My DX Archive: Spring 1996

WELCOME to the first post of September 2018, taking you back to March, April, May 1996, with memories of broadcasts received on the Short Wave band. Housekeeping notes: Times in UTC (GMT), frequencies in kiloHertz (kHz). Transmission power in watts or kiloWatts (kW). Logs transcribed from the original notes.

March 1996: Short Wave

• 3 March [1996]: "lunchtime": 6045 // 7190 kHz: Radio Netherlands 'Sounds Interesting' jokes. Music: ABBA 'Thank You For The Music'.
• 3 March: 1247 UTC: 9590 kHz: Radio Denmark Strong to good reception, 180° Broadcast to Europe via Fredrikstad, 350 kW. English. Culture and arts year in Copenhagen. Music. Female circumcision is illegal in Denmark, though Somalis from Africa carry out the procedure in Denmark. Music. Postal address: P O Box 666, 1506 Copenhagen. Greenland and the Faroe Islands are autonomous lands connected to Denmark, who have withdrawn from the European Union. The next English broadcast will be 7 April 1996, End of the English broadcast from Radio Denmark International.

• 17 March: 1210 UTC: 11715 kHz: Mid West Radio St Patrick's Day broadcast from Mayo, Ireland. Message from President Mary Robinson, peace messages from Gerry Adams and Dick Spring. St Patrick's Day marches in Dublin and Birmingham, UK. News: Irish Lotto: 1 13 20 22. Shootings in Dunblane, Scotland. Rosemary West appeals against murder convictions. Pope John Paul II recovers from illness. Taiwan elections. St Patrick's Day parade in Moscow, Russia. Today's sport: All Ireland Cup Finals: Hurling at 2pm, Football in Kerry at 3:30pm. Next English broadcast at 2:15pm. Sports news: Bord Gais Football. Boxing: Tyson beat Bruno in Round 3. Prince Naseem won in 35 seconds. Football: Rangers v Celtic, Everton v Leeds, Sunderland v Birmingham. Fax: 00 353 907 31066 / 30285. Music at 1221 UTC. Postal address: Mid West Radio, PO Box 1, Mayo, Ireland. Arch Bishop gives St Patrick's Day message.
• 17 March: 1415 UTC: 11715 kHz: Mid West Radio St Patrick's Day broadcast. 10 minute programme in Gaelic language. English at 1428 UTC: Music by Frank MaCaffrey: "Moonlight In Mayo" dedicated to African listeners. Music: "Irish Eyes Are Smiling". Messages: Missionary in Co Wicklow, Letters from London, Perth (Australia), Nigeria, Co Mayo. Request from Botswana. Telephone call from South of Sweden. Reception in Invercargill, New Zealand, including interference from Voice of America which I also noticed! Telephone: 00 353 907 30553. Messages from Africa, England, Tanzania, Amsterdam. St Helena, South Atlantic Ocean, has received this broadcast. Message from Africa. Mid West Radio will be on air to North America at Midnight UTC. "Happy St Patrick's Day".
• 24 March: 1230 UTC: 6045 kHz: Radio Netherlands English: Trailers for 'Research File' and 'Siren Song' with Dheera Soujan. News: Elections in Germany. Turkish Prime Minister wants to discuss territorial issues with Greece. International Red Cross announce the release of 109 prisoners of war. Gerry Adams says Sinn Fein may join the Irish peace elections in May 1996. Shimon Perez says the borders of Israel will remain sealed. Taiwan Prime Minister revokes peace with China. Weather: 4°C, drizzle later. Julie Phillips with 'International World of Sport': Cycling, World figure skating, European football: Milan v Bordeaux, African football. Tennis in Florida. Cross Country in South Africa. Aruba and Dominican Republic allowed to compete in football competitions, say FIFA. 'Wide Angle': War in Afghanistan. 1252 UTC: 'Siren Song' with Dheera Sujan.
• 24 March: 1310 UTC: 6165 kHz: Swiss Radio International English: Today is 'World TB Day'. Report on arms trading and the return of TB. Swiss Parliament news. Robert Brooks reports on 100 years of pharmaceutical manufacturer Roche.
• 24 March: 1418 UTC: 9410 kHz: BBC World Service Dave Lee Travis 'A Jolly Good Show' Music: Leon Russell: 'Delta Lady'. Dave's record from home: 'The Love I Lost'. Music: Eternal: 'Good Thing'. Music: Cream: 'I Feel Free'. Broadcast via Skelton transmitting station, Cumbria, UK. 'Pop Pal' in Uganda.
• 24 March: 1441 UTC: 9555 kHz: Radio Canada International via Skelton transmitting station. 'Mailbag' Letter from Scotland.

• 24 March: 1510 UTC: 9535 kHz: Swiss Radio International Broadcasting to South West Europe.
• 30 March: 1430 UTC: 6155 kHz: Radio Austria International English programme, hosted by David Ward. News headlines with Joanna King: Beef BSE / CJD scare. Music from an Austrian Orchestra, The Austria Quiz, Letters programme at 1440 UTC, hosted by Murray. Letters from England, USA, Northern Ireland, Co Galway, Republic of Ireland, Canada, California. Music break. Letters from Hertfordshire, UK, New South Wales, Australia, Music. 1446 UTC: Letter from Mr Martin Cowin, read on air by Murray Hall. 1450 UTC: Music: A piano medley.

April 1996: Short Wave

• 1 April: 1810 UTC: 6090 kHz: Radio Australia English via Shepparton? Report from The Washington Post indicates a bomb being built in China or Taiwan. Burma Radio reports a meeting welcoming a visit by Mr Kajeel of India. Sri Lanka sells babies to Europe. Heineken brewery taken over by Fosters brewery. British beef cattle slaughtered. Israel close Gaza. North Korea requests food aid. 'Asia Focus' with Barry Clarke: Indian writer in Australia, Vicram Chandra. 'Red Earth'. 'International Report': Exchange rate stands at 29.95 Dollars.
• 1 April: 1836 UTC: 6100 kHz: Radio Yugoslavia English news: Belgrade Medical University report. Landmines laid in homes in Serbia. Delegations from USA & Serbia meet in Slovenia. Press Review: Newsprint from Belgrade and Croatia. Report from the National Governor of the Bank of Yugoslavia. Sports news: Volley Ball. Yugoslav competitors in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
• 1 April: 1908 UTC: 6165 kHz: Swiss Radio International Berne is on the air: Unemployment report. President Yeltzin releases new peace plan for Chechnya, report from Grozny. European conference in Turin. 'NewsNet' headlines: Technology company reports losses. Workers union calls to avoid job losses. Helmut Kohl says Switzerland should join the European Union.
• 1 April: 1956 UTC: 7300 kHz: Radio Netherlands English to East, Central & West Africa via Flevoland transmitters. 'Research File' investigates BSE, FSE, CJD. Anne Blair Gould.

• 1 April: 2025 UTC: 7170 kHz: Deutsche Welle "European Journal" Bosnia joins World Bank. Philippines order new aircraft. Markets: Paris, London, Frankfurt. 'Viewpoint': Bosnians living in Germany. 'Deutsch - Warum Nicht?' (German by radio - Language lessons).
• 1 April: 2054 UTC: 7415 kHz: Voice Of America 'Africa World Tonight' US Presidential campaign. 'World Report': Russian President Boris Yeltzin's plans for peace in Chechnya.
• 1 April: 2110 UTC: 9890 kHz: The Voice of Russia English: CJD in Germany. Yasser Arafat pleads to Arab World leaders to lift blockade. Russia and Germany sign military agreement. 'Focus On Asia & The Pacific': North Korea peace agreement. Resignation of Bangladesh government.
• 27 April: 2130 UTC: c.6090 kHz: Adventist World Radio - The Voice of Hope. Strong to good reception. English. Address: 39 Brendan Street, LONDON W1. Scriptures with Ray Allen.

May 1996: Short Wave

• 2 May: 1143 UTC: 6045 kHz: Radio Netherlands 'Newsline' Relations between Bulgaria & Russia. Bill Schiller reports from a conference in Sweden. Promotional trailer for 'A Good Life'. Radio Netherlands presents the 750th edition of 'Media Network': 'Escape To Las Vegas' hosted by Diana Janssen and Jonathan Marks. Las Vegas Exhibition visited by 92323 people. Messages of support from World Radio Network, Austria, Finnish DX Association, Voice of America 'Communications World' (Kim Andrew Elliot). Timeline from 'DX Juke Box' in 1980.
• 9 May: 1158 UTC: 6045 kHz: Radio Netherlands English 'Media Network' Diana Janssen & Jonathan Marks. Radio Veronica 1395 kHz is in debt. Clandestine radio in Africa. Mike Bird.

• 21 May: 1712 UTC: 5930 kHz: Radio Prague English to Europe, 49m, 100 kW. American tourists in Czech Republic.
• 21 May: 2100 UTC: 15540 kHz: HCJB World Radio Address, Internet, Music. 'Friends of Israel': Terrorism in USA. Bible: Isiah 9:24. Music. Good to moderate reception.

That concludes these memories of tuning the radio during the springtime of 1996. Thank you for visiting Reporting From The Fox Tower!

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