All India Radio ?s

[jimlawrence]

As I type this, All India Radio's (AIR) domestic service, probably out of Bangalore, is blasting in on my DX-440 with a "random" wire antenna on 10.330. It's clearer than WBZ but that's probably due to a biasing in the antenna.

If you're listening to AIR, what frequencies and at what times do you receive them best? Here in the northeastern US, 10.330 is definitely the best received but it's only on until 1230 local (1730Z).

I do not have good success monitoring their world service on 11.620 during the afternoon and until supper time. Several years ago, this would have been my choice for frequency to listen to during that time period for hours at a time. But now, it seems like 9.445 is better received during those times and many times it's difficult to tell there's even a signal on 11.620.

For those of you looking for a treat when it comes to world music, I recommend 10.330 during the mornings. AIR's domestic service plays much more music than their world service.

Hope this isn't too far off-topic

Best Wishes,
Jim

 

[ka3jjz]

Actually the Bangalore service signs on, I think, around 0130 or so (I've heard that very service several times, and it's a real treat - the music is so wierd, it's almost alien....). It's not surprising, given the low turn we are on in the solar cycle, and this is the Winter season, that the lower freqs are doing better. In point of fact, it's even possible on some of the best days to hear AIR regional stations, tho they've been shifting around in freq a bit and moving more into the 5 mhz region. Those are very much considered prized catches. I'm in Maryland, by the way.

If you want schedules and tips as to where to hear things like AIR, I'd suggest some sources;
a. Monitoring Times (which has an hour by hour breakdown of stations);
b. Schedules from Prime Time Shortwave or the EiBi listings;
c. I don't know where you are, but there are 2 SW clubs that have been around for decades and are still going - for the West Coast, The American SW Listeners Club (which is now hosted on a Yahoo group) and for the East, The North American SW Association.

I have to find a good link for the EiBi schedules, but everything else should be on the SWL wiki page. Oh and by the way, very nice catch. 73s Mike

[edit] It occurs to me that I saw something about a tropical cyclone hitting the east coast of India recently; it's entirely possible that the AIR network might be on late for support.

 

[ka3jjz]

Yes, this is the Vividh Bharati service (national network) out of Bangalore, but note the s/on time for the morning services is 0025 on 10330. They usually have an open carrier a few minutes before, and then play the standard AIR interval signal for a couple of minutes before signing on. You can get more information on the AIR schedules (indeed there's several things for our friends in S Asia) at...

DX Asia

73s and good DX Mike

 

[jcherepy]

Yes, this is the Vividh Bharati service (national network) out of Bangalore, but note the s/on time for the morning services is 0025 on 10330. They usually have an open carrier a few minutes before, and then play the standard AIR interval signal for a couple of minutes before signing on. You can get more information on the AIR schedules (indeed there's several things for our friends in S Asia) at...

DX Asia

73s and good DX Mike

http://allindiaradio.org/schedule/vb_sw.html

 

[jimlawrence]

Since I started this thread, AIR's Vividh Bharati service has been very clear into the northeastern US every local morning since the New Year on 10330. The current starting and stopping times for this service is 0740 EST to 1240 EST for those of you in North America who want to give a listen. According to their website, they also are on the same freq. early in the local morning and I've gotten up and tried to catch them then but without success.

I've got some loggings and a QSL request all written up and ready to mail to the Vividh Bharati service in Mumbai. I've written AIR in the past and never heard back.

Thanks for the great replies, guys!

 

[jcherepy]

Air

Here in Georga, USA, I can listen in my vehicle using a Kenwood TS-480 and a Hustler antenna. Signal is quite strong.

Bill WB4WTN

 

[ka3jjz]

Have you tried QSLing them via their EMail form on their website? I've seen a couple of reports of successful QSLs using it, tho not for the National service, in the NASWA Journal. Typical turnaround is about 3 months.

73s Mike

 

[jimlawrence]

The only method I've ever tried for QSLs is via traditional mail. [The QSL of which I'm proudest is from Radio St. Helena Day in 1994.] When it comes to HF monitoring, I use what I consider to be very humble equipment so it's always cool to get a reply from some place on the other side of the globe. I tend to go for long-shots and my current target countries are Nigeria, Bulgaria and AIR's external service. I'll definitely try e-mail! Thanks for the suggestion!

Which leads me to this related question: Is anyone in the eastern US actually receiving AIR's external service clearly on a consistent basis?

 

[ka3jjz]

I can't check, unfortunately - I'm at work....a quick check of the NASWA website and a few back issues of MT might turn up the answer, tho

A quick tip - if you are enclosing anything valuable along with your reception report, always put it in a smaller envelope inside the larger one, particularly when dealing with third world nations. It been reported in DX bulletins numerous times about such reports being ripped open, and the contents stolen - leaving an empty report, which sometimes won't get answered. Hopefully that hasn't happened to you.

73s Mike

 

[ka3jjz]

Is anyone in the eastern US actually receiving AIR's external service clearly on a consistent basis?

While 'consistently' is difficult, a quick check of the last 3 NASWA Journals have had a few reports of the GOS on their usual 9 and 11 mhz freqs (and even a couple of their National service on other freqs besides 10330); but you have to expect the lower freqs to do better during this season anyway, particularly with the low solar cycle. It's entirely possible that if the flux were to pick up a bit (if we're in a coronal hole, or take a hit from a flare, for example) that things might improve for a few days, but then it will revert back to previous levels.
I guess the gods of propagation aren't smiling too much on New Delhi these days :wink:

73s Mike

 

[jimlawrence]

Since writing this a year or so ago, very little has changed.

I still receive Vividh Bharati on 10.330 most (local) mornings between 0740 and 1240 EST with reception inproving as we get past 1000 EST. However, the GOS has been almost nonexistent except for very rare loggings on 11.620 in the local afternoons over the past year.

And now, 9.445 is suffering from splash from some new broadcaster on 9.450. Is this China? Whoever they are, they must be using Sackville NB Canada or some other location nearby the northeastern U.S. because they really wipe AIR out.

Is anyone in North America having good luck receiving the GOS of AIR? If so, times and frequencies would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[gcgrotz]

I'll have to try it. I've been spending time in the am recently on 40meters and I regularly hear lots of Chineese, Taiwan and Bangladesh are good too. I haven't really tried AIR. Today I was listening to R Austarlia on 40m until 10:00 EST S9+ at times. They also boom in on 6020 from Shepparton, over 10,000 miles from me. I enjoy the relay of their domestic news and features. The low freqs have been very good this winter.

There's a program called SWLog for PC that has very good integration of all the HF databases. I just click on a listing and it tunes my R75 to it. Its free and has a TON of features.

 

[ka3jjz]

With the flux levels staying in the low 70s, propagation on the higher freqs isn't going to be all that great. Patience - the new cycle will start up, hopefully sooner rather than later.

Unfortunately the author of Shortwave Log has pulled the plug, and deleted his website and Yahoo group - however, anyone that is interested might be able to download an executable from the SWLog User's group on Yahoo.

73s Mike

 

[ka3jjz]

Since writing this a year or so ago, very little has changed.

I still receive Vividh Bharati on 10.330 most (local) mornings between 0740 and 1240 EST with reception inproving as we get past 1000 EST. However, the GOS has been almost nonexistent except for very rare loggings on 11.620 in the local afternoons over the past year.

And now, 9.445 is suffering from splash from some new broadcaster on 9.450. Is this China? Whoever they are, they must be using Sackville NB Canada or some other location nearby the northeastern U.S. because they really wipe AIR out.

Is anyone in North America having good luck receiving the GOS of AIR? If so, times and frequencies would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Jim joining a club like NASWA (the link is on our SWL page on the Wiki) along with following the DXLD Yahoo group will be the best ways to find this sort of thing out. Currently, like you, I'm hearing 9445 with splatter, though at a good level (Mar 4th at 2135 UT) 11620 is weak but it's there. Tuning 9445 in LSB will help eliminate some of the garbage. The other freqs listed at the Prime Time SW site (7410,9950) are not heard. I'm using a RX320 with the Scan320 program.

Receiving Asia in the afternoon on the East Coast is always a bit dicey, since GeoClock shows they are fully in the dark, while we're still in daylight. That makes 7410 difficult. This is part of the reason why I always say that you need to understand propagation and how the sun interacts with the earth to be successful in this game.

73s Mike

[edit] I got solid IDs on 9450 and 7415, which is heavily splattering any chance -if any existed - on 7410. It's WEWN Alabama on 9450, and WBCQ on 7415. Both look to be running a tad hot in the speech processing department (arrgghh)

 

[jimlawrence]

Yes, precisely, Mike, regarding 9.450. I was able to snag the GOS this afternoon for a bit on 9.445 but they faded long before sign off. I caught nothing on 11.620 here today.

Also nothing this morning on 10.330 until later in the morning, around 1100 local time.

I guess I'll just have to learn to be patient until conditions improve. *sigh*. Who knows, if I want good reception, I might just have to move there!

 

[gcgrotz]

With the flux levels staying in the low 70s, propagation on the higher freqs isn't going to be all that great. Patience - the new cycle will start up, hopefully sooner rather than later.

Unfortunately the author of Shortwave Log has pulled the plug, and deleted his website and Yahoo group - however, anyone that is interested might be able to download an executable from the SWLog User's group on Yahoo.

73s Mike

Hi again Mike:

I just downloaded SWLog version 5 last week, and was getting help from Bob on the support forum on his website as recently as last Friday (my .m4a files never showed up after recording them) http://www.shortwavelog.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=37

I'm trying to find a way to get memory files into my R75. The Bob Parnass TK75 program I had quit working and he has retired from supporting it. I tried downloading the zip file and re-installing it but no joy. Any other programs around for that?

P.S. back to the original thread, I've been able to hear AIR on 10333 after sign on but not what I'd call armchair copy, at least the last few days. I'm listening to R Austrailia right now (10:08 am EST) on 7240 but they are down to S3.

 

[ka3jjz]

We've sorta hijacked this thread - but to be honest, no. Most of the other programs listed on our R75 Wiki article seem to concentrate on control, not programming. It's likely time to go to the R75 Yahoo group and see what others are using. The article above also lists some Yahoo groups for other software packages - it wouldn't hurt to try there, either.

I'll be sure to add the phpbb link for SWLog to the other articles where needed. Thanks for that - I didn't know it was there.

73s Mike

 

[gcgrotz]

Hi Mike,

I installed Ham Radio Deluxe yesterday. Then I went to Kinko's and spent $19 to print the manual! It is supposed to work with the FT100 too, if I can stand to take it out of my truck that is. It won't, however, work with my Kenwood TS520 unless I rig up a sync motor to turn the knobs.

Maybe I'll boot up Knoppix and try running TK75 under Linux?

I guess it is time to join another Yahoo group...

 

[ka3jjz]

It now seems the Shortwave Log PHPBB BBS is gone - the message on the page says that the spammers followed the owner there, along with other junk. I guess he's never heard of anti spam software and such. Sad to see that someone is willing to hound a guy to shutting down like that. 73s Mike

 

[jimlawrence]

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, our hero has been hearing AIR's GOS on 9.445 the past couple of afternoons with a very strong and clear signal between 2300Z and sign-off at 2330Z. Nothing has been logged on 11.620 during the same time.