Radio Pakistan e-QSL

New e-QSL from Radio Pakistan received

RR send to PBC email shown in QSL : 16.05.2012

e-QSL in MS Office 2007/10 '.docx' format received : 29.06.2012

Picture: Faisal Mosque-Islamabad

Note: Misplaced Verified by Name and Date due to font issue

(I'm corrected it's to Calibri font)

Radio Netherlands Worldwide in English will cease transmissions on 29 June

From RNW Website

Dear Readers,

We're very sorry to inform you that the English service of Radio Netherlands Worldwide will be closing at the end of this month. As a result, this website will see some changes.

From 1 July 2012 there will no longer be a daily review of the Dutch papers. Our coverage of Dutch news stories will also cease. And, since RNW's English webstream will end on 29 June, there will be no more Listening Guide.

However, we will continue to provide articles online relating to our new brief: promoting free speech in areas where people are not free to gather information or to form and express independent opinions.

---

Latest: special QSL card 

---

You can check out the updates to this story lower on the page

---

Why?
The measures are a result of steep budget cuts imposed by the Dutch government and a concomitant change in focus. Providing the world with a realistic image of the Netherlands, as we have proudly done since 1947, will no longer be one of our statutory duties. 

The last radio show
On 29 June we will broadcast a radio show looking back at the past decades of Radio Netherlands Worldwide. Have you got a memory to share? Please let us know, at the usual address, letters@rnw.nl, or post a comment below this story, as many have already done. We'd love to hear from you.

Updates
Please keep checking this site for updates on our final day. There may be a surprise or two...

And, perhaps most importantly, thank you - for listening, reading, and riding this bumpy road with us over the years and through the recent, difficult times. 

The RNW English team

_________________________________________________________________________________

For those listeners who enjoy picking up shortwave broadcasts and sending in a reception report, this is your last chance to dispatch your SINPO to our P.O.box 222, 1200 JG Hilversum, The Netherlands, or letters@rnw.nl (subject: 29 June Reception report).

We'll return the favour by sending you a special QSL card commemorating the closing of RNW's English service!

_________________________________________________________________________________

Our distribution wizards have added another couple of shortwave frequencies for our last day. This is the final line-up.

Extra Shortwave frequencies on 29 June 2012
- 01:59-02:57 UTC - North America (East) - 6165 kHz - Bonaire (that's late Thursday, local time!)
- 02:59-03:57 UTC - North America (Central) - 6165 kHz - Bonaire  (that's late Thursday, local time!)
- 04:59-05:57 UTC - North America (West) - 6165 kHz - Bonaire  (that's late Thursday, local time!)
- 04:59-05:57 UTC - New Zealand + Australia (South East) - 12015 kHz - Bonaire
- 18:59-20:57 UTC - Europe - 6065 kHz - Wertachtal

Of course we'll also be broadcasting on our regular shortwave frequencies to Africa and Asia (except 15110, which will close a day earlier).

In every shortwave slot and WRN relay we'll broadcast our Last Show, enabling as many people as we can to listen in. 

During the satellite-only hours in between the shortwave and World Radio Network hours we'll rebroadcast documentaries and other programmes from RNW's historical archives.

Radio Netherlands Worldwide in English will cease transmissions on 29 June at 20:57 UTC.

Radio in the Danger Zone : Radio Word

Radio in the Danger Zone

by Andy Bantock
on 06.15.2012

http://www.rwonline.com/article/radio-in-the-danger-zone/213955

Chalfont St. Peter, ENGLAND — Radio is, as we all know, a powerful medium. Historically it has been a major force for both good and bad.

In World War II Ed Murrow’s broadcasts from a blitzed London did much to sway public opinion in the U.S. toward the cause of the Allies. We contrast that with Lord Haw-Haw or Tokyo Rose’s propaganda programming from Nazi Germany and Japan. Both sides of any conflict will, even in these modern times of the Internet and wireless communication, turn to radio broadcasting to put over their views. Call it propaganda or truth; for many radio is the delivery medium of choice.

BFBS broadcast engineer Norman Rankin waits at the helipad at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan with satellite receiver and FM transmitter. (credit BFBS)

With conflict seemingly the default setting in much of the Middle East, Afghanistan and parts of Africa, it is a full-time job keeping radio stations on the air. A small but highly skilled number of engineers have made this area of radio their home.

CONFLICT REGIONS
The British Forces Broadcasting Service is the radio and TV arm of the Services Sound and Vision Corp., a charity that provides news and entertainment on contract to British Armed Forces throughout the world. BFBS runs three sustaining radio services from the U.K. (two in English and one for the Gurkhas) and has a physical presence in several countries where local opt-outs are aired.

While the operations in Cyprus and Canada are fairly settled affairs, BFBS’s work in current conflict zones, notably Afghanistan, is more challenging. BFBS arrived in Afghanistan two months after hostilities started and have been there ever since — more than 10 years now. Some BFBS staffers have served there continuously over that period, longer than any serving member of the military.

According to David Ramsay, SSVC head of overseas broadcast technology and deployments, the obvious major complication in places like Afghanistan and other trouble spots (other than people shooting at you) is the extremes of climate.

Paul Wright, BFBS station manager and station engineer, demonstrates the extreme heat at Basrah base in Iraq. (credit BFBS )

“Until we went to Iraq we had not really thought quite what a challenge the heat would be,” said Ramsay. “In 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) ambient temperatures with the sun beating down, one will simply blister his or her skin if it comes in to contact with metal.”  

This brought new challenges for the BFBS team, he explains, with simple things like having to relearn how to deal with transmitter feeder cable. You can’t lash it to the mast, it is a big radiator and you have to watch your bending radius. “We have had instances where cables with reasonable bending radius have had the inner core melt through the dielectric and short on the screen.” 

BFBS has standardized on Eddystone-sbs transmission equipment and Lawo digital studio mixers, all of which need to keep going in the extreme heat. The watchwords are cool, covered and clean. In addition to the severe heat comes the choking dust. Ramsay says he still has trouble convincing people who have not experienced it just how all-invasive the Lashkar Valley (Afghanistan) dust is. It is extremely fine and, when it rains, instantly turns to sticky slurry.        
  
BEST LAID PLANS
BFBS has FM transmitters at the main forward operating bases running at around 300 W, and these, coupled with a series of 10-W fillers at the smaller outlying posts, allow almost 100-percent coverage of all serving personnel.

A remote relay in Afghanistan (Credit DBS Consulting)

Getting the gear to these remote and dangerous places is another major problem facing BFBS. Reluctant to expose its personnel to the dangers of road transport, BFBS prefers to send equipment and technicians by helicopter. This obviously means that weight and size are of prime importance. BFBS thus uses the all-in-one solutions offered by Eddystone Broadcast with its XE range of exciters ranging from 30 to 300 W.  

Occasionally however, things do not go exactly as planned. Ramsay recalls when the Royal Air Force once dropped an entire FM transmission system from 2,000 feet. 

“It had been placed, ‘for safety purposes,’ inside a vehicle that was being under-slung from a Chinook. The vehicle, which had come under severe wind buffering while being carried under the helicopter, had its rear doors blown open and all the military kit dropped out of the back to earth — luckily in an area that was completely uninhabited.”

It wasn’t exactly clear what had been lost that could be of use to the insurgents, so an air strike was called in and the entire area laid waste with 500-pound bombs, said Ramsay. 

“There was definitely no engineering around that particular problem.”

It takes a special type of person to work for the BFBS Technology Division. The conditions are hard; personnel will do 10 weeks in the field followed by a three-week break. Staff comprises a mixture of long-serving BFBS engineers and ex-service personnel with some signal (or related) skills, and includes a number of Gurkhas. Before being posted they undergo hostile environment training and psychological screening to help them cope, not so much with the military aspect of their job but with the loneliness and isolation that can result from such an assignment.
  
LOCAL CONDITIONS
The impact of the service BFBS provides often is felt far beyond that of the U.K. military personnel, says Ramsay. 

War damage in Afghanistan (Credit DBS Consulting)

“The military refer to BFBS as a force multiplier. In Sierra Leone after the British troops enforced normality following years of violent and horrifying attacks by the rebels, the people of Freetown got used to the British military being around and BFBS on their radios,” he said. 

“After a particularly fierce tropical storm, our satellite dish was taken off point and the residents of Freetown awoke to silence on the BFBS frequencies. Rumors quickly started that the British were leaving, accompanied by fear that the rebels and atrocities would return.” 

A government minister had to go on Sierra Leone TV to explain that it was merely a technical problem and BFBS would be back on air soon. But shortly thereafter they received a call from the U.K. government Foreign and Commonwealth Office ordering them to evacuate the engineers quickly, and so they took the next plane. 

“But, as soon as the radio was restored, normality returned, and BFBS Radio was proof of the continued and sustained British military presence,” he said. 

Meanwhile, away from the world’s major conflict zones there are many other dangerous areas where radio is required.  These can be post-conflict zones like Iraq or Sierra Leone or areas where civil wars are ongoing or recently ceased, as in Ethiopia and Sudan.

Dave Stanley runs DBS Consulting, a company that has carved a niche in these areas. Working for organizations like the BBC, the United Nations and the Red Cross as well as local broadcasters, he has travelled the world bringing radio and television to people who have been without it for many years. He started visiting these places, such as the Balkans after the various conflicts there, more than 10 years ago and like BFBS was obliged to overcome numerous local challenges. 
  
A GOOD REASON
“Of course there are many problems.  It is more usually coping with local conditions when there is no power or communications, for example,” said Stanley. “The headline grabbing dangers are much less common. I am usually going in to reconstruct things after the danger has passed, although it did get a little sticky in Burkina Faso recently.”

He had been there a few times and knew it was usually quiet with nothing much happening. Unfortunately, though, part of the army apparently had not been paid and decided to mutiny on his second night. This ended in a lot of shooting on the street outside his hotel, with the army proceeding to loot shops and traders.

“Having survived the night, a tense day followed and most foreigners evacuated. That night the shop owners rioted and burnt government offices in retaliation,” Stanley said. “One nearby broadcast station was attacked and it looked like I might have to be evacuated. Fortunately it settled down after that and a curfew prevented more trouble.”

As regards technology, Stanley, in line with BFBS thinking, tries to use high-quality equipment that has a proven track record in difficult environments — usually gear that is simple and easy to repair, and rarely the latest technology.

“Without doubt bringing broadcasts to people that have had minimal communication with the outside world always makes a difference. I always remember how happy the people of Koidu in Eastern Sierra Leone were to receive broadcasts from Freetown after we installed a microwave relay,” he said. “This was in the days before mobile/satellite phones and the Internet. The town was completely isolated before that, and still is to some extent. The only source of news was the BBC on shortwave or word of mouth from people taking the difficult journey from Freetown.”

Whether it is bringing troops in Afghanistan a small reminder of home or overcoming local obstacles to provide remote parts of the world with a radio service for the first time, a dedicated band of engineers and technicians work to make it happen. 

“In this Internet-connected era, it is all too easy to forget the importance of traditional broadcasting to a large part of the world’s population,” said Stanley. “For many in the world, a podcast or audio stream is a dream. The reality is a small portable radio clamped to their ear.”

Andy Bantock is a radio technology consultant specializing in transmission and studios for community and small-scale radio stations.

DX Waves #1

Namaskarm ! Welcome to the First edition of “DX Waves” weekly DX program produced by South Asia Radio.

I would like to start this edition of my report with some updates from Dxing World.

We all know, two major shortwave stations are leaving airwaves this month.

One is Radio Canada International and the other is Radio Nederlands.

We have prepared a feature on the history of RCI.

Radio Canada International is the international broadcasting service of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Until 1970, it was known as the CBC International Service and was sometimes referred to as the "Voice of Canada" in its early years.

The idea for creating an international radio voice for Canada was first proposed as far back as the 1930s. Several studies commissioned by the CBC Board of Governors in the late 1930s had come to the conclusion that Canada needed a radio service to broadcast a Canadian point of view to the world.

By the end of 1944, both the production facilities and the transmitting plant were ready for test broadcasts. These tests, which began on December 25, 1944, were broadcast to Canadian troops in Europe in both English and French.

In early 1945, it was announced that the CBC International Service was ready and would go on the air for real on February 25 using the name the "Voice of Canada".

By 1946, the CBC International Service had expanded to include regular transmissions in Czech and Dutch.

In November 1946, daily broadcasts started to the Caribbean in English. There were also Sunday night programs broadcast in Spanish and Portuguese.

The CBC International Service played a major role in covering Canada's Centennial celebrations in 1967. Ceremonies from coast to coast were carried over short-wave to the world on July 1, 1967 as Canada marked its 100th birthday.

In July 1970, the service was renamed Radio Canada International.

The change took place because it was felt that RCI should have its own identity, separate from the CBC domestic network, even though RCI had just been fully integrated into the CBC system.

On November 7, 1971, RCI inaugurated its new 250 kW transmitters which were five times more powerful than the existing units. This significantly improved RCI's signal quality in Europe and Africa.

In early 1991, facing further budget deficits, the Government ordered an across-the-board budget cut. Every ministry and Crown corporation, including the CBC, was required to participate.

After evaluating its own budget, the CBC decided it could no longer pay for Radio Canada International without extra funding from the federal government.

To save the service, RCI Program Director Allan Familiant announced a major restructuring that took effect on March 25, 1991.

Six of the 13 languages — Czech, German, Hungarian, Japanese, Polish, and Portuguese — were discontinued.

And while the English and French services survived.

On April 4, 2012 an approximate 80% budget cut to the International service from $12.3 million a year to $2.3 million a year. These changes will effectively end broadcasting by RCI via shortwave and satellite. RCI News service will end, and the Brazilian and Russian sections will be cut.

All shortwave transmissions (including those from the Sackville Relay Station), satellite, and all broadcast programming will end on June 26.

All contractual and temporary staff, along with fully two-thirds of permanent staff will lose their jobs.

Also, China Radio International, an important user of RCI Sackville will have to find a new shortwave relay site.

Here is one real recording of RCI on  07^th April 2012 about the future of RCI.

----

Now this sound is going to be history… We can’t hear it through airwaves…

We are reaching the end of the first edition of “DX Waves”. We welcome your comments and suggestions. You can send reception reports for this broadcast. Correct reception reports will be awarded specially designed e-QSL. Here is our email ID for sending your DX contributions and reception reports: dxing@in.com. Visit our blog www.dxhobby.blogspot.com for more DX news and updates.

The next edition of “DX Waves” will be aired on July 1^st 2012, Sunday.

Thank you for listening to the First Edition of “DX Waves”.
73’s
Good bye.

HCJB Australia - e-QSL

New QSL received from HCJB Australia

Theme: Salamanca market on a winter morning Hobart Tasmania

RR Send via Online form + Email : 20.05.2012

Reply via email : 22.06.2012

Language heard: Malay Bahasa

Here is full schedule of HCJB Australia for A 12 Season.

Radio Taiwan International - QSL Card

New QSL Card received from Radio Taiwan International

Theme: Bamboo Forest in Summer

Promotional items: Taiwan 100 Anniversary Card. English Schedule

Report Send via Email : 11.05.2012

Postal Mail Reply on : 20.05.2012

Here is the full schedule of RTI - English Service (A-12)

[0100-0200]
1422 KHz Minhsiung (50 KW)
11875 KHz Tainan (250 KW)

[0200-0300]
5950 KHz Okeechobee (100 KW)
9680 KHz Okeechobee (100 KW)

[0300-0400]
5950 KHz Okeechobee (100 KW)
15320 KHz Paochung (100 KW)

[0500-0600]
5950 KHz Okeechobee (100 KW)

[1100-1200]
1359 KHz (600 KW)
7445 KHz Paochung (100 KW)
9465 KHz Tainan (250 KW)

[1600-1700]
9440 KHz Tainan (300 KW)
15485 KHz Issoudun (500 KW)

[1800-1900]
6155 KHz Issoudun (250 KW)

Radio World: India Reaches Phase Three of FM Development

New Delhi: India will soon welcome another 839 FM radio stations in 227 cities. Added to the private FM stations already running in 86 cities, this means that a grand total of 313 cities will be covered by private FM radio.

AIR transmission tower in Goa for overseas broadcasts. All photos courtesy of Frederick Noronha

The grandness of that number — 313 — may seem to diminish when one considers that India is the second-most populous country in the world; yet it also offers some prospect for radio at time when the medium here has appeared to be stagnating.

With this third stage of radio expansion, new stations will be vying to reach populations of more than 1 million each in many overcrowded cities— a huge potential. The question is whether broadcasters can take advantage of the vast possibilities.

Learned lessons

India began to experiment with the FM band in 1977 in Madras (now Chennai). FM usage then spread to five other cities in the mid-1990s. During that “Phase II” expansion, the country suddenly found itself with several hundred FM channels, which for the most part played the same popular film soundtracks.

Even in cities like New Delhi that have more than 10 stations, there is little variation in format. Stations have tended to favor easy-to-market hits from Indian films, instead of offering specialist music such as classical or jazz or regional-language services, especially after many foreign broadcasters had halted their shortwave Hindi services. With its population of more than 20 million, the city hosts a diverse audience, to say the least. Sending out the same information about traffic, civil services and shopping options to such an assorted range of listeners hardly makes sense.

India learns a ‘new’ medium as private radio gains ground.

Dozens if not hundreds of the FM stations risk going unnoticed in an “unviable market” — exactly what happened in Phase II to many of the FM frequencies available in the Northeast and island territories.

Some private broadcasters, in fact, have voiced their discontent about the addition of stations (and further competition) and have opted out of bidding in Phase III. If however the market could diversify through, for example, a differential licensing policy, then the element of competition would decrease and allow for a greater variety of programming.

The latest Indian Readership Survey (which does not reflect those who tune into radio via mobile phones) suggests that radio listenership has been falling steadily, while television viewership has been rising. And for the most part, short- and medium-wave still dominate the airwaves, since many areas in the country still do not have FM services. Even with this latest phase, many medium-sized town are still being ignored with most stations focusing on the largest centers.

Campus radio station in Maharashtra.

The key to success then may partially reside in the hands of the lawmakers, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, a government branch in charge of regulating media in the country. The body has made some strides to — hopefully — facilitate the rollout, and ensure a sustainable landscape. But this may not be enough.

Rules and regulations

Private FM stations, for example, can now rebroadcast news programs from the public broadcaster All India Radio (AIR). The law previously forbade private services to air any news items. Private radio stations however are still not allowed to broadcast original news content, while private television operates freely on the news front. Federal government policy also now allows 26 percent of foreign investment in private radio, vs. the 20 percent previously permitted.

Regarding output power, stations can now transmit an effective radiated power (ERP) of 25 kW to 50 kW in the largest cities, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, and from 1 kW to 3 kW in cities with a population of 100,000 to 300,000.

Community/campus radio tower set up in New Delhi.

Meanwhile, antenna height or effective height of antenna above average terrain (EHAAT) can range from 20 meters to a maximum of 200 meters.The law also dictates that each station can only use one transmitter with a transmission power of up to 50 kW for A+ cities (New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai) and up to 30 kW in A cities (with a population of more than 2 million).

While each private FM station is responsible for its own technical resources, the Common Transmission Infrastructure (CTI), a pooled service organized by government-owned bodies, does lease on a cost-sharing basis to private FM broadcasters. Turnkey solutions provider Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited (BECIL), a government-run firm, manages CTI. Where possible the new set of lucky radio license winners will also be able to use the transmission towers of AIR and Doordarshan (DD), the public television broadcaster.

Despite some progress in general, the licensing method remains a primary concern. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting plans to hold an eAuction for the allocation of new frequencies. This could mean that liscenses only go to the highest bidder and may kill any distant dreams of achieving the much needed diversification of format and style — a primary factor for radio to work in this country.

Frederick Noronha, a journalist covering radio issues in India who has campaigned extensively for the legalization of community radio in the country, reports on the industry for Radio World from India.

Report Source: http://www.rwonline.com

Vatican Radio Reduces AM, SW Broadcasts

As of July 1, Vatican Radio will reduce its shortwave and medium-wave transmissions to most of Europe and the Americas.

This announcement came from Director General Fr. Federico Lombardi, who said, “Vatican Radio is ready to open a new chapter in its history by committing its message of service to the Gospel and the Church to new communication technologies.”

Vatican Radio transmits its programs in 40 languages via satellite and the Internet. The programs, which are rebroadcast by approximately 1,000 local radio stations on FM and medium-wave in more than 80 countries, are also available live on five Web channels, on-demand and in podcast from the Vatican Radio website.

According to Lombardi, close collaboration between Vatican Radio and the Vatican Television Center has also led to the development of online video services and an “innovative” instrument called the “Vatican Player,” which offers sound and images of Papal events, live and on-demand, texts and written reports related to those events.

Transmission via satellite, Internet and rebroadcasting, guarantee the widest possible outreach to Vatican Radio’s programming and services explains Lombardi. “This is why Vatican Radio believes the time has come to reduce its reliance on traditional technologies, such as shortwave and medium-wave broadcasts, and to develop its resources in new directions.”

The reduction of shortwave and medium-wave broadcasts to most of Europe and the Americas (areas, he said, that are already well served by local rebroadcasting partners and the Internet) accounts for about 50% of Vatican Radio’s Santa Maria di Galeria Transmission Center’s transmission time and will allow Vatican Radio focus on more innovative technological criteria.

Shortwave broadcasts will be further reduced over the next few years, said Lombardi, “but not at the expense of those poor, needy and suffering parts of the world (like Africa, the Middle East and Asia), which have no alternative means of receiving news of the Church and the voice of the Pope.”

Source: http://www.rwonline.com

Radio Athmeeya Yatra (GFA) E-QSL

Radio Athmeeya Yatra (GFA) E-QSL Received

Reception Report Send Via Email : 18.06.2012

E-QSL Received : 19.06.2012

Here is the Full Schedule of  Radio Athmeeya Yatra for A-12 Season.

Previous post on New Test and info about Radio Athmeeya Yatra

Radio Netherlands Final Broadcast Schedule

All transmissions of Radio Netherlands World Service in English and Indonesian on short waves will be terminated on June 29, 2012

Here the updated schedule

All times are in UTC

English till June 29:

1000-1057 on 15110 PHT 250 kW / 283 deg to SEAs
1400-1457 on 9800 TRM 250 kW / 345 deg to SoAs
1800-1957 on 17605 SMG 250 kW / 144 deg to ECAf
1900-2057 on 7425 MDC 250 kW / 270 deg to SoAf
1900-2057 on 11615 ISS 500 kW / 192 deg to WeAf
1900-2057 on 15495 SMG 250 kW / 193 deg to WCAf

English, additional trasmissions on June 29:
0200-0257 on 6165 BON 250 kW / 345 deg to NoAm
0300-0357 on 6165 BON 250 kW / 335 deg to CeAm
0500-0557 on 6165 BON 250 kW / 315 deg to CeAm
0500-0557 on 12015 BON 250 kW / 230 deg to AUS
1900-2057 on 6065 WER 250 kW / 210 deg to Eu/Af

Indonesian till June 29:
1100-1157 on 9720 SAI 100 kW / 225 deg to SEAs
1100-1157 on 9795 PHT 250 kW / 200 deg to SEAs
1100-1157 on 15650 TIN 250 kW / 256 deg to SEAs
2100-2157 on 9365 PHT 250 kW / 200 deg to SEAs

Indonesian, additional trasmission on June 29:
1000-1057 on 15300 TRM 250 kW / 105 deg to SEAs
1000-1057 on 15565 TRM 250 kW / 105 deg to SEAs
1000-1057 on 17840 MDC 250 kW / 085 deg to SEAs
1000-1057 on 21485 MDC 250 kW / 085 deg to SEAs

Spanish Daily till June 29:
0000-0057 on 6165 BON 250 kW / 210 deg to Central and South America
0100-0157 on 6165 BON 250 kW / 290 deg to Carribean and North America
1100-1127 on 9895 BON 250 kW / 320 deg to Carribean and North America
1130-1157 on 6165 BON 250 kW / 210 deg to Central and South America
1200-1227 on 6165 BON 250 kW / 180 deg to Central and South America
1200-1227 on 9715 BON 250 kW / 290 deg to Carribean and North America

Spanish Mon-Fri from July 2, only one transmission:
1100-1157 on 9895 BON 250 kW / 320 deg to Carribean and North America

Source:  http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.in/ 

All India Radio Stations List by Jose Jacob

DX India database has been updated & information is now available for 553 AIR stations !

Please see the updated lists of AIR stations here :

http://qsl.net/vu2jos/air/loc.htm

http://qsl.net/vu2jos/air/state.htm

Thanks to Jose Jacob,VU2JOS.

Source: Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi

India Update from Yogendra Pal

Prasar Bharati, the only public service broadcaster in India, broadcasts radio services through All India Radio (AIR) and television services through Doordarshan India (DDI). The Indian Government has already taken the vital decision to complete the digitisation of the terrestrial Radio and Television broadcasting network of AIR and DDI by 2017.

    AIR's one hundred and forty-nine medium wave (MW) transmitters, of different powers, provide Radio signals to over 98% of the population of India and to most of the neighbouring countries, whereas forty-eight short wave (SW) transmitters of AIR enable the radio listeners, in most parts of the world, to enjoy AIR's programmes in a number of Indian and foreign languages.

    AIR has adopted DRM and launched the DRM service, from one of the 250 kW SW transmitters, on the 16th January 2009. The service is in pure digital mode. Initially about four hours of programmes for the UK and Western Europe and three hours for the areas around Delhi were being broadcast daily. However, from 30th Oct 2011, AIR extended the DRM transmissions to about 15 hours per day. This service is now available in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Russia, NE Asia, Mauritius and East Africa.

    In the first phase, another nine SW and seventy-two MW transmitters are in the process of either being replaced or converted to DRM by AIR. Out of these, eight medium wave DRM transmitters, including two of 1000 kW power each, have already been received by AIR and are in the process of being installed. An order for one short wave transmitter has also been placed. It is understood that the orders for the procurement and/or conversion of rest of the transmitters are at the advanced final stage. AIR proposes to digitise the remaining MW and SW transmitters in the second phase, achieving total digitisation by 2017, the cut off date fixed by the Indian Government.

AIR have decided that before the switch over in 2017, MW transmitters are to be operated in simulcast mode and the SW transmitters only in pure digital. On MW transmitters the existing programmes would continue to be available in analogue mode but special entertainment programmes, which are now available in a very limited area, will be provided in digital mode. Value added services are also being planned.


Source: DRM Chapter for India

DX Antwerp - Paper QSL

DX Antwerp - 30th Anniversary Special Edition (May 2012)
Paper QSL Received


Send RR via Email : 12.05.2012
Postal Reply on : 18.06.2012
Promotional Items : Radio Stickers- RCI, ORF & VOA

KBS World Radio QSL Card

Received New QSL Card from KBS World Radio


Theme: Dream High2


RR Send Via Email & Online RR form : 24.05.2012
Reply via Airmail : 15.06.2012
Promotional Items : English Program Schedule + RR format-Letter

drm.org - India Chapter Noticeboard

India Chapter Noticeboard for DRM related News is on Official DRM Website - drm.org

DX-info!-The Radio Explorer! 

Version 6.0 is out!

With Grey Line Map, New Internet Radio - Page and more...

Freeware tool to View and Search in International Radio Frequency Schedules.

Based on AOKI - Shortwave Frequency Schedules (Thanks to AOKI)

Database Last Updated: June 11, 2012  2300 UTC

Go to DX-info! -The Radio Explorer! Download Page

RNW English Service - Closing...

RNW English Service will be closing at the end of June

Dear reader, we're sorry to inform you that the English service of Radio Netherlands Worldwide will be closing at the end of this month. As a result, this website will see some changes.

From 1 July 2012 there will no longer be a daily review of the Dutch papers. Our coverage of Dutch news stories will also cease. And since RNW's English webstream will end on 29 June, there will be no more Listening Guide.

We will continue to serve you, however, on this website, with background articles relating to our new brief: promoting free speech in areas where people are not free to gather information, or to form and express independent opinions.

The measures are a result of steep budget cuts imposed by the Dutch government and a concomitant change in focus. Providing the world with a realistic image of the Netherlands, as we have proudly done since 1947, will no longer be one of our statutory duties.
The last radio show
On 29 June we will broadcast a radio show looking back at the past decades of Radio Netherlands Worldwide. Have you got a memory to share? Please let us know, at the usual address, letters@rnw.nl. We'd love to hear from you.
Updates
Please keep checking this site for updates on our final day. There may be a surprise or two...

The RNW English team

Voice of Turkey - QSL Card

Voice of Turkey - QSL Card

Language : English

Frequency : 15520 KHz

Transmitter : Emirler (500 KW) 

Time : 1630-1725 UTC

Reception Report Send via Email : 05.05.2012

Got QSL Card with Frequency Schedule : 08.06.2012

Local bodies to run community radio stations - Hindustan Times

Local bodies to run community radio stations - Hindustan Times

The central government has decided to encourage local bodies to promote community radio stations and make them an effective tool of communication with the local community.
According to a spokesman, the ministry of urban development has decided to encourage local bodies to promote such radio stations. Every eligible local body would be able to apply to information and broadcasting ministry for a licence to run these radio stations, he added.

He said the community radio stations has the potential to bring a very significant positive social change at the community level by way of carrying programmes of public interest on health, water and sanitation, education and empowerment of women. He further said that it has been decided to permit local bodies to run community radio stations.

The spokesman said the ministry of information and broadcasting has brought out a compendium on community radio stations in India 2012 in association with the Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia.

He said the compendium would provide comprehensive information on the signature programmes of each community radio station and their hours of broadcast.

It could be used as a resource book for tapping the potential of community radio stations effectively to carry socially relevant messages, he added.

With the help of Punjab government, community radio would be promoted via local bodies and an awareness campaign would be launched to create awareness among the municipal bodies and citizens, he added.

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Detailed Frequency schedule

March 25 – October 27, 2012

AFRICA
Time (UTC)	Meter bands	Frequencies (kHz)
17.00-18.00	25, 41	11985, 7285
18.00-19.00	31	9900

ASIA
Time (UTC)	Meter bands	Frequencies (kHz)
07.00-09.00	13	21800
09.00-10.00	13, 19, 31	21800, 15170, 9560
10.00-11.00	19, 25, 31	15170, 11500, 9560
11.00-12.00	25, 31	12065, 12030*, 11500, 9560
12.00-13.00	25, 31	12030*, 11500, 9560, 9445*
13.00-14.00	25	12065
14.00-15.00	25, 41, 61, 240	11840, 11500, 9560, 4975, 1251
15.00-16.00	31, 61, 200, 240	11840, 9560, 4975, 1503, 1251
16.00-17.00	49, 61, 200, 240	6070*, 4975, 1503, 1251
17.00-18.00	61, 240	4975, 1251

AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND
Time (UTC)	Meter bands	Frequencies (kHz)
06.00-10.00	13	21800

MIDDLE EAST
Time (UTC)	Meter bands	Frequencies (kHz)
01.00-03.00	200, 309, 463	1503, 972, 648
03.00-04.00	200, 228, 309, 463	1503, 1314, 972, 648
04.00-05.00	19, 228	15760, 1314
14.00-15.00	61, 240, 463	4975, 1251, 648
12.00-14.00	309	972
14.00-15.00	61, 463	4975, 648
15.00-16.00	19, 61, 200	15640, 4975, 1503
16.00-17.00	25, 41, 61, 200	11985, 7285, 4975, 1503
17.00-18.00	25, 41, 61, 463	11985, 7285, 4975, 648
18.00-19.00	31, 61, 200, 463	9900, 4975, 1503, 648

EUROPE
Time (UTC)	Meter bands	Frequencies (kHz)
04.00-06.00	227	1323
06.00-08.00	25, 227	11830*, 1323
08.00-09.00	25, 31, 227	11830*, 9850*, 1323
09.00-10.00	25, 31	11830*, 9850*
12.00-13.00	31	9850*
13.00-14.00	25, 31	12095*, 9850*
14.00-15.00	25	12095*
16.00-17.00	41	7370*
17.00-18.00	25, 41	12040, 7370*
18.00-19.00	25, 31, 41	12040, 9900, 9880*, 7370*
19.00-21.00	25, 49	12040, 6155*
21.00-22.00	49	6155*

NORTH AMERICA
Time (UTC)	Meter bands	Frequencies (kHz)
22.00-23.00	31	9800
23.00-02.00	31	9800, 9665
02.00-04.00	19	15425
04.00-06.00	22	13775

LATIN AMERICA
Time (UTC)	Meter bands	Frequencies (kHz)
22.00-23.00	31	9800
23.00-02.00	31	9800, 9665
02.00-04.00	31	9665

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