Category Archives: Stations

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

American Expeditionary Broadcast Band Stations 1946

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Historical article:

AES Stations on the Broadcast Band in 1946.

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Foreign to the soldiers of World War 1., but well known and much appreciated by our troops today, are the numerous radio stations installed at centres throughout the “fighting” world, wherever reasonably large numbers of Allied men and women may be stationed. Many such stations in the Pacific war zone have been heard in Australia, as well as others in Europe; nor do we forget the various United Nations’ radio stations on the short-waves.

DX’ers will be interested in the information we are able to supply about some of these stations.

Radio Hauraki Documentary

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Radio Hauraki, originally New Zealand ‘s first off-shore pirate radio station and now a successful commercial broadcaster is the feature of a recent movie and documentary. The TV doco is previewed on the Stuff website.

A 1996 documentary can be viewed here at New Zealand On Screen.

Audio of a 1966 broadcast can be found on Youtube.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beVIYFo1bB8]

Reach Beyond’s Ministry Continues

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HCJB’s pioneering quad antenna

The name HCJB may be consigned to history but the memory of founder Clarence Jones lives in. From Regina’s “Leader-Post” comes this story of how it’s ministry still influences people.

Video of WLW’s 500,000 Watt AM Transmitter

Cincinnati's 700 WLW

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Following on from an earlier post, Bill Smith in Iowa forwarded this link to a video of WLW’s very powerful transmitter.

WLW radio tower

WLW radio tower (Photo credit: Pez King)

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History of VOA Delano

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Thanks to Mark Nicholls for posting this link to Radioworld’s 2008 article on the demise of the last of VOA’s wartime transmitting stations.

VOA Delano, California on the West Coast of the USA provided a formidable signal into the Pacific.

 

 

“Yia Sou” Voice of Greece

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Yet another international broadcaster joins the pantheon of former shortwave broadcasters.

Thanks to Zaharias Liangas for reporting on the Hard-Core-DX reflector:

Greek shortwave to be dismantled after order by Ministry of Finance. Submitted by radiofono.gr on Tue, 17/09/2013 – 16:09

The degradation of Greek Radio is going on, having shortwave radio “Voice of Greece” as a victim. This includes 39 shortwave antenna masts hosted in Avlis, which the government plans to sell as scrap metal. The shortwave service started 75 years ago and it is still transmitting in 5 frequencies that cover the globe with shows in Greek for expatriates and foreign language news. The facilities are currently controlled by redundant ERT employes and broadcast the guerilla service of the Greek National Radio ERA. Eighteen months ago, shortwave facilities in Thessaloniki were dismantled.

Ever Wondered What Radio Kiribati Sounds Like?

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Radio Kiribati QSL card

Then click on this link on Paul Walker’s On Air DJ website.

In a posting to the MW DX user-group, Paul comments:

‘For your listening pleasure, another aircheck/recording of Radio Kiribati AM 1440. Operating with 10,000 Watts from about 1000 miles south of Hawaii.

I got another aircheck on CD via regular mail today and thought I’d share it with others.
Here’s the link to the 50 minute recording:
http://www.onairdj.com/RadioKiribati_1440Khz_August2013.mp3Radio Kiribati only does one hour of english programming each night at 6pm.

A few notes of interest from my point of view…..To a person like me who isn’t up on languages, it sounds as if the Kiribati language has some hints of some Asian language like Japanese/Chinese almost.

AWR Guam to get Upgrade

AWR’s Agat, Guam is getting an upgrade. Right now, construction of a 229-foot, 5th antenna tower is underway with work scheduled for completion in June 2014.

More on this story at AWR’s website.

Radio & TV Afghanistan to Start News Channel

India’s public service broadcaster, Prasar Bharati will assist the Afghan government broadcaster – Radio and Television Afghanistan (RTA) to start a news channel in the war-ravaged country.
Excerpts…. RTA Director General Zarin Anzor and A R Panjshiri, Afghanistan’s head of International Relations met Prasar Bharati CEO Jawhar Sircar and also sought help in repair and maintenance of their existing transmission facilities such as uplink, short wave transmitter and TV network.
The RTA has a network of 24 TV transmitter with downlink facilities, one 100 kw short wave transmitter with 7 antennae catering service to its neighbouring countries and one uplink station in Kabul providing connectivity.
Alokesh Gupta
New Delhi
Thanks to Alokesh for passing on this news.

 

ZBVI Tower Upgrade

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When the MW band opened into the Caribbean, many NZ DXers checked 780kHz for the chance of a rare new country, British Virgin Islands.

Well, chances of snaring this rarity may have improved. Thanks to Paul Rawdon who forwarded this item from the MW DX group to the NZRDXL “DX Dialog” e-mail reflector:

I’ve gotten word construction on their new 300 foot tower has begun. In fact, the tower is standing at about 160 feet.

Blast from the Past – KPOA Honolulu

Tony King has provided this audio clip of KPOA Honolulu… recorded in 1976. Enjoy…

Blast from the Past – KMVI Wailuku

Tony King provided the following clip of KMVI, Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii on 550kHz. Enjoy..

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Vatican Radio Celebrates 75th Anniversary

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Thanks to Paul Rawdon for posting the following on the DX League reflector:

Video produced by Vatican TV to commemorate Vatican Radio’s 75th Anniversary. Complete programme has been split into five parts. Would have been made in 2006 as they celebrated their 80th anniversary in 2011.
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Radio Free Sarawak Back On Shortwave

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Ivo Ivanov reports via the SW DX Bulgaria website that Radio Free Sarawak has reactivated on SW. Ivo notes “Radio Free Sarawak continues to broadcast on 15420 after 1230, probably until 1300”.

Their mandate seems to be to support land-owners disenfranchised by large companies and government misinformation: “If you have a problem in your village or if someone is taking your land, logging, planting or polluting your area let your voice be heard and tell the world about it through Radio Free Sarawak!”. For more info visit their website.

Related article:

Blast from the Past – Atlantic Beacon

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Back in December 1986, MW DXers were tuning their radios to 1570kHz to hear a new radio station operating out of the Turks & Caicos Islands. That station was “The Atlantic Beacon” and Tony King made this recording of their opening announcement  

Updated DX Programs

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Thanks to Glenn Hauser’s “World of Radio” website, there is an updated list of DX programs.

Sadly, the likes of Media Network, Swiss Shortwave Merry-Go-Round and HCJB DX Partyline are but memories.

 

Aloha Honolulu 1976

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Martin Hadlow has forwarded an interesting article describing the Honolulu radio dial in 1976. DXers will fondly remember Alan Roycroft and recall the comments he used to write on the back of the “Broadcasting Services” QSL cards.

Entitled “Honolulu Radio: A Wasteland”

“The Honolulu Star-Bulletin on February 12th issued it’s second annual survey of radio stations on Oahu. There are 21 stations. The news-paper noted a number of changes which have taken place over the past year. These include: 12 instead of 9 stations broadcasting 24 hours; a reduction in the number of employees the replacement of eight general managers and four major ownership changes. There is apparently a greater number of stations broadcasting the sane format — “Beautiful music, that is. ‘the same pop music, ranging (if that phrase can be used meaningfully) from Golden Oldies to popified mellow rock.‘ Janos Gereben. the reviewer, noted that ‘an astonishing tom of 12 stations‘ are involved in broadcasting a “musical vast wasteland”