B: We were upset to hear about the earthquake in Nepal. We hope the Nepalese will find the strength to rebuild their lives. Together with the world community, many social organizations in Vietnam have raised funds to support the victims. Hanoi is now in early summer and the average temperature is 37DC. Several days ago, affected by typhoon Noul, northern Vietnam had storms and heavy rains. Today it’s sunny and stuffy again.

Tortoise tower in the middle of the Hoan Kiem lake in the summer

A: We thank our listeners worldwide for sending congratulatory messages on Vietnam’s Reunification Day. Amir Jameel wrote: “I and my club members extend our heartiest greetings on the 40^th anniversary of the liberation of Vietnam and national reunification on April 30^th. VOV broadcast special reports on that celebration. The website is also informative. Vietnam’s hard working people defended their country against foreign invaders and they defeated the world super power with their great struggle led by Ho Chi Minh. Vietnam is progressing day by day as President HCM’s dream of a more beautiful Vietnam.”
B: From Libya, Abdulkarim Ahmed Ali, wrote: “My warm congratulations on the 40^th anniversary of the glorious victory of the Vietnamese army and people over the American army. It’s a historic and epic victory achieved by the determination and patriotism of the Vietnamese army to bring freedom to Vietnamese people forever.”  

Hanoians wear sun protection clothing in the summer

A: I’m always happy to receive letters from old listeners who have not contacted us for a long time. It means you’re fine and continuing to listen to VOV. I’m reading a letter from Patrick Jeffers of Cheshire, England. He still listens to VOV but hasn’t sent a reception report for several months. This letter was written after he received VOV’s New Year greeting card.

B: Patrick sent us a reception report for the program on April 17 on 1930 khz. His receiver is a JRC model with a long wire antenna. He said the signal was better than expected and very easy to hear throughout the program. The signal strength was not as good at the end of the program at 21:00.

A: Patrick told us something interesting: “You might be interested to know that my first QSL from Hanoi was dated August 21, 1972. It is a very different world now and I can only hope that the suffering your country endured during the war will never be repeated. I still enjoy the world of radio.”

B: In our Listeners’ contact list, you are among the oldest listeners to VOV. When you send us a copy of your oldest verification card, we’ll have a special gift to honor your long period of listening to VOV. 1972 was a critical year in the US war in Vietnam. In the spring of 1972 the North Vietnamese launched an offensive across the 17th Parallel, which temporarily divided northern and southern Vietnam. The US army responded with intense bombing of the North. In December, it launched the “Linebacker II Campaign” mobilizing B52 bombers carrying thousands of tons of bombs backed by 5 warships to bombard Hanoi and Hai Phong. For 12 days and nights, 200 B52s continuously bombed Hanoi, wreaking death and destruction. But Hanoians staunchly fought back and shot down dozens of B52s, winning a great victory now known as the Hanoi Dien Bien Phu in the air victory.

A: The Paris Peace Accords signed in 1973 to bring an end to the Vietnam War was the result of the prolonged resistance war of the Vietnamese people and the direct result of the “Dien Bien Phu in the air” victory. During the war, Voice of Vietnam Radio worked hard to provide to people worldwide information about the war in Vietnam. Many of our listeners, like Patrick Jeffers, say they have kept receptions of VOV’s programs and verification cards from that time.

B: Here I have a letter from long-time listener David Sherriff of Canada, who has not been active lately in writing reports to VOV. Of the program on March 16 from 02:30 to 03:00 UTC on the frequency of 6175 khz, he rated SINPO at all 5s and commented that there was a good, strong, clear signal in Kingston with no co-channel interference, fading, or noise interference.

A: David wrote: “My main interest in listening to your program is to hear about your country and local stories. Your presenters and overall broadcast was easy to listen to. As the internet touches me more and more, I still would rather listen via the radio signals. Your website is nice, easy to navigate, and full of information. I usually listen to my shortwave receiver between the hours of 23:00 and 03:00 UTC most evenings. In the mid 70’s, as a teen, I developed a fascination with shortwave listening, picking up many distant signals and collecting QSL cards.”

B: We’re sorry, Soumya Bhattacharya of India for mistaking you for a new listener to VOV’s English section. Our contact list shows you’ve been our regular listener for several years.

A: We welcome Mazhar Hashmi of Pakistan to VOV’s global DX’ing community. He emailed us on May 5^th after discovering the VOV channel some days before. He wrote: I’m very impressed by your programs and now I’ve become a regular listener to your English program. I’ve a keen interest in Vietnamese music, culture, language, and people and your programs give me a lot of information. I really appreciate your programs, especially the Letter Box and stories about Vietnam’s maritime sovereignty. I really enjoy your radio which gives me a lot of information and entertains me with lovely music.”

B: We’ll send you our program guide and other informative materials about Vietnam, its culture and landscape, as you request. Once again, thanks to all you listeners for listening to VOV and sending us your feedback. We welcome your comments at: English section, Overseas Service, Radio Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu Street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Or you can email us at: englishsection@vov.org.vn. Tune in to our English program on the Internet at vovworld.vn.  Good bye. See you next time.