DX LISTENING DIGEST 11-17, April 28, 2011 Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits For restrixions and searchable 2011 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html Searchable 2010 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid0.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn WORLD OF RADIO 1562 HEADLINES: *DX and station news from: Australia, Bahrain, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Burma non, Central African Republic, China, Congo DR, Ethiopia, Germany, Guatemala, International Atmosphere, Japan, Libya, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Zealand, Nigeria non, Pakistan, Peru, Portugal, Sabah & Sarawak, Spain, Turkey, UK, USA SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1562, April 28-May 4, 2011 Thu 1500 WRMI 9955 [confirmed] Thu 2100 WRMI 9955 Fri 0330 WWRB 2390 5050 [not aired!] Fri 1430 WRMI 9955 Fri 2030 WWCR1 7465 Sat 0800 WRMI 9955 Sat 1600 WWCR2 12160 Sat 1730 WRMI 9955 Sat 1800 IPAR/IRRS/NEXUS/IBA 7290 1566 1368 Sun 0630 WWCR1 3215 Sun 0800 WRMI 9955 Sun 1530 WRMI 9955 Sun 1730 WRMI 9955 Mon 1130 WRMI 9955 Mon 2130 WRMI 9955 Tue 1530 WRMI 9955 Wed 0100 WRMI 9955 Wed 1530 WRMI 9955 Wed 2100 WBCQ 7415 [or 2115, or 2130] Thu 0330 WRMI 9955 Latest edition of this schedule version, including AM, FM, satellite and webcasts with hotlinks to station sites and audio, is at: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html or http://schedule.worldofradio.org or http://sked.worldofradio.org For updates see our Anomaly Alert page: http://www.worldofradio.com/anomaly.html WRN ON DEMAND: http://193.42.152.193/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 WORLD OF RADIO PODCASTS VIA WRN: http://www.wrn.org/wrn-listeners/world-of-radio/ http://www.wrn.org/listeners/world-of-radio/rss/09:00:00UTC/English/541 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html or http://wor.worldofradio.org DXLD YAHOOGROUP: Why wait for DXLD? A lot more info, not all of it appearing in DXLD later, is posted at our yg without delay. When applying, please identify yourself with your real name and location, and say something about why you want to join. Those who do not, unless I recognize them, will be prompted once to do so and no action will be taken otherwise. Here`s where to sign up: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxld/ ** ALBANIA. Frequency change of Radio Tirana in English Mon-Sat from Apr. 20: 1845-1900 NF 13735 SHI 100 kW, 310 deg NoAm, ex 13640# // 7520 to U.K. 2000-2030 NF 13735 SHI 100 kW, 310 deg NoAm, ex 13640* // 7465 to U.K. # to avoid AIR in Arabic * to avoid AIR in French 73! (Ivo Ivanov, April 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) As already in 11-16 [and non]. Radio Tirana, Unknown site (Shijak maybe(?)), 13735. 1845 UT 04/22/2011, English, 34333 Interval signal, Station ID, Time and frequency by woman at 1845, followed by man with news. Listed to be on 13640 kHz. Only All India Radio there. Weak but audible. S-6 (Nick Rumple, Kannapolis, North Carolina, U.S.A., Yaesu FRG-100, 125 foot longwire - 40 feet high, shortwavelistening yg via DXLD) Shijak is RT`s ONLY transmitter site. New frequency as of April 20 as I have reported (gh, DXLD) 13625, R. Tirana, English to NAm, S9+10 April 23 at 1445 --- but just open carrier. Straining to hear anything, there is a trace of music, just barely modulated. Assuring a clear frequency hardly matters when the station can`t maintain modulation. 13735, April 25 at 1855, R. Tirana`s English to NAm from 1845 today has sufficient modulation, unlike yesterday, now easy to follow something about the European Parliament. Still totally in the clear from QRM, no other signals between 13720 and 13750. 13625, April 26 at 1442, R. Tirana English is poor with some music audible; both signal and modulation are subpar (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALGERIA [non]. 9535, RTA via FRANCE, April 22 at 0615 in Arabic with quick heavy echo, much like we sometimes hear on 7295 in the previous hour. Long/short path propagationally unlikely at this hour involving the dayside, so once again we suspect TDF at Issoudun have failed to turn off one transmitter before turning on another with a slightly unsynchronized audio feed. Per HFCC, at 0600 they are supposed to switch from 162 to 194 degrees (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANTARCTICA. 15476, RN Arcángel, San Gabriel. April 18 1409-1415, Argentinean folk music selections, female “caminos argentinos” explaining about Argentinean city Eldorado, close to Iguazú Falls, its history and economy. At 1415 abrupt sign off; check until 1420 and recheck at 1438 and 1454, no signal. Still power problems? At peak 45434. April 19 at 1326, 1347, 1408 and 1435, no signal. April 21 check from 1202 to 1214, no signal (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil, SW40 - Dipoles and Longwire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15476, LRA-36, 1837, program of mostly Spanish ballads, no announcements heard (if given), due to slow and deep fades. Would have stayed with it but had an early start at work. Hope to try for this again, as it's a very difficult catch. 19 April (David Sharp, NSW: FT- 950, NRD-535D, R8, ICF-SW7600GR, PR-D5, ICF-2010, Timewave 599zx, MFJ 1026, MFJ 959C, Palstar MW550P, SP-2000 speaker. Also 100m noise- reducing aerial and 50m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15476.00, R. Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel (Presumed): Apr 18 1302- 1316+ 15431-f/out Spanish?, Talk by man, Thanks for tip from LOB via JAPAN PREMIUM No. 677. Apr 19 1300-1334+ 15431-f/out Spanish?, Music, and talk by woman, Apr 19 2035-2050* 15421 Spanish?, Talk and music, 2050 sign off (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium April 22 via DXLD) Someone else recently reported it on 15475.9, but I thought it was not that far off (gh, DXLD) 15476, recorded this frequency at 1228-1300 daily 4/19 to 4/23 - oído nada (Bruce Portzer, Seattle, WA, Winradio Excalibur, K9AY antenna, log made via unattended recording, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15476, LRA36, no signal April 21 at 1310. This time the absence is expected as per Roberto Scaglione they are taking April 21 and 22 off for holidays, to return Monday April 25. Apparently some moony revisionist Abrahamic creed has declared April 22 and 24 especially significant and its influence extends even to the Antarctic peninsula (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) LRA 36 Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, Antarctica. Is al enkele dagen terug tehoren op 15476 kHz van 1200-1500 in het Spaans, van maandag tot en met vrijdag. Hier een filmpje, hoe het klinkt http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2TZf-Ta_Mc 73, (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, April 23, BDX via DXLD) That`s a 7-minute 27 Oct 2009 `Actualidad DX` show on RAE written by the late Gabriel Iván Barrera, about LRA36, illustrated with some stills of the station and Base Esperanza. Mentions an alternate e-mail address of lra36esperanza @ yahoo.com.ar Evidently MVD has not been hearing the latest reactivation, unlike his frequent receptions last year (gh, DXLD) [and non]. 15476, April 25 first checked at 1310, only to find strong open carrier and tone test on 15480 but thankfully off at 1311. That`s 250 kW from Greenville warming up for the new R. Sawa transmission at 1430-1600, which we hope will be abandoned as quickly in a few days as the previous one on 15470. LRA36 at 1311 audible with music, weakening by 1348 check. It certainly can`t take such adjacent interference, which is also co-channel to Poland 15480 via UK before 1430 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15476, LRA36 (presumed), 1402 till off about 1530, April 25. By far the strongest reception to date; at times fair, but was in music then, so I still do not have a positive ID; played many pop songs and ballads in Spanish; YL in Spanish; modulation seemed weaker for the spoken portions, whereas the songs were clearly heard; after 1500 was poor and at times could only hear their carrier, which was gone about 1530. The last clear music heard was at 1519; adjacent QRM. On April 26 found no carrier at all at 1336 + 1411, so they had to be off the air, as Glenn has already reported (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15476, no carrier detected from LRA36 April 26 at 1302, 1358 or at 1420 when the Greenville 15480 carrier had come on; see USA (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15476, April 26th 2011. I happened to be checking the frequency at 1142Z when the carrier was switched on. As per usual I was unable to lift the signal to audible level and hence have no idea if they were carrying audio. Stayed with it in hope though, until they switched off again between 1245 and 1250Z. Using (in this case) Perseus SDR, Kiwa/NRD535D with SE3, to K9AY, 40m dipole, and Pixel RF-1A loop. Signal peaked 170 deg azimuth (Tony Ward (Whitby, ON), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) So people are hearing it both before and after the nominal 1230-1500 schedule, but not always during (gh, DXLD) 15476.13 at 1930 UT April 26, tent ATA. Hallo Dirk, Deine Nachricht von Dienstag, 26. April 2011 1944 UT lautete: Na sooo zart sind S=6-7 gar nicht aber das Gesplatter vom Russen auf 15465 kHz ist da schon wirklich aetzend. Geht hier brauchbar an der 12m Loop zur Zeit wird Musik gespielt. Nachtrag: Voice of Russia schaltete um 2000 UT ab, tent ATA-LRA36 dann um 2004 UT (Uwe Volk-D, A-DX Apr 26 via BCDX via DXLD) 15476, LRA36, April 27 at 1252 weak talk, building to S6 peaking at S9+10 by 1259, and stronger than UK 15480. Musical segués continue until 1306 announcement, just as the Greenville carrier comes on for pre-test; it goes back off at 1309 after brief tone test, and does not come back on until 1421:40 prior to scheduled R. Sawa transmission at 1430; see U S A. Back in the clear, at 1309, 15476 had a spirited dialog or trialog, 1312 music again. Signal declined and by 1415 was just barely audible carrier. I see reports from elsewhere that 15476 is sometimes on the air before 1200 or after 1500, so seems rather flexible. 15476.00, April 28 at 1346, very poor signal in talk, carrier still detectable at 1424 after Greenville 15480 was on. At the earlier hour I measured frequency as best I could by zero-beating WWVH 15000, and stepping 1 kHz up and down from 15476 on the YB400, hearing exactly the same pitch. Contrary to a couple other reports that put it on 15475.9 and 15476.13 --- of course, it could vary, if not something else, especially when a carrier is reported outside the usual hours (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15476, LRA36 (presumed), 1350-1400, April 28. Poor to fair with YL in Spanish; pop song (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, I know something more every week... - last week (Monday 18 and Tuesday 19) they had some trouble to power generators, with a general blackout for a few hours on Monday... - they are on air with 2 kW (just like WRTH says), a 5 kW transmitter but the generator does not have enough power.. - email still not working... - phone number is working ONLY from Argentina. Until the next (Roberto Scaglione, Sicily, April 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA [and non]. 11711-, RAE, April 21 at 1058 the other- worldly IS is JBA with het, and a RAE ID, 1100 timesignal maybe from the QRM, and RAE opening too weak to discern language, but in Aoki on `11710` as Portuguese, and the QRM probably VOK, with China also in the mix (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11710.48, RAE, 0259, Interval signal, into French with ID by a man. Only readable in USB, with threshold station on nominal. 22 April (David Sharp, NSW: FT-950, NRD-535D, R8, ICF-SW7600GR, PR-D5, ICF- 2010, Timewave 599zx, MFJ 1026, MFJ 959C, Palstar MW550P, SP-2000 speaker. Also 100m noise-reducing aerial and 50m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15344.31, 23/4 2210, Radio Nacional, Argentina, talks about the shaping of Buenos Aires culture, some jazz, Spanish, fair/good. 15345.046, 26/4 2345, RAE, in Spanish, interview, Jazz, fair/good 11710.618, 27/4 0006, RAE, Argentina, nice songs, economic talks, in Portuguese, good (Giampiero Bernardini, Milan, Italy, Perseus & AOR 7030, T2FD, SW Blog: http://radiodxsw.blogspot.com/ dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. 2368.5, Radio Symban, 1018-1025, 22-April-201, In Greek. Just above the static crashes this morning, Greek music, poor signal (Ed Wlodarski, N2ED, New Jersey, Ten Tec RX340 & 100 Ft Long Wire, NASWA Flashsheet via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) 2368.5, Radio Symban (presumed), 1325-1335, April 22. Heard during a brief opening at my local sunrise (1325 UT); Greek songs and music; recently had been below threshold level, so this was a nice change. Audio clip of music at http://www.box.net/shared/24e4m0acau (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. 5050.06, "Aussie Radio" Sydney, 1027, woman with "Money Making Moment" then back to nostalgia format of mainly 40's, 50's and 60's era music. Powerhouse signal here (as always), pegging the S- meters on both the NRD-535D and FT-950. And, for what it's worth, the signal "registers" as 62 dBu on my Tecsun (as compared to 84 dBu for the local 10 kW MW station, which is less than 2 kilometers from my house). 20 April (David Sharp, NSW: FT-950, NRD-535D, R8, ICF- SW7600GR, PR-D5, ICF-2010, Timewave 599zx, MFJ 1026, MFJ 959C, Palstar MW550P, SP-2000 speaker. Also 100m noise-reducing aerial and 50m dipole, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. 9580, R. Australia, April 21 at 1331, surprised to hear a show about football starting, instead of Live Talk; could it be `World Football Weekly` which on the Asia and Pacific schedules is now not shown until 1700 on Thursdays? Or maybe just a brief segment inside LT; I am certainly not going to keep listening to find out (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Just to fill you in. It may have been a relay on AFL match between Brisbane and St. Kilda, which was played on the Thursday night. The AFL does not play matches on Good Friday although rival ball codes do. However the match ended at 1220 approx so it may indeed have been a report on the said match or "World Football Weekly" (Robin L. Harwood, VK7RH, Norwood, Tasmania 7250, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. Radio Australia, 7240 kHz in English with ID and news at 1500 UT. Noted weak spurs on 7140 and 7340 kHz. Very Good April 17/11 (Mickey Delmage, Sherwood Park, Alberta, using my relatively new Perseus SDR and various antenna, mainly a log periodic, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA [non]. Bit of news of Radio Australia relay from Babcock Thursday, 21st April 2011 Status: Radio Australia contract extended News 08-04-2011 By Laura Stiff Australia's international broadcaster, Radio Australia, will continue to reach listeners across south east Asia following the signing of a new contract with Babcock's Communications business. Each day Babcock transmits 10 hours of Radio Australia's international short-wave radio programming in Indonesian, Chinese, Burmese and English. Our London-based Media Management Centre receives the programmes via satellite and coordinates the broadcasts through three transmitter sites in Singapore, Dhabayya in the United Arab Emirates, and Palau, an island in the Pacific Ocean. David Porter | Senior Transmitter Engineer - Communications Babcock International Group Station Road | Woofferton | LUDLOW | Shropshire | SY8 4AW (via David [the same?], G4OYX, shortwavesites yg via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. 15400, April 25 at 1259, HCJB Global Voice Australia ID in English, and signing off until tomorrow morning at 2200 UT on 15525. A weaker carrier came back on at 1302, thought maybe HCJB after antenna change, but HFCC lists KNX on same 340 degree antenna from 1230 to 1430, with English at 1300-1330 amid Mandarin. HCJB`s own more current A-11 program schedule http://www.hcjb.org.au/docs/A11_Schedule_HCJB_Australia_20110327-20111029.pdf does show closing at 1300 after English shifted to 1230-1300, later Chinese deleted (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BAHRAIN. 9745, Radio Bahrain, 0040-0100+, April 23, carrier + USB. Call to prayer-like chanting. Arabic vocals. Arabic pop music and traditional Arabic music. Fair (Brian Alexander, PA, WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX Listening Digest) 6010, Radio Bahrain, English, 2107, with 9745 coming in so well (reference following log), I took a chance this would also be audible. Sure enough, at fair level with easy pop music and woman announcer, mention of 96.5 FM. Rapidly fading with sunrise. Best in USB to escape 6105 slop. (Not to confuse, unlike 9745, which was in USB, this frequency was in AM mode, I used USB only to escape lowside splatter.) 23 April. 9745 USB, Radio Bahrain, Arabic, 2040, surprisingly good with classical Arabic music, ID by woman, then into conversation by man and women, between music selections. Into ads or similar in lead-up to 2100 news, which was read by a man. About the best I have ever heard this. 23 April (David Sharp, NSW: FT-950, NRD-535D, R8, ICF-SW7600GR, PR-D5, ICF-2010, Timewave 599zx, MFJ 1026, MFJ 959C, Palstar MW550P, SP-2000 speaker. Also 100m noise-reducing aerial and 50m dipole, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9745, 27/4 0035 Radio Bahrain (presumed), Arabic slow songs, few talks in Arabic, modulated only on upper side of the carrier, weak (Giampiero Bernardini, Milan, Italy, Perseus & AOR 7030, T2FD, SW Blog: http://radiodxsw.blogspot.com/ dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BANGLADESH. Bangladesh Betar, 4750 in English, tune in 1235 with news read by women. Man in language ? at 1243. Fair April 18/11 (Mickey Delmage, Sherwood Park, Alberta, using my relatively new Perseus SDR and various antenna, mainly a log periodic, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELARUS [and non]. 6010.00, 2145-2245 19.04, Belaruskaje Radyjo, Brest, Belarusian, talk, ann, pop song in English, instrumental music - late broadcast, 54444 // Hrodna 6040 and Brest 6070. Also heard even later and weaker at 0005-0015 21.04 interview in Belarusian under presumed Bahrain with non-stop British pop songs. 22432 // 6040 and 6070. Best 73, (Anker Petersen, in Skovlunde, Denmark, on my AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** BELGIUM [non]. 6015, 27/4 0905, TDP Radio, DRM broadcast, No audio, label: TDPradio, English, Pop Music, Belgium, stereo 20.96 kbps (Giampiero Bernardini, Milan, Italy, Perseus & AOR 7030, T2FD, SW Blog: http://radiodxsw.blogspot.com/ dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Via Issoudun, FRANCE, 60 kW, 60 degrees, DRM available at 0700-1400 (HFCC via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. Radio Santa Cruz, 6134.8, at 0020 with football talk in Spanish to 0030 when a music program and many IDs continued to 0105:40 Sign off announcements and lengthy song about Santa Cruz. Very Good April 18/11 (Mickey Delmage, Sherwood Park, Alberta, using my relatively new Perseus SDR and various antenna, mainly a log periodic, WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6134.82, Radio Santa Cruz, 1035, Spanish, banter between two men, with occasional comments by woman. Audio cut at 1037, only to return at 1040 with mensajes by a man. Fair, and best in LSB to escape het, high side. 20 April. (David Sharp, NSW: FT-950, NRD-535D, R8, ICF-SW7600GR, PR-D5, ICF-2010, Timewave 599zx, MFJ 1026, MFJ 959C, Palstar MW550P, SP-2000 speaker. Also 100m noise-reducing aerial and 50m dipole, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6134.7, RADIO SANTA CRUZ. Santa Cruz, Bolivia. 2310-2320 abril 21, Transmisión por semana santa de celebración religiosa. "... Radio Santa Cruz transmite para todo el país la misa; desde la basílica menor de San Lorenzo...las emisoras que así lo deseen quedan autorizadas para retransmitir la señal de Radio Santa Cruz..." (Rafael Rodríguez R., Escuchas realizadas en el municipio de Fomeque, Cundinamarca, Colombia, Sony ICF 2010, Antena Hilo de 12 metros, condiglist yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) 6134.78, Radio Santa Cruz, 0025-0113*, April 23, IDs, Spanish pop music. Spanish talk. Lite Instrumental music. Sign off with song about Santa Cruz. Fair (Brian Alexander, PA, WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX Listening Digest) 6134.78, 23/4 2353, Radio Santa Cruz, songs, talks about "ambiente y cambio climático", fair, in LSB to avoid R. Aparecida (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italy, RX: AOR 7030 - ANT: T2FD, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6134.817, R Santa Cruz, open carrier at 0858 to 0859 UT, started with thrilling interval signal at 0900 UT Apr 25, many IDs. Noted on US remote Perseus unit (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 25, via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) 6134.817, R Santa Cruz, open carrier at 0858 to 0859 UT, started with thrilling interval signal at 0900 UT Apr 25, many IDs. Noted on US remote Perseus unit. 6134.810 on Apr 26 at 0900 UT, many IDs "Radio Santa Cruz...". (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 25/26 via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) ** BOTSWANA. Radio Botswana Sebele transmitter site, 7255 kHz. 0525 UT 04/20/2011, SeTswana, 32233, Man and woman with talk. Faded under the BBC at 0529. Clashing badly with the BBC, S-4 (Nick Rumple, Kannapolis, North Carolina, U.S.A., Yaesu FRG-100, 125 foot longwire - 40 feet high, shortwavelistening yg via DXLD) R. Botswana has been gone from SW for many years. What is your reference? BBC Ascension is certainly here. If there was something else it could be V. of Nigeria, which is normally on 15120 during this hour, but unheard lately. Are you sure it was in SeTswana; was there any ID? (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Radio Botswana is still listed as being on in both the NDXC and Dan Ferguson's datasets. I did not get an ID, I only had it for 4 minutes from the time that I tuned in until it was covered up by the BBC. Not completely sure it was seTswana, but it was definitely African dialect (Nick, ibid.) Nick, The NDXC (or Aoki) list is full of outdated info, stations long gone. I don`t know why they don`t get rid of them, or at least flag them as such. This mainly concerns domestic rather than international SW broadcasters, such as most of the stations in Africa and Latin America. And consequently in Ferguson`s datasets which include same source. I suggest you rely more on info as reported in current DX sources, and on getting IDs. Or label logs tentative or presumed unless you are positive of what you heard. I suppose it is conceivable that R. Botswana could reactivate unexpectedly, and that would be newsworthy. The WRTH 2011 does not show any SW frequency for them. 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) See NIGERIA ** BRAZIL. Novo 50 quilos da Nacional Brasília 980 --- Pessoal, Corro demais e pouco consigo parar para dar atenção à lista. Agora consegui um tempinho pra dizer que a Rádio Nacional Brasília, 980 kHz, está com transmissor diurno - de 50 kW - novo em folha. Está no ar desde a última segunda-feira (18.04.2011). A transmissão voltou a ser do SIA. Não mais do Rodeador. Como diz um querido amigo nosso, "é o que há". (É o Luiz Chaine?) 73 (Lucio Haeser, RNB Brasília, April 20, radioescutas yg via DXLD) That`s what it is --- the WTFK announcement I reported last week, applying to daytime only on 980, not 810. Presumably still running the 250 kW unit at 180 kW once night fall (gh, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 4885.000, ZYF692 R. Maria from Anápolis GO in Portuguese noted with station ID at 0707 UT Apr 21, logged on remote SDR receiver in USA (Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, Germany, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) That`s a rare one! Of the three ZYs listed on 4885, R. Clube do Pará is normally quite dominant overnight, and I thought the only one on (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) 4885.000 is ZYG362, Voz [sic] do Pará, not R. Maria from Anapolis GO (Wolfgang Büschel, April 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4885.000, ZYG362, Voz do Pará - ID many times at 0745-0748 UT Apr 25, tent. noted here from Belém PA. [sure - not R. Maria from Anapolis GO] in Portuguese, logged on remote SDR rx in USA (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 25, DXLD) QSL - Rádio Clube do Pará, 4885 sent letter in English, sticker, and postcards in 47 days for Portuguese report + CD +$1, v/s Camilo Centeno (Bruce Portzer, WA, April 23, HCDX via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Radio Itatiáia, 5970 in Portuguese at 0130 UT with a talk show, some English religious tunes and many ID's to abrupt off at 0148. Fair April 18/11 (Mickey Delmage, Sherwood Park, Alberta, using my relatively new Perseus SDR and various antenna, mainly a log periodic, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 6059.892, ZYE726, R. Tupi / Súper R. Deus é Amor, Curitiba PR, sermon by male in Portuguese. S=5-6 at 0835 UT Apr 25. Signal in Florida something hit by strange wobbling signal, - my guess - is a vagabunding signal from Cuban 6030 kHz jamming signal (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 25, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 6079.966, UNID Brazilians, 100% Portuguese language signal, at 0850 UT on Apr 25. Only S=2-3 signal, just above threshold level. Rather scheduled R. Marumby Curitiba PR, but not R. Anhanguera Goiânia (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 25, DXLD) 6079.97, 27/4 0103, Rádio Novas de Paz, Curitiba, long religious talks in Portuguese, some slow music, at 0154 mentioning Curitiba, IDs at 0157 free channel, weak (Giampiero Bernardini, Milan, Italy, Perseus & AOR 7030, T2FD, SW Blog: http://radiodxsw.blogspot.com/ dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 6119.990, R. Globo, São Paulo SP, talk by male and female in Portuguese. Tiny S=2-3 signal, just above threshold (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 25, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 9565.279 very odd freq. R Tupi / Super R. Deus é Amor, Curitiba PR, noted with 'strange' sermon like a radio play of male prayer and some females, in Portuguese. At 0615 UT Apr 21, tiny S=4-5 signal (Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, Germany, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 9629.948, Very, very weak station, probably ZYE954 Rádio Aparecida, Aparecida SP. S=1-2, 0938 UT Apr 25 (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 25, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 9645.352-very odd, R. Bandeirantes in Portuguese from São Paulo SP, at 0800 UT Apr 21, 9645.350 on Apr 25. In background CNR Beijing in Chinese and time pips at 08 UT (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC- DX TopNews Apr 25, DXLD) 9645.350, Rádio Bandeirantes, São Paulo, SP, Portuguese program, weak S=5 on remote Perseus in USA. 0940 UT Apr 25 (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 25, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Sermon by padre in Portuguese noted at 0620 UT Apr 21 on 9665.107 kHz. Station R. Voz Missionária from Florianópolis SC (Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, Germany, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9665.091, ZYE890, Tentative R. Voz Missionária, Florianópolis SC. S=7 signal, mucho laughter like "Happy hour" laughing children, not religious program! (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 25, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Similar program noted to 9565.279 also on 9675 from Radio Canção Nova from Cachoeira Paulista SP (Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, Germany, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. (tutte con E5 Etón), Domenica 24 aprile 2011: 2100 - 10000 kHz, OBSERVATORIO NACIONAL - Rio (B) PP, IDs e t/a ogni 5-10 secondi!!! Segnale sufficiente-buono (Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova), Italia, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) TA means time announcements, I suppose; surely every 10 seconds, not 5 (gh, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 11765, SUPER RADIO DEUS É AMOR. Curitiba, Brasil. 2301-2320 abril 22. Transmisión en vivo, predicación religiosa, Mencionando al "Misionero" David Miranda. ID: "...Você sintoniza Súper Rádio Deus é Amor, ZYJ 219 ondas medias 1210 KHz, ondas curtas 31 metros 9565 Khz, 25 metros 11765 Khz, 49 metros 6060 Khz. Acerque a nossa página na internet superradiodeuseamor.com.br.. ." Luego "... este é um programa A Voz da Libertação, órgão oficial da Igreja pentecostal Deus é Amor; direçao geral missionário David Miranda..." Buenos DX (Rafael Rodríguez R., Escuchas realizadas en el municipio de Fomeque, Cundinamarca, Colombia, Sony ICF 2010, Antena Hilo de 12 metros, condiglist yg via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 11780.00, Very strong Brazil Portuguese signal at 0815 UT Apr 21, sermon on Jesus, Abraço e Amor, Semana Santa, S=9+15dB, probably powerful transmitter. Public broadcaster Radio Nacional with 'private divine service'? (Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, Germany, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 15189.95, Radio Inconfidência, 0030-0105, April 23, heard under WYFR with Portuguese talk. Portuguese ballads. In the clear after WYFR signs off at 0045. Weak // 6010 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) [and non] 15190, 23/4 2240, Radio Inconfidência & Family Radio, both in Portuguese, jamming each other, sport & religious. Good signals, bad reception (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italy, RX: AOR 7030 - ANT: T2FD, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15189.95, Radio Inconfidência, 2315-2335, April 24, Portuguese talk. Brazilian pop/ballads. Weak under WYFR at 2315, but gradually getting stronger. Fair level at times after 2320 but mixing with WYFR. Weak // 6010 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) ** BULGARIA. All DRM of BNR/R Bulgaria have been suspended from Apr 15 0400-0700 9700 SOF 050 kW / 306 deg WeEu BNR Horizont HS-1 Fri 0600-0900 11900 SOF 050 kW / 306 deg WeEu BNR Horizont HS-1 Sat/Sun 0900-0930 11900 SOF 050 kW / 306 deg WeEu BNR Euranet English Sat/Sun 0900-1200 11900 SOF 050 kW / 306 deg WeEu BNR Horizont HS-1 Mon-Thu 1530-1600 9700 SOF 050 kW / 030 deg EaEu Radio Bulgaria in Russian 1630-1700 9700 SOF 050 kW / 306 deg WeEu Radio Bulgaria in German 1700-1730 9700 SOF 050 kW / 306 deg WeEu Radio Bulgaria in French 1730-1800 9700 SOF 050 kW / 306 deg WeEu Radio Bulgaria in English 1800-1900 9700 SOF 050 kW / 306 deg WeEu Radio Bulgaria in Bulgarian (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 22 April via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) ** BURMA [non]. ARMENIA, Updated A-11 schedule of Democratic Voice of Burma in Burmese, new frequencies: 1430-1530 6225 ERV 300 kW / 100 deg SEAs, ex 11515 ERV, from Apr. 25 2330-0030 11595 ERV 300 kW / 100 deg SEAs, ex 9490 WER (MBR) (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 26 April via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) What about the Madagascar relays? No, no longer on the RNW schedule: http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/rnw-frequency-schedule-summer-2011 So the above two are all; they had a big budget cut (gh, WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) ** CANADA. 6069.967, CFRX Toronto, popular public event transmission, presenter had conversation with the public about sexual life, much laughter (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 25, DXLD) Overnight standup comedy; time? Note 33 Hz off-frequency (gh, DXLD) ** CANADA. 6159.97, CKZU - Vancouver, 0259, April 24. “This is CBC Radio One, 88.1 FM and 6-90 AM in Vancouver. Canada lives here”, "The Water Street Blues Band, Saturday Night Blues with Holger Petersen in an hour", "This is CBC News", etc.; the news had a strong echo due to being slightly out of sync with Newfoundland (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. 14670, CHU, 1246, running carrier + USB, time check by man in English, then repeated in French. This is only the second time I have heard this frequency (as opposed to 3330, and to a lesser degree 7850, which generally prove more reliable). 22 April (David Sharp, NSW: FT-950, NRD-535D, R8, ICF-SW7600GR, PR-D5, ICF-2010, Timewave 599zx, MFJ 1026, MFJ 959C, Palstar MW550P, SP-2000 speaker. Also 100m noise-reducing aerial and 50m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA [non]. 17495, Sunday April 24 at 1449 gospel music, 1451 YL with North American accent about Jesus; closing with long PO Box number starting with 5- was cut off abruptly at 1459. {When will programmers and transmission providers ever get their acts together?} Had not been hearing anything on this frequency, certainly not WBCQ as registered, which is only a wooden one, alternate to 15420. But HFCC explains the current curious setup on 17495, by MBR, only on weekends: Sat 1345-1415 & 1415-1500, 250 kW, 83 degrees from Issoudun, FRANCE Sun 1400-1500 {sic}, 250 kW, 95 degrees from Nauen, GERMANY, both to CIRAF 41 = S Asia. Aoki elucidates that it`s all for Bible Voice Broadcasting. Not to be confused with 17485 still carrying Brother Scare via Germany (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC. 3390, R. ICDI: Apr 13 2020-2045 25332 French, Talk and afro pops music, ID at 2039, Apr 17 2008-2042 25332 French, Music and talk, ID at 2037 (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium April 22 via DXLD) 3390.00, R ICDI, Boali, schedule in WRTH 2011: 1800-0400 in French / Sango / Bayaka / Fulfulde. Heard with a very faint signal with glimpses of audio of hymns and vernacular talk at 2115-2125, Apr 16, and on Apr 17 at 0300, 1830 and 2025, and on Apr 18 at 2025, 15111 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window April 20 via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) So he really did report it at 0300, not a typo as suspected in DXLD 11-16. Are they running all night, or using 3390 in the early mornings before going back to daytime frequency 6040? That`s not what the news from ICDI in 11-15 said, nor the follow-up in 11-16: ``Besides our normal 6 am-noon programming on 6040 kHz, we'll now be broadcasting from 4 to 10 pm on 3390 kHz!`` In UT that`s 0500-1100 on 6040, 1500- 2100 on 3390, and many reports confirm them signing off shortly after 2100 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC. Sehr schoene - wenn auch schwache - Signale aus Afrika, und noch dazu seltene Kost am 19.4: 5035.00, 1800-1903 UT s/off Zentralafrika? Fpx, lokale mx, und nach 19 Uhr UT konnte ich auf 3389.99 kHz ein franzoesischsprachiges Programm hoeren, vermutlich Radio ICDI aus Zentralafrika, das Signal aber gerade an der Hoerbarkeitsschwelle, s/off kurz nach 20 Uhr UT. 73 (Christoph OE2CRM Ratzer, A-DX Apr 19 http://www.ratzer.at BCDX via DXLD) ** CHAD. 6165, RNT, 2229-2235*, April 25, French talk. Lite instrumental music. Sign off with National Anthem. Poor in noisy conditions and adjacent channel splatter (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) ** CHILE. QSL - HCJB 11920 sent f/d card, program schedule, and friendly handwritten note politely mentioning (among other things) that postage to the U.S. costs $2.25. 58 days for English report + CD + $1 sent to Quito (Bruce Portzer, WA, April 23, HCDX via DXLD) ** CHINA. 4940, Voice of Strait, 1505, April 23. The “Focus on China” program continues with their new Saturday schedule (1505-1535); poor, but definitely them in English (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 5000, BPM, 1229 Apr 18. Noted with ten "BPM" Morse Code IDs. Fair signal but covered by WWV/WWVH (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, Colorado, Drake R-8, 100-foot RW, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) QSL - BPM 5000 sent nice f/d QSL card plus handwritten note in English from Changhong Liu. 40 days for English e-report+MP3 to ch117 @ ntsc.ac.cn (Bruce Portzer, WA, April 23, HCDX via DXLD) ** CHINA. 6185, China Huayi BC (presumed), 1213-1231, April 21. Chinese programming; fair; in the clear now that the A11 schedule finds this frequency without Korea (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 9820, presumed Guangxi Beibu Bay Radio Nanning, 0942-1000, April 18, vernacular. Plodding, indigenous mx w/ W announcer between selections; talk between v. brief mx bits from 0950; M announcer w/ same at 0957; lost it at 0959 in splash via 9825-RFI Montsinery s/on; no chance to check //5050 due to recent appearance of a strong, STANAG-4825 sounding ute on 5051v (Scott R. Barbour Jr. Intervale, N.H. USA, NRD-545, MLB-1, 200' Beverages, 60m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. ? 11870, Firedrake? Location?? 2011/04/18 mon 1742-1800 cut off. Endless noisy Chinese brass band, presumably "Firedrake" jamming the Voice of Free Asia until 1800? Fair. Local sunset 1550 (Bill Bingham, Johannesburg, South Africa, April 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [and non]. PALAU, RFA relay via Koror 9905 *1500 4/19 opening announcements in English & Chinese, then Chinese program, mixing with time check & ID from CNR1 jammer - a wild battle ensued between the two with RFA slightly better on average (Bruce Portzer, Seattle, WA, Winradio Excalibur, K9AY antenna, log made via unattended recording, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Firedrake April 21: 7970, fair at 1114, altho not heard a few minutes earlier. Now the carrier seems to be cutting on and off, or maybe that`s from some ute beepQRM on the low side. No further chex for FD today. Firedrake April 22: 7970, fair at 1220 10965, fair at 1229; also a JBA carrier on 10970 maybe the other FD 14970, poor at 1243 No others up to 18 MHz, but at 1245, CRI via EAST TURKISTAN was strong on 17490 English, 17650 Chinese, both off before 1300. Firedrake April 23: 10970, poor at 1340 14700, very poor at 1345 No others found 7-18 MHz. Propagation was quite degraded. Firedrake April 24: 7970, not heard at 1320 or later; maybe was on before 1300 10300, fair at 1321, not // 10970 or any of the others later 10970, fair at 1320 11500, good at 1324, // 10970, not 10300; still at 1352, seems to have CCI, lo het, and much stronger than 10970, 10300 13130, poor at 1327 // 11500 No others heard up to 18 MHz. Firedrake April 25: none found between 13 and 14 UT, 7-18 MHz. However, 15670 had CNR1 jamming around 1313 vs RFA Tibetan via Tajikistan per HFCC and Aoki, via UAE per EiBi. 17515 had VG signal from CNR1 jamming at 1316 vs BBC Uzbek via Thailand; also on 17705 until 1315 vs AIR Chinese, which continued with tone test (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15900 CHINA. Firedrake, 2326 Apr 25. Typical Chinese instrumental music, blocking Sound of Hope, Taiwan. Good. 13920 & 13980 CHINA. Firedrake, 1355 Apr 26. Chinese instrumental music, both gone at 1401 re-check, no doubt intended to block Sound of Hope from Taiwan. Both good (Harold Sellers, Vernon, BC, Listening from my car with Eton E1 and Sony AN1 active antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Mystery 11500 kHz, 1140-1205 GMT today --- I tuned in to 11500 and from 1140 to 1200 GMT heard oriental instrumental music with a very good signal S-4). Presumed this was Sound of Hope even though signal was much better than I would expect. There was no jamming. At 1200 the signal creased. Not sure if the station I was listening to was the SOH as there was no talk or ID, only music. SOH is listed to be on that frequency until 1600 GMT but using only very low power, however the carrier for the broadcast I was listening to today ceased at 1200. About 30 seconds later (at about 1200:30 GMT) a signal appeared and I heard a broadcast of the news in English with much poorer signals then the music I had been listening to previously. Part of the problem may be the i [sic] jamming that started at 1200 GMT+ but the signal strength of the English broadcast was much worse for the English language broadcast than the previous music I had heard (from a solid 4 to a 2). I assumed that it was a different xmtr and station and I was unable to ID the English language station. Considered it might be Voice of Russia but it was not // to VOR on 9695 which also had poor signals. Any ideas about either station? (-Steve, location unknown, April 26, NASWA yg via DXLD) Steve, who and where are you? You were surely hearing Firedrake jamming until 1200 on 11500, not Sound of Hope. Check numerous other FD frequencies as in my daily reports. Become familiar with Firedrake which plays exactly the same Chinese traditional instrumental-only music over and over every hour without announcements. I also hear it on 11500 during following hours, tho not usually monitoring before 1200. The English station on 9695 at 1200 is not VOR but Radio Japan, so of course it would not be // to 11500, which Aoki does show as Voice of Russia via Tajikistan. 73, (Glenn Hauser, OK, ibid.) Firedrake April 26: 7970, fair at 1257; poor at 1322 10965, good at 1257; very poor at 1324 12980, poor at 1257; very poor at 1324 13920, very good at 1258, heard a snippet before it cut off at 1259; VG at 1324 13980, good at 1325 14700, very good at 1326 15430, poor at 1358 // 13920; 15430 is vs V. of Tibet via UAE 14950, very good until 1300*; very good at 1325 16980, good at 1327; none others up to 19 MHz. I did not start checking soon enough before 1300 to do a complete bandscan then or might have found some others (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 12980, 26/4 2335, Chinese Firedrake, Chinese music with drums, weak/fair (Giampiero Bernardini, Milan, Italy, Perseus & AOR 7030, T2FD, SW Blog: http://radiodxsw.blogspot.com/ dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Firedrake April 27: 7970, fair at 1241 10300, fair at 1247, fair at 1427 10970, good at 1242 11500, fair at 1248, with CCI, lo het. Per Aoki, not only is Sound of Hope here until 1600, but also V. of Russia, English via Tajikistan until 1300, then Hindi. By 1426, FD is dominating 11500 12600, very poor at 1349; had not heard any in the 12`s for a few days; also JBA at 1426 13920, good at 1243 13970, very good at 1426 14700, poor at 1244; all the others // except this one 15430, fair at 1345 and growling jamming too vs V of Tibet via UAE 15570, fair at 1351 vs nothing in Aoki, except: V. of Tibet via Tajikistan on 15568 from 1340, but no het audible now 15900, good at 1251; off at 1338 16100, good at 1253; fair at 1338 16980, very good at 1254; no others up to 19 MHz, but CRI EAST TURKISTAN also VG on 17490 English, 17650 Chinese; 16980 off at 1338 CNR1 jamming, like a spoilt child yelling so he cannot hear what his parent is trying to say to him: 11990, very good at 1347 vs VOA Chinese via SAIPAN 15115, very good at 1347, the other Chinese slightly under being VOA via THAILAND; an echo apart from 11990 At 1508, CNR1 jamming against 13640, 13675 and 13755. Per Aoki and HFCC, the victims are: 13640, R. Free Asia via Tinian (CRI English from Kashgar also sked) 13675, R. Free Asia Mandarin via Tajikistan 13755, VOA Uzbek via Kuwait Firedrake April 28: 13920, poor at 1342, some ute QRM; none lower found since 1330 15430, fair at 1345, no victim audible but vs V. of Tibet via UAE 15570, very poor at 1350, vs het from 15568, V. of Tibet via Tajikistan per Aoki 15670, instead of FD there is CNR1 jamming, good at 1351 vs R. Free Asia Tibetan via Tajikistan, some of that also audible underneath 16100, good at 1351, best of all FD signals, better than // 13920, but gone at 1427 recheck. No others found higher (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. BANG A GONG --- CHINA’S CRITICS ARE BEING SILENCED IN SOUTH-EAST ASIA China abroad http://www.economist.com/node/18587694 Apr 20th 2011 | BANGKOK | from the print edition --- IN ITS foreign relations, China parades a policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of others. It routinely vetoes UN resolutions on this ground (on Libya, it abstained). It boasts that unlike meddlesome Westerners it offers trade and aid without strings, (see article). Yet in its pursuit of domestic enemies, China is making more demands of its neighbours. Inviting the Dalai Lama to visit has long been a no-no. The same goes for rebellious Uighurs. A group of 20 that fled to Cambodia in 2009 were handed back to China before they could claim political asylum. Now the target is Falun Gong, a quasi-Buddhist sect that China banned in 1999. Apparently prodded by China, Vietnam and Indonesia have shut down Falun Gong-affiliated radio stations and prosecuted station operators, though neither country forbids the group. Two Vietnamese men arrested last year face up to five years in jail if found guilty of illegal broadcasting. Their trial had been due to begin on April 8th but was postponed. In Indonesia a station manager went on trial last month for a similar offence. Both cases smack of interference by China. The Vietnamese legal indictment cites a May 2010 Chinese diplomatic request for joint action to stop short-wave transmissions into China by the accused pair, who were detained two weeks after the date of the memo. The indictment says their illegal broadcasts in Chinese had “negatively affected” political trust between the two governments. Indonesia’s case is, if anything, more troubling, as it is a democracy with a free press. New Era Radio, the private station forced off-air, carried Chinese-language content — including reports of alleged human- rights abuse in China — provided by Sound of Hope, a radio network based in California. Sound of Hope claims to reach tens of millions of listeners in China, mostly via short-wave (Taiwan leases it airtime). It also broadcasts to overseas Chinese communities. They have fewer sources of information these days. The cash-strapped BBC recently ended its World Service Mandarin-language short-wave broadcasts after 70 years. The World Service’s American equivalent, Voice of America, is due to do the same in October. China used to jam their broadcasts. Now it has found an arm’s-length way to keep out unwelcome news. from the print edition | Asia (via Gerald T Pollard, NC, DXLD) ** COLOMBIA [and non]. MEXICO/BRAZIL, Two stations noted on remote rx in southern USA, 0720 UT Apr 21, on 6009.956v and 6009.807v kHz. Most likely ZYE521 R. Inconfidencia in Portuguese from Belo Horizonte MG in Brazil and most probably XEOI Núcleo Radio Mil Mexico City-MEX in Spanish (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Don`t forget LV de tu Conciencia, COLOMBIA; what is its offset?? (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Checked 6010 kHz in US night again, around 7-10 UT. It's a terrible mixture of two - at 0700 UT - , later at 9-10 UT t h r e e stations co-channel (Wolfgang Büschel, April 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) MEXICO/COLOMBIA, Two stations noted on remote rx in southern USA, 0720 UT Apr 21, on 6009.959v and 6009.807v kHz Apr 21. Another peak at 6009.921 (wb, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 21/25, DXLD) 5909.92, Alcaraván Radio, 0717, Spanish, nice ballad, into talk by a man with ID, sounded like a live announcement and not "canned" comments (as with an automated format). Fair and improving. 22 April (David Sharp, NSW: FT-950, NRD-535D, R8, ICF-SW7600GR, PR-D5, ICF- 2010, Timewave 599zx, MFJ 1026, MFJ 959C, Palstar MW550P, SP-2000 speaker. Also 100m noise-reducing aerial and 50m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5910, Colombia, Alcaraván Radio, Puerto Lleras. April 23 0914-0926 local music selections, religious talks by male in Spanish, in every music break “Maria; Jesus; Galilea”. Able to catch few words, 24333 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil, SW40 - Dipoles and Longwire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) [and non]. 5909.939, Marfil Estéreo [sic] HJDH Puerto Lleras in Spanish at 0754 UT Apr 25. S=8-9 signal in Florida. Religious "Alcaraván Radio" at 0756 UT. 6009.959, Voz de tu Conciencia, Puerto Lleras, religious program, sermon. And another station - playing joyful music - underneath approx. 6009.989 kHz, most likely XEOI Núcleo Radio Mil, Mexico City. Third peak also on 6010.021 kHz (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 25 via DXLD) QSL - Radio Alcaraván, 5910 sent QSL card, sticker, and promo sheet for Spanish report + CD + $2 in 42 days for report sent to address listed in WRTH. v/s Rafael Rodríguez (Bruce Portzer, WA, April 23, HCDX via DXLD) ** CONGO. 6115, Radio Congo, 1824, usual news magazine program, hosted by a woman. Signal strength remains fair-good, but the modulation continues to drop, making copy difficult. 20 April (David Sharp, NSW: FT-950, NRD-535D, R8, ICF-SW7600GR, PR-D5, ICF-2010, Timewave 599zx, MFJ 1026, MFJ 959C, Palstar MW550P, SP-2000 speaker. Also 100m noise- reducing aerial and 50m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO DR. DEMOCRATIC CONGO, 5066.35, Radio CANDIP, 1807, French, weak with lengthy news by a man, mentions of "Bunia" and "Kinshasa" with occasional Afro music bridges. Usual CW QRM lowside absent today. 20 April (David Sharp, NSW: FT-950, NRD-535D, R8, ICF-SW7600GR, PR-D5, ICF-2010, Timewave 599zx, MFJ 1026, MFJ 959C, Palstar MW550P, SP-2000 speaker. Also 100m noise-reducing aerial and 50m dipole, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO DR. Sehr schoene - wenn auch schwache - Signale aus Afrika, und noch dazu seltene Kost am 19.4: 5066.34 1800-1904 UT s/off Radio Candip, Kongo [sic] 73 (Christoph OE2CRM Ratzer, A-DX Apr 19 BCDX via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) It`s not Congo but Congo DR. As long as these two countries insist on using almost the same name, it is up to us to tell the difference, keep them separate (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CONGO-Kinshasa, 5066.3, R. Télé Candip, Bunia, 1838-1902*, 25 Apr, French, African pps [?], communiqué at 1841, more similar music, s/off with drum beat; 35342 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portgual, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COSTA RICA. 5954.26, 27/4 0130, Radio República, via Costa Rica, Clandestine to Cuba, Politics, in Spanish, fair signal but jamming QRM (Giampiero Bernardini, Milan, Italy, Perseus & AOR 7030, T2FD, SW Blog: http://radiodxsw.blogspot.com/ dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Several more logs of this under CUBA [non] ** CROATIA. 3985.00, 1815-1900, HRV, 20.04, Hrvatski R, Deanovec, Croatian, non-stop Croatian songs, 1900 ID: "Glas Hrvatski", news, 55544, ex 6165 which now opens for Chad. Best 73, (Anker Petersen, in Skovlunde, Denmark, on my AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** CUBA. 5883.000, Cuban? Spanish number reading lady, with slight 'smooth' Brazil accent at 0711 UT Apr 21. S=9+25dB in WA_DC (Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, Germany, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) A regular every night, one of the super-power transmitters = 250 kW RHC, at other times on 5898, 5800 (gh, DXLD) ** CUBA. 11760, April 24 at 1335-1349, RHC `En Contacto` DX program, with birthdays; feature on CMBF/Radio Musical Nacional, founded on April 25, 1948, so survived the revolution and incorporation into ICRT --- the classical music channel which shamefully is never put on SW but instead RHC wasting 4 or 6 frequencies at once on a single band. I later did get a prompt but lo-quality webcast connexion via http://www.cmbfradio.cu/ where you will not escape Commie propaganda but hopefully not much of it in the programming. At 1344, 11760 dumped off the air briefly. Third subject: earliest Cuban radio from amateur broadcaster 2LC, then PWX. No need for any Sunday shifts, as already last Sunday, RNV advised that there would not be any `Aló, Presidente` this week either. Yet at 1357 there was a suspicious open carrier on 15370. 13680 remained on 13680, not 13750, in the doctor show about condoms. 11760, RHC again here instead of 6010 with music // English service on 6050, April 27 at 0525. Usually 11760 is inbooming but not this time, only fair with fades. A 0540, 6010 still missing, as in `DXers Unlimited` Arnie is talking about sporadic E showing up on 10m, and how Cycle 24 is rising. 6050 was the only decent frequency for this, as // 6060 was quite weak as usual (aimed toward ENAm and Europe; also with 6055 stronger Spain intervening), and 6150 way undermodulated as usual (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. 5954.2, R. República via ELCOR, Guápiles, COSTA RICA (tho never so acknowledged), April 21 at 0607 music, then two minutes of promotional announcements, giving schedule as: 5 am-5 pm on 9965, 5 pm-5 am on 5955! UT-4 so means 09-21 and 21-09 UT respectively. Also with P O Box in Hialeah /spelt, not exactly a Spanish name, tho full of FueraCubans/, Florida. Absolutely no jamming, not even residual pulses underneath! While wall of noise against Martí 6030. What`s going on with the DentroCuban Jamming Command?? Worst problem was ACI from 5950 WYFR. At 1118 all I could hear on 9965 was jamming, but lighter at the moment than on 9955 vs WRMI, which during this hour on Thursdays has the DX program `La Rosa de Tokio` --- and nothing needing jamming any day of the week before 1200. Muchísimas gracias, Arnaldito! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5954.24, (CLANDESTINE) ELCOR (Radio República relay), Guápiles, COSTA RICA, 2358 April 22, 2011. Surprisingly, jammer-free. But WYFR on 5950 making reception messy. If it's not one thing it's another for Our 'Lil EL (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5954.2, R. República via COSTA RICA, April 22 at 0607 during music, again clear of any jamming but with a lite het from some 5955.0 station; HFCC shows Netherlands via Nauen. Also ACI from 5950 WYFR. 5954.2, R. República via ELCOR, Guápiles, COSTA RICA (as reported but never acknowledged by station), which had been totally clear of DentroCuban jamming, but April 23 at 0553, now only noise jamming audible, plus het from 5955.0 station (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Another log of this under COSTA RICA ** CUBA [non]. REFORMAN TRANSMISIONES RADIALES DE EEUU A CUBA Carlos García Pérez LAURA WIDES-MUNOZ Terra.com, COLOMBIA Una nueva generación de directores se está haciendo cargo de las transmisiones del gobierno estadounidense por radio y televisión a Cuba, y promete reformar totalmente la programación para actualizarla y atraer a una audiencia más joven. La reforma coincide con un cambio más amplio de política, ya que el presidente Barack Obama ha descartado la táctica de su antecesor George W. Bush de impulsar el derrocamiento del régimen castrista para alentar un mayor intercambio cultural y económico. Carlos García Pérez, un abogado cubano-estadounidense de 43 años, tomó la dirección de la Oficina de Transmisiones a Cuba en octubre. A diferencia de los fundadores y la mayoría de los directores de Radio Martí y TV Martí, es originario de Puerto Rico, no del enclave de exiliados anticastristas de Miami. Ni siquiera había nacido cuando el último director de Martí, el exiliado Pedro Roig, participó en la desastrosa invasión de Bahía de Cochinos (o Playa Girón) en 1961. A pesar de las numerosas críticas, García Pérez insiste que las emisiones de Radio y TV Martí pueden cumplir una función importante en la isla, donde el gobierno controla la prensa con puño de hierro y trata, frecuentemente con éxito, de bloquear TV Martí. "Permitir el flujo libre de información a nuestra audiencia (en Cuba), ésa es nuestra razón de ser. Sería buenísimo que otras emisoras comerciales tuvieran acceso, pero la realidad es otra", dijo, y destacó que en enero el gobierno cubano eliminó CNN en Español del paquete de canales que reciben los hoteles y las compañías extranjeras. El cambio incluye noticieros más largos, programas de variedades con música ligera y servicios para teléfonos móviles, que las familias en Miami llevan a sus parientes en la isla. En un programa de radio nuevo, "El Revoltillo", los dos conductores intercambian bromas mientras leen los artículos y servicios en venta ofrecidos por un sitio de internet cubano. Es un programa más práctico que abiertamente político porque pocos en la isla tienen acceso a la internet. Los conductores suelen lanzar alguna pulla al gobierno de la isla, pero no con el desdén de programas del pasado como "La oficina del jefe", con un imitador de Raúl Castro que retrataba al hermano de Fidel y actual presidente como un hombre tonto y torpe. Desde su debut el año pasado, el programa ha recibido llamadas e incluso correos electrónicos de cubanos que intentan vender, alquilar o comprar toda la gama imaginable de artículos, desde regaderas de jardín hasta los servicios de un detective privado. Y los que llaman no son, como antes, solamente disidentes. García Pérez dijo que esto se corresponde con el objetivo de las transmisiones, de facilitar una mayor comunicación entre cubanos de toda la isla. Desde hace años los detractores ponen en entredicho la dirección y normas de Martí, con el argumento de que las transmisiones tienen una audiencia reducida en la isla y dañan la imagen de Estados Unidos en el exterior. Dos proyectos a discusión en el Congreso proponen eliminar Martí, con su presupuesto de 28 millones de dólares anuales, aunque difícilmente podrán prosperar. Algunos críticos cuestionan sobre todo la conveniencia de reformar TV Martí, que recibe la mayor parte del presupuesto y que, según casi todos los testimonios, es bloqueada por el gobierno cubano. Jorge Domínguez, profesor de Harvard y especialista en Cuba que suele visitar la isla durante sus investigaciones, dice que es poco lo que las Martí pueden lograr, dadas su mala reputación y escasa audiencia en la isla. "Al gobierno cubano ya no le importa. Le importaba en los 80 y 90, pero no recuerdo que últimamente algún funcionario cubano me haya hablado de eso", dijo. Desde que tomó la dirección, García Pérez ha tratado de mejorar la credibilidad de las Martí, al reducir en un tercio su centenar de contratistas externos. Muchos consideraban estos puestos un medio para repartir dinero y ganarse los favores de los líderes del exilio cubano en Miami. García Pérez atrajo a otro joven puertorriqueño de origen cubano de la cadena en español Telemundo para ocupar la gerencia general de las Martí. Y contrató a Humberto Castello, ex director del diario en español El Nuevo Herald de Miami para modernizar y dar mayor contenido al sitio de internet de Martí. Castello no es precisamente de la llamada nueva guardia. Bajo su dirección, El Nuevo Herald enfrentó un escándalo ético por los pagos que recibían algunos periodistas de una empresa pública como las Martí, pero el diario también ganó premios periodísticos. El sitio de internet recibe un promedio de 4.000 visitas diarias, un aumento del 25% con respecto a febrero, de acuerdo con un análisis automático al que tuvo acceso The Associated Press. Muchas visitas son de Estados Unidos, Canadá y Argentina, ya que los cubanos en la isla suelen usar direcciones extranjeras de correo electrónico. Los cambios en las Martí son parte de una campaña de las transmisiones estadounidenses al exterior para conservar audiencia y lograr más con menos. Las emisoras financiadas con dinero público, con un presupuesto anual de 760 millones de dólares, emiten en 59 idiomas a una audiencia semanal de 165 millones de personas, según el organismo supervisor Broadcasting Board of Governors. Voice of America pondrá fin a sus emisiones de radio en onda corta a China. Y se esfuerza por justificar su existencia en el hemisferio occidental, donde las audiencias en todos los países menos Cuba y Venezuela cuentan con una enorme gama de medios locales, canales satelitales y páginas de internet. Con ese fin, las Martí y VOA están colaborando más para aprovechar sus recursos de manera conjunta y aumentar la credibilidad de las emisiones a Cuba. A pesar de los cambios, García Pérez insiste que la misión fundamental de las Martí no ha cambiado. "No tratamos de decirle a la gente en Cuba que Fidel y Raúl son malos, eso ya lo saben", dijo. "Queremos ser la estación número uno que lleva las noticias al pueblo cubano sobre lo que sucede en la isla en primer término, y en segundo término, abrirles una ventana al resto del mundo". ___ Internet: Martís: http://www.martinoticias.com/noticias/ FUENTE: http://bit.ly/gtSSpE (Via Yimber Gaviria, Colombia, DXLD) NEW LEADER OVERHAULS US BROADCASTS INTO CUBA by The Associated Press http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gHGLZxZTUfpyKc_OzYsClQm90Mow?docId=85fc0b8a85d644b690f56f530a946c4c MIAMI April 23, 2011, 02:34 pm ET --- A new generation of managers is taking the reins at the U.S. government's radio and TV broadcasts into Cuba, promising to overhaul the stations' programming in an effort to make them more relevant and reach a younger audience. The overhaul coincides with broader policy changes, as President Barack Obama has shifted from the Bush-era tactic of advocating the overthrow of Fidel Castro's communist government to encourage more cultural and economic exchanges to bring about political change from within the island. Carlos García-Pérez, a 43-year-old Cuban-American attorney, took over the Office of Cuba Broadcasting in October. Unlike the Martí founders and most directors since, he is from Puerto Rico, not the anti-Castro exile enclave of Miami. He wasn't even born when the last Martí director, exile Pedro Roig, participated in the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in 1961. García-Pérez insists the often-criticized TV and Radio Martí broadcasts still offer an important service in Cuba, where the government has an iron grip on the media and tries, often successfully, to block TV Martí. "To enable the free flow of information to our audience (in Cuba), that's what we're all about. It would be great if other commercial broadcasts had complete access, but that's not the reality," he said, noting the Cuban government in January removed CNN's Spanish service from a package of channels provided to hotels and foreign companies. It gave no explanation. The changes include longer news programs, overhauling entertainment shows with some lighter fare and adding services for mobile phones, which families in Miami are increasingly bringing to their relatives on the island. One new radio show, "El Revoltillo" (The Scramble), features two hosts exchanging Regis and Kelly-like banter while reading off items and services for sale from a Cuban website. The program is more practical than overtly political because few on the island have computer access. Based on nothing more than a Cuban-style Craigslist, it seems to work, mixing useful information with humor. The hosts throw in an occasional jab at the island's government but not with the same derision of past shows, such as "The Boss's Office," which frequently featured a bumbling impersonator of Raúl Castro, Fidel Castro's brother and the country's president. Since it debuted this year, the show has received calls and even emails from Cubans looking to sell, rent or buy everything from a shower hose to the services of a private investigator. Unlike most previous Martí shows, callers aren't necessarily dissidents. García- Pérez said that fits the broadcasts' goal of facilitating more exchange among Cubans from all parts of the island. Critics have for years questioned the Martís' management and standards, arguing the broadcasts reach few on the island and do as much harm as good for the U.S. image abroad. At least two recent congressional bills proposed dumping the roughly $28 million-a-year Martís, though they are unlikely to pass. And some critics particularly question the point of overhauling TV Martí, which gets most of the budget and is by most accounts successfully jammed by the Cuban government. Harvard professor and Cuba expert Jorge Domínguez, who occasionally visits the island for research, said there's only so much the Martís can change given their low reputation inside the island and TV Martí's limited audience. "Even the Cuban government no longer cares. It cared in the 1980s and 1990s, but I can't remember the last time I spoke to a Cuban official who brought it up," he said. García-Pérez has tried to shore up the broadcasts' credibility since arriving, cutting more than a third of their roughly 100 outside contractors. Their positions were often derided as a way to dole out cash and curry favor with Miami's Cuban leaders. García-Pérez also brought in another young Puerto Rican of Cuban descent from the Spanish-language network Telemundo to serve as the stations' general manager. And he hired Humberto Castello, former executive editor of Miami's Spanish-language paper El Nuevo Hérald, to add meat and modernity to the Martí website. Castello isn't exactly the new guard. Under his leadership, El Nuevo Hérald faced an ethics scandal over payments a number of its reporters were receiving from the government-run Martís, but the paper also won journalistic prizes. Traffic at the website is up 25 percent since February, with an average of 4,000 daily hits, according to an automated analysis provided to The Associated Press. Many of those are from the U.S., Canada and Argentina, as Cubans on the island often use foreign email addresses. The changes at the Martís are part of a broader push among U.S. foreign broadcasts to remain relevant and do more with less. U.S.- funded broadcasters operate on a roughly $760 million budget, in 59 languages reaching an estimated 165 million people weekly, according to the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees them. Voice of America is ending shortwave radio broadcasts in China. And it is working especially hard to justify itself in the Western Hemisphere, where people in all but two countries — Cuba and Venezuela — have an array of local media, satellite channels and Internet sites to choose from. Toward that end, the Martís and VOA are working more closely to pool resources, boosting the Martís' credibility. Despite the changes, García-Pérez insists the fundamental mission of the Martís — to provide a counterpoint to the Cuban government — hasn't changed. "We don't try to tell the people in Cuba 'Fidel and Raúl are bad.' They know that," he said. "We want to be the number one station to bring the news to the Cuban people about what's happening inside the island first and then a window to the rest of the world." ——— Online: http://www.martinoticias.com/noticias/ (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) The changes at Radio/TV Martí might "coincide" with an administration policy shift, but if they are caused by that shift, and if programming is geared to support administration policy, Radio/TV Martí will continue to have credibility problems (Kim Andrew Elliott, kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) RADIO MARTÍ EXISTE POR LA FALTA DE LIBERTAD DE EXPRESIÓN EN CUBA El periodista independiente cubano Reinaldo Escobar dijo que favorece los cambios de programación que realizan los nuevos directores de radio, televisión e Internet hacia Cuba Jorge P. Martínez/ martinoticias. com 24 de abril de 2011 Foto: EFE --- El periodista independiente Reinaldo Escobar y su esposa, la bloguera Yoani Sánchez. (Foto de archivo). ``La existencia de Radio Martí es una culpa directa de la falta de libertad de expresión en la que nos tienen sumidos las autoridades cubanas a los ciudadanos que queremos expresarnos`` El periodista independiente cubano Reinaldo Escobar declaró el domingo que ``lamentablemente Radio Martí sigue siendo necesario``, porque el gobierno de Cuba no permite que se escuchen las voces de los opositores a través de los medios informativos nacionales ni regionales. . . http://www.martinoticias.com/noticias/cuba/Radio-Marti-existe-por-la-falta-de-libertad-de-expresion-en-Cuba-120568569.html (via Oscar de Céspedes, FL, condiglist yg via DXLD) EL DIRECTOR DE RADIO MARTÍ RESPONDE | Noticias | Radio/TV Martí http://www.martinoticias.com/noticias/Carlos-responde-120594974.html Carlos García-Pérez: «Radio Martí es voz de muchos cubanos que desean vivir sin mentir» | Diario de Cuba http://www.diariodecuba.com/participa/entrevista/carlos-garcia-perez-radio-marti-es-voz-de-muchos-cubanos-que-desean-vivir-sin-m (via Oscar de Céspedes, ibid.) ** CYPRUS. OTH Radar 21120 kHz. 21080-21160 kHz (21120 center) - OTH Radar Cyprus, 12.5 pps, 80 kHz wide - I found this version the first time in 2008, July 29th. Bearings today: German PTT. Screenshot: look under "Latest Intruder News" and scroll down! (Wolf DK2OM, intruderalert Apr 25) This signal is S=9+40 in Nairobi, Kenya. Heard between 21165 to 21055 kHz. Ted 5Z4NU, Apr 25. Re OTH Radar 21120 kHz. Yes, this is the same signal I reported intruding on 15m last week. There is a narrower 8 kHz 8ms pulsed version too, that seems to make itself heard when the 80 kHz system has been running. Interesting to note that on all occasions when the 80 kHz wide version is working, I have only been able to hear one rather than three of the usual 20 kHz BW, 20ms pulses running. Undoubtedly our friends at RAF Akrotiri again (Mike Chace-Ortiz, intruder alert, Apr 25, all via BC-DX April 27 via DXLD) ** CYPRUS. 18028-18053, OTH radar pulsing, presumed from here, April 28 at 1425 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CYPRUS [non]. MBR change: Radio Dardasha 7 in Arabic 1900-1930 NF 13740 WER 125 kW / 180 deg to WeAf, ex 13640 to avoid AIR Arabic (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 22 April via DXLD) GERMANY. via Wertachtal, 13740, Radio Dardasha 7, 1900-1929*, April 23, instrumental music. Some traditional Arabic music. Arabic talk. IDs. Abrupt sign off. Good (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) ** CZECHIA [non]. 9955, WRMI, April 22 at 0611, unusual VG S9+18 signal with only very slight fading, no jamming, R. Prague in English about bark beetles vs a remnant of a natural forest, Shumava National Park. Quickly found the item the way RP intends us to hear it: http://www.radio.cz/en/section/curraffrs/environment-minister-scales-back-controversial-plans-in-battle-against-bark-beetle The April 15 WRMI schedule now shows R. Prague in English Sat & Sun at 0600-0630, M-F at 0900-0930, daily 1400-1430, plus several times in Spanish, French. But this Friday broadcast is part of the WRN relay block, not further elucidated by WRMI, also with R. Prague M-F 0600- 0630. The 0900 broadcast also coincides with WRN schedule daily, but not the 1400. WRMI is also on the air weekend afternoons with WRN, including Prague at 1830-1900 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. QSL: HD2IOA, 3810 [LSB] time signal station, sent QSL card, letter, and brochure, all in Spanish, in 18 days for Spanish e- report + MP3 to inocar @ inocar.mil.ec (Bruce Portzer, WA, April 23, HCDX via DXLD) ** ECUADOR. 4814.94, R. Buen Pastor, 1140, fair, presumed the one with Spanish man with Bible readings. Did not hear an ID. 20 April (David Sharp, NSW: FT-950, NRD-535D, R8, ICF-SW7600GR, PR-D5, ICF-2010, Timewave 599zx, MFJ 1026, MFJ 959C, Palstar MW550P, SP-2000 speaker. Also 100m noise-reducing aerial and 50m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR [non]. Got a QSL from Voice of the Andes "for the reception in Russian 27.03.2011 at 1530 to 1600 UT on 9770 kHz (via Sitkunay [LITHUANIA], 100 kW). The answer came from Voronezh. QSL series with the views of Voronezh, Voronezh Spring. "Also sent two calendar cards for 2011 and schedule of broadcast transmission studios "Revelation" in 2011. The report sent by e-mail: eacc@hcjb.ru (Dmitry Kutuzov, Ryazan, Russia / "deneb-radio-dx", via RusDX April 24 via DXLD) See also CHILE ** ECUADOR [and non]. Una radio de las FARC --- La emisora convoca a los jóvenes a unirse a las FARC por $1.000 dólares mensuales. Hasta el momento, las autoridades no lograron detectar su ubicación. Giselle Jacome - Quito, Ecuador | Voz de América 20 de abril de 2011 “La Voz de la Resistencia”. Así se llama la radio que la guerrilla de las FARC pone a al aire con programación de salsa, vallenato y locutores anónimos que llaman a los jóvenes de las zonas fronterizas entre Colombia y Ecuador a unirse a sus filas para combatir “por el pueblo”, como ellos llaman a su encarnizada lucha armada que lleva casi medio siglo. Las autoridades de ambos países están haciendo un seguimiento de la señal para saber dónde esta ubicada, pero hasta el momento no han logrado detectar el lugar exacto. Según las autoridades, la radio clandestina emite desde diferentes puntos de la selva porque han detectado movimiento en la señal. Varios habitantes dijeron que la frecuencia en la que sale en las zonas donde se capta es la 95.5 FM. Otros hablan de la 95.9 o 96 FM en Sucumbíos y Julio Andrade, dos lugares que están en el oriente y sierra norte ecuatoriana. Inteligencia militar informó que la estación se encontraba fuera del aire desde octubre de 2010, pero estos últimos meses ha vuelto a sonar. Entre el 10 y el 15 de febrero, el Ejército ecuatoriano reportó sobre esta emisora e iniciaron la búsqueda, pero no tuvieron resultado favorable. Sin embargo, el tema es muy conocido en la zona de Sucumbíos. La estación se capta en casas, restaurantes, taxis y varios oyentes mencionan que tiene “buena música y buenos consejos”. Las horas en las que dedican la transmisión de los discursos de Fidel Castro, Hugo Chávez y Evo Morales están entre las 09h00 a 17h00. Es claro el mensaje que emite la emisora, pues convoca a los jóvenes a unirse a las FARC por una paga de $1.000 dólares mensuales. El año pasado, dos jóvenes -una de 15 años y el otro de 13- fallecieron en el ataque al frente 48 de las FARC que hizo el Ejército colombiano. Ellos vivían en la zona de Santa Bárbara, fronteriza con Colombia, y hacia solo 15 días que habían decidido enrolarse en ese frente. Las autoridades militares ecuatorianas están reforzando la vigilancia en la zona y han colocado una estación FM, la 100.9, que emite mensajes de civismo, valores familiares y recomendaciones para que la juventud ecuatoriana no se deje seducir por las ofertas de la guerrilla (VOANews.com http://bit.ly/dPM9nP via Yimber Gaviría, DXLD) ** EGYPT. 15710, R. Cairo, April 22 at 1332, listed Indonesian, with talk modulation marred by a ringing sound, S9+10. 250 kW, 106 degrees from Abis at 1230-1400 per HFCC. 15080, weaker R. Cairo provides a different kind of defective modulation, Arabic audio breaking up, April 22 at 1337. 250 kW, 241 degrees from Abis at 1300-1600 per HFCC. The ``don`t give a damn`` Mubarak era persists at ERTU. 9305, April 24 at 0602, R. Cairo Arabic is still on, distorted as always. Being a domestic service relay, the hours for his normally shift depending on DST; last summer the sign-off earlied from 0700 to 0600. WRTH 2011 said on page 183: ``UTC +2h (29 Apr-29 Sep: +3h). DST may end earlier (at start of Ramadan)``. But http://www.timeanddate.com says there will be no DST in Egypt in 2011y (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT [and non]. Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, and Syria -- all in English -- via World Radio Network I was recently browsing the World Radio Network website and noticed that the international broadcasters of all four of these Middle Eastern countries now offer daily English language broadcasts via the World Radio Network. The North American stream of WRN, which is offered part of the time on WRMI, doesn't have any of these stations -- one has to listen via the WRN website (or possibly the websites of the individual broadcasters) or via shortwave. All four are available on-demand, and a week's worth of programming is offered for each broadcaster. I listened to a short clip of Radio Cairo and I could actually understand what the announcer was saying. Don't know if that was the case for all 90 minutes of the broadcast. I know, "it's not shortwave", but given all the excitement in that part of the world, one might want to sneak a listen anyways. http://www.wrn.org/listeners and look for "stations". (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, April 20, NASWA yg via DXLD) A useful service, but not new, first reported months ago in DXLD (gh) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA [and non]. 15190, Radio Africa, 0628, end of the "Zion Fellowship International" program, with USA contact info. Brief dead air, then in to "Jack Van Impe Ministeries", which proclaimed the European Union, the "Third World Empire." Presumed, no ID, but don't know who else this would be. Very strong signal, but overmodulated. 23 April (David Sharp, NSW: FT-950, NRD-535D, R8, ICF-SW7600GR, PR-D5, ICF-2010, Timewave 599zx, MFJ 1026, MFJ 959C, Palstar MW550P, SP-2000 speaker. Also 100m noise-reducing aerial and 50m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15190, April 23 at 2226, R. Africa still propagating arrested, charged, tried, convicted and serving 175 years for child sex abuse, evangelist Tony Alámo. Virtually zero-beat with WYFR in Portuguese, and no trace of R. Inconfidência which if on is normally slightly off- frequency. BTW, I see that Harold Sellers` similar log where he assumed it was Brasil instead of WYFR was not corrected in the latest DSWCI DX Window, while it was promptly corrected in DXLD; WYFR to Brasil at 2200-2445 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15190, Radio Africa, 2245-2257*, April 24, English religious programming. Closing ID announcements at 2256 along with contact information. Strong. Mixing with WYFR but Radio Africa just slightly stronger than WYFR (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) 15190, R. Africa, 1408, April 23. Program of the Gospel Broadcasts (P.O. Box 786, Jeffersonville, IN); their theme song was “Amazing Grace”; 1414 Michael Anderson preaching “Life's Answers Today”; fair (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) QSL - Radio Africa 15190 sent QSL card + letter in 53 days for e- report + MP3 sent to Pan American Broadcasting's US HQ info @ panambc.com v/s Jeff Bernald mentioned a page on their website showing where they've gotten reports http://www.panambc.com/QSLmap.html (Bruce Portzer, WA, April 23, HCDX via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA. Radio Oromiya Logging & QSL --- RADIO OROMIYA, 6030 in Oromo at 0321 to 0402, April 25. Interval signal until 0330; then man & woman spoke and African vocal selections; 0344 man spoke with occasional very brief African instrumental music. Good signal but Cuban jammer continued after Radio Marti’s Sunday evening 0300 [UT Monday] close. For an e-mail to habtamu_dargie@yahoo.com, in just 6 hours I received the following response: “Dear Craighead, I am very pleased and glad to hear that our signal is received at North America. I am very surprised to hear it. It is the first time I have a report from North America. Thank you very much for your e-mail. I confirm to you that the signal you received is Radio Oromiya broadcasted on 6030 KHZ. Our programs are predominantly broadcasted in Oromo Language (Oromo is the major Ethinic group in Ethiopia with a population of around 30 million). Our programs content is mainly news and current affairs and entertainment and music shows; Our weekly programs are as follows: Monday to Friday: 3:30 GMT to 6:00 GMT 9:00 GMT to 11:00 GMT 15:30 GMT to 19:00 GMT Saturday and Sunady 3:30 GMT to 19:00 GMT Finally I want to appreciate your hobby to receive distant radio signals and wish you success in your effort to receive additional stations. God bless you. With best regards, Habtamu Dargie Oromia Radio and TV Engineering Head” I thought I’d seen reports of QSLs from North America, but Mr. Dargie obviously knows about DXing. My postal report to Radio Oromiya last August brought no response. This is the second very prompt QSL I’ve received in the past few days; the other was from Radio Fly (Wendel Craighead, Prairie Village, Kansas, USA, April 26, Cumbre DX via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA. 6110, Radio Fana. Addis Ababa. 2011/04/17 sun 0325-0402 Oromo. North African music and much talk about Gandhi. ID at 0400 "Fana." Fair at first, poor by 0400 as local sunrise in SA approaches. Already daylight in Addis, UT +3. Local sunrise 0425 (Bill Bingham, Johannesburg, South Africa, April 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. 9705, R. Ethiopia, Addis Ababa-Gedja. April 18 2048-2101, Horn of the Africa, Arabic, Pop Arabic music selections, male presumed in Amharic talks on music, national anthem. Carrier off at 2102, 33433 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil, SW40 - Dipoles and Longwire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also NIGER 9705, Radio Ethiopia, 2020-2100*, April 22, local Horn of Africa style music. Amharic talk. National Anthem at 2059. Good. No sign of Niger lately (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) See NIGER ** ETHIOPIA [and non]. ESAT sends open letter to US State Department Ethiopian Satellite Television (ESAT), which calls itself the “voice of the voiceless Ethiopians”, has published the text of an open letter to the US State Department in which it urges the US government “to use its leverages to stop [Ethiopian president] Meles Zenawi from illegally jamming radio and TV broadcasts that have been independently and objectively reporting the truth and amplifying the reality in Ethiopia.” The letter says that “ESAT is not the only media outlet that has been affected by the jamming efforts of the Meles regime. The Voice of America, which the regime has accused of instigating genocide in Ethiopia, Deutsche Welle Amharic services and other radio and TV transmissions are being jammed with technical and other forms of assistance provided by the Chinese government.” * Read the full text of the open letter http://www.ethioguardian.com/news.php?extend.4401 (April 27th, 2011 - 11:18 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. Some MBR changes: Ethiopians for Democracy in Amharic, but maybe last transmission will be on Apr. 27: 1700-1800 NF 13800 ISS 250 kW / 126 deg to EaAf Sun/Wed, ex 13820 ISS 500 kW (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 22 April via DXLD) ** EUROPE. Europirate web receiver logs --- I was at my in-laws’ house for Easter weekend with only a Degen 1103 portable and a noisy listening environment. So, instead of trying to fish poor signals out of the noise, I thought I’d give Europe a try and I listened via a web receiver in the UK to European pirates. It was a lot of fun hearing some new stations for the first time and with excellent signals. It was also kinda weird to be sending e-mails to the stations while they were on the air and have them say hi to me, etc. I could almost imagine that I was DXing from a flat in the UK. Anyway, I know that web receiver logs are kind of second rate, but I thought that some people might be interested in seeing the details and also from an American’s perspective. Radio Merlin Int’l, 6300, 4/22/11, 1850-2000 Hi to everyone on Dr. Tim’s chat. Lots of short echo jingles. ‘50s & early ‘60s American rock music: “My Boyfriend’s Back,” “Stand by Me,” “Ain’t That a Shame,” “Rubber Ball,” “Tequila,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “That’ll Be the Day.” DJ with some time checks, said hi to me for my e-mail, comments about how the records were skipping and he needed to put coins on the tone arm to keep it steady. Said one was a 12” arcade record. 4/22/1985 is RMI’s anniversary. Also 6300, 4/24, 1200-1300+ YL DJ with music by Argent, George Michael, Foreigner, KISS, ZZ Top, etc. Gave out e-mail and phone numbers. Said she was located in Liverpool and she pre-records her shows. Sounded like it was running from cassette that was either tight or being run from an unstable voltage because the playback speed varied a little. A lot of bleedover from an adjacent-channel station. (Yoder, PA via UK web receiver) Radio Underground: 3905, 4/22/11, 2000-2100+ Steve listening to Radio Caroline’s RSL from Ross Revenge, RC having tech problems with Internet, etc. Said he could hear storms on 48 m, so 76m probably wasn’t the best choice. Giving phone numbers for those inside & outside the “uck” (UK). 44-077-510-13709 Odd mix of pop music, including one whistling tune. Occasional brief blasts of digital data from a utility. Played Alan Parsons “I, Robot” & said it makes him think of Austin Powers, but he couldn’t think of the name, so he asked for some listener participation. Radioundergroundsw @ gmail.com (Yoder, PA via UK web receiver) Radio Trans Europe: 6300, 4/23, 1400-1414* Played a few rock songs, then signed off. Said 70 watts and that he hoped to be back later. Nice signal on the tuner (Yoder, PA via UK web receiver) Misti Radio: 6290, 4/23, 1430-1440 Light pop, “I Never Knew Love Like This Before,” reggae song, “Rock Me, Baby,” + some organ schlager. Misti John IDed, said hi to listeners on Iann’s chat room & asked if people liked the music. He said “Roni, you make an old man very happy.” (Yoder, PA via UK web receiver) Mustang Radio: 6325, 4/23, 1451-1452 Just heard end, OM DJ saying “Radio Mustang…low-power…5 watts.” Off after ABBA “SOS.” (Yoder, PA via UK web receiver) Bogusman: 3932, 4/23, 1950-2140+ Prog rock “Anathema”, a song I didn't know that he said he bought in 1999, early XTC “Tissue Tigers.” Talk about looking at the price of some used motorcycles, but 100 pounds was too much. Another batch of talk about the website being up on weekends. Program looped after about an hour or so. Said he had a guy announce the address in Liverpool every week but no one could understand it, so consequently no one wrote in. differentradio @ yahoo.co.uk Said he's only mildly interested in Rachel nextdoor. Guy tried to convince him to buy his bike shop (Yoder, PA via UK web receiver) Radio Star International: 6205, 4/24, 1300-1402* Playing album tracks or less-known singles by Cliff Bennett & the Rabble Rousers, Sam Cooke, Elvis, Johnny & the Hurricanes, Brenda Lee, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, Billy Lee Riley, Wanda Jackson, Paul Anka, Bill Haley & the Comets. “The brightest sound on the international dial.” Pro-sounding deep-voiced DJ, Rob Murray, with occasional info about early rock stations, such as KING Radio & Radio Luxemburg (Yoder, PA via UK web receiver) Northcoast Radio: 6300, 4/25, 1430-1745+ Lots of pop & dance music, including New Order “Blue Monday” at 1436. Hi to Chris, but no IDs. Went on Iann’s chatroom & asked Chris who it was myself (so ID per Chris). Later, IDs and “Highway to Hell” AC/DC, “They’re Coming to Take Me Away Ha Ha” Napoleon XIV, Slade, Madness, ZZ Top, Steppenwolf, Sweet, Supertramp, Shocking Blue, Shania Twain, Santana, Guns & Roses, Queen + occasional schlager. Mostly music with very rare IDs. For about an hour or so, nearly every artist started with “S” (Yoder, PA via UK web receiver) Radio Barones: 1633, 4/25, 1753-1915+ 2 Rolling Stones songs, incl “Time Is on My Side.” The Baro in Dutch, with a few words in English. Mostly Dutch songs, incl some schlager. “Auf Wiedersehen” Dutch version of “Sounds of Silence” Mashup of “Sex Machine” and “Led Zep “While Lotta Love” (Yoder, PA via UK web receiver) Unid: 6315, 4/25, 1917-1941+ Not really an unid; I just couldn’t copy the ID on my first try. Billy Idol “Eyes without a Face” “Flesh for Fantasy” (Andrew Yoder, PA, via UK web receiver, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) Axually, it was a UK web receiver via Yoder, vectorly (gh) ** GABON. 9580, Africa Numéro Un, April 23 at 0542, news in French about Libya, Algeria. One can`t help but wonder how objective they are when it comes to Libya, which was reported a few years ago to have bought into AN1, but I`m not sure if it`s a controlling interest. How much of the programming is axually originating in Paris, news? Poor reception as usual (Glenn hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Mathias Kropf - RIP === It is with sadness that I pass on the news received from Daniela that her uncle, Mathias Kropf, died suddenly on 1 April 2011. Mathias was well known for his interest in Clandestine Radio. For many years he has produced the Clandestine Activity Survey, and has for some time been editor of the Clandestine Radio column in the World DX Club's Contact magazine. Our sympathies and condolences go to Daniela and to all his family (Alan Roe, Teddington, UK, World DX Club, April 23, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Mathias Kropf - died on April 1st, 2011. Eine weitere traurige Nachricht. Mathias Kropf Maehr.-Schoenberger-Str. 9 36251 Bad Hersfeld Fax +49 6621 965830 seit vielen - an die 30-35 - Jahre der Clandestine Column Redakteur beim englischen World DX Club Magazin "Contact" lebt nicht mehr. Zum Jahresende verfasste er in den vergangenen Jahren immer den Clandestine Activity Survey über die Statistik von Geheimsendungen und Jammingtätigkeit weltweit. Heute erreichten mich diese Zeilen. 73 wolfgang ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mathias Kropf" <100144.232@compuserve.com> Sent: Friday, April 22, 2011 6:49 PM Subject: AW: Dx Mix News # 671 April 04, 2011 > Hello, I must unfortunately say that Mathias, the user, already died on Apr 01, suddenly. I'm very sorry. With best regards, Daniela Die letzten Zeilen der Column im CONTACT Heft April 2011. === ``Hello and welcome again to the Clandestine column. Here are this month´s news: North Korea ­ NIPPON NO KAZE heard on 12 March from Palau from tune-in at 1518 on 9975 with YL talk and a Japanese pop song, followed by more talk with what sounded like a list (of names?) read of a soft music bed. Web address of www.rachi.go.jp given. Transmitter off at 1529. Quick re-tune to 9965 to hear Nippon no Kaze signing-on again, still from Palau at 1530. Confirmed after 20 minutes as a repeat of the 1500 transmission. Transmitter off at 1559. Signal fair/poor. (Alan Roe, UK) Sudan ­ SUDAN RADIO SERVICE (Darfur Service) heard signing-on on 12 March at 1601 on 17700 via Ascension, signal fair/poor. Also 11785 via Meyerton heard in parallel, but weaker signal. Meanwhile the main Sudan Radio Service transmission heard on 17745 via Sines (not parallel with 17700/11785) with African music at 1607. RADIO DABANGA heard signing-on on 18 March with fair/good signal on 9785 via Wertachtal, with the lively R Dabanga jingle, YL talk and many mentions of Radio Dabanga. (Alan Roe, UK) With regard to the coverage of the 2010 Clandestine Activity Survey in this column in recent months the question has been raised by David Crystal why Israel is listed as an active target area. Well, this is due to the Voice of the Palestine Islamic Revolution, broadcasting via the VoIRIB for one hour daily. (MK) I hope to see you again next month. 73, Mathias`` (via Wolfgang Büschel, DXLD) obit ** GERMANY. The Mainflingen transmitter on 1539 kHz will be closed down at yearend. Already as of Aug 1st the evening transmission (1930- 2300 CET = 1730-2100 UT in summer) will be cancelled and the transmitter be on air only in the morning (0500-1000 CET = 0300-0800 UT in summer) for the last five months. http://www.erf.de/index.php?node=4355&content_item=1026 ... which refers listeners to DAB, although the transmitter network that will be on air from August does not provide full coverage of Germany. The release also flatly mentions "financial reasons" for abandoning mediumwave. It specifies the airtime in the morning as 0600-1000 because the first hour contains programmes in foreign languages which ERF usually does not communicate in a context with its German radio service. Just six years ago the transmission facility had been upgraded with a new NVIS antenna and a pair of Thomson S7HP transmitters, for which ERF at this point mentioned investments of three million Euros. This involved a renewal of the transmission contract with Media Broadcast for another ten years, but apparently an early termination has been agreed now (perhaps a connection to DAB transmission contracts exists, but this is entirely speculation). Meanwhile ERF appears to be best known for its TV service. A while ago I talked with someone from the TV business, who also works with ERF, about this organization and its origins. He was stunned when I told him about 1539 kHz and the brand-new 700 kW equipment for which millions had been spent. In fact he had never heard about the use of this former Deutschlandfunk frequency at all, and those people he knows as viewers of the ERF TV programmes in all likelihood had not either (Kai Ludwig, Germany, April 24, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ERF = Evangeliums Rundfunk = Trans World Radio ** GERMANY. 6005, 27/4 0850, Radio 700, Germany, talks in German & songs, also German songs, weak/fair slow fading (Giampiero Bernardini, Milan, Italy, Perseus & AOR 7030, T2FD, SW Blog: http://radiodxsw.blogspot.com/ dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Radio 6150 kHz announcing tests with 6 kW --- During the coming days (European morning/midday/afternoon) keep an ear on 6150. Radio 6150 from Southern Germany will test its PA with full power of 6 kW PEP on 6150 kHz. Exact times for the tests are not known yet. This is a licenced station. Reception reports are welcomed at qsl @ radio6150.de 73 (Harald Kuhl via BDXC-UK, via Mike Terry, April 21, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) ** GERMANY. 6190, Deutschland Radio, 0146-0259 Apr 21. Program of classical music to woman announcer with German talk, 3+1 time pips, ID and man with the news. Jingle ID after news at 0205 with woman announcer returning to host more classical music programming. Poor to fair but in the clear until Radio Netherlands opened with Dutch to North America at 0259 (Rich D'Angelo, Wyomissing, PA 19610, Ten-Tec RX-340, Drake R-8B, Eton E1, Eton E5, Alpha Delta DX Sloper, RF Systems Mini-Windom, Datong FL3, JPS ANC-4, NASWA Flashsheet via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) This is the only domestic `public station` SW radio outlet left from Germany; WRTH says 17 kW from Berlin (gh, ibid.) ** GERMANY. MV Baltic Radio - Test Transmissions on 9480 kHz Between this Sunday and Monday MV Baltic Radio will broadcast some test-transmissions on 9480 khz. The time slots will be 8-9, 11-12 and 13-14 UT. Please sent reports to: info @ mvbalticradio.de Thank You! (Tom Taylor, April 23, HCDX via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) >13 might have a bit of QRM from WTWW 9479 (gh, WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) ** GERMANY. IBB transmitter sites: IBB Lampertheim (former R Liberty): http://v5.cache3.c.bigcache.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/39717660.jpg?redirect_counter=1 http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/39562684.jpg http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/39562680.jpg http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/39562675.jpg http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/39562677.jpg IBB Biblis (former RFE) http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/39338761.jpg http://v6.cache4.c.bigcache.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/36424245.jpg?redirect_counter=1 http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/39562992.jpg http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/39562991.jpg http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/39562989.jpg (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY [non]. New Frequency changes of Deutsche Welle: German to AUS/NZ 0800-0900 17860 TRM 250 kW / 120 deg, ex 15650 Amharic to EaAf 1600-1700 11835 KIG 250 kW / 000 deg, ex 11630 to avoid CNR-8 Kazakh 17780 SIN 250 kW / 110 deg, ex 21840 // 9800 KIG 250 kW / 030 deg Chinese to EaAs 2300-2400 9865 SNG 100 kW / 013 deg, ex 11655 to avoid RTI Vietnamese 11965 TRM 250 kW / 045 deg, ex 9865 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 22 April via DXLD) ** GERMANY [non]. UNKNOWNIA: 9735, 2152-2157*, 21-Apr; English feature on Royal Wedding memorabilia including Royal Wedding Sick Bags, with a tasteful picture of the couple -- only 3.4 euros each! Off abruptly at 2157. SIO=4+41 with brief rat-a-tat burst. Nothing in EiBi but Aoki lists Deutsche Welle via Portugal in English, and going off at 2157 (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 125 ft. bow-tie; 85 ft. RW & 180 ft. center-fed RW, logged by ear, on my receiver, in real time! DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE. ERT 5: "THE VOICE OF GREECE" A11 SHORT WAVE TRANSMISSION SCHEDULE Effective from 27/03/11 to 30/10/11 (00:00)UT EUROPE 0000-0300 9420 7475 Gr 0300-0500 9420 *7475 15630 Gr 0500-0600 9420 15630 Gr 0600-1000 9420 15630 Gr 1100-2300 9420 *15630 Gr 2300-2400 9420 7475 Gr EUROPE Foreign Language Transmissions 0500-0600 665 *11645 Eng, F 0800-1000 665 11645 G, Rus 1200-1500 665 TASKENT 1100-1300 9420 Gr M.EAST/INDIAN OCEAN/AUSTRALIA 2300-2400 15650 Gr 0000-0300 *15650 Gr AMERICA/ATLANTIC OCEAN 0000-0300 9420 7475 Gr 0300-0500 9420 15630 *7475 Gr 0500-0600 9420 15630 Gr 1700-2300 9420 *15630 Gr 2300-2400 9420 7475 Gr SOUTH AMERICA/PANAMA ZONE/NW AFRICA 0300-0500 15630 *7475 Gr 1700-2000 15630 Gr 2000-2300 *15630 Gr 2300-0300 7475 Gr AFRICA 0600-0800 *17705 (*) Transmission ends 10 minutes earlier (1) Gr=Greek, Eng=English, F=French, G= German, Rus= Russian LIVE RADIO URL: http://www.voiceofgreece.gr http://www.ert.gr Tel. studio 210 606 6439 Reports via INTERNET: era5 @ ert.gr apodimos_era5 @ ert.gr Technical Problems via e-mail: bcharalabopoulos @ ert.gr REPORTS CONCERNING THE PROGRAMS OF ERA-5 "THE VOICE OF GREECE": ERA-5 "THE VOICE OF GREECE," Messogeion 432, 15342, Aghia Paraskevi, Attikis, Tel.: (+30)-210 6895-96, (+30)-210 606-6297-98, (+30)-210 6398, Fax: (+30)-210 606 6309 (John Babbis for DX LISTENING DIGEST) Greek to English translation: Athens, April 2011, Dear listener / Dear listener The Voice of Greece "- ERA5 through enhanced frequencies of short waves of FM (106,7), and the Internet (www.voiceofgreece.gr) can now be addressed with a loud voice (signal) to the world. Transmitting a live radio program integrated with various emission bands of information, mainly homogeny interest. Our goal is to promote Greek culture through special courses, which cover almost all sectors of Greek literature and the arts, science, politics, social and economic activity. In the new, updated program can be heard a variety of music programs (Traditional, folk, folk, classical and modern Greek music) and emissions for the book arts, film, culture, shipping. The Greek agricultural products, environment, energy, and emissions for Youth, a daily radio chat young people living at home with the youths everywhere. Our new program is a panorama of modern Greece and capabilities, Greece, 2011. Please send any new frequencies and the program summary of the "Voice of Greece" EPA-5, and we are at your disposal for any information on the operation of the "Voice of Greece". We wish you a Happy Easter, health, and we expect soon home. Yours sincerely, The Director General Broadcasting, D. Papadimitriou The Director of International Radio Broadcasting, J. Triantafyllis Voice of Greece "Mesogeion 432, t.k.15342, Agia Paraskevi, Attica Tel: 210 6066895-6, Tel Studio: 210 6066439, fax: 2106066309 Email: era5@ert.gr, apodimos_era5 @ ert.gr Internet: http://www.voiceofgreece.gr http://www.ert.gr (via John Babbis, DXLD) ** GREECE. 9420, April 24 at 0534, classical choral music with soloist which struck me as in German during the few seconds I heard it, maybe something by Bach for Easter, instead of the usual off-key singing by GO monx heard Sunday mornings from VOG. 0535 music seemed incomplete but into Greek announcement, more triumphal choral music. Per http://www.gmarts.org/index.php?go=413 this year the Orthodox and Unorthodox Christian faxions have got their acts together, managed to pick the same date for Easter; next year they`ll be a week apart. Fluttery signal, but after 0530, so no Iran clash (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Easter always falls on the Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox. The Roman Catholic Church (which most Christian churches adhere to for feast day setting) uses the Gregorian calendar. The Orthodox Churches use the Julian calendar. That explains the usual discrepancy in dates which can be up to a month apart. This year is a fairly rare occurrence when both calendars are in basic agreement (Mark Coady, Peterborough, ON K9J 6X3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11645, GREECE. Radio Filia, 0457 Apr 24. Tune-in and Greek music in progress, 0500 time pips, s/on in Greek and man with news. Check back at 0510 and at frequent intervals to hear classical choir and opera music with no talk or announcements, no English or French as scheduled. //9420 and 15630 which also doesn’t match their schedule. I presume the labor dispute continues at ERT. 0551 cut music suddenly and off. Good. (Harold Sellers, Vernon, British Columbia, Listening from my car, lakeside, with Eton E1 and Sony AN1 active whip antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11645, VOG with the R. Filia service is not always propagating, but April 27 at 0526, poor signal in non-English talk, not // 9420. Might be separate Greek, but not sure; no change after 0530 during hour sometimes in English including BBCWS relay (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) FREQUENCY FOUL-UP ON VOG --- Good afternoon Demetri: I hope that you and your family had an enjoyable Easter. I would like to inform you that the frequencies of the Voice of Greece last night were not as they are listed on the recent Frequency Schedule that Apodimos sent to me. This is the way they are supposed to be: TUESDAY WEDNESDAY 4/27 2300 0000 0100 0200 MHz. Az. Kw. Station ----- ----- ----- ----- 15.650 105 100 AVL 1 ERA5 ----- ----- ----- ----- 7.475 285 100 AVL 2 ERA5 ----- ----- ----- ----- 9.420 323 170 AVL 3 ERA5 This is the way that I heard them last night: TUESDAY WEDNESDAY 4/27 2300 0000 0100 0200 MHz. Az. Kw. Station 35333 45444 45455 45455 7.450 323 100 AVL 1 ERT5 00000 45444 35343 35333 15.630 285 100 AVL 2 ERA5 *44444*43444*43444*43444 9.420 323 170 AVL 3 ERA5 *Co-channel interference from Iran Radio. Regards, (John Babbis, via DXLD) Seems that it was a one day switching error only: today 7450 was replaced by 7475 and 15630 with 15650 kHz. 7475 kHz started playing the beautiful Tsopanakos imouna at 2256 and 15650 at 2257. It's been a while since I heard it the last time, the same with the English ID ... 73, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Good evening Mauno: I think the engineer forgot to change the frequencies at 2300 UT yesterday. The beautiful Tsopanakos imouna http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVRxc_0kM-Y Regards, (John Babbis, ibid.) ** GREECE. 9420, Voice of Greece, Vathy. . .` (DSWCI DX Window April 20 via DXLD) So said logs from Harold Sellers, but he never said Vathy originally; that was inserted by the DXW editor. Nor were some errors in that report of his corrected in DXW like they had been promptly in DXLD. Vathy? SW transmitter site is normally called Avlis (AVL). Comes from WRTH 2011 saying: ``[AVL] Vathy (Avlida Municipality), Kalochori- Pantichi: 2 x 200 kW, 1 x 250 kW`` (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUAM. AWR 11740 kHz with sign on at 1630 UT and Wavescan. Very Good April 17/11 (Mickey Delmage, Sherwood Park, Alberta, using my relatively new Perseus SDR and various antenna, mainly a log periodic, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUAM. PUBLIC NOTICE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 445 12th STREET S.W. WASHINGTON D.C. 20554 News media information 202-418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov (or ftp.fcc.gov) TTY (202) 418-2555 Wednesday April 27, 2011IHF-00105 Report No. RE: ACTIONS TAKEN INTERNATIONAL HIGH FREQUENCY The Commission, by its International Bureau, took the following actions pursuant to delegated authority. The effective dates of the actions are the dates specified. For more information concerning this Notice, contact Tom Polzin at 418-2148; Thomas.Polzin @ fcc.gov; TTY 202-418-2555. KTWR IHF-C/P-20110216-00001 P Date Effective: 04/21/2011 Grant of Authority Construction Permit Trans World Radio Pacific Application for Authority to Construct or Make Changes in an International Broadcast Station located in Merizo, GU (via Benn Kobb, DC, April 27, DXLD) ** GUATEMALA. 4055, R Verdad (presumed), Spanish YL religious talk, then into banjo music & OM bass vocal with religious type tunes. Into Spanish YL talk. Never did hear a definite ID but started to get much better by ToH. Started out at SIO 2+32+ & peaked at 333 0330-0400 19/Apr -- Zichi MI 4055, R Verdad: Recheck at 0457 showed end of Spanish program and a LONG period of dead air -- 2-3 minutes -- until ToH when English religious program started, which included singing to ye olde tyme gospel music & Bible reading including a VERY long genealogical-type passage (Old Testament?) with 'son of Levi, son of Isaac' etc. & general religious chit chat type programming. ID (FINALLY) in Spanish then again in English at 0554 with not only a full ID including location, but also address & request for reception reports, all done over a harpy/twangy sort of instrument. S/off announcement at 0601 in Spanish & English, then National Anthem(presumed) with children singing & carrier off at 0605; SIO 33+3+ for most of the time. 0457- 0605* 19/Apr (Kenneth Vito Zichi, MI, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) 4055, Radio Verdad, 1104, Spanish, listened through 'till 1130, and heard a program of choral and traditional hymns, with occasional talk by Spanish man. Best-ever reception, so the higher power and new frequency helps. Previous frequency was subject to Royal Flying Doctor communications. 20 April (David Sharp, NSW: FT-950, NRD-535D, R8, ICF- SW7600GR, PR-D5, ICF-2010, Timewave 599zx, MFJ 1026, MFJ 959C, Palstar MW550P, SP-2000 speaker. Also 100m noise-reducing aerial and 50m dipole, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4055, R. Verdad, not on the air yet April 21 at 1108, in their widely varying sign-ons after nominal *1100 except Sundays. 4055, April 24 at 0547, R. Truth with hymn in English ``Softly & Tenderly, Jesus Is Calling``, but modulation quite distorted on S9+17 signal; also vs atmosferix with spring storms not far away in OK (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) QSL: Radio Verdad, 4055 sent English e-mail confirmation in 5 days for English report to radioverdad5 @ yahoo.com Edgar Madrid said he would send QSL card as soon as he has time (Bruce Portzer, WA, April 23, HCDX via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) 4055, R. Verdad, April 26 at 0553 fair with pervasive storm noise on these lower bands, carrier unstable and hard to zero-beat, already in sign-off routine in Spanish, English, 0554 German. Also received April 25: QSL #10 for their Anniversary 11, ``Nueva Etapa`` showing 4.055 MHz, with 7 photos of staff and equipment, predominant color blue instead of green. Endorsed by Édgar on reverse, ``many technical reports, 700 watts, with special gratefulness``. Also enclosed the check from Jesucristo, 1-sheet 2011y calendar with photo of Dr Madrid next to his colleague from Nueva Radio Lwenge FM, Congo [which one?]; two info sheets as of April 15 with listenership statistics; yellow bumper sticker; and the new fabric rather than plastic/rubber pennant. This time the envelope bears 3 x Q6.50 stamps, a Q0.50 and a Q5.00 for a total of Q25, all from the same set, three very nice and colorful geometric fabric (?) designs, the work of Priscilla Bianchi --- but the stamps are stuck on the back of the envelope, sort of sealing it as the flap was tucked in, and the 0.50 and 5.00 stamps are stuck on top of the 6.50s! Worse, they are all underneath a big piece of clear sticky tape to seal the envelope for sure. I`ll have to explain how to make philatelists even happier (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Today, April 27, 2011, I received a nice letter from Radio Verdad manager Edgar including a color QSL, pennant, calendar, bumper sticker and various papers. I sent my reception report at the end of January by regular mail so it took roughly 2 months to arrive. PS: Thank you Glenn for your help! 73 de (Daniel Gillet, VE4PBX, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUINEA. 7125, RTVG, 0802, threshold with French talk (news?) by a man, only copyable when the hams weren't tuning-up their rigs. 22 April (David Sharp, NSW: FT-950, NRD-535D, R8, ICF-SW7600GR, PR-D5, ICF-2010, Timewave 599zx, MFJ 1026, MFJ 959C, Palstar MW550P, SP-2000 speaker. Also 100m noise-reducing aerial and 50m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7125, RTG, on the air much earlier than usual, April 23 at 0546 in French, 0548 ID in passing as ``la Radio-Télévision de Guinée``; fair- sounding signal tho registering S9+20 and avoided by QRhaMs. Most nights I don`t hear it by 0615 or so and wonder if it ever comes on (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7125, R. Conakry. April, 24 0812-0826 African music, male in French, African music with some Arabic style (maybe a Islamism space or program), back male. Weak, degrading, at peak 35433. 73’s (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil, SW40 - Dipoles and Longwire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUINEA. 7125, April 28 at 0557, hilife music, only poor signal less than usual, but again on before 0600 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. The website of AIR Aizawl is: http://airaizawl.in/air/ 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Raj Bhavan Road, Hyderabad 500082, India, April 25, dx_india yg via DXLD) WTFK? 5050, not reported lately; is it active? (gh, DXLD) AIR Aizawl MW antenna - Panoramio. With GE imagery we've never been able to see/locate the SW antennas of AIR Aizawl site with GE imagery. Today I spotted a Panoramio user photo of the area that shows the assumed MW antenna. But it doesn't show any SW antenna masts (granted, it is a distant shot), where typically in the AIR SW installations the support masts are usually substantial & easily identifiable. Could the SW antennas be located elsewhere or are they simple thin mast SW antennas at the site: 23 44 03 N 92 42 21 E ? Panoramio image here (red/white mast over to the right of image): (Ian Baxter, NSW, shortwavesites Apr 24 via BC-DX via DXLD) AIR Aizawl MW antenna - Panoramio, see 10 kW SW unit only - yet, 50 kW probably in future. But no location given so far. Sure location next to the MW mast too. Interesting green border landscape area next to Myanmar and China, people faces looks like Burmese or Chinese, see the beautiful FM ladies pictures... see 66 pictures, slideshow and 40 more, like (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews April 27 via DXLD) ** INDIA. 13710, AIR GOS, April 22 at 1339 ending news, GOS of AIR ID, Commentary on PSLVs (?), the last two letters meaning launch vehicles, as in space shots; 1346 programme summary for rest of sesquihour, ``Night Music`` with vocal Indian classical until 1400 `Radio Newsreel` starts. Unusually, this frequency was well atop the ChiCom CCI, // 9690 almost as good but always with hum (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. RRI Ternate (presumed), 3345 kHz, Indo and western pop music including Shania Twain at 1237 UT, Poor April 17/11 (Mickey Delmage, Sherwood Park, Alberta, using my relatively new Perseus SDR and various antenna, mainly a log periodic, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 3344.97, RRI Ternate, 1302-1402, April 21. It’s Thursday so it’s the “Bali International English Club” show; today was solely a self serving promotion of their own English Learning Center; the oldest one in North Maluku (started 20 years ago) and the only one accredited as “Cambridge International”; at the center they have a penalty of 1,000 rupiah for anyone caught speaking Bahasa Indonesia; the center is open from 7:30 AM to 9 PM; almost fair. Even with all the self advertisement, I still found this entertaining. 3344.97, RRI Ternate, 1330, April 26. Not heard, so they must have gone off early; not heard on subsequent checks. 3344.97, RRI Ternate, 1308, April 28. Late starting the Thursday program of the “Bali International English Club”; today a different announcer taking to many students about their “strategy for learning English”; students told of their daily activities; still emphasizing North Maluku; tuned out 1340 (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. 9526-, April 24 at 1313, VOI with ``News from Around the Country`` segment during English hour. Tho registering a respectable S9+18, has some flutter, and lately VOI has not been coming thru with the usual oomph, tho I have not noticed any absences. Also bits of IADs continue (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9526, RRI, 143x, OM with peculiar song that turned into dangdut, Good For 22.4. Also on 24.4 at 1350 with English service, 1400 with Indo service with a 30+ minutes of drama series (112th episode) then a music program featuring mostly Andre Hehanusa (singer of mid 90s). 1500 back to English with sign-off abruptly at 1510; 43444, 24.4 in Litohoro (Zacharias Liangas, Greece, HCDX via DXLD) 9525.96, Voice of Indonesia, *0955-1015, April 25, abrupt sign on in listed Korean in progress. Theme music. Into listed English at 1000, but signal too weak to actually ID language (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) 9526-, VOI, April 26 at 1345 check, very poor with music audible, and carrier definitely on this frequency, so not off the air, but might as well be for such insufficient reception during another presumed `Exotic Indonesia` Banjarmasin-Tuesday (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. 9680.054, RRI Jakarta Cimanggis weak Indonesian S=7 signal in Vancouver Isl. at 0855 UT Apr 20. Carrier wandered from x.036 to x.054 kHz within 8-10 UT hours. VOI at 1228 on 9525.969 (Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, Germany, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 20, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL ATMOSPHERE. Blue Horizon Project ARRL --- Transatlantic Amateur Radio Balloon Launch --- 04/20/2011 The Project Blue Horizon team is attempting to break current Amateur Radio high-altitude balloon records for distance (3361.81 miles) and duration (49 hours, 45 minutes). The payload will be carried beneath a 54,000 cubic foot capacity helium-filled balloon cruising between 85,000 and 100,000 feet. Amateurs worldwide are encouraged to monitor the N2XE CW telemetry beacons at 7.1023 and 10.1466 MHz. The balloon is also equipped with an APRS beacon at 144.39 MHz using the call sign KC2ZJH. Amateurs can send reports via e-mail to PBH15.data @ gmail.com More information about the program, including the latest projected flight path, is at the Project Blue Horizon website [1]. Launch and flight updates will also be available on Twitter [2]. [1] http://www.projectbluehorizon.com/ [2] http://twitter.com/PBH5 (ARRL via Alejandro D Alvarez, LU8YD, Apr 20, condiglist yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) The beacons, telemetry are by definition one-way. Thus you do not need to be an amateur or even own a transmitter in order to monitor them, duh! Launch has been postponed until April 27-29. As of early UT April 28 website said launch planned for April 29 at 01 UT (gh, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. South Herts Radio Replay --- When we cannot broadcast for whatever reason check out replays of recent DX programmes, etc., including WORLD OF RADIO hosted from our listen live page: http://www.southhertsradio.com/live.html We will still aim to be on air most Sundays and there is still the options to download or listen again. http://www.southhertsradio.com/again.html 73 (Gary Drew, SHR, April 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. I sent WRN a message recently asking them to consider adding more diversity to their North America stream. I got this reply from their Web Team: "...many thanks for your message and feedback, we will forward this to our presentation department. In the meantime, we do have Radio Damascus, Radio Cairo and Radio Algeria available on our website." (Scott Walker, PA USA, internetradio via DXLD) See also below ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. The WRN USA stream is also offered on SiriusXM. That's where I hear Hauser's World Of Radio on Sat/Sunday at 1:30 pm Eastern time (Chris, Lobdell, MA, NASWA yg via DXLD) 1730 UT Still subject to pre-emption for sports, etc. on that channel? (gh) ** IRAN. [Re 11-16]. New time of IRIB in English "Voice of Justice" to NoAm from Apr. 14: 0330-0327 on 9605 KAM 500 kW / 324 deg, ex 0130-0227 on same 0330-0327 on 11920 SIR 500 kW / 330 deg, ex 0130-0227 on same (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 22 April via DXLD) Sic; means -0427 9605, V. of Justice, April 21 at 0342, poor with fading and ACI from much stronger 9610 = Vatican via CANADA until 0400; // 11920 in the clear and a bit better than 9605. 9605 is 500 kW, 324 degrees from Kamalabad, and same site has another registered broadcast on 9610 at 0330-0430, 500 kW, 250 degrees, the Voice of Palestine service. 11920 is 500 kW, 330 degrees from Sirjan. Tnx to tip from Alan Pennington, UK, that VIRI had just moved the NAm service two hours later (why?), originally at 0130 and so I heard it a few nights before when both frequencies were good and clear (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN [non]. Site Unknown ====== CLANDESTINE === 5810, R. Rahoya Iran, Apr 13 1627-1659*, 43443-44433, Farsi, Talk, ID at 1633 and 1648 and 1658, 1659 sign off (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium April 22 via DXLD) HFCC shows nothing but WRN reserved KCH = Grigoriopol, PRIDNESTROVYE, at 1530-1730 on 5810, 200 kW, 100 degrees to CIRAF 40 (gh, DXLD) ** ISRAEL. Summer A-11 schedule for Kol Israel in Persian: 1400-1525 on 11595*ISR 250 kW / 090 deg to WeAs Sun-Thu 13850#ISR 250 kW / 090 deg to WeAs 1400-1500 on 11595*ISR 250 kW / 090 deg to WeAs Fri/Sat 13850 #SR 250 kW / 090 deg to WeAs * co-channel VOA in Tibetan till 1500 and Iranian Bubble Jammer # plus Iranian Bubble Jammer (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 26 April via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. 15850, Galei Zahal, 2350-2400, April 22, English pop music. Local pop music. Hebrew announcements. Fair. Weaker on // 6977 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) Domenica 24 aprile 2011 - 2139 - 6977 // 15850 kHz, GALEI ZAHAL - Lod (Israele), Telefonata in diretta. Segnale sufficiente buono (6977) - Una marea di scariche tropicali! (Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova), Italia, Etón E5, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) 6977, Galei Zahal, 0413 again, with news, being in // 15850 with S5 max or 34433, 27.4 (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, HCDX via DXLD) ** ITALY [non]. Summer A-11 of NEXUS-IBA IRRS Shortwave from Milan, Italy: Miraya FM Radio 0300-0600 on 9670 RSO 150 kW / 150 deg to EaAf/Sudan in Eng/Ara Daily 1400-1700 on 15710 RSO 150 kW / 150 deg to EaAf/Sudan in Eng/Ara Daily European Gospel Radio/International Public Access Radio, including DXPL/WOR programs* 0800-0900 on 9510 RSO 150 kW / non-dir to Eu/ME/NoAf English Sat 0930-1200 on 9510 RSO 150 kW / non-dir to Eu/ME/NoAf English Sun 1800-1900 on 7290 RSO 150 kW / 060 deg to Eu/ME/NoAf English Fri-Sun *DX Party Line: 2nd/3rd/4th(5th)Sat 0830-0845; Sat 1845-1900; Sun 1145-1200 *World of Radio: Sat 1800-1830 *Radio Joystick in German: 1st Sat 0800-0900 [RSO = Rimavska Sobota, SLOVAKIA] (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 26 April via DXLD) ** JAPAN [non]. 6110 via CANADA, NHK World R. Japan, UT Sunday April 24 at 0524 mailbag during `Friends Around the World`, which per website is the successor to `World Interactive` and with new W&M hosts. R. Japan revamps its programming every April for new fiscal year, no apparent other reason, with previous presenters` contracts expiring. This show had been preëmpted quarterly on last Sundays for something else, e.g. in January, but not any more. Along with other updates, the new name has been duly entered in our DX program listing, http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JAPAN. JJY 40 kHz resumed transmission --- According to NICT (National Institute of Information and Communications Technology), JJY Mt. Ootakadoya transmitter site (40 kHz, 50 kW) resumed transmission at 0454 on April 21. As the station is located at 17 km from Fukushima No.1 Nuclear Power Station, which was severely damaged by the earthquake and tsunami on March 11, all the operating members of the station evacuated, and the station has been off the air since 1046 on March 12. Being given a special permission from the government, NICT sent the members to recover the station. After the recovery works, members again withdrew. The station is now under remote control. Radio clocks in east Japan could recover their accuracy after an interval of 41 days (Takahito Akabayashi, Japan, April 22, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) According to NICT, JJY time singal on 40 kHz (at Mt. Ootakadoya, Fukushima prefecture), which resumed transmission on April 21, has been off the air again since 0306 on April 25, due to the lightning damages. No recovery date is given (Takahito Akabayashi, Japan, April 26, ibid.) ** JAPAN. "MINI" FM RADIO STATIONS HELP JAPAN QUAKE SURVIVORS | Text of report in English by Japan's largest news agency Kyodo Sendai, 20 April: A total of 21 mini FM radio stations have obtained government licences to operate as provisional broadcasters, giving people post-disaster information in areas ravaged by last month's earthquake and tsunami, the communications ministry said Wednesday. The ministry said it plans to support the broadcasters by giving them discounts on radio licensing fees and possibly granting subsidies to municipalities running them, as it may take much longer to rehabilitate the devastated communities than in past disasters. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications is authorized to issue special licenses to municipalities to set up radio stations to provide post-disaster information to the local communities. Applicant municipalities can seek licences without official documents. The FM radio stations in north-eastern and eastern Japan provide information, such as how evacuees are living in shelters and various lifeline services like the restoration of electricity and medical services, and do not get advertising revenues in most cases. Local residents provide services to operate on a voluntary basis after the municipalities get the licences. The 21 stations are the largest number of local anti-disaster broadcasters set up following a major disaster since the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake. There were seven of such in Japan before the March 11 twin disasters. Radio Ishinomaki in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, one of the 21 broadcasters, began notifying survivors soon after the disasters about the fate of residents and where they can get free meals, using its own power generator. Natori Saigai (disaster) FM aired on April 10 in the Natori city government building with local housewives and city officials playing central roles in its launch. One day, the station aired a song for the tsunami-submerged Yuriage elementary school at the request of an elderly man, who graduated from there, and later received a phone call from another listener, who said he wept listening to the song. "Our radio station is having the effect of bringing back together the members of the original community, who are now being forced to live in separate shelters as a result of the quake," said Takehiro Wako, a 47- year-old staff member at the station. The municipal government of Onagawa, Miyagi prefecture, launched a FM radio station as its original anti-disaster wireless communication network was swept away by the tsunami. Toshiaki Yaginuma, a 52-year-old official at the planning division of the municipal government, said, "It will take considerable time for us to revive the anti-disaster wireless communication network, so this station is functioning as a useful communications tool, as electricity has not yet been restored to the community." Source: Kyodo News Service, Tokyo, in English 0323 gmt 20 Apr 11 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** KASHMIR [non]. 3975.0v, Azad Kashmir Radio (presumed), 1404-1409, April 21. Again heard with indigenous music and chanting/song; poor; slightly higher frequency today. 3975.0v, Azad Kashmir Radio (presumed), 1350-1402, April 22. Seems they are now regularly heard here; very poor after 1400; in vernacular and indigenous music (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KAZAKHSTAN. 15560, YFR in English "Family Bible Reading", heavy under-modulated from satellite feed. Strong carrier though from Almaty relay site, at 1130 UT Apr 20. S=9+10dB (Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, Germany, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 20, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. D.P.R., 9665.245, KCBS Pyongyang in Korean, classical female singer, symphonic music, applause, at 0845 UT Apr 20, S=8-9 in Vancouver Island. 9665.336 kHz on Apr 21 at 0800 UT. 11679.931, KCBS Pyongyang in Korean, endless 'pressure' speech in Korean. 1120 UT Apr 20. S=5 poor signal only in Japan (Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, Germany, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 20, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) [and non]. KOREA D.P.R./CHINA/VIETNAM, 7220v, Terrible broadcast program mixture of VOK in Korean - but Chinese registered - strongest on 7219.766-odd jumped sometimes to 7219.687 or 7219.725 kHz. And V of Vietnam Hanoi Son Tay in Chinese on 7220 kHz and probably CNR2 Geermu also co-channel even too (Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, Germany, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 20, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. 13760, April 26 at 1353, VOK fair with stilted talk about respecting intellexual property, as today is: World Intellectual Property Day! Since 1970. DPRK joined an accord about this in August 1974. I could hardly keep from LOL! Then into sign-off. This frequency is to Europe, and in quality ranked between the ones to NAm, better 11710 and worse 9335 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. 6020, Shiokaze/Sea Breeze via Yamata, 1403- 1430*, April 22. Friday again in English; IDs “This is Shiokaze Sea Breeze from Tokyo, Japan”; segment with “tips” (news) about recent earthquakes in Japan; 1425 - “This is a message from the Japanese Government”; “The Japanese Government will surely bring all the abductees back home”; the government will be broadcasting a program in Japanese and Korean "with a frequency band of 9000 kHz.", referring no doubt to Furusato no Kaze on 9780.0v, even though it is not specifically named (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6135 (ex-6020), Shiokaze/Sea Breeze via Yamata, 1402, April 28. They have already switched frequency after being on ex-6020 for only about 32 days. The good news is that it helps clear up 6020 for RA for their last half hour (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA SOUTH. 4900, Spy? 1206, April 28. Woman announcer reading assume numbers in Korean; fair (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KUWAIT [and non] /U.K., 15515, Terrible co-channel jam at 0630-0700 UT Apr 21, when both Radio Kuwait in Arabic and BBC London Rampisham in Hausa use very same co-channel. Signal only S=6-7 (Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, Germany, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15540, R. Kuwait still on the air at 2119 April 20, // weaker 17550 in music, Arabic announcements, both to NAm. 15540 is supposed to close when English is finished at 2100, but often runs a few minutes over; a lot more this time. 17550 does not always propagate, so it`s just as well to have 15540 on with Arabic after English; except after 2200 it would collide with Bonaire. 15540, R. Kuwait already off at 2100 check April 22, following 2- sesquihour English which they imagine is still on 11990, abandoned a couple years ago. Sometimes, including April 20 at 2119, 15540 stays on well after 2100 in Arabic. Intentional Arabic to western North America, of all places, on 17550 is often inaudible but today it was there at 2100 with fair signal, deep fading; about the same during following hour (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNKNOWN Country, Unknown station??? 17550, 2318 GMT, Arabic, 444, April 20, YL singing. OM with comments 2323 GMT, YL singing 2327 GMT. OM singing by 2340 GMT. Some very good singing and music. Suddenly off the air 2359 GMT. Who is the Unknow station?? (Stewart MacKenzie, WDX6AA, Huntington Beach, California, United States of America, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Kuwait from Kabd transmitter center. 17550, 2000-2400 UT to zones in NoAM 6,7 KBD 500kW 350 degrees Arabic KWT RKW MOI. 73 wb df5sx (Wolfgang Büschel, HCDX via DXLD) 17550: My Thanks to all who have contacted me and letting me know that the Unknown station is possible Radio Kuwait. What suprised me the most is the strong signal from the station. It sounded like it was in my backyard with such a Clear Signal. I gave it a SINPO-555!! rating. The music was very good to listen too. Thanks for your input (Stewart MacKenzie, WDX6AA, Huntington Beach, California, United States of America, Rcvrs: Kenwood R5000 and Grundig Satellit 650, DX LISTENING DIGEST) As already reported several times in DXLD (gh) ** LAOS. 6130, Lao National Radio, 1330, nice local music, with occasional talk by a woman. Not holding up well, with spatter from powerhouse on 6125, but readable in USB. Doesn't sound anything close to listed 50 kW. Sam Neua (4413v) and the International Service (7145) remain untraced. 22 April (David Sharp, NSW: FT-950, NRD-535D, R8, ICF-SW7600GR, PR-D5, ICF-2010, Timewave 599zx, MFJ 1026, MFJ 959C, Palstar MW550P, SP-2000 speaker. Also 100m noise-reducing aerial and 50m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBYA. Summer A-11 schedule of LJBC Voice of Africa: 1200-1358 on 17725 SAB 500 kW / 180 deg to CEAf in Swahili 1400-1558 on 17725 SAB 500 kW / 180 deg to CEAf in English 1600-1658 on 17725 SAB 500 kW / 180 deg to CEAf in French 1700-1758 NF 17725 SAB 500 kW / 180 deg to CEAf in French, ex 11800 1800-1958 NF 11805 SAB 500 kW / 230 deg to NWAf in Hausa, ex 11800 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 22 April via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) Noble West points out that WYFR is also on 17725. Current schedule shows it starting at 1700, so there could be a one-hour collision (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ** LIBYA. Not sure, but I believe Libya's shortwave broadcasts originate from the same building ... as I just Tweeted: BREAKING AFP: Heavy explosions late Sunday shook the centre of Tripoli as warplanes overflew the #Libya capital - 1538 PDT BREAKING Blank screen on #Libya's satellite TV channel following reports Libyan state TV building in Tripoli has been hit by airstrikes - 1544 PDT BREAKING Reuters: Three Libyan state TV stations go off the air after explosions heard in Tripoli: witnesses - 1546 PDT I can confirm #Libya state TV Jamahirya Satellite Channel is off the air - 1549 PDT dra @ pipeline.com (818) 588-NEWS Twitter: twitter.com/DaveAlpert Web sites: http://www.davidralpert.com http://www.newsjunkiepro.com http://www.SoCalNewscenter.com (David R. Alpert, 2259 UT April 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 17725, V. of Africa from the Great Jamahiriyah, I was hearing in English Sunday April 24 much better than usual both in signal and modulation, at a few chex between 14-16 UT, but did not even bother to log it. Then David Alpert reported at 2244 UT that there was a blank screen on Libya's satellite TV channel following reports by AFP and Reuters that the Libyan state TV building in Tripoli has been hit by airstrikes - [as above] But at 0107 UT April 25 he followed up: ``Half an hour later, rechecking - Libya state television sat channel back on the air. Regular programming.`` So I check 17725 again April 25 at 1406 --- yes, still on the air, poor with music. Can`t be sure it`s the English broadcast as usual. Of course, most of the programming is so generic and repetitive that they could just be playing back old tapes at the Sabrata transmitter site as a rule even if the Tripoli studio isn`t destroyed (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Libya blames “crusader” bombing for cut in TV signals BBC Monitoring lost reception of two Libyan state-controlled TV services for 31 minutes on the evening of 24 April. The two services were the external version of the main domestic network, Al-Jamahiriyah TV, and the Al-Libiyah TV channel (formerly Al-Jamahiriyah 2), established by the media company owned by Mu’ammar al-Qadhafi’s son Sayf al-Islam. Both services were being carried by the same transponder (4101 MHz) on the Rascom-QAF 1R satellite at 2.8 degrees east. Other services on the same transponder may also have been affected. Reception was lost between 2215 and 2246 gmt on 24 April (0015-0046 Libyan local time on 25 April). International news agencies reported that Tripoli was hit by air strikes during the night of 24-25 April. The French news agency AFP said explosions were heard in the city at 2210 gmt on 24 April. As of the time of writing (0915 gmt 25 April), both the domestic and external versions of Al-Jamahiriyah TV, and Al-Libiyah TV, are being seen on the Rascom-QAF 1R satellite. Transmissions restored by “loyal technicians” The state-owned Libyan news agency Jana reported the following at 0137 gmt on 25 April: “A military source has announced that civilian and military locations in Tripoli city were subjected to bombing by the crusader colonialist aggression on Sunday night [24 April], resulting in human and material losses. The source said that the bombing by the crusader colonialist aggression of these locations also resulted in the interruption of audio and visual transmission for several minutes. Transmission was restored by the loyal Libyan national technicians in a matter of minutes after the disruption, which was due to the bombing of the colonialist aggression. Every missile or bomb that the crusaders drop on Libyans is being funded by Qatari and [United Arab] Emirate’s agent Shaykhs, with each missile costing 2m dollars.” (Sources: Media observation by BBC Monitoring 24-25 Apr 11; Jana, Tripoli, in Arabic 0137 gmt 25 Apr 11) (April 25th, 2011 - 12:46 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) 3 Comments on “Libya blames “crusader” bombing for cut in TV signals” 1. #1 G. Park on Apr 25th, 2011 at 18:05 The three Libyan TV stations I used to received all have disappeared from the Hotbird satellite. The place of one of them has been taken over by an Iranian home shopping chanel. The other channels are empty (no signal found, my receiver says). The last time I received Libyan state TV was last Tuesday or Wednesday. 2. #2 Andy Sennitt on Apr 25th, 2011 at 18:16 Thanks for that information. So it looks as if Eutelsat, which is French-based, has bowed to political pressure to stop relaying these channels. But I had not seen any reports to that effect. 3. #4 Tarmo on Apr 26th, 2011 at 07:41 It is interesting to note that on the former Jamahiriya TV’s (DVB-S Label: “Libya TV”) transponder on Hotbird at 13 E, a new channel has appeared - Addounia TV, which appears to be Syrian TV channel whereas Libya TV has disappeared from channels list (MN blog comments via DXLD) ** LIBYA. [non?]. 10405-USB, coalition forces towards Libya, 1035 with the message as noticed previously by others in the lists. Signal S9 but jammed by pulse jammer of S5 level, 21-4 (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, HCDX via DXLD) 10405-USB broadcasting Radio Jamaheriya !! Hello DXers, around 1645 UT noticed that 10405 kHz is having an Arabic talk picked up here in Aalborg. 1700 no ID, only talk by two OM with patriotic songs from Nasser era, followed by a program about a Libyan singer; around 1745 an announcer took over and said it's time for the sunset prayers in Libya, ID Idhaat al jamaheriya al Ouzma. A strange frequency, is it the psyops rebroadcasting Libya for one reason or the other, or Libya decided to use the frequency to have some QRM on the Psyops messages targeting the Libyan navy!? B. Rgds (Tarek Zeidan, Aalborg Denmark, April 21, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Surely the latter, PsyOp being jammed (gh, DXLD) On 10405 kHz USB now there is a decent radio program and not just announcements as before. Arabic program and strong signal here in Germany. Libya or NATO? Nothing heard on 8500 kHz. 1715 UT. 73 (Harald Kühl, Germany, 1803 UT April 21, BDXC-UK yg via DXLD) LIBYA (?), 10405-usb, Libyan Jammer (?), 1846-..., 21 Apr, Arabic, regular program, with some discussion, songs at 1855; abrupt closure at 1859; 45444. None of the audible MW outlets, government or opposition's, carried the same, but most likely some gov. program used to jam. Today, 23rd, 10405usb was also active, but with pulse noise. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, PORTUGAL, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBYA FREE. Re: Radio Free Libya ---Received this from Ruud, Radio Paradijs: "Hello Mr van Arnhem, I did see that report on Dutch TV as well. The question is do they really transmit with 500 kW. We did see the a very big transmitter on the background, could well be 500 kW. But I could not see if it was on, cause there was no detail of the meters. The studio is in the TX room, normally this beast makes so much noise that you cannot use it as a studio. My guess is that a spare transmitter is being used with much less power, in another room. The TX we saw is a (Swiss made) Brown Boveri, looked very much 60-70ies vintage. Supplied by our Swiss friends Meister and Bolier (MEBO)??? 500 kW would certainly blocked the Belgian 10 kW station; I monitored 1125 kHz last night and could mainly hear French from Belgium. BTW, YouTube recordings of 675 Benghazi in one case had very clearly Radio Maria from Holland in the background." 73s (via Ydun Ritz, http://mediumwave.info via MW Corcle March 21, via DXLD) It is interesting that no one mentions here the "fact" that Saut Libya al Hurra on 675 kHz broadcasts from the Mebo II ship with 1 kW. For example DXers in this country believe it is so. The source of this info should be on the MWC page (I have not yet took a look there). But I do not believe it too much because the signal on 675 kHz is very strong, especially around our local sunset. At that time Radio Maria has frequent, deep and long fadeouts so LBY is very often dominating on the frequency. One of my recordings is almost 10 minutes long without any interference from Radio Maria or you can hear it very weak in the background. The signal on 1125 kHz improved about two weeks ago, maybe it was on the air irregularly because sometimes I did not hear it at all. The situation on the channel is similar, it also depends on fade outs of the Belgian station if the Saut Libya al Hurra can be heard or not. But generally 675 kHz gives a better signal. I would like to confirm that the name of the station is really Voice of Free Libya (Saut Libya al Hurra), not "Radio Free Libya", I heard the same ID many times on both frequencies although the programme was always different (Karel Honzik, CZECHIA, March 22, ibid.) ** LIBYA FREE. MISRATA BROADCASTERS EXPLAIN HOW REBELS USE MEDIA On Saturday Radio Free Libya Misrata aired a programme about the role played by social media in igniting the Libyan revolution. The presenter said: “It never crossed my mind or that of anyone else that social networking sites would be very effective in influencing Libyans and pushing them to take to the streets and squares to protest at their poor conditions, and to call for freedom and the toppling of Gaddafi’s regime. Those who triggered this revolution on the internet did not belong to any political party or extremist group. They were just enthusiastic Libyan young men.” Afterwars, the presenter ran an interview with three internet gurus from Misrata who “helped convey what is happening inside Misrata to the world.” The three were engineers Marawan Bashir and Muhammad Ahmad, members of the Misrata media committee, and Bashir Ibrahim, member of the Misrata IT and communications committee. Bashir Ibrahim said: “After the Gaddafi regime clamped down on communications, Misrata was cut off from the outside world. We had to use what is called the two-way satellite internet service to transfer data and audio and video clips of what is happening inside Misrata to the world.” Voice of Free Libya radio For his part, Muhammad Ahmad talked about the role of social networking websites in triggering the Libyan revolution. He also spoke about attempts by Gaddafi to destroy the Misrata radio station (Voice of Free Libya). “He tried all ways by air bombing and artillery to destroy the station’s transmitter but divine providence protected it,” Ahmad said. He also spoke of the role played by the Misrata radio station in “revealing the truth of the crimes committed by Gaddafi’s security brigades in the city.” “Misrata radio [reported to be on FM only] has a transmission range between 50 and 100 km. It is sometimes heard in Surt under good weather conditions.” Getting round Gaddafi’s firewall On the role of the Misrata media committee, Ahmad said: “In the beginning, we tried to use WiMAX [Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access] technology to send some material about the situation in Misrata. However, this service is overseen by the pro-Gaddafi communications regulatory body. The regulators used a firewall to block the social networking websites. In the first days of the revolution, we used a proxy server. However, when internet services were down, we had to resort to a satellite internet provider.” FreeMisrata.com The guests also talked about a new website called FreeMisrata.com which is still under construction. Marawan Bashir said: “The website played a paramount role in mobilizing the youth for participation in this revolution and boosting their morale.” He also emphasized that the website, once completed, would offer a variety of material, including a stream of Libya al-Hurra (Free Libya) TV. It would also have a section for audio and video material. Communications in Misrata One of the guests said that wireless radio systems now covered the whole of Misrata city. “A communications centre has been established through the internet to enable people wishing to contact their relatives abroad to do so. We are also trying to connect wired and wireless communications systems to provide a security communication system through a technology called IPEPS [IP Engine per Server], which uses satellites for this purpose.” (Source: voicefreelibya.blogspot.com)(April 25th, 2011 - 13:42 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** LIBYA FREE. NEW FM RADIO STATION IN NALUT, WESTERN LIBYA Al Jazeera English reports that a new FM radio station is on the air in Western Libya: Radio Free Nalut on 98.2 FM. The station broadcasts in the local language, Amazigh. Just down the corridor was the office of State Security and Intelligence, which used to control everything that was broadcast on the station. ¦Watch the video on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtqOV7i8ak8 There’s also an article about Radio Free Nalut on the website of the Christian Science Monitor. http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2011/0428/Freedom-now-rings-from-one-mountaintop-radio-station-in-western-Libya (April 28th, 2011 - 10:27 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** LITHUANIA. QSL - Radio Free Asia relay in Uighur 9490 sent QSL card in 8 days for e-report + MP3 to qsl@fra.org f/d except for site, which was marked "other" (Bruce Portzer, WA, April 23, HCDX via DXLD) ** MADAGASCAR [and non]. 13620, April 24 at 0528, another too-late check of R. Dabanga and the jamming against it, found by surprise YL talk in English until 0528:30* cutoff, while the tone jamming continued. Sounded a bit Strine but not // 13630 RA in stupid ballgame; more like the interview I then heard on 13775 VOR to 0529. But I think what really happened was a switching error, the Talata relay running a sesquiminute of something else, perhaps RNW satellite feed before cutting off later than usual 0527:00* (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. 5964.65v, Klasik Nasional via RTM, 1346, April 26. In vernacular, EZL ballads; recently has been heard with mostly fair reception; http://www.box.net/shared/4d00k8yze9 audio with Radio Malaysia Klasik Nasional IDs (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. 6049.6v, Asyik FM via RTM, 1350-1400, April 26. On air calls and dedications of pop songs (The Moffatts` “I Miss You Like Crazy” and pop songs in vernacular, etc.); fair. 1400 was the end of their programming. 6049.6v, Radio Suara Islam (Voice of Islam) via RTM, 1400, April 26. 1+1 pips; in vernacular; time given for “U-T-C”; full ID with frequencies; reciting from the Qur’an (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. On a new frequency of 6100, April 25. Wai FM via RTM, assume via Kajang, near Kuala Lumpur, but this needs to be confirmed; 1541-1600. In vernacular; pop song (Deep Purple “Smoke On The Water”, ballads in vernacular, etc.); on air phone calls; many IDs; fair; // 11665 (not // 9835). Sarawak FM via RTM, 1600-1604. Became // 9835; Choral National Anthem (Negaraku – Lagu Kebangsaan Malaysia); singing Sarawak FM jingle; pop song; also still // 11665 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6100, Wai FM via RTM, 1154-1200, April 26. In vernacular; sports news; IDs; totally blocked at 1200 by CRI in Russian; fair; audio at http://www.box.net/shared/huv2tcmcrf (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6100, RTM via Kajang (presumed), 1600-1702, April 26, Negaraku, vernacular anns, lots of pop songs, fading in // 9835. Well over co- channel WYFR Meyerton, but 1700 news-in-brief (?) splattered over by superpower RL opening in Belarussian on 6105. Thanks for tip to Ron Howard who says this is a Sarawak FM relay (Martien Groot, Schoorl, Netherlands, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6100, NEW, Sarawak via RTM with pop song, ‘adverts’, and back to songs, at 1708 song ‘jelitan batin ku’ (one of the most legendary songs) 27.4. Thanks to Ron Howard for this log (Zacharias Liangas, Greece, HCDX via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6100 has changed their relay programming. Not Wai FM today, but instead was Sarawak FM; 1153, April 28 with reciting from the Qur’an; // 5030 and 9835 (which was off the air yesterday). So of course NOT // 11665 nor 7270.49v; both Wai FM (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. 7295, Traxx FM, 1149-1200, April 21. In English with program “Reflections” by the Islamic Society of North American and sponsored by the Malaysian Islamic Development Department; about Islam and reading verses from the Qur’an; almost fair. 7295, Traxx FM, 1153, April 22. Must be a regular show; in English; Islamic program “Reflections” (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. 9835, MALAYSIA-SARAWAK, RTM Sarawak FM, 1032-1101, April 18, listed Malay. Ballad at tune/in; W announcer at 1043 into Kor'an- like vocals with occasional W & M announcers; bit of spoken word at 1051; music & vocals at 1057; two pips & quick "Sarawak FM" ID at ToH into announcer with news; fair-poor & fading out by ToH; very pleased to log this after trying ever since this frequency was announced. (Scott R. Barbour Jr. Intervale, N.H. USA, NRD-545, MLB-1, 200' Beverages, 60m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) [But it`s not transmitted from Sarawak --- gh] 9835, Sarawak FM via Kajang, 1300-1313 Apr 21. Two pips to ToH, then time check for 9:00 ("Sembilan [waktu?]), followed by news in Bahasa Malaysia, and a one-minute announcement at 1310; back to local programming at 1311 with a "Sarawak FM" jingle and regional pop mx. Good signal (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, Colorado, Drake R-8, 100-foot RW, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) 9835, Sarawak via RTM is quite poor at 18xx 22.4 in Litohoro (Zacharias Liangas, Greece, HCDX via DXLD) ** MALAYSIA. 11665, 27/4 0013, Wai FM, Malaysia, soft songs and female talks, mixed with Spanish talks from CVC Chile. Fair signal (Giampiero Bernardini, Milan, Italy, Perseus & AOR 7030, T2FD, SW Blog: http://radiodxsw.blogspot.com/ dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. 15295, V. of Malaysia Kajang, 1119-1132, April 18, Mandarin. W announcer with pop ballads; single pip at BoH & presumed ID in Chinese; not usual English "Voice of Malaysia" I've often heard in the past; W announcer thru tune/out; poor (Scott R. Barbour Jr. Intervale, N.H. USA, NRD-545, MLB-1, 200' Beverages, 60m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15295, VOM, 1157-1200*, April 25. In Chinese; pop song; 1+1 pips and off. Recently this has had better than normal reception (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO [and non] / BRAZIL, Two stations noted on remote receiver in southern USA, 0720 UT Apr 21, on 6009.956v and 6009.807v kHz. Most likely ZYE521 R. Inconfidência in Portuguese from Belo Horizonte MG in Brazil and most probably XEOI Nucleo Radio Mil Mexico City-MEX in Spanish. [see COLOMBIA [and non]] 6185.000, XEPPM R. Educación, Mexico City at 0750 UT Apr 21, S=7-8 on remote unit in Vancouver. Neil Diamond guitar lyrics (Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, Germany, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 55.25 MHz, I have been running my old Zenith 12-inch B&W TV much of the time all winter/spring on channel 2 with antenna southwards, just waiting and hoping for some sporadic E from Mexico. Finally an analog signal overcomes the snow, April 25 at 1601 UT, weak but locking in enough to tell the lettering is in Spanish, about Pablo Montero. It came and went so quickly that at first I suspected a meteor burst, but faded in some more for longer periods, then mixed with weak CCI including cartoons. Lasted 10-15 minutes, in and out, mostly out. But still signs of video at 1655. Meanwhile the ham QSO maps showed zero Es on 6 or even 10 meters, but for me it`s the first opening of the `season` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Re: RADIO MÉXICO INTERNACIONAL ADDS ENGLISH NEWS Thanks to Jolyon Curran for alerting me to the fact that Radio México Internacional has added short (approx 3 minutes) bulletins of Mexican news to its schedule. The bulletins, which are available on demand through an audio player on the RMI website, are scheduled twice daily at 0800 and 1600 UT (April 9th, 2011 - 11:31 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) 1 Comment on “Radio México Internacional adds English news” 1. #1 jolyon curran on Apr 27th, 2011 at 20:23 The front page of the RMIl webpage now has a great audio documentary about the history of RMI that includes old station IDs, audio footage and interviews. The DX audience is mentioned several times. It is in Spanish and under the title \’Programa especial de reinicio de radiomexicointernacional\’ (Special program for the reintroduction of RMI) As of yet I am not hearing the second English language newscast of the day (MN blog comment via DXLD) ** MICRONESIA. 4755.44, Cross R.: Apr 13, 0846-0856, 35433, English, Music, ID at 0848 and 0849, Apr 17, 0848-0901, 35343, English, Music and talk, ID at 0859, Apr 19, 0846-0857, 35343, English, Music, ID at 0850 (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium April 22 via DXLD) 4755.44, PMA-The Cross Radio, 1209, April 21. Christian songs; believe well past their usual sign off time; fair-poor and not as good as usual. Anyone note their actual sign off time today? (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) QSL - The Cross, 4755 sent e-mail confirmation in 2 weeks for e-report + MP3 + Paypal donation, followed by f/d QSL card a week later. The e- mail from Sylvia Kalau said "Currently we are on the air with the SW 4755, 830 am -- 9:30 pm Pohnpei time, until we establish the best times for the islands we are targeting. They communicate with us via HF radio and don't always have the battery power to give us their reception reports. We appreciate your enthusiasm for hearing us in your part of the world. We have received reports from USA, Japan, Canada, Finland, Sweden, China, Ukraine, Venezuela and other countries." (Bruce Portzer, WA, April 23, HCDX via DXLD) ** MONGOLIA [and non]. MONGOLIA/CHINA/THAILAND, 7260, Terrible broadcast jam of three stations around 1130 UT April 20, heard on remote receiver in Japan. Mongolian Radio Ulanbataar, PBS Xinjiang Urumqi-CHN and R Thailand Udorn Thani-tentative in Cambodian. Heard strange "Feliz Navidad" - "... I wish you a merry Christmas ...". (Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, Germany, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 20, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 12085, Voice of Mongolia, 0959-1057*, April 24, tune-in to IS at 0959. Talk in unidentified language at 1000. Some lite instrumental music. IS at 1029 followed by nice English ID announcement and into ½ hour English program. News at 1031. Local music. Abrupt sign off. Very weak at tune-in and too weak to ID the language at that time, but improved to a stronger level by 1025. Signal best between 1025-1045. Started to get noisy after 1045. Thanks to Dave Valko tip. 12085, Voice of Mongolia, 0957-1058*, April 25, tune-in to local music. IS at 0959. Talk in listed Mandarin at 1000. Lite instrumental music. IS at 1029 followed by English ID and ½ hour English program with news at 1030:25. Local music at 1039. Mailbag program at 1043. Local music at 1054 to 1058 abrupt sign off. Very weak at tune-in but signal strength improved to fair levels by 1030. Signal best between 1028-1050. Thanks again to Dave Valko tips (Brian Alexander, PA, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MYANMAR. 5770.027, Defence Forces Radio, 1315, news bulletin or similar, with alternating talk between a man and a woman, to past 1320. Occasionally bothered by nearby ute, but otherwise good. 22 April (David Sharp, NSW: FT-950, NRD-535D, R8, ICF-SW7600GR, PR-D5, ICF-2010, Timewave 599zx, MFJ 1026, MFJ 959C, Palstar MW550P, SP-2000 speaker. Also 100m noise-reducing aerial and 50m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MYANMAR. 7200.107, wandered down to .095 kHz, R Myanmar, Yangon in Burmese noted at 1200 UT Apr 20. Local chimes interval signal. Heard on remote receiver in Japan. S=6-7 signal, rather tiny. But at 1140 UT Apr 24 much higher frequency on 7200.114 kHz S=5-6 (Wolfgang Büschel, April 20/24 wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 27 via DXLD) 7200.05v, Myanma Radio, 1333, April 25. Running well past than normal sign off of 1330; with lectures in vernacular for their Distance Learning Service; still on at 1428 (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS. RNW Historical Audio Archive: 50 YEARS OF SHORTWAVE IN HOLLAND On 30 March 1977 Radio Nederland (as we were then called in English) broadcast a special programme marking our 30th anniversary, and 50 years since the first shortwave broadcast from the Netherlands. The complete programme is now available to listen to/download from the RNW Historical Audio Archive. http://download.omroep.nl/rnw/mp3/haa/B416270.00%2050%20Years%20Shortwave%20In%20Holland%20%201977-03-30.mp3 Here's a synopsis of the programme: •Hendrik (Henk) van den Broek, Radio Nederland’s first director, recorded in 1955, explains why Radio Nederland was set up. •The origin of Dutch overseas broadcasting goes back to 1927, the pioneering year of shortwave telephony. The Philips Laboratories in Eindhoven experiment with the PCJJ short-wave transmitter. The transmissions reach as far as the East-Indies. Mr. A C de Groot, a technical official of the Netherlands East Indies PTT and a radio amateur, is sitting up all night monitoring the 30 metre band in the hope of hearing amateurs operating in morse code from The Netherlands. Somewhere around 3:00 AM, he hears a voice speaking in Dutch saying “This is an experimental transmission from the Philips Laboratory in Eindhoven, Holland, on a wavelength of 30.2 metres”. •That same year, the NV PHOHI (Philips Omroep Holland-Indië) was set up, a joint commercial operation of Philips and other Dutch Companies with interests in the East-Indies. It used the PCJJ transmitter. •In November 1928, Edward (Eddie) Startz began broadcasting over PCJJ, marking the beginning of his popular “Happy Station” programme. Startz dropped the second J of PCJJ and said that PCJ stood for “Peace, Cheer and Joy: The Happy Station of a friendly nation”. •Engineer Martin Ruis speaks about the closure of the shortwave transmissons because of the invasion of the German Army in May 1940. They tried to destroy the transmitter, but later on the Germans succeeded in reparing the PCJJ-equipment, and used it to broadcast propaganda to India (”The Voice of Free India”). •Paris and London took over when broadcasts from Hilversum ended: The Dutch first used the French shortwave service for a programme called “Vrij Nederland”. That ended after a month with the German invasion of Paris. Over in London the Dutch Government in exile in late 1940 created “Radio Oranje”, the official voice of the Dutch Government. •Fragment of a Radio Oranje transmission: Bob den Doolaard speaks about sabotage (in Dutch). •Unknown Dutch speaker about listening to Radio Oranje and the BBC during the war. •Hendrik van den Broek became head of Radio Oranje and in 1944 he created a station called “Herrijzend Nederland” in the grounds of the Philips Company in Eindhoven. When the whole of The Netherlands was liberated he moved his operation to Hilversum. Radio Nederland was born. •On 15 April 1947 the private non-profit foundation Stichting Radio Nederland Wereldomroep was founded, after many discussions about the future of Dutch broadcasting. •Short quote from Queen Wilhelmina about the end of Dutch rule in Indonesia. •The story of Radio Netherlands in the fifties and beyond. •Eddie Startz with the Happy Station station in Spanish, French and English. •Technical expert Jim Vastenhoud talks about technological developments and the future of shortwave radio. (Media Network newsletter April 28 via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. GERMANY, 15495, Radio Netherlands Worldwide: 1841-1900+, 19-Apr; Carrying RNZ English program `Radio New Zealand Global Perspective` on gay folks in the military; Many RNW ID spots 1857-1900; continued in English with feature on Amsterdam. SIO=353; scratchy QRN/M? eased up about 1853 for much better signal (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 125 ft. bow-tie; 85 ft. RW & 180 ft. center-fed RW, logged by ear, on my receiver, in real time! DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. 9655, Radio New Zealand International. *1058 April 24, 2011. Up with bird interval signal after announcing the closing of 6170 and to switch here at 1057. News and weather 1100-1105, into nice traditional jazz instrumental, then Van Morrison's title track from "What's Wrong With This Picture?" until 1117 when into live Easter service, with alternating male and female inspirational quotes, unison attendees response, Bible quotes, nice traditional live choral hymns with big church organ accompaniment. Excellent signal (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9615, April 25 at 1412, good signal with `live` continuous reggae concert, no announcements except occasionally from the stage and incomprehensible. Normally nothing heard here at this time; what in the world? Kept listening and finally at 1457 outro as ``1814``, group name? And recording credits mentioning Radio New Zealand International, 1500 timesignal and RNZ news. RNZI is supposed to be on 6170 during this hour, but we`re not complaining as that has long since faded out here. 9615 is on the current schedule in AM at 1836-1950 only, so yet another foulup in their frequency programming. [HFCC shows 1745-1900]. The RNZ National schedule for early April 26 shows: ``2:05 Womad Taranaki 2010 (RNZ)`` 6170, April 26 at 1319, RNZI about PNG politix, fair signal weakening to very poor at 1400 when still audible with timesignal. Nothing on 9615 after 1400 today, so yesterday`s mistaken appearance there has been repaired, to the detriment of listeners here (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGER. 9705, Voix du Sahel (tentative), Niamey. April 18 2108-2120, female in an uncertain language hosting phone calls, sometimes very short, sometimes turn to a discussion, alternating short tribal music between calls. 23332 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil, SW40 - Dipoles and Longwire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Not 9704? see ETHIOPIA 9704, Rdiff. TV. Niger, Apr 18 2136-2155, 33433-23432 French, Talk and local music, Drums at 2148, IS at 2152 (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium April 22 via DXLD) Not 9705?? ** NIGERIA [and non]. 15120, V. of Nigeria, April 21 at 0612 ID amid news, drumming, with hum; was not hearing it before 0600 when there was nothing on 19m except a weak EqG on 15190, and much better DW/Rwanda carrier, IS on 15275. I wonder if during the previous hour VON are sometimes back on alternate frequency 7255? Nothing besides BBC Ascension there at 0528 check, after a report by someone in NC of R. Botswana [q.v.] the night before, which is of course, totally gone from SW, but whatever he heard was not in English. R. Botswana has no SW frequencies in WRTH 2011, nor has it been reported in many years, but it`s still in Aoki and consequently Ferguson. The simplified Aoki list at http://www.geocities.jp/binewsjp/userlist1.txt now keys that 7255 entry as `x` without explaining it. Searching out some others, it can`t mean `not on the air` or `formerly` since it also applies e.g. to Kuwait on 17550 which we just heard, and does not apply to countless long-gone Latin American listings which ought to be deleted or clearly flagged somehow for the benefit of list-logging. 15120, V. of Nigeria, April 22 at 0617, outro by ``Priscilla Huff (Hough?) in Washington, for Voice of Nigeria``, stringer? Good signal but persistent hum, this time better than EqG on 15190, DW/Rw 15275 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Voice of Nigeria 15120 in English at 1558 with talk about presidential elections. IS at 1900 followed by ID and News Headlines. Very Good with bad transmitter hum April 17/11 (Mickey Delmage, Sherwood Park, Alberta, using my relatively new Perseus SDR and various antenna, mainly a log periodic, DX LISTENING DIGEST) QSL - Voice of Nigeria Hausa service 7255 sent e-mail reply in 5 days thanking me for my comments, for e-report to hausav @ voiceofnigeria.org (Bruce Portzer, WA, April 23, HCDX via DXLD) Is that hausav or hausa @ ? (gh) ** NIGERIA [non]. 11945, Hamada R. International in Hausa via Germany: Apr 15 *1930-1940 34433, 1930 sign on with IS, ID, Opening announce, Talk, Apr 16 *1930-1945 45343-45444, 1930 sign on with IS, ID, Opening announce, Talk, ID at 1934 and 1938, Apr 17 *1930-1945 33433, 1930 sign on with IS, ID, Opening announce, Talk, ID at 1934 and 1935 and 1944, Apr 18 *1930-1945 35433, 1930 sign on with IS, ID, Opening announce, Talk, Apr 19 *1930-1937 35333-34333, 1930 sign on with IS, ID, Opening announce, Talk (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium April 22 via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) 21480, Hamada Radio International, via GERMANY, still here April 22 at 1422, good signal in Hausa, but the temporary additional // 17860 is gone (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hamada Radio International, Unknown transmitter site 9610 kHz. 0545 UT 04/22/2011 Hausa(?), 44444, Station ID by man at 0549 UT, followed by what sounded like a news report with a remote reporter. Off at 0559. Many IDs. Very good signal S-8 *** Couldn't find much on this one. Anyone know anything about it? *** Seen several mentions on the web that this is clandestine (Nick Rumple, Kannapolis, North Carolina, U.S.A., Yaesu FRG-100, 125 foot longwire - 40 feet high, shortwavelistening yg via DXLD) There has been plenty about it this year in DXLD (gh, DXLD) GERMANY, Some MBR changes: Hamada Radio International in Hausa: 0530-0600 NF 9610 WER 100 kW / 180 deg to WeAf Daily, ex M-F on 9545 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 22 April via DXLD) Via GERMANY. 11945, Hamada Radio International, *1930-1945+, April 23, sign on with local music and opening ID announcements. Talk in listed Hausa. Good signal. Via GERMANY. 11945, Hamada Radio International, *1931-1958*, April 25, sign on with local music and opening English ID announcements. Talk in listed Hausa. ID and local music at sign off. Good (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg, PA, USA, Equipment: Icom IC-7600, two 100 foot longwires, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9610, April 24 at 0549, poor in presumed Hausa from Hamada Radio International via GERMANY. Could not hear anything on 9860 or 11970, so probably back to only one frequency now. Missed checking for the 1400 broadcast on 21480, but before then and after 1430, 13m was dead of any signals (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 21480, April 27 at 1423, fair signal in Hausa from Hamada Radio International via Wertachtal, GERMANY. 13m not funxioning as well as it had been, but usual signals also audible on 21470, 21505, 21540, 21540, 21610, 21655 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. TCS: Thursday Night On air --- Greetings, folks, The Crystal Ship is going on the air tonight, on about 6815 kHz AM. The show will start by about 0030 UT. Hope you can make it! ROCK & ROLL! (John Poet, The Crystal Ship, http://tcsshortwave.blogspot.com/ 0020 UT Friday April 22; via Steve Lare, 0027 UT, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) CRYSTAL SHIP: 4/22, 0030-0058, 6815.6/AM; From 0030 to 0045 had a zero beat on 6815.6 & some (very) faint music & equally faint male voice. Tried both antennas. From 0046-on suddenly, an S8 signal! Music! Male vocal; segué to more music. Pirate talk with Elmer Fudd & ID at 0058 (variable, Hunsicker, PA) 4/22, 0045-0245+, 6815.6/AM; good/fair S9+max S6nf, heavy metal music, Yosemite Sam sound bite, announcer sed: "you are tuned to the xtal ship, the official voice of the blue states republic", Van Halen: ain`t talkin bout love, songs: substitute & dont get fooled again, Hendrix: hey Joe, Stones: paint it black, N Young: southern man, hilarious intellectual discussion of the F word with Vivaldi's 4 seasons playing in background, song: you got another thing coming, 3 tunes by Nirvana, down to S7 by 0230 & at noise floor by 0245 (Bill Hassig, IL, FRW via DXLD) TCS: Turn On, Tune In, and Drop Out! Happy Easter, folks! Here's hoping no one bit into any bad eggs! The Crystal Ship is going on the air shortly (0015ish UT), on about 6815 kHz AM. Journey to the center of my 60s ish (musically 1962-1974!) time machine again (yeah, I bet you're getting sick of that; unless you were raised on it like me. AM is KING!) Cheers! -- (John Poet, The Crystal Ship The TCS Blog http://tcsshortwave.blogspot.com/ UT April 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST via dxldyg) ** NORTH AMERICA. [Pirates]. 6925 USB, WPON - The Weapon, 2335-2350, April 22, political radio-drama. IDs at 2342, 2350. Good. 6924.75, Captain Morgan Shortwave, 2330-2346*, April 23, rock music, James Brown music. ID at 2332. E-mail address. Poor, somewhat distorted audio. 6954.96, WBNY, 2338-2345, April 23, talk from Commander Bunny, ID. Easter music. Poor in thunderstorm static. 6925 USB, Northwoods Radio, 2355-0004, April 23-24, rock music. ID and call of the loon IS at 0000. Fair to good (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg, PA, USA, Equipment: Icom IC-7600, two 100 foot longwires, dxldyg via DX LISTENINNG DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. ------------------Pirates--------------------------- CAPTAIN MORGAN (p): 6924.8/AM, 2237-2247+, 23-Apr; 70s pop tunes. ID per post to the FRW--none heard. SIO=352+ (Frodge-MI) ECCENTRIC SW: 6925/U, 0414-0430+, 24-Apr; Black gospel, soul & rock. IDs by sultry-voiced W. SIO=3+43- w/QRN & brief buzz burst. (Frodge- MI) WBNY (p); 6950.1/AM, 2214, 23-Apr; Bunny stuff. SIO=3+53 (Frodge-MI) WPON The Weapon: 6925/U, 2106-2201:21*, 22-Apr; Seamless sequence of paranoia-themed dramatic bits, comedy bits, rock tunes & no ID till s/off. SIO=454 peaks (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 125 ft. bow-tie; 85 ft. RW & 180 ft. center-fed RW, logged by ear, on my receiver, in real time! DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. 6924.75usb, PIRATE (USA) unidentified. 2340-2346* April 23, 2011. James Brown song, abruptly into a fragment of Jimi Hendrix' "The Wind Cries Mary" and off. Excellent (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6934.9v, PIRATE (NETHERLANDS), Mike Radio. 2348-0044 April 23/24, 2011. Tune in to "Locomotion", Euro-accented male atop song at 2352, ID. 0000 ID and "... please send reports to...mikeradio@live.nl..." Another ID at 0005, "...Mike Radio on shortwave..." into Patti Smith "Because the Night"; 0023 "More Than A Feeling" Boston; 0038 "Eye Of the Tiger" Survivor; 0042 "Roseanna" TOTO. Mostly clear and fair (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ?? Are you sure this wasn`t a NAm transmitter? Typical such frequency rather than European (gh, DXLD) ** NORTH AMERICA. Strange, but I hear a somewhat echoic/ambient sounding KISM FM on 6668 kHz LSB (now 0330z-0400z 20110425). Audio bandwidth is certainly "sideband phone" 2.6 kHz ish. Bootlegger? I'm in Salem, Oregon and the signal is weak but at times listenable with music, ads and ID. They are apparently in Bellingham WA. 0330z 20110425 (-Fibber, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hearing an unID now from before 0400 on the strange frequency of 6668.060 on LSB with non stop jazz music (a live recording). Any idea who this might be? Rather difficult to demodulate, and somewhat tinny sounding as well. Might this be one of those Argentinian LSB feeders? The recording is in English, though (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC (25 April, 2011, 0420 UT, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) It is definitely KISM, Walt. I was able to hear the same content on their live web feed. How strong are they for you? About S3 here in Salem. Ditto on Tinny! (-fibber CN84lv, ibid.) 6668 unusual activity --- Checked this out after a post from Walt Salmaniw on IRCA: 6668.05a LSB, good signal here for the last half hour, now 0033 UT April 28 with many KISM and Classic 92.9 ids, ads etc. Seems unusually hard to tune the voice exactly - almost like it is fed into the transmitter at slightly the wrong pitch. No idea as to who or why. And my post the next morning: The signal seemed to be present at decent levels here all last evening. This morning (Apr 28th) I checked and I am hearing the same kind of hard to tune in music on 6668.25ish but in USB now, at 1554 UT certainly not // KISM internet, music ended, mostly an open mike with male voice swearing and cursing about being fired with long periods of silence between music. Music seems high pitched and tinny and not modulating well at the moment, can hear occasional swearing over the music. Some rant about it not being MacDonalds now but rather MacDougalls! Strange stuff. Now 1613, seems like he got a phone call from his boss, mentioning getting fired from MacDonalds, and describing an encouter with RCMP, mention of Chilliwack, drunk tank, HIV, his wife, etc., etc. Said he was upset but not planning to hurt anyone - this is getting even stranger! not hearing anything else here after that phone call ended, maybe he realized the mic was on (Don VE6JY Moman, Lamont, Alberta, 1618 UT April 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. Glenn, noted tonite on the drive home, (1911-1918 CDT), KMUS 1380 had a repeating loop in Spanish, no more of the Broadway show tunes they have broadcast for the past few months. Tonite was the first time in a couple of weeks I have checked 1380 so not sure how long this Spanish "loop" has been running. During the Spanish "loop" I think I heard a reference to "Radio Las Américas" or "Radio La América", probably close but not exact as my Spanish "skills" are very limited. At any rate, it sounds like Tulsa will soon have its 5th Spanish language station on the AM band --- 1270, 1340, 1380, 1530 and 1570. [later:] Glenn, just did a quick google and found this: http://www.radio-info.com/news/radio-disney-continues-its-selloff-of-medium-market-stations-tulsas-kmus138 Looks like I was close to the "Radio Las Américas" mentioned. (Bruce Winkelman, Tulsa, OK, April 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: RADIO DISNEY CONTINUES ITS SELLOFF OF MEDIUM-MARKET STATIONS: TULSA'S KMUS/1380 Radio Disney Disney took the station off the air in March 2010, saying it was negotiating with "a small broadcaster who is still working out financing." That deal was never consummated, and on November 18, Disney filed to extend its Special Temporary Authority for KMUS, Sperry, Oklahoma to remain silent. It also said "the prior negotiations were unsuccessful." Now it files to sell KMUS to a different small business. That is Antonio Perez' Radio Las Americas LLC, and the price is $300,000 cash. KMUS is licensed for 7,000 watts daytime and 250 watts at night, both directional. The broker identified in the filing is William Schutz. Other recent Radio Disney selloffs have included AMs in Jacksonville and Hartford (radio-info.com Friday, February 18, 2011, via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. LIGHTNING STRIKE FRIES THE TRANSMISSION FACILITIES AT KYKC, ADA, OKLAHOMA --- South Central Oklahoma Radio Enterprises GM Roger Harris says “from all appearances, the backup generator took a direct lightning hit and started burning. That fire quickly spread to the actual transmission building.” The station says its equipment “was rendered useless due to the heat, smoke and water from the fire crews on the scene.” Workers immediately began construction of a temporary facility to get at least some kind of signal going by the end of this week. The group’s other stations, such as sports KADA (1230) and AC KADA-FM (99.3), were not affected. Country KYKC is a Class C2 at 100.1 licensed for 50,000 watts at 492 feet (radio-info.com via Artie Bigley, OH, April 26, DXLD) ** OMAN. 15140, Sultanate of Oman Radio, English, 1435, world news by a man, wrap-up with repeat of headlines, ID and mention of 90.4 FM. Fair. 19 April (David Sharp, NSW: FT-950, NRD-535D, R8, ICF-SW7600GR, PR-D5, ICF-2010, Timewave 599zx, MFJ 1026, MFJ 959C, Palstar MW550P, SP-2000 speaker. Also 100m noise-reducing aerial and 50m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15140, R. Sultanate of Oman. 1411-1423, April 21. Thursday show in English with YL DJ (not Adam as usual, but she did have a British accent) playing pop songs; poor (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. Updated summer A-11 of Radio Pakistan: Bangla 0900-1000 on 11645vISL 100 kW / 118 deg to SoAs 15620 ISL 100 kW / 118 deg to SoAs Chinese 1200-1300 on 11845 ISL 250 kW / 070 deg to EaAs 15700 ISL 250 kW / 070 deg to EaAs Dari 1445-1545 on 7455vISL 100 kW / 270 deg to WeAs [English 1600 apparently deleted --- see below - gh] Gujarati 1145-1215 on 9795 ISL 100 kW / 147 deg to SoAs 11945vISL 100 kW / 147 deg to SoAs Hindi 1045-1145 on 9795 ISL 100 kW / 147 deg to SoAs 11945vISL 100 kW / 147 deg to SoAs Nepali 1000-1030 on 11645vISL 100 kW / 118 deg to SoAs 15620 ISL 100 kW / 118 deg to SoAs Pashto 1345-1445 on 7455vISL 100 kW / 270 deg to WeAs Persian 1700-1800 on 5900vISL 100 kW / 260 deg to WeAs 7485 ISL 100 kW / 260 deg to WeAs Sinhala 1230-1300 on 11880 ISL 100 kW / 147 deg to SoAs 15540vISL 100 kW / 147 deg to SoAs Tamil 1300-1330 on 11880 ISL 100 kW / 147 deg to SoAs 15540vISL 100 kW / 147 deg to SoAs Urdu 0045-0215 on 11580 ISL 250 kW / 118 deg to SEAs 15490 ISL 250 kW / 118 deg to SEAs 0500-0700 on 15725 ISL 250 kW / 313 deg to WeEu 17830 ISL 250 kW / 313 deg to WeEu 0830-1105 on 15725 ISL 250 kW / 313 deg to WeEu* 17720 ISL 250 kW / 313 deg to WeEu* 1330-1530 on 11575 ISL 250 kW / 282 deg to N/ME 15290 ISL 250 kW / 282 deg to N/ME 1700-1900 on 9350 ISL 250 kW / 313 deg to WeEu or new 15265 11590 ISL 250 kW / 313 deg to WeEu v=xxxxx.4 kHz *including English news 0905-0910 and 1100-1105 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 26 April via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) 9350 / 15265 1600-1630 UT test. Radio Pakistan is going to test 15265 kHz towards West Europe. If successful, this frequency will replace 9350 which is being badly affected by QRM from Chinese jamming of RFA on 9355 at 1700-1900 UT. The frequency manager writes as below ... e-mail for reports is if you are able to listen. I assume this will be via API-5. "I have requested the Rewat colleagues for the test transmission for three days from 26th April to 28th April between 1600-1630 UT on 15265 kHz. Also please request your friends in Europe and any other, so that the impact can be assessed at different locations. I will wait for your findings." (R PAK frequency manager, Apr 25, via BCDX April 27 via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) Should move down to 9340/9345 (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) 9350 was scheduled in Urdu at 1700-1900, so presumably this is not about reviving any English at 1600 (gh, WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 3205, JBA carrier April 21 at 1109, perhaps the reactivated R. Sandaun, Vanimo, West Sepik that Ron Howard has been hearing, but not pursued further as this is when I am supposed to be sleeping (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Radio East New Britain, 3385 at 1210 UT with English religious program to sudden off at 1227. Good April 17/11. Also heard with National News in English at 1200, local East New Britain news at 1205, very good April 18/11 (Mickey Delmage, Sherwood Park, Alberta, using my relatively new Perseus SDR and various antenna, mainly a log periodic, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Radio Fly 3915 kHz transmitter Hi Glenn, Here is an email from the Radio Fly radio technician at Kiunga, Roseanne Kulupi < Roseanne.Kulupi @ oktedi.com >, who indeed would like to hear from other SW listeners: “Easter Greetings to you all the way from PNG. I hope this email finds you well. Thank you for your email. It's great to know you are receiving our signal there in California. We've also received a couple of emails from listeners in Japan, Australia, New Zealand and a couple of other countries as well. I apologise for 3915 kHz frequency being off air. The transmitter had been faulty for some time and just recently got repaired and is on its way back to site. We should have it back on air, hopefully in a week or two weeks time. Thank you once again for your email and I look forward to more emails from you and other shortwave listeners of California. Have a safe day. Kind Regards, Roseanne” (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, April 25, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Fly transmitter site at Kiunga --- Hi Glenn, Received this follow up from Roseanne Kulupi, radio technician at Radio Fly. A very nice lady! "Good Day to you, Hope the weather in California is fine. It's sunny here in Tabubil, PNG, but we will be expecting showers after lunch - as usual. Both the Short wave transmitters are located in Kiunga and both are 1 kW each. The FM signal is linked from Tabubil to Kiunga via grid pack antennas at 800 MHz, transmittered at 40W. The conversion to AM and transmission on both frequencies are done in Kiunga. We had a circuit breaker for one of the aircons trip when I was in Kiunga last month and we are hoping to get it fixed before the 3915 kHz transmitter can be re-installed. I'll leave you here. Attached is a pic of the Kiunga shortwave site when it was under construction. Kind Regards, Roseanne" (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, April 25, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Looks like antenna tower is leaning, but hopefully a camera trick (gh) 5960, R. Fly, Apr 13 0903-0914, 34443-33443, Pidgin, News, ID at 0911 and 0912 (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium April 22 via DXLD) Radio Fly, 5960 at 1315 with pop tunes and the odd ID and public service announcements. Good April 17/11 (Mickey Delmage, Sherwood Park, Alberta, using my relatively new Perseus SDR and various antenna, mainly a log periodic, DX LISTENING DIGEST) (?), tentative Radio Fly, 5960, 1058 4/20 fair with Hip Hop music, possible ID by man with lots of seagull sounds, inflections consistent with what I've heard on other PNG stations but very muffled. Possible mentions of Radio Fly and shortwave but may have been wishful thinking on my part. Buried by splash from CRI-Beijing 5995 after 1100. Not heard at this time the following two mornings (Bruce Portzer, Seattle, WA, Winradio Excalibur, K9AY antenna, log made via unattended recording, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5960, Radio Fly, 0925-0940, 22-April-2011, In Tok Pisin / English. Local music followed by station ID and news at 0930, most news items in English, Station ID at 0936 followed by modern ballad song, fair signal (Ed Wlodarski, N2ED, New Jersey, Ten Tec RX340 & 100 Ft Long Wire, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** PERU. Radio Génesis 4850.7 kHz --- Para el colega Miguel y demas colegas. Les confirmo que la emisora operando en 4850.7 es la Radio Génesis desde Huanta, y que descubrieran el año pasado en un DX camp en Potrerillos por los amigos del GRA. pueden ver mas en: http://dxdesdecolombia.blogspot.com/ (Rafael Rodriguez R., Bogota D.C. - COLOMBIA, April 24, condiglist yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) ** PERU. 4747.0, RADIO HUANTA 2000. Huanta, Perú. 1005-1015 abril 24 Al iniciar programación: "....levántate, es un nuevo día y Radio Huanta 2000 te alegra, te divierte y te acompaña mejor..." 4824.4, RADIO LA VOZ DE LA SELVA. Iquitos, Perú. 1135-1150 abril 23 Notada retransmitiendo al señal de FM e identificándose como "LVS digital" mensajes institucionales. ``...semana santa en LVS..." 4986.4, RADIO MANANTIAL. Huancayo, Perú. 0004-0025 abril 23 Predicación en vivo "..escuchando siempre Radio Manantial, mis amados hermanos, a todo el valle del Mantaro y a todo lugar donde está llegando Radio Manantial; aunque estés triste, preocupado, angustiado, Radio Manantial te anima siempre..." 5024.8, RADIO QUILLABAMBA, Quillabamba, Perú. 2227-2250 abril 23 Mensajes y comunicados en quechua, con intervalos de música sacra. Al dar de la hora: "...5 y 45 minutos en Radio Quillabamba; continuamos con más programación de sábado santo.." luego de la 2250 mayor presencia de Radio Rebelde, haciendo difícil la sintonía. 5921.4, RADIO BETHEL. Arequipa. Perú. 0040-0120 abril 23: Lectura de la Pasión de Cristo. Luego de las 0100 con promos de programas como: Tu historia preferida, la hora musical de los niños, Magazín de Bethel "... por Bethel, frecuencia celestial... "; al dar la hora "...la hora en todo el país, 8 de la noche con 12 minutos; ahora por Bethel presentamos su programa Volvamos a Dios..." (Rafael Rodríguez R., Escuchas realizadas en el municipio de Fomeque, Cundinamarca, Colombia, Sony ICF 2010, Antena Hilo de 12 metros, condiglist yg via DXLD) ** PERU. 4789.93, Radio Visión, 1019, Spanish, sermon by a man with response from congregation, good signal but some CODAR QRM. 20 April (David Sharp, NSW: FT-950, NRD-535D, R8, ICF-SW7600GR, PR-D5, ICF- 2010, Timewave 599zx, MFJ 1026, MFJ 959C, Palstar MW550P, SP-2000 speaker. Also 100m noise-reducing aerial and 50m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4789.915, Probably R. Visión from Chiclayo Peru, hall echo sermon in Spanish, 0700 UT Apr 21. Noted on remote receiver in USA. 4789.908 on Apr 25. (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 21/25, DXLD) ** PERU. 6019.191, R. Victoria, Lima in Spanish, sermon La Victoria at 0745 UT Apr 21. Signal S=5-6 in western USA (Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, Germany, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 18057.8, Radio Victoria, Lima. 1638 April 23, 2011. Spanish male preacher, the David Miranda programming no doubt, clear and mostly weak, 3 X 6019.3v. Thanks Glenn Hauser log (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re: 18057.8 PERU Radio Victoria, Lima --- this April 25 morning on 6019.191 kHz (Wolfgang Büschel, April 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6019.191, R. Victoria, Lima in Spanish, sermon La Victoria ... at 0745 UT Apr 25. Signal S=5-6, up to S=8 in USA. At 0805 UT program ""La Voz de la Liberación". ... Romanos capítulo 28 (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 21/25, DXLD) ** PERU. 6173.9, Radio Tawantinsuyo, Cusco, 2359-0015, 20-04, male, Spanish, comments, Peruvian songs, advertisements, flute, local news: "Una reunión frente a la urbanización", "La ciudad universitaria", "Las autoridades del Gobierno Regional". Bad modulation. 14321 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Log in Friol, 27 km W of Lugo, Grundig Satellit 500 and Sony ICF SW 7600 G, Cable antenna, 10 meters, faced WSW; April 21, Good propagation last night, specially for Bolivian and Peruvian stations, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PHILIPPINES. FEBC, 7505, *1401 4/19 & 4/20, good with brief IS, then energetic start of Chinese program with several people taking turns saying a couple of words each (probably their names). (Bruce Portzer, Seattle, WA, Winradio Excalibur, K9AY antenna, log made via unattended recording, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PHILIPPINES. Radio Veritas Asia, 9615, *0959 4/20 & 4/21, strong with long opening announcement by woman in English giving detailed schedule of languages & times, then start of Chinese program (Bruce Portzer, Seattle, WA, Winradio Excalibur, K9AY antenna, log made via unattended recording, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PORTUGAL. 15160, R.D.P., 0740, 24/04, Portuguese, Easter mass, but erratical transmission, continuously switching on and (mostly) off, equipment problems ? Very good when on, blanking out Australia (SIO 555) 73, (Michele D`Amico, Europe, RXs: Drake R8E, Drake R4C. Antenna: Cushcraft R8 multiband vertical), bclnews.it yg via DXLD) ** PORTUGAL. 21655, April 25 at 1859, RDPI surprisingly stronger than RFI via GUF on 21690; music but somewhat distorted and carrier unstable. ID and announcement in Portuguese that 9860 to Europe would soon be changing to 9795, timesignal, and at 1900*, 21690 cut off the air without any such warning. Latest schedule via DX Mix News shows: Brasil/Cabo Verde/Guiné Bissau Mon-Fri 1300-1900 on 21655 LIS 300 kW / 226 deg West Europe Mon-Fri 1600-1855 on 11905 LIS 300 kW / 045 deg 1900-2255 on 9820 LIS 300 kW / 045 deg* extraordinary emissions And no usage of 9795 whatsoever! Outdated announcement? 21655 again April 26 at 1440, fair but carrier unstable. This is about when the `Caixa Postal/Dexismo` program used to air, but it`s gone from the minute-by-minute program schedule at http://tv.rtp.pt/EPG/radio/epg-dia.php?canal=5&ac=d&sem=e nor at the other time circa 2330 Mondays. Further, it is no longer in the alfabetical list of programs at http://tv.rtp.pt/EPG/radio/programas/?rcanal=5 so we can only assume it has been deleted completely. Perhaps this one is to substitute: `Clube da Amizade` on Saturdays. Or not. It`s all the way from ``0808 to 1200`` with some breaks, not a convenient time in América. Furthermore, the program schedule still shows Lisboa and UT as the same! Even tho Portugal has been on UT+1 for a month. So which column are we to believe?? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PORTUGAL. Operational A-11 schedule of RDP Internacional/Rádio Portugal: West Europe Mon-Fri 0500-0755 on 7240 LIS 300 kW / 045 deg 0645-0800 on 11850 SIN 250 kW / 055 deg 0800-1200 on 12020 LIS 300 kW / 045 deg 1600-1855 on 11905 LIS 300 kW / 045 deg 1900-2255 on 9820 LIS 300 kW / 045 deg* West Europe Sat/Sun 0700-1355 on 12020 LIS 300 kW / 045 deg 0830-1000 on 11995 SIN 080 kW / 052 deg DRM mode 1400-1855 on 11905 LIS 300 kW / 045 deg 1900-1955 on 9820 LIS 300 kW / 045 deg 2000-2255 on 9820 LIS 300 kW / 045 deg* Middle East/India Mon-Fri 1300-1500 on 21810 LIS 100 kW / 082 deg, cancelled São Tomé/Príncipe/Angola/Moçambique Mon-Fri 0500-0655 on 12060 LIS 300 kW / 144 deg, new 0700-0955 on 15160 LIS 300 kW / 144 deg 1000-1200 on 15180 LIS 300 kW / 144 deg 1600-1900 on 15170 LIS 300 kW / 144 deg, cancelled São Tomé/Príncipe/Angola/Moçambique Sat/Sun 0700-0955 on 15160 LIS 300 kW / 144 deg 1000-1355 on 15180 LIS 300 kW / 144 deg 1400-1555 on 15470 LIS 300 kW / 144 deg, cancelled 1600-2000 on 15170 LIS 300 kW / 144 deg, cancelled USA/Canadá Tue-Sat 2300-0200 on 9715 LIS 300 kW / 300 deg 1900-1955 on 15560 LIS 300 kW / 300 deg* 2000-2255 on 13755 LIS 300 kW / 300 deg* USA/Canadá Sat/Sun 1400-2000 on 15560 LIS 300 kW / 300 deg 2000-2255 on 13755 LIS 300 kW / 300 deg* Venezuela Mon-Fri 1300-1555 on 17575 LIS 100 kW / 261 deg, new 2300-0200 on 11630 LIS 100 kW / 261 deg, cancelled Brasil/Cabo Verde/Guiné Bissau Mon-Fri 1000-1200 on 15575 LIS 300 kW / 226 deg, cancelled 1300-1900 on 21655 LIS 300 kW / 226 deg Brasil/Cabo Verde/Guiné Bissau Tue-Sat 2300-0200 on 11940 LIS 300 kW / 226 deg Brasil/Cabo Verde/Guiné Bissau Sat/Sun 0700-0955 on 12000 LIS 300 kW / 226 deg, cancelled 1000-2000 on 21655 LIS 300 kW / 226 deg, cancelled * Reserved for extraordinary or special programs (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 26 April via DXLD) ** PORTUGAL. Glenn, This below in DXLD 11-16, dated 20/4 "PORTUGAL. PELA MANUTENÇÃO DAS ONDAS CURTAS DA RDPI Amigos, Segue petição pela manutenção das ondas curtas da RDPi, creio que o maior complexo em ondas curtas em língua portuguesa. Adoro a faixa de 13 metros, mas é de raras estações (pelo menos pra mim). http://www.peticaopublica.com/?pi=P2011N9010 73 (Lucio Haeser, Brasília, April 19, radioescutas yg via DXLD) 253 signatures so far. Is it in some imminent danger, or just to head off some eventual threat? (Glenn Hauser, April 20, DXLD)" is no more than one of the reactions against what's been recently announced by the RTP, viz.: "A RTP pediu ao Governo a "suspensão temporária" das emissões da RDP Internacional em Onda Curta após uma avaliação devido ao reduzido número de ouvintes e aos custos acrescidos, disse à Lusa fonte oficial da empresa. "A análise teve por base vários factores: o cada vez menor número de ouvintes servidos por esta plataforma de distribuição, os custos acrescidos dos últimos anos e o aumento das necessidades de investimento", afirmou a mesma fonte, acrescentando que "as estações de Onda Curta estão velhas e a precisar de substituição". Por outro lado, prosseguiu, "as emissões da RDP Internacional podem ser asseguradas alternativamente através de satélite, cabo ou DTH e Internet, com menores custos e maior qualidade, servindo a esmagadora maioria" dos ouvintes da RDP Internacional. "Por estas razões, a RTP pediu à tutela a suspensão temporária das emissões da RDP Internacional em Onda Curta, para posterior avaliação das consequências da decisão", referiu a fonte oficial da RTP, ressalvando que a suspensão não tem ainda data marcada "por serem necessários procedimentos de consulta prévia" à Autoridade Nacional de Comunicações (Anacom). "Só no final do prazo da suspensão provisória será feita uma avaliação das consequências da mesma e tomada uma decisão definitiva", adiantou, lembrando que "vários operadores internacionais têm optado" nos últimos anos "pelo fim ou diminuição das emissões de Onda Curta". Itália, Holanda, Inglaterra e Alemanha são países que tomaram medidas nesse sentido, apontou a fonte à Lusa. Em rádio, a Onda Curta corresponde à transmissão que cobre uma distância mais longa. (Lusa)" Since you know Portuguese, you'll detect a good deal of hipocracy when they claim SW stations are old and need replacement, and that a few countries have in the recent years chosen to suppress or decrease the number of SW broadcasts. The truth is simply being twisted. Quite like RAI, the RTP prefers not to mention the big issue is actually the cost of electricity to keep the txs running, which is evident in the A11 which no longer includes the Mo-Fri broadcasts to India/MEast for instance. In their mind, internet, cable, satellite is "enough" to do the job. Curiously, this announcement was made after the HF site underwent major improvements during the last few years, the last of which was its automation. As you can also read in the LUSA news, it's up to the government to decide on the temporary halt (not suppression) of SW broadcasts. I did not sign such petition; instead, I have written an extensive argument to be disclosed here and elsewhere, and needless to say it's to be sent to the RTP too. It will be entirely in Portuguese though. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, April 23, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I don't think any decision on the future of RDP on shortwave would be made until after the upcoming Portuguese elections. The government budget crisis will still be there, and is getting worse. Surprised more cuts haven't been made already, but Greece is in the same situation, and I haven't noticed any significant reductions to their SW output. I suspect the RDP SW transmissions might be suspended in order to see what kind of reaction there would be. If response is limited, SW could be gone, or reduced to just those areas where response was greatest. Look at Hungary: the discontinuation of SW last July was called a "suspension" but Radio Budapest has yet to reappear. Recent renovations to the transmitting facility would probably be irrelevant in this scenario. Radio Netherlands made a number of upgrades to the Bonaire facility in 2007, including two new transmitters, but still decided to close the station next year. Sometimes you just have to cut your losses (Steve Luce, Houston, Texas, ibid.) Steve, I wouldn't be sure about such an assumption. If the elections outcome is what we here think it's going to be, it's irrelevant whether A, B or C wins: do they actually know the importance of keeping HF alive, or do they even know about HF at all? Some even think about privatising the RTP. As far HF is concerned, maybe, just maybe the issue is also related to something about the Pro-Funk relay station at Sines. I hope not, I mean I hope it's not is what I learned, but I cannot comment any further on that. In sum, all those bunches of incompetents want is to cut [certain] expenses after the mess they've been doing year after year at the expense of us, tax payers, namely cutting where they're aware there will be little or no public reaction. This is visible in many fields, and is something the message I have prepared will also focus on. Cuts and/or good management is something we lack since April, '74: does this tell you anything? ______________________________ In Madeira for instance, one particular RTP outlet (Antena 1 Madeira, 531 kHz, Pico das Eiras, Porto Santo island) has been suppressed after the collapse of the tower due to a heavy storm; the decision took a whole year to materialise and was taken for two main reasons: absolutely no reaction from the listeners and eargerness to cut on what the RTP thinks is irrelevant, i.e. MW. Approximately a year later (Feb'10), another of the Antena 1 Madeira collapsed, 603 kHz Pico do Areeiro. Apparently, no reaction was felt, so after a year the outcome will probably be the suppression of that outlet too. Two similar events happened in the Açores: one was a number of years ago, the other is some months' old. The collapses of towers under storms seems to be a good excuse to shut down MW. _____________________________ Finally, one must not forget the audience of the RDPi, which is the Portuguese language reference station. There is a huge number of expatriates but also a very substancial number of Portuguese speakers around the world, particularly in SAm and Africa. The RDPi's mission is not exactly the same as those international broadcasters from countries whose languages have little expression worldwide, quite the opposite. I prefer not to give examples thereof. PS: by the way, how's reception of the RDPi like there in Houston TX? As I write, 2220 UT, they're on with another of their extra broadcasts on 13755. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, ibid.) Carlos, the 2300-0200 RDPi transmission on 9715 regularly booms into Houston; one of the best signals on 31 meters. The South America beam on 11940 at the same time is not quite as good but entirely listenable. The various other NA beams, when on, provide decent reception. Not sure what to make of your comment about the Sines facility, haven't seen anything that would suggest the future of that station is in doubt; guess we'll have to keep an eye on things. Seems the thinking has been that Deutsche Welle would continue to use Sines along with Kigali and Trincomalee if the contracts with other transmitter operators were cancelled as part of the planned SW reductions by 2013 (Steve Luce, Houston, TX, ibid.) O OCASO DA NOSSA RDPI - RÁDIO PORTUGAL EM *ONDA CURTA* ? A RDPi em Onda Curta: mera suspensão - ou o fim puro e simples do CEU-CEOC(*)? *) Centro Emissor de Onda Curta, São Gabriel - simplesmente o centro emissor mais importante do País, mas cuja existência é desconhecida da esmagadora maioria dos cidadãos, e que parece continuar a ser um fardo incómodo para a RDP, agora RTP. (Até '74/'75, este centro foi designado por CEU-Centro Emissor Ultramarino... mas até a mudança de nome denota os tiques pós '74, quiçá para passar a mensagem errónea de que o Centro só surgiu após aqueles anos... como a ponte) O motivo deste escrito nasceu com o noticiado em 13 ABR '11, pela Agência LUSA: "A RTP pediu ao Governo a "suspensão temporária" das emissões da RDP Internacional em Onda Curta após uma avaliação devido ao reduzido número de ouvintes e aos custos acrescidos, disse à Lusa fonte oficial da empresa. "A análise teve por base vários factores: o cada vez menor número de ouvintes servidos por esta plataforma de distribuição, os custos acrescidos dos últimos anos e o aumento das necessidades de investimento", afirmou a mesma fonte, acrescentando que "as estações de Onda Curta estão velhas e a precisar de substituição". Por outro lado, prosseguiu, "as emissões da RDP Internacional podem ser asseguradas alternativamente através de satélite, cabo ou DTH e Internet, com menores custos e maior qualidade, servindo a esmagadora maioria" dos ouvintes da RDP Internacional. "Por estas razões, a RTP pediu à tutela a suspensão temporária das emissões da RDP Internacional em Onda Curta, para posterior avaliação das consequências da decisão", referiu a fonte oficial da RTP, ressalvando que a suspensão não tem ainda data marcada "por serem necessários procedimentos de consulta prévia" à Autoridade Nacional de Comunicações (Anacom). "Só no final do prazo da suspensão provisória será feita uma avaliação das consequências da mesma e tomada uma decisão definitiva", adiantou, lembrando que "vários operadores internacionais têm optado" nos últimos anos "pelo fim ou diminuição das emissões de Onda Curta". Itália, Holanda, Inglaterra e Alemanha são países que tomaram medidas nesse sentido, apontou a fonte à Lusa. Em rádio, a Onda Curta corresponde à transmissão que cobre uma distância mais longa. (Lusa)" __________________________________________________________ Comentário. Com toda a franqueza, até estranhei que tivesse havido um A11 - que já acusa cortes, comparativamente com os anteriores horários -, pelo que nem é de ficarmos surpreendidos - infelizmente! - por este recente anúncio do pedido ao governo, para suspensão das operações em Onda Curta... *como se o meio em causa não pecasse já pelo defeito de não operar 24 h! Não operam 24 h os meios de distribuição nacionais, independentemente do seu tipo?* [*boldface passages in the original are displayed thus in DXLD*-- gh] Segundo consegui apurar, a razão de um A11 nos moldes em que o conhecemos, encurtado, ficou a dever-se ùnicamente à pretensão (que eu calculara) de diminuir despesa através da factura energética: justamente o que eu receara e que, para ser franco, já esperava há alguns anos. Pelo menos, porém, o "barco foi-se aguentando", até agora. Cabe aqui explicar que "A11" significa o horário de Verão, no caso vertente, do ano de 2011; o anterior, horário de Inverno, foi o B10, e o próximo, na mudança para a hora de Inverno, será o B11, e assim sucessivamente. Não sendo minha pretensão imiscuir-me na programação da RDPi, tema que, aliás, exorbita este Comentário, não posso, contudo, deixar de notar que, não obstante um A11 mais modesto, a emissora não se coibiu de reservar segmentos de emissões extra que, quase invariàvelmente, são destinados a coberturas de relatos de jogos futebolísticos. É triste constatar a relevância que tal rubrica suscita, a ponto de justificar o que apelido de "queima supérflua de kW." Aqui, pelos vistos, o caminho escolhido foi o de não poupar: afirma-se a mediocridade. Vejamos, temos uma Administração a alegar que "as emissoras de OC estão velhas e a precisar de substituição", como se o CEOC não tivesse vindo a sofrer beneficiações de vária índole, desde os emissores, passando pelas novas antenas e, por último, pela automatização! Não se entende. Ou talvez só entenda tal argumento uma Administração que, no fundo, não entende ou não quer entender, e pretende que quem lê a notícia tão-pouco entenda mais do [pouco] que se argumentou para o pedido de suspensão que, a realizar-se, esperemos não se transforme até em supressão imediata, o que tão-pouco causaria estranheza, ou a curto prazo. Não será, bem antes, uma questão de substituição de administrações, por serem velhas e precisarem de ser substituídas? Naturalmente, os espíritos menos avisos tenderão a aceitar a explicação... até porque talvez tenham sempre conotado a Onda Curta com a rádio do passado e que convém arredar e deitar para o lixo. Temos ainda que, a par desta última pretensão, a da suspensão da Onda Curta, surgiu outra, a da suspensão das emissões em DAB - que em boa verdade nunca serviu, por um leque de razões. Atrevo-me a dizer que não é a suspensão a palavra correcta, mas a sua supressão, pura e simples! Aqui, só dou razão a metade do que se invoca: *à RTP, corrija-se a pretensão no que à DAB diz respeito, suprimindo- a!!!* Nunca fez qq. sentido a afectação de meios para a DAB, desde a sua instalação à manutenção das emissões. Afinal, que ouvintes haverá, se nem há receptores, a julgar pela resposta do nosso mercado? Será que a Administração da RTP não tem consciência de que tem mantido a DAB em vão, "queimando" fundos inùtilmente? Houve alguma campanha para atrair os ouvintes? É algo que seja mencionado sempre nos habituais anúncios de frequências? Nunca dei por tal. Alguém deu? E quem, da audiência da RTP-rádio, ou outros ouvintes em geral sabe o que é a DAB? Alguém, por certo, há sempre alguém, mas talvez como o signatário, que não tem receptor DAB, apenas está informado sobre este meio digital, que, em grosso modo, é, digamos, como que o equivalente, em rádio, à chamada TDT-Televisão Digital Terrestre. Dado tratar-se de sinal digital (DAB=digital audio broadcast), uma só frequência pode transportar vários canais, e assim sucede com a DAB da RTP. E por falarmos da RDPi/RTP e da nova tendência da sua Administração, talvez seja igualmente oportuno tocar em algo que contraria até o que ora se pretende, ou seja, a RTP dá um passo, melhor, tem alguém que caminha por si, ao "enveredar " na moderna aventura da rádio digital em O.Curta, mas pouco falta à notícia para se ler na entrelinhas que esta característica é até considerada obsoleta, ou perto de merecer tal atributo. No mínimo, uma flagrante contradição, ou não será? Falo da DRM. Vejamos esta DRM, http://www.drm.org/ o "Concorde" da nova era da rádio. Sabe-se o que sucedeu aos vários Concorde. Ora, sendo a RTP parceira no consórcio criado para promover as emissões em modo DRM, até seria compreensível (embora não aceitável, como explicarei) ter-se equipado para tal, mas não, na realidade, a RDPi "emite" digitalmente através da retransmissora da Pro-Funk, em Sines, que, aliás, está obrigada a pôr à disposição do EP um determinado número de horas de emissão por dia, como parte da autorização para operar neste País, o que vem fazendo desde 1971 ou ' 72. Abstraindo o facto de a DRM não ter vingado, como o atesta o número decrescente de "aventuras" estrangeiras neste modo, temos como única vantagem o benefício que daí colhe a dita Pro-Funk, não a RDPi!, e convenhamos, é indiferente àquela empresa alemã que o sinal RDPi não sirva, na prática, para nada, como não serve, pois há que estar munido de receptor compatível - um paralelismo que poderíamos fàcilmente estabelecer com a DAB, embora haja, de facto, [raros, e dispendiosos] receptores que incluem o modo DRM, como também existem rádios com DAB, é certo, mas... Explicando, ao emitir em modo digital DRM, a potência dos emissores é reduzida para menos de metade; em Sines, de 250 kW, passa-se para menos de 100, tìpicamente, 90 kW. Qualquer leigo percebe que isto se traduz imediatamente numa diminuição da factura energética, factura para a Pro-Funk, entenda-se. A sensação que dá ao menos avisado é a de que a RDPi acompanha a "modernidade" da DRM pese embora isso signifique ùnicamente ganho para outrem e resultado nulo, porque será por certo nula a audiência [europeia] que a RDPi consegue ter ao "emitir" em DRM. Por tal razão, ainda bem que a RTP não afectou meios para que os emissores no CEOC pudessem "sair" igualmente em DRM... mas, então, qual o real motivo de a retransmissão a que a RTP tem direito, muito embora dela nem necessite, ter passado para DRM, no caso, apenas, ao sábado e domingo? Felizmente que os restantes dias ficaram a salvo da "praga" da DRM. Curioso, ou não será? Dado mais este pormenor, *defendo que faria todo o sentido para o País que a RTP mantivesse a O.Curta, e até noutros moldes - expandida, com mais horas diárias,* como se, afinal, não houvesse tantos concidadãos e outros ouvintes espalhados pelo mundo a justificá-lo! - e, para equilíbrio de custos - , suprimir canais de rádio (a RTP passou a englobar tv + rádio), como RDP África e outros apenas via internet, mas também de tv, como RTP África (já há uma RTP Internacional, o equivalente, em tv, do canal rádio RDPi), e talvez ainda outros, como RTP Memória e RTP N. Retrocesso? Sim, em parte, mas será lícito aceitar que o País pode manter uma emissora pública com tantos canais?! Defendo que são um erro crasso, um esbanjar de fundos, "um gastar, que depois logo se vê", um "logo se vê" bem patente nas chamadas esferas públicas que, de responsabilidade, só clamam ter a que no plano político existe: entenda-se, a que os próprios deram a si mesmos, por razões óbvias, eximindo-se assim a responsabilização real e a sanções exemplares e, indubitàvelmente, bem merecidas. Alguém já se atreveu a outros luxos que não estão relacionados com este tema, num flagrante contraste com deficiências noutros sectores públicos. Os contribuintes portugueses sabem disso, e bem. Regresso aos argumentos apresentados pela RTP, que partilham tiques de outras congéneres, v.g. na Europa. Eles são as velhas desculpas de quem frequentemente desconhece a realidade do meio - *a Onda Curta* - utilizado para chegar, de uma forma simples, aos vários cantos do globo. Mas há que "dourar a pílula", há que apresentar razões - por mais hipócritas, ridículas e falaciosas que sejam - para tentar convencer o público, mas não convém publicitá-las em demasia, mesmo perante um público-contribuinte que até desconhece a existência da Onda Curta da RTP, e a sua importância, há muitas décadas, concretamente, desde 1935, ano em que a Emissora Nacional inaugurou o Centro Emissor Imperial, em Barcarena, local onde funciona determinado Serviço da ANACOM, mais tarde (1953), substituído pelo mecionado CEU. *Longe vão já os tempos em que todos os territórios de língua portuguesa, restantes continentes e até a frota de pesca tinham horas de emissão, tal como havia o que, em má hora, já a RDP suprimiu: os programas em línguas estrangeiras, que foram minguando desde meados da década de ' 80, até serem suprimidos de todo em Março de 1998.* O que agora se invoca por parte da RTP não é mais do que o que temos assistido por parte de outras congéneres estrangeiras, como a RAI que, "oficialmente", só apontou as armas à "inutilidade" da Onda Curta..., mas o que pretendia era cortar a despesa, despesa energética e despesa com o produto, que no caso italiano se desdobrava em vários serviços: em suma, uma coisa arrastou a outra, e é mais um país sem uma voz soberana no exterior. Invoca-se que outras procederam a reduções; sim, mas outras fizeram-no com o simples propósito de criar e/ou expandir outros serviços em OC, como sucede com a iguamente mencionada BBC. Acresce ainda que para as mentes dessas administrações, qualquer ouvinte tem "facilidade" em escutar via internet ou via satélite, com melhor qualidade - facto inegável -, mas como se estas duas vias não implicassem despesa, frequentemente impossibilidade (caso de instalação de antenas parabólicas), e até ausência de mobilidade por parte de quem escuta. Se não, como será a recepção no mar, em viagem terrestre, fora de casa? *São esses dois meios, internet e satélite, ou cabo que, por exemplo, a audiência africana da RDPi utiliza?! Francamente!* Ignora a RTP que, fora da Europa, o sinal por satélite exige recurso de parábolas bem maiores dos que as usadas em Portugal, e que só por si constituem uma dificuldade acrescida? Certamente que, no fundo, não ignora, daí ver-se obrigada a recorrer a argumentos como os que lemos. *Que alternativa mais prática resta, abstraindo o custo inerente, mas constituindo simltaneamente um meio soberano?* *Indubitàvelmente, a Onda Curta e até a Onda Média, a exemplo do que muitas congéneres praticam!* Tudo depende da distância, e no caso português, com uma comunidade importante residente no país vizinho que nem pode contar com os meios empregues na cobertura nacional - mas, curiosamente, tão-pouco pode socorrer-se capazmente desta Onda Curta! -, seria simplesmente natural que a RTP pensasse também neles, por um lado, e usasse o meio para difusão da Língua, por outro, considerando ainda a situação do crescente interesse pelo Português, em Espanha. Sucede que as emissões em OC da RTP para a Europa são calculadas para a Europa Central, pelo que *a cobertura a menor distância, nesse mesmo espectro, implicaria alguns ajustes não impossíveis de realizar, assim houvesse vontade.* *Não colhe, portanto, um argumento apresentado pela própria RDPi, num programa do Provedor do Ouvinte, que, em 2010, tentou explicar a "impossibilidade técnica" de cobrir a Península em OC.* Retive esse argumento, que só poderá ser aceite por quem ignora os factos, como recordo que a sensação que transpareceu foi a de se tentar dar uma resposta diplomática, pois quem a prestou tem perfeito conhecimento de que a realidade é distinta. *Cortar na O.Curta para o exterior, deixando este apenas com internet e satélite* (ah, e VHF-FM!, mas convém escutá-la em Díli...), *não será então o mesmo que cortar na cobertura nacional em O.Média e VHF- FM, deixando o continente, os Açores e a Madeira apenas com acesso aos programas via satélite e internet... e, enquanto durar, também em DAB?* Alternativamente, por que não manter ùnicamente a DAB, com menor despesa, e cortar nos restantes dois meios via éter, OMédia e VHF.FM, que exigem maior afectação de fundos? *Seria bizarro, certamente.* À luz de um tal raciocínio, não percebo a razão de a RTP não pretender suspender ou cortar nesse campo... e, naturalmente, em muitos outros aspectos da empresa, que certamente os haverá, e com profusão. Se o fizer também aí, então todos os ouvintes, contribuintes directos ou não, ficariam em pé de igualdade. A tutela, de quem depende, em última instância a manutenção desse meio da RTP, ou até das RTPi e RDPi. Será esta sensível às necessidades de que quem está no estrangeiro e pretende, como é seu direito!, e expectável, captar o programa da RDPi da forma mais simples e directa, abstraindo aqui a qualidade comparativamente com os outros meios "da moda", internet, satélite, cabo e (volto a dizer), a tal cobertura VHF-FM em Díli...? Gostaria de crer que sim, que talvez haja nessas paragens "gentinha" com alguns conhecimentos e convençam os últimos responsáveis (...) a opor-se, porém, estou quase certo de que também ela, a tutela, a isso fechará os olhos, se as outras aparências forem as únicas a prevalecer, se o que se pretende é cortar, independemente dos critérios. Tenho para mim que o desfecho será esse, infelizmente. Mas, enfim, tudo isto nada conta, hoje em dia; o que conta é o continuar das aparências, do supérfluo, por abundantes supérfluos comandados pelas rédeas dos que têm governado o País há perto de quatro décadas. ___________________ Os Portugueses fora do território Pátrio não merecem este tratamento, como não o merece esta Língua que falamos, se a RDPi é, afinal, a única emissora de referência em Língua Portuguesa! É uma vergonha, pretender suspender este meio, muito menos suprimi-lo, como temo que possa ser esse o rumo futuro. Esperemos, apesar de tudo, que se encontre equidade, bom senso e uma centelha de respeito (Carlos Gonçalves, PORTUGAL, April 25, via dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) If my interpretation of the original text is correct, a request has been made to suspend the RDPi SW transmissions, but no date for this has been set. Still hearing RDPi on both 9715 and 11940 at a 0045 check Friday April 29. I still think this is a case of "shutting it off and see if anyone notices." If overall response is minimal, we could be hearing the last of RDPi on SW. Or they could resume transmissions to just those areas that achieved a certain level of reaction to the shutdown. Sure is a long way (for better or worse) from the old "Voice of the West" days and the multilingual international service of decades ago (Steve Luce, Houston, Texas, April 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. 4831.00, 2040-2100* 19.04, Voice of Russia, Tbilisskaya, Russian talk in Radio Kanal Sodruzhestov, 2056 choir singing, ann, address in Moscow, organ music and closing ann. Spurious signal (5920 - 1089) heard again on summerschedule, 34343, QRM whistling tone // 1089 MW (42442 QRM UK). Best 73, (Anker Petersen, in Skovlunde, Denmark, on my AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. 11946, V. of Russia (spurious? off frequency // 12040), 2039, 23/04, English, political talk, ID, fair (SIO 333) 73, (Michele D`Amico, Europe, RXs: Drake R8E, Drake R4C. Antenna: Cushcraft R8 multiband vertical), bclnews.it yg via DXLD) Voice of Russia English service, spurs of 12040 kHz transmission. Die VoRussia mit der "bekannten" Nebenwelle, rudert in der Gegend von 12153.xx kHz herum (Herbert Meixner-AUT, A-DX April 25) 12040 kHz fundamental frequency from Moscow tx center, 1500-2100 UT 200 kW. Spurs observed already since A-11 season start. Wandered signals between 20 and 500 Hertz downwards - mostly away approx. 113.27 kHz difference. lower side peaks on 11813.5 and 11926.73 kHz, upper side more peaks on 12153.291 .... .562, 12266.989 ... 12267.072, 12380.6, and 12494.1 kHz (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews April 25, harmonics yg via DXLD) ** RUSSIA [non]. Frequency change for Voice of Russia in French to Africa: 1600-2000 NF 9900*ERV 500 kW / 190 deg, ex 9840 to avoid RL in Russian * QRM from 9895 1600-1700 RNW in Dutch; 1800-1900 WYFR in Romanian; 1900-1930 VOV in Russian And future frequency change for Voice of Russia in French to Africa: 1600-2100 NF 13850 KCH 500 kW / 235 deg, ex 9410 to avoid BBC English/Somali/English from 1700 73! (Ivo Ivanov, Bulgaria, April 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Frequency change for Voice of Russia in French to Africa: 1600-2000 NF 9900*ERV 500 kW / 190 deg, ex 9840 to avoid RL in Russian * QRM from 9895 16-17 RNW Dutch; 18-19 WYFR Romanian; 19-1930 VOV Russian (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 26 April via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Summer A-11 for Voice of Russia in DRM mode: 0100-0300 on 15735 K/A 090 kW / 213 deg to EaAs in Russian 0300-0500 on 15735 K/A 090 kW / 213 deg to EaAs in English 1600-1700 on 9880 KLG 015 kW / 220 deg to WeEu in French 1700-1800 on 9880 KLG 015 kW / 220 deg to WeEu in Italian 1800-2100 on 9880 KLG 015 kW / 220 deg to WeEu in French 0800-1000 on 9850 KLG 015 kW / 220 deg to WeEu in Russian 1000-1200 on 9850 KLG 015 kW / 220 deg to WeEu in German 1200-1300 on 9850 KLG 015 kW / 220 deg to WeEu in Russian 1300-1400 on 9750 MSK 035 kW / 265 deg to WeEu in Russian 1400-1500 on 9750 MSK 035 kW / 265 deg to WeEu in English 1500-1800 on 9750 MSK 035 kW / 265 deg to WeEu in German 1200-1300 on 9445 IRK 035 kW / 235 deg to SoAs in English 1300-1400 on 9445 IRK 035 kW / 235 deg to SoAs in Hindi 1400-1500 on 9445 IRK 035 kW / 235 deg to SoAs in Urdu 1500-1600 on 9445 IRK 035 kW / 235 deg to SoAs in Hindi 1400-1600 on 7225 ARM 035 kW / 327 deg to NWEu in English 1500-1700 on 6155 KLG 015 kW / 205 deg to SEEu in Serbian 1700-1800 on 6155 KLG 015 kW / 205 deg to SEEu in Italian (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 22 April via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. RADIO MOSCOW REMEMBERED PROGRAMMES --- Graeme Stevenson on the swgold group spotted two recent programmes in the `From Moscow With Love` series on the Voice of Russia with memories of Radio Moscow presenters; can be streamed or downloaded online: Vasily and Nataly are joined in the studio by World Service broadcasters Svetlana Ekimenko and Nataly Zemtsova for a look back at Radio Moscow in the 80's and some of the famous voices heard round the globe on shortwave: 17 April 2011 Annabel Bucar 10 April 2011 Joe Adamov http://english.ruvr.ru/radio_broadcast/36578738/ (Mike Barraclough, April 22, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SABAH [non]. FREE RADIO STATION PLAN FOR SABAH Luke Rintod | April 26, 2011 Online Sarawak Report portal owner Clare Rewcastle Brown is being wooed to set up similar operations for Sabah. LONDON: Some Sabah activists are now toying with the idea of setting up a radio station like Radio Free Sarawak for Sabah. Leaders of CigMa or Common Interest Group Malaysia, who are currently on a European tour, also want a London-based online website. Sabahans are said to be exploring the possibility of working with Sarawak Report (SR) owner, Clare Rewcastle-Brown, and Radio Free Sarawak (RFS), beamed from London to longhouses in Sarawak. CigMa president, Daniel John Jambun, said there was a proposal to provide for an alternative media for Sabah, similar to what its neighbour Sarawak had. The hard-hitting SR and the shortwave RFS broadcast have been quite a hit in Sarawak, prompting demands for short-wave radio in several towns, especially during the recently concluded state election. Jambun said CigMa fully supported the move as “it is a part of our intention to educate Sabahans on many issues, especially on matters that have a impact on native life and well-being”. “We believe in freedom of expression and so having news portals and radio broadcasts from abroad will definitely help the people of Sabah to have a more balanced report on what is going on in their state,” he told FMT here. However, it is learnt that the news portal and radio station may not materialise any time soon as the proposed projects, especially the daily shortwave radio broadcasts, would need substantial funding. The Sabah radio, when it materialises, would be anchored by a multi- lingual presenter like Peter John Jaban or “Apai orang utan”. RFS broadcasts in three languages (English, Iban and Bahasa Malaysia), two hours daily from 6pm to 8pm. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/gx14Bx Radio Free Sarawak (RFS): http://radiofreesarawak.org/ (Via Yimber Gaviria, Colombia, and Artie Bigley, OH, April 26, WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) See also the comments, appended to http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2011/04/26/free-radio-station-plan-for-sabah/ including: WHATSABAHDAP 19 hours ago In fact SAPP has already running an online Radio for fellow Sabahan. Anyone who are interested in our Radio may follow below link:- http://www.ustream.tv/channel/radiosabahtv Teo 19 hours ago Luke Rintod, you may check out Radio Sabahtv.net which is on air live and other past records available from UStreams too. http://www.ustream.tv/user/radiosabahtv (via DXLD) ** SAO TOME. QSL - VOA 6080 sent e-mail reply to report sent by regular mail directly to the site. QSL was a pdf of a 2 page letter with date-only confirmation plus info about the site and its mission, on the relay site's letter head, signed by Victor Cunha dos Santos Guadalupe, transmitter plant assistant supervisor. 20 days (Bruce Portzer, WA, April 23, HCDX via DXLD) See also USA ** SARAWAK [non]. PALAU, 15420 R. Free Sarawak: Apr 13 1232-1244 35433 Iban, Talk, ID at 1241, Apr 18 1201-1213 35433 Iban, Talk, ID at 1201, etc. (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium April 22 via DXLD) ** SARAWAK [non]. Re 11-16, Radio Free Sarawak jammed? I asked WRN, which is the broker for R. Free Sarawak, if they had any comments on the reports and a spokesman responded April 22: "Thank you for allowing us to correct misinformation that has been spreading and was reported by you. There is currently no signal on 15425 kHz causing interference to Radio Free Sarawak. We have not been happy about speculation and certain untrue information that has been circulating, and in particular some which implicated respected organisations." (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15420, Free Sarawak at 12-13 UT April 22 via Yangi Yul site, TAJIKISTAN, provided by WRN London, but heard only classical music as filler in past four days or so. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Free Sarawak again on air with programming from today April 27 MALAYSIA (non), Radio Free Sarawak in English, Iban and Malay 1000-1200 15420 HBN 100 kW / 270 deg to SEAs again on air from Apr. 27 1200-1300 15420 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to SEAs, test 1300-1600 15400 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to SEAs, test 1600-1800 15335 DB 100 kW / 131 deg to SEAs, test 73! (Ivo Ivanov, April 27, WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15420, R. Free Sarawak via Dushanbe Yangi Yul [corrected to PALAU with above info], 1144-1200*, April 27. In vernacular; series of on air phone calls; placed a call to Dr. Chou; started conversation by identifying “Radio Free Sarawak” and talking about the need “to verify the results of the election”; “so this election is very unfair”; 1159 sign off announcement; almost fair. Last heard here on April 18 and subsequently only broadcasting non-stop western classical music until today’s resumption of RFS programming. Nothing heard on 15425. Audio at http://www.box.net/shared/70gpjdaooe (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15420, nothing heard - on all remote places - at 11-12 UT Apr 27 (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews via DXLD) RADIO FREE SARAWAK BACK ON THE AIR Radio Free Sarawak announces on its Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/radiofreesarawak that it is back on the air. A message posted today reads “We are back! Don’t forget to tune in to Radio Free Sarawak from 6-7PM on SW15420. It will also be available online later today.” T1oday’s programme is indeed available online. However the broadcast on 15420 kHz is now only one hour long, 1000-1100 instead of 1000-1200 UT. Whether this is a temporary or permanent reduction isn’t clear. On today’s broadcast, there is a long opening announcement, but the background music is too loud and I suspect it will be difficult to copy on shortwave, especially if the transmitter uses audio compression (April 27th, 2011 - 9:33 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) Really? Ron Howard heard it until 1200* (gh, ibid.) OK, the programme on the website is only 60 minutes (actually 60'01") so presumably it was played out twice at 1000-1100 and 1100-1200 UT. This may well be the normal procedure. But the website appears to be down (probably blocked) at the moment. I wonder if the 'jamming' will start up again (Andy Sennitt, ibid.) 15420.05, R. Free Sarawak via Koror-Palau, 1141-1147, April 28. Sorry about yesterday’s confusion on my part about their broadcasting site; I misread wb’s posting to dxldyg, which was for a different time period than this. Today again in vernacular with phone conversations; pop song in vernacular; about as good as yesterday’s reception; seemed to be slightly higher in frequency (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SAUDI ARABIA. Wrong address Saudi Arabia Radio in WRTH --- Dear friends, I'll want to communicate that the following postal address that in WRTH appears of Saudi Arabia Radio BSKSA Frequency manager P.o. Box 61718 Riyad 11575 is wrong because yesterday a letter with this postal address return me back (GABRIELLI Dario, ITALY, April 20, BDXC-UK yg via DXLD) BSKSA QSL? Hello, colleagues! I would like to ask: who else has recently received confirmation from the Broadcasting Corporation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia? Much as they did not write - never replied. If there is QSL-the address - will be grateful (Andrey Pisaniy, April 25, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Andrey -- I believe that I read on one of the DX lists that Saudi Arabia no longer verifies. This is one that I have never got around to verifying when they were easy to QSL, but have been trying diligently over the past few years without results. All reports sent with either US$ or mint Saudi Arabia stamps on SASE (thanks Bill Plum), always with a PFC. With the price of gasoline what it is, to my mind Riyadh not responding to their listeners is terrible public relations. :) 73, (Brandon Jordan, bcdx.org ibid.) ** SERBIA [non]. INTERNATIONAL RADIO SERBIA, 6190 - QSL card, sticker & program schedule in 55 days for e-report to radioju@sbb.rs (Bruce Portzer, WA, April 23, HCDX via DXLD) ** SEYCHELLES. 5925, BBC WS relay, Mahe, 2011/04/19 tue *1700-1703*, stomped upon Voice of Russia sign off at 1700*, with ID "BBC World Service", then for three minutes just kept repeating "there are no programmes on this channel at present", before disappearing themselves. Good. Local sunset 1549 (Bill Bingham, Johannesburg, South Africa, April 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) BBC Seychelles is scheduled here at 1800-1830 daily in Somali, plus 1830-1900 M-F in K/Rundi/Rwanda (from HFCC, gh, DXLD) QSL - BBC relay 7445 sent friendly frequency-only QSL letter with aerial photo of site, v/s Herve Cherry, Senior Transmitter Engineer. Report sent to address listed in WRTH, 53 days (Bruce Portzer, WA, April 23, HCDX via DXLD) ** SPAIN [and non]. 11880, REE via COSTA RICA, Friday April 22 at 1230 Basque underway promptly, still at 1250; brief Italian clip at 1253, more Basque. Direct 17595 does not sign on until 1300, preceded by IS. 15110, Saturday April 23 at 2206, REE`s excellent world-music show `Mundofonías` starting with Brasil, VG signal direct and also via COSTA RICA 17850 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9675, surprised to hear REE via COSTA RICA here, instead of usual 9630, April 25 at 0513, interview about the 25th anniversary of Emisión Sefardí, // 3350, 5965 and direct on 6055. I`m quite sure I have been hearing this on 9630 in A-11, altho it was on 9675 in B-10. HFCC now shows identical registrations for both frequencies at 0200- 0600, 100 kW, 340 degrees from Cariari, so have they deliberately switched to an alternate, or by mistake? Not a good idea, as overshadowed by WYFR on 9680. But it is a good idea for CBCNQ 9625 listeners before 0500. 9630, REE via COSTA RICA, back here April 26 at 0543, instead of alternate 9675 heard 24 hours earlier; so was that slopperation or a test? For benefit of would-be CBCNQ listeners before 0505*, bigsig 9675 would be better from Cariari (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SRI LANKA [and non]. 11570, Family Radio via Colombo. Apr. 19 at *1330-1400 in Oriya. SINPO 35332. S/on with IS & ID, followed by talk, sometimes mentioned "Bible study". Covered by Open Radio for North Korea on the same frequency at 1400 (Iwao Nagatani, Japan, Japan Premium April 22 via DXLD) ** SUDAN [non]. 9670, Miraya. Once again heard with poor signal on April 21 at 0410+ but after 0430 signal grew to S7+ having the spur on 9430 with S3 (Zacharias Liangas, Thessalonki, Greece, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) 9670, SLOVAKIA. Radio Miraya FM (Rimavska Sobota), 0307-0322, 4/23/2011, Arabic. Pop music with vocals in English, and a few very short instrumental selections. Identification by man in Arabic at 0321. Talk by woman in Arabic with short, fast paced segments and music in the background. Moderate signal with some fading and heavy interference from 9665 (Voice of Russia via Maiac). (Jim Evans, Germantown, TN, Tecsun PL-660, whip antenna, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** SUDAN [non]. Hi Glenn, Re your query about Radio Dabanga in 11-16. The het on 11500 could conceivably have been caused by jamming; I am happy to concede that what I assumed to be a het could have been what you refer to as a "continuous tone underneath", but the fading was nowhere near the rate of about 70 pulses per minute that you describe. I will monitor this frequency again at sign-off to see if the tone goes off with the Dabanga carrier. The 13730 signal was initially good, but became generally, and gradually, worse after 1700 due to propagation / atmospherics etc. There was no sign of jamming, what you describe as "grind and whine", at least from my location in S.A. The clue may be in the source of the Dabanga signal; yours at about 0500 utc was coming from the UAE, mine at about 1700 utc was coming from Germany. Is it possible that the jamming signal itself is directional and being targeted towards Sudan, and could that give a clue as to its source ? But I guess it might also preclude your receiving it in the USA (Bill Bingham, RSA, April 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The 70 pulses per minute referred to the totally different jamming on 13730 (in the 0430-0527 broadcast) (gh, DXLD) QSL: RADIO DABANGA - 11615 via Germany, sent QSL card in 42 days, f/d except for tx site, for English report + CD + $1 to Press Now in Amsterdam (Bruce Portzer, WA, April 23, HCDX via DXLD) 13620, April 26 at 0527, R. Dabanga carrier off a few seconds after this minute rather than erroneous English for a sesquiminute as last time; while the jamming tone continues, in the clear without a SAH from Madagascar. 13730, the other R. Dabanga frequency, via UAE, bore only the jamming consisting of an oscillating noisy tone pulsing at the rate of 72 times per minute, and cutting to silence a split second every quarter- minute, still going at 0539 long after RD had finished. 13620 and 13730, usual totally different jamming against the two R. Dabanga channels, April 27 at 0520 check. Maybe RD should try hopping to different frequencies nearby (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also MADAGASCAR [and non] Hi Glenn, I've just monitored Dabanga on 11500 and 13730 from 1640 utc to 1730 [April 28]. ID was confirmed on both by announcements at 1644, 1646, 1651, and several more after that. There was no sign of jamming on 13730 from Wertachtel. I would classify reception as good most of the time, with occasional lapses to fair. At 1709 and 1711 it just cut out totally for a few seconds, but quickly returned and apart from those two lapses it was quite audible all the time, until sign off at 1727*. In contrast, 11500 from Madagascar was poor from the start and got worse as time went on. By 1654 the Dabanga signal had faded to the point where it was barely audible, but the interfering tone continued loud and strong. The pulsing you describe was present, but too fast to count - I estimate about 5 per second, even with the Dabanga signal gone. It showed as a variation in the background noise level, with little effect on the interfering tone. I estimated the interfering tone was about 1 kHz, so I experimented with zero beat using the Drake R8 on SSB. I think I found two weak carriers, one at 11500 (presumably Dabanga) and another at 11499, so once again I assumed it was a het. By 1714 the tone was also fading out, to nearly inaudible, with the Dabanga audio long gone. 13730 signed off and cut the carrier at 1727*, but I couldn't tell whether the 11500 carrier was still on because the signal had disappeared. The tone continued on 11500 until 1729, and after it ended I couldn't find either carrier by zero beat, which seems to suggest (to me anyway) a single modulated carrier was responsible (unless they both switched off within a few seconds of each other.) With the tone gone, the background noise level returned to a constant s3 with no pulsing. From this, we are probably not much further forward with identifying the source. Maybe I should try again with a different AGC setting for the pulsing. Meanwhile, I hope you have had more success (Bill Bingham, Johannesburg, South Africa, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN [non]. via Sines, PORTUGAL. 17745, Sudan Radio Service, 1502- 1600+, April 23, looking for English here this Saturday but only hear mostly continuous local Afro-pop and Horn of Africa style music. Occasional Arabic announcements. Local drums. Fair to good (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) 17745, Sudan Radio Service via Portugal, 1516-1531, April 23 (Saturday). Interesting songs in English about Sudan (“Come on let’s begin to work for peace in Sudan”, “Darfurians are dying every day”, etc.); several IDs; in Arabic dialect (?) (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWEDEN. Re 11-16: Author: Roy Sandgren. Comment: The 300/600 kWs AM transmitter is still intact and can be in service very soon to private broadcastings. See all comments on this post here: http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/hakan-widenstedt-of-the-horby-sw-station-rip#comments (Media Network blog comments via DXLD) ** SWITZERLAND. 558 MW, Voice of Russia, via Cima di Dentro, Ticino. They have reached a agreement with Swiss authorities and now broadcast since Apr 01 in the three Swiss national languages as follows: German 1000-1200, 1500-1700 and 1800-1900, Italian 1700-1800 and French 1900- 2000. 200 kW claimed, but here in Florence reception is very poor (Luigi Cobisi, Firenze, Italia, DSWCI DX Window April 20 via DXLD) ** TAIWAN. QSL: Radio Taiwan International 11635 sent QSL card and stack of postcards promoting the 100th anniversary of the Republic of China in 84 days. This was for reception of a Mandarin broadcast. Card was f/d but site name was written in Chinese. Report sent via form on website (Bruce Portzer, WA, April 23, HCDX via DXLD) ** TAIWAN. 9774.008, very odd frequency and 990 Hertz tone noted at 0800 UT Apr 20 of Fu Hsing BS from Kuanyin TWN. S=6 weak signal. 11549.947-odd "Yuye guangbo diantai" 0900-0930 UT on Weds only. Amoy (Hokkein) via Tainan-TWN 300 kW 205 deg FRS, according to Aoki list. S=8-9, little overmodulated. 11549.945-odd, YFR in Indonesian via Tainan-TWN 300 kW 205 deg according to Aoki list. Endless sermon talk. 1110 UT Apr 20. Noted via remote receiver in JPN. S=8-9. Small modulation bandwidth. 11605.092 odd, R Taiwan International from Tainan in Japanese, heard S=7-8 in Vancouver Island, 0810 UT Apr 21 (Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, Germany, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 20/21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9464.907, YFR English sermon via Paochung-TWN relay site. 0925 UT Apr 25. Only S=4-5 level (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 25, DXLD) ** TAIWAN [and non]. Domenica 24 aprile 2011, 2110 - 9745 kHz, VOICE OF KUANGHUA - Kuanyin (Taiwan), Musica locale e annunci YL, mescolata su e giù con RADIO BAHRAIN Canzone melodica YL. Segnali sufficienti- buoni (Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova), Italia, Etón E5, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) ** TAIWAN. 7105, Sound of Hope, 2240-2250, 23-April-2011, In Mandarin. Presumed, male and female announcers with long commentary, fair signal (Ed Wlodarski, N2ED, New Jersey, Ten Tec RX340 & 100 Ft Long Wire, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) As always, see CHINA for numerous other SOH frequencies, completely blocked by Firedrake jamming (gh, DXLD) 10300, Sound of Hope (presumed), 1230-1305, April 22. Long monologues in Chinese; I stayed with this waiting for a clear ID, but none heard; almost fair; no Firedrake. 7970 also Firedrake free at 1506, with assume SOH in Chinese (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Domenica 24 aprile 2011, 2104 - 10300 kHz. SOUND OF HOPE TAIWAN, Mandarino, talk OM. Segnale insufficiente-nullo. Firedrake not heard (Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova), Italia, Etón E5, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) 14700, Sound of Hope, 1420, April 26. A positive ID; spelled out “w-w- w-s-o-u-n-d-o-f-h-o-p-e-o-r-g”; then in English said “Sound of Hope”, with background religious music; only about the third time I have caught a clear ID. Today 10300 was also in the clear (no Firedrake) from 1256 to 1311 (Ron Howard, Asilomar State Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAIWAN [non]. The next edition of Media Network Plus is all ready to go. We have a number of very interesting items. As always some of the major headlines from the world of radio compiled by Andy Sennitt. Then we will take a brief look at the Foreign Office Committee report on the impact the shortwave cuts will have on the BBC World Service and the United Kingdom. Also many SWLs have been waiting for the new shortwave receiver from Sangean. The ATS909x is an upgrade of the very popular 909, we will have a short review of this new radio. In the main feature we will be going back to February 25, 1945 the launch date of the CBC International Service, now known as Radio Canada International. Eric Koch who was with the CBC IS from the testing stage and remained with the service for 9 years will join us to talk about the political difficulties working at the station when staff in the foreign languages were watched by Ottawa to make sure there were no pro-nazi or pro-communists in the service. The first relay of Media Network Plus is at 0100 UT April 30th on 9955 kHz directed to the Caribbean/Latin America and North America. You can listen to the live stream of the program at www.wrmi.net. Other relays that follow are World FM, South Herts Radio and others over the following days. It will be made available for download at http://www.pcjmedia.com 73s, Paulette and Keith (Facebook) (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** THAILAND. 9890, R. Thailand, *1230-1259* Apr 19. In English with national news, business news, ads, etc.; off abruptly at 1259. Also heard on Apr 21, coming on at 1230 but playing Thai vocal and instrumental music with no announcements until 1253, when several ads (Crystal Design Center, a trade company, and one or two others) in American-accented English were noted; a program about Thai culture followed at 1256; off in mid-sentence at 1259:30. Fair signal both days but fadey and hard to copy at times (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, Colorado, Drake R-8, 100-foot RW, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** TIBET [non]. V of Tibet, Dushanbe Yangiyul, S=8 signal in Nagoya JPN at 1235 UT, but now down on 15537.000 kHz, music jamming on 15540 nearby. 1230-1300 UT. Also logged recently on odd 15527, 15537, 15547, 15552, 15557, 15562, 15582 kHz channels, to avoid a little bit China mainland jamming against VoTibet broadcasts (Wolfgang Bueschel, April 19, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews April 20 via DXLD) TAJIKISTAN, 15537.000, via Dushanbe Yangi Yul, Voice of Tibet program at 1240 UT Apr 22, poor S=5-6 signal, accompanied China mainland Firedrake music bumm bäng jammer on exact 15540 kHz, S=6 signal (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) TAJIKISTAN/CHINA, 15550 - Firedrake tscheng-bumm Firedrake music. 7 kHz away of Voice of Tibet signal from Yangi Yul-TJK on 15557 kHz, at 1215 UT Apr 24. vy 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENNG DIGEST) ** TIBET [and non]. VIDEO EMERGES OF CHINESE CRACKDOWN NEAR TIBETAN MONASTERY === VOA Tibetan Friday, 22 April 2011 Photo: VOA Tibetan Service === Thousands attend Ngaba monk Phuntsog's cremation amid heightened Chinese security Activists say video obtained by Voice of America of unrest at a Tibetan monastery where a young monk burned himself to death refutes Chinese government's assertions that the situation is “normal” and “harmonious”. The video shows Chinese security forces patrolling near the Kirti monastery, in an ethnically Tibetan area of China's Sichuan province. It documents a heavy police crackdown in the town of Ngaba and around the entrance to the Kirti monastery, with officers leading detainees away and blocking streets. It also shows a young monk covered with burns and apparently in shock after self-immolating March 16 to protest China's policies on Tibet. The video is thought to be the first containing images of Phuntsog, a 20 year-old monk of Kirti monastery who died recently after setting himself on fire to protest Chinese policies. His protest took place on the third-year anniversary of major demonstrations against Chinese rule . . . http://www.voanews.com/tibetan-english/news/Video-Emerges-of-Chinese-Crackdown-Near-Tibetan-Monastery-120475854.html Lots more news in English about Tibet: http://www.voanews.com/tibetan-english/news/ (via gh, DXLD) ** TINIAN [and non]. 21580, April 28 at 0550, several wide-awake Chinese voices from R. Free Asia, the OSOB at poor level, but always fun to hear anything on 13m in the nightmiddle. Swept that band after hearing 17855 same via SAIPAN. 17855 is 100 kW, 310 degrees until 0700, while 21580 is 250 kW, 313 degrees until 0600; and no sign of jamming on either, not propagating (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKEY. Hi everyone, UNID 10110 kHz 21/4/11 recorded up to 2000 when just went off after another song. http://www.box.net/shared/460p36s0eh Any ideas? (Mark Davies, Anglesey, Wales, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) This has already been identified in DXLD 11-16, q.v., as a leapfrog mixing product from Turkey. Is anybody reading what I compile? (gh) Sounds Turkish. Maybe TRT tx site mixing product of two transmitters in the 31 mb or something like that. 73, (Jari Savolainen, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST Re: "UNIDENTIFIED. 10000, station at 1545 UT on 10 April with Turkish or Kurdish songs. At 1551 UT with ID ??? (very poor signal mixed with Chinese time station) Seems 1559* UT. There is a recording (Zacharias Liangas-GRC, dxld April 16)" Typical formula of TRT Emirler TX site intermodulation of two 31 mb frequencies 9530 1530-1630 29SE,39NE,40,41 EMR 500 95 AZERBAIJAN TUR TRT 9765 1500-1600 30S,40 EMR 250 105 PERSIAN TUR TRT 9765 x 2 = 19530 minus 9530 = 10000 kHz (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews April 16 via dxldyg via DXLD) A.k.a. leapfrog – add the difference between 9530 and 9765 to 9765 and you get 10000 (gh) ** TURKEY. Latest News about TRT --- Dear Glenn, I have been attending a course in Ankara and find a short visit to TRT Transmitters Department and The Voice of Turkey. TRT Administration have decided to shut down Çakirlar transmitter site. I have been also sending a Turkish Folk Music based on Usak Region (Anatolian Folk Dance's Music). Remember that this music on the air behind the frequency changes announcement in Turkish Service of TRT The Voice of Turkey. Hope that may useful for you. Sincerely (Mustafa CANKURT, Turkey, April 22, WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Closing Çakirlar presumably explains the need to retime several broadcasts, as in latest schedule via DX Mix News, below. However, HFCC A-11 already showed everything via the other site Emirler (gh) So was the final SW broadcast from the Çakirlar site on the last day of the B10 period? Turkey: 2 new Panoramio images Çak?rlar [? Means the i is not dotted] http://www.panoramio.com/photo/43619289?source=wapi&referrer=kh.google.com Emirler http://www.panoramio.com/photo/36401071?source=wapi&referrer=kh.google.com (Ian Baxter, shortwavesites yg via DXLD) ** TURKEY. Updated summer A-11 schedule for Voice of Turkey: Arabic 0900-0955 on 11750, single freq. 1400-1455 on 9540 17770 1830-1925 on 11690, new time Azeri 0700-0755 on 11730 1530-1625 on 9530 Bulgarian 1100-1125 on 7210 Chinese 1100-1155 on 15240 Dari 1500-1525 on 11765 English 0300-0355 on 6165 9515 1230-1325 on 15450, single freq. 1630-1725 on 15520, new time ######### 1830-1925 on 9785 2030-2125 on 7205 2200-2255 on 9830 French 1930-2025 on 9535 9635 Georgian 1000-1055 on 9655 German 1130-1225 on 13760 1730-1825 on 11835 Italian 1500-1525 on 9610, ex 1400-1425 on same for A-10 Kazakh 1330-1355 on 11880 Pashto 1530-1555 on 11765 Persian 0830-0955 on 11795 1500-1555 on 9765 Russian 1300-1355 on 11965 Spanish 0100-0155 on 9770 9870 1630-1725 on 11930 Tatar 1000-1025 on 9855 Turkish 0000-0155 on 7260 0400-0555 on 6040 11980 0600-0855 on 11750 11955 13635 0900-1255 on 11955 13635 1300-1555 on 9840 1600-2055 on 5960 9460 Turkmen 1200-1225 on 11825 Urdu 1400-1455 on 13710, ex 1200-1255 on same for A-10 Uyghur 0200-0255 on 9465 1230-1325 on 11700, ex 1400-1455 on 15180 for A-10 Uzbek 1030-1055 on 13650 1600-1625 on 11765 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 22 April via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) 15450, April 27 at 1315, V. of Turkey has fair signal during music- fill end of broadcast, so I make a point of catching the sign-off announcement at 1323: a month after A-11 began, the YL is still clueless, thinx this broadcast *starts at 1330 on 11735 and 12035, while it is really at 1230 and now on 15450 only, as the other frequency, 15520 eastward has been deleted in favor of a separate new English broadcast on that at 1630, as now HFCC registered but not confirmed here. Anyhow, there was no signal on 15520 at 1320+. After her imaginary schedule announcement, before carrier-off, only one iteration of the redone IS on a keyboard, so one would not know there are no longer any variations (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, I heard Turkey sign on 15520 at 1630 UT sometime in past 2 weeks can't remember when. It was weak but readable (Peter W Hansen, April 27, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UGANDA. Sehr schoene - wenn auch schwache - Signale aus Afrika, und noch dazu seltene Kost am 19.4: 4750.00 1740-1915 UT s/off Dunamis Shortwave, 73 (Christoph OE2CRM Ratzer, A-DX Apr 19 via BCDX April 27 via DXLD) ** UGANDA [non]. via FRANCE. 15410 NF, Radio Y’Abaganda, *1700-1715*, ex-17725. April 23, sign on with pop music. Vernacular talk at 1702 and Afro-pop music. Choral tune at 1711 and vernacular talk to sign off. Fair. Sat only (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg, PA, USA, Icom IC- 7600, two 100 foot longwires, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. BBC WS SPOKESPERSON HAS "NO INFORMATION" (YET) ABOUT RESTORATION OF FULL BBC HINDI SHORTWAVE SCHEDULE. Radio Netherlands Media Network, 20 Apr 2011, Andy Sennitt: "From 1 May 2011, the BBC World Service is reinstating the shortwave broadcasts in Hindi that were discontinued on 27 March. The frequencies were registered for use commencing 18 April 2011, but Asian monitors soon reported that the additional transmissions were not yet on the air. In today’s updated BBC schedule, the new start date is given as 1 May. The revised schedule from 1 May is as follows: 0100-0130 UTC on 6065, 9425, 11995, 13745, 15510 kHz; 0230-0300 UTC on 11995, 15660, 17510, 17655 kHz; 1400-1500 UTC on 1413, 7565, 9685, 11795, 15470 kHz; 1700- 1730 UTC on 1413, 5910, 7460, 9605, 11740 kHz. (Source: BBC frequency schedule via HFCC)" See previous post about BBC Hindi maintaining part of its shortwave schedule (Posted: 21 Apr 2011 via kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) Thursday morning here in DC, a colleague called the BBC World Service press office, where a spokesperson said the situation remains unchanged since the last official notification regarding the reduction of the Hindi broadcasts from daily two hours to one hour a day. The spokesperson also said that as of now they've no information about any restoration, and if BBC management took a decision to that effect, the press office will issue a notification accordingly (Kim Andrew Elliott, ibid.) We must realise some info in HFCC is there on a *contingency* basis. That may be one reason they were reluctant to make public the full schedule in a timely manner (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) BBC has no immediate plans for more Hindi on SW --- Media Network has been informed that the BBC World Service has no immediate plans to resume the three Hindi shortwave transmissions that have been added to the HFCC transmission schedule with an indicated start date of 1 May 2011. These are so-called ‘wooden’ entries which may be used in the future if additional funding can be found, but at the moment the 1400- 1500 UTC transmission is the only one on the air (April 26th, 2011 - 11:55 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) ** U K [non]. 9410, BBCWS in English, April 21 at 0602 with quick severe echo and SAH. It`s SENTECH`s fault for not turning off before 0600 their relay at 328 degrees, while ASCENSION starts at 0600, 65 degrees. One of numerous operational foulups at the shoddily-run Meyerton site, tsk2. 15370, talk about Manchester United in a HOA language, April 23 at 1351, good with flutter. Surprise, it`s BBCWS, Somali service, Saturdays only at 13-16, 250 kW, 160 degrees from CYPRUS (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. BBC, UNDER CRITICISM, STRUGGLES TO TIGHTEN ITS BELT Lefteris Pitarakis/Associated Press [caption: cut my pension by 1/3? Of course I`m on strike!] A BBC workers’ strike last November. The BBC has agreed to freeze the mandatory fee paid by TV households and is seeking new ways to cut costs. By SARAH LYALL and ERIC PFANNER Published: April 23, 2011 DAVID CAMERON, the British prime minister, was in Brussels meeting the press last October when he took a few moments to make fun of the British Broadcasting Corporation. “Good to see that costs are being controlled everywhere,” Mr. Cameron said as he directed a mocking glance at three BBC correspondents, each from a different BBC program, covering his news conference. The implication: Considering that the BBC has agreed to freeze most of its public funding for six years, effectively sentencing itself to a 16 percent budget cut through 2017, it surely could have looked harder at its staffing needs for the event. “We’re all in this together,” Mr. Cameron said sarcastically, reciting his government’s favorite austerity slogan, and then added, “including, deliciously, the BBC.” Why would the British premier celebrate the financial woes of the BBC? The corporation is the biggest, oldest and most revered public broadcasting company in the world, a centerpiece of the British brand, as essential to Britain’s view of itself as the National Health Service or the royal family. The BBC’s news broadcasts, whether on the radio or on television, exude authority and command respect around the globe. The corporation has also made extraordinary cultural contributions to Britain over the decades, through nurturing talent, sponsoring major musical events and broadcasting television shows like “I, Claudius,” “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” and “Fawlty Towers.” Britons call it, affectionately, the Beeb, and sometimes “Auntie,” for its traditional role as the last word on everything. But despite all that, or perhaps because of it, the BBC seems at times to be an all-purpose whipping boy, an easy target for casual joking and at times naked derision from the country’s political establishment. . . http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/24/business/media/24bbc.html?emc=eta1 (via David Cole, DXLD) ** U S A. 5000, April 25 at 1318, WWV announces that propagation info will cease on Sept 6, inviting comments to http://www.spaceweather.gov/wwv by June 30. Does that mean we have two months to talk them out of it? That forwards to http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/wwv/ titled ``WWV replacement instructions`` with the same info, and an e-mail link to swpc.wwv @ noaa.gov Then the usual prop info shifted a minute later to 1319. SF = 117, K = 1, but 13m is dead again today (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. 13585, April 26 at 1317, poor signal in Korean vs CODAR, as I was checking for Zambia on 13590/13599.8 --- it`s VOA at 1200-1500. Aoki says TINIAN, but HFCC says TINANG, PHILIPPINES. It`s too easy to mix up these similar-sounding sites, but IBB might easily switch between them for no particular reason (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. QSL: GERMANY - VOA, 13635 sent 2 QSL cards, stack of postcards, schedule, and large wall calendar in 57 days for report sent to Washington DC by regular mail. Both cards had stickers on the back with the freq, time of the broadcast (rather than the time mentioned in my report), and date listed as "10/31/2010 - 3/26/2011"; site not mentioned (Bruce Portzer, WA, April 23, HCDX via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. New Frequency changes of IBB: 0500-0530 7320 SAO 100 kW / 335 deg, ex 9600 VOA Hausa 0700-0730 17525 MDC 250 kW / 305 deg, ex 17820 VOA Hausa 1500-1530 17525 MDC 250 kW / 305 deg, ex 13600 VOA Hausa 1200-1300 17810 UDO 250 kW / 351 deg, ex 13745 RL Russian 1200-1500 13585 PHT 250 kW / 330 deg, ex 5890 VOA Korean 0800-1300 15780 LAM 100 kW / 132 deg, ex 15775 VOA Arabic "Radio Sawa" 1800-1830 11665 SAO 100 kW / 052 deg, ex 11670#VOA Arabic "Hello Darfur" 1830-1930 17530 SAO 100 kW / 138 deg, ex 17560 VOA French 1930-2030 17530 BON 250 kW / 090 deg, ex 17560*VOA French # to avoid All India Radio in English * to avoid Radio Havana Cuba in French/Portuguese (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 22 April via DXLD) See also SAO TOME ** U S A [and non]. 15730, VOA in listed Somali, via MADAGASCAR, fair April 22 at 1305; was not certain of source until finally heard a VOA jingle at 1329. 17545, VOA, April 22 at 1424, rapping about having a baby by another woman, another shining example of promulgating the best of American culture, 1427 `Music Mix` jingle, 1430 cut to `Reporters` Notebook`. Often inaudible here from scheduled São Tomé during this hour only, but today it`s a VG signal, so I think Greenville must be substituting if not replacing it. Three segments: Libya, including André de Nesnera; Nigeria; BP oil spill anniversary. Rudely and abruptly cut off the air still in progress at 1458:30*, another sad example of lack of coördination between Washington and outlying SW transmitters, wherever they are. 17530, new frequency for VOA French to Africa, confirmed on first day ex-17560, April 22 at 1915, poor via SÃO TOMÉ; at 1945 good via BONAIRE. Finally escaping R. Habana Cuba which started using 17560 from 1930 to Europe as of April 4, despite VOA already having been on 17560 from the start of A11 and duly registered with HFCC as such --- which means nothing to RHC frequency `manager` Arnie Coro. 15480, R. Sawa is back on a Greenville transmitter, and only 4 kHz from LRA36! Couldn`t IBB have picked a further frequency? April 24 at *1422 open carrier; 1425 added VOA English audio for a minute or three, an echo apart from 17545, which I thought yesterday would also be Greenville due to signal strength, but 15470 is a word ahead of 17545. 1428 back to OC, and I can hear some weak music under, which is presumably the finale of scheduled Poland in Belarussian via Rampisham UK until 1430. Still dead air until R. Sawa music modulation cuts on at 1432:48, then Arabic announcement about DVDs for ``The King`s Speech`` et al. 1445 news as usual on the quarter hour; still going at 1559-1601, but off at next check 1604. Let`s hope this transmission nominally 1430-1600 does not last any longer than the previous one for two days on 15470, since now it will prevent any audibility of LRA36 between 1422 and 1500 M-F. 15580 // 17545 with VOA discussion show in English, Sunday April 24 at 1437, with 15580 ahead of 17545. Both listed by HFCC as São Tomé, but that may have changed with IBB`s constant site shuffling; synchronized audio is really neither here nor there, as they program feed routings into a single site may be different, or there may be a deliberate offset to even out power consumption. The PTB at IBB ordered Greenville to start broadcasting Radio Sawa, 55 degrees to Libya again from April 23, at 1430-1600 on 15480, despite LRA36 Antarctica on 15476. However, on April 26, RNASG was not audible at all in the earlier sesquihour. GB open carrier on at 1420; at 1421 faded in tone for a little while, then back to OC; 1429.5 cut on Sawa- sounding music, but at 1430 switched to VOA in English! ``From Studio 23 in Washington, this is VOA`s International Edition``. It`s // but an echo apart from 15580 and 17545 which are synchronized with each other this time. After world news stories, feature item at 1448 mentioned matter-of- factly that ``Chernobyl released 400 times more radiation than Hiroshima and Nagasaki``! That can`t be true; surely nuclear explosions are in an entirely different league than meltdowns. Signal cut off the air for less than a minute at 1450, but resumed still with English instead of Sawa. 1455 closing credits were for Kate somebody as managing director; anchor Paul Westfeeling (sounded like --- just try to find him at the Inside VOA page! Nor does the program page http://www.voanews.com/english/programs/radio/65000907.html say anything about personnel!); which of them or what writer is responsible for that unchallenged statistic? But Wikipedia says: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_compared_to_other_radioactivity_releases ``Some comments have been made in which the radioactive release of the Chernobyl event is claimed to be 300[3] or 400[4] times that of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. The work of SCOPE[5] suggests that the two events can not be simply compared with a number suggesting that one was XX times larger than the other.`` It all has to do with isotopes, half-lives, and effects over time rather than immediately. 1456, USG Editorial also about Chernobyl, but this YL reader tried to make the y into a diphthong. 1500 News, 1505 `Border Crossings`, usual pop music stuff and chatter from host Larry London. Fulfilled one request for Peace Corps Volunteers in Zambia, so evidently such Americans abroad are not banned, but would he ever play a classical music piece if one were requested? The closest to that today was a protracted `live` performance of ``Hey, Jude`` by McCartney at 1518. By now 15480 would be the SSOB if it were not for WYFR on 15130. No time to listen further, but presumably never picked up Sawa until I heard the carrier go off at 1600*. Ivo Ivanov says other new frequencies for Radio Sawa at 1430-1600 since April 23 are 17530 Kuwait and 17785 Botswana, the former also on in the previous sesquihour. Did they get the correct feed today? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Additional SW frequencies of Radio Sawa in Arabic from Apr. 23: 1300-1430 on 13690 LAM 100 kW / 132 deg 1300-1430 on 17530 KWT 250 kW / 285 deg 1430-1500 on 15480 GB 250 kW / 055 deg [really VOA English 4/26] 1430-1500 on 17530 KWT 250 kW / 285 deg 1430-1500 on 17785 BOT 100 kW / 350 deg 1500-1600 on 15480 GB 250 kW / 055 deg [really VOA English 4/26] 1500-1600 on 17540 KWT 250 kW / 285 deg 1500-1600 on 17785 BOT 100 kW / 350 deg (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 26 April via DXLD) R. Sawa observations April 27: 15480, Greenville pre-test, carrier on at *1306-1309* marring LRA36 15476; off after quick tone at the end. Back on at *1421:40 with strong open carrier, brief tone at 1422; 1429:35 turns on music, presumably from R. Sawa, but like yesterday, 1430 cut to VOA English, ``From Studio 23 in Washington, International Edition``. Unlike yesterday when stayed with this for at least one hour, at 1433:45 cut back to Sawa music; was not listening closely but noticed still music at 1449 so quarter-hour news break was less than 5 minutes. Music rules at R. Sawa! In a misguided attempt to influence and inform younger Arabs. 1458 rap in English, 1500 Arabic announcement, 1510 some YL singing ``People Got the Music``, 1515 R. Sawa ID and akbar. Meanwhile, already at 1431, the 15480 signal had declined from solid to rather weaker and fading. It was even eclipsed by briefly // 15580 São Tomé. Could be a propagational anomaly, altho WWCR 15825 had become enhanced by sporadic-E; or a power cut at GB as sometimes the 250-kW units have to run much less due to technical problems. 17530, fair with Arabic music at 1340, 1341 W&M Arabic talk, 1345 akbar = news. HFCC says this is via Kuwait, 250 kW, 285 degrees at 1300-1500 to CIRAF 38 = Egypt, SE Tunisia --- and Libya, which we have to thank for Sawa`s shortwave comeback. But is all that music and little bits of news really helpful for the mission? Unfortunately, VOA is now incapable of a full-service Arabic broadcast. 17540, fair at 1504 with music // 15480 but not synchronized. 17540 is Kuwait at 1500-1600, same parameters as 17530 before 1500. (In yesterday`s report I overlooked this shift.) Never heard anything from 17785, supposedly in use from Botswana at 1430-1600 for R. Sawa. 15480, IBB Greenville, on the sixth day after starting relays of R. Sawa, finally almost gets it right: April 28 at 1424 open carrier is already on, 1429:30 cut on music // 17545 São Tomé, i.e. VOA Music Mix in English, but 1430:00 cut again to Sawa music // Kuwait 17530, and presumably stayed with it for next sesquihour, unmonitored. Nominal Sawa // 17785 from Botswana had only a JBA carrier. The uncertainty at the outset may be caused by master control feed from Washington (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re 11-16: 48 Years Old and Still a Flamethrower Interesting article, thanks for the link. It's pretty obvious that the fate of Greenville is directly tied to Radio Martí. If Martí gets the axe, so does the Greenville facility. There is very little programming from VOA and other sources being transmitted from this facility. If Greenville is shut down, where does Martí go? Are Sackville and Montsinéry adequate? Or perhaps lease time on commercial/religious U.S. SW stations? Was curious about the reference to the "single largest radio transmission plant in the United States." Is that by sheer size? The WYFR site in Okeechobee has more transmitters (Steve Luce, Houston, Texas, April 23, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also CUBA [non]! Maybe it`s by total rated power == WYFR has `only` 1100 kW (gh, ibid.) ** U S A [and non]. WORLD OF RADIO 1561 monitoring: reconfirmed on WWRB, both 2390 and 5050, UT Friday April 22 at 0330; as usual, 2390 much better here. On WRMI 9955: the UT Friday 1430 airing just barely audible at 1436, despite lack of jamming. Next: Saturday 0800, 1730, Sunday 0800, 1530, 1730. On WWCR: Friday 2030 on 15825, Saturday 1600 on 12160, Sunday 0630 on 3215. On IPAR: Saturday 1800 on 7290. See also separate log of WRMI under CZECHIA [non] when it was VG WORLD OF RADIO 1561 monitoring: April 22, Fri 2030 on 15825 WWCR, poor but confirmable at 2044 during Iran timechange item. Sat 1600 on 12160 WWCR, excellent from down in a cave at 1619 check. Final repeat to be Sunday 0630 on 3215. Other weekend airings are: Saturday 1800 on 7290, IPAR via Slovakia; on WRMI 9955: Saturday 1730 [confirmed on webcast], Sunday 0800, 1530, 1730. 9955, WRMI inaudible Sunday April 24 at 1556 check during WORLD OF RADIO --- just a very weak carrier, which may well be YFR via TAIWAN, always clashing during this hour. The WRMI stream was also down, so maybe another power failure at Hialeah or some other problem. Better luck for remaining repeats of WOR on WRMI: Sunday 1730, Mon 1130, 2130, Tue 1530, Wed 0100, 1530. 9955, WRMI, UT Monday April 25 after 0500 with `DX Partyline`. Re previous report: Jeff White confirms that there was a power outage again at the transmitter site April 24, but it was back on the air before 1800 during WORLD OF RADIO from 1730. What`s with the erratic electricity supply at urban Hialeah, anyway? 9955, WRMI, April 26 at 1535, WORLD OF RADIO 1561 is barely audible on very poor signal, lite SAH from Taiwan, but no jamming, so WRMI is not off the air. WORLD OF RADIO 1562 monitoring: first airing confirmed on WRMI webcast, Thursday April 28 at 1500; checking 9955 at 1516, too weak to confirm, but with BFO there are two carriers slightly apart, implying that WRMI is one of them, the other YFR via Taiwan. Next repeats on WRMI: Thursday 2100, Friday 1430, Saturday 0800, 1730, Sunday 0800, 1530, 1730. On WWRB: UT Friday 0330 on 2390, 5050. On WWCR: Friday 2030 on 15825, Saturday 1600 on 12160, Sunday 0630 on 3215. On IPAR; Saturday 1800 on 7290. Full schedule and links to webcasts: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 9955, 27/4 0023, WRMI, Studio DX, DX program by Roberto Scaglione, in Italian, till 0028, at 0029 ID in English & Spanish "Radio Miami International", then Radio Slovakia International start. No Jamming. Weak/Fair (Giampiero Bernardini, Milan, Italy, Perseus & AOR 7030, T2FD, SW Blog: http://radiodxsw.blogspot.com/ dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. George, So what is the outlook now for firing up #2? (Glenn to George McClintock, WTWW, April 22, via DXLD) Very close. I will keep you posted. Several weeks from turn on? (George McClintock, April 22, ibid., with some photos of transmitter #2 and steps being put on antenna poles for #3; unfortunately, these have not been posted to the http://wtww.us website) HFCC registrations show: 40 degree antenna: 01-10 5080, 10-01 12100 50 degree antenna: 00-12 5755, 12-24 9480 (9479) except June-August: 50 degree antenna: 01-11 5755, 11-01 9480 (9479) June-August 180 degree antenna: 11-23 9990, 22-13 5765 (to CIRAF 11-15 = Mexico, Central America, Caribbean, South America except Patagonia) I`m not sure whether 40 or 180 will be number 2 or number 3 ** U S A. WJHR Jumps Final Hurdle --- The FCC has granted WJHR a regular license, apparently finding that its operation has been "in strict compliance with the rules governing international broadcasting stations" (Rule 73.713(d)). http://www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2011/db0427/DOC-306117A1.txt (via Benn Kobb, DC, April 27, WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) Viz.: PUBLIC NOTICE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 445 12th STREET S.W. WASHINGTON D.C. 20554 News media information 202-418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov (or ftp.fcc.gov) TTY (202) 418-2555 Wednesday April 27, 2011IHF-00105 Report No. RE: ACTIONS TAKEN INTERNATIONAL HIGH FREQUENCY The Commission, by its International Bureau, took the following actions pursuant to delegated authority. The effective dates of the actions are the dates specified. For more information concerning this Notice, contact Tom Polzin at 418-2148; Thomas.Polzin@fcc.gov; TTY 202-418-2555. WJHR IHF-LIC-20101228-00004 P Date Effective: 04/21/2011 Grant of Authority License George S Mock (d/b/a Hill Radio International ) Application for an International Broadcast Station License located in Milton, FL Page 1 of 1 (via DXLD) see also GUAM ** U S A. 15550-USB, April 28 at 1517, WJHR with perpetual F&B gospel huxter; poor signal but readable if one ever cared to. Benn Kobb forwards an FCC notice of April 27 that WJHR has finally been granted a license --- that`s after a sesquiyear of running no- carrier SSB only, obviously with much less than the supposedly required minimum of 50 kW, even considering the PEP factor. This means that any ham or pirate with a kilowatt transmitter, perhaps linear- amplified for a bit more, can qualify as an SWBC station as far as the FCC is concerned. Floodgates? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 3215, WWCR-1, UT Saturday April 23 at 0555 surprised to hear Jerry Lee Lewis, `Great Balls o` Fire`, instead of talker `Rollye James Show`; something distracted me from hearing the closing announcement but sounded like Rich Adcock whose `Rock the Universe` used to be on WWCR but disappeared last year and still is not on the April schedule at any time. Brought back as an emergency filler? Said he would return next week. So check at 0500 or 0505 Saturday. 3215, WWCR: last Friday night (UT Saturday) there was music, Rock the Universe? Instead of Rollye James, so I check again Monday night (UT Tuesday) April 26 at 0555, and now there is gospel music, no Rollye either. The program guide dated April 1 at http://www.wwcr.com/program-guides/WWCR_Program_Guide.pdf still shows `Rollye James` Mon-Sat at 0500-0800 UT, but evidently she`s gone from WWCR. That`s a large chunk of available airtime, 18 hours a week. Altho the Programming Linx page was updated April 25, she`s still listed, onward to: http://www.rollye.net/index.html The situation is explained here: http://www.rollye.net/WhereHear.html It seems Clear Channel, her original syndicator wanted her gone by March 31, and she has been trying to interest Sirius/XM in picking up her show, but ``no bandwidth available`` so far. So she`s off the air completely for now. How come? She could still be on WWCR, but not even a mention of the shortwave option! Not that I cared to listen to this Mediatrix. DXing and sleeping has been far more satisfying. 15825, WWCR, April 27 at 1506 got a boost from HF sporadic E from barely audible to good strength, while 13845 was up from fair to very good (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. 15420-CUSB, WBCQ, April 23 already on at 1348 with rock, or gospel rock? Not // 9330-CUSB with GFRN. Presumably a prélude to the 1355 IS and ID loop before joining Brother Scare`s Sabbath at 1400. At 1620 check BS was going but with fast SAH and QRM from BBCWS Seychelles, now scheduled 13-17 in English/Somali/English. WBCQ`s frequency management never seems to catch on that colliding with BBC to Africa could be a problem even in NAm. 7415, UT Sunday April 24 at 0541, WBCQ still on, ``Love Can Make You Happy`` song, outroed by Ted Randall as the Christian version of it and interviewing someone, perhaps the performer. `QSO with Ted Randall` is now scheduled for six hours straight from 2200 Saturday, but he makes it even more than eight hours, morphing at some point from ham show into evangelism. His own website http://www.tedrandall.com/ still shows QSO starting at ``7 pm Central``, i.e. 0000 UT, (and no mention of Sat 18-20 on WTWW 9479) while the WBCQ schedule still shows Sat 2200-0400 Sun (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9330.085, WBCQ The Planet, Monticello, S=7 signal, at 0920 UT Apr 25. Guitar and pop music (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 21/25, DXLD) 9330, WBCQ dead air/open carrier again April 26 at 1343 for at least a minute; next check 1447, GFRN is back (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 2390, WWRB English(?) Preacher(?) rattling off in heavily accented dialect & often breaking into screams. He was hard enough to understand when speaking let alone once he started screaming. It is next to impossible to imagine anyone actually getting anything other than sick humor out of this program. I heard mentions of the book of John & Aspartame ("they're puttin' Aspartame in our sodas...") but to call this English is using the term REALLY loosely & preacher perhaps even MORE loosely! JUST plain weird stuff. SINPO 5544+4, perfect but for QRN. 0345-0400* 17/Apr (Kenneth Vito Zichi, MI, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) This harkens (good word!) back to the pirate, many years ago, who's only programming was bitching about adding growth hormones to cattle feed, poisoning our children. I believe the correct term for this tongue is Huxterese. We could use "HX" for the language abbreviation ... or maybe not. – (Harold Frodge, ed., ibid.) Hi Glenn, I received a form letter from Dr. E. C. Fulcher, Jr., President of the Global Shortwave Club, dated 16 April 2011. He writes: "I have great news for our Global Shortwave Listeners. I'm now broadcasting on frequency 5050. The station is WWRB located in Morrison, Tennessee. You can hear the show Monday through Friday at 0100 UTC. Be sure to listen, call the toll free number to let me know if the signal is clear..." The letter lists a toll free QSL hotline for the USA & Canada as 1-866-263-5830. 73's, (Ed Insinger, Summit, NJ, April 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) i.e. a gospel huxter (gh) ** U S A. 25950/FM, KOA Denver CO studio link; 2005-2021+, 22-Apr; News Radio 8-50 KOA; 850KOA.com spots; ads for Mercedez Benz of Littleton & Denver Designs at I-25 & Broadway; Rush Limbaugh; promo for The Mutual Fund Show; promo for Rockies BB. SIO=153, fady. No other links heard (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 125 ft. bow-tie; 85 ft. RW & 180 ft. center-fed RW, logged by ear, on my receiver, in real time! DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 13570, in its severely curtailed schedule instead of 24/7 on this or 9265 as still shown on website, WINB I have noticed goes off around 1315 weekdays, but weekends stays on. Sunday April 24 at 1328 the gospel huxteress with a funny accent is giving some websites, www.amazingfacts.org, discoveries.org, also mentions AWR, 3ABN, phone numbers for Your Story Hour. Hum on her continues during canned WINB ID, into next program, atop constant CODAR swishes. Anyhow, the 1300 Sunday program appears to be from AWR, listed on WINB sked as `Living the Bible` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. The Alabama tornado outbreak missed Vandiver, WEWN operating normally as if nothing had happened, April 28 at 1426, M. Angelica in English; 11550 stronger than squealing // 12050 in Spanish at 1535 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 15385.3, KJES Vado NM (presumed); 1833, 19-Apr; English robo-kids repeating, "He has condemned the Great Harlot who has corrupted the Earth by Her harlotry. He has condemned the Great Prostitute who has corrupted the Earth by Her Adultery." (Inspirational words to be sure! I quit listening after the 4th repeat.) SIO=444- fady (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 125 ft. bow-tie; 85 ft. RW & 180 ft. center-fed RW, logged by ear, on my receiver, in real time! DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 17775, KVOH, after its three-day-long-weekend, is back on the air Tuesday April 26 at 1453 already, VG signal with gospel song in English instead of Spanish. 17775, April 27 at 2010, KVOH out of whack again, huge signal but extremely distorted modulation, and with BFO on, the carrier sounds like a buzzsaw, i.e. very unstable. Figured it was a good time for the spur to audiblize on 17920v, and so it did, talk modulation spikes matching 17775 at 2013; but nothing audible on the always weaker match 17630v (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 9369.925, FBN, WTJC Morehead City, Gregorian singer in English at 0755 UT Apr 21, S=4 only in Vancouver Isl (Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, Germany, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ?? Surely not Gregorian Chant, far too erudite for these Protestant fundamentalists, never heard on WTJC by me (gh, DXLD) 9369.925, FBN WTJC Morehead City religious singer in English at 0755 UT Apr 21, S=4 only in Vancouver Isl. On Apr 25 on 9369.915 kHz, S=2 very poor on Florida remote rx (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 21/25, DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. 15770, Fámily Radio, April 22 1302 singing hymn ``Cuán Grande_es Él``, so to make the meter fit, Spanish-speakers have to de-second-personalize the original English ``How Great Thou Art`` into third-person ``How Great He Is``. ``Cuán Grande Eres Tú`` would have an extra syllable, let alone ``Es Usted``. They might have tried compressing it to ``Cuán Gran Es Tú``, which would be understood altho not proper grammar, poetic license? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also KAZAKHSTAN, UZBEKISTAN Frequency change for WYFR Family Radio Russian to CAs: 1200-1300 NF 11855 TAC 100 kW / 039 deg (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 26 April via DXLD) ASCENSION: 12060 Family Radio; 2029-2037+, 22-Apr; Callers giving H a hard time about 5/21/11 & H's idea of the Church Age. H sez that between 5/21/11 & 10/21/11 the whole universe will be annihilated; reiterated that the universe is only 13,000 years old (I've always been tempted to call in and ask him what the flaw is in radioactive decay dating techniques; there MUST be a flaw.) Caller wanted to know what happened in 1988 to end the Church Age (caller must have been a Catholic as he wanted to know if the death of Pope John 23 had anything to do with it.) I didn't catch much of an answer in the subsequent huxterage, but H said that he's not aware of any church that recognizes that all the English words in the Bible came from the mouth of God. SIO=3+53 (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 125 ft. bow-tie; 85 ft. RW & 180 ft. center-fed RW, logged by ear, on my receiver, in real time! DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. 17670, April 26 at 1309, fair signal in Christian music, 1311 Vietnamese talk, undermodulated, and at 1315 transmission breaks three or four times. It`s AWR via MADAGASCAR, 250 kW, 60 degrees at 1300-1400. Chances are, anything your hear in Vietnamese on SW will most likely be from western missionaries rather than Rational Atheists, let alone Commies (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. From http://mighty1090kaay.blogspot.com/ Monday, April 25, 2011 Good Trip, Bad News [+ lots more history info] Folks, I finally realized my almost-lifelong dream of going to Little Rock, visiting KAAY and the transmitter site. Jerry Sims ("Sonny Martin 1963-1967"), David B. Treadway (the last Doc Holiday and Program Director), Charlie Scarbrough ("Charlie King", 1967-1969), Felix McDonald (engineer for KTHS and Chief Engineer for KAAY) and Barry McCorkindale ("Barry Mac", latter years) were all great hosts and tour guides. I had a blast with them all and will recount the trip in posts to come. However, I bear bad news.... While we were at the transmitter site, we were informed by Citadel personnel that the building is to be bulldozed within the next year, probably before the end of 2011. We are posing questions as to what may be saved, but no information is forthcoming. More later as news develops. Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com) (via Artie Bigley, OH, DXLD) ** U S A. KTRU going off the air next week With FCC approval of Rice's application to sell KTRU to the University of Houston, Rice officials have started the countdown clock leading to the final shutdown. KTRU students were told today that the transmission tower for 91.7 FM will be turned off at 6 am April 28 in preparation for closing the sale of the tower and frequency to the University of Houston, scheduled for May 3. That will give the KTRU deejays one week to air their programs for the last time on the 91.7 FM channel. KTRU programming will continue uninterrupted on KPFT 90.1-HD2 FM and online at www.ktru.org. Will Robedee, who was hired in 1998 as the station's first general manager, will continue in that role with the online and HD station. (via Old Radio Guy, or FiloScotia?, ~April 20, radio-info.com via Artie Bigley, DXLD) Apparently no word yet on when KUHA will actually launch (presumably the same day KUHF debuts its revamped format.) Nothing specific I could find on the KUHF website. Guessing 91.7 will be off the air while the KUHF engineers get the STL set up, and make other tweaks/changes to the transmitter facility. The 91.5 translator also needs to be moved off the Rice campus per stipulation in the sale agreement; suspect this might not be back for a while, unless there is some sort of handshake agreement to keep it going until a permanent replacement site is determined. Such a move will of course require FCC approval (Mediafrog+, ibid.) They could still run a decent Part 15 on campus if they wanted to I think? Or is that only for AM? (Mike Richardson, ibid.) Might take several Part 15 FM's to cover the campus, but legal if done correctly. Reckling Park had (and maybe still has) a flea power FM on 87.9 for Rice Baseball in-stadium play-by-play. I recall the signal barely made it to Rice Blvd on the north side of the campus. A Part 15 AM might give a bit more coverage. Texas A&M operates such a station (unofficial call KANM) on 1580, along with a cable FM frequency as well as streaming. Perhaps someone familiar with that station could tell us how much coverage the AM gets. There are a couple of Part 15's in Flagstaff, Arizona that get out quite well, one of which is run by students at the University of Northern Arizona (unofficial call KJACK.) Have heard both of these myself while driving through the town on I-40, surprising signals. And, if you want to go really old school, Carrier Current AM is still around in some places (Mediafrog+, ibid.) I've been away from KUHF since last June, so I don't know how far along they are in building out a studio for the new station. There is also the task of getting the newly acquired transmitting capabilities up and running to specifications. So, even though KTRU goes down next week, who knows when it will be resurrected over at KUHF? I don't know, but I can tell you it won't happen until they can put it on the air complete and fully formed. It will make its debut when it is ready. There will be no stop gap efforts like a Part 15, because they've never programmed KUHF for the UH campus. They program it for the general public and the entire Houston market, and they'll program KUHC/KUHA (whatever) the same way (FiloScotia/Old Radio Guy retired, ibid.) The discussion was about Part 15 for future KTRU efforts on the Rice campus. KUHF hasn't been a student station in decades. I overheard that the KUHF/KUHT engineers were asking around about secondhand items such as equipment racks and other infrastructure items, so changes are apparently underway in their broadcast plant. Wouldn't surprise me if 91.7 is off for several weeks, or a couple of months. The engineers probably want to make changes and tweaks at the 91.7 transmitter, which I believe is over 20 years old. KTRU's audio quality has always been a little thin compared to other stations...and with the demands of classical music, the station will need to sound its best. « Last Edit: Today at 08:44:52 AM by Mediafrog+ (radio- info.com via Artie Bigley, April 21, DXLD) ** U S A. KQED OFFERS ‘PLEDGE-FREE STREAM’ 04.22.2011 http://www.rwonline.com/article/119656 San Francisco’s well-known public radio station KQED is aware that listeners can get a little tired of pledge drives, especially if they have already contributed. In an experiment that might have far-reaching consequences, KQED will make an exclusive pledge-break-free Web/mobile feed available to contributors pledging $45 or more early for the May 2011 spring fundraiser. The program content for that feed will be the same but hosted by a second team, operating in a second studio. The stream is for this pledge-drive only, however depending on the popularity of the stream, KQED is evaluating its possible use for fundraisers and it’s hopeful that others in public media will, too. KQED Executive Vice President and COO Donald Derheim stated: “We want to create a better public radio experience during our on-air fundraising periods. This is, we hope, only a step toward alternative funding models that generate significant donor revenue and enable uninterrupted access to great programming.” (Radio World via DXLD) ** U S A. IF I WERE KING OF THE SPECTRUM … by Robert H. Branch Jr., 04.26.2011 Any proposal affecting FM translator priorities must balance a variety of interests. The FM spectrum is shared by many organizations that benefit from translators — even low-power FM stations (which may rebroadcast over translators, though not own them). . . http://www.rwonline.com/article/119734 (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. PAMS JINGLES - 60TH ANNIVERSARY DOCUMENTARY 2011 marks 60 years since the inception of Pams of Dallas, and the wave of offshore pirates that brought the sound of top forty radio to Europe for the first time. These stations were also the first to bring the sound of Radio Jingles especially those of Pams to this side of the Atlantic. Norman Barrington (Ex Radio Caroline) was quickly entranced by the variety jingles used, mostly Pams, though frequently stolen from other US stations with the original IDs edited out, or straight Demo tapes, but also legitimately bought by the likes of Radio London, Radio England, and Britain Radio. With a good sprinkling of generic material such as the annual NAB campaigns. Norman has created a two hour retrospective with the help of his American friend Ken R Deutsch. He leaves the history of Pams itself to Ken's narration, which includes a direct mention of the official PAMS website as a source of more info on the subject. and then in the second hour, he narrates the nostalgic look back to primarily radio on this side of the Atlantic. He also gives an explanation as to how the discovery of the customisation of music tracks, utilising variable lyrics and ID logo melodies captured both mine (and so many others' on both sides of the Atlantic) imagination. All these years down the line, there is still a fondness for the sound of Pams and its contemporaries. No doubt deeply embedded in the subconscious of our generation. Radio Seagull, Radio Six International and 2NG are broadcasting the documentary; here are the times in UT: Radio Seagull: Easter Monday, 25th April between 1300 and 1500 26th April 0100-0300 http://www.radioseagull.com Radio Six International: Saturday 30th April 1900-2100 http://www.radiosix.com 2NG Sunday May 1st at 1000-1200 Sunday May 1st at 1900-2100 Saturday May 5th at 0100-0300 http://www.2ngradio.com (via Mike Barraclough, April 22, dxldyg via DXLD) This documentary is now available for streaming or download at: http://www.thejinglenetwork.info/pams/ (Mike Barraclough, April 26, ibid.) ** URUGUAY. 6045 kHz USB, emisora uruguaya?? ¿Alguien sabe de qué se trata?? Transmisión deportiva, algo de ciclismo, parece una carrera. En este momento está en el aire (Ernesto Paulero, Argentina, 1835 UT April 20, condiglist yg via DXLD) Debe ser Radio Libertad Sport, Montevideo, // 890 kHz (Arnaldo Slaen, ibid.) Están transmitiendo un evento deportivo de ciclismo, mencionan Colonia, Maldonado, hay momentos que la tapa el ruido, los está ticos, no se identifica ni por casualidad, ja ja (Paulero, 1853 UT, ibid.) Si tienes internet en casa, chequea contra la web de Radio Libertad Sport (Slaen, ibid.) Volvieron al aire entonces. Es la Vuelta Ciclista del Uruguay, que corre esta Semana Santa o de Turismo, o de la Vuelta, o de la Cerveza, o Criolla! Radio "Sport 890", ese es el nombre fantasía actual. Puedes intentar la confirmación via el técnico Fernando Gopar al email fgopar34(arroba) gmail.com (Horacio Nigro, Uruguay, 1911 UT, ibid.) Entonces han vuelto a la vieja costumbre de prender el transmisor sólo para eventos deportivos (Moisés Knoche, Uruguay, 1928 UT, ibid.) Yo la escuché hace unos tres meses en Mendoza con muy mala modulación. Espero que la reactivación sea permanente !!!! Saludos a todos (Miguel Castellino, Argentina, ibid.) Si mal no recuerdo --- Antes cuando se corrìa la vuelta de ciclismo de Uruguay se hacía la transmisión por 6125 o 6135 kHz, en AM; esto parece un enlace en USB para una transmisión mayor, se entiende?? (Ernesto Paulero, Argentina, 2005 UT April 20, coondiglist yg via DXLD) Creo que no es el caso. Por lo que se en base a la información que obtuvo Horacio (y creo que difundió en esta lista), el uso de SSB se trata de un recurso de la emisora para salir al aire con costos mínimos y alcance razonable y cumplir así con una intimación de la URSEC de mantener en uso la frecuencia. Por qué la URSEC intimó a esta emisora y no a todas las que abandonaron la onda corta sería una buena pregunta. 6125 kHz es actualmente una frecuencia de R. Uruguay (SODRE), la única que mantienen en onda corta (Moisés Knochen, Uruguay, ibid.) Que yo sepa, no. La transmisión de la Vuelta es como un sello de R. Sport (antes afiliada a El Espectador, ahora del grupo de R. Sarandí) (Moises Knochen, Montevideo, Uruguay, ibid.) Esta "intimación" se produjo cuando la compra del Grupo Sarandí a capitales extranjeros. Fue un aprete de tuercas. De todas maneras las radios han tratado de mantener el canal. Recientemente hablé con Jaime Olivera, encargado técnico de Montecarlo, y me dijo que el trasmisor de OC aún está sin desarmar en la planta. No piensan ponerlo activo. Pero aún está ahí. Los equipos que usaban El Espectador y Sarandí en 60m hace décadas sí servían de enlace. La salida en USB de Sport 890 es una solución para cumplir la actividad de la onda al menor costo posible, usando unos 300 W (Horacio A. Nigro, Montevideo, Uruguay, ibid.) Yo recuerdo - desempolvando mis viejos registros - que en la década de los '70 en la banda de 60 metros entraban estas emisoras uruguayas --- 4890 R. Durazno, 4910 La Voz de Artigas (sábados y domingos), 4945 R. Internacional de Rivera (irr.), 4970 R. Yi, Durazno, 4975 R. Cañelones en el Éter, Las Piedras (irr.), 4990 R. Paysandú (irr.) ¡Qué década! El DX tenía en aquel entonces un protagonismo que se ha ido perdiendo junto con esas y otras centenares de emisoras en la onda corta (Rubén Guillermo Margenet, Argentina, ibid.) La única que escuché de esta lista fue La Voz de Artigas, pero ya a principios de los 80 y me parece que la QRG en la cual yo la sintonicé era otra (tal vez 4940 Khz). De todas maneras no pudo menos que recordar con añoranza lo que fueron esas épocas para la escucha de la onda corta (Arnaldo Slaen, ibid.) ** URUGUAY. STATE-OWNED URUGUAYAN TV CHANNEL HASN’T BROADCAST ANYTHING FOR 12 YEARS! State owned Melo’s Channel 8 has studios, antennas, cameras, 7 workers and its own building, but hasn’t broadcast a single image in over a decade. Every day, at 6 in the morning, the 7 workers of Channel 8 in Melo (some 240 miles of Montevideo, Uruguay), arrive at work to make sure the equipment is clean and in working condition, for the day when somebody orders the reactivation of the channel’s operations, shut down since 1999. “12 years ago, broadcasting was shut down and ever since then the channel simply bridges the signal from Montevideo” said Pedro Saravia, national deputy for the area. Mr Saravia also said he found strange that neither the Ministry of Education nor the Ministry of Culture ever explained why this happened, or responded to the people’s petition to have the channel back on the air. In its heyday, Channel 8 exported its signal to as far as Brazil, and even owned a mobile satellite unit, which hasn’t been used since the last time it was sent to cover the news in Montevideo. Furthermore, all its equipment was replaced with brand new, state of the art equipment, only a few years before it closed down; since the channel is state owned, all that practically new equipment can’t be sold or rented, and is becoming outdated without even being used. (Source: hispanicallyspeakingnews.com via April 28th, 2011 - 9:45 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) They *are* transmitting something, ``bridging`` the network, just not local origination (gh, DXLD) ** UZBEKISTAN. 11855, now via Tashkent (ex Dushanbe). Monitoring, not VoRUS Khabarovsk-RUS. Family Radio for broadcasts in Russian, from 1200 to 1300 UT uses a frequency of 11855, not 11850 kHz, as mentioned earlier in all schedules. April 12 accept WYFR "Family Radio" in Russian, with 1200 UT on frequency of 11855 kHz. Reception - 34433. (Dmitry Kutuzov, Russia, RUSdx April 17 via BC-DX April 27 via DXLD) Right, 11855 kHz checked on Apr 19 (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) ** VATICAN. 17765, VR with Vietnamese song and announcement, April 23 at 1354, off by 1358. It`s 500 kW, 72 degrees from SMG at 1315-1400, fair here (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA [non]. 11670 via CUBA, April 23 at 2229, time for a periodic incredulous log that RNV is STILL announcing in Spanish their initial transmission schedule from *2004y, even tho it was already outdated before 2005, and now by sheer luck contains only one time and frequency which are still in force --- plus the times are all local in the target areas, disregarding DST, and not specified as such. This was also long before four morning broadcasts were added, which you would never know about by listening to RNV itself (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** YEMEN. 9780, Yemen? 0403 Arab song, reports, S5 with poor modulation, 26.4 (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, HCDX via DXLD) ** ZAMBIA. 5915, ZNBC1. Lusaka: 2011/04/17 sun 0456-0505 Easy listenin' "Let it be" already on air at 0456, earlier than sign on listed by Aoki. Airtel ad at 0459. ID at 0500 "Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation". To news (news // 6165, ZNBC2). Fair-good. Local sunrise 0425. 2011/04/17 sun 0645-0648 Afro music. Very poor, nearly three hours after sunrise at tx and rx. Local sunrise 0425. 2011/04/19 tue 1632-1633 Afro music. Good. Local sunset 1549. 6165, ZNBC2. Lusaka: 2011/04/16 sat 1829-1834 English, ID at 1830 "Radio 2" to sports results. Much QRN. Local sunset 1552. 2011/04/17 sun 0502-0514 News "courtesy of Airtel" (news // 5915 ZNBC1). ID at 0513 "Lusaka." Fair-good. Local sunrise 0425. 2011/04/18 mon 1819-1822 Jazz. Fair. Local sunset 1550 (Bill Bingham, Johannesburg, South Africa, April 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZAMBIA [and non]. 13599.8, April 25 at 1350 a new signal here with overblown drama in English, het from weaker 13600.0 station which went off at 1357* but back on a few sex later. Then YL speaking with Strinish accent, 1400 plugging http://www.1africa.tv and Jesus. So it`s CVC, ex-13590 which was vacant altho still registered in HFCC at 06-20, 315 degrees toward Nigeria and Michigan. Own website above still shows 13590! Why would they move? HFCC shows collisions on 13600: CRI going from Russian via Xian to Tamil via Kashgar, EAST TURKISTAN at 1400, and also VOR via Irkutsk until 1400. But 13590 also listed with Russians before and after 1400. CODAR affects both frequencies. BTW, http://www.oneafrica.tv goes to something else, a real TV station, unrelated? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 13600, CHINA. CRI, 1400 Apr 26. Checking for Zambia which Glenn Hauser reported had moved here from 13590, but heard CRI signing on in Tamil (listed). There was a weak het, however. Poor (Harold Sellers, Vernon, BC, Listening from my car with Eton E1 and Sony AN1 active antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 13599.8, 1Africa continues to use this unlisted off-frequency instead of scheduled 13590: April 25 at 1857 still making het with something on 13600.0, and 13590 vacant. April 26 at 0537, nothing on 9430, 13590 or 13599.8, but tuning 13599.8 at 0558, there it is again, this time with its own tone test instead of het. At 0558:42 cut to modulation by gospel music. During jingle at 0600 cut off the air before 0601; 0602 back on with modulation stepping up and down, into Jesus story and plug www site. 0603 cut off and on and off and on, modulation problems, open carrier, etc. Next check at 1316 found Russian on 13600 (probably CRI, not VOR) about equal level to 1Africa with gospel rock on 13599.8, horrible het. Listed 13590 remained vacant. Around 1500 no longer hearing either, 1Africa off again? Website http://www.1africa.tv/ shows ``frequency change update -- These frequencies are valid for a period of 6 months (March-October) 0600-0800 CAT: No SW Broadcasting (Listen Live/ Satellite) 0800-2200 CAT: 13590 kHz 2200-2400 CAT: 9505 kHz 1900-2400 CAT: 4965 kHz (South Central Africa)`` Subtract 2 hours for UT. So it seems 4965 has also been switched from the other CVC domestic service to this external service at 17-22 UT // 13599.8 until 2000 UT, then // 9505. 13599.8, 1Africa, still attempting to reach 13600 instead of scheduled 13590, April 27 at 1250 making het with a real 13600.0 station; by 1425 its gospel rock is atop the competition (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE. THE BRIEF RUN OF PACHINDAU PEOPLE’S RADIO IN ZIMBABWE Zimbabwe station that used a shortwave transmitter for a week: Mail and Guardian online (South Africa) Live from Zimbabwe Kanyi Pamukwendengwe Apr 18 2011 00:00 What began as idle village talk over tea and tobacco quickly became reality when the son of my late uncle smuggled in a cheap Chinese radio transmitter from South Korea. For a week what was probably the first independent village radio in Zimbabwe rocked our little, insignificant village. http://mg.co.za/article/2011-04-18-live-from-zimbabwe Live from Zimbabwe KANYI PAMUKWENDENGWE Apr 18 2011 00:00 13 Comments and 34 Reactions What began as idle village talk over tea and tobacco quickly became reality when the son of my late uncle smuggled in a cheap Chinese radio transmitter from South Korea. For a week what was probably the first independent village radio in Zimbabwe rocked our little, insignificant village. In our village in Chimanimani, in eastern Zimbabwe, we have never enjoyed the luxury of listening to state radio and television broadcast services from Harare, which is hundreds of kilometres away. This painful predicament has persisted since 1980, when the country became independent. Numerous queries to the radio authorities offered many reasons, but no solutions. "Your village is mountainous, this hinders radio transmission signals," a cheeky-mouthed government administrator found joy in saying. "There is too much mist and rain, this clouds short-wave signals," said one self-appointed "communication expert", glorifying the government's decision to cut off our village from the rest of the country for 30 years. . . http://mg.co.za/article/2011-04-18-live-from-zimbabwe (Mail & Guardian, South Africa, via Mike Barraclough, dxldyg via DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE. 4828, Voice of Zimbabwe, Gweru. April 18 2158-2214, Hilife music, male in English talks, Afropop music, female segment “you are listening Voice of Zimbabwe”, national anthem. 33333 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil, SW40 - Dipoles and Longwire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4828, Voice of Zimbabwe, Gweru. April 21 2328-2336, seems outside, music with no percussion, male in vernacular says “Zimbabwe”, Hilife music. Don’t hear VOZ so late recently, het 33333 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil, SW40 - Dipoles and Longwire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Sat eve while tuning mediumwave I heard a 210 Hz tone on 970 kHz here in northeast Illinois. It was from a carrier on about 970.21 kHz. My Drake R8 won`t resolve any closer than that. It wasn't there this morning about 15 min ago (William T Hassig, 1218 UT April 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED [non]. Re 6155v, around 00 UT, in 11-16: 6155, Radio Fides, La Paz, BOLIVIA, 2347-0010, 20-04, male, Spanish, sport comments, soccer, "El fútbol boliviano", advertisements. Best in LSB. 14321 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Log in Friol, 27 km W of Lugo, Grundig Satellit 500 and Sony ICF SW 7600 G, Cable antenna, 10 meters, faced WSW; April 21, Good propagation last night, specially for Bolivian and Peruvian stations, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Muy buenas escuchas, Manuel! No puedo menos que felicitarte considerando que la mayoria de las estaciones reportadas tienen escasa QRP y equipamiento obsoleto. Felicitaciones! (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, condiglist yg via DXLD) Hola Arnaldo, muchas gracias, la verdad es que hacía tiempo que no tenía tan buena propagación para estas emisoras. La mayoría de los días que intento escucharlas resulta imposible, ya sea por ruido, mala propagación, etc. Es gratificante poder escuchar, aunque sea de forma muy esporádica estas emisoras, y anima a uno a seguir en la afición. Algunas, como Radio Fides, hacía bastantes años que no la escuchaba. En fin, a seguir, hasta que las pocas emisoras que quedan nos lo permitan. Una vez más, muchas gracias y un abrazo (Manuel Méndez, ibid.) RE: Buena propagación para emisoras andinas --- Me sumo a las felicitaciones, Manuel; tus escuchas las utilizo siempre como guía para hacer mis captaciones en emisoras tropicales y me son de gran utilidad. Desgraciadamente no tengo unas condiciones idóneas para escuchar emisoras tropicales, pero viendo las tuyas voy "a tiro hecho" y siempre cae alguna. Puedes ver algunos audios y videos en el blog que he creado recientemente: http://radioescuchaciudad.wordpress.com/ Saludos (Jorge Trinado, Spain, April 22, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. 9124, April 24 at 0538, huge S9+20 open carrier, slight fades and hum, likely Cuban spy numbers transmitter of equivalent power to 250 kW RHC, probably at same site. Still on at 0545 past 0600+. Another one was on 5800 at 0545 but had some rapid clix audible, perhaps mix with jammer output (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 14422-SSB, April 24 at 1332, two-way in Italian; nice to hear something besides bastard Spanish for a change (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 15401, April 27 at 2021-2022* surprised to hear a het here, barely pinned to 15401 carrier before it went off, leaving much weaker BBC Ascension on 15400. FWIW, the next scheduled occupant of 15400 is HCJB Australia from 2345 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED [non]. Re: ``15540, 8.4 1550, unID but probably some of the clandestine stations. Sounded like African Horn-music in any case, but definitely not talk in Arabic. I was looking for the new Sudanese station, Shararah, New Youth Voice, which ought to transmit in this language, but nothing there on the scheduled days (Björn Fransson, Visby, Sweden, SW Bulletin April 17, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) Tue/Thu/Sat, but 8 April was Fri (gh, DXLD)`` Hi Glenn! This is Radio Xoriyo, transmitting Fridays on this time slot. Audio clip from Apr 8th attached. 73, (Patrick Robic, Austria, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Thanks to William Hassig, Mount Prospect IL, for a check in the mail to Glenn Hauser, P O Box 1684, Enid OK 73702 (WORLD OF RADIO 1562) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ 1959 MOVIE - EVERY SINGLE MINUTE Southgate April 25, 2011 A historic amateur radio movie 'Every Single Minute', about Amateur Radio and emergency communications, is available on YouTube. Originally released in 2007 on Google Video it has recently been re- posted to YouTube. In 1955, The Phil-Mont Mobile Radio Club, an association of mobile amateur radio operators in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area in the US provided emergency communications during the devastating flooding along the Delaware River and in the Pocono Mountains following Hurricane Diane, the sixth costliest U.S. hurricane of the 20th century --- fifty years before Hurricane Katrina. In 1959, the club produced this short film to explain amateur radio, and especially mobile communications as practiced by the club. The main film begins after a three minute interview with Jim Spencer, W3BBB, produced by a local cable channel many years later (Jim was a very young man W3QQH in the original film, and is now SK. The W3QV/R VHF / UHF / Echolink repeater system is named in his memory). W3QV/R: The Jim Spencer Memorial Repeater System http://www.phil-mont.org/#repeaters Phil-Mont Mobile Radio Club http://www.phil-mont.org/ http://www.southgatearc.org/news/april2011/every_single_minute.htm (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) SHORTWAVE MUSIC +++++++++++++++ This may be of interest if you are in the Philadelphia area: Philadelphia City Paper --- By Shaun Brady http://www.citypaper.net/music/2011-04-21-new-mellow-edwards.html The New Mellow Edwards Wed., April 27, 8 p.m., $12, International House, 3701 Chestnut St. Dial around the shortwave radio band and sooner or later you'll stumble across a female voice reciting a string of five-digit numbers (in several languages, if you look hard enough). In this case you're not just paranoid; these strange broadcasts most likely are covert messages transmitted to spies, or criminals, or ... someone. For anyone familiar with the off-kilter sensibility of trombonist/composer Curtis Hasselbring, it should come as no surprise that these "number stations" held enough fascination to inspire a new suite of music. He'll perform the piece, which requires the musicians to decode and work with five-digit numbers, with a stellar, expanded septet version of his New Mellow Edwards ensemble (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) Shortwave numbers stations inspire new musical work If you are within easy reach of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and are free on Wednesday night (27 April) the following event may be of interest: Trombonist Curtis Hasselbring’s septet the New Mellow Edwards somehow mashes together free-jazz aesthetics and garage-band attitude. The combo plays Hasselbring’s new piece, Number Stations, inspired by the mysterious shortwave radio transmissions of random five-digit numbers, at 8 pm at International House, 3701 Chestnut St. Tickets are $12. Call 215-387-5125. (Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, April 25th, 2011 - 12:17 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via XLD) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ DARC IARU-MS REGION 1 Invitation to Lecture and Unofficial Meeting Dear friends of Amateur Radio, as every year there will be lectures about the activities of IARU Region 1 and DARC Monitoring System Intruder Watch. It will take place on Saturday, 25 June 2011 1000-1130 local time at Room Schweiz in Hall A2 on the Friedrichshafen Ham Radio Expo site LECTURES in Room "Schweiz". 1. Welcome and Lecture: "We must safeguard our short wave spectrum. Your help is needed!" by Ulrich Bihlmayer DJ9KR, Vice Coordinator of IARU-MS Region 1 and Coordinator of DARC Monitoring System 2. Guest Lecture: "USKA Monitoring System, an active and reliable partner of IARU-MS R1" by Peter Jost, HB9CET, Coordinator of USKA Monitoring System Intruder Watch 3. Lecture "Radar systems on our Short Wave ham bands", by Wolf Hadel DK2OM, Coordinator of IARU-MS Region 1 and Vice Coordinator of DARC- Monitoring System INOFFICIAL MEETING in Room "Bodensee". At 12.00 local time there is an Unofficial Meeting for Intruder Monitoring Systems Coordinators and Officials of IARU and BNetzA. We invite you cordially to this meeting which will take place in "Room Bodensee" on the Ham Radio Expo site. Fraternally yours in Intruder Watching and Reporting, Wolfgang Hadel DK2OM - Coordinator IARUMS Region 1 Vice Coordinator of DARC Monitoring System Ulrich Bihlmayer DJ9KR / DL0IW Vice Coordinator IARUMS Region 1 Coordinator of DARC Monitoring System IARUMS-NEWS mailing list (April 24) (via BCDX April 27 via DXLD RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ SEA WATER ANTENNA, re 11-16: No esta en flv pero si en swf http://www.public.navy.mil/spawar/Pacific/TechTransfer/ProductsServices/flash/Seawater_Antenna(480x270).swf 73 de (Yimber Gaviria, Colombia, April 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The parenthetical part tends to get unhot depending on how the link displays, and also take out a backslash in Seawater if that appears. That got it to play for me. Glenn Efectivamente se puede descargar con extension flv http://www.public.navy.mil/spawar/Pacific/TechTransfer/ProductsServices/Flash/Seawater_Antenna(480x270).flv y se puede ver con swf (el formato de flash player) http://www.public.navy.mil/spawar/Pacific/TechTransfer/ProductsServices/flash/Seawater_Antenna(480x270).swf 73 (Yimber Gaviria, Colombia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DRM See BELGIUM; BULGARIA; PORTUGAL; RUSSIA ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- IBOC, et al. ++++++++++++++++++++ AM STEREO vs IBOC I did my part for years (writing letters, calling stations, making personal visits to stations), so many times in vain, and it got worse after around 1999 when stations just stopped caring... except for Saul Levine's XEJAZZ 540, which he DID return to stereo from 2000-2003 in response of my letters and phone calls. I even ran a low-power hard- drive programmed C-QuAM station on 890kHz covering a 20-mile radius (complete with audio compression and liners) for over a decade, because (then and still now), I BELIEVE in it. Analog AM Stereo is a VIABLE medium. And I've been a listener to it since the Kahn-Hazeltine days, too. Today, we're left with something worse than a digital disaster: a bunch of AM stations broadcasting boring garbage talk programming, many of which are AM's that discontinued C-QuAM to 'gear up for digital', but are now monaural (rather than C-QuAM again) after quitting the iBOC. The big 50kW stations forgot one huge detail when they switched to iBOC... they forgot to switch the programming to something entertaining (like music or full-service) to bolster their new stereo-capable digital medium of delivery. Content, content, content. My new favorite AM station is our 1 kW omnidirectional from Port Sulphur [Louisiana]: KAGY 1510 - The Swamp Dog. All Cajun, Creole, and regional music all the time. They aren't stereo, but I love them and their LOCAL commercials and music. BTW, they're listed as DAYTIME- ONLY, but still broadcast round-the-clock at the same power. You can get them all along the Gulf Coast, though, because of the great location here on the Mississippi Delta peninsula (Darwin Long, Empire, LA, April 14 ABDX via DXLD) PERCEIVED AM BAND LISTENERSHIP IS INDUSTRY-RIGGED I'm a bit cranky tonight at the industry, and how the AM band has been made to be falsely perceived these days. This is a subject I tend to get high-horsed about because of how my younger years were spent with family and friends listening to the radio - namely AM radio - and how much I still care about AM broadcasting as a viable medium. During the 80's and early 90's, I used to loudly complain and gripe (to the station) every time I awakened to my clock-radio on a Monday morning to hear yet another of my long-time favorite AM stations suddenly changing to a talk-only format. Over and over. Like a bad dream. Can you BLAME listeners like me? This "generally-accepted rule of thumb" the larger markets are following is exactly why AM radio is set up for an eventual dead-end failure: - First, broadcasters went about "sculpting" and "skewing" the listenership of AM versus FM by intentionally yanking music and full- service information programming from AM altogether, thus reducing a market's total available music stations for both AM and FM combined. - Then a decade later, these same radio corporations turned around to proclaim "See... Older males tune to AM to hear what they want: Sports, Talk, and..." (well, unfortunately classic rock or alternative music haven't made it to AM yet in most large markets for some weird reason). Thus, AM radio has been VERY unfairly rigged in this manner. And, as this artificially-sculpted AM listenership ages further, it bodes VERY BADLY for the AM broadcast segment of the industry over the few next decades unless AM broadcasters CHANGE something about it (and rather quickly), instead of continuing to foster an ongoing artificial notion that AM's end-all, be-all potential shall be only that of "all-talk". Simply put, we won't have the exact same group of 40+ year-old males around forever - time passes all too quickly. I'm a 42 year old male, and absolutely detest the kind of programming that the broadcast industry assumes that I prefer to listen to. None of my friends of my age seem to like right wing talk or sports talk or non-local syndicate talk radio all day long either, and grumble when they can't find music programming of their taste specifically on the AM band. I grew up with music on AM radio, and continue to desire to hear that. When I travel around on the road for work, I want to stay tuned to the same 50kW station from my home city, and not have to hop from one FM channel to another to keep listening to the same content as I drive (listening to a faceless Jack, Jill, or Bob format doesn't count either). An AM station carries much farther, and reduces dial-flipping (I think we all clearly understand that concept on this list), and I'd be FAR more apt to stay tuned to it continuously a couple hundred miles around if only the PROGRAMMING was decent... like classic rock on AM, or alternative music on AM, or 60's-70's-80's-Oldies on AM. I really enjoy Newsradio formats on AM; however, I don't care for News-Talk formats. My parents and so many of my colleagues, friends, and relatives OVER 54 years old refuse to listen to AM anymore because of ONE SINGLE complaint: "All the stations are just talk anymore these days". Not about low frequency response, about bad reception, about static, or whatever. It's the PROGRAMMING they complain about. My 67-year old dad is a far right-wing conservative, a loyal follower of all the Fox TV celebrities, etc., but even HE refuses to listen to AM (even for Rush or Hannity) because "There's no good music on AM anymore, son - No one plays my soft hits or oldies on AM or even on FM anymore". His exact words. And he's DARN STRAIGHT right. He now just listens to DirecTV-fed music stations at home, or to CDs or downloaded MP3s in the car, because he's fed up with AM and FM radio. The industry has read far too much into statistics and so-called research to make any real scientifically valid claims of listenership, and Arbitron is not exactly known for the most accurate tracking of listener habits. It's all assumption and speculation - how do you REALLY know who is tuned in? People-meters? (ever hear of the Hawthorne Effect - people changing their habits knowing they're part of a study). A station's ringing listener-line telephone is more accurate. A station's Internet site feedback is more accurate. Targeting a demographic based on who actually lives in an area is more accurate. But breaking formats down to sexes, and aggressively going as far as to broadcast "male content" on AM and "female content" on FM is ridiculous, and so is the industry's assumption that a 42 year old man like myself does not like CHR, soft-rock, or country (I like all those formats, too - does that make me weird or something? This is why I dislike the corporate radio industry). The industry has carried all of this to such a ridiculous extent that they now expect men to tune to AM, and women to FM, or in the case of format, that women supposedly enjoy music more than men. The industry MADE it work that way by artificially manipulating the formats that appear on each frequency band, and feeding listeners a bunch of overly-researched and overly-refined formats. Data from what listeners are requesting on LastFM.com or media purchase sites like iTunes ought to be a major source of data used to determine the listener tastes for each genre (that can eventually be aired on an AM radio station). Those are REAL PEOPLE from all walks of life who are indicating exactly what music they like. Arbitron and others need to get with the 21st Century, and move AM beyond this crazy "talk-on-AM" kick of the early-1990s. It shouldn't come down to a modulation method that segregates groups of listeners. The listening public has been FORCED by the industry to associate AM with talk, and FM with music. But it is as baseless as making the statement that for plain-text email, DSL is the best medium for sending love-letter emails, dialup is the best medium for sending business emails, and cable modem is the best medium for sending email to friends and family - They all come out just as readable on the other end. Absolutely ridiculous comparisons, but are equally as ridiculous as the comparison of AM versus FM for suitability to air specific programming types for specific sexes or age groups. If a 50 kW metro AM with a decent analog stereo or iBOC signal (or even just mono) switched to a 24-7 classic rock or alternative format interspersed with the same news, traffic, weather and sports found on your typical sports-talk station, you could bank on that station cranking out excellent ratings given its wider coverage capability compared to FM. It's CONTENT, not the band of transmission, that will draw listeners. If listeners gravitate toward FM or toward AM more, it's purely because the industry has unfairly RIGGED the game that way by intentionally only offering one set of programming on one band, and another set of programming on the other. It's not a chicken-before- the-egg concept - people will NOT care if a good format is carried on an AM or FM signal if it were SIMPLY to BE MADE AVAILABLE to start with. People are smart enough to LEARN where to tune for good programming, especially with ad campaigns on a billboard, or on a sister FM station. If young female audiences can punch in a Web address for their favorite online radio station, they MOST CERTAINLY can punch the BAND button on their car radio, and adjust the Tuning knob on the AM band just like they do when they're listening to FM. A few of the industry's excuses to move music off of AM since 1990 include: "Stereo is available on FM, with higher frequency response, so is better suited for music." But stereo had been available on AM since 1969, and today we have digital AM stereo with iTunes tagging capability, song-artist display, on-screen advertising, etc. The frequency response of analog AM is limitless (and even the NRSC specs are well-suited for music reproduction via AM transmission). Garbage receivers have been the problem. "There's no static on AM" So only music-radio listeners dislike static and electrical noise? Ever try listening to FM with a nearby computer, phone charger, or while driving through canyons, below mountains, or between buildings? Picket-fence city. No broadcast medium will ever be perfect - let's be fair now. "If listeners want to hear our former AM music format, we'll keep streaming it on our Internet site or phone app." If everyone could afford the data charges, lived in a 3G or 4G area, true. But that's still akin to a pay-radio service - and you have to still pay to hear ads from the station. Until we all get Internet service for free (like THAT will ever happen), there will NEVER be a solid penetration of programming via Web radio quite as thorough as traditional AM and FM advertising-supported or listener-supported radio. The FM band probably won't get any wider anytime soon, and Internet will never be available without charge everywhere. "We'll keep our great music on our FM HD2 or HD3.`` Again, coverage issues with only local reception possible on FM. And if something has to go onto low-bitrate HD3, it's monaural and sounds gritty. Come on - put the music on a stereo AM-HD signal, or better yet, a stereo analog signal that everyone can listen to for free and without HD gear. Motorola, Kahn-Hazeltine, and iBiquity all wanting royalties for circuitry licensing, and the FCC taking a market-place backseat position to AM stereo broadcast standards in the 1980's are all very much at fault, too, for not incentivizing AM to retain music-based programming. So at the end of the day, we're left with crap AM radio technology and programming, and a failing digital AM broadcast standard penetration (just like analog AM stereo saw), rather than a robust stereo-capable and decent-sounding selection of AM receivers and quality AM signals on the air to listen to. With both receiver manufacturers and broadcasters not cooperating, AM has no future, unless broadcasters CREATE a future for themselves, and that future should not solely rest on TALK programming only. There's a heck of a lot more formats out there that AM Radio can handle - and that's just about every other format imaginable. That's my rant for what it's worth. It just seems that AM radio content is getting worse by the year, and something as simple as plugging a rock or oldies format into an AM rather than an FM is being grossly overlooked, and the concept is being outright ignored. The broadcast industry has set this stupid programming precedence for AM Radio (based on unsound science and research), refuses to break away from it, and then laments about the ratings of their AM stations. They've done it to themselves (Darwin Long, Empire, LA, April 17, ibid.) Funny thing is, many broadcasters claim that they're simulcasting their AM on an FM frequency supposedly to get the signal into concrete-and-steel office buildings easier (while only a very small segment of a city's population actually works in a downtown concrete- and-steel office building, compared to the rest of a city's population, and hardly justifies such a switch). This trend will eventually mean EVEN LESS music on radio if there are going to be a glut of AM and FM simulcasts. It's sad that a station would rather pay to broadcast a talk program on two frequencies instead of just advertising to younger audiences WHERE on the AM dial to find their station. Younger listeners aren't that stupid - if they can figure out how to point-and-click to find the webpage link of an AM station to listen online or on their mobile device, they should most certainly be able to figure our know how to punch the BAND button on their AM/FM car radio, and flip to the frequency of the AM talk station (far less complicated, too)... how hard can that be?? It's all about education to that younger listener segment, but broadcasters refuse to promote their AM stations to younger listeners to begin with - or offer programming they would want to hear. > talk shows to their FM dials. FM is where the > listeners are, so stations across the country are > simulcasting their AM programs on FM. > Historically, AM stations offered talk and news while > FM stations were all about music, but AM's audience Again, it's the broadcasting industry's fault for the decline by turning AM into a variety-lacking programming wasteland, and providing minimal attention to audio sophistication (such as stereo or digital) post-1990. I'm not going to harp on this one again. AM was the mainstream delivery channel for music until around 1988. Then AMs flipped to talk formats in droves, and the decline of AM accelerated. Talk radio formats are the only excuse broadcasters give for keeping their AM stations on the air (while there is so much more potential available for AM). > share has decreased over time. Today, it's about 25 > percent of the national market, attracting generally > older listeners. FM draws more listeners, many with > a growing appetite for news and talk. ...a PERCEIVED appetite, artificially-developed by the industry. So now they're ready to begin killing the FM band with gobblety-gook drivel. > Even though talk radio is more expensive to produce > than music programs, the rising demand for talk and ??? This is an odd claim. We have always been hearing how music formats supposedly cost far more than talk, what with rising ASCAP/BMI fees and such, and why so many AMs (and now FMs) have supposedly been eager to dump those formats. > and KUPL. "People want their information and they > want it now." If my colleagues and I want to know what's going on, we want NEWSradio now, not someone else's opinions, slant, or a bunch of fringe sensationalists or conspiracy theorists calling in. There's a BIG difference between INFORMATION and ENTERTAINMENT, and broadcasters are BLURRING that line unfairly by lumping them together to make a buck at a disservice to the community, namely the younger demographic. Today's youth believe that talk-radio, opinion, and reality shows are real bona-fide 'news and information'. > "It's a strategic trend," Clear Channel's Dove says. > "You have to fish where the fish are. If we don't make You should TEACH people HOW to fish - namely, ADVERTISE where on the AM dial your station can be found, not make your FM outlet puppet your AM as a wasteful, stopgap measure. Make your AM outlet attractive and stylish, not an outcast, last-resort medium. > some of these competitive moves, the future is not > real promising." The future is NOT real promising for AM because of these very things. Improve the FORMAT, and people WILL tune in! Sticking it on FM is not going to magically make it any more palatable than putting a poorly- directed 'grade B' movie on your High-Def TV. Simulcasting talk radio is not a "competitive move" - It's a copout for not trying new formats on your AM station, and for not thinking outside the box to improve your AM's ratings (-Darwin Long, Empire, LA, ibid.) DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DTV ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ GENACHOWSKI: "VOLUNTARY" TV SPECTRUM RELINQUISHMENTS FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski's prepared remarks for the NAB Show in Las Vegas are linked below. His obvious message: The FCC still wants voluntary TV spectrum relinquishments and hopes to financially compensate broadcasters for their give backs. Not-so-obvious is the definition of "voluntary." For example, if new spectrum use fees are conjured up, those expenses may force broadcasters to shed portions of their 6 MHz channel allocations. As the president of NAB put it, "For us, voluntary means broadcasters who choose not to turn in their spectrum aren't subject to new spectrum fees, which would hurt their ability to make payroll and create jobs." Whether your station chooses to relinquish spectrum or not, it looks like the TV channels are going to be repacked again (squeezed into contiguous spectrum), and that means many new channel assignments, and that means major equipment investments for many broadcasters and inevitable headaches for consumers. Will some TV broadcasters be forced to move from a UHF to a VHF channel? This is likely based on what has been said so far. Will consumers be forced to buy MPEG-4 decoders? Possibly. Will your station have the same real-world coverage after re-packing that it has now? The FCC has not released any of the details, so we simply do not know. Genachowski's prepared remarks: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-305708A1.doc Related offerings: http://tinyurl.com/ChannelRepacking http://tinyurl.com/Repacking-Voluntary http://tinyurl.com/MoreOnRepacking (CGC Communicator April 18 via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ SPACE WEATHER CENTER DISCONTINUES A SERVICE Radio World By Paul McLane April 20, 2011 http://www.radioworld.com/article/119466 NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center is planning to discontinue its space weather message broadcast, which airs on radio station WWV on minute 18 and on WWVH on minute 45. Technically these are called "synoptic Geo-Alert products." The broadcast is to be discontinued in Sept. 6. The Space Weather website states that the information remains available via other channels including its Product Subscription Service - the WWV product can be found under the "Forecast and Summaries" section - and at its website. The SWPC, part of the National Weather Service, generates space weather alerts, watches and warnings. Space weather includes solar and geophysical events that affect satellites, power grids, communications, navigation and other systems. SWPC also explores and evaluates new models and products and transitions them into operations. Radio World sent an inquiry e-mail and received this response from Patrick V. Gajdys of the SWPC: "The reason for discontinuing this service is entirely budget-driven. As we begin to receive reductions to our funding levels, we are forced to examine our entire program and make cuts. The WWV service costs are quite high and the information we provide on it is currently duplicated via the Internet service we listed on the http://spaceweather.gov/wwv web page. A very large majority of our customers use our Internet feeds, so when comparing the two duplicate services it was clear to us that the WWV service was that most logical service to cut." Gajdys said, "All comments received will be compiled and presented to NWS before stopping the transmissions." The center invited e-mailed comments and questions to swpc.wwv @ noaa.gov (via Mike Terry, April 21, dxldyg via DXLD) PROPAGATIONAL ANOMALY, DAYTIME ON LOW END OF MW BAND Today I noticed unusual daytime reception at the low frequency end of the MW band. Listening between 1400-1430 UT, signals seemed to be considerably stronger than usual - signals were also very stable. The most prominent example was Alger Chaîne 1 a steady S7 signal (// webstream) with perfect reception on 531 kHz. On 540 kHz MR1-Kossuth Rádió was excellent (also // webstream). Spain was steady on 612 kHz. 73 (Steve Whitt, (near York), England, March 25, MWC yg via DXLD) I too have noted odd reception not explainable by normal solar- ionosphere relations. Just came across this today >>> Two Stanford University radio scientists offer evidence of what technology can do to affect the sky by making waves on earth; they showed that very low frequency radio waves can vibrate the magnetosphere and cause high-energy particles to cascade into Earth's atmosphere. By turning the signal on or off, they could stop the flow of energetic particles. David Yarrow of Albany, New York, is a researcher with a background in electronics. He described possible interactions of HAARP radiation with the ionosphere and Earth's magnetic grid. They (possibly Paul Schaefer of Kansas City - his degree is in electrical engineering and spent four years building nuclear weapons) have published papers about electron precipitation from the magnetosphere (the outer belts of charged particles which stream toward Earth's magnetic poles) caused by man-made very low frequency electromagnetic waves. "These precipitated particles can produce secondary ionization, emit X-rays, and cause significant perturbation in the lower ionosphere." (Source? via Graham Maynard, ibid.) Geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to minor storm levels during the week. The week began with with a 24 nT sudden impulse at 18/0634Z followed by unesttled to occasionally active levels at mid latitudes, and minor storm periods at high latitudes. The disturbance was attributed to the passage of a CME. Activity decreased to quiet to unsettled levels on 19 April. Minor storm levels returned on 20 April, briefly reaching major storm levels at high latitudes with the onset of a coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS). Solar wind speed at the ACE spacecraft peaked over 540 km/s mid-day on the 20th, then gradually decreased through 23 April. Quiet to unsettled levels prevailed on 21-24 April as the CH HSS effects subsided. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 27 APRIL - 23 MAY 2011 Solar activity is expected to be at low levels through the period with a chance for isolated M-class flares until Region 1195 rotates off the visible disk on 01 May. No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at normal to moderate levels during most of the period. However, an increase to moderate to high flux levels is possible from 02 - 05 May, 11 - 13 May and 19 - 22 May in response to coronal hole high speed streams. Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be unsettled to active on 30 April - 02 May, 08 - 10 May, and 18 - 19 May in response to geoeffective recurrent coronal hole high speed streams. The remainder of the period is expected to be quiet. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2011 Apr 26 1649 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center # Product description and SWPC contact on the Web # http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2011-04-26 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2011 Apr 27 115 5 2 2011 Apr 28 115 5 2 2011 Apr 29 110 5 2 2011 Apr 30 110 10 3 2011 May 01 115 10 3 2011 May 02 115 8 3 2011 May 03 115 5 2 2011 May 04 110 5 2 2011 May 05 110 5 2 2011 May 06 105 5 2 2011 May 07 105 5 2 2011 May 08 105 8 3 2011 May 09 110 15 3 2011 May 10 115 15 3 2011 May 11 120 7 2 2011 May 12 120 5 2 2011 May 13 120 5 2 2011 May 14 115 5 2 2011 May 15 110 5 2 2011 May 16 115 5 2 2011 May 17 110 7 2 2011 May 18 110 10 3 2011 May 19 110 8 3 2011 May 20 110 5 2 2011 May 21 110 5 2 2011 May 22 110 5 2 2011 May 23 105 5 2 (SWPC via WORLD OF RADIO 1562, DXLD) ###