New shortwave service to be launched from PCJ

February 21, 2011

New shortwave service to be launched

For Immediate Release

PCJ Media announces the creation of a new international shortwave radio service with targeted programming to Latin America, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific.

PCJ sees an opportunity to fill a void being left by large publicly funded broadcasters. In the last few months a number of well-respected international broadcasters have dropped their shortwave transmissions to these regions in favor of internet and podcasts. Most notably are the significant cuts to the BBC World Service and the Voice Of America transmissions.

To fill this void, PCJ’s new service would broadcast in five languages, with programming targeted to the audiences of those specific languages. New distribution platforms such as the internet will also be used.

The five language groups which PCJ Radio would target are:

Farsi – Middle East

Mandarin – China

Spanish – Latin America

Ukrainian/Russian – Eastern Europe

English - to regions mentioned above

Launch date TBA.

For more information please contact Keith Perron of PCJ Media.

Email: pcjmedia@gmail.com

Tel: +886 938 408 592

Odd Number Station just popped up

Many SWL's over the years have been fascinated by the mysterious number stations that have popped up going back to WW2. In the last few days I have monitored one that I have never heard before coming from Taiwan. Some of you have heard of New New Star Broadcasting which is a number station from Taiwan, but this one is very different. I should mention that New New Star has not been on for a while. A few months ago two high up officials from the Ministry Of Defense were arrested for spying for China and passing along classified information. Just around this time a few days later New New Star went silent. They were normally using frequencies between 10.400mhz and 10.550mhz USB. And was broadcast at 0400UTC, 0500UTC, 0600UTC. There were other broadcasts as well. I should mention these ones were the clearest in Taiwan to pick up.

In the last few days a new station has appeared. This time with some major differences. The first thing I noticed was there was no interval signal. Second was the voice was not computer generated, and finally third it was a mans voice not a woman.

Time to check: 0300UTC to 0330UTC

Frequency: 10.774mhz (USB)

Click here to hear a 2 min sample recorded a few moments ago.

WRN Newsletter Delay

Those who are wondering about the WRN Newsletter here at the site will be interested in knowing that it will be posted as soon as possible as a double edition to catch up with the two newsletters that have been published since they were due here. Blogger does not like how this newsletter is constructed, and the time spent so far on editing and production has been intensive.

The best option will be to post it here as a word document or a PDF.

Thanks for your patience everyone.

Shortwave America Web Store Opens It's Doors!

This morning marks a great day at Shortwave America, because the Official Shortwave America Store has opened for business! Now you can enjoy t-shirts, long sleeve shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, mouse pads, coffee mugs, thermos bottles, wall clocks, and all sorts of other items!

One request for the store was to have electronic / radio kits. That is an item still being researched at this time, and will happen once everything can be organized so as to make sure there is enough stock available to prevent back-orders and prevent customer service issues.

When you buy an item from the Shortwave America store, you support the time and work it takes to put Shortwave America together. When you support Shortwave America, you support an uncensored, balanced voice for shortwave and amateur radio. New products will be added to the store on the basis of demand and other factors.

Thank you for reading Shortwave America! Feedback about the store is always welcome.
 

Anti-Jamming Antenna (and it really works)

If anyone can access this blog and are in an area where jamming is focused against broadcasters like the Voice Of America, BBC World Service and others there is a quick and easy way to get around this and improve your reception. These plans come from the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees the Voice Of America.

Last summer I built it myself to see the results and I was amazed. It really works and does improve stations being jammed by the Chinese. Of course it does depend on propagation, but it does work. It took me less than an hour to build and I used stuff that I had around the house. Above you will find a diagram and picture how it should look. I came across these plans on the BBG website.

Materials:

A compact portable receiver radio with its telescoping whip antenna

An additional telescoping whip antenna similar to the one used with the receiver radio or a stiff wire

Two pieces of aluminum foil having same width and length as those of the portable radio receiver

A clean piece of plywood or equivalent, non conducting of electricity, big enough for overall support

Two short pieces of connecting wire with screws for connection as required

A block of wood or equivalent to support the additional antenna

Installation:

On the piece of plywood used as overall support, lay the radio receiver on the first aluminum foil pad. Use a rubber band or string to secure the receiver if desired.

Fix second antenna into wood block so it stays vertical.

Connect the additional telescoping whip or stiff wire to the foil pad on which the radio lays. A small screw can be used to attach the first connecting wire to the aluminum foil.

Wrap the other bare end of the wire around the whip and twist the wire to assure that a good electrical contact with the whip is established.

Use the second wire to connect the remaining aluminum foil to the telescopic whip of the receiver as described above.

Operation:

The interference reducing antenna should be operated in a relatively clear area. It works best when people are not near the antenna.

The interference reducing antenna is operated by rotating the whole system, receiver and the two whip antennas together with the plywood support, until the interfering signal is minimized and the desired program is as clear as possible.

If the desired program cannot be received clearly by rotating the plywood support when the interference reducing antenna is level, then try slanting each of the antenna whips or both, and then rotating the system again. Keep experimenting with different slants and rotations combinations until the desired program clears.

Well known music on shortwave

A few weeks ago I went out to dinner to a popular restaurant in Taipei. This 5 star restaurant serves very traditional Chinese food and is one of the most popular places around the time of the Chinese New Year. I've been to this place a number of times, but this time was different. We walked in, the waiter showed us to our table, we order a bottle of wine and the rest. All during this time my mind was else where. My friends kept asking me if something was wrong, and yes there was something wrong. The background music caught my interest.
The whole time I kept thinking I've heard it before, but was unable to place it. Until! Then I remembered where I heard it before. It was the music used by the Chinese on a number of frequencies to jam foreign broadcasters. Yes! The infamous FIREDRAKE being played in a restaurant in Taipei. The following day I contacted a friend who teaches in the traditional music department of Taiwan National University and played for him a recording of FIREDRAKE. And well he had heard the piece. What he told me was the following. The piece we know as Firedrake goes back to the time of Kong Qiu (孔丘) or as you might know him Confusius (551BC to 479BC) and the Zhou Dynasty (周朝) (1046BC to 256BC). The piece was traditionally played during the Chinese New Year, but through the years has changed. Beginning around the time of the Qin Dynasty (221BC to 206BC) to the Qing Dynasty (1644 to 1911) each of the Emperors influenced the piece as we know it today. As for a name? This has also changed multiply times.
I should mention this is only a short history. But I'm in the middle of working on a piece which will be used on Media Network Plus to look at it's history.
If you have never heard the full FIREDRAKE before click here for the full unedited version.

Shortwave America Partners With WRN

Shortwave America has officially partnered with WRN (World Radio Network) to bring you their newsletter in full. WRN happily granted copyright permission today, 03 February 2011. Shortwave America will be bringing you this newsletter the next time WRN publishes.

Everyone, please give a warm welcome to WRN!

This is the second major partnership for Shortwave America in 2011.

BBC World Service Cuts

Today February 2nd at 1145UTC I was invited as a guest on the BBC World Service program Over To You to discuss the cuts to the BBC WS Chinese Section. Raymond Li the Head of the Chinese Service of the BBC WS will also take part. The cuts pushed onto the BBCWS by the Foreign Office mean a cut of services including shortwave to China. The rational of the Foreign Office is the Chinese jam the radio signal so no one can listen. But in a very logical move they decided to focus on the internet as a way to reach the audience. It seems they have not heard of the Great Firewall. Yes it's true that in large centers like Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Dalian people don't listen to shortwave. But these areas only account for 15% of the total population of 1.3 billion people. In many remote areas people still do listen to shortwave from domestic radio stations including the VOA, RFA and BBC.
The Foreign Office said that around half a million people from a survey conducted in China listen to shortwave. I wonder how they got this figure, because if you go to areas like Tibet or Xinjang and other areas of China where protests have taken place people will not admit listening. In Tibet just after the protests took place against the Han Chinese the local office of the Public Security Bureau was checking homes for shortwave radios and confiscating them.
Officials with the Chinese Ministry Of Informational Technology ( January 28, 2011) told me off the record on the condition I don't publish there names, they estimate the audience of the BBC in China to be around 3 to 4 million a week. But added that most people in rural areas would not admit to listening. He said if the BBC only had half a million listeners they government would not even bother to jam them.

Remembering Challenger 25 Years Ago This Hour

Twenty five years ago during this very hour, the seven astronauts aboard the Challenger space shuttle lifted off for what was supposed to be a normal launch, and instead gave their lives in an unexpected malfunction. Today, remembrance services were held and the words of the late President Reagan were recalled.

This sad disaster 25 years ago had something to do with communications because the space shuttle program has played an important role in transporting communications gear into space whether it be an amateur radio satellite, an amateur rig to the International Space Station, commercial TV and Radio sats, defense and intelligence sats, and has also served to help develop the use and furtherance of communications between earth & space.

The Challenger crew did not give their lives in vain, for they knew the risks well and bore the courage proudly.

ABC - Radio Australia Advocates For People With Disabilities

"All In The Mind" is a programme of Radio Australia and on January 30th, it will focus on those with a most common, but difficult disability that sometimes has dreadful consequences: the inability of some people to comprehend math. These people see the numbers just fine although their lack of math skills would make one think about numerical dyslexia. This math comprehension learning disability now has a name in Australia.

"Dyscalculia" is going to be defined in this upcoming program during which scientists will lay out the biological basis for this disorder. Go to the Shortwave America Listening Gallery at the top of the page to listen.

BBC CUTS Shortwave to CHINA?

On January 26 the BBC World Service announce the cuts that would take place. Now some of the cuts I do agree with, but some on the other hand are just plain insane. Are you ready for this? The BBC World Service is cutting shortwave to China in Chinese.. Are they mad?

The reason for this were made on Newshour by Conservative MP Louise Bagshawe. She said the reason were that the Chinese Government "BLOCKS" these broadcasts. But they want to move to now uses like the internet. How will that bring in new listeners if the internet is controlled and blocked?

Here is a commentary from PCJ about these insane cuts. You can find it on the home page of PCJ www.pcjmedia.com

UVB-76 Analysis Video

Popular Communications can be credited for bringing this video to light, in which UVB-76 is completely analyzed in different modes, using different reliable software detection tools to give seriously impressive graphics of the signal. In this video, you'll also see the purported UVB-76 antenna system.

Shortwave America Welcomes Keith Perron - PCJ Radio

Ladies and Gentlemen, faithful and loyal readers, and everyone else,

Shortwave America is excited to announce a new writer to this publication! Keith Perron, a veteran of the shortwave radio industry who is also a fellow Licensed Amateur Radio Operator will be writing about Media Network Plus, relevant radio items from Taipei, Taiwan, and other items of radio interest to include some technical items. Keith will also act as Shortwave America's first International Liasion.

                             Read Keith's Professional Bio Here

As International Liasion, Keith will be responsible for assisting the international community with any questions, comments, ideas, criticisms, and customer service issues. Keith will also have an important part to play in helping Shortwave America to develop into more of an international product that reaches it's full daily potential. Over the span of his career, Keith has consistently shown progressive growth and responsibility that rises to the level of someone who can be called an effective industry leader.

Thank you, Keith, for being a part of this publication and for the great future Shortwave America has with you as a team member!

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1745 January 21st 2011

The following is a QST: Amateur Radio Newsline #1745

AR Newsline audio link has been fixed.

Glenn Hauser's World Of Radio: January 6th and 12th 2011

World Of Radio January 6th 2011

World Of Radio January 12th 2011

Don't forget that Glenn and the group can also be found over at the DXLD list!

Sounds Of Shortwave & The Shortwave Report

This is the Sounds Of Shortwave: January 6th 2011

The Shortwave Report: January 7th 2011 
                                    January 14th 2011
                                    January 21st 2011

The RAIN Report With Hap Holly: January 08th and 14th 2011

RAIN Report for 1-8-2011 begins in 5.....4....3...2..1

Here is The RAIN Report for 1-14-2011

Shortwave America: Above & Beyond

Shortwave America wishes to thank the readers out here for their patience during the much needed medical leave. The medical leave has forced some of the new developments here to be delayed by a short time, and now the catch up work begins!

You already know that Shortwave America has added a full - time dedicated streaming link to Radio Netherlands, has added a second listening gallery focused on a list of other shortwave broadcasters, and is working on the following:

*Adding an amateur radio listening gallery
This gallery will not just focus on amateur radio listening by way of internet streaming, but will also offer all sorts of sought after international information focused on amateur radio all in one place. This will include licensing information from all over the world and all sorts of surprise goodies!

*Adding a Shortwave America podcast

*Adding a Shortwave America product store with a special section that will offer radio kits and electronic components.

*Adding a Shortwave America e-zine and a series of e-books.

*Opening up access to seven specific high quality shows based on radio topics
These shows will all be backdated to the original date Shortwave America had planned for this feature to kick off so no one here misses anything.

*All future interviews will be in both written AND audio format (MP3)

*Shortwave America is developing working relationships with the most influential, prominent names in radio today and will indeed be adding an "international liasion team" to assist readers and other interested parties from all over the world. The international liasion team will initially focus on providing service in German, Russian, Mandarin, Polish, Spanish, Itialian, and French. Shortwave America will expand in the future to all languages offered by blogger so as to serve the international community in the most efficient manner. Until these developments become reality, translation can be offered using Babelfish.

Shortwave America will also add a regular newsletter by WRN (World Radio Network) A copyright clearance is pending to offer this service from WRN. WRN is one of the biggest radio and television broadcasting conglomerates around, and they offer an awesome newsletter that is so valuable it just has to be featured here!

As Shortwave America continues it's regular schedule of news information, the Amateur Radio community is waiting for the long awaited show-down between Glen Baxter - K1MAN, and the United States Federal Communications Commission as his application to renew his license has been sent to the Administrative Law Judge for Administrative Law Review. In this hearing, Baxter will bear the burden of proving that he is fit to become or remain a Commission licensee.

Medical Leave

What a surprise to log in tonight to find that there are now over ten thousand unique readers of Shortwave America! WOW! This past week has been spent working on making the advertised changes to this publication, and getting new material ready, so things are coming slowly but surely!

Today starts a temporary "medical leave" for Shortwave America. Your well wishes and continued readership are appreciated. Posting will resume as soon as possible, and hopefully, sooner rather than later.

This evening's RAIN Report had Hap Holly with Part 2 of his interview with KE6RRI who now owns the wasteland known as the renegade repeater in L.A. Apparently, she and her group are moving the machine or a receive site about 20 miles away from her as opposed to the 80 miles she originally had to struggle to make it into the machine.

Everyone check the recent Amateur Radio Newsline because two stations in Southern Illinois will be conducting DX testing with different modes and levels of power. Antenna and signals will all be non-directional. One of these stations will go as low as 3 watts!

That's it for now. Stay around everyone, Shortwave America will be back!  

Christina - KE6RRI Pushing Limits Of Free Speech

When the FCC gave Amateur Radio to the United States, and eventually, the world via the HF bands between 160 Meters and 6 Meters, the purpose was to have a trained pool of technically trained & able communicators, electronic communications experimenters, to create and maintain good will, and to conduct emergency communications.

The First Amendment in the Bill Of Rights was to afford a broad swath of protection to speech and to make sure that the U.S. Government could not censor speech unless it was so tasteless as to incite real violence without good cause by way of the proper channels used by our founding fathers when the United States was becoming a reality.

Can someone please make a LOGICAL legal connection between amateur radio and free speech? Tonight on the RAIN Report, Hap Holly interviewed KE6RRI who is the new owner of the controversial 146.435 repeater in Los Angeles, California. In this interview, Hap offered KE6RRI an out when he likened this machine to a "ham radio stage" on which the various players perform in their respective characters and he also asked her a good question (paraphrased): "What communications have been conducted between you and the FCC in regards to the 435 repeater?"

Apparently, this new owner was told to closely monitor the machine for outrageous obscenities that go beyond just foul language. shortwave America asks the FCC openly right this second...why are you allowing broadcast standards to apply to amateur radio? Amateur Radio is NOT served well by allowing these disgusting people to keep their amateur licenses and equipment!

Why isn't the FCC enforcing the intent and spirit of part 97? How the hell did broadcast standards get confused and then intermingled with amateur radio and the laws that make up Part 97? KE6RRI needs to be pressured as intensely as possible by the amateur radio and SWL community to ban each and every person who so much as utters a reference to anything foul! Tasteless, foul, incendiary, offensive, childish, immature, disgusting, sexually violent, racist, sick behavior on an amateur radio frequency should never, ever, under any circumstances be even tolerated, much less accepted by the amateur radio and SWL community.

"435 is really a psychology"? Christina, please, spare all of us the embarrassing political correctness! Either you control these goofs or we, the amateur radio community will do all we can to make sure that the repeater doesn't have an operations site! As a matter of fact, Shortwave America strongly urges everyone to write to the owner of the repeater site and urge him/her/them to demand Christina remove the 435 from the site and that the repeater and all future owners be banned from said site.

The repeater site owners should know about the content and character of vile content that the repeater is used for, and how it impacts the character of a site owner who allows a home to such a foul and violent communications system. Dear fellow amateurs, please also deluge the FCC and your local Congressmen with written letters and petitions to end the existence of the 435 repeater, and strip Christina and her users of their amateur licenses permanently.

Shortwave America is a HUGE free speech advocate, even advocating for speech that isn't well liked nor politically or socially popular, however, 435 crosses the line beyond acceptable boundaries. Shortwave America will seek to interview Christina and ask some really hard questions based on her interview with Hap Holly and let's see if she can stand on her own when really intelligent and pointed questions threaten to expose what her decisions mean to the amateur radio community as an entirety.

****Update****
There is a HUGE discussion happening over at ShoutMix
Apparently, this piece has a few of the 435 denizens quite upset
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