Wallpapers of the Beach, 27 July 2015

THE SWIFT. Rolling Stone. Amazing combination. Enjoy.

To find out the origins of these images, take a look at the post below. 

Until next time...

Wallpapers of the week, 19 July 2015

ON September 25, 2014, Rolling Stone magazine published issue 1218 and the cover story was The New Life of Taylor Swift. It is to that issue of the magazine that this edition of Wallpapers of the week references. Yes, this edition is Wallpapers - Plural - As you get two this week, both taken from the stunning on location beach photo shoot for the magazine article. Enjoy.

Saturday Shortwave - July 2015

ONE WEEK ago, I spent the evening tuning the upper echelons of the Shortwave band. I was listening from 1900 UTC (GMT) on Saturday 11 July 2015, starting on the frequency of 17790 kHz Shortwave. Times in UTC (GMT); Frequencies in kHz (kiloHertz). Here is what I heard:

• 1909 UTC; 17790 kHz : Okeechobee, Florida is scheduled to be on the air, on this frequency, at this time, broadcasting to Africa. I am not sure if I heard a broadcast, as there was noise. I maybe could hear a voice - Wasn't sure.
• 1922 UTC; 17855 kHz : Music on this frequency in the 16 metreband, female speech. Reception: Moderate. Spanish language, male and female voices, music. Transpired to be Radio Exterior de Espana, Spain, broadcasting to North America via Noblejas, Spain. 200 kW transmission. Possibly the 'Tablero Deportivo' programme.
• 1945 UTC; 17885 kHz : Males in conversation. Reception: Moderate. Female speech, music. This is the BBC, Hausa language to Africa via Ascension Island, 250 kW transmission.

That concludes the Shortwave logs, until next time. To conclude this post, I shall add a couple of pictures, with captions to explain. Enjoy.

107.5 Eden FM is the not-for-profit, voluntary Community radio station for Penrith and the Eden Valley.

October 2014, Eden FM studio 1: Left to right: Martin Cowin (Presenter / Director), Lee Quinn (Chairman), Rory Stewart (MP for Penrith & The Border).

Midsummer Medium Wave logs

FRIDAY 3 July 2015, the evening of, was spent beside the Roberts R881, tuned to the Medium Wave band and here is what I heard. Times in UTC / GMT; Frequencies in kiloHertz (kHz) :

• 1925 UTC; 999 kHz : Rock FM 2, Preston. Music: The Cutting Crew, speech, ad break. Johnny Cash 'Ring of Fire'. James Blunt. Elvis Presley 'Burning Love'. The Style Council, Maroon 5. Presenter: Ray Rose. Transmission: 800 watts via Longton for Preston - Blackpool. Reception: Moderate to poor.
• 1952 UTC; 1008 kHz : Groot Nieuws Radio, Veenendaal, HOL (Holland). Music, English lyrics, female vocalist. 'Groot Nieuws Radio' translates as 'Great News Radio'. Dutch language service. Reception: Moderate to poor.

Sometimes, the Medium Wave band can be chaotic, and at 2012 UTC, on the frequency of 1035 kHz, came so many possibilities. Some of the programming I heard included female speech, male speech, music: Bob Marley 'One Love'. Just some of the broadcasts on the frequency included Lyca Dilse (Crystal Palace, London), BBC Radio Sheffield (BBC Asian Network), Northsound 2 (Aberdeen), WestSound (Ayr). Reception: Moderate to poor.

• 2035 UTC; 1044 kHz : Cadena SER, SER Euskadi, Radio San Sebastian, Spain. Male and female speech. Transmission: 10kW (kiloWatts) via San Sebastian, Spain. Reception: Poor.
• 2044 UTC; 1053 kHz : TalkSport, Droitwich. Ad break: Vodafone. NatWest T20 Cricket. Male hosts speaking of the FIFA Women's Football World Cup, men's FIFA World Cup, Le Tour de France. Newcastle United Football Club recruit Steve Mclaren as head coach. Tweets. Transmission: Up to 500 kW via Droitwich. Reception: Good.
• 2059 UTC; 1071 kHz : TalkSport, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Speech, ID, news headlines. Wimbledon Tennis: Heather Watson (GB) takes Serena Williams (US) to three sets; Williams wins. 1kW via Wrekenton, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Reception: Moderate to poor.
• 2108 UTC; 1089 kHz : TalkSport, Moorside Edge. Speech: Male hosts, films, birthdays. The new head coach of West Ham United is Slaven Bilic. Up to 400 kW via Moorside Edge (North England). Reception: Moderate.
• 2127 UTC; 1107 kHz : AFN Europe, Germany. Speech, ad break, music: Neil Diamond 'Song Sung Blue'. AFN Europe is Armed Forces Network Europe; the American Forces broadcaster in Europe. Transmission via Amberg, Grafenwoehr, Vilseck, Germany.

It could have been the battle of the BBC Locals on 1116 kHz at 2138 UTC, I could hear female speech. Broadcasts listed on the frequency: BBC Radio Derby (1kW) and BBC Radio Guernsey (500 watts), plus whatever else was coming in from Europe at the time.

• 2214 UTC; 1125 kHz : RTBF VivaCite, Wavre, Belgium. Speech - Not BBC Wales.

The battle of the commercials was taking place on 1152 kHz at 2230 UTC. I heard conflicting music tracks from Rose Royce 'Love Don't Live Here Anymore', Whitney Houston, male speech. On this frequency at that time were LBC (London), Clyde (Glasgow), Free (Birmingham), Metro (Newcastle-upon-Tyne), Key (Manchester) and Smooth (Norfolk / Plymouth). I could hear more than one broadcast!

• 2245 UTC; 1161 kHz : Tay 2, Dundee. Music: Crowded House 'Fall At Your Feet', Dionne Warwick? 'All The Love In The World'. Male speech, female speech, ID for Tay 2. Madonna? 'Caught In The Middle'? Reception: Good to moderate. Transmission: 1.4 kW via Greenside Scalp, Dundee. Promo, ad break: Homebase. Midnight news bulletin. ID. Music: Elton John 'Rocket Man', Dexys Midnight Runners 'Geno'. Gerry Rafferty 'Baker Street', Chris Rea 'Auberge / Let's Dance'. Ad break: Motorbikes for sale. George Harrison 'My Sweet Lord'.

At 2325 UTC (GMT), I called it a night.