This is Radio Bulgaria’s weekly DX Program for radio amateurs and short wave listeners which is included in our one-hour 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 UTC to North America, as well as in our half-hour broadcast 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:
The Haiti Earthquake
As you all are certainly aware, on Tuesday, January 12, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit Port-au-Prince, the island nation’s capital. Communications in and out of Haiti have been disrupted. Some ham radio activity from Haiti is beginning to be heard. Father John Henault, HH6JH, in Port-au-Prince made contact late Wednesday morning with the Intercontinental Assistance and Traffic Net (IATN) on 14300 kHz, the IARU Global Center of Activity frequency for emergency communications. Based on relays
monitored at W2VU, Father John reported that he and those with him were safe, but had no power and no phone service. He was operating on battery power and hoping to get a generator running later in the day.
It was reported that Pierre Petri, HB9AMO from Switzerland, who was in Cap Haitien (about 140 km north of Port-au-Prince) is “okay”; Petri is in Haiti working for the United Nations World Food Program, using the call sign HH2/HB9AMO.
IARU Region 2 Area C Emergency Coordinator, Amie Coro, CO2KK in Cuba is coordinating a multi-national response by hams. There are organized nets on 7045 and 3720 kHz; amateurs are asked to monitor the frequencies, but also to keep them clear of non-essential traffic. Amateur Radio operators should also be aware that emergency traffic pertaining to the Haitian earthquake is expected on the Salvation Army, SATERN frequencies of 14265, 7265 and 3977 kHz. Additional frequencies may be activated on different bands at different times of day, so be sure to listen carefully before transmitting to make sure you are not interfering with emergency traffic.
Global ALE High Frequency Network announced a full activation alert for Emergency Disaster/Relief Communications in response to the Haiti earthquake. The international system uses standard ham radio Automatic Link Establishment (ALE) on all HF bands, and the service footprint includes good coverage of Haiti during day and night conditions. Full alert status of volunteer ham operators in the North America and Caribbean area region was activated just a few hours after the earthquake hit, and will remain at high status until relief efforts no longer experience communications emergency conditions.
The situation in Haiti is still chaotic. More information will be posted as soon as possible.
Propagation Forecast by K7RA
On Wednesday of last week the sunspot number was zero, but it rose to 15 on Thursday with the appearance of new sunspot group 1040. Over the weekend sunspot groups 1036 and 1038 are due to return, although we don’t know yet if they are still powerful enough to be classed as sunspots.
The latest prediction is for geomagnetic conditions to remain quiet, with the anticipated planetary A index at 5. But looking at recent predictions from USAF/NOAA, that value is probably a maximum, since they have predicted that value almost every day for months, and actual numbers were better (lower). The same prediction showed solar flux at 79 for January 8, 80 on January 9-10, 82 on January 11, 84 on January 12, and 86 for January 13-15.
4U1 Call Signs
In the past, the United Nations has issued 4U call signs to various entities, allowing its use in areas where the UN has had peacekeeping forces. In 1995, an operation from Western Sahara used 4U/KC0PA, while Burundi used 4U9U in 1994.
While 4U1UN and 4U1ITU count for credit toward the ARRL’s DXCC award, 4U1WB and 4U1VIC do not. The DXCC rules define 4U1WB and 4U1VIC as “ineligible areas.” These areas are classified as “extraterritorial legal entities of any nature, including, but not limited to, embassies, consulates, monuments, offices of the United Nations agencies or related organizations, other inter-governmental organizations or diplomatic missions.” This rule also clarifies that these two stations are considered part of their “host entity” for DXCC purposes. This makes 4U1WB part of the US and 4U1VIC part of Austria for DXCC purposes.
Broadcast Tips
Austria & Belgium. Radio Austria and Radio of the French Community in Belgium abandoned short wave and after January 1 are not received on their traditional frequencies 6155, 13730 and 9970 kHz
Philippines. At 10.25 hours on 12095 kHz (an old frequency of the BBC) was heard an ID and announcement “This is FEBC Radio Broadcasting from Manila, the Philippines.
Saipan, Pacific Ocean. Radio Teos in Russian was heard at 10.30 hours on 11650 kHz via a transmitter on Saipan Island, announcing that from 14 to 16 hours it will be on 9465 kHz also in Russian.
Malaysia. Radio Voice of Malaysia was received in Sofia with fairly good signals until 09 hours with light music, pips at 09.00 and news in English on 15295 kHz, announcing they were broadcasting also on 9750 and 6175 kHz. For this hour Malaysia has registered the station as Voice of Islam.
Iran. Two different stations but with the same name – Voice of Iranian Kurdistan were received from 02.55 to 04.31 hours and from 12.55 to 14.33 hours on 3932 kHz; from 03 to 04.40 and from 13 to 14.26 hours on 4777 kHz.
New Zealand. On December 31, 2009 at 10.58 hours on 13660 kHz was heard the ID signal of Radio New Zealand performed by a bird, at 11.00 hours – pips, music and a male announcer saying ‘A Very Happy New Year to Everyone.” The summer time in New Zealand is UTC plus 13 hours.
China. The new “Beibu Bay Radio” was heard in Sofia 0n9820 kHz after 09.10 hours, however, not in English as it is registered but in Chinese.
Tajikistan. “Ovoj Tadzik Radio” was received in Sofia after 09 hours on 7245 kHz in Russian and after 10 hours in Uzbek.
Thank you for being with us. Your opinions and suggestions will be appreciated and all reception reports confirmed with the QSL card of Radio Bulgaria. Please address 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 navigate!
So, 73 and DX!
