WANTOK RADIO LIGHT RETURNS

WANTOK RADIO LIGHT RETURNS

Plus Other Log Book Notes

January 20, 2016

PAPUA NEW GUINEA - WANTOK RADIO LIGHT
Over the past week or so, a few DXers around the world have noted the return of the low powered PNG station, Wantok Radio Light (WRL). Although listed as only a 1 kW transmitter into a non-directional antenna from its location in Port Moresby, it is quite amazing how this tiny station can be heard as far away as Japan, USA and Europe. I think it may have been Hiroyuki Komatsubara who was the first to note the return of WRL, quickly followed by Ron Howard in California, Mauno Ritola in Finland, Bryan Clark in New Zealand, and myself.

Here's Ron's first notes on his reception:

WRL Studio

7324.96, Wantok Radio Light (presumed). Thanks very much to Hiroyuki Komatsubara (Japan) for the alert that WRL has reactivated after being off the air for some time now; Jan 10 with several openings with CRI off the air. 1257-1258 heard religious song; this opening is usually 1, 2 or 3 minutes long. After 1357 (CRI sign off time) heard very weak signal clearly off frequency as usual; by 1413 had definite religious songs; 1418 tentative ID and back to religious music; 1424 CRI transmitter turned on covering WRL. Nice to have them back on the air again! (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, antenna: 100' long wire).

WRL QSL Card

From Bryan Clark in New Zealand:

Thanks Ron and Hiro. Heard fading in here around 0800 UTC today and quite readable by 0830.  I'm thinking their frequency may be a little lower than when I last logged them? Bryan, Mangawhai - NZ.

From Mauno Ritola in Finland:

Yes, also here with readable signal now at CRI break 1400. Measured 7324.942 kHz, so lower as you say. 73, Mauno, Joensuu, Finland

Then several days later, I noted it in my early morning:

7324.94   PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Wantok Radio Light - Port Moresby (presumed). Heard in the 30 min gap between CRI's s/off at 1930 and s/on at 2000. The carrier was fairly strong but the audio was quite low at times. Programming consisted of continuous slow music (possibly religious songs, some with church organ accompaniment) but no anncts for the whole half hour monitored. I could still it through CRI's dead-air carrier switch on at 1957, and it could be heard faintly under CRI's Serbian service till about 2015 when it faded due to the daylight path between PNG and Mount Evelyn, Jan 15. 73, Rob VK3BVW

Three days ago, Ron reported again:

7324.94, Wantok Radio Light, 0740-0945, Jan 16. Started poor and slowly improved, but never reached the level of steady readability; only able to pick out a few words here and there. At times
hard to be positive of the language, due to Pidgin using so many English words. The spoken modulation seemed rather low, whereas the music was better. No QRM the whole time.

0740-0800: DJ playing religious songs, along with messages & dedications.
0800-0810: News & weather in English (did not sound like NBC news?).
0810-0823: Religious songs (0815 ID).
0823: Announcer with brief religious spot in English.
0826-0835: More religious music (0829 ID).
0835-0855: Religious preaching in Pidgin/Tok Pisin.
0901-0903: Brief news in English; not the full NBC news that I often heard in the past; followed my more music.
0934-0942: In English; unable to make out what he was talking about?

https://app.box.com/s/2tb4b7e16tukn4o85ay3pnqg723wflo0 contains my poor quality audio. (Ron)

And then again earlier today from Ron:

7324.94, Wantok Radio Light. Jan 19 with decent signal strength 0813-0957, but with moderately strong OTH radar QRM till that stopped at 0939*. Highlights:

0825-0845: Syndicated USA program "Fresh Touch"; preaching in English; ending the show with request for listeners to write c/o "Wantok Radio Light, P.O. Box 1273, Port Moresby." http://www.freshtouch.org/ .

From 2011 till early 2015, this time slot was always taken by the programs of Dr. Tayo Adeyemi (New Wine Church, England), but perhaps as he died in 2013, WRL finally decided to drop his shows and replace this time period with the "Fresh Touch" program. Based upon my observations, believe the WRL website program schedule has not been updated in a long time! http://www.wantokradio.org/radioprograms.html.

0845-0901: In Pidgin/Tok Pisin; ID, frequencies, time check, etc.
0901-0912: PNG bird call, into the NBC National News in English; item about mining in PNG.
0912: Sounded like the usual thank you announcement ("Wantok Radio Light Ministries thanks the National Broadcasting Corporation for allowing us to relay the daily news bulletin. Join us at 7 AM for the next NBC National News”).
0912-0913: advertisement for "NASFUND" savings, "Your Partner in Superannuation."
0933: In progress with the syndicated USA program "Focus on the Family"; interview with Mary Flo Ridley about her books on parenting; presented with John Fuller and Jim Daly.
0954: Ending "Focus on the Family" with a promotional spot from their sponsor - "Ninety-Nine Ltd."
0957: CRI transmitter turned on, blocking WRL. (Ron)

No doubt, others have noted the return of this station. If you have, why not let us know here at MEDXR? We'd love to hear from you!

The WRL FM transmitter site

FROM THE LOG BOOK

I am very busy this week presenting workshops at a music conference here in Melbourne. But last week there were several opportunities for some DXing, so here are a few notes on stations heard recently:

4747.61   R. Huanta Dos Muil - Huanta. Missed the sign on but noted around 1040 with a fair signal, talk with background music, Jan 14.

4774.89   PERU. R. Tarma, Junín. Lots of rapid anncts and talk, occasional music at 1035, fair signal on Jan 14.

4955   PERU. R. Cultural Amauta - Huanta. First noted at 1020 with pop style songs interspersed with a female preacher. A good signal considering the heavy summer atmospheric static on Jan 14.

5006   CHINESE NUMBERS STATION. As reported on blog, hammering away here at 1820 with echo numbers, fair signal, Jan 15.

7120   SOMALIA. R. Hargeisa - Hargeisa. A fair signal at 1827 with music programming in Somali, ID at 1833, Jan 15.

7210   D.P.R.KOREA. VoKorea - Kujang. French service to SAf at 1835 with news, strong co-channel QRM CRI-Urumqi's Russian service, fair signal from both stations on Jan 15.

7220   IRAN. VOIRI - Sirjan. Russian to EEu at 1844, weak signal here till s/off 1852 after the usual piano music, Jan 15.

7235   ENGLAND. KBS World R. - Woofferton. Russian to EEu 1853, excellent signal but with a hint of audio hum, Jan 15. 

7275   KOREA REP. KBS World R - Kimjae. English service to Eu at 1855 till s/off 1900, fair signal and not as strong as the Russian service on 7235 via Woofferton, Jan 15.

7280   VIETNAM. VoV - Son Tay. S/on English to Eu 1900, news at 1902, fair signal on Jan 15.

7290   BULGARIA. IRRS Shortwave - Kostinbrod. English to Eu/Me/NAf at 1916 on Fri Jan 15 (scheduled Fri-Sun 1900-2000), jazz and contemporary adult music programming. Then a discussion on the Greek economy at 1926, fair signal but side splash from 7295 CRI's English to NAf.

7315   GERMANY. VOA - Biblis. Kurdish to ME at 1936, solid signal on Jan 15.

11620   INDIA. AIR - Bengaluru. Urdu service to Pakistan first noted with a very weak signal at 0230 but improved to a good level by 0303, featuring a music program. Jan 15

11780.1   BRAZIL. R. Nacional Brasília - Brasilia. High-pitched conversation between two speakers at 0329, into an old Brazilian popular song 0334, a weak signal on Jan 15.

11870   USA. WEWN - Vandiver AL. Religious song in Spanish at 0338, weak signal. Also noted at the same time on 11520 with an equally poor signal. Jan 15.

13810   IRAN. VOIRI - Kamalabad. Albanian service at 0640 to Eu with news commentary, good signal Jan 14.

15140   OMAN. R. Sultanate of Oman - Thumrayt. Arabic programming 1755, song 1759, various anncts after 1800. Weak signal and one of only two stations heard on the band at this time (the other being 15205 Riyadh till 1800 s/off), Jan 15.

OK! That's it for me. It's time to prepare for more workshop presentations tomorrow! 

73 and good DX to you all,

Rob Wagner VK3BVW




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