Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Papua New Guinea reactivates freqs for election coverage


Breaking News........
Papua New Guinea
NBC uses 4890 & 6040
for National Elections
______________________

NBC National Radio in Port Moresby has re-activated 4890kHz on shortwave for breaking coverage of the national election results currently underway across the country. This frequency is additional to 6040kHz heard at the same time with the same program, which is a simulcast with Kundu TV. Both transmitters are located at Port Moresby, although 6040 is nominally licenced to Alotau in Milne Bay. However, NBC Milne Bay says it is only broadcasting on 3365 and two FM frequencies.

Am currently listening to NBC Port Moresby 4890 via Sydney Global Tuners with VG signal.. it's a simulcast with Kundu TV network, giving phone numbers to call the studio as 325 9382 or 325 0084, or text SMS 7288. Phone in report from NBC Morobe at 10.52 UTC, late news started at 11.06 UTC. Chief Electoral Officer is calling on Returning Officers to abide by the law after many complaints. NBC swamped with hundreds of texts. Signal deteriorating slightly by 11.12 UTC compared to tune in at 10.40 UTC. So 4890 has been reactivated, and this broadcast is clearly //6040 which is at poor quality in comparison. I have maintained for several years that the
higher power NBC Port Moresby tx were still available for use in special ircumstances. Election 2012 is obviously such a circumstance! Now 11.14 UTC and much harder to copy.

This is the best opportunity in years to hear PNG NBC shortwave outlets because of these crucial national elections and coverage.

If you hear ANY NBC signals this month, please send me details so we can make sure the WRTH 2013 has accurate coverage. Or, at least, as accurate as possible.

Email me: radioheritage@gmail.com with news and notes please.

Thanks & 73
Dave Ricquish
PNG Country Editor, WRTH
Radio Heritage Foundation
(Larry Van Horn/Monitoring Times Asst Editor)

Papua New Guinea logs

All times UTC // parallel frequecy

(edited for clarity)

3915, Radio Fly via Kiunga, 0931, July 11. In Tok Pisin with the news. At 0935 Pacific Island pop songs, DJ in Tok Pisin and English to 0952 summary, by provinces, of female candidates in this year’s election. Siren at 1000 and several station IDs. Signal poor with heavy local noise.
https://www.box.com/s/60bfe93ceb3c7c5fd341 contains a very noisy MP3 edited recording.

6040, NBC Port Moresby with NBC National Radio, the Voice of Papua New Guinea programming, as confirmed today by Dave Ricquish (not viaMilne Bay, “although 6040 is nominally licenced to Alotau in Milne Bay. However, NBC Milne Bay says it is only broadcasting on 3365 and two FM frequencies”, per Dave). July 11 at 0901 ID. Local time check for 7:00. NBC National news with election coverage. Promo at 0914 for “cash giveaway.” Program at 0915 presented by male/female with reports of various arrests being made (one for hijacking of ballot boxes, etc.)

Before 0901 did not hear any PNG stations // with 6040, but with the start of the news found the following stations parallel.

3204.96 NBC Sandaun
3260 NBC Madang (doing well)
3275 NBC Southern Highlands
3315 NBC Manus
3325 NBC Bougainville (best ever reception)
3365 NBC Milne Bay (the poorest)
3905 NBC New Ireland (doing well today)

After the news they stayed // except for 3325. NBC Bougainville was heard in the clear, due to the fact that RRI had not faded up yet,which started to come in about 1013, underneath NBC.

1004 again with the NBC national news. All the others were parallel, except for 3260 (NBC Madang) and 3315 (NBC Manus).

https://www.box.com/s/fa4602bc231ef9a39de9 contains an edited MP3 audio file with ID and story about the arrest for the hijacking of ballot boxes
(Ron Howard, San Francisco at Ocean Beach, CA)