Celebrating World Radio Day

Today, 13 February 2012, is World Radio Day. Andy Sennitt wrote a great piece on this at Radio Netherlands Worldwide.

Here's a quote from Andy as part of the article reads:

"Radio is still a vital form of communication because a radio station can be set up much faster, and at much lower cost, than a terrestrial or satellite TV station. Radio is especially useful for reaching remote communities and vulnerable people such as the illiterate, the disabled and the poor. It also provides a platform for such groups to take part in the wider public debate.

Radio also plays a vital role in emergency communication and disaster relief, which was illustrated following the tsunami in the Indian Ocean in December 2004. RNW was able to help several partner stations in Indonesia by sending out “radio stations in a box” – self-contained mobile FM stations providing a temporary studio and transmitter ready to be used by broadcasters whose own facilities had been destroyed."

World Radio Day is a time of education and social engagement, and that is what radio is about to begin with. In this age, there are many new grassroots radio programs around with as many specialty topics as a person can imagine.  Thanks to RNW and Andy Sennitt for helping to keep radio alive!

For those of us who are also licensed amateur radio ops, we should be doing our part today to help remind those people around us that the internet is just a tool, and not to be wholly relied upon as the end-all, be-all of mass communication. Visit the WORLD RADIO DAY WEBSITE to learn more.

****WORLD RADIO DAY UPDATES****

THIS ARTICLE and VIDEO talk about the 594 transmitter in Victoria, Australia.

WAH WAH FM Article

The UK Guardian Article

Lifeline Energy Article



Radio Canada International Audio Episode - World Radio Day

Radio Canada International - Canadian group uses radio to help vulnerable people in remote locations



World Radio Day Special Announcement by Keith Perron on behalf of Nigel Holmes at Radio Australia:

Nigel Holmes is the frequency manager at Radio Australia. He is now working on RA's A12 schedule. Good news! No cut back in transmissions. In fact there will be an increase of hours. Two of the major changes are the following. 17750khz directed to East Asia is being re-directed to Fiji. 21725khz directed to East Asia is getting an extra hour. 

There are two frequencies being dropped for the Pacific, but these two transmitters are being re-directed to South East Asia and East Asia. Here in East Asia you can listen to Radio Australia nearly 24/7 on shortwave in near MV quality. Nigel told me it's a challenge because from Shepperton it take around 3000km before the signal even hits water.

On the DRM front we all know about DRM. Some stations like Radio New Zealand International use DRM to feed local stations in the Pacific. This is an excellent application for DRM. Much cheaper than satellite time and more efficient. Radio Australia will be doing a similar test. I have to say I have a DRM receiver that I sometimes use and I love the sound it has. For rebroadcast on MV or FM it's excellent. As for a replacement for regular HF, DRM sucks. Receivers are too expensive and cannot be found anywhere.

Songs Celebrating Radio 

Randy Stonehill - I Thirst For You
"and I listened to the radio and it hit me like a miracle when I found that I could sing and play guitar"

The Ham Band - Join Us On The Airwaves (video)

WKRP Full Theme (video)


Tiffany - Radio Romance (video, audio quality may not be so good)


Superbus - Radio Song (video)


Donna Summer - On The Radio (Video)


Reba McEntire - Turn On The Radio (video)


CW Song (video)