This weekend’s VOA Radiogram will include nearly nine minutes of Olivia 32-2000. The Olivia 32-2000 mode is about 50 words per minute and is useful when reception is difficult. If reception is good this weekend, you can perhaps create difficult reception by using an inexpensive radio.

The Fldigi RxID should be on (green) and will probably detect the Olivia 32-2000 mode from the RSID. If it does not: Op Mode > Olivia > Custom > Bandwidth=2000, Tones=32.

The non-Latin alphabet of the week is Chinese. If you use Fldigi, make sure that Configure > Colors & Fonts > Rx/TX Character set is set to UTF-8. The Chinese should also display correctly with the AndFlmsg Android app version 1.2, which now has UTF-8 support.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 128

, 12-13 September 2015, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

  1:36  Program preview
  2:50  Most distant galaxy seen from earth (orbit)*
  7:41  Boeing opens spaceship plant in Florida*
14:55  Olivia 32-2000: China to far side of moon
18:27  Olivia 32-2000: Chinese text from VOA Chinese
23:41  MFSK32: Closing announcements*
28:21  Olivia 64-2000: Transmission schedule

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5745 kHz
Sat 1600-1630 17870 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

The Mighty KBC will transmit a minute of MFSK64 Sunday at 0230 UTC (Saturday 10:30 pm EDT) on 7375 kHz, via Germany. This is part of the KBC transmission to North America Sundays at  0000-0300 UTC on 7375 kHz. Reports for this KBC transmission to Eric: themightykbc (at) gmail.com

VOA Radiogram, program 127, during the weekend of 5-6 September 2015, included some text from the VOA Russian Service. Below is the text and accompanying image as received by Merkouris in Greece, 5 September, 1600-1630 UTC, on 17870 kHz.

Other VOA Radiogram listeners successfully decoded the Russian text using the AndFlmsg Android app, Version 1.2 of which now has UTF-8 support.

I’m finally getting around to posting these MFSK32 images received and decoded by Chris in New Zealand, about 14000 km from the North Carolina transmitter. This was 8 August 2015 during the 0930-1000 UTC transmission on 5745 kHz, using a dipole antenna actually directed to the Caribbean. The MFSK32 text was received 100%.

An updated version (1.2) of the AndFlmsg Android app is now available at http://www.w1hkj.com/vk2eta/

This new version has support for the UTF-8 character set.  To give the AndFlmsg update a workout, this weekend’s VOA Radiogram will include news items in Russian and Spanish.  The Spanish involves only a few letters with accents. Russian is more complicated, with its Cyrillic alphabet. 

Of course, you can also decode the Russian, Spanish, and English, using Fldigi (set to UTF-8) on your desktop or laptop PC.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 127,  5-6 September 2015, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

  1:34  Program preview
  2:44  New Russian Internet data law*
  9:46  Same subject, in Russian*
13:45  Chinese Navy ships in Bering Sea*
21:59  Cuba mobile video, in Spanish*
26:21  Closing announcements*
28:03  Olivia 64-2000: Transmission schedule

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5745 kHz
Sat 1600-1630 17870 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

The Mighty KBC will transmit a minute of MFSK64 Sunday at about 0230 UTC (Saturday 10:32 pm EDT) on its new frequency of 7375 kHz, via Germany. Reports for this KBC reception to Eric: themightykbc (at) gmail.com.

This weekend’s VOA Radiogram will include an experiment suggested by Mark in the UK.  Mark notices that interference to MFSK images comes from RF noise that is concentrated in the lower audio frequencies. He wants to know if images might be clearer if they are transmitted at a higher audio frequency.

Because of a few extra minutes in this weekend’s program, the third image will be transmitted a second time, at a center frequency of 2000 Hz.  

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 126, 29-30 August 2015, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

  1:30  Program preview
  2:45  Strife reduces pollution in parts of Middle East*
  9:03  Diminished marine biodiversity*
16:10  Plastic debris in the Pacific Ocean*
24:18  MFSK32 at 2000 Hz: Same image*
26:37  MFSK32 at 1500 Hz: Closing announcements*
28:23  Olivia 64-2000: Transmission schedule

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5745 kHz
Sat 1600-1630 17870 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

The Mighty KBC will transmit a minute of MFSK64 Sunday at 0230 UTC (Saturday 10:30 pm EDT) on 9925 kHz, via Germany. Reports for the KBC transmission to Eric: themightykbc (at) gmail.com .

This weekend will be another all-MFSK32 show (except for the closing Olivia), emphasizing media news.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 125, 22-23 August 2015, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

  1:32  Program preview

  2:49  Islamic State bans television*
11:16  Iraqi Internet ‘Strange’ Outages*
15:47  Chinese rights website blocked*
21:05  Sunflower festival in Japan*
21:41  Closing announcements*
27:40  Olivia 64-2000: Transmission schedule

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5745 kHz
Sat 1600-1630 17870 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

The Mighty KBC will transmit a minute of MFSK64 – with a very vertical image – Sunday at 0230 UTC (Saturday 10:30 pm EDT) on 9925 kHz, via Germany. It’s part of the KBC broadcast to North America Sundays 0000-0300 UTC. Reports for this KBC transmission to Eric: themightykbc (at) gmail.com.

Greg, OH2FFY, in Finland (yes, the name doesn’t seem Finnish; he’s from Australia) produced this video about VOA Radiogram back on December 31, 2014, but I just discovered it today. Greg does an excellent job of explaining the VOA Radiogram concept, in words and pictures…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEXbQ8W-gqc

This weekend’s VOA Radiogram will be all-MFSK32 (except for the Olivia 64-2000 bonus mode) and will include some interesting science news.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 124, 15-16 August 2015, all in MFSK32 except where noted:  

  1:31  Program preview
  2:39  Genome of octopus species*
  9:50  New sunspot index shows no climate link*
19:23  Economic growth threatens Asian biodiversity*
26:05  Closing announcements*
28:20  Olivia 64-2000: Transmission schedule

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5745 kHz
Sat 1600-1630 17870 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

The Mighty KBC will transmit a minute of MFSK64 Sunday at 0230 UTC (Saturday 10:30 pm EDT) on 9925 kHz, via Germany. Please send reports about this KBC reception to Eric: themightykbc (at) gmail.com .

Mark Hirst prepared this YouTube video of  shortwave broadcasts – including VOA Radiogram – received during the July VHF field day held near Basingstoke, Hampshire in the UK …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itkZRP7ADo8

This weekend on VOA Radiogram, we return to our usual MFSK32 mode, except for one news item in Olivia 32-2000, which might succeed even in poor reception conditions.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 123, 8-9 August 2015, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

  1:31  Program preview
  2:48  Facial expressions of horses*
  8:21  Use of drones to transport blood samples*
14:48  Hijacking radio signals from computer accessories*
20:32  Olivia 32-2000: Poll indicates Russians favor Internet censorship*
27:07  MFSK32: Closing announcements
28:08  Olivia 64-2000: VOA Radiogram transmission schedule

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com  .

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5745 kHz
Sat 1600-1630 17870 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

The Mighty KBC will transmit a minute of MFSK64 Sunday at 0230 UTC (Saturday 10:30 pm EDT) on 9925 kHz, via Germany. Reports for this KBC reception should go to Eric: themightykbc (at) gmail.com .