My DX Archive: Summer 1998

AS we await the arrival of Spring here in the Northern Hemisphere, allow me to bring you Summer - The Summer of 1998, as recorded in my radio listening logbook. The following broadcasts were heard on the Short Wave band of a Hitachi TRK 5854E.
Housekeeping notes: Times in UTC (GMT), frequencies in kiloHertz (kHz). Transmission power in watts or kiloWatts (kW). Logs transcribed from the original notes.

June 1998: Short Wave

• 13 June [1998]: 1232 UTC: 9410 kHz: BBC World Service Strong to good reception. 'A Jolly Good Show' Dave Lee Travis. Music: Tracy Chapman 'Fast Car'. Pop Pal: Brazil.
• 13 June: 1245 UTC: 9805 kHz: Radio France Internationale via Allouis? Strong to good reception. News headlines in English at 1245: Elections in Queensland, Australia. News from Africa: Ethiopia and Cape Town, South Africa. The EU & NATO warn Kosovo. Casper Leighton in Nantes for a France 98 World Cup match: Spain v Nigeria. French lesson. Goal: Spain 1 - Nigeria 0.
• 13 June: 1824 UTC: 5840 kHz: Radio Vlaanderen Internationaal Flemish to Europe via Waverton or Juilich. Strong to good reception. 'Het Dak van de Wereld, 7 op 7' Music, speech.
• 13 June: 1849 UTC: 5850 kHz: Sunrise Radio London via Deutsche Telekom (DTK), Germany. Strong to good reception. Ethnic / Asian music for a European audience.

Hitachi TRK 5854E.

• 13 June: 1852 UTC: 5915 // 6055 kHz: Radio Slovakia English to Western Europe. Strong to good reception. Music.
• 13 June: 19 UTC: 5945 // 6155 kHz: Radio Austria German to Europe. Strong to good reception. 'Osterreich Journale': Kosovo, Jacques Chirac, United States of America. President Milosevic, Macedonia, Yugoslavia. News from Austria. World Cup news. News from Kosovo.
• 13 June: 1925 UTC: 5975 kHz: Radio Colombo International Strong to good reception. English service: Sri Lankan fortress feature. 'Facets of...' with Derek Chocman. European Service of Sri Lankan Broadcasting Corporation. News headlines: Invite from Sri Lankan President to Bangladesh for Summit. Sri Lanka to attend Summer Forum in Paris.
• 13 June: 2004 UTC: 6120 kHz: Radio Finland English news (to North Europe): Nokia advertisement. Marriage of racing driver Mika Hakkinen. Strong to good reception. Weather: Finland and Nordic. Minister in charge of Finland's EU Presidency preparations is on the air.
• 13 June: 2027 UTC: 6195 kHz: BBC World Service to West Europe. Fair to poor reception. 'Newshour' with Julian Marshall. Football discussion regarding Japan v Argentina with regard to Japan & South Korea hosting the 2002 World Cup, why some broadcasters will jam the Japanese games and/or Korean games (presumed to be China).
• 13 June: 2136 UTC: 9670 // 9765 kHz: Deutsche Welle Strong to good reception. 'Mailbag Asia' DJ Bobo 1996 remix of 'Radio Gaga' by Queen. Silver Convention 'Fly Robin Fly'. Letter from a teacher in Pakistan. Thomas and Jackie are the hosts. Music: Sting 'Englishman In New York'.

Deutsche Welle QSL Verification card, June 1998.

• 13 June: 2222 UTC: 17845 kHz: WYFR Family Radio Good reception. 'Mailbag' Doug Brown, Ontario. Henry. Phil Elliot, Dorset, England. Letter from Louisiana, USA. Samuel, Accra, Ghana. Letter dated May 9th.
• 13 June: 2246 UTC: 17750 kHz: Radio Taipei International Strong to good reception. 'Advanced Spoken Chinese' Lesson 15 (fifteen). 'Dealing with a power cut'. Via WYFR, Okeechobee, FL, USA.

July 1998: Short Wave

• 12 July: 1212 UTC: 5955 kHz: Radio Tour de France via Radio Nederland Wereldomroep. Dutch language. Tour Prologue / Stage 1: Time Trial in Dublin, Republic of Ireland.
• 12 July: 1247 UTC: 9525 kHz: Polish Radio Warsaw Fair to good reception. 9525 kHz / 31.50m. Letter from Ireland, letter from Jean Kelly, North Yorkshire, England, who works for Radio Newcastle. Another letter from the north east of England. Reception reports. Language services on air today: German, Russian, Polish. Music to close.
• 12 July: 1257 UTC: 9 MHz: Deutsche Welle German language: Sports news: Tour de France cycling, Tennis. Music. News at 1300 UTC: Drumcree, Tony Blair.
• 12 July: 1301 UTC: 9590 kHz: Radio Norway International Strong reception. English broadcast: News: The Krona has weakened, interest rate rises? Student grants. Tony Blair meets the Norwegian Prime Minister, to discuss North Sea pollution. Japan, Norway's main export market, worries about fish pollution. Weather: North Norway: Sunny. South: Wet.

Schedule for 'Norway Now', 1998.

• 12 July: 1330 UTC: 9590 kHz: Radio Denmark via Radio Norway. Strong reception. News regarding a Minister, report in Danish language. Croatia beat Netherlands in World Cup play-off. World news: Kosovo, Montenegro, Portadown, Hashimoto. New movies from Hollywood: 'Armageddon' and 'Deep Impact'.
• 12 July: 1352 UTC: 9410 kHz: BBC World Service 'Newshour' Report by Judy Swallow, ballet in South Africa. Weather: rain in London "(Rain in Brough)". 1400 UTC: news summary: 3 children die in Northern Ireland. Japan elections. Nelson Mandela. Strong reception.
• 12 July: 1404 UTC: 9535 // 9695 kHz: Radio Japan English news: Japanese elections in Hashimoto: Liberal Democratic Party. Strong to good reception. "Next English update regarding the Japanese elections after 15 UTC" English to 1408 UTC, Japanese broadcast.
• 12 July: 1502 UTC: 11775 kHz: Voice of Russia News in English: Russian Prime Minister to visit Japan. Japanese Prime Minister to resign? Drumcree / Portadown. Kosovo. Palestine, Israel. Libyan sanctions. Korean elections. Weather in Ukraine causes loss of electricity supply. Paul Ilinsky to visit Russia. World Youth Olympics in Moscow. English to Middle East. Strong to good reception.
• 12 July: 1523 UTC: 11690 kHz: Radio Jordan Strong to good reception. English programme: Music: Will Smith 'Gettin' Jiggy With It'. Telephone callers for competition on the air. English to North America & West Europe. Music: Gala 'When Boys Cry'. Ricky Martin 'Un Dos Tres Maria'. Freddie Mercury 'Living On My Own'. 'Listeners' Choice'.
• 12 July: 1637 UTC: 12095 kHz: BBC World Service ' Sunday Sportsworld' Alan Green reviews the World Cup Semi Final, Brazil beat Holland, Ronaldo's goal at the beginning of the second half. Comment from Pele. Strong to good reception. The World Cup Final will be broadcast on BBC World Service tonight from 1855 UTC.

High Adventure Ministries QSL, July 1998.

• 12 July: 1648 UTC: 12125 kHz: High Adventure Ministries Strong to good reception. English transmission from the 'Lighthouse Prophetic All-Nations Radio Ministry', PO Box 2381, Englewood, Colorado, USA. High Adventure Ministries, Hereford.
• 12 July: 1729 UTC: 15410 // 15445 kHz: Voice of America 'Editorial' Peter Arnott of CNN. Time Magazine. 'Music Time In Africa' Rita Rochelle and the Music Man. Pedal Steel music from Nigeria. Frequency & contact details. Interview.
• 12 July: 1818 UTC: 17640 // 17705 kHz: BBC World Service 17640 kHz to Scandinavia, Central & Eastern Europe (including Turkey), Countries of the Former Soviet Union, North Africa (including Canary Islands). 17705 kHz to Middle East and Gulf States, Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asia. 'Newsdesk'.
• 12 July: 1826 UTC: 17895 kHz: Voice of America 'VOA News Now' Music from Brandy & Monica 'The Boy Is Mine', US No1 for 7 weeks. Headlines at 1830 UTC: Japanese elections, Portadown, Russia, The IMF (International Monetary Fund). Serb Police killed in Kosovo. Taliban forces control more of Afghanistan. Death of Korean Commando.
• 12 July: 1856 UTC: 17605 kHz: Radio Netherlands 'Siren Song' James Elroy, fiction writer responsible for 'LA Confidential'. English to Africa. Strong to good reception. Dheera Sujan. Ted Simons 'The Gypsy In Me'.
• 12 July: 1916 UTC: 17735 kHz: HCJB English programme from Ecuador, hosted by Ralph, discussing corn bread, ice tea, on 'Question of the Week'. 'Saludos Amigos' has a letter from Geoff Hayes, Belmont, North Carolina, USA.

QSL Verification, HCJB, Quito, Ecuador, 1998.

August 1998: Short Wave

• 31 August: 0911 UTC: 9410 kHz: BBC World Service Good to strong reception. Rodney Smith 'World Business Report', English to Europe, North & Central Africa via Skelton. 'Record News' with Andrew Macgregor. Classical music.
• 31 August: 0935 UTC: 11760 kHz: BBC World Service 'West Way Access' Good reception. English to Middle East and Gulf, Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asia.
• 31 August: 0953 UTC: 12095 kHz: BBC World Service Good to strong reception. 'Sports Roundup' Football: Ruud Gullit, Ally McCoist, FC Barcelona. English to all areas.
• 31 August: 1003 UTC: 13685 kHz: Swiss Radio International Music: Annie Lennox 'No More 'I Love You's'. Announcement in German language. Strong to good reception. ID. French to Australasia via relay Montsinery GUF. Sport: Belgian Grand Prix.
• 31 August: 1016 UTC: 15485 kHz: BBC World Service English to North Africa including Canary Islands, Scandinavia, Central and East Europe including Turkey, Former Soviet Union, Middle East and Gulf, Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asia. Good reception. 15485 kHz // 15565 kHz, 15575 kHz 'Newsdesk'.
• 31 August: 1023 UTC: 15595 kHz: Vatican Radio Europe 1st Programme: News: Russian politics, North Korean missile in Japan sea. IRA statement. Omagh. Cyprus, Greece, Turkey. Summit in South Africa. Strong to good reception. Also broadcast to Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. 'World News Report'.

Radio Vlaanderen Internationaal QSL Verification card, August 1998.

• 31 August: 1036 UTC: 15595 kHz: Radio Vlaanderen Internationaal 'Brussels Calling' 'Press Review' Fair reception. English to South-East Europe, Middle East.
• 31 August: 1054 UTC: 11640 kHz: Radio Prague Strong reception. English to North West Europe. 'Media Check' Address, telephone. Slovak drinking song regarding rain.

That concludes this visit to my DX archive for the Summer of 1998. To find out more about DXing, click here [Credit goes to the British DX Club for the link].

📻