VOA Radiogram on December 31-1 January will return to the normal format, with one news item in Olivia 64-2000, which might be helpful if reception is poor.  Olivia 64-2000 works best if Fldigi’s squelch (SQL) is off.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 196, 31 December 2016-1 January 2017, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

1:45  Program preview

2:50  Farming without soil*

8:54  Dwarf planet Ceres flush with ice*

14:38  Olivia 64-2000: Planets developing around young star

22:02  MFSK32: Image* and closing announcements*

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5865 kHz         (To the Americas, try also in Asia-Pacific and Europe)
Sat 1600-1630 17580 kHz       (To Europe, try also in the Americas and Asia-Pacific)  
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz        (To the Americas, try also in Europe)
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz      (To Europe, try also in the Americas and Asia-Pacific)
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

The Mighty KBC broadcast to North America will be Sunday at 0000-0200 UTC (Saturday 7-9 pm EST) on 6145 kHz, via Germany. A minute of MFSK32 will be transmitted at about 0130 UTC. Reports to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com . See also http://www.kbcradio.eu/ and https://www.facebook.com/TheMightyKbc/ .  

DigiDX transmits DX news in MFSK32 and sometimes other modes:

Sunday 2030-2100 UTC on  11580Khz (Via WRMI Florida, to Europe)
Sunday 2330-2400 UTC on 11580kHz (Via WRMI Florida, to North and South America)

Monday 2000-2030 UTC on 3975 kHz (via IBC)

Wednesday 2100-2130 UTC on 3975 kHz (via IBC)

See http://www.digidx.uk/ and https://www.facebook.com/digidx/

Italian Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) has digital modes as follows:

EVERY WEDNESDAY ON 3975 KHZ 20.30-21.00 UTC in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500

EVERY FRIDAY ON 9955 KHZ 02.25-02.30 UTC in MFSK32

EVERY SATURDAY ON 1584 KHZ 21.25-21.30 UTC in MFSK32

EVERY SUNDAY ON 7730 KHZ 00.55-01.00 UTC in MFSK32

EVERY SUNDAY ON 6070 KHZ 11.30-12.00 UTC  in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500 (VIA RADIO BCLNEWS)

For the complete IBC transmission schedule, including voice broadcasts, visit  http://ibcradio.webs.com/

Although reception of VOA Radiogram was difficult in much of the world during the weekend of 24-25 December 2016, there were some notable successes, as illustrated by the decodes of MFSK32 by several listeners, including these examples … 

Received by Mark in England:

Nice decode of all 11 images by Bruno, near Rome, 24 December 2016, 1600-1630 UTC, 17580 kHz, via 50-year-old transmitter in North Carolina …

More details about this weekend’s VOA Radiogram …

http://voaradiogram.net/post/154811949192/voa-radiogram-25-26-december-and-31-december-1

Some decoded images from this weekend:

https://twitter.com/voaradiogram

This note provides details about VOA Radiogram for the holiday weekends of 24-25 December and 31 December-1 January.

Listeners in Europe: Try for possible gray line reception for the broadcast Saturdays at 0930-1000 UTC on 5865 kHz.  And if reception on 17580 and 15670 kHz is difficult, you might have your best luck in the middle of the night, Sundays at 0230-0300 UTC on 5745 kHz.

The program for 24-25 December (program 195) is a holiday “spectacular.”  It will all be in MFSK32 and will include 11 images of holiday lights from around the United States.

The show on December 31-1 January will return to the normal format, with one news item in Olivia 64-2000, which might be helpful if reception is poor.  Olivia 64-2000 works best if Fldigi’s squelch (SQL) is off.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 196, 31 December 2016-1 January 2017, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

1:45  Program preview

2:50  Farming without soil*

8:54  Dwarf planet Ceres flush with ice*

14:38  Olivia 64-2000: Planets developing around young star

22:02  MFSK32: Image* and closing announcements*

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5865 kHz         (To the Americas, try also in Asia-Pacific and Europe)
Sat 1600-1630 17580 kHz       (To Europe, try also in the Americas and Asia-Pacific)  
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz        (To the Americas, try also in Europe)
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz      (To Europe, try also in the Americas and Asia-Pacific)
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

The Mighty KBC broadcast to North America will be Sunday at 0000-0200 UTC (Saturday 7-9 pm EST) on 6145 kHz, via Germany. A minute of MFSK32 will be transmitted at about 0130 UTC. Reports to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com . See also http://www.kbcradio.eu/ and https://www.facebook.com/TheMightyKbc/ .  

DigiDX transmits DX news in MFSK32 and sometimes other modes:

Sunday 2030-2100 UTC on  11580Khz (Via WRMI Florida, to Europe)
Sunday 2330-2400 UTC on 11580kHz (Via WRMI Florida, to North and South America)

Monday 2000-2030 UTC on 3975 kHz (via IBC)

Wednesday 2100-2130 UTC on 3975 kHz (via IBC)

See http://www.digidx.uk/ and https://www.facebook.com/digidx/

Italian Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) has digital modes as follows:

EVERY WEDNESDAY ON 3975 KHZ 20.30-21.00 UTC in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500

EVERY FRIDAY ON 9955 KHZ 02.25-02.30 UTC in MFSK32

EVERY SATURDAY ON 1584 KHZ 21.25-21.30 UTC in MFSK32

EVERY SUNDAY ON 7730 KHZ 00.55-01.00 UTC in MFSK32

EVERY SUNDAY ON 6070 KHZ 11.30-12.00 UTC  in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500 (VIA RADIO BCLNEWS)

For the complete IBC transmission schedule, including voice broadcasts, visit  http://ibcradio.webs.com/

Near-winter-solstice propagation has made reception of VOA Radiogram more problematic, especially in the higher frequencies (15670 and 17580), while opening up opportunities for reception south of the Equator.

In  recent weeks, the Saturday 0930 UTC on 5865 kHz show has delivered a signal to Europe via the gray line, though usually not good enough for successful decoding. If you are in Europe, keep trying this transmission, at least into February.  

For European listeners, this time of year the best opportunity for reception might, ironically, be the Sunday 0230 UTC broadcast on 5745 kHz. It’s nominally beamed to the Caribbean, and in the middle of the night in Europe. Audacity’s timer record feature can be helpful here. Just leave your radio on all night – and sleep well!

This weekend’s VOA Radiogram has some interesting items, including a story about the future of US international broadcasting, including VOA. If reception is difficult – a likely scenario – one item is in Olivia 64-2000. It might decode successfully even if you can barely hear the signal through your speaker or see it on the waterfall.

For best Olivia 64-2000 performance, turn Fldigi’s squelch (SQL) off. And to keep the center audio frequency from wandering, Configure > IDs > RsID > turn off Searches passband. Set your audio frequency to 1500 Hz, and it will wander no more than +/- 200 Hz.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 194, 17-18 December 2016, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

 1:36  Program preview

 2:42  Reorganization of US international broadcasting*

11:53  Off-grid solar power in Africa*

18:00  Olivia 64-2000: Shortwave greetings for sailors

25:30  MFSK32: Closing announcements*

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5865 kHz         (To the Americas, try also in Asia-Pacific and Europe)
Sat 1600-1630 17580 kHz       (To Europe, try also in the Americas and Asia-Pacific)  
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz        (To the Americas, try also in Europe)
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz      (To Europe, try also in the Americas and Asia-Pacific)
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

The Mighty KBC broadcast to North America will be Sunday at 0000-0200 UTC (Saturday 7-9 pm EST) on 6145 kHz, via Germany. A minute of MFSK32 will be transmitted at about 0130 UTC. Reports to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com . See also http://www.kbcradio.eu/ and https://www.facebook.com/TheMightyKbc/ .  

DigiDX has a new transmission schedule, both via WRMI Florida:

Sunday 2030-2100 UTC on  11580Khz (Targeted at Europe)
Sunday 2330-2400 UTC on 11580kHz (For North and South America)

See http://www.digidx.uk/ and https://www.facebook.com/digidx/

Italian Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) has digital modes as follows:

EVERY WEDNESDAY ON 3975 KHZ 20.30-21.00 UTC in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500

EVERY FRIDAY ON 9955 KHZ 02.25-02.30 UTC in MFSK32

EVERY SATURDAY ON 1584 KHZ 21.25-21.30 UTC in MFSK32

EVERY SUNDAY ON 7730 KHZ 00.55-01.00 UTC in MFSK32

EVERY SUNDAY ON 6070 KHZ 11.30-12.00 UTC  in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500 (VIA RADIO BCLNEWS)

For the complete IBC transmission schedule, including voice broadcasts, visit  http://ibcradio.webs.com/

Dolan in the Outer Hebrides had a mostly legible gray-line decode of the Radio Australia logo, from VOA Radiogram, 10 December at 0951 UTC, 5865 kHz …

This weekend, I am betting on adequate reception conditions, because all VOA Radiogram content will be in MFSK32 except for the transmission schedule in Olivia 64-2000 at the very end  of the show.  (For best Olivia 64-2000 performance, turn the Fldigi squelch [SQL] off.)

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 193, 10-11 December 2016, all in MFSK32 centered on 1500 Hz, except where noted:

 1:49  Program preview

 2:59  Cassini probe beams back images of Saturn’s atmosphere*

7:28  Kremlin doctrine for “managing” Internet*

14:38  Australia’s ABC to end shortwave broadcasts*

21:14  Closing announcements*

28:28  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 5865 kHz         (To the Americas, try also in Asia-Pacific and Europe)
Sat 1600-1630 17580 kHz       (To Europe, try also in the Americas and Asia-Pacific) 
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz        (To the Americas, try also in Europe)
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz      (To Europe, try also in the Americas and Asia-Pacific)
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

The Mighty KBC broadcast to North America will be Sunday at 0000-0200 UTC (Saturday 7-9 pm EST) on 6145 kHz, via Germany. A minute of MFSK32 will be transmitted at about 0130 UTC. Reports to Eric: themightykbc (at) gmail.com . See also http://www.kbcradio.eu/ and https://www.facebook.com/TheMightyKbc/ .  

DigiDX has a new transmission schedule, both via WRMI Florida:

Sunday 2030-2100 UTC on  11580Khz (Targeted at Europe)
Sunday 2330-2400 UTC on 11580kHz (For North and South America)

See http://www.digidx.uk/ and https://www.facebook.com/digidx/

Italian Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) has digital modes as follows:

EVERY WEDNESDAY ON 3975 KHZ 20.30-21.00 UTC in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500

EVERY FRIDAY ON 9955 KHZ 02.25-02.30 UTC in MFSK32

EVERY SATURDAY ON 1584 KHZ 21.25-21.30 UTC in MFSK32

EVERY SUNDAY ON 7730 KHZ 00.55-01.00 UTC in MFSK32

EVERY SUNDAY ON 6070 KHZ 11.30-12.00 UTC  in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500 (VIA RADIO BCLNEWS)

For the complete IBC transmission schedule, including voice broadcasts, visit  http://ibcradio.webs.com/

Last week’s transmission Sunday at 1930-2000 UTC on 15670 kHz again did not reach most of Europe – for at least part of the show.  See the image above.

 The Saturday 0930-1000 broadcast on 5865 kHz also did not reach most of Europe. Please try again this weekend, because we never know when gray-line propagation will be favorable. This transmission should be audible throughout the Americas and might also be heard in the Asia-Pacific region.

This weekend’s VOA Radiogram includes one news item in Olivia 64-2000. This mode might provide a good decode even in conditions which result in an unsuccessful decode of our usual MFSK32 mode. Turn off Fldigi’s squelch (SQL) for best results in Olivia 64-2000.

And to keep the transmitter hum from mixing with the RSID, resulting in an incorrect center audio frequency, do this in Fldigi: Configure > IDs > ID > RsID > unselect (turn off) Searches passband.  Set the audio frequency at 1500 Hz. Any self-adjustment of the audio frequency by Fldigi will be no more than 200 Hz.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 192, 3-4 December 2016, all in the MFSK32 except where noted:

1:48  Program preview

 2:59  U.S. Coast Guard looks to increased Asia-Pacific role*

8:47  Thomas Edison National Historical Park*

15:55  Olivia 64-2000: UK radio amateur’s ISS project

22:16  MFSK32: Club Diexistas de la Amistad 40th anniversary*

27:07  Closing announcements*

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com 

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5865 kHz   (To the Americas, try also in Asia-Pacific and Europe)
Sat 1600-1630 17580 kHz  (To Europe, try also in the Americas and Asia-Pacific) 
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz  (To the Americas, try also in Europe)
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz (To Europe, try also in the Americas and Asia-Pacific)
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

The Mighty KBC broadcast to North America will be Sunday at 0000-0200 UTC (Saturday 7-9 pm EST) on 6145 kHz, via Germany. A minute of MFSK32 will be transmitted at about 0130 UTC. Reports to Eric: themightykbc (at) gmail.com . See also http://www.kbcradio.eu/ and https://www.facebook.com/TheMightyKbc/ .  

DigiDX has a new transmission schedule, both via WRMI Florida:

Sunday 2030-2100 UTC on  11580Khz (Targeted at Europe)
Sunday 2330-2400 UTC on 11580kHz (For North and South America)

See http://www.digidx.uk/ and https://www.facebook.com/digidx/

Italian Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) has digital modes as follows:

EVERY WEDNESDAY ON 3975 KHZ 20.30-21.00 UTC in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500

EVERY FRIDAY ON 9955 KHZ 02.25-02.30 UTC in MFSK32

EVERY SATURDAY ON 1584 KHZ 21.25-21.30 UTC in MFSK32

EVERY SUNDAY ON 7730 KHZ 00.55-01.00 UTC in MFSK32

EVERY SUNDAY ON 6070 KHZ 11.30-12.00 UTC  in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500 (VIA RADIO BCLNEWS)

For the complete IBC transmission schedule, including voice broadcasts, visit  http://ibcradio.webs.com/

Apologies to those of you who tried to listen to last weekend’s Sunday 0230 UTC transmission on 5745 kHz, only to hear nothing. The transmitter normally used for VOA Radiogram was quickly needed to replace another transmitter. Regularly scheduled broadcasts from the North Carolina station have priority over VOA Radiogram, which is an experimental broadcast.

If you are in Europe and tried to listen to the Sunday 1930 UTC broadcast on 15670 kHz, you probably also heard nothing. In this case, it was bad propagation, for the third week in a row. On the other hand, this transmission was heard in western North America and even in Australia (see the images and text decoded by Frank in Perth at the bottom of this email).

The Saturday 0930-1000 UTC broadcast on 5865 kHz is starting to be heard in Europe via the gray line. If you are not in Europe but want to see how this works, try the University of Twente receiver in the Netherlands: http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901. Reception will, of course, vary from week to week.

Because of the challenging propagation that we encounter this time of year, one of the news items in this weekend’s broadcast will again be in Olivia 64-2000. This mode may provide a 100% decode even if MFSK32 struggles. For best Olivia 64-2000 performance, turn off the Fldigi squelch (SQL, bottom right).  

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 191, 26-27 November 2016, all in MFSk32 except where noted …

1:48  Program preview  

2:59  GOES-R weather satellite launched*

9:40  Olivia 64-2000: Chinese lunar-orbiting satellite

17:05  MFSK32: 56-year-old radio amateur joins ISS crew*

21:33  Trump promise to rename Mt. Denali Mt. McKinley*

27:14  Closing announcements

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule

(all days and times UTC):

Sat 0930-1000 5865 kHz

Sat 1600-1630 17580 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 has an expanded schedule this weekend.  KBC’s broadcast to North America will be Sunday at 0000-0200 UTC (Saturday 7-9 pm EST) on 6145 kHz, via Germany. A minute of MFSK32 will be transmitted at about 0130 UTC. KBC will also broadcast to Europe on Sunday at 1200-1300 UTC on 6095 kHz. A minute of MFSK32 will be at about 1230 UTC. This won’t be audible in North America, but you can listen via the University of Twente receiver in the Netherlands: http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901. Reports to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com . See also http://www.kbcradio.eu/ and https://www.facebook.com/TheMightyKbc/ .  

DigiDX has a new transmission schedule, both via WRMI Florida:

Sunday 2030-2100 UTC on  11580Khz (Targeted at Europe)
Sunday 2330-2400 UTC on 11580kHz (For North and South America)

See http://www.digidx.uk/ and https://www.facebook.com/digidx/

Italian Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) has digital modes as follows:

EVERY WEDNESDAY ON 3975 KHZ 20.30-21.00 UTC in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500

EVERY FRIDAY ON 9955 KHZ 02.25-02.30 UTC in MFSK32

EVERY SATURDAY ON 1584 KHZ 21.25-21.30 UTC in MFSK32

EVERY SUNDAY ON 7730 KHZ 00.55-01.00 UTC in MFSK32

EVERY SUNDAY ON 6070 KHZ 11.30-12.00 UTC  in MFSK32 and OLIVIA 16-500 (VIA RADIO BCLNEWS)

For the complete IBC transmission schedule, including voice broadcasts, visit  http://ibcradio.webs.com/