DX LISTENING DIGEST 7-062, May 27, 2007 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 2007 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.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 NEXT SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1360: ** tentative Mon 0300 WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0415 WBCQ 7415 [time varies] Mon 0530 WRMI 9955** Mon 0930 WRMI 9955** Tue 1030 WRMI 9955** Wed 0730 WRMI 9955** WORLD OF RADIO, CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL SCHEDULE: 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 For updates see our Anomaly Alert page: http://www.worldofradio.com/anomaly.html WRN ON DEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 WORLD OF RADIO PODCASTS VIA WRN NOW AVAILABLE: http://www.wrn.org/listeners/stations/podcast.php OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL] http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html or http://wor.worldofradio.org ** ALBANIA. 13750, 1 May, 1300, R. Tirana, a new service in English for North America. 34443, a bit splashed by CRI signal on 13755. Schedule, news, comments, Albania's Eurovision song, some other features (Dmitry Mezin, Kazan, Russia, Signal via DXLD) I listened at 1300 UT on 13750 to today's English transmission. The signal here was good - but not as strong as in recent days - and peaking to S9, but with fading. And it was during the fades that I could hear slight splash from the TWR [Rwanda] transmission on 13745. Their carrier came on before 1300 (and before that from Shijak) but their programme didn't start until about 1302. Their signal was very similar (in strength) to that from Shijak. My conclusion on what I heard today is that we in the UK should still have satisfactory reception - and it is, after all, only on air for 15 minutes twice each week. Hopefully 13750 made it to Stateside today - but I do have some doubts about that due to current propagation conditions. Greetings from (Noel Green, UK, May 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANGOLA. 4950, R. Nacional, 2317-2353, May 23, Portuguese. OM between musical selections. Nice ID at 2320. Good (Scott R. Barbour Jr., Intervale, NH, R8, R75, 200' Beverages, MLB-1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. FEEDER: 11440-LSB, Radio Continental, Buenos Aires, 0150-0155, May 22, Spanish, comments and music, program "Gira Continental" , 34443 (Nicolás Eramo, Argentina, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELARUS. Sasnovy site (279, 1170 plus now silent 171; apparently LW mast in the foreground): http://poezdkadx.at.tut.by/02-sasnovy.jpg Minsk site picture at bottom of this page, but portraying FM/TV mast only: http://viru.livejournal.com/28208.html (Kai Ludwig, Germany, May 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Minsk site picture at bottom of this page, but portraying FM/TV mast All pictures from Kolodishchi near Minsk http://foto.mail.ru/mail/leryfm/vishki/ http://foto.mail.ru/mail/leryfm/vishki/?page=2 http://foto.mail.ru/mail/leryfm/vishki/?page=3 http://foto.mail.ru/mail/leryfm/vishki/?page=4 http://foto.mail.ru/mail/leryfm/vishki/?page=5 (Victor Rutkovsky, Russia, May 27, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Much more under RUSSIA ** BHUTAN. Hello Hauser, The weather in Nanjing is really hot, wet and hot. Could you tell me the email and post address of Radio Bhutan? I want to write to them if I can pick up their signal. Do they broadcast from 0100 to 0630 and 0830-1600 on 6035 kHz? Thank you for your help (Lenfant Lee, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hello Lenfant, So far here we are having a cool spell, but it is humid, and I expect with June it will be both hot and humid as usual. The website cited in latest DXLD leads to a `feedback` address of sheety20 @ yahoo.com WRTH shows request @ bbs.com.bt and P O Box 101, Thimpu. They want 15 minutes of program details and 2 IRC for QSL. The schedule page actually shows continuous from 07 to 23 local (UT +6), so that would be 01-17 UT, but everyone has been reporting them signing on at 0005 UT. I guess you will get them better in your evening, interference permitting. You might look around at http://www.bbs.com.bt/Index.htm for more info. Regards, (Glenn to Lenfant, May 26, via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hello Glenn, Thank you for your quick reply. I hope I can pick up the signal tonight. I'm not sure Radio Bhutan broadcast toward east China; I'll try to receive on the my collage playground if possible. I think the time of their schedule on the official site is Indian Standard Time, UT +5.5. So the time of their transmission is from 0100 to 0630 and 0830 and 1600, I'll try tomorrow morning on 0005. All the best. (Lenfant Lee, ibid.) [Later:] Hello Glenn, Last night about 2230 BST, 1430 UT I tried to listen to Radio Bhutan. I heard a man speaking, but I don't know what I heard, for Yunnan PBS and Radio Bhutan use the same frequency, and 6030 is CNR. My friend in Yunnan, Southwest China tells me he turned to Radio Bhutan just now this morning, on 0730 BST, 2330 UT. SIO is 555, he listened for an hour. I didn't bring the radio with me to the office, so I lose a chance to pick their signal. Today is too much hooooooot. Take care (Lenfant Lee, Nanjing, China, May 26, ibid.) ** BOLIVIA. 4409.78, R. Eco, 0036-0154* 26 May, Announcement by M with possible mention of R. Eco, then song by children`s choir. W on-air evening announcer. Some rancheras and one or two children`s songs again. What sounded like a children`s bed-time story read by M at 0102 and definitely mentioning Bolivia at one point. Romantic music program continued with W announcer. S/off at end of song at 0154. Not bad at tune-in but much worse by sign-off (Dave Valko, Dunlo PA, HCDX via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 6134.95, Radio Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, 2301, 2310, May 20, Spanish, Talks about local football, ID: “….por Radio Santa Cruz…..”, 22422 with QRM from Radio Aparecida, Aparecida, SP, Brazil. 9624.83, Radio Fides, La Paz, 2141-2150, May 20, Spanish, football transmission. Match: The Strongest vs Oriente Petrolero. Reports from other stadiums, ads in Spanish by male & female, announcer: “goooooooooooooooooool de Oriente Petrolero, 3 a 1 para el partido para The Strongest!!!”, 34433 (best reception on LSB mode), // 6155.02 kHz with 12431 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. RADIO RAGE --- Political influence permeates radio news in Brazil`s remote Northeast. Radio hosts and independent journalism are victims -- by Carlos Lauría and Sauro González Rodríguez [illustrated] FORTALEZA, Brazil --- Radio reigns as the most popular news medium in the isolated, impoverished Brazilian Northeast where on-air commentators are passionately populist and widely known figures. Many are closely tied to politically owned or controlled radio stations, which are booming in number throughout the interior, often in defiance of the law. Outsized, outspoken, and highly partisan, these commentators have also become targets of violence. Five radio journalists have been killed in as many years in this region alone, making the Brazilian Northeast one of the deadliest areas for journalists in the Americas. . . http://www.cpj.org/Briefings/2006/DA_fall_06/brazil_mission/brazil_mission.html (via Charles Harlich, DXLD) Portuguese version also available {and slideshow narrated in English} ** BURKINA FASO. 5030, Radio Burkina, *0529-0540, May 25, Sign on with National Anthem. French talk. African folk music. Weak under Gene Scott (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHAD. The extremely distorted transmission is still there, noted May 27 at 0522 around 7292v; easier to pick it out with BFO on when the band is noisy (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Dear Listeners, Summer Olympic Games 2008 will be held in Beijing, China. To mark this occasion CRI has published QSL cards and postcards including the photographs of 10 Newly Built Olympic stadium. The cards will be sent soon. Yours sincerely (Md. Salahuddin Dolar, President, Global Radio Fan Club, Vill. + P. O. Chaumahani, P.S. Motihar, Rajshahi-6000, Bangladesh, May 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) But of course; and now to the boycott --- (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 5940, 6300, Radio Havana Cuba, 0515-0545, May 27, Leapfrogging spurs. English programming with news & local music. Fair reception. These could be mistaken for legitimate fundamental frequencies but are leapfrogging spurs from 6060 & 6180. 120 kHz separation between each frequency (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Picture of the Intersputnik uplink station in Cuba: http://www.gspirtv.ru/files/images/Cuba_b.gif (Kai Ludwig, Germany, May 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CYPRUS. 9760, Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation, 2215-2222, May 20, Greek, S/on, music, complete identification by male as: “Radiofonikou Idryma Kyprou”, news by male, 24332. No reception from my city on 7210 & 6180 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. Yesterday morning I had TV2 HIJB Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and FM from DR and Haiti. You might catch HIJB, if you haven't already, a very distinctive "TA" logo in the upper right and they display it for extended periods. I'm wondering if anyone in Europe is looking for TV/FM DX from the Caribbean. I just saw a report of 50 MHz DX as far as Turkey into the Dominican Republic this morning (Randolph Zerr, KW4RZ, grid EM60qk, Fort Walton Beach, Florida, FM DX page http://www.geocities.com/kw4rz May 27, WTFDA via DXLD) ** ECUADOR. 6050, Spotlight (program name) via HCJB, mayo 24, 0330- 0345, 555! Slow speed English, no paralelo a los 9745, también escuchada sábado mayo 26 de 2345-2400 UT con excelente señal por los 6050 KHz (Yimber Gaviria, Cali, Colombia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. 4909.23, Radio Chaskis, Otavalo, 0100-0120, May 26, Tentative with Ecuadorian music. Spanish announcements. Weak. Poor in noisy conditions. 4918.99, Radio Quito, 0110-0200+, May 26, Very irregular. Ecuadorian music, Spanish ballads, ads, jingles, IDs. Poor. Weak. Much stronger at 0400-0600 but announcements were somewhat distorted (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. Radio East Africa 15190 kHz via Malabo or Bata? Re 7-061: The NASWA Country List consider these two as separate radio countries, Equatorial Guinea - Fernando Poo and Equatorial Guinea - Rio Muni. It appears that the Pan American BC outlet in Equatorial Guinea has often been mistakenly reported as via Malabo over the years, most likely due to the fact that their Equatorial Guinea mailing address has always been Malabo and the WRTH appears to have only began specifying the transmitter site as Bata since 2000. Previously the transmitter site was not specified in the Radio Africa entries under Equatorial Guinea, but was listed as "R Africa, Malabo" in the frequency list. I have tried to get clarification from Pan American Broadcasting, but they have never responded. It still isn't clear if they did previously broadcast from Malabo or not. I have a verification from 1993 for 7203 kHz that I originally assumed was Malabo, but have since noted it as Bata. Since there appears to be no SW broadcasts originating from Malabo these days, it would be nice to get confirmation that my QSL from 1993 was indeed Malabo if that is the case. But for now, I have to consider the verification as for EqG - Rio Muni (Brandon Jordan, TN, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I don't think so. The power for these relays has always been specified as 50 kW. This perfectly fits the information about two Chinese 50 kW transmitters, installed at Bata in 1973, when Francisco Macias Nguema was in power (1969-1979; only a few countries, including the GDR and apparently China as well, maintained relationships to Equatorial Guinea during these years). Obviously Radio Bata began during the eighties to lease one of these transmitters to US-based religious broadcasters (a certain Pierce Communications Inc. in the late eighties it seems; is Pan American Broadcasting a straight successor of this company?) while keeping the other one for own programming on 5005 or elsewhere on 60 metres. It appears that these transmitters fell in disrepair after 2000. In late 2004 they were either refurbished by Chinese engineers or even replaced by new units. In December 2004 Radio Bata returned to 5005 (no longer varying around 5004 as used to be the case until the old transmitter finally broke down), and in January 2005 the Pan American Broadcasting relays resumed. See also the pictures on this page: http://www.panambc.com/africa.htm They show the old transmitter leased to Pan American Broadcasting and what must be Radio Bata studios, presumably featured there because the Pan American Broadcasting tapes were played out there. Malabo is only on air on 6250, but at present this transmitter appears to be down. From ca. 1990 until ca. 1995y there also used to be a Radio Africa 2000, run together by Radio Nacional de España and Radio Malabo, it seems. The station had been closed down for political reasons, but I can't remember the details. And WTFK, I seem to recall 6950? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.) I QSL'd Radio Africa 2000, EQUATORIAL GUINEA (Fernando Poo) in 1992 on 6910 kHz, and QSL'd Radio Africa, EQUATORIAL GUINEA (Rio Muni), in 1989 on 7188.9 kHz (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, USA, ibid.) ** ERITREA [non]. 11765, V. of Meselna Delina, May 18 1701-1710, 34433, Tigrigna, Eritrean pops music, ID at 1701, Talk and music (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA. 7210, Radio Fana, Addis Ababa, *0257-0310, May 26, Sign on with IS. Talk in local language at 0300. Horn of Africa music at 0303. Weak. In the clear for 1 minute until covered by BBC IS at 0258 but still audible under BBC. Weak // 6109.92-mixing with TWR 6110 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EUROPE. PIRATE. (Scotland), 6400.03, Weekend Music Radio, 0125- 0140, May 27, A regular on Saturday nights lately. IDs, pop music. Fair. Also heard at 0510 but weak under utility station (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. Paul Gager quoted in the A-DX mailing list the answer he received from RFI German service after enquiring about the future of this service: They wrote back that it will continue "in the near future" (Kai Ludwig, Germany, May 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also LIBYA [non] ** GABON. See LIBYA [non] ** GERMANY [non]. Paul Gager reports in the A-DX mailing list that Deutsche Welle urgently asks for reception reports about various European frequencies. No reason given, but I recently saw various complaints about impaired DW reception. In another posting Paul just reported a loss of modulation on some but not all DW frequencies, including 6075, which occurred while they were broadcasting SBG coverage tonight (Kai Ludwig, Germany, May 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUINEA. 7125 was reactivated. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves - SW coast, Portugl, May 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ICELAND. 13865, 13 May, 1220-1230+, 25322 ISL RUV: it is still on the air!!! (Sergey Nikishin, Moscow, Russia, Signal May 27 via DXLD) 12115, 14 May, 2308-2318, Rikisutvarpid, 35343, in Icelandic. Dialog in studio, not too readable... Icelandic is not a nice language to understand, huh... (Ivan Andreyev, Serpukhov, Russia, ibid.) ** INDIA. See KASHMIR ** INDONESIA. 7289.87, RRI-Nabire, May 21 0833-0840*, 34443, Indonesian, SNSB [??], ID at 0834, Music, 0840 sign off (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. THE INTERNET REVOLUTION IS IN THE AIR Few of you are likely aware that the future of communications in our country rests on a seemingly arcane decision on how we sell off soon- to-be vacated TV airwaves. This public "spectrum" has the capacity to deliver high-speed Internet signals almost everywhere in the country. The Federal Communications Commission will decide very soon how this chunk of air is to be auctioned off and used after TV stations go digital. The government hopes that revenues from the sale (anticipated to be as high as $30 billion) will help pay down the national deficit, especially high since we went to War in Iraq. Yesterday, many members of the SavetheInternet.com Coalition came forward with a proposal: Let's use these airwaves to make the Internet more neutral, open and affordable for everyone. Most people haven't heard about this issue, or know that such valuable airwaves are up for grabs. But it is important stuff. Here's where things stand: . . . http://www.huffingtonpost.com/timothy-karr/the-internet-revolution-i_b_49367.html (via Clara Listensprechen, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. US NET RADIO LEGISLATION CROSSES THE HUNDRED MEMBER MARK A bill that would save the Internet radio industry from a dramatic increase of fees webcasters pay to play music has gained the support of its 100th member of the US House of Representatives. . . http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/?p=8073 (Source: http://www.savenetradio.org May 27th, 2007 - 11:45 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. 12120, R. Democracy Shorayee, May 18 *1700-1710, 33333- 34333, Farsi, 1700 sign on with opening music, ID, Opening announce, Talk (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** KASHMIR. This is Radio Kashmir Srinagar (What's Up) Are you listening? If yes, we have a bad news for you --- SAJAD BAZAZ http://www.greaterkashmir.com/full_story.asp?Date=27_5_2007&ItemID=6&cat=12 Kashmir is a hotbed of news and news-making. Be it mainstream political activity, or some rumblings in the separatist movement, an environmental issue or anything social, media will not lose a moment to paint it with its own brush. To put things straight, anything happening anywhere in Kashmir is in one way or the other related to Kashmir issue. If a corrupt government servant is caught red handed while accepting a bribe, it is given a colour of Kashmir tangle. Transfer of a government servant, even of a peon, in this part of world can easily be attributed to Kashmir issue and our media channels, both print and electronic, take joy in spending vital moments of their transmission or space in giving coverage to this negligible issue - which is not all a public issue by any standards. The last week heat was generated when some transfers of government servants were ordered in Radio Kashmir and straight [a]way these transfers were dubbed as attack on Kashmiri culture and ethos! Even some local TV channels continuously flashed the news of some transferees getting stay order from Hon'ble court. I have a long association with Radio Kashmir. The kind of station I know today is totally different of what it used to be in 1985. Radio Kashmir is one of the few organizations which has worked relentlessly to save the Kashmiri language and culture. Its contribution towards literature, music and culture has been outstanding. Radio Kashmir served as a link between people and the government. Zoona Dub feature portraying a typical lifestyle of a Kashmiri family was first diet of Radio listeners and without listening [to] the programme, people used to feel hungry all through the day. The characters in the feature reflected the true values and ethos of Kashmiri culture. We cannot ignore the fact that it was Radio Kashmir which has given light music to add flavour to the music in Kashmir. Who can forget the efforts put in by great stalwarts associated with music section of Radio Kashmir, like Ustad Mohammad Abdullah Tibet Bakal, Ustad Ghulam Mohammad Qaleenbaft, Ghulam Qadir Langoo, Raj Begum, Naseem Akhtar, Nasrullah Khan and others in making the sufiyana music as well as the folk music alive and thriving. As far as national interests are concerned, Radio Kashmir played a pivotal role in negating the propaganda launched from across the border. Programmes like Wadi Ki Awaz, Jawabi Hamla, etc., are a few examples which were very popular across the border as well. Artists like Manhoar Prothi, Shanta Koul, Mohammad Amin, Kedar Sharma, Som Nath Sadhu, Maryum Begum, Mohammad Sultan Pandit, Poshkar Bhan, Pran Kishore, Nikki Aapa of Wadi Ki Awaz and the like were household names. They were the artists of the highest caliber and enjoyed respect from every section of the society irrespective of caste, creed and colour. Similarly, the news room also had great broadcasters like Abdul Rashid, Abdul Ahad Farahad and Moti Lal Khazanchi were familiar voices which would add more credibility to the news script through their voices. Who can forget the dramas broadcast from Radio Kashmir Srinagar. They cast magic and engrossed the audience, as people were spellbound by the excellent production values and well woven script and presentation promoting our rich cultural heritage. Comedy series of Machama of Poshkar Bhan, Ali Muhammad Lone's Veth Rouz Pakan, Lala Joo and Sons, Vaital Pachisi, Som Nath Sadhu's drama entitled Vach Kis Patchastal are some of the unforgettable dramas I have heard in my childhood. Nobody can bury this fact that the best dramas in the country used to be produced by Radio Kashmir Srinagar and numerous Akashvani Annual Awards and laurels were showered on the station. The drama library of Radio Kashmir Srinagar was so rich in sound effects and music that people like Melvin Demalo, the greatest broadcaster of the country, used to edit his programmes in Radio Kashmir Srinagar. Remarkably the drama artists and announcers set up the highest standards of broadcasting. Their dedication was unmatched and each of them was known among the masses for his own style of performance, be it Siraj Mirani, Noor Mohammad Lone, Abdul Rehman, Pran Chandra, Opander Khashu or Surja Sahib. Strategically Radio Kashmir occupied a very important place in Indian broadcasting set up, only thorough professionals were put as head of this station. P C Chatterji, Kaiser Qalander, N. L. Chawla, A. L. Maini and Lassa Koul are a few names whose leadership and thorough professionalism put Radio Kashmir Srinagar among the top stations of All India Radio. They were backed by very able and competent programmers who knew their job very well. Programmes used to be devised keeping in view the culture, language and values of the society. Precisely, Radio Kashmir was voice of the people despite being controlled by the government and it never ever let them down as far as providing entertainment, education and information was concerned. Then the wind from the opposite direction blew and everything turned topsy turvey and Radio Kashmir was no exception. Most of the programme staff migrated and with the result a vacuum was left. Abruptly there was a tremendous shortage of engineers, programmers and even administrative staff. After the assassination of Lassa Koul the station was entrusted to one of senior most broadcasters and a programmer, Farooq Nazki. Since militancy was at its peak, the period will be remembered as most chaotic and worst period for the Station. Abnormal situation forced most of the intellectuals, script writers and artists boycotted the Radio. It was in this period that the Government of India wanted that somehow the Station should continue its broadcast. It goes to the credit of local staff that despite being caught in a very odd situation they kept the Radio signals live and thriving where the programmes went on air uninterrupted and uninfluenced. But it was during this period that casual culture crept in as even the regular programmes could not be handled by very thin local staff. This situation led to casualty of professionalism. It is pertinent to mention that the then Station Director, Farooq Nazki, was also heading Srinagar Doordarshan and he was unable to give much time to the affairs of this voice medium. However, there was some revival in Radio Kashmir when Ashraf Sahil took over as a Director of the station. In this period, the initiative in the shape of a daily current affair programme Shaherbeen has stood test of the times and is the only success story as far as reaching to masses is concerned. Today, Radio Kashmir is again an ailing organization. Firstly there is not only insufficiency of programmers but professionalism and broadcasting ethics have also been thrown to wind. Second, the specialists cadres like a script writer, production assistant, translator were merged into transmission executive cadre. With this backup gone no specialist cadre is left in Radio. Even as tremendous expansions have been made on building the hardware infrastructure by installing very higher power transmitters at Narbal (200 KW) and a separate station at Kupwara, very little funds are made available for software generation. Most of the programmes are repeat broadcasts and this has resulted in dwindling in listenership of radio Kashmir programmes. Under the garb of security measures, talented people have no access to Radio Kashmir. No matter how talented a person is, he cannot dream to enter its premises unless his name has a recommendation. Instances galore that very respectable citizens were humiliated as their name didn't figure on daily list send by the programme staff. With their doors shut, the authorities of the station have preferred blind eye towards budding talent in broadcasting and manage things as they please. Who is responsible for deteriorating standard of the station? Can the authorities of Radio Kashmir justify the total neglect shown to the rich music of Kashmir? How many new songs have been composed during the last one decade and how many have been popular? Can the authorities justify their alignments with political patronage, which has marred the credibility of broadcasting in Kashmir? These are the questions that will be haunting every ordinary listener. One thing is certain that people responsible for all this cannot claim to be the saviours of our literature, music and language - main ingredients of our culture (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, dx_india via DXLD) ** KASHMIR. LEH'S ONLY RADIO STATION NEGLECTED Statesman News Service http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=2&theme=&usrsess=1&id=157434 JAMMU, MAY 26: Notwithstanding claims of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting having spent crores of rupees on upgradation and improvement in All India Radio stations all across the country, one of India's high altitude stations situated in the difficult and inaccessible mountain terrain of Ladakh is crying out for government attention. Even when the rest of the world has entered the digital era, the All India Radio, Leh situated in Leh town of Ladakh region, with its 10 kW radio station [4760], has experienced only degradation both in terms of content and reception in the past few years. AIR Leh, installed in 1971, has not been upgraded in terms of power and manpower. The apathy and neglect by the government has forced a top Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh, executive councillor for education, art & culture Mr. Tsewang Rigzin, - to write to the top officials of the I & B ministry including its minister Mr Priya Ranjan Das Munshi, Director General, All India Radio, but sadly till date, there has been no response from their side. In a rugged terrain, where one can hardly have the luxury of watching television, AIR Leh has been the only medium of entertainment in Ladakh and people of Leh Ladakh have relied upon this radio station for years for news, especially Ladakh's own bulletin, programmes on health, education, religion, science etc. "People of Leh, are very proud to be Indians, and most of it is because of the patriotic programmes that AIR has reached to even the remotest areas of Ladakh in the last few decades," said Mr Rigzin informing that even the poorest Ladakhi owns a radio set. But what is sad is that the listeners don't receive Leh radio signals either on shortwave or on medium wave after 6 p.m. The shortwave reception in the border areas like Changthang, Nubra and Sham has worsened since November last year. "I fear that the bad reception of Leh radio on the border might lead people to listen to the programmes broadcast by the high-powered stations from across the borders," said Mr Rigzin adding Ladakhis who are up in arms against I&B ministry, want immediate upgradation of Leh AIR station. Moreover, Leh is an important place from the strategic point of view having borders with Pakistan in the West and China in the East (via Mike Barraclough, Alokesh Gupta, Bruce Atchison, DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH. HLAZ schedule received from station itself on 1566 kHz: Korean 1900-1100 Chinese 1100-1230 Japanese 1230-1345 Chinese 1345-1730 Russian 1730-1800 (Dmitry Kutuzov, Ryazan, Russia, Signal May 27 via DXLD) This is one of the regular trans-Pacific MW DX catches in WNAm; there had been some confusion about its language schedule (gh, DXLD) ** LATVIA. 9290, Radio Mi Amigo, 2045-2100, May 23, English, Old songs by Pink Floyd, announcement and identification by male at 2058 UT, Song by female and s/off, 44433 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBERIA [non].(via Ascension), 9525, Star Radio, 0710-0800*, May 25, Liberia Today news program. IDs. Some vernacular talk but mostly English. Still no Cotton Tree News program. About 2 minutes of silence at 0730 followed by more Star Radio programming which I believe was a repeat of the first ½ hour. Abrupt sign off. Fair (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBYA [non]. 17627.5, Sowt Alamel, May 21 1236-1256, 34433-33433, Arabic, Talk, ID at 1254. 17647.5, Sowt Alamel, May 18 1207-1220, 33443, Arabic, Talk and Arabic music, ID at 1217. 17652.5, Sowt Alamel, May 16 *1201-1225, 35333-35433, Arabic, 1201 sign on with opening music, ID, Koran, Talk (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** LIBYA [non]. I assume sporadic E was again affecting SW propagation at around 1215 UT today May 26th - loud Italian stations on the FM band had been causing interference to my local and regional stations at 1130. R. France International via ISS on 17620 (at 1215) was peaking to 9+20dB with some noise in the audio. Clean signals in // were 17850 (also 20dB over 9) and 15300 which was 30dB over 9. At the same time two Libyan Arabic language (Ozma) transmissions were also 20dB over 9 on 17630 and 17635 "surrounding" Amal on 17632.5. I suggest these were also via ISS. The Libyan external service in Swahili was much less strong today - peaking to about S5 only - on 17600 and 17725. There was no trace of Gabon Africa #1 on 17630, but the Afro-pops was using 17660 and peaking to about S9 with "rough sounding" audio that was spreading around the frequency - particularly on the lower side - and spoiling reception of TRT Ankara on new 17645 (Turkish to AUS and FE), while a weak WHRA was hardly making it through the mush on 17650. Libya via ISS moved from 17630 to 17640 by 1255 when Amal also went up to 17637.5, and a noise jammer was also audible now. The Afro-pops stayed on 17660 - still no trace of Africa #1 17630. But at re-tune 1500 I found Africa #1 was on air at good strength via 17630 - and still going at 1540 co-ch CRI in English via Mali (Noel R. Green (NW England), May 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALDIVE ISLANDS [and non]. Minivan Radio: Re ``Short-sighted, can always go back to shortwave`` --- I suspect they will do so only after burying any hopes to get on FM in some way, including cooperations with the commercial broadcasters that will be licenced instead of them. Apparently they had stopped the shortwave transmissions to appease the authorities in Malé, to no avail it seems (Kai Ludwig, Germany, May 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MONACO [non]. ``CRI TEST SU 702 kHz ?`` Chinese music would certainly indicate a CRI test, especially in case it were loud recordings of traditional music with an extra amount of cymbals and the like (SCNR). In a similar manner they tested 1557 from Lithuania back in December 2002. I seemed to recall that it was back then music only as well, but in fact they used in this case real programming in Chinese, as documented in this recording from Dec 12 2002: http://www.radioeins.de/meta/sendungen/apparat/021221_A1.ram I wouldn't be surprised if regular CRI relays via 702 (and perhaps 1467 as well) will follow soon (Kai Ludwig, Germany, May 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MONGOLIA. Voice of Mongolia sked, valid 30 March thru 01 Oct: Japanese 0830-0900 12085 Mongolian 0900-0930 12085, 990 Chinese 0930-1000 12085, 990 English 1000-1030 12085 Mongolian 1030-1100 12085, 990 English 1100-1130 990 except We Russian 1100-1130 12085 We only Chinese 1130-1200 12085, 990 Japanese 1200-1230 12085 (Dmitry Kutuzov, Ryazan, Russia, Signal May 27 via DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 7120, Wantok R. Light, May 21 0851-0900, 35433, English, Talk and music, ID at 0855, NBC news relay from 0859 (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** PERU. 6019.52, Radio Victoria, Lima, 0615-0635, May 25, Presumed. Spanish religious programming with sermon & religious music. No //s heard (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA [and non]. Came (while searching for something else of course) upon the website of GSPI RTV, the Russian broadcasting engineering institute. History, mentioning some standard solutions like the Sever troposcatter lines, hardly mentioned so far: http://www.gspirtv.ru/en/about/ General notes on antenna systems (note specified power of up to 4,000 kW for shortwave): http://www.gspirtv.ru/en/design/antenna/ MW/SW antenna pictures: http://www.gspirtv.ru/gallery/gallery5 Note: This http://www.gspirtv.ru/files/images/ant_3b.JPG is almost definitely the former 783 antenna at Burg. These lighting fixtures (called Rostocker Stadtleuchte) just scream "GDR"! And the "Russian ALLISS": http://www.gspirtv.ru/files/images/KB_b.gif (Kai Ludwig, Germany, May 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. RTRN pictures: http://www.rtrs.ru/materials.asp?type=2 Ostankino tower http://www.rtrs.ru/materials.asp?view=15383&type=2 Central Russia http://www.rtrs.ru/materials.asp?view=15213&type=2 North-Eastern Russia http://www.rtrs.ru/materials.asp?view=15214&type=2 Southern Russia http://www.rtrs.ru/materials.asp?view=15215&type=2 Volga and nearby http://www.rtrs.ru/materials.asp?view=15216&type=2 Urals http://www.rtrs.ru/materials.asp?view=15217&type=2 Siberia http://www.rtrs.ru/materials.asp?view=15218&type=2 Far East http://www.rtrs.ru/materials.asp?view=15219&type=2 Kalininrad/Bolshakovo http://kaliningrad.rtrn.ru/materials.asp?view=6223 Karelia http://karelia.rtrn.ru/materials.asp?view=6193 S-Peterburg http://spb.rtrn.ru/materials.asp?view=6113 (Victor Rutkovsky, Russia, May 27, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also PROPAGATION: Tropo Scatter ** RUSSIA [and non]. FOREIGN RELAY VIA SHORT WAVE TRANSMITTERS OF RUSSIA AND COUNTRIES OF CIS. 25/03/2007 - 27/10/2007 ------------------------------------------- (...) = 02/09/2007 - 27/10/2007 [I wish he would make it so the columns line up, but now I am not going to spend my precious time just to make it look neat --- gh] kHz / UTC / kW / radiostation Moscow / RUS 7175 2200-2300 250 CRI 7225 1930-2000 200 CRI 7340 1900-2000 250 YFR 7515DRM 1900-2100 040 DWL 9490 1900-2000 250 YFR 9780DRM 0400-0600 040 DWL 9840 1500-1700 200 SRS 11775 1700-1900 250 SWA 12035 (7200) 1830-1930 200 CRI 12085 1600-1630 (Mon-Fri) 250 BBC 12085 1600-1700 (Sat/Sun) 250 BBC 13685 0600-0700 250 VRT 13685 1700-1800 250 VRT Sankt-Petersburg / RUS 7130 1800-1830 400 CRI 7345 1500-1630 200 TWR 12065 (7130) 1600-1700 400 CRI Samara / RUS 7240 1800-2000 250 YFR 7320 1900-2000 250 YFR 7320 2030-2130 500 CRI 9615 1800-1900 250 YFR 9735 1400-1600 250 YFR 9825(5935) 1800-1900 250 IBR 12055 1400-1500 250 YFR 13590 1400-1500 250 YFR 15260 1600-1700 (Tue) 250 XOR 15260 1600-1700 (Wed, Fri, Sun) 250 DEM 15260 1600-1700 (Sat) 250 DER 15530 0400-0500 (Mon-Thu) 250 FEB 15530 0400-0530 (Fri-Sun) 250 FEB Krasnodar / RUS 5910 1445-1630 100 TWR 7180 0100-0200 500 BBC 7270 1730-1930 200 DWL 7320 0330-0430 200 BBC 9830 1430-1600 200 IBR 9850 1630-1700 250 FEB 11655 1600-1630 300 FEB 11810 1700-1900 300 SWA 11820 0400-0800 200 BBC 11825 1630-1700 250 RPR 11830(7335) 1700-1730 (Mon-Fri) 100 VOD 11850 1400-1600 300 YFR 11955 1600-1645 250 TWR 12030 0930-1130 200 BBC 12060 1900-2000 250 YFR 12075 1500-1600 300 YFR 13745 1330-1430 300 BBC 13840 1400-1500 250 DWL 15330 1330-1500 200 BBC 15460 0500-0530 (Mon, Wed) 250 BVB 15460 0500-0545 (Fri) 250 BVB 15470 1400-1430 (Tue, Thu, Sat) 300 SIR 15525 0800-0900 250 DWL 15660 1500-1600 250 VOU Novosibirsk / RUS 5900 1230-1300 100 VAT 9445 1300-1600 250 TWR 9500 1400-1515 250 FEB 9625 1400-1500 250 YFR 9900 1230-1315 100 VAT 9900 2300-2400 500 DWL 11990 1300-1500 200 VOA 12035 0145-0300 250 FEB 12055* 1315-1400 500 VAT 12075* 2315-2400 250 VAT 12085 0015-0145 200 TWR 15490 1200-1300 250 YFR 15560 0200-0330 250 VAT 15605 0345-0315 250 FEB * 25/03/2007 - 01/09/2007 Irkutsk / RUS 7210 1500-1700 250 RFA 7215 1400-1500 250 YFR 9415 1230-1600 250 TWR 9450 0900-1200 250 YFR 9900 1000-1200 250 DWL 11830* 2200-2245 250 VAT 11895 1200-1400 250 YFR 11965 2200-2400 500 DWL 12025 0930-1030 500 RFI 12035 0100-0130 250 TWR 13710 1000-1100 250 RNW 15635 0300-0700 500 RFA 17710 0230-0300 250 BBC * 07/05/2007 - 02/09/2007 Chita / RUS 6140* 1315-1400 500 VAT 7220 1400-1500 500 RFI 7250** 1300-1330 (Tue, Thu, Sat) 250 DEG 7320 1400-1600 250 YFR * 02/09/2007 - 27/10/2007 ** alternative 7260 and 7350 kHz Khabarovsk / RUS 5945 1130-1245 100 BVB 11830* 2200-2245 100 VAT 13820 1000-1100 100 RNW * 25/03/2007-06/05/2007, 03/09/2007-27/10/2007 Komsomolsk-na-Amure / RUS 6005 1200-1300 250 YFR 13785 0000-0045 250 VAT 15595 0000-0100 250 DWL Vladivostok / RUS 7205 1030-1155 250 WDL 7330 1100-1530 300 BBC 11660 0000-0100 200 DWL 12005 2200-2300 500 RFI 12045 2200-2300 250 RFI 12075* 2315-2400 250 VAT 15535 2330-0030 250 RFA * 02/09/2007-27/10/2007 Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy / RUS 5910 1030-1145 (Sun) 100 BVB 5910 1300-1400 250 RNW 7205 1200-1300 250 IBR 7350 1000-1200 250 DWL 9865 1100-1500 250 YFR 11830 2300-2400 250 DWL 12065 1000-1100 250 RNW 15275 0000-0100 250 DWL 15470 2030-2100 250 VOA 15640 2200-2400 250 DWL Almaty / KAZ 7420 2200-2400 500 DWL 7430 2200-2300 500 DWL 9355 1530-1600 (Tue, Fri) 200 VOO 9985 (7410) 2345-0015 200 TWR 11520 1300-1400 200 YFR 12150 1100-1500 500 YFR 17845 1000-1200 500 DWL Gavar / ARM 7225 0100-0130 100 FEB 15480 1430-1530 300 DVB 15515 0400-0700 100 CVC 15615 1300-1600 100 CVC Grigoriopol / MDA 6040 2000-2200 500 RNW 7360 2000-2200 500 YFR 7460 0230-0315 500 RPD 7480 1800-1845 500 RPD 11530 0400-1600 500 MEZ 17665 1200-1400 250 SAM Nikolaev / UKR 6030 1500-1630 300 BBC 6225 1630-1730 500 RIN 6245 1700-2100 300 ZMN 7520 1600-1700 250 YFR Orzy / TJK 17525 0300-0700 500 RFA Yangiyul / TJK 5840 1800-1830 200 RPR 5845 1400-1700 100 YFR 6020 1600-1630 200 RFI 7390 1400-1500 100 FNK 9350 0100-0200 200 RFA 9370 1500-1600 200 RFA 9370 1600-1700 200 RFA 9395 1330-1530 200 BBC 9395 2300-2400 200 RFA 13830 1100-1400 200 RFA 15670 1200-1300 (Mon-Sat) 100 QUE 15695 0100-0300 200 RFA 17510 0600-0700 200 RFA 16mb* 1050-1520 100 VOT Tashkent / UZB 6260 1400-2000 100 CVC 7375 0030-0100 100 FEB 7485 1400-1500 (Thu, Fr) 100 BVB 7510 1400-1600 200 YFR 9345 1400-1600 100 RNW 9495 1700-1900 200 YFR 9530 1400-1500 100 FEB 9530 1700-1800 100 RFI 9975 0100-0400 100 CVC 11790 0100-0300 100 CVC 12065 1430-1600 100 VAT 13630 0400-1100 100 CVC 13680 0300-0600 100 CVC 13745 0100-0130 200 BBC 13820 1100-1400 100 CVC 15565 0400-0600 200 BBC BBC - British Broadcasting Corp. BVB - Bible Voice Broadcasting Network CRI - China Radio Int. CVC - CVC Int. DEG - Degar Voice DEM - Andenet Le-Democrzcy DER - Dejen Radio DVB - Democratic Voice of Burma DWL - Deutsche Welle FEB - FEBA Radio FNK - Open Radio For North Korea IBR - IBRA Radio MEZ - Voice of Mesopotamia QUE - Que Huong Radio RFA - Radio Free Asia RFI - Radio France Internationale RIN - Radio International RNW - Radio Nederland Wereldompoep RPD - Radio Payam-e Doost RPR - Radio Prague SAM - Sawt al-Amal / VO Hope SIR - Southern Sudan Interactive SRS - Sudan Radio Service SWA - Shortwavw Radio Africa TWR - Trans World Radio VAT - Radio Vaticana VOA - Voice of America VOD - Voice of Delina VOO - Voice of Orthodoxy VOT - Voice of Tibet VOU - VO Unity VRT - Radio Vlaanderen Int. XOR - Radio Xoriyo Ogadena YFR - WYFR Family Radio ZMN - Radio Zamaneh (10/05/2007, Nikolay Rudnev, Stroitel, Belgorodskaya oblast, Rus DX May 27 via DXLD) Voice of Russia. Relay via SW transmitters. 25/03/2007 - 27/10/2007 kHz / UTC / kW (....) = 02/09/2007 - 27/10/2007 Moscow / RUS 7260 0100-0300 500 7300 2300-0200 500 7310 1800-2100 250 7330 2300-0300 500 9555 1200-1500 250 9795 1500-1800 250 9795 1800-2100 200 9890 1600-2100 250 11610(12065) 1600-1900 250 11630(9480) 1700-2100 250 11840(12060) 1530-1700 150 11985 1400-1800 500 12000(12070) 1600-2000 250 12030 1500-2000 500 12040(9810) 1500-2000 250 12070(7195) 1600-2100 250 13740 1500-1530 250 13855 1400-1800 200 15465(12040) 1700-2000 250 15540 1300-1800 250 15550 1200-1500 500 15605 1300-1530 500 15660 1200-1500 250 9450DRM 1300-1700 035 9810(9740)DRM 1600-1800 035 12060DRM 0800-1000 035 15780DRM 0800-1200 035 Sankt-Petersburg / RUS 5900* 0100-0300 500 5910 1700-1800 200 6180** 0100-0300 500 7130 1830-1900 400 7210 1700-1900 200 7340 2000-2130 200 9710 1800-2000 400 11645 1500-1600 400 12035 1400-1700 400 12055(7165) 1700-2100 200 12060(9470) 1500-1900 200 12065(7130) 1700-1800 400 13650(7130) 1500-1600 400 * 25/03/2007 - 31/07/2007 ** 01/08/2007 - 27/10/2007 Kaliningrad / RUS 7300 1530-1900 160 7330 0900-1000 160 7330 1500-1900 160 11830 1400-1700 160 Samara / RUS 5935** 1400-1700 250 7310 1600-1800 200 9470(6000) 1800-2130 200 9480(7285) 1400-1900 250 9615 1700-1800 250 9825* 1700-1800 250 9850* 1400-1600 250 9865 1500-1700 250 9875 1200-1500 250 12010(7155) 2300-0200 500 12010 1500-1800 250 12015(7230) 1800-1900 200 12055 1500-1700 200 15455 0900-1000 250 15510 1200-1400 250 * 25/03/2007 - 01/09/2007 ** 02/09/2007 - 27/10/2007 Krasnodar / RUS 5900** 0100-0500 500 7305 1400-1900 100 7325 1400-1700 100 9820 1700-1800 100 9830(5975) 0000-0200 500 9880* 0100-0500 500 11675(7320) 1700-1800 250 12015 1200-1400 250 * 25/03/2007 - 31/07/2007 ** 01/08/2007 - 27/10/2007 Novosibirsk / RUS 5925 1500-1800 500 5940 1600-2100 200 6070 1400-1700 200 9625 1500-1600 500 9640 1200-1500 200 11750 1000-1200 500 13590 1200-1400 (Mon-Sat) 200 13590 1200-1300 (Sun) 200 15405 1200-1300 500 Irkutsk / RUS 5900 1400-1500 100 5965 1900-2000 250 7265 1200-1400 100 9405 1600-1800 250 9490 1200-1300 100 9765 1000-1100 100 9800 1400-1800 100 12030 1200-1400 500 15470 1000-1100 100 21790 0500-0900 250 Chita / RUS 9745 1200-1900 500 9850 1700-1900 500 12065 1200-1400 500 Vladivostok / RUS 5930 1000-1400 (Mon-sat) 100 5930 1000-1300 (Sun) 100 6045 1100-1500 250 7165 1100-1500 500 7350 1600-1800 500 13775 0100-0500 250 Khabarovsk / RUS 7300 1000-1400 100 12000 1000-1300 100 Komsomolsk-na-Amure / RUS 12065 0200-0400 250 17635 0500-0900 250 15735DRM 0100-0600 035 Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy / RUS 7175 1200-1400 250 9435 0300-0500 250 13635 0200-0500 250 15425 0100-0300 250 Gavar / ARM 7250 0100-0300 500 11510 1600-1900 500 Grigiriopol / MDA 5950 1700-1900 500 7125 2300-0500 500 9665 0000-0400 500 Orzu / TJK 9945 0100-0200 500 11500 1200-1500 500 11510 2300-0200 500 17495 0700-0900 500 Yangiyul / TJK 4965 1200-1400 100 4965 1500-1600 100 4975 1200-1400 100 4975 1500-1600 100 9360 1400-1900 200 11755 1300-1530 100 12115 1600-1700 100 Xian / CHN 9660 1500-1600 100 S.Maria di Galeria / CVA 9860 0100-0500 250 Juelich / D 15430 1400-1500 100 Wertachtal / D 6145 2200-2300 125 9515 0200-0500 250 (14/05/2005 Nikolay Rudnev, Stroitel, Belgorodskaya oblast), Rus-DX May 27 via DXLD) ** SPAIN. 19 MAYO, 1745 UT, 21610 KHZ, Idhaa´al Isbaniya al Jarg. Árabe. (Radio Exterior de España) Identificación: "Huna Madrid, Idhaa´al Isbaniya al Jarg". Programa: Lecciones en el castellano para los de habla árabe, producidas por el Instituto Cervantes. Es interesante notar que el vocabulario incluye referencias al alcohol y al jamón, inusuales en el mundo árabe. Buena Calidad (Adan Mur, Ñemby, Paraguay, Conexión Digital May 27 via DXLD) ** SRI LANKA [and non]. I noticed this IBC Tamil Radio on the EiBi sked so I thought I'd tune in today at 0000 on 7115. Actually I was there a bit earlier and noticed what seems to be jamming on the frequency. Rapidly pulsed signal which sounds like CW came up on the frequency at about 2357. Presumed IBC Tamil Radio heard at 0000 sign on, and the jamming still continues at 0012 (Steve Lare, Holland, MI USA, UT May 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN? 4749.95, Radio Peace? 0308-0400+, May 25, Tentative. Weak. Poor with CODAR QRM. Talk in unidentified language. Too weak to catch any ID. Could be Radio Peace but I didn't think they were off frequency (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. VOA English 15105 at 1500z. Fair signal on May 26 (Sat), poor on May 27 (Sun). HFCC lists this from Morocco, EiBi lists Sri Lanka and Passport shows it from Thailand. Any ideas? All list the target as So Asia. So Sri Lanka would seem most likely. But would they still be using 19m several hours after dark? And even later in the night in Thailand. Judging from the signal quality I would be most surprised that it would be from Morocco which usually has good signal levels here, even when the target is away from No America (Jerry Lenamon, Waco Texas, Drake R8B with sloper, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I would say HFCC has latest info: Morocco. Sri Lanka too close to most of India for that night path (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Tomlinson's manifesto. Broadcasting Board of Governors chairman defends elimination of VOA English, development of non-VOA Arabic services, and reductions to shortwave. "Would international broadcasting be better off at the State Department? Or in the Pentagon? As opposed to the BBG? I say unthinkable if our aim is to reflect something more intellectually profound than government policy. Do not forget that it was U.S. government foreign service officers who blocked the use of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn in the early 1970’s --- in a period when his popularity in the former Soviet Union was at its greatest—because his writings contradicted the then U.S. government policy of détente." http://www.arabmediasociety.org/?article=185 Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, Arab Media & Society, May 2007 (via kimandrewelliott.com Posted: 27 May 2007 via DXLD) ** U S A. WBCQ Schedule Update, Sunday, May 27, 2007. "A Voice In the Wilderness," with Brother Joe, has departed WBCQ. This show's former Tuesday 2200 and Saturday 2200 time slots are now available. Classic episodes of Bill Cooper's "Hour of the Time" will fill the Saturday slot until the time is sold. Noted Bill Cooper here on May 19, but Brother Stair in its place on May 26. A new music show, "The Checkerboard Lounge," will premiere on 7415 at 2200 on Sunday, June 3, filling another available slot. A radio-related comedy show, "Shore to Shore HF," premiered on Sunday, May 27 at 0300 UTC on 7415, replacing the "Radio Operation." "The All New Hank & Jim Show" has been missing lately from Sundays at 2000 on 7415 due to technical difficulties, but will return on May 27 (Larry Will, Mount Airy, Maryland, May 27, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. DTS in New York --- The FCC has approved an experimental Distributed Transmission System in New York City. Five sites are authorized: 1. 40-44-54N/73-59-10W 335m ASL 2. 40-41-37N/73-59-29W 127m ASL 3. 40-41-59N/73-55-58W 43m ASL 4. 40-39-12N/73-55-54W 33m ASL 5. 40-39-20N/73-58-56W 80m ASL The first site is the Empire-State Building and will operate only on channel 12. The other four sites are in Brooklyn and will operate on channels 12, 33, and 65. All transmitters are to be 1kw ERP. Channel 33 is WPIX-DT's interim assignment -- and they used channel 12 for an emergency transmitter after their original channel 33 DTV rig was destroyed in the 9/11 attack. The licensee of the experimental station is the Metropolitan Television Alliance, a cooperative of the seven NYC VHF stations and WPXN-31, WXTV-41, and WNJU-47. Precisely which stations will be carried on this DTS is not known. One would think if channel 33 were to carry more than one station, then the main WPIX-DT transmitter would have to carry the same combination - all five channel 33 transmitters would have to carry the same bitstream? This will be interesting to follow (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, May 25, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U S A. Return with us now to those thrilling days of old as WABC Rewound takes to the air Memorial Day. In the NYC area 770, of course. For those outside the area check out WABC's streaming audio. Here's what Monday's lineup is scheduled to look like: [EDT = UT -4] 6 a.m.: Ross & Wilson, Ron Lundy, Donovan, 1981 7 a.m.: Bruce Morrow and Chuck Leonard, countdown part one, 1967 8 a.m.: Harry Harrison, 1976 9 a.m.: Dan Ingram, 1966 and 1978 10 a.m.: Robey Young, 1968 11 a.m.: George Michael, part one, 1974 Noon: Leonard, part two, 1967 1 p.m.: Michael, part two, 1974 2 p.m.: Ingram, 1973 3 p.m.: Ingram, 1975, part one 4 p.m.: Ingram, 1975, part two 5 p.m.: Morrow and Leonard, 1974 (Pete Kemp, NRC-AM via DXLD) FWIW, Chicago's WLS 890 plans its own Rewind this year: http://www.wlsam.com/Article.asp?id=408961&spid= (Doug Smith, ibid.) Doug, When I click on the link, it asks for a UserID and password. 73, (Steve Ponder N5WBI, Houston TX, ibid.) It does for me too, but that's to get into another part of the site. If you scroll down, the material about WLS's Rewind is there whether you enter a password or not (Doug Smith, ibid.) ** U S A. Looks like CPB vs PBS = A House Divided Against Itself (Clara Listensprechen, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: REJECTED BY PBS, FILM ON ISLAM REVIVED BY CPB --- By Paul Farhi In an unprecedented move, the agency that oversees public broadcasting has stepped in to arrange distribution for a TV documentary on Islam that PBS had rejected as unworthy. . . To view entire article, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/24/AR2007052402571.html?referrer=emailarticle (via Clara, ibid.) ** U S A. 12-YEAR-OLD DJS TAKE TO AIRWAVES --- At night and on the weekend, their station broadcasts an eclectic mix. By JONATHAN ABEL Published May 27, 2007 Lots of people have a radio in the bedroom, but one Clearwater boy has his own radio station. On a recent weekend afternoon, a dozen boys and girls, all around 12, gathered in Adam Baker's stuffy bedroom, a single ceiling fan whirring above them. Two kids swiveled on chairs. The others talked into the microphone. All the radio gear -- a mixer, a microphone, a few radios and other electronics -- was balanced on a desk underneath Adam Baker's bunk bed. Outside, there was a 30-foot metal antenna. . . http://www.sptimes.com/2007/05/27/Northpinellas/12_year_old_DJs_take_.shtml (via Terry Krueger, DXLD) `WKIDS` 96.7 Clearwater FL ** VENEZUELA. RCTV SIN SEÑAL Y SIN ANTENAS --- Carlos Chirinos BBC Mundo, Caracas El caso de RCTV en Venezuela dio un giro inesperado este viernes en la noche cuando el Tribunal Supremo de Justicia (TSJ) falló a favor de una demanda para intervenir temporalmente la mayoría de los equipos de transmisión del canal, que saldrá del aire el próximo domingo a la media noche. RCTV dejará de salir al aire este domingo 27 de mayo. RCTV se ha convertido en el último de los pulsos entre el gobierno de Hugo Chávez y la oposición venezolana, que calificó inmediatamente el fallo como una expropiación de los equipos de transmisión de un canal privado de televisión. Sin embargo, BBC Mundo confirmó con fuentes del Tribunal Supremo de Justicia, TSJ, que se trata de "una toma temporal de algunas instalaciones que permiten la transmisión de imágenes". Esos equipos quedarán en manos de la Comisión Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (CONATEL) que podrá asignar su uso a otro operador. Se cree que ese operador podría ser el nuevo canal estatal venezolano, Televisión Venezolana Social (TEVES), que así podrá cubrir gran parte del territorio nacional desde sus primeras horas de transmisión pasada la medianoche del domingo 27 de mayo. Intervención, no expropiación Según se lee en la ponencia de la magistrada Luisa Estella Morales, presidenta del TSJ, el amparo cautelar fue solicitado por "grupos de usuarios" que pedían que se garantizara que la señal del canal 2 de UHF [sic] siga viéndose en todo el territorio nacional incluso después de que la deje libre RCTV. Televisión Venezolana Social ocupará su lugar a partir del lunes 28 de mayo. De acuerdo a fuentes judiciales consultadas por BBC Mundo, la medida estará en vigencia mientras la Sala Político Administrativa resuelva el caso de la legalidad del retiro de la concesión de RCTV. "No es sólo un atropello sino un ensañamiento. (...) Aquí ni la libertad ni la propiedad privada la respetan", fue la primera reacción de Marcel Granier, presidente de Empresas 1BC, propietaria de RCTV, durante una entrevista en la cadena de noticias Globovisión. Los abogados del canal aseguraron a BBC Mundo que desconocían la decisión del TSJ y que ni siquiera habían sido notificados formalmente del caso. "Lo tenía escondido, jamás vimos ese expediente (...) Estamos en absoluta indefensión", aseguró a BBC Mundo Osvaldo Quintana, vicepresidente de Asuntos Jurídicos de RCTV. Quintana se mostró sorprendido que el amparo fuera decidido en menos de 24 horas, cuando temas de derechos humanos como el planteado por RCTV en febrero pasado para evitar su salida del aire fue respondido por el TSJ hace 48 horas (via José Miguel Romero, Spain, May 27, dxldyg via DXLD) LA DISOCIACIÓN PSICÓTICA, EL CASO RCTV Y TVES Desde hace algún tiempo se ha dado en la presente tribuna, una lógica discusión acerca de la no renovación de la concesión a RCTV. El Gobierno revolucionario ha esgrimido razones de peso para sustituir en el espectro del canal 2, de la banda VHF (Caracas), la señal de RCTV y sacar al aire una innovadora televisora de servicio público. En la ciudad de Caracas, el abanico de canales de VHF ya está agotado con 6 concesiones existentes: RCTV (2), VENEVISIÓN (4), VALE TV (5), VTV (8), TELEVEN (10) y LA TELE (12). Como bien conocen los colegas, por razones técnicas, no todos los 12 canales de la banda VHF pueden ser habilitados. Por tal razón, el Estado, en su urgencia de establecer un sistema público de televisión realmente plural y democrático, debe retomar una frecuencia pronta a ser "desocupada" por un explotador del servicio. Está en su soberano y legítimo derecho. Llama la atención cómo personas que defienden de manera enfermiza este supuesto "atentado a la libertad de expresión", evitan la nuez del asunto RCTV: EL FIN DE UNA CONCESIÓN. Ya ofrecimos una analogía al respecto: si usted alquila un carro, al final del contrato usted debe devolverlo. Si alquila una casa, igual. Al vencerse la figura administrativa de la concesión, el propietario o arrendador puede -O NO-renovarle a usted el contrato. Eso es la LEY. Acá y en cualquier país donde exista la figura administrativa de la CONCESIÓN. En los cursos comunitarios de Oratoria que dicto en las zonas populares de Caracas, por lo general trabajo el discurso oposicionista. Entre las características que he identificado de la argumentación opositora, he señalado la del "blanco móvil". Es una técnica muy manoseada por los oposicionistas para desviar la atención del debate cuando se sienten perdidos y acorralados por la argumentación lógica, científica. Debido a esto, es comprensible que en me dio de la desesperación con respecto al caso RCTV, los oposicionistas intenten desdibujar la discusión confundiendo "la gimnasia con la magnesia". No sé qué tenga que ver la participación de Hugo Chávez, en 1992, en una intentona golpista, con el análisis de la no renovación de la concesión a RCTV. No sé qué tenga que ver la libertad de expresión, derecho universal fundamental del hombre y la mujer, con una mera decisión administrativa y soberana de un Estado Nacional. Precisamente, el "blanco móvil" consiste en traer un tema foráneo y fuera de contexto - a la arena dialéctica - para intentar diluir la discusión de fondo. LA DISOCIACIÓN PSICÓTICA El "blanco móvil" y otras estrategias utilizadas por el discurso oposicionista, están estimulados dentro del marco de lo que se ha denominado la "disociación psicótica". Este desorden: "(...)es un proceso de manejo de códigos psicológicos donde se crea en el subconsciente del individuo una realidad ficticia en la que "TODOS" los males, y por ende "TODO" lo negativo que le sucede, proviene de una sola causa o de una sola persona (...)" (1 = footnote below). Es el producto de medios de comunicación privados que han utilizado a psicólogos, psiquiatras y asesores de imagen, para montar campañas de "guerra psicológica" en las mentes de las capas medias y altas de la sociedad venezolana (principalmente) y así condicionarlos a asumir ciertas actitudes y conductas. La disociación psicótica induce al individuo a construir realidades ficticias en su mente y a repetir - como un delirio - "razonamientos" que se escapan de la razón humana, intelectual. Un delirio - hay que aclararlo - es una creencia falsa que se resiste a la argumentación lógica. En los últimos años, medios de comunicación como RCTV, han enfermado a un sector minoritario de la población venezolana con sus campañas de "guerra psicológica". Por tal razón, cuando damos los elementos y los argumentos jurídicos para explicar la situación verdadera de RCTV, algunos personajes se esfuerzan por desviar el objetivo del debate con los clichés del COMUNISMO, el MARXISMO, la insurrección militar de Chávez en 1992 ó el "edulcorado" lugar común de la LIBERTAD DE EXPRESIÓN VIOLENTADA. Igualmente, es recurrente - en los disociados - adoptar el papel de "víctima" y de que un bando es el MAL (y el foco de todas sus "desgracias") y ellos son los BUENOS E INOCENTES de la PELÍCULA. Están enfermos, clínica y psicológicamente hablando. Sufren de disociación psicótica. Colegas, el caso de Venezuela es digno de estudio para todos los psicólogos, psiquiatras y comunicadores sociales del mundo. Medios como RCTV le han hecho un daño casi IRREPARABLE a la psquis de muchos compatriotas. RCTV SIGUE AL AIRE POR DIRECTV Y LA TELEVISIÓN POR CABLE La televisora RCTV continuaría al aire a través de la compañía de televisión satelital, DIRECTV, y de otros sistemas de televisión por cable en Venezuela, además de internet. La mentira del cierre no se la cree nadie. ¿Por qué se puede asegurar tal tesis? Nos explicamos. En la jornada del 11 de abril de 2002, con un Golpe de Estado en desarrollo, el presidente Chávez canceló por unas horas las señales de 4 canales de televisión: RCTV (2), Venevisión (4), Televen (10) y Globovisión (33). El cese de emisiones de dichos canales ÚNICAMENTE afectó la señal abierta, tanto en VHF como en UHF, ya que - en contraposición - todos esos canales tenían - Y TIENEN - transmisión a través de DIRECTV. La emisión, por ejemplo, de RCTV en DIRECTV, el día 11 de abril de 2002, jamás sufrió interrupción alguna. Es decir, ya hay un precedente en la materia y probablemente ocurra lo mismo este 28 de mayo a las 12 de la noche. Sería interesante verle la cara a aquellos que hablan de CIERRE de un medio de comunicación. ¿Cómo quedarán ante el país y el mundo? TVes: UNA NUEVA ERA NACE Este 28 de mayo nace una nueva era en la televisión venezolana y mundial. Por vez primera, una concesión pasa de manos privadas al Estado, y esta última entidad entrega la frecuencia al pueblo, al soberano, para que haga una televisión donde se sienta representado e identificado. Se ha roto el falso paradigma de que las concesiones de radio y TV son INTOCABLES y ETERNAS; el actual contexto comunicacional venezolano es un espejo para otros países, otras culturas, otros pueblos, para que tomen conciencia de su papel histórico en las sociedades y de los cambios urgentes requeridos en éstas. La producción nacional independiente será la protagonista en TVes (Televisora Venezolana Social de Servicio Público) y los poderes creadores de la gente serán el pincel que trazará una inédita paleta de matices comunicacionales. Una nueva imagen, una nueva realidad. Jamás hubo en el mundo tanta diversidad de opiniones y propuestas en una sola señal. La Revolución es PLURALIDAD y discusión, y así debe ser nuestra TELEVISIÓN. ¡Bienvenida TVes! (1) Cita tomada del artículo "Antichavitis: Disociación Psicótica", publicado en Aporrea.org (ADÁN GONZÁLEZ, Certificado de Locución #26950, Catia La Mar, Estado Vargas, VENEZUELA, May 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well, that explains it. Psychotic dissociation! BTW, at 2033 UT May 27 I found http://www.rctv.net inaccessible, ``server too busy`` at first, but finally got to home page; but still hard time getting to stories about Topic A; seems they are running special retrospective farewell programming today, and claim that 80% of Venezuelans are against the closure (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) VENEZUELA COURT ORDERS TROOPS TO TAKE TV STATION Venezuela’s top court yesterday ordered the Defence Ministry to take control of installations of an opposition television station amid a show of military force before the station’s controversial closure. President Hugo Chávez’s decision to close the RCTV television channel, which he accuses of backing a 2002 coup against him, has prompted international condemnation and several demonstrations. Venezuela’s Supreme Court ordered the military to “guard, control and monitor” some of the station’s installations and equipment including transmission equipment and antennas throughout the country. An RCTV source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said staff at the station believed troops would take over the station’s Caracas headquarters. The court determined that the government must take RCTV’s broadcast equipment to ensure a smooth handover to a state channel that will replace RCTV with broadcasts promoting the values of Chavez’s socialist revolution. A Defence Ministry official said he had not seen the court decision. An RCTV lawyer declined to comment on the issue. The government has repeatedly warned that opposition demonstrators are preparing a “destabilization campaign” to spark street violence as RCTV loses its licence. “Minority groups cannot go against the will of the majority of the Venezuelan people to create uncertainty in the case of RCTV’s licence,” Defence Minister Raul Baduel told state news agency ABN (Source: Reuters)(May 26th, 2007 - 10:23 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) VENEZUELA: WHY RCTV’S LICENCE HAS NOT BEEN RENEWED There are often two or more sides to a story. Someone emailed me to say that he thought the international news agencies were giving a one- sided picture of the reasons for the “closedown” of Venezuelan TV station RCTV, which is due to make its final broadcast tonight. In fact, as we have previously reported http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/?p=7961 the station does not have to close down completely, only surrender its terrestrial frequencies. The Venezuelan government says RCTV has the option of continuing to broadcast on cable or satellite. We have not seen any indication that it intends to exercise this right. For a more detailed account of the events that led up to the Venezuelan government’s decision, we refer you to this article based on information supplied by the British-based Venezuela Information Centre. It is well-written, and has links to other articles on the subject. Media Network does not take sides on this issue, but we want to present a balanced picture. http://21stcenturysocialism.com/article/the_truth_about_rctv_01490.html (May 27th, 2007 - 11:21 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) Never in all this discussion have I seen any mention of RCTV`s original radio station, 100 kW YVKS, 750, the somewhat redundant ``Radio Caracas Radio``. Are we to conclude that it is totally unaffected by this affair and will continue as usual? BTW, RCTV on channel 2 represents my first and only double-hop TVDX catch many years ago, and my only from South America. Whoopee, if I ever get ch 2 Caracas again it`ll be a new station. It`s all worthwhile, now. Following story details some of RCTV`s previous infraxions and penaltities, amazingly including being required to `filter out` color signals for several years (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) VENEZUELA: 53 ANOS DEPOIS, RCTV TERMINA HOJE TRANSMISSÕES A Rádio Caracas Televisão (RCTV), o mais antigo canal privado venezuelano de televisão, encerra hoje as suas portas, na sequência da polémica decisão do presidente Hugo Chávez de não renovar a sua licença que caduca à meia-noite. A 28 de Dezembro de 2006, numa cerimónia na Academia Militar de Caracas, Hugo Chávez aconselhou os proprietários da RCTV - canal que disse ser «golpista»- a fazerem as malas e a desligarem os equipamentos, anunciando nessa altura que a concessão, que expiraria a 28 de Maio de 2007, não seria renovada. A RCTV é o mais antigo canal de televisão privado e a terceira estação a ser constituída no país. Em 1952, o Estado venezuelano criou a Televisora Nacional YVKA-TV Canal 5. Um ano depois o Grupo Cisneros, actual proprietário da Venevisión fundou a Televisa YVLV-TV Canal 4, canal impulsionado pelo locutor venezuelano Gonzalo Veloz Mancera. A RCTV-Rádio Caracas Televisão (canal 2) nasceu a 18 de Agosto de 1953, auspiciada pela Corporação Radiofónica Venezuela (Corven) e apoiada pelos grupos económicos Phelps e R.C.A. Actualmente é propriedade das empresas 1BC. É a única estação televisiva de sinal livre, que cobre toda a Venezuela, emite na banda VHF e combina, na sua programação, noticiários, programas de opinião e entretenimento, mantendo uma linha editorial bastante crítica do regime do presidente Hugo Chávez. Detentora de uma prestigiada escola de cinema e televisão do país e produtora de telenovelas e programas humorísticos para exportação, e habilitada para transmitir a cores, foi obrigada pela legislação vigente, entre 1969 e 1974, a instalar um filtro para «descolorizar» o seu sinal. É acusada, pelo Executivo, de incitar à rebelião civil e desobediência às leis, de estar em «afinidade com os sectores mais anti- democráticos» da Venezuela e de «silenciar» algumas das ocorrências de Abril de 2006, altura em que Hugo Chávez foi afastado temporariamente do poder. É ainda acusada de transmitir, durante a sua programação, mensagens subliminares de conteúdo político, de durante a greve petrolífera que paralisou o país durante 63 dias, entre Dezembro de 2002 e Fevereiro de 2003, de transmitir 17.600 mensagens políticas e de publicidade anti-regime. Também de publicitar anúncios orientados a adultos das «hot lines», de situações de violência e programas de opinião, fora do horário permitido pela legislação vigente. Em 1976 e 1980 foi penalizada com três dias de encerramento por questões editoriais, programação sensacionalistas e transmissão de conteúdo impróprio, pelos governos de Carlos Andrés Pérez e Luís Herrera Campíns. Em 1981 foi encerrada por 24 horas e em 1984 por ridicularizar o presidente Luís Herrera Campíns e esposa. Também em 1989 foi encerrada por publicitar tabaco e cigarros. Em 1991 o espaço «a escolinha», do programa «Rádio Rochela» foi suspendido pela Corte Suprema de Justiça, que determinou que o seu conteúdo era inadequado. Os seus proprietários argumentam que a Comissão Nacional de Telecomunicações não avançou com medidas disciplinares ou com um processo jurídico, que cumpriram os requisitos legais e que, segundo a legislação vigente, estão autorizados a operar até 2027. O anúncio provocou reacções adversas, com o vice-presidente da Conferência Episcopal Venezuelana e arcebispo de Coro, Monsenhor Roberto Lückert, a classificar a medida como «de muito mau gosto, terrivelmente agressiva e muito violenta». O senado chileno aprovou uma moção contra a decisão, ocasionando um impasse nas relações entre Hugo Chávez e Michelle Bachelet. A Comissão Inter-Americana de Direitos Humanos (Cidh) da Organização de Estados Americanos anunciou que avançou com um processo contra o governo de Caracas por considerar «o Estado venezuelano responsável por violações dos Direitos Humanos, da liberdade de expressão, da integridade pessoal, garantias judiciais e protecção judicial de trabalhadores e jornalistas» da RCTV. Entre as entidades que questionaram o encerramento da RCTV encontram- se o Parlamento Europeu e o Senado dos Estados Unidos. Com a tradicional divisão, nas últimas semanas opositores e simpatizantes do presidente Hugo Chávez, têm manifestado a sua posição quanto à concessão da RCTV, uns condenando a decisão e outros apoiando a decisão do executivo de avançar com a recém constituída Tves, emissora que usará a mesma frequência a partir de segunda-feira. Diário Digital / Lusa 27-05-2007 15:02:00 (via Manuel Jesus, Portugal, May 27, radioescutas yg via DXLD) RCTV: EL DÍA FINAL --- Carlos Chirinos, BBC Mundo, Venezuela RCTV transmitió un programa especial en las últimas horas antes del cierre. [sic; must be anticipatory headline] A un minuto para la medianoche de este domingo 27 está previsto que Radio Caracas Radio Televisión (RCTV) termine sus transmisiones en señal abierta por el canal dos de UHF [sic], luego de que el gobierno decidiera no renovarle la licencia de operación. La banda que dejará libre RCTV deberá ser ocupada quince minutos después por la Televisora Venezolana Social (TVES), una televisora creada recientemente por el gobierno y que es definida como de "servicio público". Este domingo, mientras RCTV anuncia una programación especial resumiendo sus 53 años de actividades, en las calles de Caracas hay convocadas varias manifestaciones, tanto a favor como en contra de la medida del presidente Hugo Chávez. No perdamos la esperanza de que el presidente antes de la medianoche reaccione con sensatez [caption?] --- Presidente de las empresas 1BC, propietaria de RCTV, Marcel Granier Durante el día está prevista una concentración frente a la sede del canal en el centro de Caracas por grupos que se muestran complacidos por la salida de RCTV del aire y su sustitución por TEVES. Mientras que en la tarde los que rechazan la medida se concentrarán en vigilia frente a la sede de la Comisión Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (CONATEL). Las convocatorias de estas manifestaciones de tendencias encontradas contribuye a aumentar el clima de tensión que ha vivido el país en los últimos días. La presencia policial y hasta militar ha sido reforzada en diferentes puntos de Caracas, en prevención de brotes de violencia, según la explicación que ofrece el gobierno, que dice tener informaciones sobre supuestos planes de desestabilización. En cambio desde la oposición se denuncia un supuesto plan de intimidación gubernamental para disuadir a los potenciales manifestantes. Todavía con esperanzas Durante lo que presentaron como la última transmisión del programa La Entrevista con Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, el presidente de las empresas 1BC, propietaria de RCTV, Marcel Granier, dijo tener esperanzas de que el presidente Chávez "reaccione con sensatez". Hubo expresiones de apoyo a la decisión de Chávez afuera de la embajada de Venezuela en El Salvador. "No perdamos la esperanza de que el presidente antes de la medianoche reaccione con sensatez, son demasiadas las ilegalidades, abusos, atropellos y las discriminaciones que se están cometiendo, generan responsabilidades muy graves; todavía él tiene la oportunidad de corregir esa actuación abusadora, arbitraria, atropellante e ilegal" dijo Granier. RCTV es el canal de mayor audiencia y cobertura de Venezuela. Desde principios del gobierno del presidente Hugo Chávez ha mantenido una postura muy crítica hacia la gestión oficial. Aunque su salida del aire se justifica oficialmente por el vencimiento de su licencia, muchos aseguran que se trata de un "pase de factura" por sus cuestionamientos al gobierno. El propio presidente Chávez acusó al canal de "golpista" cuando en diciembre pasado anunció su decisión. También le acusan de haber violado reiteradamente la Ley de Responsabilidad Social de Radio y TV, aunque el canal no ha sido multado ni sancionado por ello. Los equipos de RCTV han sido "intervenidos temporalmente" por una decisión tomada el viernes por el Tribunal Supremo de Justicia para que sean usados por TEVES (BBC Mundo, via José Miguel Romero, Spain, May 27, dxldyg via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA [non]. At 1405 UT Sunday May 27, checking out the RHC and RNV relay frequencies, I found there were three different programs, the odd one out being 11875 which had music not // to either of the other networks. Then at 1408 it switched to // 13680 et al. for RNV, actually during Mundo Siete, as RHC had announced a few minutes earlier that there would not be an Aló Presidente show per se, but some other Venezuelan relay of an inscription ceremony (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE. 4828, Radio Zimbabwe, 2220-2355+, May 25, Presumed. Continuous African music. Weak. Poor with CODAR QRM. Zimbabwe also heard on 3396 at 2355 but with separate programming (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6045 (presumed) ZBC Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, Gweru, 0001- 0008, May 24, vernacular, female announcer, Musical Program "African pop", 24311, fade out (Nicolás Eramo, Argentina, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re: ZIMBABWE - New SW station said "postponed indefinitely" There's nothing about the new station in today's website version of the government's Herald newspaper - http://www.herald.co.zw/ If it really had launched yesterday as scheduled I'm sure they would have been keen to publicise it. Though note Jari Savolainen's report of continuous music heard on the well-known Zim fq of 4828, so perhaps at least something will be launched (Chris Greenway, May 26, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Indeed, they have now confirmed that 4828 and 5975 kHz are the frequencies, and that tests have started. Full story from BBC Monitoring at http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/?p=8070 (Andy Sennitt, ibid.) I have a weak carrier here at 0200 on 4828 kHz, at about the same level as 3396. No audio on either frequency this evening, which has been poor for African reception throughout the day. Can anyone verify the Voice of Zimbabwe is broadcasting on 4828 at this time? 73, (Brandon Jordan, Memphis, TN WinRadio G313e/RFSpace SDR-14/Wellbrook ALA-100, May 27, ibid.) The government's Sunday Mail - http://www.sundaymail.co.zw/index.aspx - confirms that tests are on 5975 at 0530-1630 GMT and on 4828 at 1630-0530 GMT. The tests have been "highly successful" and received "as far [away] as Botswana and South Africa". LOL (Chris Greenway, ibid.) A strong carrier can be heard on 5975 at 0600 today Sunday 27 May with no programming. Assume that this is a test from the transmitter to be used for The Voice of Zimbabwe in the next few weeks (David Pringle- Wood, Harare, Zimbabwe, ibid.) Again checked 5975 kHz at 1000UT Sunday 27 May. Test signal now heard with local Zimbabwean music only. No station announcements or programming apart from music. Checked 6045 kHz, Radio Zimbabwe is being aired with the usual SW relay of the FM network. Signal strength is identical, so the test on 5975 should be originating from the SW facilities at Guineafowl, Gweru, Central Zimbabwe and probably 100 kW as there were originally two SW transmitters at this site and two antenna arrays (David Pringle-Wood, Zimbabwe, ibid.) Zimbabwe is on two frequencies, 6045 and 5975 kHz during the day, although both ended abruptly at 1140 UT. Probably due to a power outage at the transmitter site, which is Guineafowl, Gweru, Central Zimbabwe. 6045 kHz, Radio Zimbabwe relay of the FM network. 5975 kHz, a test frequency, no programming, local Zimbabwean music only heard, probable test for the ' Voice of Zimbabwe' (David Pringle-Wood, Zimbabwe, May 27, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 3356, 26/5 2220, ZBC - Harare, Shona, MX afro, buono (Roberto Pavanello, Italy, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) Not on 3396? 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) I think it's a typo (Roberto Scaglione, ibid.) 4828, V. of Zimbabwe (?), Guineafowl site?, 2113-2300, non-stop African pops similar to what was being played via ZBC 3396 at the same time; empty carrier at 2300; 55333 (Carlos Gonçalves - SW coast, Portugl, May 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. (via Madagascar), 9765, Radio Voice of the People, *0400-0415, May 26, Sign on with African music & opening ID announcements in vernacular & English. IDs & schedule given followed by talk in vernacular. Short breaks of African music. Many IDs. Very good. No jamming heard (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Hace años que tenía abandonada la afición, pero poco a poco vuelvo a recuperarla. Anoche mientras escuchaba Radio Free Asia, para poder solicitar las nuevas QSL, me desplacé a la onda larga en busca de la Radio Argelina que transmitía antaño por la misma. Mi sorpresa fue encontrarme la CADENA COPE en los 240 kHz. En ese momento estaban transmitiendo LA LINTERNA con César Vidal. Estuve entre 2000- 2300 UTC el 24 de mayo. El 25, cuando me he levantado, he puesto de nuevo la frecuencia y allí está. Estuve intentando saber a qué frecuencia real corresponde, pero la COPE MADRID y COPE REUS no tienen ningún parecido para deducir que es un subarmónico. Cordiales 73s (JUAN Franco Crespo, Spain, Noticias DX via DXLD) Juan Franco, Es 240 la frecuencia precisa? No me parece ser subarmónico sino imagen en receptor, que de costumbre aparecen a menos 900 o 910 kHz de la frecuencia correcta. (Depende de la FI, 450 o 455?) COPE Reus en 1143, bien cerca? Entonces aparecerían en 233 o 243 kHz. O puede ser una mezcla local de su frecuencia COPE menos otra, o 2B menos A, etc., etc. 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Hola Glenn: Eso es lo que yo pensé, que la transmisión puede ser una señal espúrea del transmisor de Reus, pero en la frecuencia original se escucha peor [a pesar de separarnos apenas 20 kilómetros desde la montaña en donde está la antena instalada]. Lo extraño para mí es que nunca antes había salido y llevo viviendo en la zona casi 40 años. Sé que en esta época entran las FM de todo el Mediterráneo y, cuando no estaban las bandas saturadas, era un placer escuchar la FM por la cantidad de capturas diferentes. Hoy el DX en FM es casi nulo y la OM española ocupa casi todos los canales libres, aunque, a veces, cambiando la posición y/o antena de hilo de orientación "logro" cazar algunas cosillas menos usuales. 73 (Juan Franco Crespo, ibid.) But he didn`t answer whether he was hearing it on exactly 240 kHz, which would tend to rule out a receiver-image from 1143 or 1134 (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED [non]. 6030, 0208-0215, May 27, English (Man comments or preacher) Strong QRM from Radio Martí; I listen this station all week, 21211 (Nicolás Eramo, Lat: 34º34'49S. Long: 58º32'26W, Villa Lynch, Prov. Buenos Aires, Argentina; Receivers: Icom IC-R75, Kenwood R-2000, Sony ICF 2010; Antennas: T2FD with balun 3.1, V Inverted 15 mts with balun 1.1, V Inverted 11 mts with balun 1.1, Longwire 15 metros; MFJ- 959B Receiver Antenna Tuner/Preamplifier, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Per HFCC it`s BBC via Seychelles aimed due west: 6030 0200 0300 48S,53NW SEY 250 270 1234567 250307 281007 D G BBC MER (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Re 7-061, 6215: The info below may be of help: Korean numbers station --- I heard it on 6215 at 1600 several times this year. The same pattern: folk song, followed by reading of 2-, 3-, or 4-digit numbers (varied from day to day), with obligatory "Gamsa- hamnida" ("Thank you") at the end. But I presumed the station was North-Korean. 73! (Sergey Nikishin, Moscow, Russia, October 30, 2006, via Ron Howard, DXLD) AND KOREA SOUTH. 6215, Korean numbers station (presumed), Oct 28, 2006, 1002-1020*, YL with pop song, 1004 into assume list of numbers. Fair. Must be the same station as reported by Jari Savolainen (Finland) and Glenn in mid-January, but heard back then at about 1430 (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, Etón E5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 9735, 1142-1222 fade-out, 5/27/07, in Chinese or similar tonal language (probably Mandarin). 1142 YL, 1158 OM, music, 1200 music bridge, YL announcer (not able to get an ID), 1201, music switch (all music traditional Chinese), 1202 OM, contemporary Chinese style music, 1210 fade-down, YL, more contemporary music, 1218-1222 OM with contemporary music, 1222 fade out. I'm not able to find any reference for a station at this time, on this frequency, in my usual sources (EiBi, May, 07 WRTH supplement, Aoki list, HFCC (public), April and May DXLD) Anyone have ideas? (Mark Taylor, Madison, WI, May 27, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9735: Good Morning Glenn: I know that Mark Taylor has already reported this to the DXLD group but I thought I'd offer my log as well. Thanks to Mark's e-mail tip I tuned to this station beginning at 1235 this morning. From that time until 1300 there was female vocal music of a mostly modern Asian style; there were occasional announcements by a male voice; the male voice language sounded Japanese to me but I could be completely wrong about this; at 1300 there was a slow piece of music and what was probably an ID by a woman; at 1300 for format changed to a woman speaking in again what sounded like Japanese to me. All of this was at fair-poor levels. I checked the logical lists including the Japanese list you directed me to some time ago. I found nothing of any help. Any clues here about what this might be? Thanks (Jim Ronda, Tulsa, OK, May 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) This immediately brings to mind two instances of warble-carrier jamming on 9735 I reported, at the time without any detectable target: in 7-048, April 22 at 1406; and in 7-050, April 27 at 1357. Searching recent DXLDs for any other reports on 9735, the only thing in this time period is WYFR which started a new relay via Samara, Russia, in Punjabi at 1400-1600, as in 7-049. Also, in 7-046, Noel Green included 9735 in a list of frequencies experiencing some kind of ``multiple carrier`` noise jamming, but that was at 0730 April 10. Clearly there is something else new here. With jamming involved, Japanese language seems doubtful. I have not heard any of the programming yet myself (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn: Thanks so much for the reply. The programming (talk by female) continued past 1330. I could hear nothing under or around this (Jim Ronda, Tulsa, ibid.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ OLD TIME QSL CARD COLLEXION I did a random web search for “QSL” and found one of the interesting pages showing QSL:s. The introduction to this site follows below: “Welcome to the old time QSL card collection. A QSL card is used to acknowledge the reception of a radio station. QSL cards are also part of ham radio to confirm that two stations were in contact. On this page, I am showing broadcast band and shortwave stations QSL cards that were sent to my father in the 1930's.This page is written in memory of my dad, Robert C. Schmarder (1918-1981)”. For more QSL:s please take a look at http://www.schmarder.com/qsl/index.htm (via Thomas Nilsson, SW Bulletin May 27 via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING DRM: see RUSSIA [and non] ++++++++++++++++++++ RADIO STATIONS UPGRADE TO HD DESPITE COST, UNCERTAINTY BY KYLE STOCK, The Post and Courier, Monday, May 28, 2007 Some 15 million satellite radio fans can't be wrong. Or can they? In a bid to hang on to the airwaves, traditional radio companies are launching high-definition radio, technology that whips broadcast signals through the air in digital packets rather than waves. . . http://www.charleston.net/news/2007/may/28/radio_stations_upgrade_hd_d espite_cost_uncertain/ (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) American Media Services has long been one of the biggest cheerleaders for terrestrial radio; this represents quite a reversal from many of their previous positions regarding internet radio. Do I sense some reality finally breaking through that wall of denial?? Could be! (Harry Helms, W5HLH, Smithville, TX EL19, http://topsecrettourism.com ibid.) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ TROPO SCATTER Came (while searching for something else of course) upon the website of GSPI RTV, the Russian broadcasting engineering institute. History, mentioning some standard solutions like the Sever troposcatter lines, hardly mentioned so far: http://www.gspirtv.ru/en/about/ (Kai Ludwig, Germany, May 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Soviet/Russian tropospheric relay communication network http://www.trrlsever.org/SEVER/trrl_sever.html the main map: http://www.trrlsever.org/SEVER/LINES/main_map.html Alaska: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Alice_Communications_System http://www.whitealice.net Europe: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ACE_High (Victor Rutkovsky, Russia, May 27, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ZCZC AP22 QST de W1AW Propagation Forecast Bulletin 22 ARLP022 From Tad Cook, K7RA Seattle, WA May 25, 2007 To all radio amateurs This week saw a return to active geomagnetic conditions after a period of relative quiet. The planetary A index reached a high of 42 on Wednesday, May 23, and the mid-latitude A index on that day was 28. At the same time, sunspot numbers are dropping, from a high of 56 on May 16 to 44, 23, 15, 14, 12 and 0 on May 19-24. Currently the interplanetary magnetic field points south, making Earth susceptible to geomagnetic upsets from solar wind. We could see a blank sun through the end of May. On Thursday, May 24 at 2134z the USAF and NOAA released a second daily 45 day outlook (revised from the initial forecast 35 minutes earlier), calling for solar flux values through the end of the month of 70, 70, 65, 65, 65, 70 and 70 for May 25-31. When the sun is devoid of spots for extended periods, we often see solar flux values below 70, so predicting a solar flux of 65 implies no sunspots. . . [much more] http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2007/05/25/100/?nc=1 (via Dave Raycroft, ODXA via DXLD) Notice how part of the above ARRL report has been quoted verbatim, or almost verbatim by Arnie Coro without crediting it! (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ARNIE CORO’S DXERS UNLIMITED HF PLUS LOW BAND VHF PROPAGATION UPDATE AND FORECAST Solar activity again at extremely low levels --- solar flux at rock bottom 70 flux units; actually the forecast for solar flux values through the end of the month of 70, 70, 65, 65, 65, 70 and 70 for May 25-31. When the sun spotless for extended periods, we often sees solar flux values below 70, so a prediction of a solar flux of 65 implies no sunspots. The three lowest solar flux values I am aware of were between July 19-22, 1996, at the bottom of solar cycle 22, when they were 64.9, 66.1, 65.4 and 65.1. There you have it, the lowest, second lowest and third lowest solar flux values, all during those four days of 1996. This extremely low solar activity has sent the daytime maximum useable frequency curve into a nose dive, with only brief periods of good propagation at frequencies above 20 megaHertz. High probabilities of Sporadic E openings are still very much present, with an increase to happen by the end of the month as we enter into June, the month of the year that shows the highest number of Sporadic E events (Arnie Coro, RHC DXers Unlimited May 26, ODXA via DXLD) SOLAR-ACTIVITY FORECAST FOR THE PERIOD MAY 25 - 31, 2007 Activity level: predominantly very low Radio flux (10.7 cm): a fluctuation in the range 68-80 f.u. Flares: weak (0-6/day) Relative sunspot number: in the range 0-40 Astronomical Institute, Solar Dept., Ondrejov, Czech Republic e-mail: sunwatch(at)asu.cas.cz (RWC Prague) _________________________________________________________________ Geomagnetic activity forecast for the period May 25 to May 31, 2007 quiet: May 29, 30 and 31 quiet to unsettled: May 28 unsettled: May 27 active: May 25 and 26 minor storm: 0 major storm: 0 severe storm: 0 Geomagnetic activity summary: geomagnetic field was quiet on May 17 and 21, quiet to unsettled on May 20, unsettled on May 18, 19 and 22, active on May 23. RWC Prague, Geophysical Institute Prague, Geomagnetic Dept, Czech Republic e-mail: geom(at)ig.cas.cz _________________________________________________________________ Geomagnetic activity forecast for the period of one solar rotation unsettled to active: May 25-27, (30,) Jun 3-4, (5-6), 13-16, (17-20) active to disturbed: May 25-26, Jun 3, 14 quiet: May 28-29, 31, Jun 1-2, 7-12 Survey: mostly unsettled - on May 20-21 mostly active - on May 19, 22 active to disturbed on May 18, 23 Notice: Days in brackets refer to a lower probability of possible solar activity enhancements depending on previous developments on the sun. Petr Kolman, OK1MGW, Czech Propagation Interested Group e-mail: kolmanp(at)razdva.cz (from http://www.asu.cas.cz/~sunwatch/070525.html via DXLD) ###