DX LISTENING DIGEST 9-006, January 21, 2009 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 2008 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 SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1444 Thu 0630 WRMI 9955 Thu 1630 WRMI 9955 Fri 0030 WBCQ 7415 Fri 0200 WRMI 9955 Fri 1230 WRMI 9955 Fri 2030 IPAR/IRRS/NEXUS/IBA 7290 Fri 2129 WWCR1 15825 Sat 0000 WBCQ 5110-CUSB Area 51 [irregular] Sat 0900 IPAR/IRRS/NEXUS/IBA 9510 [exc first Sat] Sat 0900 WRMI 9955 Sat 1730 WWCR3 12160 Sun 0330 WWCR3 5070 Sun 0730 WWCR1 3215 Sun 0900 WRMI 9955 Sun 1615 WRMI 9955 [resumed Jan 18] Mon 0600 WRMI 9955 Mon 1630 WRMI 9955 [new] Mon 2300 WBCQ 7415 [confirmed Jan 19] Tue 1200 WRMI 9955 Tue 1630 WRMI 9955 Wed 0600 WRMI 9955 [or new 1445] Wed 1630 WRMI 9955 [or new 1445] WBCQ is also airing new or archive editions of WOR M-F 2000 on 7415 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://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 WORLD OF RADIO PODCASTS VIA WRN NOW AVAILABLE: http://podcast.worldofradio.org or http://www.wrn.org/listeners/stations/podcast.php OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html or http://wor.worldofradio.org ** ABKHAZIA. 16 Jan, 0844, 9535 // 9495.7 kHz. APSUA RADIO - Sokhumi (Georgia) Parlato OM e mx locale. Segnale sufficiente- buono (SWL I1- 0799GE, Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova), Italia playdx yg via DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN. 1107/1296, RTVA/VoA. I have had some correspondence with Gerhard Straub, IBB/VoA RF Systems Team Leader in Washington DC, concerning the harmonics and spurs I have been hearing here. Gerhard has assured me that things are being looked into, but I have no other details to report. My reports in DXLD had been forwarded to him by a good Samaritan. Thank you, whoever you are. Snowed and rained quite a bit yesterday, which quieted a lot of things down, noise-wise. Unfortunately, I haven't had much time for DXing since I have deployed my personnel downrange and am the only person left in the office to handle things here, and sure enough, we had several emergencies over the last few days. Things should be back to normal this weekend, and shall once again have time for DX and to answer emails. Best 73 to everyone! (Al Muick Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yesterday, we had another suicide bomber (read: coward) who detonated himself right next to a fuel tanker being escorted by US Soldiers from Camp Eggers, about 3 blocks away from my office. The blast shattered my office windows and I was the recipient of a few cuts and abrasions, but still managed to get out on the balcony and shout that they missed me. As I understand it, one soldier is dead and about 8 wounded, several guards in front of the German embassy were killed as were several children playing in the area and a number of other civilians. My intel sources say that more such attacks are expected, so I guess I have to batten down the hatches for a little while and am essentially confined to my office and the guest house. Guess I'll have time to do some antenna maintenance and DX. I hope everyone else is doing all right and enjoying the DX. Best 73 de (Al Muick, Kabul, Afghanistan, WinRadio G303e, 200m Longwire/Randomwire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well, my office windows have been replaced and finally blast-proofed. It's funny how, in a place where the smallest task takes days and involves repeated discussions and re-iteration of orders, that this got done in a matter of hours. The previous windows were not blast- proofed. Probably why they gave me the office! ;-) Hope you and yours are in good health and spirits and may the good DX be with you! 73s de (Al Muick, Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan 18, WinRadio G303e, 200m Longwire/Randomwire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALASKA. Hallo Allemaal, HFDL station Barrow uit Alaska komt op dit moment 1550 UT goed door, freq 5529 (Bert van Rij, Netherlands, Jan 21, bdx mailing list via DXLD) ** ALBANIA. R. Tirana, 13720, Jan 15 at 1551 ending Focus on Albania talk, pop music; somewhat undermodulated but listenable and not distorted (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7425, 21/01 0112, R Tirana, presumida, em Albanian, desde Shijak, com 100 kW, OM Talk como se estivesse declamando uma poesia com fundo musical, as 0114 UT mx pop albanesa, 34333 (Jorge Freitas - Feira de Santana BA - Brasil, HCDX via DXLD) ** ALGERIA [non]. Chequeando a Radio Algerienne. Servicio cancelado? Hoy 13 de enero a las 1845, he podido comprobar que el servicio anunciado de la Radio Algerieene de las 1700 a 2000 UT por 9390 kHz estaba sin señal; lo mismo ocurría en la frecuencia de 9825 kHz anunciado de 1800 a 2100 UT. Sin embargo a las 1900 ha comenzado emisión en 9390 y 7455 anunciado de 1900 a 1957; la otra frecuencia anunciada, la de 9825 estaba sin señal. En el servicio anunciado de 2000 a 2057 se ha observado activa la frecuencia de 7455; las frecuencias anunciadas de 9390 y 9825 estaban sin señal. A las 2100 escucho emisión en 5865 y 7455, sin señal en 7295 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A- 108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7455, France, R. Algerienne, Issoudun. January 16, Arabic, 1942-2002 male non-stop talks, 1952 male reciting, 1954 female talks with reverbed voice between male reciting, 1955 maybe native style music, 1957 male talks. Co-channel QRM 43333. 73's (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANGUILLA. I noticed a fairly strong signal on 1610 tonight at about 6:00 pm, with a female talking about scripture, and many mentions of Dr. Scott. It’s still there as of this writing at 8:44 pm eastern. [0144 UT Jan 21] (Juan Gualda, FL, ABDX via DXLD) It's the Caribbean Beacon from Anguilla! (Bogdan Chiochiu, QC, ibid.) This used to be a regular here years ago. They must be higher power as I have not heard them in years, except on 690 kHz (Juan Gualda, FL, ibid.) Perhaps they finally fixed or replaced their tired old CCA AM 10,000D transmitter. It has not made rated output for YEARS. Dr. Scott used to rant and rave for hours on end about the "Dumb Ass Engineers at Caribbean Beacon - Caribbean Light". LOL. Once when I worked at a Christian Station, we used to see what was the wildest preacher we could find on at a particular time. The winner was almost always Dr. Scott or Brother Stair (Kevin in Upstate SC Raper, KJ4HYD, ibid.) ANGUILLA. Caribbean Beacon missing again from 6090, Jan 21 at 0610 check; and also from 11775 at 1402 recheck. Shux, have to listen to WWCR to get my PMS/DGS fix. Can it be coincidental that the long- silent MW 1610 outlet was reported on the air again a few hours earlier, by Juan Gualda, FL, in ABDX? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. RA, 15560 from Shepparton to Pacific and thence NAm, UT Fri Jan 16 at 2205 with ``Radio National Summer`` show for a Saturday morning. Seems to be a reliable time for reception, but when are they going to get back to serious programming after summer hiati? However, we were warned months ago that some of the R. National features that RA relayed had been canceled in down-dumbing, so would never resume (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. MEDIA REPORT program. Australian National radio, 0830 am, 0800 pm. http://www.abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/ also feed, podcast download, and transcript service. Via Radio Australia only Thurs 1031 and 1530 UT. 1031 UT 9580 9590 15415 1530 UT 5995 6080 7240 9475 9590 11660 (Wolfgang Büschel, Jan 15, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 19 via DXLD) ** AUSTRIA. ORF German service continues to broadcast on SW and there have been reports of brief news bulletins in English from the ORF domestic service being carried on SW in recent months, e.g. around 0600 UT on 6155/13730 --- it is possible these may continue (Dave Kenny, ed., DX News, Jan BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) 0600 was the DST timing. Now it`s 0700-0715 M-F, German, English and French news summaries intended for domestic audience. Just reconfirmed Jan 16 in English at 0708-0712 on 6155; don`t know about 13730 as that isn`t propagating to here at such an hour. I`ve yet to catch any playbacks of that during other SW broadcasts (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Just heard Austria on 7325 with news in English (last few sentences) and French (a few minutes news), at 0015 UT (20 Jan 2009 UT). Since approx. 0020 back to German. This is not mentioned on the oe1 international website, but the oe1 programming schedule indicates that English and French news are still produced, aired at 0800-0815 (local time, pres.) on the domestic network: http://oe1.orf.at/service/schema Tx off at 0029, back at 0030 in Spanish as scheduled. A little stronger as beamed to NAm now rather than CAm. As the 0030-0100 program is a repeat of the 0000-0030 program, the E/F news should be aired again around 0045. Keep listening. Indeed, Austria in English again now since 0043 with world news (on 7325 kHz). Switch to French news at 0046. Back to German program at 0049. QTH: Boulder, CO, USA. Rx: Perseus. 73 (Eike Bierwirth, CO, Jan 19, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I wonder if they have been doing this reliably ever since Dec 31; I seldom get to listen during this hour; Tue-Sat anyway? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AZERBAIJAN [and non]. AZERBAIJAN: PRESSURE ON RADIO AZADLIQ CONTINUES --- Mina Muradova 1/16/09 Azerbaijani government scrutiny of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Azerbaijani service, Radio Azadliq, continues following a ban on the station's FM broadcasts. Meanwhile, loyal listeners are going digital to keep up with the US-financed broadcaster's Internet and satellite- distributed programs. Radio Azadliq (Radio Liberty) stopped its FM broadcasts on January 1 after a heavily criticized decision by Azerbaijan's National Television and Radio Council that foreign-owned stations should not have access to the frequency. But official misgivings about the station apparently did not end there. On January 6, two representatives from the Ministry of Communications' State Frequencies Commission visited the Radio Azadliq office, according to Baku bureau chief Khadija Ismayilova. The envoys demanded to be shown broadcast equipment, and started to tinker with it, she recounted. "We stopped them and asked them to leave our premises. They did not give us any official document. Moreover, later an official from the ministry said that they had no instructions [to enter the station]," Ismayilova said. "Now, we should be on our guard." . . . http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insightb/articles/eav011609d.shtml (via Zacharias Liangas, DXLD) 7480 Radio Azadliq, 1624-1657, escuchada el 18 de enero en idioma sin identificar a locutor con comentarios acompañado de música de Sitar de fondo, locutora con cuña, “...program.. .radio...”, música de piano de fondo, anuncia dirección web, www.radio... , anuncian emitir por satélite, referencias a Azerbayán, SINPO 45554. Frecuencia anunciada en Radio Free Europe, http://www.azadliq.org/ (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BAHAMAS. While short wave is currently noisy in most of the bands, I'm listening to some stations like Radio Bahamas 1540 as early as 2230, with news analysis. So good as never before. 73 (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, Jan 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BANGLADESH. 7250, Bangladesh Betar Kabirpur(?), 1228, Jan 12, listed English. IS; pips (5+1) into light wind instruments; talk at imagination levels; very poor (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, N.H. USA, R8, RX-350D, CLR/DSP, MLB1, 200' Bevs, 60M dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) On 14 Jan 2009 at 0700 to 0705 Radio Bangladesh HS was noted on 7250 with news in English which is not heard on other days. AIR Gorakhpur which is scheduled in Nepali at this time was off air on that day. 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Raj Bhavan Road, Hyderabad 500082, India, dxindia yg via DXLD) ?? Why in the world would Gorakhpur and Dhaka be on same frequency ever? (gh) ** BANGLADESH. 7250, Bangladesh Betar, *1228:35-1240, Jan 16, sign on with flute IS. Time pips at 1230 followed by some flute music and muffled talk. ID & clear, intelligible English news at 1232. Local flute music at 1238:30. More muffled talk at 1239. Weak signal (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELARUS. 7135, Radio Belarus International (Minsk / Kalodzicy), 2215-2225, 1/15/2009, English. Woman with broadcast schedule. Local pop music. Woman talking with an occasional few bars of the same music. Poor signal with fading. Audio was not very clear. Parallel 7360 noted with very poor signal. Nothing heard on 7390. SINPO 24222 (Jim Evans, Germantown, TN, Eton E1, Random Wires (90' and 200'), Eavesdropper Dipole, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) BLR, 7265, R Byelorussia, 0900 16 Jan with ID and music, YL with news. S5 in // to 7235, S8 (Zacharias Liangas, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELGIUM. Re 9-005: Three years ago 927 kHz was likewise kept on air throughout the night, in order to use the transmitter heat to keep the buildings warm. But apparently this is necessary only during crisp frost, i.e. all-night operation is an exception, no regular winter season feature (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Jan 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) More: see RUSSIA ** BELGIUM. Belgica: RTBF-Wavre, 9970, 1240 UT, e-QSL enviada formato Word.; Informe enviado via web de la emisora, verificado por Fabienne Pasau en 24 horas. http://www.rtbfi.be/rtbf_2000/bin/view_something.cgi?id=0189903_sac [this is their online reception report form in French, blank to be infilled --- gh] Visita mi espacio web: http://radioescucha.spaces.live.com Saludos (Antonio Madrid, Spain, dxldyg via DXLD) ** BENIN. 5025 ORTB, Parakou, 1938-, 16 Jan, French, talks; 55444 *but* a hardly perceived audio. 5025 ditto, 1145-1410, 17 Jan, French (presumed), talks, French at 1400, phone-ins at 1545 when rated 25432, but still putting an extremely faint audio; 25341. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Some observations were made during this past weekend on the SW coast. The attached MP3 audio files show how reception was like this time. As you can hear on the BEN file, they continue with an audio level that's hard to perceive despite a good carrier. It is mostly in the late afternoon / evening that one can easier identify the language used despite, again, a good carrier, even if observed when co-channel CUBA is on. The antenna used was a 270 m long unterminated Beverage beamed at 145º. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Jan 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BERMUDA. VP9 - BERMUDA --- 2009 is the 400th anniversary of the settlement of Bermuda by Sir George Somers. Most local organisations are having an event of some kind during the year. The Radio Society of Bermuda has been issued with a special call sign that can be used all year, it is VP9400/xx. The xx suffix is the operator's call sign, i.e. VP9400/LP. There are a few novice licence holders who have a 3 digit suffix, i.e. VP9400/NMT. +Special pictorial postcards will be used to QSL. 73's (Rose Spershott, VP9LP, Secretary, Radio Society of Bermuda [RAC Bulletin] via I.C.P.O. Bulletin (January 15 - 22, 2009) "Islands, Castles & Portable Operations" via VA3RJ, ODXA yg via DXLD) ** BHUTAN. 6035, BBS, heard at 0150 on 18 Jan with exceptionally strong signals with some chanting and traditional music. If you can ever catch the opening of transmissions with the monks chanting, it is a real treat for the ears - truly haunting (Al Muick, Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan 18, WinRadio G303e, 200m Longwire/Randomwire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. Respuesta desde Kawsachun Coca --- Una corta respuesta desde esta emisora (Rafael Rodríguez, Colombia, Jan 19, playdx yg via DXLD) Viz.: Asunto: Re: Saludo desde Colombia fecha: domingo, 18 enero, 2009, 6:39 pm Amigo Rafael, Gracias por su mensaje. Ahora estamos nuevamente ajustando nuestra transmisión en onda corta por la misma frecuencia que usted escuchó, 6075 banda internacional de 49 metros, fundamentalmente al amanecer y al anochecer. La localidad de Lauca Ñ, es un pequeño pueblo de Shinahota de la provincia de Tiraque en el Trópico de Cochabamba, República de Bolivia. Le agradecemos su reporte. Fraternalmente, (Manuel Andrés, via Rodríguez, ibid.) ?? ``adjusting our transmission on 6075 around sunrise and sunset`` -- - what does that mean? Is it on the air or not? (gh, DXLD) See ECUADOR ** BRAZIL. 4875. 07 e 08/01 2359 UT, Rádio Roraima, Boa Vista, Roraima. Eram 2359 UT e eles estavam terminando a transmissão da “A Voz do Brasil”, e uma voz feminina apresentou o nome da emissora. Em seguida entrou o identify completo, com locutor de voz bem empostada, apresentando com todos os indicativos (OM e OT) numa vinheta com reverberação e em seguida entrou o programa “Escola Brasil”. O programa A Voz do Brasil termina por lá ás 2400 UT devido a diferença do estado por estar em outro fuso horário. A transmissão da emissora é tecnicamente ruim e eu somente tive condições de fazer a captação devido ao baixo nível de ruídos que observei nesta freqüência. As deficiências na transmissão, inicialmente, acreditei serrem perturbações da propagação que diminuíam a intensidade do sinal, num fadding periódico, mas observando melhor, notei que em alguns momentos, não ocorria a diminuição na intensidade, mas sim uma depreciação na qualidade do áudio, mesmo mantendo a mesma intensidade de transmissão. 22311, AMA, Via lista Radioescutas. As condições de recepção não foram as melhores, visto, como está declarado no registro do LOG, que a transmissão era deficiente. Mas mesmo assim foi possível registrar um sinal de intensidade 2, o que permite a demodulação do áudio, desde que se tenha também baixo nível de ruídos e de interferências, o que afortunadamente ocorreu no momento da escuta. O fadding alto, que variava a intensidade da transmissão, por ter sido intermitente, como um “io-io” que permitia o aumento e a diminuição da emissão, fazia com que nos momentos de maior intensidade fodsse possível ter uma recepção favorável. A antena utilizada, uma dipolo encurtada por bobinas toroidais, construída com fio Litz 45x37 AWG, acoplada através de um balum toroidal de relação 4:1, permitiu um aumento do “Q” e uma significativa diminuição das interferência, otimizando as condições da escuta, que seria impossível com uma antena de fiação convencional. Entre Boa Vista, onde fica a emissora, no Estado de Roraima e a cidade de Barbacena, no Estado de Minas Gerais, a distância é de 5808 km, o que logo a primeira análise nos demonstra que os sinais da emissão, em Ondas Tropicais foram captados por reflexão na ionosfera, visto que por onda terrestre seria impossível, para uma emissora, que transmite com potência de 10 kW, conseguir transmitir diretamente a uma distância destas, ainda mais com o agravante de neste percurso, existirem diversos obstáculos topográficos, além da uma grande parte de Floresta Amazônica, a qual funciona como uma grande fonte de absorção das ondas de radio freqüência. Considerando ainda, que Boa Vista, está acima da linha do Equador, esta transmissão direta para um ponto de captação, aabaixo desta se torna muito mais improvável, pois a curvatura da terra é sempre mais acentuada que a curvatura do feixe transmissor de RF (Adalberto Marques Azevedo, Navegando Ondas Tropicais, @tividade DX Jan 18 via DXLD) From a much longer feature article about the station and Roraima, in the revamped free pdf bulletin now with lots more illustrations, graphics; downloadable from http://www.4shared.com/file/81468163/3b9c9126/atdx425.html? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 9819.5, 0450, Radio 9 de Julio, São Paulo reactivated. Jingle & ident in Portuguese 0600. Good on LSB with 9820 phased, 15/12 (Bryan Clark at Mangawhai, NZ, with AOR7030+ and Alpha Delta Sloper, EWEs to NE and E, plus various 100 metre BOGs to the Americas, Jan NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 10000 (sounded better), Brasil, Observatório Nacional, Rio de Janeiro. January 18, Portuguese, female time announcemens in every 10 seconds, so at 0801:00 (06:01:00 local time) anmts is "seis horas, um minuto, zero segundo", next was (06:01:10) as "seis horas, um minuto, dez segundos" follows a time signal. Behind all of these another time signal on every second. At tune-in was 35433 but briefly turned to a fady condition and deterioring. Faded out at 0813, returned shortly at 0817 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I guess he means it sounded best when tuned to 10000, but not necessarily the carrier frequency at the moment (gh, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 11780 kHz, R Nacional da Amazônia --- Colegas, Uma coisa é certa: o pessoal da região Norte tem uma rádio com uma programação de excelente qualidade, escuto agora as 0230 UTC o programa "Madrugada Nacional" com o locutor João ... (na hora do sobrenome ouve uma interferência). Uma excelente voz, com poesias, dicas de saúde, frases entusiastas, noticias e acima de tudo música nacional de qualidade, espero que a propagação não leve para lá o lixo de programação que paira na maior parte das rádios OM de nosso país, inclusive aqui em Feira de Santana onde nunca, nunca mesmo, gasto o meu ouvido com elas. 73 (Jorge Freitas, SWL1023B, Skype jorge.freitas.fsa Feira de Santana Bahia, radioescutas yg via DXLD) Wonder if that`s the same excellent announcer I hear after 0700 UT (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** BURKINA FASO. Some observations were made during this past weekend on the SW coast. BFA is still absent on both 7230 & 5030. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Jan 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA [and non]. CFRX quite absent from 6070, Jan 17 at 0635, just continuous CVC gospel-rock music via Chile. Not even a SAH on it. Propagation from northerly paths was even worse than usual, with 9 and 7 MHz virtually dead; 6 MHz bore 5920 WBOH VG, but 5935 and 5890 WWCR were VP; nothing much from Austria on 6155 or Croatia on 6165, as are normally incoming nightly. But CFRX was well audible as usual over day path at next check 1415. Same situation UT Jan 18: no CFRX audible at 0630 but there OK at 1355 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Through confirmation of the CTVgm Engineer here in Peterborough [Ed Crompton] and listening observations from Richard Cuff, John Lindsay and Jim VA3JNO, CKKW 1090 Kitchener has left the air. It signed off sometime Monday Jan. 12th. Now known as K-Fun 99.5 a (Andy Reid, Ont., Jan 14, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC. 7220, R. Bangui (presumed). January 17, 0745-0825 male and female French/vernacular talks between African music (prevailing slow beat style). Seems that around time mentioned above, they s/on only in week-ends, at tune-in 14322 but around 0800, 24322. Deteriorating from 0820. 73's (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7220. R. Centrafricaine, Bimbo, 1040-1415, 17 Jan, French, African pops, blocked at 1100, newscast at 1400; 15341. This is almost certainly at reduced power. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHAD. 4905, RD. Nationale Tchadienne, Gredia, *1600-1705 (s/off at 2230), 10 Jan, vernacular, talks, African music, Arabic at 1700; 24432, QRM de China much later, and rated 44444 at 1715. 6165 ditto, 1150-, 17 Jan, vernacular, talks, songs; 25342. At approx. 1300, this gets too much QRM from HRV. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) = Croatia 4905 audible here around 0615 Jan 21 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 4750, CNR-1 and PBS Qinghai (presumed); 1442, Jan 15; just these two Chinese stations heard here; the absence of both RRI and Bangladesh Betar continues. 6060, Sichuan PBS-2; 1510-1515*, Jan 15; traditional Chinese music; almost good reception; // 7225 continued on till 1516*, with poor reception due to QRM; these two frequencies seem never to be in sync for sign-off. 8400, Firedrake/jamming; 1655, Jan 15; 9000 seemed clear of anything (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 8400 Firedrake Jamming, 1941, captada el 16 de enero con emisión musical, sorprendente señal, sin emisión en los 9000 kHz, SINPO 45544 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Firedrake on both 8400 and 9000, Jan 14 at 1436, but this time much stronger on 8400, barely audible on 9000 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hola! En este momento, 1515 UT [20 enero], se escucha VOA en idioma Uzbek, por los 9530 kHz, con emisión dedica à la elección del Presidente B. Obama. SINPO 34333. En fondo se escucha "firedrake" jamming, aúnque, según las listas de EiBi y Aoki está listada la CRI en Nepali. Saludos desde Portugal (José Turner, Noticias DX yg via DXLD) I believe the Chicom jam VOA Uzbek since it is a minority language in W China, and/or on behalf of the Uzbek government. It would be interesting if they also deliberately jam Nepali-language broadcasts, considering the Maoist element in Nepal (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** CHINA. Voices from Other Lands, the Thursday feature in the second half of CRI English broadcasts, Jan 15 at 1430 on 13675 and 15230 via Canada, interviewing a China-lover from Scotland, Brian Connolly, who spoke with great enthusiasm, a huge brogue but still pronouncing lots of Chinese names with tones which I can only assume were correct. He spoke of his travels around the country, bringing in tour groups, and apparently has now retired in Beijing. Despite my distaste for Chicom jamming, CRI overtaking countless more frequencies than really needed, and control of the press, I must concede this is a program worth listening to, even if you will never hear anything really critical of the current government. 13675 had the usual ACI from Cuba 13680, Commies vs Commies, but 15230 clear (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. An early reminder that the Chinese New Year is on Jan 26 (also known as the Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival) and is the most important Chinese holiday. Is also celebrated in other Asian countries as well. Look for Chinese and Asian stations to carry special programming. 6065, CNR-2/China Business Radio; 1330-1400, Jan 16; first time I have heard their condensed half hour program of "English Evening"; for years has always been a full hour (1300-1400); I will need to check this out to hear if it is a permanent change or not; mostly in English; hosted by John and a Chinese woman talking about the new edible greeting card, movies, etc.; business news ("Business Today"); segment "Studio Classroom Worldwide" (in the past this was a half hour segment, today was about 15 minutes long); // 6155 and 7245, all with fair reception (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 7375, CNR-2/China Business Radio, 1157-1225, Jan 17, Chinese talk. Quick “China Business Radio” ID at 1200 & back to Chinese talk. Local music. Fair to good. Weak on // 6065, 6090, 6155, 7130, 7140, 7335, 7350, 9810. Fair on // 7315. Thanks to Ron Howard tip (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 6190, PBS Xinjiang, heard at 0203 on 18 Jan in Chinese with Chinese hard rock music and telephone talk show. The music was interesting, but to a westerner, the Chinese language just doesn't "fit" to hard rock music. Good signals, but weaker than normal here in Kabul (Al Muick, Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan 18, WinRadio G303e, 200m Longwire/Randomwire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. CHINESE MEDIA CENSOR PORTIONS OF OBAMA'S INAUGURATION SPEECH | Text of report in English by Japan's largest news agency Kyodo Beijing, Jan. 21 Kyodo - China's state-controlled media censored parts of US President Barack Obama's inauguration speech, it was revealed Wednesday [21 January]. A reference made by Obama to previous US generations' fight against fascism and communism was removed from a transcript of the speech published in Chinese by the state-run Xinhua News Agency. Another part of Obama's speech criticizing governments that "cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent" was also removed from the speech translated into Chinese, although both sections were carried in English. Chinese state TV's news channel broadcast the speech live from Washington, but faded out the pictures as the translator voiced Obama's reference to communism. The TV anchor then hurriedly turned to a studio contributor to ask a question about the US economy. All sections of China's media come under the control of the governing Communist Party, with Xinhua, the People's Daily and national TV and radio broadcasters most closely voicing the government line. State-run media have generally given positive coverage of Obama's election, emphasizing his role as the first African-American president and the challenges he faces in reviving the US economy. Chinese President Hu Jintao sent a message of congratulations to Obama after he was elected in November, saying he hopes to continue to deepen ties between China and the United States during Obama's term in office. Source: Kyodo News Service, Tokyo, in English 0947 gmt 21 Jan 09 (via BBCM via DXLD) Geez, that`s like admitting that the Chicom government is corrupt, deceitful and silences dissent! Who`d a thunk it? Do NOT ever believe anything you hear on CRI or read from Xinhua (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. Thank you to Dario and Samuel for the comments about my logging of R Juventud on 5555 which seems to be on the air *2300-0157* daily. I have sent a reception report to the station. New 5555.00, 2310-2340 fade out, 11.01, R. Juventud, Pasto, Nariño Dept. (tentative), Spanish talk. 15111. The carrier was not on at 2255 (Anker Petersen, AOR AR7030PLUS with the high 28 metres longwire in Skovlunde, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) But, the frequency reported by Anker on his first log, Jan 5-6, does not match the exact frequency the manager told Rafael Rodríguez they were using at that time, 32 kHz off; see 9-004 (gh) 5555.01, 2315-0020 18/19.01, R Juventud, Pasto, Nariño (presumed), Spanish, long debate between two men and a woman with frequent piano jingles and rarely instrumental music, on the hour and half hour 5+1 time pips, 0000-0009 talk alternating between man and woman, probably news, 25222, deep fades. On 16.01 it faded out already at 2330 25211. Best 73, (Anker Petersen, heard recently on my AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres longwire, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) Altho he`s heard it several times, Anker has yet to report a definite ID on this one, and the frequency does not match the ones reported by Rafael in Colombia. The time pips also make me suspicious; would such a remote pirate actually do timesignals? Were they accurate? Time to look for mixing products, perhaps from Europe between something on 49m and MW. Time signals not only on the hour but half hour smack of RNE, SPAIN! Or start looking for parallel on 49m, even other bands. Has Rafael been hearing it since the initial report, at the same time on the same frequency? Is anyone else hearing this in NAm or SAm? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hola Don Glenn, Un cordial saludo; vamos por partes; durante las pruebas que realizó la emisora en la primera semana de enero operó en varias frecuencias incluyendo el cristal de 5555 KHz; tengo información que en México y Venezuela lograron escuchar estas pruebas y ya están en camino reportes desdes estos países para la emisora. Don Anker me ha escrito detallando las características de la escucha y concuerda con el tipo de programación que presentó la emisora; aunque le he pedido algún archivo de audio para corrobar que efectivamente se trata de Radio Juventud, me cuenta que no tiene en el momento la facilidad para hacerlo. Sí, es curioso este último reporte por parte de él, ya que he seguido monitoreando la estación en las frecuencias y no ha vuelto a salir; es operada y locutada sólo por el Sr. Cabrera y no he escuchado locución femenina. Lo de la señal horaria también me deja dudas. Don Anker también ha enviado reporte para la emisora; Cabrera sabe de esto y le confirmará el reporte sólo si en realidad se ajusta a la emisora. Buen DX (Rafael Rodríguez, Jan 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5555.00, 2335-0115* COLOMBIA, 19+20+21.01, R Juventud, Pasto, Nariño (presumed). Spanish talk programmes, on 19/20.01 with a woman and two men, on 21.01 with a woman talking nearly all the time, giving time for a 3 minute report from a man and another male announcer just before close, frequent short musical interludes of instrumental music, at each half hour 5+1 time pips exactly as the atomic hour time! 0059 a song played. Weak signal covered by digital, utility noise, but a few words caught like "mañana", "también", "claro" and "oyente". 25312 - 24332 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, Jan 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COLOMBIA. 5910.09 COLOMBIA. 1204, 1/17/09. ID at 1204, into ads. S7 signal had a bit of distortion, and faded down by 1225 (Jerry Strawman, Des Moines, IA, JRC NRD-545, AOR AR 7030 Plus, Wellbrook A- 100 Loop 115', dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO. Re 9-005: 6115.00, 1805-1810 ??? 21.01 UNID Afro-French talk, then faded out, but the carrier was still noted very weak at 2000. QRM from strong stations on 6110 and 6120. Brazzaville reactivated? (Anker Petersen, Denmark, Jan 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO DR. Tips del 17 gennaio from Buccinasco City: 17/01/2009 0415, 5066, R. Tele Candip, Bunia, COD, px mx. Ciao e Buoni DX!!! !!!!! Io leggo PLAY-DX !!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!! (Mauro Giroletti, -Swl 1510- -IK2GFT- -JRC525Nrd - Lowe HF150-, playdx yg via DXLD) ** COSTA RICA. 3351.96, REE relay; 0204-0231, Jan 15; believe this is the first time I have noticed them off frequency; signal gradually improving; // 6055 & 6125 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COSTA RICA [non]. 590, Radio Nacional Costa Rica received on E100 Slider! While doing a bit of early morning DX with the T615, I was looking for Nebraska on 590 at 1200 UT. There was a Spanish speaker dominant on the frequency which I initially presumed was a as yet ULR unlogged Rebelde, but a quick check of 5025 kHz indicated this was not parallel. Due to the slop from local WREC on 600, I fired up the E100 Slider at 1204 just in time to hear a male presenter mention Radio Nacional, then a female mentioning San Jose, Tegucigalpa and Managua, then brief chatter between them into a vocal. The station was fading fast, and after the vocal I caught the male announcer mentioning buenos dias. Barely audible by 1214 and gone by 1216 leaving a mix of domestics and another Spanish speaker, likely Mexico. I still haven't unpacked my WRTHs, so wasn't positive what this could be. I looked up 590 kHz on the AM-DX.com WestList, and 70 kW TIRN San José is listed. A Google search shows a few DXpedition logs from the late 90's listing this as Radio Nacional de Costa Rica. A quick check of GeoClock showed a 1158 UT sunrise for San José, so right now this appears to be a classic case of transmitter sunrise enhancement. (Brandon Jordan - Memphis, TN, USA, Longwave * Mediumwave * Shortwave DXer since 1976 bcdx.org@gmail.com http://www.bcdx.org DXTests.Info web site: http://www.dxtests.info IRCA DX Worldwide-East column editor, IRCA via DXLD) Good catch Brandon. 590 is operating now with 50 kW into a 417 ft tower. They supposedly operate at 5 kW at night so you might have caught them at power up time (Jerry Kiefer, Roswell, NM, ibid.) WRTH 2009 shows TIRN on 590 as only 5 kW, 24 hours (gh, DXLD) [Later:] I see that the Cuban broadcast on 590 kHz is Radio Musical, and a Google search turned up ID's for them as Radio Musical *Nacional*. The time of reception is also very close to Havana sunrise. I think there is a very good chance that what I had was Cuba, and just missed the Musical part of the ID. Since most of my DX references are still boxed up, I have been using Bruce Conti's "Progreso, Rebelde and Reloj: The Three Todopoderosos" list of Cuban stations, likely slightly outdated, and presumed that Rebelde was still on this frequency. Drats, I'm going to have to log this one as tentative Cuba. 73, (Brandon Jordan, IRCA via DXLD) ** CROATIA. 3984.90, Voice of Croatia, 2315-2325, Jan 17, English Croatia Today program with news, sports & weather. Local pop music at 2323. Weak but readable. Some occasional HAM QRM. Much better on // 7375 - via Germany. (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. Radio Havana Cuba: 6220, various dates, 0300 & other times: Just an FYI that instead of Mystery Radio, I’ve been hearing RHC a lot on 6220 in the evening hours lately. Not sure when the switch was made to this freq., but at first I wondered if Mystery R. was relaying a Spanish pirate. Not so. Oh, and I’ve only heard SP, not EG, on 6220 (Andrew Yoder, PA, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) RHC ``switched`` several months ago from 6300 to 6220, since both are leapfrog mixing products of the 6060 transmitter over the next one up, which was on 6180 and then moved to 6140. Now the separation is 80 instead of 120 kHz. 6060 is in Spanish from 00 to 05, so that`s what you hear on 6220. After 0500 both are in English, and so is 6220. 73, (Glenn Hauser, OK, ibid.) See also UNIDENTIFIED 6220 ** CUBA. At 1405 UT Jan 20 on 15370 in Spanish, the confused RHC announcer said something about their providing live coverage of Pres. Obama`s inauguration today, on ``9826 in the 21 and 49 meter bands``. Didn`t catch the time but obviously starting well before 1700 UT B- hour. 9820 would be a good bet and maybe two others of their known frequencies on 6 and 13 MHz. I wonder if they will have a correspondent there or just pirate some TV coverage and voice-over it in Habana. [But later:] No sign of 9820 or anything on 6, 9, 11 or 13 MHz bands as late as 1630, and I could not pull away from US TV coverage after that. RHC running late for some reason, UT Wed Jan 21 at 0609 on 6000, just ending DXers Unlimited; as a 17-minute show, must have started around 0552 rather than 0535 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Convoluted situation with RNV relays: see VENEZUELA [non] ** CUBA [non]. DISIDENTES CUBANOS PIDEN CAMBIOS DE PROGRAMACIÓN EN RADIO MARTÍ --- JUAN CARLOS CHAVEZ, El Nuevo Herald CHARLES TRAINOR JR / HERALD STAFF [caption] Oficinas de transmisión de Radio y TV Martí, en Miami. Aludiendo a serias deficiencias en el funcionamiento de Radio Martí y a la ausencia de un seguimiento efectivo de las noticias relacionadas con la disidencia dentro de Cuba, líderes de la oposición están demandando "cambios urgentes'' a la emisora con el propósito de que retome sus prioridades informativas. Además de solicitarlo por escrito ante las autoridades de Washington, los principales líderes de la coalición Agenda para la Transición han decidido temporalmente realizar un boicot a la emisora y no hacer contribuciones a su Departamento de Noticias, hasta que no existan indicios de una transformación que abra las puertas a un flujo informativo favorable a la audiencia en la isla. . . http://www.elnuevoherald.com/167/story/359830.html (via Yimber Gaviría, Colombia, DXLD) and in response: NICOLAS PEREZ DIEZ ARGÜELLES: Radio Martí http://www.elnuevoherald.com/opinion/story/363308.html Para todo cubano que ame la patria y su libertad la importancia de Radio Martí es enorme e intransferible. Es el único instrumento que tenemos para hacer llegar nuestra verdad al pueblo de Cuba y es la voz de aquellos que no tienen voz dentro de la isla. En ocasiones las cosas suceden, noticias importantes ocurren, asoman su perfil y si van en contra del establishment de Miami, no se difunden. El viernes 16 de enero del 2009, apareció en primera plana de El Nuevo Herald, un artículo firmado por Juan Carlos Chávez con el siguiente título: ``Disidentes cubanos piden cambios de programación en Radio Martí``. Después siguió un silencio duro e inexplicable en los medios de difusión de esta ciudad, sin que se alzara casi ninguna voz para entender, discutir, esclarecer o criticar este hecho inverosímil. Y es que quien había hablado desde Cuba no era una sola voz aislada, ni un comentario, ni un rumor, sino los principales líderes de la coalición Agencia para la Transición, que decidieron realizar un boicot a la emisora y no ayudar a su Departamento de Noticias hasta que no exista una programación que tenga en cuenta el interés de los cubanos de la isla. Todo lo que rodea a Radio Martí se encuentra siempre envuelto en una conspiración de silencio. ¿Habrá alguien lo suficientemente cínico como para opinar que los luchadores dentro de la isla que hoy protestan le hacen el juego al gobierno castrista, o al representante por Massachussetts William Delahunt, enemigo acérrimo de la causa de Cuba? ¿Quién ha dicho que criticar desde Miami los errores que cometemos, la ineptitud que demostramos y la venalidad con que actuamos es hacerle el juego al enemigo? ¿Por qué optar por un silencio que es cobarde y cómplice? ¿A qué hay que temer cuando se habla con la verdad en la mano? Vladimiro Roca, el portavoz del grupo, con una claridad que no dejó lugar para interpretaciones, dijo: ''Nosotros esperamos que se haga un análisis de todo lo que ha sucedido, porque la programación es tan mala y tan poco interesante para el pueblo cubano que nadie la escucha''. Y agregó que la emisora radial ``está más en sintonía con las políticas locales del exilio de Miami que con Cuba''. Comentó José Luis Pérez (alias Antúnez): ``Esta decisión no quiere la confrontación, sino soluciones. Estamos buscando que se tomen medidas porque Radio Martí es nuestra ventana informativa, la principal con que cuenta el pueblo cubano. Es la información que la censura nos niega''. Y me pregunto: ¿existe en Miami una verdadera dirigencia anticastrista? ¿Estamos tomándole continuamente el pulso a la cuestión cubana y nos encontramos dispuestos a la discusión viva por el bien de Cuba? Entonces, ¿por qué no nos hemos hecho eco públicamente de esta denuncia de la coalición Agenda para la Transición contra Radio Martí? ¿Por qué ninguna organización exiliada ha hecho una declaración firme e irrevocable, sumándose a los luchadores dentro de la isla? ¿Por qué este exilio no ha cerrado filas con la disidencia, en algo que todos sabemos tienen la razón? No creo que este exilio vaya a hacer nada. No creo que mueva un dedo. No creo que se vaya a molestar. Nuestros líderes van a evitar la confrontación y el choque táctico y estratégico. La falta de coraje político y la división de Miami nos está destruyendo y convirtiendo en unos inútiles y unos castrados. No soy optimista. Pero si del deber se trata, en el más breve tiempo posible se deberían reunir las organizaciones anticastristas de Miami que están cerca de la disidencia, tales como Plantados, Democracia, la Fundación Nacional Cubano Americana, el Directorio Democrático, Agenda Cuba y otros para que se discuta este penoso incidente, y se analice: • Los programas de Radio y Televisión Martí. • El poder de penetración de ambas emisoras en la isla. • El criterio a la hora de escoger las noticias. • La conformación de la mesa editorial. • Información sobre qué personas o grupos asesoran y aconsejan a Radio y Televisión Martí. Se trata de exigir transparencia. Una vez que se llegue a conclusiones firmes, deben elevarse a la nueva administración de Barack Obama. Y esta debe escuchar a aquellos grupos que están diariamente y desde hace años en contacto con la realidad cubana. Porque no deben proseguir los intereses políticos de Miami dirigiendo unos destinos, que pertenecen a Cuba. La campaña política del nuevo presidente de los Estados Unidos prometió un cambio. Y en Radio Martí debe haber un cambio. Lo está exigiendo la disidencia que dentro de la isla es la que está cargando hoy con todo el peso de nuestra cruz. (Para la imparcialidad y el balance de este artículo, se le dejó un recado en el buzón telefónico de Radio Martí a su director, Pedro Roig, para preguntarle su versión de los hechos, pero no devolvió la llamada.) (via José Miguel Romero2, Spain, dxldyg via DXLD) DISIDENCIA CUBANA VS. RADIO MARTÍ --- BBC Mundo, Cuba Parte de la disidencia cubana se encuentra enfrentada con Radio Martí, la emisora del gobierno de los Estados Unidos dedicada a transmitir programas hacia Cuba con el fin de apoyar la lucha de la oposición interna en la isla. Roque afirma que la emisora no cumple los objetivos para los que fue creada. La Junta de Coordinadores de la Agenda para la Transición, la organización que reúne más grupos opositores en la isla, envió una carta al Departamento de Estado estadounidense protestando por el mal funcionamiento de la radio. También se están negando a darle información. Según los disidentes, la emisora estaría más en función de la política de Miami que de las necesidades informativas de Cuba, razón por la cual fue creada y por la que recibe millones de dólares de financiamiento federal. . . http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/spanish/latin_america/newsid_7842000/7842223.stm (BBCMundo via José Miguel Romero, Spain, dxldyg via DXLD) ** DENMARK. Hi all, Today I received some information direct from the Danish Broadcasting Service: Long Wave (243 kHz): The DRM broadcasts from DR Kalundborg have had a power increase to 0.2 kW (500 km maximum range). They are 24h tests but regular broadcasts are scheduled. All listener reports with technical details for the DRM test transmissions will be acknowledged and should be submitted to: BSD, Banestrøget 21, DK-2630 Høje Tåstrup; http://www.bsd.dk info @ bsd.dk Medium Wave (1062 kHz): DR Radio has moved to "DR Byen", and the adress for DX listener reports for the analogue transmissions on mediumwave (1062 kHz) should be: DR, Emil Holms Kanal 20, DK-0999 København K; http://www.dr.dk/p3 teknikinfo @ dr.dk The EMWG online and PDF versions have of course already been modified accordingly. 73 (Herman Boel, http://www.emwg.info MWC via DXLD) SV: Reception report 243 kHz DRM (Elst, Netherlands). Dear Sir, Thanks for your reception report, which we hope to be able to respond to with a ”real” QSL card later, but they are not produced yet. Unfortunately, the screen dump was stripped by our mail server, so please resend with the screen dump and log encapsulated in a ZIP file. Forward the response and any future reports when power is further increased (we expect at least 0,5 kW for initial broadcasts with programming) directly to nid@bsd.dk with a copy to jcs@bsd.dk Best regards, Niels Dreijer Broadcast Service Danmark A/S Banestrøget 21 DK-2630 Høje Tåstrup Tel. 4332 2448 Mobil 2963 7720 Fax (+45) 4371 1143 Mail nid@bsd.dk Web www.bsd.dk (reply to Han Hardonk, Netherlands, BDX via DXLD) ** DIEGO GARCIA. 4319-USB, BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY. AFRTS/AFN (Diego Garcia, Chagos), 0031-0045, 1/18/2009, English. Man and woman with "Home and Family Finance" program discussing mortgages, financial planning, etc. 0043 Short ad type statement about saving for the future. 0044 AFN ID by man. Fading badly at 0045 tune out. Poor but readable signal with RTTY interference. Parallel 5446.5 (Key West [sic]) with much better signal (Jim Evans, Germantown, TN, Eton E1, Random Wires (90' and 200'), Eavesdropper Dipole, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** ECUADOR [non]. Consulta al foro --- Por favor: Alguno de los CondigListeros podria indicarme si HCJB opera en 6165 kHz sobre las 1230/1300 UT. La reporté hoy, identificándose de esa forma. Lo curioso es que no estaba R. Logos. Desde ya, gracias (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, Jan 13, condiglist yg via DXLD) Arnaldo, En 6165 no hay HCJB a ninguna hora. Supongo que fuera programación HCJB vía cadena satelital ALAS via Logos. 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Gracias Glenn. Coincido con su opinión. Le agradezco!! Hoy justamente entraba a las 18 UT cuando llegaban casi todas las emisoras bolivianas en 49 metros. Coincido con vos. Debe tratarse de una retransmisión de los programas de la HCJB. La que mejor llega es R. Juan XXIII que ahora opera en la frecuencia exacta de 6055 kHz (ex 6054v) 73 (Arnaldo Slaen, 1.431 BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA, Jan 17, ibid.) But I think he was on a DX-pedition closer to BOLIVIA (gh) ** ECUADOR. HCJB, 11960, Jan 13 at 1444:30 automated ID break between programs, with another Einstein quotation, 9:45 am timecheck, preceded by inattentive announcer claiming to be on ``11690, 21455 y 11690`` instead of 11960! Another mistake which has probably been ongoing for sesquiyears, besides having closed down 21455 last year. There is no break at this point every day of the week. I first noted this on January 9, but could hardly believe my ears so made a point of listening closely at next opportunity. Ditto Jan 14 at exactly same time, ad infinitum. HCJB, Aventura Diexista, Sat Jan 17 at 1448 on 11960, with Alen Grájam reading DX news in first-person even tho I am sure it was written by someone else. Gave postal address of RNV Antena Internacional as Apartado postal 3970, yes, repeated as 3970 instead of correct 3979, so both the writer and A.G. did not recognize this as an obvious typo. BTW, WRTH 2009 page 489 does not even mention this address altho RNV keeps announcing it; instead, a street address in Caracas and the QSL manager in Miami. There have been reports of p-mail bouncing from the box anyway. Don`t you believe more erroneous info which followed on HCJB: R. Sweden in English via Sackville 6010 at 0230-0300 and 0300-0330, instead of the correct repeat time of 0330-0400! Later had recordings of Galei Zahal 6973 and Bahamas 1540. Who wrote this? Credited to Leonardo Santiago, of Mérida, Venezuela, who provides monthly DX reports for this program, to return in February (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. HCJB GLOBAL IN THE NEWS --- TALL TOWERS REMOVED FROM RADIO STATION HCJB’S SITE IN ECUADOR --- Source: HCJB Global Crews removed the last of the tall antennas and towers at Radio Station HCJB’s international transmitter site in Ecuador since they would obstruct the flight path of the future international airport for the capital city of Quito. As earlier agreed upon by the Quito Airport Corporation (CORPAQ) and HCJB Global, the towers were removed prior to a Dec. 31, 2008, deadline. “The last of these tall towers were taken down on Dec. 24 at 9:30 a.m.,” said Geoff Kooistra, operations and engineering director for the station. Christmas is noteworthy in the station’s history as its first program went on the air on Christmas Day, 1931. The first broadcasts from the international transmitter site in Pifo, just east of the capital, began in 1953. With 14 other shorter antennas and towers still standing, the transmitters continue to broadcast 60 hours per day with targets throughout the Americas. Trade languages such as Spanish, Portuguese and German still air, as do indigenous languages such as Quichua (Ecuador), Waorani (Ecuador’s Amazon region), Cofán (Andean highlands, Amazon region and northern Ecuador) and Kulina (Brazil and eastern Peru). “We also continue digital shortwave broadcasts both to Brazil and to Europe,” Kooistra said. The station transmits 56 hours of analogue signal and four hours of digital shortwave, according to Steve Sutherland who manages the Pifo site and staff. All shortwave broadcasts from Pifo are projected to end no later than April 1, 2010 (News Update from HCJB Global for Week of Jan. 12-16, 2009 via John Wesley Smith, KC0HSB, Jan 16, DXLD) Does HCJB still accept reception report for the Pifo transmissions? (Bill Harms, Elkridge, Maryland, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Bill, Yes they do. I recall receiving a QSL in or around September 2008 for a report to their German service (Jon Pukila, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada, ibid.) ** EGYPT. 7535.0, 0152-0158 18/1 Radio Cairo - Tentativa, Abu Zaabal, EGYPT, (Spanish) música típica da região (voz feminina); 0155 breve introdução ao piano e escuta-se apenas um balbuciar [stammer] ininteligível, sinal permanece razoável. 25222 (Antonio Laurentino Garcia, PR7BCP, João Pessoa-PB, Brasil, HCDX via DXLD) ** EGYPT. R. Cairo tentative A-09 English: 1215-1330 17840 As 1530-1600 15245 Eu [new? Or language mistake] 1600-1800 12170 Af [same as B-08] 1900-2030 9310/11530 Af [latter would collide with Denge Mezopotamya] 2115-2245 6255 Eu [same as B-08] 2300-2430 6850 NAm [same as B-08] 0200-0330 7535 NAm [same as B-08] (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 5005, R. Nacional Bata, 2251-2255*, Jan 9, Spanish. Up-beat music; right into lengthy NA at 2252; no ID or announcements at s/off; poor-fair (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, N.H. USA, R8, RX-350D, CLR/DSP, MLB1, 200' Bevs, 60M dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5005, Radio Nacional, Bata, 2245-2258*, Jan 17, Afro-pop music. Spanish announcements. Sign off with National Anthem at 2255. Fair signal. 6250, Radio Nacional, Malabo, 0622-0645, Jan 18, Spanish talk. Radio Malabo IDs. Spanish music. Poor to fair signal (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5005, RNGE/"R.Bata", Bata, 1907-1929, 17 Jan, Castlian, pops, "R.Bata - radio 2" ID, phone-ins; 44433. At the same time, they were silent on 6250. 6250 RNGE/"R. Malabo", Malabo, 1653-1715, 18 Jan, African pops; 44433. Bata 5005 not in parallel. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. R. Africa, 15190, presumed with low-key preaching of the jailed Tony Alamo, Jan 16 at 2206; before 2200 I was not sure this was on due to strong WYFR/Ascension with music on 15195 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15190, Radio Africa (Bata) (presumed), 2114-2140, 1/17/2009, English. Man with sermon. Very weak signal, fading out at 2117. Faded back in at 2129 with religious music. Sermon by man at 2134. Poor signal with rather low audio. Interference from WYFR Ascension relay on 15195 prior to 2130. SINPO 34333 (Jim Evans, Germantown, TN, Eton E1, Random Wires (90' and 200'), Eavesdropper Dipole, Cumbredx via DXLD) Jan 18, R Africa, 15190 at 1925z, religious programming in English with good modulation ! ! ! Mainland site (Bata) 50 kW at 164 . Similar signal and modulation to VOA Botswana on 15580 (Jerry Lenamon, Waco Texas, Drake R8B, T2FD, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ERITREA [non]. ETIOPÍA?? 9560, Voice of Democratic Alliance??, Addis Ababa-Gedja, 1517-1535, escuchada el 18 de enero presuntamente en tigrilla a locutor con comentarios y emisión de música pop local, ritmos africanos, la emisión no corresponde con servicios anunciados tanto en Aoki cómo en el EiBi de vu, SINPO 33342 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) But we have covered it in DXLD recently (gh) ** ETHIOPIA. 5950, Voice of the Revolution of the Tigré, Mek'elé, 1644-1659, 18 Jan, Tigrinya (presumed), talks, songs; 44433, adj. QRM. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. Amharic radio station on 6090: 13/1 at 1714 it is heard marginally, under severe QRM from a co-channel carrier and from 1730 a DRM signal. Nearly 2x541, S5 (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. 9704.18, Radio Ethiopia, 2025-2101*, Jan 17, Horn of Africa music. Amharic talk. Sign off with National Anthem a 2058. Good-strong signal. Fair on // 7110 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. Re 9-005: Please have another check for R. Bilal this Sunday. It does appear on the TDP schedule http://www.airtime.be/schedule.html but not on the WHOSE page. Tnx, (Glenn Hauser, early UT Jan 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: ``BELGIUM (non) New TDP station - Radio Bilal in Amharic from Jan. 11: 1700-1800 on 9610 SAM 250 kW / 188 deg to EaAf, Sun (DX Mix News, Bulgaria Jan 11 via DXLD)`` What is this, anyway? Google searching led to a Radio Bilal mentioned here under UgandaMuslims.com: http://www.moftak.com/Umo/showpicturegallery.asp?id=17&stype=Radio%20Bilal And there is a Radio Bilal in Kampala on 94.1 FM per http://www.ucc.co.ug/RadioTVStationsInUgandaJune2008.pdf (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sorry, I did not come in before 1820 tonight. And what is this: Hansjörg Biener says that the station name, unless it's an acronym, clearly indicates an Islamic background. Ask a search engine about Bilal ibn Riba / Bilal al Habaschi. Hadn't this Radio Bilal been associated with Ethiopia, or was this just a misunderstanding / overinterpretation? On the other hand the TDP page specifies the language as Amharic, and this does not really fit to Uganda. Or, rather to Uganda as target area. It could still be a production from this station in Kampala (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Jan 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Ludo, Can you enlighten us about Radio Bilal? Has it really started broadcasting? (Glenn Hauser to Ludo Maes, TDP, Jan 20, via DXLD) R. Bilal started last Sunday, January 18, 2009. However, propagation conditions were quite bad, so we hope next Sunday will be better. Kind regards, (Ludo Maes, TDP, Belgium, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Ludo, Tnx. Could you tell us if it is that station originating in Kampala? (Glenn TO Ludo, ibid.) Glenn, There is no link with Kampala. The station is based in Washington and they broadcast to Ethiopia in Amharic. Kind regards, (Ludo Maes, ibid.) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. ALEMANIA, 9695, Voice of Oromiyan Liberation Front, Juelich, 1605-1609, escuchada el 18 de enero en oromo con emisión musical, pieza musical con con referencias a oromo, “Catu catu an oromo”, aprecia en colisión con Radio Liberty en tajico, locutora con comentarios, sin señal en 11760, SINPO 43433 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EUROPE. Space program weekend coming --- Regular transmissions of Radio Spaceshuttle starting next weekend of 17-18th January 2009. Saturday 17th January: 08 to 10 UT for NE Europe, 6305 kHz (or nearest free frequency) 10 to 12 UT for N Europe, 6305 kHz (or nearest free frequency) 0830 to 1030 UT 9290 kHz for Central Europe Sunday 18th January: 0830-1030 UT 9290 kHz 1030-1230 UT 12265 kHz (Radio Spaceshuttle Team 2009 via Roberto Scaglione, Sicily, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) May we now safely assume that any pirates on 9290 are really pirate transmitters and not Ulbroka, Latvia? Despite pirate fans having loosened their standards to report Latvian relays among other pirate logs (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FALKLAND ISLANDS. After all these years, finally an FIBS QSL! Original reports to Falkland Island Broadcast Service on March 30, 1983 and again on August 27, 1987 went unanswered. 2008 contacted the station manager, Ms. Cornia Bishop. Provided her detailed reports for the 1983 and 1987 broadcasts. Very pleasant mailbox surprise on Monday, January 12, 2009. A QSL for the FIBS reports of 1983 and 1987. This is more than 26 years for the 1983 report and more than 21 years for the 1987 report. 311 days after the followup report on March 7, 2008. To see the QSL please visit my site, http://www.kg4lac.com and click the now active Falkland Island link on the left. Ms. Bishop tells me these cards are rare and only a few have been sent out. Only took about half my life, but worth it! 73, (Kraig, KG4LAC, Krist, Manassas, Virginia, USA, Jan 15, 2009, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. Jan 18, RFI in English, 11615 at 1600z. Best reception in months for this program to Africa (Jerry Lenamon, Waco Texas, Drake R8B, T2FD, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. FRANCIA INTERNACIONAL PLANEA RECORTAR CERCA DEL 20% DE SU PERSONAL http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h43NxTIcrlHeWOTcOij3OH0YIFdw La dirección de Radio Francia Internacional (RFI) presentó este jueves al comité de empresa un "plan de modernización" que prevé la supresión de 206 puestos de un total de 1.000 y la creación "posible" de 34 empleos, según un comunicado interno distribuido entre los empleados. La supresión de efectivos, que debe hacerse durante el transcurso de 2009, afectará a "un centenar de periodistas", 67 de ellos en las redacciones en lenguas extranjeras, detalló un delegado sindical. La redacción en francés también será afectada con la pérdida de unas treinta puestos de trabajo, según un sindicato. "La dirección no habla aún de un plan de despidos. Trata de limitar los despidos puros y simples para negociar condiciones favorables de jubilación", agregó el sindicalista. RFI, que actualmente forma parte de las cadenas France24 y TV5Monde del consorcio audiovisual exterior de Francia (AEF), se refirió a las "graves dificultades" por las que podría estar atravesando, y que la ponen en peligro. En lo que se refiere a las finanzas, la radio registra "pérdidas continuas" al punto que anunció para 2008 un déficit de nueve millones de euros. El Estado se comprometió a recapitalizar "inmediatamente" la estación por un monto de 17,2 millones de euros, indicó la dirección. RFI, cuyo presupuesto de 2008 alcanzaba los 137 millones de euros, está financiada en un 95% por un impuesto dedicado al audiovisual y por subvenciones del Estado. Por otra parte, la estación sufre de "caídas durables e importantes" de sus audiencias, sobre todo en la África francófona, donde pierde cada años más o menos un 1,5% de oyentes. En París y sus alrededores, la audiencia disminuyó en un 25% desde 2007. Para recuperar esta audiencia, RFI tiene previsto un nuevo estilo de programas que va "a privilegiar los programas en directo" y "acelerar su servicio multimedia". Pero en lo esencial iniciará una "nueva estrategia de idiomas" para "responder a las prioridades geopolíticas y a los objetivos que haya que privilegiar", sobre todo en África. Dentro de este contexto, serán desarrollados los programas en inglés, en portugués y "dentro de poco" en suahili. Pero al mismo tiempo, RFI cesará la difusión de sus programas en seis idiomas (alemán, albanés, polaco, serbocroata, turco y laosiano), por falta de audiencia y considerando que estos idiomas "no son más pertinentes desde el punto de vista de las evoluciones geopolíticas". En los últimos meses, las redacciones en persa, ruso y mandarín se habían movilizado, frente a una eventual amenaza de supresión de los programas de RFI. La dirección desmintió la supresión de esos tres idiomas, asegurando por el contrario que serían desarrollados "reforzando los medios de difusión", sobre todo por internet. Creada en 1975, RFI es la primera radio francesa de información continua internacional. Con sede en París, comprende 19 redacciones en idiomas extranjeros y emite en 74 países, llegando a 45 millones de auditores en el mundo. Un total de 400 periodistas y productores tienen su sede en París además de 600 corresponsales en el terreno (via José Miguel Romero, Spain, Jan 15, dxldyg via DXLD) English version: http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/radio-france-internationale-to-cut-200-jobs-in-modernization-drive Two comments so far: 1 Mark January 16th, 2009 - 18:36 UTC Germany, Albania, Poland, ex Yougoslavia, Turkey, and Laos “are no longer relevant in view of geopolitical developments”. Which of these countries used to be relevant and why have they ceased to be relevant? 2 SRG January 16th, 2009 - 20:48 UTC --- I just noticed that RFI English launched its official section at Facebook. Only 93 fans there Here’s the link: http://tinyurl.com/7xssre I used to enjoy RFI’s English before they slashed their SW service to Europe. Nowadays the station seems to concentrate mostly on serving its African listeners. It’s good. But I still miss their European service (Media Network blog Jan 16 via DXLD) RFI UPDATE --- The current news about RFI are somewhat unclear to me, and it appears that this is not entirely a matter of translation. I gather the following: * German, Polish, Serbocroatian, Albanian, Turkish and Lao will cease on Jan 31. This deadline acc. the "Le Point" magazine. The cancellation of these programs in general is reported unanimously by various news organizations, including RFI German itself. * 206 of 1042 job positions will be cut, including 106 journalists. * In 2008 RFI showed a deficit of 9 million Euro. Due to this situation the French government will provide 17.2 million Euro additionally. This according to AFP in German, reports about the 17.2 million figure reflecting RFI's complete deficit appear to be a result of translation problems, provided that AFP's own translation into German is correct. * As previously for Russian and Chinese RFI now also denied reports about a closure of its Persian service (with petitions to Sarkozy etc., just the usual procedure). * Useful details from the "Le Figaro" newspaper: The French government is willing to provide additional funds for RFI but requires a "modernization" of the station. Additional online services in Russian, Chinese and Persian could be developed. Perhaps contracts for the transmissions on shortwave, expiring in 2010/2011, will not be prolonged. My conclusions: For German, Polish, Serbocroatian, Albanian, Turkish (no longer on shortwave, with the exception of German I'm not even sure if anything else than online still remained so far) and Laotian (Mon-Fri only via Taiwan on 15680) the end will in all likelihood come on Jan 31, in this regard the "Le Point" report is consistent with earlier rumours. Russian, Chinese and Persian radio programs will not be cancelled now but just a little bit later, in 2011. Especially noteworthy is the hint about expiring contracts. This apparently refers to RFI's transmission contracts with TDF. Not prolonging them would mean that in 2011 *all* shortwave transmissions of RFI will end, including those for Africa. Perhaps hard to imagine, but on the other hand it is my impression that nothing is impossible anymore, including the unthinkable. News item about closure from RFI German service: http://www.rfi.fr/actude/articles/109/article_1053.asp The above referenced German-language AFP item: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5izmTztrf92o_rwujSkt70RFPxY9A AFP item about RFI Persian: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gR23Z_QlXj3sgWbob8uwQcn9P8XQ Le Point report: http://www.lepoint.fr/actualites-medias/plus-de-200-postes-supprimes-a-rfi-dont-106-journalistes/1253/0/307359 Le Figaro report: http://www.lefigaro.fr/medias/2009/01/15/04002-20090115ARTFIG00418-l-etat-s-apprete-a-recapitaliser-rfi-.php (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Jan 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. TDF - special DRM transmissions to Finland --- This week TDF will perform special shortwave DRM test transmissions to Finland: Coding parameters: Mode: DRM Cr = 0.6, bit rate # 21 kbits /sec Audio encoding : AAC / SBR Tx Power = 150 kW RMS Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 January 2009, from 0800 to 1600 UTC Frequency = 9725 kHz Antenna: 4/4 at 35 ” Time: 0800:30- 0859 UTC Audio Programme: Chinese Frequency = 11875 kHz Antenna: 4/4 at 35 Time: 0900 -1459 UTC Audio Programme: Chinese. Frequency = 9725 kHz Antenna: 4/4 at 35 Time: 1500-1557 UTC Audio Programme: Chinese. Friday 16 January, from 0800 to 1000 UTC Frequency = 9725 kHz Antenna 4/4 at 35 Time: 0800:30- 0859 UTC Audio Programme: Chinese. Frequency = 11875 kHz Antenna: 4/4 at 35 Time: 0900 -1000 UTC Audio Programme: Chinese. TDF are interested in reports; please use this thread for reception results. http://www.drmrx.org/forum/showthread.php?t=2058 (Source: Simone via DRM Software Radio Forums) January 14th, 2009 - 14:10 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) Whence? Nowhere on the thread does anyone even wonder or answer the question. It could be GUF or it could be ISS, but per DRM skeds it is the latter. Now there`s a niche audience --- Chinese-speakers in Finland with DRM receivers! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4 ruud January 15th, 2009 - 13:33 UTC Instead of wasting money on DRM the Chines had better invest in more attractive programmes. The Chinese output I hear in analogue SW and MW (such as Luxembourg) hardly has audience if you ask me, they sound very boring in my ears. Like most other SW content that is now also taking over MW. 5 Kai Ludwig January 15th, 2009 - 14:55 UTC Just in case this detail got lost: The modulation is indeed China Radio International. Did really nobody ask why in the world Issoudun beams CRI in Chinese to Finland? One hears about a delegation of some Chinese decision makers, visiting Paris and now Finland. During their stay in Paris CRI was also carried by the DRM test transmitter at Villebon-sur-Yvette (999 kHz). Apparently a desperate attempt to attract the system to the Chinese after they did nothing during the Beijing games, as had been promised in advance. 6 Steven Allan January 15th, 2009 - 15:38 UTC Yet another post about a test DRM broadcast. How come it is always a test? DRM was invented yonks [sic] ago. Furthermore, this one seems to follow the same pattern as always. The programmes are directed at shortwave radio enthusiasts who are very much a dying breed. The programming is then designed in such a way as to deter everyone else from listening by broadcasting minority programmes in the wrong language to a load of people who haven’t got a DRM radio and don’t want one either, and even if they did, wouldn’t want to listen to the said programmes. As soon as an alternative way has been established for broadcasters to reach distant audiences, then broadcasting on shortwave in am, ssb, DRM, fm, pm or whatever else will become nothing more than a hobby, anyway. With the speed at which technology is moving, I don`t think that time is far off (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** GERMANY. DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- Latest news from the DAB decline in Germany: In Hessen the mono relays of Planet Radio and Harmony FM have stopped, leaving only the two Deutschlandradio programs in the DAB ensemble there. A number of transmitters, in particular in eastern Hessen, have been switched off, the remaining network has no state-wide coverage anymore. Elsewhere Deutschlandradio started to downgrade the DAB relay of Deutschlandfunk to 64 kbps mono, i.e. a ridiculous token service that sounds hardly better than AM. One hears that they justify this as a cost-saving measure. In general there are hints that one can just forget DAB+ and the "Big Bang". It already speaks volumes that the primary news source for the mentioned changes is the UK-based "place of residence" website. Even German DXers no longer note them (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Jan 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. 6140, 1325-1359* Sunday 11.01, Blue Star R, Zwolle, The Netherlands, via Wertachtal, German/English DJ playing pop songs in English/German/Dutch; addresses included http://www.bluestarradio.com --- transmitter fall out 1330-1343! 55555. Best 73, (Anker Petersen, AOR AR7030PLUS with the high 28 metres longwire in Skovlunde, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** GERMANY [non]. U.K./GERMANY 9545 Wasting of energy today Jan 13: Deutsche Welle German transmissions via VTC Woofferton relay in England from 0600 to 0757 UT today, only "hot air". Over and over again played VTC pause music of Cello instrument, originate from VTC London control room. Two [!] 250 kW sender in direction 78 degrees (East Europe/Russia, Minsk - Volgograd) and 114 degrees (towards Paris - Milano - Athens). 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) What did happen to the other shortwave frequencies? And what to satellite and the web streams? In other words, was just the Woofferton relay down (which would mean that VTC did not bother to get modulation via other ways, probably because no such action has been agreed in advance) or DW Radio German altogether (which would be quite remarkable)? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Jan 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREENLAND. I don't see calls reported much during Greenland DX reports, but for those wondering, here they are: 570 OXI Nuuk 650 OZM Godhavn 720 OXF Simiutaq 810 OYN Upernavik 900 OYJ Umanaq wrh (Bill Hepburn, Ont., WTFDA-AM via DXLD) ** GREENLAND. 3815, 2143-2213* 17.01, KNR, Tasiilaq (USB), Greenlandic programme of songs, 2200 KNR jingle and news in Danish, 2210 choir 24232. Best 73, (Anker Petersen, heard recently on my AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres longwire, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** GUATEMALA. La página web de Radio Verdad, Chiquimula http://www.radioverdad.org/ ya vuelve a funcionar con normalidad. Aparte también tienen esta otra: http://radioverdadguatemala.blogspot.com/ (Manuel Méndez, Spain, Jan 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Lots of illustrations on the blog including toward the bottom the new 2009y QSL design, as well as previous ones near the top (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUIANA FRENCH. Portadora sin modulación --- No sé si ya se había reportado, pero ayer y hoy estoy recibiendo una portadora muy intensa pero sin modulación en 9700 kHz. Ayer (fecha de Montevideo) la noté a eso de las 0015 UT (correspondiente al 18 de enero UT). Hoy nuevamente la detecto, y veo que sigue más allá de las 0100 (del 19 de enero). Voy a ver hasta qué hora sigue en el aire. Consultando la lista EiBi, podría ser R. Nederland en español desde Guayana Francesa 0000-0200 dirigido a Sudamérica. Si es así indicaría una falta de atención increíble ya que se estaría desperdiciando una potencia considerable. ¿Alguien puede confirmar si puede escuchar R. Nederland en esa frecuencia? 73 (Moisés Knochen, Montevideo, Uruguay, Jan 18, condiglist yg via DXLD) Recibo algo muy mal en 9700.5 y en 9701.5 pero entre ambas se tapan y las hace imposible de saber de que se trata. 0150 UT en estos momentos. Saludos cordiales Moises y grupo, 73 (Jorge - LU4YAO, ibid.) Bien, a mi me pareció escuchar algo debajo pero no lo pude discernir. Existe la posibilidad de que R. Nederland siempre haya estado allí con modulación y que la portadora sin modular se superpusiera por un periodo hasta apagar. Habrá que esperar hasta mañana. Gracias por el comentario (Moisés, ibid.) Estimados, hoy luego de las 0000 UT nuevamente está la poderosa portadora sin modulación en 9700 kHz. En esta oportunidad no escucho nada debajo. Lamentablemente encendí el receptor un poco después de las 0000 de modo que no pude escuchar el momento exacto en que aparece la portadora y si emite o no alguna señal de intervalo u otro sonido característico, pero sí se con seguridad que antes de las 0000 no estaba. Voy a hacerle un seguimiento a ver qué ocurre, en especial a qué hora desaparece y/o si aparece R. Nederland en español a las 0130 como ayer. Ampliaremos, Moisés [Luego:] Bueno, confirmado. Poco después de las 0130 apareció súbitamente la modulación de R. Nederland en español en 9700 kHz. Para mi esto confirma que esa portadora sin modulación es R. Nederland via GUF y que por algún error de programación se conecta el audio recién a las 0130 y no a las 0000 como debería ser. Una pena porque la señal es muy buena. Mañana veré si antes de las 0000 se recibe la IS de RN y con eso quedaría totalmente confirmado. 73 (Moisés, UT Jan 20, ibid.) ** GUINEA. Conakry, 7125, R. Guinée, Sonfonya, 1042-1410, 17 Jan, French, talks, news at 1100, music, African pops; 14341. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7125, R. Conakry. January 17 0832-0843, heard only one music which was an African style (repetitive theme) all this listening, with a voice alternating sing and reciting. Low modulation, 24432. 73's (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7125, 21/01 0845, R. Conakry, em French/Dialects, desde Conakry-Sofon, com 100 kW, mx típica, às 0847 UT um comunicado com menções a Conakry e nome de generais, as 0852 mx, voltando a Conakry às 0927 OM Talk como um discurso inflamado, 25332 (Jorge Freitas - Feira de Santana BA - Brasil, HCDX via DXLD) ** HAWAII. Station Name: KWHR Date: 20 Dec, 2008 Time: 0800(Z) Frequency: 9930 kHz Type of QSL: Card Day for reply: 17days Return postage: 0 Language used in reception report: English I transmit a reception report by an E-mail (J G 3 G C I Yasuhiro Kubo, Kobe-city,HYOGO,JAPAN. JCC#270105, Jan 16, HCDX via DXLD) You mean WHR is still verifying 9930 as KWHR instead of T8WH PALAU?? What do they know in South Bend? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** HONDURAS. 3250.04, Radio Luz y Vida, San Luis, 0350-0400*, Jan 17, contemporary Spanish religious music. Closing Spanish ID announcements at 0357. Sign off with anthem at 0358. Poor. Weak in noisy conditions (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. Spurious ! All India Radio ist wieder da. Zumindest mit zwei Spurs. Das Strickmuster ist wieder das gleiche wie im Dezember 2007. Die Grundfrequenz ist wieder 7410 kHz, der Abstand plus-minus 359 kHz. Vorher war AIR Delhi auf 7051 und 7769 kHz, und natuerlich auf 7410 kHz zu hoeren (Uli Bihlmayer, Germany, DARC/IARU Bandwatch Jan 14 via BC-DX Jan 19 via DXLD) ** INDIA. ALL INDIA RADIO BEGINS ITS FIRST DIGITAL 'SHORT WAVE TRANSMISSION' --- AIR January 16, 2009 The first digital shortwave transmitter of All India Radio will start functioning from Friday. The Chief Executive Officer of Prasar Bharati, Mr. B. S. Lalli will inaugurate this transmitter to mark the Golden Jubilee of High Power Transmitter Centre of AIR at Khampur in New Delhi. It will provide quality output to the listeners on the shortwave. The External Services programmes of AIR and Vividh Bharati services will be available with a boosted backup http://www.newsonair.com/news.asp?cat=national&id=NN4888 (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) Story no longer evident there (gh) FIRST DIGITAL SHORTWAVE TRANSMITTER OF AIR LAUNCHED TODAY The first digital shortwave transmitter of All India Radio started functioning today. The Chief Executive Officer of Prasar Bharati, Mr B S Lalli inaugurated this transmitter to mark the Golden Jubilee of High Power Transmitter Centre of AIR at Khampur in New Delhi. Speaking at the inaugural function Mr Lali said this transmitter is energy efficient said it will have wider reach and high quality broadcasting. He said that the aim of radio broadcasting is to reach those sections of population who have no access to information, knowledge and very few options for entertainment. Mr Lali asserted that the number of radio listeners is increasing manifold and all out efforts are being made to make it more attractive and focused. (Source: AIR) Andy Sennitt adds: This is the official launch of what have hitherto been classed as “tests”. According to the test schedule, Khampur has been operating in DRM mode at 0900-1200 UT on 6100 kHz (January 16th, 2009 - 10:13 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) I presume this is the transmitter which has been carrying DRM to Europe on a test basis for the past couple of months, listed in BDXCs B08 Broadcasts in English at 1745-2230 UT on 9945-9950-9955 kHz - DK (Dave Kenny, BDXC-UK via DXLD) Which? Both? AIR Khampur Golden Jubilee/Inauguration of DRM service photos: http://picasaweb.google.co.in/airkhampur/AIRKhampurGoldenJubilee# Regds (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, via Rachel Baughn, MT, DXLD) Great many photos, many of them similar, no captions, may run as slideshow, including guy with orange hair (gh, DXLD) ** INDONESIA [and non]. Re: 7235 -- RRI Palu or TWR India via Russia? Olá Glenn. A gravação realmente não está muito boa. Enviei o arquivo para uns colegas aqui do Brasil e da Europa e me reportaram que o hino ouvido na escuta é muito semelhante ao da Indonésia. Me indicaram o site http://www.intervalsignals.net/ e depois do hino no meu áudio e depois da ID do áudio do intervalsignals online a música parece ser semelhante e está no minuto 01:47 da minha gravação. No minuto 01:07- 01:09 existe 3 bips que são semelhantes a introdução de uma das transmissões da RRI Palu em seu site; logo após vem o hino da Indonésia por uns 40 segundos, ouve corte durante umas falas para eu ouvi melhor a ID pelo fone. Interessante é que no site intervalsignals no áudio de ID da Voice of Indonesia é iniciado com o hino nacional da Indonésia que está na minha gravação. Como ouvi a ID após o hino pelo fone a loguei como tal. Um colega me disse: "O que aconteceu é um fenômeno muito comum nas OM, ou seja , duas ou mais emissoras no mesmo canal sem o devido desvanecimento de uma ou de outra, então estavam lá a Russia e a Indonésia simultaneamente com pequenos picos de uma e de outra. Mas ouvindo novamente hoje o hino é bastante audível ". O log poderia ser configurado como "presumida" ou "tentative" com base na gravação, mas como ouvi a ID não a classifiquei dessa maneira. Muito obrigado por analisar meus logs e incluí-los em seus boletins de circulação mundial e de prestigio indiscutível. Um forte abraço, (Jorge Freitas, SWL1023B, Skype jorge.freitas.fsa, Feira de Santana, Bahia, 12º 15' 1.57" S 38º 58' 40.30" W, Degen 1103, Antena fio longo com 20 metros e balum 9:1, Jan 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. 3976.1, KALIMANTAN, presumed RRI Pontianak 1124-1131, Jan 13, Indonesian. Various announcers with talk & EZL pop music; in the clear until abrupt CW & ARO dogpile at 1130. If indeed Pontianak, first log here in a long time (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, N.H. USA, R8, RX-350D, CLR/DSP, MLB1, 200' Bevs, 60M dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) KALIMANTAN --- 3976.05, RRI-Pontianak, Jan 13, 1500+ Indonesian. Casual talks and local music and songs. This station has been coming in nicely this week. Yesterday it was the strongest AM station in the band. Voice modulation is low and hard to understand but the recorded selections are at full volume level. This can be heard in parallel (but with a 65(!) second delay) via http://www.rripontianak.com/jadual-pro-1/ (David Walcutt, Eugene, OR, NASWA yg via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 3325, RRI Palangkaraya, 1523-1545, Jan 16; special programming with what sounded like the puppet show mentioned on VOI, the play also had indigenous music with it; played choral Anthem; parallel with 3976.03, RRI Pontianak, both weak. 9525.88v, Voice of Indonesia; 1504-1542, Jan 16; extended programming past their usual 1501 sign-off; in English; news; special coverage of the President and First Lady of Indonesia (along with many top government officials) attending a Japanese puppet show in Jakarta, reporter described what was happening and translated when the President talked in BI, but was sorry he could not translate what the Japanese speakers were saying, explained the four main characters of the puppet show; mentioned there was RRI coverage of the event (after I heard this, went looking to hear what was on 3325 and 3976.03); a song in Japanese; switched back to the studio for "Indonesian Wonders" about Java; fair; very enjoyable programming (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9525.93, Voice of Indonesia, 1035-1045 Jan 17. Noted a program of English language comments by both a male and female with music interspersed. Signal was very good compared to previous mornings. Noted a number of ID's as, "... Voice of Indonesia ... " However, the female had trouble with the English and was difficult to understand at times (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, NRD545, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11786, Voice de Indonesia, Jakarta, 1551-1603, escuchada el 17 de enero en inglés a locutora con comentarios presentando temas musicales, música pop melódica, música de sintonía, locutora con ID “Voice of Indonesia in Jakarta”, SINPO 45444. 1603-1608, escuchada el 17 de enero en idioma sin identificar, probablemente en malayp o indonesio, locutor con presentación, sintonía, ID, locutora con noticias, referencias a América, terrorismo, Indonesia, Israel, SINPO 45444 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. VOI, 9526, nothing much audible at first check 1335 Jan 21, nor during the 1400 hour, but at 1500 recheck it was in with pop vocal music; finally at 1504 YL opening English with perpetual mention of wrong frequency, 11785; and then cut off at 1505* as also per custom in this SNAFUed station (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL. NEW YEAR ON SW Started with RNZI at 1100 UT on 13660 but only news and no special program. Radio Australia with jokes and songs from 1205 UT on 9475 (here in Chinese from 1300), 9560, 9580, 9590 and with special company in the studio. Just before 1300 UT they countdown "9,8,7....1 New Year !" Explosion of champagne, etc. and till 1600 UT when N.Y. was in Western Australia. Next North Korea at 1445 UT speech, at 1451 UT the N.A. with trumpets, at 1500 UT man and woman spoke loud. Mongolia on 4830 kHz and under India on 4895 kHz at 1550 UT speech of ?president, N.A. at 1558 UT and at 1601 salvo shots. Kyrgyzstan observed from 1745 UT with speech of the president from 1753 UT in Kyrgyz and from 1757 UT in Russian and at 1800 shots. N.A. of republic and at 1803 UT melody theme from "Love Story" and lady did greet in Kyrgyz and Russian. President of Russian Federation Medvedev heard with speech 3 times: at 1856 on 4050 kHz, same record on LW 198 kHz at 2057 UT on program "Mayak" and from 2056 UT on MW 1350 kHz. Abkhazia followed by N.A. of Soviet Union (maybe with new text already?) on 4050 kHz and 198 and N.A. of Abkhazia on 1350 kHz. Same reported on Radio Kanal Sadruzhestva at 2053 UT on 5965 kHz. Oh, there was also Tajikistan heard on 4765 kHz with national president speech from 1850 UT and gong at 1900 UT. For 5005 kHz please see UNID. The most interesting was on 4905 kHz where till 2250 UT noted songs and tam-tams, military marsh and announcement in Vern, French & Arabic. N.A. at 2259 UT, speech of the president in French only. Often said "chadee e chadeniee" and just at 2309 UT "Bonne Annee !" (so the New Year is coming when the chief said...). N.A. above is National Anthem. All on December 31st, 2008 (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, Jan 2, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 19 via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. FOR SALE: TWO SATELLITES Rapid TV News, Chris Forrester, January 18,2009 In a week’s time on Jan 26 an auction will take place on the instructions of the Delaware Bankruptcy Court with, amongst other assets belonging to Worldspace, two satellites will be sold off. Lot 9 on the asset manifest is Afristar operating over Africa, the Mid-East and Europe, and Lot 10 is Asiastar, both working satellites in Equatorial orbit. How much might they sell for, and who might be interested? Ageing satellites frequently get sold, or more likely leased by third parties, when they are surplus to their primary mission... See full article at http://www.rapidtvnews.com/index.php/200901182944/for-sale-two-satellites.html (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** IRAN. 9735, Jan 13 at 1423 open carrier, flutter; what could this be? Thailand 9725 was in, not always the case; and BBC Singapore 9740. On 9735 at 1428 piano music starts; 1430 chimes and ``Govorit Iran`` ID, and yes, this is // 9575 which I have been hearing regularly at this hour. Should have checked whether they are synchronized, as looked up later, I see that 9735 is Ahwaz, 250 kW at 26 degrees, while 9575 is Sirjan, 500 kW at 330 degrees. Sounded about the same here. 9735 also heard 24 hours later, but much poorer (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN [non]. Of all radios broadcasting to Iran it seems only V. of Iranian Kurdistan is on the air. Reported [by Rumen himself??] 23 Dec to 1 Jan at 0245-0435 and 1245-1435 on 3910-3940v in Kurdish and Persian. Iranian jammers are reported [by the passive Rumen himself?] at various times on 4270, 4837v and 6760v – probably jamming stations with woman reading ``whiskey, delta, bravo, x-ray`` etc. (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria, Jan BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) SSB? So masquerading as NATO/ICAO with such fonetix? 6760 is a US military frequency, Andrews (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN [and non]. I was just listening to Bjarne Mjeldes Kongsford recordings (Jan 9th 2009) and I noticed: 1728.000 kHz, IRIB (2 x 864.000) 1900 UT. I also *think I hear a "Govorit Bulgaria" ID on 1728 underneath IRIB; I'm not even sure if that`s a legitimate ID for Bulgaria but thats what it sounded like. There`s quite a few other carriers on 1728. also: 1647 R Mayak (3 x 549) is still going strong (Tim Bucknall, England, Jan 20, harmonics yg via DXLD) 549 = nine Mayak sites listed in WRTH 2009 (gh) ** IRAN [non]. IRANIANS GET NEW BBC PERSIAN TV SERVICE (3:30) January 14, 2009 Today the BBC launched a new Persian-language television service...and it will be seen inside Iran. Reporter Cyrus Farivar has the story. . . http://www.theworld.org/audio/0114094.mp3 Just underway, BBC Persian TV already has more credibility than ``USG propaganda`` on VOA, and even more than the ludicrous Persian services out of Los Ángeles, which are replayed on weekend Iranian government TV for laughs. Admittedly, BBC is a co-producer of The World; hmmm (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also U K [non]: Iran deeply suspicious of new BBC Persian TV service ** IRELAND. "OBAMA FM" BROADCASTS IN IRELAND Radiowaves 16 January 2009 http://www.radiowaves.fm/newsart/090116i.html Ireland's newest radio station is to change its name for just one day on Monday. To celebrate Ireland's connection to US President Elect Barack Obama's inauguration on the 20th of January i105107, the radio station that covers the midlands and north east of Ireland, will become Obama FM in anticipation of this historical event. On the day Obama FM will be broadcasting all day from Moneygall in Co. Offaly, the ancesteral home of Barack Obama's great-great-great- grandfather. The station's website, on-air imaging and content will all reflect the US President Elect's Inauguration on January 20th. The i105107 Obama FM bus (pictured below) is already travelling around the region spreading the word of the big day and Pat the Baker bread makers has also got in on the fun and agreed to create a new product called Barack's brack. i105107 Programme Director Alan Swan said the Obama bus was attracting a lot of attention: "We just thought we should do something to celebrate Barack Obama's Irish roots. It will be such a historical occasion we had to mark it some way, and we are doing it in typical iRadio fashion!" Aimed at 15-34 year olds i105107 covers the counties of Louth, Meath, Cavan, Monaghan, Kildare, Offaly, Westmeath and North-East Laois (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) i105107 is so much catchier (gh) ** ISRAEL. New IBA TV in-depth news show in English - I have no idea if they'll add this to their on-demand media on http://www.iba.org.il/media http://www.iba.org.il/spokesman/index.aspx?classto=DoverInnerYedia&entity_code=495452 http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iba.org.il%2Fspokesman%2Findex.aspx%3Fclassto%3DDoverInnerYedia%26entity_code%3D495452&sl=iw&tl=en&hl=en&ie=UTF-8 (Some retranslating done) CLOSEUP, a new actuality program for English language speakers. IBA continues to expand its programming to audiences who speak different languages... Channel 33, Wednesdays, at 17:25, immediately after the news in English Every Wednesday, at the end of the news in English a new actuality program called CLOSEUP will be presented and arranged by Leah Zinder and Steve Leibowitz. The program will have in depth interviews with senior economic politicians, actuality matters of interest to citizens during the week, will show angle of vision of the world against Israel and [?] integrated correspondents and photographed news. IBA tests found that there was apparently great demand among speakers of the language in the country. The news held every day can not deepen burning issues, CLOSEUP will address this for this audience. § Sunday - Thursday the English language news flash 16:50-17:00. § Sunday - Thursday the news in English between 17:00-17:20 on Channel 33. § Friday and Saturday news at 18:00 on Channel 33. [all local times presumably] CLOSEUP Wednesdays at 17:25, immediately after the new edition in English --- 13.01.2009 11:39 [Later:] Yes, there is a link to view Closeup, on demand, from http://www.iba.org.il/reka and http://www.iba.org.il/media (via Doni Rosenzweig, Jan 16, DXLD) ** ISRAEL. For a few days there's been a clicking sound on 5000. Audible just below and above even frequency. It seems to be Israel Navy CW, 4XZ (parallel 4331 and others). Very distorted, mostly giving only clicks of the transmitter. Some time ago I noted one of the 4XZ transmitters on 6400 area (don't remember exact frequency) having serious problems. This 5000 is probably a faulty transmitter on some frequency putting out spur (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, Jan 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JAPAN. 3925, Radio Nikei, 1235-1250, Jan 17, some local music. Japanese talk. Weak with HAM QRM. Weak but in the clear on // 6055 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JORDAN. 9830, Radio Jordan (Al Kharana) (presumed), 1847-1905, 1/17/2009, Arabic. Man talking slowly and quietly, perhaps reading a story. About 20 seconds of open carrier at 1858, then 5 second carrier drop. Back with announcements by man, time pips on the hour, announcements by woman, and news by man. Good signal with heavy RTTY interference. SINPO 32333 (Jim Evans, Germantown, TN, Eton E1, Random Wires (90' and 200'), Eavesdropper Dipole, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. CLANDESTINE --- RFC (Radio Free Chosun), 11560 kHz, e-mail verification: ``Thank you for your e-mail. It was correct that your report was on RFC (Radio Free Chosun) RFC is shot wave [sic] broadcast targeting to North Korean people. If you want to know more about RFC, please visit our website, http://www.rfchosun.org/eng Thank you again. Yours sincerely, RFC rfchosun @ rfchosun.org`` (Juan Antonio Arranz, Spain, Jan 12, playdx yg via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. Shiokaze QSY from Jan. 13 1400-1430 5985 (ex 5910) 2030-2100 5965 (ex 6045) (S. Hasegawa, NDXC-HQ, Japan, Jan 14, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5985 (new frequency), Shiokaze/Sea Breeze via Yamata; *1400-1430*, Jan 14; ex: 5910; when I last heard them on 5910 (Dec 30) there was jamming present, so was time for them to move to a new frequency, but 5985 was perhaps not the best choice, as they now are mixing with Myanma Radio; in Japanese reading list of abductees names; poor reception and no jamming yet. Thanks to tip from Sei-ichi Hasegawa, NDXC via dxldyg (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5985, Shiokaze/Sea Breeze via Yamata; 1425-1430*, Jan 15; very poor reception; almost totally covered by Myanma Radio (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, you're right, Ron, I heard 5985 on Jan. 17 1406-1428 their Japanese and or Korean talk came into crash with talk and songs from Myanmar (Tony Ashar, Depok – West Java, Indonesia, ibid.) Shiokaze, via Japan on new 5985, Jan 17 at 1417 in Japanese talk, no piano undercurrent, and no QRM. I noticed Jan 14 that this was missing from 5910 where it had been for some weeks. And Jan 15 at 1406 had a very poor signal in Korean or Japanese on 5985 with a het, which I supposed was Myanmar, but other reports have Myanmar also on 5985.0 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. New Service: Voice from the Wilderness via FEBC- HLAZ on 1566 kHz at 2000-2100 UT (Sun only). (S. Hasegawa, NDXC-HQ, Japan, Jan 14, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Not in AOKI list, and see WRTH p 494, Voice from the Wilderness brokered by CVC/CVI from Dushanbe, 9320 1300-1400 44 DB 300 kW 70 deg (ex 9330 in A-08) (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) Voice from the Wilderness SW now on 9830 kHz via Yerevan at 1300-1400 UT. Add SW service on BVBN-Voice of Wilderness on 7265 kHz via Wertachtal at 2000-2100 UT (Sun only). de Hiroshi (S. Hasegawa, NDXC, ibid.) 9830 - Bad selection for European listeners. Co-channel Croatia and CRI Beijing, both 100 kW co-channel ! wb (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) TAJIKISTAN [to KOREAs ?] 9830 [ex 9330 in A-08, ex 9320 in B-08 til last week]. 1300-1400 UT in Korean via supposedly Dushanbe-TJK site. Sei-ichi in Nagoya says Yerevan-Gavar-Armenia relay site. I've my doubts; normally Gavar outlets are much stronger here at my place, even on back lobe transmissions. Three programs co-channel mess. Tiny Croatia in dead zone of EUR, weak CRI Beijing to Pacific, and - strongest - Voice of Wilderness in Korean, by female fast reading. Voice of Wilderness in Korean of probably Cornerstones Ministries International. Address P. O. Box 4002, Tustin, CA 92781-4002, USA. In South Korea: Cornerstone, Yeong Dong, P.O.Box 8, Seoul 135-660, Rep. of Korea. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, Jan 16, ibid.) 9830, Voice of Wilderness. 16 Jan, 09 at 1350-1358(S/off) in Korean. SIO: 344. Amateur Radio Receiver: ICOM IC-706 mk2 GS; Antenna: 145/435 MHz Dual Band Gland Plane; Reception place: My home (Suma-ku Kobe- city) (J G 3 G C I Yasuhiro Kubo, Kobe-city, HYOGO, JAPAN. JCC #270105, HCDX via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [and non]. CLANDESTINE, 3912 Voice of the People, Goyang, 1917-1925, 17 Jan, Korean, talks; 23341, jammed (the jamming station was clearly heard this time, could not be confused with some other kind of [utility] signal); \\ 6518, 6600. 6518 ditto, 1918-, 17 Jan, cf. \\ 3912 & 6600; 33431, jammed. 6600 ditto, 1920-, 17 Jan, cf. \\ 3912 & 6518; 23431, jammed. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KURDISTAN [non]. Denge Mezopotamya, 11530 via Ukraine, 1449- 1459:55* nothing but OM vocalist mixing singing and shouting, barely avoiding choking, with lite accompaniment or interludes by flute and other instruments. This is really exotic and a treat to hear; a Kurdish thing, I guess. But how are the audience to know that they have to retune to 7540? Unless he worked that info into his heartfelt performance (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KUWAIT. Saludos cordiales, acabo de recibir por correo el siguiente esquema B-08 de Radio Kuwait. 0200-0930 15495 Árabe. Norte y Centro de África 0200-1305 6055 Árabe. Golfo Pérsico. 0315-0700 11675 Árabe. Norte América. DRM. 0500-0800 15110 Inglés. Sur u Sureste de Asia 0800-1000 7250 Persa. Golfo Pérsico. 0915-1310 13620 Árabe. Europa y Norte de América. DRM 1000-1200 17885 Filipino. Asia 1000-1740 11630 Holy Quran. Norte, Centro y Oeste de África. 1205-1500 17885 Holy Quran. Rusia y Mongolia. 1315-2110 9880 Árabe. Norte y Centro de África. DRM 1505-1800 13620 Árabe. Europa y Norte de América. 1800-2100 11990 Inglés. Europa y Norte América. 1800-0000 13600 Árabe. Norte, Centro y Oeste de África. 1815-0000 9855 Árabe. Centro América. 2200-0300 11675 Árabe. Norte América. DRM (José Miguel Romero, Spain, Jan 17, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Jan 18, R Kuwait, in Arabic, 11990 at 1755z before switching to English at 1800z. Splash from VOA Greenville 11975 after 1800z sign on (Jerry Lenamon, Waco Texas, Drake R8B, T2FD, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LAOS. 6130, LNR; 1420-1435, Jan 16 (Fri.); technical difficulties today; after the news in Laotian at 1415 played SE Asia music; they were late starting the program in English and Laotian ("New Dynamic English"); after the program there was 5 minutes of just open carrier before the start of a music program (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LATVIA [non]. May we now safely assume that any pirates on 9290 are really pirate transmitters and not Ulbroka, Latvia? Despite pirate fans having loosened their standards to report Latvian relays among other pirate logs (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LESOTHO [and non]. South[ern] African news: This morning 090117 at 0130 I detected a new transmitter on: 639 kHz running // programming to R. Lesotho on 891. The station is about 10 dB stronger than 891. Also, 846 Komga [South Africa] was off air = unusual = will keep an eye on that (John Plimmer, Montagu, Western Cape Province, South Africa, South 33 d 47 m 32 s, East 20 d 07 m 32 s, Icom IC-7700, Icom IC-756 PRO III with MW mods, ERGO software, Drake SW8. Sangean 803A, Sony 7600D, GE SRIII, Redsun RP2100, Antennas RF Systems DX 1 Pro Mk II, Datong AD-270, Kiwa MW Loop. http://www.dxing.info/about/dxers/plimmer.dx DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBERIA. 6070, ELWA, 2240-2302*, Jan 16, religious music. Talk. Sign off with National Anthem. Weak under a strong Romania. Weak but in the clear after Romania 2257 sign off (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LITHUANIA. IRIB no longer uses Sitkunai --- Re DX MIX NEWS # 555 11 January 2009 ``All txions from Sitkunai are cancelled`` One week later still no IRIB via Sitkunai anymore. At least tonight I heard them neither on 6180 until 1830 nor on 6115 after 1830. So it does not appear to be just a temporary interruption, as it happened in 2006 for about a week, but indeed a definite cancellation now. One has to wonder why, but I can well imagine that it was IRIB itself who decided to give up the Sitkunai relays. Their reception quality was hardly ideal since the Lithuanian telcom authorities had banned the use of OOB frequencies above 6200 kHz as of last March. The frequencies inside the 49 mB always suffered from interference. During winter there are simply no really clear frequencies left there in the evening. Thus reception of the Lithuanian relay was no longer much better than the transmissions from Iran itself. I just checked out German tonight: 7380 from Sirjan gets some splash from Cërrik on 7385, and at 1830, when French follows on this frequency, a rather nasty, fast SAH had erupted (who's this co-channel station?). But 6205 from Kamalabad was in the clear and had pretty good signal strength. Neither Sirjan nor Kamalabad suffered from distorted audio, as it was the case a while ago, and it is just a note of interest that Kamalabad transmits audio with full bass while at Sirjan anything below 150 Hz or so is filtered out (the audio processing for shortwave at Sitkunai includes such a highpass, too). For the record: The complete schedule for the Sitkunai shortwave transmitter should now read as: daily 2130-2230 KBC Radio on 6055, daily 0100-0200 RFA Uighur on 9480, and Sundays only 0200-0300 KBC Radio on 6110. All this of course unless further changes came into force recently (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Jan 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MADAGASCAR. 5009.92, R. Nasionaly Malagasy; 1508-1534, Jan 13; surprised to hear this for the first time in the conventional DSB mode, as noted in DXLD 9-004; in the past I had always heard this in just the USB+carrier mode (on 5010.0). Very helpful now to hear this in LSB to get away from QRM from AIR on 5010.0 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. 6049.60, Suara Islam/Voice of Islam via RTM; 1530-1540, Jan 12; in vernacular; 10 minutes of the regularly scheduled Monday segment about higher education in Malaysia; talking about several colleges, especially "Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia, UPNM" (which is Malaysia's first college focusing on developing modern armed forces); included nice singing jingle with many verses of "Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur"; program started and ended with the singing "Malaysia" jingle; ID "Suara Islam, Kuala Lumpur"; fair. Audio clip posted at "Files – Station Sounds". On Jan 13 Suara Islam was off the air during post 1500 checks. 6049.60; RTM continues to be off the air for a second day; no sign of Asyik FM pre-1400, nor Suara Islam post-1400, Jan 14. Am glad I caught the Suara Islam program on Jan 12 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I never hear more than a het from this beating against something closer to 6050.0, and the het was there, Jan 20 at 1336 check (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. M'SIA [sic], 7295, TraxxFM at 1542 14 Jan with old rock songs and max signal S5. Best reception on AM Narrow. Nothing heard on 15th (Zacharias Liangas, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALI. 9635, RTV du Mali 01/13/09 Tuned in and heard late sign-on. Carrier detected at 0758 but no audio until 0803 -- three minutes past usual *0800. Joined program in progress with OM in French (Bruce Barker, Broomall, PA, NRD535-D receiver and an Alpha Delta DX Sloper antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. I am curious as to the actual location of the XE on 1700 (XEPE? XEKTT?) serving San Diego. It is seemingly licensed to Tecate, but the map does not exactly show Tecate as a suburb of Tijuana. Southern Californians, can you enlighten me? Thanks. (This is sort of moot since the station is now blocked by a very efficient Part 15 station about a half a mile away from me here in Brown's Point/Tacoma). (Pete Taylor, Tacoma, WA, Jan 15, IRCA via DXLD) Pete - XEPE is on 1700. Their towers are visible here: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=32.53778,+-116.98972+(XEPE-AM)&om=1 73 (Dennis Gibson, CA, ibid.) Dennis, So they are directional, presumably northward? Do they ID as Tecate or Tijuana? (Pete Taylor, Tacoma, WA, ibid.) Pete, According to Bill Lipis, their CE, 1700 is 10 kW ND 24/7. 73, (Patrick Martin, ibid.) As far as the Mexican stations are concerned, sometimes it's hard to know how much power they are running and if they are directional or non-directional. The Mexican equivalent of the FCC is not exactly honest all the time. They don't always monitor stations to see that they're built according to what's allowed in the construction permit or for existing stations whether they are running the correct power and antenna pattern. Here's an example. Both XESS-620 and XESDD-1030 [Tijuana] share the same tower and both are supposed to be directional. I went to their transmitter site last April and there's only one tower there so they're actually non-directional. The Mexican equivalent of the FCC doesn't always cooperate with the FCC in trying to resolve problems like this. 73 (Dennis Gibson, CA, mwdx yg via DXLD) The Google map shows two towers but I'm sure Bill is right. Maybe they built a second as a backup or perhaps they were once directional. There is a graveyarder not far from here (KVEN-1450) that was once directional. See: http://www.fybush.com/sites/2004/site-041119.html XEPE is very strong here. Broadcasting in Mexico can be a guessing game with their government operating as it does; lots of corruption and incompetence. Of course the FCC can be difficult to deal with too (Dennis Gibson, IRCA via DXLD) 1700, XEPE Tecate, Baja California; English “News, talk, (?) on San Diego 17-hundred” ID W/F 0700 18/01 (Paul Crankshaw, Troon, Scotland, MWC via DXLD) ** MICRONESIA. 4755, Pohnpei. The Cross Radio. Still planning to return to this frequency. Via an email from Melinda R. Espinosa in Guam, they are still waiting for a technician (John Durham, Tauranga, NZ, dxissimo, Jan NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** MOROCCO. Medi 1 noted with much improved signal recently on LW 171 kHz // SW 9575. It sounds like a new or revamped LW transmitter. The signal is even audible during the day whereas in the past it could only be heard at night with a weak signal. Audio also sounds better (David Duckworth, UK?, and Dave Kenny, Caversham, Berks., England, Jan BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) 171, Medi Un, Nador JAN 14 0405 - tuned-in to a program which did consist of mostly back-to-back plaintive Arabic vocals with male comments in Arabic, then at 0500 had a short newscast in Arabic that was followed by a weather report in French. Then a pop-dance number by Akon which was followed by a French newscast which mentioned an earthquake that did shake neighboring Algeria not a long time ago, known in French as "glissement de terrain", then international weather forecast for a few neighboring worldwide cities, most of them being in southern France (where the daytime groundwave signal of Medi Un does a good job covering those areas). Fair-good. SINPO 34343 with occasional QRM from a long tone popping up; was it a LowFER? (Bogdan Chiochiu, QC, HCDX via DXLD) ** MOROCCO. 15345, RTV Marocaine (Nador), 1640-1653, 1/17/2009, Arabic. Man talking followed by traditional vocal music. Talk returned at 1653 with mention of Morocco. Good signal. SINPO 34333. (Jim Evans, TN) ** MYANMAR. R. Myanma heard 26 Dec on 7185 at 0055-0229 including news in English at 0200-0203 and pop/disco songs in English and vernax to 0228 (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria, Jan BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) 5985.0, Myanma R.; 1425-1433, Jan 15; in vernacular with pop songs; BoH indigenous instrumental music; fair with very light QRM from Shiokaze till their 1430*. Myanma R. has fair reception before the 1500 sign-on of a strong CRI (in Japanese) on 5980, which causes QRM/splatter for Myanmar, which is unfortunate as it prevents clear reception of Myanmar's English segment from 1530 to 1600* (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEPAL. 5005 UNID. (NEPAL?) - dead carrier at 0110 on 14 Jan. No audio, but signal at same signal level and fading rate as the AIR stations, which lends theory to Nepal. Anyone heard this lack of audio from Nepal on this frequency? I haven't seen them reported in a bit. They are the only folks scheduled to be on at this time. Overall good signals. 73s de (Al Muick, Kabul, Afghanistan, WinRadio G303e, 200m Longwire/Randomwire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) As I outpointed recently, in Feb 2008 Victor Goonetilleke, Sri Lanka reported them missing, and no reports seen since. Maybe they are about to come back. Next step: modulate (gh, DXLD) I have an open carrier on a bit above 5005 kHz now at 1230, but it looks too strong for Nepal, maybe Eastern Europe? 73, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, Jan 14, HCDX via DXLD) Glenn, You may be interested in this email I just got from Ram Karki, the Technical Director for Radio Nepal. He and I worked together for the UN in Sudan.: "I am still working with Radio Nepal. Now running 24 hour and you can also access on our web site http://www.radionepal.org Right now we are broadcasting on 12 FM stations, 6 MW stations and 1 SW transmitter on 5005 kHz. You are right, that is our frequency. All total radiating power of 527,000 Watts. I want to put some more micro FM station in many villages of Nepal by solar power. I know you are very knowledgeable engineer. If you can suggest any thing it will be appreciated. Our country is facing lots of problems. After long years of civil war there is no stability and right now we are facing big energy crisis. People have access of electricity only 8 hours a day and every day there are lot of strikes. No peace at all." I have asked him to clarify about 5005 kHz. He claims it is operating and I had the carrier again this morning, but it was a little weak and I got called into work on an emergency, so missed following it to see about modulation. At points, I thought I heard something, so it could be that the mod is just low. Best 73 (Al Muick, Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5005, UNID/(NEPAL?), This frequency was dead this morning at 0140 on 18 Jan. The last few days there has been a carrier there at the same level of the regional Indian stations, and once I thought I heard a little modulation. This morning propagation seems to be poor with even the regional Indians coming in at a bad level. An email from my old friend Ram Karki, the Technical Director for Radio Nepal, states that they are indeed using 5005. I will have to press him further to see if they are testing or actually active. Ram and I worked together for the UN in Sudan in 2005/06 (Al Muick, Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan 18, WinRadio G303e, 200m Longwire/Randomwire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5005 UNID. (NEPAL), Carrier here at 2350 on into new RayDay on 20 January. Just a hint of modulation, but never enough to catch any audio. My friend Ram Karki, Technical Director of Radio Nepal, writes the following: "Regarding 5005 kHz, it is very old Harris SW 100 transmitter and running on very low power. Perhaps you remember I asked your help to find the some manufacturer for about 50 kW Short wave transmitter." I guess I have to get it in gear and find a transmitter for them quickly, or this DX spot is in danger of disappearing. Well, we now have a new president. Let us all hope he can undo the misdeeds of the previous regime. Best 73 de (Al Muick, Kabul, Afghanistan, WinRadio G303e, 200m Longwire/Randomwire, Jan 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. New Zealand's ZLXA 3935 Goes Silent --- We've just heard that New Zealand shortwave station, ZLXA of the Radio Reading Service, is about to permanently sign off the air. In fact, it has already been silent since December 1 2008 and, as the following message from Kelvin Brayshaw [QSL Manager] says, the chances of it returning, except for a last special broadcast for DXers, are very unlikely. Subject: Radio Reading Service -ZLXA 3935 kHz Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:44:53 +1300 From: Kelvin Brayshaw I'm sorry to have to tell you that, in all probability, the shortwave service of the Radio Reading Service will soon be discontinued. ZLXA, 3935 kHz, has been in abeyance since 1st December 2008 pending the result of a listener survey and the consideration of cost- effectiveness. The final outcome is expected to be advised following deliberations by management at the first board meeting of the year - probably in February. I feel there will be members of SWL groups who might appreciate an opportunity to log this transmitter one last time during the northern winter, and I'm sure that if you were to make a special request on behalf of shortwave listeners, RRS management would, in a continuing spirit of goodwill, consider marking an event of such significance to the worldwide DX community by resuming transmission for a brief period. In the meantime Radio Reading Service programmes are streaming on the Internet. 73 & Best DX. Kelvin Brayshaw, QSL Manager According to the Radio Heritage Foundation you can contact ZLXA Radio Reading Service by email: info @ radioreading.org, or by mail to PO Box 360, Levin, New Zealand. The website is http://www.radioreading.org where you can learn more about the Shortwave Survey, about new technology options to reach listeners, and also learn more about the services provided by the station to its listeners in New Zealand. Until last month, ZLXA broadcast with 1 kW on 3935 kHz shortwave. Here at the Radio Heritage Foundation, we share the disappointment of many international listeners to this news. However, we also understand the issues facing the Radio Reading Service board of management that are leading up to this decision. We encourage radio listeners worldwide to take advantage of this offer by the station to make one more shortwave broadcast before leaving the air and to stay tuned for more information as to the date and time of this last broadcast (David Ricquish, RHF, Jan 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Fellas, we've all heard about ZLXA on 3935. Let's hope that reports of its demise are premature, based on this email from the station (Walt Salmaniw, BC, Jan 20, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: Hi Walter, I'm not sure where this information has come from, but there has been no final decision made on the future of our internal ( domestic ) shortwave service. Our board has yet to reach a final decision. Please remember this is an Internal Service and was never designed for reception outside on New Zealand. You can of course continue to listen to our program via the internet and Winamp audio player. The link is on our website. Regards (Steve, RRS, 21 Jan via Salmaniw, ibid.) ** NEW ZEALAND. Hello from Europe, for 2nd day in row, RNZi change from 9765 to 13660 at 1100 UT didn't happen. Maybe the antenna matching unit at Rangitaiki forced the AM mode transmitter to stay on 9765 kHz 31 mb automatically? (regards de wolfy df5sx, Jan 15/16, BC- DX via DXLD) ** NIGERIA [and non]. Rather like V. of Indonesia, V. of Nigeria has one frequency in each band, and you can never be quite sure which one will be used for any particular transmission. Jan 16 at 2150 heard VG signal with lo-fi French on 9690, all the signs of Nigeria here instead of previous 7255, which was empty. At 2152, pauses on 9690 as audio dropped out for a while. Not good news for WYFR, which collided with its IS on 9690 from 2155. 2158, French ID for Voix de Nigéria, and theme or anthem, 2200-2300 Hausa, also supposed to be on 7255, still in open carrier at 2302; from 2200 well over WYFR which is scheduled on 9690 at 2145-2445, 142 degrees in Portuguese. Aoki shows VON on 9690 only at 0800-1630. Who knows whether they will stay on 9690 at this hour (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Jan 18, V of Nigeria in English, 15120 at 1935z. 250 kW at 7 to N Africa and on to W Europe (Jerry Lenamon, Waco Texas, Drake R8B, T2FD, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA. NIGERIAN MINISTER WANTS NTI RADIO STATION TO USE SHORTWAVE The Nigerian Minister of State for Education, Hajia Aishatu Dukku, has commissioned the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI) Radio Station Radio at the NTI premises in Kaduna. However, the FM station has limited reach, and the minister appealed to the authorities of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to approve the expansion of the station from FM to shortwave in future, for the sake of all teachers in the country. (Source: The Guardian, Nigeria)(January 16th, 2009 - 10:59 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** NIGERIA [non]. Aso Radio, M-F 1600 in Hausa on 15180, the SW relay which started a couple months ago of the 93.5 FM station in Abuja, has not been from a clearly identified site; not listed in HFCC; Aoki hinted at France for a while, ending at 1655, but now has a blank space. EiBi has no site either but time as 1600-1700. However, WRTH 2009 in the COTB sexion, page 496, says unequivocally it is Samara, RUSSIA, at 1600-1645. Is Aso in PWBR `2009` at all? Of course not. First reported in DXLD 8-116 of Nov 7. There was a Radio Saa to Nigeria in the A-07 season on same frequency via Issoudun (Glenn Hauser, Jan 15-16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi, I got my in November posted letter to Aso Radio, Nigeria in return today, with hand written "NOT KNOWN" on it. No label or official stamp. The envelope hasn't been opened. I checked Aso Radio on the Internet and found their well updated Homepage (January 2009) with the very same address as I used for contacts. Emails via their Homepage have not bounced, but haven't been replied to. 73 from (Björn Fransson, Sweden, Jan 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. KEOR, Catoosa/Sperry/Tulsa OK, which had been missing for a couple weeks, was back on 1120 the afternoon of Jan 15 with usual oldies music tests; but gone again Jan 16 around 2015 UT check. Off-again, on-again: KEOR, 1120, Catoosa/Sperry/Tulsa, was again being heard at 2150 UT Jan 20, with the same limited playlist of oldies; already losing out to KMOX, about 7 Hz away; pause at 2158 but no legal ID audible tho they have done so in the past. Around 2210 it was the whistling ``Westminster Cathedral``. Also on when checked at 1955 Jan 21 (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** POLAND [non]. PRES, 9450 via Germany, Thu Jan 15 at 1330 with Multimedia show including news items, such as Dell moving produxion from Ireland to Poland, and later mailbag acknowledgments but no SW DX news. Host Slawek Szefs speaks in a very informal manner, and I suspect he is translating items on the fly rather than working from a prepared script; unfortunately, he does a lot of vocalized pausing, sometimes lasting several seconds, but I am sure that is a habit hard to break. He mentioned that North Americans should enjoy 9450 reception while it lasts; we do. As usual, everything moves one UT hour earlier in the A- 09 season, according to DST dates in Europe, not N America. English will be at 12-13 tentatively on 7330 via Nauen, 9525 via Wertachtal, where it is likely to collide with Indonesia again like last summer, unless VOI moves unpredictably back to 11785v; and at 18-19 on 7140 Jülich, and 7260-7265-7270 DRM Wertachtal (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ROMANIA. I thought I heard Radio Romania International on 6305 Wednesday at 1830 UT but this seemed to have a wide bandwidth as it remained clear while scanning up in 5 steps to 6315. I have not received them here before and this seems to be an out of band transmission. I don't believe it to be a harmonic either. It is unusual because 6305 is normally used by pirates or clandestines like space shuttle radio (Gary Drew, UK, Jan 17, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6305 must be a receiver-produced double-IF image of what must be a very strong RRI signal on the real frequency of 7215, 910 kHz below. Whenever you find something odd like this, check 910 kHz above. Such things exist ONLY in your receiver, and are not transmitted as such (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) I'm not sure how this is so Glenn. I have a Yupiteru MVT7100 scanner but the same thing happened on my Roberts R9921. I know the scanner can create a noise when tuned to the same frequency as the Roberts, for example if the two receivers are near to each other. A noise comes out on the Roberts until the scanner is turned off. It does this to the analogue TV signal of channel four on my portable (Gary Drew, ibid.) Double-IF images are quite common in many receivers, and I am sure this is what you had, as explained above (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ** RUSSIA. 30 mb BC-Intruder. "soeben hoerte ich wieder einmal bis 1300 UT auf 10105.00 kHz in AM einen BC-Intruder mit bis zu S7, QSB, Musikprogramm - europaeische Klassik kurz vor 1300 UT Ansage, die ich leider nicht verstanden habe, dann Pausenzeichen, Glockenklaenge, Motiv aus "Bilder einer Ausstellung" von M. Mussorgsky, ich vermute "Das grosse Tor von Kiev" Anbei eine Tonaufnahme, hoffentlich kannst Du was damit anfangen (Juergen dj4ey, via IARU Bandwatch, Jan 18 via BC-DX via DXLD) Motiv Mussorgsky - Kiew, die Aussendung nicht aus der Ukraine, - mit geklautem Erdgas betrieben - , ... sondern typischerweise die Glockenschlaege vom Kreml, also die Voice of Russia in Urdu Sprache, das ist die Absage auf dem Tonmitschnitt um 1259/1300 UTC. Muessen wir mal nach einer Formel der Intermodulation schauen: Der Sendeplan zeigt VoRussia in Urdu 9695 kHz fuer Pakistan 1200-1300 UT. VoRUS in Pashtu und Dari 9900 kHz fuer Afghanistan 1300-1400 UTC. Die Differenz der sich intermodulierenden Signal 105 / 210 kHz PASST ! Beide via Samara an der Wolga, in Richtung 140 Grad in Suedasien. Aaaaber die Sendezeit zeigt eigentlich kaum eine Ueberlappung der beiden infrage kommenden Programme. Da die Russen aber ihre 250 kilowatt Schaetzchen immer schoen 12 - 15 Minuten VORHER anwaermen, ergibt sich moeglicherweise eine Ueberlappung bei der Nutzung auf dem Antennengelaende oder der Antennenmatrix mit vagabundierenden Signalen. Man muesste mal in den naechsten Tagen beobachten, wann der Sender auf 9900 kHz angeschaltet wird {in der Groessenordnung ?1247 UT?}, ab diesem Zeitpunkt ergibt sich dann auch die Intermodulation auf 10105 kHz ... und \\ auch symmetrisch auf 9590 kHz ... (wolfgang df5sx, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 18 via DXLD) Just listen to the recordings. Yes, this is Radio Russia from Moscow in Urdu announced as 'Ye Radio Sadaye Russ hai' (This is Radio Russ ) in Urdu. Will check it live tomorrow. Bye for now (Alok Dasgupta, India, Jan 19, via Wolfgang Büschel, DXLD) Checked the freq 'live' this afternoon but signal on 10105 kHz is complete 'zero' today. But noted the same announcement( as per the recordings you've sent yesterday) in Urdu on 9695 kHz. Sounds like it is from 9695 kHz you heard on 10105 kHz (Alok Dasgupta, Jan 20, ibid.) Hi dear Alok, today January 20 at Stuttgart noted: Voice of Russia in Urdu language. 9695 kHz Samara S=6 at 1215 UT. 12025 kHz Moscow S=9+10 dB at 1220. 9900 kHz Samara S=9+10 dB at 1229:01 started "empty" tx carrier. At 1251:48 started 1000 Hertz test tone procedure. Intruder intermodulation signal modulated by \\ 9695 kHz program: 10105 kHz Intermodulation in Samara, S=2-3 -115 dBm level at 1230, from 1229:01 till 1300:18 UT on air! Noted also 'Ye Radio Sadaye Russ hai' identification. At 1259:20 both channels 9695 and 9900 kHz carried Kremlin Chimes transmissions, but NOT synchronously. 73 (Wolfgang df5sx Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. Two distorted like "FM" spurious signals on 5989 and 6101 kHz noted Jan 20th at 1700 to 2000 UT segment; of fundamental St. Petersburg 6045 kHz. 56 kHz away on both sides like low 5989 [5986...5993.5] and high 6101 kHz. S=7-8, 8 of 10 diodes shining on Sony display. Noted on three separate receivers. Observed Romanian, Hungarian, Czech, and Slovak program of Voice of Russia. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA [and non]. Re BELGIUM, 9-005: Three years ago 927 kHz was likewise kept on air throughout the night, in order to use the transmitter heat to keep the buildings warm. But apparently this is necessary only during crisp frost, i.e. all-night operation is an exception, no regular winter season feature Around the mid-nineties this circumstance brought Radio Mayak even a reprieve on shortwave. Back then Mayak had cancelled its last shortwave outlets during winter, but some transmitter sites were not prepared to replace the equipment heat by something else, and so they simply continued to transmit Mayak until spring came. I seem to recall that this concerned in particular the Kovylkino site that hereby went off shortwave altogether. Speaking about the weather: For Central Europe it is quite impressive to have -17 degrees not as minimum but around noon. Due to the absence of wind one could even walk out and enjoy the atmosphere with standard winter clothing (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Jan 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA [and non]. The most modern tx site of Yerevan is at small village called Gavar some 65 kilometers north-east, but all transmissions recorded under Yerevan capital. [ARMENIA] Krasnodar and Arm = Armavir is the very same site at small village Tbilisskaya, some 152 kilometers east of Krasnodar province state capital. Kishinev and Gri=Grigoriopol in Moldova is the very same site at small village Maiac location in Pridnestrovye-Moldova; some 54 kilometers north-east of Chisinau-Kishinev Moldova capital. All 13 MHz outlets from East Asia via Alaska, Western Canada into western USA are via Petropavlovsk Yelizovo site on Kamchatka island. That`s 1552 kilometers distance eastwards, between Komsomolsk-na-Amure and Petropavlovsk Yelizovo site. Vladivostok site located on small village Razdolnoye, some 28 km south of Ussuriysk, - and 22 kilometers north of Vladivostok harbour (Wolfgang Büschel, Jan 19, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. PANEL TO MULL ALLOCATION OF RADIO SPECTRUM | Text of report in English by Russian state news agency ITAR-TASS Moscow, 20 January: The allocation of radio frequencies to legal entities and natural persons, including those for electronic devices imported into Russia from abroad, is to be considered at this year's first session of the State Commission on Radio Frequencies here on Tuesday. The Commission's session in a renewed composition is to be conducted under the chairmanship of Igor Shchyogolev, Minister of Telecom and Mass Communications. A Ministry press service official has told ITAR-TASS that items on the agenda will deal with the arrangement for pilot zones for experimental digital DRM-standard radio broadcasting within the range of 3.95-26.1 MHz, the streamlining of the procedure for the allocation of 7,900- 8,400 MHz radio frequency bands, the procedure for the use of the 2,300-2,400 MHz radio frequency band for the development of mobile wideband wireless access to Russia's territory. The Commission members are also to examine applications from natural persons and legal entities for the allocation of radio frequency bands, including those for imported radio-electronic means and high- frequency devices, the Ministry official said. Participants in the session are to consider and decide on matters that have accumulated over the past eight months. Specifically, the issue of frequency assignments resultant of large-scale GSM competitions held in 2007. As of now none of operators that won licences had time to get frequency assignments. Source: ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, in English 0030 gmt 20 Jan 09 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** RWANDA. Things to check Thursday at 2000 UT --- Does Rwanda have English at 2000-2045 on 6055, or not? Tnx, (Glenn Hauser, 1717 UT Jan 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Was hearing a music program prior and past 2000 with Radio Rwanda ID's, but no English news noted (Steve Lare, DXLD Special Projects Team, Holland, MI, USA, Jan 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SERBIA [and non]. Re 9-005: Hola Glenn, te puedo decir que ese dia la frecuencia de 7100 kHz la escuchè con 2 receptores para probar si era una armónica, con el Sangean y con un Grundig y en los dos receptores la frecuencia era 7100 kHz; lógicamente sé que esta informaciòn genera polèmica sobretodo ahora que en Europa el espectro de frecuencia de radioaficionados llega a 7150. Pero justamente por esto doy la informaciòn; de todos modos la estoy monitoreando y apenas pueda, la grabo y se las mando por email. Un cordial saludo (Marino Pace, Italy, Jan 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Aclarado el misterio de RADIO SERBIA en los 7100 --- son transmisiones de los 6100 kHz retransmitidas por una estaciòn PIRATA; al menos eso es lo que se comenta en Italia, al parecer una estaciòn posiblemente de SICILIA o de las cercanías, se ha dedicado a retransmitir estaciones Broadcast como LA VOZ DE RUSIA, RADIO EXTERIOR DE ESPANA; RADIO SERBIA, etc. Usa normalmente la frecuencia de 7100 por lo que se deduce que posiblemente lo haga con un transmisor de RADIOAFICIONADOS; de todos modos los mantendrè informados. Confirmada Radio Serbia en Español en los 6100 a las 2000 UT de los días sábado. Cordiales saludos y 73, DX!!! (Marino Pace, Italy, Jan 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SERBIA. 7200, International Radio Serbia via Stubline. 10 kW. Have noted schedules with this frequency and location listed. Haven’t noted any reported reception as yet. 1400-2230 I think was the time planned to be operational non directional to Europe (John Durham, Tauranga, NZ, dxissimo, Jan NZ DX Times via DXLD) 7200, 1845, Int`l Radio Serbia good in English with ethnic music, and comment on Serbian affairs, ID 1859 3/12 then off (Ken Baird, Christchurch, NZ, Kenwood R500e0, R1000, 18m Wire, SW Eavesdropper, Jan NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** SINGAPORE. R. Warna, 7235, me envía una carta con un "thank you for your reception report" F/V Halawah Shaki, Senior Promotions Executive, y sin más datos. Incluyen una pegatina de coche (lo llaman car decal). Lo sorprendente del caso es que cerraron la onda corta en agosto y que mi último intento de verificarlos fue hace al menos 4 años (Juan Antonio Arranz, Spain, Jan 12, playdx yg via DXLD) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. 9541.5, not heard here at my location 17 & 18th January; normally mid afternoon say 0500 UT, through 0900 when the Chinese station starts up, Honiara has been audible. Maybe something has gone wrong. Be interesting tonight, (Monday), if on air, as for rescheduling. See what happens I guess (John Wright here in Sydney, Australia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well heard 0720 with local weather in English (thunderstorms for all districts!), 19 Jan (Craig Seager, Bathurst, Australia, HCDX via DXLD) John Wright here in Sydney Australia. Craig Seager and myself are about 120 miles apart. Both of us heard at a very good level SIBS around 0800 UT. Maybe there just didn't operate on Sat/Sun last. So at least SIBS are still on air, so that`s good news (John Wright, NSW, Jan 19, HCDX via DXLD) ** SOMALIA [non]. HUMANITARIAN RADIO FOR SOMALIA INCREASES TO ONE HOUR PER DAY --- "IRIN Radio is now broadcasting humanitarian news and information in Somali for a full hour a day on short wave, covering the whole Somali-speaking region. In addition, seven radio partners in Somalia and one in Kenya are rebroadcasting the programme on their local FM stations. Find us on 17680 kHz on short wave from 0830-0930 GMT." Integrated Regional Information Networks, 20 January 2009. (kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) Some inexpensive radios in Africa with shortwave bands only tune as high as 12,000 kHz. Posted: 21 Jan 2009 (Kim Andrew Elliott, ibid.) 17680 is via UAE (gh) ** SOUTH AFRICA [and non]. S.A. news: This morning 090117 at 0130 I detected a new transmitter on: 639 kHz running // programming to R. Lesotho on 891. The station is about 10 dB stronger than 891. Also, 846 Komga [South Africa] was off air = unusual = will keep an eye on that (John Plimmer, Montagu, Western Cape Province, South Africa, South 33 d 47 m 32 s, East 20 d 07 m 32 s, Icom IC-7700, Icom IC-756 PRO III with MW mods, ERGO software, Drake SW8. Sangean 803A, Sony 7600D, GE SRIII, Redsun RP2100, Antennas RF Systems DX 1 Pro Mk II, Datong AD-270, Kiwa MW Loop. http://www.dxing.info/about/dxers/plimmer.dx DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH AFRICA. RSA, 9650 SAUK/R. Sonder Grense, Meyerton, 1155-1200 (when blocked), 17 Jan, Afrikaans, pops, announcements; 25433 until being covered by the KBS World R via CANADA. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. Proof that Brother Scare has got at least one Russian(?) to buy into his wacky theology: Jan 16 at 0652 on WWRB 3185 was hearing announcement in Russian, with a Moscow address for the Overcomer Ministry; trouble is, when it came to numbers, those were pronounced in English (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN [and non]. REE, 17595, Wed Jan 14 with documentary on Cuban revolution including at 1518 a clip of the original R. Rebelde, saying it was operating on the 20 and 40 meter bands. REE, Noblejas, in Spanish to N&CAm on 9640, Jan 16 at 2149 past 2200, not the alternate 9630. 2255 cut to full ID as Radio Exterior de España, sign-off announcement mentioning numerous frequencies, IS and off at 2256*. Not to be confused with CRI, also scheduled on 9640 in Spanish, to Europe at 21-23, via Kashi site in extreme west China. REE with Sólo Canciones show I enjoy, Sunday Jan 18 at 1440 with Yves Montand and what we know as Autumn Leaves, which is a bit more romantic than ``Dead Leaves``, later a segment on Lady in the Dark; 17595 direct not propagating well so had to default to inferior audio on CR relay 15170, which was well atop Romania. 1455 cut away from this show with 10 minutes to go, for PSA about voting in Galicia, and then QSY announcement to 17850 which would come up in two sesquiminutes (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Jan 18, REE in Arabic, 11765 at 1700z with significant longpath reverb. The beam from Noblejas is 110 (350 kW). My QTH is at 297 from Noblejas so the short path is almost exactly off the back (110 + 180 = 290 ) and the long path is just 7 off the front (Jerry Lenamon, Waco Texas, Drake R8B, T2FD, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Cambios en Amigos de la Onda Corta y REE --- Hasta el día 1 de febrero 2009, el programa "Amigos de la Onda Corta" no se emitirá los domingos, debido a la emisión del programa de 55 minutos "Contando Historias" que ocupa toda la franja horaria. http://es.geocities.com/programasdx/amigosondacorta.htm También a partir del primero de febrero se modificará gran parte de la programación de REE. Se informará en el momento que tengamos noticias de estos cambios (José Bueno, Córdoba, España, Jan 16, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN. 7200, Republic of Sudan Radio, (Omdurman), 0543-0600, 1/18/2009, Arabic. Man interviewing second man. Upbeat traditional music at 0543. Talk between two men returned at 0548. Music and talk at 0553. Rather poor signal with noise and fading. SINPO 24222 (Jim Evans, Germantown, TN, Eton E1, Random Wires (90' and 200'), Eavesdropper Dipole, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** SUDAN. Re: SOUTHERN SUDAN: NEW RADIO STATION TO BE LAUNCHED EARLY 2009 ``A group of private investors with close links to the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) have invested in a new radio station that will have wider reach than the existing broadcasters. Based in Juba, the new Voice of the People (VoP) will, according to its proprietors, deal mainly with developmental issues…`` (DXLD) Hi Glenn, Wow, this is interesting. When I left South Sudan, my FM station, Miraya FM, had a coverage area of over 100 km, so I don't know what they're talking about there. The Juba Radio and TV, TV station was on the air with news and relays. I have no idea why people are saying about SSTV that it is only showing advertisements. To my knowledge nothing has changed there. I think a lot of things are erroneous in this article or are misquoted/inflated. The UN would not let any of its engineers work for a commercial enterprise and use the UN name. They worked with Fondation Hirondelle (man, I could tell you stories about THOSE guys!), but that was an NGO. We would not partner with private investors. Something is fishy here (Al Muick, Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN [non]. via Sines, Portugal, 17745, Sudan Radio Service, *1500-1531, Jan 17, English IDs. “Let’s Talk” program about local developments in Sudan. Talk about government programs in Sudan. Short breaks of local music. Into Arabic at 1530. Poor to fair (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SURINAME. Received a QSL today via email from Radio Apintie, for reception on November 18, 2005, on 4990 kHz. I originally sent a snail-mail report but had received no reply. A f/up report via email - -- apintie @ sr.net --- yielded a nice QSL letter as an attachment. Printed off rather nicely (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, USA, Jan 14, NASWA yg via DXLD) Steve, Nice! I had an e-mail response from them about two years ago verifying my reception but not with a nice attachment. It sounds like they have improved the process a little. At the time my verie signer mentioned that postal mail service was unreliable in Suriname. 73, (Rich D`Angelo, ibid.) ** SYRIA. Re 9-005, Palmyra archaeological site with radio tower pix: direct Seemingly an FM/TV tower installation (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SYRIA. 9330, Radio Damascus, 1835-1932*, Jan 16, Irregular. Local Mid-east music. German talk. ID. French at 1900. Abrupt sign off. Strong carrier but low modulation at times. Must use ECSS-LSB to avoid slop from WBCQ 9330 at their 1858 sign on (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I caught a brief glimpse of Damascus on 9330, with barely any modulation, but it was quickly swallowed up by the noise and was not even worth touching until VoA Radio Ashna signed off. Is 3406 USB still being heard? I haven't seen reports of that in a few days. 73s de (Al Muick, Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan 18, WinRadio G303e, 200m Longwire/Randomwire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 3406-LSB, Syria per Jari's post same day (12/1) at 2150 is heard in poor at 14343 using the headphones (as always!). Indeed at 2155 I heard an ID '.. ke suria'. 918 MW is not audible due to QRM possibly from Slovenia-Ljubljana. At 2026 13/1 did not find anything (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAIWAN. RTI OFFERING GREAT PRIZES FOR INTERNET RADIO SUBMISSIONS! These days, with a computer and internet access, anybody can create his or her own internet radio program. Now all you have to do is produce a 15-minute program about Taiwan in either English or Japanese, and submit it to the "I Show" Radio Competition, and you'll have a chance to win big! Just by joining in the "I Show" Radio Competition, you have the chance to win one of several prizes totaling $NT1,000,000!The new competition kicks off as RTI celebrates its 80th anniversary. It's part ambitious new plans to improve and expand internet programming, and follows the launch of RTI's new webcasts http://rtichatroom.blogspot.com and cell-phone listening services http://www.rti.org.tw/pda/ Not only will your entries help us share Taiwan with the rest of the world, it will also enable us to meet some new radio talent.To find out more, visit the "I Show" Radio Competition web site: http://rti.im.tv/english/ (RTI via Dan Say, BC, Jan 16, DXLD) ** TAJIKISTAN. 7245, 13/01 0344, TAJIQUISTÃO, Voice of Tajik, em dari, desde Dushanbe-Orzu, com 50 kW, música pop local (tipo árabe), às 0346 OM Talk, às 0350 música, QRM da Voz da Rússia em 7250, às 0400 sinal ID para inicio de programa em árabe, após melhor recepção sem a QRM da Voz da Rússia, 23332 , gravado até as 0403 UT (Jorge Freitas - Feira de Santana BA - Brasil, HCDX via DXLD) Per WRTH 2009 is supposed to go from Uzbek to Farsi at 0400 (gh, DXLD) ** THAILAND. Since flood on November 13, 2008, 6105 kHz at 1100-1130 UT BBC London service in Burmese to Myanmar, but via Udornthani-THA 250 kW 264 degrees. Never seen such usage before -- in past decade. Is the 49 mb antenna still kaput in Nakhon Sawan? Or is a matter of afternoon propagation? Udorn Thani located 400 kilometers easterly, is 700-800 km distance to central Burma/Myanmar (Wolfgang Büschel, Jan 10, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 19 via DXLD) I.e. Udorn may be at a more favorable skip distance further away from adjacent Burma than Nakhon Sawan, BBC`s own site (gh) ** TIBET. 6200, Xizang PBS; 1630-1643, Jan 15; "Holy Tibet" English program; poor audio quality, so could not understand much of anything, but did make out the distinctive canned ad for the medical massage clinics in Lhasa (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4905, Xizang PBS, Lhasa, TIBET, 1542-1556, 17 Jan, Tibetan (?), folk tunes, announcements; 45433; other outlets noted in parallel were 4920, 5240, 6130, 7385. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKEY. Live from Turkey, Jan 15, heard on demand from website, had Seref criticizing as ``childish`` someone ``going on the internet`` and saying that the program had no callers, which he says does not embarrass him, but TRT continues to provide such an opportunity to listeners. It looks like he is still reading DXLD, as in 9-001 I mentioned this again. How is that childish? It is just an observation about a call-in program which seldom has any calls, hardly the only oddity one finds as an SWL. This is not necessarily VOT`s fault, but a peculiarity of the SW audience, what`s left of it. He ignored the point of that item, that a previous LfT host had confused Siberia with Antarctica as far as record low temperatures, and confused F with C, which I explained in some detail after easy online research (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UGANDA. 4976, UBC Kampala, 0408, Jan 20, English. M with news mentioning Nigeria; MLK day; announcer between native music bits at 0413; poor; better if not for huge het via 4975v-Perú (Scott R. Barbour Jr., Intervale, N.H. USA, R8, RX-350D, CLR/DSP, MLB1, 200' Bevs, 60M dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4976 kHz, 0441 UT 20.01.09, UBC Radio, Kampala, Pgr inglese "Good morning Uganda" (Paolo De Berti - Switzerland, Aor 7030 - Long wire 45m, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) ** U K [and non]. BBCWS E&S Africa service heard on new 9855 at 1600- 1600 on 7-8 Dec; also noted before 1500 but weak and noisy at this time. Possibly ex-9860 Meyerton which was not heard (Edwin Southwell, England, Jan BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) at 15-16, 9855 is registered as both Skelton and Oman; 9860 as Meyerton (gh, DXLD) ** U K. BBC BANGLA SW FREQUENCIES HAVE GONE HAYWIRE --- Today Sunday 18/1/09 BBC Bangla was announcing 7580 kHz and 9435 kHz for their extended broadcast 1330-1500. However, they were actually broadcasting on 7550 kHz and 9355 kHz. The latter frequency is being wrongly announced for the last three months! BBC Bangla web site still carries the inaccurate frequencies for the Bangla broadcast. I tried four emails through various routes - through BBC web site complain, BBC World Service complain and twice through BBC Bangla website feed back but got no response. There was an automated responses once and the other time I was politely advised that listeners outside UK must write to BBC WS. Is the BBC Monitoring Service aware? (Supratik Sanatani, West Bengal, Jan 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Despite its name, BBC Monitoring is not responsible for the monitoring of BBC transmissions. VT Communications, which is a commercial company [spun off from BBC at great profit to certain individuals --- gh], is responsible for the shortwave frequencies. It is unusual for the BBC to get things wrong for such a prolonged period, but it may be due to one email that didn't arrive, or was accidentally deleted. It looks as if you have been using methods of contact which all generate automated responses. You need to contact a real live person within the BBC Bangla service. I suggest you send an email to bangladesh@bbc.co.uk and indicate it is for the personal attention of Mr Sabir Mustafa, Head of BBC World Service: Bengali. Further to previous message, another option is to contact the BBC's office in Dhaka: By email: bangladesh @ bbc.co.uk By post: BBC Bengali, PO Box 6079, Gulshan, Dhaka 1212 By phone: 0192 094273 or 0192 054852 (Andy Sennitt, Netherlands, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Still, there is no excuse for setting up a feedback route and then ignoring it! (gh, DXLD) Dear Friends, I just contact with BBC Dhaka and informed them about the wrong announcement. Mr Fazlur Rahman Babu from BBC Dhaka informed me he will checked it and will clear what happened actually. By the way the mentioned phone no of Mr Sabir Mostofa out of order now as he was returned at London. Over the last couple of months BBC Bangla service also publishing advertisement over their special broadcast Bangladesh Sanglap. There also they announced the frequencies are --- 7850 and 9435 kHz. 73 from (Ashik Eqbal Tokon, Rajshahi, Bangladesh, Jan 20, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [and non]. IRAN AGENCY ON ALLEGED GOVERNMENT INFLUENCE ON PERSIAN TV NETWORK - Part Two | Text of unattributed interview with Dr Seyyed Majid Tafreshi, entitled: "What is the BBC after in Iran?" published by Iranian Tabnak news website on 14 January Tabnak: Definitely, with the change of government in Iran and the victory of the Islamic revolution there were some extensive changes in the nature of diplomatic challenges in relations between Iran and Britain. The question is whether [after the victory of the revolution] the BBC also continued its Baha'i-leaning [Baha'igari] policies? Tafreshi: The production of propaganda pieces in the form of reports by the BBC was not limited to earlier years. Numerous reports and news items on these issues [as published] show the continuation of that policy and its habit of making use of the Baha'i card against Iran. In this connection, one can refer to numerous biased reports and publicity [propaganda] pieces broadcast by the reporters who had been sent by the Persian Section to Israel and to different Baha'i headquarters in Acca and other Palestinian territories. In those reports, the reporters sent by the BBC accused the Iranian government of pursuing anti-Baha'i and anti-Jewish policies. By studying the issues, the titles and the contents of such scripts [as published], we would not be surprised to learn that all the reporters and producers of such publicity-like reports from Acca and other cities in that land were speedily promoted in the Persian Section of the BBC. At the moment, as the result of recent changes and developments, all of them have found high positions in the television programme on the eve of the launching of that network. Tabnak: What is the extent of the role and influence of the British Foreign Ministry in the Persian Section of the BBC? Does it interfere in the preparation and production of every program? Tafreshi: From the start of its establishment right up to the end of summer 1320 [1941] the BBC carried out a ceaseless propaganda battle in three fronts: To turn the Iranians against Hitler's Germany and its allies, to create hostility [badbini, pessimism] towards Reza Shah as an ally of Germany, and finally to prepare the public for the occupation of Iran and to provide a strategic defense of it. In order to achieve those goals, a former employee of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company called Laurence Paul Elwell-Sutton (1912-1984) was employed by the Persian Section of the BBC as an advisor and senior supervisor. During the last years of the war, Elwell-Sutton succeeded Lambton as the press and propaganda attaché of the British Embassy in Tehran. Later on, just like Lambton, he too was appointed as a professor of Iranian history and language at Edinburgh University. The height of the Second World War also witnessed a quiet battle between the [British] Ministry of Foreign Affairs and senior BBC managers on the one side, and some of the employees of the Persian Section on the other regarding the broadcasting of propaganda pieces ordered and dictated by the Foreign Ministry. At the beginning, the issue was resolved in the following manner, that the reports that had been sent should be prepared in the name of an allegedly independent reporter. Ultimately, those differences of views ended in the following manner: "The BBC accepted that that from a legal point of view the British government can demand openly and completely the broadcasting of everything [every item] by the Persian Section of the BBC." Although some writers who support the independence of the Persian Section of the BBC have spoken about the victory of the independent views of the employees of that media over the British Foreign Ministry, Abbas Dehqan who belonged to the first generation of the reporters in the Persian Section of the BBC has openly contradicted the claim about the independence of that media. He has written: "We read out exactly what was given to us. We were not allowed to make any changes in it. There were two English staff who supervised everything that we broadcast. They spoke Persian and very carefully listened [to our broadcasts]." The period between 1320-1328 [1941-1949] was the period when the BBC was established [pagirshodan, presumably became popular] among the Iranians. During that period, the officials of the British Foreign Ministry decided to exert their influence over the World Service and the Persian Section in an indirect and intangible way. Nevertheless, with the start of the movement to nationalize the oil industry in Iran, once again, 'in an exceptional way' and 'in order to safeguard British national interests' the BBC openly sided with those who provided its funds. At first, it started to prepare reports and analyses that would give a positive impression of the record of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. Later on, with complete alliance with the government in London, it started to confront [oppose] the nationalization of the oil industry in Iran and the continuation of that policy. Finally, it co-operated fully [with the British government] to topple Mosaddeq on 28th Mordad 1332 [19th A! ugust 1953]. Tabnak: There are some documents that show the role played by the BBC in the 28th Mordad coup. If possible, please give us some more details about this issue and that very dark spot in the history of that media? Tafreshi: Following the appointment of Dr Mohammad Mosaddeq's government in Khordad 1330 [June 1951] and the gradual rise in tension between Tehran and London and raising the issue of the possible sending of British gunboats to Iranian waters and occupying oil installations, the officials of the British Foreign Ministry ordered the Persian Service to add half an hour to its daily programmes. That increase in the hours of the Persian programmes of the BBC resulted in increasing the programmes of the Persian Service by only 15 minutes, but after some time when the British military option against Iran was removed those additional programmes also stopped. This is what made even Elwell-Sutton, who at one time and at the beginning of the work [of the Persian Service] had been an important collaborator with the Persian Section of the BBC, to write in his classic book on Iranian oil industry: "London's decision to double the hours of the transmission of programs in Persian language had caused a great deal of headache. The Iranians were told that if the conditions of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company were not accepted, British staff would leave the Iranian oil industry." The insistence of the officials of the Foreign Ministry and the World Service to broadcast propaganda programs against the nationalization of oil industry in Iran and against Mosaddeq's government brought the issue to a head. The crisis became so acute that Persian [presumably Iranian] producers and employees of that network stopped work as a sign of protest, and at least for a time did not agree to do that. The co-operation between the BBC and the British Oil Company and the British Foreign Ministry continued throughout the years of the movement for the nationalization of oil industry. On a number of occasions, by sending coded messages in the midst of Persian and English news items and programs they sent signals to the opponents of the movement for oil nationalization or to British agents. The final screen of the collusion of the Persian Service of the BBC with the British government against the nationalisation of oil in Iran, resulted in the direct co-operation of that network in the coup d'etat of 28th Mordad 1332 and the toppling of Dr Mosaddeq's government. Channel Four of the BBC Radio [Radio 4] on 22nd August 2005 broadcast a programme in a series of documentary programmes under the title of 'a very British coup'. In that programme, which was made by Mike Thompson, a well-known producer and broadcaster of that network and received a number of prizes, it was stressed that by announcing 'now, the time is exactly 12 o'clock midnight', instead of its normal way of announcing the time as 'now, the time is 12 o'clock midnight', the Persian programme of the BBC conveyed a coded message to the Shah and his cronies to reassure them and to announce London's readiness to start the coup operations. Tabnak: However, towards the end of the Pahlavi era, the Shah too had some problems with the BBC, and he complained to the British government about the mischievous work of that political service regarding the three islands [larger and smaller Tumbs and Abu-Musa]. Tafreshi: During two decades, between the years 1332-1352 (1953-1873), the BBC had relatively appropriate relations with Iran. The Shah was gradually increasing his power, and by accepting second place in the political arena in Iran [behind the United States], Britain tried to achieve the first position in military and economic exchanges and to take the upper hand over her rival America. Nevertheless, the international developments in the year 1973, with the four or five-fold increase in the global price of oil and with the growing power of the Shah, overshadowed everything, including the relations between Iran and Britain and between Iran and the BBC. If up to that time it was possible for the Pahlavi government and the Shah to tolerate the propaganda and media methods used by the domestic and foreign services of the BBC, from that time onwards Tehran began to show sensitivity towards such propaganda. This trend continued until the broadcasting of a documentary film in the Panorama program of the BBC Television against the Iranian government. On that occasion, the Shah formally ordered the office of the BBC in Tehran to be closed down and its employees to be expelled. This was an action that for many months overshadowed all aspects of relations between Tehran and London. During that period, while presenting the official policies of London towards Tehran, the BBC also at times acted as a lever of pressure. By criticizing the record of the government, it tried to engage in a kind of blackmail [gerokeshi] regarding British interests in Tehran. As I have gathered as the result of my conversations with a few officials of the Pahlavi government, the second Pahlavi [Mohammad Reza Shah] was personally unhappy about BBC's criticisms of him and his dynasty, and at times the problems between Iran and the BBC also affected Iranian national interests. We can see this clearly in the issue of the three islands in the Persian Gulf and the resumption of Iranian sovereignty over those islands, and the anti-Iranian and pro-Arab stances of the BBC World Service. In a critical and confidential report to London on 1st August 1975 (10th Mordad 1354], the British Ambassador in Tehran Anthony Parsons dealt with the behavior of the Persian Service of the BBC. Referring to the small number of the listeners of that network, he wrote: "I have been dealing with Middle Eastern issues for 30 years. I can sincerely say that I have neither any prejudgment [presumably hostility] towards the BBC, nor am I against conveying information... [All ellipses as published]. I am not looking at the issue from an immediate and utilitarian political point of view... Let us go back 25 years and then let us look at the future. We can swear that during that 25-year period of the activities of the BBC Arabic and the Persian services, the BBC has influenced various pro-Western governments that have come to power or have formed part of the government in the Middle East... The truth is that during that period more rotten [pushali] regimes have come to power, and ! the present shape of the Middle East after the Second World War is such that there are more despotic and more dictatorial regimes [than previous regimes] [the words in the square brackets as published]." In that unprecedented letter, Parsons who produced strong protest by the officials in London, first of all admitted the interference of the BBC in the affairs of the Middle Eastern countries and influencing their governments. Secondly, he asked the officials in the Foreign Ministry to stop putting pressure on and interfering in Middle Eastern countries through the BBC World Service. The issue of the relations between the BBC and Iran during the months that led to the Islamic revolution is an important and separate issue, which I shall deal with in a separate note [presumably volume], which with all its documents exceeds 1,000 pages based on new documents that have been recently declassified. Tabnak: After the revolution, as the result of Britain's threadbare policies in its confrontation with the Islamic revolution, we are witnessing the continuation of the mischievous activities of that television network [as published]. What is your view about this? Tafreshi: During the years after the revolution, the Persian Service of the BBC for different reasons has provided a haven for the activities of those who have been opposed to the post-revolutionary government and who have even been actively and systematically involved in or supported some political and paramilitary organizations. This is something that from every point of view is clearly contrary to the former and present BBC charters and to its claim of impartiality and lack of bias. In the decade of the 80s, in view of media revolutions and the appearance of some networks such as the CNN, the BBC World Service and the Persian Service of the BBC to a large extent began to compete with their international rival networks, such as the Voice of America and even the CNN. Consequently, the BBC gave up its elitist attitude either in the case of its employees or regarding the content and quality of the programs that it produced for its audiences, and turned to producing light and populist programs. In the decade of the 90s, as the result of the extension of the Internet, the BBC World Service also started an online and internet service, and in this way tried to open a new line of communication with its oversees audiences. Tabnak: Despite acute economic problems that Britain is grappling with at the moment and also despite major domestic opposition, how can the British Foreign Ministry justify the establishment of a Persian TV network? Tafreshi: The BBC World Service's policy of following the wishes of the British Foreign Ministry reached such a point that in the midst of all its administrative and economic problems and while it is engaged in spring cleaning and reducing its programs in different sections, all of a sudden, in October 2006 the British Foreign Ministry and the British Parliament announced their decision to set up a Persian Television network (or as they call it PTV) in the year 2008. A year and a half ago, on 27th June 2007, Nigel Chapman, the head of the BBC World Service, took part in the meeting of the foreign relations committee of the British House of Commons. Despite referring to the economic problems and the need to close down or cut back some of the programs of that network, he openly spoke about the establishment of a Persian Television network as "a matter of the highest priority in the proposed program [by the Foreign Ministry] [the words in the square brackets as published], which has a very strong file [as published]." During the past few years, Britain has carried out a program for a serious review of public diplomacy, and it has also received the support of the Parliament in that. For instance, in this connection one can refer to the issue of greater activities by the British Parliament regarding public diplomacy and the need to make changes in the media in connection with this issue. One can also refer to a number of research plans regarding the different aspects of the activities of the BBC World Service and holding a relatively large two-day conference last December at London University on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the BBC World Service. Numerous speakers in that conference raised a number of issues over two days. However, the main theme of their talks was to try to stress the issue of the independence, impartiality and fairness of the BBC World Service. In some of the writings and interviews regarding the BBC, it has been claimed that the interference of the British Foreign Ministry in the Persian Section has been limited to special periods, such as Shahrivar 1320 [September 1941], the nationalization of oil industry, or after 11th September 2001, but that there is no interference from above in the way that the producers of that network work. Even if that claim seems correct on the surface, that mistake is due to the fact that some people wrongly assume that all the high-level and low-level employees of the BBC World Service and the Persian Section are obliged to daily servitude and constant obedience to the orders of the high-ranking managerial or political officials. It should be borne in mind that the BBC World Service and the Foreign Ministry basically have no need to make such arrangements. Among the documents in the National British Archives that were released last year but have not been published yet, there is a report about the briefing of the officials of the British Foreign Ministry by the employees of the Persian Section. This includes a meeting when one of the new Iranian employees of the Persian Section reports [presumably to the Foreign Office] about Shiraz Art Festival in the year 1977. Such explanatory reporting may not apply to all the employees of the Persian Section of the BBC. However, it resulted in the continuation of the employment of the person who was involved in the reporting and in his unexpected promotion in the managerial and executive levels of the BBC. On the other hand, the available experience [presumably evidence], at least in the Persian Section, shows that the program-makers are more or less free in performing their work. However, those who do not work in harmony with the central system will gradually come under criticism, will be isolated, and will seldom or belatedly be promoted. Finally, they would face a situation that they should either work as low-level employees who receive orders from those who have less experience, less knowledge and shorter employment record than them, or like some others they have to leave the BBC. The gradual lowering of the level of the quality and learning of those who are in charge of taking decisions in the Persian Section, and their reluctance to give key positions to independent [minded] individuals has resulted in a situation that, on one hand, some of the new recruits are brought from outside, especially in the television section. On the other hand, apart from possessing the minimum level of required technical skills, they also lack moral principles and professional independence. These people carry the main load of the work in the three parts of the Persian Section of the BBC (radio, online site, and television), without having the least influence in the contents, direction and the decision-making process in the BBC. The insistence to recruit individuals who are eligible from a political point of view for working in the Persian Television Service of the BBC has gone so far that in practice that network omitted experience at the high editorial levels in television and visual affairs as one of the conditions for recruitment. Therefore, instead of recruiting qualified individuals, the BBC decided to select the people that it favors and to give them television training from zero. The lack of sufficient knowledge by some officials and managers of the Persian Section has in practice meant that this network has had to rely more than ever before on the mother network and the main English BBC network. Just like the early days of the establishment of the Persian Section of the BBC, it has been forced to rely on the main network even in the issues dealing with Iran, Islam and the Middle East. It has acted more like a translation agency and has reflected the writings of British reporters, and in practice has lost its independence more than ever before. Furthermore, British public opinion is not very pleased with the establishment of a Persian Television network and paying for it out of the pockets of the taxpayers. For instance, on Friday 9th January, Jonathan Cviic [phon.] at the beginning of a live radio interview that he had with me on LBC network in London stressed that, first of all, Britain and the BBC are faced with serious problems and they have no need or ability to set up a television network for other countries. Secondly, the Iranians are quite capable of setting up and running their televisions networks inside and outside the country. Thirdly, even if the Iranians and Persian-speaking people are so much in need of Britain and the BBC to establish a television station for them, they should be required to pay for it and it should not come out of the empty British pockets. For many years now the officials of the British Foreign Ministry and the BBC World Service have reached the conclusion that the wheels of the strategic propaganda and public diplomacy of that country could not turn round based only on direct and continuous lies. The BBC does not need to tell lies all the time. For many years that network has been trying to win the trust of its audiences by presenting correct reports, and only broadcasting incorrect or incomplete reports to its foreign listeners at special times and necessary occasions. In other words, in order to make its listeners to believe in its reports and news items and then to be able to instil the necessary points at the required time among its listeners, the BBC World Service must first of all create the impression that it is a truthful and impartial media. In this connection, contrary to the point that BBC's official historians, including Walker, make against the claims of the BBC's opponents about a 'skyful of ! lies' and say that the programmes of that network follow a 'skyful of freedom', their claims are baseless. In fact, the issue of the British public diplomacy is based on a co- ordinated policy by different organisations in order to achieve different strategic and long-term goals. In achieving those goals, one should not expect that at every moment the short-term and daily activities of some organisations such as the BBC World Service or the British Council should exactly follow the declared policies of the government. On the contrary, the aim is to achieve the final goal and win the hearts and minds of the listeners outside British borders in the long and the medium term. This goal should be achieved in any way possible, even by making some short-term concessions and suffering short-term losses. In the words of Nicholas Call [phon.], a well-known expert in the history of public diplomacy, one of the problems that the BBC World Service is facing is that it cannot escape from the unpleasant memories of its listeners about the indefensible former practices of that network and only trying to portray a shiny and seemingly bright future. [End Part Two and End All] Source: Tabnak news website, in Persian 14 Jan 09 (via BBCM via DXLD) Unfortunately, we did not receive Part One of this (gh) ** U K. PRISON RADIO TO COST TAXPAYERS £2MILLION Daily Telegraph, By Murray Wardrop, 20 January 2009 The government is planning a radio station exclusively for the entertainment of Britain's prisoners, which will cost taxpayers £2million, according to reports. The service would broadcast shows 12 hours a day to 140 prisons in England and Wales if the Ministry of Justice approves the idea. The Prison Service, which came up with the scheme, claims the £2million need to start up the station would be raised from existing budgets. It has been dubbed 'con air' like the Nicholas Cage film. [. . .] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/4293852/Prison-radio-to-cost-taxpayers-2million.html Mr Garnier added: "It would be better to have prisoners doing something useful like working rather than lying on their beds listening to Jack Straw twittering at them over the radio (via Mike Terry, Bournemouth, BDXC-UK yg via DXLD) ?? Prisoners should obviously be forced to listen to BBCR3 or 4 for their edification (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. "In its current modus operandi, Radio Martí detracts from the credibility of the United States, and contributes little to the opening of political or informational space within Cuban society. Its bias, stridency, and unwillingness to accommodate broadly diverse viewpoints detract from the kind of tone that American policy toward Cuba should attempt to set. If, for political reasons, the administration is unwilling to abolish Radio Martí, then at least it should merge it with the VOA, place it directly under the VOA’s management and direction, and insulate it institutionally from the pressures of the hard-line elements of Miami’s Cuban-American community so as to improve its objectivity and quality." From "9 Ways for US to Talk to Cuba and for Cuba to Talk to US," Center for Democracy in the Americas, 12 January 2009. Posted: 14 Jan 2009 (kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) MORE: under CUBA [and non] ** U S A. Re: You Tube: Save VOA Delano video --- Part Two has now been posted: The follow-up to the Save the Delano VOA video, that details the true motives for the irrational decision to phase out American shortwave broadcasting to the world. The implications for security, America's image across the globe and the future of all forms of shortwave are grave. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=19tmiaGpTTo Draws a parallel in the last couple of minutes between killing shortwave and advancing BPL (Mike Barraclough, England, Jan 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. 9725, Jan 17 at 1536 with song in Vietnamese, for children? Then Vietnamese announcement. Good reception, had not noticed before. Is VOA via Saipan at 15-16 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) More VOA below, re Inauguration coverage Good signal in Russian talk on 11870, Jan 16 at 1525. What does PWBR `2009` say? Nothing! Not a thing listed on 11870 during this hour except University Network, Costa Rica, which has been gone for at least one or two sesquiyears from 11870v. At 1529 mentions Svoboda, and Mosk. vrem., 1530 ``R. Svoboda, Novosti`` so it`s Radio Liberty. WRTH 2009 has the answer: Woofferton; and EiBi, Aoki and HFCC all agree (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. Additional frequency for Radio Liberty in Azerbaijani: 1600-1700 NF 7480 LAM 100 kW / 075 deg \\ 9485 NAU 250 kW / 103 deg Frequency change for Voice of America in Azerbaijani: 1830-1900 NF 7435 BIB 100 kW / 105 deg, ex 12025 WER 250 kW / 090 deg NF 9885 BIB 100 kW / 085 deg, ex 9805 BIB \\ 9625 LAM (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Jan 20 via DXLD) ** U S A. Not much propagating on 30m except Florida, Cuba, UT Jan 15 at 0620: WRMI 9955 with religious talk in Spanish constantly referring to Benedicto 16, ergo Vatican Radio; 0630 into new WORLD OF RADIO 1443 as scheduled. Jamming continued but underneath. Later, on webcast, noticed that WOR was running again at 1630-1700 Thu instead of at 1530; Viva Miami had been scheduled at 1630. Awaiting word whether this be an intentional change. WRMI has an updated program schedule as of Dec 31 at http://www.wrmi.net/program.php?id=94 but unfortunately as usual does not go into detail for ``repeats of DX and other programs`` blox such as M-F 1530-1700; and it shows Vatican only at 0930-1000 UT Saturdays. Just in from Jeff White: WORLD OF RADIO on WRMI --- on 9955 and webcast http://68.142.10.147:8000/listen.pls UT days and times, always subject to change without notice: Wed 0600, 1630 [usually first airings] Thu 0630, 1630 Fri 0200, 1230 Sat 0900 Sun 0900 Mon 0600 Tue 1200, 1630 So that should be easy to remember: 1630 on Tue, Wed and Thu. This and other updates have been made to: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html http://www.worldofradio.com/calendar.html (Glenn Hauser, UT Jan 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WOR heard at yet another time on WRMI, webcast, Monday Jan 19 at 1630; the latest edition, unlike DX Partyline at 1600, which was still from January 3 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn: We`ve also got WOR back on Sundays at 1615 UT as of this past weekend (Jeff White, WRMI, Jan 20, ibid.) ** U S A. Near the beginning of WOR 1443, I got the times one hour off for the Ted Randall shows on WBCQ 7415: it`s 2200-2400 UT = 5-7 pm EST on Tue, Wed, Thu. Not clear which one(s) will air on Thursday, so check them out (Glenn Hauser, Jan 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Glenn -- I just noticed that you noticed (via DXLD) CR-1 down at 0700, Sunday. I do believe WOR did make it on at the bottom of the hour. I was trying to sneak in some maintenance while I thought nobody was looking. I am always happy to hear terms such as "inbooming". Thanks! 73, (Jason Cooper at WWCR, Jan 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. GFA h/d QSL was not easy to get: I have sent a few reports by mail and email and finally got this card after 843 days of trying (Sergey Kolesov, Russia? Jan World DX Club Contact via DXLD) I hope you were not trying every single day, as that would hint at a certain obsession. What does h/d mean? Something/data? I.e. hardly any data. With illustration of card. Only blank to be filled in was for date, 12/28/2003; WTFK? This Gospel For Asia card was for their Athmik Yatra ministry in particular. What language is that? Also with address 1800 Golden Trail Ct., Carrollton, TX 75010; and www.needgod.com But most of the card is taken up by proselytizing wherein they are uncertain how to spell recieve --- I had to overrule my spellchecker for that. BTW, the word spellchecker also gets red underlining! Well, I`ll compound the words if I want to (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. Updated B-08 schedule of World Harvest Radio: WHRI Angel 1 0500-1100 on 7315 Mon-Fri; 11565 Sat/Sun 1100-1200 on 7315 1200-1300 on 7335 1300-1600 on 9495 Sat/Sun 1600-1800 on 9495 1800-1900 on 17650 Mon-Fri; 9495 Sat/Sun 1900-2000 on 9495 Sun-Fri; 9510 Sat 2000-2100 on 15665 Mon-Sat; Voice of Biafra International in Ibo Fri [it`s mostly in English as I pointed out last time and with several logs; is anyone paying attention? Mon-Sat??? This is still on the schedule at http://www.whr.org/customcf/dsp_schedule_read.cfm?Search=Angel1 as Friday only --- gh] 2000-2100 on 9495 Sun 2100-2200 on 7315 2200-2300 on 7335 2300-0500 on 7315 WHRI Angel 2 0000-0200 on 7385 0200-0300 on 7385 Sun-Fri; 7490 Sat 0300-0700 on 7385 0700-0900 on 11565 Mon-Fri; 5875 Sat/Sun 0900-1000 on 5875 1000-1100 on 9865 Deutsche Welle in German 1100-1200 on 5875 1200-1300 on 9410 BBC in Spanish Mon-Fri 1300-1600 on 9840 Sat/Sun 1600-2000 on 9840 2000-2100 on 9515 2100-2200 on 9525 2200-2300 on 9615 2300-2400 on 7335 T8WH Angel 3 0700-1500 on 9930 Sound of Hope Radio in Chinese 1200-1500 Mon-Fri 1500-1800 on 9905 Radio Free Asia in Chinese 1800-1900 on 9955 1900-2200 on 9875 Radio Free Asia in Chinese T8WH Angel 4 0100-1000 on 15680 1000-1300 on 12130 Hoa-Mai Radio in Vietnamese 1200-1230 Tue/Thu/Sat 1300-1400 on 11880 Democtratic Voice of Burma in Burmese 1400-1500 on 9965 Voice of Wilderness in Korean 1500-1600 on 9965 Nippon no Kaze in Korean 1530-1600 1600-1900 on 9930 WHRA Angel 5 0500-0700 on 7465 1200-1500 on 15665 1500-1600 on 15665 Mon-Fri; 13650 Sat/Sun 1600-1800 on 17650 1800-1900 on 15665 Mon-Fri; 17650 Sat/Sun 1900-2000 on 13730 Mon-Sat; Demitse Tewahedo in Amharic 1900-2000 Mon 1900-2000 on 17650 Sun 2000-2100 on 7520 Mon-Fri; 11740 Sat/Sun 2100-2300 on 7520 2300-0500 on 5850 WHRI Angel 6 0700-1300 on 7385 1300-1500 on 11785 Sat/Sun; Hmong Lao Radio in Lao 1400-1500 Sat/Sun 1500-1600 on 11785 Sat/Sun; Hmong World Christian Radio in Lao 1500-1530 Sat 1600-2300 on 11785 [NOT heard daily thruout --- gh] 2300-0700 on 5875 DXing With Cumbre B-08 WHRI Angel 1 0130-0200 on 7315 Sun 0330-0400 on 7315 Mon 0430-0500 on 7315 Sat 1930-2000 on 9495 Sat KWHR Angel 4 0500-0530 on 13680 Sat/Sun 1500-1530 on 9930 Sun WHRA Angel 5 0230-0300 on 5850 Sun/Mon 1230-1300 on 15665 Sat WHRI Angel 6 1000-1030 on 7385 Sun 1530-1600 on 11785 Sat/Sun (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Jan 20 via DXLD) A few weeks ago we confirmed by monitoring that most of the scheduled DWC times did not exist: either off the air or with other programming. Have ANY of these been confirmed by monitoring? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) And:: ** U S A. DXing CUMBRE --- Hello Glen[n], Just looked at the DX Programs List on the WOR webpage and you might as well drop the 1530 UT [Saturday] airing of DXing Cumbre as well. This is the second week in a row that the program "Call to Worship" has run in that time slot. As this is the best received airing at my house I no longer can get it at any of the times listed on the Cumbre Website schedule. I know there is a podcast and have checked it out. It's interesting and the sound is always perfect, but it's not shortwave (Steve Cross, Midwest City, OK, Jan 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I notice World Harvest Radio have made a few changes. DXing with Cumbre is now UT 0130-0200 on 7315 Sunday, 0330-0400 on 7315 Monday, 0430-0500 on 7315 Saturday and 1930-2000 on 9495 Saturday from the Angel One antenna (Gary Drew, England, Jan 20, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I assume you are going by WHR`s online schedule, which is notoriously unreliable? Each of the alleged times for DWC must be confirmed by monitoring, I say again (Glenn, ibid.) See also HAWAII! ** U S A. World Harvest Radio QSLs & Ragseedsleewa USA: RAGSEEDSLEEWA via WHRA, GREENBUSH, ME, 17690. Full-data, except program name, “20 Years” QSL card in 7 months from “LWV”. Address: World Harvest Radio, P. O. Box 12, South Bend, Indiana 46624. USA: HMONG WORLD CHRISTIAN RADIO via WHRI, CYPRESS CREEK, SC, 11785. Full-data, except program name, “20 Years” card in 7 months from “LWV”. Address: World Harvest Radio, P. O. Box 12, South Bend, Indiana 46624. Does anyone know anything about Ragseedsleewa? Trying to determine just what kind of broadcast this was, I checked it occasionally for about a year --- from at least December 2007 until a few weeks ago when I could no longer find it. Although it wasn’t on WHR’s B-07 or A-08 schedules (Bible Pathway was listed at 1830), I heard and reported loggings in December ’07 and February ’08, both heard at 1830-1835 on 12015 via WHRA. Having no response from either WHR or the program producer, I sent a third report to WHR for a June logging at the same time but on 17690. Fortunately this one brought a response, although no program name is shown on the card. Reception of Ragseedsleewa was usually poor on both B-07 and A-08 frequencies, but I think the program was in Arabic, although at times it sounded like it might be a Horn of Africa language. The broadcast consisted only of a man speaking, and he always mentioned a number of Muslim names (Nabil, Abdallah, Hassim, etc.) and locations (Medina, Islamabad, Sudan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan were mentioned frequently), and Israel was also mentioned. Although this might make it sound like a democracy-type broadcast I suspect it’s a religious program, although I may be stereotyping because of its Tennessee address: Ragseedsleewa, P. O. Box 6007, Milton, Tennessee, TN, 37118. At the end of each broadcast, Ragseedsleewa and the address were given in English and spelled twice. (Wendel Craighead, Prairie Village KS, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) Ragseedsleewa gets zero hits on google and yahoo searches. Maybe needs to be transliterated differently from Arabic. Tried i instead of ee but no help there. Search on ragseed alone and get a million interesting hits, perhaps unrelated. Ragseed could be construed as a metaphor for broadcasting, evangelism. Now what? Go to Milton? I suspect it is really under auspices of Bible Pathways, as in outdated sked at http://www.biblepathway.org/English/Ministry-Radio.html I have run across their 1830 Arabic broadcast too for 5 minutes. It`s on the current Angel 5 sked M-F at 1830 on 15665. Trouble is, from WHR you would never know it`s in Arabic until you tune in (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WBOH, 5920, just open carrier with het caused by its being off-frequency, Jan 19 at 1405; 9370 WTJC was modulated. Same thing Jan 20 at 1338 check; was WBOH silent all that time? But Jan 21 at 0607, 5920 was hymning and preaching, het (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Winter B-08 of WEWN Global Catholic Radio: English 0000-0300 on 11520 EWN 250 kW / 085 deg to WeAf 0300-0900 on 9455 EWN 250 kW / 085 deg to WeAf 0900-1200 on 9390 EWN 250 kW / 355 deg to SoEaAs 1200-1700 on 5755 EWN 250 kW / 355 deg to SoEaAs 1700-2000 on 15610 EWN 250 kW / 040 deg to WeEu 2000-2400 on 11520 EWN 250 kW / 040 deg to ME Spanish 0100-1100 on 11870 EWN 250 kW / 155 deg to SoAm 1100-1700 on 11520 EWN 250 kW / 155 deg to SoAm 1700-0100 on 17510 EWN 250 kW / 155 deg to SoAm Spanish 0500-1600 on 7555 EWN 250 kW / 220 deg to CeAm 1600-2200 on 11550 EWN 250 kW / 220 deg to CeAm 2200-0500 on 5810 EWN 250 kW / 220 deg to CeAm (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Jan 20 via DXLD) ** U S A. Re WOON 1240 Woonsocket RI DX test rescheduled to Jan 18 0700-0800 UT: Hearing several CW ID's here (Steve Lare, Holland, MI USA, 0733 UT Jan 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) WOON running slow morse - very weak from Albany NY Global Tuners receiver. Regards (Tony Magon VK2IC, NSW, 0744 UT Jan 18, ibid.) WOON code ID's (.-- --- --- -.) punching through graveyard hash. No jingles or voice IDs heard as of 0215 EST. 73 (Mike Brooker, Toronto, ON, IRCA via DXLD) WOON test heard in Alexandria, VA - 1' 30"/720kB wav file: Morse code IDs and voice ID at about 56 seconds into recording. Heard on Perseus SDR with Wellbrook 4-element phased array. First CPC I've tried for in 25+ years! (Bill Whitacre, IRCA via DXLD) Thanks to Perseus I was able to extract WOON's morse ID. This was recorded at 0800 (just a few seconds after in fact) http://www.geocities.com/paulcrankshaw/1240woon.wav Settings used Freq 1239.2 kHz CW Mode bandwidth 22 Hz. http://www.geocities.com/paulcrankshaw/1240woon.wav Will look for speech now - but not hopeful! (Paul Crankshaw, Troon, Scotland, ibid.) You mean 0700 UT? It was supposed to end at 0800. Or you mean look thru your archived file (gh, DXLD Only heard morse code "WOON" during the DX test here in Manassas. Mixing with talk and singing. 73, (Kraig, KG4LAC, Krist, Manassas, Virginia, USA, 1239 UT Jan 18, dxldyg via DXLD) Just checked my recording, and the slow code IDs appeared starting at just before 0203 EST. The signal was good enough to copy the voice announcements at times: "WOON 1240, Woonsocket, Rhode Island, USA, is broadcasting this hour for the benefit of distant radio reception enthusiasts. This is a test broadcast." This announcement appeared to be alternating with jingles between the code segments. Not new here, but DX tests are always appreciated! I hope a test from WARL is in the offing, as that one is on the wanted list here (Barry McLarnon, VE3JF, Ottawa, ON, ABDX via DXLD) 1240 Perseus spectral analysis during the WOON test From Paul's comment, I took a careful look at 1239.2 and 1240.8 using the Perseus (with ~800' beverage in that direction) on a narrow spectrum span and lots of averaging. I consistently noted a spectral peak on 1239.202 and 1240.802 khz which would be consistent with 800 Hz CW note on a 1240.002 khz carrier (which was also observed, but due to the many possibilities to generate this, I'm not suggesting I was seeing the WOON carrier). There were no other obvious peaks within this range - these were quite narrow and sometimes reached 10 dB above baseline, so fairly significant. In very general terms, it seemed when one sideband peaked, so did the other. Time to look at this in more detail --- Recording started at 0657, and first discernible +- 800 peak was visible by about 0703 and 10 seconds. I discern that the CW was repeated five times between 0703 and 0705. Each segment was about 10- 11 seconds long, with start times at 03:08, 03:37, 03:58, 04:20 04:40. Spacing between repeats wasn't equal. I didn't dissect the rest of the hour. The last group of CW idents started at 0758:12 and ended at 0759:53. The very last two were especially weak (altho some better on 1239.202) Was any of this discernible audibly - nope. Of course if you listen to narrow CW filters long enough one can imagine hearing all sorts of code. Past 08:00 the peak vanished (slowly due to the heavy averaging employed). Thru to 0806 (end of the recording), no trace of any 800 Hz energy. I started out thinking that some long time averaged spectral peaks would the most I'd ever see, but switching to the waterfall display (covering 780 Hz with an RBW of .95 Hz) I was amazed at how easily the on/off times of the CW ID were visible. I saw the first 5, the last 5 and many inbetween, maybe almost all of them! At this resolution the display updates too slowly to be able to actually view the individual code elements. I could discern that it was not a steady tone, but not beyond that. A slowly sweeping tone would have been better for this style of analysis. I'd be interested in what others who examined the signal in similar detail can discern. It was an interesting exercise. 73 (Don VE6JY Moman, AB, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re 9-005, Nova M Phoenix 1480 to 1190 --- Nova M was leasing 1480. They're buying 1190 outright. That's the one and only reason for making the switch. s (Scott Fybush, NY, ABDX via DXLD) KPHX/KNUV ** U S A. TIS, HAR, etc.: 1670, WGTT, IN, Hammond. 1/3 1930 EST. Emergency Weather Radio. many callsign ID’s Announcement by Mike Prego and phone number given 265-4655. weak with interference from similar stations on frequency. Wonder if callsign is self-assigned (Greg Harris, Park Forest, IL 60466-1725, DDXD-West Editor, NRC DX News Jan 19 via DXLD) ** U S A. Nexus Radio, 1650 AM, 1/15 *2050–2130* [presumably UT in this source] S9 +50 dB with a nicely tuned signal and frequency as seen in SpectraVue from my location in NE Philadelphia. Experimental German & Austrian music from what is described as a live relay from Munich by a group called "forschungsgruppe." Some English and German talk with pre-recorded music from the local studio. "Nexus Radio 1650 A.M." ID overdubbed sometimes through an echo effect. This station is publicly announcing their schedule at http://www.nexusphiladelphia.org and proposing a published schedule through February 6th. The transmitter and makeshift sound-room is publicly viewable in a neighborhood arts gallery in Philadelphia's Kensington/Fishtown neighborhood (Will Lindsay, Philadelphia, PA, Free Radio Weekly Jan 17 via DXLD) Ahem, can we assume this be part-15 compliant? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** U S A. 778 CHALLENGE --- Hi all, A few days ago, one of our Cape DXers, Roy Barstow, reported audio on 778, a non domestic or TA channel. How long there may have been activity, we don't know. A clip from last night has a man and woman in English which sounded domestic in origin. As of 1:00 pm [EST = 1800 UT] this afternoon, I have a defined spike on the IQ and threshold audio on the Icom. If anybody is bored and would like to participate in the hunt or has any information, by all means jump in (Chris Black, Cape Cod, Jan 15, ABDX via DXLD) As soon I read this, I tuned to that part of the band, and sure enough, found a strong signal near 778 - on 777.923, to be more exact. There was some talk in English with muffled audio - sounded like a call-in show. However, just as I was tweaking things to make the audio more intelligible, it suddenly disappeared - this was just before 1615 EST. The carrier is actually still there, but far weaker than before. My theory: this is likely WTME (780) in Maine - the format fits, and 1615 is their January sunset time, where they should drop from 10 kW to 18 W. A second possibility is the return of silent WXME to the airwaves. Whichever it is, their transmitter needs some help! [later:] A few more notes: I've heard WTME fairly recently, and they were on-frequency. Also, Chris Black sent me a couple of clips of the mystery station, one of which indicates that they are a Fox news affiliate (WTME isn't). Then I found this website for WXME, indicating that they are presumably back on the air, carrying 24/7 Fox news/talk: http://www.wxme780.com So, I think our mystery station is WXME. Q.E.D. Now, they need to fix their transmitter. I've sent them an email, and will report back if I get a reply (Barry McLarnon, VE3JF Ottawa, ON, ibid.) Today's update: I got a reply from Allan Weiner (owner of WXME and shortwave WBCQ) that he would check it out "pronto". Since he didn't say "it can't be us", I guess that confirms that WXME is on the air, at least. However, I'm starting to hear the station today, and it's still off-frequency, though they've drifted a bit higher - currently on about 777.952. I'm also hearing WTME, so it's definitely not them - they have good audio and are close to the nominal carrier frequency, at 780.004. One more PS: Yesterday, I erred in saying that WTME's sunset power- down time was 1615 EST. Actually, it's 1630 - only WXME has the 1615 sunset time. At 1620, I'm still hearing WTME, but the off-frequency station has disappeared (Barry McLarnon, VE3JF, Ottawa, ON, Jan 16, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. FCC CHAIRMAN RESIGNS --- January 15, 2009, Washington DC -- Today FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin announced his resignation from the Federal Communications Commission, effective January 20, 2009. The Chairman said he leaves the office with great pride in the FCC's accomplishments and with deep gratitude for having had an opportunity to serve the American public. It appears that Julius Genachowski will be the next Chairman. http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-287909A1.doc (THE CGC COMMUNICATOR CGC #877 January 18, 2009, Robert F. Gonsett, W6VR, Editor, via Mike Terry, Jan 18, dxldyg via DXLD) And the bad news is he is a LAWYER. We need a GOOD engineer to be head of the FCC --- you know, ONE THAT UNDERSTANDS THE LAWS OF PHYSICS !! (Powell E Way III, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. Clear Channel tries to hide coming layoffs --- January 16 CLEAR CHANNEL CUTS REPORTEDLY SLATED FOR INAUGURATION DAY The next round of rumored cuts at Clear Channel Communications is expected to begin this coming Tuesday, January 20. The New York Post reports that CC's new owners will begin a "massive restructuring plan" that aims to cut out up to $400 million in costs. Sources tell the Post that the restructuring will include layoffs across Clear Channel's radio, outdoor advertising and international divisions as well as cuts to programming budgets and consolidation of back-office operations. The company is also expected to move even further towards a "national programming model," with less local staff at stations. The Post says that the cutbacks taking place the same day that Barack Obama is sworn in as the President is not a coincidence, as CC management hopes "they can slip in the layoffs while the press is preoccupied with Inauguration Day festivities." Bain Capital and Thomas H. Lee Partners had always planned for restructuring once they took over Clear Channel, but one of the Post's sources said, "Nothing about our plans have changed except for the speed and timing of them. There's no doubt we are in a horrible advertising environment, and we can't just sit there and take it." (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) RADIO, AD COMPANY CLEAR CHANNEL CUTTING 1500 JOBS: REPORT NEW YORK (Reuters) - Clear Channel Communications Inc, which operates radio stations and outdoor advertising space, plans to lay off about 7 percent of its U.S. staff, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. The newspaper, citing a person familiar with the situation, said the move will affect about 1,500 employees -- mostly in ad sales -- of the 20,000 work force in the United States. The report said Clear Channel, the largest U.S. company, by revenue, in both radio and outdoor advertising, was also implementing other cuts aimed at saving close to $400 million. For example, the company plans to replace more local shows with syndicated content, the newspaper said. A company spokesman could not immediately be reached on Friday night to comment on the report which appeared on the Journal's web site. The cuts will help Clear Channel catch up with other radio companies, which have engaged in layoffs and other cost cuts since early last year, the Journal said. Clear Channel's restructuring lagged competitors because of an 18-month battle to take the company private. Clear Channel was acquired last July in a $17.9 billion takeover by private equity funds Thomas H. Lee Partners and Bain Capital. (Reporting by Steve James; Editing by Carol Bishopric) (via Kevin Redding, Jan 17, ABDX via DXLD) Similar: http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2009/01/19/daily5.html (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) I think there is indeed something afoot in the vein of more 'nationalized' programming. Ask your engineering friends who contract for CC and you'll see that they're pretty busy right now (aren't they always?) doing something with Satellites piped into transmitting facilities; doesn't make sense with me in regard to local studio requirements. I don't know the facts, just reading different tea leaves. Nudge Nudge, Wink, Wink (Ron Gitschier, ABDX via DXLD) Tea leaves, and some bloggers with some big axes to grind. The satellite feeds to transmitter sites are neither new nor mysterious. It's part of CC's nationwide emergency-response plan, and it stemmed from the aftermath of Katrina, when several of the New Orleans transmitter sites were still functioning, but the local studios were out of commission. They were able to originate programming from Baton Rouge and feed it by satellite to the New Orleans transmitter sites, but it took some time to get the downlinks in place. This way, they're in place and ready to go right away if something happens. (There are also several transmitter-sites-on-wheels, which are really cool units - frequency-agile 1 kW FM transmitters, satellite downlinks and crank-up masts. They're stationed in several locations around the country so they're never more than a few hours' drive away from a station that might need one if its own site is damaged beyond immediate repair. At least one saw use after Hurricane Rita.) Sometimes, as they say, a cigar is just a cigar. s (Scott Fybush, ibid.) CHANNEL RADIO LAUNCHES REAL TIME TRAFFIC WITH HD RADIO TECHNOLOGY San Antonio January 6, 2008 [sic; year typo, not Mike`s] Clear Channel Radio's Total Traffic Network (CCTTN) today announced that it is the first company to launch real time traffic services over HD Radio channels. The service, which delivers updated traffic information at blazing speeds with over 500 messages per minute, is live and operational in 50 markets today. Dual Electronics has launched the first commercial personal navigation device to offer this service. . . http://www.clearchannel.com/Radio/PressRelease.aspx?PressReleaseID=2352 (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U S A. WRITING TO THE RADIO GOD Opinion, By Corey Deitz, About.com (As the story goes, some radio listener penned this email late one night to the Radio God and sent it to an address he found deep within some Radio-oriented website. The writer had a few suggestions, compliments, and gripes about Radio and felt it was time to reach out to a higher source. You can read that email now.) http://radio.about.com/od/opinionpieces/a/aa011509a.htm (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. BBCWS Inauguration Day coverage to begin at 1600 UT --- World Have Your Say program host Ros Atkins will lead the BBC's coverage, which will begin at 1600 UT. Inauguration itself is at 1700 UT. Coverage to continue later in the day on Newshour and The World Today. Details here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/090106_coming_soon.shtml (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, Jan 15, swprograms via DXLD) HISTORIC OBAMA INAUGURATION TO REACH MILLIONS THROUGH SPECIAL VOA PROGRAMS --- New and traditional media will cover the story Washington, D.C., January 15, 2008 - Special interactive television and radio programs, live video streaming and real-time blogging are among the programs Voice of America (VOA) is using to reach worldwide audiences with in-depth coverage of Barack Obama's historic presidential inauguration. Nearly 200 VOA journalists and technicians are fanning out across the city on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 to report - in 45 languages to an audience of 134 million - on Obama's swearing-in, inaugural speech and celebratory parade. They'll be stationed on the roof of VOA's headquarters in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol, on Pennsylvania Avenue and in front of the White House. "The eyes of the world will be on Washington for the inauguration of the first African-American president, and we'll make sure our international audiences are given the latest, most up-to-date news and analysis of this event," said Danforth Austin, VOA's Director. Among the highlights of VOA's coverage: • VOA English airs a 90-minute TV/radio simulcast special report covering the inauguration. Streaming video and audio feeds are available on http://www.VOANews.com and http://www.USAVotes2008.com • VOA, on its YouTube partner channel, http://www.youtube.com/voavideo is asking viewers around the world to submit a videotape telling how they feel about Barack Obama becoming the 44th president of the United States. • Persian News Network (PNN) will broadcast a four-and-a-half hour special report, with live coverage of inaugural events and analysis. PNN produced an eight-part special report covering the transition of power, which includes U.S.-Iranian relations, Iraq and Afghanistan. • VOA's Indonesian service will deliver 15 hours of live interactive reports for nine of Indonesia's 11 national television stations. Radio reporters will have question-and-answer programs with Radio 68H network, with more than 400 affiliates. • VOA's Spanish service produced a special inauguration web page http://www.VOANews.com/spanish/obama-toma-de-posesion.cfm with original video stories on topics including event security and inauguration costs. The daily El Mundo al Día television program will be devoted to inauguration coverage, including man-on-the-street interviews. • VOA's Urdu service is partnering with Pakistan Television and Pakistan Broadcasting Corporations, the state networks, and GEO-TV for wide distribution of live radio and television programs across the country. • VOA's Afghan TV service begins its countdown to the inauguration before the celebration with a package of interviews with an array of experts. Radio will have wall-to-wall coverage with a call-in show and guests in Washington and Kabul. • VOA's Swahili service plans a two-hour special as well as coverage of an inaugural party hosted by the Embassy of Kenya, the home of Obama's late father. • VOA's Portuguese service will host a live program with Angolan National Radio. • VOA's Russian service will have live video streaming at http://www.VOANews.com/Russian/ as well as real-time blogging, reports from New York and California, and a video blog on advice for Obama from VOA's Russian audience. (VOA press release Jan 15 via DXLD; also via Fred Waterer, dxldyg) WHAT ABOUT SPECIAL COVERAGE ON SHORTWAVE, ESPECIALLY ENGLISH?!?!? (gh) Unpublicized VOA inauguration frequencies: http://kimelli.nfshost.com/?id=5662 (Kim Andrew Elliott, VOA, Jan 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: Additional Voice of America shortwave and medium wave transmissions for the Inauguration, 20 January 2009. All times UTC. All frequencies in kilohertz (kHz). All frequencies are shortwave except for 1575 MW. ENGLISH TO ASIA 1600-1630 5780, 5910, 7355, 7430, 7590, 9310, 9580 1630-1800 5780, 5910, 7355, 7430, 7590, 9310, 9580, 11765 BANGLA 1600-1730 1575, 7435, 11500 CREOLE 1630-1800 9885, 15390, 17565 CROATIAN 1930-2000 6135, 7465 KINYARWANDA/KIRUNDI 1800-1830 11750, 12010, 17785 SWAHILI 1600-1800 9565, 13870, 15730 These are in addition to regularly scheduled transmissions listed at http://www.voanews.com/english/about/Frequenciesatoz_a.cfm (kimandrewelliott.com via dxldyg in advance, via DXLD) I thought I'd be a smart aleck and tune in to the inauguration on VOA in Swahili. 13870 via Botswana coming in moderately well at 1600 but then off at 1604. Apparently some major trouble as it was still off at 1615 recheck. Can't find any other VOA freqs right now. Now I'm going to have to watch cable TV like everyone else. I ended up watching the inauguration on ABC. I probably had time to catch it on SW or MW since it took place just after noon. None of the TV stations were in sync, cable or otherwise. The commentators on ABC kept quiet. I knew that wouldn't last long so I tuned to shortwave-- I caught most of the inaugural address on the various frequencies below. CANADA: Complete coverage from the CBC at 1720 on the Northern Quebec Service on 9624.99. //CBE 1550 Windsor. Translated into French on CBEF 540, Windsor. USA-MW: At 1720 on 1500 WLQV, a local evangelical station. Not heard on WRDT 560, another local evangelical station, or 990 WDEO//1090 WCAR, EWTN affiliates. This was not surprising. USA-SW: Voice of America in Creole strong on 9885 (via?? not on Aoki) at 1715 w/speech being translated into Creole. //15390, 17565 both poor and via Greenville. -----Presumed Shona broadcast on 12080 via MDG at 1715. Speech not being translated. Good signal. 73 (Liz Cameron, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) The only worthwhile English frequency audible here at 1600 UT was a strong 7355, but even that had sideband problems, particularly from 7350. The others were weak or inaudible. The whole of the Inaugural Ceremony was carried 'live' in the UK by BBC Radio 5 and by BBC-1 and BBC News 24 tv, but a pity their tv commentators couldn't curb their excitement and keep quiet when events were taking place on the podium. BTW - was the Oath read out incorrectly for Obama to repeat - is that why he paused? (Noel R. Green (NW England), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Noel: It's happened before. For background: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oath_of_office_of_the_President_of_the_United_States (John Figliozzi, ibid.) Yes, Chief Justice Roberts blew it, and messed up what should have been an historic moment (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Gee, President Obama says in the video clip below that Roberts actually helped him out a couple of times during the oath: http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=11641001&ch=4226716&src=news (Harry Helms W5HLH, Corpus Christi, TX EL17, dxldyg via DXLD) Probably the new President was simply being "diplomatic" with his answer. And does Chief Justice Roberts still have a job to go to today! (Noel R. Green (NW England), ibid.) How about a conspiracy theory (which I am making up): Roberts blew it on purpose so that conservatives can always claim that Obama isn't President because of "the oath problem." :> (David Coursey, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. OBAMA 1260 RADIO --- From the WaPo http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/20/AR2009012000621_pf.html Bill Press, a radio host at WWRC-AM -- now renamed "OBAMA 1260" -- arranged for other liberal hosts, including Stephanie Miller and Randi Rhodes, to join a radio and television broadcast Sunday at George Washington University, complete with a live band. "We wanted to celebrate the inauguration of someone we all worked hard to get elected, and the role that progressive talk radio played," he says. Bill, is this for real? Is WWRC really calling itself Obama 1260? I mean I am one who hopes Obama does some good but the dude doesn't wear a pair of blue tights, a red cape and has a red S on his chest. Its hard for me to believe a station is calling itself Obama 1260. No political comments please! I just want to know if this is correct. (Kevin Redding, TN, Jan 20, ABDX via DXLD) Yes, that is true, or at least was true before the election. WTNT 570 was called McCain 570. I know WTNT has changed to something else (Bill Harms, MD, ibid.) Yes, and their sister station WWRC 570, which airs mostly conservative talkers, branded itself "McCain 570." The branding started during the elections - I want to say mid-September or thereabouts. I think the "McCain 570" brand went away after election day, and I expect the "Obama 1260" branding will go away after today. I don't think there was anything overtly political about it - it was a cute marketing ploy to get some attention for a pair of stations with nearly zero visibility in the DC market, and evidently it worked. S (Scott Fybush, ibid.) The Sunday special was on C-SPAN (gh, DXLD) ** U S A [non]. AFRTS PLANNING WORLDWIDE TV, RADIO SURVEY By Kevin Dougherty, Stars and Stripes While AFN-Europe continues with its online survey, its parent organization is planning a worldwide review for later this year that will help set the agenda for radio and TV programming well into the next decade. By then, the American Forces Radio and Television Service will be navigating through changes that, among other things, may include high- definition TV for its overseas audience. "At some point, we will have to address high definition, or HDTV," said Mel Russell, director of the service. "We would probably look at that coming in 2012. That is a target." Aside from the surveys, 2009 will be a relatively quiet year for the service, Russell said in a wide-ranging phone interview. No new channels - TV or radio - are in the offing, nor is there any significant technological upgrade. . . http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=60112 (via Zacharias Liangas, Greece, and dxfool, Jan 20, DXLD) ** VANUATU. I also checked 7260 and they were at a fair to good level in Bismala at 0800 UT (John Wright, NSW, Jan 19, HCDX via DXLD) ** VATICAN. Vatican R. DRM broadcast January 13, 2009 2301-2329 UT, 7370 kHz directly from Vatican City State. Overall: Fantastic. Special program on conflict in Gaza. Using recently modified NRD545, I added a 455 to 12 kHz converter for DRM. DReaM screen shots http://www.kg4lac.com/Misc/Vatican1.jpg http://www.kg4lac.com/Misc/Vatican2.jpg http://www.kg4lac.com/Misc/Vatican3.jpg Notice wrong date being sent by Vatican Radio. http://www.kg4lac.com/Misc/Vatican4.jpg Audio (originally was a wav. However, Verizon DSL failed to upload the 313 mb file. Converted to mp3 so I could upload it). htp://www.kg4lac.com/Misc/VaticanR.mp3 (Kraig, KG4LAC, Krist, VA, Jan 14, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA [non]. Hugo Chávez speaking on 11760, Jan 16 at 1520, but nothing on 11680, so apparently another anomaly from the flexible DentroCubans, putting RNV service at 15-16 on 11760 instead of usual 11680. Probably forgot to make the frequency change on the RHC 11760 transmitter which is supposed to close at 1500. Except that sometimes runs overtime past 1500, but nothing heard this date on other usual RHC frequencies on 19, 22 or 25m bands. Not only was the 15 UT relay of RNV CI via Cuba on 11760 instead of 11680, Jan 16, but so was the 22 UT broadcast on 11760 instead of usual 11670. At 2202 opening transmission in Spanish with program summary, VG signal. Cut off abruptly at 2203* and figured someone woke up and was about to change to correct frequency, but no --- back on 11760 at *2204 and remained for rest of hour at least until 2254 check, but off by 2258. Meanwhile RHC Spanish continued on other frequencies, 11750, 11800. 11760 normally closes at 2200 after RHC French. I knew it would be a waste of time to listen for RNV frequency announcement, since in Caracas they have never known since 2004y what frequencies they are really on via Habana. RNV CI, via CUBA, back on correct frequency 11680, Jan 17 at 1500 signing on in English, instead of 11760 where it was Jan 16. For incorrect mailing address see ECUADOR. I see that WRTH 2009 says the RNV broadcasts at 11, 15 and 23 are in Spanish/English, while all the others, 10, 12, 19, 20 and 22 UT are in Spanish only. Is this correct: no English ever heard on the latter ones? Since Aló, Presidente resumed last Sunday Jan 11, I checked for it this Sunday Jan 18: At 1405, 11875 was already on with separate programming about Venezuela, not // RHC mainstream on 11760, 13760, etc. 13750, which is normally used only for the A,P service, was on the air but with open carrier. By 1426 it was modulating // RHC 13760 but an echo apart, rather than // 11875 as it should have been. 11690 was not heard at 1405, but at 1430 check found that also on the air with A,P service making fast SAH with HCJB underneath, also with persistent RTTY QRM from 11687.5. As we outpointed months ago during the hiatus, when 11690 first appeared on the RHC schedule for this, there would be a collision with HCJB, which uses 11690 every day until 1500. And now that has come to pass. Yet 11680 and 11670 are open! At 1433, I could also hear some co-channel under 11875, singing; probably Lisboa which is scheduled on this frequency Sat & Sun only until 1500. Also at 1433, could barely hear the A,P service on 13680, underneath skirts of CRI/Sackville 13675. Not expecting to hear A,P service on 17750, but checked at 1435, and there it was with good signal during Mundo Siete week-in-review program produced by RHC, which is a standard feature in the run-up to joining the feed from Venezuela. It was // 11690 but an echo apart. 13750 was still carrying the wrong feed at 1435, RHC mainstream, and still at 1453 // 13760. Next check of 17750 at 1457 found it had vanished. At 1458, 13750 had finally split from 13760, different programming, with 13750 now // 11875, 11690 and 13680 with A,P service. At 1501, 11760 switched from RHC Spanish to Esperanto as scheduled, this time not // extra 13760 which was off by 1502. Suspended monitoring for breakfast, assuming that the Hugo show would soon be underway, but at next check 1554, 11690 and 11875 were off, and 13750 had gone back to open carrier, so evidently after all this trouble, he was a no-show. More lack of communication between Caracas and Habana, or the mercurial mandator pulled out at the last minute? If 1) Hugo really did his show every week at a certain time, and 2) RHC broadcast it on a certain set of non-colliding frequencies, 3) not mixed up with other RHC mainstream service, everything would be nominal and I would have nothing significant to report about this. But that will never happen at the number one SNAFU station (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VIETNAM. Logs on domestic services of VOV: 9850, Xuan Mai, 18 Dec, 0436-0530* (instead of 0600*). Talk, recorded speech, in which besides Vietnam I also heard mention of Magdalena, Colombia, and YL singing without music; SINPO 45433. 6020, Daciac per Aoki, 18 Dec, 0840-0921 tune-out. M&W singing supported by flute only, traditional music. 0900 News, followed by long talk by YL with many mentions of Vietnam; SINPO 44232 (Tony Ashar, West Java, Indonesia, Jan World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** YEMEN. 9780, Republic of Yemen Radio at 1857 on 1/15. Poor at this hour with short bits of a stringed instrument and a mention of "end of (?) English service," W talk, AA vocal and M in AA at 1902, occasionally rising above the noise (Gerry Dexter, WI, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) Logs of --- and transmissions of?? --- their English service are increasingly rare (gh, DXLD) ** ZANZIBAR. Things to check Thursday at 2000 UT --- Does Zanzibar have English news on 11735 (or is it at 1800)? Or is it even on the air, and how`s the modulation? Tnx, (Glenn Hauser, 1717 UT Jan 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Zanzibar is indeed on the air, with horrible modulation. No English news noted at 2000 (Steve Lare, DXLD Special Projects Team, Holland, MI, USA, Jan 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Last time I checked the English news, that was last month; they were on at 1800 UT with very low modulation, relaying news from Spice FM. You may consider as well the note on WRTH 2009 that they might have English news around 2000 UT but I never caught that one. All the best (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, Egypt, http://www.tarekzeidan.tk skype: mrdxer, 0834 UT Fri Jan 16, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) We had reports for a few weeks running that only on Thursdays the news in English went out at 2000 instead of 1800 (gh) 11735, Radio Tanzania-Zanzibar, 1800-1810, Jan 16 [Friday], English “Spice FM” news. Very poor with low modulation and wobbly, somewhat distorted audio. (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Have listened several times during the last two evenings (Thursday and Friday), and I have NOT heard the station. It used to be fair to good here. I have heard English at 18 UT only. But I did hear a weak station on 11735, which I couldn't identify. 73, (Erik Køie, Copenhagen, Sat Jan 17, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11735.00 at 1715 (Jan 17th) tune in was loud but distorted - a closer look at the spectrum showed a very large (only 13 db down from the carrier) component of 50 Hz energy (and multiples thereof) contained in the sidebands, easily visible out to +- 400 Hz. They must have a serious filtering issue within the transmitter power supply. The modulating audio itself, seemed of adequate level and quality. At 1800 [Saturday] they went to English news headlines, then in detail. 1803 mentioned that this news comes to you from Dar Es Salaam. Headlines repeated at 1808 then back into non English talk. 73 (Don VE6JY Moman, AB, ibid.) ** ZIMBABWE. 4828, Voice of Zimbabwe, Guinea-fowl, 1944-, 17 Jan, silent carrier; 35433. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [and non]. 15 Jan at 1835 when passing 4880 SW R Africa frequency noted the good old Zim music box jammer again trying to cover SWRA. Numbers lady was also on the frequency with USB alphabets.. Nice mix (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Hallo MW-ers, Al sinds een haluur hoor ik op 1700 kHz een Franstalig station. Als ik het het goed verstond hoor ik regelmatig "Canada" en "Belle radio". Zegt jullie dat iets? 73, (Frank Thijs, probably Netherlands or Belgium, 0541 UT Jan 20, BDX via DXLD) [later:] Heb jij op 1700 khz ook geluisterd. Ik hoorde daar een Franstalig station wat ik maar niet kon thuis brengen. (Thijs, ibid.) Hallo Frank, Nee ik heb vanmorgen niet op 1700 Khz geluisterd (John Marsyla, ibid.) 1700, WJCC, Miami Springs FL; French Creole program & "We’re WJCC 17 hundred Miami Springs", W/F, 0557 19/1 (Barry Davies, UK, MWC via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 1710, UNID station fading up and down with a male speaker in what sounds like accented French. Another station was under it playing old Spanish ballads at 0435 EST [0935 UT] 1/15. Any ideas? Off the Eastern beverage. Not too bad on peaks. No doubt about it is French, sounds like French you might hear from an African nation or maybe Haiti. Much like the Haitian TV station I get off satellite. Is this one of the NE pirates? If so, can a QSL be obtained? Except I am not sure if there is more than one on 1710. There is that old Spanish speaking music that fades up under the French talk at times. Good conditions tonight from the East too! It is 0517 EST and the French station is still coming in. In checking on a list Bruce Conti back in Nov 08, cites R Soleil International moving from 1620 to 1710. This might be what I am hearing. It seems to be very professional broadcaster for a pirate. Taking telephone calls. Some music program seems to be now. I can hear a woman in FF singing. I am letting the cassette record as I type this I have about 50 minutes so far. Not bad on peaks. Too bad I don't understand much French. Drake R8, 1500" [sic; must mean feet] Beverage (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, IRCA via DXLD) I usually check 1710 on my bandscans and often the Haitian pirate is audible, though just above the noise. That's consistent with a 50-100 W pirate using a simple antenna. I could put it up on my private stream so you could check for // audio. It's pretty hard to pick out of the noise, though. How were other east coast stations like WBZ-1030 showing? If I had to guess, I'd say it was another pirate closer to your location. Next time I'm up near Boston I'll see how they do. In the past they have always been mediocre compared to a typical 1 kW high end daytimer. FWIW, I have not noticed the Lubovich (sp?) NYC 1710 pirate in a while (Craig Healy, Providence, RI, ibid.) Craig, I was wondering, but East Coast conditions were excellent last night. I should have jumped around a bit more. I have had 10 watt TIS stations from the East Coast like JFK on 1700 and VA on 1620 in the past. With no stations being on 1710 [nearby], there is no QRM, so that Haitian low-power job is possible. I have 45 minutes of it on cassette. There would be no Haitian stations out here. Per the website, there is an address, so I may try a CD directly to them. The Website is in English too. 73, (Patrick Martin, OR, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. 3200, UNIDENTIFIED, 1058, Jan 13, presumed Spanish. Ballads; announcer at ToH and what sounded like an ad string; signal then becoming pretty much unusable; presumably a harmonic of some sort; very weak & poor (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, N.H. USA, R8, RX-350D, CLR/DSP, MLB1, 200' Bevs, 60M dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 4025: On January, 2nd at 0320-0435 UT and fade out with DJ in English and pop oldiest songs like "Happy New Year" by ABBA at 0405 UT. Dusty Springfield with "I Only ...", Joanna Baez, etc. and announced mailing address featuring ... P. O. Box 213 ... All on 4025.0 kHz. Please for Your help to recognize the station. Tnx! (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, Jan 2, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 19 via DXLD) Why not the pirate, Laser Hot Hits, on its well(?)-known frequency? http://www.laserhothits.co.uk/ But uses Box 293, Merlin, Ont., Canada maildrop. Easy to mistake 9 for 1 (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. CODAR Frequencies Found --- Hi, it`s Al Parker from Danbury CT. GOOD NEWS. I was scanning the 4000-5000 kHz and found CODAR. The frequencies are 4550, 4790, and 4850 khz, from 2000 to 0000 UT, on 1/15/09. Please confirm this. THANKS (Al Parker, Danbury CT, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Al, Yes, CODAR is on these frequencies, but each transmitter really sweeps a range of frequencies. This is a lot easier to track on a visual display (Glenn to Al, via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. EQUATORIAL GUINEA/MAURITANIA/MOROCCO UNID: On Dec 31st 2007 I listened to unID station on 5005 where at 2300 UT was the salvo and New Year coming and people there spoken in French. I thought that is my mistake in my log, but this time on December 31st, 2008 on same 5005 kHz at 2230 UT there was a meeting on some square and all people shouting in French and at 2300 UT all said "Bonne Année, Bonne Année". Whether it was Madagascar? All sources are given: 5005 Equat Guinea (but they were talking in vernacular and Spanish) and Madagascar on 5010 kHz in Malagasy and French (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, Jan 2, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 19, 2009 via DXLD) Yes, noted that private talk too on approx. 5005 ... 5006 kHz every late afternoon and local evening, when I monitored Equatorial Guinea and Madagascar in 5 MHz range during holiday in southern Portugal on the Algarve coast in 2007. Probably fishery fleet of Mauritania and/or Morocco on North West African coast (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) 5005: see also NEPAL UNIDENTIFIED. Re 9-005: NEW 5815.03, 1735-2130*, ???, 12+13.01, R. Al Aqsa, via ? New station. Arabic animated talks, mentioning Hamas and America, Arab songs, 34343, QRM Chinese jammer on RFA 5810. Best 73, (Anker Petersen, AOR AR7030PLUS with the high 28 metres longwire in Skovlunde, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) PALESTINE? 5815, Apsa [sic] Radio, was also heard at 1955 13/1 in // 5835 that signed off 2000. Due to other tasks same time lost the 5835 signal level but 5815 is again S9+10 on my 2x16 inv V antenna or 44544 using my m@h40 Sennheiser headphones too. After a short gap at 2000 with Arabic songs till 2019 then possibly signed off. There was an S5 carrier on the frequency (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) New 5814.98, 1600-1810 ??? 14+15.01 Al Aqsa R, via Iran ?? Arabic sound track of Al Aqsa TV, Gaza, mostly talks and reports, mentioning Mubarrak and "Entifada" // 5835 34333. Best 73, (Anker Petersen, heard recently on my AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres longwire, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) Things to check Thursday at 2000 UT --- Is Al Aqsa relay still appearing on 5815v, and 5835v? and later. Tnx, (Glenn Hauser, 1717 UT Jan 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hearing weak carriers on both 5815 and 5835 just past 2000, but to early for any definitive audio here (Steve Lare, DXLD Special Projects Team, Holland, MI, USA, Jan 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, Al Aqsa --- yes, they are still on 5815/5835; sometimes they just get silent, but they are still on. 5835 is having QRM from Deewa radio till 1900 and then they are OK till 2200 UT. All the best (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, Egypt, http://www.tarekzeidan.tk skype: mrdxer, 0834 UT Fri Jan 16, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hoy 16 de enero estoy captando una portadora en 5815 y otra en 5835; las condiciones de propagación no son buenas y el nivel de ruido es elevado aquí en Valencia, (España). Sin poderlo asegurar al cien por cien, me parece escuchar la voz de un hombre; eso significaría que Radio Al Aqsa en el día de hoy podría estar activa, cosa que en el día de ayer no pude confirmar. Diferentes chequeos a diferentes horas no dieron resultados. 5815, Radio Al Aqsa, 1620-1625, escuchada el 17 de enero con emisión musical, señal muy débil en paralelo por 5835, nivel de audio muy bajo, escucho instrumento de percusión y cánticos, en 5835 predomina VOA en Pasto, sin embargo se aprecia señal interferida, al pasar a LSB se escucha un poco mejor la música, SINPO 44322. CLANDESTINA, 5815, Radio Al Aqsa, 1617-1620, escuchada el 18 de enero en árabe a locutor con comentarios, conversación con invitado, referencias a Hamas, SINPO 34332 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5815, CLANDESTINE, Al Aqsa R., heard at 1706 on 18 Jan with rapid-fire Arabic talk and several IDs. Fair signal, but squashed by R. Liberty on 5820. Does anyone speak enough Arabic to understand if they are giving a snail mail or email address, or any kind of contact info? Other people seem to be hearing Al Aqsa R. a lot better than I do, indicating perhaps some sort of directional antenna, or a transmitter site not in the Middle East (Al Muick, Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan 18, WinRadio G303e, 200m Longwire/Randomwire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5835, 20/01 2120 (IRN) IRÃ, Radio Al Aqsa (?), tentative, (trata-se de uma tentativa, apenas identifiquei o idioma e mx, porem existe pouca informação nas listas, não afirmo ser a emissora, apesar das evidências a favor) em Arabic, OM Talk de modo exaltado e mx árabe, essa tx consta na Nagoya on line sem informação de local de tx, potencia e azimute, QRM não identificado, em pesquisa no google parece ser uma emissora clandestina; tem um site com fotos bem chocantes de crianças provavelmente vítimas do exercito truculento de Israel http://www.alaqsavoice.ps/arabic/ saiu do ar às 2133 UT, 23322, gravado (Jorge Freitas - Feira de Santana BA - Brasil, HCDX via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 6074, 8GAL V/CQ marker on CW is still audible on good days, intruding into the 49m SWBC band, such as Jan 15 at 1359:30 or so, overlapping the tail end of the R. Rossii 6075 transmission such that the 8GAL calls were mixing with the concluding timesignal. Once upon a time, 8GAL seemed to be exactly coördinated with R.R., starting immediately after the pips (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 6130, 1147-1202, Jan 13, vernacular. Sub-continent like music and announcers in unID language; light music at ToH followed by presumed news; poor-weak. No 7 gongs at ToH per Laos and not in // 7385-Tibet or any audible Tibetan 60m band frequencies (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, N.H. USA, R8, RX-350D, CLR/DSP, MLB1, 200' Bevs, 60M dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Nothing listed; maybe another instance of a punch-up frequency error by AIR (gh) UNIDENTIFIED [non]. I have an interest in Free Radio (unlicensed by the government) stations. I often listen to Mystery Radio on 6220 KHz. I often hear the station on weekends at night here in Connecticut. On both 15 and 18 January, I have heard a Spanish language radio on 6220. On the 15th, from 0123+, I heard the station with a male and female announcer reading what sounds like the news. I heard the words, Radio Nacional, Colombia, and Cuba. At 0130, I heard the male announcer say Radio Havana Cuba. The signal was good. On the 18th from 0132 to 0209+ with a fair signal, both the Spanish speaking station and Mystery Radio were on. The same male and female announcers were on. The propagation conditions would favor one or the other stations. I did copy the Mystery Radio identification both in CW and voice. The Spanish speaking station mention Argentina several times. The equipment used was an Eton E1 with a full wave 40 meter loop antenna. Enjoy life, (Greg Majewski, Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Habana on 6220 is unfortunate for Mystery Radio. It`s a leapfrog mixing product of their 6060 transmitter over the one on 6140, 80 kHz further up. 73, (Glenn to Greg, via DXLD) See also CUBA UNIDENTIFIED. Frecuencia activa --- Saludos cordiales amigos diexistas. Espero se encuentren muy bien. En la frecuencia 6875.9 kHz en usb se están escuchando diversas comunicaciones entre las cuales puedo entender lo siguiente: campo grande campo grande el casabe campo grande campo grande el casabe llamando a colombia llamando a colombia perú llamando a colombia llamando a colombia perú Estoy llamando al comando, nadie responde. ok comunicate con la alcaldía pasate a la frecuencia 6969 punto 00. Me parece que de repente por los llamados y el tono de voz este puede ser un puesto militar en alguna alcaldía colombiana. Aunque tambien para mi se escuchan comunicados desde venezuela. Un abrazo para todos. (José Elías Díaz Gómez, Barcelona, Venezuela http://sintoniadx.spaces.live.com/ noticiasdx yg [Spain] via DXLD) Time? 5:08 pm January 15 timestamp on post, already received here at 1745 UT Jan 15, so probably in UT or CET = 1608 UT (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. On the subject of weird happenings, I haven't heard any number stations for a while. The last time I heard the Lincolnshire poacher was in August on 6959 at 19.30 BST which would be 1830 UT allowing for the summer clock change. Maybe it has gone digital or DRM? (Gary Drew, UK, Jan 17, dxlkdyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I seriously doubt that (gh) UNIDENTIFIED. 8590-8615, OTH radar pulses, presumed, Jan 13 at 1420 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Always on move, OTH radar pulses (presumed), occupying 9055-9085, Jan 16 at 1450 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. CHINA, China Radio International, CRI, 9640, 2252, Spanish, 333, Jan 11, Two OMs with a conversation. Also a YL with comments. S/off by a YL at 2256 (Stewart MacKenzie, WDX6AA, Huntington Beach, California, USA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I put this under unID, because an explicit ID is not cited; just about anything broadcast other than music could be described as a `comment`, a word which should be banned from log reports; and there is another Spanish-speaking station co-channel, the one we hear normally in OK; it could be different in CA, but the Kashi site of CRI is in extreme W China, used to serve points westward, like Europe in this case. However, as we have observed before, REE isn`t always on 9640 until 2300, and in fact does not appear in Aoki. If list-logging via Aoki, which I assume Stewart is still unwilling to consult, you would think Spanish there would have to be CRI. But: In HFCC we find REE Noblejas at 19-23, 250 kW, 290 degrees and CRI Kashi at 21-23, 500 kW, 298 degrees And here they are adjacently in EiBi: 9640 2100-2300 CHN China Radio Int. S SEu ka 9640 1900-2300 E Radio Exterior Espana S NAm (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see SPAIN [and non] for my log UNIDENTIFIED. 12110, NO ID, 1152-1202, escuchada el 17 de enero una música de carillón, apenas unas siete notas que se repiten una y otra vez. Para esta frecuencia está listada el servicio en filipino de CRI, vía Kunming, de 1130 a 1157 y de 1200 a 1227; supongo algún problema en la emisión de este servicio, la señal muy fuerte, SINPO 55444. Audio: http://valenciadx2007.podomatic.com/entry/eg/2009-01-17T04_09_16-08_00 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Make that six electronic notes repeated over and over. I doubt this has anything to do with CRI, but some utility (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 15110 NO ID, 1425-1445, escuchada el 18 de enero en árabe a locutor con comentarios, referencias a “Arabía y Al Fatha”, aunque la señal en aceptable el ruido llega a tapar la señal, locutora con comentarios y segmento musical, no encuentro listada esta frecuencia para esta hora en EiBi ni en Aoki, referencias a “Israelia”, podría tratarse de Radio Kuwait, aunque no coincide con el esquema recibido recientemente, no encuentro frecuencia emitiendo en paralelo, SINPO 34332 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well, Kuwait is registered on 15110 as early as 1315, until 1800. We have long suspected that the schedules they send out are not exactly accurate (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See KUWAIT far above ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ It's a great privilege to run your show on Area 51. Thank you for the effort you put into World of Radio and the DX Listening Digest. Regards, (Larry and Jane Will, Mount Airy, Maryland, with a donation via PayPal to woradio at yahoo.com) Glenn, Here's my renewal for another year of DXLD. I encourage all SWLs and DXers --- a notoriously parsimonious bunch, I must admit --- to likewise support this outstanding source of DX news. 73, (Harry Helms, Corpus Christi TX) Hi Glenn, I was delighted to learn that your program, which I had followed years ago, continues on the e-mail. Since I've relocated to Washington, DC, the noise level makes SWL virtually impossible, but I maintain interest in the hobby. Thanks for keeping the SWL hobby alive! (Bob Weller, Chief, Technical Analysis Branch, FCC, with a donation via PayPal to woradio at yahoo.com) Glenn: I wanted to let you know that the World Radio Network streaming is available using Apple's iphone. The application, available through the itunes store, is called "fstream". This is a free application. Another great feature of fstream is that programs can be recorded for later listening. Of course, World of Radio is available for listening. This is now a highlight of my Saturday afternoons. I am a long time listener (say thirty plus years). Thank you for World of Radio! Charles Harlich, Jan 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Dear Mr. Hauser, First, I must thank you for your DX reports over the years and contributions to Contact publication of the World DX Club. Enjoy life, Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much (Greg Majewski) Re: Glenn Hauser logs January 7-8, 2009, WTDY: Can we just keep it to shortwave logs and keep the uninformed commentary to yourselves? Thank you, (Randall Gosh, Jan 9, primetimesw yg via DXLD) It`s no skin off my teeth [sic] if the majority on this list would rather not see my *informed* commentary with my logs. I wanted to make a contribution, but I can just as easily delete ptsw from my mailing list. (There is another way, like filtering them out or deleting all my posts unread if you can`t take them.) I find pure logs incredibly boring; the purpose of SWL ought to include hearing opinions you may not agree with and feeling free to discuss or refute them. The purpose of MOST SW broadcasts is to further someone`s or some country`s agenda or beliefs, so that makes them fair game for comment. My logs go to multiple lists without censorship, and I will not muzzle myself here to please a few complainers. I put up with all kinds of opinions I don`t agree with; why can`t you? (Yes, the WTDY item was mediumwave, and should be OT here, but the point remains.) 73, (Glenn Hauser, primetimeshortwave yg via DXLD) ``The purpose of MOST SW broadcasts is to further someone`s or some country`s agenda or beliefs, so that makes them fair game for comment.`` I agree. I listen to a *lot* of comments on 75 meters (Steve, KG4RFW, ibid.) Glenn, I have no problems with the commentary and I agree that a dry log is much less interesting than one with commentary. I for one appreciate your efforts and I would appreciate if you continue your reporting as is. Keep up the good work. 73, (Tom, ibid.) Glenn, I'd prefer to see your logs continue to follow the same format. I'd classify myself as leaning toward the right side of the political spectrum, but it doesn't bother me in the least to read opinions that dissent from my views. If anything, critique gives me a chance to test my own beliefs against other points of view. Hey, I've been known to be wrong a time or two! I have been reading your logs in various venues for many years now and hope to keep doing so. Cast my vote for the status quo. 73, (Rick K0VJ Kaumeier, ibid.) Primetimeshortwave : Mr. Hauser has had controversy before and this will not be the last time. But to his credit his comments give thought to a logging, showing the political atmosphere of that broadcaster that would otherwise be overlooked. As a matter of fact, his comments has made me aware that this country has been silent for many years about the "evils of the USA" until just recently. It's as if the clocks have rolled backwards to those days long gone (60 and 70's). I have not heard them speak like this for sometime. But in this day of the peoples unrest about political agendas around the world, those fortunate to be shortwave listeners can hear of their governments` involvement in world affairs. Just last week or so, Cuba did a story on CIA operations in Central/South America. Now did the average person know of these operations? I'm afraid not. Then the question remains, is the commentary about program detail a valid logging, just like SINPO, frequency, date/time? I say YES. It what makes me want to tune in that broadcaster. I highly recommend that "commentary" be not restricted nor censored for a few that can't understand this. To Mr. Hauser, if you stop your commentary then I will be very disappointed in you and your style of reporting I have read over the years. I look forward to reading your reports for many more years to come. Respectfully, (Art Hernández, Northern Nevada, ibid.) Keep 'em coming...! (Gleason Sackmann, ibid.) Glenn, Do Not change your commentary nor your beliefs because somebody does not agree with you. You help us to understand what the leanings of the stations are (rasktarn, ibid.) OK. Last comment from me. I am not asking anyone to be censored. I'm just asking that obvious bias against conservatives or any other political leaning be tempered. This is not a political topic. If you think that Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, et al. are far right bomb throwers, then that's your OPINION - it's not descriptive of the programming. All I'm asking is that if we want to get into political discussions there's a slew of other topic groups for that. Why is it that it's always OK to attack conservatives but don't dare question anyone's liberal bent? I will always appreciate the extremely informative logs provided by Glenn and the others. I started DXing in the '70s when I was a kid and even though I don't get the chance nearly as much as I'd like to now, Glenn's name always brings me back to a happy time in my youth. Happy New Year to EVERYONE and Good DXing! (Randall Gosh, Jan 13, ibid.) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ HELP UPDATE AOKI NDXC made an email form: http://www.ndxc.org/email/ Please cooperate with correction and up date of Aoki List (S. Hasegawa, NDXC-HQ, Japan, Jan 14, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) LANGUAGE LESSONS ++++++++++++++++ A INFLUÊNCIA DO NOVO ACORDO ORTOGRÁFICO, NO MUNDO DEXISTA Caros amigos, Já se encontra válido o Novo acordo ortográfico dos países lusófonos e como tal, nós brasileiros estamos sob a tutela desta nova revisão ortográfica. Analisando o que mudou, vejo que sobre o mundo dexista a influência desta nova reforma ortográfica não oferecerá mudança significativas a ponto de influenciar em nossas escutas: http://br.groups.yahoo.com/group/radioescutas/message/47312 (Adalberto Marques de Azevedo, radioescutas via DXLD) DX-PEDITIONS ++++++++++++ NEW DXPEDITION REPORT FROM FINLAND After a two-year break in AM DXing, I finally found the time to spend slightly over a week in the Arctic Northern part of Finland on a DXpedition. This was DXpedition number 271 in Lemmenjoki, the most popular DXpedition location in Lapland. Some of the highlights include picking up a bunch of X-band stations from Australia and Argentina. Conditions were not as good as two years earlier, but this was the first time that I was able to use the magnificent Perseus receiver, so the sheer volume of recordings is such that there will still be some neat catches to be discovered, once I get to go through the recordings. You can find the report with photos at http://www.dxing.info/dxpeditions/lem271rep.dx but compiling the initial log will probably take a couple of months more. 73 (Mika Makelainen, McLean, VA http://www.dxing.info Jan 18 DX LISTENING DIGEST) DIGITAL BROADCASTING DAB: see GERMANY. DRM: DENMARK; ETHIOPIA; FRANCE; ++++++++++++++++++++ INDIA; KUWAIT; POLAND; RUSSIA; VATICAN; UNID 6959 DTV DELAY WOULD CAUSE CONFUSION? From what I'm hearing from within the industry, an extension past 2/17 would mean many - but not all - analogs staying on. It's truly a case-by-case scenario at this point. Some low-band Vs have already flash-cut, such as KHAS-5 in Nebraska, and others are no doubt limping to the finish line on transmitters that may or may not make it much past mid-February. I can't imagine the FCC forcing stations to keep analog on the air if they can cite a reasonable reason to shut it down, whether that's equipment failure, scheduled tower work that can't be moved, or even economic distress, which is already becoming a popular reason for small AM facilities to go temporarily silent. So if we end up with June 1 as a final shutoff date, followed by a month of nightlight operation, we could literally see things changing by the day as stations lower analog power or go off. But on the other hand, there was radio silence, so to speak, out of DC today on the issue - and every day that nothing happens on this will make it harder to delay the 2/17 deadline in the end. I'm very cautiously hopeful that now that the politicians have gotten their publicity for "standing up for analog TV," as it were, cooler heads may be prevailing behind the scenes so that we can just get on with it, already. s (Scott Fybush, NY, Jan 12, WTFDA via DXLD) It is too late to change the deadline, but I sure wish it had been set for June 1 instead of February 17. I still can't believe the FCC was stupid enough to pick the middle of winter (Dave Pomeroy, Topeka KS, ibid.) Hang on a sec -- don't blame the FCC for the date. That was part of the legislation when Congress mandated the changeover. The FCC has enlisted the ARRL (national ham radio organization) in assisting with this changeover, at the receiver end. They have however strongly advised the League *against* letting their members actually install converters. For the unfortunately good reason that it raises serious liability concerns (in this day & age, if you help your neighbor install the converter box they bought, and it turns out to have a defective isolation transformer & someone gets zapped, you're likely to find yourself in court.....) (Scott Fybush, ibid.) I didn't realize that Congress set the February 17 date. I won't blame the FCC anymore and am not surprised that Congress picked such a date. They apparently didn't consult with anyone who knew anything about TV reception (Dave Pomeroy, KS, ibid.) I was under the impression that Congress's main concern was to not black out The Super Bowl. Apparently no thought given to weather conditions in the northern USA (Allan Dunn, K1UCY, ibid.) The digital transition should have taken place from south to north like the custom cutters who follow the wheat harvest from south Texas into Saskatchewan in the spring and summer.? That would have made it easier to schedule tower crews and for home viewers to work on antennas if necessary.? It is -40F in International Falls, MN.? I suspect their UHF translators will remain on analog into the spring, but I sure wouldn't want to be climbing up on the roof in that weather.? It was -10C this afternoon in Topeka and will be much colder tonight and I don't consider Kansas a northern state (Dave Pomeroy, Topeka, Kansas, ibid.) The problem with a phased transition is that it's kind of like a big set of dominoes - in order for some stations to go full-power digital in one market, often analog has to go away in a neighboring market. One of the biggest reasons that Wilmington NC was chosen as the first test of an all-digital market was that it didn't interlock with any other markets - all the Wilmington stations were staying on their transitional digital channels for permanent DTV, and two of the three full-power analogs that went away were low-band Vs. And of course Hawaii, which goes all-digital tomorrow, has no entanglements, either. Concerns about winter tower work were a big reason why a bunch of stations in northern and northern-ish climates got their work done last summer, if not earlier - Nebraska's NET stations, for instance. Most viewers, of course, lacked the benefit of such advance planning. s (Scott Fybush, ibid.) THE FEBRUARY 17 DTV SWITCH DATE MAY SLIP President-elect Barack Obama is urging Congress to postpone the February 17 DTV switch date fearing that too many people aren't ready (Radio World). As John Eggerton of Broadcasting & Cable put it, "Maybe it was a portent that David Gilliland, NASCAR driver of the Ford that the FCC sponsored to promote the Feb. 17 DTV transition, crashed his first race out." However, delay is not a certainty at this time, so the only conservative course of action is to stick with our Feb. 17 switch plans unless and until an official postponement is announced. http://radioworld.com/article/72572 http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6628234.html http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6628526.html http://tinyurl.com/MartinOnDTV (CGC Communicator Jan 13 via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) Nightlight just got finalized yesterday, and roughly 3/4 of the stations in the list weren't in a previously-released list. In any case, nobody is going to really want to be watching nightlight service -- the only programs will be about the DTV transition, or any emergencies that may come up. In other words, as far as a source of entertainment, WFSB-analog *will* be history as of 2/17 even if they do participate in nightlight. Now, if Congress delays the entire transition, that's another story. But... My gut feeling on this: 1. Congress *will* delay the transition, probably for six months. 2. Those stations that have already shut down their analogs will NOT bring them back. 3. Most of those stations that were planning to do something that would disable their analog in order to get their digital on at full power will proceed with those plans -- will go ahead and take their analogs off even if Congress doesn't require it. 4. Of the stations whose analogs will still be operational after their digitals are on at full power/antenna height, roughly 25% will leave their analogs on the air. (that 25% figure may prove way too high) (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, Jan 17, WTFDA via DXLD) There's very little reason at this point, less than a month before the transition, for anyone to still be depending on the analog signal in most markets (with a few glaring exceptions like Elmira, NY, where the three major commercial stations are all waiting to flash-cut on their analog channels, and thus there's almost no DTV on the air yet.) s (Scott Fybush, Rochester NY, Jan 18, WTFDA via DXLD) JUNE DTV SWITCH DATE IS DEFEATED - BUT EXPECT ANOTHER TRY Senate Republicans have blocked a bill that would delay the nationwide DTV switch until June 12, but Democrats say they will try again this coming week. The bill was defeated even after President-elect Barack Obama urged Congress to postpone the Feb. 17 transition. In other news, the congressional wheels are turning to free-up more money for the stalled DTV Converter Coupon program. http://tinyurl.com/9lrnae DTV NEWS -- A POSTPONED SWITCH DATE SEEMS LIKELY o On the one hand, Hawaii's early DTV switch appears to be proceeding smoothly, calling into question whether the Feb. 17 switch date for the rest of the U.S. should be postponed: http://tinyurl.com/DTVHawaiiOkay o "It seems as if the only people in American who are unprepared for the Feb. 17 transition to digital television are advisers to President-elect Obama." Viewpoint article from Broadcasting & Cable: http://tinyurl.com/Viewpointe o On the other hand, Commission Democrats, including the likely acting chairman come next Tuesday, have given Congress a host of reasons to delay the DTV transition date, saying preparation has been inadequate across the board: http://tinyurl.com/DelayDTV o The Obama team urges passage of a DTV delay bill: http://tinyurl.com/DelayCertain o These points notwithstanding, CGC suggests that the wisest course of action is to assume that the DTV switch will occur on Feb. 17, to keep promoting that date to the public, and to have our facilities ready for the switch if it happens then. No telling what Congress will do. NIGHTLIGHT PROGRAM APPROVED The FCC has adopted the Analog Nightlight Program which allows pre- approved full power analog TV stations to remain on the air for up to 30 days after the DTV transition. DTV-challenged viewers will then be able to receive emergency and DTV transition information via the analog signals from these so-called "nightlight" stations. Summary + Details: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-287915A1.doc http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-09-2A1.doc LIST OF TENTATIVE PRE-APPROVED NIGHTLIGHT STATIONS The FCC has published a list of TV broadcast stations that have been tentatively pre-approved as nightlight stations. The complete list of tentative eligible stations is at the URL below. As an FCC official points out, "Other stations, not on the list, may also be eligible, but will have to submit some sort of interference showing. The [following] list was based upon fixed spacing; we are still doing interference analysis (OET-69 style) and may end up pulling some stations off the list when that analysis is completed." http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-09-2A2.pdf (all: CGC Communicator Jan 18, via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) 2009 TO BRING HD DEATH RATTLES? --- by John Anderson, 1/15/09 While most policy-pundits are focused on the fast-approaching DTV transition and the potential selection of a new FCC Chairman, the saga that is digital audio broadcasting (otherwise known as "HD Radio") continues to fly under the radar. However, this may not be the case for long. Due to heavy industry-maneuvering and a shamefully-complicit FCC, the U.S. radio industry has locked the medium into a sub-standard, proprietary broadcast protocol. The problems with this protocol have long been known. Thus, if there is any force that might bring down HD Radio, it will be the marketplace. There are several signs that the marketplace is now beginning to act: http://diymedia.net/archive/0109.htm#011509 (via Benn Kobb, DXLD) Ibiquity cuts work force: http://www.rwonline.com/article/73136 (via Harry Helms W5HLH, Corpus Christi, TX, Jan 20, ABDX via DXLD) EUROPE’S TWISTED PATH AWAY FROM AM RADIO By ERIC PFANNER Published: January 18, 2009 PARIS — During World War II, when Nazi propaganda ruled the airwaves in the Third Reich, the 215-meter radio tower near Beromünster in Switzerland was a beacon of independent information to German speakers in Switzerland and beyond. The transmission tower in Switzerland of Radio Beromünster, which was shut down last month in favor of digital radio. Radio Beromünster, the AM signal broadcast from the transmitter, may have defied the Nazis, but it was unable to resist the march of technology. Last month, the Swiss public broadcasting organization shut down the station and moved its last remaining program, a Swiss folk music show, to a new channel on digital radio. “We think it’s an old technology,” said Ernst Werder, digital project manager at the Swiss broadcaster, SRG SSR idée suisse, referring to AM radio. “It is time for radio to be digital.” . . . http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/19/business/worldbusiness/19radio.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=digital%20radio&st=cse (via Chuck Albertson, Ben Dawson, DXLD) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ FCC REPORTS DECLINE IN BPL CUSTOMERS On January 16, 2009, the Federal Communications Commission released data, http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-287962A1.pdf as of December 31, 2007, on the services used for high-speed Internet access in the United States. According to the data collected by the FCC, as of that date there were 121.2 million high-speed lines (including wireless), a 20 percent increase in just six months. In sharp contrast to the rapid growth in mobile wireless, cable modem, ADSL and fiber as delivery mechanisms to subscribers, Broadband over Power Line (BPL) utilization apparently declined during the period. According to the FCC figures, the category "Power Line and Other" dropped from 5420 lines in June 2007 to just 5274 six months later. It is not known how many of these are "Power Line" and how many are "Other." "Despite the enormous and unwarranted hype given to BPL by the FCC under Chairmen Powell and Martin, the message from the marketplace is clear: BPL is going nowhere as a means of delivering broadband connectivity to consumers," observed ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ. "Still, the FCC has unfinished business with respect to BPL. It has been nine months since the federal Court of Appeals ordered the Commission to correct the errors it committed in adopting rules that inadequately protect licensed radio services from BPL interference, yet the FCC has made no effort to comply. With the change at the FCC helm that is about to take place, we hope the foot- dragging will come to an end and the Commission will fulfill its obligations to the Court as well as to its licensees." (ARRL via Paul Ormandy, NZ, ZL4PW ZM4M, http://radiodx.com http://www.zl4pw.orconhosting.net.nz/ greylinedx via DXLD) BT VISION SHORTWAVE INTERFERENCE: TRADING STANDARDS INVOLVEMENT Good article on recent developments in The Register: 'Interfering' BT Vision attracts campaigner glares Ham radio enthusiasts call up trading standards By Bill Ray, 15th January 2009 11:33 GMT Campaigners complaining about interference generated by BT's Vision product have financed independent tests to show that the kit BT is pushing fails to conform to the appropriate EU standards, prompting a complaint to trading standards officers. . . Full article including embedded YouTube video: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/01/15/bt_vision_interference/ (Mike Barraclough, Jan 15, dxldyg via DXLD) If certain PLT devices are now found to be outside of current standards, how did plasma tv's escape proper testing, by default? Regards from (Graham Bedwell, BDXC-UK via DXLD) MUSEA +++++ TECHNICAL MUSEUM OF VATICAN RADIO Vatican Radio's winter schedule brochure which arrived just before Christmas has an interesting feature on the Technical Museum of Vatican Radio. It was inaugurated on 16 May 1995 to mark the centenary of the invention of radio and in homage to Guglielmo Marconi, its inventor. The museum is situated in the heard of the Vatican Gardens, in the same building where Marconi, from 1929 to 1931, studied the project for the construction of Vatican Radio and where, in 1932, he conducted his experiments on the propagation characteristics of ultra short waves. The small museum houses a collection of historical equipment used by Vatican Radio from 1931 to the present day. Currently about 180 pieces are on exhibition: audio and telegraphic apparatus, linkage components, tape recorders and players, transmission and reception equipment, measuring devices etc. Guided tours of the museum are by appointment only and include a description and demonstration of the equipment, an exhibition of historical photos, and the showing of a film that highlights moments in the life of Vatican Radio. A virtual tour of the museum can be made by visiting www.radiovaticana.org and clicking on "Museum". To visit the museum phone or email to make an appointment - Tel +39 06 698 73995, or email: museo_rv@vaticanradio.org (Radio Vaticana schedule Nov 2008- March 2009 via Dave Kenny, Jan BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ JOB OPENINGS AT THE FCC The FCC is looking for good people, and some of your readers may be interested. All [of the openings] are in DC, and no relocation assistance is provided. Summaries are available at the URL below. Do not wait until the last minute to apply. The Q&A for each position, which is NOT visible until you actually click on the "Apply to this Vacancy" button, is quite lengthy. Bob Weller, Chief, Technical Analysis, FCC, Washington https://jobs1.quickhire.com/scripts/fcc.exe (CGC Communicator Jan 13 via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) SHORTWAVE RADIO STILL PACKS AN AUDIBLE THRILL (Reuters) Posted on Wed Jan 14, 2009 3:29 PM EST The Columbus Dispatch Monday 19th January, 10:01:10 AM NEW YORK (Reuters) - Somewhere on a lonely mountaintop on a starry night, or maybe in an apartment on a bustling city block, someone is channeling the whole world onto a mobile device. It's not a phone; it's a shortwave radio. A staple form of broadcasting in many parts of the world since the 1920s and 1930s -- shortwave in North America has been mostly a hobby for decades. . . http://tech.yahoo.com/news/nm/20090114/tc_nm/us_column_pluggedin (via Benn Kobb, DXLD) Same: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/feedarticle/8255790 (via Blake, SC, dxldyg via DXLD) Same: http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSTRE50D6JF20090114?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0 (via Artie Bigley, DXLD; via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) or http://snipurl.com/a3u8j (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, swprograms via DXLD) same: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28673440/ (via Ted Randall, DXLD) Good publicity for shortwave in this article, has quotes from Harold Cones, Ian McFarland, Larry Magne and Bob Grove (Mike Barrraclough, swprograms via DXLD) ``On a serious note, shortwave stations often resist many government attempts to jam them. "Shortwave is unfettered by intermediaries so it's pretty much always there," said Lawrence Magne, publisher of the Passport to World Band Radio`` I toured the USSR in 1986, and took along a Sony ICF-2002. I can say from personal experience trying to hear RL and RFE that if an "intermediary" --- like the old USSR --- makes a serious effort to jam a given station, then most of the people in that country just aren't going to hear it. Has Magne actually tried to listen to a station targeted for jamming within a given country, or is that just PR smoke he's blowing to a credulous reporter? (Harry Helms W5HLH, Corpus Christi, TX EL17, dxldyg via DXLD) Wow! Great stuff and beautiful language! Thanks a lot! But I have to comment on the statement that shortwave "can deliver news faster than you might find it online." It sure can. But it usually doesn't (unless you can easily pick up BBCWS). Just an example: during recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai, the major news websites provided a fast and comprehensive coverage of the events. But AIR's External Service was terrible with a very brief and overly positive reporting. I was very disappointed. If a breaking news happens, Reuters, BBC and CNN websites are a better bet than SW (provided you have Internet access). I still love SW, though :) (Sergei S., Russia, swprograms via DXLD) [RANT] What a ludicrous article. Reuters' Morgue File on shortwave, in a word, sucks. "Thousands of stations?" --- Where did he get that idea from? Shortwave radios are neither slim nor pocket-sized? Can he get his fanny down the street to the local Radio Shack to look at a Grundig G6 perhaps? An "easy" hobby? --- Except for the great complexities of sorting out what stations are on what frequencies during what time of day in what language and what actions you'd better take with your antenna if you really want to be able to hear anything. How does one "work [his] search engine like a mule?" Like MacMillan apparently didn't do when he wrote the article? "Twist the radio from side to side?" --- For shortwave reception? Magic, thrill and romance? No, that's Chris Matthews ruminating on the President Elect. Science, technique and intrigue would be better descriptors. "In aural terms, the Internets wins?" --- Huh? I'll take a strong, well-modulated signal in the clear over a thin, digitized, swooshing dial-up-connection-sounding Internet radio station any second of the week. "Sounds dirty?" --- Uh, no more than the signal "wooshing from clouds of static;" is that like flies BEING CREATED by rotting organic matter in a poorly sealed jar? "The whims of sunspots?"... --- Allow my to anthropomorphise my keyboard: she's feeling a bit down today, so send money. "Delivers news faster than you can find it online?" --- Uh, do I go to my Yahoo mail NOW or wait until this evening for Radio Havana's English service? I realize I'm hearing Mongolia? --- How? Do I speak Mongolian? How do I know it's not a relay from most anywhere on the globe? I don't get a "warm human connection" to sound vibrations, and how do the canned repeats affect the "live" aspect? Humph, required "hot spot," no; required "sweet spots," yes. "On a serious note?" --- Oh, good, I'd already dismissed all of the preceding - glad he agrees. "Stations resist government attempts to jam them?" --- Somebody tell VOA to China and Marti how to do that and maybe I'll be able to hear them. "Shortwave is unfettered by intermediaries?" --- Yes it is. It's fettered by everyone from the techie who doesn't know what feed to transmit or when to air it to the senior government propagandists who select facts as though they're available from a salad bar and spin them like a dreidel. Enlightening article. I will never believe anything from Reuters again. [/RANT] (Terry Wilson, MI, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) You're a darn good writer, Terry. Everything you said was funny because it's so true. Oops, it's 2030, time to hear the romance of CHU. 73/ (Liz Cameron, Detroit, MI, ibid.) One thing is to add here: It's basically the same with all news agencies. In doubt they need to churn out stuff in a hurry, with no time for an in-depth research. Here in Germany there is another aspect (maybe similar findings could be made elsewhere, too): Who needs newspapers anymore when they just press the ubiquitous Deutsche Presseagentur material on dead trees? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.) Too true. I "like" also the former federal prosecutors posing as anchors on all the cable news networks who must continuously read their teleprompters aloud no matter how many times the exact same news-bite passes their eyes. Many of them over-enunciate every word in an attempt to be sensational, and while shrieking at that continuing level they literally have to scream when they see a word they do actually want to stress. Our local newspaper raised its price by 50%, lost almost all of its ad inserts, and shrunk to two extremely small sections. Next it will raise its price again, shrink to one section, and soon thereafter file bankruptcy. Sign o' the Times: CLOSED (Terry Wilson, MI, ibid.) And don`t you believe the linx at the bottom! The Crane frequency list is two years old --- I really need to get on updating that. But the radioshack one is incredibly old; tho (c) 2004 it was long outdated even then with many, many entries which had been obsolete for many years, from the first one, Radio SR, Swaziland on 3223, to the last one, R RSA on 25790. 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) SLACKER NOW AVAILABLE FOR iPHONE/iPOD TOUCH This is what "radio" will be in the very near future: http://www.hear2.com/2009/01/slacker-on-on-iphone-and-ipod.html (Harry Helms W5HLH, Corpus Christi, TX EL17 http://harryhelmsblog.blogspot.com/ Jan 15, ABDX via DXLD) Perhaps I'm behind the curve but it seems to me that cell phone service is getting worse rather than better and more expensive rather than cheaper. How will the additional bandwidth required for mobile devices affect cell phone service? Will the public be willing to add the equivalent of another cable bill to their budget? (Jerry Lenamon, ibid.) Yes, you're REALLY behind the curve! ;-) I've been flogging the "cellphonecasting" concept here for might long moons, and I won't rehash it here even though I love those cute facial tics Scott Fybush develops whenever I raise the topic. For my latest blog post about the iPhone/iPod Touch, visit here: http://harryhelmsblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/iphone-as-ebook-publishing-platform.html Web sites like Hear 2.0, dailywireless.org, and even good ol' Radio World have been covering developments on the 3G/4G wireless front. If you plan to be involved in broadcasting in early 2019, I'd suggest getting up to speed on those topics now (Harry Helms W5HLH. Corpus Christi, TX EL17, ibid.) I'm not saying Harry's wrong - but I do think there are bigger issues with scalability than Harry cares to acknowledge. (Don't believe me? Find a friend who's going to DC next Tuesday, then try to get a call through to them at, say, 11:30 AM eastern. Good old-fashioned radio, by contrast, will work just fine for as many millions of people in the DC market as care to listen.) It looks as though there's a middle ground emerging, though - I'm very interested in the news out of CES about mobile DTV developments. Think "mobile broadcast broadband" instead of just "mobile television," and this may be where the future really lies. It's a good time to be a DTV station with a UHF allocation toward the upper end of the remaining TV spectrum. For a lot of them, regular broadcast TV may soon be the *least* valuable use of that bandwidth. s (Scott Fybush, ibid.) That will be fixed by opening up scads of room for digital comms because of the DTV turnover (Kevin Redding, TN, ibid.) Scads? Not [sic] hardly. A large chunk of the spectrum that's being freed up is going to public safety use, as well it should. Qualcomm has grabbed at least two channels' worth (55 and 56) in most markets for its MediaFLO service, which is another form of mobile TV, at least in its current incarnation. Verizon has another chunk for its future use. Is it enough to keep pace with increased demand for streaming audio and video? I don't know, but I have a feeling it will become an issue. And remember - Qualcomm and VZW and the other commercial users of that spectrum paid very, very big bucks for it, at a time when the economy was healthier. Guess who'll end up paying? Here's a hint - your monthly wireless bill, if you're a subscriber, will be moving in only one direction, especially if you are (or hope to be) a heavy consumer of streaming media and the bandwidth it uses. I think that creates a potential opportunity for truly free-to-the- end-user traditional broadcasting, if more broadcast owners can understand that they have to continue investing in content and not just cutting until there's nothing left. s (Scott Fybush, ibid.) Too bad you couldn't see sarcasm (Kevin Redding, ibid.) I think my sarcasm-detector done froze over. 7 degrees outside, wind chill about -10, and it's still going down... (Fybush, ibid.) Harry Harry. You and your radical ideas --- FM one day overtaking AM, UHF becoming a viable TV medium, and now this "cellphonecasting" thing. Time to put away those Neil Diamond & Carpenter LPs, and come back to reality (Juan Gualda, Fort Pierce, FL :-) ibid.) CELLPHONES FINALLY MAKE RADIO MOBILE????? That seems to be the earth shattering conclusion this article in "Wired" magazine reaches. Personally, I think the comments that follow the article are much more illuminating about this topic. Note the references there to the "transistor radio". http://blog.wired.com/business/2009/01/six-ways-cellph.html (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes radios have been mobile for quite a while, haven't they! That said, have a look at mobile internet radio. The primary use of my iPhone (beyond being a phone) is as a internet radio. At the moment I am traveling in northern Australia but keeping up with the Obamamania via KQED and other NPR outlets. The other day Al mentioned the Bhutan sign-on. At least once a week I listen to Bhutan sign-on via my iphone - other favorites while in the car, bus or train include Lao National Radio and Voice of Vietnam Radio 1 & 3. At home I have 2 stand alone internet radios - the look and feel like radios, as well as one in my hi-fi system. I fly somewhere most weeks, and when sitting in airports I usually listen to the ATC via my iPhone. It really is a revolution underway - all these stations are heard in studio quality, if you interested in the content of the stations as much as the collecting of QSLs or the DX chase you will love mobile internet radio. There are now well over 15,000 streams available - AM & FM from almost every nation. The internet radio user group I am active in has 72,000 registered users (members) - many ex and current SWLs and DXers. Cheers, (Mark Fahey, Australia, ibid.) You aren't under 30, are you? Folks under 30 are hugely comfortable with cellphones, iPhones, iPods, etc. If a cellphone could do this without sucking batteries or minutes of cellular air time, they'd be for it. The new breed of devices (phones?) that default to wifi networks if available, then switch to cellular networks if no wifi can be found, These folks largely don't listen to radio. Wouldn't dream of it. They discover music largely by word-of-mouth (or, text-of-twitter) or something like that to seed their musical tastes, then they use music discovery services (slacker, last.fm, Rhapsody, pandora) or other format-on-the-fly mixes to extend their reach. That part is the "tune into the cloud" part. Cloud as in Cloud computing, natch. I find that young people are impatient when it comes to music, much like their entertainment in general. If a radio station plays one song they like, followed by four clunkers, they will abandon it in a heartbeat. Watch TV live? Pshaw. They'll TiVo a program or watch online on their schedule, not when the network says it's on. Probably the only exception is American Idle or something with an extreme "water cooler" factor. Get hep, there, daddy-o! ...I am only half kidding with this --- entertainment is much more "pick and choose" nowadays (Richard Cuff drinking the youth serum in Allentown, PA, swprograms via DXLD) I take your comment in the spirit in which it is meant. And I do think that most of the trailing comments probably were written by people with paunches and failing hair follicles. But I think the larger point is, "Is the cellphone the optimal instrument for all this?" Especially if it comes with an avalanche of new fees and causes that already burdened rechargeable battery to run down faster than it already does. But mostly I thought the comments that followed the article pointed out a not too subtle fact: This is not as new as some would have us (or our kids) think (John Figliozzi, ibid.) Yes indeed - that is correct. The battle that will be pitched is who will control the devices, the pipeline, and the content. Here in the USA, those first two battles pitch different groups of companies, and also a tug-of-war between pipeline providers. Meanwhile the article itself is really pitched at content providers -- namely those who control (and seek to make money at -- "monetize") the access to the music. Who should they be doing deals with to get music into our collective brains? One can draw international broadcasting parallels in all these areas. The issue of monetizing content is different, though...because that is rarely part of the process. Instead, that issue becomes "how do you build awareness of content?" How does a Radio Netherlands induce people to tune in? I don't think the new crop of "all you can eat" cellphone subscription plans include data, but I could be wrong (Richard Cuff, PA, ibid.) No "all you can eat" yet AFAIK either. There are plans that for around $50 or so per month you can consume up to a certain limit. In other words, you're on a meter. I doubt the capacity of these networks could support an all you can eat option--at least at this time. Presumably that relies on finding new spectrum to occupy. Jaf (Figliozzi, ibid.) While "music services" might be a huge application on mobile phones (that's possible), it's not clear that mobile phones with all of these extras will be the primary future of music distribution. The comments certainly give the sense that the average user is not as excited about this as the industry thinks they are (Rob de Santos, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) MUSIC RADIO FALLS HARD --- Michael Hedges, January 19, 2009 Music fans, largely young people, now shun radio channels. Music players and the internet give them exactly what they want, exactly when they want it. Or do they? Or is it, perhaps, that radio listeners are really attracted to voices on the air? . . . [about FRANCE] http://followthemedia.com/numbers/mediametrie19012009.htm (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) TWO BEST PORTABLE SHORTWAVE RECEIVERS From the wonderful Cool Tools site, this review starts out like this: The previously-reviewed Sony ICF-2010 http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/000083.php is undoubtedly the best portable shortwave radio ever made. It was built to perfection with synchronous detection, aircraft band and a lot of other bells and whistles. But unfortunately, it has long been discontinued. Likewise, the previously-reviewed Grundig YB-400 has also been discontinued. Today, the two best portable shortwave receivers in the market are the Sony ICF-SW7600GR and the Grundig G5. . . http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/003464.php (via Eric Flodén, dxldyg via DXLD) PLASMA SCREEN TVS MAY BE BANNED UNDER NEW EU LEGISLATION Southgate 12 January 2009 http://www.southgatearc.org/news/january2009/plasma_tv_ban.htm Large screen Plasma TVs have had a bad reputation among users of the Short Wave radio spectrum because of the high level of RF interference they can generate and many radio users will be pleased to see them go. The Daily Telegraph carries a story that Plasma screen TVs could be banned under new EU legislation. Read the full story at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/4222445/Power-hungry-plasma-screen-televisions-to-be-banned-under-new-EU-legislation.html YouTube video - Plasma TV QRM (Interference) on HF radio Eham - Plasma TV EMI http://www.eham.net/forums/RFI/2178 (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) WHITE NOISE --- by David Gascoyne Almost 40 years ago I was conducting comparative trials of competing night vision devices. Army observers sat in close proximity to one another, tasked with reporting when they detected and then recognised military vehicles moving in and out of cover two kilometres away. Each observers’ comments were individually recorded via a multi-track tape recorder for later analysis and it was essential that they should not hear each others’ comments, or even be aware when others spoke. Visual isolation was simply achieved with plywood screens between them but acoustic isolation proved much more difficult. Conventional ear defenders were a failure, so I devised a system where the observers wore ear-enclosing headphones, fed with low-level white noise via an inductive loop. This achieved total success in masking out the residual speech which penetrated the headphone seals- except for one observer who claimed he could still hear voices. It quickly became apparent that the voices he was hearing were not those of his fellow observers, but they were distracting him nevertheless. My initial thoughts were of RF breakthrough from the trial control radio net into a faulty headset, but changing this had no effect. After much unsuccessful and time-consuming experimentation and substitution I had to admit defeat and withdrew that observer from the trial. Subsequently I learned from a military psychologist that the brains of a small percentage of the population are capable of synthesising "voices" from white noise and we had chanced upon one of these individuals. The relevance of this story to DXing? On 15 November 2008 at 2000 UT I was straining intently to try to hear Radio St Helena during their transmission to Japan. I was wearing headphones and was initially sure that I could hear an announcer’s voice, but not well enough to understand what was being said. I then discovered that by tuning around I could hear similar audio at almost any signal-free frequency across the bands! However, taking off the headphones and listening on the loudspeakers removed the voices completely. I can only assume that this was because I was then also hearing faint ambient noise from the house around me, which distracted my brain and prevented it from playing any synthesising tricks. This has never happened to me before; have any other BDXC members had similar experiences, or was it just another symptom of approaching senility? Incidentally, by 2136 UTC the signal was good enough to hear the BDXC greetings from Caversham, SIO 233 (Jan BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ LONG HAUL TRANSEQUATORIAL FM DX, CARIBBEAN TO SOUTHERN BRASIL [in UT chronological order even tho frequencies shown first] 96.7, SAINT VINCENT & GRENADINES Nice FM, Kingstown, EE, 0133, 09/01, mx caribenha, YL c/ resultado de loteria? (falou de um prêmio de 1 milhão) 45344 97.0, GUADELOUPE RFO, Basse-Terre, FF, 0059, 09/01, YL 15331 96.7, SAINT VINCENT & GRENADINES Nice FM, Kingstown, EE, 0139, 13/01, OM/OM, talks 45344 97.0, GUADELOUPE RFO, Basse-Terre, FF, 0141, 13/01, mx caribenha 107.5, SAINT VINCENT & GRENADINES NBC, Kingstown, EE, 0143, 13/01, OM/OM, talks 35333 92.7, JAMAICA FAME FM< Coopers Hill, EE, 0145, 13/01, OM, discurso?? 45333 91.9, ANTIGUA & BARBUDA Hitz FM, Saint John`s, EE, 0151, 13/01, OM, anúncios 45333 91.2, MARTINICA RCI Martinique, Martinique, FF, 0154, 13/01, YL/OM, talks 35333 99.9, SAINT VINCENT & GRENADINES WE FM, Kingstown, EE, OM/OM, talks 22332 94.0, MARTINICA RFO, Trinité, FF, YL, nxs 25232 (Rubens Ferraz Pedroso; Bandeirantes - Paraná - Brasil, Receptor: Sony ICF SW 7600G. Antena: LW do Degen DE11, dxclube pr yg via DXLD) Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 05 - 11 January 2009 Solar activity was very low. New-cycle polarity Region 1010 (N19, L=021, class/area Bxo/050 on 11 January) emerged on 09 January. It produced isolated low-level B-class flares on 10 January, then gradually decayed during the rest of the period. No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at normal levels throughout the period. Geomagnetic field activity was at mostly quiet levels during the period. ACE solar wind measurements indicated no significant changes during the period. Solar wind velocities ranged from 275 to 453 km/sec. IMF Bz was variable in the -06 to +08 nT range while Bt ranged from 01 to 08 nT during the period. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 14 JAN - 09 FEB 2009 Solar activity is expected to be at very low levels. No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at normal levels throughout the period. The geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet levels through 18 January. Field activity is expected to increase to quiet to unsettled levels, with isolated active periods possible at high latitudes during 19 January due to a recurrent coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS). Activity is expected to decrease to quiet levels during 20 - 26 January. Activity is expected to increase to quiet to unsettled levels, with isolated active levels possible at high latitudes during 27 - 30 January due to another recurrent CH HSS. Activity is expected to decrease to quiet levels during 31 January - 09 February. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2009 Jan 13 1952 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 2009 Jan 13 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2009 Jan 14 70 5 2 2009 Jan 15 70 5 2 2009 Jan 16 70 5 2 2009 Jan 17 70 5 2 2009 Jan 18 70 5 2 2009 Jan 19 70 8 3 2009 Jan 20 70 5 2 2009 Jan 21 70 5 2 2009 Jan 22 70 5 2 2009 Jan 23 70 5 2 2009 Jan 24 70 5 2 2009 Jan 25 70 5 2 2009 Jan 26 70 5 2 2009 Jan 27 70 10 3 2009 Jan 28 70 8 3 2009 Jan 29 70 5 2 2009 Jan 30 70 8 3 2009 Jan 31 70 5 2 2009 Feb 01 70 5 2 2009 Feb 02 70 5 2 2009 Feb 03 70 5 2 2009 Feb 04 70 5 2 2009 Feb 05 70 5 2 2009 Feb 06 70 5 2 2009 Feb 07 70 5 2 2009 Feb 08 70 5 2 2009 Feb 09 70 5 2 (SWPC via WORLD OF RADIO 1443, DXLD) SPACE WEATHER DISCUSSED ON THE RADIO For those of you with time on your hands, a link to a radio program dealing with space weather from TruNews, a Christian shortwave news program. Click on the broadcast for January 14th for a listen: http://www.trunews.com/listen_now.htm (Curtis Sadowski, WTFDA via DXLD) Geomagnetic field activity was at mostly quiet levels during the period. However, brief unsettled to active periods occurred at high latitudes during 14 - 15 January. In addition, a 13 nT sudden impulse (SI) was detected at Boulder at 14/0121 UTC; likely associated with a faint, slow CME observed on 09 January. ACE solar wind measurements indicated minor changes during the period. Velocities ranged from 289 to 433 km/sec. A weak shock was observed at the ACE spacecraft at 14/0015 UTC, in advance of the SI mentioned above, with minor changes detected in velocity and IMF. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 21 JAN - 16 FEB 2009 Solar activity is expected to be at very low levels. No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at normal levels. The geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet levels during 21 - 26 January. Activity is expected to increase to quiet to unsettled levels, with isolated active levels at high latitudes during 27 - 30 January due to a recurrent coronal hole high-speed stream (CH HSS). Activity is expected to decrease to quiet levels during 31 January - 14 February. Activity is expected to increase to quiet to unsettled levels on 15 February with isolated active levels due to a recurrent CH HSS. Activity is expected to decrease to quiet levels on 16 February as the HSS subsides. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2009 Jan 20 2152 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 2009 Jan 20 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2009 Jan 21 70 5 2 2009 Jan 22 70 5 2 2009 Jan 23 70 5 2 2009 Jan 24 70 5 2 2009 Jan 25 70 5 2 2009 Jan 26 70 5 2 2009 Jan 27 70 10 3 2009 Jan 28 70 8 3 2009 Jan 29 70 5 2 2009 Jan 30 70 8 3 2009 Jan 31 70 5 2 2009 Feb 01 70 5 2 2009 Feb 02 70 5 2 2009 Feb 03 70 5 2 2009 Feb 04 70 5 2 2009 Feb 05 70 5 2 2009 Feb 06 70 5 2 2009 Feb 07 70 5 2 2009 Feb 08 70 5 2 2009 Feb 09 70 5 2 2009 Feb 10 70 5 2 2009 Feb 11 70 5 2 2009 Feb 12 70 5 2 2009 Feb 13 70 5 2 2009 Feb 14 70 5 2 2009 Feb 15 70 8 3 2009 Feb 16 70 5 2 (SWPC via WORLD OF RADIO 1444, DXLD) TIPS FOR RATIONAL LIVING ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Let us move forward and fix the horrible mess we are in. We are fortunate to have a new president who is smart and kind and committed to serving his country. Take a moment today and think about what you can do to join him in helping him do his job. We're all in this together. Our country has been so profoundly wrecked by an administration who decided to mug our constitution and then steal what they can for their Wall Street cronies on the way out the door. Here is my plea: Let's not leave Barack Obama alone to clean up the mess. As he takes his oath today, please take one yourself -- to work harder than ever to end these wars, create universal health care, save our planet, end poverty, increase knowledge and establish a true government "of, by and for the people" (instead of "of, by and for the lobbyists, the bankers, and the war profiteers"). Today is a time for celebration and optimism and hope. I'm glad we all lived to see this incredible moment. And I thank each of you for your support of my work and your dedication to our democracy. 12:01 pm can't come soon enough! Happy Inauguration Day! Yours, (Michael Moore, via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###