Evening reception of Radio 208 on MW in Kyiv

 The powerful transmitter of Radio Riyadh in Ras al-Khair is off now, and it is possible to receive Radio 208 on 1440 kHz without significant co-channel QRM here. The signal is usually quite weak at local evenings, with rare fade-ins, when I can copy audio. I guess, the reception could even be much better at local mornings, however, unfortunately, I have no opportunity to check the frequency at morning time in some QRM-free place now.

Here is example of reception of the station on 1440 kHz on 24th of January 2022 at about 16.23 UTC during walk in park with my Degen DE-1103. One can hear Parisienne Walkways by Phil Lynott and Gary Moore:

Output power of the transmitter on 1440 kHz is 300 W, as stated on the eQSL received shortly. Many thanks to Stig Hartvig Nielsen!

RX: Degen DE-1103

ANT: Built-in ferrite rod

Station's website: http://www.radio208.dk/

Africa on long and medium waves

Many countries of the African continent have left medium wave band last years. It is obvious from comparison of the various editions of WRTH. Algeria, Botswana, Egypt, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria and Sudan are still keeping well-developed MW networks, however number of MW transmitters in Nigeria has dropped drastically. In general, number of the African countries which are using these bands has decreased by almost half since 1990's:

Here is a list of the African countries/territories with remaining LW/MW broadcasting, comprised of the data from WRTH-2022 and MWList:

•  Algeria: 153, 252**, 531, 549, 558, 576, 666, 693, 702, 738, 783, 837, 873, 891**, 909, 927, 981**, 1026, 1071, 1089, 1161, 1422*, 1550 kHz
•  Angola: 945, 1134*, 1290? kHz
•  Benin: 1476, 1566 kHz
•  Botswana: 531, 558, 621, 648, 693, 909, 972, 1215, 1350 kHz 
•  Canary Islands: 576, 621, 720, 747, 837, 882, 1008**, 1179 kHz
•  Ceuta: 1584 kHz
•  Djibouti: 1431 kHz
•  Egypt: 558, 603, 702, 711, 756, 774, 819, 864, 882, 918, 936, 981, 1008, 1071, 1080, 1161, 1179, 1278, 1305, 1314, 1341, 1350, 1368, 1386, 1422, 1476, 1503, 1575, 1584, 1593, 1602 kHz
•  Eritrea: 837/840, 945/950 kHz
•  Eswatini: 1170 kHz
•  Ethiopia: 684, 801, 828, 837, 855, 873, 891, 954, 972, 1035, 1044, 1053, 1080, 1215, 1359, 1485 kHz
•  Kenya: 567, 639, 675, 1233**, 1386 kHz
•  Lesotho: 639, 891, 1197 kHz
•  Madagascar: 630 kHz
•  Madeira: 1530 kHz
•  Malawi: 540, 558, 594, 675, 756, 1404, 1422 kHz
•  Mauritius: 684, 819, 1575 kHz
•  Melilla: 972, 1485 kHz
•  Morocco: 171, 540, 596, 612, 936 kHz
•  Mozambique: 738, 765, 810, 873*, 963, 1008, 1026, 1179, 1206, 1224, 1260 kHz
•  Nigeria: 540, 549, 576, 594, 603, 612, 639, 657, 684, 729, 747, 756, 828**, 917**, 918, 945, 972, 990, 1008, 1026, 1107, 1134, 1224, 1269, 1404, 1440 kHz
•  Rodrigues: 1206 kHz
•  São Tomé e Príncipe: 945, 1530 kHz
•  Seychelles: 1368 kHz
•  South Africa: 567, 576, 657, 702, 729, 828, 846*, 1269**, 1368**, 1422, 1485, 1548*, 1584 kHz
•  South Sudan (planned): 693** kHz
•  Sudan: 540, 621, 639, 666, 747, 765, 783, 801, 819, 846, 873, 891, 945, 963, 1026, 1485, 1584, 1602 kHz
•  Tanzania: 585, 621*, 711, 1323, 1377* kHz
•  Tunisia: 585, 630, 684, 963 kHz
•  Western Sahara: 711 kHz

XXXX - Listed in MWList but absent in WRTH-2022, XXXX - Listed in WRTH-2022 but absent in MWList

* - irregular, ** - inactive

Some LW/MW losses of the end of year 2021 (Europe and Middle East)

270  kHz -  - ČRo Radiožurnál

Topolná LW facility has been closed down for good after previous reduction of the output power down to 50 kW and transmitter replacement in 2014. NDB DXers can try to catch ZNF beacon from Wabana, Newfoundland, Canada on 270 kHz.

549  kHz -  - UA: Ukrainske Radio

The 400 kW Mykolaiv/Luch transmitter has been switched off due to high tariffs on electricity and lack of financing. Let's hope, it will return on air in a future.

639  kHz -  - ČRo Dvojka

Two transmitters in Český Brod/Liblice and Ostrava/Svinov have been closed down for good. The signal from Český Brod/Liblice was audible very good here at night time, and that was always great to listen to quality musical shows on ČRo Dvojka. Very pity to lose this one. It's worth a try to receive Lesotho and Myanmar on 639 kHz now, but there are still some nearer active powerful transmitters.

828  kHz - 404 - Radiogazeta Slovo / Pravoslavnoye Radio Sankt-Peterburga

There were two russian radio channels shared one TX in Sankt-Peterburg/Olgino: "Slovo" was aimed at soviet-wankers (who can retune their receivers to 1575/3940 kHz now) and PRSP was aimed at obscurants, both channels were full of rabid chauvinistic propaganda as well as commercials of various "magic potions" and "healing devices". Meanwhile, JOBB NHK Radio 2 and formerly difficult IRIB Radio Khorasan-e Jonubi are available on this frequency!

954  kHz -  - ČRo Dvojka

Three transmitters in Dobrochov, České Budějovice/Husova kolonie and Karlovy Vary/Stará Role have been closed down for good. The night signal from Dobrochov was as good as the one from Český Brod/Liblice on 639 kHz here. Good bye Český rozhlas! More chances to receive AIR North, JOKR TBS Tokyo Hoso and some other Asian stations now.

1071 kHz -  - ČRo Plus

Two transmitters in České Budějovice/Husova kolonie and Ostrava/Svinov have been closed down for good. These signals were audible often, however suffered from co-channel QRM always.

1314 kHz -  - Radio Northern Star / Bergen Kringkaster

Erdal. AM licenses ran out, and the outcome of the renewal process is uncertain. Hopefully, temporarily off. Parallel 5895 kHz was much easier here.

1332 kHz -  - ČRo Dvojka

Transmitter in Moravske Budějovice/Domamil has been closed down for good. This one was the most difficult to reception among all frequencies of the Český rozhlas here by reason of very strong constant interference from co-channel SRR Radio România Actualități.

1440 kHz -  - SBA Radio Riyadh

The facility in Ras al-Khair is inactive at the moment. Good opportunity to try to receive Radio 208, ABC Yola, JOWF STV Sapporo TV Hoso or even Radio Kiribati in absence of the strong Saudi Arabian signal.

1611 kHz -  - The Sea

Erdal. AM licenses ran out, and the outcome of the renewal process is uncertain. Hopefully, temporarily off.

UA: Ukrainske Radio is silent on 549 kHz now

 UA: Ukrainske Radio now silent on the frequency of 549 kHz. The 400 kW medium wave transmitter in Mykolaiv/Luch is switched off since about the beginning of 2022 due to high tariffs on electricity and lack of financing.

Another claimant to MW broadcasting in Ukraine

 Local nongovernmental FM radio station from Chernihiv Svoboda.FM has plans to start broadcasting on the medium wave frequecy of 1422 kHz. Svoboda.FM has already obtained license, including this frequency, from the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine (НР № 01501-м) valid from 10.05.2019 till 10.05.2026.

Here are some interesting details which can be found in NCTRBU's decision № 596 from 18.04.2019:

Transmitter location: Chernihiv

Address: vul. Remisnycha, 53-b, Chernihiv, Ukraine

Frequency: 1422 kHz

Output power of the transmitter: 0.2 kW

Time of broadcasts: 24 hours a day

Target territories: Chernihiv and Chernihiv oblast, Kyiv, Berezan, Boryspil, Brovary, Bucha, Irpin, Slavutych and also Baryshivskyi, Boryspilskyi, Borodianskyi, Brovarskyi, Vyshhorodskyi, Zghurivskyi, Ivankivskyi, Kyievo-Sviatoshynskyi, Poliskyi, Yahotynskyi raions of Kyiv oblast (raions, which are no longer exist after approvement of the administrative reform by Verkhovna Rada, are written by italics).

Moreover, Svoboda.FM intends to change TX/antenna location to Shestovytsia (Chernihiv raion of Chernihiv oblast), reduce time of broadcasts down to 2-3 hours a day (at evening) and raise output power up to 2 kW in the future. At the moment, TOV "TRK Svoboda.FM" is purchasing additional equipment, necessary for the broadcasts on MW. Now radio engineers and other experts (including engineers of the Chernihiv Polytechnic National University) are involved in process of design and building of the MW transmitter. It is supposed, that this process will last for about one year, then transmitter will be passed to certification and registration.

More information (in Ukrainian) here: http://svoboda.fm/politics/region/281675.html

MW broadcasting is an essential part of the hybrid war unleashed by russia against Ukraine, let's recall 500 kW propaganda slop pail on 1413 kHz. And it is quite important to have proper technical facilities to withstand russian fascists on MW too.

Station's website: http://svoboda.fm

NDB logs in park - 21.10.2021

UTC  QRG (kHz)  ITU CALL  Location               Distance (km, approx.)

1507   0470     UKR  CD   Myrhorod               230

1507   0470     ???  VI   ?                      ???

1519   0520     404  OO   Shaykovka              510

1524   0570     404  FE   Oktyabrskiy            720

1532   0659     404  DO   Moskva - Domodedovo    750

1536   0694     404  AL   Algasovo               850

1539   0700     404  AD   Moskva - Sheremetievo  780

1544   0742     404  GE   Kursk                  430

1547   0745     404  BG   Karmanovo              680

1555   0960     404  RP   Sosnovskoye            1040

1555   0960     UKR  CY   Chervonyi              70

1601   0985     404  FK   Gagarin                650

1603   1005     404  LO   Klimovsk               730

1606   1020     404  DK   Glotayevo              730

1610   1055     404  IN   Sukhotino              660

1613   1175     404  BA?  Bagayevskaya (tent.)   800

1616   1215     404  WT   Kartino                760

1619   1285     404  SW   Savelovo               810

1622   1290     UKR  BO   Bohdanivka             40

1622   1290     404  TU   Bely                   630

1630   0343     LTU  KUS  Kaunas - Karmelava     670

1636   0370     ROU  OTL  București - Otopeni    730

1636   0372     404  BC   Seshcha                420

1639   0385     POL  NWT  Leczyca                810

1642   0408     AUT  BRK  Wien - Bruck           1030

1647   0458     404  LP   Chernyakhovsk          750

RX: Degen DE-1103

ANT: Built-in telescopic whip

Chauvinistic russian propaganda on 1575 and 3940 kHz

Many DXers have already observed regular unlicensed transmissions in russian language started recently on 3940 kHz. The tests were initially heard on other bands, including "radiohooligans'" frequency of 3100 kHz. Content of these broadcasts are mainly sound tracks of anti-European and anti-American propaganda clips mixed with various crap of the Soviet era from nostalgic web-radio stations. The similar content is also being broadcasted on the medium wave frequency of 1575 kHz (1611 kHz in past) for more than 1.5 years at least. MW transmissions on 1575 kHz are even mentioned in MWList frequency base.

There are many speculations in Internet on possible location of the transmitters including Smolensk, Smolensk region, Pskov region and Leningrad region. Some of these wrong versions are probably originated from inaccurate TDoA result obtained by Finnish DXer in March 2020. It is also possible, that other versions were spread deliberately by the persons behind the transmissions.

My numerous TDoA results point on the northern part of Belarus (~50-100 km northward from Minsk) for 1611 kHz used in past and 1575 kHz (with a very good accuracy) and 3940 kHz (not as good accuracy as for MW, but still point on about the same region). Anyone who is able to apply this method correctly can verify my results by himself.

Authorities in russia are very attentive to such regular unlicensed radio operations which go beyond the scope of radio hooligan's routine "allo-allo" QSOs. At present, SW, MW, FM stations of such kind would not broadcast for a long time from the territory of russia not being raided (let's recall collapse of the FM pirate scene in Sankt-Peterburg). The mentioned MW station is regularly active since the beginning of 2020 at least (if not earlier), that's why the above versions about its russian location are nonsence IMHO. Republic of Belarus is more suitable country for such an activity instead, because communication authorities are more careless there. In any case, I guess, this is totally amateur project, supporting general line of the russian chauvinistic politics, however not supervised by officials.

Another station is going to start broadcasts on MW in Ukraine

 National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine has issued a decision to permit for temporary broadcasts of Armiia FM radio station primarily to the regions occupied by russian troops, using a frequency of 810 kHz in Hirnyk (vul. Terykonna 1A, TOV "Telemerezhi Ukrainy" mast), Donetsk oblast with output power of 10 kW. Central TV and Radio Studio of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine will get this permission. Period of the temporary broadcast is 1 year from the date of adoption of the decision.

It is well known, that russian invaders and pro-russian separatists are attempting to jam Ukrainian FM stations targeted to that regions, however it would be much more difficult to jam effectively 10 kW medium wave transmitter, I guess.

The strongest station on 810 kHz in my area is usually MR Sat (Radio Makedonija) / Makedonsko Radio 1 via 100 kW facility in Ovče Pole, but it is inactive at the moment. Other possible principal sources of interference are co-channel BBC Radio Scotland (at night) and IRIB Radio Lorestan (at evening).

QSL for reception of ČRo Dvojka

 Greetings on Independence Day to all visitors from Ukraine! 

 Czech military participated in parade on Ukraine’s Independence Day, so today's QSL-card is from Czech Republic. Many thanks for it and for the nice bookmark!