld.vn/de-DE/nachrichten/vov-erhoht-die-sendekapazitat-im-hochland-tay-nguyen-1168541.vov 15. Januar 2023

Dr. Hansjoerg Biener (2023-01-26)

Russia

mw

1089 kHz: At the 1st Februar 10:00 Moscow time, the transmission will be on air again. 1,2 MW.
Two days are tests, to listen to the propagation of the day/night signal and check the operation of the equipment. 
The decision was made by the authorities.  There is no information about the start of regular work yet. 

https://vk.com/wall-158109176_2822
[translated from Russian / Ed]
“On February 1, from 10.00 Moscow time, the Kuban Radio Center goes on the air at a frequency of 1089 kHz for a run that will take place TWO days until 10.00 Moscow time on February 3.
As before, I am waiting for your messages about the reception in VK, as well as by e-mail  andrey_hamradio@mail.ru
I draw your attention, dear radio amateurs! For the objectivity of the test, it is necessary to try to receive the broadcast on household portable receivers. This is of the greatest interest and effectiveness. Modern Chinese, Climbers, VEFs, Speedos…
Power – 1200 kW
In your review of the reception, please (if possible) indicate :
*Reception conditions (urban development, countryside…)
*Receiver
*Your assessment (excellent – good – satisfactory)
If possible, make a small audio or video clip.
If you wish to receive a QSL card, be sure to include your exact postal address with zip code. Cards for this test broadcast are ready (in Russia – paper, Abroad: e-qsl
All your comments, reports will be analyzed and transferred to the Radio Center.
Thank you in advance to everyone who will respond.73!”

Marco (2023-01-25)

United Kingdom

mw

Mid Downs Radio back on the air at Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath.
Mid Downs Radio 1350AM is finally back after months of building work at Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath.

The hospital radio station, which has been broadcasting music, news and health information for 45 years, went off the air in July 2022.


MDR secretary Cathy Barnett said: “The Hospital Trust agreed to foot the bill as they needed to move the aerial to a new site across the rear car park. This was first promised as only taking a few weeks, but due to various on-site problems the weeks stretched into months. Finally the new aerial was erected by Radica in the autumn, but, still no signal. The underground cable was found to be rotten and with reports of the whole PRH underground system having to be closed to fix this. The MDR Technical Team had to sit back and wait results of the survey.”
Cathy said that Princess Royal patients and staff were without their 1350AM radio programmes but could still receive the station on their bedside units and the speaker system.
But she said that last week Radica ‘performed the miracle’ of managing to connect the station back to the aerial. She said: “Fingers crossed this will last until the site work is finished in a few months. Until then, Mid Downs Radio 1350AM will be back with their well-loved mix of music, chat and news of Mid Sussex goings-on.”
https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/people/mid-downs-radio-back-on-the-air-at-princess-royal-hospital-in-haywards-heath-3988942

Stig Hartvig Nielsen (2023-01-22)

Italy

mw

Hello list,

this morning I put my boots (well, my tyres) on the ground and drove towards Rimini, where I thought the new Italian religious station on 1584 kHz could be located.

My first destination was the former site of RAI Rimini (999 kHz), because Italian private stations must transmit from RAI sites or the surrounding area (they can then ask for a change, but this is another story).

At the site, on the frequency there was a full quieting, full-scale signal, so I was right on the spot, but in the Ray Way area I couldn’t see any MW antenna (the old lattice tower mast was knocked down last year).

Adjacent to the site, between the field and the main road, there is a house, surrounded by a thick, tall hedge. On its back there is something vertical, a pole, that may just be an antenna; unluckily I couldn’t clearly see it from any direction. Take this only as an hypothesis.

So, the take home messages are:
1) The station is definitely located in Rimini, adjacent to or nearby the former RAI site;
2) The antenna isn’t inside the site, but could be adjacent;
3) I think that this is a Radio Luce relay, but without a proper ID this is only my educated guess.

I keep monitoring the station.

73 Fabrizio Magrone (Italy) to MWlist iog (2023-01-16)