NEWS and REPORTS
Edited by Tony Rogers
This is an on-going compilation of news and reports for September 2024 to support the various DX Guides.
News items on this page may be further updated if necessary throughout the month.
Updated: 7 September 2024
News and reports that have appeared on this page in the past have been archived in the DX Guides Newsletter
All times mentioned are UTC, unless otherwise stated
News items may be reproduced, but please credit the original contributor (and any other sources mentioned), as well as dxguides.info
MUSIC ON SHORTWAVE Alan Roe has compiled an updated version of his Music on Shortwave guide, which can be found in the DX Library.
SHORTWAVE PROGRAMME GRIDS Alan has also compiled some extremely useful programme grids for BBC WS, VOA and CGTN Radio. The latest versions can be found in the DX Library.
ETHIOPIA Voice of Fano, which broadcasts in Amharic to Ethiopia on 15215 kHz at 1700-1815 on Wednesdays and Saturdays, now appears as a HFCC registration. It confirms that the broadcast is brokered by Radio Miami International (RMI) and is coming from TDF Issoudun in France with 500 kW. However, the latest registration states that the start date for this entry is 220924 (24 September 2024), although it has seemingly been on air since 1 May 2024. The registration also indicates that the days of the broadcasts will be Mondays and Thursdays, rather than the current Wednesdays and Saturdays. There is no entry showing for this in the RMI schedule for A24. One to keep an eye on from 24 September. (Tony Rogers)
KYRGYZSTAN The Kyrgyztelekom shortwave transmitter on 5130 kHz, which often identifies with a standard ID as "Hit Shortwave" at the start and end of the broadcast, began its series of broadcasts for the current month on Monday 2 September 2024. It is usually on air Monday-Friday only between the 1st and 15th days of each month. The transmitter comes on air around 1445 with tones heard up until sign-on at 1455, and sign's-off at varying times up to 1800. The programmes are entirely Christian in content and the first part of each broadcast is usually in Dari or a Central Asian language, with the Radio Sadaye Zindagi programme in Dari often heard in the latter part up to sign-off. A monitoring report is regularly updated showing the behaviour of the transmitter on a month by month basis. (on-going observations by Tony Rogers mostly using the Novosibirsk KiwiSDR, Russia)
MYANMAR Here are some observations of Myanma Radio between 1530-1630 using the Siliguri KiwiSDR in NE India on MW 576 kHz and SW 5985 kHz (5985 is joined by CRI Swahili at 1558 making it difficult to follow the programme content thereafter, and although 567 is weaker, it is clear through to sign-off at 1630): Friday 16 August: 1530-1630 seemed to be entirely in English, although I was listening to the last half-hour through CRI Swahili on 5985; Monday 2 September: 1530-1630 seemed to be entirely in English, although I was again listening to the last half-hour through CRI Swahili on 5985; Friday 6 September: 1530-1630 was entirely in Burmese, including a Buddhist religious service of some sort after 1600; Saturday 7 September: 1530-1630 was entirely in English, with a closing announcement in English at 1629 followed by the National Anthem and off. More checks needed, but there is a full hour of English now on certain days. (Tony Rogers)
UNITED KINGDOM BBC DRM: There is a current registration with the HFCC for a DRM broadcast from the BBC effective from 1 September 2024. It is listed for 0559-0700 in English on 17815 kHz (100 kW) from A'Seela, Oman, to CIRAF zones 48SW,53NW and includes a note stating "DRM_KEN". (Tony Rogers); thanks to Atsuhiko Takezawa who monitored 17815 kHz on 1 September using several online KiwiSDR's. Atsuhiko has not been able to confirm that this service is actually on air yet.
VANUATU Radio Vanuatu has changed its frequency usage again. As of early September 2024 the schedule appears to be: 1830v-1958 on 3945 kHz, 1959-2058 on 7260 kHz, 2059-.... on 9960 kHz, ....-0658 on 7260 kHz and 0659-1100v on 3945 kHz (I'm not sure of the exact time between 2059 and 0658 when there is a switch from 9960 to 7260 kHz). (observations by Tony Rogers using the Brisbane KiwiSDR in Australia)
The Radio Vanuatu Shortwave Report has been updated, with a timeline of events as reported by DXers since January 2022 (and acknowledging in particular those reports posted to the World of Radio IO Group). This is also linked under Vanuatu in the Pacific on Shortwave guide.
VATICAN STATE There is a HFCC registration for Vatican
Radio for a broadcast at 0630-0645 on 15595 kHz from Monday to Saturday, which
is marked "News_French". However, Atsuhiko Talezawa has observed that
the programme is in French from Monday to Friday only, with English being aired on Saturday.
Atsuhiko says that this is confirmed in the Vatican Radio online schedule for
A24 at https://www.vaticannews.va/en/short-waves.html.
It is marked in the schedule as being for listeners in Europe and the Mediterranean. (Atsuhiko Takezawa, Japan)