My DX Archive: Autumn 1997

SEPTEMBER - October - November 1997 is where we are going back to, for these radio recollections. These logs are 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.

September 1997: Short Wave

• 18 September [1997]: 1808 UTC: 5910 kHz: Radio Vlaanderen Internationaal 'Brussels Calling' Colin Clapson 'Belgium Today' Belgian Budget. Wages. Overseas Development Corporation distribute aid. 49m, 163° to South Europe. Franz Vossen 'International Report': Economics. Close of broadcast at 1828 UTC.
• 18 September: 1830 UTC: 5915 kHz: Radio Slovakia International 'Slovakia Today' Slovak President visits Turkey. Slovak Prime Minister meets Slovak Representatives. Slovak Health Minister signs World Health Organisation agreement. Foreign Affairs Minister meets Dutch, Italian and other European Representatives.
• 18 September: 1903 UTC: 6035 kHz: Voice Of America VOA News - Europe Edition. Fighting in Northern Uganda. New York City hosts peace talks for North & South Korea. Report from London - Welsh Referendum. Cardiff will be the home of the assembly, supported by Tony Blair. Scotland voted yes. Ron Davies, Secretary of State for Wales. Conservative party are opposed to devolution. Ian Paisley will not join Northern Ireland peace talks, David Trimble undecided. Counting resumes in Bosnia Election. Strong to fair reception.

Voice of America QSL, September 1997.

• 18 September: 1915 UTC: 7120 kHz: Radio Netherlands 'Newsline' Oslo landmines treaty. Explosion in a Norwegian mine. Mary Robinson holds a press conference in Geneva. Murderers executed in Chechnya. Boris Yeltzin makes a statement. Helmut Kohl (Germany) meets the French President & Prime Minister. Stock Market news. Sterilised women. Weather. Northern Uganda. Egypt. Human rights. English via Madagascar. Good to poor reception. 'Media Network' : 'Digital Impressions' IBC '97 in Amsterdam. English to Africa.
• 20 September: 15 UTC: 6175 kHz: West Coast Radio Ireland Strong reception. Gerard Delaney schedule, Belfast Harp Orchestra with Terence Blackburn 'Down by the Sally Gardens'. Michael Commins meets Eammon Debourca. Music: Foster & Allen, 'The Lonesome Polkas' by Jackie Daley. Gerard Delaney's 'Letter from Ireland': Edward McLicett's Irish Genealogy. Michael Commins talks to Pat Kilburn regarding the 60th anniversary of a disaster in Scotland. Music: Irish National Orchestra. 'Letterbox': USA.
• 27 September: 1215 UTC: 9410 kHz: BBC World Service Strong reception. 'A Jolly Good Show' Dave Lee Travis. 'Pop Pal': Kathleen, Oregon, USA, age 16. Favourite song: Eternal 'Just A Step From Heaven'.
• 27 September: 15 UTC: 6175 kHz: West Coast Radio Ireland Strong reception. Music Special 'Limerick, You're A Lady'. Josef Locke sings 'Galway Bay'. Foster & Allen 'The Rare Old Mountain Dew'. The Dubliners 'Whiskey In The Jar'. All Ireland Football Final: Kerry v Mayo. 'Letter From Ireland': A haunted house. 'Letterbox': France, Saltzburg, Austria, Innsbruck, Austria, Mr Hanson writes from Sweden, Ms Butler writes from Blackheath, London. Letters from Father Gerry French, Glenn Hauser at WWCR, USA! Email: wcri @ claremorris-mayo .ie

October 1997: Short Wave

• 4 October: 1215 UTC: 9410 kHz: BBC World Service Strong reception. 'A Jolly Good Show' Dave Lee Travis. Music by Hanson 'Where's The Love'. Whitney Houston 'Step By Step'. Peter Cetera 'The Glory of Love'. 'Pop Pal' Uganda. Music: Michael Bolton 'Lean On Me'. Stevie Wonder 'I Wish'. R Kelly: 'I Believe I Can Fly'. Skelton transmitting station.
• 10 October: 1912 UTC: 6035 kHz: Voice Of America 'Europe Edition' Anti-landmines campaign wins Nobel peace prize. Chirac hopes all leaders will sign the treaty to ban landmines. Report from Paris. 25th anniversary of 'Bloody Sunday' in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Lockerbie trial: Report from the Hague. VOA English to Africa.

• 10 October: 1934 UTC: 6095 kHz: Polish Radio Warsaw Nazi trial suspect in hospital in France. Italian President resigns. Bosnian elections. Asylum seekers in Russia. New astronaut to join Mir. Taxes. Stock markets. World news summary. Turkey. 49.22m. Poland & The EU. International Refugee Day. Good reception. 'Press Review'.
• 10 October: 1954 UTC: 7250 kHz: Vatican Radio Music: The Beatles 'Money'. Discussion involving parents & teenagers regarding work, money, politics. Ian & Rachel. Message from Pope John Paul II. 'Ask The Abbot' with Abbot Gilbert. 'English to target area MN'.
• 10 October: 2025 UTC: 7325 kHz: BBC World Service to West Europe / North Africa. 'Newshour' Oliver Scott. Strong to good reception.
• 10 October: 2034 UTC: 7375 // 7415 kHz: Voice of America 'Africa World Tonight' VOA Sport: Football news: DC United, Washington DC. Boxing: Lennox Lewis v Ray Mercer, $20 Million.
• 10 October: 2043 UTC: 9410 kHz: BBC World Service 'Newshour'.
• 10 October: 2047 UTC: 9615 kHz: Deutsche Welle 'Spotlight On Sport': Tennis tournaments in the far east, Cologne Marathon. Strong to good reception.

Deutsche Welle QSL, October 1997.

• 10 October: 2057 UTC: 11690 kHz: Radio Canada International News. Fair reception. English to Europe & Africa, Sackville?
• 10 October: 2115 UTC: 12095 kHz: BBC World Service 'World Business Report', 'Britain Today'. Strong to good reception.
• 10 October: 2123 UTC: 11785 // 11865 kHz: Deutsche Welle West Africa // Asia & The Pacific. 'Newslink'. Strong to good reception.
• 10 October: 2133 UTC: 12015 kHz: HCJB, Quito, Ecuador 'Nightsounds': "We should be at peace with ourselves and with God". 25th anniversary of 'Nightsounds'. St Paul's prayer.
• 12 October: 1830 UTC: c.15 MHz: BBC World Service 'A Jolly Good Show' Dave Lee Travis. Elton John 'Candle In The Wind 1997'. a-ha 'Take On Me'. Paul Young 'Come Back & Stay'. 'Pop Pal': Moses C Fernandez, Bruce Hornsby & The Range 'That's Just The Way It Is'. Queen 'Radio Ga Ga'. Email: ws.pop @ bbc.co.uk
• 18 October: 1220 UTC: 9410 kHz: BBC World Service Strong to good reception. 'A Jolly Good Show' Dave Lee Travis. Music: Kiss 'Crazy, Crazy Nights'. 'Dave's Most Wanted' is by Puff Daddy featuring Faith Evans 'I'll Be Missing You'. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers 'I Won't Back Down'. 'Pop Pal': Zambia. Rod Stewart 'Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?'. Celine Dion, 'To Love Again'. Gospel music from Sounds of Blackness.

• 18 October: 15 UTC: 6175 kHz: West Coast Radio Ireland Strong reception. Gerard Delaney with frequency information. Music. Michael Commins meets an RTE Radio Producer. WCRI African Service under threat. Michael Commins spoke to Michael Hambly regarding the internet in Ireland. 'Letter From Ireland' with Gerard Delaney. 'Letterbox': Nathalie Casanose in France, Colin Dixon in Canada, listening on 5910 kHz (North American service). Sister Maureen O'Connor in Africa. African service closes next week. E-mail from Tom Winsor in Plymouth. "The clock has reached the hour, from Michael & Gerry, goodbye". Irish national anthem.

November 1997: Short Wave

• 15 November: 1545 UTC: 6175 kHz: West Coast Radio Ireland Strong to good reception. Gerard Delaney 'Letter From Ireland': Union of Great Britain & Ireland. Michael Commins with 'Letterbox'.
• 15 November: 1930 UTC: 5915 kHz: Radio Slovakia International Music on 'Slovakia Today'. News: Slovakian President visits the Vatican. European discussions. Strong reception. 'Slovak Dailies Front Page Review' Journalists protest against VAT levied on press.
• 15 November: 1950 UTC: 6010 kHz: RTE Radio, Ireland. Coverage of the Belgium v Republic of Ireland World Cup qualification football match. Half time score: Belgium 1 - Rep of Ireland 0. Aggregate score: Belgium 2 - Rep of Ireland 1. Strong to good reception. Ad break, other games tonight: Italy v Russia, England 2 (Scholes, Fowler) - Cameroon 0. Ray Houghton scores in second half: 1-1 (Agg: 2-2). Belgium score: 2-1 (3-2 on aggregate to Belgium). 20 minutes remain.
• 15 November: 2027 UTC: 6195 kHz: BBC World Service 'Newshour' Julian Marshall: Lost children in Rwanda.
• 15 November: 2036 UTC: 7170 kHz: Deutsche Welle Strong reception. 'Weekend' Correspondents in London, Holland, France, Sweden. John Lawrenson at Radio E. // 7285 kHz?

Radio Norway International (NRK) QSL, November 1997.

• 15 November: 23 UTC - 2310 UTC: c.7.5 MHz: Radio Norway International Strong to good reception. Norwegian language broadcast: Football results from the English football league. Listeners request programme.

That concludes this visit to Autumn 1997. Thank you for visiting Reporting From The Fox Tower!

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