Category Archives: Broadcasters

Denis O’Callahan’s Personal History Of Radio Hauraki

DENIS O’CALLAHAN’S ADDRESS TO THE 2018 CONVENTION

It started for me when I was living in New Caledonia, having washed up there on a yacht and got a job with a local radio repair shop and a guy called Stan Clinch, who ran an outfit called Kiwi Radio. He’d been a wartime radar technician and had gone back to New Caledonia where he had been stationed during the war, to set up a radio repair shop.

SW Pacific FM List

List of South West Pacific FM stations

2018 NZ FM Lists

Thanks to Bryan Clark and his able bunch of volunteers, below are 2 lists that will be very useful to FM DXers.

January 2018 NZ FM List By Region

Jan 2018 NZ FM List By Frequency

Australia To Leave SW Broadcasting

ra

ABC Exits Shortwave Radio Transmission

*06 December 2016*

The ABC will end its shortwave transmission service in the Northern Territory and to international audiences from 31 January 2017.

The move is in line with the national broadcaster’s commitment to dispense with outdated technology and to expand its digital content offerings including DAB+ digital radio, online and mobile services, together with FM services for international audiences.

The majority of ABC audiences in the Northern Territory currently access ABC services via AM and FM and all ABC radio and digital radio services are available on the VAST satellite service.

Whatever Happened To WWBS Macon, Georgia?

wwbs

Image from Rudolf Sonntag’s website

WWBS is just one of many US shortwave broadcasters who have vanished into the ether. Thanks to the Southgate ARC website, here is the story of WWBS.

New Zealand Broadcasting History

nzbckroad

Paul Rawdon had dug up some interesting links to articles on New Zealand radio broadcasting history.

The first is the winning tender document for the installation of a tower for Auckland station 1YA.

The second article is on early Auckland broadcasting from the infamous “K-Road” and other sites.

The third details with broadcasting the celebration of New Zealand’s centennial in 1940.

 

Making Radio Matter

English: DEGEN DE1103 MULTIBAND FM/AM/SW DIGIT...

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This interesting article from the New Statesman helps to remind us that in the Third World, radio and in particular shortwave, is still a valid medium for informing the masses.

 

NASB Celebrates 25 Years

Thanks to Radiomagonline for advising the National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters have celebrated 25 years. The AGM was held in Radio Free Asia’s Washington premises, more here.

BBC On Shortwave To Nepal

bbcqslThanks to the Soughtgate Amateur Radio News for posting this item spotted by BDXC’s Mike Barraclough:

BBC WS uses Shortwave for Nepal broadcasts
The BBC World Service has announced an expansion of its shortwave radio transmissions to earthquake hit Nepal

In response to the aftermath of the earthquake in Nepal, the BBC World Service is now broadcasting additional programming on shortwave in both Nepalese and in English.

BBC Media Action – the BBC’s international development charity – is working with the Nepali Service on BBC World Service (radio and online) and local partner radio stations to broadcast ‘Lifeline’ programming.

Radio Marti To Become Independent

martiThe White House has proposed turning Radio Marti, the U.S. government-controlled broadcaster created in part to undermine communist rule in Cuba, into a separate entity. This, as Washington seeks as new direction in its dealings with Havana.

Under the plan, the Miami based broadcaster, which is part of the Broadcasting
Board of Governors would become a separate entity along with unspecified parts
of Voice of America’s Spanish-language service. In essence, Radio Marti would
cease to be part of the U.S. government and would turn into a “grantee”
receiving federal funding. The proposal does not specify how it would be
structured beyond that it would a private, nonprofit organization.

On Air – A History of BBC Transmission

bbcqslA book titled On Air – A History of BBC Transmission is now available for
free download from the BBC Engineering website.

On Air celebrates a lifetime of achievement in the world of broadcast
transmission engineering and includes many anecdotes from the lives of people
involved. The idea for On Air came about back in 1997 when BBC Transmission
was privatized. Prior to that happening BBC Transmission delivered programs
to listeners and viewers for 75 years using a vast network of engineering
systems.

Early History of 2YA

Many thanks to Paul Rawdon who passed on this link to the Porirua City Council’s history of 2YA.

German Domestic SW Graces Our Dials

ch292rWhen the ‘Deutsche Welle’ decided to close down one of their 500 KW shortwave broadcast transmitters near Munich at the end of 2012, a group of German radio amateurs applied for and were allocated the then available short wave frequency of 6070 KHz in 2013.

This group now have an operational 10KW station on the frequency, using the
driver stages from the old Deutsche Welle transmitter. The rest of the
transmitter was built by and is run by Rainer DB8QC .

The licence allow transmission 24/7, but currently mainly weekends.

Community Radio Hits New Heights

Listenership of community radio may not have the reach of the ABC or Commercial Radio but Canberra community radio listeners are getting better reception now that the switch on of a new and higher community radio transmission site at Poppet Hill in Canberra has taken place.

A consortium of not-for-profit broadcasters, ArtSoundFM, 1CMS FM, and 1WAY FM, will manage the new facility, the culmination of eight years of planning.

The Poppet Hill transmitter site replaces older facilities at Black Mountain Tower. Because it is at a slightly higher elevation and is using new equipment the new site will deliver a stronger and higher quality signal to many of the 63,000 people who, according to the 2014 McNair Ingenuity Survey, listen to community radio in Canberra.

Did Anyone Notice???

3senWith the struggle for AM radio audiences, what happens when a station suddenly goes dark? Like 3SEN Melbourne 1116kHz:

A brazen bald burglar has stolen about $10,000 worth of gear from Melbourne (VK3) radio station SEN 1116 and wheeled it away in a rubbish skip — all while presenters were on air in their Richmond Studios.

The sports radio station lost much studio equipment including microphones!

Detective Senior Constable Drew Laughlin said the crime appeared to be opportunistic, as the man was able to break into the building through an unlocked door from the carpark about 11.40pm.

Titahi Bay’s Radio History

rnz1For nearly 80 years, Titahi Bay has played a significant role in NZ’s radio history. This flash back from the Dominion Post tells of the early days.

Radio Sweden’s Horby Transmitter Site

sweden_scdxers_40thAustralian DXer Rob Wagner found this interesting story of Radio Sweden’s transmitter site and contributed it on his blog.

Voice Of Hope Africa To Air

kvohCalifornia religious broadcaster the Voice of Hope has acquired transmitter facilities in Lusaka, Zambia, purchasing the “Christian Voice” facilities from Christian Vision. More on this from the Sys-Con website.

Chelmsford Calling Via Finland On SW

Tccwshe CCWS (Chelmsford Calling World Service), a programme produced by Jim Salmon (amateur radio call-sign 2E0RMI), has added a relay via Scandanavian Weekend Radio (SWR) to it’s existing sked via WRMI .

The programme can now be heard on the 2nd Friday of each month via WRMI at 2300z (midday NZDST) on 9955kHz and on the first Saturday of the month via SWR on one or more of the following: 1602, 5980, 6170, 11690, 11720 and  94.9 FM. Jim also broadcasts via NZRDXL member Chris Mackerell’s “World FM” in Tawa, New Zealand.

More info on the links below.

Radio Free Sarawak Signs Off

free_sarawakJust like the Democratic Voice of Burma, another clandestine broadcaster has chosen to promote its ideals via methods other than SW. More on this from the Asia RadioToday website.