DX LISTENING DIGEST 9-073, September 27, 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 2009 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1479, September 24-30, 2009 Thu 0530 WRMI 9955 Thu 1200 WRMI 9955 [new] Thu 1900 WBCQ 7415 9330-CUBS? Fri 0000 WBCQ 5110-CUSB Area 51 Fri 0100 WRMI 9955 Fri 1130 WRMI 9955 Fri 1430 WRMI 9955 Fri 1900 WBCQ 7415 9330-CUSB? Fri 2028 WWCR1 15825 Sat 0800 WRMI 9955 Sat 0800 IPAR/IRRS/NEXUS/IBA 9510 [except first Sat] Sat 1330 WRMI 9955 [new] Sat 1630 WWCR3 12160 Sun 0230 WWCR3 5070 Sun 0630 WWCR1 3215 Sun 0800 WRMI 9955 Sun 1515 WRMI 9955 Mon 0500 WRMI 9955 Mon 2200 WBCQ 7415 Tue 1100 WRMI 9955 Tue 1530 WRMI 9955 Tue 1900 WBCQ 7415 9330-CUSB? Wed 0700 WRMI 9955 [or new 1480 starting here?] Wed 1530 WRMI 9955 Wed 1900 WBCQ 7415 9330-CUSB? 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 ** ALBANIA. R. Tirana, Shijak, 7425 at 0342 in English. M discussing Balkan geography, female folk vocals, reception report read by W. SIO- 454, Good (M W Bryant, Rcvr: Eton E1XM, 70' longwire, Location: Central KY, US, Date: Sept. 23, ODXA yg via DXLD) ** ANTARCTICA. LRA36, 15476 + a smidgin, again putting in respectable signal from so far and so lowpowered, Sept 23 at 1925 woman talking in Spanish, 1930 to man singing about corazón with guitar, 1936 ID. Continued alternating talk and music segments, and at 2005 noticed the noise level increase, presumably start of QRDRM from Greenville. However, Jeff White says the DRM sked from Greenville changed Sept 22 to 1600-2000 on 9450 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) After a tip from Mark on Anglesea (I can see it from our seashore on a clear day), that he'd heard it the previous night, I also heard LRA36 at the same time as Glenn was listening, and at fair strength. I didn't note any QRM - just the usual local stuff. It must be - more or less - a total sea path to Mark and m (Noel R. Green (NW England), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ANTARTIDA, 15476, LRA 36 Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, Base Esperanza, 1825-1840, 23-09, canciones latinoamericanas, tangos, identificación por locutor: "Desde Base Esperanza transmite LRA 36, Radio Nacinal Arcángel San Gabriel, en español, por la frecuencia de 15476 kHz, de lunes a viernes para todo el mundo". Comentarios. 24322. (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, Escucha realizada en casco urbano de Lugo, Sony ICF SW 7600 G, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Maybe my best reception yet of LRA36, 15476, Sept 24 at 1835, with tango song, S9 peaks; 1839 clear timecheck for 3:39 as I rolled a semihour of tape and will report the results when I get around to listening to it. I did check the end of it at 1910 and the signal had weakened quite a bit (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Where is this Antarctica SW station broadcasting from - one of the research stations perhaps? I ask because a year from this December / January, I am going to be visiting the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia, and the Falklands for a month to study the wildlife. My wife, and of course the G8 and loop, will be tagging along, too. I do know of a few NDBs that are on the Antarctic Peninsula, too - PET 330 kHz Petrel Station (50 W), IRJ 360 kHz Isla Rey Jorge (1 kW), NHG 1600 kHz Palmer Station (25 W), and MBI 330 kHz at Marambio Airfield (50 W), but some of these may be the type of NDB common at remote locations that only operate when the pilot keys the mic on the VHF radio on approach to the landing strip, runs for about 30 minutes, then turns off again to save power (Darwin Long, Simi Valley, CA, ABDX via DXLD) LRA36 is at Esperanza Base on the peninsula. Should be a very interesting place to visit if you can include that. Will look forward to your DX observations from down there. 73, (Glenn, ibid.) Hola Glenn: ayer escuché por vez primera a LRA 36 - 15476 kHz - a la misma hora que la reportas tú y misma programación, de hecho en estos momentos 1936 UT la escucho igual que ayer con música folklorica sudamericana. Saludos, (Julián Santiago D. de B., DF, Sept 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) While LRA36 was at S9 level Sept 24 after 1800, not even a carrier detectable the next day, Sept 25 at 1802, 1830 and 2030 chex. Not much from LRA 15345 either. Nevertheless, solar flux for Sept 24 was still 75, and K index at 1800 Sept 25 was still 0 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. Hello! Some logs, from Equinox day: 6060 RAE in Spanish, at 2250, with time announcement as "diez horas y cinquenta minutos, tiempo universal" and "Actualidad DX". Weak/Fair. 34332 2209/09/22 Greetings from Portugal (Pedro Turner, CT2KET, Gondomar, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Should also be // 15345v, Tuesdays; +Fridays with another edition (gh) 15345.17 kHz, RAE Buenos Aires at 2140 UT, only program fragments traced under threshold (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, Sept 25, wwdxc BC- DX TopNews via DXLD) Confirmed Email address of Radio Station: argentinainternationalradio @ gmail.com RAE Argentina [GRDXC via Japan Premium via DXLD] ** AUSTRALIA. A list of outlets for the country-formatted X-band network Radio Goanna, taken from the station’s website http://www.thegoanna.com.au/ : 1611 Sydney, 1611 Grafton, 1611 Tamworth, 1620 Hobart, 1629 Dubbo, 1629 Bathurst, 1638 Brisbane, 1638 Armidale, 1638 Hobart, 1647 Canberra, 1701 Sydney (Bruce Portzer, DX Worldwide II, IRCA DX Monitor Sept 26 via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. 2485, ABC Katherine, 1320, Sept. 24. Call in show with questions about cars; weather forecast; ABC news; commentary about the recent Japanese elections; almost fair; // 2310 and 2325, both weak. Still heard at 1355 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. Daylight shifting in the parts of Australia that observe it begins October 4 (UT Oct 3), per http://www.timeanddate.com/time/dst2009b.html and not already this Sunday Sept 27 like NZ as implied in the WRN Guangdong special schedule under CHINA (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AZORES [non]. See PORTUGAL ** BANGLADESH. 4750, Bangladesh Betar, 1339, Sept. 26. Assume in scheduled Bengali; news and IDs ("Bangladesh Betar"); 1350 subcontinent music till suddenly off at a few seconds before 1400. Was well above the QRM, which I assume was CNR-1 and RRI (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, Dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BHUTAN. Re 9-072: BBS 6035 off air --- Update - 23rd Sept 09: BBS is still off the air as per my latest check on 6035 kHz on 23rd Sept at 0859 UT; however, its FM Relay on 90.00 MHz is loud & clear -- - there may be problem again with BBS shortwave transmitter. 73, (Gautam Sharma, Abhayapuri, Assam, India via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, dx_india yg via DXLD) Wonder how far you are from FM transmitter (gh) ** BIAFRA [non]. 17520 signal just barely audible, Friday Sept 25 at 1900, presumed still V. of Biafra International via WHRI. In order to reach as few SW listeners as possible, the website http://www.biafraland.com/vobi.htm still claims to be on 15280, Fridays at 2000, like it was briefly last year. Yet it has latest audio files (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Via U.S.A. 17520, Voice of Biafra Int, via WHRI, 1901-1915+, Sept 25, opening ID announcements at 1901 followed by English religious music. English talk at 1907 about local politics concerning Biafra/Nigeria. Poor. Weak in noisy conditions. Fridays only (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) ** BOLIVIA. 4835, Radio Virgen de los Remedios, Tupiza, 1110-1122, 18- 09, música de flauta, locutor "Vamos hacer una pausa", "Bolivia quiere seguridad". 24322 También 1105-1115, 19-09, locutor, comentarios, canciones, canción "Ana María se fué", del grupo Fórmula V. 25322. (Méndez) 6135, Radio Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, 1012-1023, 14-09, español, locutor, comentarios, señal muy débil. 14321 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, escuchas realizadas en Hotel Catalonia Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo, Península de Yucatán, México, entre los días 13 y 19 de Septiembre, Grundig Yacht Boy 400, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. 3309.96, R. Mosoj Chaski, Cochabamba, 0911-0923, Sept 23, listed Quechua. Canned announcement at tune-in with solid ID; W announcer talking over & between religious music selections; poor. 4699.34, R. San Miguel, Riberalta, 0122-0135, Sept 23, Spanish. M with talk & EZL music; ID at 0129; ad string until 0135; poor-fair (Scott R. Barbour Jr. Intervale, N.H. USA, NRD-545, RX-350D, MLB1, 200' Beverages, 60m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 4755, BRASIL, presumed R. Imaculada Conceição, Campo Grande, 0136, Sept 23, Portuguese. M announcer hosting call-in program; prays with callers; fair; didn't stick around for an ID (Scott R. Barbour Jr. Intervale, N.H. USA, NRD-545, RX-350D, MLB1, 200' Beverages, 60m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4755, Radio Imaculada Conceição, Campo Grande, 2225-2237, 16-09, locutor, locutora, comentario religioso, portugués. Muy débil. 14321. (Méndez) 6185, 1010-1025, 15-09, locutor, locutora, comentarios, identificación: "Radio Nacional da Amazonia", comentario sobre elecciones: "Tribunal Superior Electoral". 34433 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, escuchas realizadas en Hotel Catalonia Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo, Península de Yucatán, México, entre los días 13 y 19 de Septiembre, Grundig Yacht Boy 400, DX LISTENING DIGEST) R. Nacional Amazônia, Brasília on 6185 at 0247 in Portuguese. Screaming announcer with sound effects, screaming SCORE! for over a minute, must be a sports highlight program as one score after another is heard. Good signal, a little less strong than // 11780. A little stronger than co-channel R. Educación (Redsun RP2100, Mike Bryant, KY, Sept 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 4885, romantic music and Brazilian announcements between songs, presumed R. Clube do Pará, the usual 24-hour dominant here, but a long time since it overcame noise level enough and CODAR, Sept 25 at 0523-0529+ (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Ciao, I went some days to Elba Island (Tuscany, Italy). A really beautiful island. No noise too. I got with me ultralight receivers. Here some tips made with Grundig G6 Aviator (and its whip). 5990 22/9 2145-2200* Radio Senado, Brazil, Politics, IDs, off at 2200. Very strong, perfect! QTH: Poggio, Elba Island. Ciao (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italia, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. CFRB/CFRX --- Picking up from last month’s column, big news from heritage broadcaster CFRB (or at least what used to be CFRB) Hi Fred; Yesterday (September 21) CRFX was barely audible - running the 10 W backup xmtr? Today S10. Seems the replacement part finally arrived. Mark Heleniak The “other shoe” has dropped at CFRB/CFRX, including the dropping of the call letters --- from now on it`s Newstalk 1010, not CFRB. Pity. Another set of historic call signs goes into the trash. Of course if some of the past luminaries like Gordon Sinclair could see the station now, maybe they wouldn’t want to see it associated with CFRB, once Toronto’s --- perhaps Ontario’s authoritative news and information station. *** On Facebook: Scott Wallace changed the name of the group "The Official Newstalk 1010 CFRB Group" to "The Official Newstalk 1010 Group". *** SAY GOODBYE TO CFRB AS YOU KNOW IT By ROB GRANATSTEIN Last Updated: 22nd September 2009, 4:02am Legendary Toronto AM radio station CFRB is no more. As part of the overhaul of the station, the call letters are gone, to be replaced by Newstalk 1010. If you like history, you may not like this one. The letters date back to 1927, and stood for Canada's First Radio Batteryless, for the radio tube Edward S. Rogers, father of Ted Rogers, invented that increased the popularity of broadcasting. But, as one source said, changes were due. Turns out CFRB isn't broadcasting the way it used to. The station used to command Canada's largest listening audience. The latest ratings -- under the new and still being refined PPM metering system -- has them down in 10th place. Rival AM 640, with John Oakley in the morning, has surpassed the big boy on the block, and a refreshment was in order. After firing hosts Michael Coren and the Motts, the next shoe is dropping. More at: http://www.torontosun.com/comment/2009/09/22/11043651-sun.html JOHN TORY TAKING TO THE AIRWAVES Sep 23, 2009 04:30 AM, Vanessa Lu, City Hall Bureau Chief For John Tory, hosting a radio talk show has always been a dream. And with NewsTalk 1010 CFRB expected to announce today that its new format will put the former provincial Tory leader in the coveted weekday afternoon drivehome slot, city hall watchers say it's the perfect spot to kick off a possible mayoral bid. [This Tory is axually named Tory? Since birth? How convenient --- gh] Tory is considering a rematch against Mayor David Miller, who beat him in 2003. Deputy Premier George Smitherman is also weighing a bid. "It's a great place to launch a political rebirth," Councillor Adam Vaughan, a former Citytv political reporter, said of the radio show. "It's a platform to respond to the news of the day, get your perspective out, and hear from the public." (snip) Others aren't so sure. "He's a nice guy. He was a great executive at Rogers. He decides to lead a party that hated him," said Councillor Kyle Rae, who doesn't think Tory will run for mayor. "He shoots himself in both feet during the provincial election. "And the cruel vengeance of fate is he has to talk to the listeners of CFRB." http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/699480 The new line up at CFRB --- oops --- Newstalk 1010 looks something like this. Bill Carroll is bumped from morning drive to 9am. John Moore becomes the “morning guy”. Jim Richards takes over at 1 pm and John Tory gets afternoon drive. Already the speculation is that Tory will use this as a springboard to another run for mayor of Toronto in November 2010. He lost to David Miller in 2003. However, the plot has since thickened, as Miller has decided to not seek a third term. Tory might have defeated Miller head to head. In a straight fight between Smitherman and Tory, I don’t see how Tory could win, in left leaning Toronto. During the next 14 months it will all play out on our radio dials (all via Fred Waterer, Ont., Programming Matters, Oct ODXA Listening In via DXLD) They may quit mentioning CFRB calls on the air (did they ever mention CFRX? Ha! Why not `Newstalk 60-70`??) but no doubt those are still the official callsigns, and we are entitled to keep calling them that whether they like it or not. (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** CANADA. CHNX 6130, Halifax NS, illustrated historical article: http://www.odxa.on.ca/ArticlesOct09.pdf (Oct ODXA Listening In via DXLD) ** CANADA [non]. 13810, Sat Sept 26 at 1828 giving Toronto address in English to 1829*. Per HFCC this is DTK via the doomed Jülich site; per Aoki it is Bible Voice in Somali until 1830 on weekends only via Wertachtal. Surely GERMANY, anyway (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) "DTK" in the broadcaster column of HFCC files means not more than "unspecified program content". And for this particular transmission the site is indeed Jülich. For being sure one should really consult the schedules published by the Media Broadcast shortwave office in Cologne. The schedules for programming brokered by Bible Voice Broadcasting and Pan American Broadcasters is extremely complex, and in some cases it involves using Jülich at one day of the week and Wertachtal at others. (And, just with Nauen and/or Issoudun instead of Jülich, this practice could well continue in future.) By the way, the end of transmissions from Jülich indeed found some attention in German broadcasting circles, in fact to my surprise. They also started to discuss how Jülich had strangely been hardly used anymore, apparently unaware of the real reason (DW's withdrawal from the Wertachtal and Nauen transmitters, of course). Somebody also gossips that Landesanstalt für Medien at Düsseldorf insisted on having a say in what is transmit from Jülich, although this is not their business at all, unless it are explicitely domestic services, officially aiming at audiences within Germany (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA [and non]. Blackburn's new kid on the Windsor, Ontario block, country station CJWF-FM, has started testing on 95.9. That's the same frequency as London's powerhouse CFPL-FM. And the University of Windsor's CJAM-FM will be moving to 99.1 from the 91.5 spot it has occupied for 26 years — much to the relief of those of us annoyed by the local campus station's sideswiping of University of Michigan's WUOM at 91.7. The switchover occurs at midnight Oct. 5. Windsor is just across the river from Detroit, Michigan. The Windsor Star reports on the move at http://www.windsorstar.com/news/CJAM+ready+move+dial/2027335/story.html (Harry Van Vugt, Ont., Sept 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Loud and clear here at 1843 [UT Sept 24]. I could never hear CJAM in the far western Detroit suburbs. It's audible in the north/south suburbs. I wonder how the new frequency will turn out. 99.1 is also WFMK East Lansing, which comes in well here. Thanks and 73, (Liz Cameron, MI, ibid.) ** CANADA. The application for a new AM station in Gatineau Quebec (across the river from Ottawa ON) which will relay CIRA-FM Montreal (French) on 1350 (1 kW day, 180 watts night) has been approved by the CRTC: CIRA-FM Montréal – New transmitter in Gatineau 1. The Commission approves the application by Radio Ville-Marie to amend the broadcasting licence for the French-language specialty FM radio programming undertaking CIRA-FM Montréal in order to operate an AM transmitter in Gatineau, Quebec. The Commission received interventions in support of this application. 2. The new transmitter will operate at 1350 kHz with a daytime transmitter power of 1,000 watts and a night-time transmitter power of 180 watts. 3. The licensee indicated that the addition of the transmitter in Gatineau will allow it to respond to the requests for the service from that region’s population. 4. The Commission reminds the licensee that pursuant to section 22(1) of the Broadcasting Act, this authority will only be effective when the Department of Industry notifies the Commission that its technical requirements have been met and that a broadcasting certificate will be issued. 5. The transmitter must be operational at the earliest possible date and in any event no later than 24 months from the date of this decision, unless a request for an extension of time is approved by the Commission before 23 September 2011. In order to ensure that such a request is processed in a timely manner, it should be submitted in writing at least 60 days before that date. 73, (via Deane McIntyre, VE6BPO, DXLD) ** CHAD, 7120, RNT, off the air. Not heard at various checks between 1900-2000 on Sept 25. (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) ** CHINA [and non]. CRI ONLINE WITH 6 NEW LANGUAGES Today I was asked to write a commentary for the China Times http://news.chinatimes.com/ about Chinese media/jamming and how the west does not care that the CPC/CRI is using its own airwaves. Since I originally wrote it in Chinese. Here is the translated version. September 24, 2009 China Times Yesterday I read both at the Xinhua website and on Media Network at the Radio Netherlands site about China Radio International launching six new online languages. Which made me think, The Chinese are doing it again. What are the political motives of launching such languages? Now I want to state here and now that my next statement is meant as disrespect to anyone who uses the following languages as a native tongue. But to add Belarusian, Greek, Norwegian, Hebrew, Dutch (seriously) and Icelandic (seriously) is well --- Hummm! I mean, while they`re at it, why not add Galaputic spoken on the Island of Wawalulu? Well it`s very simple. CRI wants to have its programs air domestically in these countries. This is not the first time they did such a move. I am so sure about this, I am willing to bet 500 USD with anyone who wants to take the bet. In the next 2 ½ years CRI`s programs will broadcast domestically in Holland, Norway, Israel and the rest. What amazes me is that no one in the West is doing anything to have VOA, BBC, DW, RNW, RCI, REE, RFI or RS air in China. To me this shows the one-sided view of China by most people in the West. Stations like one in Hawaii just take the money and don`t care about China`s poor human rights record, organ harvesting, journalists and bloggers being detained for reporting critically about the Communist Party. The entire West has done nothing but kiss the backside of the communists. China says jump, they jump! China tells foreign leaders not to meet the Dalai Lama, foreign leaders cancel meetings, China tells the organizers of a book fair who not to invite; the organizers first do what they`re told, then because of pressure stick up to China. Has anyone in the West stuck up to China and said, ``We would love to broadcast CRI on AM and FM for you, on the condition that you allow Western stations to do the same? The answer? No. Any ``cooperation`` that has been done with China since 1989 has been one-sided. And the media are the worst. After having lived in China for just over eight years, I really feel that most people in the West are hypercritical [sic] when it comes to China. Cuba and North Korea both have horrible records on human rights. But I would bet you anything that if Radio Havana Cuba or Voice Of Korea contacted a US station to relay on AM/FM they would be turned down. But China --- you`re more than welcome. From 1949 to 1979 it has been estimated by some NGOs that the Communists killed nearly 12 million people. In 2008 China sentenced to death over 30,000 people. And an estimated 65% of them had their organs sold off. A labor camp located in Xinjiang has been reported to be detaining political prisoners who have had their kidneys removed and sold. But yet the west welcomes China with open arms to have their propaganda air over domestic relays. Now some people might say "in Hong Kong you can hear foreign broadcasters online and some cable systems". But even though HK returned to China in 1997, it`s totally different. In many ways HK is only part of China in name. For the past few weeks I have been trying to interview someone from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Geneva, Switzerland. So far I have sent out 8 e-mails, and have made a number of phone calls to discuss radio jamming. Well, the ITU, being part of the United Nations, is very good at answering without answering. After many attempts I managed to talk to Sanjay Acharya in the Media Relations Department at the ITU. My first question to him was, ``What is the ITU`s position on radio jamming?`` His answer? Bla blab la. Bla blab la bla blab la. Do do do, ding ding ding ding ding. Blab la bla. My second and third questions more or less got the same answer. Towards the end of our conversation I decided to ask him the same question again. What is the ITU`s position on radio jamming? This time he answered. Boy, did he answer. I`m not sure if he let his guard down, but he said, ``Well, radio interference is a problem that many countries have. Even countries in the West interfere with other stations.`` I then said, ``You say radio interference, can you give me an example of some other countries that jam or interfere with SW signals from another country?`` His answer made wonder if he knew what he was talking about. He said, ``The United States interferes with Cuba.`` I the asked him to clarify that statement. He then said, bla la blab la blab la bal bla. I asked again. This time he said, ``The United States could interfere with SW signals from another country.`` I asked. Do they? He said ``blab la blablablablabla ding ding dong.`` At this point, I called the head of the Asia section of the ITU and asked them if they would be willing to do an interview. They said, yes, right away. Then I told them what the subject was, and the "yes" promptly turned to ``we`d get back to you``. More phone calls and emails followed with he head of the department suggesting I talk with Sanjay Acharya. I came full circle. Now will people in the West start putting pressure to make these relays fairer? I don`t think so. I personally feel no one cares. Why no one cares? No one cares about the misinformation on the air in the US, UK, Australia and other places from China. Just as no one cares that China`s citizens have websites blocked, radio signals jammed and foreign stations prevented from having domestic relays on FM or AM. I think the main reason is. most people in the West are more than welcome to sit on their behinds, be moral vacuums and not raise these issues, all so they can buy cheap goods. Well if you don`t care, then maybe you should offer Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Vietnam, Venezuela, and Myanmar the same use of the airwaves (Keith Perron, Taiwan, Sept 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) > most people in the West are hypercritical when it comes to China I guess in the Chinese original it's "hypocritical," right? Keith, do you have any insider's knowledge on Radio 86 - its origins, structure, editorial policies, etc.? To better understand the US position on China, you should watch this brief CNBC comment from last year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5t67Goh__MI CNBC'S ERIN BURNETT: WE NEED CHINA'S TOXIC FOOD AND LEAD "A lot of people like to say, uh, scaremonger about China, right? A lot of politicians, and I know you talk about that issue all the time. I think people should be careful what they wish for on China. Ya know, if China were to revalue its currency or China is to start making say, toys that don't have lead in them or food that isn't poisonous, their costs of production are going to go up and that means prices at Wal- Mart here in the United States are going to go up too. So, I would say China is our greatest friend right now, they're keeping prices low and they're keeping the prices for mortgages low, too." Cheers, (Sergei S., IL, ibid.) After living there for just over 8 years, trust me, the government will never get its act together to make lead-free toys and improve food safety. Corruption is too high and too many people have their hands in dirty money. I already asked someone about radio86; so far my sources in Beijing told me it's part of CRI.com. Here in Taiwan finding labels that say Made In China is not easy. People here would rather pay more to buy from Japan and South Korea than buy from China (Keith Perron, ibid.) see RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM Here's a current discussion on Radio 86: http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/cri-online-launches-six-language-services#comments To be fair, some China-made SW receivers and transmitters are pretty good. Most clothes, shoes, toys and electronic equipment sold in the US appear to be Made in China. Which makes it really difficult for me to find a gift for my overseas friends, as they usually expect to get something Made in USA. China-made things sold in the US usually have a reasonable quality, as related to their price. [see RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM!] Just noticed that CRI's Belarusian site has links to Chinese lessons. The lessons are titled "We all speak Chinese." If you click it, you get to the scripts of the Russian-based Chinese lessons with many Chinese symbols. No audio is provided and there are no transcripts for those Chinese symbols. At least, they are simplified, right? ;) 73! (Sergei S., ibid.) Viz.: CRI ONLINE LAUNCHES SIX LANGUAGE SERVICES September 23rd, 2009 - 16:45 UTC by Andy Sennitt. CRI Online, the multi-language website of China Radio International (CRI), formally launched six more foreign language services today, bringing the total number of language services operated on CRI Online to 59. The six new website editions include Belarusian (belarusian.cri.cn), Dutch (nl.radio86.com), Greek (greek.cri.cn),Hebrew (hebrew.cri.cn), Icelandic (is.radio86.com) and Norwegian (no.radio86.com), CRI president Wang Gengnian told press in Beijing. The six newly-launched news services are the first of their kind in their own native languages in China, Mr Wang said, adding that they provide information about business, culture and tourism in China, and offer Chinese music and free online Chinese classes, via their multimedia platforms in the form of texts, photos, and audio and video webcasts. “This is also CRI Online’s latest move in further consolidating its cutting edge in multi-language services and enhancing its capacity in international broadcasts and communication, following its earlier online services launched in Ukrainian and Croatian in 2008,” he said. CRI Online, officially launched in 1998, offers 59 language services and 18 webcast stations. (Source: Xinhua) 11 Comments on “CRI Online launches six language services” 1. #1 Mark on Sep 24th, 2009 at 01:57 Icelandic! It’s so surreal. CRI is really one of a kind. 2. #2 SRG on Sep 24th, 2009 at 15:06 Mark, and this is only the beginning! 3. #3 SRG on Sep 24th, 2009 at 15:30 Hmmm. Just noticed that Dutch, Icelandic and Norwegian online services are run under the auspices of Radio 86. This is getting confusing. What’s exactly the relation between CRI and Radio 86? Obviously they are financed from the same source. But what about programming and editorial control? It seems that Radio 86 is a CRI project whose programming is prepared or translated outside of China. Of course, formally Radio 86 is “a subsidiary of FutuVision Media Ltd.” headquartered in Tampere, Finland. Radio 86 could have been set up for easier access to local stations in N. Europe. Note an impressive list of FM-affiliates in Finland + some other countries: http://www.radio86.co.uk/explore-learn/listen-to-our-radio-programs CRI AM relay in Finland is hidden under the umbrella of Radio 86, too. Curiously, both Radio 86 and CRI run English and French Services. So there’s some overlap. More on Radio 86: http://www.radio86.co.uk/about-radio86 4. #4 Andy Sennitt on Sep 24th, 2009 at 15:55 The parent company of Radio 86, Futuvision, has a website at http://www.futuvision.com In the section devoted to Futuvision Media you can find the names and email addresses of the senior staff, who all appear to be Finnish except for Zhao Yinong, the MD. It also says that “Linda Sigurdardottir, Michel Faas and Björn Olstad will be in charge, respectively, of the Icelandic, Dutch and Norwegian content.” I guess they are all bilingual and translate Chinese content into their respective languages. I doubt they have the freedom to produce their own content. It says, among other things: “FutuVision Group is composed of three companies in Finland and five affiliates in China. What unites us under the collective name of FutuVision Group is our common mission to serve as a bridge between China and Europe.” “FutuVision Media is a rapidly growing company with about 20 employees in Finland and several freelancers based around the world.” Five radio stations are mentioned as partners, but not CRI. I guess that’s further evidence that Radio 86 *is* CRI under another name. 5. #5 SRG on Sep 24th, 2009 at 17:38 The past job postings on radio86.com didn’t say anything about the Chinese language skills requirement. The ability to move to Tampere, Finland was always mentioned and - sometimes - ‘ability to work in an English-speaking professional environment’. So I guess they are mostly working with English scripts. Each language service seems to be manned with one or two people. I guess the whole operation can be described as an EU service for new languages. 6. #6 Kai Ludwig on Sep 24th, 2009 at 22:02 Same story than with the broadcasts in Estonian and Lithuanian, as we discussed at http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/china-radio-international-now-relayed-via-finland-on-mediumwave This also leads to the question if these new language services are really online-only or radio broadcasts will start as well, perhaps even are already on air. 7. #7 SRG on Sep 25th, 2009 at 01:04 Kai, some job announcements did specify a need for a “good radio voice.” But not all of them. Archive.org is good for checking whom they’ve been hiring and when. 8. #8 Graham Smith on Sep 25th, 2009 at 03:24 86 is the telephone dialling code for China. 9. #9 Keith Perron on Sep 25th, 2009 at 03:39 For CRI to do such a move is very political. I would place bets to see how long before CRI is broadcast on domestic AM/FM. I mean really Icelandic, Dutch? 10. #10 Andy Sennitt on Sep 25th, 2009 at 08:58 Well, to be fair you can’t compare Icelandic and Dutch. Icelandic is spoken by around 300,000 people, Dutch by 21 million. But that said, people who speak those languages mostly have a very good command of English as a second language. 11. #11 Andy Sennitt on Sep 25th, 2009 at 10:29 Kai, re your comment #5 : The complete schedule of Radio86 broadcasts in all languages is available at http://www.radio86.co.uk/explore-learn/listen-to-our-radio-programs (Media Network blog comments via DXLD) > China tells the organizers of a book fair in Germany who not to > invite the organizers first do what there told, then because of > pressure stick up to China. However, it brought them quite bad press. In the broadcasting field about ten years ago attempts were being made to establish an airtime exchange between DW and CRI. Even a schedule for CRI relays via Wertachtal already existed (which would have made CRI a bedfellow of RFA in Tibetan, ATOMROFL), but in the end somebody pulled the emergency brake. And as I wrote here recently: I still consider it has unthinkable in Germany to lease out a mediumwave frequency to China, as Finland does. > For the past few weeks I have been trying to interview someone > from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) in Geneva, > Switzerland. Reminds me of another story: Japan voiced heavy threats against North Korea that they would immediately raise the case with the ITU if North Korea dares to jam the Furusato no Kaze transmissions from Yamata, because they would consider this as hostile action. Of course North Korea jams these transmissions. So which action did the ITU take, since Japan must have filed an official complaint? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Sept 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. China/Taiwan --- October is a month of anniversaries, in both the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of China on Taiwan. October 1 marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the PRC. October 10, or “Double Ten Day” meanwhile is the national day on the island of Taiwan, marking the anniversary of the start of the Wuchang Uprising of October 10, 1911, which led to the collapse of the Qing Dynasty in China and establishment of the Republic of China on January 1, 1912. The celebration in the People’s Republic is spectacular. A trip to the CRI website will give you a link to page after page marking the celebration of this milestone. On Taiwan meanwhile the celebrations are more muted due to the damage and death toll due to the recent typhoon. First we go to Beijing, where they plan to throw quite a party. Among the articles on the 60th anniversary was this one on the evolution of radios in China. THE EVOLUTION OF RADIOS Web Editor: Zhang Xu The Chinese have enjoyed radio broadcasts for the last six decades since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. During the years, advancements in radio broadcast technology have reflected the country's economic and cultural development. 1949: New China's Founding Ceremony on the Radio . . . [much more] http://english.cri.cn/6909/2009/09/21/2021s517217.htm According to this National Post article, one thing not welcome at the celebrations of the founding of the People’s Republic is --- umm --- the people. “When asked if ordinary citizens could come and join in the celebration of the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, watch as the parade makes its way along Chang'an Ave. to Tiananmen Square, a spokesperson at the 60th anniversary press office said: "No." “Invitations, accreditation or special passes are de rigueur for anyone who wants to get near the parade route or the gala show and fireworks later in the evening. Even people who live along the route have been warned not to come out on their balconies to watch the festivities. They are allowed to look out of their "closed" windows, but have been advised they will get a better view on the television.” Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=2023991 No doubt as October 1 approaches, CRI will be our window onto these celebrations. Stay tuned (Fred Waterer, Ont., Programming Matters, Oct ODXA Listening In via DXLD) ** CHINA. 9450 Xi Wang Zhi Sheng SOH (Sound of Hope via Taiwan) at 1408-1424 Chinese, OM and YL announcers with vocal music and talk. F-G signal (Richard Bianchino, Las Vegas, NV USA, Kaito KA1103 (battery powered), telescopic antenna, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Hi Richard, Enjoy seeing your various logs, but perhaps you could recheck 9450. Believe you will find it is CNR-1 jamming SOH. There are so many of these SOH frequencies that are jammed by CNR-1 echo programming or Firedrake (non-stop Chinese music jamming). Wish you good listening! (Ron Howard, to Richard, Sept 16, cc to DXLD) Viz.: CHINA. 9450, CNR-1 echo jamming, 1452, Sept 16. Strong jamming of SOH, which I was unable to hear at all; parallel and one second slower than 5030 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1) Thanks Ron, I´m still learning new SWL tricks. One that I haven´t mastered yet involves jamming. So I'm a little confused as to what you're saying. Do you mean that I wasn't actually listening to SOH but to a signal by CNR-1? Because what I heard sounded like regular programming and not what I think of as jamming. Reporting jamming can be a problem if one does not fully understand it. I think I'm getting the hang of Firedrake, but can you explain what "echo jamming" is? Again thanks for the help. With emails like yours I just one day may get the hang of the more technical aspects of SWL (Richard Bianchino, Sept 20, ibid.) Hi Richard, There are two types of Chinese jamming that are directed against such stations as Sound of Hope, Radio Free Asia, BBC, etc. that broadcast in Chinese or similar language (Tibetan, etc.). One is “Firedrake”, which is just non-stop Chinese music (similar to Chinese opera music, but never with any singing, just loud music). The second type is what I believe you heard. It is regular CNR-1 programming that they transmit from one or more sites, with two or more transmitters and out of sync, causing a very distinctive echo effect to the audio, which makes it almost impossible to to hear (or understand) the underlying station. Which of course is the whole purpose of the jamming. The CNR-1 programming can be confirmed by checking for a parallel with a known (non-jamming) CNR-1 frequency. I use 5030 kHz. to hear if the programming matches up as the same. Recently there are some frequencies that actually use both Firedrake and CNR-1 echo jamming, just to be doubly sure no one can hear the jammed station. The attached audio has about 30 seconds of typical CNR-1 echo jamming, with the remaining audio being the Firedrake. Recorded Sept. 17. CNR-1 echo jamming on 9905 kHz, at 1524 UT, against R. Free Asia (please note that RFA is not heard at all). Firedrake on 9000 kHz at 1525 UT, against Sound of Hope (please note they were also not heard at all). Hope this will help clarify the situation some. Wish you good listening! (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, ibid.) A number of other listeners could benefit from this explanation, so I hope they are reading it (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) Firedrakes noted 0200-0225 UT on 11710 kHz on Sept 16 and 0730-0755 UT on 14990 kHz on Sept 17 (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, Sept 20, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 27 via DXLD) Firedrake Sept 23: at 1354, nothing on 8400, poor on 9000. Firedrake Sept 24 at 1351: 9000 fair with flutter, 8400 nothing. I am beginning to miss the hourly concert inbooming on several higher frequencies each morning. Yeah, right. Firedrake Sept 25: at 1340, equally poor but audible on 8400, 9000; nothing on 10210 or other higher frequencies, except for the usual // mix on 12040 with CNR1 and VOA. Firedrake Sept 26 at 1305: poor on 8400, good on 9000. Firedrake Sept 27: at 1307, nothing on 8400, good on 9000 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 6035, PBS Yunnan/Voice of Shangri-La, 1247, Sept. 24. In Vietnamese; pips; nice to hear they still use the English ID (“This is the Voice of Shangri-La brought to you from Yunnan Radio”); QRM from sign on of BBC (1300); after BBC signed off (1330), Yunnan was below threshold level (carrier only). The 6027 and 6043 spurs continue to be absent. No sign of BBS/Bhutan (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. 6065, CNR-2/CBR, 1602-1605*, Sept. 26. EZL Chinese music till off; fair. Very weak station heard after sign off; perhaps Zambia. Jamming, 2010, Sept. 25. Both Firedrake and CNR-1 echo jamming against RFA on 9850, 11700 and 11740 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 5925, Voice of Zonghua. 1128-1135 September 27, 2009. Chinese patter between man and woman, probable ID at 1130:40 but not copied, seemingly commercials followed by news items with field reports. Very good, but I am merely presuming the network. No parallels found. Correct me if I am wrong on the network, as I can't keep track of the domestic and to-Taiwan ChiCom networks, with no thanks to the WRTVH's perpetually inaccurate real services names listings (CNR append a number), etc. 13610, CPBS1, Nanning. 1159-1210 September 27, 2009. Again, presuming the network. Time sounders 1200 (long final one), into Chinese man and woman news, fill music sound effects. Clear, good and no parallels found (Terry Krueger, Clearwater FL, Sept 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Frequency change of China Radio International in English/Bulgarian: 2000-2057 NF 11940 KUN 500 kW / 300 deg, co-ch RRI English from 2030, ex 7315 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 25 Sept via DXLD) ** CHINA [and non]. Venerdì 25 settembre 2009. 1455 - 11770 kHz, PBS XINJIANG - Urumqi, Radioteatro. Segnale sufficiente-buono. 1. Dalle 1500 in sottofondo un segnale fuori frequenza che poi si è stabilizzato, forse V of Nigeria. 2. XRadio Tambov (CVC) Juelich assente, così come CVC Int. su 17770 kHz. Forse hanno già chiuso? (Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova) Italia, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) ** CHINA. La radio de la revolución --- La emisora 491, la más antigua de China, anunció el 1 de octubre de 1949 el nacimiento de la República Popular http://www.publico.es/culturas/255354/radio/revolucion (via José Miguel Romero, Spain, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) WTFK? Looks like designating transmitter sites by numbers goes back to the beginning. Long historical article (gh, DXLD) ** CHINA. Dear Listener, From 26th of September Radio Guangdong is celebrating the Peoples’ Republic of China’s 60th anniversary. This special newsletter is to draw your attention to this event and the plans we have in store for our listeners throughout the world. For many years the English service of Radio Guangdong, in collaboration with WRN, has been bringing news and views from this Southern Chinese province to our worldwide audience. The colourful shows feature various film stars and celebrities from the region as well as people from outside of China who have decided to make Guangzhou their new home. To highlight the 60th anniversary, WRN will be broadcasting a variety of special mini feature programmes from Radio Guangdong throughout the week of September 26th – October 3rd. These shows will bring you even more of the Cantonese sounds and flavours and will no doubt leave you wanting to know more about this very special place. Catch an opportunity to win an iPod nano and other great prizes during Guangdong week on WRN! Send an e-mail to rg@wrn.org and tell us where you live and what you think about “Guangdong Today”. ______________________________________________________ The broadcast times of “Guangdong Today”: On WRN English for Europe: Saturday 1800 European time / 1700 in Britain and Ireland Saturday 2145 European time / 2045 in Britain and Ireland On WRN to North America: Saturday 1200 Eastern / 0900 Pacific time Sunday 2030 Eastern / 1730 Pacific time On WRN to Africa and Asia Pacific: Saturday 0015 Universal time / 1115 AEDT Saturday 1600 Universal time / 0200 AEDT Saturday 2045 Universal time / 0645 AEDT Sunday 0800 Universal time / 1900 AEDT (WRN English Newsletter in advance via dxldyg via DXLD) AEDT [sic]; see AUSTRALIA I made a point of listening to the publicized Guangdong special on WRN webcast, Sat Sept 26 at 1600. It was 15 minutes made up of 3 or 4 modules, each with the same open and close, propaganda praising Guangzhou as the most prosperous province in China, and we are really supposed to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Commie revolution? What no one seems to realize is that if China had had a capitalist revolution in 1949 it would have reached its present state of economic development much sooner, minus megaChinese murdered, and with freedom to boot! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. Sept 25 TP DX - Mind boggling --- TP conditions this morning were nothing short of fantastic. Not just the best this season but the best in several years here. I've had Grayland DXpeditions that weren't as productive. Mind you, this was all done while I slept (I went to bed late last night), but that's what SDR's are for. The highlight of the morning was hearing CHINA on 1170 mixing with KBS and KPUG. Before 1300 I had KBS World Radio in Japanese sometimes topping KPUG. At 1300 there were 3+1 pips from KBS mixing with 5+1 pips from China, of which the final, longer one coincided with the CBS news sounder on KPUG. A moment later, I was blown away by CNR's familiar theme tune followed by a clear "Zhongyang Renmin Guangbo Dientai" ID by a man. CNR1 has outlets listed in Guangdong province - perhaps one of them boosted power recently to counteract the co- channel VOA broadcasts. So if anyone hears Chinese on 1170, it's either KBS, VOA or CNR. Take your pick (Bruce in Seattle Portzer, SDR- IQ receiver, K9AY antenna, IRCA via DXLD) I heard time pips at 1300, though, Bruce. No SDR recordings earlier, just at 1259 onward. I also listened to my 1170 and could make out the KBS World Radio signature tune, and another oriental speaker, but a bit too jumbled for me. For whatever reason (perhaps the Perseus has to "warm-up"), things don't pick up here until perhaps 1320 or later. That's why I haven't bothered to check earlier than 1300. Another real possibility is the large amount of domestic splatter which negates a lot of the TP signal strength, and closer to local dawn, they are starting to disappear. Those Alaskans also heard here today, but not as good as a week or two ago (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria BC, ibid.) ** COLOMBIA. 1000, RCN Cartagena, 1027-1043, 14-09, locutor: "Escuchan Radio Sucesos RCN", noticias de Colombia y de Cartagena. Por detrás se escucha Radio Mil de México. 33333. (Méndez) 1100, Caracol Radio, Barranquilla, 1027-1035, 15-09, locutor, locutora, noticias, identificación: "Caracol Radio, 5 horas 28 minutos", noticias de Barranquilla. 24322. (Méndez) 1170, Caracol Radio, Cartagena, 1019-1027, 15-09, locutor: "En Caracol Radio son las 5 de la mañana con 20 minutos", "Caracol Radio", "Temperatura en Cartagena 26º". 24322. (Méndez) 1190, La Voz de la Costa, Barranquilla, 1047-1055, 17-07, locutora, identificación: "La Voz de la Costa, 1190 AM, Barranquilla", comentarios. 23222. (Méndez) 1270, La Cariñosa, Antena 2, Cartagena, 1035-1047, 17-07, noticias y sucesos de Cartagena, llamadas telefónicas de oyentes sobre quejas del municipio. 24322. 5910, Marfil Estéreo, Puerto Lleras, 2358-0012, 14-09, canciones latinoamericanas, comentario religioso, identificación: "Marfil Estereo". 24322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, escuchas realizadas en Hotel Catalonia Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo, Península de Yucatán, México, entre los días 13 y 19 de Septiembre, Grundig Yacht Boy 400, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. W. Curt Deegan in Florida, investigating the "warbler" heard on various frequencies, see http://ScooterHound.com/WWWR/wobbler is quoted in David Hamilton´s blog http://band1tvdx.blogspot.com/2009/09/20-september-2009-cont.html as saying that he believes the 930 wobbler is located in Ciego de Avila, Cuba. Coincidentally, Eric Söderman, in Sweden, has come forth with a clear ID of Radio Surco, CMIP, on 1140, which presumably is a move from listed 930 (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, Sept 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 550, Radio Rebelde, Pinar del Río o Guantánamo, 1030-1035, 14-09, programa "Haciendo Radio". 33333. (Méndez) 610, Radio Rebelde, Bahía Honda, 1036-1041, 14-09, "Seis treinta y seis, seguimos Haciendo Radio". 24322. (Méndez) 960, Radio Reloj, La Habana, 1025-1033, 13-09, locutor, locutora, noticias, "Radio Reloj, seis 25 minutos". 45444. (Méndez) 1020, Radio Reloj, 1033-1037, 15-09, noticias, identificación: "Radio Reloj, seis y treinta y tres". 34333. (Méndez) 1040, Radio Cadena, La Habana, 1029-1045, 15-09, locutor, locutora, comentarios, identificación: "Radio Cadena Habana, son las seis y treinta de la mañana". 34433. (Méndez) 1110, Radio Angùlo, Holguín, 2358-0007, 15-09, locutor, comentario, identificación: "Radio Angùlo". 34333 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, escuchas realizadas en Hotel Catalonia Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo, Península de Yucatán, México, entre los días 13 y 19 de Septiembre, Grundig Yacht Boy 400, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Angulo really has no accent on it, but we put a backwards one on to make it clear that is a different word than ángulo = angle (gh, DXLD) ** CUBA. Glenn, Radio Rebelde on 6030 with DCJC jamming (Charles Taylor, NC, 0252 UT Sept 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) What about Radio Martí. How about a few more details, like how you know it was Rebelde (Glenn to Charles, via DXLD) Glenn, I was listening on the 49-metre band on 6030-kHz during periods when 5890-kHz was in use. 6030-kHz has apparently DCJC jammers on always. I heard a clear "Radio Rebelde" ID thru DCJC jammers (Charles Taylor, NC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Not clear what 5890 has to do with this; in use by whom? Scheduled with VOA Spanish at 23-24 only, WWCR from 0200. VOA would be jammed even tho it`s not especially about Cuba, and the jamming could extend far beyond that hour altho I have not noticed it on 5890. With Cuba anything can happen, but audiblizing R. Rebelde mixed with their own jamming on 6030 would be something else new. Later that night at 0649, I checked 6030 and 7405 and found them in // discussing Nicaragua, surely Martí, vs jamming at different levels. Charlie, please don`t take offense, but I wonder if some medications you are on could be affecting what you are hearing? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, Now come there! I'm crazy for certain! But I'm hearing all these Cubans despite, and not because of my sanity or my medications! Absolutely no offense! LOL!! My antenna is an excellent EWE antenna, lobe toward Caribbean. (Charles, deranged Viêt-Nam veteran, hi) [see DOMINICAN REPUBLIC] More unlocated Radio Enciclopedia stations --- Glenn, Just last night, logged another Radio Enciclopedia Popular station on 1680. Heard a Radio Enciclopedia Popular station on 1570, but recorder wasn't running. And of course the Radio Enciclopedia Popular station on 1620. Thought the 1680 outlet might be a 2nd harmonic, but the math is not right. I've logged Radio Enciclopedia Popular station on 810, location unknown. 1620/2 = 810, but 1620 was too strong to be a harmonic unless 810 was mistuned. Wonder why I'm the only one hearing these Cubans. Maybe I need an Ultra-light receiver so I can hear nothing of interest. Doing some SW work. Nothing significant. My wife's DirecTV modem emits a terrible RFI over the range of 2 - 4 MHz. So no tropical DX (Charles (the Cuban-plagued, but willing DXer) Taylor, NC, Sept 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. RHC check Sept 23 at 0640: Spanish on 11760, 6140, 6120, 6000; English during hilife music on 6060 ex-6006 and 6010. Could be leaning toward Africa at this hour and with English extended past 0700. Bryan Clark in NZ heard RHC on 6060 as late as 0930 asking for reports from Africa, and it was previously reported that new antennas for Africa were being installed. How late would 6 MHz hold up from Cuba to W Africa? Musical frequencies report from RHC --- it is beginning to seem like they have one less transmitter available than they have frequencies, after 0500. Sept 24 at 0549, English was on 6140 and 6060, but 6010 was missing. Spanish on 6120 and 6000. To boot, most of the time 6140 has been carrying Spanish, but not tonight. Which combination of frequencies and languages will RHC be using tonight, UT Sept 25 at 0519? 6140, 6060 and 6010 in English; 6120 and 6000 in Spanish (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Excellent season for Radio Habana Cuba transmission reception here in Europe now, in 2000-2300 UT slot. 11770 powerhouse S=9+20 dB great, RHC news on Honduras coup in Spanish at 2135 UT, \\ 11800 S=7-9 very deep fades. 13760 S=5-6, 13790 S=9+15 dB. 11760 RHC French news at 2138 UT, S=9+10 dB signal (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, Sept 25, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews via DXLD) ** CUBA. RHC finally heard with half an English broadcast during the previously scheduled 2030-2130 UT hour! JBA carrier on 17660, else? But Sept 25 at 2053 found sufficient open carrier on 11760, 2059 opening English, 2132 opening French. Arabic was also back, on 11770 at 2053. Spanish on 11800 distorted, 13760 buried under Portugal 13755 with loud silly ballgame and after 2100 RHC Spanish also on 11770. Let`s look at RHC`s website schedule: http://www.radiohc.cu/espanol/c_frecuencia/frecuencias.htm By golly, it has been modified since our last perusal, but it has taken them about two sesquimonths since major changes were really made --- and it`s still wrong. It does not show any Arabic at all, nor any French at 2030! However, the Spanish schedule does now account for the greatly extended hours we have been monitoring it since Junend, filling the gaps 15-21 and 07-11 UT. As a service to DX listeners, certainly not to the incompetent RHC itself, I herewith extract the Spanish schedule and rearrange it into nonconfusing strict time order. This part looks fairly accurate compared to monitoring but we cannot vouch for it 100%: 11-13 6180 NY 11-13 9600 Chi 11-15 15120 BA 11-15 15360 SAm 11-22 11760 NCSAm 11-24 11800 CAm 11-05 5965 NY 11-05 13760 BA 13-15 13680 Chi 13-15 13780 SF 21-23 11770 Eu 21-23 13790 RJ 22-24 6000 9640 Mesa Redonda M-F, special days; times and days vary 23-05 9600 SAm 23-05 11690 SAm 2330-11 6120 CAm 00-05 6060 NCSAm 00-05 6140 Chi 00-11 11760 NCSAm 02-05 13790 RJ 05-22 6000 NCSAm 07-10 6060 NCSAm 07-11 6140 Chi The ONLY English broadcasts shown are [but see log above]: 23-24 13790 RJ 01-05 6000 NAm 05-07 6140 NAm 05-07 6060 NAm 05-07 6010 SF NOTE that nothing is mentioned about any African targets, yet, as recently speculated for the 07+ period when English has really been heard on some of the 6 MHz channels. Esperanto which used to have a semi-dozen weekly airings is only, Sun: 00-0030 13790 RJ [does this really mean UT Sun now, or UT Mon?] 15-1530 11760 NCSAm Beware of inaccuracies in the other languages which I won`t go into here (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The schedules at http://www.radiohc.cu/espanol/c_frecuencia/frecuencias.htm and http://www.radiohc.cu/ingles/c_frecuencia/frecuencias.htm are different. Both are different from the schedule at http://www.radiohc.cu/frances/c_frecuencia/frecuencias.htm The pages take too long to load so I didn't check the schedule that might be at http://www.radiohc.cu/portugues/c_frecuencia/frecuencias.htm (Dan Ferguson, SC, Sept 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Altho these English and French pages automatically display the current date they are obviously *far* outdated, including frequencies such as 15230, 13660 abandoned years ago! Portuguese won`t load at all for me, but we may safely assume it too is worse than useless. DX Mix News just came out with yet another RHC schedule including a number of frequencies on the wrong service, such as Alo Presidente, that I heard, once, weeks ago, which they apparently rounded up as if they were current (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: Updated A-09 of Radio Habana Cuba: [Note: this version includes a number of frequencies which I reported, once, weeks ago, as RHC was on the wrong frequency in the wrong service, e.g. all the additional channels besides the basic five shown for Aló, Presidente. Don`t you believe all of those are in regular use! --gh] Arabic 2030-2100 on 11770 11800 Creole 0100-0130 on 13790 2130-2200 on 5965 17660 2230-2300 on 5965 17660 2330-2400 on 5965 Mon-Sat English 0100-0500 on 6000 6140 0500-0700 on 6060 6140 11760 13790 0700-1100 on 6060 2030-2130 on 11760 17660 17750 2300-2400 on 13790 Esperanto 0700-0730 on 6000 Sun 1500-1530 on 5965 11800 11760 Sun 1930-2000 on 11760 Sun 2330-2400 on 5965 6120 9600 Sun French 0000-0100 on 13790 0130-0200 on 13790 2000-2030 on 11760 2130-2200 on 11760 2200-2230 on 5965 17660 2300-2330 on 5965 Guarani (but really in French) 2230-2300 on 17705 2330-2400 on 17705 Mesa Redonda Informativa in Spanish 2230-2400 on 6000 9640 Mon-Fri Portuguese 2000-2030 on 11770 11800 2200-2230 on 17705 2300-2330 on 13760 17705 2330-2400 on 13760 Spanish 0000-0100 on 5965 6000 6060 6120 6140 9600 11690 11760 13760 0100-0130 on 5965 6060 6120 6140 9600 11690 11760 13760 13790 0130-0200 on 5965 6060 6120 6140 9600 11690 11760 13760 0200-0500 on 5965 6060 6120 6140 9600 11690 11760 13760 13790 0500-0700 on 6000 6010 6120 0700-1100 on 6000 6120 6140 1100-1300 on 6000 6180 9600 11760 11800 13760 15120 15360 1300-1400 on 6000 11760 13680 13740 13760 13780 15120 15360 1400-1500 on 11760 13680 13760 13780 15120 15360 1500-2000 on 5965 6000 11690 11760 11800 13680 13760 13780 15360 2000-2100 on 12000 12010 13740 13750 17660 17750 2100-2200 on 11770 11800 13740 13750 13760 13790 2200-2300 on 11760 11770 11800 13740 13750 13760 13790 17660 2300-2400 on 11690 11760 11770 11800 13760 13790 Quechua (but really in Portuguese) 0000-0030 on 17705 Aló Presidente in Spanish, programa del presidente de Venezuela Hugo Chávez [see note above] 1400-1930 on 11690 11760 11770 11800 11875 12010 13680 13740 13750 13780 15290 17750 Sun Radio Nacional de Venezuela in Spanish [and some English! --- gh] 1000-1100 on 6180 1100-1200 on 6060 1200-1300 on 11705 1500-1600 on 11680 1900-2000 on 15290 2000-2100 on 17705 2200-2300 on 11670 2300-2400 on 13680 15250 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 25 Sept via DXLD) I tuned into several RHC transmissions on 26 Sept. while using the sked published in DX Mix #591 dated 25 Sept. I observed the following but there's still much monitoring to do. --RHC 5965 at 2210 in Spanish, not French as listed in sked. Moderate. // 17660 exc. No Creole at 2230 as per sked. --French on 17705 at 2230+ instead of Guarani, as per DX Mix. Exc signal. Wonder if this is now beamed to Canada, as previously 17705 in South American languages was difficult to hear. --R Nac de Venezuela 11670 at 2233 in Spanish, mentions of Chávez. --R Nac de Venezuela 13680 at 2300 in English. //15250, both strong. --RHC (?) 17705 at 2300+ in Portuguese. Heard Radio Nacional mentioned. Is this the Venezuela relay but in Portuguese? The RHC prg in Portuguese was audible at the same time on 13760 but not // to 17705. Will have to monitor this tomorrow. 73/Liz (Cameron, MI, Sept 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. Arnie Coro`s cohorts at the DentroCuban Jamming Command are at it again, disaudiblizing another broadcast of a fellow DX program in English, WORLD OF RADIO, now scheduled Saturdays at 1330 on WRMI 9955, nothing but jamming roar audible here Sept 26 at 1345 check. The same likely happens to another new WOR broadcast Thursdays at 1200. On the SSE antenna, do these make it audibly to South America? RHC anomalies Sept 26: at 1354 absent from 13680 and 13880, but present on 13760, 13780. At 1354 RHC Spanish added 13720, as CRI 13740 relay carrier just came on producing leapfrog of 13760 over it; trouble is, another SS was already being heard on 13720, REE Spain, per Aoki scheduled in the 13- 14 hour on weekends only, and now the mix. At 1402, RHC also missing from 15120, while OK on 15360. A very poor signal of something else could be detected on 15120. Saudi Arabia`s Bengali service is the only thing scheduled. 11760 normally has decent modulation but Sept 26 at 1834 check I found it extremely distorted, modulation audible only at spikes. 11800 JBA with its usual distortion but not as bad as 11760. // 11690 was best. Next check at 2104: 11760 had improved greatly, unlike 11800 and OK on // 11770, all in Spanish, no English like the day before. However, 11800 vanished at 2105, back on at 2112. At 2105 also found // 13790 but not 13760. At 2110 also could hear Spanish on 17660, which had been scheduled as an English frequency along with 11760 at 2030-2130. 17660 was an echo apart from 11770 and the others. However, 17660 does not appear at all for any language in the `updated` sked I analyzed in my last report, http://www.radiohc.cu/espanol/c_frecuencia/frecuencias.htm BTW, don`t even look at equivalent pages presented in English and French on the RHC website, obviously sesquiyears out of date showing such long-abandoned frequencies as 15230, 13660, etc., etc. The sked presented in Spanish also claims that Esperanto is down to only two broadcasts a weekend, one of which is Sunday 0000-0030 on 13790, and it comes before the one Sunday at 1500 on 11760. So that means UT Sunday 0000? More likely UT Monday, as UT Sunday Sept 27 at 0009 I hear 13790 in French! French 13790 is in fact shown on the same schedule for daily broadcasts 0000-0100 and 0130-0200, so Esperanto may not really be on then UT Monday either. But nothing ever makes sense at RHC, which is totally incapable of matching what goes on the air with what appears on any schedule. RHC confirmed with Esperanto on 11760 at 1516 Sunday Sept 27 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. R República 9545 at 0025 in Spanish. Jammed yet readable. Via RMP. 26 Sept. 73/Liz (Cameron, MI, Sept 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. My antenna is an excellent EWE antenna, lobe toward Caribbean. Very weak daytime signal from HIAT-650 Santo Domingo. Spurious signal from WPGU846 (530) Eastern Carolina University on 650. No explanation how it got there. Always a weak signal from WSM. Third carrier down I thought was a TIS station in Raleigh. But almost certain it is HIAT (Charles Taylor, NC, Sept 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. 1700 HI.. R. Eternidad, Santo Domingo 1100- 2400. Web: http://www.radioeternidad.org Tel: +1 809 566 1707. Address: Luís Amiamo Tió # 105, Arroyo Hondo, Santo Domingob(Carlos Benoit via Christer Brunström, WRTH, ARC CENTRAL AMERICAN NEWS DESK Sept 2009, edited by Tore Larsson, via DXLD) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. 6025.04, R. Amanecer, Santo Domingo. Believe I last heard this back in late 2007 or early 2008. Have often checked here since then, so is very nice to finally catch their reactivation! 0148, Sept. 24. In Spanish; non-stop talking; 0203 sounded like religious song; 0210 long conversation between two women; several mentions of “Santo Domingo” and IDs for “Radio Amanecer”; several short singing jingles (possibly station jingles?); off in mid-sentence at 0302; poor with adjacent QRM/splatter (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6025.02, Radio Amanecer, Santo Domingo, 2340-0025+, Sept 25-26, reactivated. Thanks to tip from Ron Howard. Spanish religious music. ID announcement at 2353. Some Spanish talk. Good and strong until 2358. Fair to poor after 2358 due to adjacent channel splatter. I think the last time I heard these guys was back in December (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) Previously reported by Ron Howard! Seems to have been on for several days. 73s (Bob Wilkner, Cumbre DX via DXLD) R. Amanecer, Santo Domingo, on 6025 at 0129 in Spanish. Romantic ballads, M with clear ID at 0130. One long song about a girl in El Salvador. Ads for a spiritual gathering. Surprisingly strong, holding up exceptionally against Martí plus jamming on 6030 and CRI-Cerrik on 6020. Good to hear them back! (Redsun RP2100, Mike Bryant, KY, Sept 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6025.04, R. Amanecer Internacional, 0207, Sept. 25. Same format as yesterday, but with better reception; heard clear “Radio Amanecer Internacional”, which I did not hear in yesterdays reception, even though I was specifically listening for it (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6025.04, Radio Amanecer, Santo Domingo. 1150-1215 and 1628-1632 September 26, 2009. Spanish man with Cristotalk, soft Christian vocals in Spanish, ID. Fair at best, and a little bubble jammer splash from Cuba vs. Martí on 6030. Better at 1628 recheck with the 6030 mess gone. I wonder if their reactivation was prompted by the conference a few weeks ago in the DR, an "Oh yeah, we have one of those, guess it still works" moments (Terry Krueger, Clearwater FL, Sept 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. 3280, La Voz del Napo, Tena, 1056-1106, 15-09, español, locutor, comentario religioso. Muy débil. 14221 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, escuchas realizadas en Hotel Catalonia Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo, Península de Yucatán, México, entre los días 13 y 19 de Septiembre, Grundig Yacht Boy 400, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. Buenas noches colegas y amigos. Saludos desde Quito. Perdónenme por no escribirles individualmente, pero tengo una buena noticia para compartirles y necesito salir para un evento en la costa en pocas horas. Gracias por su comprensión. Hoy, unos minutos antes de entrar el estudio para grabar Club de Amigos y Aventura Diexista, recibimos la grata información que ambos programas seguirán en HCJB a través de la señal de la frecuencia regional 6050 kHc [sic]. Un ministerio asociado, Vozandes Media, ha recibido la luz verde para instalar una antena en el terreno donde están ubicadas nuestras antenas para HCJB AM y FM. Será unos meses hasta que se termine la instalación y el traslado del transmisor. Sin embargo, la señal de 6050 kHc no se apagará este miércoles junta a las demás frecuencias de onda corta. Como digo en esta entrega de Aventura Diexista, obviamente no tendremos la cobertura que tenemos ahora, pero para el verdadero diexista va a ser aún más interesante escucharnos en 6050 kHc. Espero que cada uno de ustedes puedan seguir con Aventura Diexista a través de sus segmentos mensuales. Apreciamos su apoyo en el pasado y queremos seguir con su apoyo en el futuro. Muchas bendiciones y un fuerte abrazo desde HCJB - La Voz de los Andes. Allen y Juan Carlos (Via: Dino Bloise, Frecuencia Al Día, FL, USA, Sept 25, dxldyg via DXLD; also via Jeff White, WRMI) So 6050 is going to stay on the air past Sept 30 with regional service, pending move from Pifo to the AM/FM transmitter site. And Aventura Diexista will continue to be produced. AG failed to mention that it`s broadcast several times on WRMI, which will no doubt become the primary source for it just as it has been for DX Partyline. Jeff White tells me that there is no word yet, however, on whether DXPL will be canceled. This weekend`s edition could be the last, as by next Saturday it will be October! (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) New 6050 kHz 10 kW installation at Mount Pichincha instead of Pifo site in future. Lazy-H antenna, azimuth main lobe at approx. 35 / 225 degrees (Wolfgang Büschel, BC-DX Sept 27 via DXLD) Glenn: Aventura DXista will continue. No word on DXPL yet (Jeff White, WRMI, Sept 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I listened to the entire Sept 26 edition of DXPL via WRMI webcast at 1500-1515, and there was NO mention of it being the last program, or anything about its and HCJB`s fate! (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) But why should it? Does it still go out via Pifo at all? So far it was my understanding that this is no longer the case since HCJB cancelled its English service from Ecuador years ago. So why should the fate of this programme be connected to the imminent closure of Pifo? Otherwise the only real question left in this regard is if German and Portuguese will start to use Calera de Tango as of next Thursday. Spanish and indigenous languages will on shortwave continue on 6050 only. Anything else is already gone from the Pifo transmitters anyway (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) My sense is that altho Pifo and DXPL may not be directly connected, HQ is always reëvaluating whether Allen should earn part of his paycheck and spend so much time on this rather off-topic enterprise (gh, DXLD) HCJB BUILDING NEW 6050 TRANSMITTER --- Summary of the enclosed report: When deciding to close Pifo already in September, HCJB also terminated the earlier plans to continue the 6050 kHz frequency with 50 kW from the Mount Pichincha site [according to earlier reports by moving in one of the 100 kW transmitters from Pifo]. As a result the broadcasts in indigenous languages (Quechua, Kofan etc.) would have get only limited airtime on mediumwave and FM in Quito area anymore or probably even cease altogether, in any case not reach the rural areas of Ecuador any more where a lot of fixed-frequency radios had been distributed. This situation prompted the editorial office of these language services and the German service to develop a concept that calls for operating a 10 kW transmitter on their own responsibility. This plan has been approved by the HCJB headquarters in the USA. The facility is being set up by volunteers; they hope to have it on air already in November. The transmitter will altogether be used for a bit more than 16 hours a day. Below a link to an illustrated HCJB German report about last Saturday`s subbotnik on the transmitter site. Right now I see no updates for their frequencies at http://www.hcjb.de/index.php?id=16 yet, with just four days left before zero hour (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Sept 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: -----Original Message----- Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:28:41 +0200 Subject: [A-DX] VozAndes Media Update: Projekt 6050 kHz From: "Stephan Schaa" To: Hallo allerseits! Für alle, die es interessiert, ein kleines Update der Entwicklung bei Radio HCJB & VozAndes Media in Ekuador: Wie einige vielleicht mitbekommen haben, wurde im Zuge der vorgezogenen Schliessung der Sendestelle Pifo (September 09) von Radio HCJB in Ekuador ja auch die Planung aufgegeben, die Frequenz 6050 kHz mit 50 kW vom Mount Pichincha für den regionalen Raum zu betreiben. Damit wäre dann auch die letzte Kurzwellenfrequenz von Radio HCJB in HC beendet worden. Über die 6050 kHz sollten neben Übernahmen aus den spanischen Programmen auch weiterhin diverse Sendungen in den in Ekuador verbreiteten Indianersprachen wie Quichua, Kofan u.a. übertragen werden. Im Zusammenhang mit der Abschaltung der 6050 war in Folge auch geplant, die Sendungen in diesen Sprachen einzustellen bzw stark einzuschränken und nur noch in sehr kleinem Umfang im Raum Quito über AM & FM zu verbreiten. Diese Entwicklung wäre sehr schade gewesen, da zum einen viele Festfrequenzempfänger in den vergangenen Jahren im ländlichen Raum verteilt worden sind und zum anderen für viele Landbewohner diese Sendungen ein wichtiger Bestandteil ihres täglichen Lebens geworden sind. In den vergangenen Wochen hat jedoch eine sehr positive Entwicklung stattgefunden: zusammen mit den Redaktionen der Indianersprachen hat VozAndes Media, der Trägerverein des deutschen Sprachdienstes in Ekuador, bei der Missionsleitung in den USA und in Ekuador einen Antrag gestellt, einen Sender mit 10 kW Leistung in Eigenregie auf dem Mount Pichincha auf der Frequenz 6050 kHz zu betreiben. Dieser Antrag wurde von der Missionsleitung in Coloradio Springs (USA) und Quito (Ekuador) sehr positiv aufgenommen. Da ab ca Mitte November in der Region die Regenzeit beginnt und die Strassen auf den Vulkanberg nahezu unpassierbar werden und an Transporte dann für einige Zeit nicht zu denken wäre, musste nun schnell gehandelt werden: Am letzten Samstag gab es eine sogenannte "Minga", eine Gemeinschaftsaktion von Freiwilligen, die gemeinsam auf den Antennenberg Quitos fuhren und dort oben auf dem Gelände von HCJB den ganzen Tag schufteten, um die nötigen Fundamente für Antennenmasten, Abspannseile und Zäune auszuheben und zu betonieren. Mehr als 30 Frauen und Männer waren an der Hau-Ruck Aktion beteiligt, die die Grundlage für die nächsten Aktivitäten sein wird. Wie mir berichtet wurden, war die Aktion sehr erfolgreich und alle geplanten Arbeiten konnten erledigt werden. Wenn die Fundamente ausgehärtet sind, werden als nächstes die Antennenmasten für die Antenne errichtet. Es wird, wenn den ursprünglichen Planungen gefolgt wird, eine Lazy-H Antenne errichtet werden, die mehr oder weniger zwischen den Mittelwellenmasten plaziert wird und in etwa in Hauptrichtung 35 / 225 Grad strahlt (wenn ich richtig geschaut habe). Wenn alles klappt, soll der Sender schon im kommenden November seinen Sendebetrieb aufnehmen und etwas mehr als 16 Stunden täglich aktiv sein. Mit einer Antenne auf fast 4000m Höhe und Abstrahlrichtung 35 Grad sollte es trotz nur 10 kW Sendeleistung in den Wintermonaten durchaus möglich sein, den Sender auch hier in Deutschland in den Vormittagsstunden zu hören. Einen kurzen Bericht mit ein paar Bildern gibt’s auf http://www.hcjb.de/index.php?id=206 So viel fürs erste vom Projekt 6050. 73, Stephan Schaa --- Diese Mail wurde ueber die A-DX Mailing-Liste gesendet (via Kai Ludwig dxldyg via DXLD) ** ECUADOR. FROM ECUADOR TO THE WORLD --- MISSIONARY RADIO STATION BROADCASTS THE GOSPEL FOR NEARLY 6 DECADES By Kenneth D. MacHarg, Missionary Journalist Just stepping on the property one knew that it was a special place. Others declared that it was holy ground. Whatever a person’s viewpoint, these 110 acres of rolling green fields with a spectacular view of the perfect snow-covered volcanic cone of Mount Cotopaxi to the south were a single point from which shortwave radio programs could be beamed to the four corners of the earth. Pifo, as the transmitter site for international Christian radio station HCJB, the Voice of the Andes, was known, could only be described in superlatives: one of the largest radio stations in the world; the home of one of the largest broadcast antennas ever built; one of the few places in the world where radio broadcasts could reach around the globe; the place from which the gospel of Jesus Christ could be heard by listeners in each of the world’s countries. Even before entering the property, a visitor approaching the transmitter site from Quito could see red-and-white towers poking up into the sky. Passing through the entry gate just east of the town of Pifo, one saw 31 arrays of steel towers and curtains of wire spread out. Clustered near the transmitter and maintenance buildings were the homes of resident engineers. Each of those unique structures with their complex web of reflecting curtains was designed to throw a powerful signal to a specific target, be it North or South America, Europe, the South Pacific, East Asia or West Central Africa. Smaller antennas, configured in a different manner, served to send programs in the Quichua dialects straight up where they would bounce off electronically charged layers far beyond the reach of the highest-flying airliner and bounce back down like an umbrella over the Andes where those descendents of the Inca civilizations still live. In the large transmitter building, 10 behemoths of electronic genius pumped out hundreds of thousands of watts of signal power, much of it generated in HCJB Global’s own hydroelectric plants even higher in those majestic mountains. Some of those technological marvels were commercial brands known to radio engineers around the world: RCA, Harris, Siemens. Others, including the super-power, 500,000-watt HC500, were built by HCJB Global’s own engineers in Ecuador and Elkhart, Indiana, USA. None of these were ordinary, run-of-the mill transmitters. No, they were specifically built for or adapted to Pifo’s extraordinary altitude of 8,600 feet where the air is thin and electrical arcing between components could quickly burn up precious parts and force an expensive and crucial piece of equipment off the air. Hidden away in the roof of this fascinating building was a switcher unit, or to be more precise, dozens of switchers. These connected the appropriate transmitter to its scheduled antenna to beam the Christian message from Pifo in the morning to missionaries in the Brazilian Amazon or to German settlers in Paraguay and Argentina. In the afternoon they helped send programs to eager listeners in Europe, the Middle East and Africa; in the evening to enthusiastic listeners in the Americas and the Caribbean and in the wee hours of the morning to others in East Asia and the South Pacific. While the transmitters were impressive, it was the antennas that were awe-inspiring. Whether seen against the backdrop of the setting sun or with Cotopaxi visible through their web-like patterns, these tall towers, reaching as high as 417 feet and holding two or three curtains of wires were fascinating as they invisibly bounced hundreds of thousands of watts of power, carrying the life-giving message of the gospel to people trapped behind the Iron Curtain, confined in the totalitarian state that was the Soviet Union. Also nurtured were those hidden behind the veil of Mideast nations or casually listening in their homes and offices in North America, Europe, Asia and the South Pacific. It’s hard for those without engineering experience to understand how an array of thin wires can bounce an electric signal against another similar curtain and have that signal and its message arrive at a radio receiver 6,000 miles away. But, the antennas and transmitters of Pifo, Ecuador, did just that, broadcasting at times in up to 18 languages a day, around the clock, around the world. While the technology was fascinating, even more compelling were the people who made it happen—those men and women who relocated to the beautiful South American country of Ecuador over the years so that they could build a radio station that would carry a message of hope and life to listeners around the world. Those engineers and technicians gave up what could have been lucrative careers back home to make certain that people in Ecuador and El Salvador, Germany and Greece, Russia and Romania could hear the life-giving message of Jesus Christ in their own language on their own radios. These people, from a multitude of nationalities, were innovators and geniuses in their own right. They designed the Cubical Quad antenna to prevent electrical arcing at the tips of antenna wires and made that model available for personal, military and commercial use around the world. They built and operated the “steerable antenna,” said to be one of the largest broadcast antennas ever built and the only one of its design ever constructed. They fabricated transmitters, antennas and components almost out of barbed wire and tin cans when standard supplies were not available. They utilized propagation possibilities (characteristics that allowed the signal to span long distances) that were unknown to others at the time, yet allowed the signal of HCJB to reach the ends of the earth. Why did they do this? Because they had learned that God, who created the world and everything in it, including the fascinating science of radio broadcasting, cares about His creation and wishes that each and every person, from every tongue and nation, will know His love for them. And, they discovered the truth of God as it is written in the Bible and the love, forgiveness and salvation of God which results in eternal life through God’s Son, Jesus Christ, who is the friend of sinners and the Savior of the world. Today, those fields from which gospel programming was broadcast for almost 60 years are silent and almost empty. Gone are the huge towers and miles of wire that stretched across the green grass. Now gone silent are the transmitters* that labored day in and day out to transform the programs into a signal that would be carried around the world. The site, which began broadcasting in 1953, signed off for good on Sept. 30, 2009. A changing world and changing methods of mass communication have challenged HCJB to move on to new ways of sharing that same message of hope. Today, satellite television and radio, the ability of local Christians to launch their own stations in communities where such broadcasters were forbidden or impossible in the past, the availability of other shortwave transmitting sites, the Internet, podcasts, social networking sites and Internet radio have become additional means of receiving information, entertainment and inspiration. Pifo has become silent and the engineers and program producers have moved on. But today in every country of the world there are churches meeting, worshipping and serving because they practice what they heard on HCJB. There are entire communities and nations and people groups that proudly bear the name Christian because listeners heard the message emanating from Pifo. And, there are people, believers in Jesus Christ, who will attest to how their lives were transformed by Him and how today they are followers of Jesus because of what they heard from Pifo, Ecuador. To God be the glory! (*While the official closure date for the Pifo transmitter site was September 30, broadcasts in Portuguese were scheduled to continue for a few weeks.) Note: Kenneth D. MacHarg served in Ecuador with HCJB Global from 1990 to 1998. He and his wife, Polly, retired from Latin America Mission in 2006 and now live in Carrollton, GA. His website is http://www.missionaryjournalist.net (Kenneth D. MacHarg, Missionary Journalist, Missionaryjournalist @ gmail.com Sept 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) and former host of DXPL (gh) ** ECUADOR. HD2IOA 3810 at 0420 w/time. Good. 26 Sept. --HCJB 6050 at 0015 in Waodani. QRM but strong signal. 26 Sept. --HCJB 6050 at 0030 in Cofan. 26 Sept. --HCJB 11920 at 2244 s/on in Kulina. Stn and language IDs. Good. 26 Sept. --HCJB 12040 at 2250 in Low German w/hymns. Exc signal. 26 Sept. --HCJB 12040 at 2315 in High German. 26 Sept. 73/Liz (Cameron, MI, Sept 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6050, HCJB, Pifo. I see all these recent reports of this ceasing as of September 15. Did anyone bother to read our [Bishop/Krueger] widely distributed log via portables at Ft. DeSoto on September 19, *1858 sign-on? Apparently not. And it is still active, 1405+ September 26, 2009 as logged at the home QTH on the NRD-535. Spanish, HCJB time sounders at 1430. Clear, weak. So, are they going to keep this active until the new transmitter site is completed, or pull the plug the first of October as is the next moving target date some are now using after the first one passed? (Terry Krueger, Clearwater FL, Sept 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR [non]. LITHUANIA ========= HCJB. Russian. From 20 September 5940 kHz : 1530-1600 Sun Via Sitkunai http://www.sw-radio.com/radio/index.php Reception report to : SW-Radio e.V. Postfach 8025 32736 Detmold Germany (Toomas Metsis, Tallinn, Estonia / "MEDIA_DX" via RusDX via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA. 7165, Voice of Peace & Democracy, via Radio Ethiopia transmitter, *0400-0431*, Sept 25, abrupt sign on with opening ID announcements & talk in listed Tigrinya. Local drums. Horn of Africa music. Very weak // 9560.06v - drifting up to 9560.18. 7165 fairly well covered by co-channel QRM from presumed VOBME and noise jammer at 0405. Mon Wed, Fri only (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) 9704.18, Radio Ethiopia (National Service), Geja Jawe. 1325-1335 September 26, 2009. Clear, fair though a bit low on modulation with slow-talking man in Amharic or similar-sounding language. External Service on about 9559.79 at the same time, though virtually no audio making it, just a few traces of Horn of Africa instrumentals. Still no trace of Niger on 9705, if active at this time (Terry Krueger, Clearwater FL, Sept 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. Re BC-DX 930 "ADM" 13820 1700-1759 47E,48 NAU 500kW 140deg 7=Sat 2903-241009 ADM Hi Wolfy. Re the Media Broadcast abbreviation "ADM". The following was received from them a few months ago: ADM is an internal name for a customer of MEDIA BROADCAST. It stands for "Aethiopische Aktuelle Situation Diskussionsforum Multimedia e.V." Their website: http://www.ecadforum.com/ (Jari Savolainen, Finland, Sept 21, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 27 via DXLD) in BC-DX #925 too, Ethiopia Adera Dimts Radio 1700-1800 13820 NAU 500 kW 140 deg Sat to EaAf Amharic (R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Aug 14) Thanks Jari, in last B08 previous winter 11835 1700-1800 38E,39S,48 NAU 500 145 7=Sat DTK Okay, next time when DTK/M&B operational schedule will be published again, I'll use that item as follows: List of Broadcasters which are using MEDIA BROADCAST technical equipment ADM Ethiopia Adera Dimtse Radio / 60 mins recordings e-mail This from AOKI list, Nauen site 13820 VO Eritrean People 1700-1730 ....5.. Tigr 125 145 ELF 13820 Ethiopia Adera Dimtse Radio 1700-1800 ......7 Amha 500 140 ADM 13820 VO Dem.Eritrea-Ethiopians For 1700-1800 1..4... Amha 250 135 EFD 13820 VO Eritrean People 1730-1800 ....5.. Arab 125 145 ELF (Jari Savolainen-FIN, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 23, via DXLD) ** EUROPE. Cupid now testing on 19 mtr 15.070 mhz Right now I am testing on 15.070 MHz, the beam is aimed towards the USA so I was wondering if the signal jumps over the big Atlantic. The propagation is poor, but although I hear some hams on 20 mtr from the USA so let`s give it a shot!!!!!!! Power for today is around 150 watts. Any report is welkom cupidradio @ hotmail.com goodluck rinus, (via Roberto Scaglione, 1501 UT Sept 26, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) Pirate on 19m: Netherlands, 15070.5, Cupid Radio, 1555, Sept 26, Deep fades but usable audio on the peaks. ID "This is Cupid Radio" at 1555 along with mention of frequency and power level (150 watts) and listener in New Hampshire. Fair to poor reception with mediocre antenna on my end (30 meter vertical loop). (David Hodgson, TN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Not audible here at 1620 (gh, OK, ibid.) ** FRANCE [non]. RFI, 17620 via GUIANA FRENCH to Africa, Sept 25 at 2054 with nice jazzy/African bass music; owe we this to the strike as fill, or, how is the strike going, still? But 2100 into French news, while always stronger and VG 17630 came on then in RFI Spanish (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also GUIANA FRENCH ** GABON [and non]. Haven`t had a decent listenable signal from Africa Numéro Un in months since the demise of 17630 and 15475, tho signs of the 9580 signal are often there, but enhanced African conditions on 31m brought it in UT Sept 26 at 0525 on 9580, F-G with music, 0527 ID as ``émettant de Libreville et de Moyabi, Gabon``. Except for the very strong but very undermodulated REE Costa Rica on 9630, the strongest and only usable signals on 31m at this time were 9580, DW Rwanda 9480 and CVC Zambia 9430 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Re 9-072: "From Dresden to Berlin it was a unique experience: only long wave stations!" --- In all likelihood the behaviour of this car radio would not have been different in this area twenty years ago. The still active mediumwave sites are almost 100 km away, and not much else existed also in the past. There was a 20 kW at Hoyerswerda, which I found to be no fully quieting powerhouse just 30 km away, and the rest were just some 1 kW gap-fillers. Here is a typical example of such a facility, with the shack for the Tesla SRV-1 transmitter and the FM yagi on top of the tower for getting modulation in (no audio circuits to these transmitters had been installed, they merely relayed FM signals): http://www.senderfotos-bb.de/guben.htm But this does not mean that the area is mediumwave-free. The available signals are a little bit noisy, but certainly listenable. It appears that on mediumwave (but not so on longwave) a search scan on this car radio stops only at really strong signals. Thus the findings are not representative. And talking about what ordinary listeners do: They do no search scans on mediumwave. Often they do not know that other things than FM exist at all. I once had a discussion with somebody who lamented the spotty coverage of hr-info. I advised him to look out for some switch like "FM/AM" on his car radio, and if it is there (in Europe you often find FM-only car radios), press it, then push the up/down buttons until the display says "594". To him this was a big insider tip for which he was grateful. And no, no complaints about the audio quality of this big, special, secret signal. This is basically also the reason why 594 kHz will be closed down at yearend and new FM outlets (of course all low powered) for hr-info are in the pipeline. The decision has been triggered by HR's financial constraints, but the rationale behind it are observations that really nobody is tuning in, that there is just no point in bothering any longer (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Sept 27, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Radio Gloria International is on this Sunday the 27th of September 2009 at 0900 to 1000 UT on our normal channel of 6140 kHz. MV Baltic Radio relay service Schedule for summer 2009 1st Sunday – MV Baltic Radio 3rd Sunday – European Music Radio 4th Sunday – Radio Gloria International We wish you good listening and good reception! 73s (Tom Taylor, Sept 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6140 27/9 0930-1000* Radio Gloria International, songs, IDs, very good Ciao (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italia. Rx: Drake R8 + T2FD antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I am wondering what the point of these broadcasts is; do they present music unavailable anywhere else?? (gh, DXLD) ** GERMANY. The ADM abbr. in MB/DTK skeds: see ETHIOPIA [non]. Doomed Jülich: see CANADA [non] ** GERMANY [and non]. Elections | 26.09.2009 TUNING IN TO COVERAGE OF GERMAN FEDERAL ELECTIONS DW will keep you informed about the election outcome When Germany goes to the polls on Sunday, Sept. 27, Deutsche Welle will be there, keeping you abreast of all the latest developments. Here's how you can tune in for both up-to-the-minute results and analysis. DW-RADIO You will find links to live streams on the right side of any page on the English site From 6 to 11 p.m. Central European Time (CET) [?? 16-21 UT], our radio programming will be available via satellite and shortwave frequencies, or as a live audio stream that you can find on our website. To access the stream, simply click on the words "Listen Live" under the heading "DW-RADIO LIVE," which you will find on the right hand side of any page on the English site (see photo). Detailed information on reception and frequencies for shortwave and satellite radio is available via the internet links "DW-RADIO (shortwave)" and "DW-RADIO (satellite)" located below. DW-TV To view results as they come in, you can also tune into our television program, which will run from 5:30 to 10:00 p.m. DW-TV, as well as DW- RADIO, is available on the website's live stream and via satellite. For details of which satellites receive DW-TV, please consult the "DW- TV (satellite)" link located below. DW-WORLD.DE For general and more in-depth information about the German political and electoral system, or for a detailed look at the candidates, parties and issues, visit the DW-WORLD.DE regularly for comprehensive coverage. You will find a link to the election page at the top of the list below. http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4726247,00.html (via Fred Waterer, Sept 26, dxldyg via DXLD) And at 11 PM Deutsche Welle will close down, or what? Well, what they try to announce is presumably wall-to-wall coverage. At 6 PM (= 1600 UT), in the very moment the elections close, the results of exit polls will be published. Perhaps for the last time, since recently such exit polls figures appeared on Twitter already during the afternoon, and it is expected that exit polls will be banned altogether if this happens again today. What will be published shortly afterwards, from about 1630 UT or so, are interpolations derived from the processing of real votes. They will get closer and closer to the real thing over the evening, as more and more polling stations report their results. By 2100 UT the picture should be quite clear (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Sept 27, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY [non]. 13860, Sept 26 at 1830, G signal with multiple vocalists in African music; it`s the middle of DW`s Hausa via Rampisham (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY [non]. Extended transmission of Deutsche Welle in Farsi: 1730-1830 on 5915 ARM 250 kW / 132 deg, ex 1730-1800 on 5945 7510 KCH 500 kW / 115 deg, ex 1730-1800 on same (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 25 Sept via DXLD) ** GREECE. Summer A-09 Voice of Greece: 0400-0550 on 7450 AVL 250 kW / 323 deg 0500-0900 on 11645 AVL 250 kW / 002 deg in Albanian, English, French, Spanish 0600-1000 on 15630 AVL 250 kW / 285 deg 0900-1000 on 11645 AVL 250 kW / 002 deg in German,Russian 1100-1000 on 9420 AVL 250 kW / 323 deg 1100-2250 on 15630 AVL 250 kW / 285 deg 2300-0450 on 7475 AVL 250 kW / 285 deg 2300-0350 on 15650 AVL 250 kW / 105 deg Radiophonikos Stathmos Makedonias in Greek 1100-1650 on 9935 AVL 250 kW / 285 deg 1700-2250 on 7450 AVL 250 kW / 323 deg (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 25 Sept via DXLD) ** GUAM. 9805, Sept 26 at 1311 piano music, 1312 OM speaking in Japanese-sounding language, but not regular Japanese? Strong but fluttery; 1320 to YL definitely in Japanese with hymn music on piano, off around 1330 but did not catch ID or sign-off. Perhaps the OM was speaking a dialect peculiar to Japanese Adventist male evangelists? Listed as KSDA due NW in daily 1300-1330 service (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUIANA FRENCH. DRM noise 17870-17880, Sept 25 at 2037 and still at 2121, surely TDF site which has used this range many times before but not currently on the DRM DX schedule at http://www.drm-dx.de/ Montsinéry had registered it previously at 1300-2000 only, 320 degrees USward. It was last reported in the DRM DX fora last May for a week when it was on for some event in Brasil at 17-21. So what bits of programming are they running now, and why? 17870-17875-17880 DRM, Sat Sept 26 at 2111, presumed from TDF Montsinéry, the usual occupant of this frequency as also heard yesterday tho not on current schedules; why? It must be something important for DRM to be testing on a weekend (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HONDURAS. 630, Radio América, La Ceiba o Choluteca, 1731-1745, 16- 09, noticias de Honduras. 45444. (Méndez) 660, HRN, La Voz de Honduras, La Ceiba, 1715-1723, 16-09, locutor: "HRN la emisora ligada al corazón del pueblo presenta, las noticias del mediodía". 34333. (Méndez) 690, La Voz de Honduras, Choluteca, 1723-1730, 16-09, noticias, anuncios comerciales, identificación: "La Voz de Honduras", "Partido Liberal de Honduras". En paralelo con 660. 24322. (Méndez) 720, Radio Caribe, La Ceiba, 1720-1731, 16-09, anuncios comerciales de La Ceiba, locutor. 24322. (Méndez) 900, Radio Satélite, La Ceiba, 1332-1343, 16-09, locutor: "Radio Satélite, su estación amiga, en Radio Satélite son las siete con 34 minutos", "Aquí la hora Satélite, siete con 37 minutos. 34433. (Méndez) 1390, La Voz Evangélica, Tegucigalpa, 1031-1047, 17-07, locutor: "HRVC presentó palabras y sólo palabras", "Confraternidad Evangélica de Honduras". 24322. También 2348-2357, 18-09, locutor: "Transmite HRVC La Voz Evangélica de Honduras, evangelizando hoy, mañana y siempre". 24322. 3250, Radio Luz y Vida, San Luis, 2315-0006, 14-07, locutora, locutor, comentario sobre la familia, "Proyecto mirador", a las 0001: "Un placer encontrarnos con ustedes en este medio de comunicación, Radio Luz y Vida". 23322. (Méndez) También 2327-2336, 16-09, comentario religioso: "El Nuevo Testamento". 24322. (Méndez) 3340, La Voz de Misiones Internacionales, Comayagüela, 1115-1139, 18- 09, locutor, comentario religioso, canciones, identificación: "Voz de Misiones Internacionales, algunos comentarios en inglés. 24322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, escuchas realizadas en Hotel Catalonia Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo, Península de Yucatán, México, entre los días 13 y 19 de Septiembre, Grundig Yacht Boy 400, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. 4990, AIR Itanagar, 1415, Sept. 24. Back on the air today with news in Hindi; significant PBS Hunan QRM (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. 9425, AIR at 1352 Sept 23 with W&W conversation I first thought was in usual Hindi, but then realised was in heavily accented English; or a mixture? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9425, AIR Bengaluru, 1938-1940, Sept. 25. Surprised to hear them with good reception at this time period; news bulletin in English; into Hindi and subcontinent music. 11620, AIR Bengaluru, 1614, Sept. 26. AIR IS, into Russian programming (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) AIR, Bangaluru on 9870 at 0050 UT in Hindi. SIO-454+, Vividh Bharati program blasting in with the very best daily source of virtually non- stop subcontinental music and vocals (Redsun RP2100, Mike Bryant, KY, Sept 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 26 Sep. AIR in Sindhi, 11585 at 1445z via Delhi (Khampur) with 250 kW at 65 . I'm suspicious of the listed azimuth. Other languages listed in this program block from 1230 to 1945z include Baluchi, Persian and Arabic, all at 65 . Just a mistake on the list or they're counting on the long path. Also listed in Aoki as DRM but instead it's analog (Jerry Lenamon, Waco, Texas, Eton E-1, multi-wire sloper, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9635, All India Radio, Aligarh. 1337-1355 September 26, 2009. Presumed AIR and this site, though I didn’t locate a listing at this time with an only cursory check, and prefer not going to the AIR site from the home PC. Hindi subcontinental vocals, clear and weak. Was checking to see if Mali might make it here mid-morning local, but not so, at least today. Checks for Mali between 1700-1800 shows nothing on the channel except CVC Internacional, Chile, in Spanish (Terry Krueger, Clearwater FL, Sept 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I heard Vietnamese, new frequency (gh) ** INDIA. New websites of AIR HPT Malad & AIR VBS New website of All India Radio High Power Txer, Malad, Mumbai http://www.airhptmalad.org.in New website of All India Radio Vividh Bharati Service (Still under construction) http://www.vbs.org.in Thanks to Shri. A. K. Shrivastava, Station Engineer, AIR VBS for this info (Alokesh Gupta, VU3BSE, New Delhi, India, Sept 23, dx_india yg via DXLD) ** INDIA. AIR’S EXTERNAL SERVICES TURN 70 ON 1ST OCTOBER, 2009 - Jose Jacob, VU2JOS The External Services Division of All India Radio, India’s cultural ambassador to the world, will be 70 years old on this October 1, 2009. The External broadcasts were started on October 1, 1939 by the then British Government to counter the propaganda of the Nazis directed at the Afghan people. The first broadcasts were in Pushto beamed to Afghanistan and the then North West Frontier Province. Soon broadcasts were started in Dari, Persian, Arabic, English, Burmese, Japanese, Chinese, Malay, French, etc. The External Services today broadcast in the 27 languages (16 foreign and 11 Indian languages) with a total program output of about 70.25 hours per day. The foreign languages are: Arabic, Baluchi, Burmese, Chinese, Dari, English, French, Indonesian, Nepali, Persian, Pushtu, Russian, Sinhala, Swahili, Thai and Tibetan. The Indian languages are: Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, Saraiki, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. The maximum duration is the Urdu Service to Pakistan round the clock on DTH and on Short Wave / Medium Wave for 12.15 hours while English broadcasts to various parts of the world are there for 8.15 hours. During the Haj season, there are special broadcasts in Urdu beamed to Saudi Arabia. The External Services of AIR is even broadcast to Europe in the new broadcasting mode DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale). These transmissions are broadcast by the High Power Transmitters located at Aligarh, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Gorakhpur, Guwahati, Mumbai and Panaji on Short Waves and from Jalandhar, Kolkata and Tuticorin on Medium Waves. Some of these transmitters are of 1000 kW and 500 kW power. Programs are beamed to different areas of the world except to the Americas. In each language service a composite program is presented consisting of news bulletin, commentary, press review, talks on matters of general and cultural interest, occasional feature programmes and documentaries, Indian music as well as music of the area concerned. Most of the programs originate in the New Broadcasting House located in Delhi with a few originating at Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Mumbai, Thiruvanthapuram and Tuticorin. The External Services Division of AIR has been a vital link between India and rest of the world, especially with those countries where there are Indian emigrants and people of Indian origin. It projects the Indian point of view on matters of national and international importance and demonstrates our way of life through its various programs. It must be mentioned here that the broadcasts to China in Chinese and Tibetan are jammed by the Chinese authorities. With the other choices in the media scene like Internet and TV, the number of listeners for shortwave broadcasting has drastically dropped. That along with high cost of running broadcasts and also due changes in political equations has prompted many countries to cut short or even completely abandon their external broadcasts. However it is business as usual for All India Radio’s external services for the time being. (References: AIR website, phamlets etc.) 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Raj Bhavan Road, Hyderabad 500082, India, Telefax: 91-40-2331 0287 Cell:94416 96043, http://www.qsl.net/vu2jos http://www.niar.org Sept 23, dx_india yg via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 9680, RRI Sept 23 at 1357 three or four people discussing subjects such as Maradona, good atop CCI and continued past 1400 with no break or timesignal; 1401 referred more than once to SMR- Sat 2-B. Seems that extended Qur`aning is finished along with Ramadan. 4750, RRI Makassar, best heard in quite a while, Sept 25 at 1241 lively W&M dialog in Indonesian, 1242 romantic music, sufficient signal over rumble of co-channel QRM. What a pity that China and Bangladesh have to use the same frequency when there are plenty of openings nearby. Nothing much else audible from Indonesia on 60m, but could hear some AM talk on 3995 at 1251, marred by insensitive SSB hams who regard broadcast stations, even RRI Kendari as nothing but a nuisance, or at best a BFO source. See also PAPUA NEW GUINEA. VOI with usual low modulation during English hour, Sept 25 at 1350; no het so did not bother to measure frequency as usual 9524.9, but at 1435 a big higher-pitched het from CRI on the lo side rather than a lo het on the hi side; ergo, VOI has switched back to the transmitter almost one kHz high. In the clear again at 1500 when I could barely make out a www announcement, but off at 1501* before English could really start repeating. Ron Howard measured it on 9525.88, and during the 10 UT broadcast this same day, Chuck Bolland reported 9525.85 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: 9525.85, Voice of Indonesia, 1031-1040, Noted a female in comments. Couldn't distinguish the language since the signal was really poor this morning. However, EIBI lists English during this period (Chuck Bolland, September 25, 2009, Watkins Johnson HF1000, 26.37N 081.05W, Clewiston FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) VOI switches transmitters - 9525.88 - hum free (Ron Howard, CA, 1336 UT Sept 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9525.91 kHz, Voice of Indonesia, Jakarta, tiny signal under threshold at 1345 UT Sept 25th (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 25 via DXLD) Sabato 26 settembre 2009 0933 - 9525.8 kHz, tent. V of INDONESIA - Cimanggis, Parlato OM e mx. Segnale insufficiente 0937 - 9680 kHz, Solo portante con alcune tracce di modulazione. RRI 4 Jakarta? Segnale insufficiente-nullo (Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova), Italia, playdx yg via DXLD) VOI still on shifted frequency 9525.8 for the second day, Sept 26 at 1307 with W&M news in English, some hum, flutter (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9525.84v, VOI, 1608, Sept. 26. Noted in Indonesian; fair (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) VOI, 9525.9v, very undermodulated in English at 1328 Sept 27 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9525.85, Voice of Indonesia, Cimanggis. 1841-1850+ September 27, 2009. Surely the one, as measured to the same point as where they were earlier in the day (see GERMANY Polish Radio entry on 9525). No usable audio, though listed as German to Europe 1830-1900 (amongst other languages before and after this slot). How come they can get RRI on 9680 to stay on frequency, from the same site, and not this? Whazamadderwidyou? (Terry Krueger, Clearwater FL, Sept 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9680, RRI, Cimanggis. 1226-1458* September 27, 2009. Big signal with Indo patter, frequent canned "RRI" jingles (Err-Err-E), "Radio Republik Indonesia" and "RRI Jakarta" ID’s, Indo pop tunes. Hanging in quite well all morning. Gamelan and seemingly religious sing-song Islamic poetry by man, with percussion accompanying after 1440. Audio abruptly cut at 1458 (listed as 1500*), carrier --, which may or may not have been them -- still there post-1500. Let this one roll as audio background while making breakfast and playing with the dog (Terry Krueger, Clearwater FL, Sept 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN [and non]. Sabato 26 settembre 2009: 0952 - 17535-17550 kHz Buzz vs. R. Farda 17545, Segnale buono-sufficiente. Dalle 1000 con il s/on di CRI 17540 è notevolmente diminuito. Coincidenza? 1016 - 15600-15615 kHz, Buzz vs. R. Farda 15610, Segnale sufficiente- buono (Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova), Italia, playdx yg via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. Galei Zahal, on 15785.5 at 1648 in Hebrew. SIO-242 (M W Bryant, Rcvr: Eton E1XM, 70' longwire, Location: Central KY, US, Date: Sept. 23, ODXA yg via DXLD) Songs at F-P level alternating with announcements in presumed Hebrew, measured on 15783.8, ergo the latest variant of Galei Zahal, Sept 25 at 1733-1753. Will this one stay on the air right thru Yom Kippur, unlike IBA? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15783.76v, Galei Zahal, 1525-1535+, Sept 25, frequency still wandering around from nominal 15785. Classical music and talk. Poor to fair. Slight wobble in carrier. Drifted down to 15783.67 at 1914 check. Heard // 6973 at 1914 with local pop music (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) 1018 - 15783.4 kHz, GALEI ZAHAL - Lod (Israele), Musica locale. Segnale sufficiente-molto buono. Ogni tanto deriva come sui 42 metri (Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova), Italia, playdx yg via DXLD) Galei Tsahal 6973 pushing only open carrier at 1700 Sep 27 and their MW outlets seem to be silent too (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) So an open carrier is kosher; isn`t that work of a sort? (gh, DXLD) ** ISRAEL [non?]. THE VOICE OF PEACE RETURNS AS AN INTERNET STATION The legendary Israeli radio station the Voice of Peace has been re- created as an Internet station. Former VOP presenter Doug Wood writes on the website: “After 15 years of silence The Voice of Peace 24/7 is back again, using 21st Century technology. We would like “1540 The Voice of Peace” to sound as close to the original as possible. Our team includes Tami Tzabari from Israel who will make sure we achieve that. Yaniv Dayan who has built our website and will be making sure that the signal we originate can be heard well from the site. On our team we have Paul Douglas IT Studio and transmitter engineer. Paul will also be one of our presenters and myself, Doug Wood; I’ll be responsible for making sure it all runs smoothly when we go on the air. I will also return with “Morning Music” after 27 years! You will be expecting more ex VOP DJ’s in the coming weeks. So don’t go away!!!” The station is still in a test phase. Current plans are to launch in mid-October. I noticed that the programme titles are the same as the ones that were used on the original VOP. There’s a forum available for you to leave your questions and comments. The Voice of Peace http://www.thevoiceofpeace.co.il/ (September 25th, 2009 - 14:53 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) Comments on “The Voice of Peace returns as an Internet station” #1 Trevor Enefer on Sep 25th, 2009 at 16:55 Andy, the Windows Media Player and Real Player streams for the Voice of Peace are now active. Regards, Trevor. #2 Andy Sennitt on Sep 25th, 2009 at 17:58 Thanks Trevor. Actually I suspect it was our firewall playing up. I have deleted to reference to the streams not working. I will try later from home. #3 Pirate100 on Sep 26th, 2009 at 09:19 This is not the VOP returning. It is a pale imitation brought on air by a former VOP dj who did one stint on the station in the 80s, who had a programme on Israeli station Radius 100 and was dropped because he was living in the past preparing a show that did not fit the format. The VOP on the internet is nothing like the VOP of mid/late 80s and early 90s --- simply an opportunity for a few anoraks to relive memories. What we need in Israel is a real VOP station on air, not this effort. #4 Dave Kernick on Sep 26th, 2009 at 09:59 I have fond memories of VoP from the couple of years I spent in Israel in the early 80s, I’ll definitely be giving this a listen! #5 Andy Sennitt on Sep 26th, 2009 at 13:59 I didn’t say it was the VOP returning. I said it was being “re- created”. Whether or not it turns out to become a “pale imitation” will become apparent when the station officially launches, depending how many ex-VOP DJs they manage to attract. I have personal friends who worked on the original station. #6 Mike Brand on Sep 26th, 2009 at 14:29 Pirate 100, Doug’s show was one of the most thought out shows on Radius. He put a lot of effort into it. You are correct, it did not fit the VOP Show format, it was much better! As for starting up a REAL English language radio station on air - do you have any ideas of how it can be legaly done? I was a presenter on RAM FM for 18 months, but that sadly left the air in a fizzle. So if you have any concrete ideas, please get in touch with me. I give Andy permission to give you my e-mail address. I am also on the Tapuz Radio forum, so you can leave me a message there as well. Shana Tova Mike #7 Eldad Duhan on Sep 26th, 2009 at 14:52 The station is truly amazing. From the look of it, it’s even better than the real thing. I can see that allot of ex vop DJs already joined this venture. This is truly amazing. Doug had an amazing show in Radius, I havn’t got a clue why the idiots running the station decided to cut the show (as well as more hours of the VOP show). I really hope it will be a huge success, since there nothing good in Israeli radio #8 Clive R on Sep 26th, 2009 at 17:08 Good luck to the operation, its a hell of a lot of work for an internet only operation. Think the comment about Doug`s show on Radius being better than the existing teams shows is unfair though, and quite hurtful to the current presenters who put a lot of effort in. #9 55brianb on Sep 26th, 2009 at 19:36 Does anyone know where the station is located? - there’s no mention on their website. I was going to ask on their forums but have given up trying to register for them as their CAPTCHA is completely unreadable, and I kept being told that I had exceeded the maximum number of registration attempts. Very frustrating (Media Network blog comments via DXLD) ** ITALY [non]. Glenn, we had to introduce a change of schedule to WOR on IRRS, due to a new program scheduled each 3rd Saturday from 1000 to 1100 CET on 9510 kHz. (The new program is "Radio City - The radio of the cars" from Sweden). This means that WOR will only be heard on each 2nd, 4th, and when available also on each 5th Saturday of the month from 1000-1100 CET on 9510 kHz. However I just added a regular broadcast of WOR each Saturday effective today from 2000 CET (1800 UT, summer) on 7290 khz. Both will also be streamed in parallel at http://www.nexus.org:8000/irn.mp3.m3uzfs Please let us know of any listener's reaction. These days we have to be very wise to save money, and cuts to our schedule may be on our way too for slots whose costs are not sponsored by anyone. Listeners comments for all programs (and especially those who DO sponsor financially our broadcasts!) are very important for keeping us on the air. New program schedules are at http://www.nexus.org/NEXUS-IBA/Schedules/ 73s, (-- Alfredo E. Cotroneo, CEO, NEXUS-Int'l Broadcasting Association, email: alfredo @ nexus.org http://www.nexus.org ph: +39-02-266 6971 - Toll free: 1-888-612-0039 fax: +39-02-706 38151 Sept 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Good reception at 1800 on 7290. Kind of a novelty to hear WOR without noise and flutter on a European shortwave station. So I am pleased with this change (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JAPAN. Re 9-072: R. Nikkei has different language lessons around 1300 UT; Tuesday Sept 22 at 1306 on 6055 was hearing lecture in Japanese explaining various phrases in German such as ``Die Frauen sind selbst-ständingen geworden`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) This is the correspondence course of Keio University, "Fundamental German" broadcast every Tuesday (Takahito Akabayashi, Japan, DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [and non]. This country must be opening up, for instead of the usual extremely stilted praisetalk for The Dear Leader, Sept 24 at 1349 on 9335 in English I heard a distinctly different accent, like South Asian, on using the internet for propaganda purposes. Who was that? Just outroed as ``that was voice of a foreigner`` and into reunification stuff. Juche jamming noise audible on 3985, 3912 and 3480 against the S. Korean clandestines, Sept 25 at 1252. Could make out some talk too on 3912. Same type of roar less effectively against VOA Korean on 5890 at 1255 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Jamming of South Korean clandestine stations is loud and clear here, but the fading of the noise here goes in and out. If may interest you to know that these, if I can use the term "black broadcasts" are very interesting. The announcers are not South Koreans, but rather North Koreans now living in the south. And the programs format and style are meant to sound as if they are coming from within the DPRK. During WW2 the British did the same with broadcasts to Germany by changing a word here and there. Maybe because of economic problems or poor transmitter upkeep, but sometimes the jamming is not very effective (Keith Perron, Taiwan, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11710.0, classical piano music, 1727 UT Sept 25, later with orchestra, a concerto? Not recognized, but sounds Western. Only thing that fits is VOK, Korean service to NAm, and confirmed at 1730 by // JBA in noise 9335 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9665.21, KCBS, P’yongyang. 1135-1140 September 27, 2009 in the clear but very low modulation with NorKorCom talk by Korean man (Terry Krueger, Clearwater FL, Sept 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LAOS. 7145, LNR, 1209, Sept. 24. In Vietnamese with the news; 1216 into nice SE Asian singing. At 1303 was in French and at 1337 in English. Today was a vast improvement over their recent reception. In early August they had almost fair reception here, but ever since mid-August they have either not been heard or were noted below threshold level. 6130, LNR, 1401, Sept. 26. Anthem; news in Laotian; 1417 “Hi, I am Max”, “Hello, my name is Kathy”, “Welcome to New Dynamic English”, "New Dynamic English is a basic English language course and an introduction to American people and culture"; in equal amounts of English and Laotian; “Today’s unit is what is two plus two?”, all about mathematics; mostly fair (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBYA. 11995, Voice of Africa, Sabratha. 1803-1905 September 27, 2009. Hausa service, in the clear and good, same stale production values and the English service. Male talk, ID’s, various types of African music fills. Address at 1829, and ID's are always "Voice of Africa" (in English -- what, no way to translate to Hausa?). No parallels located. 17725, Voice of Africa, Sabratha. 1510-1530 September 27, 2009. Accented English female with slow rip-and-read glory to the al-fata revolution news, classical Arabic fill music, Nice, likely Mali or Senegal highlife vocal. Clear and very good. No trace of 21695 (Terry Krueger, Clearwater FL, Sept 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. 9750, RTM (presumed) 1701 UT, 24 Sept, relaying domestic station. At 1701 what seems like a religious programme then from about 1710 easy listening and local music interspersed with YL and OM talk and with telephone call-in. Many jingle IDs, but I have struggled to be sure what it is - maybe "Sarawak FM" but many of the jingles also sound like "Salam FM" or maybe "Sabah FM". Transmission pretty much blocked by AWR via Austria starting up on 9755 at 1800 (Alan Roe, Teddington, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Alan, Excellent log! I am jealous! Believe this is the very first reception of this that I have seen. Sounds as if you have in fact heard the “Salam FM” programming via RTM, reportedly on “6070”, “9750” and perhaps on 6175 kHz (“48.58 meter”). Supposedly on from 1700 to 2400 UT, per http://www.jiwang.org/portal/modules/myarticles/article_storyid_5724.html Congratulations! (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, USA, ibid.) Hi Ron, Many thanks for the confirmation. I've uploaded a short 90 second clip at http://www.worlddxclub.org.uk/clips/SalamFM.mp3 (Alan Roe, England, ibid.) ** MALAYSIA. 26 Sept 1008 - 15295 kHz, SUARA MALAYSIA. Non la sento da 2-3 anni. I database la riportano sempre attiva (Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova), Italia, playdx yg via DXLD) ** MALTA. Hi Glenn: In the Maltese press, stories about the former Deutsche Welle relay site pop up occasionally. Here's the latest. http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=94534 (Kim Elliott, DX LISTENING DIGEST) It`s now a nature park (gh) ** MEXICO. The Mexican Comisión Federal de Telecomunicaciones says that it has now initiated the work of assigning FM frequencies to the stations wishing to switch from AM to FM. In early August the frequencies for Veracruz, Chiapas, Oaxaca and Guerrero were announced. The remaining states will follow according to a running schedule. Out of the total of 850 AM stations, 450 are expected to switch to the FM band, where a total of 1176 allocations are available. 1130 XETOL 11-30 Notícias, Toluca. Ex La Comadre, ex. R. Lobo 1160 XEIW Canal Juvenil, Uruapan. Address: Mazatlán # 30, Col. La Magdalena, 60080 Uruapan. 1200 XEQY Uno Más Uno Radio, Address: Paseo Tollocan 613, Oriente, Col. Valle Verde, 50130 Toluca 1200 XEQJAL R. Querétaro, Jalpán. Address: Camino de Piedras Anchas no 100, Cabecera Municipal de Jalpán de Serra, 76000 Jalpán. Tel +52 442 238 5111. 1360 XEY R. Fiesta Retro, Celaya, new slogan 1540 XENC La Auténtica, address: Grupo Radiocomunicación Trébol, Privada Renovacienovación 135, Floresta del sur, 38090 Celaya. Tel. +52 461 61 31 580. (Héctor García Bojorge via Christer Brunström, WRTH, ARC CENTRAL AMERICAN NEWS DESK Sept 2009, edited by Tore Larsson, via DXLD) ** MEXICO. 560, La Poderosa, Chetumal, 1329-1340, 16-09, locutor, anuncios, noticias de Cancún y de Chetumal, "Festejamos las Fiestas Patrias". 34433. (Méndez) 740, Radio Fórmula, Cancún, 1317-1326, 16-09, locutor, comentario sobre recaudación de impuestos en México. 44444. (Méndez) 810, Radio el Sol, Cozumel, 1023-1035, 13-09, locutor, locutora, "Disfruta de la mejor música", "Quédate conmigo, Sol 88.9 FM", "Sol Cozumel", canciones latinoamericanas. 55555. (Méndez) [What about Mérida on 810, // 6104.8v? Would seem to be a bit too close for comfort, but Cozumel is a much stronger station and of course much closer to his QTH. Does either run a direxional antenna, lest Cozumel cause QRM close to Mérida? --- gh] 860, Radio Chetumal, Chetumal, 1312-1317, 16-09, locutor, "En Septiembre vive México, vive Quintana Roo", "Transmite Radio Chetumal". 24322. (Méndez) 900, W Radio, México D. F., 1058-1110, 18-09, locutor, identificación: "Esta es W Radio". A las 1100 noticias: "La primera plana de hoy por hoy". 24322. (Méndez) 1000, Radio Mil, México D. F., 1015-1032, 13-09, canciones, locutor, comentarios, identificación: "Radio Mil". 34333. También 1102-1115, 19-09, identificación: "Radio Mil transmite con 50.000 watts de potencia desde la Ciudad de México", "Radio Mil", "Vive México en Radio Mil". 23322. (Méndez) 1060, Radio Educación, México D. F., 1032-1045, 14-09, lírica, música clásica. 45444. (Méndez) 1240, Radio Ranchito, Morelia, 1123-1136, 14-09, locutor: "Con la música bonita de Radio Ranchito", "Radio Ranchito le da la hora, 6 con 26 minutos, anuncios. 34333. (Méndez) 1440, Cambio 14.40, México D. F., 1117-1127, 14-09, locutor: "Cambio 14.40", "Cámbiate a 14.40, la radio pública que se escucha", comentarios. 34333. (Méndez) 1470, Radio Fórmula, México D. F., 1028-1035, 17-09, locutora: "Radio Fórmula, Cadena Nacional, comentarios. 34333. (Méndez) 1500, Radio Fórmula, Cadena Radio Uno, México D. F., 1045-1107, 14-09, noticias de México, deportes, identificación a las 1100: "Fórmula, Grupo Fórmula", "Fórmula detrás de la noticia, con el periodista Ricardo Rocha". 24322. (Méndez) 1570, La Poderosa, Ciudad Acuña, 1001-1015, 13-09, canciones mexicanas, locutor, comentarios, anuncios, identificación: "La Poderosa". 24322. [did none of these MW stations mention call letters??? gh] 4800, XERTA, Radio Transcontinental de América, 1038-1046, 18-09, locutor, comentario religioso, canciones religiosas. 24322. (Méndez) 6010, Radio Mil, México D. F., 0950-1005, 13-09, canciones mexicanas, locutor, comentarios, identificación: "Radio Mil". 34433. También escuchada 1010-1115, 14-09, locutor, comentarios, canciones, identificación: "5 de la mañana 26 minutos, 11 grados en Ciudad de México", "Vive México en Radio Mil", más canciones, a las 1100 programa "Enfoques", "13 grados temperatura ambiente, fuertes lluvias para hoy". 34433. También 1005-1030, 15-09, identificación: "Radio Mil", "Vive México en Radio Mil", canciones, locutor: "Hola buen día, vamos a iniciar la mañana". 25322. También 2355-0015, 17-09, música de México, a las 0000 identificación: "Núcleo Radio Mil Comunicaciones", comentario financiero. 33333. (Méndez) 6105, XEQM, Mérida, 2004-2018 13-08, locutor, comentarios en maya, anuncios comerciales en español: "Los trabajadores de los medios de comunicación mexicanos tenemos los más altos valores", canciones en español. 25322. También 2311-2322, 14-09, comentarios en maya y canciones en español. 23322. También 2329-2345, 15-09, canciones latinoamericanas, locutora, maya, "810 AM", anuncios en español, "Fundación Radio Televisión Mexicana". 34333. También 2340-2355, 17-09, "810 AM, vive la música", maya y anuncios en español: "Yucatán tiene de todo", "Cambia el aire acondicionado, tiendas Tapur, para saber vivir". 34333. (Méndez) 6185, Radio Educación, México D. F., 1021-1035, 17-09, música clásica. Interferencia de Radio Nacional da Amazonia en la misma frecuencia. 33333 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, escuchas realizadas en Hotel Catalonia Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo, Península de Yucatán, México, entre los días 13 y 19 de Septiembre, Grundig Yacht Boy 400, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MONACO [non]. 9800, TWR fair signal Sept 23 at 0706 in English preacher, 324 degrees from Fontbonne, France site. M-F starts at 0700, Sunday at 0645, Saturday at 0715, per Aoki (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The only connection Monaco still has with these transmissions is that the transmitter operator, Monte-Carlo Radiodiffusion, should have some offices there. TWR closed its Monaco offices about five years ago. I understand that these Fontbonne transmissions are now handled by TWR Europe, i.e. in Austria. However, this is not necessarily the "studio site", the individual programmes may be produced elsewhere, in the case of English probably in the UK. Maybe it would be the best idea to call it "USA (non)", because at the end of the day TWR is an US-based operation with many outposts all over the world (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well, I am reluctant to let go of Monaco for nostalgic historical reasons as I am for FEBA, SEYCHELLES [non]. And soon, ECUADOR [non] for HCJB, except AUSTRALIA (gh) ** MONACO [non]. TWR, Fontbonne, France, on 9800 at 0644 in English, Sept 27 (Sunday). IS, M ID and into religious program. Very weak (Eton E1XM w/ 70' longwire, Mike Bryant, Louisville KY, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MYANMAR. 5985.0, Myanma Radio, 1522, Sept. 26. In vernacular; Buddhist incantations; gong rung slowly; BoH “airing second English transmission”; full ID with frequencies; news (item about Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Senior General Than Shwe bidding farewell to the Prime Minister and the delegation going to New York for the United Nations General Assembly meeting, etc.); “This news comes to you from Myanma Radio. Now a look at the weather as of 7 PM today”, weather conditions, 2 day forecast and conditions for Myanmar waters; slogans (“We favor peace and stability. We favor development”, etc.); sounded like: “Myanma Radio presents news from other (Asian?) countries”; 1545 non-stop EZL songs in English; 1600* (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. I just added a new video to the Happy Station youtube channel. I've been trying to think what kind of videos I should upload. A few people said maybe I should respond so some listener question, so we`ll try it out. http://www.youtube.com/user/pcjhappystation (Keith Perron, Taiwan, Sept 23, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also SWITZERLAND [non] ** NICARAGUA. 680, La Primerísima, transmitiendo programa La Voz de la Liberación, Managua, 1043-1057, locutor, programa religioso: "Todos en Managua el 20 de Septiembre", "Campaña de la Prosperidad en Managua", "La Voz de la Liberación". Programa muy parecido al de Radio Victoria, Lima, Perú. 34333 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, escuchas realizadas en Hotel Catalonia Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo, Península de Yucatán, México, entre los días 13 y 19 de Septiembre, Grundig Yacht Boy 400, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGER. 9705, LV du Sahel, off the air again. Not heard at various checks between 1900-2100 on Sept 24 & 25. (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) ** NIGERIA. 6089.85, Radio Nigeria, Kaduna, 2105-2211, Sept 24, talk in listed Hausa. Promos. Jingles. Some tribal chants. ID at 2202. Several minutes of Qur’an at 2203. Good. Strong. Slight distortion at times. Covered by Anguilla 6090 at their 2211 sign on (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) ** NIGERIA. 15120, V. of Nigeria, Ikorodu, 1948-2003, Sept 25, English. W announcer with "Nigerian Popular Music" program; music by featured artist, whose name I missed, and brief biography; ID in passing at program end; Afropops from ToH; fair-good (Scott R. Barbour Jr. Intervale, N.H. USA, NRD-545, RX-350D, MLB1, 200' Beverages, 60m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15120, Sept 25 at 2041 with very distorted music, undermodulated and muffled but not distorted YL ID as Voice of Nigeria, Lagos. Signal was noticeably weaker than WYFR 15130 and much weaker than REE 15110, altho without such neighbors and with decent modulation it would have been adequate (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA [non]. BELGIUM(non) Cancelled txion of Aso Radio in Hausa: 0530-0600 on 9680 ARM 250 kW / 188 deg to WCAf Mon-Fri 1600-1630 on 15215 ARM 250 kW / 188 deg to WCAf Mon-Fri (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 25 Sept via DXLD) Long ago? (gh) ** OKLAHOMA. See USA, Kansas+ MW report ** OMAN. Sultanate of: 15140, Radio Sultanate of Oman (presumed), Muscat, 1423+, September 27, English, pops, short announcement by male, 24322 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. RADIO PAKISTAN LAHORE BACK ON MEDIUMWAVE | Text of report by official news agency Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) The historic channel of Radio Pakistan Lahore is back on mediumwave besides its transmission on FM Channel 93. A press release issued by PBC Friday said that the old 100 kW transmitter of Radio Pakistan Lahore has been repaired and it has again started radiating at its previous frequency 630 kHz from 7.00 am to 12:00 midnight daily. [DST UT+6 = 0100-1800 UT] With the start of transmission on powerful MW [mediumwave] transmitter again now the Radio Pakistan Lahore can be listened at far-flung areas of the country besides the Indian Punjab. A team of Radio Pakistan has conducted an initial survey regarding the coverage area of the newly resumed transmission during which a large number of listeners endorsed that broadcasts of Radio Pakistan Lahore are now loud and clear on the mediumwave. It may be mentioned here that broadcasts of Radio Pakistan Lahore were continuing on the same frequency earlier but its broadcast hours were reduced due to weak signals. Now after refurbishment of the transmitter all the programmes including Saut-ul-Koran are being broadcast at 630 kHz with more power and clarity. The programmes of National Broadcast Service are also being broadcast on MW at 1332 kHz through 100 kW transmitters from 7.00 am to midnight daily. Source: Associated Press of Pakistan news agency, Islamabad, in English 2333 gmt 24 Sep 09 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 3260, presumed R. Madang, Madang, 0858, Sept 23, Tok Pisin. Thresh-hold audio with EZL ballad; announcer thru ToH: carriers with whisper-quiet audio noted on 3275-R. Southern Highlands; 3290-R. Central; 3365-R. Milne Bay. 3385-R. East New Britian best of the bunch, as it usually is at my location (Scott R. Barbour Jr. Intervale, N.H. USA, NRD-545, RX-350D, MLB1, 200' Beverages, 60m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) [and non]. Signs of life on PNG channels, Sept 25 at 1253: 3220 and 3385 with music; something on 3260; 3335 with off-frequency SSB QRM; 3345 sounds like two stations, the other being RRI Ternate if active? At 1301, 3220 had a song, while at 1303, 3335 sounded like news, still with SSB QRM (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 4790, Radio Visión, Chiclayo, 1112-1127, 14-09, comentario religioso, español. 15321. (Méndez) 4825, La Voz de la Selva, Iquitos, 1059-1112, 15-09, música, locutor, español, comentario: "10 años aquí entre nosotros", locutora. 15321. 4940, Radio San Antonio, Villa Atalaya, (probable), 1104-1110, 15-09, locutor, comentario en español. Muy débil. 14221. (Méndez) 5940, Radio Melodía, Arequipa, (Probable), 1107-1120, 14-09, locutor, español, comentarios. Señal muy débil. 14321 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, escuchas realizadas en Hotel Catalonia Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo, Península de Yucatán, México, entre los días 13 y 19 de Septiembre, Grundig Yacht Boy 400, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6019.32, Radio Victoria, 0950-1000, Noted a male in Spanish Language religious discourse. This continues during the period. Splatter from nearby stations increase the difficulty to hear any details other than the above. Signal was poor (Chuck Bolland, September 25, 2009, Watkins Johnson HF1000, 26.37N 081.05W, Clewiston FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) R. Victoria, Lima, on 9720 at 0535 UT in Spanish, Sept. 27. Female delivering a long, screaming sermon in one of the most impassioned deliveries imaginable. SIO-343, pretty clear on an otherwise fairly quiet band. At 0710 re-check, still there, but weaker (Eton E1XM w/ 70' longwire, Mike Bryant, Louisville KY, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** POLAND [non]. 9525, GERMANY, Polish Radio, Wertachtal. 1214-1226 September 27, 2009. Surprised to hear this one at this time, clear and fair (via LSB to avoid Voice of Indonesia on 9525.85, running either near zero modulation or just an open carrier with no programming fed). English reader, "... coming to you from Polish Radio... 640 [whatever that partial copy was in reference to]..." and long talk on the Polish railway grid, oldie cover of "Train, Train" song dumped in at times for fill. Presumed site. A few months before Polish Radio pulled the plug on their domestic transmitters, I recall hearing the 1300 English broadcast on 9535 and 11850 from here (Terry Krueger, Clearwater FL, Sept 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PORTUGAL. Re 9-072: ``15560, RDPI opening Abraço da Madeira show, Sun Sept 20 at 1311 with VG signal; upbeat announcer said it was from Funchal studio. Every little island should be so lucky as Madeira to have a weekly two-hour worldwide SW contact show courtesy of the mother country. But is there an equivalent from the Açores? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) No, as far as I know, and as far as the whole list of RDPi programs shows http://tv1.rtp.pt/EPG/radio/programas/?rcanal=5 "Na Rota das Ilhas" (the Açores islands that is) is the only feature on the Açores apart from the regional news bulletins, but the scope, the content differs substantially: http://tv1.rtp.pt/programas-rtp/index.php?p_id=2903&e_id=&c_id=5&dif=radio ___________ By the way, unlike the Canaries, the Açores, Madeira, Cabo Verde, Ascensão (you may see this written as "Ascenção" (*), but that's wrong spelling), São Tomé e Príncipe, Fernando Pó e Ano Bom http://www.mgar.net/africa/poo.htm http://www.tecnet.pt/portugal/ref/50559.html Stª Helena, Fernando de Noronha (off Brazil's NE coast) and Tristão da Cunha, were all uninhabited until the arrival of the first [Portuguese] Europeans; we remained on some of them and neglected the rest (Ascensão, Stª Helena, Tristão da Cunha) which were merely used for supplies, like small livestock (typically sheep, rabbits perhaps) left there by the first ships en route to India, Brazil and Africa. *) Lat. ascensio > Port. ascensão, from Lat. ascendere > Port. ascender. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also TRISTAN DA CUNHA ** RUSSIA [and non]. As I tuned by VOR Hindi service on 15605, Sept 24 at 1326, nostalgia overcame me as they happened to be playing the old 10-note Radio Moscow IS, which I also used to play on the piano. Then it morphed into a fuller musicpiece; it was after all just the opening of a genuine no doubt patriotic communist tune, the rest of which I can still hum apolitically. VOR in English to Americas, 9665 via Pridnestrovye/Moldova, UT Fri Sept 25 at 0151 with Tuvan-sounding music, program outroed before hourtop as Kaleidoscope. Flutter-fading very noticeable on this frequency unlike most others on 31m from lower latitude paths. 7200 at 1310 Sept 25, Russian talk vs SSB ham on exactly same frequency. Russia is also audible on 7200 as early as 0500 now. Per Aoki this is NVK R. Sakha-R. Rossii, 100 kW non-direxional from Yakutsk at 19-15. WRTH says it`s 250 kW, which I could easily believe. HFCC says 250 kW and 45 degrees, which I could also believe, enhancing the signal usward. Yakutsk is at 62 north, 130 east. Sunset there today was 0909 UT per http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=1907 7200 is supposed to be off-limits for broadcasters as the boundary frequency between ham and BC bands now in Regions 1 and 3, but Aoki also shows Malaysia/Sarawak and Myanmar on 7200 --- is either really active on 7200? As well as further west, Iran and Sudan (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) It is indeed a 250 kW transmitter, apparently from the last generation of high power SWBC transmitters made by Komintern Leningrad, similar or identical to transmitters at Rimavská Sobota, Minsk, Taldom I think. Its purpose is to enhance the longwave service which could be weak in some remote areas of Siberia, the antenna should of course be designed accordingly. This rig on the transmitter site outside Yakutsk (it's not in the outskirts of the city but a two-digit kilometres figure away) was for quite some time faulty but now the problem appears to be finally fixed. I think it had been frequently mentioned in DXLD (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, it used to `motorboat` badly on 7200, but now OK (gh, DXLD) 7200, NVK Radio Sakha/Radio Rossii, Yakutsk. 1230-1250 September 26, 2009. Checked this as per Glenn Hauser’s log in dxld 3393 [?]. Clear save for occasional and brief piggie QRM. Short classical violin tracks, Russian announcer after each, but no network/station ID or program name culled. One piggie actually identified the QRM as "a Russian station" while communicating to his nearly comatose fellow pigster. And we were pleased to learn that piggie #1 would not be able to cut his lawn today, and will not be on the air Monday due to having to take the wife for an eye exam (Terry Krueger, Clearwater FL, Sept 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15510 playing songs in Italian by an OM singer with an American accent, Sept 25 at 1348 and 1355; one lyric was ``non é un'altra donna``. What`s this? Certainly not Rai or SRI Switzerland, the Italian native-language countries which abandoned SW long ago. What else but the VOR Pashto/Dari service, as in Aoki at 12-14, 250 kW, 110 degrees from Krasnodar, RUSSIA as also revealed by VOR IS at 1359, smooth transition at 1400 to DW, 500 kW, 76 degrees via Rampisham, UK in Russian with Novosti (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [non] 4975, VOR via Dushanbe-Yangiyul, 1345, Sept. 24. Scheduled to be in Pashto/Dari; weak; usually this is below threshold level, so today was exceptional reception! [non non] 6160, GTRK Pomorye (tentative), 0315-0401, Sept. 24. Surprised to hear this mixing with Vancouver at a decent level. Suspect was their own local/regional program, as clearly was not // 5940 and 7320, both of which were carrying Radio Rossii programming; at 0400, Pomorye joined the R. Rossii network, with pips and ID. 6160, R. Pomorye, 0310-0400, Sept. 25. Mixing with Vancouver; running their own local/regional program; before 0310 and after 0400 was clearly // 5940 and 7320, with Radio Rossii programming. Many thanks to Mauno Ritola (Finland) for his kind assistance ID’ing R. Pomorye (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Where`s this? Arkhangel`sk, extreme NW Russia not far from Finland (gh, DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Frequency changes for Voice of Russia: 1200-1400 NF 7340 VLD 250 kW / 230 deg in Japanese, ex 7380 K/A 1700-1800 NF 7285 ARM 100 kW / 285 deg in Polish, ex 7440 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 25 Sept via DXLD) ** RUSSIA [and non]. VOR coming to Madrid next month. I will definitely be there (Marty Delfin (Madrid), DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: INVITACIÓN --- Estimado amigo: En la Feria Internacional del Libro “Liber 2009” que se realizará en Madrid del 7 al 9 de octubre, participa la compañía de radio La Voz de Rusia. Les invitamos a visitar nuestro stand [sic] en el que se exhibirán: el proyecto multimedia “Enciclopedia. Toda Rusia desde la A hasta la ß (Ya)”, vídeos con intervenciones de escritores y traductores rusos participantes de “Liber 2009”, así como decenas de composiciones radiofónicas sobre obras de clásicos rusos y autores contemporáneos. El 9 de octubre, de 11 a 13 horas, se efectuará - bajo la consigna “La Voz de Rusia: 80 años en las ondas internacionales” - un encuentro con los oyentes-ganadores del concurso literario efectuado por nuestra emisora “Mi primer encuentro con la literatura rusa. Invitados de honor de este encuentro serán habitantes de Madrid, nuestros ex colegas veteranos que años atrás trabajaban en Radio Moscú, hoy La Voz de Rusia. Les recordamos una vez más: el encuentro con representantes de La Voz de Rusia en la Feria del Libro de Madrid “Liber 2009” bajo el lema “La voz de Rusia: 80 años en las ondas internacionales” tendrá lugar el 9 de octubre de 11 a 13 horas. ¡Bienvenidos! Atentamente, (Redacción de emisiones en español, de La Voz de Rusia, Sept 16, via Delfín, DXLD) ** SERBIA [non]. International R. of Serbia, via Bijeljina, Bosnia- Herzegovina, 9675 at 0035 in English. W with news, multiple IDs as "International Radio of Serbia," M with press review. SIO-444, very solid, even with this portable (Redsun RP2100, Mike Bryant, KY, Sept 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH AMERICA. *Sudamerica -- 27615-USB kHz, LV de Mataderos, 1420+, 20 Septiembre, mx peruana, ID "La Voz de Mataderos", anuncia la frecuencia de 27515 (Enrique A. Wembagher, ARGENTINA, Conexión Digital Sept 27 via DXLD) ** SPAIN. 17595, REE in Brazilian Portuguese hour, Sept 25 at 1803 with report about IMF mentioning Pitsburgo (Pittsburgho?). VG signal as if it`s still aimed at NAm, tho listed as 248 degrees from Noblejas; meanwhile, REE in Spanish on 17715 was much weaker, tho azimuth supposedly differs by only 18 degrees at 230, both 350 kW. Something seems amiss. REE opening English on 9665, Sat Sept 26 at 2101 with item about the San Sebastián film festival, fair signal. Trouble is, this broadcast is supposed to be on 9650 Sat & Sun at 21- 22, per WRTH A-09 update, Aoki and EiBi. 9665 is the frequency scheduled for English on M-F when it is two hours earlier at 19-20. Did they get mixed up at Noblejas about which one to use, or is this an intentional change? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN. 7200, R. Omdurman, Al Fitahab, 0243-0312, Sept 21, Arabic. M announcer with Kor'an-like vocal chants with brief announcer at 0251; "Huna Omdurman" ID at ToH followed by presumed news; Arabic music; fair at best under co-channel USB chatter (Scott R. Barbour Jr. Intervale, N.H. USA, NRD-545, RX-350D, MLB1, 200' Beverages, 60m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7200, SRTC, 0320-0430*, Sept 25, Arabic talk. Wide variety of local pop music, instrumental music & some Mid-east style music. Many mentions of Sudan. “Huna Omdurman” IDs. Abrupt sign off at 0430. Fair. Weak unidentified co-channel QRM (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) ** SUDAN [and non]. 4740, R. Peace (very tentative!), tuned in at 1417, Sept. 24 to hear what sounded like religious singing; barely above threshold level; lost about 1424; most days nothing heard here. Would like to think it might be them, but their schedule is supposedly 1600 to 1800. Has anyone actually confirmed this portion of their schedule? Heard via long path today was Madagascar on 6134.90, at 1433 in French (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN [non]. 15650, Sept 25 at 1757 rather distorted audio on F-P signal, eventually recognized as heavily accented English; 1758 item about the national election commission in southern Sudan; 1800 music and announcement in non? English, off at 1801* Miraya FM as scheduled 1500-1800 via IRRS via SLOVAKIA, back to Sudan (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CLANDESTINE [sic], 15650, Miraya FM via Rimavska Sobota, 1501-1506, September 27, Arabic? news, 24332 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN [non]. 13730, Radio Dabanga via DTK-Germany. Sept 27th 09 1529-1600+++. Noted this morning with a massive signal, sign-on in Arabic with many IDs and program of opening news. At 1542 gave the schedule for their daily broadcasts in Arabic. Features followed as I recorded this broadcast for my tape library. Noted at 1554 with detailed information on contact information and their broadcasts to Sudan. Interview followed via telephone link (Edward Kusalik-ALBERTA, Canada, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Aoki: 500 kW, 150 degees from Wertachtal ** SWITZERLAND [non]. Happy Station's Happy Birthday to Bob Thomann Uploaded === September 24, 2009 all regions Happy Station Show for Bob Thomann's 81st birthday. http://www.radio4all.net/files/kperron@gmail.com/3101-1-happy_station_09:24:09_bob_thomann_birthday.mp3 Any problems with the file, let me know (Keith Perron, Taiwan, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAIWAN. 738-Taiwan Fisheries was a 9+ at 1345 with its buzzing carrier, the strongest I've ever heard it. I replaced the MP3 on the Ultralightdx file site with a recording made this morning, which sounded like the transmitter was next door (and about to explode). Taiwan is a relatively rich country (unlike North Korea), so it's a puzzle why they don't correct the problem. Modified ICF-2010 (30" loopstick) Modified C.Crane SWP (7.5" Slider loopstick and CFJ455K5 filter) 36" Collapsible frame tuned passive loop 73, (Gary DeBock, Puyallup WA, Sept 24, IRCA via DXLD) ** TAIWAN. RTI Taipeh Livesendung am 3. Oktober 2009 auf 9955 kHz. Jetzt ist es auch auf der Web Site, und mit Telefonnummer: http://german.rti.org.tw/Content/GetSingleNews.aspx?ContentID=3D86808 Livesendung am 3. Oktober 2009 auf 9955 kHz RTI plant am 3. Oktober 2009 eine Livesendung !!!! Anlaesslich des 23-jaehrigen Bestehens des deutschen Programms von 1700 Uhr bis 1800 Uhr UT auf der Frequenz 9955 kHz direkt von der RTI-Sendestation in Tainan mit Call-in und Call-out !!! [sic] Die Gebuehrenfreie Call-in Nummer fuer die Sendung ist: xx886-880-5516-5516 (Dr. Anton J. Kuchelmeister-D, A-DX Sept 19) Vier Direktsendungen am 2., 3., 9. und 10. Oktober von RTI. 1700-1800 UT Taiwan 9955 kHz. RTI Hoererklub Ottenau: Information zum Radio Taiwan International - Radio Traumland - Oktoberkontest, Gedenken an Albert Roesch und Bernhard Westhoelder, sowie Anfrage Winterfrequenzen. Der Radio Taiwan International Hoererklub Ottenau fuehrt im Oktober 2009 wieder eine Diplomaktion durch. An den Tagen 2., 3., 9. und 10. Oktober wird von 1700 bis 1800 UTC direkt aus Taiwan auf 9955 kHz gesendet. . . (all BC-DX Sept 27 via DXLD) where there is much more re in German ** TIBET [non]. 15412, TAJIKISTAN (Clandestine) Voice of Tibet, Orzu. 1357-1400* September 26, 2009. Thanks Wolfgang Bueschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 20 via BC-DX 931 Sept. 27 [sic]. In the clear but weak modulation, unidentified language talk, plug pulled. A big two-minute log. Spot-on ‘off’ frequency, as reported. Presumed (Terry Krueger, Clearwater FL, Sept 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TRISTAN DA CUNHA [and non]. WHAT'S THE MOST REMOTE SPOT ON EARTH? by Sarah Winkler http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/most-remote-place.htm (via Bruce MacGibbon, OR, DXLD) Altho this article does not mention radio, the first source cited for it is by well-known DX guys! Ekwall, John and Jan Tuner. "Tristan da Cunha: The Remotest Island in the World." Saint Helena. http://www.sthelena.se/tristan/tristan.htm Now before anyone starts vocalizing or subvocalizing this island as ``kun-haa``, let me advert them that it is a Portuguese name, wherein nh approximates the Italian gn or the Spanish ñ sound, i.e. ny as in English nyet, so it`s KOO-nyuh. We can only hope the locals know this and have not corrupted it themselves; and it does not explain how Tristão got changed to Tristan! Article also goes into some other contenders by different criteria (gh) ** TUNISIA. RTT Tunis, Sfax, on 7335 at 0605 in Arabic, Sept. 27. Male announcer with news, including several items about Obama, news ended with brief music flair and clear ID. SIO-454, very strong, as was // 7275. At 0705 re-check, 7335 holding up well, 7275 gone (Eton E1XM w/ 70' longwire, Mike Bryant, Louisville KY, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKEY [and non]. 15285, Sept 26 at 1359 with VOT IS over CCI causing SAH, no doubt with ChiCom jamming and/or BBC Mandarin via Singapore. 1400 accurate 5+1 timesignal from VOT before opening Arabic to NW Africa, and someone else`s timesignal a few sex behind. I am having trouble listening live to the Voice of Turkey stream, which I had hotlinked from Monitoring Reminders Calendar, as http://www.trt.net.tr/Canli/anasayfa.aspx?kanal=RDVOT I tried it once and instead got one of the TV channels playing, and another time at 2300 UT, Turkish nightmiddle, got nothing playing. Now VOT is not listed as one of the radio networks linked, just domestic ones. There is a link to TRT World which has been revamped into mainly a news portal, but with audio links to the two daily English broadcasts on demand, or just the newscasts --- not to live streaming of whatever is on now. Does this still exist hiddenly, or has it been closed down? See also UK -- BBC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UKRAINE [and non]. Amazing Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=518XP8prwZo I watched this last night, more than once. What a stunning performance. The radio connection is the brief excerpt from Radio Moscow at about 2 minutes (Fred Waterer, Ont., ODXA yg via DXLD) Sand animator a YouTube sensation Sep 21, 2009 05:20 PM Thestar.com staff Of all the Internet videos to go viral this year, it is hands-down the most unusual: an eight-minute performance from the TV show Ukraine's Got Talent during which a 24-year-old "sand animator" named Kseniya Simonova draws a constantly evolving series of illustrations, in sand, showing how ordinary people suffered in the wake of the German invasion in World War II. The unlikely YouTube sensation has been viewed more than 2 million times. The performance reduced many in the audience - as well as at least one of the three judges - to tears. A section of the shifting pictures is set to a classical version of "Nothing Else Matters," performed by Finnish cello act Apocalyptica but originally done by heavy metal band Metallica. Simonova was named winner of Ukraine's Got Talent, taking home prize money equivalent to about $135,000 CDN. http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/698834 (Via Waterer, ibid.) And linked to another performance, Part I ** U K. Glenn, No surprise but perhaps you noticed that the BBC News website (bbcnews.com) recently removed the "listen live" button on the home page. The option they left us was a canned "world service bulletin" button. Now If you want listen continuously you must go to the bbcworldservice.com site to listen live. I wonder if they did this because their servers were overwhelmed by people leaving their computers on for hours and hours. I hope they regret their misguided decision in dropping shortwave. Regards, (Pete Johnson, Sept 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also TURKEY ** U K. BBC, Rampisham, UK, on 13675 at 1706 in English. M with highlights of Obama at UN, ID. SIO-444, Good (M W Bryant, Rcvr: Eton E1XM, 70' longwire, Location: Central KY, US, Date: Sept. 23, ODXA yg via DXLD) ** U K [and non]. Some changes of BBC: English WS 1700-1800 NF 6000 SLA 250 kW / 063 deg SAs, x 7400 NAK 250 kW / 300 Sinhala 1630-1700 on 9980 NAK 250 kW / 255 deg, additional frequency NF 13630 SKN 300 kW / 095 deg, ex 11985 NAK \\ 6180 NAK, 9815 SLA Urdu, additional transmissions 0300-0330 on 11995 DHA 250 kW / 070 deg 13850 NAK 250 kW / 300 deg 15670 NAK 250 kW / 305 deg 1600-1630 on 6100 SNG 250 kW / 320 deg, ex Farsi 7435 NAK 250 kW / 300 deg 9915 CYP 250 kW / 097 deg, ex Farsi 15480 RMP 500 kW / 076 deg 1730-1800 on 6060 SLA, 7435 NAK, 9605 CYP, 11865 SNG >>>>> cancelled (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 25 Sept via DXLD) ** U K. * DAVENTRY CALLING - 2: STATION G5SW CHELMSFORD In the progressive development of events that brought about the establishment of the famous BBC shortwave station located at Daventry in the Midlands of England, we take up the story of the early shortwave station that was licensed as G5SW. This transmitter was inaugurated at the Marconi factory in Chelmsford, it was subsequently moved to Daventry, and it remained in service for a magnificent total of 32 years. This is the story. Back in the year 1898, the young Marconi, just 24 years old, established a wireless factory on Hall Street in Chelmsford England, some 35 miles north east of London. This venture was so successful that he constructed his own factory building on New Street in the same town 14 years later and transferred the manufacturing of wireless equipment into it in June 1912. In 1919, Marconi constructed a 6.5 kW experimental broadcast transmitter the power of which was increased to 15 kW during the following year. With the usage of this transmitter, Marconi began the broadcast of a regular news service that was radiated on 107 kHz, which of course is a channel in what we now know as the standard Longwave Broadcast Band. Soon afterwards, a very famous radio broadcast was made from this transmitter when the Australian opera singer, Dame Nellie Melba, made a scheduled broadcast that was advertised in advance in the newspapers. This broadcast, on June 14, 1920, was heard widely throughout islandic Europe as well as over in continental Europe and beyond, and it is looked upon as being a significant milestone in the development of radio broadcasting, not only in England, but around the world. Shortly afterwards, Marconi launched a regular broadcasting service for the benefit of Londoners over the famous original station, 2LO in London. This station was subsequently taken over by the BBC. Now, around this era, the usage of shortwave transmissions for international communication as well as for program broadcasting was already proving to be a successful procedure. Marconi himself had performed several successful long range tests, and experimental shortwave broadcasting was already on the air from shortwave stations in the United States and Australia, as well as in England itself. With these facts in mind, Marconi constructed a 10 kW shortwave transmitter in the year 1927, and the first broadcast transmission from this new unit took place on Armistice Day 1927. This inaugural broadcast on November 11 commemorated the end of what we now call World War 1, and the programming was shaped to honor this occasion. This new shortwave transmitter was hurriedly assembled from already available equipment and the two aerial masts, 475 ft high, supported an aerial that was omni-directional and vertically polarized. The original channel was around 12.5 MHz, though this was changed in the following year to 11750 kHz in accordance with the new international regulations enacted at the recent Washington Radio Convention. Thus began a regular international radio broadcasting service that was heard around the world, and reported quite frequently in radio magazines published in England, the United States, Australia and New Zealand. Programming for this shortwave broadcasting service was usually a relay from the local station 2LO and these transmissions were on the air in this way for a little over three years. These international broadcasts were so successful that the BBC made arrangements with Marconi to rent the shortwave transmitter at Chelmsford as a preliminary program service while their own large station at Daventry was under construction. The BBC took over the programming for shortwave G5SW in 1931, and on January 5 in the next year, that is, 1932, the BBC introduced their new extended Empire Service. Later in the same year, the BBC began test broadcasts from their two new 10 kW STC transmitters at Daventry. Interestingly, these Daventry test broadcasts were on the air under the Chelmsford callsign G5SW, and we should remember that at this stage the Marconi transmitter G5SW was still located at Chelmsford, not at Daventry 100 miles distant. Anyway, this five year old shortwave transmitter that was rented by the BBC was closed down on December 17, 1932 in favor of the two new transmitters located at Daventry. However, two years later, in 1934, this now largely idle transmitter was re-activated for a very special occasion. His Majesty, King George 5, was making a Christmas Broadcast to the Empire, a historic first, and the BBC made special arrangements to ensure that the broadcast was heard well at all points around the globe. The two new transmitters at Daventry carried this royal broadcast, and the Marconi transmitter at Chelmsford was re-activated for this occasion. However this time, it was on the air, not under its own callsign G5SW, but rather under a new BBC callsign, GSD. The same previous channel was in use, the old and well established 11750 kHz. This special broadcast for Christmas 1934 by King George 5 was considered to be such an important radio occasion, that it was relayed to the world also from the relatively new communication station located at Rugby, rather nearby to Daventry. Early in the New Year 1935, transmitter G5SW was re-furbished, upgraded to 20 kW, modified to operate on several different shortwave bands, transferred to Daventry, and installed in an available open space in what was known as the 5GB Mediumwave Building. At this new BBC location, the historic Marconi transmitter was designated as Sender 3 and it was brought into regular broadcast service on May 19, 1935. Callsigns in use over this transmitter now depended on what frequency was in use, a new callsign for each channel in use. Two years after its removal from Chelmsford and its installation at Daventry, this same transmitter was upgraded again, this time with a power output of 60 kW. During the intense events in the year 1940, Sender 3 was used for carrying the Forces Program on 6150 kHz. However, as time went by, this historic transmitter became increasingly undependable, and ultimately, it was dropped from service, and it was finally removed from the 5GB Building in 1959. We would presume that it was simply, and unceremoniously, scrapped. (Adrian Peterson, IN, AWR Wavescan script for Sept 20, via DXLD) ** U S A. IBB changed DRM time and frequency yesterday. Now it's 1600- 2000 on 9450 (Jeff White, Sept 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9445-9450-9455, DRM buzz at 1836 check Sept 24, which Jeff White says is now from IBB Greenville at 16-20; not sure if this replaces the 20- 22 on 15475, and/or the 00-04 on 9405, but at 0204 Sept 25 I could not detect any DRM on 9400-9410. Previous tests have been weekdays only, as in the DRM DX schedule which as of UT Sept 25 still shows the 9405 and 15475 broadcasts, not 9450 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [and non]. Two DRM transmissions on 15469-15475-15481 Greenville, and 15274-15280-15286 kHz HCJB Quito, at 2140 UT Sept 25 (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, Sept 25, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. VOA Kurdish via Madagascar frequency change on 1 October --- There will be a frequency change for the 0500-0600 UT broadcast of VOA in Kurdish via the RNW Madagascar relay station as of 1 October. The current frequency, 15380 kHz, will be replaced by 17770 (September 25th, 2009 - 11:43 UT by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. WRMI wants reports tonight --- Glenn: On Tuesday and Thursday nights of this week, I am going to try going north [317 degrees instead of 160] at 8 pm Eastern until 4 am [= UT Wed & Fri 0000-0800]. Any observations would be welcome as to what reception is like when the transmission starts at 0000 and what time the signal fades out. Thanks (Jeff White, info @ wrmi.net Sept 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST via dxldyg) Well, I like it up here in NY. I almost never hear WRMI between the weak signal and the jamming. But tonight? I'm hearing an S9+ signal with a program in Spanish at 0105 UT. Will keep checking throughout the evening (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY (near Albany), Eton E1XM, A/D DX Sloper, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) S9+20 here at same time and jamming during first hour now appears off, or maybe overcome. It`s Italian, Studio DX. World Baseball Today follows at 0130. And long after that, WORLD OF RADIO 1478 at 0700 (Glenn, ibid.) Like John, WRMI is usually a weak signal with jamming dominating at this time of night. Tonight the signal has some slow fades, but is varying from S7 - S9 just before 0200, 9/23. No jamming heard here. There is significant atmospheric static, so the signal quality leaves something to desire (Mark Taylor, Madison, WI, WinRadio G313e, Flextenna, ibid.) Glenn: I just tuned to WRMI on 9955 at 0113 UT in Spanish on the nothwest antenna; sounds better to my ears than DCJC. Good strength at tune in. Also Noting WWV mostly clear on 10000 at 0114 UT on Tuesday Sept. 22 (23rd by UT). 73 (Noble West, Clinton TN, Sangean ATS818ACS, RS Pocket SWL antenna (23 ft reelout), ibid.) More or less same picture near Chicago from 1 to 2 UT. Would be a surprisingly good reception if not for Cuban jamming. I'd say it's a success. First 30 min. religious Spanish, then English. As always Cubans don't care, the jamming goes on. The Soviet jammers usually were much more careful. Such wastefulness undermines Cuban economy! It just happened that three days ago I tried listening to WRMI around the same time. Back then the signal strength was 1-2 - enough for writing a reception report but not for normal listening. Yesterday the strength was around 4. But somehow jamming seemed to be more pronounced, too. So maybe it's not only better antenna beam but also better propagation? Generally, I find WRMI 9955 to be useless for Midwest coverage. 7385 was better but not perfect. The best choice around here is usually WBCQ 7415 (unless it's a winter night). 73, (Sergei S., ibid.) The beat goes on. Signal has improved to 20 over at 0206 UT. There is a RTTY on the upper sideband of the signal, but it's barely noticeable. I'd give it a SINPO of 54555. Two ladies discussing "mindmapping" and other IT topics in English. jaf At 0300, it appears that jamming has overcome the frequency. I can hear a voice under the noise, but it's indecipherable. The noise is generating an S7 signal on its own at this point. I suspect the signal level of WRMI has dropped as well, but were it not for the jamming, the program would still be listenable at this juncture. Will check again over the next hour (John Figliozzi, NY, ibid.) At 0330 there is barely any signal here (Mark Taylor, WI, ibid.) Final report for me tonight. I'm hearing no signal of any kind on 9955 at 0410. It would appear that the signal degrades somewhere between 0230 and 0300 UT. I'll attempt to report on this again on Thursday, focusing more on the time the signal actually starts to fade to fade out (John Figliozzi, NY, ibid.) WRMI`s experiment on the 317 degree antenna in the evening, UT Wed Sept 23 on 9955: Had been VG at 0104 during Studio DX in Italian, but at recheck around 0400 had faded out completely. However, another check at 0600 found WRMI reaudible, with ``Over the Rainbow``, 0605 Bryne Edwards show with some anti-government comments; 0633 still and noted that unlike some nights when the 31m band was virtually dead, a number of other signals were holding up, including WYFR 9355, 9385, especially 9680 and 9715; Gabon 9580; Brasil 9645v and 9565; WTJC 9370 briefly in Russian at 0634. Even 11 MHz was open with fair signal from Habana 11760, good from WEWN 11870. K index at 0600 was zero, and solar flux had soared to 75 the day before, predicted to reach 77 the next several days. On WRMI at 0658, QSL offer and Baseball Mexico promo, ``on WRMI, bringing the World of Radio to the world``, 0659 minute of dead air, 0700 start WORLD OF RADIO 1478, I was pleased to hear at S9+15 level steady with slight fading, no jamming audible. Another NW antenna test, reports to WRMI wanted, occurs at 0000-0800 UT Friday, including new WORLD OF RADIO 1479 at 0100, Happy Station at 0700. Solar flux for Sept 22 was 75, higher than has been in a long time, and K index at 06 was 0. Just goes to show that conditions vary greatly, as to your fadeout time and whether you stay outfaded. WRMI made another NW antenna test instead of SSE, UT Friday Sept 25: nothing on 9955 until carrier on at 2359:30 Sept 24, ID and right into religious program in English, VG signal. Remained so for 0015 Aventura Diexista, 0030 Maravillosas Palabras de Vida, MEGO, but unglazed at 0100 for WORLD OF RADIO 1479, I would have to say excellent signal, S9+20 and hardly a fade. No jamming ever detectable tonight; 0130 Frecuencia al Día began equally strong, but the signal dropped down quickly at 0149 and soon became JBA; by 0200 it was gone and still gone at semi-hourly chex thru 0400. Would WRMI start fading in again later like anteayer? Tune in again for my next report. Further chex of WRMI 9955 on the UT Friday Sept 25 NW antenna test (see previous report) did not turn up any audible signal between 0400 and 0530 when I upgave. Happy Station has another new time on the schedule, Friday 1300, but just as I expected, at 1339 nothing but DentroCuban jamming audible then when WRMI is on the SSE antenna. WRMI, tho silent on 9955 weekdays 16-24 UT when there is nothing but WRN fill on the webcast, has business on weekends, such as Sat Sept 26 at 2113, English preacher, no jamming audible. But latest WRMI schedule grid as of Sept 22 shows ``Maestro de Zion`` during this semihour, which I would expect to be in Spanish (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn: Maestro de Zion generally has a Spanish intro and close, but the body of the program is in English. "Zion Teacher" is the fully English version of the program, with English open and close. Some upcoming features on Wavescan are: October 4 - Report about the recent EDXC Conference in Ireland October 11 - Report about the HFCC-ASBU Conference in Punta Cana October 18 - The first of a multi-part series on "Radio Broadcasting in the Bermuda Triangle" (Jeff White, WRMI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. One more B09 sked. It seems to me it wasn't mentioned here yet. RMI B09 SCHEDULE: Effective October 25, 2009-March 28, 2010 Freq Start End Zones Azimuth Days 9955 0000 1500 10-16 160 1234567 9955 1500 1700 2, 3 317 1234567 9955 1700 2400 10-13 160 1234567 Relay Transmissions via Germany for B09 Season: Freq Start End Zones Azimuth Day 11805 1600-1630 47-48 135 134 9650 1600-1700 41 90 7 9660 1730-1800 47-48 140 6 Source: http://www.wrmi.net/schedule.php ------ 73! (Alexey Zinevich: a DXer from Minsk, Belarus, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) That`s for the books, but in fact WRMI 9955 is free to switch between the 160 and 317 degree antennas however necessary depending on language and business, and day of week, as delineated by color coding on the program schedule grids posted in the files of the dxldyg if not on the WRMI website itself (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WTWW --- Hadn't seen this on DXLD but that new shortwave station in Lebanon, Tennessee has its callsign, WTWW, which I'm guessing stands for "We Transmit World Wide". Mr. McClintock (Leap of Faith, Inc.) can correct me if I'm wrong :D No callsign yet for the other station in Milton, Florida. http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/ib/forms/reports/swr031b.hts?q_set=V_SITE_ANTENNA_FREQ.file_numberC/File+Number/%3D/IHFC/P2008012200001&prepare=&column=V_SITE_ANTENNA_FREQ.file_numberC/File+Number (Travers DeVine, Sept 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz., but better see the original for proper formating; `working call` had been ``WBWW`` (gh) INTERNATIONAL BUREAU FCC SELECTED APPLICATION LISTING BY FILE NUMBER REPORT WR07 - Fri Sep 25 21:30:00 US/Eastern 2009 File Number = IHFC/P2008012200001; File Number: IHF-C/P-20080122-00001 Accepted For Filing PN Date: 01/31/2008 Callsign: WTWW Action Taken PN Date: 07/06/2009 Streamlined: N/A Term Begin Date: 06/30/2009 Environmental Impact: None Term End Date: None Status: Action Taken Public Notice Date Filed: 01/22/2008 Red Light: N Status Date: 07/06/2009 Last Action: Grant of Authority Last Action Date: 06/30/2009 Grant Date: 06/30/2009 Bond Date: None DA #: None Adopted Date: 07/02/2009 Released Date: 07/02/2009 Applicant: Contact: George McClintock LEAP OF FAITH, INC 661 ORMOND DRIVE NASHVILLE, TN 37205 USA (via DXLD) ** U S A. Checking out the FCC International Bureau website for WTWW above, the station listing includes something we had not noticed before: IHF-RWL-20010702-00009 Renewal LESEA BROADCASTING CORPORATION NOBLESVILLE IN WHSW 11/01/2001 11/01/2009 Altho LeSEA also has stations in SC, ME and Palau, the original one in Indiana is still licensed for a few more weeks, and with its distinct callsign WHSW, which we never heard used, just WHRI. Are there really any transmitters left in Noblesville? We had reports that they were moved out to SC and/or Maine, e.g. becoming WHRI-6. Yes, the WHRI calls were moved to the ex WSHB facility that LeSEA bought several years ago. We suspect that the WHSW listing is a mere paperwork artifact to keep the Noblesville facility on the books for the term of its latest license renewal. But it would be interesting if they axually fired up some transmitter there before expiry IDing as WHSW (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 15825, WWCR instead of JBA became very good at 1409 Sept 23 during YL preacher, as a minor HF sporadic E opening must have inkicked, but not enough to inbring WWRB x 2 on 18770 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DX'ers: Routine bandscan reveals open carrier from WWCR 5070 transmitter number three, with no audio but great signal at my QTH. This started at 2207 tunein. By 2210 audio humming from the 418E transmitter near Nashville, not sure if they'll get this fixed. Is anyone paying attention in Nashville? 73's, (Noble West, Clinton TN, Sangean ATS818ACS, Radioshack 23 foot reelout, Sept 23, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Glenn, On the evening of 9/22 (between 0135 and 0159 UT [i.e. 9/23 as below]) I tuned in WBCQ (5110). I have to say, this was the most spacy, bizzare programming I have yet heard on the radio (on a par with some of the pirates I have heard recently). I heard a man repeatedly say something like - "..yadi, yadi, yada - I'm Radio Bob", some incredibly "trippy" rather psychedelic in a schizophrenic sort of way music was being played in the background - it sounded like a record being played backward and at a slower speed than normal. This madness went on for several minutes. At 0148, a woman began "singing" - reminded me a bit of Lena Lovich - she sounded as if she was "wailing" - the background misoc began to sound "echoey" (not sure of that word - but - "echo" is the root) - the funniest part came next - a man repeatedly said - "...hello/hello/hello - I'm looking for a fellow by the name of "hello". I was really chuckling at this point. The "mx" continued through 0158 at which point a very deep-voiced "gentleman" started singing - in the background, what appeared to be hip-hop music was playing. At 0159, the station abruptly left the air - maybe they began beaming their signal to Pluto (?). On 9/23, at 0145 UT, I heard a man say - "This is WOR, New York - stay tuned for (?) - went in to instrumental music. Never have I heard such a unique/odd/bizarre station - must be somewhat similar to a schizophrenic's auditory disturbances. I thought I would share this with you - next, I'm going to shoot them a reception report by way of Neptune (KEVIN Molander, location unknown, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Not surprising it was ``on a par with pirates`` as this was within Area 51 which includes legal broadcasts of pirate-originated programming. Per Area 51 schedule for this week at http://www.worldmicroscope.com/ the Tuesday night / UT Wednesday 01-02 program was Radio Free Euphoria, but the WOR New York ID at 0145 ``9/23`` surely came from the old Jean Shepherd Show which runs only half a sesquihour, as sked for Wednesday night / UT Thursday at 0100, so the correct UT date for the latter must have been 9/24. Please coordinate UT dates and times in your reports (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WBCQ, Kennebunk [sic], on 15419.87 at 1729 in English. W with religious reading. SIO-454 in USB, almost inaudible in LSB (M W Bryant, Rcvr: Eton E1XM, 70' longwire, Location: Central KY, US, Date: Sept. 23, ODXA yg via DXLD) ** U S A. 26 Sep. KJES in Spanish, 11715 at 1520z, fair carrier but very weak modulation, not muffled or distorted, just weak (Jerry Lenamon, Waco, Texas, Eton E-1, multi-wire sloper, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WINB missing from 13570, Sat Sept 26 at 1828 check, just CODAR sweeping the frequency (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. Additional transmissions of WYFR Family Radio via MB (ex DTK) 2200-0100 on 9480 WER 250 kW / 240 deg to SoAm in English 2200-0100 on 9935 GUF 250 kW / 215 deg to SoAm in English (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 25 Sept via DXLD) ** U S A. CAPE COD RADIO STATION OWNER FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY By Donna Goodison | Thursday, September 24, 2009 http://news.bostonherald.com/jobfind/news/media/view.bg?articleid=1199771&format=text Cape Cod Broadcasting, the Hyannis-based owner of four FM radio stations on the Cape, a classical music network and the CapeCod.com Web site, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection yesterday. The locally owned and operated broadcaster has insufficient funds to continue operating the business, unless the court gives it the go- ahead for a loan of up to $500,000, according to court documents. The company listed less than $50,000 in assets and $10 million to $50 million in debt in its bankruptcy filing. Cape Cod Broadcasting owns WQRC-FM (99.9), an adult contemporary music and news station founded in 1970; WOCN-FM (104.7), which broadcasts soft hits and classic soft rock music and news; country music station WKPE-FM (103.9 FM); and WFCC-FM (107.5), billed as the flagship station for the World Classical Music Network. The company has 32 employees, according to court documents. (via Kevin Redding, TN, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. KYES 1180 MN on day power? Really strong at times here with Relevent Radio religious programming and didn't seem to switch power at sunset. 73 KAZ Barrington IL (Neil Kazaross, 0334 UT Sept 25, WTFDA-AM via DXLD) And then many more reports of it (gh) ** U S A. Mostly-Kansas MW observations on a daytime mini-DX pedition Saturday afternoon Sept 26 to a quiet rural location on State Hwy 11a about halfway between US 64/81/60 junxion due N of Enid, and State Hwy 11 on the way to Wakita, Nissan caradio tuning in 10-kHz steps only: 526 kHz, tuned to 530 kHz could hear weak beacon (weacon?), sending OJ over and over in code, which is in Olathe, Johnson County KS near Kansas City, per the exhaustive list Bill Hepburn provides at http://www.dxinfocentre.com/ndb.htm No HAR or TIS audible on 530 itself. [also see PUBLICATIONS] 690, KGGF Coffeyville KS heard closing a classic cowboy-music show at 1659 UT Sat, but no title heard. I will look it up on the KGGF website: yeah, sure, can`t find any such site. Maybe starts at 1606. Altho the closing bit I heard had a religious subtext, I want to check the show further, as I would put up with some of that to hear the ilk of the Sons of the Pioneers. Axually, I heard this in Enid before going to the site, but 10 kW KGGF has broad semi-local coverage. 910 had IBOC noise at 1917 UT, which must have been coming from Wichita on 900 as there is nothing strong enough on 920; and 890 has strong OK signal tho I think I could hear some IBOC noise under it. 2009-2010 NRC AM Log confirms that KSGL 900 Wichita does run IBOC. 250 watts daytime power. I had never noticed the IBOC from it with weaker signal inside Enid. [see responses below] 1000, KTOK OKC, IBOC has not been heard for a few weeks at occasional daytime chex, so I am beginning to think it is off for good. But it used to be intermittent, so maybe I have just been lucky. 1280, semi-local KSOK Arkansas City KS missing! At 1919 UT check and still when back home at 2050. The website http://www.ksokfm.com/ is very much alive, tho mostly about their FM on 95.9 with a link to 1280. [still missing 24+ hours later at 1953 Sept 27] 1600.2, off-frequency het I have been hearing for many months even in daytime 1920 UT against KUSH 1600 Cushing OK, was stronger at the DXpedition site than at home in Enid, leading me to believe it is from a KS station rather than TX. That would be KMDO in Fort Scott, SE Kansas, 770 watts day, 35 night, both non-direxional. Some MetroPlex signals which reach Enid OK, e.g. 700 and 1040, did not make it to the DX site. 1610, Kansas Turnpike Authority (KTA) HAR at 1912 UT with weather along the `pike from Kansas City to the OK border, voiced by synthetic woman. They have multiple transmitters, mostly on 1610, and no doubt I was hearing the closest one at South Haven. Sometimes have traces in Enid, but 1610 here daytimes is predominantly Great Salt Plains OK TIS. Yet the DX site was closer to GSP than Enid is. 1660, KXTR classical music weakly audible at 1914, groundwave from Kansas City (Glenn Hauser, Grant County OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Interesting scan, Glenn. I would like to strangle the synthetic woman, as she is quite overbearing here in SE Topeka. However, when I drive to KC, she is drowned out by by the MKC TIS on 1610. I've heard her babbling all the way from here to the OK border -pls. (Paul Swearingen, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, KSGL does run IBOC, but sometimes it pops off until someone resets it --- station management doesn't do the best job keeping brush and growth chopped down inside the fences surrounding the towers, so the antenna system drifts out of tune, and VSWR becomes excessive, which is especially a problem after rain or snow (Jeff Altmann, ABDX via DXLD) Wow, IBOC HD Radio on a 250 watt AM station (28 watts, night). Now I have heard everything! I wonder why they bother? I'll be traveling across country soon. Hope I'm close enough to Wichita to check it out. Bill (desertbilly, ibid.) ** U S A. KVTT CHRISTIAN RADIO MAKES DEAL TO SWITCH TO AM Posted Friday, Sep. 25, 2009 By ROBERT PHILPOT After 33 years as a Christian station in Dallas-Fort Worth, KVTT radio will sign off from its 91.7 frequency at 6 p.m. Monday. But the station has found a way to stay alive. General Manager Doug Price said the station has entered into a lease agreement with North Texas-based M&M Broadcasters that will allow KVTT to broadcast on 1110 AM. Price said that the station could take over the frequency, which now broadcasts a Spanish-language format, as early as Thursday but that the change will more likely happen by mid-October. He says 1110 AM is also a lower-powered station than 91.7 and is licensed as a "daytimer," which operates sunrise to sunset under Federal Communications Commission regulations. "There are some months of the year when you don’t sign on till a quarter till 8 in the morning," Price said. "[But] we’re going to have KVTT.com, which will carry everything the station does carry, and overnight it will continue with programming." Price added that the FCC has approved a power increase to 50,000 watts and that the station will encourage listeners to follow the Internet stream after sign-off. KVTT has to vacate the 91.7 FM frequency after selling it in June for $18 million to North Texas Public Broadcasting, owner of KERA/90.1 FM and Channel 13. North Texas Public Broadcasting has announced plans to launch an eclectic music station, KKXT, on Nov. 9 at 91.7 FM. The frequency will be silent for several weeks before then. Price said the $18 million went toward the debt load that forced KVTT to sell. He said the station will be less expensive to operate under the lease agreement. And the noncommercial station has been conducting a telethon, which Price said had raised $100,000 by midday. "It’s been a family affair among our core demographics and supporters, who really were sorrowful at the loss of the station," Price said. "We’re a 100,000-watt FM with 33 years’ experience. It was a loss to this community." (FWST via Blaine Thompson, NRC-AM via DXLD) I don't live up there any more, but I can tell you the FM frequency is a monster. Years ago when I moved to the area, I started getting that thing South of Shreveport and it just stayed in there. I wasn't that interested in the programming, but an FM station that powerful in the car was interesting. The 1110 signal should more than match the FM coverage in the daytime. That, too, is a monster even at the 20000 watt level. 50000 will easily put them into West Texas and Eastern LA. There is an 1110 in Houston that they have to protect to the Southeast, though (Bruce Carter, TX, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. 1700, KKLF, Texas, 1044-1055, 19-09, inglés, locutor, anuncio partido fútbol americano de Dallas Cowboys. 34333 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, escuchas realizadas en Hotel Catalonia Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo, Península de Yucatán, México, entre los días 13 y 19 de Septiembre, Grundig Yacht Boy 400, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. First night of season / Astounding log from Texas Hi all, well, sorted out my outdoor loop yesterday its about 15 x 30 feet fed to an RPA1 amp and on to my Perseus. Logged a few stations overnight including a few new ones for me. Conditions not terribly good so even more surprising what came through. Highlights: 0300 UT: *** 1350 KCAR Clarksville TX (410 watts day 65 watts night)" The voice of Red river (then indecipherable word) - AM 1350 K C A R Clarksville" toth ID, weak / fair. Personal First*** see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7nIFA8pBI0 for recording Tons of others heard at dawn like WLS WHBY KMOX WYLL etc. Good personal start to the season, regards (Paul Logan, Lisnaskea, N. Ireland, Sept 23, MWCircle yg via DXLD) Paul L, David Hamilton told me about your KCAR log at 0200 and I had told him that I hadn't recorded 0200! However, at the time I had just got to 1350 on my 0600 recording when I was interrupted by a phone call. I went back to the recording and KCAR is there! Congrats on presumably a UK first - you beat me by 4 hours :) I wonder what was going on at the station given that it is 410W/65W (Paul Crankshaw, Troon, Scotland, ibid.) 1350, KCAR, Clarksville TX is listed as low power 410w/65w yet yesterday Paul Logan in Northern Ireland logged this station at 0300 UT and I logged it 0600. I heard it again at 0600 this morning. Has the station upped its power and has it been heard in more distant parts of the US over the past couple of days? (Paul Crankshaw, Troon, Scotland, Sept 24, IRCA via DXLD) Even if stuck on day power, 410 watts from TX (Texas!) to Scotland / Ireland is a HUGE accomplishment. I do not see any permits on file for power increases, either. Good going Paul Crankshaw and Paul Logan! 73 (Dave in Indy Hascall, ibid.) WOW, they are making it across the pond !!! I note them here in IL, 700 miles away from their extreme NE TX location when I run antennas towards WSW or SW directions. Sometimes they dominate 1350 for a while, but only once were they reasonably strong this season, i.e. a few minutes on Sept 1. I doubt they are switching to night power. But even with 410 W this is a superb catch across the pond. One wonders whether their tower has exceptional ground or a lake or river to the north, etc., etc. 73 KAZ Barrington IL (Neal Kazaross, ibid.) Checking radio-locator, Google maps, and FCCInfo.cmo I see KCAR-AM's tower is almost 297 feet tall, but not located within at least 1/2 mile of ANY body of water of any significance. Instead of a skirt up the tower for about 175 feet, which is about 1/4 wave for 1350 kHz, the entire tower is likely the radiator. The AM tower is also home to the 50 kW/308 foot signal of KGAP 98.5 which was a simulcast of KEWL 95.1 Texarkana. *Before anyone says something, the tower may only be 297 feet tall, but that doesn't mean the FM bays stop there. Each bay, depending on model, can be very large and the HAAT refers to the center of radiation. So say, a 6 bay, could extend another 20 feet above the top of the tower* (Paul Walker, Jr., ibid.) I first noted these guys in 2002 or 2003 if I recall. There was some superb TX conditions in Feb and some rare TX loggings here. I did have KCAR a bit prior to their sunset one night but wasn't sure whether they reduced power then or not. Anyhow, I do think others can log KCAR if they spend some time on 1350. The usual format is classic country. 73 KAZ Barrington IL (Kazaross, ibid.) ** U S A. Re 9-072, Flagstaff AZ pirates: On my way to the [Albuquerque] convention, Fox Sports 1650 was not on but on Monday when I went home it was on. And on Monday K-Jack 1680 was not on (Bill Block, Sept 22, IRCA via DXLD) That explains that I guess. I remember spying their little antenna last year at the convention. There's something you don't see every day. I hit a torrential rainstorm with lots of lightning about 25 miles east of Flagstaff, almost had to pull off the road. Blowing a radiator hose in Kingman was no picnic either. Nontheless, I love going to AZ and NM!! (Mike Sanburn, ibid.) ** U S A. SANDIA PEAK, NM ANTENNA FARM Before leaving Albuquerque last Sunday I went to the Sandia Peak Tramway in search of the Sandia Peak antenna farm, the home of 23 FM radio stations and probably every TV station in the area. It's two miles from the top of the tramway, the longest in the United States, to the antenna farm, which is about 10,500 feet above sea level. I'd planned to get up there around mid morning and walk to the site. However I didn't get there until after noon, leaving no time for getting any closer. I decided to see if I could get any decent photos without leaving the top of the tramway. I didn't expect much, but much to my surprise my new camera, the one I used for the Albuquerque tower photos, did pretty well. As I was walking up from the parking lot much to my surprise I saw a broadcast STL antenna and a two bay FM antenna on top of one of the buildings. Of course I had to get a couple of photos of that. With a little research I found out that it's an auxiliary transmitter site for KQTM 101.7. The main transmitter site is nearby (but not on Sandia Peak) and they run 3 KW ERP from there. The auxiliary site is licensed to run 200 watts ERP. Here are my photos of the Sandia Peak antenna farm and KQTM's auxiliary site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcgibson55 http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcgibson55/sets/72157622436805446/detail My photos of the KKOB studios should be up within a few days. My 8GB SD media card, which has those photos in it and my three year old card reader aren't talking to each other (Dennis Gibson, CA, IRCA via DXLD) Hi All, I'm back home and in one piece. Had a great time at the convention and it was good to see everyone. The station tours were very well done as well as the speaker at the banquet- very nice. I want to thank all who attended as well as those who put this together, Mike and Bob. Special thanks to John Callarman for bringing his QSL's - I had a good time checking those out. My drive to and from, Oregon to New Mexico, was a blast although a bit tiring at times. I did my usual thing and explored many historical towns, ghost towns and mining camps and enjoyed off-roading in Nevada, Utah and Colorado. I guess I over did it with the photography this time, but I've been enjoying it more lately. http://www.flickr.com/photos/desert4wd/sets/72157622310859295/ 73 (Doug Pifer, ibid.) 2009 IRCA convention photos and more I've finally finished organizing my 2009 convention photos. I also have collections of other tower hunting expeditions and station tours available for viewing: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcgibson55 http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcgibson55/sets (Dennis Gibson, Sept 26, IRCA via DXLD) ** U S A. Re 9-072: Can anybody help this guy out with 640 KFI's exact frequency? 73, Steve If KFI still has IBOC running, then the frequency should be as close to 640.0000 as it can be. Just about all HD Radio stations have their frequency synced to the GPI satellite system (Craig Healy, Providence, RI, IRCA via DXLD) That's what I measured a few days ago, and let him know (Walt Salmaniw, BC, ibid.) ** U S A. KGEZ, Kalispell MT station forced off the air... http://www.dailyinterlake.com/articles/2009/09/25/news/local_montana/news_8746147123_01.txt http://www.missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/article_4d7bd374-a96a-11de-a58a-001cc4c002e0.html http://www.keci.com/Radio-Personality-John-Stokes-Off-Air/5294806 (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) WTFK? These stories never say! (gh) KGEZ-A SHUTS DOWN OPERATIONS --- JOHN STOKES SKYLINE BROADCASTERS Talk KGEZ-A/KALISPELL, MT has been shut down and taken off the air, just a few days after a federal bankruptcy judge ordered the station to liquidate its assets. THE GREAT FALLS TRIBUNE reports "station owner JOHN STOKES had filed for bankruptcy in MARCH after a FLATHEAD COUNTY jury in late 2008 ordered him to pay $3.8 million to two businessmen for defaming them on his radio show. In APRIL, the Office of the U.S. Trustee asked to convert STOKES’ Chapter 11 filing to a Chapter 7 liquidation, saying STOKES’ financial statements excluded numerous assets and debts." (600 kHz 5/1 kW DA to the south-east and northwest) (allaccess.com via Brock Whaley, HI for DX Listening Digest) ** U S A. COLUMBIA CHAIN NEWS --- FURLOUGHS COMING TO WESTWOOD ONE? Announcement Coming Today --- ALL ACCESS hears that WESTWOOD ONE will make a significant internal announcement later this morning. Will this include a two-week furlough for all employees? (I wonder if the CBS radio news people are employed by CBS or Westwood One?) (allaccess.com via Brock Whaley, HI, Sept 25 for DXLD) ** URUGUAY. Re 9-072: Ontem por volta das 20 horas escutei no RS em 6125 "Radio 1050 Uruguay", porem havia muita interferência! (William Viu, Sept 24, radioescutas yg via DXLD) 20 UT or local = 23 UT?? (gh) 6125, Radio Uruguay (SODRE-Servicio Oficial de Difusión, Radiotelevisión y Espectáculos), Montevideo // 1050 kHz, 1446-1459, September 27, Spanish, Media & DX programme: "Radioactividades". Programme conduced by Daniel Ayala. Article about CX10 Radio Ariel (very interesting old audio clips). Complete ID as: "...Radio Uruguay... con su repetidora en 103,9 MHz, en Colonia del Sacramento." & "La Radiodifusion Nacional del Uruguay es un Servicio Publico Estatal...", SINPO: 2.4.4.3.2 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) SODRE originally stood for Servicio Oficial de Difusión Radio- Eléctrica. Way to go, preserving old acroynym for new name! (gh) "En el comienzo fue la radio, Exposición 80 aniversario del SODRE" Folleto de la exposición : http://es.calameo.com/read/000080198417e6113cb8d 73 (via Horacio A. Nigro, Montevideo, Uruguay, DXLD) A real page-turner (gh, DXLD) Folleto/brochure CX14 AM 810 REl Espectador 2009 http://es.calameo.com/read/000080198c359a6a75864 (Horacio A. Nigro, Montevideo, Sept 25, ibid.) Ditto ** VANUATU. 3945, R. Vanuatu, 1203, Sept. 25. Evening devotional with Christian religious sermon; 1215 sign off announcement (the times that I have been hearing [“half past five”] seem just to be one item in their scheduling, not sign-on times as I speculated); 1217* (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA [non]. No sign of the Aló, Presidente show on Sunday Sept 27 between 1545 and 1745 on usual frequencies, especially 13750 via Cuba. I guess Hugo is busy in Africa (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA [non]. E-Mail for Radio Nacional de Venezuela Just received a fat express mail envelope (apparentlhy cleared by US customs!) from Radio Nacional de Venezuela full of propaganda, and two QSL cards verifying the date only. Also enclosed were frequency schedules and a badly xeroxed beam heading and coverage area map! The e-mail shown at the bottom of the paper envelope (found inside the plastic express mail package is: . I had sent the reception reports to them care of Radio Havana Cuba -- they apparently relay RNV at times, and apparently forwarded my reception reports, too! Happy hunting! (-- Dave Askine, Sept 22, NASWA yg via DXLD) Confirmações recebidas --- Amigos, ontem fui ao correio pegar as minhas correspondências. Finalmente depois de mais de 10 dias voltei a receber uma carta de uma emissora de rádio. Havia um sedex [sic] para ser retirado lá e para a minha surpresa era para mim e de uma emissora de rádio. Recebi dois cartões QSL e outros materiais da Rádio Nacional da Venezuela. Já fazia um bom tempo que havia enviado dois informes de recepção a essa emissora. A mesma havia me enviado dois e-mails prometendo me enviar o respectivo QSL. Como já fazia mais de um ano que não havia recebido qualquer resposta, achei que não iria receber nada. Para minha surpresa e alegria a Rádio Nacional da Venezuela me enviou os dois cartões QSL. Demorou para receber a resposta, mas ela veio. 73! 17705, 15290, Rádio Nacional da Venezuela - La Habana - CUBA e La Habana - CUBA - Recebido dois bonitos cartões QSL sem os dados dos meus informes e confeccionados em papel de ótima qualidade (veio só com a data de envio dos QSLs e a assinatura do V/S), folhetos sobre Hugo Chávez, folheto sobre a Rádio Nacional da Venezuela, folheto "The Caracas Declaration", dois bonitos cartões postais (Aduana Principal Aérea de Maiquetía e Aduana Subalterna de Ureña), bonito pôster mostrando o Salto Angel, mapa com a cobertura do sinal da emissora e boletim de horários e freqüências. Em torno de 2 anos 11 meses e 1 ano 7 meses 23 dias. V/S: Ilegível. Informes enviados por e-mail: canalinternacionalrnv @ gmail.com Outro e-mail da emissora é: rnv @ rnv.gov.ve QTH: Final Calle Las Marías, entre Chapelín y Country Club, la Florida, Caracas, Distrito Federal, Venezuela, Zona Postal 1050 (Rubens Ferraz Pedroso; Bandeirantes - Paraná - Brasil, Sept 24, dxclubepr yg via DXLD) So was the schedule just as much nonsense as on their website and in their announcements, never updated since they first went on air? (gh) ** VIETNAM. VOV-1 received new frequency on 11720 kHz. First noted on Sep. 22. Current schedule at 2145v-2400 and 1000-1200v UT (S. Hasegawa, NDXC, Sept 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) East Sea? 9635 at 1310 Sept 26 with roughly equal mix of Vietnamese and Spanish, so VOV-1 new frequency for the East Sea service is now making it against CVC Miami via Chile; no sign of VOV on other NFs for that, 7435 and 11720 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. R. Nacional de la RASD, nice signal and nice music on 6297.1, Sept 23 at 0645 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. MADAGASCAR. Cancelled txion for Voice of People in English/Shona/Ndebele: 1700-1755 on 7395 MDC 050 kW / 265 deg to SoAf effective July 16 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, 25 Sept via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 1080 kHz unid 1980s rock music --- Almost a year after a previous unID on 1080 kHz I'm still trying to sort out a couple of unidentified stations heard under my local KRLD between 11 pm and midnight. Before midnight I can null out KRLD just enough to copy what seems to be two very different stations, but can't pinpoint them via the online reference sites for MW stations. After midnight apparently these stations power down because only KRLD is heard clearly. 9/22/09 [CDT = UT -5] 1080 AM (with local KRLD nulled out) Since 11 pm, heard Prince "Little Red Corvette" and "Raspberry Beret", Peter Gabriel "Red Rain", Cyndi Lauper "She Bop" 11:42 pm: Possible ID, Spanish language, not sure if same station playing rock music. 11:56 pm: Spanish language and Tears For Fears "Shout" heard overlapping, so 11:42 pm ID might not have been same station playing '80s rock music. Apparently these two are swapping skywave fades under KRLD. 12:03 am: Orchestral music with choir, sounds like some sort of anthem in Spanish. Doesn't seem to fit KYMN (Minn), WUTT (Tampa, FL). (W A Jenkins, N. Central TX - Palstar R30C w/ homebrewed indoor passive coaxial cable loop), mwdx yg via DXLD) Per WRTH there are about 7 Mexican stations at night on 1080. Was it the Mexican NA? They are required to play it at local midnight. Suggest you familiarize yourself with it on definite Mexican stations. Unlikely a US station would be relaying that, altho possible if they are carrying a network originating in Mexico. Four of the 1080 Mexicans are in the Central timezone. 73, (Glenn Hauser, OK, ibid.) Thanks, Glenn. I couldn't be sure about whether it was the Mexican NA due to the very weak signal, fluttering fades and competition with at least one other station playing rock music. 1080 is a very tough one to sort out here in Fort Worth due to the local KRLD. Often the only time I can hear anything other than KRLD is between 11 pm and midnight, local time, in winter. I've been stumped before here in Texas, unsure whether I was hearing a Mexican or Canadian station on 540 since occasionally both will swap signal strengths many times while listening. XEEP on 1060 fooled me a couple of times last year, since they play very diverse music genres (W A Jenkins, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. September 24 2009, 2200-0100 UT on 2280.07 kHz, Spanish music with several IDs along the lines of "radio ...., la onda del ...". Strong along the US east coast, heard in Florida, Maryland and New Hampshire. Any clue as to which station this is, and whether this is 1140 x2, 760 x3 or 570 x4 would be much appreciated (Rik van Riel, NH, harmonics yg via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 5000+, Sept 25 at 1246 noticed different-pitched time signals slightly on hi side of strong WWV, definitely not on the lo side; WWVH much weaker but also audible. The pips were slightly unsynchronized with WWV; minute markers were also distinctly pitched compared to WWV/H; listened carefully past 1300 including during WWV voice announcements just before minutetops, but never heard any voice (or code) IDs from this. Propagationally, BPM in Xi`an, China most likely, but supposedly on standard frequency too of 5000.0; Taiwan, South Korea and India are not all active on 5000, if any of them are. One reference is http://www.dxinfocentre.com/time.htm but it`s not up-to-date enough to include PPE in Brasil on 10000 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. AUDIOCLIP: STRANGE SIGNAL 5176 kHz http://blog.libero.it/radioascolto/7726866.html 73's (Francesco Cecconi, Italy, noticiasdx yg via DXLD) 23 seconds UNIDENTIFIED. 5785-5835, weak OTH radar pulses covering this range, presumably from China, Sept 25 at 1256 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED [non]. heard on 6340 AM on 9/24/09 at 0150 UT with talk by woman in English. Had to use the preamp, the RIT filter and the RF gain just to hear this much as this signal was quite weak. Any ideas on what I may have heard??? 73 de (Joe Miller, Troy, Michigan, Icom 718 with Hustler 5BTV antenna, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) Joe, Radio Sweden via Canada, 6010, leapfrog mixing product over 6175, Vietnam via Canada another 165 kHz higher. 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Thanks Glenn, "Leapfrog mixing" is new term for me, but in amateur radio that would be referred to intermodulation. 6175 X 2 = 12350 - 6010 = 6340 We have a pair of FM Broadcast stations in the Detroit area that is putting out an intermodulation signal. 73 de (Joe Miller, ibid.) Of course we are talking about the same thing, but I find it easier to visualize, or compute, by the leapfrog approach, as I have been referring to this for a long time (gh, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. 6899.95, Possibly a pirate here, 1154-1158 September 27, 2009. Very weak, AM mode, English guy, US accent, music but nothing recognizable. Pretty much useless copy. Present on the NRD-535 and IC- R75 (Terry Krueger, Clearwater FL, Sept 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Another anomaly was noted this morning (Sept. 23) at 0650 UT on about 7447.7. I heard digital noise - not DRM, but the utility type of juddering noise heard elsewhere. This stopped after a minute or so and then voices were heard instead. These were measured on about 7447.7 USB but were not totally clear enough to understand all that was being discussed, but it appeared to concern reception of the digital transmission. The digital noise began again and after several minutes stopped and a further discussion ensued. The conversation (between several speakers) was in accented English and German, with reference to such as Delta Romeo Alpha, Alpha Xray, Zulu Echo Victor and Mike Echo(?). They were giving reception reports of 'fifty nine' or 'five and nine'. All closed down at about 0658. I wonder what network this was. I thought the 7 MHZ broadcast band now extended - officially - from 7205 to 7450 kHz, but perhaps part of it is still on a shared basis with other users - American hams for instance? But this frequency is not within their range (Noel R. Green (NW England), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Certainly not hams, 7300 being the upper limit. US military most likely, some nets of which may sound hamlike, especially MARS (gh) Just a guess, but on Sept 18 I was listening to the MARS 101 Training Net on 4035.91 USB at 0100z and that included digital message transmissions along with voice and many radio checks. However, 0650z Sep 23 is the middle of the night on a weekday over here, which would really cut down on the number of MARS hams who could participate. Did the digital noise sound like the one on this clip? http://www.mediafire.com/?mgmtujyzwfn (Terry Wilson, MI, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thanks Terry - the digital noise heard on about 7447.7on Sept.23 did sound similar to what you heard on 4035.91, but the conversation and accents of the participants was different - i.e. not No. American. I'm as certain as I can be that - propagation wise - 7447.7 was from continental Europe, and the German language appeared to confirm it. Maybe there is a network similar to the MARS one operating there (Noel R. Green (NW England), ibid.) I had the same conclusion after I read your first post properly, and some googling turned up references to an Army MARS Europe network with at least one location in Germany, so that would coincide with our observations (Terry Wilson, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. 9600.4, I continue to detect a very weak carrier here at many dayparts, which indicates it is in single-hop range, possibly the XEYU Mexico City transmitter turned back on. Latest instance: Sept 24 at 2153 there was the het with 9600.0, which per Aoki is CRI English via Kashgar, East Turkistan. The het went off at 2157, à la typical CRI scheduling; with BFO I could tell the 9600.4 signal was still there, but as always, far too weak to detect any audio. This might be a good window to try futurely, however, until Vatican Radio`s stronger 9600.0 carrier oncomes at 2159:30 with IS, bells, 2201 opening Chinese. Tho Vatican was stronger than CRI, I could still hear the het. I am making enquiries in the DF as to whether XEYU could be making a comeback. If not, it could be something even more intriguing. Times not to bother when RHC is on 9600: 00-05 and 11-13 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hola Julian, estaba para escribirte: Por favor probar los 9600, donde he estado captando una portadora muy débil a diversas horas en aproximadamente 9600.4, sin audio, pero haciendo tono con varias emisoras en 9600.0. ¿Posible que sea Radio UNAM? ¿Talvez alguien puso el transmisor en el aire por casualidad? 73, (Glenn to Julián Santiago Díez de Bonilla, DF, via DXLD) Entre mañana y el lunes intentaré comunicarme con el Ing. Arreola de R. UNAM y buscaré escuchar lo que me mencionas, una vez tenga la información te la hago llegar, Saludos, (Julián, ibid.) 9600.4, very weak carrier detectable as het to 9600.0, Sept 25 at 0514, XEYU? But I also heard het of exactly same pitch on 9700 against presumed DW Rwanda, don`t know whether above or below. Quite a coincidence, raising question whether it is something of local origin, such as a long-forgotten almost-100 kHz crystal oscillator? But my HQ- 160 is long gone, sob. If so, should appear every 100 kHz, but no sign of anything like that around 9500 or 9800. And anyway, harmonix of 100 kHz if slightly off-frequency would not be precisely 100 kHz apart so the het pitches would differ slightly. 9600.4, het still there Sept 26 at 2055 vs CRI Kashgar, East Turkistan on 9600.0. I think some audio was making it from both, but too much mix to make anything out. I would settle for definite Spanish as a start, advancing my theory that it could be XEYU (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 13970-13995, looking for Firedrake, instead heard OTH radar clix, Sept 23 at 1425, but from China or Cyprus? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) or France, you Conehead (gh) UNIDENTIFIED. 15867 approx., as I tuned by heard SSB at 1329 Sept 27, American accented YL saying ``contact Air Station Sacramento``. No time to pin down frequency but I would say within 1 kHz of this; left rx on another semihour and no further transmission heard (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 27252, 1601-1606 September 26, 2009. Anyone ever figure out what these multiple data bursts that ping each other are? Some are extremely loud, and ever-present. Propagation monitoring related? Believe I first discovered this on a portable at Ft. DeSoto two or three years ago, and subsequently have hard it everywhere within Florida that I’ve checked, and surely heard far beyond (Terry Krueger, Clearwater FL, Sept 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Sorry to see you go --- Hi, Glenn: I will miss your Monitoring Times work, but hope to catch your expertise elsewhere. I only hope that your departure from MT is not due to health or some other negative reason, but rather so that you can enjoy something else. Regards and Blessings, (Andy Ooms, Pine, AZ) Hi Andy, Tnx for your comments. No health problem, but the negative reason was that MT no longer wanted to publish my column. It was rather nice not to have their deadline to meet this month with 3-4 days of intensive editing, not to mention the entire month`s work it took to gather all the info in the first place; now if I can just let up on some of my self-imposed deadlines (Glenn to Andy, via DXLD) Why did they drop you from Monitoring Times? 73 AE7BP GLOBAL FORUM COMPLETES A LONG RUN We will be saying goodbye this month to Glenn Hauser, who has been compiling shortwave and other radio news for the hobby as a labor of love for more years than he would probably like to remember. He has been writing for Monitoring Times since 1988, by our records! Back then, it was a different world when it came to finding and sharing information about stations and schedules, and interesting anomalies. Glenn provided an enormous service to all hobbyists --- and still does, though that world is changing. Nowadays, such information --- including his --- is ubiquitous. Glenn`s attention to detail and long experience in the hobby is no doubt the reason why his compilation of logs and information now appear in almost every club bulletin as well as in WORLD OF RADIO and other web pages. We know you will continue to appreciate Glenn`s contributions and irascible style wherever you find them (editorial, Oct Monitoring Times via DXLD) This is how I signed off my column: And so concludes our long tenure as an MT columnist. These pages have been deemed expendable since ``everything has already appeared all over the place`` on the Internet. Maybe, but nowhere else laboriously compiled and translated into a handy monthly report of all the most significant SWBC news. Now to stay well-informed, prepare to do a lot more screen-reading. There won`t be any Next, and 73 de Glenn! (gh) Glen, are you the Glen Hauser mentioned in Monitoring Times? Why do you go for stations where you do not understand the language? I know MT does that too. Just curious (Vernon Justice, Sept 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Vernon, Some people just like to listen to programming or communications they understand, and that is fine. I do a lot of that myself. But there can be more to monitoring than that, such as seeing what unusual things you can pick up, whatever language they may use. I do understand several languages to varying degrees, anyway (Glenn to Vernon, via DXLD) Yes, that is a good habit you have there, and you are famous. LOL (Vernon Justice, ibid.) Glenn Hauser wrote: snip ``As a service to DX listeners, certainly not to the incompetent RHC itself`` snip Hullo Glenn, In the interests of maintaining your sanity, level of interest and more I thought I'd write with a bit of feedback. Someone is reading your every post here. I'll scan for what's going on, who's being silly and being nice. What's wacko or maybe just likely to happen in terms of broadcast content and world or regional events. I like many of the asides or included comments, though sometimes have to drop into my old TLA auto-decode/interpretation mode to catch what some of the spellings mean. Are you hanging around with texting teens? 73, John (J. D. Erskine, Victoria, BC, VA7OTC/VEØJD) JD, I am not sure exactly what you are referring to, but my spelling reform and DX neologism campaign began sesquidecades before texting existed. 73, (Glenn to John) DX-PEDITIONS ++++++++++++ WEBCAM: DX-CAMP OF THE RHEIN-MAIN-RADIO-CLUB From September 28 until October 4 there will be the 44th DX-Camp of the Rhein-Main-Radio-Club in Langenselbold near Frankfurt. As usual during the first days we'll stick our ears and antennas out to the airwaves for real hardcore DXing, supported by lots of coffee or not so much of red wine or free beer. On Friday we offer a warm or cold buffet and on Saturday a warm snack. Friday and Saturday evening will be some lessons from Manfred Rippich about visiting broadcasting station all over the world; Robert Kipp about Radio St. Helena and the St. Helena-Day Nov.09; Harald Gabler shows pictures of the new QSL-Calendar 2010. And the next sensation: The brain new DSP-High-End Receiver RDR54C1 we have got from Fa. Reuter Elekronik for some tests. All that is the normal procedure every year, one might say, but this year is special. For the first time everyone may watch everything happening via the magic internet! Tuesday - Saturday 1800-2400 UTC on htp://www.rmrc.de go to: RMRC Webcam if you will be asked for password: rmrc. Live stream is without audio at webpage. Live stream with audio go for: Link (only, if there is no test-picture) Some of our members or other enthusiastic DXers would like to take part, but can't, because of various reasons like work, time, illness or simply 'cause of a too-far distance. For the first time you and any DXer can click in to the DX-Camp and watch what's going on. There will be a chat, to talk to DXers present on the event. You may ask them all sorts of questions, like what they hear and where it's coming from. You may even follow some lectures with your own eyes and ears, even if you're hundreds of miles away from the meeting. Chats are held in German and English and perhaps a mixture of everything European including hands and feet, due to the use of video. And you will get a QSL-Card from this event. This is following the ideas of Thomas Moeller and Harald Gabler and realisation Lutz Winkler and they hope to find lots of interested DXers to either come to the meeting, or watch it via the internet. Click http://www.rmrc.de to find more about us and our club RMRC. Best 73, (Harald Gabler, RMRC CEO, Rhein-Main-Radio-Club, Germany via Rich D`Angelo, NASWA yg via DXLD) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ AN ALTERNATIVE NDB LISTING Hello Glenn, I see that you mention Bill Hepburn's NDB listing in your MWC message [USA - Kansas report above]. I don't know if you're aware of it, but there is another excellent NDB listing provided by our Yahoo NDB list members. It's split into three parts, Received in America, Received in Europe and Received Worldwide. You can find it here, http://www.classaxe.com/dx/ndb/rna/?mode=signal_list It provides excellent search facilities. We operate our Yahoo NDB list as a closed/private group to ensure that we only get people with a genuine interest in NDBs on the list. We have over 300 members on a worldwide basis. Regards (Tracey Gardner, Lincolnshire UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RACHEL SARAI'S VINEYARD Deborah Rey f/k/a Dody Cowan has announced the publication of her novel (Dan Srebnick, Sept 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: Dear All, My novel "Rachel Sarai's Vineyard" was published by Merilang Press (UK) and is now available at: http://www.amazon.co.uk and http://www.merilang.co.uk/shop.htm The book was launched in London on the 19th of September 2009, the first day of the Jewish New Year. May the year 5770 bring Rachel Sarai luck and a bon voyage. Sunshine on your shoulders, Deborah I Speak my Soul. I Write. http://www.immasgirl.blogspot.com/ (via Daniel Srebnick, DXLD) LIFE as we knew it Discovered a treasure online yesterday and thought it might interest my fellow radio enthusiasts. Google Books has recently digitized all the weekly LIFE magazines from 1936 to 1972 and made them available online in a searchable format. I did a search for "shortwave" and I was rewarded with an array of historic articles and advertisements from the golden age of international shortwave broadcasting. Yes, even advertisement copy is indexed and searched in the historic set of magazines http://books.google.com/books?id=7FQEAAAAMBAJ&q=shortwave&as_coll2=+issn%3A0024-3019+ or for the word wrapped challenged simply http://tinyurl.com/y95b4gz (Pete Costello, still listening, from NJ and sometimes MA, Sept 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) GOOGLE BOOKS - DX RELATED If you all recall, a few weeks back, I mentioned Google Books. Many folks replied and set me straight on what you can and can not do with them (mainly you can only fully read the ones marked "Full View"). I was Googling +DX +Radio on Google Books the other night and saw an article on TV DX'ing from the Nov 1954 edition of Popular Mechanics. It is a good piece, to me and talks quite accurately about VHF DX'ing. I did not include a direct link since you have to have a Google account (Gmail or other) and thus the link may not work. If you search for Popular Mechanics from Nov 1954, you should get it. It is on page 158. The author and apparent DX'er is Max Tharpe. Does that name ring a bell? Off topic, I LOVE the ads in front of the magazine about learning new trades such as auto, TV and radio and appliance repair. I love the idea of raising giant frogs, for profit! 73, (Dave Hascall, Indy, WTFDA via DXLD) I checked for this article and the issue is a "snippet view". This means it is copyright-protected and they give you tiny bits of it. Until they can eliminate the snippet view in favor of full viewing (which is in the works), you can't get it from Google. Also, snippet views are usually useless if you put in multiple search terms (as you did), because it gives you a snippet of the first instance of any of the terms that you entered. You can sometimes get more by getting to the book you're interested in, then trimming the search terms down for the search inside that book only (Mike Hawkins, ibid.) I'm not sure that I follow you, Mike. I as able to look at the entire Nov 1954 issue (p. 81 had an article on the USS Forrestal (too big to go through the Panama Canal), p. 51 had an ad on a career as a TV repairman, part of p. 111 had a small piece on slim TV's that may be hung from the wall (!) and so on). Still exploring the whole site. I love old roads and maps and such and back in the 30's and 40's, Roosevelt's WPA had a "Federal Writers Project" with books on most of the states including road trips, travelogues and such. I found those books on Google Books, too although not the Indiana guide (I found my hard copy at Half Price Books). Thanks for your previous help on Google Books, too (Dave Hascall, ibid.) Here's the article in question: http://books.google.com/books?id=sdwDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA158&dq=1954+popular+mechanics+tv+dx&lr=#v=onepage&q=&f=false I used to own an RCA set made in 1954, it was by far better at weak signals reception than one would expect - even on UHF (Curtis Sadowski, IL, ibid.) Hmmm. Looks like I could take some lessons from you. There are a million books that I could only get snippets for, yet you got a full book. If you don't mind giving me some hints (off list), I'd be very grateful (Mike Hawkins, ibid.) Hi Mike, Just lucky, I guess. How big a chunk of the work you get is probably based on copyright status (Curtis Sadowski, ibid.) Looks like the author's name is ThArpe, as opposed to ThOrpe, which I *think* I saw in an earlier posting. And it looks like fun reading. Thanks! (Saul Chernos, ibid.) I got a kick out of the kid on page 105 with the wireless headset that requires what appears to be a power cable attached to the TV (Jeff Rostron, Springfield MA, ibid.) While this thread is running, if anyone can locate an article titled something like "Kansas TV Fan Gets (receives?) Both Coasts" from Popular something (Science, Mechanics?) in year 1950-51 or 52, I would dearly love to have a copy of that. This was to my reflection the FIRST one of any consequence in a major publication - setting aside the DX reports in Radio Electronics, Radio TV News (Bob Cooper, NZ, ibid.) http://books.google.com/books?id=hiEDAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA2-PA71&dq=%22kansas+tv+fan+gets%22&lr=&ei=QK26SpW5CImGNpy_0N0P#v=onepage&q=%22kansas%20tv%20fan%20gets%22&f=false (Mike Hawkins, ibid.) That is the piece - July 1952 Popular Science. A story. I was 14 living in Ithaca, New York and had been TV (+FM) DXing for two years. My family subscribed to Pop Science and the July issue would have arrived in first week or two of June. I quickly spotted the story and happened to have my DXing TV set running when an image appeared on channel 4 (our 'local WHAM-TV in Rochester was on 6). There, as I held the magazine in my hand appeared the SAME exact test pattern from channel 4 in Havana. An older visiting cousin, maybe 20, could not understand my excitement (14 year olds with a 'passion' have that effect). She stared at the test pattern, turned and responded "Their programming is not very interesting!" So Mike Hawkins - thank you, sir, for allowing me to relive being 14 years old in 1952! Oh yes, the cousin finally sat down, read the one page article, and had one observation; "You are both crazy!" Anyone want to guess with me it looks like a double stack channel 4 yagi, one can see the booster box hanging at tower top but clearly atop the 16" TV set is an Alliance (brand) either rotor controller (of which I have one just feet from me) OR - the Alliance click channel set-top booster which they sold inside the same housing as the rotor control (yes - I have one of those only feet from me as well). Anyone else notice ALL of the stations he had logged were on channel 4? I suspect between antenna system, single tube at-antenna booster and perhaps his indoor "4 tube booster" he was cutting off the balance of the possible channels (Bob Cooper in NZ, ibid.) Pop Mechanics Nov 54 --- As the 'old timer' here (sorry Roy but I am!), have to admit I have NEVER previously been exposed to Nov 54 Pop Mechanics - or my memory has gone into a :59 fade (just before ident time!). Max Tharpe is how I read the author title. First, in my somewhat experienced author-world, it appears to be a pseudonym - not a real person. Second - the photos setting aside possibly CBFT are "too good." One or two without snow or CCI would be OKay but ALL of them? I think not. If we begin with the Pop Mechanics June 52, go to this one and then to June 56 for my own Pop Electronics report (featuring photos such as WWJ-TV), well, that gets us to the only real regular TV DX reporting; Radio Electronics from mid 51 to January 60; first done by Ed Tilton who was also the 'World Above 50 Mc/s' editor at QST and then from mid 56 onward to the end, me personally. I cannot locate ANY reference to a 'Max Tharpe' which when I combine with the "all but perfect local quality photos" in Pop Mechanics versus the obviously DX-like photos from the "Kansas TV Fan ..." (June 52) gets me to a conclusion. Max never reported to Radio Electronics, he never (according to my yellow and tattered files) sent a TV DX report to Tilton or me. The article in Nov 54 is good, it is reasonably if not totally accurate, but the detail is missing and more important the photos are just too darned good! Even if the lead photo shows the person we are to assume is Max with his German camera on a tripod pointing at his local WFMY test pattern. Not to cause a controversy here - I cannot even locate (on the web; have it here in real form) June 56 Pop Electronics with my own article but - I'd not like to be asked to verify the 'voracity' of this one (Bob Cooper in NZ, WTFDA via DXLD) This brief note appeared in the July 25-31, 1948 Chicago Television Forecast: "Bill Donahue of Wheeling (IL) only last week saw the call letters WCBS-TV on channel 2. It has him puzzled. To date, we can offer no explaination." (Jeff Kadet, IL, ibid.) Max Tharpe lives! http://sarahdipidy.blogspot.com/2007/09/max-tharpe-master-photographer.html Todd Emslie on ICDX found this. I did a quick check of the Social Security Death Index, he is not listed. He's still alive and in Florida somewhere (Curtis Sadowski, IL, ibid.) Recent video of TV DX pioneer Max Tharpe: http://www2.statesville.com/video/2009/apr/04/max-tharpe/ (Curtis Sadowski, ibid.) And Heeeeeere he is: MAX B THARPE Born Feb 1920 FORT LAUDERDALE, FL 33308 (Rick Lucas, Rochester, NY, ibid.) I don't suppose the WTFDA would contact him for a VUD article? His story would be valuable in the history of TV DX (Curtis Sadowski, ibid.) I'm still intrigued by Bob C's questions about the legitimacy of the DX itself (Saul Chernos, Ont., ibid.) I have no doubt that he received that stuff. Using a simpler antenna and a standard TV set with no amp, I used to get hour after hour of nearly perfect Es from comparable distances. With his set up, I'm surprised he didn't get double-hop (Curtis Sadowski, ibid.) Well, the QUALITY of the photographs is now better understood, but it'd be interesting to have Curtis contact him and have him describe the reception circumstances! (Rick Lucas, Rochester, NY, ibid.) He`s better known as a professional photographer (gh) I could do that. Or do we want someone else to contact him? Judging by the condition he appears to be in, in the video I found, I think the last thing he needs is the whole group contacting him separately with questions (Curtis Sadowski, ibid.) My apology to Max Tharpe! So there really was (is) a Max Tharpe and the article he apparently wrote has legs. I apologize for raising issues that have apparently been resolved - and as noted his professional life as a photographer certainly explains the quality of the images. Good on him! (Bob Cooper in NZ, ibid.) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ VINTAGE TV PHOTO ON EBAY A bit off topic, but worth a look. A vintage, well-crafted expensive model, a real performer, with a set of knobs just begging to be fiddled with. The TV in the picture might be worth a closer look too. http://cgi.ebay.com/Nude-Girl-With-Old-Time-TV-Set-by-Bunny-Yeager-1950s_W0QQitemZ280357627346QQcmdZViewItemQQptZArt_Photo_Images?hash=item41469de5d2&_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?VISuperSize&item=280357627346 I think it's a Packard-Bell, with vernier tuning; frequency coverage went below channel 2 to above 13, continuous tuning (Curtis Sadowski, IL, WTFDA via DXLD) If it's a Packard Bell, then my father probably designed it. He designed or helped design all their early B&W sets, and many of the radios. Our kitchen table was often covered with prototypes under construction. I even got to build a few of Packard Bell's prototypes when I got a little older. Did you know Packard Bell had plans to compete with Heathkit? I was about 13 years old, and they used me to "test build" a few of the kits, mostly simple radios and simple test equipment. I built them, but was not allowed to test or operate them in any way. When I was done building, they went back to the factory for autopsy. They wouldn't even tell me if they worked or not. I've often wondered if I am the reason they did NOT go into the kit business :-). (Girard Westerberg, http://www.DXFM.com Lexington, KY, ibid.) Interesting. I take it this eBay seller must pose nude in all her pictures of items to generate sales. Surely I thought eBay has a policy against displaying nude photos of any type. I assume if it`s a working TV, it should easily work fine as long as you hook up a DTV Converter box to it (John L., Muskego, WI, ibid.) Hi John, It's just an auction for the photo, a vintage cheese-cake one from the fifties. Informal living-room vignettes were popular with these photographers back then. I have a picture in my files somewhere of Bettie Page tuning a TV of a similar vintage. Not sure WHY watching TV came to mind when those dolls were prancing about the living room though. Let's see - I could interact with Bettie Page OR watch Korla Pandit on KTLA?? Guess which one I would pick. Actually, in terms of Ebay policies, I believe partial frontal nudity is within the range of sales restrictions. If the photo were too revealing, or in bad taste (as it is, it's merely of questionable taste) I would have not posted it (Curtis Sadowski, ibid.) It is after all in an ebay subcategory -- `risque` so must be OK (gh) It took me a long time to notice, but that looks like a Regency UHF converter on top of the TV? (Dave Pomeroy, KS, ibid.) Looks like the girl needs to go to White Castle for a few burgers. The TV set is cool. Who took the vertical control away from us Americans, another plot (gboche, ibid.) More TV cheesecake --- This young lass has been keeping me company for many years: http://oldtvguides.com/TVgirl/TVgirl.html (Jeff Kadet, ibid.) SW RADIOS AND OTHER CONSUMER PRODUCTS FROM CHINA Last Friday I was having lunch with the head of sales at Sangean who told me something interesting. Their big seller for SW radios is the ATS-909. He told me they have two different versions of the same radio. One is made in Taiwan the other is made in China. The ATS909 version made in Taiwan sells in: Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Middle East, Germany, Holland, UK, France, Thailand, Russia and some countries in Latin America. The ATS909 version made in China sells in: Canada, USA and Australia. Why? The one made in Taiwan sells for: 450 USD (all parts and assembly). The one made in China sells for starting 299USD (some parts made in Taiwan, but most made in China). He said in the past they have tried to distribute the Taiwan version to the US, but they were told by retailers it was too expensive. What`s the difference? The one made in China has a 1 year warranty, the one made in Taiwan is 2 years. The one made in China has had 4 times more returns due to quality issues. Since 1991, Taiwan Quality Control for consumer electronics is based on Japan's system. This is very normal. He told me SONY products sold in Japan are made in Japan, but SONY products sold to Canada and the US are made in China, because no one wants to spend the money, but at the end of the day it ends up being more expensive. Sangean has 3 classification as does SONY, LG, Philips, Panasonic and Mitsubishi. Meaning higher quality items sold in these countries. Level A: Japan, Taiwan, S Korea, parts of Europe, parts Latin America Level B: Canada, US, Mexico, South Africa, Australia Level C: China, parts of Middle east and developing countries Here in Taiwan, because of political reasons, the made-in-the-PRC label if frowned upon. People here say, why do we need to buy from China if we make it here, or buy better quality from Japan. Same as with cars. Here in Taiwan you have a choice of buying a BMW or Mercedes made in Germany or China. The China versions hardly sell, even thought the price is less, same as Honda and Toyota. Even scooters, a new Vespa in Taiwan made in Europe cost 120,000 Taiwan$, the same model but made in China is 90,000 Taiwan$, but guess which one sells. Maybe I`ve been away from the West too long, but I sure feel that governments and consumers in the West are not interested in pushing good quality or using their own ``made in`` label (Keith Perron, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also CHINA One of the largest maker of SW radios in China is Tecsun. Yes, it's true the radios are good, but they have two of each one. For example I own a S2000 (a.k.a. Grundig 750), but the Tecsun version of this radio is better built than the one they export. The normal turnaround time for Tecsun's R&D department is between 3 to 6 months before coming out with a new product. Sangean is second largest maker. Each radio they come out with spends minimum of 24 month in R&D. As I tell people who wish to buy a Grundig. Why not just by a tecsun? The Grundig Satellite 750 - 299USD (way over priced) The Tecsun S2000 (aka 750) - 120USD from HK retailers. Add another 40USD for shipping. The Grundig GS350DL - Between 99USD to 110USD The Tecsun BCL3000 (aka 350DL) - less than 35USD in Hong Kong, Add maybe 20USD for shipping. Sangean has one DRM test model they have been working on for over a year. They said the speed of the radio being released has to do if DRM starts to show any signs of catching on. Most people at the companies R&D department are regular SW listeners, 2 of them are HAM operators. The radio they are working on will be a DRM/SW set for both dig and ana (Keith Perron, Taiwan, ibid.) Absolutely correct. A German electronics retailer once had the claim "Geiz ist geil", i.e. "meanness is cool". It is widely considered as a description of the common behaviour of consumers. It has to be cheap, no matter what the quality is. Not to speak about "Made in Germany", nobody cares even a second about it. To me this is reminiscent to two decades ago, when people here where bawling that "if the D-Mark is not coming to use we will come to the D-Mark" (this was the real goal of the broad masses -- just forget all the sweet talks about freedom and democracy). What they did not grasp was that at the same time all the factories they worked at would fold up. They ended up unemployed and started to whine. Told you so (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.) STRANGE NEW (?) KAITO RADIO Just ran across a reference to a previously-unknown-to-me Kaito radio, the KA 12AIR. It's *not* shortwave. It's not even Medium Wave! It is AIR band and FM only. This strikes me as really odd, since, as we know, AIR is AM, not FM. It is in the Heartland catalog at $60 with a $10 rebate and free shipping (but Heartland sticks you with a per- order fee but also my catalog has a $10-off coupon). Anyway, here's what it shows on the Kaito website: http://www.kaitousa.com/KA12AIR.htm I'm just sending you this for your amusement; I don't find any reason for me to buy one. Maybe pilots or airshow fans would find this useful. I just find it so odd that the coverage is so limited. 73, (Will Martin, MO, Sept 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) REAL MEDIA FORMAT The piece in DXLD 9-072 regarding Real Media format had a particular impact on me today. I switched on my newest Wi-Fi radio to listen to BBC Tees coming from Middlesbrough in the UK near my former home 40 years ago before moving to Australia. For a change, there is now a loop announcement that the BBC no longer streams in Real Media format. Listeners are advised to use the BBC iPlayer and to select either Windows Media or Flash format. For listeners in front of a PC, this is all very well but when you buy a wi-fi radio, it connects to the internet portal which the radio manufacturer has licenced for the service. There are two main portals. I have two wifi radios that work with http://www.reciva.com and my new one which works with http://www.wifiradio-frontier.com The only file type available through the latter for the dozens of BBC local radio stations (and no doubt many others) is ram i.e. real media. My email to BBC Tees has received an automated response. Why do they bother to put an email address on their web page if they aren't going to even read the messages, let alone reply! Basically, it means go away, we can't be bothered by our listeners! Perhaps my request to http://www.wifiradio-frontier.com will achieve a better result. About my new radio. It combines internet radio, DAB+, FM, iPOD dock, "Music Player", Shared Media, Shared Folder and "AUX" modes. On DAB+, there are several extra ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) channels not available on AM or FM such as Dig, Jazz and two Grandstand channels. There is even a BIRD channel if you want to shut your eyes and imagine that you are resting in the outback bush. The SBS (Special Broadcasting Service) has 6 channels instead of the 1 AM and 1 FM and two or three of them are repeated with a 2 hour delay. The radio is featured at http://www.kogan.com.au/shop/kogan-wi-fi-digital-radio-ipod-docking-station/ The price in Australia is AUD$169 plus postage. Anyone outside Australia should be aware that DAB+ is NOT the same as DAB used, for example in the UK. In addition, the frequencies used here in Melbourne for the DAB+ channels are 206.352 and 204.64 MHz. In some countries the L Band around 1500 Mhz is used and in other cities in Australia they may differ from those in Melbourne. Regards, Glenn (Morrison Hoyle, Australia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Meanwhile, we have resumed producing WOR in Real as well as mp3 (gh) DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- IBOC See USA KS/OK report +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DRM see ANTARCTICA; GUIANA FRENCH; INDIA; ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ USA; UNID 7447; RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM Re 9-072: 90elf is not related to the public broadcasting system but a venture of the commercial broadcasting group Regiocast. See also http://www.w4uvh.net/dxld9041.txt The observed kind of tests has already been discussed for "WAZ" and "Echo des Tages" content. But frankly, I will not invest time in researching who runs them and what is their purpose. The transmissions are apparently being arranged by Media Broadcast and use transmitters from TDF group companies (i.e. it seems that Montsinéry was already involved, too). May others report more background (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Sept 27, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ Strange mountain propagation --- KNIFE EDGE REFRAXION I've just returned from a 10 day trip that included over 1600 miles of driving from Seattle, WA to Pocatello, ID and back. While cruising on I-82 just north of Yakima, WA and tuning around the dial I had a brief fade up and top of the hour ID of 97.3 KZTQ Carson City / Reno, NV. I even caught part of it on camera video recording so I know I wasn't hearing things. It was in the middle of the day, sunny and dry as usual for that part of the country and now looking up the distance I see it's around 520 miles. I never had any tropo like this when I lived in Boise and can't explain what it was. The signal was fairly strong and clear for almost a minute and was near a summit but only about 2400 ft there. It was too clean sounding for a meteor. Has anyone else ever noted distance like this while driving in rural mountainous areas? (Randy KW4RZ Zerr, Fort Walton Beach, FL (northwest panhandle), EM60qk, http://www.geocities.com/kw4rz WTFDA via DXLD) Not sure if this is the same thing but I remember an article once in Monitoring Times describing "Knife's Edge Refraction". Could be something like that. I know when I vacationed in the White Mountains of Western Maine I had some impressive 300 mile catches across the White and Green Mountains to central NY under fairly normal conditions (Keith McGinnis, Hingham MA, ibid.) Sounds textbook perfect for Knife Edge Refraction - it requires a minimum of one LOS/clean path to an obstruction (read TALL mountain) from the transmitter and if only a single obstruction then a clean LOS path from the item to the receiving location. Think "prism" and light waves. Double knife edge (two aligned peaks) is less common but doable and 520 miles begins to sound like that. When you have the opportunity, locate topographical maps showing elevations, draw a straight line from the Carson City station's transmitter site to the location where you heard them and see what falls in between. Typically, the reception point will be relatively small in area - a few hundred feet long/wide is not unusual but it can be longer/wider depending upon the physical shape of the intervening obstacle. A number of British Columbia early day cable TV operators used knife edge to locate distant USA signals and I recall an article in the (old) TV Horizons reporting one chap who located such a reception point just off shore on a small lake - he built a dock, and filled the entire area with 10 element yagis in a large box array. All things being equal, knife edge has virtually no fading associated with it if all of the LOS conditions are met; there was an entire issue of "The Proceedings of the IRE" devoted to the subject in the early-mid 50s as I recall - someplace around here but I am too lazy to look for it now! (Bob Cooper in NZ, ibid.) Thanks for the reply Bob and others. I suspected knife edge refraction but had little experience with it and figured the distances were not more than 300-400 miles. It would be interesting to see if anyone else drives that stretch of interstate roughly 10 miles north of Yakima if they too receive 97.3 KZTQ. Perhaps it is a "magical" location (Randy KW4RZ, ibid.) ###