OIRT in RUS - changes and switch-offs

[Ben Smith]

It is a shame that broadcasting is discontinued in the lower VHF bands that are the most suitable for long-distance DX.

Do you know something about Belarus? It is quite interesting that Belarus has been keeping the OIRT on air unlike Russia,Ukraine or Central Asian states and none of the significant TXs has been closed down.

I don't know anything about Belarus. But there in each locality already broadcast duplicates of all 4 radio stations on CCIR. OIRT can be turned off at any time because it works at the expense of the state and broadcasting is very expensive.

Is OIRT broadcasting more expensive than CCIR or you mean the high expense of broadcasting parallel CCIR and OIRT TXs?

By the way, this is a list of the channels/TXs broadcasting entirely on OIRT:
BR Kultura:
Smorgon 70,13
Trokeniki 70,76
BR Pershy:
Drogichin 72,14
BR Grodno:
Mosty 68,48
BR Stalitsa:
Gomel 66,2
Berezino 67,07
Bragin 69,11
Drogichin 69,8
Mosty 70,76
Lyubcha 70,85
Mogilev 71,18
Vitebsk 72,26
Bobruysk 73,01
Vasilevichi 73,19
Mstislavl 73,73
Orsha 73,82

+ Minsk 72,89 that is listed with significantly higher power from RTPS Kolodischi than 105,1, which is listed as a low-power relay for Minsk city.

According to this, they can really turn off any time without causing reception issues as all of the TXs broadcasting only on OIRT are low-powered, except for the Stalitsa network that is available entirely on OIRT in the eastern and southern parts of Belarus.

[Franco Martelli]

It is a shame that broadcasting is discontinued in the lower VHF bands that are the most suitable for long-distance DX.

Do you know something about Belarus? It is quite interesting that Belarus has been keeping the OIRT on air unlike Russia,Ukraine or Central Asian states and none of the significant TXs has been closed down.

I don't know anything about Belarus. But there in each locality already broadcast duplicates of all 4 radio stations on CCIR. OIRT can be turned off at any time because it works at the expense of the state and broadcasting is very expensive.

I completely agree, Ivan (and thank you for your notes about Ukraine).
Belarus is potentially ready for a switch off of every "VHF" frequency; it lacks some frequencies in CCIR band to complete a nationwide network for Stalitsa and I am scared that the condition of economy after this pandemics will accelerate the dismantling of OIRT networks even in Belarus: cutting off those VHF transmitters would reduce the consumption of electricity and the cost of their maintenance.

As FmDxers we can just try to take advantage of these very last occasions to listen something interesting between 65.9 and 74 MHz, before OIRT band become a memory from the past.
I have queried Fmlist about how much I could receive here at my location through single hop Es, but the amount of transmitters in that range after recent switch offs in Russia and Ukraine is already very low, even if Fmlist didn't updated all switch offs in Ukraine.

[Ben Smith]

It is a shame that broadcasting is discontinued in the lower VHF bands that are the most suitable for long-distance DX.

Do you know something about Belarus? It is quite interesting that Belarus has been keeping the OIRT on air unlike Russia,Ukraine or Central Asian states and none of the significant TXs has been closed down.

I don't know anything about Belarus. But there in each locality already broadcast duplicates of all 4 radio stations on CCIR. OIRT can be turned off at any time because it works at the expense of the state and broadcasting is very expensive.

I completely agree, Ivan (and thank you for your notes about Ukraine).
Belarus is potentially ready for a switch off of every "VHF" frequency; it lacks some frequencies in CCIR band to complete a nationwide network for Stalitsa and I am scared that the condition of economy after this pandemics will accelerate the dismantling of OIRT networks even in Belarus: cutting off those VHF transmitters would reduce the consumption of electricity and the cost of their maintenance.

As FmDxers we can just try to take advantage of these very last occasions to listen something interesting between 65.9 and 74 MHz, before OIRT band become a memory from the past.
I have queried Fmlist about how much I could receive here at my location through single hop Es, but the amount of transmitters in that range after recent switch offs in Russia and Ukraine is already very low, even if Fmlist didn't updated all switch offs in Ukraine.

How many RUS/UKR OIRT stations are in SpE range from you?

By the way, I think the only OIRT outlet I can reach from home is endangered too, I have just looked into the ITU allocations for Ukraine and Khust 89,1/94,7/99,3 are free frequencies out of use, if these freqs were up for tender, UR 2 might get one in order to close down its last OIRT TX in the Carpathian Basin.

[Franco Martelli]

It is a shame that broadcasting is discontinued in the lower VHF bands that are the most suitable for long-distance DX.

Do you know something about Belarus? It is quite interesting that Belarus has been keeping the OIRT on air unlike Russia,Ukraine or Central Asian states and none of the significant TXs has been closed down.

I don't know anything about Belarus. But there in each locality already broadcast duplicates of all 4 radio stations on CCIR. OIRT can be turned off at any time because it works at the expense of the state and broadcasting is very expensive.

I completely agree, Ivan (and thank you for your notes about Ukraine).
Belarus is potentially ready for a switch off of every "VHF" frequency; it lacks some frequencies in CCIR band to complete a nationwide network for Stalitsa and I am scared that the condition of economy after this pandemics will accelerate the dismantling of OIRT networks even in Belarus: cutting off those VHF transmitters would reduce the consumption of electricity and the cost of their maintenance.

As FmDxers we can just try to take advantage of these very last occasions to listen something interesting between 65.9 and 74 MHz, before OIRT band become a memory from the past.
I have queried Fmlist about how much I could receive here at my location through single hop Es, but the amount of transmitters in that range after recent switch offs in Russia and Ukraine is already very low, even if Fmlist didn't updated all switch offs in Ukraine.

How many RUS/UKR OIRT stations are in SpE range from you?

By the way, I think the only OIRT outlet I can reach from home is endangered too, I have just looked into the ITU allocations for Ukraine and Khust 89,1/94,7/99,3 are free frequencies out of use, if these freqs were up for tender, UR 2 might get one in order to close down its last OIRT TX in the Carpathian Basin.

Probably your location is worse than mine.

Luckily I am at the right distance to catch every remaining Ukranian, Belarusian and even Moldovian txs (all of them are in the range between 1200 kms and 1900 kms), until they will stay on air
But talking about Russia, if all main txs close to Belarus or Ukraine has been shut down, it seems that I have to hope of receiving the few remaing txs in St. Petersburg (2212 kms) and Ostankino (2330 kms).

[Ben Smith]

It might be right, I caught Moldova on OIRT/CCIR last summer,but I needed a very short distance SpE(693km), Belarus and most of the remaining Ukrainian outlets are in a 500-1000km range from my location,therefore these receptions seldom happen, unlike Russia but their TX will have been closed down until 2022. I hope that some privates stay on air like Radio Radonezh,Nashe Radio,Radio N, Tosno + etc...

By the way, I am pretty interested when the Latvian and Armenian OIRT TXs are going to be closed down,as there is no mass OIRT in those countries. (70,04 Alytus and 69,8 Yerevan)

[Ivan_Abilev]

Is OIRT broadcasting more expensive than CCIR or you mean the high expense of broadcasting parallel CCIR and OIRT TXs?

For each transmitter, the broadcaster pays monthly rent for accommodation and broadcasting, and the stronger the transmitter, the more expensive. The power of the transmitters on the OIRT is higher than on the CCIR. 4 kW vs 1 kW. I do not know how in Belarus, but in Russia, the placement of transmitters on RTRS towers costs
1 kW -69 rubles / hour (~660 dollars a month)
4 kW - 153 rubles/hour (~1459 dollars a month)
Broadcasting in stereo doubles the price. Broadcasting in RDS is still +50% to the cost. That is why the broadcasting of state radio is almost everywhere in mono and without RDS, and private broadcasters work from their own towers or from tall houses to the detriment of the range.

[Ben Smith]

Does it mean that these new CCIR stations cover significantly smaller area than the old OIRTs?

Anyway, do you know something about religious stations on OIRT such as Radio Radonezh(72,92 Moscow 68,15 Orel) or Radio Blagovestiye(73,55 Voronezh) ? Do you think they will stay because of the older audience that have OIRT tuners?

[Rolands Strautmalis]

By the way, I am pretty interested when the Latvian and Armenian OIRT TXs are going to be closed down,as there is no mass OIRT in those countries. (70,04 Alytus and 69,8 Yerevan)

The last Latvian STL at 70,50 MHz in Sigulda was closed in 2014.
What have I missed? Alytus is located in another country. DXers are usually friendly to geography...
73!

[PFM907]

I guess he is referring to this FMLIST entry:

70.04 LTU Aly Alytus, Pramonės g. 1-a 24°01'17E/ 54°25'12N FM99 117 22 0.025

which is supposed to be located in S/E Lithuania (! - not Latvija)
has anybode received this one recently?

http://www.fm99.lt/

Radio station FM99 first addressed the audience on January 6, 1993 in Alytus. Having started its activity as a city radio, it is now the only regional radio station in Southern Lithuania, broadcasting its program from Alytus FM 99.0 MHz and UTB 70.04 MHz, in Druskininkai on the frequency 97.2 MHz.

http://www.fm99.lt/apie-mus/

If this is really active and on air, it would be a super catch during ES openings to Finland/Estonia/Belarus.

[PFM907]

list of Central Asia+Caucasia OIRT stations which are active (might be outdated until ES season starts)

viewtopic.php?f=83&t=7190&p=33756

66.44 MHz - VGTRK Radio Rossii Saratov - Preldjub, TV Tower (RUS)
67.22 MHz - Türkmen Radyosu 2 Çar Tarapdan / Türkmen Radyosu 3 Miras - Toshhovuz=Daşoguz, TV Tower (TKM)
67.94 MHz - VGTRK Radio Rossii Moskva - Bishkek, TV Tower (KGZ)
68.80 MHz - Apsua Radio Abkhazia - Suchum, TV Tower (ABK)
69.32 MHz - Türkmen Radyosu Watan - Toshhovuz=Daşoguz, TV Tower (TKM)
69.68 MHz - Türkmen Radyosu 2 Çar Tarapdan / Türkmen Radyosu 3 Miras - Ashgabat, TV Tower "Türkmenistan" (TKM)
69.77 MHz - Armradio 1st National Program - Yerevan, TV Tower "Hajastan" (ARM)
69.92 MHz - VGTRK Radio Rossii Moskva - Osh, Gora Sulaiman-Too (KGZ)
70.04 MHz - VGTRK Radio Rossii Orenburg - Kuvandik, TV Tower (RUS)
70.07 MHz - VGTRK Radio Rossii Moskva - Arslanbob, Babash-Ata (KGZ)
70.64 MHz - Tojikiston Radyo 1 Radio Toshikiszon - Dushanbe, Gushor (TJK)
71.12 MHz - Türkmen Radyosu 1 Watan - Ashgabat, TV Tower "Türkmenistan" (TKM)
72.20 MHz - Tojikiston Radyo 3 Sadon Dushanbe - Dushanbe, Gushor (TJK)
72.20 MHz - VGTRK Radio Rossii Moskva - Dzhalal-Abad (KGZ)

red means off air since last time this list was published

[Franco Martelli]

I guess he is referring to this FMLIST entry:

70.04 LTU Aly Alytus, Pramonės g. 1-a 24°01'17E/ 54°25'12N FM99 117 22 0.025

which is supposed to be located in S/E Lithuania (! - not Latvija)
has anybode received this one recently?

According to Fmlist database, it has been logged 5 times in 2020, the last one on July 29th: Lucas Gallone in Eastern France got it twice, Luigi Ghiringelli in Luino (North Western Italy), our fellow Janpeter in The Netherlands and Tim Bucknall in Congleton UK once.

[Ben Smith]

list of Central Asia+Caucasia OIRT stations which are active (might be outdated until ES season starts)

viewtopic.php?f=83&t=7190&p=33756

66.44 MHz - VGTRK Radio Rossii Saratov - Preldjub, TV Tower (RUS)
67.22 MHz - Türkmen Radyosu 2 Çar Tarapdan / Türkmen Radyosu 3 Miras - Toshhovuz=Daşoguz, TV Tower (TKM)
67.94 MHz - VGTRK Radio Rossii Moskva - Bishkek, TV Tower (KGZ)
68.80 MHz - Apsua Radio Abkhazia - Suchum, TV Tower (ABK)
69.32 MHz - Türkmen Radyosu Watan - Toshhovuz=Daşoguz, TV Tower (TKM)
69.68 MHz - Türkmen Radyosu 2 Çar Tarapdan / Türkmen Radyosu 3 Miras - Ashgabat, TV Tower "Türkmenistan" (TKM)
69.77 MHz - Armradio 1st National Program - Yerevan, TV Tower "Hajastan" (ARM)
69.92 MHz - VGTRK Radio Rossii Moskva - Osh, Gora Sulaiman-Too (KGZ)
70.04 MHz - VGTRK Radio Rossii Orenburg - Kuvandik, TV Tower (RUS)
70.07 MHz - VGTRK Radio Rossii Moskva - Arslanbob, Babash-Ata (KGZ)
70.64 MHz - Tojikiston Radyo 1 Radio Toshikiszon - Dushanbe, Gushor (TJK)
71.12 MHz - Türkmen Radyosu 1 Watan - Ashgabat, TV Tower "Türkmenistan" (TKM)
72.20 MHz - Tojikiston Radyo 3 Sadon Dushanbe - Dushanbe, Gushor (TJK)
72.20 MHz - VGTRK Radio Rossii Moskva - Dzhalal-Abad (KGZ)

red means off air since last time this list was published

Where have you got this information from?

Ivan wrote that Central Asia had left the band until 2018. (though some rare OIRT logs from KGZ can be found on FMList)
Tajikistan has never been logged on OIRT on FMList,those TXs are off-air according to VCFM.

Armenian public radio has been on 69,8 for at least 7 years according to FMList.

Apsua Radio was off-air on 68,8 when I started DXing in 2015.

The last Latvian STL at 70,50 MHz in Sigulda was closed in 2014.
What have I missed? Alytus is located in another country. DXers are usually friendly to geography...
73!

I thought of Lithuania but I accidentally wrote Latvia. (I was listening to Topradio LV while I was writing that comment,that confused me )

[Rolands Strautmalis]

70.04 LTU Aly Alytus
...

If this is really active and on air, it would be a super catch during ES openings to Finland/Estonia/Belarus.

Yes, this is still active... and for some colleagues, myself included, this is still a tropo hunting goal.
73!

[Ivan_Abilev]

Does it mean that these new CCIR stations cover significantly smaller area than the old OIRTs?

It's different everywhere. If we talk about the Chelyabinsk region, then in Zlatoust 71.69 4kW => 107.2 1kW and Yuryuzan 67.25 4kW => 107.4 1kW in the mountains, OIRT was much better than CCIR. At least the fact that the OIRT was a pie chart and the CCIR was a sector panel chart with a maximum of 250 degrees and then the shadow of the tower, in addition to the ITU Zlatoust changed the chart for the worse, in the mountains the signal level is lower than that of private owners with a capacity of 100W.
Kartaly (in the steppe) 66.65 4kW => 101.2 1kW was 140m became 180m, reception and range did not change.
Stepnoye (foothills) 68.36 4kW => 91.9 1kW (planned) there were tests in the summer. OIRT 140 meters CCIR 239 meters, the signal strength of CCIR is better than OIRT. Next season will be a great DX.
If we talk about low-power OIRT transmitters, Mezhozerny 68.68 0.5 kW => 88.8 0.1 kW, Oktyabrskoe 70.91 => 103.7, Novoburino 70.82 0.5 kW => 100.2 0.1 kW in all cases CCIR is stronger than OIRT at least twice.
In the Sverdlovsk region, Radio Voskreseniye was transferred to CCIR Afanasyevskoye 72.11 4kW => 99.7 1kW . In Miass in the mountains 228km 72.11 she caught constantly, 99.7 full zero.

Anyway, do you know something about religious stations on OIRT such as Radio Radonezh(72,92 Moscow 68,15 Orel) or Radio Blagovestiye(73,55 Voronezh) ? Do you think they will stay because of the older audience that have OIRT tuners?

These radio station will definitely remain due to the lack of frequency in the CCIR range. How long depends directly on their funding

[Ben Smith]

These radio station will definitely remain due to the lack of frequency in the CCIR range. How long depends directly on their funding

It sounds good, at least these stations are unlikely to leave the band. Do you think they will extend their coverage area like Ukrainian religious stations on OIRT?(Radio Mariya and Svitle Radio set up new OIRT TXs even in 2019 and 2020)

I know I may have already asked you about it,but i am still curious: Is there a plan on transiting Radio Orfey to CCIR? The state-owned Radio Rossii and Radio Mayak have got a lot of new frequencies on CCIR in order that OIRT can be switched off but I have not noticed any new Orfey or Orfey plans on CCIR. What is the reason behind neglecting the Orfey network?

[Ivan_Abilev]

I know I may have already asked you about it,but i am still curious: Is there a plan on transiting Radio Orfey to CCIR? The state-owned Radio Rossii and Radio Mayak have got a lot of new frequencies on CCIR in order that OIRT can be switched off but I have not noticed any new Orfey or Orfey plans on CCIR. What is the reason behind neglecting the Orfey network?

All funds allocated for VGTRK are now spent on the construction of the Radio network of Russia and the launch of Mayak and Vesti FM in cities with a population of more than 100 thousand people. It's too early to talk about other radio stations. Perhaps at the end of construction, they will remember about Orpheus, but it is more likely that the OIRT transmitters will be closed and only CCIR will be left.

[Ivan_Abilev]

Today I spoke with the chief engineer of the GTRK South Ural. Officially, until 2023, there is a planned modernization of the Radio network of Russia. By this time, all 100% of Radio Russia transmitters in OIRT will be turned off. All the plans for the modernization of the network have already been drawn up and these plans do not include the transfer of Radio Orpheus to CCIR or its expansion. Consequently, Radio Orpheus broadcasts on OIRT until at least 2023. Perhaps the plans will change but at the moment there is only such information.

[Ben Smith]

The news about the Rossii closure is so sad but this information about Orfey sounds promising, at least one SpE indicator is presumably kept on-air.