Bulgaria: DX Program 11.02.2011

DX Program 11.02.2011

On the program: 
- Radio receivers in Bulgaria 
- Radio transmission forecast 
- Radio calendar 
- Broadcast tips 
- DX Mix by Ivo Ivanov 

In the early 20s of 20th c. Bulgaria started importing radio sets from abroad. Due to the political situation in the country the authorities unofficially banned the wireless sets pursuing their owners. 

The first officially registered radio receiver was the French Radiola, dating back to 1924. The first radio act in Bulgaria came into force in 1927 regulating who could possess radio sets. At the end of the same year the number of receivers reached 992, with 44% of them being Philips, Telefunken, Radiola, Blaupunkt, etc in Sofia. 

At the time every receiver was listened to by many people. Bulgarian private persons and companies started using imported parts to manufacture and sell their own radio sets. The prevalence of German technology in the country increased when Bulgaria joined Germany in WW2. A special law forbade the listening of foreign radio stations, with ad hoc committees sealing off the receivers so that only Radio Sofia could be heard on medium wave. 

After the change of political power in 1944 Bulgaria launched a state-organized production of radio receivers equipped with tubes that could be three types: European, American and Soviet. Most Bulgarian receivers had European tubes of the so-called "E" and "U" series. 
Radio sets were in wooden boxes emitting music and pleasant on the ear speech. 

The most popular set was called Hristo Botev, but there were also many other brands in Bulgaria. All of them worked on short, medium and long waves, with the short ones using a 16-49 metre band. The tube receivers had good specifications, with the most successful product being Symphony 10 produced in 1963. For the record, it had better sensibility and sensitivity than the well-known portable radio of 1990 Sony ICF 7600SW, which included integrated circuits, transistors, etc. 
In the years to come the country produced only small-sized radio sets with a small number of tubes. 

The first Bulgarian transistor radio receiver called Progress was manufactured, with which one could hear on medium wave even Radio Luxembourg. Yet, the sales of radio receivers were affected by the import of Soviet higher-generation transistors with a wide range of short-wave bands, such as VEF, Ocean and Selena, which were mostly produced in Latvia. After the emergence of television in Bulgaria in 50s, the number of radio listeners started to decrease. With new technologies entering people's lives through computers and satellites, radio listeners have become even fewer. Nowadays, most radio listeners are people driving cars or spending their time at home with a preference for ultrashort waves. Yet, quite some people use medium, long and short waves, too. At present, the radio sets on the market are only imported. 

Radio transmission forecast 

A coronal mass ejection hit Earth's magnetic field on 4 and 5 February causing polar geomagnetic storms. It seems that in the following days the dissemination of radio waves will be determined by the strength and duration of the wind sun stream. Yet, reception in the planet's middle latitudes will not be hampered, even more so that the biggest sunspot # 1150 is registering low activity. 
We continue with our Radio Calendar! On February 1 it was Radio Shumen, Bulgaria, Radio Nacional de Colombia and Switzerland Radio that started their emissions respectively in 1973, 1940 and 1972. On 9 February 1945 Radio Yugoslavia, which is present-day International Radio Serbia, kicked off. On 10 February Radio Stara Zagora, Bulgaria turned 75! Its first emission was in 1936. Many happy returns of the day! 

BROADCAST TIPS: 

CUBA: Radio Havana Cuba was heard here on January 28th with its broadcast in Spanish from 12.00 to 13.00 h on 15120 and 15360 kHz and in English at 06.30 h on 6050, 6060 and 6150 kHz. Only Radio Belarus was on the announced frequency of 6010 kHz . 

BOTSWANA and SAO TOME: The rarely heard medium-wave transmitters of these countries were heard here at 20:30 h on 26 January as follows: on 909 kHz from Botswana and on 1530 kHz from Sao Tome, short wave on 4930 kHz from Botswana and on 4940 kHz from Sao Tome with the programme of Radio Voice of America. 

BRAZIL: Radio Inkonfidencia from Belo Horizonte, the only Brazilian station in the 19 meter band, was heard on 27 January after 14.30 h on 15190 kHz. After 15:05 h it was received with interference from Radio Africa from Equatorial Guinea. 

RUSSIA: The local Adygeya Radio from Maykop was heard 28 January at 18.00 h starting its emission with the National Anthem of Adygeya Republic on 6005 kHz. On the same frequency were also Radio "700" from Germany and Radio BBC. 

ZAMBIA: Radio Christian Voice with a program called "Focus On Family" was heard on January 28 at 18.45 h on 4965 kHz. 

INDIA: Local news in English was heard at 15:35 h on the following tropical frequencies: 4840, 4880, 4920, 4940, 4950 , 4965 and 5015 kHz , as well as on 9425 и 9470 kHz on 26 January. 

Compiled by Rumen Pankov 


DX MIX  

All hours in Universal Time Coordinated (UTC), all frequencies in kHz. 

USA: The International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) has made the following frequency changes: 

Radio Liberty: 
0400-0500 in Russian, new frequency 7425 Lampertheim 100 kW /55 deg for Russia; previous frequency was 9760 
2000-2100 in Tatar, new frequency 7485 Udorn 250 kW/ 316 deg for Central Asia; previous frequency was 5990. 
2000-2200 in Belarusian, new frequency Biblis 100 kW / 63 deg for Belarus; previous frequency was 7485 
1900-2130 in Persian - Radio Farda, new frequency 9965 Iranawila 250 kW / 332 deg for Western Asia; previous frequency was 9340 

USA: As of 9 February WYFR Family Radio broadcasts a new emission in English 
2000-2100, frequency 9830 Nauen 250 kW / 202 deg for Western Africa 

Turkey: As of 1 February The Voice of Turkey has made the following frequency changes:
1600-1655 in Persian, new frequency 9530 Emerler 500 kW / 105 deg; previous frequency was 9530 
2300-2355 in English, new frequency 5960 Emerler 500 kW/ 310 deg; previous frequency was 7330 


Russia: As of 1 February, The Voice of Russia uses the following additional frequencies: 
0200-0400 in Russian, 0400-0600 in English, frequency 15250 Irkutsk 100 kW / 110 deg for Eastern Asia and 15520 Tchita 500 kW / 194 deg for Southeastern Asia 
0200-0600 in Russian, frequency 11870 Irkutsk 250 kW / 110 deg for Eastern Asia 
0500-0800 in Russian, frequency 9680 Samara 250 kW/ 280 deg for Western Europe 
0600-0800, 1100-1200 in Russian and 0800-1100 in English, frequency 17650 Dushanbe 500 kW / 120 deg for Australia and New Zealand 
0700-1000 in Russian, frequency12010 Novosibirsk 500 kW / 110 deg for Eastern Asia 
0700-1100 in English, frequency 15700 Irkutsk 250 kW / 152 deg for Southeastern Asia 
0800-1500 in Russian, frequency 7200 Sankt Peterburg 200 kW/215 deg for Western Europe 
1000-1600 in Russian, frequency 12025 Samara 250 kW / 117 deg for Central Asia 
1100-1300 in German, frequency 9720 Kaliningrad 100 kW/ 245 deg for Western Europe 
1500-1600 in Turkish, frequency 5975 Sankt Peterburg 200 kW/147 deg for the Middle East

Ukraine: As of 1 February Radio Ukraine International works in short-wave frequencies only 
1500-1800 in Ukrainian, frequency 7435 Kharkov 100 kW / 55 deg for Russia All other emissions have been cancelled. 

Written by: Ivo Ivanov, Frequency Manager of Radio Bulgaria 

 

SOURCE: DX Program 11.02.2011 http://bit.ly/hhlX9w

Yimber Gaviria, Colombia