My DX Archive: Winter 1995-96

PAST the mid-point of August 2018, the football season is back and (spoiler alert) today's Premier League matches are underway; Manchester City have recorded a 6-1 victory over Huddersfield Town.
Away from football, the Settle - Carlisle Railway has today hosted Engine number 60103 - The Flying Scotsman - What a pleasure it was to see the engine on the line. I must, when I have a picture available, share here on the blog!

To today's blog post: Taking you back to the Winter of 1995-96, to bring you my logbook of radio broadcasts received during that season. These broadcasts were received on Short Wave radio. To find out more about Short Wave radio, click here. [Editorial note: The link does take you to a broadcaster of gospel / religious programming, though the technical aspects are true to how Short Wave radio works. All the views expressed on the site are those of the broadcaster, the views may not be those shared by this blog.]
Housekeeping notes: Times in UTC (GMT), frequencies in kiloHertz (kHz). Transmission power in watts or kiloWatts (kW). Logs transcribed from the original notes.

December 1995: Short Wave

• 7 December [1995]: 1150 - 1225 UTC: c.5955 kHz: Radio Netherlands Strong to good reception. 'Newsline', 'Media Network' Jonathan Marks and Diana Janssen. Cutbacks at BBC World Service due to a reduction in the 1995 Budget. BBC testing in Slovakia. Jonathan Marks talks to Rich McVicar of HCJB, Quito. HCJB to launch on internet. Mike Bird's propagation report. Next week: Digital short wave.
• 7 December: 1953 UTC: 6155 kHz: Radio Austria International A-1136 VIENNA is closing an international English broadcast with the postal address and internet details. Coming up soon: a German language broadcast.
• 7 December: 2003 UTC: 6165 kHz: Swiss Radio International News: Military meeting between Russia and China. Election results. United Nations to decide future of peace keepers in the African country of Rwanda. London hosts conference for UNHCR to implement the Dayton peace agreement in the former Yugoslavia. English to Europe. Protests in East Timor. Swiss news.
• 7 December: 2025 UTC: 6180 // 6195 kHz: BBC World Service 49mBand to Europe, Middle East and North Africa. 'Newshour' Oliver Scott, Nigeria.
• 31 December: 1620 UTC: 15240 kHz: Channel Africa Strong to moderate reception. Auckland Park, South Africa. 'Short Story': 'The Last Christmas of the War' by Angela Goffey. Music: 'I Believe'. 'Africa Alive' at 1633 UTC, looking forward to the new year 1996. English to West Africa.

January 1996: Short Wave

• 5 January [1996]: 1902 UTC: 5915 kHz: Radio Slovakia International German language broadcast, music and speech.
  
• 5 January: 1912 UTC: 5940 // 5995 kHz: Voice of Russia 'Commonwealth Update' Ukraine weapons. Azerbaijan & Russia make an agreement. Mr Shevardnadze in Abkhazia & Georgia. Malcolm Rifkind features in commentary.
• 5 January: 1930 UTC: 5915 kHz: Radio Slovakia International 'Slovakia Today' News: Border agreement with Czech Republic signed. President's son on fraud charge. New Government priorities for 1996. Slovaks & Danes meet in Copenhagen. 'Back Page News': Public Service interview - Satisfied with Life? Accident: Girl stuck in a washing machine. Search for Mr Slovakia 96: Age 17 to 25. Meteorite on show in Slovakia. 'Slovak Kitchen': Slovakian recipe.
• 5 January: 20 UTC: 5960 kHz: Deutsche Welle English Service News with Geoff Norton: Germany regrets the resignation of a Russian politician. Turkish properties burned in Germany. Telephone charges to rise. Elections in Stuttgart. 'European Journal': Peace in Bosnia. Arms delegation meets in Vienna.
• 5 January: 2155 UTC: 7510 kHz: Monitor Radio via WSHB News with David Brown at PRI (Public Radio International): Government workers get full pay. Financial news. Italian soldiers retaliate in (Somalia) Africa. Israel - Palestine terror. Israel and Syria close peace talks. US involvement in Haiti.
• 7 January: 1308 UTC: 9590 kHz: Radio Norway International 'Norway Now' looking at cold winter weather, new smoking laws. Seizures of illegal narcotics have increased in Norway. Names of asylum seekers to be put on a register. Norwegian man calls off attempt to cross Antarctica.
• 7 January: 1345 UTC: 9590 kHz: Radio Denmark [Danmarks Radio / Radio Danmark]: A walk around Copenhagen including music from sisters from Bulgaria. An interview with Trevor Davies. Postal address: PO 666 1506 COPENHAGEN. Denmark in the EU.

QSL from Denmark, January 1996.

• 28 January: 19 UTC: 12160 kHz: WWCR Nashville TN USA 'World Of Radio': World Radio Network (WRN) satellite service, cut backs at Radio Canada International, Canadian media says RCI has five million listeners, less than other shortwave stations. Details of RCI broadcasts for February [1996]. Television broadcasts on America One via satellite. Broadcasts in Oklahoma, USA. US FM stations closing. I R C A (International Radio Club of America) DX News. Three Alaskan stations are to test in February 1996.

February 1996: Short Wave

• 1 February: 1157 UTC: 6045 kHz: Radio Netherlands Strong to good reception via Juilich, Germany. 'Media Network': French authorities decide to play only French language music in France. A government reshuffle in Canada hopes to divert the closure of Radio Canada International, scheduled for 31 March 1996. Deutsche Welle has closed its relay in Malta. Media fair in Cannes, France, hosted by Radio France Internationale. Music: 'Radio Ga Ga' by Queen. Profile of Radio Monte Carlo and Trans World Radio via Monaco. Mike Bird propagation forecast.
• 3 February: 2015 UTC: 12160 kHz: RTÉ via WWCR Nashville USA - Sports news including English football results: Newcastle United 2 - Sheffield Wednesday 0, Wimbledon 2 - Manchester United 4. Moderate to poor reception.
• 4 February: 1151 UTC: 6045 kHz: Radio Netherlands Strong to good reception. 'Sincerely Yours', letters programme with Mr Jonathan Groubert and Lee Martin. Letter from Norway in praise of the Radio Netherlands medium wave service on 1386 kHz. Pete Myers is on holiday in the Caribbean! 'Sounds Interesting' now on air. Slight reception from BRT / RVI Brussels.
• 4 February: 1902 UTC: 5960 kHz: Radio Norway International Strong to good reception. 'Norway Now' news with Colin Glass, weather report. Norwegian relations with Israel. Reading from a book by a lady.
• 7 February: 1600 UTC: 9615 kHz: Radio Australia Strong to good reception. World news features a plane crash in the Dominican Republic. NATO studying peace in Bosnia. Financial relations between Hong Kong and India. Iran to mediate in Afghanistan. No coup in Thailand says General. Indonesia to buy missiles from France. Taiwan stabilises relations with China. 'Australiana' now on air.

• 24 February: 1437 UTC: 5955 kHz: Radio Netherlands Dutch language sport broadcast to Europe via Flevo, music from Wet Wet Wet.
• 24 February: 1446 UTC: 6155 kHz: Radio Austria International Letter concerning holidays in Austria, letter from Jack. Mike Code writes from London, letter from Georgia Middle School in Atlanta, USA. 'Report From Austria'. Pat Mardy. Guitar music. Eric Clapton: 'Tears In Heaven'.
• 24 February: 1536 UTC: 9410 kHz: BBC World Service Tennis, golf, Alberta Tomba wins skiing. Football: Blackburn 1 - Liverpool 2, Manchester City 1 - Newcastle United 0. Rugby. 'Sportsworld' Who will win the FA Cup in May? Cycling in South Africa, Bloemfontein, Phil Liggett reports. Football: Carlisle United 0 - Oxford United 0, half time.
• 24 February: 1623 UTC: 12095 kHz: BBC World Service Football: Report from Celtic. Live football: Manchester City v Newcastle United, City lead 2-1. Liverpool lead 3-0 away from home. Goal: Faustino Asprilla scores for Newcastle, 2-2 live from Maine Road, Manchester. Final scores: Blackburn 2 - Liverpool 3. Wimbledon 3 - Aston Villa 3. Tottenham Hotspur 1 - Sheffield Wednesday 0. Carlisle United 1 - Oxford United 2.
• 24 February: 1659 UTC: 15205 kHz: Voice of America News at 17 UTC: Murders in Iraq, NATO in Sarajevo for Yugoslav peace process. Russian troops in Chechnya. Protests in Pakistan.
• 24 February: 1836 UTC: 6040 kHz: Voice of America Special English news: King Hussein visits Israel. 'American stories' via Morocco, 250 kW.

• 24 February: 1852 UTC: 6065 kHz: Radio Sweden AIDS prevention drug in Sweden. 'Swedish youth revolution': Study of those aged 16 to 25.
• 24 February: 1904 UTC: 6180 / 6195 kHz: BBC World Service 'From Our Own Correspondent' to Europe.
• 24 February: 1910 UTC: 6055 / 6130 kHz: Voice of Russia News: Ukrainian ships to fly their flag. Balloon flight to North Pole. Sport: Badminton. Headlines: Chechnya. Turkey. Politics. 'Newmarket'. President Yeltzin to stand for election for a second term.
• 24 February: 1936 UTC: 7235 kHz: RAI International Italy. News: Italy to join the European single currency. European employment pact discussed in Rome, headed by Jacques Santer. Pope John Paul II sets limit for Cardinal selectors. Italians enjoy magic, visiting palm readers. 'Weekend' with Judith Harris. Visit to a museum.

...And at this point, we will stop. Thank you for visiting Reporting From The Fox Tower!

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