Hello friends,

MFSK64 and SQL. Lately I have not been able to decode MFSK64 using Fldigi 4.2.06 and the newer 4.2.07. Eventually I discovered that the problem can be solved by turning Fldigi’s squelch (SQL) off.  I did not have to do this before and wonder if a Windows 11 update is the culprit. In any case, if  your MFSK64 is not decoding, turn off the SQL.

New KBC schedule. The Mighty KBC, based in the Netherlands but transmitting from WRMI, has a new schedule. The Mighty KBC includes an MFSK64 musician birthday segment produced and presented by Al Holt.  

Here is the new schedule …

Olivia 64-2000 experiment. This week on during Eric’s hour on The Mighty KBC, we will insert a 30-second transmission in Olivia 64-2000. This will be at about 42 minutes past the hour. It consists of three lines of text. You might want to try this with a very poor signal. Manually set the mode to Olivia 64-2000 just before XX:42, and turn the SQL off.

If you want to try it on medium wave, via the KBC’s 100-watt station on 891 kHz, try an SDR in the Netherlands. The famous University of Twente SDR usually provides a barely audible signal from KBC on 891, perfect for testing the Olivia 64-2000.

The bat in our house. If you read last week’s email, you know we had a bat in our house, and that an animal control officer was unable to locate it. We assumed it was some somewhere amidst the many hiding places in our walk-in closet. 

That evening, last Thursday, after the 2330 UTC Shortwave Radiogram, I went into the bedroom, and with only a reading light on, began to read a book. I was waiting for the bat to come out from the closet. And after just a few minutes, it did. It put on quite an aerobatic show, with loop the loops, dives and climbs. It was inches from my face a few times, but I knew it would not make contact, it being a very skilled bat.

I urged the bat to enter either the bathroom of the screened-in balcony, so that it would be sequestered. It did enter the bathroom. I closed the door, and for good measure, placed one of those cloth «snakes,» used to insulate doors and windows from the cold, at the bottom of the door. There, that should keep him, I thought. Wrong. After a couple of minutes, there was noise at the door, and it suddenly popped out from under the door, pushing the «snake» out of way.

Now this was getting to be like a horror movie. Or maybe more likely Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom. Anyway, after flying around me a few times, as if to taunt me, it finally flew back into the walk-in closet. So I closed that door, and this time we sealed the gaps with duct tape. We called the Animal Welfare League, and another animal control officer came over (late at night). Equipped with rubbers gloves and a net, she entered the bedroom. 

From behind the door, we could hear activity. At one point, we heard her say «He’s a big guy!» (I thought so, too.). She saw the bat flying, but it flew back into the closet, and despite several searches, she couldn’t find it. Again, we sealed the closet door with tape. 

The next day (Friday), during their regular office hours, we called Animal Welfare League again, and yet a third animal control officer came over. More activity was heard behind the bedroom door. Eventually, she announced that she had captured the bat, «scrunched up» on a shelf in the closet.  It was taken in for rabies testing. Tuesday morning, the county called to tell us the bat did not have rabies. That saved us from receiving the series rabies shots, in case (very unlikely) that bat bit either one of us and we didn’t realize it.

My wife called an animal trapping service to inspect for openings that could allow bats in our house. (This was our second bat in three years.) All it takes is a space the size of your pinkie finger, he said. He thought that the gap in my radio shack window, about .25 inch to allow RG8X coax to pass through, might be the problem.  He sealed it rather thoroughly with metal foil tape «for observation,» to see if a determined critter chews through it.

A video of last week’s Shortwave Radiogram (program 404) is provided by Scott in Ontario (Wednesday 1330 UTC). The audio archive is maintained by Mark in the UK. Analysis is provided by Roger in Germany.

Here is the lineup for Shortwave Radiogram, program 405, 12-18 June 2025, in MFSK modes as noted:

 1:41  MFSK32: Program preview
 2:52  MFSK32: MPs express BBC World Service funding concerns
 6:58  MFSK64: South Korea turns off propaganda loudspeakers
11:37  MFSK64: This week’s images
28:40  MFSK32: Closing announcements

Please send reception reports to radiogram@verizon.net

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Shortwave Radiogram Transmission Schedule

Other Shortwave broadcast programs that include digital text and images include The Mighty KBC, Pop Shop Radio and Radio North Europe International (RNEI). Links to these fine broadcasts, with schedules, are posted here.

Thanks for your reception reports!

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott, KD9XB
Producer and Presenter
Shortwave Radiogram
Reporting on international broadcasting at https://twitter.com/kaedotcom

Fuente: https://swradiogram.net/

Categorías:Broadcasting

Etiquetas:Digital Modes, Frecuencias, MSFK64, Onda Corta, Shortwave, SW, SWL