DX LISTENING DIGEST 9-010, February 1, 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 NEXT SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1445 Mon 2300 WBCQ 7415 [confirmed Jan 26] Tue 1200 WRMI 9955 Tue 1630 WRMI 9955 Wed 0600 WRMI 9955 [or new 1446] Wed 1630 WRMI 9955 [or new 1446] 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 ** AFGHANISTAN [and non]. Re 9-009: Radio Solh closes on Friday 23 January. And the next working day (in the US), Monday 26 January, VOA expands its overnight service to Afghanistan and Pakistan. There may not be an exact correlation in terms of costs, but perhaps the idea of ending one project and shifting the funds to another one might have appealed to a tidy bureaucratic mind (Chris Greenway, UK, Jan 31, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) And Solh transmitters on 6700 in Afghanistan have not been audible at my QTH since (at least) beginning of 2009 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, Jan 31 ibid.) WRTH 2009 mentions a website http://www.cjtv82.com for Radio Solh. No server connection under this URL. Could be another sign for the whole thing being terminated. Well, I would be surprised if these "audio products" (as their producers call them) were anything else than flat, full-blown propaganda. And one has really to wonder if the closure of this radiostation-like thing has something to do with Obama assuming office, even although it is certainly unlikely that anybody in White House itself dealt with this matter (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.) Hi Dan, As you may have heard, R. Solh (via UK/UAE) has apparently closed down. I wonder if you ever got any contact info, as you told me you were looking for around Washington (Glenn to Dan Henderson, via DXLD) Glenn: The best I could determine was that Radio Solh was handled clandestinely thru Radio Liberty/RFE, in the same manner Radio Free Afghanistan was. Keep up the good work (Dan Henderson, Laurel MD, Jan 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Solh had never ties with IBB / RL / RFE / or VOA clones. It's rather an intelligence PSY-OP operation of one of the 15 US intelligence services. 73 wolfy (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) Similar from 1998 year: USA [non] Pennsylvania's 193rd Special Operations Wing of the Air National Guard has six huge C-130 cargo planes made into flying radio and TV stations, capable of preempting a country's normal programming and replacing it with whatever information Uncle Sam wants to broadcast. The approximately 1200 personnel assigned to the unit have learned they soon will not have to do their jobs with planes that rolled off the assembly line in the late 1960s. Sen. Rick Santorum announced that a third Lockheed EC-130J -- with an $85 million price tag once all the electronic modifications are made – has been secured for the unit in the 1999 defense budget. One new plane has been included in the budget for each of the past two years and the unit hopes to actually be flying its first "J-model" by sometime in 2000. Eventually the unit hopes to replace all six of its specially equipped planes. The new planes will be able to fly higher than those being used now, making them better able to avoid ground fire, said Maj. Gen. William Lynch. The wing began its PSYOP or psychological operations and other "information warfare" missions during the Vietnam War and has remained busy since (Jack Sherzer, Harrisburg Patriot-News Jul 12 via Brian Alexander, WORLD OF RADIO 951, Aug 6, 1998 via wb, DXLD 9- 010) Altho they had the same name, I have never been convinced that the 6700 Radio Solh from inside Afgh was directly connected with the R Solh via UK and UAE that I specified in my question, the latter using overt transmission means just like any other major broadcaster, and certainly not airborne PsyOps like 6700 may have been originally, but probably ground-based for a long time since that became feasible. (Glenn Hauser, Feb 1, 2009, ibid.) Yep, that's how we roll in PA: birch beer, M-80s and airborne PsyOps! I agree that there was no definite relationship between the two. It was just an accident of naming, and probably, in true US government fashion, neither side would back off of their claim for the name. I also tend to think that the airborne portion of the operation is probably over, and that any transmissions recently were probably land based. I intend to ask some questions and look around when I get to Kandahar (which is still pending). Incidentally, http://www.cjtv82.com was working as recently as the beginning of December 2008, which further makes me think that the project's plug was pulled when our current President took over. I've sent out some feelers to the 193rd SOW (ANG) back in Pennsyltucky, and we'll see if I can shake anything loose. Definitely don't want anything classified, though. That's a kiss of death in this day and age. Best, (Al Muick, Kabul, Afghanistan, ibid.) There was no secret that the ANG unit in Harrisburg PA via COMANDO SOLO did the broadcasting on HF back just after 9/11. Their QSL so indicated. However, with the cutback in budgets for some AF units, I would agree with you that you should write the Information officer of the Squadron (in April 2002 it was Shank, Edward edward.shank @ paharr.ang.af.mil Radio Free Afghanistan, however, WAS NOT part of the psyop broadcast of this squadron (at least a request for QSL for this broadcast was answered by Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe). Radio Sohl could have been a similar type of activity, altho Wolfy is right in that it was not the policy of the gov't to involve IBB or Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe funneling of activities that could be ascribed to the Military as Psyop operations are. I would suggest a simple request to the squadron in Harrisburg could clear this up. v/r (Dan Henderson, Feb 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) But did RFE/RL answer simply because that was where the report was sent on spec? (gh, DXLD) Nothing in the Wayback Machine for that site, but we typically have to wait a semiyear for such: http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.cjtv82.com (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) Thank you for this observation. So this is indeed an indicator. Some notes from my side: First it must be considered that there is also another Radio Solh in Afghanistan, perhaps the station listed for 90.4 MHz in WRTH 2009. The majority of Google hits for "Radio Solh" refer to this station which obviously has nothing to do with the US military operation, other than getting its name stolen. Concerning the US military operations: I understand that airborne transmissions were active only in 2001. Later they were replaced by transmitters in Afghanistan itself, with frequencies being mentioned as 864 and 9000 kHz, later as 9345 kHz and finally as 6700 kHz. Also interesting: 17700 was a well-known frequency for Radio Solh via Rampisham. In 2004 the NGO Internews run a satellite channel for Afghanistan, and VTC (at this time still Merlin) put it also on shortwave, using 11795 in the morning and, guess what, 17700 during the afternoon (UT). Here is a recording of this: http://www.radioeins.de/etc/medialib/rbb/rad/multimedia/audios/200407/internews_radio_fuer.smil..smi Actually even the shortwave relays of Radio Afghanistan, running for some time from 2002, belong to this category, since they were handled by Merlin as well. I associated them with the Norwegian transmitters, but now I see that Al-Dhabbaya had been used, too. Here is a recording of 18940 via Kvitsoy from June 2002: http://www.radioeins.de/etc/medialib/rbb/rad/multimedia/audios/200211/aktuelle_frequenzen.smil..smi And what about a certain "Voice of Afghanistan" that broadcast on 17870 via Moosbrunn and 15480 via Grigoriopol? In June 2002 they stopped broadcasting, saying that they would pause for three months, but of course one never heard again from them. Transmissions were handled, guess what, by Merlin. In light of all this I see no need for RFE/RL being involved in this Radio Solh thing. The airtime could be booked from VTC directly, and the transmissions just contained Psyop "audio products" that they let run without renewing them for more than a year (Glenn's remark that it would have been cheaper to send every Afghan household a CD hit the nail on the head). Btw, when VTC handled its audio routing still from the Bush House main control room they needed the permission of the BBC for every customer. I was actually surprised how openly they mentioned this aspect when moving to a new facility that has nothing to do with the BBC anymore. How much of the here discussed transmissions could be handled from the BBC facility? Not much I guess. All the best, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AFGHANISTAN [and non]. Focus on Afghanistan Short wave remains preferred radio medium VTC offers extensive and powerful short wave services into Afghanistan. The value of short wave delivery of programmes to listeners in the country is underlined in a media survey which was carried out in January 2008. It found that short wave is still the predominant radio medium for listeners across the country, with 55% of those who ever use radio using short wave, 52% using FM, and 46% using medium wave (AM). The survey found that rural listeners were more likely to use short, medium, and long wave. 1251 kHz medium wave for northern Afghanistan VTC already distributes daily programmes from both the BBC World Service and HCJB on the 1251 kHz medium wave service transmitting from Dushanbe, Tajikistan. This relay provides night time (sky wave) coverage into northern Afghanistan, reaching as far south as Kabul. We have prime hours available during the peak time evening and early morning times. The service also reaches parts of surrounding countries such as Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan at night time. Developing FM Relay opportunities Recognising the growing role of FM radio in Afghanistan, VTC is developing an opportunity with a local FM network in the country to manage slots on behalf of international broadcasters (From VT Communications "Right Click" E-Newsletter [shameless PR], via Jan NASB Newsletter via DXLD) ** ANGUILLA. 11775, University Network; 2012-2019+, 30 Jan; U.N. promo with knee-slappin' Gospel tune, pastormelissascott.com; Dead Dr. Gene pontificating about churches raising money for charity and their administration costs. SIO=4+44-, weak co-channel QRM. First time heard in weeks (Harold Frodge, MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Had not been off 11775 that long, but sporadic. Mostly on lately. DGS/PMS, 6090, Feb 1 at 0714, noticed that this was running about 4 words behind WWCR 5935. These used to be synchronized, using exactly the same satellite downlink, so something has changed. 11775 has also been mostly active in the daytime lately. I understand that periodic power outages affecting different parts of the grid on Anguilla, for ``maintenance`` may be partly responsible for the station`s sporadic absences (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. Closure of AM stations in Launceston, Tasmania --- Glenn, Launceston's two remaining AM stations have gone silent. 7LA which was on 1098, went off on Friday at around 0630 after 77 years of broadcasting on AM. The station has been simulcasting for about 12 months on 89.3 FM. The senders were at Russell Plains Road, Rocherlea. The FM senders are co-located with the ABC Radio and Television on Mount Barrow, 15 miles east of Launceston and 4500 feet altitude. Because there are hills shielding the FM signal from the CBD [central business district? = downtown], it was necessary to put up a smaller FM signal on 100.3 from the studio there. It is not a translator as it is ahead of the main signal by 50 m/s [sic, means milliseconds?]. The second AM channel of 1008 also ceased yesterday afternoon without fanfare or closing announcement. This was 7EX later known as TABRadio or Toteradio. Its sender and mast are clearly visible from my retirement village, being only 500 meters away. It also has migrated to FM from Mount Barrow. They are also going to put in a CBD FM signal, ironically from their competitors studios. Both were rated at 5 kW. What a difference on MW with no intermod or bleedover. I can now hear 2ZB in Wellington NZ on 1035 (Robin L. Harwood VK7RH, Norwood Tasmania 7250, Feb 1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRIA [non]. CANADA, QSL: O1 International relay, Sackville, 13675 kHz. Kunsthaus Graz letter in 25 days after using their online form. This was for the last English broadcast on December 31, 2008. The letter doesn't directly mention the closure of English programmes, but thanked me for listening to their station (Jon Pukila, (Thunder Bay, ON, Canada), Jan 31, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELARUS. 7135, Radio Station Belarus, 2130 24 Jan, SIO-323, man talking in language (Byelorussian?) with mentions of Minsk, woman singing about truth ("pravda"), ID at 2140, English program about man going to Switzerland for film festival, occasional ham QRM (Karl Racenis, Brighton MI, MARE Tipsheet Jan 31 via DXLD) ** BELARUS. BIELORRUSIA, 7390, Radio Belarus, Minsk-Kalodzicy, 2150- 2153, escuchada el 29 de enero en inglés a locutor con comentarios. Emisión en paralelo por 7135; esta frecuencia se aprecia con emisiones irregulares en estos días atrás, observándose inactiva unos días y otros emitiendo. Desconozco el motivo; en 7135 se aprecia emisión diaria, SINPO 44554 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELGIUM. 9970, RTBF International, Jan 30, 2009 0950 Two YLs in animated discussion in French. This is 250 kW for Europe. Strong sig with only minor fading (Bruce Barker, Broomall, PA; Equipment NRD535- D, Alpha Delta DX Sloper, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BIAFRA [non]. 15665, V. of Biafra International via WHRI, Friday Jan 30 at 2052 check, insufficient, echoing with backscatter about equal to backlobe, but easily recognizable tones of The Orator, so reconfirmed. This is mainly in English, not Ibo, despite DX Mix Bulgaria schedule, and surely not more than weekly (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. Radiodifusoras Minería left their SW frequency, 5927.1, "quite some time ago" due to the passing away of station owner and manager, Dr. José Carlos Gómez Espinoza. This information comes from Bolivian DXer Angel Oquendo, who lives in Sweden. - Gómez Espinoza, a medical doctor, was very friendly to DXers, and in the early 90´s the station was sporting a multilingual station ID in English, Italian, Swedish and Finnish. The tape was recorded in Sweden and sent to Dr. Gómez, who was delighted to use it on the air. The Italian voice was that of Dario Monferini, the Finnish voice that of Arto Mujunen, while yours truly recorded the Swedish and English language announcements (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, Feb 1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. 6055, Radio Cultural Juan XXIII (new name!!!!!!), San Ignacio de Velazco, 1342+!!!, January 13, Spanish, "...en la Radio Cultural Juan XXIII", interview, 35443 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, from my DX Trip-Villa Giardino, Córdoba province, Argentina (780 km to north from Buenos Aires city), Sony ICF2010+ Degen 1103, longwire, 20 meters, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) His full expedition report appeared in the dxldyg Feb 1 ** BRAZIL. 4754.9, (tentative) R. Imaculada Conceição, 0018-0025, 1 Feb. Man and woman in very low key Portuguese talks, simple religious music of small vocal group and a guitar. No ID heard. This one had been absent for a time. Seems better signal now. 4915, Rdif de Macapá, 2350-2405, 31 Jan. Fast talking male announcer in Portuguese on phone with various young women. Sounds like some kind of quiz show or contest. 2359 ads, and quick ID in passing at 2400. Back to the phone calls. 4925.2, R. Educação Rural de Tefé, 0151-0202*, 1 Feb. Mellow Christian music, man and woman in talks and prayers, group singing hymns with an accordeon. This was a pre-recorded program "A voz de ??" ending at 0200. Then sign off routine with full ID and frequencies. Fair. 4985, R. Brasil Central, 2320-2335, 31 Jan. Great local music program. Mostly traditional acoustic stuff with accordeons, guitars and wonderful harmony vocals. Canned singing jingle ID's and other canned announcements calling this a program of "recordação" or nostalgia. Ads for a bedding store. Still going even stronger at 0115 re-check. Very listenable for the music! This is a local Sat nite (Paul Brouillette, Geneva, IL, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 9819.2, Rádio 9 de Julho, 2154-2228 Jan 26, man and woman talking in Portuguese with time pip at 2200 followed by canned ID by a man announcer. Jingle ID at 2202 followed by a female vocal selection. Program of a man and woman talking with some musical selections. Poor to fair (Rich D`Angelo, French Creek State Park DXpedition No. 33, PA, Ten-Tec RX-340 and an Eton E1, 500-foot wire essentially south for the RX-340 and a 150-foot wire essentially south-east for the E1, NASWA yg via DXLD) ** BURKINA FASO. Radiodiffusion du Burkina (5030 kHz) sent me a PFC QSL card via E-mail in word format after 5 months for my reception report in French. I asked Mr. Pascal Goba, Chef des Programmes by E- mail whether my S-mail reception report arrived. The answer was no, then I resent it via E-mail attached word format PFC (in French). He pasted his signature on the PFC and returned to me, then I could have a complete QSL from Burkina Faso via E-mail. I thanked very much to Mr. Pascal Goba. His E-mail address is nadowo2002 @ yahoo.fr (Takahito Akabayashi, Japan, Jan 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Glenn, Is CHU at a lower power all of a sudden? Normally I hear the 7 MHz frequency very well and 3330 so-so- but at the moment 7850 is not moving the s-meter, although I can hear it, and 3330 is not there at all- not even with a zero-beat attempt. Any luck in OK? (Bill Mead, Harrisburg, PA, 1423 UT Jan 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Bill, I didn`t get your message till several hours later, so could not check immediately. However, Sunday morning around 1430, 7850 was audible at its usual strength, as far as I could tell. Out here in OK we don`t get 3330 at all in the daytime (Glenn to Bill, Feb 1 via DXLD) ** CANADA. 6070, CFRX Toronto ON; 1646-1702+, 30 Jan; Jim Richards, Toronto at Noon call-in program--trying to find out who's bought a Snuggie; ads for Britain House and The Voice/Alarm Force (home alarm system); News-Talk 10-10 CRRB; Promos for Dave Crawford Show & The Chris Robinson Travel Show; CFRB News Room at 1700+. S9-10 with QSBs, // 1010 CFRB, good but IBOC hiss from both sides (Harold Frodge, MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well, CFRB was what I heard mention. Poor. Last time I heard them was in the early 1990s playing Smokey Robinson & The Miracles' "Baby, Baby Don't Cry". This Sat. 31, 0200 UT, was possible only in the absence of CVC La Voz. More talk than musical. Have they changed format? 73 (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) O yes, it`s very much a talk station now (Glenn, ibid.) Officially CFRB (relayed by CFRX) is called News Talk 1010. This week they have gutted the "News" part. Part of the cuts included the termination... er... retirement of Tayler Parnaby (50 year radio veteran) and the cancellation of the 11:50 AM news and commentary segment first introduced by the late Gordon Sinclair, decades ago. It was in this commentary that Sinclair dashed off what became his most famous item, a commentary entitled simply "The Americans". This was later recorded by both Sinclair and Byron McGregor and sold millions of copies (I believe all the proceeds went to the American Red Cross). CFRB/CFRX programming is but a shadow of what it once was. Some speculate that its a matter of time before they just relay syndicated programming for most of the day. No wonder CBC Radio One owns Toronto. Parnaby Article: http://www.torontosun.com:80/comment/columnists/ted_woloshyn/2009/01/31/8213571-sun.html The Americans (Gordon Sinclair's commentary from 1973 http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=Mwv-dndrMDE (Fred Waterer, Ont., dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Giovedì 22 gennaio 2009, CHHA 1610 QSL --- Dopo vari tentativi ed al terzo indirizzo e-mail finalmente oggi è arrivata, dopo solo due giorni dall'ultimo invio, una conferma via mail dalla stazione di Toronto CHHA-Radio Voces Latinas che trasmette in spagnolo sui 1610 kHz. Grazie a Werner Lopez, Coordinatore Tecnico, che ha verificato - pur senza dati - il mio ascolto del marzo 2007! Address : CHHA - Radio Voces Latinas , San Lorenzo Latin American Community, 22 Wenderly Drive, Toronto, Ontario, M6B 2N9 Email : wlopez @ voceslatina.ca WEB : http://www.voceslatinas.ca (Alessandro Groppazzi, http://gropdx.blogspot.com/ via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** CANADA. Thanks to off air monitoring from my friend in Powell River, it appears CFWB 1490 Campbell River is now off the air. It was replaced by FM 99.7, the River. http://www.997fm.ca/ (Andy Reid, Ont., Feb 1., dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Darn it! I called them before Christmas hoping to talk to someone about doing a final DX test, but after getting the answering machine run around, I left a message with someone, who never bothered to reply to me (Walt Salmaniw, BC, IRCA via DXLD) ** CHAD. 4904.97, RNT, *0429-0440, Feb 1, sign on with Balafon IS. National Anthem at 0430 followed by opening French ID announcements. Afro-pop music & local tribal music after 0432. Poor in noisy conditions. I do not usually hear a IS (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. CNR starts the new service CNR-10 "Lao nian zhi sheng-Voice of Elderly" from 1 Jan. at 1955-1735 UT on 1053 kHz in Beijing. http://media.cnr.cn/option,com_shinvy_index,Itemid,524.html mms://211.89.225.104/cnr11?ZHVob25n de Hiroshi (S. Hasegawa, NDXC, Jan 30, dxldyg vi8a DX LISTENING DIGEST) For an overview of what the first nine services are about, see page 155 of WRTH 2009. 1053 kHz in Beijing was listed as CNR Olympic, so they had a spare transmitter to do something with after that was passé. No power given. So this entire service is on only one low(?)- powered MW frequency? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. 9455, CNR 1, Lingshi 725, 2204-2215, escuchada el 29 de enero en idioma chino a locutor y locutora con comentarios en programa musical, cuñas, emisión musical piezas pop melódicas. Emisión en paralelo por Internet: rtsp://211.89.225.1/encoder/cnr1 Emisión en paralelo por 9465; esta emisión es empleada para interferir al servicio chino de la BBC en esta frecuencia con emisión de 2200 a 2330 vía Nakhon Sawan en Tailandia. También encuentro la misma emisión en 9635 para interferir a Xi Wang Zhi Sheng SOH que emite desde Tanshui en Taiwán de 2200 a 2300 en chino, en paralelo por 9655 del servicio de CNR 1 en chino vía Lingshi 725 en China con emisión de 1955 a 2400, sin rastro de las molestas Firedrake Dragon, SINPO 45554 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Firedrake check Jan 31 at 1432: both 8400 and 9000, much stronger on the former (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 4940, Voice of Strait, Fuzhou; 1456-1506, +1518, +1533, 1555-1601*, Feb 1 (Sun.); broadcasting to Taiwan. From Fuzhou to Taipei, the capital of Taiwan is about 150 miles. EZL music; pips; the "Focus on China" program in English was again preempted today, as it was last Sunday. Recently (Nov 2008-Jan 2009) I have observed "Focus on China" on Sundays, from 1500 to 1525. News at 1555 in Chinese; pips; English ID "This is the Voice of Taiwan Strait" and off. This is the first time I have heard "Taiwan" mentioned in their English ID and perhaps has to do with this year's 60th anniversary of Taiwan (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. China Broadcasting Agency announced that China Radio International received 2.706 million letters from 161 countries in 2008. It was 3.98% increase from the previous year. The number of letters has been increasing continuously for 5 years. The features in 2008 were 1) a great many letters for the important information or event, 2) large increase of letters via internet, 3) listeners were divided into younger and older generations (Takahito Akabayashi, Japan, Jan 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO DR. 6210, R. Kahuzi (?), Bukavu, 1939-2000 (blocked), 30 Jan, vernacular (it did sound like it), talks, hymns; 14331, then suddenly obliterated by some unID station in Arabic that s/off about 2223. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Feb 1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. The DentroCuban Jamming Command won`t relent for QSO with Ted Randall on WRMI, 9955, Sundays at 06-08 UT. Feb 1 at 0708 could hear the show but with jamming pulses several times a second, rather than a solid wall of noise, so maybe just one transmitter still running. Apparently CO2KK`s fraternal ham radio sentiments do not extend far enough to get them all turned off. RHC again running overtime past nominal 0700* in English, Sunday Feb 1 at 0705, still with English `news`, VG on 9550, also audible on 11760, 6060, 6140 with QRM, but not 6000 which is supposed to carry Esperanto this semihour on Sundays only, but instead a weak WYFR audible. 0712 recheck, 11760 and 9550 at least were still running. Re-recheck at 1501, Esperanto was opening on unscheduled 13680, but this was just over-run, chopped off at 1503 to open carrier, as they were about to give the first scheduled frequency, at 0700, 6000 --- whew, just as well, for as I had just observed, that broadcast was a bust. Then found Esperanto running on its only scheduled 1500 frequency, 11760, much weaker than 13680 had been (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also VENEZEULA [non] ** CUBA [non]. Paused for a moment on R. Martí, 13820, since it was well atop the DentroCuban Jamming Command, Sat Jan 31 at 1632 for program ``Sin Pedir Permiso`` with Ernesto Betancourt. One of the guests interviewed by phone was Gen. Fernando Ochoa Antich, from Venezuela, apparently now in the opposition. Hmmm, could be a relative of Arnaldo Coro Antich of RHC thru his mother`s family. This is all a protracted family dispute between the dentro- and fuera-Cubans, which the US has been unfortunate enough to get pulled into (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. ¿RADIO MARTI, INFORMA? Por Juan José López Díaz *, Columnista, Florida, E.U. La Nueva Cuba, Enero 27, 2009 Radio y televisión Martí son objetos de enfoques críticos en la actualidad y reflejan puntos de vista y quejas que acentúan un axioma: el mal de los cubanos dura y perdura por años y se hace difícil remediar. Los medios de difusión masiva son de vital importancia por ello el tema de la RM y Tv M son capitales para el desarrollo de la información libre que necesitan los opositores y población cubana en general. Ante todo debo decir que por años no escucho la Radio Martí por lo que expondré algunas impresiones anteriores, incluso cuando era un activista del movimiento de derechos humanos en Cuba, lo que ocurrió hasta el año 2000, cuando me refugie en EE.UU. La RM tuvo una gran explosión en el año 1985 y sus cinco siguientes. Quizás el fenómeno de el boom de estreno, acompañado de un estilo nuevo y novedoso en si, el contenido de los guiones de su programación. El éxito en el receptor cubano fue asombroso mas de un 75% de la población consumía la programación variada de RM. Las posteriores interferencias realizadas por el gobierno cubano, incluido el esfuerzo realizado por la radio oficial cubana en programas de contenido no ideológico ni informático por supuesto pero, le dieron un toque de calidad a sus trasmisiones internas que propinaron, entre lo tedioso del ruido ensordecedor de las interferencias y su nuevos contenidos de entretenimiento, un fuerte golpe a las trasmisiones de RM. Desde luego la RM tuvo su curva de inicio y al parecer hasta la actualidad, en declive por supuesto, de acuerdo a las quejas de los principales voceros de oposición cubana que ha mantenido acceso y monitoreo a la vez de dichas trasmisiones. En la última década de los años ochenta la emisora RM pasó a ser una instancia de credibilidad y apelación de la inmediatez informativa. Lo que pasaba en Cuba se sabía mediante su programación y en el debate profano se afirmaba: eso lo dijo Radio Martí y era cuño de autenticidad. La importancia alcanzada por el medio ha sido objeto de interés de muchos sectores que no solo fueron participando de su diversa programación sino que se interesaron en exponer sus visiones y perspectivas como individuos y asociaciones a tal extremo que fueron minando las radioemisiones de huellas de incomunicación con el receptor cubano de dentro de la Isla. En la actualidad, valorando las quejas de opositores, incluidas las del ex prisionero conocido como Antúnez, quien se expresa en la búsqueda de soluciones, algo justo y necesario y al espíritu que me uno, debemos en el exilio ser imparcial ante el tema y darle la urgente solución que amerita. En Cuba no hay acceso al pensamiento del otro, existe la desinformación, la desconfianza, el temor a la desolación que resulta de disentir del credo oficialista, si a ello se añade que la emisora destinada para cubrir el déficit, pierde el contacto con el principal receptor, quienes no cuentan con medios de difusión de sus ideas. Estamos más perdidos. Una emisora como la Radio Martí, la Radio Mambí, la Poderosa y cualquier otra que trasmite desde el exterior de Cuba, declaradas oficialmente ilegales, el hecho de escucharlas, de por si surte efecto, imagínese que los contenidos de los programas no proyecten la temática que concierne al los intereses del receptor destino. El régimen cubano es descalificado por su actuar y la huella negativa en nuestra historia pero, debemos enfrentar el hecho cierto de que nadie quiere oír una emisora radial o televisiva para escuchar descalificaciones o paquetes programáticos o ideológicos de gremio alguno. Sobre todo si no reflejan retroalimentación o intercambio con los radioescuchas. Mención aparte merecen los programas de cualquier emisora que confunden la crítica con la descalificación, vendiéndose sus voceros como única generación o clase honesta y patriota como si cada tiempo pasado fuera mejor, no solo sistémico sino en formación de generaciones. La educación del seno familiar cuenta, por favor. Para evitar comentarios mal intencionados recojo la intransigencia inteligente del exilio histórico, aquellos que fueron capaces de ver que el régimen totalitario cubano, nombrado revolucionario, desde otrora no serbia. A ellos mi honra, así como a todos los cubanos amantes de la libertad. * Juan José López, Abogado cubano exiliado, miembro de la Corriente Agramontista (via Oscar de Céspedes, FL, condiglist yg via DXLD) MARTHA BEATRIZ ROQUE: Radio Martí Durante muchos años, la disidencia interna ha agradecido la generosidad del pueblo americano y la disposición de los que han gobernado en ese país, por la Ayuda para la Democratización de Cuba. En particular, Radio Martí ha sido un bastión que --por más de dos décadas-- ha permitido que el pueblo cubano tenga acceso a una información alternativa, que lo vacune contra el exceso de ideologización totalitaria que se desprende de los medios oficiales e incluso ha ayudado a cambiar la percepción que muchos tenían de la realidad nacional e internacional. Aunque desde hace años el régimen cubano ha logrado interferir con éxito las emisiones radiales, haciendo casi imposible su recepción en la mayor parte del territorio nacional, principalmente en las zonas de mayor densidad poblacional y en particular en Ciudad de La Habana; la programación que tenga esta emisora es determinante para que a pesar de los molestos ruidos, la audiencia cotidiana trate de escucharla... http://www.elnuevoherald.com/noticias/mundo/columnas_de_opinion/story/370024.html (via José Miguel Romero, Spain, dxldyg via DXLD) ** CUBA. Acabo de recibir este mensaje del desaparecido amigo Yandys, como siempre, problemas para acceder al correo internacional (José Miguel Romero, Spain, Jan 31, condiglist yg via DXLD) Viz.: Desde Cuba, un viejo amigo --- Amigo y hermano José Miguel, Ante todo le deseo lo mejor a usted y a su familia, es una pena que por razones ajenas a mi voluntad me haya tenido que alejar de las listas, no así del DX, que ya ha dejado de ser un hobbie para mí para convertirse en parte de mi vida. Deseo que comparta este mensaje con los amigos de las listas de DX pues ya no puedo escribir por razones que detallaré en este mensaje, espero que mis amigos entiendan y me apoyen como siempre han hecho. Amigos del DX, muchos se acordarán de mí, otros no, me imagino que se hayan sumado amigos a las listas desde mi ausencia, para esos que llegaron nuevos pues mis afectos también. Quiero mandarles a todos un fuerte abrazo de éste cubano que aun los sigue queriendo, desgraciadamente me tocó vivir bajo algunas condiciones que aquí no quiero tocar para evitar confusiones. Desde hace meses, en la Universidad donde laboro como profesor adjunto cerraron las cuentas de e-mails con salida internacional y aquí el acceso a Internet es muy pero muy limitado, aunque ya no escribo en las listas por esta razón, gracias a un amigo sigo en contacto con los mensajes, pues él me ha creado una cuenta de Gmail y me direcciona los mails a mi cuenta que solo tiene salida nacional, así me mantengo más o menos informado, aunque desactualizado con los horarios y frecuencias. Quiero agradecer a todos los que en un momento determinado interactuaron conmigo, son muchos y los aprecio a todos por igual, pero quiero mencionar a José Miguel Romero, gracias a él hoy estoy haciendo DX, aún con el receptor que él me envió, pues en Radio Nederland como todos saben, nunca llegó. Si aún me consideran su amigo, me pueden escribir a ycervantes@... [truncated]; yo haré todo lo posible por contestarles en la medida de las posibilidades (cuando pueda acceder a Internet). Sueño con que muy pronto tener un receptor de Ondas Cortas en mi país no sea tan pero tan difícil, espero que algún día podamos tener también receptores satelitales, antenas, etc. sin que esto constituya un delito. Un abrazo a todos y espero que no se olviden de mí. Saludos afectuosos, Yandys Cervantes Rodríguez (via José Miguel Romero, Spain, condiglist yg via DXLD) ** CUBA. Christopher Dunne [S. Florida] thinks CHTV, the early evening local programming that aired on channel 2 in Havana, has changed its name to Canal Habana is now on a full-time UHF station in Havana. Internet sources do indicate that he is correct. He doesn't know if any of the other local program services (TelePinar, Perlavisión, etc) continue on Rebelde relayers or if they have moved to UHF. I saw a full-screen Canal Habana ID on channel 2 last Monday, but Chris says he has seen Canal Habana programs on other Cuban stations as well. Those local programs sure made IDing Cuba TV a lot easier. I hope we are not back to the old days of nothing but national IDs from TeleRebelde and Cubavisión (Danny Oglethorpe, Shreveport, LA, Feb 1, WTFDA via DXLD) ** CZECHIA [non]. 6080, Radio Prague; 0413-0418+, 24-Jan; M&W news to feature on a Czech pop singer. All in English. SIO=333-, multiple co- channel QRM including one in English (Harold Frodge, MI, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) Are you aware that this transmission at 0400-0430 on 6080 of Prague is a relay via Sackville? The other English would be VOA via São Tomé, also on 6080 at 0300-0700, and sufficient in North America except when Pragued. Is R. Prague aware of all the times they are currently broadcast via WRMI 9955? In 9-007 we extracted these: Radio Praga: Daily 0530, 0730 [exc Sun], 1030; Tue-Sat 0330; Sun 0000 Radio Prague: Mon-Sat 0700, Daily 1000, Daily 1500, Tue-Sat 0300 Yet at http://www.radio.cz/en/frequencies we find only these listed, presumably daily: Spanish: 1030-1057, 0530-0557 English: 1000-1029, 1500-1527 The others are probably boni filling time and subject to replacement without notice (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DESECHEO. DESECHEO 2009 ---> K5D is the callsign reserved for the upcoming operation from Desecheo Island, which is due to begin late in the day on 12 February [425DXN 923]. In their latest press release, dated 26 January, the team asks "that you not contact the DXpedition on any band/mode that you have confirmed from a previous DXpedition", in order to "allow the people who really need a new DXCC entity a better opportunity to get through the pileups". K5D will neither try "to establish a world record for contacts" nor encourage "competitions for most band/mode QSOs", so "if you have KP5 already confirmed on a particular band/mode, we respectfully ask that you exercise restraint". The team has encountered higher expenses than anticipated. These mainly involve the transportation and feeding of other personnel (about ten people) that will be on the island with K5D to provide security and carry out field research. Please consider a contribution to the DXpedition to help with these incremental expenses - just go to http://www.kp5.us/ and click "How you can Help". [TNX K4UEE] (425 DX NEWS via Dave Raycroft, ODXA yg via DXLD) ** DJIBOUTI. 4780, presumed RTD, 0006-0033, Jan 30, Arabic. Either running very late or on very early. M at tune-in with Kor'an-like chants; lengthy pauses between; at times a different announcer with animated talk-over; '70s era funk and hi-life music bit and back to more Kor'an-like talk thru BoH; with the phrase, which I am sure I am misspelling, "...kaleem de achmed." repeated countless times. At least that's what the phrase sounded like. No ID or announcements noted. Booming signal at tune-in (Scott R. Barbour Jr. Intervale, N.H. USA, R8, RX350D, CLR/DSP, MLB1, 200' Bevs, 60M dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4780, Radio Djibouti, 2230-0159*, Jan 30-31, local Horn of Africa style music. Arabic talk. Speech by man. Possible religious recitations. Sign off with National Anthem. Fair to good signal but occasional CODAR QRM. On late tonight. Usually signs off at 2100. Back on the air at 0300 signing on with National Anthem. Arabic talk. Qur`an at 0303 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. HCJB, opening transmission on 12000, Jan 30 at 2059 and into automated ID at 2059:30 in Spanish, claiming to be on 12000 to SAm, and 21455 to Europe, altho HCJB closed down 21455 almost a year ago. The lesson is: HCJB should never make any real frequency changes or close down any transmitters since they are unable or unwilling to update their announcements to match reality --- what am I saying? HCJB isn`t about reality! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR [non]. New HCJB president will move away from "aging short- wave." Friday, January 30, 2009 3:00 AM From "Kim Andrew Elliott discussing International Broadcasting and Public Diplomacy" Posted: 29 Jan 2009 07:39 AM CST New president of religious international broadcaster HCJB Wayne Pederson "says technology is going to allow the ministry to expand its ministry, but not through aging short-wave and similar technology. Pederson says, 'Internet, live streaming, podcasting, using mobile devices, sending Scripture messages out on SMS with text messaging.' He adds, 'We're looking at doing video for Facebook and YouTube and using some of the social networking that's available globally as a very cost-effective way at getting the message out.' While the technology is changing, HCJB's maintains a steady focus -- to share the Gospel with those who haven't heard. 'We are focusing on and finding access into areas of the world that were previously closed to the Gospel -- places in Eastern Europe and North Africa that we can't even talk about publicly.'" (Mission Network News, 29 January 2009 http://www.mnnonline.org/article/12232 See also undated HCJB press release http://www.hcjb.org/about_us/hcjb_global/wayne_pederson_named_new_president_of_hcjb_global.html (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** EGYPT. EGIPTO, 9250, Radio Wadi El Nile, Abu Zaabal, 2154-2158, escuchada el 29 de enero en árabe a locutora presentando tema musical, emisión de música folklórica local; se aprecia a esta emisora con una señal inusual, posiblemente producto de la propagación, SINPO 45444 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9250, Radio Wadi el-Nil, Jan 30, 2009, 2115-2130. Ten straight minutes of Arabic music, then at 2125 OM talks. Time pips at 2130 followed by apparent ID by YL. OM has news next. Just a whisper over QRM but no fading noted (Bruce Barker, Broomall, PA; Equipment: NRD535-D, Alpha Delta DX Sloper, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) R. Cairo, 15080, Jan 31 at 1420 with ME music, Arabic mentions of Qahira, somewhat distorted but not weak audio; considerable fading, for W Africa (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 5005, Radio Nacional, Bata, 2215-2258*, Jan 30, Spanish talk. Many Radio Nacional IDs. Afro-pop music. Sign off with National Anthem 2255. Fair (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ERITREA. 5100, Radio Bana, 0410-0455 fade out Jan 26, Horn of Africa vocals, some without music, man announcer with Tigrinya language talks. Apparent ID at 0430 followed by news. Poor with some fair peaks. Next night, carrier noted and some very weak audio but nothing that could be used (Rich D`Angelo, French Creek State Park DXpedition No. 33, PA, Ten-Tec RX-340 and an Eton E1, 500-foot wire essentially south for the RX-340 and a 150-foot wire essentially south-east for the E1, NASWA yg via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA. 7165, R. Ethiopia, Geja Jawe, 1339-1358, 25 Jan, Afar (listed), chanting; 25321. 9559.73, R. Ethiopia, Geja Jawe, 1332-1347, 25 Jan, cf. \\ 7165 bad, yet QRM free; 23431. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Feb 1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EUROPE. 6220, Mystery Radio --- "Mystery" or not, does anyone know its location? As far as my location is concerned, it seems to be from the east. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Correct, most precisely east-northeast (Roberto Scaglione, Sicily, ibid.) PIRATA, 6220, Mystery Radio, 0933-0936, escuchada el 1 de febrero con emisión musical, temas disco dance de los años 80, cuña de identificación en inglés, SINPO 34443 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EUROPE. PIRATE. 6870.00, Radio Playback International, 2220-2300+, Jan 30, Tentative. Very weak with pop music. Just too weak to catch an ID. (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Was anyone Stateside listening around 0750 UT this Saturday morning (Jan. 31) - on 6870 plus a few hertz. I heard a fair signal with pop music and an announcement which said (in part) "This is - - - live from the Island of Nowhere - - - - on shortwave" . A pirate, I assume, with a distinct N American English accent. Although the announcement was heard several times, this is all I could understand due to the background noise level. Continued past 0800 UT. Also well audible in that range were two WYFR frequencies 6915 in English and 6890 concluding Spanish at 0745. WWCR - if that's what it was - was very weak on both 6430 and 3215, but WWRB 3185 strong, despite QRM from a digital transmission (Stanag?) slightly hf (Noel R. Green (NW England), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Noel, desde Valencia en España a las 1354 UT se capta en 6870 emisión musical, probablemente se trate de Playback International, SINPO 34333. PIRATA, 6870, Playback International, 1354-1402, escuchada el 31 de enero en inglés a locutor presentando tema musical, música pop rock de los años 70 u 80, pieza melódica interpretada por piano; la señal se va degradando hasta el punto de hacerse inaudible, SINPO 34332 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thanks, José - yes, Playback is what I heard this Sunday morning, and still from the Island of Nowhere. It was good strength here around 0800UT but has now faded down to poor at 0945. I see Brian Alexander states that it's a European pirate, which it must be if heard in Spain at 1354. But the programming and voices are very NoAmerican. Today was a mixture of jazz, blues, hill-billy (if that's the correct term) and oldies (Noel R. Green (NW England), ibid.) Hi Noel: E-mail playbackinternational @ gmail.com Responden con QSL electrónica. 73 (José Miguel Romero, ibid.) Pirate, 6870, Playback, 1510 31 Jan, quite early? with old rock song. A blues type ballad at 1518 and also at 1555 ID this is R Playback, from the island of nowhere! S6, 35433 (Zacharias Liangas, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6870, R. Playback International, site?, G?, IRL?, 1548-1640, 31 Jan, English, IDs, jazz like music for most of the observed. time, pops; 35443. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Feb 1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. RFI AFFECTED BY FRENCH GENERAL STRIKE Article published on the 2009-01-28 Latest update 2009-01-28 16:28 TU Radio France Internationale's website and broadcasts will be disrupted on Thursday, due to staff participation in a general strike called by trade unions. Normal service will be resumed on Friday (From RFI English Web site via Mike Cooper, Jan 28, DXLD) It looks like RFI suddenly adopted a new program schedule in mid- January. The schedules (in PDF) are posted at RFI's Web site and they show little difference between programming for Africa and the rest of the world. "Plein Sud," which was broadcast previously only to Africa now goes worldwide. "Musiques du Monde," which had been aired several days during the week, is now relegated to Saturdays. "Les Visteurs du Jour," a 1 1/2-hour magazine that ran on four weekdays, is gone. Where there were several hours in the morning (UTC) when Africa and the rest of the world got different news blocks for several hours, worldwide now gets half-hour world news followed by half-hour African news. A couple of years ago, RFI had adopted a fairly different schedule for Africa, but this new schedule drastically reduces the differences. RFI doesn't usually change its program schedule except at seasonal frequency-change times. I have no idea why such an abrupt programming revamp, unless this is related to planned staff cutbacks. Links to the PDF program schedules say they also include frequency information, but there is none. And clicking on the Flash-animated world map to find out how to listen to RFI only brings up lists of satellite transmissions. There is no mention of shortwave on any of these pages. Even the Web page for "Meteo Marine," which had listed SW frequencies for this daily half-hour, now makes no mention of shortwave. I can't find a single shortwave frequency anywhere on RFI's Web site. One other thing, RFI's bottom-of-the-hour newscasts have been cut from 10 minutes in length to three minutes, so feature programs can now run longer, starting at :33 instead of :40 after the hour. As much as I like RFI's newscasts (they are freshly written, well-delivered and really include last-minute info) I'm kind of glad to see a step taken away from so much news every hour (Mike Cooper, GA, Jan 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re 9-009, RFI changes, still on SW? Yes. At least Russian started at 1400 on 11665. On 15300 I have a faint signal I can not identify, but perhaps French to Africa is still on shortwave as well. French press reports indicated that the current transmission contract with TDF expires in 2011 and RFI seriously considers to not renew it. Of course this does not rule out an earlier cancellation. In fact I would not rule out anything until the remaining transmissions have been confirmed as still on air. "Remaining" because the schedule has been already grossly reduced (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Jan 31, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I have French on 15300 at 1430 with RFI ID (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, ibid.) RFI English is still on SW, 15605, Sat Jan 31 at 1619 with story about starting a local radio station in Tanzania, with UNESCO help; American-accented narratrice Susan --- referred to it as a ``50-kHz transmitter``; I assume she meant 50-watt! Segment was Africa Media, and at 1622 onward to The Week in France, which started with Gaza. 1627 sports. 1630 ID plus Paris 1730 timecheck, and headlines including new president in Somalia, Madagascar, Iraq, Aussie Open. 1631 Network Europe, which saves RFI from having to produce a full hour of programming itself; sufficient reception tho aimed 170 degrees from Issoudun across Africa. This is about as close as we get to a North American service from RFI, which of course is not close at all, but enough of that 500 kW wanders over here (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY [non]. The avant-garde music show on DW`s Russian service, Muzprosvet, has not yet been cancelled. Glad to hear it again Sat Jan 31 at 1530 on 11720, 76 degrees via Rampisham, but sufficient reception here, with wide variety of quasi-musical sounds from didgeridoo, trumpet, jewsharp, voices, etc. Lasted until 1559:30 but at 1558:30 a 3 Hz SAH started on the frequency, which turned out to be Radio Free Asia in Uighur as introduced in English at 1600. That`s via Tinian, and Aoki says jammed, but no jamming audible. I had tried several times without success to find a podcast of Muzprosvet on DW`s complicated and unfriendly website. Here`s the program`s page: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,268970,00.html Afterwards, this time I found it in the third category on the long list of DW Russian podcasts at http://www.dw3d.de/dw/0,2142,4356,00.html the exact link to this show audio being: http://www.dw3d.de/popups/popup_multi_mediaplayer/0,,3736368_type_audio_struct_4356_format_WMedia,00.html So I listened to it again with `perfect reception`. Besides Muzprosvet in DW`s Russian service, there is another excellent music semi-hour in the English service, but which hardly appears on SW any more, covering many genres from week to week, tho not so avant- garde as the Russian one: A World of Music. Here`s the DW audio archive including this show, which on Feb 1 was about the recorder, and its applications both in jazz and classical: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/0,2142,4703,00.html And here is the direct link to the audio: http://www.dw-world.de/popups/popup_multi_mediaplayer/0,,2425457_type_audio_struct_4703_format_WMedia,00.html (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY [non]. SINGAPORE [non] QSL: DW relay. 9865 kHz. F/d Relaisstation Sines card in a month and fourteen days after an email to info @ dw-world.de Even though Aoki lists this Chinese transmission as via Singapore, DW thinks it's from Sines. Are they really trying to convince us that the sites for Chinese transmissions are secret? Btw, what's become of the situation at the Chinese section? (Jon Pukila, (Thunder Bay, ON, Canada), Jan 31, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Does the card say 9865 was Sines, or is it just the design of the card, which may be used indiscriminately to QSL any DW site? (gh, DXLD) The back of the card says it was Sines (Jon Pukila, (Thunder Bay, ON, Canada), ibid.) ** GREECE. This is my reception report for Friday and Saturday UT January 31, 2009: FRIDAY 1/30 SATURDAY 1/31 2000 2100 2200 2300 0000 0100 0200 *12231*22232 55455 35333 00000 00000 00000 9420 323 170 AVL 3 ERA 5 *Severe co-channel interference from Zambia, Africa 1, on 9420 kHz. Regards (John Babbis, Silver Spring, MD, to ERT via DXLD) Deaf ears. The two plan to keep right on colliding in A-09. That`s 1Africa, CVC, while Africa 1 is/was GABON (gh, DXLD) ** GREENLAND. Re 9-009, callsigns for MW stations: These are the references I can give you offhand - from the FBIS reference "Broadcasting Stations of the World". I have more references from other sources in hard copy that will take a bit longer to find. The WRTH is not a good reference as it is notorious for omitting perfectly valid call signs. For example, Spain has published documents from as recent as 2006 using call signs for MW stations - but these are completely ignored by the WRTH. Still, even the WRTH listed OXI & OZL at one time as you can see in the accompanying file. There is nothing unusual about the same call sign being used for both a coast and broadcasting station - since they are both owned by the Greenland government. I plan on publishing some of my "lost and forgotten" call sign research on my website soon (Bill Hepburn, Ont., Jan 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Nice to see some old FBIS listings. Copied from PDF, and I hope properly unjumbled here. L = used as studio-transmitter link. R = relay. Callsign, watts, meters [exc on FM], kHz frequency 1960 FBIS AM: GREENLAND ANGMAGSSALIK, ANGMAGSSALIK RADIO, DANISH GOVT OZL 200 200.0 1500 GREENLAND ANGMAGSSALIK, ANGMAGSSALIK RADIO, DANISH GOVT OZL 500 39.63 7570 GREENLAND FREDERIKSHAAB, GROENLANDS RADIOFONI, DANISH GOVT R OXI 5000 365.9 820 GREENLAND GODHAVN, GROENLANDS RADIOFONI, DANISH GOVT R OXI 5000 461.5 650 GREENLAND GODTHAAB ( KOOK IS.), GROENLANDS RADIOFONI, DANISH GOVT OXI 25000 526.3 570 GREENLAND, AFRTS, US AIR FORCE, NARSARSSUAK WXLS 1000 333.3 900 GREENLAND, AFRTS, US AIR FORCE, SONDRESTROM WXLC 250 211.3 1420 GREENLAND, AFRTS, US AIR FORCE, THULE KOLD 1000 210.5 1425 And all the Greenland AM listings as of 1974 FBIS, with callsigns shown only for first three entries: GREENLAND FREDERIKSHAAB R OXI 5000 365.90 820 GROENLANDS RADIOFONI DANISH GOVT GREENLAND GODHAVN R OXI 5000 461.50 650 GROENLANDS RADIOFONI DANISH GOVT GREENLAND GODTHAAB (KOOK IS.) OXI 25000 526.30 570 GROENLANDS RADIOFONI DANISH GOVT GREENLAND GODTHAAB (KOOK IS.) 1000 75.02 3999 GROENLANDS RADIOFONI DANISH GOVT GREENLAND GODTHAAB (KOOK IS.) 10000 50.34 5960 GROENLANDS RADIOFONI DANISH GOVT GREENLAND GODTHAAB (KOOK IS.) 1000 50.17 5980 GROENLANDS RADIOFONI DANISH GOVT GREENLAND GODTHAAB (KOOK IS.) 10000 31.33 9575 GROENLANDS RADIOFONI DANISH GOVT GREENLAND GODTHAAB (KOOK IS.) 10000 31.07 9655 GROENLANDS RADIOFONI DANISH GOVT GREENLAND GODTHAAB (KOOK IS.) 1000 25.54 11745 GROENLANDS RADIOFONI DANISH GOVT GREENLAND SONDRESTROM 250 211.30 1420 AFRTS US AIR FORCE GREENLAND THULE 1000 210.50 1425 AFRTS US AIR FORCE 1974 FBIS FM: GREENLAND GODTHAAB GROENLANDS RADIOFONI DANISH GOVT L OXIFM 250 97200 The complete GREENLAND entry in WRTH 1958, minus the musical notation of the IS! --- GREENLAND (Danish Territory) * L. T.: See World Time Table. - L.: Greenlandic, Danish, GROENLANDS RADIO (Govt.). Ministry of State, Greenland-Dept., Torvegade 1, Copenhagen. GODTHAAB RADIO ADDR. : Grønlands Radiofoni, Godthaab. - Cable: Radiopress. L.P.: Dir. Broadc.: Fr. Nielsen. Chief-Editor: P. R. Brandt. STATIONS : OXI 613 kc/s 475 m 1 kW - 9526 kc/s 31.50 m 1 kW. D. PRGR.: D. 21.00-01.00, Sun.: 12.00-13.00, 15.00-16.30, 22.00- 10.00 [sic]. Occ. religious services: Sun. 13.00-14.00 or 19.00-20.00. Prgr. consists of Wrp. [weather reports], N., Ships Positions in Greenlandic and Danish, L. L. [language lessons], Talks, Outside Broadcasts, Music, Entertainment. After approx. 1’ April the stations will be: Godthaab 570 kc/s 25 kW - Frederikshaab 630 kc/s 5 kW - Godhavn 650 kc/s 5 kW. The h. of tr. not yet fixed. ANN. : “Grønlands Radio, Godthaab” in Danish and Greenlandic. - INT.-SIG.: Greenlandic song “Sonja Kalipok”. ANGMAGSSALIK RADIO ADDR.: Angmagssalik Radiostation, Angmagssalik. STATION: OZL 1500 kc/s 200 m - 7570 kc/s 39.63 m 0.5 kW D. PRGR.: W. 14.00-14.50. N., Wrp., Ship’s Positions in Danish and Greenlandic. Records. ANN. in Danish: “Goddag. Her er Angmagssalik med de danske nyheder.” - V. by letter. Reports should be sent to the resp. st. R.p. US. ARMED FORCES RADIO STATIONS (Air Force): KOLD* Thule Airport 1425 kc/s 210.5 m 1 kW 11.00-05.00 WXLS Narsarssuak 850 kc/s 352.9 m 1 kW WXLS Søndrestrom 1420 - 211.3 - 0.25 - *Addr.: AP023, c/o PM, New-York, l N.Y. - V. by QSL-card. (via Bill Hepburn, DXLD; gh tried to edit errors in optical scanning to pdf) ALL ABOVE IS HISTORICAL ONLY ** GREENLAND. LW Beacon logs: 298, KU GREENLAND Kook Island 0409 25/Jan --Zichi DXp 331, FH GREENLAND Frederikshab 0331 25/Jan --Zichi DXp (Ken Zichi, MARE DXpedition, MI, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) 331, FH Paamiut, Greenland; 0331, 25-Jan; separate from 329 YHN splash going to 331.3. Tnx KZ! (Harold Frodge, MI, ibid.) ** GUINEA. 7125, Radio Conakry, 2105-2140* Jan 25, news program with a man announcer with French talk until vocals at 2117. More talk and ID at 2134 before another highlife vocal selection. Transmitter crash knocked station off the air and it didn´t return in subsequent check over next 30 minutes. Fair (Rich D`Angelo, French Creek State Park DXpedition No. 33, PA, Ten-Tec RX-340 and an Eton E1, 500-foot wire essentially south for the RX-340 and a 150-foot wire essentially south-east for the E1, NASWA yg via DXLD) ** HAWAII. QSL - KWHR, Naalehu, 9930 kHz. F/d "20 Years of Shortwave Ministry" card in five months after sending a letter to World Harvest Radio, 61300 Ironwood Rd, South Bend, Indiana, 44614, U.S.A. This was a report in August 2008 of Firedrake covering the Sound of Hope relay (Jon Pukila, (Thunder Bay, ON, Canada), Jan 31, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. 9445, AIR, Jan 30, 2009, 2100 YL with news until 2105. OM has ID and then commentary about Obama policies toward Pakistan. Engineer misses several cues for canned spots and music but finally got nudged awake by 2115. Knock your socks off signal but over modulated (Bruce Barker, Broomall, PA; Equipment: NRD535-D, Alpha Delta DX Sloper, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. FEBA broadcast via AIR --- Dear friends, I have followed up with FEBA about their broadcasts via AIR. Here is the additional information received. Many broadcasts are there of FEBA via AIR on MW SW & FM as follows: Sundays UT: 0200-0225 AIR Hyderabad 738 4800 Telugu 0400-0420 AIR Bhadravati 675 Kannada 0800-0900 AIR Bangalore 612 Kannada 0900-0920 AIR Tiruchirapalli 936 Tamil 1445-1505 AIR Panaji 1287 English 1630-1700 AIR Panaji 105.4 English Thursday: 1600-1700 AIR Bangalore 101.3 English FEBA India identification is given at the starting of the program. Some years back a broadcast in Hindi via AIR Delhi was also there, its status is to be clarified. Alokesh Gupta, may please check it up, Sundays 2.30 pm IST (?) 1368 kHz Vividh Bharati. 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Hyderabad, http://www.niar.org Jan 30, dx_india yg via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 11785.82, Voice of Indonesia, Cimanggis, 1957-2016, 24 Jan, French, songs, s/off announcements, English program at 2000, frequencies announcement, news by which time the signal was already somewhat deteriorated; 35433. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Feb 1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. 4790.02, RRI Fak Fak, 1410, 1/31/09. Extended monologue by OM was poor to fair mixing with CODAR sweeps (Jerry Strawman, Des Moines, IA, AOR AR7030 Plus, Wellbrook ALA-100 Loop, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) RRI Fak2, 4790, the only Indo audible on 60m, with Makassar still missing from 4750, Jan 31 as late as 1445 with continuous YL talking in Indonesian; a bit of music around 1455 and gone, sign-off I suppose, but could have just outfaded. Constant CODAR QRM (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN. 13740, VOIRI, Sirjan, 1215-1216, escuchada el 31 de enero en hebreo, se observa una portadora muy fuerte y un nivel de audio muy bajo y mal modulado; a pesar de la tremenda señal y no sufrir interferencia la emisión es inaudible, SINPO 55442 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRELAND [non]. Hello Glenn, Yesterday (Wednesday January 28th) I heard RTE test transmission, from 1930 to 2030 UT on 6220 kHz. Results: 1930 UTC SINPO 35333; 2000 UTC SINPO 35443 This morning, I sent a report to freqdept @ wrn.org and some hours after, I received a QSL, with some details, the transmitter was in [info withheld]. RTE Ireland plan regular transmissions to Africa. I think it's in order to replace the (defunct) service of World Space. Regards from France, (Christian Ghibaudo, Nice, France, Jan 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) IRLANDA, RTE-Via [info withheld], Recibida E-QSL en formato PDF de la transmisión especial del dia de ayer 28 de Enero entre las 1930 a 2030 UTC por 6220 kHz. Informes enviado a: freqdept @ wrn.org Ha tardado: 21 Horas en responder!! Saludos (Antonio Madrid, Spain, not Turkey, http://www.elradioescucha.tk/ dxldyg via DXLD) ** JAPAN [non]. It`s the last Saturday of the month, Jan 31, so NHKWNRJ`s English feature is a classic story instead of World Interactive --- 1412 on 11705 via Canada, tale about beheading, which I could easily do without, and so I did; at least there was no pre- echo this time from Yamata direct (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. 4450, AINDF (presumed), January 28, Korean, 2229-2244 male talks, 2235 elation style music returning shortly male at 2239, elation female music. Stronger than usual tonight, het generated with presumed R. Santa Ana which was unlistenable; 23222 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. ARMENIA, 11560, Radio Free Chosun, Yerevan- Gavar, 1200-1207, escuchada el 31 de enero en coreano, música de sintonía, locutora con comentarios, probablemente con presentación, locutor y locutora con comentarios con referencias a Obama, el comienzo de la emisión corresponde con la emisión en Internet de la web de la emisora: http://www.rfchosun.org/eng/# aunque anuncian emisión del 16 de enero, SINPO 44333 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MADAGASCAR. ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTS BURN TWO TV STATIONS The state broadcaster on fire. (Antanarivo mg) [caption] New York, January 26, 2008 -- Angry opposition supporters burned down two pro-government television stations in the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar today, a few hours after authorities destroyed the antenna of an opposition radio station, according to news reports and local journalists. The violence highlighted escalating political tensions between Malagasy President Marc Ravalomanana and rival Andry Rajoelina, the mayor of the capital, Antananarivo, since the government summarily shut down the mayor's television station last month, according to CPJ research. Rajoelina, a 34-year-old outspoken politician, is leading a popular anti-government movement modeled after Ukraine's 2004 pro- democracy Orange Revolution, according to international news reports. At least four cars were set on fire and smoke billowed from the studios of the state-run national broadcaster, Radio Nationale Malgache and Télévision Nationale Malgache, after thousands of protestors attacked the complex around 1 p.m. local time, according to freelance journalist Jeannot Ramambazafy. A state TV building burns. (Sobika.com) [caption] An hour later, protesters burned down the studios of Malagasy Broadcasting System, a station owned by President Ravalomanana, according to local news reports and local journalists. A 14-year-old demonstrator and a policeman died in clashes at the scene, according to local reporters. Earlier, at around 3 a.m., about a dozen armed government security agents disabled the transmitter of Viva Radio, a station owned by Rajoelina, according to local journalists. Communications Minister Bruno Andriantavison had threatened to shut down the station last week, saying that the commentary on a morning call-in program had incited civil disobedience and undermined "the public's trust towards national institutions," the local media quoted an official letter as saying. "Media outlets have become the undeserving targets of political feuding and violence between the government and opposition forces," CPJ's Africa program coordinator, Tom Rhodes, said. "The political leaders from both parties must call for an immediate end to attacks on these facilities, which endanger the lives of the journalists who work there." In a prior incident, on January 9, two unidentified attackers threw a small bomb with a warning note about the program in the home of veteran journalist Harry Laurent Rahajason, better known as Rolly Mercia, according to local journalists. No one was injured, the journalists said. Media outlets owned by Rajoelina and independent stations providing coverage of his political activities have been the targets of government censorship since December 13 when authorities shut down Viva TV, a sister station to Viva Radio also owned by Ravalomanana, according to CPJ research. An order signed by Communications Minister Bruno Andriatavison and obtained by CPJ accused Viva TV of broadcasting "statements likely to trouble security and public order" after the station aired a November full-length interview with exiled former president Didier Ratsiraka, according to local journalists. The government deemed the remarks likely to "incite civil disorder." Andriatavison subsequently withdrew the license of Viva TV and and security forces seized the station's transmitter on January 18. January 26, 2009 5:07 PM ET (CPJ as linked below, via DXLD) 5010, presumed RTV Malagasy, 0313-0337, Jan 31, vernacular. Continuous ballads/easy-listening music in unID language; no ID or announcements; fading out by BoH. Perhaps someone fired up the transmitter amongst the mayhem, in hopes of getting the station back on the air? (Scott R. Barbour Jr. Intervale, N.H. USA, R8, RX350D, CLR/DSP, MLB1, 200' Bevs, 60M dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well, an outside broadcasting van is all it needs. But it appears that they simply do not know what to broadcast, other than music. See also: http://cpj.org/2009/01/two-tv-stations-burned-in-anti-government-protests.php And what became of the programs from the Malagasy Lutheran Church, transmit via RNW's Talata Volonondry facilities 1630-1655 on 3215? Or is this prerecorded stuff anyway? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 3215 seems to be OK, noted here on 1 Feb starting at 1630 (Jari Savolainen, Finland, ibid.) MADAGASCAR UNREST AND INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING "The mayor of Madagascar's capital Antananarivo, Andry Rajoelina, proclaimed himself as the new president Saturday afternoon before thousands of his roaring sympathizers at 13 Mai square, media said. AfricaNews' reporter said the agitated political drama would climax into a dreadful chaos. Rajoelina had earlier announced on Radio France International (RFI) Saturday morning that he was deciding to take charge of the country’s affairs by forming a transition government." AfricaNews, 1 January 2009. http://www.africanews.com/site/Madagascar_Mayor_declares_president/list_messages/22938 See also http://www.rfi.fr/actufr/articles/109/article_77909.asp RFI, 31 January 2009, and http://www.rfi.fr/actuen/articles/109/article_2771.asp RFI English, 31 January 2009 (kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) This could have ramifications for two shortwave operations in Madagascar. One is a Radio Netherlands relay, which, among other things, is used for Voice of the People broadcasts to Zimbabwe. The other is Madagascar World Voice, a project of World Christian Broadcasting that is still under construction. Land for this facility was donated by now-beleaguered President Ravalomanana, who also promised to waive tariffs on materials shipped in for the project. See World Christian Broadcasting Newsletter, December 2008 http://www.worldchristian.org/Updates/LatestNews/WCBC_Dec2008_Newsletter.swf Posted: 01 Feb 2009 (Kim Andrew Elliott, kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) Tariff waive worth $2 million (gh) ** MALAYSIA. 6049.9, Voice of Islam via RTM, Kajang, 1518-1528, 30 Jan, unreadable talks (Malay is listed); 14341, adjacent QRM. 7295, Traxx FM via RTM, Kajang, 1520-1551, 30 Jan, English, pops, dedications; 34332, adjacent QRM, then almost obliterated by it at 1600 as it grew stronger. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Feb 1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MAURITANIA. 7245, R. Mauritanie, Nouakchott, *0848- 28 Jan, Arabic, sudden sign-on, talks soap opera followed; 55444. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Feb 1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MONGOLIA. 12085, Voice of Mongolia, Khonkhor, 0903-1020 (at which time reception was useless), 29 Jan, Japanese, news (?), transmitter off 0906-0908, songs, IS, Mongolian at 0930, Mandarin at 1000; 44433, adjacent QRM. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Feb 1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. Re 9-009, 1296 kHz via UK: Glenn, Re: "I suppose the Dutch and English departments struggle over available airtime and you know who has upper hand (gh, DXLD)" You have a vivid imagination about the way we do things here. Unfortunately the truth is rather more boring. The 1600-1700 slot has always been a Dutch service slot. Our English department have never asked to use it. But Peter Venendaal, Head of our Dutch service, offered the use of the frequency for the launch of Euranet, to make sure that the broadcast could be heard loud and clear in Brussels during the launch period. The English version of Euranet is produced at RNW but is not an official RNW programme. It is produced by the Euranet consortium http://www.euranet.eu/ and has its own staff, budget and website. It was expected that one of the other language versions of Euranet (e.g. French, produced at RFI, or German, produced at Deutsche Welle) would use the second half hour, but this has not happened, the reasons for which I don't know. I think it has something to do with getting the audio to Orfordness. To fill the gap, since RNW was paying for the airtime, we carried our own English service on this frequency for the second half hour. I believe this was to avoid the messy business of joining a programme already in progress, such as AFN Europe used to when baseball or football matches ran beyond their allotted time. That sounds unprofessional. To the best of my knowledge, we have never advertised 1296 kHz as an English service frequency, as it was never intended to be. Once it became clear that the other language versions of the programme are not interested in using 1296 kHz, our management decided to switch it back to the Dutch service. I am not aware of all the discussions, and the ramifications thereof, within the Euranet consortium. But what I do know for sure is that there is no "struggle over available airtime" here at RNW (Andy Sennitt, Radio Netherlands Worldwide, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also MADAGASCAR ** NEW ZEALAND. Sounds Historical, excellent 2-hour show from National Radio via RNZI, just starting at 0706 UT Sunday Feb 1 as I tuned in 9765. ``The way we were``, topics to include Hawkes Bay earthquake, racial confrontation in the XIX century, foundation of Nelson colony on Feb 1. This was the final ``summer special holiday edition``, which I guess means repeats. I had thought this started at 0808, for less than one hour only, silly me, for believing the schedule at http://www.rnzi.com/pages/schedules.php It`s currently on the advanced summer-time sked, which means on N.R., S.H. is at 0700+ until 0900 UT, but the RNZI sked shows generic N.R. during the 0700 UT Sunday hour. DST of UT +13 lasts until April 6 this year; then it should revert to 0808-1000 UT, whatever frequency RNZI may be on by then. Here`s the show`s home page, currently featuring the latest programme, but audio is available back 8 weeks, with all the music removed for copyright reasons, in 20+ minute segments: http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/soundshistorical (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA. If one can't be completely sure with this crazy propagation, the Voice of Nigeria 15120 surprise us too. Rarely heard at this time here, 1720 UT Sun 1st. Usually their best signal comes after 2000. Who knows, if it's arriving early today, might be inbooming later. 73 (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) At 1805 V of Nigeria received in Uruguay under lots of (local?) noise, SINPO 25332, sometimes peaking to 35333. YL and OM with talks, mention "Obama", "Voice of Nigeria", etc. Now at 1810 they are playing a song. It used to be heard much better in past years. 73, (Moises Knochen, Montevideo, Uruguay, ibid.) ** OKLAHOMA. KEOR, 1120, Catoosa/Sperry/Tulsa, active again with stale unannounced oldies, Jan 30 at 1932 UT check. Still apparently testing pending sale to start regular programming with announcements, maybe even commercials (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PALESTINE [non]. Capacity advisory for ad hoc and extra shortwave broadcasts into the Gaza Strip during the current hostilities VTC is providing ad hoc capacity on its Global Short Wave Network for broadcasters requiring extra transmissions into the Gaza Strip during the current hostilities in the region. VTC currently delivers daily programmes into this region for a number of broadcasters. We have available slots that would suit daily 30 minutes and 60 minute programmes targeting the region including: -2000 - 2200 UTC, (10 pm to midnight local time), 250/500 kW options, UAE transmitter site Evening hours, 250/300/500 kW options, UK transmitter site (From VT Communications "Right Click" E-Newsletter [shameless PR], via Jan NASB Newsletter via DXLD) ** PHILIPPINES. QSL: Radio Veritas Asia, Palauig-Zambales, 6115 kHz. "Radio Veritas Asia broadcasts to Asia in 15 Languages" card in two months after sending a letter to Radio Veritas Asia, P.O. Box 2642, Quezon City 1166, Philippines (Jon Pukila, (Thunder Bay, ON, Canada), Jan 31, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PORTUGAL. QSL: RDP Internacional, Lisbon, 13720 kHz. "Patrimonio Natural: Anandia" card in one month and thirteen days after using the online form at http://tv.rtp.pt/canais-radio/rdpi/rescuta.php?canal=5 (Jon Pukila, (Thunder Bay, ON, Canada), Jan 31, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PORTUGAL. DRM: Recebi sincronismo, porém sem decodificar o audio: - às 1030 UT a RDP Internacional de Portugal, em 9815 kHz. Talvez, não fossem duas emissoras de AM, uma em 9810 e outra em 9820, ambas evidentemente interferindo na banda de 10 kHz da RDP, seria possivel decodificar. Meu sistema de recepção DRM: http://www.qslnet.de/member/py4zbz/hamdream/rxdrm.htm 73 de (Roland Zurmely, Brasil, Jan 31, radioescutas yg via DXLD) China & China (gh) ** ROMANIA. QSL: Radio Romania International, Tiganesti, 15105 kHz. Chrysanthemum Morifolium card in two months and seven days after an email to eng@rri.ro (Jon Pukila, (Thunder Bay, ON, Canada), Jan 31, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SAINT HELENA. Hello Glenn, Radio St. Helena receives letters from DXers --- In an email on 29. January, Gary Walters, the RSH Station Manager, commented on the amount of mail regarding RSD 2008 and , indirectly, about the success of the "new" postal route. "RSH Station Manager, Gary Walters, is pleased to announce that, between 14. and 19. January 2009, Radio St. Helena received < 266 > letters from Dxers around the world containing reports of the recent Radio St Helena Day shortwave transmission , which was held on the 15th of November 2008. Staff at Radio St Helena will immediately set to work, when we have received the new QSL cards. Gary and his staff send their best greetings to all DXers around the world and many thanks for their letters of appreciation." The new RSD 2008 QSL cards have been printed and have arrived in Germany. The cards will be sent to St. Helena very soon, but it will take up to three months for the cards to arrive at RSH. Therefore, DXers should not expect to find their QSLs in the mail before about July 2009. P.S. Included are two photos from Gary showing the pile of mail received (Gary Walters, Radio St. Helena, via Robert Kipp, Jan 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Quite a pile, but low resolution; the only return address names I can outmake are Toshimichi Nakagawa and Mike Rohde. Besides letters, there is one report in a cylinder. You know who you are (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SERBIA [non]. BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA, QSL - International Radio of Serbia relay, Bijeljina, 6190 kHz. "International Radio Serbia Listener's Club" card in five months after sending a letter with U.S.$1 to Radio Serbia, Hilandarska 2, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia. This is the new QSL card first mentioned in DXLD 8-094. I'll upload a photo when I get the chance. The card features some views of a transmitter building on the front, and antennas on the back. Not sure if this is at Bijeljina or Stubline (Jon Pukila, (Thunder Bay, ON, Canada), Jan 31, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Dear Jon, I guess the International R Serbia QSL card pictures are from Bosnia HF transmitter site. Please visit some pictures of Bijeljina, Bosnia site: http://www.geocities.com/dl_dx/BIJ-tx.html Regards, (Dragan Lekic, Serbia, ibid.) ** SLOVAKIA. Nitra mediumwave transmitters --- A follow-up on my notes on this matter from a year ago, as included in DXLD 8-010: See also http://archiv.radio.cz/deutsch/medienmagazin/1-3-99.html Here is the "old" Nitra site near Jarok, until tomorrow in use by Slovensky Rozhlas on 1098 kHz: http://maps.google.de/?ie=UTF8&ll=48.286591,17.990692&spn=0.010537,0.019312&t=h&z=16 And here is the new site, differenciated from the old one by referring to it as Velke Zaluzie: http://maps.google.de/?ie=UTF8&ll=48.278652,17.913594&spn=0.010539,0.019312&t=k&z=16 This new facility opened in 1988 and is equipped with two SRV-750 transmitters, thus capable of running 1500 kW. During the nineties 750 kW were used, then for some years 260 kW until 1098 kHz moved back to its old home (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Jan 31, 2009, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH AMERICA. Feliz Aniversario a Radio Cochiguaz!!!!! Este mensaje fue recibido desde la emisora pirata sudamericana que celebra sus doce años! Estimados amigos. Hoy 1 de Febrero cumplimos otro año más de vida. Ya son 12 años de actividad donde hemos con cierta regularidad salido al aire con mucha alegría. Durante este tiempo hemos llegados a tener muchos amigos por todo el mundo. A pesar de pasar también por adversidades técnicas, seguimos y quizás durante este mes de Febrero haya alguna sorpresa en la onda corta sudmericana. Muchas gracias a todos nuestros oyentes y amigos, si Uds. no seria posible este proyecto. Saludos cordiales de Cachito http://www.geocities.com/rcochiguaz/ Casilla de correo 159; Santiago 14; Chile Dear friends, Today is 12 years since we get on the air for the first time. 12 years of activity who has made us friends with people from several places in the world. Fighting with technical problem from time to time we still active now and then --- who knows maybe there be some surprise from the south American shortwave during February. Many greetings and thanks to all from Cachito http://www.geocities.com/rcochiguaz/ Casilla de correo 159; Santiago 14; Chile (via Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, Feb 1, dxldyg via DXLD) ** SPAIN. Hi, all. At the moment (Feb 1 at 1550) I'm listening to a very strong Spanish-language station on 17770 which is completely covering Channel Africa. Per EiBi and Aoki I'm thinking that it's REE, but my Spanish is poor. Sounds like a silly ballgame (precursor to the Stupid Bowl tonight :-)) or some other special event. Any help? Keep warm and very 73 de (Anne Fanelli in coldnsnowy Elma NY, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) REE uses 17770 but not supposed to at this time. If still going now, see if you can find a parallel such as 17595 (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) It's REE with Sunday Fútbol. New frecuency? The accent tells it all in less than 5 seconds, when they mentioned Santander. Keep enjoying your snowy day, while I'm on delicious 23º C. 73 (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, ibid.) ** SRI LANKA. 11750, Sri Lanka BC, Colombo-Ekala, 1637-1641, escuchada el 31 de enero en sinhala con emisión de música folklórica local, locutor y locutora con comentarios, servicio anunciado de lunes a sábado de 1600 a 1900, SINPO 34343. 11905, Sri Lanka BC, Colombo-Ekala, 1210-1212, escuchada el 31 de enero en idioma tamil con emisión de música folklórica local, música muy similar a la hindú, SINPO 32342 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SYRIA. 9330, Radio Damascus, 2202-2250, Jan 31, Spanish talk. Local Mid-East music. Not heard prior to 2200 during various checks. Weak. Poor in noisy conditions. Best in ECSS-LSB. No sign of WBCQ (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DAMASCO?? 12085, Radio Damasco? 2210-2215, escuchada el 1 de febrero con señal muy débil a locutora con comentarios en idioma sin identificar, emisión de música folklórica local, señal con fuerte portadora acompañada de molesto zumbido y nivel de audio muy bajo, no consigo captar nada en 9330, SINPO 34431 [Later at 2235:] Saludos cordiales, puedo confirmar que es Radio Damasco en español emitiendo en 12085 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Always registered on 9330//12085, now really ** TAIWAN [non]. U.S.A., QSL: Radio Taiwan International relay, Okeechobee, 18930 kHz. Formosan Whistling Thrush card in a month and 16 days for an email in French to fren @ rti.org.tw I forgot to send this one back in June and I'm surprised they verified it (Jon Pukila, (Thunder Bay, ON, Canada), Jan 31, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TIBET. 7385, PBS Xizang, Lhasa, 2142-2150, escuchada el 29 de enero en su servicio en tibetano con emisión de música folklórica local; se aprecia la emisión ligeramente sobre modulada, también ligera interferencia del servicio en inglés de Radio Belarus en 7390 que emite de 2100 a 2200 UT, SINPO 34443 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UKRAINE. First is the Ukrainian Radio broadcasting news. From the 1-st of January, due to financial constraints, the Ukrainian Radio was forced to make the following changes to its transmissions: The national UR-1 channel cancelled broadcasting on 810 kHz via Lutsk (Pidgaytsy), on 1530 kHz via Vinnitsa (Zarvantsy), and on 1557 kHz via Putyla (Chernovitskaya oblast). On 936 kHz, the transmitter 1000 kW in Lviv (Krasne) reduced its power to 600 kW. The airing time of the second channel UR-2 "Radio Promin" on the medium wave 549 kHz via transmitters in Kyiv (Brovary), Mykolaiv (Luch), and Lviv (Krasne) was shortened from 23 hours per day to 18 hours. Then, since the 1-st of February, these transmitters have to be switched off. The transmission of UR-3 channel "Radio Kultura" on 1431 kHz via Mykolaiv was shortened too, and now goes from 1400 to 2300. The transmissions of UR-2 channel on short waves via Mykolaiv on 6020 kHz from 1800 to 0200 and on 7285 kHz from 0600 to 1300 were cancelled. The transmissions of RUI on these frequencies continue. Those were changes in the home broadcasts of the Ukrainian Radio. Now I move on to changes in the international broadcasting of the Ukrainian Radio. Radio Ukraine International stopped its transmissions on 936 kHz to Europe from 2300 to 0300 via Lviv, on 9785 kHz to South America from 1900 to 0300 via Mykolaiv, and on 15635 kHz to Australia from 0600 to 1400 via Lviv. It's particularly sad that these reductions concerned mainly the Ukrainian Radio transmissions which started only about two months before the New Year. Let us hope that such reductions of RU's transmissions are only temporary. To counterbalance this information, I have a pleasant one that 36 new transmitters for UR-1 channel began operation in January on FM band in Ukraine, mainly in their frontier provinces (Whole World on the Radio Dial #160, Editor: Alexey Yegorov, RUI, Kiev, Ukraine, via Rus DX via DXLD) ** U K. BBC Bangla Sunday announcement at 1329 UT continues to be erratic --- On 1 Feb 09 BBC Bangla was broadcasting on 7225, 7430 and 7550 kHz. It was not there on 9355 kHz and I could not check the 25 mb frequency. On 7225 kHz I heard an announcement at the end of their 1330-1400 UT transmission that the next transmission would be at 1630 UT. So I presumed that the extended Sunday transmission on two channels would not be there. However, I soon discovered a BBC Bangla transmission on 7550 kHz which started with an English announcement regretting that regular programming could not be carried, and a Bangla discussion followed which continued upto 1500 UT. 9355 kHz, the other parallel frequency, did not carry this extended transmission but was carrying a Russian program. For the last few months, BBC Bangla was announcing a wrong frequency for their extended broadcast. From this week it appears that they are not announcing this extended broadcast altogether and has lost one channel. The BBC Bangla website continues to display the old A08 frequencies. Listeners cannot reach BBC Bangla via the INTERNET. Here is a BBC Bangla SW listener in Kolkata armed with an ICOM R75 and the Internet who has so much difficulty in tracking down their transmission. What about the other listeners in their target zone? (Dr Supratik Sanatani, West Bengal, Feb 1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. ROSS AND OTHER TOP BBC STARS FACE 25% PAY CUT • Cash-strapped broadcaster to renegotiate contracts • Moyles and Norton will also see pay reduced Leigh Holmwood and Mark Sweney, The Guardian, Friday 30 January 2009 The salaries of Jonathan Ross, Chris Moyles and other BBC stars are due to be cut by at least 10% as the corporation deals with a worsening budget crisis. The BBC has said it will re-examine contracts as they expire, citing a mix of the economic downturn, the need to cut costs and a lack of competition from rivals that are also short of cash. The corporation has been heavily criticised for what it pays its top stars. Chatshow host Ross is reported to be on a three-year deal worth £18m; Radio 1 breakfast show host Moyles is on a reported £630,000 per year; while Graham Norton is said to have a £5m two-year deal. . . http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/jan/30/bbc-salaries-jonathan-ross (via Dan Say, BC, DXLD) ** U K. New internet radio station --- It`s offical, wightFM finally launches today (Sunday) at 11 am (UK time). The new station is to be opened by the Island's MP Andrew Turner at 11 am. The Island's No 1 presenter Alex Dyke will host the first ever show on wightFM. Alex commented "It's going to be great to be back on air; I cannot wait. … http://www.wightfm.com (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) But, but, if they are not modulating any frequency, and apparently have no intention or permission to do so, why in the world do they call it wightFM?? FM stands for feeble-minded? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. I just remarked that VOA`s Hausa service inbooms off the back from Greenville NC, 15185, M-F at 2030-2100 --- but not Jan 30 at 2050, when something unID was JBA. Perhaps it was missing, or perhaps the skip zone was too broad; at same time, WHRI 15665 was almost as weak from SC, which is not unusual for it on 19m, while more distant WBCQ was incoming well on 15420, plus aimed usward (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Willis Conover, 1920-1996: He Brought Jazz, "The Music of Freedom," to the World. Added today to the VOA website. Conover's VOA jazz program was one of the most popular and influential shows in broadcasting history. Audio and Transcript of radio broadcast: 31 January 2009 http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/2009-01-31-voa1.cfm I have fond memories of his shows and his distinctive voice (Mike Terry, England, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) An ep of People in America, running 15:39, which would take about 10 minutes in regular English (gh) ** U S A. Re 9-009, AFRTS frequency protocol --- "The AFN website lists a frequency of 7812.5 kHz; however this is incorrect and should read 7811.0 kHz" Glenn, The US Department of Defense lists all frequencies of radio transmissions as the center of the energy spectrum. Thus, an SSB signal with a suppressed carrier frequency of 7811 carrying audio with an upper limit of 3 kHz will have the center of its upper sideband at 1500 Hz above the suppressed carrier frequency. 7811+1.5 = 7812.5. I first encountered this practice around the early 1980's (Joe Buch, FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Joe, BUT, I believe without checking again, that they do not do the same for the other AFN frequencies, so they are inconsistent. That is nonsensical, anyway, as the `reference` frequency where the carrier would be or must be inserted is surely the proper way to designate them. 73, (Glenn to Joe, ibid.) Glenn, Your logic is impeccable as usual. I believe this practice began with the frequency management folks who wanted to insure that as diverse transmission modes evolved they did not overlap. So by allowing a 1.5 KHz+ guard band from the published frequency they could ensure no overlap. For example, a USB signal centered on 7812.5 KHz would allow an FSK RTTY signal on 7810.5 KHz because it would be putside the +/- 1.5KHz guard band. If the frequency was listed as 7811, an FSK RTTY signal on 7810.5 KHz would be prohibited by their stupid frequency allocating computer. I believe all DoD SSB is upper sideband by edict except possibly for some MARS nets. I know Navy MARS is all USB (Joe Buch, FL, ibid.) ** U S A. Ascolti AM (orari UTC), Domenica 25 gennaio 2009: 0744 - 6430 (3215 x 2) kHz, WWCR - Nashville-TN (USA), English, World of Radio. Segnale molto buono, QRM varie UTEs in sottofondo. Sabato 31 gennaio 2009, 0825, 6430 kHz, WWCR - Nashville-TN (USA), English, talk OM. Segnale molto buono (SWL I1-0799GE, Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova), Italia, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) WWCR also heard again today (30th) at 0750 on 3215, but less strong than it used to be - and not as strong as WWRB 3185. 3215 remained on air past 0800 and was parallel to stronger 6430 (Noel R. Green (NW England), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6414.44, WWCR, 0930-0959*, distorted spur from a strong second harmonic 6430. Also heard 3215. Very distorted weaker matching spur on 6445.56. And lot of splatter between 6414.44-6445.56. All frequencies off at 0959 Jan 30 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WWCR still with big harmonic problem: Jan 30 at 0723 check, VG signal on 6430, S9+22 and splattering plus and minus 15 kHz approx., 6415- 6445; unlike some previous occasions, the fundamental also radiating on 3215, but only S9+19. Also could hear second harmonix of 6 MHz frequencies: Jan 31 at 0622 on 11870, DGS 2 x 5935 mixing with WEWN Spanish fundamental; 11780, Pastor Pete Peters 2 x 5890, weak and no Brasil on at the moment; these were weakly audible on the FRG-7, but much stronger on the YB- 400, i.e. the latter succumbing to receiver overload from the fundamentals. 0626, the strong harmonic on 6430 from // 3215 was still going. Checking WWCR-3 webcast, Sat Jan 31, the 1730 airing of WORLD OF RADIO did not start until almost 1742, so on 12160 it may have been more than 5 minutes late. If you don`t hear WOR at a scheduled time, don`t give up. No sign of the WWCR harmonic on 6430, Feb 1 at 0445, just the strong ute it was colliding with, and WWCR-1 program heard on 3215 only. George McClintock came out of retirement Jan 31 to work on eliminating the harmonic, which was a transmitter tuning problem. If anyone does hear this or any other WWCR harmonic or spur, please report. At 0709 still no harmonic on 6430, but the 49m channels were showing up on 25m, possibly due to receiver overload; it`s hard to tell. Not only on second harmonics 11780 mixing Brazil with a SAH and fades, and 11870 with PMS eclipsing WEWN, but also on 11825 which is the sum of 5890 and 5935, with both audios (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I tuned to 3215 at 0755 UT Sun Feb 1 just in time to hear the conclusion of World of Radio 1445 with a report of the recent logging of KBRW and Faroe Islands. Signal strength was very good, and better than [WWRB] 3185 - which is what it had been previously. There was no trace of any signal on 6430 or thereabouts (Noel R. Green (NW England), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 3199.42, 3230.58, WWCR, 0620-0635, Feb 1, the 6430 harmonic and spurs are gone but now these very weak spurs from 3215 have reappeared along with splatter from 3199.42 to 3230.58 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. KTMI question --- Hi Glenn, I am the Radio Kid. I am visually impaired, and like hearing your program on the internet each week. I have a question: For a while now, you have mentioned an unbuilt CP, KTMI, licensed to Lebanon, OR. I have been trying, with very limited resources, to follow developments about KTMI, and anticipate hearing your program for KTMI news. So I was extatic to hear this week's program (1445) about KTMI, and that they may begin broadcasting soon. Is there any indication of what the format will be> for KTMI? Have you, or anyone else, seen a programming proposal for KTMI? I ask because formats interest me, and I'm am hoping it is not another religious outlet. Glenn. I applaud your program, and I know you will continue to monitor the situation with KTMI. As I live in an apartment where shortwave radio doesn't work, your program is the only way I can hear about shortwave happenings, and will be the only way to keep up with the progress of KTMI. Keep up the great work. Sincerely, (--The Radio Kid, Jan 28, DX LIXTENING DIGEST) Hi Kid, I hate to disillusion you, but as I have tried to imply in the news about KTMI, I suspect this is vaporware. I was quoting someone else about it supposedly being almost ready to go on the air. A correspondent has visited the coordinates of the transmitter site and found nothing there. I think it is unlikely anything will come of it, but only time will tell. I will certainly convey any further news about it. I am not sure of the programming either, but I suspect it is some kind of religious thing, perhaps ``New Age`` with a name like Transformation Media. Best wishes, (Glenn, to The Radio Kid, via DXLD) ** U S A. See CUBA [and non] for WRMI ** U S A [non]. S Asian vocal music with a Christian tinge, Feb 1 at 1455 on 13700, G signal but bothered by WYFR Okeechobee in English on 13695. 1455 and 1458 had YL giving address involving the name ``M. J. Alexander``, somewhere in Andhra Pradesh, and mentioned http://www.familyradio.com Kept right on going with programming past hourtop as if it were hourbottom, which of course it is in India. Is PWBR `2009` any help identifying 13700? Of course not! But WRTH 2009 shows this on page 481 as Hindi via Wertachtal. Not only Protestants vs Protestants, but the same anti-church Protestants self-clashing 5 kHz apart! Aoki now shows 13700 site as Nauen, GERMANY, however, 500 kW, 95 degrees (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Jan 30 at 1932 UT, exactly an hour after local mean noon, on caradio heard weak but steady signal on 1200 with weather for ``The Alamo City``, so must be WOAI San Antonio, residual skywave, as that`s a bit much for groundwave at almost 500 miles on this high a frequency, even tho it combats higher and higher solar angle southward (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WOON 1240 kHz Woonsocket, RI DX Test"--- 6 Comments Dan said... Barely heard the CW tones amongst the numerous graveyard stations, but could not copy. I used a Panasonic RF 2200 and a Yaesu FRG-7700 with a 75 meter doublet here in Central NY state 1/18/2009 01:55:00 PM Tom Laskowski said... I logged on to a remote DX tuner in PA and heard some CW about 0710. I also listened with my Sony ICF-SW7600GR from here in Indiana and very clearly heard slow CW "WOON" IDs from 0741 to past 0750 with just the built-in antenna. The code IDs cut thru the graveyard mess quite well. 1/18/2009 03:36:00 PM Gert Nilsson said... I heard the morse code coming through but no voice modulation. My QTH is northern Sweden, receiver SDR-IQ and antenna 1300 meters beverage in 296 degrees which should be almost perfect. 1/18/2009 08:46:00 PM Been There said... Heard some code at 0739 in Omaha, but it was at a high pitch rather than the usual 1000 Hz tone. Could this have been them? Carl Mann. Omaha, 1/18/2009 09:25:00 PM Gert Nilsson said... I think the pitch was closer to 800 Hz 1/19/2009 03:51:00 AM Ole said... I was on a DX-expedition at Andoya, Northen Norway and monitored the frequency all the time between 02-03am EST. WOON's CW ID's came trough all the time above the jumble on the fq. A perfect documentation that CW is very effective! No voice ID as far as I have found out so far. OLE FORR, Norway 1/20/2009 08:35:00 PM (from http://dxtests.info via DXLD) ** U S A. Re 9-009, WCKL 560.86 --- Just to let y'all know, this one is still on - current carrier frequency is 560.875, and they are obviously on day power (Barry McLarnon VE3JF Ottawa, ON, 0200 UT Feb 1, IRCA via DXLD) Just to let you know that I can easily see the carrier on the west coast; nowhere close to audio, or even an audible het, though. All this at 0246 UT (Walt Salmaniw, BC, ibid.) Unfortunately, their pattern is aimed NW, so it mostly hits a few of us Canucks, but it's fairly broad and does throw some signal out west. East-west propagation is less than superb tonight, though (Barry McLarnon, VE3JF Ottawa, ON, ibid.) The het does show on the SDR in SE New England. No audio ever noted, however. WGAN is dominant with WHYN under than. As expected (Craig Healy, Providence, RI, ibid.) As before, carrier is easily heard; occasional bits of audio 0303 UT. Freq tonight is a little higher, 560.876 at the moment, and not as choppy as before (Steve NE Oregon Ratzlaff, ibid.) Audio here now [0317 UT Feb 1] in Barrington IL on the NE TA's BOGs getting past WIND with bouncy pop music, almost suitable for a dance club. 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, ibid.) A weak het is now audible in Victoria. Far from audio, though with too much 560 splatter (Walt Salmaniw, 0326 UT Feb 1, ibid.) Frequency is dominated by CFOS groundwave. But I am hearing the het whistle giving CFOS a run for their money. 73 (Mike Brooker, Toronto, ON, 0507 UT Feb 1, ibid.) AT 05:00 CST can easily detect the het from WCKL under WIND. The loop bearing for both is almost identical, perhaps a few degrees more northerly for WCKL so no chance for nulling WIND. I am located about 40 miles west southwest of WIND's xmtr site at the south end of Lake Michigan (Tom Jasinski, Shorewood, IL, R8A & Quantum loop Feb 1, ibid.) I had the chance to drive near WCKL yesterday on the way home from Boston. In western Massachusetts, 35 miles or so from WCKL and about the same distance from WHYN on (presumably) 560.00, the het was screamingly loud and intensely unpleasant. Once we've all had some fun with WCKL's off-frequency operation, a few days from now, I'll be in touch with WHYN's chief engineer on the off chance that he doesn't already know why there's a nasty het on his signal. A quick bit of background about WCKL and why it's so broken: Clear Channel used to own the station, but had to spin it off a few years ago to stay under the ownership limits. It was sold, for a pittance, to a group called the Black United Fund of New York that had never done broadcasting and knew nothing about how to run a radio station, and as a result WCKL quickly went dark. To keep the license alive while they tried to sell the license, Black United would fire it up every summer for a few weeks. I believe the last application from WCKL for special temporary authority to remain silent was denied, which would explain why it's been on the air. Black United has never, so far as I know, programmed even a minute of its own content on the station. They just simulcast one of Clear Channel's FMs, either WCTW 98.5 Catskill or WZCR 93.5 Hudson, which operate from a studio building at the base of the WCKL towers, which Clear Channel still owns. (This may explain why they've had a hard time finding a buyer for the station - there aren't a lot of other spots in the Catskill area where you could put up the three tall towers WCKL needs for its tight directional pattern to protect WHYN and other nearby co- and adjacent-channel signals.) It's an odd situation indeed. s (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.) ** U S A. Catching a North American station on a European frequency -- - It's down to luck and/or the combination of two factors: 1) The European station having a temporary moment of silence at the top of the hour. 2) Catching the North American ID while the signal is peaking. I thought I would share some recordings with you which show recent examples of this happening where the North American was either mixing with the Europeans or was OVER THE TOP OF THEM! It was this morning's reception of 720 WGN which prompted be to post a few recordings: 720, WGN Chicago: http://skywaves.info/mw/720-WGN-0500-31-01-09.mp3 1170, WWVA Wheeling WV: http://skywaves.info/mw/1170-WWVA-0700-23-01-09.mp3 1540, WCKY Cincinnati OH: http://skywaves.info/mw/1530-WCKY-0700-23-01-09.mp3 As I type, 1080 WTIC is currently wiping out Spain! Good DX! (John Faulkner, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, Perseus SDR & flag antenna, MWC via DXLD) ** U S A. How can he afford it? I couldn't believe my ears last evening (31 Jan., 2009) around 0220 UT over WLS, 890 KHz in Chicago. None other than shortwave's very own "Bush Basher" himself: Alex Jones! It seems he's doing some MAJOR market advertising! Where the heck is he getting this kind of money??? Having worked in broadcast radio, I know major market ads are not cheap. However, here's Alex Jones, hawking his own non-hybrid garden seeds that the government is secretly hiding away in the mountains somewhere. (Then how the heck did he get hold of them????) He also told the listeners that these seeds are great for bartering! Just curious. Anyone else hear Mr. Jones doing other major market AM spots? LA? NY? Houston? Denver? Methinks George Noory has made Alex Jones very well-to-do. Perhaps Mr. Hauser or I should come up with a few fairy tales and appear on Coast to Coast AM --- hawking emergency fishing poles or EMP proof chicken nuggets. 73, (Bill Lauterbach - WA8MEA, Feb 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. I've noticed that IRN seems to be growing fairly rapidly in popularity in the U.S. Personally speaking, for my own logbook, I'm not sure I'd count anything based on just IRN News unless it was on a frequency formerly known as a clear channel where there are relatively fewer options - or if there was other evidence, or perhaps if they personally supplied a very current list of subscribers, which is often hard to get for "competitive reasons." (Saul Chernos, Ont., Jan 30, NRC-AM via DXLD) This may be a result of the merger between IRN and USA Radio News. (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA ( 360' ASL ), ibid.) I concur, and that`s why I think IRN bought USA: to gain some ground. The IRN product was never very good (And I knew three of their main weekday anchors). The USA product has gotten worse since IRN took over. One of IRN's main weekday anchors once complained to me about how he always had to rewrite copy off the wire because it was so biased. IRN (not sure about IRN-USA news) is operated from a very, very nondescript office building tucked away in the back of an office complex outside Metro Memphis. The dishes are hidden in the back, you'd never ever know it was a "radio network" unless you went inside (this is when I visited in 2003) (Paul Walker, Ord NE, http://www.onairdj.com NRC-AM via DXLD) IRN was and remains about as bad as it gets. Much worse than FOX TV news, although they're slanted enough. USA was pretty good before the merger (Russ Edmunds, PA, ibid.) And thus IRN is the favorite of gospel huxters and far-right stations (gh, DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. Venezuelan DXer Mr. Leonardo Santiago informed me that there is a DXer’s blog site in Venezuela (in Spanish). Have a look at http://diexismovenezolano.blogspot.com (Takahito Akabayashi, Japan, Jan 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA [non]. No sign of any of the Aló, Presidente frequencies Sunday Feb 1 via Cuba at 1453 UT check, so another no-show: 11690, 11875, 13750; 13680 with regular RHC, and presumed 17750 unchecked (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** YEMEN. 9780.13, Republic of Yemen R, San'a, 1913-1927, 30 Jan, Arabic, talks, seemingly a newsmagazine; 45433, slightly muffled; inaudible on \\ 6005. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Feb 1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 1476.3, DF=Southeast relative to SW Europe. Same as observed on 03 Jan last; today 01 Feb, 1919-, chanting was all I could hear on a 13441 rated SINPO.; QRM was from adjacent channels, not 1476 where Austria seems to be the only country audible. The sort of chanting I heard seems to relate this to some Arabic country. It certainly does appear to be another Balkan pirate 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thot AUT was QRT UNIDENTIFIED. Two identical buzzy FM distorted modulation like jamming? signals noted at 2000-2100 UT. Centered on 6001.6 kHz and on 6139.8 kHz. Against Xi Wang Zhi Sheng SOH Tanshui Taiwan ? 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Feb 1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. I received UnID Arabic station on 6210v kHz at 1900 UT of Jan. 30 and 6220v kHz at 1900 UT of Jan. 31. It seems to be same station, but cannot confirm it (S. Hasegawa, Japan, NDXC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I also heard this station in Arabic on 31 January. It closed just before 1958 UT, leaving Mystery Radio in the clear. The programme had numerous references to Israel (Bryan Clark, Mangawhai, New Zealand, ibid.) Maybe Al Aqsa --- is that still active on 5815 and 5835? (gh, DXLD) Yes Bryan, noted also an unID Arabic language station on 6220.0 kHz around 1900-1914 UT Feb 1st, - yes noted also content "had numerous references to Israel" by male voice announcer. But lost connection in fade - away around 1917 UT, when checked 5815 and 5835 kHz Aqsa radio channels in between, which noted both, but 5815 kHz outlet much stronger here in SW Germany. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) The Arabic station on 6210 not audible today, 01 Feb at around the same UT as first observed. On 30 Jan when it sudden emerged at 2000, and closed ca. 2223 as mentioned in my today's HF report. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Under CONGO DR above Hello Wolfy, I tried picking up that one, but no luck in Cairo; any audio clip of that station would help me to ID that unID station. All the best from Cairo (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, Egypt, dxldyg via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 9560 NO ID, 1228-1234, escuchada el 31 de enero en idioma asiático sin identificar, probablemente chino o algún dialecto del país, locutor y locutora con comentarios en programa musical, música pop melódica local; hay un servicio de PBS Xinjiang en uighur anunciado para esta frecuencia listado de 1100 a 1200 y me pregunto si se trata de la misma emisora con horario ampliado, SINPO 34433 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ 12160, WWCR, Jan 24, 1730-1800 World of Radio # 1444, unplugged head phones while Ken, Harold and I listened contently for the full 30 minutes. Good stuff by Glenn Hauser (Jerry Coatsworth, MARE DXPedition in Brighton Mi, MARE Tipsheet Jan 31 via DXLD) See also USA: KTMI MUSEA +++++ QSL CARDS, LETTERHEADS, ETC. FROM THE 1920S AND 30S CGC #881, Sunday, February 1, 2009, Robert F. Gonsett, W6VR, Editor Broadcast station QSL cards, letterheads, etc. from the 1920s and 30s (click for more pages). Cards from KFI, KNX, KHJ, KGO and XEMO are included. http://uv201.com/Misc_Pages/letterheads_1.htm On page 10 is a "non-verification of reception" letter. Don't miss this incredible gem: http://uv201.com/Misc_Pages/letterheads_10.htm (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ RADIO JOURNAL The newsletter is e-mailed for free; access to the full website (including daily FCC technical info) is $169/year. Here's the link to sign up: http://www.theradiojournal.com/jourEmail.asp s (Scott Fybush, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ NEW DATES FOR HFCC B-09, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC The NASB is organizing the HFCC B09 shortwave frequency planning conference, which will take place in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic August 17-21, 2009. The initial dates were set as August 23-28, as we announced in the November 2008 NASB Newsletter. However, the event has been moved forward by one week in order to accommodate members of the Arab States Broadcasting Union, who informed us that Ramadan begins on August 21 this year. The conference itself will take place Monday-Friday, August 17-21, and there will be an optional full-day excursion to Santo Domingo, capital of the Dominican Republic, on Saturday, August 22. NASB members and associate members are encouraged to take part in the conference if they can, as this is only the third time in the HFCC's history that the event has taken place in the Western Hemisphere, and the first time it has taken place in the Caribbean. Additional sponsors who have already confirmed their participation in the event include Indotel (the Dominican telecommunications authority), Continental Electronics, the IBB, EWTN, and the DRM Consortium and Thomson Broadcast and Multimedia. There will be a special DRM seminar for Dominican broadcasters on Friday, August 21 at the conference hotel in Punta Cana. A special conference rate of $130 per night single occupancy and $168 per night double occupancy has been negotiated at the Dreams Punta Cana Resort. This rate includes all meals, drinks, daily entertainment, water sports, tax, tips, etc. Punta Cana is a major tourist resort on the east coast of the Dominican Republic, a two-hour flight from Miami or Fort Lauderdale. For more information about the conference and Punta Cana, see the following website: http://my.att.net/p/PWP-hfccb09 (Jan NASB Newsletter via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ UK QRM group meet Ofcom on PLT interference Ofcom invited UKQRM to its London office to have a meeting about PLT interference. The meeting took place on Tuesday and a full report has now been posted at: http://www.mikeandsniffy.co.uk/UKQRM/UKQRM_meets_Ofcom.htm A pdf version of the report is also available, as well as much other information, linked to from their homepage (Mike Terry, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Very enlightening as to a regulator`s attitude, not necessarily applicable to USA (gh, DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING DRM: see PORTUGAL ++++++++++++++++++++ DTV STBs QRM SHORTWAVE In all the discussion of DTV converter boxes, I haven`t seen any mention of this, possibly because no one else is interested both in direct OTA DTV reception, AND shortwave DXing/listening?? They (at least the Zenith DTT900/901 that I have), put out a continuous whine on many shortwave bands. This is when they are supposedly OFF, in the `red-eye` position; when they are blue-eyed, ON, they put out different hash on the SW bands, which is as bad if not worse. The only solution is to unplug them when not in use, since like so much electronic gear today, they are always ON or standing-by, even when supposedly OFF. This became worse when I installed a second unit on a TV set closer to my SW rigs, but even when it is unplugged, the first one in another housepart still QRMs SW. Fortunately, the Zeniths retain their programming even when unplugged for several days, tho not sure if indefinitely. For example, Jan 31 around 1600 UT I noted the peaks of the whines showed approx. every 72 kHz between 15160 and 15660 kHz. All progress must be accompanied by regress (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Good to know! My STB is very close to the rig also. I will have to see how unplugging it affects the various hash we contend with (Sheryl Paszkiewicz, Manitowoc WI, NASWA yg via DXLD) I definitely notice this, too. I have the Insignia-badged version and just resorted to leaving it off by means of a power strip switch. I've left it off for extended periods of time and have seen no memory loss. Of course that is no consolation if you're not the one using the box. Have you tried snap-on ferrite beads? It might just be beginner's luck here but I managed to reduce, though not eliminate, the hash from my very noisy furnace and embedded computing equipment with the assortment I bought from DX Engineering a few months ago (Claudio Leite, DC, WTFDA via DXLD) I suspect it uses a switched mode power supply oscillating at 72 kHz (Tom VE3MEO Holden, Jan 31, ODXA yg via DXLD) All is quiet here. I'm receiving DTV over the air with an RCA box and haven't noticed any interference problems. However I'm using noise- reduced outdoor wire antennas that are completely isolated from any noise that might be radiated by electronic devices inside the house. Use of balanced antennas such as dipoles typically for SW reception should eliminate any interference if installed properly. Unbalanced antennas can be isolated by a matching transformer between the antenna and coax lead-in, and if necessary a common mode choke can be used to filter noise common to shield and the center conductor of a coax lead-in. If the Zenith DTV converter box is actually radiating enough signal to be picked up by a noise-reduced outdoor antenna, then a complaint should be filed with the FCC because that shouldn't happen (Bruce Conti - Nashua NH, mwdx yg via DXLD) While I don't care much about the SW bands other than to occasionally check for parallels, I'd care a lot more on AM BCB where there's already too much noise. This aspect could get interesting and not in a positive way. I haven't yet hooked up the two STB's I bought, but I can now see at least a couple of outlet strip purchases in my immediate future (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA, ( 15 mi NW of Philadelphia ) WTFDA via DXLD) The Insignia box (exact same as the Zenith box with a different front panel) give me QRM in the R390a whether it's on or off too so I haven't had it plugged in lately. My Magnavox DVD recorder with it's sdtv tuner thankfully doesn't have the qrm problem as much but I'm not sure if it's tuner is as sensitive or perhaps more so than my Insignia box. It does work for DTV DX though (Robert M. Bratcher, Jr., TX, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I get very minor noise from a fairly new television here on AM. I always unplug it when I am here alone (no other family members here for the most part in the winter anyhow). I'll be bringing my DTV box here for the summer skip and tropo season, so it'll be interesting to see what it does. I don't DX much at all in Toronto and haven't thought to notice any QRM on AM. I don't DX much SW except to listen to strong stations, pirates and look for AM/SW parallels when TA DXing (Saul Chernos, Ont., DX LISTENING DIGEST) I don't fool around with shortwave or anything but I do still watch a great deal of analog TV since we don't really get much digital in my area, and I've been noticing some pretty hefty interference to my analogs - UHF by FAR being the worst - whether or not the Insignia box is left on. It ends up as diagonal lines across my screen. My computer monitor, about three feet away, puts out its own interference, and my computer does as well, but I've had my computer for 9 years and it's 3 feet from the TV, and this interference didn't start til quite recently. Turning the monitor off is not affecting these lines, which are only on the weaker stations (maybe all UHF stations actually, as they're all weak here and my VHFs are strong). I guess in a month none of this will matter though, huh? Still, how do these companies get away with selling devices that scramble and interfere with other devices, even if not intentionally? I've got what seems like a nearby cellphone tower wiping out my channel 4 (or some device on the tower) and I bet I could find a talking teddy bear with an electronic chip that would interfere with my TV too. Shouldn't there be some sort of regulations on this? Competitors could build devices that interfere with each other or their competitor's related electronic devices (Chris Kadlec, Fremont, Mich., WTFDA via DXLD) CHANNEL 4, 5 INTERFERENCE [re Kadlec, above] My old USDigital DTV box puts out thin lines on channel 5. I have a Sanyo VCR that I could never use for DXing because it puts out snow on the low-band channels. I've had severe interference on channel 4 for years. It is on and off every few seconds. Doug told me mine could be some kind of navigation system for airplanes. Channel 4 would have been lost here for several years if it had not been for MFC traps. (Danny Oglethorpe, Shreveport, LA, ibid.) I was interested in the information sent in by Danny and Chris regarding their problems with channel 4 interference. I had the identical problem. When I first got back into DX-ing about 8 or 9 years ago and installed my VHF antenna, I'd occasionally swing it around to 240 degrees to watch the Buffalo stations. That heading also points the antenna (at my house) nearly dead on to the local TV transmitters a little over a mile away and also RIGHT AT Cobb's Hill, where the City has all of its emergency communications transmitters. The same "Intermittent" signals would knock out color and cause interference patterns on WIVB (channel 4) For over a year, I just put up with it, until I decided to search the internet and the FCC database extensively for uses of the 72-76 MHz band between channels 4 and 5. I found not only that it could be used for police/fire communications, but that it WAS being used, right on top of Cobb's Hill about a mile away. I even found the license info on the FCC site. Anyway, I called MFC over in East Syracuse and they immediately recognized the problem and said "You need Tubular Filter #PC" It's a simple trap just like the ones that many of us use for VHF pests and it completely removes the interference. In fact, I don't even know if the City still uses that band, but I still have the filter in line (Rick Lucas, Rochester, NY, (but currently typing at Carnarvon, Western Australia, ibid.) Putting a utility band of 4 MHz in between TV channels 4 and 5 certainly has been a mixed blessing. Main advantage was that it allowed full-power TV stations to operate on channels 4 and 5 in same city, when that mattered, since they are not really adjacent in frequency. That became the pattern in several major cities, such as NYC, LA, DFW, Albuquerque-Santa Fe, SLC, Charleston, Boston, but many others went for 2-4-6 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) KCWC-TV ANALOG 4 CLOSED DOWN EARLY I hear that the only lowband VHF outlet of Wyoming PBS, KCWC-TVm channel 4, Lander, went off the air permanently January 28 at 1830 UT, when a tube failed, so it was putting out hardly any power. The plan had been to keep it on until February 17, but did not make it. Its DTV is on channel 8 already and will stay there. This was a tough one to get in OK, a bit too close for maximum sporadic E skip, and became active when I was becoming less active in TV DXing, or peregrinating. WY will continue with two lowband DTV outlets, but low power, on channels 2 and 6, per http://www.w9wi.com/dtvch/dtvch-wy.html (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ANOTHER VOTE LIKELY ON THE JUNE 12 DTV SWITCH DATE Last Thursday the U.S. Senate voted a second time to move the mandatory DTV switch date from Feb. 17 to June 12 and the measure again passed with unanimous consent. Now the matter goes back to the House. Unlike last time where a two-third majority was required to pass "expedited" legislation, this time only a simple majority (50%) will suffice, so approval seems likely. If the measure passes the House and becomes law, full power TV stations will have considerable latitude on when to discontinue NTSC operations. http://www.rbr.com/tv-cable/12621.html http://tinyurl.com/DTVFeb17 SAN DIEGO TV STATIONS OPT FOR FEBRUARY 17 DTV SWITCH At a January 29 (Thursday) meeting at Cox Communications, San Diego broadcasters KFMB, KGTV, KNSD, KSWB, and KUSI said they would flash to digital at midnight on February 17 regardless of the House vote next week to possibly delay the transition. It remains to be seen whether NTSC really goes dark then. Non-commercial KPBS said they would prefer to leave their analog CH-15 transmitter on through their March pledge month. XETV, Channel 6, Tijuana, plans to stick with NTSC broadcasting until told to sign-off by the Mexican government, probably well into the next decade. http://tinyurl.com/DTVSanDiego (both: CGC Communicator Feb 1 via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) IMPROVING DTV OVER-THE-AIR RECEPTION - PART I I think we, the TV industry, need to better educate our viewers in proper antenna installation. Since most cable companies are taking the opportunity to cut some distant signals loose, and consumers are getting rid of cable as a cost savings, the antenna is a reasonable solution. The problem I have found is that the public is woefully uninformed about correct antenna installation. Installers are not much better. I recently had a complaint from a viewer who couldn't get our station from 5 miles away. Turns out that the antenna was installed with the RG-6 split open and connected to a UHF antenna. Water and ice got in the cable making a mismatch, and besides we're a VHF station that the customer was attempting to receive on a UHF antenna. The customer paid $350 for this HDTV antenna installation by the way. Another problem [with DTV reception] is the rabbit ears antennas that are being sold with small amplifiers. The public is putting these on top of their TVs thinking they are going to get a lot of stations. I can't speak for the west coast, but around here it's a big problem because a lot of people are expecting the same results with rabbit ears as they got with NTSC and a roof-top antenna. I think it's too late in the game, but perhaps we should have put together DVDs and PSAs on how to receive DTV properly - Frederick R. Vobbe, VP/CO, WLIO, WLIO-DT Television, w8hdu (at) wlio.com (Letters to editor, CGC Communicator Feb 1 via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) Hello Everyone, This was passed to me by a QSO listener. This is the best thing I have seen written in plain simple English to help explain reception problems of HD TV. In laymen’s terms. You may find this useful to distribute to all of your folks who are dealing with your communities in helping folks with HD TV reception. It was written by Carl Sundberg N4ATC, Chief Engineer for KMTR, the NBC affiliate in Eugene Oregon. This thing is superb. Feel free to distribute and use. This is also an excellent piece as far as describing reflected signals on FM VHF/UHF. If there are any FM broadcast engineers that have torn out a few hairs attempting to explain multipath, this is a good primer for your GM or PD. Thanks (Ted Randall, DX LISTENING DIGST) Viz.: UNDERSTANDING DIGITAL TELEVISION RECEPTION PROBLEMS Carl Sundberg – KMTR TV Engineer Without question, it’s easier to receive the old analog TV channels than the new DTV channels. The reason is very easy to understand. If you are listening to drum beat where there is a very loud echo, you can count the beats easily as long as the beat is very slow. As the drum beats speed up, it gets harder and harder to tell if you are hearing the primary beat or the echo and at some point, that echo makes it impossible to be able to count the actual beats. Analog TV had one primary signal that locked up the entire receiver. That signal pulsed at 60 times a second. The new digital signal has 8 beats that pulse at a total rate of over 19 million times a second. Because television signals can’t be heard by our ears, we don’t realize that television signals can have echoes just like sound. With an old television signal, we could see those echoes. They appeared as a secondary image that made the picture look like there were ghosts in the background of all images. Because the main signal that caused the receiver to work was at a rate of only 60 times a second, most TV receivers could lock up to that slow rate signal even when there was an echo present. Like you, listening to a slowly beating drum, the receiver could readily properly figure out what was the main beat it needed to use. Since TV signals can literally bounce off of everything, signal echoes are everywhere. You can not eliminate them completely. Like a person listening to a drum beat where echoes can be heard, you can reduce the number of echoes by making your ears more directional by cupping the palm of your hand over your ear. If you use a funnel to listen through, you can really make your hearing very directional. We utilize this concept to make microphones more directional. Microphones used to record orchestras are usually very long tubes with the pickup element in the end of the tube. Since your new digital TV or converter box is trying to receive multiple pulses that are cycling at an extremely fast rate, it gets very important for your antenna to be like the orchestra tube microphone. It needs to be pointed at the strongest signal and it needs to eliminate as much echo as possible. The traditional rabbit ear and loop antenna is a little more like a human ear. They pick up signals that come from all directions. If you use one of these devices with an amplifier, you not only amplify the signal, but the echoes as well. So, amplified antennas of this design can actually make it harder for your digital TV to work in cities where there are strong signals. Below are some pictures of set top antennas that are more directional than rabbit ear type antennas. Both of these antenna types not only pick up the signals better in one direction, they also block some of the echoes that are coming from behind it. Both of the two antennas shown above are designed to work with UHF channels 14 through 65. When the digital channels everyone is using switch to some VHF (channel 2 through 13) and some UHF, these channels will require a different type of antenna. The antenna on the right has traditional dipoles (rabbit ears) folded into the case. Directional antennas will be important for the VHF channels, but they suffer less from echoes than the higher UHF channels because their wave length is longer and it takes bigger objects for their signals to bounce and make an echo. Signals can be blocked by anything. Some objects block signals better than others. Metal objects and hills block signals very well, but you can even see a change in signal when a person walks by an antenna. For this reason, to get the best and most steady signal, an outside antenna, at least 15 feet from the ground is the best kind of antenna. By being at least 15 feet above the ground, you will be reducing echoes that come from passing cars and trucks. Another reason outside antenna’s work best is because they have more room to be larger. To make an antenna very directional, the pickup elements need proper spacing. This spacing takes length. The antennas above have many elements, but it would be even more directional if they were longer for better element spacing. Don’t be surprised if an outside antenna works best when you point it in a direction away from a station. Many antenna installers will tell you they have pointed antennas at metal roof tops or water towers to get the best signal. If you have a hill in the way, sometimes you can find a metal roof top on a hilltop house that will make a good signal reflector for that hard to find, clean, echo free signal. Good luck with this new technology. And always remember, echoes are what cause a signal to be difficult to receive. Very directional antennas work the best (via Ted Randall, TN, DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ CAN ACORNS KILL A MICROWAVE LINK? They did at this telephone company, and you'll never forget the video: http://home.pacbell.net/dredmo1/acorns/bearcreek.htm (CGC #881, Sunday, February 1, 2009, Robert F. Gonsett, W6VR, Editor, via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) Direct URL of 9.6 MB video file: http://home.pacbell.net/dredmo1/acorns/acorns.wmv Loads painfully slow, at least from Germany. Features an antenna dome in which a woodpecker had stuffed its stocks for the winter, falling out when the servicemen remove the cover (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.) .htm page started playing immediately for me, no problem (gh, DXLD) RADIO CEO SAYS TIME IS RIGHT TO PRESS FOR FM RECEIVERS IN CELL PHONES Opinion, By Corey Deitz, About.com Jan 31 2009 Terrestrial Radio (AM/FM) has certainly faced challenges over the past 15 years, mostly from new competition (Internet, MP3 players, etc.) and now in this economy dwindling ad dollars. But, an email from Jeff Smulyan, Chairman & CEO of Emmis Communications makes a great point and I wanted to share it with you. It was forwarded to me by Kate Snedeker, Vice President, Corporate Communications: "As many of you know, a snow and ice storm hit parts of the Midwest this week, virtually paralyzing our area. Here in Indianapolis, we got 10 inches of snow – lovely to look at but not at all helpful if you’re trying to get around. Today I received a note from my friend and colleague Bud Walters, President of the Cromwell Group, which operates 22 radio stations in four states: Decatur, IL; Effingham, IL; Mattoon, IL; Vandalia, IL; Owensboro, KY/Tell City, IN; and Nashville, TN. I thought you might be interested in his note on the situation in Owensboro: Owensboro, Kentucky is now a federal disaster area. There is no local communication except for our radio stations that are on the air...thanks to a very dedicated staff. No Cell, No Telephone, No Long Distance, No Cable, 80% No Electric, No communication except Local Radio and Evansville Radio/TV from 30 miles away. IF THERE EVER WAS A CASE FOR FM RECEIVERS IN CELL PHONES, THIS IS IT. Would you please pass this memo to the FCC Commissioners and staff concerned about AS/Emergencies. This is a wide spread disaster where all communications has been disrupted, except for "over the air" radio. Everyone has a cell phone (now useless). The cell phone would not be useless if it had an FM radio in it. As we look for ways to revitalize our industry, we note once again how important our medium is in times of crisis. Radio is where people turn to when they need information. If cell phones had FM receivers, as Bud notes, we could have served an even wider audience suffering through this storm, looking for updates on the weather, roads and schools. We’ll be sharing this story with our elected officials and with the FCC Commissioners. The conversations we’ve had to date with Washington DC and with cell phone providers have been promising. Just another reason the time is right to make this happen. Let’s not wait until the next emergency." - Jeff Smulyan, Chairman & CEO of Emmiss Communications I agree with Smulyan. It's a small change which could make a big difference in the safety for individuals. I also understand - aside from the safety issue - it would be a great coup for FM receivers to be as prevalent as cell phones. From an industry stance, this would allow Radio to be once again as ubiquitous as the transistor radio was. The Radio industry should help fund FM receivers in cell phones. It would be a much better investment than HD Radio has so far proven to be. http://radio.about.com/od/tragicevents/a/aa013109a.htm (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) ?? OK, but everyone should have at least one portable AM/FM/SW/WX radio whether they have a cellphone or not (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ METEOR SCATTER ON 28 MHZ Floyd Chowning, K5LA of El Paso, Texas, mentioned JT6M, which is a tool for running meteor scatter communications. For more about JT6M, see http://www.jt6m.org/ This week I received a copy of a remarkable old letter, sent by Jim Mast, W8HOM, of Fort Wayne, Indiana. It was written on the last day of 1975 by Ed Tilton, W1HDQ, the ham who originated the ARRL Propagation Bulletin and wrote it until 1991. This letter was addressed to Jim back when his call was K9UNM. The letter talks about 10 meter propagation via meteor scatter and the recent 1975 ARRL 10 Meter contest. It mentions W4IWZ, the call sign that belonged to Francis Harper, of Nokesville, Virginia. The letter was typed on an old manual typewriter. Here is what the letter said. Dear Jim: We certainly have heard of 10-meter meteor propagation. The date of the contest was chosen with the Geminids shower in mind. This best of the winter showers has been a factor in the contest results for all three runnings of the affair in "modern" times. I think the 1975 contest may have hit the shower at the most opportune time, as the effects seemed very apparent almost continually during the whole weekend. The Geminids show more night-time activity than any other shower, but there seemed to be a considerable amount of meteor burst propagation right through the whole period this year. There is always a tendency to have E propagation in mid-December, and this was also a factor in the date selection. I hope that the propaganda some people have generated for a change of season does not prevail. To my mind, this is an excellent choice. For some reason I didn't get to work W4IWZ in this contest. He and I used to be in touch almost daily, when I was at home every day, in 1973 and early 1974. I guess we've worked by means of about every form of propagation there is, at one time or another, and have seen the effects of several meteor showers. At slightly over 300 miles, he is at a very interesting distance from me. We have found that we always have a basic tropo-scatter signal, and can recognize each other on CW at almost any time. He has at least a 10-dB advantage in power, but somehow he manages to hear me every time I call him. Needless to say, I read him better than he reads me, with my 40 watts output, maximum, we have had many good QSOs, by back-scatter and short sporadic-E skip. His signal is mildly affected by tropospheric bending, too, though I'm sure we'd get more of that on higher frequencies. We see every kind of ionospheric effect on this path, at one time or another, and have had many backscatter QSOs, from many different directions. Meteor ionization, being an E-region phenomenon, is very common on 28 MHz. The only reason why I can account for the unawareness of it on the part of many 10-meter buffs is that most of them tend to disregard weak signals, or they expect the band to be dead for 3 or 4 years out of every 10. You can hear meteor bursts any morning, 365 mornings per year, on 10. Keep morning skeds for a while, with people at distances where the direct signal is weak, and you'll hear them much better than on 144 or even 50 MHz. During major showers they even give the impression that that band is 'open'-- which it always is, anyway. Ask Harper - he'll tell you that! vy 73 Ed Tilton, W1HDQ (via Propagation Forecast Bulletin 5 ARLP005, From Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, WA January 30, 2009, To all radio amateurs, via Dave Raycroft, ODXA yg via DXLD) ###