VOA Radiogram, 6-7 June 2015: More SSTV, this time Scottie DX

If you listened last weekend Saturday at 1600 UTC on 17870 kHz, some wideband interference was heard about two minutes into the program. It was a nuisance, but also a good test for the MFSK32. More information in this post to the voaradiogram.net website.

Last weekend’s experiment with the PD180 SSTV mode was largely successful. It certainly provided an interesting comparison of image decodes using PD180 SSTV versus MFSK32.

Now that many of you have downloaded and installed SSTV decoding software, we will transmit SSTV again this weekend. This time we will use the Scottie DX mode, which may be the most robust mode for long distance shortwave.

From your reception reports, I was reminded of other SSTV decoding software. In addition to the MMSSTV we suggested last weekend, there is also the very good RXSSTV receive-only program from ON6MU. Some Linux users decoded the SSTV image using Oona Räisänen’s slowrx.  

Last weekend’s other experiment involved Olivia 64-2000 at 16 dB under the closing music. That was so successful that this weekend, we will transmit Olivia 64-2000 again, but this time at 20 dB under the closing music. That will be followed by the “thank you” message, also in Olivia 64-2000, but at full level, and this time with its own RSID.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 114, 6-7 June 2015, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

  1:29  Program preview
  2:47  Heat-resistant Glassware Celebrates 100th Anniversary*
  8:17  Unusual Store Sells Comic Books and Exotic Plants*
16:24  Scottie DX SSTV: Frecce Tricolori
22:15  Same image in MFSK32
27:24  Closing announcements
28:11  Olivia 64-2000 20 dB under closing music  
29:23  Olivia 64-2000 at full level

* 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 10:30 pm EDT) on 9925 kHz via Germany. Reports for KBC to Eric:  themightykbc (at) gmail.com . Decode the KBC text, then quickly retune to VOA Radiogram on 5745 kHz for the rest of the half hour. 

PD180 SSTV image as decoded by Alan in England during the 1930UTC broadcast on 31 May 2015, 15670 kHz …