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].

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My DX Archive: Spring 1998

WELCOME to the first post of 2019, taking a trip back twenty-one years to Spring 1998, for my radio logs of the time. These broadcasts were heard on the Short Wave band, by a method known as 'DXing'. For an introduction to DXing, please click here [Credit goes to the British DX Club for the link].
Housekeeping notes: Times in UTC (GMT), frequencies in kiloHertz (kHz). Transmission power in watts or kiloWatts (kW). Logs transcribed from the original notes.

March 1998: Short Wave

• 11 March [1998]: 1905 UTC: 5940 // 5965 kHz: Voice of Russia Strong to fair reception. News: Kosovo. Chile. 'Commonwealth Update' Chechnya. Armenian election. Moldovan general election.
• 11 March: 1928 UTC: 5960 kHz: Voice of Turkey English to Europe via 'CAK' transmitter site. News: EU security organisation. Good to poor reception. Albanian Serbs in Kosovo. Red Cross statement. 'Review of the Turkish Press': Kosovo, Cyprus. 'Review of the Foreign Media': Kosovo, Turkey. 'Letterbox': Japan, England (Mike Swift in Surrey), USA.

Voice of Turkey QSL verification, 11 March 1998

• 11 March: 2002 UTC: 6035 kHz: Voice of America News: Uganda, Senegal, security, Free Trade. Fair to poor reception. Nigeria, Ghana. English to Africa via Botswana or 'G r' transmitter. 'Africa World Tonight' Freetown (Sierra Leone), Kenya. Nairobi. Japanese aid for Rwanda.
• 11 March: 2027 UTC: 6165 kHz: Swiss Radio International 'Newsnet' Strong to good reception. Sports report from Spain.
• 11 March: 2035 UTC: 6180 // 6195 kHz: BBC World Service Good to fair reception 'Newshour' interference, noise.
• 11 March: 2055 UTC: 6280 kHz: High Adventure Ministries - The Voice of Hope Postal address:PO Box 109 Hereford HR4 9XR Fair to poor reception. Preacher, announcements, close.
• 11 March: 2109 UTC: c.7 MHz: Vatican Radio Basilica of Rome, St Peter, St Paul. Opera music.
• 11 March: 2116 UTC: 7195 kHz: Radio Romania International Poor to fair reception. 'Cultural Survey' violence against women.

Radio Romania International QSL, 11 March 1998

• 11 March: 2137 UTC: 7200 kHz: Voice of Turkey to Australia, Asia.
• 11 March: 2144 UTC: 7235 kHz: Radio Canada International 'Spectrum' via Skelton, England, 41.47m, 300 kW, 180° to Europe, Africa, English. Good reception. Jim Craig. News, 'CBC World At Six'.
• 11 March: 2207 UTC: 7325 kHz: BBC World Service Strong to good reception 'Newsdesk' report from Baghdad.
• 11 March: 2211 UTC: 7415 kHz: Voice of America (VOA) Botswana transmitter. Good to fair reception 'Now Music USA'.
• 11 March: 2224 UTC: 9410 kHz: BBC World Service Strong to good reception 'Newsdesk' Chime of Big Ben at 2230 UTC. Also 12095 kHz, strong to good reception 'The World Today' Sao Paulo.

April 1998: Short Wave

• 9 April: 1830 UTC: c.6 MHz: Sunrise Radio London. Ad break: The Army, Neighbourhood watch. Dedications telephone number, Asian music.

Sunrise Radio verification letter, April 1998

• 9 April: 1834 UTC: 6055 kHz: Radio Slovakia International US armed forces minister in Slovakia. Latvian links with Slovakia. Visits by Slovakian personnel to South America and Ireland. 'Topical Issue': Compensation for those who suffered in World War II. Strong to good reception. 'Back Page News' Collectors of calendar cards, Tall people club, Mystical, scary creatures, USA-UFO's Festival. 'Slovak Kitchen'.
• 16 April: 1821 UTC: 5840 kHz: Radio Vlaanderen Internationaal, Belgium. Strong to good reception. Flemish language. Malcolm Mclaren 'Madame Butterfly' Sex Pistols. Rwanda.
• 16 April: 1845 UTC: c.6 MHz (c.5900 kHz): Sunrise Radio Ad break: Alcohol problems. Strong to good reception. Cinema, 'Communications 2000' telephone. Music: 'I Just Called To Say I Love You'. Female host. Asian music. 'Happy Birthday to Oliver'. Write to Sunrise Radio, Sunrise House, Cross Lances Road, Hounslow, Middlesex TW3 2AD Telephone 0181 569 6666 'Happy Birthday To You' "On air on 1413 and 1458 kHz" Ads: Banqueting suite, carpets. News: George Michæl, Pol Pot. Sport: Chelsea v Vincenza at Stamford Bridge, 0-0.
• 16 April: 1922 UTC: 6165 kHz: Swiss Radio International 'Ban on genetic engineering'? Peter Heller reports. Strong to good reception. Separation anxiety pill for dogs. Contact details.
• 16 April: 1951 UTC: 7285 kHz: Polish Radio Warsaw 'A Day In The Life' Discussion regarding medical conditions of pilots. 41.18m, good to poor reception 'Focus' The Culture Magazine: Beethoven Easter Festival.
• 16 April: 2004 UTC: 7325 kHz: BBC World Service News: Bill Clinton, P W Botha, David Trimble, death of Pol Pot. Strong reception via Skelton, England.

President of the United States, Bill Clinton, featuring on BBC World Service news, 16 April 1998

• 16 April: 2012 UTC: 7375 // 7415 kHz: Voice of America News: Tutsi rebels, Burundi. Trial of P W Botha. 'Africa World Tonight' Sport. Ugandan elections. Good to fair reception. Tony Blair in Cairo. Middle East peace process.
• 16 April: 2044 UTC: 9410 kHz: BBC World Service Strong to good reception. News headline: Death of Pol Pot. Sport: Chelsea 3 - Vincenza 1 (Aggregate score: 3-2).
• 16 April: 2055 UTC: 9850 kHz: Radio Australia Weather in Wellington, NZ. Good to fair reception. 'Pacific Beat' with Rob Hoskin. News headlines at 21 UTC: United Nations, Pol Pot, Korea, Bill Clinton. USA call for Pol Pot autopsy. North and South Korea meet for talks in Beijing, China. Strong to good reception.
• 16 April: 2141 UTC: c.15 MHz: HCJB 'Night Sounds' Strong to good reception.
• 16 April: 22 UTC: 15600 kHz: Radio Taipei (Voice of Free China) National Anthem. Strong to good reception. News: China summit meeting.

May 1998: Short Wave

• 15 May: 1945 UTC: 5850 kHz: Sunrise Radio Strong to good reception. Music, speech, ads. Address: Sunrise House, Cross Lances Road, HOUNSLOW, Middlesex TW3 2AD Transmission from Deutsche Telekom, Germany, to Europe.

Vatican Radio QSL Verification card, 15 May 1998

• 15 May: 1950 UTC: 5880 kHz: Vatican Radio Memories of John F Kennedy, 1964, US troops in Vietnam. Chinese revolution, June 1966. Middle Eat war, 1967. Martin Luther King. Neil Armstrong, 1969. Test Tube Baby, 25 July, 1978. Pope Paul VI. Strong to good reception. 'Popes of the 20th Century'. 'Ask The Abbott': The Crucifixion.
• 15 May: 2020 UTC: 5930 kHz: Radio Prague 'Between You And Us' letters programme: Swedish invasion of Prague, 1648 AD. Edmund Birt emails from Kingston-Upon-Thames, UK. Strong to good reception.
• 15 May: 2030 UTC: 5935 kHz: Radio Latvia Strong to good reception.
• 15 May: 2057 UTC: 6035 // 6040 kHz: Voice of America Music from the Late Mr Frank Sinatra, who passed away today, Friday 15 May 1998. 21 UTC News: Rioting in Jakarta, Indonesia. 'World Report'. 6035 kHz to Africa, 6040 kHz to Middle East, North Africa, Europe. Good to fair reception. Nuclear proliferation in South Asia. President Yeltzin on tour. Clinton meets Japanese delegation.
• 15 May: 2130 UTC: 6155 kHz: Radio Austria News: New nuclear power station. Freedom Party. Government Budget for 1999. Environment group action: 12-13 June 1998. Postal service strike. 'Report From Austria' Murray Hall and Joanna King. Strong to good reception. English to Europe. Newspapers' 150th year.
• 15 May: 2150 UTC: 6195 kHz: BBC World Service Strong to good reception 'People And Politics' Northern Ireland Peace Process.

BBC World Service logo, taken from a letterhead.

• 15 May: 2217 UTC: 7340 / 7375 / 7415 kHz: Voice of America English to Africa. Music from Garth Brooks. Strong to good reception. 'Country Music USA' Music: 'Anonymous' and 'This Ain't Tennessee'.
• 23 May: 1238 UTC: 9410 kHz: BBC World Service Fair to poor reception. 'A Jolly Good Show' Dave Lee Travis. Music: Richard Marx 'Right Here Waiting', Neil Diamond 'Dancing In The Street', Natalie Imbruglia 'Torn'. To 1245 UTC.

Thank you for visiting this first post of 2019!

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