Bulgaria: DX Program February 25, 2011 January 28, 2011

DX Program February 25, 2011 January 28, 2011

The figure below present HF radio blackout induced by solar flare and monitored by the Culgoora observatory of IPS.

DX Program  

In this edition, we take a look into: 
- The influence of the solar activity on radio broadcasting 
- Radio transmission forecast 
- Radio calendar 
- Broadcast tips by Rumen Pankov 
- DX Mix by Ivo Ivanov 

In recent weeks, an increased solar activity has been recorded. It is one of the main factors influencing the propagation of radio waves. Usually, the reception of radio waves on the Earth is deteriorated during low solar activity, solar flares, dense solar wind and other processes associated with the Sun. This is a consequence of the disruption of the normal state of the Earth's magnetic field. 
One of the causes of increased solar activity are sunspots. Sunspots form in areas where temperatures drop as low as 4000 ºC and thus, being darker, they contrast against the background of the solar corona. Although sunspots are numerous, only few of them concentrate tremendous amounts of energy that changes their magnetic field. Perhaps the recovery of such modified magnetic field causes an explosion on the solar surface called a solar flare, a process in which a huge amount of plasma is released onto the sun's surface. This process can also occur at sections with no visible spots, but with existing distortions in the magnetic equilibrium of the solar corona. With booth types of solar flares, the most important consequence is whether the released plasma is directed to the Earth. Plasma, which is a combination of different particles, travels the distance from the Sun to the Earth in about 30 to 60 hours, and reaching the Earth's atmosphere, it causes changes in the planet's magnetic field. Often this causes a magnetic storm, which adversely affects every living organism in nature as well as the quality of radio waves propagation. This means that almost all radio station disappear from the air for several hours. In medium latitudes, this is most often observed between 9 and 14 hours local time for the frequencies from 3 to 13 MHz, being clearly noticeable in the ranges of 25 to 60 meters in short wave propagation. 

The phenomenon is known under the name of radio blackout or Moegel-Dillinger Effect. In Sofia, it has been observed dozens of times at the beginning of this century, for example, on March 31, 2001, and on March 31, 2002, when no radio station could be received in the short wave bands of 31, 41 and 49 meters between 9 and 14 hours local time. Unfortunately, these solar flares can be predicted by long-term forecasts despite the system of state-of-the-art satellites and telescopes monitoring the solar activity 24/7. At best, the occurrence of a solar flare can be predicted only 24 hours earlier. Listeners can follow the specialized news bulletins on solar activity and use this information to foresee the quality of radio propagation in the coming days. The knowledge of these phenomena could help listeners better understand the reasons for deteriorated radio reception of low frequency short wave broadcasts. 

Radio transmission forecast: 
The conditions of short-wave radio reception in the next seven days will be determined by the sun spots number 1161 and 1162 that are emerging out of the limb of the Sun, which are dangerous for us because of the possible M-class solar flares. Probably the favorable conditions for radio reception in the short-wave 13 to 19 meters band will continue. 

Next it is our regular radio calendar: 
By the end of February, the important dates in our radio calendar: February 24, 1942, was the first transmission of radio Voice of America; 
On February 25, Radio Thailand turns 80, 
and on February 28,1948, was the first broadcast of the first DX program in the world, that of Radio Sweden. On the same date in 1949, Germany started transmitting from the first ultra short wave transmitter (FM) in Europe from the city of Munich. 


BROADCAST TIPS by Rumen Pankov: 

KOREA: From the Republic of Korea to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the radio station Voice Of The People broadcasts and was heard on February 16 at 18.30 hours on 3480, 4450, 3912, 6518 and 6600 kHz. 

PAKISTAN: Radio Pakistan on February 16 had news in Urdu at 09.00 hours and new in English at 09.05 hours and the identification "This is radio Pakistan External Service" on 15100 and 17700 kHz . 

KYRGYZSTAN: The Kyrgyz National Radio was received on 4010 and 4795 kHz at 01.15 hours with news in Kyrgyz and some Russian. After 00.00 and after 15.00 hours from a transmitter in Bishkek on 4050 kHz there are regular broadcasts of Radio Rossii. 

ANGOLA: The rarely received Radio Nacional was heard on February 17 with songs and identification in Portuguese and in Vernacular at 20.30 hours on 4950 kHz . 

SOUTH AFRICA: The weekly program of the South African Short Wave League in English was heard at 20.03 hours on 3215 kHz AM and 7082 kHz USB. The program is broadcast on Monday and is a repeat of the Sunday program broadcast at 08.00 hours on 17860, 7205 and 7082 kHz. 

ZIMBABWE: Radio Zimbabwe was again heard with news at 20.00 on 4828 kHz, but could not be heard with its other program on 3396 kHz 


DX MIX by Ivo Ivanov 

All times are given in Universal Time Coordinated (UTC), all frequencies in kilohertz (kHz). 

UK: In today's edition of DX mix, we will introduce you to the second part of the winter schedule of stations which use for their emissions transmitters of BABCOCK: 

Radio Japan NHK World: 
0500-0530 on 5975 kHz Rampisham 500 kW/140 degrees to West Europe in English 
1700-1900 on 9575 kHz Al-Dhabbaya 250 kW/285 degrees to North African in Japanese 
0400-0430 on 6035 kHz Yerevan 100 kW/222 degrees to the Near East in Arabic 
1500-1700 on 12045 kHz Kranji 250 kW/315 degrees to West Asia in Japanese 

- to South Asia 
0500-0530 in English on 15205 kHz and 1300-1345 in Bengali on 9720 kHz Tashkent 100 kW /131 degrees 
1000-1030 in English on 11780 kHz and 1345-1430 in Hindi on 9720 kHz Tashkent 100 kW/163 degrees 
1430-1515 in Urdu on 6200 kHz Tashkent 100 kW/170 degrees 

- to Southeast Asia 
0200-0300 in Japanese on 11860 kHz Kranji 250 kW/340 degrees 
0800-1000 in Japanese; 1130-1200 in Thai; 1230-1330 in Vietnamese and Chinese on 11740 kHz Kranji 250 kW/0 degrees 
0945-1030 in Indonesian on 6140 kHz Kranji 250 kW/140 degrees 
1030-1100 and 1430-1500 in Burmese on 11740 kHz Kranji 250 kW/330 degrees 

- to Brazil 
0230-0300 and 0930-1000 in Portuguese on 6145 kHz Santiago 100 kW/60 degrees 

Bar-Kulan Radio in Somali to East Africa: 
0500-0600 on 15750 kHz Al-Dhabbaya 250 kW/225 degrees 
1600-1700 on 9960 kHz Meyerton 500 kW /20 degrees 

BBC World Service in English in DRM mode: 
0500-0800 on 3955 kHz Skelton 100 kW/121 degrees to West Europe 
0700-0800 on 5875 kHz Moosbrunn 040 kW/300 degrees to West Europe 
0800-0900 on 5875 kHz Wooferton 100 kW/114 degrees to West Europe 
1400-1600 on 5845 kHz Nakhon 100 kW/290 degrees to South Asia 
1400-1600 on 13590 kHz Trincomalee 090 kW/5 degrees to South Asia 

The Voice of Croatia in Croatian and English: 
0700-1100 on 17860 kHz Kranji 100 kW /135 degrees to Australia and New Zealand 

KBS World Radio to West Europe: 
0700-0800 on 6045 kHz Skelton 300 kW /110 degrees in Korean 
1100-1130 on 9760 kHz Wooferton 100 kW /105 degrees in English in DRM mode 
2000-2100 in German and 2200-2230 in English on 3955 kHz Skelton 250 kW/106 degrees 
2100-2200 on 3955 kHz Skelton 250 kW /175 degrees in French 
1800-1900 on 7235 kHz Rampisham 250 kW /62 degrees to Russia in Russian 

IRIN Radio / Integrated Regional Information Network in Somali: 
0830-0930 on 17680 kHz Al-Dhabbaya 250 kW /225 degrees to East Africa 


Автор: Иво Иванов, Frequency Manager of Radio Bulgaria 

SOURCE: DX Program February 25, 2011 January 28, 2011 http://bit.ly/eVvYMp
 

Yimber Gaviria, Colombia