During the past two weekends, many listeners noted that the RSID for the Olivia modes did change the mode. In an attempt to fix that problem, I have amplified the RSID for this weekend’s Olivia 32-1000 by 2.5 dB.

Also, please make sure that Fldigi is configured to search the passband for the RSID. Such a search is necessary given that the MFSK32 is centered on 1500 Hz, but the Olivia is centered on 2000 Hz. In Fldigi: Configure > IDs > RsID: select Searches passband. In newer versions of Fldigi, you can alternatively left-click on the RxID in the upper right of the main screen, then select Passband.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 171, 9-10 July 2016, all in MFSK32 centered on 1500 Hz except where noted:

 1:36  Program preview

 2:51  Saturn’s moon Titan might support life*

 7:47  New Horizons space probe extends its mission*

13:01  Lightning rod may have saved Maryland’s State House*

18:42  Olivia 32-1000/2000 Hz: Pasta is good for you

26:29  MFSK32/1500 Hz: Closing announcements*

* 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 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 will broadcast to North America Sunday at 0000-0200 UTC (Saturday 8-10 pm EDT) on 9925 kHz, via Germany. A minute of MFSK32 will be transmitted at about 0130 UTC. Reports for KBC reception and decode to Eric: themightykbc (at) gmail.com

DigiDX will provide DX and media news in MFSK32 and a mixture of other modes:

Sunday 2130-2200 UTC, 15770 kHz, via WRMI Florida
Sunday 2330-2400 UTC, 11580 kHz, via WRMI Florida
Monday 2000-2130 UTC, 6070 kHz, via Channel 292 Germany

Daily 1830-1900 and 0530-0600 UTC, 6070 kHz, via Channel 292 Germany

Look for any additions or changes to the DigiDX schedule at http://www.digidx.uk/ or https://www.facebook.com/digidx/

IBC (Italian Broadcasting Corporation) has a broadcast to Europe on 6070 kHz, Wednesdays, 2000-2200 UTC, with MFSK32 and Olivia 16-500 at 2030-2100 UTC. See http://ibcradio.webs.com/ for the complete schedule and contact information.

Last weekend VOA Radiogram heard from many interesting places (e.g., Morocco, Poland, Russia,  Japan, Australia, Colombia), saw four YouTube videos (from Colorado, Germany, Maryland, and Japan), and heard and decoded the modes fighting off over-the-horizon (OTH) radar. See examples at this website: just scroll down.  See examples also at https://twitter.com/voaradiogram

Last week’s MFSK32 performed well, and the Olivia 16-1000 even better. There were a few instances where the Olivia 16-1000 not not decode successfully. This week will will  try the slower (24 wpm) but more robust Olivia 32-1000.

At one point in the show I mistakenly refer to Olivia 32-2000 …

VOA Radiogram now changes to Olivia 32-2000 centered on 2000 Hz

But Olivia 32-1000 is the only mode on the program other than MFSK32.  I apologize for the confusion.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 170, 2-3 July 2016, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

1:20  Program preview 

2:37  Bamboo as a building material*
8:09  Juno spacecraft nears orbit around Jupiter*
15:12  Olivia 32-1000 at 2000 Hz: Neptune vortex* **
21:20  MFSK32: Image and closing announcements*

* with image
** and, yes, it is Olivia 32-1000, regardless of how Kim introduces it.

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 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 will transmit to North America Sunday at 0000-0100 UTC (8-9 pm EDT) on 9925 kHz, via Germany. A minute of MFSK32 will be at about 0030 UTC.  Reports for KBC reception and decode to Eric: themightykbc (at) gmail.com .

DigiDX will provide DX and media news in MFSK32 and a mixture of other modes:

Sunday 2130-2200 UTC, 15770 kHz, via WRMI Florida
Sunday 2330-2400 UTC, 11580 kHz, via WRMI Florida
Monday 2000-2130 UTC, 6070 kHz, via Channel 292 Germany

Daily 1830-1900 and 0530-0600 UTC, 6070 kHz, via Channel 292 Germany

Look for any additions or changes to the DigiDX schedule at http://www.digidx.uk/ or https://www.facebook.com/digidx/

IBC (Italian Broadcasting Corporation) has a broadcast to Europe on 6070 kHz, Wednesdays, 2000-2200 UTC, with MFSK32 and Olivia 16-500 at 2030-2100 UTC. See http://ibcradio.webs.com/ for the complete schedule and contact information.

Gabriel, HK4GOO,  @8adesigner, in Colombia, successfully decoded two airplays of VOA Radiogram 169 during the weekend of 25-26 June.

Saturday, 25 June 2016, 0930-1000, 5745 kHz …

https://twitter.com/8adesigner/status/746645910088720384

Saturday, 25 June 2016, 1600-1630 UTC, 17580 kHz (to Europe) …

https://twitter.com/8adesigner/status/746742804882329600

Here are examples of MFSK32 images he received on 17580 kHz …

During the VOA Radiogram broadcast Saturdays at 0930-1000 UTC on 5745 kHz, listeners in western North America and in Japan have often encountered the noise of other-the-horizon (OTH) radar.

Mike in Washington state recorded an example on 25 June. You can listen to it here. And you can decode it yourself, noting that both the MFSK32 and Olivia 16-1000 had no problems with the OTH radar. (The show begins at :55 into the recording, and the MFSK starts at 2:24. At 17:22, you might have to switch manually to Olivia 16-1000 centered on 2000 Hz.)

Mike certainly had no trouble decoding the text and images, and seen in the screenshots he sent. You can see the OTH radar noise bands in the waterfall …

Last weekend, VOA Radiogram received its first reception report from Morocco. It was via Twitter. It was from البزخ المزﯕـيطي ,  @K7al_L3afta , who tuned in 26 June 2016, 0230-0300, on 5745 kHz. This is one of the transmissions via the dipole antenna in North Carolina directed to the Caribbean.

He used the MultiPSK decoding software …

We have not heard from Poland for several months, but Marek in Warsaw reported reception of VOA Radiogram on 26 June 2016, 1930-2000, on 15670 kHz.

Even more unusual is his use of the DM780 decoding software, which is bundled with the Ham Radio Deluxe rig control software. Most VOA Radiogram listeners use Fldigi.

And speaking of rigs, Marek tuned in using his well-equipped amateur radio station: a 3 element Yagi at 15 meters above ground into a FlexRadio 6300 SDR transceiver.

As you can see, DM780 did a good job with both MFSK32 (including the images)  and Olivia 16-1000 …

VOA Radiogram was received and decoded by Pavel in Russia, near the Ukrainian border. This was during the broadcast 26 June 2016, 0230-0300 UTC, on 5745 kHz. This transmission is actually directed to the Caribbean via a dipole antenna at the North Carolina transmitting site, but it’s often heard in Europe.

Pavel provided these Fldigi screenshots of his decoding …

Unfortunately, VOA Radiogram this past weekend did not include any Russian text. There was Russian during the programs 4-5 June and 11-12.  One weekend there was no report from Russia. The other weekend, there was a report from Russia, but the signal gave out before the Russian text began.

Frank in Perth, Western Australia, sends a reception report almost every week. Usually it is for the VOA Radiogram transmission Saturday at 0930-1000 on 5745 kHz. This antipodal reception is via a dipole at the North Carolina transmitting station directed to the Caribbean.

On 25 June, Frank reported about 80% decode of the MFSK32 text, and 100% of the Olivia 16-1000. The images, as you can see, were fuzzy but usable …

VOA Radiogram has been the subject of many YouTube videos. To find these videos, go to youtube.com and search on VOA Radiogram. If you want the most recent videos, use a filter such as “this week” or “this month.”

The most prolific contributor of YouTube videos of VOA Radiogram reception and decoding is Tim, K0RUS, in Colorado. Almost every week, Tim receives and records the VOA Radiogram transmission on Saturdays, 1600-1630 UTC, currently on 17580 kHz. His most recent video from June 25 showed less than 100% decoding of the text because of local noise and deep fades. Most weeks, however, the performance of the modes is satisfactory. Tim’s channel, K0RUSham, is a good place to go to see how VOA Radiogram works, and to provide audio for your own decoding. Don’t miss Tim’s comments typed in the Fldigi transmit pane.

Jakob Flierl in Germany also produced a YouTube video of the same VOA Radiogram broadcast, June 25, 1600-1630 UTC, 17580 kHz. Although the audio level was somewhat “hot,” you can see that Jakob’s decode was more successful than Tim’s. Germany is, after all, in the target zone for 17580 kHz, whereas Colorado is in the opposite direction. 

Another video during the past weekend was prepared by CLK3 in Annapolis, Maryland. This was from the broadcast Sunday (Saturday evening in the USA), 0230-0300 UTC, on 5745 kHz. This video is audio only, but it’s useful for decoding by anyone who was not able to get adequate reception of VOA Radiogram. The video description contains advice on how to decode the modes.

Finally, a video of very exotic reception was supplied by DFS2010 in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. It shows his reception of the VOA Radiogram broadcast Saturday at 1600-1630 UTC on 17580 kHz. Despite his location far from the North Carolina transmitter and far beyond the European target area, DFS2010 was able to decode some text and a fuzzy MFSK32 image of Pluto.