VOA Radiogram this weekend will include the Olivia 16-1000 mode with a center frequency of 2000 Hz. If you happen to experience co-channel interference consisting of voice and/or music, the robustness of the Olivia 16-1000 mode in combination with the higher audio frequency might allow a successful decode. At 40 words per minute, Olivia 16-1000 is faster than Olivia 64-2000.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 169, 25-26 June 2016, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

 1:35  Program preview

 2:45  Pluto may have liquid ocean*

10:17  Fiery re-entry for junk from ISS*

16:33  Olivia 16-1000 (2000 Hz): Zuckerberg PC security*

22:06  MFSK32: Image, mobile app transmitted by shortwave*

26:04  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.

(Also substituting for DigiDX Sunday and Monday.  See schedule below.)

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. KBC will also broadcast to Europe Sunday at 0900-1000 UTC on 6095 kHz. A minute of MFSK32 will be at about 0930 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.

Download apps via shortwave? A recent transmission of a mobile app from shortwave station KTWR in Guam, to a DRM receiver in Thailand, has caused much discussion. See coverage at drmna.info and The SWLing Post. While DRM offers more bandwidth and faster download speeds than the VOA Radiogram method of digital modes via analog radio, VOA Radiogram data can be received on any radio.

Software to decode VOA Radiogram includes Fldigi from w1hkj.com  and, for Android devices, TIVAR

A challenge last weekend was strong interference, perhaps an over-the-horizon (OTH) radar, during the Saturday 0930-1000 UTC transmission on 5745 kHz. It was especially loud in Alaska, per this video made by Paul in Alaska. (I was not able to decode the MFSK32 from the video, but maybe you will have better luck.) The interference was also heard by Mike in Washington state. If the noise returns this weekend, we’ll be prepared: the show includes a story in the robust Olivia 64-2000 mode.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 168, 18-19 June 2016, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

1:33  Program preview

2:38  Birds’ brains more complex than imagined*

8:35  Large planet orbits binary stars*

17:40  Olivia 64-2000: North Dakotans overturn farm law*

24:19  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 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 have an extra transmission this weekend. There will be the usual North America transmission Sunday at 0000-0200 UTC (Saturday 8-10 pm EDT) on 9925 kHz, with a minute of MFSK32 at about 0130 UTC. And there will be a transmission to Europe Sunday at 0800-1000 UTC on 6095 kHz, with a minute of MFSK32 at about 0930 UTC. Both 6095 and 9925 kHz are via Nauen, Germany. Reports for KBC reception and decodes to Eric: themightykbc (at) gmail.com .

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

Sunday 2130-2000 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

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.

This weekend’s VOA Radiogram will again be all MFSK32, and again it will include some Russian – the North Carolina transmitter has been putting a signal into Russia lately.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 167, 11-12 June 2016, all in MFSK32:

 1:32  Program preview

 2:55  Four new chemical elements named*

 7:21  New Russian medium-haul airliner*

11:13  In Russian: NASA astronaut selection process* **

18:40  Astronauts enter inflatable module on ISS*

24:20  Five days with no visible sunspots*

26:34  Closing announcements*

* with image

** Russian text requires UTF-8 character set. In Fldigi:

Configure > Colors & Fonts > set Rx/Tx Character set to UTF-8.

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 broadcast to North America is back to two hours this weekend: Sunday at 0000-0200 UTC (Saturday 8 to 10 pm EDT) on 9925 kHz, via Germany. A minute of MFSK32 will be transmitted at about 0130 UTC. Please send reports for this reception to Eric: themightykbc (at) gmail.com .

DigiDX will transmit DX news in MFSK32 and other modes on its usual schedule: Sunday 2130-2200 on 15770 kHz, and 2330-2400 UTC on 11580 kHz, both via WRMI in Florida. And Monday at 2000-2030 UTC on 6070 kHz, via Channel 292 in Germany. Also listen for DigiDX on 6070kHz (Channel 292) every day at 1830-1900 UTC (co-channel with Vatican Radio) and 0530-0600. Consult http://www.digidx.uk/ and https://www.facebook.com/digidx/ for any schedule changes.

The Italian Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) had a good first broadcast of digital on Wednesday. This will be transmitted Wednesdays at 2030-2100 on 6070 kHz, via Channel 292 in Germany, part of the IBC broadcast Wednesdays at 2000-2200 UTC. On 8 June, the modes were MFSK32 at 1500 Hz at 2030-2045, and Olivia 16-500 at 2200 Hz at 2045-2100. I don’t know if those will be the modes on 15 June, so be ready to adjust Op Mode if necessary.  

An illustration of the wide footprint of our North Carolina shortwave transmitter are these image decodes 4 June 2016 at 1626 UTC on 17580 kHz. From top: Merkouris in Greece (in the target area), Mike in Washington state (opposite of the target area), Chris in New Zealand (well beyond the target area), and me in Virginia (the skip zone for 17580 at that hour). …

This weekend, VOA Radiogram will be all MFSK32. It will include an item in Russian. You will need theUTF-8 character set to decode the Cyrillic text. In Fldigi: Configure > Colors & Fonts > set Rx/Tx Character set to UTF-8.Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 166, 4-5 June 2016, all in MFSK32:

1:34  Program preview

2:55  50 Cent Party supports China on Internet*

8:26  US Embassy in Beijing takes break from social media*

14:18  RFE/RL will end shortwave transmissions in Russian* **

21:44  Train trip in Alaska*

26:04  Closing announcements*

* with image

** Russian text requires UTF-8 character set. In Fldigi:

Configure > Colors & Fonts > set Rx/Tx Character set to UTF-8.

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 for only one hour this weekend: Sunday at 0000-0100 UTC (Saturday 8-9 pm EDT) on 9925 kHz, via Germany. A minute of MFSK32 will be transmitted at about 0030 UTC. Reports for this KBC reception to Eric: themightykbc (at) gmail.com .

DigiDX will transmit DX news in MFSK32 and other modes on its usual schedule: Sunday 2130-2200 on 15770 kHz, and 2330-2400 UTC on 11580 kHz, both via WRMI in Florida. And Monday at 2000-2030 UTC on 6070 kHz, via Channel 292 in Germany. Also listen for DigiDX on 6070kHz (Channel 292) every day at 1830-1900 UTC (co-channel with Vatican Radio: a good test of the modes) and 0530-0600 (reception in the Americas might be possible.) Consult http://www.digidx.uk/ and https://www.facebook.com/digidx/ for any schedule changes. 

Looking ahead to VOA Radiogram for the last two weekends of May 2016:

Program 164, 21-22 May 2016 will begin with an MFSK32 introduction, then transmit the same VOA Science World item about boiling water on Mars in Olivia 64-2000, Olivia 32-1000, and Olivia 16-800.  This will be a chance to compare the performance of these three modes, which all have speeds in the 20-30 wpm range. The program will conclude in MFSK32 with an image and closing announcements.  

Program 165, 28-29 May 2016 will consist of six science images from the VOA Science World Blog. All of these will be in MFSK32, although the sixth, showing a Falcon 9 rocket launch, will be transmitted in both MFSK32 and MFSK64. Images in MFSK32 and MFSK64 require the same amount of time to transmit; the MFSK64 image has more resolution but is more susceptible to interference. After the MFSK64 image, VOA Radiogram will return to MFSK32 for closing announcements.

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 schedule has been changing in recent weeks. Try Sunday at 0000 UTC (Saturday 8 pm EDT) on 9925 kHz (via Germany), with the broadcast continuing until 0200. The minute of MFSK32 will be at about 0130 UTC. Consult http://kbcradio.eu or http://facebook.com/themightykbc for updates on the schedule. Reports for KBC reception and decodes to Eric: themightykbc (at) gmail.com. 

DigiDX will transmit DX news in MFSK32 and perhaps other modes on its usual schedule:

Sunday 2130-2200 UTC - 15770kHz via WRMI Florida

Sunday 2330-2400 UTC - 11580kHz via WRMI Florida

Monday 2000-2030 UTC - 6070kHz via Channel 292 Germany

Consult https://www.facebook.com/digidx/ for any additions or changes to this schedule.

VOA Radiogram this weekend will be all MFSK32, except for the transmission schedule in Olivia 64-2000 under the closing music. The show will include six MFSK images.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 163, 14-15 May 2016, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

1:34  Program preview

2:46  Giant Magellan Telescope in Chile*

8:42  UK government review of the BBC*

14:29  RFE/RL Crimea website blocked*

18:35  Radio/TV Martí now receiving letters direct from Cuba*

23:11  Image from South Pole Journal*

26:36  Closing announcements*

28:15  Olivia 64-2000: Transmission schedule under music

*  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 has a different transmission schedule this weekend: To North America Sunday at 0000-0200 UTC on 9925 kHz, via Germany, with a minute of MFSK32 at about 0130 UTC. And to Europe Sunday at 0800-1000 UTC on 6095 kHz, also via Germany, with the minute of MFSK32 at about 0830 UTC. Reports for KBC reception and decoding to Eric: themightykbc (at) gmail.com .

DigiDX will transmit DX news in MFSK32 and perhaps other modes on its usual schedule:

Sunday 2130-2200 UTC - 15770kHz via WRMI Florida

Sunday 2330-2400 UTC - 11580kHz via WRMI Florida

Monday 2000-2030 UTC - 6070kHz via Channel 292 Germany

Consult https://www.facebook.com/digidx/ for any additions or changes to this schedule.

Lately we have been trying to determine why some listeners have less success with Olivia 64-2000 than with MFSK32, even though, in theory, Olivia 64-2000 should be more robust. I suggested that the problem might be related to the bandwidth of the receiver, given that Olivia 64-2000 is 2000 Hz wide.

Christopher, K6FIB, a key adviser to VOA Radiogram, thinks the performance of Olivia is related to the processing power of the PC or the mobile device. Paul in Europe provided evidence of this in his TIVAR Android shoot-out.

Other listeners wonder if it could be other components, such as the microphones on Android devices, which would be important if acoustic coupling from the radio to the device is used.

VOA Radiogram this weekend will include an eight-minute story in Olivia 64-2000. This will allow further experimentation. If we enjoy poor reception conditions, the experiments will be even more interesting.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 162, 7-8 May 2016, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

1:34  Program preview

2:41  Rubbish-burning experiment in Norway*

7:55  Olivia 64-2000: UAE may make mountain to change climate*

18:34  MFSK32: FCC considers change to amateur data regulations*

23:37  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 transmit a minute of MFSK32 Sunday at about 0220 UTC (Saturday 10:20 pm EDT) on 9925 kHz, via Germany. This is part of the KBC broadcast to North America at 0000-0300 UTC on 9925 kHz. Please send reception reports to Eric: themightykbc (at) gmail.com .

DigiDX will transmit DX news in MFSK32 and perhaps other modes on its usual schedule:

Sunday 2130 UTC - 15770kHz via WRMI Florida

Sunday 2330 UTC - 11580kHz via WRMI Florida

Monday 2000 UTC - 6070kHz via Channel 292 Germany

Consult https://www.facebook.com/digidx/ for any additions or changes to this schedule.

This weekend’s VOA Radiogram will include a news item in Olivia 64-2000. This might be an opportunity to investigate why some listeners do not have successful decodes of this mode. One way to do this is to use two radios, with two different bandwidths. The hypothesis is that a wider bandwidth should work better with the wide Olivia 64-2000 mode. You could decode “live” from one radio while recording  from the other radio for later decoding.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 161, 30 April-1 May 2016, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

1:33  Program preview
2:43  Russia launches rocket from new cosmodrome*
6:44  Freedom House press freedom report*
14:01  Olivia 64-2000: Dwarf planet has a moon*
23:31  MFSK32: Old RFE/RL transmitting site in Spain*
26:07  Closing announcements*

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 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 a minute of MFSK32 Sunday at about 0220 UTC (Saturday 10:20 pm EDT) on its new summer frequency of 9925 kHz, via Germany. This is part of the KBC broadcast to North America, 0000-0300 UTC. Eric will want to know how the new 9925 kHz frequency is working, so please send reports to themightykbc@gmail.com .

DigiDX will transmit DX news in MFSK32 and perhaps other modes on its usual schedule:

Sunday 2130 UTC - 15770kHz via WRMI Florida

Sunday 2330 UTC - 11580kHz via WRMI Florida

Monday 2000 UTC - 6070kHz via Channel 292 Germany

Consult https://www.facebook.com/digidx/ for any additions or changes to this schedule.

This weekend, all the content will be in MFSK32, except for the transmission schedule in Olivia 64-2000 mixed with the closing music.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 160, 23-24 April 2016, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

1:34  Program preview

2:44  Can AC and DC power integrate?*

12:13  Radio Farda TV signal jammed in Iran*

16:38  New report finds media freedom declined globally*

26:53  Closing announcements*

28:17  Olivia 64-2000: Frequency schedule under music

* 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 transmit a minute of MFSK32 Sunday at about 0220 UTC (Saturday 10:20 pm EDT) on 6040 kHz, via Germany. This is part of KBC’s North America broadcast at 0000-0300 UTC. Reception reports to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com .

DigiDX will transmit DX news in MFSK32 and perhaps other modes:  

Sunday 2130 UTC - 15770kHz via WRMI Florida

Sunday 2330 UTC - 11580kHz via WRMI Florida

Monday 2000 UTC - 6070kHz via Channel 292 Germany

Consult https://www.facebook.com/digidx/ for any additions or changes to this schedule.