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"Wavescan" is a weekly program for long distance radio hobbyists produced by Dr. Adrian M. Peterson, Coordinator of International Relations for Adventist World Radio. AWR carries the program over many of its stations (including shortwave). Adrian Peterson is a highly regarded DXer and radio historian, and often includes features on radio history in his program. We are reproducing those features below, with Dr. Peterson's permission and assistance.
Wavescan 462, November 9, 2003
Digital Radio Broadcasting on Shortwave
"There are 25 privately-owned shortwave stations in the United States, 18 of which are members of NASB, the National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters," states NASB President Jeff White. Jeff is also the General Manager of the commercial shortwave station WRMI in Miami, Florida. He states that NASB is commencing a special series of test broadcasts in the digital mode in cooperation with the European based DRM, Digital Radio Mondiale.
NASB in the United States was formed in 1990, and this organization joined the European DRM in 1999, just one year after DRM was formed. Shortwave broadcasts in the digital mode were officially launched on June 16, earlier this year, and since then more than 25 shortwave stations have been on the air with digital transmissions.
The NASB series of digital broadcasts are on the air from a VT Merlin transmitter located at Rampisham in England. These broadcasts are beamed primarily to Europe and they are on the air each Sunday at 1330-1400 UTC on 9785 kHz.
This digital series of shortwave broadcasts began on Sunday October 26, and they will run through March 28, 2004. This series of programs is under the general title the "Voice of NASB", and the program each week will be produced by a different station.
Throughout the 23 week series of digital broadcasts, each of the shortwave stations and organizations that form the NASB will receive their turn to present a program. The opening broadcast on Sunday, October 26 was a special edition of the global DX program, "Wavescan", from Adventist World Radio.
Each week, station WRMI is also broadcasting the same digital program in analog mode, and these programs are heard on 7385 kHz at 0330-0400 UTC on Sunday UTC, which is Saturday evening in North America. The popular WRMI program, "Viva Miami", has been preempted so that the station can carry the NASB broadcasts.
These special broadcasts from the North American shortwave stations over WRMI are providing a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for shortwave listeners, international radio monitors and DXers to obtain QSL cards verifying these relay transmissions. In addition, NASB will offer a special QSL card to confirm the analog or digital versions of the broadcasts. These cards are available from Box 526 852, Miami, Florida 33152.
Adventist World Radio will honor our initial broadcast on October 26 with a special endorsement on our new QSL card. This NASB relay endorsement is available specifically from the American address, at Box 29235, Indianapolis, Indiana 46229, USA.
Here again is the schedule for the current series of NASB test broadcasts from Rampisham in England and Miami in Florida.
Digital mode, each Sunday at 1330-1400 UTC on 9785 kHz from VT Merlin, Rampisham, England.
Digital program in analog mode, each Saturday evening (Sunday UTC), 0330-0400 UTC on 7385 kHz from WRMI, Miami, Florida.