Thursday, May 31, 2012

Saharia community radio station to go on air on May 31, 2012

With a view to spreading voice of primitive Saharia tribes, world's first Saharia community radio station will go on air at Sesaipura in Sheopur district on May 31, 2012. The radio station being launched with the assistance of Vanya, an undertaking of the Tribal Welfare Department, will broadcast programmes in Saharia dialect and Hindi by tribals themselves for their community members on 90.8 FM (mega hertz). 

Member of Parliament Mr Narendra Singh Tomar will be the chief guest while Tribal Welfare Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah will preside over the inaugural function of Sesaipura radio station. The guests of honour will include in-charge of Sheopur district and Minister of State for General Administration Mr Kanhaiyalal Agrawal, Minister of State for SC, ST Welfare Mr Harishankar Khatik and Madhya Pradesh Forest Development Corporation Vice-Chairman Mr Babulal Mevra. 

It is perhaps for the first time in the world that a State Government has started community radio stations in tribal dialects with a view to direct participation of tribal communities in administrative machinery. This will not only protect tribal art and culture, but will also lead to their social and educational progress. These community radio stations will serve as vehicles for disseminating information about welfare schemes of the government aiming at the welfare of tribal communities in the remote areas of the state. These radio stations will also serve as a bridge between tribal people and the government. Via: http://khojkhabarnews.com/?p=23572#more-23572  (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS)

Software Defined Radio for HF and DRM

The ghpsdr3-alex Project

This is a modification of the excellent Software Defined Radio (SDR) software by John Melton [G0ORX/N6LYT][1]
The original software by John is called ghpsdr3. We are working towards merging the two projects (ghpsdr3 and ghpsdr3-alex) source trees to a single source. However BEFORE that happens, you CANNOT mix and match programs from the two projects. See note for HPSDR hardware users below.
Discussions take place in the sdr-widget group http://groups.google.com/group/sdr-widget [4]
You can browse the list of online dspservers at http://qtradio.napan.ca/qtradio/qtradio.pl[5]
Currently it supports HPSDR, Softrock, UHFSDR, Microtelecom Perseus, SDR-iq, HiQSDR, Ettus Research USRP and rtl-sdr DVB-T dongles.

What is the actual ghpsdr3-alex Project software?

The software comprises 3 different components:
A) server - there is a CLI based server for each type of hardware. For example, there are hpsdr-server, usrp-server, softrock (server), sdriq-server, HiQSDR etc. Some servers are based on soundcard/USB connections to the hardware. Some are connected via ethernet (eg HPSDR Metis).
B) dspserver - this is the software in the middle that processes the IQ data from the server (connected over LAN via UDP) using DttSP. The same dspserver can connect to any of the servers in A.
C) clients - this is the GUI user interface. There are clients built with Qt and runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac OSX. There is a working Android client that works on Android phones and Android tablets. The clients connect to dspserver via LAN or remotely via Internet. In future we will have java based web clients as well (either specifically written clients, or running Qt inside a web browser) Also, multiple clients can concurrently access the same dspserver. There is also RxTx capability (currently for voice modes). the QtRadio client has a Hamlib interface and can connect to gPredict, xLog, and fldigi (for digital mode)

Project Goals
1. Open source (GPL) SDR software
2. Client-server network-enabled by design from the ground up
3. Customized server for each SDR hardware type. Currently supporting HPSDR, Softrock, UHFSDR, Microtelecom Perseus, RFSPACE SDR-IQ, HiQSDR, Ettus Research USRP, and the rtl-sdr DVB-T dongle.
4. Single dspserver that connects to single server. However, each server can have multiple Rx and Tx channels.
5. Multiple clients, such as QtRadio, that can concurrently connect to a single dspserver.
6. Full Rx and Tx capability for hardware capable of Tx


Note for HPSDR and ghpsdr3 (original) users: In general, you cannot mix and match software from the two projects, ghpsdr3 and ghpsdr3-alex. However, John has updated the programs in the ghpsdr3-alex repository, and the hpsdr-server program in gphsdr3-alex works for HPSDR hardware. The following newbie guide is written by Erich Heinzle (vk5hse at yahoo.com):

Monday, May 28, 2012

Pro-LTTE Broadcast Cannot Be Blocked ?

By Dinouk Colombage

The Transnational Government of Tamil Elam's (TGTE) radio broadcast cannot be blocked according Anusha Palpitta, Director General of the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC). Palpitta told The Sunday Leader that the (TGTE) were broadcasting on a shortwave frequency, and as such their signal could not be blocked by the TRC.

He explained that the TRC did posses the equipment which would allow them to block such a signal, but added that the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation did. "The SLBC is the only registered broadcast station that uses shortwave, they are also the only place that posses the equipment to block such a broadcast," Palpitta said.

The SLBC chairman, Hudson Samarasinghe, was unavailable for comment. The TGTE, who are a pro-LTTE group, had its first broadcast last Saturday (May 18) to coincide with the three year anniversary of the end of the war. Naatham, the TGTE radio station, can also be received in India, Malaysia and Singapore.

http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2012/05/27/pro-ltte-broadcast-cannot-be-blocked (Via 
Sudipta Ghose)

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Tamil Gov't Starts Radio Broadcast to Sri Lanka on May 18th - 3rd Anniversary of Tamil Genocide

"The first special broadcast will be on May 18th (Friday), for one hour from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm, Sri Lanka time." 

Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE)* today announced that it will start broadcasting Radio News to the Island of Sri Lanka starting from May 18, 2012; the 3rd anniversary of the Genocide of Tamils by the Sri Lankan Government forces. 

The Tamil Government's Radio called Naatham will broadcast in shortwave frequency. This Radio can also be heard in India, Malaysia and Singapore where large number of Tamils live. While this broadcast will become a bridge between the Tamil diaspora and the Tamils living in Tamil homeland, it will also play a role of politically and emotionally link Tamils worldwide. 

The first special broadcast will be on May 18 th (Friday), for one hour from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm, Sri Lanka time. TGTE has designated May 18th as the Tamil National Mourning Day to remember tens of thousands of Tamils who were killed simply and solely on account of their Tamil nationality. 

"While the Tamils in the island of Sri Lanka are struggling to cope with the mass killing and be subject to systematic and pervasive human rights violation on account of their Tamil nationality, this broadcast will ease the pain and give them confidence that their dream of achieving sovereign and independent state of Tamil Eelam will become a reality" said Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran, Prime Minister of the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE). "This broadcast will pierce the strict media censorship in Sri Lanka and reach the Tamils to give them unbiased information." 

Background: 

Tamils faced repeated mass killings since 1958 and the killings in 2009 prompted UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to appoint a Panel of Experts to report on the scale of killings. According to this UN report over 40,000 were killed in five months in 2009, due to deliberate and intense carpet bombing of areas designated by the government as "no-fire zones", where Tamils assembled for safety. The Sri Lankan Government used cluster bombs and restricted food and medicine for Tamils, resulting in large numbers of people dying from starvation and many of the injured bleeding to death. 

According to the UN, Tamil women were sexually assaulted and raped by Sri Lankan forces. According to a recent UK government report there are over 90,000 Tamil war widows. There are also reports that detained Tamil women are used as sex slaves by the Security Forces. According to the Bishop of Mannar, Dr. Rayappu Joseph, 146,679 Tamils were unaccounted for when Sri Lankan forces attacked Tamil people in 2009. Members of the Sri Lankan Security forces are almost exclusively from the Sinhalese community and the victims are all from the Tamil community. 

For information contact: media@tgte.org 

*Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) is a democratically elected government of Tamil Diaspora from the island of Sri Lanka. Its actions are strictly non-violent, democratic and diplomatic. It held internationally supervised elections in twelve countries to elect Members of Parliament (MPs). These MPs drafted and ratified a Constitution and elected a Prime Minister, a 10 member Cabinet and a Speaker. Web: www.tgte-us.orgwww.govthamileelam.org orwww.en.naathamnews.com (Via EINPresswire.com/ May 16, 2012)

Friday, May 18, 2012

World Radio TV Handbook A12 CD


World Radio TV Handbook A12 CD
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WRTH A11 CD
WRTH Bargraph Frequency Guide A12
Now Available - Order your cd today!


We are delighted to announce the availability of the new WRTH Bargraph Frequency Guide for the A12 season. The CD contains the complete, and monitored, A12 international broadcasts, and fully updated domestic shortwave, displayed as a pdf colour bargraph.

This CD is only for sale on the WRTH site. Visit our website at www.wrth.com 
to find out more and to order a copy.
I hope you enjoy using this Frequency Guide.
Nicholas Hardyman
Publisher

Amateur Radio awareness prog on AIR

Dear OMs/SWLs,

Coimbatore Hams had conducted a Ham Radio awareness programme on All India
Radio (AIR).

Broadcast schedule :

Date : 22/05/2012 Tuesday
Time : 7 am IST (0130 UTC)
Frequency : 999 KHz
Station : AIR COIMBATORE

(On behalf of Coimbatore Hams, N.Ganesan, Namachivayam Ganesan via vuhams list)

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2012


 
The purpose of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) is to help raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of the Internet and other information and communication technologies (ICT) can bring to societies and economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide. 17 May marks the anniversary of the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention and the creation of the International Telecommunication Union.
 
 
(Via Jose Jacob, VU2JOS)

India households with radios falls by 18.4 million in ten years

Buried in the census data on household assets is one fascinating statistic:
Even as almost half of Indian households now own television sets, the
number of Indian households with radios has fallen by almost 15 percentage
points between 2001 and 2011.

More at :
http://artiles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-05-15/news/31711559_1_households-fm-radio-transistor

Via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi

Now, Aamir Khan to connect through radio


After being widely appreciated for his TV show 'Satyamev Jayate', Aamir Khan will now connect with millions of radio listeners in a programme called 'Dil Pe Lagi Aur Baat Bani'.
From May 12, the show anchored by the actor will be broadcast every Saturday at 11 am on primary channels of All India Radio covering Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan and West Bengal.
It will be also available on all Vividh Bharati stations of AIR on Saturdays at 3.30 pm, a Prasar Bharati release said.
Dil Pe Lagi Aur Baat Bani aims at stringing together real-life incidents touching a common chord across people of the country.
_____________________________
Jaisakthivel, ADXC, Tirunelveli, India Via Deccanchronicle.com

Anniversaries of AIR in May, 2012

1 IND 6kw FM AIR Kurnool (Andra Pradesh), Patiala (Punjab), Raigarh (Chhattisgarh), Akola   (Maharashtra) commissioned, 1992
6kw FM AIR Bilaspur commissioned, 1991
10kw FM AIR Hospet (Andra Pradesh) commissioned, 1992
2 IND 6kw FM AIR Sagar (Madya Pradesh) commissioned, 1993
6kw FM AIR Sasaramr (Bihar) commissioned, 1991
3 IND 6kw FM AIR Chitradurga (Karnataka) commissioned, 1991
4 IND 6kw FM AIR Hassan (Karnataka), Cannanore (Kerala), 
Shivpuri (Madya Pradesh) commissioned, 1991
7 IND 1kw MW AIR Ooty (Tamil Nadu) commissioned, 1994
8 IND 20kw MW AIR Rohtak (Haryana) commissioned, 1976
14 IND 100kw MW AIR Calicut (Kerala) commissioned, 1950
15 IND 6kw FM AIR Swai Madhopur (Rajastan) commissioned, 1992
16 IND *300kw MW AIR Jalandhar (Punjab) commissioned, 1949
* 100kw MW AIR Tiruchirapalli (Tamil Nadu) commissioned, 1939
17 IND 3kw FM AIR Daman (Union Terriotry) commissioned, 1995
18 IND Introduction to National Channel, 1988
20 IND 10kw FM AIR Jorhat (Assam) commissioned, 1991
22  IND 200kw MW AIR Indore (Madya Pradesh) commissioned, 1955
25 IND 20kw MW transmission at Kupwara commissioned to strengthen radio coverage in the border area of J&K,  2004
26  IND 100kw MW AIR Sambalpur (Orissa) commissioned, 1963
29 IND 6kw FM AIR Anantapur (Andra Pradesh), Nanded (Maharashtra) commissioned,1991
31 IND 200kw MW AIR Tuticorin External service (Tamil Nadu) commissioned, 1994
~ AIR Baroda become a CBS station, 1980

Thursday, May 10, 2012

May 9 - Broadcast Bandh by CRs to protest five fold hike in spectrum user fee

Dear Friends,

To protest WPC's unfair hike of Spectrum Fees to 91000 per year, Gurgaon Ki
Awaaz Samudayik Radio Station invites all CR stations to shut broadcast for
one day as a mark of protest against this attempt to kill community media.

At our station, the plan is to go Live on morning of May 9, explain the
reasons why we are shutting broadcast, connect through telephony
broadcasters from Uttarakhand, Bundelkhand, Ahmedabad, Kanpur, Karnataka
etc to talk about what the spectrum fee hike means for their community, and
how they are also shutting broadcast, then we announce the CR Cell number
where listeners can register their protest against the hike (why not!!),
and then perhaps play Iqbal Bano's powerful protest song "Hum dekhenge" and
sign off.

It would really be a wonderful expression of solidarity -- if your station
intends to shut down, then please do inform local media too, to write about
it. And do write into the CR-India mailing list to let everyone know what
you plan to do on that day.

Regards, Arti, Arti Jaiman, Station Director : Gurgaon Ki Awaaz Samudayik Radio Station 107.8 MHz FM
email: arti@trfindia.orgwebsite: www.trfindia.org

Gurgaon Ki Awaaz is the first and only civil-society-led community radio
station in the National Capital Region of Delhi. Since 2009, we have been
broadcasting 22X7, in Hindi and Haryanvi, with a team of community
reporters who generate community content with community participation.
(Alokesh Gupta Via cr-india list)

WRTH A12 UPDATE # 2:

Updates are provided in PDF format and can be downloaded by right-clicking on the link and selecting 'Save target as...'. In order to view PDF files you need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer.http://www.wrth.com/updates_new.asp (Alokesh Gupta)

Wednesday, May 09, 2012

FREE GERMAN COURSES

Learning and teaching German

With the free German courses from Deutsche Welle, you can choose the learning style that suits you best: e-learning at the computer, with short videos, audio courses or podcasts, or with texts and worksheets you can print out. Select from courses for beginners, intermediate learners, and advanced learners. German language teachers are welcome to use our multimedia material in their lessons. The Course Finder helps you choose the best format for each level.

Deutsch Interaktiv 

Deutsch Interaktiv
The online course "Deutsch Interaktiv" covers levels A1 to B1 in 30 lessons. Exercises, audio, videos and tests complement your independent learning.




BBC World Service International Radio Playwriting Competition invites entries for 2012

This Day (Lagos), 1 May 2012: "For the 13th year, BBC World Service and the British Council, in partnership with Commonwealth Writers, invites writers around the world to send in their radio plays. The dramas need to be 53 minutes long, but can be on any subject. It's the only competition of its kind in the world. There are two first prizes – one for writers with English as a first language and one for writers with English as a second language. Their prize includes a trip to London to watch the play being recorded, attendance at an award ceremony and £2,000. ... The competition has helped launch the writing careers of many of its winners. Lasha Bugadze from Georgia, one of the 2011 winners, currently has a play as part of the PEN festival in New York. ... His winning play, The Navigator, was broadcast again on 28 April on BBC World Service to launch this year's competition. It was described by the judges as 'enchanting and authentic… cleverly turning the subject of loneliness into joyous listening.'" See also BBC World ServiceInternational Radio Playwriting Competition 2012 web page. (Via