DX LISTENING DIGEST APRIL 2003 ARCHIVE HOME presents...
DX LISTENING DIGEST APRIL 2003 ARCHIVE
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-061, April 9, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.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 HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3d.html HTML version of late March issues: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3c.html HTML version of early February issues: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3b.html For restrixions and searchable 2003 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 FIRST AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1177: Wed 2200 on WBCQ 7415, 17495-CUSB [already] Thu 2030 on WWCR 15825 Fri 1200 on WJIE 7490 (maybe) Sat 0130 on RFPI 7445 WRN ONDEMAND from Fri: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1177.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1177.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1177h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1177h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1177.html WORLD OF RADIO, CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL SCHEDULES UPDATED FOR A-03, DST SEASON: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html WOR/COM/MR/RADIO ENLACE MASTER TIME SCHEDULE FOR A-03: http://www.worldofradio.com/wormast.html UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIAL Would you believe, some weeks, for one reason or another I miss every airing of WOR? So, for me, it`s good news that you`re now on WJIE in the morning [M-F 1200 on 7490]. Now I`ll have all the way to the end of the following week to get caught up! The signal here is weak, but it`s good enough to hear and understand. Hope it stays that way (Pete Bentley, East Aurora NY, April 4) Well, the objective is to get the new show on by Friday and sometimes this does happen (gh) ** ALASKA. SITKA RADIO STATION BROADCASTS WHALE SOUNDS Sitka radio station KAQU is broadcasting what may initially sound like static. But listen closely and you will hear the underwater sounds of the ocean near Whale Park, and maybe even whales. Clay Culbert, former owner of Clay's dive shop, says he helped set up the new whale radio station. He told KCAW in Sitka that he's a regular listener. He says the more he listens to 88.1, the more he hears, including the grunts, snaps and pops of whales in the Eastern Channel. Whale radio is a low-powered FM station of only 100 watts. It is the brainchild of a group of West Coast marine mammal biologists. When they came to Sitka for a whale conference, they discovered the town is an ideal place to set up a listening station where whale sounds can be monitored. Jan Straley, a marine mammal biologist at the University of Alaska Southeast, presented the idea to the city. In case you can't get whale radio on the dial, there is a listening station at the first gazebo next to the restrooms at Whale Park. The listening station has a speaker and below it are several buttons. One button hooks directly into the hydrophone. The other provides whale sounds collected by Straley (Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) (via Andy Sennitt, DXLD) Interesting format. Wonder if it'll catch on? (Andy Sennitt, March 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Actually it`s been done before, in Vancouver or Seattle area, I think (gh, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. ABC WARNED TO EXPECT STAFF AND PROGRAM CUTS April 5 2003 By Annabel Crabb ABC directors have been told to prepare hit-lists for staffing and programming cuts in the coming weeks, as the broadcaster braces for a rejection of its $250 million triennial funding application to the Government. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/04/04/1048962935641.html (via Jilly Dybka, KF4ZEO, DXLD) ** AUSTRIA. ORF English to NAm at 0130 on 9870 splashed by [something] on 9865 (Bob Thomas, CT, April 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELARUS`. Home service 1 in Belorussian from March 30: 0400-0600 NF 11735 (55544) MNS 100 kW / 075 deg, ex 7170 for B-02 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 8 via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. Good opening on 7 April. Tuned out when Russell Scotka arrived and we headed for Borders and some much needed Java. 4649.00, Radio Santa Ana, Santa Ana de Yacuma 2340 -0000 local announcements , "Radio Santa Ana…kilociclos banda de ...metros onda corta...." "en la tierra de Bolivia" "...en la radio en miércoles... buenas noches" Years ago William J. Parks, a Florida DXer, discovered that the owner, at the time, lived in Miami, Florida and verified Radio Santa Ana, from this non exotic location. She arrived unexpectedly at our front door after verifying her station. 4681.55, Radio Paitití, 2343 - 2350 mix of music and OM announcer, "...radio en Bolivia....Paitití", seemingly recorded announcements, T-storm interference. 4716.72, R Yura, Yura, 2344-2355 OM/YL format, fair to good signal, best in USB, promptly IDed as Radio Yura on tune in, at 2345. 4761.63, tentative, R. Guanay, Guanay 2349-2355 fair signal at best. 5952.57, Emisora Pio Doce, Siglo Veinte, blasting in 2350 , 2355 recheck. 3309.95, R. Mosoj Chaski, Cochabamba 2356 - 0000 (Bob Wilkner, Pompano Beach, Florida, NRD 535 D modified by R. Scotka, Noise Reducing antenna built by R. Scotka, April 7 - UT April 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BULGARIA. R. Bulgaria in English: Europe 0630-0700 [frequencies? Same as 1130?] 1130-1200 11700 15700 1730-1800 9400 11900 2100-2200 5800 7500 N America 2300-2400 9400 11900 0200-0300 9400 11900 (Bob Thomas, CT, April 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BURMA [non]. See KAZAKHSTAN ** CHINA. New updated summer schedule for China Radio International in Russian: 0000-0057 1521 7110 9725 9870 0100-0157 1521 0300-0357 15435 17710 17740 1000-1057 1116 7110 9695 9725 11935 15110 1100-1157 1116 1323 1521 7110 9725 9870 11935 1200-1257 1116 1323 1521 1300-1357 1323 1521 5915 5990 9675 9870 1400-1457 1323 1521 1500-1557 5915 5990 9765 9870 11650 11790 1600-1657 1521 9765 9885 11780 11875 11960 13655 1700-1757 1521 9765 9795 9885 11650 11685 11780 11875 11960 13655 1800-1857 1521 9535=via Issoudun 9585 9765 9795 11630 11685 12010 1900-1957 1521 9795 11630 11685 12010 2000-2057 7255 9795 11975 2300-2357 7110 9725 15110 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 8 via DXLD) ** CUBA. Cuba heard on air April 8th on 6195 with a good signal at 0644 carrying Radio Reloj - news read by man and woman accompanied by seconds ticks. At tune in 0620 a strong unmodulated carrier was heard past 0630 - assumed to be this one. Checked again at 0705 but nothing heard. On Apr. 7th a much weaker signal was audible in Spanish at 0735 past 0800, when the signal was rapidly fading. This transmission carried music as well as speech so may have been Rebelde. Anyone know what's going on on this frequency? 73's, (Noel R. Green [Blackpool - UK], Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** CZECH REPUBLIC. R. Prague Int`l, half hour English to NAm: 2330 7345 9440 0000 7345 9440 0100 6200 7345 0300 7345 9870 7385[=WRMI] 2230: announced but not confirmed yet on 11600 13580 (Bob Thomas, CT, April 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Concurso en Radio Praga: si usted admira o conoce la vida de una personalidad checa, podría ganarse un viaje para dos personas a Praga. Tiene oportunidad hasta el 15 de julio para enviar su ensayo. Correo-e: cr@radio.cz (Adán González, desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, April 7, DX LISENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. R. Cairo English to NAm at 2300 on 11725 is awful! Splash from 11720 in Spanish, also 11730 Spanish. When 11725 does break through at 2330 --- usual (sigh) infamous *crappy* modulation. Next one at 0200 on 11780: heavy Spanish [Portuguese] covers (Bob Thomas, CT, April 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hola Glenn, Saludos desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA. De todas las frecuencias mencionadas por Radio Cairo, a partir del 1ero. de abril, sólo están activas la de 11790 kHz y la de 11755 kHz (a pesar de que la locutora la nombró hasta la saciedad como una frecuencia en la banda de 31 metros y supuse que era 9755 kHz). En ambas la recepción es malísima. 9475 kHz, una de las que mejor llegaba a Venezuela, ha desaparecido del mapa (Adán González, desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, April 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Cairo has introduced a 10-mins English segment within the daily two-hour Arabic service to Australia 2000-2200. This is noted at 2130-2140 on 11750, with Education and Language Learning Features. The first hour of this transmission is hopelessly degraded by AWR- Guam co-channel, carrying English to Asia 2000-2100 (Bob Padula, Mont Albert, Vic, Australia, Apr 8, EDXP via WORLD OF RADIO 1177, DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. See RUSSIA ** FRANCE [non]. RFI via Merlin Communications: 6010 1700-1758 DHA 250 kW / 340 deg Persian 6020 1600-1628 DB 200 kW / 160 deg Pashto 6035 1600-1628 SNG 250 kW / 315 deg Pashto 7150 0400-0458 ASC 250 kW / 115 deg French 9530 1700-1758 TAC 200 kW / 255 deg Persian 11665 0600-0658 ASC 250 kW / 027 deg French 13640 0500-0558 DHA 250 kW / 255 deg French 13780 0400-0458 DHA 250 kW / 255 deg French 17770 0600-0658 KIG 250 kW / 180 deg French 17815 1200-1228 ASC 250 kW / 027 deg English (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 8 via DXLD) ** FRANCE [non]. /SOUTH AFRICA: RFI via Meyerton: 5985 1900-2158 MEY 250 kW / 355 deg French 9730 1600-1658 MEY 100 kW / 005 deg English 15255 1600-1658 MEY 250 kW / 328 deg English 15410 0700-0758 MEY 250 kW / 328 deg French 17685 1100-1158 MEY 250 kW / 355 deg French 17685 1300-1358 MEY 250 kW / 328 deg French 21760 1200-1258 MEY 250 kW / 328 deg French (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 8 via WORLD OF RADIO 1177, DXLD) This contradicts previous schedule claiming that 9730 and 15255 are Moyabi, Gabon; which?? (gh, DXLD) ** GERMANY. I`m getting very good reception of DW English here at 0000 on 7130; 0400 on 11945 (Bob Thomas, CT, April 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE. Summer A-03 schedule for Radiophonikos Stathmos Makedonias in Greek: 1100-1400 NF 11645 (55555), ex 11595 in A-02 1400-2300 on 9935 (55555), but from 1730 totally blocked by VOIROI/IRIB in Arabic (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 8 via DXLD) ** GREECE. Dear Glenn: I haven`t dropped off the face of the Earth, but there is nothing really happening that is worthy of note from The Voice of Greece. They have stayed on their frequencies for the last broadcasting season, which was unusual for them some years back. Before Demetri Vafeas convinced the powers who be that it was to their benefit that they send him to the HFCC sessions to thrash out frequency allocations, they were having serious interference problems. Now that everyone has gotten together, they are able, in most cases, to avoid being on the same frequency or having a powerhouse transmitter on an adjacent frequency. I seriously doubt that they will ever put those VOA-donated 250-kW SW transmitters into operation, mainly because of the Internet and their subscription satellite service. At the present time they are picking up bits and pieces from the domestic services with much talk and not much music, especially since they have not contributed to the coalition forces during the Iraqi problem. Greeks over there seem to enjoy sitting on the sidelines hoping for peace but not doing much except to talk about it. It is a wonder that they didn`t pull the switch on the Sunday ``It`s All Greek to Me`` program of March 23 and they even had a repeat of it on the following Sunday. For the past few days, the VOA transmitter in Delano, CA has been cutting off the power from 1900 to 2000 UT on 17705 to North America. Perhaps the engineer goes to lunch from noon to 1:00 PDT, or is it perhaps because The Voice of Greece wants to save an hour`s worth of time? Maybe Dr Kim Elliott has an answer to that one. [the break is part of the new A-03 schedule --- gh] I started intensive monitoring last Sunday. I have not received any broadcasting schedules from The voice of Greece and the schedule has been put together mainly from frequency announcements in Greek and my monitoring. The 15190 kHz transmission from Delano CA at 0600-0800 UT is inaudible at this location at the present time; this frequency is an educated guess based on the broadcasting of a year ago. Some of the ERA Interprogram Orientations frequencies may not be correct, but I will thrash them out when the new Voice of Greece schedules show up from Athens. The Learn Greek program at 1235-1250 UT on Friday is not for anyone attempting to learn Greek from scratch and is of not much use to those of us who at least speak ``Village Greek``; in other words, it`s not for you or me. I have my tape recording going when they put on the daily VOG schedules at 0345 and 1200 UT because they talk faster than I can translate and write in English. I don`t know how reception of the 0000-0350 UT program is in your area, but it could use improvement in this area --- another good reason to get those 250-kW transmitters installed with new antennas directed to North America and not to Alaska and South America as they do now from Kavala, or the 100-kW transmitters from Avlis. I have the feeling that The Voice of Greece is using the short-wave spectrum to broadcast only to those Greek immigrants with radios; the Greeks who are into the next generation pick up Internet or satellite services which are paid services with monthly charges. ERT3 from Thessaloniki is still using one of Avlis` 100 kW transmitters; I guess they get more range from that than the three 35-kW transmitters in their home city. At least 7450 kHz doesn`t have the interference problem during 1900-2250 UT --- they had been using 7430 for many years when they started using the third transmitter (John Babbis, Silver Spring MD, April 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UT Avlis-1 Avlis-2 Kavala VOA-1 Kavala VOA-2 USA 2300-2400 5865 Eu 9375 Eu 7475 Af/SAm 15650 Au 0000-0400 5865 Eu/NAm 15630 Eu/NAm 7475 Af/SAm 15650 Au/ME 0400-0600 9420 Eu 15630 Eu 17520 Au/ME 21530 Au/ME 0600-0700 12105 Eu 15630 Eu 17520 Au/ME 21530 Au/ME +D 0700-0800 12105 Eu 15630 Eu silent 21530 Au/ME +D 0800-1000 12105 Eu 15630 Eu silent silent 1000-1100 silent silent silent silent All Avlis-1 broadcasts (first column) 1100-2300 are from ERT3: 1100-1200 11645 Eu 15630 Eu silent silent 1200-1300 11645 Eu 15630 Eu 12110 Eu 15650 Au/ME +D 1300-1330 11645 Eu 15630 Eu 12110 Eu #15650 ME +D 1330-1400 11645 Eu 15630 Eu 12110 Eu #15650 Eu +D 1400-1900 9935 Eu 15630 Eu 9420 Eu #12110 Eu +d 1900-2100 7450 Eu 15630 Eu 9420 Eu 7475 Eu +dg 2100-2300 7450 Eu 9375 Eu 9420 Eu 15650 Au +dg USA relays: 0600-0800 Delano 15190 Au/Pac 1200-1500 Delano 11730 NAm 1600-1900 Delano 17705 NAm 2000-2200 Delano 17705 NAm, plus Greenville 17565 Af/SAm ENGLISH PROGRAMS: [this section via WORLD OF RADIO 1177] 0830-0850 Dly 12105 Eu, 15630 Eu News bulletin 1235-1250 Fri 11730 NAm, 12110 Eu, 15630 Eu, 15650 Au/ME Learn Greek (responses in English) 1600-1700 Sat 9420 Eu, 15630 Eu, 17705 NAm Hellenes Around the World 1800-1900 Sun 9420 Eu, 15630 Ei. 17705 NAm It`s All Greek to Me music 1830-1855 Dly 12110 Eu Orientation Program in English #ERA Interprogram Orientations, 30-minute foreign languages daily: 1300 Arabic 1330 German 1400 Russian 1430 Spanish 1500 Romanian 1530 Turkish 1600 Serbian 1630 Bulgarian 1700 Albanian 1730 French 1800 Polish 1830 English (The Voice of Greece = I Foní tis Helladas, A-03 transmission schedule, Mar 30 to Oct 25, compiled by John Babbis, Maryland, for DX LISTENING DIGEST; see notes above) ** GREECE. Summer A-03 schedule for ERA-5 Voice of Greece Interprogramme Orientations: 1300-1400 Arabic/German 15650 plus MW 666, 792 1400-1500 Russian/Spanish 12110* plus MW 666, 792 1500-1600 Romanian/Turkish 12110* plus MW 666, 792 1600-1700 Serbian/Bulgarian 12110* plus MW 666, 792 1700-1730 Albanian 12110* plus MW 666 1730-1800 French 12110* plus MW 666, 792 1800-1900 Polish/English 12110* plus MW 666, 792 * 12105 on April 7 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 8 via DXLD) ** HUNGARY. See IRAN ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. I noted last weekend that CNN International is no longer on WorldSpace. This change must have happened late last week as I had been checking it frequently. The CNNI channel is now carrying an announcement confirming that CNN has been dropped. Not the best time to have done this. A new WorldSpace channel is Radio Sai Global Harmony (screen ID is SGH). The first word in the title is pronounced "sigh". It appears to be run by a Hare Krishna-style Indian religious group. I found its web site - http://www.radiosai.org/ The radio "brings you 24 hours a day the universal message of love of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba". Heard here on both the east and south beams of AfriStar. Not listed yet on the channel line-up at http://www.worldspace.com/productsservices/programguides/afristar_guide.html Regards, (Chris Greenway, Kenya, April 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN. I`ve found VOIRI English to NAm at 0130 on 9590, co-channel Spanish; 11920 with two co-channels (Bob Thomas, CT, April 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That`s what they get for not coöperating fully with HFCC (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) VOIRI English at 0030: toss- up between 9590 and 11920. Both fair to good depending on co-channel QRM. Budapest is on 9590 too, English to NAm at 0100. Tough at 0130; see-saw on both. Observation: not the best choices or quite a few stations: Iran, Budapest, Yugo, CRI (Bob Thomas, CT, April 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ. MEDIA BEHAVIOUR ROUNDUP AS OF 1630 GMT APRIL 8: Republic of Iraq Radio Main Service was traced in northern Iraq, in the area of Arbil, at 0400 gmt on 8 April on 603 kHz. The radio, thought to be from a transmitter near Mosul, was carrying the same programming as the Iraqi TV station in the region. The radio has not been heard on any other mediumwave or shortwave frequencies since 1800 gmt on 7 April. Iraqi radio was back on air, Abu Dhabi TV reported at 0803 gmt on 8 April: "Following a 20-minute interruption, the radio is now transmitting patriotic songs and music. This also came on the heels of the stoppage of the television transmission. At 0852 gmt, BBC News Online reported that Iraqi domestic state radio was off the air. 657 kHz unidentified pro-Saddam Husayn programming Pro-Saddam Husayn programming has been heard in northern Iraq on the 657 kHz, the frequency of the Kurdish service of Republic of Iraq Radio for northern Iraq. The programming is different from Republic of Iraq Radio on 603 kHz, which is being heard in parallel with Republic of Iraq TV, from the Mosul area of northern Iraq. Internet -- No Iraqi Internet media sites are accessible. Source: BBC Monitoring research 8 Apr 03 1630 gmt (via WORLD OF RADIO 1177, DXLD) MEDIA BEHAVIOUR NOTE 1800-2200 GMT 8 APRIL 03 Iraqi government radio, television and Internet media have not been observed by BBC Monitoring between 1800 and 2200 gmt on 8 April. Iraq Satellite Channel TV has been unobserved since 1618 gmt on 7 April. Following is BBC Monitoring's round-up of observations and reports on the status of Iraqi media from 1800 to 2200 gmt on 8 April 03: Republic of Iraq Television No video or audio has been observed on Iraq's domestic television service on any of the known frequencies since 1500 gmt on 24 March. Iraqi Satellite Channel Television The channel has been unobserved on Arabsat 3A, NileSat, and Hotbird since 1618 gmt on 7 April. Republic of Iraq Radio Main Service The station has been unheard on the medium-wave frequency of 909 kHz since 1800 gmt on 7 April. The radio remains unheard on all other known frequencies. Other radio stations A radio station that identifies itself as "Information Radio" and carries anti-Saddam reportage is heard on the medium-wave frequency of 756 kHz. The station is unheard on the short-wave frequency of 9715 kHz. Iraqi Voice of Youth Radio, which is run by Saddam's eldest son, Uday, has been unheard on all known frequencies since 0430 gmt on 25 March. Source: BBC Monitoring research in Arabic 8 Apr 03 (via DXLD) ** IRAQ. MEDIA BEHAVIOUR ROUND-UP 9 APR 03 [excerpts] A report has been received by BBC Monitoring that Iraqi government radio and television have been observed in northern Iraq. The Iraq Satellite Channel has not been seen since 1618 gmt 7 April. At 0838 gmt on 9 April Reuters news agency cited residents in Baghdad as saying that Iraqi radio was broadcasting patriotic songs that morning, "just one day after going off the air, but the signal was faint". The report added: "Iraqi radio had been off the air since US forces stormed into the western part of central Baghdad on Tuesday [8 April]. Iraqi television remained blank and silent on Wednesday." Republic of Iraq Radio Main Service cannot be monitored by BBC Monitoring. However, the radio was traced in northern Iraq, in the area of Arbil, between 0400-0500 gmt and then from 0513 gmt on 9 April. Programming was in parallel on both frequencies observed, 603 kHz and 657 kHz. The radio is thought to be from transmitters near Mosul. The radio has not been heard on any other mediumwave or shortwave frequencies since 1800 gmt on 7 April. MEDIA BEHAVIOUR REPORTS Mixed Arab TV coverage of US troops, toppling of Saddam statue At a time when most of the world's TV stations were showing US troops outside the Palestine Hotel in central Baghdad, many state run-TV Arab channels; Algerian, Moroccan, Sudanese, Syrian, Tunisian, were observed to ignore the event and continued to carry scheduled programmes. Some exceptions were Kuwaiti TV, Saudi TV and the Lebanese satellite channel LBC. However, pan-Arab TV stations Al-Jazeera, Abu Dhabi TV, Al-Arabiyah, Iranian TV news channel Al-Alam and Hezbollah-linked Al-Manar TV, were observed to carry live footage of the arrival of US troops outside the journalists' hotel and the toppling of a nearby statue of Saddam Husayn. PICTURE BULLETIN OF US PSY-OPS INFORMATION RADIO IN ARABIC 1555 GMT 8 APRIL 03 First 8 minutes unheard. - Music. - Message to the Iraqis: Tyrannical Saddam ordered in 1991 his troops to set alight the Kuwait oil fields to destroy that country's infrastructure. He was not alone in doing so; he had the support of his clique. Today there are indications once more that the despot might be sending similar orders to his henchmen. This time of course, the only thing different is that it is the Iraqi infrastructure which is going to be destroyed. In doing so, the despot will only prolong the suffering of the Iraqi people and their children. If this were to be his final act, it is an act of a desperate man. But of course, you and your children will be the victim. In resisting the implementation of these criminal orders, you will be helping in the speedy recovery of your country. The coalition forces are doing their best to avoid the destruction of your country's infrastructure. Any destruction by the despot will add to the suffering of the Iraqi people, but will not hinder the efforts of the coalition forces to rid Iraq of Saddam. - Music. - Appeal to the Iraqis on the need to treat POWs in accordance with international law, stressing that no Iraqi POW will be treated badly by the coalition forces, and calling on Iraqis to treat well any coalition soldier or pilot they might stumble across. The appeal urged Iraqis to behave in a peaceful manner towards each other and their neighbours, saying that violent acts will only hinder the process of bringing about peace to the country and starting the recovery process. The appeal urged leaders of Iraqi tribes to put aside their differences and use their wisdom to find peaceful solutions to the country problems. The appeal went on to urge all Iraqis to forsake violence and resolve their differences through dialogue and peaceful means. - Talk stressing the determination to rebuild a new Iraq, calling on Iraqis to contribute to the process by helping the Coalition Forces in their efforts to eliminate Saddam and his cronies by either staying at home or abiding by the instructions of the Coalition Forces when they are on the road. The appeal went on to urge people to give information about Saddam and his cronies, i.e. Ba'th Party leaders, intelligence members and senior army officers. Such information will be treated in strict confidentiality, the appeal stressed. - Appeal to the Iraqis, reminding them that the hour of salvation is near thanks to the friends and allies who decide to rid Iraq of Saddam and his clique. It urges Iraqis to give such friends and allies all the necessary support they may need to remove despot Saddam and his regime. The appeal went on to affirm that the coalition forces are not after the country's riches or anything else, just to remove criminal Saddam, his family and cronies, and give Iraqis the opportunity to lead a free and dignified life. - Recording of Bush's address of last week during his meetings with Marine families near Washington with superimposed Arabic translation. NEW RADIO STATION, ARABIC DAILY REPORTEDLY TO LAUNCH IN IRAQ "WITHIN DAYS" | Text of report by London-based newspaper Al-Sharq al-Awsat web site on 9 April Al-Sulaymaniyah: Al-Sharq al-Awsat has learnt that there are plans to move a number of journalists and presenters working in Kurdistan to another Iraqi city to set up an Iraqi radio station targeting Iraqis inside Iraq. In addition, a new Arabic daily newspaper that carries reports on the developments of the war will be published to enlighten the Iraqis and mobilize support for the coalition forces (via BBCM via WORLD OF RADIO 1177, DXLD) ** IRAQ. IRAQI TELEVISION AND RADIO GOES OFF THE AIR http://www.rosbaltnews.com/2003/04/09/62132.html BAGHDAD, April 8. The central television and radio station of Iraq went off the air this morning. As a Rosbalt correspondent reports, this has been confirmed by Bashar Maali, an employee of a Syrian radio station who also worked with the Iraqi television and radio station. He confirmed that all television and radio broadcasts have been taken off the air and added that the last television broadcast was a patriotic musical clip recorded by famous Iraqi singers a week ago. He said this might have happened as a result of fighting in the area this morning between US marines and Baas [sic] party guards. The Iraqi Information Ministry, on the other hand, claims that television and radio broadcasts were discontinued as a result of work that is being done on the national television and radio towers (Rosbalt [what`s that?], 08/04/2003, 13:04 via Mike Terry, DXLD) IRAQI TV AND RADIO OFF AIR (more) From The Guardian, Owen Gibson, Tuesday April 8, 2003 Domestic Iraqi television and radio broadcasts were stopped today for the first time. Broadcasts were blacked out after US attacks targeted transmitters in the Iraqi capital in an effort to further demoralise Saddam Hussein's remaining troops. Despite the encroaching coalition forces, Iraqi television and radio had until now continued to broadcast a steady stream of propaganda messages and news but today both were knocked off air for the first time. This morning the station failed to broadcast a early news bulletin and instead showed only old footage of Saddam being cheered at rallies and played patriotic songs. Zuhair Jezairy, an Iraqi writer who quit Baghdad in 1979, said the suspension of broadcasts was hugely significant. "It is very important. He knows that the new generation have been brought up on TV, that there heroes are from the TV. They are used to seeing him three of four times a day, they are brought up to see him every day several times, so maybe if they don't see him maybe they will start to believe he is gone," Mr Jezairy told Sky News. The US military indicated it had targeted television transmitters in the Iraqi capital. "Clearly we would like to destroy Saddam's capability to disseminate lies," said Major Michael Birmingham with the US 3rd Infantry Division. Local state-run Baghdad Radio was still transmitting but airing only national music and songs in praise of Saddam. "Saddam has confused his enemy, Saddam is ours and we will stay with him until we die, he is our Saddam and we will defend him unto death," were the lyrics of one song. US officials said they bombed a building in Baghdad on Monday after intelligence reports that Saddam and his two sons may have been inside. It was not clear if they were hit. In recent days the domestic state television channel has run a morning statement from the military detailing successes against US- led invasion forces, but there was no sign of it today, although times of the broadcast have varied. Central Baghdad was a battleground on Tuesday, with US air raids pounding the area around the information ministry. No officials from the ministry were available to explain why the television broadcasts had ceased. Iraq's international satellite television channel has been off the air for a couple of days. US forces have targeted Iraqi broadcasting facilities, saying they were used by Saddam to maintain control over the country (Guardian April 9 via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. On 8 Apr at 2030 I was listening to Information Radio on 9715 and noted that the broadcast was in pure SSB (USB). I recall they have used earlier also carrier but this time not. The signal was fluttery and rather weak. At 2057 suddenly it got much stronger, but no carrier noted. Well, at 2059 another station signed on and at 2100 "Govorit Radio Svoboda" ID. So Radio Liberty using this channel too. Maybe this Information Radio broadcast was from "another platform" (ship or whatever) as mentioned in recent reports (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ [non]. Well with the latest actions taking place, I've noticed that the information radio was on around 1230 UT today, loud and clear [on 9715???] but nothing special; same messages and songs!? [Later:] Well, as I'm writing this (1545 UT) I can tell now that they are LIVE on the air as the song they are playing right now is a famous hip/hop Egyptian song. The lyrics are saying.. Oh what's going on... oh what I'm seeing --- how beautiful it is!!! We got the message, guys ;) less talking --- only IDs and MORE MUSIC for the last 45 Min or so. [Later2:] Well the information Radio around 1600 UT didn't have anything to broadcast but the press conference of G W Bush and T. Blair I think that was held yesterday, or the day before!?? Don't they have anything else to broadcast? [Later3:] Info. radio around 1600 UT got nothing to broadcast but the press conference of Blair and Bush in Ireland. As soon as the conference was finished an Arabic announcer was talking about the content of the conference and his voice was familiar --- and it turned out to be the Radio Sawa announcer! I recognized his voice. Then the familiar lady of Info. Radio just gave the ID and that's it. After that there was a message to the Iraqi people from the Information radio asking the people of Baghdad NOT to listen to the request of the Iraqi regime to gather in the Saddam airport. I never hearded about that request and how did this message broadcasted to the people of Baghdad! The lady also mentioned something about keep on listening to Information radio --- and you can WATCH ALSO INFORMATION TV!!!!!! for more accurate information. Well, well, sounds like news to me! All the best (TAREK ZEIDAN Cairo, Egypt 9/4/03 1645 UT, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ [and non]. GULF WAR II http://www.projectblack.net/iraqiwar.html Here is an excellent resource web site, prepared by Mr. Steve Douglass in Amarillo, Texas. There are dozens of links to all the pertinent sites vital to this situation, including many radio broadcasting stations and organizations. WORLD SWITCH ? IRAQ http://www.worldswitch.com/Countries/Iraq/News.html A collection of links to various Iraqi news, newspapers, radio, television, and magazines, many in English VETERANS AGAINST THE IRAQ WAR http://www.vaiw.org/vet/index.php An information page about the activities of veterans opposed to the Iraq War. ADVOCACY AND INTELLIGENCE INDEX FOR POW-MIA http://www.aiipowmia.com/ Here you will find reports, testimony, statements, depositions, documents, daily news, articles, lists, updates and announcements on POWs and MIAs from ALL wars. The Archives are updated and added-to daily. ALL NEWS REGARDING IRAQ and US POWs - MIAs in IRAQ is posted to the Inter Network Daily News Section (Sheldon Harvey, Radio HF Internet Newsletter March 24 via DXLD) ** IRAQ [non?]. Glenn, I am a regular reader of DX Listening Digest. Appreciate your efforts in putting this newsletter together. I wanted to pass this on with the hope that your one of your readers can supply additional info: Last Saturday and Sunday (April 5 and 6th) I heard station IDing as "The Voice of Iraq (English)" on 15210 kHz. I heard them on Saturday from 1830 UT until sign off at 1957 UT. Sunday I heard them from 1730 until 1957. Programming was in Arabic except for four minute "News Headlines" in English (same script that Iraqi as used by Iraqi Minister of Information) on 28 minutes past the hour followed by Headlines in French. Sunday broadcast also had a call-in number (English) requesting reception reports. Station carried DW Radio relay at 2000 hrs. Reception was fair on Saturday and somewhat poorer on Sunday. I am using rather simple receiving equipment here, a Drake SW1 and a 30 foot antenna arranged as a loop around my apartment window. Keep up the good work (Dave Penney, Shiloh, IL (St. Louis Mo Metro area), DX LISTENING DIGEST) David, Thanks for your intriguing report. I don`t hear anything on 15210 today (Tuesday) before and after 1900 UT, and nothing much is listed there in the HFCC. I am trying to remember what the SW1 is like. Analog readout? Any chance you were 5 kHz off?? Because on 15205 is V. of Africa, Libya, as relayed by France scheduled 1800-2000. Arabic with a few minutes of English is typical of that station. Could you have mistaken `Voice of Africa` for `Voice of Iraq`? I`ve also looked for clandestines that might be using 15210 and/or by the name of V. of Iraq, and come up with nothing. Also, DW started English at 2000 on 15205, not 15210. So I think this the likely explanation, u.o.s. It seems unlikely that under present circumstances, Iraq itself would be arranging a new SW transmission, but all the more important should this be the case. Please let me have your thoughts and any further monitoring (perhaps you can only listen at that time on weekends?) Regards, (Glenn to Dave, via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. POSSIBLE STRIKE AT IBA POSTPONED FOR 24 HOURS Mike Brand reports: Pending further negotiations, the General Strike that was due to have started at 6 am local time this morning has been postponed by 24 hours. If it goes ahead, the strike will include all the national radio and TV stations of the Israel Broadcasting Authority, including Network B (Reshet Bet) - the national news and current affairs station - and Network C (Reshet Gimmel) the Hebrew pop music station. The Silent Channel will not be affected, and if there is a need for emergency broadcasts, all national radio and TV stations will broadcast as normal. All the local commercial radio stations, and the offshore station, Arutz 7, will continue as normal (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 9 April 2003 via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. See KAZAKHSTAN!! ** ITALY. Rai 2 is back on 846 from Santa Palomba Site (Roma) for a test transmission; the power is 75 kW. Here you can find the picture of the site: http://www.mediasuk.org/archive/palomba_e.html Wishes, (Andrea Borgnino, April 9, hard-core-dx via DXLD) Tonight at 0005 UT and this morning 0605 UT NO TRACES OF RAI 2 on 846 kHz in Milano area. May be it was just a TEST ???? Best wishes, (Dario Monferini, UT April 9, ibid.) ** JAPAN [and non]. Early A-03 plans of NHK, by site and transmitter: days all 1234567, dates all 300303 261003 or 310303 261003 FREQ STRT STOP CIRAF ZONES LOC POWR AZIMUTH SLW ANT LANGUAGE Yamata = main site in Japan 17825 0200 0400 10,11 YAM 300 55 0 208 Various J 13630 0600 0700 2,6,7 YAM 300 55 0 208 English J 9835 0800 1000 2,6,7 YAM 300 55 0 208 Japanese J 17810 1500 1600 49,50,54 YAM 300 235 0 208 Japanese J 9835 1700 1900 14,16,61 YAM 300 85 30 208 Japanese J 13630 2340 2400 49,50,54 YAM 300 235 0 208 Various J 17685 0100 0200 51,55,56,59,60 YAM 300 175 0 208 English J 17685 0200 0400 51,55,56,59,60 YAM 300 175 0 208 Japanese J 11715 0500 0600 25,26,34,35 YAM 300 35 -20 208 English J 11715 0600 0630 25,26,34,35 YAM 300 35 -20 208 Russian J 6145 0700 0800 25,26,34,35 YAM 300 35 -20 208 Japanese J 6145 0800 0830 25,26,34,35 YAM 300 35 -20 208 Russian J 11895 1500 1700 10,11 YAM 300 55 -20 208 Japanese J 5955 1900 1920 25,26,34,35 YAM 300 35 -20 208 Russian J 17825 2100 2200 2,6,7 YAM 300 55 0 208 English J 17825 2200 2300 2,6,7 YAM 300 55 0 208 Japanese J 17560 0100 0400 38,39,40 YAM 300 305 0 208 Various J 11760 0500 0600 23,24,33 YAM 300 330 25 208 English J 11760 0600 0630 23,24,33 YAM 300 330 25 208 Russian J 6165 0700 0800 23,24,33 YAM 300 330 25 208 Japanese J 6165 0800 0830 23,24,33 YAM 300 330 25 208 Russian J 11815 0900 1500 49,50,54 YAM 300 235 0 208 Japanese J 11785 1500 1520 38,39,40 YAM 300 305 0 208 French J 11970 1700 1800 18,27,28N YAM 300 330 25 208 English J 11970 1800 1900 18,27,28N YAM 300 330 25 208 Various J 11830 2000 2100 18,27,28N YAM 300 330 25 208 Various J 13650 2240 2400 44S,49,50,54 YAM 300 235 0 208 Various J 13650 0000 0015 44S,49,50,54 YAM 300 235 0 208 English J 17810 0100 0600 49,50,54 YAM 300 240 -30 208 Various J 15590 0630 0800 41 YAM 300 270 0 208 Various J 15590 0800 1000 41 YAM 300 270 0 208 Japanese J 15590 1000 1200 43,44 YAM 300 270 0 208 English J 11785 1800 1820 48,52,53,57 YAM 300 270 0 208 French J 6165 1900 2100 43,44 YAM 300 290 0 146 Japanese J 9560 2210 2230 44E YAM 300 290 0 146 Korean J 9560 2230 2250 44 YAM 300 290 0 146 Chinese J 13680 0000 0100 49,50,54 YAM 300 240 0 208 Japanese J 15325 0100 0400 41 YAM 300 270 30 208 Various J 17860 0630 0700 44S,49,50,54 YAM 300 240 0 208 Chinese J 17860 0700 0900 49,50,54 YAM 300 240 0 208 Japanese J 9695 0930 1000 49,50,54 YAM 300 240 0 208 Indonesian J 9695 1000 1200 49,50,54 YAM 300 240 0 208 English J 9695 1200 1330 49,50,54 YAM 300 240 0 208 Various J 11730 1400 1700 41 YAM 300 270 30 208 Various J 9685 1800 1820 48,52,53,57 YAM 300 270 30 208 French J 13680 1900 2400 49,50,54 YAM 300 240 0 208 Japanese J 11910 0000 0100 43,44 YAM 300 290 0 146 Japanese J 17845 0100 0300 43,44 YAM 300 290 0 146 Various J 17845 0330 0500 43,44 YAM 300 290 0 146 Various J 17845 0500 0600 44E YAM 300 290 0 146 Various J 9750 0800 1700 43,44 YAM 300 290 0 146 Various J 11910 1900 2400 43,44 YAM 300 290 0 146 Japanese J 15195 0100 0200 43,44 YAM 300 290 0 146 Japanese J 15195 0200 0800 43,44 YAM 300 290 0 146 Various J 6035 1600 1900 43,44 YAM 300 290 0 146 Japanese J 17835 0100 0400 14,16 YAM 100 85 0 208 Various J 17870 0600 0700 61 YAM 100 85 0 208 English J 17870 0700 0800 61 YAM 100 85 0 208 Japanese J 9825 0800 1000 14,16,61 YAM 100 85 0 208 Japanese J 9710 1000 1030 14,16 YAM 100 85 0 208 Spanish J 13660 1100 1230 49,50,54 YAM 100 240 30 208 Various J 13660 1230 1300 49,50,54 YAM 100 240 30 208 Indonesian J 7200 1330 1400 49,50,54 YAM 100 240 30 208 Thai J 7200 1400 1900 49,50,54 YAM 100 240 30 208 Various J 21670 2100 2200 61 YAM 100 85 0 208 English J 17810 2240 2400 44S,49,50,54 YAM 100 240 30 208 Various J 17810 0000 0015 44S,49,50,54 YAM 100 240 30 208 English J 17855 0100 0200 49,50,54 YAM 100 235 0 208 Japanese J 17875 0200 0400 2,6,7 YAM 100 55 0 208 Japanese J 21600 0500 0700 49,50,54 YAM 100 235 0 208 Japanese J 11910 0500 0700 43,44 YAM 100 280 0 800 Japanese J 12030 0800 1000 10,11 YAM 100 55 0 208 Japanese J 12030 1000 1030 10,11 YAM 100 55 0 208 Spanish J 6090 1100 1130 44E YAM 100 280 0 800 Korean J 9505 1400 1800 2,6,7 YAM 100 55 0 208 Various J 11665 2000 2200 49,50,54 YAM 100 235 0 208 Japanese J 21610 0300 0400 51,55,56,59,60 YAM 100 165 0 208 Various J 21755 0500 1100 51,55,56,59,60 YAM 100 165 0 208 Various J 6190 1130 1230 43,44 YAM 100 280 0 800 Various J 6190 1230 1330 44E YAM 100 280 0 800 Various J 6190 1400 1430 44E YAM 100 280 0 800 Korean J 6190 1430 1500 44 YAM 100 280 0 800 Chinese J 11910 1500 1600 43,44 YAM 100 280 0 800 Japanese J 7140 1600 1800 51,55,56,59,60 YAM 100 165 0 208 Japanese J 17700 0400 0100 39 YAM 300 305 0 208 Various J 15325 0400 1000 41 YAM 300 270 30 208 Japanese J 11725 1000 1200 41 YAM 300 270 30 208 Japanese J 11860 1200 1600 41 YAM 300 270 30 208 Japanese J 11725 1700 0200 41 YAM 300 270 30 208 Japanese J Moyabi, Gabon: 11915 0430 0700 27,28 GAB 500 350 0 158 Various J 21730 1030 1100 27,28 GAB 500 350 0 158 Various J 15355 1700 1900 52,57 GAB 500 170 0 158 Various J Ekala, Sri Lanka: 11880 0100 0200 38-40 EKA 300 310 0 211 English CLN 11875 0230 0300 38-40 EKA 300 310 0 211 Persian CLN 11930 0300 0400 38-40 EKA 300 310 0 211 Japanese CLN 11930 0400 0430 38-40 EKA 300 310 0 211 Arabic CLN 11890 0300 0400 41 EKA 300 350 0 146 Japanese CLN 17820 0500 0530 38-40 EKA 300 310 0 211 French CLN 11890 0630 0800 41 EKA 300 350 0 146 Various CLN 17675 0830 0900 38-40 EKA 300 310 0 211 Persian CLN 11890 1230 1300 41 EKA 300 350 0 146 Various CLN 11890 1300 1400 41 EKA 300 350 0 146 Various CLN 17755 1400 1500 38-40 EKA 300 310 0 211 English CLN 9890 1400 1500 55,58-60 EKA 300 130 0 208 Various CLN 11880 1700 1900 38-40 EKA 300 310 0 211 Japanese CLN 9740 1900 2000 55,58-60 EKA 300 130 0 208 Various CLN 11770 2200 2300 55,58-60 EKA 300 130 0 208 Various CLN Sackville, Canada: 6145 0000 0100 6-8 SAC 250 240 0 156 English CAN 5960 0200 0400 6-8 SAC 250 240 0 156 Japanese CAN 6110 0500 0600 6-8 SAC 250 268 0 156 English CAN 6120 1100 1200 6-8 SAC 250 240 0 156 English CAN 11705 1300 1500 6-8 SAC 250 240 0 156 Japanese CAN 11705 1500 1600 6-8 SAC 250 240 0 156 Japanese CAN 15160 1500 1600 6-8 SAC 250 268 0 156 Japanese CAN 6110 2200 2300 6-8 SAC 250 240 0 156 Japanese CAN Montsinéry, French Guiana: 15565 0230 0300 13,14,15 GUF 300 155 0 151 Portuguese GUY 9660 0300 0400 12,14,15 GUF 300 215 0 156 Japanese GUY 9660 0400 0430 12,14,15 GUF 300 215 0 156 Spanish GUY 11895 0500 0530 10,11W GUF 300 295 0 151 Spanish GUY 9530 0800 1000 13,14,15 GUF 300 155 0 151 Japanese GUY 15590 1000 1100 13,14,15 GUF 300 155 0 151 Various GUY 21600 1700 1800 12,14,15 GUF 300 215 0 156 Japanese GUY 11895 2200 2300 10,11W GUF 300 295 0 151 Japanese GUY Woofferton, Skelton, Rampisham, UK: 7230 0500 0700 18,19,28N,29 WOF 300 70 0 211 English G 11710 0800 1000 18,19,28N,29 SKN 300 70 -20 206 Japanese G 11710 1100 1130 18,19,28N,29 WOF 250 70 0 216 German G 11710 1130 1200 18,19,28N,29 WOF 250 70 0 216 Russian G 9750 1700 1800 18,19,28N,29 RMP 500 62 -20 206 Japanese G 6180 2100 2200 18,19,28N,29 SKN 300 70 -20 206 English G 5975 0500 0600 27,28W,37N SKN 250 150 0 141 English G 9660 1100 1130 27,28,37N WOF 300 140 0 218 German G 6175 1700 1900 27,28W,37N SKN 250 150 0 141 Japanese G 6055 2100 2200 27,28W,37N SKN 300 140 0 211 English G 6115 2200 2300 27,28W,37N SKN 300 125 0 211 Japanese G Singapore: 11860 0100 0200 49,50,54 SNG 250 340 0 145 English SNG 11860 0200 0300 49,50,54 SNG 250 340 0 145 Japanese SNG 11740 0600 0700 49,50,54 SNG 250 0 20 147 English SNG 11740 0700 1000 49,50,54 SNG 250 0 0 147 Japanese SNG 11740 1030 1100 49,50,54 SNG 250 0 20 145 Burmese SNG 11740 1130 1200 49,50,54 SNG 250 0 20 145 Thai SNG 11740 1200 1230 49,50,54 SNG 250 0 20 145 Vietnam SNG 11740 1230 1300 49,50,54 SNG 250 0 20 145 Chinese SNG 6035 2000 2100 55,58-60 SNG 250 140 -20 145 Japanese SNG 6035 2100 2200 55,58-60 SNG 250 140 -20 145 English SNG 11920 0700 1000 55,58-60 SNG 250 140 -20 145 Japanese SNG 12045 1500 1700 41 SNG 250 315 0 151 Japanese CLN? Ascension Island: 6135 0330 0400 46-48,52,53 ASC 250 85 0 216 Swahili G 15220 0700 0730 46,47 ASC 250 27 0 146 Arabic G 17650 0800 1000 46,47 ASC 250 27 0 147 Japanese G 15400 1230 1300 46,47 ASC 250 27 0 147 French G 17790 1230 1330 46-48,52,53 ASC 250 85 0 216 French G 21630 1500 1600 46-48,52,53 ASC 250 85 0 216 Japanese G 21630 1600 1700 46-48,52,53 ASC 250 85 0 216 English G 11855 2100 2200 46-48,52,53 ASC 250 85 0 216 English G 15220 2200 2300 13,14 ASC 250 235 0 216 Japanese G Dhabbaya, UAE: 17720 0800 1000 38,39,40 DHA 500 290 0 218 Japanese UAE 17660 1000 1100 18,27,28N DHA 500 315 15 146 English UAE [For good measure, the NHK low-power domestic service relays at Sapporo, Fukuoka, Nagoya, and SHO=near Tokyo; inband portion only] 6005 0400 1230 45 SAP 1 0 0 926 Japanese J 6005 2000 0030 45 SAP 1 0 0 926 Japanese J 9535 0100 0330 45 SAP 1 0 0 926 Japanese J 6005 0100 0330 45 NAY 1 0 0 926 Japanese J 6130 2000 0400 45 FUK 1 0 0 926 Japanese J 9535 0430 0730 45 FUK 1 0 0 926 Japanese J 6175 2000 0030 45 SHO 1 0 0 926 Japanese J 9550 0100 0730 45 SHO 1 0 0 926 Japanese J [and while we`re at it, the registrations for private station NSB at Nagara (Chiba), not including 75m band:] 6055 0000 2400 45 NAG 50 64 0 701 Japanese J NSB 6055 0000 2400 45 NAG 50 244 0 701 Japanese J NSB 6115 2300 1000 45 NAG 50 50 0 701 Japanese J NSB 6115 2300 1000 45 NAG 50 230 0 701 Japanese J NSB 9595 0000 2400 45 NAG 50 64 0 701 Japanese J NSB 9595 0000 2400 45 NAG 50 244 0 701 Japanese J NSB 9760 2300 0800 45 NAG 50 50 0 701 Japanese J NSB 9760 2300 0800 45 NAG 50 230 0 701 Japanese J NSB (as of Jan 23, 2003, edited, condensed and explicated by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) Probably not including special service for Iraq War ** JORDAN. re DXLD 3-059: Radio Jordan heard on 11690 at 1600 April 9th with news in English, no noticeable difference in perspective noted with my domestic media, reported US Marines being warmly welcomed in Baghdad. 1624 recheck had 60s pop music, announcement of English broadcast starting at 1300, abrupt off in middle of pop music 1630 (Mike Barraclough, Letchworth, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KASHMIR [non]. Summer schedule for Radio Sadoye Kashmir: 0230-0330 NF 6100 (34433), ex 6135, re-ex 9890 0730-0830 on 9890 no signal in BUL 1430-1530 NF 6100 (54554), ex 6135 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 8 via DXLD) ** KAZAKHSTAN. Kol Israel in Persian via A-A 200 kW / 132 deg noted on April 3-7: 1430-1526* on 5910, instead of DVOBurma in Burmese!!! \\ 13850, 15640, 17545 * Fri/Sat till 1500 and carrier till 1526 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 8 via WORLD OF RADIO 1177, DXLD) The joke of the week: WRN World Radio Network / MERLIN send out Israel program via Kazakhstan (Wolfgang Bueschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WRN would have incoming Israeli audio, but why would Merlin??? (gh, DXLD) {and it took them 6 days to notice!} ** KURDISTAN [non]. MOLDOVA: Summer A-03 schedule for Denge Mezopotamya in Kurdish: 0400-1200 NF 11530* KCH 500 kW /116 deg, ex 15675 TAC 200 kW / 256 deg 1200-1600 on 11530 KCH 500 kW /116 deg * co-ch WYFR English/Arabic/French/English till 0800 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 8 via DXLD) See also RUSSIA ** KUWAIT. KUWAIT CO. http://www.mandoubco.com/ This site has information about different aspects of Kuwait. There is an interesting section about war precautions for the people of Kuwait, plus you will find links to Radio Kuwait (Sheldon Harvey, Radio HF Internet Newsletter March 24 via DXLD) ** LIBERIA. See USA - WJIE ** MONGOLIA. 12085, Ulan Bator, fair with Chinese program at 0930- 1000 UT, then Interval signal and woman announcer in English "This is the Voice of Mongolia, English" at 1000. Then gave frequencies and times for English services. 4/8. I can't seem to log any other times in English except this one (Drake R8, 40 foot vertical, Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, KAVT Reception Manager, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** PALESTINE. THE PALESTINE CHRONICLE http://palestinechronicle.com/index.php The Palestine Chronicle is an independent internet magazine, dedicated to addressing issues and offering perspectives rarely seen in mainstream western media. These issues include the plight and welfare of Palestinian refugees, as well as other displaced and oppressed people around the world. We are committed to democracy and freedom of expression, and we encourage contributions from people who are genuinely concerned with the specified above. However, we deeply oppose any form of literature that expresses religious or racial intolerance. Palestine Chronicle does not speak on behalf of any political or religious party. Palestine Chronicle is written and constructed solely by volunteers from various places around the globe with a common purpose, bringing to light the suffering of humankind everywhere, from Palestine, the Middle East and beyond (via Sheldon Harvey, Radio HF Internet Newsletter March 24 via DXLD) ** ROMANIA. RRI English hours: 2300 Eu 9570 good, 11775 fair 2300 NAm 11740 just barely audible! Wiped by WYFR co-channel; 15105 I don`t hear anything So go 9570; don`t *they* know it`s best? 0200 9510 splash by WYFR 9505, and other co-channel 9510; 11940 JBA with splash from 11935, 11945 0400 9510 splash by WYFR 9505; 11940 nil, taken out by 11945 splash (Bob Thomas, CT, April 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. Some [clandestine] stations via SAM 250 kW / 188 deg: Voice of Homeland in Arabic: 1500-1530 Daily NF 12120 (55555), ex 12115 \\ 12085 (55555) RTV Mezopotamiya in Kurdish: 1700-1800 Tue/Wed/Fri on 7560 (55555) Sagalee Oromiya in Oromo: 1730-1800 Mon/Thu NF 12120 (55555), ex 12115 Dejen Radio in Tigrina: 1700-1800 Sat NF 12120 (55555), ex 12115 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 8 via DXLD) ** RUSSIA [non]. /GERMANY: Voice of Russia A-03 via DTK/JUL 100 kW / 115 deg to ME: 1400-1500 Russian Commonwealth 17705 (55555) 2000-2100 Russian World Service 6170 (55555) 2100-2200 Russian Commonwealth 6170 (55555) 2200-2300 Arabic additional 6170 (55555) (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 8 via DXLD) ** SPAIN. The times I heard REE at 0000 on 9690 must have been programming error. Found English at 0000 on 15385; terrible signal! Just makes it. Heavy splash from 15375 Christian Voice; also co- channel (Bob Thomas, CT, April 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) REE English to NAm 0000-0100 on 15385, fair to good, some splash by CV (Bob Thomas, CT, April 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) REE caught once at 0000 on 9690, only on a few minutes. Next day I found them on 15385 in English. That`s where they are for NAm service at 0000-0100. They announce 6055 at top of transmission. Only active on 6055 after 0100 and it`s all in Spanish! (Bob Thomas, CT, April 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15385 should do OK in the summer except during propagational disturbances. Of course just about any frequency relayed from Costa Rica would be better for English, but that is out of the question (gh, DXLD) 15385 kHz at 0000 UT, starting to propagate better, the signal held well for the whole hour. April 8 (Roger Chambers, Utica, New York, Drake SW8 with whip only, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN. From REE website, some times and frequencies for our favourite programas: NUESTRO SELLO --- mostly classical music: M-F 1405 15585 17595 21540 21570 21610 [ex-1610] Tu-Sa 0105 6055 9535 9620 11680 15160 ESPAÑOLES EN LA MAR --- for seafarers: Mon-Sat 1510 15585 21610 21700; Sat also 21570 M-F 2105 11625 15110 Sat 2205 9765 11625 11815 15110 17850 AMIGOS DE LA ONDA CORTA --- DX program: Sat 1105 15585 13770 Sat 1805 17755 Sun 0105 6020 6055 9535 9620 11680 15160 Sun 1605 21610 LA ZARZUELA Sat 1130 15585 13770 (from http://www.rtve.es/rne/ree/OndaCorta/p-h-f-.htm via DXLD) ** SYRIA [non]. See RUSSIA ** TAIWAN. RTI hours in English: 0200 15320 SEAs, 11875 Phil, 15465 Japan/Korea; 5950/9680 NAm WYFR 0300 15215 SAm, 15320 SEAs, 5950/9680 NAm WYFR 0700 5950 NAm via RCI Canada [! Why do you think this?? Has always been WYFR and they are still scheduled on 5950 until 0800 --- gh] 1100 11985 China, 7445 SEAs 1200 9610 NZ/Au, 7130 Japan/Korea 1400 15265 SEAs, 11550 China/SEAs 1700 11550 SEAs/China, 3955 Eu 2200 15600 Eu [WYFR] (Bob Thomas, CT, April 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TIBET [non]. Voice of Tibet in Tibetan and Mandarin Chinese from March 30: 1212-1300 15660 (44544) A-A 200 kW / 132 deg plus Chinese mx jammer 21560 (54554) TAC 100 kW / 131 deg plus Chinese mx jammer 1430-1517 12100 (54554) TAC 100 kW / 131 deg plus Chinese mx jammer (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 8 via DXLD) ** TURKEY. 9830 kHz at 2200-2245 UTC with a SINPO 33322; parallel 11960 was much better at 55444, and likely would carry better during the summer. April 7 (Roger Chambers, Utica, New York, Drake SW8 with whip only, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKEY. Additional new morning transmission for Voice of Turkey in Arabic: 0400-0550 on 9560 (55544) (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 8 via DXLD) ** U A E. UAE Radio Dubai in Arabic and English noted on April 5-7: 0600-2100 NF 13650, instead of 13675 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 8 via DXLD) {So including English 1030, 1330, 1600} ** U K. Here's the link to a story from today's INDEPENDENT, in which the head of BBC radio and music discusses war coverage and the increase in audience during the war: http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/media/story.jsp?story=395016 73- (Bill Westenhaver, April 9, LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. Additional unregistered frequencies for BBC in Arabic: 0930-1100 on 15165 (54444) 2000-2400 on 5875 (55555) (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 8 via DXLD) ** U K [and non]: New summer schedule for BFBS Radio in English: 0300-0400 7260 (55544) 15795 (35433) 0400-0600 11975 (45444) 15795 (35433) 0600-0700 15425 (55555) 15795 (45444) 1400-1600 13860 (55555) 17895 (55555) over BSKSA Holy Kor`an in Arabic till 1500 1600-1700 13860 (55555) NF 17635 (55555), ex 15245 to avoid Channel Africa in Swahili and French 1700-1800 13860 (55555) 15150 (55544) 1800-2000 6015 (55544) |||| not 6105 13760 (55555) 73 from (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 8 via DXLD) ** U K [and non]. Today [April 6th] I tuned into 13860 at 1450 expecting to hear BFBS but instead found FEBA R. in an Asian language! This transmission ceased at 1500 but the carrier stayed on. I returned around 1540 and BFBS was there. It seems they mixed up programming --- maybe BFBS would have been sent on 15605 instead --- that`s where Samara should carry FEBA in Hindi till 1500. BFBS has come up on new 17635 from 1600 replacing 15245 [RSA on there]. I'm informed that 17635 is used until 1800, so also replaces 15150 [RRI from 1730]. (Noel R. Green, UK, BC-DX Apr 6 via Wolfgang Bueschel, WORLD OF RADIO 1177, DXLD) I think Merlin PC control features on program satellite delivery circuits is *overwhelmed* today to handle all these programs like --- to mention a few --- FEBA, BFBS, ABC-Radio Australia, V of Tibet, NHK, RFI, AWR, KBS/RKI, UN radio, HCJB, RTA Afghanistan, VRT-Belgium, VOV Vietnam, RTE Ireland, Celtic Notes Wales RI, V of Ethiopia, Voice of Eritrea, R International, Komala, Sawt al-Islah, CBS, Christian R, Ecclesia, Gospel for Asia, Chinese project AIRWAVES via UAE and SNG, RAI, WSHB, some TWR. Yes, the 15245 BFBS/Channel Africa clash noted here from the first day on ... 73 de wb (Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany, April 7, WORLD OF RADIO 1177, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. PRESSURE FORCES BBC RADIO RETHINK Owen Gibson, Friday April 04 2003, The Guardian BBC London has responded to listeners fatigued by its 24-hour war news and is returning to its regular schedule, including the reinstatement of Danny Baker in his regular breakfast slot. "After careful consideration, we feel that the time is now right to get Danny back on air at breakfast, while making full provision to respond to news events flexibly and comprehensively," said a BBC spokesman. The station has been besieged with complaints since it abandoned its regular schedule on the eve of the invasion of Iraq in favour of rolling news and current affairs programmes. The station's internet message board has been besieged by angry listeners demanding that regular shows, including Baker's breakfast show, be reinstated. "As a loyal listener to this frequency in all its different forms, I accept that the current situation in Iraq is serious but the suits have finally managed to destroy the station. If listeners want to hear continuous rolling news there are alternative stations already including BBC stations," read one typical posting. The site has also been inundated with complaints about talk show presenter Jon Gaunt, who has replaced Danny Baker since the first day of the war, accusing him of being biased in favour of pro-war callers. Having also come under fire in the last year for reducing the number of music shows, BBC London will reinstate its regular schedule from Monday but with extended news bulletins. The hourly bulletins will be extended to seven minutes, with half hourly bulletins extended to four minutes and the recently introduced quarter-past and quarter-to the hour slots retained. The BBC confirmed there were over 100 emails 50% of which, it said, were supportive of the changes to schedules. Copyright Guardian Newspapers Limited (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. AFN USB quite active with war info feeds from MSNBC and other sources: 3903, 4278, 4319, 4993, 6350, 6458, 10320, 12579, 12689, 13362 (Bob Thomas, CT, WORLD OF RADIO 1177, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Both you and C. Crane insist on dropping the point 5 from at least: 4278.5, 6458.5, 12689.5 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. DEFEND AMERICA http://www.defendamerica.mil/index.html The U.S. Defense Department's unconventional war against terrorism has spawned an unconventional Web site to report news about that war: DefendAmerica.mil. The new site offers the latest news, photographs, transcripts and other information about the U.S.-led global effort against terrorism. As DefendAmerica's editor, David Jackson, put it, "If it has anything to do with the war, we're interested." The Defense Department launched the site before Operation Enduring Freedom began last October. The goal was to inform the public, both in the U.S. and abroad, of what the U.S. was doing to combat global terrorism, according to Victoria Clarke, assistant secretary of defense for public affairs (Sheldon Harvey, Radio HF Internet Newsletter March 24 via DXLD) ** U S A. Pacifica radio makes comeback as anti-war radio {KPFA} http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20030407/ts_alt_afp/iraq_war_us_radio_030407173220 (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** U S A [non]. AUSTRIA/U S A: Corrections to AWR schedule via Moosbrunn: 0400-0500 Arabic 15470 ||||| is missing in printed schedule 0500-0600 Arabic 15470 ||||| ex 15330 in printed schedule 1800-1900 Arabic 15535 ||||| is missing in printed schedule (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 8 via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. U.K.:/U S A: Updated A-03 schedule for AWR via Woofferton: 1900-1930 Fulfulde 15270 (55555), ex 15225 in printed schedule 1930-2000 Hausa 15270 (55555), ex 15225 in printed schedule 1930-2000 Igbo 17660 (55555) 2000-2030 French 15140 (55555), ex 15130 in printed schedule 2000-2100 English 15385 (55555) 2030-2100 Yoruba 15140 (55555), ex 15130 in printed schedule (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 8 via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. RUSSIA: From March 30 Dr. Gene Scott again on air via SAM 100 kW / 130 deg: 0300-1600 on 17765 (45544) (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 8 via DXLD) ** U S A. RADIO WAVES TAKE SOLDIER SALUTES TO MIDDLE EAST From: http://www.wndu.com/news/042003/news_19329.php?PRINT_VERSION=1 Posted: 04/07/2003 05:18 pm Last Updated: 04/07/2003 05:56 pm With American troops fighting half a world away, people on the home front have yet another way to try and bridge the communication gap. Short wave radio signals are going a long way to boost military morale in the Middle East. Some of the signals actually originate in South Bend at the studios of LeSEA Broadcasting. Operations manager Zach Anders of LeSEA Broadcasting says, "We know reports that the troops are listening to short wave we've heard and read stories actually been listening to the Voice of America on the government's short-wave station." {sic} If the U.S. troops in Iraq should also happen to be tune in WHRA what they hear might hit very close to home. LeSEA has been broadcasting soldier salutes, individual mentions of soldiers serving their country. "We wanted to create an opportunity for people to show their love and support for the troops," says Anders. The station set up a phone line that people across the country can call and tape a one minute message. It's hoped it will have a much longer lasting effect on troop morale. "They're putting their lives on the line every day. What a great encouragement to hear America loves them and is supporting them in what they're doing over there in Iraq." Send your own message If you're interested in recording a message on the soldier salutes phone line the number is 574- 299-4059. The calls have been coming in from all over the country and at least one foreign country, much to the surprise of station officials. One caller from Israel dialed the line to convey their support (via Ulis R. Fleming, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** U S A. NETWORKS' THEME MUSIC SANITIZES WAR'S DARKEST REALITIES By John von Rhein, Tribune music critic, April 6, 2003 If you catch the fleeting bits of music that accompany the television and radio networks' saturation coverage of the war on Iraq, you might conclude that this is a family entertainment event on the order of "American Idol" or the Super Bowl. Specially composed or borrowed "theme" music that takes its cue from glitzy graphics reinforces the image of a resolute America marching proudly into prime-time battle. It's war as "Must See TV," with catchy tunes. The media's war music, some critics charge, tells viewers and listeners what to think and feel about the conflict even before the embedded reporters deliver their updates from the front. There's some truth to this, although network spokespersons deny it. Fox and CBS have devised Iraq war soundtracks that trumpet an unequivocal, scorched-earth patriotism: Let's feel good about America and beat Saddam! Fox's theme music is caught particularly between Iraq and a hard place. Make that hard rock. As the titles "War on Terror" and "Operation Iraqi Freedom" fill the screen, pounding instrumentals tear across the soundtrack like Tomahawk missiles. These supercharged sound bites make you want to take cover. They also make you expect something momentous, even if it's just Greta Van Susteren interviewing yet another retired military "expert." If Fox is trying hard to appear younger and hipper than the competition, CNN attempts to lure viewers with animated graphics that seem to come straight out of a video game. They are dressed in a signature motif that uses sharp martial drumbeats to seize your attention. A CNN spokeswoman explains that this lead-in music is among a variety of prepackaged pieces the network purchases from a commercial music service for on-air use. CNN senior managers, she says, "work with the graphics people to essentially marry the music with the animation. The music swells when a particular image is shown." But, she adds, "the goal is not histrionics or drama, but something that's compelling and appropriate. We don't want anything that would cheapen the news." Tell that to CBS, which may be attempting to counteract its staid image with a bellicose surge of electronic sounds intended to convey "a climate of fear," according to composer Peter Fish. "To me, this is a real live war, and we should be both awed and simultaneously scared," he recently told the Philadelphia Inquirer. CNN Radio draws on some of the same music used by its corporate big brother but switches to more reflective piano music when producers feel it's appropriate for a given program segment. Like CNN, both NBC and ABC also employ special music for their TV, cable and Internet outlets. NBC's music, in the majestic John Williams' mode, is the work of composer Michael Karp. Much of the uncredited music ABC has been airing since March 19 sounds like a retread of its fanfare-like "Nightline" theme, which has been around since Ted Koppel donned his fatigues for the 1991 Persian Gulf war. By contrast, National Public Radio has opted for a relatively low-key approach in the music that introduces its war-related programming. NPR executives say their aim is to be unobtrusive and give listeners a chance to reflect between fast-breaking stories from Iraq. Their big advantage, they say, is not being saddled with graphics and live images that might dictate or influence the emotional tone of the music. Which means NPR's music can suggest momentous things are taking place without embracing either jingoism or pacifism, in their view. "There are many emotions people feel about a situation like this. Some are patriotic, some are deeply distressed and sad," says Bob Boilen, director of NPR's "All Things Considered" and host of its online music program, "All Songs Considered." "If I were to play very patriotic music, that would send an editorial signal. That bothers me. As a network, we just try to describe what's happening, not put feelings into people's heads." NPR turned to one of its own, Jeffrey Freymann-Weyr, a producer in NPR's arts information unit, for original music appropriate to the balanced tone the network insists it strives for in its war coverage. Recycled music To create NPR's Iraq war "theme," Freymann-Weyr recycled music he had written to bookend the network's reportage of the invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001. On request, he made a few subtle changes to his score and supplied alternate versions of varying lengths for use with different program segments. "The challenge was that the music needed to be serious and important- sounding but not self-important," says the 39-year-old composer. True enough, his brief war anthem sounds like a New Age variant of the opening of Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man." Freymann-Weyr admits the simulated trumpet, timpani and military snare drum sounds he created on his home synthesizer are "a bit of a cliché," but "it didn't feel right not to use them, given the history of music in times of war." NPR has also posted a haunting montage of war photos, with musical accompaniment, on its Web site. The photo essay was created because of the huge listener response to the music public radio uses during its war coverage. "The thing we were trying to shoot for is more compassionate music, because no matter how you feel about this conflict, I think people feel compassion for the soldiers and the innocents," Boilen says. The half-hour of music that underscores the photos ranges from a gently burbling string piece by the band The Frames to a vaguely Near Eastern melody incongruously set to a tango rhythm by Eric Bachmann. The only overtly classical music consists of Minimalist string quartets by Michael Nyman and George Pelecis. The musical photo essay can be accessed at http://www.npr.org/programs/asc/archives/specialcoverage Hum a few bars Indeed, it seems unlikely that any Iraq war theme music will be remembered once the fighting in Iraq stops. Can anyone hum a note of "theme music" from the first Gulf war? It also seems unlikely that the current conflict will produce a patriotic ballad destined to sweep the nation like Sgt. Barry Sadler's "Ballad of the Green Berets" did during the Vietnam era ("Fighting soldiers from the sky, Fearless men who jump and die, Men who mean just what they say, The brave men of the Green Beret"). The nation has undergone a great deal of moral soul-searching since the Vietnam War, and such simplistic flag-waving no longer seems appropriate, except perhaps to executives of Fox News. The other night, correspondent Joe Klein, speaking to CNN news anchor Aaron Brown, was sharply critical of the mostly sanitized images of the Iraq conflict carried thus far by the networks, including CNN. A telling analogy can be drawn between television's averting its lens from the bloodiest scenes of violent death and destruction and the bland musical clichés that wrap subliminally around the news from the battlefront as packaged for domestic consumption. With ratings and advertising revenue at stake, the corporate media appear reluctant to tell people in their living rooms what they believe those folks don't want to hear. Why risk sowing the seeds of doubt and disillusion back home by rubbing the audience's noses in blood and guts and other unpleasant stuff? And that's where music has been turned into a sanitizing agent. Copyright (c) 2003, Chicago Tribune (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** U S A. US MEDIA DIG DEEP FOR POLITICIANS Political donations by US media companies Annie Lawson, Friday April 04 2003, The Guardian Political donations by US television and radio stations have almost doubled in the last year, research has shown. And the Bush family's association with many media organisations runs deep and is reflected by the hefty handouts from the likes of NBC network owner General Electric and Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, both trenchant supporters of the war. The amount of money ploughed into party coffers by Rupert Murdoch's Fox TV, NBC and radio giant Clear Channel among others has gone up to £7.56m in 2001/2002, compared with just £4.6m in 2000, the latest figures reveal. Media companies have shown that they have deep pockets when it comes to politics, with the level of contributions made over the last decade growing ninefold, according to the Centre for Responsive Politics, a US research group that tracks money and politics. The support President Bush has received from the corporate sector is evidenced by the unprecedented $100m he raised when he decided to run for president. And although donations by many media organisations are made to both Republicans and Democrats, their support of the Bush administration is exposed by what researchers call "soft money" donations - sponsorship and support for general party activities. For example, just 24% of News Corp's donations to political parties went to Mr Bush, but almost 90% of the "soft money" went to the Republicans. Sheila Krumholz, the CRP's head of research, said while the entertainment industry had become more bi-partisan, "soft money" donations tended to reflect the views of the proprietor. "When you are speaking of the executives and corporation itself, the donations are typically representative of their economic interest of the organisation and are dictated by whoever is in power." Figures show that NBC network owner General Electric and News Corporation, owner of the Fox and Sky television networks and the New York Post, tipped the bulk of their soft money funds into Republican coffers in 2001-02. The two media giants are among the most prolific donors, according the data reported to the US federal electoral commission. General Electric directed nearly 60% of overall donations - $1.92m - to the Republicans in 2001-02. The party received nearly twice the amount in soft money donations. Ms Krumholz, the centre's research director, said media multinationals have a history of dipping their financial fingers in the political pie to protect their corporate interests. "Donations from media companies, as with all industries, have grown over the last decade," she said. However, their political loyalties have seeped to the surface during the coverage of the conflict in Iraq. News Corp, whose Fox network is renowned for its creative approach to US journalistic objectivity, donated $427,487 in soft money to the Republicans in 2001-02. Much of this was directed to the party's national and congressional committees, and a large portion came from either individuals or the companies associated with the Fox network. However, News Corp's overall contributions favoured the Democrats, as people associated with the company gave 76% of the $1.85m in overall donations to the Democrats. Ms Krumholz said overall donations include contributions from employees, who tend to be more left-leaning in media than other businesses. Murdoch's media empire still has close ties with the Bush family. The relationship was recently put under the spotlight when it was revealed that Fox News Channel chairman Roger Ailes, a former Republican party strategist, secretly acted as an advisor to the president in the days after the September 11 terrorist strikes. Global radio giant Clear Channel recently reignited concerns about companies that control mainstream media and snuggle up to political parties, following its controversial sponsorship of pro-war rallies in the US. The media group, which controls 1,225 radio stations across the US and is the world's largest radio empire, also attracted scathing criticism for dropping the Dixie Chicks from its network playlist after its lead singer publicly declared her opposition to the war. The company's founder, Lowry Mays, ensured the majority of the $503,910 donations made in 2001-02 landed in the Republican party's coffers. But his company's links with the Bush family run deeper. Media watchdog takebackthemedia.com this week published the elaborate web of connections that further align Clear Channel with the Bush family. Mays, who took advantage of radio deregulation and transformed Clear Channel into a global multimedia player, is associated with the president through the University of Texas Investment Management Company (UTIMCO). Mays sits on the governing board, alongside Clear Channel vice-chairman Thomas Hicks, whose family is believed to have contributed over $500,000 to Bush campaigns over the years. Hicks, a long-time friend and supporter of President Bush, heads the UTIMCO board but his position was recently embroiled in controversy when it emerged he awarded UTIMCO-funded contracts to firms politically associated with the Bush dynasty. Hicks also bought the Texas Rangers American football team from Bush for $250 million in 1998, three times the amount that Bush and his partners had originally paid. The Bush clan is also closely associated with the Reverend Sun Myung Moon-backed Washington Times, whose founder is the notorious leader of the Unification Church cult. The Bush family and Moon are reportedly closely intertwined, with Bush senior having received hefty lecturing fees from the church leader. However, the flow of funds from press and publishing has declined from $15.04m in 2000 to $7.09m in 2002. Copyright Guardian Newspapers Limited (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. Apr 9, 2003 LATEST MISSIONARY RADIO UPDATE WJIE INTERNATIONAL SHORTWAVE This is our latest update, and what great news to share with you! First, our second transmitter WJIE-2, is ON THE AIR! This transmitter is the twin of our 7.490 Mhz transmitter in Upton, KY, and we have been struggling with it for nearly six months. Thanks to the hard work or our engineer Larry Baysinger, and our ministry representative Morgan Freeman, we have finally achieved a stable signal on this 50,000 watt unit. This second transmitter is operating on 13.595 Mhz, so we are asking for QSLs (reception reports) from around the globe! We are currently simulcasting our broadcast on both transmitters, but we hope by the middle of May to split the two signals and operate each independently. Please continue to pray for us! Second, our shortwave transmitter in Liberia is ON THE AIR! Today we performed our final system check, turned on the air conditioner, and fired up THE VOICE OF LIBERTY! This transmitter is directed right to the HEART of the Islamic world, piercing through the Muslim veil in northern Africa and into the Middle East. We have a long way to go this project, so we are currently simulcasting our Voice of Liberty FM in Monrovia, Liberia on this new shortwave station. Hopefully by the middle of June, this will also be operating independently, and you will be able to air your broadcast on this powerful NEW shortwave station! Praise God! Third, many of you are aware of our goal to purchase three 100,000 watt transmitters being decommissioned by another international ministry. Well....I am happy to report to you that we have CLOSED THE DEAL on these, and in May we will be sending our engineer to the Seychelle Islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean to begin the transport process. One of these will be going to Liberia to improve our signal there, and the other two returning here to Kentucky. These new transmitters will put us into another level of ministry through shortwave. We have YOU to thank for this! You stood by us, you gave financially, but most importantly, YOU PRAYED. I cannot begin to tell you how many emails I received from people around the world saying they were agreeing with us on these units. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Finally, here in the US, we have added two new stations to our organization, and we are partnering with a third. Our new stations are WOBS-AM in Jacksonville, Florida and WCKO-AM in Norfolk, Virginia. Both of these are wonderful, growing stations and we would like to invite you to broadcast on them. Call us for more info. We are also partnering with KCIF-FM in Hilo, Hawaii, and assisting them in acquiring quality programming to air on their great station as well. If you are interested in airing your broadcast on these stations or on international shortwave, please email or call one of our following representatives: Doug Rumsey dougrumsey@worldprayercenter.org Morgan Freeman morgan@wjie.org Phone (for both) 502-968-1220 That's our update for now. If you have any questions regarding any of the projects that we are involved in, or need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me personally. I would love to hear from you. Check out our updated web-site at http://www.wjiesw.com, and until next time, GOD BLESS! In Christ, (DOC BURKHART, WORLD PRAYER BROADCASTING NETWORK, WJIE INTERNATIONAL SHORTWAVE via DXLD) ** U S A. TV TOWER'S COLLAPSE GAVE RISE TO NEW STRUCTURE ON KNOB HILL Can you give me some information on the WSMV tower in west Nashville? Back in the 1980s when I was growing up in Charlotte Park I never knew what it was for, until I was older. My parents have told me a few things about it, but not much. I know my parents said that part of it fell during construction. Is this true? Can you give me more information http://www.tennessean.com/learn-nashville/archives/03/04/31053940.shtml?Element_ID=31053940 (via Jilly Dybka, KF4ZEO, DXLD) ** U S A. SENATE TO REVIEW MEDIA OWNERSHIP Committee to study rules on 35% network reach limit, newspaper- broadcast cross-ownership. April 7, 2003: 5:43 AM EDT http://money.cnn.com/2003/04/06/news/companies/media_fcc.reut/ (via Jilly Dybka, KF4ZEO, DXLD) ** U S A. DESPITE MISSION MOVE, RADIO SHOW WON'T BE `UNSHACKLED` EMOTIONAL DRAMA THE BASIS FOR LONGEST-RUNNING SHOW IN RADIO HISTORY By Michael DesEnfants, Staff Writer Although there is uncertainty about the future of the Pacific Garden Mission, officials from the century-old shelter said that ``Unshackled`` will continue to broadcast its message across the globe every week. Over the last 52 years, ``Unshackled,`` the longest- running radio show in broadcast history, according to its web site, is recorded out of the Pacific Garden Mission every week. The religious drama has aired 2,741 shows, according to Dudley Donaldson. . . http://www.ccchronicle.com/back/2003-04-07/citybeat2.html (Columbia Chronicle via Ulis Fleming, DXLD) Glenn, Don't know if it's of interest or not.... I think they still run this program on WYFR? (Ulis Fleming, MD, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Don`t know about that, but is on current WWCR schedule: Sat 0730 3210, Sun 0530 5070, Sun 1930 12160 (gh, DXLD) ** UZBEKISTAN. RADIO TASHKENT INTERNATIONAL A03 SCHEDULE: Arabic 1700-1730 9715, 7285, 6190 1900-1930 9715, 7285, 6190 Dari 0130-0200 9715, 7190 1520-1550 9715, 7285, 6190 English 0100-0130 9715, 7190 1200-1230 17775, 15295, 9715, 7285 1330-1400 17775, 15295, 9715, 7285 2030-2100 11905, 9545, 5025 2130-2200 11905, 9545, 5025 [English section via WORLD OF RADIO 1177] Farsi 1630-1700 9715, 7285, 6190 1830-1900 9715, 7285, 6190 German 1935-2030 11905, 5025 Hindi 1300-1330 17775, 15295, 9715, 7285 1430-1500 17775, 15295, 9715, 7285 Chinese 1330-1400 5060 1430-1500 5060 Pashto 0200-0230 9715, 7190 Turkish 0600-0630 15200 1700-1730 9530 Uighur 1400-1430 5060 Urdu 1230-1300 17775, 15295, 9715, 7285 1400-1430 17775, 15295, 9715, 7285 Uzbek 0230-0330 9715, 7190, 5025 1550-1630 9715, 7285, 6190, 5025 1730-1830 9715, 7285, 6190, 5025 (Station info via Alexander Polyakov, Tashkent via Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, April 8, EDXP via DXLD) ** UZBEKISTAN. FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND PRESS IN UZBEKISTAN IN 2002 The Government refused to allow Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and the Voice of America to broadcast from within the country, despite the Government's agreement with RFE/RL to allow this activity. Both stations broadcast on short-wave from outside the country. . . http://www.cascfen.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=283 (via Jilly Dybka, KF4ZEO, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Number stations on 13 MHz and on not usual frequencies. Quite a few jammers active. Really hard driven bubble and whirling noise (Bob Thomas, CT, April 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A-03 CLASHES ++++++++++++ 11895: the VOA/NHK clash at 2200-2230 turns out to have been a Week of Confusion matter only, since from April 7, VOA Creole moved one UT hour earlier to 2100 on this and other frequencies, presumably as Haiti`s timezone moved in lockstep with EDT. However, the withdrawal of NHK listings, among many others, from HFCC cannot have helped avoid the conflict in the first place (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I`m finding several technical SW errors! Stations popping up on other than announced frequencies and then dropping off. Also stations starting up 3-5 minutes late or joined in progress 3-5 minutes late. Some drop out several times (VOT, R. Vlaanderen for example), come back, drop out again. Sometimes drop out completely. No further use. I`m sending confirmed info but in the beginning confused by stations using other frequencies intended for other target areas (Bob Thomas, CT, April 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) COMMENTARY ++++++++++ QSLing BELLABARBA WBAJ is a religious US daytimer station on 890. Here is what they write on their website http://wbaj.net/radio/testimonials.htm: DXers (Distant Station Listeners) have written to us from Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and ... you couldn't guess it ... Italy! In the evening, atmospheric changes enable our signal to "skip" -- even possibly to other countries. Recently, station manager Gary Sherman received a letter from Giovanni Bellabarba in Bologna, Italy! He wrote about things he had heard on the station, and was simply amazed that he'd received the signal. "Perhaps the Lord is magnifying the station's transmissions," Gary commented. (Thanks to A. Lawendel for forwarding this ultimate explanation about Mr. Bellabarba's achievements) 73 (Enrico Oliva, Italy, DX LISTENING DIGEST) NASWA COMBATS SW ATTACK ON NORTH AMERICA A wise person once proclaimed, ``Beware of what you wish for, you just might get it.`` In a time that now seems so long ago, in the spring of 2002, it became obvious to NASWA management that the shortwave listeners of North America were under attack. The BBC was eliminating its shortwave service beamed to North America. This was the final straw. Smaller broadcasters had been dropping programs to North America for years. The BBC, however, was not a small broadcaster that nobody listened to anyway. It was the King Kong of the shortwave jungle. BBC fans launched a vigorous campaign under the name of, ``Save The BBC.`` Their immediate goal was not achieved but their organization demonstrated a new militancy in the North American listener community. There was an even more dangerous aspect to this loss. The loss of the BBC to North American audiences would surely give other broadcasters a way to justify deletion of North American services when budget pressures forced tough decisions. The time had come for firm NASWA action. Jumping ahead to today, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea recently announced they had nuclear weapons. They also announced they were cranking up a nuclear power plant to make ``electricity``. The plant also makes plutonium as a byproduct. Plutonium can be used to make more nuclear weapons. The intent was obvious to US Government authorities. As a result, Radio Free Asia immediately doubled their hours per day beamed to Korea. This is an example of Cones Law, ``The amount of shortwave broadcasting directed to a region is directly proportional to the saber rattling coming from that region.`` This phenomenon has been well documented in the past in the shortwave literature and the popular press. For example, Cuba once tried to install Soviet ICBM`s which begat Radio Marti. During the Cold War, the airwaves were very crowded. The USA and the Soviets beamed to each other night and day. There was no room for more than a few bible hucksters trying to make a dollar. You get the picture? Now let`s shift back to 2002. NASWA decided it was time to act. NASWA management requested and obtained an audience with President Bush. The situation was explained to him. The President was requested to help. He graciously conceded to do what he could. ``Do you have any ideas?`` he asked with his typical blank, poker-faced stare. As NASWA pointed out the cause and effect correlation of Cones Law, President Bush`s eyes lit up. The President asked, ``Are you suggesting that if I just make some outlandish, radical statements, threatening everything I can think of I can solve your problem?`` He catches on quickly. The President pointed out that during his time at Yale he had mastered the art of the bluff during many fraternity house poker games. He would use his best efforts to do what he could. The meeting concluded amiably with the usual handshakes. As your NASWA servants left the White House, they knew the President would come through. Little did they know how far he was willing to go to help. Soon the result of our visit became evident. The President declared that there must be a regime change in Iraq and it would happen voluntarily or by military action. Phrases like ``axis of evil``, and ``weapons of mass destruction``, became part of our national lexicon as they popped up in all his speeches. Half the world thought he had lost his marbles; the other half knew it. One day during a speech, the President squinted his eyes and then made a reference to Saddam as ``the guy who tried to kill my daddy.`` Any doubters were now convinced that this was a personal vendetta. The man was executing a masterful bluff. He would soon have every SW transmitter in the world beaming this way 24 hours a day. You could just imagine all those derelict transmitter cabinets being opened - the mousetraps being set in preparation for the return to air - the filaments warming gently in those massive vacuum tubes. You could imagine hearing governments all over the world recalling sacked English-language broadcasters to their old jobs. Alas, the bluff hasn`t worked. President Bush is still trying his best. Every day the clock of universal doom ticks closer to midnight as the rhetoric heats and the missiles fly. The President has done his part to perfection but the adverse trend of international shortwave broadcasting to North America continues. In spite of the President`s best efforts to upset the Germans, (which he seems to have done very well) Deutsche Welle will soon abandon North America. Neither has France restored RFI service to North America in spite of the President`s best efforts to tick them off. Diplomacy has failed. It is now time for NASWA to crank up the pressure: The NASWA Research Lab hereby announces the restart of the NASWA nuclear weapons program. You are probably saying, ``What nuclear weapons program?`` It can now be revealed that NASWA`s world famous research laboratory was contracted by the Vatican in the early 1980`s to help them develop a nuclear device (``which we in more technically developed countries would call a bomb``, to quote Tom Lehrer). In 1981 the Pope was the victim of an assassination attempt. There was a strong fear that underground terrorist elements of the Russian Orthodox Church, with Soviet backing, were working feverishly to develop a nuclear device with which to take over all of Christianty. The Vatican reasoned that it needed a deterrent. The US Government feared that a cooperative arrangement with the Vatican would be struck down by the US Supreme Court as a violation of the US constitutional provision that many interpret today as prohibiting any support to any organized religious institution. So the Vatican, prohibited from doing business with the Los Alamos laboratory, went to the next best, the NASWA Research Laboratory. Like many programs the Laboratory has worked on over the years, the contract with the Vatican was terminated with the fall of the Soviet Union. The Russian Orthodox Church now had much work to do at home and had abandoned its plans for conquest of world Christianity. Today the NASWA Research Laboratory is assembling boxes of nuclear weapon files from the bunkers under its Washington DC headquarters on the Potomac River. These files, from the Vatican contract, will help expedite our return to an active nuclear development program. If the shortwave broadcasters of the world continue to ignore North American audiences NASWA will continue its work until it succeeds. The Lab estimates they can have a working device by April 1 of next year. By the way, NASWA has attempted to contact President Bush at the White House to thank him for his efforts on our behalf. We also wanted to tell him he could stand down as we would be taking our own course of action. He has been too busy to meet with us again for some reason. I wonder what is going on? We in North America don`t get much international news on our shortwave radios anymore. Stay tuned until next time, if there is a next time. (Joe Buch, Technical Topics, NASWA Journal, April 2003, used by permission in DXLD) Copyright 2003 Joseph Buch. Permission for non-profit radio clubs to republish is hereby granted with appropriate credits to the author and The NASWA Journal. Others contact the author at joseph.buch@dol.net for republication permission. PROPAGATION +++++++++++ FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 09 APRIL - 05 MAY 2003 Solar activity is expected to range from very low to low levels. The later half of the period will see the return of Regions 321, 323, 324, and 325. Combined, these regions represent a slight chance of M- class activity. No greater than 10 MeV proton events are expected during the forecast period. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux may reach high levels on 13 - 17 April and again on 27 April - 03 May due to returning coronal holes. The geomagnetic field is expected to range from unsettled to major storm conditions during the period. A coronal hole is due to return to a geo-effective position on 11 - 14 April with unsettled to minor storm conditions possible. Unsettled to isolated major storm levels are possible with multiple coronal hole high speed streams due on 23 April - 02 May. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2003 Apr 08 2211 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2003 Apr 08 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2003 Apr 09 105 15 3 2003 Apr 10 100 20 4 2003 Apr 11 95 20 4 2003 Apr 12 95 20 4 2003 Apr 13 90 20 4 2003 Apr 14 90 25 5 2003 Apr 15 95 15 3 2003 Apr 16 95 15 3 2003 Apr 17 100 20 4 2003 Apr 18 105 10 3 2003 Apr 19 115 20 4 2003 Apr 20 120 8 3 2003 Apr 21 125 8 3 2003 Apr 22 130 12 3 2003 Apr 23 135 25 5 2003 Apr 24 145 25 5 2003 Apr 25 155 25 5 2003 Apr 26 155 25 5 2003 Apr 27 160 25 5 2003 Apr 28 160 15 3 2003 Apr 29 155 12 3 2003 Apr 30 155 10 3 2003 May 01 145 10 3 2003 May 02 140 10 3 2003 May 03 125 10 3 2003 May 04 125 10 3 2003 May 05 115 8 3 (from http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio April 8 via WORLD OF RADIO 1177, DXLD) ### DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-060, April 7, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.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. CONTINUED from DXLD 3-059: ** QATAR. "Al Jazeera is the most-watched Arab satellite station, partly because its journalism is highly professional and partly because viewers like the fact that its reporters and anchors give the news a pro-Arab spin." (By DAOUD KUTTAB, NY Times) Huh? That is truly a non-sequitur as Mr. Spock used to say. How can it be "highly professional" and simultaneously have a "pro-Arab spin"? A highly professional reporter or network would not spin a story. I guess The New York Times does not recognize this fine point. The only thing good about Al-Jazeera that I can point to is that they have been kicked out of both Baghdad for their biased reporting and kicked out of several other Middle Eastern countries for their criticism of their less-than-democratic governments. On balance Al Jazeera is a good thing for this region of the world but not because of its "highly professional" reporting. Al Jazeera simply provides a biased point of view that none of the local dictators can stomach or influence. It is precisely that freedom of expression that totalitarian regimes the world over fear. Go for it, Al. ~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-., (Joe Buch, DE, swprograms via DXLD) -*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^ IN 24-HOUR NEWS TIMES, REAL-TIME TRANSLATION By JOHN MARKOFF April 7, 2003 Most Americans likely have difficulty understanding the broadcasts of Al Jazeera, the Arab news network, but several government agencies now can watch it while simultaneously receiving an English translation of the programming. Virage Inc., a San Mateo, Calif., a maker of Internet video technologies, has recently supplied several unnamed United States intelligence agencies with a system that will provide real-time voice recognition and English translation of foreign-language news broadcasts. The system, which was financed last year by the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, can run on any fast personal computer, generating scrolling text displays of both Arabic and translated English text. DARPA is conducting a research project known as Translingual Information Detection, Extraction and Summarization, whose aim is to provide English speakers with working translations of languages like Arabic and Chinese. The voice-recognition technology for the Virage system is provided by BBN Technologies, a subsidiary of Verizon, that does research for government agencies. Under ideal conditions, the BBN recognition software can be 95 percent accurate in recognizing spoken English, said Bradley Horowitz, a Virage founder and its chief technology officer. However, in practice such a system would be most useful in spotting individual words rather than creating reliable transcripts, he said. "This is what I call `good enough' accuracy," said Mr. Horowitz. He said the company had supplied several systems to the government, but that he did not know where, or how, the systems were being used. In a demonstration the company recently conducted over the Web, the system produced somewhat cryptic English sentences that gave the viewer an extremely rough idea of what the Al Jazeera newscasters were describing. "It's more like poetry than prose," Mr. Horowitz said. "It evokes the right things, but it's hardly accurate." Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** SEYCHELLES. FEBA SEYCHELLES CLOSURE IMPROVES TV RECEPTION FOR LOCALS The closure of another shortwave transmitting site - FEBA Seychelles - may be regretted by some, but for around 20 families living close to the station it has brought a bonus. Since Sunday, their TV reception has improved. A long-time resident of the area told the Seychelles Nation "I can now watch television and speak on the telephone without a lot of interference like everybody else." Work is now in progress to dismantle the eight antennas: the first has already been removed. The site is unusual in that it was constructed on an artificial platform on the sea bed. Local fishermen are reported to be unhappy at the dismantling work, as they've been warned to stay away from the area for several months. Despite the closure of the Seychelles site, FEBA itself continues a full schedule of shortwave broadcasts via transmitters elsewhere (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 4 April 2003 via DXLD) ** SEYCHELLES [non]. FEBA: The schedules I have seen of FEBA show 15580 as Chita at 0015-0200. However today no FEBA programs were broadcast. Instead the theme music as used by Dhabbaya station, UAE during their interruptions were only heard. It suggests that 15580 at 0015-0200 is from Dhabbaya, UAE (Jose Jacob, Apr 2, dx_india via DXLD){Oops, duplicates earlier item; but see CIS schedule, 3-059} ** SOUTH AFRICA. 15265 is the new frequency for Channel Africa for their 1700 and 1800 broadcasts, ex-17870. Swiss Radio International is now using 17870 at these times (Mark Coady, ODXA April 6, via Daryl Rocker, Herkimer, NY, DXLD) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. Oh no, now on MW, too. On 7 Apr at 1925 on 1386 Brother Stair partly covered by VOR in English. Could this be via Lithuanian transmitter? He mentioned a 50.000 Watt transmitter covering Middle East and parts of Europe, but I guess was talking about some other frequency, not this one. I didn't stay on the frequency too long, 15 minutes of Brother and VOR simultaneously was enough :). (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes ** SUDAN [non]. TWO SUDANESE OPPOSITION RADIOS NOW HEARD REGULARLY Two opposition radio stations are currently being heard broadcasting to Sudan. Both broadcast in Arabic on shortwave. They are: 1. "Voice of Sudan, voice of democracy and peace, radio of the National Democratic Alliance" (Arabic: sawt al-sudan, sawt al- dimuqratiyah wa al-salam, itha'at al-tajamu al-watani al-dimuqrati). Affiliation: Mouthpiece of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Current observed schedule: 1530-1600 gmt daily on 8000 kHz. Background: Began broadcasting from Eritrea in August 1995 (there had been a previous series of broadcasts by the NDA from Ethiopia in 1990-91). Transmissions appeared to be suspended or at least reduced for a while when relations between Sudan and Eritrea improved in 1999 and 2000. The station is now being heard regularly once again. 2. "Voice of Freedom and Renewal, voice of new Sudan" (Arabic: sawt al-hurriyah wa al-tajdid, sawt sudan al-jadid). Other slogans are also used, such as "voice of the struggle of the Sudanese people". Affiliation: Mouthpiece of the Sudan Alliance Forces (SAF). Current observed schedule: 0400 gmt (not Fridays) on 6985 kHz. Background: Broadcasts from the SAF radio were first heard in April 1998. At that time it called itself "Voice of Freedom and Renewal, voice of the Sudan Alliance Forces, voice of the popular armed uprising" (Arabic: sawt al-hurriyah wa al-tajdid, sawt quwwat al- tahaluf al-sudaniyyah, sawt al-intifadah al-sha'biyyah al- musallahah). Over the years the transmissions have sometimes been intermittent, but the station is currently being heard regularly. Source: BBC Monitoring research Mar-Apr 03 Chris Greenway, Kenya (via DXLD) ** TAIWAN. 11550, 1706-, Radio Taipei International, Apr 5. Looking for Radio Ukraine listed hear for A03, but instead hear Radio Taipei in English with news. Fair to good. Comment on HFCC A03 which I'm using...........Crummy! Nowhere near as good as the ILG database, but who knows when A03 will be released! (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TANZANIA. R Tanzania, Dar es Salaam, 5050 on 6 Apr at 1645. In Swahili, 1659 Drums, 1700 time pips, ID and into news. Some QRM from a Chinese station, which signed off at 1700. I haven't heard Tanzania on 5050 for couple of months during UT evenings; maybe they've been inactive or irregular. Their transmitter is slightly above the nominal frequency. The 1700 news was also relayed by Zanzibar on 11734.1 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I also heard R Tanzania here in Denmark on 5 Apr at 1925-1935 in Swahili on 5050.1 kHz. It was off at retune 2005. SINPO 24333 with slight CWQRM. According to my notes it has been off the air on this frequency since the end of Nov 2002. Best 73 (Anker Petersen, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TIBET. 7385, 25.3 1630, China Tibet Broadcast Co. med "Holy Tibet" på engelska. Nu man och kvinna som presenterar inslaget. Tyvärr inga lyssnarhälsningar hörda på ett tag. 3-4 CB (Christer Brunström, Sweden, SW Bulletin via DXLD) 7385, 25.3 1630, China Tibet Broadcast Co. with "Holy Tibet" in English. Now man and woman presenting the review. Unfortunately no greetings for listeners heard for a while. 3-4 CB (Christer Brunstrom, Sweden, SW Bulletin, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. Iraq/UK: BBC ARABIC SERVICE LAUNCHES IRAQ LIFE LINE PROGRAMME | Text of press release by BBC World Service on 7 April The BBC Arabic Service launches Life Line - a programme to link people across the Middle East and the Arab diaspora around the world with their friends and relatives in Iraq. The programme invites people to leave voice messages to their relatives and friends by calling +44 207 5572535. The 10-minute daily programme will be broadcast at 1650 (repeated 0350), 1950 (repeated 0550) and 2150 (repeated 0750) gmt. Presenter Salwa al-Jarrah, well known to the BBC Arabic listeners through her popular programmes, says: " The BBC Arabic team felt a need for such a programme to give the Iraqi people around the world and within Iraq a chance to make contact with their relatives and friends. Because of the war situation, many families in Iraq have been divided and a lot of people have moved to different locations, and our programme will serve as a vital communication line." For more information contact: Kifah Arif, Publicity Coordinator, BBC Arabic +44(0)207557 2346; kifah.arif@bbc.co.uk Lala Najafova, International Publicist, BBC World Service +44(0)207557 2944; lala.najafova@bbc.co.uk Source: BBC World Service press release, London, in English 7 Apr 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** U K. M PRICE TAG FOR JOHN PEEL'S LIFE STORY Mar 31 2003, By Laura Davis, Daily Post Staff VETERAN disc jockey John Peel is about to become a millionaire author. The Wirral-born radio presenter has been offered for his memoirs by two separate publishers. . . http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/page.cfm?objectid=12793377&method=full&siteid=50061 (via Jilly Dybka, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** U K. BBC SHAPES FIGHT FOR NEW CHARTER Dan Milmo and Maggie Brown, Monday April 7, 2003, The Guardian The BBC has begun a three-year battle to secure its future and retain the £2.5bn licence fee by appointing a team of 50 to work on a new royal charter. The director general, Greg Dyke, has engaged outside consultants to help convince the public and the government of the corporation's efficiency and effectiveness. The government will conduct a comprehensive review of the BBC's remit in the run-up to renewing its charter, which lays down the principles that govern the organisation, in 2006. Commercial rivals complain that under Mr Dyke's leadership the corporation is encroaching on their territory. Charles Constable, head of commercial affairs at the BBC, and Roly Keating, controller of the digital channel BBC4, were seconded to the renewal project for six months, and since the beginning of the year they have been joined by about 50 BBC employees. Mr Dyke has also revived one the most hated tactics of his predecessor John Birt by hiring two consultancy firms - Oliver & Ohlbaum and Spectrum Strategy - to help draft the BBC's case. In an attempt to control the debate about the future of the BBC the team is expected to publish a charter renewal manifesto later this year, when the government will also set out the terms of the review. The culture secretary, Tessa Jowell, said in January that the corporation could not take the licence fee for granted and the establishment of such a large renewal team at Broadcasting House reflects its growing concern that the corporation could have its wings clipped. The BBC is under attack on another front in Westminster, as the communications bill winds its way through the House of Lords. Peers are drafting amendments to the bill calling for the BBC to be subjected to an annual scrutiny by the national audit office, or to be fully regulated by the new communications industry watchdog Ofcom. One of Ms Jowell's advisers said last week: "We intend to take this [review] as seriously as the communications bill. "It will be absolutely comprehensive. We are more than happy to look at genuine, serious alternatives to the licence fee, provided that's not time wasting, but the real thing is the purpose of the BBC." The BBC's 10-year charter expires in December 2006, but it is expected that much of the new agreement will be thrashed out much sooner than that in case there is a general election in 2005. On top of government scrutiny, the BBC could be put under the Ofcom microscope as early as next year. The regulator, which comes into being in December, must review the provision of public service broadcasting every five years. MediaGuardian.co.uk © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2003 (via Daniel Say, DXLD) ** U K [non]. BFBS A-03 includes these two via Tashkent 256 degrees: 13860 1600-1700 15795 0600-0700 Other sites UK or not certain (Bob Padula, http://edxp.org EDXP World Broadcast Magazine April 5, used by permission in DXLD) 15245, 1606-, BFBS, Apr 5. Fair reception with sports scores easily over cochannel ?Channel Africa, though the latter is improving (in French). Parallel to much better 13860 (?Tashkent) in the clear. Actually 13860 is very slightly ahead of 15245, so I'm not positive of the sites (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Somebody reported a satirical show in the 1730 half-hour; that was probably from BBCR4`s comedy strip, now shifted an UT hour earlier, whilst BFBS originally carried the R4 news hour at 1700 (gh, DXLD) BFBS booms in here on 7260 kHz with one hour "Breakfast Show" transmission to Middle East deployed UK forces at 0300-0400 UT, completely shutting down a ham SSB net last night (7 APR UT). Parallel 15795 is weak, and 11975 opening at 0400 is swamped by adjacent channel QRM. War news items on the hour and half hour with British flavour (John Cobb, Roswell, GA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) "ENGLAND." BFBS: Of their new frequencies, 7260 was heard well at *0300 Apr 5; 17895 was weak at *1400 Apr 5, 13860 was slightly better; 15245, poor-fair at *1600, slightly better than 13860 at the same time, but both improving quickly to good level, 15245 better than 13860 by 1630; 15150 very good at 1715 check (sked *1700). Also checked 13760 at 1830 (sked *1800); it was probably BFBS in the background with rock mx, but WHRI was powerful on the channel, and, interestingly, they were having "Soldier Salutes," call-ins with a religious slant for soldiers serving in the ME (Jerry Berg, MA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) See also KUWAIT ** U S A. GOVERNMENT-FUNDED STATION COVERS MIDEAST TO SHOW AMERICAN VIEWPOINT --- U.S. radio wooing Arabs --- By Jim Puzzanghera, Mercury News Washington Bureau, Posted on Fri, Apr. 04, 2003 WASHINGTON - In a weathered suite of offices near Capitol Hill, the staff of Radio Sawa scrambles 24 hours a day to give the Arab world a view of the war in Iraq that includes something often missing on Middle Eastern media outlets: the American government's perspective…. http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/special_packages/iraq/5556689.htm (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) WAR TURNS SOME ARABS AWAY FROM RADIO SAWA http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A46757-2003Apr7.html By JAMAL HALABY, The Associated Press, Monday, April 7, 2003; 7:58 AM AMMAN, Jordan - Customers at Mohammad Jassem's barbecue joint in bustling downtown Amman used to like to listen to Radio Sawa, the U.S. government station that reaches out to Arabs with a mixture of pop music and news. But since the outbreak of the U.S.-Iraq war, there has been a surge of resentment at the U.S. government across the region and what some hear as a shift by Radio Sawa toward the official U.S. version. "I don't dare switch to Radio Sawa," Jassem whispered as customers listening to an Amman Radio report of heavy airstrikes on Baghdad's suburbs responded with angry shouts of "Allahu akbar!" or "God is great!" Radio Sawa, which began broadcasting from Washington via relay stations in Jordan, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates a year ago, has pledged to offer unbiased reporting. In the past, the station included surveys of anti-U.S. commentary, including editorials from the official Iraqi media. But since the outset of the war, the non-music airtime has been taken up by war reporting, some from news agencies and some from Radio Sawa's Baghdad correspondent, briefly outlining battle developments or the Iraqi position. Live coverage of speeches by President Bush, other U.S. officials in Washington or military officials in Doha is a regular feature, adding to the impression the station is a U.S. government mouthpiece. [really?] In Washington, Sawa spokeswoman Joan Mower said Sawa "hasn't received criticism along those lines." On the contrary, she said, listeners have asked for more news. "We are not a propaganda station," Mower said in a telephone interview. "We are a government-sponsored station ... and we provide accurate and objective news and information about the Middle East." Jordanians - whose geographic, social and cultural ties to Iraq are tighter than those of many other Arabs - strongly oppose a war they see as a U.S. attempt to gain a foothold in the Middle East to control Arab oil and rid the region of regimes critical of Washington. Azza Mahmoud Ibrahim, 32, an Egyptian television producer at an advertising agency in Dubai, said she heard a difference in Sawa's news two days into the war. "When they report Iraqi civilian casualties, they say that this is what Iraqi officials are claiming and there's no way to verify them," she said. "They portray it as if this is just the Iraqi way of getting people's sympathy and pity, as if there is a war without civilian casualties." In Kuwait, though, Majed Hussein, a 17-year-old high school student, said he was a Sawa admirer. He had only one complaint: "I'd like to see it cover Kuwait more. I'd like it to cover the humanitarian aid we're giving to the Iraqi people." Kuwait owes its 1991 liberation from Iraqi occupation to a U.S.-led coalition. Gratitude toward the United States as well as suspicion of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is strong in the emirate, despite an element that shares general Arab anger at what is seen as U.S. meddling in the region. Sawa - Arabic for "together" - tries to entice Arabs in the 15-to-30 age range with pop music, then provide them with a mix of news and information designed to counter often-venomous anti-Western prejudices of the local media. Before the war, many Arabs said they enjoyed Radio Sawa's music but disapproved of what they considered anti-Arab reporting. Still, in places like Jordan, Sawa blared from taxis and cars and was constantly heard in restaurants, shopping malls and coffee shops. But today, Arabic stations like the Middle East Broadcasting Center, based in the United Arab Emirates, and the London-based Arabic service of the British Broadcasting Corp. have become the main source of news for many Jordanians. Amman accountant Eva Iffat, 24, said she turned to MBC two weeks ago because "I felt disgusted with the lies of American officials and Sawa's reports." She said she was specifically irked by Sawa's way of labeling what she considered "martyrs" in Iraq and the Palestinian territories "suicide bombers." Sawa spokeswoman Mower said the station was making inroads despite the anti-war mood, citing a survey in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, conducted by Edison Media Research of Somerville, N.J., that showed that 90 percent of those questioned over a one-week period starting March 24 listened to Radio Sawa, up from 64 percent in January. © 2003 The Associated Press (via Ulis Fleming, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** U S A. Re Radio Marti not (?) answering reports. Received a letter in English from the Office of Cuba Broadcasting last week, dated March 13, 2003. It gives no data as to when and where, but I had sent them a report by ordinary mail in 2001 for 6030 kHz, and I wrote that letter in Spanish, I remember. A lot of letters and reports were lost here in a pc crash, so I can't recall the details. Anyway, the verification text is quite OK, and it is signed by Michael F. Pallone, Director, Engineering & Technical Operations. It gives the address Office of Cuba Broadcasting, 4201 N.W. 7th Avenue, Miami, FL 33166 and bears the logo of Radio Marti TV and the text Broadcasting Board of Govenors printed at the bottom. A card was enclosed, an old portait of José Martí. I had since long given up hope, yes almost forgotten the report, but now remember that I made some very nasty remarks about the jammers of Radio Marti [sic]. And hi also to Glenn, I know you will read this, so can you comment on the use or non-use of accents. Of course it's Martí in Spanish, like José Martí on the card, in the letter in English tho, it's Marti. I know some people just hate accents, and it becomes tricky when you write in English about people with Spanish names. It seems that habits are personal and change from time to time. And here's quite another thing, perhaps related. It brought me a smile when I read something about Iosif Vissarionovich Dzugashvili, better know as Joseph (Uncle Joe) Stalin in a Spanish weekly magazine. Of course it said José Stalin. He obviously escaped the fate to be known as José Estalin. As you know Stockholm is Estocolmo in Spanish... 73 (Johan Berglund, Trollhättan, Sweden, hard-core-dx via DXLD) What can I say? I am obviously in favor of accentuation. One major list, Conexión Digital, discourages it, presumably because some members have trouble with displaying them properly, so I am always having to re-accent Spanish texts. However, for quick E-mail items, you have to mess with alt-numbers to get the accents, so I usually don`t bother when composing directly. The Spanish speakers are more likely to put a tilde on the ñ even if they leave other accents off! Another style which I find jarring is to indicate ñ by a capital N even in the middle of a word. On the other hand, I am in disfavor of mangling names from their original language. When speaking Spanish I usually pronounce American names as in English. The accent should never be left off Martí, as too often I hear ignorant Americans pronounce it Márty (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Here`s a story demonstrating how extremely myopic the local press can be. I hate to break it to them, but numerous overseas relay sites are far more effective now that Bethany could possibly be (gh) VOICE OF AMERICA SILENT AS IRAQ WAR UNDER WAY Bethany site broadcast for 6 decades By Michael D. Clark, The Cincinnati Enquirer WEST CHESTER TWP. - For the first time in almost six decades, America is fighting a ground war while the Voice of America radio station in this Butler County community stands silent. The former Bethany VOA station in West Chester Township pulsated with unending, pro-democracy broadcasts from the last years of World War II, through the Korean and Vietnam wars, until the end of the Cold War and during the last time America fought Iraq in 1991's Desert Storm conflict. When VOA broadcasts began in 1944 from a field covered with acres of high towers and miles of short-wave wires, the station, 25 miles north of Cincinnati, was the most powerful on the planet. No one had ever built such a single, large transmitting facility, and it immediately gave America an communications advantage over Nazi Germany's propaganda broadcasts that blanketed Europe and Northern Africa. Directed to the citizens of Nazi Germany, the World War II broadcast began with, "We shall speak to you about America and the war. The news may be good or it may be bad, but we will tell you the truth." The Bethany broadcasts so vexed Nazi leader Adolf Hitler that he referred to its programming as "those Cincinnati liars" in several speeches. "It was the electronic front lines," explained West Chester Parks and Recreation Director Bill Zerkle, whose office is in the former VOA facility on 625 acres just off of Tylersville Road. "It gave oppressed people around the world hope when there was none, and no one will ever know how much of a role Bethany played in bringing down Nazi Germany or the fall of communism." Silent since 1994, when federal funding was cut along with other reductions in the still-active VOA program, Bethany has lost its broadcasting towers - removed in 1997 - and large slices of its grounds to commercial development. A guard tower still stands atop of Bethany, once used to monitor the grounds. In May 1950, a communist supporter cut through a security fence under cover of night and exploded a bomb that toppled a 165-foot radio tower and destroyed a battery shed. A former U.S. serviceman was arrested and confessed to the act of sabotage. Clyde Haehnel, a former vice president with Cincinnati's Crosley Broadcasting Corp. that contracted with federal government in World War II to build the Bethany VOA station, said communist Russia tried in other ways to damage or snuff out the VOA's global message of peace and democracy. "The Russians jammed us heavily during the Cold War. They understood that the VOA at Bethany was an integral part of psychological warfare," said Haehnel. West Chester officials now plan to restore the Bethany facility and create a Voice of America Park and Museum on the remaining grounds, and in June a state historical marker commemorating the site will be unveiled. http://enquirer.com/editions/2003/04/05/loc_voawar05.html (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** U S A. 7490, WJIE heard carrying a short BBCWS newscast in English at 1600. Not listed on their schedule; anyone have any idea if they carry this at other times or have other BBCWS programs? (Hans Johnson, LA, Apr 5, Cumbre DX via DXLD) If it were not for time of day, I would say, ``are you sure this wasn`t Norway?`` which does relay BBC on 7490 e.g. at 0400 and 0500. WJIE programming continues to be enigmatic, including extremely long periods of dead air, and another no-show for the supposed new time for WOR, UT Sun 0300 --- from next week, I expect we won`t be on at 0200 instead (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST){see 3-062} ** U S A. (WEWN) EWTN Global Catholic Radio Shortwave Frequency Guide Effective March, 30, 2003-October 26, 2003 UT North America Latin America Europe/Africa English/Spanish Spanish English 0000-0600 5825 7425/13615 5825* 0600-0800 5825 7425/13615 9385 0800-0900 5825 7425/11875 9385 0900-1000 5825 7425/11875 Off Air 1000-1200 7520 7425/11875 Off Air 1200-1400 7520 9355/15745 Off Air 1400-1600 9955 11530/15745 Off Air 1600-1700 13615 11530/15745 Off Air 1700-2200 13615 11530/15745 17595 2200-2400 9975 9355/13615 17595 *= * Secondary service to Europe during this time - signal strength marginal ** = Primary is Africa -- Secondary is Europe [NO ** above] (WEWN website via Dan Sampson, http://www.primetimeshortwave.com ) ** U S A. WSHB Herald Broadcasting Syndicate A-03 Shortwave Frequency Schedule 03/30/03 to 10/25/03 UTC Freq Region Freq Region 0000 7535 Ea No Am/Carib 9430 Cent & So America 0100 7535 Cent No America 9430 Cent & So America 0200 7535 W&C No America 9430 Mexico 0300 7535 Russia 9450 RUSSIA 0400 9450 Ea Eur/Russ 13720 East & Cent Afr 0500 9450 Central Europe 9840 South Africa 0600 9450 West & Cent Afr Off The Air 0700 9450 West & Cent Afr Off The Air 0800 9860 Europe 9845 Australia / NewZealand 0900 9860 Europe 9455 Brazil/So America 1000 6095 Ea No Am/Carib 9455 South America 1100 6095 Ea No Am/Carib 9455 Cent & So America 1200 9430 Ea No Am/Carib 11670 Cent & So America 1300 9430 No America 11670 Mexico 1400 Off The Air Off The Air 1500 Off The Air Off The Air 1600 Off The Air 18910 East Africa 1700 Off The Air 18910 Central Africa 1800 15665 Europe 18910 South Africa 1900 15665 Europe 18910 South Africa 2000 15665 Europe 18910 East & Cent Afr 2100 15665 Europe 18910 West & Cent Afr 2200 13770 West Europe 15285 Brazil 2300 13770 So Europe/W Afr 15285 South America (WSHB website via Dan Sampson, Prime Time Shortwave) ** U S A. WRMI Schedule/Horario Effective April/Abril 6, 2003. Days are local days in the Americas; times are UTC. Días son días locales en las Américas; horas son UTC. [gospel huxters and known far-right shows deleted by gh] MONDAY-FRIDAY/LUNES-VIERNES To the Caribbean and Latin America on 9955 kHz/Hacia el Caribe y Latinoamérica en 9955 kHz: 1000-1030 La Voz de la Junta Patriótica Cubana (español) 1030-1130 Entre Cubanos (español) 1130-1200 Viva Miami (English/español; Wednesday/miércoles) Note: This transmission from 0900-1200 UTC is temporarily not aired on Tuesday and Thursday. To North America on 15725 kHz/Hacia Norteamérica en 15725 kHz: 1330-1500 Stock Talk Live (English) 7385 kHz to North America (except as noted)/7385 kHz hacia Norteamérica (excepto donde anotado): Note: The following are Tuesday-Saturday UTC. Los siguientes son martes-sábado UTC. 0200-0230 Radio Praga (español; hacia el Caribe y Latinoamérica) 0230-0300 Radio Praha (Czech) 0300-0330 Radio Prague (English) SATURDAY/SABADO To the Caribbean and Latin America on 9955 kHz/Hacia el Caribe y Latinoamérica en 9955 kHz: 1000-1100 Foro Militar Cubano (español) To North America on 15725 kHz/Hacia Norteamérica en 15725 kHz: 1200-2200 Music 2230-2300 Wavescan (English) To the Caribbean and Latin America on 9955 kHz/Hacia el Caribe y Latinoamérica en 9955 kHz: 2300-0000 Foro Militar Cubano (español) The following are Sunday UTC. Los siguientes son domingo UTC. 0000-0030 Conversando entre Cubanos (español) 0030-0045 La Hora de Chibás (español) 0100-0200 Radio Revista Lux (español) 7385 kHz to North America (except as noted)/7385 kHz para Norteamérica (excepto deonde anotado): 0200-0230 Radio Praga (español; hacia el Caribe y Latinoamérica) 0230-0300 Radio Praha (Czech) 0300-0330 Radio Prague (English) 0330-0400 Viva Miami (English/español) 0400-0900 Solid Rock Radio (English) SUNDAY/DOMINGO To the Caribbean and Latin America on 9955 kHz/Hacia el Caribe y Latinoamerérica en 9955 kHz: 0900-0930 Radio Vaticano (español) 0930-1000 Viva Miami (español/English) To North America on 15725 kHz/Hacia Norteamérica en 15725 kHz: 1200-1300 Viva Miami (English) 1300-1330 Wavescan (English) 1400-2000 Solid Rock Radio (English) 2030-2100 Wavescan (English) 2100-2115 Dub Politico [sic] (English) [new: far-right?] 2200-2230 Viva Miami (English) To the Caribbean and Latin America on 9955 kHz/Hacia el Caribe y Latinoamérica en 9955 kHz: 2300-0000 Radio Revista Lux (español) The following are UTC Monday. Los siguientes son UTC lunes. 0000-0015 Radio Vaticano (español) 0030-0130 Radio Oriente Libre (español) 0130-0200 Conversando entre Cubanos (español) 7385 kHz to North America (except as noted)/7385 kHz para Norteamérica (excepto donde anotado): 0200-0230 Radio Praga (español; hacia el Caribe y Latinoamérica) 0230-0300 Radio Praha (Czech) 0300-0330 Radio Prague (English) 0330-0400 Wavescan (English) 0400-0900 Jupiter 400 (English) For schedule updates, see our web page: http://www.wrmi.net (WRMI via DXLD) ** U S A. WAR WITH IRAQ --- Skeptics point to talk shows By Rich McKay, Sentinel Staff Writer, April 5, 2003 At Coachman Park in Clearwater today, thousands of patriotic folks are expected to gather at a Rally for America where they'll wave the flag, bash The Dixie Chicks and praise U.S. troops fighting in Iraq. Gov. Jeb Bush is scheduled to speak. There'll be speeches, food, a lot of red, white and blue, and T-shirts that say things like "Get Saddam." It will be the latest in a series of such patriotic events organized by talk-radio stations and held across the country. Two have been held in Orlando, the most recent one on March 29. While the rallies have sparked an outpouring of patriotism, they also have focused attention on the stations themselves and their parent company -- Clear Channel Communications Inc., the nation's largest radio company, with more than 1,200 stations. "It's a profit-obsessed corporation where patriotism is another easy marketing tool and democracy is a buzz word," said Normon Solomon, the executive director of the Institute for Public Accuracy and a nationally syndicated columnist who follows the media. Solomon and other media watchdogs say Clear Channel may be wrapping itself in the American flag to gain favor with the Bush administration, which could influence the Republican-controlled Federal Communications Commission. The company is asking the FCC to relax rules that limit how many radio stations a single company can own. Clear Channel is based in San Antonio, Texas. Its vice chairman, Tom Hicks, bought the Texas Rangers baseball team from George W. Bush in 1998, and Secretary of State Colin Powell's son, Michael, is the head of the FCC."They're cozying up to Bush for deregulation," Solomon said. Clear Channel corporate spokesmen and talk-radio hosts say that's not the case. They say the rallies are sponsored by the individual stations and are not part of a corporate campaign. In Orlando, the Shannon Burke Show on 540 AM (WFLF)), which bills itself on air as WFLA, has promoted the rallies, as has Clear Channel's national talk host Glenn Burke, whose show airs on more than 100 stations. "It's not a Clear Channel thing or anybody else's thing," said Colin Brady, producer of the Burke show. "We talked about it and got a lot of feedback from our listeners, so we went ahead with it," he said of the Orlando rallies. "That is the most ridiculous accusation I've heard," Burke said of the suggestion that his station was ordered to hold the rallies. Burke, who has been on the air locally for about three years, labels antiwar activists as anti-American. At the recent Orlando rally, Burke spurred about 400 bikers to roll through downtown and rev their engines to drown out a group protesting the war. Richard Whaley of Orlando took his daughter Sally, 12, and his hunting dog Vinnie -- wearing a red, white and blue kerchief -- to the rally. "We're here because the troops need our support," Whaley said. "They hear of the protesters and it demoralizes them. A couple of these will outdo the protests." Burke said the rally movement is pure American -- coming from the wishes of the majority. "It's not so much the radio doing this as people are doing this," said Burke, adding that the idea is popular because people want it, not because of marketing. Beck, whose syndicated show is based in Philadelphia, said the rallies have nothing to do with corporate schemes and everything to do with Americans wanting a venue to praise the troops. "The original idea for this actually came from my competition in Dallas," said Beck, who is scheduled to speak at today's rally in Clearwater. "I heard about it and thought it was a good idea." Jill Geisler a media expert at the Poynter Institute -- a media think tank in St. Petersburg -- has been following the issue of Clear Channel and the rallies. She finds a problem with what Clear Channel stations are doing even without a corporate edict. The size of the radio giant and its strident voice drowns out views from a very divided America, Geisler said. Jorge Meza, 50, of Orlando, who attended the recent Rally For America, doesn't think there is a radio station plot to control a message. "I'll tell you this: I served 26 years in the Army, and if they'd take me back, I'd be over there in Iraq right now alongside my brothers," Meza said. "I'm glad the radio station is doing this. They're reacting to what we the people want. If some of the people want to have a peace-protest rally, let them. And if we have more people here, too bad. This is America." Copyright (c) 2003, Orlando Sentinel (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. HAITIAN RADIO STATIONS EARN FANS, IRE OF FCC By Gariot Louima, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Sunday, April 6, 2003 BOYNTON BEACH -- On a recent afternoon, Phito Thelot sat in a small storage unit, home base for his fledging radio station. There isn't much there except for a stack of compact discs, a console and computer. With time, said Thelot, 106.9 FM could become an important tool to help Haitian immigrants as they adjust to life in South Florida. "The biggest problem with the Haitian community is communication," said Thelot, 39, speaking over the Haitian compas that played in the background. "We just want to get information to the people." But officials with the Federal Communications Commission said they can't verify that the station has a license. And Thelot -- who is preparing to ask Boynton Beach and Delray Beach city officials to give money to his new nonprofit group, the Haitian American Foundation Incorporation -- is breaking the law every time he goes on the air, said John Winston, deputy director of the FCC's enforcement bureau in Washington. "If they don't have a license, they're illegal," Winston said. "We know for a fact that many of those stations are operating illegally. We know of their existence. Those cases are already under investigation." Not affiliated with the Miami-based Haitian American Foundation Inc., Thelot's station can only be heard in Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Hypoluxo and Lantana. Thelot said its existence is an indication that Palm Beach County's growing Haitian community is finally coming into its own socially and politically. A Haitian native who graduated from Lake Worth High School, Thelot contends he got permission from the FCC to operate the station and is merely awaiting the official paperwork. "They said they have to listen to the kind of programming you have before they give you the license," he said, adding that he "registered" with the FCC on Dec. 12. If that's the case, Winston said, Thelot never completed the application process. Winston said station operators can't legally go on the air without a license. In January 2000, the FCC created a special class of radio licenses for low power FM radio, designed to create opportunities for governments, nonprofit organizations and schools to be heard on the radio. Thelot said he's working toward obtaining one of those licenses. Haitian activists estimate that about a dozen Creole-language pirate radio stations are operating in Palm Beach County. Both sides admit that despite their legal status, Creole-language pirate stations provide a much-needed service to a community that relies heavily on radio broadcasts for information. There are about 31,000 Haitians in the county, including 4,000 in Boynton Beach, according to the 2000 Census. A handful of licensed stations on the AM dial broadcast Creole-language programs. Most of the unlicensed stations are low-powered FM stations, said Philippe "Bob" Louis-Jeune, a disc jockey on WHFR-AM 980 in Boca Raton. Still, they provide a "really important service for the community," said Louis-Jeune, also the executive director of the Haitian Citizens United Task Force in Lake Worth. Like Thelot's station, pirate stations play Haitian music, conduct on-air discussions of current events and, in some cases, connect to stations in Haiti via the Internet for news programming. "It's the democratization of communication," said Delray Beach activist Joe Bernadel, who runs a charter school for Haitian-American teens. "But if they are illegal, no reputable group will associate itself with them." http://www.palmbeachpost.com/auto/epaper/editions/sunday/south_county_e3f85b0a5421c0db0099.html (via Artie Bigley, Andy Sennitt, DXLD) ** U S A. FAU STATION HEARD OUTSIDE FCC LIMIT By Jennifer Peltz Sun-Sentinel, April 5, 2003 BOCA RATON -- Florida Atlantic University's student radio station can be heard around the world online. But it can't be heard on a car radio on campus, at least for the moment. The station -- WOWL, FM 91.7 -- turned off its transmitter last month, after Federal Communications Commission representatives said the broadcast was drifting off FAU's Boca Raton campus, according to music director Nick Jennings. WOWL operates under federal rules that allow low-power FM broadcasting without a license. Its signal is supposed to be heard only within about 200 feet of its transmitter on the campus library. A Miami Christian music station licensed to use the same frequency, "The Call" (WMKL, FM 91.7), complained to the FCC in January about interference from FAU, said The Call's general manager, Rob Robbins. He said his station had received a complaint from a Broward County listener. FCC officials wouldn't talk about WOWL. But Jennings said station officials hadn't known it could be heard off campus. FAU installed devices several years ago to dampen WOWL's signal, Jennings said. Still, "it's hard to control a radio frequency," he said. "[So] we said, `Why don't we shut the transmitter off until we get this figured out?'" WOWL might try installing new equipment to rein in its signal or moving its antenna lower, Jennings said. For now, its 13-hour broadcast day -- which includes sports talk, funk, a cultural diversity forum, local bands, German hip-hop and an hour of selections from "the worst record collection ever" -- can be heard at wowl.fau.edu and through speakers in campus breezeways. The station started in 1993 on an AM frequency. It's financed by about $80,000 a year in student fees, Jennings said. Meanwhile, The Call is still on the lookout for unlicensed broadcasters, Robbins said. The station recently won a three-year fight with a Hollywood man who transmitted an Israeli radio show on The Call's frequency. Last month, a federal judge ordered Shlomo Malka to pay $35,000 in fines and stop broadcasting, according to FCC and court documents. http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/palm_beach_news/article/0,1651,TCP_1020_1867095,00.html (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** U S A. When 1380 in Tampa Bay area became WWMI they went from a smooth, clean sound with no sideband splash, to one with much splash and a highly compressed artifice to it. I suspect Disney's SOP is to introduce high level processing in all their stations. DXing on 1370 and 1390 went from "easy" to "unusable" in 24 hours. I suspect their net feed just makes it worse (Robert Foxworth, FL, NRC-AM via DXLD) Depends on how they are processing the audio. There are two ways. First is using a processor that has NRSC-II brick filters, post compression, and just shove audio in and depend on the filter to reduce the content. This works... but IMHO it's like putting your thumb over the end of a hose and regulating water flow. Works, but not effective. The second, and better way, is to employ a filter pre-compression, so that the processor only sees a band of frequencies such as 30 to 9.5 kHz, rather than 30 to 20+ kHz. This way you're not processing something that won't be heard by the audience, and will likely cause artifacts in the audio. Another factor is how the transmitter reacts to non-symetrical audio. Some are content with a constant stream of 99% negative, and 125% positive, and they don't spatter. However, there are some transmitters and systems that will splatter 40 kHz or more if not set up right! Most station operators listen to the main carrier, and if it sounds good they don't bother checking the sidebands (Fred Vobbe, Apr 3, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. Who says IBOC won't be a boon to DXing? The night IBOC tests on KNXT-840 [Las Vegas NV] finally motivated me to unpack and set up my DXing gear! I used a Drake R8B, Palstar R30, Sony ICF-2010, and CC Radio (the latter two with Kiwa filters) to monitor KNXT and my antennas were the Quantum Loop with the R8B/R30C and Radio Shack passive AM loop with the 2010 and CCR. I listened around 1:30 pm Pacific today and the IBOC hiss/noise was clearly audible from 820 to 860 on all receivers, with 830 and 850 much worse than 820 and 860. An interesting effect I noted on all receivers was that going to a narrower bandwidth seemed to increase the noise/hiss. While that's probably an "aural illusion," it certainly is real and counterintuitive to what we as DXers normally do in QRM-laden situations. I tried the synchronous detection on the R8B/ICF-2010, the notch filter on the R8B, and USB/LSB modes and nothing made a significant dent in the IBOC hash. As I've noted before, it's like having a leaky power transformer of several kilowatts connected to an efficient antenna and ground system! I almost wish another local, KLSQ-870, was also running IBOC. It would be interesting to see what would happen with two locals 30 kHz apart running IBOC. A few months ago, I speculated about what would happen with the "search" function of auto radios with IBOC. I tested this about 2:00 pm today. My car radio is the factory-installed unit that came with my 2002 Toyota 4Runner. Starting at 870 (KLSQ), I sent it searching downward and about 50% of the time it stopped on the noise on 850. Tuning upward from 720, it stopped almost 100% of the time on 830. For some reason, the IBOC hash seemed louder/stronger on my car radio on the lower side. I did not notice a similar effect in daytime on my home DXing radios, so this might be a peculiarity of my Toyota's radio. I'll check further. I listened tonight around 7:00 pm Pacific and the hash was mainly noticeable on 830 and 850; there were traces on 820 and 860 but stations could be heard through the noise. KOA-850 was audible, but the IBOC noise was severe, almost like listening through some crude noise jammer such as those used back in the 1960s around 1160 against Radio Americas. 830 was a totally lost cause --- nothing could be heard there but the noise, so maybe there is more IBOC signal being pumped out below 840 for some reason. Loops were no real help. I was able to null about 90% of KNXT's 840 analog signal and all I could hear was IBOC hash. Some say phasing is the answer to IBOC QRM. I have my doubts, but I do have my Quantum Phaser and I'll set up a couple of wires tomorrow and see if phasing gives better results than looping. I'm more dubious than ever about this whole notion of combining analog and digital signals in the same broadcasting band. Maybe the FCC should just set a date for all analog AM broadcasting to cease and be replaced by IBOC, much like they've tried to do with HDTV. Forget Dxers --- I just don't see how "mixed use" on AM will benefit broadcasters or the general public. Oh well, maybe Siegfried and Roy can figure out a way to make IBOC magically disappear! (Harry Helms AK6C/7, Las Vegas, NV DM26, NRC- AM April 3 via DXLD) Did you get any junk from KNXT-840's night IBOC in Phoenix? (Harry Helms, NV to Kevin Redding, AZ, ibid.) Yes, it`s louder on 830 than 850. Perhaps they are trying to get away from messing up KOA's signal (Kevin Redding, AZ, ibid.) OK, that confirms my daytime observations that the hash is worse on 830 than 850 for some reason. Can anyone more familiar with IBOC offer an explanation of why this might be? (Harry Helms AK6C/7, ibid.) I wonder if that varies from IBOC station to IBOC station. When the KIXI-880 tests were going on during NAB 2002 in Seattle, the hash was worse on 890 than 870. KIXI-880 puts in about S9 here. The hash on 890 was S7 and it was about S5 on 870 (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, ibid.) || Barry, what would be the advantages/disadvantages of this for broadcasters? I was under the impression the IBOC components had to be symmetrical above/below the analog frequency to get the full benefits of IBOC. || I can think of a couple of possibilities: 1. The primary digital sidebands could be 6 dB higher on the low side than on the low side. A 6 dB reduction in the digital power is allowed in the FCC IBOC Report & Order, but I don't have a copy in front of me to see if the wording might be interpreted as allowing different levels on the two sidebands. You may recall that this mode of operation was suggested by Glen Clark in his petition for nighttime IBOC operation. Or maybe they whipped up something special just for the NAB event. 2. KXNT's 4-tower DA may not be broadband enough to hold its pattern over a 30 kHz bandwidth. Especially if you happen to be near the direction of one of the nulls, it wouldn't surprise me if the field strength could be quite different between 825-830 and 850-855 (Barry McLarnon, Ont., ibid.) That's quite possible. One thing I've noticed since moving here is how many transmitter sites in Las Vegas that were once in open desert are now surrounded by housing developments, shopping malls, etc. The situation with KDWN-720 is almost comical; their towers have homes, apartment complexes, 7-11 stores, etc. between them! I wonder if any of the Las Vegas directional patterns have any real-world resemblance to those on file with the FCC. Thanks for your comments! (Harry Helms, AK6C/7, Las Vegas, NV DM26, ibid.) The sidebands should be symmetrical to keep the normal AM detector happy. And as far as I know, the FCC didn't say anything about dropping the level of only one sideband. As for the Glen Clark idea, I later heard that there was a lot of concern that dropping one sideband's power would not work well in reality. The gotcha was that the lower powered sideband might get interfered with (or be dominated by) some other station's full power sideband and cause receivers in some areas to get the two sidebands from two different stations! I'm not sure why the sidebands would be so different. Barry's antenna array idea is good, but since KXNT has been through the IBOC tests before, I would assume they have a decent system to test with at this point. No one is biting on the independent sideband level thing at this point, so I'd bet against it. I'm mystified and might just call the guys to ask (Chuck Hutton, WA, ibid.) Well, yes and no. Don't forget that there are three sets of sidebands. The requirement for symmetry only applies to the tertiary sidebands at 0-5 kHz from the carrier. The claim is, of course, that most AM receivers don't have significant audio response beyond 5 kHz, so they won't respond to the other sidebands when tuned to the IBOC station. There is a large amount of redundancy in the IBOC signal, as only about 40% of the data carries information (i.e., digital audio and a bit of other data), and most of the remainder is redundant bits for error correction. I believe the system will still function with one of the primary sidebands (10-15 kHz from the carrier) completely absent - this was shown in the adjacent channel interference tests when the 1st-adjacent interference was just on one side. However, the remaining sideband would have to be virtually error-free, since nearly all of the error correction capability is gone. The system would not be robust and would perform very poorly under real world reception conditions. If one sideband were at normal power and the other were 6 dB down, then the penalty in performance would be less, but still significant. || And as far as I know, the FCC didn't say anything about dropping the level of only one sideband. I think you're right about that. The IBOC exciters are probably capable of doing it, but it's not a mode that is part of the IBOC specs. But maybe it will be after iBiquity's report on nighttime testing comes out. :-) || As for the Glen Clark idea, I later heard that there was a lot of concern that dropping one sideband's power would not work well in reality. The gotcha was that the lower powered sideband might get interfered with (or be dominated by) some other station's full power sideband and cause receivers in some areas to get the two sidebands from two different stations! || Do you mean co-channel or adjacent channel stations? I think the concern would be more with interference from analog signals, especially on 1st adjacents, where the analog signal falls right on top of your primary digital sideband. || I'm not sure why the sidebands would be so different. Barry's antenna array idea is good, but since KXNT has been through the IBOC tests before, I would assume they have a decent system to test with at this point. No one is biting on the independent sideband level thing at this point, so I'd bet against it. || I think the antenna explanation is the more likely one. They probably don't care if the DA is imperfect, as long as they get a signal they can work with in the vicinity of the convention center. || I'm mystified and might just call the guys to ask || Sure, why not? And I'm looking forward to reading Scott's reports from the NAB event about the buzz (a term which is appropriate in more ways than one!) and spin about IBOC there (Barry McLarnon, Ont, ibid.) The IBOC AM digital signal is allowed to be reduced by 6 dB to lessen interference to an adjacent signal. The way I read it, the digital signal can be reduced by 6 dB on one side or both. Since nothing that I know of has been published (or released to the public) regarding the A-to-D and D-to A conversion process, I don't know how an unbalanced signal will be received. Presumably only one side is needed to receive / decode IBOC digital (Bruce Conti - Nashua NH, ibid.) Yep, the digital sidebands are said to be totally redundant (identical). Having only one sideband is fine for IBOC (assuming adequate signal strength) - it's the analog AM envelope detector that should complain about having different sidebands. I suppose - anybody know different? - that Glen Clark assumes that with the digital stuff being at a low level withrespect to the analog, that a bit of unbalance wouldn't make things much worse than they already are. Here's my guess: The "enhanced stream" (the one that carries the stereo info in the secondary sidebands) is totally redundant. The upper and lower sidebands have exactly the same information so that symmetry can be preserved that the AM detector requires. So kill one sideband and you would notice no difference if the other sideband is making it through OK. The thing iBiquity calls a data service is also in the secondary carriers, so is also carried in a totally redundant fashion. So again, if you lose a sideband (upper or lower) but the other is OK you still receive the data correctly. But with only 400 bits a second, who cares? They can`t do anything with that data stream except the equivalent of RDS, which has not set the world on fire in the FM arena. Only the primary sidebands are allowed to be non-redundant, according to iBiquity's document on AM IBOC waveforms. Interference on one sideband would cause total loss of IBOC audio in this case, and the system would fall back to the thrilling 5 kHz analog audio. How cleanly it falls back is anybody's guess - at least I have no idea (Chuck Hutton, WA, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. AN ALTERNATIVE TO IBAC? Kahn Communications, Inc. (KCI), announced today the development of new technology that will restore AM Radio Broadcasting to 15 kHz stereo fidelity by use of digital processing. The system, Compatible AM Digital (Cam-D[tm]), unlike the pending proposal now before the FCC, will not increase adjacent or co-channel interference. Therefore, the system will be able to operate during the nighttime as well as during daytime hours. Furthermore, the system is fully compatible with the over a half billion radios presently used by the American Public every day of the year. Actually, listeners to such existing radios will hear noticeably improved sound. The new system provides 15 kHz stereo fidelity when received by special new receivers, by use of frequency compression and digital transmission and digital reception techniques. One of the main advantages of the Cam-D[tm] System is that it can provide improved fading performance over vast distances at night. Accordingly, special emphasis was placed upon convincing Midwestern stations to act as Test Stations. KCI is now negotiating with stations in other regions of the country to test the system in urban areas where reradiation from large buildings is prevalent to prove Cam-D's relative insensitivity to reradiation. As of this date, the first stations that have contracted to purchase and install the Cam-D[tm] system are located in the States of: Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska, Tennessee, Utah, and Wisconsin. Some of these groups are equipping more than one station in a state. The committed stations range from a 500 watt daytimer, to major 50 kw stations with highly directional antennas. KCI has assured each Test Station that Cam-D[tm] will perform properly with the station's (new or old) transmitter, and their existing antenna, without any modifications. These Test Stations will provide spectrum measurements as well as practical demonstrations that Cam-D[tm] does not increase interference with even first adjacent channel stations, proving its compatibility with present frequency assignments. The tests will also be performed day and night to prove that the system does not degrade station coverage, indeed, increases it. And, finally, these initial tests will prove full compatibility with radios in the hands of the American Public. Actually, listeners will not, in any way, hear degraded sound, but will enjoy the same full frequency response broadcasters presently provide their listeners. Special new digitally enhanced radios will be made available in small pre-production sample quantities to demonstrate to Broadcasters and the FCC that Cam-D[tm] provides 15 kHz fidelity, night and day, for much of the station's normal coverage and also that Cam-D[tm] provides Slow Speed Data over the full coverage of the Test Stations. The system is based upon a number of L.R. Kahn patents, as well as brand now inventions. A spokesman for KCI, the New York, N.Y. and Carle Place, Long Island firm, stated that its president, L. R. Kahn, acting individually, had filed a Petition for Rule Making on January 24, 2003, requesting the FCC to appoint a Blue Ribbon Panel of former FCC Commissioners, etc., to propose revised procedures for evaluating all new technology so as to avoid possible future control of industry FCC Advisory Committees by firms proposing Billion Dollar Rule Making Petitions. The Rule Making also requested a STAY of the present FCC Order on Digital Audio Broadcasting. This Rule Making will not be withdrawn, Kahn stated, but it was recently amended to, request the Commission to evaluate and compare the Cam-D[tm] System with the presently proposed Hybrid AM DAB system to determine which system will best serve the American Public (Kahn Communications via Fred Vobbe, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. Temporary Authorization -- FCC must be notified within 10 Days The FCC has announced that AM and FM radio stations may begin broadcasting immediately with iBiquity's IBOC digital transmission system; however, the Commission must be notified by letter within 10 days of when IBOC operations commence. Until further notice, AM stations must restrict IBOC operations to daytime hours. This new notification procedure replaces the current requirement that radio stations obtain special temporary authority (STA) prior to the initiation of IBOC transmissions. Stations now operating under STAs should convert to the new "standard interim digital authority," which will not require renewal, by sending a digital notification letter to the FCC. For further info and a sample notification letter, see: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-03-831A1.doc (via Fred Vobbe, NRC DX Audio Service via DXLD) ** U S A. KPCC, the `other` (Minnesota-owned) Los Angeles public radio station, has belatedly started webcasting; mostly national shows, especially PRI, but a couple of local weekday talkshows. Schedule at http://www.kpcc.org/programming/m-f_broadcast.html must be slightly outdated since it still shows the defunct Rewind (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. TEXAS STATE NETWORK - TALK SHOWS Texas Overnight with Charley Jones Neil Sperry's Lawn & Garden Show Texas Fishing and Outdoor Show The Lost Tapes with George Gimarc TEXAS STATE NETWORKS - RADIO STATIONS 550 KCRS Midland 590 KLBJ Austin 600 KTBB Tyler 690 KPET Lamesa 710 KGNC Amarillo 860 KFST Fort Stockton 860 KPAN Hereford 900 KCLW Hamilton 910 KNAF Fredericksburg 930 KDET Center 950 KJTV Lubbock 960 KIMP Mt. Pleasant 990 KAML Karnes City 1000 KSTA Coleman 1080 KRLD Dallas 1120 KJSA Mineral Wells 1130 KFAN Fredericksburg 1140 KCLE Cleburne 1150 KZNE College Station 1200 WOAI San Antonio 1220 KMVL Madisonville 1220 KZEE Weatherford 1230 KSIX Corpus Christi 1230 KSST Sulphur Springs 1240 KPBL Hemphill 1240 KVLF Alpine 1240 KXIT Dalhart 1240 KXOX Sweetwater 1250 KIKZ Seminole 1260 KKSA San Angelo 1290 KIVY Crockett 1290 KWFS Wichita Falls 1300 KSET Silsbee 1320 KVMC Colorado City 1330 KSWA Graham 1340 KAND Corsicana 1340 KHLB Burnet 1340 KRBA Lufkin 1340 KRNX Victoria 1340 KWKC Abilene 1350 KCAR Clarksville 1370 KFRO Longview 1370 KJCE Rollingwood 1390 KBEC Waxahachie 1390 KULP El Campo 1400 KEBE Jacksonville 1400 KEYE Perryton 1400 KGVL Greenville 1400 KIUN Pecos 1400 KRUN Ballinger 1400 KTEM Temple 1400 KVRP Stamford 1410 KCUL Marshall 1420 KFYN Bonham 1450 KCTI Gonzales 1450 KCYL Lampasas 1450 KMBL Junction 1470 KDHN Dimmitt 1490 KBST Big Spring 1490 KVWC Vernon 1490 KZZN Littlefield 1510 KCTX Childress 1520 KHLT Hallettsville 1540 KGBC Galveston 1550 KCOM Comanche 1550 KWBC Navasota 1560 KEGG Daingerfield 1560 KHBR Hillsboro 1570 KVLG La Grange 1580 KGAF Gainesville 1580 KRZI Waco 1580 KTLU Rusk 1590 KEAS Eastland 1590 KELP El Paso 1590 KGAS Carthage 1600 KOGT Orange 88.5 KEOM Mesquite 92.1 KHOS Sonora 92.1 KTFW Glen Rose 92.5 KCUL Marshall 92.5 KYKM Yoakum 94.1 KULF Brenham 94.3 KSEY Seymour 94.7 KWKQ Graham 95.3 KNEL Brady 95.7 KBST Big Spring 95.9 KXIT Dalhart 96.7 KXOX Sweetwater 96.9 KXYL Brownwood 97.1 KVRP Haskell 97.7 KATX Eastland 97.7 KVCQ Cuero 97.7 KWRW Rusk 98.3 KBOC Bridgeport 98.3 KCUB Stephenville 98.3 KEEP Bandera 98.3 KFYZ Bonham 98.3 KRDF Spearman 98.3 KULM Columbus 98.3 KYYK Palestine 98.5 KRXT Rockdale 99.1 KNES Fairfield 99.9 KMOO Mineola 99.9 KSHN Liberty 99.9 KTXM Hallettsville 100.3 KOMX Pampa 100.9 KIXC Quanah 103.1 KVWC Vernon 104.1 KWOW Clifton 104.3 KGAS Carthage 104.7 KZAM Ganado 105.9 KTCJ Centerville 106.3 KPAN Hereford 106.3 KSEM Seminole 106.3 KPSO Falfurrias 106.9 KKYN Plainview 107.1 KAUM Colorado City 107.7 KPLT Paris (via Art Blair, Folsom, CA, IRCA April 7 via DXLD) ** VATICAN [and non]. VATICAN RADIO SCHEDULE APRIL TO OCTOBER 2003 0:30 PORTUGUESE AM 1260 7305 9605 0:40 HI-TA-MA-EN AS/AU/NZ 103.0 9650 12055 1:00 SPANISH AM 1260 7305 9605 11910 1:45 SPANISH AM 7305 9605 11910 2:10 ARMENIAN eEU 1260 6185 9645 2:30 FRENCH AF 103.0 9660 2:30 FRENCH AM 7305 9605 2:30 RUSSIAN eEU 1260 6185 7345 9645 2:30 SLOVENIAN EU/ME 93.3 1530 4005 5890 2:50 CROATIAN EU/ME 93.3 1530 4005 5890 2:50 ENGLISH AM 7305 9605 3:00 ENGLISH AF 103.0 9660 3:00 UKRAINIAN eEU 1260 6185 7345 3:10 CZECH EU/ME 93.3 1530 4005 5890 3:15 SPANISH AM 7305 9605 3:20 BYELORUSSIAN eEU 1260 6185 7345 3:25 SLOVAK EU/ME 93.3 1530 4005 5890 3:30 KISWAHILI AF 103.0 9660 11625 3:40 HUNGARIAN EU/ME 93.3 1530 4005 5890 3:40 LITHUANIAN eEU 1260 6185 7345 4:00 AMHARIC-TIGRI AF 103.0 9660 11625 4:00 ARABIC AF/AS/PA 1260 9645 11715 4:00 LATVIAN eEU 6185 7345 4:00 POLISH EU/ME 93.3 1530 4005 5890 7250 4:20 GERMAN EU/ME 93.3 1530 4005 5890 7250 4:20 RUMENIAN eEU 1611 6185 7345 4:30 FRENCH AF 103.0 9660 11625 4:40 BULGARIAN eEU 1611 6185 7345 4:40 FRENCH EU/ME 93.3 1530 4005 5890 7250 5:00 ENGLISH AF 103.0 9660 11625 15570 5:00 ENGLISH EU/ME 93.3 1530 4005 5890 7250 5:00 SCANDINAVIAN eEU 1260 1611 7345 9645 5:20 ALBANIAN eEU 1260 1611 5:20 ITALIAN EU/ME 93.3 105.0 585 1530 4005 5890 7250 5:30 MASS IN LATIN EU/AF/AS/PA 93.3 105.0 585 1530 4005 5890 7250 9645 11740 15595 5:30 PORTUGUESE AF 103.0 11625 13765 15570 6:00 FRENCH AF 103.0 11625 13765 15570 6:00 IT-FR-EN W EU/AF/AS/PA 93.3 105.0 585 1530 4005 5890 7250 9645 11740 15595 6:10 RUMANIAN LIT.7H EU/ME 93.3 7250 9645 6:15 UKRAINIANLIT.7H eEU 1260 1611 9850 11740 6:30 ENGLISH AF 103.0 11625 13765 15570 6:45 ARABIC W EU/AF/AS/PA 93.3 1530 5890 9645 11740 15595 7:30 MASS IN ITAL.7H EU/ME 93.3 105.0 585 7250 8:00 SPANISH W EU/ME 105 585 5890 8:15 PAPAL AUD. 3 EU/ME 105 585 5890 8:30 ORIENTAL LIT.7H EU/ME 93.3 11740 15595 17515 9:00 ENGLISH 12456 EU/ME 105 585 5890 10:00 ANGELUS 7H EU/AF/AS/PA 93.3 105.0 585 1530 5890 9645 11740 15595 21850 10:00 ITALIAN W EU/ME 105 585 5890 10:30 ITALIAN 7H EU/ME 93.3 105.0 585 5890 11:00 FRENCH W EU/ME 105 585 5890 11:00 PORTUGUESE W AM 1260 21850 11:30 MASS IN ENG.5 AF/AS/PA 103.0 15595 17515 11:30 SPANISH W AM 1260 21850 12:00 ITALIAN EU/AF/AS/PA 93.3 105.0 585 5890 9645 11740 15595 21850 12:30 CHINESE 123457 AS/AU/NZ 103.8 6020 17515 21770 12:30 MASS IN CHI. 6 AS/AU/NZ 103.0 6020 17515 21770 12:30 RUSSIAN eEU 1260 15595 17630 13:00 SPANISH EU/ME 93.3 105.0 585 1260 9645 11740 13:15 PORTUGUESE EU/ME 93.3 1260 9645 11740 13:15 VIETNAMESE AS/AU/NZ 103.0 12055 17515 14:00 GERMAN-POLISH EU/ME 93.3 5890 9645 11740 14:30 HI-TA-MA-EN AS/AU/NZ 103.0 12065 13765 15235 14:30 ITALIAN 5 EU/ME 93.3 5890 7250 9645 14:30 MUSIC 123467 EU/ME 93.3 5890 7250 9645 15:00 VESPERS EU/ME 93.3 5890 7250 9645 15:30 ARABIC AF/AS/PA 1260 11625 15595 15:30 ITALIAN EU/ME 93.3 105.0 585 1530 5890 7250 9645 15:30 MASS IN ENG. 6 AF/AS/PA 103.8 12065 13765 15235 15:50 ARMENIAN eEU 1611 11715 15185 16:00 FRENCH-ENGLISH EU/ME/AS/PA 93.3 105.0 585 1530 4005 5890 7250 9645 15595 16:00 KISWAHILI AF 103.0 15570 17515 16:10 RUSSIAN eEU 1260 1611 6210 9585 11715 15185 16:15 SOMALI 6 AF 103.0 15570 17515 16:30 AMHARIC-TIGRI AF 103.8 15570 17515 16:30 SLOVENIAN EU/ME 93.3 1467 1530 4005 5890 7250 16:40 UKRAINIAN eEU 1260 1611 9585 11715 16:50 CROATIAN EU/ME 93.3 1467 1530 4005 5890 7250 17:00 BYELORUSSIAN eEU 1611 9585 11715 17:00 FRENCH AF 103.0 15570 17515 17:10 HUNGARIAN EU/ME 93.3 1467 1530 4005 5890 7250 17:20 LITHUANIAN eEU 1611 9585 11715 17:30 CZECH EU/ME 93.3 1467 1530 4005 5890 7250 17:30 ENGLISH AF 103.0 13765 15570 17515 17:40 LATVIAN eEU 1611 9585 11715 17:45 SLOVAK EU/ME 93.3 1467 1530 4005 5890 7250 18:00 POLISH EU/ME 93.3 1467 1530 4005 5890 7250 9645 18:00 PORTUGUESE AF 103.0 13765 15570 17515 18:00 RUMENIAN eEU 1260 1611 6185 7365 18:20 BULGARIAN eEU 1260 1611 6185 7365 18:20 GERMAN EU/ME 93.3 1467 1530 4005 5890 7250 9645 18:40 ROSARY EU/AF/AS/PA 93.3 103.0 105.0 585 1530 4005 5890 6185 9660 11625 13765 18:40 SCANDINAVIAN eEU 1260 1611 7250 9645 19:00 ALBANIAN eEU 1260 1611 7250 9645 19:00 ITALIAN EU/ME 93.3 105.0 585 1530 4005 5890 19:00 SPANISH 6 AF 103.0 9660 11625 19:20 ESPERANTO 34 eEU 1260 1611 7250 9645 19:20 ESPERANTO 7H EU/ME 93.3 105.0 585 1530 4005 5890 19:20 ITAL.-ENGL. 1 eEU 1260 1611 9660 19:20 PHILIPPINE 5 eEU 1260 1611 19:30 FRENCH EU/ME 93.3 105.0 585 1530 4005 5890 7250 9645 19:50 ENGLISH EU/ME 93.3 105.0 585 1530 4005 5890 7250 9645 20:00 ENGLISH AF 103.0 9660 11625 13765 20:00 RUSSIAN eEU 1260 7305 9575 20:10 SPANISH EU/ME 93.3 105.0 585 1530 4005 5890 7250 9645 20:30 FRENCH AF 103.0 9660 11625 13765 20:30 PORTUGUESE EU/ME 93.3 1530 4005 5890 7250 9645 20:45 ARABIC EU/ME/AF 93.3 1530 4005 5890 7250 9645 21:00 ITALIAN EU/ME/AF 93.3 105.0 585 1530 4005 5890 21:30 ITALIAN 7 EU/ME 93.3 105.0 585 1530 4005 5890 22:00 CHINESE AS/AU/NZ 103.0 7305 9600 11830 23:15 VIETNAMESE AS/AU/NZ 103.0 7305 9600 HI-TA-MA-EN = HINDI-TAMIL-MALAY.-ENGLISH IT-FR-EN = ITALIAN-FRENCH-ENGLISH W = WEEKDAYS H = HOLY DAYS 1 = MON ..... 7 = SUN (Printed sked via Michael Beesley via Alan Roe, World DX Club and Vatican Radio website via Alan Roe, Teddington, UK, DXLD) As usual, Vatican refuses to publish the end times of its transmissions, nor to specify relay sites! We know e.g. 6020 is Philippines for Chinese at 1230, and there are probably some Russian sites mixed in too; see CIS (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Glenn, unID April 6, 2003 1102-1205 UT on 1610 kHz playing different blocks of music. During the time I listened I did not hear an ID. Music blocks included several 50's oldies, then a zzzzt sound and switch to several C&W songs, then a zzzzt sound and switch to several 80's soft rock songs, then a zzzzt sound and a switch to several instrumental music pieces, then a zzzzt sound and a switch to several oldies songs, etc. Any idea? DX test? 73, (-.. . Kraig Krist, Annandale VA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sounds like a pirate, rather than CJWI Montreal (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 5728.43, unID LA, unknown QTH. April 3 2003 - 0000 UT. Heard the station only this date with decent signal at tops and semi distorted audio. On the hour ads plus an ID which I can`t hear. UT -5 and neutral, popular LA music. If we play with the thought that it might be a harmonic from MW 1430 kHz, I know of at least two UT -5 stations having serious problems with their transmitters --- both loggings presented in "mv eko" (Arctic Radio Club, Sverige). Those are: 1429-1432v O___, Radio Imperio, el distrito de Calamarca, la provincia de Julcán, el departamento de La Libertad (Perú). Jan 2003 - 0130 UT. This station is drifting heavily between 1429 and 1432 kHz, sometimes with good signal. Semi distorted audio and the DJ talks fast and untidy as well. The first time I listened I thought they were called "R. R. la frecuencia de amor", maybe a jingle, often repeated. Finally this ID was heard: "Nueva Radio Imperio" and also "Están escuchando Radio Imperio Laser (?)". I checked Radio Imperio, Chiclayo on 4389 kHz, also heard here in Quito on 1491.25 kHz, but you can immediately tell that it is two different stations. Most of the time typical Peruvian music and also typical Ecuadorian. In between Andean Cumbia which can be placed in both countries. 1430.74v OCX1H, Radio San José, el distrito de La Unión, la provincia de Piura, el departamento de Piura. Jan 2003 - 1110 UT. Also this station is drifting in frequency and at some occasions more or less "collided" with the above mentioned Radio Imperio on around 1431-1432 kHz. Have also earlier reported Radio San José on 1451.87 kHz but is listed in WRTH on 1420 kHz. Lots of talk by OM about communal matters in La Unión. Gave two telephone numbers to the station of which I noted one: 37 42 53. Sometimes very long blocks of ads (Björn Malm in Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin April 6, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A-03 CLASHES / FREQUENCY (MIS)MANAGEMENT ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Glenn, interesting to have some discussion about frequency clashes/mismanagement in DXLD; it should get people to write the technical department of shortwave stations and tell them: You've got interference, or you're co-channeling with another station, and we have an alternate frequency for you to try! Do some bandscanning, tell the technical people there's a clear frequency they can use! As to NHK's use of 11895 at 2200 (co-channel with VOA in Creole), as far as I know it's coming from the Montsinéry, French Guiana site... is 11705 from Sackville also in use at the same hour (btw language used is Japanese on both channels)? Also, in regard to Vietnam's use of 11630 in English at 1100 I heard them on April 4 with poor signal and unreadable audio, but no sign of a Chinese station QRMing it on this channel (Joe Hanlon in Philadelphia, April 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) There is some data in the public A03 HFCC schedule for "AUS", but those refer to Merlin stuff, which is not managed by the ABU-HFC, or by "BFM", such as SNG, TAIWAN, TINIAN, HCJB-AUS, VI. BFM is a person by the name of Bernd Friedewald, in Germany, who is responsible for frequency management of RA transmissions. That includes the Internal SW services from the NT. All ABU-HFC assignments have been deleted in the public schedule, such as PNG, KOR, VTN, PAK, J, BGD, MLA, IND, INS, NZ, LAO, CBG, THA, SNG, etc. All current frequency data for all Australian HF broadcasters can be found at the on-line database of the Australian Broadcasting Authority. The frequency problem on 9720 2200-2300 (DW-T BBC-SNG to same areas) has been examined by Merlin and SNG is now on 9730. However, disaster again, as 9730 is in use by VOIRI for Malay 2230-2330) I will be attending the HFCC meeting in Norway as an Independent Professional Engineering Consultant. Re HFCC: ITU certainly does offer its material to anyone who is prepared to pay/subscribe, much of it on CD-ROM. People who are currently condemning ITU for its "failure" to publish everything in the HFCC schedule might care to consider why they believe that this sort of material should be provided to them for free. It is my view that the schedule may be removed entirely from the general(free) domain should hobbyists persist in public criticism (Bob Padula, Australia, April 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) COMMENTARY ++++++++++ A RETURN TO GREGORIAN CHANT The idea is so simple, so right, so attractive, one wonders why only Radio Santa Famiglia of the Diocese of Bolzano and Bressanone does it: Return Gregorian Chant to the Catholic airwaves. Why don`t more Catholic stations do it? Now, I know, such a suggestion immediately provokes ridicule and disbelief from the avant-garde group of liturgical ``reformers`` who have wreaked havoc on the Liturgy in the Church in the United States for the last four decades. Last year, a group of these people, alarmed at the movements that are trying to return dignity and grace to the Latin Rite, formed an organization to, as they put it, halt the efforts to undo all the great changes made in the Liturgy over the last decades since Vatican II. Catholic News Service gave them coverage on their website, as they do for all such ilk. But there are great movements afoot. The fact is, everyone is tired of the disembowelment of the Liturgy by the aptly named liturgical terrorists. Even a liberal Catholic like Father Andrew Greeley publicly moaned in his column two years ago that the things that made us Catholics Catholic have been lost, and we now suffer a cultural identity loss. He specifically named --- Are you listening, liturgical reformers? --- Gregorian Chant. There used to be on the website of St Meinrad Abbey of Indiana a learned, lengthy essay by a monk who, after diligently studying the matter, found that the periods of spiritual stagnation and decline of the Church corresponded to periods of decline of the use of Gregorian Chant! Read that again! A monk, after diligently studying the matter, found that the periods of spiritual stagnation and decline of the Church throughout history corresponded to periods of decline of the use of Gregorian Chant! No, avant-gardes: It is not that the dropping of Gregorian causes the Church to decline in fervor and spirituality, it is the other way around. That essay had disappeared when I went looking for it two years ago. Why it was taken off, I do not know. But I have found websites and webpages where even Protestant pastors and church musicians are seeking to restore Gregorian Chant, or a variety of it. The Anglicans and Episcopalians are particularly active in this movement. (Why does it take outsiders to make us realize the value of what we have? Alas, human nature, I am afraid.) In an essay found at http://chant.freeservers.com, Henry Doktorski, director of music ``at a large Roman Catholic Church in Pittsburgh,`` writes at length about what clearly he loves, Gregorian Chant. ``...despite this high-intensity devotional experience, chant has little popularity in these modern times. Most people, including devout Catholics, prefer to listen to music which is more fast-paced. We have become accustomed to fast food, fast cars, fast computers and fast Internet access. We don`t like to take our time anymore. We rush to work, we rush to finish assignments, we rush home.`` He goes on: ``However, chant is not fast; it does not have a beat, and we cannot clap our hands to it. It seems boring and monotonous to most 21st-century Americans; it doesn`t hold our attention. Our minds wander; we want something more stimulating. Yet, perhaps, in addition to mending spiritual illness, change may also provide tangible medicinal relief for hypertension, migraine headaches, ulcers and heart attacks. Chant slows our metabolism, it steadies our pulse and our breathing, and it quiets the mind. Chant allows our soul to experience the inner stillness required to know God. `Be still and know that I am God.` (Psalms 46:10).`` Mr. Doktorski cites at length the work of French physician and researcher Dr. Alfred A. Tomitas on the neurophysiological effects of Gregorian Chant. Dr. Tomitas found that there are two kinds of sound. One he called ``discharge`` sounds, which tire, fatigue, and drain the listener; the other is ``charge`` sounds, which give energy, life and health. I am not doing justice to his research of Mr. Doktorski`s article, which originally appeared in the diocesan Pittsburgh Catholic on May 26, 2000. I am making it sound, unfortunately, like some wacko new therapy invented by New Agers. You must read the entire article. Essentially, Dr. Tomitas has accomplished ``seemingly miraculous recoveries and given new life to thousands of patients by his innovative treatments with sound.`` . One such case involved a French monastery that abandoned Chant for more ``relevant`` music at great cost to monastic serenity and the monks` psychological health. After a whole passel of doctors and investigators were not able to help the monks, who were showing severe neuropsychological and digestive problems, Dr. Tomitas was called in. After carefully investigating the matter, he told the young abbot who had thrown out the Chant and much monastic prayer to restore them. Within six months, almost all the monks had regained their energy and zest for their vocations and spiritual life. ``...Dr. Tomitas understood what no one else did at the time: that the monks had been chanting in order to `charge` themselves, but they hadn`t realized what they were doing. And gradually, as the days passed, they started to get bogged down; they became more and more tired.`` If you still do not believe this, consider: medical studies have shown certain kinds of music, particularly classical music, lower blood pressure, the pulse rate, anxiety levels, and ultimately improve the health of patients Why, then, do we not listen to the people in the pews, to the Andrew Greeleys and the Alfred A. Tomitas, and return Gregorian Chant to our churches and introduce it to our airwaves? I think it is because the liturgical reformers and their camp followers do not credit the Catholic people with much intelligence or love for solemn Chant and Liturgies. I think it is because a rather small but very powerful coterie of avant-gardes have seized the power controls of the Church in the United States and have imposed their own ideas of what the Vatican Council wanted. (If you think this an outrageous statement, go study sociology and see that every human organization of every kind has certain control centers, and every human organization has a certain group inside it that finds out where those controls are, learns to use them, and imposes itself on the group. Study the sociology, my friends.) It took the monks of Santo Domingo Abbey in Spain several years ago to show how popular Gregorian Chant has become, even with New Agers. Remember how a re-issued compact disc of their old recordings soared in the charts in Europe and America? Even the monks themselves were amazed, and two ex-monks actually sued the monastery because they were in the choir that had recorded the old tapes, and they wanted a piece of the royalties. A good twenty years ago, a struggling Class A noncommercial FM station belonging to a high school on San Francisco Bay was looking for some kind of automated programming to keep it on the air all night. The relatively low power, despite a recent power increase, and its position of one among the many dozens of AM and FM stations on the air around the Bay Area, from Vallejo in the north to San Jose in the south, gave KMAH 88.9 FM (now KCEA 89.1 FM) a severe disadvantage in attracting listeners. The young teacher in charge of the radio club that operated the little station at Menlo Atherton High School hit upon a novelty. He went out and recorded the various sounds of the bay— the lap of waves against the shore; the cry of gulls, terns, and the many other seabirds; the slow toll of buoy bells; the bleat of ship horns; the warning fog horns; the muffled background noises in this very populated bay area. After mixing the tapes down, he ran them all night by using what was, back then, state-of-the-art automation equipment. Immediately, enervated and weary listeners discovered it, and the word spread. The audience grew. The local press, then the trade press, then the national press picked up the story. Now, if a high school station sees the value in the extraordinarily pacific effects of seascapes in sound, why do we Catholics remain so dull as not to see the far greater value of our Gregorian Chant? Why do we not see it as exactly the music a tired, jaded, over- stimulated, high-anxiety world needs? Why do we not offer the world what is our own? Why do Protestants and New Agers see its value, but not us? Why do we let a cadre of liturgical avant-gardes who have misread and misinterpreted and misimplemented Vatican II get away with tossing centuries of music into the trash bin and imposing this awful stuff we are fed in our Latin Rite Churches? Why do we not listen to Father Andrew Greeley and Dr. Alfred Tomitas? Why do we not emulate RSF Radio Sacra Famiglia? Why? (Michael Dorner, editor, Catholic Radio Update via DXLD) QSLing BELLABARBA A terrible example of Bellabarba's work can be seen on Radio Nika's home page at http://www.nikafm.ru/dx.htm He has copied every detail (date, time, frequency and even programme details) into his report from a logging, made by Finnish dx-er Jorma Mäntylä. This is what happens to your loggings if you make them public ... The programme details in Jorma's logging are exactly what Bellabarba has in his own report. However, after relistening to his tape Jorma changed the details a little, thus resulting in a bit different wording in his report. This is not the only case unfortunately. Every year Bellabarba sends hundreds of fake reception reports based on other DXers` loggings. Who is this Bellabarba actually? Does he really exist or is it just a cover name by some other dx-er? Comments please! How can we stop this? Best 73 despite all, (Jim Solatie, Finland, MW-DX via DXLD) Hi Jim, Well I don't think there is much anyone can do about it. It's not nice but what can you do? People like this only cheat themselves and really there is no gratification in getting verifications back for stations that others have heard. It's like collecting postcards. Nice view but never having been there. There is absolutely no satisfaction or emotional attachment to any of it. It's a bit like people swapping or selling QSL's. Why bother? I think the big worry is whether it ruins our chances (at some stations) of getting stuff back in the future (Dave Onley, ibid.) Hello Jim & all, Bellabarba does exist indeed. As far as I know, he lives in or near Bologna and enjoys this odd hobby of report faking together with his son. Don't ask me *why*, I am not a psychiatrist. How can this be stopped? Good question. Law does not deal with report faking, therefore one can't simply ask a judge for a (deserved) hanging sentence. One interpretation of this pathology is that it can be 'useful'. This is the view of Dario Monferini, who is in friendly terms with Mr. Bellabarba and regularly publishes his 'verifications' on 'PlayDX'. Dario says that Bellabarba's QSLs are useful sources of station manager's names, addresses and other informations. I strongly disagree with Dario: although I don't send reports or collect verifications, I think that Bellabarba is a shame for the whole DXing community and even more for Italian DXing. Dario's objection that 'Bellabarba never claimed to be a DXer, he simply collects verifications' is bull****: the guy sends 'reception reports', not simply sample QSL requests. I don't see any easy solution to the problem. Sending 'warnings' to every station on the planet would be ridiculous. Banning Bellabarba from the DXing community is useless, as he is not interested in any contact outside his own world. As far as I know, his 'stage' at present is just PlayDX where Dario, deaf to everybody's pleas, goes on publishing the QSLs from 'Dxer Bellabarba' - and losing readers in the meantime. But I am not at all sure that exhibitionism is part of Bellabarba's pathology. Maybe a (snail) mail action from DXers around the world, writing Bellabarba how they feel about him? Good DX (Enrico Oliva, Milan, Italy, http://www.faiallo.org mwdx via DXLD) RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ From a much longer article: SLOW MAIL DELIVERY BUGS TROOPS News from home, needed goodies can take a while, By RON MARTZ The Atlanta Journal-Constitution http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/news/iraq/0403/02martz.html . . .In greatest demand at the moment: cigarettes, baby wipes and shortwave radios. The radios keep troops in touch with what's going on in the outside world and give them news of the war effort they don't get from their superiors. The shortwave radios that several soldiers carried were long ago destroyed by the desert dust. The last one that came into the company two weeks ago is now falling apart. It has been kept together only through the skills of Capt. Jason Conroy, 30, of Apalachin, N.Y., the company commander and a former electrician. The baby wipes help soldiers maintain some semblance of cleanliness in an environment in which nothing is ever clean. . . (via Jilly Dybka, TN, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) GRUNDIG FACES UNCERTAIN FUTURE AFTER TAKEOVER ABANDONED Consumer electronics giant Grundig says it is not ruling out insolvency after Turkish company Beko told the Istanbul stock exchange that it was abandoning plans to take over the ailing German company "following an in-depth examination and evaluation". It is the second time in just over a month that takeover talks for Grundig have failed. Discussions with Beko started in March after long-running discussions with Taiwanese company Sampo failed to produce an agreement. Grundig posted a loss of 150 million euro (164 million dollars) on sales of 1.28 billion euro in 2001, and has predicted a loss of 75 million euros for 2002 (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 7 April 2003 via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ IN IRAQ, SOLAR STORMS PLAY HAVOC WITH COMMUNICATION By Peter N. Spotts | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor On today's digital battlefield, where AA batteries are almost as critical as bullets, researchers are looking for ways to forecast "weather" conditions hundreds of miles up where satellites orbit. Over the past decade, scientists have focused much of their effort on forecasting the effects of large outbursts from the sun, which can fry satellite circuits and trigger surges in earthbound utility transmission lines. Now, military and civilian researchers are paying increased attention to turbulence in Earth's ionosphere, which can weaken navigation, intelligence, and other signals until they vanish under useless noise. While solar storms can aggravate these effects, they can appear almost daily with or without a major solar eruption. In Iraq, "all of our operations are very finely tuned" to minimize civilian casualties, notes US Air Force Capt. Kelly Doser, currently working at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Environment Center in Boulder, Colo. Because today's weapons that rely on navigation satellites for guidance, "any little thing that creeps in could have a very heavy impact on how the mission is done." GPS: key to modern warfare By many accounts, the US-led conflict is more reliant on digital information than any in history. Encrypted voice communications, digital images of bomb and missile damage from remotely piloted aircraft and precision munitions, as well as search-and-rescue operations, all depend on satellites. Since the Gulf War in 1991, the military's demand for satellite services has grown tenfold, prompting the Pentagon to contract with commercial-satellite operators for the capacity it needs. Meanwhile, the military's global-positioning satellite (GPS) network has become its backbone for navigation and the key technology behind a new generation of precision-guided weapons. One potential source of error lies in the ionized portion of Earth's atmosphere, which begins about 30 miles up and through which GPS signals must pass, researchers say. Just as turbulence in the lower part of the atmosphere can give starlight its twinkle, turbulence in the ionosphere can cause GPS satellite signals to strengthen and fade - sometimes to the point where receivers lose the signals completely. "The problem usually occurs after sundown and doesn't clear up until after midnight," says Joseph Kunches, chief of space operations at the Space Environment Center. At sundown the lower ionosphere grows less dense than the overlying layers, triggering "bubbles" that rise and generate turbulences that move through the surrounding ionosphere. The US Air Force has established a global network of 12 ground-based sensors, which can detect the effect. One is located in the Gulf region. Each day, the Pentagon's Central Command gets a briefing on conditions the network observes, notes David Anderson, a research associate with the University of Colorado's Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences. Minimizing ionosphere damage Dr. Anderson notes that the US Air Force Research Laboratory has developed a computer system that allows users to identify other satellites on orbit whose signal paths aren't affected, so that an operator can switch communications to a different satellite. But experts lack a means of forecasting these effects well in advance. One of the critical needs, researchers say, is more sensors on orbit to monitor changes in the ionosphere. Later this year, the Air Force is scheduled to launch a satellite dedicated to scintillation forecasting. In addition, the US and Taiwan are scheduled to launch a constellation of six microsatellites in 2005 that will gather more than 3,000 measurements a day of GPS signals as they pass through the atmosphere from various angles. Researchers say the measurements, which also will be used for weather and climate monitoring, will aid in forecasting the phenomenon and will be important for their understanding of ionospheric scintillation. from the March 31, 2003 edition - http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0331/p15s01-woiq.html (via Jilly Dybka, TN, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) GEOMAGNETIC INDICES phil bytheway - Seattle WA - phil_tekno@yahoo.com Geomagnetic Summary February 26 2003 through March 18 2003 Tabulated from email status daily Date Flux A K SA Forecast GM Forecast Etc. 2/26 102 5 2 no storms no storms 4 27 109 14 5 no storms no storms 9 2/28 118 23 3 no storms no storms 8 3/ 1 125 18 3 no storms no storms 9 2 138 13 3 no storms no storms 9 3 147 12 3 no storms no storms 6 4 149 16 3 no storms no storms 6 5 146 20 3 minor no storms 9 6 149 17 3 no storms no storms 7 7 150 18 3 minor no storms 8 8 150 13 2 no storms no storms 6 9 148 11 3 no storms no storms 9 10 153 13 1 no storms no storms 7 11 144 11 3 no storms no storms 7 12 no report 13 no report 14 134 15 2 no storms no storms 5 15 139 17 5 moderate minor 8 16 131 22 3 minor no storms 9 17 129 16 3 minor no storms 8 3/18 125 31 5 strong minor 8 ********************************************************************* (IRCA Soft DX Monitor March 22, delayed via DXLD) ### |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-059, April 7, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.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 HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3d.html HTML version of late March issues: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3c.html HTML version of early February issues: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3b.html For restrixions and searchable 2003 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn NEXT AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1176: RFPI: Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0700, 1300 on 7445 [subject to pre-emption] WJIE: Tue 0600, M-F 1200 on 7490 [maybe] WWCR: Wed 0930 9475 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1176.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1176.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1176h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1176h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1176.html WORLD OF RADIO, CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL SCHEDULES UPDATED FOR A-03, DST SEASON: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html WOR/COM/MR/RADIO ENLACE MASTER TIME SCHEDULE FOR A-03: http://www.worldofradio.com/wormast.html ** AUSTRALIA. While not shortwave broadcasting, those of you who have heard the School of the Air on HF/SW may be interested to note they are moving to an internet-type service, and as such will no longer be using HF radio. I'm not sure when the last HF transmission will be, it was Friday 4 April or will be the following Friday (Jeffrey Burford, Port Augusta, Sangean ATS 909, April 5, EDXP via DXLD) It is interesting to read that the School of the Air is or has left shortwave for the internet, I used to listen to this on and off especially before I started working back in the 1970's, used to pick up Broken Hill, Bourke as well as up into Queensland and the Northern Territory, it was most interesting, the last time I listened was last year while on holidays when I listened to Charters Towers in QLD. I guess it means another end of an era and another nail in the coffin for us shortwave listeners. Best wishes to all! (Michael Stevenson, EDXP via DXLD) WTFK?? Sad to see the School of the Air leaving the SW bands after many years of service, although this has been coming for some time now. Several of you know that I am a music teacher by profession. I once had a 45 piece concert band (woodwinds, brass and percussion) on tour in the Mildura/Broken Hill area (1998, I think it was). One of our gigs was to play on the School's Friday morning transmission from the Broken Hill studio. To get 45 student musicians armed with large musical instruments into that tiny studio was a feat of logical engineering! The morning class began with checking the roll, and I think we heard about a dozen students at their radios in far-flung areas of western New South Wales and South Australia. Some of the kids were very young. The band played several tunes, then some of our musos went to the microphone to play their instruments so the kids could hear the different sounds. It was great fun and there was lots of excitement coming across the air waves as the kids asked questions about the instruments and the music we played. School of the Air is usually conducted on a very strict procedure of the teacher calling in specific students to transmit. However, on this day, there were several occasions when a number of the kids all tried transmitting (talking) at the one time! It was laughable. We left the studio that day feeling like we had really made a valuable contribution to the students' learning. It also gave our own school students an understanding of the importance of School of the Air for young people who are so isolated from the way of life and things we take for granted. Wonderful memories (Rob VK3BVW Wagner, April 7, Melbourne, Australia, EDXP via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. 15480, 1559-, HCJB Australia, Apr 5. Finally hear this one with a fair signal. ID at 1600 as 'HCJB, Voice of the great southland', and into Ham Radio Today [Sat]. Better when rechecked at 1655 with religious play. Very good reception at 1713, with locally produced program (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRIA. A couple of weeks ago I told you that I had heard rumours of the imminent close-down of a well-known international broadcaster. In the meantime you might have heard that the station in question is Radio Austria International, the international service of the ORF, the Austrian public broadcaster. For more information I turned to Wolf Harranth, a household name in the world of DXing, and especially in the German-speaking world. Wolf is a veteran at Radio Austria International. He's been producing DX programmes for more than 30 years. His "Kurzwellenpanorama" was first broadcast on May 6 1969; five years ago, on April 4 1997 it was renamed "Intermedia", the logical consequence of new developments in the media. Wolf was also highly active outside the station, as the thriving force behind DX clubs and associations. He published an excellent handbook on DXing and a series of audio cassettes with station IDs, etc. Wolf is also an author and translates books from English into German. So, I called him in Vienna and asked him whether this really was the end of Radio Austria International? SOUND Wolf Harranth Wolf Harranth, journalist, author and translator, producer of Intermedia and DX-Telegramm at Radio Austria International. We'll hear more from Wolf next week. Don't miss it, because, as Wolf said, there is a good way to say good bye. It's something special for DXers who collect QSL cards. FRANS VOSSEN, RVI Radio World April 6 [audio available for one week] listen broadband: http://www.vrt.be/wm/rvi/rw_HI.asx listen narrowband: http://www.vrt.be/wm/rvi/rw_LO.asx (via Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) More from Wolf on next week`s show --``a good way to say goodbye``, special QSL (gh) ** BRAZIL. 4885.03, Rádio Difusora Acreana, Rio Branco. 0120 UT. This station has a program in Spanish every Saturday evening called "Antonio Flores", maybe the name of the program leader, who speaks Spanish with Brasilian accent. Very nice program with music, ads and talk. I listened between 0100-0200 UT and cannot tell if the program starts earlier/ends later. In a previous issue of Glenn Hauser`s "DXLD" in the headings with unIDs, there is a logging of a Spanish speaking LA on 4885 kHz. Maybe this is the answer? The funny thing is that I for the first time here in Quito two days later logged Brasil on MW: Radio Difusora Acreana on 1400.02 kHz! Splendid! (Björn Malm in Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin April 6, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. São Paulo, Radio Bandeirantes, 9645 kHz, 0812 to 0831 UT, SINPO 34132. News about war in Iraq, and commercials (Icom R71A with 114-foot inverted-L; John Sandin, Merriam, KS, April 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. I can't figure out why it's CBL here in Toronto, when you would expect "CBT" (which is actually in NF). The CBC was established in 1936. Before that there was the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission (CRBC), with the Toronto station using the call "CRCT", and even before the CRBC, the Canadian National Railways network used the call "CNRT" in Toronto. CNRT/CRCT/CBL's frequency was on 840; they moved to 740 after the 1941 NARBA treaty. CJBC once stood for Jarvis Street Baptist Church. They were an English station until the early 1960s (Mike Brooker, Ont., NRC-AM via DXLD) The present CJBC is not related to the station operated by the Jarvis St. church in the 1920's except that both had Toronto as COL:). In 1935 CKNC went silent as its owner, the National Carbon Co (a battery company which was the Canadian branch of an American company (Burgess?)) no longer wanted to be in the broadcasting field. The CRBC, who operated as pointed out above CRCT in Toronto, brought the station, moving into its studios and keeping the CKNC transmitter as a backup under the calls CRCY. About the time the CBC came into being (Nov 1936) CRCT, whose 5 kW transmitter was in Bowmanville (42 miles east of Toronto) suffered severe QRM on its 840 kHz frequency from 250 kW XERA which made reception in Toronto poor. Thus the 100 watt CRCY transmitter was used to provide service for Toronto for some months as a rebroadcaster of CRCT. In Dec 1937 the CBC put 50 kW CBL on the air from the Hornby site, and the Bowmanville site was retired. CRCY became CBY, and during the war became the flagship station for the second CBC English network, the Dominion network (the other was named the Trans-Canada network, now CBC Radio One). For some reason which I have never been able to discover Ernie Bushnell, then with the CBC, had the calls changed to CJBC. CJBC continued as the flagship of the Dominion network until the demise of this network in the early 60's at which point it joined the French network. The CBY calls were used in Newfoundland later as we all know, after Newfoundland became a part of Canada in 1949. 73, (Deane McIntyre, VE6BPO, NRC-AM April 2 via DXLD) On succeeding the CRBC in 1936, The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reserved for itself the prefix "CB". CRCT became "CBL" Toronto - the "L" because of its location in the Great Lakes region; CRCY became "CBY". As the CBC began to build its powerful 50 kW transmitters, the station calls usually related to their region or purpose, CBF Montreal - French language, CBK Watrous, Saskatchewan, in honour of Kelsey the explorer; CBE Edmonton, CBH Halifax, etc. With all but 4 private Canadian stations limited to maximum power of 1,000 watts (exceptions were CFRB Toronto and CFCN Calgary, both "grandfathered" at 10,000 watts, and CKAC Montreal and CKLW Windsor with 5,000 watts), the CBC proceeded with its objective of increasing its owned-and-operated stations to the maximum power permitted by international agreement. CKGW Toronto was bought from Gooderam and Worts and moved to the "clear frequency" of 740 kHz with power of 50,000 watts (December 1937), and call letters changed to CBL. Coincidentally, in the same year, the Corporation built CBF in Montreal, placing it on 690 kHz - another clear channel. CBF later became the key station of the CBC French Network, embracing newly- established CBV Quebec, CBJ Chicoutimi and private stations in New Carlisle and Rimouski --- supplemented by private stations in Hull, Sherbrooke and Rouyn. CBM Montreal, formerly CRCM, with 5,000 watts took over CBF's English programming. In 1939, the Maritime provinces were given CBA in Sackville, NB on 1070 kHz, and listeners on the prairies were bestowed with CBK, strategically positoned at Watrous, Saskatchewan at 540 kHz - both 50,000-watters. CBR (later CBU) Vancouver and CBO Ottawa, were each given power increases to 5,000 watts - the international limit on their frequencies. (In succeeding years, CBC's Alberta coverage was beefed-up with the additions of CBX Edmonton (ultimately 50,000 on 740 kHz replacing CBX Lacombe), and CBR Calgary in 1964 with 50,000 watts on 1010 kHz. Earlier, in 1948, to improve coverage in Manitoba, CBC bought the original CKY from the Manitoba Government, dubbed it CBW and upped its power from 15,000 to 50,000 watts on 990 kHz). However, while the private stations selected to affiliate with the CBC network were happy to acquire some of the greatest radio attractions in the world, the programming and the income of other broadcasters in two-and-three-station markets suffered. CBC affiliates had first-choice in carrying CBC sustaining (non- sponsored) programs not included in their reserved time agreement, but the CBC did offer the remainder of any they wished to carry to the non-affiliates. In Southern Ontario, where Hamilton and St. Catharines stations existed under the umbrella of CBL's 50 kW transmitter at Hornby, CKOC, CHML and CKTB were regarded only as "supplementary stations". If sponsors paid the extra cost, CBC would add them. Meanwhile, they were welcome to share carriage of the network's sustaining programs. Similarly, in two-station markets across Canada, the CBC obtained extra coverage of its sustaining programs at no cost. | snip | 1940s In the early forties, pressure developed among listeners, advertisers and stations for alternative programming. Sensing this need, and to head-off a possible campaign for a private network, CBC took the initiative to set-up a second coast-to-coast network. CBC lined-up 34 existing and soon-to-exist private stations as affiliates, but lacked a key station in Toronto where CFRB had rejected the invitation to participate (in fact, serious consideration was given to suggestions that CBC should expropriate CFRB - instead, another solution was found). When CBC succeeded the CRBC in 1937, it had also acquired a low-powered Toronto station - CKNC - whose studio facilities it had leased for CBL and which had been founded by the Canadian National Carbon Company. It was given the call sign CRCY and subsequently became CBY. It was usually programmed separately from CBL and also carried sustaining programs (non commercial) from NBC's Blue Network. When CBL carried sponsored programs, CBY's programs were fed over existing lines to CKTB St Catharines and to either CKOC or CHML Hamilton. CBC decided to turn CBY into the key station for its Dominion Network. The power would be increased to 50,000 watts and it could be engineered to share the tower and other facilities of CBL at Hornby. The frequency of 860 - a clear channel - had been previously designated for CBC's use, and CBC moved CBY from 1010 to 860, displacing CFRB which had occupied the channel for several years. CBY became CJBC - the key station of the CBC Dominion Network - when it was formed January 1, 1944. CFPL London and CKX Brandon were deleted from the original network and became Dominion affiliates. The first sponsored program was the intellectual NBC Monday night panel show Information Please chaired by Clifton Fadiman, which, on April 15th, preceded the full compliment of programs that began in the fall. CJBC was the only CBC-owned station on the Dominion Network - all others were privately owned. To manage the new network, the Corporation hired away from CKWX Vancouver Spence Caldwell who, 17 years later, founded the CTV Network. The first CBC network became The Trans-Canada Network. A similar problem had arisen in Montreal when the Canadian Marconi Company's station CFCF refused CBC's wish for it to be the Dominion affiliate. Subsequently, Arthur Dupont, then CBC's Commercial Manager for Quebec, applied for and received a licence to establish CJAD, ostensibly to become the Dominion affiliate. However, before he could get it on the air, CFCF had a change-of-mind, and signed-up as the Dominion affiliate. Perhaps as consolation or compensation for losing the Dominion Network, CJAD was allowed to share with CKAC some programs from the U.S.A. network - CBS. CBR Calgary: 1964 The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. opened CBR on 1010 kHz with 50,000 watts full-time, in October of 1964. Studios located at 1724 Westmount Blvd. Two 473 foot towers used at a site located on the southeast quarter of Section 10, Township 23, near Calgary. Network affiliation ? CBC Trans-Canada. and CBU/CBR Vancouver: 1941 On March 29, CBR moved from 1100 to 1130 kHz with 5,000 watts. 1942 CBR started using low-power relay transmitters to widen its service to B. C. 1947 CBR increased power to 10,000 watts full-time (DA-1). Transmitter: Lulu Island, two 404 foot towers. 1951 CBR became CBU, moving to 690 kHz. 1967 CBU was given permission in December to increase power to 50,000 watts full-time (DA-1) using four 200 foot top-loaded towers. 1975 On November 24, CBU moved to the new CBC Vancouver Broadcasting Centre at 700 Hamilton Street. CBC radio and TV operations in the city had been scattered at various locations. (from http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/index2.html via Eric Flodén, BC, ibid.) ** CANADA. CBC "EXPLODED PIZZA" LOOKS LIKE 1969 LOGO FOR TARGET STORES http://www.targetcorp.com/targetcorp_group/about/history.jhtml (Usenet message in the newsgroups alt.radio.networks.cbc and alt.tv.networks.cbc by Brian Chow, via Joel Rubin, April 7, swprograms via DXLD) ** CHINA [non]. CRI English at 0400 confirmed April 7 now on both 9560 --- Canada, and new 9755, presumably French Guiana. In that order by a fraxion of a second; not yet checked after 0500 to reconfirm that neither is on during that hour, contrary to CRI`s own published schedules (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) {Later: confirmed, neither is on after 0500} ** COLOMBIA. 2999.93H, HJLJ, La Básica 1500, Cali. March 2003 - 1050 UT. This station has just begun to be heard with very good signal both mornings and evenings. Belongs to "La Red Sonora". Harmonic from 1500 kHz (2 x 1499.96). (Björn Malm in Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin April 6, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** C I S. FOREIGN RELAYS ON SW THROUGH FACILITIES IN THE CIS kHz Loc kW Azi UTC (A03): April 6, 2003 21780 TAC 200 131 0800-0830 BBC Bengali, Hindi, Urdu 21630 TAC 200 130 1430-1515 Voice of Tibet, Tibetan and Chinese 21585 TAC 100 131 1215-1259 Voice of Tibet, Tibetan and Chinese 17860 VLD 250 247 2300-2345 DW English 17820 SAM 250 175 0900-0930 DW Persian // 15605 17770 AA 500 121 1030-1055 DW Chinese // 12045 17765 SAM 100 130 0400-1700 WUN The University Network Presents Dr Gene Scott. 17710 IRK 250 224 0230-0300, 0810-0820 BBC Hindi 17695 TAC 100 131 1200-1225 R. Vlaanderen International Dutch // 9865 17695 KDR 200 284 1300-1600(Su) RVI Sport Live 17650 KDR 200 284 1100-1130 R. Vlaanderen International 17650 NVS 500 145 1200-1400 DW German // 9900 7420 17590 KHB 100 218 2330-0025 RNW Dutch 17570 KOM 120 178 0500-0600(Su.) Voice of Mediterranean, Japanese 17545 KDR 200 128 1230-1300 DW Persian 17485 AA 500 141 1000-1400 DW German // 9900 7420 15795 TAC 100 256 0300-0700 BFBS Radio English 15660 VLD 250 230 1400-1500(Tu.)(VOKK) Voice of Khmer Krom, Cambodian 15725 DB 100 117 1215-1259 Voice of Tibet, // 21525 15615 15660 AA 500 135 1215-1259 Voice of Tibet, Tibetan and Chinese 15605 KDR 200 128 0900-0930 DW Persian // 17820 15605 SAM 250 129 1200-1500 FEBA Tibetan/Punjabi/Urdu etc. 15605 KOM 250 213 2200-2300 DW English 15605 KOM 250 213 2300-2350 DW Chinese // 12035 15595 SAM 250 140 1330-1400 DW Dari, 1400-1420 DW Pashto 15595 VLD 500 228 2300-2400 RFI French // 15535 15580 TCH 250 230 0015-0200 FEBA Indian Languages/Telugu 15535 IRK 500 180 2300-0100 RFI French // 15595 15530 MOS 250 169 0345-0430 FEBA Arabic 15530 KDR 250 188 1100-1300 FEBA Arabic/English (1245-1300) 15525 SAM 250 140 0800-0830 DW Dari, Pashto 15470 KDR 100 188 2000-2100 RCI English 15470 PK 250 244 2130-2200 VOA Korean 15455 KDR 250 290 0500-0715(M-Sa), 0600-0800(Su) R. Maryja Polish 15195 KDR 200 284 0500-0800, 1700-1800 R. Vlaanderen International 13860 TAC 100 256 1400-1800 BFBS Radio English 13820 KHB 100 218 1030-1125 RNW Dutch 13745 TAC 200 130 0100-0130 BBC Hindi 13710 IRK 250 152 0930-1125 RNW English // 12065 13695 KHB 100 218 1330-1425 RNW Dutch // 12065 9890 13690 VLD 200 320 0000-0100 DW Russian // 12070 13590 NOV 100 110 1200-1600 High Adventure Ministries, English/Vietnamese/Chinese 12125 KDR 200 235 1900-1930(M-F) Jakada Radio International (JRI) Hausa 12120 SAM 250 190 1600-1630 Sout Al Watan(Voice of Homeland) // 12085 SHRC 12115 SAM 250 188 1700-1800(Sa.) Dejen Radio Tigrigna 12115 SAM 250 188 1730-1800(M.Th.) Voice of Oromo Liberation (Radio Sagalee Oromia), Oromo 12090 MOS 500 068 1200-1400 DW German // 17485 9900 7420 12075 NVS 500 125 1200-1300 RFI Chinese 12075 TAC 100 131 1430-1625 RNW English 12070 PK 250 263 0000-0100 DW Russian // 13690 12065 PK 250 244 0930-1125 RNW English // 13710 12065 TAC 100 131 1330-1425 RNW Dutch // 13695 9890 12065 TAC 100 130 1450-1600 Vatican R. 1450 Hindi, 1510 Tamil, 1520 Malayalam, 1540 Eng. 12055 TCH 500 195 1315-1345 Vatican Radio Vietnamese 12045 SAM 250 129 0015-0130 FEBA Indian Languages 12045 IRK 500 152 1030-1055 DW Chinese // 17770 12045 VLD 200 110 2200-2300 RFI Chinese // 12005 12035 IRK 500 152 2300-2350 DW Chinese 12025 IRK 500 180 1100-1200 RFI Lao, 1200-1300 RFI Khmer 12025 IRK 500 150 0930-1030 RFI Chinese 12010 KDR 250 290 1500-1830 R. Maryja Polish (Sep 7-, 7380 1500-2200) 12005 VLD 500 230 2200-2300 RFI Chinese // 12045 11990 NOV 250 111 1300-1500 VOA Chinese 11975 ERV 100 100 1400-1500 VOA Tibetan 11850 TAC 100 153 0100-0400 Christian Vision, Voice International Hindi 11850 VLD 250 230 1400-1430 Radio Free Vietnam 11570 NVS 100 180 0000-0100 IBC Tamil 11530 TAC 250 256 0400-1200 Dengi Mesopotamia Kurdish 11530 KCH 500 116 1200-1600 Dengi Mesopotamia Kurdish 11520 SAM 200 224 1600-1700 Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) Radio- Arabic Voice of Liberty (Lebanon) 9925 KDR 100 284 1700-2100 R. Vlaanderen Internationaal 9920 NOS 250 84 1500-1530 RCI Russian 9900 IRK 250 152 1000-1400 DW German // 17485 7420 9890 PK 250 244 1330-1425 RNW Dutch // 13695 12065 9865 PK 250 244 1130-1225 R. Vlaanderen Int. English Dutch // 17690 9865 TAC 200 131 1330-1445 BBC Bengali, 1400 Hindi 9825 NOV 500 195 1700-1730 DW Urdu 9825 SAM 250 140 1730-1800 DW Dari, Pashto 9540 1500-1600 Bible Voice Broadcasting Network, Vietnamese/English 9530 TAC 200 255 1700-1800 RFI Persian 9495 NOV 1300-1415 FEBA Urdu etc. 9495 KDR 250 129 1530-1630 FEBA Persian 9460 IRK 500 152 1300-1350 DW Chinese 9445 IRK 250 225 2315-0200, 1115-1650 TWR-Sri Lanka, Indian 9415 KDR 250 129 1530-1700 FEBA Pashto/Dari/Hazaragi/Turkmen/Uzbek 7460 IRK 250 225 1400-1615 FEBA Malay/Indian (1500-1600 English) 7430 TAC 200 131 1500-1530 BBC Nepali 7420 PK 250 241 1000-1400 DW German // 17485 9900 7385 MOS 250 117 1700-1800 BBC Uzbek, /1730-1800(Sa.Su. Russian) 7380 SAM 250 284 1830-2200 Radio Maryja (Sep. 7-, 1500-2200 KDR) 7330 VLD 500 228 1100-1530 BBC Chinese 7320 SAM 250 285 2030-2127 CRI French 7305 IRK 250 152 2200-2245 Vatican Radio Chinese 7295 DB 100 270 0200-0300 RFE Turkmen 7260 KDR 500 104 1600-1630 RFI 7230 KDR 200 132 1800-1900 DW Persian 7210 IRK 250 125 1600-1700 RFA Korean 7150 IRK 250 152 2200-2300 VOA Chinese 6225 KDR 500 188 2000-2130 DW Arabic 6210 SAM 100 0 1610-1640 Vatican Radio Russian 6140 DB 100 264 1900-2000 Radio Fard Persian 6125 SAM 100 265 1700-2000 Radio Radonezh Russian ????? "???????" 6020 DB 200 180 1600-1630 RFI Persian 5860 DB 100 45 1400-1600 RFE Kyrgyz 5860 DB 100 264 1900-2100 Radio Farda Persian 5855 ERV 100 78 1610-1740 TWR-Europa, 1610 English, 1625(M-Th) Kazakh/(SaSu) Turkmen, 1640 Russian(M- Th)/ Kyrgiz(F-Su), 1655(SaSu) Uzbek, 1710(Su) Tajik 5835 KLG 200 270 2030-2125 RNW Dutch 4995 DB 100 45 1400-1600 RFE Kazakh 4760 DB 100 45 0100-0200, 1630-1700 RFE Tatar (Nagoya DX Circle, http://www2.starcat.ne.jp/%7Endxc/relay.htm via DXLD) Note: original has lots of hotlinx ** CONGO DR. 7435, 3.4 1820. Probably R. Lubumbashi with a native language here, but due to poor reception and no more substance than it sounded African, I hardly even will say it is tentative. QRK 1-2. RFK (Ronny Forslund, Sweden, SW Bulletin, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 6120.89, Radio Rebelde, Bauta. April 2003 - 0250 UT. Strong signal announcing FM "96.7". 0300 UT a program called "Ventana Rebelde". The day after I heard Rebelde on 6140.00 kHz (Björn Malm in Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin April 6, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Radio Havana Cuba will soon be celebrating its 42nd anniversary... And I am studying the possibility of organizing a contest for Dxers Unlimited's listeners... The contest will be a lot of fun, and as soon as I have the rules ready, you will be learning about it... The idea is to run the contest during the whole month of May, so that everyone participating may have a good chance to win one of the prizes !!! (Prof. Arnaldo Coro Antich, RHC DXers Unlimited April 5 via Bob Chandler, VE3SRE, ODXA via DXLD) ** ECUADOR. 2299.81H, HCGB5, La Voz de Riobamba, Riobamba. March 2003 - 1030 UT. It seems that most of the MW-stations in the town are emitting harmonics. ID "La Voz de Riobamba Antena Uno". Harmonic from 1150 kHz (2 x 1149.90). (Björn Malm in Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin April 6, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EL SALVADOR. It seems that R Imperial, El Salvador, can be received in old Europe, too. I could observe this station (presumed only) last night on 17835.4 kHz from 2140 to fade out at around 2210 UT. I heard salsa and rumba music, and a male announcer after 2200. The signal was very poor only, however with some peaks. No ID possible. Maybe that this station will come in with stronger signal during the European summer months, due to the propagation conditions on higher frequencies. bye (Michael Schnitzer, Germany, April 6, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. GERMANY 15275 Radio Fathiriu --- Tigrayan International Solidarity for Justice and Democracy (TISJD); 15670 Voice of Ethiopian Salvation/The Voice of Ethiopian Medhin via Juelich. Received a reply from Mr. Walter Brodowsky confirming my reports but he failed to indicate the two stations in question. Have sent a e-mail enquiry asking for further clarification. Reply in 72 days (Ed Kusalik, AB, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** FIJI. Fiji on Mediumwave - Part 3 in our mini-series on radio broadcasting in Fiji As was mentioned on a previous occasion, the first radio broadcast in Fiji came from a new 500 watt mediumwave transmitter manufactured by AWA at their factory near Sydney in Australia. This transmitter, designated as No. 1, was installed at the communication facility operated by AWA on the edge of Suva in Fiji. This new broadcasting service was inaugurated in March 1926. As a wartime exigency, this station also began a relay of American AFRS programming for the benefit of servicemen in the wide areas of the Pacific. The same programming was also carried in parallel by the shortwave outlet, VPD. Soon after the end of the Pacific War, work began on a new broadcasting facility in Suva, with a two storey building for the studios and offices, and a new transmitter base some eight miles out of town. The new studios were taken into service in 1954 and the old ZJV transmitter was re-installed in this new location for use as a second program channel in the capital city area. Callsigns were changed at this stage from the historic ZJV & VPD to the more familiar VRH, though callsign throughout the whole network were dropped in 1968. It took another ten years before the new mediumwave base at Naulu (nah-OO-loo) was ready for use, though ultimately several additional mediumwave transmitters were installed at this location. The regional shortwave service was closed in August 1972 and the two remaining shortwave transmitters were converted to mediumwave usage. The first country station was installed in Lautoka (lau-TOE-ka) in 1956 and this was a complete radio station with its own studios, offices and transmitter. These days, Radio Fiji operates eight mediumwave transmitters at five different locations in two networks for nationwide coverage. In addition, there are also several FM networks on the air as well. The QSL cards issued in Fiji over the years have always been prized very highly and the old cards verifying the reception of ZJV & VPD are these days valued historic items. If you should chance to hear Radio Fiji on mediumwave while on location nearby, a reception report will produce a colourful QSL card of an exotic island scene (Adrian Michael Peterson, AWR Wavescan April 6 via DXLD) ** FRANCE. 15605, 1701-, Radio France International, Apr 5. English to Africa with nice ID at 1701 and into world news. Good reception. (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. Radio Francia Internacional emite en español con destino a América Latina de acuerdo a este esquema, vigente desde el 30/03/2003 al 26/10/2003: HORA UTC KHZ 1000-1030 9830 1200-1230 15515, 17860 1800-1830 17630, 21645 2100-2130 17630, 21645 0100-0130 9800, 11665 Todas las emisiones via el transmisor situado en Montsinéry (Guyana Francesa). QTH: R. France Internationale, B.P. 9516, F-75016 Paris Cedex 16, Francia. E-mail: service.amerique.latine@r... [truncated] Web: http://www.rfi.fr (Marcelo A. Cornachioni, Argentina, Conexión Digital April 5 via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Noticed DW in English with a very good signal at 0540 April 6 on 11925 --- if I didn`t know better, I might think it was a North American service (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. From http://www.dxing.info/news/index.dx A bold attempt to get the German youth to return to the AM band has failed. Commercial Mega Radio, which was continuously expanding, inaugurating new transmitters and introducing short excerpts of local programming, has gone bankrupt. Reportedly this happened already on March 17, but programming on at least 576, 630, 693, 1431 and 1575 kHz continued until the afternoon of April 4. The station website as well as relays via Luxembourg on 1440 kHz were history already earlier. 1440 kHz is nowadays broadcasting RTL Radio in German (DXing.info, April 4, 2003 via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 9680, RRI Jakarta, 1259 April 7. Indo, TOH music, commonly referred to as "Song of the Coconut Isles", 1300 news by man, mention President Megawati. 1311 ID by woman, to continuing talk in Indonesian with several mentions of Indonesia. 1311 to man with talk, then back to woman. Fair signal; and in the clear (Dan Ziolkowski, Drake R8 using ERGO software, Alpha Delta Sloper, Franklin WI, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL. ADVENTIST WORLD RADIO Schedule for Transmission Period A03; March 30 - October 27 2003 Frequency Order kHz kW Unit Location Country Language Day UT --------------------------------------------------------------------- 1602 2.5 2XA Levin N Zealand English Mon 0900 - 0930 1602 2.5 2XA Levin N Zealand English Tue 2100 - 2130 3215 100 Sen1 Meyerton South Africa English Daily 0500 - 0530 3215 50 RN4 Talata Madagascar Malagasy Daily 0230 - 0330 3215 50 RN4 Talata Madagascar Malagasy Daily 1530 - 1630 3215 100 Sen1 Meyerton South Africa English Daily 1800 - 1830 3345 100 Sen3 Meyerton South Africa English Daily 0500 - 0530 3935 1 ZLXA Levin N Zealand English Mon 0900 - 0930 3935 1 ZLXA Levin N Zealand English Tue 2100 - 2130 7125 100 DTK1 Julich Germany Bulgarian Daily 0400 - 0500 7130 250 RS1 Rimavska Sobota Slovakia English Daily 1830 - 2000 7165 300 ROI2 Moosbrunn Austria German Daily 1500 - 1530 7230 300 ROI2 Moosbrunn Austria German Daily 0700 - 0730 9385 100 KSDA4 Agat Guam Filipino EE Daily 1700 - 1800 9600 250 Sen2 Meyerton South Africa Yoruba Daily 0500 - 0530 9610 250 AD2 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Hundi EE Daily 0000 - 0100 9620 250 Sen2 Meyerton South Africa English Daily 1800 - 1900 9645 250 Sen3 Meyerton South Africa French Daily 0430 - 0500 9670 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam Korean Daily 1200 - 1300 9720 250 AD3 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Hindi English Daily 0000 - 0100 9740 100 KSDA4 Agat Guam Korean Daily 2000 - 2100 9775 300 ROI2 Moosbrunn Austria English Daily 0730 - 0800 9820 500 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria English Urdu Daily 0200 - 0300 9955 50 WRMI Miami Florida English Sat 1130 - 1200 11560 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam EE Mandarin Daily 1000 - 1200 11560 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam EE Indian Daily 1600 - 1800 11705 100 KSDA1 Agat Guam Japan. Khmer Daily 1300 - 1400 11710 500 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Oro Daily 0300 - 0330 11750 199 KSDA1 Agat Guam English Daily 2000 - 2100 11770 100 KSDA1 Agat Guam Mand Burmese Dly 2300 - 0200 11850 100 KSDA1 Agat Guam JJ EE Indon. Daily 2100 - 2300 11875 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam Korean Daily 2000 - 2100 11880 100 DTK1 Julich Germany Italian Daily 0900 - 1000 11880 100 KSDA1 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 1400 - 1500 11890 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam Nepali Marathi Dly 1500 - 1600 11900 100 KSDA1 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 1200 - 1300 11930 100 KSDA1 Agat Guam EE Filipino Daily 1000 - 1100 11930 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam Burmese Daily 1400 - 1500 11975 100 KSDA1 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 1100 - 1200 11975 100 KSDA1 Agat Guam Indian. EE Daily 1500 - 1700 11980 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam Japanese EE Daily 2100 - 2200 11945 250 AD2 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Farsi Tigrinya Dly 0230 - 0330 11965 500 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Farsi Daily 0330 - 0400 11975 250 AD1 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Amharic Daily 0300 - 0330 11975 250 AD2 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Kisuahili Daily 0330 - 0400 11980 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam Japanese EE Daily 1200 - 1300 11980 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam English Daily 2000 - 2100 12015 250 AD1 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Somali Daily 0330 - 0400 12015 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Filipino EE Daily 1700 - 1800 12120 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 2200 - 0200 12130 250 Sen1 Meyerton South Africa African Daily 1700 - 1800 15105 250 Sen2 Meyerton South Africa English Daily 0530 - 0530 15130 250 Wof2 Wooferton England French Yoruba Dly 2000 - 2100 15130 500 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Dyula FF EE Daily 2000 - 2200 15150 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 1200 - 1300 15160 250 AD4 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Russian English Dly 0300 - 0330 15160 100 DTK1 Julich Germany Arabic French Dly 0600 - 0730 15175 100 DTK1 Julich Germany Arabic French Dly 1900 - 2030 15195 100 KSDA4 Agat Guam Punjabi Hindi Daily 1500 - 1600 15195 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 2100 - 2200 15215 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam English Daily 1600 - 1700 15215 100 KSDA4 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 2100 - 2400 15235 100 KSDA4 Agat Guam English Daily 1600 - 1700 15235 100 DTK1 Julich Germany Bulgarian Daily 1700 - 1800 15250 500 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Arabic Daily 0400 - 0500 15250 300 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Arabic Daily 0600 - 0700 15255 300 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Arabic Daily 1900 - 2000 15270 250 Wof1 Wooferton England African Daily 1900 - 2000 15275 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Bangla EE Daily 1300 - 1400 15320 250 AD3 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Bangla Daily 1300 - 1330 15320 250 AD2 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi English Urdu Daily 1330 - 1500 15330 500 ROI! Moosbrunn Austria Arabic Daily 0600 - 0700 15345 250 Sen1 Meyerton South Africa Ibo Hausa Daily 0530 - 0630 15360 100 DTK1 Julich Germany Romanian Daily 1630 - 1700 15370 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 0000 - 0200 15380 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Sinhala Karen Daily 1400 - 1500 15385 250 Wof1 Wooferton England English Daily 2000 - 2100 15435 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Indonesian Daily 1100 - 1200 15445 100 CBS1 Paochung Taiwan Vietnamese Sat 0100 - 0200 15445 100 CBS1 Paochung Taiwan Vietnamese Daily 2300 - 2400 15460 250 AD1 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi African Daily 1630 - 1800 15520 250 AD2 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Afar Oro Daily 1700 - 1800 15535 300 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Arabic Daily 1800 - 1900 15550 100 CBS1 Paochung Taiwan Vietnamese Daily 1400 - 1500 15575 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Indian Daily 1500 - 1600 15610 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 1000 - 1100 15615 100 KSDA4 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 1000 - 1500 15725 50 WRMI Miami Florida English Sun 1400 - 1430 15725 50 WRMI Miami Florida English Sun 2200 - 2230 15725 50 WRMI Miami Florida English Sat 2330 - 2400 17630 250 AD3 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Indian/English Dly 1400 - 1700 17635 100 KSDA4 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 0000 - 0200 17660 250 Wof2 Wooferton England Ibo Daily 1930 - 2000 17700 250 AD4 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Hindi Sinhala Daily 1400 - 1500 17700 250 AD2 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Nepali M'lam Daily 1500 - 1600 17735 300 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Arabic Daily 1700 - 1800 17740 250 AD4 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi English Russian Dly 1300 - 1400 17780 500 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Dyula FF EE Daily 0800 - 0930 17820 300 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Farsi Daily 1630 - 1700 17835 250 AD4 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Mandarin Daily 1100 - 1300 17865 250 AD3 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Tamil Daily 1330 - 1400 88.5 10 2XA Levin N Zealand English Mon 0900 - 0930 88.5 10 2XA Levin N Zealand English Tue 2100 - 2130 (Adrian Peterson, AWR via Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. Glenn: Re: Do "TinyURLs" or "Makeashorterlink" URLs disappear? From the TinyURL website, it appears that their abbreviated URLs won't disappear unless the service itself disappears: "Are you sick of posting URLs in emails only to have it break when sent causing the recipient to have to cut and paste it back together? Then you've come to the right place. By entering in a URL in the text field below, we will create a tiny URL that will not break in email postings and never expires." See http://tinyurl.com/ --- From the "Makeashorterlink" website: "How long are the shorter links going to last? "For as long as possible. Put it this way: as long as we are in charge of the database, the links will continue to work. If the time comes when we run out of money or interest in maintaining it, we shall make the database available to anyone who wants to take it on. We hesitate to say "forever", because that's a very long time indeed. But the links will remain usable for a long time." See http://www.makeashorterlink.com/about.php --- (Richard Cuff, Allentown, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. MIDDLE EAST TV ON BROADBAND If you have broadband, you can try a site in The Netherlands called The War Television Channels http://www.webcamsue.demon.nl/ It's a portal to all that's available online from the Middle East. It's very comprehensive, and includes the new Arabic-language channel Alalalam, which comes from Iran but can be received terrestrially in parts of Iraq. It has scrolling news in English at the bottom of the screen. Unfortunately the feed is only 50 Kbps, but it's quite viewable at the default screen size. BTW you can also watch Dutch TV via this site. They also have live Baghdad video streams, some with sound! (RN Media Network Blog April 7 via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS. It has been strongly rumoured in "Free Radio" circles that a brand new station is going to broadcast Love Peace and Good music Offshore. Plans are in an advanced stage to bring back a Free and Peace loving broadcaster off the European coastline, what with all this carnage and killing in the middle east we really need an alternative. Its theme tune is going to WAR by the recently departed Edwin Starr, a sort of tribute to him and a message to peace loving people in Europe. This new station will have a transmitter capable of delivering 100 kW on AM, and also broadcast on Short Wave as well. Due to the 2 grey areas involved in the Radio Bill 0f 1991, this latest venture will only be using 10 kW of RF initially, using a directional beam antenna, aiming its signal to a particular building in Westminster. The backers of this fantastic sensational station have came up with a really original name, they hope it will catch on and give certain people a little "titter" as another Mr Howard used to say. The new name for this poptastic renegade station RADIO SAD-AM on a frequency of 1440 kHz after 2100 gmt, through till whenever, the first record to be played will be Rock Lobster by the B-52s, followed by the Star Spangled banner by Jimi Hendrix, the third record to be aired is not finalised but it is thought that it could either be "The White Cliffs of Dover" by Vera Lynn or "I'm Backing Britain" by Bruce Forsyth, that's of course if it manages to play three songs before being silenced, sank or blown to bits (From The Caroline Community, Geoff Hutton via Mike Terry, April 5, DXLD) April 1? ** IRAN. MEDIA BEHAVIOUR 0600-1400 GMT, 7 APRIL 03 | Text of report by Monitoring research on 7 April The Voice and Vision Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran, or radio and television, maintains its anti-war stance, whereas the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reports gains by the Kurdish forces in the north or anti-Saddam rebellion in Baghdad. A number of pre-reform dailies have criticized the pro-Saddam stance of the Radio and TV. As an example, IRNA quoted a senior pro-reform MP, Elaheh Kula'i, accusing the conservative-controlled state television of backing Iraq in its coverage of the war. The 0930 gmt news bulletins of the radio and TV were dominated by news on anti-war demonstrations all over the world, including Iran. IRNA again reported uprising against Saddam's regime as US forces enter Baghdad. It said: "In the wake of the attack by the American ground forces on Baghdad, we have reports of sporadic armed conflict between the people of Baghdad and Iraqi military forces. An IRNA correspondent in Baghdad reported a few minutes ago that the citizens of Baghdad have rebelled against the Ba'th forces." Fars News Agency also reported on the rally outside British embassy, without permission of the Interior Ministry and added that only "dozens of demonstrators were chanting anti-British and anti-American slogans. They set fire to the British flag and demanded expulsion of the British diplomats and closure of the Tehran Embassy." A radio analyst commented on the talks between Russian and American analyst. A military analyst spoke on the future of war. He predicted fierce fighting in Baghdad. All the Iranian newspapers have updated their web sites. Many of them offer analysis about and criticize the ongoing war in Iraq. The conservative evening daily Kayhan, in its edition today, said: "the British embassy in Tehran has received a bomb threat". Watch is maintained and the next behaviour note will be issued at 2100 gmt. Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 7 Apr 03 (via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. NORWAY, 13800, 1641-, Radio International, Apr 5. Good reception with talk in presumed Farsi, with telephone quality audio. Interview of a male by a woman (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ. KUWAITI PAPER REPORTS IRAQ PLACING TRANSMITTERS IN HOLY SITES Iraq has placed television transmitters in the shrine of the Musa Kadhim (Seventh Imam of Shia Muslims) in Khadimayn, near Baghdad, IRNA reported on 27 March, quoting the Kuwaiti daily "Al-Ray al-Amm." The Kuwaiti paper claimed Baghdad is trying to provoke U.S. and U.K. forces to attack the shrine and thus enrage Iraq's Shia population. The report added that the transmitters allegedly placed in the shrine were made in Germany and imported via Syria. It is not clear from the report whether the transmitters in question were imported prior to the outbreak of the current conflict on 20 March. ("RFE/RL Newsline," 28 March via RFE/RL Media Matters April 7 via DXLD) ** IRAQ. Hi Glenn, Maybe Baghdad did switch to DST a few days late, but http://www.timeanddate.com/ says: Standard time zone: UTC/GMT +3 hours Daylight saving time-adjustment: +1 hour Current time zone offset: UTC/GMT +4 hours Daylight Saving Time DST started on Tuesday, April 1, 2003, at 3:00:00 AM local standard time DST ends on Wednesday, October 1, 2003, at 4:00:00 AM local daylight time. I tend to believe specialised sources rather than US commercial broadcasters :-) 73, (Andy Sennitt, Netherlands, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ [non]. Re. Czech newspaper report from March 26: ``Since the war started, RFE has been broadcasting to Iraq for 12 hours a day.`` In fact they are indeed broadcasting 12 hours a day, but only 10 hours to Iraq; the remaining two hours between 2000 and 2200 are still beamed to Europe for expatriates (19 and 35 degrees from Morocco): AB RFE RLIQ 0100 0300 JUL 01 12030 108 AB RFE RLIQ 0100 0600 MOR 10 9865 075 AB RFE RLIQ 0100 0600 KAV 03 9730 108 AB RFE RLIQ 0300 0400 JUL 01 11910 108 AB RFE RLIQ 0300 0400 ERV A 1314 999 AB RFE RLIQ 0400 0600 JUL 01 11930 108 AB RFE RLIQ 1400 1600 MOR 04 17740 075 AB RFE RLIQ 1400 1700 MOR 03 15170 075 AB RFE RLIQ 1400 1500 LAM 07 13755 104 AB RFE RLIQ 1400 1700 KAV 07 9825 104 AB RFE RLIQ 1400 1600 ERV A 1314 999 AB RFE RLIQ 1500 1900 LAM 03 11805 108 AB RFE RLIQ 1600 1700 KAV 09 17740 095 AB RFE RLIQ 1700 1900 KAV 05 17690 095 AB RFE RLIQ 1700 1800 JUL 02 9865 108 AB RFE RLIQ 1800 1900 JUL 02 9705 108 AB RFE RLIQ 2000 2200 MOR 02 11885 019 AB RFE RLIQ 2000 2200 MOR 09 9615 035 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, April 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ [and non]. Returned to Finland a few days ago from a two-week assignment in Qatar, reporting from CENTCOM briefings etc for YLE TV & Radio. Pretty busy all the time, so I barely had time to use a Sangean 909 which I bought just before departure. No new discoveries on the dial, BUT Camp as-Sayliyah proved to be the right place to find out more about Information Radio and Commando Solo: Where do the transmissions on different frequencies really come from? Where are the aircraft based? And how many are they? When and how were the transmissions extended - and how much of it was revealed in the Coalition press briefings? And the rest of the story. All you ever wanted to know about Information Radio Iraq in the article "US steps up propaganda war" at http://www.dxing.info/profiles/clandestine_information_iraq.dx 73 (Mika Makelainen, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: SHOCK AND AWE ON THE AIR --- US STEPS UP PROPAGANDA WAR By Mika Mäkeläinen, Camp as-Sayliyah, Qatar [see original for numerous illustrations!] http://www.dxing.info/profiles/clandestine_information_iraq.dx Surrender or die is the message beamed at the remaining Iraqi Republican Guard soldiers in trenches around Baghdad. Coalition propaganda is aired 24 hours a day over Information Radio, part of a sophisticated psychological warfare operation aimed at winning the war in Iraq with less fighting, less casualties - and more clever persuasion. This article is the most comprehensive report published so far on the technical aspects of the ongoing Iraqi mission of Information Radio. Information Radio, Radiyo al-Ma'ulumat ([blank]) in Arabic, is a US military Special Operations radio station broadcasting anti-Saddam Hussein messages, which are aimed at weakening his support among the Iraqi people and military. [Caption:] A systems operator and flight crewman mans his station on board a U.S. Air Force EC-130E aircraft during a Commando Solo mission in March 2003 (Photo by US Navy) Radio broadcasts are transmitted 24 hours a day from several transmitter sites in the air above Iraq, on the ground in Iraq and on naval vessels in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Until now, these transmitter locations have remained unknown. The programs however are well-known - or at least they should be - because that is the purpose of the mission. Each program normally lasts about an hour and contains an introduction, combinations of regional and Western music and an information message. A radio propaganda operation often precedes a war, and a war had indeed been planned for months. In December 2002, a hectic operation was underway 17 kilometers southwest from the Qatari capital Doha at Camp as-Sayliyah, which was being prepared to serve as the forward headquarters of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) in case of war against Iraq. However, a war had already begun - a war for the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people. [Caption:] A 193rd Special Operations Wing EC-130E Commando Solo is refueled by a 100th Air Expeditionary Wing KC-135 Stratotanker from the Royal Air Force (Photo by US Air Force) For some time, US Special Operations Forces had been operating in and around Iraq preparing the ground for military action. An important part of the work was Psychological Operations (PSYOP). Officially, the purpose of PSYOP is to induce or reinforce attitudes and behaviors favorable to US objectives by conducting planned operations to convey selected information to various audiences in Iraq to influence their emotions, motives, reasoning and ultimately, the behavior of organizations, groups and individuals in Iraq. In short, if the Iraqi military could be convinced that resistance would be futile, the war would become less messy and it would be over sooner than without any psychological warfare. From Doha Airport to the skies of Baghdad The most important field player in the PSYOP warfare is Commando Solo, the 193rd Special Operations Wing of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard. In November 2002 an EC-130 plane had been dispatched from its base at the Harrisburg International Airport in Middletown, Pennsylvania, to Qatar, to launch a radio propaganda operation against the regime of President Saddam Hussein. Qatar has gradually become the most important US ally in the Persian Gulf and a host of a number of new military bases. Still, Qatar is eager to play down its vital role in the war against Iraq in order to maintain good relations with other Arab countries. The US is cooperating by keeping a low profile. American soldiers are confined to their bases to avoid fueling anti-American sentiment in the country. The most important US airbase is located at Al Udeid, built to host up to 10,000 troops and 120 aircraft, but the Commando Solo operation is based at a much smaller Camp Snoopy, which is located at the Doha International Airport just southeast of downtown Doha. US troops were first deployed to Doha in 1996, although construction work for Camp Snoopy really got underway in 2000. The Commando Solo, other US special operations aircraft and transport aircraft are not hidden in shelters, but are sitting on the tarmac not far from the airport terminal, which is mostly used by Qatar Airways. The broadcasts became public in mid-December, when Pentagon announced the start of a new Commando Solo operation. On December 12, 2002, an EC-130 aircraft of the Air Force 193rd Special Operations Wing began flying near Iraq. According to the US Defense Department, initially the plane was not flying in the Iraqi airspace, not even in the no- fly zones. From the start this psychological warfare operation included not only radio broadcasts but also leaflet drops, which actually started already on October 2, 2002. Both the radio broadcasts and the leaflets have been prepared by the 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, which is where the Army Special Operations Command is also located. Leaflet drops increased steadily, reaching 37 million on April 4, 2003. In comparison, during the Gulf War of 1991, a total of over 29 million copies of 38 different leaflets were dropped. The first leaflets contained messages urging the Iraqi military not to fire at US and British aircraft patrolling the southern no-fly zone. Later, leaflets have been dropped on Iraqi military forces encouraging them to capitulate, to refrain from using weapons of mass destruction and to leave oil wells intact. Leaflets dropped over population centers have told Iraqi civilians that Coalition forces are targeting the military. The leaflets encouraged civilians to stay at home and to listen to Coalition radio broadcasts. [Caption:] Leaflets have been dropped to Iraq since mid-December 2002, detailing broadcast times and frequencies of Information Radio. US Central Command has published images of most of the leaflets. The English versions of the leaflets are available only to feed the appetite of the western media, while all leaflets actually dropped in Iraq have been in Arabic, which is the native tongue for the majority of the Iraqi people. Leaflets have been dropped using various platforms from fixed-wing aircraft dropping leaflet-bombs to UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters spreading the leaflets. The leaflets are not dropped by the Commando Solo aircraft, as often reported, but leaflets drops and radio broadcasts are separate operations. Thousands of wind-up radios have also been dropped to facilitate the reception of Coalition broadcasts. Five frequencies around the clock A key function of the leaflets has been to inform Iraqis of the frequencies used by Information Radio. From the start, Information Radio has been advertised to broadcast at 18.00 - 23.00 Iraq local time (equal to 1500-2000 UTC during the winter and 1400-1900 UTC from April 1, 2003) on five different frequencies, 693 and 756 kHz mediumwave, 9715 and 11292 kHz shortwave and 100.4 MHz FM. [Caption:] Another version of the leaflets dropped in Iraq (English translation) DXers and professional monitoring organizations were quick to spot broadcasts on 9715 kHz. The other shortwave frequency, 11292 kHz, was also monitored occasionally with a weak signal, while other frequencies have not been reported heard outside the Middle East. Although the reception of signals on the different frequencies varied greatly, it has been generally assumed that all transmissions have originated from several EC-130E and EC-130J Commando Solo aircraft deployed in the area. However, of a fleet of six aircraft, only one Commando Solo aircraft was being used at any given time, and it has broadcast on 693 kHz mediumwave, 9715 kHz shortwave and 100.4 MHz FM. The power on all of these three frequencies has been 10 kW. The aircraft used in the mission are rotated, but all have roughly the same transmitter facilities. In addition to the single Commando Solo aircraft, from the very start Information Radio has been transmitted also from other platforms. On the ground, HMMWV vehicles (High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle, HMMWV), also known as Humvees or Hummers, are used by other PSYOP units as platforms for mobile transmitters broadcasting Information Radio. Humvees are designed for use over all types of roads, in all weather conditions and are very effective in the most difficult terrain, making them ideal for conditions in Iraq. [Caption:] A Humvee drives out of a C-141B Starlifter (Photo by DoD). A SOMS-B unit can be transported also in one Hercules transport plane. In PSYOP, a system called SOMS-B (Special Operations Media System-B) has been used since 1997. SOMS-B is a combined radio and television broadcasting station packed in two Humvees and a trailer. SOMS-B units have been broadcasting Information Radio from the staging areas of US troops in Kuwait, and soon after the first coalition ground troops entered Iraq, these mobile transmitters have been broadcasting from Iraq. The exact number of SOMS-B units is not revealed, however, it is more than one. Since mid-December 2002, SOMS-Bs have been broadcasting on 756 kHz mediumwave and 11292 kHz shortwave, both frequencies operated at 1 kW of power and transmitting 24 hours a day. SOMS-B consists of two subsystems, a Mobile Radio Broadcast System (MRBS) and a mobile TV Broadcast System (MTBS), but only the radio system has been used in Iraq. The MTBS can transmit television- quality video using PAL, SECAM (used by Iraq) or NTSC standards. The MRBS would be capable of broadcasting also on FM, although so far FM has not been used. [Caption:] Commando Solo on assignment in the Gulf in March 2003 (Photo by US Navy) Both subsystems consist of a primary shelter Humvee, a cargo shelter Humvee and a trailer. The trailer carries a 33 kW generator, an environmental control unit, and a tent system called the Deployable Rapid Assembly Shelter (DRASH). "The coalition continues to push information to the Iraqi population, and at this point we've now pushed our ground-based communications capability further forward by moving a ground base into Iraq. Up until this point in time, it was in neighboring countries," said Brigadier General Vincent Brooks at a Central Command briefing on March 31, in an apparent reference to SOMS-B. However, according to information received by DXing.info, SOMS-B was actually deployed in Iraq already several days earlier. Other coalition countries engaged from February In mid-February 2003, Information Radio transmissions were extended. "We're currently broadcasting on five different radio frequencies 24 hours a day and have been doing so since the 17th of February," said Brigadier General Vincent Brooks in a Central Command press briefing on March 25. However, it was not the five frequencies nor the 24-hour transmissions that were new. What Brooks failed to mention is that for the first time Coalition partners were involved - and that the extended transmissions originated from ships. Broadcasts began from coalition naval vessels patrolling in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman in the northern Arabian Sea. One ship at a time, primarily performing maritime interdiction missions, has been relaying Information Radio programming using whatever transmitters have been available on the particular ships, says Major Peter Mitchell, US Marines Public Affairs official at Central Command forward headquarters in Qatar. [Caption:] A maritime interdiction operation on an Iranian cargo ship (Photo by US Navy). Currently the ships are broadcasting only on 9715 kHz shortwave. Transmitter power depends on the ship in question. Broadcasts begin at 23.00 Baghdad time - when Commando Solo heads back to its base - and end at 18.00 Baghdad time, when Commando Solo once again begins its five-hour broadcast. Together these platforms make 9715 kHz available for 24 hours a day. Ships from at least three Coalition countries (US, UK and Australia) are rotated so that each ship transmits a few days at a time, before handing over responsibility to another ship. In late March 3-4 ships were rotating, but since the beginning of the naval transmissions in February, a total of 6-10 ships have been involved in the broadcasts. Coalition partners have been reluctant to identify the ships in question to maintain operational security. As far as the United Kingdom is concerned, there are three frigates (HMS Chatham, HMS Marlborough and HMS Richmond) and three destroyers (HMS Liverpool, HMS Edinburgh and HMS York) which could be involved. HMS Chatham has previously been reported operating as a platform for broadcasts to Iraq. Commando Solo efforts doubled in March Airborne broadcasts were doubled a few days after the war began. Interestingly, this move was never mentioned in the Central Command press briefings, although for instance the leaflet count has been updated repeatedly. One reason behind keeping a low profile could be that news about a second aircraft would have underlined just how small the Commando Solo resources initially were. The number of Commando Solo aircraft involved in Iraq has never been published in briefings or press releases by the Pentagon and CENTCOM. Around March 25, a second Commando Solo unit began support missions from the Doha Airport. This aircraft transmits on 693 kHz mediumwave, on 4500 kHz shortwave and on 101.4 MHz FM. The broadcast schedule is from 18.00 to 23.00 Baghdad time. Leaflets including the new frequencies have not yet been published, but they exist and have already been dropped in the Northern and Western parts of Iraq, which is where the new Commando Solo operates. According to Mitchell, the second unit is temporary. "This won't be a permanent arrangement. For security reasons, I can't tell you how long two aircraft intend to operate in the Iraqi theater," he says. Officially, 683 kHz has been given as the mediumwave frequency for the second unit, and 690 kHz for the first, but as these split frequencies have never been reported heard by any DXer nor professional monitoring organization, both are likely typos. Only the crew members of Commando Solo would know the truth, but they were unavailable for comment. [Caption:] A member of 193rd Special Operations Wing (SOW) prepares his EC-130E aircraft for take off at the Doha Airport in March 2003. (Photo by US Navy) "My understanding is that we're getting the Iraqis close enough to the actual frequency that they're easily picking up the signal. I'm unaware of the specifics of what hobbyists are reporting. I do know that we have ample evidence that the signal is being received and that Iraqis are tuning in," Mitchell says. The different platforms are operated independently by different PSYOP units, but all share the same programming material. Although they have been observed with different program feeds, this is not an indication of different content, but is only due to different timing of specific programs, Mitchell explains. By late March, Commando Solo aircraft were able to fly not only in Southern Iraq, but practically all over the country. However, despite the improved output and reach, some have expressed doubts about the effect of these transmissions. Iraqi resistance has been tougher than expected and much fewer troops have surrendered than anticipated before the war. While the true impact of Information Radio will not be revealed before the war is over, officials at CENTCOM are confident that PSYOP is working well. [Caption:] A member of 193rd Special Operations Wing (SOW) prepares his EC-130E aircraft for take off at the Doha Airport in March 2003. (Photo by US Navy) "Listenership is currently determined using intelligence sources. Accordingly, I cannot reveal what we believe the listenership to be until such time that Iraq is secure and we can do actual polling after the fact," says Major Peter Mitchell. At least the Iraqi leadership has reacted to the broadcasts. Before the war began, President Saddam Hussein himself sought to ridicule the operation by making fun of leaflets as weapons. In an interview with US Central Command, Air Force Lt. Col. "Mike," a Commando Solo II detachment commander, said that "We call ourselves weapons of mass persuasion". When the war had lasted for two weeks, evidence was mounting that these weapons of mass persuasion have resulted if not in mass surrenders, at least in mass desertions. Not all of this has been achieved by only leaflets and radio broadcasts combined with traditional warfare; PSYOP tools also include email campaigns, telephone calls, messengers and TV transmissions, which were begun by Commando Solo in late March. This was announced by Brigadier General Vincent Brooks on March 28. PSYOP units also use loudspeakers to reach enemy troops up to a distance of nearly 2 kilometers. Finally, there are also weapons of mass persuasion which the Coalition does not admit having. Several clandestine radio operations such as Voice of Iraqi Liberation, discovered by DXing.info, and Radio Tikrit (see article: Monitoring Iraq: War of the Airwaves) broadcast practically the same message as Information Radio, but are presumably run by the US intelligence community. All together, the US has launched the broadest and the most sophisticated psychological warfare operation in modern history to oust Saddam Hussein. (Mika Mäkeläinen, Finland, ex-Qatar, DXing.info April 5 via DXLD) Of the frequencies mentioned, 11292 kHz looks like an interesting choice. A quick search on the Internet revealed that this frequency has in the past been used by Radio Iraq International - as well as by a so-called spy station broadcasting in Arabic, // 6645 or 6647 kHz. Anyone hearing the station on 11292 or other frequencies? (Mika Mäkeläinen, Finland, DXing.info April 6 via DXLD) Some news on the leaflet front. Quite a few leaflet sets have been published, but not the one listing the most recent Commando Solo frequencies (4500 & 101.4). Here's the most recent one (in English) on the CENTCOM website related to Commando Solo [illustration]: Interestingly, only 9715 kHz is said to broadcast 24 hrs a day, although SOMS-B had been 24 hrs a day much earlier, from the start of Information Radio, on two other frequencies. Not exactly broadcast news, but this could also be of interest. If you hear something on 5102 kHz or 31.2260 MHz, it may be an Iraqi officer trying to get in touch with the US military. Iraqi forces willing to surrender to the Coalition have been told to use these frequencies to inform the Coalition about their intentions. Iraqi officers have been told to tell their name, location, unit size and combat vehicles. The frequencies and other contact information were given in a recent set of leaflets available at http://www.centcom.mil/galleries/leaflets/images/izd-8104.jpg (Mika Mäkeläinen, Finland, DXing.info April 7 via DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. As of today, beware of Radio Tashkent now on Information Radio's 9715 kHz, with Arabic at 1700-1730 & 1900-1930. From looking at Tashkent's previous summer schedules, I would expect them to be 9715 kHz 1200-1930 UTC. Regards, (Dave Kernick, UK, March 30, delayed until April 6 via hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** IRAQ. Republic of Iraq Radio Main Service was heard only with very poor/indistinct reception on 909 kHz over the 24-hour reporting period. It was untraced between 2200 5 April and 0628 6 April. [later:] The official main radio station, Republic of Iraq Radio Main Service, has not been heard on the mediumwave frequency of 909 kHz since 1955 gmt on 6 April by BBC Monitoring. The radio has not been heard by BBC Monitoring on any other known frequencies. Associated Press reported at 1027 gmt on 7 April that Iraqi domestic radio had been on the air. Other sources: No other Iraqi state radio, TV or Internet publications can be traced. Source: BBC Monitoring research in Arabic 7 Apr 03 1100 gmt (via DXLD) ** IRAQ. Re Good Morning Iraq 31 March: You can hear the BBC Radio 4 feature on Radio Nahrain (4 mins) if you go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listen/listen.shtml and use the "Search the Sound Archive" feature - put "Radio Nahrain" (without the quote marks) as the keywords, and "Good Morning Iraq" will come up in the search results as the eighth item in the list. Regards, (Dave Kernick, April 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Direct link is http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/radio4/today/listen/audiosearch.pl?ProgID=1049094547 but it cuts off before it is quite finished; anyway, some nice airchex (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ [non]. PICTURE BULLETIN OF VOICE OF THE LIBERATION OF IRAQ 1730 GMT 5 APR 03 | Text of report by Iraq-targeted Voice of the Liberation of Iraq on 5 April 1. Announcer: Huna Sawt Tahrir Al-Iraq - This is the voice of liberation of Iraq; voice of democracy, equality and liberation; voice of peace, tolerance and co-existence; voice of civil society; voice of various ethnic groups, religions and doctrines in Iraq. The newscaster introduces station, time and frequency of broadcast. 2. Music. 3. Announcer addresses Iraqis to tell them that at a time when Uday is hiding underground, his criminal cronies attack coalition forces through the cover of displaying white flags, surrender. The coalition forces are fighting to liberate you from Saddam's bloodthirsty regime. Saddam's supporters have no morale. They abducted Iraqi women. He says Iraqis are aware of these people's crimes. He urges Iraqis not to fight the forces which came to liberate them from Saddam's tyranny. He says the country will be liberated from the crimes of this barbaric man and Iraqis will live free in future Iraq. Then he announces: Voice of the Liberation of Iraq. 4. Music. 5. Spokesman for coalition forces Vincent Brooks says mosques are sacred sites and must not be used for military and objectives. This was an answer to a question on the dictatorial regime's forces hiding inside these sacred Shi'i sites in Al-Najaf to use them as military positions to attack coalition forces. Brooks says only evil forces can engage in such tactics; he says coalition forces will not respond to fire by supporters of the dictatorial regime hiding inside mosques and other religious sites. Voice of the Liberation of Iraq. 6. Saddam loses control over Iraqi people and time has come to liberate Iraqi people. The duty of coalition forces is to topple Saddam's regime and liberate Iraq. Voice of the Liberation of Iraq. 7. Music. 8. Indistinct 9. Iraqi television broadcast statement urges Iraqis to fight coalition forces; coaches of Iraqi soldiers heading to airport in southwest Baghdad; US sends reinforcements to secure airport and changed its name from Saddam International Airport to Baghdad International Airport. 10. Pentagon expresses astonishment about Saddam Husayn's call to Muslims for jihad against coalition forces despite his history on killing thousands of Muslims. 11. US forces say they found thousands of boxes containing unknown substances. 12. US State Department's official says US offered 4m dollars to Iraqi National Congress in order to be able to continue its TV programmes directed to Iraq. 13. US president to head for Northern Ireland next week to hold talks with British prime minister; US president's national security adviser rejects any important role for UN in post-war of Iraq. 14. US Central Command officials say Nida unit of the Republican Army suffered big losses. 15. Music. 16. Appeal: Dictator Saddam has exposed Iraqi people to danger and he producing weapons of mass destruction which he hid in urban areas, sites of worship and schools. This is another attempt to hide his illegal weapons from UN inspectors and from those who work to disarm the dictator and to provide a secure life to the Iraqi people. These attempts expose the Iraqi people to serious dangers and bring destruction and chronic diseases to Iraq and neighbouring countries. The coalition forces are aware of Saddam's coward strategy and will not stop the process of disarmament. Iraqi people, you need to move to guarantee your security, that of your families and the security of your neighbours and to inform members of the coalition forces of any suspicious activity or any information on these weapons. The coalition forces want to eliminate this danger from Iraq. So, move now and rescue Iraq. Voice of the Liberation of Iraq. 17. Receiving Iraqi opposition figures, British prime minister says US-British forces to live Iraq as soon as possible and there will be a transitional authority led by Iraqis. 18. Music. 18. Another appeal on Saddam's invasion of Kuwait, his burning of Kuwaiti oil wells and their effect on environment and health risks; Saddam destroyed Iraq and his people. 19. Music. Source: Voice of the Liberation of Iraq, in Arabic 1730 gmt 5 Apr 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) 24 hours later, the next report showed a lot more music ** IRAQ [and non]. Says Iraq's Youth Radio was model for Information Radio content, says Info Radio is coming from Navy ships http://www.msnbc.com/news/891134.asp?0cv=KB20 Personal story of woman serving with British PSYOPS unit- http://www.caithness-courier.co.uk/news.asp?storyvar=3362 US passing out shortwave radio at checkpoints telling people to tune to VOA http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/6497567p-7441482c.html Item including bit of British station in Basra http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/095/nation/British_say_they_ll_stay_as_long_as_it_takes+.shtml More on the station: http://msnbc.com/news/895580.asp?cp1=1 Wash Post article mentioning that CIA set up clandestine radio stations against Saddam http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24073-2003Apr3.html (via Hans Johnson, April 6, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** IRAQ. SHARING WITH SPECIAL FORCES: Yesterday the Monitor's Cameron Barr stumbled across some US Special Forces soldiers in northern Iraq. As the story he contributed to notes (see story), they didn't have much to do. "They were pretty laid back," Cameron says, "and they were as eager - in a low-key, Special Forces sort of way - for information from us as we were for details about them. I have to say, they got the better end of the deal. They didn't tell us a thing, but we briefed them about world opinion on the war, the results of a recent US-Kurdish operation against Islamist militants, and other less weighty topics. They were so starved for information that I asked if they had a shortwave radio. The guy who appeared to be the commander said he had one but couldn't raise any English news. So I gave him some BBC frequencies." (From Christian Science Monitor April 2nd via Hans Johnson, April 6, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** IRAQ. From a much longer story, THE FIGHT YET TO COME about plans to administer Iraq; Reilly, of course, served only recently as VOA Director, but didn`t get along with the staff: (gh) The man entrusted to broadcast the new order to Iraqis over television and radio airwaves will be Robert Reilly, who, as head of Voice of America, relayed information to the communist bloc during the Cold War. [sic] The Observer has also learnt the identity of the person who will be the new viceroy of Baghdad: Barbara Bodine, former ambassador to Yemen, known for a mixture of her expertise in the region and fervent hostility to a politically organised Muslim world. Baghdad will be one of three administrative areas, the others being territory around Mosul in the North and Basra in the South 'the same provinces with which the Turkish Ottomans ruled what is now Iraq for four centuries'. http://www.observer.co.uk/focus/story/0,6903,930591,00.html (via Jilly Dybka, TN, April 7, DXLD) ** IRAQ [and non]. See also PROPAGATION at end of this issue; and RECEIVER NEWS ** ITALY. RAI 2 is back on 846 kHz. Heard on 7 APR at 1700 UT (Karel Honzik, the Czech Republic (Czechia), AOR AR-7030 30 m Long Wire, hard-core-dx via DXLD) That was a major outlet put off for `electrosmog` problems (gh, DXLD) ** JORDAN. 11690, 1611-, Radio Jordan, Apr 5. English news about Iraq, and then about North Korea. Fair to good reception only, but at least they're in English. 1613 prolonged music bridge, and repeat of news headlines (about Iraq), weather forecast. TC for 15 past 7. Then ID for 'Radio Jordan 9? FM' (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Is English now ending at 1630 as usual during DST? (gh, DXLD) ** KAZAKHSTAN [non]. LITHUANIA (NOT) 9925, 1637-, Radio Dat, Apr 5. I've been checking for them, and have heard nothing for quite some time. Their website http://www.datradio.com has not been updated either, and the RA link is down. Anyone have any information on what happened? Also I think Lithuania has leased out its transmitter to others at this time (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. Today's Washington Post has an interesting story on monitoring broadcasts from North Korea as part of the search for insights into the workings of the Pyongyang regime. See http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37436-2003Apr5.html (Matt Francis, DC, April 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: STRAINING FOR THE REAL MESSAGE IN NORTH KOREAN BROADCASTS Monitors Weigh Pyongyang's Rhetoric to 'Filter Out the Facts' By Doug Struck, Washington Post Foreign Service Sunday, April 6, 2003; Page A19 SEOUL -- North Korea says peninsula on verge of nuclear war. . . . North Korea calls Bush "war monger." . . . North Korea threatens to make Seoul a "Sea of Fire." It's all in a day's work for Kim Tae Won. He listens in his headphones patiently, all day, to North Korea's propaganda broadcasts, sorting through the bluster for clues of real danger in the crisis over nuclear weapons. Kim works at one of a scattering of listening posts around the region – in his case, at the South Korean Ministry of Unification -- that constantly monitor North Korea's radio and television stations to watch for provocative moves during the Iraq war. The rhetoric has become more heated since last fall because of tensions over North Korea's nuclear ambitions. Many analysts anticipated that the communist state, worried that it is next on the Bush administration's list for preemptive wars, would crank things up once the war in Iraq began. But so far, the airwaves have been relatively calm. The North Korean government has reported on the Iraq war with only a light peppering of editorial flavoring, even using some borrowed American television footage. It has not announced that it plans to restart a plutonium reprocessing plant or test a ballistic missile, the steps that Washington and other governments most fear. For the radio monitors, dramatic announcements are only part of their job. Much of what they do, day in and day out, is try to figure out from routine transmissions just what the reclusive government is trying to tell the world. They weigh the rhetoric, ponder the subtleties, and watch for new names or missing ones to determine changes in the regime's lineup. "It's psychological warfare," said Kang Seok Seung, who helps analyze the information Kim plucks from the broadcasts. "We have to filter out the facts." North Korea largely shuns avenues of normal communication with the outside world. The few foreign diplomats who live in Pyongyang say they get few meaningful messages from the government. There is no independent press inside the country, and the occasional foreign reporters allowed in rarely see anyone important in the government. So the official North Korean radio, television and press outlets become the main voice of the government. Listening for the message is like straining to hear a whisper amid shouts, say monitors like Kim, who has been doing the work for 26 years. The propaganda outlets boil with invective and threats. Some recent samples: "The whole Korean nation will not escape nuclear holocaust," North Korea warns. The "plot hatched" by the United States will "spark a nuclear crisis." A U.S. military exercise is moving "murderous equipment" and "entering a stage of real war." America is "escalating the danger of armed clashes." But even among the florid verbiage, there are useful signals. For example, the monitors pay attention to how foreign leaders such as President Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi are mentioned. Koizumi, for example, lately is "Japan's leader Koizumi." In Korean usage, that is lukewarm courtesy, a step down from the more respectful "Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi" he got after a historic summit in Pyongyang in September. Analysts see that as a sign North Korea doesn't want to insult Koizumi too badly and still wants to keep options open for improved relations with Japan. Personal slanders against the South Korean president have disappeared since the North-South Korean summit in June 2000. Bush, by contrast, gets spitting-mad treatment. He is "warmonger Bush, imperialist Bush," or "that crazy Bush who likes war." It is turnabout for the scorn the Bush administration has heaped on North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, whom Bush admits he "loathes." The monitors pay attention to who says what and when on the propaganda channels. Criticism that simply quotes foreign sources gets the least attention. Statements from a Foreign Ministry spokesman are given sharp attention, as are the editorials in the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper. The U.S. and North Korean governments both are adept in the language of signals. According to a knowledgeable U.S. source, the Bush administration recently sent indirect word to North Korea suggesting it make a gesture by broadcasting a formal statement of appreciation for 40,000 tons of food aid donated by the United States. The North Korean government took a grudging half-step: It announced the food aid in a two-sentence item on its broadcast -- without any public thanks -- and sent word through private channels that it appreciated the food. The U.S. Embassy in Seoul monitors the broadcasts around the clock, as do other governments. Several ministries in South Korea -- the ministries of unification, defense and information, and even the police -- do similar monitoring. Ironically, what they do is illegal for private citizens in South Korea. Despite budding democracy here, listening to North Korean radio still is a violation of the National Security Law. The ministries and media companies, like the South Korean wire service Yonhap, have to have special permission. "We listen for North Korea's demands and conditions on their political agenda," said Kang Jin Wook, a monitor and reporter at Yonhap. Monitors say they know those on the speaking end of the microphone mean what they say, according to Tadahiro Motomura, vice president of Radiopress Inc., a company that is an outgrowth of the radio room in Japan's Foreign Ministry that listened to foreign broadcasts for Japanese intelligence during World War II. "As far as we know, there is no live broadcast in North Korea. Everything is prerecorded and checked," he said. "I've never heard a North Korean commentator make a mistake. There's an old story that a broadcaster once made a mistake. He was never heard from again." (via Hans Johnson, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN. 4085, Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan, Salah al-Din near Mosul, Iraq. While the Kurdistan Democratic Front is approaching Mosul supported by U.S. Special Forces, I heard for the first time a message in English via this clandestine. On Apr 05 at 2000-2022 there was as usual a long proclamation against Saddam Hussein in Arabic. This was followed by military band music and an eight minutes long, but badly modulated message in U.S. English about the Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, instructions to Iraqis on how to safeguard themselves and not provoke fatal incidents at Coalition checkpoints, and requirement that prisoners of war should be treated according to the Geneva Conventions. After Kurdish music the station signed off 2033. 44443. Best 73, (Anker Petersen, Denmark, April 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, 20 to 25 minutes past the hours is the favourite time for English there (gh, DXLD) ** KUWAIT. BRITISH RADIO DJ A FAVORITE WITH BAGHDAD-BOUND April 6, 2003 BY SARAH DONALDSON On the outskirts of a vast American army camp near Kuwait City sits a metal cabin that houses a makeshift radio station. Every day, its small staff transmits a morale-nourishing mixture of familiar pop music, news, sports and dedication messages to thousands of soldiers currently deployed in the Gulf. One disc jockey -- breakfast show host Jonathan Bennett -- is gaining a cult following among the camp's GIs. Often, soldiers will knock on the studio door and thank him for playing a song which, for a moment, transported them away from the heat and the sand and back to the familiar comforts of home--perhaps Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run,'' or something by Garth Brooks. But Bennett is no fast-talking, ''Good Morning Vietnam''-style U.S. army jock. He's a 47-year-old Brit from a London suburb. Bennett is in Kuwait to run BFBS Middle East, a temporary branch of the British Forces Broadcasting Service's international radio network. He has worked for BFBS for 21 years, including a stint in Kuwait during the last Gulf conflict, but he's finding this war "the most difficult job" of his life. His audience is more wide-ranging than ever, partly due to an American "policy change", which means they have not set up a Gulf radio station as they did in 1991. This has led to many U.S. troops tuning into British radio rather than the American service, which is broadcast from outside the region. Secondly, improvements in mobile transmission technology mean that Bennett and his colleagues are broadcasting right to the front line. "The guys can actually tune in while they are fighting if they want," says Bennett. "We've got transmitters further forward than any other time since the Second World War. When I go on the breakfast show in the morning, I'm talking to guys who are resting having come off the front line." Bennett says that at first he didn't know whether to be laid-back or serious. "But, in the end, you just read dedications as straight and as sincerely as possible and have as much of a laugh as you can to take their minds of it." Popular song requests include The Animals' 1965 hit "We Gotta Get Out of this Place" and Thin Lizzy's 1976 rocker, "The Boys are Back in Town.'' Last week, an armored unit in the Iraqi desert mocked a battalion further away from the action with D:Ream's 1993 "Things Can Only Get Better.'' Bennett has no doubt that the music he plays provides a vital emotional outlet for the troops. "As the guys at the front line will tell you, war is nine parts waiting, one part fighting. While they're waiting, the radio can take their minds off things." Daily Telegraph http://www.suntimes.com/output/iraq/cst-nws-radio06.html 73 (via Kim Elliott, Jilly Dybka, Mike Terry, DXLD) Yes, that does raise a troublesome question: why isnt`t AFRTS active on the ground over there with local if temporary outlets?? (gh, DXLD) 'AFN MUSIC WAS LIKE A DRUG FOR US' Six decades of U.S. military radio have left a lasting impact on countries where it has been broadcast --- By Jeremy Herron http://makeashorterlink.com/?E25112B14 (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** LESOTHO. 4800, R. Lesotho, 0358-0455 03/30. Vernacular. Booming signal at tunein with Afropops. IS (wind-instruments tones, Balafon?) at 0403, OM with drop in audio reading news until 0409. Lite music, then different OM at 0413, audio back up to prior level, with "animated, rising /falling" talks (religious?) with breaks for choral-style and lite Afropop music. Phone-in program at 0430 with breaks for more choral/lite music. Signal gradually faded under QRN until unusable at 0455 (Scott Barbour, Jr., NH, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** MALAYSIA. RTM, VOICE OF MALAYSIA AND VOICE OF ISLAM - NEW SCHEDULES FOR A03 4845 24-hrs RTM Kajang Tamil domestic 4895 2200-0100 RTM Kuching domestic 4895 0800-1500 RTM Kuching domestic 5030 2200-0000 RTM Kuching domestic 5030 1000-1500 RTM Kuching domestic 5965 24-hrs RTM Kajang Malay domestic 5980 2200-1500 RTM Kotakinabalu domestic 6025 0200-1400 RTM Kajang domestic Malay and dialects domestic 6025 1400-1700 VOI Kajang Malay As 6050 2200-1500 RTM Sibu domestic 6060 0400-1500 RTM Miri domestic 6100 1300-1530 VOM Kajang Thai, Burmese As 6175 0300-0700 VOI Kajang English Indonesia 6175 0700-0830 VOM Kajang English Indonesia 6175 0900-1400 VOM Kajang Indonesian 6175 1700-1900 VOM Kajang Indonesian 7130 0400-0600 RTM Kuching domestic 7270 0800-1500 RTM Kuching domestic 7295 24-hrs RTM Kajang English domestic 9750 0300-0700 VOI Kajang English As 9750 0700-0830 VOM Kajang English As 9750 0900-1400 VOM Kajang Indonesian 9750 1700-1900 VOM Kajang Malay 11885 1030-1230 VOM Kajang Mandarin 15295 0300-0700 VOI Kajang English Au NZ 15295 0700-0830 VOM Kajang English Au NZ 15295 1530-1900 VOM Kajang Arabic ME Footnotes: 1. 9665 is registered with the ITU with 250 kW from Kajang 0300-1230 to Au and NZ, as an alternative frequency to 15295 2. Operating times and days for domestic services from Kuching, Sibu and Miri are variable 3. Voice of Islam English is listed 0300-0600 but may be extended to 0700 on some days 4. Kuching 4895 and 5030 are subject to constant disruption due to technical problems and may be discontinued (EDXP World Broadcast Magazine March 30, http://edxp.org used by permission, via DXLD) ** MEXICO [non]. FORM 1090: So now So Cal has yet one more Sports station, XEPRS/1090, which is targeting the San Diego market specifically. So what? -- Except, it sure was good to hear the voice of an old friend, Wolfman Jack, during that first weekend leading up to their recent debut. 1090 ran a tape loop that weekend, mostly of Sports actualities, et al, but they did give a nod to the heritage of the frequency, and it's most listened to resident, the Wolf...who held court each weeknight at 10PM (right after Reverend Ike) on what was then XERB/1090, circa 1965-1971. Of course, some of us remember hearing the wolf prior to the 1090 engagement, on XERF/1570, out of Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila. Next time you find yourself there, jump across the Rio Grande to Del Río, Texas, and check out the new Museum dedicated to the memory of Wolfman Jack (source? via Greg Hardison, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** MEXICO [non]. Update of a report I sent to http://www.radiolondon.co.uk a few months ago: In 1999, Howie Castle took Webmasters Chris and Mary across the Mexican border from California, to pay homage to the original site where Wolfman Jack had once broadcast from XERB. Now a shopping plaza, the former XERB site contains a 'mini-mast' (left) (see web site) and a plaque commemorating the Wolfman and the station. Now the Texan town of Del Rio "The Best of the Border - where Old Mexico meets the New West" - is to erect a statue to honour the Wolfman, one of America's best-loved DJs, who died in 1995.The howling hero's rock 'n' roll radio career was launched via the Mexican 'border-blaster' stations. Locals have already had the chance to preview a miniature version of the statue, by sculptor Michael Maiden, which was unveiled during a recent music festival held in honour of the Wolfman. The full-sized sculpture will be unveiled on October 31st - a date known appropriately in the US as 'howl-lowe'en'. Wolfman Jack website here: http://www.wolfmanjack.com/ Del Rio Chamber of Commerce site here: http://www.wolfmanjack.com/ (Mike Terry, April 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Informándoles que en el mes pasado, XHMVS 102.5 Best FM, es la primera estación en la ciudad de México en transmitir una señal RDS (Radio Data System). El texto que envía es "BEST FM". Saludos (Héctor García Bojorge, DF, April 5, Conexión Digital via DXLD) {There ought to be a law requiring Spanish RDS in Mexico!} ** MOROCCO. This morning (at 0428) heard Radio Morocco with excellent signal on 11920 kHz. News on the half-hour, followed by an interesting ID at 0435: "Idhaat ul-mamlyakat il-Maghribiya min Tanjer". Strange, it used to go from Rabat, the capital. Is it a local studio relayed on the waves of country's external service? Does anybody know whether other domestic programs (Casablanca, Marrakech, etc.) can be heard in SW? WRTH says nothing about it. 73, (Dmitry Mezin, Kazan, Russia, April 6, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** PALAU [and non]. The High Adventure Ministries website lists the following stations on their network: - "A transmission site in Germany" (i.e. Juelich) for Europe, Middle East, Asia - "A shortwave facility just north of Los Angeles, California" (i.e. KVOH) - An FM station in Liberia (Monrovia) - "We are currently building a new transmission site in Northern Nigeria where we will broadcast FM, AM and shortwave, eventually reaching most of the continent of Africa." No mention at all of Palau. Does anybody know something about the current status of The Station Formerly Known as KHBN (now something T88..) apart from being used for Radio Free Asia? They once sent me a nice QSL with a nice stamp, it would be nice if there still were some service. 73, -- (Eike Bierwirth, 04317 Leipzig, DL, hard-core-dx via DXLD) Well, this appears in the current client listing of George Jacobs, http://www.gjainc.com --- 9955.0 KHBN PALAU 0800-1700 S ASIA 50.0 280 9955.0 KHBN PALAU 2200-2400 SE ASIA 50.0 280 9965.0 KHBN PALAU 0700-1700 CHINA 80.0 318 9965.0 KHBN PALAU 2200-2400 CHINA 80.0 318 9985.0 KHBN PALAU 0700-1600 KOR/JAP 50.0 345 9985.0 KHBN PALAU 2100-2400 KOR/JAP 50.0 345 12160.0 KHBN PALAU 1000-1600 S ASIA 50.0 270 13840.0 KHBN PALAU 1100-1600 S ASIA 50.0 270 15725.0 KHBN PALAU 0700-1100 S ASIA 50.0 270 KHBN is licensed by the Govt. of Palau as T8BZ The question is whether any or all of the above refers to non-RFA programming, as I suspect it does. HA`s Nigerian plans are long ago abandoned, replaced by a joint venture with WJIE in Liberia, supposedly testing that ex-Lebanon transmitter already on 11515. Has anyone heard it? (Glenn Hauser, April 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 5728.43 --- see UNIDENTIFIED ** PERU. 3329.66, Ondas del Huallaga, 0950 with music interrupted by om ID and CHU making its presence felt. 4790, Radio Atlántida, 1102 hyper announcer, exotic music, ID 1105 4750.10, Radio San Francisco, Solana 1020 several ID's Icom R75, NRD 535D modified, Scotka Noise Reducing Antenna Mosquito ~ News http://uk.geocities.com/dxsf/ Mosquito ~ Radio http://uk.geocities.com/dxsf/1959S38.html (R L C Wilkner, FL, April 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CONTINUED as DXLD 3-060! ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-059, April 7, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.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 HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3d.html HTML version of late March issues: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3c.html HTML version of early February issues: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3b.html For restrixions and searchable 2003 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn NEXT AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1176: RFPI: Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0700, 1300 on 7445 [subject to pre-emption] WJIE: Tue 0600, M-F 1200 on 7490 [maybe] WWCR: Wed 0930 9475 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1176.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1176.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1176h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1176h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1176.html WORLD OF RADIO, CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL SCHEDULES UPDATED FOR A-03, DST SEASON: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html WOR/COM/MR/RADIO ENLACE MASTER TIME SCHEDULE FOR A-03: http://www.worldofradio.com/wormast.html ** AUSTRALIA. While not shortwave broadcasting, those of you who have heard the School of the Air on HF/SW may be interested to note they are moving to an internet-type service, and as such will no longer be using HF radio. I'm not sure when the last HF transmission will be, it was Friday 4 April or will be the following Friday (Jeffrey Burford, Port Augusta, Sangean ATS 909, April 5, EDXP via DXLD) It is interesting to read that the School of the Air is or has left shortwave for the internet, I used to listen to this on and off especially before I started working back in the 1970's, used to pick up Broken Hill, Bourke as well as up into Queensland and the Northern Territory, it was most interesting, the last time I listened was last year while on holidays when I listened to Charters Towers in QLD. I guess it means another end of an era and another nail in the coffin for us shortwave listeners. Best wishes to all! (Michael Stevenson, EDXP via DXLD) WTFK?? Sad to see the School of the Air leaving the SW bands after many years of service, although this has been coming for some time now. Several of you know that I am a music teacher by profession. I once had a 45 piece concert band (woodwinds, brass and percussion) on tour in the Mildura/Broken Hill area (1998, I think it was). One of our gigs was to play on the School's Friday morning transmission from the Broken Hill studio. To get 45 student musicians armed with large musical instruments into that tiny studio was a feat of logical engineering! The morning class began with checking the roll, and I think we heard about a dozen students at their radios in far-flung areas of western New South Wales and South Australia. Some of the kids were very young. The band played several tunes, then some of our musos went to the microphone to play their instruments so the kids could hear the different sounds. It was great fun and there was lots of excitement coming across the air waves as the kids asked questions about the instruments and the music we played. School of the Air is usually conducted on a very strict procedure of the teacher calling in specific students to transmit. However, on this day, there were several occasions when a number of the kids all tried transmitting (talking) at the one time! It was laughable. We left the studio that day feeling like we had really made a valuable contribution to the students' learning. It also gave our own school students an understanding of the importance of School of the Air for young people who are so isolated from the way of life and things we take for granted. Wonderful memories (Rob VK3BVW Wagner, April 7, Melbourne, Australia, EDXP via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. 15480, 1559-, HCJB Australia, Apr 5. Finally hear this one with a fair signal. ID at 1600 as 'HCJB, Voice of the great southland', and into Ham Radio Today [Sat]. Better when rechecked at 1655 with religious play. Very good reception at 1713, with locally produced program (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRIA. A couple of weeks ago I told you that I had heard rumours of the imminent close-down of a well-known international broadcaster. In the meantime you might have heard that the station in question is Radio Austria International, the international service of the ORF, the Austrian public broadcaster. For more information I turned to Wolf Harranth, a household name in the world of DXing, and especially in the German-speaking world. Wolf is a veteran at Radio Austria International. He's been producing DX programmes for more than 30 years. His "Kurzwellenpanorama" was first broadcast on May 6 1969; five years ago, on April 4 1997 it was renamed "Intermedia", the logical consequence of new developments in the media. Wolf was also highly active outside the station, as the thriving force behind DX clubs and associations. He published an excellent handbook on DXing and a series of audio cassettes with station IDs, etc. Wolf is also an author and translates books from English into German. So, I called him in Vienna and asked him whether this really was the end of Radio Austria International? SOUND Wolf Harranth Wolf Harranth, journalist, author and translator, producer of Intermedia and DX-Telegramm at Radio Austria International. We'll hear more from Wolf next week. Don't miss it, because, as Wolf said, there is a good way to say good bye. It's something special for DXers who collect QSL cards. FRANS VOSSEN, RVI Radio World April 6 [audio available for one week] listen broadband: http://www.vrt.be/wm/rvi/rw_HI.asx listen narrowband: http://www.vrt.be/wm/rvi/rw_LO.asx (via Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) More from Wolf on next week`s show --``a good way to say goodbye``, special QSL (gh) ** BRAZIL. 4885.03, Rádio Difusora Acreana, Rio Branco. 0120 UT. This station has a program in Spanish every Saturday evening called "Antonio Flores", maybe the name of the program leader, who speaks Spanish with Brasilian accent. Very nice program with music, ads and talk. I listened between 0100-0200 UT and cannot tell if the program starts earlier/ends later. In a previous issue of Glenn Hauser`s "DXLD" in the headings with unIDs, there is a logging of a Spanish speaking LA on 4885 kHz. Maybe this is the answer? The funny thing is that I for the first time here in Quito two days later logged Brasil on MW: Radio Difusora Acreana on 1400.02 kHz! Splendid! (Björn Malm in Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin April 6, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. São Paulo, Radio Bandeirantes, 9645 kHz, 0812 to 0831 UT, SINPO 34132. News about war in Iraq, and commercials (Icom R71A with 114-foot inverted-L; John Sandin, Merriam, KS, April 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. I can't figure out why it's CBL here in Toronto, when you would expect "CBT" (which is actually in NF). The CBC was established in 1936. Before that there was the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission (CRBC), with the Toronto station using the call "CRCT", and even before the CRBC, the Canadian National Railways network used the call "CNRT" in Toronto. CNRT/CRCT/CBL's frequency was on 840; they moved to 740 after the 1941 NARBA treaty. CJBC once stood for Jarvis Street Baptist Church. They were an English station until the early 1960s (Mike Brooker, Ont., NRC-AM via DXLD) The present CJBC is not related to the station operated by the Jarvis St. church in the 1920's except that both had Toronto as COL:). In 1935 CKNC went silent as its owner, the National Carbon Co (a battery company which was the Canadian branch of an American company (Burgess?)) no longer wanted to be in the broadcasting field. The CRBC, who operated as pointed out above CRCT in Toronto, brought the station, moving into its studios and keeping the CKNC transmitter as a backup under the calls CRCY. About the time the CBC came into being (Nov 1936) CRCT, whose 5 kW transmitter was in Bowmanville (42 miles east of Toronto) suffered severe QRM on its 840 kHz frequency from 250 kW XERA which made reception in Toronto poor. Thus the 100 watt CRCY transmitter was used to provide service for Toronto for some months as a rebroadcaster of CRCT. In Dec 1937 the CBC put 50 kW CBL on the air from the Hornby site, and the Bowmanville site was retired. CRCY became CBY, and during the war became the flagship station for the second CBC English network, the Dominion network (the other was named the Trans-Canada network, now CBC Radio One). For some reason which I have never been able to discover Ernie Bushnell, then with the CBC, had the calls changed to CJBC. CJBC continued as the flagship of the Dominion network until the demise of this network in the early 60's at which point it joined the French network. The CBY calls were used in Newfoundland later as we all know, after Newfoundland became a part of Canada in 1949. 73, (Deane McIntyre, VE6BPO, NRC-AM April 2 via DXLD) On succeeding the CRBC in 1936, The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reserved for itself the prefix "CB". CRCT became "CBL" Toronto - the "L" because of its location in the Great Lakes region; CRCY became "CBY". As the CBC began to build its powerful 50 kW transmitters, the station calls usually related to their region or purpose, CBF Montreal - French language, CBK Watrous, Saskatchewan, in honour of Kelsey the explorer; CBE Edmonton, CBH Halifax, etc. With all but 4 private Canadian stations limited to maximum power of 1,000 watts (exceptions were CFRB Toronto and CFCN Calgary, both "grandfathered" at 10,000 watts, and CKAC Montreal and CKLW Windsor with 5,000 watts), the CBC proceeded with its objective of increasing its owned-and-operated stations to the maximum power permitted by international agreement. CKGW Toronto was bought from Gooderam and Worts and moved to the "clear frequency" of 740 kHz with power of 50,000 watts (December 1937), and call letters changed to CBL. Coincidentally, in the same year, the Corporation built CBF in Montreal, placing it on 690 kHz - another clear channel. CBF later became the key station of the CBC French Network, embracing newly- established CBV Quebec, CBJ Chicoutimi and private stations in New Carlisle and Rimouski --- supplemented by private stations in Hull, Sherbrooke and Rouyn. CBM Montreal, formerly CRCM, with 5,000 watts took over CBF's English programming. In 1939, the Maritime provinces were given CBA in Sackville, NB on 1070 kHz, and listeners on the prairies were bestowed with CBK, strategically positoned at Watrous, Saskatchewan at 540 kHz - both 50,000-watters. CBR (later CBU) Vancouver and CBO Ottawa, were each given power increases to 5,000 watts - the international limit on their frequencies. (In succeeding years, CBC's Alberta coverage was beefed-up with the additions of CBX Edmonton (ultimately 50,000 on 740 kHz replacing CBX Lacombe), and CBR Calgary in 1964 with 50,000 watts on 1010 kHz. Earlier, in 1948, to improve coverage in Manitoba, CBC bought the original CKY from the Manitoba Government, dubbed it CBW and upped its power from 15,000 to 50,000 watts on 990 kHz). However, while the private stations selected to affiliate with the CBC network were happy to acquire some of the greatest radio attractions in the world, the programming and the income of other broadcasters in two-and-three-station markets suffered. CBC affiliates had first-choice in carrying CBC sustaining (non- sponsored) programs not included in their reserved time agreement, but the CBC did offer the remainder of any they wished to carry to the non-affiliates. In Southern Ontario, where Hamilton and St. Catharines stations existed under the umbrella of CBL's 50 kW transmitter at Hornby, CKOC, CHML and CKTB were regarded only as "supplementary stations". If sponsors paid the extra cost, CBC would add them. Meanwhile, they were welcome to share carriage of the network's sustaining programs. Similarly, in two-station markets across Canada, the CBC obtained extra coverage of its sustaining programs at no cost. | snip | 1940s In the early forties, pressure developed among listeners, advertisers and stations for alternative programming. Sensing this need, and to head-off a possible campaign for a private network, CBC took the initiative to set-up a second coast-to-coast network. CBC lined-up 34 existing and soon-to-exist private stations as affiliates, but lacked a key station in Toronto where CFRB had rejected the invitation to participate (in fact, serious consideration was given to suggestions that CBC should expropriate CFRB - instead, another solution was found). When CBC succeeded the CRBC in 1937, it had also acquired a low-powered Toronto station - CKNC - whose studio facilities it had leased for CBL and which had been founded by the Canadian National Carbon Company. It was given the call sign CRCY and subsequently became CBY. It was usually programmed separately from CBL and also carried sustaining programs (non commercial) from NBC's Blue Network. When CBL carried sponsored programs, CBY's programs were fed over existing lines to CKTB St Catharines and to either CKOC or CHML Hamilton. CBC decided to turn CBY into the key station for its Dominion Network. The power would be increased to 50,000 watts and it could be engineered to share the tower and other facilities of CBL at Hornby. The frequency of 860 - a clear channel - had been previously designated for CBC's use, and CBC moved CBY from 1010 to 860, displacing CFRB which had occupied the channel for several years. CBY became CJBC - the key station of the CBC Dominion Network - when it was formed January 1, 1944. CFPL London and CKX Brandon were deleted from the original network and became Dominion affiliates. The first sponsored program was the intellectual NBC Monday night panel show Information Please chaired by Clifton Fadiman, which, on April 15th, preceded the full compliment of programs that began in the fall. CJBC was the only CBC-owned station on the Dominion Network - all others were privately owned. To manage the new network, the Corporation hired away from CKWX Vancouver Spence Caldwell who, 17 years later, founded the CTV Network. The first CBC network became The Trans-Canada Network. A similar problem had arisen in Montreal when the Canadian Marconi Company's station CFCF refused CBC's wish for it to be the Dominion affiliate. Subsequently, Arthur Dupont, then CBC's Commercial Manager for Quebec, applied for and received a licence to establish CJAD, ostensibly to become the Dominion affiliate. However, before he could get it on the air, CFCF had a change-of-mind, and signed-up as the Dominion affiliate. Perhaps as consolation or compensation for losing the Dominion Network, CJAD was allowed to share with CKAC some programs from the U.S.A. network - CBS. CBR Calgary: 1964 The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. opened CBR on 1010 kHz with 50,000 watts full-time, in October of 1964. Studios located at 1724 Westmount Blvd. Two 473 foot towers used at a site located on the southeast quarter of Section 10, Township 23, near Calgary. Network affiliation ? CBC Trans-Canada. and CBU/CBR Vancouver: 1941 On March 29, CBR moved from 1100 to 1130 kHz with 5,000 watts. 1942 CBR started using low-power relay transmitters to widen its service to B. C. 1947 CBR increased power to 10,000 watts full-time (DA-1). Transmitter: Lulu Island, two 404 foot towers. 1951 CBR became CBU, moving to 690 kHz. 1967 CBU was given permission in December to increase power to 50,000 watts full-time (DA-1) using four 200 foot top-loaded towers. 1975 On November 24, CBU moved to the new CBC Vancouver Broadcasting Centre at 700 Hamilton Street. CBC radio and TV operations in the city had been scattered at various locations. (from http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/index2.html via Eric Flodén, BC, ibid.) ** CANADA. CBC "EXPLODED PIZZA" LOOKS LIKE 1969 LOGO FOR TARGET STORES http://www.targetcorp.com/targetcorp_group/about/history.jhtml (Usenet message in the newsgroups alt.radio.networks.cbc and alt.tv.networks.cbc by Brian Chow, via Joel Rubin, April 7, swprograms via DXLD) ** CHINA [non]. CRI English at 0400 confirmed April 7 now on both 9560 --- Canada, and new 9755, presumably French Guiana. In that order by a fraxion of a second; not yet checked after 0500 to reconfirm that neither is on during that hour, contrary to CRI`s own published schedules (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) {Later: confirmed, neither is on after 0500} ** COLOMBIA. 2999.93H, HJLJ, La Básica 1500, Cali. March 2003 - 1050 UT. This station has just begun to be heard with very good signal both mornings and evenings. Belongs to "La Red Sonora". Harmonic from 1500 kHz (2 x 1499.96). (Björn Malm in Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin April 6, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** C I S. FOREIGN RELAYS ON SW THROUGH FACILITIES IN THE CIS kHz Loc kW Azi UTC (A03): April 6, 2003 21780 TAC 200 131 0800-0830 BBC Bengali, Hindi, Urdu 21630 TAC 200 130 1430-1515 Voice of Tibet, Tibetan and Chinese 21585 TAC 100 131 1215-1259 Voice of Tibet, Tibetan and Chinese 17860 VLD 250 247 2300-2345 DW English 17820 SAM 250 175 0900-0930 DW Persian // 15605 17770 AA 500 121 1030-1055 DW Chinese // 12045 17765 SAM 100 130 0400-1700 WUN The University Network Presents Dr Gene Scott. 17710 IRK 250 224 0230-0300, 0810-0820 BBC Hindi 17695 TAC 100 131 1200-1225 R. Vlaanderen International Dutch // 9865 17695 KDR 200 284 1300-1600(Su) RVI Sport Live 17650 KDR 200 284 1100-1130 R. Vlaanderen International 17650 NVS 500 145 1200-1400 DW German // 9900 7420 17590 KHB 100 218 2330-0025 RNW Dutch 17570 KOM 120 178 0500-0600(Su.) Voice of Mediterranean, Japanese 17545 KDR 200 128 1230-1300 DW Persian 17485 AA 500 141 1000-1400 DW German // 9900 7420 15795 TAC 100 256 0300-0700 BFBS Radio English 15660 VLD 250 230 1400-1500(Tu.)(VOKK) Voice of Khmer Krom, Cambodian 15725 DB 100 117 1215-1259 Voice of Tibet, // 21525 15615 15660 AA 500 135 1215-1259 Voice of Tibet, Tibetan and Chinese 15605 KDR 200 128 0900-0930 DW Persian // 17820 15605 SAM 250 129 1200-1500 FEBA Tibetan/Punjabi/Urdu etc. 15605 KOM 250 213 2200-2300 DW English 15605 KOM 250 213 2300-2350 DW Chinese // 12035 15595 SAM 250 140 1330-1400 DW Dari, 1400-1420 DW Pashto 15595 VLD 500 228 2300-2400 RFI French // 15535 15580 TCH 250 230 0015-0200 FEBA Indian Languages/Telugu 15535 IRK 500 180 2300-0100 RFI French // 15595 15530 MOS 250 169 0345-0430 FEBA Arabic 15530 KDR 250 188 1100-1300 FEBA Arabic/English (1245-1300) 15525 SAM 250 140 0800-0830 DW Dari, Pashto 15470 KDR 100 188 2000-2100 RCI English 15470 PK 250 244 2130-2200 VOA Korean 15455 KDR 250 290 0500-0715(M-Sa), 0600-0800(Su) R. Maryja Polish 15195 KDR 200 284 0500-0800, 1700-1800 R. Vlaanderen International 13860 TAC 100 256 1400-1800 BFBS Radio English 13820 KHB 100 218 1030-1125 RNW Dutch 13745 TAC 200 130 0100-0130 BBC Hindi 13710 IRK 250 152 0930-1125 RNW English // 12065 13695 KHB 100 218 1330-1425 RNW Dutch // 12065 9890 13690 VLD 200 320 0000-0100 DW Russian // 12070 13590 NOV 100 110 1200-1600 High Adventure Ministries, English/Vietnamese/Chinese 12125 KDR 200 235 1900-1930(M-F) Jakada Radio International (JRI) Hausa 12120 SAM 250 190 1600-1630 Sout Al Watan(Voice of Homeland) // 12085 SHRC 12115 SAM 250 188 1700-1800(Sa.) Dejen Radio Tigrigna 12115 SAM 250 188 1730-1800(M.Th.) Voice of Oromo Liberation (Radio Sagalee Oromia), Oromo 12090 MOS 500 068 1200-1400 DW German // 17485 9900 7420 12075 NVS 500 125 1200-1300 RFI Chinese 12075 TAC 100 131 1430-1625 RNW English 12070 PK 250 263 0000-0100 DW Russian // 13690 12065 PK 250 244 0930-1125 RNW English // 13710 12065 TAC 100 131 1330-1425 RNW Dutch // 13695 9890 12065 TAC 100 130 1450-1600 Vatican R. 1450 Hindi, 1510 Tamil, 1520 Malayalam, 1540 Eng. 12055 TCH 500 195 1315-1345 Vatican Radio Vietnamese 12045 SAM 250 129 0015-0130 FEBA Indian Languages 12045 IRK 500 152 1030-1055 DW Chinese // 17770 12045 VLD 200 110 2200-2300 RFI Chinese // 12005 12035 IRK 500 152 2300-2350 DW Chinese 12025 IRK 500 180 1100-1200 RFI Lao, 1200-1300 RFI Khmer 12025 IRK 500 150 0930-1030 RFI Chinese 12010 KDR 250 290 1500-1830 R. Maryja Polish (Sep 7-, 7380 1500-2200) 12005 VLD 500 230 2200-2300 RFI Chinese // 12045 11990 NOV 250 111 1300-1500 VOA Chinese 11975 ERV 100 100 1400-1500 VOA Tibetan 11850 TAC 100 153 0100-0400 Christian Vision, Voice International Hindi 11850 VLD 250 230 1400-1430 Radio Free Vietnam 11570 NVS 100 180 0000-0100 IBC Tamil 11530 TAC 250 256 0400-1200 Dengi Mesopotamia Kurdish 11530 KCH 500 116 1200-1600 Dengi Mesopotamia Kurdish 11520 SAM 200 224 1600-1700 Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) Radio- Arabic Voice of Liberty (Lebanon) 9925 KDR 100 284 1700-2100 R. Vlaanderen Internationaal 9920 NOS 250 84 1500-1530 RCI Russian 9900 IRK 250 152 1000-1400 DW German // 17485 7420 9890 PK 250 244 1330-1425 RNW Dutch // 13695 12065 9865 PK 250 244 1130-1225 R. Vlaanderen Int. English Dutch // 17690 9865 TAC 200 131 1330-1445 BBC Bengali, 1400 Hindi 9825 NOV 500 195 1700-1730 DW Urdu 9825 SAM 250 140 1730-1800 DW Dari, Pashto 9540 1500-1600 Bible Voice Broadcasting Network, Vietnamese/English 9530 TAC 200 255 1700-1800 RFI Persian 9495 NOV 1300-1415 FEBA Urdu etc. 9495 KDR 250 129 1530-1630 FEBA Persian 9460 IRK 500 152 1300-1350 DW Chinese 9445 IRK 250 225 2315-0200, 1115-1650 TWR-Sri Lanka, Indian 9415 KDR 250 129 1530-1700 FEBA Pashto/Dari/Hazaragi/Turkmen/Uzbek 7460 IRK 250 225 1400-1615 FEBA Malay/Indian (1500-1600 English) 7430 TAC 200 131 1500-1530 BBC Nepali 7420 PK 250 241 1000-1400 DW German // 17485 9900 7385 MOS 250 117 1700-1800 BBC Uzbek, /1730-1800(Sa.Su. Russian) 7380 SAM 250 284 1830-2200 Radio Maryja (Sep. 7-, 1500-2200 KDR) 7330 VLD 500 228 1100-1530 BBC Chinese 7320 SAM 250 285 2030-2127 CRI French 7305 IRK 250 152 2200-2245 Vatican Radio Chinese 7295 DB 100 270 0200-0300 RFE Turkmen 7260 KDR 500 104 1600-1630 RFI 7230 KDR 200 132 1800-1900 DW Persian 7210 IRK 250 125 1600-1700 RFA Korean 7150 IRK 250 152 2200-2300 VOA Chinese 6225 KDR 500 188 2000-2130 DW Arabic 6210 SAM 100 0 1610-1640 Vatican Radio Russian 6140 DB 100 264 1900-2000 Radio Fard Persian 6125 SAM 100 265 1700-2000 Radio Radonezh Russian ????? "???????" 6020 DB 200 180 1600-1630 RFI Persian 5860 DB 100 45 1400-1600 RFE Kyrgyz 5860 DB 100 264 1900-2100 Radio Farda Persian 5855 ERV 100 78 1610-1740 TWR-Europa, 1610 English, 1625(M-Th) Kazakh/(SaSu) Turkmen, 1640 Russian(M- Th)/ Kyrgiz(F-Su), 1655(SaSu) Uzbek, 1710(Su) Tajik 5835 KLG 200 270 2030-2125 RNW Dutch 4995 DB 100 45 1400-1600 RFE Kazakh 4760 DB 100 45 0100-0200, 1630-1700 RFE Tatar (Nagoya DX Circle, http://www2.starcat.ne.jp/%7Endxc/relay.htm via DXLD) Note: original has lots of hotlinx ** CONGO DR. 7435, 3.4 1820. Probably R. Lubumbashi with a native language here, but due to poor reception and no more substance than it sounded African, I hardly even will say it is tentative. QRK 1-2. RFK (Ronny Forslund, Sweden, SW Bulletin, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 6120.89, Radio Rebelde, Bauta. April 2003 - 0250 UT. Strong signal announcing FM "96.7". 0300 UT a program called "Ventana Rebelde". The day after I heard Rebelde on 6140.00 kHz (Björn Malm in Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin April 6, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Radio Havana Cuba will soon be celebrating its 42nd anniversary... And I am studying the possibility of organizing a contest for Dxers Unlimited's listeners... The contest will be a lot of fun, and as soon as I have the rules ready, you will be learning about it... The idea is to run the contest during the whole month of May, so that everyone participating may have a good chance to win one of the prizes !!! (Prof. Arnaldo Coro Antich, RHC DXers Unlimited April 5 via Bob Chandler, VE3SRE, ODXA via DXLD) ** ECUADOR. 2299.81H, HCGB5, La Voz de Riobamba, Riobamba. March 2003 - 1030 UT. It seems that most of the MW-stations in the town are emitting harmonics. ID "La Voz de Riobamba Antena Uno". Harmonic from 1150 kHz (2 x 1149.90). (Björn Malm in Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin April 6, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EL SALVADOR. It seems that R Imperial, El Salvador, can be received in old Europe, too. I could observe this station (presumed only) last night on 17835.4 kHz from 2140 to fade out at around 2210 UT. I heard salsa and rumba music, and a male announcer after 2200. The signal was very poor only, however with some peaks. No ID possible. Maybe that this station will come in with stronger signal during the European summer months, due to the propagation conditions on higher frequencies. bye (Michael Schnitzer, Germany, April 6, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. GERMANY 15275 Radio Fathiriu --- Tigrayan International Solidarity for Justice and Democracy (TISJD); 15670 Voice of Ethiopian Salvation/The Voice of Ethiopian Medhin via Juelich. Received a reply from Mr. Walter Brodowsky confirming my reports but he failed to indicate the two stations in question. Have sent a e-mail enquiry asking for further clarification. Reply in 72 days (Ed Kusalik, AB, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** FIJI. Fiji on Mediumwave - Part 3 in our mini-series on radio broadcasting in Fiji As was mentioned on a previous occasion, the first radio broadcast in Fiji came from a new 500 watt mediumwave transmitter manufactured by AWA at their factory near Sydney in Australia. This transmitter, designated as No. 1, was installed at the communication facility operated by AWA on the edge of Suva in Fiji. This new broadcasting service was inaugurated in March 1926. As a wartime exigency, this station also began a relay of American AFRS programming for the benefit of servicemen in the wide areas of the Pacific. The same programming was also carried in parallel by the shortwave outlet, VPD. Soon after the end of the Pacific War, work began on a new broadcasting facility in Suva, with a two storey building for the studios and offices, and a new transmitter base some eight miles out of town. The new studios were taken into service in 1954 and the old ZJV transmitter was re-installed in this new location for use as a second program channel in the capital city area. Callsigns were changed at this stage from the historic ZJV & VPD to the more familiar VRH, though callsign throughout the whole network were dropped in 1968. It took another ten years before the new mediumwave base at Naulu (nah-OO-loo) was ready for use, though ultimately several additional mediumwave transmitters were installed at this location. The regional shortwave service was closed in August 1972 and the two remaining shortwave transmitters were converted to mediumwave usage. The first country station was installed in Lautoka (lau-TOE-ka) in 1956 and this was a complete radio station with its own studios, offices and transmitter. These days, Radio Fiji operates eight mediumwave transmitters at five different locations in two networks for nationwide coverage. In addition, there are also several FM networks on the air as well. The QSL cards issued in Fiji over the years have always been prized very highly and the old cards verifying the reception of ZJV & VPD are these days valued historic items. If you should chance to hear Radio Fiji on mediumwave while on location nearby, a reception report will produce a colourful QSL card of an exotic island scene (Adrian Michael Peterson, AWR Wavescan April 6 via DXLD) ** FRANCE. 15605, 1701-, Radio France International, Apr 5. English to Africa with nice ID at 1701 and into world news. Good reception. (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. Radio Francia Internacional emite en español con destino a América Latina de acuerdo a este esquema, vigente desde el 30/03/2003 al 26/10/2003: HORA UTC KHZ 1000-1030 9830 1200-1230 15515, 17860 1800-1830 17630, 21645 2100-2130 17630, 21645 0100-0130 9800, 11665 Todas las emisiones via el transmisor situado en Montsinéry (Guyana Francesa). QTH: R. France Internationale, B.P. 9516, F-75016 Paris Cedex 16, Francia. E-mail: service.amerique.latine@r... [truncated] Web: http://www.rfi.fr (Marcelo A. Cornachioni, Argentina, Conexión Digital April 5 via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Noticed DW in English with a very good signal at 0540 April 6 on 11925 --- if I didn`t know better, I might think it was a North American service (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. From http://www.dxing.info/news/index.dx A bold attempt to get the German youth to return to the AM band has failed. Commercial Mega Radio, which was continuously expanding, inaugurating new transmitters and introducing short excerpts of local programming, has gone bankrupt. Reportedly this happened already on March 17, but programming on at least 576, 630, 693, 1431 and 1575 kHz continued until the afternoon of April 4. The station website as well as relays via Luxembourg on 1440 kHz were history already earlier. 1440 kHz is nowadays broadcasting RTL Radio in German (DXing.info, April 4, 2003 via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 9680, RRI Jakarta, 1259 April 7. Indo, TOH music, commonly referred to as "Song of the Coconut Isles", 1300 news by man, mention President Megawati. 1311 ID by woman, to continuing talk in Indonesian with several mentions of Indonesia. 1311 to man with talk, then back to woman. Fair signal; and in the clear (Dan Ziolkowski, Drake R8 using ERGO software, Alpha Delta Sloper, Franklin WI, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL. ADVENTIST WORLD RADIO Schedule for Transmission Period A03; March 30 - October 27 2003 Frequency Order kHz kW Unit Location Country Language Day UT --------------------------------------------------------------------- 1602 2.5 2XA Levin N Zealand English Mon 0900 - 0930 1602 2.5 2XA Levin N Zealand English Tue 2100 - 2130 3215 100 Sen1 Meyerton South Africa English Daily 0500 - 0530 3215 50 RN4 Talata Madagascar Malagasy Daily 0230 - 0330 3215 50 RN4 Talata Madagascar Malagasy Daily 1530 - 1630 3215 100 Sen1 Meyerton South Africa English Daily 1800 - 1830 3345 100 Sen3 Meyerton South Africa English Daily 0500 - 0530 3935 1 ZLXA Levin N Zealand English Mon 0900 - 0930 3935 1 ZLXA Levin N Zealand English Tue 2100 - 2130 7125 100 DTK1 Julich Germany Bulgarian Daily 0400 - 0500 7130 250 RS1 Rimavska Sobota Slovakia English Daily 1830 - 2000 7165 300 ROI2 Moosbrunn Austria German Daily 1500 - 1530 7230 300 ROI2 Moosbrunn Austria German Daily 0700 - 0730 9385 100 KSDA4 Agat Guam Filipino EE Daily 1700 - 1800 9600 250 Sen2 Meyerton South Africa Yoruba Daily 0500 - 0530 9610 250 AD2 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Hundi EE Daily 0000 - 0100 9620 250 Sen2 Meyerton South Africa English Daily 1800 - 1900 9645 250 Sen3 Meyerton South Africa French Daily 0430 - 0500 9670 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam Korean Daily 1200 - 1300 9720 250 AD3 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Hindi English Daily 0000 - 0100 9740 100 KSDA4 Agat Guam Korean Daily 2000 - 2100 9775 300 ROI2 Moosbrunn Austria English Daily 0730 - 0800 9820 500 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria English Urdu Daily 0200 - 0300 9955 50 WRMI Miami Florida English Sat 1130 - 1200 11560 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam EE Mandarin Daily 1000 - 1200 11560 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam EE Indian Daily 1600 - 1800 11705 100 KSDA1 Agat Guam Japan. Khmer Daily 1300 - 1400 11710 500 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Oro Daily 0300 - 0330 11750 199 KSDA1 Agat Guam English Daily 2000 - 2100 11770 100 KSDA1 Agat Guam Mand Burmese Dly 2300 - 0200 11850 100 KSDA1 Agat Guam JJ EE Indon. Daily 2100 - 2300 11875 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam Korean Daily 2000 - 2100 11880 100 DTK1 Julich Germany Italian Daily 0900 - 1000 11880 100 KSDA1 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 1400 - 1500 11890 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam Nepali Marathi Dly 1500 - 1600 11900 100 KSDA1 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 1200 - 1300 11930 100 KSDA1 Agat Guam EE Filipino Daily 1000 - 1100 11930 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam Burmese Daily 1400 - 1500 11975 100 KSDA1 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 1100 - 1200 11975 100 KSDA1 Agat Guam Indian. EE Daily 1500 - 1700 11980 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam Japanese EE Daily 2100 - 2200 11945 250 AD2 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Farsi Tigrinya Dly 0230 - 0330 11965 500 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Farsi Daily 0330 - 0400 11975 250 AD1 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Amharic Daily 0300 - 0330 11975 250 AD2 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Kisuahili Daily 0330 - 0400 11980 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam Japanese EE Daily 1200 - 1300 11980 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam English Daily 2000 - 2100 12015 250 AD1 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Somali Daily 0330 - 0400 12015 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Filipino EE Daily 1700 - 1800 12120 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 2200 - 0200 12130 250 Sen1 Meyerton South Africa African Daily 1700 - 1800 15105 250 Sen2 Meyerton South Africa English Daily 0530 - 0530 15130 250 Wof2 Wooferton England French Yoruba Dly 2000 - 2100 15130 500 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Dyula FF EE Daily 2000 - 2200 15150 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 1200 - 1300 15160 250 AD4 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Russian English Dly 0300 - 0330 15160 100 DTK1 Julich Germany Arabic French Dly 0600 - 0730 15175 100 DTK1 Julich Germany Arabic French Dly 1900 - 2030 15195 100 KSDA4 Agat Guam Punjabi Hindi Daily 1500 - 1600 15195 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 2100 - 2200 15215 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam English Daily 1600 - 1700 15215 100 KSDA4 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 2100 - 2400 15235 100 KSDA4 Agat Guam English Daily 1600 - 1700 15235 100 DTK1 Julich Germany Bulgarian Daily 1700 - 1800 15250 500 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Arabic Daily 0400 - 0500 15250 300 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Arabic Daily 0600 - 0700 15255 300 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Arabic Daily 1900 - 2000 15270 250 Wof1 Wooferton England African Daily 1900 - 2000 15275 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Bangla EE Daily 1300 - 1400 15320 250 AD3 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Bangla Daily 1300 - 1330 15320 250 AD2 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi English Urdu Daily 1330 - 1500 15330 500 ROI! Moosbrunn Austria Arabic Daily 0600 - 0700 15345 250 Sen1 Meyerton South Africa Ibo Hausa Daily 0530 - 0630 15360 100 DTK1 Julich Germany Romanian Daily 1630 - 1700 15370 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 0000 - 0200 15380 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Sinhala Karen Daily 1400 - 1500 15385 250 Wof1 Wooferton England English Daily 2000 - 2100 15435 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Indonesian Daily 1100 - 1200 15445 100 CBS1 Paochung Taiwan Vietnamese Sat 0100 - 0200 15445 100 CBS1 Paochung Taiwan Vietnamese Daily 2300 - 2400 15460 250 AD1 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi African Daily 1630 - 1800 15520 250 AD2 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Afar Oro Daily 1700 - 1800 15535 300 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Arabic Daily 1800 - 1900 15550 100 CBS1 Paochung Taiwan Vietnamese Daily 1400 - 1500 15575 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Indian Daily 1500 - 1600 15610 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 1000 - 1100 15615 100 KSDA4 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 1000 - 1500 15725 50 WRMI Miami Florida English Sun 1400 - 1430 15725 50 WRMI Miami Florida English Sun 2200 - 2230 15725 50 WRMI Miami Florida English Sat 2330 - 2400 17630 250 AD3 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Indian/English Dly 1400 - 1700 17635 100 KSDA4 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 0000 - 0200 17660 250 Wof2 Wooferton England Ibo Daily 1930 - 2000 17700 250 AD4 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Hindi Sinhala Daily 1400 - 1500 17700 250 AD2 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Nepali M'lam Daily 1500 - 1600 17735 300 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Arabic Daily 1700 - 1800 17740 250 AD4 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi English Russian Dly 1300 - 1400 17780 500 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Dyula FF EE Daily 0800 - 0930 17820 300 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Farsi Daily 1630 - 1700 17835 250 AD4 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Mandarin Daily 1100 - 1300 17865 250 AD3 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Tamil Daily 1330 - 1400 88.5 10 2XA Levin N Zealand English Mon 0900 - 0930 88.5 10 2XA Levin N Zealand English Tue 2100 - 2130 (Adrian Peterson, AWR via Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. Glenn: Re: Do "TinyURLs" or "Makeashorterlink" URLs disappear? From the TinyURL website, it appears that their abbreviated URLs won't disappear unless the service itself disappears: "Are you sick of posting URLs in emails only to have it break when sent causing the recipient to have to cut and paste it back together? Then you've come to the right place. By entering in a URL in the text field below, we will create a tiny URL that will not break in email postings and never expires." See http://tinyurl.com/ --- From the "Makeashorterlink" website: "How long are the shorter links going to last? "For as long as possible. Put it this way: as long as we are in charge of the database, the links will continue to work. If the time comes when we run out of money or interest in maintaining it, we shall make the database available to anyone who wants to take it on. We hesitate to say "forever", because that's a very long time indeed. But the links will remain usable for a long time." See http://www.makeashorterlink.com/about.php --- (Richard Cuff, Allentown, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. MIDDLE EAST TV ON BROADBAND If you have broadband, you can try a site in The Netherlands called The War Television Channels http://www.webcamsue.demon.nl/ It's a portal to all that's available online from the Middle East. It's very comprehensive, and includes the new Arabic-language channel Alalalam, which comes from Iran but can be received terrestrially in parts of Iraq. It has scrolling news in English at the bottom of the screen. Unfortunately the feed is only 50 Kbps, but it's quite viewable at the default screen size. BTW you can also watch Dutch TV via this site. They also have live Baghdad video streams, some with sound! (RN Media Network Blog April 7 via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS. It has been strongly rumoured in "Free Radio" circles that a brand new station is going to broadcast Love Peace and Good music Offshore. Plans are in an advanced stage to bring back a Free and Peace loving broadcaster off the European coastline, what with all this carnage and killing in the middle east we really need an alternative. Its theme tune is going to WAR by the recently departed Edwin Starr, a sort of tribute to him and a message to peace loving people in Europe. This new station will have a transmitter capable of delivering 100 kW on AM, and also broadcast on Short Wave as well. Due to the 2 grey areas involved in the Radio Bill 0f 1991, this latest venture will only be using 10 kW of RF initially, using a directional beam antenna, aiming its signal to a particular building in Westminster. The backers of this fantastic sensational station have came up with a really original name, they hope it will catch on and give certain people a little "titter" as another Mr Howard used to say. The new name for this poptastic renegade station RADIO SAD-AM on a frequency of 1440 kHz after 2100 gmt, through till whenever, the first record to be played will be Rock Lobster by the B-52s, followed by the Star Spangled banner by Jimi Hendrix, the third record to be aired is not finalised but it is thought that it could either be "The White Cliffs of Dover" by Vera Lynn or "I'm Backing Britain" by Bruce Forsyth, that's of course if it manages to play three songs before being silenced, sank or blown to bits (From The Caroline Community, Geoff Hutton via Mike Terry, April 5, DXLD) April 1? ** IRAN. MEDIA BEHAVIOUR 0600-1400 GMT, 7 APRIL 03 | Text of report by Monitoring research on 7 April The Voice and Vision Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran, or radio and television, maintains its anti-war stance, whereas the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reports gains by the Kurdish forces in the north or anti-Saddam rebellion in Baghdad. A number of pre-reform dailies have criticized the pro-Saddam stance of the Radio and TV. As an example, IRNA quoted a senior pro-reform MP, Elaheh Kula'i, accusing the conservative-controlled state television of backing Iraq in its coverage of the war. The 0930 gmt news bulletins of the radio and TV were dominated by news on anti-war demonstrations all over the world, including Iran. IRNA again reported uprising against Saddam's regime as US forces enter Baghdad. It said: "In the wake of the attack by the American ground forces on Baghdad, we have reports of sporadic armed conflict between the people of Baghdad and Iraqi military forces. An IRNA correspondent in Baghdad reported a few minutes ago that the citizens of Baghdad have rebelled against the Ba'th forces." Fars News Agency also reported on the rally outside British embassy, without permission of the Interior Ministry and added that only "dozens of demonstrators were chanting anti-British and anti-American slogans. They set fire to the British flag and demanded expulsion of the British diplomats and closure of the Tehran Embassy." A radio analyst commented on the talks between Russian and American analyst. A military analyst spoke on the future of war. He predicted fierce fighting in Baghdad. All the Iranian newspapers have updated their web sites. Many of them offer analysis about and criticize the ongoing war in Iraq. The conservative evening daily Kayhan, in its edition today, said: "the British embassy in Tehran has received a bomb threat". Watch is maintained and the next behaviour note will be issued at 2100 gmt. Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 7 Apr 03 (via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. NORWAY, 13800, 1641-, Radio International, Apr 5. Good reception with talk in presumed Farsi, with telephone quality audio. Interview of a male by a woman (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ. KUWAITI PAPER REPORTS IRAQ PLACING TRANSMITTERS IN HOLY SITES Iraq has placed television transmitters in the shrine of the Musa Kadhim (Seventh Imam of Shia Muslims) in Khadimayn, near Baghdad, IRNA reported on 27 March, quoting the Kuwaiti daily "Al-Ray al-Amm." The Kuwaiti paper claimed Baghdad is trying to provoke U.S. and U.K. forces to attack the shrine and thus enrage Iraq's Shia population. The report added that the transmitters allegedly placed in the shrine were made in Germany and imported via Syria. It is not clear from the report whether the transmitters in question were imported prior to the outbreak of the current conflict on 20 March. ("RFE/RL Newsline," 28 March via RFE/RL Media Matters April 7 via DXLD) ** IRAQ. Hi Glenn, Maybe Baghdad did switch to DST a few days late, but http://www.timeanddate.com/ says: Standard time zone: UTC/GMT +3 hours Daylight saving time-adjustment: +1 hour Current time zone offset: UTC/GMT +4 hours Daylight Saving Time DST started on Tuesday, April 1, 2003, at 3:00:00 AM local standard time DST ends on Wednesday, October 1, 2003, at 4:00:00 AM local daylight time. I tend to believe specialised sources rather than US commercial broadcasters :-) 73, (Andy Sennitt, Netherlands, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ [non]. Re. Czech newspaper report from March 26: ``Since the war started, RFE has been broadcasting to Iraq for 12 hours a day.`` In fact they are indeed broadcasting 12 hours a day, but only 10 hours to Iraq; the remaining two hours between 2000 and 2200 are still beamed to Europe for expatriates (19 and 35 degrees from Morocco): AB RFE RLIQ 0100 0300 JUL 01 12030 108 AB RFE RLIQ 0100 0600 MOR 10 9865 075 AB RFE RLIQ 0100 0600 KAV 03 9730 108 AB RFE RLIQ 0300 0400 JUL 01 11910 108 AB RFE RLIQ 0300 0400 ERV A 1314 999 AB RFE RLIQ 0400 0600 JUL 01 11930 108 AB RFE RLIQ 1400 1600 MOR 04 17740 075 AB RFE RLIQ 1400 1700 MOR 03 15170 075 AB RFE RLIQ 1400 1500 LAM 07 13755 104 AB RFE RLIQ 1400 1700 KAV 07 9825 104 AB RFE RLIQ 1400 1600 ERV A 1314 999 AB RFE RLIQ 1500 1900 LAM 03 11805 108 AB RFE RLIQ 1600 1700 KAV 09 17740 095 AB RFE RLIQ 1700 1900 KAV 05 17690 095 AB RFE RLIQ 1700 1800 JUL 02 9865 108 AB RFE RLIQ 1800 1900 JUL 02 9705 108 AB RFE RLIQ 2000 2200 MOR 02 11885 019 AB RFE RLIQ 2000 2200 MOR 09 9615 035 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, April 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ [and non]. Returned to Finland a few days ago from a two-week assignment in Qatar, reporting from CENTCOM briefings etc for YLE TV & Radio. Pretty busy all the time, so I barely had time to use a Sangean 909 which I bought just before departure. No new discoveries on the dial, BUT Camp as-Sayliyah proved to be the right place to find out more about Information Radio and Commando Solo: Where do the transmissions on different frequencies really come from? Where are the aircraft based? And how many are they? When and how were the transmissions extended - and how much of it was revealed in the Coalition press briefings? And the rest of the story. All you ever wanted to know about Information Radio Iraq in the article "US steps up propaganda war" at http://www.dxing.info/profiles/clandestine_information_iraq.dx 73 (Mika Makelainen, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: SHOCK AND AWE ON THE AIR --- US STEPS UP PROPAGANDA WAR By Mika Mäkeläinen, Camp as-Sayliyah, Qatar [see original for numerous illustrations!] http://www.dxing.info/profiles/clandestine_information_iraq.dx Surrender or die is the message beamed at the remaining Iraqi Republican Guard soldiers in trenches around Baghdad. Coalition propaganda is aired 24 hours a day over Information Radio, part of a sophisticated psychological warfare operation aimed at winning the war in Iraq with less fighting, less casualties - and more clever persuasion. This article is the most comprehensive report published so far on the technical aspects of the ongoing Iraqi mission of Information Radio. Information Radio, Radiyo al-Ma'ulumat ([blank]) in Arabic, is a US military Special Operations radio station broadcasting anti-Saddam Hussein messages, which are aimed at weakening his support among the Iraqi people and military. [Caption:] A systems operator and flight crewman mans his station on board a U.S. Air Force EC-130E aircraft during a Commando Solo mission in March 2003 (Photo by US Navy) Radio broadcasts are transmitted 24 hours a day from several transmitter sites in the air above Iraq, on the ground in Iraq and on naval vessels in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Until now, these transmitter locations have remained unknown. The programs however are well-known - or at least they should be - because that is the purpose of the mission. Each program normally lasts about an hour and contains an introduction, combinations of regional and Western music and an information message. A radio propaganda operation often precedes a war, and a war had indeed been planned for months. In December 2002, a hectic operation was underway 17 kilometers southwest from the Qatari capital Doha at Camp as-Sayliyah, which was being prepared to serve as the forward headquarters of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) in case of war against Iraq. However, a war had already begun - a war for the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people. [Caption:] A 193rd Special Operations Wing EC-130E Commando Solo is refueled by a 100th Air Expeditionary Wing KC-135 Stratotanker from the Royal Air Force (Photo by US Air Force) For some time, US Special Operations Forces had been operating in and around Iraq preparing the ground for military action. An important part of the work was Psychological Operations (PSYOP). Officially, the purpose of PSYOP is to induce or reinforce attitudes and behaviors favorable to US objectives by conducting planned operations to convey selected information to various audiences in Iraq to influence their emotions, motives, reasoning and ultimately, the behavior of organizations, groups and individuals in Iraq. In short, if the Iraqi military could be convinced that resistance would be futile, the war would become less messy and it would be over sooner than without any psychological warfare. From Doha Airport to the skies of Baghdad The most important field player in the PSYOP warfare is Commando Solo, the 193rd Special Operations Wing of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard. In November 2002 an EC-130 plane had been dispatched from its base at the Harrisburg International Airport in Middletown, Pennsylvania, to Qatar, to launch a radio propaganda operation against the regime of President Saddam Hussein. Qatar has gradually become the most important US ally in the Persian Gulf and a host of a number of new military bases. Still, Qatar is eager to play down its vital role in the war against Iraq in order to maintain good relations with other Arab countries. The US is cooperating by keeping a low profile. American soldiers are confined to their bases to avoid fueling anti-American sentiment in the country. The most important US airbase is located at Al Udeid, built to host up to 10,000 troops and 120 aircraft, but the Commando Solo operation is based at a much smaller Camp Snoopy, which is located at the Doha International Airport just southeast of downtown Doha. US troops were first deployed to Doha in 1996, although construction work for Camp Snoopy really got underway in 2000. The Commando Solo, other US special operations aircraft and transport aircraft are not hidden in shelters, but are sitting on the tarmac not far from the airport terminal, which is mostly used by Qatar Airways. The broadcasts became public in mid-December, when Pentagon announced the start of a new Commando Solo operation. On December 12, 2002, an EC-130 aircraft of the Air Force 193rd Special Operations Wing began flying near Iraq. According to the US Defense Department, initially the plane was not flying in the Iraqi airspace, not even in the no- fly zones. From the start this psychological warfare operation included not only radio broadcasts but also leaflet drops, which actually started already on October 2, 2002. Both the radio broadcasts and the leaflets have been prepared by the 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, which is where the Army Special Operations Command is also located. Leaflet drops increased steadily, reaching 37 million on April 4, 2003. In comparison, during the Gulf War of 1991, a total of over 29 million copies of 38 different leaflets were dropped. The first leaflets contained messages urging the Iraqi military not to fire at US and British aircraft patrolling the southern no-fly zone. Later, leaflets have been dropped on Iraqi military forces encouraging them to capitulate, to refrain from using weapons of mass destruction and to leave oil wells intact. Leaflets dropped over population centers have told Iraqi civilians that Coalition forces are targeting the military. The leaflets encouraged civilians to stay at home and to listen to Coalition radio broadcasts. [Caption:] Leaflets have been dropped to Iraq since mid-December 2002, detailing broadcast times and frequencies of Information Radio. US Central Command has published images of most of the leaflets. The English versions of the leaflets are available only to feed the appetite of the western media, while all leaflets actually dropped in Iraq have been in Arabic, which is the native tongue for the majority of the Iraqi people. Leaflets have been dropped using various platforms from fixed-wing aircraft dropping leaflet-bombs to UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters spreading the leaflets. The leaflets are not dropped by the Commando Solo aircraft, as often reported, but leaflets drops and radio broadcasts are separate operations. Thousands of wind-up radios have also been dropped to facilitate the reception of Coalition broadcasts. Five frequencies around the clock A key function of the leaflets has been to inform Iraqis of the frequencies used by Information Radio. From the start, Information Radio has been advertised to broadcast at 18.00 - 23.00 Iraq local time (equal to 1500-2000 UTC during the winter and 1400-1900 UTC from April 1, 2003) on five different frequencies, 693 and 756 kHz mediumwave, 9715 and 11292 kHz shortwave and 100.4 MHz FM. [Caption:] Another version of the leaflets dropped in Iraq (English translation) DXers and professional monitoring organizations were quick to spot broadcasts on 9715 kHz. The other shortwave frequency, 11292 kHz, was also monitored occasionally with a weak signal, while other frequencies have not been reported heard outside the Middle East. Although the reception of signals on the different frequencies varied greatly, it has been generally assumed that all transmissions have originated from several EC-130E and EC-130J Commando Solo aircraft deployed in the area. However, of a fleet of six aircraft, only one Commando Solo aircraft was being used at any given time, and it has broadcast on 693 kHz mediumwave, 9715 kHz shortwave and 100.4 MHz FM. The power on all of these three frequencies has been 10 kW. The aircraft used in the mission are rotated, but all have roughly the same transmitter facilities. In addition to the single Commando Solo aircraft, from the very start Information Radio has been transmitted also from other platforms. On the ground, HMMWV vehicles (High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle, HMMWV), also known as Humvees or Hummers, are used by other PSYOP units as platforms for mobile transmitters broadcasting Information Radio. Humvees are designed for use over all types of roads, in all weather conditions and are very effective in the most difficult terrain, making them ideal for conditions in Iraq. [Caption:] A Humvee drives out of a C-141B Starlifter (Photo by DoD). A SOMS-B unit can be transported also in one Hercules transport plane. In PSYOP, a system called SOMS-B (Special Operations Media System-B) has been used since 1997. SOMS-B is a combined radio and television broadcasting station packed in two Humvees and a trailer. SOMS-B units have been broadcasting Information Radio from the staging areas of US troops in Kuwait, and soon after the first coalition ground troops entered Iraq, these mobile transmitters have been broadcasting from Iraq. The exact number of SOMS-B units is not revealed, however, it is more than one. Since mid-December 2002, SOMS-Bs have been broadcasting on 756 kHz mediumwave and 11292 kHz shortwave, both frequencies operated at 1 kW of power and transmitting 24 hours a day. SOMS-B consists of two subsystems, a Mobile Radio Broadcast System (MRBS) and a mobile TV Broadcast System (MTBS), but only the radio system has been used in Iraq. The MTBS can transmit television- quality video using PAL, SECAM (used by Iraq) or NTSC standards. The MRBS would be capable of broadcasting also on FM, although so far FM has not been used. [Caption:] Commando Solo on assignment in the Gulf in March 2003 (Photo by US Navy) Both subsystems consist of a primary shelter Humvee, a cargo shelter Humvee and a trailer. The trailer carries a 33 kW generator, an environmental control unit, and a tent system called the Deployable Rapid Assembly Shelter (DRASH). "The coalition continues to push information to the Iraqi population, and at this point we've now pushed our ground-based communications capability further forward by moving a ground base into Iraq. Up until this point in time, it was in neighboring countries," said Brigadier General Vincent Brooks at a Central Command briefing on March 31, in an apparent reference to SOMS-B. However, according to information received by DXing.info, SOMS-B was actually deployed in Iraq already several days earlier. Other coalition countries engaged from February In mid-February 2003, Information Radio transmissions were extended. "We're currently broadcasting on five different radio frequencies 24 hours a day and have been doing so since the 17th of February," said Brigadier General Vincent Brooks in a Central Command press briefing on March 25. However, it was not the five frequencies nor the 24-hour transmissions that were new. What Brooks failed to mention is that for the first time Coalition partners were involved - and that the extended transmissions originated from ships. Broadcasts began from coalition naval vessels patrolling in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman in the northern Arabian Sea. One ship at a time, primarily performing maritime interdiction missions, has been relaying Information Radio programming using whatever transmitters have been available on the particular ships, says Major Peter Mitchell, US Marines Public Affairs official at Central Command forward headquarters in Qatar. [Caption:] A maritime interdiction operation on an Iranian cargo ship (Photo by US Navy). Currently the ships are broadcasting only on 9715 kHz shortwave. Transmitter power depends on the ship in question. Broadcasts begin at 23.00 Baghdad time - when Commando Solo heads back to its base - and end at 18.00 Baghdad time, when Commando Solo once again begins its five-hour broadcast. Together these platforms make 9715 kHz available for 24 hours a day. Ships from at least three Coalition countries (US, UK and Australia) are rotated so that each ship transmits a few days at a time, before handing over responsibility to another ship. In late March 3-4 ships were rotating, but since the beginning of the naval transmissions in February, a total of 6-10 ships have been involved in the broadcasts. Coalition partners have been reluctant to identify the ships in question to maintain operational security. As far as the United Kingdom is concerned, there are three frigates (HMS Chatham, HMS Marlborough and HMS Richmond) and three destroyers (HMS Liverpool, HMS Edinburgh and HMS York) which could be involved. HMS Chatham has previously been reported operating as a platform for broadcasts to Iraq. Commando Solo efforts doubled in March Airborne broadcasts were doubled a few days after the war began. Interestingly, this move was never mentioned in the Central Command press briefings, although for instance the leaflet count has been updated repeatedly. One reason behind keeping a low profile could be that news about a second aircraft would have underlined just how small the Commando Solo resources initially were. The number of Commando Solo aircraft involved in Iraq has never been published in briefings or press releases by the Pentagon and CENTCOM. Around March 25, a second Commando Solo unit began support missions from the Doha Airport. This aircraft transmits on 693 kHz mediumwave, on 4500 kHz shortwave and on 101.4 MHz FM. The broadcast schedule is from 18.00 to 23.00 Baghdad time. Leaflets including the new frequencies have not yet been published, but they exist and have already been dropped in the Northern and Western parts of Iraq, which is where the new Commando Solo operates. According to Mitchell, the second unit is temporary. "This won't be a permanent arrangement. For security reasons, I can't tell you how long two aircraft intend to operate in the Iraqi theater," he says. Officially, 683 kHz has been given as the mediumwave frequency for the second unit, and 690 kHz for the first, but as these split frequencies have never been reported heard by any DXer nor professional monitoring organization, both are likely typos. Only the crew members of Commando Solo would know the truth, but they were unavailable for comment. [Caption:] A member of 193rd Special Operations Wing (SOW) prepares his EC-130E aircraft for take off at the Doha Airport in March 2003. (Photo by US Navy) "My understanding is that we're getting the Iraqis close enough to the actual frequency that they're easily picking up the signal. I'm unaware of the specifics of what hobbyists are reporting. I do know that we have ample evidence that the signal is being received and that Iraqis are tuning in," Mitchell says. The different platforms are operated independently by different PSYOP units, but all share the same programming material. Although they have been observed with different program feeds, this is not an indication of different content, but is only due to different timing of specific programs, Mitchell explains. By late March, Commando Solo aircraft were able to fly not only in Southern Iraq, but practically all over the country. However, despite the improved output and reach, some have expressed doubts about the effect of these transmissions. Iraqi resistance has been tougher than expected and much fewer troops have surrendered than anticipated before the war. While the true impact of Information Radio will not be revealed before the war is over, officials at CENTCOM are confident that PSYOP is working well. [Caption:] A member of 193rd Special Operations Wing (SOW) prepares his EC-130E aircraft for take off at the Doha Airport in March 2003. (Photo by US Navy) "Listenership is currently determined using intelligence sources. Accordingly, I cannot reveal what we believe the listenership to be until such time that Iraq is secure and we can do actual polling after the fact," says Major Peter Mitchell. At least the Iraqi leadership has reacted to the broadcasts. Before the war began, President Saddam Hussein himself sought to ridicule the operation by making fun of leaflets as weapons. In an interview with US Central Command, Air Force Lt. Col. "Mike," a Commando Solo II detachment commander, said that "We call ourselves weapons of mass persuasion". When the war had lasted for two weeks, evidence was mounting that these weapons of mass persuasion have resulted if not in mass surrenders, at least in mass desertions. Not all of this has been achieved by only leaflets and radio broadcasts combined with traditional warfare; PSYOP tools also include email campaigns, telephone calls, messengers and TV transmissions, which were begun by Commando Solo in late March. This was announced by Brigadier General Vincent Brooks on March 28. PSYOP units also use loudspeakers to reach enemy troops up to a distance of nearly 2 kilometers. Finally, there are also weapons of mass persuasion which the Coalition does not admit having. Several clandestine radio operations such as Voice of Iraqi Liberation, discovered by DXing.info, and Radio Tikrit (see article: Monitoring Iraq: War of the Airwaves) broadcast practically the same message as Information Radio, but are presumably run by the US intelligence community. All together, the US has launched the broadest and the most sophisticated psychological warfare operation in modern history to oust Saddam Hussein. (Mika Mäkeläinen, Finland, ex-Qatar, DXing.info April 5 via DXLD) Of the frequencies mentioned, 11292 kHz looks like an interesting choice. A quick search on the Internet revealed that this frequency has in the past been used by Radio Iraq International - as well as by a so-called spy station broadcasting in Arabic, // 6645 or 6647 kHz. Anyone hearing the station on 11292 or other frequencies? (Mika Mäkeläinen, Finland, DXing.info April 6 via DXLD) Some news on the leaflet front. Quite a few leaflet sets have been published, but not the one listing the most recent Commando Solo frequencies (4500 & 101.4). Here's the most recent one (in English) on the CENTCOM website related to Commando Solo [illustration]: Interestingly, only 9715 kHz is said to broadcast 24 hrs a day, although SOMS-B had been 24 hrs a day much earlier, from the start of Information Radio, on two other frequencies. Not exactly broadcast news, but this could also be of interest. If you hear something on 5102 kHz or 31.2260 MHz, it may be an Iraqi officer trying to get in touch with the US military. Iraqi forces willing to surrender to the Coalition have been told to use these frequencies to inform the Coalition about their intentions. Iraqi officers have been told to tell their name, location, unit size and combat vehicles. The frequencies and other contact information were given in a recent set of leaflets available at http://www.centcom.mil/galleries/leaflets/images/izd-8104.jpg (Mika Mäkeläinen, Finland, DXing.info April 7 via DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. As of today, beware of Radio Tashkent now on Information Radio's 9715 kHz, with Arabic at 1700-1730 & 1900-1930. From looking at Tashkent's previous summer schedules, I would expect them to be 9715 kHz 1200-1930 UTC. Regards, (Dave Kernick, UK, March 30, delayed until April 6 via hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** IRAQ. Republic of Iraq Radio Main Service was heard only with very poor/indistinct reception on 909 kHz over the 24-hour reporting period. It was untraced between 2200 5 April and 0628 6 April. [later:] The official main radio station, Republic of Iraq Radio Main Service, has not been heard on the mediumwave frequency of 909 kHz since 1955 gmt on 6 April by BBC Monitoring. The radio has not been heard by BBC Monitoring on any other known frequencies. Associated Press reported at 1027 gmt on 7 April that Iraqi domestic radio had been on the air. Other sources: No other Iraqi state radio, TV or Internet publications can be traced. Source: BBC Monitoring research in Arabic 7 Apr 03 1100 gmt (via DXLD) ** IRAQ. Re Good Morning Iraq 31 March: You can hear the BBC Radio 4 feature on Radio Nahrain (4 mins) if you go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listen/listen.shtml and use the "Search the Sound Archive" feature - put "Radio Nahrain" (without the quote marks) as the keywords, and "Good Morning Iraq" will come up in the search results as the eighth item in the list. Regards, (Dave Kernick, April 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Direct link is http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/radio4/today/listen/audiosearch.pl?ProgID=1049094547 but it cuts off before it is quite finished; anyway, some nice airchex (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ [non]. PICTURE BULLETIN OF VOICE OF THE LIBERATION OF IRAQ 1730 GMT 5 APR 03 | Text of report by Iraq-targeted Voice of the Liberation of Iraq on 5 April 1. Announcer: Huna Sawt Tahrir Al-Iraq - This is the voice of liberation of Iraq; voice of democracy, equality and liberation; voice of peace, tolerance and co-existence; voice of civil society; voice of various ethnic groups, religions and doctrines in Iraq. The newscaster introduces station, time and frequency of broadcast. 2. Music. 3. Announcer addresses Iraqis to tell them that at a time when Uday is hiding underground, his criminal cronies attack coalition forces through the cover of displaying white flags, surrender. The coalition forces are fighting to liberate you from Saddam's bloodthirsty regime. Saddam's supporters have no morale. They abducted Iraqi women. He says Iraqis are aware of these people's crimes. He urges Iraqis not to fight the forces which came to liberate them from Saddam's tyranny. He says the country will be liberated from the crimes of this barbaric man and Iraqis will live free in future Iraq. Then he announces: Voice of the Liberation of Iraq. 4. Music. 5. Spokesman for coalition forces Vincent Brooks says mosques are sacred sites and must not be used for military and objectives. This was an answer to a question on the dictatorial regime's forces hiding inside these sacred Shi'i sites in Al-Najaf to use them as military positions to attack coalition forces. Brooks says only evil forces can engage in such tactics; he says coalition forces will not respond to fire by supporters of the dictatorial regime hiding inside mosques and other religious sites. Voice of the Liberation of Iraq. 6. Saddam loses control over Iraqi people and time has come to liberate Iraqi people. The duty of coalition forces is to topple Saddam's regime and liberate Iraq. Voice of the Liberation of Iraq. 7. Music. 8. Indistinct 9. Iraqi television broadcast statement urges Iraqis to fight coalition forces; coaches of Iraqi soldiers heading to airport in southwest Baghdad; US sends reinforcements to secure airport and changed its name from Saddam International Airport to Baghdad International Airport. 10. Pentagon expresses astonishment about Saddam Husayn's call to Muslims for jihad against coalition forces despite his history on killing thousands of Muslims. 11. US forces say they found thousands of boxes containing unknown substances. 12. US State Department's official says US offered 4m dollars to Iraqi National Congress in order to be able to continue its TV programmes directed to Iraq. 13. US president to head for Northern Ireland next week to hold talks with British prime minister; US president's national security adviser rejects any important role for UN in post-war of Iraq. 14. US Central Command officials say Nida unit of the Republican Army suffered big losses. 15. Music. 16. Appeal: Dictator Saddam has exposed Iraqi people to danger and he producing weapons of mass destruction which he hid in urban areas, sites of worship and schools. This is another attempt to hide his illegal weapons from UN inspectors and from those who work to disarm the dictator and to provide a secure life to the Iraqi people. These attempts expose the Iraqi people to serious dangers and bring destruction and chronic diseases to Iraq and neighbouring countries. The coalition forces are aware of Saddam's coward strategy and will not stop the process of disarmament. Iraqi people, you need to move to guarantee your security, that of your families and the security of your neighbours and to inform members of the coalition forces of any suspicious activity or any information on these weapons. The coalition forces want to eliminate this danger from Iraq. So, move now and rescue Iraq. Voice of the Liberation of Iraq. 17. Receiving Iraqi opposition figures, British prime minister says US-British forces to live Iraq as soon as possible and there will be a transitional authority led by Iraqis. 18. Music. 18. Another appeal on Saddam's invasion of Kuwait, his burning of Kuwaiti oil wells and their effect on environment and health risks; Saddam destroyed Iraq and his people. 19. Music. Source: Voice of the Liberation of Iraq, in Arabic 1730 gmt 5 Apr 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) 24 hours later, the next report showed a lot more music ** IRAQ [and non]. Says Iraq's Youth Radio was model for Information Radio content, says Info Radio is coming from Navy ships http://www.msnbc.com/news/891134.asp?0cv=KB20 Personal story of woman serving with British PSYOPS unit- http://www.caithness-courier.co.uk/news.asp?storyvar=3362 US passing out shortwave radio at checkpoints telling people to tune to VOA http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/6497567p-7441482c.html Item including bit of British station in Basra http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/095/nation/British_say_they_ll_stay_as_long_as_it_takes+.shtml More on the station: http://msnbc.com/news/895580.asp?cp1=1 Wash Post article mentioning that CIA set up clandestine radio stations against Saddam http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24073-2003Apr3.html (via Hans Johnson, April 6, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** IRAQ. SHARING WITH SPECIAL FORCES: Yesterday the Monitor's Cameron Barr stumbled across some US Special Forces soldiers in northern Iraq. As the story he contributed to notes (see story), they didn't have much to do. "They were pretty laid back," Cameron says, "and they were as eager - in a low-key, Special Forces sort of way - for information from us as we were for details about them. I have to say, they got the better end of the deal. They didn't tell us a thing, but we briefed them about world opinion on the war, the results of a recent US-Kurdish operation against Islamist militants, and other less weighty topics. They were so starved for information that I asked if they had a shortwave radio. The guy who appeared to be the commander said he had one but couldn't raise any English news. So I gave him some BBC frequencies." (From Christian Science Monitor April 2nd via Hans Johnson, April 6, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** IRAQ. From a much longer story, THE FIGHT YET TO COME about plans to administer Iraq; Reilly, of course, served only recently as VOA Director, but didn`t get along with the staff: (gh) The man entrusted to broadcast the new order to Iraqis over television and radio airwaves will be Robert Reilly, who, as head of Voice of America, relayed information to the communist bloc during the Cold War. [sic] The Observer has also learnt the identity of the person who will be the new viceroy of Baghdad: Barbara Bodine, former ambassador to Yemen, known for a mixture of her expertise in the region and fervent hostility to a politically organised Muslim world. Baghdad will be one of three administrative areas, the others being territory around Mosul in the North and Basra in the South 'the same provinces with which the Turkish Ottomans ruled what is now Iraq for four centuries'. http://www.observer.co.uk/focus/story/0,6903,930591,00.html (via Jilly Dybka, TN, April 7, DXLD) ** IRAQ [and non]. See also PROPAGATION at end of this issue; and RECEIVER NEWS ** ITALY. RAI 2 is back on 846 kHz. Heard on 7 APR at 1700 UT (Karel Honzik, the Czech Republic (Czechia), AOR AR-7030 30 m Long Wire, hard-core-dx via DXLD) That was a major outlet put off for `electrosmog` problems (gh, DXLD) ** JORDAN. 11690, 1611-, Radio Jordan, Apr 5. English news about Iraq, and then about North Korea. Fair to good reception only, but at least they're in English. 1613 prolonged music bridge, and repeat of news headlines (about Iraq), weather forecast. TC for 15 past 7. Then ID for 'Radio Jordan 9? FM' (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Is English now ending at 1630 as usual during DST? (gh, DXLD) ** KAZAKHSTAN [non]. LITHUANIA (NOT) 9925, 1637-, Radio Dat, Apr 5. I've been checking for them, and have heard nothing for quite some time. Their website http://www.datradio.com has not been updated either, and the RA link is down. Anyone have any information on what happened? Also I think Lithuania has leased out its transmitter to others at this time (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. Today's Washington Post has an interesting story on monitoring broadcasts from North Korea as part of the search for insights into the workings of the Pyongyang regime. See http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37436-2003Apr5.html (Matt Francis, DC, April 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: STRAINING FOR THE REAL MESSAGE IN NORTH KOREAN BROADCASTS Monitors Weigh Pyongyang's Rhetoric to 'Filter Out the Facts' By Doug Struck, Washington Post Foreign Service Sunday, April 6, 2003; Page A19 SEOUL -- North Korea says peninsula on verge of nuclear war. . . . North Korea calls Bush "war monger." . . . North Korea threatens to make Seoul a "Sea of Fire." It's all in a day's work for Kim Tae Won. He listens in his headphones patiently, all day, to North Korea's propaganda broadcasts, sorting through the bluster for clues of real danger in the crisis over nuclear weapons. Kim works at one of a scattering of listening posts around the region – in his case, at the South Korean Ministry of Unification -- that constantly monitor North Korea's radio and television stations to watch for provocative moves during the Iraq war. The rhetoric has become more heated since last fall because of tensions over North Korea's nuclear ambitions. Many analysts anticipated that the communist state, worried that it is next on the Bush administration's list for preemptive wars, would crank things up once the war in Iraq began. But so far, the airwaves have been relatively calm. The North Korean government has reported on the Iraq war with only a light peppering of editorial flavoring, even using some borrowed American television footage. It has not announced that it plans to restart a plutonium reprocessing plant or test a ballistic missile, the steps that Washington and other governments most fear. For the radio monitors, dramatic announcements are only part of their job. Much of what they do, day in and day out, is try to figure out from routine transmissions just what the reclusive government is trying to tell the world. They weigh the rhetoric, ponder the subtleties, and watch for new names or missing ones to determine changes in the regime's lineup. "It's psychological warfare," said Kang Seok Seung, who helps analyze the information Kim plucks from the broadcasts. "We have to filter out the facts." North Korea largely shuns avenues of normal communication with the outside world. The few foreign diplomats who live in Pyongyang say they get few meaningful messages from the government. There is no independent press inside the country, and the occasional foreign reporters allowed in rarely see anyone important in the government. So the official North Korean radio, television and press outlets become the main voice of the government. Listening for the message is like straining to hear a whisper amid shouts, say monitors like Kim, who has been doing the work for 26 years. The propaganda outlets boil with invective and threats. Some recent samples: "The whole Korean nation will not escape nuclear holocaust," North Korea warns. The "plot hatched" by the United States will "spark a nuclear crisis." A U.S. military exercise is moving "murderous equipment" and "entering a stage of real war." America is "escalating the danger of armed clashes." But even among the florid verbiage, there are useful signals. For example, the monitors pay attention to how foreign leaders such as President Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi are mentioned. Koizumi, for example, lately is "Japan's leader Koizumi." In Korean usage, that is lukewarm courtesy, a step down from the more respectful "Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi" he got after a historic summit in Pyongyang in September. Analysts see that as a sign North Korea doesn't want to insult Koizumi too badly and still wants to keep options open for improved relations with Japan. Personal slanders against the South Korean president have disappeared since the North-South Korean summit in June 2000. Bush, by contrast, gets spitting-mad treatment. He is "warmonger Bush, imperialist Bush," or "that crazy Bush who likes war." It is turnabout for the scorn the Bush administration has heaped on North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, whom Bush admits he "loathes." The monitors pay attention to who says what and when on the propaganda channels. Criticism that simply quotes foreign sources gets the least attention. Statements from a Foreign Ministry spokesman are given sharp attention, as are the editorials in the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper. The U.S. and North Korean governments both are adept in the language of signals. According to a knowledgeable U.S. source, the Bush administration recently sent indirect word to North Korea suggesting it make a gesture by broadcasting a formal statement of appreciation for 40,000 tons of food aid donated by the United States. The North Korean government took a grudging half-step: It announced the food aid in a two-sentence item on its broadcast -- without any public thanks -- and sent word through private channels that it appreciated the food. The U.S. Embassy in Seoul monitors the broadcasts around the clock, as do other governments. Several ministries in South Korea -- the ministries of unification, defense and information, and even the police -- do similar monitoring. Ironically, what they do is illegal for private citizens in South Korea. Despite budding democracy here, listening to North Korean radio still is a violation of the National Security Law. The ministries and media companies, like the South Korean wire service Yonhap, have to have special permission. "We listen for North Korea's demands and conditions on their political agenda," said Kang Jin Wook, a monitor and reporter at Yonhap. Monitors say they know those on the speaking end of the microphone mean what they say, according to Tadahiro Motomura, vice president of Radiopress Inc., a company that is an outgrowth of the radio room in Japan's Foreign Ministry that listened to foreign broadcasts for Japanese intelligence during World War II. "As far as we know, there is no live broadcast in North Korea. Everything is prerecorded and checked," he said. "I've never heard a North Korean commentator make a mistake. There's an old story that a broadcaster once made a mistake. He was never heard from again." (via Hans Johnson, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN. 4085, Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan, Salah al-Din near Mosul, Iraq. While the Kurdistan Democratic Front is approaching Mosul supported by U.S. Special Forces, I heard for the first time a message in English via this clandestine. On Apr 05 at 2000-2022 there was as usual a long proclamation against Saddam Hussein in Arabic. This was followed by military band music and an eight minutes long, but badly modulated message in U.S. English about the Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, instructions to Iraqis on how to safeguard themselves and not provoke fatal incidents at Coalition checkpoints, and requirement that prisoners of war should be treated according to the Geneva Conventions. After Kurdish music the station signed off 2033. 44443. Best 73, (Anker Petersen, Denmark, April 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, 20 to 25 minutes past the hours is the favourite time for English there (gh, DXLD) ** KUWAIT. BRITISH RADIO DJ A FAVORITE WITH BAGHDAD-BOUND April 6, 2003 BY SARAH DONALDSON On the outskirts of a vast American army camp near Kuwait City sits a metal cabin that houses a makeshift radio station. Every day, its small staff transmits a morale-nourishing mixture of familiar pop music, news, sports and dedication messages to thousands of soldiers currently deployed in the Gulf. One disc jockey -- breakfast show host Jonathan Bennett -- is gaining a cult following among the camp's GIs. Often, soldiers will knock on the studio door and thank him for playing a song which, for a moment, transported them away from the heat and the sand and back to the familiar comforts of home--perhaps Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run,'' or something by Garth Brooks. But Bennett is no fast-talking, ''Good Morning Vietnam''-style U.S. army jock. He's a 47-year-old Brit from a London suburb. Bennett is in Kuwait to run BFBS Middle East, a temporary branch of the British Forces Broadcasting Service's international radio network. He has worked for BFBS for 21 years, including a stint in Kuwait during the last Gulf conflict, but he's finding this war "the most difficult job" of his life. His audience is more wide-ranging than ever, partly due to an American "policy change", which means they have not set up a Gulf radio station as they did in 1991. This has led to many U.S. troops tuning into British radio rather than the American service, which is broadcast from outside the region. Secondly, improvements in mobile transmission technology mean that Bennett and his colleagues are broadcasting right to the front line. "The guys can actually tune in while they are fighting if they want," says Bennett. "We've got transmitters further forward than any other time since the Second World War. When I go on the breakfast show in the morning, I'm talking to guys who are resting having come off the front line." Bennett says that at first he didn't know whether to be laid-back or serious. "But, in the end, you just read dedications as straight and as sincerely as possible and have as much of a laugh as you can to take their minds of it." Popular song requests include The Animals' 1965 hit "We Gotta Get Out of this Place" and Thin Lizzy's 1976 rocker, "The Boys are Back in Town.'' Last week, an armored unit in the Iraqi desert mocked a battalion further away from the action with D:Ream's 1993 "Things Can Only Get Better.'' Bennett has no doubt that the music he plays provides a vital emotional outlet for the troops. "As the guys at the front line will tell you, war is nine parts waiting, one part fighting. While they're waiting, the radio can take their minds off things." Daily Telegraph http://www.suntimes.com/output/iraq/cst-nws-radio06.html 73 (via Kim Elliott, Jilly Dybka, Mike Terry, DXLD) Yes, that does raise a troublesome question: why isnt`t AFRTS active on the ground over there with local if temporary outlets?? (gh, DXLD) 'AFN MUSIC WAS LIKE A DRUG FOR US' Six decades of U.S. military radio have left a lasting impact on countries where it has been broadcast --- By Jeremy Herron http://makeashorterlink.com/?E25112B14 (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** LESOTHO. 4800, R. Lesotho, 0358-0455 03/30. Vernacular. Booming signal at tunein with Afropops. IS (wind-instruments tones, Balafon?) at 0403, OM with drop in audio reading news until 0409. Lite music, then different OM at 0413, audio back up to prior level, with "animated, rising /falling" talks (religious?) with breaks for choral-style and lite Afropop music. Phone-in program at 0430 with breaks for more choral/lite music. Signal gradually faded under QRN until unusable at 0455 (Scott Barbour, Jr., NH, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** MALAYSIA. RTM, VOICE OF MALAYSIA AND VOICE OF ISLAM - NEW SCHEDULES FOR A03 4845 24-hrs RTM Kajang Tamil domestic 4895 2200-0100 RTM Kuching domestic 4895 0800-1500 RTM Kuching domestic 5030 2200-0000 RTM Kuching domestic 5030 1000-1500 RTM Kuching domestic 5965 24-hrs RTM Kajang Malay domestic 5980 2200-1500 RTM Kotakinabalu domestic 6025 0200-1400 RTM Kajang domestic Malay and dialects domestic 6025 1400-1700 VOI Kajang Malay As 6050 2200-1500 RTM Sibu domestic 6060 0400-1500 RTM Miri domestic 6100 1300-1530 VOM Kajang Thai, Burmese As 6175 0300-0700 VOI Kajang English Indonesia 6175 0700-0830 VOM Kajang English Indonesia 6175 0900-1400 VOM Kajang Indonesian 6175 1700-1900 VOM Kajang Indonesian 7130 0400-0600 RTM Kuching domestic 7270 0800-1500 RTM Kuching domestic 7295 24-hrs RTM Kajang English domestic 9750 0300-0700 VOI Kajang English As 9750 0700-0830 VOM Kajang English As 9750 0900-1400 VOM Kajang Indonesian 9750 1700-1900 VOM Kajang Malay 11885 1030-1230 VOM Kajang Mandarin 15295 0300-0700 VOI Kajang English Au NZ 15295 0700-0830 VOM Kajang English Au NZ 15295 1530-1900 VOM Kajang Arabic ME Footnotes: 1. 9665 is registered with the ITU with 250 kW from Kajang 0300-1230 to Au and NZ, as an alternative frequency to 15295 2. Operating times and days for domestic services from Kuching, Sibu and Miri are variable 3. Voice of Islam English is listed 0300-0600 but may be extended to 0700 on some days 4. Kuching 4895 and 5030 are subject to constant disruption due to technical problems and may be discontinued (EDXP World Broadcast Magazine March 30, http://edxp.org used by permission, via DXLD) ** MEXICO [non]. FORM 1090: So now So Cal has yet one more Sports station, XEPRS/1090, which is targeting the San Diego market specifically. So what? -- Except, it sure was good to hear the voice of an old friend, Wolfman Jack, during that first weekend leading up to their recent debut. 1090 ran a tape loop that weekend, mostly of Sports actualities, et al, but they did give a nod to the heritage of the frequency, and it's most listened to resident, the Wolf...who held court each weeknight at 10PM (right after Reverend Ike) on what was then XERB/1090, circa 1965-1971. Of course, some of us remember hearing the wolf prior to the 1090 engagement, on XERF/1570, out of Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila. Next time you find yourself there, jump across the Rio Grande to Del Río, Texas, and check out the new Museum dedicated to the memory of Wolfman Jack (source? via Greg Hardison, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** MEXICO [non]. Update of a report I sent to http://www.radiolondon.co.uk a few months ago: In 1999, Howie Castle took Webmasters Chris and Mary across the Mexican border from California, to pay homage to the original site where Wolfman Jack had once broadcast from XERB. Now a shopping plaza, the former XERB site contains a 'mini-mast' (left) (see web site) and a plaque commemorating the Wolfman and the station. Now the Texan town of Del Rio "The Best of the Border - where Old Mexico meets the New West" - is to erect a statue to honour the Wolfman, one of America's best-loved DJs, who died in 1995.The howling hero's rock 'n' roll radio career was launched via the Mexican 'border-blaster' stations. Locals have already had the chance to preview a miniature version of the statue, by sculptor Michael Maiden, which was unveiled during a recent music festival held in honour of the Wolfman. The full-sized sculpture will be unveiled on October 31st - a date known appropriately in the US as 'howl-lowe'en'. Wolfman Jack website here: http://www.wolfmanjack.com/ Del Rio Chamber of Commerce site here: http://www.wolfmanjack.com/ (Mike Terry, April 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Informándoles que en el mes pasado, XHMVS 102.5 Best FM, es la primera estación en la ciudad de México en transmitir una señal RDS (Radio Data System). El texto que envía es "BEST FM". Saludos (Héctor García Bojorge, DF, April 5, Conexión Digital via DXLD) {There ought to be a law requiring Spanish RDS in Mexico!} ** MOROCCO. This morning (at 0428) heard Radio Morocco with excellent signal on 11920 kHz. News on the half-hour, followed by an interesting ID at 0435: "Idhaat ul-mamlyakat il-Maghribiya min Tanjer". Strange, it used to go from Rabat, the capital. Is it a local studio relayed on the waves of country's external service? Does anybody know whether other domestic programs (Casablanca, Marrakech, etc.) can be heard in SW? WRTH says nothing about it. 73, (Dmitry Mezin, Kazan, Russia, April 6, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** PALAU [and non]. The High Adventure Ministries website lists the following stations on their network: - "A transmission site in Germany" (i.e. Juelich) for Europe, Middle East, Asia - "A shortwave facility just north of Los Angeles, California" (i.e. KVOH) - An FM station in Liberia (Monrovia) - "We are currently building a new transmission site in Northern Nigeria where we will broadcast FM, AM and shortwave, eventually reaching most of the continent of Africa." No mention at all of Palau. Does anybody know something about the current status of The Station Formerly Known as KHBN (now something T88..) apart from being used for Radio Free Asia? They once sent me a nice QSL with a nice stamp, it would be nice if there still were some service. 73, -- (Eike Bierwirth, 04317 Leipzig, DL, hard-core-dx via DXLD) Well, this appears in the current client listing of George Jacobs, http://www.gjainc.com --- 9955.0 KHBN PALAU 0800-1700 S ASIA 50.0 280 9955.0 KHBN PALAU 2200-2400 SE ASIA 50.0 280 9965.0 KHBN PALAU 0700-1700 CHINA 80.0 318 9965.0 KHBN PALAU 2200-2400 CHINA 80.0 318 9985.0 KHBN PALAU 0700-1600 KOR/JAP 50.0 345 9985.0 KHBN PALAU 2100-2400 KOR/JAP 50.0 345 12160.0 KHBN PALAU 1000-1600 S ASIA 50.0 270 13840.0 KHBN PALAU 1100-1600 S ASIA 50.0 270 15725.0 KHBN PALAU 0700-1100 S ASIA 50.0 270 KHBN is licensed by the Govt. of Palau as T8BZ The question is whether any or all of the above refers to non-RFA programming, as I suspect it does. HA`s Nigerian plans are long ago abandoned, replaced by a joint venture with WJIE in Liberia, supposedly testing that ex-Lebanon transmitter already on 11515. Has anyone heard it? (Glenn Hauser, April 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 5728.43 --- see UNIDENTIFIED ** PERU. 3329.66, Ondas del Huallaga, 0950 with music interrupted by om ID and CHU making its presence felt. 4790, Radio Atlántida, 1102 hyper announcer, exotic music, ID 1105 4750.10, Radio San Francisco, Solana 1020 several ID's Icom R75, NRD 535D modified, Scotka Noise Reducing Antenna Mosquito ~ News http://uk.geocities.com/dxsf/ Mosquito ~ Radio http://uk.geocities.com/dxsf/1959S38.html (R L C Wilkner, FL, April 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CONTINUED as DXLD 3-060! |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-058, April 5, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.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 HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3d.html HTML version of late March issues: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3c.html HTML version of early February issues: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3b.html For restrixions and searchable 2003 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn NEXT AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1176: RFPI: Sun 0000, 0600, 1200, 1830, Mon 0030, 0630, 1230, Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0700, 1300 on 7445 [subject to pre-emption] WWCR: Sun 0330 5070, 0730 3210, Wed 0930 9475 WBCQ: Mon 0445 on 7415 WJIE: Mon & Tue 0600, M-F 1200 on 7490 WRN: Europe Sun 0430, N. America Sun 1400 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1176.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1176.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1176h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1176h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1176.html WORLD OF RADIO etc. SCHEDULES UPDATED FOR THE WEEK OF CONFUSION http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html [above now also has upcoming schedule effective April 6] http://www.worldofradio.com/wormast.html DX/SWL/MEDIA PROGRAMS, A-03 revision as of April 3: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html BDXC DX PROGRAMME GUIDE British DX Club web site updates 5 April 2003: The Guide to DX Programmes has now been updated for the summer schedule period on the club web site. Updating is ongoing so there may be further amendements during the next few days to take account of A03 schedule changes. (click on Article Index for the DX programme guide) [specifically:] http://www.users.waitrose.com/~bdxc/dxprog.htm The DX Diary page has also been updated today. http://www.bdxc.org.uk UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIAL In order to read a few issues of the 'Iraqi Media Behavior'-notes by BBCM please visit Sennitt's RN Media Network-pages or read Hauser's DXL-Digest. Both present a few of these summaries in their publications. And of course a lot other interesting material is there, too. Most interesting are even the added personal comments of both editors. Both publications are up-to-date with recent events and are highly recommended. Their view esp. on Iraq is not focused on Clandestine Radio but on the whole media scene (M. Schöch, Mar 31, 2003 in CRW) DXLD : http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html RNMN : http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/features/html/iraq030319.html ** AFGHANISTAN. AFGHAN SOUTHWEST PROVINCE GETS RADIO TRANSMITTER | Text of report by Iranian radio from Mashhad on 4 April A radio transmitter device has been inaugurated in Nimruz Province by the Afghan information and culture minister, during a ceremony held there. According to a report by an [Iranian] Dari radio correspondent from Kabul, this Italian-made device was donated by France to the Afghan government. This 1 kilo-watt device can cover a range of 70 kilometres and, according to Afghan engineers, in addition to Nimruz town it can provide services to a further four districts of the province, and Iran-based Afghan refugees living on the Iranian border areas close to Nimruz can also receive programmes from the radio. According to this report, the Afghan government, given its media policies, intends to provide the centres of all provinces with radio transmitter devices. Source: Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mashhad, in Dari 0330 gmt 4 Apr 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) WTFK??? ** ANGOLA. 7217.3, R. Nacional de Angola, Luanda. 2100 ID in English "This is Luanda, International Service of Angolan National Radio". News and economics, fair 14/3 (Leigh Morris, Coorong SA DXpedition, April ADXN via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. I noticed there was no ABC on 2310 in HFCC - they were there last time (Wayne Bastow, ARDXC via DXLD) Interesting. No Radio Australia listings in it (Ian Johnson, ARDXC via DXLD) Hi Ian, You will find "some" entries for RA under the station title ABC-Radio Australia, but interesting that Shepparton & Brandon TX sites not found there. Regards (Ian Baxter from further south, ibid.) I grabbed it on the 2nd - the first AUS station shows up on 7180 kHz at Darwin. First ABC is on 9720 via SNG. Maybe they've updated it since then (Wayne Bastow, ibid.) See below for discussion of the incomplete and censored HFCC (gh) ** AUSTRALIA. In this week 7 to 12 April, RA Shepparton will be doing some tests and performing benchmarking tests on the J Group of antennas. Anywhere between 2200 and 0600 UT you might hear on 9475 9500 11660 and 6080 regular programming when not sked. This will again occur between June and August. Some of the recent problems of harmonics, etc., hopefully will be knocked over (Johno Wright, April 4, ARDXC via DXLD) J Group antennas? Mmm. What --- new Curtin Arrays or Rhombics at the site? I haven't been past the Lemnos (Shepparton) site during the day for a few months. Sounds like new construction (Ian Baxter, near Shepparton, ibid.) ** AUSTRALIA [?]. Don Rhodes of Yarra Glen, Vic, a long time ARDXC member and experienced DXer, in a recent email reports: ``I have noticed a marked increase in another type of QRM on many of the bands, like a machine gun, and moves about the bands at will. Sometimes covers many khz's. Very strong signals and can completely override even strong cochannel signals; all this since the run up to the middle east war.`` One would wonder if this could be an over the horizon radar type of operation (April ADXN via DXLD) Could this be Jindalee OTH radar in Australia itself, as reported activated in last issue? (gh, DXLD) Don, the Jindalee system, according to the ACA data base has transmitting sites at Laverton and Carnarvon; it may be worthwhile checking these if to see if the signals you mention tally with their transmit frequencies. I have not worked out just what the mode is, but the transmit power listed is quite high, Carnarvon has 23 frequencies from 5 to 21 MHz (there are higher) but there are no 15, 17 or 18 MHz frequencies. I am afraid I have no information from other sources about these OTH radar systems (Allen Fountain, April ADXN Utility ed., via DXLD) ** AUSTRIA. ROI via short wave Europe / North Africa 0400 - 2230 6155 0400 - 1800 13730 1800 - 2230 5945 North America East 0100 - 0200 9870 West* 1500 - 1600 15515 * Relais Sackville Latin America 0000 - 0100 9870 2300 - 2400 9870 13730 Middle East 0500 - 0600 17870 Asia & Australia 1200 - 1300 21780 (Roberto Scaglione, Sicily, April 5, hard-core-dx via DXLD) And that`s all? Checked 15515 at 1530 on April 5 and it continued in German when English used to appear; not especially good signal. At previous seasonal shifts, it took them a while to straighten out the feeds to get the English broadcast on Sackville, but not on Moosbrunn; not sure if they are still trying to do that (gh, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Emissora reativada, 4895 05/04 0845-0905 Rádio Baré, Manaus-AM, musical, locutor anunciando a nova programação em ondas tropicais, divulgação do telefone 2344-0161, código 92 para informes de escuta, ID às 0858 " ZYF 270, Rádio Baré, transmitindo em ondas tropicais na freqüência de 4895 kHz em 60 metros, Manaus, Amazonas, Brasil. Uma nova programação, fique conosco, conversando a gente se entende" 35443 73 (Samuel Cássio Martins, São Carlos, SP, Sony 7600 GR, antena longwire 25 metros, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BULGARIA. Schedule for Radio Bulgaria's DX programs in A-03: Bulgarian 1345-1400 Sun 1224 Balk 11700 WeEu 15700 WeEu 1945-2000 Sun 7200 WeEu 7400 ME English 2138-2200 Fri 5800 WeEu 7500 WeEu 2338-2400 Fri 9400 NoAm 11900 NoAm 0238-0300 Sat 9400 NoAm 11900 NoAm 0638-0700 Sun 11600 WeEu 13600 WeEu 1138-1200 Sun 11700 WeEu 15700 WeEu German 1930-1940 Thu 5800 WeEu 7500 WeEu 0500-0510 Fri deleted 1920-1930 Sat 5800 WeEu 7500 WeEu French 2039-2050 Tue 5800 WeEu 7500 WeEu 0139-0150 Wed 9400 NoAm 11900 NoAm 2039-2050 Sun 5800 WeEu 7500 WeEu 0139-0150 Mon 9400 NoAm 11900 NoAm [Suns and Mons irregular] Russian 1445-1500 Sat 1224 Balk 7500 EaEu 9500 CeAs 13600 EaEu 1615-1630 Sat 7500 EaEu 9500 EaEu 1845-1900 Sat 7500 EaEu 9900 EaEu 2345-2400 Sat 11700 CeAs 0345-0400 Sun 1224 Balk 7500 EaEu 9500 EaEu 0515-0530 Sun + Mon 7500 EaEu 9500 EaEu 1045-1100 Sun + Wed 11600 EaEu 13600 EaEu Spanish 1649-1654 Sun 15700 SoEu 17500 SoEu 2118-2123 Sun 11800 SoEu 13800 SoEu 2318-2323 Sun 9500 SoAm 11600 SoAm 0118-0123 Mon 9500 SoAm 9700 CeAm 11600 SoAm (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, Mar 26, BC-DX April 3 via DXLD) ** CANADA. CAB DISAPPOINTED BY COPYRIGHT BOARD`S DECISION ON REPRODUCTION OF MUSICAL WORKS For Immediate Release Commercial radio should not be penalized for embracing new technology Ottawa, April 1, 2003, – The Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) expressed its disappointment over the recent ruling by the Copyright Board of Canada on royalties payable for the reproduction of musical works. The ruling requires commercial radio stations to pay for making reproductions of music for broadcast purposes, such as from a CD to the radio station`s computer system. The impact of this new tariff is estimated at approximately $6.5 million annually, retroactive to 2001. This is an additional new payment for radio stations. ``We are disappointed by this decision,`` said Glenn O`Farrell, CAB President and CEO.`` While we believe that all creators are entitled to fair compensation for their work, we believe that this tariff is unfair, as there is no economic value resulting from transfer of media and no royalties should be paid for it. Radio broadcasters are simply doing their jobs, getting music to Canadians. They are employing emerging efficient technology. They should not be penalized for that.`` In April 2001, the Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency (CMRRA) and the Society for Reproduction Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers in Canada (SODRAC) filed proposed tariffs for the reproduction in Canada of musical works by commercial radio stations. ``What we do need is the Government to uphold its commitment to amend the Copyright Act to create a meaningful and effective broadcaster exemption, protecting the industry from technology taxes,`` added O`Farrell. The CAB is in the process of reviewing the decision and will determine if it will appeal the decision at a later date. The CAB is the national voice of Canada`s private broadcasters, representing the vast majority of Canadian programming services, including private radio and television stations, networks, specialty and pay, and pay- per-view services. -30- For additional information, please contact: Kelly Beaton, Vice-President, Communications (613) 233-4035 ext. 351 kbeaton@cab-acr.ca Julien Lavoie, Communications Manager, (613) 233-4035 ext. 331 jlavoie@cab-acr.ca (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** CANARY ISLANDS. 6715U, Full Gospel Church, Las Palmas. 2230 o/m with Gospel program in Korean. Surprising good for only 100 watts, 15/3 (Leigh Morris, Coorong SA DXpedition, April ADXN via DXLD) ** CHINA. CRI A-03, English to N. America/Caribbean 2300-0000...13680,5990 0100-0200...9580, 9790 0300-0400...9690, 9790 0400-0600...9755, 9560 1300-1400...9570 1300-1500...17720, 7405 After News and special reports (special reports air each weekday), regular features on the English Service (all days UT) Monday People in the Know Tuesday Biz China Wednesday China Horizons Thursday Voices From Other Lands Friday Life in China Saturday Global Review, Listeners Garden Sunday Report From Developing Countries, In the Spotlight (from updated http://pw2.netcom.com/~jleq/cri1_skedfreq.htm James Richard LeQuesne, a.k.a. jleq, swprograms via DXLD) As already reported here, 17720 has been missing; the 0400-0600 on 9560 and another frequency has never really been the case; one is at 0400-0500 yearound from Guiana, has been 9730 but now really 9755? And the 9560 from Canada, 0500-0600 during ST, 0400-0500 during DST (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CYPRUS. Local people are protesting at new radio masts. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1421365.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1421689.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1422532.stm (via BC-DX, April 3, 2003 via DXLD) These stories date from 4 July 2001 ** DENMARK: Glenn - there's no need to put a question mark after DENMARK (as you did in DXLD 3-057)! World Music Radio (WMR) is indeed planning to return to the air from transmitters in Denmark. Also I don't understand your reference to IRRS Italy. We have no connection to this station. They are on 5780 and not 5790. Besides - I don't think we will be using 5790 after all - because it suffers from severe splatter from powerful Radio Bulgaria on 5800 kHz. I'm afraid I can't give you more details right now about the relaunch of WMR - except that test transmissions (AM only) hopefully are due within a few weeks (Stig Hartvig Nielsen, Denmark, April 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GABON. 4777, Radio Gabon, Libreville, found today 2 Apr 1836-1901 (when they abruptly shut the transmitter off) airing newscast in French followed by African songs 1850 and program in vernacular. It's been ages since I last caught Gabon using this particular QRG. 55433. I fear it's some sort of an erratic use of this old outlet, yet hope I'm wrong! (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, BC-DX April 3 via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Megaradio closed down today at 1100; last played song was Linkin Park's In the End, followed by a countdown. At 1100 sharp a white noise was put on the feed circuit to provide an effect until the satellite output finally went dark at about 1105. Most if not all mediumwave transmitters were switched off between 1100 and 1102. The on-air staff was notified about the deadline not earlier than 0900. My sympathy is with them. Well, I noted the silence at 1200 when doing a bandscan at Hof. Actually it was my intention to use the opportunity of a business trip to take a look at the Bayerischer Rundfunk transmitter at Hof, but finally the train schedule situation prevented me from walking out to the station. And so 1431 had around 1800 now Kopani with Voice of Russia programming and now, at 1915, with Kopani off, some other faint signal. 1575 has Italy instead of the Burg powerhouse. No more high power from Wilsdruff, Wöbbelin and away from low power DRM and utility, also Burg off and silent altogether. For me personally not exactly reasons for being happy (Kai Ludwig, Germany, April 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) NDR website, 75 years of radio in Northern Germany, sub pages of technic in 1920, 1930, 1946, 1950, 1960, 1978, and 1992 http://www.ndr.de/ndr/derndr/technik/75jahreradio/19201929.html (Wolfgang Reisnwdl, A-DX Apr 1 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** GERMANY. According to an announcement in the German service of Deutsche Welle heard on 19 March, the supplementary services ("Zusatzversorgung") on SW will be discontinued on 30 March 2003. Only the 4-hour primary services to the various target areas will be maintained. Cost reductions were mentioned as reason for this change. The new DW freq schedule for the period A-03 confirms this change. It can be downloaded at http://www.dw-world.de/dwelle/cda/detail/dwelle.cda.detail.download/0,3830,435653_51479,00.pdf All the morning and noon transmissions in German to overseas areas are gone. This means significant reductions of transmitting hours at the Antigua, Kigali and Trincomalee relay stations. Personally, I regret this change very much. I will miss DW's news service in the morning hours during my overseas trips. In some cases, it might be possible to receive backlobe radiations of primary services to other areas as a replacement. An example is 17845 kHz (directed to Asia), which was received well in South America from 1000 to 1400 UT in January (Dr. Uli Onken DK2GO, BC-DX Mar 29 via DXLD) ** ICELAND. A03 schedule of the RUV news relays in Icelandic: To Europe: 1215-1300 on 15775, 1755-1825 on 13865; To North America: 1410-1440 & 1835-1905 on 15775, 2300-2335 on 13865. The transmissions are provided by Iceland Telecom and are in AM-compatible A3A mode (USB-6dB). (RUV info via Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, April 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. 10330, AIR, 0045, April 5, Strong signal with 10 db over s9 peaks was made possible by nice greyline path between India and Eastern U.S. Lots of aurorl flutter. Subcontinental music with lady announcer. This is a domestic outlet of All India Radio, but I'm not sure which transmitter site (David Hodgson, TN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) As per a recent DXLD report from Jose Jacob, 10330 is no longer multi-site, but only Bangalore 500 kW (gh, DXLD) ** INDIA. All India Radio : External Services Language Wise --- A 2003 Prepared by Jose Jacob, vu2jos@yahoo.co.in Updated on 2 April 2003 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Language UTC KHz Target Area --------------------------------------------------------------------- Arabic 0430-0530 11730 13620 15770 17845 West Asia 1730-1945 9910 13620 ,, Baluchi 1500-1600 1071 9620 11585 Pakistan Bengali 0300-0430 594 Bangladesh 0800-1100 594 ,, 1445-1515 1134 ,, 1600-1730 1134 ,, Burmese 0100-0130 9950 11870 13630 Myanmar 1215-1315 11620 11710 15415 ,, Chinese 1145-1315 11840 15795 17705 NE Asia Dari 0300-0345 9845 9910 11735 13620 Afghanistan 1315-1415 7255 9910 ,, English 1000-1100 1053 15260 Sri Lanka ,, 13695 15020 15410 17800 NE Asia ,, 13695 15020 17510 17895 Australia NZ 1330-1500 9690 13710 SE Asia 1745-1945 7410 9950 11620 W. Europe ,, 11935 15075 17670 E. Africa ,, 9445 13605 15155 W. NW Africa 2045-2230 7410 9445 9950 11620 W. Europe ,, 9575 9910 11620 11715 Australia NZ 2245-0045 9705 9950 11620 13605 NE E SE Asia French 1945-2030 9910 13605 13620 W. NW Africa Gujarati 0415-0430 15075 15185 17715 E. Africa 1515-1600 11620 15175 ,, Hindi 0315-0415 11840 13695 15075 West Asia ,, 15075 15185 17715 E. Africa 0430-0530 15075 15185 17715 ,, 1615-1730 7410 12025 13770 West Asia ,, 9950 17670 E. Africa 1945-2045 7410 9950 11620 W. Europe 2300-2400 9910 11740 13795 SE Asia Indonesian 0845-0915 15770 17510 SE Asia Kannada 0215-0300 11985 15075 West Asia Malayalam 1730-1830 7115 12025 West Asia Nepali 0130-0230 594 3945 6045 7250 9810 Nepal 0700-0800 7250 9595 11850 ,, 1330-1430 1134 3945 6045 7410 11775 ,, Persian 0400-0430 11730 13620 15770 17845 West Asia 1615-1730 7115 9910 ,, Punjabi 0800-0830 702 Pakistan 1230-1430 702 ,, Pushtu 0215-0300 9845 9910 11735 13620 Afghanistan 1415-1530 7255 9910 ,, Russian 1615-1715 11620 15140 E. Europe Saraiki 1130-1200 702 Pakistan Sindhi 0100-0200 1071 5990 7125 9635 ,, 1230-1500 1071 9620 11585 ,, Sinhala 0045-0115 1053 11985 Sri Lanka 1300-1500 1053 9820 15050 ,, Swahali 1515-1615 9950 17670 E. Africa Tamil 0000-0045 9910 11740 13795 SE Asia ,, 1053 4790 9835 11985 Sri Lanka 0115-0330 1053 ,, 1100-1300 1053 ,, 1115-1215 15050 17860 ,, ,, 13695 15770 17810 SE Asia 1500-1530 1053 Sri Lanka Telegu 1215-1245 13695 15770 17810 SE Asia Thai 1115-1200 13645 15410 17740 SE Asia Tibetan 0130-0200 9565 11900 13700 Tibet 1215-1330 1134 7410 9575 11775 ,, Urdu 0015-0100 1071 Pakistan 0015-0430 702 6155 9595 ,, 0100-0430 11620 ,, 0200-0430 1071 ,, 0530-0600 11730 13620 17845(Haj Season) Saudi Arabia 0830-1130 702 1071 7250 9595 11620 Pakistan 1430-1735 3945 ,, 1430-1930 702 3945 4860 6045 ,, 1600-1930 1071 ,, --------------------------------------------------------------------- TRANSMITTER SITES USED FOR EXTERNAL SERVICES --------------------------------------------------------------------- KHZ Code Location KW --------------------------------------------------------------------- SW A Aligarh 250 SW B Bangalore (Doddaballapur) 500 594 1134 C Chinsurah (near Kolkatta) 1000 4790 Ch Chennai (Madras) 100 3945 7250 G Gorakhpur 50 702 J Jalandhar 200 SW Kh Khampur (Delhi) 100,250 SW Ki Kingsway (Delhi) 50,100 11935 M Mumbai (Bombay) 100 SW P Panaji [GOA] 250 1071 R Rajkot 1000 1053 T Tuticorin 200 --------------------------------------------------------------------- All India Radio : External Services Time Wise – A 2003 Prepared by Jose Jacob, vu2jos@yahoo.co.in Updated on 2 April 2003 --------------------------------------------------------------------- UTC Language kHz (Transmitter site) Target Area --------------------------------------------------------------------- 0000-0045 Tamil 9910(A) 11740(P) 13795(B) SE Asia 0000-0045 ,, 1053(T) 4790(Ch) 9835(Ki) 11985 Sri Lanka 0015-0100 Urdu 1071 (R) Pakistan 0015-0430 ,, 702(J) 6155(Ki) 9595 ,, 0045-0115 Sinhala 1053(T) 11985 Sri Lanka 0100-0130 Burmese 9950(Ki) 11870 13630(B) Myanmar 0100-0200 Sindhi 1071(R) 5990(P) 7125 9635 Pakistan 0100-0430 Urdu 11620(B) ,, 0115-0330 Tamil 1053(T) Sri Lanka 0130-0200 Tibetan 9565 11900 13700(B) Tibet 0130-0230 Nepali 594(C) 3945(G) 6045 7250(P) 9810(A) Nepal 0200-0430 Urdu 1071(R) Pakistan 0215-0300 Kannada 11985(B) 15075(B) West Asia 0215-0300 Pushtu 9845 9910 11735 13620(B) Pakistan, Afghanistan 0300-0345 Dari 9845 9910 11735 13620(B) Afghanistan 0300-0430 Bengali 594(C) Bangladesh 0315-0415 Hindi 11840(P) 13695(B) 15075(B) West Asia ,, ,, 15075 15185 17715 E.Af., Mauritius 0400-0430 Persian 11730 13620(B) 15770 17845 Iran 0415-0430 Gujarati 15075 15185 17715 E.Af., Mauritius 0430-0530 Hindi 15075 15185 17715 ,, ,, Arabic 11730 13620(B) 15770 17845 West Asia 0530-0600 Urdu 11730 13620(B) 17845 (Haj Season) Saudi Arabia 0700-0800 Nepali 7250(G) 9595(Ki) 11850(Kh) Nepal 0800-0830 Punjabi 702(J) Pakistan 0800-1100 Bengali 594(C) Bangladesh 0830-1130 Urdu 702(J) 1071(R) 7250(G) 9595(Ki) 11620(Kh) Pakistan 0845-0945 Indonesian 15770(A) 17510(A) SE Asia 1000-1100 English 1053(T) 15260 Sri Lanka ,, ,, 13695(B) 15020(A) 15410(Kh) 17800 NE Asia ,, ,, 13695(B) 15020(A) 17510 17895 Australia, NZ 1100-1300 Tamil 1053(T) Sri Lanka 1115-1215 ,, 15050 17860 ,, ,, ,, 13695(B) 15770(A) 17810(P) SE Asia 1115-1200 Thai 13645(B) 15410(P) 17740 ,, 1130-1200 Saraiki 702(J) Pakistan 1145-1315 Chinese 11840 15795 17705(B) (Cantonese/Kuoyu) NE Asia 1215-1245 Telugu 13695(B) 15770(A) 17810(P) SE Asia 1215-1315 Burmese 11620(Kh) 11710 15415 Myanmar 1215-1330 Tibetan 1134(C) 7410 9575 11775(P) Tibet 1230-1430 Punjabi 702(J) Pakistan 1230-1500 Sindhi 1071(R) 9620 11585(B) ,, 1300-1500 Sinhala 1053(T) 9820(P) 15050 Sri Lanka 1315-1415 Dari 7255(A) 9910(A) Afghanistan 1330-1430 Nepali 1134(C) 3945(G) 6045(Kh) 7410 11775(P) Nepal 1330-1500 English 9690(Kh) 13710(B) SE Asia 1415-1530 Pushtu 7255(A) 9910(A) Afghanistan, Pakistan 1430-1735 Urdu 3945(G) Pakistan 1430-1930 ,, 702(J) 4860(Ki) 6045(Kh) ,, 1445-1515 Bengali 1134(C) Bangladesh 1500-1530 Tamil 1053(T) Sri Lanka 1500-1600 Baluchi 1071(R) 9620 11585(B) Pakistan 1515-1600 Gujarati 11620(B) 15175(B) E.Af., Mauritius 1515-1615 Swahili 9950(D) 17670 E. Africa 1600-1730 Bengali 1134(C) Bangladesh 1600-1930 Urdu 1071(R) Pakistan 1615-1715 Russian 11620 15140(B) E.Europe 1615-1730 Hindi 7410(A) 12025(P) 13770(B) West Asia ,, ,, 9950(D) 15075 17670 E.Af., Mauritius 1615-1730 Persian 7115(P) 9910(A) Iran 1730-1830 Malayalam 7115(P) 12025(P) West Asia 1730-1945 Arabic 9910(A) 13620(B) ,, 1745-1945 English 7410(D) 9950(D) 11620(B) W.Europe ,, ,, 11935(M) 15075 17670(A) E.Africa ,, ,, 9445 13605(B) 15155 W & NW Africa 1945-2030 French 9910(A) 13605(B) 13620(B) ,, 1945-2045 Hindi 7410(D) 9950(D) 11620 UK & W.Europe 2045-2230 English 7410(D) 9445 9950 11620 ,, ,, ,, 9575(P) 9910(A) 11620 11715 Australia, NZ 2245-0045 ,, 9705(P) 11620 13605(B) E & SE Asia ,, ,, 9950(Kh) 11620(B) 13605(B) NE Asia 2300-2400 Hindi 9910(A) 11740(P) 13795(B) SE Asia -------------------------------------------------------------------- (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS/AT0J, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Box 1555, Somajiguda, Hyderabad 500082,India, vu2jos@rediffmail.com Telefax: 91-40-23310287 dx-india, reformatted by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL. RADIO HONORS: WORLD AMATEUR RADIO DAY From ARNewsline Report 1338 - April 4, 2003 Amateur Radio Supporting Education' is theme for World Amateur Radio Day. Its coming up real soon. RSGB newsreader Jeramy Boot, G4NJH, is here with the details: -- The theme of this year's IARU World Amateur Radio Day is to be 'Amateur Radio supporting technology education in the classroom'. World Amateur Radio Day is marked on the 18th of April each year to commemorate the anniversary of the founding of the International Amateur Radio Union on that date in 1925. Ole Garpestad, LA2RR, the Chairman of IARU Region 1 writes: "There is no doubt that the future of amateur radio belongs to those that are now in the classroom. In keeping with this theme, I would like to encourage every society in the Region to let our young people know that amateur radio is a unique hobby - simultaneously sport, scientific study, personal pleasure and collective activity. And that radio amateurs today are voluntary and selfless researchers in the technological field of amateur radio, an important resource to every country, and something to be proud of." "But the 18th of April is not only a day to think about our future, it is our day, a day for celebration. All of us, societies and individuals, can celebrate in our various ways - organizing presentations, club meetings, parties, honoring senior radio amateurs who go back to the early years of IARU, or just putting our equipment on the air and making just a single QSO on this day, so realizing how large our ham community is." Jeramy Boot, G4NJH -- Again, the date for this years World Amateur Radio Day is Friday, April 18th. (GB2RS) (Amateur Radio Newsline April 4 via Mike Terry, John Norfolk, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [non]. TITANIC ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EVENT SET: From the ARRL web site (via ASWLC) http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2003/04/03/1/?nc=1#Titanic Join The Titanic Historical Society and the Yankee Wireless Association for an Amateur Radio special event to commemorate the 40th anniversary of The Titanic Historical Society and the 91st anniversary of the Titanic disaster. The station will be located at The Titanic Museum in Indian Orchard, Massachusetts. Special event station W1MGY (MGY was the Titanic's radio call sign) will commence on-the-air operation on April 11 at 1330 UTC (the time the Titanic left Queenstown Harbor) and will cease operation on April 15 at 0527 UTC (the time the Titanic's last transmission was heard by the Virginian). Operation will center on the following modes and frequencies: SSB, 3860; 7260; 14,260; 18,160; 21,360; and 28,236 kHz; CW, 7033; 14,033; 18,099; 21,033; and 28,033 kHz; AM, 3885 kHz; FM, 146.52 MHz. A brief hand-sent CW tribute to the Titanic and its wireless operators will follow the special event on some frequencies. A commemorative QSL card is available in return for a QSL and SASE. As part of this special event, low-frequency station will transmit from a location near the museum in Westfield, Massachusetts. Listen for MGY at 185 kHz and copy the Titanic commemorative message. All transmissions will be at approximately 10 WPM using "simulated spark" modulated CW. Send signal report, time and message text accompanied by a 9x12 SASE to receive a commemorative certificate. Send QSLs and reports to Titanic Historical Society QSL, PO Box 51053, 208 Main St, Indian Orchard, MA 01151-0053. -- //Steve// Steve Silverwood, KB6OJS Fountain Valley, CA Email: kb6ojs@arrl.net Web: http://home.earthlink.net/~kb6ojs_steve (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** IRAN. I hear always a BUBBLE jammer during dark hours, like Iranian type. Bubble jamming the whole day on 5860 kHz against Farda from Kavalla-GRC (wb Mar 29-31) IRN 11705 bubble jamming, against US Radio Farda Persian, Lampertheim 1700-1900 UT (wb Mar 30) VoA Radio Farda JAMMING is immense these days: 0500-0600 UT all four channels, 9795-LAM, and the KAV relays 9510, 15185, 15290. At 0700 UT the 17835-KAV outlet also been jammed. At night 5860 is subject of jamming too (wb Apr 2) (Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany, BC-DX via DXLD) ** IRAQ. THE COMMAND POST - A WARBLOG COLLECTIVE http://www.command-post.org/ Interesting effort by individuals to get the latest info on the war (Tom McNiff, VA, April 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ. Republic of Iraq Radio Main Service : The official domestic radio station has not been heard since 1400 gmt on 3 April. Internet: The official news agency of the Iraqi Government and other web sites are inaccessible. Source: BBC Monitoring research 5 Apr 03 1400 gmt (via DXLD) ** IRAQ. BAGHDAD HAM CLUB STATION DISMANTLED PRIOR TO BOMBING: The Daily DX http://www.dailydx.com relays information from Diya Sayah, YI1DZ-- one of the primary operators at the Baghdad Radio Club YI1BGD station in Baghdad. Sayah reported just prior to the outbreak of hostilities in Iraq that he had dismantled the YI1BGD station equipment and stored it in a safe place -- if there can be such a location in the besieged capital city at this point. The Daily DX Editor Bernie McClenny, W3UR, says he doubts there will be any activity in the near future from YI1BGD "much less any other YI stations." The YI1BGD club station went on the air in the 1970s. The Iraqi Association for Radio Amateurs (IARA) remains an International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) member-society. Its president is Adnan M. Aswad, YI1DX (ARRL Letter April 4 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. US releases four million dollars for Iraqi opposition The United States released 4m dollars to a major Iraqi opposition group to allow it to restart television broadcasts into Iraq as the US-led war there rages, a State Department official said Wednesday, the AFP news agency reported on 3 April. The decision to release the money to the London-based Iraqi National Congress (INC) for its Arabic-language Liberty Television satellite broadcasts was made by deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, the official told AFP on condition of anonymity, the report said. Source: AFP news agency, Paris, in English 1901 gmt 2 Apr 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) SENATOR: GOVERNMENT TO FUND IRAQI OPPOSITION TV LIBBY QUAID, Associated Press WASHINGTON - The State Department is releasing $4 million for television and radio broadcasts by the Iraqi opposition, a U.S. senator said Wednesday. Sen. Sam Brownback, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage notified him Wednesday morning that an initial $4 million is being released. Brownback, R-Kan., and several other senators had urged the administration to clear red tape that was holding up State Department grant money. "The Iraqi opposition remains a vital tool for saving American lives in the process of toppling Saddam's regime," the senators wrote in a letter sent Monday to President Bush. "The fact that we are at war with Saddam's regime, and still not fully funding the Iraqi opposition in their struggle to achieve the same goal, is wrong," the senators wrote. Besides Brownback, the letter was signed by Republican Sens. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, Jon Kyl and John McCain of Arizona and Norm Coleman of Minnesota. Specifically, they mentioned Liberty TV, run by the Iraqi National Congress opposition group. The group said the satellite television channel went off the air in May 2002 because of lack of State Department funding. At the time, the State Department said grant negotiations had been complicated by problems with INC's financial management. The State Department did not immediately respond to Brownback's announcement on Wednesday. Called Television Hurriah in Arabic, Liberty TV was broadcasting 24 hours a day in Arabic to Iraq, the Middle East, Europe and parts of Asia and Africa. It presented a mixture of news, current affairs, talk shows, documentaries and entertainment. Brownback said he is not endorsing any opposition group to rule Iraq following the war. "This is not an effort to pick leadership for post-Saddam Hussein, but simply to engage the opposition to Saddam," Brownback said (AP Apr 2, 2003 via A. Sennitt-HOL for CRW via DXLD) ** IRAQ. Iraq SAT TV / Some technical problems this morning before 0830 UT: low quality sound, black and white images. Iraq TV is still on Hot Bird 13 East this day. The news at 0830 UT / The sound seems to be more damaged and deep-sounding in this edition. In the background an image has replaced the curtains --- is it a new studio or a way to apply video effects? They are broadcasting again Saddam's video in Baghdad with several interruptions, tape rewindings, sound/no image or image/no sound sequences. Despite the hard technical conditions Iraq is still broadcasting on satellite. It supposes a well organized network, with numerous broadcasting sites over the country including mobile equipment. 0940 UT / We can think that this media could be on the air for a long time even if the stream is often interrupted as it was the case this morning. Regards 73, (Pascal Perriot, Tours, France, April 5, hard-core-dx via DXLD) They seem to have moved locations during the night. Observations by BBC Monitoring and from our own correspondents will be in the Media Network Weblog over the weekend: http://radio.weblogs.com/0121781/ Also don't forget to check http://www.dxing.info for information from Mika Makkelainen who has just been on assignment in Doha (Andy Sennitt, Radio Netherlands, ibid.) ** IRAQ [non]. Note this item claims DAB is being used on 1800.9 MHz by V. of the People of Kurdistan, from the Kuwait border!? (gh, DXLD) CAMBIO DE FRECUENCIA - Fernando Mejía Barquera Medios en Irak: antes y después de la guerra 4-Abr-03 RADIO MILITAR O CLANDESTINA Pero es en el terreno de la radio donde hay mayor número de emisoras no controladas por el gobierno. Opera, por ejemplo, Radio Información, en los 100.4 megahertz, en FM, manejada por el ejército estadunidense y ubicada en algún punto al sur de Irak, cerca de la frontera con Kuwait. La propia Radio Información opera en la misma zona dos frecuencias de AM (690 kilohertz y 756 kilohertz) y una de onda corta. En los 1575 kilohertz de AM transmite la emisora clandestina Al Mustaqbal (``El futuro``), ubicada en la frontera con Kuwait. Mediante la novedosa tecnología de radio digital (DAB por su sigla en inglés, Digital Audio Broadcasting) difunde, en los 1800.9 megahertz, ``La Voz del Pueblo de Kurdistán``. Y en la banda de onda corta transmiten al menos cinco estaciones clandestinas adversas al régimen de Hussein: ``Radio Irak Libre``, ``La Voz del Pueblo Iraquí``, ``La Voz de la Revolución Islámica en Irak``, ``La Voz de los Trabajadores de Kurdistán`` y ``La Voz de la Rebelión en Irak``. (from a long article by Fernando Mejía Barquera, Publicado en Milenio Diario, México via Héctor García Bojorge, DF, Conexión Digital via DXLD) PICTURE BULLETIN VOICE OF THE LIBERATION OF IRAQ 1730 GMT 4 APRIL 03 1. Announcer: Huna Sout Tahrir Al-Iraq - This is the Voice of Liberation of Iraq. Introducing the radio station, time and frequency of broadcast. 2. Announcement to Iraqi soldiers saying that Iraqi 1st corps forces, which refused to surrender were bombed by coalition forces. He added that Saddam and his allies were hiding away from the dangers to which soldiers were exposed. 3. News item: Senior US officer said that 500 Iraqi soldiers were killed on Thursday 3 April 03, when they tried to re-control bridge, 30 km south of Baghdad, captured by US forces. 4. Appeal to Iraqi soldiers to abandon Saddam. 5. Iraqi news: a. Explosions were heard in Baghdad and Saddam International Airport. b. Iraqi opposition held meeting in Iraqi Kurdistan and discussed latest political and military developments and future government. c. US House of Representative authorized 80bn US dollars to finance war on Iraq. d. Bush to meet on Friday 04 April 03 Iraqi opposition members, including shi'i and Christians, living in the US. e. Christopher Ross said Saddam's regime was built on terrifying people and that the war in Iraq was not against Iraqi people but against Saddam. 6. Appeal to security forces elements asking them to abandon Saddam or be tried as criminals. 7. Commentary titled "Iraqis will celebrate Liberation". 8. Song. 9. Appeal to Iraqi forces urging them not to put mines that might hurt innocents. The appeal also carried warning to those doing so that they would be severely punished. 10. News item: Quoting journalist of London-based newspaper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat reporting on 4 April 03 edition about the return of shi'i cleric Abd-Al-Majid al-Khu'i to Al-Najaf. 11. Song. 12. Announcement to Iraqi people saying end of Saddam and their liberation were near. 13. News item on Al-Najaf published in Al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper on 04 April 03. 14. Appeal to Iraqi soldiers to abandon Saddam. 15. News item: Iraqi forces clashed with Kurdish forces 10 km from the border line between Baghdad and Kurdish controlled areas. 16. Appeal to Iraqi forces assigned to launch anti-aircraft missiles urging them to abandon their locations or surrender with their equipment to coalition forces and they would be rewarded or otherwise they would be attacked. 17. News report attributed to Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Watan published on 04 April 03 on how safe were the bunkers in which Saddam was hiding. 18. Song. Source: Voice of the Liberation of Iraq, in Arabic 1730 gmt 4 Apr 0 (via DXLD) V. OF LIBERATION OF IRAQ - TRANSMITTER-SITE SPECULATIONS "Do you think from your reception of the Voice of the Liberation of Iraq that it is really located in Sulaymaniyah, Northern Iraq? [..] Its transmitter does not seem to be the same as the Voice of the People of Kurdistan ?" - Yes I am pretty sure this is based in as- Sulaimaniya orlocation in that region, see also my comments in the lines attached; actually I believe that American specialists are already in the area for quite a while and have upgraded transmitters / antennas of 4025, 4085 in the past months. And then we have 4500, also this I very much believe is ground based not airborne; actually I am guessing that this is the old 4400 or 4415 of V. of the People of Kurdistan, which is no longer on air on that frequency for more than 2 months (W. on Pöllnitz, Poland, Apr 1 2003 for CRW via DXLD) HELP THE IRAQI MAQUIS (excerpt) London Telegraph, March 29, 2003 [Interesting that this editorial asserts that Radio Tikrit is a covert product funded by the State Department ... N. Grace-CRW] http://www.dailytelegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2003/03/29/dl2901.xml&sSheet=/news/2003/03/29/ixnewstop.html ...(T)he contrast between America's sophisticated military capabilities and its low-grade political propaganda give a whole new meaning to the Left- wing theory of "uneven development". A combination of sending Condoleezza Rice on to al-Jazeera and dropping millions of crude leaflets on to Iraq does not add up to a hearts and minds campaign. It is illustrative of the marginalisation of the democratic Iraqi opposition that it was not consulted about this PR offensive. Instead of free Iraqis talking to unfree Iraqis in their own language and in line with their own cultural sensibilities, Western military liaison officers are stumbling around speaking broken Arabic. Likewise, the US State Department has long failed to fund the democratic opposition's request for a terrestrial television station. Instead, they have quietly approved the work of Radio Tikrit, on which some ex-Ba'athists broadcast to Saddam's home turf. This is the part of the country where such an enterprise is likely to have least effect, since it is populated by many of those with most to lose from regime change (London Telegraph Mar 29, 2003 via N. Grace-USA, CRW via DXLD) ** IRAQ [and non]. I only found out today that Iraq switched to UT +4 on 1st April. And that was only because a BBC reporter said that it was "a quarter past ten" at 0615 UTC. But the clandestines (e.g. Tirkrit) seem not to have time-shifted. 73, (Andy Sennitt, April 5, DX LISTENING DIGESET) Really? I didn`t notice CNN`s Baghdad clock on UT +4 instead of 3 until April 4 (gh, DXLD) ** IRAQ [and non]. ANALYSIS: IRAQ - PICTURES SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS | Text of editorial analysis by Chris McWhinnie of BBC Monitoring's Media Services Iraq's state-controlled media proved more resilient in the last week than might have been expected, considering US-led forces were just a few miles outside Baghdad. The main domestic radio and TV channels have continued, albeit on lower power and with some interruptions. However, Saddam Husayn's broadcast media is no longer on the air from Mosul in the north and in Basrah the TV and radio is off. It has been replaced by a new UK-sponsored voice, FM Radio Nahrain, which dovetails neatly with US airborne Information Radio which circles Iraq on AM, FM and shortwave, though reports of US Information TV broadcasts have not been confirmed. The Iraqi Satellite Channel TV has battled on. Interruptions seem to be more technical than military. There is a constant parade of soldiers and a barrage of patriotic songs, interspersed with bulletins of news, successes and extracts from Iraqi press conferences. The channel has become a defiant sign to the media world that if Saddam Husayn's TV is on the air, he is still in control. His appearances and non-appearances on screen have confused, confounded and generated yet more speculation about his well-being and whereabouts. In the USA it is Fox News which has attracted more viewers with a robust pro-US line. CNN, famous for its reports live from Baghdad during the last Gulf War in 1991, has been challenged for its prime position. An editorial in Germany's Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper said that CNN's style resembled live coverage of the Super Bowl. There are other global TV players: Saddam Husayn reportedly used to watch CNN, BBC World. But he was also reported to be watching Al- Jazeera. Western media hegemony appears to be over and it is Al-Jazeera and its imitators which together have produced an alternative to the western media which so dominated the previous conflict. There is more competition and fledgling Arabic TV stations want to send different messages to new viewers. Around the world the thematic news channels have become demanding consumers of pictures that demand attention. Al-Jazeera claim some 35 million viewers across the Arab world and it is a widely held view amongst commentators and politicians alike, that the station has had a lasting impact on Arab public opinion. From the western politician's point of view, Al-Jazeera has aired video which is deemed too graphic and emotive for the USA and UK. The channel is not alone in this, although it has been singled out for specific criticism. It is not alone in this; almost every Arab TV station apart from Kuwaiti state TV have shown and lingered on such images. Arab viewers see this portrayal of the bloody human realities of war as an indicator of more balance in Al-Jazeera's reporting than western channels, and one which is also delivered in their own language and from within their region. A conduit for Iraqi spokesmen has been the coverage of statements and press conferences by Al-Jazeera TV and its sister news stations. It is curious therefore that the Iraqi Information Ministry has informed Al-Jazeera that Diyar al-Omari, one of its five Baghdad correspondents, is banned from working there. In protest, the channel has stopped all its reporters from working in the Iraqi capital while continuing to run images from its cameras. CNN had already been ousted by Baghdad, but Al-Jazeera seems a strange channel to pick on. Last time Al-Jazeera fell foul of the Iraqi Information Ministry, in July 2002, Uday Saddam Husayn's newspaper Babil, called successfully for the channel's bureau to be reopened. [now, too: see QATAR] In an Australian TV interview Alistair Campbell, director of communication and strategy at the UK Prime Minister's office, said of a question put by an Al-Jazeera correspondent about the execution of Iraqi POWs: "The fact that the question came up at all is outrageous ... complete fiction, but there it was aired. Now that is something we have to get out there ... dealing with it, challenging it, rebutting it." Other Arabic channels are making an impact too. Their tone is a combination of what they show, how they package it and where they are placed culturally, politically and geographically. On 2 April, prior to the 1730 gmt newscast, Syrian Space Channel, essentially a relay of Damascus' domestic service, carried silent video footage illustrating wounded civilian casualties of war. The news programme itself focused almost entirely on the Iraqi situation. It carried factual reports with scenes of wounded children, destroyed buildings and archive Iraqi TV footage of dead US soldiers. The station also carried dispatches from Moscow and Berlin on political figures opposing the war. This was in addition to reports on demonstrations in Arab and other countries against the war. At the same time, Al-Manar Television from Beirut, which is affiliated with the pro-Iranian Hizballah, centred on the crisis. It showed footage of President Bush speaking about bringing freedom to the Iraqi people. This was then juxtaposed with edited footage of wounded children, dead adults, and people weeping in despair and followed by the caption "Freedom, the American Way". The satellite channels, ANN, Al-Jazeera, Abu Dhabi TV, MBC's new Al- Arabiyah news channel and many other general Arabic channels, which have given over hours of broadcast time to war coverage, have been joined by a new channel. It is a channel which opposes both Saddam Husayn and the intervention of US-led forces. It is not afraid to broadcast live any images to which it has access. The Iranian-based Arabic television news station Al-Alam, which means The World, started broadcasting last month and is gaining viewers in Baghdad. Test broadcasts started in February this year and full programming commenced in March. Most notably it broadcasts over the terrestrial air waves to TV- starved Iraq, as well as across most continents by satellite. Dishes are banned in Iraq and reception reports of Al-Alam in Iraq suggests that the transmissions are broadcast from high-ground in Iran, which overlooks the Iraqi valley. Based in Tehran and run by IRIB, the Iranian state radio and TV service, it has carried extensive and close-up video of dead and wounded in Iraq. Its rolling coverage is aired under the slogan "War for Control". Al-Alam's on-screen look is similar to that of Al-Jazeera. It shows "An Exclusive Al-Alam" caption when the station plays its own reports. On 1 and 2 April it showed extensive clips of Iraqi civilians being treated in hospitals or lying dead in residential areas. There are English news subtitles or "news tickers" updating news on the war on Iraq from international news agency reports. There is the familiar rolling-news fare of bulletins every hour, live reports from Iraq and studio roundtable discussions with researchers, commentators and experts including Iraqi dissidents and exiles opposed to Saddam Husayn. The managing director of Al-Alam, Hasan Beheshtipur, has said that the Al-Alam TV channel intends to introduce the viewpoints of the Islamic world and counter the monopolization of news channels by Western countries. Beheshtipur said that the objective of launching this network is to interconnect the Islamic world and to disseminate news among them. He said: "This network plans to fill the existing vacuum in news dissemination in today's world." Iran clearly has a fine line to draw between being anti-Ba'ath party and anti-US. It is notable that Iran has chosen to direct pictures rather than just words or voices to the Iraqi people and across the region. The development of TV technology, the rise of media freedom and the spur of Al-Jazeera are together having an impact. Taken together these stations show shocking images of war which do stir hearts and sway the minds of viewers: more than the words of any politician or general. When the fighting stops, the media war seems set to continue. The next fight may be for the control of TV screens in Baghdad and the challenge will be to portray peace and reconciliation, because the horrors which have already entered homes have created memories which cannot be erased. Source: BBC Monitoring research 3 Apr 03 (via DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. PICTURE BULLETIN OF RADIO TIKRIT 1900 GMT 04 APRIL 03 1. Announcement with musical background: Huna Radio Tikrit: This is Radio Tikrit - repeated several times. 2. Announcer greeting listeners and previewing programmes. 3. Holy Koran. 4. Religious lecture on rejecting violence and adopting peace. 5. News: a. Explosions in Baghdad following attacks by coalition forces. At least seven explosions close to Baghdad airport. b. News attributed to Reuters said US forces fighting for complete control of Baghdad airport countered Iraqi tanks attack and destroyed five of them besides a number of small army vehicles. c. US Central Command in Qatar said Saddam airport was renamed as Baghdad airport. d. Senior source at the Pentagon said the USA might begin to form transitional Iraqi government even before end of war. e. US Army Central Command official spokesperson said about 2,000 of republican guards surrendered to US marines in area between Al-Kut and Baghdad. f. The Times UK newspaper said British forces seized four coaches carrying suicide fighters coming from different Arab countries and holding Syrian documents in western Iraq. 6. Political analysis: On coalition forces seizing and controlling Saddam International Airport. 7. The daily open programme: Announcer greeting listeners and introducing the programme, which was made of commentaries and songs. a. Commentary: Greeting officers and soldiers from Iraqi army and republican guards who joined coalition forces. b. Commentary: Pledging severe punishment to Saddam and his officials. d. Play ridiculing Saddam and his officials. e. Commentary: On war and incompetence of "Saddam forces" to fight coalition forces. f. Commentary: On lies of Saddam and his junta and their claims that they were victorious. g. Commentary: On end of tyrants, deeds of Saddam, his war with Iran and invasion of Kuwait. h. Commentary: On communication between former Iraqi officers living in exile with their colleagues inside the army urging them not to fight. i. See "d" above. j. Commentary: On coalition forces' control of Al-Najaf and Karbala and respect the coalition forces gained after they gave up the idea to enter the sacred areas in Al-Najaf. k. Announcer: Huna radio Tikrit - This is radio Tikrit. l. Commentary: Urging Iraqi people to be patient as liberation was coming soon. m. Announcer: Huna radio Tikrit - This is radio Tikrit. 8. News: See "5" above. 9. See "7 d and i" above. 10. Song. 11. Announcer: Huna Radio Tikrit - This is Radio Tikrit. Source: Radio Tikrit in Arabic 1900 gmt 4 Apr 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. Voice of Korea - Pyongyang, 9335, Mountain scene card (with Voice of Korea stuck over Radio Pyongyang), letter, Radio Pyongyang banner, English program schedule, pocket calendar, Pyongyang Times paper and Korea Today mag. The calendar changes from a soldier with a gun to a missile when the viewing angle is changed; in 105 days (Wayne Bastow, April Australian DX News via DXLD) ** MALAYA [non]. Re Roger Tidy`s previous historical item: V. of Malayan Revolution was also heard here in Europe then. 6670 and 8998 kHz ceased on July 1, 1981. But "La Voix du Peuple Malais" (Suara Rakyat Malaya) on 7063 kHz appeared on May 4, 1976 (Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany, BC-DX April 3 via DXLD) ** MEXICO. INICIA TRANSMISIONES XEQK "LA RADIO DE LOS CIUDADANOS" martes 1 de abril, 09:17 PM México, 1 Abr (Notimex).- Con el inicio de transmisiones de la XEQK "La radio de los ciudadanos" se abre un espacio de reflexión, análisis y discusión para la sociedad civil, y el Gobierno Federal busca fomentar la cultura democrática del país, afirmó el subsecretario de Normatividad de Medios, José Luis Durán Reveles. En el marco de la presentación de la XEQK, el funcionario de la Secretaría de Gobernación (SG) expuso que, a diferencia de la que se dirige a los consumidores, la radio pública está dirigida a los ciudadanos. "Ahora la sociedad civil organizada hace de la radio pública un espacio de servicio a la sociedad para fomentar el debate entre los diferentes grupos ciudadanos, tan diversos y disímbolos pero que tendrán un lugar común para expresarse y encontrarse", explicó. En el Estudio B del Instituto Mexicano de la Radio (Imer) precisó que la concreción de la XEQK es una de las acciones de fomento a la cultura democrática de México en la que un número mayor de ciudadanos tendrá la posibilidad de participar en los asuntos públicos y en los asuntos del país. Por su parte la directora del Imer, Dolores Béistegui, indicó que "La radio de los ciudadanos" busca convertirse en un medio de comunicación participativo, no partidario, plural y sin propósitos comerciales o de lucro. Para nosotros, señaló, el concepto del "radioescucha" debe transformarse en "radioparticipante", en un auditorio activo y comprometido con el desarrollo político del país. Con la integración del Consejo de Programación de "La radio de los ciudadanos" el objetivo de la primera etapa se ha cumplido, al dar inicio la programación que crecerá y se consolidará conforme se desarrollen las producciones de las diversas organizaciones de ciudadanos, comentó. Por su parte, a nombre de la ciudadanía, Jorge Villalobos mencionó que el inicio de transmisiones de la XEQK se concreta en un momento importante en la historia de la radio en México, pues se trata de una oportunidad de comunicación sin precedente para las organizaciones de la sociedad civil. "La radio de los ciudadanos" es una estación del Imer pero busca ser una radio de Estado, no de gobierno ni de partido y con una definición específica: que tu alma sea ciudadana. Considerada como la primera en su género por abrir su frecuencia a la participación civil las 24 horas del día, la XEQK tiene entre sus objetivos contribuir al desarrollo de la cultura ciudadana, profundizar en la democracia de la radio pública y fomentar un medio no partidario, plural y sin propósitos comerciales o de lucro (via Héctor García Bojorge, Conexión Digital, Radio-Enlace via DXLD) ** NEPAL. RADIO NEPAL MARKS ANNIVERSARY | Text of report by Nepalese newspaper Kathmandu Post via Nepalnews.com web site on 3 April Kathmandu, 2 April: Radio Nepal, which still attracts the largest audience in the country, completed its 52 years of service, said Radio Nepal in a press statement issued here today. Acclaiming high of its services, Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand said in his congratulation message that a time has come for Radio Nepal to make use of the latest technology to bring more effect and reliability in its services. "Radio Nepal has continued to play a laudable role in reforming the multi-party democracy," Prime Minister Chand said in his message to Radio Nepal. "Radio still continues to be the world's fastest and most reliable medium of communication. Its relevance is even greater in a country like Nepal," said Mukunda Sharma Poudel, chairman of the Radio Broadcasts Service Development Committee. An estimated 70 per cent of the total population in the country are currently tuning in on Radio Nepal. The government has also established frequency modulator (FM) transmitter in southern belts, where medium wave does not clearly reaches the audience. "Radio Nepal is currently disseminating news and programmes in about 20 different languages," the statement issued by Radio Nepal said. The statement said that Radio Nepal would strive forward to make the news at 0900 more audible and simple to understand. It said in the future, it would begin broadcasting from additional regional broadcasting stations. A small-capacity 103 MHz FM transmitter station has been installed in Jomsom, Mukti Chhetra area, a famous tourist destination. This service would be extended to Bara, Rupendehi and Kanchanpur through the 100 MHz band of FM, the statement assured. A Bardibas-based transmitter destroyed by the Maoists last year is under repair. Radio Nepal said that it has limited resources at its disposal to reconstruct the stations completely since it costs around 450m rupees for purchasing spare parts alone. Japan Telecommunication Engineering and Consulting Services, with the support of Japanese government, has completed a study for the modernization of Radio Nepal. The team submitted its report to the government by 2002 end. "Since then, JICA [aid agency] and the Japanese embassy have been showing up in our office keeping interest in the development of radio in our country," the statement added. Source: Kathmandu Post via Nepalnews.com web site in English 3 Apr 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** PARAGUAY. Desde esta medianoche (-3 UT), la hora oficial del Paraguay se atrasa en 60 minutos. Es para dar vigencia al horario de invierno que regirá hasta el primer domingo de setiembre próximo, según el decreto 16.530 firmado por el presidente Luis González Macchi. La hora oficial por lo tanto será - 4 UT. 73 de (Levi Iversen, Paraguay, April 5, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** PERU. Dear Glenn: Any idea about the signal on 6115.0 exactly? (I zero-beat to make sure.) It is a strong signal here in San José, CA. (S9+10) and I listened for about 45' to 0804 this morning. I do not speak Spanish but thought I could make out "Unión...La Radio!" as a repeated station slogan. ILG, WRTH, etc. show nothing resembling this. I *thought* perhaps, judging from the format (rockish Spanish 'hit' type music, seguéd together with brief sounders separating songs, and occasional vo's) that it is a simulcast of another station, perhaps FM. I also think that I heard some numbers repeated, which might have been "768" if I was translating correctly -- I may not have been. Was using an Icom R75 and found ECSS mode helpful with either sideband to improve intelligibility. I alternated between two antennas: a 175 ft unbalanced wire, and a 350 ft balanced dipole. Wire had more QRM but less fading. Have DX'ed SW since the fifties. Gave up on it during my professional career as a broadcaster (classical music host, PD of 5 stations, and chief engineer of about 40 stations over a 25 year period, from 100w FM'ers to several 10-50 kW AM'ers.) Started listening to SW again about two years ago when I dug up a broken Magnavox radio from 1947; it worked so well that in January I purchased the Icom and started getting very serious about DX logging. As I write this, I heard the slogan between songs. It seems to me that the format is all canned, with carts being played between songs and no live DJ whatsoever; maybe automated. I am not altogether sure that they are saying "Unión"; it could be another similar word. I do know that nothing I've heard indicates that it could be 6115.0 Voz del Llano Meta COLOMBIA as given in ILGS data; anyway, that should not be on the air at present. Now it's 0816 and the interference (xtalk that *might* be a Ham image) is so unpleasant that I shall tune out. Best, (Steve Waldee - retired radio consultant/CE, San Jose, CA, April 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That would be Unión Radio, Lima, Perú, listed e.g. in 2003 WRTH on 6117, but I believe they have fixed the frequency (gh, DXLD) ** QATAR. IRAQ RESCINDS DECISION TO SUSPEND AL-JAZEERA TV CORRESPONDENTS | Text of report by Qatari Al-Jazeera satellite TV on 4 April The Iraqi Information Ministry has informed the Al-Jazeera Television offices in Baghdad that it has decided to rescind its previous decision to suspend Al-Jazeera correspondents Diyar al-Umari and Taysir Alluni. While welcoming the Iraqi Information Ministry's move to rescind its previous decision, Al-Jazeera Television announces that it will immediately resume the work of all its correspondents in Baghdad, Basra and Mosul. Source: Al-Jazeera TV, Doha, in Arabic 1747 gmt 4 Apr 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** SOUTH AFRICA. Channel Africa March 30-Oct. 25, 2003 schedule. TIME UT FREQ TARGET AREA LANGUAGE 0300-0325 6160 East & Central Africa Swahili 0300-0330 6035 East & Central Africa English 0330-0355 6035 Madagascar French 0400-0430 5955 Southern Africa English 0430-0455 5955 Northern Mozambique Portuguese 0430-0455 3345 Southern Mozambique Portuguese 0430-0455 9565 Central Africa French 0500-0530 11710 West Africa English 0530-0555 11710 Angola Portuguese 0600-0630 15215 West Africa English 0630-0655 15215 Angola & West Africa Portuguese 1300-1455 21760 West Africa English* 1300-1455 21620 East & Central Africa English* 1300-1455 11780 Southern Africa English* 1500-1525 17780 East & Central Africa Swahili 1500-1530 17770 East & Central Africa English 1530-1555 17770 Madagascar French 1600-1630 9525 Southern Africa English 1600-1630 15245 East & Central Africa Swahili 1630-1655 15245 East & Central Africa French 1630-1655 9525 Northern Mozambique Portuguese 1630-1655 3345 Southern Mozambique Portuguese 1700-1730 17735 West Africa English 1730-1755 17735 Angola & West Africa Portuguese 1800-1830 17735 West Africa English 1830-1855 17735 West Africa French *Saturdays and Sundays only (Channel Africa website via Dan Sampson, Prime Time Shortwave, DXLD) ** SUDAN. ST0RY Sudan operation is QRT: The ST0RY Sudan DXpedition shut down this week, a bit earlier than expected, after logging more than 49,000 QSOs. Pilot station, Bernd Koch, DF3CB, says the last QSO was March 31 at 1745 UTC, a bit earlier than expected. "The last news and logs were sent from an Internet cafe in Khartoum," he said. DF3CB has prepared an online QSL request form for those seeking ST0RY cards via the bureau. It's available on the ST0RY Sudan DXpedition Web site http://www.df3cb.com/st0ry which includes more information and photos. ST0RY was active in the CQ World Wide WPX SSB contest over the March 29-30 weekend. Demand for ST0RY was heavy. Most-wanted lists put Sudan in the top 20.--some information from The Daily DX http://www.dailydx.com (ARRL Letter April 4 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** U K. BBC WORLD SERVICE STRIKE? From Waveguide The National Union of Journalists is to ballot its 3000 members at the BBC over possible industrial action following the sacking of two journalists from its World Service. Adli Hawwai and Dr Abdul Hadi Jaid were dismissed in February after launching a series of industrial tribunals and appeals against the BBC, all of which were unsuccessful. Over a period of five years and at a cost of up to £1 million to the BBC, Mr Hawwari and Dr Jiad brought 17 tribunal cases, 20 external appeals and reviews, and various other hearings to air their alleged grievances. The BBC described the cases as ranging from the "frivolous to the ridiculous" - but the NUJ said the men were denied a right to appeal against their sacking. The ballot opens on April 9, and will close three weeks later (via Mike Terry, April 5, DXLD) ** U S A. Re Sawa log on 15045? Yep! There was an typing error !! Thanks for the mentioning. was: 15045 S9, 42443 QRM 15050 Egypt should be: 12045 S9, 42443 QRM 12050 Egypt (Zacharias Liangas, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. I have been listening to 5015 for several hours tonight, trying to identify it, but can only get "TCN Radio Network" as an ID. However, the content is identical as WWRB on 5085, so I suspect that 5015 is a spur of 5085. 5085 comes in much louder to my location in southeastern Montana late evening than does 5015. 73, Wayne ----- (Wayne Leman KL7FDQ QRP ARCI #4454 Busby, Montana Grid: DN65nm http://www.qsl.net/kl7fdq/ April 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) No legal WWRB IDs on the hour? ** U S A. Hi Glenn, WBOH 4/3/02; 0412 - 0445; 5920 khz; SINPO 54343; preaching and hymns. Not // with WTJC 9370. WBOH SINPO 54242 at 0955 the same day with instrumental hymns. The 1000 ID gave the frequency as 5930 kHz, although it was clearly 10 khz lower. (I listened to the recording to be sure that is what the announcer said.) WTJC was not audible at that time (Mark Taylor, Madison, WI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. FCC CRACKDOWN Friday, April 4, 2003 By Susan Whitall / The Detroit News SOUTHFIELD -- Talk radio WKRK-FM (97.1) is facing a $27,500 fine, the harshest that the Federal Communications Commission can impose, over a segment it deemed indecent on the station's "Deminski & Doyle Show" in January 2002. New York-based Infinity Broadcasting, the station's owner, has 30 days to pay the fine or appeal it. The move by the FCC, which announced the fine Thursday, appears to signal a new toughness against "shock jocks" that could lead to other radio stations cracking down on smashmouth shenanigans that have slipped by in the past. The FCC was 4-1, with the dissenting commissioner Michael J. Copps calling for hearings into a possible revocation of the station's license. Copps called the segment "some of the most vulgar and disgusting indecency that I have had the misfortune to examine since I joined the commission." WKRK program director Terry Lieberman did not return several phone calls Thursday. In New York, Infinity spokesman Dana McClintock said of the FCC's decision: "We've been offered an opportunity to respond, and we intend to do so." Infinity owns 185 radio stations, with six in Detroit. While there have been occasional $7,000 fines here or there in the past year, and one late last year for $24,000 against a Spanish- speaking station in Texas for obscene jokes, the WKRK decision is notable in its severity. "It's a harsh and rare penalty for one 30- minute segment," said Tom Taylor, editor of Inside Radio, a daily industry newsletter. "You expect the normal $7,000 (FCC) fine, instead of four times that. It may signal the beginning of a new crackdown." Taylor likened its effect on the industry to motorists seeing a police officer pulling over a speeder ahead on the road. "Doesn't that make you slow down a bit?" he said. Considering the air talent on Detroit's morning shows, Deminski and Doyle are usually rather tame. The broadcast took place between 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Jan. 9, 2002, and included graphic descriptions of violent and/or demeaning sexual acts inflicted upon women. Before airing the calls, the jocks Jeff Deminski and Bill Doyle warned women and children not to listen, " 'cause this is really foul." Infinity's lawyers didn't deny that the Deminski & Doyle material was indecent. Rather, their argument is that the FCC's definition of indecency is "unconstitutional." The concept of indecency is more fluid than that of obscenity, which is expressly forbidden. Entertainment lawyer Henry Baskin, who handles Deminski & Doyle's contracts, thinks it's confusing. "Don Imus called some guy a p---- today on the radio," Baskin said. "So how far can you go? I don't know that there's a clear definition of what's airable and what's not." Deminski and Doyle came to Detroit from Trenton, N.J., in 1999, and while the show has a decidedly macho slant, it usually consists of chat about current events. The show was the highest ranked of WKRK's shows, ranking 10th in the Detroit market in the age 25-54 demographics. The FCC could revoke licenses for Infinity or WKRK-FM if there are further violations. This isn't the first time the radio giant has been in hot water with the FCC. In 1995, it settled several cases for more than $1 million. And the infamous jocks Opie and Anthony, who encouraged listeners to have sex in a church last summer, worked for an Infinity station in New York. Infinity fired the pair, but the FCC could still take action in that case. Detroit News Staff Writer Adam Graham contributed to this report (Relayed by Harry van Vugt, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, DXLD) ** U S A. Howie Castle alerted us to a feature by Guy Zapoleon of Zapoleon Media Strategies, dated 20th Feb 2003. In the article titled, 'Will Radio Get Better?' Guy writes: Do you ever feel like you're in a horror movie - just when you think things can't get worse something even more horrible happens! Well that's the way I feel looking at radio today. If anyone had told that 13 year old kid who listened to his transistor in the 60's that radio would be dealing with this sad state of affairs I would have put my head in my hands and just cried. So would we! Guy's article is bound to strike a chord with all our Radio London visitors, and can be read in full here http://www.zapoleon.com/zms/kbase.asp and watch out for Part Two. (From http://www.radiolondon.co.uk via Mike Terry, DXLD) Viz.: Will Radio Get Better? (Part 1) Consolidation, generic product, focus on the bottom line, competition from new technologies -- how we got here -- and where we are going. by: Guy Zapoleon | February 20, 2003 Most people desire brand names with the best quality and have been taught to know the difference in brands. Now we plan on giving them watered down generic brands in radio and expect them to be happy about it. NO WAY! Do you ever feel like you're in a horror movie -- just when you think things can't get worse something even more horrible happens! … (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** U S A. WEMU DROPS BCMS FROM LINEUP DUE TO POLICY VIOLATIONS YPSILANTI, MI 2003-04-04 WEMU's removal of the Bone Conduction Music Program from WEMU was a difficult and simple decision. It was difficult because BCMS had been a part of WEMU for 20 years. WEMU gave the program an on-air voice when other stations refused. WEMU supported the program in many ways through good and difficult times. The program was a benefit for listeners, the station, and the host. However, the decision to remove the program was a simple decision because there was a clear violation of policy that would not be remedied in the future. The host's employment was not terminated for his support of the current war in Iraq. The actual choice was made by the performance of the program itself. WEMU postponed its spring on-air fundraiser over concern that listeners were appropriately focused on the world situation. Part of WEMU's decision to make this adjustment was to include five-minute news updates during all local programs. This included BCMS. It is the obligation of staff to broadcast those items which are included in the station's official schedule. Not only were the newscasts not broadcast during the program, but also listeners were encouraged to watch Fox News in place of listening to NPR news. Beyond this violation of policy was the expressed position that the violations would continue on the part of the program host. The station could either choose to permit exceptions to policies that exist in the best interests of its audience and staff, or enforce adhere to the policies. In essence, there was no choice. The choice was made by the decisions of the program host. http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wemu/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=478858 (via DXLD) PUBLIC RADIO STATION FIRES HOST Terry Hughes voiced views on war during his show at EMU By Susan Whitall / The Detroit News Thursday, April 3, 2003 YPSILANTI -- WEMU-FM host Terry Hughes, known on the air as "Thayrone," was fired from the Eastern Michigan University public radio station Wednesday for repeatedly expressing his views about the war in Iraq, and refusing to run NPR news during his Sunday night music program "The Bone Conduction Show." Hughes was fired by station manager Art Timko. "Art said he was 'tired of the fight,' trying to get me to run news on the show and not have an opinion," Hughes said. In between the vintage Detroit R&B and soul music he plays, Hughes has been talking up the war in Iraq, expressing his support for the troops and for President Bush, and denigrating National Public Radio. On his show this past Sunday, among other things, Hughes was explaining why the station's fund-raiser had been postponed: "Because (Bush) has the (guts) to get up to do the right thing after 18 attempts to get everybody to help. ..." Hughes also complained to his listeners about not wanting to run NPR news. "We know if you want a current assessment of what's going on, you're sure not listening to us," he said on last week's show. "You'll be over at Fox TV where they're not bending the news. ... It ain't happening on NPR." Station manager Timko's account doesn't differ much. "He was fired basically over philosophical differences," Timko said. "We have a policy that eliminates or restricts the expression of personal opinion on issues of controversy, and he didn't believe that applied to him." The WEMU station manager admitted: "Thayrone has always been opinionated. But most of what he had opinions about was not controversial. This time, it was." Hughes agrees. "But this is personality radio," he said. "I have nothing but opinions on my show, every show." It's because WEMU is a public radio station that there was a problem. "We need to be balanced in our presentation, and as individual announcers we don't take positions on controversial issues," Timko said. "That's not an encumbrance on commercial radio." Hughes will continue to tape his show at home for syndication. "It wasn't my intention to mess with the station manager," he said. "It's only been my intent to do crazy cool radio in America." (via Mike Cooper, Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** UZBEKISTAN. Radio Tashkent, 5885, colored card shows emblem and communications building. The package also contained a nice card with a view of Samarkand (text in English, Uzbek, and Russian), and an intereresting personal letter from the Correspondence Section. My reception report form was noted as "very beautiful". It has been sometime since I last sent a report to RT, mainly because they rarely introduce new channels, but the NF of 5885 was puton line for A02. There was also a brochure about the Radio Tashkent Quiz for 2003. Response in 8 weeks (Bob Padula, Mont Albert, Victoria, Australia, EDXP via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 6949.9 AM, Mar 30, *0242-0248*. The entire show was in the voice of George W. Bush, heavily edited in the studio. Apparently this was his State of the Union speech, complete with applause from the audience of congressmen. In the altered voice, Bush called for a recession and environmental damage. Every child in the USA is to receive three nuclear missiles. After Bush announced his plan to end the civilized world, there was loud applause from the audience. The editing of all this was very well done, with a hilarious effect overall. No talk by any other announcers,and no ID or addr was given. Surprisingly this has been the first political pirate I have heard since KSMR went off the air. 353+ (George Zeller, OH, Free Radio Weekly via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A-03 CLASHES / FREQUENCY (MIS)MANAGEMENT ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Glenn, re this item: "Another A03 clash is the BBCWS on 11835 (ex- 6135) to CAm. It comes in quite well here this week, but after about 0415 is buried by the VOA African service co-frequency (Chuck Albertson, Seattle, Wash., Apr 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST)" Glenn, frequency managers get really irritated by items like this. There is NO clash here. BTW The HFCC term is "collision". Mr. Albertson was listening to two transmissions directed to different parts of the world from a third location, That's not a collision, that's normal shortwave propagation, and has been for the 40 years or so I've been a SWL. It only becomes a collision if listeners in the *target* areas (i.e. Central America and Africa) report interference from the other transmission. I'm not suggesting that clashes don't occur - of course they do - but recent "examples" cited in various reports I've seen all refer to broadcasts to target areas separated by 1000 miles or more. That suggests the DXers concerned don't understand the basic principles of frequency management. Of course it would be nice if every transmission to every target area could have a frequency all to itself - but it ain't going to happen! 73, (Andy Sennitt, RN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Andy, I take your point, but these are rather bad examples. BBC itself recommends 6135 for North America (in March On Air, page 16, and presumably 11835 in April, which I haven`t hunted up). No doubt it is the best/only frequency audible in WNAm during that time period, so it`s a pity that VOA Africa is QRMing it. And if the QRM gets all the way to Seattle, chances are it is also getting to ``Mexico``. Checking HFCC, we are reminded that after 0300 BBC is via Delano, and VOA Botswana is supposed to start on 11835 also at 0300, not 0415, beamed 350 degrees. Padula`s reported clash between Vietnam and China on 11630 involves same target area Asia even tho monitored in Australia. 11895 at 2200 VOA Creole/NHK Japanese is also a valid complaint, NHK from French Guiana or Sackville (not sure which, as this NHK usage is not in HFCC!) would surely cause a problem for VOA in Haiti. Just because it is a clash here outside the VOA target area, does not mean that it is not also a clash within the target area! Must recheck that to see if anyone has moved (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Whatever happened to the 1970s ITU publications (from memory) Tentative High Frequency Broadcasting Schedules & Final HFBS? these were truly world wide and internationally recognized if somewhat peppered with deadwood and inaccuracies. Surely the ITU is still obligated to publish this data and make it publicly available? Non- worldwide HF co-ordination is non-sense. Wonder if the absence of data in the HFCC release is a result of much more widespread distribution of DX news defeating the desire of broadcasters to hide their real transmitter sites. Should we be screening access by broadcasters to DX sites? 73s gd dx de (sam dellit, vk4zss tamborine, australia, ARDXC via DXLD) Hi Sam, As one who likes to DX/QSL TX sites I share your disappointment with this archaic development. One also wonders if this decision by some broadcasters to their respective organisations comes as a result of increased international tension translating into increased probability of jaming & international terrorism? Hopefully it's not a future trend (Ian Baxter, ARDXC via DXLD) Responding to Joe Hanlon's message, DW's new English service 2200- 2300 on 9720 via Trincomalee is a horrendous mess, as noted here in Melbourne. As at April 1, severe intermodulation problems at the transmitter site, with the Indonesian service superimposed on the English! The correct freq for the Indonesian service is 9670 and OK here! 15605 via Komsomol`sk with English 2200-2300 OK. Regards! (Bob Padula, Melbourne, Australia, EDXP via DXLD) [Later:] Further to my earlier note about 9720, there are actually two sources of interference to DW's English service 2200-2300 from Trincomalee. One is the transmitter fault, where DW's Indonesian service is superimposed on the English, and under all that there is BBC's Indonesian service from Kranji, also using 9720 2200-2300,as Michael has pointed out. I believe the txer fault will be fixed shortly. Frequency coordination in this case is absolutely horrid: Both Kranji and Trincomalee targeting the same region simultaneously! DW has invited listeners in Australia to work with 9720 for English at 2200, but no good. Parallel 15605 from Komsomolsk better. Think I will listen to DW's English relay on the ABC's Newsradio here in Melbourne (1026 AM) which gives rather good reception during the several releases each day! (Bob Padula, Melbourne, April 2, EDXP via DXLD) THAILAND: Radio Thailand has a new frequency for their evening service which is easily heard in Australia. Noted on 9700 (ex 9810) in En from *1230-1300*. QRM from another Asian station (perhaps South Korea??) on same freq. Not sure why Thailand changed as 9810 is now vacant this evening (Rob Wagner, Australia, VK3BVW, edxp Mar 30 via BCDX via DXLD) The problem is different. The A-03 RTG freq would be like in A-02 season as always on 9885: 9885 1230-1300 RTG RTG1 ENGL UDO 05 132 But on request of RNZI that QRG moved away from 9885 to new 9700 kHz. To free R New Zealand 9885 in 0706-1305 portion. 0706-1105 9885 31 All Pacific, also mid-west USA 0' Daily 1106-1305 9885 31 NW Pacific, Bougainville, Timor, Asia and Europe 325' Daily (Wolfgang Bueschel, Mar 30, BC-DX via DXLD) "9700 is traditionally used by Xian, CNR1, 2300-1400, continuing in A03, 150 KW, to CIRAF43 (China), and well-heard across the primary target for Udorn, which uses 9700 1100-1300 for IBB and R. Thailand services. Another example of excellent frequency selection.... This is the sort of thing which is triggering the ITU proposal for extra exclusive spectrum space below 10 MHz, to reduce mutual interference from national and international transmissions on 9 MHz. The IBB people obviously do not understand that Xian puts out a hefty signal on 9700, even though it is "targeted" for China!..." (Bob Padula, Australia, via Rob Wagner VK3BVW, March 30, ALL VIA BC DX via DXLD) DRM / CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DRM PRESENTATION ON APRIL 7TH, PLUS EXHIBITORS, AT NAB 2003 News Release For Immediate Release: April 3, 2003 Contact: Siriol Jane Evans, pressoffice@drm.org Las Vegas, NV – A paper titled Digital Radio Mondiale: Features and Requirements from a Broadcaster`s Perspective, will be presented at NAB 2003 by Andy Giefer of the BBC, which is one of the Digital Radio Mondiale( (DRM() consortium`s 80 members. The paper, written by Mr. Giefer and his BBC colleague Simon Gosby, will be given at 11 a.m. on April 7th, in the LVCC, Room N111. It appears within the session International Broadcast Developments, chaired by Dr. Donald Messer of IBB/VOA, another DRM consortium member. Nine DRM members will exhibit at NAB this year: BBC Technology (Booth SU5047); Harris Broadcast Corporation (Booth C404); IDT Continental Electronics (Booth N2403); Kintronic Laboratories Inc. (Booth N2012); Nautel Ltd. (Booth N2312); RIZ Transmitters (Booth N3218); TCI, a Dielectric Company (Booth C424); TELEFUNKEN SenderSysteme Berlin (Booth N2347) and Thales Broadcast & Multimedia (Booth C2000). DRM is the world`s only non-proprietary, digital system for short- wave, AM/medium-wave and long-wave with the ability to use existing frequencies and bandwidth across the globe. With clear, near-FM quality sound that offers a dramatic improvement over analog, DRM will revitalize the broadcasting bands below 30 MHz. The International Electrotechnical Committee (IEC) gave the DRM on-air system its highest stamp of approval – International Standard – in January 2003. DXers and radio amateurs in the U.S. gained access to DRM test transmissions on December 31st, 2002, when they joined the DRM Software Radio Project. The ongoing project gives radio enthusiasts who purchase software licenses (price: approximately $60) the opportunity to receive and analyze DRM`s live test transmissions. Registration information is available at http://www.drmrx.org/ The project is managed by VT Merlin Communications, a DRM member. DRM`s inaugural daily broadcasts will take place this June, during the ITU`s World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC 2003) in Geneva, Switzerland. Commercial DRM-capable receivers are expected to be available in markets worldwide in the next few years. About DRM DRM`s founding members joined forces in 1998 to create a digital system (also called DRM) for the broadcasting bands below 30 MHz. DRM information and audio samples are available online at http://www.drm.org (Siriol Jane Evans, DRM, Apr 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CONVENTIONS AND HAMFESTS: NAB HAM RADIO RECEPTION - APRIL 9 On the convention scene, the annual Amateur Radio Reception at the National Association of Broadcasters Convention is slated for 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday April 9th. The venue is the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas Nevada, right next door to the famed Las Vegas Convention Center. This years hosts are again CQ Magazine and Kenwood Communications. Publisher Dick Ross, K2MGA and Editor Rich Moseson, W2VU will be there representing CQ. Paul Middleton, K4NUH, will be on hand for Kenwood. Between 800 to 1000 hams in the broadcast industry attend this yearly ham radio social get together. Among them will be top ARRL officials and some of the folks from Amateur Radio Newsline. The National Association of Broadcasters Convention is one of the largest held each year in Las Vegas. It typically draws over 100,000 attendees. More information is on the web at http://www.nab.org/conventions/nab2003 (ARNewsline via John Norfolk, DXLD) RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ RADIO CONTROL From: Victor Keegan, Thursday April 3, 2003, The Guardian Guglielmo Marconi would be rubbing his eyes in disbelief. More than a hundred years after he sent the first radio signal across the Atlantic, the medium he discovered is making a strong comeback. In 2001, the numbers listening to radio exceeded those watching television for first time in seven years. Now it is experiencing a new renaissance as digital radios fall in price and, against early pessimistic predictions, are fast becoming must-have items. Leading the charge is Imagination Technologies which sold 40,000 of its attractive retro £99 Evoke-1 radio over Christmas. It is forecast that digital radio ownership could reach 500,000 by the end of the year and, as prices continue to fall, a million a year later. Since Imagination, in addition to manufacturing these radios, claims an 80% market share of DAB (digital audio broadcasting) processors, it could easily become another UK success story like ARM of Cambridge which designs the chip of choice for mobile phones. Interestingly, both of these have a link with the BBC. ARM traces its ancestry back to Acorn, which made its mark from manufacturing the BBC's range of computers, while digital radio has taken off mainly as a result of BBC investment. The Evoke-1 (which will be joined in May by a portable model costing £170) is a typically global product. Designed in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, the chip is manufactured in Taiwan, after which it is sent to Wales to be packaged into a ceramic chip case before journey ing on to Austria, where the digital radio module is added. It is then dispatched to China for final assembly. Imagination has not got the field to itself as a number of companies are planning to cash in on the digital boom. Digital radio (not to be confused with internet radio), provides clear reliable signals and is a market where Britain has already established an early world lead. There are more than 300 services available and still rising with around half exclusive to digital. But the fascinating possibility is what will happen when tiny DAB radio chips are bundled into mobile phones in a year or two. Unlike the FM radio chips in some current models, they will feature a multiplicity of channels sending voice, data or even pictures and, most interestingly, will include a "return path" from the phone to provide interactivity. Where all this is leading is anyone's guess. People don't currently take radios with them in the hope they might have a spare moment. But if they come as a standard part of a lightweight phone, maybe with a Bluetooth short distance wireless earpiece, it could be different. It could easily turn out to be the biggest boost for broadcasting since radios were installed in cars. And the cost - under £100m so far - pales into insignificance beside the £22.5bn down payment made by the telecom companies for their 3G licences. Digital radio could usher in a new golden age - on a shoestring (via Mike Terry, DXLD) SONY ICF-2010 TECHNICAL GUIDES After a long and worthy career Sony have finally retired the veteran ICF2001D/2010 short wave receiver. To co-incide with this event, this is now the last time Steve Whitt will be making available two well known publications about this receiver: "Get The Best from your Sony ICF-2001D" is a 32 page booklet that covers: * The 2001D family tree * How to hot-rod the Sony ICF2001D (filters, tuning range, overload, reciprocal mixing, s-meter, audio output, FM selectivity, memory wipeout) * Hints & tips (battery choice, whip aerial, aerial socket, static damage) * Questions & answers (pricing, synchronous advantage, external loop & Beverage aerials) * Bibliogrraphy & useful addresses * The rarely seen official receiver specification "Get Even More from Your Sony ICF-2001D" is a 12 page supplement that covers: * More on memory & batteries & tape audio output * Squelch * Dead tuning knob * Remote cassette control * Binaural reception If you are interested in having both booklets sitting proudly along side your historic Sony receiver please e-mail me at steve.whitt@btinternet.com. Stock is limited so first come first served. I'm still using a 15 year old 2001D today and it's still going strong! (Steve Whitt, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) CINGULAR WIRELESS PETITION CITES ARRL PART 15 POSITION Cingular Wireless has cited an ARRL position in a recently filed Supplement to Petition for Reconsideration regarding the FCC's Ultra- Wideband (UWB) proceeding, ET Docket 98-153. "The fatal flaw associated with unlicensed operations has already been raised by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL)," Cingular said. Cingular was referring to the League's February 2002 Petition for Reconsideration in ET Docket 98- 156. In that docket, the FCC proposed allowing Part 15 fixed point- to-point transmitters in the 24.05 to 24.25 GHz band to operate at field strengths of up to 2500 mV per meter, in response to a Petition for Rule Making from Sierra Digital Communications Inc. "It would be arbitrary and capricious for the Commission to permit additional unlicensed operations--such as UWB--without addressing the statutory basis for such operations," Cingular continued. The ARRL has maintained that unlicensed devices that pose likely risk of interference to licensed services should be licensed. The wireless service provider asserted that under Section 301 of the Communications Act, "UWB devices require licenses." Cingular argued in its supplementary petition that operation of UWB devices is likely to be widespread and unsupervised and that licensed operators will not be able to identify interfering parties that are non-compliant with the Part 15 rules that regulate unlicensed devices. Concluded Cingular: "The Commission's authority to permit unlicensed, intentional radiators such as UWB is therefore non-existent." (ARRL Letter April 4 via John Norfolk, DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ GEOMAGNETIC INDICES Phil Bytheway - Seattle WA - phil_tekno@yahoo.com Geomagnetic Summary March 19 2003 through March 30 2003 Tabulated from email status daily Date Flux A K SA Forecast GM Forecast Etc. 3/19 118 20 3 strong moderate 6 20 108 12 2 minor moderate 6 21 97 17 5 minor minor 8 22 91 30 4 minor no storms 7 23 89 14 3 no storms no storms 7 24 93 20 2 moderate no storms 6 25 98 7 1 no storms no storms 5 26 109 5 2 no storms no storms 3 27 127 8 1 no storms minor 7 28 141 22 5 minor minor 9 29 147 22 4 no storms no storms 10 3/30 155 21 4 minor minor 10 ********************************************************************* (IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ### |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-057, April 4, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.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 HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3d.html HTML version of late March issues: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3c.html HTML version of early February issues: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3b.html For restrixions and searchable 2003 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn NEXT AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1176: RFPI: Sat 0130, 0730, 1330, 1800, Sun 0000, 0600, 1200, 1830, Mon 0030, 0630, 1230 on 7445 [subject to pre-emption] WWCR: Sat 0700, Sun 0330 5070, 0730 3210, Wed 0930 9475 WBCQ: Mon 0445 on 7415 WJIE: Mon & Tue 0600, M-F 1200 on 7490 WRN: Rest of world Sat 0800, Europe Sun 0430, N. America Sun 1400 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1176.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1176.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1176h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1176h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1176.html WORLD OF RADIO etc. SCHEDULES UPDATED FOR THE WEEK OF CONFUSION http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html [above now also has upcoming schedule effective April 6] http://www.worldofradio.com/wormast.html DX/SWL/MEDIA PROGRAMS, A-03 revision as of April 3: http://www.worldofrdio.com/dxpgms.html NEW APRIL EDITION OF NETS TO YOU: http://www.worldofradio.com/nets2you.html HFCC A-03 NOW AVAILABLE Klick http://www.hfcc.org/data/index.html Download A03allx2.zip file. 73 wb (Wolfgang Bueschel, DXLD) The public version of the A03 HFCC schedule can be downloaded from http://www.hfcc.org/data/index.html On the download page it says: Note: Data of BFM and ABU-HFC have been removed on their request. No idea what BFM is, and since it has been removed I guess I'll have to remain in ignorance :-) (Andy Sennitt, April 3, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ABU being the Asian Broadcasting Union --- wonder if current hostilities led to this? (gh, DXLD) The A-03 HFCC and GJA schedules are now available on their respective web sites: http://www.hfcc.org/data/a03/a03allx2.zip http://www.gjainc.com/A03BYFREQ.htm http://www.gjainc.com/A03BYSTN.htm At time of writing, the A-03 FCC private SW sked is missing from the FCC web site. Also note that the GJA sked is considerably smaller than before, since WSHB-Herald Broadcasting now uses VT-Merlin Communications for frequency management services. 73. (Jim Moats, April 2, WORLD OF RADIO 1176, DX LISTENING DIGEST) EIBI`S SHORTWAVE SCHEDULES Dear friends, the university has closed down my account on the http://wwwstud.uni-leipzig.de server. Therefore my website is now on a different server. Nevertheless, it continues to be available via http://www.eibi.de.vu/ If in your bookmarks or on your internet links' page any use of wwwstud.uni-leipzig.de/~pge98crf/ is made, be sure to replace it by http://www.eibi.de.vu/ This is a link to the server where the site is actually located. To avoid confusion in similar cases in the future, only use http://www.eibi.de.vu/ The shortwave schedule is updated to the new A03 season to a large extent already, however, work is not yet completed. I think that's OK for the first week of the season... :-) 73, -- (Eike Bierwirth 04317 Leipzig, DL, hard-core-dx via DXLD) Direct link: http://139.18.51.71/~pge98crf/bc-a03.txt UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIAL Have enjoyed your column in Monitoring Times (which I just subscribed to) and try to read your Digest. Sometimes I listen in RA via computer as reception is iffy on the various stations you're on, and intelligibility is important to be able to really appreciate the details in your show (Steve Waldee - retired radio consultant/CE, San José, CA, April 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARMENIA. Voice of Armenia noted March 30th with the Sunday English broadcast 0810-0830 on 15270, the evening English broadcast heard 1940-2000 on 4810 and 9960 March 31st, good reception on all channels (Mike Barraclough, Letchworth, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ASIA [non]. RFA schedule in A-03, valid til Oct 26th, 2003. RFA currently broadcasts from 1100 to 0700; there are no transmissions between 0700 and 1100. Daily programming includes Mandarin for 12 hours, Cantonese for two, Uighur for two, and Tibetan for eight hours. RFA uses IBB transmitters in HOL=Holzkirchen Germany, IRA=Iranawila Sri Lanka, SAI=Saipan & TIN=Tinian NoMariana Isls. And Merlin relays TWN=Taiwan and UAE=Al Dhabayya-UAE, as well as Irkutsk-RUS and Ussuriysk-RUS relays. Additional transmitter sites have been researched but deleted from this list upon request of RFA to suppress this info, to avoid pressure from China upon the host countries. Are we to assume that China has no way to find out this sensitive info except through DX publications? [gh] RFA A-03 updated schedule of April 2nd, 2003. 0000-0100 LAO 12015I 13830 15545T 0030-0130 BURMESE 13680T 13820I 15660 17525 17835S 0100-0200 UIGHUR 9350 11520 11895UAE 11945UAE 15405T 0100-0300 TIBETAN 9365 11695UAE 11975H 15225T 15695 17730 0300-0600 MANDARIN 13670T 13760T 15150T 15665T 17495 17525 17615S 17880S 21690T 0600-0700 MANDARIN 13670T 13760T 15150T 15665T 17495 17525 17615S 17880S 0600-0700 TIBETAN 17485 17510 17720 21500T 21690UAE break 1100-1200 LAO 9355S 9545T 15560I 15635 1100-1400 TIBETAN 7470 11590 13570 13625T 15510UAE 15695 17855H-(from 1200) 1230-1330 CAMBODIAN 13645T 15525I 15545 15625 1300-1400 BURMESE 11515 11540 11635 11765T 13745T 15680 1400-1500 CANTONESE 9775T 11715T 13625T 13790T 1400-1500 VIETNAMESE 9455S 9635T 9930W 11510 11520 11535 11605N 11765T 13775P 15705 1400-1500 KOREAN 7380 9695T 11790T 13625T 15625 1500-1600 TIBETAN 7470 11510 11590 11705T 11780UAE 13835 1500-1600 MANDARIN 7540 9905P 11765T 11945T 12025S 13625T 13690T 15510T 15680 1500-1600 KOREAN 648uss 9385S 13625T 1600-1700 KOREAN 7210irk 9385S 13625T 1600-1700 UIGHUR 7465 9350I 9370 9555UAE 11780T 13715I 1600-1700 MANDARIN 7540 9455S 9905P 11750T 11795T 11945T 12025S 13690T 15510T 15680 1700-1800 MANDARIN 7540 9355S 9455S 9540T 9905P 11750T 11795T 11945T 11995S 13690T 15510T 15680 17640T 1800-1900 MANDARIN 7530 7540 9355S 9455S 9540T 11520 11740T 11945T 11955T 11995S 13680T 15510T 15680 17640T 1900-2000 MANDARIN 7530 7540 9355S 9455S 9605T 9905P 11520 11740T 11785T 11945T 11955T 11995S 13625T 13680T 15510T 15680 2000-2100 MANDARIN 7530 7540 9355S 9455S 9850T 9905P 11520 11700T 11740T 11785T 11935T 11995S 13625T 13670T 15515T 15680 2100-2200 MANDARIN 7540 9455S 9850T 9910P 11700T 11740T 11935T 11995S 13625T 15515T 15680 2200-2300 CANTONESE 9355S 9955P 11785T 13675T 2200-2300 KOREAN 7460 9455S 9850T 11670S 12080T 2230-2330 CAMBODIAN 7455 9490I 9930P 11570 13735T 2300-2359 MANDARIN 7315N 7540 9910P 11785T 11935N 11995N 13640T 13800S 15430T 15550T 15680 2300-2359 TIBETAN 7470 9365 9805UAE 9875H 15695 2330-0029 VIETNAMESE 9975 11540 11560 11580 11605N 11670T 12010I 13735S 15560P (various sources, updated on April 2nd, 2003, by Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. What`s going on with RA streaming? Caught last part of Feedback, in English until 2130 UT Fri April 4, in which I believe Roger Broadbent said there were no significant A-03 frequency changes, but at 2130 RA went into Indonesian! What if you only want to listen in English? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. NEW RADAR LIVE AFTER 40 YEARS Staff writers APRIL 02, 2003 THE Australian Defence Force's $1.23 billion Jindalee over-the- horizon radar network has made its official debut after 40 years of development. Defence Minister Senator Robert Hill announced the Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN) would survey the nation's coastline to the north and north-west, providing 24 hour, all weather monitoring of activity in the air and at sea. JORN will be able to detect aircraft and boats at up to 2000 kilometres from the Australian coastline, outperforming conventional radar, which can only operate in line-of-sight conditions. Australia's northern coastline will be under constant wide-area surveillance for sea and air approaches with a new over-the-horizon high frequency radar network. "This cost-effective surveillance will be carried out along a 15 million square kilometre stretch from Geraldton in Western Australia to Cairns in Queensland," Senator Hill said. The Jindalee project had its genesis in the 1960s, when the idea of an over-the-horizon radar was first proposed by the Defence Science and Technology Organisation. Its development began in earnest in the early 1990s with the arrival of the Jindalee prototype facility in Alice Springs. The facility in Alice Springs will become part of the JORN network and continue its research and testing role. JORN, which will use radars stationed at Longreach in Queensland and Laverton in Western Australia, will also be used by Coastwatch and the Australian Customs Service to monitor illegal entry, smuggling and territorial fishing violations. JORN radars will be controlled from RAAF Edinburgh in South Australia. Each JORN radar has its own frequency management system. The network will be supported by 17 radar installation around the north of Australia and on Christmas Island. Instead of sweeping through an arc like conventional microwave-based radar, JORN concentrates on separate sectors located between Cairns in Queensland and Geraldton in Western Australia. JORN transmits high frequency radar to the earth's ionosphere, where it is refracted back to earth. Ships or aircraft in the area then relect some of the radio energy back along its original path, allowing them to be detected and tracked. However, JORN does not provide information with the same precision as conventional radar and cannot be redeployed. JORN was built by RLM, a joint venture between Austrlian defence contractor Tenix and the US-based Lockheed Martin group. A Defence spokeswoman said the project cost of $1.23 billion was in line with its original budget. The contract with RLM will include 46 months of support and maintenance (Australian IT http://tinyurl.com/8tuu via Jilly Dybka, TN) I wonder if this will cause QRM for the folks down there (Jilly Dybka, TN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRIA. Radio Austria International English to Europe heard 0530- 0555 on 6155, 1130-1200 and 1330-1400 on 6155 13730, 1830-1900 and 2130-2200 on 5945 6155, 1900-1930 on 1476. Sackville relay to North America heard 1500-1600 on 15515 April 2nd but all in German parallel to 6155 and 13730, no English at 1530 (Mike Barraclough, Letchworth, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15515 used to be DW German? ** AUSTRIA. Radio Afrika International (Austria) 17875 n/d card, letter in 3 weeks for an e-mail report. V/s Juma Hauser (Greg Myers, St. Petersburg, FL, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** BELARUS`. The IS mentioned by Jilly Dybka in DXLD 3-055 is definitely Radio Minsk. They typically put in a decent signal here most nights, but their modulation is very poor. As a result, I can usually make out the IS, which is interspersed by IDs in a couple of languages, I can make out the music, but as for the spoken content, it is usually mostly unintelligible. I just wrote them a letter with a plea to do something about the low mudulation level (Dan Srebnick, NJ, April 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Jill, that was most definitely Belarus` underneath (Mark J. Fine / mark.fine@fineware-swl.com Remington, Virginia, USA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Every year on DST change day, CBK Saskatchewan has an hour to fill since the province stays on CST yearound. A preview of the 25th-hour-special was on Sounds Like Canada, April 4 at 1432-1440 via RCI 13655, 17710 (and should be retrievable ondemand). Sounds like great fun, sort of a never-never land, 0900-1000 UT April 6 on 540 and webcast via http://sask.cbc.ca I guess they take it all back in October (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) {remains for a while ondemand as of April 9, but you have to click on multiple clocks to hear all the segments} ** CANADA. 5960, Radio Japan relay (presumed) 0237 3/30, weird digital product on 5945 QRMing 5950 WYFR. Sounded like ute bursts pulsing off/on. Tuned around a bit, found it coincided with Bird Tweeting in a song on 5960. Transmitter limiters broken/misadjusted? (Larry Russell, MI, MARE via DXLD) ** CHINA [and non]. What has become of the CRI relay via Cuba at 1400-1600 on 17720? Nothing there April 4, tho audible direct on 7405 at 1410 check. With Cuba you never know if there has been a permanent schedule change, or the transmitter is just down for some reason (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CRI English 55 minutes at 0100 on 9580 [Cuba], 9790 [Canada]; 0300 on 9690 [Spain]; 0400 on 9755 [via French Guiana, ex-9730??] (Bob Thomas, CT, April 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO DR. Last evening around 1720 - 1930 it was very nice opening towards Africa, among the nicest catches were: 7435, R. Lubumbashi, Congo D.R. All logged with AOR7030 and Wellbrook ALA-1530. 73 (Jarmo Patala, Finland, Apr 2, dxing.info via WORLD OF RADIO 1176, DXLD) This one is very rarely reported; how about some program details? (gh, DXLD) ** COSTA RICA. We plan to organize a Spanish program block very soon. It will start in the morning time here in Costa Rica and we will begin with one day in the week; this might be Friday. So we keep you informed on the latest news. Are there many DX clubs in Spain, as far as you know? Best wishes, (Sonja, RFPI, April 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. SALVADOR LEW RESIGNS FROM RADIO MARTÍ POST http://www.radioandrecords.com/Subscribers/TodaysNews/homepage.htm Lew was tapped by President Bush to head both Radio and TV Martí, and the Miami Herald reports that he's resigned for health reasons. However, Lew's resignation as Director of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting comes amid allegations of sexual harassment and favoritism since taking the post in 2001. Lew told the newspaper that he had open heart surgery two years ago and that "working there is extremely hard." Lew says the White House has offered him another position and is mulling over the offer. Lew's Chief of Staff, Fernando Rojas, will serve as the office's interim director until Bush appoints Lew's successor. April 2,2003 (via Brock Whaley for WORLD OF RADIO 1176, DXLD) President BUSH has nominated attorney/lobbyist PEDRO ROIG to take over as Director of RADIO MARTI and TV MARTI, the AMERICAN government stations aimed at CUBA. The nomination fllows the resignation MONDAY (3/31) of incumbent SALVADOR LEW and reports that the OFFICE OF CUBA BROADCASTING may have used illegal hiring practices. Chief of Staff FERNANDO ROJAS is running the show while approval of ROIG's nomination is pending. http://www2.allaccess.com/ (April 2, 2003, Brock Whaley for WORLD OF RADIO 1176, DXLD) MIAMI LAWYER PICKED TO HEAD RADIO, TV MARTÍ From The Miami Herald: Posted on Wed, Apr. 02, 2003 BY ELAINE DE VALLE AND JACQUELINE CHARLES President Bush on Tuesday nominated a Miami attorney and lobbyist to head Radio and TV Martí, replacing Salvador Lew, whose tenure was dogged by internal strife and criticism. Bush will ask the board that oversees the Office of Cuba Broadcasting to approve Pedro Roig as director of the Voice of America program created to be an alternative to Cuban-run media. ''His years of experience will serve him well in his new position,'' a White House spokesman said Tuesday night. ''I feel very honored by this appointment, and also conscious there is a mission to fulfill,'' Roig, 62, said Tuesday night. ``I think there is tremendous potential and good people within Radio Martí.'' Married and the father of four, Roig is working on a book on Cuban history in English. He came to Miami in 1960 from Santiago de Cuba and later became a member of the brigade that was part of the Bay of Pigs invasion. He is a graduate of St. Thomas University Law School, where he enrolled at the age of 45. Both he and the late Cuban American National Foundation Chairman Jorge Mas Canosa went to training camp together and were very close, Roig said. A former member of CANF, Roig said he left the foundation ''on very good terms'' and while Mas Canosa was still alive Roig's first job in Miami after the failed Bay of Pigs invasion, he said, was driving a taxi for five years. In 1999, he was part of a group of then-Mayor Joe Carollo foes calling themselves Citizens for an Accountable Government, which bought airtime on Spanish-language Miami radio stations to push an amendment that would abolish the city-manager position and force Carollo into another election 20 months before his term was up. If there is a clue as to what he plans to bring to the radio, Roig said, it's his personal philosophy in fighting on behalf of someone's right to say what they want. ``I strongly believe in the right of people to dissent from the mainstream without fear of reprisal. I do have opinions but I am very respectful. I do believe the Cuba of the future has to be one where people can live free and express their opinions without the fear of reprisal from the governments, and the majority. I do believe in this.'' Two South Florida Republican members of Congress, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Lincoln Díaz-Balart, hailed Roig's selection. ''His expertise and experience as well as his knowledge of Cuban affairs will greatly serve the president in his continuing efforts to upgrade the operations of Radio and TV Martí, and bring unbiased news and information to the oppressed people of Cuba,'' the lawmakers said in a joint statement. Lew's resignation comes on the heels of a scathing report from the inspector general that said the Office of Cuba Broadcasting used hiring practices that smacked of cronyism and may have violated federal regulations. It also said programming lacked quality control. Lew, a veteran Cuban radio man appointed to the job by President Bush, cited health reasons for stepping down but conceded that the controversies embroiling the organization contributed to his decision. ''Working there is extremely hard,'' said Lew, 74, who submitted his resignation Monday, ``and I don't know if you know that less than two years ago I had open heart surgery.'' He said that, in light of the war in Iraq, he couldn't continue in a position that was causing the Bush administration any problems. ''This is a moment that we cannot create problems,'' he said. ``We have to stay united to obtain victory.'' He said the White House had offered him another position, though he would not elaborate. ``I am considering if I will take it or not.'' Roig will have to undergo an FBI background check, which could take several weeks. In the meantime, Fernando Rojas, Lew's chief of staff, will take over as interim director, said Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, chairman of the U.S. Broadcasting Board of Governors, the group that oversees the Voice of America programming. Last May 20, Bush delivered a major policy speech on Cuba. Among the measures he outlined to promote democracy in Cuba was a personal pledge to ''modernize'' Radio and TV Martí. Aides indicated that meant aggressive efforts to overcome Cuban jamming. But since then, little has been done on the jamming issue (via Mike Terry, WORLD OF RADIO 1176, DXLD) It is required that OCB honchos have names of questionable Spanish pronunciation. Roig looks like a Catalan name, which I think comes out something like ``Roach``? But look at this: VOA spells his name differently: which is it?? (gh, DXLD) BUSH NOMINATES PEDRO ROIGA TO HEAD RADIO, TV MARTI VOA News 02 Apr 2003, 17:00 UTC U.S. President George W. Bush has nominated Pedro Roiga to head Radio and TV Marti, the U.S. government-funded broadcasting stations beamed to Cuba. http://www.voanews.com/article.cfm?objectID=12DF0CD0-92B7-445E-99DA90CF10DF16F8 (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** CZECH REPUBLIC. CZECHIA Radio Prague listeners' competition 2003 Radio Prague has launched another listeners' competition! Your task is simple - just answer the following question: WHO IS THE MOST INTERESTING FIGURE IN CZECH HISTORY? Send us a few lines about a Czech - past or contemporary - who you feel has made an impact on the world, and tell us what made that man or woman special. The main prize will be a trip to the Czech Republic for two, sponsored by the Podebrady Spa and Czech Airlines - at home in the skies! There will also be a number of attractive runner up prizes. Send your answer by June 15, 2003 to: Radio Prague Vinohradska 12 120 99 Prague 2 Czech Republic ...or e-mail it to: cr@radio.cz Good luck! (from http://www.radio.cz/en via Sergei Sosedkin, IL, DXLD) ** DENMARK (?). Browsing through the latest HFCC file, I found 5 entries for World Music Radio (WMR) from Denmark, all days 1234567 except the first which is days 1 and 7 only: 5790 0700 1400 17-19,27-29 SP1 10 0 300303 260903 D DNK WMR 5790 1400 2300 17-19,27-29,37-39 SP1 10 0 300303 260903 D DNK WMR 6290 0000 2400 17-19,27-29,37-39 SP1 10 0 300303 260903 D DNK WMR 7700 0000 2400 17-19,27-29,37-39 SP1 10 0 010603 260903 D WMR-DRM 15810 0000 2400 5,8,9,11,17,27-30,36-41 SP1 10 0 300303 260903 WMR Haven't seen or heard announcements for this new transmission. More details from anyone? 73's, (Michiel Schaay, Holland, April 4, Cumbre DX via DXLD) 5790 and 6290 look like IRRS Italy(?); 24h DRM on 7700! {not ITALY; further info in 3-058} ** ECUADOR. 3810, HD2IOA, 0557 3 April, LSB, 1 kW. Ecuadorian time signal station heard for first time at poor levels seemingly only in LSB mode with Spanish voice starting from about :45 seconds past the minute, each minute. Nothing extra at TOH. Better reception after 0630. I carefully listened and sure enough, there is a canned ID starting at 0659:40. Much lower modulation than the time check at approximately :53 seconds (not the :45 noted above). Reception at times was quite good, but with deep fades (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. Hi Glenn, I came across this June 2002 article about Radio Cairo's African services, which also mentions a general E-mail address of radiocairo@hotmail.com that I don't see listed in either WRTH or Passport. http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2002/588/fe2.htm (Andy Sennitt, Holland, April 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Lately R. Cairo in English, better modulation and signal at 0200 on 9475 than the earlier 2300 on 9900 with poor mod and big splash from 9895 R. Nederland in Spanish (Bob Thomas, CT, Mar 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) But 0200 now changed to 11780, NG ** EL SALVADOR. Heard Radio Imperial 17835.16 yesterday with a full ID at 0300z, then they rebroadcast a Family Radio program till just past 0400, then threw the switch with no closing announcement. Cheers, (Paul Ormandy, NZ, ZL4TFX, April 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ERITREA (presumed). 7100, Voice of the Broad Masses, 0334-0358, 04/02. Male, in presumed Tigray, with fast-paced talks, signal battling for dominance with ute QRM. Several mention's of "America" and "Congo-Kinhasa", also Pakistan. Afropop style music with male and female announcers at 0339. Different male between music at 0341, ending with 2 mentions "North Carolina"!?!? 2 males, with much improved audio level, and interview. Definite Horn of Africa music from 0350-0356. More announcers talk and music, crushed by ute QRM, unusable by 0358. Presumed log, though the language and music stylings sound very much like Horn of Africa. PWBR lists 10 kW, WRTH lists 100 kW. I suspect the latter. Curious as to the mention of North Carolina (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., NH, April 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FINLAND. Scandinavian Weekend Radio offers "Great Music for The Great Audience" during this starting first weekend of April 2003. Rock`n`Roll Radio from 21 to 23 hours UT includes Garage International Inc., Pandora`s Box and Anything Goes Show, Radio Demo 03-05 and 18-20 hours UT presents latest Finnish (Hard) Music-demos. We have also Progressive Rock (06-07), Hot Hits (09-10), Mama and Papa (12-13) plays good pop songs and older rock. And much more. Check http://www.swradio.net/fin/tietoja.htm On serie "Radiomonopolit historiaan, parts 2 to 4" Harri Kujala has this time countries UK, Ireland, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy etc. with. That and much more on our frequencies 11690 or 11720 and 5980, 5990 or 6170 kHz 24 hours starting today Friday 4th April. Complete program and frequency schedule can be found from our web-pages: http://www.swradio.net/fin/tietoja.htm Check also our new technical pages: http://www.swradio.net/tech/index.htm "Stay tuned –SWR is on the air" (Alpo Heinonen, Scandinavian Weekend Radio, April 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. Radio France International English: 0400-0430 9550(Moyabi) 13610(to 6th September) 11700 11910(Moyabi)(from 7th September) 0500-0530 Africa 11685(Moyabi)(to 6th September) 15155(Moyabi)(from 7th September) 17800 0600-0630 Africa 11665(Ascension) 17800 21620 0700-0800 Africa 15605(Moyabi) 1200-1230 Africa 17815(Ascension) 25820 1400-1500 Middle East, South West Asia 11610(Xi`an) 17515 1600-1700 Africa 9730(Moyabi) 11615 15255(Moyabi) 15605 17850 {later: claims that 9730 and 15255 are Meyerton, RSA} 1700-1730 Africa 15605 (Website via Mike Barraclough, Letchworth, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. DW morning service in German to North America may be a pastthing, but still an adequate signal from somewhere at 1430 April 4 on 13780, which used to be Sackville (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Last hurrah of DW English to NAm, UT Mar 30: 0100 on 9765, best on 6040; 0300 on 6020. Next night English at 0000 on 7130 (Bob Thomas, CT, April 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. A solution has been found so that Deutschlandfunk can continue on 6190 --- after all, The station continues to provide excellent reception here in Denmark during daytime (Stig Hartvig Nielsen, Denmark, April 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Mega Radio was finally closed down Friday April 4th at 1100 UT --- leaving a number of MW channels in the clear in Central Europe (Stig Hartvig Nielsen, Denmark, April 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE [non]. Yanni was a shortwave listener. "My idols were Beethoven, Mozart, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky, Bach -- and the world music I'd heard on my shortwave radio at night." http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=121841&categor y=ARTS&BCCode=HOME&newsdate=4/3/2003 73 (Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** GUAM. Two new transmitters are now on the air at the AWR shortwave station on the island of Guam. Transmitter KSDA3 was originally installed at Langefontein in South Africa as unit no 2, and it was inaugurated at AWR Guam on September 26 last year. The stored unit at Langefontein has now been installed at Guam as KSDA2 and it was inaugurated on March 1. It is anticipated that some time in May, Langefontein 5 will be inaugurated as KSDA1. The transmitter base at Langefontein in South Africa was a new station that was constructed for coverage throughout Africa but it was never placed into regular service (Adrian Michael Peterson, AWR Wavescan April 6 via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL. ADVENTIST WORLD RADIO The new transmission schedule for Adventist World Radio became effective last Sunday, March 30 at the beginning of the new A03 season and it shows two areas of interest to the international radio monitor. AWR is now on the air from a new transmitter location, Wooferton in England, for coverage into East Africa, Central Africa and West Africa. This large international shortwave station contains 10 Marconi transmitters rated at 250 & 300 kW and AWR is on the air from two of these units. The new schedule for AWR via Wooferton, including a frequency change on April 1 to avoid interference, is as follows:- 1900 - 2000 UTC 15270 kHz Fulfuldi {sic} & Hausa 1930 - 2000 17660 Ibo 2000 - 2100 15385 English 2000 - 2100 15130 French & Yoruba In this new scheduling, AWR is making use of additional channels in the tropical shortwave bands. This new usage, including both the current relay sites and the new channels, is as follows:- 3215 kHz 100 kW Sen1 Meyerton English 0500 - 0530 3215 50 RN4 Talata Malagasy 0230 - 0330 3215 50 RN4 Talata Malagasy 1530 - 1630 3215 100 Sen1 Meyerton English 1800 - 1830 3345 100 Sen3 Meyerton English 0500 - 0530 3935 1 ZLXA Levin Wavescan 0900 - 0930 Mon 3935 1 ZLXA Levin Wavescan 2100 - 2130 Tue Dr Adrian M. Peterson, DX Editor, AWR, DX LISTENING DIGEST) New AWR schedule, by target zone and language: http://www.awr.org/listener-services-program-schedule%20summer%202003.html Adrian Peterson sent a comprehensive schedule in frequency order, but it requires so much reformatting it`s not ready for DXLD (gh) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. DIRECTV --- An attempt by U.S. telephone company SBC Communications Inc to buy satellite TV provider DirecTV from General Motors Corp has broken down, leaving Rupert Murdoch's News Corp as the lone serious bidder. SBC, based in San Antonio, Texas, had been in talks with GM about buying all or part of Hughes Electronics Corp, the parent company of DirecTV, since early this year. But those negotiations fell apart this week when the two sides "fell out of alignment" on the structure of the deal, one source said on April 1. It remained unclear whether SBC might re-enter the bidding process. The No. 2 U.S. telephone company had wanted to acquire DirecTV to help accelerate its high-speed Internet plans, but was not interested in all of Hughes, a source said. The alternative is likely to be Murdoch, who has been pursuing an acquisition of Hughes since it was first put on the block by GM two years ago. He was initially outbid by EchoStar Communications Corp, which struck a deal to acquire the unit in August 2001 but called off the merger late last year when regulators threatened to block it. (Reuters via SCDX/MediaScan Apr 2 via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. WAR IN IRAQ SATELLITE --- Multi-satellite enthusaists wanting to tune in to live news feeds from Iraq can find a regularly updated page of frequencies at DXMonitoring's Web site. Click here to find the latest news feeds, which also includes live coverage the main US networks NBC, ABC and CBS: http://www.dxmonitoring.com/satellite/iraq/feedlist.htm ("What Satellite TV") On Intelsat 704 (66 degrees East) Iraq Satellite Channel has started on 4.055 Ghz/R. ("LyngSat Weekly Updates") (MediaScan/SCDX Apr 2 via DXLD) ** IRAN. IRANIAN BASED ARABIC AL-ALAM TV WINS VIEWERS IN BAGHDAD An Iranian-based Arabic television news station which started broadcasting last month is gaining viewers in Baghdad. The Iranian channel Al-Alam, which means The World, is the latest 24-hour news channel in the Middle East. It broadcasts on terrestrial air waves to TV-starved Iraq, as well as via satellite. Dishes are banned in Iraq. Based in Tehran and run by IRIB, the Iranian state radio and TV service, it has carried extensive and close-up video of dead and wounded in Iraq. Its rolling coverage is aired under the slogan "War for Control". The Iran-based Al-Alam satellite TV channel in Arabic and English is a 24-hour news channel transmitted on four satellites (Arabsat, Asiasat, Telstar and Hot Bird satellites) and can be received in Europe, Middle East, Asia-Pacific and America. The Arabic channel began test broadcasts in February 2003 and full programming started in March. English output is at the moment limited to horizontal news subtitles or news tickers updating news on the war on Iraq from international news agency reports. The station is also available on the Internet: http://www.alalamnews.com and notably with roof-top aerials, not dishes, in parts of Iraq and Iran. The reports of reception of Al- Alam in Iraq suggests that the transmissions are broadcast from a TV relay station on high ground in Iran overlooking parts of Iraq. Apart from news bulletins every hour, round the clock, Al-Alam has regular live reports from Iraq and studio round table discussions with researchers, commentators and experts including Iraqi dissidents and exiles opposed to Saddam Husayn. Al-Alam's format is similar to that of the Qatari Al-Jazeera satellite TV. It has "An Exclusive Al-Alam" caption coming up when the station shows its own reports, their logo, Al-Alam written in fancy letters in Arabic, is burnt on the right-hand side of the picture. Al-Alam web site described the station as "an international Islamic news network". The managing director of Al-Alam, Hasan Beheshtipur, has said that the Al-Alam TV channel intends to introduce the viewpoints of the Islamic world and counter the monopolization of news channels by Western countries. Beheshtipur said that the objective of launching the network was to interconnect the Islamic world and to disseminate news among them. He said: This network plans to fill the existing vacuum in news dissemination in today's world. Beheshtipur was recently quoted by the Iranian newspaper Mardom Salari as saying: "We must see whether the focus of our foreign policy is the interests of Islam or our national interests. It is true that in many areas the national interests are compatible with the interests of the Islamic world, but in some respects there may be clear contradictions between the two. Our duty is to find clear answers to these contradictions." The manager of the Al-Alam satellite network continued: "Our dialogue and interaction with the Islamic countries has not yet been defined, and still there has been no clear decision regarding the framework of our relations." Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 2 Apr 03 (via WORLD OF RADIO 1176, DXLD) ** IRAN [non] 7525 kHz - Radio Yaran Was looking after this for a while, first heard here on 29/3 1830 - 2100 in Farsi. Today 100% ID: the station is NOT Radio Seday-e Iran but Radio YARAN (yaran means friends). The station is on internet and satellite for quite a while; details from their homepage http://www.afnl.com at the end of this mail. Programs are phone-in and lots of talk on Iranian community, New Year and of course War in Iraq. People calling in from Europe, Middle East and also one from Iran some minutes ago. General political talk is pro-USA and not conform with present Tehran Government. Reception on 7525 kHz is now at 1900 UT exceptionally strong; that means 90 dB/1uV or 100 mV, if I am not mistaken. =Quote= AFN Farsi Netlink American Farsi Netlink was founded in 1993. It is the first Iranian satellite radio and TV. AFN Farsi Netlink broadcasts radio and television via satellite all over in United States and for the past three years has transmitted to other areas such as Europe, Iran, and Canada so Iranians around the globe can benefit from the service. We work with several top broadcasting companies around the world to bring an exceptional quality of service. In addition AFN Farsi Netlink company also has run two radio stations since 1993 which Iranian companies can use to advertise their service. We have a competent staff and quality of service is always our top priority. With the new numerical receptor from AFN Farsi Netlink, you can enjoy five international channels and also two radio stations (AFN Farsi Netlink) that operate 24 hours. =Unquote= Unfortunately the webbroadcast did not work here... Address given is: American Farsi Netlink P.O. Box 1601 Simi Valley CA 93062 U.S.A. Phone (818)348-2766 (818)348-3399 Fax (818)348-3627 Email info@afnl.com amir@afnl.com HARRIS RF-550 / RF-551Preselctor, JRC NRD-535D and longwires wolfgang.vonpoellnitz@fiege.pl 73 (Wolfgang von Poellnitz, Warsaw, Poland, hard-core-dx via WORLD OF RADIO 1176, DXLD) Here on 2 Apr at 2000 on 7525, nice signal. Heard an ID "Radio Yaran - AFN". http://www.bamey.com/voice1.html has the same audio but with couple of seconds delay. 73 (Jari Savolainen Kuusankoski Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN [non]. Today 1630-1730 UT the Persian station Radio International again on powerhouse 13800 kHz. Looks like Kvitsoe Norway transmission, (Apr 1/2). 55555 S=9 +60 dB 7525 kHz at 2100 UT, Heard same Persian station, I guess with extended coverage during Iraq war time. (Mar 30/31). Also noted like this schedule since March 30: 0230-0330 7460, 1630-1730 13800, 1800-2100 7525, 1800-1900 7480. 73 (Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany, April 2, WORLD OF RADIO 1176, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN [non]. Radio International, 28/3 until 1815* on 7490, signal soo strong, could 'bend' my s-meter, at the end of scale on the NRD 535. Seday-e Iran 27/3 +1930 - 2130 (s/off) on 11575, with a lot of excitement on the phone-in show as people were calling in why your are still on he air, announcer asked for more support of the station also donations, some commercial jingles for dentists and other physicians in Beverly Hills Area ...; also strong recommendations to stay away from the state organised demonstrations to take place on 28/3 in Tehran... Seday-e Iran (?) 29/3 1830-2100 on 7525, program as above, couldn't get the ID as I was tuning in and out over the time span but 99% sure, will check today again. Was also reported by Anker Petersen in the meantime with ?; signal on 29/3 was 54554. V. of Communist Party of Iran Heard on various occasions, last 31/3 on 4380.7 - 4380.4 in // 3870.8 variable (alternate 3880.6) signing off at 1730 with Internationale; signal on both channels at SINPO 43433 / 44444. Usually the 3870 is better heard. V. of Southern Ayerbaijan 27/3 +1734-1755* on 9375,6 with SINPO 34333, awful modulation, will require more monitoring; should be listed under Iran as clearly against Tehran Government and seeking reunification of Azeri dominated provinces in Iran with today's Azerbaijan. I am not yet so sure about their schedule on the homepage is 5 days a week, please check the picture: [missing link] Radio Mojahed Nothing heard about this recently... Mar 25-31. (all: Wolfgang von Poellnitz, Warsaw, Poland, Harris RF-550 / RF-551 preselector, JRC NRD-535 DG, longwires, Clandestine Radio Watch via DXLD) ** IRAQ. It seems that Iraqi Iraq, not only Kurdistan, has gone on DST of UT +4 judging from the Baghdad clock on CNN April 4. I assume this is one issue the US and Sadaam agree upon! Look for any official or clandestine broadcasts to be one hour earlier than before (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ [non]. Information Radio 11292: I am still looking for positive ID, as now at best, I could pick up some waves of music or speech; for sure the carrier is there even long before 1500; I have not much clue why this frequency was chosen; possibly the American specialists have gained knowledge that standard Iraqi transistors radios have good coverage of 11 MHz aeronautical band... Mar 31 9715, 31/3 1500-2000, I cannot confirm any sign on before 1500 as I just arrived there sharp 1500 with the first communiqués to Fedaijin soldiers, exceptionally strong signal up to SINPO 44333, however R Tashkent signing on co-channel at 1520 4500, 31/3 +1508-2000, at the beginning under Urumqi co-channel, then equal and clear after 1800 (why this frequency?). The signal fades in here similar to 4085 as-Sulaimaniya, however slightly weaker. According to my listening 4500 carries a different program than 9715, more music orientated. Now whether this is really an airborne operation or not we will find out the coming days or weeks. My pretty speculative theory is: there used to be always a second output of V. of the People of Kurdistan, heard until late January on 4400 or finally 4415 kHz. I am guessing that exactly this transmitter is used as Americans are known to be in the area and the V. of the People of Kurdistan has to share anyway 4025 with the Americans ... The ID of 4500 info Radio sounded a bit patched yesterday, as when Radio Maulumat slogan started a second speaker set in and it got a bit mixed, will check this again. Mar 31 V. of the Democratic Assyrian Movement, Ashur Radio 9155.0 or 9154.9 kHz heard 30/30 +0935-1105* and restarting around 1550 with easy listening music to restart at 1600 (-1800*), in morning hours just 20-30dB / 1 uV, in the afternoon good signal up to SINPO 44444 1/4 +1108-1201*, most likely summer schedule started or extended one hour. V. of Iraqi Liberation 28/3 +1930-2000* on 4020.5, rather unusual as 5 kHz off and earlier s/off, requires daily monitoring of the freq. also after hours ... V. of Iraqi People 28/3 -2104* on 3900, then I stayed on the frequency and the station restarted at 2109 with news in Arabic, will need more monitoring, not much reported on this one. 31/3 on 3900 signing off at 2018* (all: Wolfgang von Poellnitz, Warsaw, Poland, Harris RF-550 / RF-551 preselector, JRC NRD-535 DG, longwires, Clandestine Radio Watch via DXLD) ** IRAN/IRAQ [non]. Re Hans Johnson`s questions: V. of Iranian Communist Party and V. of Revolution now 1 h earlier 1630-1730, 1430- 1530, 0230-0330, 0430-0530 on 3880, 4380. V. of Komala 1 hour earlier 0200-0330, 1600-1730 on 3930, 4615. Increased broadcast times for: V. of People of Iraq 1725-1950 on 3900, 5892; V. of Iraqi Toilers presumed, 1330-1800 on 4245. Only V. of Mojahed and V. of Iranian Kurdistan and R. Kurdistan left the air. (Mar 30) 73, (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, April 3 via Wolfgang Bueschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ. Republic of Iraq Radio Main Service Republic of Iraq Radio Main Service was received between 0615 to 1600 gmt on 909 kHz, believed to be a transmitter near Baghdad, and on 603 kHz between 0500 to 1400 gmt, believed to be a transmitter near Mosul. The radio continued to carry patriotic songs and brief commentaries praising Iraqi people and urging the Iraqis to fight the Americans and British (BBCM 1630 gmt April 2 via WORLD OF RADIO 1176, DXLD) ** IRAQ. April 2 at 2235, 11787, R. Iraq International heard briefly in English. Not sure if this was the end of an English program or just a brief English segment. Back into Arabic around 2237. So far has only been off the air one night (John Santosuosso, Lakeland, FL, via Terry Krueger, DXLD) ** IRAQ. The Iraqi satellite channel just showed a report showing the Iraqi president walking in the street of Baghdad and shacking hands with the people. He also was visiting the destroyed buildings in Baghdad. Shaking hands with the soldiers!! While watching that and listening to Twin River Radio they were broadcasting a message saying SADDAM DIED! strange world..... (TAREK ZEIDAN, Cairo, Egypt, April 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) As some detractor on CNN quickly pointed out, the real Saddam would not put himself into such a position even in peacetime --- exposing himself to common germs by direct bodily contact, not to mention security risk of mingling with a crowd! (gh, DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. On 3 April around 1800 no signal from Information Radio on 4500. The usual ones 4025.3v and 4085 from that area are present, so not a propagation thing. Scanned thru the 4 MHz band but not found. Temporarily off or a frequency change? (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi DXers, Impossible to confirm jamming noticed yesterday by Tarek Zeidan on 4025 kHz, V. of Iraq Liberation, but from 1930 to 0130 UT this morning I have noticed a strong blank carrier on this frequency. I was waiting for any modulation or voice but nothing Heard. Since 2 days, nothing heard from Information Radio on all frequencies known. 4500 was the best frequency here. Tnx for any info about that... Regards (Pascal Perriot Tours, France, Apr 4, hard-core-dx via DXLD) Hello my friends, today around 1600 UT I noticed that Information Radio is back again on 4500 kHz after a couple of days off this frequency! All the best, P E A C E !! (TAREK ZEIDAN, Cairo Egypt, April 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ [non]. Checked with R75, 16 m horizontal antenna, 8 m extension inside the house and checking parallels with the C300 KCHIBO (more about this on my web page http://www.geocities.com//zliangas/kchibo.pdf ) Radio Maklumat [sic – Information Radio] heard yesterday 2.4 on 9715 at 2130 with western songs and talks against Saddam by woman till 2133 when songs continued. Sharp audio. Co-channel with R. Liberty interfering only on AM mode. However in SSB mode the USB part was clear from QRM from RL against Info R. So that I suspect they use ISB and same transmitter!! (Zacharias Liangas, Retziki Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ. BRITISH TROOPS LAUNCH LEAFLET CAMPAIGN AND RADIO STATION The British forces say they have launched a campaign to win over the hearts and minds of the people of Basra. Capturing the southern city, which has been under siege for almost two weeks, is a key component in the Allies' plan to topple Saddam Hussein's regime. Troops have been handing out leaflets, reassuring residents that the British are on the side of ordinary Iraqis and are interested only in defeating the ruling Ba'ath Party. The leaflet acknowledges that the last time the city sought the help of the coalition - during the 1991 Gulf war - the promised support never materialised. Headed "This time we won't abandon you", the leaflet declares "Be patient, together we will win" and features a drawing of a smiling squaddie shaking hands with an Iraqi. The British have set up a local radio station called Radio Nahrain, which broadcasts news about the war and offers of jobs on an FM frequency. Meanwhile, troops are also working to highlight the fact the Army will help the region get back on its feet after the pounding it has received from coalition forces. Members of 32 Royal Engineers, attached to 7 Armed Brigade, are helping Iraqi oil workers try to put out an oil pipe fire 15km south of Basra, using a combat tractor to pour tons of sand on the burning oil. This has allowed workers to get close enough to use hoses to spray foam on the oil and give them access to cut off the valve and stop its flow. Story filed: 16:08 Wednesday 2nd April 2003 (via Mike Terry, DXLD) http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_766765.html (Ananova via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** IRAQ. YOU`RE TUNED TO BASRA FM by Carol Midgley The army broadcasts pop music and advice on how to surrender. But is it just propaganda? The Army has set up a 24-hour radio station featuring DJs and a bizarre mix of music with the aim of hammering home the message that its soldiers come as friends, not enemies LIEUTENANT-COLONEL COLIN MASON must have cut an unlikely figure as he strode along the Edgware Road in London last month. As he popped in and out of the dozens of ethnic stores which line the road by the flyover, his arms full of Arabic pop music CDs, few people would have realised that this was a man preparing for war. Indeed, Mason was on a shopping expedition for Basra. Those CDs and records are now stacked in a 12ft x 12ft tent pitched in the desert in southern Iraq. Their purpose is to provide the backbone of what the British Army hopes will be an effective tool in winning the battle for the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people. The Army has set up a 24-hour radio station featuring DJs and a bizarre mix of music with the aim of hammering home the message that its soldiers come as friends, not enemies — and to bring a little light relief to a nation exhausted by war. Radio Nahrain, which means Two Rivers, a reference to the Euphrates and the Tigris, operates on 100.4FM and 94.6FM frequencies, and although some might say that it broadcasts propaganda, the Army insists it is conveying vital information. So far the playlist has included a mixture of Arab music and Western pop — an early sign, critics might say, of the future westernisation of Iraq. After treating listeners to `How Deep Is Your Love?` by the Bee Gees earlier this week, the announcer said in Arabic: ``We are here to help the population of Iraq. We are always beside you, against the regime of Saddam Hussein. We are not against you.`` Radio Nahrain is not a station for the coalition forces, it is exclusively for the Iraqi people. The British Forces Broadcasting Service operates a separate radio station from Kuwait, a morale- boosting venture of the type immortalised by Robin Williams in the film `Good Morning Vietnam`. Mason, who is a territorial with the Royal Regiment of Wales, says that the messages, broadcast by a team of three male Arabic presenters who work in shifts, inform citizens of when military action is taking place and which areas they should avoid. The broadcasters also advise Iraqi soldiers what to do if they want to surrender and tell them where they can find humanitarian aid. But is it chiefly a propaganda weapon? TV antennae in Basra have been knocked out, cutting the supply of propaganda from Baghdad. Radio, on the other hand, is still a source of Iraqi misinformation and has been moved up the Allies` list of targets. Mason, who is also the deputy chairman of Choice FM in London, says: ``There is a fine line between public relations and propaganda. This is not propaganda; it is conveying vital information. These can be life-and-death messages.`` Is Saddam ever mentioned? ``He is part of the situation. It is inevitable that you will mention his name. Some of the messages do point out what the coalition would call the short-term nature of the regime.`` It is not known how many people are tuning in, but the Allies can probably be confident of a good-sized audience. Few other stations are broadcasting in Iraq at present. Radio Nahrain has been on air for a week and is manned continually. All the high-tech equipment was dismantled and shipped across the desert in a series of flight cases. The transmitter itself sits in a separate, adjacent tent to keep it cool and protect it from dust and sand. Two of the main broadcasters are from Kuwait, while the other is from an unspecified country in the Middle East. The radio station is run by an army unit known as the 15 (UK) Psychological Operations Group. A similar station was set up in Kabul during the war in Afghanistan. Much research was done into Iraqi musical tastes before setting up. Thus there has been serious investment in the work of Fairuz, a revered Lebanese singer and composer who is highly popular among Arabs. ``There is a real mix of stuff,`` says Mason. ``Pan-Arabic pop is similar to Western pop music. Some of it sounds almost the same.`` Radio Nahrain is not quite in BBC Radio 1 territory yet, though. For the moment, the most important thing is that the people find out what is going on, say army chiefs. But it has been designed in an ``easy-listen`` format and it is hoped that within a few weeks its personality will develop into ``The People`s Friend``. It is not impossible that, before long, depending on the time it takes to topple Saddam`s regime, a phone-in programme will be organised in which locals can call to express their views. That, adds Mason, would be the ultimate in establishing a dialogue between the coalition and the people. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,7-633316,00.html (via Bill Westenhaver, April 4, DXLD) Hey! The Two Rivers name is already spoken for! (gh, DXLD) ** IRAQ [and non]. Swedish Radio's Kent Berggren has sent some interesting war-related web links. pc-radio.com reports the Iraqi government site falls prey to hackers: http://www.pc-radio.com/uruklink-0wned.html The latest round of bombs appears to have finally cut off Iraqi access to the Internet: http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/2003/03/31/iraq_offline/index.html Babilonline (Saddam's homepage?): http://www.babilonline.net/ (Kent Berggren, SR, SCDX, MediaScan Apr 2 via DXLD) ** IRAQ [and non]. Hello from Hilversum, The war in Iraq is of course the main item on the agenda this week. I have not watched any "normal" TV programmes for more than two weeks now. But neither have the inhabitants of Iraq, and that's the subject of this week's main feature. THE WAR ACCORDING TO IRAQI TV Patriotic songs, press conferences, exhortations, and threats to the enemy are the mainstay of Iraq's satellite TV service, which keeps defying coalition attempts to silence it. Hanke Drop is an Arabist who works in the Planning Department at Radio Netherlands. She has been watching the Iraq Satellite Channel - which is currently available nationwide in The Netherlands via DSL - and describes what a typical day's viewing is likely to feature. The station did not go off the air during last night's power outage in Baghdad, and we believe it's operating from a secret location. http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/features/html/tv030403.html For ongoing coverage of the media war in Iraq, don't forget to check the page in our dossier with latest news and developments at http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/features/html/iraq030319.html plus our Weblog at http://radio.weblogs.com/0121781/ The server that hosts the Weblog seems to have been very slow in the last 24 hours. Hopefully that's just a temporary glitch (Andy Sennitt, Media Network newsletter April 4 via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. TAIBEH PIRATE RADIO STATION SHUTDOWN From Arutz Sheva News: 23:40 Apr-01-03, 28 Adar 5763 (IsraelNN.com) Police and Communications Ministry inspectors today raided and shutdown an illegal radio station operating in the Israeli Arab municipality of Taibeh. Officials explained the illegal broadcasts interfered with the emergency 'silent' radio station operating during the war against Iraq (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** JAPAN. Radio Japan in English from 31 March 2003; General Service Southeast Asia 0000-0015 on 13650 & 17810 0100-0200 on 17810 & 11860 (Singapore) 0500-0600 on 17810 0600-0700 on 11740 (Singapore) 1000-1200 on 9695 1400-1600 on 7200 Asian Continent 0100-0200 on 17845 0500-0700 on 15195 1000-1200 on 15590 1500-1600 on 9750 Far East Russia 0500-0600 on 11715 & 11760 Southwest Asia 0100-0200 on 15325 1400-1600 on 11730 Oceania 0300-0400 on 21610 0500-0700 on 21755 1000-1100 on 21755 1400-1500 on 11840 (Sri Lanka) 2100-2200 on 6035 (Singapore) North America 0000-0100 on 6145 East (Canada) 0500-0600 on 6110 West (Canada) & 9835 0600-0700 on 13630 1100-1200 on 6120 East (Canada) 1400-1500 on 9505 1500-1600 on 6120 East (Canada) & 11705 East (Canada) 1700-1800 on 9505 Hawaii 2100-2200 on 21670 Central America 0300-0400 on 17825 South America 0100-0200 on 17835 Europe 0500-0600 on 5975 (UK) 0500-0700 on 7230 (UK) 1000-1100 on 17585 (UAE) 1700-1800 on 11970 2100-2200 on 6055 (UK) & 6180 (UK) Middle East & North Africa 0100-0200 on 17560, 11880 (Sri Lanka) & 15240 (Sri Lanka) 1400-1500 on 17755 (Sri Lanka) Africa 1700-1800 on 15355 South (Gabon) 2100-2200 on 11855 Central (Ascension Island) Regional Service: Oceania 0100-0200 on 17685 North America 2100-2200 on 17825 Hawaii 0600-0700 on 17870 (Radio Japan Programme schedule via Michael Murray, UK, World DX Club via Mike Barraclough, DXLD) ** KURDISTAN [and non]. Radio Kurdistan / V. of the KSDP: 25/3 +1950-2058* on 4140,4 -,7 kHz fair signal but frequency varying 28/3 +1635-1700* of first evening transmission, fair, same frequency 31/3 +1605 on 4135.56 and later again at around 2020 UT, with some QRM V. of Iraqi Kurdistan Overall best heard station in the 4 MHz range, heard for a couple of days until 2200 UT on 4085, 31/3 however closing at 2000 V, of Komala 31/3 *1558-1730* on 3928.05 and parallel 4615 (jammed); strangely 4615 continues after 1730, but the time before was 100% in //. 3938 [sic -- so this one is a typo?] is SINPO 34433 in USB. Heard the 3928 output on 27/3 also IDing as Radio Payam ('Radio News'); the 3928 output is carrier plus USB while the 4615 is a full double-sided AM signal... will need more monitoring on 4615; however, the jammer is really awful. V. of Kurdistan Toilers 31/3 +1744-1802* on 4245.0 - .6, difficult to track the frequency (but the Harris has AFC...) Kurdish + Arabic program, at 1800 100% ID as in CR Intel report, recording available; SINPO 34333 V. of Mesopotamia / Dengi Mesopotamia 31/3 +1245 on 11530 already on the air, no traces on 15675; so I looked again today 1/4 at 0900 and the station is already on the air on 11530 kHz, SINPO 45554/5 V. of the People of Kurdistan 25/3 heard until 2108 on 4025.2; very strange as this was already after the s/off of V. of Iraqi Liberation on same transmitter; will require daily monitoring ... (all: Wolfgang von Poellnitz, Warsaw, Poland, Harris RF-550 / RF-551 preselector, JRC NRD-535 DG, longwires, Clandestine Radio Watch via DXLD) ** KUWAIT. R. Kuwait, 11990, still in Arabic at 1800 (Bob Thomas, CT, Mar 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LEBANON [non]. Lebanon's V. of Freedom (backed by Aoun) For yesterday, 11515 opening at 1600 with S9 or 44444, talks by woman in Arabic. Check at 1640 with patriotic songs and signed off 1600 [sic – means 1700 or is it 1500-1600?? --gh]. For today found on 11620 at 1635 with patriotic songs mentioning Lubnen (Lebanon), a short declaration by OM, and signed off on 1650 with presumed national anthem before sign off. This is a small part while I`m listening in the bed these days for my recovery (Zacharias Liangas, Retziki Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBYA. Voice of Africa -- Rumen Pankov recently reported that Voice of Africa from Libya would have changed from 1251 to 648. This must have been a temporary measure or a switching error. On two consecutive nights earlier this week I heard the program as usual on 1251 in parallel with 711 and nothing on 648 around 0000-0100 (Olle Alm, Sweden, 3 April, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LITHUANIA. Three transmissions of the Overcomer Ministry in English have been added today on 3 April; the new relay schedules for the A03 season are now as follows: Vilnius 612 kHz (100 kW ND) 0300-0500 Radio Liberty in Belarusian, 0500-0600 Overcomer Ministry in English; 1300-2100 Radio Liberty in Belarusian, 2100-2130 Radio Polonia in Belarusian. Also Sat 0500-0600 Fundamental Broadcasting Network in English. Sitkunai 1386 kHz (500 kW ND) 1900-2000 Overcomer Ministry in English 2200-2215 Missionswerk Freundesdienst in German. Sitkunai 1557 kHz (150 kW ND) 1700-1800 Overcomer Ministry in English 1800-2200 China Radio International in Russian, Chinese, Polish, English (from April 16). (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, MWDX, via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** LUXEMBOURG. The below enclosed posting from a German forum reports DRM tests done by BCE today on 6095, including a 20 kHz wide signal and herewith disturbing at least Munich on 6085. The 20 kHz signal had a bitrate of 42.2 kbit/s, a later test with a 10 kHz signal was run at 34.7 kbit/s, a significantly higher bitrate than found on other 10 kHz bandwidth DRM trials. Certainly impressive engineering work, but there is a serious drop of bitterness: BCE cares not about existing broadcasting outlets. And BCE belongs to a commercial media group rather than a state-owned foreign service. See what I mean when I say that DRM could be a deathly kiss for the broadcasters dominating the shortwave bands today? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, April 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: Autor: Carsten Knütter Datum: 03.04.2003 18:46 Also, RTL hat heute wieder fleißig DRM getestet. Heute haben sie verschiedene Bitraten getestet. Teilweise haben sie mit einem 20 kHz breiten Signal getestet. 42.2 kbps in stereo. Leider kann nur Dream 20 kHz verarbeiten und DReam kann kein SBR. So konnte ich dann zwar stereo hören aber vom Hocker hat es mich nicht gerissen. Danach haben sie probiert, was man so aus einem 10 kHz breiten Signal rausholen kann, was ja auf Kurzwelle wahrscheinlich Standart wird. Bisher gab es da immer 20.9 kbps mono, was mit mono UKW vergleichbar ist. Heute gab es 34.7 kbps in stereo. Das war der Wahnsinn! Keinerlei Dropouts bei so einer hohen Bitrate. 64-75 kbps gelten bei diesem audio codec übrigens als CD Qualität, was ja mit 20 kHz Signalen auch mit DRM erreichbar ist. Interessant war, dass RTL Klassik gesendet hat. Vielleicht ein neues RTL Programm? Heute wurde sowieso so viel DRM gesendet, wie noch nie. Wohl auch wegen der EDRC in München. Naja und der Regelbetrieb beginnt ja auch schon in zwei Monaten (via Kai Ludwig, DXLD) ** MEXICO. 6185, R. Educación, 0822-0844 3/26 Played the wonderful Mexican marching band versions of 7 Beatles songs, complete with tuba. This is funny! 2nd time I've heard it (Larry Russell, MI, MARE Tipsheet Apr 4 via DXLD) ** MOLDOVA. The weekly Wednesday English broadcast from Radio DMR, Tiraspol`, confirmed today 2 April, one hour earlier than in the winter at 1600-1630 UTC on 5960 kHz. Fair reception here but with a splatter from Radio Netherlands on 5955 kHz. Signed on at 1600 with an anthem followed by this very long-winded announcement: "This is the 40th edition of the English version of the informational analytic programme Pridnestrovye prepared by the editorial staff of the information political programme of the Radio DMR for listeners in Europe and the CIS." I have seen DMR (Dnestr Moldavian Republic) given as "PMR" in some reports, although their web site confirms the name is Radio DMR - see http://www.olvia.idknet.com/newweben.htm Postal address is: Radio DMR, Rose Luxembourg Street 10, 3300 Tiraspol`, Republic of Moldova. At 1629 sign-off they still announced the broadcast time as "5pm Greenwich time". 73s (Dave Kenny, Caversham UK, AOR7030+, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** NIGERIA [non]. 15170, *1901-1929*, 04/02, Hausa (presumed). Singing ID at sing-on, "Jakada International" (twice), "Jakada Radio" (once) and "Jakada International" again (twice). Female with announcements and several IDs. Native music with male announcer talk over. Announcer with political talks regarding Nigeria, PDP and NCP parties with quick ID, mention of "Hausa" at 1915. Singing ID and native music followed by more talk of Nigeria and, again, native music and singing ID at sign-off. Very good signal, strong and clear. Much better than old frequency of 12125. Definitely NOT in English as listed per Observer (Scott R Barbour Jr, NH, April 2, Sangean ATS 818, RF Systems MLB-1, RS longwire w/ RDA balun, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Observer also says this is via South Africa now ** POLAND. A-03 Schedule: Poland - R. Polonia BROADCASTING SCHEDULE EXTERNAL SERVICE FROM MARCH 30 TO OCTOBER 25 2003, ALL TIMES IN UT SAT - In addition to short and medium waves, some broadcasts also available on the EUTELSAT II F-6 Hot Bird satellite 13 EAST. Frequency 11.474 GHz, polarization H, sound subcarrier 7.38 MHz. An 80 cm dish is recommended throughout Europe. On the outer limits of the footprint (North Africa, Middle East, parts of Kazakhstan a dish of a least 1.8 m. is required.) POLISH 0200-0255 225 0500-0559 SAT 0700-0759 SAT 1030-1059 7285 SAT 1530-1629 5965 SAT 2100-2159 6050 SAT 2200-2259 SAT RUSSIAN 0630-0659 SAT 1100-1125 9540 6095 SAT 1300-1329 9540 6095 SAT 1430-1455 7180 1500-1529 SAT 1800-1829 6035 SAT 1900-1955 6095 7180 2300-2359 SAT UKRAINIAN 0300-0329 SAT 0800-0829 SAT 1430-1459 6000 SAT 1830-1859 7180 6035 SAT BELARUSSIAN 0430-0459 SAT 1330-1429 7180 5995 SAT 1630-1659 5995 SAT 2030-2059 SAT ESPERANTO 0330-0329 SAT 0800-0829 SAT 1430-1459 6000 SAT 1830-1859 7180 6035 SAT ENGLISH 0330-0429 SAT 0900-0959 SAT 1200-1259 11820 9525 SAT 1700-1759 5995 7285 SAT 1930-2029 SAT Additionally, some programs in English can be heard on the WORLD RADIO NETWORK Europe 0500-0530, 1900-2000 CET SKY digital package, Astra 28 E, WRN English, HotBird 13 E, cable, terrestrial relays; North America 1300-1330, 2300-2330 EST [sic] WRN 1, Telstar 5, 97 W, 12.177 GHz, V, terrestrial relays, Sirius car radio Africa, Asia, Australia, Latin America WRN1 0500-0630, 1700-1730 UT, 00.30-01.00 (Sun) Africa Afristar channel 627, Multichoice WRN 1 Panamsat 68.5 E, Intelsat 1 W 3.9115 GHz, R-HC Asia, Australia Asiastar WRN 1, AsiaSat 100.5 E, 4.000 GHz, H GERMAN 0600-0629 SAT 1130-1159 9525 6095 SAT 1530-1555 7270 1930-1955 7285 6210 1330-1400, 1600-1630 (M-F) 2100-2130 GMT, Astra 1B, 11.612, Horizontal Polarization Audio 7.38 MHz (Website via Alan Roe, Teddington, UK, DXLD) ** PUERTO RICO. Well known local Radio and TV Announcer and Music Collector Mr. Gilbert Mamery died a few days ago in his hometown Mayagüez, Puerto Rico as a result of hart failure. At the time of his death, Mr. Mamery was 77 years old. He will be remembered for his huge contribution to radio in Puerto Rico, for airing his program La Discoteca del Recuerdo, a program devoted to popular music where he kept alive music for the worlds best known singers both male female. His program had a record for being on the air for more than 40 years. Mamery was also known for having maybe one of the largest collection (if not the largest) in Puerto Rico of audio clips, records,videos etc of world known singers like Libertad Lamarque, Pedro Vargas, Rafael Hernandez, Bobby Capo, Argentina's Carlos Gardel just to mention a few. For more information and a complete detailed report, please click the attached web site. My deepest respect for the memory of this Giant of radio and popular music in Puerto Rico Mr. Gilbert Mamery http://espanol.entertainment.yahoo.com/030331/20/idsz.html (via Luigi Pérez, NP4FW, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** ROMANIA. RRI fair and clear in English from *1359 April 4 on 17805, but audio somewhat muffled. This is to Western Europe, but here we are a bit further on (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. From last Sunday the last of the shortwave transmitters at Noginsk, east of Moscow, is no longer heard. It was carrying Radio Rossii on 5910/7250 during B02 and used to switch to 5905/7440 for the summer period, but now it is untraced on these and all other lower band frequencies. Judging from the curtain antennas at the site, it is a very old site, probably dating from WWII. It is known to have housed at least one of the famous 120 kW transmitters. This one was switched off around 1992. Further transmitters that left at that time can also be assumed to have been of the same model. These were airing both domestic and external services. After 1992 Noginsk continued on three channels, all carrying Radio Rossii. Two of these went off in 1994 or 1995, when most of Russia's domestic shortwave relays were closed due to rapidly increasing operational costs. The last transmitter was listed by Radio Rossii as using 100 kW, and since it had strong 2x harmonics it can be assumed to have been of the 1950s early Sneg model. A possible original set-up at Noginsk could be 4x120 kW + 4x100 kW. Most curtains at the site are rather low with center beams of 115, 220 and 232 degrees. A 4/4/1 array of a later model is much larger and has 2x120 m masts for the low frequency curtain. The center beam here is 259 degrees. The site also has a variety of rhombic antennas, primarily for domestic services. There are two more subsites in the same general area, one using 198 kHz LW and 846 kW MW and the other one, known as Elektrostal, using 873 kHz MW. Elektrostal was also the home of a megawatt transmitter on 171 kHz LW. Noginsk is not the first shortwave site in the Moscow area to be closed. Chkalovska, also east of the city, northwest from Noginsk, was gradually closed over several years and finally went dark when the Radio Rossii relay on 9720 was transferred to Kurovskaya a couple of years ago. This site, located within a military camp, also housed mediumwave transmitters, which have been closed as well. The number of shortwave transmitters was three or four, all 100 kW (Olle Alm, Sweden, April 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sad news of course. Five years ago Noginsk helped me to a good recording of Radio-1. If I remember correct Radio-1 was then carried from Noginsk on a 7.5 MHz frequency I unfortunately cannot recall in detail. There was a distinctive multi-frequency hum (not just harmonics of 50 Hz) in the audio; probably this was one of the ancient 120 kW units? And regarding Chkalovskaya: There also was a 150 kW mediumwave transmitter on 1233 which could be heard here in eastern Germany quite easily when no Czech transmitters operated on this frequency (this was sometime around the mid-nineties). I understand that Chkalovskaya is now off mediumwave, too, right? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SAIPAN. MPLA RECOMMENDS 15-YEAR LEASE EXTENSION FOR FAR EAST BROADCASTING --- By Gemma Q. Casas, Variety News Staff THE Marianas Public Lands Authority has recommended a 15-year lease extension for Far East Broadcasting Co. which currently occupies 5 hectares of public land in Marpi, according to acting MPLA Commissioner Frank Eliptico. FEBC operates and maintains studios, transmitters and antennas for broadcasting on medium and shortwave radio bands that reach various countries in Asia. FEBC is the only private station in the CNMI with this capability. The Tinian-based International Broadcasting Bureau, which broadcasts the Voice of America, is federally owned. Eliptico said the original 25-year term of the FEBC lease started on Feb. 4, 1981 and is set to expire on Feb. 3, 2006. He said the MPLA board voted unanimously to support the extension of FEBC`s lease so that it could continue ``broadcasting fundamental principles of human and religious rights to undeveloped and developing countries.`` In a communication sent to the Legislature, Henry Hofschneider, MPLA commissioner, described FEBC as a ``good lessee`` that pays on time. He said the company has nine missionaries and four staffers working on its leased premises. He said MPLA has conducted an on-site inspection on FEBC`s premises and found no violations of the lease agreement. FEBC pays MPLA $20,945.26 annually and this amount will increase by 15 percent every five years during the extension period, if approved by the Legislature, Hofschneider said (Marianas Variety via E. Baxendale, UK, April 4, DXLD) ** SAO TOME & PRINCIPE. Hello Glenn, just received this from Ben Dawson: SÃO TOMÉ --- Our intrepid field engineer, Graham Powell, reported this morning (evening local time) that IBB 1530 Pinheira, São Tomé, was back to normal full power directional operation subsequent to the replacement of both towers and readjustment of the antenna feed system. Best 73s (Ydun Ritz, Denmark, April 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SAUDI ARABIA [non]. AL ISLAH noted for at least a week in 12025 . Signal yesterday 3 April, 1935 UT was S9+30 444444 with its usual audio gaps // with the satellite feed on 11096 MHz on Hotbird 13 E. Usual times, satellite feed however had not the gaps occurred in the radio transmission, and I really wonder why they did not use a TV/ARO system to relay it. I`m very curious why I have not seen any log for this week (Zacharias Liangas, Greece, April 4, http://www.geocities.com/zliangas/kchibo.pdf DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SERBIA & MONTENEGRO. R. ``Yugoslavia`` still announcing old winter sked and frequencies. I`ve found English half hour to NAm at 0100 on 9580; too bad! Clashes with CRI [via Cuba] in English to NAm. Old RY frequency 7115 has VOA English now (Bob Thomas, CT, April 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) But Yugo will soon shift to 0000 (gh, DXLD) ** SEYCHELLES [non]. FEBA: The schedules I have seen of FEBA show 15580 as Chita at 0015-0200. However today no FEBA programs were broadcast. Instead the theme music as used by Dhabbaya station, UAE during their interruptions were only heard. It suggests that 15580 at 0015-0200 is from Dhabbaya, UAE. 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, ATOJ, dx_india via DXLD) ** SLOVAKIA. Radio Slovakia International announced the following English schedule April 2nd: 0100-0130 North America 5930 6190 9400 0700-0730 Australia 9440 15460 17550 1630-1700 Europe 5920 6055 7345 1830-1900 Europe 5920 6055 7345 (Mike Barraclough, Letchworth, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 0100-0130 on 5930, but Scott/WWCR is on 5935; 6190 and 9440 (Bob Thomas, CT, April 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH AFRICA. The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) said on April 1 it was not renewing its international news service contract with 24-hour news channel CNN, a unit of AOL Time Warner. SABC, one of Africa's biggest broadcasters, said it wanted to vary its late-night schedule to meet viewers' changing tastes. Jimi Matthews, head of television news at SABC, said "We have access to Reuters, to the BBC, to al Jazeera. So we can continue to provide the public with the broadest range of opinion available." (Reuters) This might be a response to CNN's apparent attempt to compete with Fox News' unabashedly one-sided approach to covering the world that we noted last time, by lurching to more American flag-waving than during its golden days during the first Gulf War (SCDX/MediaScan April 2 via DXLD) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. See LITHUANIA ** SPAIN. BBG DENIES PLANS TO USE FORMER SHORTWAVE SITE IN SPAIN The Broadcasting Board of Governors has issued the following statement: "There are no plans to request broadcasting rights for the US government from the transmitting station at Playa de Pals. The ability of newer and different media and the availability of other transmitting locations have enabled the US to fulfill its broadcasting mission through other avenues. "It was determined in May 2001 that while the transmitting station at Playa de Pals had a long and distinguished history, its continued broadcast operations could no longer be operationally or financially justified. On July 31, 2002, the International Broadcasting Bureau, on behalf of the US government, formally concluded the transfer of the transmitting station at Playa de Pals to Radio Nacional de España." (BBG Press release 31 March 2003 via RNMN 2 April 2003 via Radio Enlace, DXLD) ** SPAIN. 15385, REE heard at 0000 UT in English. This is their summer frequency, but was only SINPO 33222 on April 2. Was inaudible on April 1. With increasing daylight, this should propagate a bit better as time goes on (Roger Chambers, Utica, NY, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Maybe here`s why: Found REE at 0000 on 9690; kept dropping out within 2-3 minutes, in English; 6055 only in Spanish (Bob Thomas, CT, April 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9690 must have been a one-night mistake (gh, DXLD) ** SRI LANKA. SLBC is now heard closing down one hour earlier than usually. On April 1st and again on April 4th the station was heard closing down at 1530 UTC. Reception was very good on April 4th on 11930 and 15745 kHz with a sign off announcement at 1530 incl. frequency announcement. The transmitters were switched off at 1534 UTC. On April 3rd SLBC was heard signing on at 1230 - so it seems the schedule is 1230-1530 (Stig Hartvig Nielsen, Denmark, April 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Contradictory information on exact schedule recently appeared (gh) ** SRI LANKA. Here is the latest schedule of the External Services of Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation: English 0030-0430 6005 11905 15745 (S. Asia) 1230-1530 6005 11930 15745 ,, Hindi 0050-0400 7115 9770 (S. Asia) 1330-1530 7115 9770 ,, Kannada 0800-0830 7115 9770 (S. Asia) Malayalam 1000-1130 7115 9770 (S. Asia) Sinhala /Tamil 1615-1900 11775 (Middle East) Tamil 1130-1330 7115 9770 (S. Asia) Telegu 0830-1000 7115 9770 (S. Asia) English 1900-2000 6010 Skelton 300 kW (Europe) (Sat only) (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, ATOJ, dx_india via WORLD OF RADIO 1176, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SRI LANKA. The Sri Lankan wonder: Dear Friends, From March 30, 2003, Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corp. uses 7115 at 0020-0400 in Hindi to S. Asia with 10 kW or so. At the same time VOA also from Sri Lanka uses the same frequency in English to the same target area with 250 kW. VOA of course dominates the frequency then. What a wonder! What a co-ordination! 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, ATOJ, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Box 1555, Somajiguda, Hyderabad 500082, India, April 4, dx_india via DXLD) ** SWEDEN. R. Sweden back from the 18 MHz band to 17840, a frequency it used years ago for the morning broadcasts to North America, now scheduled in English at 1130, 1230 and 1330. On April 3 I tuned in at 1450 in Swedish, and found the signal so loud and steady, whilst other European signals on the band were poor to missing, that I suspected an unannounced relay by RCI, similar signal to 17710. But April 4 before and after 1400, tho the 17840 signal was quite strong, it had heavy auroral flutter unlike 17710, and similar to that on the weaker YLE signal on 17660. BTW, at 1413 check April 4, nothing at all heard on the 18900-19030 band; has its novelty worn off? Except Brother Stair on 18950, probably receiver-overload from WWCR 9475 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWEDEN. Coming up on Radio Sweden: Thursday: In "Nordic Lights" food and religion in Iceland, Finnish archaeology in Iraq, and a Norwegian docusoap Friday: Our weekly review Saturday: Repeat feature Sunday: Thank you Mr. Blix", looking for a long-lost friend, and feedback on snus in "In Touch With Stockholm" (SCDX/MediaScan Apr 2 via DXLD) ** TURKEY. 9830, Voice of Turkey heard with very strong signal at 2200-2245 UT April 2. Unfortunately, modulation was muddy and so quite difficult to understand. SINPO 54333 (Roger Chambers, Utica, NY, DX LISTENING DIGEST) At 0300 I hear VOT/TRT Ankara in English on 7270 for As/Af; pretty good when a co-channel signs off at 0327; some 7265 splash. 11655 to North America poor; don`t hear 9650 (Bob Thomas, CT, March 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U A E. RTD-Radio & Television of Dubai A'03 --------------------------------------- 0000-0200 12005, 13675, 15400 Language not known 0200-0330 12005, 13675, 15400, 17890 Arabic To North America 0330-0400 12005, 13675, 15400, 17890 English To North America 0400-0530 13675, 15435, 17830, 21700 Arabic To S.E.Asia, Far East, Australia 0530-0600 13675, 15435, 17830, 21700 English-To S.E.Asia, Far East, Australia 0600-1030 13675, 15395, 17865, 21605 Arabic To Europe 1000-1200 15370 Language not known 1030-1100 13675, 15395, 17865, 21605 English To Europe, N.Africa 1100-1330 13675, 15395, 17865, 21605 Arabic 1200-1330 13630 Arabic 1330-1400 13630, 13675, 15395, 17865, 21605 English 1400-1600 13630, 13675, 15395, 17865, 21605 Arabic 1600-1635 13630, 13675, 15395, 17865, 21605 English 1635-1700 13630, 13675, 15395, 17865, 21605 Arabic 1700-2400 11795, 11950, 13630, 13675, 15395 Arabic Loc : DBA -Dubai (UAE) 25N14 055E16 Regds, (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, April 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Are they ever really using 5 frequencies at once?? If so, is one non-Dubai? (gh, DXLD) ** U K. Here is an article from the Washington Post March 27 discussing the role of the BBC in reporting the war. By trying to be impartial, they are getting criticism from both those opposed to and those who support the war. THE 'BEEB' IN THEIR BONNET --- By Howard Kurtz A cover-all-sides style, even as British troops are under fire, has brought the BBC a steady fusillade of criticism. To view the entire article, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A34033-2003Mar26.html (via ??, DXLD) ** U K [non]. BBCWS on new 17760, fairly good until 1400* April 4. This turns out to be Thailand as per DXLD 3-047: 17760 1000 1400 smtwtfs Nakhon Sawan 250 25 ENGLISH (ASE) FE The 25-degree beam also carrying on to NAm. At least for the time being the Asia stream paralleled the NAm. Hey, they ought to keep a single stream for all the world (except occasional opt-outs; Africa) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGST) ** U S A. I asked Sam Barto, QSL Editor at NASWA, the same question regarding my reports to VOA, R.Marti and RFE/RL getting no reply. Sam said he spoke with Dan Robinson who works for an arm of VOA and he said VOA is having "budget problems". Guess where the first cuts may be. It comes down to money. Some QSLs are getting through but they are e-mail replies. RFE/RL is QSLing foreign reports, nothing form the US. Good Luck! QSLing a 20+ year old report seems like an awful long time. Too each his own. I enjoy QSLing having sent 412 reports since I began in November 2001, receiving 208 replies. 50% return rate looks pretty good! 17 more countries to 100! (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., NH, USA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Isn`t John Vodenik at Delano still QSLing in his spare time? Send reports directly to him? (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. The host of VOA`s Talk to America, who has a rather patrician accent, (what became of Carol Pearson?), mentioned at the outset Friday April 4 that from next week the show would be one hour later because of DST in the US!! I think she is confused, since VOA normally does NOT make such timeshifts in programming, but stays on same UT schedule. Moving it a real hour later to 1805 would put it at 2:05 p.m. EDT instead of the present noon:05 EST. If it really stays at 1705 UT, by the local clock in Washington it will seem to be an hour later at 1:05, but not really! Such provincialism is unbecoming to our international broadcaster (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. VOA Border Crossings - A03 The A03 VOA English schedule included in DXLD 3-056 omits what the VOA website calls "English - Alternate programming" which I think is their live music request show "Border Crossings". Schedule on the http://www.voanews.com/newsnow/ site is: English-Alternate Programming: 1900-2000 UTC (Monday-Friday) 9550-PHT 9840-UDO 11780-PHT 11970-BIB 12015-UDO 15235-LAM (sites added from the http://monitor.ibb.gov/ site: PHT = Philippines; UDO = Thailand; BIB = Biblis, LAM = Lampertheim (both Germany)) I tried this schedule last night and tonight (2 April) at 1900, but could only hear (strong) signals with "Border Crossings" on 9840 and 12015, with no VOA audible on the other frequencies above. (This program wasn't being carried on the other VOA frequencies to Europe at 1900 e.g. 6160 9760 9770.) (Alan Pennington, BDXC-UK, Caversham UK, AOR 7030+ / longwire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. U.S. radio wooing Arabs --- GOVERNMENT-FUNDED STATION COVERS MIDEAST TO SHOW AMERICAN VIEWPOINT By Jim Puzzanghera, Mercury News Washington Bureau Posted on Fri, Apr. 04, 2003 WASHINGTON - In a weathered suite of offices near Capitol Hill, the staff of Radio Sawa scrambles 24 hours a day to give the Arab world a view of the war in Iraq that includes something often missing on Middle Eastern media outlets: the American government's perspective. http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/special_packages/iraq/5556689.htm (via Jilly Dybka, TN, DXLD) About R. Sawa, and proposal for TV too ** U S A. R. Sawa heard today 3.4 at 13xx as follows: 15445 S9, SINPO 42443, QRM by a digital mode on 15440 15045 S9, 42443 QRM 15050 Egypt 17875 S2 24232 echoed. All are in synchro // to the #3 SAWA satellite channel (Zacharias Liangas, Retziki Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15045??? ** U S A. 5835.0 KIMF PIÑÓN, NEW MÉXICO 2245-1800 SNA 50.0 135 11865.0 KIMF PINON, NEW MEXICO 1800-2245 SNA 50.0 135 (GJA Inc. site via Jim Moats, WORLD OF RADIO 11767, DXLD) Still no sign of coming on air. Note the quite low frequency for most of the daytime as well as night, obviously aimed only at nearby Mexico then. BTW, I strongly suggest that other editors copying DXLD quit eliminating my explicatory remarks like this (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. KVOH Spurs: I tuned to 17775 kHz today April 2 at about 1755 UT. KVOH was not on. At 1759 they came on with music, I tuned to 17628 kHz, a spur was present with something under it. I then went to 17921 kHz and found a spur there. At 1800 the 17921 kHz spur went off. I returned to 17775 KVOH which was still on; they ran a sign on announcement at 1801. The spurs were still gone. At 1805, I found Radio France International on 17630 kHz, in Spanish, clear from interference, except for slight slop over from a Chinese jammer on 17640. RFI turned off at 1830. All of the frequencies on which I had noted spurious signals yesterday (17483, 17628, 17921, and 18067) were clear. Either KVOH has fixed the problem, or it has simply gone away (again). (Donald Wilson, CA, April 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. WJIE`s 24-hour usage[? This shows a gap at 0000- 0400!] of 7490 encounters the following clashes for A-03 according to HFCC; note that WJIE`s antenna heading is 55 degrees, slightly south of NE. 7490 0400 2200 9 JIE 50 55 USA JIE FCC 7490 2200 2400 9,27 JIE 50 55 USA JIE FCC 7490 1000 1100 35 KHB 100 65 RUS RRS GFC 7490 0300 0400 28E,29,39N,40W KVI 500 95 NORW/DAN NOR RNI NPT 7490 0400 0500 28E,29,39N,40W KVI 500 110 NORW/DAN NOR RNI NPT 7490 1800 1900 27,28,37N SVE 500 180 NORW/DAN NOR RNI NPT 7490 1900 2000 27,28,37N SVE 500 180 NORW/DAN NOR RNI NPT 7490 2000 2100 27,28,37N SVE 500 180 NORW/DAN NOR RNI NPT Summarizing: the only DVR usage --- 65 degrees from Khabarovsk is more or less toward us --- is one hour at 1000, so WOR at 1200 weekdays should be in the clear this summer. As would the alleged Sat airing at 1000 once it changes next week to 0900. Norway is there 0300-0500 (don`t be surprised if you hear them actually relaying BBCWS in English during the first half of the hours!) so WOR at 0300 once it changes to 0200 next week (if really on), will be clear; and Norway also on at 1800-2100 when even WJIE is at maximum daytime absorption anyway (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 5920, WBOH Newport NC; 0530 with religion // 9370. Why-oh- why do these folks think it's necessary to have two stations from the same place with the same Baptist Top 40 hits? You'd think there would be two different sets of programs (Liz Cameron the Commentator, MI, 30 Mar, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) I think that is in their plans; adding Spanish; however WTJC and WBOH have different alleged target areas (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. 7415, WBCQ, Monticello ME; 2350 3/22 Presumed Jay Smilkstein talking about his favorite subject - the one featured by pirate WHYP. So Jay has a regular slot on WBCQ? I crossed WBCQ twice more Sat. night. Sat. must be porno night on WBCQ (Larry Russell, MI, MARE Tipsheet Apr 4 via DXLD) ** U S A. MESSAGES RADIOED TO MIDDLE EAST Shortwave station carries voice mails Wed, Apr 2, 2003 Truth Staff SOUTH BEND -- People who want to send a voice message to the U.S. troops can do so over the telephone. LeSea Broadcasting is accepting phone messages and delivering 12 of them a day to the Middle East via shortwave radio. LeSea's "Soldiers Salute" accepts one-minute messages at a South Bend number then broadcasts them over its WHRA radio station, which airs in Africa and the Middle East on three frequencies. The religious-oriented broadcast company has already received hundreds of calls from all across the United States. Messages are monitored and played with a standard introduction. People can leave messages for specific servicemen and women or for the troops overall. LeSea also offers coverage from the Middle East, via satellite videophone, on its METV, or Middle East TV station. For more information, visit http://www.harvest-tv.com Here's the Number: To leave a one-minute message to be broadcast via short-wave radio in the Middle East, call (574) 299-4059. http://www.elkharttruth.com/news/277393435908248.bsp (Elkhart IN Truth [Pravda?] via Kim Elliott, Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. SHORTWAVE RADIO STILL CRACKLING AWAY http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/edwardbaig/2003-04-01-shortwave_x.htm (via Andy Sennitt, Artie Bigley, DXLD) Beware of outdated schedule info sidebar ** U S A. STOPPING ANTI-WAR COMMERCIALS Groups opposed to the U.S.-led campaign against Baghdad complain they have been blocked from airing anti-war advertisements on broadcast media increasingly dominated by giant corporations. The online advocacy group TrueMajority.org said it had no problem placing ads in newspapers such as "The New York Times" and "The Wall Street Journal", but TV was different. CNN, Fox, the teen music network MTV, and even cable television's Comedy Central, turned down spots featuring celebrities like Susan Sarandon talking with "experts" about war issues. News Corp.'s Fox network has a long-standing policy of not accepting so-called advocacy ads, a network spokeswoman said. AOL Time Warner's CNN does not take advocacy ads about regions in conflict, a spokesman said in an e-mail. The anti-war group Not In Our Name said MTV refused to air its spots by acclaimed documentary maker Barbara Kopple, in which young Americans in New York's Times Square talk of their opposition to war (Reuters via SCDX/MediaScan Apr 2 via DXLD) ** U S A. 99.7 MHz (LPR) unidentified, Naples; per FCC File No. EB- 02-TP-276, NAL/Acct. No. 200232700017 (March 24, 2003), one Homere Hyppolite of 4843 Devon Circle, Naples, FL 34112 was visited on May 14, 2002 by Tampa Office field agents and delivered a warning letter. He apparently voluntarily surrendered his transmitting equipment at this time, which also appears to have been the first FCC visit. On July 15th, an NAL was issued with a fine of $10,000. Due to claimed financial hardship, the fine was reduced to $2,000. Hyppolite stated he was only testing the equipment, and never intended to operate a radio station at his residence. "However, when the FCC agents interviewed him on May 14, 2002, he told them that he was operating the station as a service to the community." Though not confirmed, I presume the format was Haitian kreyol language, based on the name of the person fined. Visit my "Florida Low Power Radio Stations" at: http://home.earthlink.net/~tocobagadx/flortis.html (Terry L. Krueger, Clearwater FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1510, Sun N Krash reactivated for the annual slaughter at the local airport (John Santosuosso, Lakeland, FL, via Terry Krueger, DXLD) The 1510 kHz is in reference to WPEP788 "Sun-N-Fun Radio", Lakeland Linder Regional Airport TIS, which activates for the Sun-N- Fun Fly-In (and other special events), more archival details of course at my page http://home.earthlink.net/~tocobagadx/flortis.html (Terry Krueger, April 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 690, WNZK Dearborn Heights MI; 1315 3/18 Playing classical music. Have classical music listeners achieved ethnic minority status? (Larry Russell, MI, MARE April 4 via DXLD) Astounding! ** U S A. Arts & Culture: KCRW's local commentaries (The Loh Life, Art Talk, City Observed, Jay's Journal, and Film Reviews) are moving to 6:55 PM on weekdays, beginning Monday (4/07). On the next Politics of Culture, the effect of new media on war coverage, Tuesday (4/08) at 2:30 PM (KCRW newsletter Apr 4 via DXLD) For one of the top webcasters, KCRW remains provincial in using nothing but local time. So the 5-minute features will then be at 0155 UT Tue-Sat, changes already effectuated in next upload of MONITORING REMINDERS; Politics of Culture Tue 2130-2200 (gh) ** UZBEKISTAN. Radio Tashkent heard in English 2nd April 2030-2100 and 2130-2200 on 5025 9545 and 11905. The 1200-1230 and 1330-1400 English broadcasts heard on 15295 and 17775 (Mike Barraclough, Letchworth, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn: Noting Radio Tashkent back on their summer schedule on 15295 and 17775 from 1200 to 1230 gmt with news, features and music. Good clear signal on 17775 on 4/4/03 this morning. 15295 heard, but some interference.(Tom Sliva, NYC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VIETNAM [non]. VOICE OF KHMER KAMPUCHEA KROM, 15660 with good audio and signal, SINPO=43333. OM & YL long talking mentioning 'kampuchea krom' several times, also 'islam', 'mindanao', 'moro' with music background. Only hearing one song at 1425 April 1 during one hour broadcast scheduled at 1400-1459 (Lim Kwet Hian, Jakarta, Indonesia, Cumbre DX via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. I am curious about what was on 6095 after 0630 on 4.3.03 (I don't expect you to answer every one of my questions! Just letting you know.) It was very weak and hard to discern and consisted of French spoken by a woman. I am not able to find anything in the latest ILG database that indicates what this might have been. I listened for about 15' while researching my resources. I suspected that AWR had changed its schedule and was on the air at that time, but not according to their website, which I just checked. Nor was it WSHB, according to their website. I see no other scheduled French programs on that freq. REE has one French program in ILG but not at that time; I cannot find an indication via the Google cache of their PDF file of REE scheds that they were on at 6095 in French. Maybe I'm caught up by the time changes happening inconsistently now (Steve Waldee - San Jose, CA, April 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Don`t find anything in HFCC, but IBB shows VOA in French weekdays 0530-0630* (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Can you hear 8272.0v USB? I hear a fellow in Spanish accent in English (some Spanish comments) read news, sports, weather to mariners. Starts 8 pm local = 0100 UT (Bob Thomas, CT, Mar 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So soon 0000? Check both; sounds like another Herb UNIDENTIFIED. UNKNOWNISTAN: 13715 2339 unstable, distorted transmitter. Sounded like Dr. Gene. Costa Rica spur? Dr. Gene noted on 13750, 13815. Dr. Gene was talking about pyramids again. 3/22 (Larry Russell, MI, MARE Tipsheet Apr 4 via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A-03 CLASHES ++++++++++++ Glenn, Another A03 clash is the BBCWS on 11835 (ex-6135) to CAm. It comes in quite well here this week, but after about 0415 is buried by the VOA African service co-frequency (Chuck Albertson, Seattle, Wash., Apr 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Checked this around 0435 April 4, and BBC was way on top here in Alto México, but VOA an annoyance (gh, OK, DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ Solar activity has generally been low, however effects from a coronal hole kept the solar wind at high velocity until around April 1. The geomagnetic field was disturbed during this time occasionally reaching minor storm levels. Despite these disturbances MUFs were generally enhanced. Conditions are slowly returning to normal and from today should remain fairly calm until around April 9. Prepared thanks to data from http://www.ips.gov.au (Richard Jary, SA, Apr 4, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) THE HEAT IS ON Satellite data indicate that the sun is experiencing a warming trend. by Kelly Kizer Whitt The new findings show that the trend in solar luminosity may mean that each new solar cycle is stronger than the last. http://www.astronomy.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/001/269pnkxj.asp (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) Re: RETRO-4-RADIO Glenn, I'm surprised you let this go without comment: "¼ of 1505 kHz (299 metres)" 1505 kHz is of course 199 metres, not 299 metres. The frequency equivalent to 299 metres is just over 1000 kHz :-) 73, (Andy Sennitt, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I perceived something was not quite right there, but hurried on (gh, DXLD) ### ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-056, April 1, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.com [CONTINUED FROM 3-055!] ** NETHERLANDS [non]. How convenient --- unless you lack selectivity. The only two stations with any significant output in Dutch are 5 kHz apart --- noted at 0336 Mar 31, RVI via Bonaire on 15565, with a noticeably different accent than its neighbour, RN via Madagascar on 15560 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA. Voice of Nigeria heard on 15120 March 30th 0815 with Listeners Letters programme in English. reading out reception reports and reporters addresses in full. Fair with some audio hum. I have previously noted Hausa at this time (Mike Barraclough, UK, World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** NIGERIA [non]. SOUTH AFRICA: Jakada Radio International in English again on air effective March 27: 1900-1930 Mon-Fri on NF 15170 (45544) via MEY 250 kW / 335 deg to WAf (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 1 via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. WKY, 930, OKC, has dropped their talk format and is temporarily carrying CNN News (1000000000milli-watts.com via Domestic DX Digest, NRC DX News March 31 via DXLD) ** PAKISTAN. Radio Pakistan published schedules show 11650 at 0045- 0200 in Assami and Bangla but is heard on 11640 (Jose Jacob, dx_india Mar 31 via DXLD) ** PAKISTAN. Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation. Personal letter dated 10/01/2003, from Iftikher Hussine Malik (senior Broadcast Engineer); included too were sticker, program guide and of course QSL showing Narau, situated in the high mountain range in Kaphan villey. It was for my report of 21/12/2002, on the frequency 15485 (Emmanuel Ezeani Sokoto, Nigeria, Mar 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PHILIPPINES. Radio Veritas Asia A'03 Shortwave Transmission Schedule 30 March to 26 October 2003 UTC FREQUENCY POWER AZIMUTH Bengali 0030-0055 15215 250 KW 300 1400-1425 9590 250 KW 300 Cantonese 2300-2355 11855 250 KW 331 Hindi 0030-0055 15570 250 KW 300 1330-1355 9590 250 KW 300 Hmong 1000-1025 9555 250 KW 280 Indonesian 2300-2325 9505 250 KW 222 2300-2325 11820 250 KW 222 1200-1225 9505 250 KW 222 Kachin 2330-2355 11705 250 KW 280 1230-1255 9615 250 KW 280 Karen 0000-0025 11725 250 KW 280 1200-1225 9615 250 KW 280 Burmese 2330-2355 11725 250 KW 280 1130-1155 9615 250 KW 280 Mandarin 2100-2255 6190 250 KW 350 1000-1155 9520 250 KW 355 Filipino (EAs) 2230-2255 7265 250 KW 030 Filipino (ME) 1500-1525 15360 250 KW 300 1525-1555 15360 250 KW 300 (Wed, Fri, Sun) Russian 0130-0225 17830 250 KW 015 1500-1555 11795 250 KW 331 Sinhala 0000-0025 11820 250 KW 280 1330-1355 9520 250 KW 280 Tamil 0030-0055 15520 250 KW 280 1400-1425 9520 250 KW 270 Telugu 0100-0125 15530 250 KW 280 1430-1455 9535 250 KW 280 Urdu 0100-0125 15335 250 KW 300 0100-0125 17860 250 KW 300 1430-1455 9670 250 KW 300 Vietnamese 2330-2355 9670 250 KW 280 0130-0225 15530 250 KW 280 1030-1125 11850 250 KW 280 1300-1325 7265 250 KW 280 Zomi-chin 0000-0025 11705 250 KW 280 (From : RVA Website via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, DXLD) ** RUSSIA. VOICE OF RUSSIA BROADCAST SCHEDULE FROM MARCH 30 TILL OCTOBER 25, 2003 [ENGLISH] 0100-0200 17595, 12000, 11825, 9725, 9665*, 7180** North America 0200-0300 17595, 12000, 9725, 9665*, 7180** North America 0300-0500 17690, 17660, 17650, 17565*, 15455**, 12000, 11750, 11720, 9665*, 7180** North America 0300-0500 1548, 603 Europe 0500-0600 21790, 17635 Australia, New Zealand 0500-0900 1323, 603 Europe 0600-0700 21790, 17635, 15490 Australia, New Zealand 0700-0900 1251 Asia 0700-0900 17635, 17525, 17495, 15490 Australia, New Zealand 1400-1500 1386, 1323, 1215 Europe 1400-1500 17645, 12055, 9745, 7340 Asia 1500-1700 1494 Europe 1500-1600 11500, 7340, 7315, 972 Asia 1500-1600 11985, 7325*, 6005**, 4975, 4965, 4940, 972 Middle East 1600-1700 12055, 11720, 7350, 7315 Asia 1600-1700 15540, 12055, 11985, 7350, 648 Middle East 1700-1800 11985, 11510 Africa 1700-1800 1251 Middle East 1700-1800 7315, 1269, 1251 Asia 1700-1800 11675****, 9890*, 9820**, 9775, 9480****, 7360**, 7310**, 1494**** Europe 1800-1900 11870, 11510 Africa 1800-1900 11675*, 11630*, 9890*, 9820**, 9775, 9480, 7360**, 7310**, 1494*** Europe 1900-2000 12070*, 11675*, 9890*, 9820**, 9775, 7440, 7360**, 7350**, 7330**, 7310**, 1386 Europe 2000-2100 15455*, 12070*, 11980**, 11675*, 9820**, 9775, 7360**, 7350**, 7330**, 1494, 1386, 1323 Europe 2000-2200 15735 Latin America * - from 30.03 till 06.09 ** - from 07.09 till 25.10 *** - from 28.04 till 08.08 **** - Sat, Sun (Voice of Russia website, via Dan Sampson, Prime Time Shortwave) [Or if you prefer, a simplified version, riddance of some asterisks:] English to Europe 0300-0500 1548, 603 0500-0900 1323, 603 1400-1500 1386, 1323, 1215 1500-1700 1494 1700-1800 11675 (Sat, Sun), 9890*, 9820**, 9775, 9480 (Sat, Sun), 7360 **, 7310**, 1494 (Sat, Sun) 1800-1900 11675*, 11630*, 9890*, 9820**, 9775, 9480, 7360**, 7310**, 1494 (till 8th August) 1900-2000 12070*, 11675*, 9890*, 9820**, 9775, 7440, 7360**, 7350**, 7330**, 7310**, 1386 2000-2100 15455*, 12070*, 11980**, 11675*, 9820**, 9775, 7360**, 7350**, 7330**, 1494, 1386, 1323 English to North America 0100-0200 17595, 12000, 11825, 9725, 9665*, 7180** 0200-0300 17595, 12000, 9725, 9665*, 7180** 0300-0500 17690, 17660, 17650, 17565*, 15455**, 12000, 11750, 11720, 9665*, 7180** English to Africa 1700-1800 11985, 11510 1800-1900 11870, 11510 English to Middle East 1500-1600 11985, 7325*, 6005**, 4975, 4965, 4940, 972 1600-1700 15540, 12055, 11985, 7350, 648 1700-1800 1251 English to Australia, New Zealand 0500-0600 21790, 17635 0600-0700 21790, 17635, 15490 0700-0900 17635, 17525, 17495, 15490 English to Asia 0700-0900 1251 1400-1500 17645, 12055, 9745, 7340 1500-1600 11500, 7340, 7315, 972 1600-1700 12055, 11720, 7350, 7315 1700-1800 7315, 1269, 1251 * from 30.03 till 06.09 ** from 07.09 till 25.10 (Website via Mike Barraclough, DXLD ** RUSSIA. Updated A-03 schedule for Voice of Russia WS in Russian: 0100-0200 648 936 972 1170 1503 17660 17690 plus 17565 till Sep. 6 / 15455 from Sep. 7 17620 till Sep. 6 / 21755 from Sep. 7 0200-0300 936 9480 11750 12060 17650 17660 17690 plus 12070 till Sep. 6 / 7300 from Sep. 7 17565 till Sep. 6 / 15455 from Sep. 7 17620 till Sep. 6 / 21755 from Sep. 7 1200-1300 603 936 972 999 1143 1170* 1323 1386 1431 1548 7340 9485 9745 9920 11640 15470 plus 9735 from Sep. 7 1300-1400 603 1215 1251 1323 1386 7315 7340 9745 11640 15470 15560 17645 1500-1600 612* 1170* 1314 7350 12055 plus 17580 till Sep. 27/ 7130 from Sep. 28 1700-1800 1089 5950 plus 11630 till Sep. 6 / 9480 from Sep. 7 1900-2000 234 603 612 936 1143 1215 1314 5950 12055 15350 plus 9820 till Sep. 6 / 9450 from Sep. 7 11630 till Sep. 6 / 9480 from Sep. 7 11745 till Sep. 6 / 12020 from Sep. 7 2000-2100 234 603 999 1143 1215 1314 5950 7390 12030 12055 plus 9450 till Sep. 6 / 7310 from Sep. 7 9890 till Sep. 6 / 9470 from Sep. 7 * Mon/Tue/Thu/Sun (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 1 via DXLD) ** SAHARA SPANISH. QSL AFTER 28 YEARS After a Google search for the former director of Radio Sahara from 1975, I found him still at Radio Nacional de España. His personal e- mail address is pablodalmases@hotmail.com and he is retiring soon. He still writes passionately about Spanish Sahara and describes it as a sad epoch in the history of Spain. If you've been sitting on a reception report for 28 years like me, I suggest you send Pablo an e- mail soon. PS: I'm now going to dig out my 24 year old Cape Verde report! (Paul Ormandy, NZ, ZL4TFX, April 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi all, I looked at my QSL of january 1975; the complete name of Pablo is: Pablo Ignacio de Dalmases (Max van Arnhem, The Netherlands, hard-core-dx via DXLD) Heh, Pablo surely recalls the program details of a certain day 28 years ago. Where's the limit? I've seen some QSL's reported for decades old reports. I am also a DX-country hunter and the good old days heard countries like Sahara, Swan, Reunion etc. They are now impossible or hard to hear. I regret I then for reason or another didn't report certain stations, but I haven't thought to start chasing QSL's from them for such old loggings. Even if I could get a verification from someone related to the station, I myself couldn't consider it as a "great QSL". Well, I admit, in some rare cases I've sent a "follow-up" after a year or so, but that's where I put the limit. Maybe I'm just old-fashioned. And everyone does his hobby of QSL hunting his own way. Nothing personal, I just felt I had to write this. Or was that posting just April 1st joke :). Best 73 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SAIPAN. KFBS SAIPAN A'03 Frequency Schedule Effective date: March 2003 Time(UTC) MHz Language and day - SuMTuWThFSa 0855-1059 11.650 Russian 1100-1129 11.650 Mongolian (Chi, Halh) 1130-1359 11.650 Russian 1400-1459 9.465 Russian 1500-1529 9.465 Russian 1530-1544 9.465 Udmurt (Su,Tu), Tatar(M), Mari(W), Uzbek(Th), Kirghiz(F), Chuvash(Sa), 1545-1559 9.465 Udmurt(Su), Tatar(M,Tu), German(W), Ossetic (Th), Kazakh(F,Sa), 1600-1629 9.465 Russian(Su-F), Ukrainian(Sa) 1630-1829 9.465 Russian 1830-1845 9.465 Russian (Su,Tu,Th,Sa), Ukrainian (M,W,F) 1845-1900 9.465 Russian (Su,Th,Sa), Ukrainian (M,Tu,W,), German (F) 0955-1600 11.580 Mandarin (Chinese) 0800-0829 15.380 Banjarese 0830-0859 15.380 Gorontalo 0900-0929 15.380 Makassarese 0925-0959 15.380 Bugisnese 1000-1029 15.380 Sundanese 1030-1059 15.380 Javanese 1100-1229 15.380 Indonesian 1300-1359 12.120 Vietnamese 1400-1430 12.120 Vietnamese(M,Tu,Th,T.Sa) Koho (Su), Hmong (W) 2230-2330 12.095 Vietnamese [listen for QRM to BBC!! --- gh] Note: Saipan local time is 10 hours ahead of Universal Time Co-ordinate (UTC). *************************************************** Robert Springer, Director Phone: (670) 322-3841 Far East Broadcasting Co. Fax: (670) 322-3060 P.O. Box 500209 E-mail: saipan@febc.org Saipan, MP 96950 USA http://www.febc.org *************************************************** Regds, (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, April 1, DXLD) ** SEYCHELLES. FEBA RADIO SHUTS DOWN, TO DISMANTLE MASTS, AERIALS SOON --- DIRECTOR URGES BOAT OWNERS TO TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS The Far East Broadcasting Association's (FEBA) Radio broadcast its programmes up to 11.00 p.m. on Saturday March 29, after which the transmitters which have been sending signals far and wide for 30 years were shut down permanently. Dismantling of FEBA's masts and aerials which are spread out over a section of sea at Anse Etoile will start at the beginning of April, a process which the association's director, Mr Bernard Morgan, said would take about three months. For reasons of safety, Mr Morgan is asking fishermen to keep strictly to the defined "shipping lanes, some of which have been dredged out." "We especially want to prevent any accidents caused by temporarily submerged obstacles which will be in the process of being removed," Mr Morgan said, adding that it would be dangerous to go close to the structures during their demolition, especially as some would be submerged. "It will," he said, "be necessary to leave some incomplete work overnight in some cases, and it is during these hours that we ask local boat owners to help us by being aware of these hazards." He strongly recommended that boats be kept close to the reclamation, and crossed through a determined pass between two masts, marked "H8" and "H9" in red, where the feeder wires were at their highest near a small building. "We will keep the public informed of any alterations to these plans through television, radio and the Nation," Mr Morgan said, thanking all boat owners in advance for their expected cooperation. http://www.seychelles-online.com.sc/archives/60310303.html (Seychelles Nation Online Apr 2 via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** SEYCHELLES [non]. RUSSIA: FEBA Radio via Russian transmitters noted on March 30/31: 0345-0400 in Arabic NF 15530 MSK 250 kW / 169 deg, ex 15400 1100-1300 in Arabic NF 15530 ARM 250 kW / 188 deg, ex 15400 1200-1500 in Nepali NF 15605 SAM 250 kW / 129 deg, ex 15400 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 1 via DXLD) ** SEYCHELLES [non]. FEBA RADIO - BROADCAST SCHEDULE 30 March to 26 October 2003 (A03) Tx Site Codes ARM Armavir Russia ASC Ascension Island IRK Irkutsk Russia DHA Dhabayya [UAE] MSK Moskva Russia KIG Kigali Rwanda NVS Novosibirsk Russia MEY Meyerton South Africa SAM Samara Russia MOS Moosbrunn Austria TCH [T]chita Russia NORTH INDIA, NEPAL, TIBET Days Frequency Metre Site Time UTC 1234567 Languages kHz band code ------------------------------------------------------------------- 0015-0030 s...... NEPALI 12045 25 SAM 0015-0030 .mt..... CHATTISGARHI 12045 25 SAM 0015-0030 ...w... MARWARI 12045 25 SAM 0015-0030 ....t.. HINDI 12045 25 SAM 0015-0030 .....f. URDU 12045 25 SAM 0015-0030 ......s PUNJABI India 12045 25 SAM 0030-0045 .mtwt.. BANGLA 12045 25 SAM 0030-0115 s....fs HINDI 12045 25 SAM 0045-0115 .mtwt.. HINDI 12045 25 SAM 0115-0130 smtwt.. MARATHI 12045 25 SAM 0115-0130 .....f. BHILI 12045 25 SAM 0115-0130 ......s BHOJPURI 12045 25 SAM 1200-1230 smtwtfs TIBETAN 15605 19 SAM 1230-1245 s...... BHILI 15605 19 SAM 1230-1245 .mt.... MUNDARI 15605 19 SAM 1230-1245 ...w... MARWARI 15605 19 SAM 1230-1245 ....tfs BHOJPURI 15605 19 SAM 1245-1315 ......s KUMAUNI 15605 19 SAM 1245-1300 s...... KANGRI 15605 19 SAM 1245-1300 .mtwtf. PUNJABI India 15605 19 SAM 1300-1315 sm.wt.. ORIYA 15605 19 SAM 13OO-1330 ..t..f. GUJARATI 15605 19 SAM 1315-1330 sm.wt.s GUJARATI 15605 19 SAM 1330-1345 ..twtf.. CHATTISGARHI 15605 19 SAM 1330-1345 sm..... NEPALI 15605 19 SAM 1330-1345 ......s MAGHI 15605 19 SAM 1345-1400 smtwtfs BANGLA 15605 19 SAM 1400-1415 smtwt.. URDU India 15605 19 SAM 1400-1500 .....fs HINDI 15605 19 SAM 1415-1500 smtwt.. HINDI 15605 19 SAM SOUTH INDIA, MALDIVES, SRI LANKA Days Frequency Metre Site Time UTC 1234567 Languages kHz band code ------------------------------------------------------------------- 0015-0045 s...t.. KANNADA 15580 19 TCH 0015-0030 .m.w.fs KANNADA 15580 19 TCH 0015-0030 ..t.... TULU 15580 19 TCH 0030-0045 .....fs BADAGA 15580 19 TCH 0030-0130 .mtw... TAMIL 15580 19 TCH 0045-0130 s...tfs TAMIL 15580 19 TCH 0130-0200 smtwtfs TELUGU 15580 19 TCH 1400-1430 .mtw... MALAYALAM 7460 49 IRK 1400-1445 s...tfs MALAYALAM 7460 49 IRK 1445-1500 s...tfs TELUGU 7460 49 IRK 1430-1500 .mtw... TELUGU 7460 49 IRK 1500-1515 smtwtfs ENGLISH Slow ***** 7460 49 IRK 1515-1600 smtwtfs ENGLISH ***** 7460 49 IRK 1600-1615 smt.... SINHALA 7460 49 IRK 1600-1615 ....tfs DHIVEHI 7460 49 IRK 1600-1615 ...w... MALAY 7460 49 IRK PAKISTAN, AFGHANISTAN, IRAN Days Frequency Metre Site Time UTC 1234567 Languages kHz band code ------------------------------------------------------------------- 0030-0045 smtwtfs ENGLISH Slow 9465 31 MOS 0045-0115 s...... PUNJABI Pakistan 9465 31 MOS 0045-0100 .mtwtfs HINDKO 9465 31 MOS 0100-0115 .mt..fs PUNJABI Pakistan 9465 31 MOS 0115-0130 s.t..fs URDU Pakistan 9465 31 MOS 0100-0130 ...wt.. URDU Pakistan 9465 31 MOS 0115-0130 .m..... POTHWARI 9465 31 MOS 0130-0145 s....fs SINDHI 9465 31 MOS 0130-0145 .mtwt.. SIRAIKI 9465 31 MOS 0145-0200 s..wtfs BALUCHI 9465 31 MOS 0145-0200 .mt.... BRAHUI 9465 31 MOS 0200-0215 smtwtfs PASHTO 11995 25 DHA 0215-0245 smtwtfs DARI 11995 25 DHA 0245-0300 smtwtfs HAZARAGI 11995 25 DHA 0530-0700 .....f. PERSIAN 9660 31 DHA 1530-1630 smtwtfs PERSIAN 9495 31 ARM 1300-1400 s...tfs URDU Pakistan 9495 31 NVS 1300-1415 .m.w... URDU Pakistan 9495 31 NVS 1300-1345 ..t.... URDU Pakistan 9495 31 NVS 1400-1415 s...tfs BALTI 9495 31 NVS 1345-1415 ..t.... PUNJABI Pakistan 9495 31 NVS 1530-1600 smtwtfs PASHTO 9415 31 ARM 1600-1630 smtwtfs DARI 9415 31 ARM 1630-1645 smtwtfs HAZARAGI 9415 31 ARM 1645-1700 ..twt.. TURKMEN 9415 31 ARM 1645-1700 sm...fs UZBEK Southern 9415 31 ARM MIDDLE EAST Days Frequency Metre Site Time UTC 1234567 Languages kHz band code ------------------------------------------------------------------- 0345-0430 smtwtfs ARABIC 15530 19 MSK 0500-0530 .....f. SINHALA 6125 49 DHA 0530-0630 .....f. MALAYALAM 6125 49 DHA 1100-1245 smtwtfs ARABIC 15530 19 ARM 1245-1300 smtwtfs ENGLISH Slow 15530 19 ARM AFRICA, ETHIOPIA, SUDAN Days Frequency Metre Site Time UTC 1234567 Languages kHz band code ------------------------------------------------------------------- 1515-1530 smtwtfs NUER 11885 25 MEY 1530-1545 smtwtfs DINKA 11885 25 MEY 1545-1600 smtwtfs MAKONDE 11885 25 MEY 1600-1630 s...tfs AMHARIC 11885 25 MEY 1600-1630 .mtw... GURAGENA 11885 25 MEY 1630-1700 smtwtfs AMHARIC 11885 25 MEY 1700-1730 s....fs OROMO 9590 31 DHA 1700-1730 smtwtfs SOMALI 11690 25 KIG 1730-1800 smtwtfs TIGRINYA 11690 25 KIG 1830-1900 smtwtfs FRENCH (West+Cent Af) 15130 19 ASC ------------------------------------------------------------------- Schedule Engineer, FEBA Radio, Ivy Arch Road, WORTHING BN14 8BX, UK. WEBSITE: www.feba.org.uk/schedule A03bs01 dated 19.03.03 rww (From FEBA website via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, DXLD) ** SLOVAKIA. Efectivamente, Radio Eslovaquia Internacional ha sido captada en español a las 0230 UT, en los 11990 kHz. Señal pésima, muy débil y con severa interferencia de canales aledaños. Escuchada el 31/03 (desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Adán González, April 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. The Overcomer Ministry. A personal letter from Brother Stair, confirming my letter and reception report. No QSL was issued. I tend to keep the letter as a non data QSL. Any comments? (Emmanuel Ezeani, Sokoto, Nigeria, Mar 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN. Radio Exterior de España se ha corrido de la habitual 9540 kHz, 5 kHz más abajo, para estar en 9535 kHz (desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Adán González, April 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN. Horario del programa ``Amigos de la Onda Corta`` de Radio Exterior de España, Período : 30 de marzo - 25 de octubre de 2003 Hacia África Sábado 1800 17755 Hacia América Domingo 0100 Norte : 6055, 9535 Centro: 9535, 15160 Sur: 11680, 6020, 15160, 9620 Hacia Japón Sábado 1100 9660 kHz Hacia Europa Sábado 1100 15585 y 13720 Hacia Oriente Medio Domingo 1600 21610 (via Héctor García Bojorge, DF, April 1, Conexión Digital via DXLD) Al contrario, desde las :05 --- no importan las noticias? (gh, DXLD) ** SRI LANKA. 7115, SLBC Hindi Service blocked by VOA English (also from Sri Lanka?) from 0100. SLBC heard in Hindi on 9770 and in English on 11905 today at 0100. They swapped channels? (Jose Jacob, dx_india Mar 31 via DXLD) [Later:] Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corp. has swapped frequencies from today. The English Service is now on 11930 (ex 9770) at 0030-0430 and 1230-1630 The Hindi/Tamil/Kannada/Telegu/Malayalam Service to India is now on 9770 (ex 11905) at 0030-0400 and 0800-1530. Today around 1000 heard their tests on 11930 with Sinhala FM 93.2 programs for some time (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, ATOJ, dx_india Mar 31 via DXLD) Dear Jose, Heard SLBC English (All Asia Service) today morning between 0120-0235 on 11905. They had frequent announcements for this new English frequency 11905 and asking for reception reports. Nothing was heard on 11930. Frequencies announced on air as follow: (For English) Morning, 0030-0430, 15445, 6005, 11905 (Announced as new frequency); Evening, 1230-1630, 15745, 6005, 11930. Hindi noted on 9770 at 0235 UT. Regds (Alokesh Gupta, April 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWAZILAND [non non]. SWAZI RADIO'S "WAR CORRESPONDENT" HAS COVER BLOWN MBABANE, March 31 (Reuters) - Listeners to Swaziland's state-run radio station thought it had its own correspondent in Baghdad covering the war -- until legislators spotted him in parliament at the weekend. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L31403209.htm (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) SWAZI MAN IN BAGHDAD --- REUTERS 6:43 a.m., March 31, 2003 MBABANE, Swaziland – Listeners to Swaziland's state-run radio station thought it had its own correspondent in Baghdad covering the war – until legislators spotted him in parliament at the weekend. "Why are they lying to the nation that the man is in Iraq, when he is here in Swaziland, broadcasting out of a broom closet?" Member of Parliament Jojo Dlamini demanded of Information Minister Mntomzima Dlamini in the House of Assembly Monday. The minister said he would investigate the matter. Announcer Phesheya Dube gave "live reports" purportedly from Baghdad last week. Program host Moses Matsebula frequently expressed concerns about Dube's well-being and once advised him to "find a cave somewhere to be safe from missiles." The station declined to comment and referred questions to the ministry (Reuters via Kim Elliott, DXLD) "LIVE" SWAZI WAR REPORTS CAME FROM BROOM CUPBOARD A senior radio reporter in Swaziland who pretended to be reporting live from the war front in Iraq has been exposed as a fraud. Phesheya Dube who works for the state broadcaster, Radio Swaziland, was spotted in parliament by eagle-eyed MPs, BBC News Online reported, citing Reuters news agency. Since the start of the war on Iraq, Mr Dube had been reporting on the English-language "The Morning Show". The programme's presenter helped in the charade, by wishing Mr Dube well and telling him to "find a cave somewhere to be safe from the missiles" after he filed his pieces. But it appears he had just followed reports on the war from international radio and television networks, and then rewritten them as his own eyewitness material. In parliament, MP Jojo Dlamini asked the Swazi information minister: "Why are they lying to the nation that the man is in Iraq when he is here in Swaziland, broadcasting from a broom cupboard?" Swazi journalist Thulane Mthethwa in Mbabane told BBC News Online that the deception had now stopped, although the reporter could still be heard on air reporting other news. He added that, surprisingly, there had been no reaction from the public to the radio station's underhand practice. Usually letters would be expected to the editor of the Times Of Swaziland newspaper, in which the story appeared last week, or outrage would be expected on the station's own phone-in programmes. "The only thing about the war that the ordinary people are concerned about is its effect on the price of fuel which might lead to an increase in prices of goods," the Swazi correspondent said (via BBCM 1 Apr via DXLD) ** SWITZERLAND. Glenn, I think SRI's English web broadcasts have been a victim of Daylight Shifting Time. Starting on Sunday instead of English news they have been playing recorded music. What's really sad about this is NOBODY noticed. There are only two conclusions you can draw: listeners sent in e-mail and they ignored it, and/or no listeners e-mailed and OF COURSE the station staff did not check their own web casts! (Larry Nebron, California, USA, April 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAIWAN [non]. RTI English to Europe at 2200-2300 via WYFR now on 15600; the only frequency? (Glenn Hauser, OK, Mar 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKEY. TRT, The Voice of Turkey have distributed an A4 double- side questionnaire of 17 questions in box-chart format. Basically it`s easy to complete by ticking or placing a mark as an answer in an appropriate box. Some questions might be considered as being nosey and perhaps are better ignored. This is an exercise that could have had a small incentive on offer for well-completed forms to encourage a substantial return but TRT chose not to, at least I don't see it. The initial thought was "Why now!". Have they got a cut back program on hold and are testing the water to see who is listening before deciding what type of programmes or frequencies to drop. If you have received a questionnaire and are one of TRT's shortwave listeners who has decided to complete it, express your thoughts by marking the relative boxes clearly. VOT highlights its Tuesday night live programme which includes phone- in segments when possible - you may hear a colleague or even yourself. (more on Turkey - see under Edwin Southwell) Voice Of Turkey Programme Schedule Daily News-Press Review Mon Last Week Hues & Colours of Anatolia Music From Past to Present Tue Live from Turkey Wed Review of the Foreign Media Letterbox Music Off The Beaten Track Thu Big Powers & the Armenian Problem Music Culture Parade Fri Archaeological Settlements in Turkey Music The Travel Itinerary of Anatolia Sat Outlook The Stream of Love/DX Corner [alternating fortnightly] Music Turkish Arts Sun Tunes Spanning Centuries Turks in the Mirror of Centuries (CHRISTOPHER J WILLIAMS, April World DX Club Contact via Alan Roe, DXLD) ** TURKEY. Hola Glenn, Saludos desde Catia La Mar... La Voz de Turquía ha vuelto a su frequencia de 19 metros: 15150 kHz, con su servicio en español de 1630-1700 UT (desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Adán González, April 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UKRAINE. Glenn, Additional RUI checking. March 31, 2003 0000 UT 12040 kHz RUI S2 to S7, no QRM. 0015 same as 0000. 0030 S1/2 to S4. 0045 and 0058 same as 0030. 0300 12040 kHz RUI ident signal barely heard. DW on 12045 causing severe QRM. Hearing another UnID station in Spanish? on 12040. 73, (-.. . Kraig, KG4LAC, Krist, VA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. BBCWS SCHEDULE UPDATE FOR WEEK OF 31 MARCH AND BEYOND A corrected version of the weekday schedule previously posted, valid for 31 March - 4 April: 0000-0832: News coverage 0832: Mon - Documentary 1, Tue - Masterpiece, Wed -Documentary 2, Thu - Assignment, Fri - Sports International 0855-0900: Sports news 0900-0932: News coverage 0932-0955: Mon - Health Matters, Tue - Go Digital, Wed - Discovery, Thu - One Planet, Fri - Science in Action 1000-1132: News coverage 1132-1200: Outlook 1200-1532: News coverage 1532-1600: Talking Point 1600-1732: News coverage 1732-1800: Outlook 1800-1932: News coverage 1932-1955: Mon - Health Matters, Tue - Go Digital, Wed - Discovery, Thu - One Planet, Fri - Science in Action 1955-2000: SMS messages 2000-2132: News coverage 2132-2155: Mon - Documentary 1, Tue - Masterpiece, Wed -Documentary 2, Thu - Assignment, Fri - Sports International 2155: Sports news 2200-2400: News coverage Second, the plan is to return to the "more-or-less normal" schedule next week -- with the exact date / time to be determined later. The new normal schedule differs from the prior Americas schedule in one key area: the repeat cycle for once-weekly programs will be 24 hours, starting with the 1405 release. For example, Health Matters will air Mondays at 1505 and 2105 UT, and Tuesday 0105 UT. Repeats used to be more scattered around the schedule. Regards, (Richard Cuff, Apr 1, swprograms via DXLD) ** U K. Noted a change (for the better if you`re in Scandinavia): the 9410 stream is now 1700-2200 at 327 degrees. The winter stream was 17-20 at 328 degrees and 20-22 at 295 degrees. Was very weak from 20. Now it's S9+30 and SIO 455-555. 73 de (Kjell-Ingvar Karlsson, Apr 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. ``Even the usual BBCWS RealAudio feed is cut to 11 kbps`` --- At least some of the domestic BBC networks were once available as 64 kbit/s streams. Then BBC downgraded to 44 kbit/s, and that's still the nominal bitrate, but for some time now there is an obvious server overload; during peak times the streams use to switch to lower bitrates, often indeed a mere 11 kbit/s which is of course useless for listening to Radio 1. Word is that the situation noticeably deteriorated after the launch of the new networks. (These notes reflect the experiences here in Germany of course.) (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Mar 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. HUNDREDS PROTEST BBC'S COVERAGE OF IRAQ WAR By Wan A. Hulaimi March 30, 2003 22:58PM LONDON, March 30 (Bernama) -- Hundreds of anti-war demonstrators gathered at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) broadcasting complex, 4.8km west of their traditional protest ground in Hyde Park, to voice dissatisfaction against the BBC's biased reports on the war in Iraq. http://www.bernama.com.my/B2002/news.shtml?general/ge3003_28 (Malaysian News via Jilly Dybka, KF4ZEO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [Unfortunately file unfound at 0430 UT check April 1, nor upon searching the title and the author] ** U K. TWO VIEWS OF BBCWS FROM THE FRONT AFP: [U.S. Marines] badmouth the BBC news which they receive off shortwave radio, their main source of information. They call it negative, liberal "horseshit". http://iafrica.com/news/us_terror/iraq/224536.htm On the other hand: Pointing out the belt of Orion, Sgt. 1st Class David Ball kept an ear to a shortwave radio broadcasting BBC war reports. News of the first American soldiers and marines killed in action came in over the airwaves. .... "Can you pick up any basketball on that radio?" asked Maj. Joe Samek, an engineer attached to the V Corps TAC. "I'm missing March Madness again. Then again, I guess we're having our own March Madness out here." http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/03/31/1048962686503.html (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** U K. BRITISH TV OFFERS BROADER PICTURE OF WAR NOEL HOLSTON March 31, 2003 On WABC radio's "Curtis & Kuby" morning show last week, a listener phoned in to say he had been staying up to watch "BBC World News" coverage of the Iraq war and that he was seeing things he wasn't seeing on our American networks, particularly footage of casualties on both sides. He was promptly informed that the BBC depicts more carnage because it opposes the U.S.-led coalition's campaign to oust Saddam Hussein and seeks to undermine the pro-war position of Prime Minister Tony Blair. God forbid that the Brits or any of us Yanks should be allowed to form our opinions about a war we're paying for based on journalism that's thorough enough to include who's getting killed, maimed or shell-shocked. Next thing you know, some un-American saboteur will be expecting reporters to look into whether corporations we've invested money in are being run by honest folks. Even so, I must respectfully differ with the notion that the BBC coverage is something to avoid. Biased or not - and I'm inclined to say it's not nearly as skeptical of the war as Fox News Channel is jazzed by it - the "BBC World News" summaries at 7 and 11 p.m. on WLIW/21 are a gift to clarity-seeking viewers just by virtue of being largely free of the visual clutter and self- serving hype that afflict all our other TV sources of news to one degree or another. . http://tinyurl.com/8iiv (Newsday via Andy Sennitt via Richard Cuff, swprograms via DXLD) ** U K. BFBS Radio 1 & 2 in English noted on March 30/31: 1700-2000 on NF 13760 (55555) via Rampisham or Skelton? (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 1 via DXLD) ** U K. New A03 BFBS schedule from: http://www.ssvc.com/bfbs/radioaboutframe.htm BFBS Radio is on air in all the major British Forces locations in Kuwait and Qatar. Depending upon location BFBS is transmitting between 102 and 107 FM. In addition, we're broadcasting to British Forces in Iraq on the following Short Wave timetable:- Frequencies in KHZ - GMT Times 7260 and 15795 0300 - 0400 11975 and 15795 0400 - 0600 15425 and 15795 0600 - 0700 17895 and 13860 1400 - 1600 15245 and 13860 1600 - 1700 15150 and 13860 1700 - 1800 13760 and 6105 1800 - 2000 Valid from and (including) 30th March 2003 (via Alan Pennington, Mar 31, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** U K [and non]. BFBS A-03 New 17895 I guess via Rampisham again, 1400-1600, heard with Radioplay till 1600 UT, strong and clear audio, 45433. Then from 1600-1700 UT on 15245 kHz 42332, very bad, Channel Africa also co-channel on equal level. Azimuth at 007 degrees towards Rwanda would also cover Iraq ... Another example of excellent frequency selection.... CHAF 1600-1700 15245 250 kW 7 degrs 1234567 Congo, Rwanda Swah/French and (later) Heard BFBS on much clearer 15150 kHz now at 17-18, and also additional via powerhouse 13860 (SEE BELOW), the latter which seems from Russian site, due to muffled audio... (Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany, BC-DX via DXLD) Noel Green from England told me about another outlet (seemingly via Russian and Tashkent-UZB facilities): Via a blind listener I know - who says he is connected with Wireless for the Blind in the UK, and arranged for an e-mail to go to BFBS - they replied with their latest SW sched which is......... Merlin RUS/UZB 0300-0400 7260 15795 0400-0600 11975 15795 0600-0700 15425 15795 1400-1600 17895 13860 1600-1700 15245 13860 1700-1800 15150 13860 1800-2000 13760 6105 [13760: what about WHRI?] I heard both frequencies start at 1400 with BFBS R.2, but 17895 is under Sa`udi Arabia. 13860 is clear and a fair signal, considering the dreadful conditions. I suggest this one may be via RUS ex 5945. Frequency 6105 is a "strange" choice - I wonder if RUS or UK/CYP. VOA Holzkirchen is of course using it for Russian! Previously also RL Lampertheim mentioned .... (Noel R. Green-UK, BC-DX Mar 31 via DXLD) ** U S A. Radio Sawa is an American broadcaster trying to win over the hearts and minds of the Arab world but is failing in this goal because there are Arabic stations that play much better music and the pro-U.S coverage isn't being received well. Salem Mojadidi is a producer at CBC Radio who has been monitoring Radio Sawa. Listen to The Current: Part 1 [audio link at:] http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/2003/200303/20030331.html It starts about 16 minutes into the 23-minute segment (The Current, Mar 31, CBC Radio One via Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. Summer A-03 schedule for VOA / Radio SAWA: 0000-0300 990 1260 1548 7185 7205 9575 11785 11985 0300-0400 990 1260 1548 7175 11680 15380 0400-0500 990 1260 1548 6180 7175 11680 11910 15380 0500-0600 990 1260 1548 6180 7175 9855 11680 11910 15380 0600-0700 990 1260 1548 6180 9855 11910 15445 17845 0700-0800 990 1260 1548 12045 15445 17845 17875 0800-1000 990 1548 12045 15445 17845 17875 1000-1400 990 1548 12045 15445 17875 1400-1500 990 1548 11840 12045 13690 15445 1500-1600 990 1260 1548 11840 12045 13690 1600-1700 990 1260 1548 11840 13690 1700-1800 990 1260 1548 6040 7105 11825 1800-2100 990 1260 1548 6040 7105 9505 11745 11785 11825 2100-2300 990 1260 1548 7195 9505 11745 11785 11825 12010 2300-2400 990 1260 1548 7195 7205 11815 11825 12010 12025 73 from (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 1 via DXLD) ** U S A. VOICE OF AMERICA SCHEDULE EFFECTIVE THROUGH 25 OCTOBER 2003 (begins 30 March 2003) English to Europe, Middle East, and North Africa 0400-0430 792 9530 11965 15205 0430-0500 9530 11965 15205 0500-0530 792 1197 9530 11965 15205 0530-0600 792 9530 11965 15205 0600-0700 792 1197 9530 9760 11805 11965 15205 0700-1400 1197 1400-1500 1197 15255 1500-1530 9700 15205 15255 1530-1600 1197 9700 15205 15255 1600-1700 9700 15205 15255 1700-1730 9700 9760 15255 1730-1800 1197 9700 9760 15255 1800-1830 1197 9760 9770 1830-1900 9760 9770 1900-2000 6160 9760 9770 2000-2100 1197 6095 9760 9770 2100-2200 6040 6095 9530 9760 English to Africa 0300-0330 909 1530 6080 7105 7290 7340 9575 9885 11835 12080 17895 0330-0400 909 1530 6080 7105 7290 9575 9885 11835 12080 17895 0400-0430 909 1530 4960 6080 7290 9575 9885 11835 12080 17895 0430-0500 909 4960 6080 7290 9575 11835 12080 17895 0500-0600 909 6035 6080 7290 11835 12080 0500-0600* 7195 0600-0630 909 1530 6035 6080 11835 11995 12080 0600-0630* 7195 7290 0630-0700$ 909 1530 6035 6080 7195 11835 11995 12080 1600-1700 909 1530 9850 13695 15225 15410 15580 1700-1730 909 9850 15410 15580 17895 1730-1800 9850 15410 15580 1800-1900 909 9850 11975 15410 15580 17895 1900-2000 909 4950 9850 11975 13670 15410 15445 15580 17895 2000-2030 909 1530 4950 9850 11855 11975 13670 15410 15445 15580 17745 17895 2030-2100 909 1530 9850 11975 13670 15410 15445 15580 17745 17895 2030-2100$ 4950 2100-2200 909 1530 9850 11975 13670 15410 15445 15580 17895 2200-2230* 909 1530 9850 11975 13670 15580 English to Zimbabwe 1730-1800* 909 15730 17895 English to Caribbean and Latin America 0000-0100# 5995 6130 7405 9455 9775 11695 13790 0100-0130# 5995 6130 7405 9455 9775 13790 0130-0200# 5995 6130 9455 1000-1100 5745 7370 9590 English to Far East Asia, South Asia, and Oceania 0000-0030 1575 7215 9770 11760 15185 15290 17740 17820 0100-0300 7115 9635 11705 11725 11820 13650 17740 17820 0700-0800 13760 0800-1000 11930 13620 13760 15150 1000-1100 9770 13620 15240 15425 1100-1130$ 1575 1100-1200 6160 9645 9760 9770 13610 15160 15240 15425 1200-1230 1143 6160 9645 9760 13610 15160 15240 15425 1230-1300 6160 9645 9760 13610 15160 15240 15425 1300-1400 6160 9645 9760 15160 15425 1400-1500 6160 7125 9760 15160 15425 1500-1600 7125 1600-1700 1143 6160 7125 9760 1700-1800 6160 7125 7170 9645 1700-1800* 1143 1575 5990 6045 7215 9770 9785 1900-2000 9525 11770 15180 2100-2200 9705 11870 15185 17740 17820 2200-2400 7215 9705 9770 11760 15185 15290 15305 17740 17820 2230-2400> 1575 English-Special 0030-0100 1575 7215 9770 11760 15185 15290 17740 17820 0130-0200# 7405 9775 13740 1500-1530 6160 9590 9760 9845 12040 15550 1500-1530$ 1575 1530-1600 1575 6160 9590 9760 9845 12040 15550 1600-1700 12080 13600 17895 1900-1930 1197 7260 9680 13635 1930-2000 7260 9680 13635 2300-2330 7190 7200 9545 11925 13775 2330-2400 7190 7200 7225 7260 9545 11805 11925 13725 13775 15205 Notes: All times and dates are Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), same as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Frequencies are in kiloHertz (kHz). Abbreviations: All programs/frequencies are on daily unless noted otherwise. & - Monday only * - Monday through Friday = - Monday through Saturday < - Tuesday through Friday / - Tuesday and Friday only # - Tuesday through Saturday % - Tuesday through Sunday ~ - Thursday only > - Friday and Saturday @ - Saturday only $ - Saturday and Sunday " - Sunday only + - Sunday and Monday ^ - Sunday through Thursday ! - Sunday through Friday (VOA website, via Dan Sampson, Prime Time Shortwave, and Mike Barraclough, DXLD) Voice of America Schedule effective through 25 October 2003 (begins 30 March 2003) --------------------------------------------------------------------- Afan Oromo 1845-1900* 11690 13670 13835 Albanian 0500-0530 1215 11805 11825 13615 1600-1630 9575 15115 17725 1830-1900 1458 9840 15150 15280 Amharic 1800-1830 11690 13670 13835 1830-1900$ 11690 13670 13835 Arabic to the Middle East (Radio Sawa) 0000-0300 97.5 98.1 990 1260 1548 7185 9575 11785 0300-0600 97.5 98.1 990 1260 1548 7175 11680 15380 0600-0700 97.5 98.1 990 1260 1548 17845 0700-0800 97.5 98.1 990 1260 1548 17845 17875 0800-1030 97.5 98.1 990 1548 17845 17875 1030-1400 97.5 98.1 990 1548 17875 1400-1500 97.5 98.1 990 1548 13690 1500-1700 97.5 98.1 990 1260 1548 13690 1700-2100 97.5 98.1 990 1260 1548 6040 7105 11825 2100-2400 97.5 98.1 990 1260 1548 7195 11825 12010 Arabic to North Africa (Radio Sawa) 0000-0300 990 7205 11985 0300-0400 990 0400-0500 990 6180 11910 0500-0600 990 6180 9855 11910 0600-0700 990 6180 9855 11910 15445 0700-1400 990 12045 15445 1400-1500 990 11840 12045 15445 1500-1600 990 11840 12045 1600-1700 990 11840 1700-1800 990 1800-2300 990 9505 11745 11785 2300-2400 990 7205 11815 12025 Armenian 1500-1530 11680 13720 17810 Azerbaijani 1730-1800 9435 11665 15135 Bangla 0130-0200 11735 15210 17805 1600-1700 1575 7280 9740 Bosnian 1500-1530* 1197 2130-2200* 792 1197 Burmese 1130-1200 1575 9720 11850 15225 1430-1500 1575 5955 7155 9720 2330-2400 6185 9505 11840 15220 Cantonese 1300-1330 9575 11865 15500 1330-1500 1143 9575 11865 15500 Chinese (Mandarin) 0000-0100 7190 9545 11830 11925 15150 15195 17765 0100-0200 9545 11830 11925 15150 15195 17765 0200-0300 9545 11830 11925 15195 17765 0700-0900 12010 13610 13720 13740 15160 15250 17855 21540 21705 0900-1000 11825 11895 12010 13610 13720 13740 15160 15250 15665 17855 1000-1100 9575 11825 11895 12010 13610 13740 15160 15230 15250 15665 17855 1100-1200 1143 6110 9575 11785 11825 11965 11990 12040 15250 1200-1230 6110 9545 9575 11785 11825 11965 11990 12040 15250 1230-1300 6110 9545 9575 11785 11805 11825 11965 12040 15250 1300-1330 6110 9845 11785 11805 11965 11990 12040 1330-1400 6110 9845 11785 11805 11825 11965 11990 12040 1400-1500 6110 9750 9845 11805 11965 11990 12040 2200-2300 7150 7190 7200 9510 9545 11925 13775 Creole 1130-1200* 9525 11890 15265 1630-1700 15385 17565 21555 2100-2130 11895 13725 21555 Croatian 0430-0500 756 792 1197 1395 6130 7210 11855 1830-1900 1197 7175 9670 15170 Dari 0130-0230 801 12140 15730 17670 1130-1200 17685 19010 21680 1200-1230 1143 17685 19010 21680 1530-1630 801 7235 12140 15690 English : see above French to Africa 0530-0600* 1530 4960 6045 6095 9885 13695 0600-0630* 4960 6045 6095 9885 13695 1830-2000 1530 9815 12080 13695 15730 17785 2000-2030 9815 11720 12080 13695 15730 2030-2100$ 9815 11720 12080 13695 15730 2100-2130* 9815 11720 12080 13695 15730 17750 Georgian 1430-1500 11780 15190 17810 Hausa 0500-0530 1530 4960 6045 6095 9885 1500-1530 9710 11990 13695 2030-2100* 4950 9815 11720 12080 13695 15730 Hindi 0030-0100 7155 9680 11820 1600-1700 11705 12115 15290 Indonesian 1130-1230 7260 9700 9890 12010 15320 1430-1500 9510 9585 15105 2200-2330 7225 9535 9620 11805 15205 Khmer 1330-1430 1575 5955 7155 9720 2200-2230 1575 6060 7130 7260 13725 Kinyarwanda/Kirundi 0330-0400 6095 7340 13725 0400-0430 6095 6120 7340 13725 Korean 1200-1300 7215 7235 1300-1400 648 7235 9545 12010 2100-2200 6060 7125 15470 Kurdish 0400-0500 9705 11690 15130 1300-1400 9825 15170 15355 1600-1700 15235 15545 17765 1800-1900 11905 15545 Laotian 1230-1300 1575 6030 7225 11930 Macedonian 1930-2000* 1197 Ndebele 1700-1730* 909 15730 17895 Pashto 0030-0130 801 972 12140 15730 17670 1030-1130 17685 19010 21680 1430-1530 801 7235 12140 15690 1830-1930 801 Persian 0300-0400 9835 11985 17855 1700-1800 7280 9680 17585 1800-1900 972 7280 9680 17585 1900-2000 9780 11815 Persian (Radio Farda) 0000-0030 1539 1593 0030-0200 1539 1593 9615 9795 9805 0200-0400 1539 1593 9775 9795 9805 0400-0600 1539 1593 9510 9795 15185 15290 0600-0800 1539 1593 9510 15290 17835 0800-0830 1539 1593 9510 13680 15290 17835 21650 0830-1400 1539 1593 13680 21650 1400-1600 1539 1593 9435 13680 17750 1600-1700 1539 1593 9435 13680 17670 1700-1900 1539 1593 11705 11845 1900-2000 1539 1593 5860 6140 11670 11985 2000-2100 1539 1593 5860 9960 11960 11985 2100-2130 1539 1593 9960 11960 11985 2130-2400 1539 1593 Portuguese to Africa 0430-0500 1530 6095 6145 7340 9885 13725 1700-1730 1530 11975 12080 13695 1730-1800 1530 9815 11975 12080 13695 17785 1800-1830* 1530 9815 12080 13695 15730 17785 Russian 1300-1400 11725 11775 11885 15130 15215 17730 1700-1800 6105 7220 9520 9615 11770 15370 1800-1900 6105 7220 9520 9615 11770 11885 Serbian 0530-0600 1188 1197 1458 11805 11825 13615 1700-1730 792 1188 1197 11665 13700 15245 1930-2000 792 9705 11910 15280 2100-2130 756 1188 1197 7210 11670 11910 Shona 1700-1730* 909 15730 17895 Spanish 0100-0200 9560 9735 9885 11815 13760 1130-1200 9535 11925 13790 1200-1230 7370 11890 11925 13770 15360 15390 17875 Swahili 1630-1700 9815 13670 15730 17785 1700-1730* 9815 13670 15730 17785 Tibetan 0000-0100 7200 7255 11690 0400-0600 15265 15490 17770 1400-1500 6030 11705 11975 15680 Tigrigna 1830-1845* 11690 13670 13835 Turkish 1800-1900 792 9595 11925 15235 Ukrainian 0400-0500 7115 11805 11895 2000-2030 3975 7190 11910 Urdu 0100-0200 7155 9835 11805 1330-1430 9510 12025 15190 1700-1800 11905 13715 15545 Uzbek 1230-1300 1143 12140 15120 17655 18990 1500-1530 7260 17655 17665 17685 Vietnamese 1300-1330 1143 1575 5955 7215 9505 1500-1600 5955 6120 7195 9780 2230-2330 6060 7130 7260 13725 (Website via Mike Barraclough, DXLD) ** U S A [non]. VOLUNTEERS JOIN TOWERS FOR JESUS CREWS REMOVING STRUCTURES FOR CHRISTIAN RADIO By IDA CHIPMAN South Bend Tribune Correspondent PLYMOUTH -- Seventy-eight radio towers now stretched over 594 acres in Greenville, N.C., will soon be broadcasting the word of God to people all over the world, according to missionary Jim Hulse. . . http://www.southbendtribune.com/stories/2003/03/27/local.20030327-sbt-MARS-D1-Volunteers_join.sto (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) This is one of the original three VOA sites triangled around Greenville which was closed some years ago, the receiving rather than transmitting site, I believe. Project is under auspices of the so- called ``World Radio Network`` -- Not the one in London, but the one run by the World Radio Missionary Fellowship, i.e. HCJB, which has a transmitter plant/engineering centre in nearby Elkhart IN, and which operates e.g. a string of FM stations in the Rio Grande Valley. Nothing in this story about exactly where the towers will go, but perhaps not for SW at all. Or was it Santa Elena? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WBOH is back, noted on 5920 Mar 31 at 2304, finally with programming \\ WTJC 9370, Bible quotation and IRS ad, then music, instead of test loop. At this hour much better on 9370 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. KVOH Spurs: I live in North Hollywood, CA only 28 km from the KVOH site, which is over 500 meters higher than my location. KVOH on 17,775 kHz has a very strong signal, with no apparent fading or other ionospherhic effects. The spurs mentioned in DXLD 3-50 and 3-52 are apparently intermittent; I had not heard them until today (April 1). At 1820 UT April 1, I noted a strong signal on 17,629 kHz with distorted audio matching KVOH on 17,775 kHz. I then tuned to the other spur frequencies, I heard 17,921 kHz, 17,483 kHz, and 18,067 kHz. I did not hear any others. The spurs at 17,629 and 17,921 appear to be 20 to 30 dB below KVOH 17,775 kHz and are about as strong as WEWN at 17,595 kHz. The spurs at 17,483 and 18,067 were about as strong as WBCQ at 17,495 kHz. The spurs seem to cut out during high modulation peaks, during low modulation they resemble carriers. When I last checked the KVOH signal at 2016 UT April 1 the spurs were still there. The KVOH transmitter is an RCA BHF-100A Ampliphase unit formerly used at HCJB. http://www.transmitter.be/rca-bhf100a.html I often note some distortion on music and speech on KVOH, I have seen other, milder, apparent spurious signals. I always switch in attenuation on my antenna and receiver when I see something odd on this station to ensure that it is not a receiver generated effect (Donald Wilson, CA, April 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WWCR SPECIALTY PROGRAMS EFFECTIVE APRIL 6 – mostly the same as before but one UT hour earlier: WORLD OF RADIO: Thu 2030 15825, Sat 0600-0630 5070, Sun 0230-0300 5070, Sun 0630-0700 3210, Wed 0930-1000 9475 MUNDO RADIAL: Fri 2115-2130, Wed 2100-2115 15825 ASK WWCR: Fri 2030-2045 15825, Sat 0845-0900 5070, Sat 2345-2400 9475, Sun 0215-0230 5070, Sun 1015-1030 15825, Sun 1730-1745 12160, Wed 1715-1730 weeks 1, 4, 5 TECHNOLOGY HOUR: Sat 0200-0300 3210, Sun 0500-0600 5070, Mon 0000- 0100 3210 SPECTRUM: Sun 0300-0400 5070, Wed 0800-0900 3210 CYBERLINE: Sun 0405-0500 5070, Mon 0405-0500 3210 WORLD WIDE COUNTRY RADIO: M-F 1000-1100 15825, M-F 1300-1400 15825, M-F 1600-1700 15825, Tu-Sa 0400-0500 3210, Sun 0800-0900 5070, Sun 0900-1000 9475 KEN`S COUNTRY CLASSICS: Sun 1930-2000 12160 OLD RECORD SHOP: Sun 1330-1400 15825, Sun 2200-2230 9475, Mon 0930- 1000 9475 ROCK THE UNIVERSE: Sat 1105-1200 5070, Sun 0805-0900 3210, Sun 1205- 1300 12160 THIS WEEK IN AMERICANA: Sun 0605-0700 5070 INTO THE BLUE: Sun 0705-0800 5070 LATIN CATHOLIC MASS: Sun 1600-1630 15825 MUSICA Y DANZAS: Mon 2100-2130, Wed 2130-2145 15825 GOLDEN AGE OF RADIO: Tu-Sa 0305-0400 3210 A VIEW FROM EUROPE: Sat 1110-1115 15825, Sun 1010-1015 5070, Sun 1710-1715 12160 ACTING PRESIDENTIAL RADIO ADDRESS/DEMOCRATIC RESPONSE: Sat 2030-2045 15825 (extracted by gh from printed schedule, for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Famed Lubavitcher pirate station, 1710, Brooklyn, NY, March 8 at 2007 EST, in English with lots of Hebrew words, quoting the Torah. Runs an open carrier Friday sundown to after Saturday sundown. Just missed their sign-on after Sabbath absence. Back a couple hours after local sunset. Shouldn`t they pull the plug completely on the Sabbath? (Saul Chernos, Ont., Domestic DX Digest, NRC DX News Mar 31 via DXLD) God must understand open carriers. As subsequently reported, an Israeli network has been doing the same, to modulate only during an emergency; see ISRAEL for latest (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. For many years, the US government has repeatedly busted unlicensed pirate radio operators in the USA. The press releases for these broadcasts have repeatedly indicated that pirate radio broadcasting is harmful and dangerous since they are not coordinated with any central authority. The behavior of the USA government during the current unilateral invasion of Iraq makes it quite clear that the government never had any technical objections to pirate broadcasting. Instead, the government`s policy has been to maintain a monopoly on broadcasting for corporations that they have given broadcasting licenses to. Further, the government has permitted consolidation of licensed broadcasters within an ever-smaller network of large corporations. This set of policies has done tremendous damage to the content of radio broadcasting in the United States. It prevents many political viewpoints from obtaining access to the broadcasting airwaves in this country. It further precludes a variety of radio programming styles from the electromagnetic airwaves in the United States. The situation is getting even worse, given recent moves by most of the countries in President Bush`s ``coalition of the willing`` to prohibit a variety of content from internet web sites and internet radio broadcasters. Absolutely none of this is in the public interest in a free country, but we have allowed out country to deteriorate to such an extent, that all of these things are currently being done. The powers that be should be ashamed of themselves, but they are not. Thus, the people of the United States should be ashamed of themselves for allowing all of this to happen (George Zeller, OH, One Final Shot, Clandestine Profile, April A*C*E via DXLD) As George resigns his A*C*E column, feeling that there is not much interest in clandestine radio among the pirate-oriented ACE membership; he will continue his Monitoring Times column. More from him under IRAQ (gh) ** U S A. KUND, 1370, Grand Forks ND: Local programming is set to resume on KUND and sister station KFJM 90.7. The University of North Dakota stopped the Northern Lights Public Radio format on the stations last year due to budget problems, and the stations have been carrying ND Public Radio since then. UND and NDPR were able to reach an agreement for NDPR to program KFJM, with a similar lineup as before, but without the Northern Lights name. KFJM`s initial schedule will include Morning Edition at 6-8 AM [CT], World Café at 10 am-noon and 6-8 pm, and local Adult Alternative and Jazz shows (Upper Midwest Broadcasting 3/13 via Domestic DX Digest, NRC DX News Mar 31 via DXLD) NDPR is one of the few state holdouts not webcasting (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. ON MINOT, N.D., RADIO, A SINGLE CORPORATE VOICE By JENNIFER 8. LEE MINOT, N.D., March 29 — Across the sparsely populated prairie, radio signals connect people in far-flung communities to one another and the world outside. They carry valuable updates on weather, commodity prices and tornados as well as recipes and birth announcements. And for those who spend a lot of time outdoors doing things with their hands, radio is a medium that is taken very seriously. Even as the radio industry has consolidated, station owners say that it remains one of the least concentrated media sectors. The nationwide leader, Clear Channel Communications, owns about 1,200 of the 11,000 radio stations in the country. But here in North Dakota, where there are about 80 commercial stations, Clear Channel owns 23 of them. And through a quirk in the rules governing radio concentration, it owns all six commercial stations in Minot, the state's fourth-largest city, with a population nearing 37,000. (There is a public radio station, and a Christian station in the city as well.) As the Federal Communications Commissions reconsiders media ownership rules for television and newspapers, many are examining the effects of the radio industry's consolidation, speeded by the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Opponents may try to drive the debate over media consolidation to the edges. Minot is one of those edges. Clear Channel's stronghold in Minot has become a political lightning rod. In January 2002, a train derailment at 1 a.m. spilled a vast white cloud of suffocating anhydrous ammonia fertilizer over Minot. One person died. The police were unable to reach anyone by phone at the local radio station, KCJB, that is the designated emergency broadcaster. Station employees had to be roused from their homes, causing a big delay…. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/31/business/media/31MINO.html?ex=1050203602&ei=1&en=5c200ec7905c3e57 (via Don Thornton, via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) same: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/31/business/media/31MINO.html?ex=1050150754&ei=1&en=41cb87bcffab3ca5 (via dthow, DXLD)(also via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. WAR PUTS RADIO GIANT ON THE DEFENSIVE March 31, 2003 By JOHN SCHWARTZ and GERALDINE FABRIKANT Critics of Clear Channel Communications accuse the radio broadcaster of drumming up support for the war while muzzling musicians who oppose it. . . http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/31/business/media/31RADI.html?ex=1050121140&ei=1&en=7bbca0b1cfcd6faa [registration not required] (via Jim Moats, DXLD) Same: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/31/business/media/31RADI.html?ex=1050202774&ei=1&en=ca7911f7d92de11a (via Don Thornton, via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD)(also via Mike Cooper) ** U S A. Radio news has come a long way in the past 40 years. In 1963, I was the daytime "outside" newsman for KFJZ in Fort Worth, the Top 40 killer. We had a news director and four desk men, who prepared the five-minute hourly newscasts. My job was to cover police, fire, courts, city council, county board, one of the big stories involved the hearings on the D-FW airport, which seemed to be pie in the sky because it was thought that Dallas would never go along with the proposed site. The desk men monitored police and fire radios, made phone calls to news sources, sometimes directed me or the nighttime "outside" newsman to the scene of something or another, and we competed intensely with the other Top 40 news station in Fort Worth, KXOL-1360. In addition, KFJZ had Texas news legend Porter Randall, an old style news reader, who did three 15-minute newscasts a day. WBAP covered news extensively also and even KJIM-870, 250-watt daytimer, had one man who did locally prepared news (mostly rewrites of others' work.) I don't recall that the stations on 970 or 1540 had much of a news presence. Back then, Fort Worth and Dallas were considered separate markets, so we did not go head-to-head against KLIF and KBOX, the Top 40 outlets in Dallas, who also put major emphasis on being first with the news. KRLD was the staid old news operation. WRR, the city-owned station, was on 1310 then, and I honestly can't recall how much news they did. 660 and 1040 had no news presence. FM had no impact. In 1966, in Houston, McLendon's KILT-610, where I worked before joining Pete Taylor and Bart Cronin in Boston, operated similarly to KFJZ in Fort Worth. I again was "outside" newsman, and had fun cooperating and competing with KXYZ-1320, the 790 station (I forget its call letters then but Frank Borman was the outside newsman, the Pasadena station on 650 was a daytimer but they tried to compete with KILT, KTRH-740 and KPRC-950 had really big newsrooms, but KILT did a pretty good job of stiffing them. KPRC was aloof from the "cooperating and competing," having reporters on several beats. We "outside newsmen" covered all the beats, and shared stories when we were unable to be everywhere. I contributed my share to the informal pool, but held off one or two good stories a day that turned out to be KILT exclusives (until the other outside newsmen went after them). Houston was fun to cover, with flamboyant attorney Percy Foreman starring in several interesting trials. One of the highlights of my news career was covering the great "dirty book" trial, which the porn publishers won despite the feds trying it in the Bible Belt. Yes, radio news has come a long, long way in the past 40 years. Down . down . down . down . Qal R. Mann, Krumudgeon (John Callarman, Krum TX, NRC-AM via DXLD) The TV station I worked for had problems with another broadcast station that would show up the same time we were rolling into a story, or broadcast info that only someone would know if they were at the site when none of their people were there. It didn't take me more than a day to figure out that they were monitoring our 2-way radio channels and links. I told the Chief Engineer of the other station and said that I didn't appreciate what was happening, plus technically it was illegal to monitor these transmission. He denied that anyone was doing it. Later in the month I set up a couple cameras at the end of a dead-end street, and called our news department on the phone and said to ignore anything they hear on the 2-way/links. I then got on the radio and said, "35-09 is on the scene of the triple fatal at 1200 Boyer Street", and one of the techs responded on the radio by saying "OK, 35-09, it will be a few moments till I can get the news van there." Moments later I recorded the other station's crew speeding down the street, (at least 45 in a 10 mph), and they bailed out of their car with their ENG stuff. As they came over to us they wondered why we were shooting them, and why a fellow was pointing a camera in their car, as one of the techs on the radio would say "KPH-703 Test", (recording what was coming out of the radio in the console tuned to our channel). A polite letter was sent to the CE, ND, and GM of the station next day, along with a copy of the tape, explaining that if they monitor us again it will get ugly, including a promo that will mention, "When _(station)__ needs news, they turn to the TV-35 News Team to get their news.", and threatened to show the video to the public. Usually you just ignore those folks, but these guys were just so blatant some effort had to be made (Fred Vobbe, WLIO-TV, Lima OH, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. Thread on field MW field strength vs coverage: It's smaller based on the belief that a 2 mv/m analog signal is useful. When in the real world, where 15 mv/m is minimum to override noise in LA, the digital signal may actually outperform he analog (David Gleason, CA, Mar 18, NRC-AM via DXLD) Calling LA the "real world" is definitely arguable. :-) Maybe you need 15 mV/m in LA, but I'll bet there's still lots of AMs around the country that have useful coverage out to 0.5 mV/m or less. Another thing to consider is AM IBOC's dirty little secret: it has two modes. When iBiquity quotes digital coverage out to 2 mV/m or whatever, that applies to "core mode" only. Core mode uses the primary digital sidebands (at 10-15 kHz from the carrier), which is where nearly all of the digital power is. With core mode, you get no stereo, just mono audio at a mere 20 kbps. Also, no RDS-type low bit rate data stream. To get stereo audio and the ancillary data, you need "enhanced mode", which gets additional data through on the secondary and tertiary digital sidebands (at 0-10 kHz from the carrier). The problem is, enhanced mode is a lot less robust than core mode. One example of this: in the lab tests with first adjacent interference, core mode functioned up to the point where the interfering signal was 15 dB above the desired signal. Enhanced mode, on the other hand, pooped out when the interfering signal reached just 8 dB *below* the desired signal, a difference of 23 dB. Similar differences apply for 2nd adjacent interference, and they're even more dramatic when there is interference on both sides. For a "real world" example, check the field test results for KABL, where enhanced mode operation generally required signal levels of 10 mV/m or more. So, you might have "digital coverage" out to 2 mV/m, but a good part of that coverage area may be getting only low bit rate mono audio and no RDS-type features. And don't forget that Clear Channel & co. want to lower the digital power by 6 dB, which will shrink the "digital coverage" even more (Barry McLarnon, Ont., Mar 19, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. The Final Straw If IBOC doesn't kill the BCB DXing hobby, this surely will... First we had the Denver station on 1650 IDing as "KNUS-1", although everyone knows that the KNUS calls are on 710. Then came the San Mateo, CA outlet on 1050, which apparently now IDs as "KNBR 1050", even though the KNBR calls have been on 680 for quite some time (yes I know that, in both cases, sister stations are involved, but it's still inexcusable). Now comes the kicker. WRIK 750 in Brookport, IL has dropped the WRIK calls, switched to a news/talk format and changed its CLs officially to WSBX, but is Iding as...sit down for this..."NEWSTALK 750 WSB"!!! Yes, folks, this is where AM radio is headed. The FCC hasn't cared for a long time about how much power stations are putting out (and if they have, they certainly haven't enforced it), and now the commission appears to be giving stations free rein as to how they want to identify themselves. Ernie Wesolowski thinks that call letters on the AM band will someday be completely done away with, only slogans will be used, and nobody will be required to give a legal ID anymore. But I would go even one step further by saying that there will come a day where everyone on the AM band is non- directional, and if there are a dozen or so stations on every frequency using IBOC, look out. I'll get off my soapbox now, but will conclude by saying that this is what the combined forces of the big conglomerates (Clear Channel, Cumulus, and other offenders) and the FCC have done to the AM band, and the damage is irreversible. The hourglass is running out, and it's only a matter of time before the AM band is ruined beyond repair. I'll see some of you in the pages of UHF-VHF Digest. *throws up hands in disgust, shakes head sadly, and walks away from the BCB DXing hobby* (Rick (finally fed up with it all) Dau, Omaha, NE, March 29, NRC-AM via DXLD) Overseas DXers have been living with this for - well, I suppose for as long as there have been DXers. Few countries besides the USA assign callsigns to their broadcast stations, and even fewer require them to announce those callsigns on the air. In my humble opinion, the legal ID rules are indeed obsolete. Except for DXers, what is the purpose of an ID? When the FCC inspectors come to Nashville, they know darned well which station on 810 is operating at night that shouldn't be. They don't need the station to announce "WMGC Murfreesboro" to know it's WMGC. Listeners don't care that the station on 1160 is called "WAMB" - they just care that when they tune to 1160, they hear programs they enjoy. If we *have* to have stations transmitting their callsigns, it can be done "in the background". FM and TV already have data broadcast capabilities that can be used for this - many RDS-equipped FM stations already do, as do most digital TV stations. There is no pre-packaged scheme for AM, but transmitting four bytes of data every hour (or even every second!) is not a difficult engineering task. As for what WSBX is up to, I find it rather ingenious. They probably couldn't sell much local advertising at night anyway (even if they operated U1 with enough power to overcome skywave interference in their market area) so why not allow the Atlanta station to provide the night time service at no expense to the Illinois operators? Meanwhile, the Illinois listeners get a fulltime service - from Brookport during the day, and from Atlanta at night. I just wonder what the Atlanta station thinks. Will they have grounds for a trademark-infringement suit? Good question. (incidentially, WSBX's signal stinks. Other area stations like WDDD-810 and WKYX-570 and even WCBL-1290 are regulars here, often even during the day. I've only heard WSBX once.) I seem to remember an incident a few years back where a station obtained calls similar to another station in the same market. The station that had them first tried to force them to change back but failed - so they got a local injunction preventing the second station from using the call letters for anything except the hourly ID. I also seem to recall the news release about the sale of WSM-FM indicating Cumulus had purchased from Gaylord the right to use the trademark "WSM-FM"... But does a station automatically have trademark protection in their call letters? Or do they have to register them with the Trademark Office? How far does that protection cover? If I register "WLAC" as a trademark for a Nashville station, is it infringing if a station in Seattle starts calling itself WLAC? Is WSBX infringing on WSB's trademark? Would they still be infringing if they were on a different frequency? (Doug Smith, NRC-AM via DXLD) Certainly I can share the despair at the lack of diversity on radio these days. My recent trip to the West Coast revealed that that part of the country still has a lot more diversity than we enjoy here in the East. In a single evening, I was able to listen to programming as diverse as jazz, old time radio, oldies, Navaho chants and songs, an actual live late night local talk show, and more. In the east, we're limited to dozens of channels carring "Coast to Coast", ESPN or Sporting News Radio, Radio Disney, and perhaps an Oldies station. "The Raging Cajun" is the closest thing to interesting program on the air here at nights. But I do seem glimmers of hope here and there. More stations are trying music on AM again these days, and lately, there is a lot of talk about the rash of conservative voices on talk radio...so you hope that even the "Suits" begin to figure out that folks want more to listen to. Given the multiple choices for 24 hour news, weather, etc...I have to think that the programming will start to swing back to the only thing left that radio (especially AM radio) can do...local coverage. IBOC is doomed to failure, and once it does, the last glimmer of a "digital utopia" for broadcasters will die with it. Certainly many stations will be forced to leave the air...and the mega-corps like Clear Channel will sell off marginal stations and cut their losses. Who will that leave? A lot of small, shoestring stations, a few corporate chain outlets running the same canned programming, and perhaps a few bold stations that will attempt radical new programming to attract listeners. I cannot believe that broadcasters really think they can overcome the installed user base of literally millions of analog radios with some government mandated digital "improvement" that offers still no "killer app". It's a pipe dream of a desperate industry. Instead they should look to their own recent success stories. Just a few years ago, when Rush changed the face of talk radio...and actually brought listeners back to AM radio, they thought it was already dead. While I'm no big fan of talk radio, there is no denying that it saved many stations. Programming that is "outside the box" is what is needed now. Personally, I think that stations could do very well running a "Top 40" oldies station in nearly every major market. Simply bring those old DJ's out of mothballs, and recurit new young talent to play the style of radio we grew up with. It would be huge with the 40+ crowd and attract ad dollars like crazy. Or maybe something like "Fox News" only packaged for radio. Innovative use of sound recordings in the style of NPR, only packaged as "hard news" round the clock. Not the nonsense of piping TV audio from CNN out. But real "radio" news. If you combined that with a strong local news component, it might work very well. In general, I wish broadcasting executives would stop looking for the answers inside some technical work and find them where they have always been...CONTENT (Les Rayburn, N1LF, NNN0HSI Navy MARS/SHARES, Helena, AL, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. AKRON'S LAST TELEGRAPH OPERATOR HAD WORLD AT HIS FINGERTIPS FOR ALMOST 46 YEARS --- By Mark J. Price Beacon Journal staff writer Posted on Mon, Mar. 31, 2003 http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/5522817.htm (via Jill Dybka, DXLD) ** VIETNAM [and non]. In a break with tradition, Voice of Vietnam is now operating on new 11630 1100-1130, 1300-1400, 1600-2130. This is from the Son Tay site, parallel with 13740. This is a terrible frequency choice, clashing with co-channel China, also using 11630 1800-2000 to W. Europe, (with Russian 1800-1900) and 2000-1730 domestic service to China. This is a change from 11640, used for previous summer seasons. There have been other adjustments to 11 MHz channels, including rearrangements for 12020 timings. Overseas relays are now Sackville 6175 0000-0500, Moosbrunn 9725 1700-1900, and Skelton 9725 1900-2030 (Bob Padula, Melbourne, Mar 31, EDXP via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A-03 FREQUENCY CLASHES ++++++++++++++++++++++ 11895 at 2200-2230: VOA Delano in Creole, NHK (Guiana?) in Japanese, the latter continuing in the clear until 2300, and a couple hops of satellite delay behind \\ 17825 which also puts in a good signal. ON 11895 they were about equal level, with NHK slightly stronger (Glenn Hauser, OK, Mar 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) EGYPT/GUAM --- Radio Cairo's new A03 channel of 11750 for the Arabic service to Australia 2000-2200 is a shocker. Co-channel with AWR-KSDA English 2000-2100 and only usable 2100-2200. KSDA also targeted to Asia! (Bob Padula, Mont Albert,Vic, Australia, Mar 31, EDXP via DXLD) See also EGYPT way above itself PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ BRUCE ELVING PUBLICATIONS Hi, the May, 2003, issue of Popular Communications will have an article on tuning in FM subcarrier broadcasts. It includes a picture of a vintage radio I modified in the late '70s when my daughters, Kristine, Karin and Kimberly, were very young. There are excerpts from that article on the Pop Comm web page. http://www.popular-communications.com/Submarines.html [sic] The preceding page on their website alludes to that and other articles. Pop Comm is usually on sale at bookstores like Barnes & Noble. The "FM Atlas" 2003 is about to be printed by Patterson Printing, Benton Harbor MI. We just called and told them they have the contract for that printing job. Wife Carol, Don Johnson, chief theoretician from Cloquet MN, and the anonymous Eastern Seaboard reporter who has done much of the book's proofreading have all been a big help. We are working with American Express, and hope to offer a promotion for the new book for people who call in with their American Express numbers. We still take Visa and MasterCard orders at 1-800-605-2219. FMedia! newsletter is being delayed. It will be a combined February- March-April issue, with 21 pages keyboarded so far. Some material may be held back, making it an 18 or a 20 pager. I plan to have both publications to their respective printers the same day, most likely Monday, March 31, unless there is an equipment breakdown, or major late-breaking news. Visit our website any time. Just type in "FM Atlas" in any search engine, and it will come up. The problem is that the website is based on AOL's outdated PP3 program, and I can't update the site for now. Good reading and listening, (Bruce Elving, MN, Mar 28, NRC FM-TV via DXLD) INTERNATIONAL LISTENER The April edition of "Shortwave News" has been uploaded to the International Listener web site at http://www.internationallistener.com [redirect no work -- gh] or at http://home.houston.rr.com/edmayberry News stories center around the Iraq war: the BBC World Service and Voice of America coverage, plus web sites with war news and an item about psyop broadcasts. There are also stories on Radio Austria International's transition later this summer to largely relaying a domestic network, cutbacks in power and hours at Radio New Zealand International, Radio Australia's separation from ABC Radio, the folding of Poptronics and meetings of the High Frequency Coordinating Committee, the Association of International Broadcasters and the National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters (Ed Mayberry, swl via DXLD) RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ FIRST STAND ALONE STREAMING INTERNET RADIO WITH ETHERNET AND WI-FI Monday March 31, 5:56 pm ET AUSTIN, Texas -- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- March 31, 2003 --- Rochelle Communications Inc. announced today the industry's first stand alone Internet Radio with integrated Ethernet and optional Wi-Fi (802.11b) access. The Model 2600 is a consumer electronics device that enables users to listen to one of several thousand radio stations that are now streaming their contents over the Internet. The Model 2600 allows the user to pre-select up to 6 stations and can scan hundreds of radio stations based on location, program type, and language. The Model 2600 features a stereo headset and audio line out jacks. The President and CEO of Rochelle Communications Inc., Gilbert Amine, declared that "The Rochelle Internet Radio brings one of the fastest growing Internet technologies, audio streaming, to the reach of the masses, PC and non-PC users alike. My mom can now listen to her favorite international broadcasts from the comfort of her living room or kitchen. The real premise of the Internet is to make its technology accessible to the public at large. Our customers do not need more technology, but simpler and more accessible technology." The Model 2600 is the first of a family of Internet-connected devices that cater to the communications and entertainment needs of the consumers and traveling business users. Future products will include support for Internet Telephony and Video Streaming. Rochelle is seeking partnerships with companies that have complementary services and channels. The Model 2600 is in testing stage and will be commercially available in the second quarter. The single unit pricing will start at $129. Rochelle Communications is a privately-held telecommunications and test equipment manufacturer based in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 1989 and sells its products around the world through a network of distributors. For more information, please contact Rochelle Communications Inc. at 512/339-8188, by fax at 512/339-1299, or e-mail at info@rochelle.com Rochelle's Web site is located at http://www.rochellecti.com Contact: Rochelle Communications Inc., Austin Gilbert Amine, 512/339-8188 (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) DIGITAL RADIO NEEDED I urgently need a digital radio; a fairly used one will be okay. The first and last time I did something like that (request for radio) on the public, everyone though I was one of those fraudsters from Nigeria, scam mail. This more serious now, the receiver I use belong to my daddy and it is very old and have a lots of frequency range missing from it. So I will need a digital radio, to greatly assist me in DXing. Please I don`t know how else to acquire one, especially considering the fact that I don`t have the money to buy myself. I hope you would help me greatly (EMMANUEL EZEANI, P.O Box 1633, Sokoto Sokoto state, Nigeria, emmanuel336@yahoo.com Mar 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Perhaps a reader will have a spare unused SW radio with digital readout and can help Emma (gh) TOP SECRET BOMB TARGETS ENEMY ELECTRONICS Pulse: This 'weapon of electrical mass destruction' would have to be needed badly to risk revealing its existence. http://www.sunspot.net/news/nationworld/iraq/bal-te.ebomb31mar31,0,1067258.story?coll=bal-home-headlines (via Jill Dybka, MSIS, DXLD) TUESDAY EDITION: WEATHER ALERT RADIOS MARRY TV By Al Tompkins Posted March 31, 2003 This idea gained more urgency after Sept. 11, 2001, since the NOAA Weather Radio system broadcasts not only weather news but also information on national emergencies, technological hazards such as chemical spills or power plant emergencies, and natural hazards such as earthquakes or forest fires. The AJ-C [Atlanta Journal Constitution, http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/metro/0303/31twister.html ] has a story about a Thompson Electronics plan to marry the weather alert radio with the TV. Forecasters have warned Americans for years that every house, school, business needs a weather alert radio, but too many don't have them. Practically everyone has a TV, though. TVs are great when they are turned to a news channel during a storm, but what if you are not watching a local station at the time? Thompson's weather radio television, which will be sold as RCA Alert Guard models, will be able to warn of local or national emergencies even when the television is tuned to a cable or satellite channel, is playing a tape or DVD, is being used to play a video game, or is turned off (but still plugged in). It has LED lights to show when an alert is at the advisory stage (yellow), watch stage (orange) or warning stage (red). The television can be set to sound a chime or siren in increasing volume when a warning is broadcast. One button on the remote control lets the owner hear the voice of the weather radio, and another lets the owner see the text of the warning on the screen. Another button will instantly turn the television to any of four pre-set news or weather stations. The owner can also program the television to limit alerts to only one county, or up to four nearby counties (PoynterOnline via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) SONY AN-LP1 ANTENNA: REPLACEMENT IN THE WORKS? I recently received my Universal Radio Catalog and noted that the Sony AN-LP1 active loop antenna is not among the many antennas published there; it's not showing on their website, either. I had heard some rumors at last month's SWL Fest that Sony might be planning to replace the AN-LP1 with something new, maybe a loop antenna similar to the 'LP1 but with continuous attenuation (like the AN-LP2 which unfortunately comes with the Sony ICF-SW07 portable). So, I wrote Universal Radio, and this is their reply which I received on April 1 (Joe Hanlon, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) : We do not have any first-hand information from Sony to support that they are planning a new active loop antenna or that the AN-LP1 has been discontinued. At this point, we are as much in the dark as everyone else regarding this. Thank you (Universal Radio via Hanlon, DXLD) DRM / CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++ News Release For Immediate Release: March 31, 2003 Contact: Siriol Jane Evans, pressoffice@drm.org 7 EXPERTS TO OUTLINE DRM`S PROGRESS AT EUROPEAN DIGITAL RADIO CONFERENCE (EDRC) IN MUNICH Munich, Germany – Broadcasting industry experts from Germany, France and Croatia representing Digital Radio Mondiale ( (DRM() will outline the on-air system`s progress, and its future, at the 5th European Digital Radio Conference (EDRC) at the Park Hilton Hotel in Munich on April 3 and 4, 2003. Conference attendees will be able to hear live DRM transmissions from T-Systems MediaBroadcast`s station in Juelich, Germany on DRM-capable receivers at the DRM booth. DRM is the world`s only non-proprietary, digital system for short- wave, medium-wave/AM and long-wave with the ability to use existing frequencies and bandwidth across the globe. With near-FM quality sound that offers a dramatic improvement over analogue AM, DRM will revitalize the AM broadcasting bands below 30 MHz in markets worldwide. DRM`s inaugural broadcasts will take place this June during the ITU`s WRC 2003 in Geneva. ``DRM`s presence this year at EDRC will be bigger than ever, reflecting the growing numbers of industry leaders who are involved with DRM`s activities in Germany,`` said Michael Pilath of T-Systems MediaBroadcast. Mr. Pilath leads DRM`s German Coordination Committee and is Vice Chairman of DRM`s Commercial Committee. The DRM consortium has 80 members from 30 countries, with a significant number of members -- 22 of them -- from Germany. They are broadcasters, broadcast equipment manufacturers, network operators, research institutions, broadcasting unions, regulatory agencies and NGOs. Since its inception in 1998, DRM has been led by Peter Senger, Executive Director of Marketing, Distribution and Technology at Deutsche Welle. The DRM sessions at EDRC will be: April 3, 2003 10:00 -- The Success of DRM in Europe, presented by Michel Penneroux, Head of AM Systems at TéléDiffusion de France and Chairman of DRM`s Commercial Committee. 11:40 -- DRM Broadcasting Technology, presented by Olaf Korte, Group Leader at Fraunhofer IIS. April 4, 2003 13:30 -- DRM Roll-out in Germany, presented by Michael Pilath of T-Systems MediaBroadcast. 13:50 -- DRM Standardisation Process, presented by Thomas Waechter of T-Systems MediaBroadcast and Chairman, IDR/DRM Group. 14:20 -- Recent DRM Field Tests, presented by Dr. Gerd Zimmermann of T-Systems Nova. 15:10 -- DRM Receiver Technologies, presented by Stefan Meltzer, Vice President, Business Development at Coding Technologies GmbH. 15:30 -- Implementation of DRM Technology in High Power Short-wave Broadcast Transmitters, presented by Robert Tomljanovic, Design Engineer at RIZ Transmitters, Croatia. About DRM DRM`s founding members joined forces in 1998 to create a digital system (also called DRM) for the broadcasting bands below 30 MHz. DRM information and audio samples are available online at http://www.drm.org (English) and http://www.drm-national.de (German). DRM has secured two major successes already this year. On the universal standardization front, the International Electrotechnical Committee (IEC) gave the DRM on-air system its highest stamp of approval - International Standard - in January. And on the regulatory side, a recent change in Rules of Procedure by the International Telecommunications Union`s (ITU) Radio Regulations Board (RRB) cleared the regulatory path for broadcasters who want to use the DRM system for the medium-wave/AM and long-wave frequency bands in Regions 1 and 3. (Regions 1 and 3 include Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Australia/New Zealand.) DRM Members Commercial Radio Australia (Australia); Nautel Ltd., Radio Canada International/CBC (Canada); Academy of Broadcasting Science of China (China); RIZ Transmitters (Croatia); HFCC (Czech Republic); ESPOL, HCJB World Radio (Ecuador); Digita Oy, Kymenlaakso Polytechnic (Finland); Atmel ES 2, CCETT, Radio France, Radio France Internationale, TéléDiffusion de France, Thales Broadcast & Multimedia (France); ADDX, APR, Coding Technologies GmbH, Deutsche Welle, DeutschlandRadio, DLM, Sender Europa 1, Fraunhofer IIS, Georg- Simon-Ohm – University of Applied Sciences Nuremberg, Innovationszentrum Telekommunikationstechnik GmbH IZT, IRT, Medienanstalt Sachsen-Anhalt/Digitaler Rundfunk Sachsen-Anhalt, Micronas GmbH, Robert Bosch GmbH, Sony International Europe, SWR Südwestrundfunk, TELEFUNKEN SenderSysteme Berlin AG, T-Systems MediaBroadcast, University of Applied Sciences - FH Merseburg, University of Hannover, University of Ulm, VPRT (Germany); Antenna Hungaria, Communications Authority Hungary (Hungary); All India Radio (India); Basamad College, Tehran (Iran); Hitachi Kokusai Electric Ltd., JVC Victor Company of Japan, Ltd., NHK (Japan); Libyan Jamahiriya Broadcasting (Libya); Broadcasting Centre Europe (Luxembourg); Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (Malaysia); Nozema, Radio Netherlands (Netherlands); Radio New Zealand International (New Zealand); Voice of Nigeria (Nigeria); Telenor/Norkring (Norway); Radiodifusão Portuguesa (Portugal); RTRN/The Voice of Russia (Russia); Arab States Gulf Cooperation Council (Saudi Arabia); Universidad del Pais Vasco, (Spain); Radio Sweden International (Sweden); EBU, International Committee of the Red Cross, ITU (Switzerland); Arab States Broadcasting Union (Tunisia); BBC, Christian Vision, VT Merlin Communications, QinetiQ, RadioScape Ltd., Roke Manor Research Ltd. (U.K.); Dolby Laboratories Incorporated, Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, Harris Corporation, IBB/VOA, IDT Continental Electronics, Kintronic Laboratories, Inc., National Association of Short-wave Broadcasters, Sangean America, Inc., TCI, a Dielectric Company, Via Licensing Corporation (U.S.A.); and Radio Vaticana (Vatican City). (Siriol Jane Evans, DRM, DXLD) PROPAGATION ++++++++++ ``BACKSCATTER`` Re: "(17595 beamed 90 degrees to Asia with 500 kW. Backscatter radiation would "beam" a signal toward extreme northern South America and the Caribbean, in reasonable proximity to the east coast of NA.) (17595 also readable on Sony SW-07 with whip, with SINPO 35533.) [what you refer to isn`t really backscatter -- gh]" What would it be then? It's definitely not a direct beam (John Figliozzi, NY, DX LISTENING DIGEST) John, the way I understand it, backscatter happens when, to give an example, a very small fragment of a signal beamed eastward is heard back near the transmitter, preferably within the skip zone to uncover it, because the ionosphere at the first control point to the east, actually reflects some of the signal back. This is most obvious on the higher SW frequencies. ``Scatter`` implies the signal coming off something other than the original antenna, e.g. a meteor, or even lightning (on VHF). What we normally observe is direct radiation off the back of the antenna, which is really not uni-directional; some designs are more subject to this than others. There is a minor (sometimes not so minor) lobe in the opposite direction of the main lobe (and side lobes too, especially with rhombics, but we need not get into that.) Another common misconception is that such signals beamed away from us, if heard, arrive by long path. That can happen, but far more often it`s the short path off-the-back. One way to be sure you have long-path is to be getting the short path at the same time, with a pronounced echo at the appropriate delay, which can easily be calculated knowing the distances and the speed of light. I once reported a very long long-path catch, WHRA (or whatever it was at the moment) on 17 MHz, by this method. 73, (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 02 - 28 April 2003 Solar activity is expected to range from very low to low levels. There's a slight chance of a low M-class flare during most of the forecast period. Isolated M-class activity is possible from Region 318, 321, and 323 before they exit the disk (4-6 Apr) and after they return around 18 April. Isolated M-class activity is also possible from the return of old Region 306 and Region 314 on 02 and 03 April respectively. No greater than 10 MeV proton events are expected during the forecast period. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux may reach high levels on 04 – 06 April, 13 – 15 April and again on 27 – 28 April due to returning coronal holes. The geomagnetic field is expected to range from unsettled to major storm conditions during the period. Coronal hole high speed stream effects are expected to produce unsettled to active condition through 04 April. Returning coronal holes are expected to produce unsettled to isolated minor storm levels on 10 – 14 April and unsettled to isolated major storm levels on 23 – 27 April. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2003 Apr 01 2211 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2003 Apr 01 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2003 Apr 02 155 15 3 2003 Apr 03 150 12 3 2003 Apr 04 145 10 3 2003 Apr 05 145 10 3 2003 Apr 06 140 12 3 2003 Apr 07 140 10 3 2003 Apr 08 140 12 3 2003 Apr 09 135 15 3 2003 Apr 10 135 20 4 2003 Apr 11 135 20 4 2003 Apr 12 135 20 4 2003 Apr 13 130 20 4 2003 Apr 14 130 25 5 2003 Apr 15 120 15 3 2003 Apr 16 115 20 4 2003 Apr 17 110 20 4 2003 Apr 18 110 10 3 2003 Apr 19 110 20 4 2003 Apr 20 110 10 3 2003 Apr 21 110 10 3 2003 Apr 22 120 10 3 2003 Apr 23 135 25 5 2003 Apr 24 145 25 5 2003 Apr 25 155 25 5 2003 Apr 26 155 25 5 2003 Apr 27 160 25 5 2003 Apr 28 160 20 4 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via WORLD OF RADIO 1176, DXLD) RETRO-4-RADIO --- By Peter Madison, EI0IQ Most electronic communications scientists and RF engineers will tell you that, as space is infinite, radio signals go on and on, out through the Ionosphere into outer space and therefore into infinity. This basic theory is fine - but how many radio signals have been sent out over the years and been monitored by ALL the intended listeners? The answer is none. All the radio waves ever since Marconi are out there as sure as an X File truth. Recent experiments by French radio astronomers in association with amateurs here in the West of Ireland have proved an astounding new theory. Radio signals that were originally transmitted within the last 40 years, at over 400 watts, are striking asteroids and bouncing back to Earth. The "Loupe Inverte Radio Frequencie Asteroides" (LIRFA loop) is a magnetised belt above the Clarke Belt. The broadcasts are reaching the loop as a positive (+) force and are repelled as negative (-) signals, back to their area of origin at ¼ of their original wavelength or frequency. (NegaHertz.) When our early pioneer radio engineers invented the ¼ wave dipole they were unwittingly creating the ideal antenna for reception of signals from the past. The French side of the team has erected 26 different dipoles of varying lengths and coded them with the phonetic letters of the alphabet. At the Irish end we have had excellent results on much simpler aerials and on very strong signals even the telescopic whip of a portable short wave receiver is working very well. The only difficulty is in researching the exact time of day that the programmes were transmitted but it is a simple matter to divide the original frequency by four. Being an unashamedly vain ex broadcaster I shall be tuning for shows that I know I have produced in the past and recording them of course! For example, as 'Mac Peters' on offshore Radio City I know the times of my few pitiful efforts and the wavelength. Unfortunately ¼ of 1505 kHz (299 metres) is right in the middle of the DX portion of the 80 metre amateur band. {CORREXION: See next issue} This phenomenon is coincidentally best experienced in the fourth month of the year and will be at its best on the first day. So get out your B/C log books for old stations from radio's golden years and do the sums for the BBC Home Service, or better still, Radio London/Radio Caroline. (I'll be looking for Sunshine Radio and Radio Nova.) Divide the frequency by four and, at the right time remember the great fun we used to have all those years ago. I will be back here on the 4th of the month with this year`s list of Retro-4-Radio logs. Peter Madison, "The Teenage Pensioner" Copyright petermadison@eircom.ie (via Mike Barraclough, April World DX Club Contact via Alan Roe, DXLD) # # # ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-055, April 1, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.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 HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3d.html HTML version of late March issues: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3c.html HTML version of early February issues: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3b.html For restrixions and searchable 2003 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn NEXT AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1175: RFPI: Wed 0700 on 7445 WWCR: Wed 1030 9475 WJIE: Wed, Thu 1300 on 7490 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1175.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1175.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1175h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1175h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1175.html WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 FIRST AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1176: Wed 2300 on WBCQ 7415, 17495-CUSB Thu 2130 on WWCR 15825 Fri 1300 on WJIE 7490 (maybe) WORLD OF RADIO etc. SCHEDULES UPDATED FOR THE WEEK OF CONFUSION http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html [above now also has upcoming schedule effective April 6] http://www.worldofradio.com/wormast.html NEW APRIL EDITION OF NETS TO YOU: http://www.worldofradio.com/nets2you.html UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIAL Hallo Glenn, Please don't bother about stupid criticisms, you are doing the usual perfect work for all the hobbyists of the world (Dario Monferini, DX editor, PLAYDX) ** AFRICA. Sorry to tell to you this WEB doesn't work.... http://africa.coolfreepage.com/africalist/ (Dario Monferini, DX editor, PLAYDX, Mar 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re Africa list, last issue: sorry, the server seems to be down today. hope they'll manage soon (Thorsten Hallmann, Germany, Mar 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALBANIA. RADIO TIRANA BROADCASTS - III CHANNEL FOREIGN LANGAUAGES for the Summer Season a 03 (30 March 2003 == 25 October 2003) [sure hope you`re running nonproportional font --- gh] ============================================================== Nr.|Language|Destinat.|Time-UTC |Tx/Pwr-kW |Frq-khz|Wave|Beam| | | | |Cerrik/100| 9520 | 31 | 310| | | |1845-1900|----------|-------|----|----| | | | |Shijak/100| 7210 | 41 | 310| | | England |………………………|…………………………|…………………|…………|…………| | | | |Shijak/100| 7130 | 41 | 310| | | |2130-2200|----------|-------|----|----| | | | |Cerrik/100| 9540 | 31 | 305| 1. |English |………………………|………………………|…………………………|…………………|…………|…………| | | | |Cerrik/100| 6115 | 49 | 305| | | |0145-0200|----------|-------|----|----| | | | |Cerrik/100| 7160 | 41 | 305| | | U.S.A. |………………………|…………………………|…………………|…………|…………| | | | |Cerrik/100| 6115 | 49 | 305| | | |0230-0300|----------|-------|----|----| | | | |Cerrik/100| 7160 | 41 | 305| ===|========|=========|=========|==========|=======|====|====| 2. |French | France |1900-1930|Shijak/100| 7210 | 41 | 310| ===|========|=========|=========|==========|=======|====|====| 3. | | | |Cerrik/100| 9570 | 31 | 350| |German | Germany |1730-1800|----------|-------|----|----| | | | |Fllake/500| 1458 |206 | 338| ===|========|=========|=========|==========|=======|====|====| 4. |Italian | Italy |1800-1830|Cerrik/100| 7240 | 41 | ND | ===|========|=========|=========|==========|=======|====|====| 5. | | Serbia- | |Shijak/100| 6135 | 49 | ND | |Serbian |Montenegr|2115-2130|Fllake/500| 1215 |247 | ND | ===|========|=========|=========|==========|=======|====|====| 6. |Greek | Greece |1715-1730|Cerrik/100| 6130 | 49 | ND | ===|========|=========|=========|==========|=======|====|====| 7. |Turkish | Turkey |1700-1715|Cerrik/100| 6130 | 49 | ND | ============================================================== Note: Programs in foreign languages will be prepared and broadcasted only for six first days of week (Monday to Saturday), while Sunday will be off. PROGRAM OF RADIO TIRANA BROADCASTS - III CHANNEL IN ALBANIAN LANGAUGE for the Summer Season a 03 (30 March 2003 == 25 October 2003) Nr.|Language|Destinat.|Time-UTC |Tx/Pwr-kW |Frq-khz|Wave|Beam| | | | |Cerrik/100| 7110 | 41 | ND | | | |0800-0900|----------|-------|----|----| | | | |Fllake/500| 1395 |215 | 33 | | | |………………………|…………………………|…………………|…………|…………| | | |1400-1700|Cerrik/100| 7270 | 41 | ND | 1. |Albanian| Europe |………………………|…………………………|…………………|…………|…………| | | | |Cerrik/100| 7295 | 41 |350 | | | |2030-2200|----------|-------|----|----| | | | |Fllake/500| 1458 |206 |338 | | |………………………|………………………|…………………………|…………………|…………|…………| | | North |2300-0200|Cerrik/100| 7270 | 41 |305 | | |America |---------|----------|-------|----|----| | | |0200-0330|Cerrik/100| 7270 | 41 |305 | Albanian Winter Time=UTC + 1 Albanian Summer Time=UTC + 2 Transmitter sites of Radio Tirana are located on: Cerrik A: 40 N 59'47" 19 E 59'57,9" (40.9963888888) (19.9994166667) each transmission: 2 x 50 kW Shijak: 41 N 19'53,5" 19 E 33'8,6" (41.3315277777) (19.5523888888) each transmission: 2 x50 kW Fllake 41 N 22'11" 19 E 30'17" (41.3697222222) (19.5047222222) each transmission: 1x 500 kW Radio Tirana House is located in the center of the capital Tirana at: 41 N 19'24,3" 19 E 50' (41.3234166667) (19.8333333333) (((rtsh))) rtsh - Radiotelevizioni Shqiptar (Albanian Radiotelevision) TVSH - Televizioni Shqiptar (Albanian Televizion) ``Lek DUKAGJINI`` Street, Tirane, SH Q I P E R I (A L B A N I A) SATELLITE BROADCASTS Programme: TVSH Language: Albanian Time(UTC): 1400–End of TVSH Program (approxim. 23.00 UTC) Satellite EUTELSAT W2 16 East Polarization: Vertical Frequency: 12656.5 MHz Coverage: please see: http://www.eutelsat.com/fr/satellites/16e_popd.html Symbol/Rate: 4883 KSYMB/s FEC: ½ REPUBLIKA E SHQIPERISE REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA (((rtsh))) RADIOTELEVIZIONI SHQIPTAR GENERAL DIRECTORATE Technical Directory ``Lek DUKAGJINI`` Street Tirana – ALBANIA Tel/Fax : ++355 4 223650 CIRAF: 28c (Drita Cico, ALR, April 1, via Alokesh Gupta, April 2, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Voice International has launched a new monthly e-mail newsletter --- On Air. It comes as an attachment in PDF version. A printed version is also available on request. Request your copy at: voice@voice.com.au HCJB-Australia is announcing a new post box address in New Delhi: The Voice of the Great Southland, P.O. Box 9149, Patparganj, New Delhi 110091 India. Indian listeners can now save some postage costs!! Regds, (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. This information comes from David Martin & Matt Cook via Topica MWOZ forum. 1467 ex Sport 927 translator in Mildura has become a part of the Easy Listening network //1071 Bendigo etc. 1359 ex Old Gold 1359 is now carrying the Sport 927 program. Possibly Old Gold has sold to Sport 927 who in turn sold 1467 to EZL? Will Old Gold ever QSL......... ? (David Martin) Easy Listening is AMI, who buy the content from SCB. The 1467 licence has been owned by AMI since 3MA (DMG) stopped using it. They just decided to change the content. Old Gold was/is owned by an independent investor, and was managed by a local community media organisation. I imagine the ownership is still the same, but I'm guessing it's now managed by DMG who used to manage Sport 1467. Will Old Gold ever QSL? Have you tried hotfm@hotfm.org.au ? Old Gold is the same people as Hot FM (and 3ML, occasional event FM, a presently unused XBand licence, and a newspaper for that matter). (Matt Cook via David Onley, DXLD) To subscribe to MW Australia Forum. Send blank email to: mwoz-subscribe@topica.com ** BELARUS? Hi Glenn, do you know if this is the interval signal for Radio Belarus`? http://jill.jazzkeyboard.com/radio/belarus.wma (Jilly Dybka, TN, KF4ZEO, Mar 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sorry, I would not recognize that one if I could hear it clearly, and the whine was pretty bad. I can put that in next issue, and/or has someone else identified it by now? (Glenn to Jilly) Yes -- that would be great -- it's on 7210 kHz 11/23/02 at 0200 UT Thanks (Jilly Dybka, ibid.) ** CANADA. CKWX-1130 80 YEARS OLD Today marks the 80th anniversary of CKWX AM 1130 Vancouver. After on air "testing", Arthur J. "Sparks" Holstead and William Hanlon were granted a licence to operate 10 watt CFDC in Nanaimo on April 1, 1923. In 1927 the station moved to Vancouver, and then changed call letters to CKWX. On August 15, 1957 CKWX became Vancouver's first 50,000 watt station on a new clear channel frequency of 1130 kHz. After programming Top 40 in the late 50s and early 60s, CKWX moved to MOR/talk, becoming "Supercountry" in March 1973. In February 1996, it adopted its current programming of 24 hour news, as "News 1130" (from Northwest Broadcasters, April 1 via Eric Flodén, BC, IRCA via DXLD) I recall as a teen calling up C-FUN and telling them that today was their 50th anniversary! (It was, per the list I was using from the BBG (pre-CRTC).) They did not know, and sadly, decided NOT to reward me heavily for my timely news tip (Eric Flodén, BC, IRCA via DXLD) ** CHINA. Hard on the heels of the TRT questionnaire popping through the letterbox [cf. TURKEY] came a 'Survey of Listeners to the English Service' of China Radio, another answers required sheet in questionnaire box-chart format. This one with no less than 29 questions on a double sided half A2 sheet. Personal stuff again, occupation, education, qualification, age from under 9 upwards in eight age bands. This might have been better asked in three bands as 'do you drink milk, coke or beer'. Of course if none it would be hard to fix an age. A feature about this sheet is a reception box which has every CRI frequency preprinted in continental sequence with space alongside to tick good, fair, poor etc. Likewise there's a box for programs and another for announcers (names preprinted). Like filling in a SINPO box. Surveys received at CRI with a pre-May 31st postmark will go into the hat for a random draw for a number of winners. The question again is "Are CRI also testing the water prior to deciding on making cuts?". A word about the current edition of the 'The Messenger'. It states that CRI received a record 1,175,096 letters and e-mails last year to all language services. This is the Year of the Sheep; a full blown feature article appears on page 2 and there's news of an issue of Sheep stamps. There are Winter Games, Forestry and musical features and a couple of personnel profiles. Notwithstanding the claim that they have an abundance of writers the Mail Bag column is a mere shadow of those of the past. Nevertheless the 8 cram-packed pages of the bi-monthly Messenger contain much to attract all who have interest in the Orient (CHRISTOPHER J WILLIAMS, April World DX Club Contact via Alan Roe, DXLD) ** CHINA. China Radio International in English to Af: 1600-1657 on NF 11900* (unregistered in A-03), ex 9870 \\ 9565 *strong co-channel Radio Bulgaria in German to WEu from 1630 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 1 via DXLD) ** CHINA [and non]. Strong signal with non stop Chinese instrumental music at 2230 UT April 1 on 6285. What is it jamming? Strong signal also for WYFR on 6300 from Taiwan (Roberto Scaglione - South Italy, hard-core-dx via DXLD) http://www.bclnews.it ** COLOMBIA. No hay señales de vida de Radio Melodía en 6140 kHz. Saludos (desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Adán González, April 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO. On 1 Apr at 1800 R. Gabon in French on 4777. On 1 Apr at 1805 R. Congo, Brazzaville in French on 4765. (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COSTA RICA. PURA VIDA! NEW PROGRAM! (60 minutes) Pura Vida! is aimed towards our German listeners who are interested in Latin America as well as Latin American immigrants who are living in Europe and looking for information about their home countries. Half of the program will be in German and the other thirty minutes in Spanish. The program aims to provide news from Latin America as well as interviews and features about issues concerning Central America that have an impact on the rest of the world. In cooperation with other radio projects such as Onda in Berlin, Germany http://www.npla.de the hosts seek out interesting people and stories from within Costa Rica. Pura Vida! is produced by two German volunteers in the studios of RFPI in Costa Rica. Sun: 1600- Topics: Segment 1 (German): Opinions and Feelings from Latin America on the Iraq War. Features interviews with correspondents in Mexico, Brazil and Dominican Republic, impressions from a anti-war-demonstration in Mexico and interviews with Eduardo Galeanos and the Ecuadorian sociologist Felipe Burbano. Produced in cooperation with Onda, http://www.npla.de (30:00 minutes) Segment 2 (Spanish): Reflections on the anti-war demonstration in San José, Costa Rica on 20, March 2003 (20:00 minutes) E-mail contact: info@rfpi.org (RFPI Weekly Update week ending April 5 via DXLD) Word too late for this week; indeed heard in German at 0415 UT Mon check, when propagation to Germany should be best, tho a bit early by the local clock. The other repeats would be Sun 2200, Mon 1000, neither very promising whilst on 7 MHz only (gh, DXLD) RFPI Putting good signals into the UK from at least 0600 on 7445 (Mike Barraclough, April World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** CROATIA [non]. Croatian Radio returned to 9925 (ex-7285) for the two North American releases via DTK-Jülich at 01-03 (to the East) and 03-05 (to the West); other frequencies used in B02 remain the same (Joe Hanlon in Philadelphia, Mar 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So also 9925 at 2300-0100 to SAm ** CUBA. Radio Habana Cuba escuchada en los 9495 Hz, con su servicio en español, a la 0152 UT, el 30/03. Señal débil. Sólo ha sido oída ese día (desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Adán González, April 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. Hi guys, while your all busy with tuning the war and new frequencies. I`ve been Quito-watching. I hear HCJB with musical mailbag from 0600 to 0630 on new 9860 ex 5965, (Suns) with fair signals. I`m not sure if it`s Pifo or the Euro relay. Their web site will verify this, I guess. Midweek Studio 9 can be heard at this time. No sign of 15185 for their 2000/2200 release, but I`ve only checked on one day (Don Rhodes, Vic., Mar 31, EDXP via DXLD) 9860 is Pifo; big signal here after 0600, as if the NAm service were continuing (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. Looked for R. Cairo`s new English to NAm frequency 11725 on Mar 30, but conditions too bad. Mar 31 checking at 2256, found a weak tone test, of exactly same pitch as 9990, where English presumably ended at 2245. Some music, very low modulation, heard on 11725 after 2300, but severely squeezed by much stronger adjacents, Spanish on 11720, RFE on 11730. 9990 stayed on and started some extremely distorted Portuguese(?) at 2300, seemingly joined in progress, but was off at 2307 recheck. Portuguese is supposed to be on 11790 at 2215-2330, all per sked in DXLD 3-040. Finally checked 11780 ex-9475 at 0200-0330; as expected, Amazônia is still on then with usual big signal, but now at 0225 April 2, something mixing with it in English, presumably Cairo. Signal levels about equal, and if Cairo`s modulation were up to par, they might have a fighting chance. But why fight? Are they on top further east? Cairo progressively lost out to Brasília over the next hour; Amazônia went off at 0340*, too late. Adjacent Martí + jamming on 11775 doesn`t help either. What a sloppy operation Cairo runs. But that`s nothing new (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio El Cairo: Captada con señal regular por los 11790 kHz. Esta emisora egipcia, desafortunadamente durante años tiene un serio problema que no han podido corregir. Se trata de su modulación, la cual es muy pobre. No sé si se trata de su emisor ó de sus micrófonos de estudio, aunque me inclino por la segunda opción, ya que el problema solamente lo he detectado con el Servicio en Castellano y no en lo demás idiomas. Presentaron un programa deportivo en voz de una locutora. SINPO: 33333. 26/03/2003 (Jorge García Rangel, Venezuela, Mar 31, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** EGYPT. Radio Cairo con nuevo esquema a partir del 1ero de abril. En español, de 0045-0200 UT, por los 11790, 11780 y la nueva frecuencia de 31 metros de 11755 kHz (sic). Lo más seguro es que sea un error de la locutora y se trate de los 9755 kHz (desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Adán González, April 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EL SALVADOR. 17835.16, R. Imperial in Spanish, 2308-0300 3/28, Contemporary Christian music with Spanish vocals. Various music styles, including rock 'n' roll. Their modulation has greatly improved, at least on the music selections. However, the audio is distorted when the studio microphone is used. Time checks by a YL at 0039 and 0043, with frequent pre-recorded IDs for their MW outlet. Signal was best between 0000-0058, with SINPO of 34433. NHK interval signal causes QRM at 0058. Still audible at 0300, but much weaker, and with QRM from what sounds like another station in Spanish on 17835 (George Maroti, NY, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) mystery harmonic? [non]. Gone are the days of hearing R. Imperial on 17835v, at least in the 2200 hour. RCI in French there now Mar 31, tho not especially strong here, probably beamed south, but doesn`t take much to block. What can you expect --- R. Imperial was not represented at Sandton, thus does not exist to the HFCC club (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GABON. On 1 Apr at 1800 R. Gabon in French on 4777. On 1 Apr at 1805 R. Congo, Brazzaville in French on 4765. (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. I listened to the LAST English from DW to Australia/Pac (29/3) and expected to hear some sort of announcement. Nothing was mentioned about this being the last English program on short-wave. Monitors have been asked to try for some of the Asian services in English (Don Rhodes, Yarra Glen, Vic., EDXP via DXLD) ** GERMANY. The following can be found on the DW website, trying to put a positive spin on ceasing English to NA, Australia and NZ. A FACELIFT FOR RADIO BROADCASTS IN ENGLISH The English Service of Deutsche Welle (DW), Germany's international broadcaster has substanitally improved its programming. The changes were made on 30 March 2003 with the start of summer time in Germany. "News every hour is now our visiting card," says Uta Thofern, Head of the English Service. The English Service now airs 24 news bulletins a day instead of the previous 13. Newslink, the flagship current affairs program, is now broadcast round the clock on weekdays in the form of special editions tailored to meet the requirements of different audiences around the world. There are now three live editions of Newslink for the Asia-Pacific Region, two for Africa, and three for North America and Europe every weekday, with repeats. They highlight not only top world, European and German stories but also news and developments in the respective target regions. "We are now able to cover breaking stories faster and in greater depth than ever before," says Uta Thofern. Changes have also been made to feature programming with an increased emphasis on rebroadcasting successful programs such as Arts on the Air, Living in Germany and Inspired Minds. The same applies to Money Talks or the science program Spectrum. Africa Kaleidoscope, the weekly program for and about Africa, tackles the latest stories and developments and has a sister program, Asia This Week. That means two new 30-minute programs for Africa and Asia. Moreover, development issues have been given a weekly slot with the new half-hour program World in Progress. More attention is being paid to the environment with Man and Environment extended to 30 minutes weekly. "Our team of feature editors now has more time to devote to their successful co- operation with organizations like German Technical Co-operation, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and UNESCO," Thofern says. "And we have a new highlight in our arts coverage with Europe on Stage, a weekly 15 minute program." To date DW-RADIO's English Service has broadcast to all of its target audiences via shortwave. Deutsche Welle has now taken the conditions prevailing on individual media markets into account and has terminated short wave transmissions to North America, Australia and New Zealand (via Art Preis, Ont., Mar 31, swprograms via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Yesterday, I received some information from Radio Deutsche Welle about some special programming that will mark the 50th anniversary of the station:  On 30 April/1 May, Living in Germany will feature general information about DW, including: their goals, those who make the programs, how Germans see their international broadcaster, and their plans for the future.  On 28/29 April, Insight will be broadcasting information on the history of DW.  On 29/30 April, Arts on the Air will be featuring information about the cultural scene at the time when DW was born.  On 27/28 April, Mailbag will feature stories and memories, associated with DW, from listeners.  On 1/2 May, Cool will be broadcasting information about young people's reactions to DW.  On 2/3 May, Spectrum will look at the history of radio (since 1953 at least) from a technical point of view. Of course, times and frequencies for all these programmes are available at http://www.dw-world.de/ 73 (from Cornwall, England, Henry Brice, April 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY [and non]. DW Monitoring: March 31 0000-0100 UT -- 7130 kHz. (Trincomalee 250 kW) putting in a good (S9+), listenable, if somewhat shaky signal here. SINPO-54334. QRM from occasional ham stations and some static crashes. 9505 (Trincomale) and 9825 (Wertachtal) not heard as frequencies are occupied by other stations. Program of news and mailbag program. (Signal arriving here from over the northern auroral zone as beam is 345 degrees, which places it eventually right on or near Chicago. At this time of year, it is also riding the day/night grayline terminator, more or less. As season progresses toward summer here, it is unlikely that reception on this frequency will be possible in NA.) [On the Sony SW-07 with whip antenna, SINPO=34333] March 31 0400-0500 UT -- 11945 is again quite good (a solid S9+ on the meter). SINPO=45534. 7225 kHz. has a noisy signal, though measured signal strength is just short of 11945's. (43333--some ham QRM chatter and about an S9 signal, for the most part). Both signals suffer tonight from short, shallow fading.) 15410 is inaudible. Program content: News followed by "Mailbag". (Both audible frequencies originate from Kigali and use 250 kW. 11945 is beamed 30 degrees to the Mideast and East Africa. 7225 is listed as non- directional to the same region.) [On the Sony SW-07 with whip only, 11945 gave comparable results. 7225 was inaudible.] March 31: 0500-0600 UT -- 9700 (via Kigali, 250 kW) with fair signal (S3-S7). (SINPO-34333). Signal weakens over time. Very weak, barely readable signal on 12045. 11925, 13755 and 15410 inaudible. Program: News, Inquiring Minds and music. 9700, Kigali using non-directional antenna to east and central Africa, according to DW-supplied info. [No signal received with Sony SW07 and whip antenna.] March 31 0600-0700 UT -- Best frequency at this hour is 9780 (via Sines, 250 kW to West Africa) with fair signal (S3-S5). (SINPO- 35333). 6140 (via Juelich, 100 kW to Europe) was audible, but (atmospheric) noise level was very high (SINPO-35232). 17860 (via Kigali, 250 kW to West Africa) was weak (S2-S3/SINPO-25332). Program: News and Mailbag program. [No listenable signal received with Sony SW07 and whip antenna.] March 31 1000-1100 UT and 1100-1200 UT -- Nothing heard here; perhaps west coast can hear these transmissions to Asia, but it would be 3 and 4 am there. April 1 0400-0500 UT -- In contrast to the last two days, 7225 has the better signal today (S9+/SINPO=44333). 11945 is notably weaker S3-S5 on the meter). SINPO=35232. 15410 (Wertachtal with 500 kW beamed 135 degrees to the Mideast and East Africa) is again inaudible. Program content: News, Newslink followed by "Insight". (Both audible frequencies originate from Kigali and use 250 kW. 11945 is beamed 30 degrees to the Mideast and East Africa. 7225 is listed as non-directional to the same region.) [On the Sony SW-07 with whip only, 7225 yielded a SINPO=34333. 11945 was inaudible--the reverse situation of the previous night.] April 1 0500-0600 UT -- 9700 (via Kigali, 250 kW) again tonight with a fair signal (S3-S7), but in the clear and offering comfortable listening. (SINPO-34444). Appears to be holding up better tonight than previous nights. Very weak, barely readable signals on 12045, 13755 and 15410. Program: News, Newslink. 9700, Kigali using non- directional antenna to east and central Africa, according to DW- supplied info. [9700 detected with Sony SW07 and whip antenna, but signal too weak to be of any use.] April 1 0600-0700 UT -- Best frequencies at this hour is 9780 (via Sines, 250 kW to West Africa) (S3-S5/35333) and 17860 (via Kigali, 250 kW to West Africa) (S3-S5/SINPO-35433), both with fair signals. 6140 and 15275 barely audible. Program: News and Newslink monitored. [No listenable signal received with Sony SW07 and whip antenna.] April 2 0000-0100 UT -- 7130 kHz (Trincomalee 250 kW) putting in a good signal on the meter (S9+), but the audio is shallow and there is considerable noise perhaps due to reception coming over the pole. SINPO-54233. QRM, again, from occasional ham stations and static crashes. 9505 (Trincomale) and 9825 (Wertachtal) were at least heard tonight, but just barely and under other stations. Program of news, Newslink and a program called "World in Progress", I believe. (Signal arriving here from over the northern auroral zone as beam is 345 degrees, which places it eventually right on or near Chicago. At this time of year, it is also riding the day/night grayline terminator, more or less. As season progresses toward summer here, it is unlikely that reception on this frequency will be possible in NA.) [Was not able to test using the Sony SW-07 this time.] (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY (near Albany), Lowe HF-150 stack, A/D Sloper antenna, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY [non]. RUSSIA: Deutsche Welle in Chinese, via Komsomol`sk, was noted here on 15605 kHz with a good signal at 2335 on April 1. It's interesting to note that this is the same frequency and transmitter used for the new English transmission to East Asia at 22- 23... should be worth a try in Eastern North America if propagation allows for any reception from the Russian Far East (Joe Hanlon in Philadelphia, USA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Right now (1025 March 31) Jülich 6140 is again running DRM, so this indeed appears to be a permanent switch. And Wilsdruff 1431 is still on. (Impossible to check the other Megaradio transmitters here in the office.) Regards, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) At 0805 April 1, Jülich 6140 was running in AM with Deutsche Welle English as usual. Meanwhile I was told that 6140 is supposed to run in DRM for six hours a day or something like that. It remains to be seen whether certain times for DRM operation will be established or the switches will occur more or less irregular. Berlin-Britz 6190 was yesterday on until I lost reception around 1900. Today there was at 0645 a faint carrier on 6190 which could have been anything. At 0805 I could not trace any signal on 6190, but 6005 was very weak at this time, so I cannot say for sure if the plug was really pulled in the meantime. And: Megaradio is still on mediumwave, at least on 1431 right now (0900). (Kai Ludwig, Germany, April 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Next update at 1939 UT: 6140 kHz --- There are designated times for DRM operation: 1000-1300 and 1600-1900, see http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/html/drm_latest.html 6190 kHz --- No further knowledge so far. Dieter Leupold quoted the senior engineer of the Berlin-Britz site, in case you wonder how trustworthy his ROI report was. Megaradio --- The transmitters are still on but apparently the webhoster lost his patience: The server 195.30.254.131 belonging to http://www.megaradio.net and http://www.megaradio.de is unreachable while http://www.megaradio.com now connects to broken parts of a Microsoft presence (``Vielen Dank, dass Sie Microsoft® Windows NT® 4.0 Option Pack installiert haben``´). Posters in a bulletin board refer to http://infoworld.shinewelt.de/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=1 for a statement on this matter, but the links on this page only lead to an unreachable server too (Kai Ludwig, Germany, April 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. WOLFGANG BUESCHEL sends in some research he has done on German external service transmission sites. The Oosterlog transmitter site, near Bremen on Germany`s Northsea coast, was a very special German radio installation. It was first erected for private commercial radio transmissions to England, rented through the British firm Air Time Limited, before World War Two started, similar to the Radio Luxembourg 232 kHz outlet. A large directional antenna farm was built at the site, capable of using any frequency in the range 400 to 1030 kHz. The purpose of the station was changed in World War Two to a Nazi propaganda mediumwave station towards England. There were two transmission current beam masts 150 metres high, four reflector masts 120 metres high and four additional 120 metre high director masts. The site was used for BBC transmissions on 1295 after World War Two which were then moved to Crowborough, later replaced by the current Orfordness transmissions. The site was dismantled by NWDR Hamburg, the public broadcaster, in 1949/50 and simultaneously NWDR erected maritime radio equipment. German Foreign service transmissions started from Oosterlog using a small 20 kw unit on August 1st 1950, main target was the Soviet zone of Germany to boost the NWDR 971 medium wave programme to the East. The British zone military commander gave a licence for a fuller German external service and tests started from Oosterlog on December 24th 1952 to five continents at three hours each with 20 kw using the 16, 19, 25 or 41 metre bands. Deutsche Welle was inaugurated and started from the site on May 3rd 1953 with two 20 kw units. The Max Planck Institute planned a new shortwave centre and the Julich site was built up and started with 100kw units on April 1st 1956. The two 20 kw units were moved from Oosterlog to Juelich in 1959. A medium wave outlet of Deutschlandfunk towards Scandinavia, Benelux and Great Britain was planned from 1964 by Deutsche Bundespost, now Deutsche Telekom. Test broadcasts on 1268 kHz were first observed in May and June 1967 from reserve units at Koenigslutter and Mainflingen. From August 4th 1967 these were from new 300 kw units at the Neumunster Ehdnorf site. Correspondence with Funkschau magazine in July 1967 revealed that Deutsche Bundespost asked the hobby press to keep the matter confidential due to the co-channel station at Novisad, Yugoslavia. Officially Deutschlandfunk from Neumunster started with 2 300 kw transmitters, 600 kw in total, on October 24th 1967. The two antenna masts were screened towards Yugoslavia at 140 degrees. Foreign services on medium wave had started already in 1963 via Mainflingen 1538 but Benelux, UK and Scandinavian services were moved to the 1268 transmitter from January 1968. // MIKE BARRACLOUGH adds "I can remember well the start of Deutschlandfunk English programmes on 1268 kHz; reception of them varied throughout the year in the UK as they were transmitted in the early evenings. At times they were well received; however in some months the Novi Sad transmitters caused interference problems. I have a red yellow and black Deutschlandfunk pennant in my collection; they sent a number to the World DX Club to distribute to members when the 1268 service first started. World DX Club¹s first editor, Alan Thompson, started a fortnightly DX programme on their English service in 1969 which ran for many years." (April World DX Club Contact via Alan Roe, DXLD) ** GREECE. Voice of Greece ``Orientations`` programme in English heard 0930-1000 March 31st on 12105 and 15630. Sunday only ``It`s All Greek to Me`` heard March 30th 1800-1900 on 9420 15630 [should also be Delano 17705 but I didn`t check yet --- gh], English news and features programme 1830-1900 heard on 12110 (Mike Barraclough, UK, WDXC Contact via DXLD) ** HAITI. (Cont'd) I have been informed directly from Port-au-Prince that R. Haïti Inter stopped its (AM and FM) broadcasts on Saturday February 22. On March 21 examining magistrate Bernard Saint Vil submitted his "final" report on the assassination of Jean L. Dominique, the station's owner - with "no revelations", according to journalist associations. Moreover, no charges were laid against Senator Dany Toussaint, previously held responsible by the former magistrate on this case, Judge Claudy Gassant, presently in the US. Several people are being held in prison on charges related to the killing of Dominique and his bodyguard, Jean Claude Louissaint, but no light has been formally shed on those who masterminded the shooting, which took place in Pétion-Ville, a mostly residential town on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince on April 3, 2000. Dominique's widow, Michèle Montas, announced she would be appealing the report's findings, otherwise the process is likely to open in April. Mrs. Montas declared that for the time being, due to the threats received, the station would not resume its broadcasts (Victor C. Jaar, QC, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. WORLDSPACE NEWS I note that the RBC (Rohit Broadcasting Corporation) channel is now carrying a continuous announcement saying that RBC is no longer on AfriStar. In just the last few days, the Radio Sawa channel (AfriStar east beam) has at last got a proper display ID --- SAWA. Up till now the display ID had been PKONE ever since I first spotted it almost three months ago. However, the coded channels PKTWO, PKTHREE and PKFOUR are still there on AfriStar east with no further clues to their real identity. One can`t help wondering if they may also be US government broadcasts. The Radio Sawa audio is still rather poor -- sounds as if they are using a very low bit-rate. [probably four different R. Sawa versions --- gh] NPR is currently uncoded. I heard them announcing that this was just for the month of March, after which they would go back to being encoded. They said existing subscribers (I wonder how many there are of those) would have their subscription period extended by a month as compensation (Chris Greenway, Nairobi, April BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) For more on satellite television monitoring, see Loren Cox`s report below under IRAQ and non ** IRAN. MEDIA BEHAVIOUR 2300 GMT 31 MAR - 0600 GMT 1 APR 03 Iranian radio's external service broadcast two commentaries after its 0030 gmt news bulletin. As it has been the case with the broadcast media, both commentaries took a hardline view of the US-UK war on Iraq and, unlike the reformist press which have been criticizing Tehran's passive and pro-Iraqi stance, praised Iran's current stance. The first commentary dismissed Powell's recent remarks on Iran as yet another "old-time baseless claim", but noted "certain objectives" behind its repetition. The second, while acknowledging the "harm inflicted by Saddam on Iran-Iraq relations", highlighted the common elements of the two neighbouring Islamic states, and called on the US and the UK to respect the lives of civilians and religious sites, particularly the towns where Shi'i imams are buried. Iranian radio's first morning bulletin of news, lasting five minutes, at 0230 gmt, was dominated again by factual war reports, in particular reports on differences among US officials, prolongation of the war, global anti-war demonstrations, and the Iraqi civilian casualties. Reporting the death of seven Iraqi civilians, the radio said: "The American military claimed that the civilians had ignored their command to stop and fired on them. The American news sources failed to mention that the victims were women and children." The detailed news bulletin at 0330 gmt was dominated by foreign agency reports on the war, including an Al-Jazeera report on George Bush senior joining the critics of the war, and asking his son to halt the war. Neither of the two domestic radio morning bulletins mentioned the report on a vehicle crashing into the gates of the British embassy. There were no commentaries after the 0330 gmt bulletin. Two-minute factual news summaries on "the latest developments in Iraq" were broadcast at 0430, 0530. The 0530 bulletin cited a Pentagon report that Saddam's family members intend to leave the country. The radio noted that the report was part of the "continuing psychological war by America against Iraq". (BBCM via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. New clandestine via Norway - Voice of Iran in Persian: 1800-2057 on 7525 (55555) via KVI 200 kW / 120 deg to ME, not \\ on 11575 1630-1830 via ISS 500 kW / 090 deg !!!!! [FRANCE] (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 1 via DXLD) ** IRAN [non] Questions on End of Iraqi-based Clandestines Re: ``IRAN [non]. Iraq: After UK troops took the R&TV building in Basra today afternoon, some of the clandestine stations stopped their broadcasts: Voices of Mojahed Revolution and Comm. Party of Iran on 3880, 4380 kHz (V. of Revolution last time heard today at 0230-0330 in Kurdish). KOMALA on 3930, 4615. Iranian Kurdistan 3975. Radio Kurdistan on 4140 vary (Mar 27). (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, Mar 28 via Wolfgang Bueschel, DXLD)`` This is confusing; can you guys clarify? Voice of Mojahed Revolution, I haven't heard of this station, does he mean Voice of the Iranian Revolution? and Comm. Party of Iraq, Voice of Iranian Communist Party? KOMALA, Voice of Komala, yes? Iranian Kurdistan, Voice of Iranian Kurdistan, yes? Radio Kurdistan is the station of the Kurdish Socialist Democratic Party; isn't this party in opposition to the government of Iraq? If so, why would it be coming from Basra instead of a site in Iraqi Kurdistan? (Johnson) ``IRAN [non]. IRAQ-IRAN. The Voice of Mudjahidin of the People which spreads programs towards Iran has it seems stopped emitting . . . . (machine translation via Bernard Chenal, France, March 29, fixed up a bit by gh for DXLD)`` Still a confusing item, seems to refer to Voice of the Mojahed. Better website is http://www.mojahedin.org/Pages/seda/index.html where I couldn't get their audio files to play just now (Hans Johnson, LA, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** IRAQ. Heard an interesting item at the end of Monday`s The Current on CBC Radio One; apparently this blogger is well known, but I had not heard about him: Baghdad Blogger While the world has been watching bombs fall on Baghdad, a growing community of people on the internet has been following a different Baghdad story ... the story of Salam Pax. Salam is the author of a web diary called 'Where is Raed?' Over the past few months the Baghdad-based writer has posted updates on his website about the build-up to war and the beginning of the bombing campaign. And they powerful eyewitness account or an act of the imagination? We may never know, for the author of those words is apparently missing. No new writing has appeared on the website since Monday March 24th. The mystery of his whereabouts ... and the greater mystery of his identity ... have created a frenzy of speculation on- line. Technology journalist Paul Boutin has been following this drama from the beginning. He was in New York. You can find out more about Salam Pax's weblog http://www.dearraed.blogspot.com Listen to The Current: Part 3 audio link at http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/2003/200303/20030331.html BTW, it`s usually frustrating trying to listen to CBC Radio One morning programs, getting one server alert after another, trying station after station, especially in the initial Atlantic zone feed (when the show is also on RCI), and must try +1/2/3/4 hours later or go back to the archive as above; see also USA Sawa (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ [and non]. INVENTOR ANGRY OVER IRAQ RADIO CAMPAIGN By Dominic White and Adam Jay (Filed: 31/03/2003) Trevor Baylis, creator of the clockwork radio, expressed outrage yesterday that American forces have been using his invention in Iraq to "spread propaganda". Mr Baylis, whose wind-up invention was originally used to spread awareness of HIV in South Africa, said he was dismayed to hear that.... http://www.dailytelegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2003/03/31/cnradio31.xml&sSheet=/money/2003/03/31/ixfrontcity.html (via Jilly Dybka, KF4ZEO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ. March 27th: The Times reported that 3000 wind up radios had been smuggled into Basra and tuned into an Arabic speaking station broadcasting coalition messages. A further 5000 were said to be on their way. March 31st: The Radio 4 Today programme carried a feature on the Royal Marine¹s psyop unit. They interviewed Lt. Colonel Colin Mason who is running Radio Nahrein (spelling?) on 100.4 to Basra. They broadcast pop music and messages reassuring the population that the troops are not going to go away, as in 1991, and that humanitarian aid is available and is only being held up by the Republican Guard. Colin is deputy chairman of Choice FM in civilian life (from a chronology by Mike Barraclough, April World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** IRAQ. BBC Radio 4's "Today" programme today (31st March) had an item called "Good Morning Iraq" about the British PsyOps operation in southern Iraq, Radio Nahrain. You can hear an on-demand recording of this item at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listen/listen.shtml If you visit the website after the 31st, you will need to use the "Search the Sound Archive" feature to find the clip. Regards, (Dave Kernick, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The individual clip file was not (yet?) found. I then spot checked every few minutes in the entire half hour programme, and still did not find it. Must be quite brief. How far into the show is it? (Glenn Hauser) It was about 50 minutes into the two hour programme (Mike Barraclough, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, It's actually a 3-hour programme, but there's a link to the specific "Good Morning Iraq" item in the "Today's Choice Clips" column. However, the bad news is that it doesn't work! I've informed them so hopefully they'll fix it soon (perhaps it'll fix itself when it goes into their archive tomorrow), but if I have to I can probably obtain a recording elsewhere. Regards, (Dave Kernick, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re my recent e-mail about the "Good Morning Iraq" item on BBC Radio 4: Sorry guys, I now find that the audio file is not accessible on their website due to a dud link - they have been informed. It may be accessible anyway when it rotates into their on-demand archive tomorrow, let me know if you're still having problems with it after tomorrow (Dave Kernick, UK, Mar 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ [non]. 9715, Information Radio, 0150 Mar 31, talk in Arabic by OM and YL, many mentions of Iraq, occasionally cutting to Arabic- language music, full ID as "Radiyo al Ma`ulumat" at 0218; mixing with Radio Portugal until 0200, then suffering from splash from Tunisia on 9720 after 0200; signal strength poor, about 50% intelligibility; first time I've heard them since the war started; first time since the war started that solar flux is above 150; seems to be in AM- compatible USB (USB + carrier, LSB suppressed) (Ralph Brandi, Tinton Falls, New Jersey, USA AOR AR-7030 Plus, 250-foot mini-Beverage, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** IRAQ. OF FEAR AND TRUST --- The tricky task of a `psy-ops` campaign is to both scare the enemy --- and gain his trust By Brian Braiker NEWSWEEK WEB EXCLUSIVE March 26 ``To avoid destruction, follow Coalition guidelines,`` reads one of the approximately 20 million leaflets dropped on Iraq in recent weeks. ``Display White Flags On Vehicles … Personnel Must Gather in Groups a Minimum of One Kilometer Away From Their Vehicles … [Do] Not Approach Coalition Forces.`` http://www.msnbc.com/news/891263.asp?0cv=KB20 (via Jilly Dybka, KF4ZEO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ. MIND OVER MATERIEL IN THE BATTLE TO SWAY IRAQIS, DID THE U.S. MILITARY PSYCH ITSELF OUT? By Joel Achenbach Washington Post Staff Writer Saturday, March 29, 2003; Page C01 Dan Kuehl believes in psyops. He's a professor at the National Defense University, at Fort McNair, and he's an expert in psyops, or psychological operations, a subset of information operations, also known as information warfare. He knows that psyops is a highly evolved, technologically sophisticated variant of what was known, in more primitive times, as propaganda. That doesn't mean that it involves lying. . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45206-2003Mar28.html (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) BTW, for those unfamiliar with names in English, Jilly is almost certainly a woman. ``Jack and Jill``, being the quintessential boy and girl (gh) ** IRAQ [and non]. NEW PSY-OPS FREQUENCIES SUGGEST EMERGENCE OF NORTHERN FRONT - CRW analysis The Clandestine Radio Watch e-mail newsletter on 31 March published the following analysis by its correspondent Nick Grace: New frequencies used by US and allied propaganda radio programmes airing against Baghdad suggest an aggressive campaign is in the works to "soften" the regime's presence in and around northern Iraq - leading to the opening of the northern front. The two stations, Information Radio, which is broadcast from the airborne EC-130E Commando Solo aircraft and produced by US and British special forces, and Voice of the Iraqi People, which began broadcasting in 1991 from Saudi transmitters and has been tied to US and Saudi intelligence, began pumping out psy-op messages in the 4 MHz range late last week. Although the 4 MHz frequency range is not known to be used by Iraq state-run radio, it is notable for its extensive use by opposition radio stations based in Iraqi Kurdistan: 3900 kHz Voice of the Iraqi People (Iraqi Communist Party) [1700-1800 gmt] 3975 kHz Voice of Iranian Kurdistan (Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan) [0300-0500 gmt] 4025 kHz Voice of the People of Kurdistan (Patriotic Union of Kurdistan) [0300-0400?, 1600-1800 gmt] 4025 kHz Voice of the Liberation of Iraq ("Iraqi opposition") [1830- 2030 gmt] 4085 kHz Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan (Kurdistan Democratic Party) [1900- 2200 gmt] 4140.6 kHz Radio Kurdistan (Kurdistan Socialist Democratic Party) [0300-0500 gmt] 4175.8 kHz Voice of Independence (Kurdistan Conservative Party) [1700-1800? gmt] 4245.2 kHz Voice of Kurdistan Toilers (Kurdistan Toilers Party) [0300- 0500? gmt] 4380.9 kHz Voice of Communist Party of Iran (Komala) [1700-1800? gmt] 4615 kHz Voice of Komala (Revolutionary Organization of Toilers of Iranian Kurdistan) [1700- 1900? gmt] {someone`s unID earlier} Source: Monitoring between November 2002 and March 2003 Information Radio, veteran Egyptian monitor Tarek Zeidan noted on DXing.info on 28 March, has begun using 4500 kHz around approximately 1800 gmt. The Voice of the Iraqi People was also heard the same day on 4785 kHz at 1900 gmt. The majority of coalition psy-op broadcasts have focused on southern Iraq since the US began airing Information Radio in December 2002. The sudden use of 4 MHz by the two stations coincides with the arrival of 1,200 paratroopers from the US Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade on 26 and 27 March. The troops, according to military officials interviewed by the Associated Press, are tasked with securing oil fields in Mosul and Kirkuk, coordinating paramilitary activities conducted by Kurdish rebels, and opening the drive to Tikrit - where the bulk of Saddam Husayn's notoriously loyal Republican Guard units are believed to have positioned. Small US Special Forces A-Teams have long been active in Northern Iraq to train Kurdish peshmerga forces and are believed to be jointly running a station called Voice of the Liberation of Iraq with the CIA. The station, which launched on 21 February, is allegedly broadcast by the "Iraqi opposition" from Sulaymaniyah via the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan's Voice of the People of Kurdistan. A high-level source in the Iraqi opposition based in Sulaymaniyah, however, has repeatedly told Clandestine Radio Watch that "no one here seem to know" about the broadcasts. The Voice of the Liberation of Iraq's programming is consistent with messages broadcast by Information Radio - with two major exceptions. It broadcasts in both Arabic and Kurdish, and only broadcasts patriotic martial music during its daily two-hour broadcast. Its programming, in fact, is highly reminiscent of the CIA's Operation Sherwood, which applied intense pressure on Guatemala's leftist government in 1954 through radio broadcasts representing a notional (fictitious) guerrilla group. The existence and nature of the station suggests that Washington seeks to create the perception of a united Kurdish-Arab force that, with coalition assistance, will lead the march into Tikrit and Baghdad. The Voice of the Iraqi People, of which little attention has been paid to recently by radio monitors, is also clearly playing a role in the conflict. Begun in March 1991 following the Gulf War, the station's cover was blown by the New York Times when it was reported to broadcast from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with a staff of 40 journalists. It has broadcast regularly since then on 5897, 9563, 9750 and 11710 kHz. Achraf Chaabane reports that the Voice of the Iraqi People also blankets Iraq with similar psy-op messages that are broadcast from Information Radio and Voice of the Liberation of Iraq targeting the regime's armed forces. "Act now," the announcers urge enlisted conscripts. "Leave your military units... There is no time delay... The dictator, Saddam, is the cause of all of your problems." The degree of coordination between the Voice of the Iraqi People and coalition pro-democratic propaganda had previously been unknown. Its sudden use of 4785 kHz leaves little doubt that the station is also participating closely in the "shock and awe" campaign over the airwaves - especially now with the emergence of the northern front. While radio is beginning to be used extensively against the regime's positions in northern Iraq, psy-op television broadcasts are increasingly hijacking Baghdad TV's channel. The TV interference, according to Brig-Gen Vincent Brooks during a Central Command press conference on 28 March, is a method of "disrupting command and control. Jamming is only one of them, and we use that when we believe it's appropriate." The Japanese newspaper Asahi reported on 29 March that Arabic- language messages over soothing music and videos of "non-Arab announcers" reading anti-Saddam statements "from the allied forces" have been seen regularly. "Iraq will enjoy freedom after the end of the war," one interruption promised. "You can choose YOUR government freely..." Another message, according to the report, said that "US troops have already arrived in Baghdad... Shi'i Muslims started uprising to topple Saddam regime." Said another: "Our attack is to liberate the people of Iraq... We solely target military facilities... Iraqis will enjoy prosperity in the future." Commando Solo's television capabilities are no secret since it has broadcast psy-op TV programs for Serbia in 1999 and Panama in 1989. More recently, the Chicago Tribune alleges, it inserted a still image cartoon that depicted Saddam Husayn and his children as rats over Baghdad TV in February. Psy-op programming in southern Iraq, meanwhile, has undergone changes. Central Command revealed on 28 March that the coalition now broadcasts television programming that can be received throughout southern Iraq and even Baghdad. In addition, it was officially announced that British psy-op troops broadcast an AM radio station from Umm Qasr. According to DXing.info's Mika Makelainen, reporting from Doha, the British psy-op program actually broadcasts from Commando Solo and targets remaining elements of the regime's military in Basra on MW and FM. To date, Commando Solo's Information Radio broadcasts have yet to begin Kurdish-language broadcasts. With the sudden launch of programming adjacent to Kurdish opposition radio stations it is likely that Kurdish announcements for civilian listeners will commence on the new 4 MHz frequency once hostilities have spiked. (via BBCM Mar 31 via DXLD) ** IRAQ. MEDIA BEHAVIOUR ROUND-UP 1630 GMT 1 APR 03 On the night of 31 March-1 April Iraq Satellite Channel was observed to broadcast all night on Hot Bird at 13 degrees east, Arabsat at 26 degrees east and Nilesat at 7 degrees west , with occasional interruptions in the signal, showing its normal blend of repeated news conferences: songs, concerts and poems in praise of Saddam Husayn; military march pasts; scenes of Saddam meeting the people and images of war. This is the first time in a week that the signal has not faded or gone off the air overnight. The channel continues to be observed by BBC Monitoring as of the time of writing. Republic of Iraq Television, the domestic service, has not been observed by BBC Monitoring since 1500 gmt on 24 March. However, BBC correspondents and international news agencies reported from Baghdad that Iraqi state TV had read out a statement on the morning of 1 April from President Saddam Husayn. Republic of Iraq Radio was observed on 909 kHz from 0615 gmt on 1 April and was traced on 603 kHz, but remains unheard on other known frequencies. Voice of Youth remains unheard on all recently used frequencies. US-run Information Radio continues to be heard using 693 and 756 kHz mediumwave, 4500 and 9715 kHz shortwave and has been continuing past the previous sign-off time of 2000 gmt. Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan was heard broadcasting US-led forces' messages to the Kurdish people in English and Arabic on 4085 kHz on 31 March (BBCM via DXLD) ** IRAQ. From Media Behaviour 2000 UT April 1 to 0010 UT April 2: Republic of Iraq Radio Main Service overwhelmed from 2010 by Sanaa Republic of Yemen radio on 909 kHz. The radio station remains unheard on the known medium-wave frequencies of 558, 603, 693, 846, 963, 1044 kHz and known short-wave frequencies of 11788, 9750, 11765, and 15230 kHz. Source: BBC Monitoring research in Arabic 1 Apr 03 (via DXLD) Known? Those last few non-heard ones are new to me. We are also not hearing Iraq on countless other frequencies ;-) (gh, DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. US-RUN RADIO FREE IRAQ EXPANDS BROADCASTS | Text of report by Czech newspaper Hospodarske noviny on 26 March headlined "We do not transmit American propaganda to Iraq, [Radio] Free Europe claims" Prague - Latest news from the battle front near the southern Iraqi city of Al-Nasiriyah, an International Red Cross statement on water supplies to Basra, a statement by Iraqi government officials about the Ango-American dream about an easy war having been shattered, Russia's warnings against global repercussions of the Iraqi war - news items like these were beamed to the war zone from Prague-based Radio Free Europe [RFE] yesterday. Since the war started, RFE has been broadcasting to Iraq for 12 hours a day. Editors of the Iraqi service have added a night shift and a day shift and did away with morning repeats of programmes from the previous evening. "Reporters who are now in Baghdad confirmed to us that the signal is clear and strong ," says David Newton, director of the Iraqi service. Newton had served as US diplomat for 36 years, 22 of them in the Middle East. In the eighties he was US ambassador to Iraq. Is the American side using RFE for propaganda against Saddam Husayn? RFE spokesperson Sonia Winter denies this categorically. "Our mission is to broadcast news and disseminate information that is objective, balanced, and complete. Interfering in our broadcasts with the aim of influencing their contents is inadmissible and illegal. Only our editors, reporters, and the RFE management decide what goes on air and they do so on the basis of strictly defined principles of professional journalism," Winter said. To see the operation of the news service with one's own eyes is not possible these days. Chief of the Iraqi service Newton concedes through the spokesperson that this is partly for security reasons. "Many of our reporters broadcast under a pseudonym. They do not want the press to write about them, they refused to grant interviews even before the war. Moreover, in the present circumstances we are under great pressure. We are ourselves in a journalistic state of war," he says. The Arabic and English-language transcripts of all news that RFE broadcasts to Iraq can be found on the http://www.rferl.org website. It is evident from these texts that Iraq and its supporters receive adequate space to convey their positions. RFE broadcasts to Iraq in Arabic, yet for the daily 30-minute news bulletin it also translates the news into Kurdish. Moreover, its editors also broadcast two hours a day to England for the Iraqi minority in exile. "We do occasionally get feedback from our listeners, especially from Kurdistan in northern Iraq. However, for understandable reasons we cannot systematically monitor how many people listen to our broadcasts and whether their number is growing or declining," says Newton. A total of 11 editors work for the Iraqi service in Prague. The radio has a network of correspondents in the capitals of countries neighbouring on Iraq, in western Europe, and in the United States. It now also has six collaborators in northern Iraq (via BBCM Mar 31 via DXLD) ** IRAQ. RADIO DRAWS IMAGE OF WAR THAT'S WORTH 1,000 TV SHOTS Kenneth LaFave, The Arizona Republic, Mar. 29, 2003 12:00 AM What's the best way to follow a war? That's a trick question, because the answer is right in front of you --- isn't it? The best way to follow a war is to read about it, in newsy detail, followed by more reading, this time analytical. But we're talking broadcast media here, and the vote must be for radio or television. Mine is for radio because, while on TV you can see things blow up, on radio you can, if you listen carefully, be transported to the periphery of the explosions. On CBS radio, one reporter noted that in certain parts of Baghdad the air-raid sirens have been knocked out. When attack is imminent, Muslim clerics position themselves high in their minarets and incant warnings to the people. That's an eerie mental picture worth a thousand night-vision shots on TV. There's been some talk of this war being the first "designed for TV," but I'm not so sure. The first for television was certainly Vietnam, though it wasn't designed that way. This does seem to be the first war designed for a phalanx of armchair generals to discuss ad nauseam on many cable TV networks. One reader said she thought TV news anchors and commentators tend to treat the war with a sports attitude she finds offensive - a kind of "Now the Seventh Cavalry has the ball on the Iraqi 30-yard line" approach. Well, as was once said of the Brits, "Empire was won on the playing fields of Eton." Another reader said listening to war reports on radio was superior to seeing them on TV because she could take hearing about bombs going off, but did not wish to watch them actually do their damage. • Tony Femino, formerly of KTAR-AM (620) [Phoenix AZ] and now of Oxford University, has signed on to cover European reaction to the war for his old station. As Femino travels Europe with his Oxford diplomatic studies group, he will file reports to be heard on KTAR on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/arizonaliving/articles/0329media29.html 73 (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** IRAQ [and non]. During the United States invasion of Iraq, there have been numerous press accounts that USA clandestine transmitters at first rebroadcast pirate relays of licensed Iraq stations, subsequently replaced by clandestine versions of those same Iraq stations once the licensed transmitters were destroyed by USA bombs. As has always been the case, the US government is opposed to unlicensed broadcasting, unless the government itself is doing the broadcasting. This has been the essence of clandestine radio broadcasting for many years (George Zeller, OH, Clandestine Profile, April A*C*E* via gh, DXLD) More from GZ under U S A ** IRAQ [and non]. Shall wring me a rune from this werriable werre? By Loren Cox, exclusive to DXLD Had anticipated viewing a version of the Iraq activity via the Iraq Satellite Channel on Telstar 5 (Ku/digital), but it went down shortly after hostilities began. Before it went away altogether, programming would be interrupted with color bars, the programming being the usual paeans of praise for the Black Knight of Araby (as I dubbed S H in 1991), scenes of the populace exhibiting patriotic fervor and news in Arabic (no English: ISC usually had a news bulletin in English around 2200 UT). For some time ISC audio had been weak and distorted. While the channel was down a ``TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES`` chyron was on the screen. Tho` the satellite channel was down, Iraq TV remained on the air in Iraq (being accessed by other Arabic and western networks.). But today (3/25), when I checked around 2215 UT, I noted that ISC was back up with good video (no sparklies as there had been, indicating that a weak analog signal was being uplinked), and improved audio. But the transmission was exhibiting freeze-frames and `tiling`, and periods of digital dropout that increased in duration. (The problem wasn`t in my receiver, the little green light indicating the downlink I was receiving was still radiating.) The channel returned with the same type of programming featuring S H and scenes of patriotic fervor, but also with scenes from around the world of war protesters and news being read by men in uniform. Virtually every television network, both foreign and domestic, is providing at least considerable partial time coverage of this ``werriable werre`` -- the ultimate in ``reality TV`` provided by those ``embedded`` reporters with their videophones. And wasn`t it clever of the Pentagon to make them a part of the action instead of what they are supposed to be: observers of the action attached to no particular military unit, such an attachment presumably becoming emotional with an attendant loss of objectivity --- a reporter identifying with the object of his reportage. Reality TV? But: ``Humankind cannot bear very much reality`` (T.S. Eliot) --- at least the American portion thereof? I mean --- what if they saw the incident of apparent execution of members of a U.S. military maintenance unit as they were seen on Iraqi and Aljezeera television? (note: I spell Aljezeera as it appears on their transmissions) --- I having seen and taped the grim footage from Aj/ --- no doubt available on the internet, but the American networks won`t touch it, or only slightly, CNN showing the bodies strewn on what was apparently a Bagdad morgue floor but without closeups of the individuals. Also shown was interrogation of five captives, one a woman, a bit of which has been shown on the U.S. networks. Unfortunately, I don`t have 24 hour access to Aj/, receiving it part time on another Arabic language channel, ART LATINO on PANAMSAT 9 (C/D). Aj/ has two channels on P 9 (C/D), one NTSC and one PAL, but both encrypted (available by subscription). Despite the Administration`s unhappiness with Aj/, it doesn`t appear to me, of itself, to have a dedicated agenda. Is an operation like Aj/ any less an example of ``free & independent media`` than is NBCCBSABCCNNMSNBCFOX? In some ways, despite cultural differences it may reflect, it may be even more so? --- certainly no less so. Aj/ has an English language service available via the internet; already attacked by hackers. Of all the channels/networks, foreign and domestic I`ve been viewing for war coverage, my vote for the best would be BBC WORLD (PANAMSAT 9 [C/D]), normally encrypted, but FTA [free to air] since the beginning of the war. Two audio channels run, one for TV audio while the other is carrying BBC WORLD SERVICE radio. For DBS subscribers in the U.S. (DISH Network), who receive BBC AMERICA, BBC WORLD can be viewed on that channel. By 0200 UT March 27, I see that BBC AMERICA is not carrying BBC WORLD; gone back to their generally innocuous programming. Besides Aj/ another Arabic language channel providing excellent war coverage is ABU DHABI TV from the UAE (Telstar 5 [Ku/D]. In watching the U.S. networks you`ve no doubt seen footage provided by Aj/ and ABU DHABI TV (e.g., the fireworks over Bagdad). Also on Telstar 5 (Ku/D), providing 24 hour war coverage is NILE TV INTERNATIONAL, with programming in English, French, Hebrew and Arabic. Other international channels providing considerable war coverage include CCTV 4 (Chinese) and CCTV 9 (English) ---quite good from what I`ve seen --- and DEUTSCHE WELLE TV (in English, Spanish and German) --- both channels on PANAMSAT 9 (C/D). Another channel that definitely should be watched in regard to the war is FREE SPEECH TV, available on the DISH Network, Ch. 9415. ST is now carrying both hours of Paciica`s ``Democracy Now``. FSTV is providing needed perspectives and information about the war and what it`s all about that you won`t hear on the commercial networks and PBS. For radio coverage of the war there`s no competition for the BBCWS. Play on patriotism/inculcate bloodlust in the American heart --- the role of so much of the American media, working not only for ratings but as the handmaiden of an Administation agenda framed by certain intellects, the objective of which is a Pax Americana ---``pre- emptive`` wars being required to achieve that --- a subset of the Pax being Israeli preeminence in the Middle East? To keep with this essentially ``Neocon`` program MSNBC had to fire Phil Donahue, his ``libeal`` views being not only an embarrassment in time of war but costing them viewers. Tho` I like Phil and many of his views, I never cared or his style. (To be a ``liberal`` just isn`t patriotic; not to care for Mr. Bush just isn`t patriotic.) MSNBC, to outfox Fox in appealing to the hard right has employed the obscenity who calls himself Michael Savage. (Interestingly, Savage`s book, `The Savage Nation`, and rambunctious leftist Michael Moore`s book `Stupid White Men`, are two and three on the New York times best seller list. What sort of split in the American mind does that indicate? Moore was a guest on Donahue`s program, as was the unreformed old liberal (must be in his 90s now) and one of my alltime favorite people, Studs Terkel.) Old Ezra Pound once said: ``Was are started by men who couldn`t put up a good hen roost.`` Addendum 3/27: Despite a second bombing of the Iraq television facility, Iraq television remains on the air, tho` reportedly with a ``shaky`` signal. The ISC was absent for most of yesterday on the Telstar 5 feed, disappearing altogether after episodes of digital dropout; however, this morning it was back up with no ``tiling`` or dropout. At 1300 UT there was a newscast delivered by a man in uniform. Oops --- just as I was watching an instant of ``tiling``: at the moment a man in uniform interviewing other men in uniform, evidently anxious for the fight. In regard to what we`re really finding out with all of this unprecedented television coverage with scenes of Bagdad fireworks and videophoning with firefights in progress: someone has quoted Eric Sevareid`s remark: ` `There are times when one word is wroth a thousand pictures.`` (Turn off the TV and try BBCWS radio.) Can we say: The ruling class has finally gotten the war it has wanted? But will the rewards it expects really be there? We who lived thru most of the 20th century observed the U.S. leave that century as the world`s only ``superpower``; but will those who live thru most of the present century see its decline & fall? (Those parallels with Rome.) Pax Universalis / (Loren Cox, Jr., Lexington KY, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ. AS TROOPS POISED OUTSIDE BAGHDAD, CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES READY FOR PROSELYTIZING, "HUMANITARIAN" INVASION Will Bibles And Praying Be Linked To Food, Assistance? Christian "relief" agencies have announced that they are stockpiling food, water and other humanitarian assistance to help refugees and other victims of war in Iraq. That news, however, has many Muslims wary or outraged, and even worries some Evangelical organizations that their fellow missionaries may mix religion and material help in an effort to proselytize Iraqi citizens. At the center of this emerging controversy is Franklin Graham, son of prominent evangelist Billy Graham, who heads the North Carolina-based Samaritan's Purse. Graham's organization is poised on the Jordanian border where, according to news reports, truckloads of emergency supplies and equipment can be moved into Iraq "in a matter of hours." The younger Graham told reporters that he is waiting for clearance from U.S.military authorities, and is also prepared to deal with a possible influx of refugees. In an interview published last week on Beliefnet.com, Graham was cagey about charges that he and other Christian relief planners would exploit the dire situation in Iraq to promote sectarian religion. "We realize we're in an Arab country and we just can't go out a preach. I believe as we work, God will always give us opportunities to tell others about his Son.: "We are there to reach out to love them and to save them, and as a Christian, I do this in the name of Jesus Christ," added Graham. Ibrahim Hooper of the Washington, D.C.-based Council on American- Islamic Relations, though, raised questions about Christian missionaries exploiting human tragedy and using a superficial "humanitarian" relief effort to push their religion. "They go after them when they're most vulnerable and hope they can get them to leave their faith," Hooper opined. "It's a very despicable practice." Hooper also warned that permitting a flood of eager Christian relief works and preachers into a devastated Iraq with plans to convert the population to Jesus worship could result in "a public relations disaster" for the Bush administration. "They are coming into a situation where vulnerable people don't have food, shelter or clothing," he added. Graham was in spin-control mode after his initial announcement that he and others were planning massive aid programs in Iraq. He told USA TODAY, "I would not take advantage of these people in their hour of tragedy to force them or coerce them to make them Christian converts. I don't do that at any time." But a statement from Samaritan's Purse International Projects Director, Ken Isaacs, was less reassuring. "We go where we have the opportunity to meet needs," he told Newhouse News Service. "We do not deny the name of Christ. We believe in sharing him in deed and word. We'll be who we are." At the offices of the National Association of Evangelicals, there is concern over Graham's plan for a conversion-cum-relief operation sweeping into post-war Iraq. "Evangelicals need to be sensitive to the circumstances of this country and its people," warned Richard Cizik, vice president for governmental affairs for NEA. "If we are perceived as opportunists we only hurt our cause. If this is seen as religious freedom for Iraq by way of gunboat diplomacy, is that right? I don't think so. If that's the perception, we lose." Problems Mixing Relief Work, Sectarian Proselytizing But like other Christian "relief" groups, though, Graham's organization has previously exploited political and humanitarian crises to advance a hard-shell Christian agenda. In his 1995 autobiography, "Rebel With A Cause," Graham boasted how he managed to flood the Persian Gulf region with Arabic-language Christian tracts and Bibles in anticipation of Operation Desert Storm. Hooper charges that this is part of a "deceitful track record," and violated Saudi Law. At the time, Saudi Arabia was a major staging point for U.S. military planners. Samaritan's Purse reportedly ignored repeated complaints from both military authorities and the International Red Cross. In 2001, Graham's organization received $50,000 from the U.S. Agency for International Development "for the purchase and distribution of emergency supplies." The agency also provided another $202,069 for Samaritan's Purse to construct "temporary shelters" in El Salvador for those may homeless by an earthquake that ravaged the region. A press release dated March 7, 2001 from the AID headquarters in Washington noted "that representatives of Samaritan's Purse preceded instructional demonstrations on the use of shelter materials and the construction of model shelters with a half hour of prayer and teaching. As part of these sessions, participants were offered religious pamphlets." While Graham and AID denied pressuring stricken residents to change their religious beliefs or accept Evangelical teachings, a story appearing in the New York Times on March 5, 2001 told a different account. One villager declared, "They said a lot, but the principle thing was God and that earthly things do not matter." An unidentified relief worker who had worked for several years in El Salvador described the Samaritan's Purse mission in language that seemed to anticipate present day concerns about the group. "They are hitting these people when they are most vulnerable. It may not be pressure, but it sure is taking advantage of a period in people's life when they will do anything like that to get a house." Graham's organization also managed to offend local Roman Catholics who saw the newly-arrived religious aid workers as interlopers. Times reporter David Gonzalez noted that over 150 people had been converted to Protestant Evangelicalism, mostly thanks to the efforts of aggressive local church which served as Graham's base of operations. "The seeking of converts has been a sore point among El Salvador's Roman Catholic majority," noted Gonzalez. "In recent weeks, local clergy members said, relations between the two groups have again been rocky, because some local evangelical groups have conditioned aid on accepting their religion." "We are a Christian organization and second an aid organization," declared Dr. Paul Chiles, Samaritan's director of projects in El Salvador. "We can't really separate the two. We really believe Jesus Christ told us to do relief work." Some are pointing to Graham's record on tolerating other religious beliefs as evidence that Samaritan's Purse has a defined and blunt conversion agenda. Just two months after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the younger Graham described Islam as "a very evil and wicked religion" on an NBC interview. And last year, in his book "The Name," Graham wrote: "The God of Islam is not the God of the Christian faith." "The two are different as lightness and darkness," Graham added. Baptists Joining "Conversion Invasion"? Another group anxious to move into post-war Iraq is the Southern Baptist Convention. Newhouse News reports that SBC relief operations are ready in Jordan to receive refugees, and that another organization, Baptist Men, is promising to send volunteers if necessary. The Baptist involvement may also fuel concerns over religious sectarianism. At last year's SBC convention in St. Louis, former denominational president Rev. Jerry Vines told the delegates that the Islamic deity was not the same as the Christian God. "And I will tell you Allah is not Jehovah, either. Jehovah's not going to turn you into a terrorist," Vines declared. Mark O'Keefe, a writer with Newhouse News, observed that these statements "created a problem for President Bush, who has called Islam a 'religion of peace.' " "Bush, an evangelical Christian himself, has close ties to both Franklin Graham, who gave a prayer at his inauguration and Southern Baptists, who are among his most loyal political supporters," added O'Keefe. One SBC official, Sam Porter of the Baptist General Convention in Oklahoma, described the planned operation to move religious aid workers into Iraq as "not just a great opportunity to do humanitarian work but to share God's love ... We understand that the individual people of Iraq have done nothing to hurt us. We want to help them to have true freedom in Jesus Christ." At SBC's International Mission Board in Richmond, Virginia, spokesperson Mark Kelley said, "Conversations about spiritual things will come about as people ask about our faith. But it's not going to be like what you might see in other countries where there's a preaching service held outside clinics and things like that." Leaders of several mainline Protestant denomination are nervous about Graham, fearing that exuberant Evangelicals will fuel tension between Iraq's Muslim community and small groups of Christians that have been tolerated for years even under the Saddham Hussein dictatorship. In fact, the Baghdad regime has been surprisingly tolerant of endemic Christian groups, and even cracked down on anti-Christian riots in the fall of 2002. Following a 1978 Shiite uprising, Hussein told delegates of the ruling Bathist Party that they should "oppose the institutionalization of religion in the state and society ... Let us return to the roots of our religion, glorifying them -- but not introduce it into politics." (Following the Gulf War, Hussein increasingly began playing the "religious card," embarking on a government funded "faith-campaign" that included mandatory studies of the Kor`an in public schools, banning alcohol in restaurants, and building the world's largest mosque). The Graham-Bush Connection As son of Billy Graham -- the evangelist dubbed "Preacher to the Presidents" -- Franklin inherited a mantle of political connections when he began taking over his father's ministry several years ago. Indeed, the younger Graham gave the invocation during the inaugural ceremony for President George W. Bush, and is "wired" into the faith-conscious White House operations staff. Graham has also been barnstorming the nation building support for Mr. Bush's efforts at regime change in Iraq. Last month, during a visit to Raleigh, N.C. Graham told reporters that "This is a time for all of us to support our president ... This is serious business." Last week, Graham appeared on CNN with anchor Paula Zahn and said: "I certainly don't want to speak for my father, but I know he has spoken with this president (Bush) in the last couple of days and has prayed with him, and all of us are praying especially for our president right now. The contact between Franklin Graham/Samaritan's Purse and the Bush administration, though, are about things other than prayer. One Islamic web site http://khilafah.com reports that Graham himself "is in daily contact with Bush Administration agencies in Amman, Jordan" about plans for relief work. Graham reported is dismissing Muslim concerns, and the perception that many in the Middle East and elsewhere see the current war as a "crusade" against Islam. "We don't work for the U.S. Government, so we don't get our permission from them," Graham said. ** (American Atheists Newsletter April 1 via DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. SHORTWAVE RADIO: BROADCASTS FROM ABROAD GIVE DIFFERING LOOKS AT THE WAR http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/epaper/editions/tuesday/news_e39893bf83bf402a0001.html (via Andy Sennitt, Mike Cooper, DXLD) Local angle SWL, plugs PWBR, appends somewhat outdated ME schedules (gh) ** ISRAEL. RESHET ALEPH RETURNS BUT NOT IN ENGLISH As of Wednesday, Israel's Reshet Aleph will stop being "the silent channel", waiting for emergency announcements. It will still be silent after 1715 GMT and during the Sabbath. However the English programs at 0600, 1015, 1645 and 2100 GMT will continue to be on REQA. The 1900 English program continues on Reshet Heh. This is according to an announcement at the end of the 1645 program (Joel Rubin, NY, Apr 1, swprograms via DXLD) ** JAPAN. There might be a lot of debate on whether ``Live 365`` is real radio or not, and I am someone who definitely prefers the signals that travel through the aether than the ones that travel through my impossibly slow dialup connection via a 56K modem. However, there are a handful of internet stations that remain true to the sprit of shortwave and free radio. Of these Radio LavaLamp, broadcasting through Live 365.com is, in my opinion, way ahead of the curve. Radio LavaLamp`s web page proclaims the station ``Community Internet Radio Japan``. My experience is that Radio LavaLamp is more of a global community station, akin to the spirit of Radio For Peace International. Radio LavaLamp programming is run in 8 hour cycles and changes often enough to create a diverse line-up. Dan Roberts` weekly Shortwave Report can usually be found on the menu, featuring news from international broadcasters. I`ve also heard Glenn Hauser`s WORLD OF RADIO on Radio LavaLamp. Between the Lines, an alternative news program is often part of the mix, as is UN Calling Asia. CFMU`s excellent educational program for homeschooled students called Radio Free School is also heard on the station. Occasionally, there are original Radio LavaLamp productions including the outstanding Voice of the Mystics featuring spiritual poetry such as Robert Bly`s readings of Sufi mystic Kabir. Entrancing music is a major part of the Radio LavaLamp listening experience. Ambient, trance, goa, and world rhythms are prominent. Pirate radio listeners may be interested in the enigmatic ``Purple Nucleus of Creation`` which is frequently relayed via Radio LavaLamp. The Purple Nucleus of Creation has been head on shortwave and is the only pirate station I know of that offers QSL verifications for internet listening reports! Radio LavaLamp`s program diversity has made an internet radio believer out of me. You may contact Radio LavaLamp at radiolavalamp@hotmail.com or visit their website at http://www.rinku.zaq.ne.jp/bkaec205/index.html for more information (Frederick Moe, Random Transmissions, April A*C*E via gh, DXLD) ** KASHMIR [non]. The schedule of Radio Sadayee Kashmir remains unchanged in the new broadcasting period. It is noted as follows: 0230-0330 6100 0730-0830 9890 1430-1530 6100 The first 40 minutes programs are in Urdu followed by 20 minutes in another language. ===== 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, dx_india via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. U.S. ACTIVIST PLANS TO SMUGGLE THOUSANDS OF RADIOS INTO RECLUSIVE NORTH KOREA A Korean-American human rights activist hopes to lift the veil of silence that hangs over the communist nation. Rev. Douglas Shin plans to send thousands of tiny, solar-powered radios into North Korea so that people can listen to foreign stations, such as Washington-based Radio Free Asia or Voice of America. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/03/30/international0206EST0440.DTL (via Jill Dybka, TN, DXLD) Since he`s a Rev., why don`t they mention that gospel huxters are itching to get into NK on SW? (gh, DXLD) No one ever points out that until a very few years ago, SW radio needed to be smuggled into the so-called democracy of South Korea, where SWLing was illegal (gh, DXLD) ** KURDISTAN. March 26th: Edwin Southwell heard a segment in English, 2027 on 4085, presumably Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan, telling the people of Iraq that Saddam¹s time is up, urging them to stay away from military targets, etc. Kurdish from 2031 but English segment again 2125 to 2130 then Kurdish to 2200 off. English segment heard again 1825 and 2025 the next day. SINPO 44544, best on USB (Mike Barraclough, World DX Club Contact via DXLD) See also IRAQ An 8-minute audio clip of Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan addressing the Iraqi military and general population in English ("Soldiers of Iraq, among you are Sadaam's evil henchmen") can be heard on the Interval Signals Archive website at http://www.intervalsignals.net (follow the IRAQ link in the left-hand column), as recorded from 4085 kHz at 1540 31st March 2003. Regards, (Dave Kernick, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KURDISTAN. VOICE OF IRAQI KURDISTAN AIRS US-LED FORCES' APPEALS IN ENGLISH The Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan was observed by BBC Monitoring broadcasting appeals in English to "the Kurdish people of Iraq" on 31 March. The station has been heard in the past broadcasting in Sorani Kurdish and Arabic. It broadcasts in support of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP from Salah al-Din in Iraqi Kurdistan on mediumwave, shortwave and FM. The broadcast below was heard on 4085 kHz shortwave. The 9-minutes of English, heard already in progress, consisted of warnings to citizens to stay away from Iraqi military installations and US-led forces troops. The radio appealed for there to be no reprisals against Iraqi POWs and said the Geneva Convention must be observed. The broadcast also said that Saddam Husayn stood in the way of liberty and that US-led forces were there to help the people of Iraq. Following is the text of announcements in English and Arabic on Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan radio on 31 March; subheadings inserted editorially [Short interlude of military music followed by announcer in English] Soldiers of Iraq. Among you are Saddam's evil henchmen. Officers from the hated special security officers of [words indistinct] Saddam's continued rule. They stand between you and freedom. They represent everything that you despise, while you pursue safety and security for you family they pursue terror and violence. "Saddam's rule is coming to an end" While you pursue freedom they pursue oppression. While you look to the future of Iraq, an Iraq free from the bonds of Saddam, they look to the past. A past without freedom, without security, without safety and without hope. Saddam's rule is coming to an end and with it the reins of the special security office. These oppressors stand between you and a new Iraq. They have been given a choice. They can choose to support you in your pursuit of liberty, peace and justice or they can choose to remain loyal to Saddam and his evil ways. That time is running out. [Short interlude of military music]. Iraqi military "... demand money for the removal of these weapons" Saddam Husayn's influence over the Iraqi military continues to endanger the lives of Iraqi citizens. Reports indicate that since October 2002, members of the Iraqi military have been extorting money from the citizens of Iraq. Iraqi military [words indistinct] strong military weapons and equipment next to the homes of civilians. They then demand money for the removal of these weapons. The people living in these areas have had no choice but to pay, for fear that their neighbourhood may becomes a battlefield. Placing equipment near hospitals, mosques and schools is against Geneva Convention rules Civilian homes are not the only places being imperilled by Saddam's regime. The regime continues in the practice of hiding weapons in and around mosques, hospital and schools. These treacherous acts are illegal under international law that Iraq signed. Article 51 of the Geneva Convention specifically forbids shielding military targets by moving them into densely populated areas or deliberately moving civilians near such targets. The coalition understands that the Iraqi people fear for their safety. If [word indistinct] type of weapons are placed in areas populated by civilians. Intentionally using civilians as human shields is an abhorrent act and only encourages the probability of civilian casualties. The coalition may have to destroy military targets near civilian areas to prevent a greater loss of life. When weapons are placed in close proximity to civilian areas the prospect for collateral damage is very real. Do not allow your families to suffer such a fate. Stay away from the Iraqi military and its weapons. [Short interlude of military music]. "Coalition forces are here to help you" Kurdish people of Iraq. The world has united in a common cause. These nations have formed a coalition with the purpose of removing Saddam and his brutal regime from power. Saddam has oppressed and exploited the Iraqi people for years and must be removed from power. Coalition forces are not here to harm you. Coalition forces are here to help you. In order to ensure your safety the coalition have set up a list of guideline to help keep you and hour family safe. Safety guidelines While these guidelines may be an inconvenience, please realize that they are for your own safety and as we do not wish to harm innocent people: For your own safety please stay away from potential targets. Avoid travelling or working near oil fields. Do not drive at night. Keep far away from military and its [word indistinct] buildings used to house military equipment. It is not safe for you to be near any of these buildings or areas. Also for your safety, please stay away from coalition soldiers. While these soldiers are not here to harm you, these soldiers are trained to defend themselves and their equipment. Do not attempt to interfere with coalition forces' operations. If you attempt to interfere with coalition military operations these forces will see you not as a civilian but as a threat and a target. Remain in place, ensure the safety of your family and loved ones. Please share this message with your friends and neighbours. Our goal is to remove Saddam and his brutal regime from power with minimal inconvenience to the people of Iraq. "Do not engage in revenge..." Kurdish people of Iraq. The armies of Saddam are falling. All across Iraq, [words indistinct] of the coalition have been scattered and destroyed. Soon Saddam's brutal regime of terror and oppression will be at its end. Although these soldiers may have frustrated the Kurdish population in the past, this does not give you the right to mistreat them upon their defeat. Do not engage in revenge attacks or violence against defeated Iraqi units. Although you may hold a personal vendetta against these soldiers, they are your fellow countrymen acting under the orders of Saddam. Coalition forces will not tolerate retribution or acts of violence against Iraqi soldiers or Iraqi Arab civilians. Vigilante attackers will be apprehended and held accountable for their actions. No mistreatment of prisoners or war will be tolerated. POWs to be treated in accordance with Geneva Convention All prisoners of war are to be treated in accordance with the Geneva Convention rules. Prisoners are to be properly fed, given clean water and medical personnel should attend to their medical needs. Iraq was once a respected leader of the Arab world. Other nations see the Iraqis as intelligent educated people. Do not let these nations see you resort to [word indistinct] violence. Help rebuild Iraq to the stature it once held. Arabic programme 1550 gmt: [Interlude of military music followed by a female Arabic- language announcer]: This is the Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan. Dear citizens [words indistinct] in the Iraqi army, we give you the warmest welcome. Following is a selection of statements issued by the international alliance forces on how to deal with the current circumstances in our homeland Iraq... Source: Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan, Salah-al-Din, in English and Arabic 1541 gmt 31 Mar 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN. ADVISORY: SUMMER TIME IN IRAQI KURDISTAN BEGINS ON FRIDAY 4 APRIL Summer time in Iraqi Kurdistan will begin at 0001 on Friday 4 April, according to a Kurdistan regional government statement published by Kurdistan Democratic Party newspaper Brayati on 1 April. Source: Brayati, Arbil, in Sorani Kurdish 1 Apr 03. Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 1 Apr 03 (via DXLD) But not in IRAQ???? UT+4? ** LEBANON [non]. RUSSIA: Voice of Liberty in Arabic via Samara 200 kW / 224 degrees effective from March 30: 1600-1700 NF 11520 (55555), ex 11515 for B-03 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, April 1 via DXLD) ** MALAYSIA. 7270, RTVM 1249-1301+ Mar 29 with monotone singing; M announcer at 1255 in language, then song with a Latin beat; 1300 one pip, then guy says "Berita nasional dari radio satu Kuala Lumpur..." and into apparent news in Bahasa Malaysia with mentions of Iraq. Good signal with ham QRM, // 4895 (fair) and 6050.05 (poor). (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Drake R-8, 100-foot random wire. Cumbre DX via DXLD) I should have researched the site keys in the 3-053 schedule: KAJ = Kajang, near Kuala Lumpur; the others are all in East Malaysia: MIR = Miri, Sarawak; SIB = Sibu, Sarawak; STA = Stapok near Kuching, Sarawak; TUA = Tuaran, Sabah. Per WRTH 2003. 7270 above is Kuching despite the KL relay (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALTA [non]. Voice of the Mediterranean, Sunday only English heard 0800-0900 on 9605 via Rome March 30th, 9605 also now used for the 1730-1800 Monday to Saturday English broadcast. English also heard 1900-2000 on 12060 via Russian transmitters; this service is not broadcast on Fridays (Mike Barraclough, UK, World DX Club Contact via DXLD) CONTINUED as DXLD 3-056!! [above]
