TRANSCRIPT DX EXTRA No.26 25/04/15

From Hobart, Tasmania, Australia - welcome to the DX Extra. It’s a show about the shortwave hobby featuring news, reviews, pirate radio, utilities or number stations. We are the extra thing you need to digest your shortwave news. Just a reminder our email address is hriradio@gmail.com and we are on facebook at facebook.com/dxextra

It’s great to now be partnering up with Channel 292 on 6070kHz Saturdays at 15HRS UTC.

In show 26 this fortnight:

• Radio Yugoslavia protest and cessation July 1st
• Radio France International strikes; back on air
• Norway to end domestic radio
• Amateur Radio: International Marconi Day (IMD)
• Pirate News, logs and recordings
• Audio Archive: Radio Tirana (Albania)

“More than 70 employees of Radio Yugoslavia – International Radio Serbia have held a peaceful protest in front of the Serbian Government building due to the announced disbanding of this media house that has been working for 79 years and broadcasting in 12 languages. The representatives of the employees have asked for the reception and submitted a letter addressed at Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, which points to the detrimental effects of shutting down this type of media to the interests of the Republic of Serbia, as well as stressing the unfortunate situation for the employees who will lose their jobs, and without severance pays. If no reaction is shown from the government or the line ministry, another protest is scheduled for the next week.

The media strategy and the new law on public information envisage the withdrawal of the state from the ownership in the media and their direct financing. Contrary to the earlier announcements, no option of transformation or rationalization has been offered to Radio Yugoslavia, even though the law identifies the public interest of informing the world public about the events in Serbia. The protest was covered by numerous other media.

Director of the International Radio Serbia Milorad Vujovic has assessed it is intolerable to shutdown on July 1 the only state service for informing the international public about the events in Serbia in 11 world languages, as it has been going on for 79 years. “This kind of autistic behavior is unacceptable, because there is the possibility within the public service, and in line with the Law on public media services, to let our radio keep doing its job,” Vujovic told the press. According to him, putting out the only shortwave radio station in the country, whose programs are heard worldwide, would represent a great loss to the promotion of Serbia and hence leaving a gap in the information of the world public and Serbian Diaspora. Vujovic has pointed that opposite trends are noted in the region, and everybody strives to attain the greatest possible impact on the public opinion in the world, and he adds that 20 countries of the EU also have this kind of world service. The director of the International Radio Serbia has stated it is still uncertain what will happen to the employees, but there is trepidation that all 96 of them will be rendered jobless, without any severance pay or compensation. “There is no possibility for the privatization of this type of media, even though some forms of public-private partnerships are available, but at the moment it is not offered as an option,” Vujovic explained.

The workers of Radio Yugoslavia were holding banners with messages such as “Keep hearing the Voice of Serbia around the world”, “Where we cannot be heard – it must be the end of the world” etc. The protest was covered by the representatives of numerous media.” Via International Radio Serbia 

Last week things weren’t looking good for RFI, on April 14th; “This is the longest strike in a decade at France’s public radio broadcaster. Radio France entered on Tuesday its 27th day of the strike.

It’s been almost one month that the public national news stations have been paralysed - playing music - and the strike shows no sign of ending after three days of talks with a mediator failed to defuse a standoff over cost cuts.

French Culture Minister Fleur Pellerin even made last night a surprise entry at a meeting with the unions but gave a cold shoulder to Radio France chief Mathieu Galet, who has become very unpopular since press revelations last month that renovation work in his office cost 100,000 euros.

The strike stems from concerns over job losses and service reductions aimed to target a budget deficit expected to reach 21 million euros in 2015.

Radio France chief Mathieu Gallet has warned the group could run out of money within months if no measures are taken while unions have denounced a total of 87 million euros in cuts to grants over the last three years.

Gallet has targeted 50 million euros in savings over the next three years and proposed cutting 200 to 300 jobs through voluntary redundancies.”  Via RFI English

Since then reports have surfaced that Radio France is back on the air and they have a schedule via the Bulgarian DX blog that shows a large schedule with transmissions mostly in French and only one transmission in English. 

Audio: music to break, promo.

16th April 2015;  “Thursday, the Ministry of Culture announced a national FM-switch off, to complete the transition to digital radio. Norway is making an historical move into a new radio era, being the first country in the world to decide upon an analogue switch-off for all major radio channels. With DAB and digital radio, listeners will be provided with more radio channels and greater diversity in content.

Thor Gjermund Eriksen, head of NRK, says:

This is an important day for everyone who loves radio. The minister`s decision allows us to concentrate our resources even more upon what is most important, namely to create high quality and diverse radio-content to our listeners.

The DAB-coverage in Norway now exceeds FM-coverage. DAB provides Norway with 22 national channels, as opposed to five channels transmitting nationwide on FM.

Switch-off begins 11th January 2017

The decision gives Norwegians a final date for the transition to digital radio, a process persisting for several years. Trygve Rønningen , CEO and editor in chief, says:

- We can finally complete the work that has been on-going for many years. This is the best solution for all listeners throughout Norway, as they now have a better radio.

Switch-off starts in Nordland county 11th January 2017 and ends with the northernmost counties Troms and Finnmark 13.12 2017. Via Radio.no

I wonder what they’ll use the old FM bandwidth for now?

News from the Cornish Amateur Radio Club in England indicates that preparations are well underway for the 2015 International Marconi Day to be held on Saturday April 25 between 0000 and 2359 hours UTC.

International Marconi Day (IMD) is a 24-hour amateur radio event held annually to celebrate the birth of Guglielmo Marconi on the 25th April 1874. The IMD event is not a contest: it is an opportunity for amateurs around the world to make point-to-point contact with historic Marconi sites using HF communications techniques similar to those used by Marconi. Communications techniques have changed significantly since the days of Marconi’s first experiments, and today the Internet has become the most widely used of all communications media.   However, the spirit of IMD remains basically that of making point-to-point contact between two stations using only the HF bands. The organising Committee of IMD has therefore decided that the use of the Internet to communicate between stations e.g. using the Internet Relay Linking Project (IRLP) or Echolink will not count towards the Award.

The Cornish Radio Amateur Club offers two special Award Certificates for working authorised International Marconi Day  Award Stations: one is for Transmitting Stations and the other for Short Wave Listeners.

Period of Operation on 25th April 2015: 0000 UTC  to 2359 UTC

Qualifying Bands: All bands from 160 Metres to 10 Metres plus 500 KHz (Note: Contacts on 6 Metres and above will not count towards the Award)

Modes:  CW,  SSB, FM, AM and available Digital Modes

Via the Mount Everlyn DX Blog

Audio: music to break, promo.

CONTENT ONLY IF TIME PERMITS: “Radio Six International

Shortwave transmissions will return for an experiment next weekend. From transmitters in Sweden, and on a couple of frequencies in different bands, we offer an afternoon of programming from 14:00 to 16:00 GMT on Saturday, 25th April, aimed at listeners in Europe. (3 – 5pm UK time, 4 – 6pm Europe).

Programme details on the April issue of Radio News. Hear us in the UK, Ireland and most of Western Europe on 9,405kHz (31.87m); and Scandinavia and Northern Europe on 3,975kHz (75.47m).” Via SWLing.com

Audio: [Pirate Theme]

Yes it is that time again to look at pirate news and logs:

“An illegal pirate radio station allegedly operating out of a home in Linden has been shut down by city police.

The antenna atop a Linden home believed to be broadcasting illegally.

Authorities pulled the plug on the station, after being contacted by Townsquare Media’s NJ 101.5 FM radio station on Monday. Officials from the station filed a complaint indicating that another station, broadcasting at 101.3 FM, was operating illegally. Their transmission was “making listening virtually impossible in Linden, New Jersey and the surrounding area,” Brand Manager Eric Johnson wrote in a letter to Linden Police Chief James Schulhafer.

“The pirate is causing interference on our frequency from Colonia NJ north to Elizabeth, and from east to west from Cartaret to Westfield,” Johnson told the police chief.

According to Johnson, interference from the pirate station led to numerous complaints from listeners of NJ 101.5 who were having trouble tuning in to hear the news, weather, traffic and current topics being discussed. The station conducted an initial investigation of it’s own and discovered that the transmission was likely coming from a home located at 406 East Baltimore Ave. in Linden. Station officials sent pictures of the home, with what appeared to be a very strong antenna on the roof. The pirate was broadcasting Haitian talk and music.

“Under the ordinances, the unidentified station operators would not be allowed to run a business in a residential area. The antenna, more than 20 feet high, also qualified as an illegal structure on the roof,” NJ Advance Media reported, adding that “police notified the homeowner of the complaint and said that summonses and fines would follow if the antenna stayed up and the station continued operating.”” Via New Jersey 101.5

Here are the Europirate logs for the last weekend and this week:

Saturday April 18th:

4026-6.05 Laser Hot Hits Playing Dance Music. Weak Signal Sinpo 33322

6285-16.45 Radio Telestar With Music From Dire Straits, The Proclaimers And The Human League. Good Signal Sinpo 44344

6325-17.00 Radio Joey Dutch Music And Lipps Inc" funky town". Fair Signal Sinpo 43333

6305-17.20 Radio Tower Dutch Music And Oldies Including Bonnie Tyler" lost in france" And David Dundas" jeans on". Strong Signal Sinpo 54444

6290-19.04 Misti Radio( tent) Rockabilly Music. Closed Down A Few Minutes Later. Weak Signal Sinpo 33322

3905-19.20 Skyline Radio International Pop And Rock Music Including John Foggarty" old man down the river". Good Signal Sinpo 43444

6380-19.30 Radio Ronalisa Oldies And Dutch Music Including Fleetwood Mac" go your own way" And Abba" dancing queen". Also Id Jingle. Fair Signal, Odd Fading Sinpo 34333

6260-19.40 Mustang Radio Music From  Whitesnake  Sweet And Pink. Strong Signal Sinpo 54444

6910-20.02 Premier Radio Music from The Foundations,  Tommy James & The Shondells, Jackson 5 And Mungo Jerry. Good Signal Sinpo 43444

6325-20.20 Radio Zwarte Panther Playing Polka And Dutch Music. Good Signal Sinpo 44344

6295-20.30 TRX Radio Playing Country Music> Strong Signal Sinpo 54444

6382-20.40 Radio Black Bandit Playing Dutch Music. Strong Signal Sinpo 54444

7540-22.45 Radio Latino Oldies Including The Love Affair" everylasting Affair". Fair Signal, Occasional Fading Sinpo 34333.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

4026-5.30 Laser Hot Hits Music From Mark Robson/ Amy Winehouse, Patrick Hernandez And Status Quo. Strong Signal Sinpo 54444


6205-6.30 Radio King Shortwave Soft Rock. Weak To Fair Signal Sinpo 33333

6300-6.50 Radio Quintus Playing Dutch Music. Strong Signal Sinpo 54444

6245-7.43 Radio Ac/ Dc With Music From Blue Oyster Cult" don't fear the reaper" And Van Morrison" Brown eyed girl" Fair Signal With Some Fading Sinpo 43323

6280-8.05 Geronimo SW Dave Simpson With Music From Ian Durey, Screaming Lord Scotch And Guess Who. Very Strong Signal Sinpo 55444. Also On 9300 No Reception Here

7580-8.30 Radio Thunderbird Kiss" I was made to love you" And The Troggs" wild thing" Weak Signal With Some Fair Peaks Sinpo 33333

6290-8.48 Radio Scotland International Music From Daniel Boone" beautiful sunday" And Blonde" atomic" Strong Signal Sinpo 54444

6210-9.00 Radio Merlin International Playing Dance Music. Good Signal Sinpo 44344

6280-18.02 Geronimo Shortwave Dave Simpson With Music From Dave Edmonds And David Bowie. Strong Signal Sinpo 54444

6803-18.10 Radio Pink Panther Music From Fern Kenny" together we are beautiful" And Eddy Grant" i don't wanna dance". Fair Signal Sinpo 34333

13800-18.30 Radio Spaceshuttle With Music From Bettie Davis And Bonnie Tyler. Suffering From Severe Splash From 13794 Sinpo 42332

6400-19.00 Unid Playing Dutch Music. Weak To Fair Signal Sinpo 33233.Maybe A Relay Of A Dutch FM Pirate.

6305-19.10 Radio Underground Music From Hawkwind, Barclay James Harvest And St. Etienne. Also Talking About Pirate Stations Heard Today On SW. Strong Signal Sinpo 54444

6326-19.40 Radio Caroline Playing Pop Music And Id Jingles. Weak To Fair Signal Sinpo 33233

6295-20.10 Radio Blauwe Panther Playing Dutch and Polka Music. Good Signal Sinpo 43444

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

6285(usb)-20.10 Unid With Music From Howard Jones" new life". Fair Signal Sinpo 34333

6285(lsb)-20.18 Unid Maybe Same Station That Was On 6285 in Usb Mode. Rap Song And Then Depeche Mode Song. Sinpo 34333

5900-20.28 Radio Barraqda Elvis Presley Songs" the wonder of you", " american trilogy" And " i just can't believing" Sinpo 44333

6205-20.50 Shortwave Gold Disco And Soul Oldies. Fair Signal Sinpo 43333

4026-21.20 Laser Hot Hits Celebrating 25 Years On Air. Ian Lawrence  With Music From April 1990 Including Jimmy Somerville. Good Signal Sinpo 43444

Logs via Irish Paul’s radioblog

Looking over to North America:

XLR8 6950 USB 0057 UTC APRIL 22, 2015

Liquid Radio 6925 AM *0005 UTC 21Apr15

KCPR 6950 AM 0226 UTC Apr. 20, 2015

Channel Z 6956 AM 2324 UTC 19 Apr 2015

Logs via HF underground forum.

Audio: [music to break up - flow into]

DX Extra is being relayed via the following affiliate stations: World FM 88.2FM in Tawa, near Wellington in New Zealand, on shortwave via Channel 292 on 6070kHz, Radio Miami International on 9955kHz, on Premiere Radio, Radio Spaceshuttle, Cupid Radio, Focus International and Magic 6205 Europe.

Audio: [promo]

Before we go it's time to get an audio clip out of the archives. This is a shortwave recording of Radio Tirana from Albania on 7160 02h30UTC 9th December 2001 via archive.org

Until next time remember shortwave radio is still full of mysteries – keep tuning and keep reporting. Take care and stay safe!