This publication complements the series of articles “What is heard on the radio?” about shortwave broadcasting.

The mass amateur radio movement in our country began with the assembly of the simplest radio receivers for listening to broadcast radio stations. For the first time, the design of a detector receiver was published in the journal Radio Amateur, No. 7, 1924. Mass radio broadcasting in the USSR began in 1922 on a “wave of three thousand meters” (frequency 100 kHz, LW range) with a transmitter with a power of 12 kW radio stations. Comintern (call sign RDW). Gradually, broadcasting covers the MW range, and then in the late 20s and early 30s, broadcasting on HF begins to develop, including in foreign languages ​​(foreign broadcasting).

Foreign broadcasting on HF reached its peak during the Cold War as one of the most effective tools for ideological struggle and propaganda. After the fall of the Iron Curtain, Russian-language broadcasting on HF is mostly news, cultural and preachy.

The regulation of international broadcasting on HF is carried out by a non-governmental non-profit association HFCC. Twice a year, HFCC conferences approve the distribution of frequencies and broadcast times. Database available for download from the site. The current database has interactive access. From 31.03.2019/19/19, the A27.10.2019 summer season has begun. The B29.03.2020 winter season will start on XNUMX/XNUMX/XNUMX and will run until XNUMX/XNUMX/XNUMX.

Listening to the radio...

In Perm, the choice of radio programs for listening in the HF band is not rich. In the daytime, on all broadcasting bands of short waves, you can receive no more than two or three, and in the dark - a dozen radio stations in the summer or a couple of dozen in the winter.

For reception, I use fairly "budget" equipment:

1. Broadcast radio receiver Tecsun PL-380.
2. Communication radio receiver SoftRock Ensemble II RX and HDSDR v.2.70

In the photo above, the Tecsun PL-380 is tuned to 11875 kHz (range 25m). Broadcasting is conducted in Russian. Theme of the program: Chinese culture. From the HFCC database in text format, we learn that this is China International Radio, the transmitter is located in Urumqi, the transmitter power is 500 W, the antenna radiates 308 degrees in azimuth.

Tune SoftRock Ensemble II RX and HDSDR v.2.70 to 11875 kHz:

Using the FreqMgr button, we enter the Frequency Manager and find the radio station in the EiBi database:

…and turn it into a hobby, sport or collection

According to the HFCC, their database contains data on 85% of international broadcasts on HF, and the uncovered 15% includes local broadcasting in Africa and Latin America, which does not require international regulation. This does not always suit radio enthusiasts, and they release their own, supplemented, databases. Database EiBi - one of them.

The reception of broadcast radio signals is called DXing. The essence of the phenomenon: the radio listener sends a report to the radio station about the received transmission, and the administration of the radio station in response sends a card-receipt (QSL) confirming that the radio listener has received the signal from this radio station. An example of a QSL card can be viewed here.

Broadcast editors consider reports as an important element of feedback. For example, a few years ago from an interview with an editor Russian Broadcasting Service of Taiwan Radio International I learned that for the first two weeks of broadcasting in Russian, they had a feeling of "communication into the void", until they received a report from a radio amateur from Russia. Since then, the editors of the Russian broadcast RTI has been trying to send a QSL to every person who wrote.

The "entry threshold" in DXing is low: it is enough to have a broadcast receiver. Enthusiasts communicate on forums and conferences, where they exchange information about received radio stations, QSL bureau addresses, broadcast announcements. Enthusiasts also regularly publish thematic guides and bulletins. An example of a DX club is Novosibirsk DX site.

Summary results

Reception of broadcast radio stations has been and remains an important area of ​​amateur radio traffic. In the modern world, foreign broadcasting on HF serves not so much ideology as the goals of the dialogue of cultures.

Passion for receiving transmissions of broadcasting stations does not require serious financial investments, obtaining licenses and confirming qualifications.

The author of the publication is not a DXing enthusiast, but actively supports everything that brings people together and promotes dialogue between them.

Source: habr.com