DX LISTENING DIGEST 9-019, March 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 1449 Mon 0600 WRMI 9955 Mon 2300 WBCQ 7415 [confirmed Feb 9] Tue 1200 WRMI 9955 Tue 1630 WRMI 9955 Wed 0600 WRMI 9955 [or new 1450] Wed 1630 WRMI 9955 [or new 1450] 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. RTA R. Badghis in Qalay-e-Naw has started operation on 1503 kHz with 6 kW. RTA Paktika province station, R. Paktin Voice, has started operation in Barmal district on 1386 kHz with 5 kW. Peace R. transmissions on 6700 kHz haven’t been heard since December (WRTH domestic update Uploaded 19 February 2009 via DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN. £10 MILLION RADIO STATION FACES AXE - SUNDAY MIRROR The Sunday Mirror reports that a radio station created by Britain to “win the hearts and minds” of the Afghan people faces being axed. The paper, which describes the project as a £10million fiasco, says that blundering civil servants gave control of Radio Hewad to a firm said to be backed by Iran. The company was given thousands to run the station for a month - but failed to broadcast a single programme. Now ministers have closed it down and are considering scrapping the project altogether. The Sunday Mirror quotes “ a furious Army source” as saying: “Apart from extremely dangerous patrols which cost lives, Radio Hewad was the only way to communicate with the people of Helmand. It’s three years and £10million down the drain.” (Source: Sunday Mirror) (March 1st, 2009 - 14:04 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) WTFK? ** ALBANIA [and non]. R. Tirana, 6110, concluding 0330 English broadcast with theme at 0356 March 1, fast SAH, under Ethiopian singing. A collision to be avoided in B-09, but Tirana will be on 7425 in A-09 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANTARCTICA. Cultura y Educación --- LRA 36 RADIO ARCÁNGEL SAN GABRIEL LA VOZ ARGENTINA DESDE EL CONTINENTE BLANCO Por Margarita Torres | De la Redacción de APM 31|12|2008 Un especialista en radiodifusión explicó a APM cómo se trabaja en la emisora más austral del mundo, desde donde se difunden, de un modo peculiar, las tradiciones y la idiosincrasia nacional. Trasmitiendo desde la Antártida. . . http://www.prensamercosur.com.ar/apm/nota_completa.php?idnota=4183 (via Arnaldo Slaen, condiglist yg via DXLD) WTFK? Alejandro, LU8YD, points out the writer never mentioned it. 15476, of course, but not reported for several weeks now; summer break? (gh, DXLD) ** ANTIGUA & BARBUDA. ANTIGUA’S ABS PLANS TO GO DIGITAL ON MEDIUMWAVE Dr Edmond Mansoor, Antigua’s minister of information, broadcasting and telecommunications, says that the 620 AM transmitter of the Antigua Broadcasting Service was decommissioned by Cabinet in 2008, mainly because it was over 25 years old and parts for it were no longer manufactured. Dr Mansoor said the government plans to upgrade the 620 AM band of ABS Radio from an analogue to a digital transmission system. This, he said, will facilitate Antiguans and Barbudans living abroad, particularly in the Virgin Islands, who listen to the AM transmission faithfully. (Source: Antigua Sun)( February 27th, 2009 - 12:18 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) 6 comments so far --- 1 Anthony February 27th, 2009 - 13:11 UTC Wonder what the system will be? DRM,HD Radio, what? And I hope there are compatible radios sold to receive that format. DRM isn’t doing too well in Europe;the BBC/DW joint service is succeeding but there are not many radios that you can buy for it around-hope this isn’t an issue over there. 2 ruud February 27th, 2009 - 13:27 UTC I know so many brand new transmitters instaled with full digital capacity that never do digital. No receivers, end no demand for it. Actually, have not all new transmitters digital capacity? So, if a station buys a new TX, does this imply that they will go digital? 3 Andy Sennitt February 27th, 2009 - 13:38 UTC I suspect you’re right, Ruud. I doubt that the Minister really understands what he is talking about - but I can only report what he said (or, at least, what the Antigua Sun reports he said). I guess the plan is a long-term one, and as you say, I think these days that if you buy a new transmitter it will have digital capacity built in whether you want to use it or not. 4 Anthony February 27th, 2009 - 13:43 UTC BUT going digital on 620 kHz MW IS the Govt’s intention(s) and ambition(s) for this service. I hope they will put some thought behind it and be careful to do things in a good long lengthy transition period; they could issue a few hundred suitably equipped digital radio sets for the standard they choose to get listeners to trial any new digital AM radio transmission system the station would use that is adopted like the BBC Devon Digital Radio Mondiale trial did on MW 855 kHz (351m) but over a longer and lengthier period. 5 PocketRadio February 27th, 2009 - 14:55 UTC Great - another IBLOCK jammer that no one is listening to. DAB failed in Canada, HD Radio has stalled in the US, and DAB has stalled in the UK. Also, DAB was yanked in Spain and Germany. Get the hint, folks - no one cares about digital radio: http://hdradiofarce.blogspot.com 6 ruud February 27th, 2009 - 18:02 UTC Yes Andy and Pocketradio. No new TX without the digital feature. And you pay for it… Only a small company in Santiago - Chile produces them without digital gadgets (however digital prepared). When companies or governments want to waste their money on digital, so be it - sad for the tax-payer. But IBLOCK jammer is a new word for me, it also applies for DRM, and one of my stations is suffering from this, maybe that is why I am so fanatic on this issue. Increasing power does not solve the problem, it only shifts it. You will never get the coverage as without the noise generator next to you (Comments on Media Network blog, ibid.) ** AUSTRALIA. In breaking news, John Wright logged an Arabic station on 1701 between 1430-1450 local this afternoon (March 1). All in Arabic apart from an AM 1701 ID in English. A search of the ACMA database shows it is still the same licence it has been since 1996, operating out of Silverwater in Sydney. This frequency has run various stations such as 2NTC in the past. The company also owns a number of other narrowcast expanded band MW stations in the Sydney and Wollongong areas (Richard Jary, March Australian DX News, via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. TV SHOW ABOUT RADIO SHOWS IN AUSTRALIA --- Haven't watched it yet but it started about 37 minutes into the hour. It headed over to Iowa at one stage. The segment is available on the ABC website at http://www.abc.net.au/landline/content/2008/s2503104.htm Regards, (Wayne Bastow, Wyoming, NSW, Australia, 33 23' 44.29" South, 151 21' 11.99" East, March 1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BAHRAIN. 9745.6, Radio Bahrain. Close down in Arabic at 0035 on 13/2, but at the same time 0005-0126 another Bahrain with "Breakfast In Tiffany", "Groovy Kind Of Love" and other popular songs non-stop except at 0030 when an YL was with ID in English "Radio Bahrain" (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria (Sony ICF-2001, Marconi), March Australian DX News via DXLD) You mean they were mixing English and Arabic on same frequency? USB/LSB? (gh, DXLD) ** BANGLADESH. Anyone hearing Bangladesh Betar on 7250 (1230) recently?? No sign of them here. (28 Feb.) 73 (Dave Valko, NRD-535D, Hammarlund HQ-129X, Collins R-388, Eton E1, Sony ICF-5900W, GE and Sears portables, T2FD and Windom antennas, Dunlo, PA, HCDX via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 4885, R. Dif. Acreana, Rio Branco. Vocalist 0900, then canned frequency announcement, ID “Radiodifusora Acreana, a voz de Selvas”, adverts, more music. Quite good 11/2 (Craig Seager, Bathurst NSW (Dansk RX-4000, Racal RA-17-C-12, Horizontal Loop), March Australian DX News via DXLD) Also on 4885 is R. Clube do Pará, which per WRTH is 24 hours, with 2 kW, while Acreana is 09-04 with 5 kW. When I listen around 0600-0700, I assume the Brazilian heard on 4885 is Pará. To the west, it may be fading out by 0900, and in any event Acreana is much closer to Australia (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL [and non]. A while ago I wondered ``where`s the Dentro-Cuban Jamming Command when we need them?`` regarding David Miranda, the supremely annoying gospel huxter who mixes Spanish and Portuguese, wailing on more and more frequencies, especially Brazilian SW transmitters, such as 9565, where I was hearing him unimpeded. His empire is growing like a cancer. Now I am happy to say that the incompetent Cubans were indeed jamming him on 9565, as they often leave their jammers running long after Radio Martí is through with a frequency, in this case 2400. Feb 28 at 0725 check, DCJC was pulsing atop the ``God Is Love`` guy on 9565, tho he was inbooming on // 11765 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL [non]. 10000, 28/02 0021, USA, WWV, time signal, without QRM ON, 34443 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana Bahia, Brasil, dxclubepr yg via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. RNA, 11780, VG with all-night Sunday broadcast, March 1 at 0645. This time could detect no spurs, with France/South Africa clear on 11830 and New Zealand on 11725; altho there may have been some weaker spurs elsewhere obscured by local noise level (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA [and non!]. Re 9-018: CANADA CBC --- ´´Wonder how what's left of RCI will fare in this?´´ --- And I already wonder what will happen to the Sackville transmitters. So the CBC will seek refuge in Wheel of Fortune? Perhaps Canadians will be as enthusiastic as the Germans once were. Recently I found an interesting TV documentary from 1993: http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=I4HnMY4QD1w It's in four parts, the link to the next one will prominently appear at the end. And of course it is in German, but I think one will miss not too much when not understanding the narrations. For those interested: This German version of Wheel of Fortune ("Glücksrad") started in 1988. Until 1993 it was produced by a company called VTTV that appears to be older than commercial TV in Germany, it seems they previously where active in businesses like horseraces. The studio they used were the former Arca movie studios in conjunction with an outside broadcasting van. The cameras are noteworth as well for being the last model ever built by Fernseh/Bosch in Darmstadt, still with Plumbicon tubes, released around 1985 and called KCM 125. In 1994 the "Glücksrad" production moved to the former Deutscher Fernsehfunk studios in Berlin-Adlershof, now run by a subsidiary of Studio Hamburg. VTTV went bankrupt shortly after 2000, and it had even been considered to tear down the studios, but this did not happen and they are now used for various small productions. "Glücksrad" itself disappeared around this time, too (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. CHHA in Toronto --- Not sure whether is still on the air or not. It's not listed in this year`s NRC AM Radio Log (Walt Salmaniw, BC, IRCA via DXLD) CHHA 1610 is definitely still on the air. It's a local station for me, and it's still on the air. In fact, I heard it just last night. (Greg Shoom, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, ibid.) CHHA is a big pest here near Chicago and QRMs the 1610 TIS's badly at night as well. However not as strong as CHTO 1690 which pounds the southside Chicago area station at night in general with Greek music. Lots easier to log than Montreal on 1610. 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, IL, Feb 28, IRCA via DXLD) ** CHINA. CHINA AND THE EXTRA SHORTWAVE FREQUENCIES I just heard you mention about CRI News Radio and Jiangsu People’s Radio from 0100 to 1600 UT. You will find many more popping up over the next few days, and stay around up to two months, maybe a bit more, but all depends. The reason for this is simple. If you go back to last year and the year before that, you will find lots of shortwave activity around this time of year. The reason? The National People’s Congress and the People’s Consultative Congress which happens every March. This years round of meeting are set to begin March 5. Every year it’s the same. The funniest one I remember was in 2005. Beijing Traffic Radio all of a sudden appeared on SW using five frequencies. Question: Why would you put a local (very local) traffic radio station on SW? [and already reported again this year --- gh] We have all heard of Firedrake, which uses a number of sites around China. China does not use jamming [only] to block international broadcasters, but also put local or regional stations on SW. Turning on a SW radio in cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Dalian and others is like listening to stations on top of each other. The best of times, it’s hard to listen to the Chinese services of, let’s say, BBC, VOA and others, but during Congress month it is downright impossible. Something funny happened last May for a week in Shanghai during the Communist Party’s regional meeting: a “very local station” called in English Children’s Radio popped up on 12 frequencies. Two days after the meetings ended, so did the SW. If you lived in China as long as I did, the Ministry Of Propaganda tricks become very predictable (Keith Perron, Taiwan, Feb 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. When I've had time this week, I've been hearing, what I presume to be, several Chinese regional stations, during the 2300-0030 time frame. I say presumed due to poor copy, usually lasting only minutes at a time, under strong QRN. This leads me to believe that my 4980-unid from Feb 21, is probably Xinjiang PBS. 4820, TIBET, presumed Xizang PBS Lhasa, 2334, Feb 22, presumed Mandarin. Exotic music; M & W Mandarin sounding talk at 2339; poor- weak. 5050, CHINA, presumed V. of the Strait, Fuzhou, 2312-2332, Feb 22, presumed Mandarin. W Mandarin sounding talk; ballad at 2318; poor under QRN & barely audible by BoH. 5060, CHINA, presumed Xinjiang PBS Urumqi, 0037-0047, Feb 27, Mandarin. M & W talk; canned announcement at 0039; various announcers with presumed adstring; very poor; quickly unusable under QRN (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, N.H. USA, NRD-545, RX-350D, MLB1, 200' Bevs, 60m Dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Sichuan PBS on 612 kHz has five 10 kW transmitters in Luzhou, Meishan, Neijiang, Panzhihua and Yibin, on 909 kHz 100 kW in Fuling and 10 kW in Wanzhou, on 1116 kHz 200 kW in Xindu and 10 kW in Dazhou. The former Olympic Radio low power transmitter in Beijing on 1053 kHz has started carrying a new, 10th CNR program called “Voice of the Elderly” between 2000-1735. Web page at: http://media.cnr.cn/option,com_shinvy_index,Itemid,524.html (WRTH domestic update Uploaded 19 February 2009 via DXLD) ** CHINA. JAMMERS: 9300, Crash & Bang CC Music Jammer (new frequency?); 2139, 28 Feb; stronger than 8400 and 9000 also on (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sorta; I heard it there last month (gh, DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. 6009.9v, LV de [tu] Conciencia, Lomalinda, 0946-1005, Feb 25, English/Spanish. Typical US brokered religious program in English; M with Spanish translation; continuous thru ToH; fair at best; too noisy to get a good lock on frequency (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, N.H. USA, NRD-545, RX-350D, MLB1, 200' Bevs, 60m Dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) And I heard them earlier going from Spanish to Englishm viz.: (gh) Colombia para Cristo was preaching separately on both frequencies, Feb 28 at 0729: 6010 with OM in Spanish, interspersed with YL translating into English, just like we hear on HRMI 3340 (which was open carrier at 0736 check) and could even be the same ministry. At this time, HJDH 6010 was well atop XEOI, which could be detected underneath keeping Mexican music alive, and making a rippling SAH with it, probably 15-20 Hz or so apart. HJDH 5910, which is usually musical with Marfil Estéreo, also had a good signal with no QRM at 0733, and a different preacher in Spanish with no translation, not // 6010 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn: en relación a tu escucha y estupenda descripción de la recepción en Oklahoma en los 6010 kHz referente a "Colombia por Cristo" Me pregunto si aún sigue negando Rusell Martin Stendal encargado de esta emisora, el hecho de que "La Voz de Tu Conciencia" interfiere a XEOI Radio Mil onda corta en toda el área de Norteamérica (Canada, EEUUA y México) No, por supuesto que no hemos bajado los brazos pero la hipocresía y mentiras de Stendal ahí permanecen, ¿escuchará algún día Stendal a su conciencia? Saludos, (Julián Santiago D. de B., México, Feb 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I must say that this is the first time in quite a while I have heard Conciencia on 6010 atop Mil, usually checking almost this late at night (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** CONGO DR. DEM. REP. OF THE CONGO. Got a reply from Richard McDonald at Radio Kahuzi in Bukavu, confirming my 26 Oct. 2007 reception on 6210. In his reply, he states they were running 1044 watts at the time. And that "We were on the air each Monday and Friday". Don't know if that means they are presently off SW or not. I sent a follow/up message asking for some info about the current status. I suspect they're off and have been off. Richard goes on to say he'll be in nearby Altoona in early April for a missionary conference and hopes to get some help in "studio and broadcasting techniques". If possible, I hope to meet him and gain more info on the station. (28 Feb.) 73 (Dave Valko, NRD-535D, Hammarlund HQ-129X, Collins R-388, Eton E1, Sony ICF- 5900W, GE and Sears portables, T2FD and Windom antennas, Dunlo, PA, USA, HCDX via DXLD) ** CUBA. RHC colliding for an hour on 6140: see ROMANIA [and non]; see also VENEZUELA [non] ** ECUADOR [and non]. 11690, HCJB Spanish totally free of RTTY QRM de 11687.5! Maybe Cutler read my March MT column? It would be very premature to hope they have quit for good. Saturday Feb 28 at 1403, HCJB starting mailbag show, // much stronger 11960. Companion RTTYs still running as usual at 1440 on 12015 and 9830 (axually, they may be totally unrelated --- I just group them because the three blatantly invade broadcast bands). 1445 Aventura Diexista segment was entirely an interview with Dino Bloise when Alen Grájam was visiting Miami. Missing Feb 28, but RTTY on 11687.5, NAA? was back as usual March 1 at 1357, heavily QRMing HCJB Spanish on 11690. See also VENEZUELA [non] (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ERITREA. Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea has been heard on 7220 and most recently on 7210 kHz instead of 7100 kHz, also with extended transmissions until 2000 (WRTH domestic update Uploaded 19 February 2009 via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA. 9704.2, R. Ethiopia Addis-Ababa, 1918-1925, Feb 27, vernacular. Various announcers with presumed news; mention of Al- Arabiya & Sudan; HoA-like music bits between items; W at 1924 into up- tempo, indigenous music; fair; //7110-poor (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, N.H. USA, NRD-545, RX-350D, MLB1, 200' Bevs, 60m Dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. Re 9-018: I found this on WikiPedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Voice_of_the_Gospel Radio Voice of the Gospel (RVOG) was a Lutheran World Federation international radio station based in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, starting in 1963. More ... The Dergue took control of the country in 1974. The Provisional Military Governing Council of Ethiopia took over the radio station on March 12, 1977, apparently without compensation, and renamed it Radio Voice of Revolutionary Ethiopia to propagate Marxist ideas. It broadcast in Amharic, English, Arabic and French (via Ted Juszczak, AJ8T, DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. via Germany, 11760, Voice of Oromia Liberation Front, 1610-1630*, March 1, local African music. Talk in listed Oromo language. Abrupt sign off. Fair. // 9695 - poor to fair with weak co- channel QRM & adjacent channel splatter. Sun, Tues, Thur only (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg, PA, TenTec RX-340, two 100 foot longwires, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EUROPE. EURO-PIRATE. 6880, Radio Playback International, 0600-0700, Feb 28, surprised to find these guys coming in at this hour. Pop ballads. IDs. Weak, but fair reception on peaks. 6880, Radio Playback International, 2320-2345, Feb 28, pop ballads. Oldies pop tunes. IDs. Gave phone number. Poor. Weak, but fair on peaks (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also IRELAND ** FRANCE. As of March 1 Radio France International will be broadcasting half-hour programs in English Monday through Friday as follows: at 04 hours on 7315 and 9805 kHz; at 05 hours on 11995 and 13680 kHz; at 06 hours on 9765, 13680 and 15160 kHz and at 07 hours on 15605 kHz; every day at 12 hours on 21620 kHz and from 16 to 17 hours on 15605 kHz (Rumen Pankov, Radio Bulgaria DX Feb 20 via DXLD) ** GERMANY. 9605, Radio "Frieden Stimme" (it is in German) or Radio Peace Voice/or Voice of Peace (remember on Aby Nathan's VOPeace radio on ship) in Russian 1600-1630 with religious program and an address in Germany: Radio Frieden Stimme, P. O. Box 100638, 51606 Gurmbach(?), Germany. Only on Saturdays. Reported on 14/2 (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria (Sony ICF-2001, Marconi), March Australian DX News via DXLD) Wertachtal, 250 kW, 60 degrees (gh) cf. below under Evangelische Missions Gemeiden ** GERMANY. Winter B-08 Media Broadcast (ex DTK T-Systems) Part 3 of 4 Pan American Broadcasting (PAB): 0030-0045 on 6165 WER 100 kW / 090 deg Sun to SoAs English 1400-1415 on 13645 WER 100 kW / 090 deg Sun to SoAs English 1415-1430 on 13645 WER 100 kW / 090 deg Mon-Sat to SoAs English 1430-1445 on 13645 WER 250 kW / 090 deg Sun to SoAs English 1400-1415 on 13645 WER 250 kW / 090 deg Sat to ME English 1600-1630 on 9850 JUL 100 kW / 100 deg Thu to ME Persian 1600-1645 on 9850 WER 100 kW / 105 deg Sun to ME English 1930-2015 on 6020 WER 250 kW / 150 deg Sun to NoAf English 1930-2030 on 6020 WER 250 kW / 150 deg Sat to NoAf English 2000-2030 on 6020 WER 250 kW / 150 deg Fri to NoAf English Radio Netherlands 0600-0655 on 6120 NAU 250 kW / 220 deg Daily to Europe Dutch 0600-0655 on 9895 NAU 250 kW / 140 deg Daily to Europe Dutch 0700-0755 on 5955 NAU 250 kW / non-dir Daily to Europe Dutch 0700-0755 on 9895 WER 250 kW / 217 deg Daily to Europe Dutch 0800-0855 on 5955 WER 250 kW / 210 deg Daily to Europe Dutch 0800-0855 on 6110 WER 100 kW / 300 deg Daily to Europe Dutch 0800-0855 on 11935 WER 250 kW / 240 deg Daily to Africa Dutch 0900-1055 on 6120 WER 250 kW / 215 deg Mon-Fri to Europe Dutch 1100-1455 on 5955 WER 250 kW / non-dir Sun to Europe Dutch 1100-1555 on 9895 WER 250 kW / 225 deg Sun to Europe Dutch 1500-1555 on 5955 WER 040 kW / non-dir Mon-Sat DRM to Europe Dutch 1600-1655 on 6110 NAU 250 kW / 220 deg Daily to Europe Dutch 1600-1655 on 9750 NAU 250 kW / 225 deg Daily to Europe Dutch 1700-1755 on 6010 WER 250 kW / 240 deg Daily to Africa Dutch 1800-1955 on 12045 WER 500 kW / 150 deg Daily to Africa Dutch Trans World Radio 0745-0920 on 6105 NAU 125 kW / 285 deg Sun to NoEu English 0815-0850 on 6105 NAU 125 kW / 285 deg Sat to NoEu English 0800-0850 on 6105 NAU 125 kW / 285 deg Mon-Fri to NoEu English 1455-1525 on 7170 WER 100 kW / 060 deg Mon to EaEu Belarussian 1455-1525 on 7170 WER 100 kW / 060 deg Tue-Sun to EaEu Russian 1525-1555 on 7170 WER 100 kW / 060 deg Daily to EaEu Russian 1630-1700 on 5965 WER 100 kW / 105 deg Sat to EaEu Romanian 1630-1700 on 5965 WER 100 kW / 090 deg Mon-Fri to CeAs Armenian 1730-1800 on 6060 WER 100 kW / 090 deg Daily to CeAs Persian Hamburger Lokalradio 1000-1100 on 6045 WER 100 kW / non-dir 1st Sun to CeEu German Christian Science Sentinel: 1000-1100 on 6055 WER 100 kW / 090 deg Sun to CeEu German 1900-2000 on 5960 WER 100 kW / 075 deg Sat to EaEu Russian Evangelische Missions Gemeiden: 1130-1200 on 6055 WER 125 kW / non-dir Sat/Sun to CeEu German 1200-1230 on 11840 NAU 250 kW / 035 deg Sat to FE Russian 1600-1630 on 9605 WER 250 kW / 060 deg Sat to EaEu Russian Missionswerke Arche Stimme des Trostes 1200-1215 on 6055 WER 250 kW / non-dir Sun to CeEu German Mecklenburg Verpommern Baltic Radio: 1300-1400 on 6140 WER 100 kW / non-dir 1st Sun to CeEu German Blue Star Radio: 1300-1400 on 6140 WER 100 kW / non-dir 2nd Sun to CeEu Music European Music Radio: 1300-1400 on 6140 WER 100 kW / non-dir 3rd Sun to CeEu Music Radio Gloria International: 1300-1400 on 6140 WER 100 kW / non-dir 4th Sun to CeEu Music Radio Traumland: 1400-1500 on 5965 JUL 100 kW / non-dir Sun to CeEu German Voice of Oromia Liberation Front from March 1: 1600-1630 9695 JUL 100 kW / 130 deg Sun/Tue/Thu EaAf Oromo, ex 16-17 1600-1630 11760 JUL 100 kW / 130 deg Sun/Tue/Thu EaAf Oromo, ex 16-17 Radio Huriyo: 1630-1700 on 9820 JUL 100 kW / 140 deg Tue/Fri to EaAf Somali Voice of Oromiya Independence: 1700-1730 on 9680 JUL 100 kW / 130 deg Sat to EaAf Oromo Radio Oromiyaa Liberation: 1730-1800 on 9680 JUL 100 kW / 130 deg Fri to EaAf Oromo Voice of Oromo Liberation (Sagalee Bilisummaa Oromoo): 1700-1800 on 11810 JUL 100 kW / 130 deg Sun/Wed to EaAf Oromo Voice of Democratic path of Ethiopian Unity-Ethiopian Liberation Forum: 1700-1800 on 11835 NAU 125 kW / 145 deg Thu to EaAf Tigrinya/Arabic Voice of Democratic Eritrea-Ethiopians For Democracy: 1700-1800 on 11835 NAU 250 kW / 145 deg Wed/Sun to EaAf Amharic Ethiopia Adera Dimtse Radio 1700-1800 on 11835 NAU 500 kW / 145 deg Sat to EaAf Amharic Radio Reveil Paroles de Vie: 1830-1845 on 9760 JUL 100 kW / 160 deg Tue/Thu to CeAf French (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, March 1 via DXLD) ** GUINEA-BISSAU. Casualties of Military Actions in Guinea-Bissau http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/International/2009/03/01/007-guinee-bissau-attentat.shtml?ref=rss (AFP via RCI-F via Twitter via Clara Listensprechen, DXLD) Mentions private and public radio stations being overtaken. No shortwave from G.B. for sesquidecades (gh, DXLD) ** INDONESIA [and non]. Re 9-018: Here`s what`s next for VOI. After shifting from 9525.9 to 9525.0, missing a day, and English at 1400 instead of 1300 --- On Feb 27, zero again on 9525.0 and 9525.9, so I check their other frequency and there it is – on 11785.0, good signal at 1350 with Indonesian songs, 1356 YL announcement, and at 1359 concluding English hour which then was back to its former time starting at 1300. After some dead air, 1401 opening Malay, 1402 drops off the air for a moment; carrier comes back on and then the modulation gets interrupted briefly. When on, good signal but with own hum; no het or other QRM. 1510 recheck seemed to be off, but by then my noisy computer was on. As happened the last time VOI used 11785 last year at these hours, it will be blown away on Saturday and Sunday by WHRI with Hmong Lao Radio at 14-15, and I believe WHRI is also on before 1400, weekends only. As expected, impossible to reconfirm whether, like the day before, VOI was again on 11785 during +14-15+ UT Saturday Feb 28, as frequency is overwhelmed by WHRI, Hmong programming after 1400, and English gospel huxter before 1400. Anyhow, no VOI on 9525.0 or 9525.9. Must try to check Sunday at 1500 when WHRI closes earlier. With VOI back on 11785 Feb 27, I was standing by at 1500 March 1 to see if they were still there, as they are totally blocked weekends while WHRI is on, including at first check 1358 with gospel huxter in English. After Hmong Lao Radio, at 1459 OCS theme and ID, then a bit more Hmong hmusic(?) before cutting to open carrier and off at 1500:30, uncovering a weak station, but does not sound like VOI --- just talk in non-Malay-Indonesian language and not English either. Not Guaíba, Brasil; and BTW Brasília 11780 was audible much stronger. Checking PWBR `2009`, it looks like V. of Turkey as scheduled in Arabic from 1500 in W-season --- EXCEPT, no such listings in HFCC, WRTH, Aoki, EiBi or VOT`s own schedule! Nothing else at all listed during this hour anywhere. So maybe it really was VOI past 1500 on 11785 in uncertain language. No, nothing audible from VOI on 9525 or 9526 at this hour or earlier (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) V of Indonesia, Arabic at 1700 UT Feb 28 on 11784.96, S=7 in Germany. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) At that hour it`s been on 11785v since longtime (gh) ** INTERNATIONAL. GETTING READY FOR THE AN EXPANDED 40 METERS With four weeks to go before broadcast stations are due to have migrated from the band 7100-7200 kHz as that band is restored to the Amateur Service, a scan watch has begun to identify stations still currently using that segment. IARU Region 3 Monitoring Systems Coordinator, B.L. (Arasu) Manohar, VU2UR, has been scanning the segment. He did this for four days recently to identify 58 broadcast transmissions, their frequencies, times and signal strengths. The broadcasters use 5 kHz channel spacing. The worthwhile yet painstaking task also notes the languages of the transmissions including Arabic, Burmese, Chinese, English, French, German, Indian, Japanese, Russian and Turkish. Adding to the complexity of the task are jamming stations, heterodynes, low powered regional or domestic stations and many powerful broadcasters using relays to cover their audience target area. Arasu, VU2UR, says similar scanning and monitoring work may be necessary in other parts of the world to get a fuller picture of broadcast activity and he's prepared to share the spreadsheet result of his work. Mapping of broadcasters on the 40-Meter band will be important should be IARU need to mount a case to fight any continued occupancy of the 7100-7200 kHz after 29 March. That is the departure date set by the World Radio Conference 2003 and coincides with the new broadcasting schedule for 2009. --- Jim Linton VK3PC (via Ray, VU3ORN, March 1, dx_india yg via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. It must be solar-transit-outage season again! Comsats cross directly in front of the Sun as seen from a ground receiving station, and the solar noise wipes out the signals. As I started to watch Fareed Zakaria GPS on CNN, March 1 at 1800 UT, the audio and video signals began sticking, skipping and looping separately about 1803, and at 1805 lost altogether with ``Poor Signal`` displayed on the screen and shortly later, ``No signal``. This via Suddenlink Cable in Enid. Then quickly surfed thru the channels and found the same on several other stations, all Turner- related, I think and no doubt on the same satellite: TNT, TBS, TOON, CNN-HL, TruTV. Left monitors on CNN, and TruTV; no change until at 1841 CNN upgraded to ``poor signal`` but still black screen; and TruTV to ``poor quality signal`` --- what`s the difference? And also still black screen. Jittery freeze-framing video from CNN cut back on at 1845, and TruTV a few seconds later, but no audio. This must have been as the satellite was just starting to get away from the Sun. Audio resumed from CNN one sesquiminute later, tho the video was still sticking. Likewise, TruTV`s revival lagged a few sex behind CNN, the latter interviewing Steven Harper. Fortunately, GPS now gets a replay at 2200 (ex-2300) UT Sundays, when the Sun is safely way down from the Zenith, but once again, we are faced with don`t-give-a-damn cable companies who make no effort to work around this totally predictable problem, which occurs twice a year for a week or so in a row. We used to see the signals gradually fade into and out of noise, but I guess they must have been analog, as this outage now had all the same characteristics of terrestrial digital lapses. The old analog STOs never lasted as long as 40 minutes, more like 20 minutes max. Tsk2, digital must be less robust against the interference, and/or this transit may have been directly across the middle of the Sun, and thus lasting longest, and/or not just the solar disc but also the corona. Exactly the same thing is bound to happen other days and times to other satellite-fed channels, depending on how things align to different birds --- and not exactly the same times elsewhere (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Our local KXOK-32 was also black screen, apparently having lost feed from their Sportsman Channel network, but OK after 1900. Then at 1908 UT I notice that EWTN has noisy audio and video during concert. Here we go again. Or rather, went. Seems to be slowly improving, so on the way out of rather than into transit of its satellite; all other channels OK at this time (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) There has been heavy snow in Atlanta this morning; I just wonder if they had issues with uplinking because of snow covered dishes? I'm not [sure] if CNN would put heaters on dishes in Atlanta. Thank You, (Glen Briggs, North Missouri Skywarn, Grundy County LEPC Member, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That`s right, I did see a CNN newsbreak reporter with snowflaxe upon her, in which case never mind my comments about STO being the cause. Still, equally inexcusable for a major network centre --- make that *any* network center --- not to keep its dishes warm and clean (gh, DXLD) STO: Yes, it is. We got the notices last week. And yes, the exact time of the outage depends both on the downlink location and the specific satellite. But they all happen at this time of year (Doug Smith W9WI, [WSMV Nashville], Pleasant View, TN EM66, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So the networx notify their affiliates, and no doubt work around it with pre-feeds, etc., so no commercials are lost, and maybe no programming which tags along, but the next very weak link in the chain, cable systems, do nothing. Who cares about the ultimate consumer? No rebates for outages, you`re screwed (gh) The Turner muxes are on Galaxy 15: http://www.lyngsat.com/galaxy15.html (Jeff Kitsko, Latrobe, PA, WTFDA via DXLD) This sun outage calculator is handy. http://www.intelsat.com/resources/satellitedata-pas/calc-sun-outages.asp (Bill Frahm - Boise, DX LISTENING DIGEST) legacy only; for Galaxy 15 gives times here as after 21 UT, clearly not correct now (gh, DXLD) Since this happened at noon it must be a satellite in an orbit roughly above your longitude. Galaxy 3C seems to fit, in particular the mux on transponder 7: http://www.lyngsat.com/galaxy3c.html The relayed on-screen displays are quite funny. I will try to ask somebody if professional receivers do show such stuff, but probably this indicates that consumer gear is in use at the cable headend. The duration of 40 minutes is quite hefty and indicates a very broad beam of the receiving antenna, i.e. a sub-standard installation. And yes, of course it's all digital in the DVB-S standard. The only remaining analogue signals on US satellites I see at a quick glance are PBS and University Network in the C band as well as EchoStar info slides in the Ku band. The latter is a bit strange: Would really somebody in the USA connect an analogue satellite receiver to a Ku band antenna? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, March 2, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS. Boat That Rocked, 2nd international trailer, again with some different footage than the 2nd UK one. There's no US release date as yet; this puts the need for offshore pirates in context for a non-European audience, also includes a lot of footage of the Philip Seymour Hoffman character: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb0LX7BrbBQ (Mike Barraclough, dxldyg via DXLD) P.S.H. being the one(?) American star in it (gh) Er staat een trailer online http://www.film1.nl/theboatthatrocked/ Gr, (Ary Boender, BDX via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS. TOM EDWARDS LOOKS BACK ON PIRATE RADIO ERA Long and well written article in the Mail by Tom Edwards, who is writing his autobiography, a number of stories that haven't been in the various offshore books: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1158007/My-stormy-life-aboard-boat-rocked-Britain---A-DJ-looks-pirate-radio-era.html (Mike Barraclough, dxldyg via DXLD) ** IRAN [and non]. Colegas, Agora às 1937 UT na frequência de 9855 kHz uma verdadeira briga de duas transmissões de 500 kW: 9855 R KUWAIT 1815-2400 1234567 Arabic 500 310 Sulaibiyah 9855 V ISLAMIC REP IRAN 1930-2028 1234567 English 500 205 Kamalabad Observem que uma tx do Kuwait e a outra do Irã. E pelo azimute, dependendo da localização das cidades onde se encontram os transmissores, estão transmitindo para a mesma região. 73 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana Bahia, Brasil, 12º 15' 1.57" S 38º 58' 40.30" W, Degen 1103, Antena Dipolo de 16 metros e balum 4:1 em toroide. Direção Leste/Oeste, dxclubepr yg via DXLD) ** IRELAND. Christian Radio “Reflections Europe” was heard on 3910 kHz on February 15 after 1840 hours and from 1912 hours with the program “The People’s Gospel Hour”. This station broadcasts on Sunday only (Rumen Pankov, Radio Bulgaria DX Feb 20 via DXLD) another version: 3910, Radio Reflections Europe, Ireland. Religious program "The People's Gospel Hour" (a Church situated in USA and Canada) in English from 1912 on 15/2 (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria (Sony ICF-2001, Marconi), March Australian DX News via DXLD) See also UNID 3905 EUROPIRATE. 6295, Reflections Europe, 2218-2305+, March 1, Presumed. English religious talk. Religious music. Very poor. Weak with strong adjacent channel splatter from Egypt 6290 and occasional rtty QRM. Sundays only. Nothing heard on 3910 or 12255 (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg, PA, TenTec RX-340, two 100 foot longwires, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. JSR, Shiokaze back on 5985, ex-5910, ex-5985, ex-5910, ad infinitum, Feb 28 at 1426 in Japanese with several mentions of Shiokaze over pervasive sad piano music, to 1430* No QRM audible but I suppose colliding again with Myanmar; it was doing just fine on 5910 as far as I was concerned. Do they really gain anything by switching back and forth, such as it taking a few days for the Dentro-Korean Jamming Command to upcatch? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5985.0, Shiokaze/Sea Breeze via Yamata (ex: 5910); 1413-1430*, Feb 28. In Korean with light Myanmar (5985.00) QRM. Total of 22 days on 5910. Feb 27 heard them on their last day on 5910, with heavy jamming. So I can well understand the need to change frequency, but why back to the frequency that they know has an issue of interference with Myanmar? Thought they moved away from 5985 to get away from Myanmar and now they are back to the very same situation they had before (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Don`t they have a handful of other alternate frequencies in the area available? (gh, DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH. Radio Korea Japanese broadcast carries out examination broadcast. Enforcement day: 6 Mar 09-8 Mar 09. Frequency: 6155 kHz, Broadcast time: 0800-0900(Z) (J G 3 G C I Yasuhiro Kubo, Kobe-city, HYOGO,JAPAN. JCC#270105, Feb 28, HCDX via DXLD) I.e. a TEST broadcast, but why? They are already scheduled on 6155 during the following hour, per Aoki: 6155 KBS WORLD RADIO 0900-1000 1234567 Japanese 250 ND Kimjae KOR 12650E 3550N KBS b08 (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH [non]. Saludos amigos! Transcribo seguidamente el anuncio emitido por KBS World Radio, desde Seul, en la voz de Cecilia Song a través del programa "Buzón del Radioescucha" del pasado 10 de enero de 2009. «La noticia no tan buena que tenemos es que vamos a cerrar la Casilla de Correo que teníamos abierta en Rosario, Argentina. No la cerraremos de inmediato, amigos, sino en el mes de marzo; así que -en lo posible- escríbannos a nuestra dirección de Seul, Corea. Les pedimos disculpas y también les damos las gracias a todos los que la han utlizado estos años». La Casilla de Correo 950 fue utilizada por KBS a partir de enero de 2003 y, desde entonces, la gran parte de la correspondencia latinoamericana dirigida al Servicio Español de KBS pasó por ella. La mayor cantidad de cartas recibidas provenía de Cuba y, si bien Internet fue desplazando al servicio postal, el flujo de correspondencia ha justificado plenamente la utilización de dicha casilla (Rubén Guillermo Margenet, Feb 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KURDISTAN. 3930, Voice of Kurdistan (clandestine). ID "Eira Dendzhi Kurdistan" (This is the Voice of Kurdistan) at 0303 on 3/2, but s/on at 0250 with patriotic songs and Hymn of K-n at 0259, soon jammed by IRAN and VOK jumped to 3933 etc. (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria (Sony ICF-2001, Marconi), March Australian DX News via DXLD) ** LAOS. Anyone hearing LNR 6130 (1200) recently?? No sign of them here. Only what appears to be Russia was heard on 6130 this morning at 1300. (28 Feb.) 73 (Dave Valko, NRD-535D, Hammarlund HQ-129X, Collins R-388, Eton E1, Sony ICF-5900W, GE and Sears portables, T2FD and Windom antennas, Dunlo, PA, USA, HCDX via DXLD) ** LIBYA. V. of Africa, still on 17725 in English, March 1 at 1439; could not make out much but all I needed was a bit of Beethoven`s Ninth to be sure it was this (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. 5964.91, Klasik Nasional FM via RTM, 1601-1616 + 1704- 1706, March 1. Tuned in to choral Anthem (Negaraku - Lagu Kebangsaan Malaysia) followed by singing “Klasik Nasional” jingle; long segment of reciting from the Qur’an; in vernacular; many more singing “Klasik Nasional” jingles; QRM from DW via Sri Lanka on 5965.0 before their sign-off at 1700; Klasik Nasional in the clear after 1700; poor-fair. 6049.60, Suara Islam/Voice of Islam via RTM, 1617-1628 + 1652-1702*, March 1. DJ playing pop music; Islamic music; many IDs for “Radio Suara Islam”; choral Anthem (Negaraku - Lagu Kebangsaan Malaysia) followed by a pop song at sign-off; fair, best in LSB. 7294.97, Traxx FM via RTM, 1629-1651, March 1. DJ “Mary” playing EZL pop songs and reading local requests (“Hi Mary. I would like to dedicate …”); per website: scheduled program was “BBC Top of the Pops” (BBC chart show) on Sun. from 1500 to 1800 UT; “In your car, in your home, at work, 50,000 watts of power”; gives FM frequency (in the past I have heard then give two FM frequencies for the “Klang Valley”); singing “Traxx FM” jingle; mostly fair. Recently they have updated their website < http://www.traxxfm.net/index.php > (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA/SARAWAK. 5030.0, Sarawak FM via RTM, 1534-1556, March 1. Woman DJ in vernacular playing pop songs in English (Celine Dion, etc.) and vernacular; on-air phone calls; singing station jingle; sign-off shortly after 1556; heard under CNR-1; poor to fair reception; // 7130, poor due to QRM from several stations. 7270.34, Wai FM via RTM, 1438-1514, March 1. Indigenous chanting; woman DJ in vernacular playing pop songs; on-air calls; started calls with ID’ing “Wai FM”; did not hear any reference to Limbang FM, which in the past had been schedule around this time period. Was just enough off-frequency to be readable, but tough copy; best in USB; QRM from 7270.0 and after the 1500 sign-on of VOR even more QRM. Years ago (before PBS Nei Menggu started to block this frequency in July 2006), Wai FM was for me the most regularly heard Malaysian. Was great to hear them again today! (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MANCHURIA [non]. Re 9-018: I can receive Hulun Buir PBS via Hailar (current administrative section is Inner Mongolia) on 3900 kHz at morning and night of the local time. *2130-2300+ and +1000-1440* UT in Chinese. I cannot receive Heilongjiang PBS on 4840 kHz for these past several years (S. Hasegawa, NDXC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MICRONESIA. POHNPEI, PMA "The Cross" --- Curious as to why they've been off. Checked their Web site and found they were to change their antenna and hoped to be back on in Jan or Feb 2008. That's the most recent info I could find on their site. Sent an e-mail to the person that verified my 2007 report asking their current status. By the way, FM 88.5 is V6MA and SW 4755 is V6MP, according to their sked. (28 Feb.) 73 (Dave Valko, NRD-535D, Hammarlund HQ-129X, Collins R-388, Eton E1, Sony ICF-5900W, GE and Sears portables, T2FD and Windom antennas, Dunlo, PA, USA, HCDX via DXLD) ** MONGOLIA. Mongolian Public R. 2nd program transmits on 7260 kHz between 2200-0500, 0655-1500 (WRTH domestic update Uploaded 19 February 2009 via DXLD) ** MYANMAR. 7185, Radio Myanmar, Yangon. See last month's ADXN. Radio Myanmar without news in English was on 14 and 15/2 at 0100. It seems the English news is Mon-Fri? (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria (Sony ICF- 2001, Marconi), March Australian DX News via DXLD) ** NEWFOUNDLAND [and non]. It sure helps to tune across the 2 MHz band with BFO on; only some SSB signals make it thru the noise level here, such as 2598, Feb 28 at 0740 with marine weather for Newfoundland. Crummy audio due to vox and/or announcer speaking into telephone instead of a decent studio mike. Could not catch ID, but did hear Newfoundland locations, Grand Banks mentioned. Per Klingenfuss 2002 book, there were two stations on 2598: VCM in Saint Anthony, and VOK in Cartwright, both of the Canadian Coast Guard. However, a search of the UDXF yg comes up with a log by Peter Poelstra, Netherlands, last Dec 11 at 0737 of VCP, CCG Placentia, also with Grand Banks weather (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, 2598 is a regular daily station here. According to the Canadian Coastguard site http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca this is VCP-4 NL St. Lawrence-Placentia which should start at 0737 UT. I find that it usually does, give or take a minute, and transmission usually lasts until approx. 0745. I've also noticed the "crummy audio". But despite that I have heard their ID as Placentia clearly. Also, if you tune to 2749 you will hear CCG VCO NS Sydney, which starts at around 0740 - and this one broadcasts in French as well as English. Transmissions appear to last until after 0800. If you prefer aircraft to ships then try 2872, 2899 or 3016 at around this same time and you should - eventually - hear Gander, and maybe even Shanwick (Ireland) and even the 'A-zores' via Santa Maria. All are regulars here (Noel R. Green (NW England), March 1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA [and non]. Glenn, The Associated Press is reporting Paul Harvey has died at age 90. A short obit just moved over the wire. No doubt longer articles will move over the next little while. 73, (Ricky Leong, AB, 0159 UT March 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Paul Harvey dead --- http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090301/ap_on_en_ot/obit_harvey 73/Liz Cameron, MI, 0306 UT March 1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) That's sad news. He has been on-again-off-again in recent years. I caught some of the ABC broadcast this past week and someone else was doing it. I thought Paul must have fallen into poor health again. R.I.P., Paul (Nate Bargmann, KS, ibid.) Nate: Yes, Paul was one of my favorites growing up here in Tennessee. I enjoyed getting up to hear Mr. Harvey's shows at noon and at around supper time. RIP, Mr. Paul Harvey (Noble West, ibid.) Yes, it is sad news. A true legend, and one conservative I could put up with, even seek out, tho usually only when I happened to be in the car around noon. KRMG recently bumped him forward to 11:45 am so they could carry that douchebag Rush from noon, as they also decimated their noon news hour. From the KRMG website: Tulsa broadcast legend Paul Harvey has died at the age of 90. Harvey started his broadcast career in Tulsa in 1933. Listen to KRMG tonight immediately following the TU game for a special one-hour broadcast remembering the life and career of Paul Harvey. It will air again at 7 am and 10 am Sunday morning. [1300 and 1600 UT] http://www.streamaudio.com/Player?station=KRMG_AM (Glenn Hauser, OK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn. KRMG was supposed to be presenting special program about Paul Harvey today at this time. Instead they are running Medical Matters. Listening on line now, but I don't think they have more than one stream. 73 (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, 1612 UT March 1, dxldyg via DXLD) Shux; I heard a bit of it at 1345 and recorded the station at 1600- 1700. Looked at their website again and it just says ``continuing coverage``. It didn`t make sense to run the hour twice in the morning, anyway. Maybe they meant the repeat to be at 10 pm? That would be 0400 UT Monday. No doubt many other stations are playing this obit show which has been in the can for some time. If anyone finds it elsewhere with some advance notice, let us know (Glenn Hauser, Enid, ibid.) See below RADIO COMMENTATOR PAUL HARVEY DEAD AT 90 Broadcasting pioneer best known for ‘The Rest of the Story’ program Radio commentator Paul Harvey and his wife, Lynn, hold a street sign bearing his name in Chicago in 1988. Harvey died Saturday in Phoenix at the age of 90. [caption] Charles Bennett / AP CHICAGO - Paul Harvey, the news commentator and talk-radio pioneer whose staccato style made him one of the nation's most familiar voices, died Saturday in Arizona, according to ABC Radio Networks. He was 90. Harvey died surrounded by family at a hospital in Phoenix, where he had a winter home, said Louis Adams, a spokesman for ABC Radio Networks, where Harvey worked for more than 50 years. No cause of death was immediately available. Harvey had been forced off the air for several months in 2001 because of a virus that weakened a vocal cord. But he returned to work in Chicago and was still active as he passed his 90th birthday. His death comes less than a year after that of his wife and longtime producer, Lynne. "My father and mother created from thin air what one day became radio and television news," Paul Harvey Jr. Said in a statement. "So in the past year, an industry has lost its godparents and today millions have lost a friend." Known for his resonant voice and trademark delivery of "The Rest of the Story," Harvey had been heard nationally since 1951, when he began his "News and Comment" for ABC Radio Networks. ‘Stand by for news!’ He became a heartland icon, delivering news and commentary with a distinctive Midwestern flavor. "Stand by for news!" he told his listeners. He was credited with inventing or popularizing terms such as "skyjacker" and "Reaganomics. " "Paul Harvey was one of the most gifted and beloved broadcasters in our nation's history," ABC Radio Networks President Jim Robinson said in a statement. "We will miss our dear friend tremendously and are grateful for the many years we were so fortunate to have known him." In 2005, Harvey was one of 14 notables chosen as recipients of the presidential Medal of Freedom. He also was an inductee in the Radio Hall of Fame, as was Lynne. Former President George W. Bush remembered Harvey as a "friendly and familiar voice in the lives of millions of Americans." "His commentary entertained, enlightened and informed," Bush said in a statement. "Laura and I are pleased to have known this fine man, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family." Harvey composed his twice-daily news commentaries for ABC from a downtown office near Lake Michigan. Rising at 3:30 each morning, he ate a bowl of oatmeal, then combed the news wires and spoke with editors across the country in search of succinct tales of American life for his program. At the peak of his career, Harvey reached more than 24 million listeners on more than 1,200 radio stations and charged $30,000 to give a speech. His syndicated column was carried by 300 newspapers. His fans identified with his plainspoken political commentary, but critics called him an out-of-touch conservative. He was an early supporter of the late Sen. Joseph McCarthy and a longtime backer of the Vietnam War. Perhaps Harvey's most famous broadcast came in 1970, when he abandoned that stance, announcing his opposition to President Nixon's expansion of the war and urging him to get out completely. "Mr. President, I love you ... But you're wrong," Harvey said, shocking his faithful listeners and drawing a barrage of letters and phone calls, including one from the White House. ‘The Rest of the Story’ In 1976, Harvey began broadcasting his anecdotal descriptions of the lives of famous people. "The Rest of the Story" started chronologically, with the person's identity revealed at the end. The stories were an attempt to capture "the heartbeats behind the headlines." Much of the research and writing was done by his son, Paul Jr. Harvey also blended news with advertising, a line he said he crossed only for products he trusted. In 2000, at age 82, Harvey signed a new 10-year contract with ABC Radio networks. In addition to his unique voice and delivery, Harvey was credited with coining several words on his broadcasts, including "Reaganomics" and "guesstimate. " Harvey was born Paul Harvey Aurandt in Tulsa, Okla. His father, a police officer, was killed when he was a toddler. A high school teacher took note of his distinctive voice and launched him on a broadcast career. While working at St. Louis radio station KXOK, he met Washington University graduate student Lynne Cooper. He proposed on their first date (she said "no") and always called her "Angel." They were married in 1940 and had a son, Paul Jr. They worked closely together on his shows, and he often credited his success to her influence. She was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1997, seven years after her husband was. She died in May 2008. (via Ron Trotto, IL, ShortwaveBasics yg via DXLD; also similar in Washington Post via Mike Cooper, DXLD) The best Paul Harvey story [from 2002, contract, with video]: http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-paul-harvey-good-days-rick-kogan,0,4555863,full.story? Paul Harvey's death was the lead on the afternoon network 'cast from the ABC radio network. I managed to hear it. There was no mistake. It was so clear and distinctive --- on a Bose sound system. The rest of the story --- Not that anyone cares (or knew), but Paul Harvey worked at a local Honolulu station that is still on the air. A fact never mentioned in this morning`s local papers. (Yes, we still have two! Lucky us.) Paul worked at KVOO (now KFAQ) in Tulsa. After WWII he was at KGU HONOLULU. Then off to KOMA in Oklahoma City. Then WKZO Kalamazoo. Then off to Blue and latter ABC owned WENR in Chicago. Up until the 60's WENR shared time on 890 with WLS. WLS was owned by the Prairie Farmer. When WLS was on the air, many Blue/ABC programs ran on WCFL as WENR was silent. But, Mr. Harvey was always on during WENR hours, and latter, as we all know, the ABC network. When WENR bought out WLS, Paul was on WLS, until the mid 60's. Ah yes. I forgot about KXOK in St. Louis. When I lived in Chicago, I would listen to his 15 minute "noon" cast from WOWO in Ft. Wayne. They cleared it at 11:45 AM ET, so I could enjoy it at 10:45 Central in Chicago (Brock Whaley, HI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) One of the articles I saw last night (on the ABC Web site, IIRC) stated that he had been at KFBI Abilene, KS for a time. It didn't state the timeframe nor the frequency, but the impression I got was that it was prior to his being in St. Louis. 73, de (Nate Bargmann, KS, dxldyg via DXLD) Here`s the WGN page with lots more, including link to ABC net tribute show audio. Now, why was he on WGN instead of WLS all these last years? http://www.wgnradio.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=27&Itemid=125 (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Thanks Glenn. WLS dropped Paul Harvey in the mid 60's as he was incompatible with the WLS top 40 format. The same in New York where WABC dropped him. In both cases long term contracts were signed with WOR in New York, and WGN in Chicago to clear his programs. Of course he fit the full service format better, and I understand at least in the case of WGN that there would be no obligation to clear any other ABC radio network offering, or spots, just Paul Harvey. Regards, (Brock Whaley, HI, ibid.) RADIO LEGEND PAUL HARVEY DIES AT 90 - UPDATE By Peter Johnson, USA TODAY [sic, havey, not harvey’, truncated:] http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2009-02-28-paul-havey-obit_N.htm Radio legend Paul Harvey, whose news and commentary segments always ended with his distinctive sign-off, "Paul Harvey....good day," died today at the age of 90, ABC Radio Network reported Saturday. He died Saturday at his winter home in Phoenix, surrounded by family, network spokesman Louis Adams said. No cause of death was immediately available. Harvey never viewed himself as a newsman, even though some 18 million people tuned into his daily reports to hear his 15-minute take on the day's events. "I'm a professional parade watcher who can't wait to get out of bed every morning and rush down to the teletypes to pan for gold," he told CNN's Larry King in 1988. That he did with a vengeance since those teletype days in 1951, arriving at his Chicago studio in the pre-dawn hours to produce two news and commentary segments and his evening The Rest of the Story (written by his son, Paul) which were carried on some 1,100 radio stations and 400 Armed Forces Radio Network stations. He based himself in Chicago, flew aboard his Lear jet to give corporate speeches and commuted by limo each day from his 27-room home in suburban River Forest, Ill., to his 16th floor studio above a street sign that reads Paul Harvey Drive. When Harvey was 81 in 2000, his sole employer for all those years, ABC Radio Networks, signed him to a 10-year, $100 million contract. Rivals who had lost in the bidding told him they'd be back in 2010. Harvey's ability to sell products in advertisements, via spots that read and which flowed seamlessly from his news stories, were legendary. He is considered the greatest radio salesman of all time and sponsors - only one in 15 were accepted - were required to sign on for at least a year. "I can't look down on the commercial sponsors of these broadcasts," he told CBS in 1988. "Too often they have very, very important messages to put across. Without advertising in this country, my goodness, we'd still be in this country what Russia mostly still is: a nation of bearded cyclists with b.o." The idea of retirement never occurred to either Harvey or his wife, Angel, whom he married in 1940 and who was his producing partner throughout his career. "I've got an old country boy's philosophy," he told The Chicago Tribune in a 2002 interview. "When the car's running, you don't look inside the carburetor. Just keep rolling." He got his start in radio in high school in Tulsa at age 14 when a speech teacher was so impressed with his voice that she took him to a local radio station, KVOO-AM and told the program director that Harvey belonged on radio. He began reading news, making announcements - and sweeping floors - and a year later began getting paid. "It is impossible in print to capture the rhythm and flow of his delivery, a series of pauses, dramatic and playful inflections that combine to create something like a piece of performance art, a verbal telegraph," writer Rock Kogan wrote in his Tribune profile. The conservative label attached itself to Harvey, a God-and country advocate who called welfare recipients "pusillanimous parasites." He supported Sen. Joe McCarthy's tactics in the early 50s. Critics blasted him during the tumultuous Vietnam War years in the 60s and 70s, but he made one of his most famous flip-flops on that war, declaring on the air to President Nixon: "Mr. President, I love you but you are wrong." But unlike partisan radio hosts such as Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly, Harvey's appeal was "that he did not represent any kind of movement, not any kind of format," said Michael Harrison, editor of Talkers magazine, a radio trade publication. "He just represented himself and that is highest compliment and highest form broadcasting: when you are successful for just who you are and for being there so long." Tom Taylor, editor of Inside Radio, said that Harvey was "like the oldest and still the tallest redwood in the whole forest, a living reminder of the power of words on the radio - and of silence. Most talent in radio rushes to fill 'dead air' but Paul understood the value of the right pause at the right time. You'd sometimes literally hold your breath to see what 'the rest.. .of the story' was. Harvey was the quintessential radio broadcaster, Taylor said. "Paul had absolutely no equal when it came to the sheer art of how to use a radio microphone, and several generations of radio newspeople studied his delivery," Taylor said. "He tried television but it wasn't his medium. Radio was, and he owned it. When Paul was speaking, how could you not listen, even if you disagreed with his commentary?" Harvey was born Paul Harvey Aurandt in Tulsa, Okla. His father, a police officer, was killed when he was a toddler. A high school teacher took note of his distinctive voice and launched him on a broadcast career. While working at St. Louis radio station KXOK, he met Washington University graduate student Lynne Cooper. He proposed on their first date (she said "no") and always called her "Angel." They were married in 1940 and had a son, Paul Jr. They worked closely together on his shows, and he often credited his success to her influence. She was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1997, seven years after her husband was. She died in May 2008. On the Net: http://www.paulharvey.com http://www.radiohof.org/news/paulharvey.html (via Brian Smith, Feb 28, ODXA yg via DXLD) That is so sad. Paul usually takes some time off if he's ill or only does a few shows here and there. Paul Jr and Ron Chapman (and a few others) have been covering the newscasts for quite some time now although Paul himself has been doing 2 or 3 a week. I didn't know Paul was THAT ill or THAT close to death. This will be quite an interesting time for those of us that are ABC affiliates. We've been running Paul for years and years. I really wonder if ABC is going to continue the newscasts (5 minutes mornings, 15 minutes at noon, Rest Of The Story in the afternoon). There's a lot that could happen here. I really wonder if Paul Harvey Jr WANTS to do it full time and if ABC will offer him that. If anyone could do it, Paul Jr certainly could. Otherwise I guess they could come up with a new name (ABC Comments, ABC News And Comment, etc.) and find another permanent host. I imagine Monday`s feeds are going to be the hardest Paul's staff has ever had to deal with. Rest in peace, Paul. GoodDAY! (Michael n Wyo Richard, KEVA, ABDX via DXLD) I guess he was not getting any younger but Bob Hope made it for another 10 years. I first came across this distinctive radio broadcaster on this side of "The Pond" about 40 years ago. He had a daily show "The rest of the story" on shortwave station WRUL out of Boston MA. I guess he can now have a good chin wag with Alistair Cooke who did a "letter from America" show from you to us for as many years. I guess we're all getting on, hi! (Barry :-) Davies, UK, ABDX via DXLD) I was pleased to bits to have been mentioned by Paul Harvey when I was a disk jockey in Clovis, New Mexico back in the early 70's. I was spending the day at the bottom of a Motel swimming pool to try to promote ticket sales for some event. We carried the noon feed of Paul Harvey and the station manager had pitched him the idea of mentioning our promotion. Paul used it, saying, "Bruce Barker is spending the day -- all day -- at the bottom of a swimming pool in Clovis New Mexico. Stop by and say hello." No punch line, just a long pause afterward and then onto something else. It knocked my socks off. I have the recording somewhere but don't know where after so many moves over the years (Bruce Barker, March 1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Larry King on CNN, 0500-0600 UT Monday, has an hour interview from several years ago with Paul Harvey (Glenn Hauser, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes Glenn, very nice 2003 interview they just played [also] from 0200 to 0300 UT Monday. Better late than never, I just knew this classic air personality, kind of a generation in way of extinction. Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, ibid.) ** OKLAHOMA. ESTADOS UNIDOS [KXTD 1530 Wagoner/Tulsa] "Este evento marca la culminación de un gran objetivo para Radiodifusiones Gaytán y La Que Buena," dijo María de León, directora y propietaria de la estación. "Está planeado que el 2009 será un año record para nuestra estación, nuestra compañía y la comunidad hispana de Tulsa. Estamos felices de que Raúl Brindis estará con nosotros para esta ocasión." La reciente inauguración de los modernos estudios, ubicados en la 5807 S. Garnett también marcarán el inicio de una nueva etapa hacia el crecimiento y consolidación comercial de la estación. La adquisición de las nuevas instalaciones en tiempos en que todo el mundo habla de `recesión' es un buen indicativo del liderazgo, visión y compromiso que De León tiene para con su empresa y la comunidad hispana. KXTD es actualmente una de las mejores radio estaciones a nivel local, según datos publicados por la reconocida firma Arbitron, a finales del año pasado. Se destaca dentro del medio por ser la única AM con un estilo musical definido para hispanos, y porque superó en el mismo reporte de Arbitron a emisoras que hacen parte de grandes corporaciones radiales. (tomado de radionotas.com) (via Conexión Digital March 1, via DXLD) KXTD is a notorious daytimer cheating with night-time operations (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** PALAU. Glenn, when would you suggest might be my best window of opportunity for logging Palau here in NJ? 73's, (Ed Insinger, Feb 25, to gh, via DXLD) Looking thru the Aoki schedule: 08-15 on 9930 11-12, 14-16 on 9965 12-13 on 12130 Just watch out for the portions which have Chicom jamming on them. 73, (Glenn to Ed, ibid.) Hi Glenn, Thank you for the info on WHR Palau. Based on your info, I was able to log them on 9965 from 1413 past 1500 on 27 February. ID'd as WHR but no mention of xmtr site. I am sending them a reception report, so will ask them to list xmtr site and clarify why their website lists Hawaii. I will further follow up with you and thanks for the info that made my logging possible. By the way, reception was fair to poor. Readability varied with signal strength, noise and fading -- as to be expected, since not targeted for North America. 73's, (Ed Insinger, NJ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PHILIPPINES. 17770, 26/02 0225, FILIPINAS, R. Pilipinas, English, from Tinang, with 250 kW, YL Talk, a transmission to Europe, 0228 UT OM ID, 25442. 73 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana Bahia, Brasil, dxclubepr yg via DXLD) ** PORTUGAL. 11885, fair signal in Portuguese Portuguese, Feb 28 at 1406; must be RDPI. Yes, // much stronger 15560. 11885 is the weekend- only transmission, 45 degrees across Europe at 1200-1500 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ROMANIA [and non]. RRI Spanish on 6140 in big collision with RHC in English --- March 1 at 0353 tune-in just as DXers Unlimited was closing with coded message; RRI signing off with full Spanish transmission schedule, including this frequency at 0300; and ``9523`` at 2400 --- an old error outpointed before which they still haven`t fixed. This collision must have been in effect since RRI came back full force last fall. As an outlaw nation`s station, RHC refuses to participate in HFCC, and evidently doesn`t even bother to coördinate on a bi- lateral basis, especially with ex-Commies. (I see Aoki lax RHC on 6140 between 01 and 05, where it has really been since last summer; but Eibi has it.) Tho RHC has a big signal aimed usward on 6140 most of the time, RRI was now atop. O well, serves Arnie right for allowing fellow DX programs to be jammed by Cuba, such as QSO with Ted Randall, checked Sunday March 1 at 0643 with jamming pulses on 9955. RRI again with very anomalous reception on 25m, March 1 at 1355, 11970 wrapping up English hour, just barely audible, while 11940 in Romanian was much stronger, contrary to what you would expect from the nominal parameters. What`s the explanation? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. R. Chechnya Svobodnaya has started using new name: “Programma Kavkaz Radiokompanii Golos Rossii” (Voice of Russia Caucasus Program). (WRTH domestic update Uploaded 19 February 2009 via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. 17660, March 1 at 1440, YL speaking French slowly, almost at dictation speed, about Allah, birds tweeting in background; poor signal from BSKSA R. Riyadh, but only makes it at all on better days (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SIERRA LEONE [non]. via Ascension, 11875, CTN-Cotton Tree News, 0733-0745+, March 1, tune-in to English CTN news. CTN IDs. Vernacular talk at 0740. Poor. Weak with deep fades (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg, PA, TenTec RX-340, two 100 foot longwires, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SLOVAKIA. Slovak Radio has closed its three remaining medium wave transmitters on 702, 1017 and 1098 kHz. However, 1098 kHz is back on the air, now from Bratislava with a low-power (less than 10 kW) transmitter between 0500-1700 and DRM tests are planned with 1 kW between 1700-0500 (WRTH domestic update Uploaded 19 February 2009 via DXLD) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. 9541, SIBC Honiara. Off air 24/2 0700 checked 25/2 on air good level so still having some issues (John Wright, Peakhurst NSW, ICOM & Degen 1121 EWE antennae, March Australian DX News via DXLD) ** SOUTH AMERICA. Radio Cochiguaz`s final anniversary broadcast tonite Posted by Radio Piranha Internacional on condiglist yg 2217 UT Feb 28: Radio Cochiguaz --- Recien recibido de Radio Cochiguaz: Amigos! Estamos ahora por comenzar la última transmisión de una racha conmemorando nuestro 12 años de actividad. Ya enseguida estaremos en la frecuencia de 6307+ kHz AM desde nuestro sitio en Sud América. La transmisión se prolongará hasta las 10 UT del 1 de Marzo. También ya está en el aire la transmisión desde Europa en los 6308+kHz AM; ésta estará en el aire hasta aproximadamente las 09 UT. Ambas se transmiten con una potencia de solo 20 vatios (80 W PEP). Cordiales saludos de Cachito http://www.geocities.com/rcochiguaz e-mail: radio_cochiguaz@ yahoo.com Casilla de correo 159; Santiago 14; Chile Dear Friends, We are now a few minutes ahead to begin the last transmission in a series of broadcasts, commemorating our 12 years of activity. The frequency is 6307+ kHz AM from our South American site and it will be on air until 10 UT tomorrow. Since about 20 minutes we also are on air from an European outlet on 6308+kHz AM both with only 20 W (80 W PEP). All the best from Cachito http://www.geocities.com/rcochiguaz e-mail: radio_cochiguaz @ yahoo.com Casilla de correo 159; Santiago 14; Chile (via dxldyg via DXLD) Radio Cochiguaz, 6307, sinais perceptíveis --- Amigos, Seguindo o e- mail da Radio Cochiguaz, verifiquei há alguns minutos e percebi os sinais da mesma em 6307 aqui em São Bernardo-SP, 25 km de São Paulo, Brasil. Os sinais que estão chegando ainda não são fortes, por isso coloco-os na condição de ‘tent.’; procurarei uma melhor sintonia nas próximas horas. Detalhe: trata-se de uma tx com 20 W apenas, e a aventura apenas de captá-la nestas condições já é um grande feito. Colocando o receptor em USB, percebe-se a presença do sinal de 6308 kHz anunciado pela própria Cochiguaz, veja e-mail. 6307, AMERICA DO SUL: Radio Cochiguaz (tent.), ?, SS, 28/02 2344. Talk por OM, um pouco de música. Mais perceptível em banda lateral, onde se verifica também a portadora de 6308 kHz, que segundo a Radio Cochiguaz, trata-se de um sinal emitido para a Europa. Tentarei mais tarde captar a emissora de novo, 15331. Rx: Kenwood R-1000, Ant.: 22 m horizontal cordoalha, Compl.: Pré- amplificador TEB STA-1 + MFJ1040-B + fone de ouvidos. 73, (Rudolf Grimm, São Bernardo, SP, BRASIL, http://www.radioways.cjb.net dxclubepr yg via DXLD) ** SRI LANKA. 9770, SLBC. Ekala. It seems broadcast time on Sundays is till 0500 when Radio Japan in English is starting? On 15/2 0430-0500 was with religious Christian program compiled by some Church in USA in English (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria (Sony ICF-2001, Marconi), March Australian DX News via DXLD) ** SUDAN [non]. via Germany, 7315, Radio Dabanga, 0440-0527*, Feb 28, Arabic talk. Many IDs. Radio Dabanga jingles. Gave _www.radiodabanga.com_ http://www.radiodabanga.com website. Strong but loud tone on frequency. Threshold signal on // 13800 - via Madagascar (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN [non]. via Rimavska Sobota, Slovakia, 15650, Miraya FM, 1608- 1700, Feb 28, tune-in to Arabic talk. English at 1615-1654 with talk about Sudan politics & human rights in Sudan. ID at 1654 and into Arabic talk. Poor to fair. In the clear but occasional noise deteriorated reception at times (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SYRIA. 9330, R. Damascus, Adra. ID and frequencies in English, then usual biased account of events in that region. Program directed to N. America. Good strength signal. No sign of // 12085, 2100 25/2 (Charles Jones, Castle Hill NSW (FRG 8800 with 60m. long wire, DXpedition at Yeranda, near Dungog NSW) [so different equipment?], March Australian DX News via DXLD) 12085, R. Damascus. Back here 1800-2000 // 9330 in German, French but at 2105 a crash tones and s/off on 12085 and at 2119 ID in English, "Ladies and Gentlemen, good evening". All on 14/2 (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria (Sony ICF-2001, Marconi), March Australian DX News via DXLD) Radio Damascus 12085 at 2141 on 28 Feb, 2009. Talks of Israeli synagogues and Islamic mosques with classical music bridges between announcements. ID at 2145. excellent S-10 signal with their infamous transmitter hum. modulation was excellent also. sounded just like it did back in the 80's. 9330 not heard. very impressed (Stephen J. Price, Johnstown, PA, NASWA yg via DXLD) 12085, Radio Damascus, 2110-2130, March 1, strong carrier with hum & very weak, almost nonexistent modulation. Somewhat better modulation at 2215 check with Spanish talk. 9330 not heard (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg, PA, TenTec RX-340, two 100 foot longwires, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAIWAN [non]. Frequency change of Radio Taiwan International in Spanish to CeAm, 0400-0500 NF 9390 YFR 100 kW / 222 deg, ex 11855 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, March 1 via DXLD) Using a transmitter in France, Radio Taiwan International will be broadcasting in English as of March 1 for one hour at 16 hours on 11995 kHz and at 17 hours on 15690 kHz (Rumen Pankov, Radio Bulgaria DX Feb 20 via DXLD) ** TURKEY [and non]. 6020, March 1 at 0357, awful mixture of CRI via Albania in Chinese, atop VOT IS preceding English to NAm direct; PLUS big het from always off-frequency R. Victoria, Perú. Contrary to Aoki, CRI did not end at 0357 but stayed on all the way to 0400* sharp, just as timesignal a few sex late from Turkey was heard. VOT opened English without China QRM, but still unlistenable due to het, lacking a notch. And how many portable SW radios have one these days? No station should use 6020 to North America in prime time as long as Perú is hetting away. 7325 Sackville relay had not been on before 0400 with IS, so checked it after 0400 and now found it on in TURKISH instead of English which it is supposed to carry // 6020, except for the feed delay. Sounded like a cabaret show with two guys talking, guitar accompaniment, audience laughter and applause. So Sackville was getting the wrong feed from TRT; notified. I wonder how long this has been going on and/or how often it happens as I am seldom monitoring this transmission. I know I also heard wrong feed here many months ago (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz. 6020 het: [non]. Sabato 28 febbraio 2009, 0644 - 6019.4 kHz, R. VICTORIA/LV DE LA LIBERACION, SS/PP, radioesorcismo di massa!!! (questo si offre alla gente in buona fede???). Segnale buono-molto buono, Quasi a fondo scala! (SWL I1-0799GE, Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova), Italia, playdx yg via DXLD) ** UKRAINE. Re 9-018: 7440, Radio Ukraine International. In DX Program, the DX Editor Alexander Yegorov said maybe the now edition No. 161 will be the last in the 13-years history of that program called "The Whole World On Radio Dial". Checked in forum "open dx" (in Russian language) - there was the same information. Reported at 0618 on 22/2 (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria (Sony ICF-2001, Marconi), March Australian DX News via DXLD) Wonder if RUI will keep replaying this last show for two months as per usual pattern. Intuned webcast at 0630 March 1, and mailbag show was already started, while WWORD usually ran a bit past the semi-hour. Hope they haven`t already taken it off the air (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UKRAINE. Re 9-018: These transmitter shut-downs are really hard- hitting. I could be wrong, but it seems that the terrestrial coverage of UR2 and UR3 is now limited to about five low power FM transmitters each, all outside Kiev. And the OIRT band network of UR1 must be rather spotty now, too, after the closure of a dozen of its transmitters. Almost unbelievable (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Here's a short promo we received from a group that's going to be doing a special Earth Day transmission on WRMI at 0100-0200 UTC on March 21 on 9955 kHz. Best regards (Jeff White, WRMI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: Earth Day at the United Nations, a 1-hour Global Broadcast special featuring major international spokespersons for the Earth Day movement on March 20th at 9 pm, U.S. Eastern Time. For details, see our web site: http://www.101angels.com (via White, ibid.) Jeff, But, but Earth Day is supposedly April 22. So this is some other Earth Day? Their website raises more questions than it answers as to where they are coming from. I see they have linx to WRMI and WBCQ, but nothing found there about specific broadcasts. Should I assume that all WOR times on WRMI shift one UT hour earlier from next Sunday, or will there be further changes? What all are you filling in with Radio República off again, just more WRN? (Glenn to Jeff, via DXLD) Glenn: Well, they have another special planned for the night of April 22 I believe, for 2 hours (0100-0300 UT April 23). So maybe the March one is a pre-Earth Day special! I don't know. Yes, we'll shift times as usual when the time change occurs. And yes, I think we'll be filling the RR time with WRN. But we're going to go off the air weekdays from 12 noon-8 pm ET for a week or so beginning next Monday for some long-overdue maintenance work at the transmitter site. We'll keep running the Internet during that time, for what it's worth (Jeff White, WRMI, Feb 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. The world famous DX Program “World of Radio” was heard in Sofia on February 14 in the new time slot from 0900 to 0930 hours [Saturday, but not March 7] on 9510 kHz with strong interference from Xinjiang Radio in Mongolian from China on the same frequency. The DX Program is relayed by Italian Radio Relay Service via a transmitter in Slovakia (Rumen Pankov, Radio Bulgaria DX Feb 20 via DXLD) ** U S A. Re 9-018: Important Airing of World of Radio Dropped by WBCQ I've never been able to pick up 5110 at anytime, anywhere on the east coast. I've written several letters to WBCQ and Area 51 about this, only to be ignored. If anyone is picking up 5110 on a regular basis, I like to know about it. 5070 WWCR is a hit or miss here in South Carolina, 3215 always seems to be booming as it does when WWRB is on that freq earlier. 7415 is good during the day but dies at night. And while I love WOR, there's one way to guarantee WBCQ airs WOR at a good time, pay for the programming slot at a good time. But admit, and I do the same thing, and I suspect most listen to the podcast of WOR then the actual broadcast on shortwave (Blake, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5070 with WOR UT Sun 0330 [0230 in a biweek], normally inbooms here in OK, including March 1 when checked (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I checked 5110 tonight around 0150 UT tonight and believe it or not, Johnny Lightning was on the air. It would have been coming in clear had it not been for jamming interference a few kHz down. The interference sounded just like Cuban jamming against stuff they don't like, like a swishing sound I Hear on 9955 a lot. I see no reason why Cuba would want to jam WBCQ though, maybe some Spanish station on 5105. Then again, as Glenn Hauser puts it, Cuba will even jam themselves at times so who knows. I was able to listen to the program by tuning up to 5112 and using the narrow filter on the Grundig G5 (Blake, SC, UT March 2, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WBOH: Finally, Feb 27 at 0627 UT check, 5920 was modulating well, with hymns, three days after noticing it unmodulated (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. 7215, with rustic exotic music, UT Sun March 1 at 0337; first guess SEAsian, second guess S Asian, then a talk mentioning Christus Jesus several times, not Asian; 0344 a bit more music, TWR chimes IS and open carrier until 0346* Per Aoki this is TWR, 250 kW, 5 degrees via South Africa in Amharic (Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon); Orominya Tue; Sidamo Wed and Thu, all at 0330-0345 only. Good signal (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Frequency change of WYFR Family Radio in English/Spanish to CeAm: 0200-0400 NF 9390 YFR 100 kW / 222 deg, ex 11855 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, March 1 via DXLD) see also TAIWAN [non] ** U S A. Re 9-018, Greek on 1500, WFED instead of WPSO in Florida: By the way, just because WPSO is listed as a daytimer... it doesn't mean it operates as such. I`ve been told WPSO operates 24/7 and that WXYB, a 600 Watt Daytimer runs over powered (Paul B Walker, Ord NE, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WXYB is 1520 in Indian Rocks Beach, FL; vs Paul`s former station WQMA 1520 in Marks MS. Tnx for info, but just because you`ve been told that doesn`t mean it operates as such (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. On Friday, I unexpectedly logged one of my most-wanted stations, WJDM-1530, a 1 kW (670 W critical hours) daytimer in Elizabeth NJ. Though neither the station nor its owner, Multicultural Radio Broadcasting, seem to have much of a presence on the web, my understanding was that WJDM's format was religious, in Spanish. I have often checked 1530 just before their sunrise shut-down time, listening for Spanish talk, but nada was heard. On Friday, I did a quick check of 1530 just after 1700 EST; as usual, no Spanish, but quite a few stations in the mix (WCKY plus various eastern daytimers). Something caught my ear, though, a fellow speaking rather slowly in English. I tweaked things to try and bring up his voice, and heard: "this is Danny Stiles... on the Internet, log on to www.dannystiles.com...". Then a bit of a fade while another web address was given, and the part that really caught my attention: "you can hear me on... every afternoon from 1 till 5, Monday through Sunday, on WJDM 1530 AM, also 1430 AM, 10 at night until midnight, and on WPAT...". I later found all of these details on his website; turns out Danny is an 85-year-old gent who has been in broadcasting for more than 60 years. He is said to have a personal collection of over 250,000 albums, many of which are 78's, and is still spinning 'em on the air, on four different stations (and on the web too). I'm mighty pleased with this catch, and the background story is kinda neat too. I've probably heard WJDM before, and never realized it; better late than never! (Barry McLarnon VE3JF Ottawa, ON, Feb 28, ABDX via DXLD) IIRC, WJDM was the first station to spin off an X-band `replacement`, on 1660, except they never got around to turning off the original one on 1530 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. No New FM Translator for This AM Station 02.26.2009 http://www.radioworld.com/article/75250 The FCC says "no dice" to Money Matters Radio for an STA to operate WESO(AM) in Massachusetts on a new FM translator. The case is noteworthy because it involves an FM translator that hasn't yet been authorized. The commission has been approving some waivers to allow AMs to operate on FM translators, as a closely watched rulemaking on this issue remains pending. Right now, FM translators are prohibited from rebroadcasting AM station's signals. Stations receiving waivers are doing so for existing FM translators. The FCC last week denied a petition for reconsideration filed by Money Matters Radio which sought to overturn an earlier Audio Bureau decision. In September 2007, the company asked for an STA so it could build a new FM translator. It wanted to improve nighttime service. The STA was denied; the Bureau told MMA the NPRM language specified it could only approve STAs in cases where the FM translator was already authorized. MMR said the FCC was misinterpreting the language and that approving its STA would be in the public interest because it would allow for nighttime broadcast of high school sports. The FCC said in its decision last week that MMR did not raise new issues and that the language allowing STAs to be granted only in cases where there are "already-authorized FM translators" is pretty clear (Radio World via CGC Communicator via DXLD) COMMENTS (1) 02/28/2009 --- This contradicts existing precedent. KSKY has been authorized 3 FM translators which are NEW licenses, not EXISTING translators. Even more curious, there is no evidence of their existence in the FCC database; they have no callsigns or facility numbers. The only record of their existence is found in the STA filings of KSKY. It appears the FCC is not following their own rules, and burying the evidence to keep others from duplicating it. KGGR, which has a translator on the same tower as KSKY's Dallas station, obtained theirs from an existing licensee. Why was KSKY given special privilege for not one, but three "invisible/unlicensed" translators. Perhaps Salem gets Divine Intervention in Washington (Anon., ibid.) ** U S A. Local Community Radio Act of 2009 -- Seattle Times Editorial CONGRESS SHOULD GIVE RADIO BACK TO LISTENERS The Local Community Radio Act of 2009 would provide a boost for radio and its listeners. The act would allow low-power FM stations of 100 watts or less to use empty space on the radio dial, opening up opportunity for listeners and communities. THE wait could soon be over for communities starved for locally produced radio. The U.S. Congress can provide a big boost for radio and its listeners by passing the Local Community Radio Act of 2009. This bill might have a shot at passing, unlike similar bills that died in the last Congress. President Obama co-sponsored a Low-Power FM, or LPFM, bill while in the Senate and this year's version of the bill has strong bipartisan support. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rogers, R- Spokane, and Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Bainbridge Island, have signed on as sponsors. Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Seattle, voted for it last time and should do so again. The Radio Act allows LPFM stations of 100 watts or less to use empty space on the radio dial. The stations would not reach more than a few miles but would open up a world of opportunities for listeners and communities because the programming would be produced locally. Local radio took a big hit with the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. That piece of legislation allowed for massive consolidation of radio. The result was that most towns were left with a couple big conglomerates owning most everything transmitted over the airwaves. Congress can help give radio back to listeners by dedicating these unused airwaves to local producers. The new voices can only strengthen communities (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. UNIVISION LAYS OFF 300 WORKERS http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-univision28-2009feb28,0,7229671.story The nation's largest Spanish-language broadcaster owns KMEX-TV Channel 34, the top-rated Los Angeles station. The company also cancels its weekend newscast. By Meg James, February 28, 2009 Univision Communications Inc., the nation's largest Spanish-language broadcaster, on Friday became the latest media company to cut its ranks because of the weakening economy and a sharp downturn in advertising spending. A spokeswoman said the company, which owns the top-rated Los Angeles station, KMEX-TV Channel 34, had laid off 300 people, or 6% of its workers. It was unclear how many jobs would be lost locally. The New York company also canceled its weekend newscast, "Primer Impacto Fin de Semana." "Univision has been working aggressively to bring its cost structure in line with the current environment," the company said. "While it is extremely difficult to lose valued employees, we are confident that the steps we are taking will make us more efficient in the short term and better positioned for growth in the long term." Univision is burdened with enormous debt payments. A leveraged buyout two years ago by a group of private investors saddled it with $10 billion in debt (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. CITADEL TO BE DELISTED FROM NYSE -- Radio Giant, which gained a penny to close at 14 cents a share on Thursday, fell below a $1 a share months ago, below the exchange's continued listing standard === Feb 27, 2009 -By Jeffrey Yorke, Radio and Records The New York Stock Exchange on Thursday (Feb. 26) rejected Citadel Broadcasting's business plan to avoid delisting and has pushed the Las Vegas-based radio giant off the trading exchange, effective March 6. While the company's shares traded as "CDL," the company hopes to begin trading the same day on the Over The Counter (OTC) using a new symbol yet to be determined. Citadel, which gained a penny to close at 14 cents a share on Thursday, fell below a $1 a share months ago, below the exchange's continued listing standard. Citadel shares hit a 52-week low of 11 cents a share on Feb. 17 and a 52-week high of $2 on March 11, 2008. The issue has lost more than 36 percent of its value in the past month and 99.26 percent over the last five years. In June 2006, Citadel, then a company focused on small- and medium- market radio stations, gobbled up a much larger fish, ABC Radio, for a little bit more than $2 billion. But the little fish immediately choked, and share value in Citadel has been evaporating steadily. At the same time, the ABC stations, mostly much sought-after beachfront properties that included WABC-AM/New York, KABC-AM/Los Angeles, KGO- AM/San Francisco, WLS-AM/Chicago and WMAL-AM/Washington, began losing steam in both ratings and revenues, helping to escalate the decline of the company's value. Citadel remains the largest pure-play U.S. radio company, with 165 FM stations and 58 AM stations in more than 50 of the nation's top markets. Its ABC Radio Networks creates and distributes programming to more than 4,000 affiliates, and syndicates programming such "Paul Harvey News and Commentary." http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/content_display/news/local-broadcast/e3ib4ab512be78d97091a9142268309f5b3 (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. PAUL HARVEY DIES AT 90 --- see OKLAHOMA [and non], of course ** VENEZUELA. ATACAN LA SEDE DE RADIO NACIONAL DE VENEZUELA La información la confirmó el periodista Ricardo Durán, quien tiene un programa de radio en la estación del Estado. "Sometieron a los vigilantes y se llevaron equipos, duraron unos 20 minutos en el edificio", dijo. El periodista adelantó la información vía telefónica en un contacto con VTV. Ricardo Durán, periodista, informó vía telefónica este viernes en el espacio Despertó Venezuela que transmite Venezolana de Televisión, que 4 hombres irrumpieron de manera violenta en la sede de Radio Nacional de Venezuela (RNV) el circuito radial del Estado, con sede principal entre La Florida y Chapellín, un popular barrio caraqueño, ubicado al norte de la ciudad. El hecho sucedió alrededor de las 2 de la madrugada de este viernes, justo cuando la emisora transmitía el programa La Hojilla en el que el Presidente Chávez participó vía telefónica con el grupo musical Dame Pa' Matala. Se llevaron equipos, indicó Durán. A las 4 de la madrugada, cuando arribó el periodista, el CICPC ya se encontraba en el lugar. Comentó que "la excusa que pedían eran los cestatickets (...) recibían información por celular, giraban instrucciones, parecía que sabían lo que estaban haciendo, duraron 20 minutos en la radio", señaló el periodista, quien además aclaró al principio del contacto telefónico que hasta esta hora (7:14 AM) no tenía autorización de la directiva de RNV para dar detalles. En los próximos minutos se esperan las declaraciones de Helena Salcedo, directora del circuito. El circuito RNV "cuenta con varios canales: Canal Informativo, que constituye el canal bandera en materia informativa y de opinión; Canal Clásico, destinado a la difusión de obras musicales nacionales y extranjeras de corte clásico, así como de una programación cultural variada; Canal Activa, cuya programación está fundamentalmente dirigida a niños y jóvenes; Canal Musical, dirigido a la difusión de música ligera y popular; Onda Corta Internacional cuya programación está destinada a la difusión de noticias e informaciones a nivel internacional", reseña el portal Web de la emisora: http://www.rnv.gov.ve (via José Miguel Romero, Spain, Feb 28, dxldyg via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA [non]. After several weeks of no transmissions at all on the Sunday ``Alo, Presidente`` frequencies via Cuba, they were back March 1: first noted at 1432 on 11875 with ``Mundo Siete``, RHC`s week-in-review program and one of those always played as lead-in to Venezuelan relay. // 13750 but an echo apart; also // 11690 now overriding HCJB and RTTY, another echo apart. In other words, all three frequencies were slightly unsynchronized with each other. At 1439, also audible on 17750 but under VOA music via South Africa --- another collision which should have been avoided. Unheard so far on the fifth frequency 13680, aside much stronger China via Canada 13675. At 1458, 13750 with Bolivarian talk, but apparently still Cuban- produced programming. At 1503, 17750 in the clear after VOA closing, but weak; a few minutes later built up to strong. Still nothing audible on 13680. At 1505 retuned to 13750 and it was gone, but soon cut back on, still with Cuban programming. At 1510 the show was RHC`s ``Somos Jóvenes``, another perennial lead-in. At 1513 I tried 13680 again and could barely hear it // the others, very weak and SAH with R. Farda via Wertachtal, 105 degrees scheduled until 1600. Obviously Cuba is using a very different antenna for 13680 on Sundays than it does on weekdays when it`s inbooming here. After this I was not paying close attention, but at 1538 finally noticed Chávez intoning, so maybe he got started around 1530 (11 am Venezuelan time). Still going at 1642 recheck on 13750. And at 1746 on all five, 13750 best. I suspect Hugo was eager to brag even more than usual, having secured the possibility of remaining president-for-life. The state, it`s him. Meanwhile I had checked other RHC frequencies to confirm what they were doing. Mainstream RHC at 1432 on 11760, 13760, and a few minutes later also on 15120, 15360, 15370. At 1505, Esperanto on 11760 only; and the others off (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VIETNAM [non]. 5955, AUSTRIA, V. of Vietnam, Moosbrunn, 1908-1916, Feb 27, listed Vietnamese. M & W talk over stringed instrument; pop- like ballads; fair (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, N.H. USA, NRD- 545, RX-350D, MLB1, 200' Bevs, 60m Dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Almost 4 hours before sundown ** ZIMBABWE [non]. From one source the following; Zimbabwe Community Radio will launch on 01 Mar 2009 [Sunday], 10 to 11pm [2000-2100 UT] via UAE on 5935 kHz daily. From 29 Mar frequency will be 5995. Schedule 10.00 Ndebele, 10.25 English, 10.45 Shona (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, Feb 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) and this from http://www.mediainzimbabwe.com/?p=1353 --- NEW RADIO STATION FOR ZIMBABWE The Standard newspaper reports that a new radio station, Zimbabwe Community Radio will start broadcasting today 28 February 2009 joining several privately owned stations forced to transmit their programs from overseas because of the country's prohibitive licencing regulations. The station run by Zimbabweans will initially broadcast for an hour everyday from the United Arab Emirates on short wave, 5935 kHz. It is expected to add impetus to calls for the new government to prioritise the opening up of the airwaves monopolised by the grossly under funded and inefficient Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC). The station's local representative William Ndlovu told Standardplus that they would be operating from outside the country because they did not have a license as required by the Broadcasting Act of Zimbabwe (BAZ). "We will be broadcasting from outside the country beginning today because we do not have a licence and the BAZ never gave us a platform to apply," he said. "We will be on short-wave from 10 pm to 11 pm everyday." He said they were appealing to the inclusive government to free the airwaves so that more radio stations could start broadcasting and promote plurality in the sector. "The new government especially the two MDC parties should fight for the liberalisation of the airwaves since they were the ones who have always been fighting for democracy," he said. "We are waiting for a license so that we can operate in the country and if we are not given that license we will continue broadcasting from outside." He said Zimbabwe Community Radio would provide a channel for communication on economic, political, social, cultural, and developmental issues that confront the Zimbabwean community. "Another aim of the station includes creating awareness on the value of community radio for development, freedom of speech, and the promotion of local culture, especially among marginalised minorities," he said. Zimbabwe has four-licensed radio stations all state owned and subsidiaries of ZBC. But a number of radio stations have been operating from Western countries after the government banned Capital Radio, which began broadcasting after it successfully challenged the ZBC Act. Some of the prominent stations include Short Wave (SW) Radio based in London, VOP Radio Africa operating from South Africa and Voice of America's Studio 7, which are run by Zimbabwe's exiled journalists (via Tony Rogers, BDXC-UK yg via DXLD) Definitely launching tonight. See http://www.thezimbabwestandard.com/entertainment/19825-new-radio-broadcasts-from-emirates-.html Some confusion arose because the article was posted on Saturday 28 February and says the launch is "today". However, the report is in the Standard, an independent Zimbabwean Sunday paper, so the article was intended to be read on 1 March (Chris Greenway, UK, March 1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Nothing heard via Hano Bay (Sweden) and Athens remote receivers, had to give up at 2003 UT though (David Kernick, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. Romantic ballad in C. American style, with pauses between songs, but no discernible announcements. No announcements at ToH. 0306 digital bursts over music, 0316 shifted to LSB in 2 way conversation with tones between parties changing. There were a number of 2 way SSB conversations in the area in SS after 0317. Drifting down; 0258 – 3337.944, 0303 – 3337.666, 0314 3337.455. (Jim Ronda in Oklahoma also said he heard the same, and Jerry Strawman in Iowa heard the SSB.) HRMI on 3340 was in at the same time, with fair signal strength. Given that there were several 2 way Spanish SSB conversations in LSB within a couple of kHz, after the "show", I'm thinking it might have been a Central American fisher who decided to put on a little music before a chat. A sort of floating pirate broadcast. This would be in line with Glenn Hauser's observations about Spanish speaking fishers intruding in the broadcast bands in March's Monitoring Times (Mark Taylor, Madison, WI, UT Feb 28, NASWA yg via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 3905, ID in English "Radio Fox Forty Eight" at 1911, but only non-stop played pop songs between 1900-2000 fade out on 15/2 (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria (Sony ICF-2001, Marconi), March Australian DX News via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Since last year it was unheard past February, I made a point to check for 8GAL on 6074, March 1, 2009 at 1400: undetectable between 1359 and 1402 as R. Rossii closed 6075 and turned off the carrier a few sex after 1400 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Re 9-018: ``6220 25/02 2123 (IRN)IRAN, Al Quds TV, in Arabic, tentative, OM Talk, the site indicates an organization against the "occupation of Israel in the Holy Land", end of the transmission 2130 UT, very low signal and occasionally listening to the speech of speaker, 25322 (Jorge Freitas - Feira de Santana BA - Brasil, HCDX via DXLD) Thot it had quit a few weeks earlier; not Mystery Radio? (gh)" As all clandestine radios are mysterious, Glenn. Was in Arabic clearly identifiable and style of protest radio. I will try listen again, grateful. 73, good listening (Jorge Freitas, SWL1023B, Feira de Santana, Bahia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. ASIAN, 7191.03, Jammer?? Fairly strong signal but extremely weak audio from 1236 to 1300+ 28 Feb with just nondescript music but sounds kind of Chinese. 73 (Dave Valko, NRD-535D, Hammarlund HQ-129X, Collins R-388, Eton E1, Sony ICF-5900W, GE and Sears portables, T2FD and Windom antennas, Dunlo, PA, USA, HCDX via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ "A HOBBY FOR THE BLIND" PRESS RELEASE Dated: 2/22/2009 1:14 PM Contact: Frederick R. Vobbe, (419) 228-8835 (Work 7A-3P) - Publisher DXAS; John Bowker, (813) 633- 1427 - Ombudsman, National Radio Club Anyone who has spent time with a blind friend or in groups of blind people nearly always come away with a deep feeling of respect and wonder. The mere fact that they get around so amazingly well with so few accidents, and rarely needing assistance in public places. Sighted people stand in awe. Few will remember how our fathers and grandfathers used to stay up well after midnight on many nights in the early 1920s. They were listening to the new-fangled radio in the living room - using earphones, of course, so as not to wake up the family. The next morning around the water cooler a frequent topic was "what did you hear last night?" Some would claim to have heard radio stations from Schenectady or New Orleans as soon as the sun went down using just a long piece of wire from the house out to a tree in the back yard. Others spent many hours adjusting their radio tuning devices and climbing to get higher antenna systems all over their property. Entire newspapers were printed carrying nothing but news of stations and stories about the announcers that would become national household names in short order. And then in 1933, a neighborhood group in Pennsylvania got together to found "The National Radio Club". Each week, they compared notes about "what was coming in on AM radio" and typed up a newsletter called "DX NEWS". The term DX was adopted from the Amateur Radio fraternity with the meaning of "Distant Radio Signals". It was quickly found that with even the simplest of radio receivers and with hardly any outdoor antennas, a night of listening could provide entertaining radio programs from AM stations thousands of miles away. In fact, a letter sent to those stations would usually bring a very colorful post card, or even a coffee mug, confirming the reception of that distant station. The newsletter was an immediate hit with those who became enamored of the new hobby -- and blind people were enjoying the challenges of DX'ing too but needed updated information about what the broadcasters were doing. Lima Ohio resident Frederick Vobbe established the DX Audio Service, (DXAS), in April 1985 to serve the sight restricted or traveling DX'er. Fred, a member and past president of the Lima Host Lions Club, had a blind friend who thought he was "lucky" because he could read all the news articles in print about radio. Fred knew there was a need, and came up with a solution. Fred assembled a group of talented broadcasters who volunteered to read articles, as well as write their own columns. Each month they send their columns to Fred, who compiles them into a ninety-minute monthly show. Many of the editors contributing to the DX Audio Service sit on boards for the blind, or are involved in talking book services and broadcasts in their own community. "What makes this so much fun is the reaction we get from blind radio listeners", Vobbe said. "The magazine offers the platform to tell members things such as were to listen for interesting broadcasts, what is changing in the industry. We're able to do receiver reviews, and talk about things that impact them in their listening hobby. Yeah, its work, but it's a ton of fun. Nobody gets paid, but we're rewarded with thanks we from people commenting on the magazine." When Vobbe started the magazine it was all produced on tape, literally splicing segments together to make the ninety-minute shows. But today, the process is high tech. Editors send their columns in via the Internet. Vobbe, who works at WLIO Television in Lima explained. "Each editor has his own DAW, or digital audio workstation in their home. They will spend and evening putting together a column, and then they FTP it to me. When I get it, I import it into my DAW and put all the segments together, and include additional information culled from various news sites. When the two forty-five minute sections are complete, they are copied off to a master C-90 cassette, and that tape is then duplicated and mailed to all the members." Vobbe started as a radio announcer in Toledo, Ohio, in 1968. He worked in Detroit radio until 1985 when he took went to work for NBC affiliate WLIO in Lima, Ohio. He is now Vice President and Chief Engineer of the station. His voice is also heard on the television in the form of sponsor mentions, and he is the voice of Kewpee Hamburgers. He also announces during the Allen County Fair, and various community events in Allen County, Ohio. When asked about how much work the magazine is, Vobbe laughed. "It's a lot of work. I'm not sure that someone else would want to make the commitment. But our work is needed. A couple other organizations took a stab at serving the hobby, and they closed their doors. The DX Audio Service has been running consistently since 1985, and there are many members still with us from the start. I think that speaks volumes. I have no doubt that the magazine will be here for years to come." Although Vobbe has been the editor and publisher of the magazine he is quick to mention that it's just not him. "Oh, no, I couldn't do it myself. I've been blessed by having friends in the broadcasting business that are willing to give me their time each month. Without them, it wouldn't be as interesting as it is. The editors on the magazine are not only talented, but they also believe in the mission of serving the blind." The club has received some national attention recently, due in part to a "shout out" by Coast To Coast AM host George Noory, who routinely acknowledges the members of the National Radio Club that listen to his show. Often, someone will join after hearing the mention on the air. The DX Audio Service is a ninety-minute cassette tape. The tape features a monthly review of changes being made by AM stations, a playback of stations from at least a quarter century ago, a Marketscope review of current radio listening in various cities around the country, and stories by another active broadcaster of radio business and operating conditions present and past. Members also have their forum to speak in what is called "Musings from the Members". The subscription cost is kept low by charging only the costs of buying the blank tapes in quantity, padded envelopes, and the costs of postage. DXAS uses a postage waiver privilege granted by the Postal Service for the cassette tapes it sends to blind listeners. The club is a 501C3 based in Louisville KY. The National Radio Club has started its 75th year in existence. This April, the DX Audio Service will celebrate its anniversary. And to think, it all started by listening to the radio (via Fred Vobbe, March 1, DXLD) Members may also download DXAS audio, skipping the tapes (gh) DIGITAL BROADCASTING DRM: see also ANTIGUA; GERMANY; SLOVAKIA ++++++++++++++++++++ THE DI-WAVE RECEIVER FROM UNIWAVE DEVELOPMENT SAS, FRANCE Is expected to make its debut March 25, 2009 at the DRM General Assembly in Germany. That does not mean that the receivers will be on sale; it only means that a quantity of units will be presented there. This is a SW/MW/LW/FM radio with DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) on SW, MW and LW. This is not the first DRM receiver. It is, however, the first product based on the NewStar WR608 platform and polyband Mirics FlexiRF tuner module, and the first with colour screen for user interface and display of station name, text services (Journaline) and images. It will also be the first consumer DRM receiver authorized by the FCC for sale in the USA. UniWave DRM Receiver * 3.5" TFT screen * Dimensions 125mm H x 65mm W x 232mm L * USB & SD card reader * MP3 & MP4 playback * 768 station memories * 3" 1W speaker * Telescoping antenna & external antenna port * User interface: English, Chinese, German, French, Spanish * Headphone jack (FM stereo in phones) * Clock, timer with battery backup * AC adaptor (6VDC) & four 1.5V batteries * LW: 150-288 kHz DRM & AM * MW: 522-1710 kHz DRM & AM * SW: 2300-30000 kHz DRM & AM * VHF: 87-108 MHz FM Currently the only dealer listing this receiver is Universal Radio, Reynoldsburg, Ohio (klixie.com via March Australian DX News via DXLD) TRANSITIONING ON…AND ON AND ON…. FROM THE FEBRUARY 2009 SATFACTS EXTENDED 2009 – BOB COOPER Forget the problem - create a NEW solution! Reviewing: There are 300 million US people living in 100 million homes/apartments/tents/park benches/back seat of abandoned cars ad infinitum. 85 million of these residences have either cable TV or satellite TV leaving 15 million who receive some or all of their TV via OTA (over the air); antenna connected viewers. (Cable and satellite viewers do not require doing anything - their service provider performs the conversion and one could therefore draw the conclusion that only the homes that cannot afford cable or satellite are caught in this greed tussle.) The Bush government created a digital conversion plan based upon $40 government coupons to go to those homes not connected to cable or satellite. The $40 was to offset or partially offset the cost (typically US$50) of acquiring a set-top digital in - analogue out conversion box. Australians can purchase the same thing for as low as Au$29; in the UK they are even cheaper. The concept was these boxes, connected between the existing TV antenna and the existing analogue- only TV set would allow reception of the digital signals on an old- fashioned analogue receiver. More than 30 million coupons were funded (US$1.4 billion) and to acquire one required the analogue-only viewer to go to a web site and make application. The cheques arrived in the mail, but had a self-expiring date 90 days after being mailed. Accurate numbers are elusive but it appears at least 4 million of these coupons were not used although at the U.S. Treasury they appeared on the books as 'spent'. Another set of unreliable numbers, which changes daily by 7-digit numbers (suggesting the numbers quoted are at best somebody's fantasy), reports 5.8 million (or 7.2 or 9.4 etc.) homes that should have applied for a coupon have not bothered to do so. It was the panic that 5.8 (or whatever) million homes would awake on February 17th and discover their TV stations were no longer broadcasting which caught the attention of the incoming Obama administration. It was a wonderful opportunity to impress 5.8 million homes with "Obama cares and Bush did not" messages. If only it was that simple. For 1,800 analogue TV stations to change to digital has been a major effort. And extremely expensive for the TV stations. And they did not receive any 'coupons' for the effort. What they did get - or will get - once this mess is over - is the ability to add one, two, three or even four additional 'programme channels' to what they radiate - in theory each of these additional channels are new opportunities for new revenue (this assumes the TV station receiving this 'bonus' is a commercial station - in fact 12% are non-profit-public that depend upon viewer donations or subsidies from some level of government - like SBS and ABC in Australia). The first digital TV OTA testing happened nearly a decade ago and slowly, mostly after 2005, stations faced with February 17, 2009 have invested money in 'going digital'. For 99% of these stations, they were forced by rules to continue telecasting in analogue while slowly bringing their digital service on the air. In other words, two parallel transmitters, one analogue and one digital with only the analogue actually earning revenue at that point. It was a huge up- front investment (the new digital gear) and for those running both formats at once it added numbers like US$50,000 a month just to maintain analogue and pay the extra electrical bills. And to this point it remains 'only slightly more complicated' than the original simplistic intent. The US Senate and the US House both created Obama inspired emergency legislation and the wording was not similar. When this happens, after each chamber votes on and approves a bill, a committee meets to thrash out a compromise bill - one that (1) answers the original call from Obama, (2) does not step on tender toes in the Senate, and, (3) does not infuriate the House. This 'merged' piece of legislation finally passed both houses on February 4 and was rushed to the White House for Obama's signature. He responded by announcing, "I will allow five days for comment before signing"; which took us to February 9. Sort of pushing the February 17th existing deadline? Of course. And now all signs of 'simplicity' evaporate into the world of bureaucracy. The final bill basically left it up to the TV stations to decide whether they would go ahead with long established (and long announced) plans to cease analogue on February 17th - or at some to be determined date in the future but in no case later than June 12th. As of February 4, approximately 200 stations had already switched off their analogue transmitters. The remaining 1,600 had every intent of being off February 17th - not that they had a choice at the time. Now they had a new opportunity - stay on longer - a decision which seemed simple enough to make - were they willing to continue paying for both analogue and digital for an additional four months and if so, what would the benefits be? Simple enough; yes? No. Along comes the Federal Communications Commission bureaucracy which issued a warning -"we may NOT allow you to shut down February 17th" (or - "we may not allow you to continue past February 17th"). Someplace out there is the big world of smart people a bureaucrat was crunching numbers and deciding which 'TV markets' were especially slow in making the conversion to digital. They announced, "You must have our permission to shut-down February 17th" all in the interest of on-going TV for those people who have ignored the two years of warnings and advice and the $40 coupon program to date. So a station that REALLY wanted to shut-down analogue on February 17th might not be allowed to do so? You got it. Only on February 11th, as these words are written, no such list of who will be permitted and who will not be allowed to shut-down February 17th has appeared. Those who operate TV stations can elect to 'stay on until June 12th' without FCC permission but to shut down they need special permission. Still, many hundreds are shutting down on February 17th - some without FCC permission (yes, that will start lawsuits) citing the $50,000 a month to keep their analogue operating for an audience base best measured in single digit percentage points. One station manager in Atlanta went public with, "Why should we be penalized to the tune of $50,000 a month because 4% of our audience has not bothered to take advantage of free government coupons after two years of being available?" The coupons. The original 30-million-plus were all gone (given out) back in mid-December and there is a waiting list estimated (as all numbers in this fiasco are estimates) of around 500,000. The original 'Bush Law' creating the coupons allowed 90 days for cashing them in so when 4 million (again, somebody's estimate) did not get back into the banking system they became 'frozen'; in the mind of the treasury bureaucracy they had been 'spent' (the day they were mailed) but somehow never collected. So in fact there are some number (perhaps 4 million - nobody seems to know) past their use-by-date against 400,000 (or who knows for sure how many) standing in line for coupons. In theory, the ones never turned in would more than cover the standing-in-line folks but that would require a new law to deal with. So the answer in the Obama favoured bill is to create a new set of $40 coupons - on top of the original amount. Again, that seems simplistic. But the Obama inspired legislation only deals with extending the February 17th date - subject to the intervention of the FCC on a case by case basis. NOW - we need a bill to authorize the money from treasury to pay for the new coupons. And we need new coupons to be printed and a new bureaucracy created to process applications for the new coupons. They say 'March or April' before this will happen which means from February 17th until whenever the new money is available and the new coupons are available nothing will happen to get those 5.8 million (or whatever the REAL number is) of laggard homes into the digital world. And that is the underlying reasoning (if 'reasoning' is the correct word) behind allowing stations to continue their analogue services until June 12th. It will take at least that long for the bureaucracy that must support the new coupons to get into gear. But hold on - it gets better! The STBs are Chinese and the Asian source had done their planning based upon all boxes being distributed by December. So the box sources have, from October onward, been slowly (and then more rapidly) 'ramping down' production of STBs. Right now, today, there are no new boxes being produced and the Chinese sources are saying things like "We have no idea how many more to make - or when to start making them." Logical. Their market was supposed to dry up, go away, late in 2008 and now along comes the American politicians who think they can restart the process on VERY short notice. There is no accurate indication of how long it might be before the Chinese are once again shipping boatloads of STBs to America but nobody really expects to see them much before April or May (which may work just fine since the coupons won't be in distribution until then anyhow!). It should be pointed out the American STB is not like any other country's STBs - you can't simply divert unsold American units to Australia or Austria; they won't work there. Okay - so they have a mess. Alas, we have barely scratched the surface! Now we try to understand the FCC's mishandling of allowing certain stations in specific cities to either leave analogue February 17th or be forced (such as the example station in Atlanta) to stay on the air past that date. It is all about the 'domino effect'. Let's say we have four cities we will identify as "A". "B", "C" and "D". The distance from A to B is 100 miles, from A to C 75 miles, and from A to D 200 miles. We'll overlook how far it might be from B to C or B to D etc. The stations in "A" are all prepared to turn off their analogue on February 17th and millions of dollars have been spent to allow that to happen. So too those in B, C and D. But the FCC comes along and determines in their wisdom that 'B still has 7% of the homes who are not digital ready' so all of the TV stations in B are being told "you must remain on the air in analogue until June 12th." This is going to become much more complicated than the following 'what if' but here is a starting point. Of the seven TV stations in "A" , two will "flash cut" from their present analogue channels to use the same channel for digital. And that leaves five other stations in "A". Three of these are using temporary DTV 'test channels' today but on February 17th they were scheduled to move to new, permanent digital channels. Alas, each of these three stations are to move to a permanent channel which is today in use in "B" for analogue transmission. If "B" stations are being told they must continue to operate their analogue until June 12th, none of these three "A" stations can move to their new, permanent digital channels - until B stations give up their analogue operation. So now we have 3 stations in "A" which are forced to continue their analogue even though they are ready to move to the new permanent digital channels (and turn off their present temporary digital channels). Meanwhile there are two more analogue channels in "A" which are using temporary channels for DTV and will be using permanently channels which are presently in use in "C" for C's own temporary DTV operations. But "C" and "D" have conflicts with "E" and "F" and only a few of the TV stations in "C" can move to their permanently assigned channels - leaving the two channels in "A" using their temporary DTV channels until June 12th. These two channels can turn off their existing analogue channels on February 17th but they cannot move to their new permanent channels - yet. The domino effect; more than 1,000 stations are locked into a grid pattern which involves one or two or a dozen or fifty other stations scattered across the country side like a row of dominoes. And it does not take the FCC to create this havoc - under the February 4 legislation individual stations have only one "easy option" - and that is to remain on the air with their analogue just as they have for decades, until June 12th. Any other choice introduces the crumbling row of dominoes where even one station in the 'chain' being stubborn and staying on analogue until June 12th - or being ordered to do so by a bureaucracy - can stop anything approaching a large scale switch over to digital-only. Pogo said it so well: "I have met the enemy and it is me." Summary How do you put a 'disaster' into summary-form? In the very sad and heart-breaking case of Australia's recent (and continuing as these words are written) 'bush fires' you quote numbers - number of people dead, number of homes destroyed, hectares burnt to a crisp. In the case of America's digital-Tv transition the numbers are so suspect they cannot be believed. This activity has, sadly, been managed very poorly (yes - that is an editorial 'opinion'). But the good side of this is that Australia, New Zealand, even Fiji and PNG can profit from their mistakes. Asian firms manufacturing analogue-only TV receivers are at the end of that practice; with countries such as the US, UK, Sweden, Germany (to name but a few) doing the digital transition, the consumer market for analogue-only TV receivers is downsizing by the day. There are transition sets now being built (they receive either analogue or digital) but like the analogue onlys - the days are numbered. Several name-brand sources (Mitsubishi for example) have already ceased production of anything analogue for TV sets. Others will do so - many in 2009 - with scant advance notice. So our forecast: If you are reading this in a non-digital country (Fiji comes to mind) expect not only name brand analogue (or analogue + digital) consumer sets to first become harder to source and then more expensive - much more expensive. Have you attempted to locate a VHS tape (only) VCR recently? Learn from that frustration - and stock up on the increasingly difficult to locate 240 tapes while you have the chance. The most basic law of economics is at work here - when the volume goes down, the price goes up or the object simply disappears from the market. The original concept for digital was "more, better" with the bonus of freeing up from TV broadcasting significant amounts of megahertz spectrum space - to be assigned ("sold" is the proper word) to other users. The PR attached to this side of the transition usually begins with mentioning "more radio frequencies for first-line-responders" which of course makes it OK to earn billions from the commercial firms who have pizzas to deliver. Give it ten years and we'll see how it sorts out! (via March WTFDA VHF-UHF Digest via DXLD) RELEASE OF MAJOR DOCUMENT ON THE DTV DELAY ACT This FCC document is the Second Report and Order and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the DTV Delay Act, among other things. The Comment deadline is five days after the text appears in the Federal Register. For a simple explanation of this behemoth document, see the first URL. Will analog cut-offs even be allowed before April 16? http://tinyurl.com/April16 http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-09-11A1.doc http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-521A1.doc WHITE SPACE DEVICE TESTING COMES TO CALIFORNIA A new experimental permit to operate in the 174-216 MHz, 470-608 MHz and 614-698 MHz bands has been granted to Adaptrum, Inc. for the "testing of white space devices... within State of CA." This means testing on TV Channels 7-51 with the exception of Channel 37 which is reserved for Radio Astronomy. Call sign WE2XXI. http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-288835A1.doc FCC TO HOLD OPEN COMMISSION MEETING ON THURSDAY, MARCH 5 This event will feature presentations and discussions on the DTV transition. http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-288922A1.doc o "...the Media Bureau announces that the rules adopted in the Commission’s Report and Order authorizing the use of distributed transmission system technologies in the digital television service are now in effect...." http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-528A1.doc (all: CGC Communicator March 1 via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) DTV SET-TOP-BOX CONVERTERS COMPARED Zenith/Insignia CECB vs. DigitalStream I have a Zenith DTT900 and my daughter's grandparents have a Digital Stream. I've "test driven" both (and posted my thoughts on WTFDA forums). While the Digital Stream looks "cheaper" (both its plastic cabinet and OSD graphics that look like they were designed in 1990), It does have its advantages over the "cuter" Zenith/Insignia. The Electronic Program Guide capabilities are FAR superior to the "now and next" EPG on the DTT900. The Digital Stream has the same desirable features the Zenith has (about the same sensitivity and multipath tolerance, direct numeric entry of an actual RF channel [provided it is not already a remembered virtual channel] and the capability to scan for additional channels without losing existing ones ["EZ Add" on the Zenith and "Update" on the DS]). I have seen word of a very few hardware fails with the Zenith. A more common problem with the Zenith is that is can "crash" like a computer, requiring the user to unplug the unit from the AC outlet and plug it back in (I personally have experienced once in about 10 months of use). The one caveat I would make about the Digital Stream would be its (at least, in my experience) inferior performance when used with its native RF modulator. If you have available RCA inputs on your set, the picture and sound are excellent, but if you want to use a CECB with a tuner-only set, or are using your inputs for a video game or DVD player, I would get the Zenith/Insignia, Sansonic or Zinwell (Robert Grant, March 1, WTFDA via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ TALKING HOUSE TRANSMITTER FOR SALE I wonder if this is a good deal. I was considering buying this for my school and having it in addition to the amateur radio setup I'm about to install. Any thoughts? THE "TALKING HOUSE" TRANSMITTER was originally manufactured for real estate agents and home owners who wanted to broadcast a recorded message advertising a house for sale. This transmitter is placed inside the home and it transmits messages and announcements that can be received on any standard AM radio. The transmitter closely resembles a small VCR and it will broadcast a 100 mW signal to any standard AM radio within range. The transmitter soon caught the interest of hobby radio enthusiasts and eventually it became a popular device for aspiring DJ's and announcers who wanted to create their own neighborhood radio station. The transmitter does not require any license to operate and it is completely self contained with everything necessary for easy set up and operation. It will broadcast on any frequency between 530 to 1700 kHz with 100 milliwatts output which is the full legal limit allowed for unlicensed operation. The transmitter features LED frequency selection that locks in for a drift free signal on the AM broadcast band. It even features a built in antenna tuner that will automatically calibrate the transmitter for maximum performance to the supplied antenna. The typical range using the supplied 10 foot wire antenna usually averages about ? mile in a suburban area. An external antenna can also be connected to the Remote Antenna Jack on the back panel. Audio can be recorded using built in microphone which stores a 5 minute message that continuously repeats on the audio loop chip. Live audio can also be fed using the Direct Live Input Feed Jack on the back panel. This transmitter can be used to broadscast local messages to recreation facilities, camp grounds, stadiums, block parties, neighborhood fairs, church and school events, or you can just have fun and set it up to create your own neighborhood radio station! Complete with AC adapter included. Excellent condition. Ready to go on the air! $50.00 + $15.00 shipping. Contact KA2EEV @ aol.com Please visit the following website for additional information on this transmitter http://www.actradio.com/another_use/anotheruse.html (Bert New, Watkinsville, Georgia, Feb 28, Proudly Serving You Since 1964! IRCA via DXLD) Bert, If it works and only $50, buy it!!! It is a steal. Those boxes an be quite expensive. In this day, you can't get much for $50 (Patrick Martin, KGED QSL Manager, ibid.) I have a talking house (Radio Realty brand) that I have had for quite a few years. It has front panel digital frequency selection. I used it to tune my analog GE SRIII to a specific frequency since the slide rule dial on the SRIII was just a guessing game. I'd set the transmitter to the frequency I wanted, peak tune the SRIII to the center of the frequency, turn the transmitter off, and the SRIII was perfectly tuned. The transmitter has a front panel peaking capacitor and a meter to allow you to tune to maximum output power on the selected frequency. It has a thick flexible rubber coated wire antenna coming out of the back. Ideally you would sit it near a window in the house you were selling, hang the antenna over a curtain rod, plug in a tape recorder, and let it run. I actually considered starting a small part-time business of renting these out to local realtors and setting them up on site about 10 years ago when the housing market was good. I once saw one of these in use at a self serve car wash to give instructions to the customers. Anyone ever see them used in businesses other than real estate? (Patrick Griffith, CBT CBNT CRO, Westminster CO, Feb 28, IRCA via DXLD) Funny you should ask. About three years ago, Honda had used them for about a month in the Metro Detroit area for their "talking billboard" advertising. I learned later this was done in only a few markets throughout the US. 73 de (Joe Miller, KJ8O, Troy, MI -- Grid EN82 -- WOW! Homepage http://www.wowway.com ibid.) I actually have a Talking house, too, the kind Patrick describes, that look like a VCR. Using a portable radio, if you run the wire antenna up the wall, you'll get about 500 feet or so. On a car radio, you'll see 1000 feet or so. If you have lots of obstructions in your way (unlike me) or poor ground conductivity (unlike me), your signal will be even worse. If you can put the Talking House next to a window and snake the wire antenna outside you'll fare much better. I've looked all over for those Range Extender kits, with the antenna tuning unit and antenna, and can't find them. They would improve your range quite a bit. HOWEVER, Talking House, etc et al. will NOT sell them to you if you didn't get your unit directly from them. The audio on them is OK, not great, but I`ve heard worse (Paul Walker, Ord NE, http://www.onairdj.com ibid.) FCC FORFEITURE WATCH - SELECTED ITEM The distributor of the Whole House FM Transmitter is in trouble with the Commission for, among other things, marketing a device with too much RF power. http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-437A1.doc (CGC Communicator March 1 via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ THE 11 YEAR SOLAR CYCLE Eleven years in the making, here's an interesting item showing SOHO ultraviolet imaging each year of the past solar cycle. To me, the view is both educational and awe inspiring. http://tinyurl.com/OneSolarCycle (Steve Blodgett (CGC Communicator March 1 via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) [CGC Editor's note: The sun goes through a natural 11-year sunspot cycle, from few visible spots to many and back again to few. This has a profound effect on high frequency (3-30 MHz) radio communications. Many spots make for good DX (distant communications). We are currently at a sunspot low. SOHO is the Solar & Heliospheric Observatory satellite launched December 2, 1995.] (ibid.) ###