Bulgaria: DX Program May 13, 2011

DX Program May 13, 2011

On the program:
- Reception of distant radio signals in the FM bands and some TV channels
- Radio transmission forecast
- Radio calendar
- Broadcast tips by Rumen Pankov
- DX Mix News by Ivo Ivanov

The spatial parts of FM signals fly into outer space. In certain days of the year, and most often between May 15 and July 15/in northern latitudes/, temporary changes occur in the ionosphere. During these changes, conditions are created for the reception the FM audio signals or TV video signals arriving from countries situated at a distance of 2,000 to 3,500 km from radio listeners. On certain unpredictable days, the density of the ionospheric sub-layer called F2 can become so large that it can reflect ultrashort waves, as well. This does not happen all over the planet, but only in certain regions. This phenomenon occurs only in places where the so-called "electron clouds" are formed. Their high density arises most likely from meteorites, from the interaction between the sun stream and another source of ionization, etc.

This phenomenon has not yet been fully studied by scientists. In the presence of layer F2, it is possible to receive audio and video signals from remote transmitters situated as far as 1500 to 2000 km away. More distant stations, at a distance of 3500 km or more, are likely to be received in the presence of high density in the electron state of another layer of the ionosphere called Es. Es, known as the "sporadic E layer", appears at dawn in the form of an electron cloud with a size of up to several hundred kilometers. Such clouds might appear also immediately after sunset, but they rarely do and are of no interest to radio amateurs.

The only prediction in these cases could be done if on a sunny day, from 7 to 9 am local time, the sky is filled with plenty of tiny cirrus clouds. Radio amateurs call these "DX-clouds". They are a harbinger of better reception during the day on the FM band. As the electron clouds in layers F2 & Es constantly change their places under the influence of the sun and other reasons, radio listeners will receive television and radio signals from different countries and regions around it.

In Bulgaria, the most distant radio stations on FM were observed years ago from the west from the Canary Islands, and from the east last year – from the Republic of Iraq Radio. As to television signals - due to the introduction of digital transmitters, the number of analog transmitters, that are the focus of interest for radio amateurs, has decreased gradually. The most commonly received broadcasts in Bulgaria are those from the Middle East, Jordan, Syria and Iran.

Not all countries have broadcasts of the initial television stations that are within the scope of this discussion. The first western European channel is has video signals on a frequency of 41.25 MHz, while the first eastern channel is on 49.75 MHz. The FM band is the usual - from 87.5 to 108 MHz, with experienced listeners still remembering the range from 65 to 74 MHz used in Russia. For reception on the FM band, only a telescopic antenna can be used, but for TV signals one needs an antenna with a length of the dipole about 1.8 meters.

Radio transmission forecast
Good conditions for propagation of radio waves are expected over the next week. May 13 is the unofficial start of the new FM & TV DX Season.

Radio calendar
On May 13, 1926, a human voice from Berlin was heard on the radio in Rio do Janeiro. On May 14, 1897, Marconi transmitted a radio signal at a distance of 5 km. On the same date in 1940, radio Voice of Israel started its emissions.

Broadcast tips

AUSTRIA: Radio Austria has a small number of short wave broadcasts and on weekdays, it can be heard on 6155 kHz between 0430 and 0615 hours with news in English from 06.09 hours

CUBA: Radio Havana Cuba was heard with a program in English from 02.20 to 04.50 hours on 6000 kHz.

ERITREA: The Eritrean Radio was heard on a new frequency of 7110 kHz at 03.30 hours, and on its usual frequency of 7165, 7175 and 7235 kHz.

KAZAKHSTAN: From a transmitter in Kazakhstan and a studio in Paris, with a the radio station Voice of Orthodox can be heard with a very good signal with a program in Russian from 14.30 hours on 9950 kHz.

SAUDI ARABIA: During this season, the broadcasts of Radio Riyadh and Radio Jeddah in English on 15250 kHz from 10.00 to 12.25 hours are covered by the emissions of other stations. Radio Riyadh can only be heard from 07.47 to 08.00 hrs on 17785 kHz.

UGANDA: The local religious station Radio Dunamis was again heard with a program of Vernacular and English from 18:50 to 19:05 hours on 4750 kHz.

Compiled by: Rumen Pankov

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

Portugal: We start with the summer schedule of RDP Internacional/ Radio Portugal:
-Western Europe via Lisbon 300 kilowatts/ 045 degrees
Monday to Friday:
0500-0755 on 7240
0800-1200 on 12020
1600-1855 on 11905
0645-0800 on 11850 Sines 250 kilowatts/ 055 degrees

Saturday and Sunday:
0700-1355 on 12020
1400-1855 on 11905
1900-1955 on 9820
0830-1000 on 11995 Sines 080 kilowatts/ 052 degrees in DRM mode

-for Sao Tome and Principe, Angola and Mozambique via Lisbon 300 kilowatts/ 144 degrees.

From Monday to Friday:
0500-0655 on 12060
0700-0955 on 15160
1000-1200 on 15180

On Saturday and Sunday
0700-0955 on 15160
1000-1355 on 15180

- to USA and Canada via Lisbon 300 kilowatts / 300 degrees
2300-0200 Monday through Friday at 9715
1400-2000 on Saturday and Sunday at 15560

- to Venezuela via Lisbon 100 kilowatts / 261 degrees
1300-1555 Monday to Friday on 17575

-to Brazil, Cape Verde and Guinea Bissau Lisbon 300 kilowatts / 226 degrees
1300-1900 Monday to Friday on 21655
2300-0200 Tuesday to Saturday on 11940. All broadcasts are in Portuguese.

Italy and Slovakia:
We continue with the summer schedule of NEXUS-IBA IRRS Shortwave transmitter in Rimavska Sobota 150 kilowatts:
-Miraya FM Radio in Arabic and English
0300-0600 and 1400-1700 on 9670 / 150 degrees to East Africa and Sudan

European Gospel Radio / International Public Access Radio in English
0800-0900 Saturday and 0930-1200 Sunday on 9510 /omnidirectional antenna to Europe, the Middle East and North Africa
1800-1900 from Friday to Sunday on 7290 / 60 degrees to Europe and North Africa

UK:
Coming next, the changes made by the BBC:
1400-1500 in Hindi and 1500-1545 in Urdu on a new frequency of 7565 instead of the previous frequency of 7600

As of 1 May, the BBC has resumed its short-wave emissions in Chinese:
2200-2300 on 7325, 9580, 9610, 9855, 11795 and 11980
1300-1530 on 6095, 9605, 11920 and 15285

Russia:
Frequency changes made by the Voice of Russia in French to Africa
1600-2000 on a new frequency of 9900 Yerevan 500 kilowatts / 190 degrees. The changed frequency is 9840, due to strong interference from Radio Liberty in Russian.

Albania: Frequency change made by Radio Tirana in English for North America:
1845-1900 and 2000-2030 on a new frequency of 13735 Shijak 100 kilowatts / 310 degrees. The changed frequency is 13,640, due to strong interference from All India Radio in Arabic and French.

USA:
Finally, frequency changes made by the International Broadcasting Bureau/ IBB:
Voice of America:
0500-0530 in Hausa on a new frequency 7320 Sao Tome 100 kilowatts/ 335 degrees instead of 9600
0700-0730 in Hausa on a new frequency of 17525 Talata250 kW/ 305 degrees instead of on 17 820
1200-1500 in Korean on a new frequency of 13585, the Philippines 250 kilowatts / 330 degrees instead of on 5890
1500-1530 in Hausa on a new frequency of 17525, Talata 250 kilowatts/ 305 degrees instead of on 13 600
1830-1930 in French on a new frequency of 17 530 Sao Tome 100 kilowatts / 138 degrees instead of on 17 560
1930-2030 in French on a new frequency of 17 530 Boner 250 kilowatts/ 90 degrees. The changed frequency is 17560 due to strong interference from Radio Havana Cuba in French and Portuguese

Radio Liberty
1200-1300 in Russian on a new frequency of 17810, Udorn 250 kilowatts / 351 degrees instead of on 13 745.

Compiled by: Ivo Ivanov, Frequency Manager of Radio Bulgaria
English version: Rossitsa Petkova