Sunday, February 08, 2015

Wavescan NWS311


* Theme - 00:00
            “Birthday Serenade - Willi Glahe

* Opening Announcement - 00:16
            Welcome to Wavescan, international DX program from Adventist World Radio
            Researched and written in Indianapolis, produced in studios of shortwave WRMI
            Program outline
                        1. Tribute to Shortwave WYFR - 14: The Okeechobee Story
                        2. Australian Shortwave Callsigns: VLB
                        3. EDXC Report
                        4. SQOTW27 Special QSL of the Week: Test Broadcasts for International Emergencies

* Tribute to Shortwave WYFR - 14: The Okeechobee Story - 01:04
            As we continue in our long and interesting series of topics on the illustrious history of shortwave station WYFR, we come now to the story of the current transmitter site which is located in Okeechobee Florida.  Okeechobee itself is a quite small regional city located above the northern edge of the rather large Lake Okeechobee, in the bottom part of the Florida peninsula.
            Lake Okeechobee is itself a large freshwater lake, 35 miles long and 29 miles wide, with several small rivers and streams running into it.  The name Okeechobee means big water in an old local American Indian language.  The small town called Okeechobee, which caters for lake tourism, is situated near the northern edge of the lake itself.
            The huge new mega-shortwave station for Family Radio was constructed on a leased property of 664 acres, some 20 miles north of Lake Okeechobee.  The flat land in this area is utilized locally for animal grazing, and nearby are large citrus groves and areas for sod grass crops.
            A single one-storey building was constructed in the center of this property for use as the transmitter building, and the surrounding area was set aside for the installation of a massive series of antenna systems; rhomboid, curtain and log periodic.  The pattern of the multitude of feeder lines, running from the transmitter building to the antenna systems, is described as resembling the spokes on a huge wheel.  Construction work on this new shortwave station began nearly forty years ago, in late 1976.
     Audio Insert
            WYFR Theme, identification announcement in German

            During the following year (1977), the first shortwave transmitter was installed.  This unit was a 100 kW Continental model 418D that Family Radio had purchased a few years earlier and it was taken out of storage in Dallas Texas for installation in Okeechobee Florida. 
            This new transmitter, now identified as WYFR1, was taken into scheduled service on November 23, 1977 with programming in two progressive segments which were beamed to Europe followed by the Spanish service to Latin America.  At this stage, WYFR was now on the air from two widely separated locations; four transmitters, 50 kW and 100 kW at Scituate in Massachusetts and the new 100 kW in Florida, all under the collective callsign WYFR. 
   Audio Insert
            WYFR Identification announcement in Spanish

            The second transmitter for installation at the new Florida site was also a 100 kW Continental  model 418D and this unit had been on the air earlier with Family Radio at Hatherly Beach Scituate for just three years.  This Scituate transmitter, WYFR(6), was shut down in late 1977 and made ready for the more than 1200 mile journey to Okeechobee Florida where it was re-activated early in the following year and identified consecutively as WYFR2.
            The 50 kW Continental 417B at Scituate, where it had been on the air under the previous owners as WNYW4, was shut down in the early part of the year 1978, and after installation at Okeechobee it was re-activated at the end of the same year as WYFR3.  During the two years, 1978 & 1979, two more of the transmitters at Scituate, the 100 kW Harris Gates units, model HF100, WNYW2 & WNYW3, were shut down and re-activated at Okeechobee under the consecutive designations WYFR4 & WYFR5.
   Audio Insert
            WYFR Theme,1999 intro & music

            The last transmitter at Scituate, the 50 kW Harris Gates model HF50C, was closed down without ceremony at the end of its broadcast day on Friday November 16, 1979.  A report in an Australian radio magazine atests the closing time as 2052 UTC; that is, 4:52 pm Eastern Daylight Savings time, at the end of the English Service to Africa on 21525 kHz.  However, Dan Elyea, WYFR Engineering Manager, who was at the transmitter site at Hatherly Beach at the time, remembers that the final broadcast over WNYW ended sometime in the evening.              
            At the end of its 60 year era of illustrious service, Scituate now lay silent.  Gone were the uncounted, innumerable broadcasts in a multitude of languages that were heard virtually in every country of the world, and gone were the life stories of the experienced radio personnel who kept the station alive over the life time of its active on air service. 
            After Family Radio, under Dan Elyea and his crew, had removed all usable equipment, the 40 acre property reverted to its owners and it lay idle for a score of years.  Occasional radio visitors to the location described the property as abandoned and covered with so much undergrowth that it would be better described as overgrowth.
            There were just a few identifiable objects that remained on the property as reminders of its previous glory.  The transmitter building, which had been in use by the American army during World War 1 for an electric power generator was still there, and so was the old chimney, though minus either of the callsigns WRUL or WNYW.  In addition, a few odds and ends of debris lay scattered around on the ground.   However, some 20 years ago, the property was taken over for the construction of an upscale housing area, and it remains that way to this day.
   Audio Insert
            WYFR Theme, announcement in Arabic (?)

            Meanwhile, down there in Florida, WNYW5 from Scituate was installed as WYFR6, where it was reactivated on its previous frequency, 21525 kHz in the English Service to Africa.
            In addition, work continued on the construction of eight more transmitters at 100 kW, and the erection of the remaining antenna systems.  Each of the new transmitters was constructed by WYFR staff on site at Okeechobee using the same design as the Continentals that were already on the air at WYFR.  The first of their new locally made units, WYFR7, was activated on December 7, 1981, in the Family Radio English Service to Western Canada.
            During the next four years, seven more locally made transmitters were installed at the shortwave site and the final unit, WYFR14, was activated on September 25, 1988.  Thus they were now fully complemented with 14 shortwave transmitters, 2 at 50 kW and 12 at 100 kW, together with a bevy of 23 antennas; 12 log periodics, 5 nested double rhomboids (10), and a TCI curtain with a passive reflector.

* Program Announcement - 10:59
            Allen Graham

* Australian Shortwave Callsigns: VLB - 11:46
            Quite simultaneously more than 100 years ago, two 50 kW spark wireless stations were under construction in New Zealand, one at the northern tip of the North Island and the other at the southern tip of the South Island.  Both of these stations, with identical equipment, were installed by German personnel who were working with the Telefunken company in Germany under contract with the Australasian Wireless Company in Sydney, Australia.
            The second of these two wireless stations, at least in alphabetic order, was located on the Awarua Plain near The Bluff, right at the very bottom of the South Island of New Zealand.  The triangular mild steel antenna tower for this new wireless station weighed 120 tons and it stood at 410 ft high, resting on a ball and socket joint on a glass insulator.  A 70 horse power motor generated the electricity.  Both the receiver and the transmitter were installed in the same building, though in separate rooms.
            This new wireless station was activated on March 27, 1913 and it was taken into regular service at the end of the same year, December 18.  It is probable that the first and temporary callsign for this new station was ZLB, that is station B in New Zealand, indicating the second of these two new stations, and also the station at the Bluff.  Soon afterwards, the callsign was modified to VLB, due to new international wireless regulations.
             Somewhere around the year 1924, the electrical equipment at station VLB was changed from spark gap operation to electronic valve or tube operation.  Then in 1927 the callsign was again amended, this time from VLB to ZLB, due again to a change in international radio regulations.  The station was closed on August 30, 1991 at the end of its ¾ century of illustrious service when its communication capability was no longer needed.
            In the mid 1930s, the callsign VLB was taken over for usage with a small communication station located at the lighthouse on Maatsuyker Island at the very southern coast of the Australian island of Tasmania.  Maatsuyker is a small uninhabited island which looks on the map like a tortoise sitting upright; it is just 1½ miles long by ¾ mile wide.  The Maatsuyker Lighthouse is the most southerly lighthouse in Australia.
            A few years later, the callsign VLB was removed from the little communication radio station on Maatsuyker Island and it was held in readiness for a powerful 100 kW shortwave transmitter that was under construction for installation at Shepparton in Victoria.  Three transmitters at 100 kW each were envisaged for deployment at Shepparton, and the original planned allocation of callsigns was VLA, VLC & VLM.
            The driver and preliminary stages for the new VLB transmitter were constructed in Australia by AWA, and the modulator and final stages were constructed by STC, Standard Telephones and Cables, both in suburban Sydney.  The VLB transmitter, with its two channel input allowing for quick frequency change, was activated in May 1946, and it was taken into scheduled service with test broadcasts and regular programming soon afterwards. 
            A postfix number after the callsign, such as VLB3 VLB6 or VLB8, indicated a specific frequency for on air usage.  Beginning on June 1, 1951, the usage of the postfix numbers was modified, so that the number itself indicated a particular megahertz band.
            During the year 1960, work was underway to bifurcate the two 100 kW transmitters and one of the 50 kW transmitters took over the VLB service.  For example, the PMG Schedule dated September 4 1960 shows both VLA & VLB shown as 50 kW each.           

            In 1961, the modifications were completed, the VLB transmitter was now bifurcated into two units, and with the insertion of additional electronic equipment, a complete new transmitter became available.  This new unit was given the callsign VLE.  The original VLB transmitter was finally withdrawn from service in 1983.
            At the end of the same year in which VLB was bifurcated, Radio Australia dropped the usage of official callsigns, and instead the callsign VLB identified a specific program line from the Melbourne studios to the transmitter site at Shepparton.  To this day, the identification B or VLB still refers to the specific program line that runs to Shepparton, though not necessarily a specific transmitter. 
            Radio Australia was usually a prolific verifier of reception reports and literally thousands of QSL cards under the callsign VLB were posted out to listeners all around the world.  During the quarter century when this callsign was in vogue, two different QSL cards were in use, though half a dozen slight printing variations are known. 
            The first card was in use from 1946 - 1950 and it depicted a map of Australia in yellow with a stylized antenna; and the second card which was in use during the 1950s, depicted a more detailed map with the famous laughing bird, the Kookaburra.  This second card had two major variations, one with the station name in yellow and the other with the station name in red.  Form letter QSLs were issued for a few years during the 1990s, giving the usage of the line callsign VLB  together with the frequency and transmitter location as Shepparton.  

* EDXC Report - 17:44
            Interview: Toshi Ohtake with Anker Petersen

* SQOTW27 Special QSL of the Week- 25:05
     Test Broadcasts for International Emergencies - 25:05
            On June 5 last year, Tony Ashar of Depok in Indonesia listened to a series of test broadcasts that were on the air from several different shortwave stations that were beaming their programming  into Asia.  These test broadcasts were on the air as a trial run in preparation for providing international communication in what might one day be a real emergency of catastrophic proportions.  This series of half hour broadcasts under the title, Trial of International Radio for Disaster Relief, was presented in co-operation with a Media Summit on Climate Change that was held in Jakarta Indonesia.
     Audio Insert
            BBC Test program announcement

            The QSL card that Tony Ashar received was posted in Prague Czechia, and it lists all of the eleven stations that took part in this international shortwave radio event.  A map on the picture side of the card shows the location of all eleven of these stations.

* Program Announcement - 24:19
            Jeff White

* Music of the World - 26:17
            Indonesia: Gamelan music

* Closing Announcement - 26:37
            Thanks for listening to Wavescan, international DX program from Adventist World Radio
            Researched and written in Indianapolis
            Next week:-
                        1. Back to the story of Press Wireless International and some of their shortwave                                                    stations in Europe and the United States.                  
                        2. Publication Review: International Shortwave Broadcast Guide
                        3. A bulletin of international DX news
            Several QSL cards available.  Send your AWR & KSDA reception reports for Wavescan to the                            AWR address in Indianapolis; and also to the station your radio is tuned to: WRMI or                                 WWCR or KVOH, or to the AWR relay stations that carry Wavescan.  Remember too,                             you can send a reception report to each of the DX reporters when their segment is on                          the air here in Wavescan: Japan, Bangladesh, Philippines, Australia & India.  They will                             verify with their own colorful QSL card.  Return postage and an address label are always                       appreciated.
            Wavescan address:-
                        Box 29235
                        Indianapolis
                        Indiana 46229 USA
            Wavescan @ AWR.org
            Jeff White, shortwave WRMI

* Music Outrun - 28:19

* Program Ends - 28:55

==============================================================================





1. The American Shortwave Scene

Progressive Topics: Continental USA

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No.      Topic                                                  Callsigns                                               Year to Year  NWS -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
American States on Shortwave
  1. Columbia (DC)                              WWV W3XJ W3XK W3XX W3XZ VOA NKF            1922-2013       219 
  2. Missouri
  3. Texas on Shortwave                     KFRN KPOL KCBI KAIJ KK2XEZ WTWW   1952-201x       111
  4. Utah on Shortwave                       W9XAA WNYW KUSW KTBN SDA              1987-201x       117         
           
Early Wireless Era
  1. Avalon Wireless Newspaper         A KUXV                                                          1902-1923       213
  2. Earthquake Radio                         Chicago                                                        1907-1907         48
  3. AT&T Ocean Gate NJ                  AT&T Rocky Point & Moulton                                    1923-1970         95
                       
Early Radio Broadcasting
  1. De Forest Arcphone                     Parker Building NY 2XG WJX                        1907-1924       114
  2. VOA Shipboard Relay Station      KSL OWI VOA            Saipan Malolos                      1932-1944       131

Early Shortwave Era
  1. Chronohertz Stations                    WWV                                                               1919-2009         59
  2. Catalina Island                              6BX 6ZW W6XAD KFWO                              1920-1930       212
  3. Washington DC on Shortwave     W3XAO W3XJ W3XK W3XO W3XX W3XZ 1924-1946       219
  4. NBC Chicago                                W9XF WENR WCBN W9XQ W9XBS           1928-1938       221
  5. AT&T Lawrenceville                     3 letter calls & WRX                                        1929-1975         57
  6. AT&T Ocean Gate                                    WOO VOA                                                      1929-1999         62
  7. CBS In Philadelphia                      WCAU W3XAU WOGL WCAL WCAB          1930-1941         46  
  8. Wonderful Isle of Dreams             WIOD WCKR W4XB WBKM WDJM WRUX            1932-1996         16
  9. American Apex Stations               40 stations                                                       1932-1941         23
10. WOR on Shortwave                     WOR WLB W2XAQ W2XHI W2XII W2XGB  1933-1942        79 
11. RCA Relays to Philippines            KKR KER KEE KEQ KEL KGEI FIS KRCA  1935-1942         88
12. The Sister Chronohertz Stations   WWVB WWVL W8XAL KQ2XAU KK2XEI    1935-2010        60 
13. The Spy Transmitter                     W3XAU Hydra                                                            1949-1962         47     

Mediumwave Broadcasting Stations
  1. Catalina Island                              6BX 6ZW W6XAD KFWO                              1920-1930       212
  2. CBS In Philadelphia                      WCAU W3XAU WOGL WCAL WCAB          1930-1941         46  
  3. Wonderful Isle of Dreams             WIOD WCKR W4XB WBKM WDJM WRUX            1932-1996         16
  4. VOA Texas                                 WHOM VOA Texas AFRS                          1942-1944       129

Major Shortwave Stations
  1. GE             Schenectady NY        2XI WGY W2XAD W2XAF                             1912-2012       181
                                                            2XI W2XADW2XAF WGEA WGEU WGEO 1923-1939       183
                                                            WGEA WGEO WGED WGEU KWID KSBU            1939-1963       185
  2. AT&T         New Jersey                 VOA WOO      All locations                             1919-2006         77
                        Rocky Point NY          WNL LW         Moulton ME                            1923-1970         95
                        Ocean Gate NJ          WOO VOA      Forked River, Manahawkin    1929-1999         62
                        Lawrenceville NJ        VOA WRX      Netcong NJ                             1929-1975         57
  3. RCA          Rocky Point LI NY      W2XBJ WEF  River Head LI NY, Belfast ME           1920-195x         91    
  4. WYFR   1 Early Years NY           WRNY WMCA 2XAL                                      1925-1927       227
                    2  Early Years NJ           WRNY (W)2XAL                                             1927-1931       229
                    3  Early Years Boston     W1XAL                                                            1931-1939       232
                    4 XAL Callsigns              W1XAL-W10XAL                                            1921-1939       238
                    5  Callsign Changes        WSLA WSLR - WRUL WRUW                     1939-1939       242
                    6  Hatherly Beach           WSLA WSLR - WRUL WRUW                      1939-1942       245
                        Relay CBC                  WRUL CBC                                                    1941-1941       127
                    7 Wartime Years            WRUL WRUW WRUS1 & 2 WRUA WRUX  1942-1953       256
                    8  Lemmon Years           WRUL (WNYW)                                             1953-1967       261                          9  New WNYW                       (WRUL) WNYW WRFM                                 1967-1973      269  
                  10  Relay Services           W)2XAL W1XAL WRUL WNYW                    1925-1967      272
                  11  Mystery Callsign         WRUR                                                                        1941-1947      278
                  12  QSLs                           2XAL, W1XAL, W1XAR, WRUL, WNYW      1924-1973       282
                  13  WYFR Scituate           WYFR                                                             1973-1979       299
                  14 Okeechobee                WYFR                                                             1976-1988       311
  5. PWI           Hicksville LI NY          VOA W2XGB  Centereach LI NY                   1930-1957         67
  6. WWV         National Bureau          WWV               All locations                             1919-201x       59 271
                        Sister Stations             WWVB WWVL W8XAL KQ2XAU KK2XEI    1935-2010         60

Other Shortwave Stations
  1. Original Radio Free Asia               RFA RCA-C                                                    1951-1953       143

Projected Shortwave Stations
  1. From Chicago to Salt Lake City   W9XAA KSL               Salt Lake City             UT       1939                117
  2. Texas on Shortwave                     KFRN                          Dallas              TX       1960                111
  3. Global Broadcasters                     KFRN                          Tulsa               OK       1961                111
  4. Radio NY Scituate MA                 WNYW                        Chatsworth      NJ       1966                269
  5. Sale to VOA                                  WNYW VOA               Scituate           MA      1970                117

Mediumwave Converted to Shortwave
  1. Texas on Shortwave                     KPOL-KCBI WTWW                                      1952-2011       111
                                                           
Voice of America: OWI, VOA, AFRS
  1. AT&T Ocean Gate                                    WDI WDJ WDL WDO WOK WOO WOJ      1942-1944         62
  2. AT&T Lawrenceville NJ                WCN WMA WOA WOB WOK WON WRX   1942-1944         57
  3. VOA Texas                                 WHOM VOA Texas AFRS                          1942-1944       129
  4. PWI Hicksville LI NY                    WCW WJQ PWI VOA WKRD WKRX WKTM           1942-1946         67
  5. WYFR Hatherly MA                      WRUA WRUL WRUS WRUW WRUX           1942-1953       256
  6. GE Schenectady NY                    WGEA WGEO WGER WGES WGEC          1942-1963       185
  7. RCA Long Island                           WEC WQE RCAC                                          1943-1951         91
  8. VOA Shipboard Relay Station      KSL OWI VOA            Saipan Malolos                      1944-1945     131 133
  9. Washington Studios                      VOA                                                                1954-201x       219

==============================================================================














2. Tribute to Shortwave WYFR

Progressive Summary

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No.      Topic                                                  Callsigns                                               Year to Year NWS -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1.  The Early Years in New York      WMCA 2XAL                                                  1925 - 1927  227
  2.  The Early Years in New Jersey   WRNY (W)2XAL                                              1927 - 1931  229
  3.  The Early Years in Boston           W1XAL WEEI                                                 1931 - 1939  232
  4.  XAL Callsigns                               W1XAL-W10XAL                                            1921 - 1939  238
  5.  Callsign Changes                         WSLA WSLR - WRUL WRUW                      1939 - 1939  242
  6.  The Early Years Hatherly Beach WSLA WSLR - WRUL WRUW WRUS1        1939 - 1942  245
  7.  The Wartime Years & Beyond     WRUL WRUW WRUS1 & 2 WRUA WRUX  1942 - 1953  256
  8.  Final Walter Lemmon Years        WRUL (WNYW)                                             1953 - 1967  261
  9.  On the Air WNYW                       (WRUL) WNYW WRFM                                 1967 - 1973  269
10.  Relay Services                            (W)2XAL W1XAL WRUL WNYW                  1925 - 1967  272 127
11.  Mystery Missing Callsign             WRUR (WRUW secondary call?)                  1941 - 1947  278       
12.  QSL Cards                                   2XAL, W1XAL, W1XAR, WRUL, WNYW      1924 - 1973  282       
13.  The New Family Radio                WYFR Scituate                                               1973 - 1979  299
14.  The Okeechobee Story               WYFR Okeechobee                                       1976 - 1988  311
15.  Through the Years with WYFR    WYFR Okeechobee
16.  WYFR Relay Services
17.  Tribute to WRMI Hialeah                                                                                     1983 - 2013  248
18.  88 Years of Radio History           1&2XAL WSLA WRUL WNYW WYFR WRMI 1925 - 2103  249
19.  WYFR Okeechobee QSLs

==============================================================================



3. Tribute to Shortwave WYFR - 13

Station History: Hatherly Beach, Scituate

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  Year  Date                Information                                                                                          Reference
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WYFR Hatherly Beach, Scituate
  1972 Jan 22              Family Radio began broadcasts over WNYW, 3 hours daily       WRMI Document
  1972                          Family Radio with 16 transmitter hours daily                                      MT 10-98 12   
                                                Began in January this year                                                       WYFR Letter
  1973 Sep                   2 @ 100 Gates & 1 @ 50 Gates & 1 @ 50 Continental in use    WNYW Schedule
  1973 Oct 19  Fri        Family Radio announced take over of WNYW                                    WYFR Letter   
  1973 Oct 20              Station taken over by Family Radio, new call introduced WYFR WRMI Document
                                                4 transmitters on air, 5th already authorized                             WYFR Letter
                                                9 rhombic antennas, 4 of which are reversible
                                                Began Spanish & English over 2 transmitters
                                                28 acres antenna farm
                                                Total property 40 acres
  1973 Oct 20              Transmitter complement                                                                            DE Email
                                                Continental 50 kW model 417B  
                                                Harris (Gates) 50 kW HF50C
                                                            Was in storage and held for ELWA
                                                            Taken over by WNYW 1967, after fire
                                                            New ELWA 50 kW constructed         
                                                Harris (Gates) 100 kW model HF100, 2 units
                                                Transmitter locations
                                                            Just outside control room: On raised platform 2 @ 100 kW
                                                                        Nearby, at right angles on left new Continental 418D
                                                                        Transmitter shipped out of storage from Dallas
                                                            Back room coal bunker: 1st Harris 50, 2nd Continental 417
                                                                                                    Antenna switching unit
                                                No WNYW1 at this time
  1973 Oct 20 Sat        Sold to Family Radio, 1st day                                                                MT 10-98 12
  1973                          Station taken over by Family Radio                                                      MT 10-98 13
  1973 (Late?)              New 100 kW installed, shortly after purchase                                       MT 10-98 13
  1974 Late                  New 100 kW installed at Hatherly Beach                                              MT 10-98 13
                                                A little over a year after purchase                                                      History
                                                Continental 418D
  1974 Feb                   Schedule for new WYFR                                                          R&H 79.17 3-74 109
  1975 Aug                   Outline history                                                                           R&H 79.17 8-75 102
  1977 Late                  1st transmitter removed from Scituate and installed at Okeechobee  MT 10-98 14
                                                New Continental 418D 100 kW
  1978 Early                 2nd Continental removed Scituate installed Okeechobee 50 kW 417B
  1978 End                   3rd 100 kW Gates removed Scituate installed at Okeechobee         
  1979 Early                 4th transmitter removed Scituate installed at Okeechobee 100 kW Harris Gates    
  1979 End                   5th transmitter Collins 50 kW removed Scituate installed at Okeechobee
  1977-1979                 3 @ 100 kW & 2 @ 50 kW in use                                                                      DRW   
  1979 Nov 16             Last transmitter removed from service                                         WYFR Document
  1979 Nov 17             Scituate 21525 kHz 1600-2052 UTC, last broadcast                       ADXN 12-79 21
                                                English to Africa
  1979 Nov 17             Scituate closed                                                                                                     GH
  1993                          Abandoned and undergrowth, over growth                                                AMP visit
  1998                          Now upscale housing area                                                                    MT 10-98 14
==============================================================================



4. Tribute to Shortwave WYFR - 14

Transmitter History: Okeechobee

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  Year  Date                Information
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Backgrounds Okeechobee Florida
                                    Name in local Indian language means big water
                                    Lake is 35 miles long, 29 miles wide
                                    Several small rivers and streams drain into the lake
                                    Town of Okeechobee near northern edge of lake
 1928                           Hurricane 2,500 deaths, floodwaters from lake

Shortwave Station WYFR Okeechobee
                                    664 acres, 20 m north of Lake Okeechobee
                                    Local property owner, grazing land
                                    Large citrus groves nearby, also sod grass crops
                                    Single story building 11,200 sq ft
  1976 Late                  Construction work began
  1977                          1st transmitter taken from storage at Continental in Dallas                         Interview
                                                In storage for several years
                                                Purchased at same time as 418D installed at Hatherly Beach
                                                17845 kHz in Scituate
  1977 Nov 23             1st transmitter taken into program service 100 kW                       WYFR Document
                                                Beamed to Europe & South America
                                                Two double rhomboid antennas
  1977 Late                  2nd transmitter, new Continental from Hatherly Beach
  1978 Nov 23             2nd year of operation, 2 @ 100 kW on air                                      WYFR Schedule
  19xx                          2 Continental @ 100 kW on air, 3rd 100 kW from Scituate now on site        Bulletin  
  1978 End                   Projected date for 3rd transmitter                                                    WYFR Schedule
  1979 Jul                    3 @ 100 kW on air, 4th in Fall                                                                       DRW 15
  1979 Nov Mid           4th @ 100 kW expected on air                                                        WYFR Schedule
  1979 Nov 16             Last transmitter Scituate shut down
  19xx                          WYFR4 originally at WYNW Scituate
  1980                          2 transmitters installed, now 6 on air                                                                  DXB
  1980 Jun 18              WYFR5 50 kW Harris
  1981 May                  6 transmitters on air                                                          WYFR Schedule & Paper
  1981                          Final tests and adjustments WYFR7 100 kW                                    WYFR Bulletin
  1981 Dec 7               7th transmitter taken into active programming                              WYFR Document
                                                100 kW beamed to western Canada, log periodic antenna
  1983 Jan                   3 new transmitters under installation; 7 on air, will be 10                   ADXN 2-83 13
  1983 Oct                   5 @ 100 kW, 2 @ 50 kW transmitters on air
                                                10 double rhomboids & 6 log period antennas
  1983 Nov                  5 @ 100 & 2 @ 50 kW on                                                                         FRN 11-83
  1984 End                   Expected 3 more @ 100 kW & 6 more log periodics in service
  1988 Jan                   WYFR 11 now on air, construction well under way 12 13 & 14           DXO 2-88 42
  1988 Jun                   12th transmitter recently commissioned                                             ADXN 7-88 11
  1988 Jul                    13th transmitter scheduled for active service                                     ADXN 7-88 11
  1988 Sep 25              14th transmitter taken into program service                                  WYFR Document
  1988 Nov                  Projected date for implementation of 14th transmitter                        ADXN 7-88 11
  1989 Feb                   12 @ 100 & 2 @ 50 on air, all on air at 2200                                        ADXN 2-89 6
  1998 Oct                   14 transmitters in use, Continental & Harris, 50 & 100 kW                  MT 10-98 16                                                  Including 5 from Scituate (3 @ 100 & 2 @ 50)
  1988 Nov                  All 14 in use; at 2200 UTC daily, all 14 on air                           ADXN 2-89 6
  1999                          Satellite from Oakland to Okeechobee
  2013 Jul 1                 0300 UTC, end of final program last hour of English 6115 kHz                         WS  
  2013 Jul 1                 0400 UTC end final RTI broadcast, station closed                                              WS
  2013 Aug                   Transmitter 6 decommissioned                                                     WYFR Document
  2013 Nov                  12 @ 100 kW & 1 @ 50 kW available for on air service               WYFR Document
                                                2 @ 100 kW Continental 418D
                                                8 @ 100 kW based on 418D, built by WYFR
                                                3 older Gates/Harris 2 @ 100 & 1 @ 50        

                                    Digital automation
==============================================================================









5. Tribute to Shortwave WYFR - 14

Transmitter History: Okeechobee

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Origin              Transmitter                    kW     Close               Okeechobee   Installation      
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dallas              Continental 418D          100                            WYFR1           1977 Nov 23
WNYW(6)       Continental 418D          100    1977 Late        WYFR2           1978
WNYW4          Continental 417B            50    1978 Early       WYFR3           1978 End        
WNYW2/3       Harris Gates HF100      100    1978 End         WYFR4           1979 Jul
WNYW3/2       Harris Gates HF100      100    1979 Early       WYFR5           1979 Nov Mid
WNYW5          Collins (Gates HF50C)   50    1979 Nov 17   WYFR6           1980 Jun 18    Africa 21525
Local               Local                             100                            WYFR7           1981 Dec 7     W Canada
Local               Local                             100                            WYFR8           1984
Local               Local                             100                            WYFR9           1984
Local               Local                             100                            WYFR10         1984
Local               Local                             100                            WYFR11         1988 Jan
Local               Local                             100                            WYFR12         1988 Jun
Local               Local                             100                            WYFR13         1988 Jul         
Local               Local                             100                            WYFR14         1988 Sep 25
==============================================================================


6.  Shortwave Callsigns in Australia
Progressive Topics

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 No.     Call      Location          Location          Location          Line                 NWS -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
01.       VLA     Awanui                        Cape Bruny     Shepparton     Shepparton     306
02.       VLB     Awarua            Maatsuyker     Shepparton     Shepparton     311

==============================================================================



7.  The Radio Scene in New Zealand
Progressive Topics

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 No.     Topic                                                   Calls                    Years           NWS -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
01.       NZ Leads the Way                                                      1888 - 1909       61
02.       Tasman Bridge; Three Ships                                      1908 - 1909       29
03.       Wireless Station Awanui, Auckland    NZA VLA ZLA 1913 - 1930    306
04.       Wireless Station Awarua, The Bluff    VLB ZLB         1913 -  1991    311
05.       Napier Earthquake                                                      1931                  48
06.       Christchurch Earthquake                                            2011                107     
            Christchurch Update                                                   2011                107
            Christchurch Update                                                   2011                108
==============================================================================
8. Shortwave Callsigns in Australia

Callsign VLB Awarua, Maatsuyker Island & Shepparton

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Year Date      Event                                                                                                               Reference
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Callsign VLB
     Awarua New Zealand
            1913 Dec 18   Awarua Radio activated as VLB
                                    Located at Awarua Plain, Southland, The Bluff, New Zealand
                                    Constructed by German staff with Telefunken
                                                Via Australasian Wireless Company
                                    50 kW Telefunken spark transmitter
                                    Mast 410 ft weighed 120 tons, umbrella type antenna system
                                    3rd coastal station in NZ
            1921                VLB Awarua, station B the Bluff                                                          YBWT&T 555
            1924?              Station changed from spark wireless to valve operation
            1929 Jan 1      Callsign changed from VLB to ZLB
            1930                Spark equipment dismantled
            1987 Mar 23    ZLB QSL card
            1991 Aug 30    Station ZLB closed

     Maatsuyker Island Tasmania
                                    Island is shape of tortoise sitting upright
                                    1½ miles by ¾ miles
            1891                Lighthouse completed
                                                Most southerly lighthouse in Australia, bottom of Tasmania
            1935                Station VLB on the island                               

     Shepparton Victoria
            1941 Jul          Original plan, 3 @ 100 kW at Shepparton                                            ISWC 8-41 9
            1942 Nov        Projected callsigns VLA VLC & VLM                                                GB 84.160 213
            1945 Jun         Work on new VLA & VLB nearing completion                           R&H 77.10 6-45 35
            1946 May        Shepparton 100 kW taken into service as VLB
                                    Joint production: AWA driver & preliminary stages
                                                                STC modulator and final stage
                                                Two channels provided, quick frequency change
            1946 Jun         Test broadcasts to NA from new VLB                                                               RN 7-46 120
            1946 Aug         New VLB heard with test broadcasts                                          ARW 77.8 8-46 39
            1946 Aug         QSL for test broadcasts from VLB 6100 kHz                                                   RN 9-46 127
            1946 Sep         New 100 kW VLB taken into service                                              LI 79.24 14-9-46
            1951 Jun 1      Postfix number indicated MHz band
            1960 Sep 4      VLA & VLB shown as 50 kW each                                                   PMG Schedule
            1961 Jan 15    Bifurcated into VLB & VLE
            1961 Oct End  Callsigns dropped, VLB transmitter callsign became line callsign to Shepparton

Radio Australia Melbourne, Line Callsign VLB
            1961 Oct End Callsigns dropped, VLB transmitter callsign became line callsign to Shepparton
            1962 Dec 14   A & B lines shown as 100 kW                                                           PMG Schedule
             2014               Line callsign VLA, Melbourne to Shepparton, still in use today

New Zealand Wireless Stations
            1913 Dec 18               VLA Awanui taken into commercial service
            1913 Dec 18               VLB Awarua taken into commercial service
==============================================================================
9. Shortwave Callsigns in Australia

Transmitter VLB Shepparton: QSLs in Chronological Order

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Call        kHz    Year   Date   Source   IRM     State    Country           QSL     Description      Information
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transmitter Callsign Shepparton 100 kW
VLB5   21540  1946 Nov 5     DOI     JFF                  NZ                   Card    Yellow Map     DOI, Print 5
VLB6   15200  1946 Nov 29   DOI     ECP                                        Card    Yellow Map     DOI, Print 6
VLB11 15160  1948 Jan 2      DOI     HFS                 USA                Card    Yellow Map     DOI
VLB3   11760  1948 Feb 5      DOI     AMP    SA       Australia          Card    Yellow Map     DOI
VLB       9540  1948 Oct 31    DOI     PGH                NZ                   Card    Yellow Map     DOI
VLB       9540  1949 Feb 8      DOI     LGJ                 Sweden           Card    Yellow Map     DOI
VLB2     9650  1949 Nov 29   DOI     LGJ                 Sweden           Card    Yellow Map     DOI
VLB15 15160  1951 Jul 29     DOI     PGH                NZ                   Card    Yellow Map     DOI Cut          
VLB9     9580  1952 Jul 29     DOI     EDM                NZ                   Card    Yellow Map     DOI Cut
VLB11 11760  1953 Aug 2      ABC    PGH                NZ                   Card    Yellow Call      780H              
VLB15 15300  1953 Jul 4       ABC    PGH                NZ                   Card    Yellow Call      780H
VLB17 17790  1953 Oct 30    ABC    PGH                NZ                   Cad     Yellow Call      780H
VLB11 11900  1954 Apr 1      ABC    BL                                            Card    Yellow Call      780H
VLB11 11900  1954 Nov 3     ABC    PGH                NZ                   Card    Red Call          780H
VLB11 11740  1956 Sep 6      ABC    PGH                NZ                   Card    Red Call          780H
VLB21 21540  1957 Mar 13    ABC    EDM                NZ                   Card    Red Call          780H  
VLB15 15160  1957 Apr 16    ABC    BL                                            Card    Red Call          780H  
VLB21 21540  1957 Apr 16    ABC    SE                   Sweden           Card    Red Call          780H
VLB11 11710  1958 Jan 17    ABC    JWE                (15 Entries)     Card    Red Call          428G
VLB11 11710  1958 Jun 10    ABC    AMP    SA       Australia          Card    Red Call          780H              
VLB11 11810  1959 Sep 20    ABC    EJG                 USA?              Card    Red Call          428G

Line Callsign Shepparton 100 kW
VLB       9580  1991 Nov 8     ABC    AMP    IN        USA                FL       
VLB       9580  1997 Feb 20    ABC    AMP    IN        USA                C         Shepparton Antennas, small  
VLB     15365  1992 Jun 30    ABC    AMP    IN        USA                FL
==============================================================================


10. Shortwave Callsigns in Australia

Transmitter VLB Shepparton: QSLs in Frequency Order

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Call        kHz    Year   Date   Source   IRM     State    Country           QSL     Description      Information
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transmitter Callsign Shepparton 100 kW
VLB       9540  1948 Oct 31    DOI     PGH                NZ                   Card    Yellow Map     DOI
VLB       9540  1949 Feb 8      DOI     LGJ                 Sweden           Card    Yellow Map     DOI
VLB9     9580  1952 Jul 29     DOI     EDM                NZ                   Card    Yellow Map     DOI Cut
VLB2     9650  1949 Nov 29   DOI     LGJ                 Sweden           Card    Yellow Map     DOI
VLB11 11710  1958 Jan 17    ABC    JWE                (15 Entries)     Card    Red Call          428G
VLB11 11710  1958 Jun 10    ABC    AMP    SA       Australia          Card    Red Call          780H              
VLB11 11740  1956 Sep 6      ABC    PGH                NZ                   Card    Red Call          780H
VLB3   11760  1948 Feb 5      DOI     AMP    SA       Australia          Card    Yellow Map     DOI
VLB11 11760  1953 Aug 2      ABC    PGH                NZ                   Card    Yellow Call      780H              
VLB11 11810  1959 Sep 20    ABC    EJG                 USA?              Card    Red Call          428G
VLB11 11900  1954 Apr 1      ABC    BL                                            Card    Yellow Call      780H
VLB11 11900  1954 Nov 3     ABC    PGH                NZ                   Card    Red Call          780H
VLB11 15160  1948 Jan 2      DOI     HFS                 USA                Card    Yellow Map     DOI
VLB15 15160  1951 Jul 29     DOI     PGH                NZ                   Card    Yellow Map     DOI Cut          
VLB15 15160  1957 Apr 16    ABC    BL                                            Card    Red Call          780H  
VLB6   15200  1946 Nov 29   DOI     ECP                                        Card    Yellow Map     DOI, Print 6
VLB15 15300  1953 Jul 4       ABC    PGH                NZ                   Card    Yellow Call      780H
VLB17 17790  1953 Oct 30    ABC    PGH                NZ                   Cad     Yellow Call      780H
VLB5   21540  1946 Nov 5     DOI     JFF                  NZ                   Card    Yellow Map     DOI, Print 5
VLB21 21540  1957 Mar 13    ABC    EDM                NZ                   Card    Red Call          780H  
VLB21 21540  1957 Apr 16    ABC    SE                   Sweden           Card    Red Call          780H

Line Callsign Shepparton 100 kW
VLB       9580  1991 Nov 8     ABC    AMP    IN        USA                FL       
VLB       9580  1997 Feb 20    ABC    AMP    IN        USA                C         Shepparton Antennas, small   VLB            15365  1992 Jun 30    ABC    AMP    IN        USA                FL
==============================================================================

11. Shortwave Callsigns in Australia

Transmitter VLB Shepparton: QSLs in Postfix Number Order

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Call        kHz    Year   Date   Source   IRM     State    Country           QSL     Description      Information
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transmitter Callsign Shepparton 100 kW
VLB       9540  1948 Oct 31    DOI     PGH                NZ                   Card    Yellow Map     DOI
VLB       9540  1949 Feb 8      DOI     LGJ                 Sweden           Card    Yellow Map     DOI
VLB2     9650  1949 Nov 29   DOI     LGJ                 Sweden           Card    Yellow Map     DOI
VLB3   11760  1948 Feb 5      DOI     AMP    SA       Australia          Card    Yellow Map     DOI
VLB5   21540  1946 Nov 5     DOI     JFF                  NZ                   Card    Yellow Map     DOI, Print 5
VLB6   15200  1946 Nov 29   DOI     ECP                                        Card    Yellow Map     DOI, Print 6
VLB9     9580  1952 Jul 29     DOI     EDM                NZ                   Card    Yellow Map     DOI Cut
VLB11 11710  1958 Jan 17    ABC    JWE                (15 Entries)     Card    Red Call          428G
VLB11 11710  1958 Jun 10    ABC    AMP    SA       Australia          Card    Red Call          780H              
VLB11 11740  1956 Sep 6      ABC    PGH                NZ                   Card    Red Call          780H
VLB11 11760  1953 Aug 2      ABC    PGH                NZ                   Card    Yellow Call      780H              
VLB11 11810  1959 Sep 20    ABC    EJG                 USA?              Card    Red Call          428G
VLB11 11900  1954 Apr 1      ABC    BL                                            Card    Yellow Call      780H
VLB11 11900  1954 Nov 3     ABC    PGH                NZ                   Card    Red Call          780H
VLB11 15160  1948 Jan 2      DOI     HFS                 USA                Card    Yellow Map     DOI
VLB15 15160  1951 Jul 29     DOI     PGH                NZ                   Card    Yellow Map     DOI Cut          
VLB15 15160  1957 Apr 16    ABC    BL                                            Card    Red Call          780H  
VLB15 15300  1953 Jul 4       ABC    PGH                NZ                   Card    Yellow Call      780H
VLB17 17790  1953 Oct 30    ABC    PGH                NZ                   Cad     Yellow Call      780H
VLB21 21540  1957 Mar 13    ABC    EDM                NZ                   Card    Red Call          780H  
VLB21 21540  1957 Apr 16    ABC    SE                   Sweden           Card    Red Call          780H

Line Callsign Shepparton 100 kW
VLB       9580  1991 Nov 8     ABC    AMP    IN        USA                FL       
VLB       9580  1997 Feb 20    ABC    AMP    IN        USA                C         Shepparton Antennas, small  
VLB     15365  1992 Jun 30    ABC    AMP    IN        USA                FL

==============================================================================
12. SQOTW29: Special QSL of the Week

Progressive Topics

——————————————————————————————————————————————————
No  Call       Location                  Land            IRM      kHz   (k)W Year    Date     Significance                           QSL  NWS ——————————————————————————————————————————————————
001 7LA      Launceston Tasmania     AMP    1100      .1  1961 Nov 6       Emergency transmitter               C    282
002 RA       Kabul           Afghanistan AMP     96.1    .01 1971 Jul 4         Experimental FM                      C    284
003 VOA    Poro            Philippines   AMP  15000    LP   1984 Feb 19      Malfunctioning exciter                 L    286
004 TTY     Perth           Australia      AMP    1130    .2    1966 Jun 24      6NM transmitter to 6ED        DIYC    287
005 ICPA    Kabul          Afghanistan AMP   102.8    ½                1972 Aug 27      Hotel Intercontinental            DIYC    289
006 KSFO  Frisco                      California     AMP      560    5     1989 Oct 18      Temporary after earthquake        C   290
007 RM       Havana       Cuba           AMP    9600 100     1982 Feb 3        Relay Radio Tashkent                C    291            008 NILB    Central   Pacific         PH    10800   LP     1968 Dec 23      Apollo Recovery, 1,000 SW         L    292
009 AWR    Ekala         Sri Lanka     CG    11800 100      1981 Feb 21      Test broadcasts Africa & ME       C    293                
010 PJC     Willemstad              Curacao      PH       8694    1      1969 Jan 9        Morse loop                                C    294
011 AFRTS Adana         Turkey         AMP    1590  .01    1980 Mar 24      Plane, WL in ft                       DIYC   295   
012 AWR    Sines          Portugal      TD       9670  250    1977 Aug 26      Self-designed AWR card            C   296
013 VoM     Honhor       Mongolia     CL     12085  250    2012 Sep 14      Lived in Ulaan Baatar              L&C   297           
014 CRI      Beijing         China           UQ    21660            2005 Sep 19      Firedrake jammer                       C   298
015 RM                         Russia         AMP  11875           1984 May 2       Russian jammer, BBC ARS?      C   299
016 NBC    Pt Moresby  New Guinea VL       4890   35      2006 Mar 18      Reduced power                          C   300
017 RM       Murmansk               Russia         JB       5930     5    1979 Jan 13      Long wait                       DIYC & L   301 018 RM      Pzavodsk          Russia         JB       5065     5    1979 Jan 21      Long wait                                    DIYC & L   302           
019 VLU2  Christmas Is Indian O.      AMP  1420     .5     1977 Aug 23      Tried many locations       DIYC & L   303            020 XMX   Christmas Is Indian O.      AMP    341     .1           1977 Aug 28      Airplane reception                  DIYC   304           021 AIR            Pt Blair        Andamans   JJ      1440      1     1992 Nov 12      Emergency transmission              L   305            022 ABC    Shepparton        Australia      TA     6080 100      2011 Feb 4        Emergency transmission            C   306 023 ORTB                        Benin            CO      SW                        1985 Sep 20      Hard to hear, difficult to QSL     C   307 024
025
026
027 SW       11 Sites      Asia              TA              2 SW              2014 Jun 5        IRDR Trial Broadcasts                 C  311
028
029 NBC    Pt Moresby  New Guinea JJ     3925     10      1976 Oct 25      1st report from India                      C  313 030                              
======================================================================================



13. SQOTW29: Special QSL of the Week

Alphabetic Listing

——————————————————————————————————————————————————
            Title                              Call       City                  Country             IRM      City              Country         NWS            ——————————————————————————————————————————————————
Airplane Monitoring                   AFRS   Adana               Turkey              AMP     Airplane        Turkey            295
                                                XMX     Christmas Is      Indian Ocean     AMP     Airplane        Indian Ocean  304 
Apollo Recovery                       NILB     USS Arlington   Pacific              PH        Woodland H USA-CA          292
Demonstration Transmitter         TTY      Perth                W Australia       AMP     Perth            Australia         287
Difficult to hear                         ORTB                           Benin                CO       Norrkoping   Sweden           307 Earthquake Emergency                   KSFO   San Francisco   USA                 AMP     Eugene         USA-OR          290
Emergency Transmitter              7LA      Launceston       Tasmania          AMP     Launceston  Tasmania         282
                                                AIR       Port Blair          Andaman Is       JJ         Hyderabad   India                305
                                                ABC     Shepparton       Australia           TA        Depok          Indonesia        306 Experimental FM                       RA        Kabul                Afghanistan      AMP     Kabul            Afghanistan     284
Firedrake Jammer                      CRI       Beijing              China                UQ-S    Norrkoping   Sweden           298
First Report: India                      NBC     Port Moresby    New Guinea       JJ                             India               313 Letter from Home               VOM     Honhor             Mongolia          CL        Bloomington USA-IN           297
Listener Designed QSL Card      AWR     Sines                Portugal            TD        Rosrath         Germany         296
Long Wait                                 RM       Murmansk         Russia              JB        Lexington      USA-MA         301
                                                RM       Petrozavodsk    Russia              JB        Lexington      USA-MA         302
Malfunctioning Exciter               VOA     Poro                 Philippines        AMP     Lahore          Pakistan         286
Many Locations                         VLU2    Christmas Is      Indian Ocean     AMP     Carnarvon    Australia          303
Morse Code Loop                     PJC      Willemstad        Curacao            PH        Woodland H USA-CA          294
Reduced Power                         NBC     Pt Moresby       New Guinea      VL         Naples          USA-FL           300            Russian Jammer                        RM                               Russia              AMP     Poona          India               299
Tashkent Relay                          RM       Havana             Cuba                AMP     Berrien  S      USA-MI           291 Test Broadcasts                               AWR     Ekala                Sri Lanka          CG       Nice              France           293
                                                IRDR    11 sites             Asia                  TA        Depok          Indonesia        311
Translation Transmitter               ICPA     Kabul                Afghanistan      AMP     Kabul            Afghanistan     289                                                           
======================================================================================