First on our show today, we’d like to welcome Gianluca Romani, our new listener from Italy. Gianluca wrote: “This is my first reception report to Radio Voice of Vietnam. The signal of your transmission is strong enough to be receivable even with a simple portable receiver with a whip antenna like mine. I listened to 9726 khz with no interference, but on 9730, there was a station interfering. I like far-east music so I will continue listening to your transmission”.

A: We have gotten a lot of good feedback on the quality of our broadcast to many countries. Conor Farrell of Ireland said “I’m delighted to report that I listened to VOV on 9730 khz on July 20th using a Tecsun PL-600 receiver with a random wire antenna. The signal quality was very good, with a SINPO rating of 45544. It was very interesting to learn about the popularity of tug of war in Vietnam, as it is a game I have played several times when I was younger.”

Over the past week, we have received a lot of letters and emails from listeners around the world. Many said they have closely followed news reports on recent developments in the East Sea.

(VOVworld) - VOV has regularly updated information regarding China’s illegal placement of the Haiyang 981 oil rig in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. Daily information is available on our shortwave channels and website in 12 languages, Vietnamese, English, French, Russian, German, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, Lao, Thai, Cambodian, and Indonesian.

(VOVworld) – China’s illegal placement of oilrig Haiyang 981 in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone has become a hot international topic and sparked a wave of protests in Vietnam and around the globe. It is certain that many Chinese people have asked themselves about this issue. Let’s imagine how an ordinary Chinese might think about it.

(VOVworld) - Foreigners preparing to visit Vietnam frequently ask about transportation. We have some suggestions for getting around. This is in response to a question from Indian listener Jayanta Chakrabarty about public transportation in Vietnam and the new metro system currently under construction. He says he heard that public buses are cheap and efficient.

Well, not only in Hue, anywhere in Vietnam, you will have a chance to experience “diều sáo”- kite flying with flute singing. Kite flying is popular throughout the year, but especially in summer. Vietnamese people of all ages make kites of many shapes, sizes, and materials with bamboo flutes attached. “Diều sáo” are interesting for their shapes and colors and also for their flutes. Every afternoon, when the wind begins to blow, you can enjoy the magical sound created by of the “Dieu sao” flutes.

(VOVworld) - Let’s begin with two listeners’ requests to be recruited as VOV shortwave observers. Professor Ashraful Islam of Bangladesh wrote: “I’m a Dx’er and regular listener to most of the shortwave radio stations and online radio programs in English. I started listening to shortwave in 1976 when I was a 14-year-old high school student. Now I’m almost 52. I would like to dedicate myself as a technical or program monitor of VOV’s English program.”

First on our show today, we’d like to welcome Reginalou Annuciadao, our new listener from Brazil. Reginalou sent us a beautiful postcard of theater Jose De Alencar in Brazil and as a new listener to VOV, he is interested to know about VOV English section and its staff.

(VOVworld) - “As a regular visitor to Hue for many years now, I am always keen to hear news about that city, and so I’ve been pleased that the 2014 Hue Festival has been mentioned regularly in the domestic news since Friday, 11th April, the day before the festival started, as well as in the Culture segment on the 11th, and the Culture and Sports events of the week on Sunday 13th.” Gerry Neumann of England said.