RADIO NEWS & DX TIPS
August 24, 2021

MYANMAR

While doing some aimless internet surfing, I stumbled across this news item in an online news outlet called The Irrawaddy. Founded in 1993 by a group of Burmese journalists living in exile in Thailand, The Irrawaddy describes itself as a non-profit media organisation that is:

"...a leading source of reliable news, information, and analysis on Burma/Myanmar and the Southeast Asian region. From its inception, The Irrawaddy has been an independent news media group, unaffiliated with any political party, organization or government. The Irrawaddy is neither an advocacy group nor an NGO campaigning for particular causes. We believe that media must be free and independent and we strive to preserve press freedom."

That being said, here is the report:

Myanmar Junta Confiscates Radios to Silence Shadow Government Broadcasts

Myanmar’s military regime is confiscating radios from shops and planned to restrict imports after the parallel civilian National Unity Government (NUG) launched a radio station.

Radio NUG, named after the shadow government formed by the ousted National League for Democracy and ethnic representatives in April, launched on Friday and will air twice daily for 30 minutes at 8am and 8pm on 17.71 MHz on a 10-band radio.

A Yangon police source told The Irrawaddy: “It was discussed at a security meeting in Yangon to confiscate radios from shops like with PSI satellite dishes before. It was decided at the meeting to seize all shortwave radios. Some suggested restricting people’s access to radios, for example, requesting shops not to sell radios to the public for a certain period.”

Police and ward and village administrators will be tasked with seizing radios, he said.

Regime troops confiscated radios from an electronics shop at Ga Mone Pwint shopping mall in Bogale Zay Street, Yangon, on Friday morning, according to witnesses.

“We saw them confiscating radios. We don’t know what they told the shop owner,” a witness told The Irrawaddy on condition of anonymity.

Radios have been in high demand since the NUG announced its radio station this week.

When the regime restricted internet access after its February coup, people used radios to listen to Radio Free Asia, the BBC and Voice of America, fueling demand for radios.

In April, the regime confiscated PSI satellite dishes that provide access to news from several domestic independent media outlets to restrict access to anti-regime news.

Under previous military dictatorships, citizens were detained for listening to the BBC and teashops were shut for screening Norway-based DVB.

https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-junta-confiscates-radios-to-silence-shadow-government-broadcasts.html

NEW STATION - RADIO AFGHANISTAN INTERNATIONAL

7599.88 kHz "R. Afghanistan International" is a new station that has appeared here at Mount Evelyn. First noted on Aug 24 at 1320 with frequent IDs and anncts in possibly the Dari language, as well as in English as "Afghanistan International". Theme music at 1327. News reports and commentaries at 1330 with many excerpts in English and translations in Dari. Many mentions of Taliban, USA and other countries. Unclear where the transmitter is located - possibly via Tashkent, Uzbekistan. However, this requires further investigation. Fair signal by 1350 UTC.

SOLOMON ISLANDS

9545 SIBC - Honiara. On Aug 19, from 0445+, checking for their normal 0500*, but SIBC was absent.

But on 5020 kHz, SIBC on Aug 23. Continuing with their erratic scheduling; 1200, "Evening Devotional," ID in English, National Anthem; instead of the usual closing down for the day, immediately after NA, started non-stop pop songs (some island songs and some in English); no announcements heard at all, so I believe this is not a relay of Wantok FM; occasional periods of open carrier between songs (some breaks with dead air for over five minutes!); heard past 1350+ UT, along with summertime QRN (static). On Aug 22, heard past 1410+. My musical audio from today posted at http://bit.ly/3ybobQj. My local sunrise was at 1331 UT.

Thanks to Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, Calif. (near Monterey), USA Using an Etón E1 receiver and an external antenna of 30m long wire.

SOME DX QUICK TIPS

3945 D.P.R.KOREA. Echo of Unification - Pyongyang. S/on 1159 with ID, interval signal, time pips at 1200, military music and another ID. Into Korean talks and occasional songs. Good signal, no jamming. Also heard with a good signal on // 5905 and a very weak signal on 3969.85 under siren jamming, Aug 21.

3990 CHINA. Gannan RTV - Hezou. At 1240 in Tibetan with long commentaries. Poor signal and one of the few remaining low-powered Chinese outlets with 15 kW into a non-directional antenna. Scheduled to run // 5970 (also 15 kW) but blocked there by the co-channel WEWN. Aug 24.

4775.04 PERU. R. Tarma - Cerro Penitencia, Tarma. Non-stop lively morning music at 1005. ID, idle chatter and several canned anncts at 1015. Weak signal but readable on Aug 24.

4789.98 USA. WBCQ Overcomer Ministry - Monticello, ME. Usual tedious American preaching at 0910, fair to poor signal on the old 50 kW txer, Aug 24.

4950 INDIA (Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory). AIR - Srinagar. At 1310 with a commentary in presumed Kashmiri or Urdu. At 1315, a lovely Indian song. Weak signal, Aug 24.

5040 VANUATU. R. Vanuatu - Emten Lagoon. This station’s on-again-off-again erratic service is currently on here at 0740 on Aug 24! Noted with Bislama community anncts and messages, good signal. Still going strong with a news broadcast when checked again at 1000. ID and closing anncts at 1100, followed by the national anthem, off-air at 1102. Nothing on 3945 or the harmonics.

6160 D.P.R.KOREA. PBS Pyongyang Pansong - Kanggye. At 0935 with long periods of dramatic military music and occasional Korean anncts. Fair to poor signal, Aug 24.

6185 CHINA. China Huayi BC - Fuzhou. at 0955 with Chinese pops, time pips and Mandarin ID at 1000. Very good signal but some light QRM from a weak co-channel broadcaster, probably XEPPM. Aug 24.

7295 AUSTRIA. BBC - Moosbrunn. A surprisingly strong signal for the 0100-0130 Pashto service to Afghanistan and SAs. Not normally this strong at this time of year, Aug 24.

7305 USA. Vatican R. - Greenville. Portuguese to SAm at 0115 to s/off 0130, weak signal, Aug 24.

9475 TAIWAN. National Unity Radio - Tanshui. At 1235 with a discussion program in Korean beamed to NEAs. Fair signal, Aug 21.

9920.90 UZBEKISTAN. R. Iran International - Tashkent. Farsi to Iran at 0105 with commentaries. A weak and scratchy signal at times. Aug 24.

9930 UZBEKISTAN. Voice of the Martyrs - Tashkent. To EAs at 1215 with Korean religious talks (and the occasional "Amen") and gospel songs inc. "Joy to the World" sung in Korean. Fair signal and s/off 1229, Aug 21.

13710 INDIA. AIR - Bengaluru. Indonesian to SEAs at 0153 with lively Indian instrumental music. Not on 13695 as is still being reported in the Aoki list. Excellent signal, Aug 24.

13745 THAILAND. Deewa R. - Ban Dung. VoA’s Pashto programming to Afghanistan at 0157 with a telephone interview. Fair signal, Aug 24.

15515 TAJIKISTAN. Adventist World R. - Dushanbe. English to SEAs at 0207 with American preaching. Good signal but noisy (buzzy) modulation. Aug 24.

15590 THAILAND. R. Thailand - Ban Dung. English with news about Afghanistan at 0212, fair signal, Aug 24.

15640 PHILIPPINES. R. Pilipinas - Tinang. English commentary to ME at 0220. Good signal here and even stronger on // 17820, Aug 24.

73 and good DX to you all,

Rob Wagner VK3BVW