My AM Archive : March 2021

 GOOD morning, good afternoon, good evening, goodnight, wherever you are reading this blog post at this moment. It is good evening as I compose this post, at it is a few minutes after 1900 UTC / GMT. The clock on the left column of this blog is set to UTC, which I hope helps your understanding to times recorded in the posts on this blog - I really should find a link which explains the term UTC for times. That sounds like a plan for another post.

This post brings memories of broadcasts heard March 2021 on Medium Wave.  A previous post of Medium Wave logs, heard February 2021, can be found here.

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

Receiver used: Sangean ATS-405.

March 2021 : Medium Wave

• [Thursday] 18 March [2021]: 1815 UTC: 1098 kHz: SRo3 Rádio Devin  Music in English, male singer, UK artist James Yorkston, singing of London at New Year, references to drinking. Segue into next song: Bjork 'Vulnicara'.
  This programme is 'Folkfórum' ('Folklore'), female host: Sone Horňákovej
  (Listen to the programme from the STVR archive here)
  Good to fair reception, 25 kW via Nitra - Jarok, Slovakia.
  1829 UTC: Quick-paced ID, male speech. Change of tempo to male vocal music, English language song. Speech from the host, music was from Teho Teardo & Blixha Bargeld.
  Logged to 1834 UTC.
• 18 March: 1837 UTC: 1107 kHz: MFR 2 [Greatest Hits Radio]  Music: 'Yes Sir, I Can Boogie' (Baccara), ID: 'Good times sound like this' Music: Del Amitri 'Nothing Ever Happens'. Strong co-channel via Rome.
  1.5 kW via Tarbat Ness for Inverness. Fair to poor reception.
  Ads: Currys - PC World. Covid-19. Gold. Music: Earth Wind & Fire 'September'.
  Lost to Rome.
  Logged to 1846 UTC.
• 18 March: 1905 UTC: 1125 kHz: RNE Radio 5  Female and male in conversation, Spanish language. Possibly the show 'Por Tres Razones' ('For Three Reasons'), female host: Mamen Asencio.
  Good to fair reception, transmission power logged as 12 / 10 kW, but transmission site not noted 🤦
  ID for Radio Nacional de España at 1915 UTC.
  Logged to 1920 UTC.
  

  

  Issue one of 'The Voice for the Dales'
  The Official Fresh Radio Magazine
  Fresh Radio (1997 - 2012)

  18 March: 1927 UTC: 1134 kHz: COPE Navarra (Spain)  Male and female speech, Spanish language. Music: The Beatles 'Here Comes The Sun'. ID for COPE Navarra. Fast-paced speech, music, ID jingle, music, time signal ('pips') for 1930 UTC, ID for COPE. Programme: 'La Linterna' ('The Lantern').
  Good to poor reception, most likely 10 kW via Salamanca. Possibility of an echo broadcast via Pamplona.
  Logged to 1936 UTC.
• 18 March: 1952 UTC: 1143 kHz: COPE Jaén (Spain)  Speech in Spanish, from male and female, lost to heavy noise. Male speech regarding football.
  Fair to poor reception, 5 kW via Jaén.
  Logged to 2001 UTC.
• 18 March: 2005 UTC: 1152 kHz: RNE Radio 5  Female speech in Spanish, 'Radio Cinco', male speech via telephone. Programme: 'Reserva Natural' ('Nature Reserve'), female host: Josefina Maestre.
  Fair to poor reception, up to 25 kW via Malaga.
  (Co-channel music: Ed Sheeran 'Perfect', Cutting Crew '(I Just) Died in Your Arms'.
  Logged to 2015 UTC.
• 18 March: 2017 UTC: 1161 kHz: Tay 2  Music: Chaka Khan 'I'm Every Woman', female ID 'This is the music marathon', music: Marvin Gaye 'Sexual Healing'. The presenter is Gavin Pearson.
  (Co-channel broadcast from Smooth Radio via Blunsdon, Swindon, Wiltshire, 160 watts)
  Music: The Jam 'That's Entertainment', ID 'The Greatest Hits' music: Stevie Wonder 'Sir Duke'. Ad break. Music: Rod Stewart 'You Wear It Well', Lenny Kravitz 'It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over', Crowded House.
  Good to poor reception, 1.4 kW via Greenside Scalp, Dundee.
  Logged to 2028 UTC.
• 18 March: 2038 UTC: 1170 kHz: Greatest Hits Radio  Music: Crowded House 'Don't Dream It's Over' Greatest Hits Radio for South Wales - 'Get involved in Cash for kids South Wales, kids in South Wales affected by Covid-19 and poverty'. Greatest Hits Radio website. Ad break: Ladbrokes.
  580 watts via Winsh-wen, Swansea (ex-Swansea Sound). Good to poor reception.
  Ad: 2021 elections. NHS health Swansea. ID: 'Greatest Hits Radio - South Wales' Music: Men At Work 'Down Under'.
  Logged to 2050 UTC.
• 18 March: 2054 UTC: 1179 kHz: Radio Valencia  Spanish speech in the 'Hora 25' programme, leading up to 2100 UTC time 'pips' signal. Female speech, interval signal, music, female speech 'España', music, applause. 'Pepa Bueno' ?
  Co-channel broadcast of male speech, possibly Romania.
  Good to poor reception, up to 50 kW via Valencia (Radio Valencia via CadenaSER).
  Logged to 2105 UTC.
  

  

  Envelope head and postmarks from YLE Radio Finland, which broadcast on 558 kHz and 963 kHz.

  18 March: 2108 UTC: 1197 kHz: Absolute Radio  Female speech, music: Travis 'Turn'.
  Fair to poor reception, possibly / most likely 400 watts via Nottingham.
  Male speech, ID, music.
  Contact address for Absolute Radio: One Golden Square, London W1F 9DJ
  Logged to 2115 UTC.

My AM Archive : October 2020

 BROADCASTS heard on the Medium Wave band feature in this post, covering broadcasts heard October 2020.

A previous post of Medium Wave logs, dated September 2020, can be found here.

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

Receiver used: Sangean ATS-405.

October 2020 : Medium Wave

• [Saturday] 24 October [2020]: 1746 UTC: 603 kHz: BBC Radio 4  Folk music, male vocal, acoustic guitar, harmonica. Very much in the style of Bob Dylan.  Tré Burt was the artist.
  Interview with Mark Radcliffe regarding a new Folk music chart. ID for BBC Radio 4. Mark Radcliffe has also published a new book.
  Strong to good reception, 2 kW via Wrekenton, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
  Mark Radcliffe talks about Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath).
  'Loose Ends' was the show, Clive Anderson was the host.
  [Listen via BBC Sounds]
  Logged to 1757 UTC.
• 24 October: 1804 UTC: 612 kHz: RNE Radio 1  Two male commentators at a football fixture - GOAL! Spanish broadcast, stadium music. Goal for Pamplona v Beti Onak - Music, sound effects, the works.
  RNE Radio 1 via Vitoria, Spain. Good to fair reception. 10 kW transmission.
  Logged to 1816 UTC.
• 24 October: 1823 UTC: 621 kHz: RNE Radio 1  continuing the football commentary.
  Fair to poor reception via Canaries (300 kW) or Spanish Isles (10 kW).
  Logged to 1830 UTC.
• 24 October: 1840 UTC: 639 kHz: CRo2 Dvojka  Music: Phil Collins 'In The Air Tonight'. Speech by females. Music: Female vocal, piano, guitar, drums, bass.
  This broadcast is CRo2 Dvojka, Prague, CZE. Strong to good reception. Liblice transmission site, 750 kW. Co-channel interference from RNE Bilbao (Spain).
  Female speech, music: Christina Perry 'Jar of Hearts'.
  Logged to 1855 UTC.
• 24 October: 1858 UTC: 639 kHz: RNE Radio 1  Bilbao, Spain. Strong to good reception.
  Male commentators at football (Stadium noise evident). La Coruna transmission site, 300 kW.
  Co-channel interference from CRo2 Dvojka.
  Logged to 1906 UTC.

  

  From the archive:
   Radio Netherlands
  Long Distance Medium Wave Listening guide
  by Steve Whitt, April 1994.

  
  
• 24 October: 1916 UTC: 648 kHz: Radio Caroline  Steve Miller Band 'Climb Aboard A Jet Plane', Status Quo 'Paper Plane' from the album 'Piledriver'.
  Male host, ID for Caroline.
  Strong to fair reception. 1 kW transmission via Orfordness.
  Music: Mike & The Mechanics, ABC 'The Love Inside The Love'. Vocals from Olivia Sparnenn on 'Breathing Space', a song by the band Mostly Autumn. ID jingle. The host of the show is named Lee. Ad break: Meditech, Suffolk Car Company, ACS car sales, Inflight goods website. ID, music.
  Logged to 1936 UTC.
• 24 October: 1939 UTC: 657 kHz: RNE Radio 5  Spanish speech, males and females. Male on telephone speaking of music.
  RNE Radio 5 via Madrid transmission site, 100 kW.
  Strong to good reception, co-channel interferences and fading (propagation).
  Logged to 1945 UTC.
• 24 October: 1953 UTC: 684 kHz: RNE Radio 1  Football, male and female speech, ID.
  Strong to good reception, Sevilla, Spain, 200 kW transmission.
  Logged to 2000 UTC.
• 24 October: 2005 UTC: 693 kHz: BBC Radio 5 Live  Stephen Nolan is on air on BBC Radio 5 Live; Wales has entered into a Covid-19 lockdown, originally due to last two weeks, but now extended to seventeen days.
  Strong to good reception - Most likely 50 kW via Stagshaw, Northumberland (up to 150 kW via Droitwich, Worcester). Co-channel interference by RNE Radio 1.
  Logged to 2015 UTC.

My AM Archive : September 2020

 AM radio broadcasts have been on the air for well over a century, this blog celebrates the broadcasts I have heard over the course of almost thirty five years. This post brings logs of broadcasts heard more recently: September 2020.

A previous post of Medium Wave logs, dated April 2020, can be found here.

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

Receiver used: Sangean ATS-405.

September 2020 : Medium Wave

• [Friday] 18 September [2020]: 1823 UTC: 531 kHz: Jil FM (Algeria)  Music: Culture Beat 'Mr Vain' (c. 1993). ID, rock music, ID, ads, speech, music.
  Fair to poor reception. Jil FM broadcast confirmed by parallel transmission on 549 kHz.
  Female with ID, music.
  Logged to 1847 UTC.

From the archive: Piccadilly Radio's Project Planner,
detailing the arrangement of Medium Wave broadcasts for Manchester (1991).

• 18 September: 1854 UTC: 540 kHz: MR Kossuth Rádió (Hungary)  Male speech, brief musical interlude, continued speech. This programme, listed on the Kossuth Rádió website, has 'Novel History' as its title translated into English.
  Strong reception.
  Musical interlude, male speech.
  Top of the hour (1900 UTC / 2100 local time) male ID for Kossuth Rádió, female speech, news. Trailers with jingles.
  Male and female speech; This programme has 'The Evening host' as its title translated into English.
  Magyar Kossuth Rádió via Solt, Hungary, 2 MW [MegaWatt] transmission.
• 18 September: 1914 UTC: 549 kHz: Spirit Radio  Music, female speech "Welcome to the show, it's Friday night", music, male vocals with choir. Male ID "Breath of fresh air, Spirit Radio" New music jingle, music, ID, music.
  Spirit Radio, 25 kW via Carrickroe, Co Donegal. Strong to good reception.
  ID, music with male vocals. Female host is Olga Kaye, with link detailing songs including 'Unconditional' and now playing 'Put Your Hands Up'.
  Feature: 'Life Connections' from East Africa (Uganda). Trevor Stevenson. ID "Spirit Radio, Passion for life" Music from Marshmello.
  Logged to 1934 UTC.
• 18 September: 1945 UTC: 558 kHz: Radio Nacional de España  Spanish speech, male speakers, jazz music programme, female speech, ID. Male speech, music, male speech.
  This is RNE Radio 5 (Broadcast parallel to 567 kHz).
  Music from 'Dick Tracey' film, featuring Madonna. Music: Rolling Stones 'Gimme Shelter'.
  Strong to fair reception via San Sebastian, Spain, 50 kW.
  Music: Tanita Tikaram 'Good Tradition'.
  Logged to 1959 UTC.
  
  Cup of tea.
• 18 September: 2012 UTC: 567 kHz: RNE Radio 5  Spanish speech, parallel to 558 kHz, female speech, ID for Radio Nacional de España. Male speech. Signal improves.
  Good to poor reception. 50 kW via Murcia, Spain.
  Speech lead by a female, with contributions from other voices in a gathering of people.
  Male speech in studio; Speech from Madrid, male telephone caller.
  Logged to 2024 UTC.
• 18 September: 2029 UTC: 576 kHz: RNE Radio 5  Male speech in the Spanish language, pips for 2030 UTC, speech from female in Spanish language.
  100 kW via Barcelona, Spain. Strong to good reception.
  Male and female speech continues. Male speaks in a roundtable discussion.
  Logged to 2043 UTC.
• 18 September: 2045 UTC: 585 kHz: RNE Radio 5  Continuation of a roundtable discussion, broadcast from Madrid. Male speech, with contribution by male at a remote location.
  Strong to good reception, 600 kW via Madrid, Spain.
  Female and male speech, including snippets of comments in other languages overdubbed into Spanish: Female speaking in English "No disrespect to King Juan Carlos..." Male speaks of "Politico España". Female and male speech continues in the roundtable discussion. ID.
  Logged to 2055 UTC.

From the archive: Chiltern Radio Network programme schedule for Supergold
Broadcast across the heart of England on 792, 828 and 1557 kHz Medium Wave (1991).

• 18 September: 2058 UTC: 596 kHz: SNRT [Morocco]  Devotional singing by male, speech by male and female.
  This broadcast is SNRT Radio National, Arabic service.
  50 kW via Oujda, Morocco. Poor reception.
  Logged to 2105 UTC.

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.