Monday, December 31, 2012

Happy New Year 2013

The New Year is just few hours later. I wish all the DX-er/Radio Listener/Reader/Friends, there family and relatives A Wonderful Happy New Year 2013. May you enjoy the every nano second of this New Year 2013. May it brings you a lot of success, happiness and all other good things.

With kind regards,

Md. Azizul Alam Al-Amin
Bangladesh

ABU supports World Radio Day 2013

13 February 2013 is the day proclaimed by UNESCO and endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly to celebrate radio as a strong, vital and necessary medium for society.

World Radio Day 2013 aims to improve international cooperation between broadcasters and encourage major networks and community radio to promote access to information and freedom of expression over the airwaves.

The ABU is part of the International Committee for the World Radio Day (WRD), constituted by agreement among the most representative broadcasting organisations that supported the implementation of World Radio Day within the UN and other international bodies.

In cooperation with UNESCO the WRD Committee encourages all countries to celebrate World Radio Day by planning activities in partnership with regional, national and international broadcasters, NGOs, the media and the public.

Center stage for the activities on 13 February 2013 is a web platform on which all public, private, online and community radio organisations together with radio professionals and listeners worldwide can exchange their views and support for radio. As radio is all about listening, everyone is invited to upload sound bites (one-minute maximum length) to this website and download others for broadcast.

All radio organisations are also invited to ask their listeners to participate by publishing the promotional banners on their website or by sharing the link on Facebook or Twitter.
To download a WRD banner please click here: www.wrd13.com/press
The International World Radio Day Committee consists:

ABU – Asia–Pacific Broadcasting Union
Academia Española de la Radio
AER – Association of European Radios
AIBD – Asia Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development
ASBU – Arab States Broadcasting Union
AUB – The African Union of Broadcasting
AMARC – World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters
BNNRC – Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication
EBU – European Broadcasting Union
IAB – International Association of Broadcasting
ITU –International Telecommunication Union
URTI – International Radio and Television Union
 
(Source : Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union)

Sunday, December 23, 2012

UK: New DAB Multiplex for Oxfordshire on the Air

Oxford, England - Dec 21,2012 - Ed Vaizey, the UK Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries officially turned on the local DAB multiplex for Oxfordshire. He was joined by the morning shows of BBC Radio Oxford, Heart and Jack FM, according to Radio Today.

Five local stations will be on the new multiplex facility from the outset: BBC Radio Oxford, Jack FM, Heart, Capital and Gold. Oxfordshire is the first of 13 new local DAB multiplex systems to be launched over the next 18 months under the terms of the Government and Industry Memorandum of Understanding.

(Source : Radio Magazine Online)

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Swedish radio listeners stores views

The Swedish Radio is due to a series come in for criticism, when listeners can call to express their opinion on any topic of their choice. The Dagens Nyheter found that the responsible editor in Gothenburg to storing names and phone numbers of callers, but also their views on public policy.
 
The Gothenburg Programme boss made it clear by now, there should be no registration of the views of individual listeners, especially since this is also against the law. This practice, of which they had just learned, must be changed immediately. Regional editors in other parts of the country have also distanced themselves from the opinion of storage.
 
The director of the Swedish Radio, Cilla Benko said, on request, by the fact they've never heard of and could therefore not comment.

(Source: Radio Sweden German Service via Google Translation)

Original Text in German

Schwedischer Rundfunk speichert Höreransichten

Der Schwedische Rundfunk ist wegen einer Sendereihe in die Kritik geraten, bei der Hörer telefonisch ihre Meinung zu beliebigen Themen ihrer Wahl äußern können. Die Zeitung Dagens Nyheter fand heraus, dass die zuständige Redaktion in Göteborg nicht nur Namen und Telefonnummern der Anrufer speichert, sondern auch deren Ansichten zu politischen Fragen.

Die Göteborger Programmchefin stellte inzwischen klar, es dürfe keine Registrierung der Ansichten einzelner Hörer geben, zumal dies auch gesetzlich verboten sei. Diese Praxis, von der sie erst jetzt erfahren habe, müsse umgehend geändert werden. Regionale Redaktionen in anderen Landesteilen haben sich ebenfalls von der Meinungsspeicherung distanziert.

Die Intendantin des Schwedischen Rundfunks, Cilla Benkö, sagte auf Anfrage, sie habe von dem Sachverhalt nie etwas gehört und könne deshalb auch nichts dazu sagen.

 (Source: Radio Sweden German Service)

Radio Sweden quiz: Feast

With gifts from the radio-Sweden-box surprise

According to a study of the Swedish Church family life, peace and quiet, and the delicious food for the Swedes are the cornerstones of Christmas.
What food is an indispensable part for most Swedes at Christmas?
a) jelly
b) Grilled ham
c) Roast Goose

Your response should be sent to:
Deadline is Thursday, the 27th December 2012. In our podcast on the same day, you will learn who won.

(Source : Radio Sweden German Service via Google Translation)

Original Text in German

Radio Schweden Quiz: Party Essen

Mit Geschenken aus der Radio Schweden-Überraschungskiste

Nach einer der Untersuchung Schwedischen sind Kirche Familienleben, Ruhe und Besinnlichkeit sowie das Essen leckere englisch für die die Grundpfeiler des Weihnachtsfestes.
Welche Speise gehört für die meisten Schweden unabdingbar zu Weihnachten?
a) Götterspeise
b) Gegrillter Schinken
c) Gebratene Gans

Ihre Antwort schicken Sie bitte an:
Einsendeschluss ist Donnerstag, where the 27th Dezember 2012th In unserem Podcast am SELBEN Take erfahren Sie, wer gewonnen hatred.

 (Source : Radio Sweden German Service)

KBS World Radio Launches New Mobile Web site!

KBS World Radio has revamped its mobile Web site, which has been running since 2011. It is easy-to-use and full of content. We are proud to introduce our new mobile format.

▪ Optimal for your smart device
The new mobile Web site functions optimally on your smartphone or tablet PC for the best KBS World Radio experience.

▪ Full of content
Unlike our previous mobile Web site, the new layout offers various features, such as our special programs, that were previously offered only through our full site.

▪ Expanded Audio and Video Services
Our new mobile Web site offers streaming audio rotating in eleven languages, 24-hour streaming audio in English, and a music channel. You can also check out various video features, such as VOD news.

▪ A place of communication
It offers a venue for real-time online communication for Twitter, Facebook, Yahoo and other SNS channels.

KBS World Radio is always working on improving its services for you. Thank you.

(Source : KBS World Radio)

RNZI Christmas/ New Year Schedule and Cyclone Warning Service

RNZI will be relaying RNZ National programming on statutory holidays over the Christmas/New Year fortnight (Dec 25 and 26, and Jan 1 and 2).

On December 27, 28, 29 and 31 and January 3, 4 and 5, RNZI will broadcast shorter news bulletins on the top of the hour throughout the breakfast session and will have nornmal bulletins at 2.30pm, 4pm and 8pm NZ times. These bulletins will include World, Pacific, New Zealand, Business and Sports News.

RNZI’s full normal news bulletin service will resume from Monday January 7th.

The last “Dateline Pacific” programme for the year will be heard on Saturday morning December 22. 

Full programming – including ‘Dateline Pacific’ and Pacific language bulletins - will resume on Monday 21 January 2013.

RNZI’s cyclone watch service will be maintained throughout the period and special weather bulletins regarding tropical cyclones will be broadcast if required.

On behalf of all the RNZI team - we wish all our listeners and website users a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year and we thank you for your ongoing support over the past year.

(Source : Radio New Zealand International)

2012 Was a Good Year for HD Radio

2012 was a very good year for HD Radio technology.

That’s according to iBiquity President/CEO Bob Struble.

Overall unit HD Radio receiver unit sales were 3.3 million as of the end of September, which coincides with the end of the fiscal year for the technology developer iBiquity Digital. That’s up 60% over the previous period, according to Struble.

For the same time period, more than 2.5 million cars with HD Radio receivers in them were sold, compared to 1.3 million for the same period a year ago, Struble said in an interview with Radio World.

At the same time, “In the background you’ve got the trend of the technology being used for more than an audio service,” said Struble, pointing to traffic devices that use HD Radio technology to deliver that data to the car.

For example, Mitsubishi recently announced that its compact crossover, the 2014 Outlander, will be its first vehicle to have real-time traffic information delivered with HD Radio technology integrated into its navigation system in the dash. That car is due out in the summer.

iBiquity says that’s the first of several announcements to come about that level of HD traffic integration in the vehicle.

(Source : Radio World, USA)

Pasta-shaped radio waves allow for an infinite number of channels to be broadcast and received

Radio waves twisted into the shape of fusilli pasta have been beamed across Venice – and researchers discovered that they allow for a potentially infinite number of channels to be broadcast and received.

The researchers, from the University of Padova, Italy, and the Angstrom Laboratory, Sweden, believe that they have solved the problem of radio congestion.

As the world continues to adapt in the digital age, the introduction of new mobile smartphones, wireless internet and digital TVs means the number of radio frequency bands available to broadcast information gets smaller and smaller. 

‘You just have to try sending a text message at midnight on New Year's Eve to realise how congested the bands are,’ said lead author Dr Fabrizio Tamburini. 

 
 
(Source : Lee, M0HOK via Daily Mail, UK via Southgate Amateur Radio News)

UKube-1 Signs up for Launch and Completes Thermal Vacuum Testing

UKube-1 the UK Space Agency’s (UKSA) first satellite has ‘booked’ its journey into space on a Russian Soyuz-2 rocket. The launch from Baikonur in Kazakhstan is expected to take place in March 2013. UKube-1 has also completed Thermal Vacuum Testing to verify the spacecraft operation in a simulated space environment.

UKube-1 will carry a set of AMSAT-UK FUNcube boards to provide a 435/145 MHz linear transponder and a 145.915 MHz BPSK telemetry beacon for educational outreach.

In preparation for launch, Clyde Space is taking the spacecraft through Environmental Verification Test, which consists of a series of physical assessments of the spacecraft’s ability to survive the launch and operate in a space environment.  Last week, UKube-1 and Clyde Space engineers spent a week at Astrium (UK) in Stevenage taking the spacecraft through Thermal Vacuum Testing.  This involved evaluating the spacecraft’s performance in a variety of operational modes to verify that all subsystems and payloads performed as expected in high vacuum and at temperature extremes.

“Thermal vacuum testing is one of the most important phases in the spacecraft test program,” says Craig Clark, CEO at Clyde Space. “I’m proud of the team here at Clyde Space in achieving such a critical milestone in the mission.  Ukube-1 aims to be the first of many nanosatellites produced at Clyde Space, and UKube-1 is a fantastic mission for us to demonstrate our capabilities as a spacecraft mission prime.”

UKube-1 is now entering the final testing phase, including further system level testing at Clyde Space and a functional check-out at the launch site. The next key test is EMC testing, closely followed by vibration testing, after which the spacecraft will be ready for launch.


(Source:  AMSAT-UK)

Germany : National digital radio in 2013

The national network for digital radio will be supplemented in 2013 with new stations. According to interviews with Dr. Chris Weck (Deutschlandradio) and Thomas Wächter (Media Broadcast) in the magazine INFOSAT, six new transmitters will extend the distribution range in the channel 5 C in the upcoming year. The locations are as follows: Geislingen, Würzburg, Wendelstein, Chemnitz, Minden and Gelnhausen.

(Source : DiGITAL RADIO BAYERN)

New FM frequencies in France, Czech Republic and Poland

France:
Jazz Radio has received the advertised frequency 106.3 MHz in Dijon. The program of the Lyon Espace Group now sends to 45 FM frequencies in France and Monaco.

Czech Republic:
The Moravian Haná Skyrock Radio received two new VHF frequencies approved - 88.7 MHz and 101.1 MHz in Blansko Vyškov. For the North Bohemian Gama Radio 106.1 MHz is the Roudnice nad Labem gone into operation. Beat Radio broadcasts newly Třebíč (99.5), Jesenice u Rakovníka (105.7) and Náchod (101.2). Radio Blanik could Starting in Pec pod Sněžkou (96.1) and Strakonice (104.8). Country Radio expands its network to the north Bohemian Chomutov (100.1) and the Autobahnfüllsender Křivsoudov in (92.7).

Poland:
RMX MAXXX Trójmiasto new in Elblag has to 106.7 MHz frequency operation with the transmitter in Gdynia. Eska Małopolska have long planned the frequency 106.8 MHz in the resort of Zakopane commissioned (simulcast with Bochnia and Nowy Sacz). Tests to Radio Nostalgia the end of May in Warsaw to 88.4 MHz. So far, the program sent half a day to 99.5 MHz.

(Source : radioWOCHE.de via Google Translator)

Original Text in German

Neue UKW-Frequenzen in Frankreich, Tschechien und Polen

 Frankreich: 
Jazz Radio hat die ausgeschriebene Frequenz 106,3 MHz in Dijon erhalten. Das Programm der Lyoner Espace Group sendet mittlerweile auf 45 UKW-Frequenzen in Frankreich und Monaco.

Tschechische Republik:
Das mährische Radio Haná Skyrock hat zwei neue UKW-Frequenzen genehmigt bekommen - 88,7 MHz in Blansko und 101,1 MHz in Vyškov. Für das nordböhmische Gama Radio ist die 106,1 MHz in Roudnice nad Labem in Betrieb gegangen. Radio Beat sendet neu in Třebíč (99,5), Jesenice u Rakovníka (105,7) und Náchod (101,2). Radio Blaník konnte in Pec pod Sněžkou (96,1) und Strakonice (104,8) starten. Country Radio erweitert sein Sendernetz um das nordböhmische Chomutov (100,1) und den Autobahnfüllsender in Křivsoudov (92,7).

Polen:
RMX MAXXX Trójmiasto neu in Elbląg auf 106,7 MHz im Gleichwellenbetrieb mit dem Sender in Gdynia. Eska Małopolska hat die schon länger geplante Frequenz 106,8 MHz im Wintersportort Zakopane in Betrieb genommen (Gleichwelle mit Bochnia und Nowy Sącz). Radio Nostalgia testet bis Ende Mai in Warschau auf 88,4 MHz. Bisher sendete das Programm halbtags auf 99,5 MHz. 

Germany: ROCK ANTENNA: 93.0 MHz in Ebersberg now comes from Kirchseeon

The local radio station has been broadcasting ROCK ANTENNE today Thursday, 12/20/2012, from the new transmitter site Kirchseeon. So that the receivability of the transmitter significantly increased. The frequency remains as before: FM 93.0 MHz.

"The move and the commissioning of new transmission site Kirchseeon we finish our most important projects in recent years for the district of Ebersberg. Since its launch in the district, there was because of the difficult topography in some areas a clear reception of the program. As yet, to our listeners and our advertising partners, "not optimal, so Guy Frankel, CEO ROCK ANTENNE local radio. "By moving the transmitter to the new radio tower in Kirchseeon this problem is now solved optimally. I thank everyone involved for their great support: Mayor Udo capped in Kirchseeon about the vocational training center up to the police. "
 
ROCK ANTENNA: Bavaria's first rock radio broadcasts on FM in Erding to 87.9 and 88.8 MHz to 95.0 MHz in Freising, in Ebersberg to 93.0 MHz, in the north-east of Munich and Augsburg to 99.4 MHz to 87 , 9 MHz. Moreover ROCK ANTENNE is digitally across Bavaria, received in Europe via satellite and via Internet and mobile. The Digital Radio ROCK ANTENNE belongs to the group of companies ANTENNA BAVARIA.

(Source : radio WOCHE.de via Google Translator)

Original Text in German

ROCK ANTENNE: 93,0 MHz im Landkreis Ebersberg kommt jetzt aus Kirchseeon
PRESSEMITTEILUNG
Das Lokalradio ROCK ANTENNE sendet seit dem heutigen Donnerstag, 20.12.2012, vom neuen Sendestandort Kirchseeon. Damit erhöht sich die Empfangbarkeit des Senders deutlich. Die Frequenz bleibt wie gehabt: UKW 93,0 MHz.

„Mit dem Umzug und der Inbetriebnahme des neuen Sendestandorts Kirchseeon schließen wir das wichtigste unserer Projekte der letzten Jahre für den Landkreis Ebersberg ab. Seit dem Sendestart im Landkreis gab es aufgrund der schwierigen Topographie in manchen Bereichen keinen klaren Empfang des Programms. Dies war bislang für unserer Hörer und unsere Werbepartner nicht optimal“, so Guy Fränkel, Geschäftsführer ROCK ANTENNE Lokalradio. „Mit dem Umzug des Senders auf den neuen Funkturm in Kirchseeon ist dieses Problem jetzt optimal gelöst. Ich bedanke mich bei allen Beteiligten für die große Unterstützung: von Bürgermeister Udo Ockel in Kirchseeon über das Berufsbildungszentrum bis hin zur Polizei.”
ROCK ANTENNE: Bayerns erstes Rockradio sendet über UKW in Erding auf 87,9 und 88,8 MHz, in Freising auf 95,0 MHz, in Ebersberg auf 93,0 MHz, im Münchner Nordosten auf 99,4 MHz und in Augsburg auf 87,9 MHz. Zudem ist ROCK ANTENNE bayernweit digital, europaweit via Satellit sowie über Internet und mobil empfangbar. Das Digitalradio ROCK ANTENNE gehört zur Unternehmensgruppe ANTENNE BAYERN.


(Source : radio WOCHE.de)

Friday, December 21, 2012

Nigeria: VON to Start Transmission in Portuguese

Minna — The DG said during a courtesy call on Niger State governor Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu in Minna yesterday that with the new additional language, the station would now be transmitting in eight different languages.

According to him, VON is also looking into the possibility of introducing Chinese language in its programmes with a view to keeping the Chinese citizens abreast of business opportunities abound in the country.

Jijiwa also said the station was the first in Africa to begin digital transmission. He expressed appreciation to Niger State government for the donation of an office accommodation and a vehicle.

(Source : Daily Trust via allAfrica.com)

India: FM radio to generate revenue of Rs 1400 crore in 2012-203: Study

India's private FM radio segment is expected to generate revenue of around Rs 1,400 crore in 2012-13, with 245 private FM stations operating in 86 cities, a latest study by CII and Ernst & Young said.

As per the study, "Poised for Growth: FM radio in India", the sector has been growing at a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 14 per cent annually. "Furthermore, the sector is expected to grow to Rs 2,300 crore, at a CAGR of 18 per cent, within three years of Phase III being rolled out," the report said.

According to Indian Readership Survey (IRS)  2012 Q2 data, radio has an estimated audience of 158 million people (out of which FM radio accounts for 106mn), as compared to 563 mn in the TV segment and 352 mn in the print sector. Advertising revenues comprise more than 85–90 per cent of the total revenue generated by FM radio companies.

The key challenges faced by the radio industry as per the report include limited inventory and slow recovery of advertisement effective rates (ERs). "Therefore, the need of the hour  for radio industry is to collaborate and implement a measurement system that supports the growth of the industry," it said. 

The study further highlights that phase III of FM radio licensing promises further growth opportunities for the Indian FM radio industry, since it covers 294 cities and 839 licenses.

(Source : Media Mughals)

Switzerland: Amateurs are allowed to use the band 472-479 kHz

Swiss Regulator BAKOM says that from January 1, 2013 radio amateurs are allowed to use the band 472-479 kHz with 5 Watts EIRP

The Technical interfaces regulations have been published under RIR 1101-24 on the BAKOM web
http://www.ofcomnet.ch/cgi-bin/rir.pl?id=1101;nb=24

IARU Region 1
http://www.iaru-r1.org/

(Source : Southgate Amateur Radio News)

Broadcasters unite in supporting freedom of information

During their recent meeting in Berlin, representatives of seven international broadcasters issued a joint statement in support of the right to freedom of information. 

We, the representatives of Audiovisuel Extérieur de la France (AEF), Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) [Australia], British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) [United Kingdom], Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) [US], Deutsche Welle (DW) [Germany], Nippon Hoso Kyokai (NHK) [Japan] and Radio Netherlands Worldwide (RNW), have met in Berlin to discuss common concerns.

We find international journalism is facing unprecedented challenges from countries that seek to deny their own citizens access to information from outside their borders in violation of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states:

"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."

We call upon the world’s nations to strengthen their commitment to Article 19 and to support expanded opportunities to share information across borders through digital and mobile technologies.

Yet we note with dismay that certain governments continue to control the flow of information. For example, China routinely blocks the Web and social media sites of our broadcasters and jams our shortwave signals, or Iran and Syria interfere with the satellite signals that carry our programs. Governments in Eurasia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America also seek to control what their own citizens can see, hear and read.

Many of these actions, including intentional jamming of satellites, violate international regulations. We condemn them without reservation.

We also call attention to troubling new challenges to free expression. Some governments are seeking to enact far-reaching telecommunications regulations to stymie free speech.

At the World Conference on International Telecommunication (WICT) in Dubai, representatives of the world's nations have considered telecommunications rules that might explicitly apply to the Internet for the first time.

We cast a wary eye on such efforts to control the Internet, and we denounce efforts to identify and track Internet users in order to stifle free expression, inquiry and political activity.

We have agreed to increase, whenever possible, our support for efforts to circumvent Web censorship through the use of new and innovative hardware and software tools. We also agreed to increase our advocacy for Internet freedom.

(Source : Deutsche Welle)

Gibraltar Turns on DAB Multiplexes

Gibraltar - Dec 18, 2012 - Gibraltar Chief Minister, the Hon. Fabian Picardo MP, officially launched Gibraltar's digital broadcasting network at midday on Dec. 18, 2012. He also unveiled a plaque at the Upper Signal Station on the top of the Rock where the transmitters and mast are located.

The new network comprises two DAB radio multiplexes, each capable of carrying four radio programs, along with two digital television multiplexes.

Earlier this year, the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority awarded the tender to Arqiva to build the digital infrastructure in Gibraltar. Arqiva is a communications infrastructure and media services company that much of the infrastructure behind television, radio, satellite and wireless communications in the UK and has a significant presence in Ireland and mainland Europe.

Throughout most of this year Arqiva has been busy working non-stop in order to meet the end of year deadline for the discontinuation of analog television in Gibraltar. System testing began at the end of November.

(Source : Radio Magazine)

Digital radio gaining popularity in the Netherlands - study

Around one million people in the Netherlands listen to the radio from their tablet, double the number reported for 2011, according to industry association RAB, based on data from Intomart GfK's Trends in Digital Media. Over two million people aged 13 years and older listen to the radio via their smartphone, and early 4 million from their desktop computer or laptop. More people are expected to listen to the radio digitally in the coming years, not only from the PC, laptop, smartphone or tablet but also in the car. Public and commercial radio stations plan to rollout ether next year, via DAB+. 

(Source : telecompaper)

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

India: 839 FM channels to be available for auction in 294 cities:I&B Ministry

The reserve price for radio channels in FM Phase III expansion will be decided on the basis of amount bid in Phase II auction and there would be 839 FM channels in 294 cities made available for auctions, said the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

"The reserve price for new channels in existing FM Phase II cities shall be the highest bid price received for that city in Phase II. In cities which are being taken up afresh, the reserve price shall be the highest bid price received during FM Phase II for that category of cities in that region," I&B minister Manish Tewari said.

He was responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha. He also said that the government had also cleared the proposal of the I&B ministry for conducting ascending e-auction as followed by the Department of Telecommunications for the auction of 3G spectrum for award of license to FM channels.

(Source : Media Mughals)

BBC Press Office opening hours - Christmas 2012 and New Year 2013

The BBC Press Office will be open for enquiries from the media during the following times over Christmas 2012 and New Year 2013.

Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 December – normal hours (10am-11pm)
Monday 24 December – 10am-1pm
Christmas Day – SHUT
Boxing Day – 10am-5pm
Thursday 27 December – 9am-9pm
Friday 28 December – 9am-9pm
Saturday 29 December – 10am-9pm
Sunday 30 December – 10am-9pm
Monday 31 December NY Eve – 9am-3pm
New Year’s Day – 10am-5pm
Wednesday 2 January – back to normal hours (8am-11pm weekdays, and 10am-11pm on weekends and UK public holidays)

BBC Press Office

Qatar: Global amateur radio fest begins

AMSAT-DL President Peter Guelzow DB2OS at the Qatar National Day Station A71QND
The Peninsular reports the Qatar Amateur Radio Society (QARS), are hosting the event  for the first time in the Middle East.

Hundreds of officials of various amateur radio societies around the world as well as secondary students and boy scouts from Qatar are attending.

Among those attending is AMSAT-DL President Peter Guelzow DB2OS who gave a presentation about the AMSAT P3E and P5 missions.

The callsign assigned for the opening event is A71QND (Qatar's National Day).

Read the story at
http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/qatar/218319-global-amateur-radio-fest-begins.html

Qatar Amateur Radio Society (QARS)
http://www.qsl.net/a71a/

(Source : Southgate Amateur Radio News)

Monday, December 17, 2012

UK: Community stations breach funding rules

Three community radio stations have been found in breach of their licence conditions to obtain no more than 50% of income from advertising.

Erewash Sound in Derbyshire, Felixstowe Radio in Suffolk and The Super Station Orkney were all found to be bringing in more than the allowed amount of income via on-air advertising and sponsorship.

In particularly, Ofcom said The Super Station provided a number of different, and in some cases directly contradictory, figures to explain the amount of on-air advertising income it had received over the reporting period. 

As a result the regulator was unable to properly determine the true situation, and concluded that the information provided was insufficiently reliable to support the Licensee’s claim that it was not in breach of its licence.

Three more stations, Seaside FM in East Yorkshire, Ambur Radio in the West Midlands and Phoenix FM in Essex were all investigated for the same reason but their issues were resolved by Ofcom.

In addition, Voice of Africa Radio in East London failed to pay its licence fee on-time, and because, even after repeated requests where the payment was not made, Ofcom has put the licensee on notice that the contravention was being considered for the imposition of a statutory sanction, which could include licence revocation.

However, Ofcom has reported that the fee has been paid in the last few days and therefore the imposition of a statutory sanction is no longer being considered.

(Source: Radio Today, UK)

Hungary Closes Regional Public Service Stations

The Media Services and Support Trust Fund (MTVA), a cooperation between Hungary’s four public media services — Magyar Rádió, Magyar Televízió, Duna Televízió, and Magyar Távirati Iroda news agency, will close all five of its regional radio studios, which make up the Régió Rádió network, on Dec. 21.

The studios will be leased out, and staff will either be made redundant or employed as correspondents for Kossuth Rádió, the national public talk and news station.

According to István Böröcz, MTVA CEO, the Régió Rádió network experienced a waning audience due to increasing competition from other local private stations.

“There was only slight interest in these programs because the need for a general theme radio station is fulfilled by the various other local stations,” said Böröcz. “In addition, in Hungary, there is no regional identity, and local identity, which stops at the county borders, is mostly limited to the place of residence, hence there was no justification in keeping the regional public service radio broadcasts operational.”

The soon-to-be-available FM and AM frequencies will be used for broadcasting a new nationwide public service magyarnóta (popular Hungarian song or urban folk music) and operetta music station, “Dankó Rádió,” from Dec. 22.
(Source:  Henrik Hargitai via Radio World)

Friday, December 14, 2012

Zimbabwe: Radio Comes of Age

Whether one is having a good time or not the fact remains time waits for no man. For me 2012 has not been one of those years I can look back and say wow! Most importantly, I can safely say praise be to God I am still alive. As with every person, organisation or industry we take into account the progress made in order to justify our productivity and to project the next year. This week I want to begin to look at some of the things that have happened in the music industry in 2012.

The major highlight for the industry this year has been the launching of two new radio stations Star FM and Zi-FM. This definitely came as a God sent solution for all Zimbabweans as they felt that for too long they had feasted on the same meal and it was about time other players came on board.

The pleasure of listening to quality radio has been restored and you can hear it at work on the streets as listeners share and comment on some of the programs that they are enjoying. One thing I noticed up as I went around in search for opinions was that in order to grow healthy one needs to eat a balanced diet. This signified how the masses have welcomed this development

Broadcasting is a crucial instrument of modern society and a major booster of development for any nation. The artistic community celebrates this as a God-sent vehicle to assist them to further gain exposure and publicity of their works.

If music is the image and a window into a society then radio is the platform to hear and tell our stories to the world. If you remember when the broadcasting act was amended in favour of local productions to receive a larger amount of airplay we witnessed phenomenal growth in the industry.

More artistes, more home studios and everything that goes with the business.

This year saw tremendous rise in home studios, producers, artistes, etc. One of the major benefit for artistes in this development comes in the form of royalties. So I sought to find out the position from the organisation that takes care of that side of the story

Polisile Ncube, the executive director of Zimbabwe Music Rights Association, said the industry celebrates the achievement but they were negotiating with radio stations in terms of compliance with the requirements.
While this development expands the revenue streams for artistes in terms of royalties the fact on the ground currently is that they will only begin to enjoy this benefit come next year.

This year has given the radio stations an opportunity to test their equipment and signals and so as we speak they are broadcasting signifying better days ahead.

In terms of music programming Stanley Ruziva, an A&R manager, at one of the major record labels said urban pop and urban grooves was getting airplay as much as sungura music.

* Richard Kohola is a music critic, development expert and radio presenter. 

(Source: The Herald via allAfrica.com)

DW supports media development in Myanmar

The visit by a media delegation from Myanmar to Germany, organized by DW Akademie, is part of Deutsche Welle's ongoing support of media development in the country. The project is supported by the Federal Foreign Office. 

Following decades of censorship, Myanmar is in the process of liberalizing its media institutions. Deutsche Welle is assisting this transformation via its international center for media development, DW Akademie. It is currently hosting a high-ranking delegation from Myanmar, including Ye Htut, deputy minister of the Myanmar Ministry of Information, seven representatives from the state-run Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV) and the Director of the country’ first semi-private TV-station MRTV 4.

Aside from Deutsche Welle's headquarters in Bonn and TV studios in Berlin, the schedule includes visits to the Federal Foreign Office, the Federal Press Office, the German Federation of Journalists (DJV), the ARD network of public service broadcasters and regional broadcasters Berlin-Brandenburg Broadcasting (RBB) and Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR).

At the various stops, the visitors are taking part in discussions and lectures on the role of the media in society and politics. Experts from the field are contributing their insights into the challenges of media restructuring and how established theories can be applied to Myanmar today. Many have drawn from their experiences with the change in the German media landscape following the reunification of East and West Germany. The key question is whether the German public service broadcasting system could serve as a model for Myanmar.


(Source : Deutsche Welle)

UEFA Women’s Euro 2013 on the BBC

The BBC is to broadcast all of England’s UEFA European Women’s Championship games when the team heads to Sweden next summer.

The deal will see live coverage of all England’s matches, both semi-finals and the final played out across BBC Two and BBC Three. In addition, all other peak time matches will be broadcast on BBC Three. 

Following a hugely successful London 2012, the BBC is committed to raising the profile of women’s sport in the UK and building on its already impressive portfolio of events and related output.

BBC Director of Sport, Barbara Slater comments: “We’re delighted to be adding the UEFA European Women’s Championships to our portfolio of women’s sport. The response to women’s football at London 2012 showed that there is a strong appetite for it and we look forward to bringing our audiences the excitement and drama of another major tournament.”

(Source : BBC Media Centre)

2013 Sony Radio Academy Awards announced

A new award for UK Radio Brand of the Year and fewer categories than previous years make up the 2013 Sony Radio Academy Awards.

The event, which continues to be sponsored by Sony, will take place on Monday 13th May at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London, hosted once again by Chris Evans. Nominations will be released late March/early April via a live webcast.

The Academy will be accepting entries from Tuesday 18th December 2012, and entrants have until 5pm on Wednesday 6th February 2013 to submit their applications online.

Along with some revisions to existing categories, a new award, The UK Radio Brand Of The Year has been introduced to recognise the emergence of radio ‘brands’ across the UK and the overall ‘mood’ of the station.

Coverage of the event will be provided by Radio Today from the event, sponsored by Broadcast Bionics.

John Myers, Chairman of the Sony Radio Academy Awards told RadioToday.co.uk: “Entrants will notice a few changes this year, in particular that the number of categories has been slightly reduced to 28 awards to enter, achieved by dropping a couple of categories and merging others. We are confident that this streamlined approach will still showcase all that is great about the UK radio industry.”

All details regarding categories and the terms and conditions of entry can be found at radioacademyawards.org.

(Source : Radio Today, UK)

Over one million downloads for BBC iPlayer Radio app

The BBC today announced its iPlayer Radio app, launched in October this year, has been downloaded more than a million times. The most popular activity to date in the app has been listening live to The Radio 1 Breakfast Show with Nick Grimshaw.

BBC iPlayer Radio, the new dedicated home for BBC radio, has seen record-breaking audiences since launch, with around six million UK unique weekly browsers, an increase of 30 per cent compared to October 2011 and nearly a third of traffic from mobiles and tablets. Audiences can now wake up to their favourite BBC station and listen on the move, discover the full breadth of BBC content across PC, mobile and tablet, and catch-up on programmes, clips and videos when they want.
On the BBC iPlayer Radio app:
  • The Radio 1 Breakfast Show with Nick Grimshaw tops live listening in the morning, with Radio 2’s Chris Evans Breakfast Show and Radio 4’s Today in joint second place
  • The most popular on-demand programme to date is Radio 4’s I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue, with comedy the top search category
  • On-demand listening increases in the evening, with dance music shows by Radio 1’s Annie Mac and Pete Tong performing strongly
  • After 10pm, Radio 4 overtakes Radio 1 for live listening, with programmes like Book at Bedtime proving popular
Since launch, the BBC has released a number of updates to BBC iPlayer Radio including the optimisation of the app for iPhone 5 devices, together with improved programme search and the ability to favourite a specific series on the website.

Andrew Scott, Head of Radio and Music and Audience Facing Services, BBC Future Media, says: “With over one million downloads of the app and record-breaking audiences to BBC iPlayer Radio, we are thrilled that more and more listeners can take BBC Radio with them whenever and wherever they want. We’re looking forward to bringing even more exciting features over the coming months, and to launching the app on other mobile platforms in 2013.”

Notes to editors
A BBC iPlayer Radio app for Android users will launch in 2013.

(Source : BBC Media Centre)

Bill Gates will deliver BBC One’s annual Richard Dimbleby Lecture on 29 January 2013

Joining illustrious predecessors including President Clinton, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, Sir Terry Pratchett, The Duke of Edinburgh and The Prince of Wales, Bill Gates will deliver BBC One’s annual Richard Dimbleby Lecture on 29 January 2013.

In the Lecture, Bill Gates will address how to ensure that every child has a chance of leading a healthy and productive life. 

Since the launch of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates has become a leading figure on the international development stage, seeking innovative solutions to extreme poverty and poor health in developing countries. Driven by the belief that every life has equal value, the foundation has invested over $25 billion in grants since its inception. 

The host of the Lecture alternates between leading broadcasters David and Jonathan Dimbleby, two of Richard’s children who followed in their father’s legendary footsteps. This year Jonathan will host the event, the 38th.

Jonathan Dimbleby says: “Bill Gates is one of the world’s greatest entrepreneurs and most generous philanthropists. In our troubled times, it is fantastic news that he has agreed to deliver this year’s Richard Dimbleby Lecture.”

The transmission details of the lecture will be announced in January. The Lecture (1x44) was commissioned by Danny Cohen, Controller, BBC One and Jan Younghusband, Commissioning Editor for Music and Events. It will be executive produced by Claire Popplewell and produced by Catherine Stirk for BBC Events.

(Source : BBC Media Centre)

Volkswagen Jetta hybrid with DAB +

The independent portal for automotive & transport "Auto box" reports that Volkswagen hybrid standard equips its new model Jetta with the RCD 510 including DAB + radio system. In trade the vehicle from mid-April 2013 to come.
 
 
(Source: DiGITAL RADIO BAYERN vi Bing Translator)

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Australian international broadcasting to remain permanently with the ABC

ABC’s Managing Director Mark Scott announced that the country’s international broadcasting will be merged into a new single organisation within the ABC. 

The announcement came the day after the Australian government handed the country’s international TV service – Australia Network – to the ABC on a permanent basis.

Scott said that what he described as the “two fragmented brands” could take advantage of the growing use of mobile across the Asia-Pacific region to deliver content through apps and online services. Support services – perhaps including marketing and distribution – could be combined to more effectively promote Australia’s international broadcasting services. 

Radio Australia has been on the air for around 70 years, with its headquarters in Melbourne, while Australia Network was launched in 1993 as Australia Television International.

The new arrangement takes its lead from BBC Global News, the division that combines the commercially-funded BBC World News TV channel and the advertising-free BBC World Service.
 
(Source : Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union)

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Australia: Two for one Christmas digital radio campaign

A buy one get one free promotion is the theme of the radio industry’s digital radio Christmas advertising campaign beginning Monday, 10 December on 42 commercial stations in the five state metropolitan markets of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.

Award winning radio specialist agency, Eardrum produced the four, 30 second radio ads which focus on digital radio sound quality, program choice and the two for one deal. Dick Smith, JB Hi Fi and Harvey Norman are all offering “a buy one get one free” offer* and are tagged on the ads.

“Dick Smith, JB Hi Fi and Harvey Norman retailers have been very supportive of digital radio and are being acknowledged specifically in the Christmas ad campaign in recognition of extra levels of support and promotional activity of the digital radio category this Christmas retail cycle,” said Ms Warner.

To complement the new ad campaign, banner ads will appear in trade media and across all 42 commercial station websites. Click here to listen to the radio ads or here www.digitalradioplus.com.au to see the online banner.

More than 1 million (1,002,966) digital radios have been sold in Australia since the technology launched in 2009. The Christmas campaign will build on the highly successful Father’s Day campaign that saw 94,655 digital radios sold in Q3.

Special digital radio pop up stations for the Christmas and New Year period – Elf Radio http://www.elfradio.com.au/, produced by the Australian Radio Network, and ABC Classic Season - will broadcast festive music 24/7on digital radio over the holiday period.

(Source : Commercial Radio Australia)

Uk: Ofcom announces additional 5 MHz channels

From January 1, holders of a UK Full licence will be able to apply for an NoV to use 472-479 KHz as well as additional 5 MHz channels that will permit up to 6 kHz bandwidth emissions

The Ofcom announcement says:

From the 1st January 2013 we shall be making 3 changes to Notices of Variation (NoV) to the Amateur Radio Full Licence that come into effect.

The temporary extension to the Amateur Radio Special Research Permit to operate in the band 501 kHz to 504 kHz expires. This temporary extension applied from 1st March 2012 to 31st December 2012 inclusive.

These NoVs will not be renewed and will no longer be available.

However, as a result of the World Radio Conference, under Agenda Item 1.23 amateur radio has been given an alternative allocation, on a secondary basis, of 472 479 kHz. We propose that Full Licensees should be able to apply for a NoV to operate in this band from 1st January 2013 and details on the application process will be published soon.

Following a request from the Radio Society of Great Britain for increased access to the 5 MHz (Experimental) Band, we have secured the agreement of the primary user to increase spectrum access from the current 7 spot frequencies of 3 kHz each. The primary user was unable to agree to contiguous spectrum, however it has been agreed that the frequencies in the table (see Ofcom statement link below) will be available from 1st January 2013, subject to the following conditions. Details on the application process will be published soon.

a) Antenna height must not be over 20m agl.

b) Maximum power: 100W (PEP) input into the antenna with the expectation that this would not result in more than 200W eirp.

c) Restrictions on message content have been relaxed and must now be consistent with normal Terms and Conditions of the Full Amateur Licence.

d) Maximum Bandwidth: 6 kHz (double side band)

Read the full statement at
http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/radiocommunication-licences/
amateur-radio/full-licence-jan-2013/

(Source: Southgate Amateur Radio News)

ITU Radio Regulations 2012 available for download

The 2012 edition of the ITU Radio Regulations which includes the results of WRC-12 is now available.

The Radio Regulations, Edition of 2012, contains the complete texts of the Radio Regulations as adopted by the World Radiocommunication Conference (Geneva, 1995) (WRC-95) subsequently revised and approved by  the World Radiocommunication Conference (Geneva, 1997) (WRC-97), the World Radiocommunication Conference (Istanbul, 2000) (WRC-2000), the World Radiocommunication Conference (Geneva, 2003) (WRC-03), the World Radiocommunication Conference (Geneva, 2007) (WRC-07) and the World Radiocommunication Conference (Geneva, 2012) (WRC-12), including all Appendices, Resolutions, Recommendations and ITU-R Recommendations incorporated by reference.

The free download is available at
http://www.itu.int/pub/R-REG-RR-2012/en

(Source : Southgate Amateur Radio News)

India orders DRM-configured transmitters for its transition to digital

India’s public broadcaster Prasar Bharati has issued orders for six Nautel medium wave transmitters configured for Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) transmission.

The purchase is part of All India Radio’s (AIR) plans to upgrade facilities throughout India to DRM30 digital broadcasting The DRM digitisation implementation will allow AIR to also use alternative platforms such as podcasting, SMS, webcasting and mobile service. 

AIR also intends to offer a 24-hour news channel along with other programming. Additional services such as Interactive Text Transmission and disaster warning alerts are also planned.

Hal Kneller, Nautel Regional Sales Manager – Europe and Africa said “As a member of the DRM Consortium executive and steering boards, it thrills me that Nautel has been chosen to bring India into the age of digital radio with this technology. “Prasar Bharati and All India Radio have embarked on a project that will bring great flexibility and a world of possibilities to broadcasting in India. We look forward to working with AIR as they proceed with their digital deployment.”

(Source: Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union)

Pandora expands to Australia and New Zealand

Internet radio service Pandora is now fully operational in Australia and New Zealand with the availability of its iOS and Android apps, in addition to its Web-based player, Online Media Daily reports.

The company also hired a local Managing Director for the countries, Jane Huxley, with more than 20 years experience in digital media. She was most recently head of digital for Fairfax Media, one of Australia’s largest diversified media companies.

The localization effort includes creating genre stations on Pandora geared to Australian and New Zealand listeners, with offerings spanning current hits, roots and reggae dub, indigenous, classic pub rock and other music styles. Pandora founder and chief strategy officer Tim Westergren is also holding “town hall” events in Auckland, Melbourne and Sydney this week to meet with Pandora fans and discuss the local service.

The expansion comes a week after Pandora reported third-quarter earnings that sent its stock down, given the reduced outlook. Pandora CEO Joe Kennedy blamed the disappointing guidance on revenue and earnings on advertiser uncertainty stemming from economic concerns. 
 
(Source: Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union)

Saturday, December 08, 2012

Voice of Russia has vast Indian audience

People in India thank The Voice of Russia for giving them an opportunity to track developments in the Russian Federation and gain an insight into the Russian culture.

President of a VOR listener club in Bihar State spoke about this to a VOR correspondent Saturday on the fringes of the 7th all-Indian conference of Voice of Russia listeners. His club is now 25 years old and has 60 members.

The conference brought together delegates from as many as 150 VOR listener clubs.

(Source: Voice of Russia)

India’s Radio Moscow clubs alive and kicking

The Russian Centre of Science and Culture in New Delhi is hosting the 7th all-Indian conference of listeners of The Voice of Russia. Delegates from over 150 local listener clubs are taking part, representing most of India’s states.

Mr Chunnilal Kaiwart, 40, is President of the Green Peace DX Club. He hasn’t missed a single national conference of Voice of Russia listeners. His club works in a location some 1,200 kilometers from New Delhi. 

"My club has 30 members. They include students, teachers and doctors. At least once a month, we gather together to discuss the most interesting programmes of The Voice of Russia and the most interesting articles posted on the station’s website." 

Mr Krishna Muriri Singh Kisan heads one of the many VOR listener clubs created in Bihar State: “My club was founded in 1995. It now has 60 members. We are all friends and sympathizers of Russia and take great interest in developments in your country. With the help of your radio station, we track your reforms in every field and study the Russian culture. We also have another source of information about Russia, FEVER 104 FM. This radio station is an Indian partner of The Voice of Russia.”

"The members have raised some $50,000 to construct a building for the club’s meetings. We want to make our club an important centre of exchanges between Russia and India." 

Senior FEVER 104 FM executive Mt Vinay Manik said programmes prepared in cooperation with The Voice of Russia boost the rating of his radio station. Many of the older Indians, he said, love the Russian culture, particularly literature. By airing programmes about it, FEVER 1034 FM instills this love in the young. These programmes are a treasure trove of knowledge about Russia.

The honorary guests of the New Delhi conference included Russian Ambassador Alexander Kadakin:

"The secret of such ever-growing popularity is quite simple, radio station’s team does not stand idle, but matches in step with time. Our Indian friends can now listen to the voice of their favorite anchor through a cell phone, the company’s internet site is working in full swing, and a special application is available at the AppStore. A free programme installed on a smart phone allows listening to the latest news. Today the Voice of Russia is actively expanding broadcasting using razoredge communication means and opportunities provided by digital technologies. The Voice of Russia’s portal can be deservedly considered a unique Runet database. The radio station’s sites in Hindi, Urdu, Bengali and English are especially popular and enjoy an ever-increasing number of visitors."

On the conference’s second day Sunday, the delegates will discuss the content of the VOR’s webpages in India languages. The conference has already attracted great attention from the Indian media.

VOR listener clubs (our station was known at the time as Radio Moscow International) sprang up in India in the 1960s, as Soviet-Indian cooperation was picking up. Moscow Radio was beaming programmes in as many as 12 Indian languages.

(Source : Voice of Russia)

Friday, December 07, 2012

24x chances to win a digital radio

In December Deutschlandradio accomplishes a competition at digitalradio.de. Among all participants each day between 1st – 24th of  December, participants can win a digital radio receiver.

Special DRM broadcasts for Wavescan

The “Wavescan” DX program which is a joint production of NASB members Adventist World Radio and Radio Miami International, will be included in a new series of four DRM (digital) shortwave transmissions called “DRM Mix” sponsored by Spaceline in Bulgaria which will take place on 22, 23, 25 and 26 December, 2012.

Wavescan will air from 17.00 – 17.30 UTC on those days. The frequency will be 9755 kHz from Bulgaria, covering Europe with 100 kW. Wavescan QSL cards are available for reception reports on these broadcasts. The program content will include information on the history of broadcasting in Bulgaria.

(Source : DRM Consortium)

DW Survey: Vote for your favorite User 2012 and win a DW surprise bag!

Who would you like to see as our user of the year 2012?

The choice is yours! Choose your favourite user of the year!





Vote for your favorite User 2012 and win a DW surprise bag! Write your choice to mydw@dw.de including your name and complete address! Each entry will count only once. Closing date is 20 December 2012.

(Source : Deutsche Welle)

Thursday, December 06, 2012

Philippines: Disaster recovery helped by amateur radio

The amateur radio community was prepared when a super typhoon unleashed its fury on the Philippines, uprooting trees, snapping power lines, sparking landslides, cancelling flights and ferries sending 40,000 people to shelters.

Claiming more than 200 human lives, it was the strongest of 16 typhoons in the country this year, as Pablo (internationally named Bopha) had heavy rain and wind gusts up to 210km/h.

The Philippine Amateur Radio Association (PARA) had emergency communications on 40 metres 7095 MHz and VHF as the typhoon made landfall on Tuesday at North Davao in Mindanao. It left a large footprint of damage before exiting the country.

PARA is disappointed that its emergency use of 7095 MHz was not honoured by other radio amateurs, who disturbed its operation by testing equipment on air, tuning up, sending digital signals and sometimes even trying to make contact as if it was a DX activity.

A standard text will clearly identify emergency nets in future, as a worldwide reminder is issued not to QRM emergencies or training exercises.

With the typhoon now leaving the country's area of responsibility, the PARA HERO activity is now closed.'
National Traffic System Co-chairman, Roberto C. Vicencio DU1VHY said he thanked everyone who participated in the endeavour, and they did very well, exceeding all expectations.

(Source : Jim Linton VK3PC, Chairman IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee via Southgate Amateur Radio News)

FreeDV Ham Radio digital voice software

FreeDV is an application for Windows and Linux that allows any HF SSB radio to be used for digital voice mode with a bandwidth of just 1.1 kHz

Speech is compressed down to 1400 bit/s then modulated onto a 1100 Hz wide QPSK signal which is sent to the Mic input of a SSB radio.

On receive, the signal is received by the SSB radio, then demodulated and decoded by FreeDV.

Features:
• Codec 2 voice coder and FDMDV modem
• 50 baud 14 QPSK voice data
• 1 Center BPSK carrier with 2x power for fast and robust synchronisation.
• 1.125 kHz spectrum bandwidth (half SSB) with 75 Hz carrier spacing
• 1400 bit/s data rate with 1375 bit/s open source Codec 2 voice coding and 25 bit/s text for call sign ID
• No interleaving in time or FEC philosophy resulting in low latency, fast synchronization and quick recovery from fades.
• 44.1 or 48kHz sample rate sound card compatible

It's Open Source, and using Codec2. See http://freedv.org/

(Source : Southgate Amateur Radio News)

China Radio International sets up radio station in Tonga

China’s state-owned radio, China Radio International, has launched a 24 hours FM service in Nuku’alofa in Tonga, offering programmes in English and Chinese.

The Chinese operator is to work in partnership with the Tonga Broadcasting Commission.

Matangi Tonga reports the Chinese Ambassador, Wang Donghua, saying the launch is a natural evolution of the friendly relations and cooperation between Tonga and China.

He says radio and television are very important channels for promoting mutual cooperation.

(Source : Radio New Zealand via kimandrewelliott.com)