This is Radio Bulgaria’s weekly DX Program for radio amateurs and short wave listeners 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 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 Return of the Sunspots
After a remarkable two-year hiatus, sunspots are coming back. This prolonged sunspot minimum is the longest in a century and has kept solar astronomers on the edge of their seats. If recent activity is any indicator, then the solar minimum may be over at last.
The last solar maximum occurred around the years 2001 and 2002, followed by a solar minimum that began in 2007. Astronomers expected the new solar cycle to begin in 2008 or 2009, but day after day passed with no sunspots. The year 2009 registered 260 days, or 71 percent of the year, with zero sunspots. Then, within the ringing in of the year 2010, the sun began to awaken from its deep slumber as one sunspot group after another popped up and solar astronomers let out a collective sigh of relief. Since January 1, there have been only two days, or 4 percent of the year, with zero sunspots. If this current trend continues, we could see the next solar maximum around 2013 and 2014. (Credited to NASA’s web page.
DXpedition to Kermadec Island, ZL8X
Many of the German hams who brought us some very good operations in the Pacific, are at it again. They have secured permission to operate from Kermadec Island, which is ranked #28 in the 2009 Most Wanted survey. The group will include 12 German and one Polish hams.
The operation is scheduled for November 19 to December 5, 2010, and calls for them to have seven stations, all capable of all modes – CW, SSB, RTTY.
7P8AO - Lesotho
Hungarian ham Pista, HA5AO will be active from Lesotho March 8 – 22. He plans to operate 80 t0 10 meters on CW, SSB and RTTY with a power of 300 watts and a vertical antenna. QSL to LoTW or to HA5AO via the QSL bureau.
7X0GT - Algeria
Chinese ham Yue, BD1GT has assigned this call sign for his year-long stay in Algeria.He intends to operate 160 to 10 meters with all modes possible. QSL to the home call or as announced during operation.
CY0 – Sable Island
The previous operation scheduled for 2009 was placed on “hold” due to family illness. It is now proceeding with the plan calling for a September / October 2010 time frame.
Hop-A-Long Capacity – Quite a Challenge!
The Winnipeg Amateur Radio Club and Derek, VE4HAY, say a reward has been offered.
Yes, a reward of 500 microfarads is offered for information leading to the arrest of this desperate criminal Hop-A-Long Capacity.
This unrectified criminal escaped from a western primary cell where he had been clamped in ions awaiting the gas chamber. He was charged with the induction of an 18 turn coil named Millihenry who was found choked and robbed of valued joules.
He is armed with a carbon rod and is a potential killer. Capacity is also charged with driving dc motor over a wheatstone bridge and refusing to let the band-pass. If encountered, he may offer series of resistance.
The electromotive force spent the night searching for him in a magnetic field, where he had gone to earth, they had no success and believed he had returned ohm via a short circuit.
He was last seen riding a kilocycle with his friend Eddy current who was playing a harmonic.
Broadcast Tips
Australia & Slovakia. The program “DX Party Line” used to be broadcast in English for many years from transmitters in Ecuador over Radio Voice of the Andes, station HCJB. The same program is now broadcast from Australia, Slovakia and other countries. DX Party Line was received in Sofia on February 13, Saturday at 09.30 hours on 9510 kHz via a transmitter in Slovakia and at 15.12 hours on 15340 kHz from Australia. The station now uses a new name – HCVB – The Global Voice. The address is: dxpl@hcjb.org.ec .
Taiwan. Radio Taiwan International has announced that as of February 28 the new frequency of 15690 kHz will be introduced instead of the present 11850 kHz for the broadcast in English from 17 to 18 hours. The changes in the emissions in French and Russian as of the same date are: from 19 hours on the new frequency of 11875 kHz instead of 9365 kHz and from 17 hours on 9840 kHz instead of 6120 kHz.
Vatican State. As of March 7 Vatican Radio will use the new frequency of 9580 kHz instead of 5985 kHz for its emissions in English from 01.40 to 02 hours, while the other frequency – 7335 kHz remains unchanged. From 16.50 to 17.40 hours the new frequency of 11715 kHz will be used for the different languages instead of 7365 kHz till 17.10 hours and 6185 kHz afterwards. 9585 kHz will replace 6185 kHz for the time slot from 17.40 to 19 hours.
Greece. Radio “Friendship” was heard in Sofia with a program in Englishon 11645 kHz instead of the registered 12105 kHz from 06 hours.
Vietnam. Radio Voice of Vietnam was received in Sofia with a program in English from 16 to 16.25 hours on 7280 kHz and also on the other three frequencies of 7220, 9550 and 9730 kHz –with interference from other stations.
Philippines. Radio Pilipinas was heard in Sofia starting an emission in English and Tagalog at 17.30 hours on 11730 kHz announcing that the broadcast till 19.30 hours also on 11890 and 15190 kHz.
Germany. The DX Program “Wavescan” of Adventist World Radio was reported between 12 and 12.30 hours on 15495 kHz via a transmitter located in Germany. The address for SWL reports is: AWR Wavescan, P.O.Box29235, Indianapolis, Indiana 46229, USA or wavescan@awr.org .
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!
