My AM Archive: October 2015

 AUTUMN 2015 brings these memories of Medium Wave radio broadcasts, heard in the Eden Valley, Cumbria, England.

The previous post in this thread, My AM Archive: August 2015, can be found here.

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

Receiver used: Roberts R881.

October 2015 : Medium Wave

• [Tuesday] 20 October [2015]: 1817 UTC: 531 kHz: Jil FM [Algeria]  Music: Choral singing, speech by female. Music and speech interchanging. French language speech.
  Fair to poor reception.
  Music: The Beatles 'The Long And Winding Road' ['Signal at best level at this point']; Music: Dionne Warwick 'Walk On By'.
  Transmission site: F'Kirina [Algeria] 600 kW.
  Logged to 1840 UTC.

Logo for Kossuth Radio, Budapest, Hungary.

• 20 October: 1848 UTC: 540 kHz: Kossuth Radio [Hungary]  Speech from male and female, ident, continuation of speech. Strong signal from MR1 Kossuth Radio, broadcasting in the Hungarian language, from Hungary. Reception fading.
  Good to poor reception.
  Top of the hour idents.
  MR1 Kossuth Radio via Solt [Hungary] 2 MW (2 MegaWatts!).
  Logged to 1900 UTC.
• 20 October: 1914 UTC: 549 kHz: UR1 Pershiy kanal [Ukraine]  Speech, followed by music: Eiffel 65 'Blue (Da Ba Dee)'. Sports programme? Weaker signal. Male speech.
  Fair reception; 550 kW via Mykolaiv/Luch [Ukraine].
  Logged to 1923 UTC.
• 20 October: 1925 UTC: 549 kHz: Spirit Radio [Ireland]  Pop / rock song, link by female into Spirit Radio ID, segue into next song.
  Good to poor reception; English language via Carrickroe transmission site, Co Donegal. 11 / 25 kW.
  Music at 1934 UTC; Male speech at 1935 UTC. Contact details for Co Wicklow, Republic of Ireland. Programme: Evenings with Olga Kaye.
  Logged to 1945 UTC.
• 20 October: 1951 UTC: 549 kHz: Deutschlandfunk [Germany]  Long piano piece, applause, male speech in German language.
  Fair to poor reception via Thurnau [Germany] 100 kW.
  Programme: 'Jazz Live' Vijay Iyer.
  Logged to 20:02 UTC.
• 20 October: 2034 UTC: 576 kHz: RNE Radio 5 [Spain]  Barely audible, but clear, Spanish, male speech.
  Poor reception via Barcelona [Spain] 100 kW.
  Logged to 2041 UTC.
• 20 October: 2046 UTC: 585 kHz: BBC Radio Scotland  Sport: Interview with Alan Stubbs, speaking about the standard of refereeing in football; Discussion also included fourth officials and linesmen - Sudden interjection by music! Male host then apologises for interruption by music, returning to football discussion, following tonight's match which was Hibernian FC v Falkirk FC. Programme: 'SportSound'.
  Excellent to fair reception; 2 kW via Dumfries, Scotland.
  10pm [UK time] news headlines: Steelworks in Motherwell & Clyde to be mothballed. Sport & weather updates.
  Programme: 'Another Country' with Ricky Ross: Owen Bradley: The Nashville Sound. Country music show, playing Patsy Cline 'Walking After Midnight' followed by 'Night Train To Memphis'.
  Logged to 2100 UTC.

Google Maps image of the Dumfries transmission site.

• 20 October: 21:11 UTC: 603 kHz: BBC Radio 4  'The World Tonight' Report regarding China's [President] Xi Jinping's state visit to the UK, meeting the Royal Family.
  Excellent to good reception; 2 kW via Wrekenton (Newcastle-Upon-Tyne).
  Logged to 2121 UTC.
• 20 October: 2127 UTC: 603 kHz: France Info  Strong, clear speech from France Info! Male speech with regards to Bashar Assad, the leader of war-torn Syria. Speech from female, male, idents and 'stabs'.
  Excellent to fair reception; 300 kW via Tramoyes, Lyon, France.
  Preview of the new 'Star Wars' movie to be released! Football: Champions League football update.
  [Broadcast in French language]
  Logged to 2144 UTC.
• 20 October: 2157 UTC: 621 kHz: RTBF International [Belgium]  Very faint music, very faint speech, female reading frequencies in kiloHertz. Music. Off air at 2200 UTC.
  Fair reception; 300 kW via Wavre, Belgium.
  Logged to 2200 UTC.
• 20 October: 2207 UTC: 630 kHz: BBC Three Counties Radio  Music: Petula Clark 'Downtown'. Male speech, man on telephone. Female speech. Music: The Corrs 'What Can I Do' (Clear audio).
  Poor reception.
  Male speech, female speech, phone call. Music: 'My Boy Lollipop'. Male speech.
  Transmission site: Lewsey Farm, Luton. 200 kW.
  Logged to 2235 UTC.

Thank you for visiting Reporting From The Fox Tower!

📻

My AM Archive: December 2013

 MONDAY, December 9, 2013 was the date of the evening I spent listening to the Medium Wave band at home.

The previous post in this thread, My AM Archive: April 2013, can be found here.

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

December 2013 : Medium Wave

• [Monday] 9 December [2013]: 2016 UTC: 630 kHz: [Tentative] BBC Three Counties or BBC Cornwall  English language, speech between male and female, lost to propagation.
• 9 December: 2022 UTC: 639 kHz: RNE 1  Speech from males and a female.
  Good to fair reception. Spanish language via multiple transmitters.
  Music: Coldplay 'Yellow'. Sports programme or a sports update. Time signal at 2030 UTC.
  Logged to 2030 UTC.
• 9 December: 2033 UTC: 639 kHz: CRo2  Praha (Prague) Czech Republic.  Females in discussion, including telephone caller.
  Good to fair reception, speech in Czech language.
  Speech regarding Nelson Mandela, who passed away Thursday 5 December 2013.
  Logged to 2042 UTC.

BBC Radio York postmark, May 1991.

• 9 December: 2106 UTC: 666 kHz: BBC Radio York  'The unmistakable sound of Queen - Freddie Mercury, John Deacon, Brian May and Roger Taylor' - 'A Kind Of Magic'.
  500 watts, via Fulford (York), carrying the Mark Forrest show - BBC Introducing, stargazing, giving and receiving aid gifts.
  Fair reception.
  Music: Human League 'Don't You Want Me'.
  Logged to 2117 UTC.
• 9 December: 2126 UTC: 675 kHz: Radio Maria  Male speaker in a clear channel.
  Radio Maria, broadcasting from Lopik, The Netherlands, Holland.
  Propagation present. Excellent to fair reception. Dutch language.
  Beautiful music, male and female speech, Church organ plays in background. Music from a Choir.
  Logged to 2140 UTC.
• 9 December: 2146 UTC: 684 kHz: RNE 1  Seville, 600 kW. Nice, steady level of reception.
• 9 December: 2153 UTC: 693 kHz: BBC Radio Five Live  Live football: Swansea City v Hull City 1-1 Full Time at the Liberty Stadium, Swansea. Steve Wilson was the commentator, Steve Claridge was the summeriser, Mark Chapman is the studio presenter.
  Dominant broadcast expected to be Droitwich, Worcestershire, 150 kW, with Stagshaw, Northumberland, 50 kW.
  Cricket: Paul Nixon is the studio guest; Geoffrey Boycott's reaction to England falling 2-0 behind in the Winter Ashes series in Australia, after the first two test matches at the Brisbane Gabba and the Adelaide Oval.
  Excellent - Good - Fair reception.
  Logged to 2209 UTC.
• 9 December: 2225 UTC: 702 kHz: NDR  Flensburg, Germany. Music and speech, overspill from BBC Radio Five Live on 693 kHz.
• 9 December: 2230 UTC: 711 kHz: France Info  French speaking males in interview.
  France Info via Rennes. 300 kW transmission. Excellent to good reception.
  Speech regarding the French President.
  Logged to 2245 UTC.

A nice note from France Info.

• 9 December: 2250 UTC: 720 kHz: BBC Radio 4  News from an American correspondent.
  Not good reception.
• 9 December: 2258 UTC: 738 kHz: RNE 1  Cello music, followed by male speech to the top of the hour (2300 UTC), ID for RNE 1, Barcelona, 500 kW.
  News: Memorial Service for Nelson Mandela.
  Excellent to good reception.
  Logged to 2310 UTC.

Thank you for visiting Reporting From The Fox Tower!

📻

My AM Archive: April 2003

Letter acknowledging reception of BBC Scotland, April - May 2003.

SPRINGTIME 2003 is the source of the following Medium Wave logs, heard 12 April 2003.

The previous post in this thread, My AM Archive: Winter 2002-2003 can be found here.

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

April 2003 : Medium Wave

• 12 April [2003]: 1903 UTC: 585 kHz: BBC Radio Scotland Excellent to good reception. Dumfries transmitter. 'Take The Floor' Programme dedicated to Scottish dancing. 'Diary' feature, send contributions to 'Beechgrove Terrace, Aberdeen' or by email. Music, conversation with guest bands.
• 12 April: 1955 UTC: 585 kHz: RNE 1 Madrid. Good reception. 200 kW transmitter. Football: Barcelona v Deportivo La Coruna.
• 12 April: 2056 UTC: 603 kHz: BBC Radio Four Excellent to good reception. Wrekenton, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 2 kW. 'The Classic Serial'.
• 12 April: 2111 UTC: 612 kHz: RTE Radio 2FM Excellent to good reception. Athlone transmitter, Ireland, 100 kW. '626 Live' John Power. 'Late Night Session' Music: Lisa Lashes. Music: Afterburn 'Summer Sun'. Ad break. Tel: 1850 715 922. Chuck D / Public Enemy. Giles Paterson. Website.
• 12 April: 2200 UTC: 630 kHz: BBC Three Counties Radio Fair to poor reception. Lewsey Farm transmitter, Luton, 0.2 kW. Male host speaking to female listener. Letters. Reviewing 'Clockwork Orange'. Contact: PO Box 3CR, Hastings Street, LUTON LU1 5XL Telephone: 01582 637400 / 01582 441000 "Check our website".
• 12 April: 2243 UTC: 630 kHz: NRK Vigra, Norway. Excellent to good reception. Music: Shania Twain "That Don't Impress Me Much".

That concludes the logs for April 2003.

Letter verifying reception, BBC Three Counties Radio, 12 April 2003, 2200 UTC, 630 kHz.

Thank you for visiting Reporting From The Fox Tower!

📻

Listening to Medium Wave in October.

AN enjoyable evening was spent, on Tuesday 20 October, tuning the medium wave band, beginning at the beginning, on 522 kHz. Here is what I heard that evening. Time in UTC (GMT); Frequencies in kiloHertz (kHz) :

• 1817 UTC, 531 kHz : Jil FM (Algeria), 600 kW via F'Kirina, Algeria. Choral singing, female speech, music. The Beatles - 'The Long And Winding Road'. Moderate to poor reception. To 1840 UTC.
• 1848 UTC, 540 kHz : Kossuth Radio (Hungary), 2 MW via Solt, Hungary. Speech from male and female, ID. Good to poor reception. To 1900 UTC.
• 1914 UTC, 549 kHz : U R 1 Persha Programa (Ukraine), 550 kW via Mykolaiv Luch, Ukraine. Music and speech from the National Radio Company of Ukraine. Moderate reception. To 1923 UTC.
• 1925 UTC, 549 kHz : Spirit Radio (Republic of Ireland), 11 / 25 kW via Carrickroe, Co Donegal, Ireland. Music, female speech including a 'Spirit Radio' ID. 'Spirit Radio, Passion For Life' ID. Evenings with Olga Kaye, 2000 UTC news and sport. Logged to 1945 UTC. Fair to poor reception.
• 1951 UTC, 549 kHz : Deutschlandfunk (Germany), 100 kW via Nordkirchen / Thurnau, Germany. Piano concerto. Male speech. Moderate to poor reception. To 2002 UTC.
• 2034 UTC, 576 kHz : RNE Radio 5 (Spain), 100 kW via Barcelona, Spain. Clear, male, Spanish speech. Poor reception. To 2041 UTC.
• 2046 UTC, 585 kHz : BBC Radio Scotland (UK), 2 kW via Dumfries, Scotland. 'Sportsound' Falkirk v Hibernian. Interview with Alan Stubbs. 2100 UTC news headlines: Motherwell & Clyde steelworks to be mothballed. Sport and weather. 'Another Country with Ricky Ross' : Owen Bradley: The Nashville Sound (Country music programme). Music: Patsy Cline 'Walking After Midnight'. 'Night Train To Memphis'. Logged to 2100 UTC. Strong to Moderate reception.
• 2111 UTC, 603 kHz : BBC Radio 4 (UK), 2 kW via Wrekenton, Newcastle - Upon - Tyne. 'The World Tonight' China's Xi Jinping's state visit to the UK, meeting the Royal Family. Strong, fair reception. To 2121 UTC.
• 2127 UTC, 603 kHz : France Info (France), 300 kW via Tramoyes, Lyon, France. Strong, clear speech, male speech regarding Bashar Assad, leader of wartorn Syria. Strong to moderate reception. Preview of the new Star Wars movie to be released. Champions League football update. To 2144 UTC.
• 2157 UTC, 621 kHz : RTBF (Belgium), 300 kW via Wavre, Belgium. Music, speech, female speech 'Bon soir', reads frequencies in kiloHertz. Music. Off air at 2202 UTC. Fair reception.
• 2207 UTC, 630 kHz : BBC Three Counties Radio (UK), 200 watts via Lewsey Farm, Luton. Music: Petula Clark 'Downtown'. Male speech, telephone callers. Music: The Corrs 'What Can I Do'. Music: 'My Boy Lollipop'. Poor reception. To 2235 UTC.

That's the October log complete.