This is Radio Bulgaria’s weekly DX Program for radio amateurs and short wave listeners and DXers which is included in our one-broadcasts starting as follows: Friday at 22.00 UTC on 6200 and 7400 kHz beamed to West Europe, Saturday at 00.00 and at 03.00 UTC on 5900 and 7400 kHz to North America, as well as in the half-hour on Sunday at 07.30 UTC also on 5900 and 7400 kHz to West Europe.
In this issue by DX Editor Dimiter Petrov, LZ1AF, with Broadcast Tips by Rumen Pankov:
Propagation Forecast by K7RA
Average daily sunspot numbers for this reporting week, Tuesday through Wednesday, rose over 9 points to 28. Average solar flux slipped over 2 points to 81.9. Geomagnetic indices were a tiny bit lower.
Solar flux for January 29-31 was 76, 80 on February 1-2. Predicted solar flux for February 3-5 is 82, and 88-89 for the following five days. We don’t see any geomagnetic upset predicted until February 16, with the planetary A index only rising to 10, which is hardly an upset.
Haitian Agency Announces Contact Information for Amateurs Going to Haiti to Provide Disaster Relief:
The offices of CONATEL – Haiti’s national telecommunications regulator – were destroyed in the January 12 earthquake that devastated the island nation. This office, like the FCC in the US, administers the Amateur Radio Service in Haiti. Hams interested in traveling to Haiti to help provide communications support have been at a loss as to whom to contact. CONATEL has set up temporary offices in a Port-au-Prince suburb and has indicated that those volunteers who wish to operate in Haiti to assist with disaster relief need to contact the agency to get formal reciprocal operating clearance.
ARRL Sends Ham Aid Equipment to Haiti
While the communications infrastructure in earthquake-ravaged Haiti is being rebuilt, there is need for
Amateur Radio communications. To assist in this effort, the American Radio Relay League’s Ham Aid program is providing equipment for local radio amateurs to use. On January 22, the League sent a programmed Yaesu VHF repeater with a microphone, as well as ICOM handheld transceivers, Yaesu mobile 2 meter rigs with power supplies and Kenwood mobile 2 meter rigs. Comet antennas, Larsen mobile antennas with magnet mounts, coax cable and batteries were also included in the package.
SV2ASP Says Return SY to Athos
Mount Athos resident radio amateur, Monk Apollo, SV2ASP/A is calling for the return of SY prefix to the monastery. For many years the prefix ‘SY’ was assigned exclusively to the DXCC entity Mount Athos in Greece. This was later changed to ‘SV/A’ but for many radio amateurs the SY prefix is still connected only to Mt. Athos, although every Greek radio amateur may apply for a SY prefix.
According to the Southgate News, this is a thorn in the side of Monk Apollo. And he now is asking DXers from all over the world to send an e-mail to the Greek licensing authority at yme@otenet.gr that asks it to stop this practice.
At the moment Monk Apollo is active mainly on RTTY because this mode is silent and does not disturb the other monks. He prefers operating on 160 though 30 meters from 17.00 to 21.00 UTC. However, be aware that his SV2ASP/A call was used by a pirate operator at least once this year on January 12.
XR9JA is the call sign of the Greenwich Island operation by XQ5CIE, CE6UFF, F6DXE and CE5COX from February 1st to the 28th using SSB, CW, PSK31 and RTTY on 160 through 6 meters. QSL via EA1GHT, either direct or by the QSL Bureau.
Broadcast Tips
Haiti. After the devastating earthquake the radio is almost the only way of informing the population. Radio Canada International has started a special emission to Haiti from 12 to 20 hours on 15260 kHz and from 20 to 24 hours on 9510 kHz while the BBC also broadcasts to Haiti from 12 to 13 hours on 9410 and 11860 kHz.
Ethiopia. Besides Radio Ethiopia, Radio Fana and Radio Tigray, in Sofia is received fairly well also Radio Oromia which was heard at the beginning of its broadcast at 03.25 hours on 6030 kHz.
India. After the local radio stations have left the 90 meter band, now they will free the 60 meter band between 03.35 and 03.50 hours. The broadcasts will be carried out on 24 higher frequencies as follows: in the 49 meter band on 5965, 5985, 6000, 6020, 6040, 6065, 6085, 6110, 6150 and 6190 kHz; in the 41 meter band on 7210, 7230, 7240, 7280, 7290, 7295, 7315, 7325, 7335, 7380, 7390, 7420, 7430 and 7440 kHz.
Pakistan. Radio Pakistan has announced that it will broadcast in English from 11 hours on 15100 and 17700 kHz and from 16 hours on 7335 and 11565 kHz. From 16 hours it is possible to be found on 7535 and 15100 kHz.
Australia. Radio Australia already broadcasts via facilities on Palau Island in the Pacific Ocean. The programs are in Chinese, Burmese and Indonesian, as well as in English from 22 to 24 hours on 12040 kHz.
Slovakia. European Gospel Radio is on the air Monday through Thursday from 05.30 to 06.25 hours on 5990 kHz via a transmitter located in Slovakia and through the intermediary the International Radio Relay Service of Italy.
USA. The new radio station WTWW has been testing its new frequency of 5755 kHz between 02 and 03 hours. Reception reports are solicited to: tedrandall@tetrandall.com .
Argentina. At present the main transmitter of Radio Argentina al Exterior is damaged and the station does not broadcast on 11710 and 15345 kHz. The emissions in English are from 18.05 to 18.55 hours and Monday through Friday to Europe on 9690 and 15345 kHz, and to North America Tuesday through Saturday from 02.05 to 02.55 hours on 11710 kHz.
This has brought us to the end of our DX Program. Your opinions and suggestions will be appreciated and all reception reports confirmed with the QSL card of Radio Bulgaria. Please send your letters to English Section, Radio Bulgaria, Sofia, Bulgaria or by e-mail to english@bnr.bg . An online reception report form is available at www.bnr.bg – click on English and then navigate!
Any information to be included in our DX Program can be sent to our DX Editor at
dimiterp@yahoo.com
So, 73 and DX!
