DX LISTENING DIGEST SEPTEMBER 2003 ARCHIVE HOME presents...
DX LISTENING DIGEST SEPTEMBER 2003 ARCHIVE
[final edit for correxions and cross references not yet done in this file] ||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-173, September 30, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser 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/dxldtd3i.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 1200: RFPI: Wed 0730, 1330 on 7445 WWCR: Wed 0930 on 9475 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html WORLD OF RADIO 1200 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1200h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1200h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1200.html WORLD OF RADIO 1200 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1200.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1200.rm FIRST AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1201: Wed 2200 on WBCQ 7415, 17495-CUSB Thu 0130 on WINB 9320 (maybe) Thu 2030 on WWCR 15825 Sat 0130 on RFPI 7445 BOB BODELL Glen, sad news out of Oregon. Bob Bodell is dead. I received the news this morning. He had not been to work for a few days. They found him dead in his home. He was the one that taught me how to really listen to shortwave radio and will be missed (Bruce MacGibbon, Gresham, OR, Sept 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Bob, as well as Bruce, will be remembered as editors of SPEEDXGRAM ** AFGHANISTAN. KABUL RADIO STARTS BUZZING AGAIN KABUL: Two years ago, Massood Sanjer was reading the news in English for the Taliban's Radio Shariat. Today he is one of Kabul's popular disc jockeys, broadcasting from a studio adorned with posters of Shakira and Destiny's Child. Sanjer works for Arman FM, the nearest thing the Afghan capital has to MTV, with a mix of music, chat and jokes. For a country starved of entertainment through years of war and repressive Taliban rule, Arman FM is like a breath of fresh air. "Once a colleague of mine on Radio Shariat made a mistake translating something," Sanjer recalled. "They locked him up in a container for three days with just one piece of bread and a boiled potato." Sanjer, who put up the posters himself, cannot begin to compare his old and new lives. These days, he says, he can say anything he wants on air. But what makes Arman FM even more exceptional in this conservative Muslim land is that half its presenters are women, Sanjer shares his morning show with Zarlasht Madad, a soft-spoken young women recently voted the station's most popular. Arman FM was the brainchild of Afghan-Australian brothers Saad, Jahid and Zaid Mohseni and their cousin Najib Thamas. But its success since its launch in April has surpassed their wildest dreams. The presenters get 500 letters a day from Kabulis, 100 emails and when the lines are working, 1,500 phone calls, says Saad Mohseni, a former investment banker from Melbourne. "We just wanted to give people what they want," he said. "But the response has been phenomenal, What people want is mostly Indian music, songs from their favourite Bollywood movies, according to the requests which pour in every day, Sanjer says. Western music also gets a look in, especially Shakira's Arabic- influenced pop. Madonna goes down well too. But Mohseni cannot resist a plug for Australian culture. "We play a lot of Kylie Minogue," he said. "She is very popular, and given that she's also from Melbourne we like her." The Mohsenis put up half of the $500,000 to launch Arman; the name means Hope in the Dari language. The other half was supplied by USAID, the development arm of the US government. But Saad Mohseni, who plans to expand to other parts of the country when funding allows, insists the station is run like a business and is already making a profit from advertising. But it also aims to put something back by stimulating Afghans to start recording music again. Auditions are already being held for the 2003 Arman awards for local groups and singers, the winners will get the chance to cut their own CD. One of Arman's strengths is that it allows people to escape their problems and entertains rather than lectures. "Most people believe they don't have to hear about religion on the radio," Mohseni said. "I'm sure on other outlets they can hear more politics and religion, so we concentrate on general information and music." Sometimes though, problems of an entirely different nature do crop up. The station will soon start a kind of "agony aunt" advice show, after a young couple wrote in threatening suicide because the woman's parents were planning to marry her off to someone else. In the early days, Arman was criticised because some of its presenters used the slang Dari of the streets rather than the formal language used by broadcasters in the past. Its irreverent attitude and jokey manner also alienated some people. "The criticism is like a drop in the ocean," Sanjer insists. "It was the first time Afghans listened to a radio station with men and women chatting and laughing, but now they have got used to it. We don't get criticised any more." Judging by the reaction in the streets of Kabul, Arman FM has got it just about right for most people. White-bearded shopkeeper Farouq danced among the bolts of brightly- coloured cloth in his store as he described his love of music. "Arman is very good music radio, without much news, so we can forget our problems while listening to it," he said. "You can see I look old, but I enjoy my life like a teenager." - Reuters (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. 15615, APA R. Amani, *1632-1730*, Fridays [only] Sep 12 and 19. Carrier was ready 1630, but audio delayed. Dari until 1702, then Pashto. IDs: "Radio Amani", political talks about Afghanistan and Taleban, mentioned the BBC and Deutsche Welle, Afghan folksongs, 1726-1727 statement in Russian and a Russian song, 1729 Pashto ID, musical interlude and cut off, 45444 (Vashek Korinek, RSA and Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window Sept 24 via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. 2760 harmonic, AM 1380 La Voz, QTH? (2 x 1380) 1045 Sept 24. Finalmente identificada con promo por locutora, con música chamameseña sobre programa de los sábados, que difunde este estilo musical, identificando también la emisora como AM 1380, La Voz. QRK 3. Lindo regalo para mi cumple, hoy (Horacio Nigro, Uruguay, set 24, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Mais uma excelente contribuição de Paulo Roberto e Souza, desde Tefé (AM): a atualização dos dados da Rádio Jornal da Transamazônica, que emite desde a localidade de Altamira (PA). Em 5025 kHz, a emissora está no ar entre 0900 e 0300. A direção está a cargo de Ana Cláudia Souza. A direção postal é a seguinte: Rua 1º de Janeiro, 1359, Catedral, CEP: 68371-020, Altamira (PA). Telefone e fax: +55 93 515.1182, +55 93 515.4899 e +55 93 515.4411. Endereço eletrônico: radioetv@valedoxingu.com.br Parabéns Paulo por mais este trabalho voluntário de contato com a emissora! BRASIL - Saiu o novo esquema de transmissões, em ondas curtas, da Rádio Transmundial. Anote: em 11735 kHz, passa a emitir entre 0900 e 1500. Já em 9530 kHz, emitirá das 1500 às 0300. Em 5965 kHz, estará no ar entre 0900 e 2100 UTC. As informações são de Carlos Felipe, apresentador do programa Amigos do Rádio. BRASIL - E o trabalho do Paulo Roberto e Souza, de Tefé (AM), nem sempre recebe boas respostas. Ele entrou em contato com a direção da Rádio Cultura do Pará, de Belém (PA), que emitia em 5045 kHz. Resultado: a emissora não pretende mais transmitir em ondas tropicais. De acordo com uma funcionária, de nome Silvene, a Cultura do Pará está reduzida a uma emissão em FM (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Sept 28 via DXLD) ** CAMBODIA. 11940, National Radio Cambodia from Phnom-Penh again inactive (Roland Schulze, Mangaldan, Philippines, Sept 5-9, BC-DX Sept 23 via DXLD) ** CANADA. Montreal Gazette (Sept. 24) profiled journalist who works at CJWI 1610. Was radio announcer in Haiti, faced death threats there. Didn't expect such threats here too. Side note: AM DXers reports CJWI is slightly off-frequency (on the high side) Found at 1610.3 kHz (Bill Westenhaver & Sheldon Harvey, CKUT International Radio Report Sept 28, notes by Ricky Leong, via DXLD) At ``C-PAM 1610``, Jean Numa Goudou (sp?). knows that sometimes death stalks you; star radio journalist at 31, fled Haïti in March after house and car were torched. Is now news show host on north-end Montreal station. Got a call 8 days ago at the station, in Creole, a man identifying as `Lavaltian`? supporter of Aristide`s party complaining he was biased against Aristide, and asked if he knew they also burned their opponents here in Montréal? Not the first unhappy call he got, but a clear, menacing threat. Was one of top radio reporters back in Haïti on R. Metropole, Port-au-Prince`s most listened-to radio station. Now reads news from Haïti on CJWI weekdays 6-9 am ET, rounded up from internet news sites in Haïti. Last month was granted official refugé status; settling into new apartment donated by new friends in Montréal. Earnings doubled what he earned in Haïti to $300 a week. Sends home what he can to mother, brother and sister still in the country (CKUT International Radio Report Sept 28, notes by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC [non]. Glenn, I miscredited the Radio Ndeke Luka item in Contact you used in DXLD 3171/2 to Joe Talbot; it should have been credited to Edward Kusalik [both Albertans], apologies. I was working to complete the column, and catch the last post to send it to the printers. I had items from both gentlemen I was adding and miscredited the Ndeke Luka one (Mike Barraclough, UK, Sept 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [non]. CLANDESTINE? from USA [HAWAII] to CHINA, 9930, Dafo Hao, 1612 Sep 30 checking out this program. Chinese talk some short English excerpts. No sign of any jamming in Wyoming, wonder if it is jammed by the Chinese? Richard Lam, can you tell us if the program content of this one differs from their other broadcasts? (Hans Johnson, WY, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA [non]. FARC station: see VENEZUELA ** ECUADOR. A través del espacio "Aventura DX" (dentro del programa Club de Amigos) del domingo 28 de septiembre de 2003 por HCJB La Voz de Los Andes, Quito-Ecuador, se transmitió la primera realización de la AER-Asociación Española de Radioescucha (Apartado 4031, 28080- Madrid, España). Entre las informaciones emitidas, se destaca el posible cierre de las transmisiones en español de IRIB La Voz de la República Islámica de Irán que podría extenderse a otros departamentos idiomáticos. Pude captarlo en sus dos presentaciones, a las 2245 UT en 15140 Khz y a las 0245 UT en 9745 y 6050 Khz. El espacio duró aproximadamente cinco minutos y fue interrumpido abruptamente a las 2250 y en su repetición a las 0250 por un larguísimo cántico cristiano que se prolongó hasta las 0300, cuando se identificó la emisora. Lo atribuyo a una falla de operación técnica ya que el corte se produjo mientras repetían la dirección electrónica: http://www.aventuradx@a... [truncated] donde pueden dirigirse los comentarios y colaboraciones (Rubén Guillermo Margenet, Argentina, Sept 28, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** ERITREA [non]. 5925, Voice of Democratic Eritrea, via Jülich, Germany, 1515-1558, Sa Sep 20, Tigrinya talks about Africa, songs from the Horn of Africa, talk often mentioning Eritrea (pronounced as "Ertra" in Tigrinya!), more local songs and a talk about democracy. There was no Arabic program 1530 as scheduled. 45444. 9990, Voice of the Eritrean People, via Kvitsøy, Norway, *1730-1757*, Sun Sep 21, 1729 Merlin I/S, 1730 open carrier, 1732 program began with martial music and ID in Tigrinya: "Ezi dmtsi hzbi Ertra eyu". Ethnic song and ID again, mentioned two wavelengths, news. Ex 7530. 45444 (Anker Petersen, DSWCI DX Window Sept 24 via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. 12120, Voice of Ethiopian Medhin, via Samara, Russia, *1830-1905, Sun Sep 21. Carrier was on 1826, 1828 one test tone, 1830 Flute and a man gave ID in Amharic three times: "Yih Ye Ethiopia Medhin Dimts Now", frequency announcement, Horn of Africa song and news. 45454. 12120, Dejen R, via Samara, *1700-1800*, Sat Sep 13, test tones from 1658, opens with a shouting man and flute, 1702 and 1705 Tigrinya ID's "...Dejen Radio...", website: http://www.ethiopiancommunicator.com which asked listeners to send money order to : Liberty Bell Communications Inc., P. O. Box 792, Indianapolis, Indiana 46206, talk about globalisation and the WTO meeting in Cancun, Horn of Africa (HOA) song, mentioned VOA, closed with HOA martial song. 45544 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window Sept 24 via DXLD) 15670, Voice of Ethiopian Salvation, 1602-1605, Su Sep 14, Amharic comments and music, 24432 (Nicolás Eramo, Argentina, DSWCI DX Window Sept 24 via DXLD) ** FRANCE. The 1400 UT English broadcast from RFI put in such a nice signal Sept 30 on 17515 that with its British accent, one could easily mistake it for the BBC until ``here in Paris`` references. A bit of flutter and echo, however (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RFI Paris heard in French at 1251 on 25820, OM doing an interview, full ID at 1256, then off with good signals (Ron Trotto, Waggoner, Illinois, WDX4KWI, Sept 28, GRDXC via DXLD) English 1200-1230 ** GERMANY. "Clandestines" via DTK/Julich B03 (Tentative!!! based on previous season schedules/days of the week) [all dates 261003 to 280304 u.o.s.] 1= Sun 2=Mon etc... 7=Sat 2330-0030 1234567 Dem. V. Of Burma 5945 1700-1759 1 34 6 V. Of Oromo Liberation 9820 1630-1659 3 6 R. Xoriyo/V. Of The Ogadeni People 9820 1600-1659 1 5 V. Of Ethiopian Salvation 9820 0700-0759 1 V. Of Dem. Path To Ethiopian Unity 17655 1830-1929 4 V. Of Dem. Path To Ethiopian Unity 7220 1500-1559 7 V. Of Dem. Eritrea 5925 1700-1759 2 5 V. Of Dem. Eritrea 9820 0900-0959 7 R. Rainbow/Kestedamena 6180 from 1 Nov 1900-1959 6 R. Rainbow/Kestedamena 11840 from 1 Nov 1330-1430 1234567 New Horizon Radio 9585 1500-1559 1 7 Radio Rhino Int. 17870 1500-1530 3456 Radio Rhino Int. 17870 (compiled from DTK schedule by DXA375-Silvain Domen, Belgium, Sept 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GIBRALTAR. I know you normally don't cover utility stations (unless they "interfere"), but I guess many DX-ers would like to hear such a small territory as Gibraltar. And it is very easy to pick up. All you need is a SSB receiver, a computer and a decoding program. The latter could be JV Com or another you can load down from the Internet. The navy station GYU is heard round the clock on among others 8625.9 kHz. This is 75 Bd/850 RTTY transmissions which you tune about 1.9 kHz below listed frequency in USB mode or about 1.9 kHz above listed frequency in LSB mode. Reports sent to Royal Marine, Communications Centre, HM Dockyard, Gibraltar are likely to be verified. The transmissions consists of ID and channel status information (Karl-Erik Stridh, Sweden, WWDXC BC-DX Sept 29 via DXLD) ** GUINEA. 7125, R Conakry, a daily catch but often plagued with too much fading and usually a lot worse than R Rurale, Labé, 1386 MW. It was heard at 2208-2226, Aug 22, newscast in French. 54433 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DSWCI DX Window Sept 24 via DXLD) ** GUYANA. 3291.1, GBC, Sparendaam, was a usual catch during late Aug and early Sep, e.g. at 2325-2344 on Aug 23, English, jazz music, songs and a QRM-free signal at times. 53342 (Carlos Gonçalves, DSWCI DX Window Sept 24 via DXLD) ** HAITI. See CANADA: CJWI ** HONDURAS. Re HRMI: By the way, they have been off the air during this weekend. I checked 3340, 5010 and 5890 several times on Saturday, Sunday and Monday (Sep 13, 14 and 15 ), for instance at 1200 when transmissions should start, then again at intervals of two hours (14, 16, 18, 20, 22), but there was nothing to be heard. I will try to call them today and find out what's happening (Élmer Escoto, Honduras, Sep 16, DSWCI DX Window Sept 24 via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. Re 4919.89, RRI Biak: Former schedule: 2000-0030 0730- 1500 (Ed Anker Petersen, DSWCI DX Window Sept 24 via DXLD) 4919.89, RRI-Biak again active. (ex-6153) at 2000 UT Sept 7th, presumably s-on time. "Oleh Jesus Christ", ID and IS at 2030 UT. 35543. Also from 0910 UT onwards til approx. 1200 UT, when covered by co-channel China and India on 4920 kHz, Sept 5/6/7th. From Iran Jaya: 4606.4 RRI Serui regular on air, also 4790 RRI Fak Fak, 4869.98 RRI Wamena, 4870.92 RRI Sorong, v7114.8 RRI Fak Fak, relay of FM program; 9743 RRI Sorong is still active. V of Indonesia Jakarta not heard on Sept 5th till 7th, but on Sept 8th with "Kang Guru Radio English" program on 9680 at 0700-0730 UT (Roland Schulze, Mangaldan, Philippines, Sept 9, BC-DX Sept 23 via DXLD) 4920 RRI Biak, 1230 Sept 27, return to own program after Jakarta news. Over a surprisingly weak AIR Chennai as well as Lhasa. Also at 1048 Sep 17 with ID at end of local news, and at *2002 Sep 14 mid Jakarta relay. 7115 RRI Fak-Fak, no sign yet of their daytime channel here in south- eastern Oz. Reported in the Philippines by Roland Schulze who has a proximity advantage. 7290 RRI unID, 0903 with call to prayer in progress, first noted Aug 30 on a daytime frequency. Probably allowed to overrun its schedule by a sleepy technician. Since then it has either relayed 0800 Jakarta news with prompt s/off at news end or even gone off prior to 0800 as happened Sep 28. TC's in waktu Indonesia Timur. Most likely candidates are RRI Serui (would be ex-7173), RRI Biak, RRI Nabire, RRI Tual or RRI Manokwari. Heard this once for just 8 mins a year ago on Sep 23 2002 at 0829-0837* (David Foster, Australia, DXplorer Sept 28 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. 4375.8, Voice of the Communist Party of Iran, *1700- 1800*, Sep 20 and 21, Signed on with "Internationale" and closed with a choir of men singing another socialist song. 1702 Farsi ID by woman: "Seda-ye Hezb-e Komunist-e Irana" and talk about Iran // 3880.6 (SINPO 25333). At 1708 both frequencies suddenly jumped about 5 kHz down to 4370.8 and 3876.0 and both drifted slightly downwards after that. But at 1757 both were back on the original frequencies again. I wonder, if these "jumping" transmitters are the same that are used for the Voice of Mojahed ??? 35343 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window Sept 24 via DXLD) See also KURDISTAN ** IRAQ. RADIO FREEDOM RESUMES BROADCASTING | Text of report by Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) newspaper Al-Ittihad on 30 September After an interruption of several weeks due to technical problems, Freedom Radio [Arabic: idha'at al-hurriyah] resumes broadcasting to its listeners. While apologizing for this long interruption, the station resumes broadcasting in a new format as regards broadcast time and quality of output. Freedom Radio will resume transmission on Wednesday 1 October 2003 from 0830-1730 [local time]. The station will broadcast on 96 MHz, FM. Source: Al-Ittihad, Baghdad, in Arabic 30 Sep 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** IRAQ. HARRIS CORPORATION RADIO TRANSMITTERS SELECTED FOR IRAQ REBUILDING EFFORT --- PR Newswire - Monday, September 29, 2003 Company Establishes New Iraq Initiatives Office http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story.asp?StoryId=Cp3EUqbWbrKXnmda1 http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030929/flm005_1.html MELBOURNE, Fla., Sept. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Radio transmitters and related equipment from Harris Corporation (NYSE: HRS) will be used to help rebuild the communications infrastructure of Iraq, bringing listeners news and entertainment programming from the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) Radio SAWA, Radio Free Iraq, and Voice of America broadcast services. The contract, awarded to Harris under the auspices of the BBG International Broadcasting Bureau, includes Harris Quest(TM)-1 1kW FM radio transmitters, Z10FM(TM) 10kW FM radio transmitters, and Z5FM 5kW FM radio transmitters, along with accessories and additional equipment from Orban, Inc. for various sites in Iraq, including the city of Baghdad. Harris recently created an Iraq Initiatives Office that pools the products and resources of its five communications businesses to address the business opportunities related to the rebuilding of Iraq. "Harris offers a broad spectrum of innovative, assured communications products that are ideally suited for rapid deployment and infrastructure development," said Howard L. Lance, chairman, president and CEO of Harris. "Our products have been deployed in developing nations around the world, and we are addressing the specific needs of Iraq where infrastructure development is lacking or nonexistent." Heading the company's new Iraq Initiatives program is Managing Director Youssef (Joe) Sleiman. Mr. Sleiman, who was born in Lebanon and educated in the U.S., has been with Harris for 26 years in varying domestic and international positions. "Joe has exceptional government contracting experience, as well as a personal understanding of the Middle East," said Bob Henry, senior vice president of Harris. "He is the point man in our efforts to provide a variety of broadcast, microwave, network support, and integrated communications systems for U.S.-funded contracts, as well as programs arising from the rebuilding efforts by the new Iraqi government and by free-enterprise initiatives." Harris Corporation is an international communications equipment company focused on providing product, system, and service solutions for government and commercial customers. The company's five operating divisions serve markets for government communications, tactical radio, broadcast, microwave, and network support systems. Harris provides sales and service to customers in more than 150 countries. Additional information about Harris Corporation is available at http://www.harris.com SOURCE Harris Corporation /CONTACT: Tom Hausman, Harris Corporation, +1-321-727-9131, or tom.hausman@harris.com/ /Web site: http://www.harris.com / (via Artie Bigley, Jilly Dybka, DXLD) see also KURDISTAN ** IRELAND. R2 has been readjusted and is now back on 612. I read this is operated by two 50 kW senders installed in the mid 1970's - not by the old 566 transmitter (Noel R. Green, UK, BC-DX Sept 22 via DXLD) RTE's 612 kHz Athlone transmitter is again radiating off channel at approx. 611.8 kHz today (Wednesday 24th), having briefly reverted to 612 kHz some time yesterday (Tuesday 23rd). So we're back to a howl on the channel this evening. I understand that RTE has two 50 kW 1970s transmitters in use at Athlone for this frequency, so it may be that one or both of the two units is faulty. The signal strength seems very weak at the moment, I'd be surprised if it is radiating anywhere near full power. Does anyone know the email address of RTE's transmitter maintenance department? 73s (Dave Kenny, UK, BDXC-UK via DXLD) What does it howl against on 612.0? (gh) Glenn, Can I rest assure your listeners that RTÉ's 2FM mediumwave transmitter in Athlone was purchased from Japan in 1979 - these were in fact two 50 kw transmitters. The old 1950's vintage went off the air around 1974 when the 500 kw transmitter opened in Tullamore. When 2FM started in 1979 most of the listeners were on mediumwave as FM (or VHF as was known in these parts until the mid 1980s) was a minority hobby. Now FM is the most popular and in recent years mediumwave has opted out from time to time to bring minority interests programmes such as services for asylum seekers etc. It has also be suggested in the recent past, when finances were better, that RTÉ would used the transmitter for a dedicated news/current affairs and sports station along the lines of BBC Radio 5 Live. I came across an interesting website some of your listeners may be interested in as it deals with Ireland's radio history including its shortwave broadcasting experiences. The address is http://radiodx.com/spdxr/irish_mystery.htm Kind regards, (Paul Guckian, Ennis, Co Clare, Oct 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JAPAN. As previously reported, Radio Tampa will be merged with NIKKEI Media Group on October 1. The name of the company will be changed to "NIKKEI Radio Co. Ltd". The name of the station will be changed on April 1, 2004, the 50th anniversary day of Radio Tampa, to "Radio NIKKEI". The logo will also be changed. The program contents will be focused on medical and health, as well as the information for investors. By the way "Tampa" means SW in Japanese, and "NIKKEI" is the abbr. of "Nippon Keizai" (Japanese Economy). (Takahito Akabayashi, Japan, BC-DX Sept 27 via DXLD) ** KALININGRAD. See RUSSIA ** KASHMIR. See PAKISTAN ** KURDISTAN. Clandestine --- I heard (again) Voice of Komala, 4615 kHz, 1850-1857 UT on Sept 29. The hurring and beeping QRM was terrible and I am not sure if the transmission ended at 1857 or not; I could not get any signal after that. I have not been able to find any information on the whereabouts of the transmitter site; does anyone know the QTH? The signals coming from east of Finland were at the moment kinda good, for example I could hear Tajik Radio on 4635 and All India Radio on 60 metres pretty well that night, so I suppose V.of Komala is coming from the East or South-East Asia. Also my antenna (20 metres of wire) pics signals best from those directions on 60 metres (Matti Ponkamo, Naantali, South-West of Finland, Drake R4-C, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Those 4 MHz band Kurdish clandestines are likely to be close to Kurdistan, adjacent countries, if not within it. According to old info at http://www.schoechi.de/crw/crw-kurd.html for 4600 the transmitter location is IRAQ (i.e. KURDISTAN) (gh, DXLD) ** KURDISTAN [and non]. CLANDESTINE 3928.0, Voice of Komala, 1750-1757*, Sep 10, Farsi, ID just before s/off, QRM from jamming. 32322 (Bjarke Vestesen, Radby, Blommenslyst, Denmark) 4027.6v, Voice of the People of Kurdistan, 0135-0330 (fade out), Sep 10 and 23, Kurdish, nonstop Kurdish-Iranian music, ID at 0153 and mentioned e-mail-address, freq.ann, 0155 Qur`an recitations, 0200 fanfare, Arabic news about Iraq and Tikrit, Arab songs; drifting slowly down to 4025.7. 34343 (Petersen and Vestesen, Denmark). Also heard 1630-1640, Sep 20, Arabic talks with short music inserts, poor (Vashek Korinek, RSA) 4085, Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan, 1800-1900, Sep 10, Kurdish, local and western music. 34333 (Vestesen, Denmark) 4250.8, Voice of Strugglers of Iranian Kurdistan (tentative), *0300- 0355 (fade out), Sep 23, Kurdish announcement, Qur`an recitations, mostly talks by a man about Iran and Iranian Kurdistan, songs, 0347 another man gave announcement and talk in Farsi. Ex 4277. Later fade out than 4027v which indicate a more westerly transmitter location. 35343 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, all: DSWCI DX Window Sept 24 via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN [and non]. IRAQ/IRAN. Two main leaders of Kurdish people in Northern Iraq are M. Barzani and J. Talabani. Their parties "Patriotic Union of Kurdistan" and "Democratic Front of Kurdistan" broadcast now as OFFICIAL radios, not clandestines anymore, as "Voice of the People of Kurdistan" 4023 kHz Ku/Ar s-off at 1658 UT, and "Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan" 4085 kHz, Ku/Ar close down time is different, varies from day to day, like 1825 UT on Saturdays. Observations noted on Sept 13 mainly at 1600-1630 UT in range 3800- 4400 kHz: 3880 and 4380 now "Voice of Revolution" in Kurdish, on air earlier at *1456-1559*. 3925 and 4615 at 1620 carrier only, 1615 IS music from Verdi, 1630 "Voice of Komala". 3970 "Voice of Iranian Kurdistan", jammed by Iran. Extended program in Kurdish till 1630 UT. Persian till 1530 UT. 4163 "Voice of ?Independence?" in Ku/Ar, *1545-1655*. 4235 "Voice of Iraqi Toilers" in Ar/Ku, close-down at various times, in August at 1825 UT, in September at 1625 UT. Ex-4265, now moved to 4250, ID like "Voice of Mojahin of Iran", jammed by Iran. In Pe/Ku/Ar, end at 1656 UT (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, Sept 14, BC-DX Sept 23 via DXLD) ** LATVIA. After sending a reception report by E-mail, some hours later I received this answer: ``Hello to all listeners to the SW test broadcast of Radio Seagull, Many, many thanks for all your reception reports on tonight`s broadcast on 9290 kHz SW! Until now, we have received over 100 reports from places like Italy, Germany, Austria, Greece, Scandinavia, the UK and Holland. We even had one from New York! It's great to know that you've been able to listen to our broadcast and even better to know that you liked our music. Thanks for all your SINPO's and you nice comments, it's very much appreciated. Don't forget that Radio Seagull is broadcasting on the Internet around the clock in stereo. Visit our website http://www.radioseagull.com for more information about our radio station and how to tune in to our webcast. We from Radio Seagull hope that you enjoyed listening to us. We from our side enjoyed making the shows for you! Thanks go to our presenters Stevie Gordon and Garry Lee, the staff and technicians in Riga and to everyone else who made broadcast possible. We hope to be able to do this again soon. On behalf of everyone connected to Radio Seagull, Cheers, Adrian. Radio Seagull, P. O. Box 24, 8860 AA Harlingen, The Netherlands. E- mail: info@radioseagull.nl website: http://www.radioseagull.com (via Christian Ghibaudo, France, DSWCI DX Window Sept 24 via DXLD) ** LATVIA. 9290, Laser Radio regular relays will start at 1000 UTC on 4 October (Laser Radio website via Seager ARDXC Sep 30 via Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** LEBANON [non]. CLANDESTINE from CIS to LEBANON, Voice of Free Lebanon (Cumbre DX follow up). Per Bernd's tip, I checked the http://www.tayyar.org/radio/RadioLoubnanAl7oriya/index.htm website. The audio programs and schedule here are for M-F only, so that is a reduction from the daily schedule they once had. I looked all over that site but I cannot find anything giving their current shortwave schedule. I took another listen at 1600 to 11645 today Sept 30 and heard nothing. They were not heard on their previous frequency of 11515 either. Sure seems like they are off to me or on a very different shortwave schedule (Hans Johnson, WY, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** MEXICO. PRUEBAS DAB EN MÉXICO La Cámara Nacional de la Industria de Radio y Televisión, realizará pruebas a los sistemas de radio digital Eureka-147 y En Banda y En Canal (IBOC, por sus siglas en inglés) en FM. Las pruebas simultáneas que se realizarán durante un periodo de aproximadamente tres meses, compararán el desempeño de ambos sistemas en la Ciudad más grande del mundo. El IBOC-FM se probará utilizando un transmisor de 45 kW en transmisión analógica y 4.5 kW de transmisión digital, el equipo será instalando en uno de los edificios de mayor altura dentro de la Ciudad de México. El sistema Eureka-147 se ubicará en el Cerro del Chiquihuite, se utilizará una antena de alta ganancia, transmitiéndose 5 señales diferentes de audio y un canal de datos como es característico en esta tecnología. Uno de los momentos más importantes será durante el desarrollo de la XLV Semana Nacional de Radio y Televisión, en donde se habilitará un salón para la demostración de estos sistemas, además se incluirán otras tecnologías como: la recepción del Sistema de Radio Digital por Satélite (DARS, por sus siglas en inglés) y la demostración del sistema de Televisión Digital en Alta Definición (HDTV, por sus siglas en inglés). Esto permitirá a la Industria de la Radiodifusión en México, autoridades y a la sociedad en general, entrar en contacto y formar su criterio en cuanto a las opciones tecnológicas para el desarrollo de la radio y televisión abiertas (Source? Via Héctor García Bojorge, DF, Sept 29, Conexión Digital via DXLD) WTFK??? ** MEXICO. In case anyone hasn`t already heard, there is a new tropo target in Monterrey NL, according to a press report via Héctor García Bojorge, in the Conexión Digital list: XHMNU-TV 53 with 500 kW from the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, 0700-2300 local time daily. Apparently the power increase went into effect Sept. 25. That`s quite an increase over 0.0 kW in Doug`s database ujpdated Sept 27... :-) 73, (Glenn Hauser, OK, WTFDA via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. A strong case is now to be made for a second transmitter to the NZ government as a consequence of this debacle. (Wolfgang Bueschel, BC-DX via DXLD) Oct 1 NZ time, no 17675 yet (gh) ** NEW ZEALAND [and non]. Arthur Cushen`s QSL collection Hello Anker. In your recent report of the EDXC meeting, you're quoted as saying that Arthur Cushen's QSL collection is one of the four largest in the world and located in Invercargill, NZ. For the record, the Archives of the NZ Radio DX League are currently located at the Hocken Library, in Dunedin, New Zealand. The Archives contain many thousands of QSLs and other radio ephemera from a large number of NZ DXers. In fact, it's estimated that 100,000+ verifications may be in the current collection. Arthur Cushen's QSL collection does not form part of the NZRDXL Archives. It is managed by the Hocken Library together with the NZRDXL Archives because of similarity of material. Whilst Arthur's collection is historically significant, it forms only about 10% of the total material held at the Hocken Library, the bulk of which includes collections from a large number of other NZ DXers. Much more material (an estimated 200,000 + additional QSLs and associated ephemera) is available to be added to the Archives. The Heritage Committee and Administration Committee of the NZRDXL is currently considering proposals to actively manage the NZRDXL Archives. A core part of the project is to catalog and scan for on- line access all current QSLs in the combined Arthur Cushen and NZRDXL Archives collections. This aspect of the project has a budget in excess of Euro 100,000 for which funding will shortly be sought by a newly established non-profit charitable organisation. Work is scheduled to begin in early 2004 as part of a three-year plan. I believe the NZRDXL Archives, even as they are today, are the largest listener based such collection in the world. We're fortunate to have Dr Adrian Peterson (AWR) and Jerry Berg (CPRV) as active members of our Heritage Committee (David Ricquish, NZ, DSWCI DX Window Sept 24 via DXLD) ** NIGER. NIGER SUSPENDS 15 RADIO STATIONS IN REGULATOR ROW The West African state of Niger has ordered 15 privately run radio stations to halt broadcasts after suspending the chief media regulator, who is accused of issuing licences to them improperly. . . http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s956412.htm (via Artie Bigley, Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** NIGERIA. Glenn, I notice that you still have some information about Salama Radio on your website in "DX LISTENING DIGEST 1-098, July 14, 2001". As a trustee of Harvestime Ministries, an affiliated organisation, I would like to make you aware of the current status of Salama Radio. Dr Jacob Abdalla is still the presiding influence over the radio station and its aims are much the same. However, in August 2002 the operation moved to Jos in Nigeria with the broadcasting being handled by Deutsche Welle in Germany. Currently the station has ceased short wave transmissions due to lack of funds. However, local broadcasts in FM are continuing. I would also like to point out that Ian Simpson and Margaret Perera no longer have any connection with Salama Radio. Jacob Abdalla can be contacted via his email on: admin@salamaradio.org I hope this information is of help to you and that you can update your records accordingly. All the best (Nick Batchelor, Sept 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA. 9690, V of Nigeria, Ikorodu, still on here, e.g. 14 Sept 1541-s/off 1558; used for Vernacular programs. 55434. Distorted audio caused perhaps by overmodulation was noted that day. Mornings, 7255 closes at 0956 to be replaced by 9690 at 1000 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, BC-DX Sept 21 via DXLD) 9690, Voice of Nigeria, Ikorodu, *1000-1558*, Sep 14; it seems that only Vernacular programmes are broadcast. Distorted modulation (seemed overmodulated audio). Some days prolonged broadcast until 1559*. 55434 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DSWCI DX Window Sept 24 via DXLD) ** NORWAY. Sonnet Radio Europe will be testing on SW from the VT Merlin Communications transmitter in Norway operating at 400kW omni- directionally on Dec 16th & 26th at 19:00 Hrs GMT(Z) for one hour. A Pilot programme will be transmitted with a mixture of music from the 70's - today. From February 2004, Sonnet Radio will be transmitting every night from 19:00 Hrs GMT(Z) until 01:00 Hrs GMT(Z) Frequency information will be posted in the coming weeks, more information at the following website: http://www.rtidigital.com/index3.htm [where Dec 12 was shown by mistake] You can email your enquiries to studio@r... (Please note; if you would like your letter read out on air during the tests, please start your subject line with 'AIR'. Many Thanks, we look forward to any QSL / Reception Reports Submitted (Mike Taylor, Sonnet Radio (RTI Digital Limited), Sept 30, shortwavelistening yahoogroup via DXLD) ** PAKISTAN. Re 3-171: Radio Pakistan is today back on its correct frequency of 21465 kHz for its 0800-1104 UT Broadcast. Yesterday's transmission on 21454.98 kHz must have been due to an incorrect punch- up in frequency at the transmitter site (Graham Powell, Editor - Online DX Logbook, Sept 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. I managed to obtain this information on the current domestic services from the Frequency Management Controller: R Pakistan Current Affair frequencies are 6225 in the morning at 0200-0400 and 5080 in the evening at 1300-1800. Urdu Prog (Aaina) is 5840 at 1615-1700. Haya Allal Falah was changed to 7105 at 0045-0215. Rawalpindi and Islamabad programme at 0600-1115 is on 9340. Balti and Sheena News on 7145 at 1350-1400 and 1420-1428. Kashmiri service previously was being radiated from Pindi 10kw transmitter 1230-1330 has been shifted to API-2 on 7145. Rawalpindi III (Azad Kashmir R) is still operating on 4790 at 0045- 0215 and 1430-1810 with 100 kW. Pindi (= Rawalpindi? Ed) 10 kw is operating on 4790 at 0230-0430, 1230-1330 and 1345-1430 (but inaudible here. DSWCI Ed) Quetta 10 kw is operating on 5025 in the morning and evening hours while during day time at 0600-1145 on 7155. Peshawar 10kw at 1100-1400 is radiating Chatrali service for the Northern part of the country called Chatral. Frequency was - still is? 7320 (Noel Green, England, DSWCI DX Window Sept 24 via DXLD) ** PARAGUAY [and non]. 9905.4, unidentified Station in Spanish from 0215 to 0242 Sept. 25. Lately I have been hearing an station in this time slot (also noted at 1240 with a strong carrier but virtually no audio) on this frequency. The program consists of ranchero to up-beat dance music with very few announcements, at times just a few words in Spanish. Checked 7370 for a parallel, noted a carrier on 7370.1 with little or no audio. Possibly thinking it might be Radio América, ZP20 I fired off my details to Adán Mur requesting if they where transmitting on any of the above frequencies. Here is his reply: ``I regret to inform that you did not hear our HF transmissions, for the reason that the transmitters are off-air, at present, with the purpose of improving the energy supply, and for the conversion of our permission, from experimental, to permanent. We have tested our new transmitter site, in Villeta, on several frequencies, and have had spectacular results; having received reports from twenty different countries! We hope to resume transmissions, soon, on the frequencies 7370, and 9905 kHz. That, of 41 metres, will serve the interior of Paraguay. That, of 31 metres, will serve the MERCOSUR region. To-date, we have experimented on the following HF frequencies: 2300, 7300, 7370, 7385, 7737, 9905, 9983, 15185, 15483, 15485 kHz. The very best results have come from the 41 metre band. My opinion is that you have heard the University Station, in Managua, Nicaragua, which has recently commenced operations on 9905, with a power of 1 kW. As for the frequency 7370, you may well have captured a carrier a Russian/CIS transmitter. ZP20 Radio América/Radiodifusión América is on-air, the 24 hours, on 1480 kHz, serving the metropolitan Asunción area. We also retransmit our programming, via FM stations, in distinct regions of Paraguay. Recently, we have added a live-audio INTERNET service: http://www.radiodifusionamerica.com.py The Web Site will give you many details, as to our broadcasts.`` I didn't know there was a University Station broadcasting on 9905 from Nicaragua. Anybody else hearing this one? (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, Canada, Sept 29, BCLNews.it via DXLD) See 3-171 ** PERU. 4790, Radio Atlántida, Iquitos 1000-1020 "atencíón San Martin ... cinco en la mañana.... Radio Atlántida" blasting in, excellent signal (Robert Wilkner, Icom R 75, Pompano Beach, Florida, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. Radio El Sol cambio de nombre: Canal N Radio. Av. Madrid 181, Miraflores, Lima 18, Perú. Telf: 241-2100, e-mail: info@c... [truncated]. Esta emisora retransmite el audio del canal de noticias por cable llamado Canal N, perteneciente al diario El Comercio http://www.elcomercioperu.com.pe Interconecta con la BBC en español (titulares) transmite las 24 horas en onda media, y la frecuencia de onda corta (5970 kHz está inactiva por el momento. Actualmente está realizando transmisiones de prueba en los 88.9 MHz de la FM en Lima. 73s Spacemaster (Alfredo Cañote, Perú, Sept 23, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** QATAR. Qatar Radio, QBS, Doha, 17755, Surprised to see a package from Qatar Radio, RTVC Dept. in the PO box today containing a "Radio Qatar from Doha" booklet (circa. 1991), English service schedule for 27 June, 2003 to First of Ramadan, which of course neglects to mention a single frequency, SW, MW or FM, a personal letter thanking me for my interest in Qatar Broadcasting Service and, most disappointing, "We are sorry about a QSL card because we stopped issuing it." V/S [sic] Jassim Mohammed Al-Qattan, Head of Public Relations, Exchange and Research. This in 441 days for 1 IRC and an English report (Scott Barbour, NH, DXplorer Sept 19 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** ROMANIA. Dear listeners. Our radio station wants to stimulate your curiosity and is trying to offer you a new opportunity to know us better, at home. So, we invite you to participate in a new prize winning contest, directly connected to Christianity`s most important celebration - the Birth of Jesus Christ. We`ve already thought about extending you an invitation under the general heading ``Christmas in Romania``. As usual, you will have to answer a few questions in writing. Stay tuned to RRI, give the correct answers and --- we`ll see you in December in Romania. The competition will be on until November 15 and as usual you wouldn`t like to miss out on quite a few interesting prizes, offered by the Local Councils of Arad and Valcea Counties. The big prizes are two 7- day stays in Romania for two (non inclusive of visa fees and transport fares to Romania) - the winners and one partner of their own choosing, between December 22nd and 28th, in Arad county and Valcea county, respectively. The winners will be given an opportunity to get to see the most interesting places in the two counties and experience, together with their hosts, Christmas as we do it in Romania. Here are the questions: When do Romanians traditionally celebrate Christmas? What`s the name of the river that crosses the county and the city of Arad ? On August 11th, 1999, the city of Ramnicu Valcea was the point of maximum visibility for a major astronomic phenomenon. What was that phenomenon? We would also like to see what you like or...dislike about our programmes, so if you have time, also enclose some recommendations. In case you don`t know how to reach us, here is our address: RRI, 60-64 Gen. Berthelot Street, sector 1 Bucharest, PO BOX 111; fax 0040212232613, e-mail engl@rri.ro Don`t forget; we`re looking forward to your answers which should reach us by November 15th, the mail date. We`ll let you know who the winners are by the end of November. Good luck and don`t forget: if you don`t participate, you`ll miss out on the best opportunity you`ve ever had to see Romania and meet the Romanians at home (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, Sept 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Also have seen versions in Portuguese, Spanish (gh) ** ROMANIA. 9690 kHz, Galbeni, 0400-0657 UT in Romanian. Today Sunday Sept 28th I came across two spurious distorted signals AGAIN, as in previous month. Galbeni produces spurs 57.64 kHz away on 9632.36 and 9747.64. This is my unidentified WHISTLE signal, which I observed in July and August on 9747 (Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany, BC-DX Sept 28) I forgot to mention that I had also heard Romania via 9747 - Wolfie's unID spurious. This was only possible when DW 9750 was less strong during the recent storm. Some of their transmitters are a waste of electricity - note 11830 and 15105. And I've heard 7225 at 0600-0630 putting out only a loud buzz spreading many kHz LF. The 0600-0657 multi-language transmission was also recently heard on 11970 instead of 11940 - another engineer who had mislaid his spectacles! They would be well advised to send these old units to the great transmitter hall in the sky, and to concentrate on those that really work (Noel R. Green, UK, BC-DX Sept 28 via DXLD) Clarification: I actually heard the signal on 15015, not 15105. All the best (Tim Bucknall, UK, harmonics yahoogroup via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Bolshakovo 1656 ... 1658 kHz. And just now I copied on 1658a kHz with Voice of Russia with a German programme (\\ 1386 kHz) with a very broken modulation? Any spurious? Or also a "Luxembourg effect"? (Anybody knows a "good" (!) webpage with better details about this effect ?) or my RX works not well ? (Tom - DL8AAM, harmonics, Sept 28) Kaliningrad spurious? looks like Kaliningrad is "doing it" again ;-) (Tim Bucknall-UK, emwg / harmonics Sept 28) Formula: 1386 multiply by 2 = 2772 kHz 2772 minus 1116 kHz = 1656 kHz Mixture of 1386 kHz 600/1200 kW unit, and 1116 kHz 75 kW unit at Bolshakovo, Kaliningrad Oblast. Maybe spur symmetrically on 846 kHz too. 1116 multiply by 2 = 2232 kHz 2232 minus 1386 kHz = 846 kHz (73 wb df5sx Sept 28, Wolfgang Bueschel, BC-DX via DXLD) Bolshakovo 1386 kHz is a 2500 kW unit, currently run with 1200 kW, 1116 kHz is a 150 kW unit, currently run with 75 kW. Another typical mixture from Bolshakovo is 171+1386 = 1557 kHz (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, harmonics Sept 29, all via BC-DX via DXLD) ** RUSSIA [non]. Russian International Radio via DTK Jülich, 17705 at 1400-1500: In B-03, to be changed to 9555 at 1500-1600 UT, 115 degrees towards Balkan, Near and Middle East. The service is based on a "strategic partnership" between The Voice of Russia and the Russian Media Group which owns Russkoye Radio. The service will be broadcast on medium wave, short wave and satellite. The head of Voice of Russia expects that the new service could more than double the audience of VOR's Russian language program which is currently 100 million. Russkoye Radio is Russia's number one commercial network which has received an award from President Putin for promoting Russian language and culture (Bernd Trutenau, DXplorer via WDXC-UK Oct CONTACT via Bueschel BC-DX via Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Regional state broadcasters in Russia are financed only in part from the federal budget, other parts originate from the respective regional government plus income from advertising. These broadcasters do not have their own transmitters, but are leasing airtime on transmitters owned by RTRN. Since there are "rich" and "poor" regions resp. regional governments, the budgets of the broadcasters vary a lot. Some are broadcasting for many hours and renting a huge network of transmitters, others can afford only a very limited output. In order to cut down in expenses, most stations have meanwhile stopped duplicating programs on MW and SW and are concentrating on FM instead (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, DXplorer Sept 15 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** RUSSIA [and non]. R. Natalie celebrates 05.10.2003 seven years from the date of the beginning of broadcast. In this connection R. Natalie plans be on air 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 October, after 2000 UT on frequency 3916 kHz. It will be possible to be used also Frequency 7473 kHz in different time. Relaying through Power41 is planned. New card QSL can be received for the correct official report 2USdollars or 2 IRC. The new pennant also is ready also; it is possible to receive for 6US Dollars or 5Euro. Transmissions will be also over Radio Europe 7306 USB Saturdays and Sundays during whole October. Order ???????? with own e-mail the address! http://r.mail.ru/cln1956/souvenir.mail.ru (Valentin Jershov, via Dario Monferini, Sept 30, BCLNews.it via DXLD) ** SOMALIA. 7335.00, R Galkayo, 1645-1710, Sep 20, Vernacular talks, announcements, continuous Horn of Africa music from 1658. No specific ID noted but R Galkayo mentioned during the talks. Poor becoming unusable at 1710. Lots of atmospheric noise, so not bad for the reported 0.8 kW (Vashek Korinek, RSA, DSWCI DX Window Sept 24 via DXLD) Also heard tentatively Sep 19 at 1750 with fair signal, but audio level very low and traces of a male voice heard only. But at 1757 he began to sing, and according to Björn Fransson in Sweden it was probably Sam Voron [the announcer] singing the Anthem! (Noel Green, UK, DSWCI DX Window Sept 24 via DXLD) The following interesting information was sent to me in an email from Sam Voron in Somalia. I'd like to share it with you all. 73 from Björn Fransson on the island of Gotland, Sweden --- COPY: Hi Björn, I have been in Garowe the last 2 days to talk with the President of Puntland, Abdulai Yussef during his short stay before he returns to the Somalia Government creation talks in Kenya. I also met the Minister of Information and Telecommunications about Somalia using the human resources in the country to operate a world wide shortwave service which would help bring the country together using all the news sources that have developed around the country. Such an International radio would also give a voice to Africa and to the positive aspect of Islam and to developing nations. The Minister of Information and Telecommunications will approach USA, EU, Russian and other representatives to build such a facility in peaceful Puntland to get on air immediately and which can be expanded into the 4th world wide broadcaster after BBC, VOA and Radio Moscow. The big 800 Watt amplifier is back on line so you can try to listen again. They were using only 15 Watts AM while I was away but I heard them in Garowe which is the Puntland State capital 250 km north of Galkayo. I will most likely leave for Kismayo the following Thursday with a very small chance I might leave this Thursday. Keep listening! Regards, Sam Voron (via Björn Fransson, Sept 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN [and non]. I was enjoying REE`s classical music show Nuestro Sello via the usually strong signal on 17595, Sept 30 at 1405, but after 1430 Bach et al. were marred by co-channel underneath, with occasional German-sounding words. After REE closed at 1455 this proved to be DW in some South Asian language. Why such an overlap? Some frequency planner believes that the DW signal goes only to S Asia? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN [non]. CLANDESTINE from ERITREA to SUDAN. 6985, Voice of Freedom and Renewal, Voice of New Sudan, 0320 Sep 30 with music, till big clock chimes at 0330. Then multiple IDs in Arabic. Mentioning that this was their morning broadcast (guess they must be on at other times as well still). Man then read the news in Arabic. Via Javaradio Europe. Muddy audio on the Javaradio, but sounds like they were consistently using the complete above ID, not just the Voice of New Sudan as they were using for a while. Into what sounded like Juba Arabic or similar at 0350. I could get a fair amount of words, but just enough non-Arabic to really throw me (Hans Johnson, WY, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** SWEDEN. Pan European Radio, last transmitting via Sweden on 1179 kHz, announced the new (not the one they used, when they tested from Poland) address as follows: P O Box 16913, Beverly Hills, California 90209, USA. V/s Bert VanSchaick confirmed my reception in an email to: receptionreport@hotmail.com 73 from (Björn Fransson on the island of Gotland, Sweden, Sept 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The following email was received from Pan European Radio by Martin Elbe-D (repost from A-DX mailing list): From : pan_european_radio@h... [truncated] Pan European Radio, P.O. Box 16913, Beverly Hills, California 90209 USA Los Angeles, September 28th, 2003, Dear Sir, Madam, We like to thank you for the reception report concerning our test transmission in the 26th / 27th / 28th of September 2003 on the Medium Wave frequency 1179 kHz. The transmitter is located in Sweden and has been putting out 600 Kw and 300 Kw during a number of two hour periods in the above mentioned dates. Pan European Radio is not a radio station, but facilitates stations looking for output possibilities. We have a number of clients who want to use AM, FM or SW facilities. Around the world we have various frequencies available. Your report is hereby acknowledged and will contribute to the final decision to either use or not use the 1179 in our range of frequencies. Once again, thank you very much. Yours, Bert VanSchaick MD ================================= Comment BT: PER has a P. O. Box in the USA, but is a Dutch-based venture, involving known names of the Dutch media scene (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, MW-DX via DXLD) ** TAIWAN. Temporary Schedule Changes, RTI --- Please note the following temporary changes to our program schedule, which are effective immediately: 1) News Talk and Stage, Screen and Studio will be temporarily replaced by Instant Noodles and Hakka World, respectively. 2) Discover Taiwan will be hosted by James Ho. 3) New Music Lounge, the popular music program, will be extended to a 30-minute program, which will air on Wednesdays in Hour Two. 4) Confucius and Inspiration Beyond can now be heard on Thursday as part of the Hour One programming. We apologize for any inconvenience, and thank you for listening to RTI! Central Broadcasting System, No. 55 Pei An Road Taipei, Taiwan. R.O.C. http://www.cbs.org.tw (via Daniel Say, BC, Sept 29, DXLD) ** TIBET. 9490, China Tibet People's Broadcasting Co. 1100 9/30. English broadcast, Tibet promo, news, features, music, in the clear and quite readable most days recently (Steve George, MA, 9/30, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS. Ex 1570 MW. Reading the MW column in the April issue of SWN I discovered, thanks to Kyriakos Dritsas, the e- mail address of a former manager of Atlantic Beacon now at R Vision Cristiana. As in the past (1987!) I've never received a reply after several attempts to the station, so I decided to try now again sending an e- mail to Mr. Wendell Seymour. He answered me quickly but saying me that at the time he did not see and answer the reception report, so he was not able to help me. I immediately sent another mail writing that I could send that reception report once again as it was in my computer memory! After that Mr. Wendell wrote me: "I think that I could find an original Atlantic Beacon QSL card, send me the report and I will mail you a QSL card". He understood that I WANTED that verification. So after 50 days I finally got my original Atlantic Beacon QSL card and my 166th EDXC Country verified. If you want to count the time from the first report, look well, it's just 16 years and 2 days! Isn't it a record? As it's true that Mr. Wendell was really nice to answer to my e-mails and to send the QSL card, I must thank Kyriakos Dritsas, Ray Browell and SWN for giving me the main information! (Alessandro Groppazzi, Trieste, Italy, Sep 18, DSWCI DX Window Sept 24 via DXLD) ** UGANDA [non]. R. Rhino International Africa finally made it here, on 17555 via Germany, thanks to improved HF conditions, Tue Sept 30 at *1500-1530*, with WHRA 17560 convenient closing just in time. Seemed to be all in English, with IDs and mission statement, music break in the middle. Invited listeners to phone in their opinions to be broadcast on weekend show. Fading down before closing, and signal was still not that great (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. More on UK TV Licensing. Hi Glenn, Further to the interest shown in UK TV licence regulations, here are the conditions copied from the rear of my current licence. Full information is on the TV Licensing website. You need a licence for each unit of accommodation, a house or flat. Mobile homes (caravans) are subject to several restrictions, which would appear to be unenforceable without a high degree of intrusion. -------------------- About Your Licence. What you need a TV licence for - You need a TV licence to install or use any equipment to receive television programme services - for example a television set, video recorder, set-top box, PC with a broadcast card or any other TV receiving equipment. What this licence also allows - Use at the premises (address indicated) by any person working or visiting the premises. Installation/use (A) vehicle, boat or caravan used for touring from place to place (providing the TV is not being used at the licensed premises at the same time) by the persons referred to overleaf and any person visiting them. Use by the persons referred to overleaf, of a TV receiver anywhere providing it is only powered by internal batteries. What the licence does not allow - Premises occupied by you do not include any parts of your premises exclusively occupied by others, such as tenants, lodgers, paying guests and or self contained units on the premises and/or any parts of your premises (except parts of a private dwelling) occupied by others pursuant to contract or other arrangements. Use of a TV in a caravan (other than a caravan used for touring) at the same time as the licensed premises. A black and white licence does not authorise colour installation or use. Conditions of this licence Payment of the licence fee. This licence can be revoked or its terms varied. Our officers may ask to inspect your licence and television equipment at ANY TIME, but you don't have to let them into your home without a SEARCH WARRANT. Your TV licence does not guarantee a good picture. You must not cause interference to any other radio or TV reception with your television receiving apparatus. ----------------- Other information on UK TV and audio licensing - Registered blind people can apply for a 50% discount on their annual TV licence. Hotels have a special licence based on the number of rooms and TV's they have. To play a radio or TV broadcast in a public place like a bar or shop you additionally require a (PRS) performing rights licence. To play recorded music in public, as opposed to relaying an existing station, like a jukebox or disco also requires a licence from (PPL) Phonographic Performance Limited who licence the playing of copyright music. http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk http://www.ceduman.co.uk/licensing/ppl.htm http://www.ppluk.com/ http://www.prs.co.uk 73's (via Andy Cadier, UK, Sept 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. The BBCWS launches DRM MW to Europe... VT MERLIN COMMUNICATIONS UNVEIL UK'S FIRST HIGH POWER MEDIUM WAVE DIGITAL TRANSMITTER --- PRESS RELEASE 29th September 2003 On the 24th September - Simon Tarrant, Managing Director, VT Support Services and Benny Ammar, Head of Go Digital, BBC World Service jointly unveiled the UK's first medium wave Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) transmitter. The event took place at VT Merlin Communications site at Orfordness, East Anglia. The new transmitter joins the current analogue BBC World Service transmitters for Western Europe (648 kHz and 1296 kHz) located at the same site. The opening ceremony was attended by 60 guests from around the world, who watched Benny Ammar start the first official transmission. This £500,000 project was the first major investment in new transmission plant since Merlin Communications was acquired by the VT Group in 2001. The DRM digital radio system allows for crystal clear high fidelity reception of radio in the short, medium and long wave bands, and overcomes the problems of interference, fading and poor audio quality often associated with "AM" radio. The transmitter and associated digital equipment were supplied by Canadian Manufacturer Nautel, and German companies Telefunken and Fraunhofer Institute. The transmitter will allow high-quality reception of World Service in the Netherlands, much of Belgium, Luxembourg, and Northern France. During night-time the 1296 kHz signal may also reach Germany. Over the next year, engineers will accurately evaluate the coverage parameters. NOTES TO EDITORS About VT Merlin Communications VT Merlin Communications, part of the VT Group plc, is a leading provider of critical communications services to customers in the space communications, defence and broadcast industries. Our range of critical communications services includes technical support services, facilities management, as well as project and programme management. VT Merlin has extensive experience in the design, build, operation, maintenance and support of facilities worldwide. Customers include The European Space Agency (ESA), BBC World Service, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) and QinetiQ. Operating the world's leading short wave network, VT Merlin transmits over 1,000 hours of both short and medium wave broadcasts every day. VT Merlin's global network provides broadcasters with exceptional coverage of the world's most populous regions, and offers capacity to deliver your programmes globally. Currently VT Merlin broadcasts for major international broadcasters including BBC World Service, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, NHK (Radio Japan), Radio Canada International, Radio Netherlands and Voice of America. About VT Group PLC VT Group is an international Government services provider. The Group is divided into two businesses - support services and shipbuilding. Together, these activities employ 10,000 people. Turnover is approximately £600m. VT Support Services - comprising activities in both the military and public sectors - now accounts for over two thirds of turnover. Military support is tri-service and includes training, platform and equipment maintenance and facilities management, while services for the public sector focus on training and education, careers guidance, and secure communications. VT Shipbuilding designs and builds a wide range of vessels for the Royal Navy and navies throughout the world. Smaller boats are also supplied to the commercial market. Specialist marine equipment is provided to both the naval and commercial sectors. Technical notes: A Fraunhofer (German research institute) ContentServer is used to assemble the digital stream at Bush House in London allowing the transmission of data such as web sites, news stories, programme associated data, rds, .jpg pictures alongside the audio service. The data is sent to the transmitter site via satellite (Hotbird 6). A Telefunken Sender Systems Berlin modulator is used to drive the 70 kW (DRM power) 200 kW (AM power) Nautel MF transmitter operating on 1296 kHz. The antenna is a directional antenna focusing a beam across the North Sea towards the Netherlands. For further information about this press release, please contact: Anna Foakes, Marketing Executive, VT Merlin Communications Ltd Tel: +44 (0)20 7969 0000 Email: annaf-@merlincommunications.com [truncated] Web: http://www.merlincommunications.com (via Richard Cuff, swprograms Sept 30 via DXLD) ** U S A. RADIO FREE ASIA Developments. RFA has introduced two new relay sites at USSURIYSK and IRKUTSK for increased coverage of Korean programing. Ussuriysk uses 648 mediumwave 1500-1600, and Irkutsk is on 7210 1600-1700. The TAIWAN relay currently uses 11605 for Vietnamese 1400-1500 and 2330-0030. Seemingly Mandarin service at 2300-2359 UT via Taiwan 7315, 11935, and 11995 have been ceased. Due to decreasing sunspot figures, also the frequency changes on Sept 6th/7th, 2003 marked as J03[til Sept 6th] / S03[from Sept 7th], are included. RFA introduced two new additional broadcast hours in Cambodian programing at 1130-1229 and 2330-0029. But canceled this RFA Khmer service after a two month test in mid August already. Additional tests observed in the Far East on mediumwave 1350 kHz at 1300-1500 UT, location not known, probably from either Ussuriysk-RUS, Poro-PHL, or Taiwan. 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 hrs, Cantonese increase from two to four hrs, Uighur for two hrs, and Tibetan for eight hours. J03=til Sept 6th. S03=from Sept 7th, 2003. RFA uses IBB txs in HOL/H=Holzkirchen Germany, IRA/I=Iranawila Sri Lanka, SAI/S=Saipan & TIN/T=Tinian NoMariana Isls. And Merlin relays TWN/N=Taiwan and UAE=Al Dhabayya-UAE, as well as irk=Irkutsk-RUS and uss=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 September 20th, 2003. 0000-0100 LAO 12015I 13830 15545T 0030-0130 BURMESE 11540-S03 13680T 13820I 15660 17525-J03 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-S03 11590 13575-J03 13625T 13830-S03 15510UAE 15695-J03 17855H-(from 1200) deleted ***** 1130-1230 CAMBODIAN 13730T 15535I 1230-1330 CAMBODIAN 13645T 15525I 15625 1300-1400 BURMESE 11540-?S03 11765T 13745T 15680-?J03 1400-1500 CANTONESE 9775T 11715S 13790T 1400-1500 VIETNAMESE 9455S 9635T 9930W 11510 11520 11535-S03 11605N 11765T 13775P 15705-J03 1400-1500 KOREAN 7380 11790T 13625T 15625 1500-1600 TIBETAN 7470-S03 11510 11590-J03 11705T 11780UAE 13835 1500-1600 MANDARIN 7540-S03 9905P 11765T 12025S 13690T 15510T 15680- J03. Deleted 11945T. 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-S03 9455S 9905P 11750T 11795T 12025S 13690T 15510T 15680-J03. Deleted 11945T. 1700-1800 MANDARIN 7540-S03 9355S 9455S 9540T 9905P 11750T 11795T 11995S 13690T 15510T 15680-J03. Deleted 11945T and 17640T. 1800-1900 MANDARIN 7530-S03 7540-S03 9355S 9455S 9540T 11520-J03 11740T 11995S 13680T 15510T 15680-J03. Deleted 11945T, 11955T and 17640T. 1900-2000 MANDARIN 7530-S03 7540-S03 9355S 9455S 9905P 11520-J03 11740T 11785T 11995S 13625T 13680T 15510T 15680- J03. Deleted 11945T, and 11955T. 2000-2100 MANDARIN 7530-S03 7540-S03 9355S 9455S 9850T 9905P 11520- J03 11700T 11740T 11785T 11935T 11995S 13625T 15515T 15680-J03. Deleted 13670T. 2100-2200 MANDARIN 7540-S03 9455S 9850T 9910P 11700T 11740T 11935T 11995S 13625T 15515T 15680-J03 2200-2300 CANTONESE 9355S 9955P 11785T 13675T 2200-2300 KOREAN 7460 9455S 9850T 11670S 12080T 2230-2330 CAMBODIAN 7455-?S03 9490I 9930P 11570-?J03 13735T 2300-2359 MANDARIN 7540-S03 9910P 11785T 13640T 13800S 15430T 15550T 15680-J03. Seemingly Mandarin service via Taiwan 7315, 11935, and 11995 have been ceased. 2300-2359 TIBETAN 7470 7550-S03 9365-J03 9395-S03 9805UAE 9875H 15695-J03 deleted **** 2330-0029 CAMBODIAN 7490I 13735T 2330-0029 VIETNAMESE 9975-?S03 11540-?J03 11560 11580 11605N 11670T 12110I 13735S 15560P (various sources, updated on Sept 20, BC-DX Oct 1 via DXLD) ** U S A. Did anyone else note some odd interference during the WBCQ "Area 51" program on Sunday evening (0000 UT Monday hour 9/29/03) on 5105 kHz? This was during their "Firesign Theatre" hour, and seemed to stop during (or at the start of) the following hour of Allen Weiner's radio-receiver discussion. (The latter was very interesting, by the way; hope he airs repeats you can catch later this week.) I had never encountered interference just like this: it was a periodic noise burst, usually about three seconds long, like a hiss or high- audio-frequency buzz, that happened at intervals. The intervals varied from about 20 seconds to 45 seconds between incidents, with some gaps of over a minute at times. It almost sounded like it was part of the original audio; since the Firesign Theatre plays around with sound effects, when I first tuned in about 10 minutes into the hour's program, I actually thought it was part of the program, something intended to make it sound like poor radio reception. But then it obscured enough of the content that I decided that could not be intentional in the original. Yet it DID stop when the programming changed over to the next hour! Could it have been some digital artifact in the program recording? I know little of digital audio, MP-encoding and the like. If no one else heard it, I suppose it would have to be local RF interference, but it is a new one and the fact that it seemed linked to the program content argues against it being random electrical noise. Very confusing (Will Martin (St. Louis, MO), swprograms via DXLD) ** U S A. 1710, unID pirate. 0130 Man talking in Yiddish; 1030 Religious talk in English, mentioning "Lubavitcher hassidim," i.e. Hassidic Jews adhering to the extreme orthodox Lubavitch sect. No ID's heard over several hours. Stories in that tradition, e.g. about how bad it is for one's daughter to marry a non-Jew. A web search of "1710 kHz" turned up an FCC web page at http://www.fcc.gov/eb/FieldNotices/2003/DOC-237849A1.html noting action against an unlicensed broadcaster in Brooklyn, NY in Jan. '03: "Agents again observed unauthorized radio broadcast on 1710 kHz, and identified the source as 1236-1244 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11216. The agents obtained access to the roof of 1236 Atlantic Avenue, where they observed a vertical antenna with a coaxial cable leading across the roof into a locked equipment room ... Eliyahu Ezagui, residing at 1227 President Street, was the responsible party...." The FCC assessed a $10,000 fine. Fadeout at local sunrise, consistent with propagation from NY (though maybe from a different address!) to my location (Steve George, MA, 9/30, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** U S A. Radio K marks 10 years of student-run music September 30, 2003 By Chelsie Hanstad http://www.daily.umn.edu/articles/2003/09/30/6752 Radio K, the University`s student-run radio station, will celebrate its 10th anniversary in October. Over its 10 years in existence, Radio K has helped build a sense of community, both in the University and in the greater Twin Cities, Radio K marketing director Tracy Labernik said. The radio station was first formed in 1993 from two smaller stations already at the University. The first, KUOM, was the oldest radio station in Minnesota and was acquired in the 1920s. Students created the other, WMMR, in the 1940s. WMMR broadcast through a cable into residence halls, Radio K programming director Mark Wheat said. A budget crisis in the mid-1980s caused the Board of Regents to consider selling one of the stations. One student, Jim Musil, said they should not sell. He suggested they run KUOM as a student radio station. The regents combined the two stations, and on Oct. 1, 1993, students took over KUOM. Radio K is now one of the largest college radio stations in the country, with between 2,000 and 3,000 student listeners. It employs five full-time professional staff and 17 part-time student employees. The station also has larger facilities and a greater listening audience than many college stations. ``In the top 10, you might find two or three bigger,`` Wheat said. ``And none raise as much money.`` Twice a year, the radio station holds a pledge drive to raise money to meet its $500,000 operating budget. The most recent drive raised more than $85,000. Radio K often helps bring recognition to local groups. ``It brings attention to artists who normally don`t get it,`` said Danny Sigelman of the Electric Fetus in Minneapolis, a store that sells local bands` CDs. ``It`s an obvious contingent. People will come in and say, `I heard this on Radio K, do you have it?` `` In a time when corporations buy many local radio stations and decide which music to play, Radio K gives local musicians an opportunity to be heard in their hometown, local musician and promoter J.G. Everest said. ``No band really gets big in town without the help of Radio K,`` Everest said. Labernik said Radio K also provides many opportunities for high school students. It hosts an annual battle of the bands for high school musicians. The Breakfast Club is the station`s show for high school students` participation. Radio K is also involved in the timeshare of an FM station in St. Louis Park, Minn., with St. Louis Park High School, Labernik said. The high school uses the station during the day and Radio K uses it nights and holidays when school is not in session. The station also hosts several events for local charities, Labernik said. To celebrate its 10-year anniversary, the station organized a month-long celebration. Thirteen concerts featuring local bands, as well as special on-air programming, will go on through October (Minnesota Daily Sept 30 via Artie Bigley, DXLD) WTF --- K??? ** URUGUAY [and non]. Re 3-172: Glenn, Original info was mine, not from friend Colacce, and was delivered via Conexión Digital. Dorner doesn't mention the original source. That's not really important but what is new to me is the info about Radio Américas. Fqcy? SW? Didn't have that... ``Recently Radio Americas, a powerful shortwave station and AM station operated by Protestants began operations in Uruguay, a small country of about 68,000 square miles on the central Atlantic Coast.`` 73 (Horacio Nigro, Montevideo, Uruguay, Sept. 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I bet this was confused with the R. América in PARAguay, and it`s anything but powerful! (gh, DXLD) He is right. Paraguay. Rush of getting it out on Sat a.m. I read Conexión Digital and saw something regarding Nigro's piece, but it did not strike me that it was clear about the pending purchase by the Church. I no longer have that issue (I think), but I remember thinking that this would be interesting if true. I do not know in what issue he reported on that; it was in the middle perhaps of all my computer trouble and certain items were lost out of e-mail and could not be retrieved. Perhaps what I saw was a later report on the developments, but again it was uncertain. Colacce did report the item to me, and did mention that Nigro had written it in CD, too. But he wrote me that HE, Colacce, had read the items in the Montevidean papers; I cannot access the archives of the newspaper that first reported the news, and had no success in finding the information in the other daily. I did find the item on the Uruguayan portal. If I had heard the item from Nigro, or saw it clearly as an actual development reported by him, I would have credited him. But the news came from Colacce on Saturday morning; that was my first reception of a clear item from anyone about the station. Mr. Nigro does not read CRU/RCD as far as I know; I have no contact with him at all. That should set the record straight. There are a lot of questions about this. Exactly who in Italy is funding it is interesting -- the Bishops Conference? Radio Maria? An quasi or independent church agency? Or the Italian office of a church worldwide organization such as Church in Need? Matters like purchases of stations are always delicate; the Latin American Church, in addition, is not noted for openness with the press (Mike Dorner, LA of CRU, Sept 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) No problem for the credits! It goes just for clarity on the most interesting facts about this item, for now: This stops my queries I have already started here in the Uruguayan radio field. And, secondly agree that the inner story of this transaction between R. Oriental and the Catholic church whatever be their branch is still a matter of dilucidation. Greetings and congrats to both you for work in your respective areas covering media developments (Horacio Nigro, Uruguay, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** URUGUAY. 6042.5, R Sarandí Sport, Rivera, 2239-2305, Aug 30, finally identified in a Spanish program with songs, advertisements, pops and talks on sport. 42331 with the "2" standing for adjacent QRM. (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DSWCI DX Window Sept 24 via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. Actualmente Venezuela tiene tres señales en onda corta: 4830 kHz. Radio Táchira, reactivada recientemente, lo participó el colega Malm. 4940 kHz, Radio Amazonas, actualmente con señal distorsionada y mucho ruido. 5000 kHz, YVTO, Observatorio Naval Cajigal, su señal es buena y estable. Estas tres señales fueron monitoreadas a las 1140 UT; solamente Radio Amazonas está presentando problemas, incluso su señal se está corriendo hacia 4930, 4945, y 4950. Esperemos que corrijan pronto esta anormalidad (José Elías, Venezuela, Sept 24, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA [and non]. Dial full of YV's in Illinois --- With low A and K indices it is amazingly auroral here 35 miles NW of Chicago. The lower 3/5 of the AM dial has some pretty darn good signals from Venezuela and the entire dial seems hit by AU conditions, although as the evening progresses the AU effects are lessening. New tonite are YVKE 550 with a political sounding discussion finally mentioning Caracas and Venezuela several times, and YVMD 900 over/under XEW which is reasonably nulled by E-W BOGs, with "...Ritmo..La onda de alegría" now with Ven. type music. 1110 Carupano was huge earlier as was 750 RCR hammering WSB. YVRQ 910 is in well as are others. There still isn't much high latitude skip and I have yet to hear WQEW 1560 for example. What on earth is the bubble jammer type sound that was hammering WTAM 1100 ?? 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, IL, Sept 29, amfmtvdx via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA [and non]. TERROR CLOSE TO HOME -- IN OIL-RICH VENEZUELA, A VOLATILE LEADER BEFRIENDS BAD ACTORS FROM THE MIDEAST, COLOMBIA, AND CUBA --- Nation & World 10/6/03 By Linda Robinson The oil-rich but politically unstable nation of Venezuela is emerging as a potential hub of terrorism in the Western Hemisphere, providing assistance to Islamic radicals from the Middle East and other terrorists, say senior U.S. military and intelligence officials. Bush administration aides see this as an unpredictably dangerous mix and are gathering more information about the intentions of a country that sits 1,000 miles south of Florida... ...The FARC's principal camp in Venezuela is in the Perijá mountains near an Indian village called Resumidero, according to maps and testimony from FARC deserters. The Resumidero base is home to one of the FARC's top leaders, Iván Márquez, and can accommodate 700 people. Márquez commands 1,000 fighters and, according to one deserter's account, oversees the training of hundreds more would-be guerrillas. A clandestine FARC radio station is located about 30 miles away, on the Colombian-Venezuelan border. Resumidero, which has 100 huts and three houses for Márquez and other leaders, is two days' walk from another camp called Asamblea, near the city of Machiques, which is about 35 miles inside Venezuelan territory. That camp, which has 25 houses and even Internet access, is used to train still more more fighters... [Tnx to a tip from Henrik Klemetz, from a much longer article at http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/031006/usnews/6venezuela.htm via DXLD) ** VIETNAM [non]. CLANDESTINE from CIS to VIETNAM, 7380, Radio of the Voice of the Degar People via Chita, Russia, e-mail thankyou note from v/s Kok Ksor, President of the Montagnard Foundation Inc (MFI). He says he usually presents the program which is produced by MFI and in turn which is financed by the Transnational Radical Party of which he is a General Council member. There is a connection, though unclear, with Radicale Radio in Italy, plus with an unnamed HQ in London (Merlin?) which Kok Ksor contacts in case of reception problems. Reply in 16 hours from degar@montagnard-foundation.org (David Foster, Australia, DXplorer Sept 28 via Bueschel BC-DX via Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE. 5975.0, R 2, 2155-2205, Sep 20, Afro pops and Vernacular announcement, at 2200 TC and NA followed by a rhetoric by Mugabe on the occasion of his vice president's demise. Still noted on at 2250 but gone at re-check just after 2300. This is the only Zimbabwean SW outlet at the moment and the schedule is somewhat irregular, usually on by 0500 and often off by 1900 or 2000 (Vaclav Korinek, RSA, DSWCI DX Window Sept 24 via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 3910, 1850-1910, Sep 21, religious program in U.S. English with address in Detroit, Michigan, Bible quotations and talks. I do not think it is the Irish pirate previously reported here. 35333 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window Sept 24 via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 5833.39 v. to 5834.15 --- Better signal 1000-1130 than 0000 to 0100, weak Sept. 30 at 1000-1112. Does not seem a Cuban Harmonic or Central America. Fades before Guatemala 60 meter band stations (Robert Wilkner, Icom R 75, Pompano Beach, Florida, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Re 6069.97, DXLD 3-171: On the same split, 6069.97 kHz, I have CFRB Toronto(Canada). 73s de (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ PLC THREAT IN AUSTRALIA I've got permission from Phil Wait to place this report on the Powerline Broadband Conference held by Buddecom in Sydney on 17th September 2003. You can view it at http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~vk5vka/stopbpl.htm Radio Scanner users will be disappointed to know that frequencies up to 100 MHz could be affected if the roll-out goes ahead in a big way. (Which it probably will because lots of money is involved) )-: I also urge you to download this PDF document from the ACA web site http://www.aca.gov.au/radcomm/frequency_planning/radiofrequency_planni ng_topics/bdplcs.htm (Stephen Newlyn, VK5VKA. G'day from the City of Elizabeth, South Australia. Visit the Drake R8 List Home Page http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~vk5vka/draklist.htm Visit my Home Page at http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~vk5vka/ (via aus.radio.scanner via Richard Jary, ARDXC via DXLD) PLC THREAT IN BRITAIN I am forwarding this message from the RSGB about PLT (Power Line Telecoms?) - i.e. internet via electricity cables. This is potentially a very serious issue for DXers as I have heard that trials in the UK a while ago showed that it could cause severe interference right across the shortwave bands.... Sunday 28 September, 2003 IARU SUBMITS PAPER TO EUROPEAN COMMISSION PLT WORKSHOP Listeners may have seen an item on the Internet where the European Commission is calling for input papers for a PLT workshop for national regulators to be held on the 16th of October in Brussels. PLT remains a major threat to HF communications. IARU Region 1 has submitted a detailed paper for the workshop to the European Commission, setting out the problems that PLT creates for HF communications in general, and radio amateurs in particular. The paper argues for sensible emission limits from PLT systems, and backs up its assertions by referencing work done by a number of organisations, including the RSGB, to monitor and assess the trials of PLT that have taken place in a number of countries over the last few years. Although it will not be allowed for amateur radio to be represented in person at the workshop on the 16th of October, the IARU hopes that its paper will carry some weight in the discussions (via Dave Kenny, BDXC-UK via DXLD) BPL AND OTHER SPECTRUM THREATS I'd like to make three points here: 1. Steady, continuing pressure is better than a large single emotional outcry. Why? They, the ones who wish to implement whatever just wait for the storm to blow over, so to speak. 2. Our collective power is votes, not money. Yes, make your well reasoned and hopefully technically sound comments to the FCC, but also write your representatives in Congress. It may also be helpful to write to the ones who are in charge of "oversight" committees. A concerned voter is a registered voter and may not vote for the incumbent if their concerns are not addressed. Final hint: mention/list memberships in relevant clubs, now you are a group and have group power. Strange as it might seem, power perceived is power achieved. 3. Finally the "sky is falling" commentaries occur are too often and too fatalistic. This causes people to throw up their hands and give up. Far too many people do not participate in government at any level anymore because they believe that it won't count. It does count, but don't expect to see instant results. An entity as large as a national government moves slowly. There are checks and balances, Congress will react, if it is properly motivated. Right now Chairman Powell is facing strong backlash from Congress over actions taken earlier this year. 4. We are approaching an election year. Candidates right now are grasping for issues to talk about to gain support for their campaigns. Opportunity knocks once again. Obligatory SWL connection: Our hobby makes us better informed. We know the Japanese tried and abandoned BPL and lost much money in the process. We know the problems some European countries are currently having with BPL. Why? We listen to shortwave radio and talk to each other. 73, (Mark N3IRJ Clark, Sept 25, swl at qth.net via DXLD) BPL COMMENTS I have sent the following letter to all five FCC Commissioners, all 3 congressional representatives and both senators from West Virginia, President Bush and Vice President Cheney. Please feel free to copy it, add your comments and send them on as well. We need to make some noise against this very bad idea before the FCC just sticks it down our throats. A google search for White House, Senate, House of Reprehensive, and FCC will get you the addresses for your respective congress person or senator. Please take the time to forward this on to them. The more contacts they get against this the better chance we have of stopping it. Larry N4SEA Cover letter: I am enclosing a copy of an e-mail letter I sent to each of the five FCC commissioners. The letter expresses my feelings concerning the BPL or Broadband Over Power Line issue. An issue I'm afraid the FCC is only looking at from one side. I would appreciate it if you could take the time to look at this and address it. It does require immediate attention. I also urge you or one of your staff to check out the links in the message to the FCC. They support my arguments against this very bad idea that the FCC seems very ready to put into being. Thank you. Larry R. Fravel, RT 1 Box 143 A, Shinnston, WV 26431-9722, 304-592- 0072 Actual letter: As an amateur radio operator and an internet/computer enthusiast and user I want to state that I am completely and utterly in disagreement with you comments concerning Broad Band over Power Lines (BPL) and its implementation. This so called great opportunity is only a great opportunity to those that would sell and provide the services. The amateur radio community, the short wave broadcast industry, the short wave listeners of the world, and to some extent the AM broadcast band broadcasters and listeners it will be a complete disaster. It has been proven in numerous tests conducted by the ARRL and others that BPL will and does cause harmful interference to licensed radio services to such an extent that in some instances the services become unusable. Now the NTIA has expressed similar concerns regarding this cash cow for the utility companies. As a licensed radio operator I am required by law not to cause harmful interference to any other licensed service, and Part 15 of the FCC regulations require that unlicensed radiators do not cause me or other licensed services harmful. Interference. When a signal between the frequency ranges of 2 MHz to 60 MHz is transmitted along thousands of miles of unshielded wire the wire becomes on giant antenna that radiates that signal in an omni-direction pattern and the signal overrides any other signal weaker than itself. This causes lack of reception of the weaker signal. That means that leg mate amateur radio communications that just might be in the process of providing disaster communications, homeland security communications, or assisting a ship or boat in danger of sinking is interrupted with terrible results. All because someone had to have that "faster download and connection speed". The reverse is also true. The power line wires also become giant receiving antennas and any transmitter that emits a signal greater than the one being carried on the power lines has the potential to interfere with the signal being carried over the power lines. The only difference here is that the signal being transmitted through the air and interfering with the BPL transmission is a licensed radiator and according to FCC regulations the owner of the receiving device has the onus on them to shield their device or replace it with one that will not receive the interference. Are you also going to require that the power companies, businesses, and all home owners replace all power cables throughout the country with coaxial cable, properly grounded of course, in order to help eliminate the interface from licensed radiators? I think not. Cable Television Operators have made the AM Broadcast band almost unusable in most areas of the country because of the high leakage interference and nothing is done about that. It is more "cost effective" (translated cheaper) for the cable company to ignore the problem rather than repair it until they are required to by the FCC - a very rare occurrence. It is next to impossible to get a power company to come out and investigate a case of power line interference without persistent complaints that sometimes take months to get through because "they are under staffed". Are you going to require the power companies the provide the proper staffing levels to handle the complaints? If you do any profit from this so called "Nirvana" will be eaten up in labor costs shortly after the first download is completed. Please refer to http://www.arrl.org/announce/regulatory/et03-104/ and http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/ BPL is bad for all the reasons listed above and many more. It will cause devastating interference to those that are now licensed to use the radio spectrum. It will also cause the licensed users of the same radio spectrum to interfere with the BPL users. I urge you not to allow this to happen. Technology is a wonderful thing when properly applied and used. BPL is not one of those cases (Larry R. Fravel N4SEA, Rt 1 Box 143 A, Shinnston, WV 26431-9722, Sept 27, MW-DX via DXLD) RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ DEGEN DRM RECEIVERS Review of Pre-production Degen DE1102 (Kaito KA1102 in US): http://radiointel.com/review-degende1102.htm It's interesting to note that Universal Radio will be selling the KA1101 at $64.95. That's $5 below list price on Kaito USA's website http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/portable/1101.html http://www.kaitousa.com/KA1101.htm Review of the Chinese version of the 1101 (Degen DE 1101) - already mentioned: http://www.passband.com/pages/receivernews.htm and the KA105 which has digital tuning, but I think is only Single Conversion as opposed to the 1101/1102 $44.95. Also $5 below list. http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/portable/0105.html http://www.kaitousa.com/KA105.htm I also didn't realize that the Grundig YB550PE is now for sale http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/portable/0550.html (Doni Rosenzweig, NY, Oct 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ DOUG SMITH`S TV STATION DATABASE Has just been updated Sept. 27 in time for fall tropo season(?) USA, Canada and Mexico - nothing like it! http://home.earthlink.net/~w9wi/tvdb/index.htm (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGST) BDXC WEB SITE UPDATES These sections have all been updated recently: Africa frequency lists - by country and frequency. DX Diary. DX Programme Guide. Links. UK Radio Museums. http://www.bdxc.org.uk (Dave Kenny, Sept 24, BDXC-UK via DXLD) OFFLINE DX LOGBOOK The October 2003 edition of the Offline DX Logbook in .pdf format is now available for free download at http://www.shortwave.org.uk This month's edition consists of 14 Pages with over 500 loggings (Graham Powell, Wales, Editor - Online DX Logbook, SWBC topica list via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ Geomagnetic activity ranged from quiet to minor storm levels. The period began at quiet to occasionally active levels on 22-23 September. Geomagnetic activity increased on 24-25 September as a coronal hole rotated into geoeffective position producing mostly unsettled to minor storm levels. As the coronal hole high speed flow began to wane on 26 September activity was at unsettled to active levels. Activity form the remainder of the period, 27-28 September was at quiet to unsettled levels. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 01 - 27 OCTOBER 2003 Solar activity is expected to range from very low to low levels with a chance of isolated M-class events. Region 464 has the potential for isolated M-class activity early in the period before it rotates beyond the west limb on 03 October. Region 471 rotated onto the visible disk on 30 September and is most likely old Region 456 (S08, L=222), which was quite active as it rotated beyond the west limb on its last rotation. Region 471 may keep activity levels somewhat enhanced. No greater than 10 MeV proton events at geosynchronous orbit are expected during the period. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach high levels on 02 - 05 October, 07 - 09 October, and 17 - 26 October. The geomagnetic field is expected to range from quiet to major storm levels during the period. A returning coronal hole is expected on 05 - 08 October and could produce active to isolated minor storm levels. A large coronal hole is due to return on 14 - 22 October and is expected to produce major storm levels. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2003 Sep 30 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 Sep 30 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2003 Oct 01 125 20 4 2003 Oct 02 115 15 3 2003 Oct 03 110 12 3 2003 Oct 04 105 10 3 2003 Oct 05 100 10 3 2003 Oct 06 100 20 4 2003 Oct 07 100 20 4 2003 Oct 08 95 15 3 2003 Oct 09 95 12 3 2003 Oct 10 95 12 3 2003 Oct 11 95 10 3 2003 Oct 12 95 10 3 2003 Oct 13 100 30 5 2003 Oct 14 105 45 6 2003 Oct 15 110 35 6 2003 Oct 16 112 30 5 2003 Oct 17 112 25 5 2003 Oct 18 120 20 4 2003 Oct 19 125 20 4 2003 Oct 20 125 15 3 2003 Oct 21 130 30 5 2003 Oct 22 130 25 5 2003 Oct 23 130 20 4 2003 Oct 24 130 10 3 2003 Oct 25 135 10 3 2003 Oct 26 135 10 3 2003 Oct 27 130 10 3 (from http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via DXLD) ### |||||||||||||| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-172, September 29, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser 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 3-171:] ** U K. BBC CREDIBILITY CONTINUES UNDER ATTACK from the September 24, 2003 Christian Science Monitor BBC row spurs call for reform --- Admissions of errors in an explosive report leave the state-funded broadcaster open to censure By Mark Rice-Oxley | Special to The Christian Science Monitor LONDON - A BBC reporter's admission of inaccuracies in an explosive broadcast accusing the government of overstating Iraq's weapons capability has added a new twist to a tortuous saga, raising questions about the role and regulation of the British Broadcasting Corp. Andrew Gilligan, who touched off a firestorm in May with allegations that the government misled the country about Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction, confessed last week that he had made several mistakes in the report. Mr. Gilligan stood by the main thrust of his broadcast - that the government exaggerated the WMD threat to make war more palatable to a skeptical public - but apologized for casual errors that, ironically, "sexed up" his own report. Full Story at: http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0924/p07s01-woeu.html (via Jim Moats, OH, Roger Chambers, NY, Sept 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. Re British TV Licence --- Fascinating reading in the latest DXLD about the BBC TV license and detector vans. Makes one wonder: Is the license to a location or an individual or family or group of co-residents? I do seem to recall that it is NOT to each individual TV, though it may have been like that in the past. If to a location, what happens when people move? If to a family, what about when a family member temporarily moves to another location and takes a TV (like a kid going to boarding school or college dorm) but is intending to move back home later? How do they handle portable TVs, especially handheld pocket models? What do commercial establishments, like hotels with a TV in each room, pay? Some discounted rate, or the full rate per room? What about something like a sports bar with a whole batch of TVs in one room? How do the detector vans discern the difference between computer monitors or security-video monitors and broadcast-tuning TVs? If a US person temporarily residing in Britain brings over an NTSC TV and VCR or DVD player to play a collection of discs or tapes, is it detectable? Is a license fee required for it, even though it cannot receive British broadcast signals? 73, (Will Martin, MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES NEW POWERS TO COMBAT PIRATE BROADCASTERS New powers of arrest were introduced on the 18th of September in an attempt to combat pirate radio stations. The police, working with Radiocommunications Agency investigators, will now be able to arrest a pirate broadcaster or anybody suspected of supporting or facilitating illegal broadcasting. Previously police could only detain someone if they suspected them of giving a false name and address or another criminal act, such as a breach of the peace or assault. The new powers of arrest will also extend to acts of deliberate interference with radio communications and hoax calls, especially false distress calls. The Communications Minister Stephen Timms said: ``These new powers will be an important weapon in the campaign against pirate broadcasters. By interfering with communications services which are vital for public safety, pirates can put lives at risk. They also cause interference with other licensed radio users and can be a social nuisance to those who live near pirate stations.`` Pirates detained under these new powers could face an unlimited fine or up to two years in prison. For other transmitting offences such as unlicensed use of business, marine, or amateur radio the maximum penalty is a £5000 fine and / or 6 months in prison plus forfeiture (Radio Society of Great Britain GB2RS News Script for September 28, posted September 24 on uk.radio.amateur by G4RGA via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** U K. ... "One of religious radio's best-known and best-loved voices has fallen silent," Roger Bolton announced on his Sunday programme last week. What? Was Radio 4 going to say something nice about Garner Ted Armstrong, the American evangelist who believed Anglo-Saxons were one of the lost tribes of Israel and whose apocalyptic sermons on the World Tomorrow went out for years on the North Sea pirate ships and another 300 stations worldwide? No. It was not. The man being referred to was another padre altogether - Jim Thompson, former Bishop of Stepney and of Bath and Wells. He had died in the same week, aged 67. He was given a warm on-air eulogy. National broadcasting's only obituary show, Brief Lives, on Radio 5 Live, that same day also mentioned Thompson and ignored Armstrong..." ... "He supplanted his father, Herbert Armstrong, as the principal voice of the Pasadena-based Worldwide Church of God, which paid a then enormous £300 to Radio London (where John Peel made his British radio debut and Tony Blackburn his name) to carry each daily edition of World Tomorrow in the 1960s" See September 28, 2003 "Radio Waves: Paul Donovan: Shun of God" at http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,176-829051,00.html for more details (Mike Terry, DXLD) Registration required ** U S A. VOA EDITOR BERNARD KAMENSKE DIES Monday, September 29, 2003; Page B04 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A15163-2003Sep28.html Bernard H. Kamenske, 75, a champion for journalistic integrity at Voice of America, which he left as chief news editor in 1981 after his much-publicized battle for objective reporting, died Sept. 25 at Suburban Hospital. He had complications from cardiovascular and pulmonary ailments. Mr. Kamenske, who started working at VOA in 1955 and became chief news editor in 1974, was credited with helping establish its charter governing news accuracy and objectivity. He pushed for the adoption of the VOA charter as a law, which he saw as a way to shield the publicly funded overseas information agency from efforts to compromise its journalistic and programming integrity. The charter, which was drafted in 1960, was signed into law in 1976 by President Gerald R. Ford. Mr. Kamenske, who was known as a cantankerous and irascible figure, firmly objected to efforts to politicize the agency. He spoke out against those favoring a more combative, anti-Communist edge in its news broadcasts to citizens living in Communist-controlled countries during the Cold War. "He more than anyone else has kept the sanctity of VOA news -- he sleeps with the First Amendment every night," The Washington Post quoted an unnamed veteran Senate staff member as saying at the time of Mr. Kamenske's retirement. After leaving VOA, Mr. Kamenske joined the CNN Washington bureau as a senior news executive. Bernard Harold Kamenske, who lived in Bethesda, was born in Nashua, N.H. He started working in journalism in 1944 as an Associated Press writer and editor in Boston. He then wrote and edited news reports for Boston radio stations before entering the Army during the war in Korea. While awaiting assignment to Korea as a combat correspondent, he was severely injured at Camp Rucker, Ala., when he was hit by a motorcycle courier. He spent more than three years undergoing experimental and massive reconstructive surgery before joining VOA. A year into his VOA career, Mr. Kamenske was named Latin America editor in the central newsroom. In that capacity, he developed a system of formatting news regionally. He later rose through the ranks and became a shift supervisor for all VOA news operations. He received U.S. Information Agency honor awards in 1963 for his news writing during the Cuban missile crisis and in 1966 for his news coverage of South and Central America. Survivors include his wife, Gloria Cheek Kamenske, of Bethesda; and a sister. © 2003 The Washington Post Company (via Kraig Krist, DXLD) ** U S A. VOA EXHIBITION OPENS IN WASHINGTON NEXT WEEK An exhibition entitled VOA Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow formally opens in the lobby of the Media and Public Affairs Building of the George Washington University on Wednesday 1 October. A collaborative effort by the University, the Radio History Society http://www.radiohistory.org/ and the Voice of America, the display outlines VOA's reputation as an influential international broadcaster by using both historic and contemporary highlights and artifacts. The exhibit emphasises VOA's role in providing reliable and accurate news worldwide in 55 languages, as well as its importance in times of conflict. Highlights include a Cold War era radio from East Berlin designed with a switch to receive only the two government-controlled stations, along with a modern radio that can run on either solar, battery or wind-up technology. Located four blocks from the White House, the George Washington University is the largest institution of higher education in Washington. The Radio History Society is a non-profit corporation that seeks to educate the public about the history and impact of radio and television technology and broadcasting. The exhibit will be opened on 1 October with a short program hosted by George Washington University's Vice-President for Communications, Michael Freedman, and including local media personality Ed Walker and VOA Director David Jackson. The display will be open to the public through 15 December 2003 (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 25 September 2003 via DXLD) ** U S A. CUBANS THANK VOA FOR EXPANDED 'VENTANA A CUBA' Washington, D.C., Sept. 26, 2003 - The Voice of America (VOA) began receiving congratulatory calls from Cuba immediately after moving Ventana a Cuba (Window on Cuba), its Spanish-language radio program, to daily broadcasts on September 15. Many callers said that word had quickly spread among Cubans about the program's new status and that people were very pleased to be able to listen every night without jamming. [see previous report!] The 30-minute radio program features news, information, and interviews with Cubans inside and outside the country on a wide variety of issues, including health, education, human rights, freedom of the press, agriculture, labor policy and international law. "Although our program has a wide audience throughout Latin America, nowhere is it more appreciated than in Cuba, where listeners yearn for reliable and accurate news and information," said VOA Director David S. Jackson. VOA expanded the broadcast from twice a week to nightly in response to letters received from Cuba citing VOA's credibility and the growing numbers of Cubans participating in VOA programs. One listener wrote, "...we have observed a firm preference for VOA among several sectors of the population - the intellectuals, professors, academicians, writers and professionals - who will support any expansion of VOA broadcasting to Cuba." Noted Cuban dissident Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas, who has participated several times, praised the program, saying "Thank you for allowing me to address my people in this, the most direct way, by means of this 'window'." Broadcasters Tony Cano and Mercedes Antezana host the show. VOA's 12 1/2 hours of weekly programming in Spanish also includes the popular 60-minute call-in program Hablemos con Washington (Talk with Washington). More than 60 percent of the mail received by VOA Spanish comes from Cuba. Ventana a Cuba is broadcast every evening from 8:00-8:30 p.m. local time in Cuba via shortwave. It is also transmitted on the VOASAT satellite system to more than one hundred affiliates throughout Latin America. Programs are also available on the Internet at http://www.VOAnews.com/spanish (VOA press Sept 26 via DXLD) If they put exiles on, Ventana may well get jammed. There is no law against that from the dentrocubano viewpoint! (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. MOROCCO, 17895, Studio 7 (VOA Service to Zimbabwe), 1730 Sept 24, fair signal, IDs and music. News about bad inflation in Zimbabwe (Hans Johnson, WY, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** U S A. NEW SURVEY NUMBERS CONFIRM RADIO SAWA'S GROWTH AND POPULARITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST Washington, D.C., September 25, 2003 - Radio Sawa, the U.S. Government-funded Arabic language station, is the leading international broadcaster in all Middle Eastern countries surveyed, according to an ACNielsen report released today. The station also scores high as a reliable source of news and is popular with all social classes, the survey said. The survey, conducted in five countries in July and August 2003, showed that Radio Sawa, launched in March 2002, has an average listenership of 31.6 percent among the general population 15 years and older. Listener rates in five countries were: Egypt 10.6 percent; Jordan, 30.4 percent; Kuwait, 39.5 percent; Qatar, 40.8 percent and United Arab Emirates (UAE), 36.6 percent. "The success of Radio Sawa reminds us that a significant number of young Arabs will listen," said Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), which oversees all U.S. international, nonmilitary broadcasting. "Just as people the world over, Arab citizens want accurate news and provocative current affairs programming," he said. "The truth will out." Added Norman J. Pattiz, chairman of the BBG's Middle East Committee: "Radio Sawa proves beyond a doubt that a radio station funded by the taxpayers of the United States, providing accurate, reliable and credible news and information, can attract a huge listening audience in the Middle East." Pattiz, a driving force behind the creation of Radio Sawa, said, "By using proven 21st Century Western broadcasting techniques, Sawa is the foremost example of 'marrying the mission to the market,' the primary focus of the BBG's strategic plan." The survey also showed Radio Sawa: Has achieved market dominance - an average 42 percent listenership - in the important age group between 15-29 in countries where it is broadcast on local FM stations. Egyptian listeners can only receive Radio Sawa on medium wave (AM). (Listening rates by country are: Egypt 20.5 percent; Jordan 40.5 percent; Kuwait 47.7 percent; Qatar 51.6 percent and UAE 49.8 percent.) Attracts an older audience as well as a young audience, with 22.5 percent of listenership among the general population over 30. (Egypt 2.9 percent; Jordan 19 percent; Kuwait 34.3 percent; Qatar 29.3 percent; UAE 26.8 percent.) Is popular among all social classes, with listening rates of 34.6 percent among "elite" listeners, upper social and economic classes including managers and well-educated professionals. (Listening rates are: Egypt 14 percent; Jordan 51 percent; Kuwait 25.8 percent; Qatar 39.8 percent; UAE 39.6 percent.) Is considered a reliable source of news and information by 73 percent of its weekly listeners. (Egypt 87 percent; Jordan 56 percent; Kuwait 84 percent; Qatar 75 percent; UAE 63 percent.) Radio Sawa's audience has a more positive view of the United States than the general population. When asked, "How favorably or unfavorably inclined are you personally towards the United States," 39.3 percent of Radio Sawa listeners replied, "Very or somewhat favorable." That compares with 27.3 percent of the general population. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 percent. ACNielsen conducted the field work for InterMedia, which serves as the BBG's general research contractor. Respondents were questioned in face-to-face interviews in Arabic. Some 5,737 people over the age of 15 participated in the survey, which was divided between men and women representative of key demographic groups in terms of social class, education, employment, size and type of household. Radio Sawa, a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week Arabic-language network, broadcasts objective, balanced, up-to-the minute news and news analysis combined with an upbeat mix of the best Western and Arabic pop music. The station also broadcasts interviews, opinion pieces, sports, and features on a wide variety of political and social issues. Radio Sawa http://www.radiosawa.com originates its programming from Washington and Dubai and is broadcast across the region, using a combination of medium wave (AM) and FM transmitters, digital audio satellite, short wave and Internet. Radio Sawa currently has five customized 24/7 programming streams (Egypt-Levant, The Gulf, Iraq, Morocco, and Jordan/West Bank). Late in 2003, Radio Sawa plans to launch a sixth stream for Sudan. The BBG is an independent federal agency which supervises all U.S. government-supported non-military international broadcasting, including the Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL); Radio Free Asia (RFA); Radio and TV Martí, Radio Sawa and Radio Farda. The services broadcast in 65 languages to over 100 million people around the world in 125 markets. Nine members comprise the BBG, a presidentially appointed body. Current governors are Chairman Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, Joaquin Blaya, Blanquita W. Cullum, D. Jeffrey Hirschberg, Edward E. Kaufman, Robert M. Ledbetter, Jr., Norman J. Pattiz and Steven Simmons. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell serves as an ex officio member. (From: http://www.payvand.com/news/03/sep/1162.html via Ulis R. Fleming, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** U S A. I noticed that WORLD OF RADIO on WINB, which was #1200 rather than 1199 a week delayed, UT Thu 0130-0200 on 9320 was followed Sept 25 by a commercial for radios4you.com which sells SW radios, apparently from Hallandale Beach, Broward County, FL, tho no postal address is to be found on the website. Just to be clear, SW-related commercials immediately before or after WOR on some stations have no connexion with WOR, are not endorsed by us, but acceptable. As long as WOR is not interrupted, stations have the option of selling commercial time for related products in return for donating airtime for WOR itself, but such ads have no direct financial benefit for WOR. The closest radios4you comes to connecting with WOR is a link to our SW frequency list at C. Crane: http://www.ccrane.com/shortwave_frequencies.htm If you ever hear a DWM Enterprises (Tiny Tenna) ad next to WOR, however, you can be sure that it is specifically contrary to our wishes (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 7490/13595, WJIE still not on, no response to my query as to when they would be on. 7354 WRNO --- untraced for a number of months. 9465 WMLK --- per the station, they are still working on getting their 250 kW transmitter on the air (Hans Johnson, WY, Sept 26, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** U S A. Hello, my name is Morgan Freeman. I worked with Doc Burkhart. He went to Florida to manage one of our AM stations. I am working on improving our quality. We are now delivering signal to the transmitter by subcarrier and we purchased a new remote control, so there should be vast improvements. Reports are wanted so we can define our coverage area, and a special QSL card is available (Morgan Freeman, WJIE, Sept 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WJCR is again being heard on 13595 at 1645 Sept 29, good but CODAR swishes. ID at 1700 for WJCR, mentioning both 7490 and 13595, and e- mail wjcrsw@yahoo.com No, I do not find any website like http://www.wjcrsw.com (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I am up and on the air on 13595. Please publish this request for QSL cards. We will be using the call sign WJCR. So this will be the last time for a QSL card from these call signs. Email me morgan@wjie.org or mail at P O Box 197309, Louisville KY, 40259. I would appreciate it if you would give it a listen. It is on a north south line (Morgan Freeman, WJIE, Sept 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ?? I thought this was to be 55 degrees (gh) WJIE [sic] says they reactivated 13595 last Friday. Just checked and found them on at 1855 with a poor signal (Hans Johnson, WY, Sept 29, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** U S A. CARDINAL COMMENT --- ``We`re not in the business of providing news and information. We`re not in the business of providing well-researched music. We`re simply in the business of selling our customers` products.`` --- Lowry Mays, CEO, Clear Channel Communications, which owns 1,200+ American radio stations (via Mike Dorner, Catholic Radio Update Sept 29 via DXLD) Source? See also OKLAHOMA ** U S A. Checked out the local radio scene in my old hometown, Santa Rosa NM, during my latest visit on Sept. 28. Big news is a new TIS on 1610, apparently in Santa Rosa, tho the site was not found, first noted about 5 miles west on I-40, and holding up well to about 10 miles east, and still audible at Cuervo (where the 530 TIS is long gone, tho the blue road sign for it ``Hear New Mexico -530`` is still in good condition!). There is no ID or anything to indicate where it is, just this loop by a woman, verbatim: ``The New Mexico Department of Transportation District Four`s award- wining team wish you and your family a safe journey to your final destination. Thank you for visiting the Land of Enchantment. Always remember to buckle up and arrive alive; don`t drink and drive.`` Technical quality was good, as befits a new installation, unlike the old 530 network, which was allowed to deteriorate. Surely NM DOT has bigger plans for these things. As I recall, they also have an LPFM network coming. Santa Rosa`s only local AM, KSSR 1340, however, was missing. I dropped in at the site on the east side, and was told a storm may have knocked them off temporarily; FM on 95.9 was operating normally. The operator said the two normally carry separate programming, and the calls are still KSSR on AM and KRSR on FM, altho FM Atlas XIX claims 95.9 is KIVA --- a popular call which has bounced around New Mexico over the years, including a station in Albuquerque for a while. Furthermore, FMA shows 91.9 in Santa Rosa as KNLK, rather than a translator for KANW-89.1 Albuquerque. But the only ID heard at hourtop was for KANW and the very limited range indicate it is still a low-power translator, tho even the listing for KNLK is only 100 watts at -8 meters AAT. BTW, KANW had Whaddya Know (I think) instead of Schickele Mix at noon MT Sunday, tho the latter is still on the grid at http://www.kanw.com and 91.9 Santa Rosa translator is still listed as K220BH. FMA shows two LPFM in Santa Rosa on 103.1 and 106.1, but these were not (yet?) on. The new translator for KLSK-98.1 on 107.1 was confirmed, tho weak. Did not check 107.9, which is in the state listings I checked later, because it is not on the map. KHFM 95.5 translator at Conchas Dam on 105.5 audible on I-40 around Newkirk, classical (Glenn Hauser, NM, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Philadelphia IBOC: WXTU 92.5 appears to be running the IBOC setup already. So much for doing 'control recordings' before! 92.3 and 92.7 are just white noise at almost half-scale, and I'm aimed about 210 degrees, which is about 45 off WXTU. 92.9 and 92.1 are not affected at this point, although the antenna currently favors WDSD- 92.9. The primary signal on 92.5 is louder, and, subjectively, appears 'better'. Serious distortion kicks in at around 92.55 and 92.45, fading to white noise at 92.67 and 92.34. There are still artifacts at 92.75 and 92.25. Conditions aren't great but there is tropo toward the South and Southeast. I would expect that any sort of decent Es would cut through on the first adjacents with a little help from the antenna direction. It would take stronger tropo signals than I usually see here to get through. Thus, anyone near to any major concentration of stations (as I am) could be in trouble for DX if/when this thing takes hold. I've got more than 20 stations within 10 miles of my location excluding translators and low powers, which could effectively cover 60 channels with either super-strong primary signals or white noise. I'll have to turn the antenna tomorrow and see what happens when I point it NE, where I can peak the first adjacents (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA (15 mi NNW Philadelphia), Sept 26, NRC FM-TV via DXLD) Later: The white IBOC noise on 92.3 and 92.7 from WXTU changes only minimally with movement of the antenna. Even pointing right at NYC, no sign of WXRK on 92.3; same for WOBM on 92.7. One change with the antenna movement is that there is now a mixture of audio (WXTU's) and noise on both 92.25 and 92.75, whereas last night, aimed about 30 degrees off of WXTU that was all white noise. I've just completed recording some of this. I did double-check and WXTU's transmitter is indeed only 8 miles from me -- it isn't where I'd thought it was (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA, Sept 27, ibid.) ** U S A. WSAI IBOC follow-up: Glenn, closing the loop in on my reports of IBOC-like noise on 1530, I received a letter from Andrew Costa at WSAI. He speculates that another station on 1520 or 1540 might have been running IBOC, causing the interference. There is no further discussion as to a possible cause. I have not noted any similar noise on 1530 since Sep 6, so can't offer anything else to clarify the mystery (Gerry Bishop, Niceville FL, Sept 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1650, ``Phat Rock``, Las Vegas NV: My favorite local pirate is still going strong here 14/7 with techno/industrial music and very tight, professional production. It`s in the northwest side of the city and well heard along Highway 95 between the Summerlin parkway and Ann Road exits. Claims to be a 100 mW Part 15 operation. Yeah, right!! (Harry Helms, new editor of Domestic DX Digest, NRC DX News Sept 29 via DXLD) ** U S A. THROWBACK IS COMIN' BACK --- Pirate radio, a Holiday Inn that isn't, lots of cops, and cagey promoters --- BY NICK WEIDENFELD Due to the pirate nature of his radio show, DJ Showtime does a little bunny-hopping around the FCC. So last Sunday, he's on 89.7 FM. On Monday, he's nowhere to be found. Tuesday, around lunchtime, he's bounced over to 89.1 FM and is playing the latest Trina single. She's rapping about ladies getting their own. . . http://newtimesbpb.com/issues/2003-09-25/news2.html/1/index.html A story about tie-ins between south Florida pirate radio and party promoters. Warning: Rough language at times. 73- (Bill Westenhaver, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. A bit of corrected history relating to KFI-TV Just an FYI, the following DX quote from your 4/20/03 edition, [3-070, quoting WTFDA posts] recently called to my attention, contains incorrect information: In any case, CBS decided not to wait any longer as prices for VHF stations rose, so in 1950 it pulled out of its partnership with the LA Times in KTTV (Channel 11) and bought KTSL from Lee. Lee then turned around, took advantage of a moment of financial weakness for his car-dealer rival Earle C. Anthony, and bought KFI-TV 9 from him, turning it into KHJ-TV. In fact Thomas S Lee had died and it was his estate that sold KTSL to CBS. It also sold radio station KHJ and the Don Lee network to General Teleradio, a subsidiary of the General Tire Corp. Teleradio also owned the Yankee Network in New England and WOR New York, which like Lee were partial owners of the Mutual Broadcasting System. Acquisition of the Lee interests gave General control of Mutual. It was General Teleradio, not Lee, which purchased KFI-TV from Anthony in 1951 (not 1950) and renamed it KHJ-TV. The Anthony/Lee relationship had always been a friendly rivalry. Neither ever "took advantage" of the other. Thomas Lee's father, Don Lee, who died in 1934, was set up in the auto business by Anthony in 1906. This occurred when General Motors founder William Durant ordered Anthony to choose between his GM-affiliated Buick dealership and other auto interests (Anthony was handling nine makes in Los Angeles at the time). Lee later swapped the Buick franchise for Cadillac (owned by another Anthony protégé, Charles Howard of Seabiscuit fame) in 1909. The three men were partners in the National Supply Company, whose service stations controlled 25% of the gasoline market in Los Angeles County at the time of its sale to Standard Oil of Calif in 1913 (along with its Chevron trademark). Don Lee's following of Anthony into the broadcast field in the twenties was quite friendly - the two auto magnates helping to jointly mold much of early broadcast history, notably their public refusal to carry hard liquor ads on radio after the repeal of prohibition. The sale of the TV station was not a "moment of financial weakness" but a strategic decision for the aging Anthony. The station was not going to be an NBC affiliate as originally envisioned, had consistently lost money (KFI Radio fortunately was well able to cover them), was faced with major upgrade costs for color television and the TV station had been strike-bound in a union jurisdictional dispute that had nothing to do with wages. With the movie industry not yet ready to share old movies for rebroadcast, there was a dearth of primetime programming for non-network stations. Anthony was simply fed up and unwilling to cave to a New York based union who did not give him the respect that he had always enjoyed from the local LA radio unions. General Teleradio, which already had a contract with the union on its New York operations, offered Anthony a premium price and simply he took it. General shortly after acquired the RKO studios, selling the studio lot to Desilu and using the film library to launch the nightly "Million Dollar Movie" series that made industry history and led to other studios following suit. According to a later general manager of KFI radio, George Hamilton, Anthony did later regret having sold the television station. General Tire years later became involved in international bribery scandals that led to loss of its broadcast license, but that's another story. You can read confirmation of the facts above in numerous places, among them the following http://www.metnews.com/articles/reminiscing112702.htm (Art Landing, Biographer of Earle C Anthony, Sept 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. BIG BATTLE AHEAD: BRUDNOY FIGHTS RARE CANCER by Dean Johnson, Wednesday, September 24, 2003 Veteran Boston radio talk show host David Brudnoy has been diagnosed with a rare cancer and has about a 50 percent chance of beating it, he said yesterday. ``It was a jolt out of the blue,'' Brudnoy, 63, said about learning he is afflicted with Merkel cell carcinoma nearly two weeks ago. ``I thought I had a pimple on my forehead and a cyst on my cheek, no big deal,'' he said. ``So I went to the doctor and was told, `This has to be dealt with right now . . . this is a big, big cancer up there.' '' Brudnoy also discussed his new health crisis last night during the final half-hour of his 7-10 p.m. WBZ-AM (1030) talk show. He took no phone calls after his announcement and said that he will no longer discuss his condition on the air with the possible exception of brief monthly updates. . . http://www2.bostonherald.com/news/local_regional/brud09242003.htm (via Bill Westenhaver, QC, DXLD) Another story on Brudnoy: http://www.boston.com:80/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2003/09/24/ radio_talk_show_host_diagnosed_with_rare_skin_cancer (via Bill Westenhaver, QC, DXLD) ** U S A. W5BQU, BYRL H BURDICK, SR, PO BOX 10219, EL PASO TX 79995 My friends call me "Tex." I am 103 years old and have been told that I am the oldest amateur operator in the US. Licensed since October 1930, I am on the air daily. Lately, I have been on 15 meters at 21.314 MHz. plus or minus. Tune around and give me a call. 73, Tex Callsign: W5BQU Class: General Codes: HAI USA Name: BYRL H BURDICK, SR Addr1: PO BOX 10219 Addr2: EL PASO, TX 79995 Country: USA Effective: 10 Dec 1997 Expires: 02 Oct 2005 QSL Mgr: My honey, Juanita. Coordinates: 31 46' 0'' N, 106 25' 28'' W Coordinates: 31.7669 -106.4245 County: El Paso Grid: DM61ss Area Code: 915 Birthday: 25 Sep 1900 QRZ Updated: 2003-04-14 20:38:50 He was on 15 SSB this afternoon !!!!! (Bill Smith, W5USM, Sept 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** URUGUAY. CHURCH REPORTED BUYING CX12 RADIO ORIENTAL Montevideo, Saturday morning, Sept 27 (CRU) --- The Catholic Church in Uruguay is buying CX12 Radio Oriental 770 AM in Montevideo, one of the country`s most distinguished and powerful radio stations, with a loan from the Italian Church, Catholic Radio Update/Radio Católica al Día reader and correspondent Horacio Colacce reported today from Paysandú. Involved in the purchase is the inactive shortwave station CXA7 on 11,735 kHz. The Church would begin its broadcasts on December 8th if the purchase is successful. According to Señor Colacce, ``Radio Oriental belongs to the Montecarlo Group (radio, television, cable, etc.) and for a number of years is one of the most powerful and important stations, dedicated to sports broadcasts, principally football.`` CX12 runs 100,000 watts and CXA7 runs 2,500 watts. Shortwave radio is quite active in this South American country of 3.3 million people, of whom 76.5% are Catholic. Recently Radio Americas, a powerful shortwave station and AM station operated by Protestants began operations in Uruguay, a small country of about 68,000 square miles on the central Atlantic Coast. It is not clear whether the Archdiocese of Montevideo is buying the station for itself or the Episcopal Conference of Uruguay is buying the station and will operate it as a national Catholic station. Given the power and frequency, not to mention the shortwave station, CX12 Radio Oriental covers this nation of well-watered plains and rolling hills. Montevideo has about 1.5 million people and is the national capital. Argentina and Buenos Aires lie across the wide Río Plata, and Montevidean stations have wide listenership in the Trans-Platan area of Argentina, including Buenos Aires. The event was reported by Montevidean newspapers on September 4, principally El Observador. An archdiocesan spokesman simply said that negotiations were in progress, that nothing had been finalized. Neither the archdiocesan website http://www.arquidiocesis.net nor the Conference Episcopal de Uruguay (CEU) website http://www.iglesiauruguaya.com mention the pending purchase. Uruguay has only two Catholic stations at present, CXD277 Radio Encuentro 103.3 FM in the suffragan Rio Platense diocese of San José de Mayo, and the 100-watt CV152 Radio Paz 1520 AM in Guichon deep in the interior. Uruguay is said to be a highly secularized country with a church attendance low by South American standards. RADIO ORIENTAL SALE: WHOSE WILL IT BE? Montevideo, Sep 4 (Montevideo.com.uy) --- The Catholic Church clarified today that the purchase of Radio Oriental is not official although it confessed that negotiations are underway with the firm. The information, published today by El Observador, indicates that the Church acquired CX12 and in short time will be in charge of the programming, and the sale will include moving the station`s offices and studios to the archdiocesan building. Other versions indicate that the present programming would continue, directed by Omar Gutiérrez and the sports team. At these hours, the popular host Abel Duarte informed his listeners that he has no official information about the matter, and that that would be the responsibility of the Romay brothers, present owners of the station. For their part, spokesman for the Church told CX14 Radio El Espectador 810 AM that the purchase has not been made official, but corroborated ongoing negotiations (Catholic Radio Update Sept 29 via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. Hola Glenn, Saludos desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA. Radio Táchira ha estado por varias semanas fuera del aire. Antes de su reciente reactivación, el pasado 20/09, Radio Táchira salía del aire a la 0130 UT, aproximadamente y daba paso a Radio Litoral. Luego de la reactivación, la estación ahora cierra a las 0404 (21/09, 22/09) y da sus indicativos (YVOA 1000 kHz), (YV0B 4830 kHz). Me sorprendió una identificación en inglés con una voz femenina, donde se ofrecía el número de teléfono de la emisora. Se escucha muy bien. SINPO variable 5-4. Saludos, Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Sept 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. NUEVA Radio MIlitar Venezolana! --- Hola Glenn: Cordiales saludos desde la ciudad de Cumaná en Venezuela. Por medio del presente mensaje hago de tu conocimiento información publicada en el diario "El Nacional", cuyo título es: "RADIO MILITAR DE VENEZUELA ESTÁ EN PERÍODO DE PRUEBAS". En resumen el artículo señala que: ... la emisora saldrá al aire inicialmente por Internet, y pretende constituirse en el canal de informaciones "institucionales" generadas en toda la Fuerza Armada Nacional. El artículo lo firma el periodista Javier Ignacio Mayorca y tiene fecha del dia martes 23 de septiembre de 2003. Por ahora me despido hasta un próximo QSO. Solidariamente, (Julio Trenard, Apartado Postal 41 Cumaná 6101, Venezuela Visita mi página web: http://usuarios.lycos.es/trenard Sept 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Y luego en el aire? OM? OT? OC? FM? ** VIETNAM. New schedule for Voice of Vietnam domestic services with extended evening hours for VOV-1 and 2: VOV-1 2155-1700 on 5975, 7210, 9530 kHz + MW VOV-2 0150v-1000 on 9875 kHz VOV-2 2155-1700 on 5925 kHz + MW [means VOV-3??] VOV-4 (minority languages) 2200-1600 on 819, 6020 kHz in various languages 2200- and other times in Khmer on new 747v and old 873 kHz 747v kHz appears to be // 873 kHz in Khmer and Vietnamese 2200-1700. 747 kHz used to be listed for Ho Chi Minh City, so maybe this transmitter has been reactivated. The following are in Hmong and one other unID language: 2200-2300 on 5035v, 6165 kHz 2330-2400 on 5055v, 6165 kHz 0430-0600 on 9650, 9850 kHz 1130-1330 on 5035v, 6165 kHz (Alan Davies, Bali, Sept 24, corrected Sept 25, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** VIETNAM. 6492, Cao Bang Broadcasting Station (Presumed) finally some decent audio after weeks of trying. 1313 Sept 27 with talk in Vietnamese, horrible audio and buzzing in transmitter (Hans Johnson, WY, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** VIETNAM [non]. CLANDESTINE - 7380, Degar Voice, 1259-1331 Sept 24. OC to 1300, then opening instrumental music. At 1302, M announcer mentioning, in English, "Montagnard Foundation Incorporation" a couple of times. Couldn't tell if the entire opening announcement was in English or just those words. Thought I heard "Degar Voice" in English, also. Then M went into language with long talk to 1326; transmission ended with same instrumental music until 1329, carrier off 1331. Fair/good signal with almost unnoticeable siren jammer in background and occasional ute chatter (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge CO, Drake R-8, 100-foot RW, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non}. CLANDESTINE from ALGERIA to MOROCCO, 7460.3, Polisario Front, Rabuni site, well audible today 23 Sept 2102 and still on at nearly 2145; their static-plagued signal was 35432 at the beginning whereas much improved around 2125, when I supposed it would be blocked by RAI like yesterday 22nd, but no, Rabuni is still alone on the QRG. Shortly after 2100, I'd say lang. was Berber (I believe they still use it at times, like Castilian too), with a few talks, traditional tunes+songs, then Arabic and modern songs being played right now (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, BC-DX Sept 23 via Cumbre DX via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Dear Glenn, another riddle, if you don`t mind --- 3910-3912 kHz, 13 Sept, between 1814-1845 UT (and on), me and others at a DX camp on the German-Dutch border were receiving a barely audible signal with a very emotional sporting event (football?) commentary in Spanish. Too weak for ID; is there any Latin American station on this frequency range? Many thanks, (Robertas Pogorelis, based in Leuven, Belgium, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Surely Latin America would not propagate to Europe at that hour. Have you checked out possible MW harmonics from Spain? (gh) No, in fact, I haven't. Would imagine this could have been either from 783 (slightly below) or 558 (slightly above). Would be interesting to identify if it was still there. Many thanks, (Robertas Pogorelis, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. 4960 kHz, from 1000 UT, with a strange mix of Latin music, with much drums and bass; YL briefly at 1003, but could not identify language. Then non-stop music with no announcers, some with a hint of Andean flutes, much of it EZL light pop and love ballads. Peaked about 1015 UT, very weak by 1037 UT (Roger Chambers, Utica, NY, Sept 25, Drake SW 8 with whip antenna, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 5833.8, 1030-1110 (Bob Wilkner, Pómpano Beach FL, Sept 24, NRD-535, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Latin American? Asian? Details? 5833.78 [v.97] 0950-1032 OM and YL, percussion music, slow transmitter drift upward (Robert Wilkner, FL, Sept 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Amigos DXistas! 5833v unID LA (Cuba?) harmonic(?) 29 September 1050 UT --- DXers in U.S.A. have an unID LA-station on 5833v kHz, probably an harmonic. This morning 1050 to 1150 UT I listened to a Spanish speaking station with very weak signal moving slowly from 5833.91 up to 5834.40 kHz when it faded out. Best signal around local sunset here in Quito 1115 UT. I don´t know the QTH but the type of programming and type of Spanish very much seems to be Cuba but it´s only a guess. 73s de (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador - SWB América Latina. Sept 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 6069.97, Sep 22, 0850-0922, Spanish or Portuguese preacher under Voz Cristiana on 6070.06. Also het from 6069.15. Gone by 0940 (Mark Mohrmann, Coventry, VT, NRD 535D, V-Beam 140m @180 deg., DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ COMMENTARY ++++++++++ HAMS & SWLING In DXLD 3-170, you wrote "ARRL does nothing to counter the ham mindset that SWLing is grossly inferior to hamming. At best, SWLing is merely a stepping-stone to becoming a real ham." I have to disagree with you there. That may have been the case years ago, but not now. For example, the last two editions of the ARRL Operating Manual have included a chapter on SWLing and communications monitoring and the October 2003 issue of "QST" has an article on DRM and a schematic for a 455 kHz IF to 12 kHz sound card "downconverter." And recent reviews of HF transceivers with general coverage receive capability routinely make note of their HF receiving performance. If there is any such thing as a "ham mindset" on SWLing, it is found somewhere between total ignorance and utter apathy (Harry L. Helms, W7HLH, Las Vegas, NV DM26 DX LISTENING DIGEST) THIS DAY`S ENGLISH LESSON +++++++++++++++++++++++++ Glenn, Regarding ```I don`t understand your, and others` use of ``resp.`` (gh)``` The obvious origin is the German word "bzw." or beziehungsweise. In some cases it corresponds to English "respectively", but in most cases it doesn't. It is much of a "joker" or "fill in your own words" expression, and as such is very popular among German writers because it relieves the writer of the arduous task of being specific :-) Due to its very nature, the word beziehungsweise is a headache to translators. There are two standard translations: "respectively" or "or", in some cases "and/or". While "respectively" in most cases is totally wrong, the other two may be useful in many cases. A third, very common meaning of the word is "or rather", "that is to say", "more specifically", but German translators seem to be unaware of that approach and stay with "respectively". 73 (Olle Alm, Sweden, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Efectivamente INTRUDER WATCH ++++++++++++++ International Amateur Radio Union Region 2 MONITORING SYSTEM NEWSLETTER http://www.storm.ca/~iarumsr2 September 2003 INTRODUCTION This Newsletter contains news about interference from non-Amateur station ("intruder") heard in the Amateur bands in IARU Region 2 during the month of August, as well as selected news about similar interference in IARU Regions 1 and 3. Notes about interference in bands which are shared with other services are for information only. If you have any comments or questions about these news items, please contact your national Amateur Radio society or the IARU Region 2 Monitoring System Coordinator. NOTABLE INTRUDERS HEARD IN REGION 2 The following intruders were notable in Region 2 during August : 3854 kHz A1A Apparent unidentified beacon "ZQ52". 14000 J3E,U Pirate operators, English with Caribbean accent, Spanish, and unidentified. 14100 J3E,U/L Pirate operators, probably from Indonesia. 24945 A3E Taxi cabs in or near Buenos Aires, Argentina. An unidentified beacon-like signal is being heard in Trinidad and Tobago on about 3854 kHz. The signal sends "ZQ52" in Morse several times, then pauses for several minutes, then repeats the whole transmission. The signal is being heard during a daily net on 3855 kHz at 1030 and 2230 UT. While it is possible that the signal is the 2nd harmonic of a fish net beacon in the 160 m band (1927 kHz?), this has not been proven yet and further observations are required. Pirate radio operators are being heard on 13999.9 and 14000.0 kHz USB in English (with strong Caribbean accents), in Spanish, and in an unidentified language. One of the operators heard regularly in this group has a habit of saying "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah" with descending voice. (See the Highlights from Region 1 for additional news about the use of 14000 kHz.) Other pirate radio operators are heard regularly on 14100 kHz, some using USB, some LSB, in a distinctive language which is probably Indonesian according to information from Region 3. These unlicensed operators chat, sing, and chant in a most uncoördinated way, with many stations on top of one another, and make it difficult or impossible for Amateurs to hear the NCDXF/IARU beacons from the Far East. The same language and radio manners are heard on other frequencies in the 20 m band, but the use of 14100 kHz is most notable because of the interference to the international beacon network. Chuck Skolaut, KØBOG, MS Coordinator for ARRL (USA), informs us that they have complained to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) about this interference and the FCC has relayed their complaint to the Indonesian authorities. One can only hope for early action by the Indonesians. Another group of unlicensed radio operators, this one driving taxi cabs in or near Buenos Aires, Argentina, has been using 24945 kHz in AM mode (A3E) for many months in support of their business operations. The 12 metre Amateur band (24890-24990 kHz) is allocated exclusively to the Amateur and Amateur-Satellite Services in all three ITU Regions. HIGHLIGHTS FROM REGION 1 In Region 1, Uli Bihlmayer, DJ9KR, MS Coordinator for the Deutscher Amateur Radio Club (DARC, Germany), has assessed the following intruders as the most persistent for the month of August : 7039 kHz Single letter beacons "C" (Moscow) and "D" (Odessa). 7076 50 baud printer "System BEE36/50". 14026 12 channel MFSK "System ALE/MIL-188", mode F7B. 14096 12 channel multiplex MFSK, mode J7D. 14116 12 channel multiplex MFSK, mode J7D. 14241 12 channel multiplex MFSK, mode J7D. Successful action! - The South Korean fishing vessel Chinchu has been heard using 14047.8 kHz USB while sailing off the coast of West Africa, out of their registered port of Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Coördinator Uli heard the ship and contacted the operator, asking for their identity. Uli then explained politely that they were operating in an Amateur band. The ship's operator said they had been using this frequency every Friday and promised that they would not use it anymore. The ship has not been heard since. [Uli's initiative shows what can be accomplished through simple, direct, and friendly action by confronting intruders who have strayed into our bands. Bravo, Uli! - VE3OAT] [But, but, it`s illegal to contact them! --- gh] The logs received by DARC Coordinator Uli include several items about the Indonesian pirate radio operators using the NCDXF/IARU beacon frequency 14100 kHz. These pirates use several other frequencies in the 17 and 20 m bands as well and seem to be heard around the world. Other logs received by Uli record the use of 14000 kHz by pirates speaking Portuguese, English, Spanish, and Arabic. A group of these operators located in Brasil uses this frequency most usually between 1900 and 2200 UT. HIGHLIGHTS FROM REGION 3 "Arasu", VU2UR, IARU MS Coordinator for Region 3, sends this summary of the intruder situation in Region 3 during the month of July : "The practice of not suppressing harmonics and spurious emissions is continuing in Region 3, in the broadcasting services from Radio Pyongyang, DPR Korea. This has given the Radio Amateurs in the Far East lots of problems as the regular harmonics/spurious emissions have occupied several useful frequencies in the 20, 15, and 10 metre bands of Amateur Radio. Apart from this, the regular use of the Amateur frequency of 3560 kHz for various domestic and international broadcasting have been logged by JARL (Japan Amateur Radio League) on all the days in the time slot 1000 to 1630 UT and by NZART (New Zealand Amateur Radio Transmitters) from 0900 to 2100 UT. "Data stations using F7B, G7B, and M7B modes with 8/12 channels have become a common feature. The pulse radar CODAR is as active as ever, covering the frequency slot 24950 to 24995 kHz in the 12 metre band. Occasionally, a few maritime stations show up handling traffic to other ships in our frequencies. "The worst of all are the Indonesian Pirates who are very active in 7, 10, 14, and 18 MHz Amateur bands. The Sri Lankan fishing trawlers are regularly monitored using several frequencies in 7, 10, 14, and 18 MHz and were recently observed to be using 21 MHz Amateur frequency also. These two types of users know only their mother tongue and no other language, except that of QRM Language, as told by Amateurs quite often. "How long does this piracy of Amateur frequencies continue? The authorized users within the limits of their licences are less heard in DX lands than these pirates. The "might" of buying Amateur Radio equipment appears to have given them the "right" to use all the frequencies, as they like. "It is time that all the Authorities concerned with this, directly or indirectly, take a serious note of the chaos in the Amateur bands and evolve suitable measures to control, check and clear these unauthorized users of our hard-earned frequencies." In addition, logs received by Arasu from NZART (New Zealand) indicate daily reception there of the 3rd harmonic from Cuba of a multitone signal centered on 18090 kHz during the hours 0400-0700 UT. [jammer] ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Newsletter was produced from information provided by the following organizations and individuals. Their contributions are gratefully acknowledged. Any errors or omissions are entirely the responsibility of the Region 2 MS Coordinator. ARRL (USA) and Coordinator, KØBOG KH6B (IARU) LU5DG (IARU) RAC (Canada) and Coordinator, VE6JY TTARS (Trinidad & Tobago), 9Z4CP IARU MS International Coordinator, ZL1BAD IARU MS Region 1 Coordinator, OD5TE IARU MS Region 3 Coordinator, VU2UR DARC (Germany) MS Coordinator, DJ9KR - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This Newsletter is published for and distributed to the IARU Region 2 Executive Committee, Region 2 member societies and associated individuals by the IARU Region 2 Monitoring System Coordinator, for their use and information. Permission to use information from this Newsletter in other Amateur Radio publications is hereby granted, provided that proper credit is given. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Prepared by : Martin H. Potter, VE3OAT Co-ordinator of the IARU Region 2 Monitoring System P. O. Box 84, Greely, Ontario K4P 1N4, Canada E-mail : iarumsr2@storm.ca (via Wolfgang Büschel, DXLD) RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ FCC RULES IN FAVOR OF ANTENNAS Today the FCC states that even an HOA can't stop you from installing a TV antenna outdoors. http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-03-2971A1.doc (via Kevin Redding, AZ, Sept 29, NRC-FM TV via DXLD) HOA = covenant? KENWOOD SHIPS FIRST COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION HD RADIO(TM) TUNERS; INTRODUCTION PAVES WAY FOR WIDESPREAD CONSUMER AVAILABILITY AT CES Press Release Source: iBiquity Digital Corporation Thursday September 25, 12:34 pm ET COLUMBIA, Md. and LONG BEACH, Calif., Sept. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- iBiquity Digital Corporation, the sole developer of HD Radio(TM) [sic] technology, announced today that Kenwood Corporation has delivered the first commercial production run of 1,000 KTC-HR100 HD Radio Tuners. IBiquity will be taking tuner pre- orders from broadcasters next week at the 2003 NAB Radio Show. The Kenwood KTC-HR100 Tuners will be used by stations for internal listening and consumer awareness promotions. Additionally, iBiquity will make a select number of HD Radio Tuners available to media for reviewer demonstrations. Shipment from iBiquity of the KTC-HR100 Tuners will coincide with an upgrade in October to the HD Radio software with the new HDC codec. Retail availability of the KTC- HR100 Tuner is anticipated at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January. "Kenwood was the first consumer electronics manufacturer to enter into a development agreement for the HD Radio technology over four years ago," said Robert Struble, president and CEO, iBiquity Digital Corporation. "Kenwood's continued support these past years has been unwavering, and we are extremely pleased to announce a pre-order program for the KTC-HR100 HD Radio Tuners for broadcasters with expected shipments from iBiquity beginning in October." Bob Law, Sr. Vice President, Kenwood USA, stated, "`First to develop, first to deliver' has been a strategy of Kenwood for HD Radio technology these past four years. We are pleased to provide the first production run of the KTC-HR100 HD Radio Tuners. This is truly an historic day for radio broadcasting and the consumer electronics industry as a whole." "The dedication of our engineering and production organizations at Kenwood has made the KTC-HR100 HD Radio Tuner delivery a success story," said Shoichi Suzuki, Senior Manager, Digital Broadcast System Engineering, Car Electronics Division, Kenwood Corporation. "A primary goal of our company was to be the first to bring this new technology to market, and we have now accomplished this goal. We look forward to continued development and production efforts for next generation HD Radio products." iBiquity Digital's HD Radio technology transforms today's radio experience by allowing AM/FM broadcasters to seamlessly transmit digital signals with superior audio and new data services alongside today's analog-based broadcasts. HD Radio technology will also allow for the development of additional on-demand interactive audio and wireless data services. About Kenwood Corporation (Japan) From mobile navigation systems to DVD, Tokyo-based Kenwood Corporation products span the spectrum of electronics technology. Formed as the Kasuga Radio Company in 1946, Kenwood has been a leader in developing advanced technologies for mobile and home entertainment products, test and measuring instruments, and mobile and amateur radio communications equipment. Distributed in over 120 countries worldwide, Kenwood was Japan's first company to build an FM tuner and the first to develop commercially available SIRIUS satellite radio and HD Radio tuners for the US market. Kenwood continues to develop advanced digital and networking technologies for the coming multimedia age. Since 1961, the company has sold a variety of Kenwood-branded home and car audio products, including receivers, speakers, amplifiers, cassette decks, DVD, CD, navigation, and hard drive music servers in the United States. Kenwood USA Corporation, based in Long Beach, Calif., is the largest subsidiary of Kenwood Corporation (Japan). [Kenwood has never seemed like a Japanese name to me; I wonder why? gh] About Kenwood USA http://www.kenwoodusa.com Founded in 1961, Kenwood USA Corporation is a leading developer and manufacturer of audio and video products for home, car, and personal use. Offering more than 250 products, Kenwood is one of the three largest selling brands of audio and video entertainment products in the United States and is recognized by consumers and the consumer electronics industry for providing superior quality, reliability and value. Kenwood USA Corporation, based in Long Beach, Calif., is the largest subsidiary of Kenwood Corporation (Japan). Further information can be obtained by contacting Kenwood USA Corporation, P.O. Box 22745, Long Beach, CA 90801, by calling 1-800-Kenwood, or by visiting http://www.kenwoodusa.com About iBiquity Digital http://www.ibiquity.com iBiquity Digital is the sole developer and licenser of HD Radio technology in the U.S., which will transform today's analog radio to digital, enabling radically upgraded sound and new wireless data services. The company's investors include 15 of the nation's top radio broadcasters, including ABC, Clear Channel and Viacom; leading financial institutions, such as J.P. Morgan Partners, Pequot Capital and J&W Seligman; and strategic partners Ford Motor Company, Harris, Texas Instruments and Visteon. iBiquity Digital is a privately held company with operations in Columbia, MD, Detroit, MI, Redwood City, CA and Warren, NJ. For more information please visit: http://www.ibiquity.com (from http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030925/phth030_1.html via Kim Elliott, Sept 26, DXLD) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ BPL IN JAPAN Here is a link to BPL issues as they seem to be in Japan. http://homepage3.nifty.com/jh5esm/ Mind you, this is only ONE link and any technical information really should be subject to verification. 73, (Mark N3IRJ Clark, swl at qth.net via DXLD) FCCOMMISSIONER WILD ABOUT BPL Addressing the United Powerline Council's annual conference September 22 in Arlington, Virginia, FCC Commissioner Kathleen Q. Abernathy expressed unabashed enthusiasm for BPL and recommended a combination of regulatory restraint and the elimination or substantial modification of existing rules as steps along the "path to Enlightenment." Here is the complete text, form the FCC Digest of 22SE03: REACHING BROADBAND NIRVANA United PowerLine Council Annual Conference Remarks of Commissioner Kathleen Q. Abernathy September 22, 2003 (As prepared for delivery) Thank you very much for inviting me to speak with you. I am very excited about broadband-over-powerline technology. I have seen it in action, and I believe it has a very bright future. It is a real honor to be your keynote speaker at this important juncture for BPL. As a regulator, I am keenly interested in BPL technology for a number of reasons. One of my central objectives as an FCC commissioner is to facilitate the deployment of broadband services to all Americans. I also fundamentally believe that the FCC can best promote consumer welfare by relying on market forces, rather than heavy-handed regulation. The development of BPL networks will serve both of these key goals. It will not only bring broadband to previously unserved communities, but the introduction of a new broadband pipeline into the home will foster the kind of competitive marketplace that will eventually enable the Commission to let go of the regulatory reins. I want consumers to have a choice of multiple, facilities-based providers, including not only cable and DSL, but also powerline, wireless, and satellite services. Such a robustly competitive and diversified marketplace is something I would call broadband Nirvana. We will not get there overnight, but the continuing development of BPL technology is a major step forward. While the long-term objective is a robustly competitive marketplace that is free of regulatory distortions, a more immediate question is: What should the FCC do to help foster such an environment? Sticking with my Nirvana metaphor, I guess the question would be, what is the path to enlightenment? I believe the answer, in short, is regulatory restraint. It is tempting for regulators to take every new technology or service that comes along and apply the same rules that govern incumbent services. After all, regulatory parity and a level playing field are intuitively appealing concepts. But I believe that it would be a huge mistake to carry forward legacy regulations whenever new technology platforms are established. Many of our regulations are premised on the absence of competition, and when that rationale is eroded, we must not reflexively hold on to regulations that no longer serve their intended purpose. In fact, many of our old rules not only become unnecessary as markets evolve, but they can be fatal to new services that need room to breathe. The Nascent Services Doctrine applying more stringent regulations to wireline providers at a minimum must be reconsidered. As other platforms, including BPL and wireless, become more widely available, that will further undermine the justification for regulating incumbent LECs broadband services as if they were the only available offerings. When the Commission completes this rulemaking, I expect that we will eliminate many existing rules and substantially modify others; the central question is the degree of regulation that will remain during the transition to a more robustly competitive market. Finally, it is important to recognize that although the emergence of new platforms like BPL will eliminate the need for many competition- related regulations, other types of regulation may well remain necessary. For example, the FCC must implement public policy goals unrelated to competition, or even at odds with competition. Universal service and access for persons with disabilities are examples of this kind of regulation. These public policy goals generally should be applied to all service providers, to the extent permitted by the Communications Act. The FCC also must intervene to prevent competitors from imposing externalities on one another and to protect consumers where market failures are identified. Although, as I have noted, the Commission was right to refrain from imposing heavy-handed price and service-quality regulations on PCS services when the were introduced, it was also right to adopt strict interference rules to prevent competitors from externalizing their costs. The same principle will apply to BPL. They key point is that, while some degree of regulation is both inevitable and desirable, we should ensure that it is narrowly tailored to the particular governmental interests at stake. I appreciate the opportunity to share these thoughts with you, and I would be happy to answer a few questions if we have time. YOU MAY E- MAIL MISS ABERNATHY AT kabernat@fcc.gov (via Bill Smith, W5USM, Sept 26, and John Norfolk, DXLD) In spite of the numerous comments against BPL (transmitting wideband internet data over power lines, which will destroy the HF radio spectrum), the FCC seems disposed to encourage it anyway. evil! evil! just look up BPL on the web. The noise from the radiated signals trashed the ham bands thoroughly (Source unclear, rec.radio.shortwave via John Norfolk, DXLD) ARRL REBUKES FCC COMMISSIONER`S BPL-RELATED ``BROADBAND NIRVANA`` REMARKS NEWINGTON, CT, Sep 25, 2003--The ARRL has strongly objected to FCC Commissioner Kathleen Q. Abernathy`s suggestion that Broadband over Power Line (BPL) technology will contribute to what she described as ``broadband Nirvana.`` Addressing the United Powerline Council`s annual conference September 22 in Arlington, Virginia, Abernathy expressed unabashed enthusiasm for BPL and recommended a combination of regulatory restraint and the elimination or substantial modification of existing rules as steps along the ``path to Enlightenment.`` In a terse response faxed today on behalf of the League`s 155,000 members, ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, asserted that Abernathy overlooked some significant issues in her Nirvana analogy. ``Nightmare is more like it,`` Sumner declared. ``The technical showings submitted by the ARRL and others in response to the Commission`s Notice of Inquiry in ET Docket No. 03-104 clearly establish that BPL is a significant source of radio spectrum pollution. It cannot be implemented without causing harmful interference to over-the-air radio services.`` Sumner told Abernathy that while BPL industry groups, such as the one she addressed this week, prefer to deny the evidence, the FCC is obliged to work to a higher standard. In its remarks, the League characterized BPL as ``a Pandora`s Box of unprecedented proportions`` and said the Commission`s Part 15 rules ``should be modified so as to prevent interference to users of the HF and low VHF spectrum`` from the outset and ``to prevent consumers` reliance on BPL as an interference-free broadband delivery system.`` Abernathy`s speech, ``Reaching Broadband Nirvana,`` never broached the topic of BPL`s potential to interfere with other radio services. Recently, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)--which regulates spectrum allocated to federal government users--expressed ``broad concerns`` about interference to government users and launched an extensive modeling, analysis and measurement program for BPL. In his letter, Sumner reminded Abernathy that the radio spectrum is a precious natural resource. ``To squander that resource, simply to add a redundant, unnecessary, and relatively poorly performing `last mile` connection for consumers, is unconscionable,`` He said. Sumner expressed the hope that Abernathy will give the League an early opportunity to explain its BPL concerns to her in person. In her remarks to the UPLC gathering, Abernathy contended that it`s been regulatory restraint rather than heavy-handed regulation that has allowed nascent platforms such as direct broadcast satellite (DBS) to become competitively viable. ``When the Commission completes this rulemaking,`` she said, ``I expect that we will eliminate many existing rules and substantially modify others; the central question is the degree of regulation that will remain during the transition to a more robustly competitive market.`` Abernathy said many of the FCC`s ``old rules`` not only become unnecessary as markets evolve but ``they can be fatal to new services that need room to breathe.`` The FCC provides two routes for individuals to e-mail Abernathy: Via her FCC Web site http://www.fcc.gov/commissioners/abernathy/mail.html or directly at kabernat@fcc.gov The text of her prepared remarks also is available on the FCC Web site at http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-239079A1.doc The League`s initial 120-page package of comments and technical exhibits is available on the ARRL Web site. http://www.arrl.org.announce/regulatory/et03-104/ There`s additional information and additional video clips on the ARRL ``Power Line Communications (PLC) and Amateur Radio`` page http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HMTL/plc/ To support the League`s efforts in this area, visit the ARRL`s secure BPL Web site https://www.arrl.org/forms/development/donations/bpl/ To date, more than 4600 comments -- many from the Amateur Radio community -- have been filed in response to the FCC`s BPL NOI and are available for viewing via the FCC`s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/ September 24, 2003 Kathleen Q. Abernathy, Commissioner Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street SW Washington, DC 20554 Dear Commissioner Abernathy: On behalf of the 155,000 members of the ARRL I must express strong objection to your characterization, in your September 22 speech to the United PowerLine Council Annual Conference, of broadband-over- powerline technology as contributing to ``broadband Nirvana.`` Nightmare is more like it. The technical showings submitted by the ARRL and others in response to the Commission`s Notice of Inquiry in ET Docket No. 03-104 clearly establish that BPL is a significant source of radio spectrum pollution. It cannot be implemented without causing harmful interference to over-the-air radio services. The BPL industry prefers to deny the evidence. The FCC is required to work to a higher standard. The radio spectrum is a precious natural resource. The properties of the ionosphere permit intercontinental communication. To squander that resource, simply to add a redundant, unnecessary, and relatively poorly performing ``last mile`` connection for consumers, is unconscionable. I hope you will afford the ARRL an opportunity to explain our concerns to you in person at an early date. Sincerely, David Sumner, Chief Executive Officer Copyright © 2003, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved (via John Norfolk, DX LISTENING DIGEST) SHORT WAVE, POWER LINE NET AT ODDS NEW TECHNOLOGY COULD DISRUPT HIGH FREQUENCY RADIO -- AND LOSE OUT By Sam Kennedy, Of The Morning Call [Lehigh Valley PA] From The Morning Call -- September 28, 2003 http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-a1_5net-glitchsep28.story Power line communications, which promises to deliver high-speed Internet through household electrical outlets, is wired with a potentially fatal flaw. The experimental technology could disrupt the high frequency radio transmissions used for everything from national security and emergency response to overseas air travel and space research, according to critics. ''That's scary stuff,'' said Jim Haynie, president of the Amateur Radio Relay League, which represents 163,000 members. ''Somebody has to blow the whistle.'' PPL Corp. of Allentown and roughly a dozen other American electric utilities involved in power line communications argue they have found ways around such problems. They hail the technology as a way to expand high-speed Internet service, or broadband, to millions of homes and businesses, especially those in rural areas. And industry analysts say it could spur competition among all Internet service providers, ultimately leading to savings for consumers. The Federal Communications Commission, which regulates use of the airwaves, has signaled initial support for power line communications. Chairman Michael Powell has said the technology could soon compete with existing sources of high-speed Internet, such as cable modem and DSL offered by phone companies. In April, he described it as ''within striking distance of becoming the third major broadband pipe into the home.'' Left unreported, however, is the threat this high-tech invention poses to a low-tech means of communicating that, although a century old, remains a critical piece of the modern world's communication infrastructure. High frequency radio, also known as shortwave, occupies a relatively small part of the frequency spectrum between AM radio and VHF television. But it's the only part that reliably carries around the globe - enabling someone in Allentown, for example, to broadcast to the Midwest, Baghdad or Beijing. The Amateur Radio Relay League is leading the charge against power line communications, which is also referred to as broadband over power lines, or BPL. When the FCC held a public inquiry on power line communications this summer, amateur radio operators, called hams, submitted roughly two- thirds of the 4,600 comments. But the hams are not alone in their alarm. The National Telecommunications and Information Agency, which represents other federal agencies from the National Weather Service to the FBI that use more than 18,000 high frequency channels, also submitted comments to the FCC. The NTIA asked the FCC to withhold judgment on power line communications until the completion of its own, ongoing research on the new technology. ''The federal government has extensive operations that potentially could be affected,'' the NTIA wrote. Aeronautical Radio Inc., which facilitates high-frequency radio transmissions by airplanes on trans-oceanic flights, told the FCC that power line communications ''has potential greatly to exacerbate interference.'' ''Any noise increase would inevitably diminish the ability of aviation to maintain communications with aircraft operating over oceans and in remote areas of the world,'' the company concluded. Space exploration, too, is at risk, according to the National Academy of Sciences. Astrophysicists have discovered planets beyond our solar system and the birth sites of stars by measuring subtle, naturally occurring radio signals from outer space. But such work, the academy warned in its comments to the FCC, is ''particularly vulnerable to interference.'' ''This is all coming to a head,'' said Robert Olsen, a professor of electrical engineering at Washington State University in Pullman, Wash. Concern about high-frequency radio interference has derailed power line communications in Europe, which experimented with the technology in the 1990s, Olsen said. Of roughly a dozen European companies that tried to offer commercial power line communications service in the 1990s, all but a few have now abandoned the technology, he said. Japan has effectively banned power line communications. ''It's a real thing,'' Olsen said of the threat radio interference poses to the future of power line communications. Why power lines radiate 'noise' When power lines are used to transmit radio signals that are to be converted into Web pages and e-mail, they radiate electromagnetic noise that can drown out high-frequency radio transmissions. If power line communications were widely deployed, the radio interference would be all the greater, according to the Amateur Radio Relay League. Power lines radiate electromagnetic noise for two reasons, according to Ed Hare, a researcher for the Relay League. First, power lines are not shielded. The coaxial cable used for cable modems, by contrast, consists of wire enclosed in a metal tube. And the twisted wire used for DSL is, because of the twist in its two strands, naturally efficient: the strands are so close they basically negate each other's radiation. Secondly, power lines can act like giant antennas capable of inadvertently sending and receiving signals from afar because of the sheer distance they cover while stretching between homes and utility poles. ''It's no surprise there are problems,'' Hare said. ''Electrical wiring was designed to conduct power. It was not designed to conduct signals.'' PPL and its counterparts, however, say they've devised ways to minimize, if not eliminate, the problematic electromagnetic noise. They accuse the hams of fear-mongering that could undercut the best hope yet of expanding high-speed Internet access. A national focus on trial in Emmaus Emmaus, where PPL is conducting one of the largest power line communication trials in the country, is Exhibit A in the debate on the technology. Hundreds of Emmaus residents and businesses log onto the Web and send e-mails by plugging into PPL's test system. The Amateur Radio Relay League based its comments to the FCC, in part, on tests conducted in Emmaus. And the NTIA visited the borough for two days earlier this month to perform its own research. One day last week, Carl Stevenson, a member of the Amateur Radio Relay League, demonstrated how power line communications in Emmaus affect high frequency radio transmissions. First, Stevenson tested a portable ham radio in neighborhoods without power line communications. He moved the dial across the band, stopping to listen to the conversations of hams in California and beyond. Next, he drove into one of the neighborhoods where PPL is testing power line communications. He stood next to a telephone pole with power line communications equipment. Entire swaths of the radio spectrum crackled and hissed. ''It's like a major disaster - spectrum pollution of the worst kind,'' said Stevenson, a radio engineer who works on federal regulatory issues for Agere Systems of Allentown. A PPL official said later the static could have been caused by something other than the power line communications, such as neon signs. 'Where's the outcry?' ''If this is a huge problem, where's the outcry?'' asked Alan Richenbacher, an engineer at PPL. PPL, a leader in power line communications development, has been testing the technology in the Allentown area for a year and a half. To date, the company has received only one complaint about radio interference, he said. ''Doesn't that tell you something?'' Should problems arise, he said, the technology offers numerous solutions: PPL, for example, could reduce the strength of signals traveling across power lines, switch frequencies or relocate its equipment. ''We believe we can coexist in the spectrum,'' said Jeff Norman, a vice president at Main.Net Communications of Kfar Saba, Israel, PPL's partner in the Emmaus trial. The Amateur Radio Relay League, however, says the interference problems are occurring at numerous trials, including those performed by other electric utilities. The spokesman for the United Power Line Council, which represents companies involved in power line communications, accused the Amateur Radio Relay League of exaggerating the problems caused by interference to generate interest in its fund-raising efforts. ''This is an enormous money maker for them,'' Brett Kilbourne said, because many hams will be more willing to donate if they believe their hobby is in peril. ''There is certainly a financial incentive.'' Each side of the debate on power line communications cites arguments steeped in science. The hams and other critics argue the accumulated effect of widespread power line communications would pollute high- frequency radio waves. PPL and its counterparts deny that it would. The federal government is the arbiter that will decide whose science is right. The FCC is expected to propose rules for power line communications early next year. Copyright © 2003, The Morning Call (via Mike Terry, DXLD) IARU SUBMITS PAPER TO EUROPEAN COMMISSION PLT WORKSHOP Listeners may have seen an item on the Internet where the European Commission is calling for input papers for a PLT workshop for National regulators to be held on the 16th of October in Brussels. PLT remains a major threat to HF communications. IARU Region 1 has submitted a detailed paper for the workshop to the European Commission, setting out the problems that PLT creates for HF communications in general, and radio amateurs in particular. The paper argues for sensible emission limits from PLT systems, and backs up its assertions by referencing work done by a number of organisations, including the RSGB, to monitor and assess the trials of PLT that have taken place in a number of countries over the last few years. Although it will not be allowed for amateur radio to be represented in person at the workshop on the 16th of October, the IARU hopes that its paper will carry some weight in the discussions (Radio Society of Great Britain GB2RS News Script for September 28, posted September 24 on uk.radio.amateur by G4RGA via John Norfolk, DXLD) But where was the item posted, Kenneth? (Norfolk) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ CLOUDS OVERHEAD --- FUNDING BILL TARGETS VITAL WORK AT BOULDER LABS September 23, 2003, Boulder Daily Camera, opinion Fall is a hectic time in Congress. The two houses must complete work on seven massive appropriations bills and other legislative proposals before adjournment in November. Among the issues still to be resolved is President Bush's request for $87 billion to fund postwar costs in Iraq. The sheer volume of work increases the possibility of last-minute blunders with long-term consequences. It's an open question whether Congress will stumble into one of those mistakes as it considers next year's budgets for scientific research at federal laboratories in Boulder and elsewhere in Colorado. The U.S. House of Representatives voted earlier this year to cut funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and related labs. Instead of the $366 million sought by President Bush, the House approved $306 million - including cuts with direct and substantial impact on scientific research. The Senate has since approved a more substantial appropriation of $394 million, and the issue now awaits resolution in a House-Senate conference committee. The final vote may determine the future of important projects at NOAA, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Colorado State University and the University of Colorado's Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences. Severe budget cuts would threaten important research on climate and severe weather (a timely subject in the vicinity of the U.S. Capitol and elsewhere on the East Coast, where residents are still cleaning up the damage from Hurricane Isabel). Some of the work done in Colorado might enable scientists to predict more accurately the intensity of hurricanes. Researchers at NOAA and related labs also are exploring severe weather more characteristic of the West, including drought, tornadoes and "heavy precipitation events" such as the snowstorm that hit Colorado early this spring. Another program at risk is NOAA's Space Environment Center, a national resource for the study of space weather events, which may absorb major budget cuts for the second year in a row. The core issue in this debate is scientific research, not economic repercussions, but there's no way to ignore the potential impact of severe budget cuts on Colorado. Boulder's federal labs - which include NOAA, the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration - will contribute $2 billion to the state economy between 2001 and 2005, according to an estimate by the University of Colorado's Business Research Division. Budget reductions of the magnitude proposed by the House could drain hundreds of jobs from the state's scientific workforce. In addition, the House bill contains language calling on NOAA to "review the continued requirements for 12 separate research laboratories, six of which are located in Boulder," and to submit a "laboratory consolidation plan" by March 2004. Why single out the Boulder labs? And why jeopardize important scientific work to save a tiny fraction of the immense federal budget? The research conducted by these labs is of vital, sometimes life-and- death importance to the nation. The least Congress should do is restore the funding levels recommended in the president's budget (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) SPRAWLING SUNSPOT: There is a remarkable spot on the Sun over this past weekend. The active region, called sunspot 464, is about as wide as fifteen planet Earths lined up in a row!!! Might have some rather good dxing this week!!! Visit spaceweather.com for further info and updates and photo's. Good Listening and DX!!! (Stewart H. MacKenzie, WDX6AA, Sept 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) QST DE W1AW PROPAGATION FORECAST BULLETIN 39 From Tad Cook, K7RA Seattle, WA September 26, 2003 To all radio amateurs At last, the sun is showing one large sunspot. Sunspot 464 is expanding rapidly, now part of an extended dark area about 13 earth diameters wide. A helioseismic holography image shows a large sunspot currently on the side of the sun that faces away from the earth, often referred to as ``the other side.`` Mentioning the name of this method for sensing activity on the sun`s far side always generates email asking, ``what`s that?`` so check http://spaceweather.com/glossary/farside.html for more info. Of course, any email is always welcome via k7ra@arrl.net The emergence of this spot has raised the sunspot count and solar flux higher than predicted a week ago, with solar flux about 20 points greater. Solar flux for the past few days has edged above 130, and the prediction for September 26-29, Friday through Monday is for flux values of 135, 130, 130 and 125. Frantisek K. Janda, OK1HH, of the Czech Propagation Interest Group reports that except for October 13-17, the upcoming weeks will have quieter geomagnetic conditions than have prevailed over the past five months. This is the weekend of the CQ WW RTTY DX Contest, and currently the interplanetary magnetic field points south. This means that earth is susceptible to blasts of energy from the sun. Currently a solar wind is flowing from a coronal hole on the sun, so predicted planetary A index for Friday through Monday, September 26-29 is 15, 30, 20 and 15. Saturday might be a bit rough for the contest, but hope for change. The sunspot count this week turned out to be higher than we thought last week, another example of things changing. The season changed from summer to fall in the Northern Hemisphere on Tuesday, and from winter to spring in the Southern Hemisphere. Around the equinox is a great time for worldwide DX, because all parts of the earth are bathed equally in the sun`s energy. When it is summer in one hemisphere, the maximum usable frequency (MUF) is lower during the day, so 10 through 15 meters are affected. At that same time, the other half of the earth has winter, and the ionosphere over that region is exposed to a lot less radiation from the sun. At the equinox, winter or spring, the MUF is higher and the whole world is affected the same. For more information on propagation and an explanation of the numbers used in this bulletin see the Propagation page on the ARRL Web site, http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html Sunspot numbers for September 18 through 24 were 92, 71, 72, 64, 91, 133 and 121, with a mean of 92. 10.7 cm flux was 109.2, 111.1, 111.9, 119.9, 122.6, 124.9 and 133.5, with a mean of 119. Estimated planetary A indices were 40, 32, 25, 21, 18, 17 and 33, with a mean of 26.6. Copyright © 2003, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved (via John Norfolk, DXLD) CUMBRE PROPAGATION REPORT Flare activity has again been low over the past week. Coronal hole effects have again been the dominant feature causing the earth's geomagnetic field to be at active/minor storm levels Sep 20-21 then declining to unsettled/active for the rest of the period. The A-index today was 30 but is forecast to decline over the next 3 days. MUFs are forecast to be depressed at times on Sep 28-29 and possibly poor conditions extending through until Oct 2. Prepared with data from http://www.ips.gov.au (Richard Jary, SA, Sept 26, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ### ||||||||||||||||| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-171, September 29, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser 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/dxldtd3i.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 1200: RFPI: Wed 0100, 0730, 1330 on 7445 WWCR: Wed 0930 on 9475 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html WORLD OF RADIO 1200 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1200h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1200h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1200.html WORLD OF RADIO 1200 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1200.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1200.rm UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS Dear Glenn, Another goal has been achieved by your WOR no. 1200! Congratulations!!!! Good luck with the next 100 editions --- All the best, (Erik Koie, Denmark) Right on! Regarding your vigilance toward organized religion, and its various abuses of the spectrum. Not many folks realize that organized religion has nothing to do with God! Thanks also for your distribution of my monthly e-ramblings; surely you're reaching everyone I've forgotten by doing so (GREG HARDISON, Sept 24) ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. RUSSIA [to AFG] 15615, APA R Amani, *1632-1730*, Fr Sep 12 and 19. Carrier was ready 1630, but audio delayed. Dari until 1702, then Pashto. ID's: "Radio Amani", political talks about Afghanistan and Taleban, mentioned the BBC and Deutsche Welle, Afghan folksongs, 1726-1727 statement in Russian and a Russian song, 1729 Pashto ID, musical interlude and cut off, 45444 (Vashek Korinek, RSA, and Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window via BC-DX via DXLD) AFGHANISTAN PEACE Organization brokered via Merlin MNO. 15615 1630-1730 Fri only, via Armavir-RUS, 100 kW 104 degr to AFG. (wb, Sept 23) Thanks to Top DX News, I tried R AMANI "Afghanistan Peace" on 15615 kHz and heard it with sign on at 1631 UT with very good reception. Close down exactly 1730 UT. Signal strength was even S9 +15 dB and transmitter site is Armavir, Russia. What is this station? Who knows more about its background? Is it one of the UN operations? However, enjoyable reception here in Turku. ARMAVIR is an industrial city and transportation centre in the northern foothills of the Caucasus, south-central Russia, situated on the Kuban River, 160 km (100 miles) east of KRASNODAR; : pop.(1990) 162,000. It lies in a rich agricultaral area near the Maykop oil fields. It has machine and tools plants. Thanks to the Oxford Dictionary of the World. 73´s (Jouko Huuskonen, Turku FINLAND, Sept 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANDAMAN ISLANDS [and non]. INDIA, 4760, AIR Port Blair, 21 Sept., 2339-2346, Possible ID by M "Akashvani...", into haunting Indian vocal music at 2341. M briefly again at 2346, then back to music. So this turned out to be Port Blair after all. Does indeed fade earlier than the other Indians. Heard IS at 2358 on 4790 Chennai. 4840 Mumbai already on at 2359 (Dave Valko, micro-DXpedition QTH, PA, 300' Beverage at 170 degrees Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. 6214.97, R. Balurate, 21 Sept 2309-0036 Sept 22, Program of LA Pop and Rock music I think called "455 Comunicación". At least that's what the young M announcer said during each short announcement between songs. Mentioned Puerto Argentino often. Also gave phone numbers in Puerto Argentino and Paraguay. Fairly good signal but didn't hear any formal ID. Not even at the ToH (Dave Valko, micro- DXpedition QTH, PA, 300' Beverage at 170 degrees Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. 2380 harmonic, LRA15/R. Nacional San Miguel, 0859-0905 Sept 24. Tuned here totally by accident and found this harmonic!!! Wanted 3280 Napo!! End of talk by M at tune-in, canned announcement with music, time ticks right on ToH, then program intro by M "? de la Argentina, (letters) ? Argentina unidad". Somewhat readable (Dave Valko, Dunlo PA, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. ARDS Seeking Urgent reports from Queensland: Recent correspondence from the Station Manager at ARDS (5050 kHz) indicated that they were unhappy with the reports they were getting on their signal strength in the target area of Arnhem Land. There was talk of increasing the transmitter power to somewhere near 1 kW (currently 400 watts) during September, but he has now indicated that this will not happen in the short term, until they can rectify the problems with antenna directivity into the target area. I sent a report of reception during the evening and early in the morning several days ago, stating that signal strength was weak, and interference from China in the later evening was severe. A further email reply from Dale Chesson, received last night says: ".......NO - our signal here in Nhulunbuy on the eastern edge of Arnhem Land is much the same as yours! It would seem our antenna are producing a beam that is at too low an angle to cover us effectively. We believe the Coral Sea is the place to be to hear our signal! Anyway we'll keep working on it. Do you know of anyone on the coast anywhere north of Brisbane who may be able to listen for us?" So, if any DXers located north of Brisbane can listen and send reports to Dale, he would be most appreciative. Email reports to: dale@ards.com.au Can you also keep me posted of reception in your area? I'm interested in following this up with Dale (Rob Wagner, Vic., 25 Sept., EDXP via DXLD) Listening to ARDS on 5050 during our evenings from 0800 UT reveals much poorer reception in comparison to about a month ago; sunset is now much later and so is fade in times. Also, the Chinese station on the same frequency now fades in much earlier, in addition to this, thunderstorm static now seems to be the norm on the lower bands now providing loud static crashes. At best, ARDS is pushing S-9 when there is no static but China always seems to be there in the background until around 0930 then it seems to just about take over, when there is static then it is difficult to hear anything. During the mornings, I have tuned in from around 2100 but our sun is well and truly risen by then and most activity has faded on 60 metres (Mike Stevenson, Vic., Sept 26, Kenwood R-2000, Sangean ATS-909, 15 metre longwire, 17 metre longwire, bhi NES10-2 DSP speaker, EDXP via DXLD) Reception here in Bunbury W.A. non-existent at the moment, of the 4 or 5 random times I`ve tried from 0800 to 1200 UT over the last week or so, the only signals audible is a strong Chinese station with always a female presenter, an RTTY signal that also seems to be right on 5050 and strange, strong SSB transmissions consisting of only 1 or 2 words every 20 to 30 seconds in a male voice ? (that seems even stranger now I tried to explain it in writing?) When I`ve got more time, I`ll have a more concerted effort of trying to hear it; there should hopefully be a window for me to allow reception before the Chinese lady starts up and/or the RTTY kicks in. The RTTY appears continuous as I don`t 'hear' the RYRYRYRY end part of the transmission (Wayne, Bunbury, Western Australia, YAESU FRG8800, FRT7700, SANGEAN ATS-803A, REALISTIC DX-440, 40 Meter Long-WIre with a Magnetic Balun, Sept 26, ibid.) ** AUSTRALIA [non]. Glenn, while walking with my Sony 7600G portable on Sept. 25 I was tuning around the 19 meter band and happened to hear Radio Australia in Chinese with a good signal (SIO 434) on 15435 at 1424 with English lessons, then ID and website URL; off at 1429. Per Eike Bierwirth's frequency list the transmission is relayed via the Merlin-Singapore site (Joe Hanlon in Mays Landing, NJ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA [and non]. /UZBEKISTAN: New schedule for Voice International in Hindi from Sep. 17: 0100-0400 on 11850 TAC 100 kW / 153 deg 0500-1100 on 13630 TAC 100 kW / 153 deg ex 0500-0800 on same freq 1100-1700 on 13635 DRW 250 kW / 303 deg 1400-1700 NF 9880 TAC 100 kW / 153 deg additional, but no \\ on 13635!!!! (Observer, Bulgaria, Sept 26 via DXLD) ** AUSTRIA. Österreich One has short news bulletins in English and French daily at 0605 relayed on 6155 (Mike Barraclough, England, Oct World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** BELARUS` [non]. 7210, R. Belarus` (via Ukraine txer). English service opening 1930 Sept 23 (Bob Padula, Vic., EDXP via DXLD) Really? NDXC says site is Kalodziscy, 27.48E, 53.57 N and TDP says it`s in Belarus` at 27.47E 53.58N (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. 3309.98, Radio Mosoj Chaski, Sep 24, 0823-0843, nice Andean vocals with announcer between songs in Vernacular, 0838 announcer with ID in passing over instrumental song "...Radio Mosoj Chaski, ?Cochabamba?, Bolivia." Strong signal with tremendous QRN but nice to hear some music from them at a decent level. 4600.30, (Presumed) Perla del Acre, Sep 22, 0937-0950, campo vocals, no ID heard but I did recognize the announcer`s voice. Weak signal (Mark Mohrmann, Coventry, VT, NRD 535D, V-Beam 140m @180 deg., DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. 4650.33, R. Santa Ana, 0010-0030 Sept 22, Romantic music program hosted by M announcer, ID at 0010. Caught another ID at 0020 as "Santa Ana la radio". Played 5 songs in a row from 0021 to 0039. M again for another announcement, then back to music. A little better than normal. Glad to ID this (Dave Valko, micro-DXpedition QTH, PA, 300' Beverage at 170 degrees Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** CANADA. CBC RADIO ONE ACHIEVES HIGHEST WEEKDAY BBM RATING IN RECENT HISTORY http://www3.cbc.ca/sections/newsitem_redux.asp?ID=3007 Radio One's Monday to Friday share of 7.2% is the network's highest rating for summer programming in at least the past decade, according to recently released Summer 2003 BBM ratings. Across the network, audience support was also strong with a combined share for CBC Radio One and Radio Two of 10.4%. Overall, these results are on par with last summer's results. The BBM summer survey draws from central areas only but includes Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver. Within the 8 markets surveyed, the combined weekly reach of CBC Radio One and Radio Two was 1,752,600, or 14% of the population aged 12+, representing an increase of 1% over previous years. Radio One Radio One's total share this summer was 7.3%, consistent with last year's performance. Important share gains were made in several markets. Radio One in Ottawa gained one point among all persons (9%) and held steady within the Anglophone market (12%). In Calgary, Radio One enjoyed a gain of one point to reach 8%. After experiencing share losses in the summers of 2001 and 2002, CBC in Winnipeg rebounded to capture a share of 8% and is now on par with ratings for summer of 2000. Radio One maintained its shares in Montreal with 7% in the Anglophone market and 2% across all audiences. Toronto continues to hold onto its strong 6% share. Local broadcast audience support remains strong. Local morning shows maintained an 11% share, with the Montreal (Anglophone), Winnipeg and Calgary morning shows capturing their highest shares in over a decade. Radio Two Radio Two's share demonstrated strong and constant performance at 3.1%. In the major markets measured, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Edmonton and Vancouver maintained share from last summer. The CBC mandate is to enlighten, connect and reflect Canadians. It is a meeting place for telling stories and engaging in debate. These results confirm that more and more Canadians recognize and value the unique and thoughtful programs that only CBC Radio can deliver (via Ricky Leong, QC, Sept 25, DXLD) ** CANADA. RETHINKING CBC RADIO: A NAKED MEDIUM Watch out for CBC Radio's vice-president, says MICHAEL POSNER. Jane Chalmers is the most powerful woman in the corporation By MICHAEL POSNER Saturday, September 27, 2003 - Page R5 When CBC President Robert Rabinovitch invited Jane Chalmers to lunch 14 months ago, she had no idea what was on his mind. Chalmers was then head of current affairs for network television and had only been in the post for a year -- a change seemed unlikely. "I tried to find out what it was about," she recalls. "But they wouldn't tell me." Over lunch -- at a discreet distance from the CBC's headquarters -- Rabinovitch offered her a major promotion, the job of vice-president of CBC Radio. "Why me?" she asked, at once stunned and honoured. FULL STORY: http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20030927/CBC27//?query=cbc OR http://tinyurl.com/ovjx (via Bill Doskoch, Toronto, CAJ-list via Ricky Leong, DXLD) ** CANADA. NOT AMUSED TORONTO (CP) - An Ontario judge is seeking $3 million in damages from Q107 morning show host John Derringer, the radio station and its owner, for falsely accusing him of being a "disgrace" to the justice system and society over the sentencing of a man who pleaded guilty to possession and distributing child pornography. The lawsuit by Justice Richard Schneider, of the Ontario Court of Justice, is a rare case involving a judge and the media. "It's a very serious libel," said lawyer Julian Porter, who is representing Schneider. "It's improper for a judge to be attacked in this sort of way. Derringer's talk ... was a libellous, untrue rant." In their statement of defence, the defendants say Derringer's remarks were meant "without actual malice and without gross negligence" and were part of a daily segment called Tool of the Day, featuring his comments on people "ranging from royalty to public officials to parliamentary dignitaries." Derringer could not be reached for comment Wednesday. The statement of claim includes a transcript of Derringer's comments on May 29, the day after Schneider sentenced Yong Jun Kim to a conditional sentence of nine months house arrest and 200 hours community service after the 20- year-old pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing child pornography. Also named in the suit is Corus Entertainment Inc., which owns an interest in Q107 Radio (Toronto Star Via Harry van Vugt, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, DXLD) ** CENTRAL AFRICA REPUBLIC [non]. [previously under GERMANY] HDL = Hirondelle Today, Wed Sept 24th 1910-1925 UT, a long talk in French heard on the new 15545 kHz station, coming from Woofferton-UK at 1900-2000. Mentioned many times "... Committee". Signal is very thiny in southern Germany, S=1-2 only. The main lobe is towards West Africa instead. Hello Wolfgang, it helps to live near the target area; the signal here is pretty good. I'm sure that the programme is a relay of Radio Ndeke Luka from Bangui, Central African Republic (see p. 134 of WRTH). My French is non-existent, but I'm sure they announce both FM and SW frequencies. French alternates with vernaculars and it would seem that the transmission is intended for central African regions. The music also sounds like being from the central Africa. Audio got lost between 1934 and 1937 today. I stopped listening at 19h42. There is a link to R. Ndeke Luka on http://www.hirondelle.org Maybe your French is better than mine, have a look. A pure speculation, but perhaps "HDL" is an abbreviation for the Fondation Hirondelle? Hope the above helps, and it was nice to hear from you! 73's, (Vashek Korinek-AFS, dswci Sept 25 via BC-DX via DXLD) 15545 Woofferton Sept 25, 1958-2000 UT HDL French / HCJB German Listen to the short recording of 15545, today Sept 25, 1958-2000 UT HDL French / and additional HCJB Quito German crash start at 1959:10 UTC. 73 wb df5sx R. Ndeke Luka in F/Vn Hello, Wolfgang! This station was monitored today's evening 1906-1950, but I wasn't listening to them at the announced s/on & s/off times (1900-2000). 15545 kHz noted at 55544; program in both French and vernacular, station slogan after ID which I understood as "Indekeluka", but it seems the correct form is as stated in your e- mail, i.e. Ndeke Luka. They announced 100.8 MHz in //. Unstable & weaker QSA around 1950. I guess it was HCJB that took the air 2000 on this frequency. It does seem the content focuses the area of the country in question, but possibly others too... it's a question of listening to during more time. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves-POR, dswci Sept 25, via Wolfgang Büschel, DXLD) Very strong signal in Alberta September 27th, news in French, High Life music and an English section 1947 with ``a radio station from North to South making it from Central African Republic -- FM makes the difference`` (Joe Talbot, Cumbre DX via Oct World DX Club Contact via DXLD) How ironic Thanks for a nice tip, Edward Kusalik in Cumbre DX. I tuned to 15545 on 28 Sep at 1900 and found Radio Ndeke Luka with good signal. Program start was a bit late, but after some difficulties they got it started. French IDs mentioning FM 100.8 and SW 15545. According Edward this is via Woofferton, UK. Radio Ndeke Luka operates in Central African Republic and was once known as Radio MINURCA (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Frequency changes for China Radio International: 1130-1227 Thai NF 15260, ex 6140 1230-1327 Lao NF 15260, ex 6140 1330-1427 Thai NF 15260, ex 6140 1600-1657 Arabic NF 7130, ex 17580 ||||| via S.P 500 kW / 145 deg 1800-1827 Persian NF 7130, ex 15595 ||||| via S.P 500 kW / 145 deg 2200-2257 English NF 7175, ex 9880 ||||| via MSK 250 kW / 275 deg (Observer, Bulgaria, Sept 26 via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. Re 3-170, Colombia vs Ecuador on 5040 Thanks, Glen[n], for your comments. As I do not have a tape, it is hard to be absolutely certain. The anthem was definitely not from Venezuela, and as I had heard Colombia's many more times than the anthem from Ecuador, I thought Colombia, but could be wrong. The programming was not religious in nature, and the music was near certainly more Colombian than Andean. Also the s/on was 1030 UT, vs. 100[0] UT. No sign of any QRN from another station when I heard the religious La Voz del Upano from 0958-1025 UT. This is not an hour when I can usually listen, but I will try to monitor this when I can. In all fairness and honesty, especially as no one else has logged it, I would drop Radio Yopal back to a "tentative log." Thank you for pointing this out, and I will be more careful in the future. You are a stickler for accuracy, and that is good for all of us in the hobby. Keep up the good work (Roger Chambers, NY, Sept 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO. (Rep.): 4765, Sept. 27, 1755-1827* fair signal with ID at 1800. Impossible to find out if //5985, to much QRM there. Had 4765 unID a few times with variable closedown +/- 1830 (Thorsten Hallmann, http:africa.coolfreepage.com/africalist Münster, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO DR. Re log on 7435: Intriguing log of Lubumbashi. Used ute transmitters in the far past. Recall odd fqy's being listed in the 1980 or 1981 WRTH (Bob Wilkner, FL, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** COSTA RICA. Faro del Caribe untraced on 5054v and 9644v for some time now in Sept. Anyone hearing them? I am getting a weak signal on 5054.6 in the evening, but too weak to tell if it is them or someone else (Hans Johnson, WY, Sept 26, Cumbre DX via DXLD) UNID, 5054.59, Spanish at 0200 Sept 27, but weak. Faro Caribe? (Hans Johnson, WY, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** COSTA RICA. ...I have two local (that is, Costa Rica) examples to draw from, and both are shortwave stations. There is nothing special about that fact; shortwave stations simply happen to be the stations with which I have talked. In reality, an Internet-only station could use the same software for its work. Back to the examples. First, right up the street from my house is what is supposed to be the world headquarters for Adventist World Radio. I put a slight disclaimer here because the sign on the street announces this, but I didn't discuss it with anyone at the station. In fact, I was at the station for an auction of radio equipment when the following discussion developed. The person I talked to, one of the few that spoke any English, said the station was using a station automation package that runs on Microsoft Windows. He then went on to explain that the system wasn't reliable enough. That is, it would fail and someone would have to reboot a computer -- which pretty much defeats the purpose of station automation. Of course, I bought up the idea of using Linux. To my surprise, he was familiar with Linux and said the station had tried loading it on one of its computers. His big concern, however, was that if the station found a Linux-based solution it would have no support. That is, what if Linux failed? Or a possibly free software package? In his case, he was a one-year volunteer; even if he got up to speed on the solution, he would be gone within a year. The second example is Radio for Peace International. RFPI is located about 20 km from where I live, but the back-haul to its Internet connectivity is supplied by a wireless link whose antenna is about 20 feet from me as I write this. I am much more familiar with RFPI's operation and expect it is typical of many stations. RFPI downloads much of its program material from the Internet -- using a Linux system, of course. Rather than save the material on the computer, RFPI saves it on mini-disks. Broadcasts, then, are done with a live announcer filling in between pre-recorded material. The live broadcast also is recorded on tape for re-broadcast later in the day. In the RFPI example, the only missing link to full automation is some software. That is, the program material already is in a form that could be saved on the computer, and that same computer certainly is capable of doing the editing to add the local content. Why doesn't RFPI make this change? Simple -- it already has something that works. Making this change to full automation would require procedural changes and training. And, when the automation breaks, the station needs someone to bail it out. . . http://www.linuxjournal.com/article.php?sid=7168 (from Helping Broadcast Radio with Linux, by Phil Hughes, via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** CUBA. 1900.00, Radio Reloj (harmonic 2 x 950), Sep 20, 0842-0930+, "RR" CW ID, weak talk, still there at 0930, good signal strength but tremendous QRN. 2140.00 (harmonic 2 x 1070) CMKS, Radio Trinchera Antimperialista, Guantánamo, Sep 20/22/24, 0814-0902, finally got the canned ID at 0900 over a three morning period. Over an instrumental version of "Guantanamera", the ID sounded like "Desde... provincia más ?musical? de... Trinchera Antimperialista. La...(?24? ?26?)... su pueblo." Consistently good signal strength every morning. Thanks to Bob Wilkner down in Florida for verifying the // 1070 (Mark Mohrmann, Coventry, VT, NRD 535D, V-Beam 140m @180 deg., DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CZECH REPUBLIC. ESPERAR UNA RESPUESTA DE RADIO PRAGA: TODA UNA VIDA Hace unos meses atrás envié una misiva a Radio Praga, en la cual criticaba algunas omisiones con respecto a un documental consagrado a los 80 años de la Radio Checa. En la carta reclamaba a Radio Praga la "desaparición" (del documental) de la señal de intervalo "La izquierda a la vanguardia", cuyas notas identificaron a la radio checa al exterior por muchos años, y también la omisión de la fecha 1ero. de abril de 1990, día en el cual Radio Praga salió del aire abruptamente y sin explicación alguna. Luego nos enteramos de que la decisión obedecía a una "purga política" dentro del servicio de radiodifusión exterior. Desde el 19 de mayo hasta los corrientes, aunque no se crea, no he recibido respuesta de Radio Praga, a pesar de haber enviado tres veces --- luego de esa primera vez --- la misma carta. Podría asumirse que la carta se "perdió" en el camino o se traspapeló, pero no. ¡La he mandado tres veces! Tal vez la leyeron al aire y yo no escuché el programa...pero no. No he dejado pasar por alto ninguno de los programas dedicados a los oyentes. Conclusión: por lo visto, mi reclamo no le gustó mucho a alguien en Radio Praga. Esa es la única explicación que hallo para tanta desidia e indiferencia. Desde mayo hasta nuestros días han sido incapaces de responder a dos preguntas de un oyente. ¿Será que el argumento para haber ocultado parte de la historia de los 80 años de la Radio Checa, es tan inconsistente como su silencio para conmigo? Amigos de Radio Praga, ustedes no pueden esperar sólo halagos de los auditores. Cuando hay equivocaciones, también deberían asumir con altura su error y hacer una autocrítica. Todos cometemos errores y la grandeza del ser humano está en reconocerlos y enmendarlos; el documental de los 80 años de la Radio Checa cercena (con o sin intención) por lo menos dos elementos muy importantes de la radiodifusión de dicho país europeo, en los últimos 50 años. Ustedes critican bastante eso que erróneamente califican de "totalitarismo comunista", pero al igual que los estalinistas de esa oscura época de la Europa del Este, ustedes "filtran" y dejan "pasar" sólo lo que les agrada. Para ser más precisos, lo que hubo detrás de la Cortina de Hierro durante esos años fue un "totalitarismo estalinista". Ustedes, al igual que Vaclav Havel (quien también se apresura en calificativos imprecisos), saben que el hombre en esta etapa evolutiva jamás ha alcanzado el comunismo. Por consiguiente, lo que cayó en 1989 junto con el Muro de Berlín fue el ESTALINISMO. Este sencillo ejemplo muestra otra media verdad proveniente de sus micrófonos. Como organismo público de radiodifusión, cuya máxima función es deberse a sus oyentes, Radio Praga debería dar una respuesta a la presente misiva. Espero que esta vez el silencio no sea el denominador común. Un escucha impresionado de tanta indiferencia, (Adán González, Catia La Mar, Estado Vargas, VENEZUELA, cc to DXLD) ** DEUTSCHES REICH [non]. LAWYER IN ZUNDEL DETENTION REVIEW LINKS HIM WITH OTHER HOLOCAUST-DENIERS [by] MARLENE HABIB TORONTO (CP) - Holocaust-denier Ernst Zundel testified Tuesday he put $10,000 towards the court costs of a fellow German who believed "Europe should cleanse itself racially." Federal government lawyer Donald MacIntosh asked Zundel during his detention review hearing if he was a close associate of Ewald Althans, another Holocaust-denier who was convicted in a German court in 1995 of charges that included insulting the memory of the dead and insulting the state. Zundel is seeking freedom pending a review of a federal security certificate issued earlier this year that says he's a security risk. The certificate could send him back to Germany to face charges of suspicion of incitement of hatred. Zundel, a publisher whose books include titles on Adolf Hitler, told MacIntosh that Althans was simply "a man who did things for me," including helping him sell his books and videos. But Zundel also admitted he helped underwrite the cost of Althans' defence at his German trial. Zundel added that he had several "observers" report back to him in Toronto, where he was living at the time, about the goings-on in the court case. MacIntosh pointed out that court documents quoted Althans as saying multiculturalism is "filthy" and "stinks" and that "Europe should cleanse itself racially." Zundel also said he stopped associating with Althans after Althans agreed to act as a German government informant. Zundel's first detention review was held in the spring after he was arrested in February in Canada and deemed a security risk. Now 64, the German native and former Toronto resident had been booted out of Tennessee because of U.S. immigration violations. His review before Federal Court Judge Pierre Blais has been underway since May, and government lawyers at the hearings have repeatedly linked Zundel with other Holocaust-deniers. MacIntosh questioned Zundel about what he knew about other members of far-right groups and individuals, including Aryan Nations leader Richard Butler, neo-Nazi Christian Worch and former Canadian Aryan Nations leader Terry Long. Zundel admitted he interviewed Butler in 1983 or 1984, but could recall little of the interview other than that "it became boring" after a point. He also said he communicated with Worch several times between 1989 and 1994. "He helped me with legal papers" because he had some legal experience, Zundel said of Worch, who spent two years in prison for violating a ban on promoting Nazism. At one point in the testimony, Zundel grew impatient with MacIntosh, who referred to descriptions of the men's activities in an Anti- Defamation League article. "Sometimes I feel like a black man being convicted on Ku Klux Klan news clippings," Zundel said, describing the league, which documents and campaigns against anti-Semitism, as "a Jewish hate group." MacIntosh said he was attempting to establish Zundel's relationship with the men and was "entitled to probe what those contacts are" to examine his credibility and potential as a flight risk. One legal observer said the government is trying to convince Blais that Zundel shouldn't be released, pending a review of his status as a security risk, because he's maintaining ties with convicted and well- known white supremacists. Outside the courtroom Tuesday, Anita Bromberg, in-house counsel for B'nai Brith Canada, accused Zundel's lawyer, Doug Christie, of stalling the hearings, and said Jewish people insulted by Zundel's beliefs that the Holocaust never happened are "tired of his games." At the start of the review Tuesday, Blais refused to remove himself from the case despite allegations by Christie that he's biased against Zundel. Blais denied the request Christie made in July, when the defence lawyer accused him of "badgering and accusing the witness of lying" and exhibiting "open hostility" towards Zundel. Blais wouldn't elaborate on his ruling, saying he would later give written reasons to both Christie and federal lawyers. Blais and Christie also butted heads over Christie's attempts to have a surprise witness testify at the hearing. Despite Blais's annoyance that Christie wasn't following proper procedure for entering a new witness, he allowed Dr. Lorraine Day to take the stand. Day, a California doctor who practises alternative cancer treatments, testified that Zundel's tumour in his chest - first reported at a review session weeks ago - was at risk of growing and his health was further being threatened by being locked up at Toronto's Metro West Detention Centre. Day testified that Zundel also needed medication to control his high blood pressure, and that the drug was giving him side-effects like a slow heart rate and memory loss. "He needs exercise, fresh air, and freedom from stress," said Day. "The whole point is we need to have his high blood pressure controlled without the drug." Under cross-examination, Day admitted that while examining Zundel on Monday, she didn't take his blood pressure herself and that she had to rely on charts by doctors at the detention centre to make her diagnosis. Zundel's website was at the centre of a Canadian Human Rights Commission ruling in 2000 that ordered anti-Semitic material removed. He fled to the United States shortly before the ruling came down. His detention review was told his wife, Ingrid, still lives in Tennessee and operates a website under Zundel's name. The hearing was to continue Wednesday. The Canadian Press, 2003 09/23/2003 20:29 EST (AOL Canada News via Fred Waterer, DXLD) JUDGE REFUSES TO REMOVE HIMSELF FROM ZUNDEL HEARING; DOCTOR TO TAKE STAND --- By MARLENE HABIB TORONTO (CP) - The federal court judge overseeing Ernst Zundel's detention review hearing refused Tuesday to dismiss himself from the case despite allegations by the Holocaust-denier's lawyer that he's biased against his client. Judge Pierre Blais denied the request Doug Christie made in July, when the defence lawyer accused him of "badgering and accusing the witness of lying" and exhibiting "open hostility" towards Zundel. Blais wouldn't elaborate on his ruling, saying he would later give written reason to both Christie and federal government lawyers. Also during the hearing Tuesday, Blais and Christie butt heads over Christie's attempts have a surprise witness testify at the hearing. Despite Blais's annoyance that Christie wasn't following proper procedure for entering a new witness, he allowed Dr. Lorraine Day to take the stand. Day, a California doctor who practises alternative cancer treatments, was expected to give a health report on Zundel, who remains in isolation at the city's Metro West Detention Centre. Christie has argued that Zundel's continued detention is harming his health. Earlier this year, the hearing to determine whether Zundel should be out on bail while the government determines if he's a security risk was told the German citizen had a tumour on his chest. Zundel is seeking freedom pending a review of a federal security certificate issued earlier this year that says he's a security risk. The certificate could send him back to Germany to face charges of suspicion of incitement of hatred. Zundel's Web site was at the centre of a Canadian Human Rights Commission ruling in 2000 that ordered anti-Semitic material removed. Zundel fled to the United States shortly before the ruling came down. Now in his mid-60s, he has been in detention since February after being booted out of Tennessee because of U.S. immigration violations. The Canadian Press, 2003 09/23/2003 11:48 EST (via Waterer, DXLD) ** DOMINICAN REPULIC. Hi friends. A note is due to all of you who have helped me with information about radio in the DR. I have received many questions from eager friends who want to now about the book, and it is time to answer. I started the preparation of this book with the help of Teo Veras, one of the main broadcasters in this country. He wanted to prepare this book because of his enthusiasm in radio. So we agreed to work together as he is most always occupied with his work I also had the enthusiasm for radio but in a different way. As I did not have a job or an obligation to work I had time to do the research. And we started. We began in the Archivo General de la Nación (Dominican General Archives) where we started to check all newspapers printed in the country since 1924, when the U.S. troops abandoned our country after eight years of occupation. There have been many mistaken stories published about the real history of radio in the DR, and everybody repeated the same erroneous information. We became even more enthusiastic with our new and unknown findings which urged us to continue. Teo had some friends in Santiago who found for him the early history of radio in the northern part of the country. And the book started to get thick. I already had all about the beginning of electricity in the world with some short biographies of scientists working in the field and the beginning of radio and after. The time came when I finished all of my work plus the early history of radio in the DR. So according to my work I have finished my part, but Teo wants to add more information about the development of FM in our country. I told him that all this won`t find space in the book or we have to leave the world history of radio out. Right now he is working very slowly, according as his work permits him, and I help him when he asks me. I owe my thanks to friends in Sweden, the U.S. and a friend in Argentina, who found for me history of early radio in the countries around South America. Teo has bought a lot of books telling about the beginning of radio in most of Latin America. A reminder to all overseas friends: the book will be written all in Spanish as the intended public is in the DR. I still don`t know how much will the shipping cost be but I presume it will be high due to the quantity of information, the size of the book, weight, quantity of pages, etc., but I will let you know when it is published and I hope it is soon, as I already wish to see it printed (César Objío, Calle Enrique Henríquez 69, Ens. Lugo, Gazcue, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Musings of the Members, NRC DX News Sept 29 via DXLD) Teo Veras has a website about radio http://www.teoveras.com.do/pagina_inicio.htm including this note: Se encuentra en fase de preparación la obra sobre "Historia de las comunicaciones y la radio dominicana y de Latinoamérica" Un trabajo cronológico, profundo, objetivo, completo y serio, sobre los orígenes y desarrollo de las comunicaciones en la República Dominicana comparada con los demás países latinoamericanos. Contribuya usted, aceptamos datos y fotos, si tiene algunos favor de comunicarse con nosotros al Tel. (809) 562-2231 o a teo.veras@codetel.net.do Se garantiza la mención en la publicación de la fuente utilizada (via gh, DXLD) ** ECUADOR. 4781.32, Radio Oriental, Sep 22, 1010, Andean vocals, "Swiper" QRM, announcer with ID "...a travez de la... de Oriental... en Tena. Musical guapa... Oriental... la más popular." Fair to good signal (Mark Mohrmann, Coventry, VT, NRD 535D, V-Beam 140m @180 deg., DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. 4781.33, Radio Oriental, Tena 1000-1105 blasting in with musica andina. Tnx Mark Mohrmann. Too close to the previous log of Radio Tacana for comfort. Early fade pattern on CP log, could have been transmitter. If CP is there, should now be buried under the Radio Oriental signal. 24 Sept (Bob Wilkner, Pómpano Beach FL, NRD-535, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EL SALVADOR. QSL: 17835, R. Imperial. Prepared card and long handwritten letter from Pastor Padre Mendoza in 48 days for follow-up. Mailed from Miami, FL. [My] first QSL from this country in 18 years! (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge CO, Drake R-8, 100-foot RW, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** ERITREA [non]. CLANDESTINE from ETHIOPIA to ERITREA, 6350, Voice of Peace and Democracy of Eritrea, 0310 Sept 26, open carrier. 0315 interval signal, good modulation, nice signal. ID mentioning "Democratri Eritray" in presumed Tigrinya and Kunamigna. // 5500. Long talk by man, then another man at 0327 with change in language. IDs and slogans at 0352 and back to open carrier. These transmissions are via the 10 kW Ethiopian transmitters at Mekele. (0357 retune heard with Voice of Tigray Revolution IS.) Via Javaradio Europe (Hans Johnson, WY, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA. 7110, Radio Ethiopia in presumed Amharic at 0340 Sept 26. Nice signal. // weaker 9704. Via Javaradio Europe (Hans Johnson, WY, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** EUROPA ISLAND. It was announced this past week that the world`s number 6th most wanted entity (Europe 10th and U.S 6th), Europa Island (IOTA AF-009) would be active between November 22nd and December 5th. A team of eight French military operators also plan to operate in the CQ World-Wide CW DX Contest during the last weekend of November. They report that it was a difficult project to secure permission to go to this rare island, however thanks to the persistence of Didier, F5OGL, and his team, they did receive the ``OK`` from the general headquarters to go. The team hopes to have three stations active on 160-6 meters on CW, SSB and the digital modes. The team members for this operation include: Didier/F5OGL, Dany/F5CW, Eric/F5JKK, Stephane/F5KIN, Freddy/F5IRO, David/F0CRS, Chris/TU5AX and possibly another operator. The callsign will not be Announced until the operation begins. QSL cards will be handled by F5OGL and may be sent via the bureau or direct to: Didier Senmartin, P.O. Box 7, 53320 Loiron, France. ADDED NOTE: It was also announced: ``Be aware of the possibility that the operation could be cancelled if the international situation were to unfold, as these operators would have to all go on active duty because of their military jobs.`` (KB8NW/OPDX September 29/BARF-80 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** FIJI. FIJI BROADCASTERS COMPETE FOR GOVERNMENT CONTRACT MELBOURNE, Australia (Radio Australia, Sept. 24) - Fiji's commercial broadcasters have been told they'll have to demonstrate an ability to provide national coverage reaching the entire rural population if they want to win the government contract for public service broadcasts. Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, which has the current contract, faces competition for the new contract which begins in January. The Fiji Government has invited tenders for the new three-year Public Service Broadcast contract. In its latest newsletter, Infonet - Fiji's Information Ministry - says candidates are expected to demonstrate a high standard of professional broadcasting and the ability to provide national coverage reaching the entire population. The Ministry says the successful contractor will be obligated to provide national development and leadership programs and also focus on cultural heritage, reconciliation, social and community obligations and emergency services. September 24, 2003 Radio Australia: http://www.abc.net.au/ra Copyright © 2003 Radio Australia. All Rights Reserved (Via Harry van Vugt, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, from Pacific Islands Report) Fiji's commercial broadcasters have been told they will have to demonstrate an ability to provide national coverage reaching the entire rural population, if they want to win the government contract for public service broadcasts. . . http://www.abc.net.au/ra/newstories/RANewsStories_952277.htm (via Jilly Dybka, Sept 24, DXLD) ** FRANCE. Glenn, here's the note George Poppin sent to Daniel Bouchent of TDF, who is retiring from his post of overseeing frequency management of Radio France Internationale, along with his rôle with TDF's shortwave transmission facilities (Issoudon, Montsinéry, etc.). (Joe Hanlon in Mays Landing, NJ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Dear Daniel, What surprising news to hear that all of a sudden you are going to be leaving us on 1 October --- you are going to retire from TDF!! What an honor it has been for me to have been associated with your office since August 1985...just about eighteen years. Thank you for having the confidence in my technical monitoring for TDF. I have learned a lot in those eighteen years. Since hearing your English news broadcast in 1985 until your discontinuance of broadcasts to North America I have received and replied to approximately five to six hundred letters of RFI listeners each year. I would say six hundred replies was the maximum in one year. I have the names and addresses of each RFI listener who asked for your radio frequencies in my outgoing mail log as a reference. Sorry to say today there is only a trickle of letters from RFI listeners compared to yesteryear. Wie schade, as the Germans say, for France whom I admire so much in their historical past, from Bonaparte in Europe to Lafayette in America. Your distinguished service to France in the field of radio is deserving of a medal of honor from France...who else has contributed so much of their personal devotion and dedicated service to their nation in the field of radio? My wife Dottie, whose ancestors come from Mulhouse, and I an 85 year old first generation American Russian salute you, dear Daniel. We hope that your retirement years will be happy, healthy and comfortable. Do not forget to drop us a line occasionally. With kind regards, Most sincerely, George J. and Dottie Poppin in San Francisco (via Joe Hanlon, DXLD) ** GERMANY. DTK T-System change: Evangeliumsradio Hamburg: 1730-1800 6015 JUL 100 kW / non-dir Tue/Wed to CeEu German ||||| cancelled (Observer, Bulgaria, Sept 26 via DXLD) see also DEUTSCHES REICH [non] ** GERMANY [and non]. Kiel-Kronshagen, the 612 kHz site: http://www.senderfotos.de/images/schleswigholstein/kronshagen1.jpg http://www.senderfotos.de/images/schleswigholstein/kronshagen2.jpg The mediumwave antenna can be easily distinguished from the FM/TV masts with no insulators in the guys. See http://209.68.42.62/sender/ 153_spektrum: Note the utility station of German weather service on 147, this signal always leaked through when listening to DLF decades ago when it was on 151, running USB plus carrier in order to protect the utility station. 25740: This could be the low power transmitter operated for demonstration purposes during the IFA fair at Berlin-Britz on this frequency. flevo3: A Telefunken S4001 (100 kW), the same model than installed at Jülich and Berlin-Britz. So this is the Flevo backup unit, used for their DRM tests. The DRM equipment is courtesy of T-Systems, anyway employed by Nozema to take care of maintenance, spare parts supply etc. putbus: The 51 metres tall standard antenna at Putbus. s50: What's this? The transmitter could be a Marconi; Rampisham? wertachtal2: The old transmitters from the seventies, now to be replaced by RIZ (Croatia) equipment (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Whose site is this with all the photos? ** GERMANY. SPECIAL EVENT. Ric, DL2VFR, informs OPDX that during the month of October look for a special DOK (SDOK) callsign that was issued to the ``Klubstation des Ortsverbandes``, DL0KWH. The SDOK callsign is ``80VOX`` and celebrates the 80th anniversary of starting a regular radio broadcast service in Germany. The program was produced in the historical ``VOX-Haus`` in Berlin and transferred to the transmitting station in Konigs Wusterhausen where it hit the waves worldwide. The club station DL0KWH is situated in the area of the old transmitting site (it will be shown on the QSL card). The club station plans to be busy giving out the SDOK callsign between October 1-31st on all bands and modes. The SDOK callsign is good for The DARC`s ``DLD Award``. Additionally, there is an award called ``Sender Konigs Wusterhausen`` and it also counts for this club activity. The club station`s Web page is at: http://www.qsl.net/dl0kwh (KB8NW/OPDX September 29/BARF-80 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** GUATEMALA. 4052.47, R. Verdad, 0045* 22 Sept., Just as I tuned in, heard instrumental religious music and the signal went off in mid- song!!! Nice clear signal too!! Oh well (Dave Valko, micro-DXpedition QTH, PA, 300' Beverage at 170 degrees Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) Earlier sign-off Sunday eves? ** GUATEMALA. R. Cultural untraced on 3300 and 5955 for some time now. Anyone hearing them? The latter frequency especially doesn't propagate too well to WY. 4780, R. Cultural Coatán doesn't seem to be on in the evenings at all, just mornings (Hans Johnson, WY, Sept 26, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** GUINEA-BISSAU. GUINEA-BISSAU POLICE RAID PRIVATE RADIO TO THWART SATIRICAL SHOW AIRING | Text of report by Portuguese news agency Lusa web site Bissau, 28 September: Guinea-Bissau's private radio station, Bombolom FM, in Bissau was today occupied by the police, with the announcer saying on radio that he could only explain what was happening later on. At the moment there are no details about the situation. Guinea- Bissau has been experiencing some tensions since the coup on 14 September that ousted President Kumba Yala. The police went to Radio Bombolom to prohibit the broadcast of a political-satirical programme and warn the radio authorities that it is necessary to ask the Military Committee for the Re-establishment of Constitutional and Democratic Order for permission to air some programmes. Source: Lusa news agency web site, Lisbon, in Portuguese 28 Sep 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** GUYANA. 3290 kHz, Voice of Guyana, from 0833 in English with choral music, OM at 0840 with an Islamic meditation and male vocal, "Good morning, this is the Voice of Guyana .... the time is 4:45; subcontinental music; fair at that time; recheck at 0925 with ID repeated; still present but very weak at 0958. Also presumed between 0100-0200 on the 24th and 25th in English, but no intelligible ID heard either day, quite poor (Roger Chambers, Utica, NY, Drake SW 8 with whip antenna, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HONDURAS. I have checked 3340 kHz the last couple of days. They are there, in fact, identifying as "La Voz de Misiones". Their former frequency of 5010 is not in use. I finally heard a telephone number for R Misiones Sept 10, so I called. The operator was happy indeed, so he called the director, who in turn called me. I asked them to identify the station from time to time, even using canned IDs, and to give their address on the air, request reports, and give their telephone numbers on the air as many times as they could. After an hour they had received phone calls from all over the country, and couldn't cease sending "saludos" to yours truly thanking me for the report and suggestions. They also tweaked the audio a bit after my suggestion, so after 0200 UT on Sep. 11 (UT) their audio was louder and clearer. The director of the station is Pastor Noe Raudales. He confirmed that 5010 is down due to a bad transmitter, as is 5890. They are now broadcasting through 1480 mediumwave and 3340 shortwave. Their shortwave outlet at 3340 is using 2.5 kW into a dipole antenna. Their schedule is 1200-0500 in Spanish, with occasional announcements in English during the night hours (after 00 UT). They use several canned ID's: "La Voz del Evangelio completo", "Radio Misiones, la radio que comunica Vida", "Llevando el Evangelio completo, Radio Misiones" And the operators ID as "La Voz de Misiones" or "Radio Misiones". They broadcast from Comayagüela, sister city of the capital Tegucigalpa (when I visit there I often do not know whether I am in Tegucigalpa or Comayagüela! hihi). During the night hours (after 0100 UT) most of their music selections are by Honduran performers (Christian musicians, that is). According to Pastor Raudales, they have a stock of QSL cards ready and will confirm reception reports (which they are in awe of) to: Radio Misiones Internacionales, Attn: Pastor Noe Raudales, Apdo. Postal 20583, Comayagüela, Honduras. Should someone want to call them, their studio telephone number is (+504) 238-4933. Pastor Raudales told me they would very much appreciate reception reports from all over, and he was REALLY happy when I told him their signals were being heard abroad. I spoke to him a bit about DSWCI and the Dxing hobby. He said you all will be in his prayers. During the night hours they also identify in English as "HRMI" and "IMF World Missions" and give an address in San Bernardino, California, USA. Future plans: 5010 back on air (probably) by the end of the week, and 5890 later before year-end. They would then be on air through 3340, 5010 and 5890. They will keep me informed of any changes, and I will in turn inform you (Elmer Escoto, Honduras, for DSWCI DX-Window, Sep 11 via DXLD) ** INDIA. 15075, *0415 Sept 22. All India Radio in presumed Gujarati to East Africa. Signal was quite weak but the very noticeable AIR IS was heard until sign-on, followed by male announcer. His voice was at about threshold level at best -- too weak to discern better details. (I think recent world events, including blackouts, certain governments' censoring of the internet, increasing commercialization of the internet & now the Iraqi "government's" censoring of 2 Arab satellite news networks shows that shortwave remains the freest form of broadcasting, despite its technical limitations). (Ralph Famularo, Osaka, Japan, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA From the HQ of RRI, this is the new schedule of Voice of Indonesia as effective from Oct 1, 2003: 1 Arabic 1600-1700 15150 39SE; 39SW; 39NW 2 Spanish 1700-1800 15150 37NW 3 German 1800-1900 15150 27SE 4 French 1900-2000 15150 27SE 5 English 2000-2100 15150 27SE 0200-0300 11785/9525 41NE; SE; NW; SW [ex 0100-0200] 0800-0900 9525 49NE; 58NE; SE 6 Indonesian 0300-0400 11785/9525 54NE; 54NW 1300-1400 9525 49NE; 54NW, 54NE 7 Malaysian 0900-1000 9525 54NW 8 Thai 1000-1030 9525 49SW; NW 9 Mandarin 1030-1130 9525 44NW; SW; NE; SE 10 [missing altho in time order maybe nothing else there] 11 Japanese 1130-1200 9525 45SW; NW; NE 12 Korean 1200-1300 9525 Korea (from: Lim Kwet Hian, Jakarta, Sept 26, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. Voice of Indonesia reappeared on shortwave after a couple of weeks' absence on 22 September, including at 0030-0400 on 9525 and 15150 (ex-11785) kHz. 15150 is a poor choice at that time owing to Chinese jamming on the frequency. Current RRI Jakarta domestic frequencies: Pro-3 on 11860, 15125 kHz Pro-4 on 9680 kHz RRI Makassar was heard a couple of times on 6 and 7 August on 9552 kHz around 0200, but has since been silent on that frequency (Alan Davies, Bali, Sept 24, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Not Davis! ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS. I hope I am allowed to publicise a Yahoo group dedicated to Radio London I started on 18 September this year. "This list is for those who appreciate the superb offshore broadcaster which was off the English coast in the mid 1960s. It was for many the greatest radio station ever." RadioLondon266-subscribe@yahoogroups.com We now have 38 members, most I expect over a certain age! Thank you (Mike Terry, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN [non]. CLANDESTINE from ? to IRAN, 13800, R. International 1629 Sept 24, Merlin interval signal, 1630 Dire Straits theme and ID's by man and woman. No sign of any jamming. Via Javaradio/Europe. 9375, Voice of Southern Azerbaijan Listed as *1630, untraced via Javaradio/Europe. Off or new sked? (Hans Johnson, WY, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) V. of South Azerbaijan R., Sep 22 *1531-1543, 23442, 1531 s/on with opening music. ID and opening announce. Talk and local music. (Hashimoto, Japan Premium via Iwata) Ah ha, that explains why I didn't hear them at *1630 (Hans Johnson, WY, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) This one was confirmed by the station originating from Azerbaijan (that would be the Gäncä site). Target is the northern part of Iran which is populated mainly by ethnic Azeris and called "South Azerbaijan" by this group and in Azerbaijan (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. CLANDESTINE from ? to MIDDLE EAST. Voice of Ashur, 9155: tried for this at 1115 Sept 24 on a Javaradio in Europe and didn't hear a thing. Are they still active or has their schedule changed? I thought it was 0745-1200 on 9155. Also check at 1600 and found nothing. I tried the website Zowaa.com but it didn't load (Hans Johnson, WY, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) Later: The website of http://www.zowaa.org still works, but I couldn't find anything recent on the radio broadcasts. zowaa.com just loads a blank page on my browser (Hans Johnson, WY, Sept 26, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Sorry, yes - zowaa.com only loads a blank page, zowaa.org is under reconstruction. On my browser it says: "Zowaa.org has taken a new face to web designing. Ishtar Web Development & Media Group UPGRADES zowaa.org in September." 73s, (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, ibid.) ** IRAQ [non]. SAUDI ARABIA to IRAQ, 9563v, Voice of the Iraqi People --- Informed sources in the Middle East tell Cumbre DX that this station is airing a pro Iraqi Governing Council agenda (Hans Johnson, WY, Sept 23, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** IRAQ. SHUTTING OUT THE ENEMY Iraq's US-backed Governing Council has moved to limit the operations of two Arab satellite TV stations, accusing them of encouraging terrorism and working against a new Iraqi democracy. The partial ban on al-Jazeera, based in Qatar, and al-Arabiya, based in Dubai, has met with condemnation from press freedom groups around the world. Radio Netherlands' Hans-Jaap Melissen is currently in Iraq, and interviewed Iraqi National Congress spokesman Entifadh Qanbar who says the situation had gotten out of hand. . . http://www.rnw.nl/hotspots/html/ira030924.html (Media Network newsletter Sept 25 via DXLD) ** IRELAND. Reflections Europe --- Per the station, here are the powers they are running and the antennas they are using: 3910 500 W Full wavelength dipole + reflector 6295 2 kW 1.5 wavelength colinear 12255 200 W 4 element directional East (via Hans Johnson, Sep 29, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** IRELAND. Re 612v: I am doubtful about that 'tired sounding' Athlone Transmitter, being commissioned as recently as 1979, Although other correspondents seem to have more detailed knowledge. I still think its the old c. 1950 Athlone (566 kHz) Radio Eireann Transmitter. Some of your 'more mature' U.K/Irish Readers, will surely remember 'The Kennedys of Castleross'. Many Thanks (Ken Fletcher, UK, 2335UTC September 23rd 2003, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. Some changes for Kol Israel: 0300-2115 Arabic 12150 deleted ||||| now on single freq 5915 0415-0430 French 9435, 15640 ||||| ex 0500-0515 on same freqs 1000-1010 French 15640, 17525, 17545 ||||| ex 1000-1015 on same freqs 1010-1020 English 15640, 17525, 17545 ||||| ex 1015-1030 on same freqs 1020-1030 Spanish 15640, 17525, 17545 ||||| new transmission 1000-1025 Yiddish 15655 ||||| cancelled 1025-1040 Ladino 15655 ||||| cancelled 1630-1700 Hebrew 15640, 17545 ||||| new transmission 1700-1715 English 15640, 17545 ||||| ex 1700-1705, re-ex 1630- 1645 on same 1705-1710 French 15640, 17545 ||||| deleted 1710-1715 Spanish 15640, 17545 ||||| deleted (Observer, Bulgaria, Sept 26 via DXLD) ** ITALY. I heard EMR [European Music Radio] this morning (Sunday [Sept 28]) at 0900 UT on 13840 kHz. They had previously said they would be on at 1000 UT but that time seems to be wrong as it was on at 0900 UT today. I presume this is being relayed via IRRS in Italy. 73s (Dave Kenny, UK, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** ITALY. 7306U, R. Europe is this outlet still active? If so, can anyone let me know when it is? It has been a while since I have heard this one and I'd like to give it another shot (Hans Johnson, WY, Sep 25, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Hello Hans, I noted this 500 watt station on Sunday mornings ONLY, in past 15 years, I guess. The station has a fine thiny signal - technicalwise - in USB mode on exact frequency of course. WRTH shows a 0600-1200v time slot. So for the NAm audience I would recommend to listen towards Europe on SUNDAYS at around 0600-0700 UT in deep winter November til February. Regular reception of 7 MHz Italian stations - also in the 40 ham band - is not a problem at my location in southern Germany, only 800-900 km away. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, ibid.) It's again on the air with more power from this weekend, on Saturday and Sunday morning, but irregularly (Roberto Scaglione http://www.bclnews.it Sept 26, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Dear Hans, both informations from Wolfgang and Roberto are corrects. Being I am involved in Radio Europe on 7306 kHz USB mode, I am their QSL manager (reports please to Radio Europe, P.O. BOX 12, IT-20090 Limito, Italy). I also have a Dx-program called PLAYDX MUSIC with lot of Dx-talks and Dx-news, and not so much real music, but not at fixed schedule. Radio Europe is a real Pirate station and the owner Mr. Alex Bertini is more than 15 years doing this just for amusing, so he does only if he has time to do it, but usually it is on Saturday and Sunday. From September a new linear is utilized , power max is 1500 Watts, but usually it is around 700-800 Watts. The schedule is 0600- 1200 UT, but it is not fixed. Naturally Hans we may be in touch for TESTS to your area for next coming period, at 2100-0600 UT, all it depends if the "bloody" Vatican Radio will continue to utilize 7305 kHz. Let see in coming 2-3 weeks. Good Dxs! (Dario Monferini, Milano, ibid.) Hey, I`ve got an idea --- why not use some other frequency? (gh, DXLD) ** ITALY. 6060, Rai --- I always thought that this one just carried Rai 1, but when listening at 0200 Sept 25, I noticed that it was actually carrying the IV Canale with a jazz program (I paralleled with the live streams at the RAI website.) Does anyone have a good schedule of which domestic service(s) the SW outlets are carrying? (Hans Johnson, WY, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Rai International doesn't relay regularly any domestic service since May 14, when Caltanissetta transmitter site closed down (Radio 1 and Radio 2 was daytime on 6060/9515 and 7175 with 5/25 kW); however, some programs are available (sometimes also live relay of Radio 2) in 0630- 1300 slot on 9670 and 11800 from Roma Prato Smeraldo. It's possible Roma Prato Smeraldo will close at the end of the year, and no more SW transmission from Italy (...only IRRS) (Roberto Scaglione, Sicily, ibid.) ** JAPAN [non]. SHORTWAVE LISTENING DURING THE JAPANESE OCCUPATION OF CHINA Larry Sitsky - Australian pianist, composer, musicologist and teacher - has been described as "one of the true elder statesmen of Australian music" by former opera singer Patrick Togher. ... Sitsky was born in the Chinese city of Tianjing, a metropolis which the major European powers had carved into various concessions. He grew up in the French concession and went to school in the English concession. .... Under the Japanese occupation of Tianjing, which lasted from 1937 until 1945 during the Sino-Japanese war, it was also a world of uncertainty, where personal liberties were limited and the movements of individuals were vetted closely. The military would regularly conduct house to house searches in the neighbourhood. "If someone knocked on the door and wanted to see what radio you have in the house, you had to let them in. The shortwave was sealed off with red wax. You couldn`t turn the dial to certain stations around the world and if the seal was broken you were in trouble. They would ask to look at what books were on the shelf," he says... http://www.citynews.com.au/news/Article.asp?id=1544 73 (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** JAPAN [non]. DX programs from overseas broadcasters Japan Short Wave Club has begun broadcasts to offer DX-related information from overseas broadcasters as follows: 1. Adventist World Radio - "Wavescan" A several minutes' segment is allocated to our club during the first Sunday (in principle) edition of the DX program of AWR "Wavescan". For detailed broadcast schedule, visit the AWR website: http://www.awr.org/ 2. HCJB World Radio etc. - "DX Partyline" And also a several minutes are given to us during the fourth Saturday (in principle) edition of the DX program of HCJB World Radio "DX Partyline." Our DX segments are usually called "Far Eastern DX Report" or "Asian DX News". When you listen to them, please send your reception reports to the following address of our club's headquarters in Sendai. We will issue a verification card for correct reception reports. (Please enclose either 1 IRC or one dollar US bill.) Mailing address of JSWC headquarters: Japan Short Wave Club, P. O. Box 29, Sendai Central, 980-8691 JAPAN FAX: +81-22-227-4194 / E-mail: jswchq@hotmail.com Thank you very much for your kind attention. Source of information: Toshimichi Ohtake, member of Japan Short Wave Club. Written by: Nobuya Kato, Member of JSWC / September 24 2003 (via John Wright, Australia, ripple via DXLD) I heard the first edition on this week`s DXPL. Many of the items dated back to August, so perhaps they wanted to get some important old news out of the way first. Several of the times given for DXPL on WWCR and WINB were also outdated, deleted. See our latest listings (gh, DXLD) ** KUWAIT. On 23 Sep at 2215 tune in I noted a station with continuous English pop music on 1575. Rather strong signal, coming possibly from east or south. VOA Thailand and R Asia were also heard at times under this station. Still audible at 2335. After some songs there was a male announcer in English, starting with what sounds like "105", then voice was cut and new song started. Any ideas? (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski Finland, Cumbre DX via DXLD) This is probably the Kuwaiti that used to carry Radio Al-Mustaqbal, for several weeks now just playing continuous music at scheduled Al- Mustaqbal times, i.e. 1100-1400 & 2130-0030 UT. Same story on former Radio Tikrit/Radio Sumer frequency 1584 kHz - just continuous music in their 1900-2100 slot (Dave Kernick, Reading, UK, ibid.) Yes Dave, I guess that is the "CIA" transmitter in Kuwait. Seems they play music recorded from some FM station (105?) and there are bits of original announcements audible. Thanks (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, Sept 25, ibid.) ** LEBANON [non]. CLANDESTINE from CIS to LEBANON, 11645, Voice of Free Lebanon, untraced for their *1600 Sept 24 via a Javaradio in Europe. New sked, freq, or off? (Hans Johnson, WY, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) Their website of http://www.rpliban.org/ is no longer active. If off, it hasn't been too long as there were logs over the summer (Hans Johnson, WY, Sept 26, Cumbre DX via DXLD) The correct website (has daily audio files): http://www.tayyar.org/radio/RadioLoubnanAl7oriya/index.htm It's still in the TDP schedule ("Sawt Lubnan Al-Houriya"): http://www.airtime.be/schedule.html (Bernd Trutenau, ibid.) So is R. Togo Libre, gone for more than two sesquimonths (gh) ** MALAYSIA. RTM Sarawak --- The outlets at Kuching on 4895 and 7270 were noted in // at 1255 with singing and at 1300 Sept 24 with presumed National news. It seemed that Sibu on 6050 was also in // but that the audio kept dropping out and open carrier was heard. 5965, RTM Kuala Lumpur with National news at 1305 Sept 24 // 4895. Mixing with unID co-channel station (Hans Johnson, WY, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** MALAYSIA. 15295, 0802 Sept 21, V. of Malaysia in English with "World News" consisting mostly of economic items from East Asia and beyond. Signal was the perhaps the best I've ever heard on this frequency. Generally strong with a few moments dipping to "fair" levels. Caught a very clear, "You are listening to the Voice of Malaysia" ID (Ralph Famularo, Osaka, Japan, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Re: XERTA, I'm not hearing ANYTHING on 4810 either late in the evening or very early in the morning. Suppose they have a directional antenna? Thanks and best regards (BEN Loveless, MI, Sept 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Doubt it could be that direxional; perhaps it is back to irregular operation (gh, DXLD) 4810. 0930-1130 no sign of signal (Bob Wilkner, Pómpano Beach FL, Sept 24, NRD-535, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4810, XERTA missing for a few days. I think we can all agree that this was hardly a new transmitter. I would guess that they had just repaired their old one (Hans Johnson, WY, Sept 27, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** MYANMAR. 5040.54, Radio Myanmar, 1100-1120, YL, minorities program, no longer // 4725 which seems silent. These two were parallel several months ago (Bob Wilkner, Pómpano Beach FL, Sept 24, NRD-535, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NAMIBIA. 6060, NBC (Presumed), 1900 Sept 25 with news in English, then promos or ads "Worldwide news". Bad splatters from Europeans. Recheck at 2000, again with English news, now also parallel 6175 was audible. After news, English phone-in program in parallel on both frequencies (Jari Savolainen, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NICARAGUA. Unidentified station in Spanish on 9905 heard 0215 to 0242 September 25th, up beat dance music with few announcements. Adán Mur in Paraguay says that the University Station in Managua has recently commenced operations on 9905 with a power of 1 kW (Ed Kusalik, Canada, Cumbre DX via World DX Club Contact via DXLD) How strange -- we had a report of this many months ago, but there was absolutely no confirmation, and much more recently Mur`s R. América in Paraguay was supposedly on 9905 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGER. 9705, Sept. 28, 2130-2158*, very strong, vernacular similar to Hausa and typical regional music (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) http://africa.coolfreepage.com/africalist ** NIGERIA. 17800 heard regularly in Basingstoke around 0600 to past 1000 (Edwin Southwell, England, Oct World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** NORWAY [and non]. Amigos, Back somewhere around 1962 or so Dad bought me that ill-fated Hallicrafters S38E with which I learned to speak Spanish with a certain swagger & Cuban accent. One of the reasons I wanted the radio was to listen to Norwegian, which I was then (and still am) learning out of a book. Nowadays it's more like four or five books. The Norwegian shortwave broadcasts came out of a building on Björnstjerne Björnsonsgate in Oslo where Norsk Rikskringkasting had its offices and studios. I used to have a brochure about it. Well, I learned today, while trying to figure out the reason for me having a Radio Denmark shortwave schedule & not having one for NRK, I discovered something that kinda put a perspective on things: As of 31 December 2003, Norsk Rikskringkasting will cease all shortwave transmissions from their Sveiø and Kvitsøy transmitter sites. They already rent time to Radio Denmark, and the info I found on their web site says something like they're cutting back "the number of shortwave transmissions to give more time to other broadcasters." I guess they rent time to other folks too . . . Radio Free Chechnya or something. [NOT that one, AFAIK --- gh] Good thing I have the web now. Otherwise I'd have to listen to Radio Denmark from a Norwegian transmitter site. Or Radio Sweden from the CBC transmitter site up on the little peninsula [isthmus] that hooks Nova Scotia to New Brunswick. Sackville, NB. I toured that site once. The Canadian one. Very neat stuff. Lots of mosquitos. I don't think it'll be the same, downloading the programs on my computer, even if I use Cindy's roadrunner machine. Something about the selective fading and the static crashes in the background, not to mention the polar flutter, just makes it more . . . romantic. And what am I listening to now as I type this? Türkiyenin sesi radyosu. Why? I like the music. Sometimes I can even make out the present progressive tense of a verb. When they read the news. Haber. Maybe after I pick up my youngest from his first "date" (the high school "homecoming" dance) I'll put on the earphones and see if I can hear any weak signals coming through the RTTY on 40m. 73 (Nils R. Bull Young -- W8IJN -- La Estancia de los Guajolotes Sonrientes -- http://w8ijn.tripod.com -- http://members.fortunecity.com/nilsbull "If you can see this, thank a trilobite!" (via QRP-L reflector via Ed Tanton N4XY, swl @ qth.net via DXLD) I have a different perspective on Norse Radio. I once asked them why they only broadcast in English once a week. Their reply was that they didn't think English wasn't a very important language to which I replied that if if it weren't for English language speaking people they would all be speaking German and English language broadcasts would be the least of their problems. Never heard from them again (Bill Krause, Sept. 28, swl at qth.net via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA [and non]. In case no one else noticed, KGYN-1210 Guymon was absent Sept 23-24, at least. I can be sure of this, since I spent that night in Guymon, drove right by the triple-towers east of town, and zilch. No tower lights either, tho it was not yet quite dark, and some higher tower in the distance was strobbing. Made several checks during the evening and next morning; phone went unanswered. After dark, in Guymon itself, some other stations were audible on 1210, dominated by one in Spanish. I was about to conclude Clear [sic] Channel had already turned KGYN off in preparation for moving the license to OKC (surely not much, if any of the old equipment). However, on Sun Sept 28 around 2200 UT as I was passing thru the Texas panhandle, within groundwave range, KGYN was back on with its own usual block of Spanish programming. Public radio has finally come to the OK and TX panhandles (other than translators here and there), with KTOT 89.5 Spearman-Perryton TX, a satellite of KANZ-91.1 Garden City KS. On the car radio, range is roughly from Woodward to Boise City OK, and all along US 60 NE from Amarillo. Still running in Amarillo are the two KANZ translators on 94.9 and 91.3, tho the latter (actually Washburn) is missing from the FM Atlas XIX map and state listings. The NWS TIS VHF relay is also still running on 1610 in Amarillo (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. Call letter changes: 1640 KMKZ OK Enid, new call: KMMZ (AM Switch, NRC DX News Sept 29 via DXLD) Hardly a surprise as this owner did musical-calls previously with 96.9, which for a while was KMMZ for ``Memories``. 1640 is not yet on the air but should be getting close. I keep an ear on it (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OMAN. Radio Oman B'03 Freq Schedule (26 OCT, 2003 TO 28 MARCH, 2004) all entries are daily UTC UTC FREQ STRT STOP CIRAF ZONES LOC POWR AZI ANT LANG ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 6085 0200 0400 39N,40W SEB 100 320 141 Arabic 6085 2000 2200 39SW,48 SEB 100 240 146 Arabic 6190 1800 2000 39SW,48 SEB 100 240 146 Arabic 9515 0400 0600 39N,40W SEB 100 320 141 Arabic 9760 2300 0200 28,39N THU 100 315 218 Arabic 13640 0600 1400 39N,40W SEB 100 320 141 Arabic 13640 2000 2200 28,39N THU 100 315 218 Arabic 13725 1400 1800 48,53 THU 100 220 205 Arabic 13755 2200 2400 28,39N THU 100 315 218 Arabic 15140 1400 1500 28,39N THU 100 315 218 English 15140 1500 1800 28,39N THU 100 315 218 Arabic 15355 0200 0300 48,53 THU 100 220 205 Arabic 15355 0300 0400 48,53 THU 100 220 205 English 15355 1800 2000 48,53 THU 100 220 205 Arabic 15375 1400 1800 39SW,48 SEB 100 240 146 Arabic 17590 0400 0600 48,53 THU 100 220 205 Arabic 17630 0600 1000 28,39N THU 100 315 218 Arabic Locations of txers : THU - Thumrait - 100 kw; SEB - Seeb - 100 kw Regds, (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. 21454.98, 0900 UT Sept 29. Radio Pakistan, Islamabad. Pips, ID and News Bulletin followed at 0905 with local Music. Urdu. Not sure if this is a new frequency or they are on an incorrect frequency for today only. Will need to check again tomorrow (Graham Powell, Wales, Editor - Online DX Logbook http://www.shortwave.org.uk DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PALESTINE [non]. La Voix de la Révolution Islamique du Palestine sur 3955 kHz de 1930 à 2025 UT, SINPO 45444, le 17-09-2003. L`animateur annonce les adresses de la station qui sont partout dans le monde arabe, un exemple en Syrie: BP 9731, Damas, Syrie; téléphone 0098212014717, email: palestine@irib.com (Mohamed Kallel, KDXN, SFAX Tunisia, FGR-7700, DX LISTENING DIGEST) via IRAN ** PERU. 4485.62, Radio Frecuencia VH, Sep 24, 0929-1005, Andean vocals with announcer between songs. 0959 canned announcement with lots of reverb, back to announcer with live ID in passing "...en Radio Frecuencia V-H la...", only fair signal but much stronger than usual (Mark Mohrmann, Coventry, VT, NRD 535D, V-Beam 140m @180 deg., DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. First above average conditions I've noted this season for 60 and 90 meter Latin American DX, this morning. There were several low power stations in with fairly good signals including: 4485.6, R Frecuencia, Celendín, 1022 Sep 24, I have not heard this one in a while. Very nice folk music, a joy to listen to. Reception was fair to good with grayline lining up fairly well between Celendín and Nashville. Good audio. ID mentioned by the announcer in passing at 1053, and canned with echo at 1100. Fade down shortly thereafter (David Hodgson, TN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 4835.41, Radio Marañon, Jaen, 1055 ID by OM, seemingly poor modulation. Tnx Björn Malm observation / correction (Bob Wilkner, Pómpano Beach FL, Sept 24, NRD-535, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. Radio Onda Imperial reactivada! 5055.19 kHz, Radio Onda Imperial, Cusco, el 25 de Septiembre 2003 - 0135 UT. Para mí el primer contacto con Radio Onda Imperial. No tengo ningún conocimiento de esta emisora peruana. Alguien en la lista tiene alguna información? En WRTH está en la frecuencia de 5056 kHz. Una señal bastante débil pero me entregó una identificación cristalina y muy sorprendente: ``Radio Onda Imperial`` algunas veces cuando estuve escuchando un partido de fútbol. No estoy seguro pero pienso que uno de los dos equipos haya sido Colombia (el otro Perú o Chile?). Visite Radio Onda Imperial en esta página de web: http://www.ondaimperial.pe.nu/ Escuche mi grabación en esta página web de SWB: http://homepage.sverige.net/~a-0901/ Emisora peruana reactivada! 5459.00 kHz Radio Panorama, Recopampa, el 24 de Septiembre 2003 - 0000 UT. La primera vez he notado esta emisora aquí en Quito pero se puede encontrarla en WRTH en 5907 kHz. Escuché su programación musical con inmenso placer, un programa conteniendo cumbia, música tropical y Cristian Castro. El título del programa era "Potencia Tropical". Fuerte QRM de Radio Bolívar en 5460.33 kHz. Escúche una grabación en esta página web de SWB: http://homepage.sverige.net/~a-0901/ 73s (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador - SWB América Latina, Sept 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PHILIPPINES. Frequency changes for FEBC effective August 17: 0900-1100 Indonesian NF 15175, ex 15095 1100-1145 Bengali NF 15305* ex 15095 ||||| * not 15035 1145-1530 Burmese NF 15305* ex 15095 ||||| * not 15035 2300-2345 Khmer NF 9855, ex 9860 2300-0100 Mandarin NF 12060, ex 11590 2200-2400 (Observer, Bulgaria, Sept 26 via DXLD) ** POLAND. SPECIAL EVENT. A team of SP4KSY club members will be active again as HF650O to celebrate 650 years of Olsztyn City. The station will be active from October 1st to December 31st, on CW, SSB, RTTY and PSK. QSL via SQ4NR, bureau or direct to: Grzegorz Gawel, ul. Herdera 16/14, 10-691 Olsztyn, POLAND. Their Web page is at: http://www.hf650o.prv.pl (KB8NW/OPDX September 29/BARF-80 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** POLAND. SPECIAL EVENT. The Polish club station, SP6KFA, will use special event callsign SR25JP to commemorate 25th anniversary of Pope John Paul II pontificate. Also, on October 16th, 1978, Cardinal Karol Wojtyla was elected as the Bishop of Rome. This October 16th, he will have completed 25 years of service. Look for SR25JP on all HF bands (CW, SSB, PSK31, RTTY) between October 1-31st. ADDED NOTE: The prefix ``SR`` is a very rare prefix. QSL direct (using address on QRZ.com) or via the PZK bureau to SP6KFA. (KB8NW/OPDX September 29/BARF-80 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** PORTUGAL. Besides UAE, q.v., more evidence that 13m is perking up again. Sept 29 after 2200 found a good signal in Portuguese Portuguese on 21540, holding up until fadedown around 2230. Was parallel to much weaker 21655, which must have a drastically different antenna azimuth. Unfortunately, it was a total waste of energy, coverage of some stupid ballgame, evidently vs. Holland (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. Frequency changes for Voice of Russia: 1200-1300 Korean NF 12055, ex 7400 1400-1600 Persian NF 12035, ex 12015 1500-1600 Ru Common. NF 7130* ex 17580 ||||| *from Sep. 28 1600-1700 French NF 7310, ex 9480 1600-1700 French NF 12070, ex 9890 1600-1900 Arabic NF 9470, ex 9710 1700-1800 Italian NF 12070, ex 9470 1700-1800 Arabic NF 7130* ex 15595 ||||| *from Sep. 28 1800-1900 Arabic NF 5950, ex 5935 1800-1900 Greek NF 11870, ex 12065 1800-1900 French NF 7310, ex 7390 1800-2000 French NF 12070, ex 9890 1830-1900 Arabic NF 7130* ex 15595 ||||| *from Sep. 28 (Observer, Bulgaria, Sept 26 via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. Le 18-09-2003, l'équivalant de 21 Rajab 1421, à 0803 UT sur 21600 kHz avec un SINPO 53444, le service français de la radio de l'Arabie Saoudite annonce ces fréquences en ondes moyenne pour l'Arabie Saoudite: exemple 1422 KHz pour la région de Riyad, son site Internet: http://www.saudiradio.com et les émissions du jour serrant: la lecture du Cor`an, traduction du Cor`an, info flash, la femme dans l'Islam, l'info et la revue de la presse, le monde des enfants, chansons, l'arabe par la radio, éducation islamique, bienvenue dans le Golf et clémence dans l'Islam (Mohamed Kallel, KDXN, SFAX Tunisia, FGR-7700, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SAUDI ARABIA [non]. CLANDESTINE from NORWAY to SAUDI ARABIA, 15705, MIRA --- A Sa`udi who had called in to this station and gave his name and address over the air has been arrested in Saudi Arabia. The story seems to indicate that he also made anti-Saudi government statements over the station. This per an AP story (Hans Johnson, WY, Sept 24, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** SOMALIA. Just received e-mail QSL from Sam Voron for my 22 Sep report of R Galkayo, Somalia on 7335. Yesterday, 23 Sep I couldn't trace the station at all 1600-1800 and Sam gave explanation for that: "Yesterday our city power only worked in some areas, not ours, so we used our generator which means we cannot use our amplifier so we only used 100 Watts last night." (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, Sept 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH AFRICA. Deleted frequencies for Channel Africa: 0300-0330 English DEL 3230, now on 6035 only 0300-0325 Swahili DEL 3965, now on 6160 only 0330-0355 French DEL 3230, now on 6035 only (Observer, Bulgaria, Sept 26 via DXLD) ** SOUTH AFRICA. 3320 kHz, SABC outlet (presumed) from 0105 UT, in Afrikaans with YL talk, EZL music (a program theme?) at 0107, then an interview program with several male / female speakers and phone calls over the next hour; initially SINPO 32232 with severe RTTY which abruptly disappeared at 0113 UT. Peaked with SINPO 42333 about 0140, on past 0205 tune-out, no ID heard. September 25 (Roger Chambers, Utica, NY, Drake SW 8 with whip antenna, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN. Spurious signals of Radio Exterior de España in Spanish from fundamental 11890: 0500-0655 on 12250/12160/12070/11980 and 11800/11710/11620/11530 (Observer, Bulgaria, Sept 26 via DXLD) ** SRI LANKA. 9770, SLBC, R. Sri Lanka, *1230-1243, Sept. 26, English, Transmitter tones, s/on with IS, pips (4+1), announcer with ID and sign-on announcements, then US pops by Santana, Elton John and 3 Dog Night, talks at 1243 but signal had faded substantially by then. Weak but audible, good music/poor vox audio. Very pleased to log this station, tried all last winter to no avail! (Scott Barbour, NH, DX LISTENING DIGEST)) ** SUDAN [non]. CLANDESTINE from ERITREA to SUDAN, 7999.3, Voice of Sudan, 1542 Sept 25 with Arabic talks and local music. Couple of IDs that sound like "Sawt al Shaab al Sudan". Off at 1556 (Jari Savolainen, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN [non]. UNITED KINGDOM, 17630, Sudan Radio Service has started regular programming. 1640 Sept 23 with music and then multiple language IDs at 1645. Short program at 1647 in what I guess was Juba Arabic. I didn't understand much of it but it seemed to be talking about human rights. The music alone is worth tuning in to and I find myself listening to these guys a few times a week (Hans Johnson, WY, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** SWEDEN. Radio Dellen on the air tonight --- Hello all! Special event station Radio Dellen, Delsbo, Sweden will go on the air at 2200 UT on Thursday, September 25. The frequency is 1602 kHz and we are running about 120 W. We will be on the air until 2200 UT on Sunday, September 29 [sic]. The transmissions are a part of the celebration of Delsbo Radio Club's 30th anniversary. Further details on http://www.rock.x.se/radiodellen.htm Good DX! (Ronny Forslund / The Radio Dellen Team, hard-core-dx via DXLD) I`m a pretty happy man. I just managed after several attempts to hear R DELLEN from Delsbo on 1602 kHz, 2145 UT. Power is only modest 120 W and reception poor to fair. Really nice surprise in my headphones. My receiver is AOR 7030+ and antenna indoor ALA 1530P-loop. 73 de (Jouko Huuskonen, Turku/Åbo Suomi-Finland, Sept 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWITZERLAND. Hi SRI, PLEASE, PLEASE! check your English on-demand audio. The clock that controls it is off by five minutes and it has been for weeks. You are Swiss; you can at least present a complete program! (Larry Nebron, CA, Sept 25, cc to DXLD) And keep time ** SYRIA [non]. CLANDESTINE from CIS to SYRIA, 12120, Arab Radio, 1500 Sept 24 with ID in Arabic by woman via a Javaradio in Europe. Much, much weaker on // 12085. Music followed. Slogans and IDs by same woman at 1527 and 1530* (Hans Johnson, WY, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** TAIWAN. New high-power MW frequencies: 1359 kHz carrying Family Radio programmes in Filipino language(s), Indonesian and Vietnamese (and maybe other languages) 1000-, also heard around 2200 in Filipino. 1503 kHz carrying CBS in Mandarin, 1000-1400 (Alan Davies, Bali, Sept 24, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** UGANDA [non]. Hello Glenn: Apropos 3-170 and the reference to Uganda, the web site of Radio Rhino International - Africa is: http://www.radiorhino.org/ Greetings, (Dennis W. Frado, New York, NY, DX LISTENING DIGEST) KAMPALA --- DP'S SEMOGERERE SPOKE TOO The Monitor (Kampala) September 26, 2003 Former President Milton Obote spoke on Tuesday night at the launch of a short wave radio by exiled Ugandans living in Germany. Mr Obote was hosted for an hour by Mr Godfrey Ayoo, the Director of Radio Rhino International Africa (RRIA). Obote made a 30-minute speech, which marked the official launch of the radio based in the Germany capital, Berlin. His speech was still being relayed on Wednesday. The radio broadcasts on 17.555 short wave frequency. Obote, the President of the Uganda People's Congress (UPC) and twice deposed by the army, has been living in exile in Zambia since 1985. In his speech, Obote as usual, took a swipe at President Yoweri Museveni's regime. He said the regime has committed several human rights violations. The veteran politician also criticised the way Museveni is handling the Joseph Kony insurgency in northern Uganda. He said "Operation Iron Fist" is a total failure. Obote alleged that thousands of people have been massacred in the name of executing the operation. He said RRIA would help UPC expose the sins of Museveni's government. The station also hosted Democratic Party President, Dr Paul Kawanga Ssemogerere on Wednesday evening. Ssemogerere criticised Cabinet's proposal to have the presidential term limit removed. The proposals were presented to the Constitutional Review Commission on Tuesday. Ayoo, a Ugandan political activist who has lived in exile since 1986, said the radio, would give an alternative view on the politics in Uganda. RRIA broadcasts in English from 6-6:30 p.m. on weekdays and from 6 a.m. [sic] to 7 p.m. on weekends. The station's signal is received in east, central and parts of South Africa. The debates can be accessed on RRIA's website, http://allafrica.com/stories/www.radiorhino.org http://allafrica.com/stories/200309260062.html (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** U S S R. Soviet jammers: There is a nice page at http://www.okupatsioon.ee/english/mailbox/radio/radio.html (Julian Hardstone, Sept 24, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** U S S R [and non]. Technical Discussion : USSR (Russian) SW transmitters never sold to West ... From what I can gather, high power SW transmitters in the USSR were all based on 'Class B' (push-pull) amplification schemes. Class B amplifiers (for AM modulation) max out at around 60% efficiency. Most 100 kW transmitters in the west (due to the 1970s energy crisis) long moved over to PDM, PSM or a combination of the two schemes used by Thales. The transmitter size was never an issue either -- the transmitters seem to be about 2 or 3 times the cubic volume of their western equivalents. Most of the transmitters lacked anything like the fully programmable automation that became a standard feature in the 1980s. RNZI and several SW relay sites are unstaffed or minimally staffed due to transmitter automation. The USSR pioneered the use of HRS 8 / 8 / 1 curtain arrays, where the west seems to have settled on HRS 6 / 4 / 1 (HRS 12 / 4 / 1 is used by VOA) and HRS 8 / 4 / 1 for directive broadcasting. Yet, I do not expect the Russian SW transmitters to ever be sold in the west. China may innovate here -- myself I have been expecting the Chinese to unveil a HRS 6 / 4 / 1 ALLISS like shortwave transmitter system that is 500 kW capable. I expect the design to be tubeless, period. The west has begun to ditch tube base transmitters on MW and LW (and FM too). The module based amplifier system is not hard to design, and only slightly bulkier (in cubic volume) than tube transmitters. There are enough Chinese EEs to devise such a transmitter system. China does actually need such a transmitter system like ALLISS, as it can aid in jamming. (`mhev` == ``Max Power``, WA, Sept 25, ripple via DXLD) You may be wondering why USSR, in its rare historical appearances nowadays, is alphabetized before UAE, UK and USA --- because the first word is actually UNION (gh) ** UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. Looks like there is some hope for 13m this fall! Acid test is the 1330 English broadcast from Dubai on 21605, which I have not heard for some six months. But on Sept 29 it was audible, if weak, and squeezed between Sa`udi Arabia 21600, and Spain on 21610. At least Dubai is back on 21605.0 rather than 21598 or 21605+. There were a couple of transmitter trip-offs during the period, fortunately only brief ones. News is still a token 4 minutes, including weather. Current feature following is about ibn-Saladin (?) and XIV-century Spain and North Africa; 1348 back to music and Arabic (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Continued in DXLD 3-172! |||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-170, September 23, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser 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/dxldtd3i.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 1199: RFPI: Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0730 on 7445, maybe 15115-USB [nominal times may be delayed] WWCR: Wed 0930 9475 WINB: Thu 0130 9320 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html WORLD OF RADIO 1199 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1199h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1199h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1199.html WORLD OF RADIO 1199 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1199.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1199.rm FIRST AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1200: Wed 2200 on WBCQ, 7415 and 17495-CUSB Thu 2030 on WWCR, 15825, Sat 1030 on 5070 Sat 0130, 0800, 1400, 1730 on RFPI, 7445, maybe 15115-USB Sat 1800+ on WRMI, 15725 WORLD OF RADIO 1200 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1200h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1200h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1200.html WORLD OF RADIO 1200 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1200.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1200.rm WORLD OF RADIO ON WPKN 89.5 BRIDGEPORT CT Rod Richardson, PD, advises that from Sept 20, WOR is no longer a week delayed on WPKN, Saturdays 2:30 pm ET. Welcome news! Also webcast (gh) MUNDO RADIAL, para setiembre-octubre en WWCR 15825: todos los viernes 2115, martes 2130, miércoles 2100. Además: (corriente) http://www.w4uvh.net/mr0309.ram (bajable) http://www.w4uvh.net/mr0309.rm [correcto] (texto) http://www.worldofradio.com/mr0309.html UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS Number 1200 --- Congrats on a new milestone....keep it up - 73 and Best of DX (Shawn Axelrod, Manitoba, Sept 22) Visit the AMANDX DX site with info for the new or experienced listener: http://www.angelfire.com/mb/amandx/index.html REMEMBER ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN HEAR FOREVER (WORLD OF RADIO 1200) ** ALASKA. HAARP FINALLY ENDS MAXIMUM POWER SIGNALS AFTER 10 DAYS !!! http://www.brojon.org/frontpage.shtml (Brother Jonathan Gazette Sept 22 via DXLD) This site covers HAARP at great length, but it is very hard to know what to believe (gh, DXLD) ** ARMENIA. 4810, 19.9 0355, unID with `románticos`; I thought it could be the `new` XERTA, Mexico. But not! It turned out to be a weak Voice of Armenia! S 2-3 and lots of noises. BEFF (Björn Fransson, Sweden, SW Bulletin Sept 21, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST, WORLD OF RADIO 1200) ** BOLIVIA. Radio San Miguel se ha corrido de canal. El 20/09, fue escuchada en los 4902.57 kHz, a las 2238, con locutor de guardia y música tradicional. Tal vez se ha movido para evitar interferencias. El 21/09, también se movió, pero esta vez a los 4902.74, a las 2314 (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA Yaesu FT-890/ TH3MK3, Sept 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4902, Radio San Miguel, from 0921 UT, male vocals with strings, OM at 0928, ID by YL, then OM, "Buenos Días, Amigos," fair; still fair at 0948, September 22 (Roger Chambers, Utica, NY, Drake SW8 with whip antenna, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4902.41[v .67], Radio San Miguel 1000-1015 "Radio San Miguel ...onda corta.. frecuencia de... Noticias San Miguel, Señor y Señores..." Time checks and repeated IDs. 4781.29, Radio Tacana, Tumupasa - rapid OM en español 0955-1015 "...Boliviana ...Santa Cruz...." 22 and 23 Sept. (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, Florida, NRD 535D, Icom R 70, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. BRASIL - Alguns deputados e senadores brasileiros pretendem acabar com o horário fixo da Voz do Brasil. A idéia é transformar o noticiário em spots de até três minutos, que seriam veiculados em diversos horários pelas cerca de 3.000 emissoras do país. O projeto pode não dar certo uma vez que as pequenas estações não têm condições técnicas para efetuar as mudanças. As informações são do periódico Folha de São Paulo e a dica é do Sarmento Campos, do Rio de Janeiro (RJ). [also via WORLD OF RADIO 1200] BRASIL - A Rádio Guarujá Paulista, de Guarujá (SP), está atenta aos novos ouvintes, no Brasil e exterior. O apresentador Fábio Bueno, no período noturno, pede a todos que reportem a sintonia da emissora. A Guarujá Paulista transmite em 3235 e 5045 kHz. O e-mail é o seguinte: rampazo@radioguarujaam.com.br BRASIL - A Rádio Caiari, de Porto Velho (RO), transmite, em 4785 kHz, entre 0900 e 1400 e entre 1900 e 0400. A direção postal é a seguinte: Rua das Crianças, 4646, Areal da Floresta, CEP: 78912-210, Porto Velho (RO). E-mail: caiari@enter-net.com.br. As informações são do bem informado Paulo Roberto e Souza, de Tefé (AM). (All: Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Sept 21 via DXLD) ** CHINA [and non]. Just got a QSL-folder from the CRI's English service for 11945 kHz, indicating "... our China National Radio program ...", they wrote that the second channel 13690 kHz in which 11945 kHz was in parallel "not available at this time". Both frequencies carried CNR's "music jammer" that time, looks like they jammed an unID (?) Chinese service from anyone else (which ?). My first QSL from a jammer...hi. Does anyone remember the Russian jamming stations in the past which carried a Morse identification? Is there any webpage about these older ones? Anyone got any QSL from them? Location versus morse ID? 73, (Tom - DL8AAM, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** CONGO DR. 7435.009, 1.9 1740, probably Lubumbashi with highlife music and announcement in guttural language. Not heard after this date. 2 SA (Stig Adolfsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin Sept 21, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COSTA RICA. The Spanish heard on RFPI Sat at 1230+ is actually a new bilingual English/Spanish program, Pueblo Sin Fronteras, which RFPI has scheduled M-F at 1830-1900, plus repeats (Naomi Fowler, RFPI Fiesta Sept 22 via DXLD) ** CUBA. ``I'M PROUD``, SAYS DOCTOR WHO SPIED FOR SECRET POLICE A couple recruited to work as double agents during Fidel Castro's campaign to hunt out dissidents meet David Rennie in Havana The wickedness of Pedro Luis Veliz is not written in his face. Unless forewarned, you would not give the mousy Cuban doctor a second glance… http://tinyurl.com/o80p (Telegraph (Filed: 20/09/2003) via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) Touches on shortwave radio ** DENMARK [non]. Attached please find the B03 schedule - valid until the end of the year. The schedule also goes for NORWAY (xx.00-xx.30). THEY will leave short wave by the end of the year. The decision about Radio Denmark will probably be taken on October 7. The schedule is in HTML format on our web site: http://www.dr.dk/rdk - look for Sendeplan / Schedule. All the best/73, (Erik Köie, WORLD OF RADIO 1200, DX LISTENING DIGEST) R A D I O D E N M A R K October 26 - December 31, 2003 UTC Target (primary coverage in brackets) kHz Tx Beam 12.30-12.55 South East Asia, Australia (west), Russia 11615 K 80 Far East 12070 K 40 Europe, Mediterranean, Canary Islands 13800 S 180 North America (east), Caribbean 18950 S 280 13.30-13.55 Europe 9590 S 180 Far East 11610 K 40 South East Asia, Australia (west), Russia 13800 K 80 North America (east + central), Greenland 17550 S 300 14.30-14.55 Russia, Europe (south east), Middle East (north), South Asia (India) 13800 K 95 North America (east + central), Greenland 17735 S 300 15.30-15.55 Russia, Europe (south east), Middle East (north), South Asia (India) 13800 K 95 Middle East (west) 15735 K 120 North America (west), Greenland 17525 S 315 16.30-16.55 Russia, Europe (south east), Middle East (north) 7490 K 95 Europe (south east), Middle East (west), Africa (east) 13800 K 145 North America (west), Greenland 15705 S 315 17.30-17.55 Europe 7490 S 180 Europe (south east), Middle East (west) - NOT Sundays! 9980 K 120 Europe (south east), Middle East (west), Africa (east) - NOT Sundays! 13800 K 145 North America (east), Caribbean 18950 S 280 18.30-18.55 Europe 7490 S 180 North America (east + central), Greenland 15735 S 300 19.30-19.55 Europe, Canary Islands 7490 S 180 North America (west), Greenland 13800 S 315 20.30-20.55 Europe, Canary Islands 7490 S 180 Africa 9980 K 165 21.30-21.55 Europe, Canary Islands, Africa (west) 7490 S 195 Australia 7560 K 65 22.30-22.55 Far East 7465 K 40 South America, Canary Islands 7560 S 235 23.30-23.55 North America (east), Caribbean 7390 S 280 South America 7465 S 235 South East Asia, Australia (west) 7490 K 80 Far East 7560 K 40 00.30-00.55 South East Asia, Australia (west) 7490 K 80 North America (east), Caribbean 7560 S 280 01.30-01.55 North America (east), Caribbean 7560 S 280 North America (east + central), Greenland 9945 S 300 02.30-02.55 South Asia (India) 7490 K 95 North America (east), Caribbean 7560 S 280 North America (east + central), Greenland 9590 S 300 04.30-04.55 North America (west), Greenland 7465 S 315 Russia, Middle East (north) 7490 K 95 Europe (south east), Africa (east), Middle East (west) 7560 K 145 05.30-05.55 Europe, Africa (north) 7490 K 165 06.30-06.55 Europe 5945 S 180 Africa, Europe (south) 13800 K 165 07.30-07.55 Europe 7180 K 165 Europe, Canary Islands, Africa (west) 9590 S 195 08.30-08.55 Far East, New Zealand 11975 K 35 Australia, Europe (south west), (South America) 13800 S 250 09.30-09.55 Far East, New Zealand 11975 K 40 Australia, Europe (south west), South America 13800 S 250 Middle East (east), South Asia (India) 18950 K 110 10.30-10.55 Europe, Mediterranean, Canary Islands 13800 S 180 South America, Canary Islands, Africa (west) 21765 S 235 11.30-11.55 Europe, Mediterranean, Canary Islands 13800 S 180 Africa 21755 K 165 Address: Radio Danmark, Radioavisen, Rosenorns Allé 22, DK-1999 Frederiksberg C, Denmark RD office telephone: +45 35 20 57 84 (then press ‘9’) - Telefax: +45 35 20 57 81. e-mail: schedule, programme matters: rdk@dr.dk - technical, reports: rdktek@dr.dk The schedule is also available by auto-reply email from: schedule@dr.dk WWW: http://www.dr.dk/rdk or http://www.dr.dk/radiodanmark - including RealAudio 'on demand' of our broadcasts. The two daily news transmissions in Danish only are aired at 12.30 and 18.30 utc. Transmissions inbetween are repeats. The technical letterbox programme, `Tune In` is heard every second Saturday from 12.48 UT until 17.48 UT. Transmissions may be cancelled without warning. Radio Denmark shares the Norwegian transmitters with Radio Norway. They broadcast at xx.00-xx.30, followed by Denmark at xx.30-xx.55, 24 hours a day. Stations: Kvitsoy (K) and Sveio (S) each have two 500 kW transmitters. They are located on the Norwegian west coast near Stavanger and Haugesund at 05.27E 59.04N (K) and 05.19E 59.37N (S). Kvitsoy covers the Eastern Globe, while Sveio covers the Western Globe. [Hemispheres] Radio Denmark replies complete reports by a QSL-card. Although not necessary, return postage is appreciated (1 IRC, 1 Euro or 1 US dollar). Recordings (incl. RealAudio and MP3 email files) are accepted. Tapes, however, are not returned. (via Erik Køie, DR, Sept 22, DX LISTENING DIGESDT) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. Inactiva República Dominicana en 4959.87 kHz (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA Yaesu FT-890/ TH3MK3, Sept 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. 5040 kHz, La Voz del Upano, carrier from 0958 UT, YL in Spanish with Santa María meditations, brief orchestral bridge at 1003; continued prayers: ID by YL at 1023 UT; SINPO 33222+, September 22 (Roger Chambers, Utica, NY, Drake SW8 with whip antenna, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Roger, I hesitated to mention this since your Yopal log was pretty definite with the Colombian national anthem, but it occurred to me that ``Upano`` could be mistaken for ``Yopal``. Since no one else has reported Yopal and you have now reported Upano too on 5040, I wonder whether you are still certain it was the Colombian anthem and you had long-inactive Yopal on Sept 11? Any sign of Yopal QRM when you got Upano? 73, (Glenn to Roger, via DXLD) ** ERITREA [non]. BEHAVIOUR OF OPPOSITION RADIO ON 21 SEPTEMBER Please note that the Eritrean opposition radio, Voice of the Eritrean People, did not carry news items on 21 September, saying that it did not have any. Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 21 Sep 03 (via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA. Heard in Aafar language according to Klingenfuss guide on 11802.5, fair signals. with QRM from Rai on 11800. Hr [?] music, then OM with long talk, then three rings of a bell at 1400 UT Sept 23, into the news. Did not make out ID. But tentative. Still on as I type this (Ron Trotto, Waggoner, IL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Saw this message just in time to check 11802.5 at 1457. R. Ethiopia with closing announcement at 1459 in Arabic. Transmitter off at 1500. Good signal here in Finland. 73 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. 12120, *1700-1800* Sat 13-09, Dejen R, via Samara. Tigrinya Test tones from 1658, opens with a shouting man and flute, 1702 and 1705 IDs "...Dejen Radio...", website: http://www.ehtiopiancommunicator.com [sic], talk about globalisation and the WTO meeting in Cancún, Horn of Africa song, mentioned the VOA, closed with Horn of Africa martial song. 45544 AP-DNK. The website asks for money sent to : Liberty Bell Communications Inc., P.O. Box 792, Indianapolis, Indiana 46206 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, @tividade DX Sept 21 via DXLD) URL no work even if spelling corrected (gh, DXLD) ** HONDURAS. Al parecer Radio M.I. se ha mudado de frecuencia. El 20/09, a las 0317 UT, en los 3324.78 kHz, capté una emisora con un formato parecido. Mucha música religiosa en español. SINPO 2/2. Ya fuera del aire a las 0350 (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA Yaesu FT-890/ TH3MK3, Sept 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) En 3325 habrá Radio Maya de Barillas, GUATEMALA, porsupuesto religiosa (gh) ** ICELAND. There is an increasing number of logs in the DX press calling the transmissions on 13855U as "AFRTS Iceland" or "AFN Iceland", considering them an extra output of the local AFRTS station in Keflavík which broadcasts on 1530 kHz & FM 104.1 MHz. This is a misunderstanding. The AFRTS/AFN SW transmissions via Grindavík, Iceland are part of the temporary, "global" AFRTS shortwave feeder system for the US Navy fleet, in this case serving ships in the Atlantic Ocean. They are not conducted by the local AFRTS affiliate in Keflavík. It has perhaps been forgotten meanwhile that AFRTS was forced to resume the SW feeds in 1998 after it lost a satellite feeder system for Navy ships, according to unofficial Navy sources quoted in the DX press at that time. These feeds are "internal" Navy feeds, transmitted from US Naval bases (like in Iceland) and exclusively intended for floating Navy vessels. Stationary US military units receive AFRTS programs via satellite resp. local relays on FM, MW, or cable (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, DX LISTENING DIGEST) OK; but I don`t understand your, and others` use of ``resp.`` (gh) ** INDONESIA. Voice of Indonesia started Korean service. It is heard at 1200-1300 on 9525 kHz. This time was former Indonesian program. Now Indonesian service was changed to 1300-1400. At the end of Indonesian service, National Anthem can be heard. Many thanks information for Atsunori Ishida. He noted for the first time on September 21 (Juichi Yamada, JAPAN. . .) RRI Biak is now on 4920 kHz. It is heard in local morning and local evening. Thanks information for Atsunori Ishida (Juichi Yamada, JAPAN) According to the homepage of RRI, RRI network is as follows: RRI Cabang Utama: Jakarta RRI Cabang Madya: Bandung, Banjarmasin, Denpasar, Jayapura, Makassar, Medan, Palembang, Semarang, Surabaya, Yogyakarta RRI Cabang Muda: Ambon, Banda Aceh, Bandar Lampung, Bengkulu, Biak, Bukittinggi, Gorontalo, Jambi, Kendari, Kupang, Manado, Mataram, Merauke, Padang, Palangkaraya, Palu, Pekanbaru, Pontianak, Samarinda, Sorong, Sungailiat, Surakarta, Ternate RRI Cabang Pratama: Cirebon, Ende, Fak Fak, Jember, Lhokseumawe, Madiun, Malang, Manokwari, Nabire, Purwokerto, Ranai, Serui, Sibolga, Singaraja, Sintang, Sumenep, Tanjung Pinang, Toli Toli, Tual, Wamana (Juichi Yamada, JAPAN, Jembatan DX Sept 23 via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. 7750, 10.9 0130, Voice of Mojahed in Farsi, mentioned Iran several times, Iranian music, loud and clear until a jammer started at 0132. S3 BV (Bjarke Vestesen, Denmark, SW Bulletin Sept 21, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL, 11605, Kol Israel from 1923 UT with end of newscast, website address, "Goodnight, shalom from Jerusalem," into trumpet IS at 1925, SINPO 33222, September 22 (Roger Chambers, Utica, NY, Drake SW8 with whip antenna, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. 3959.717, 14.9 1630, KCBS, Kanggye, solemn singing and // to 2850.083, both 2+ SA (Stig Adolfsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin Sept 21, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KURDISTAN [non?]. 4027v, 10.9 0135, Voice of People of Kurdistan, nonstop Kurd music for a long time, pompous battle songs, ID at 0153, mentioning Kurdistan and Komala several times, mentioned e-mail- address, freq. ann. And Qur`an-prayers. S3 BV (Bjarke Vestesen, Denmark, SW Bulletin Sept 21, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST, WORLD OF RADIO 1200) 8170, 18.9 1635, Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan with Turkish-Kurdish pop music, harmonic of 4085 kHz. S2 BV (Bjarke Vestesen, Denmark, SW Bulletin Sept 21, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KURDISTAN [non]. KURDISH BROADCASTERS MEET IN GERMANY A conference of Kurdish broadcasters has been held in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, reports the Turkish newspaper Yeniden Ozgur Gundem. The conference was designed to exchange ideas and encourage closer cooperation between the stations. Those present included Brussels- based Denge Mezopotamya, Radio Mezopotamya from Linz, Austria, as well as three local Kurdish stations in Germany: Radiostan from Marburg, Denge Welat from Stuttgart, and Denge Kurdistan from Freiburg. Mirhem Yigit of Denge Mezopotamya, which broadcasts on shortwave 12 hours a day, said that despite the emergence of various Kurdish satellite TV channels, radio remains important. He said the goal of Denge Mezopotamya is to be a national radio. Local broadcasters present expressed their concern that financial difficulties are hampering their efforts, and lead to a high turnover of staff. They urged Kurdish organizations to give sufficient importance to radio broadcasting (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 22 September 2003 via DXLD) ** LATVIA. Re: ``I am afraid the authorities in Latvia will need to do some homework. This frequency, in the main will be too high, for most of the B03 Period at this time, more suitable for an afternoon transmission, say 1300-1600. 2048, Radio Seagull now almost faded out (Ken Fletcher, UK, September 20th 2003, BDXC-UK via DXLD)`` Actually, the frequency 9290 was chosen and coordinated at the B03 HFCC conference on behalf of the Latvian authorities by Britain's most prominent frequency management organisation (you may guess which one I am referring to). ``Further broadcasts are planned (via Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, DX LISTENING DIGEST) But not every Saturday?? (gh, DXLD)`` The extent of the relays depends fully on the funding (i.e. how much money Laser Radio is willing to spend resp. how many customers they have) (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBYA [non]. LJB, Tripoli on 17980 today! (1200-1300). Can't work out the maths for that one at all! Audio on LSB only (Tim Bucknall, UK, Sept 22, harmonics yahoogroup via DXLD) via FRANCE presumably ** LITHUANIA. 3330, What BEFF (Björn Fransson, Sweden) hears is nothing of interest but the 5th harmonic of Sitkunai, on 666 kHz. I reported this more than a year ago. SA (Stig Adolfsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin Sept 21, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LITHUANIA. LITHUANIA STATION SEEKS U.S. PARTNER Radio Baltic Waves International, a Lithuania-based private AM radio station, said it has been awarded with a license for broadcasting on AM 1386 kHz, using a 1,000 kW transmitter. "RBWI is looking for a U.S. partner interested in broadcasting on our high-power AM channel," said Project Coordinator Rimantas Pleikys. "A sky-wave coverage area includes most of Europe and European part of Russia. Currently we operate 100, 150 and 500 kW AM transmitters. RBWI is ready to negotiate on the issue of installation of a new 1000 kW AM transmitter of our partner. The broadcasting is possible in any language, the daily transmitting duration is unlimited." For information, e-mail to riplei @ takas.lt (Date posted: 2003-09-22, Radio World E-byte via DXLD) ** MALAYSIA. 5979.4, Radio Malaysia Sabah. The best way to get this one for me is to listen to their local news at 1315. Heard today Sept 23 with an ID as above at 1322. News ended at 1327, when short theme was heard. Short instrumental piece played a few times and pulled plug at 1328 (Hans Johnson, Cody WY, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** MEXICO. Re XERTA`s ``self-inflicted`` interference: I've engineered hi-powered (10 to 50 kW) stereo AM stations using Kahn, Harris, and Motorola C-Quam, and don't see how this can happen. It certainly cannot happen with a standard class AB push-pull high level modulator system using valves; nor do I even see how an Ampliphase transmitter could do this. What *I* have heard quite a few times is a very loud jamming or ute signal that is almost superimposed over the upper sideband frequency region of XERTA, and due to the modulation characteristics of this roaring signal, hard to zero-beat; but surely not a spurious audio signal generated by the XERTA rig. Or am I wrong? (Steve Waldee - retired AM ce, DX LISTENING DIGEST) La estación mexicana de 4810 kHz no se escucha debido a un insoportable ruido en esa frecuencia que muchos llaman UTE (Adán González, Venezuela, Sept 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also ARMENIA 4810, XERTA, 22 Sept. 1000-1010 "las palabras del hijo..." over modulated signal, feel I was wrong on the earlier observation regarding the usb signal. Very long periods of carrier with no audio; transmitter problem? 23 Sept: 4810.83 tentative, strong carrier 1120- 1126 then off (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, Florida, NRD 535D, Icom R 70, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4810, XERTA, from 0910 UT (poor initially), English ID at 0945 by OM, music of Mexico; hard to pinpoint frequency, at times better on 4806 kHz, fair on September 22 (Roger Chambers, Utica, NY, Drake SW8 with whip antenna, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4810, XERTA, English E-mail to them seeking their postal address brought quick Spanish reply from charlaxerta@yahoo.com.mx giving QTH as: XERTA, R. Transcontinental de America [presumably the "RTA" in XERTA-JB], Plaza San Juan No. 5, Despacho No. 2, Col. Centro, Centro Historico, C.P. 6050, Mexico D.F. Tel. 55184938 (Jerry Berg, MA, Cumbre DX Sept 23 via DXLD) ** MEXICO [non]. 15045.0, 2020-2345 13 and 14-09, R. Free Cascadia, western USA, English, excited reports from WTO meeting, 15111, AP-DNK (Anker Petersen, Denmark, @tividade DX Sept 21 via DXLD) Glenn, With reference to the comments by Mr. Ludwig re Radio Free Cascadia: Kai Ludwig writes: "I am somewhat surprised about Nick Grace and Martin Schöch issuing a joint statement with RNW." They did no such thing. The statement was written on behalf of Media Network, the Webzine (i.e. me) and not RNW, the organisation. I do not speak for Radio Netherlands management, I am merely an employee. And Mr. Ludwig knows that perfectly well. As to why CRW issued a joint statement with Media Network, we have made no secret of the fact that we work closely together. Media Network has published a number of articles written by Nick Grace of CRW, and will continue to do so. We were two of the media outlets you specifically bracketed together as possibly having a political motive for not covering Radio Free Cascadia. I asked Nick Grace to reply on behalf of both of us. If Mr. Ludwig has a problem with that, I am sorry. He is welcome to write a letter of complaint to Radio Netherlands management if he thinks I have acted incorrectly. 73, (Andy Sennitt, Holland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I should clarify that my incomplete list of media news organisations which did not mention RFCI, including Media Network, did not mean to imply that all of them did so for political reasons. It`s not really unusual that MN did not mention it; MN in particular is extremely selective in the news items covered, with no attempt to be comprehensive, but instead to post items which may not have appeared elsewhere --- often only one a day, or even less. It does seem somewhat odd that Media Network must be considered a separate entity from RN itself, as we need to be reminded frequently (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hello CRW readers, in a recent mail I compared the station RFCI with the German 'radios for a special event' ('Veranstaltungsrundfunk') on FM. As it seems this caused some confusion and nobody of you saw the ironic meaning of this classification. [If I I would have used some smileys :-) in the text it would have been easier]. Kai is right, Veranstaltungsrundfunk in Germany is done (temporary) licensed, low power station on FM. RFCI is of course some kind of 'Anti-Veranstaltungsrundfunk' (radio against a special event). If Radio Freies Gorleben does a FM transmission against the transport of old nuclear material into the subterranean caves of Gorleben it is also 'radio against a special event', but not a clandestine. Some comments received here mentioned f.i. 'RFCI is more a clandestine than R Marti/RFE-RL'. Well, that is a question of definition. If you define a 'clandestine station' via the tx-site then it might be true. But if you define it as 'a station that wants to alter the political system of a given state' then the interpretation of CRW might be true. I doubt that it has been the aim of RFCI to get the 'world leadership' ('Clandestine to Earth' (DXLD)). I'd rather assume they wanted to inform/mobilize the anti-globalization-protesters itself and a part of the public opinion. Since we at CRW/CRC edit a newsletter and a webpage about Clandestine Radio we have to stick to some (own) rules of course. That does not mean that these rules are the absolute truth or that we condemN the opinion of other DXers, but of course we will follow our own rules in our own publications. We have several (different) opinions and we have several DX- publications that can publish these (different) opinions. Such a variety is a valuable good and we should keep it that way. yours, (Martin Schoech, Germany, Sept 23, DX LISTEING DIGEST) One of the participants in RFCI, not necessarily representing the opinion of the organization, responded to the previous discussion about whether it`s pirate or clandestine: Now THAT`S funny! Let me get this straight, because we do not answer to some overarching hierarchical structure, itself a recreation of the statism against which we struggle, we are relegated to the belittling label of "pirate" rather than somehow making the cut to graduate to actual "clandestine" status. I suppose I would argue that the anti corporate globalization movement, the movement that brought you the battle of Seattle, that has scuttled two WTO trade rounds in four years costing transnational capitol hundreds of billions in delays, that has personnel in occupied Palestine defending people`s houses and getting killed for it, is a legitimate, if disparate, political entity. I wonder, had we downed that federal helicopter would we have made the grade? What if we are still here ten years from now, then do we make it? Thanks for all the press, Glenn. Everyone appears to have extracted without loss. They did scope one transport volunteer with a particularly hot load but did not make contact. Our feeling is that it was a bad week to draw additional attention to either the FCC or the WTO so they decided to gather information only. We also note NPR's total news blackout on the collapse of the Cancún round Monday --- funny, it was news last week, now not a peep, and they wonder why we build our own stations. We have one half hour posted on radio4all as mp3; hope to get more up but the archive needs to be logged first, may take a while. Got to keep moving, later (via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEPAL. "MAOISTS" ON FM | Text of report by Nepalnews.com web site on 19 September Maoists have started FM broadcasts from an unknown place in Bara, Annapurna Post said. The transmission was heard clearly Tuesday [16 September] east of the district. The broadcast was heard in Sapahi, Kohalbi, Rampurba and adjoining villages on 95.1 MHz Source: Nepalnews.com web site, Kathmandu, in English 19 Sep 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) TFK! ** NETHERLANDS. See MEXICO [non] ** NEW ZEALAND. Glenn, Download the RNZI 22/09 Mailbox. The truth is out, the transmitter was hit by lighting! 73 (Larry Nebron, CA, Sept 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) http://www.rnzi.com/audio/mailbox.ram Website now says: Haere Mai. Welcome! Update on the RNZI Transmitter - The RNZI short- wave transmitter has been off-air since Saturday 30 August. It is now hoped that it will be operational again in the first week in October. We have continued to broadcast on the Internet (www.rnzi.com) Additionally, since 8 September we have been leasing just over four hours of time on one of Radio Australia's transmitters to broadcast the RNZI breakfast session each morning - on 9580 kHz. We will continue to do this until we are back on air. It appears likely that a lightning strike caused a series of major faults in the transmitter. Replacement parts have been ordered and are now on their way to New Zealand. [also via Bernie O`Shea, Ont.] On the Mailbox Adrian Sainsbury said: We hope and pray to be back on air by Oct 1, when replacement parts arrive from Switzerland. Contractors BCL [?] have been working steadily on the problem. Lighting strike was cause of a series of faults. Lightning protector device on the transmitter housing appears to have failed, allowing lighting to cause considerable damage to the transmitter. Attempted to repair the transmitter to allow it to run on low power, but this did not work. Spare parts are very expensive; have an enormous supply on hand, but as a result of the number of faults caused by the lightning, took out a lot of parts for which there were not spares. Had to shop around for the needed parts at the best price, considering current exchange rates, etc. Longer term options: a silver lining. Plans for a new digital SW transmitter in a couple of years. Hope that as a result of this, government will make it possible to buy that sooner rather than later, but still about a year away. Also it may be possible to enter into an agreement for R. Australia to help us in the future if needed. Positive side is that in future RNZI can provide a more reliable service. Unusual that lightning hit the building, rather than the highest point, the towers, where hits are usual. First major hit since the site was opened in 1990 (Adrian Sainsbury, RNZI Mailbox Sept 22, notes by gh for WORLD OF RADIO 1200, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. When did "Double Talk" KOKB/KOKP change to "Double Play Sports"? It's still listed on 100000watts.com as a talk station... [KOKB = 1580 Blackwell, KOKP = 1020 Perry] They changed their name when they moved their Perry stations to Stillwater. They thought they'd "Double-Team" their way into dominating North Central Oklahoma Sports. They talked a lot of smack, telling Stillwater area OSU advertisers that THEY would be the Stillwater OSU Affiliate. Trouble IS, they forgot that Stillwater already HAS an OSU Affiliate (KSPI-FM) and so they LOST their OSU Affiliation on KOKB when they moved to Stillwater. They're trying to get around that fact by using Learfield employees to do OSU Sports stuff on KOKB anyway, and THAT could cost several folks at Learfield their jobs... What is Learfield? It's the Broadcast Group that does OSU's (and many more schools)sports broadcasts... (anonymous Sept 10 and 11 postings on a thread at Oklahoma Radio Board http://www.radio-info.com/mods/posts.php?Cat=&Board=oklahoma via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA [non]. Little by little, I am getting back the public FM stations I used to be able to pick up off the air in Enid with my big antenna, until the proliferation of local gospel-huxter transmitters. KBVV has blocked 91.1 for many years now, but thanks to a tip from PublicRadioFan.com, I see that High Plains Public Radio, originating with KANZ in Garden City KS, has started webcasting, as I have been urging them to do: http://pubint.sc.llnwd.net:9095/listen.pls Unfortunately it`s only 24 kbps, so not great for music, and the website http://www.hppr.org and the programming have been redesigned since last I looked at them, making it all more public-generic. But HPPR still has a few programs not heard elsewhere, or hard to find: Sat 1500-1630 UT, Western Swing and Other Things Sat 1630-1700 UT, Riders Radio Theater Sat 1700-1900 UT, Silver Rails Sun 1400-1700 UT, Classical Enlightenment Sun 2200-2300 UT, Thomas Jefferson Hour --- HPPR gets produxion credit for this national show, I assume as a result of $$ rather than physical production in Garden City. Also noteworthy is that KUNM Albuquerque, which has a large amount of original programming, especially music, and consequently deprives NM of many otherwise national NPR/PRI shows, has added a 64k mp3 stream to Real and Quick (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. Is there any chance that Radio Pakistan on 21465 could be an intentionally radiated 3rd harmonic of 7155? (Tim Bucknall, UK, Sept 22, harmonics yahoogroup via DXLD) Yes, there is a chance (gh) ** PALESTINE [non]. CLANDESTINA VIA IRÃ - Existe, no Irã, uma programação, em árabe, intitulada A Voz da Revolução Islâmica Palestina. Trata-se de uma emissão que luta contra o líder Yasser Arafat. Tem excelente sintonia, aqui na América do Sul, após às 0330, em 9610 e 11875 kHz. É fácil identificar: vão ao ar longos discursos e marchas militares, ao estilo norte-coreano. Confira! (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Sept 21 via DXLD) ** PERU. La Voz del Campesino, emisora la cual presumo haber captado, fue monitoreada el 21/09, a las 2328 UT, con SINPO 1/1, en los 6958.12 kHz. RTTY QRM. Demasiada estática. 73's y buen DX (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA Yaesu FT-890/ TH3MK3, Sept 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PORTUGAL. RDP spurs on 15690 & 11793 today (Tim Bucknall, UK, Sept 22, harmonics yahoogroup via DXLD) ** ROMANIA. Re: ``But what frequency is it supposed to be on? Or did you mean 15105?`` Yes, 15105 (which should be found in all reference lists for the A03 season). About half of the Romanian language SW programs of Radio Romania International are home service relays, you find the exact schedule at http://www.rri.ro/ro/live.htm It's in Romanian; all is HS except for transmissions marked "RRI". 73, (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Was the 15015 typo at the transmitter or at the receiver, Tim? When people hear a station on an incorrect frequency, they should make absolutely clear that it was the station`s mistake, rather than make us guess; besides proofreading own reports (gh) ** UGANDA [non]. CLANDESTINE from GERMANY to UGANDA. 17555, Radio Rhino Intl. *1500 with multiple IDs and slogans. Schedule on website is 1500-1530 Tue-Fri and 1500-1600 Sat/Sun. First day of regular broadcasts, Sept 23, announcer gave outline. Introduction, music, news, two topics, music. Topics: education, corruption, tourism, religion, etc. Then talk by politician, who officially opened the station (Hans Johnson, Cody WY, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** UKRAINE [and non]. Re: Thanks for the reminder; well, why do the Ukrainians and Bulgarians keep using ``SMF``?? I was explaining what the letters stand for (gh) Well, this is a long story. I think there is nothing to say against the use of the code "SMF", my point was that it should not be "translated" with "Simferopol" (but "Kopani" resp. "Mykolaiv"). Observer is using "SMF" because "SMF" is the code that the HFCC frequency list shows. I am not sure what you mean with "the Ukrainians". As far as I can recall, Radio Ukraine International (e.g. in the person of Alexander Egorov) does not use the term "Simferopol" in its schedules but "Mykolaiv". The site Kopani is located 300 kilometers NW of Simferopol, some 10 kilometers SE of Mykolaiv, which I think does make a difference for DXers that would like to look it up on the map. The code "SMF" was registered with the HFCC/ITU during Soviet times when the transmitter locations were top secret and the Soviet authorities tried their best to disguise them. The code was not changed by the Ukrainian authorities after the country's independence. RUI itself does not have own transmitters, it leases them from RRT, the national Ukrainian transmitter network operator, and it is not RUI that is coordinating SW frequencies at the HFCC conferences, but RRT. Apparently, RRT does not see a reason to change the code. In fact, only few administrations bother to update the codes that are in the HFCC reference table "Global HF Transmitter Sites" (esp. if it comes to deleting dismantled sites). One that did was India which some few years ago replaced its "British" place names with the new official Indian orthography. As for HF sites in the successor states of the former USSR: since the mid-1990s the WRTH is listing the correct names and exact coördinates that are based on the actual transmitter location rather than "external registrations" with he HFCC or ITU. The site Kopani was first published already almost 10 years ago in WRTH1994. Later these details were published also on the Transmitter Documentation Project website (based on the same sources as WRTH): see http://www.tdp.info/ukr.html for UKR and also other ex-USSR states (though the ex-USSR section was not much updated in recent years, more details have been established or confirmed since then). (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, Sept 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. Comment --- WHY BIG HAS NOT BEEN BEAUTIFUL FOR BELEAGUERED BBC Peter Preston, Sunday September 21, 2003, The Observer Small is beautiful, but big can be beastly - a new motto for the BBC after one of the lousiest weeks in its history. More wreath than Reith http://politics.guardian.co.uk/columnist/story/0,9321,1046673,00.html (Guardian via Jilly Dybka, KF4ZEO, DXLD) ** U K. Is this electronic purveyance really the way to finance the BBC? Glenn, I wonder if you have seen this from the UK's TV licensing agency website. It indicates the legal consequences for UK residents who operate a TV without first subscribing to the BBC's licensing scheme. There is also information about the fleets of disguised vehicles and electronic purveyance systems used to catch licence evaders, usually under the cover of darkness. Most of those prosecuted tend to be people on low incomes or those living on pensions or government social security benefits. The licence fee is the same for a single person living in a one room flat as it is for the occupiers of a substantial luxury residence. This revenue is used to finance BBC local and national radio stations and also BBC television channels: Most services are available, depending where you live, in both analogue and digital formats and carries no advertising (Andy Cadier, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk (See media) NEW GENERATION OF TELEVISION DETECTOR VANS HIT THE STREETS TV Licensing launches 10th model of van in UK TV Licensing today (10.30 am, 24 June, Alexandra Palace, London) launches its new generation of detector van, the 10th to be unveiled since they first hit the streets in 1926 and over 50 years since TV detector vans were first rolled out. The new vans, which not only use the most advanced technology available, are also the first to be designed with removable TV Licensing branding - which makes them look like any other white van on the streets. Vanessa Wood, TV Licensing spokesperson said: "These new vans really are a case of 'now you see it, now you don't'. By having the option of being able to remove the TV Licensing logo, licence evaders won't know we're in the area unless we want them to. "50 years ago you could spot the first TV detector vans coming a mile off as the aerial on top was as wide as the van. This is the first time we have used covert vans and they will be only one part of our activities to target licence evaders." Last year TV Licensing caught over 440,000 evaders. The technology developed especially for this new generation of vans means that evaders are even more likely to be caught. Vanessa Wood said: "The new vans are so powerful they can tell if a TV is in use in as little as 20 seconds. And once the television is detected, the equipment - which works from up to 60m away - can pinpoint the actual room that the television set is in. "However, the technology is so secret that even the engineers working on different detection systems worked in isolation - not even they know how the other detection methods work." For the first time the detector vans will use GPS satellite technology to track down targeted addresses. This will enable TV Licensing to precisely target individual evader homes using up-to-the-minute information from its database of 28 million addresses. TV detector vans help TV licensing catch around 1,200 evaders every day. Anyone caught without a licence risks a trip to court and a fine of up to £1,000. It is illegal to use or install television receiving equipment to receive television programme services if you are not properly licensed. For further information about the many ways to buy a licence or the concessions available please call 0870 241 5590 or visit http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk For further information: TV Licensing press office 020 7544 3144/07900 913 434 Notes to Editors Ways to Pay A colour TV Licence costs £116. There are several ways to pay: Credit/Debit Card: Simply call 08705 22 66 66 and pay by credit or debit card. This facility accepts payment from a range of cards including Visa, Mastercard, Switch, Delta and Connect. You can also pay online using your credit or debit card at www.tvlicensing.co.uk Direct Debit: Direct debit is now the most popular and hassle-free way to pay for your licence - more than half of all licence payers now pay this way. Phone 08705 22 66 66 to set up a monthly, quarterly or annual Direct Debit. By Post: Simply send a cheque made payable to TV Licensing to the following address: TV Licensing, Freepost BS6689, Bristol BS1 3YJ. Please write your name, address and reference number on the back. At Any Post Office: Pay by cash or cheque at any post office branch. Just pick up an application form when you're there or ask at the counter for details. PayPoint: Cash payments under the Cash Easy Entry scheme at PayPoint outlets around the UK - call 08457 289 289 (via Andy Cadier, UK, DXLD) Americans in the land of `free` television tend to be aghast at such big-brother tactics. It`s really not that different from our cable TV fees --- except they are optional! (gh) ** U S A. http://www.bbg.gov Media Advisory - Los Angeles U.S. BROADCASTING BOARD OF GOVERNORS HOLDS NEWS CONFERENCE TO UNVEIL SURVEY RESULTS OF RADIO SAWA IN THE MIDDLE EAST; PLANS FOR A MIDDLE EAST TELEVISION NETWORK What: The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), the federal agency that oversees all U.S. nonmilitary broadcasting, will release a new survey showing listenership of Radio Sawa, the Arabic-language station, in the Middle East. The BBG will also discuss plans for the Middle East Television Network, an Arabic-language satellite television station. Speakers: Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, Chairman, BBG (By Videoconference in Washington); Norman J. Pattiz, BBG Governor and Chairman/BBG Middle East Committee Where: The Museum of Television and Radio Boardroom, 465 North Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, Calif.; 310-786-1000 When: Thursday, September 25, 2003, 9 AM PDT RSVP: Donna Bojarsky, 323-850-3140 (BBG Press release Sept 22 via DXLD; another at a Washington site) ** U S A. WOR was a few minutes late in starting on WBCQ, 7415, UT Mon after 0415, so I found myself listening to an editorial by Ed Bolton, producer (and voicer) of Amos & Andy, endorsing ex-Judge Moore in Alabama for imposing his Ten-Commandment monument upon the people`s secular court. After all, A&A went to church! And the country is doomed if it doesn`t become a theocracy --- well, that wasn`t exactly how he put it. But disgusting (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. New 1996 foot FM tower east of Denver --- There is an interesting story with a neat photo of this tower in today's Denver Post. I tried to cut and paste it but the site is set up to prevent that. However this is an open site that does not require registration. The article is at http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~53~1616286,00.html or just go to www.denverpost.com/news and it is the 2nd article down. This is the tower that I have been documenting during construction on my N0NNK web site (see link below). (Patrick Griffith, N0NNK CBT CBNT CRO Westminster, CO, USA, NRC FM-TV Sept 7 via DXLD) http://community.webtv.net/AM-DXer/ http://community.webtv.net/N0NNK/ GIANT TOWER IN RURAL ADAMS WORRIES PILOTS --- 1,996-foot structure for radio signals called hazard; county, FAA disagree by Jeffrey Leib, Denver Post Staff Writer One of the tallest communications towers in the nation has been built near Hoyt, worrying some pilots who fear it's a hazard to small planes flying east of Denver International Airport. Adams County commissioners approved the 1,996-foot-high tower after developers agreed to provide free space for county emergency communications equipment... (link above via gh, DXLD) Never mentions WHICH FM stations are supposed to go on it ** U S A. This is a piece about the suspension of a WHAM talk-show host for seemingly racist comments about the mayor of Rochester. (Scott Fybush also refers to the affair in this week's column.) http://www.democratandchronicle.com/news/0923521SO9F_lons23_news.shtml 73- (Bill Westenhaver, QC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. Saludos colegas diexistas. Tal como lo informara el colega Malm, en estos momentos Radio Táchira 4830 se encuentra en el aire, 0305 UT con el programa: Música y Costumbres de Colombia. Hubo una identificación en inglés y castellano. Atte: (José Elías Díaz Gómez, Sept 22, WORLD OF RADIO 1200, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Táchira reactivada el sábado 20/09, a las 2133, en los 4830 kHz. Transmitía el programa "Romances, copla y sabana". SINPO 4/4. Programa religioso a las 2330, ¡cuidado!, podría confundirse con Radio Litoral. Cadena nacional con el presidente Chávez a las 0218. Aún en el aire a las 0302. Totalmente atípico captar a Radio Táchira más allá de las 0200. Escuchada otra vez el 22/09, a la 0148, a pesar de haber estado todo el día fuera del aire. Emitía el programa "Música y costumbres de Colombia". SINPO 5/4. El locutor anunciaba la dirección electrónica: radiotachira@hotmail.com --- los colegas diexistas podrían intentar enviar sus informes a través de esta vía. Está más fuerte que de costumbre... ¿será un transmisor nuevo o repotenciado? (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA Yaesu FT-890/ TH3MK3, Sept 22, WORLD OF RADIO 1200, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VIETNAM [non]. CLANDESTINE from GERMANY to VIETNAM. 15775, Chan Troi Moi card with "CTM" and antenna on front, full-data (sans site) on back. Address on card is same that I used: Correspondence Section, Radio CTM, P.O. Box 48, Nishi Yodogawa, Osaka 555, Japan; but card was mailed from Sacramento. In 5 months for CD report (Jerry Berg, MA, Cumbre DX Sept 23 via DXLD) ** VIETNAM [non]. CLANDESTINE from CIS to VIETNAM. 15660, Khmer Krom Radio (non) --- checking for this one today Sept 23 at 1450 and only heard a station in Arabic on the frequency (Hans Johnson, Cody WY, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** YEMEN. 9780.38, 14.9 1800, Radio Yemen, Sana'a, started an English programme, ID, news among others about the Iranian claimed atomic weapon program followed by pop music by Roxette. S3 BV (Bjarke Vestesen, Denmark, SW Bulletin Sept 21, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. No identificadas: andinas que aún no he podido descifrar... 1) El 20/09, a las 2316 UT, en los 4681.09 kHz, SINPO 2/2, con locutor de guardia y presentación del tema "Dime la verdad", de Marta Sánchez, ex-vocalista de Olé-Olé. [R. Amistad, Guatemala?] 2) El 20/09, a las 2320 UT, en los 5458.99 kHz, con música andina. Modulación deficiente. [R. Emisora Bolívar, Perú? SWG: 5460] 3) Voz femenina incomprensible y muy débil, en los 4635 kHz, a las 2348 UT. SINPO 2/1. (20/09). [Tajikistan?] 4) Locutora con sermón religioso en los 6214.99, a las 2351, SINPO 3/3. Fuerte QRM de radioaficionados. ¿Será una peruana? (20/09). (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA Yaesu FT-890/ TH3MK3, Sept 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Ésta será Radio Baluarte, Argentina. No hay radioaficionados en esta banda; ¿marítimas? (gh) UNIDENTIFIED. 15545, HDL, 1900-2000, Woofferton to W Africa: Still same endless tape loop of Merlin Comm. on Monday Sept 22nd. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, WORLD OF RADIO 1200, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ COMMENTARY ++++++++++ SWL CALLS Mr. Hauser, There is a good website devoted to the Popular Electronics "WPE" SWL calls, http://www.qsl.net/wb1gfh/swl.html Also includes a general history of the program. I would agree that to a licensed ham, they may have seemed frivolous, but it was a big deal to young SWLs back then (many of which went on to ham radio). Also agree about comments in the latest DXLD, that many SWLs are potential hams, and ARRL should indeed recognize and cultivate them as future members. I am an active ham AND SWL, and I'm really surprised by how few hams 'cross over' or 'revert' to shortwave listening, especially when a high performance general coverage SWL receiver is literally at their fingertips in virtually all HF rigs today. Best Regards, (Ben Loveless WB9FJO ex-WPE9JLQ, Michigan, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WPE calls don`t expire, do they? ARRL does nothing to counter the ham mindset that SWLing is grossly inferior to hamming. At best, SWLing is merely a stepping-stone to becoming a real ham (gh) Here's a collection of SWL Call Signs and their owners, not limited to Popular Electronics, or the USA for that matter. http://kc5jk.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/swlcs.txt (Pete Costello, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DEATHURBIA Your radio article is -- sad to say -- idiotic. To Whom it May Concern at http://members.aol.com/deathurbia/wireless-broadband.html -- I have no idea who you are; there was no explanation on your long webpage. I am a retired classical music program director (of five large market stations), and chief engineer-manager-commercial voice announcer at many more, with 27 years in the business in the SF bay area. I have some very negative reactions to your article. First, your web page about LPFM and IBOC is so riddled with mistakes and misspellings that it should embarrass you. It's really shocking to an educated reader, and unless your screed is composed by *one* dyslexic person with no editorial assistance, it would betoken some kind of illiteracy. You really *must* proofread your article and fix it up: anyone reading it is so distracted by the terrible mistakes that much of the gist of your message is weakened. Second, the statements you make about digital audio and RF transmission, bandwidth, and other technical matters illustrate the fact that you are completely ignorant of the issues involved: you are merely spreading "urban legend" with such nonsense. Extrapolating from something said by Sony regarding the required digital signal bandwidth under some arbitrary, undisclosed condition to an idiotic claim that a low-deviation digital stereo FM signal of only 20 kHz bandwidth is practical shows that you have no comprehension of FM modulation indices and how FM signals are modulated and demodulated (whether analogue or digital) and their consequential sideband components. Third, your claim that 30% of total records sold being of such musical genres as classical (which you spell "Claisscial", oddly capitalizing it), techno, bluegrass, etc., therefore mandates that thirty percent of broadcasting *should* transmit these musical formats shows a complete lack of understanding of the demographics and statistics (which I might question anyway), and makes some unsupportable social assertions. In addition to my own work for 27 years in broadcasting, I later worked as a buyer in the classical department of a large chain dealer of CDs, and question your numbers based on actual professional experience with industry-wide (and local store) sales statistics. Furthermore, the sheer sales of CDs per capita reflect NOTHING relevant with respect to the "correct" balance of broadcast programming (if there COULD be any such nonsensical concept anyway.) I'll give you just one quick example to prove my point. I used to own more than 13,000 classical LPs, and now have a collection of over 9,000 classical CDs. I have hundreds of operas on CD. Now, my own purchasing habits have had a significant impact on various retailers (as confirmed by at least two of them who reported that I am known by them as one of their most important customers.) I might be "0.xxx %" of total classical sales, an arbitrary number that cannot be pinned down without extensive research, but nevertheless a REAL number. Now, I do know for a fact that no one in my immediate neighborhood buys classical operas on CD; probably no one buys any classical CDs at all. Whereas, I have possibly purchased more than most of the classical customers in my home town *put together*. The anomalously large number of records I have purchased over the last 45 years do not represent anything other than the purchases of ONE person. The large quantity of sales of classics and opera around the geographic area of my house do not indicate a significant demographic cluster of interest; it merely indicates the existence and buying habits of little old me! You cannot take the sales figures of the dealers that have served me, and extrapolate from them "how many classical customers are in the community" and "how much of radio programming should be classical." For, in a very true sense, I *could* represent just ONE person in a field of perhaps ten thousand individuals, none of whom would ever tune in or pay any attention to classical music. So, putting a proportion of classical music on ALL of broadcast radio in my market - - in concurrence to the buying habits of just one voracious collector (me) -- would not reach a real audience of listeners; would not have any significant social impact; would not serve anybody but ME; and surely would be both a waste of precious broadcasting spectrum, and a waste of financial resources. Furthermore, as the former webmaster for one of the world's most prominent classical CD producers (Mark Obert-Thorn) I must inform you that his typical CD issues, released world-wide by UK labels, and received with the wild praise of the leading American and European record critics, often consist of merely 1,000 individual units exported from the UK label **to the entire United States**. Truly, in a given large community such as mine -- San Jose, CA. -- it might be found that the two local Tower Record stores would sell no more than ONE of his individual CD titles in a period of perhaps two to five years. That one CD issue might well be regarded by music critics as an important historical and cultural contribution to the world classical music scene; but individual CD copies were spread so wide and thin that it often might be possible to track almost every single sale across the entirety of the US. Yet people who idolize and are obsessively focused on such musical releases -- people like me -- often mistakenly extrapolate from their own sense of the worth of such material and conclude erroneously that many more persons *could* or *would* investigate them -- if only they were able to. Well, the Internet has now provided that real possibility; and his issues still each sell maybe a thousand copies in the whole country. Everyone who wants one will ultimately get one; and that's that. There are not tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or millions of potential customers for his issues; only a thousand customers. Period. It's a sad thing to accept this fact, if you love classical music as I do; but you just have to do it to be able to function in the real world without falling into what I might call irresponsible "Don Quixote" behavior. You must also realize that 100 w FM signals -- especially stereo ones -- as typically used in LPFM stations, which are often not situated in ideal transmission locations, cannot serve much of a significant geographical area. My experience in broadcast engineering has indicated that a typical result would be a primary coverage radius of perhaps 2 to 5 miles. Within that range, whether or not there are competing sidebands of strong stations, a large amount of audio compression would be necessary to overcome receiver noise from such a weak stereo signal: the very thing that destroys the realism of classical music, certain types of jazz or world music, and any intellectual program material that demands sonic realism. If you bother to do the SLIGHTEST amount of research into the technical issues involved in transmitting hybrid IBOC on FM, you will discover that the digital sideband signals might well have little more power than your proposed "salvation" of broadcasting, LPFM stations: and indeed often much less. Please read the article at http://www.broadcastpapers.com/radio/BCA03IBOC.pdf by an engineer from Broadcast Electronics, a transmitter manufacturer: and note that an FM station currently operating in standard modulation with 10 kw would, using IBOC, transmit a 10 kW analogue FM carrier ***and a digital signal of only 63.1 watts***! This is truly an inconsequential signal level compared to the analogue carrier and sidebands, and since scrambling of the digital signal's modulation characteristics is done to remove any discernible periodicity, it is indistinguishable from the broadband shot noise present in the FM baseband; in other words, it's just random high frequency noise when demodulated by a standard analogue FM detector, virtually indistinguishable from the hiss heard between stations at any spot on the dial where there is no discernible signal (ultimately traceable, I might add, to the 3 Kelvin background radiation from the Big Bang, some 14 billion years ago!) Any decent receiver's capture effect will ignore such sideband noise under reasonable clean signal reception conditions (though of course you COULD contrive some worst-case anomalous mobile reception conditions -- or use of lousy, cheap portable radios -- to try to PROVE that the noise would have a degrading interference effect. People have been doing that kind of thing for half a century to attack any kind of technical innovation proposed for radio; relatively recently, a promising concept called "FMX" was killed off by some exaggerated criticisms. Thus, any kind of change is resisted with every possible honest and dishonest argument, depending on whose ox is gored...) Now, I have no objection to proposing LPFM and alternative, niche programming. I love niche music of all types, from Arabic chants (which I have listened to, mesmerized, hour after hour on shortwave) to Hungarian and Rumanian folksong, to Zydeco. But I would ask you to point to one single example of any entity in world broadcasting that presents such material without full subsidization. Please show a single instance where a commercial venture can be self-sustaining and provide a steady stream of such programming. I'm waiting. I was IN the broadcasting business of niche programming for more than a quarter century; was the engineer for funky counter-culture stations like KPIG; was a supporter and enthusiast of Pacifica Radio. And I worked for market-leader, competitive stations in the SF bay area, stations like KNBR or KSOL, doing mass-media programming to the widest possible audience. I have seen both sides of the coin, as it were, and have found it impossible to support my own classical music activities, even in SF stations, so that I did not have to take part time jobs with other popular formats. The most I have ever been able to make from a classical music station was $1600 per month income: NOT what one needs to earn to be able to live respectably in the SF bay area. So I had to work at four or five OTHER stations as an engineering consultant and technician, just so that I could also do classical music programming as a more-or-less glorified hobby. If you can show me ONE instance of -- say -- a Zydeco or serial chamber music or polka broadcasting service being able to hire and support a programming, marketing, engineering, sales, and operations staff with an appropriate market-standard income, then I'll be happy to backtrack. But I haven't seen any such evidence in the years I worked in radio (from the early sixties through the late eighties), and I see even less now. I a copying this letter to Glenn Hauser's DX Listening Digest, as he has had some recent discussion of LPFM that I found interesting and worth commenting on, from the perspective of being a broadcasting professional who had a grounding in realities, not merely illusions and dreams. Sincerely yours, Stephen R. Waldee, technical director of Roper Piano Studio and former broadcasting PD and chief engineer, San Jose, CA. (Sept 21, cc to DXLD) Later: Subject : "Deathurbia" frustration Glenn: Having unburdened myself to "Deathurbia" about their silly web article attacking digital broadcasting, I find -- of course -- that my forty- five minutes of effort to talk sense to them was all wasted: the link for their email contact is non-operative, and my email was almost instantly bounced back to me by AOL. Nor have I been able to find any other working email to this shadow outfit. So you will at least be able to follow my argument, for whatever it's worth, if not them. I was fascinated to discover the low impact of the IBOC digital FM signal and its very small contribution to the entire RF envelope transmitted by a hybrid IBOC FM station. Indeed, the diplexing loss of the IBOC digital carrier is an order of magnitude larger than the resulting signal over the air itself: I just cannot accept the claims of the LPFM do-or-die advocates that this TINY wisp of an apparent white-noise signal will wipe out LPFM; and if I'm wrong, and it DOES do that, it further supports my argument that LPFM is not robust enough to be worth the effort. Times change; people change; whole societies change. It's no longer the world of, say, 1964 when I could go down to Lorenzo Milam's 600 watt FM station in Los Gatos and volunteer to put on a program of Urdu chants. That does not mean that there is a giant conspiracy out to DENY me the opportunity to do just that; it is simply that in the tentative, formative, experimental years of any niche technology that has just emerged into the consciousness of avant-garde enthusiasts, you can do thing that you won't be able to do when the situation matures and evolves... Well, the effort to write this letter did give me the opportunity to listen, in the background, to more than a half hour of music and strange sounding talk from R. Tatarstan: a genuine thrill and a new catch for me, at 11665. It was worth it, and the fact that I was STILL able to hear such rare stuff via the ether -- LPFM, digital, or not -- is proof that there are things to divert you, if you just look for them. Best, (Steve Waldee, CA, Sept 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ MOTOBRÁS CAR RADIOS Os robustos receptores analógicos da Motobrás também podem ser adquiridos pela Internet. Para conferir os modelos e efetuar a compra, basta ir até o seguinte sítio: http://www.radioshopping.com.br/ Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Sept 21 via DXLD) ### ||||||||||||||| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-169, September 21, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser 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/dxldtd3i.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 1199: RFPI: Mon 0630, 1230 [maybe], Wed 0100, 0730 on 7445 [nominal times may be delayed] WBCQ: Mon 0415 7415, maybe 5105 WWCR: Wed 0930 9475 WINB: Thu 0130 9320 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html WORLD OF RADIO 1199 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1199h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1199h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1199.html WORLD OF RADIO 1199 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1199.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1199.rm MUNDO RADIAL, para setiembre-octubre en WWCR 15825: todos los viernes 2115, martes 2130, miércoles 2100. Además: (corriente) http://www.w4uvh.net/mr0309.ram (bajable) http://www.w3uvh.net/mr0309.rm (texto) http://www.worldofradio.com/mr0309.html ** ARGENTINA. 2760, harmonic 0100-0130*, UNID música sin parar, ningún anuncio, baladas, románticos. S/off alrededor de 0130, ayer 0134 con himno nacional argentino e ID por mujer, pero el máximo QSB coincide con el momento de la ID. Armonica de 1380, ¿pero cual?. Llama la atención la temprana hora para el s/off. QRK 1/3, 2 la mayoría del tiempo (Horacio Nigro, Uruguay, set 17/18, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 4600.30, R. Perla del Acre, 0922 Sept 20 in Spanish, fair despite static, OM with ID 0923, then jingle ID right afterwards, into series of local ads. Finally a break in our local thunderstorms so hopefully I can keep my equipment plugged in for more than one hour at a time. 73's (Phil Marshall, Bradenton, FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. Hola, Emisora NO Identificada en 4902.6 escuchada a las 0130 UT y con cierre de emisión a las 0200 el pasado 20/09 en idioma español con música y comerciales, con un SINPO=23232 , captada desde Cercs (Barcelona) España, en la DX Camp organizada por la ADXB. (ADXB, Sept 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I told them about this: 4902.6, R. San Miguel, 0159-0204* Sept 19. Caught their sign-off routine with ID by YL at 0200, followed by their NA. Surprisingly strong for a Bolivian; SINPO 34333 (George Maroti, NY, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** COSTA RICA. RFPI is testing 15115 again, presumably in time for their Open House on Sunday Sept 21. Tuned in HCJB DX Partyline about 1250 Sat Sept 20, as Ken MacHarg was somehow turning sliced bread into evangelism, but there was heavy QRM, somewhat distorted, from something in Spanish. At first I was stumped, as was not expecting RFPI to be in Spanish; could it be an internal audio mix at HCJB? No, not parallel 11960. No other parallels found on 15 MHz or even some other bands scanned. But at 1302, switched to English, Voices of Our World, so pretty clear it was RFPI. I then checked 7445 for a parallel, and could almost make it, but Taiwan was on top by then. HCJB is now on 15115 until 1330, so I have again advised RFPI not to use it before that hour! RFPI was in the clear after 1330, and proved to be in USB --- so HCJB was serving as the BFO. Attempted to play WOR 1199 at 1341, but something went wrong so played some other show; and about 1412 a new Mailbag after some months, apparently recorded Tuesday, but cut off at 1428 and nothing further heard until rechecked after 2000 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Was not supposed to be on when HCJB is; we plan to run 15115-USB at 1800-0800 only (James Latham, RFPI, Sept 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) On the Fiesta call-in at 0136 Sept 22, James guessed 1800-1100 instead. 15115 was not on Sun/UT Mon because of a blown fuse, but James said they would get it up and running in next few days. There were lots of calls, and James seems optimistic about the future of RFPI (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I discovered RFPI on 15115-USB at about 0145 UT Sept 21. At 0300, after WOR on WWCR, they were gone. At 0145, reception was good, perfectly in the clear, maybe 4, 5, 4. If it were me, I would have used a little less speech compression, but, that is just a personal preference (Tim Hendel, AL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. CLANDESTINE from USA to CUBA, 9955: La Hora de Chibás - -- I noticed that the jamming wasn't quite blocking these guys out so I was able to hear their program. Mostly talk, but two ID's at 0038 Sept 21. WRMI ID when program ended at 0045. Per Jeff White, their contact details are: Mario Jiménez, La Hora de Chibás P. O. Box 451132 Miami, Florida 33245-1132 USA. Radio Revista Lux --- the jamming remained low, so I got this one at 0100. ID's at program sign on and a number of short talks in Spanish followed. Quite readable for about 9 minutes then faded quite quickly and pretty hard to read by 0115. Per the Cubapolidata website, the address for this one is PO Box 451132, Miami, FL 33245-1132 (Hans Johnson, WY, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** CUBA [non]. PAIR HOPE TO AIR CUBAN PROGRAMS FROM NAPLES-BASED TV NETWORK Friday, September 19, 2003, Naples Daily News By THERESA STAHL, tmstahl@naplesnews.com URL: http://www.naplesnews.com/03/09/business/e6831a.htm A new Naples-based Cuban television network wants to herd the scattered flock of Cuban documentaries and dish them up to a satellite that transmits around the world. "We have a ton of programming, but no venue," said Kevin Adell, who hopes to launch the Cubana One Network with Pedro Prado, a Cuban exile. Adell, a broadcaster, and Prado claim the network will be the first Cuban-only, English-language television station in America. More than half of the programs will be historical documentaries and the rest will include news, sports, cooking shows and music videos. "(It's) a mixture of today and tomorrow," Prado said. The two entrepreneurs don't know yet when or where the network will air. This month, they're meeting with three of the six cable carriers in Florida to pitch Cubana One. Prado collected thousands of signatures from people who want to see Cuban television. He is delivering them to people such as Larry Schweber, general manager for Comcast Cable in Southwest Florida. Schweber, who recently met with Adell and Prado, said he needs to see more information before he makes a decision, but he is intrigued by the concept. "We as a company ... (have) refocused on the Hispanic population to meet the demand from both a service and product perspective," Schweber said. The components of the station - including editing, audio tags, promotions and voice-overs - will be put together at Cubana One Network's offices on Fifth Avenue South. From Naples, the content will be sent to Detroit where it will be uplinked to a satellite from which cable companies worldwide can pull down the signal. Adell, 36, said many organizations, such as Cuban-American associations and the University of Miami, are producing documentaries that only see the front of a TV screen for a few minutes on news programs. "We feel like we're not being heard," he said. The documentaries they want to show on Cubana One will be about Cuban music, cars, cigar making, agriculture and baseball. The station, which will be broadcast entirely in English, is very important to Cuban-Americans, Adell said. "It's a celebration of Cuban life, a way to satisfy the needs of the community," he said. For Prado, it's more personal. "My grandkids are here, and I would like for them to know their heritage," he said. Operation Peter Pan Prado came to the U.S. in 1962 when he was 18 years old. He was one of 14,000 unaccompanied children between 6 and 18 years old to leave Cuba over a two-year period. The exodus, coded Operation Peter Pan, was fueled by parents' fears that the Fidel Castro government would take possession of their children and indoctrinate them. Miami was "Never-Never Land." On American soil, Prado joined a Catholic program that aimed to disperse Cuban refugees from Miami and provide airfare and an apartment in "a decent part of the country," Prado said. He was sent to Dallas and worked at an electronic shop making television sets, earning $1.25 hour. He later got a job in hospitality. Working his way up to management, Prado build his resume with some of the biggest names in the hotel industry. In 1987, Prado moved to Naples to manage The Registry Hotel. Today, at 60, he is owner and president of Prado Hospitality Consulting Inc., but he's making a transition to go full time with Cubana One. A bigger audience The network's name comes from the words "Cuba" and "Havana." Cubana One will be nonprofit, like PBS, where companies sponsor the programming. Prado and Adell say they are not concerned about the network's financing. Actually, Adell doesn't worry much about Cubana One's future because this is his sophomore attempt at a nonprofit television network for a niche market. The first one flourished. Three years ago in Detroit, he started The Word Network, an "urban religious channel" geared toward African-Americans. Adell moved to Naples a few months ago and met Prado soon after. Almost immediately they started laying groundwork for a Cuban television network. They decided the network would be broadcast in English because it would give them a bigger market. Plus, two Spanish stations already exist: Telemundo and Univision. Hilda Luisa Diaz-Perera, president of the newly formed Cuban Cultural Center of Collier County, said broadcasting Cubana One in English was the right decision. "That's the best thing about it," she said. "We have no other way to reach the American audience." Diaz-Perera said Americans don't hear the entire truth about what's going on in Cuba because Castro controls what airs on CNN, the only U.S. station in Havana. "Cubana One is going to be a source to get to the American public and (will) let them know the other side of the story." Copyright © 2000 Naples Daily News. All rights reserved. A Scripps Howard newspaper. (via David E. Crawford, Titusville, Florida, DXLD) ** DIEGO GARCIA. Had not heard this from home for a while, but AFRTS is still active, heard at 1630 UT on 1485 kHz (Victor Goonetilleke, on an island DXpedition off Sri Lanka, RKI Worldwide Friendship Aug 30, notes by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Some additions re DRM transmitters in Germany: 531 is indeed 24 hours, most likely also 729. The transmitter in use for 729 at Putbus is a Telefunken TRAM-10, installed in a container on the antenna, a 51 metres tall mast of a standard design used on many ex- GDR mediumwave stations for powers up to 20 kW. In the past a mobile transmitter was used at Putbus, later two FM transmitters were added in the actual station building. Meanwhile FM from Putbus was replaced by two new sites on the Rügen island, Sassnitz for Deutschlandradio and Garz for NDR and commercial broadcasters. In the old days Putbus- 729 carried during the summer season Ferienwelle, a program for holidaymakers produced at Rostock. A recording is posted at http://www.dxing.info/audio/germany_east/729_Ferienwelle.rm and quite interesting for those who understand German. 855: This transmitter appears to be on air every day, but more often in AM than in DRM. Earlier this year no DRM tests whatsoever were observed over a longer period, a couple of months if memory serves right, and I again found 855 to be always in AM on my seldom checks since the IFA fair is over (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Sept 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. Loral reports that Telstar 4 appears to have suffered a short on the main DC bus. It was insured for $1.4 million (Lou Johnson, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ. STATEMENT BY NEW IRAQI BROADCAST CORPORATION STRESSES INDEPENDENCE | Text of report by Nidal al-Asadi in Baghdad entitled: "First Iraqi independent TV channel to be launched soon", published by London-based newspaper Al-Zaman on 16 September The creation of an Iraqi television and radio corporation has been announced in Baghdad and London. It will be called IBC [Iraqi Broadcast Corporation]. This new organization, registered in Iraq, Great Britain and around the world, will have full rights to exploit the IBC name and to use it for television broadcasting purposes. A number of Iraqi businessmen and media experts are behind this project. Shahlah Husayn, the corporation spokeswoman, said in a statement handed to Al-Zaman yesterday, that IBC was targeting Iraqi viewers and listeners through round-the-clock local and satellite television broadcasts. The statement mentions a number of principles adopted by the corporation, such as the principle of staying above any political obedience to a group, party, category, faction, religion or individual. The corporation will be open to all prevailing cultures and religions. It will also endeavour to "introduce cheerfulness after years of gloom and isolation", Shahlah Husayn went on to say that bureaus in Iraqi cities, in Europe and in the Arab world, would join forces to launch the first professional television broadcast which will be independent from any government or authority. She indicated "the door is open for additional investors". The corporation's initial capital is 10m dollars, which can be increased to 30m dollars. She also stressed that in terms of recruitment, priority would be given to Iraqis of both sexes. She also called on artists and programme makers to join this television project which will start experimental broadcasts within the next six months. As for radio broadcasts, these will begin with the official launch of television broadcasts. [WTFK???] The administration of the corporation will be made up of a board of governors, including a chairman and five members. An executive administration will emanate from this body. It will work under the supervision of a council of trustees. The corporation will devise work regulations and the method of recruiting staff members through advertisements that will be published in the media at a later stage. The spokeswoman did not reveal the place from which the broadcasts will be launched, but said that "the broadcast will simultaneously start from various places". She also underlined "the independence of the new television channels and their freedom to deal with Iraqi and Arab issues". Shahlah Husayn concluded her statement by saying, "the [IBC] channels will not only be dealing with news and current affairs, but will also broadcast a variety of programmes and will target viewers of all ages". Source: Al-Zaman, London, in Arabic 16 Sep 03 p 1 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** IRELAND. Glenn, RTÉ's Radio 2 FM mediumwave Transmitter in Athlone is back on air. It is a 100 kW transmitter purchased in 1979 replacing the old Radio Éireann's (the forerunner of RTE) 100 kW transmitter that was used from the 1930's or thereabouts! This transmitter must be saved as it allows 2FM to be picked up in large areas of Britain. Athlone (a town right in the middle of the Country) was also the venue of Ireland's short lived shortwave transmitted in the early years of the State! The Athlone frequency is 612 MW while two 10 kW transmitters exist also in Dublin and Cork cities. The original Athlone transmitter closed down around 1975/76 when the Tullamore 500 kW transmitter commenced broadcasting - there was only one station at the time with FM opt outs. The new 100 kW transmitter (2 x 50 kW) opened in 1979 when the then RTE Radio 2 came on air (now branded as 2FM). (Paul Guckian, Ennis, Co Clare, Ireland, Sept 20-21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 612 is the one reported off-frequency causing a heterodyne with something (gh, DXLD) I understand this to be the Old '566' Athlone transmitter, it goes back to the days of a part-time Radio Eireann, there were only two other transmitters at that time, for the whole country. Phoenix Park Dublin 1250 kHz 5 kW and same frequency 2 kW Cork. Nothing else!!! and NO Television until 1961. Transmitting times were mostly 1.00 to 2.30 pm and 5.30 to 11.00 pm, with a little extra at week-ends. It must have been commissioned about 1950, I reckon (Ken Fletcher, 2120 UTC = 2220 UTC+1, September 19th 2003, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. Nothing new to say on the Kol Israel front, but: The Jewish New Year is on Saturday and Sunday. It starts Friday night. Therefore, there may be some special programming. A Happy and Healthy New Year to all! (Doni Rosenzweig, Sept 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ITALY. Dear EMR listener, EMR is on the air this Sunday night via the IRRS on 5775 at 1900 to 2030 UT. The IRRS transmits in reduced carrier SSB mode, which is OK for normal AM Reception in Europe. YOU MAY NEED TO USE A BFO FOR LONG DISTANCE RECEPTION EMR ON AIR DATES on 5775 kHz 2003 Repeat Programmes 21st September 2003 -- to be confirmed 19th October 2003 -- to be confirmed 16th November 2003 -- to be confirmed From November 2003 onwards EMR will be on 5775 and 13840 via the IRRS. All dates and times will be available in October. 73s (TOM Taylor, Cumbre DX via DXLD) DEAR ALL, we just signed off a 30 min test with 100 kW. We will repeat the test again tonight (Sunday) at 1800 UT (1900 BST) on 5775. If you can hear something please let me know. Thanks. THE IRRS 73s (Sept 20, playdx via DXLD) So they have a 100 kW in Milano now?? Or another secret relay site? (gh, DXLD) ** JUAN FERNANDEZ. CHILE: 8900 KHz (USB) es la frecuencia donde es posible reportar a la estación costera chilena CBF, JUAN FERNANDEZ RADIO, que transmite desde la Isla Robinson Crusoe (Archipiélago Juan Fernández), en el Océano Pacífico. La emisora es habitualmente escuchada alrededor de las 1200 UT, cuando se encuentra recibiendo reportes de posición de parte de numerosos buques pesqueros chilenos que navegan por la zona próxima a este conjunto de islas. Cabe agregar que esta banda en realidad pertenece al Servicio Móvil Aeronáutico (Banda de 8 MHz, 8815-9040 KHz), razón por la cual resulta extraño escuchar este tipo de estación costera fuera de las bandas marítimas. Además la escucha ofrece la posibilidad de reportar un "raro" radiopaís ITU, difícil de lograr por otros medios de recepción (Marcelo A. Cornachioni, Argentina, Conexión Digital Sept 20 via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. VOK, usually heard in English at 2100 on 7505, and 11335, was inaudible on Sept 19; earlier also missing from one of the frequencies I checked at 1000 (Chris Hambly, Victoria, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. 3249.530, 14.9 1700, Pyongyang Broadcasting Station // med 3320.015, tidpip och anrop "Pyongyang - - imnida". 2-3 SA (Stig Adolfsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin Sept 21 via DXLD) ** LATVIA. Riga-Ulbroka 9290 is on tonight but here in eastern Germany hardly more than a faint carrier. Best regards, (Kai Ludwig, Sat Sept 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PIRATE? 9290, Radio Seagull, NL with nice signal S9_10 , 44434 with nice rock program past 1800. At 1815 with 'Gone to be wild' and following every song with IS, mail address and web, email. Has given these info: http://www.radioseagull.nl (working) and studio@radioseagull.nl Signal and audio is a bit unstable after 1830 with gaps. Nice song selection. R75 as usually used (Zacharias Liangas, Sept 20, Retziki, Greece http://www.geocities.com/zliangas/kchibo.pdf DX LISTENING DIGEST) I tuned to 9.290 MHz at the end of the Monitoring Service Feature on Radio 4. Signal was about SIO 444, at 2000 UT, although audio cut out for about 7 minutes at 2003. Audio restored at approx 2010; however signal started deteriorating sharply after 2020 and is only barely audible, fading out altogether at times, at 2040. I have no doubt that disturbed conditions are partially to blame, although the 'K' Index has been down to 4 for the last 9 hours or so. Signal now slightly improved at 2042; this sometimes happens for a short while before complete fadeout. I am afraid the authorities in Latvia will need to do some homework. This frequency, in the main will be too high, for most of the B03 Period at this time, more suitable for an afternoon transmission, say 1300-1600. 2048, Radio Seagull now almost faded out (Ken Fletcher, UK, September 20th 2003, BDXC-UK via DXLD) The Radio Seagull transmissions on 9290 kHz 20 September were a commercial relay by Laser Radio UK, which is regularly renting airtime at the Ulbroka shortwave station (owned by Latvian State Radio & Television Centre, Latvia's national transmitter operator) via a Latvian broker. More details about the relay service can be found at http://www.laserradio.net --- Get HEARD - with LASER RADIO's SHORT-WAVE RELAY SERVICE Now your radio programmes can reach across Europe and beyond with a POWERFUL Shortwave signal. The Laser Radio Relay Service can broadcast your radio programme via a 100,000 watt transmitter to your listeners at an extremely reasonable charge per hour. Why bother with low power when you can broadcast with HIGH POWER from a fully authorised transmitter that delivers a Strong signal where its needed. Laser Radio continues to feature several music streams, whilst we await the launch of our various AM outlets. On Saturday 20th September our shortwave service will carry Radio Seagull on 9290 kHz from 1800 until 2200. Further broadcasts are planned (via Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, DX LISTENING DIGEST) But not every Saturday?? (gh, DXLD) ** MEXICO. Glenn: XERTA is perplexing. I was able to hear them pretty well around 0100Z UT Friday, with ID in English and something about being 'on the 37th floor' of a certain building (a little hard to make out clearly) so the signal has some RF punch. But at the moment today - Saturday at 0901 - they are coming in with a strong cx but, as has happened several times in the past two days, there is a heavy interfering ute signal at somewhere between 4810 and 4815, which more- or-less obliterates it with envelope detection. Furthermore, the sound is simply HIDEOUS. It is much worse than any tropical band LA station -- and I can get dozens and dozens of them, all over the continent. Generally they don't sound very bright (I suspect most don't use multiband processing, except the Brazilians, who obviously *do* - and adore their echo chambers!) But they aren't too bad either, and I often just listen to them for the pleasant music, which is not at all like the Latino music played on American radio. However, XERTA is so terrible sounding that if they don't change it, there's no point in being on the air. The first time I heard them the sound was clear but extraordinarily thin on the bottom end, with no distortion whatsoever. Now they have much, much more distortion: a sort of roaring clipping. And the lack of bass just makes them sound like SSB. How can a station that has supposedly - according to the blurb in your DXLD - "un nuevo transmisor y antena" - sound this bad? I still think that they are using basically a dialup phone type circuit (300 to 3k) for the audio; and now there is a horrible hum or perhaps an RF-induced buzz in the audio signal, ahead of a limiter which sucks it WAY up when the music fades out. It is just pitiful. I went to their website, which is incomplete though they have a RealAudio link. Surprisingly, their RA feed sounds great! Heck, they could just connect THAT into the transmitter and get better results than what they're doing now. Is this typical of XERTA in the days when it was on the air? Is this another case of shameful stupidity and tin-eared foolishness redolent of a lack of knowledge of contemporary engineering practices? I shouldn't think so considering how OTHER stations from the LA region sound. If they can make tiny little teapots in Ecuador and Peru sound pretty decent, then why can't some guys in Mexico City do it right? FWIW, I was the c. e. of a prominent SF bay area Spanish language station (KOFY) for 14 years, though I don't speak Spanish well myself, and had many friends who came to the San Mateo area from Guatemala, Mexico, and other LA countries. Some of them were fine broadcasters who moved on to more powerful and successful stations; and we had a pretty darned good sounding, professional station that sounded much "bigger" than its 1kw. So I'm sympathetic to the genre (Steve Waldee, CA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well, when I checked the XERTA web stream at 1627 UT Sept 20, there was throbbing bass and not much else, awful. Seems they have quality control issues, to say the least. Station has never amounted to anything more than a curiosity (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Checked out the website, under construction, but has a live audio feed which was // to the shortwave when I checked. The contact details are as follows: Geoline Communications, S.A. de C.V. Joseph Berardi icampos@geoline.net Telephone 525-683-5055 Orizaba #32 San Jeronimo Aculco, Mexico City, NA 10400, Mexico (via Hans Johnson, Cumbre DX Sep 20 via DXLD) 4810, XERTA, R. Intercontinental, 0045-0145 20 Sept. Various styles of LA music and occasional canned IDs by M. ID by M over music at 0115 as: "XERTA, radio emisora ?? internacional, la ?? onda corta radial México, transmite 4810 kilohertz la banda de 60 metros...ciudad de México. XERTA, la voz comercial de Mexico ??". At 0120, ID seemed to mention US and Canada. The next morning, heard again with usual music program and IDs at 1132 by M as "Desde ?? ciudad de México, la voz de XERTA, R. emisora internacional en onda corta comercial(?) en la banda de 60 metros, 4810 kilohertz", followed by another canned ID by W over an instrumental version of "Michelle" by the Beatles as: "En nosotro(?) México ??, XETRA, R. Internacionales...". I'm sure others will have heard these IDs and copied them word for word. Nice signal but audio sounds as though an open mic is placed up next the speaker of an old cassette player!! There's a noticeable buzzing and occasional drop-outs was well (Dave Valko, PA, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Later: 4810, XERTA, while listening to the MD recording, caught this canned English ID by M at 0208 "You're listening to XERTA Radio... tuned to our shortwave frequency, 50,000 watts, on 4,810 kilohertz". Unfortunately due to the poor audio quality, I couldn't copy the entire announcement, 20 Sept. 73's (Dave Valko, PA, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) 4810, XERTA, 1136-1210 Sept 20. Presumed with instrumental and vocal music, religious-sounding. M announcer spoke at 1149 but local electrical noise prevented good copy. Past 1210 with no ToH break (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Drake R-8, 100-foot RW, Cumbre DX via DXLD) 4810, XERTA, 1026-1037 Sept 17. Thanks to Chuck Bolland tip, I tuned in to hear rap music in Spanish, then a ballad with OM vocals. IDs in English and Spanish at 1035, followed by more music. SINPO 33333 once I switched to LSB (George Maroti, NY, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Decent audio but heavy QRN at 0055-0200 Sep 18, mostly what seemed to be "popular" religious vocals. IDs after every few songs, varying in language -- SP, EG and FR. I followed them for several recent mornings at roughly 0830-1100 and found strong carrier but no audio. However, they were there at 0630 Sep 20 with upbeat SP vocals, IDs -- one in SP at 0634, next one FR at 0727, then SP and EG 0732, then what seemed to be a PSA or religious message (one of a couple I have heard them carry), SP ID again, etc. Still on after 0800, Mexican music, also Andean; also there at 1100 check. But carrier-only during checks at 0800-1000 on Sep 21. Middle of the night LT is the best time to hear them here, as they have a stronger signal and less QRN than in earlier hours. Overmodulated/telco audio makes them tough on the ears, and the audio during the recorded IDs is worse than during the music. Has "live" internet RealAudio while they are on the air, and that audio is fine. English E-mail to them seeking their postal address brought quick Spanish reply from giving QTH as: XERTA, R. Transcontinental de America [presumably the "RTA" in XERTA--JB], Plaza San Juan No. 5, Despacho No. 2, Col. Centro, Centro Histórico, C.P. 6050, México D.F. Tel. 55184938 (Jerry Berg, MA, NASWA Flashsheet Sept 21 via DXLD) 4810, XERTA, Nothing but steady mechanical-like noise here this AM 21 Sept. Wonder if they're having transmitter trouble (Dave Valko, PA, Cumbre DX via DXLD) XERTA, 2330-0005 with excellent signal strength ID slogans by OM, "ciudad de México", vocals and instrumental music. Signal suffers from distortion and seemly total USB hash. Reports of interference from another signal appear false. This seems a USB, self inflicted wound, from their transmitter (Bob Wilkner, FL, Sept 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO [non]. Re Radio Free Cascadia International --- Hi Glenn, the debate about the Radio Free Cascadia transmissions is quite interesting. Actually not the transmissions itself are a story from a European point of view; instead "the medium is the message" one more time. First, I am somewhat surprised about Nick Grace and Martin Schöch issuing a joint statement with RNW. I wonder why, completely aside from the question whether or not they are entitled to speak for RNW at all? How are editorial decisions at RNW connected with the CRW project? Martin Schöch argues that this was some kind of Veranstaltungsrundfunk (that's what is known in the UK as RSL stations). I think this comparison not really fits because such stations are operated by people favouring the respective events and organizations, but this was obviously not the case here. And temporary FM licences are issued to Veranstaltungsrundfunk stations; they are no pirates like this one. But the debate focused on the term "clandestine": I think this is a problematic issue in general since it implies a judgment to brand a broadcast operation as a clandestine. An obvious example is the VoR-produced Radiostantsiya Chechnya Svobodnaya, I remember how VoR's Pavel Mikhailov distributed a sharp reaction (like: some people with no any idea about these things are searching for a sensation) after these transmissions were labeled as a clandestine. Or to mention the most recent example: I guess the people at the FLoK citizen radio association at Cologne would be quite surprised if they would be told that their Radio Rhino International project is labelled as "clandestine". [see UGANDA] Just 0,02 EUR from somebody who was told that the broadcasting world would be a soap opera and he the mean reviewer of the TV magazine. This referring to what can be seen obviously, of course. Good night! (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Sept 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15045.05, 13.9 1915, unID: OID med ändlöst tal på EE. Piratstationen från WTO i Cancún, Mexico? 1 CB (Christer Brunström, Sweden, SW Bulletin via DXLD) 15045, MEXICO, Clandestine, R. Free Cascadia, Sep 13 0200 - Interesting catch. Male announcer in English and female announcer in Spanish which was over modulated and difficult to get much from her comments. At top of the hour, station ID a few comments by female announcer in Spanish, then cheering and lots of applause and then to male announcer with this speech. Good Afternoon young people. Good afternoon to everyone here. Brothers and Sisters of the world and from Mexico. Especially for the young people and for all those not here and those who are not here listening to us close by and far away. We find ourselves in this place today where just a few hours ago as you all know the resistance in the rebellion for humanity for ?? was born. Revolution greetings to you all and we hope you all are fine but tired from the dance at this rate. This is great as this is a very important fiesta. So that the trial doesn't matter. It does make me daunt though because I can't win. Young students, young people from this planet earth in this country, Mexico, who are trying to continue studying in our universities and they don't accept you. But you don't get discouraged, you look for work and they don't give it to you. And if they do give you a job, they pay you a pittance. And so there is no opportunities in education or in work. And they don't expect you to weight in on your youth. They persecute you for being different. They want us to be already old so that they won't have to worry. They don't want us, they hate us. But they are afraid of us because we are young people who are capable of organizing our values and that's where they are wrong, because we won't be old. Because some die and others take their place so they ??? will stay young. But the government their ease of ventures which has worked all the different kinds of businessmen there are. With our youth is to offer you work behind the condition that you obey them. If you unit you remain in their service. And they pay you just a crumb. And that is how they take advantage of our youthful (via Montgomery, PA, Sept 13, 2003 0200) This is one speech that I managed to get fairly clear in English. After ID and intro in both English and Spanish then went to speeches. First in Spanish and then in English and then another speech at 0236 in Spanish by a female announcer. I transcribed what I heard during the English broadcast of this 5.5 minute speech by one male announcer. This male announcer did not have the monotone that some did. It sort of sounded as if he was translating the speech. Where you see ??? is where the signal faded a bit and was unable to get the exact word at that time. Overall fairly good copy during this time frame. Spelling of Spanish words may not be correct. I don't speak the language (Bob Montgomery, PA, NASWA Flashsheet Sept 21 via DXLD) ** NAMIBIA. Logs of Sep. 20: unID 6060, 1801 telephone talk program presumed in African language. And many African pop music. Fair to weak signal. 1900 R. Rossii signed on co-channel and heavy QRM. Namibian BC?? Thanks Johnson's tips (Nobuo Takeno, Japan, Cumbre DX via DXLD ** NEPAL. Janusz, SP9FIH, informs OPDX that he will probably be in Nepal from November 15th to December 5th. He expects to only be active on the bands between 20-12 meters because the cost of the amateur radio license is rather high (about $50 US per band and 100W transmitter). He will try to concentrate on U.S. propagation as he knows it is a difficult area for U.S. amateurs. Janusz is looking for any advice on what bands and at what times he should operate from during this time of the year (Is there a long path route?). Suggestions are welcome, E-mail to: sp9fih@poczta.onet.pl (KB8NW/OPDX September 22/BARF-80 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. Alfa Lima International: Yes. we are back again. It has been a while and the change was that we also would not make it this week but after some hard work we will start to test audio around 2230 today (20-sept) or just a bit later. I do not know if I will stay there for a long time as I do not know how modulation will behave. One thing that we did test was Power.. and we have some in stock for you, most likely on two frequency's on 15070 kHz and somewhere between 6250 and 6300 kHz. During program we will keep an eyeball on this place (FRN) Greetings from Alfred Zoer ( Alfa Lima Int ) ------------------------------------- reception reports can be send to the maildrop Alfa Lima Int, Pobox 663, 7900AR Hoogeveen, The Netherlands please enclose one US$ for reply; also Emails are of course very welcome. We will reply with email on email ASAP. Our email address info@alfalima.net Surf to Alfa Lima web --- You'll find our Hobby's --- Chevy's, Motor Bikes, 11 MB Dxing, And of course Short-wave Pirate Radio http://www.alfalima.net _____________________________________ SW pirates group!!! Receive the latest SW-Pirates info Simply subscribe by sending a blanc email to: SWpirates-subscribe@egroups.com More info at: http://www.egroups.com/group/SWpirates _____________________________________ The group on internet related to building and repairing your own transmitters and radio's. join up!! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/The_Radio_and_Transmitter_Electronics/ (Alfa Lima International via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND [non]. On Sept 21 I rechecked http://www.rnzi.com and found the SW relay schedule had been refined (gh) RNZI will lease time on Radio Australia. Listen on 9580 kHz at these times-: Sunday 1900-2115 UT, [Monday 0700-0915 NZST] Monday to Thursday 1700-2115 UT, [Tuesday-Friday 0500-0915 NZST] Friday 1700-2015 UT [Saturday 0500-0815 NZST] RNZI's transmitter is off the air with a serious fault - we regret this interruption to our short-wave service to the Pacific . Our Internet feed is not affected and programmes are available via the real audio live stream and Pacific News is also available for download (via Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. Dear Glenn, Checking on Chuck Bolland's mystery station, it is definitely R. Santa Mónica in Cuzco. Heard 09.20 at 1020 with ads, ID at 1025 with "Radio Santa Mooooooonica" by OM. Very good at my location (Phil Marshall, Bradenton, FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Amigo DXista Charles! I have not heard "San Miguel" IDs here for a very, very long time. What I´m hearing almost every night on 4965.00 kHz is "Radio Santa Mónica" (Cusco). 73 (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, Cumbre DX via DXLD) 4964.98, R. Santa Mónica, 1027 Sept 21, Andean music, 1031 ID, weak. (Nobuo Takeno, Japan, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** PERU. 5940.14 Radio Bethel, Arequipa, 0448 - 0510, Sep 16, Spanish, Musical program, religious program "Impacto Evangelístico", man announcer, ads, 34333 (Nicolás Eramo, Argentina, Villa Lynch, Prov. Buenos Aires, Argentina, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 12 (Kyodo) Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori, living in self-imposed exile in Japan, will host a weekly talk show on a Lima radio station, his office in Lima was quoted by local media as saying Thursday. Fujimori will challenge criticism against him and deliver critiques on Peruvian politics, the local media reported. The show is scheduled for broadcast every Saturday morning. The criticism relates to a massacre in Lima in 1991, while he was president, when a military "death squad" allegedly killed 15 people in a poor neighborhood, and to the killing of nine students and a professor in 1992, also in Lima. Fujimori is alleged to have had full knowledge of the existence of the death squad but he denies all the allegations against him. Experts said they believe the radio show is an attempt to gather support for the 2006 presidential election in which Fujimori has indicated he would like to run. There are rumors of slowly growing support for him among the Peruvian public. Born in Peru to Japanese immigrants, Fujimori fled to Japan in November 2000 as his decade-long government crumbled under a corruption scandal and the Japanese government confirmed him as a Japanese citizen shortly afterward. He has remained in self-imposed exile ever since. Peru is demanding the Japanese government extradite Fujimori for trial but Tokyo has refused to do so, citing his Japanese citizenship and noting Japan has no extradition treaty with Peru (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** PERU. RADIO QUE TRANSMITE EL PROGRAMA DE FUJIMORI BATE SU RECORD DE AUDIENCIA LIMA (AP) -- Una radioemisora local logró la mayor sintonía de su historia cuando transmitió "La hora del Chino", el primer programa de Alberto Fujimori, donde el ex presidente criticó la orden de prisión contra uno de sus ex ministros. El gerente de radio Miraflores, Ricardo Palma, dijo el martes que "el sábado, cuando la estación transmitió el programa de Fujimori, aumentó su sintonía en un 85 por ciento, que no se dió en toda su historia, según encuestas de varias empresas particulares. Ojalá sea verdad". Fujimori, apodado "El Chino", [¿porqué no ``El Japonés``??] además de criticar una orden judicial de detención efectiva de su ex ministro de Economía, Jorge Camet, rindió homenaje a militares y policias que combatieron a los guerrilleros de Sendero Luminoso. Palma dijo que "la transmisión de ´La hora del Chino´ es una inversión en publicidad que no me ha costado nada, por la gran audiencia que tuvo". El conductor de "La Hora del Chino", Carlos Raffo, jefe de prensa de Fujimori, dijo que pagó a radio Miraflores 500 dólares por el espacio. (extraido del Boletín Patagónico del 17 de setiembre via Arnaldo L. Slaen, Argentina, lista ConDig, set 18 via DXLD) ** POLAND [non]. Radio Maryja: Received a very nice surprise reply from them. Enclosed some religious picture cards all in Polish, an info sheet about the station and a confirmation letter for report of 23rd of July 2003, on 15445. Verie by Malgorzata Zaniewska (Emmanuel Ezeani, P.O. Box 1633, Sokotom Sokoto state, Nigeria, Sept 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ROMANIA. R. Romania 3 is now on 15015 in Narrow FM! 1206 gpks! Any ideas? All the best (Tim Bucknall, UK, Sept 21, harmonics yahoogroup via DXLD) ``Meaning good on peaks``? That's a regular transmission (0700-1800 for Europe, partly Romanian FS, partly Romanian HS). They are using an old 120 kW transmitter which is known for "unexpected audio results". 73s, (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, ibid.) But what frequency is it supposed to be on? Or did you mean 15105? ** RUSSIA. La Voz de Rusia celebra el 3 de octubre el Dia Mundial de la Radio de conjunto con las emisoras nacionales Mayak, Mayak 24, Iunost, Radio Rusia y Orfeo, con el respaldo de la Unión Europea de Radiodifusión. El 3 de octubre, La Voz de Rusia presentará programas de nuestra emisora, los colegas de la Unión Europea de Radiodifusión y de las emisoras mundiales líderes. Ustedes serán quienes elijan a los personajes de estos programas. Pues, estamos dispuestos a entrevistar a la persona que los oyentes de La Voz de Rusia indiquen su. [sic] Formule su pregunta a un político, artista, músico famosos, a un historiador o al Santo Padre si lo desea. Y el 3 de octubre, los europeos y los rusos más famosos estarán con ustedes a trav’es de las ondas de La Voz de Rusia (Tomado de http://www.radiomayak.ru/ via Elmer Escoto, San Pedro Sula, Honduras, via Arnaldo Slaen, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** TIBET. 20/09, 1648, 5240 kHz, Tibet People BS, English program (YL talks), 1651 Chinese music, 1658 schedule and ID. 35343. ICOM-775DSP antenna - Inverted V -- 73! (Dmitriy Puzanov, UN9LEZ, Kazakhstan, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** UGANDA [non]. RRIA: Two German-language reports aired on their FM slot on Sep. 3 and 12, respectively, are posted together with some of the stuff transmitted on shortwave at http://www.radiorhino.org/htm_material/listen_to.htm (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also MEXICO non ** UKRAINE. SPECIAL EVENT. The special event station, EM225G, is celebrating the 225th anniversary of Kherson City, Ukraine (CQ zone 16, KH66hp), from September 19-30th. Activity over the past weekend was on 40/20 meters. Watch around 7076 and between 14200-210 kHz between 0900-1330z. QSL via UR3GM, by the bureau (Box 56, Kiev 01001, Ukraine), or direct to: Igor Pulin, Box 23, Kherson 73022, Ukraine. Bureau QSLs can be requested by sending an E-mail to: itel@ukrincom.net (KB8NW/OPDX September 22/BARF-80 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** UKRAINE. Hi Glenn, please allow two remarks on your addition in 3- 168:: a) it has been published many times in the DX press over the last years (including DXLD!) that the transmitting site "Simferopol" (on the Crimean peninsula) does not exist. The code "SMF" is one of the "fake" site registrations from Soviet times. In the HFCC frequency table "SMF" stands for the site Kopani aka Mykolaiv. b) state language in the Ukraine is Ukrainian. In Ukrainian, the name "Kharkiv" has no soft sign. 73s, (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thanks for the reminder; well, why do the Ukrainians and Bulgarians keep using ``SMF``?? I was explaining what the letters stand for (gh) ** U K. "THE ARCHIVE HOUR: LISTENING TO THE WAR: THE BIRTH OF BBC MONITORING The Archive Hour Listening To The War - The Birth Of BBC Monitoring. Lesley Chamberlain explores the origins and birth of the BBC's monitoring service based on the rich archive of documentary materials, concentrating on the remarkable personal stories of those who listened. Featuring interviews with ex-monitors Sir Ernst Gombrich, Professor of Art History, author of 'The Story of Art', ladimir Rubinstein, broadcaster and political analyst, Lord George Weidenfeld, publisher, Ewald Osers, translator and BBC archives of wartime broadcasts. With the outbreak of war, the BBC hastily set up a Monitoring Service to listen to domestic radio broadcasts in Germany and Russia. It was realised that radio as never before was a vital tool in understanding the enemy's strategy and movements. Oliver Whitley, a bright BBC recruit, duly commandeered a double-decker bus to take a skeleton team to a secret location - a country house near Evesham owned by a Mrs Smith. The human situation in particular was a triumph of duty over personal anxiety. Many of this first team had fled from Hitler so listening to crackly reports of explosions, troop movements and speeches by the Fuhrer certainly was an unenviable task. Rapidly the service became indispensable, producing huge digests of news for London every day, and an expanded typing pool. What the team had to offset their gloom is the unexpected camaraderie of life at Mrs Smith's: the make-do technology (earphones with leads long enough for them to play table-tennis on the floor below), fruit and vegetables from the Vale of Evesham, snow, bicycles, strange billets in surrounding villages, friendship and love. Thus when the BBC decided to move Monitoring to another location they were in uproar! (BBCR4 website via Wolfgang Bueschel, DXLD) Still available via http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/rams/sat2002.ram Or on http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4 go to "Listen Again", on Left hand Side, click this and then "Listening to the War", left hand column, under letter L, click "Listen". 73 de wb df5sx (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. BBC 'IN DEEP TROUBLE' OVER LICENCE RENEWAL Lisa O'Carroll, Friday September 19, 2003, The Guardian The BBC is in "deep trouble" and faces a tough battle to get its licence fee renewed in the wake of the Hutton inquiry, the head of the independent television commission warned today. And the head of one of Britain's biggest independent TV companies declared that the "game is up" for the board of governors because of the hasty way they handled the row over Andrew Gilligan's controversial Today programme report. Patricia Hodgson, who was one of former BBC director general Lord Birt's closest aides and was instrumental in winning the last licence fee settlement from the government, said she feared the corporation's case was "substantially worse" than last time round. She is a staunch supporter of the BBC but warned that neither management nor the governors can be complacent in their battle to have licence fee funding renewed when the current royal charter expires in 2006. "The BBC position is very substantially worse this time round. We have had seven years of a united and competitive attack on the last settlement [licence fee]. "That's combined with the fact the two major parties are probably feeling pretty sore - the BBC is in deep trouble when it comes to the next charter." The BBC has this week been left increasingly vulnerable to attack after two of its most senior managers - the director general, Greg Dyke, and head of news Richard Sambrook - both admitted to a series of mistakes in the wake of Gilligan's report. Mr Dyke promised a review of BBC journalistic practices while Mr Sambrook admitted further checks should have been carried out on Gilligan's story before it went out. Gilligan, who reported that the government had "sexed up" the Iraq intelligence dossier, also admitted to a catalogue of mistakes, confessing to the Hutton inquiry this week that he had not "carefully and accurately" reported what the dead weapons inspector David Kelly told him. Today, in a heated debate at the Royal Television Society conference in Cambridge, Ms Hodgson warned the BBC could no longer "assume" that Labour would just go along and "tick the box" for licence fee renewal. "I think it has got to look very closely at every single element of the licence fee contract. It has to look at the balance of programmes; the standard of journalism and its commercial activities," she warned. Ms Hodgson's remarks come less than 24 hours after the culture secretary, Tessa Jowell, announced a "root and branch" review of the corporation. The BBC fears at worst that there the licence fee will either not be renewed or will be renewed at a level below inflation - causing an effective drop in income. Others believe it will get its licence fee renewed but it will emerge far from unscathed from the review process, with the board of governors losing some regulatory powers to Ofcom or abolished altogether. Peter Bazalgette, the head of Endemol Television, called for the current system of regulation to be scrapped. He said the Hutton inquiry had shown the governors were management poodles, echoing one governor who in private correspondence during the Gilligan row warned that the board should not be seen to be a management "patsy". Mr Bazalgette said: "This is all about the Hutton inquiry. Can the BBC governors be both cheerleaders and regulators? That up to now has been an esoteric argument that most people didn't understand. After Hutton everyone understands the issue. "Everyone understands that the BBC [board] has long been captured by the people they are supposed to regulate." In reference to a psychological syndrome whereby a kidnap victim becomes sympathetic with their captor, he added: "In fact, they've not been so much captured, they've gone for the full Stockholm Syndrome." Mr Bazalgette defended the BBC's right to do the Gilligan story and said management were right to back the report, but added that the governors were wrong to rush into judgment. "Post Hutton, for the governors the game is up - the system has been exposed as a sham. This has not just been an isolated mistake, it was an accident waiting to happen. "The governors are delivering the BBC into government control." The BBC also came under fire from the former head of ITV, David Liddiment. He described the system of BBC regulation as "dysfunctional", pointing to occasions when the board of governors ordered one thing - such as improved arts coverage on BBC1 - and management did another, in this case scrap Omnibus. The corporation was defended by Professor Stephen Barnet from the University of Westminster, who said the governors couldn't be crucified for doing something they knew instinctively to be right. He said that a time when the corporation was coming under relentless attack by Alastair Campbell and Tony Blair over its war coverage the BBC governors were "merely protecting the institution from an intimidating and bullying government". MediaGuardian.co.uk © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2003 (via Dan Say, DXLD) ** U S A. WINB: No damage from Hurricane Isabel and the station has been able to operate as normal as the power has remained on (Hans Johnson, Cumbre DX Sep 20 via DXLD) ** U S A. Noted the following on a quick car radio band pass between 6:55 and 7:10 p.m. [EDT] Sept. 20th local at Ft. DeSoto, south Pinellas County, as massive rainbands and 40+ m.p.h. wind gusts moved in. 1690, GEORGIA, WSWK, Adel, 6:55 p.m.+, much like the old 1680 WTIR format; nonstop canned/recycling promos for Wild Adventures theme park. "Welcome to Wild Adventures Radio..." by man. Also mentioned http://www.wildadventures.net concerts (Dwight Yokum the next one) and canned/generic Interstate traffic construction update. Closest thing to a legal ID ToH was "92.1 Wild Adventures Radio." Pure waste of energy. 96.7 MHz, FLORIDA (PIRATE) "Flavor FM 96.7", St. Petersburg; the sole regularly-active Pinellas County pirate. Usual urban format with live jock, noted 6:30+ p.m. Most if not all Tampa pirates appear to have been raided/closed over the past few weeks, as not a single one was detected last Saturday (Sept. 13th) on a quick FM bandscan, late afternoon near Busch Blvd. and I-275. (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida USA 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W Visit my "Florida Low Power Radio Stations" at: http://home.earthlink.net/~tocobagadx/flortis.html DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Staying tuned after Schickele Mix on WAMC Albany NY webstream, I found an apparently reliable time for the hard-to-find Acting Presidential Weekly Radio Address, followed by the Democratic Response: 1608 UT Saturday (Glenn Hauser, OK, Sept 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. RESCUE RADIO: HAM RADIO AND HURRICANE ISABEL Her name is Isabel. She is a hurricane that slammed into the United States East coast with gale force winds. Emergency services including ham radio were ready and waiting as we hear in this report: Roaring ashore with winds of more than 100 miles an hour, Isabel made landfall along North Carolina`s Ocracoke Island, crossing the Outer Banks around midday September 18th. On the west end of Ocracoke Island, sustained winds were measured at 80 miles an hour. Storm surge of 12 feet was reported. Bernard Nobles, WA4MOK, is a Section Emergency Coordinator in North Carolina. He says hams mobilized over a large part of the state. . . http://www.arnewsline.org/quincy A NOTE TO THOSE WHO ONLY ``READ`` AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE As you are aware, Amateur Radio Newsline is, primarily, an audio news service and this weeks newscast is very audio intensive. While reading gives the basic facts, we advise you to download the audio file to get the most out of the newscast in relation to our coverage of Hurricane Isabel and the role Amateur Radio played and continues to play in storm communications efforts. This is a story told in ``sound`` from the scene that really cannot be reported in any other way (via John Noroflk, DXLD) ** U S A. AMATEUR RADIO RESPONDS EFFECTIVELY TO HURRICANE ISABEL Downgraded to a tropical storm by week`s end, Isabel vented much of her fury on North Carolina and Virginia after coming ashore on North Carolina`s Outer Banks the afternoon of September 18. The flooding it spawned in the Washington, DC, area also meant a two-day holiday for federal workers. Amateur Radio volunteers had been keeping an eye on the storm for several days prior to its arrival, however, and they were ready to assist in providing communication support and weather spotting. The Hurricane Watch Net http://www.hwn.org/ secured its operation September 18 after two full days and nights of dealing with Isabel. ``Many thanks to the dozens of dedicated reporting stations in the path of the storm for their support,`` said HWN Manager Mike Pilgrim, K5MP, ``and most of all to all Amateur Radio operators who patiently stood on the sidelines while helping to maintain a clear frequency on 14.325 MHz during this high-priority operation.`` The HWN worked with WX4NHC http://www.wx4nhc.org/ at the National Hurricane Center to provide ground-level weather information for hurricane forecasters. In North Carolina, ARES member Mike Langley, KD4MTT, spent three days at ARES station NC4EB at the North Carolina Emergency Management`s Eastern Branch headquarters in Kinston -- the primary emergency operation center (EOC) for Isabel. ``Ham radio has been very busy throughout the storm,`` Langley said. He noted that the Eastern Branch EOC operated with a staff of six, with two on duty for two days or more and the others taking turns. ``It`s been a pretty busy process.`` NC4EB participated in the statewide Tarheel Net on 75 meters, which backed up logistical communication between the state and county and local EOCs, and sometimes provided a primary link when government communication systems went down. Langley said telephone and power were ``spotty at best`` in many areas of Eastern North Carolina. ``Right now in the after-action, we`re still maintaining vigilance here passing information back and forth from the different EOCs to Emergency Management and the Red Cross,`` Langley said. Other communication has involved helping state agencies to deploy needed resources, such as chainsaw crews to remove downed trees. The Eastern Branch also monitored the Hurricane Watch Net as well as several VHF and one HF frequency plus e-mail and telephones, he said. In Virginia, Section Emergency Coordinator Tom Gregory, N4NW, said he had plenty of volunteers in the early going but could have used more as the emergency wore on. ``A few did a lot,`` he summed up. The Virginia Beach Hamfest http://www.vahamfest.com/ set for September 20-21 was among the storm`s first victims. Sponsors called off the annual event September 18. Power outages were widespread in Virginia, and Gregory himself was running an emergency generator. Ground already wet from previous rainfall caused trees to topple, too, and that included several that uprooted and landed across Gregory`s driveway. He urged all involved in Amateur Radio emergency communication to install emergency power systems in their homes and on their repeaters. The Old Dominion Emergency Net/Virginia Emergency Net Alpha activated on HF to help support communication between the state EOC and local EOCs. Gregory said the net had checkins from about half of the Commonwealth`s localities. ``Our role was to provide a backup for their landline or whatever communications, but very few of those lost that capability,`` he said of the local EOCs. Areas most drastically affected, including Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia, did need Amateur Radio support and had plenty of volunteers, he said. Amateurs also supported American Red Cross and Salvation Army relief operations in Virginia. Virginia SM Carl Clements, W4CAC, in the Tidewater Area lost commercial power shortly after the storm struck and was powering his equipment with an emergency generator. While he also has no telephone service, his cell phone continues to operate. Clements also lost his HF antennas. Many trees were down in his area, he said, in some cases blocking access. Tidewater Area amateurs deployed at Red Cross shelters set up in schools. ``Amateur Radio is the only way for the shelters to get in touch with one another,`` Clements said. Hams were handling some health-and-welfare traffic for shelter clients. ``It`s a true disaster,`` Clements said. In West Virginia, ARRL Section Manager Hal Turley, KC8FS, said ARES/RACES support of the West Virginia EOC ended September 19. ``All in all, Isabel was kind to us,`` he said. ``As anticipated, the Eastern Panhandle sustained the brunt of the storm.`` Heavy rain caused some flooding, and the state also suffered power outages. The Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN), handled health-and-welfare inquiries via its SATERN Net on 14.265 MHz and via its Web site http://www.satern.org/ ARES teams in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey also activated for Isabel. The storm made itself known as far north as Southern New England and as far west as Eastern Ohio (ARRL Letter Sept 19 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** U S A. RADIO FILLS INFORMATION GAP FOR PEOPLE WITHOUT POWER By LARRY BONKO, The Virginian-Pilot © September 19, 2003 | Last updated 8:29 PM Sep. 18 http://www.hamptonroads.com/stories/nw0919rad.html Thank heaven for good old-fashioned radio. With the approach of Hurricane Isabel on Thursday morning, power was lost in thousands of homes in Hampton Roads -- thousands of television-owning households. That meant no Triple Doppler TV forecasts and no updates from The Weather Channel, which had dispatched Mike Seidel to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront as early as Wednesday evening. How did TV-deprived Hampton Roads keep up with the storm and the damage it was inflicting? R-A-D-I-O. As early as 4 a.m. Thursday morning, AM radio station WNIS was on the air with reports of the storm's approach. Later on Thursday morning, when the electricity cut off, local radio stations joined with the three Hampton Roads television stations (WAVY, WVEC and WTKR) to get the story out to residents with battery-equipped radios. WVEC's storm coverage was heard on WCMS-FM and WWSO-FM. ``Let's go now to Channel 13's coverage . . .'' WAVY's live team reporting was fed to WNOR-FM and four other stations. WTKR had hooked up with WKOC-FM. About 2 p.m., WAVY weather reporter Don Slater, aware that he was speaking to a large radio audience, began to provide talking pictures of windswept scenes that residents could not see. ``I realize that a lot of you are listening to us on the radio,'' he said. Jeff Lawson on WVEC also became a TV meteorologist-turned-radio- reporter. ``Don't forget that we're under a tornado watch . . .'' Channel 10 reporter Patty Culhane was heard by radio listeners describing the stormy scene at the Oceanfront as ``getting uglier and uglier.'' Most of us had to picture it. It was theater of the mind. At WWDE-FM, program director Don London said the staff was aware that TV signals might be lost and radio would become the eyes and ears of storm coverage. ``Led by our old warhorse, Dick Lamb, we were prepared to pass along updates and information with no hype,'' London said. On WAVY late Wednesday night, Slater had outlined the projected path of Isabel, saying, ``Tomorrow will not be a fun day.'' It was indeed a horrid day, but made less so by the merging of radio and television (via Mike Terry, Jilly Dybka, DXLD) A rather obvious story ** U S A [and non]. JAMBOREE ON THE AIR 2003 IS OCTOBER 18-19 NEWINGTON, CT, Sep 21, 2003 -- The annual Jamboree On The Air, which combines Amateur Radio and scouting, takes place this year on October 18-19. JOTA offers amateurs an opportunity to offer Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts (Cub Scouts, Brownies and Girl Guides are welcome) a chance to participate in this worldwide scouting tradition --- now in its 46th year --- and share experiences over the air with other scouts. Maxim Memorial Station W1AW will be on the air for at least part of this year`s JOTA. ``W1AW will be active in JOTA on Saturday, October 18, during the afternoon and early evening,`` said ARRL Educational Programs Coordinator Jean Wolfgang, WB3IOS. ``ARRL `Big Project` Coordinator Mark Spencer, WA8SME, will be operating and has already scheduled two groups of scouts to come by during that time.`` Reports to ARRL following JOTA 2002 showed that more than 10,000 Scouts from around the US took part. Wolfgang urges participants to complete a JOTA survey, available on the ARRL Web site`s JOTA Survey for USA Participants page. http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/jotalog Begun in 1958 through the efforts of Les Mitchell, G3BHK, the event has spread around the world and includes participation by approximately 500,000 Scouts and Guides in more than 100 countries. Because JOTA is an international event, participating stations must abide by FCC third-party traffic rules. As ARRL Regulatory Information Specialist John Hennessee, N1KB, explains, anytime an unlicensed -- or under-licensed -- individual (the ``third party`` here) participates in a contact with a foreign station, the US must have a third-party traffic agreement in place with that country or the contact may not take place. A list of countries with which the US shares third-party agreements is available on the ARRL Web site http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/io/3rdparty.html Some countries make exceptions for events like JOTA, but the US does not, Hennessee notes. Additionally, during third-party contacts, both the call sign of the foreign station and that of the US station must be exchanged at the end of the contact. Participants may want to register their JOTA events on the Youth Skeds Database site http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/youthskeds This helps scouting groups to locate JOTA events in their vicinity. JOTA begins Saturday, October 18, at 0001 local time and ends Sunday, October 19, at 2359 local time. Details also appear on page 46 of the September issue of QST. For additional information, contact Jean Wolfgang, WB3IOS jwolfgang@arrl.org While JOTA activity can and does occur anywhere on the bands, these suggested frequencies are offered as a starting point for locating JOTA participants: SSB (Voice) CW (Morse code) 80 meters 3.740*/3.940 MHz 3.590 MHz 40 meters 7.270 MHz 7.030 MHz 20 meters 14.290 MHz 14.070 MHz** 17 meters 18.140 MHz 18.080 MHz 15 meters 21.360 MHz 21.140 MHz 12 meters 24.960 MHz 24.910 MHz 10 meters 28.390 MHz 28.190 MHz * 3.740 MHz is not in the US phone allocation but is available to some countries outside the US. ** 14.070 MHz is generally used for PSK31. Consider operating CW below this frequency to avoid QRMing. Copyright © 2003, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved (via John Norfolk, DX LISTENING DIGEST) JOTA: http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/#scout [note: this is not where the above story was posted] The International JOTA site at http://www.scouting.org/international/jota.html gives 7290 (the so- called ``official`` scouting calling frequency) instead of 7270 but ARRL recommends that 7290 not be used as it is a favorite hangout for AM hams (John Norfolk, DXLD) ** U S A. A question from someone who knows zero about the broadcasting industry: Are ratings the only factor that makes conservative talk radio more profitable than liberal talk radio? Listening to some of the ads that one hears on conservative talk programs while DX'ing, I get the impression some of these advertisers would be willing to pay higher rates than the ratings might otherwise dictate in order to subsidize certain programs for their own personal political reasons. Or, some of them are selling products that would appeal more to a particular demographic -- survivalist gear on the Genesis network on my local WPLC-1050, for example -- that might not have parallels on the liberal talk side regardless of ratings. There may just happen to be more "niche" programs (like Genesis) that can make money on low ratings on the right than on the left. I don't doubt that conservative talk radio has higher ratings, for all the reasons people have mentioned. And someone like Rush Limbaugh, agree with him or not (and I usually don't), is a great radio talent - - basically an old-style Top 40 DJ (which he was on KQV among others if memory serves) with the same shtick but a different type of playlist. But sometimes I wonder whether ratings as such are the whole story. (David Yocis, Sept 17, NRC-AM via DXLD) Listenership, whether proven by ratings in big markets, or sales results, in smaller ones, are the measure of the effectiveness of a radio station to its advertisers. Since radio is a bimodal market model where the listeners get the product for free and accept advertising in return, there is a direct relationship at every level. Talk stations tend to outperform economically... That means they get more of the revenue pie than their ratings percentage would justify. This is due to tow things: talk is a foreground format, so adds are heard. And talk stations run more spots per hour. In fact, many large advertisers have "no controversy" or "no talk" dictates and will not buy on such stations or programs. Others know that listeners hear the spots because there is no "background" listening. Also, the age range that talk appeals to would dictate the type of advertiser, as it does in every format type on radio. Ratings depend on how entertaining the host is. There are essentially no entertaining, ratings-generating liberal hosts on a national basis. The few that exist, like Ronn Owens in San Francisco, are very market- specific (David Gleason, CA, NRC-AM via DXLD) Dave, here is my take. Anyone who has studied entertainment history can see trends. What killed vaudeville, or the drive in, drama on network radio in the evening, etc. You can pick at minute details, but the root cause was that people's lifestyles changed and their interests were tweaked in other areas. That said, I don't think Liberal, Progressive, Conservative, Right Wing, whatever ... is a selling factor. It's how interested people are in the content and the presentation. That said, I've heard some god awful oldies stations, automation from hell, etc. On the other hand, I've heard some very well programmed and decent sounding station. Those are the ones that attract people because they don't come off as sounding like college carrier current stations. Along with the content comes the transmission. If you have the best programming, yet the station sounds like crap, that is one reason for people not to listen. As I told a friend who was having a problem like this, "when you go into a restaurant you expect it to be clean. Same with the doctor's office, or even a lawyers office. Mess and turmoil turn people off and breed negative perceptions. So why think that although you have a lot of to offer you still impress people?" The thing that I tell clients when they say that their AM is dying is, what do you offer? If you have nothing to offer, then why would you expect people to stay? On the other hand, give them what they want, and you can build a very profitable and loyal listenership (Fred Vobbe, OH, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. For anyone interested, here's a reminder of upcoming DX tests; if anyone has any additions or corrections, please contact me. (BE SURE TO NOTE THE TIME OF THE TEST; THEY ARE IN THE LOCAL TIME OF THE STATION) Saturday, October 4, 2003 - WJTO-730, Bath, ME 12:00-1:00 am ELT. [= EDT = 0400-0500 UT] Please remember, what's listed as being on, say, Monday *may* be what you think of as Sunday night! If you try for (or hear) any of these tests, PLEASE post a message letting me know, and please, drop the station personnel a note, via e-mail or snail mail, thanking them for running the test! Also, for brevity's sake, I didn't post the QSL addresses; if you need these, let me know! Lynn. ircamember@ircaonline.org Visit the IRCA Web Site at http://www.ircaonline.org (Lynn Hollerman, LA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. RADIO LAW FOLLOW-UP: NEVADA TOLD TO SCRAP NEW RADIO SYSTEM Here`s a follow up on a story we brought to you several months ago regarding a new state wide radio system in Nevada and an oversight by the regulators planning it. As previously reported, the Nevada Highway Patrol had spent $14 million on a contract with Motorola to build a computerized radio system. It was activated back in 2000 but nobody from the state ever applied to the FCC for licenses for the frequencies. As a result, the FCC had told the Nevada Highway Patrol and other state agencies to stop using the 140 frequencies by last June. To comply with the federal order, Nevada has had to scrap a costly radio system that`s less than two yeas old. So on Tuesday, September 9th the Nevada state Board of Examiners voted to spend $16.1 million on new radio gear for the Nevada Highway Patrol (Published news reports via Amateur Radio Newsline Sept 19 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** URUGUAY. 6140.1, R. Monte Carlo. Sept 21, 0943 News program about Uruguay and S. American situation. 0958 "Monte Carlo" station jingle then clear ID. Fair (Nobuo Takeno, Yamagata, JAPAN, NRD-535D with 10 meters wire, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** VATICAN [?] SPECIAL EVENT. During the month of October, look for special event station, HF8JP, to be active to celebrate the 25 years of Pope John Paul II pontificate. The station will be active on 80-2 meters CW/SSB and the digital modes. A special QSL will be available via SP8QED (direct or via the bureau). (KB8NW/OPDX September 22/BARF- 80 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. 4830.00, el 20 de Septiembre 2003 2330 UT. Bienvenida Radio Táchira! 73s de (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, Conexión Digital via DXLD) Sporadically active (gh) 4830, R. Táchira, 20 Sept. 2332-2345, End of LA romantic ballad, mentions of onda corta, IDs, TCs, another ID, and possible. phone number. Then live romantic ballad. 2341 M again with at least 4 more IDs. Every station should ID as often!! Very strong but very weak modulation (Dave Valko, PA, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** VIETNAM [non]. CLANDESTINE from RUSSIA to VIETNAM, 7380, Degar Voice (Presumed). Still can't catch anything sounding like an ID. 1324 talk by man, 1327 instrumental music till 1330*. Thanks to Bernd's tip, I had a look at their website at http://www.montagnard-foundation.org which is pretty informative and includes contact details (Hans Johnson, Cody WY, Cumbre DX via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. HDL 15545 from Woofferton to West Africa, 1900-2000 UT. Test from Merlin, strong: "You are listening to a test transmission by VT Merlin Communications, a leading provider of international broadcast services. If you would like to find out more about us, please visit http://www.vtplc.com/merlin." What's "HDL"? I don't know. GOOGLE entries show only the HDL and LDL cholesterols, lipoprotein, triglyceride blood tests etc. and of course Hardware Description Language. CRW had no entries in the past yet... Sheryl from Wisconsin was the first person who reported that last Sunday 14th. IBB Accra shows monitor entries daily[!], 7 days a week, though not a Sunday only transmission, various languages in future. Brokered by Merlin towards West Africa. Maybe one of these mysterious Biafran, Nigerian, or Ghanaian oil state movements ??? 73 wolfy 15545 usage: 1600 VoA Kurdish Kavalla-GRC 1700 VoA Urdu Tinang-PHL 1800 VoA Kurdish Holzkirchen-GER 1900 HDL Various Woofferton-G 2000 HCJB German Pifo-EQA (73 Wolfgang df5sx Bueschel, Sept 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ INTEL DETAILS RADIO ROADMAP September 15, 2003, By Mark Hachman http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,4149,1268971,00.asp SAN JOSE, Calif.-Intel Corp.'s dreams of a "radio free Intel" are still alive, although company officials acknowledged the path to that goal will be an arduous one. In a preview of this week's Intel Developer Forum here, officials with Intel's R&D team briefed reporters on its plans to develop radios that are intelligent enough to reconfigure themselves to take advantage of the available spectrum. In fact, Intel has developed a working array of processors that can process whatever wireless algorithms the company can throw at it, Steve Pawlowski, an Intel fellow and co-director of Intel's Communications and Interconnect Labs, said in a presentation Monday morning. But to put it into production will require a team of lawyers as well as scientists. Pushing new products to market in the wireless space requires first jumping over a series of technological and legal hurdles. Before a product can be developed, a company or industry must negotiate spectrum with the Federal Communications Commission and similar bodies around the world. Only then may products be developed, refined and eventually sold into the marketplace. "Spectrum policy is on the threshold of fundamental change," Pawlowski said, noting that the current format hasn't changed "since Marconi." Current regulations forbid new technologies from using unallocated or unlicensed wireless spectra, Pawlowski said. On the other hand, regulatory committees are considering permitting wireless devices to use unlicensed spectrum if they don't radiate over 41 dB of signal strength. In another scenario, devices might be granted access to frequencies normally allocated for emergency services, which could kick off the wireless services if an emergency arose. But the device would need to "know" the available spectrum, Pawlowski pointed out. One risk was that the device could be used near a country's border, where it might trample on the frequency used by another country. In that case, the device would either have to have GPS services installed or be able to sniff the physical IPs of the access points, he said. Intel is currently working on both the 802.15 standards as well as "UWB" or ultrawideband technologies, which uses a broad swath of frequency to communicate data. While UWB holds the promise of high data rates-from 100 Mbps upward to 200 Mbps and above-the bandwidth drops dramatically as a function of distance. At 10 meters, for example, data rates can be a fifth or a sixth of what they might be at close proximity, Pawlowski said. The 802.15 technology is a more immediate goal. Santa Clara, Calif.-based Intel and other companies are meeting in Singapore this week to hammer out the proposed frequencies the technology will use: frequencies of 3.1 to 4.9 GHz for first-generation products, with 4.9 to 6.0 GHz designated for second-generation devices. An additional range of spectrum, from 6.1 to 10.6 GHz, would be allocated for third- generation devices or other purposes. Building the devices will pose its own set of challenges, according to Pawlowski. Wireless devices typically contain digital-signal processors, which process and reprocess the small number of lines of code that embody the wireless algorithms. However, while flexible, DSPs consume much more power than a fixed-function device such as an embedded microprocessor. For testing purposes, Intel developed a scalable mesh of heterogeneous, reconfigurable 486 processors, Pawlowski said. The problem, however, is that the technology still needs three separate radios, which is too expensive, he said. Eventually, Intel will have to develop a radio that can recognize what protocols and frequencies it can access, and have the ability to reconfigure itself to access them-the "Radio Free Intel" vision. Intel's next step will be moving the analog-to-digital conversion, or converting the analog signal to a digital one for processing, as far out of the chip as possible, close to the antenna. The last step? Manufacturing it cheaply enough to succeed in the marketplace, which at Intel means developing the technology in CMOS silicon. Pawlowski said he expects the industry's first 802.15 announcements in two to three years, which means that a reconfigurable radio may be even farther into the future. "If we want to use processes of scale, we can't go changing the recipe in the fab," Pawlowskoi said, referring to the CMOS "recipe" used by Intel's chipsets and microprocessors. Integrating the radios means exactly matching the CMOS process Intel uses in its other products, he said. Copyright (c) 2003 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. (via David E. Crawford, Titusville, Florida, DXLD) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ PACIFIC ASIAN LOG [mediumwave] I've recently updated the Pacific Asian Log. Now in its fifth edition, the PAL lists some 3800 medium and long wave broadcast stations throughout Asia and the Pacific. This latest version includes many changes up through August 2003. As with previous editions, it is free of charge, and can be downloaded as a pdf file sorted by location or frequency. You can find it at http://www.qsl.net/n7ecj My thanks to everyone who has sent updates for this latest edition. Comments, additions and corrections are always welcome, and can only add to the completeness and accuracy of the list (Bruce Portzer, Seattle, WA USA, Sept 20, hard-core-dx via DXLD) THIS DAY`S ENGLISH LESSON +++++++++++++++++++++++++ Hi Glenn, Will Martin is correct about the speed of delivery of spoken English by Australians. It's generally faster than most standard British or American accents. New Zealanders tend to speak even faster than most Australians and often roll words into one another. When I worked in Los Angeles, I had to consciously slow my speech down to be understood over the telephone, when giving speeches or at restaurants and in stores. I've kept the slower speech pattern since returning to NZ, and have several times been asked about my 'American' accent! In the UK, the British think I have a 'regional' accent from somewhere very rural in the UK! However, these are all generalisations. To my ears, there are many regional accents across the USA, across Australia (Queenslanders have a distinct accent), certainly across the UK, and even within NZ (from the deep south of the South Island they roll their 'R's' betraying a Scottish heritage), not to mention the South African accents which are increasingly heard here and sit somewhere between South Carolina and Australia in tone:) and the soft Canadian English which is very distinctive. Add 'Indian' English, Caribbean English, Irish English, the fact that many new immigrants to Australia, UK, Canada and NZ have Asian and African inflections to their English, plus Asian English lah, and so many non native English speakers being taught English by Americans, British, Australian and NZ teachers to give so many more inflections and accents, and Will is going to have a lot of fun with different delivery speeds, accents and styles as he explores the radio dial. 'English blong many place' (David Ricquish, Wellington, New Zealand, DX LISTENING DIGEST) COMMENTARY ++++++++++ SWL CALL SIGNS / DYING HOBBY Question... I have always considered callsigns to be identifiers when a transmission was made. Is this correct? What is a SWL call? How do I get one? Are they still issued? 73 de (KD5KWS Kenny Daniel, swl at qth.net via DXLD) Kenny, a call sign is issued by the FCC to licensed Amateur Radio operators, a.k.a. Hams. It is indeed an identifier and is published in a variety of sources. The short-wave call sign is not issued by the FCC and is not to be construed as any sort of radio identifier. They were issued by publications like the now defunct Popular Electronics to subscribers who wrote in for one. They had a prefix of WPE, the "PE" for Popular Electronics, and then the number of the corresponding Amateur Radio call zone. Such as '8' for Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. This was followed by three letters. Such as, WPE8CXO. The call was for personal ego, it served no other purpose. A sort of PR gimmick by publications to make short-wave listeners feel special by giving them their own personal identifier. Not a bad thing, but not to be confused with an official call sign issued by the FCC. I am not sure if anyone is now issuing them or not. I investigated this topic eighteen months ago and found the records for the former WPE and WDX calls, but the man who formerly worked for Popular Electronics [Hank Bennett] is elderly and is determined to take his set of 3X5 cards to the grave with him. He is unable to issue or keep track of them any more, nor has he in nearly twenty years, but it is his right to do with them as he pleases. There is nothing to stop somebody else from getting legal permission to issue a new call, not using the old prefix, but I doubt the venture would be cost effective. My interest was in trying to recover the original calls because many former holders who are now fifty+ have lost their certificate, or forgotten their call, and I hoped to put together a data base to help them and to reprint a new certificate with their original call. This does not violate any legalities. It turned out to be more work than worth, unfortunately. If you really want a call sign, get busy and earn one by getting your Amateur Radio ticket, Kenny. It is not that difficult and there are plenty of helpful study programs available for little or nothing. A worthwhile effort, a sense of accomplishment and privileges you can not get just by listening. However, not everybody wants to be on the air and transmit, some are very happy just listening, which is perfectly fine (Duane B. Fischer, swl at qth.net via DXLD) If I recall correctly, Popular Electronics would publish this list of SWL callsigns with names and locations in their magazine periodically. For those of us who have forgotten our callsign, it might be possible to dig that up at a library. It's also possible of course, that some collector somewhere has a complete set of these magazines from the fifties and sixties -- and they might be willing to help create a database (Spence Carter, ibid.) There is a place in the USA that gives out SWL calls. CRB Research. They advertise in both Monitoring magazines and they have a web page as well. For $10 they give you a call. They have been around for at least 15 years now. http://www.crbbooks.com The call is generally made up of K or W, followed by your two letter state abbreviation, followed by the call zone number, followed by two letters. Hence my call, then I lived in CA was: KCA6RC Yes, the good old federal boys have no hand in this (thank God), but it does allow the SWL to obtain a unique call to use on his/her QSL cards. Even the ARRL has there collective heads in some anal cavity when it comes to SWL's; they do have a SWL incoming bureau for cards that come in through them. So a call is rather imperative when it comes to Ham QSLing. I obtained my first SWL call (and second) from Popular Electronics back when they were issuing them. But to keep up with the times I obtained new SWL call from CRB. So have many hams and SWLs that I know. Someday maybe someone will wake up in this country and start offering an "official" call service to SWL's, but until then, we gotta do what we gotta do (Bob Combs, KCA6RC (WPE2PJU, WDX6RTC, WN6FOF), New Mexico, ibid.) Spencer, No, that is incorrect. The monthly short-wave report did use the WPE call sign of the person who submitted the log. Popular Electronics never published a subscriber list. I know of over fifty thousand calls, only a handful appeared in the issues from January 1957 until its dissolution in about 1968. DBF (Duane Fischer, ibid.) I don't understand what purpose an SWL call serves, aside from being some way a dying electronics hobby magazine can make a few extra bucks from people interested in a dying hobby (Damon Cassell, ibid.) Truthfully they do not serve any purpose, as purposes go. Other than to make a short-wave listener feel important having a call assigned to their name. Which is fine, nothing wrong with a little ego boost now and then. If they ever did help get a QSL card from an international short-wave station, I suspect those days are long departed. As a Ham with an Extra class license, I QSL anyone who sends me a valid reception report. If from overseas, I do expect a SASE, however. Most who have a QSL card send their card along with a SASE nowadays. Not a requirement, but a nice gesture that often times will evoke a response when just a reception report or QSL card with no SASE goes unattended to DBF (Duane B. Fischer, MI, ibid.) Joe, Yes, SWL callsigns are still issued by several sources. One in particular is CRB Books last I recall out of Commack, NY. Received one from them years ago. You check with them. Also their is a website of Shortwave Amateur Radio Listeners which also issues callsigns. Check the sites below: http://members.shaw.ca/SWARL/ http://users.skynet.be/ONL4299/SWL%20Callsigns.htm http://www.pg7v.net/english/swlreport.asp 73's (Bruce, Valrico, FL, ibid.) What would "Official" do that CRB is not? There is no compelling need for it. It's kinda like vanity license plates --- they are more of a personal desire than a functional necessity. I have nothing against vanity plates nor SWL call signs but see no real reason why anything more than what CRB is doing would ever be necessary. Also the ARRL really does not have to offer any services to the SWL community --- it is a plus that they do --- I don't understand what is "anal" about that?? (Cecil Acuff, WB5VCE, ibid.) See if this helps a little: http://www.qsl.net/wb1gfh/gab.html (Rich. Line, WPE8FLZ, ibid.) I guess the "value" of a SWL call can be taken as to exactly what one plans to do with it if and when one gets it. If all you want out of Short Wave Listening is to listen to the International Short Wave Stations or Utility stations, then the call is meaningless. If you want to only send out QSL requests from the International broadcasters, then a SWL call is meaningless. If you want to participate in SWLing the Ham Bands, then some form of identification to differentiate you from someone else is really helpful. I suppose I could have cards printed that say "Bob Combs, USA" on them. As mentioned in my post a LOT of overseas hams seem to like to take your money and send your card via the "bureau". What do you suppose the ARRL would do if they started getting cards in addressed to individuals? Probably chuck them. I have been SWLing for a long time and find that I still get cards with my old call(s) on them through the bureaus. The 6 bureau (current manager) never even heard of a SWL (even though he has been a ham for 30 years) in "all his years" of transmitting! I suppose if all you ever talk on is 2 meters, that is probably an accurate statement. EQSLs. One cannot participate in the EQSL game without a call of some kind; the servers just aren't set up to take names. Awards. Some paper chasers find that having a call on the medal (DUF4 for example) or on a hugh wall plaque (CISL or Maple Leaf Award) essential. Membership in Amateur Radio Organizations seem to require a "call" even if you are a SWL to participate. Access to some Amateur Radio web sites require a "call: to obtain access to the group. Need I go on? Foreign SWL's in many countries are issued calls as a prerequisite to obtaining a Ham call. I would also take offense at the "dying hobby" statement. While it is true that the FCC in this country seems to have sold out to the American public by selling the bands to the highest bidder, other countries haven't jumped on the bandwagon as of yet. Perhaps International broadcasting will die as a transmitted entity of the short-wave bands, but there are many other groups waiting in the wings to hop on board (Hams included). So the hobby of Short Wave Listening will not die as you seem to think, it will just change its direction. The military cannot and will not give up the HF bands, and if you think they will you had better think again. I could piss all of you off by mentioning that the Amateur Radio Call is nothing more than a government assigned "vanity call" but I won't. Actually CRB is serving their purpose. Those that want calls can obtain them. Those that don't obviously won't participate. My comments on the "anal' qualities of the ARRL are that they are lamenting about the decline in the hobby and not getting any "new blood" to participate. They tend to alienate a lot of people by NOT recognizing openly that most or at least a good number of hams stared as SWL's and many still practice the hobby in addition to being able to transmit. If the mother organization would mellow out and admit that SWL's exist and offer services and membership at some level to them, then perhaps more people would become interested in obtaining the required license, and continue to keep the ARRL coffers full of money. No, the ARRL is not under any commitment to offer the SWL anything, and guess what? They don't. In my long years of SWLing the ham bands and chasing Ham countries, awards and the like, ARRL has offered ONE award that SWL's could get, the "Diamond Jubilee Award", which mind you has a place for the SWL call sign to be affixed! RSGB goes out of their way to include SWL's in their activities and awards (IOTA, etc.) The ARRL counterpart in Canada offers SWL's the use of their outgoing and incoming card bureau. I guess that one could sum up with the comment, that having a call of any kind is a "Wizard of Oz" thing. If you have a diploma you must have a brain. If you hear a clock ticking you must have a heart. Etc. Maybe this helped to understand what a SWL call is all about, maybe not. It really depends on what you plan on doing with it, doesn't it (Bob Combs, KCA6RC, New Mexico, ibid.) Frankly, if we as radio hobbyists and Ham radio operators do NOT get off our butts and get the broadband proposed by the power companies stopped we won't be able to hear what remains on HF! This is serious! We must NOT depend of the ARRL to do this for us, they may, they may not. We can not afford to take that risk! If it goes as planned, HF as we know it will be unusable for the most part. Next year is an election year, politicians do listen! Write them via regular mail, NOT by e-mail. A stack of letters on his/her desk means much much more than e-mail they never see. We must generte public awareness of the massive interference and disruption this broadband through the power lines is going to cause. As far as beacons or utility stations, well most of us could care less about listening to or for them. Remember, just to ID them requires a working knowledge of CW and most hobbyists do not know it. A very small specialized group of listeners love them, but that is a very small percentage of the total radio listeners. Just having 'something' to listen to is not sufficient motivation for most radio buffs to turn on their rx. They need to have something that appeals to them before they warm up the tubes or light up the digital display. I mean, if nothing else, we can always listen to Jupiter. Well, maybe. If the broadband goes through the powerlines we won't be able to hear Jupiter either! DBF (Duane B. Fischer, MI, ibid.) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ GEOMAGNETIC INDICES Phil Bytheway - Seattle WA - phil_tekno@yahoo.com Geomagnetic Summary August 20 2003 through September 16 2003 Tabulated from daily email status Date Flux A K SA Forecast GM Forecast Etc. 8/20 117 20 3 moderate no storms 4 21 112 17 4 no storms no storms 6 22 119 51 6 strong minor 8 23 121 35 5 moderate minor 7 24 120 42 4 strong minor 9 25 116 25 3 minor no storms 8 26 117 22 3 minor no storms 6 27 121 21 3 no storms no storms 7 28 126 16 3 no storms no storms 6 29 119 21 4 no storms no storms 6 30 116 16 4 no storms no storms 10 8/31 114 21 2 minor no storms 5 9/ 1 110 9 2 no storms no storms 6 2 108 14 2 no storms no storms 7 3 106 12 3 no storms no storms 7 4 111 19 3 no storms no storms 7 5 112 21 4 no storms no storms 9 6 108 14 2 no storms no storms 8 7 105 13 2 no storms no storms 6 8 108 7 1 no storms no storms 2 9 99 11 4 no storms no storms 7 10 96 22 5 minor minor 10 11 99 19 3 no storms no storms 8 12 97 18 3 minor no storms 7 13 94 8 1 no storms no storms 4 14 96 11 1 no storms no storms 8 15 95 7 2 no storms no storms 5 9/16 97 4 5 minor minor 9 ********************************************************** (IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) CUMBRE PROPAGATION REPORT One M1 flare during the week to report, occurring on the 16th around 22 UT. Solar wind speed declined early in the week allowing the geomagnetic field to calm down after Sep 14. However from Sep 16 we entered another wind stream with the geomagnetic field reaching storm levels on Sep 17 & 18. Solar wind speed is gradually declining but still expected to be elevated for the next 1-2 days, coupled with a southward bias this is causing the geomagnetic field to vary between unsettled and minor storm levels. Planetary A-index is still at 40 meaning poor conditions for the MW DXers among us. MUFs have varied between predicted values and being quite elevated at different locations. Degraded conditions are again forecast Sep 23-24 and Sep 29-Oct 1. Prepared using data from http://www.ips.gov.au (Richard Jary, SA, Sept 20, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ### ||||||||| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-168, September 19, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser 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/dxldtd3i.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 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html NEXT AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1199: RFPI: Sat 0130, 0800, 2330, Sun 0530, 1130, Mon 0030, 0630, 1230, Wed 0100, 0730 on 7445 [nominal times may be delayed] WWCR: Sat 1030, Sun 0230 5070, 0630 3210, Wed 0930 9475 WRMI: Sat & Sun 1800+ 15725 on IBC Radio WBCQ: Mon 0415 7415, maybe 5105 WINB: Thu 0130 9320 [this week Extra 44 cut off by 0150!] WRN: Rest of world Sat 0800; Eu Sun 0430; NAm Sun 1400 WORLD OF RADIO 1199 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1199h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1199h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1199.html WORLD OF RADIO 1199 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1199.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1199.rm MUNDO RADIAL, para setiembre-octubre en WWCR 15825: todos los viernes 2115, martes 2130, miércoles 2100. Además: (corriente) http://www.w4uvh.net/mr0309.ram (bajable) http://www.w3uvh.net/mr0309.rm (texto) http://www.worldofradio.com/mr0309.html ** ALGERIA. Radio Algérienne has improved its FM-network with many 10 kW transmitters covering former MW areas. Some MW-stations have been closed: Ain-El-Hammam 693, Djelfa 702, Ain-Amenas 738, Alger 756, Tlemcen 1089, Ain-Salah 1161 and Constantine 1305 kHz (Radio Algérienne's webpage via Bengt Ericson, ARC MV-Eko Information Desk 15 Sept via Olle Alm, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. ARDS: See TANZANIA ** AUSTRALIA [and non]. Hi, Glenn! Was just looking at DXLD 3-167 and noted the Apache radio article. Their comments on translation and inserting regular English words in the midst of the native-language speech reminded me of the way we hear Pidgin on RA and other Pacific broadcasts. A long string of rapid syllables with every now and then "democracy", "Prime Minister", and other terms appearing like icebergs in a sea of "blong blong" and similar sounds. Then that reminds me of something else -- the differences in English speakers' speech speeds. I'm finding it harder to understand Australian speech these days; it seems to me that many Australians, including some RA announcers, rattle off the words far faster than the typical British or American speaks English. Do you notice this or am I wrong in that impression? Of course, many South Asian speakers of English just spew out words as rapidly as a tabla drum sounds. I wonder if they learn such rapid speech as infants as part of the various languages they learn, and it shapes their vocal skills. You hear Indian musicians doing vocal tricks, like imitating instruments, that are completely impossible for the average Westerner to perform (I believe). They can rattle off sounds so fast that it amazes me. I'd love to be able to produce such sounds, but I think you have to learn the technique in infancy or early childhood to be able to do it at all. It's like rolling "Rs" in Scottish or the like, also something I cannot do (Will Martin, MO, Sept 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA [non?]. Received confirmation from Voice Intl - Freq Mgt that Voice Hindi service has added 9880 kHz for the time slot 1400- 1700. (Not 1100-1700 UT). The scheduled hours (UT) for Hindi are now: 0100-0400 11850, 0500-1100 13630, 1100-1400 13635, 1400-1700 9880 (ex 13635) Regds, (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, Sept 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Why don`t you ask them about the transmitter sites? Moreover, why don`t they specify them without investigation? 13635 was indeed Darwin at 1100-1700 per DXLD 3-104 June 12, but had just been canceled and replaced by Tashkent at other times (gh) ** AUSTRIA. AWR Wavescan: See USA [non] ** BENIN. Radiodiffusion Nationale, 7210.27, Sept 12 2130-2302* French talk, variety of Afro pops, French pops. Phone talk, ID, sign-off announcements and national anthem; fair-good (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BIAFRA [non]. V. of Biafra International, 7380, Sept 6 2135-2159* tune in to English talk about Nigeria; some vernacular talk. Many IDs. Mentioned coming from Washington DC; fair. Some co-channel QRM. Saturday only; see POLAND (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. Sept., 17, 2003, 5952, Radio Pio XII with program ``Reporteros populares`` in Quechua, mama Justina and tata (daddy in Quechua) Martin near the mike, phone-ins, great audio 54455! Hello everyone here in Cumbre once again. That's me, (Artyom Prokhorov from Moscow with my latest catches made on Sony ICF7600G and its telescopic antenna in a countryside just in some 70 km South of Moscow, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 5952.47, (presumed), Emisora Pio XII, Sep 15, 0918, dramatic presentation in presumed Aymara, announcement mentioning "Save The Children", into announcer, nice strong signal (Mark Mohrmann, Coventry, VT, NRD 535D, V-Beam 140m @180 deg. "VT-DX": http://www.sover.net/~hackmohr/ DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. UNID, 4902.6 --- There is a Spanish-speaking station here as as I type this up at 0145 Sept 19. I'm just a bit too far and it is a bit weak for me to get too much out of it, any help would be appreciated (Hans Johnson, Cody, WY, Cumbre DX via DXLD) I've got them here, Hans, with S7 signal level, SINPO 34333. Will keep listening for possible ID. They started to sign off at 0200 UT, with YL in Spanish with mention of Ecuador, and ID that I couldn't copy. NA at 0202, off at 0204 UT (George Maroti, NY, ibid.) See Valko`s previous report Sept 13. of R. San Miguel on 4903v (Bob Wilkner, ibid.) Thanks Bob. Now that I've re-listened to my tape, the ID on 4902.6 does sound like Radio San Miguel. It came it pretty strong for a Bolivian (George Maroti, NY, ibid.) They have been on four different frequencies in the last month or so. The signal is very strong and clear; a pleasure to listen (Bob Wilkner, FL, ibid.) Is Radio San Miguel, Riberalta, Bolivia, one day on near of 4905v and other drifting from 4902.3. 73's (Nicolás Eramo, Argentina, ibid.) ** BULGARIA. R. Bulgaria, 5800, Sept 6 *2100-2200* English ID, sked, news, local folk music. Very weak; much better on \\ 7500 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BURUNDI. RADIO CRACKDOWN IN BURUNDI The authorities in Burundi have ordered the closure of a second private radio station after journalists violated a ban on interviewing rebel officials. The closure was ordered by Information Minister Albert Mbonerane against African Public Radio [RPA] on Tuesday following a phone-in programme with a rebel spokesperson for the National Liberation Forces (FNL), who have refused to hold talks with the transitional government. He was discussing the failure of the peace talks to end the country's decade-long civil war. Mr Mbonerane said that RPA had "incited the population to violence" by broadcasting the rebel spokesmen's reaction. Blackout "Radio Publique Africaine has acted in bad faith thus their banning by interviewing the spokesman of Agathon Rwasa's Palipehutu-FNL, a man who is against Burundi and who until now has refused to negotiate with the government," the statement said. The ban comes only days after the government closed another station, Radio Isanganiro, after it broadcast interviews with rebel officials. Following the closure of Isanganiro, on Saturday, RPA and another private station, Bonesha FM imposed a news blackout to express their solidarity. And instead of broadcasting the usual news bulletin at 1600 and 1630 GMT, they aired special reports on the closure and initiated interactive programmes to gauge people's views on the ban. Correspondents say many Burundians are puzzled by Mr Mbonerane's action, because as a rebel in Germany before the transition period, his interviews were broadcast by private radio stations. Burundi has about seven private local radio stations. The ban, however, has not been extended to international radios broadcasting to Burundi, such as the BBC. Alexis Sinduhije, the RPA manager has called on journalists to defend their own freedom and appealed to the public for support. "The people themselves who are the beneficiaries of this unbiased information must help the journalists in this fight for freedom and true democracy," he said. Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/3116538.stm (via Robert Wilkner, FL, DXLD) ** CANADA. CFDR-780 Nova Scotia --- I have a couple of observations. I believe they are running their 50 kW day rig well into the evening and quite possibly 24/7 as they have been VERY strong here lately. If you need this station, you should give it a try. Unless of course you live in Chicago, Reno, or Nome, hi! Secondly, they have been interrupting their usual Country & Western music programming around 2020 EDT nightly in order to carry a Christian program called "Prophecy For Today." After about 2050 EDT they go back to the C&W music with slogan "Kicks Country." Interestingly, on the Prophecy For Today website, they are listed under Nova Scotia as "KIXX-780." Yikes! (Marc DeLorenzo, Marstons Mills, Mass., 18 Sept., NRC-AM via DXLD) ** CANADA. TORONTO ONE TV --- By John McKay TORONTO (CP) - It's a TV station with new car smell. The blue-and- white paint motif is fresh. The lights, cameras, consoles, all brand- spanking new. Many of the 150 employees hustle through the halls and studios on dry runs for Friday night's big launch. Toronto 1 is set to go to air with a state-of-the-art system packed into a refurbished east-end industrial-age factory building. "I'm at the point now where it's like `OK, let's just do it, we're ready, enough of this sitting around.' " says a pumped Barbara Williams, who joined the Craig Media team eight months ago as Toronto 1's vice- president and general manager. But the independent station is launching into a market already heavy with broadcast options. There is also a history of sometimes-bitter rivalry between the broadcast family from Alberta and the Toronto- based TV clique that seemed comfortable with the status quo. Craig spent a lot of money and stepped on a few toes to win the last available over-the-air frequency in the viewer-rich southern Ontario TV market. On-air news personalities were lured from competing networks, including CBC's Ben Chin and CTV's Wei Chen. Global had been trumped in bids to establish a foothold in Alberta, losing to Craig's A Channels in 1996. CHUM was furious when Craig undermined its exclusive partnership with MTV in the U.S. and began to import shows for its MTV Canada digital licence, to MuchMusic's loss. Alliance Atlantis wanted to set up GTTV, or Greater Toronto Television, an all-news service. One of the biggest surprises, though, has been the conversion of the former front-runner in the licence competition, the Toronto Star, which argued it had a better application for its Hometown Television and its 85 per cent Canadian content. The Star even challenged the CRTC decision, delaying Toronto 1's launch for a year. "But all of the applicants for the licence just wanted to win," Williams says. "The fact that the Craigs won, people focused on the fact they were the western ones and that became a bit of an issue. But honestly I think that's long gone." So much so that the Star has now agreed to join Toronto 1 in what is called a "strategic media alliance," with Star reporters on camera in the newsroom and collaboration on coverage of the upcoming municipal election. At the end of the day, Williams says, cooler heads prevailed. The Star, it seems, decided if you can't lick 'em, join 'em. "Torstar was obviously interested in having a television partner and they smartly had to look at the landscape. . .where the opportunities were." Toronto 1 launches on the UHF band [WTFK???] (as well as basic cable) but will also be carried nationally on the Bell ExpressVu satellite service (Ch. 224). Officially, the channel's call letters are CKXT. On the web: http://www.toronto1.ca (Via Harry van Vugt, Windsor, Ontario, Canada) ** CUBA? 2140.00, (presumed harmonic 2 x 1070), Sep 17/18, 0850-1004, 0049-0300*, consistently fair to good signal here, lots of LA music which sounds Cuban or Afro-Cuban to me, interspersed with earnest talk, no ads, no hype, 0900 announcer speaks over "Guantanamera" in the background, +10dB over peaks around 0915. WRTH lists R. Guamá and Cadena CMKS on AM 1070. Needs more work (Mark Mohrmann, Coventry, VT, NRD 535D, V-Beam 140m @180 deg. VT-DX: http://www.sover.net/~hackmohr/ DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. EAST EUROPE DISSIDENTS TO SUPPORT CUBAN OPPOSITION Friday, September 19, 2003 Posted: 0201 GMT (10:01 AM HKT) http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/americas/09/18/dissidents.cuba.reut/ PRAGUE, Czech Republic (Reuters) -- A group of former east European dissidents launched on Thursday an initiative to help root out Cuba's communist government, a system they fought to dismantle in their own countries. Former Czech President Vaclav Havel, Poland's Lech Walesa and Arpad Goencz of Hungary, all anti-communist dissidents who rose to presidency in the 1990s, published a statement in regional newspapers saying the time has come to support the Cuban opposition. "Today it is the responsibility of the democratic world to support representatives of the Cuban opposition irrespective of how long the Cuban Stalinists still manage to cling to power," the joint statement said. "The Cuban opposition must experience the same international support as the representatives of political dissent did in the up to recently divided Europe." Havel, who was jailed for almost four years in Communist Czechoslovakia, and others also set up the International Committee for Democracy in Cuba. The committee said in a statement on Thursday its foundation was timed to mark the six-month anniversary of Fidel Castro's latest crackdown on opposition on the Carribean island. The Cuban government arrested and sentenced for up to 28 years 75 dissidents in March, the most severe strike in decades. The wave of repression was aimed against the 2002 Varela Project, a petition for peaceful reforms. The Prague-based committee also includes former United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who was born in the former Czechoslovakia, and statesmen and dissidents from across Eastern Europe. The committee said it wanted to support political prisoners, journalists and various civil society groups and also plans to launch Cuban newscasts over short-wave radios through stations in the Czech Republic, Spain and the Netherlands. The Czech government and civil groups have been supporting Cuban opposition for several years. Castro's government arrested former finance minister Ivan Pilip and a colleague for a month in 2001 after they met dissidents in Cuba (Reuters via CNN.com via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) !! Quite a surprising set of transmitter sites mentioned, Czech Republic, Netherlands and Spain, which have not been associated with anti-Castro broadcasts before. The more the merrier, but Cuba is already bombarded with R. Martí and various WRMI shows (gh, DXLD) ** CURAÇAO [and non]. 1010/1500: Radio Hoyer broadcasts on 4 frequencies. It makes the station the largest on the Netherlands Antilles. Both Radio Hoyer 1 and Radio Hoyer 2 use an FM and an AM frequency. In 1984, history was made when the FM transmitters were installed on top of the Tafelberg. They were the first in the world to fully operate on solar energy and were designed by the technical adviser of Radio Hoyer, Fred Chumaceiro. When Parliament or the Island Council are in session, the debates are broadcast via Radio Hoyer 2 AM. Local sports are broadcast on the AM frequencies. Radio Hoyer is the leader in local, international and sports news in Curaçao. Music also plays an important role in the programming on the FM frequencies. Radio Hoyer can also be heard in Bonaire and via AM in Aruba (from http://www.radiohoyer.com/history.htm via Steve Whitt, MWC via Tore Larsson, Arctic via DXLD) ** ECUADOR [non]. New schedule for HCJB's DXPL via WWCR and WINB: Thu 2000-2030 on 15825 WWCR first airing Sun 0200-0230 on 5070 WWCR Sat 1430-1500 on 12160 WWCR Tue 0900-0930 on 9475 WWCR Sat 1730-1800 on 13570 WINB Wed 0830-0900 on 3210 WWCR (Observer, Bulgaria, Sept 19 via DXLD) Only once did I catch the first airing Thu at 2000, I suspect a mistake; unknown this week, as reception was too poor (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. La Voz de la Revolución del Tigray, fortísima, en 5500 kHz, a las 0322 UT, con SINPO 3-3. 17-09. 73's y buen DX (Adán González, Venezuela, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EUROPE. Here is the plan for POWER 41 to Europe and Northamerica on Saturday, 20th of September 2003: 1700-1930 UT 6245 kHz +/- QRM to Europe, AM, 1 kW 2300-0030 UT 6245 kHz or 6305 kHz to Northamerica, AM, 1 kW You can contact us via the shows via telephone : (0049)(0)1789186052 eMail: power41dx@a... [truncated by yahoogrops] P-mail: Östra Porten 29, 44254 Ytterby, Sweden Have a great reception and enjoy the weekend! 73s from Alex Warner (OP) POWER 41 (via Radio Strike, Sept 19, BCLNews.it via DXLD) ** GERMANY [and non]. Digital Radio Mondiale [MW] Transmitters currently active: 531 Burg, 729 Putbus, 855 Berlin-Britz, 1296 Orfordness [UK] 1600-1915, 2115-2400 (?), 1485 Berlin (3 transmitters). 855 has an irregular schedule. The current schedule of 531 and 729 is unconfirmed, but they seem to be active every night and could be 24h. 1485 seems to be 24h. What you will hear when you receive one of these signals in the AM mode is a jammer-like noise or hiss similar to white noise. Special DRM software is needed to decode the digital signal (Summary by Olle Alm, ARC MV-Eko Information Desk 15 Sept via DXLD) ** GUATEMALA. 4698.7, Yes, Radio Amistad was back on the air briefly as the result of a team of volunteers from Chattanooga, TN (actually, a couple of "hams") who repaired the storm damaged antenna and replaced some defective rectifiers in the transmitter`s power supply. However, shortly afterwards another power line "surge" wiped out the power supply again. Those same volunteers are on their way back down to Lake Atitlán even as I type and should have the little rig back up and running before too long. This time they are going to install a regulated UPS at the transmitter shack to help prevent another wipeout! (Larry Baysinger in Kentucky,Cumbre DX, Sep 19 via DXLD) ** GUINEA. RTV Guinéenne, 7125, 2205-2400* Sept 12. Vernacular, French talk, Afro pops, sign-off announcements with ID and national anthem; fair-good (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HUNGARY. NEW QSL CARDS FOR RADIO BUDAPEST --- Radio Budapest is now issuing new QSL cards, as part of a series showing pictures from the Magyar Radio Archives (Radio-Kurier via EDXP World Broadcast Magazine http://edxp.org used by permission via DXLD) ** ICELAND. 15775, Rikisutvarpid; 1844-1901:45*, 15-Sep; W in Nordic language with news remotes in various languages including English. Mentioned Reykjavik at 1857. Possible sked by M 1859-1900; Woman in language continued and mentioned Island couple of times. "Island" pronounced with short "I" & strong "s" SIO=3+54- (Harold Frodge, MI, MARE via DXLD) ** INDIA. SAHARA TO BEAM NEWS FROM WORLDSPACE [sic] Nivedita Mookerji New Delhi: News is not allowed on private FM radio stations, but there’s no such bar on satellite radio. So, while only All India Radio (AIR) stations are legally permitted to beam news in the FM band, Indian companies joining WorldSpace (the only satellite radio platform available in India) can broadcast news freely. WorldSpace radio`s India beam (AsiaStar) is received all over the country. The reason for permitting news on satellite radio: WorldSpace channels are not uplinked from India, and therefore don’t fall under any Indian guidelines. Taking advantage of the free-regime for satellite platform, Sahara is planning to start a news channel on WorldSpace by the end of this year. It will be the first private Indian player giving news on radio. A WorldSpace official confirmed that a channel on this satellite platform can beam live news from India through a leased line, without any time delay. However, WorldSpace channels on AsiaStar are uplinked from Singapore. With its uplinking happening from outside India, there are no government guidelines for satellite radio. News will be one of the four channels that Sahara is planning, according to group CEO (media and entertainment) Sushanto Roy. The other three will focus on Hindi entertainment, rural development and internal communication, and music for Mumbai Railways. Interestingly, even as AIR has been in talks with the Railways for offering its channel through WorldSpace on Rajdhani and Shatabdi, with no results, Sahara has already got an in-principle nod to offer its satellite radio service to Mumbai Western and Mumbai Central Railways. Extending this service to trains such as Rajdhani and Shatabdi would be the next logical step, Mr Roy pointed out. Also, the company doesn’t rule out entering terrestrial radio when government begins second phase of FM privatisation. As for radio on FM band, recommendations are being firmed up by a high-level committee headed by Ficci secretary general Amit Mitra. The committee is not looking at satellite radio, as a panel member told eFE. The government has asked the expert committee on FM radio to submit its report by September 30. Among other things, the panel is looking at the option of allowing news and foreign direct investment (FDI) in private FM. Currently, only up to 20 per cent foreign institutional investment (FII) is allowed in a private FM radio venture. Once the report is submitted to the information and broadcasting ministry, it will be sent to the Union Cabinet for approval (From : financialexpress.com) (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 3231.86, RRI-Bukittinggi Sep 13 1400-1535 34333-34343 Indonesian, Music. ID at 1511 and 1528. 3266.42, RRI-Gorontalo Sep 16 1056-1106 33333-34333 Indonesian, Music. 1100 IS and ID. Local news. 3344.85, RRI-Ternate Sep 13 1322-1355 34433 Indonesian, Music. ID at 1329 and 1335. 3976, RRI-Pontianak Sep 13 1258-1320 43443 Indonesian, Talk and news. ID at 1259 and 1315. 4606.42, RRI-Serui Sep 14 1338-1400* 34333 Indonesian, Music. ID at 1357 and 1359. 1400 s/off. 4753.35, RRI-Makassar Sep 10 1056-1118 33443 Indonesian, Music. 1059 ID and IS. 2000 ID. Local news. 4790, RRI-Fak Fak Sep 11 1156-1206 33333 Indonesian, Music. ID at 1158. 1200 Jakarta news relay. 4869.98, RRI-Wamena Sep 12 1229-1240 33443 Indonesian, ID at 1230. Music. 4870.93, RRI-Sorong Sep 11 1058-1106 34343 Indonesian, ID at 1059. 1100 Local news. 4919.96, RRI-Biak (Presumed) Sep 16 0909-0942 1019-1042 34343-33343 Indonesian, Music. 1028 with IS. 1030 Local news? (Kouji Hashimoto, Yamanashi, JAPAN, Japan Premium via DXLD) Jakarta ID heard on new 4920 at 2000 (Chris Hambly, Victoria, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Presumably via Biak as above (gh, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. Don't know if you heard but Loral Space Communications lost Telstar 4 this Friday morning at about 9 AM [1300 UT?]. It was primary for ABC TV and backup for CBS TV. This satellite was to be sold off as part of a bankruptcy sale (Lou KF4EON Johnson, Sept 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRELAND. For at least the past 24 hours the main RTE 2FM mediumwave transmitter has been off-channel --- approximately 611.78 kHz, causing a severe heterodyne here on 612 kHz. I emailed RTE earlier today about it, but have not had a reply yet. I believe this is quite an old transmitter and RTE have reportedly been considering switching it off to save money, maybe this will happen sooner rather than later. 73s (Dave Kenny, UK, Sept 19, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** LAOS [non]. Re the brief appearance of Hmong Lao Radio on 15555 via Taiwan --- hardly surprising that did not last, as HCJB Australia took over that frequency during same time period 0100+ (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBERIA. See USA --- WJIE/WJCR ** LIBYA [non]. LIBYA/FRANCE: New schedule for LJB service in Arabic to Iraq: 1202-1302 NF 11890 LSB*, ex 17600 USB \\ 11660 USB 1800-1900 NF 7425 LSB#, ex 7245 USB \\ 11660 USB * co-ch VOA in Spanish till 1230 and R.Japan NHK in Hindi from 1230, both in AM # Sep. 14 on 11890 LSB co-ch Radio Taiwan International also in Arabic but in AM (Observer, Bulgaria, Sept 19 via DXLD) ** MEXICO. 4810, X E R T A, La Voz Comercial de México, 1050-1110, per Charles Bolland tip, "X E R T A, La Voz Comercial de México de onda corta en la banda internacional de 60 metros... X E R T A [music] Radio...? ...onda corta de 60 metros en el corazón de México" [over music]. (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, Florida, R-75, on the ground long wire antenna, Sept 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4810, XERTA, Thanks Bolland Cumbre DX tip. Heard at 1245 with music. There was a very strong open carrier yesterday at 1300 that had me stumped, now I know what it was, same transmitter buzzing on both days (Hans Johnson, Cody WY, Sep 16-17, Cumbre DX via DXLD) 4810, XERTA (presumed), per other loggings, heard the big carrier this morning but didn't know it was them at the time. Was going to record but decided against it. Couldn't detect any audio (Dave Valko, PA, 18 Sept., Cumbre DX via DXLD) 4810, XERTA, Radio Transcontinental de América. Hoy 17 de septiembre del 2003, se ha sintonizado a las 2130 UT con un SINPO de 55555, por la colonia Florida de la ciudad de México, con música e identificación. A las 2138 la ID " XERTA... transmitiendo desde la Plaza de San Juan 5...", dan su dirección completa y de su página "Web" en: http://www.xertaradio.com Hasta en el radio menos sensible se capta con excelente señal y usando solamente la antena telescópica, mucho mejor que las demás emisoras de la Ciudad de México. Saludos (Héctor García Bojorge, DF, Sept 17, Conexión Digital via DXLD) Amigos diexistas: sugieron busquen en 4810 kHz a XERTA "Radio Transcontinental de América". Transmitiendo desde la Ciudad de México con un nuevo transmisor y antena, del los cuales aún no sabemos sus características. Al parecer el anterior director-gerente: Roberto Nájera ha vendido la emisora a un grupo con perspectivas religiosas. Inició sus pruebas el pasado 16 de septiembre y lo que hemos podido corroborar localmente, es que, definitivamente la calidad es muy superior a lo que se escuchó de esta emisora hasta hace unos dos años. 73's (Desde México, Julián Santiago, DF, Noticias DX via DXLD) 4810, XERTA, Mexico City: been sitting on a strong carrier, no audio from 1000 to 1250. 6045, XEXQ R Unversidad, San Luis Potosí, 1203-1250 with YL, then into extended program of classical music, fading (Robert Wilkner, Pompano Beach, Florida, Sept 19, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** MEXICO. ANIVERSARIO DEL INICIO DE TRANSMISIONES DE LA XEW jueves 18 de septiembre, 12:07 PM Un día como hoy de 1930, la XEW inició sus transmisiones. Pero antes de relatar este hecho, es importante destacar algunos datos históricos sobre la historia de la radio en nuestro país. Durante la primera mitad del siglo pasado, en México, el interés por la radio, comenzó a despertar, surgiendo así como un reflejo de lo que ocurría en otros países, especialmente en Estados Unidos. El ingeniero Constantino de Tárnava, reconocido como el iniciador de la radio en México, en 1919 instaló en la ciudad de Monterrey, Nuevo León, la primera estación experimental en nuestro país. Lo que podría considerarse como el primer programa radiofónico, se transmitió en la ciudad de México el 27 de septiembre de 1921. El aparato emisor fue instalado en el desaparecido Teatro Ideal. La hazaña fue lograda por el técnico Enrique Gómez. Posteriormente, el 18 de septiembre de 1930, la XEW inició sus transmisiones con la frase "La voz de la América Latina desde México". Este suceso marcó una nueva etapa el la industria por su programación, alcance y potencia. Esta estación la fundó don Emilio Azcárraga Vidaurreta y fue instalada por el ingeniero José Ruiz de la Herrán Ipao, convirtiéndose en toda una tradición dentro de la radio del país. Programas radiofónicos fueron y vinieron, así como estaciones; sin embargo, hoy en día contamos con distintas opciones para todo tipo de gustos y preferencias (via Héctor García Bojorge, DF, Sept 18, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** MEXICO [non]. Radio Cascades Sept 13 03 15045 http://jill.jazzkeyboard.com/radio/cascades.mp3 (Jilly Dybka, KF4ZEO Sangean 909, G5RV, Kingston Springs TN, Cumbre DX via DXLD) 3-minute clip in Spanish. A shorter one is on Mundo Radial for September; see top (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO [non]. Re : R Free Cascadia Int not included in CRW ? In his latest DXLD Glenn Hauser has been raising the following questions : = Other media news sources which have ignored R. Free = Cascadia International: BBC Monitoring, Media Network, Free = Radio Network, and perhaps most incredibly of all: Clandestine = Radio Watch. On a number of other lists, I was the only one = posting an item about it, no follow-ups. Are people just not = paying attention, or are some hidden political agendas at work? = (gh, DXLD) At first I'd like to say that CRW should never be 'the judge' if a station is a clandestine radio station or not. Every editor and DXer should have his own opinion. We at CRW know how much DXLD does for the DXers, you can see it every issue of CRW, how useful it is for us. But in the case of R Free Cascadia Int we simply had a different opinion about the status of the station. We see it as a political pirate, not as a clandestine. I will explain that in 3 points : Point 1 : Before we started CRW in 1998 I was very interested in pirate radio broadcasting. In 1994 I started to edit an pirate radio address list 'Piraten.WdB' http://www.schoechi.de/pwdb.html For this list I collected a lot of information about current pirate radio stations (on SW and MW, esp. from Europe and the Americas. When I saw the report about 'R Free Cascadia Int' I knew, I know this name from the pirate radio scene .. and this is what my address list shows : Cascadia Free R on SW from America North from the USA operation planned in 97 Source : FRN-Web http://www.frn.net Address : Box 703 Eugene, OR 97440 USA This means I saw plans for this one in 97 but I never saw a report that this was active. So this station was a pirate for me, not a clandestine. Somewhere in the current news about it there have been reports about this one active as a pirate on FM, that 'helped' my decision not to report about it. Point 2 : Even from the content I do not think this is a clandestine. In Germany we have a category of stations called 'Veranstaltungsrundfunk' ('Radio for a special event'). That's what it is in my opinion. A pirate radio OP has been setting up a station for a political event. Point 3 : In early November 2002 we had the large G8 (?)-meeting in Genoa/Genova-Italy. At that time there was a 'Amisnet News Agency' that did a broadcast via IRRS in support to anti-globalization- protesters. Nobody called that program a clandestine. I think, RFCI is the same category as they were. A final remark once more (we mentioned this several times before) : Of course the editors of CRW have their own political opinions. (And they are contrary - but we see that fact as an advantage). But CRW itself has no political aims, we simply follow the motto (taken from the RFE/RL newsletters) "Freedom of information is ... the touchstone of all the freedoms." (UN Freedom of Information Conference, 1948). If either Nick Grace or I write articles with political opinions these are clearly labelled as a personal opinion, not as the opinion of CRW. The next issue of DXLD will also contain a joined official statement of CRW and RNMN reg. RFCI. This statement, written by N. Grace, will deal more with the content and the background of the station (Martin Schoech-D Sep 18, 2003 for CRW) Viz.: Clandestine Radio Watch and Radio Netherlands Media Network flatly reject the assertion that we ignored Radio Free Cascadia International (RFCI) and withheld information from our readers for reasons based on ignorance and/or "hidden political agendas." A balanced and objective analysis of the station, its programs and objectives clearly shows that RFCI was not a clandestine broadcasting station, as it claimed, but an interesting political pirate, which is beyond the scope of our reportage. The station occasionally criticized the Mexican government, yes, but its broadcasts did not officially represent an opposition political party. It broadcast speeches made by Zapatista leaders but it did not broadcast on behalf of and for the Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional - an indigenous Mexican separatist movement. The station's own Web site states clearly that its organizers' objectives were to oppose capitalism and globalization, as well as to challenge the World Trade Organization (WTO) by supporting the protesters that descended upon Cancun to disrupt ongoing WTO meetings. Interestingly, the Web site even describes their role as one where "We modulate the air as freely as we breathe it, as a challenge to those who would claim ownership and control of the natural elements, peoples, plants and creatures of the Earth." If the definition of clandestine radio is, as Chris Greenway described BBCM's official definition in DXLD 0-119 on Oct 6, 2000, stations "which do not specify their location, which specify an imprecise location... or which falsely claim to emanate from a particular location," then it can be argued that RFCI, allegedly originating from an organic farm somewhere in Mexico, is clandestine. But that's like renting a "blue film" and expecting it to be shot entirely with blue filters while ignoring all the action. BBCM, itself, regularly deviated from their own definition by categorizing the various Kurdish and 1990's Afghan anti-Taliban opposition stations as "clandestine" when, in fact, these stations operated overtly with salaried employees from fixed locations in Northern Iraq and Northern Afghanistan. Such a simplistic classification does not accommodate the fundamental nature of clandestine radio: politics and power. A clandestine station serves to support the strategic interests and tactical operations of an opposition party, secessionist movement, foreign government and/or (foreign and domestic) intelligence service by undermining the popular support and credibility of a target government, region or specific political group through psychological war and covert and overt propaganda. RFCI, therefore, did not pass our "litmus test" and, hence, was not covered in the reports of either organization. There are other venues with broader mandates for such news, including DXLD (Nick Grace, Martin Schoech for CRW and Andy Sennitt for RNMN, Sept 18 via DXLD) ** MEXICO. FARMERS TAKE 'WAR OF IDEAS' TO CANCUN John Vidal | Cancun 12 September 2003 12:45 http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=20409 Up to 10 000 of the poorest Mexican farmers and trade unionists marched on the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) opening meeting this week, demanding that small farmers be protected from international big business and that trade rules should not determine issues of food and health. Police used tear gas to repel flag-burning demonstrators from a security fence at kilometre zero, where more than 1 000 heavily armed police and army were waiting with riot shields behind 2m-high fences. American flags were set alight and hurled at the riot police along with other missiles. One man was seriously injured and 20m of the barrier was broken down by a mixture of militants and protesters. "We come peacefully. This is a war of ideas, and not weapons,'' said Juan, a Mexican peasant. The march, led by Mexicans from the Yucatan peninsula near Cancun, and joined by groups from more than 30 countries, "would have been 10 times the size if local people had been able to afford to come'', said a spokesman for Via Campesino, an umbrella body representing millions of farmers worldwide. Protesters were buoyed by messages of support from the clandestine but influential Zapatista group, which runs one-third of neighbouring Chiapas state. Messages from three of their leaders were broadcast on a pirate radio station set up for the conference. Sub comandante Marcos, one of the Zapatista leaders, said that he hoped that the WTO's "train of globalisation'' would be derailed in Cancun. "This is a world war of the powerful who want to turn the planet into a private club. We are the immense majority. The globalisation of those above us is a global machine that feeds off blood.'' Sub comandantes Marcos, Esther and David urged people to reject the development models being offered by the WTO, to disobey governments, and make protest as global as financial capital. The three speeches were considered significant because the Zapatistas lead the international protests against the "neo-liberal" policies of rich countries, and have considerable political and intellectual stature around the world. "They have not spoken for four years to an international audience. It will play very well with the grassroots, the students and intellectuals,'' said commentator Luis Navarro. - © Guardian Newspapers 2003 (via Jill Dybka, MSIS, DXLD) ** MOROCCO. Radio Télévision Marocaine (RTM) seems to have made big changes regarding [MW] networks, locations, frequencies and powers. See their webpage: http://www.rtm.ma/radio/frequences (Bengt Ericson, ARC MV-Eko Information Desk 15 Sept via Olle Alm, DXLD) ** MYANMAR. 4725, Home Service, no sign of this one for quite some time, checking during the 1200 and 1300 hours. 6570, Defense Forces Station no sign of them when checking many times at their *1330 (Hans Johnson, WY, Sep, Cumbre DX Sept 18 via DXLD) ** NAMIBIA. NBC is on shortwave using their daytime frequencies 24 hours a day- 6175 and 6060. The station had been off for a few months but recently obtained new tubes for the transmitters. They have been breaking in these tubes for the last month. NBC plans to also start using their night frequencies as soon as they receive an official go- ahead from the African language service of NBC. These frequencies will be 3270 and 3290, which will be used from 6 PM to 7 AM local (Namibia is UTC +1 or +2 depending on the time of year.) About 2/3's of the country is covered by FM. Farmers remain the big audience for shortwave even though they don't really respond when NBC ask for feedback as to who is listening to the shortwave service. All this per NBC (Hans Johnson, Cumbre DX Sep 20 via DXLD) Made a few logs this afternoon using the Javaradio in Australia: NAMIBIA, 6060, NBC (Presumed), 1920 Sept 19. American smooth jazz and R&B music. 1937 taking phone calls, speaking in English, happening spots for a Friday night. Request for a 50 Cent song (Hans Johnson, WY, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND [non]. R. Netherlands previews, from Sunday Sept 21: Aural Tapestry --- DAVID SWATLING weaves the threads of art, culture and history and in the process, casts a spell to create his Aural Tapestry! "Douglas Lilburn - Man Alone" Douglas Lilburn was one of New Zealand's most 20th century distinguished composers. In the months following his death in June 2001, producers Roger Smith and Gareth Watkins interviewed a number of his close family, friends and colleagues in an attempt to gain a more personal understanding of this shy and complex man through the eyes of those who knew him. Broadcast times (UTC): Sun 11.00 (Pacific/Asia/Far East/Europe/Eastern USA), 15.30 (Asia/West Coast USA), 19.00 (Africa), 21.30 (Europe), Mon 00.30 (North America); Thu 10.00 (Pacific/Asia/Far East), 11.30 (Europe/East Coast USA), 12.30 (USA WRN), 13.30 (Europe WRN),15.00 (Asia/West Coast USA), 18.00 & 19.30 (Africa), 21.00 (Europe), Fri 00.00 (North America), 04.00 (USA WRN) & 05.00 (North America) (RN weekly previews via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. In light of events reported in last issue, KCSC has been awfully slow to remove the following from its website --- http://www.kcscfm.com/garrison_keillor.asp and linked from its opening page: GARRISON KEILLOR BRINGS ``A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION: THE RHUBARB TOUR`` TO OKLAHOMA CITY`S ZOO AMPHITHEATER Hosted by KCSC/KBCW Classical Radio Garrison Keillor will present a live performance of his signature monologue, ``The News From Lake Wobegon,`` the heart of his weekly radio broadcast show, at 8 p.m., Aug. 30 at the Oklahoma Zoo Amphitheater. Presented at select cities across the country, the Oklahoma City presentation of ``A Prairie Home Companion: The Rhubarb Tour`` is hosted by 90.1 KCSC classical radio station. Each special performance on the tour will be presented solely for each live audience and will have all the elements of Keillor`s broadcast show which listeners can hear on KCSC at 5 p.m. each Saturday and at noon each Sunday. This rare opportunity will give Oklahoma audiences a chance to view Keillor`s variety-show format which features comedy sketches, an acting ensemble, and the Guy`s All Star Shoe Band. ``I am thrilled to have Garrison stop by Oklahoma City again, his third stop in many years,`` KCSC Station Manager Brad Ferguson said. A master storyteller, Keillor weaves tales throughout his monologue about the Chatterbox Café, Ralph`s Pretty Good Grocery, the Sidetrack Tap, the Lake Wobegon Whippets, and all the people who live, love, work and play in the mythical town of Lake Wobegon, Minnesota. The August tour will feature the same actors listeners hear each weekend including Sue Scott, Tim Russell and Fred Newman. More than 4 million listeners on over 550 public-radio stations in the United States hear ``A Prairie Home Companion each week. Keillor is into his 29th season of writing, producing and hosting the popular weekly show. Tickets go on sale June 16 and can be purchased through Homeland grocery stores, tickets.com or by calling 1-800-955-5566. (via Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. 7571.01, 2013-2117 Sept 17, Radio Pakistan, Islamabad, with relay of internal service? "Night programme", Urdu male announcer, listeners phoning in, Ad mentioning BBC, Radio Pakistan, tel. 0900 11112, some music; typical "Typewriter" music, TS and ID at 2100 (TS is 8 seconds late), SINPO 43543 up to 54544 (Günter Lorenz, Freising, Germany, Drake R8B, EKD300, EKD500 Grahn GS3-SE+ML-1-S, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** PAKISTAN. 7145, R. Pakistan (presumed) Sep 13 1250-1330* 23332 Urdu? Female talk and local music. On Sep 13 signed off at 1330 with Pakistan's National anthen. ID(?) heard " ... R. Pakistan ... " by OM. But it is not scheduled for this frequency at R. Pakistan's Web site. (TOKUSA Hiroshi, Kanagawa, JAPAN, Japan Premium via DXLD) Some recent news from Pakistan states ``A Kashmiri service previously was being radiated from Pindi 10 kW transmitter from 1230 to 1330 GMT has been shifted to API-2 on 7145 kHz.`` [source??] This would seem to be what TOKUSA via Iwata Japan Premium heard. The Balti news 1350-1400 and Sheena News 1420-1428 is also reported to be using 7145 via the same Islamabad 100kW transmitter. 73s (Noel R. Green [Blackpool, UK], Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** PAKISTAN. Frequency change for Radio Pakistan in Dari: 1515-1545 NF 5865v, ex 5860 to avoid RL in Kyrghyz \\ 7375.0 (Observer, Bulgaria, Sept 19 via DXLD) ** PALAU. See USA --- WJIE/WJCR ** PERU? 4965, Radio San Miguel. Cusco, 1019-1035 Sept 10 [sic - means Sept 19]. Noted Huaynos music until 1021. At that time a man comments in Spanish briefly. This followed with promos, TC and ID. Again at 1028 a woman and man recite something that sounds religious. Signal was good at initial tune in, but fade to fair by 1035. It was noted that this station is not listed in the 2003 PWBR on this frequency. Hopefully, it will be in 2004? (Bolland, Chuck, Clewiston Florida, DX LISTENING DIGEST) This raises a lot of questions. There is no Peruvian or Bolivian on 4965 in PWBR 2003, so we must refer to more comprehensive listings. It`s probably too late to get this in the 2004. WRTH 2003 does have on 4964.71v a Radio San Miguel in Cusco, which strangely enough is on exactly the same frequency to two decimal places as R. La Merced in La Merced! Shortwave Guide 2003 on 4965 shows instead R. Santa Mónica in Cusco at 0900-0300. Mark Mohrmann`s LA-DX current log has three different Radio San Miguels in Peru, on 5500, 6536 and 6895. And: Radio San Miguel in Bolivia has been jumping around lately, on 4734, 4905 and 4930. In the LA-DX archive of inactive stations is this: 4964.71 PERU * R San Miguel, Cuzco [*0948-0100*](.7-.97) Feb 99 (d)see(th)9929.4 So it`s been off the air for three sesquiyears and was also heard on second harmonic. The question is whether this station has been reactivated, or whether the R. San Miguel in Bolivia has jumped to yet another frequency. Did Chuck get a definite ID not only for R. San Miguel but the one in Cusco? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, I did not hear a definite ID for 4965 this morning. However, I hit 4902 earlier, and Radio San Miguel was there from Bolivia. And that was seconds before I tuned to 4965. At this moment I am listening to the tape. I'll let you know if I hear something (Chuck Bolland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Please cancel my logging of Peru, San Miguel on 4965 for Sept 19, 2003. Needs more work. Thanks (Chuck Bolland, FL, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Maybe R Santa Mónica? 73, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** PHILIPPINES. FEBC FREQUENCY CHANGES Effective September 7, FEBC changes were: NEW 9855 2300-2345 (replacing 9860) NEW 12060 2300-0100 (replacing 11590) NEW 15035 0900-1530 (replacing 15095) NEW 15175 0900-1100 (EDXP World Broadcast Magazine http://edxp.org used by permission via DXLD) 15035! Canadian military won`t like that; inaudible here the morning of Sept 18, but then conditions were still sub-normal, with only a trace of India 15050 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** POLAND [non]. R. Maryja, 7380, Sept 12 2135-2200* tune-in to Polish religious programming; IDs. Sign-off with English announcements and schedule, but pulled plug mid-way thru the sked announcement. This frequency covered by V. of Biafra [q.v.] on Sats (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) via RUSSIA ** RUSSIA. La Voz de Rusia parece que piensa incursionar en el mundo de la publicidad. ¿Tan dura está la situación financiera de la emisora? Según un anuncio al aire, se ofrece el número de un fax y la dirección electrónica de la emisora, para que los dueños de bienes y servicios puedan aprovechar el gran alcance de la estación. No mencionan para nada las posibles tarifas (Adán González, Venezuela, Sept 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOMALIA. This evening, Sep 17th, I listened at 1730 on 7335v kHz and found a station which I think (hope!) is Radio Galkayo, the Puntland Somali radio! Unfortunately the reception wasn't too good with splash from BBC, but I could record some talk and two songs that I knew the titles of. A tentative report has been sent to Sam Voron and the station, so hopefully they can confirm if it was --- or if it wasn't --- their station I heard. If not: What was it then? The strength improved until BBC time signal started at 17.58.30 and when BBC started with an interval song it was wiped out. Maybe it also closed half a minute before the hour??? Thrilling thoughts for me anyway! 73 from (Björn Fransson on the island of Gotland, Sweden, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Later: Hi all, Today I am even more excited! I got a very nice and rapid e- mail from Sam Voron and I want you all to share my happiness and joy. Please try to listen tonight, and if you hear his message, please tell me! Best wishes from Björn Fransson on the island of Gotland, Sweden Copy: Hello Bjorn, CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE RECEIVED RADIO GALKAYO. QSL-QSL-QSL. All your details in the letter below are correct! In fact I was the DJ from 1730 to 1759 UT. I will be reading your letter on air today and will also sing the national anthem near the beginning because I know you have poor reception near our sign off. There is no postal service here so will keep in touch via the shortwave broadcast to you. You will see a new Somalia amateur radio access point with lots of info about what I am doing here on http://www.radiogalkayo.com Great to meet a fellow radio lover! Regards, Sam Voron (via Björn Fransson, Sept 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi HCDX-ers, Reception of Radio Galkayo yesterday night was very bad. I got a new letter from Sam Voron (copied), so I hope you all try to listen again tonight around 1730-1800 on 7335 kHz. Good luck! 73 from Björn Fransson on the island of Gotland, Sweden "Hello Bjorn, I am from Sydney, Australia. All my details are on the Somalia call sign list under 6O0A on http://www.radiogalkayo.com I will be in Galkayo, North Somalia till 26 Sept and then I will drop power from the current 800 Watts down to 100 Watts while I will be away from Galkayo for all of October when I will run a one month amateur radio training school in Kismayo, South Somalia before returning to Galkayo on 1 Nov 2003 when I will raise radio Galkayo power back to 800 Watts AM. I read your letter last night on air and tonight I will read your new letter below on the air at 1730 UT. Yours is our first report from Sweden that I can recall. Yes, let the Somali community know what is happening, I believe there are thousands of Somalis in Sweden" (via Björn Fransson, Sept 19, hard-core-dx via DXLD) Radio Galkayo (Presumed) heard on drifting new 7335-7333, alternate female and male chat at around 1725. Audible at scanty S3 peaks, legible a bit if I engage 545-DSP; otherwise signals in general not usable. Monitor location Hurghada, Egypt (Mahmud Fathi, Sep. 17, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Radio Galkayo (presumed) locked carrier on 7334 and few audible peaks, 1719 folk song by male voice, 1728 female chat and what sound like Qur`an narration at 1730 Sept 18 (Mahmud Fathi, Hurghada, Egypt, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Radio Galkayo heard on 7335, no drifting today, almost sure identification now as they air narration of Holy Qur`an 1728-1731 the way they read it in Puntland. Signals are generally very poor, S3~4 at peaks (Fathi Sep. 19, ibid.) One page from the R. Galkayo site referenced above: WHY SO MANY ONLINE RADIO STATIONS IN SOMALI? by Syed, Ahmed Gashan. Email: ajgashan@hotmail.com It is all very tragic once you think of it really. Millions of patrons frustrated with the manner in which the BBC Somali service along with its illegitimate-online sister news magazine IRIN-East Africa (Integrated Regional Information Networks) have been working in tandem in endorsing the Arta-conceived ersatz Transitional National Government of Somalia as a legitimate authority, marginalizing newsworthy issues that interest their clientele, and bombarding their listeners and readers with ludicrous, disingenuous fabrications with regards to the conduct of the Transitional National Government of Somali, as they put it, that has been striving relentlessly towards restoring the Somali statehood to the international community whilst reinstating concord, serenity and stability back into the Somali community, when evidence, thus the activities of those in higher posts point the opposite. The object here is to notify patrons of this old institution and those who must be made privy to the judgement employed by those in charge of daily decision-making process of such preposterous, dishonourable acts that listeners and readers alike will not suffer in silence, rather will employ whatever instrument at their disposal to strike fat cat bosses who remain oblivious to their grievances even though the end result is bound to be catastrophic. . . http://www.radiogalkayo.com/repeating/Why_so.php (via Glenn Hauser, DXLD) Also has audio files page, none audible ** SUDAN [non]. U.K.(non): Good reception in Bulgaria for new Sudan Radio Service in several langsuages*: 1600-1700 Mon-Fri on 17630 (54554) over AWR in Marathi/English 1700-1800 Mon-Fri on 17660 (55555) *English/Arabic/Sudanese Arabic/Shona/Nuer/Dinka (Observer, Bulgaria, Sept 19 via DXLD) ** SWITZERLAND. swissinfo/Swiss Radio International is looking at losing all its government funding by 2006. It would then be left to t
