My DX Archive: January - February 1997

FIRST, a moment of celebration!

WELCOME to the 500th post here on Reporting From The Fox Tower!

Thirteen years have passed since that first post in the autumn of 2005, so I would like to thank all of you who have interacted with this blog since then.

Post 500: My DX Archive: January - February 1997.

Welcome to the first posting of October 2018, on a dry, slightly sunny though blustery day at the foothills of the Fox Tower. This post continues my recent visits to my radio logbooks, bringing you memories of broadcasts of decades gone by. This posting takes us to international broadcasts heard January - February 1997.

Housekeeping notes: Times in UTC (GMT), frequencies in kiloHertz (kHz). Transmission power in watts or kiloWatts (kW). Logs transcribed from the original notes.

January 1997: Short Wave

• 15 January [1997]: 1800 UTC: 5835 kHz: Radio Prague News: BIS - Czech Intelligence Service linked with Parliamentary document, illegal activity. Czech Premier to meet a Cardinal regarding Church funding. Uzbek president in Prague. Reports by Pauline Newman and Peter Casper.
• 22 January: 1935 UTC: c.6200 kHz: Radio Tirana News headlines regarding links between Albania and Germany. Albanian parliament forms a congress for EU. Albanian president sends message to POWs in Yugoslavia and other areas of the world. Albania protects its Country and its rights. Support for protests in Belgrade. Charles, The Price of Wales, Lord Rothschild and Lord Sainsbury visit a city in Albania.

• 22 January: 1935 UTC // 2006 UTC: 7285 kHz: Deutsche Welle 'European Journal' Helmut Kohl's visit to Prague. Child sex tourism. Mark Caldwell in Cologne. Boris Yeltzin in the Kremlin. Tom Whitehouse in Moscow. Bulgaria's new President takes office. George Mclaren-Thompson reports on BSE in Bonn. Advertising on telecommunications in Sweden.
• 22 January: 2030 UTC: 7335 kHz: Radio Bulgaria Strong to moderate reception. 'Cultural Review' via Plovdiv. Cathedral visit.
• 22 January: 2101 UTC: 7415 kHz: Voice of America : 'Africa World Tonight' makes way for 'World Report': President Yeltzin returns to the Kremlin. Students demonstrate in Belgrade. Pamela Taylor reports. English to Africa via Botswana. Serbia admits vote rigging. New Bulgarian president takes office. David Swan reports. Strong to good reception.

February 1997: Short Wave

• 8 February: 1700 - 1733 UTC: 9615 // 9860 kHz: Radio Australia Strong to good reception. News: Meeting in Germany regarding world currency markets. Pakistan's new PM - Sharif - hopes for talks with India. New Caledonia wants independence in 1998. Radio Australia news. Six killed by 24 year old gunman in New Zealand. Five hundred thousand gather in Hong Kong to launch the year of the Ox. Rugby Union: Fiji 29 - New Zealand 19. Afghanistan restore television services.
• 20 February: 1908 UTC: 5930 kHz: Radio Prague Spanish language, 19-1927 UTC, 49m, 100 kW to Europe. Strong reception.
• 20 February: 1920 UTC: 5940 kHz: Voice of Russia 17-22 UTC, 49m, good to moderate reception. 'Commonwealth Update': Peace keeping in the Commonwealth of Independent States, Kazakstan. Russia & NATO - What now? Power stations - Economy of Kazakstan. Armenia. Baltic meeting - Latvia, Lithuania & Estonia.

• 20 February: 1940 UTC: 6055 kHz: Radio Slovakia International 1930 - 20 UTC, English to Western Europe, strong to good reception. Constitution referendum by SDL, petition of 350 000. News & Topical issue: Bolshoi Orchestra with Slovak Conductor visit USA, Bratislava Boys Choir: 15th Anniversary. Philharmonic Orchestra concert in Canada.
• 20 February: 1956 UTC: 6155 kHz: Radio Austria International Reading 'Midnight In Vienna' - a novel with Murray Hall on 'Report From Austria'. English to Europe & Africa. Strong to good reception. Music from Strauss at 1959 UTC. 'Nachrichten' German language programme on the air @ 2002 UTC.
• 20 February: 2022 UTC: 6035 kHz: Voice of America North Korean diplomat tries to smuggle ivory from Zimbabwe. News from Egypt on 'Africa World Tonight'. World Vision famine relief. 16-2230 UTC, 49m to Africa, good to moderate reception. Interference from Rai - Italy. News: Death of Deng Xiao Ping. News from the Kremlin. Changes to UN food and agriculture policies, report from Rome. Disarmament of Iraq, and Afghanistan. Frequency news. 'Sports Journal' with Sonny Young: New Pole Vault world record. Athletics.
• 20 February: 2046 UTC: 6035 kHz: Polish Radio Warsaw News from Poland's Jewish Community. Transmission period: 2030-2125 UTC, 49.71 metres, strong to moderate reception. News: Parliament investigates finances, damage to cemeteries, funds stolen during World War two. Review of Polish press. Headlines: Death of Deng Xiao Ping.
• 20 February: 2108 UTC: 6180 // 6195 kHz: BBC World Service 'World Business Report' Strong to good reception.
• 20 February: 2130 UTC: 7415 kHz: Voice of America 'World Report' transmission: 19-2230 UTC to Africa via Selebi-Phikwe, Botswana. Strong to good reception. Weather forecast: Cloudy, breezy. Stock market forecast. A lady talks of when she first came to America. Live broadcast featuring Muhammad Ali!

• 20 February: 2158 UTC: 9965 kHz: Radio Yerevan, Armenia Strong to good reception, 2130-22 UTC, Postal address: Radio Yerevan, Alek Manukyan Street 5, YEREVAN 75025 REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA.
• 24 February: 1900 UTC: 7415 kHz: Voice Of America 55th Anniversary! News: Madeline Allbright. Deng Xiao Ping's cremation. EU Foreign Ministers meet regarding China & Yasser Arafat. Nairobi College closed. Rwanda. Gunman opened fire in the USA. 'Europe Edition': President Yeltzin, fire breaks out on Mir Space Station. NATO forces attacked in Bosnia Herzigovina. Bosnian Child adopted by British family. Turkish Parliament. Greek-Cypriot communities. Americans buy Yorkshire Electricity. 'Editorial': Voice of America 55th Anniversary.

I hope you have enjoyed this 500th posting on Reporting From The Fox Tower. At 1807 UTC, enjoy your evening and do visit again. Thank you!

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