DX LISTENING DIGEST JUNE 2003 ARCHIVE HOME presents...
DX LISTENING DIGEST JUNE 2003 ARCHIVE
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-116, June 29, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3f.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 1188: RFPI: Mon 0030, 0630, 1230, Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0730, 1330 7445, 15039 WBCQ: Mon 0445 7415 WWCR: Wed 1030 9475 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1188.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1188.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1188h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1188h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1188.html WORLD OF RADIO ON WINB [not]: Once again this week, WINB failed to air WOR at the new scheduled time of 0030 UT Sun June 29 on 12160, tho it did manage to broadcast DX Partyline before it and AWR Wavescan after it, unlike last week. You might wonder, why do I put up with this? 1) There are still lots of other opportunities to hear WOR on other stations; 2) I would not if I had incurred additional trouble or expense in shipping them tapes; but WINB is supposed to download WOR from our website. More under ECUADOR non and USA WORLD OF RADIO ON WJIE: Similar thinking applies to the even less reliable WJIE. However, June 29 at 1630, barely audible on 13595 with CODAR, not audible on 7490, STILL WOR 1179 from April 23, so this is becoming quite pointless. ** AUSTRALIA. 3222 Harmonic. Radio 2, Sydney. 2 x 1611. Southern Cross Network new 0500, ID 0505, 22/6 (Seager-L) 4860 Harmonic. 3 x 1620, Aussie extended band station with Arabic music, fair 22/6 (Craig Seager, Limekilns NSW DXpedition site, July Australian DX News via DXLD) Doubt these would propagate much beyond NSW, but you never know; could cause consternation vis-à-vis fundamental tropical band stations (gh, DXLD) ** AUSTRIA. Estimados amigos: La historia del fin del español por ORF Radio Austria Internacional parece que no termina, en realidad recién empieza... porque un anuncio inesperado nos ha cambiado totalmente el gris panorama que veníamos observando. En la emisión de ayer, 28 de junio, Manuel Aletrino comenzó diciendo "Nos vamos a despedir, en estos sábados de Radio Austria Internacional, de ustedes, gracias por su sintonía durante tantos años, para mí incluso tantas décadas... Y una despedida de nuestros amigos en Barcelona de Francisco Rubio y sus compañeros de la Asociación DX de aquella linda ciudad catalana en que va a ser repaso a exactamente 20 años de cooperación con esta emisora... Habrá un nuevo programa aquí en Radio Austria Internacional también en español por los menos así se nos ha indicado ligeramente pero les invito a que mañana nos escuchen en el Buzón, el Buzón de la Despedida, que será presentado por Jaime Carbonell y este servidor (Manuel Aletrino) en que hablaremos también de un posible futuro de programas en lengua española de Radio Austria Internacional habrá algún retorno al éter lo que, aunque sea pequeño, va a gustar a nuestros oyentes". Antes de cerrar la emisión del día Manuel Aletrino terminó diciendo "Mañana, estimados oyentes, estaremos en el aire con el Buzón de la Despedida, Jaime Carbonell y este servidor Manuel Aletrino, y les vamos a anunciar una pequeña noticia que, a lo mejor, será un poco de alivio. Solamente quiero decirles que nos sigan fieles, no dejen de controlar dentro de algún tiempo, estas mismas frecuencias. El español en Radio Austria Internacional no desaparecerá del todo, algo es algo". Próximamente seguiremos tratando este tema. Un cordial saludo de... (Rubén Guillermo Margenet, Rosario A R G E N T I N A, June 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. More on trans-Atlantic FM and TV DX: see PROPAGATION below ** CANADA. Shelagh's Back! On Tuesday, July 1st, Sounds Like Canada on CBC will be preempted by a special Canada Day Show. Shelagh Rogers will be hosting from Pier 21 in Halifax, and then later in the day, from Ottawa. As part of the show former citizenship judge and retired CBC host, Don Tremaine, will conduct a ceremony so Canadians who are listening can reaffirm their Canadian citizenship. This should be available via RCI as well on 9515, 13655 and 17800 kHz. Shelagh Rogers after taking a break since January for medical reasons is returning for this Special Canada Day show at 10 AM Eastern on CBC. Here is a link to the Globe and Mail article about her: http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20030628/RVHAMP28/Entertainment/Idx HOW SHELAGH GOT HER GROOVE BACK --- The veteran broadcaster used a very public break from her radio career to rediscover her private self. That introspective voice will join her when she returns to the airwaves next week, SARAH HAMPSON writes By SARAH HAMPSON Saturday, June 28, 2003 - Page R3 I should begin this profile of CBC Radio's Shelagh Rogers, who returns to the national airwaves on Canada Day with two live broadcasts after a six-month medical leave, with this quote: "I've learned a lot through all these twists and turns," the 47-year-old broadcaster says. "I'm like a punching clown. I'm always going to come back up." . . . (via Art Preis, Ottawa, Canada, June 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Same?: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20030628/RVHAMP28/TPEntertainment/Columnists (via Ricky Leong, DXLD) ** CHILE. 6009.98, Radio Parinacota, Putre. June 2003 - 2325 UT. The frequency is now quite clean, (the Colombian is off air), so it is possible sometimes to hear Parinacota quite well but never strong. Was "fooled" when they had a program with Peruvian music. Sometimes QRM from Radio Mil on 6010.02 kHz. Sometimes relaying Radio Coöperativa with news. Irregularly (?) also HCJB is heard with Dutch [RN/Canada?? -gh]. Listen to a recording from this occasion at: http://homepage.sverige.net/~a-0901/ (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin June 29, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6010.02, Radio Parinacota, Putre, 0850-0916, June 29. Spanish. Latin music non stop. TC: "Ya es la hora cinco, dos minutos"; after ID as: "Estas escuchando... Radio Parinacota"; strong signal s/0900 UT and low at 0915. 34322 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, BCL News via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. I noted in the HCDX mailing list that a Finnish DXer logged RD Nacional de Colombia on 4955, but here in Quito only the Huanta-Peru station is heard. 6009.77 Alcaraván Radio, Puerto Lleras (Colombia) off air. June 16: Reactivated station in Colombia! 4975.03, Ondas del Orteguaza, Florencia. June 16 2003 - 1105 UT. I stopped at the frequency during a religious program and normally I should have continued thinking it was Radio del Pacífico. When Pacífico recently is on 4974.77 kHz, heard at the same time but weak, I waited for an ID. I have not heard the station for several years. Listen to a recording from this occasion: http://homepage.sverige.net/~a-0901/ 73 from BM in Quito! (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin June 29, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO DR. 7435.007, 19.6 1830, Troligen Lumumbashi, Zaire med nyheter och politik på franska. 2 SA (Stig Adolfsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin via DXLD) ** CUBA [non]. As of 0000 GMT 29 June: no trace of Radio Martí, but interestingly, a fair level but very definite Cuban jammer of the bubble-type variety, alone on the channel save for occasional (presumed) Radio Guamá. Radio Martí was loud-and-clear though most of the Florida Keys (some co-channel Rebelde) three weeks ago, so I am certain this is in addition to. EC-130E again? The MW channel they used possibly only once was 530 (hard to believe anyone could have heard it what with Visión Cristiana from the Turks & Caicos so powerful). Wasn't 1020 the channel Radio Martí appeared on briefly years ago, speculation being either a portable unit or the other (then Caribbean Christian Radio) Turks & Caicos MW transmitter? I forget the details there, though thought one of our "spook" contacts claimed the former (Terry L Krueger Clearwater, Florida, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Probably buying time on a commercial transmitter somewhere in the Caribe. My salary, etc., mostly came from Martí. IBB transmitters are funded proportionally according to which service uses the transmitters. Delano and Greenville are about 60% Marti. Marathon-1180 uses four in-line towers aimed at Cuba, and the pattern is really directional. That's why it's more than usually hard to pick up elsewhere. Actually runs 50 kW, not 100 kW. Alternate two Continental 317Cs. Ex Marti Kid, (Charlie Taylor, Greenville, NC, IRCA via DXLD) ** CZECH REPUBLIC [and non]. WRMI News - July, 2003 We are sorry to announce that due to a sudden and severe budget cut at Radio Prague, the station's transmissions via the Czech Republic have been reduced and all relays via WRMI have been discontinued as of July 1, 2003. For the past few years, WRMI has relayed Radio Prague's daily programs in English, Spanish and Czech to the Americas. We wish the station well. This is only the latest in a series of major cutbacks at shortwave stations worldwide. The Radio Prague relays on weekdays will be replaced on WRMI by an expanded schedule from Christian Media Network, which as of July 1 will run weekdays from 1200 to 2300 UT on 15725; and 2300-0400 and 0415-0900 on 7385 kHz; all beamed to North America. Among other things, the expansion of CMN will allow the second hour of its daily flagship program "The Apocalypse Chronicles" to be heard on 7385 kHz from 0200-0300 UT (Jeff White, Noticias DX via DXLD) Whoopee!! L'avenir des émissions internationales de Radio Prague : Les changements dans l'environnement médiatique font que les idées changent depuis quelques années. A un extrême, on parle de la suppression des ondes courtes et de leur remplacement par des émissions nationales ou par des projets spéciaux (en Suisse, aux Pays- Bas, en Autriche). A l'autre extrême, conservation des émissions OC comme moyen d'information unique vers l'étranger (Chine, Russie, certains pays de l'Europe de l'est ou de l'ouest). Radio Prague serait plutôt pour la combinaison de ces deux extrêmes. La Direction veut poursuivre la diffusion en ondes courtes dont l'audience est satisfaisante (15000 lettres par an contre 12000 il y a 4 ans). On peut penser à une réduction de ces émissions mais pas à leur remplacement (par le web par exemple). Les émissions OC n'ont certes pas un grand développpement devant elles, avant la numérisation. Le public des émissons en OC n'est pas le même que celui de l'Internet et la suppression des ondes décamétriques entrainerait la perte d'auditeurs en Europe et en Amérique du Nord. Radio Prague pense qu'il est nécessaire de renforcer de manière sélective l'émetteur de Litomysl et surtout d'utiliser des relais à l'étranger (ce qui se fait déjà avec la Slovaquie et aux Etats-Unis à Miami [pas encore --- ggh]). Certains sont planifiés en Amérique Latine et en Russie. En Russie, Radio Prague émet déjà depuis Saint- Petersbourg via WRN et à partir de cet été, à Moscou. Les émissions sont rediffusées depuis des stations en Croatie, Roumanie, Australie, Etats-Unis, Mexique, Espagne et Russie. La coopération avec Radio France Internationale devrait débuter cet automne. Radio Prague est également sur le satellite. Bien que représenant la plus petite part de l'audience, ces émissions seront développées. Grâce à WRN, Radio Prague touche un nouveau public. La station participe au projet de Radio E, une station internationale qui devrait diffuser en anglais, français et allemand. Une contribution pour "Accents d'Europe", l'émission de RFI, est régulièrement préparée. Sur le territoire national, Radio Prague est aussi présente en ondes moyennes. L'avenir de Radio Prague sera encore discuté au sein de la station, de la radio tchèque et au Parlement, car il ne faut pas oublier que la station est financée par le budget de l'état (Radio Prague - 24 juin 2003) (les informations sont issues de http://perso.wanadoo.fr/jm.aubier via DXLD) ** DEUTSCHES REICH. [Mediumwave transmitter on WHEELS 1932-1945, Deutsche Reichspost] "Rundfunksender auf Raedern. Die fahrbaren Rundfunksendeanlagen der Deutschen Reichspost in den Jahren 1932 bis 1945", (2003). Author: Bernd-Andreas Moeller, Weststrasse 125, D-09116 Chemnitz, Germany. Fax: ++49 371 36 11 95. Published by Verlag Dr. Ruediger Walz, Alte Poststrasse 12, D-65510 Idstein, Germany. Phone: ++49 61 26 99 26 26. Fax: Phone: ++49 61 26 99 26 28. Email: ruediger.walz@t... [truncated] Price: 25.00 EUR plus postage and packing. About 26 radio stations on wheels used by Nazi Germany [like Soldatensender Radio Belgrade]. By the way, "When the Koenigsbergradio came to the farm" A story about Sender L (Lappland) is published in a new radio history chapter under http://www.northernstar.no/konigs.htm (from radioanoraks.uk (They don't seem to be in English language though, so be careful before you buy!) (Sven Martinsen, Norwoay, BrDXC June 28 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** ECUADOR. Bandscan SW 68: I start this bandscan with some various notes: 3289.92, Radio Centro, Ambato heard very weakly due to transmitter problems. 4781.32, Radio Oriental, Tena, has been off air for a while (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin June 29, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also PERU for 1610+ ** ECUADOR. According to the German DX-broadcast on June 21, the [HCJB] German department hope to continue the transmissions from Quito to Europe for at least another year from Sept 28 2003 (the official final date for German language to Europe). The plan is to send 1 hour a day at 0700 CET [0500 summer, 0600 UT winter]. The cost for this is estimated to $15.000 - 20.000 annually. The German listeners are urged to sponsor the transmission costs (Christer Brunström, Sweden, SW Bulletin June 29, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) That reminds me, last Saturday until 2015 I ran across this DX program on 17795, excellent reception here in Europe[non]; not paying attention to the frequency at first, I assumed I was listening to a DW relay. Double checking the info, since I did not log it at the time, at WWDXC`s DX program list http://www.wwdxc.de/swl.pdf dated April 29 I find instead: Sat 2100 HCJB Quito##, G – 15545 17795 21455usb EUR ## Will be ceased from June 1st, 2003 But that must have missed the one-hour time shift a month earlier, for in the WWDXC schedule of all German broadcasts, Stand: 1. Juni 2003, http://www.wwdxc.de/hfd.pdf we find: 2000-2030 HCJB Quito 15545, 17795, 21455 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR [non]. This week, DX Partyline aired almost intact on WINB, UT Sun June 29 on 12160 at 0001-0030. Unfortunately, the program must be close to a full 30 minutes, as it was cut off before the closing announcements finished. During the show, Allen Graham announced that from July 6, DXPL would also be carried on WWCR, UT Sun 0200 on 5070 (that is, the semihour once occupied by VOA Communications World) --- and two more airings would be added at times TBA. He also said that last week on WINB, DXPL aired an hour later than scheduled. As we already reported, this was not the case, as we monitored continuously until 0131, and WOR started at 0106. Some non-DX religious show started promptly at 0130, so we quickly tuned out. Possibly DXPL was on some time after that, or at 0200? But this week after 0200, WINB was in Russian (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ERITREA. 7100, 20.6 1750, Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea, program 1, fantastic signal. S 4 and nice music. BEFF 7175, 20.6 1755, Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea also here, but with program 2. To me both broadcasts sounded almost the same but apparently not //. S 4. BEFF (Björn Fransson, Sweden, SW Bulletin June 29, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. But not included in T-systems Juelich list. 15670 1700-1759 38,39,48 304 145 degr 1346=Su/Tu/We/Fr JUL 100 kW SBO R Freedom, Vo the Ogadeni People, Huriyo (R Xoriyo), in Somali. 1630-1700 Tu/Fr EaAF 15670 JUL V o Democratic Eritrea, EaAF 1700-1730 Mon/Thu Tigre 15670 JUL 1730-1800 Mon/Thu Ar 15670 JUL SBO - Oromo Liberation, (Sagalee Bilisumma Oromoo) 1700-1730 Tu/We/Fr/Su Oromo 15670 JUL 1700-1800 Tu/We/Fr/Su Amhar 15670 JUL [x9930, x15335]. (BC-DX June 28 via DXLD) see also IRAN; DEUTSCHES REICH ** HUNGARY. 11710, R. Liberty via Jaszberény. Russian program from 0400 22/6, including IDs 0407. New relay, strong 22/6 (Seager-L) 11885, R. Liberty, Jaszberény. New relay, strong in Russian 0529, 22/6 (Craig Seager, Limekilns NSW DXpedition site, July Australian DX News via DXLD) Die erste westliche Nutzung ungarischer Sender waren Sendungen von Radio France Internationale vom August 1991 bis November 1993 fuer Nordafrika (Dr. Hansjoerg Biener, Germany, BC-DX June 25 via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 4869.96. RRI Wamena. 0957 15/6, Indonesian music. 1000 ID as "Programa Satu, Radio Republik Indonesia Wamena". Good (Nobuo Takeno, Yamagata, Japan (NRD-535D with 10 meters wire, July Australia DX News via DXLD) Up-tempo music, 1123 19/6, sung in local dialect, Indonesian announcements (Phil Ireland, Limekilns NSW DXpediton site, July Australian DX News via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 9743.6, RRI Sorong. Presume the one here 0740 16/6 with ballad followed by announcement in Indonesian. Poor signal with some modulation issues. Blocked at 0759 by HCJB (Paul Ormandy, NZ, July Australian DX News via DXLD) Usual muddy signal 0548 22/6 with EZL pops, Indonesian announcements. Good to hear them this early (Craig Seager, Limekilns NSW DXpedition site, July Australian DX News via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL. RADIOAFICIONADOS FAMOSOS --- Estos son algunos de los radioaficionados famosos que ha habido y que hay en el Mundo. 7L2NJY Dr. Mamora Mohri - astronauta Japones 9K2CS Principe Yousef Al-Sabah 9N1MM Padre Marshall Moran - misionero (silent key) A41AA Qaboos Bin Said Al-Said, Sultan de Oman CN8MH rey Hassan de Marruecos, SK EA0JC Juan Carlos I, Rey de España F0OMB FO5GJ Marlon Brando tambien conocido como Martin Brandeux - actor G3TZH Tony Dolby, hermano de 'the' Dolby G5RV Louis Varney - inventor de la antena G5RV, (silent key) GB1MIR Helen Sharman, Astronauta HS1A Bhumiphol Adulayadej - rey de Tailandia I0FCG Francesco Cossiga - Ex presidente de Italia JA3FA Tokuzo Inoue - presidente y fundador de Icom JA5FHB Ministro de transporte y comunicaciones del Japón JY1 Rey Hussein de Jordania (silent key) JY1NH Principe Abdullah ahora Rey de Jordania JY2 Reina Nur de Jordania K1JT Dr Joseph Taylor Jr, Premio Nobel de Fisica 1993 K1OKI Mickey Schulhof - presidente de Sony USA K2HEP John Scully - presidente de Apple computer K5FLU Martin F. Jue - presidente y fundador de MFJ K7TA Clifford Stoll - autor y científico K7UGA Barry Goldwater - senador de los Estados Unidos [SK!] KB6LQR Jeana Yeager, piloto del Voyager en 1986 KB6LQS Dick Rutan, piloto del Voyager en 1986 KC5OZX Nancy Currie - astronauta de la NASA KC7NHZ Kathy Sullivan - comandante de la 2a expedición de la estación espacial internacional [another entry below] KD4WUJ Patty Loveless - cantante Country KD5GSL William Shepard - comandante de la 1ª expedicion de la estación espacial internacional KD5OPQ Frank Culbertson - comandante de la 3ª expedicion de la estación espacial internacional KD6OY Garry Shandling - comediante y actor KN4UB Larry Junstrom, músico de rock LU1SM Carlos Saul Menem - Ex presidente de Argentina N4RH Ralph Haller - jefe de relaciones publicas de la FCC N5YYV Kathy Sullivan - cientifica de NOAA (antes astronauta) N6FUP Stu Cooks - jugador de baseball N6KGB Stewart Granger (born James Stewart) actor (silent key) NK7U Joe Rudi - jugador de baseball NN1SS estación espacial internacional ON1AFD Conde Dirk Frimouth - astronauta belga RW3FU Yuri Usachev - cosmonauta en la estación espacial internacional SP3RN Padre Maximiliano Kolbe, silent key S21A Saif D Shahid, Head of Bangladeshi PTT SU1VN/P Principe Talal de Arabia Saudita U2MIR/UV3AM Musa Manarov, Cosmonauta UA1LO Yuri Gagarin - cosmonauta VK2BL Graham Connelly, anunciador de radio VK2DIK Dick Smith - empresario y multimillonario VK2IG Dave Grey - comisionado adjunto VK2KB Sir Allan Fairhall, Político VR6TC Tom Christian, bisnieto de Fletcher Christian VU2RG Rajiv Gandhi, Primer Ministro de la India (silent key) VU2SON Sonia Gandhi, esposa de VU2RG W0ORE Tony England, Astronauta W3ACE Armin Meyer, US embajador en Japón W4RA Larry E. Price - presidente de IARU W5JBP Jim Haynie - presidente de la ARRL W5LFL Owen Garriot - astronauta W6EZV General Curtis LeMay (silent key) W6FZZ Samuel F B Morse III W6QYI Cardenal de Los Angeles Roger Mahoney W6ZH Herbert Hoover Jr. - nieto del ex presidente Hoover de los USA W8JK John Kraus - astrónomo WA4CZD Chet Atkins, Guitarrista WA4SIR Ron Parise - astronauta WA7WYV Andy Griffith - actor WB6RER Andy Devine, actor (silent key) WD4SKT Donnie Osmond - actor y comediante YN1AS General Anastasio Somoza Debayle Presidente República de Nicaragua (silent key) (Manrique EA1FRK via Info-CRAM, Boletín informativo de jun 23, ampliado por Horacio Nigro, jun 27, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** IRAN/GERMANY. 9545, a channel used by Deutsche Welle's German service since the Fifties!, suffers terrible co-channel interference by IRIB Kamalabad station in Bosnian and Albanian, 500 kW in 298 degrees. (wb, June 27) === !===! 9545 1730-1830 28S KAM 500 298 degr 0 146 BOSNIAN 9545 1830-1930 28SE KAM 500 298 degr 0 146 ALBANIAN 73 de (Wolfgang Bueschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ. IRAQ'S MEDIA FREE-FOR-ALL By Tarik Kafala BBC News Online, 27 June, 2003 Full article and picture: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3023752.stm (via Sergei Sosedkin, IL, June 28, DXLD) Same? as in 3-114 but we didn`t have the URL for pix (gh, DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. Towards Freedom still on the air --- Tarek Zeidan in Cairo has been monitoring this UK produced programme. He reports: "On the Eutelsat W1 10 deg East on the freq. 11106 GHz I am watching Towards Freedom, 13.55 UTC the news , showing the return of some of the British soldiers with hugs and kisses all over...though the kids were waving the Scottish flag in their hands! The Iraqi Philharmonic Orchestra is back on track again. The programme ended at 1400 UTC. There was a note at the end of the programme stating that Towards Freedom is edited in London and broadcast to the Iraqi people from the coalition media." (Media Network blog June 29 via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. The North Koreans must love me!!! I got yet another QSL last week and a goodie bag and a couple of days ago a letter from the head of their American bureau telling me where I can order tapes (I had said I liked their choirs) and that he wanted to learn more about me and my friends...hah! Oh well I bet if I were in the US I'd be under investigation. later, 73s, (Sue Hickey, Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland, Canada, June 29, GRDXC via DXLD) 9334.92, V. of Korea 1403-1428 6/29. News in French to 1417 ID "Ici La Voix de La Corée" and into commentary. Parallel to 11709.82 (good) and 15245.05 (poor). The 25 meter freq had drifted down to 11709.72 by 1427, while 9334.92 had not varied and 15245 seemed to have disappeared (John Wilkins, CO, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** LAOS [non]. UZBEKISTAN 17540 on Wed, Fri only, Hmong Lao Radio [ULM organization] 0100-0200 UT (x12070 in B-02) via Tashkent-UZB. Address: 302 University Avenue, West, St. Paul, MN 55103, USA. Reply from P. O. Box 6426, St. Paul, MN 55106, USA. v/s Shoua Cha, Chairman. (wb, BC-DX June 19) I checked 17540 this morning (Fri 27 Jun) from QTH Madras/Chennai in India, where I'm also on holiday, quite a long distance from the intended target area. There were test tones from around 0050 and program at 0100-0200 with some SE-Asian sounding music, but reception was poor due to a combination of rather weak signal, local electrical noise in my hotel room and splatter from very strong China on 17550 kHz. Also I think the audio / modulation on 17540 was rather shallow. I would have to rate it as SINPO 22331 overall as really the audio was not intelligible, and at most times it was even difficult to tell if the program was speech or music. Generally best propagation on 17 MHz at that time was from the east (e.g. powerhouses BBC-Singapore 17790, RA-Darwin 17775 and CNR 17550, with VOA-PHL rather weaker on 17740 and 17820). (Alan Davies-INS, at present in Madras-IND, BC-DX June 27 via DXLD) Hmong Lao Radio (Laos) 12070, verified a follow up report with a no data (very plain without masthead) letter from v/s Shoua Cha, Chairman indicating transmissions into Laos are twice a week at 0800-0900 Lao time every Wednesday and Friday. Report sent to 302 University Avenue, West, St. Paul, MN 55103 address unearthed by Wendel Craighead although reply from P. O. Box 6426, St. Paul, MN 55106 (Rich D`Angelo, PA, July ADXN via DXLD) ** LATVIA. According to info from the transmitter operator, Laserradio UK is going to return to the old 5935 kHz (ex 9520) for transmissions during the summer. A suitable winter frequency is going to be coördinated at the coming HFCC conference (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, DXplorer June 25 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** LIBERIA. RADIO VERITAS - LIBERIA, 0720 UT EN 5470. After being off the air for several days is back again with religious talks and gospel music in English. ID at 0725 (César Pérez Dioses, Chimbote, Perú, June 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MADAGASCAR. 3287.665, 23.6 1835, RTV Malagasy, Antananarivo // with 5009.887. Nice music and French. Thunderstorm-QRM. 2 resp 4. SA (Stig Adolfsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin June 29, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALI. Small window from Mali towards EUR around 0800-0830 UT, usual 9635.00 EVEN started after 0800 UT in VERNAC, but was wandering down 50 Hertz every 10 minutes, to 9634.900 at 0830 UT, very thiny 11960 \\ on even 11960.00 as usual (Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany, June 28, BC-DX via DXLD) Mali on 9 MHz is a regular here from 0800, and can usually be distinguished off frequency. But I am still struggling to find 11960! Either it is beamed inland or the power is lower than 9 maybe? (Noel R. Green, UK, BC-DX June 28 via DXLD) ** MEXICO. From the SWBC realm --- XEXQ, Radio Universidad de San Luis Potosí, has reactivated their 49-meter frequency of 6045 kHz. Heard here in the mornings around 1200-1300 UT with Classical music format, occasional Spanish announcement. Fair/poor in general, and have not ID'ed it yet, but has been reported by others. QSL'ed here in 1989 (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Drake R-8, 100-foot RW, June 29, Corazón DX via DXLD) Another version: 6045 R. Universidad, San Luis Potosí (tentative) 1250-1305 6/29. Possibly the one here with classical music, YL announcer in Spanish at 1258. No ID's yet, but would seem to be the one heard here daily around the same time with same format. Generally poor, with an occasional fair peak (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Drake R-8, 100-foot RW, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** MYANMAR. I've had no luck finding Myanmar on 4725 over the past few weeks, listening in various locations in Thailand, Laos and India, so I assume it's silent on this frequency. 5040v still seems to be active but usually gives poor reception because of the AIR stn on 5040 (Alan Davies, Indonesia, at present in Madras-IND, DXplorer June 28via BC-DX via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. John Figliozzi at Radio Netherlands --- We had the pleasure of a visit from a friend and loyal Radio Netherlands listener John Figliozzi today. John will be writing a feature article about Radio Netherlands for Monitoring Times magazine. I've got to know John well over the past few years, and since so much nonsense has been written and said about Radio Netherlands by outsiders in the past few weeks, it will be great to have a decent and properly researched feature about us for a change. John understands international broadcasting and knows what questions to ask. I think he was happy with the answers! The awards keep on coming --- Jonathan Marks this week said he had spent 23 years working with "the best colleagues in the business" at Radio Netherlands, something that was borne out 24 hours later with the news that Radio Netherlands has been awarded five medals and three finalist certificates at this year's New York Radio Festivals - the annual event honouring the world's best radio programmes. The English department won three medals and three finalist certificates, and the Latin American department was awarded two medals. They were up against more than a thousand entries from about 40 countries. The awards ceremony took place on 26 June 2003. It will be interesting to see if the Dutch media --- and some international media-related Web sites --- choose to give this achievement as much coverage as they gave to the leaked and now discredited McKinsey findings about Radio Netherlands. Probably not, because when people are doing their jobs well and being recognised for it, it gets boring...there's no story in it. We understand that. We're journalists :-) (Media Network blog June 27 via DXLD) ** PERU. 4955.00, Radio Cultural Amauta, Huanta. I noted in the HCDX mailing list that a Finnish DXer logged RD Nacional de Colombia on this frequency but here in Quito only the Huanta-station is heard. 5470.21, Radio San Nicolás, Rodriguez de Mendoza, off air. 6042.59, Radio Melodía, Arequipa, safely anchored on this split. The following items from some of the "SWB América Latina" earlier received by e-mail. All of the stations mentioned below can still be heard. June 23: New Peruvian radio station on 5176.51 kHz! 5176.51, Radio La Amistad, possible QTH - Tayabamba, la provincia de Pataz, el departamento de La Libertad. June 23 2003 - 1120 UT. Started Monday morning June 23 at about 06 local time in Quito and clearly stated it was a new station. IDs: "Radio La Amistad, la nueva radio al servício..." and "Radio La Amistad está transmitiendo desde la población de Tayabamba, capital provincial de (Pataz??)". Said they transmit on FM and SW. The only geographic name I clearly hear is "La província de Bolívar" and an uncertain "Tayabamba". Both places are located in dpto "La Libertad". The fact that the station was heard well a whole hour after local sunrise here in Quito indicates a northern QTH, for instance "La Libertad". Very hard to hear the QTH 100% as the male DJ uses a mike of inferior quality. Listen to a recording from this occasion: http://homepage.sverige.net/~a-0901/ Info from "Ventanaperú": Provincia de Pataz, cuya capital es Tayabamba. Sus distritos son: Buldibuyo, Chillia, Huancaspata, Huaylillas, Huayo, Ongón, Parcoy, Pataz, Pías, Santiago de Challa, Taurija, Tayabamba, Urpay; con una población total de 63,688 hab. 1610.10, Ecos del Portete, Girón (Ecuador). June 16 2003 - 0200 1610.10, "Radio Sabor", unknown QTH (probably Perú). June 16 - 0200 Of course it is fantastic, almost incredible - 2 Andean stations on the same split, on the X-band where no Andean stations normally broadcast and at evenings nonstop Andean music. When our member Hasse Mattisson/HM said that he heard a unID Andean station on 1610.10 kHz we both supposed it was Ecos del Portete. Everything matched. I contacted Ecos del Portete by telephone and later got an e-mail from Sr. Ángelo, a reporter at the station. HM sent a tape recording but the music is not Ecuadorian and does not match what I hear from Ecos del Portete, a station mostly with Ecuadorian "rocolera" and "cumbia"-music. After careful frequency checking for many hours I finally got a bite! Actually there are 2 stations on the same split. The "newly added" station has music similar to that from HM`s tape recording. Several evenings I have heard them with nonstop music without any sign of talk. Tonight, June 16, the station almost did nothing else than "ID-ed". Unfortunately with lousy signal. ID: "...toda la gente Radio Radio Radio Sabor". No idea of QTH and Ecos del Portete was heard simultaneously also with lousy signal. Portete in AM-mode and "Sabor" in USB with narrow bandwidth. To hear the name of the station is very hard so please send your comments if I heard something wrong. Listen to a recording from this occasion: http://homepage.sverige.net/~a-0901/ where also the recording from 1610.10 Ecos del Portete can be found (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin June 29, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. NO MORE FREE TV IN RUSSIA Privately-owned Russian TV station TVS has been closed down by the government and replaced by a sports channel. Some say it marks the end of independent TV journalism in Russia. . . http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/features/html/russia030627.html (RN Media Network via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. 11975, Kamchatka Rybatskaya via Kamchatka Radio. F/D e-mail verie for Snail Mail f/up in 28 days. V/S A.F. Borodin, Head of Radio Company Kamchatka. Sent via WRTH 2002 address. E-mail was received in Russian - tnx to Walt Salmaniw for translation (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Drake R-8, 100-foot RW. Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** SOMALILAND. 7530.4, 20.6 1740, Radio Hargeisa with quite good signal, but a little off. S 3. BEFF (Björn Fransson, Sweden, SW Bulletin June 29, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SRI LANKA. 4870 SLBC, Ekala. Sinhalese service heard with vocals at 1355 22/6 prior to ad block. Fair strength (John Schache, Limekilns NSW DXpediton site, July Australian DX News via DXLD) 4870.88, unID 1857-2000 20/6.Talk and music like South East Asia. Strong signal w/little QRM from 4869.96 Wamena. Fair (Nobuo Takeno, Yamagata, Japan (NRD-535D with 10meters wire, July Australian DX News via DXLD) SLBC running late? -cs (Craig Seager, ADXN Trail ed. Via DXLD) Oh, yes, SLBC does that when there be a full moon (gh, DXLD) ** TAJIKISTAN. 4995, R. Liberty, Dushanbe. Thanks to Ian Johnson for info on this. Open carrier at 1355 prior to s/on at 1400 23/6 in Kazakh. The odd English phrase was heard during the program. The audio was a bit over-modulated and sounded as if the feed was via landline. Fair at times and a bit better. (John Schache, Limekilns NSW DXpedition site, July Australian DX News via DXLD) Previously an unID ** TIBET [non]. Voice of Tibet schedule is now: 1215-1300 15660-KAZ, 15670-UZB/KAZ, 21545-UZB, 21560-UZB. First program, only two frequencies in use at a time. 1430-1520 17520-UZB or 17540-UZB. 2nd program on single frequency, and Chinese jammer music ... over and over again ... [Noted on 15660 and 21560 kHz, as well as on 17540 on June 28th] (wb, June 28, BCDX via DXLD) ** TOGO [non]. It seems that Radio Togo Libre has gone off air due to lack of funds --- according to an item in DXLD. I have heard RSA relaying RFI until 1300 on 21760, and heard the carrier go off air after time pips on the hour (Noel R. Green, UK, BC-DX June 26 via DXLD) Yes, I missed 21760 outlet on previous days too. Lack of funds, I read the same item. A DXer phoned the station`s manager in Canada, and was asked immediately to donate RTogo Libre station (wb, June 26, ibid.) Radio Togo Libre: Neither 26 nor 27 they were transmitted. What did it happen? (Zacharias Liangas, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well, FWIW, both frequencies are still on the TDP schedule checked June 29: http://www.airtime.be/schedule.html Previous items from Anker Petersen indicated that the broadcasts heard earlier this month were merely limited-duration tests. And I gather that the big election is July 1, not June 1 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. The BBC has now published a new map showing their expanded DAB coverage area once the new transmission network has been installed by the end of 2004. This will extend coverage to 85% of the UK population. To see if your area is going to be able to receive the BBC DAB channels click on this link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/digitalradio/listen/where.shtml A map showing the current coverage area can be seen at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/reception/radio_transmitters/digital_radio.shtml (British DX Club (BDXC-UK), June 24 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** U K. SIXTY YEARS OF UPSETTING POLITICIANS Sunday June 29, 2003, The Observer 1940: Winston Churchill wants to 'establish more effective control' over the BBC. He sends a memo to the Ministry of Information less than a week after taking over as Prime Minister: 'I should be glad to receive some proposals from you for establishing a more effective control over the BBC. Now we have a Government representing the Opposition as well as the Majority, we should have a much freer hand in this respect.' 1956: During the Suez crisis, Prime Minister Anthony Eden tries to take over the BBC's External Services. 1982: Margaret Thatcher rebukes the BBC for its Falklands coverage. Director-General Alasdair Milne is summoned to Westminster by the Tory backbench 1922 Committee for a dressing-down. 1986: Conservative Party chairman Norman Tebbit asks party officials to prepare a report of the alleged political bias of the BBC following his indictment of its coverage of the US air raid on Libya. 'I was not bullying or softening up the BBC but I was asking them to maintain the standards they are required to maintain,' he said. April 1999 John Simpson, the BBC's World Affairs Editor, on assignment in Belgrade, refutes No 10's charges that he is a tool of the Serbs. 'This is my 30th war,' he says. 'There's a depressing pattern: when things go wrong British governments tend to lose their nerve. They get frightened at the thought of people getting independent, objective information, so they start whispering about the abilities of broadcasters.' http://politics.guardian.co.uk/media/story/0,12123,987383,00.html (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) See site for links to many more BBC stories! ** U S A. Dear Allan, I was really surprised and disappointed by what happened on the evening of June 25th at the time of the World of Radio broadcast (2200 UT). This was the first Wednesday in many weeks that you had a transmission going out during the 2100-2200 UT hour on 17495 kHz, and it was coming in fine and clearly here in St. Louis. 7415 kHz was poor and noisy in comparison. So I expected that you would resume the previous practice you engaged in during the past, to broadcast World of Radio simultaneously on both frequencies. But I was shocked, infuriated, and deeply disappointed that instead you shut off the 17495 kHz transmitter instead of letting it run for that next half- hour and carry World of Radio. We were forced to listen to a barely- understandable transmission on 7415 kHz only. I never did quite understand why you stopped transmitting the repeat of your personal-comments show during that 2100-2200 UT hour on 17495 when you didn't have paid programming utilizing the time, since you DID do it before. Maybe you felt that the cost to run the 17495 transmitter for that time to just carry your own words was not worth it. But I, for one, enjoyed hearing that. The time it is originally transmitted and other repeats I knew of had too many conflicts to let me listen regularly, so that Wednesday-afternoon time when I was preparing to listen to World of Radio was always a good time to hear it. When you stopped that and just had no transmissions on 17495, I could understand not bringing that transmitter up just to carry World of Radio for its half-hour. But I cannot understand taking it down just *before* World of Radio starts! If you have paid programming on 17495 kHz up till 2200 UT on Wednesdays, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE leave that transmitter on the air and broadcast World of Radio on that frequency too! Thank you, (Will Martin St. Louis, MO, cc to DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Again this week, WINB 12160 failed to air WOR as scheduled at 0030 UT Sunday on 12160, tho they did get DX Partyline on just before it [see ECUADOR non]. Instead, gospel music played during this half hour, with the sound often fading to virtually inaudible on the still-adequate carrier. Wavescan did come up at 0100, its correct time (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. The AFRTS website http://myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil/radio/shortwave/ indicates new frequencies for both Key West and Puerto Rico: both are currently marked "TBD". (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, DXplorer June 27 via BC-DX via DXLD) To be determined? ** U S A. 5034.22, WWRB, McKaysville. Poor 0611 with religious program, better on 5050 and 5085 so this is possibly a spur? Next night, 5050 and 5085 are both off so maybe their techs are working on a problem? 8 June (Paul Ormandy, New Zealand, July Australian DX News via DXLD) We already had the first part of this, but not the follow-up. Confusion continues to reign regarding Dave Frantz`s stations. WWRB has never been in McCaysville (note spelling), which is in Georgia very near the North Carolina {and TN} border. WWRB is near Manchester, Tennessee, and is the successor to WWFV (and before that WGTG) in McCaysville. AFAIK, according to what Frantz has said, the WWFV facility no longer does any transmitting, but may be used as a receive-only site for his ``Nashville Radio`` aeronautical operation (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. Re 15650 PAB: Who is this? (Hans Johnson-USA) 15650 1500-1515 39,40 102 115 1 0106-261003 JUL 100 PAB 15650 1530-1545 39,40 208 100 1 2206-261003 JUL 100 PAB 15650 1545-1600 39,40 110 100 1 0106-261003 JUL 100 PAB I tuned in today Sunday 29/6 to 15650 at around 1440 but heard no signal past 1450. But on returning at about 1503 I found a transmission in progress. Unfortunately, I had local noise problems which were enough to make audibility of the transmission difficult to follow. The signal was about S3+ in American English and religious in nature. There was an address given in America - a P. O. Box number in a town called Lakeland?? Very tentative. Transmission finished at 1515. Another transmission --- it sounds the same one to my ears --- has started at 1530 on 15650. Signal strength still only 3+ in local noise and very difficult to copy. But it's religious broadcaster. (later): A correction to my last concerning 15650. The broadcast at 1530 was NOT identical to the one at 1500-1515. It was American religious and lasted till 1600, but split into two 15 min segments. I could not understand very much of it, and the announcements / IDs were unclear, but I thought I heard mention of "- - - radio network international - - -" at 1545. Unfortunately, Israel put their carrier on at 1556 with IS and this more or less wiped out the other broadcaster. Sorry I couldn`t do any better. It is established as a Sunday broadcaster anyway (Noel R. Green-UK, BC-DX June 29 via DXLD) 1st program: 15650 scheduled at 1500-1515, and 1530-1600 UT, I tuned in today June 29th (Sun only broadcast) at 1501 UT, so I missed the opening procedure. Bad reception at my location due of dead zone of Juelich site (only 380 km away, too bad for proper 19 mb reception). Bad reception Sinpo 22222, much static noise. Recognized an US (accented gospel huxter) religious preacher broadcaster. Could only trace some word fragments like "Way mark, ... offers Bible Teaching Cassette...". The given P. O. Box 2324, Macon, Georgia 31203, U.S.A.; details revealed the Bible Teaching Radio station, when put that on Yahoo USA searching machine, as follows Waymarks International Ministries - Bible Teaching & Radio. [of Loren and Diana Wilson] Our mailing address is: Waymarks Ministries, P.O.Box 2324, Macon, Georgia 31203, U.S.A. Telephone: ++1 [912] 750-1422 FAX: ++1 [912] 750-1422. e-mail: lorenwilson@waymarks.org URL: http://www.waymarks.org We are presently broadcasting our weekly teaching messages over these radio stations: Radio Africa #2 Shortwave to more than 8 countries in Southern Africa, Thu at 8:45 am. WINB Shortwave to all of North America, 13800 [sic] kHz, Sat at 12:45 pm. CHMR 93.5 FM, to St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada at 12:45 pm Eastern USA time. [what use is that in Nfld?] WBML 900 AM, to Macon, Georgia, Saturdays at 7:45 pm. But the website`s "Last Update: October 24, 2000" !!!! 2nd program: The 1530-1600[1557] UT portion suffered by similar bad reception. Could hear some numbers like "?POB 6008?", and "?phone 73296?", sorry conditions were very bad. But from 1552 to 1557 UT, the signal peaked up to some short skip openings up to S=8, just before KOL Israel interval signal joined co- channel scene at 15.56:40 UT powerhouse S=9 +60 dB, and latter opened program at 1600 UT with Yiddish [similar Middle Age German] language service. Waymarks program cut suddenly by the Juelich personnel at exact 1700 UT, midst in a sentence (Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany, BC-DX June 29 via DXLD) {Answer: 3-117} ** U S A. Senator Hollings may not be a fan of WKTU's "War of the Roses" -- but Senator Chuck Schumer is. Followup to this morning's Inside Radio story about Senator Hollings damning WKTU's morning show bit about cheating mates -- you can hear the audio of a recent call to the show by New York Senator Schumer on the KTU website http://www.ktu.com (Inside Radio via DXLD) ** U S A. WHERE HAVE ALL THE LISTENERS GONE? A PIONEER STATION HAS TO DEAL WITH ITS VANISHING LISTENERS by Steven J. Moffitt, Executive Director, KBVM Portland, Oregon Editor`s Note: Mr. Moffitt wrote this article on my request. He originally sent me news of his successful fund drive, and I asked him to consider doing an article on how things have turned around dramatically at this pioneer Catholic radio station. After several weeks of prodding, he came up with a draft I thought excellent, but he wanted to revise it again. Here is his final version. In it, he relates experiences that will be of great interest to everyone in Catholic radio. In the Spring of 2001, KBVM`s General Manager, with the approval of a majority of the then Board of Directors, initiated a radical change in its programming. The result of those changes and the aftermath are the topic of this article. {I suspect the calls are not explained in this long article; any? Catholic would recognize BVM = Blessed Virgin Mary, Tampa too} How it all began On the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8, 1989, KBVM-FM 88.3 aired its first broadcast --- becoming, arguably, the first Lay- Owned Catholic Radio station to do so. This was the culmination of a dream that began with a committed Rosary cenacle group which began in Portland back in the 1940`s. This group`s original effort, begun in the 1960`s, was simply to get the Rosary aired on local radio so that those at home could participate in the daily recitation of the Rosary. They began by buying time on a local station for their 15 minute Rosary broadcast. Over time, however, the radio business being what it is, they were ``un-welcomed`` by a succession of stations, culminating in deep frustration for the group, and their (for them) radical idea of getting their own radio station. They began work on this new project in the early 1980`s. Through some hard work, many prayers and the good will of many broadcast professionals from the Portland area, they were able to identify an available frequency at 88.3 FM. They filed an application for it in 1983 and were granted a CP in 1986. A miracle, since the Portland Metro has a TV station on Channel 6 and KBVM`s new frequency would interfere with their audio signal. That TV station saw fit not only to not contest KBVM`s application, but to provide much needed assistance to KBVM in applying for its license and in constructing it facilities. To this day, the station broadcasts from the same transmitter site as Channel 6. When KBVM went on the air, there was a very limited amount of programming available to Catholic Radio stations. It wasn`t until the mid to late 90`s that EWTN began providing radio programming via satellite. So, KBVM aired music for most of the day, since in KBVM`s early years music was most readily available to fill their programming hours – this in addition to its mission of airing the rosary, which it did several times a day. Further, KBVM limited their hours of broadcast to at first 10 hours a day and then, later, with the advent of automation and programming from EWTN, they increased it to 24 hours a day. Where have all the listeners gone? KBVM went on the air in a relative vacuum in regards to other Christian radio stations in Portland and certainly as regards Catholic radio nationally. However, by the late 1990`s Christian radio had gained a foothold in the Portland market --- most notably with the arrival of Family radio`s K-LOVE at 88.9 FM --- right next to KBVM on the dial. By 1999, it was apparent to the management and the board of directors, that KBVM`s audience numbers had dropped dramatically – by about half. The assumption they made was that this was attributable to K-Love`s format, which aims for an 18-34 demographic. KBVM`s 18-34 numbers were very low in comparison, but had been much stronger prior to K-Loves arrival. This, along with other factors, one of which was the prospect of continuing budget shortfalls attributed to falling audience numbers, contributed to KBVM`s decision to alter its format in order to increase its audience numbers. The line of reasoning was that to increase the numbers you had to remove ``tune-outs`` --- things that cause people to tune to another (read K-Love) station. (KBVM at that time had Arbitron ratings that showed that at the times the Rosary and Mass aired their audience numbers plummeted.) So, the decision was made to move the Rosary, the Mass, and the other devotions out of the primary listening hours and replace them with short 30- or 60-second messages instead, and to increase the amount of contemporary Christian music aired in each hour. KBVM also at that time modified its mission statement, and modified its image, moving from its ``Positive Difference`` image to ``Family Radio.`` Efforts were also made to position KBVM away from an overtly Catholic and Marian image to one of a more generic Christian image for a number of reasons. (One reason for this image shift was to make KBVM seem more palatable to non- Catholic foundations so that KBVM could apply for grants from them without being rejected. In addition, it was believed that the shift in audience was the result of its large percentage of non-Catholic listeners moving to K-Love because of doctrinal differences with KBVM`s programming. In other words, they now had a Protestant radio station to listen to, so they did.) The manner in which KBVM`s management made these changes may have contributed to the public outcry that ensued. The switch was made right after completing the spring 2001 Sharathon, during which time no mention was made of the impending changes or the reasoning behind them --- a serious error for a station that had spent years building a strong sense of listener ownership in all of its fundraising efforts. The outcry that ensued centered mostly on the station`s seeming embarrassment of its Catholic and Marian identity. This is not to say that KBVM`s listeners weren`t unhappy with the changes in the music format. Many were, probably most. Included in that number were a number of the Board of Directors who lobbied successfully to restore KBVM to its original format and identity as a Catholic Station. It is easy to look back over events such as those faced by KBVM in the smug knowledge that one would never fall prey to such a mistake (if you`ll allow me that term). But, it would be wise to consider that no one involved with KBVM during this time period had anything but the best of intentions. A new direction In April of 2002, KBVM hired a new General Manager and began the difficult process of rebuilding itself. In doing so, they took into consideration a number of factors including public opinion. But more importantly, they wanted KBVM to remain faithful to its Catholic roots and heritage. This raised the question then of just what model does the station use to determine what KBVM`s brand of Catholic radio would be while attempting to remain faithful to its own individual roots. In pondering this question it helped greatly for the station to ponder another question. That is, what is Catholic? If KBVM was to be a Catholic radio station, then how should it go about being Catholic? The answers that they have so far developed and implemented may seem obvious, but keep in mind that KBVM remains unique among most of Catholic radio today, in that it is primarily a music station. That uniqueness came into question for reasons that should be obvious. In its mission statement, KBVM states that evangelization is its primary mission. No one could answer. however, just how does music fulfill that mission if it indeed does at all? It was suggested that KBVM could only accomplish evangelization through Catechetical programming (A matter of some debate in Catholic Radio circles). It was also suggested that, while music had value, it was merely for entertainment, or to give the listener a break between teaching and devotions. Music does provide entertainment, it also provides a break for listeners, but is that all it can be said to accomplish? In pondering these difficult questions, KBVM looked for something with which to use as an example to follow or as a model to use. Eventually, they settled on the Church itself as its model. How does the Church mark her day? With prayer and worship. How does the Church worship? With the word, with music, and with her prayers. This, then, is the model that KBVM chose to follow and everyday seeks to emulate. It is also the cause of their revised self image for themselves as a ministry. Instead of attempting to meet the lowest common denominator among potential listeners by avoiding ``preaching to the choir,`` KBVM sees its role as that of being a ``city on a hill.`` Heavenly Beauty The resulting effect on the station`s image and format are that KBVM now unapologetically announces itself as the Catholic Radio station in Portland. Its music has changed as well. In pondering the effectiveness of music as a tool of evangelization, KBVM`s management noticed that a crucial aspect of music had been overlooked. This aspect is the key to why music is effective as a means of evangelization. Perhaps, in many circumstances, the best tool for evangelization. What they saw was that music, while it is certainly useful as entertainment and can make a welcome break between teaching programs, has a higher function. Music, as the Church has known for centuries, has the ability to bring the hearer into brief contact with transcendent beauty — heavenly beauty. I`m sure that no one would doubt music`s ability to do this; however, what isn`t understood or even thought of is, how does the human heart and mind react to an encounter with the beauty of heaven? What KBVM found, when it began to look, was that music is indeed successful as a tool of evangelization precisely because it brings people into contact with transcendent beauty, and that that encounter attracts them to beauty so strongly that they are forced to make a moral choice for the good. We are in essence drawn to God the author of beauty through beauty itself. Using that as an underlying foundation, KBVM began to look at what the Church had to say about music. The Church herself has proclaimed by long usage and careful preservation, that certain types of music and even certain songs are conducive to worship – to beauty. These include Gregorian Chant, the music of long use in the liturgy, Choral, and so on. This is not to say that contemporary music has no value, but rather that a balance of the ``old`` and the ``new`` forms makes for a better and more effective musical mix than an either or proposition does. Both forms --- the old and the contemporary --- have the ability to bring the hearer into contact with transcendent beauty. So, KBVM adjusted its music mixture to include the greatest of the Church`s long list of beautiful musical pieces. This served to enhance the station`s Catholic image, as well as to broaden its audience reach. In addition, in a time when the Catholic Church is being resoundingly criticized from all corners, KBVM is giving Catholics something they can point to with a sense of pride. KBVM now proclaims itself to be a Catholic Radio station. The result has been a great increase in the number of pledges it received for its last spring sharathon – up over 50%. Audiences vote with their dollars and the vote says that they are greatly pleased with the new KBVM. In the words of one of the original founders, Fr. Duffner of the Rosary Center, ``KBVM has never sounded so Catholic.`` Does it really work? One final note. Does music really work for evangelization? KBVM points to two telling stories (among many) from individuals who have contacted them. Both, say that while committed to taking their own lives, they stumbled upon KBVM`s broadcast and that *the music was so beautiful* that they couldn`t go through with it. Contact with beauty caused them to make a moral choice for good. Does this mean that teaching has no place? No. Rather, both are necessary. Some are not open to hearing the word, others are. Eventually, everyone needs to hear the word. So, KBVM provides both in what it hopes to be the most effective balance. Pleasing to its listeners, and pleasing to God as well. This spring KBVM finished it`s Sharathon by reaching the highest number of dollars raised ($191,000. as of this writing) and the highest number of pledges it has ever seen in 14 years (2111 so far)! Clearly KBVM`s audience is letting their opinions be known in their support of the station (Catholic Radio Update June 30 via DXLD) ** U S A. More on trans-Atlantic FM and TV DX: PROPAGATION ** URUGUAY. 6140.11, Radio Monte Carlo, Montevideo. June 2003 - 1035 UT. I have never before heard this station. I don`t know if that depends on station inactivity or varying conditions. Heard a few days with program format quite similar to CPN in Perú earlier logged on 6141v kHz (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin June 29, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. 4939.67, Radio Amazonas, Puerto Ayacucho, now with far better audio quality, earlier very weak modulation (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin June 29, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VIETNAM. Re: WRTH SW Guide shows 6020 as VOV 4/1/2, whatever that means [? 4 dipoles, 1 row, half wave above ground level, wb] (BC-DX via DXLD) Maybe, but such antenna parameters are not normally shown in this publication: the numbers were positioned as if they were part of the name of the station (gh, DXLD) ** ZAMBIA. 4910, Zambia BC, 1845 June 26, seemingly a radio debate between two men in a local language. Discussion ended at 1856 then with a tribal music interval. At TOH OM with ID ``... broadcasting corporation`` followed by music and flute. At 1900 OM IDing with 'Zambia' then SINPO 32232 talks in local language (Swahili?) (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Not in Zambia ** ZANZIBAR. 6015, 28.6 0350, R. Tanzania, Zanzibar, Dole, Swahili, long interwiew, local music S2-3 GAL (Giampaolo Galassi, Savignano, Italy, SW Bulletin June 29 via DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. 4880, SW Radio Africa, 1756 June 27, with a tribal song,1800 OM giving web address and frequencies, then with a discussion program , ended at 1812, man with ID, web address , a telephone ..4420, 1813 music and man talking on kowanda then a song, 1824 with talks by two OM, 1842 with a political talk followed by OM with ID, address and same, then closing with a music program. Signal best heard at 4875 [34433] though at TOH and 1830 was QRM from ULX with signal S6 at 1800 gradually enhancing to S9+5 at 1830. Strong FSK on 4884 at a steady S9 (Zacharias Liangas. Thessaloniki. Greece http://www.geocities.com/zliangas/kchibo.pdf DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [and non]. Update on SW Radio Africa, heard on 4880, this evening from 1600 UT. Schedules for this transmission do not note this change [ex-6145]. Reception is excellent here in the target area, Zimbabwe. 4880 khz is a long time favorite of mine; it`s from the South African facility of Sentech (formerly the SABC, South Africa). (Great to finally confirm this to you all, but it needed a frequency change to confirm it). To gh: The local media hasn`t confirmed yet on the status of the radio station takeover, etc. It won`t affect the Zimbabwe govt`s action, etc. I will keep you informed. Also: Thanks to VOA for their service heard here Mon-Fri on 17895 (and 909 kHz MW from Botswana) from 1700 to 1800 UT (David Pringle-Wood, Harare, Zimbabwe, June 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 15750: Came across an UNID station around 1800-1900 UT, seemingly in Persian [or similar] language, audio level poor, very thiny signal, and IRN? jamming underneath, sounding like a 'idle motion' fax machine. ? Radio Voice of Mojahed" again on air? (wb, June 27, BC-DX via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2003 MEXICAN NATIONAL DXERS MEETING IN TIZAYUCA, HIDALGO WRMI is a member of the National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters (NASB), to which most of the privately-owned shortwave stations in the U.S. belong, and WRMI General Manager Jeff White has just begun a one- year term as President of the NASB. Jeff will be taking an NASB display to the 2003 Mexican National DXers Meeting in Tizayuca, Hidalgo State (just north of Mexico City) August 1-3. The display will include program schedules and other promotional materials from all 18 NASB member stations. NASB is an associate member of the DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) Coalition, which is promoting the establishment of digital AM and shortwave broadcasts throughout the world, and at the DX Meeting in Tizayuca there will be the first ever demonstration of DRM reception in Mexico. Several shortwave broadcasters from Mexico and abroad -- as far away as China -- are expected to attend the meeting, as well as shortwave listeners and DXers from throughout Mexico and the United States. For more information on the Mexican National DX Meeting, send an e-mail to: info@w... [presumably info@wrmi.net is the non-truncated version?] (Jeff White, WRMI News, via Noticias DX via DXLD) Tizayuca is where the 1630 X-band station is coming; conventioneers should check into that (gh, DXLD) RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ RADIO YOUR WAY Glenn - Have you seen this? It seems to have been out a while, so I probably just overlooked it... Too bad it doesn't include shortwave! It does have a line-in jack, though http://www.radioyourway.com/ (Doni Rosenzweig, June 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Part of ad: Never miss another radio program again! Blow through commercials allowing you to listen to a 3-hour radio show in half the time. Record 4 1/2 hours on its internal 32MB memory. Can be expanded to another 36 hours with SD/MMC card (256 MB). Be sure to check our accessories to purchase additional memory cards. 10 built-in timers to record your favorite radio shows (via DXLD) NEW TOY: TEN-TEC RX-320D I recently purchased a Ten-Tec RX-320D computer-controlled "black box" receiver. This compact unit, described at http://www.tentec.com/TT320.htm runs off a 15 VDC wall-wart and connects to a PC through a serial port control cable. If audio is to be transferred to the PC's sound card, a separate audio cable is connected for that. Alternately, you can connect headphones or a speaker directly to the radio. The supplied software provides a simple-to-use graphical user interface. One cool feature is the spectrum chart, much like the old Heath panadapters or a rudimentary version of spectrum analyzers used in professional test and measurement labs. There were a few things I wanted to do that I couldn't figure out. Apparently a recording function is not integrated into the software. I wanted to record MP3 or WAV files straight from the receiver software without having to open up other software. Another thing I want to do is have the receiver take in an Excel or tab-delimited text file of times and frequencies for unattended "robot" DXing / recording. Maybe DXers, on their own, have developed C/C++ or Visual Basic code that can do exactly what I want. This would be to record desired frequencies at specified times / dates and also put out a data file consisting of signal strength readings. I could use the receiver as a propagation analyzer or spectrum occupancy study aid. Nick Hall- Patch has done this successfully with another receiver. Conceivably, software could be structured to make decisions such as "If you find this, then go look for that, otherwise go to a different test to decide what to do next". Such disciplined scanning would simulate the actions of a real-life DXer at the dials. Who knows what goodies you might find in the morning on your PC in the MP3 and data summary files if you have this capability ? All this said, how did the receiver perform ? On its built-in whip antenna, a lot of PC, TV, and other house-based hash & oddball buzzy carriers were noted. On a real antenna, fortunately, all that went away. Reception was quite similar to the Drake R8A without its preamplifier engaged. Since I was using a Flag antenna with fairly low output, some daytimers receivable on the R8A (such as CHTN-720) were in the noise floor on the RX-320D. With a less efficient antenna such as a Pennant or Flag, an extra 10 dB of low-noise preamplification would be a great thing. Since this radio is touted more for shortwave than medium wave, sensitivity was probably ratcheted down a bit since SW antennas tend to be much more efficient and closer to a resonant length. I did not note any spurs / intermods, not bad since 50 kW WRKO-680 is less than 3 miles / 5 km away. Even 1360 (=680*2), a perennial overload channel here, had clear WLYN instead of the WRKO overload that my car radio gets. With a bigger antenna, or an amplified one, I might not be quite as lucky. The fast AGC setting didn't seem quite fast enough for quick adjustments of loop, phaser, or variable termination resistance derived nulls. There's a bit of lag time on the PC screen "S-meter". The IF filter selections were good and they seemed effective. I would have liked DSP based continuously-variable bandwidth, but what can you expect for $300 ? It will be interesting to set this up during a decent opening and bag some TA's with it. Its need for the laptop and a +15V supply probably means that I won't be using it in the car on mini-DXpeditions to the seashore. Running this arrangement in a dark, cramped, and (often) cold vehicle doesn't seem likely. Use on a house-based DXpedition (e.g. Cappahayden, Grayland, Chamberlain, Miscou Island, or Sheigra) could be worthwhile however. I'm not sure what the airport security people would make of the little black box. Having the radio integrated to the laptop can be a good thing since logging programs, Geoclock, Euro-MWLog and Pacific Log PDF's could all be accessed. John Bryant, Nick Hall-Patch, and the rest of the Grayland crew have certainly proved this. The D model is supposed to be usable to decode DRM broadcasts. For a review of an earlier version see http://www.anarc.org/naswa/issues/1298/equip1298.html Once I get the unattended recording schemes worked out, I'll be having a lot of fun with this radio (Mark Connelly, WA1ION - Billerica, MA, hard-core-dx via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ TA DX FROM IRELAND JUNE 26TH Hi all, there`s a lot of discussion going on of this amazing reception on the night of June 26th. So I thought I should introduce myself as I have not posted to the list in some time, but regularly read the digests. I am located some 30 miles inland from the Atlantic coast of Ireland in the Northern Irish county of Fermanagh. There isn`t much blocking me from the WNW and it was in this direction that my humble 4 element yagi was pointing Thursday night when the unimaginable happened. For years DXers this side of the pond have discussed and dreamed about a Transatlantic opening. I guess the attraction was the notion of openings in which most of the stations heard are in our own language. Plus the distance of course! Over here we contend with everything from the usual Spanish and Italian openings to Arab North Africa and a slew of stuff from Eastern Europe and former Soviet bloc states. Its all good stuff, but for years the holy grail of DXers over here has been an opening that might span the Atlantic. I think most of us have tried AM DX-ing and after hearing a few signals from North America that way --- I think the idea always comes up at some point, wouldn`t this stuff sound great in stereo! Of course this was all dreaming. Until last Thursday night. The first signs of someth1ng happening were the plots on the 6 metre contact loggers online which showed a wide open path across the pond around 1730 UT. Then all the TV carriers and some audio started rolling in. But then around 1810 there were brief blasts of North American speech on 88.5 interspersed amongst the huge European opening which was in full swing. I just didn't believe my ears. A station came up with a reference to New York and then talk about comedy. (I thought it must be AFN Europe) Then there was a French language station on 88.5 for ages --- maybe 20 minutes and very strong which was giving hints at its source being outside Europe but I didn't want to get too excited --- and then while on the phone to David Hamilton in Scotland the YL DJ said "Radio-Canada" and I couldn't believe my ears. Next was light music on 88.5 coming up to 1900 followed by a full ID on the hour from WHCF Bangor, Maine. And that was it --- no more doubts. I was literally in a state of shock. The distance from my QTH to Bangor Maine is 2756 miles. And I am confident that other stations from along the Eastern seaboard were coming in but the open frequencies like 95.9 sounded like soup. With a number of stations bubbling all over each other. Here`s the final log for what made it through: 88.5 1815 CAN CBAF Moncton NB. YL with "Radio Canada" ID, talk about Brazilian music in French 88.5 1815 CAN CBVG Gaspé QC. CBC English, comedy show, mixing with CBAF. Gaspé just North from NB. Later very good at 1959 88.5 1900 USA WHCF Bangor ME. ID on top of hour and news. Fair to good at times. Later strong Gospel music. 88.7 1910 ? N. American Station, country, with Mark Knopfler country song; not RTE or Radio2. Strong but brief. 92.9 1930 CAN CKLE Bathurst NB. ads, frequent IDs very very strong. Still there at 2000 and after. 92.9 2020 CAN CBTR Roddickton NL. CBC fisheries program --- brief burst of signal giving number in "St. Johns area". 95.9 1952 ? Two North American Stations here: One Contemporary Rock, other Country fighting it out. 97.1 2005 CAN CBTB Baie Vert, NL. Fisheries programme, received on 97.05 due to local QRM. David Hamilton also received this. 97.5 2010 CAN? VOCM St. Johns NL. Presumed Rock music station, heard at same time as 97.1 Baie Verte. 99.3 2015 CAN CBV6 la Malbaie QC? three Quebec stations listed but this one close to Northern NB which seemed centre of opening. In French audible on 99.35 battling with local Lyric FM. I have a recording of a country station heard on 95.9 giving a partial ID and have forwarded it to Mike Bugaj in CT to have a listen to and I think there`s some detective work going on as to what the source of it was. I`d like to ask a big favour of members of the WFTDA. Right now for some reason I can`t upload the file to my geocities web page so I wonder if anyone is interested in having a go at solving this one? Please feel free to email me and I will send on the short mp3. I feel the more people get to hear this recording the more chance there is of a positive ID. And as I`m sure you will all know, it's not every day that one gets to hear signals from such distances! So it happened and now everyone over here is hoping for a repeat --- which may or may not come. And I must confess in the days since I have been watching for A2 video a lot and trying to convince myself that Thursday night really did happen. On a personal level I waited 20 years for this opening; I hope that the next one doesn`t take as long. And again- anyone willing to help out with the 95.9 unID, please get in contact- regards for now- (Paul Logan, Lisnaskea, N. Ireland, Location: 54 15 N, 7 27 W in IO64GF; Low VHF Skip and Scanner page http://www.geocities.com/yogi540 WTFDA via DXLD) Here's what I've been able to decipher so far from his file after Mike asked me to. I've used Cool Edit to chop it, slow it, enhance the quality. "It's Finally Friday Shinanagins, Another edition of funny friday" "That`s right if you can name (inaudible) we'll give you a really cool prize" Missy Elliott "Get Your Freak On" in the background. Voice: "From the (oak??) in the McIntyre plaza (inaudible) either GRETCHEN or CATCH IT in the morning (inaudible) someone that knows country (end of clip) 1. This is a North American station 2. By the nature of the promo it was either going into a stopset or coming back from one, which means there were likely ads on either side of it. 3. Where is the McIntyre Plaza? 4. What are country stations on 95.9 in the Maritimes? I can not find any country in the Northeast US, which would have to make me think this was indeed a Canadian Maritime station. I can also not find any good list of formats in the Maritimes (Adam Rivers, MA, ibid.) TA audio and Photos Here! http://fmdx.usclargo.com/unidtadx.htm Maybe YOU can decipher it all for Paul and David (Mike Bugaj, WTFDA via DXLD) There's a McIntyre Plaza in Quincy,MA, and a Mcintire Plaza in Syracuse, NY (Google). (Lenny, ibid.) This sounds like two stations to me. Anyway, I have a couple of comments as to what I hear in it: The end of the clip: "...Most Country, Froggy |end of clip|" It sounds like the slogan is "Froggy _____", which is a common slogan for country stations. It almost sounds like the clip ends right in the middle of the slogan. Also, I don't think they are saying "McIntyre Plaza" as others have thought. There is an unnatural pause after "McIntyre", and the way the announcer stresses the word that follows "McIntyre" doesn't sound consistent with the previous word. To me, it sounds like "....Linda McIntyre, |singular unintelligible word|". (Mike Hawk, NE, ibid.) It vaguely looks like the RTL (German) TV logo --- elongated with three horizontal squares, each containing one of the three letters --- but there's no way to know. You might match up the frequency with all frequencies used by RTL (I don't have a list) and at least eliminate that as a possibility. FWIW, there's a "McIntyre Plaza" of some sort in Thunder Bay, Ontario. (David Austin, Columbia SC, ibid.) Don't get too hung up on the "McIntyre," people...they're clearly saying "Reba McEntire" (listen again for the Reba just before it). (Jeff Kruszka, LA, ibid.) Well, let's see: a Google search comes up with Quincy, MA, Thunder Bay, ON, & Golden, CO ( right! ). Not only haven't I found a country station in the Maritimes, I haven't found one anywhere near the Northeast Coast of North America (Russ Edmunds, PA, ibid.) Right...that was the conclusion I was coming to (Reba McEntire). BTW, I found this link on the web: http://www.froggy101.com/default.asp [Wilkes-Barre and Pittston PA] The site says 101.3 is //95.9. There's a "Doc and Kelley" morning show, which sounds similar to what others have thought they've heard. I know, that's a lot of conclusions to jump to, but might be worth investigating further. :) (Mike Hawk, Omaha, NE, ibid.) I'd considered this, but discarded it as being too far inland, especially as measured along the projected signal path to Ireland. But, in a situation like this, perhaps it's no better to discard things too quickly than to 'decide' on them (Russ Edmunds, ibid.) I agree with Mike about the "McIntyre Plaza". Also at the start of the clip there is something like ".... Friday's in the Northlands its another edition of the funny papers"..... Now as far as David Hamilton's A2 screen shot. This one has me really scratching my head. Maybe I need my eyes checked but to me, in the upper right hand corner there seems to be stylized "3". Like the 3 that both WCAX and WFSB use. To my eyes there is some sort of logo just to the left of that with dark lettering(??) on the top and bottom with what may be a white "C" stuck in between at the start of the logo. Also in the upper left hand corner seems to be the letters "AL". Like I said maybe I'm seeing things but if not then ?????? (Keith McGinnis, Winthrop MA, ibid.) Now that you mention it, that DOES look a lot like the WCAX-3 logo. Call it the power of suggestion, but I definitely see the "3", and WCAX has its call letters horizontal to the left of the "3". (David Austin, Columbia SC, ibid.) Listening again for about the 7th time, I don't hear the "Froggy", however I do now think Mike is right on it not being McIntyre Plaza. I hear "...McIntyre, plus...". I also don't hear the word as "Hamptons" earlier (Russ Edmunds, PA, ibid.) As I sit back and stare at it a little crosseyed, it looks an awful lot to me like a smeary "CTV" logo of the sort commonly seen in the lower right corner of most CTV affiliates...which in turn suggests CKCW-TV Moncton. It does NOT look like anything I've ever seen on WLBZ or WGBH, which would be the US 2s closest to the UK, nor does it look like any of the other Canadian network logos that might be seen on channel 2 (Global's swoosh, CBC/Radio-Canada's exploding pizza). And none of the local affiliates of any of those networks in the Maritimes (with the exception of Global/CTV affiliate "ntv" in Newfoundland) does any sort of local ID in the form of a bug anymore. s (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.) Here's my take on the TA audio. First, it's a "recycler" promo, played in another day part, promoting the morning show. Here's a transcript of what I hear... Promo Announcer: "...Don't have to. Just think of what you've been missing." [edit] Male DJ: "It's finally Friday and that means it's another edition of Froggy free throws." Female DJ: "That's right, if you can make a shot, we'll give you a really cool [unintelligible]... What's that? [edit] Male DJ: "Reba... With the most Reba McIntyre." [edit] Promo Announcer: "Froggy... Catch it in the morning, with the best and most country, Froggy... [end of clip] I would give a strong vote to "Froggy 101 and 95.9". I wonder if somebody out there can monitor WGGI (95.9), Benton, PA or WGGY (101.3), Scranton, PA to see if they are STILL running a recycler promo that matches. If nothing else, this is fun (Girard Westerberg, Court Approved Expert Witness in Audio Surveillance, Lexington, KY, ibid.) Hi all .. now that I have calmed down a bit I can tell you a little about what happened on Thursday 26 June 2003. About 1800 GMT I did notice on the 6 meter cluster that UK stations were working into Canada etc. so I checked A2 and A4 for carriers and for the next hour the carriers got steadily stronger and video was received on ch A2. Paul Logan from Ireland did phone me that he was hearing US stations on 88.5 and I did say a few choice words to him when he told me his recorder wasn't running. So this was it. After the disappointment of my short reception on Monday I started tuning around. I did hear some weak TV audio on 87.75 and some French on 88.3 and 88.5 but nothing strong enough for a recording. After a short while I thought this is not going to happen so I actually tuned to 97.1 to see if there was any tropo. After 5 mins I heard a weak YL, then it got stronger and then I heard the US/Canadian accent and I thought I was dreaming. The recording button was hit with a vengeance. Paul Logan and Tim Bucknall were phoned and were told I was getting Canada on 97.1 .. yes 97.1 .. I think Tim and Paul were in a state of shock. Shock doesn't adequately describe how I was feeling at the time! The first reception was of a court case about a driving accident and the next was the fishing report with John Murphy ... thanks Mark Hattam for the website ... this has turned out to be CBTB-FM in Baie Verte, Newfoundland, Canada with 5 kW but after telephoning the station I was told it is a old transmitter and puts out much less. I also did a small interview for them. I have over 20 recordings to sort out and also possible A2 video pics and screen grabs from A2 and A4 video. So what's next ... South America? Well, after Thursday`s propagation anything is possible as Paul had N America up to 99.3 MHz. Thanks everyone for the help especially Paul Logan and Tim Bucknall Equipment used: Sony ST SB920, 2 x 6 element stack Icom PCR 1000, dsp, 4 element band 1 yagi Plustron TVRC 5D band 1 tv Spectrum Lab software web site http://www.geocities.com/tvdxrools/index.htm (David Hamilton, Scotland, UK, June 29, WTFDA via DXLD) Hi Folks! I asked David Hamilton about potential TA targets for this side of the Atlantic. He graciously (and with much apparent work and research) sent me this list, which I now share with the group. I know you folks in the Maritimes and New England should be able to get results with info like this. Happy hunting! Regards, (Curtis Sadowski, WTFDA via DXLD) YOU CAN TRY THESE IN UK AND FRANCE .. REMEMBER I GOT CBTB WHICH ONLY RUNS 5 KW ... ALL THE BEST LUCK .... IF I CAN DO IT YOU CAN ... REGARDS ... DAVID HAMILTON FRANCE 88.700 F Lille-Bouvigny ''France Musiques'' 400.000 Watt QTH: 02e39/50n25 89.000 F Le Mans-Mayet ''France Culture'' 200.000 Watt QTH: 00e19/47n45 89.400 F Brest-Roc Tredudon ''France Musiques'' 50.000 Watt QTH: 03w53/48n24 89.900 F Rennes/St.Pern ''France Musiques'' 100.000 Watt QTH: 01w57/48n17 90.600 F Nantes/Haute-Goulaine ''France Inter'' 200.000 Watt QTH: 01w26/47n11 92.600 F Le Mans-Mayet ''France Inter'' 270.000 Watt QTH: 00e19/47n45 95.400 F Brest-Roc Tredudon ''France Inter'' 50.000 Watt QTH: 03w53/48n24 95.600 F Caen-Mont Pinson ''France Musiques'' 100.000 Watt QTH: 00w36/48n58 96.000 F Vannes-Moustoir'Ac ''France Culture'' 20.000 Watt QTH: 02w53/47n49 96.400 F Niort-Melle ''France Culture'' 200.000 Watt QTH: 00w03/46n11 97.800 F Brest-Roc Tredudon ''France Culture'' 50.000 Watt QTH: 03w53/48n24 98.300 F Rennes-St.Pern ''France Culture'' 100.000 Watt QTH: 01w57/48n17 98.900 F Nantes/Haute-Goulaine ''France Musiques'' 200.000 Watt QTH: 01w26/47n11 99.600 F Caen-Mont Pinson ''France Inter'' 50.000 Watt QTH: 00w36/48n58 100.100 F Rouen-Grand Couronne ''France Bleu Haute Normandie'' 115.000 Watt QTH: 01e00/49n20 101.000 F Niort-Melle ''France Bleu Poitou'' 50.000 Watt QTH: 00w28/46n20 101.300 F Vannes-Moustoir'Ac ''France Bleu Armorique'' 20.000 Watt QTH: 02w53/47n49 101.800 F Nantes/Haute-Goulaine ''France Bleu Loire Ocean'' 158.000 Watt QTH: 01w26/47n11 102.600 F Caen-Mont Pinson ''France Bleu Basse Normandie'' 100.000 Watt QTH: 00w36/48n58 103.100 F Rennes-St.Pern ''France Bleu Armorique'' 100.000 Watt QTH: 01w57/48n17 103.900 F Saintes-Preguillac ''France Bleu La Rochelle'' 60.000 Watt QTH: 00w37/45n39 105.500 F Nantes/Haute-Goulaine ''France Info'' 200.000 Watt: QTH: 01w26/47n11 105.500 F Niort/Melle ''France Info'' 200.000 Watt QTH: 00w03/46n11 105.500 F Rennes/St.Pern ''France Info'' 100.000 Watt QTH: 01w57/48n17 105.700 F Rouen-Grand Couronne ''France Info'' 100.000 Watt QTH: 01e00/49n20 UK 88.1 G Sandale ''BBC2'' 250.000 Watt QTH: 03w08/54n55 88.7 G Blaenplwyf ''BBC2'' 250.000 Watt QTH: 04w06/52n22 89.9 G Blackhill/Bathgate ''BBC2'' 250.000 Watt QTH: 03w52/55n52 90.9 G Meldrum ''BBC3'' 150.000 Watt QTH: 02w24/57n23 93.1 G Londonderry ''BBC R. Ulster'' 31.000 Watt QTH: 07w22/55n00 93.1 G Meldrum ''BBC R. Scotland'' 150.000 Watt QTH: 02w24/57n23 94.3 G Black Hill/Bathgate ''BBC R. Scotland'' 250.000 Watt QTH: 03w52/55n52 94.5 G Divis ''BBC R. Ulster'' 125.000 Watt QTH: 06w01/54n36 98.1 G Skriaig ''BBC1'' 30.000 Watt QTH: 06w15/57n23 98.7 G Melvaig ''BBC1'' 50.000 Watt QTH: 05w47/57n51 99.7 G Divis ''BBC1'' 250.000 Watt QTH: 06w01/54n36 99.9 G Sandale ''Classic FM'' 250.000 Watt QTH: 03w08/54n45 100.5 G Meldrum ''Classic FM'' 150.000 Watt QTH: 02w24/57n23 101.9 G Divis ''Classic FM'' 250.000 Watt QTH: 06w01/54n36 IRELAND ... THE BEST CHANCE I THINK 88.8 EI Maghera ''RTE Radio 1'' 180.000 Watt QTH: 08w43/52n57 91.0 EI Maghera ''RTE Radio 2 FM'' 160.000 Watt QTH: 08w43/52n57 91.8 EI Mount Leinster ''RTE Radio 2 FM''100.000 Watt QTH: 06w47/52n37 92.3 EI Mullaghanish ''RTE Radio 2 FM'' 160.000 Watt QTH: 09w09/51n59 93.2 EI Maghera ''RTE Radio Na Gaeltachta'' 160.000 Wat QTH: 08w43/52n57 94.4 EI Mullaghanish ''RTE Radio Na Gaeltachta''160.000 Watt QTH: 09w09/51n59 99.6 EI Mullaghanish ''RTE Lyric FM'' 80.000 Watt QTH: 09w09/51n59 101.8 EI Mullaghanish ''Radio Today'' 80.000 Watt QTH: 09w09/51n59 103.7 EI Monagahn ''KISS FM'' 40.000 Watt QTH: 06w58/54n15 105.5 EI Clermont Carn ''Today FM'' 40.000 Watt QTH: 06w19/54n05 SURFIN': WEATHER IN SPACE AND YOUR RADIO http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2003/06/27/100/?nc=1 By Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU Contributing Editor Visit a Web site that tracks the weather in space and learn how that weather can effect radio communication. Since sun activity has such a pronounced effect on radio propagation conditions here on Earth, a visit to Tony Phillips' SpaceWeather.com Web site will be of interest to radio hams. http://www.spaceweather.com/ The site bills itself as a source for "science news and information about the Sun-Earth environment." It provides the current state of solar wind, solar flares, sunspots, coronal holes, interplanetary magnetic field, and geomagnetic storms, all of which effect how well our radios put out and pull in signals. If you visit the SpaceWeather.com archives and enter June 10 or 11, 2003, in the "Select a Date" field, you can view some amazing screen shots that will be of particular interest to ham radio operators. On those days, Phillips posted a dynamic spectrum of a shortwave radio blackout following an X-class solar flare. How many times have you found yourself away from the radio at the wrong time? The SpaceWeather.com Web site offers a service that will alert you by telephone when something important is occurring or about to occur. "Spaceweather PHONE" is the name of this service and ham radio operators use it to learn about solar flares, radio blackouts and space station flybys. You can also sign up for an e-mail subscription to the Space Weather News at this Web site. While exploring the SpaceWeather.com Web site, you will discover a lot of fascinating things, especially if you are interested in outer space. Some are related to radio, some are not, but are very interesting nonetheless. For example, I learned that between now and July 10th, three NASA rockets will launch from Wallops Island, VA, to disperse a chemical called trimethylaluminum (TMA) in the near space over the Atlantic Ocean to study the ionosphere. This will result in beautifully glowing clouds when TMA reacts with air and these clouds will be visible along the US East Coast. I remember viewing similar clouds back when I was a kid and I look forward to seeing them again 40 years later! My thanks go out to reader Mike Heiler, KA0ZLG, for suggesting the SpaceWeather.com Web site. Until next time, keep on surfin'. [Now that you're armed with the numbers, you can click on over to the ARRL Technical Information Service's Propagation Page http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html for details on how to use those numbers to your advantage while operating. There you can find the excellent Ian Poole, G3YWX, article "Understanding Solar Indices." http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/pdf/0209038.pdf The TIS Propagation Page also has technical articles, information for beginners, links and discussion on the finer points of solar weather and its effects on the ionosphere. --Ed.] Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU, resides in downtown Wolcott, Connecticut, and has been a QST writer for over 25 years. Since getting his ticket in 1969, Stan has sampled nearly every entrée in the Amateur Radio menu (including a stint as Connecticut Section Manager), but he keeps coming back to his favorite preoccupations: VHF and packet radio. As a result, he runs a 2-meter APRS digipeater and weather station (WA1LOU-15) from his mountaintop location in central Connecticut. Stan, a long time advocate of using computers with Amateur Radio, wrote programs to dupe contests and calculate antenna bearings way back in 1978. Today, he is on the board of directors of Tucson Amateur Packet Radio (TAPR) and uses his Mac to surf the Internet searching for that perfect ham radio Web page. To contact Stan, send e-mail to wa1lou@arrl.net. Page last modified: 04:14 PM, 27 Jun 2003 ET Page author: awextra@arrl.org Copyright © 2003, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved (via John Norfolk) ### ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-115, June 28, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3f.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 1188: RFPI: Sat 2330, Sun 0530, 1130, 1830, Mon 0030, 0630, 1230, Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0730, 1330 7445, 15039 WINB: Sun 0030 12160 [we hope] WWCR: Sun 0230 5070, Sun 0630 3210, Wed 1030 9475 WBCQ: Mon 0445 7415 WRN: Rest of world Sat 0800, Europe Sun 0430, North America Sun 1400 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1188.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1188.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1188h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1188h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1188.html ** ALASKA. FCC CUTS RADIO Web posted Thursday, June 26, 2003 By HAL SPENCE, [Kenai] Peninsula Clarion A Federal Communications Commission administrative law judge has revoked two FM full-power radio station licenses held by Peninsula Communications Inc., ruling that the stations' operator had willfully disobeyed for more than a year an FCC order to terminate operation of a network of seven translators whose signals were fed by the full- power stations. Those low-power translators ceased operations in August 2002, but the termination order had been issued in May 2001. Under the "initial decision" released June 19, Peninsula Communications Pres-ident David Becker loses the licenses for Homer station KWVV-FM, often called "K- Wave," and Soldotna station KPEN-FM, stations that had fed the network of translators. Their loss represents only part of the punishment meted out by the FCC. Peninsula Communications also faces a $140,000 fine, a separate issue currently in litigation. The judge's decision takes effect 50 days after its release --- Aug. 8 --- if exceptions are not filed within 30 days, or unless the FCC decides to review the case on it own motion. Becker, of Homer, said Wednesday he fully intends to file exceptions. "Obviously, we think the judge reached the wrong conclusions," Becker said. Becker did not forfeit his remaining licenses. Station licenses for KGTL-AM in Homer and KXBA-FM in Nikiski remain in effect, as do licenses covering FM translators K292ED in Kachemak City, K285DU in Homer, and K285EG and K272DG serving Seward. Revocation of KPEN's license could have an impact on the Kenai Peninsula Borough, which contracts with Peninsula Communica-tions to broadcast borough assembly meetings across the peninsula. Borough Clerk Linda Murphy said the borough is talking with KBBI Public Radio in Homer about possibly taking over those broadcasts, if necessary, but KBBI is in the process of hiring a new general manager and has yet to make a decision. Becker said the appeals process could take some time, considering it's already been under consideration and in and out of courts for seven years. Meanwhile KWVV and KPEN are continuing to broadcast, he said, and likely would through the appeal process. According to Administrative Law Judge Richard L. Sippel, Becker willfully continued broadcasting over seven unauthorized translators after being ordered on May 19, 2001, to cease operations. Without justification, PCI committed a clear breach of duty to obey the "unambiguous termination order," Sippel said. Becker defended his action by arguing he had "an absolute right" to continue while the termination order was appealed. That defense was rejected. Becker also argued that tougher regulations regarding translators adopted by the FCC in 1990 were never intended to apply in Alaska. Becker continued broadcasting over the seven translators until Aug. 28, 2002, when, facing an October 2001 injunction issued by the U.S. District Court for Alaska that was affirmed later by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, PCI finally stopped operating the translators. The network of translators had served the communities of Kenai, Soldotna, Anchor Point, Kachemak City, Homer and Kodiak. Some locations were served by more than one translator. Already facing the prospect of paying the $140,000 fine, Becker called the additional punishment of losing the licenses excessive and senseless. "I'm qualified to be a licensee," he said, adding that was made clear when the ruling did not strip him of all his broadcast licenses. "Either I'm qualified or I'm not. If I am, that should be the end of it. I don't think the additional penalties he is trying to apply on top of what already has been assessed is reasonable or fair." Sippel's ruling said Becker actions were motivated by profit. "Through a carefully crafted 'network'' PCI captured revenues that otherwise would have gone to competing full-service licensees operating properly within their assigned service areas," the ruling said. "Through the seven offending translators, PCI placed its own economic interests ahead of the commission's regulatory scheme and the public interest in having honest competition." The issues that eventually led to the decision have a long history. Becker formed PCI in 1978 and began broadcasting in September 1979 over KGTL-FM (now KWVV-FM). The station became Homer's first commercial FM venture. PCI added KPEN-FM in 1984, providing Soldotna with full-service radio. By the 1980s, PCI had built its network of FM translators enabling the broadcast corporation to reach customers in competition with full- power stations operating without supplemental translators. In other words, advertisers would find advantage in buying airtime on the PCI's network, which was able to reach more listeners on the Kenai Peninsula and Kodiak Island than could Anchorage stations. "Therefore, there was a clear economic incentive for PCI to keep its low-cost translator 'network' operating for as long as possible," Sippel said. "PCI's income was almost 40 percent derived from ad sales in Anchorage which was outside PCI's primary FM coverage areas," he said. In 1990, the FCC strengthened the rules governing ownership and financial conditions for translators. The stricter standards were meant to protect existing FM stations from the "adverse, anticompetitive effects of translators." Waivers could be granted for translators broadcasting into areas not covered by primary stations. That was the FCC's practice for Alaska where so-called "white areas" receiving no radio signals were common because of terrain. Stations that had operated prior to March 1, 1991, were permitted to continue through March 1, 1994, including translators owned by full-service stations that had signals reaching beyond authorized zones. After March 1994, however, the new rules applied to all broadcasters. PCI, which actually lacked formal waivers for its network prior to June 1991, continued operating without them, according to the FCC. In November 1995, the company filed renewal applications for its translators. Through that year and into 1996, PCI thought it had the necessary waivers to operate its translators, believing the FCC's earlier approval of initial construction permits and licenses for translators sufficed. "At the time, there did not appear to be any rigid application or strict observance of the waiver rules," Sippel said. In March 1996, PCI was informed by letter that it might be in violation of the commission's 1990 FM translator rules and likely would have to demonstrate that its translators served only areas unable to get other radio signals. Meanwhile, competitors filed petitions to deny PCI's renewal applications, arguing that the translators were rebroadcasting KPEN's and KWVV's signals "beyond their respective authorized contours." On Sept. 11, 1996, an FCC division chief notified Becker he had no valid waivers for the translators. PCI was, however, given the benefit of the doubt. FCC staffers concluded, Sippel said, that PCI "could have reasonably, but mistakenly, believed staff had implicitly waived" the rules. PCI was granted 60 days to file applications to assign the nine licenses then in question to unaffiliated parties. License renewal was made contingent on those assignments. An attempt was made to assign the translators to Coastal Broadcasting Communications Inc., owned by David and Judy Buchanan, Becker's long- time acquaintances. That deal included a number of relationships between the two companies, including financing to be provided by Becker, a condition that ultimately doomed the transaction. The FCC ruled such financing left a connection to primary stations owned by PCI. In 1997, the two companies re-filed their application without the financing aspect. There followed a couple of years during which PCI continued to utilize the translators under license renewals and temporary waivers granted because of the prospect of eventual assignment. But the deal was never consummated and by March 1, 2000, the assignment was dead. Complicating matters for Becker was the fact that the translators were losing value. Four translators had become worthless after Kodiak translators had been denied satellite waivers and could not receive primary station signals. Seward translators would lose value whenever a full-service station went on the air covering the same area. With the assignment option dead, PCI unsuccessfully sought stays from the commission and from the Washing-ton, D.C., Circuit Court. On Feb. 14, 2000, the commission dismissed PCI's petition for reconsideration and a motion for stay. In March 2000, in what Sippel called "a last ditch effort," PCI filed a pleading rejecting conditional renewals it was granted in 1997 and 1998, theorizing that such a rejection would require the FCC to set the translator renewal applications for a hearing. A little over a year later, on May 18, 2001, the commission dismissed PCI's rejection argument as untimely and rescinded the company's conditional renewals and assignment grants. The commission deleted the call signs for translators serving Kenai, Kenai-Soldotna, Anchor Point, Homer, Kachemak City and the two translators on Kodiak and order PCI to cease operations. PCI appealed, seeking a stay from the D.C. Circuit Court. That appeal was denied. Nevertheless, PCI would continue to operate unlawfully for 15 months, the FCC said, prompting the U.S. Attorney for Alaska to seek a court order in July 2001 to enforce the termination order. A few weeks later, the commission threatened PCI's licenses if it continued using the translators. A U.S. District Court (Alaska) ruling against Becker and PCI followed in October, backed up by the Ninth Circuit's affirmation in April 2002. On Feb. 6, 2002, the commission issued a forfeiture order, finding PCI had "willfully and repeatedly" failed to comply. A fine of $140,000 was handed down. On July 3, 2002, the Ninth Circuit denied a PCI petition for rehearing, and on Aug. 13, 2002, the D.C. Circuit Court denied PCI's last request for a stay of the termination order. On Aug. 28, 2002, PCI finally shut down the seven FM translators, announcing that it was a temporary move while the legality of the termination order was decided by the D.C. court. The court upheld the order. While Becker had bucked the FCC at nearly every turn, he had used the process legally, the judge said. He also had not demonstrated any intention to defraud. Those factors led the judge to rule that while he must forfeit the two full-service stations that had fed the translator network, Becker could keep licenses not associated with that network. The commission has a general policy to revoke only offending licenses. The company had already paid "a heavy price" with the loss of the seven translators, Sippel said, and likely would pay still more when and if the fine was upheld. "PCI's conduct was seriously misguided, bordered on contemptuous, and was deserving of those sanctions, in addition to revocation of two full-service FM stations that were use to operate the network," he said. However, that misconduct was not so cavalier, he added, that Becker should lose unrelated licenses. Becker said the judge was "cutting the baby in half like Solomon" by revoking the licenses. He said the fine was the maximum permitted. "Enough is enough," he said. The judge's action can be appealed to the full FCC and from there to the Washington, D.C., Court of Appeals, Becker said. How long that might take is anybody's guess. "You can't put a time table on this stuff," he said (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** AUSTRIA. La transmisión en español de Radio Austria Internacional emitida el pasado miércoles 25 de junio estuvo interrumpida después del boletín informativo hasta el final del programa. Cuando la locutora anunció el siguiente espacio "Noticiero de Austria" pasó un sesquiminuto sin audio; luego en idiomas alemán, inglés, francés y español se emitió la siguiente aclaración: "Aquí Radio Austria Internacional; rogamos a ustedes disculpas por la interrupción en nuestros transmisores" sin precisar las causas. Posteriormente se difundió música clásica con anuncios en alemán hasta cumplirse la media hora de programación habitual. Ayer, viernes 27 de junio, el programa salió al aire completo y sin interrupciones. Después de las noticias se escuchó por última vez la voz del locutor que dijo: "Desde los estudios de Radio Austria Internacional se despide de ustedes hasta más ver u oir en esta vida o en la próxima, Santiago Mata". Manuel Aletrino tomó el micrófono para continuar diciendo: "En nuestra última entrega de la serie 'Viena Diplomática' tenemos el agrado de hablar con el nuevo embajador de Colombia en Austria, el General Roso José Serrano" (el tema: la legalización de las drogas y el panorama de paz en Colombia). Julieta Quintana entrevistó a Manuel Romero, un guía de turismo que acompaña a los visitantes de Viena que desean conocer todo lo referente al Modernismo (conocido como Jugendstil, estilo de arte de fines del Siglo XIX) y finalmente Manuel Aletrino anunció "Radio Austria Internacional desde Viena; nuestras emisiones en español se suspenderán con fecha 30 de junio próximo, nuestra dirección es A-1136 Viena, Austria, el correo electrónico es roi.hispano@o... [truncated] y en Internet http://www.roiorf.at El último espacio fue "Charlas musicales" presentado por Fernando Montes de Oca y la emisión se cerró con estas palabras: "El próximo domingo, nuestro Buzón de la despedida, haremos un repaso a más de treinta años de informaciones dominicales entre los más veteranos de esta emisora que somos Jaime Carbonell y su servidor Manuel Aletrino" No olviden de escuchar y grabar los dos últimos programas del sábado 29 y domingo 30 de junio de 2003. Agradeciendo la difusión del presente mensaje, les saluda cordialmente: (Rubén Guillermo Margenet, Rosario, ARGENTINA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELARUS`. Unfortunately, since 18 June 2003 I cannot handle reports sent to official Radio Hrodna address (ul. Gorkogo 85, Hrodna 230015, Belarus`). Station heading staff is glad to receive letters from distant listeners, but has no interest in QSLing them. If you wish to have station's verification in a reliable way, please first contact me (dxing@t...) [truncateds]. I'll have to bring reports to their office myself and convince station's officials to reply. Automatic address kdp2@a..., where you could get the current Radio Hrodna schedule, will be closed very soon (Sergei Alekseichik, Hrodna, Belarus`, Signal via DXLD) ** CANADA. More on Trans-Atlantic TV and FM DX: See PROPAGATION below ** CAYMAN ISLANDS. See CUBA [non]. R. Martí ** CONGO DR. Me and my wife spent two magnificent weeks in the southernmost municipality of the province of North Karelia, Kesalahti. It was crystal clear Lake Pyhajarvi, part of it belonging to Russia, former Finnish territory. We enjoyed a lot of peace of nature. Lake water was 14-16 degrees, air temperature 10-20 degrees, sauna every evening 100 degrees! Noise level was very low, so I did some DX-ing usually from mid-night to the three o´clock. Here´s some of my best loggings: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: R Okapi, Kinshasa on 6030 kHz 2215-2315 UT playing mostly Congolese music without breaks. Only one short "Okapi"-ID. Some splashes from R Budapest on 6025 kHz. My antenna was only 30 meter longwire! 73´s (Jouko Huuskonen, Turku/Kesalahti, FINLAND, June 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. Last night, at around 0330 Z I found Radio Martí on 1020 kHz, Spanish news directed to Cuba, parallel 6030, strong, clear, slight fading. Posted this on the NRC list and a reply there from Barry McLarnon in Toronto who was hearing them weakly under KDKA. No idea how long this has been here, or if this changes anything with the 1180 operation which I was never able to hear from here (Bob Foxworth, Tampa, FL, IRCA via DXLD) As we suggested in last issue, seems likely this is the Turks & Caicos transmitter which was tested a few weeks ago. Hits Cuba from the east (gh, DXLD) ESTIMADO AMIGO GLENN HAUSER: Gracias por la información. Se habia anunciado también que se realizarían pruebas en AM desde Cayman Island. 73's (Oscar de Céspedes, FL, Conexión Digital via DXLD) Somebody should get a fix on 1020 ASAP (gh, DXLD) ** CUBA [non]. WHITE HOUSE REQUESTED COMMANDO SOLO TO TRANSMIT TO CUBA DXing.info has learned that a request to deploy Commando Solo EC-130 aircraft to broadcast to Cuba on May 20 came from the National Security Council (NSC). The NSC is the President's principal forum for considering national security and foreign policy matters with his senior national security advisors and cabinet officials. Earlier, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) had received inquiries from the U.S. International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) concerning the possibility of IBB using Commando Solo to broadcast Radio and TV Martí into Cuba. IBB is the U.S. agency that manages Radio and TV Martí, the U.S. propaganda station broadcasting to Cuba 24 hours a day on mediumwave and shortwave frequencies. Eventually the NSC requested the DOD to support the IBB with Commando Solo broadcasting capability to better broadcast the President's address on the anniversary of Cuban independence on Tuesday, May 20, 2003. According to information received by DXing.info, the mission was approved and Commando Solo was able to broadcast the President's message along with approximately 2.5 hours of TV Martí programming from an orbit inside U.S. airspace starting at around 6.30 p.m. Eastern time (1430 UTC [sic!]) on May 20. The broadcast included a retransmission of President George Bush's speech carried earlier on Radio Martí. The IBB has been evaluating the coverage and effectiveness of the one-time transmission via Commando Solo, which was chosen to overcome Cuban jamming of TV Martí. The day after, Cuban daily Granma said that very few Cubans were able to hear the U.S. airborne test transmission. Cuban-American activists have long complained that the U.S. needs to improve the poor reception of Radio Martí, which is why Commando Solo was tested as a potential new transmission platform. The mission was carried out by an EC-130E plane that was earlier used to broadcast Information Radio programming to Iraq. After the plane had returned from Qatar back to its home base at the Harrisburg International airport in Pennsylvania, it was deployed to Hurlburt Field near Pensacola, Florida, for a training mission. Another sign of increased activity in making Radio Marti more accessible, on June 28 Radio Martí was logged on a new frequency of 1020 kHz mediumwave by DXer Bob Foxworth in Florida (DXing.info, June 27, 2003, updated June 28 via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. Radio Xoriyo 15670, E-mail report with RealAudio attachment sent to ogaden@yahoo.com and staff@ogaden.com brought same day E-mail from "International Ogaden Website" ogaden@yahoo.com: "We thank you for your interest about R. Xoriyo. The information you provided is correct. Regards, Ogaden Online staff." (J. Berg, MA, Jun 22, 2003 in DXplorer-ML via CRW via DXLD) ** GERMANY. DEUTSCHE WELLE FEIERT 50 JAHRE - RAU WUERDIGT ERFOLGSGESCHICHTE Bonn (dpa) --- Mit einem Festakt im frueheren Bundestagsplenarsaal in Bonn hat die Deutsche Welle am Freitag ihr 50-jaehriges Bestehen gefeiert. Bundespraesident Johannes Rau wuerdigte die Arbeit des deutschen Auslandssenders als eine Erfolgsgeschichte. Die Deutsche Welle (DW) habe sich einen "exzellenten Ruf an Seriositaet und Glaubwuerdigkeit" erarbeitet, sagte Rau. Ihre Sendungen in zahlreichen Sprachen und in alle Welt seien eine Investition, "auf die Deutschland nicht verzichten sollte". Die DW wird aus Steuergeldern aus dem Bundeshaushalt finanziert. Neben dem Jubilaeum feierte die DW zugleich die Einweihung des neuen Funkhauses und der Zentrale in Bonn. Nach dem mit Asbest belasteten alten Funkhaus in Koeln ist der Schuermannbau im frueheren Regierungsviertel ab sofort ihr Domizil. Aus dem neuen Funkhaus senden mit modernster Technik mehr als 1000 Mitarbeiter Hoerfunksendungen in mehr als 30 Sprachen. Aus Berlin sendet die DW ihre Fernsehbeitraege. Die DW sei ein "fester Pfeiler der auswaertigen Kulturpolitik", sagte die Beauftragte der Bundesregierung fuer Kultur und Medien, Staatsministerin Christina Weiss. In vielen Laendern sei die DW auch eine wichtige Informationsquelle. Die Grundzuege der Gesetzesnovelle fuer die Zukunft des Senders seien nicht laenger strittig. Die Bundesregierung werde auch fuer die notwendige Finanzierungssicherheit Sorge tragen, sicherte Weiss zu. Eine finanzielle Planungssicherheit ueber einen Zeitraum von fuenf Jahren waere ein "starker Beitrag", die Staatsferne der DW zu dokumentieren, sagte Intendant Erik Bettermann. Der stellvertretende Vorsitzende der ARD und Intendant des Westdeutschen Rundfunks, Fritz Pleitgen, sagte, die DW sei weltweit zu einer "hoch geschaetzten Institution" geworden. Aus dem reinen Kurzwellensender sei ein multimediales Programmunternehmen geworden. "Den Vergleich mit anderen Auslandssendern braucht die Deutsche Welle nicht zu scheuen." Es sei wichtig, in aller Welt ein Bild zu verbreiten, das der Wirklichkeit Deutschlands und seiner "bunten Vielfalt" entspreche und auch eine Sympathiewerbung sei, sagte Rau. "Wir koennen guten Gewissens fuer unser Land so werben, wie es ist." Daneben sei das objektive Informationsangebot des Senders in den fremdsprachigen Programmen vor allem auch dort gefragt, wo Krieg und Buergerkriege sowie Zensur und Informationsmangel herrschten. Hier leiste die Deutsche Welle einen wesentlichen Beitrag zur Aufklaerung. Am 3. Mai 1953 war die DW erstmals auf Sendung gegangen - mit Hoerfunk in Deutsch via Kurzwelle. Schon im Jahr darauf folgten Radiosendungen in Englisch, Franzoesisch, Spanisch und Portugiesisch. Heute gestalten rund 1500 Mitarbeiter aus mehr als 60 Laendern die Programme von DW-TV und DW-RADIO sowie die Website dw-world.de. Gesetzlicher Auftrag der DW ist es, "Rundfunkteilnehmern im Ausland ein umfassendes Bild des politischen, kulturellen und wirtschaftlichen Lebens in Deutschland zu vermitteln und ihnen die deutschen Auffassungen zu wichtigen Fragen darzustellen und zu erlaeutern". Das Reformkonzept fuer die DW, das noch in diesem Jahr verabschiedet werden soll, zielt im wesentlichen darauf, das Aufgabenprofil zu modernisieren und weltoffener zu gestalten. Dabei soll sich die DW kuenftig als ein Forum darstellen, auf dem sich Deutschland sowohl als europaeische Kulturnation wie auch als demokratischer Verfassungsstaat praesentiert. (Internet: Deutsche Welle: http://www.dw-world.de) dpa ba yynwk ma (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** INDIA / U K. PRASAR BHARATI-BBC TALKS ON EXCHANGE OF PROGRAMMES FAIL --- Rajnish Sharma New Delhi, June 27. Talks between the Prasar Baharti Corporation and BBC on exchange of radio programmes have ended in a deadlock. Sources in the Prasar Bharati said BBC was not keen on giving a time slot to All India Radio for airing its entertainment, art and cultural programmes. The BBC, on the other hand, wanted slots on AIR's FM channel for news and current affairs programmes. Prasar Bharati CEO, K. S. Sarma met top BBC officials in London earlier this week. But the talks failed following BBC's reluctance. Officials said though Sarma discussed several issues with BBC officials, there was no agreement on exchange of programmes. "The possibility of BBC coming on the AIR platform may not happen in the near future." a senior Prasar Bharati official said (Hindustan Times, June 28, 2003 via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, DXLD) ** INDONESIA. A minor correction to my item unid RRI 4790. I estimated the frequency being 4789.95, not 4789.5 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Jari, I had probable loggings of RRI Fak Fak back on June 1st and June 2nd. The frequency was 4789.1. Reception was poor, but the program was parallel to Makassar (4753.4) and Pontianak (3976). best DX, (Guy Atkins, Puyallup, WA, modified AR7030 & R-75 receivers, Western Beverage antenna @ 270 deg., hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** IRAN. SATELLITE TVS AT WAR OF FREQUENCIES Tehran fighting Persian-language satellite TVs with microwave noise frequencies putting Iranians' health at risk. By Fereshteh Modarresi, Middle East Online June 13, 2003 http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=5957 (Middle East Online Jun 13, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. IS PRESIDENT BUSH INSTIGATING PROTESTS IN IRAN? FoxNews "Special Report with Brit Hume" Transcript http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,89877,00.html (Fox News Jun 16, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. WHEN IRANIAN AMERICAN MEDIA SHOUT, IRAN LISTENS By Sandip Roy, Pacific News Service June 19, 2003 Editor's Note: Members of Iranian American media, accused of fomenting recent unrest in Iran, say they're no stooges of the U.S. government. But most agree that, with the help of technology like the Internet, the Iranian community in America is affecting policy in its home country. Hossein Hedjazi, host of Radio Iran in Los Angeles, risked being called "un-American" for criticizing the government after it detained hundreds of Iranian immigrants as they registered with U.S. authorities last December. But Iranian American media like his are now being called a tool of the same American government, because of the way they are covering the student protests rocking Iran. "We've always been called the agent of the Islamic republic -- now they are calling us agents of the CIA," says Hedjazi. Even if that charge is overblown, the community may now actually be shaping events back in Iran instead of just covering them. . . http://news.pacificnews.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=2489442d259 71dd311e3937731cd2c7a (Pacific News Service Jun 19, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. VALLEY IS VENUE FOR LIBERATE-IRAN TV CAMPAIGN By Lisa Mascaro, L.A. DailyNews.com June 20, 2003 http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~20954~1468347,00.html (DailyNews.com Jun 20, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. NORTH AMERICAN MEDIA HELP IRAN PROTESTS GROW By Jonathan Curiel, San Francisco Chronicle, page A-12 June 20, 2003 Some experts call it a "media movement" or a "satellite revolution." But whatever the label, one thing is clear: A growing network of Iranian American media outlets -- from television to radio to Web sites -- is helping spark the student-led protests erupting in that Islamic nation. . . http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/06 /20/MN293330.DTL (San Francisco Chronicle Jun 20, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. DISPLACED IRANIANS SPEAK OUT AGAINST TYRANNY IN TEHRAN By Jacqui Goddard, South China Morning Post June 20, 2003 http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/Weekly2003/06.17.2003/World5.htm (South China Morning Post Jun 20, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW via DXLD) ** IRAN {non]. IRANIAN-AMERICANS DEMONSTRATE IN SUPPORT OF REPRESSED STUDENTS IN IRAN By Tom Harrigan, Associated Press June 21, 2003 http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/06/21/stat e2038EDT0115.DTL (Associated Press Jun 21, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. SATELLITE CHANNEL HAS GRAND VISION By David Rennie, London Telegraph June 21 2003 Los Angeles - It is noon in North Hollywood and Zia Atabay, a retired Iranian pop star they once called the Tom Jones of Tehran, is alone on his tiny sound stage in a former porn studio at the wrong end of town. Sitting in front of a crudely painted backdrop, Mr Atabay addresses the armed forces of Iran, a country he last saw 23 years ago. . . http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/06/20/1055828496817.html (London Telegraph Jun 21, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. AREA MEDIA GOAD IRAN --- Broadcasts in 'Tehrangeles,' with largest Iranian bloc outside Iran, make waves. By John Gittelsohn, The Orange County Register June 22, 2003 http://www2.ocregister.com/ocrweb/ocr/article.do?id=44834§ion=NEWS&su bsection=FOCUS_IN_DEPTH&year=2003&month=6&day=22 (Orange County Register Jun 22, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. Voice of Mojahed, 9280, 20/6 1730-sign off 1733 with sign off tune. ID in Farsi before off. Jammer found the frequency for a few seconds, then left before ID (F. Krone, Denmark, Jun 20, 2003 in DX-plorer-ML) 9280 - This frequency has hot been used before as far as I know. Until the recent Iraq war it was believed that the programmes were produced and transmitted from Iraq. They stopped when an Iraqi broadcast facility near Baghdad was bombed [no, Basra --- gh], but from where are they now broadcast and by whom? (A. Petersen, Denmark, Jun 24, 2003 for DXW/CRW via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. IRANIAN DISSIDENT SAID ABDUCTED IN BAGHDAD [what radio station would this be? Andy.] An Iranian man who runs a Baghdad-based radio station opposed to the Tehran regime was abducted by four gunmen in front of his home in the Iraqi capital Thursday, his Iraqi wife told AFP. Nader Mohsen al- Barki, 49, operated the opposition station here since 1988, Nada Abdul Karim said. The four armed men "forced him into their car and sped away," she said. Abdul Karim charged that the Iranian regime was behind the kidnapping, saying her husband had "no enemies in Iraq." (AFP via A. Sennitt, Holland, Jun 20, 2003 for CRW via DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. THE ROLE OF BROADCAST MEDIA IN INFLUENCING OPERATIONS IN IRAQ Perhaps this isn't anything new, but I was struck by the following sentence: "The Iraqi National Accord, a grouping of former-Ba'athists, continues to run three radio stations -- Radio Sumer (formerly Radio Tikrit), Two Rivers Radio, and The Future (al-Mustaqbal) -- in cooperation with the CIA and Jordanian intelligence." I don't recall Jordanian intelligence being mentioned previously in connection with Sumer/Tikrit. But then, I don't recall lots of things... http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/watch/Policywatch/policywatch2003/758.htm (washingtoninstitute.org via A. Sennitt, HOL Jun 24, 2003 for CRW via DXLD) ** IVORY COAST. COTE D'IVOIRE: SURVEY OF THE COUNTRY'S MEDIA ENVIRONMENT [gh has not put in all the accents, but some of them] Overview Côte d'Ivoire, a model of stability and relative prosperity in post- colonial Africa during the authoritarian rule (1960-93) of President Felix Houphouet-Boigny, suffered a protracted political crisis after his death which culminated in a coup in December 1999. This was followed by continued instability leading to the outbreak of a military insurgency in September 2002. Following the start of the 2002 rebellion, observers have noted the emergence of what is sometimes called "hate speech" in some sections of the Ivorian media. The principal news media of Cote d'Ivoire consist of two state-owned radio stations, two state-owned television stations, and several daily newspapers, most of which are privately owned and some of which are affiliated to political parties. Ivorians also have access to major international radio broadcasters such as the BBC and Radio France Internationale (RFI), as well as to some local, noncommercial radio stations, many of which are church-run. Internet access is available in some locations, but relatively few Ivorians can take advantage of it. Cote d'Ivoire also has a state-owned news agency. Ivorian media broadcast and publish primarily in French, the official national language. An English-language news web site - http://www.express7.com - carries reports from news agencies as well as its own articles and editorials. The principal media are based almost exclusively in Abidjan, the country's economic capital. Radio is the most popular medium, partly because it is the least expensive and partly because the country's low adult literacy rate restricts access to newspapers. Media freedom The Ivorian government either controls or strongly influences the country's media, primarily through its ownership of the major radio and television stations. The government exercises less direct control over print media, but security officers still occasionally harass, assault or otherwise attempt to intimidate journalists. Observers such as the US State Department, which reports on press freedom in its annual Human Rights Report, and the US-based NGO Freedom House had noted, however, that incidents of such intimidation had been decreasing through 2001 and the first nine months of 2002. These organizations said that during that time print journalists were willing to criticize the government and did not practise self- censorship, and both agreed that the situation was improving. Nevertheless, Freedom House, in both its 2002 and 2003 surveys of press freedom around the world, rated Cote d'Ivoire as "not free". Situation deteriorates after September 2002; emergence of hate speech Pressure on the media increased following the military rebellion that began on 19 September 2002. Media organizations such as the International Journalist's Network (IJNET) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) documented a number of attacks on the press. The local FM relays of the BBC and RFI were shut down for several months. The movement of foreign journalists was restricted and attacks on local journalists increased. An RSF report criticized the government's response to the attacks, contending that when the then-Ivorian Minister of Communication Sery Bailly said "the safest thing for journalists to do is report the news in a proper manner", he acted as if the issue was biased reporting and not the safety of journalists and freedom of _expression. RSF believed that this statement was intended to suggest that, although the media were officially still "free", journalists needed to exercise self- censorship in order to avoid attacks. The government is not the only party hostile to the media; rebel groups have been known to inflict damage as well. A 28 October 2002 RSF report added that the media were being "attacked by both the armed forces and police and by the rebels. No media currently feel safe." At the same time, the government has claimed that journalists are not mere victims in the conflict and has accused the media of contributing to the conflict with calls for war. According to the RSF's 2002 annual report, former Prime Minister Affi N'Guessan stated that the journalists caused "75 per cent of the fear" of a coup. Some Ivorian journalists have made similar charges, particularly against state- owned and pro-government media. An IJNET report identified Le National, Notre Voie and L'Oeil du Peuple as newspapers that "openly call for war and violence". The report quotes a former editor of an unidentified "xenophobic daily" as saying: "We Ivorian journalists have set the scene for this war. We must take responsibility for that. Our diatribes and hate-filled language have filled Ivorian heads with war." Guillaume Soro, the minister of communication in the national unity government which first met in April 2003, acknowledged the problem. In a statement on 16 April he urged to press to exercise greater "professionalism" and to recognize its role in rebuilding Cote d'Ivoire. Soro, who is a member of the political arm of the rebel movement, attacked the press for "injecting venom" into the Ivorian population and warned them against "perpetuating lies or radical ideas". Media observers note, however, that the use of inflammatory language has not abated significantly in spite of this warning. Lack of journalistic professionalism In the early 1990s the advent of multiparty politics led to the creation of many newspapers. Newspaper owners hired many "journalists" who did not have proper training or qualifications. Consequently, the quality of reporting and writing was low. To improve the level of professionalism, the Ministry of Communication decided to issue professional ID cards to journalists and to require at least a bachelor's degree (in any field of study) of anyone seeking an ID. There is no full-fledged journalism school in Cote d'Ivoire, but several training institutes offer communications studies. These include: \ \ The Centre for Communication Studies. \ \ The Department of Communication Studies of the National University of Cote d'Ivoire, which trains students in all areas of communication. \ The Institute of Science and Technologies of Communication, which runs a continuing education programme and has a partnership with the University of Bordeaux in France. Radio Radio is the main media source in the Cote d'Ivoire because of the high cost of newspapers and television and low adult literacy rates. According to "African Broadcast Cultures: Radio in Transition" (Oxford: 2000), 68 per cent of the population owned a radio and listened to it at least once a week in 1992. According to the same source, 96 per cent of the population of Abidjan owned a radio set in 1996. The two main radio stations, Radio Côte d'Ivoire and Frequence 2, are owned by Radiodiffusion Télévision Ivorienne (RTI), the state-owned broadcasting company. Radio Cote d'Ivoire is heard nationwide through a system of FM relays from 0500 to midnight daily. Its news programming includes broadcasts in French throughout the day, as well as news bulletins in the country's indigenous languages at 1700 on weekdays. Its news programming clearly promotes government activities and viewpoints. Frequence 2, which is heard only in Abidjan and its environs, is primarily a music station and broadcasts 24 hours a day. Frequence 2 generally relays Radio Cote d'Ivoire from 0500 to 0800, 1200 to 1230, and 1900 to 1930. There are also approximately 30 local, non-commercial, low-power radio stations scattered throughout the country. Many of these community radio stations are managed by religious groups, including the Catholic stations Radio Espoir, Radio Paix Sanwi, Radio Notre Dame and Radio Dix-Huit Montagnes. In addition to these local stations, the Catholic Church also started a nationwide station in February 2002, at the same time the Protestant Radio Vie began broadcasting. All of these stations broadcast religious services, discussions and sacred music. Al Bayane, an Islamic radio station, opened in November 1999 and serves all the Muslim groups in the country. These local radio stations are not allowed to "broadcast programmes... of a political nature", according to the RSF Annual Report. Stations that fail to comply with this restriction can lose their licences, as did Radio Yopougon, for example, when it carried a live report of ex-President Bedie's return from his Paris exile in 2001. The station was not allowed back on the air until eight days later. Furthermore, the Ministry of Communication and New Information Technologies, the government licensing authority for radio stations, has also been known to deny licences to prospective stations that are affiliated with a political party (State Department Human Rights Report). In addition, four major international radio stations are relayed locally on FM: the BBC, RFI, the Gabon-based pan-African station Africa Number One and Radio Nostalgie. All of these transmit via FM in Abidjan only, except for RFI, which also broadcasts via relays in the north and centre of the country. According to experienced media observers, RFI is by far the most popular and trusted news source across the country; Ivorians consider it to be much more reliable than Radio Cote d'Ivoire. BBC broadcasts in French are also popular. The local relay of Africa Number One is 51 per cent owned by Ivorian investors. It broadcasts Ivorian-produced material for six hours a day with the remainder of its programming coming from its HQ in Libreville, Gabon. Its sports broadcasts are particularly popular in Cote d'Ivoire. Radio Nostalgie is 51 per cent owned by Radio Nostalgie France. Media observers note that the government monitors Nostalgie's broadcasts more closely than those of BBC, RFI or Africa Number One because its major domestic shareholders are closely associated with Alassane Ouattara, the president of the opposition Rally of Republicans, RDR. The station's general manager is Ahmed Bakayoko, an RDR loyalist and close adviser to Ouattara, who was recently appointed to the unity government as minister of news information technology. In the past, Radio Nostalgie's licence was suspended several times for airing political commentaries, and following the military rebellion in September 2002, pro-government mobs attacked the station and destroyed its broadcasting equipment because of its perceived connection to the rebels. Rebel radio Shortly after the military rebellion in 2002, Patriotic Movement of Cote d'Ivoire (PDCI) rebels began using RTI facilities in Bouake (in the centre of the country) to broadcast their own message. The rebel radio can be heard in towns and villages around Bouake and, according to some reports, even in the country's political capital, Yamoussoukro. In the western part of the country, rebels of the Movement for Justice and Peace are also said to be broadcasting on a local radio station heard around the town of Man. Television Although Cote d'Ivoire has one of the most developed television systems in Francophone Africa, TV is still a relatively limited means of communication, especially in the more rural areas. ("Mass Media in Sub-Saharan Africa" by Louis M. Bourgault) According to Bourgault, 78 per cent of the population had access to television in 1987. That access, however, was concentrated in urban areas, as only 22 per cent of the village population had television access. As with radio, the government owns the major television stations, which promote only government policy and activities. The state broadcaster RTI runs the stations Chaîne Une and Chaîne Deux. The former operates nationwide, while the latter can only be viewed in and around Abidjan. Chaine Une's programming includes news and current affairs shows, while Chaine Deux offers primarily sports and music programming. Though both are government-funded stations, commercials are part of the programming and a regular source of income. The French-owned Canal Horizon provides a satellite subscription service, which makes French, US and other foreign television stations available to Ivorians. RTI clearly serves the government's interests. According to George Benson, an Ivorian newscaster quoted in "Mass Media in Sub-Saharan Africa", the RTI stations unabashedly broadcast the "directives and orders" of the ruling party and the government. "Mass Media" notes that during the time of President Houphouet-Boigny and his immediate successors, in RTI's newscasts, "editorials, always supporting the government's point of view, were freely intermixed with the news and were rarely identified as opinion". When President Gbagbo came to power in 2000, he asked journalists not to devote extensive time to his activities but instead to report on developmental activities; he even asked government agencies to not post his photos in the offices. Media observers report, however, that government-controlled electronic media have continued to dedicate a lot of time to reporting on the president's and the first lady's activities. Moreover, following the 19 September 2002 coup attempt, state media, especially the radio, became openly pro-regime. RTI's entertainment programming, according to "Mass Media", aims at providing Ivorians with a "window on the modern world". To do this it relies heavily on documentaries made available by Canal France Internationale, CFI, and other Western sources such as Time-Life, Lorimar Productions, Viacom and CBS. Brazilian soap operas and sitcoms also make up a high proportion of the broadcast day. Rebel TV The PDCI rebels that have controlled the northern half of the country since September 2002 took over an RTI transmitter in the central city of Bouake and began television broadcasts on 21 October 2002. According to the RSF 2003 annual report, the rebel station, Tele-Notre Patrie, carries nothing but "official rebel propaganda", including the speeches and activities of the leaders of the rebels' political arm. Print media In contrast to the broadcast media, many newspapers are privately owned. Private publications include approximately 20 dailies, 30 weeklies, five semi-weeklies and 10 monthlies. The smaller publications often fold quickly because of the highly competitive market and limited funding, according to the International Journalists Network profile of Ivorian media http://www.ijnet.org The majority of the country's newspapers are published and printed in Abidjan and transported to major cities across the country. Many of the papers have Internet versions, which are probably intended principally for a foreign and diaspora audience, since few Ivorians use the Internet regularly. Print media does not reach as wide an audience as broadcast media. According to the CIA World Factbook, only 48.5 per cent of the Ivorian population was literate in 2002. Moreover, "African Broadcast Cultures: Radio in Transition" (Oxford: 2000) reports that in 1992, the last year for which data are available, only 27 per cent of the population read a newspaper at least once a week. The leading daily (Fraternité Matin) is stated owned. The private press is a mixture of truly independent papers, which frequently criticize the government, and other daily papers that openly espouse the cause of a particular political party. \ \ Cote d'Ivoire's largest-circulation and most respected daily newspaper is the state-owned Fraternite Matin, which claims an average print-run of 32,000 papers daily and regularly publishes papers of 26- 30 pages, while other newspapers in the country are generally about 12 pages long. Media observers note that the paper is read by people across the political spectrum and is by far the most professional newspaper in the country. Fraternite Matin is the most respected Ivorian newspaper, and, according to long-time observers, has generally been known for balanced reporting. Since the beginning of the military rebellion in 2002, however, observers have noticed the paper taking a more overtly pro-government stance. \ \ Notre Voie is a daily owned by the ruling party, the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) and, like other papers associated with political parties, is highly partisan in its reporting and editorializing. Since September 2002 its reporting and commentary have been characterized by a militantly patriotic tone in support of the government and against the rebels. At times, Notre Voie has appeared more hard-line than the government, criticizing President Gbagbo if he appeared willing to negotiate with the rebels or with France. Notre Voie claims a circulation of 20,000, but like the other party-linked papers, its audience is confined primarily to party activists. \ \ Le Patriote, which claims a circulation of 40,000, is a daily that serves as the mouthpiece of the opposition RDR, a party that is particularly strong among northerners and the country's Muslim population. Other newspapers that generally support the RDR include Le Liberal, which claims a circulation of 15,000, and Le Populaire. \ \ The privately owned daily Le Nouveau Reveil is close to the Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire (PDCI) and claims a circulation of 17,000. \ \ Traditionally independent dailies include Le Jour (circulation 15,000), which often favours opposition parties, Soir Info (22,000), and L'Inter (18,000), a daily that emphasizes international news and reprints stories from newspapers around the world. Immediately following the military rebellion in September 2002, these papers, all of which had expressed relatively balanced and independent viewpoints in the past, appeared to adapt a more pro-government tone. Media observers note, however, that as President Gbagbo and his administration continue to struggle through the crisis, the independent papers have become more willing to criticize the government. Xenophobia in the press; "hate speech" The September 2002 rebellion sparked a flurry of extremist rhetoric in some newspapers. According to media observers, the most inflammatory of these was Le National, a paper which its managing director claims to have founded solely to oppose RDR leader Alassane Ouattara. Le National, which claims a circulation of 20,000, stirred up fervent pro-government patriotism and open xenophobia with its attacks on foreigners living in the country; foreign countries, including France and Burkina Faso; the foreign press; and, of course, Ouattara himself (who his opponents say is not a true Ivorian but of Burkina Faso origin). The paper rejected political solutions to the rebellion and constantly urged military action against the rebels. It openly celebrated and encouraged the "young patriots" involved in sometimes violent demonstrations against France, the rebels and foreigners living in the country. The privately-owned daily L'Oeil du Peuple (circulation 10,000) engaged in similar rhetoric, often attacking the RDR. Some Ivorians see a link between L'Oeil and the shadowy death squads, claiming that people criticized in the paper were soon afterwards found murdered. As already noted in this survey, in addition to the xenophobic Le National and L'Oeil du Peuple, media observers have expressed concern that some other Ivorian newspapers have been involved in publishing what is sometimes termed "hate speech". Other papers that have been mentioned in this connection include Notre Voie, Le Patriote and L'Inter. Internet Internet access remains limited in Cote d'Ivoire. According to the CIA World Factbook, Cote d'Ivoire had only 10,000 Internet users and five Internet service providers in 2001. The largest of the providers were AfricaOnline and Globe Access. A service provider called Centre Syfed offers free access to not-for-profit organizations and to the students, lecturers and researchers at the university in Abidjan, who use the Internet cafe on campus, which is funded by the Francophonie Organization. Most of the country's Internet users are college and high school students and a few professionals. Most of them use the public Internet cafes to access the web. Several major political parties have web sites, including the FPI, PDCI, RDR and the Ivorian Workers Party, as does the National Presidency. The web sites serve mainly to promote party propaganda and often contain official statements from party leaders and government officials, news reports from press agencies and Ivorian papers, and political cartoons. News agency Agence Ivorienne Presse (Ivorian Press Agency or AIP) is a state-owned news agency founded in 1961. It has 14 regional sub-branches (in Abengourour, Agboville, Bondoukou, Bouafle, Bouake, Daloa, Dimbrokro, Divo, Gagnoa, Karhogo, Man, Odienne, San-Pedro and Yamoussoukro) from which more than 50 freelance writers gather and report news. AIP has no international offices. AIP distributes local news, as well as international news by agreement with other press agencies, including the French Press Agency (AFP), the Chinese news agency Xinhua and the Pan-African News Agency (PANA). On its web site, AIP claims to be based on two fundamentals: complete objectivity and reporting events according to their importance. Observers note that, even during the latest military rebellion, AIP reporting has indeed appeared unbiased. Source: (Chris Greenway, BBC Monitoring research Jun 03 via DXLD) ** JAPAN [non]. Iva Tells Her Tale: She was pardoned by a president for a crime she never committed. Yet Iva Toguri's name remains synonymous with the treachery of 'Tokyo Rose.' Now she's hoping a film will set the record straight By Erling Hoh/CHICAGO, Far Eastern Economic Review, June 26, 2003 http://www.feer.com/articles/2003/0306_26/p054current.html George Stephanopoulos: Remember, even Tokyo Rose only got six years. Cokie Roberts: Well, and . . . George Stephanopoulos: I don't think he [John Walker Lindh] is going to get the death penalty. Cokie Roberts: . . . George brought up Ezra Pound. Ezra Pound pleaded insanity and ended up serving more time than Tokyo Rose and all the rest of them combined . . . --This Week, ABC Television, December 9, 2001. THE ORIENTAL GIFTSHOP sits on West Belmont Avenue in northern Chicago. A cavernous store, it's filled with Japanese records, lacquer Kleenex boxes, futons, Japanese wrapping paper and Fukagawa porcelain. A faint trace of incense lingers in the musty air. Young people from the neighborhood browse among books on Zen Buddhism and buy belts for their taekwondo classes. Few of these shoppers probably realize that the store belongs to the family of Iva Toguri, the woman dubbed "Tokyo Rose," who in 1949 was convicted of treason against the United States during World War II and sentenced to 10 years in jail. Fewer still understand that her story represents probably one of the most remarkable miscarriages of justice in American legal history. "She doesn't come into the store any more," says Joanne Toguri of her Aunt Iva. "She is very private." Aged 86, Iva Toguri lives quietly by herself in Andersonville, the city's old Swedish enclave. "She doesn't say anything, and we don't ask anything," adds her oldest nephew, William. Her family and friends all guard her privacy with the same care. Yet for more than a decade, the Hollywood producer Barbara Trembley has been fighting to bring Iva's story to the silver screen. And late last week, the director Frank Darabont, with movies such as The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption to his name, announced that he will be doing precisely that. "This is a stunning true-life story," said Darabont, who is in talks about a screenplay with Christopher Hampton (Dangerous Liaisons, The Quiet American). "It's about enormous personal courage and integrity in the face of rabid public sentiment, media villainy, cultural and racial hatred, and startling judicial injustice." A Hollywood movie could be Toguri's last chance to set the record straight. "I don't want what happened to me to happen to anybody else," she said in a statement. "When this production comes to pass, it will clear the air resulting from the weight of the myth and name 'Tokyo Rose'." Perhaps, but despite an unconditional presidential pardon from President Gerald Ford in 1977, Toguri's link to the mythical Tokyo Rose lives on in the minds of many. When National Geographic marked the 20th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, it sought out Trinh Thi Ngo, alias "Hanoi Hannah," and compared her treasonous broadcasts with those supposedly made by Tokyo Rose. Even respected TV commentators regularly group Tokyo Rose with some of America's most infamous traitors. "Myths die hard," says Ron Yates, the Chicago Tribune's correspondent in Tokyo from 1974-77, and one of the few journalists to interview Toguri. "People always want to believe fiction before fact. Others simply cannot believe that the U.S. government could have been so cruel and calculating as to rig a trial with witnesses who were forced to lie." Those witnesses were George Mitsushio and Kenkichi Oki, two Japanese- Americans who collaborated with the Japanese during the war and renounced their U.S. citizenships. In interviews with Yates in the mid-1970s, they confessed that they had been coerced into lying about Toguri by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Justice Department. Yates's articles were instrumental in bringing about Toguri's 1977 presidential pardon. "Of all the stories I have done, this has to be the most satisfying," says Yates today. "Because it was journalists who got her into trouble in the first place." One of the top stories on every reporter's list after Allied forces landed in Japan in August 1945 was an interview with Tokyo Rose, the siren of the Pacific who, according to legend, had taunted American Gis with her sultry, seductive voice. The only problem was that Tokyo Rose didn't exist. Whereas Mildred Gillars, alias Axis Sally, was a real person whose virulently anti-Semitic broadcasts from Berlin were amply documented, Tokyo Rose was a myth -- a composite fantasy assembled out of the several women who had broadcast for the Japanese during the war. One of them was Iva Toguri, a Japanese-American born in California who had become stranded in Japan after travelling there to visit a sick aunt just before the December 1941 Pearl Harbour attack. At the time, many Japanese-Americans in Japan renounced their U.S. citizenships, but Iva refused. To make ends meet, she worked as a typist at the Danish embassy, a piano teacher, and later as a typist at Radio Tokyo. It was there that she was ordered by the Japanese to work as a radio announcer on the programme Zero Hour. The show was produced by Maj. Charles Cousens, an Australian prisoner-of-war who, after threats, had consented to broadcast for the Japanese, but was surreptitiously trying to sabotage the country's propaganda effort. He had selected Iva for two reasons: she stood on the Allies' side, and, in Cousens' words, had a "gin fog" voice. The content of her broadcasts, which Iva presented under the name "Orphan Ann," were innocuous, and none of the accusations levelled against her -- including the claim that she notoriously referred to U.S. troops as "orphans of the Pacific" -- were ever substantiated by the Americans' own monitoring of her broadcasts. Furthermore, there were several Japanese-American women broadcasting for Radio Tokyo at the time, all of whom had renounced their American citizenships. One of the many cruel twists in Iva's story was that, by remaining loyal to her country, she opened herself to the accusation of treason against it. Several more bad decisions and tragic turns were to follow. Even before the Japanese surrender in 1945, the U.S. Office of War Information had stated that "there is no Tokyo Rose; the name is strictly a GI invention . . ." But for the press pack the hunt was on: At Radio Tokyo, the reporters Clark Lee and Harry Brundidge were pointed in Iva's direction. When they met her at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo on September 1, 1945, they offered her a contract for an exclusive interview with Cosmopolitan magazine worth $2,000, and asked her to sign a document identifying herself as "the one and only 'Tokyo Rose'." Iva, lured by the large sum and unaware that Tokyo Rose would become the symbol for everything hateful the Japanese had done during the war, signed the contract and gave the interview. She never received the $2,000: Cosmopolitan told the reporters that they would not pay a traitor. In October, 1945, she was imprisoned for one year at the Sugamo Prison in Tokyo, before the U.S. Attorney General's office finally concluded that "the identification of Toguri as 'Tokyo Rose' is erroneous." In 1948, the newborn child of Iva and her husband Filipe d'Aquino died and, later that year, Iva was arrested again and sent back to the U.S. to stand trial. D'Aquino was allowed to enter the country to serve as a witness for his wife's defence, but had to post a bond guaranteeing his return to Japan. The two remained married until 1980, but never saw each other again. For the trial, which began in July 1949, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover effectively wrote a blank cheque to have Toguri convicted. At a total cost then of $750,000, the trial was the most expensive to date in U.S. history. Scores of witnesses were flown in by the prosecution to testify against Toguri. She was defended on a shoestring by Wayne Mortimer Collins, a San Francisco lawyer who had made his name fighting for the underdog. "My father did not believe that whispering in the ears of power or accommodating belief to the needs of popular opposition movements were true guarantors of civil liberty or human dignity," says Collins' son, Wayne Merrill, who after his father's death continued the fight that led to Toguri's presidential pardon. "It was this that allowed him to stand against the current with the beginning of the war, when patriotism ran rampant and Japanese internment, citizenship denaturalization proceedings against German-Americans and prosecution of religious conscientious objectors became the order of the day." When, after 13 weeks, the jurors announced they couldn't reach a decision, Judge Michael Roche did not rule it a hung jury, but instead reminded the jurors of the length, expense and importance of the case, and urged them to reach a verdict. Finally, based on Oki and Mitsushio's perjury, Iva Toguri was declared guilty on one of the eight counts of treason. She was fined $10,000, and sentenced to 10 years in prison. Upon her release on parole in 1956, she was served with a deportation notice for being an undesirable alien, despite the fact that the establishment of her citizenship had been crucial to her conviction. Collins successfully challenged the deportation order. Given her first fateful meeting with journalists, it's hardly surprising that Iva Toguri has since maintained a Greta Garbo-like silence. In the past 40 years, she has granted only a handful of interviews. "She comes out of an era when there was an enormous hatred towards the Japanese," says Ron Yates, who interviewed Toguri in 1991. "She doesn't want publicity, but she wants her story told." "The story Iva wants to tell is the story of the heroism of the people who stood up for the truth," adds Dafydd Neal Dyar, a retired U.S. Air Force technical sergeant in Seattle who has proposed a monument in Iva's honour with this dedication: "To the loyalty and courage of Iva Ikuko Toguri. She never changed her stripes." (via N. Grace-USA for CRW via DXLD) ** PERU. 6042.72, Radio Melodia, Arequipa, 0920+, June 25. Spanish. News. Ann. & ID: "Melodía en la Noticia" and TC: "cuatro veinticuatro", 33433 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** RUSSIA [non]. FRANCE/KAZAKHSTAN. Voice of Orthodoxy: 9355 (13 June, 1530), SINPO=54544, ID: "V efire Golos Pravoslaviya", program "Our Church and our children" in Russian. Relayed via Kazakhstan (Andrey Seregin, Ryazan oblast, Russia, Signal via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA [non]. Voice of Reform: Radio Alislah with a new frequency, it is 15700 kHz, I listened to it 10/06 and 04/06 SINPO *54555, no broadcast on 12025 kHz. Radio Alislah a une nouvelle fréquence, c`est 15700 kHz; je l`ai écouté le 10/06 et le 04/06 SINPO#54555, pas d`émission sur 12025 kHz (M. Kallel, Tunisia, Jun 10, 2003 for CRW via DXLD) Elsewhere reported as 15705; do you have accurate frequency readout? (gh) SAUDI DISSIDENT STABBED IN LONDON There's a clandestine TV connection in this story. http://onenews.nzoom.com/onenews_detail/0,1227,200203-1-9,00.html (onenews via A. Sennitt, HOL Jun 23, 2003 for CRW via DXLD) Messengers' from Saudi government assault opposition figure in London LONDON (AFP) - Saad Faqih, the spokesman for a London-based Saudi opposition movement, was wounded at his London home late Sunday by two men who claimed to have a "message from the Saudi government," a source close to him said. Faqih himself later told AFP by mobile phone from Saint Mary's Hospital that the men had said it was "a message from the Saudi government". Saad Faqih is the spokesman for the Islamic Movement for Reform in Arabia (IMRA). A spokesman for the hospital in north London said Faqih had apparently been knifed but that his wounds were "not very serious" and he was expected to be able to leave the hospital shortly. Faqih said he had been struck with a metal object on the face, the legs and the body. His aggressors were white, "apparently British" and spoke English. To get him to open the door the two men had pretended to be plumbers answering an emergency call, Faqih said. IMRA was set up in 1996. Saad Faqih has since December 2002 run an Arabic-language radio station, Voice of al-Islah, broadcasting programmes highly critical of the Saudi government out of London (AFP via A. Sennitt, HOL Jun 24, 2003 for CRW via DXLD) also at http://www.brunei-online.com/bb/tue/jun24w18.htm (brunei-online.com Jun 24, 2003 via J. Dybka, USA for CRW via DXLD) ** TOGO [non]. Radio Free Togo "RTL" is a Togolese station which emits since the foreigner towards Togo, it is created has presidential cause of the elections which takes place on 01/07/2003. It uses two frequencies 12125 kHz and 21760 kHz de 1300 UTC in 1500 UTC [sic, was -1400 --- gh]; I get only 21760 kHz with a SINPO 44223. The station speaks one half French one half local language which I can [not -CRW] identify. And all the subjects are in the tour of the elections http://www.diastode.org Radio Togo Libre "RTL" est une station Togolaise qui émet depuis l'étranger vers le Togo, elle est créé a cause des élections présidentielle qui se déroule le 01/07/2003. Elle utilise deux fréquences 12125 kHz et 21760 kHz de 1300 UTC à 1500 UTC; moi je ne capte que la 21760 kHz avec un SINPO 44223. La station parle moitié français moitié langue locale que je ne peux identifié. Et tous les sujets sont au tour des élections. http://www.diastode.org (M. Kallel, Tunisia, Jun 20, 2003 for CRW via DXLD) ** UGANDA. 4976, 0303-0313 June 27, R. Uganda. Carrier noted at 0230 till top of hour. Short IS and to female announcer in English with ID at 0301, then to a male announcer at 0303 and a rooster crow heard and some birds in the background as he gave program details. Difficult copy with noise or het on same freq. Then to music program. S 3 signal level. I am uncertain when the IS started as checked other frequency at that time. Carrier appeared stronger before sign on, however (Bob Montgomery, Levittown PA, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** U K. From The RSGB Sunday 29 June, 2003 [advance dated] Some 40 years ago the Royal Air Force Amateur Radio Society used to broadcast news to its members on 5105 kHz from callsign MRM located at RAF Locking in Somerset. Older listeners may remember that this could be heard over much of the UK. Thanks to the Ministry of Defence and the Radiocommunications Agency, several hundred UK radio amateurs are now able to investigate Near Vertical Incidence Skywave propagation at 5MHz or 60 metres. As part of these investigations, the RA has given permission for the RSGB to broadcast GB2RS News on 5405 kHz - repeat 5405 kHz - starting today and thereafter every Sunday, at 12.30 pm local time. Each bulletin will last about 20 to 25 minutes, after which the newsreading station will be seeking reception reports in the SINPO code, plus QTH locators, from NoV-holders on 5 MHz. Furthermore, at 1300BST GB5RS - repeat GB5RS - will also call on or near 3645 and 7045 kHz for similar reports on the 5 MHz transmission from non-NoV holders. Short Wave Listeners are invited to send written SINPO reports, preferably including their QTH locators, direct to G3LEQ, whose address is correct in the RSGB Yearbook. This operation is aimed at gaining more information about propagation conditions on 5MHz during the period of peak absorption in the D- region of the ionosphere. Further information can be obtained from Gordon Adams, G3LEQ, on 01 565 652 652 or by e-mail from gb2rs@boltblue.com (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** U S A [non?]. Here in Lima, at this moment, Sat. Jun 28th, 0737 UT, a radio station on 7506.9 USB is active with music, radio announcements, and talk program. Signal, though not that strong, it's solid and comes clear thru the cochannel interference in 7505. Presumably it's AFRTS, but no positive ID has been heard so far. (I got into the freq. just a couple of minutes ago). Thanxs to those South Pacific DXers (for the tip) and to my terrible insomnia for this interesting catch!! Greetings from Peru, (Moisés Corilloclla, Perú, Receiver: Sony ICF-SW77. Antenna: copper wired inverted L antenna with MFJ1020C active antenna, hard-core-dx via DXLD) 2000-2100, 12133.5, US Armed Forces Network (pissibly via FL or PR); EE, Jun (Harold Frodge, MI) 2100-2200, 12133.5, US Armed Forces Network (pissibly via FL or PR); EE, Jun (HF) (MARE SWBC Summary via DXLD) ** U S A. MW station info: go to http://www.geocities.com/amlogbook/main.htm Towards the bottom of the page is a link to a site you can search from. This site uses our database as the basis for their site. We also have a complete list by frequency, call sign, state and city. Best of all, IT'S FREE --- and shall remain so. With the changes coming to 100000watts.com, we are looking real hard at some changes and additions to our site. fresh (Lee Freshwater, IRCA via DXLD) ** U S A. Re DXLD 3-114: Having grown up in Western NY, I remember when WEBR was sold and became an all-news (except for evening jazz) public radio AM station. Good to see them get some publicity! In many ways I wish more commercial MW stations would consider selling to a public radio entity as an option if they can no longer be profitable as commercial stations. The Buffalo Broadcast Pioneers website is also very entertaining to someone (like myself) who grew up on Buffalo / Niagara / Toronto AM radio in the 1950s and 1960s. I still remember most of the theme tunes Clint Buehlman used to open each quarter-hour on WBEN in the mornings (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) There have been several instances of public radio buying ex-commercial AM stations, e.g. Denver, Nashville, Pensacola (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. FCC SHUTS DOWN RADIO FREE BRATTLEBORO [VERMONT] From http://www.reformer.com/Stories/0,1413,102~8860~1478256,00.html Article Published: Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 2:28:56 AM EST By DANIEL BARLOW, Reformer Staff BRATTLEBORO -- The Federal Communications Commission shut down radio free brattleboro [sic, always in lower case] on Tuesday because the organization lacks a broadcasting license. The independent radio station, which broadcasts out of an apartment in downtown Brattleboro, was forced to cease transmission Tuesday afternoon when two officials from the FCC went to the station. "It was a very civil interaction, but they made it very clear that we were in violation of the law," said Ian Kiehle, the host of Ian's Bookshelf, a weekly show at the station, who was present when the FCC arrived on Tuesday. Radio free brattleboro has been broadcasting under 10 watts in the area for more than five years and could primarily only be heard within the Brattleboro town limits. The station has between 60 and 70 disk jockeys, all of whom pay dues to fund the cost of the station. Billed as an educational and creative opportunity for area residents to learn about radio, the station was "part of the national movement to resist homogeneous corporate influence and return the airwaves to the hands and voices of the citizens, as it was intended," according to a publicity pamphlet. George Dillon, an engineer advisor to the enforcement bureau chief of the FCC in Washington, said he was not familiar with the situation, but said it was FCC policy not to comment on ongoing investigations. He referenced the law prohibiting unlicensed radio broadcast and its penalties, which are located at the FCC's Web site http://www.fcc.gov/ Section 301 of the Communications Act of 1934 prohibits the "use of operation of any apparatus for the transmission of energy or communications or signals by radio" without a license issued by the FCC, according to the site. Penalties for running an unlicensed station include fines of up to $11,000 per violation, seizure by court order of all equipment and possibly criminal charges and imprisonment. Between 2000 and 2001, the FCC shut down over 300 unlicensed stations, according to the Web site. An amateur video of Tuesday's shutdown supplied to the Reformer shows two field agents of the FCC ordering one of the station's DJs to turn off the mixing board and end the station's transmission. The agents were accompanied by an officer from the Brattleboro Police Department. The agents, who were not identified in the video but stated they were from an FCC field office in Quincy, Mass., said two complaints against radio free brattleboro were lodged with the FCC this year. One was from WFCR, a Massachusetts-based public radio station, and the other was from a resident of Guilford. The agents said both parties complained that radio free brattleboro's broadcasts occasionally bled into other station's broadcasts. "Your station is illegal," said one of the agents. "You need a license to operate a station on an FM band." Radio free brattleboro had recently switched its frequency from 88.1 FM to 88.9 FM to make room for an upcoming classical music station from National Public Radio. One of the agents requested the names and addresses of all the members of radio free brattleboro. He appeared slightly frustrated when the DJ said he would not hand them over. "I want to know who the members of this so-called group are," the agent said. Kiehle, who said he was speaking out as a DJ and not as a representative of the station, said radio free brattleboro did not operate with a controlling board. All the DJs were equal members of the group and "everything was done by consensus," he said. One of the agents warned the DJ that if the station went back on the air, U.S. Marshals would seize the equipment as proof "and put it in jail." "The key thing is that if we have to come back if you are on the air, it will get rougher," he said. The agents said the shutdown could be challenged legally in court, or the station could apply for an FCC license. Kiehle, who had been doing a show at the station since February, said the openness and diversity offered by radio free brattleboro was its appeal to listeners and DJs. "Everyone gets to do their own thing," he said. "The appeal was that the station could be almost anything you want it to be." Members of radio free brattleboro were expected to meet last night to discuss the shutdown. A call to Rep. Bernard Sanders, I-Vt., who has been highly critical of corporate media and the FCC's recent ruling to lighten rules on cross-media ownership, was not returned Wednesday (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** U S A. LOCAL PIRATE RADIO STATION OUTSMARTS FCC http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ibsys/20030628/lo_kgtv/1677182 [Radio Free San Diego, 96.9] (via Curtis Sadowski, June 28, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U S A. "Filth" By DEE-ANN DURBIN, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) --- A bill that would increase fines for indecent radio broadcasts passed a Senate committee Thursday, spurred by a Detroit radio broadcast that one senator described as "filth." Sen. Fritz Hollings, D-S.C., sponsored the amendment to a bill that authorizes spending for the Federal Communications Commission, which oversees broadcasters. The amendment passed the Senate Commerce Committee and now moves to the full Senate. Hollings said it would be in the public's best interest to revoke the license of Detroit radio station WKRK-FM for a show that aired in January 2002. On the show, two hosts took calls from nine listeners who described sexual positions in explicit detail. Several callers also joked about acts of violence against women. "I wouldn't publicly repeat that language, indecency and filth myself," Hollings said. "They ought to just ream this fellow and he ought never to have a license again." Hollings' bill would expand indecency laws so that separate fines could be levied against each person who utters obscene speech on a radio show. Right now, the FCC charges one fine no matter how many people are speaking. The bill also calls for license revocation hearings for any station that violates obscenity or indecency laws. The FCC can now hold such hearings, but generally won't unless a station has aired lewd broadcasts more than once. "I'm just trying to wake up the FCC," said Hollings, who said he is frustrated that stations are escaping with minimal fines. Several senators were unconvinced of the need for the bill. Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., said Detroit residents should act if they don't like what the station is airing. "Broadcasters already fall under some fines now," he said. "The public has to do something to get this smut off the air." Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., said Hollings' bill isn't specific enough, and needs to say how many violations a station could have before the FCC holds a license revocation hearing. But committee Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., urged fellow members to pass the amendment and make changes when it reaches the full Senate. The FCC levied a $27,500 fine against WKRK-FM's parent company, New York-based Infinity Broadcasting, in April. Right now, $27,500 is the maximum fine the FCC can levy against a station for broadcasting indecent material between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Infinity had 30 days to pay the fine or file a response with the FCC. The FCC said Thursday Infinity has filed a response and the FCC is considering it. Dana McClintock, a spokesman for Infinity, said Thursday the company believes the FCC violated the law when it fined the company, but he wouldn't elaborate (From Harry van Vugt, Windsor, Ontario, Canada via DXLD) ** ZAMBIA. 4910, 0253-0320 Jun 27, R. Zambia 1. IS, Fish Eagle started at 0249, then NA at 0250. 0252 drums heard, then a female announcer with mentions of Radio Zambia. Program announcements in local language by male announcer. 0255 to some very good African music. Excellent copy at S 5 level and little fading. More talks about programs during the music at 0256. Male announcer fast talker. Phone number given at 0253. Checked 6265 and nothing heard. Possible frequency change. Thanks for the tip from David Ross. Conditions poor this evening but have to think this frequency is an improvement over the 6265 as had become difficult reception of late (Bob Montgomery, Levittown PA, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONTESTS & COMPETITIONS +++++++++++++++++++++++ VACATION BCL CONTEST 2003 WILL START TUESDAY 1 JULY You can read the rules of the contest on the web site http://swlcontest.homestead.com Thank you and 73 from (F-14368 Frank Parisot, France, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ ASWLC MEETING SATURDAY JULY 5, 2003 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM [PDT] This is for those folks who live in Southern California and would like to attend a monthly shortwave radio listeners group. Please drop by for a visit and have a great day with the gang of swlers. Coffee and Donuts will be on hand for all to enjoy. Bring a Friend plus your comments and questions about our great hobby. See YOU there!! This event repeats on the first Saturday of every month. The next reminder for this event will be sent in 6 days, 4 minutes. Event Location: At the home of Stewart MacKenzie WDX6AA Street: 16182 Ballad Lane City, State, Zip: Huntington Beach, CA 92649 Phone: 714-846-1685 "World Friendship Through Shortwave Radio Where Culture and Language Meet" ASWLC - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ASWLC/ SCADS - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SCADS/ (Stewart H. MacKenzie, WDX6AA, June 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ THE K7RA SOLAR UPDATE SEATTLE, WA, Jun 27, 2003 -- This week had somewhat quieter geomagnetic conditions compared to the previous week, but average daily solar flux was down a bit and average daily sunspot numbers remained about the same. Recent projections anticipate no truly quiet periods ahead. ARRL Field Day is this weekend, and I wish the geomagnetic conditions could be better. The predicted planetary A index for Friday through Monday is 20, 25, 20 and 20. Although an A index of 25 for Saturday doesn't look very promising, this prediction is made several days prior, and like weather forecasts, the real conditions could be different. In addition, a planetary A index of 20 or 25 doesn't guarantee a radio blackout on the high frequencies. Just to run some numbers for this weekend, using W6ELprop http://www.qsl.net/w6elprop/ for Saturday with a path from California to Ohio, a solar flux of 125 and K index of 4, we see 20-meters opening on Saturday morning before the start of Field Day and continuing a good path through the day. Around 2330z the path may be unreliable, then it comes back a lot stronger at 0100z. This is just as 40-meters is starting to open. Both bands stay strong through the night until local sunrise in California. 80-meters opens after sunset in California, and fades after sunrise in Ohio. The path opens on 20-meters around 1430z. David Moore of Morro Bay, California wrote in with a tip about an interesting article that details some new findings regarding the mechanics of the solar cycle http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=11874 The article reports research suggesting slowly moving circulating currents of compressed gasses 125,000 miles into the sun's interior influence the production of sunspots. The article also says that the speed of these circulating currents of gasses varies from cycle to cycle, and the fast circulation in the last cycle suggests the next cycle should be strong, peaking around 7 or 8 years from now. Still more reports arrived about the VHF openings around June 17. Jake Groenhof, N0LX http://hometown.aol.com/n0lx/vhf.html wrote to say he was on Mount Evans in Colorado and using one half watt on 2-meter SSB when he worked a station 850 miles away in California. He went up to 5 watts and worked five more Californians. Ward Silver, N0AX wrote to say that the description in last week's bulletin of the A index being linear was incorrect. The related K index is logarithmic, but the A index is a larger scale, and not linear. Sunspot numbers for June 19 through 25 were 108, 121, 118, 94, 104, 131, and 115, with a mean of 113. 10.7 cm flux was 122.9, 116.9, 115, 110.2, 113.5, 114.5, and 116.3, with a mean of 115.6. Estimated planetary A indices were 18, 12, 23, 16, 20, 31, and 19, with a mean of 19.9. Amateur solar observer Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, Washington, provides this weekly report on solar conditions and propagation. This report also is available via W1AW every Friday and an abbreviated version also appears in The ARRL Letter. Readers may contact the author via k7ra@arrl.net (ARRL June 27 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DXLD) TRANS-ATLANTIC MULTIPLE HOP SPORADIC E TV DX [more] Hi All, OK, here is the story of a very remarkable Thursday 26 June 2003. Times given are UTC, local time is UTC + 2 hours. Before I start one note: I have been confusing myself and others by first stating that I received A2 through A6 during the TA opening, and later stating it was A2 through A5. The final word is that is was A2 through A6, the details are given below. In the morning of the 26th there was many hours with nice sporadic E into the Iberian peninsula and North Africa. The MUF was well into the FM broadcasting band, although the FM conditions were by far not as good as in the UK. This has been repeatedly the case this season. Although not very far apart, the UK is getting much better conditions than The Netherlands. But no complaints, Northern Europe is getting almost nothing! In the early afternoon I decided to go to work because the FM conditions had almost gone away. When I came home late in the afternoon Band I was almost empty, except for some weak video carriers from Portugal and Spain on E2. I checked the band again at 1700 UT and noted that at that very moment video carriers were fast getting much stronger at all Band I channels simultaneously. It was quite amazing to see this, also because the carriers were coming in from many different directions. I quickly identified Romania, Moldova and Ukraine on R1 through R3, Italy on A and B, Spain on E2 through E4, and Portugal on E2 and E3. The MUF stayed at R3 and therefore I decided to have a quick dinner, hoping for better things to come in the evening. And sometimes dreams come true --- I got back in the shack at 1745 UT and started checking the Band I video carrier frequencies from R5 downwards. When I arrived at 55.275 MHz I noted two carriers, which is very rare. One of the two had to be Izana on the Canary Islands! I decided to check the 6 meter Ham band to see if I could find any EA8's. Very soon, with the antenna pointing south-southwest I heard a strong signal of VE1YX from Canada. Then I immediately new: this is going to be a BIG night. The TA opening lasted from 1745 UT (of a little bit earlier, I may have missed the start) until 2125. What I did in this timeframe is checking the A2 through A6 video and audio frequencies as well as the FM broadcasting band. I did not check for any watchable video on the TV set. This would have been impossible because the DX was coming in from all of Europe and there were too many strong 'local' carriers all over the place. Here is what I heard, with video frequency measuring by means of the BFO method: A2 video: 55.2401 55.2402 55.24025 55.2497 55.2498 55.2500 55.2501 55.2600 55.26005 55.2601 A2 audio: [as corrected by gh --- had read 55.xx] 59.74 - at 20.35 UTC some sort of soap series, English language, a man saying ``Antonio`s wife, giving the fine back``. Fair signal at times, lots of fading. 59.75 - at 1815 UT the Oprah Winfrey show! One of her female guests saying ``all the bones in my face were broken. I was in a coma for 30 days``. (I am sorry for this subject, but this is what I heard). Strong signal at times, slow fading. 59.75 - at 2010 UT a French language program, seemed to be a sort of a contest, maybe a dance contest with country & western music in the background. Male and female giving a live report on the event. Fair signal, slow fading. 59.76 - at 2020 UT a French language documentary or report on an unknown subject. Weak signal, slow fading. A3 video: 61.24005 61.2404 61.2500 61.2501 61.2503 61.2507 61.2589 61.2604 61.26075 A3 audio: 65.75, too weak for any details. A4 video: 67.2401 67.2402 67.2499 67.2500 67.2501 67.25015 67.2502 67.2600 67.2601 A5 video: 77.2501 77.2600 77.2602 A6 video: 83.2401 83.2500 83.2601 83.26015 Except for channel A2 all video carriers were at BFO level. I did not spend much time checking the 6 meter Ham band. I heard Hams from FN76, FN74, FN41, FN46, FN31, FN34 and FN25. I had my FM tuner continuously on 88.3 MHz, which is pretty much empty, but heard nothing. At times when the video carriers on A6 had some elevated strength I also checked 87.75 MHz but again nothing. This is not surprising because I have a lot of hash on 87.75 MHz from the adjacent frequencies. Reading the fantastic reports from the UK DX-ers I think I should have checked more frequencies. But I do not think that I would have heard anything. The signals on A4, A5 and A6 were too weak for that. What really makes me wonder after having experienced this all is what causes this kind of `super mode`. Not only because of the Canada / USA reception, but more the conditions in general. The reception area was extremely large. A large part of Eastern Canada, North Eastern USA, but at the same time also 6 meter hams / beacons from Iceland, Greenland, the Azores and from really all parts of Europe, including a lot of short skip. It seemed that a blanket of ionisation existed over the daylight part of the Northern hemisphere. Are any articles known that describe this kind propagation? A big congratulations to the guys in the UK that managed the TA FM broadcasting DX. It proves that this is possible and it makes me confident that I can continue dreaming that one day I will be as lucky as you were on the 26th. Best regards, (Janpeter van Dijk, Zoetermeer, The Netherlands, ICDX June 28 via Curtis Sadowski, WTFDA via DXLD). Our friend in the Netherlands was definitely picking up Radio-Canada (SRC) on ch. 2 (now go figure which one!!). What is described here is a broadcast of the Acadian Games (Jeux de l'Acadie), a sporting and cultural event for the French speaking youth of the Maritimes. SRC was showing a special on its National network on June 26 between 16:00- 17:00 Eastern (17:00-18:00 Atlantic). Still amazed at this transatlantic stuff! (Charles Gauthier, St-Lambert, PQ Canada, ibid.) Hi and I hope you don`t mind me sending you this email. Just to let you know on the 26 June 2003 I did receive CBTB FM in Baie Verte, Newfoundland, Canada on 97.1 and also ch A2 video. Could you do me a big favour can you take a look at my ch A2 video picture and see if you can ID the logo for me. Some are saying it is WGBH in Boston but I don`t know. You can also hear the TA reception as well in my web page. The CBTB audio is in the audio section and the ch A2 video pic is in the TV DX pictures. Also could you please pass my picture around to see if anyone can ID the logo. Many regards (David Hamilton, Cumnock, Ayrshire, Scotland UK; my website http://www.geocities.com/tvdxrools/index.htm WTFDA via DXLD) I can tell you that it is NOT WGBH-2 Boston. I have never seen WGBH have their logo in the upper right hand corner. Do you have a date/time on this picture? That would help (Adam Rivers, MA, ibid.) Here's a link to Ryan Grabow's site with US logos http://www.egrabow.com/dx/ I don't think it's WGBH either (noting that the pic could have rolled up and caused a lower right logo to appear as upper right. Actually your pic does appear as if it has a line going thru it about 20% from the top of the screen so perhaps it was rolled. I hope Canadian members take a good look at this or provide you with links to websites of likely targets. 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, IL, ibid.) I have looked every which way at his image. I do realize that logo is in the bottom right. I'm pretty sure it's not WGBH, still. Only because they usually use a transparent, circular GBH 2 logo, and not something that would make the screen darker like that Adam Ribers, ibid.) This is interesting, as have been the UK posts, HOWEVER... As more of an FM DX'er than TV, and not being really up on European bands, I don't have a clue about all of these band designations with alphanumerics. Further, as only a casual TV DX'er, I don't pay a lot of attention to the audio or video frequencies of the various channels. And I'm sure I'm not alone on this list. I could no more be of help in ID'ing anything posted from Europe this way than the man in the moon because I have no idea what North American channels are being discussed. Could someone provide a reference (preferably not overly technical nor complex) for those of us who might want to learn more about this? ===== (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA ( 360' ASL, WTFDA via DXLD) ?? The above post even specified which American channels go with which audio and video frequencies specified. Every(?) edition of the WRTH has a page showing the video/audio frequencies of the different TV systems, e.g. page 650 in the 2003y edition (gh, DXLD) Hi Russ, It isn't as hard as you think, OK, here's a brief explanation. The channels mentioned in the Dutch posting are the various Band I (otherwise known as VHF-Low) channels for the three main systems in use internationally. The A channels are our own American NTSC system ones, A2 is just our old Es stomping ground, channel 2 (video at 55.25+/- MHz, audio at 59.75+/- MHz). The E channels are the European PAL system ones, E2 video is at 48.25 MHz, (which is frequently be used as a propagation indicator by our ham radio operators for European openings on six meters), E3 video is on the same frequency as our A2. The spacing between the audio and video signals in the European (and Russian) system is different than ours, but the two systems are remarkably compatible with ours (the 625 line video in Europe and Russia was heavily derived from our 525 line NTSC) a European set can receive American video (though not filling out the screen), and an American NTSC set can receive European video (with the picture not showing fully in our screens). The color signals between NTSC and PAL are incompatible, so the image you would see would be a stunning black and white one, unless you have a multi standard set. The R channels are the Russian standard ones (which is now a PAL system) and are in use throughout Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, Mongolia, and China. Channel R2 has its video at 49.75 MHz, this one is, like channel E2, low enough down to be commonly reflected via the F-2 layer. Doug Smith has on his magnificent technical site, a full listing of all the frequencies in use worldwide. The very exact frequencies noted in the European reports reflect a DX trend there that you seldom find here. Every television transmitter has a frequency that it usually sits at, varying by only a small bit throughout fairly long periods of time. DX'ers internationally use frequency measurements to identify which station they've received, many times without even resolvable video. DX'ers on the East Coast with the ability to accurately measure the frequencies of their local Band I stations would be able to fully identify which stations had in fact been received by our European brethren. Todd Emslie is the expert in this sort of thing; take a look at his site for details in how to do this. I hope this brief explanation helped some. I've spent the last couple of years hanging out in the ICDX group (Inter-Continental DX) which is centered in Australia (with DX'ers scattered elsewhere) which specializes in long haul F-2 reception, and our more familiar forms prevalent here, so I've been able to pick up a bit of their lingo and tradecraft (Curtis Sadowski, Paxton IL, WTFDA via DXLD) I am very familiar with the concept (one which is heresy to many long-time AM DX'ers --- a hobby I've also enjoyed for many years) of "identifying" stations via a specific frequency signature. That technique, along with monitoring subaudible heterodynes, has been in use by some of the more high-tech AM DX'ers since the early 1970's. (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA ( 360' ASL ), ibid.) ### ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-114, June 27, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3f.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 1188: RFPI: Sat 0800, 1400, 1730, 2330, Sun 0530, 1130, 1830, Mon 0030, 0630, 1230, Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0730, 1330 7445, 15039 WRN: Rest of world Sat 0800, Europe Sun 0430, North America Sun 1400 WWCR: Sat 1030 5070, Sun 0230 5070, Sun 0630 3210 ... WINB: Sun 0030 12160 [we hope] WBCQ: Mon 0445 7415 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1188.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1188.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1188h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1188h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1188.html ** ARGENTINA. Hi Glenn; Normally at this time of year RAE comes in very well here 0200-0300 (English) on 11710 kHz. Last night was no exception with a nice signal from them including their 10 minute DX program (approx 0244-0254) with some very current DX tips. I noted during the sign on announcements that they would appreciate receiving reception reports of 20 to 30 minutes. They mentioned that they realize their signal does not get out too well so a 60 minute report might be hard for listeners to obtain. It was also mentioned that they would appreciate return postage of 3 IRC's and NOT to send cash as it is against postal regulations to do so, and the $ would probably not make it to them anyway. With all the cut backs in shortwave, it is nice to hear RAE trying hard to reach listeners with current programming and understanding that they have difficulties with their transmitter. Unlike Radio Cairo and Radio Georgia (to name a few) that punch out some pretty good power only to have a poorly modulated signal from the studio make listening unreadable. Letters to these stations seem to fall on deaf ears. If you get a chance, send RAE a letter or e-mail just to let them know we are still listening. 73 (Mickey Delmage, AB, June 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) {English is UT Tue-Sat only} ** BRAZIL. Re 3-113: Dear Glenn, On some websites I found a reference to 'Radio EDUCACAO Rural' on 4765. I am now inclined to think that was it, as I heard 'Radio Educação' ID (Robertas Pogorelis, Belgium, June 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Trans-atlantic FM DX reception! See PROPAGATION below ** CANADA. This week on Quirks & Quarks [June 28] our feature item is: "From Exploding Volcanoes to Exploding Stars": Scintillating Summer Science Books For our final program of the season, we'll interview the authors of two of the most intriguing science books of the year: Krakatoa, and The Extravagant Universe. In the first book, best- selling writer and geologist Simon Winchester tells about the day the world exploded: August 27, 1883. That's when the volcano-island of Krakatoa erupted, annihilating the island and killing almost 40- thousand people. In the second book, astrophysicist Robert Kirshner tells us about the most mysterious force in the universe: dark energy --- and how it makes space itself expand. Plus, why birds sing at dawn. Here is our summer schedule, which includes an extra program on Tuesday evenings at 8:00 PM [sic; presumably 8:05 pm local, i.e. 2305 UT in Atlantic/NF zone, +1/2/3/4 hours]. These shows are the best from our past season so you have a chance to catch the ones you missed or hear your favourites again. Prime Time Quirks: Tuesdays – 8:00pm Jul 1 : QQ701 Music and the Brain – June 15, 2002 (CSWA & NY winner) Jul 8 : QQ708 Wind Power – Sept 14, 2002 Jul 15 : QQ715 Downloading the Mind – Oct 19, 2002 Jul 22 : QQ722 Flushing Pharmaceuticals – Nov 2, 2002 Jul 29 : QQ729 Dr. Tatiana – Jan. 18, 2003 Aug 5 : QQ805 Obesity – March 15, 2003 Aug 12 : QQ812 Why Sex – May 24, 2003 Aug 19 : QQ819 DNA Special – April 19, 2003 Aug 26 : QQ826 Road to Beringia – June 7, 2003 Best of Quirks & Quarks - Saturdays Jul 5 : QQ705 A Recipe for Life – Sept. 7, 2002 Jul 12 : QQ712 Science & the Courts – Oct. 12, 2002 Jul 19 : QQ719 Science of Climate Change – Nov. 16, 2002 (AGU winner) Jul 26 : QQ726 Avoiding Armageddon – Dec. 7, 2002 Aug 2 : QQ802 Fear & Fright – Feb 1, 2003 Aug 9 : QQ809 Weather or Not – March 1, 2003 Aug 16 : QQ816 New Rocket Science – April 12, 2003 Aug 23 : QQ823 Dino`s Demise – May 17, 2003 Aug 30 : QQ830 Vancouver Question Show – June 14, 2003 Have a great summer (Bob McDonald Host, Quirks & Quarks, June 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. http://www3.cbc.ca/sections/newsitem_redux.asp?ID=2880 CELEBRATING CANADIAN CULTURE IN ALL ITS DIVERSITY: CANADA DAY ON CBC RADIO CBC Radio One and Two will celebrate Canada's 136th birthday with special programming that reflects the diversity of this country, offering an entertaining and illuminating portrait of Canadian culture in the 21st century. On CBC Radio One, Shelagh Rogers will host two live broadcasts. The first will be heard at 10 a.m. (10:30 NT) [1305? UT] from Pier 21 in Halifax, with guests Lennie Gallant, Mir, the Nova Scotia Mass Choir and more. Then, Rogers will be whisked to Ottawa, where she'll host the live concert from Parliament Hill at 9 p.m. (10 AT, 10:30 NT) [0100 UT July 2]. The Guess Who, Leahy and La Bottine Souriante will be among the performers heard that evening. This is a shared event with CBC-TV. On CBC Radio Two, highlights of the day include a live concert from the Vancouver Jazz Festival titled JAZZ À L'OUEST beginning at 3 p.m. [1900 UT on the Toronto webcast?] David Grierson and Radio-Canada's André Rhéaume will host the bilingual simulcast. Performers include saxophonist Christine Jensen with her Juno Award-winning sister, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen. MUSIC AND COMPANY will feature Canadian composers beginning at 6 a.m. [1000 UT] and the concert portion of TAKE FIVE, airing at 1 p.m. [1700 UT], showcases the Hannaford Street Silver Band's Women Of Brass concert. A detailed listing of all Canada Day programming on CBC is available at http://cbc.ca/canadaday (via Ricky Leong, DXLD) ** CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC. I heard also R. Centrafricaine, Bangui on sharp 5035 kHz with booming signals. French talks and music around 2000 UT. 73 (Jarmo Patala, Finland, June 26, dxing.info via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. Les envío un enlace a la página oficial por la celebración del 50 aniversario de la Cadena Todelar de Colombia; en ella además de historias, hay fotografías del ayer y grabaciones de momentos en la historia que Todelar ha transmitido. En realidad está muy interesante esta página. http://www.colombia.com/todelar50/index.asp (Rafael Rodriguez, Colombia, June 26, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** CONGO DR. HEMA MILITIA LEADER DEMANDS CONTROL OF BUNIA'S RADIO CANDIP | Excerpt from report by Congolese rebel-controlled radio from Goma on 26 June Operation No Visible Weapons in Bunia, launched by Gen [Jean-Paul] Thonier of the multinational force, is now a reality. [Passage omitted] Yesterday the security limits were set out and the international force will not be able to intervene beyond its limits of [a radius of] about 10 kilometres. Meanwhile [the leader of the Hema Union of Congolese Patriots for Peace and Reconciliation, UPC-RP] Thomas Lubanga [who has been permitted to remain in Bunia with the protection of a small band of fighters] is demanding the control of the local radio [Radio Candip]. Gen Thonier has given his assent in principle but has said he needs more time to give a definitive ruling on whether Thomas Lubanga's UPC can [continue to] run Bunia's Radio Candip. Meantime life has resumed its normal course in Bunia where schools and markets are reopening. Source: RTNC radio, Goma, in French 0500 gmt 26 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** CUBA. CASTRO'S BEHAVIOR BAFFLES ANALYSTS By Nancy San Martin Posted on Sun, Jun. 22, 2003 in The Miami Herald Three months after Cuban President Fidel Castro launched his harshest crackdown on dissidents in decades, there's still no agreement on what drove him to take such steps and then lash out at valuable European allies that criticized him. Fear that dissent had escalated into a real threat? A fit of pique by a grumpy old man? An attempt to tighten controls on society as the island's economy tumbles? Some foreign analysts profess to be baffled by Castro's decision to silence dissent and blast European allies that are Cuba's most loyal sources of trade and tourism. ''His behavior since the March crackdown has been abominable on a moral level, and more recently against the Europeans, inexplicable,'' said Brian Latell, a retired CIA top analyst on Cuba and Castro. Over the past two weeks, Castro staged massive protest marches past the Spanish and Italian embassies in Havana, announced the takeover of a Spanish cultural center in the capital and insulted European leaders in language he generally reserves for enemies in the United States... http://www.cubanet.org/CNews/y03/jun03/23e4.htm (CUBANET NEWS. Prensa independiente de Cuba via David E. Crawford Titusville, Florida, DXLD) ** CUBA. Courrier électronique de Radio Havane Cuba : "(...) Effectivement nous sommes en train de procéder à des réparations de nos émetteurs afin d'améliorer nos transmissions et donc, les émissions vers l'Europe ont été affectées car elles sont transmises avec moins de puissance. Nous espérons bien que nous en verrons bientôt le bénéfice. (...)" (Radio Havane Cuba - courrier électronique du 24 juin 2003) NDR : cela vient un peu en contradiction avec l'information du 3 juin selon laquelle les émissions vers l'Europe étaient diffusées irrégulièrement (les informations sont issues de http://perso.wanadoo.fr/jm.aubier via DXLD) Item one: Many nice reports about the new RHC Pacific Coast of North America antenna. Thanks amigos to you all for taking the time to monitor our signals and then sending such detailed reports that have made our engineering staff and yours truly very happy persons indeed! Cuba radio broadcasting is undergoing the most significant upgrade in the past 20 years, and that includes our nation's AM medium wave broadcasting facilities, the FM stations, the already existing two national TV networks, plus the new nationwide Educational TV "Canal Educativo", a fourth yet to be named national TV network still to be named, and of course Radio Havana Cuba too. So in the not too distant future many of you RHC listeners will begin to pick up our station with much better signal intensity and also much better audio quality, as the new equipment comes on line (Arnie Coro, DXers Unlimited June 24 via Bob Chandler, ODXA via DXLD) ** CUBA - U S A. FIRST JOINT CUBA-US FIELD DAY OPERATION SET (Jun 27, 2003) -- Members of the Piña Colada Contest Club (KP2AA) will join forces with the Federación de Radioaficionados de Cuba http://frc.co.cu/ in the first-ever joint Cuba-US Field Day operation June 28-29. Operating as CO0US (and T42FD for the "Get On The Air" newcomer station), the team will operate from a location near Havana (Grid EL83) on 80 through 2 meters. Commemorative QSLs recognizing the two countries' common interest in emergency communication preparedness and international goodwill through Amateur Radio will be available via K7JA (include an SASE or SAE and other return postage). Participating Cuban operators will include Arnie Coro, CO2KK. Chip Margelli, K7JA, will be among the US operators. "All the operators and support people look forward to making as many QSOs as possible and testing our ability to provide a wide-area emergency communications link throughout the duration of Field Day," Margelli said. This marks the second year that Field Day welcomes participation by stations throughout International Amateur Radio Union Region 2 -- the Americas. In Field Day, operators outside the US and Canada exchange operating class and "DX" as their "section" designator. Signal reports are not exchanged during ARRL Field Day, which begins at 1800 UT June 28 and ends 2100 UTC June 29. Complete rules are on the ARRL Web site at http://www2.arrl.org/contests/rules/2003/rules-fd-2003.html (Chip Margelli, K7JA via ARRL June 27 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. LIST OF CUBAN STATIONS INCLUDING FM Hi Folks, I stumbled onto this; have a look! http://www.tvradioworld.com/region1/cbu/Radio_TV_On_Internet.asp They have pages covering other countries too, including the Bahamas (Curtis Sadowski, WTFDA via DXLD) This appears to be limited to stations `on the internet` with websites, a few with audio too. Tho there are a surprising number of Cubans there, the list can hardly be considered complete for off-the- air DXing purposes (gh, DXLD) ** CUBA [non]. Anoche en uno de los cambios de frecuencias que realiza Radio Martí se anunció que además de las frecuencias en operación en la onda corta se añadía la de 1020 AM. Desde mi QTH (Miami) no he podido sintonizarla. ¿Alguien de los diexistas ha sintonizado la misma? 73's (Oscar de Céspedes, June 27, Conexión Digital via DXLD). Ahora sabemos por qué llevaron a cabo pruebas hace algunas semanas desde la emisora antes evangélica de Turks & Caicos en 1020. Pero todavia no cuenta en la lista de frecuencias en IBB: Monitoring. http://sds.his.com:4000/fmds_z/schedules/cur_freqsked.txt 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) {Later: T&C confirmed} ** ECUADOR. Hi Glenn, Would you believe MacHarg: ``Ken HacHarg, former DXPL host. . .`` (Ken MacHarg, FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Ken, Ooops. Sorry, that was certainly a typo no one including myself had noticed. 73, (Glenn to Ken, via DXLD) ** GOA. Today, finally, I have received a QSL from All India Radio, for their broadcast from Panaji, Goa. Date of reception was January 20, 2003 on 11740 at 1530. I have tried for years to obtain this QSL, and this is my 214th country verified. (Using the NASWA Country List). After countless reports, they have finally verified with a full data QSL (from New Delhi, v/s A.K. Bhatnagar). A happy day! (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, June 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Congrats! ** GREECE. VOG: It's Greek to Me: Hello everyone, Not sure if anyone heard the last program at 1800 UT on Sunday June 22 [17705 Delano], but the host was talking about the recent summit on globalization that took place in Athens recently. He said that sadly there was violence by some of the protesters and that many were deported without ever being tried in court. The host stated that if it was up to him, he would break those peoples legs for the violence they came there to commit. Does anyone know if the VOG is really relaxed on their opinions of their presenters? It just seemed like such an odd statement to hear from a worldband station run by the government (Chris Campbell, location unknown, swl at qth.net via DXLD) ** HAWAII [and non]. On Sunday June 22, 2003, monitoring 9930 from 1000 to 1500 UT and this the result: 1000 English from WHR 1030 Mandarin from WHR 1145 Continued English religious program again until 1400 1400 Vietnamese with news read by OM & YL and some Vietnamese songs. At the end of broadcast, mentioning ID 'This is radio Free Asia' in English. --- All times with SIO 333 1500 continued China National Radio (CNR) broadcast with lower power than before [sic; when was that?], SIO 322 (Lim Kwet Hian, Jakarta, June 27, hard-core-dx via DXLD) And no KWHR audible then?? ** HAWAII. PINEAPPLE NETWORK A radio network called the "Pineapple Network"? Where ever could that be located? If you guessed "Hawaii" as your answer, then that would be correct. But, what is known about this unique radio network that was on the air in the middle of last century. Actually, very little is known about the Pineapple Network, and even this information lay quietly at rest until New Zealander David Riquish made a visit to old time DXer Ray Crawford in Brisbane, Queensland. As they were reminiscing about the past, they came across a reference to the Pineapple Network in the old radio club magazine. "Skyrider" in the issue dated for January & February 1948. In this brief reference about the Pineapple Network, mention is made of two mediumwave stations in Hawaii operated by AFRS, the American Forces Radio Service. Station WVTZ (American Zee) is listed in Hawaii on 1300 kHz, and another station is listed on the island of Oahu on 1260 kHz. Research into other radio magazines and publications of that era indicate that there was indeed a network of AFRS mediumwave stations in Hawaii for a few years beginning in mid 1945. The key station was WVTZ which was operated by the Marine Corps at Ewa on the capital city island of Oahu. This station operated on 1360 kHz, though this channel was changed later to 1300 kHz. Other AFRS stations in the area that relayed the main programming from WVTZ were listed on six other mediumwave frequencies. All seven of these stations carried the same WVTZ programming and they were all located on the same island, Oahu. Several of these low powered AFRS stations in Hawaii were heard in the United States, New Zealand and Australia, including the one on 1350 kHz which identified on air simply as "Station B". During the years just before and just after the end of the Pacific War, all of the AFRS stations in the Central Pacific were loosely designated as the "Pacific Ocean Network". The two other AFRS networks in the Pacific at the time were designated as the "Mosquito Network" and the "Jungle Network". There is no other known reference to the "Pineapple Network", though it is quite clear that this network was in Hawaii and that station WVTZ was the key station for this network. It would be suggested then that the term "Pineapple Network" was either an official or unofficial designation for the AFRS stations of the Pacific Ocean Network that were located in Hawaii. It should be mentioned also that AFRS programming was heard on shortwave from two other stations in Hawaii during the same era. The Voice of America transmitters, KRHO and KRHK, regularly carried AFRS programming. In addition, the Army Signal Corps transmitters, WTV & WTJ, were also noted with relays of AFRS programming to the Jungle & Mosquito Networks (Dr Adrian Michael Peterson, AWR Wavescan June 29 via DXLD) ** ICELAND. Hoy probé a diferentes horas, entre las 0730-1000 UT y en ningún momento pude volver a captar a la AFN Keflavik que estaba entrando muy fuerte en USB 73's (Arnaldo Slaen, Galvan 2735, 1.431 BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA, June 25, Conexión Digital via DXLD) Arnaldo, Prueba en 13855U: AFN, Keflavik, 0117-0242+; la escuché allí el pasado 24 de junio, con SINPO: 45444. 73's GIB (Gabriel Iván Barrera, Argentina, ibid.) ** INDONESIA. On 27 June at 2020 there was an RRI station on 4790 (4789.5 was the nearest I can get with my Icom). Didn't get the local ID due to QRN, but audible still around 2120. Is RRI Fak Fak nowadays on this frequency? (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) {See 3-115} ** IRAN [non]. IRANIAN EXILES SOW CHANGE VIA SATELLITE --- Islamic Government's Foes Tap TV, Web and Phones to Encourage Protests By Michael Dobbs, Washington Post Staff Writer, Thursday, June 26, 2003; Page A01 LOS ANGELES -- "Good morning, Iran," says Zia Atabay, a former Iranian pop star who fled Iran after the 1979 Islamic revolution. "And good evening, America." It is 9 a.m. in Tehran, 9 p.m. in Los Angeles [sic: so Iran is on UT plus 5 now??]. The previous evening, Iranian demonstrators roamed the streets of Tehran, shouting, "Down with the mullahs." From a makeshift television studio halfway around the world, Atabay is urging people to join the protests -- and news reports from Iran suggest the appeal is striking a chord. "If you don't act now, the regime will be around for a long time," he shouts into the television camera, as a telephone console on his desk flickers with calls from Iran. "So join with the students to bring the regime down. If you believe in freedom and democracy, everyone must be together." . . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33643-2003Jun25.html (via Kraig Krist, DXLD) ** IRAQ. 'COMICAL ALI' RESURFACES One of the most remarkable figures of the Iraq war has resurfaced for the first time since the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime in April. Former Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf - dubbed "Comical Ali" for his deadpan insistence that Iraqi forces were crushing the invading Americans - appeared in brief interviews on Al- Arabiya and Abu Dhabi TV on Thursday. . . http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3024046.stm (via Tom McNiff, DX, DXLD) Wow, has he aged in three months!! (Tom McNiff, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ [non]. A NEW EXPERIENCE FOR IRAQIS _ WATCHING SATELLITE TV By DONNA ABU-NASR, The Associated Press, 6/24/03 5:27 PM BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- After years of all-Saddam-most-of-the-time, it comes as quite a change for Iraqis to watch "Tom and Jerry" and the Arabic version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire." Liberated from 35 years of stilted official TV glorifying Saddam Hussein, Iraqis are snatching up satellite dishes by the thousands. Cartoons, fitness programs, movies and commercials are flooding into Iraqi living rooms. . . . http://tinyurl.com/fgj2 (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** IRAQ. ANALYSIS: IRAQ'S MEDIA FREE-FOR-ALL | Text of report by Tarik Kafala of BBC News Online dated 27 June 2003 All over central Iraq, independent radio and television stations are suddenly emerging to fill the void left by the destruction and collapse of the old national broadcaster. In Najaf, Kerbala, Kut and Hilla engineers and technicians who used to work for the Iraqi national station have taken over relay stations and started broadcasting. Iraqis are enthusiastically embracing the possibilities of a free media after years of heavy censorship. Alongside these do-it-yourself radio and TV stations, dozens of newspapers representing every kind of political viewpoint are suddenly available. For now it's a kind of media Wild West. Anyone who can grab a relay station and get a radio or TV station off the ground becomes a station manager. Anyone who can get hold of a printing press, or even a photocopier, is suddenly a newspaper editor. The Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) and the US or UK military only step in to close down a station or newspaper if it is found to be promoting the Ba'th Party, the party through which Saddam Husayn ruled Iraq, or if the output incites violence. That is the extent of the current media regulation - the CPA clearly has more urgent priorities. But this may not be the case for long. The coalition is already consulting media law experts on a regulatory framework for the media and may soon be licensing papers, stations and frequencies. Ingenuity Under the old regime the regional stations simply relayed programmes produced in Baghdad. The system was heavily centralized and tightly controlled. The people taking over the relay stations are showing extraordinary ingenuity and determination. In Kut a 67-year-old man spent seven hours fitting a radio aerial 55 metres up an electricity pylon. The pylon has no ladder and was not designed to be climbed. Abu Musa, a short man built like a miniature weightlifter, gives himself the grand title of "mast manager, Kut Radio and Television". "It was hot and very windy, but I tied myself to the girders. I took water up with me. There was no electricity running through the wires, so there was no real danger. I was more worried about the American planes and helicopters," he said. Abu Musa and his colleagues spent the three weeks immediately after the collapse of the Iraqi regime hiding two trucks, one containing a TV production facility and transmitter, the other a radio station and transmitter. They were built by the Iraqi regime in anticipation of the bombing by US and UK planes of the fixed TV and radio stations during the invasion. When the regime evaporated and the looting began, Abu Musa and others moved the trucks every night, hiding them under camouflage under trees, in ditches and in isolated farm building to keep them safe. Now they are running Kut TV and Radio from inside the walls of the compound of a former Saddam Fedayeen headquarters, which has been looted right down to the door frames. Independence At the moment the new stations are mainly broadcasting music, Koran and poetry readings, and programmes recorded from various Arab satellite stations - particularly news programmes and football matches. In Najaf, Kerbala and Kut station staff were making rough and ready TV and radio reports on topical local issues - the high price of public transport, the re-opening of a school, CPA attempts to restore water and electricity, some insect that is attacking the local date trees ("from Iran," I was told). The computers, video recorders, cameras and everything else used to run the station are borrowed from the staff or locals who want to support the station. Each piece of kit has a white label on it recording the owner's name, their address and the date of the loan. Each station insists it is the first independent station in the new, free Iraq. In Kerbala, station manager Kahlil al-Tayyar said that the Najaf station was being paid for by the Iranians. In Najaf, Ali Kashif al- Ghitta insisted the station manager in Kerbala was in the pocket of the Americans. The Najaf station's motto is "peace, reform, neutrality". In fact the CPA was trying to establish good relations with all the new stations in the area. US or UK soldiers are making great efforts to encourage these stations, sometimes paying salaries, sometimes supplying broadcast equipment. Propaganda or public information The arrangement is that the coalition forces provide some technical and financial backing in return for the broadcast of public information announcements that the CPA needs communicating to Iraqis. This arrangement does not always go smoothly. The station manager in Najaf said the US Army was leaning on him to carry what he viewed as pro-coalition propaganda. "We are an independent station. The CPA can't tell us what to say. They want us to tell everyone how good the governor they have appointed is when he is a crook and a Baathist," Ali Kashif al-Ghitta said. The US Army insists it is only trying to get essential information across to Iraqis. The threat of the withdrawal of salaries paid by the CPA hung over the conversation. And there are other dangers. A van with the station's logo on it had its back windows shot out. According to the station manager local political groups were trying to intimidate the station into reporting in a certain way. Baghdad TV In the capital, what is left of the Iraqi national station is being taken over by the Iraqi Media Network (IMN), a radio and TV station sponsored by the coalition. Journalists at the IMN insist they are completely independent of the CPA. In its earliest days, the IMN battled with coalition officials who tried to screen broadcasts. Hero Talabani, the wife of Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani, was briefly given a leading editorial role until the IMN staff threatened to walk out. On the day I visited the IMN, they were out on strike. The station had been on air for four weeks without any of the staff getting any pay at all. The strike was ended when the CPA paid salaries for about 50 staff. The coalition plan is to relay the IMN's broadcasts across the country, making it into the new national broadcaster. Relations between coalition officials and the IMN have improved recently. The CPA is spending tens of millions of dollars on installing production facilities, equipping offices and strengthening transmission. And now it is even paying salaries. Iraqis who have watched the channel are aware that it is backed by the CPA and treat it as such. "What do you expect? Of course they want their own channel and they need to get their message across. We won't really have a free media until the occupation is over," one Iraqi journalist said. Source: BBC News Online, London, in English 27 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. Not for their ears By Anat Balint http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=309964 It's new immigrants, Arabs, and lovers of classical music who will suffer the most from the proposed cutbacks to Israel's radio broadcasts. The document currently sitting on the table of the Israel Broadcasting Authority's administrative committee should be of interest to quite a number of sectors in the population. Their common denominator is that they are minority groups: new immigrants, Arabs, lovers of classical music and fans of the culture and education programs of Israel Radio's Reshet Alef, most of whom are older people. According to the plans formulated by IBA head Yosef Barel, radio programs (and some television programs as well) designed for these populations will be dramatically cut back, and many of them will simply disappear. The details of the plan were revealed gradually and have aroused a tremendous stream of reactions: Hundreds of listeners of the Voice of Music classical music station sent the IBA and newspapers letters protesting the intention of merging the station with Reshet Alef and decreasing its broadcasts, and distributed a manifesto via e-mail. To these were added direct appeals to Barel and to the chair of the IBA, Avraham Natan, from Education and Culture Minister Limor Livnat and from Labor MKs Isaac Herzog and Colette Avital. Also when the intention of closing Reka, the network broadcasting to new immigrants, was publicized, a wave of protest letters arrived. Hundreds of appeals reached the station from listeners and from immigrant organizations, Minister of Immigrant Absorption Tzipi Livni initiated a discussion in the Knesset Immigration and Absorption Committee, and strongly worded statements were also heard from Transportation Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Minister without Portfolio Natan Sharansky. Last week, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and the minister responsible for the IBA, Ehud Olmert, announced that Reka would not be shut down, but the IBA didn't rush to confirm this. No more license fee Yesterday the program for cutbacks was brought for a first discussion in the administrative committee, the body responsible for deciding IBA policy (the meeting hadn't at press time). Barel's plan is part of a campaign he has been waging in recent months against the decision of the Finance Ministry to make significant cutbacks in the IBA budget. This is an intensive campaign, which has included personal conversations designed to influence Knesset members (after which editors in the news department received orders to interview various MKs because "they helped us in the Knesset committee"), stormy debates at meetings of the Knesset Economics Committee about treasury statistics, personal enlistment of public figures, and a harsh attack on treasury officials at meetings of the IBA. In the final analysis, Barel was partly successful. On May 12, the Knesset Economics Committee approved a more moderate program of cutbacks than the original proposal of the treasury, which was later passed in the Knesset. The IBA budget for 2003 is NIS 902 million, and according to the plan, by 2006, NIS 200 million will gradually be cut from it. The agra (radio license fee) will be gradually decreased starting next year: In 2004 the cutback will mean a decline of NIS 9 million in revenues, and in 2004 and 2005, a decline of NIS 10 million each year. Afterward, the revenues from the agra will decrease by 5 percent each year. The cutback in the television agra is greater. Among other cuts, about NIS 23 million will be cut from the budget because of the decision to stop using state funds to pay for the Middle East channel and because of the overall salary reduction, which applies to the IBA as well. After 2006, the agra will decline by 5 percent each year, until it is completely abolished within 10 years. Losing the languages On Sunday the broadcasting of "Good Morning Israel," Channel One's morning program, was discontinued. The IBA said the program had gone out for a summer break, but associates of Barel hinted that the program would not return, because of the cutbacks. That is only a symbolic step that hints at Barel's other intentions. The main blow resulting from the IBA cutbacks is planned for Israel Radio, affecting services of a noncommercial nature, which are the heart of public broadcasting. Barel proposes closing Reshet Alef, the Voice of Music and Reka, and turning them into a "culture network" that will combine all the services - classical music, cultural programs and news programs in English, French and Russian, three times a day in each language. An examination of the foreign language broadcasts is enough to understand that the blow is directed at small populations with special needs. Israel Radio now offers broadcasts in 12 languages, including 12 hours a day of Russian-language programs, two in Amharic, about an hour each in English and French, half an hour in Spanish and another 15-25 minutes a day in Romanian, Mughrabi, Tigris (a dialect of Amharic), Bukharan, Georgian, Yiddish and Ladino. All of these will disappear. Another item in Barel's plan proposes a merger between television's Channel 33 and the Middle East satellite channel, which was dedicated with great fanfare only a year ago. The government invested NIS 75 million to establish the channel, which is seen by its critics as a superfluous and wasteful propaganda channel, with an annual budget of NIS 80 million. Now Barel proposes transferring the Arabic broadcasts to Channel 33, and creating a bilingual channel on which the Hebrew programs will be translated into Arabic. Officials in the IBA and outside it are raising doubts as to the necessity of such a sweeping reduction in the broadcasts for the purpose of implementing the cutbacks, and tend to see it as a tactical move by Barel, who is trying to enlist pressure groups who will help to abolish the decrees by means of Knesset legislation, perhaps even this coming January, with the approval of the agra for 2004. `Problematic plan' These officials are asking how it is possible to submit such a comprehensive plan without including numbers to demonstrate the savings it will entail, why it is mainly radio broadcasts that are affected when most of the cutbacks have been made in television, and why Barel formulated his plan without consulting professionals within the IBA. Alon Elroi, a member of the administrative committee and the chair of the radio committee, is known as someone who usually supports Barel's moves, but now he is offering cautious criticism. "I told Barel at the radio committee meeting," he says, "that the plan is problematic. I wasn't shown sums or alternative plans. I asked them to return with a more well-thought-out plan." Elroi also pointed out at the meeting that his view is that it should not be the broadcasts that don't attract advertising that suffer, because such programs are supposed to be supported by the money raised from the agra. Elroi thinks that instead of reducing the broadcasts, there should be massive retirement of IBA workers for the purposes of efficiency. "It is possible to build a more efficient and cost-effective authority," he says. "Not every cutback means that services to the citizen should suffer." Elroi points out the need for a basic change in the IBA work agreements and a reduction in the number of employees, in order to get rid of strange practices, such as the decision that every time a television studio is used, there will be at least six technicians present, even if there is no need for them. This is probably exactly what the treasury had in mind in its plan. Amir Levy, the treasury's deputy budget director, explains that, according to the model he prepared, which relies on reports issued in the past, of the 1,800 regular employees of the IBA, between 700 and 900 are superfluous. The cutback is meant to bring about the departure of 700 employees within three years. Barel and Levy seem to be speaking in entirely different terms. Barel says the treasury is working to abolish public broadcasting, and the cutback it is demanding is so deep, there is no possibility of avoiding cancellation of programs and broadcasts. Because of the fog surrounding the financial administration of the IBA, there is at present no professional assessment, backed by numbers, regarding the implications of the cutback on the functioning of the IBA. The deputy financial director, Motti Levy, has been absent from the IBA for eight months and at the end of the month will be leaving the IBA. The comptroller appointed by the treasury, on the other hand, has only recently begun work (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** ISRAEL. Message de Mati ben Avraham, rédacteur en chef de Kol Israel: "(...)En ce qui concerne la restructuration de l'Office de radio- télévision, les rumeurs, les ballons d'essai l'emportent, pour l`heure, sur les projets réels. Seul point vérifié: le Trésor a mis la pression sur l'Office pour le contraindre à une cure d'amaigrissement (200-250 millions de shekels sur un budget global de 900 millions environ). En ce qui concerne la radio, le directeur-général a lancé trois chantiers : et d'un, fusion de reshet Aleph et Kol hamusiqua (l'équivalent de France Musique); et de deux, suppression de Reka, la chaine des "russes"; et de trois, transfert du département arabe à la chaine 33 de télévision publique. Dans ce cadre, russes, anglais et français disposeront de trois journaux quotidiens chacun sur les ondes de la nouvelle chaine dite culturelle. Le temps d`antenne n'a pas été précisé. En ce qui me concerne, je perds les deux éditions diffusés en ondes courtes à 18h30 et 22h30 (NDR : 1530 et 1930 TU). Etant donné qu'en quatre mois, la rédaction a perdu quatre journalistes (retraites anticipées et démission), que l'embauche est fermée, trois journaux au quotidien répondent à nos possibilités actuelles. Nous ne sommes plus que six (contre 16 il y a encore une douzaine d'années), pour devoir assurer au minimun 25 tours de services par semaine, chaque journaliste assurant quatre tours de service, par rotation (matin, journée, soirée). Dans de telles conditions, le moindre départ en vacances, la moindre maladie créent des tensions sur l'emploi du temps général, virant parfois au casse- tête. Partant, mon problème se situe au niveau des horaires de diffusion, afin de préserver les acquis, à l'extérieur principalement. Mais encore une fois, rien n'est encore joué. La disparition envisagée de la chaine musicale en tant que telle a provoqué une levée de boucliers, celle de Reka l'intervention du ministre de tutelle. La marche arrière n'est pas loin, pour peu que le PDG réussisse à lever la pression exercée par le ministère des Finances pour la reporter sur... le ministère des Finances et amener celui-ci à revoir à la baisse son plan d'austérité. (...)" (Mati ben Avraham, Kol Israël - 22 juin 2003 -- les informations sont issues de http://perso.wanadoo.fr/jm.aubier via DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH [non]. Voice of National Salvation seems to continue issuing verifications. Received in 7 months a letter and card for my taped report. Similar card and letter can be seen at Martin Schöch's web pages at http://www.schoechi.de/pic-cla.html#Korea%20South Web page of the station containing also material in English is: http://www.ndfsk.dyn.to/ Address was: Greneir Osawa 107, 40 Nando-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan. 73 (jhy - Jyrki Hytönen - Kannus -Finland, June 25, dxing.info via DXLD) ** LIBERIA. Charles Taylor continues to transmit via his KISS-FM outlet in Monrovia. Perhaps his shortwave outlet is off because it is no longer under his control. It was originally situated at Totota, which is about 140 km north of Monrovia. I remember them saying that they planned to move it to Monrovia, but I wonder if they ever did. This outlet was on 5100 kHz. The news reports say he was speaking to the nation, but without the shortwave he certainly wasn't. Shortwave is still needed to reach the "upcountry" regions of Liberia. Radio Veritas, the Catholic station, was last heard on 5470 kHz. I know that they were at least still on FM in early June, is anyone hearing their shortwave? ELWA 4760 kHz was set up SIM International using a transmitter and antenna provided by HCJB less than two years ago. Anyone hearing them? High Adventure briefly operated around 11515v using their old 5 kW transmitter from Lebanon. They reported that this outlet, known as Voice of Liberty, was off of the air a few weeks ago due to technical difficulties (Hans Johnson, Jun 27, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** LUXEMBOURG. MORE THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS By Tim Burt, Financial Times; Jun 25, 2003 In an industry of national champions, Radio Television Luxembourg (RTL) is a peculiar beast. European television has been dominated for years by influential flag carriers - like the airline sector - many of them state-funded. The BBC, France's TF1 and Italy's Radiotelevisione Italiana still overshadow their respective markets. . . http://tinyurl.com/fgik (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) Good ol' 49 meter shortwave frequency 6090 we knew and loved, listed as 6092 in my recently acquired 1948 and 1953 White's radio logs (Brock Whaley, ibid.) ** MALI. 4735, 2301-2320, 6/25. Nice signal with a familiar sounding format of pop ballads in French and Vernacular with male announcer in French between songs. On a hunch I checked 4835, Mali and sure enough, it was there in parallel, as was 5995 though with splatter via 6000, Cuba. 4785 was a mess of QRN and has been on a regular basis during my checks of African stations. Does anyone know if Mali has moved from 4785 to 4735 or is this a spur of some sort? If anyone else can monitor this it would be appreciated. I will not be able too for a week due to work schedule (Scott R Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, Sangean ATS 818, RF Systems MLB-1, RS longwire w/ RBA balun, DX LISTENING DIGEST). Well, 4735 could be a `leapfrog` mixing product between 4835 and 4785 if both were on at the time (gh, DXLD) ** MEXICO. 3:43 PM CDT [2043 UT] --- seeing what appears to be Mexican programming on channel 7. Not enough to ID (Tom Bryant / Nashville, TN June 24, WTFDA via DXLD) Add me to the list of those who saw Es from Mexico on channel 7 today. An Azteca-7 relayer was in-and-out for a few minutes, beginning about 1225 CT. A few of the short bursts of signal were pretty strong. No ID. Many Mexican signals today, but few were IDed. It was difficult to tell that locals are channels 3 and 6 (Danny Oglethorpe, Shreveport, LA, June 24, ibid.) I hope you guys in the central US caught the record breaking Es from 1155 to 1716 CT on 6/24. From Charleston, Illinois, I had over 5 hours continuous top of the band Es at a distance of over 1500 miles to Veracruz. I've talked to other DXers and I can't come up with anyone who has ever had 1500+ miles for a duration of more than 80 minutes until today. The 103.7 in Veracruz was solid for the entire 5 hours! DXers I talked with today from the Illinois-Indiana area report very strong Es from the Mérida / Cancún area during the noon to 1700 time frame. Nothing seen on TV-7 (Andy Bolin via Mike Bugaj, WTFDA via DXLD) See also PROPAGATION below ** MEXICO. Radio Universidad [San Luís Potosí SLP] Estimado Nestor J. Vargas: Le escribo desde San Luis Potosí, México para ver si usted me puede informar dónde escribir para saber si nuestra estación de onda corta se escucha fuera de nuestra ciudad. La estación es XEXQ-OC 6.045 MHz en la banda de 49 metros. RADIO UNIVERSIDAD. Se encuentra en Arista 245, zona centro, C.P. 78000 San Luis Potosí, S.L.P. México. Nuesta coordinadora es L.C.C. Leticia Zavala Pérez y la directora de la División de Difusión Cultural y Comunicación es la L.E. Ma. Del Pilar Delgadillo Silva. Ya teníamos varios años sin operar por cuestiones técnicas pero ya estamos otra vez al aire. La programación consta de obras clásicas como: Mozart, Respighi, J.C. Bach, Berlioz, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Barber, Britten, etc. Mañana mando programción completa. Me despido agradeciéndole el tiempo prestado a este e-mail; y esperando respuesta queda de usted. I.E.C. Lizbeth Deyanira Tapia Hernández, Radio Operador de Radio Universidad (via Néstor J. Vargas via José Elías, June 24, Conexión Digital via DXLD) Efectivamente, esa es la emisora que ayer reporté mi escucha el domingo, y la de hoy. Tengo entendido que hicieron intentos de regresar hace tres meses, pero tuvieron problemas y unos días atrás han vuelto al aire. Tengo entendido que ya no tienen el apartado postal. Y en su identificación dan esa dirección y su teléfono en cabina. Está difícil que sintonices a Radio Universidad, pues sólo transmite con 250 watts y hay muchas emisoras fuertes cercanas a esta frecuencia. La 6105 [Mérida] no está al aire; llevo varias semanas que no he podido sintonizarla. Las únicas frecuencias de emisoras activas hasta hoy son: 2390 Radio Huayacocotla, 6010 Radio Mil, 6045 Radio Universidad, 6185 Radio Educación, 9600 (9598) Radio UNAM, 9705 Radio México Internacional, 11770 Radio México Internacional. 6045, XEXQ Radio Universidad, 1215-1300, 26 de junio del 2003. Hoy escuché mejor a Radio Universidad con un SINPO de 44444; empezaron con una marcha austríaca, y a las 1230 se identificaron, dando dirección y teléfono. Después empezó la barra infantil con canciones infantiles interpretadas por un coro de niños. A las 1300 empiezan a dar noticias de las actividades de la UASLP (Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí) (Héctor García Bojorge, DF, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** MOROCCO. RADIO BROADCAST FOR MOROCCANS ABROAD LAUNCHED | Text of report in English by Moroccan news agency MAP web site Rabat, 26 June: Advisor of HM King Mohammed VI and member of the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity, Zoulika Nasri, launched on Wednesday [25 June] "En direct du Maroc" (Live from Morocco), a special radio broadcast destined to Moroccans living abroad. The ten-day radio broadcast (from June 25 to July 5) will beam its programmes on a daily basis to listeners in France, Switzerland and Europe, in partnership between the Moroccan radio body "RTM" and Paris-based "Radio Orient". In a related development, communication minister, Nabil Benabdellah, said the two Moroccan TV channels have started broadcasting special information and entertainment programmes destined to the Moroccan community abroad. Source: MAP news agency web site, Rabat, in English 26 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) WTFK? Any SW involved? RTM already has SW broadcasts, surely for abroad, but all domestic service relays? (gh, DXLD) ** MYANMAR. 5985, Myanmar, Yangon. Received QSL letter, program sked, and frequency list in 85d for taped report. V/S: Ko Ko Htway-Director of Broadcasting. Address: Pyay Road, Yangon Myanmar. I am pleased with this! (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, June 28, hard-core-dx et al., via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. Hi Glenn; I was just flipping around the frequencies on this beautiful day on the west coast of Florida when BINGO there was your voice that I know so well having been with the English Department of Radio Nederland for 14 years. I left to return to the USA in 79. I guess you heard that Harry van Gelder passed away a few days ago. He will be certainly missed by one and all. I keep in touch with several of my old colleagues such as Jerry Cowan, Tom Meijer and Rob Green who, I understand was about the last of the old gang to take his leave. Anyway, Glenn it was nice to hear your voice again. Oh yes, Dick Speekman has been to my home here in Florida once and I visited him in Australia once three years ago. Good DX sir. Sincerely, (Bruce Parsons (Parsons' Penthouse, Opinion Exchange, Cloud 9 and the weekly top 40 with Alan Clark), June 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) HARRY VAN GELDER RIP As you may have seen on the Media Newsdesk page on our main Web site, Harry passed away on Tuesday. We had been warned by his son Chris, who's a colleague at Radio Netherlands, that he was very weak and it would only be a matter of days. But Harry's friends around the world - and he had many - will be comforted to know that even in his final days he was alert and at peace, having come to terms with what was going to happen. We don't have any details yet of funeral arrangements, but will pass these along if his family wish them to be made public. One of my great regrets is that I never met Harry in person. We had planned something two years ago for the 40th anniversary of the Radio Netherlands building. I was going to talk to Harry about his memories of the early days at Witte Kruislaan 55. Sadly, the events of 9/11 intervened and we never did get to make that interview. If you remember Harry, and especially if you had personal contact with him, do feel free to send your memories to media@rnw.nl and we'll see they get passed on to his family. We'll also include some on our Web site. (Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) Harry van Gelder RIP Former Radio Netherlands broadcaster Harry van Gelder passed away on 24 June 2003. Harry will be best remembered by many older listeners as host for many years of DX Jukebox, the forerunner to Media Network. Read our tribute to Harry. http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/features/html/hvg030626.html 25 June 2003 [illustrated] Former Radio Netherlands broadcaster Harry van Gelder passed away on 24 June 2003. Harry will be best remembered by many older listeners as host for many years of DX Jukebox, the forerunner to Media Network. Harry actually retired from Radio Netherlands more than 25 years ago, and although he had lost his sight, his general health remained good right up until the last weeks of his life. His son Chris, who works here at Radio Netherlands, tells us that Harry's mind remained alert, and he was a frequent listener to Radio Netherlands. Harry had a special talent for making every individual listener feel special. Alok das Gupta writes from India: "I'm very much fortunate to meet him and his wife at his residence in Hilversum when Wim van Amstel took me to his place during my visit to Holland and other European countries in 1979. And after that we used to correspond till 1991. He wrote me a long letter and literally wept, avoiding his wife in a different room, after hearing the death of my son in 1986. Still I've that letter with me." Dick Speekman, living in Austalia, took over as presenter of DX Jukebox after Harry retired, and has fond memories of his association with Harry: "The loss of Harry van Gelder to me means the loss of one of the most sympathetic gentlemen I have ever encountered. During 1974, having convinced me that this is what I had always wanted, he gently set me off on a career in the media, that was to last some twenty or so years. Over that time, I have had many superiors but he was superior to them all." Victor Goonetilleke in Sri Lanka was a regular reporter for DX Jukebox, and for Media Network. Victor sums up eloquently what many people feel about Harry: "People of our generation - neither young nor old - owe it to ourselves to pay tribute to Harry Van Gelder. For what we are and for the countless hours of joy we received from our shortwave radio life style, we owe much to Harry Van Gelder. Who amongst us, who came into the hobby in the second half of the last century can forget Harry and his cheery voice every Thursday on Radio Nederland's DX Juke Box. "Most of us started out as casual short wave radio listeners and it was Harry who made us discover the fire we had within, for the hobby of DXing. It is Harry who taught us to be more technical than casual short wave radio programme listeners. For people like us the only regular source of radio information was DX Juke Box. From Harry we discovered what QSLs were, how to give our antennas some air, to multiply our Q , and to Crystal calibrate ourselves and go on to pick up the finer points of radio and DXing. "Harry's death takes me back to the golden years of radio and DXing and my own youthful years. Names like Eddy Startz, Arthur Cushen, Jens Frost, Arne Skoog and among a few more Harry Van Gelder warms our hearts with joy for what those fine humans gave to their fellow men in their chosen field. They have gone having enriched our lives bringing joy to millions in our day. We shall always remember. May he rest in peace that he richly deserves." Radio Netherlands issued this QSL card to mark Harry's farewell broadcast on 16 September 1976. The picture shows Harry with some of the awards he won from DX organisations during his career [caption] If you have memories of Harry and DX Jukebox that you would like to share with other listeners, please mail us at media@rnw.nl and we'll pass them on to his family (Media Network via DXLD) I owe a lot to Harry van Gelder, as he got my shortwave broadcasting career going, by inviting me to do the monthly North American DX Report on DX Juke Box, which continued as long as the program lasted, until Jonathan Marks remade it into Media Network (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RN CREATIVE DIRECTOR MARKS STARTS NEW PRODUCTION COMPANY International broadcaster Jonathan Marks (44) is to exchange his post as Radio Netherlands Creative Director for a career in charge of his own media company, Creative Media Consultants. As from September 1st 2003, Jonathan will combine strategic consultancy with project management and productions. "I follow both the commercial and public service media in many countries", says Jonathan, "particularly the Middle East, Latin America and Africa. I've been asked to apply that knowledge to develop new formats involving TV, radio and the Internet. I'm excited to be resuming production, since I love the passion involved with good programming." Jonathan Marks was born in the UK, but has spent most of his working life abroad, 22 of those years in The Netherlands. After working in Austria and Britain, Marks settled in Hilversum area and quickly built new audiences for Radio Netherlands' English language service. Marks has held several functions at Radio Netherlands, including eight years as Programme Director. "I was originally hired to turn a media programme into a science show. But I ended up developing both concepts into long running radio series that brought in excellent reactions from all over the world. But setting up satellite television and new media projects have been the most challenging work. I've been fortunate to have the best colleagues in the business, which is why I stayed so long". Marks is a frequent speaker at media conferences, notably at recent gatherings of the European Broadcasting Union and the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association. "As a media detective, I know that some of the best ideas for reaching people are coming out of the developing world. I enjoy acting as a catalyst to make new projects really happen." Alongside the new activities, Jonathan Marks will continue to advise Radio Netherlands on strategy (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 26 June 2003 [illustrated] via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. RADIO NETHERLANDS SURPRISED AT SLOPPINESS OF MCKINSEY REPORT The much-anticipated McKinsey Report into efficiency within Dutch public broadcasting was finally published today. It includes a number of examples of how major cost savings could be achieved through cutting or eliminating certain services. One suggestion is scrapping both the Dutch and foreign language services of Radio Netherlands. "Internet is, after all, sufficient and the role of Radio Netherlands for non-Dutch listeners could easily be taken over by embassies and other agencies," says the report. Under this scenario, only the supply of news to the Netherlands Antilles, Aruba and Surinam would be maintained. Radio Netherlands today issued a press release pointing out that it is an autonomous organisation that doesn't come under the umbrella of domestic public broadcasting. Radio Netherlands believes that recommending changes to the core tasks of the Dutch international service was outside the remit of the McKinsey Report, as such decisions are made by politicians in The Hague. On the other hand, the report does not mention a number of "non-core tasks" in domestic public broadcasting that could equally have been considered. Radio Netherlands regards this approach as inconsistent. Radio Netherlands says that if McKinsey's researchers had delved deeper, they would have discovered that Dutch expatriates would not be so well informed without the specifically targeted programming it provides. They would also have found out that, while satellite and Internet make an important contribution, shortwave remains indispensable for the time being. The McKinsey researchers would also have learned that only the independent and highly respected Radio Netherlands can fulfil the role of giving listeners in other languages "a true picture of The Netherlands." This is done, amongst other things, via around 6000 partner stations on FM and cable, reaching tens of millions of listeners a day. Radio Netherlands points out that, only a year and a half ago, an external study by the equally renowned international bureau Andersson Elffers Felix (AEF) confirmed its importance as an international source of information about The Netherlands and Dutch issues. AEF did not base its conclusion on internal interviews, but carried out extensive external research, both internationally and amongst a focus group of Dutch stakeholders. This group included representatives of industry, culture, the diplomatic service, politicians, non- governmental organisations, etc. On the basis of the AEF findings, Radio Netherlands has already embarked on a modernisation and cost-saving plan that involves more partnerships, more focus on The Netherlands, and a rationalised use of shortwave. This plan will produce cost savings of around 10%. As for the McKinsey report, Radio Netherlands concludes that it is of such a poor standard that it cannot be taken seriously (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 25 June 2003 via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. Amigos: Con respecto a los cambios propuestos para Octubre próximo en relación al español, éste SEGUIRA IGUAL QUE HASTA AHORA, es decir de 5 horas diarias y no 3 como se había anunciado. Habrá una modificación en el horario de inicio de las transmisiones. No será a las medias horas como es actualmente. Toda esta información se podrá escuchar este miércoles (jueves UT), a las 0003 UT en la repetición del espacio "Cartas..." que conduce Jaime Báguena. Será que nuestra campaña a tenido su efecto? 73' (Hugo López, Chile, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. More than a week ago, there was a story on KFOR-TV channel 4 in OKC, and frequently promoted since, that on Cox cable in OKC, in addition to their usual position ch 7, KFOR-TV is also on cable 3, due to interference many subscribers are now getting on channel 7. One partial report I saw went into irrelevant info such as that `signals travel a great distance over flat terrain like this,` while the real reason, to anyone familiar with DTV, is that rival KOCO-TV 5 has started up their own DTV on channel 7, as assigned, replacing a low-power translator on that channel in OKC. The higher- power DTV signal is getting into some cable connexions, just as a high-power analog signal would (and thus the need to put local outlets on a different cable channel in the first place, so they won`t interfere with themselves). I`ve yet to hear KOCO-DT-7 mentioned on KFOR as the cause of the problem (tho this may have happened). There is currently a video report on this subject near the bottom of http://www.kfor.com if you have the right version installed, but I can`t get it to play (Glenn Hauser, Enid, June 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Since it went news-talk, KOMA-1520 has a billboard campaign (surely not Clear Channel`s billboards!) around OKC, one of which says: ``KOMA 1520, like KTOK used to be`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PARAGUAY. Radio América, desde el vecino pais, sigue en el aire las 24 horas por los 9983 kHz (la idea es cambiar esa frecuencia por otra en la banda de 31 metros) y 15185. ¿Alguien la pudo o puede recepcionar???? 73's (Arnaldo Slaen, June 24, Conexión Digital via DXLD) Amigo Arnaldo, Solamente una señal de portadora en 9983.23 por las noches, pero ninguna señal de audio. No se podría decir entonces que se trata de Radio América, dado que no hay señal de audio. 73's GIB (Gabriel Iván Barrera, Argentina, ibid.) ** PERU. 6042.53, Radio Melodía, 1000-1020 June 27. Steady Spanish comments from a number of men. Sounds like news. This signal is between theshold and poor. However, a noticable increase in gain just prior to sunrise here which is scheduled for 1029 (Bolland, Chuck, Clewiston, Florida, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. A los amigos que puedan echarme un cable, Spacemaster u otros, les pido chequeen 1610 para ver qué emisora peruana "del centro", quizás del depto. de Junín, puedan captar en esa frecuencia. Un colega, Hasse Mattisson, me envía desde el sur de Suecia, una fascinante grabación de una emisora peruana que él captó el 25 de mayo. Contiene unos huaynos y arpegios que, sin lugar a dudas, provienen del centro, "del corazón de los Andes, adentrando en Junín" como dice el locutor en un momento. El programa musical se limitaba estrictamente a la música vernacular del centro y era bilingüe, pues habia también anuncios en quechua. Nada de identificaciones en un periodo comprendido entre la 0100 y 0200 GMT. [Luego:] En cuanto a la emisora captada por Hasse Mattisson, que naturalmente puede ser la mencionada Radio Sabor, hay sin embargo un par de cosas que conviene poner en claro: la captación la realizó Hasse el 25 de mayo, mientras que Radio Sabor fue grabada por Björn el 12 de junio (espero no confundirme en las fechas). La de Hasse es claramente bilingüe y no tiene, como es el caso de Radio Sabor, ninguna identificación grabada ni anuncio de la hora exacta. Hay poca música en la grabación de Radio Sabor, pero la que suena es la que se suele denominar "música vernacular". Sin embargo, el formato de Radio Sabor se me hace distinto, más ágil y más alegre que el de la emisora que oyó Hasse. En tres semanas siempre se puede alterar un formato, o la presentación de una emisora, incorporando la novedad de algunas cuñas grabadas, así que para que se resuelva la identidad de esta emisora y otras, algunas por cierto muy efímeras, sería interesante que pudiéramos contar con la valiosa colaboración de otros colegas de la zona. Pero a fin de que sea útil el esfuerzo mancomunado convendría que las novedades y las emisoras sin identificar se publicaran, de una, y sin dilación alguna, en alguna lista adicional a las que ahora reciben el fruto del trabajo de Björn. Para que ello se haga realidad, supongo que primero debería cambiarse la política de publicación del mismo SWB y del MV Eko, que es el boletín del ARC (Arctic Radio Club), que han venido dilatando la puesta en conocimiento del público en general de algunas novedades consideradas "interesantes" para que los suscriptores de esos boletines puedan ejercer lo que pudiéramos llamar el derecho de pernada. Qué crees tú, Björn? Sería posible eso? Yo confío que sí, ya que ahora diste un primer paso en darnos a conocer en esta lista lo que hallaste en 1610, me refiero a Ecos del Portete y Radio Sabor. Un cordial saludo para todos (Henrik Klemetz, June 25, Sweden, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** RUSSIA EXTENDS RADIO LIBERTY LICENCE | Text of report in English by Russian news agency Interfax Moscow, 25 June: Russia's authorities have extended the Radio Liberty licence. "Radio Liberty's licence expires on 3 July, and we have decided to extend it for another five years," First Deputy Press Minister Mikhail Seslavinskiy told Interfax on Wednesday [25 June]. Yelena Rykovtseva, editor-in-chief of the Radio Liberty Moscow office, hailed the decision. She told Interfax that "this decision is particularly welcome for us, as three weeks ago we received a letter from the Press Ministry saying there was a candidate for our frequency. And although we received no warnings and believed that our licence would be extended, some uncertainty remained." Source: Interfax news agency, Moscow, in English 1727 gmt 25 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. USA/RUSSIA -- As far as I know, FEBC stops its MW relays via Vladivostok and Ussuriysk after 1 July 2003 (open_dx - Sergey Sosedkin, USA, Signal June 25 via DXLD) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. SIBC worth monitoring in the next couple of weeks Duane and Phil, keep monitoring SIBC on 5020v as it looks as if law and order have broken down completely necessitating the immediate deployment of a multi-national force led by Australia. Also Australia has signalled that they are going to take over justice and finance within the Solomon Islands. I wonder also if the multi-national force will also run the SIBC (Robin L. Harwood, Spotlight on SWLing, Amateur Radio Magazine, Tasmania, June 26, swl @ qth.net via DXLD) SOLOMONS AID IN NATIONAL INTEREST: HOWARD The Prime Minister says Australia's involvement in the Solomon Islands is in the nation's best interest. Up to 2,000 police and defence force members will be sent to the island state to restore law and order. The Government is planning to send 150 police and up to 200 combat soldiers backed up by 1,500 defence logistics and support personnel. A transport and command ship, likely to be HMAS Kanimbla will also be involved. The Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, says their key role will be to protect the police and disarm people with high powered and automatic weapons. "This is essentially an operation designed very substantially to reinforce the capacity of the Royal Solomons Islands Police Force," Mr Downer said. The Prime Minister, John Howard, says the operation represents a very significant change in regional policy. "It would be dangerous for the police to go in without adequate military back-up," Mr Howard said. "That's why in the final analysis you could be looking at quite a substantial contribution." But Mr Howard says it is not in Australia's interest for the Solomon Islands to collapse. "It could then become potentially a haven for drug running, for money laundering, terrorism," Mr Howard said. Labor's foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd says Australia has a responsibility to help restore law and order in the Solomon Islands. "There is a grave danger in international relations if you simply stand back and hope that things fix themselves up, they have a habit of not doing that," Mr Rudd said. "There is great danger also that if we don't seek to act cooperatively with local governments then others beyond the region perhaps would seek to act as well." The Government is now waiting for a formal request from the Solomon Islands Government. New Zealand has indicated it will also contribute to the force, and the Government hopes Fiji and Papua New Guinea will also play a role (From ABC News Online via Robin Harwood, June 26, swl @ qth.net via DXLD) ** SWEDEN. RADIO SWEDEN -- Coming up on Radio Sweden: Thursday: In the "S-Files" a visit to Vadstena, and diving for more from the "Wasa" Friday: Our weekly review Saturday: In "Studio 49" the Aceh Liberation Movement here and the new Institute for Living History Sunday: In "Sounds Nordic" Jennifer Brown and fashion (SCDX/MediaScan June 26 via DXLD) ** TAIWAN. RTI Global Exchange Competition RTI Mailbag Time's Global Exchange segment is a fun and interesting way to exchange ideas and experiences from various cultures. Every month, we pose a new question to listeners, and every week we choose a few listener's answers to read in Mailbag Time. These listeners will receive souvenirs from RTI and some answers will be shared in Taipeiwave, the English Service newsletter. So join our global exchange and write us at natalie@cbs.org.tw Here are our July topics: JULY: What is your favorite summer time activity? Central Broadcasting System, No. 55 Pei An Road, Taipei, Taiwan. R.O.C. http://www.cbs.org.tw (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, DXLD) ** TURKS & CAICOS. See CUBA non: R. Martí on new 1020 from here? ** U S A. June 26, 2003. Today at 1850-2020 GMT, there was propagation across the Atlantic from Canada/USA to the UK on Band 2 FM. At 1900 UT, Paul Logan in Lisnaskea, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland recorded the top-of-the-hour ID from WHCF Bangor, Maine on 88.5 MHz (Mark Hattam, Real DX et al. via DXLD) More under PROPAGATION ** U S A. THE TICK - WWV BOUGHT BY CLEAR CHANNEL http://www.mindspring.com/~lownoise/wwv.html (via Jef Jaisun, via Bruce Portzer, IRCA via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. David Vitek of South Australia via Chris Hambly in Melbourne, reports a new AFRTS outlet on 7507 kHz USB. Well heard here in NZ at 0845 UT and possibly the Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico site ex-6458.5 as the latter is unheard. Cheers, (Paul Ormandy, ZL4TFX EchoLink Node 87378, Host of The South Pacific DX Report, http://radiodx.com DX LISTENING DIGEST) Is KTBN-7505 a problem? (gh) ** U S A. RESCUE RADIO: NEVADA POLICE RADIO SYSTEM MAY BE A BUST According to information forwarded by listener Mike Morris, WA6ILQ, the new Nevada Highway Patrol radio system may have to be scrapped. The system, which has already cost more than $15 million, has been either in planning or under construction for more than 10 years. It was to be a state of the art system to help troopers communicate with both their dispatch centers and local authorities statewide. But a new the manager put in charge of the project has discovered a serious problem. It seems that nobody in the state ever filed with the Federal Communications Commission to reserve the necessary spectrum to operate the system. Now there is almost no chance of getting those licenses because most of those frequencies are taken. Also, the FCC wants public agencies off the 150 MHz radio band where the new Nevada state wide system was to be built. If the system is scrapped, it will mrean that $14 million in highway fund money and $1 million or more from the state`s general fund will have gone down the drain. The full story is on the web at http://www.nevadaappeal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030513/NEWS/305 (WA6ILQ) RESCUE RADIO: NEW ALABAMA EMERGENCY RADIO SYSTEM FACING UNCERTAIN FUTURE But Nevada is not the only place that has made a this kind of a mistake. A posting to the Land Mobile Radio group says that the State of Alabama Department of Public Services is poised or already has made purchase of a multi-million dollar VHF Trunked system, but has no frequencies to put it on. The thought was that local municipalities and other agencies would join in and donate their frequencies, but this has not happened. Now Alabama DPS will have to hire consultants to try to locate unused existing frequencies for a system that may well be outdated by the time they are ready to use it. (WA6ILQ) (Amateur Radio Newsline June 27 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** U S A. Lost in the [Tucson] Arizona forest fire was the Cactus Intertie System's repeater equipment. The towers and repeaters were located very close to where the fire got its start atop Mount Lemmon. Also burned was the Zia Connection site, some 150 yards up the ridge from the Cactus site (ARRL Letter June 27 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** U S A. ARRL's 2002 Annual Report is currently available to members free of charge upon request. The report offers an overview of League activities for the year, messages from ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, and Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, along with ARRL's complete audited financial statements for 2002. Send requests - - including your name, call sign and mailing address -- to Media Relations Manager Jennifer Hagy, N1TDY, jhagy@arrl.org. Due to the large number of requests for the 2002 Annual Report, individual replies to everyone who e-mailed may not be possible. All requests will be honored in the order they were received at ARRL Headquarters. The report also is available on-line as a PDF document: http://www.arrl.org/announce/annualreport/02ar.pdf (ARRL Letter June 27 via John Norfolk, DXLD) Also available to non-members, since I just brought up the 35-page document (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. TNN RELEASES AFFIDAVIT BY SPIKE JONES JR. ON THE NAME `SPIKE' By SAMUEL MAULL, Associated Press Writer, June 23, 2003, 7:29 PM EDT NEW YORK -- Lawyers for television network TNN filed an affidavit Monday by Spike Jones Jr., son of the legendary music satirist, saying it is "frightening" that filmmaker Spike Lee is trying to claim exclusive ownership of the name "Spike." Lee won a court injunction June 13 that stopped Viacom, the nation's third-biggest media company, from changing TNN's name to Spike TV on June 16 as had been planned. Lee, who direct "Malcolm X" and "Do the Right Thing," claimed the rebranding was a deliberate attempt to hijack his name and reputation. . . http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-bc-ny--spikelee-spiketv0623jun23,0,1059152.story?coll=ny-ap-regional-wire (via Tom Bryant, WTFDA Soundoff via DXLD) ** U S A. MEDIA MONOPOLIES -- The Senate Commerce Committee voted June 19 to overturn parts of a Federal Communications Commission decision freeing media companies from decades-old ownership limits. The proposal would revise changes allowing individual companies to own television stations reaching nearly half the nation's viewers and combinations of newspapers and broadcast stations in the same city. Many media companies said old restrictions limited their ability to grow and provide better services. Broadcast networks say the changes can aid free TV by helping them compete with pay services for quality programming. The original rules were adopted between 1941 and 1975 to promote diversity of opinion in the media and encourage competition. The Republican-controlled FCC relaxed those rules June 2 with a 3-2 party-line vote, despite opposition from a diverse circle of critics, including media moguls Ted Turner and Barry Diller, consumer advocates, civil rights and religious groups, writers, musicians and unions. The proposed legislation, which passed by a voice vote, would only allow a company to own TV stations reaching 35 percent of U.S. households instead of 45 percent. The bill would reinstate a ban on newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership. However, it would allow state regulators to recommend FCC exemptions for small communities where a merger could support media outlets in financial trouble. It would clarify the FCC's authority to strengthen as well as relax media ownership restrictions. The bill would also require the FCC to hold at least five public hearings on ownership rule changes before voting. Many legislators say they will try additional legislative methods to overturn the changes. "The airwaves belong to the people", said Senator Byron Dorgan. "The FCC ignores that requirement and advances corporate interests at the expense of the public's interest." Even without new legislation, legal challenges are expected from consumer groups seeking tougher restrictions and media companies demanding further deregulation (AP via SCDX/MediaScan June 26 via DXLD) ** U S A. FCC Pirate bust: BRIAN N. BLOOM. Issued a monetary forfeiture in the amount of $10,000 to Brian N. Bloom for operating a radio station in Orlando, Florida on the frequency 93.9 MHz without Commission authorization. Action by: Chief, Enforcement Bureau. Adopted: 06/24/2003 by Forfeiture Order. (DA No. 03-2068). EB http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-03-2068A1.doc http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-03-2068A1.pdf http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-03-2068A1.txt (via Fred Vobbe, NRC FMTV via DXLD) ** U S A. WNED proves that smaller is better 6/27/2003, By ANTHONY VIOLANTI WNED-AM 970 is the media outlet that wouldn't die. The public radio news station has survived major staff cutbacks, a life-threatening funding crisis and is continually burdened by its past glory when it was known as WEBR. Maybe that's why WNED's performance in this month's New York State Associated Press Broadcasters Association awards was so gratifying. The station received three first place awards - more than any other local radio news station - and also a special-mention honor. . . http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20030627/1037805.asp BUFFALO BROADCAST PIONEERS http://www.buffalobroadcasting.com Another interesting site....interesting flash intro with sound (Fred Waterer, Ont., DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. BATTLING FOR BEETHOVEN --- CROWDED CLASSICAL MUSIC MARKET PUTS STRAIN ON RADIO STATIONS = Barbara Pinckney, The Business Review The Capital Region has more classical radio stations than most areas of the country, including New York City. WMHT, 89.1 FM; WBKK, 97.7 FM and, to a lesser extent, WAMC, 90.3 FM, all play classical music. "Even the New York Post said that if you want variety in classical music stations, you have to go to Albany," said Mike Schaus, general manager of WBKK. This is a good thing for the classical music fan -- who, according to a 2002 survey by the Portland, Ore.-based John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, would rather listen to the radio than buy a CD or go to a concert. It is not such good news for the three stations. The Capital Region has a well-educated populace and ample access to the classical arts, but are there enough classical music fans to go around? . . . http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2003/06/23/story1.html (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) {Apparently WBKK does not webcast, and its site http://www.wbkk.com is rather outdated} ** ZAMBIA. ZNBC Radio 1 is active again on 4910. Noted on 25 June at 1803 tune in with news in English. At 1812 ZNBC Radio One ID and into local language. Decent signal (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I heard last night good signals of Zambia, thus not identified but many mentions of Lusaka in vernaculars. It's nice to see if they set back to 60 meters after being few years on 49 mb; reception on 4910 is much better. 73 (Jarmo Patala, Finland, June 26, dxing.info via DXLD) A recent scan of the 60m band turned up these items of interest. 4910, 2157-2202*, 6/25, Afropop music at tune-in w/ talk over by a male announcer. ID as "Radio Nacional" Pips at 2200 followed by choral music; presumed NA; until s/off. Fair signal w/ occasional outbursts from the "Sweeper". The only listing I can find is via PPWBR for ZNBC, Zambia but I don't recall any logs for this frequency. Any ideas? Later: ZNBC, 4910, 0347-0411, 6/26. Checked this frequency again to hear Afropop music followed by a group of OM and YL with light banter and laughter. Brief music before 0400, when a tentative "Radio 1" ID was noted. Music and talk resumed w/ male and female announcer with "Radio Zambia" mentioned. Thanks to Jari Savolainen's prior HCDX log helping to confirm my log, later in the day (Scott R Barbour Jr., Intervale, NH, DX LISTENING DIGEST) TB fans opgelet : Het is toch niet alles kommer en kwel wat TB stations betreft. De binnenlandse dienst van Radio Zambia is na enige jaren in de 49m band vertoeft te hebben nu weer terug op de oude stek: 4910 kHz. Vanavond gehoord met goed signaal. Lokale taal. ID om 2000 UT. SIO 333. Hopelijk is dit meer dan een tijdelijk uitstapje. Greoten, (Aart Rouw, Bühl, Duitsland, June 26, BDXC via DXLD) G'Day List, Noted this morning June 27th our time (2100 UT June 26th) Radio One, Zambian NBC has returned to 4910 kHz. A big signal noted in Zambianglish! Time check in English as 23 hours (making it UTC +2). Male announcer repeatedly gave out the phone number in English for requests and call ins as : 01 25 18 81. I think its a couple of years since it was here. Cheers (Chris Martin, Brisbane, where the weather is excellent, June 26, ARDXC via DXLD) ** ZANZIBAR. Zanzibar on 11734.1 and 585 now has an English news bulletin at 1800. It may well have been going for some time, as I very rarely check Zanzibar at that hour. But I've not seen it reported anywhere else and I've never known Zanzibar to broadcast in English before. Regards, (Chris Greenway, Kenya, June 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Wonder if news be direct from Z or originate in DES? (gh) {direct} ** ZIMBABWE. STATE REPORTEDLY TO TRANSFER TWO RADIO STATIONS TO NEWS AGENCY | Excerpt from report by Zimbabwean newspaper Zimbabwe Independent web site on 27 June Information minister Jonathan Moyo intends to widen the state propaganda base by transferring two ZBC [Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation] radio stations to his troubled New Ziana project, the Zimbabwe Independent has been told. The move is part of a restructuring exercise which seeks to extricate the state broadcaster from debt by streamlining operations. The dismal failure of the much-touted restructuring exercise, dubbed Vision 30 in November 2001, has driven the ZBC into further debt, leaving management and the board without any option but to try another reorganization which could result in more retrenchments and staff transfers. ZBC Chief Executive Officer Munyaradzi Hwengwere confirmed yesterday that the corporation would soon implement a restructuring exercise, but claimed "not a single worker will be retrenched". Last September, the ZBC retrenched 435 workers under its Vision 30 restructuring exercise. The workers claim they have not received their terminal benefits. Hwengwere refused to give details on the transfer of stations to New Ziana. The New Ziana project was launched last year to replace the poorly-funded [state] news agency, Ziana. Under the project, community radio stations as well as newspapers would be established to improve the dissemination of information to grassroots communities. However, a general lack of funding has so far delayed the launch of the project. Happison Muchechetere, head of the electronic division at New Ziana, said he was not aware of the transfer of the stations. "I am not yet aware of that," he said. "That is news to me, but I would appreciate it. We will have radio and television services. We have already invited tenders for the provision of equipment to be used by the stations." As part of the streamlining of operations, sources at Pockets Hill this week said two out of the four radio stations under ZBC would be transferred to New Ziana. The other two would become autonomous entities, which Hwengwere said would be registered as separate companies but continue to operate under the state-run broadcaster. The four stations under ZBC have failed to operate as commercial entities as advertisers have fled from the airwaves in droves. Sources at ZBC this week said the decision to restructure followed a series of meetings held by the board and management over the past weeks. Morale is reportedly at its lowest ebb at ZBC, with suspensions and dismissals now frequent. The restructuring, sources said, was aimed at reducing the workforce and generating income through the various stations and services offered by the corporation. The sources added that ZTV [state-owned] Zimbabwe TV] would also become an independent company, as well as the corporation's Production Services. "We have always been telling the world that we are implementing a continuous restructuring exercise," Hwengwere said. "In other words, we are still implementing Vision 30. This time we want to establish the commercial viability of the corporation. Our plans are to create six companies from the radio and television stations, which will be legally registered and stand alone as independent entities," he said. Hwengwere refused to comment on the transfer of two radio stations to New Ziana. "We can't engage in such talks now," he said. "Aren't we talking about ZBC? How does New Ziana come in?" Insiders said the restructuring process would affect at least 150 of the 500 workers currently employed by the corporation. "They want to reduce the workforce, but at the same time they are trying to avoid paying retrenchment packages. We wonder how they are going to achieve that," said a senior ZBC employee. [Passage omitted] Source: Zimbabwe Independent web site, Harare, in English 27 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) WHICH two? The ones not on SW? (gh, DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ WRC 2003: AN UPDATE The work of the World Radio Conference continues in Geneva. Discussions have taken place on most of the topics of greatest interest to radio amateurs, but there have been few firm decisions taken as yet. Colin Thomas, G3PSM, who is attending the conference as an advisor to the UK delegation, reported that agreement in principle had been reached on Article 25.5 - the Morse code question - but some of the other items in Article 25, the amateur radio regulations, had yet to be discussed. There was also apparent deadlock over the question of realignment of the 7 MHz band, although there were increasing calls for compromise and for the topic to be completed at this WRC rather than postponed to the next Conference. To advance this aim, a drafting group under the chairmanship of Fred Johnson, ZL2AMJ, had been formed to produce a proposal. Colin points out that nothing is certain until the final day of the conference, as agreements made in Drafting Groups, Sub-Working Groups, Working Groups and Committees could still be overturned up to and including the final Plenary session. While this was unlikely, it could happen, particularly with contentious issues such as that of 7MHz realignment. The World Radio Conference is scheduled to conclude on Friday, the 4th of July. For late updates, look at the ARRL website at http://www.arrl.org (GB2RS) (Amateur Radio Newsline June 27 via John Norfolk, DXLD) WHAT TIME IS IT? WELL, NO ONE KNOWS FOR SURE --- As the Earth spins slower, methods of telling time diverge. Experts warn this could end in disaster David Adam, science correspondent, Thursday June 26, 2003, The Guardian Working Group 7A of the International Telecommunication Union's Study Group 7 may sound like an anonymous international committee like any other. But this is no quango of grey bureaucrats in greyer suits arguing over the desired colour of toilet paper. At the heart of this group's discussions is something of fundamental importance to anyone who has ever taken a second to fall in love or to score a goal: time itself, and how to define it. . . . . .It includes the leap seconds added until the GPS clock was set in 1980, but has ignored those added since. This means GPS time is now running 13 seconds ahead of coordinated universal time - which includes all added leap seconds and to which most clocks on Earth are set - but is some 19 seconds behind international atomic time, which is based on atomic clocks and ignores leap seconds. . . http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,985020,00.html (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ ON THE HORIZON: HD RADIOS STILL SET TO ROLL OUT THIS SUMMER Ibiquity Digital radio says that the HD Radio receiver roll out will begin as scheduled this summer. This, this despite s major codec algorithm setback. According to a CGC Communicator editorial, the algorithm has been an ongoing puzzle for iBiquity. Broadcasters were told at the recent NAB convention that all parts of the HD Radio system were progressing well except for some details with PAC algorythm that could impact on both AM and FM fidelity. CGC says you can find more about this on-line. Its in cypbespace at http://www.rwonline.com/dailynews/one.php?id=3187 (CGC via (Amateur Radio Newsline June 27 via John Norfolk, DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ TRANS-ATLANTIC RECEPTION - MORE !! At 1900 UT, Paul Logan in Lisnaskea, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland recorded the top-of-the-hour ID from WHCF Bangor, Maine on 88.5 MHz. I have started a dedicated webpage detailing the trans- Atlantic FM reception this evening. http://www.dxradio.co.uk/transatlanticfm.html June 26, 2003 Today at 1950-2000 GMT, FM dx-er David Hamilton in Ayrshire, Scotland recorded CBTB-FM from Baie Verte, Newfoundland on 97.1 MHz via multi-hop Sporadic E propagation. There are two clips accessible via my website - http://www.dxradio.co.uk In particular, the fisheries broadcast in clip 1 is hosted by John Murphy http://stjohns.cbc.ca/fisheries/hosts.jsp This show goes out at 5.30 pm in Newfoundland, which in summer is 2000 GMT (Mark Hattam, UK, amfmtvdx et al. via DXLD) This noon our time (mid-evening U.K. time), several FM broadcast stations in the Canadian Maritimes and northeast U.S. were heard in Scotland and Northern Ireland. See this link [as above] for more information, including audio recordings. Stations definitely heard were CBC Radio 1 from Baie Verte, Newfoundland (97.1 CBTB); Roddicktown, Newfoundland (92.9 CBTR); and an unidentified transmitter on 88.5 probably Gaspé, Québec. Also, CKLE (92.9) Bathurst, New Brunswick; and WHCF (88.5) Bangor, Maine. Recordings of the WHCF identification announcement and the opening of the "Fisheries Broadcast" on CBTB are on the above link. There have been vague reports of transAtlantic FM BC reception before but none anywhere near this well documented. Listeners in New England and the Canadian Maritimes should pay attention to this path. It should certainly be possible to work it in the other direction. (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View (Nashville) TN EM66, June 27, MT messageboard via DXLD) Well, I wouldn't have expected a day like this. Today has been a mindblowing day for DX. it started early in the morning with half of Europe coming in on E skip, but mixing with some good tropo to France, Belgium, Germany and Holland. So what wasn't available in one mode might have been available in the other! Then in the late afternoon TA started with signals coming in here on A2, quickly moving up to A3, A4 and A5. Then the unimaginable happened. Two of our members had transatlantic conditions on FM. Congratulations to Paul Logan and David Hamilton. You'll doubtless have some info elsewhere about this from Mark so I won't dwell on it here (just jeallous that's all!!!). My query is about another CTV ID I had. This time it was on A3 this evening. Regrettably I didn't get the recorder going in time but I clearly heard a "here on CTV" ID at the top of the hour (2000 UT). Just prior to this was a comedy show which finished and there may have been some adverts, which included a mention of Calgary Alberta. The audio for CTV was on zero offset, listening in narrow FM, which should narrow it down a little. The offset for video was approx. 61.249.996. There were 6m ham paths open from the UK to many eastern parts of Canada and the US, but also several more westerly locations almost to the west coast. I've checked the w9wi page for CTV stations on A3 and can only find 3 zero offset stations listed - in Ontario, Alberta and British Colombia. I'm ready for some more of this! Maybe FM here next time. What a day! Good DX (John Faulkner, UK, June 26, WTFDA via DXLD) STARING AT THE SUN --- An explanation for the sunspot cycle JUNE 26TH 2003 IN 1843 Heinrich Schwabe, a German astronomer, realised that sunspots, the black blotches that disfigure the solar surface, come and go in cycles of around 11 years. Subsequent work has shown that other solar activities, such as flares and coronal mass ejections, follow the same cycles. Since such "solar weather" affects the weather on Earth, and also plays havoc with satellite-based communications, the cause of these cycles is of more than just academic interest. That cause, however, has proved elusive. One hypothesis invokes a "deep meridional flow" in the sun -- a current of gas supposed to travel from the poles to the equator at a depth of about 100,000km. This would drag the spots around with it. Its principal competitor theory involves something called a "simple dynamo wave" on which the spots would surf. David Hathaway and his colleagues at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Centre, in Alabama, believe they have resolved the argument. As they told a recent gathering of the Solar Physics Division of the American Astronomical Society, in Laurel, Maryland, it's the flow wot does it. Sunspots form near the poles as a result of magnetic anomalies. Once formed, they drift towards the equator. The question is why. Using observations from Britain's Royal Greenwich Observatory, which go back to 1874, along with more recent pictures taken by the American air force, Dr Hathaway was able to count the number of sunspots at various solar latitudes over the years, and thus to measure the drift in detail. Unexpectedly, he found that the maximum drift speed of the sunspots in a given cycle predicts the intensity not of the next cycle, but rather of the next but one. This implies that the sunspot cycle has a "long memory", which is compatible with the meridianal-flow hypothesis, but not the dynamo- wave hypothesis. And the details of Dr Hathaway's trawl through the archives match computer models of the meridianal flow precisely. Although similar observations have been made before, Dr Hathaway's are the first, he claims, to provide an unambiguous explanation of what governs the sunspot cycle. See this article with graphics and related items at http://www.economist.com/printedition/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=1875206 (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) This looks a little like Art Bell stuff to me, but I just came across a web site that claims someone (military) is purposely causing tropospheric ducting by spraying aerosols high in the sky over Ontario. About half way down the page linked below, you will find a section under the heading "Black Projects?" There are also photos and other accounts if you follow the links on the page. http://www.holmestead.ca/chemtrails/chem4programs.html Here is a quote from the page: "This 'ducting' problem was solved by releasing an aerosol, a mixture of barium salts into the atmosphere over the United States. Thus, they can make an atmospheric radio frequency "duct" with a base of barium aerosol released from aircraft." ! I have no idea if this page is legit or not. I merely offer it as a place for the more suspicious of you to look around. If it is true, I see a great opportunity. Before the CQ VHF contest, for instance, we could call up our MP and ask for a few days of ducting... ;-) (Brent Taylor VE1JH, Doaktown, NB, ODXA via DXLD) ARNIE CORO'S DXERS UNLIMITED'S HF PLUS LOW VHF BAND PROPAGATION UPDATE AND FORECAST Geomagnetic conditions to be disturbed, actually the three hourly K index was up to 5 early morning local time in Havana Tuesday. And the A sub P or planetary geomagnetic disturbance indicator was above 20 also. I really have had not much time to monitor for sporadic E events since Friday, but during the few checks that I have made, no signs of openings were detected, although we are certainly now at the peak of the summer solstice sporadic E season. Expect rather nice night time HF propagation on frequencies as high as 18 megaHertz, and that means that both the 20 and 17 meters amateur bands could provide some nice evening QSO's. A bandscan of the 19 meters international short wave broadcast band late evening Monday showed a significant number of DX stations present with pretty nice signals. For those of you wanting to work round the world Dx, here is your friend's Arnie Coro advice: Set your alarm clock for around 5 o'clock in the morning your local time, as minimum ionospheric absorption conditions to the South and West of your location will be happening between roughly 5 AM local time and sunrise (Arnie Coro, RHC DXers Unlimited June 24, via Bob Chandler, ODXA via DXLD) ### ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-113, June 25, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3f.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 WORLD OF RADIO 1188: WBCQ: Wed 2200 7415, 17495-CUSB, Mon 0445 7415 WWCR: Thu 2030 15825, Sat 1030 5070, Sun 0230 5070, Sun 0630 3210 ... RFPI: Fri 1930, Sat 0130, 0800, 1400, 1730, 2330, Sun 0530, 1130, 1830, Mon 0030, 0630, 1230. . . 7445, 15039 WRN: Rest of world Sat 0800, Europe Sun 0430, North America Sun 1400 WINB: Sun 0030 12160 WRN ONDEMAND [from Fri]: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1188.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1188.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1188h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1188h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1188.html ** AUSTRIA [non]. Estimados Amigos: Como ustedes saben, el 30 de junio terminan las emisiones en español y francés de ORF Radio Austria Internacional. Por tal motivo, el sábado 28 de junio a través del programa "Antena de la Amistad" por Radio Corea Internacional los oyentes podrán escuchar las voces de Isabel Miró y Jaime Carbonell como así también parte del mensaje final del Jefe de Redacción del Departamento Español de ORF, Manuel Aletrino. El siguiente es el esquema actual de KBS Radio Corea Internacional (UT, frecuencias y áreas de destino): 1000-1100 15210 Khz p/Europa; 9580 Khz y 9760 Khz (vía Sackville- Canadá) p/América del Sur 2000-2100 15575 Khz p/Europa y 0100-0200 11810 Khz p/América del Sur (El programa se transmite a los 10' de comenzada cada emisión, después de las noticias.) En el aire por Internet entrando a http://rki.kbs.co.kr en los siguientes horarios UTC y canales: 2000-2100 - CH1 2100-2200 - CH2 0100-0200 - CH1 1300-1400 - CH2 También en audio por demanda entrando en http://rki.kbs.co.kr (click en Select Language/Spanish, luego Antena-Buzón y elegir la fecha aludida). El programa se carga uno o dos días después de su emisión. Están disponibles los siete (7) últimos programas emitidos. Gracias por su difusión (Rubén Guillermo Margenet, Argentina, June 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BAHAMAS. Does anyone know the call sign and coordinates of 94.9 "More FM" in the Bahamas? Got a positive ID! (Shawn De Cesari - Providence, RI, June 23, WTFDA via DXLD) What's the format? Something is under WHOM here at the office in Southboro, MA? (Steve Solomon, ibid.) Just in case anyone's interested, I called More 94 in the Bahamas to find out the legal call sign and their legal call sign is MORE. LOL Just so someone else will know should they catch that station. (Shawn De Cesari - Providence, RI, FM DXer and Roadgeek Extraordinaire! Ibid.) I really want to thank Shawn for this tip. I came home around noon for a quick lunch between jobs and read the posts, then shut down the computer and decided to check FM before I left. There was plenty of tropo to the northwest, but I swung the antenna down south and flipped to 94.9 and heard it!. Mostly weak, but toward the end it went into stereo. Sounded just like a US station except for the Caribbean music and DJs. IDed as More FM and at 12:30 "The Hot Lunch on All New More 94 FM". Outside of that I only heard one skip station on 92.1 briefly. As far as call letters, doesn't the Bahamas use Z (zed). I remember a station on 1540 I used to hear on AM years ago which used calls beginning with Z (Mike Bugaj, Enfield, CT June 23, ibid.) BAHAMAS FM STATIONS 89.9 - Splash FM - Spanish Wells BS 93.5 - Radio Abaco - Abaco BS 94.9 - 94-More FM - Nassau (New Providence) BS |--------- 96.1 - Cool FM - Freeport (Grand Bahama) BS.. ac 97.5 - LISTEN LIVE Love 97 FM - Nassau (New Providence) BS ac/news 100.3 - 100 Jamz - Nassau (New Providence) BS 102.9 - Island 102.9 FM - Nassau (New Providence) BS 104.5 - Power 104.5 (ZNS FM) - Nassau (New Providence) BS 107.1 - ZNS-1 - Nassau (New Providence) BS 107.9 - ZNS-2 - Nassau (New Providence) BS http://www.tvradioworld.com/region1/bah/Radio_Tv_Frequencies.asp (From TV Radio World via Mike Bugaj, WTFDA via DXLD) My 'South of the Border' appendix (which I have added to my new FM Atlas & includes Mexico, the islands and Central America by frequency) shows 94.9 BM Nassau 'More FM' with the calls of ZBM-FM. Incidentally, the letter Z is assigned to all British Stations in the Caribbean and Atlantic Islands, which includes the Bahamas and Bermuda. (Jim Thomas, wdx0fbu, Milliken, Colorado, ibid.) What`s the URL??? Jim, From researching on the Internet, ZBM-FM is actually 89.1 in Hamilton, Bermuda. Perhaps the stuff I'm seeing is wrong? (Shawn, ibid.) Depends on where you're looking :-} I can say with certainty, however, that "MORE" is NOT a government-assigned call, despite what the station personnel may think or say. If there is a government-assigned call it would be a "ZB-" call. Did you try the FCC's AM Query ? (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA ( 360' ASL ), ibid.) Thanks Shawn for CORRECTLY pointing that out. I was quickly rifling through my directory and thought that was their listing. MORE FM is Officially recognized as their assignment, however, they do have a Z-- assignment. It seems to be lost though. Mike, I still haven't helped you out. (Jim T, wdx0fbu, ibid.) The Bahamas are now an independent nation; the old British Z-calls are no longer official. Doesn't necessarily mean they aren't using them |grin|. Their officially-assigned prefix block is C6A-C6Z. Some official sources do show calls in those blocks assigned to (AM) broadcast stations - for example, if I recall properly the former ZNS-3 is now officially C6B3. I've seen nothing on the FM stations though. It's not at all impossible that they *don't have* callsigns assigned. I just log them by slogan (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66, ibid.) I'm well acquainted with the Broadcasting Corporation of the Bahamas, and have visited all of their facilities at various times, and am personally acquainted with several staff members. Here's an extract from the official ZNS web site http://www.znsbahamas.com/index.php that those following this thread will find interesting. ------- HISTORY ZNS are the call letters for the National Radio and Television Broadcasting System. These letters were assigned when the fledgling radio station was recognized and accredited by the American Federal Communications Commission (F.C.C.). The letter Z was assigned to all British Stations in the Caribbean and Atlantic Islands, including Bermuda. The words attached to the call letters ZNS are Zephyr (Balmy Breeze) -- Nassau -- Sunshine. It was in 1936, when broadcasting commenced in The Bahamas from a studio atop the ``Snappy Hat Shop`` at the corner of Shirley and East Street in Nassau. In 1938, Room was made for the broadcast service to move into the telecommunications building where it remained until the new ZNS building was opened in Centreville. Radio Station ZNS was the broadcast medium of the then Telecommunications Department, the forerunner of today`s Bahamas Telecommunication Corporation. At first, ZNS was on the air for a period of four hours each day, on an assigned frequency of 640 kilocycles AM, and a shortwave frequency of 6090 kilocycles with a transmitting power of 500 watts. Mr. Harcourt (Rusty) Bethel served as General Manager from 1944 until 1970. `Rusty` Bethel`s voice was synonymous with early broadcasting in the country and his famous ``If It`s O. K. Flour, It`s O.K.`` commercial is still fondly remembered by many. In 1947, the medium wave frequency of 640 kilocycles per second on which ZNS had operated from its inception, was taken over by Cuba. Under the term of the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement, the new frequency of 1540 was assigned to The Bahamas. From the inception of Broadcasting in The Bahamas, and up to 1950, the daily operational costs were borne by the government in the form of an annual grant. Because of an expressed desire for more radio involvement and more entertainment, the decision for commercial broadcasting was made. On August 1950, ZNS became self-supportive, as the station went full- fledged into commercial advertising. In the early years, the primary purpose of ZNS radio was to broadcast information to people living in the distant or ?out of islands? of the Bahamas which includes shipping reports, mail boat departures and arrivals, and urgent personal messages for those without telephone service. ------- This URL http://www.tvradioworld.com/region1/bah/Radio_Tv_Frequencies.asp gets you to a section showing all broadcast operations. I believe there is some mis-information. For example ZNS-3 (810 AM in Freeport, Grand Bahama) runs 10 kW [note...this operation *may* have been cut back to 5 kW] using 3 towers to achieve a cardioid east/west pattern. Many listings imply that there are two channel 13 transmitters...one on New Providence (Nassau) and another on Grand Bahama (at Freeport). To the best of my knowledge the Freeport transmitter has never been built, however there is a "ZNS-3 TV" on cable channel 13 on Grand Bahama Island only. It originates some local live programming but mostly carries feeds from the Nassau facilities. At least one of the non-call letter FM stations in Nassau is a ZNS- owned and operated facility --- and I wouldn't be surprised if there might be a similar arrangement in Freeport. It's an intriguing operation ---and was even more fascinating prior to television and FM. I also came across another URL http://bahamasmedia.com/resources/media-profile-main.htm that might be of interest to those seeking information on Bahamas stations. It repeats some of the information found in the previous section, but has more detail on on the overall media scene in the country. Even MORE ZNS history at [sic --- see below] ache:iGqzDZWc5cAJ:www.znsbahamas.com/history.htm+ZNS-3+&hl=en&ie=UTF-8 This is part of a previous site which had more complete history sections, but along the way has been severed from the home page and is apparently only in the Google cache library. [Later:] Hopefully this will fix the error in the last link in the previous post: http://216.239.39.100/search?q=cache:iGqzDZWc5cAJ:www.znsbahamas.com/history.htm+ZNS-3+&hl=en&ie=UTF-8 You may have to copy and paste it into your browser (Tom Bryant / Nashville, TN, ibid.) ** CANADA. AN RCI REVIVAL Thankfully, listeners -- both Canadian and international -- have never given up on Radio Canada International even on the alltoomany occasions when its prospects looked bleak. That steadfast faith appears to be paying off as RCI slowly but steadily emerges from its most recent near-death experience with a roster of developing programs that demonstrate a sharper and more consistent focus than in recent years. One program (though no longer on the schedule) already has earned international accolades: Wojtek Gwiazda`s documentary ``Refugees,`` from his Canada in the World series, received special commendation from the Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union. (The audio file of the program remains available from http://www.rcinet.ca ) RCI`s in-house productions now bring a strong, welcome, and much- needed Canadian focus and perspective to major areas of interest to international listeners. After all, if RCI doesn`t do it, who will? Current features on the schedule include Business Sense (Canadian products, businesses and practices), Media Zone (Canadian journalists` forum), Sci-Tech File (Canadian research and innovations), Spotlight (Canadian arts and culture), and The Maple Leaf Mailbag. The daily magazine Canada Today also appears in two editions, including a new live edition hosted by Gwiazda for the Americas and India. Full details for RCI`s service to the Americas in English are included in each month`s SWG (John Figliozzi, Program Highlights, July MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) ** CANADA. Toronto's CFRX is back on the air on 6070 kHz. Heard today (June 24) loud and clear from about 2150 UT, with its usual CFRB 1010 relay (Sergei Sosedkin, IL, June 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. ABORIGINAL RADIO NETWORK SEEKS TO EXPAND Adrienne Lamb, The Arts Report http://www.cbc.ca/artsCanada/stories/abor230603 EDMONTON --- An aboriginal radio network is hoping to add Montreal and Edmonton to its growing roster of stations across Canada. Mark McLeod, director of licensing with the Aboriginal Voices Radio Network, said he believes they have a good chance in Edmonton. "It's very irresistible for the commission," said McLeod, who's leading the delegation before the CRTC. "They mention in their speeches about how proud they are that they've licensed an aboriginal broadcasting company in Canada." Margo Pariseau, vice-president of the Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women, said the station would have a tremendous impact for aboriginal women in Edmonton. "Many of the women who made a difference - going back to school or deciding what to do with their lives - got the information through the radio. It's the radio that reaches them. "Within five years of operation, the Aboriginal Voices Radio Network has been able to get licenses in Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, Ottawa and Kitchener-Waterloo. The non-profit station broadcasts live via the Internet. The goal is to extend its reach to 27 major urban centres across Canada. Charmain Logan, founding director of the Northern Styles Native Arts Society, said she has been trying to sell music by aboriginal artists for years. "We have a wealth of aboriginal musicians and I know that it's been a struggle for them to have their music put into mainstream," she said. For more arts news, listen to The Arts Report weekdays at 7:12 a.m., 8:12 a.m. and 5:55 p.m. on CBC Radio Two. Copyright 2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation - All Rights Reserved (via Bill Westenahver, Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** CZECH REPUBLIC. RFE ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL DISCUSSES MOVE IN PRAGUE | Excerpt from report in English by Czech news agency CTK Prague, 24 June: The US administrative council of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty [RFE/RL] met to discuss moving the radio's headquarters and paying for the move in Prague today. RFE/RL spokeswoman Sonia Winter said that various aspects were discussed as part of moving. According to information obtained earlier, the US Congress must approve of funds to be used for the move. Winter did not say where the council will ask for the funds to be approved after today's meeting. According to some estimates, the move could cost as much as 20m dollars. RFE/RL President Thomas Dine recently confirmed that the radio will move from the former Czechoslovak federal parliament building in the centre of Prague to another site in the city. The rental agreement signed with the Czech government ends next year. The radio is currently negotiating with several possible locations. [passage omitted] Source: CTK news agency, Prague, in English 1619 gmt 24 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** ECUADOR [and non]. 1610.10 kHz, Ecos del Portéte, Girón (Ecuador). 16 juni 2003 - 0200 UT. 1610.10 kHz, "Radio Sabor", QTH desconocido (probablemente Perú). 16 juni 2003 - 0200 UT. Estimados amigos de ``Conexión Digital``! Realmente es un gran placer para mi participar en su muy conocida ``mailing list``. Mi colega sueco Henrik Klemetz y los otros miembros de SWB han recibido información, junto con grabaciónes, por medio de ``SWB América Latina`` durante el mes de junio tratando de ``Ecos del Portete``, Girón (Ecuador) en 1610.10 kHz y ``Radio Sabor``, QTH desconocido (probablemente Perú) tambien en la frecuencia de 1610.10 kHz. Grabaciónes de las dos emisoras pueden escuchar en la página web: http://homepage.sverige.net/~a-0901/ Por el momento está Radio Sabor en 1610.11 kHz con el mismo tipo de programación, música non-stop sin hablar. Ecos del Portéte se ha movido a aproximadamente 1614 kHz – mejor calidad de sonido en AM, difícil usar SSB. Antes 0100 UT tiene normalmente Portéte programa religioso y a partir de 0100 UT normalmente música non-stop, rocolera ecuatoriana y cumbia es común. 73s de (Björn Malm, La Prensa 4408 y Vaca de Castro, Quito, Ecuador (+593 2) 2598 470, JRC 535 – HF 150. MFJ 616 – MFJ 1025. 12m LW + 24m LW + Longwire Magnetic Balun, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HUNGARY. Effective June 15 Radio Liberty relay via new transmitter site Jaszbereny: 0300-0400 Tajik on 9760 JBR 250 / 075, ex LAM 100 / 075 0400-0500 Russian on 11710 JBR 250 / 055, ex WOF 300 / 075 0500-0600 Russian on 11885 JBR 250 / 055, ex WOF 300 / 075 1600-1700 Armenian on 9505 JBR 250 / 108, ex WOF 300 / 102 73 from (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, June 24 via DXLD) ** IRAN. 'HARMFUL' ELECTRONIC JAMMING OF WESTERN TV SIGNALS INTENSIFIES | Text of report in English by Iranian newspaper Iran Daily web site on 24 June Local stations transmitting powerful electronic signals to distort foreign satellite TV programs has increased over the past few weeks, an expert said. Mohammad Reza Molavi, a faculty member at the Post and Telecommunications University, told the student news agency ISNA that these signals have been intensified since the start of the recent student unrest in the capital city. Medical experts maintain that such signals are harmful to public health and can cause cancers and infertility. Molavi added that unknown groups sending such signals will have to lease a satellite for distorting foreign satellite TV programs. Source: Iran Daily web site, Tehran, in English 24 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) Meaning, carrying out jamming FROM a satellite?? What satellite operator would coöperate with that? (gh, DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. Hello again from New Zealand. Here are some recent loggings. USA. 7460. KSRI. Radio Sedaye Iran. 0230. Fair in Farsi. Has anyone had a verie from this one? I have been using their online message format but no luck with a reply except for their automated response (Ian Cattermole, New Zealand, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. AZERBAIJAN / IRAN [non] The clandestine station Voice of Southern Azerbaijan on 9375 kHz is indeed broadcast from a transmitter in Azerbaijan. The Azeri version of the text quoted in DXLD 3104 http://www.cehreganli.com/xeberler/radiok1.txt directly refers to the Azerbaijani Ministry of Communications. (NB. This text is written in simplified Azeri ortography without special Azeri characters. The station name is spelled "Güney Azerbaycanin sesi"). The Azerbaijani state radio is already transmitting twice daily to listeners in "Southern Azerbaijan" (i.e. northern Iran) via the MW transmitter in Pirsaat on 1296 kHz (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, June 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISLE OF MAN. ISLE OF MAN SET FOR INTERNET FIRST The first ever live Webcast from the Isle of Man will take place on 7 July. Manx Radio http://www.manxradio.com Manx Telecom http://www.manx-telecom.com, Greenlight Television http://www.greenlight-tv.com and the government's information systems division are all collaborating to bring the Tynwald Day ceremony to the world. Tynwald, the Isle of Man parliament, is claimed to be the world's oldest democratic parliament, and has already celebrated its millennium, though the exact date of its establishment is open to debate. Tynwald Day is an ancient ceremony marking the original annual gathering of Monarch, nobles and commoners which developed over the course of centuries to become today's elected House of Keys. This year, HM Queen Elizabeth II will preside over the day's events. The subcommittee responsible for coverage of the event decide to provide a big screen to permit as many local people as possible to follow proceedings, and from that followed a suggestion that the same video feed could be streamed on the Internet. Manx Radio Managing Director Stewart Watterson said: 'The Manx Radio website will carry live video coverage of the whole proceedings with what will be the Isle of Man's first major live webcast. Manx Radio will take its video feed from Greenlight Television's production unit which will be sited near the Royal Chapel. Greenlight TV production crews will commence coverage at 0845 UTC until the fireworks finale at aroud 2200 UTC. In addition to the live narrowband webcast by Manx Radio, Manx Telecom will be providing edited highlights of the event from the government website and its own http://www.manx.net (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 24 June 2003 via DXLD) ** ITALY. 5775. IRRS. 2000. Fair in English religious on this frequency change from 5780 recently announced (Ian Cattermole, New Zealand, June 25, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** JAPAN. Hola amigos: Aquí una información sobre RADIO JAPON: Escuché a un locutor de Radio Japón en Español que anunciaba el inicio de programas de la NHK en Español via internet y dio la página y aquí se las paso para los interesados: http://www.nhk.or.jp/daily/spanish (CESAR PEREZ DIOSES, CORREO CENTRAL, CHIMBOTE, PERU, June 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Nunca antes? ** KOREA SOUTH. See AUSTRIA [non] ** MEXICO. Looking for XEXQ-OC, 6045, as reported by HGB, UT June 25 at 0345 I could detect only a very weak signal amidst the splash from 6050/6055, and T-storm crashes. At 0356 all I could make out were the words ``onda corta`` and could not even detect the Mexican NA as reported for sign-off around 0400. At 1312 again a very weak signal faded up slightly and seemed to be in Spanish (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. A LITTLE REST --- SUMMERTIME EASY LISTENING Close your eyes and imagine this. (On second thought, I guess you`ll have to read this first and then imagine it again from memory.) How about a warm, breezy moonlit evening. The windows and shades are thrown wide open. The room is dark but for the green pulsating circle of the tuning eye and soft orange glow reflecting off the dial of that old Grundig-Majestic tube table model with the rich, deep audio. (It could be your favorite portable, but this is my dream sequence, thank you.) You`re stretched out on the couch (or the rug, or the recliner, on the screen porch --- whatever!) That grand radio is playing a familiar classical piece; or is it a string of hits from the `60s? (It could be either or both.) The sound is steady, even strong; but with a hint of air in the signal telling you that it`s coming from quite a ways away. This is how a lot of midweek summer evenings are spent at my house. The station is Radio New Zealand International, which historically has come in very solidly and quite reliably on 17675 kHz during the high summer months, even here in upstate New York. The programming originates from National Radio, the primary domestic network. It`s midafternoon in New Zealand; but just after sunset the previous (?!) evening where I`m listening. Midwinter there; midsummer here. Regardless, it works seamlessly in both places. After the ``1:00 news`` (0100 UT) and nationwide weather report, it`s Cadenza. Cadenza, an hour of shorter classical music pieces – spanning the spectrum but mostly mainstream – offering a thoughtful, pleasant background for your nighttime musings. It`s produced and presented by Peter Fry, who serves as a friendly but unintrusive guide. Following the news and weather ``at 2`` (0200 UT), the pace changes some with Wayne`s Music, the first hour of In Touch with New Zealand. Wayne is Wayne Mowat, National Radio`s afternoon host, and there isn`t a more relaxed and relaxing host than the warm-voiced Mowat. The National Radio online guide says it best, ``Wayne aims to settle you into cruise mode right away with an oasis of nostalgia, Wayne`s Music....This is a delightful part of the day, whether you`re thirty- something or eighty-wards inclined – a chance to reacquaint yourself with the hits of your era, from the 1920s to the 1970s, and everything in between. Each week Wayne takes us back to a different decade to reawaken some of those sleeping memories. From Fats Waller to Abba, Doris Day to the Beatles, Alberta Hunter to Dean Martin, Duke Ellington to Supertramp...`` In my opinion, this is the most refreshing and relaxing two hour block on shortwave radio. After a hard day at the office, I find myself looking forward to two hours with RNZI. I only wish reception was as good in our winter months as it is in the summer. But then again it`s that ``limited time only`` availability that makes it all the more special. Tune in Monday-Friday 0100-0300 on 17675 kHz. Radio New Zealand International -- The Saturday Comedy Zone (Sat. 0130) and Play It Again (Sat. 0930) originate from the domestic National Radio service. Both programs feature a random selection of humorous series and programs – the former usually of Kiwi vintage and the latter often old BBC chestnuts. For frequencies, consult the MT Shortwave Guide and, until August, r e l a x with good listening! (John Figliozzi, Programming Spotlight, July MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) ** PALESTINE. PALESTINIAN INFORMATION MINISTRY CLOSES THREE UNLICENSED RADIO STATIONS | Text of report by Palestinian news agency Wafa web site Ramallah, 25 June: The Palestinian Information Ministry said today that the decision to close Al-Manar, Alwan and Al-Aqsa radio stations, which broadcast from the Gaza Strip, was made because they do not have the necessary licences. The ministry stressed that closing these radio stations is not related to media rights, freedom of opinion and expression or peoples' right to obtain information; neither does it reflect any new tendencies on any level in the competent PNA [Palestinian National Authority] institutions against freedom of opinion and expression or pluralism. Rather, it is an administrative measure related to the implementation of relevant laws and regulations which fall within the Palestinian government's interest in safeguarding the supremacy and implementation of the law to secure the peoples' and homeland's safety. The ministry affirmed to Palestinian journalists and media men its interest in serving them and facilitating their tasks. Source: Palestinian news agency Wafa web site, Gaza, in Arabic 25 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** PERU. 1610 kHz, R. Sabor: see ECUADOR ** PERU. En la mañana del dia de hoy entre las 1035 y 1050 UT tuve la oportunidad de captar en los 4825 kHz a la peruana La Voz de La Selva, con una identificación musical que mas o menos dice así: " Por mas de un año llevando la alegría LVS tu radio digital" Este archivo sonoro está a la orden de los colegas diexistas. Atte: (José Elías Díaz Gómez, Venezuela, June 25, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** PERU. 4890. Radio Macedonia. 0600. Very good some days prior to PNG on this frequency. Later mixed with PNG. Regards from (Ian Cattermole, New Zealand, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** RUSSIA [non?]. OLD ``GERMAN NUMBERS`` BROADCAST RESUMES The Northern Hemisphere spring brought a return of balmy weather, blooming flowers, and – German-speaking numbers? Yup. Years after German unification caused a huge decline in these transmissions, a weird, machine-edited, male voice was heard speaking German on 5315 kHz. Something similar was heard on another frequency. On 5315, the initial callup was ``Sieben Drei Zwo,`` ``732`` in German, being repeated mechanically. This was followed by several repetitions of ``964,`` and finally a message in 5-number groups. The particular human voice being assembled by machine into the transmission was unfamiliar to veteran ``numbers`` listeners. Also, upper sideband (USB) was being used instead of the former amplitude modulation (AM). Everything else, though, suggested the return of a station not heard since late 1995. Among other things, there was the same distinctive hum in the audio, as if the same circuits had been put back into use, and the same use of ``Null`` for ``zero.`` Both of these suggest the old ``German Man`` transmission from Russian intelligence. The recordings reveal a great similarity to the same agency`s ultra-loud transmission to the United States. This one substitutes a voice in English, but the format is otherwise very close. Once again, we see a good reason never to take old ``numbers`` stations off the lists (Hugh Stegman, HF Communications, July MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) ** SEYCHELLES [non]. INTERNATIONAL(non): Updated A-03 schedule of FEBA Radio: [with kW powers / azimuth degrees] NORTH INDIA, NEPAL, TIBET 0015-0030 Sun NEPALI 12045 ARM 250 / 129 0015-0030 Mon/Tue CHATTISGARHI 12045 ARM 250 / 129 0015-0030 Wed MARWARI 12045 ARM 250 / 129 0015-0030 Thu HINDI 12045 ARM 250 / 129 0015-0030 Fri URDU 12045 ARM 250 / 129 0015-0030 Sat PUNJABI 12045 ARM 250 / 129 0030-0045 Mon-Thu BANGLA 12045 ARM 250 / 129 0030-0115 Fri-Sun HINDI 12045 ARM 250 / 129 0045-0115 Mon-Thu HINDI 12045 ARM 250 / 129 0115-0130 Sun-Thu MARATHI 12045 ARM 250 / 129 0115-0130 Fri BHILI 12045 ARM 250 / 129 0115-0130 Sat BHOJPURI 12045 ARM 250 / 129 1200-1230 Daily TIBETAN 15525 DHA 250 / 085, ex 15605 SAM 1230-1245 Sun BHILI 15525 SAM 250 / 129, ex 15605 1230-1245 Mon/Tue MUNDARI 15225 SAM 250 / 129, ex 15605 1230-1245 Wed MARWARI 15225 SAM 250 / 129, ex 15605 1230-1245 Thu-Sat BHOJPURI 15225 SAM 250 / 129, ex 15605 1245-1315 Sat KUMAUNI 15225 SAM 250 / 129, ex 15605 1245-1300 Sun KANGRI 15225 SAM 250 / 129, ex 15605 1245-1300 Mon-Fri PUNJABI 15225 SAM 250 / 129, ex 15605 1300-1315 Sun/Mon/Wed/Thu ORIYA 15225 SAM 250 / 129, ex 15605 1300-1330 Tue/Fri GUJARATI 15225 SAM 250 / 129, ex 15605 1315-1330 Sat-Mon/Wed/Thu GUJARATI 15225 SAM 250 / 129, ex 15605 1330-1345 Tue-Fri CHATTISGARHI 15225 SAM 250 / 129, ex 15605 1330-1345 Sun/Mon NEPALI 15225 SAM 250 / 129, ex 15605 1330-1345 Sat MAGHI 15225 SAM 250 / 129, ex 15605 1345-1400 Daily BANGLA 15225 SAM 250 / 129, ex 15605 1400-1415 Sun-Thu URDU 15225 SAM 250 / 129, ex 15605 1400-1500 Fri/Sat HINDI 15225 SAM 250 / 129, ex 15605 1415-1500 Sun-Thu HINDI 15225 SAM 250 / 129, ex 15605 SOUTH INDIA, MALDIVES, SRI LANKA 0015-0045 Sun/Thu KANNADA 15425 TCH 250 / 230, ex 15580 0015-0030 Mon/Wed/Fri/Sat KANNADA 15425 TCH 250 / 230, ex 15580 0015-0030 Tue TULU 15425 TCH 250 / 230, ex 15580 0030-0045 Fri/Sat BADAGA 15425 TCH 250 / 230, ex 15580 0030-0130 Mon-Wed TAMIL 15425 TCH 250 / 230, ex 15580 0045-0130 Thu-Sun TAMIL 15425 TCH 250 / 230, ex 15580 0130-0200 Daily TELUGU 15435 DHA 250 / 105, ex 15580 TCH 1400-1430 Mon-Wed MALAYALAM 7460 IRK 250 / 224 1400-1445 Thu-Sun MALAYALAM 7460 IRK 250 / 224 1445-1500 Thu-Sun TELUGU 7460 IRK 250 / 224 1430-1500 Mon-Wed TELUGU 7460 IRK 250 / 224 1500-1600 Daily ENGLISH 7460 IRK 250 / 224 1600-1615 Sun-Tue SINHALA 7460 IRK 250 / 224 1600-1615 Thu-Sat DHIVEHI 7460 IRK 250 / 224 1600-1615 Wed MALAY 7460 IRK 250 / 224 PAKISTAN, AFGHANISTAN, IRAN 0030-0045 Daily ENGLISH 9465 MOS 500 / 090 0045-0115 Sun PUNJABI 9465 MOS 500 / 090 0045-0100 Mon-Sat HINDKO 9465 MOS 500 / 090 0100-0115 Mon/Tue/Fri/Sat PUNJABI 9465 MOS 500 / 090 0115-0130 Tue/Fri-Sun URDU 9465 MOS 500 / 090 0100-0130 Wed/Thu URDU 9465 MOS 500 / 090 0115-0130 Mon POTHWARI 9465 MOS 500 / 090 0130-0145 Fri-Sun SINDHI 9465 MOS 500 / 090 0130-0145 Mon-Thu SIRAIKI 9465 MOS 500 / 090 0145-0200 Wed-Sun BALUCHI 9465 MOS 500 / 090 0145-0200 Mon/Tue BRAHUI 9465 MOS 500 / 090 0200-0215 Daily PASHTO 11995 DHA 250 / 045 0215-0245 Daily DARI 11995 DHA 250 / 045 0245-0300 Daily HAZARAGI 11995 DHA 250 / 045 0530-0715 Fri PERSIAN 9660 DHA 250 / 345, ex 0530- 0700 1530-1630 Daily PERSIAN 9650 ARM 100 / 150, ex 9495 1300-1400 Thu-Sun URDU 9495 NVS 250 / 195 1300-1415 Mon/Wed URDU 9495 NVS 250 / 195 1300-1345 Tue URDU 9495 NVS 250 / 195 1400-1415 Thu-Sun BALTI 9495 NVS 250 / 195 1345-1415 Tue PUNJABI 9495 NVS 250 / 195 1530-1600 Daily PASHTO 9415 ARM 100 / 104 1600-1630 Daily DARI 9415 ARM 100 / 104 1630-1645 Daily HAZARAGI 9415 ARM 100 / 104 1645-1700 Tue-Thu TURKMEN 9415 ARM 100 / 104 1645-1700 Fri-Mon UZBEK 9415 ARM 100 / 104 MIDDLE EAST 0345-0430 Daily ARABIC 15530 MSK 250 / 169 0500-0530 Fri SINHALA 6125 DHA 250 / 300 0530-0630 Fri MALAYALAM 6125 DHA 250 / 300 1100-1245 Daily ARABIC 15530 ARM 250 / 188 1245-1300 Daily ENGLISH 15530 ARM 250 / 188 AFRICA, ETHIOPIA, SUDAN 1515-1530 Daily NUER 12070 MEY 250 / 007, ex 11885 1530-1545 Daily DINKA 12070 MEY 250 / 007, ex 11885 1545-1600 Daily MAKONDE 12070 MEY 250 / 032, ex 11885 1600-1630 Thu-Sun AMHARIC 12070 MEY 250 / 019, ex 11885 1600-1630 Mon-Wed GURAGENA 12070 MEY 250 / 019, ex 11885 1630-1700 Daily AMHARIC 12070 MEY 250 / 019, ex 11885 1700-1730 Fri-Sun OROMO 9590 DHA 250 / 230 1700-1730 Daily SOMALI 11690 KIG 250 / 030 1730-1800 Daily TIGRINYA 11690 KIG 250 / 030 1830-1900 Daily FRENCH 15130 ASC 250 / 070 Tx sites: KIG=Kigali/Rwanda ARM=Armavir/Russia NVS=Novosibirsk/Russia ASC=Ascension Island MEY=Meyerton/So.Africa IRK=Irkutsk/Russia SAM=Samara/Russia DHA=Al-Dhabayya/UAE MOS=Moosbrunn/Austria MSK=Moskow/Russia TCH=Tchita/Russia (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, June 24 via DXLD) ** SPAIN. Hello GLENN, I have been reading your pages for years now and was waiting for a chance to help with some news. Now I have found time to check up all schedules I have found. SPAIN REE on nf 11890 to 0654 close down. Probably from 0500. Listed on 9710 but not audible here. 21610 is active today at +1130 past 1300. Listed 0700-0900 for A03. During B02 they was active 0700-1700 in Spanish By the way all above are in Spanish. I may come back with full times later on. 73´s (Rikard Johansson, Malmoe, Sweden, June 25, DX Listening Digest) {As I recall, Rikard was an active maritime mobile DXers some years back; good to hear from him!} ** TAIWAN. UNDERGROUND RADIO STATIONS SAID DISRUPTING AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL | Text of report in English by Taiwan News web site on 23 June Evidence recently compiled by the government indicates that air traffic control communication channels of both Taipei's Sungshan Airport and Taoyuan's Chiang Kai Shek International Airport are adversely affected by signals from pirate radio stations during weekends, according to Chinese language media. The report surfaced after two air incidents over the past five days, in which a civilian aircraft and a helicopter flew near restricted airspace over the presidential office Wednesday and yesterday respectively. According to the report, Sungshan Airport's air traffic control channel experienced problems at 2.10 p.m. [local time] Saturday, and Taoyuan's CKS International Airport's communications were affected 20 minutes later. After tracing the signals, the telecommunication authorities suspect that the cause of the disruption in both cases were both from underground radio stations. However, telecommunication professionals doubt the telecommunication authority's suspicions. Lin Kun-tong, deputy chairman of the Chinese Taipei Amateur Radio League, explained that signals of the nation's some 80,000 underground radio stations are traceable and stationary. "The capacity for underground radio stations to influence air traffic control channels is very small," Lin said. Wang Ruey-de, adviser to the CTARL, concurred with Lin, explaining that the frequencies used by underground radio stations are not strong enough to affect air traffic control channels. Wang, meanwhile, said that the nation's telecommunication authorities have failed to enforce existing regulations that ban pirate radio stations. He specified that illegal radios used by taxis drivers are one of the sources of disruption. Under current regulations, those found illegally transmitting radio signals could be fined between 10,000-50,000 new Taiwanese dollars. Source: Taiwan News web site, Taipei, in English 23 Jun 03 (Via BBCM via DXLD) 80 thousand pirates???!!! WTFK? Straying above 108 MHz? (gh, DXLD) ** UGANDA. SOROTI MPS WANT RADIO BACK ON AIR http://allafrica.com/stories/200306240399.html The Monitor (Kampala), June 24, 2003, Posted to the web June 24, 2003 Kennedy Lule, Kampala Members of Parliament yesterday asked the government to re-open the Catholic Church-owned radio station that was closed by the army and police on Sunday. Radio Veritas FM in Soroti went off air on Sunday after security operatives and Soroti RDC, Mr Edward Masiga, stormed and searched its offices. The station earned the wrath of the government for defying a minister's directive not to broadcast news about rebel attacks in the area. But several MPs from the Teso sub-region yesterday said that the decision to close Radio Veritas should be reviewed. "I was shocked by [the] closure. It is an attack on media freedom yet it is the same government which has been boasting about it," Mr Francis Epetait (Ngora) said. Epetait said that the station was not being used to propagate the rebel Lord's Resistance Army propaganda but to alert the public about the dangers posed by the rebels. "Veritas in Latin means truth. The radio station was basically doing that," he said. According to Mr Patrick Amuriat (Kumi), the station was still closed by yesterday afternoon. He said that the radio was doing a good job in mobilising the population both against the war and for development. "How will our people be informed when and where to run in case the LRA attacks?" Amuriat wondered. The Soroti woman MP, Ms Alice Alaso, said that closing the radio would be like killing a messenger who delivers a bad message (via Mike terry, DXLD) ** U K. A new book about the BBC "ON AIR - A HISTORY OF BBC TRANSMISSION" http://www.onairbook.co.uk/ The BBC's services were broadcast by its own transmitters from 1922 until 1997 - a lifetime. Thousands of people were involved in the process of researching, planning, designing, specifying, acquiring, making, operating, maintaining and managing the facilities needed to transmit the programmes and hundreds of millions of people benefited through the information, education and entertainment that they received. This book celebrates a lifetime of achievement in the world of broadcast transmission engineering and includes many anecdotes from the lives of people involved. The idea for ON AIR arose in 1997 when BBC Transmission was privatized and two new companies were formed: now called Crown Castle and Merlin Communications. It was the end of an era and a natural point for reflection on past achievements. The result is a book of some 80,000 words contributed by over 50 people, edited by Norman Shacklady and Martin Ellen. We would like to thank the BBC, Crown Castle, Merlin Communications and over 50 contributors for their help in creating this book. If you have any comments concerning the book or BBC Transmission then we would be pleased to hear from you. Email: editors@onairbook.co.uk The book is now available in paperback and the hardback version is due by the end of June 2003. To order please click Order Form above. Staff with BBC R&D or BBC World Service should check for internal distribution arrangements. Martin Ellen will have books for sale in the reception area of Crown Castle's building at Warwick between 12:30 and 14:00 on 10 July 2003 (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** U K / U A E. BBC WORLD SERVICE BEGINS FM BROADCASTS IN UNITED ARAB EMIRATES | Text of press release by BBC World Service on 24 June BBC World Service has begun transmitting on FM in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates capital and plans to launch a second FM frequency in the UAE in Dubai, one of the Middle East's major business centres, this summer. The new 24-hour FM frequency in Abu Dhabi, on 90.3 MHz, is the fifth new FM frequency to be launched by BBC World Service in the Middle East since March. Last month BBC World Service announced it had begun FM broadcasts in Arabic and English in the Iraqi cities of Baghdad, Basrah and Al-Amarah. "BBC Arabic is pleased to add Abu Dhabi to its growing number of FM frequencies across the Middle East. Abu Dhabi and Dubai, where we plan to launch another FM frequency later this summer, are both important commercial centres and listeners and business people there will benefit from high quality FM transmissions," said Jerry Timmins, head of Middle East and Africa region at BBC World Service. BBC World Service now has FM facilities in all Gulf Cooperation Council States with the exception of Saudi Arabia. BBC Arabic is also available on FM in Amman (Jordan) reaching Jerusalem and other West Bank centres, in Ajloun (Jordan) for Damascus, northern Jordan, southern Lebanon, and northern Israel, in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Khartoum and Wad Madani in Sudan. Around the world BBC World Service is present in FM in 140 capital cities. BBC Arabic is the oldest of BBC World Service's 42 language services and also broadcasts throughout the Arab World on shortwave frequencies. Source: BBC World Service press release, London, in English 24 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** U S A. ARYAN NATIONS PLOTS A COMEBACK AT IDAHO CAMPOUT BUT CRITICS SAY CIVIL SUIT MADE RACIST GROUP IRRELEVANT By Karl Huus, MSNBC FARRAGUT STATE PARK, Idaho, June 22 --- Amid a stand of pines in the Idaho panhandle, Richard Butler sits slightly hunched in a camp chair, a large swastika affixed to the wall of the campground bathrooms behind him. He is surrounded by a loyal coterie of men, some in full Nazi uniform, others in skinhead garb. At 85, the founder of the Idaho-based Aryan Nations is frail, but still influential in racist circles, and extremely tenacious. ``What you're seeing today is the prelude to the awakening of the white race,`` he says. But others say it's more like the death rattle for the umbrella organization of white-supremacy groups. . . Hal Turner: A surprise guest from New Jersey, Turner is a talk show host who does a daily broadcast of fiercely anti-immigrant, anti- Jewish and anti-federal rhetoric via shortwave radio [WBCQ] and the Internet. Turner has the cachet of show business and draws easily on the politics of the day to support his case. . . . http://www.msnbc.com/news/927968.asp?0cv=NB10 (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) Same story: http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_email.asp?/news/927968.asp (via jm, Media Network, DXLD) {a spoofer? NOT Jonathan Marks} ** U S A. Following item is similar to one in 3-109 which only mentioned NMC in passing (gh) COAST STATIONS NMC, KPH AND KFS WILL RETURN TO THE AIR USING MORSE CODE For the first time since 12 July 1999 listeners around the world will have the opportunity to hear three historic US coast stations on the air using Morse code. On July 1st, Coast Guard Communications Area Master Station Pacific (CAMSPAC), Pt Reyes will retire the historic "Sparks" from the Telecommunications Specialist Enlisted Rating Badge, as the Coast Guard restructures its work force replacing that specialty with two others, the Operations Specialist and the Information Technology Specialist. As a special part of the ceremony surrounding this change NMC will return to the air using Morse code (CW) and possibly radioteletype (RTTY). These services, once the mainstays of Coast Guard communications, have been retired for several years but will be reinstated for this ceremony. At present the frequencies known to be authorized for NMC are 8574 kc and 500 kc with the possible addition of 488 kc. Additional HF frequencies may be authorized by the time of the event. Those wishing the latest information about NMC frequencies and times of operation should write directly to TCCM Loren R. O'Banion at LObanion@d11.uscg.mil . The public is invited to visit NMC to participate in this event. The unit's Receiver Site, located at 17000 Sir Francis Drake Blvd on the Pt Reyes National Seashore will be open to the public between the hours of 9 am and 3 pm [PDT = UT -7]. Persons wishing to attend must RSVP to (415) 669-2004. KPH will activate its HF and MF transmitters to participate in this historic event and to give listeners the opportunity to hear three US coast stations on the air - possibly for the last time. KFS will also return to the air on a single frequency. KPH will transmit on 6477.5, 8642.0, 12808.5 and 17016.5 on HF and on 500 and 426 kc on MF. KFS will transmit on 17026.0 kc. These frequencies have been made available through the generous cooperation of Globe Wireless, the current owner of the KPH and KFS licenses. KPH and KFS operators will listen for calls from ships on 6276.0, 8368.0, 12552.0 and 16736.0 on HF and 500 kc on MF. Reception reports for NMC may be sent to: USCG CAMSPAC Pt. Reyes ATTN: LCCT O'Banian 1700 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. , POB 560 Point Reyes Station, CA 94956-0560 USA Reception reports for KPH and KFS may be sent to: Ms. DA Stoops P.O. Box 381 Bolinas CA 94924-0381 USA (viennawireless yahoogroup via Alan Bosch, DXLD) ** U S A. FCC EXPERIMENTAL LICENSES The United States Federal Communications Commission has long granted special licenses with callsigns that look amateur. However, they`re from the specially reserved ``X`` block. The first letter of the callsign suffix, immediately after the number, is always an X, for experimental. It`s assumed that some new type of device or application is being studied for research or the development of new technology. Some pretty ambitious commercial operations have started out with these amateur-style calls. When WLW in Cincinnati wanted to build a 500,000-watt AM broadcasting station, they first tested it as W8XO. In New York City, WQXR started out as W2XR (``Experimental Radio``), when FM broadcasting really was experimental. One Los Angeles TV station began as W6XAO, broadcasting snowy test patterns to a handful of experimental receivers. Today, however, the experimental calls all seem to come from the ``2`` area, and ordinary amateurs have been given X calls with the other numbers. In the last year or so, some rather interesting test licenses have been granted by the FCC. These promise more funny noises ahead on the high-frequency (HF) band. Right up there in the noise department would be WD2XAX, with transmitters in Florida, and licensed to the Department of Marine Science at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. The operation`s purpose is not immediately evident from the FCC`s sketchy description, but a quick look at the frequencies gives it away fast. These authorized frequencies are 4470, 4550, 4800, and 4900 kHz. This frequency range is one of three commonly used by HF coastal radar stations for basic research and development. Maybe you`ve heard the dweep, dweep, dweep sound, as their pulsed carriers make an upward sweep of 50 to 100 kHz from the assigned frequency, once or twice per second. Sure enough, a quick trip to the university`s web site turns up a research contract for development of HF sea surface radar in Florida and North Carolina, both for surveillance and current mapping. The technical parameters sound like the SeaSonde system, made by Codar Ocean Sensors. This company was started by the original developers of Codar (Coastal Ocean Dynamics Applications Radar), who left the US weather service to market it commercially. It`s not a major interference machine, with its small transmitters and simple antennas. But if reception gets dweepy on these frequencies, again, here`s one guess who`s doing it. (More on p.35) [below] Another experimental license in the North Carolina area is WD2XBI, granted to Thales Mackay Radio. Frequencies are listed as 2142.4, 4916.5, 7422, 9973, 10423, 13423, 15711.5, 18178.5, 23007, and 27547 kHz. The purpose is for ``test and development of communications technology.`` Thales, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Thomson-CSF in France, supplies a lot of the transmitters and receivers used by the US Navy. They are typically remote-controlled rack units, with sophisticated user interfaces and Automated Link Establishment (ALE) operation. They are also rated for Link-11, the multitone, HF, tactical data link which allows participating military units to exchange target tracking data. The only really ominous test license, though, is to WC2XXK, Ameren Energy Communications, Inc., for operation ANYWHERE from 1705 kilohertz to 30 megahertz – the WHOLE band! This is another of those new schemes for sending high-speed data through power lines, presumably getting our newly deregulated electric companies right into the broadband communications business. In April, the FCC issued a Notice of Inquiry soliciting comments on the effects of these systems on radio users. FCC has gotten a real earful. According to ham radio organizations which have examined the technical data, there is no way such a system could be deployed throughout the entire power grid without radio waves leaking out and buzzing HF from one end to the other. The American Radio Relay league`s technical expert predicts ``a significant increase in noise levels.`` This one is really worth watching, as it could be yet another of those seemingly yearly threats to the whole radio hobby (Hugh Stegman, HF Communications, July MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) ** U S A. ALL AT SEA WITH CODAR This month we focus on CODAR or Coastal Ocean Detection And Ranging, a form of radar that is appearing increasingly on HF frequencies throughout the world. Back in the late 1960s a scientist named Donald E. Barrick pioneered much of the theory behind the use of HF radio for the purposes of measuring and monitoring ocean currents. While at NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), Barrick and others in the Wave Propagation Laboratory successfully developed HF-based radar theory and systems to measure sea wave height, period and flow. CODARs make use of a phenomenon called Bragg scattering, something that happens to any electromagnetic radiation (radio signals or light) when the wave encounters fluctuations or turbulence which are small compared to the wavelength of the signal. To an HF radio signal, any sea is a turbulent surface with waves of many different heights and periods (the distance between peaks of waves), and when the signal falls on that sea, it scatters in many directions. According to Bragg, the radar signal will return directly to its source only when it scatters off a wave that is exactly half the transmitted signal wavelength, *and* that wave is traveling in a path directly away from or directly towards the radar. In this case, the scattered radar signals add together and produce a strong returning ``echo`` at a very precise wavelength. You can read more about the theory of CODAR at the website of the firm that Barrick started after leaving NOAA, and which supplies the majority of CODAR systems, Codar Ocean Sensors. Most modern CODARs use a variety of HF frequencies from 3-50 MHz to do their work and can therefore use a variety of sea waves for scattering: 25 MHz radar = 12m radio wave can observe 6m ocean waves 10 MHz radar = 25m radio wave can observe 15m ocean waves 4 MHz radar = 75m radio wave can observe 37.5m ocean waves Suffice to say, with these basic facts and a lot of sophisticated signal processing, today`s CODARs are able to measure sea wave length, period, travel direction and speed. And, by using two or more transmitting stations aimed at the same area of water, their reflected signals can be combined to produce information about the overall surface current direction. Figures 1 and 2 shows some typical output (surface flow and wave height) from Rutgers University`s CODAR on the New Jersey coast. Listening in on CODAR The best time for hearing these radars is at nighttime, when many drop to their lower frequencies. At Digital Towers here in the northeastern US, we are able to hear several CODARs during any evening as we slowly tune the receiver from 4 to 5 MHz. There are also regular daytime signals in the band 13400 to 13600 kHz and 23000 to 25000 kHz. The signals have an unmistakable metallic ``schwip, schwip, schwip...`` as the radar signal is swept across a narrow range of frequencies, typically about 20 or 50 kHz. By the time you read this article, there should be a clip of CODAR audio available from Leif Dehio`s excellent website (see Resources). In our case, it`s quite likely that we`re hearing the established set-up of the University of Rutgers Institute of Marine and Coastal Science`s project COOL, operating from its sites in New Jersey and Florida. Here are the data from the FCC website. Figure 3 shows the sites for WA2XXF. Experimental license WA2XXF : Short-range CODAR (70 miles): Brigantine, Brant Beach, Tuckerton, NJ Long-range CODAR (200 miles): Wildwood, Loveladies, NJ Frequency Bands: 4800 to 4900 kHz (50 kHz sweep) 24700 to 25900 kHz (150 kHz sweep) Experimental license WD2XAP monitors the ocean off the West Florida shelf: Short-range CODAR (70 miles): Venice, FL Frequency Bands: 4400 to 4900 kHz (50 kHz sweep) The Rutgers project will soon be running a new CODAR based in Nantucket, MA. With today`s sophisticated digital signal processing (DSP), most CODAR systems use relatively modest levels of power from about 50 W to maybe 1 kW. The transmit and receive antenna systems are also small as Figures 4 and 5 show. For those listeners on the West Coast of the US, Scripps Institute of Oceanography at UCSD San Diego operates CODARs from Point Loma, Imperial Beach, and La Jolla under callsign WC2XYM. Similar to the Rutgers systems, the frequency ranges are quoted at 25000 to 25700 kHz but with a larger 500 kHz sweep. Scripps also provide a video camera controllable from the Internet, that looks out over the wonderful stretch of California coastline monitored by this CODAR. Until next month, enjoy your listening. Resources: Codar Ocean Sensors http://www.codaros.com Rutgers Project COOL http://www.marine.rutgers.edu/mrs Scripps Project SDCOOS http://www.sdcoos.ucsd.edu/index.html CODAR Clip http://www.rover.vistecprivat.de/~signals/ (Mike Chace, Digital Digest, July MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. NEW YORK VOLMET RETURNS As mysteriously as it had vanished, New York VOLMET suddenly came back onto the air several weeks later, with a very nice signal on 3485, 6604, 10051, and 13270 kHz USB. It had been down to very low power, or no transmissions at all, for at least a month. VOLMET means ``flying weather,`` and it`s one of those repeating broadcasts of weather observations and forecasts for airports in a particular region. Pilots had been heard asking about the disappearance, indicating that, even with all today`s fancy data systems, someone`s still using these. The schedule stays the same, with 20-minute broadcasts on the hour and half hour. The two other ten-minute periods, at 20 and 50 minutes after the hour, are used by Gander Radio in Newfoundland, Canada (Hugh Stegman, HF Communications, July MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) ** U S A. WHAT? WE HAVE TO FILE?! Have you heard about the Nevada Highway Patrol system that has been operating illegally for the past three years? After 10 years of planning and construction and expenditures of more than $15 million, the project`s new manager came to an awful realization: no one ever filed with the Federal Communications Commission to reserve the necessary radio frequencies to operate the system. ``Never in my wildest dreams did I think to ask, `Are we legal?``` said NHP Col. Dave Hosmer. ``We are licensed for no frequencies at this time.`` The highway patrol`s new Motorola system was intended to enable its officers to communicate with each other, the dispatch centers and some other law enforcement agencies, especially rural systems operating on 150 MHz. Though the system began operation in 2000, the highway patrol did not apply to the FCC for the frequencies until mid-2002, when it sought a temporary permit. When that permit expired, the patrol never moved for permanent approval. The FCC ordered the state to abandon the frequencies it has been using by June 9 and return to a conventional system. Some of the 150- megahertz frequencies being used are dedicated to railroads, which have complained that highway patrol traffic interrupts their communications. Christopher Perry, a highway patrol officer, has been assigned to find the answers needed to meet the June deadline and to find a longer-term solution to keep the system going. The patrol, he said, apparently had been operating illegally on 140 channels. The governor`s office and FCC are also working with the NHP on a permanent solution. The patrol operates on a 150-megahertz system. The FCC says there is a limited number of these channels available, and they prefer law enforcement groups to use 700- or 800-megahertz frequencies. However, in some rural counties, the highway patrol trooper is backed up by the sheriff`s office and vice versa. If the highway patrol converted to the Nevada Transportation Department`s 800-MHz system, not only would it mean replacing most of the equipment in the present system, but rural counties fear that would hurt their law enforcement efforts. The governor`s office said there is a possibility that converters could be purchased to upgrade the systems and alleviate those concerns. The patrol said its study on the mistakes will be sent to the state attorney general`s office to determine whether criminal charges should be filed. Meanwhile, all are hoping the FCC will not levy the billion dollars in fines that could potentially be owed for the illegal operation. Stay tuned. As Col. Hosmer reportedly said, ``It`s buffoonery at its finest.`` (Communications, July MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) ** U S A. RADIO/TV TOWERS LOST IN AZ FIRE There are two sites in the Catalina mountains. Mt Bigelow is where there are several TV stations, and the University FM. Radio Ridge, on Mt Lemmon, is mostly public service, a couple of FM and TV translators, and a "Booster" or two. KGMG is perhaps the only "main" there, all several hundred watts. Power wiring was cut, and two of the towers on Radio Ridge are reported down. No AMs are anywhere near the sites. (Barry Mishkind - Tucson, AZ - http://www.broadcast.net/~barry Visit The Broadcast Archive http://www.oldradio.com NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. KFHX 1620: I was in the Fountain Hills area (AZ) and KFHX is alive and well. I don't know why I could not get a peep out of it Sunday. I could hear it way down in the mud on 1620 from my QTH, about 20 miles North and West of Fountain Hills, AZ. I monitored the frequency mobile and it started to fade-in about 8 miles east of F. H. As I wound up the pass into the McDowell Mountains that separate F.H. from Scottsdale/Phoenix, the signal came up rapidly. I heard the station well as far as 8 miles into the desert east of Fountain Hills. (At that point, I turned around to head for home.) I heard the station mid-afternoon local. They were playing a mix of oldies pop and rock with no announcer, though there were two clear canned ID's heard at 2317 and 2330 UT. So, yes, they are still on the air. Ok, 73, (~ Rick Barton, AZ, June 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WTIR NOT GONE, JUST CHANGING FREQUENCY Travel network getting boost from wattage Bob Mervine, Staff Writer From the June 20, 2003 print edition of the Orlando Business Journal KISSIMMEE -- A plan for a statewide travel radio network aimed at tourists is edging closer to reality. "The idea has always had great potential," says Dick Kane, a Florida Department of Transportation spokesman. Yet for the past four years, the Travel Information Radio Network, a venture between a local broadcast entrepreneur and the state's transportation department, has tuned in mostly static. Economic conditions, bureaucratic delays and fickle financing all have delayed the project. Now, though, with AM radio stations signing onto the idea, tweaked technology, a new Web site and marketable programming, the Travel Information Radio Network appears poised for growth. Roadblocks Four years ago, the state announced it was teaming with a private broadcaster, Joe Gettys, to create the network. The former marketing director for Kissimmee's Old Town had launched a more rudimentary version while working at the Osceola retail complex. The state's transportation department was interested in developing the network, if for no other reason than as part of its Intelligent Transportation Network, an information system designed to keep traffic slowing {sic!} smoothly. Plans called to provide a 24-hour statewide radio network broadcasting tourism information, weather reports and travel advisories. Roadblocks appeared almost immediately. The local AM station that was the prototype for the network -- WLAA-AM 1680 -- operated on an old frequency with what Gettys describes as "a big hole" in their broadcast coverage area. Extensive engineering fixes failed. Marketing the fledgling information network to passing cars was the network's single biggest cost: erecting thousands of official blue roadway signs engineered to withstand 200-mph winds, which needed to be placed along rights of way along the state's highway system. The delays, though, have actually helped, says the highway department's Kane. "During the delay, Joe has had a chance to develop a wonderful, very listenable format," he says. Tuning in More important, the network is making changes aimed at ensuring that motorists will be more likely to hear that format. The network is switching over its Orlando radio station from the old 1680 frequency to a better-located, powerful transmitter in Ocoee, WTIR-AM 1300. An improved signal from WTIR's more powerful 10,000-watt AM should be on the air any day, says Gettys. He believes that by Aug. 1 the upgraded one-station "network" will add two more affiliates from Valdosta, Ga. (910 AM), and a new station, (1410 AM) from Alachua, near Gainesville. Three more stations covering Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Daytona are expected to be operational by Sept. 1. Gettys says, "By Labor Day, we will be able to reach the 33 million out-of-town motorists visiting the area on those three highways from Savannah to Palm Bay." And 158 roadside signs are already in place along Central Florida's major highways, Interstate 95, Interstate 75 and Florida's Turnpike, as well as Interstate 4 in Central Florida -- all directing visitors to listen for traffic and tourism updates. Programming appeal The network program content is a 10-minute "wheel" of repeating information, regularly updated by the network and by the local station. Six of the 10 minutes are produced for a statewide audience and will include everything from slickly produced 30-second features to a minute of traffic updates and lane closures on state roads, as well as reminders about seat belt and child seat laws in the state. In addition to the minute of programming, the state also can take control of the entire network in the case of emergencies and natural disasters. The other four minutes are locally produced and contain two minutes of local advertising. "We've found that the content needs to be short," Gettys says. "If anything is too long, people just change the channel and we lose them." The appeal to potential radio advertisers is raw numbers. Many Florida tourists now are traveling the state in cars as an alternative to the lengthy waits and crowded planes of air travel. Of the 37.4 million people who plan to travel 50 miles or more from home just on the Fourth of July weekend, AAA reports 32.6 million plan to go by motor vehicle, an increase of 2 percent -- while air travel plans have declined by 2 percent. There are still hurdles. Certain technical upgrades at the new tower are not finished and the station can't be heard in much of Orlando -- including the travel network's offices on John Young Parkway. Thus, the sophisticated Web site newly developed for the network http://www.tirn.com can't stream the network's audio programming. Marjorie Dobbins, media director for Fry Hammond Barr points out, "There's no way to measure any of that tourist media to determine whether it's reaching the right audience." Dobbins holds a glimmer of hope for future ad buys with the network, but notes "there's a lot more work to do first." Gettys, though, remains upbeat -- if only because the network offers the struggling AM radio market a rich source of listeners. "There are about 700 AM stations out there losing money," he notes. "There's been no lack of broadcasters dying for a niche format like this one." (via Patrick Griffith, N0NNK, CBT CBNT, Westminster, CO, USA, NRC-AM via DXLD) I am not sure what he meant by a "big hole in their coverage", I thought their 10 kw non-DA did pretty well and I used them to get a handle on I-4 road conditions when there. I just saw one of their blue signs a couple of days ago. The "tune to 1680 AM" was pasted over with "1300 AM". on what I think is a long- standing sign. I checked 1300 when I saw the sign, last Thursday. Just a weak Tampa WQBN in Spanish with something else underneath. This is not replacing something else in the Orlando area on 1300 AFAIK, but is a totally new assignment. Unless in the LPRT category, shouldn't there be a CP for it? (Bob Foxworth, ibid.) Nope - this is the 1300 Cocoa license, ex WXXU if memory serves. 5000 day, 1000 night, DA-2. s (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.) He started out on 1220 in Kissimee. Last I knew, it was Spanish speaking. Used to do the Saturday Nite Cruise from Old Town. (A tourist trap similar to South of the Border, on I-95 at the SC/NC line. It is just south of Disney on the other side of I-4 (Paul Smith, FL, ibid.) ** U S A. CLEAR CHANNEL WANTS TO MEND SOME FENCES W. Scott Bailey Clear Channel Communications Inc., the dominant player in the radio- station market, is attempting to improve its public relations efforts in the aftermath of a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruling that relaxed ownership rules for television and print -- but not radio. Some observers say the move is not as much about the San Antonio-based company protecting its future growth opportunities as it is about holding on to what it already has. On June 2, the FCC announced a ruling that essentially left radio ownership restrictions as is but allowed more room for television and print to explore expanded ownership opportunities. Clear Channel initially lashed out at the FCC ruling, characterizing the decision as a "re-regulation" of the radio industry. Company President and Chief Operating Officer Mark Mays went so far as to accuse the FCC of choosing politics over public interest. But there are recent signs that the communications giant is actually working to lower the volume on its disputes with politicians and the media, replacing some of that harsh rhetoric with a more informative, proactive approach. Clear Channel has been under fire for a number of controversial issues for quite some time. They include participation in industry consolidation, an alleged monopolizing of the market and, more recently, the practice of voice tracking -- which has replaced some local disc jockeys with voices and programming emanating from other locales. Andy Levin, senior vice president of governmental affairs for Clear Channel, was asked if his company's embattled image -- deserved or not -- has hurt its standing with regulators and the public. "I believe that's what has happened," he said from his Washington, D.C., office. "I definitely think that is what we are up against." Levin said that image or reputation has been self-perpetuating in part because of the sheer size of the company, and because it has not moved quickly enough in the past to adequately explain its position on a number of key issues. "Our company, as large as it is, is going to have vocal opposition," explained Levin. "In our case, we grew very large very quickly. I think that made us a lightning rod for criticism." Levin said a number of Clear Channel's image woes can be traced back to the company's failure to be more proactive. "I think we could have told our story better and earlier," he admitted. "They've had a really bad run of publicity," says John Dunbar, a director with the Center for Public Integrity, a Washington, D.C.- based organization that tracks media and governmental issues. Dunbar, who has stated recently that politicians on both sides of the political spectrum are working to distance themselves from Clear Channel as fast as they can, tells the Business Journal: "You don't have to be a genius to know that there has been a backlash against radio in general and Clear Channel in particular." He says any new proactive PR strategy by Clear Channel -- especially in Washington, D.C., -- can likely be attributed at least in part to the fact that the company wants to avoid a run-in with some detractors possessing strong political muscle. "There are people that really don't like that company," Dunbar says. "Some of them are in a position to pass laws that could hurt them in a big way." Setting it right Levin said there are too many misconceptions about Clear Channel that simply need to be clarified. One, he added, is consolidation. "We think people are under the mistaken impression that the radio industry is consolidation run amok," Levin said. "The opposite is true. But some folks, who had a political agenda to keep TV from being further regulated used radio -- especially Clear Channel -- as the scapegoat." Levin added, "It is true that Clear Channel owns about 1,200 radio stations and that's a very large number. But it needs to be put into perspective. There are about 13,000 stations in the U.S. We're only 9 percent -- and only 20 percent of the revenues. That's not a monopoly, yet we've been unfairly targeted." Levin also pointed to voice tracking as an area that Clear Channel needs to address. "We think it's better programming. We're using technology to bring high-quality entertainment to smaller markets that could not otherwise afford it," he explained. "If we stop doing that, a lot of people are going to be unhappy." Levin added, "We certainly need to do a better job of educating people on what this is all about. It's just syndicated programming that's one step better because it is more localized." But has voice tracking led to a generic sound or message throughout the cities where Clear Channel owns radio stations? "I'm not sure the perception is true," Levin said. "If you look at the playlist in Austin versus Washington, D.C., for example, they're very different." Robert Unmacht, a partner in Nashville-based media consultant iN3 Partners, says he has tracked Clear Channel for more than 15 years. He says what Clear Channel is doing is house cleaning. "They've taken so much flack for the way they've operated from so many sides," Unmacht contends, "ultimately, the negativity plays into advertising, where some may rethink their relationships." He adds that any lingering image problems could also haunt Clear Channel in future regulatory decisions and legislation. "I do have high praise for some of what they've done, and there is nothing wrong with them wanting to operate like a business," Unmacht says. "But because of who they are, how big they are, the world demands more from them. "When it comes to radio, people are passionate. It's not a shoe store (Clear Channel is) running," he says. "I'm not sure they understand that yet." Perceptions Said Levin about Clear Channel's detractors, "When people make false accusations, they tend to stick over time. We may have made a mistake in not dealing with that earlier on. Perception becomes reality. We're trying very hard now to show the good that we do for communities." He pointed to the $20 million Clear Channel raised to help victims of the Sept. 11 disaster as an example. "We have not done a good job of taking credit where credit is due. Our image has suffered because of that," Levin said. Has this awakening led to some significant changes in the way Clear Channel is now addressing its public image? "There's no question," said Levin. "Absolutely. We're now much more focused on explaining how our business works." Asked why a communications giant with a global reach perhaps has not been more in tune with the media and the public up to now, Levin explained, "I suspect the company was in a high-growth mode and was busy trying to build and improve its business and its culture. But maybe now attention needs to be paid to reputation and image. We can't turn the clock back. But we can move forward." Dunbar believes Clear Channel's new outreach was prompted, at least partially, out of fear that Congress could put a hurt on the company if politicians continue to feel enough heat from the public to take another look at the radio industry. But is the broadcast company reaching out to its detractors and others more now in an effort to better position itself for future gains or to avoid the possibility of losing some of what it already has? Dunbar believes it is the latter. "There is a vulnerability for them right now," he contends. "If either the public or Congress chooses to get really nasty, Clear Channel could eventually be forced to let go of some stations. What they are doing isn't as much about what they want to add as much as what they want to protect." Levin said pending legislation over the FCC's recent ruling isn't likely to change things for the radio industry one way or the other. He added that there could be a repeal of some of the changes regarding television, however. On the radio side, Levin said, "Deregulation has been good for radio and good for consumers. We're not the evil empire people would like to make Clear Channel out to be." That said, Levin knows hurdles remain. The biggest? "Clearly, it`s image," he said. "We have to get the word out better about who we are and what we do. We are extremely proud of our company and what we do. We will continue to work as hard as we can from this point to please each community where we do business." (From the June 20, 2003 print edition of the San Antonio Business Journal via Patrick Griffith, N0NNK CBT CBNT, Westminster, CO, USA, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. AS UNIVISION LOOKS TO RADIO, A DEBATE OVER HOW BIG IS TOO BIG June 23, 2003, By MIREYA NAVARRO http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/23/business/media/23UNIV.html?ex=1057544316&ei=1&en=426cf0f2e4286ca4 A fixture of Spanish-language media in Los Angeles is the 6 p.m. newscast of KMEX-TV Channel 34, delivered from an ultramodern all- digital studio and including such features as job listings for cooks, car alarm installers and bilingual Brink's armored truck drivers. The station's owner is Univision Communications, the nation's largest Spanish-language media company and a dominant force not only in broadcast television but in cable, music, the Internet - and soon, if regulators allow - in radio. Univision, which owns 53 television stations around the country, is seeking approval from the Federal Communications Commission to add more than 60 radio stations to its properties by merging with the Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation of Dallas, whose biggest shareholder is the radio giant Clear Channel Communications. Univision officials said the move would help them compete more evenly with big English-language media companies like Viacom Inc. and Disney for ad dollars. The Justice Department has already signed off on the $3 billion merger, and the F.C.C. is expected to rule within a few weeks. The handicapping in Washington favors approval, with the Republican chairman, Michael K. Powell, and his two Republican colleagues on the commission voting for the deal. But, the two Democrats on the F.C.C. are expected to oppose the merger, just as they voted against the commission's recent sweeping relaxation of longstanding limits on media ownership. Opposition to the $3 billion merger is also coming from consumer groups, Congressional Democrats and competitors, including the Spanish Broadcasting System, a 29-station radio chain that lost out to Univision in the bidding for Hispanic Broadcasting. The opponents argue that the threat of stifling competition and viewpoints is more onerous in the Hispanic market because it has fewer media outlets. In contrast to the thousands of television and radio outlets in English, the Spanish market has only about 145 television stations and 630 radio stations nationwide. Dominance in the Hispanic media business is increasingly valuable, as the nation's Latino population continues to grow. Last week the Census Bureau released estimates indicating that the Hispanic population had overtaken black Americans as the nation's largest minority group. In Los Angeles, the largest and one of the most competitive Hispanic media markets in the United States, Univision would own 5 of the 20 Spanish-language radio stations, including the top-rated KSCA-FM (101.9), if the merger comes through. The company already owns 2 of the 6 Spanish television stations in the Los Angeles area. Univision officials say the company should be viewed as part of the overall broadcasting market, although they concede that there is no company as dominant in English-language media as Univision is in Spanish. By the company's own account, its television network - the nation's fifth largest in overall prime-time audience - captures 80 percent of prime-time Hispanic viewers with a combination of programming from Latin America, including blockbuster prime-time soaps, or telenovelas, and some original productions, including its popular newscasts. Telemundo, Univision's closest competitor, has failed to gain ground in ratings despite joining forces last year with NBC, which bought the network for $2.7 billion. Both NBC and Telemundo are owned by the General Electric Company. Galavision, Univision's cable network, draws more than three times the audience of Telemundo, the company says, adding that Univision.com is the most-visited Spanish-language Web site in the United States. In addition, the Univision Music Group, a recording and publishing company, captures 36 percent of the Latin music market. And last year, Univision began Telefutura, a broadcast network whose programming is in Spanish but which is aimed at bilingual Latinos who watch television in English. With radio, Univision would expand into a medium that is particularly powerful in the Latin market because Spanish speakers tend to rely on radio for information and entertainment more than other groups, and listen longer, according to research from Arbitron, the commercial rating service. (The company has a 30 percent ownership interest in Entravision Communications Corporation, whose radio stations are Hispanic Broadcasting's main competitor in many Latino markets, but the Justice Department has required Univision to sell most of that stake as a condition not to oppose the merger.) Ray Rodríguez, president and chief operating officer of Univision Networks, said in an interview that Univision needed the competitive advantages that the F.C.C. recently granted when it relaxed media ownership limits, though Congress has begun hearings to possibly to restore those restrictions. He said his company could attract more ad revenue by combining with radio - either by selling radio and television advertising packages or by wooing nervous newcomers to the Spanish-language market with radio's cheaper rates. "This is what we need to do to continue moving forward," Mr. Rodriguez said. But what is good for business may not necessarily be so for audiences when they are left with fewer choices, critics of the merger argue. They say they worry about the pitfalls of too much media control, such as biased coverage in newscasts and the overplay of artists signed with Univision's labels on Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation stations. Robert Menéndez, a New Jersey congressman who is the House Democratic Caucus chairman, said he was concerned about what he saw as Univision's favorable coverage of President Bush's controversial judicial nomination of Miguel Estrada, a Latino opposed by Hispanic Democrats in Congress for his conservative views. "At the end of the day," Mr. Menéndez said, "is it good for the Hispanic community to have a humongous Univision or a series of competitors?" (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** U S A. Re 3-112 WILM: Allan Loudell regularly joins us at the Winter SWL Fest each year -- and was a luncheon speaker in 2002. He's a neat guy, and firmly believes in WILM's mission and vision. Allan is also a SW DXer and an international broadcasting enthusiast (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Is there a good explanation of radio station call signs and how they are assigned anywhere? The reason I ask is that I've always thought that U.S. radio stations start with a W east of the Mississippi River and K west of it. However, there are glaring exceptions like KDKA in Pits burg. Also, while most stations have four-letter calls, there are some three-letter ones like KOY in Phoenix and WLW in Cincinnati. So, since this is probably common knowledge to most of the old-timers, I was wondering if there was a good document which explains this in plain English? Thanks (Adam Myrow, NRC-AM via DXLD) There sure is, written by a fellow named Thomas White. You can find it here: http://earlyradiohistory.us/recap.htm (note the new address, for those of you who have it bookmarked at his old ipass.net URLs...) s (Scott Fybush, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED [non]. Hi Glenn. Re DXLD 3-112 unidentified 4995: I believe it was RFE/RL in Kazakh transmitted via Tajikistan transmitter. IBB schedule lists it 1500-1700 but RFE/RL schedule as 1400-1500 daily and 1500-1600 We. The audio quality has been "not too good" (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ NO MORSE CODE CONTROVERSY AT WRC-03 NEWINGTON, CT, Jun 24, 2003 -- Whatever else happens at World Radiocommunication Conference 2003 (WRC-03), there's no mystery about the delegates' direction regarding the Morse code requirement. Morse code proficiency will disappear as a treaty obligation for high- frequency access when the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)- sponsored gathering under way in Geneva concludes early next month. "One matter on which there appears to be no disagreement is the Morse requirement," said International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Secretary (and ARRL CEO) David Sumner, K1ZZ, in a report on the second week of activity at WRC-03 at http://www.iaru.org/rel030623.html "It is clear that the outcome will be to leave it to administrations' discretion whether or not to have a Morse receiving and sending requirement. No administration participating in the sub-working group spoke in favor of retaining the Morse code treaty requirement." Sumner reports that the wording to modify Article 25.5 of the international Radio Regulations on June 24 cleared Working Group 4C, which is dealing with this and other proposals relating to Article 25. It says, "Administrations shall determine whether or not a person seeking a license to operate an amateur station shall prove the ability to send and receive texts in Morse code signals." Sumner said it's possible but unlikely that the text would be tinkered with further at the committee level or even in the Plenary, which considers items for adoption. Sumner said delegates continue to wrangle over other aspects of Article 25, which defines Amateur Radio operation. In other Amateur Radio-related items, revisions to Article 19 of the Radio Regulations to provide more flexibility for administrations to assign amateur call signs were among the first to make their way through an initial reading in the Plenary. Administrations would be able to assign amateur stations call signs with suffixes containing up to four characters--the last of which would be a letter. The prefix would be the national identifier and a single numeral (the "call district" in some countries) specified in the Radio Regulations. For special events, the revision provides for even more than four characters for temporary use. The issue of an allocation for satellite-borne synthetic aperture radars (SARs) in the 70-cm band (432-438 MHz) also appears well on the way to resolution. "While it appears very likely that there will be an allocation, it will be secondary," Sumner's report explains. It also will be subject to limitations spelled out in an ITU Recommendation (ITU-R SA.1260-1), designed to protect the Amateur and Amateur-Satellite services, among others. "The IARU has maintained its opposition, but the tide is running against us," Sumner said, adding that if the allocation is secondary and the limits in SA.1260-1 are mandatory, the interference potential should not be that great. Two other agenda items with a potential to have significant impact are the drafting of an agenda for the next WRC, scheduled for 2007 and the revision of footnotes to the Table of Frequency Allocations. A member of the IARU core team has been assigned to follow each of these five i tems, but the greatest focus is on 7 MHz, Sumner said. Full reports on WRC-03 activities are available on the IARU Web site at http://www.iaru.org/iaru-index.html#wrc2003 (ARRL via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DRM +++ I bought the DRM software over the weekend and got the license key yesterday. I didn't have time to build a 467 kHz oscillator, so I used my old HP 606 signal generator as an LO. I opened my Icom R100 and installed a coax cable from the 455 IF, using a coupling cap... I brought that out to a minicircuits GRA-1 mixer that I bought on eBay. Using the signal from the 606 and the 455 IF, that produced a signal centered at 12 kHz that I fed into my sound card. I put on Radio Canada on 9.795 MHz yesterday afternoon at 1930 or 2000 UTC (I don't remember) and listened to the sign on tune, they mentioned the DRM technology and then I just heard the white noise. Next thing I look at the computer and the sync light came on, then data and audio. Showing a signal to noise raio of 18 dB. Sound quality was real good. But instead of fading and jamming and stuff, there were little twangs in the audio every so often. Maybe from a fade or something in the RF.. I used to work for Sirius Satellite Radio and know the digital side as well as the RF, but digital AM over shortwave... I never thought it would happen, but it's here. Regards, Bob http://members.fortunecity.com/w2eny (Robert Langston, W2ENY, hard-core-dx via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ MORE TRANS-ATLANTIC TV DX Some more TA DX on band 1 today, but nothing that could be ID'd, only a brief spell of very weak audio too. Mind you, the MUF here in the Midlands did get up to A5 this time. The opening lasted at more than an hour but no mega signals like last time. Offsets were: 1237 A2 ? 55.250.010 Had YL audio very weak at zero offest, N American English then female singer. Weak/fair 1240 A2 ? 55.240.034 Wk/fair 1255 A5 ? 77.251.028 V weak 1402 A4 ? 67.251.108 Weak (also rx'd by David Hamilton) 1410 A2 ? 55.260.033 Weak BUT ... IT GETS MORE INTERESTING ... Our member David Hamilton in SW Scotland believes he may have received TA FM on 88.3. He has placed a recording of the DX on his website at http://www.geocities.com/tvdxrools Actual recording ... http://www.geocities.com/tvdxrools/TA1.mp3 (313k) [unfound when I checked --- gh] This was at 1430 UT and was only very brief, but possibly with a program about ancient civilisations with a YL presenter or interviewee? I think the only two European possibilities (BBC R3 and RTE-1) have been ruled out. Maybe someone might recognise the presenter??? Tim Bucknall has been checking through the stations listed for 88.3 and has come up with a suggestion of CBLJ Wawa ON, a CBC affiliate. Any clues/help appreciated. Don't forget to checkout the BFMTVC listing of band 1 European offsets at http://www.blaggard.nildram.co.uk/offset.txt Cheers and good DX !! (John Faulkner, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire Icom PCR1000 & HS 4 element beam john.fa-@skywaves.info [truncated] http://www.skywaves.info IRC Chat: #bfmtvc June 23, WTFDA via DXLD) After listening to David's tape a few times I am unsure whether this is an NPR announcer or a CBC announcer, but I suspect other members may be more familiar with her voice. If NPR this would be a US station, off course. 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, IL, ibid.) Hi Glenn, Further to your report [of Miami etc. in 3-112]. A major SpE event occured here in Australia between 0320 & 0530UT on June 25, 2003 with probably my best mid winter SpE FM DX yet in terms of signal strength, number of stations received, area received & duration of DX. Several one watt stations heard on 87.6 & 87.8 & with stations heard up to 107.9 MHz from NSW & QLD (Ian Baxter - Australia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 25 JUNE - 21 JULY 2003 Solar activity is expected to range from very low to high levels during the period. Region 391 (N15, L=163, class/area Dao/110 on 24 June) is currently in a growth phase and may produce low to moderate activity early in the period. On 27 June, old Region 375 is due to return and may have major flare potential. There is a chance of a greater than 10 MeV proton events at geosynchronous orbit in connection with a major flare when old Region 375 returns. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux is expected to reach high levels on 30 June – 03 July, 06 – 07 July, 13 – 14 July and again on 17 – 19 July due to recurrent coronal hole high speed streams. The geomagnetic field is expected to range from quiet to major storm levels during the period. Unsettled to major storm levels are possible on 29 – 30 June and again on 10 – 16 July due to coronal hole high speed streams. Minor storm levels are possible on 25 – 26 June, 03 - 07 July, and again on 18 – 20 July due to smaller recurrent coronal hole high speed streams. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2003 Jun 24 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 Jun 24 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2003 Jun 25 115 20 4 2003 Jun 26 115 20 4 2003 Jun 27 115 15 3 2003 Jun 28 120 15 3 2003 Jun 29 120 30 5 2003 Jun 30 125 30 5 2003 Jul 01 125 25 5 2003 Jul 02 125 15 3 2003 Jul 03 125 20 4 2003 Jul 04 130 25 5 2003 Jul 05 135 25 5 2003 Jul 06 140 25 5 2003 Jul 07 145 25 5 2003 Jul 08 155 20 4 2003 Jul 09 150 15 3 2003 Jul 10 145 12 3 2003 Jul 11 135 20 4 2003 Jul 12 130 20 4 2003 Jul 13 120 15 3 2003 Jul 14 120 40 6 2003 Jul 15 120 40 6 2003 Jul 16 115 20 4 2003 Jul 17 115 12 3 2003 Jul 18 115 20 4 2003 Jul 19 115 15 3 2003 Jul 20 115 20 4 2003 Jul 21 115 20 4 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via DXLD) ### ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-112, June 24, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3f.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 1187: RFPI: Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0730, 1430 7445, 15039 WWCR: Wed 0930 9475 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1187.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1187.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1187h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1187h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1187.html WORLD OF RADIO 1188: WBCQ: Wed 2200 7415, 17495-CUSB, Mon 0445 7415 WWCR: Thu 2030 15825, Sat 1030 5070, Sun 0230 5070, Sun 0630 3210 ... RFPI: Fri 1930, Sat 0130, 0800, 1400, 1730, 2330, Sun 0530, 1130, 1830, Mon 0030, 0630, 1230. . . 7445, 15039 WRN: Rest of world Sat 0800, Europe Sun 0430, North America Sun 1400 WINB: Sun 0030 12160 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1188.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1188.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1188h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1188h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1188.html UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS Dear Glenn, I just came back from the DX camp of East and West Radio Club (EAWRC, Germany). While at the camp, I was very glad to hear `The World of Radio` on Saturday June 21 at 0752 UT on 15039 kHz via RFPI. I especially wanted to thank you for mentioning my name on the air! It was a special pleasure for me to catch this at a DX-camp. By the way, can you issue a QSL for `World of Radio`, if I send a proper report to you? I mean, not for RFPI but for the program itself? I realize how busy you are, but perhaps once you could do this? I would appreciate it very much (Robertas Pogorelis, Belgium) I always leave QSLing to the stations which carry my program. I don`t have any QSL cards printed, and don`t even have a letterhead. Not that I doubt your reception in the least, but since WOR is available on multiple platforms, only one of which is SW, one need not even hear it on the radio to quote program details, and thus cannot offer any proof one heard it on a particular station; so I don`t see of what value a QSL (or for that matter, any QSL) would be. (Some QSLers would choose to take the above wording as a QSL in itself.) Furthermore, unless I happened to be listening myself at that very time, I have no positive way of knowing whether the station was actually on the air on the frequency quoted and whether the program aired according to schedule, and have no access to any station`s log. Hope you understand (Glenn) Glenn, thanks for the effort you put into each DXLD. I know I don't have time to visit all the newsletters, mailing lists, and websites; I have often found interesting news and information via DXLD that I would have otherwise missed. I see that others find it difficult to sort through items that aren't of interest to them, but I frankly can't complain: After all, your effort is a volunteer effort, and you don't charge subscription fees. If I were to filter out too much content, I might miss something I'd enjoy reading. It's a tradeoff I can live with. Thanks again for your efforts to spread the news international (and domestic) broadcasting! (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA) Hi Glenn, Junk and nonsense, not from you. I like the way you comment matters and persons. Just go on with your excellent work for the DXing world. Best 73s (Ydun Ritz, Denmark) Glenn, Regarding the unsolicited testimonial in 3-111, I'm assuming from your "junk & nonsense" comment that you are aware Alex Dobrovitch is a fabrication. During less enlightened times, his name used to appear periodically in the "Australian DX News", sometimes to berate members for non-contribution. I think they even dug up a picture him and printed it once; an unflattering photo of someone in military gear, as I recall. Obviously EXDP management has decided to reprise the joke, lame as it may be (Craig Seager, Australia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. Re 3-111: 4 x 250 kW transmitters on an island hosting a class "A" nature reserve and which is a popular eco-tourism destination? I think not. Additionally, the so-called Hutt River Province (nothing more than a wheat farm, once owned by an eccentric who was disillusioned with wheat quotas) would not be "adjacent" to Rottnest, as indicated in the item; the former is 517 km from Perth, the latter is a ferry ride away. I'm sure we would have heard something elsewhere if there was a grain of truth. The HCJB and Christian Vision operations received wide advance coverage in our local press, even though 99% of the population here has no experience or knowledge of shortwave broadcasting. I've been proven wrong before, but if this yarn by Bob Padula turns out to be fact, I'll eat my Icom! Hutt River Province is interesting, though. We don't hear much about it these days, but I think they even issued their own stamps and coins at one point. A good summary exists at: http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hutt_River_Province 73, (Craig Seager, Australia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thanks for the tip off Bob on the "The New Democratic Voice of the Zimbabwean People" station. Noted here today at 1700 sign on, using 9890, 6240 and 5905 kHz. Lovely African song in the interval signal. I'm not sure of the language though. Maybe Mr. [sic] Hauser can help us here. Nice signal too. (``Alex Dobrovitch`` Big Al, Australia, Crystal Set, EDXP HF Forum via DXLD) Alex`s profile: Hutt River Province, Australia. Occupation: Poet. Interests: Book Binding, Uphill Skiing and starting bushfires with old adxns (EDXP HF Forum via DXLD) EDXP credibility plunges ** AUSTRALIA. HCJB-AUSTRALIA FREQUENCIES I am working in close collaboration with HCJB-AUS Frequency Management, and serious problems have been identified for the two existing frequencies. The Indian service is 1230-1730 on 15480 (75 kW), and the Australian/S. Pacific service is 0700-1200 on 11770 (25 kW). 11770 has not proven to be very reliable, due to co-channel use by WYFR Florida 0800-1100 (to South America), causing terrible problems in New Zealand, where the Kununurra signal is almost obliterated by WYFR. In Australia, the WYFR QRM is not so intense, but across the eastern States reception is subject to fading and background QRM from WYFR. 15480 has become something of a disaster, due to co-channel China National Radio (Network 1) which also uses the frequency 0800-1300, BBC Woofferton 1700-1900, and Egypt 1230-1530. Further problems have occurred due to the impossibility of maintaining a reliable high quality service over a span of five hours for each frequency. Erratic propagation has also been causing havoc on 15480. Our discussions suggest that the timing for NZ (0700-1200) is not suitable for convenient reception for the last half of the release. Timing is similarly not suitable for many listeners in Western Australia for the fist half of the release, due to the early commencement of 0700 (3 pm in WA). Suggestions under discussion have included - breaking into transmission into two blocks, using two contiguous frequencies (to reduce co-channel and adjacent-channel QRM, and to combat adverse propagation) - introduction of an earlier service to NZ (0500-1000) - introduction of a short local morning service to NZ (two hours) (1900-2100) - introduction of a short local morning service to India (two hours) (0000-0200) There has also been some confusion as to the timing of the Saturday DX Partyline service to India. The correct time should be 1430-1500, and not 1230-1300 as previously advised. This confusion came about due to a mixup in the use of local Western Australian time (12.30 at night) in internal documentation. More details available in due course! (Bob Padula, EDXP World Broadcast Magazine June 22, used by permission, http://edxp.org via DXLD) DXPL is at 1430 on 15480 via HCJB Australia, heard it June 21st including Bob's EDXP Report, poor strength here though was fair to good when I last heard it at this time on 15480 May 31 (Mike Barraclough, Letchworth, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. Fri June 27 2105 FEEDBACK* - listener letters and news about RA. [Ed. Note: The advertised follow-up program on digital broadcasting and DRM's prospects in Australia has had to be postponed for this week. Roger Broadbent offers personal apologies for any inconvenience to listeners. However, the transcript and audio file of the past week's program on DRM's official inauguration will be available by midweek at http://www.abc.net.au/ra/feedback/ and the DRM follow-up special will air in a subsequent week.] (John Figliozzi, RA previews, swprograms via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. ABORIGINES FIND A VOICE ON AIR By Carolyn Webb, June 22 2003 From Sunday's Age newspaper: Victoria's first Aboriginal radio station goes to air tomorrow after four test broadcasts and seven years of campaigning for a permanent licence. 3KND's (Kool 'n Deadly) program manager, Vicki Armstrong, said the station would showcase the diversity of the indigenous population, with programs for punk rockers, gay men, sports fans, elders, gastronomes and recovering drug addicts. 3KND - 1503 on the AM band - will broadcast seven days a week, 24 hours a day, from studios in Preston. Ms Armstrong said she hoped 3KND would bring Aborigines who had been cut off from their roots "back into the fold" and inform listeners about available services. Musician Kutcha Edwards, who will host a "blackfella music" show, Songlines, on Thursdays, said: "It gives us a voice - our voice." 3KND's $400,000 annual funding is from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Its parent company, South Eastern Indigenous Media Association, was one of four groups granted community radio licences in 2001. This story was found at: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/06/21/1056119516365.html (via Matt Francis, ARDXC via DXLD) ** AUSTRIA. REPORT FROM AUSTRIA TO REMAIN ON THE AIR Radio Austria International has announced that when the new programme structure takes effect on 1 July, eliminating broadcasts in French and Spanish, the weekday English programme Report from Austria will continue to be broadcast at approximately the same times as at present. However, the programme will be much shorter - 15 minutes as opposed to the current 28 minutes. The weekly programme Insight Central Europe, co-produced with international broadcasters in neighbouring countries, will continue to be broadcast on Saturdays with a repeat on Sundays (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 24 June 2003 via DXLD) ** BELARUS. Re 3-111: Finn Krone's log of "R. Stalica" on 6010 kHz: the transmitter in Brest for Belaruskaje Radyjo 1 doesn't carry its own regional programming. Instead, it relays Radyjo Stalica (FM) during the morning regional block 0340-0400 (and during the evening block as well). Also other transmitters without regional feeds have the same schedule (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, June 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELARUS`. Por um capricho da propagação, em 20 de junho, às 0200, sintonizei, aqui em Porto Alegre (RS), a programação em inglês da Rádio Minsky, em 5970 kHz. Normalmente, nesta freqüência, quem aparece é a Rádio Itatiaia, de Belo Horizonte (MG). A emissão consistiu em noticiário de 10 minutos de duração; músicas folclóricas e informes sobre temas musicais. No fim da emissão, o locutor informou o sítio e endereço eletrônico da emissora (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX June 22 via DXLD ** BOLIVIA. 5952.5, 0209-0230, R. Pio XII Jun 22. Heard male announcer several times in Spanish and into some rather different music. Unusual instruments were used. Very weak, difficult at best. Broadcast being swamped by co-channel interference. Female announcer with tentative ID heard at 0228. Then a male announcer with ID also which I did hear this time as Radio Pio. Then to what must be the IS for the station. And off at 0230 (Bob Montgomery, Levittown PA, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Once again, our location in L'Ago, easternmost section of the Ligurian coast, a few kilometers inland, surprised us with a very unusual MW station. 1570, June 21st, 0330, Rádio Sociedade Espigão, Espigão d'Oeste, Rondônia, Brazil. Complete ID taped, with tentative call ZYJ 308 "mil watios de potência". Many thanks to Samuel Cássio, in Brazil, who listened to our real audio file and promptly sent his illuminating opinion. Muito obrigado Samuel (Andrea Lawendel, Rocco Cotroneo, L'Ago, Italy, Aor 7030, Ic R75, K9AY antenna, MWDX yahoogroup via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 4885, R. Clube do Pará, Belém PA, 2302-2315, Jun 13, ID and news program "A Voz Municipalista." 55333. 4885, R. Difusora Acreana, Rio Branco AC, 0013-0023, Jun 06, football match report and ads; mixed with R. Clube de Belém do Pará - "A Poderosa." 42442 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, June 18 DSWCI DX Window, June 21 via DXLD) Carlos, I am very happy you were able to ID both stations on this frequency which always constitute an ID-problem for most non- Portuguese speaking DX-ers! Thus both are active (Ed. Anker Petersen, Denmark, June 18 DSWCI DX Window, June 21 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. And now another question, perhaps requiring a broader audience. The night from June 21 to 22, at the EAWRC camp site near Cologne, Germany, there was very good propagation from Latin America, especially Brazil. Quite a few Brazilian stations were audible, one of them on 4765 kHz. WRTH lists three Brazilians here, two of which transmit with 10 kW power: Rádio Integração and Rádio Rural. I would like to ask you to help me identify which of these two stations I received, based on the following details. Listened to it between 2314 and 0004 UT. [WRTH indicates that R. Rural stops at 2400; this one did *not*]. Reports about life of (presumably) indigenous population: the host talking to young women in a didactic style, and the women replying. A mention of ``Rádio Educação`` (or perhaps `radioeducação`). This piece did not sound explicitly religious. However, there were some short pieces of Christian preaching from time to time (about five minutes every half hour), clearly separated from the rest of the program. Another report seemed to be more political, as I heard `fascismo` mentioned, and I also heard an interview with someone introduced as `publicist`. At times very nice slow songs were played, each of them to the end (not interrupted). Unfortunately, I did not catch any clear ID. I listened carefully for any mention of `Rural`, but I did not hear any [I assume `Integração` is easier to miss]. However, I know R. Rural is a religious station, and this program did contain some religion. I would appreciate any help (Robertas Pogorelis, June 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. A Rádio Guaíba, de Porto Alegre (RS), transmite, nos sábados, entre 0100 e 0245 (no horário UT já é domingo!), o programa Guaíba Classe Especial. São apresentadas reportagens e comentários sobre o movimento cultural de Porto Alegre. A apresentação é de Mário Mazeron. No programa de 29 de junho, Rodrigo Rodenbush abordará a vida e obra do ator francês Alain Delon. Em ondas curtas, a Guaíba poderá ser captada em 6000 e 11785 kHz (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX June 22 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. HCJB may establish transmitter in Fortaleza: see ECUADOR ** CHINA [non]. 9625, Fang Guang Ming Radio, 2116-2200*, Jun 18, Mandarin, musical program without announcements, only at s/off by YL, 45444, (Nicolás Eramo, Argentina, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO DR. 6030, R. Okapi, Kinshasa, 2207-2220, May 24, French announcement, Congolese pop music. 33333. Südwestrundfunk signed off 2205* with carrier off 2210. Heard best in USB due to splashes from R Budapest 6025 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, June 18 DSWCI DX Window, June 21 via DXLD) A couple of nights ago Okapi was surprisingly strong on 6030 here (Harald Kuhl, Germany, Jun 11, June 18 DSWCI DX Window, June 21 via DXLD) ** CUBA. Hoy quiero comentarles un poquito sobre la información que dimos la semana pasada sobre la nueva radio que fué inaugurada en el Municipio Manatí, Provincia de Las Tunas, en Cuba. Escuchando hoy el programa" En Contacto" de Radio Habana Cuba, se hizo un comentario sobre dicha emisora, la misma se identifica como Radio Manatí, tal como habiamos informado desde un principio, y su slogan es "La Voz del Faro" tal cual como nos lo dijo el colega y amigo José Alba Z en correo de Conexión Digital cuando ampliaba información sobre la emisora. Queda entonces confirmado que la nueva emisora cubana es: Radio Manatí 92.9 FM...La Voz del faro. Por cierto, he grabado la identificación de la emisora, la cual transmitieron en el programa "En Contacto" y este sonido está a la orden para los colegas que lo soliciten. Atte: (José Elías Díaz Gómez, Venezuela, June 23, Noticias DX via WORLD OF RADIO 1188, DXLD) ** ECUADOR. Radio HCJB hat sich doch noch entschieden für dieses Jahr eine QSL Serie herauszugeben unter dem Titel: „Vulkane in Ecuador". Es gibt vier Karten für jeweils drei Monate. Zur Unterscheidung von den Karten 2003A-F des deutschen Dienstes, sollen die internationalen QSL Karten mit folgenden Kürzeln bestellt werden: IR-A Volcano Tungurahua - 5020 meters IR-B Volcano Cotopaxi - 5898 meters IR-C Volcano Sangay - 5320 meters IR-D Volcano Guagua Pichincha - 4790 meters (IR steht für International Radio [oder informe de recepción, aber nicht Iris Rauscher? -- gh]) (Iris Rauscher, ntt aktuell via DXLD) see also MALTA Em entrevista a Eunice Carvajal, no programa DX HCJB, o diretor da emissora Curt Cole informou que estão investigando a possível criação de um centro transmissor na cidade de Fortaleza (CE). Segundo ele, a HCJB só emitirá em português, espanhol, quéchua e inglês para missionários que vivem no Sul do Brasil e no Paraguai. Alguns programas em inglês foram transferidos para a Austrália, que é um departamento totalmente independente de Quito. As informações são de Rubens Ferraz Pedroso, de Bandeirantes (PR). (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX June 22 via WORLD OF RADIO 1188, DXLD) See also USA: WINB ** EL SALVADOR. Eric, nice radio find on the book. RV was the El Salvadoran clandestine run by the Frente Farabundo Martí de [para la?] Liberación Nacional (FMLN--Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front) Arce Zablah brigade during the Salvadoran civil war in the 1980s. My biggest memory of the station was the consistent cat and mouse game that the Salvadoran government used to play with the station. When ever the station would pop up on the air (usually around 6500-6700 kHz), the government station would come up on top of them or near them. Then with a blink of an eye, RV would change frequencies about 20 or so kHz up or down from where they where before. It was quite a spectacle. Enjoy the book! (Ulis Fleming, Maryland, http://www.RadioIntel.com swprograms via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. All logs below via Javaradios in Europe CLANDESTINE from CIS to ETHIOPIA: 12120. R. Justice (Fthi) --- Per the TISJD website this is a new program that they launched on May 25th, with a "the new station [that] has a powerful signal than the previous one." Schedule is Sundays from 1700-1800, so R Fthi seems to be the station broadcasting in this slot rather than Netsanet Radio as reported elsewhere. From what I can tell, Netsanet is still on the web and on AM in Washington, D.C., but has been off shortwave for a year now due to lack of funding. As for the TISJD and R Fthi, this new program and new site seem to be a replacement for the Radio Solidarity program that was via DTK-Julich for some time. June 22 1658 test tones, 1700 ID as R. Fthi by woman and flute music. Weak signal. A bit of fanfare and then talk by same woman. 7520, Medhin Radio (Presumed) *1800 June 22, flute address, ID as Ye May-de-hin Dim-sa-now a few times. Short announcements by man mentioning Europe. Per their website this service is for Europe and the USA. Also quickly checked their 12120 at *1830 and found it on, website says this service is for Ethiopia and other parts of Africa (Hans Johnson, Cumbre DX via WORLD OF RADIO 1188, DXLD) ** FINLAND. I checked Scandinavian Weekend R. several times on Jun 7, but none of the announced broadcasts were heard. I use to catch some of these, so I asked SWR what had happened (Anker Petersen, Denmark, June 18 DSWCI DX Window, June 21 via DXLD) They answered: ``Dear Anker, SWR was on the air QUITE normal way. Conditions might been a little bit difficult. And actually we have had a little problems with our gage-dipole on 48 mb. So we have had to use a little bit reduced power. Anyway station has been heard some times of day all around Finland! Our schedule was changed a little. We were on 6170 two hours more, that was 0500-1500 and after that on 1500-1700 on 5990. These were rapid changes because these frequencies had best audibility (and no interfering stations here). Now our aerial has been fixed and also put to a higher position than before, so perhaps next time reception is possible also there in Denmark. I wish to have many listeners next time (i.e. Jul 05. Ed) during our 3rd Birthday transmission...`` (Alpo Heinonen, Jun 11, June 18 DSWCI DX Window, June 21 via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Wolfgang- Who is this? Does 1 mean Sat or Sun? 15650 1445-1500 39,40 110 100 1 1506-261003 JUL 100 PAB 15650 1500-1515 39,40 102 115 1 0106-261003 JUL 100 PAB 15650 1530-1545 39,40 208 100 1 2206-261003 JUL 100 PAB 15650 1545-1600 39,40 110 100 1 0106-261003 JUL 100 PAB (Hans Johnson, via Wolfgang Bueschel, June 22, WORLD OF RADIO 1188, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Hans, I don't know YET ! ??? PAK PBC PBC. But make no sense, a SUNDAY broadcast from a Muslim country. 1= means SUNDAY, like in HFCC tables. 39 Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Arabian Pen. 40 Iran, Afghanistan. PAB put into Yahoo-UK search machine result in a private Pennsylvania Broadcaster Association ... 73 (Wolfgang Büschel via DXLD) All the start dates are Sundays; looks like someone carrying out tests (gh, DXLD) ** GREECE. Don`t you believe the VOG English schedule given on this week`s RVi Radio World June 22, apparently taken from their website. It`s years out of date, and if there is English at any of the times given, I`ll be very much surprised. Why don`t people avail themselves of searching DXLD or several websites of English schedules kept up to date? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HUNGARY. Page of the Hungarian transmission provider Antenna Hungária about maintenance breaks of MW transmitters and substitute arrangements: http://www.ahrt.hu/en/services/CB23EC4643834D2F8DC64055A5F24768.php (Kai Ludwig, June 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ICELAND. 13855, AFRTS Keflavik, 0625-0650, Jun 16, English, back on shortwave after weeks absence, news from ABC-News and CNN Radio Update, IDs as ``This is the American Forces Network`` or just ``AFN``, weak but no interference. USB-mode. 14333 (Bjarke Vestesen, Radby, Blommenslyst, Denmark, June 18 DSWCI DX Window, June 21 via DXLD) Thanks to Bjarke, I heard it the same afternoon at 1205-1400 in USB, but also with weaker signals than a month ago: 24232 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, June 18 DSWCI DX Window, June 21 via DXLD) Decent here at 2230, Jun 16 (Jerry Berg, MA, June 18 DSWCI DX Window, June 21 via DXLD) Thanks to a tip off from Finn Krone in Hard Core DX, AFRTS Keflavik noted back on 13855 usb, 0715-0735 June 22nd with Sports Overnight America, fair strength (Mike Barraclough, Letchworth, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 13855 USB, AFRTS Keflavik, 1740 UT June 22. They seem to have solved their xmtr problems. Hearing them at a decent level although with some fading at this time. Were interviewing Chet Raimo on his book "The Past- a One Mile Walk through the Universe". ID as "This is AFN" at just before top of hour, then music bridge to 1800 and into AP news. Tone at 1801 caused some QRM. This then broke into Morse Code at 1803, assume a Ute (John Sgrulletta, NY, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** INDIA. DISCORDANT NOTE BY RAILWAY BOARD DERAILS AIR PLAN Nivedita Mookerji & Jyoti Mukul New Delhi: More than a year after the Railways and public service broadcaster Prasar Bharati got talking about a unique news and entertainment platform, an old directive is playing spoilsport. While Prasar Bharati is keen to go realtime with its All India Radio (AIR) news, commentary and entertainment on select trains like Rajdhani and Shatabdi, the Railway Board is sticking to the rulebook. Apparently, the board had issued a directive a few years ago that only instrumental music could be played on trains. This directive, sources said, was triggered by protests from MPs (members of Parliament) of a certain community when devotional songs were played on a train. The AIR project is about offering its services on trains through the WorldSpace satellite platform. As opposed to terrestrial platform, satellite radio will offer nationwide reach and clarity of sound. One of the FM stations of AIR is already on the WorldSpace platform. But, if Railways insist only on instrumental music on train, the AIR proposal may become meaningless. Prasar Bharati officials, however, argue that AIR could be asked to air only news and maybe commentary, and no vocal music, making it a partial implementation of the project. But, there's no official word on it yet. While Prasar Bharati continues to pursue the venture, sources in the Railways said that, ``there is no technological hindrance in introducing the facility through use of direct-to-home (DTH) (satellite) technology``. WorldSpace is often referred to as direct- to-home in radio. Officials of the Railways and Prasar Bharati met recently to thrash out the tricky issues, but no formal solution has been found yet. During the meeting, Prasar Bharati was asked to send a detailed proposal to the Railways on what kind of service they can offer, an official said. Meanwhile, besides the instrumental music hurdle, there's another issue that Railways will have to grapple with. That is providing concealed wiring in coaches. And, that would be possible mainly in new coaches, railway officials confided. Talking of feasibility, only trains which have the public address (PA) systems would be able to implement the AIR-WorldSpace project. While the WorldSpace receiver needs to be connected to the PA system, two antennas would be fixed at the two ends of the train. The logic behind two antennas is that at least one of them will always be connected to the satellite, even when the train is passing through a tunnel, an AIR official reasoned. Last June, Railways had conducted trials on the Delhi- Thiruvananthapuram Rajd-hani for introducing the AIR service via WorldSpace satellite. At that point, Prasar Bharati had even indicated that Air India flights may also have similar services if the train project took off successfully (The Financial Express, 19 June, 2003) Regds, (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, dx_india via DXLD) There`ll always be an India ** INTERNATIONAL. In an all day session at the receiver I managed to hear a total of 115 Countries on the Longest Day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. The list is too extensive to place here but can be found at http://www.shortwave.org.uk (Graham Powell, Wales, Editor - Online DX Logbook, June 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN [non]. 4635v, Voice of Mojahed (tentative), 0210, Jun 15, Jammers back jumping up to 4665 and also heard on 5370, 5650, 6455, 6770 and 7030. Weak talk in unidentified language also heard on 4640, 5370 and 5650. 22222 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, June 18 DSWCI DX Window, June 21 via DXLD) 7525/15650/15740, R. Yaran has not been heard since May 26 on any of these frequencies (Anker Petersen, Denmark, June 18 DSWCI DX Window, June 21 via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. Satellite TV links Iranian expats in Los Angeles with protesters in Teheran. Of course, this story has been in several places - Sixty Minutes Two and in Kim Elliott's Main Street segment (Joel Rubin, NY, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Persian-language satellite television stations based in Los Angeles have mobilized Iranians seeking to topple the government. TV STATIONS BASED IN U.S. RALLY PROTESTERS IN IRAN -- By NAZILA FATHI TEHRAN, June 21 --- Jilla, a prosperous homemaker, has been trying to outwit the Iranian government's campaign to jam Persian-language satellite television stations based in Los Angeles. First she adjusted her satellite dish. Then she attached an empty can. She even tied a pot lid to a mop, and stood the lid upright facing the dish. No luck. . . http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/22/international/middleeast/22TEHR.html?ex=1057293605&ei=1&en=f6acd94a5ce70ae6 (via Rubin, DXLD) ** IRAQ [and non]. IRAQ MEDIA DOSSIER During the war in Iraq, we published a large number of media nx items, and these were in reverse chronological order so the latest information was always at the top of the page. We've now reorganised these reports into narrative form, starting on the first day of the war - and edited where appropriate in the light of subsequent information. We hope this will make it easier to follow the fascinating story as Saddam's media structure collapsed and was gradually replaced by a variety of new radio and TV stns. The story isn't over, of course, and we'll continue to add to it in the weeks and months ahead http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/features/html/iraq.html (Andy Sennitt-HOL, RNWMN NL June 20 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. CLANDESTINE from SAUDI ARABIA to IRAQ: Voice of the Iraqi People. I have seen a few post-Saddam reports of this one still active on 9563 and 11710 kHz. Can't see much reason for them to be on with Saddam gone, but I haven't been able to confirm them off yet. Is anyone still hearing them? (Hans Johnson Jun 22, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Yep, they are still on the air. On 22 June at 1900 noted all 4785, 9563, 9570 and 11710 (in parallel) active (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, ibid., WORLD OF RADIO 1188) Thanks. I am getting a bit of a signal on 9563 kHz at 1955-2030, but it is just too weak to understand what they are talking about nor have I been able to catch an ID. If anyone wants to send me a recording, I sure would like to hear what they are saying these days (Hans, ibid.) ** ITALY. We are announcing a slight frequency change for our daily broadcast in the evening, European time (previously on 5780 kHz). Effective June 21, 2003 IRRS-Shortwave to Europe can be heard daily on 5775 kHz at 1900-2130 UT (2100-2230 CET), besides our operations on Sat & Sun only on 13840 at 0800-1200 UT (1000-1400 CET). The latest frequency schedule is available at: http://www.nexus.org/NEXUS-IBA/Schedules 73, (Ron Norton, NEXUS, BCLNews via WORLD OF RADIO 1188, DXLD) ** KUWAIT. New schedule for the 150 kW transmitter on 1593 kHz (beam 5 degrees) from 24/25 June: 1300-0600 (ex 24h Radio Farda). 2200-0100 VOA English, 0100-0600 R. Free Iraq (RL) in Arabic. --- 1300-1400 VOA Kurdish, 1400-1600 R. Free Iraq (RL) in Arabic, 1600- 1700 VOA Kurdish, 1700-2000 VOA Farsi, 2000-2200 R. Farda in Farsi (Source: IBB online schedule via Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, MWDX via DXLD) ** MALAWI. MALAWI'S STATE RADIO STRIKES SOUR NOTE WITH MUSICIANS By Associated Press Writer APws 06/17 1143 BLANTYRE, Malawi (AP) -- Malawi's musicians threatened to yank their songs from the airwaves if state radio does not pay up some four years of unpaid royalties. Musicians challenged the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation to try to function without them. "There can never be a radio station without music but there can always be music without radio stations," said Lucius "Soldier" Banda, Malawi's top selling artist. Music from local artists like Banda makes up almost 80 percent of MBC's programming. The Copyright Society of Malawi said it hopes such a bold move might force the MBC to pay up the 3 Million Kwacha ($32,000) it owes the nation's musicians. "We would like to see if MBC can do without our music," said Chimwemwe Mhango, a gospel singer and spokesman for the Copyright society. But state radio officials say they can't afford to pay royalties. "How can we pay them when we don't have the money?" said Owen Maunde, head of state radio. Malawi is among the poorest countries in southern Africa (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** MALTA [non]. Dear Friends, This month I have delayed my monthly letter to have better information about the future of our monthly DX Report via HCJB. I have just sent the new text to Allen Graham and it would be on the air next Saturday [28 June] at 0930 UT on 11770 and 1230 [sic] UT on 15480 kHz via Australian HCJB facilities. As you know Allen has worked very hard to grant his programme DX Partyline new frequencies after changes took place in Ecuador. So you may listen to the programme also via other stations. The EDXC always confirms correct reception reports for its broadcasts. In these last weeks after the last DX Report from Ecuador was aired we received a lot of reports from both sides of the Atlantic. In the meantime we managed to have a second opportunity - on the same 4th Saturday in the month - to talk to European DXers. The Voice of the Mediterranean in Malta have accepted our proposal of a south European edition of our DX report and they're going to air it next Saturday [28 June] on 9605 kHz at 1730 UT during their English programme. Developments about both broadcasts and the Conference are updated in our web site: http://www.edxc.org Best 73's, (Luigi Cobisi, EDXC SG, EDXC mailing list via BDXC-UK via WORLD OF RADIO 1188, DXLD) Sked in recent DXLD indicated 6185 for this 1730 broadcast; which is it? ** MAURITANIA. 4845, ORTM, R Mauritanie, Nouakchott: Jun 8 attempted coup in Mauritania was led by former Colonel Salah Ould Hnana against President Maaouya Ould Sid`Ahmed Taya (Anker Petersen, Denmark, June 18 DSWCI DX Window, June 21 via DXLD) ** MEXICO. 6045, XEXQ Radio Universidad [San Luís Potosí SLP] 1930, 22 de junio del 2003. Alrededor de las 1930 estaba moviendo el dial en la banda de 49 metros, cuando de repente sintonicé algo, que sonaba a un concierto, con flauta y violines. La señal fue mejorando poco a poco; alrededor de las 2030 escuchaba otro concierto de música clásica, ya con un SINPO de 34333. A las 2045 escuché un programa grabado en Radio Canadá de fábulas y cuentos, terminando a las 2100, cuando dieron su identificación XEXQ Radio Universidad... 1460 kHZ... con 250 watts... (dando después su dirección y teléfono) Arista 245, San Luis Potosí... telefono 8 26-13-48 ... Luego anuncios de la emisora, y después la locutora dando saludos a sus radioescuchas, y particularmente a los que los siguen en la onda corta... dando su frecuencia 6045 en la banda de 49 metros... De las 2100 hasta las 2200 transmitieron una zarzuela... El día de hoy 23 de junio, los volví a sintonizar alrededor de las 1230... con su identificación "XEXQ Radio Universidad... " y luego una barra de canciones infantiles. con un SINPO de 33443 con interferencia de al parecer una emisora, al perecer de habla china. Ya llevan un tiempo que Radio Universidad de San Luis Potosí está nuevamente transmitiendo su señal por la onda corta. Su señal se escucha muy bien modulada, hasta podría decir que mejor que Radio México Internacional. Receptor Radio Shack DX-398 con antena externa tipo L invertida de 5 metros de longitud (Héctor García Bojorge, México DF, June 23, Conexión Digital via WORLD OF RADIO 1188, DXLD) 6045, XEXQ Radio Universidad, 0345-0400, 24 de junio del 2003 UT, concierto de música clásica y antes de las 0400 escuché su cierre de transmisiones con el himno nacional mexicano. Con infterferencia moderada. A las 1230 he escuchado que empiezan sus transmisiones, con canciones infantiles. A la que ya no he vuelto a sintonizar por varias semanas es la emisora de Mérida en los 6105 kHz (Héctor García Bojorge, México DF, June 24, Conexión Digital via DXLD) Yes, XEXQ had been long inactive. The last I heard years ago, their SW transmitter was gone (gh, DXLD) ** NIGERIA. Hi out there, as my main occupation during the last few weeks should have been excerpting about 50 books for my exams, I spent many hours listening to Voice of Nigeria. It sounds like they are really struggling against all odds: 15120 had extremely low modulation for several days, but now it's louder but a bit dirty/distorted. Still, of course, audio quality coming from the studio, varies between all extremes. After delivering good signals in the morning, they seem to sign-off at 1100, not to be heard again before 1900, except once, when I heard them back at 1540. They still announced today 0500-2300 for this freq. But what is the alternative freq. then after 1100? It's not 11770. 11770 is somewhat better, but still undermodulated, and the French service produces relatively solid audio quality, compared to the English. Mostly good signals but only on air 1600 (or later) -2000. The French service announces only 7255 for the morning service, and nothing heard at 11770. The listeners' letters program today stated that Yoruba at 1100 hours would be also on 11770. There seems to be some confusion in the studio when French programs are produced. I often heard them playing music suddenly interrupting the news, or VON station tune played instead of VONSoir tune. 9690 should be observed between 1100-1900 as English is on none of the other frequencies; 7255 only audible early mornings and evenings, West African service. German service should start soon, said "Listeners Letters" this morning. Frequency schedule is still last year's (Thorsten Hallmann, Muenster, Germany, June 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. Well... another QSL today. KQCV 95.1 Shawnee OK signed by Paul Sublett, GM and you will not believe the enclosures. Hat (okay -- - I can see that); POCKET KNIFE with "KQCV RADIO, OKLAHOMA CITY OK" inscribed into it. I`m amazed (Adam Rivers, WTFDA via DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 3290, R Central, Boroko, 0955-1202*, May 30, Back after 5 months absence, programs in Tok Pisin, English and Vernaculars, 1000 relay of NBC news in English, South Sea music, National anthem at sign off. It was not yet heard on May 17, 18 and 19. 3355, R Simbu, Kundiawa, 1115-1202*, May 30, Tok Pisin public ann, international music and South Sea music, closing ann and National anthem. After a long silence was first heard on May 12, but is now regular. 25232 (Roland Schulze, Philippines, June 18 DSWCI DX Window, June 21 via WORLD OF RADIO 1188, DXLD) ** PARAGUAY. 9983.90, R America: Now 24 hours on this frequency beamed 270 degrees // 15185, 184 degrees, both 200 watts (Arnaldo Slaen, June 18 DSWCI DX Window, June 21 via DXLD) Nom. 9983, so who measured it? Does this mean you actually heard it? (gh, DXLD) ** PERU. Processando o arquivo de áudio, identifiquei a emissora que sintonizei no sábado, em 5.009,6 kHz, é a Radio Altura, do Peru. Segundo dados na Internet, esta emissora tem 1 kWatt de potência. O arquivo está em: http://planeta.terra.com.br/arte/sarmentocampos/Trechos.htm 5.009.6, 22/06 2220 R. Altura, programa espanhol, anunciantes, música, ``ofrecimiento musical``, noticias da província de Yanahuanca por telefone, muito ruído atmosférico 33222 (Sarmento F Campos, Rio de Janeiro - Brasil, http://radioescuta.aminharadio.com radioescutas via DXLD) ** PERU. 6020.29, Radio Victoria, Lima, 0439-0458, Jun 17, Spanish/ Portuguese, Religious program, Gospel Music, TC "Once de la noche cuarenta y cuatro minutos", IDs "seguimos por Radio Victoria en los 780 KHz" "en 780 KHz onda larga y en 6020 KHz banda internacional de 49 metros, transmitiendo desde sus estudios centrales en Lima, Perú, Radio Victoria, una radio...", 24342, (Nicolás Eramo, Argentina, WORLD OF RADIO 1188, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6020.30, 0852-0918, R. Victoria Jun 22 At tune in, religious service in progress in Spanish ID by male announcer as Radio Victoria at 0859. Excellent reception. At 0900 R. Gaucha, Brazil, signed on 6020 which produced difficult copy R. Victoria with an S 8 signal level prior to 0900 was crystal clear with little to no fading. News at top of hour from R. Victoria with comments on Afghanistan (Bob Montgomery, Levittown PA, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** PHILIPPINES. 9580v, PBS, R. Ng Bayon, Marulas, Valenzuela, was last heard on May 19 and is now inactive again (Roland Schulze, Philippines, May 30, June 18 DSWCI DX Window, June 21 via DXLD) ** PHILIPPINES. Received from FEBC: ``Following the completion of our High gain directional TCI antenna and three additional 100 kW transmitters installation (which have replaced our vintage WW [?] 50 kW/35 kW transmitter) in our site in Bocaue. We are now ready to explore new services to South India again. Something which FEBC has dropped for a number years. Could I ask you as well as to encourage your DX friends in South India to monitor the following for me. Test this week for 5 days from Wednesday 18th to Sunday 22nd June inclusive Full 100 kW for long distance sea path transmission: 1. 0100-0200 UT 15240 khz 100 KW Azi-278 HRS4/4/0.5 on BSW3. 2. 1530-1600 UT 12100 khz 100 KW Azi-278 HRS4/4/0.5 on BSW1 I will be appreciate if the report will include 1. Grading done with SINPO code and 2. Information of location and receiver 3. Date and time of monitoring. The results can be sent to the following email address: ismfebc@singnet.com.sg Should the test transmission is successful, FEBC will conduct more extensive testing in the middle of next month. Many thanks for your fellowship and interest.`` (Hsu via Victor Goonetilleke, Sri Lanka, Jun 17, June 18 DSWCI DX Window, June 21 via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. 7436v, R. Krishnaloka, Orel, 0105-0315*, Jun 15 and 16, Indian string music and Krishna hymns, English speaking preacher with Russian simultaneous interpretation, cultural talks and conversations in Russian about the Krishna worship, ID: "Radiostantsia Krishnaloka", mentions internet address, closing with the name of the announcer in the studio and orchestra music. Frequency drifting up and down 7435.8 - 7437.0. 45444 fading down to 24222. One day occasional utility QRM (Anker Petersen, Denmark, June 18 DSWCI DX Window, June 21 via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. RUSSIA SHUTTERS LAST INDEPENDENT TV STATION From News Services Monday, June 23, 2003; Page A22 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21130-2003Jun22.html MOSCOW, June 22 -- With parliamentary and presidential elections coming soon, Russia's only countrywide independent television channel was yanked off the air today, rekindling a debate over how President Vladimir Putin views media freedoms. TVS, created from the ashes of two other television stations that came into conflict with state-connected companies, was replaced with a new state-run sports channel. Some employees learned the station had been closed while listening to the radio on their way to work. With parliamentary elections in December and a presidential vote next year, the demise of TVS gives the government overwhelming influence over what goes out on the nation's airwaves. The Press Ministry cited "the financial, personnel and management crisis" at TVS as the reason for "this not simple decision which became impossible to postpone," according to a statement obtained by Echo Moskvy radio and read on-air. The ministry said the decision was made in part to "protect the rights of viewers." No one at the ministry could be reached for comment. The closure was not unexpected -- debt-ridden TVS had been dropped this month by Moscow's main cable company over unpaid bills, depriving it of its largest group of viewers. The station's news director, Yevgeny Kiselyov, had warned Friday that the end might be imminent. Boris Nadezhdin, a member of the Union of Right Forces party in the Russian legislature, called it "the last TV channel that ventured to criticize Russian leaders." Echo Moskvy's editor in chief, Alexei Venediktov, said the closing of TVS gave the government a virtual monopoly on broadcasting. "It's like when all candidates are excluded from the election campaign, except for only one," he told the Interfax news agency. © 2003 The Washington Post Company (via Kraig Krist, DXLD) ** SOUTH AFRICA. On 22 June at 1820 tune in noted AWR in English on 3215 // 3345 with Wavescan program. 3215 was rather weak but 3345 had good signal. According to Sentech schedule both are from Meyerton. Sign off at 1830 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN [non]. RADIO ESPAÑA INDEPENDENTE Moin Moin, bin gerade dabei meine QSL neu zu ordnen. Versuche auch die jeweiligen Standorte den Frequenzen zuzuordnen. Bei der Station "Radio España Independiente" empfangen am 08. Februar 1972 um 16.00 UTC auf 12140 kHz brauche ich Hilfe. Hat vielleicht noch jemand ein WRTH aus dem Jahr 1972 und kann mir den Standort des Senders daraus ableiten oder kennt jemand den damaligen Standort anderweitig? (via Martin Elbe-D, June 20) In den 40ziger und 50ziger Jahren ueber Moskau Relay. Spaeter dann ab den 60zigern ueber die schmalbruestigen Anlagen in Saftica-Rumaenien, mit 18 oder hoechstens 50 Kilowatt. Die QSL stellt ein Repro der Picasso's Kreidezeichnung dar??? 12 und 14-15 MHz gingen in Mitteleuropa ganz gut ... (wb Apr 28) Dies Posting liegt zwar schon etwas zurueck, heute hat mir Karel Honzik aus Pilsen Folgendes in einer PM geschrieben: - - - - || from Karel Honzik-CZE: here is what I have found on REI: How to listen to the World, 7th Edition, 1973 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Broadcasting stations of clandestine, exile, intelligence, liberation, and revolutionary organizations - by Lawrence E. Magne, USA Radio España Independiente Nominally the station of the Spanish Republican Government (recognized only by Mexico), but effectively the station of the Spanish Communist Party (PCE), it has broadcast in Spanish, Catalan and Basque to Spain from various locations since 1939, making it the oldest station of its type still on the air. Currently, it broadcasts only from Cluj, Rumania, sharing facilities with R Free Portugal, but until 1972 it was also relayed via R Budapest, Hungary. [comment by wb: was rather broadcast from old Saftica site in Romania, G.C. 26.04E 44.34N, 18 to 50 kW transmitter] The station maintains an editorial office in the Paris Republican Government's headquarters, from where QSL cards were formerly sent. Now, however, verifications are being postmarked "Prague," suggesting the dissident pro-Soviet faction of the Spanish Communist Party headquartered in Prague is verifying the transmissions put by the governing "independents" in Paris. The station, like R Euzkadi, is jammed by Radio Nacional España broadcast transmitters in Arganda, which beep and growl. [HISTORICAL INFO 2 SESQUIDECADES OLD:::::::::] 0600-0655 on 7690v, 10110v, 12140v, and 14482-14505v kHz 1300-1355 on 10110v, 12140v, 14482-14505v, and 15507 kHz 1600-2315 on 7690v, 10110v, 12140v, and 14482-14505v kHz 2005-2025 (Tues-Sat) on 15185 kHz 1800-2300 (irr. Brief transmissions) on frequencies in the 25 and 19 meter bands. ANN: S: "Atención a las ondas volantes. Habla R España Independiente, Estación Pirenaica," [promoting the fiction that it was in the Pyrenees --- gh] and "Aquí R España Independiente". INT-SIG: Soft chimes, then first bars of "Himno de Riego," the National Anthem of Republican Spain. S/off: lively folk melody. V. by Picasso QSL card, probably the most beautiful QSL card in existence. Re. In Spanish, Fr and En to Box 359, Prague 1, Czechoslovakia. PUB: Various questions concerning Republican Spain can be answered by Srov. Manuel Martínez Feduchy, Chargé d'Affaires, Spanish Embassy, 9 Valle Londres, México, D.F., México. (via Wolfgang Bueschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN [non]. 12060, MADAGASCAR, RVOH, *0426-0457*, 6/22, English/ Vernacular. Carrier on at 0426, program starts 0427 with HOA [Horn of Africa] music and usual ID. mission statement loop. Tribal chorus with "Radio Voice of Hope", YL with interviews of male Sudanese at the Kakumoday (sp??) refugee camp. Last ten minutes of the broadcast was in Vernacular. Abruptly off at 0457. Fair, // 15320 with co-channel Radio Taipei QRM (Scott Barbour, NH, NASWA Flashsheet via WORLD OF RADIO 1188, DXLD) ** SWEDEN. "CQ CQ CQ DE SAQ SAQ SAQ" This year the Grimeton Radio/SAQ transmission will be on Sunday June 29 with the VLF Alexanderson alternator on 17.2 kHz. There will be three transmissions with the same message, at 0830, 1030 and 1230. The station will be open to public. QSL reports can be sent to - info.alexander.n.se - Fax: +46-340-674195, - via the SM-bureau - direct by mail to "Alexander - Grimeton Veteranradios Vaenner, Radiosten, Grimeton 72, SE-430 16, ROLFSTORP, SWEDEN - via amateur radio QSO with the call "SA6Q" on following freqs: 137.7 CW, 14035 CW, 14215 SSB at the following times: 0700-0800 0845-1015 1045-1215 1245-1400 UT. SAQ is now a member of the Swedish Amateur Association (SSA) and "QSL via bureau" is OK. QSL-cards to "SA6Q" also via bureau. Also see the Website www.alexander.n.se. (SM6NM/Lars via Chrisoph Ratzer, Austria in /BC-DX/A-DX via WORLD OF RADIO 1188, DXLD) I visited the station a couple of years ago as part of the EDXC Conference in Gothenburg, Sweden. A very impressive and well- maintained historical installation (Bob Padula, EDXP World Broadcast Magazine June 22, used by permission, http://edxp.org via DXLD) ** TOGO [non]. 12125, R. Togo Libre, *2000-2100*, Sunday Jun 15, Last day of tests of this new station. The French programs are produced in Togo by members and collaborators of National Dialogue of Civil Society (CNSC) at great personal risk. Finished programs are delivered via Internet to a satellite uplink, and the satellite signal is then used to feed the SW transmitters. Frequent ID's: "Radio Togo Libre: la Radio patriote, le combat pour l'alternance démocratique" or simply "RTL". Talks about various candidates at the elections in Togo, song to drums and flute, 24333 in Denmark, but 45444 in Bulgaria and France, cf. 21760. Broker for 12125, but not 21760 is TDP (Datzinov, Ivanov and Petersen, June 18 DSWCI DX Window, June 21 via DXLD) On Jun 12 I sent an E-mail, and some hours later I received an answer from Alexis Ayavon. Diastode (Togolese diaspora) who produced the program, is in Montréal Canada. M. Alexis Ayavon asked me also, if I can send money on a Canadian account, because Diastode needs money to run Radio Togo Libre (Christian Ghibaudo, France, June 18 DSWCI DX Window, June 21 via DXLD) 21760, R. Togo Libre, via Meyerton, *1258-1358*, Jun 09 and 11, French ID's, announced 12125 and 21760. 45434. Scheduled Mo-Fr 1300-1400, but not heard after Jun 13. On Sa Jun 14 Channel Africa was heard instead on 21760 with English (34333). Tests Mo-Fr Jun 06-13. Reports requested at: rtl@diastode.org or radio@togodebout.com Their French language website is: http://www.diastode.org/Nouvelles/actualites.html (Datzinov, Ghibaudo, Ivanov and Petersen, June 18 DSWCI DX Window, June 21 via DXLD) togodebout site had not been working, but OK June 23 at 1620 check --- You`re welcome (gh, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Tuned in WINB around 2330Z Saturday evening, the 12160 kHz signal was just above the noise level; by the time DX Partyline supposedly began at 0000Z the station was inaudible here in Michigan (with Grundig Sat. 800, 40M ham dipole). Regards (Ben Loveless, WB9FJO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Explained to Ben as below and that until 2400 on 12160 it`s WWCR, not WINB (gh) Glenn, Thanks for the clarification; WINB has never come in well here. I listened to their '40th anniversary' broadcast last year on their 13 MHz frequency and that too was barely audible. When Allen Graham announced a US station for DXPL, I e-mailed him with the relative signal strengths of US shortwave stations here in the Midwest (WBCQ, WWCR, WYFR, WRMI, WHRI) but didn't even think about WINB due to their poor reception here. No great loss, as the Saturday morning DXPL reception from Quito has been quite good (Ben Loveless, MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WINB has a hard time getting things organized and carried out, but at least they are trying. The new Saturday evening DX-block, scheduled UT Sun June 22 at 0000-0130 for DX Partyline, WOR and AWR Wavescan in that order, actually went like this: frequency change from 13570 was not completed until after 0002. No DXPL, but gospel music fill. I forced myself to keep listening, and did hear at 0016 a couple of brief false-starts of the DX Partyline opening, but nothing more from that show, back to music. At 0029 instead of 0100, AWR Wavescan 442, the latest edition, aired in its entirety. 0057 music fill. Kept listening, and finally at 0106 instead of 0030, WOR 1187 started but was cut off at 0129 long before it was over. One can only imagine what could have caused such a three-way mixup. By 0000 UT Monday, quicker than usual, the latest DXPL audio file was OD from HCJB --- but download only. Why do they keep putting up the dead links for streaming? Like Wavescan, DXPL made a big deal out of being on WINB for the first time [not!]. Ken HacHarg, former DXPL host is back as a regular contributor, this time about banana plants --- which at great length eventually turned into: a ``Tip for Real Living`` devotional! (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1188, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 9329.65, WBCQ (ME), 2040-2100 21 June, Doomsday and Big Brothers watching you type program, a few ads before ToH, next program start and then stopped for ID by M at 2100. Talk about adding new frequencies. Strong. Instead of adding new frequencies, maybe they should get their current ones 'on' frequency (Dave Valko, PA, Cumbre DX via DXLD) was it on LSB plus reduced carrier? (gh) ** U S A. RFA schedule in A-03, valid till Oct 26th, 2003. RFA currently broadcasts from 1100 to 0700; there are no transmissions between 0700 and 1100. Daily programming includes Mandarin for 12 hours, Cantonese increase from two to four hours, Uighur for two hours, and Tibetan for eight hours. Increase: RFA has introduced two new additional broadcast hours in Cambodian programing at 1130-1229 and 2330-0029, but seemingly on a test basis. These additional services are not figured out on their website http://www.rfa.org/service/index.html?service=khm http://www.rfa.org/service/schedule.html?service=khm J03=til Sept 6. S03=from Sept 7th, 2003. RFA uses IBB transmitterss in HOL/H=Holzkirchen Germany, IRA/I=Iranawila Sri Lanka, SAI/S=Saipan & TIN/T=Tinian N Mariana 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 June 19th, 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 11590 13625T 13830-S03 15510UAE 15695-J03 17855H-(from 1200) 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 11510 11705T 11780UAE 13835 1500-1600 MANDARIN 7540-S03 9905P 11765T 11945T 12025S 13690T 15510T 15680-J03 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 11945T 12025S 13690T 15510T 15680-J03 1700-1800 MANDARIN 7540-S03 9355S 9455S 9540T 9905P 11750T 11795T 11945T 11995S 13690T 15510T 15680-J03 17640T 1800-1900 MANDARIN 7530-S03 7540-S03 9355S 9455S 9540T 11520-J03 11740T 11945T 11955T 11995S 13680T 15510T 15680-J03 17640T 1900-2000 MANDARIN 7530-S03 7540-S03 9355S 9455S 9905P 11520-J03 11740T 11785T 11945T 11955T 11995S 13625T 13680T 15510T 15680-J03 2000-2100 MANDARIN 7530-S03 7540-S03 9355S 9455S 9850T 9905P 11520-J03 11700T 11740T 11785T 11935T 11995S 13625T 13670T 15515T 15680-J03 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 7315N 7540-S03 9910P 11785T 11935N 11995N 13640T 13800S 15430T 15550T 15680-J03 2300-2359 TIBETAN 7470 7550-S03 9365-J03 9395-S03 9805UAE 9875H 15695-J03 2330-0029 CAMBODIAN 7490I 13735T 2330-0029 VIETNAMESE 9975-S03 11540-J03 11560 11580 11605N 11670T 12110I 13735S 15560P (various sources, updated on June 19th, 2003 by Wolfgang Büschel, DXLD) ** U S A. VOA SKED WEBSITE [not including RFA] http://sds.his.com:4000/fmds_z/schedules/cur_freqsked.txt http://sds.his.com:4000/fmds_z/schedules/cur_langsked.txt In winter change the z to w. These are auto-updated daily, but do not include very short term changes (Dan k4voa Ferguson, IBB, swl @ qth.net via DXLD) ** U S A. RADIO TUNED TO NEWS, NOT PROFITS WILM: A small station sticks to its award-winning coverage even as media restrictions relax, attracting more unwanted corporate suitors. By A Sun Staff Writer June 22, 2003 http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/printedition/bal-te.bz.wilm22jun22,0,2338870.story?coll=bal-pe-asection WILMINGTON, Del. - It's noon on Tuesday, and a shabby little downtown building is about to report the vital signs of Wilmington, Delaware, the United States and the universe to whomever is within 60 miles or so and has a radio tuned to 1450 AM. Sure, WILM does traffic, weather and Phillies and Orioles scores. But how many other stations devote a full hour to the noon news report? How many rely almost exclusively on their own producers, reporters and anchors to deliver the content, and how many schedule stories on Delaware River slots parlors and the Liberian war in the same show? The answer, of course, is few or none. In an age of media consolidation, syndication and robo-programs, WILM is fighting all three trends simultaneously. It spends gobs of airtime and revenue on locally produced programs. It respects listeners and is passionate about the news. It has not become part of a chain. And despite frequent, lucrative offers and new regulations that may increase bidders' interest, WILM owners E.B. Hawkins and Sally Hawkins say they won't sell out. "E.B. and I have just decided that for the time being, we're going to hang tight," said Sally Hawkins, 80, who is E.B.'s mother, the principal owner and the chipper champion of Wilmington broadcast news. "It's such an interesting way to make a living. I suppose the day will come. The problem is, once we're gone, nobody is going to do this. I mean, the money we spend - it's ridiculous! But if I can just get one more person to think about what's going on in the world ..." she trails off. 'Last of the Mohicans' This month the Federal Communications Commission again relaxed rules limiting the number of newspapers and radio and television stations that can be owned by one company. Although in some ways the regulations for radio stations are slightly more stringent than previously, many analysts predict a new wave of media mergers and continued buyer interest in WILM. "That's such a sweetheart station," said Valerie Geller, a New York- based programming consultant. "Everybody is rooting for the ones like them that are the last of the Mohicans. Every day you know those owners are getting offers for millions and millions of dollars." Mark Fratrik, a vice president with media consultants BIA Financial Network in Chantilly, Va., estimated that WILM attracts 8.7 percent of the commercial-radio listeners in its market and would sell for between $5 million and $8 million. If it were dollars the Hawkinses were mainly interested in, WILM would already be very different. One of the first stations to convert to a news and talk format in the 1970s when it became clear that FM broadcasters would dominate music and AM stations would have to do something else, WILM has ambitions and quality standards bigger than its market or its transmitter. "They have a pretty hefty staff, and that's a very special thing," said Michael Harrison, the publisher of Talkers magazine, a trade publication. "Pound for pound, when you look at their market size, they're a real powerhouse of journalism." At only 1,000 watts of power, WILM doesn't reach much beyond central Delaware and its 500,000 or so listeners. It is dwarfed by the likes of WDEL of Wilmington, at 5,000 watts, or Baltimore's WBAL, with 50,000 watts. Not just local news But WILM's newsroom counts 13 full-time journalists and almost a dozen part-time reporters and other staffers, according to news director Mark Fowser. The station employs full-time legislative and court reporters as well as journalists to rush to the latest crime scenes, outdoor festivals or whatever else looks interesting in Delaware. It also plugs listeners into the world. Program director/anchor/reporter Allan Loudell runs up huge phone bills calling seldom-quoted experts and on-the-spot witnesses (including, frequently, reporters for The Sun) for national and global news events. During the Iraq war, Loudell put a Baghdad hotel clerk on the air as bombs fell, and after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks he talked with Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir about his interview with terrorist Osama bin Laden. This sort of coverage happens every day. Last Tuesday, the WILM Noon News Update, broadcast from an underground studio graced by dented acoustic tile, plywood desktops and stained carpet, offered self- produced reports on a proposed slots parlor, affordable homes in Wilmington and new accountants for New Castle County. But it also included interviews with a Newsweek reporter about the CIA, with a Swiss journalist about the latest Middle East violence and with an Arizona radio journalist and the U.S. correspondent for the Irish Times about the fatal hit-and-run traffic accident allegedly involving Phoenix Roman Catholic Bishop Thomas J. O'Brien. Many honors Practically every wall in WILM's studios and offices is plastered with awards. This month, the station captured 11 prizes, including best newscast, best election coverage, best investigative journalism, best sports reporting and best arts and culture reporting, at the meeting of the Philadelphia chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. "I've been here 15 years because I can do stuff that I couldn't do in Baltimore or Philadelphia," Loudell said. Wilmington has no locally based TV news team except a small public broadcasting operation. The city also has relatively few locally based radio stations, which may help WILM survive as an independent. "One of the great things about the Wilmington market is there are not a lot of radio stations in this market," said Pete Booker, president and chief executive of Delmarva Broadcasting, parent of WDEL, which has a news/talk format but a smaller news operation than WILM's. "As a result the revenue pie doesn't get sliced that thinly." Of WILM, Booker adds, "you're not going to find another station around that makes more efficient use of their resources than they have." If "efficient" means profitable, it's the wrong word. E.B. Hawkins, who runs WILM's day-to-day operations, declined to disclose financial details other than to say the station takes in "a couple million bucks" in revenue but "never enough. It is a constant struggle." Asked about profitability, he says the station has "broken even for 50 years," since his late father, Ewing B. Hawkins, acquired it in 1948. 'An expensive format' Fratrick, the media consultant, estimated WILM had $1.9 million in revenue last year, which ranked it seventh out of 13 stations in the Wilmington market. In listenership, WILM ranks fourth, Fratrick said. "This station does do decently in that market," Fratrick said, particularly for its size. But WILM's news and talk format "tends to be an expensive format to program." WILM could boost profits by doing what hundreds of other stations have done: pare staff and pipe in cheap, syndicated programming. Alternatively, the Hawkinses could simply sell out to a corporate owner that would probably cut costs, but they show no signs of doing that. "We're really not a big money-making concern," said Sally Hawkins. "I mean, I've got 40 people on my payroll at a 1,000-watt AM, for God's sake. It gets to be a cause, you know. I hate to say it. I never thought I'd get so carried away. Nobody else does what we do." Radio-station brokers representing potential corporate buyers keep calling. "What they really want is the cash flow so that they're in a better position to go public or to produce a return to shareholders," E.B. Hawkins said. "They certainly don't have an interest in the news. None. "The brokers say, 'I'm not sure you understand how much they'll pay.' And I say, 'I'm not sure you understand how much I'll turn down.'" Copyright © 2003, The Baltimore Sun (via Brock Whaley, Mike Cooper, DXLD) {Follow-up: 3-113} ** U S A. RULING SPIKES TNN'S NAME CHANGE, FOR NOW --- By John Maynard, Washington Post Staff Writer, Friday, June 20, 2003; Page C07 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14764-2003Jun19.html Spike TV will remain on ice at least for the rest of the summer. Film director Spike Lee won Round 2 yesterday in his battle to stop the TNN cable channel from changing its name to the more manly Spike TV. A five-judge panel of the New York State Supreme Court's appellate division denied the network's request to lift a lower court's temporary ban on use of the name. TNN lawyers argued this week that the network had lost nearly $17 million because of the preliminary injunction Lee won on June 12, blocking last Monday's scheduled name change. "This case is far from over," TNN said yesterday in a statement "We think today's ruling perpetuates a flawed and perplexing decision with far-reaching First Amendment implications that go well beyond the significant financial damage our network has incurred." TNN's next step will be to meet Monday with Manhattan State Supreme Court Justice Walter Tolub, who granted the preliminary injunction, to set up the parameters for a trial. The cable network also plans to appeal the temporary injunction in a hearing scheduled for early September. "We intend to appeal vigorously and still expect to be vindicated ultimately," the TNN statement said. "We firmly believe we have an absolute right to use the common word 'spike' as the name of our network." In his ruling, Tolub stated that TNN "sought to exploit Mr. Lee's persona, most notably Mr. Lee's reputation for irreverence and aggressiveness." TNN President Albie Hecht announced the name change in April, saying that "spike" was chosen to fit in with the "unapologetically male" nature of the network. TNN still plans to debut new male-oriented programming this summer even without the new moniker. A block of racy cartoons, including "Stripperella," with Pamela Anderson voicing a crime-fighting stripper, will premiere Thursday. Trademark lawyer Doug Wood of the New York-based firm Hall Dickler said the case will come down to whether an individual is so well known that any association with that name carries a secondary meaning. "Is Spike Lee that famous? That's going to be the question," Wood said. © 2003 The Washington Post Company (via Kraig Krist, DXLD) You've probably read about the injunction preventing "The New TNN" from launching it's new name and image as "Spike TV". For more info see: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/06/18/1055828361675.html Personally, I thought "Spike" was a really stupid name for a male- oriented network. "MACHO" would have been much more to the point. It's also my opinion that Spike Lee's suit is frivolous, and that an injunction should probably not have been issued. After all, there are railroad SPIKES that hold the rail to the ties --- and there are plenty of dogs named SPIKE. On second thought, since this network will probably be a dog, maybe Spike IS fitting (Tom Bryant / Nashville, WTFDA Soundoff via DXLD) ** U S A. The FCC has come up with a really fun new website that details the history of TV from a technical viewpoint: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-235548A1.doc No plans have been announced for a radio version! (John Broomall, Christian Community Broadcasters, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U S A. NEW LOWBAND TV STATION --- I got a letter from Bill Draeb on Friday relaying a report from a Milwaukee 2m repeater to the effect that WBIJ-4 Crandon, Wis. is on. http://www.northpine.com reports they're carrying FN religion. Apparently the station is causing problems for people in the area whouse channel 4 to connect their VCRs to their TVs |grin|... It's only 1.7 kW/123 m but that's enough to "skip out". Crandon is in central Wisconsin, not too far from Wausau. – (Doug Smith, W9WI June 21, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U S A. I don't know how the Tucson TV stations are doing about reporting this fire on the air, but their websites aren't much good |grin|. All four stations (KVOA, KGUN, KMSB, KOLD) mention the fire, though some of them are using the same AP copy you probably read in your local newspaper. KOLD mentions that the fire has burned many Mt. Lemmon businesses and mentions that TV transmitters are up there, but it doesn't say whether the transmitters are among the facilities burned. A story titled "Saving Hi-Tech" simply says there are transmitters on the threatened mountain - it doesn't even say anything about saving them! I suppose Summerhaven - where people actually live - is probably the bigger local story. I found *one* mention of the effects of this fire on broadcasters. KMSB's site says their Mt. Bigelow translator on channel 50 is off the air because the power to the site has been cut. This translator is on the KUAT-6/90.5 tower so presumably KUAT is also off, as is K43CW which is also on the KUAT tower. (Kevin R., can you normally receive KUAT?) (Doug Smith W9WI, June 21, WTFDA via DXLD) COMMUNICATORS TOTING UP LOSSES IN MILLIONS http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/local/6_21_03fire_communicate.html Smoke billows over Radio Ridge on Mount Lemmon on Thursday. Yesterday, the Aspen fire whipped through the area, which includes communications and electronics installations (foreground). GARY GAYNOR/Tucson Citizen [Caption] OSCAR ABEYTA and IRWIN M. GOLDBERG, Tucson Citizen, June 21, 2003 As Dale Eaton drove down 22nd Street last night, he saw a brilliant flash of light on Mount Lemmon and figured his radio communications facility on Radio Ridge had met its demise. "It had to be one of those propane tanks going up," said Eaton, owner of Rapid Communications, which had a $95,000 facility there. Eaton said he likely won't rebuild. Rapid provided two-way radio communications for private contractors such as plumbers and electricians. "I'm one of the lucky ones," Eaton said. "I can absorb the loss and go on. It will not affect my life." He's lucky in more ways than one. Eaton and his wife had considered buying a cabin on Mount Lemmon but discounted the idea when she slipped on ice. With Radio Ridge consumed by the Aspen fire atop Mount Lemmon, companies and agencies with communications facilities there have had to make plans to keep their operations going. Replacement costs could total more than $1 million. Towers near the Mount Lemmon Observing Facility threatened by fire include those for Pima County; Coronado National Forest; U.S. Army; U.S. Air Force; the Arizona Department of Public Safety; the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal Damage Control; Air National Guard; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives; Bureau of Land Management; FBI; Pima Community College; Saguaro National Park; State Department; Postal Inspector Service; U.S. Secret Service; Department of Energy and Qwest. TV towers on Mount Bigelow are on backup power and are unaffected, as are TV towers on Soldier Peak. Tucson-based Action Communications' antenna provided two-way radio service for private companies and some public agencies. Company president Brian Baxter said clients lost service when Trico Electric Cooperative was asked to kill power to the mountain Thursday. He said it would take about a month to replace its $400,000 facility if it were consumed by fire. Chris Bonifasi, facilities manager for Scottsdale-based Antenna Sites Inc., said its antenna was running on a backup generator powered by a 1,000-gallon propane tank. Bonifasi said the tower primarily carries two-way radio and paging services and is a translator for KJZZ-FM 91.5 in Phoenix. It would take about three months to rebuild the $400,000 tower, he said. Verizon Wireless had prepared contingency plans to reroute its paging communications, said spokeswoman Jenny Weaver. Border Patrol spokesman Rob Daniels said the agency had a plan for rerouting traffic from its antenna. Communications were not interrupted by the power cut. Pinnacle Power has two towers and a building on Radio Ridge. Spokesman Mike Carter, contacted before fire reached the area, said the company would be likely to rebuild. Arizona Public Service and All American Pipeline also had Radio Ridge towers. Officials could not be reached last night. Most of Tucson's TV stations lost main power to their Mount Bigelow transmitters and are using backup generators. Without access to the facilities to refuel, some stations could lose their signals. Jack Parris, director and general manager of KUAT-TV Channel 6, estimated there is enough diesel fuel to last about four days. The station's equipment is valued at about $4 million. Steve Somerville, chief engineer for KGUN-TV Channel 9, said its transmitter facility has about 2,500 gallons of diesel, enough to last up to 14 days. Its equipment is worth about $1 million. KVOA-TV Channel 4 also has its main transmitter on Mount Bigelow. KVOA officials could not be reached. Cable and satellite TV service is not interrupted because stations feed signals directly to providers. About 70 percent of Tucson households subscribe to cable or satellite service. Citizen reporter A.J. Flick contributed to this report (via Curtis Sadowski, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U S A. WSM SIGNS ANNOY TDOT By JEANNE A. NAUJECK, Staff Writer Cumulus Media's publicity stunt called 'a distraction' Cumulus Media meant it in fun, but yesterday's publicity stunt of plastering roadways with signs featuring newly acquired 95.5 WSM-FM didn't amuse the state's Department of Transportation. ''It's totally illegal,'' TDOT spokeswoman Kim Keelor said. ''If our people had known about it earlier we would have ripped them out immediately. It's a distraction to drivers, and they turn into litter when people don't follow up with cleanup.'' . . . http://www.tennessean.com/business/archives/03/06/34147623.shtml?Element_ID=34147623 (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** U S A. Hello Glenn, I heard your program a couple of nights ago via RFPI. I noted with interest a report of a new MWBC station operating out of Fountain Hills, AZ on 1620, KFHX. I have been monitoring the frequency since, with no joy from various locations within a maximum of 20 mile distance from F. H. I'm not sure they are on the air still. I will be in Fountain Hills itself tomorrow, I will let you know if it turns out to be a low power local. If I don't hear it IN Fountain Hills, it isn't on the air anymore. I appreciate your contribution to the radio hobby, BTW. Best signals your way, 73, (~Rick Barton, AZ, June 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UZBEKISTAN. New email address of R Tashkent (Foreign Service): ino@uzpak.uz (Direct station info via Alexander Polyakov, Uzbekistan via Trutenau in Dxplorer via June 18 DSWCI DX Window, June 21 via DXLD) Do they actually ID with ``International``? That gets tacked on to a lot of stations not actually saying it, e.g. Netherlands, Sweden (gh) Radio Tashkent International A03 schedule: Arabic 1700-1730 9715, 7285, 6190 1900-1930 9715, 7285, 6190 Dari 0130-0200 9715, 7190 1520-1550 9715, 7285, 6190 English 0100-0130 9715, 7190 1200-1230 17775, 15295, 9715, 7285 1330-1400 17775, 15295, 9715, 7285 2030-2100 11905, 9545, 5025 2130-2200 11905, 9545, 5025 Farsi 1630-1700 9715, 7285, 6190 1830-1900 9715, 7285, 6190 German 1935-2030 11905, 5025 Hindi 1300-1330 17775, 15295, 9715, 7285 1430-1500 17775, 15295, 9715, 7285 Chinese [i.e. Mandarin, alphabetically!] 1330-1400 5060 1430-1500 5060 Pashto 0200-0230 9715, 7190 Turkish 0600-0630 15200 1700-1730 9530 Uighur 1400-1430 5060 Urdu 1230-1300 17775, 15295, 9715, 7285 1400-1430 17775, 15295, 9715, 7285 Uzbek 0230-0330 9715, 7190, 5025 1550-1630 9715, 7285, 6190, 5025 1730-1830 9715, 7285, 6190, 5025 (Imran Hassan Qureshi, Pakistan, Pak DXers NL, June 19 via BC-DX via DXLD; English only: WORLD OF RADIO 1188) ** VENEZUELA. Reactivada en frecuencia de 5000 kHz la señal del Observatorio Naval Cajigal, luego de haber estado varios dias fuera del aire. A las 2318 UT del dia Domingo 22 de Junio la tengo sintonizada (José Elías, Venezuela, June 22, WORLD OF RADIO 1188, DX LISTENING DIGEST) La estación YVTO volvió este pasado fin de semana al aire, pero con una sobremodulación bárbara. Los "beeps" se oyen hasta 20 kHz, tanto hacia abajo como hacia arriba. Saludos (Adán González, Catia la Mar, Venezuela, June 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VIETNAM. VOICE OF VIETNAM STARTS NEW ETHNIC MINORITY SERVICE According to its Web site, Radio the Voice of Vietnam has commenced a new service for the ethnic minority groups of Ede, Gia Rai, K'Ho, Ba Na and M'Nong. The Web site says the service operates daily at 2200- 1600 UT on mediumwave 819 kHz and shortwave 6020 kHz (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 24 June 2003 via DXLD) WRTH SW Guide shows 6020 as VOV 4/1/2, whatever that means, 20 kW at 0400-0500, 0930-1600, 2200-2400 in Vietnamese/Rade/Sedana (gh, DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. See AUSTRALIA UNIDENTIFIED. Last night I heard an interesting station on 4995 kHz. Open carrier was heard from 1355 till 1400 when a programme seemingly of news or actualities was heard. Language is not known to me but maybe mid-eastern. Every so often a brief English passage was heard, once mentioning intelligence services and Saddam Hussein. Have not reviewed the tape yet. Signal was fair-poor level, seemed to be somewhat overmodulated and every so often there was a brief tone on line as if it was recorded off a land line. Modulation was AM. Any ideas? (John Schache, Australia, June 23, ARDXC via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 15525: came across to a test transmission of Merlin, this morning between approx. 06-07 UT. Outlet was going away, when I checked the channel at 0701 again. Endless loop playing cello-guitar music and the text given by male announcer: "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 [former http://www.merlincommunications.com to relink, I guess] But my URL access failed so far, this morning. Server not found (Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany, June 24, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ CLANDESTINERADIO.COM TO RELAUNCH IN SEPTEMBER ClandestineRadio.com is undergoing a complete redesign and redevelopment and is not being updated for a temporary period. We expect to be back online with faster updates and more robust services by September 2003. In the meantime, please refer to Clandestine Radio Watch for up-to-date and current information on clandestine broadcasting (via Johnson Jun 22, Cumbre DX via DXLD) EPHEMERIDES Um interessante site que em principio é meteorologico é o Wunderground. http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/hdfForecast?addfav no entanto, em cada cidade procurada e econtrada, podemos achar a latitude e longitude, horários do nascer e pôr do Sol , duração da luz do dia e outras informaçoes que podem ser interessantes também para o rádio (Samuel Cássio Martins, Sao Carlos SP, Brasil, @tividade DX June 22 via DXLD) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Status on Powerline Communications (PLC) in Germany PLC so far has not been a commercial success in Germany, simply because ADSL is a better and already wide spread solution, and the power companies do not see a market for PLC. It might be a different story with small PLC-solutions. They call home-PLC: ``These are small units for distributing Data within the household using power lines; You can just buy and use them as you want``; I have seen lots of these during this year´s CeBIT fair in Hannover. Different versions are available, some are using VLF "only", others most parts of the shortwave range. If your neighbour decides to try this, your shortwave listening might come to an abrupt end :-( (Harald Kuhl, Germany, June 18 DSWCI DX Window, June 21 via DXLD) This is a big deal. I urge everyone who has an interest in shortwave radio to file a comment with the FCC. It's fast and easy: http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/ecfs/Upload Click docket #03-104. Express your concern for interference to existing HF services, including shortwave broadcasting. It takes 30 seconds and could make a difference (Damon Cassell, swprograms via WORLD OF RADIO 1188, DXLD) FREQUENCY MANAGEMENT ++++++++++++++++++++ NEW TRANSMISSION PERIOD The B03 season starts on October 27, 2003. Already, broadcasters are submitting their tentative schedule plans to the relevant coordinating authorities. Here in Australia, the Australian Communications Authority has invited all HF broadcasters to furnish detailed schedule proposals for B03, for validation, which will then be submitted to the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union in Kuala Lumpur for coordination with other broadcasters, and for integration into the master schedule for participating administrations. Requirements have also been sought by the ACA from Australian broadcasters for operational schedules for the A04 period, starting at the end of March 2004. CURRENT PERIOD A03 Schedule changes continue to be made by many broadcasters, and it is virtually impossible to keep up to date with much of this, either from the hobbyist or professional perspective! Whatever our level of interest, it behoves us to maintain our monitoring, and keep proper records, or else we'll be left far behind! I see the increasing reluctance of many broadcasters to inform their listeners of current schedules, which makes it so much harder to track down a favourite station. Now that DRM is with us, it will be so much harder to find things, and even with the advantages of the Internet, many broadcasters still seem unable, or unwilling, to post their operational schedules in a style which is readily understood or easily located! (Bob Padula, EDXP World Broadcast Magazine June 22, used by permission, http://edxp.org via DXLD) RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ ATTENTION INTERNATIONAL OPERATORS: INTERFERENCE IMPACTING AERO- NAUTICAL AIR TRAFFIC FREQUENCIES CAUSED BY ILLEGAL HIGH POWER CORDLESS TELEPHONES. The Miami air route traffic control center (ZMA ARTCC) has experienced radio frequency interference (rfi) on frequencies 134.2, 134.6 MHz resulting from the unauthorized use of high power cordless telephones in the Bahamas and on frequency 133.85 MHz from the use of high power cordless telephones in Miami. The Cleveland air traffic control center artcc (ZOB) operations were also impacted due to rfi on frequency 134.65 MHz, from the unauthorized use of high power cordless telephone located in Harrison, Michigan. High power cordless telephones are being used illegally in the U.S. and the Bahamas. These phones can interfere with the frequencies used for air traffic control worldwide and can pose problems to atc navigation and communications. The FAA is working with other government agencies within the United States and other countries to curtail illegal use of these phones and is approaching vendors to cease distribution and production of units that operate in or cause interference to critical aeronautical radio spectrum. Users operating on these frequencies should be aware that navigation and communication could be severely impacted due to rfi of these high power cordless telephones. Users of aeronautical radio navigation and communication services who experience this type of interference should report any event immediately to the air traffic facility providing air traffic services. If this immediate report is unachievable, the users should make a report to the nearest air traffic facility at the earliest time possible after the rfi event. (Milcom mailing list June 22 via Terry Krueger, WORLD OF RADIO 1188, DXLD) DRM +++ SANGEAN DRM RECEIVER An email received from Sangean Electronics Inc. from Taiwan in relation to a question I ask them regarding when a DRM receiver would be available to the consumer, they said they are currently working on a DRM chip and a receiver will be available by mid 2004 (Mike Stevenson, June 22, EDXP via DXLD) MAYAH DRM2010 RECEIVER Hi, I belong to a Yahoo radio group that is discussing DRM radios, and we were curious as to the price of the MAYAH DRM 2010 receiver. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a million (Jim Dickey, Austin, Texas, DX-398 yahoogroup via DXLD) Thank you for your interest in Mayah products. Presently, this is only a pre-production product announcement with production delivery to be in Q4/2003. A prototype is planned for IFA Berlin in August and has a target price of approx. US$850.00. Please check the Mayah website for the latest info about the DRM2010... Thank you again... Regards, Sonotechnique PJL Inc. http://www.sonotechnique.ca http://www.mayah.com (via Dickey, ibid.) Someone on the 2010 list received a response from Mayah on the DRM2010. The $850 US price point quoted is at least an improvement over the reported $1800 per unit price of the first generation "all in one" unit from Coding Technologies (John Figliozzi, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ ARNIE CORO'S DXERS UNLIMITED'S HF PROPAGATION UPDATE AND FORECAST SUMMER SOLSTICE typical propagation in progress. HIGH DAYTIME absorption of HF signals due to the very much ionized D layer typical of this season, while nighttime MUF or Maximum Useable Frequencies are higher than during the winter. Sporadic E season now in full swing, and openings may be happening at any time, even late in the evening!!! Solar flux near 120 units, but geomagnetic disturbances continue to make short wave reception not too good, as the A indexes are still very high. Expect some interesting AM medium wave broadcast band DX conditions to your SOUTH if you live at locations higher than 40 degrees North latitude (Prof. Arnaldo Coro A., CO2KK, RHC DXers Unlimited June 21 via Bob Chandler, VE3SRE, ODXA via DXLD) THE K7RA SOLAR UPDATE SEATTLE, WA, Jun 23, 2003 -- Low sunspot numbers and geomagnetic disturbances in the over-the-hill portion of the solar cycle continue. There are enough sunspots to support some good HF propagation, but we are about three years past the cycle peak and about three and a half years ahead of the next sunspot minimum. Complicating the situation is continued high solar wind and flares, causing constant disturbance to geomagnetic conditions. HF operators generally want stable geomagnetic indices, such as a K index at three or below and daily A index of 10 or less. A chart in the recent NOAA Preliminary Report and Forecast of Solar Geophysical Data [ http://www.sec.noaa.gov/weekly/pdf/prf1450.pdf ] shows the enhanced geomagnetic activity following the peak of a solar cycle. The last page of the report includes bar graphs for severe storm conditions, expressed as a planetary A index over 100. Note the [sic] for a few years after high solar activity the geomagnetic indices are higher. Another report from last week [ http://www.sec.noaa.gov/weekly/pdf/prf1449.pdf ] projects our position in the current cycle. On the last page you can see a rising historical planetary A index. The previous few pages depict the smoothed sunspot and solar flux projections. The next solar cycle minimum appears sometime around the end of 2006. By the way, this publication--``Preliminary Report and Forecast of Solar Geophysical Data--The Weekly`` [ http://www.sec.noaa.gov/weekly/index.html ] is full of interesting information. William Hartman, N6FB, forwarded a question from the eHam.net forum about the relation between A and K indices. The K index is a measure of geomagnetic stability at various magnetometers around the globe. During periods of activity, the higher latitudes tend to have higher K indices. For mid-latitude K values, an index of 3 is normal. Below 3 is nice and quiet, and above is disturbed. Each point in the K index, published every three hours, represents a big change. It is a non-linear system. The A index is published daily, and is made up of the eight K indices over 24 hours. It is a linear scale, so a one point change doesn't represent a big jump in activity. For instance, if you had a constant K index of 2 for 24 hours this would produce an A index of 7. A constant K index of 3 is equal to an A of 15, and K of 4 equals 27. The K usually changes every three hours, so the A is somewhere in between the values shown here. There's a NOAA Web page [ http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/stp/GEOMAG/kp_ap.html ] that shows the relationship. You can see recent mid-latitude, high and planetary A and K indices on this NOAA site [ http://www.sec.noaa.gov/ftpdir/indices/DGD.txt ]. Note that on June 17 and 18, 2003, we had planetary A indices of 50 and 54, which are very high. June 17 and 18 activity was significant, too, and Al Olcott, K7ICW, e-mailed to comment that the recent sporadic E skip on 144 and 222 MHz was of historic importance. He is in Las Vegas, and on June 17 on 222 MHz, he worked K7MAC in Idaho. K7MAC was S7, and on 144 MHz he was S9 into Nevada, a 544-mile path. The June 17 and 18 numbers were the result of yet another robust interplanetary shock wave that swept over Earth around 0500 UTC on June 18. It was probably from a coronal mass ejection hurled from sunspot 365 on June 15--the day this sunspot reappeared. In May that same spot released two X-class solar flares -- big ones. Mark Williams, KF6YU, wrote about an unusual experience on June 14 around 0000 UTC. He was vacationing in Payson, Arizona, and an AM broadcast station he was listening to in his truck abruptly disappeared. He switched to FM to listen to a Phoenix station, and instead heard one in Sioux City, Iowa, on that frequency. When he got back to his cabin, he listened to dead air on HF, and the whole phenomenon was over in about 30 minutes. [WTFK??? was the AM station at 5 pm local via groundwave, as seems likely? Would a CME disrupt non-ionospheric propagation? Sporadic E on FM over paths such as IA-AZ is hardly unusual during this, its annual peak, and may have nothing at all to do with the HF blackout --- gh] Someone questioned what substitute columnist Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA, meant when he referred to ``IMF`` in last week's bulletin. IMF in this context doesn't refer to global banking or Third World debt, but the Interplanetary Magnetic Field. When a strong solar wind or interplanetary shock wave from the sun blasts Earth, the IMF tends to point south. This has been covered several times in this bulletin over the past year. A good place to review the IMF and its significance is on the SpaceWeather.com site http://spaceweather.com/glossary/imf.html In addition, in last week's bulletin we hoped to come up with some images showing the effects on the spectrograph at Project JOVE during an X ray event on June 9 [ http://radiosky.com/wccro_spec_030609.html ]. Jim Sky, KH6SKY, sent the link. The strip charts were produced with Radio-Skypipe software [ http://radiosky.com/skypipeishere.html ] Average sunspot numbers dropped nearly 37 points from last week to 112.7 this week. Solar flux was also down. Not surprisingly given the conditions and all the reports, average planetary A index increased from 21 to 30. Space weather was remarkably mild on Thursday, June 19, with mid latitude and planetary K indices down to 2 or 3. However, the forecast shows more of the same enhanced activity over the next few days, with a planetary A index of 25, 25, 20 and 20 for June 20-23. Solar flux should remain around 125 on those days. On June 20 we should enter a solar wind stream flowing from a coronal hole, which should cause those high A indices. Sunspot numbers for June 12 through 18 were 168, 149, 91, 111, 91, 80 and 99, with a mean of 112.7. The 10.7-cm flux was 163.5, 151, 133.5, 128.7, 122.6, 121.9 and 120.4, with a mean of 134.5. Estimated planetary A indices were 11, 11, 32, 20, 32, 50 and 54, with a mean of 30. Amateur solar observer Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, Washington, provides this weekly report on solar conditions and propagation. This report also is available via W1AW every Friday and an abbreviated version also appears in the ARRL Letter. Readers may contact the author via k7ra@arrl.net (ARRL via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN: HOW THE LOSS OF SOHO COULD IMPACT EVERYDAY LIFE --- By Robert Roy Britt, Senior Science Writer, posted: 07:00 am ET 23 June 2003 Earth's first line of defense against massive communication failures is expected to go offline this week, raising the very real possibility that should a giant solar flare occur, the disruptions of media broadcasts as well as consumer and military communications dependent on satellites could rise sharply. . . http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/soho_impact_030623.html (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) SPORADIC E IN PROGRESS Another large opening is going on as we close this issue, 1638 UT Tue June 24, thru NBC-6 Miami, also from Mexico (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ### ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-111, June 21, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3f.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 1187: RFPI: Sat 2330, Sun 0530, 1130, 1830, Mon 0030, 0630, 1230, Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0730, 1430 on 7445, 15039 WINB: Sun 0030 [NEW} 12160 WWCR: Sun 0230 5070, 0630 3210, Wed 0930 9475 WJIE: Sun 1030, 1630 7490 13595 [maybe] WBCQ: Mon 0445 7415 WRN: Rest of world Sat 0800; Eu only Sun 0430; NAm Sun 1400 [not 1430] WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [from early UT Thu] [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1187.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1187.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1187h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1187h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1187.html Re: 3-110: Wow, I never thought WINB would get confused with WJIE as in the latest DXLD- ``WJIE: Sat 1731 13570, Sun 0030 [NEW] 12160`` (Hans Johnson, DXLD) Oops; at least I got the frequencies right (gh) UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIAL I used to watch the DX Listening Digest web site for news but I found that there was too much junk put in there by Glenn [sic] Hauser. Even though I have retired, I don't have time to read all that nonsense. I don`t want to spend my dying days trying to find news by [sic]Hauser. (Alex Dobrovitch, Hutt River Province, Australia, June 7, EDXP via DXLD) Ah, how easily I alienate readers! Junk and nonsense: Read on! (gh) ** AUSTRALIA. I have heard that planning proposals are being prepared for a new HF facility to be set up at Rottnest Island, which is adjacent to the Hutt River Province, Western Australia. I understand that there will be four 250 kW transmitters there, targetting southern Africa, under the banner of the "The New Democratic Voice of the Zimbabwean People". The station will also be made available to other broadcasters for relay purposes I believe (Bob Padula, Mont Albert, Vic, Australia, June 8, EDXP via DXLD) {N.B.! above item is a HOAX; see next issue} ** AUSTRALIA. Bob Padula has repeatedly given the schedule for DX Partyline on the Asian service of HCJB as 1230 UT Saturday on 15480, while HCJB and all other sources show it as 1430. June 21 at 1255 I caught the last bit of DXPL on Pifo 15115, so quickly checked 15480 --- whatever was on there, was not the same as on 15115. By 1430 the signal on 15480 was too poor to identify anything (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. 2300 UT, 21740 kHz, Radio Australia with news of Iraq wheat harvest and the old equipment they are using and discussion of how the government needed to get off their backside and fix it with help from Australia. Good signal s8dB. With all the rain we have been getting with thunderstorms, flooding, etc., DX conditions are finally turning around at my QTH (Robert kd5lvi Thompson, TX, nrd535d with many mods. Inv "V" trap dipole nw x se 40 ft at apex, June 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. BITTER EXPAT RADIO ROW FOR CONTROL OF AIRWAVES June 20 2003 http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/06/19/1055828434526.html GBRadio and WorldAudio are fighting for control of two narrowband licences in a struggle that has reached two Supreme Courts. David Elias reports. The accents are distinctly English, not the modulated tones of the old BBC but regional and chatty with plenty of what's-on information from the Old Dart. The radio station GBRadio broadcasts to a target audience of British and Irish expatriates in Melbourne's eastern and south-eastern suburbs on the 1620 AM band. It is radio on the cheap using an over-the-counter medium-frequency licence that broadcasts at the top end of the AM band where some older receivers cannot pick it up. It is also radio by remote control, operating from an unstaffed studio at Bayswater in the shadow of the Dandenong Ranges, where a computer takes the British program feed from the internet, inserts its own advertising into the commercial breaks and puts it to air. Station chief Roger Thomas has staked his future on the concept. He hopes to network it across Australia and repeat it in other countries with large British and Irish populations. He says he can provide British travel authorities and other travel-related advertisers in Britain with keenly sought outlets throughout the British Commonwealth and elsewhere. But first the former anti-terrorism specialist must extricate his embryonic station from a nasty dispute full of twists and turns worthy of a radio soap opera. Mr Thomas, who first came here more than 20 years ago to demonstrate bomb-disposal electronics to security forces, has been sucked into a desperate race against time to get a new national radio network set up before a Federal Government deadline in November. His company, GBRadio (Australia), and a listed company, WorldAudio, operator of Sydney's Radio2, are both claiming prior rights to use disputed AM narrowband licences in Melbourne and Sydney. The web is so tangled that aspects of the row have been aired in the Supreme Court of Victoria, the Commonwealth Administrative Appeals Tribunal and the NSW District Court. Next week it all goes before the Supreme Court of NSW. Mr Thomas says his fight to secure and retain control of the two licences has cost him $750,000 in legal fees and has required him to remain in Australia away from his wife and children in Britain for more than three years. "I want to go home to my family and resume my life," he says, "But I will not leave Australia until I get this business up and running. I have invested so much time and money in this I have to stay." The licences are the key to his ambitions but are also central to WorldAudio's plans to challenge the supremacy of established broadcasters. WorldAudio has raised $13.5 million in two public issues since its backdoor listing early last year on the strength of its plans to establish a national radio network that will eventually use digital technology. The company has claimed that it has enforceable rights to the use of the 1611 AM band in Sydney and the 1620 AM band in Melbourne, and it has issued a Supreme Court writ in NSW demanding that Thomas's GBRadio (Australia) transfer its licences to WorldAudio. Thomas denies this and claims that WorldAudio has repudiated an agreement with GBRadio. He is alleging that Radio2 is broadcasting illegally and is using an unauthorised transmitter. Thomas's lawyers have written to Communications Minister Richard Alston, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and the Australian Communications Authority, seeking an investigation into the allegedly illegal broadcasts and omissions in WorldAudio's prospectuses. Thomas says he is suspicious of WorldAudio's links to the Sydney licensed clubs industry and believes the company has a long-term agenda to set up a radio casino using interactive digital technology when it becomes available. A WorldAudio company announcement this week acknowledged Thomas's complaint to the ACA. It said the directors, having received legal advice, were of the view that the company was authorised to broadcast under its agreement with the registered holder of the relevant licence. However, WorldAudio's annual accounts last October carried a qualification from auditors Grant Thornton warning of uncertainty over legal actions in connection with its use of the Sydney broadcast licence and the possible effect on the company's status as a going concern. The long story began with a partnership dispute and an amazing bureaucratic bungle by the ACA, the government body responsible for issuing and policing medium frequency narrowband area service licences under the 1992 Broadcasting Services Act. The bands between 1606.5 and 1705 kHz had been abandoned by their former military users and the government sold 270 licences to more than 50 commercial users to work on emerging technologies. In 1992 they were out of reach of the AM dial, but as many new radios can now pick up signals above 1606.5, narrowcasting has become a cheap and viable alternative for commercial radio. WorldAudio is one of only four licensees with Australia-wide rights if they can acquire local permits to link up a national network. Originally sold over the counter for a nominal fee these licences are tradeable on the open market and, as Thomas's dispute with WorldAudio has shown, they can fetch at least $500,000 each. Responding to concerns raised by the commercial radio industry, Senator Alston put the brakes on new licences last October and introduced a "use it or lose it" grandfather clause on existing licence holders, who must have their services up and running by November. Thomas formed a partnership in 1992 with British migrant Pieter Marchant to establish an expat radio network using three FM licences and two of the new narrowcast licences. The ACA issued the Sydney and Melbourne permits to P Marchant GB Radio in 1995 and then transferred them without fee to the business when GB Radio was registered in 1998. But after the two men fell out Marchant wrote to the ACA in June 1999 complaining that he had been "conned" out of the licences, and the ACA transferred them back to him in his own name. The ACA's letter of explanation to GBRadio was described by Justice Barry Beach of the Victorian Supreme Court as "a masterpiece of bureaucratic humbug worthy of the best of Yes, Minister". It told GBRadio its original transfer application had not been made on the appropriate form and it had not paid a transfer fee. Justice Beach granted GBRadio an injunction in May 2000 restraining Marchant from selling, transferring or otherwise dealing with the licences, but Marchant, unbeknown to Thomas, had already leased the Sydney licence for $500 a week. It had then been subleased for $3000 a week to Kinloba, a private company associated with North Sydney Leagues Club chief executive Jim Henry. Then in the face of Justice Beech's injunction and under pressure from an ACA inquiry into possible unlicensed broadcasting on 1611 kHz in Sydney, Marchant signed a letter on December 1, 2000, authorising Kinloba to use the Sydney licence to broadcast "so long as a court of law does not determine that such lease is invalid". The Kinloba lease was used initially to fire up the radio station Club Radio but documents filed with ASIC show that in September 2001 Henry, the federal president of the Club Managers Association sold Club Radio and Kinloba to WorldAudio Communications. According to documentation of a charge against WorldAudio Communications, which last year became a subsidiary of the newly listed WorldAudio, the price was $1 million. However, when WorldAudio opened its initial public offering for $6.5 million in April 2002 prospectuses revealed two use agreements that gave the broadcaster leases on the Melbourne and Sydney licences at $2000 a month for 10 years and options to buy them in 2011 for $1 million. In one, Henry was to receive $800,000 of the purchase price and Marchant $200,000. In the other GBRadio would receive the money if it won its appeal in the AAT for the return of the two licences. Thomas said he struck the deal with WorldAudio because it agreed to broadcast his programs on its network, but even before GBRadio won in the AAT, the agreement began to unravel amid allegations from Thomas that WorldAudio's disclosure documents were misleading. Thomas says: "I would have been happy with the arrangement if WorldAudio had stuck to the deal but instead they wanted it all their own way. Now they are trying to use the court to take my licences from me." (Melbourne The Age, via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** BELARUS`. 'New' to the hobby again I was delighted to hear Radio Stalitsa in Bielorussia today for the first time on 6010 kHz. The DBS2003 doesn't mention it for this hour of 0342 when strong ID as 'Radio Stalitsa'. Gone 0400, but signal faded back a bit later - maybe with other program? (Finn Krone, Denmark, June 21, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** BOTSWANA. Regarding QSLing Radio Botswana, I have received a beautiful QSL : The reception report was sent on January 31st 2003; QSL Received on April 22nd, 2003. V/signer: Ted Makgekenene. QTH : Postal Bag 0060, Gaborone, Botswana. No US $ were sent, only a rtp [?] (César Pérez Dioses, Perú, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** CHECHNYA [non]. LITHUANIA AGAIN SHUTS DOWN CHECHEN REBEL WEBSITE | Text of report by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Vilnius, 21 June: The Chechen separatist website Kavkaz-Tsentr has been shut down following demands from the Lithuanian State Security Department. A Vilnius-based company, Elneta [Elnet], has been its Internet service provider since 26 May. An independent commission of experts found that information posted on this website "can be seen as advocating terrorism, nationalism and inciting ethnic strife". After receiving the commission's findings, the State Security Department confiscated the Chechen separatists' server and the information it contained, the department's spokesman, Vytautas Makauskas, told an ITAR-TASS correspondent. Criminal proceedings have been launched. Lithuanian laws ban propaganda about terrorism or about ethnic, religious or any other strife. Makauskas also said that one of the main authors of the information posted on Kavkaz-Tsentr was wanted by Interpol for terrorism. "We do not have any information about his presence in Lithuania," Makauskas said. This is the second time Kavkaz-Tsentr has been shut down in Lithuania. [Since the start of 2003, Kavkaz-Tsentr website has been hosted by a Lithuanian and then by an Estonian and American ISP. It last moved back to Lithuania in late May.] Source: ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, in Russian 0739 gmt 21 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) LITHUANIA SHUT DOWN CHECHEN WEB SITE DUE TO RUSSIAN PRESSURE, WEB SITE SAYS | Text of Kavkaz-Tsentr report published by Chechenpress news agency web site 21 June: On Friday [20 June] Lithuanian special services blocked the work of Kavkaz-Tsentr agency's server, citing as the reason the need to check the contents of the server for materials that contravene Lithuanian law. Earlier, on Monday and Thursday the Lithuanian special services twice called for a conversation the leaders of the Internet service provider and gently suggested to the provider that they stop serving the Kavkaz-Tsentr server. Both times the provider refused, suggesting to the Lithuanian State Security Department that they submit the necessary documents for closure. The leadership of the Lithuanian State Security Department said they were making their insistent requests, because Russia was expressing its dissatisfaction with the activity of Kavkaz-Tsentr and because the Chechen agency "might print some provocative article" (!!!) [punctuation as published by the web site]. At the end of the working day on Friday, at approximately 1600 local time [1300 gmt], representatives of the special services appeared at the Elnet Internet service provider and confiscated the server, having prepared in advance a protocol on confiscating a computer. When they found out what had happened, several deputies of the Lithuanian Seimas tried to hinder the illegal actions of the special services, but the deputies did not manage to contact the leadership of the Lithuanian State Security Department, as the head of the department had switched off his telephones. It is also known that at 1700 [1400 gmt] on Friday one of the deputies of the Lithuanian Seimas appeared on Lithuanian TV and called on the special services to stop breaking the laws of Lithuania, to return the Kavkaz-Tsentr server and not to hinder the activities of the Chechen agency. The deputy said that all the actions of the special services should be based on the law and not on the desires of Russia, which is demanding that Lithuania close the site on its territory. On Tuesday, at the request of the group of deputies supporting Chechnya, the Lithuanian Seimas is expected to examine at its sitting the illegal actions of the Lithuanian special services in blocking the work of Kavkaz-Tsentr. Source: Chechenpress web site, Tbilisi, in Russian 21 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** CUBA. Hola Glenn, Efectivamente desde hace unas tres semanas sintonizo a Radio Rebelde en 25 metros, 11655 kHz. Casi siempre entre las 1600 y las 1730 UT, aproximadamente. Muy buena señal. En realidad no la había reportado porque pensaba que siempre había usado esa frecuencia. Al parecer no. Saludos, (Adán González, Catia La mar, VENEZUELA, June 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. Re Good News 4 Me: Domain Names: GOODNEWS4ME.COM and GN4ME.COM Business Address: Good News Network, 2 Abdel Kader Hamza, Garden City, Cairo 11511 EGYPT. Tel +20 2 7924040, Fax: +20 2 3449104 (Network Solutions via Andy Sennitt, DXLD) Sounds like I got the URL wrong. It should be http://www.gn4me.com and the e mail for their media section which is called good news 4 media is media@gn4me.com (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, via Sennitt, DXLD) URL above converts to http://www.gn4me.com/gn4me/index.jsp but it`s blank, and least without Arabic script installed. Oh, far from blank when the source is viewed, full of javacript, starting with: META content= "News, arabic, arabian, gn4me, prayer times, TV, entertainment, finance, business, mobile, health, e-commerce, arabic press, chat, vote, technology, horoscopes, Islam, religion, events, discussions, gn4msnbc, banks, e-mail, dreams, diet, receipe, weather, stock riders, services, travel, elshal, Egypt, world, Cairo, Newyork" [sic] I guess that covers it; Coptic/Christian not mentioned (gh, DXLD) ** GERMANY. DEUTSCHE WELLE STEHT AN IHREM 50. GEBURTSTAG VOR VERAENDERUNGEN VON JUERGEN HEIN, dpa Koeln/Berlin (dpa) - Ihr 50. Geburtstag beschert der Deutschen Welle einen Umzug. Aus einem Asbest belasteten Hochhaus in Koeln zieht der deutsche Auslandssender in einen Neubau nach Bonn. Am 27. Juni werden Geburtstag und Ortswechsel der "DW" feierlich begangen. Hinter dem Sender liegen zahlreiche Umwaelzungen: deutsche Einheit, Personal-Abbau, Herausforderungen durch die Krisen auf dem Balkan, in Afghanistan und Irak. Jetzt signalisiert der Umzug einen Neuanfang. Auch die Mitarbeiter muessen auf weitere Veraenderungen gefasst sein. Intendant Erik Bettermann laesst keinen Zweifel: Die Deutsche Welle mit ihren Radio-, Fernseh- und Internet-Angeboten in mehr als 30 Sprachen werde nach wie vor gebraucht, fuer die Aussendarstellung Deutschlands und als Informationsquelle fuer Menschen in totalitaeren Staaten. "Die Erwartungen an Deutschland sind viel groesser, als das hier in Deutschland selbst wahrgenommen wird", sagt Bettermann. Juengstes Beispiel ist der Irak-Krieg. Wieder einmal machte die DW Krisenradio und -fernsehen, lieferte Informationen aus der Region in die Region, ergaenzt um die deutsche Einschaetzung. "Man erkennt einmal mehr, wie wichtig die DW als Bruecke zwischen dem Westen und anderen Teilen der Welt ist", sagt Khaoula Saleh vom Arabischen Programm. Dieses Ziel verfolgte die DW auch schon bei frueheren Krisen, in den Sprachen Paschtu und Dari fuer Afghanistan oder auf Serbisch, Kroatisch und Albanisch fuer den Balkan. Immer wollen die DW-Macher auch Multiplikatoren und Entscheider in den Regionen erreichen. Dabei gehe es aber nicht um platte Werbung fuer Deutschland, sagt DW- Sprecher Johannes Hoffmann: "Das A und O ist die Glaubwuerdigkeit." Bei ihrer Arbeit steht die DW seit Jahren unter Sparzwang. Die Zahl der Mitarbeiter sank von 2200 auf 1500. Der Etat, der aus Steuermitteln finanziert wird, schrumpfte in den vergangenen fuenf Jahren von 320 Millionen auf 277 Millionen Euro. Kritiker fragen nach dem Sinn eines nationalen Auslandsrundfunks im Zeitalter von Internet, Satelliten-Fernsehen und europaeischer Einigung. Die Hoerfunkprogramme kommen aus Koeln und demnaechst aus Bonn. In Berlin machen 500 DW-Mitarbeiter Fernsehen. Ihr Chef Christoph Lanz widerspricht vehement der Ansicht, es reiche doch, die ARD oder das ZDF weltweit zu verbreiten, statt zusaetzlich die DW zu betreiben. "Nehmen Sie nur die Bundeswehrreform als Beispiel", sagt Lanz, "bei den Inlandssendern steht natuerlich im Vordergrund, welche Kasernen geschlossen werden. Das interessiert international aber niemanden. Weltweit ist vielmehr die Nachricht interessant, dass sich die Bundeswehr noch mehr auf Auslands-Einsaetze einstellt und vorbereitet. Damit haben wir unsere Sendungen natuerlich aufgemacht." Auch wenn das Deutsche-Welle-Gesetz die Zukunft des Auslands- Senders sichert, wird sich die DW weiter aendern muessen. Bei den Mitarbeitern loest das auch Sorgen aus. Einerseits sollen sie auf Krisen in der Welt mit gezielten Programmen r%agieren. Andererseits koennen zum Beispiel afghanische Redakteure nicht ploetzlich Programme fuer arabische Laender machen, wenn sich dort ein neuer Krisenherd auftut. Ausserdem sei Bestaendigkeit wichtig, betont Hoffmann: In Afghanistan habe die DW nur deshalb so viel Resonanz, weil sie schon lange vor dem 11. September 2001 mit ihren Programmen praesent war. Eine Veraenderung laesst viele aber hoffen - die digitale Kurzwelle. Das Knistern verschwindet, die Programme klingen glasklar. Gesendet wird bei der DW schon in der neuen Technik, hoeren kann sie aber noch kaum jemand, denn dazu sind neue Radios noetig. In ein paar Jahren sollen sie nicht mehr teurer sein als heutige Kurzwellen-Geraete. Experten sagen, dies werde das Auslandsradio revolutionieren. (Internet: Deutsche Welle: http://www.dw-world.de) dpa kh eee ru (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** GERMANY. Bonn 774 kHz was not shut down as it was first suspected, but at present maintenance work at the transmitter site requires silence periods of a couple of days at once. This week Hessischer Rundfunk started to wind up the hr-chronos network. A small note at the bottom of the hr-chronos webpage http://www.hr-online.de/hf/chronos/index.shtml announces that since Monday (June 16) own programming is already replaced by a hr-skyline relay in the 0700-1000 and 1300-1500 periods. On June 30 all own hr- chronos programming except for the foreign language broadcasts (1700- 2000) and occasional live coverage of events will finally disappear. On the technical side the Rodgau-Weiskirchen transmitter near Frankfurt at present runs only at 50 kW after the transmitter was damaged by lightning. Probably the fault was fixed in the meantime, word is that they had some problems in obtaining the required spare parts (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HUNGARY. Hi, new site in IBB frequency list, I guess. JBR Jaszbereny HNG G.C. 47N35 019E52 in Armenian [not Arabic!], Russian, and Tajik. Ex Woofferton-UK, Lampertheim-GER. 9505 1600-1700 RFE RL-2 AR JBR 01 108 degrees 9760 0300-0400 RFE RL10 TA JBR 01 075 11710 0400-0500 RFE RL-1 RU JBR 01 055 11885 0500-0600 RFE RL-1 RU JBR 01 055 (IBB June 17) 73 wb df5sx (Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany, June 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I read it in time to try 9505 Friday, and heard a loud signal there. Unfortunately, I didn`t log it my book, but from memory don't think it was Arabic --- would AR be Armenian? (Noel Green, England) Yes, it's indeed Armenian (Kai Ludwig, Germany) There are two listed 250 kW transmitters at JBR so the IBB has use of one of them, and a very nice site to serve the ME area (Noel Green) And Anténa Hungaria was able to sell some spare capacity. Actually not a big surprise, the Jászberény airtime is more or less a supplement service to Marcali 1188, just like the Voice of Russia slots at Jülich. By the way, I have a dim recollection that RFI used Jászberény for a short time, some ten years ago? (Kai Ludwig, all via Wolfgang Bueschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HUNGARY [non non]. Dear Kraig, Well, I got the word back from Gérald Théorêt, our frequency manager...and Radio Budapest is not using a Sackville transmitter. The 9590 kHz frequency for Budapest is from their Jaszbereny transmitter site, with 250 kW on a 306 azimuth. Hope this clears things up. 73- (Bill Westenhaver, RCI, via Kraig Krist, DXLD) ** ICELAND. Hi, 13855 kHz has AFRTS Keflavik very strong at this hour. 1620 had a feature about 100 years with the Ford Company, then about traffic and public announcements about Middleton a.o. 1630 timepeep and CNN Radio News (21.06.2003) 73's (Finn Krone, Denmark, hard-core- dx via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [non]. ON THE AIR: MUSEUM SHIPS 2003 On the air, K3CLG says that the 2003 Museum Ships Weekend special event stations will be held on the weekend July 19th and 20th. Operations will encompass all modes including phone, CW, PSK31, APRS and even contacts via the Internet Radio Linking Project or IRLP. You can check on all the details at this easy to copy URL. It`s all at http://www.qsl.net/ww2dd/event.html (K3CLG, Amateur Radio Newsline June 20 via John Norfolk, DXLD)) ** IRAN [non]. Via Javaradio Sweden: CIS, 7480, Sedeye Payam E Doost (Bahai program for Iran) very strong and clear signal with talks in Farsi by the same woman announcer I have heard previously. 1816 June 18 singing by woman. Nice slow ID at 1819 (Hans Johnson, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. Via Javaradio Sweden: CLANDESTINE from FRANCE? to IRAN 17510, KRSI: checking for this but just a clear channel. Too close to France for 17 MHz reception? I think they are perhaps on 17525 again. I didn't hear a signal, but quite a bit of jamming here. 1643 June 20 (Hans Johnson, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Seda-ye Iran heard to start at 1529 on 17525 June 21st with usual "fanfare" tune and marching song followed by clear ID at 1532. A strong signal in Blackpool [NW England] and no jammers audible so far. 73s (Noel R. Green, England, ibid.) Thanks, Noel. I just tried on the Javaradio at Gatwick and I could get them. Fair signal, but no jamming, ID at 1603. (Hans Johnson, June 21, ibid.) ** IRAQ. IRAQ/USA: TWO NEW TV STATIONS FOR IRAQ OBSERVED ON SATELLITE | Text of report by Monitoring research on 20 June BBC Monitoring has observed two new digital TV stations, believed to be broadcasting to Iraq from Eutelsat W1, a European satellite located at 10 degrees east. The two stations, on 11106 MHz and 11100 MHz vertical polarization, broadcast in parallel from 1100 gmt beginning with a caption in Arabic which read, 'IMN Iraqi Media Network', followed by a mix of news, cartoons and films. Earlier, whilst the 11106 MHz again channel carried a film, the 11100 MHz outlet displayed a caption in Arabic which read 'Twin Rivers TV - VHF ch 11', and, 'Twin Rivers TV - UHF ch 37'. The Iraqi Media Network has now replaced the information ministry, which has been dissolved by Paul Bremer, the ruler of Iraq installed by the Bush administration, to run the media activities in Iraq. A radio station identifying as the Iraqi Media Network was first observed by BBC Monitoring in April 2003, broadcasting on a number of frequencies formerly used by the Republic of Iraq Main Service. Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 20 Jun 03 (via DXLD) IRAQ/USA: PAPER INTERVIEWS TV OFFICIAL ON IRAQI MEDIA NETWORK The Iraqi Media Network (IMN) has now replaced the information ministry, which has been dissolved by Paul Bremer, the ruler of Iraq installed by the Bush administration, to run the media activities in Iraq, begins a report by the Baghdad-based newspaper Al-Hilal. Al-Rikabi, a TV official, explained that the IMN was run by Iraqi cadres from inside Iraq in collaboration with foreign experts and coalition forces, pointing out that the organization is a free independent institution, financed by the interim coalition authority, continues the report. He condemned the dissolving of the information ministry as hasty, urging Bremer to find employment within the IMN for former ministry staff. Al-Rikabi pointed out that Iraq is now becoming a private media environment, creating competition within the industry. He said, "We are now trying to prepare the new generation of media men who have the ability and courage to say the truth without fear or courtesy". He promised to install new TV and radio networks in Iraq, adding that the inability to transmit news bulletins was due to a lack of studio and newsgathering resources. Source: Baghdad Al-Hilal in English 20 Jun 03 p 6 (via BBCM via DXLD) IRAQI MEDIA NETWORK TV ON AIR, CARRIES NEWS BULLETIN FROM BAGHDAD At 1545 gmt the Iraqi Media Network TV station was carrying a caption saying: Iraqi Media Network welcomes you in its test transmission. This caption was repeated several times afterwards. This TV station is received on the 11106 MHz frequency, horizontal polarization via Eutelsat W1, 10 degrees east. The TV station was relaying entertainment programmes such as songs from the Egyptian Dream TV. The TV station was trying to obscure, unsuccessfully, the Dream TV logo. At 1600 gmt, the Iraqi TV relayed a news bulletin [see below]. The female announcer said: I am Zaynab Salim. I greet you from Baghdad and present to you today's main news headlines. Then the male announcer said: I am Ra'd Nabil from the Iraqi Media Network. Then Salim and Nabil took turn to present the news headlines: 1. Two elements from Iraqi army who were participating in demonstrations were killed in Baghdad by coalition forces yesterday. Round-up of people's opinions complaining from lack of security and order. Video showing joint patrols composed of men from coalition forces and Iraqi security men. TV shows members of coalition forces holding children who lost their parents. One of the soldier is quoted as saying: we are among citizens and children and the way they deal with us facilitates our mission. 2. Report over video, with people's opinions, on lack of security and highlighting problems facing transport sector in Baghdad. 3. Hundreds of Iraqis demonstrate in Baghdad demanding jobs and calling for speeding up formation of Iraqi national government. 4. Report over video on problems faced by Iraqi citizens as financial institutions, shops and others are not accepting the 10,000-dinar banknote. Round-up of Iraqi people's opinions on this issue. Several people complain that they have been to various banks and shops but nobody is accepting the 10,000 dinar-banknote. 5. Report over video on port activities at Umm-Qasr harbour showing arrival of imported car from UAE. US officials are shown attending ceremony of arrival of first merchant ship carrying cars from UAE. 6. Oil Ministry source said oil to be pumped as of next month. Report over video. [From the contents and the tone of this TV station, it appears pro- American or American-backed]. The TV went off air at 1617 gmt. Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 20 Jun 03 (via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [and non]. After approximately 25 years of trying, I got --- an envelope in the mail from the "People's Democratic Republic of Korea" (i.e. North Korea) with another envelope inside it with a DPRK pin, a propaganda booklet (many color pictures of factories, mines, and hilarious titles for articles), a program schedule, a blank reception report form, and a letter referring to an "enclosed" QSL --- but after thorough inspection, there was no QSL! I probably also got my name placed in some Federal intelligence agencies file, as well. If it wasn't already there due to mail received during the cold war from various Communist countries, Iran in the late 80's, and Yemen last year. The QSL would have made it worth it!:) After this experience WMFQ came to mind very quickly, because once I realized that the QSL had not been included, I was repeating over and over in my mind the words to their call sign! The it occurred to me that this sort of experience is what probably inspired WMFQ to begin with! And WMFQ will send you an f'ing QSL, sometimes just for a log, and they won't send any f'ing propaganda books with pictures of factories! (Ross Comeau, Free Radio Weekly June 20 via DXLD) ** LEBANON [non]. Via Javaradio Sweden CLANDESTINE from CIS to MIDDLE EAST: 11645, Voice of Liberty, 1646 June 20 with IDs by woman as Itha'at Hurriya. Channel is a mess; someone running a carrier co- channel so it is hard to get clear reception (Hans Johnson, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** MOROCCO [non]. TWR STEPS UP PROGRAMMING TO ILLITERATES IN THE MIDDLE EAST TWR recently debuted a new 15-minute weekly Berber Rif program specifically designed to reach non-readers in Morocco. Since illiteracy is high among the Berber tribes in that country, the Rif language broadcast (as well as Tamazight, Sous, and Kabyle) is directed at this people group. The Kabyle program, which began last fall, is specifically for women. Because non-readers process what they hear much differently than readers, these programs often use storytelling as the vehicle to touch listeners' hearts. To learn more about TWR`s extensive ministry in the Middle East region, surf to http://www.gospelcom.net/twr/world/middle_east.php (TWR E-Snapshots June via Alokesh Gupta, DXLD) Not only does TWR propagate imaginary theological ideas, but they imagine Morocco be in the Middle East. Some of the `people groups` mentioned here are also found in Algeria (gh, DXLD) ** PERU. R. Willkamayu, Cusco, 10354.9, letter and postcards in 12 days. V/S: Julio César Tello Aguilar. E-mail: acv66_starmedia.com or acv2000@yahoo.com (Hideki Watanabe, Saitama, Japan, Radio Nuevo Mundo June 10 via DXLD) Date heard? Evidently no longer active; not reported longly ** PERU [and non]. When I heard Radio Gaúcha (Brazil) on 6020.3 kHz two days ago (19 JUNE) slightly after 0400 UT when REE closed down, I thought it would be a fine time to listen to this station on this clear channel. I heard a time announcement "1 y 3" and later I found the station fading out for the day at 0425... But this morning (21 JUNE) after 0400 UT I found Radio Victoria (Peru) on this frequency of 6020.3 kHz (exactly 6020.27) with a fair signal. I heard a time announcement "11:14" and an ID "Radio Victoria, La Voz de la Liberación", followed by religion produced by Iglésia Pentecostal. Quite nice signal still at 0500 and then at 0504 there was something like an announcement in Portuguese. Followed by a priest, by whom I was not sure if he was speaking Portuguese or Spanish - "espiritu santu... and so on...". It recalled those first broadcasts of Iglésia Pentecostal via Radio Táchira (4830) back in the middle of 90's or so, where brazilian priests (or the only one at the beginning?) were speaking more Portuguese than Spanish... Radio Victoria still heard before 0530, since 0530 I got a feeling I heard only a weak carrier and no modulation. Could not do anything with it because of bad QRM from Hungary on 6025 kHz... GOOD DX, (Karel Honzik the Czech Republic (Czechia), AOR AR-7030 30 m Long Wire, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** POLAND [and non]. I BELIEVE, THEREFORE NO? The Pope has clearly said he himself would vote yes to EU membership. But the divisions within the Polish Catholic Church remain. --- by Wojciech Kosc CRACOW, Poland -- ``This is Radio Maryja, the Catholic voice in your house,`` a woman`s voice announces, using the catchphrase of a radio station that, for some 5 million Poles, is not just any Catholic voice, but the voice of the Catholic Church. For many other Poles, Catholics included, it is a xenophobic channel that compromises Polish Catholicism. For yet others, it is simply a laughing stock . . . http://www.tol.cz/look/TOLnew/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=4&NrIssue=46&NrSection=2&NrArticle=9714 (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** PUERTO RICO. News Media Information 202 / 418- 0500 TTY 202 / 418- 2555 Fax- On- Demand 202 / 418- 2830 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov ftp.fcc.gov Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, S. W. Washington, D. C. 20554 This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D. C. Circ 1974). FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: May 29, 2002 John Winston (202) 418- 7450 FCC INVESTIGATION LEADS TO SEIZURE OF UNLICENSED FM RADIO EQUIPMENT Washington, D. C. – Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that an investigation by the FCC's Enforcement Bureau led to the seizure of unlicensed broadcast radio equipment operated by Mr. Amil Lugo-González. The station had been operating on 99.5 MHz from Jayuya, Puerto Rico. The FCC San Juan Office, working in conjunction with the United States Marshals Service and the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, seized the broadcasting equipment on May 21, 2002. The FCC, on more than one occasion, had issued notices to Mr. Lugo- González directing him to cease operation of the unlicensed station. The operation of an unlicensed broadcast station is a violation of Section 301 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. Operators of illegal unlicensed broadcast stations may be subject to monetary penalties of up to $11,000 per violation, seizure by court order of all radio equipment involved in the operation, and court order directing that those persons cease operation of the unlicensed station. In addition, unlicensed operators may be subject to criminal sanctions, including fines and imprisonment. - FCC - Enforcement Bureau Contact: John Winston at (202) 418- 7450 TTY 1( 888) 835- 5322 (via Terry Krueger, FL, June 21, DXLD) ** RUSSIA. VOICE OF RUSSIA LEADS WAY IN DIGITAL RADIO | Excerpt from report in English by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Moscow, 21 June: Golos Rossii (Voice of Russia) radio has become the first digital radio station in the country. Starting Saturday, 21 June, the radio station will broadcast to Europe four hours a day in a digital format. [Passage omitted] The radio station is using only one transmitter for digital broadcasts but all others are expected to go digital in the very near future to cover all continents by the end of the year. Voice of Russia carried out the first experiments with digital broadcasting in Irkutsk in 2000. According to specialists from the department of technical management of the Russian television and radio broadcasting network, Russia will finish the transition to digital beaming by the year 2015. Source: ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, in English 1420 gmt 21 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) WTFK? That info has appeared here before ** RUSSIA. ENGLISH-LANGUAGE VERSION OF PUTIN'S WEBSITE LAUNCHED An English-language version of Russian President Vladimir Putin's official website is now available on the Internet, Russian Mayak radio reported on 20 June. The link to the page is located at Putin's Russian-language website at www.kremlin.ru, the radio added. Source: Radio Mayak, Moscow, in Russian 1400 gmt 20 Jun 03 i.e. http://www.kremlin.ru/eng See him sail off Vladivostok (gh, DXLD) ** SRI LANKA [and non]. Ultimate item on this week`s On the Media (June 20) is about the V. of Tigers, LTTE station; penultimate is an interview with Nick Grace about clandestine radio in general. Details and audio links: Clandestine Radio Radio stations with a political agenda are virtually as old the medium itself. Throughout the 20th century, these gadfly stations have irritated governments of the nations that receive their signals. Recently, more and more underground radio stations have begun operating above ground. Brooke talks with Nick Grace, Managing Editor of clandestineradio.com, about the range and influence of clandestine radio stations worldwide. The Tigers' Roar The young cease-fire between the Sri Lankan military and the Tamil Tiger rebels is again in jeopardy, after the Tigers rejected the government's latest compromise proposal. Meanwhile, ethnic minority Tamils continue to tune into 'Voice of Tigers' - the radio station run by the guerrillas. Miranda Kennedy reports from Sri Lanka on the official broadcast outlet of the unofficial Tamil homeland http://www.wnyc.org/onthemedia/ (gh, DXLD) ** TAIWAN. Taipei Radio International (CBS) will change their name to Taiwan Radio International from July 1. Visit http://www.cbs.org.tw/ (Gaku Iwata, dxing.info via DXLD) No, the site says at http://www.cbs.org.tw/english/index.htm ``(2003/06/18) Starting July 1st, the 12 foreign languages of RTI will begin broadcasting with a new call sign: Radio Taiwan International.`` (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST, also via Swopan Chakroborty) ** TAIWAN. What's new in RTI programming for June and July! Check out these new programs and series coming to RTI in June and July! Tune in to "Stage, Screen and Studio" with Doris Owyang Beginning July 7th, Doris Owyang will host a new program called "Stage, Screen and Studio" which will air every Monday on Hour Two. From inspiration and creation to production and exhibition, she'll give you a sneak peak into Taiwan's galleries and theaters. See program schedule for broadcast time and frequency. New "Culture Express" Series beginning June 17! Beginning June 17th, Huang Wen-ling will run a serialization of ``A Stretch of Green`` by Pai Hsien-yung from Pai`s collection of short stories ``Taipei People``. The story tells of the transformation of a young woman from innocence to worldliness after a series of tragic events. See program schedule for broadcast information. Past Culture Express series include: ``The Orphan of Asia`` by Wu Chuo-liu (1900-1975) and ``The Dragon Sky Tavern`` by Wang Wen-hsing. "Instant Noodles" with Andrew Ryan beginning 6/18! It's delicious, and far from nutritious... it's Instant Noodles! Check out a new version of this old favorite with Andrew Ryan, which airs on Hour One each Wednesday. In Instant Noodles, Andrew looks at the wackiest news coming out of the Asia-Pacific region. See program schedule for broadcast time and frequency. Send us a wacky piece of news from your part of the world, and you could win a prize. If your news item is silly (or stupid!) enough to use in our program, you'll receive a prize in the mail. Submissions can be sent to PO Box 24-38, Taipei, Taiwan ROC. Or send email to: androo@cbs.org.tw Central Broadcasting System, No. 55, Pei An Road, Taipei, Taiwan. R.O.C. http://www.cbs.org.tw RTI Global Exchange Competition RTI Mailbag Time's Global Exchange segment is a fun and interesting way to exchange ideas and experiences from various cultures. Every month, we pose a new question to listeners, and every week we choose a few listener's answers to read in Mailbag Time. These listeners will receive souvenirs from RTI and some answers will be shared in Taipeiwave, the English Service newsletter. So join our global exchange and write us at natalie@cbs.org.tw Here are our June and July topics: JUNE What refreshing food or drink do you enjoy to cool yourself off in the summer? JULY What is your favorite summer time activity? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Central Broadcasting System No.55 Pei An Road Taipei, Taiwan. R.O.C. http://www.cbs.org.tw Regds, (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India; Swopan Chakroborty, Kolkata, India, DXLD) ** U K. BBC REQUESTS HELP OF GB2RS LISTENERS IN MAKING TV DOCUMENTARY The BBC has requested the help of amateurs, CB operators and listeners in the making of a television documentary. The BBC is making a programme on the 1984 to 85 miners` strike, which will be broadcast on BBC Two next year. At a local level during the strike, it is known that pickets were coordinated using CB radio. The BBC is hoping to find people who may have listened to these picketing arrangements being made, particularly those in the Doncaster area of South Yorkshire. If you think you can help, please contact Fiona Blair on 0208 752 7837 or e-mail fiona.blair@bbc.co.uk (Radio Society of Great Britain GB2RS News script June 22 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. GB2RS 5 MHZ BROADCASTS START NEXT SUNDAY GB2RS news will be broadcast next Sunday, the 29th of June, for the first time on 5[+] MHz upper sideband, as part of continuing propagation investigations. The news transmission will be at 12.30pm BST [1130 UT] on 5405 kHz. To commemorate the occasion, GB5RS will also be operating on 3645 and 7045 kHz, and will be gathering reception reports on the 5 MHz news broadcast. For a period of one month only short wave listeners and radio amateurs may obtain a special QSL card issued by the North Cheshire Radio Club. However, to qualify, 5 MHz reception reports must be sent in writing using the SINPO code format and quoting QTH Locator. Reports should be sent by post to G3LEQ, whose address is correct in the RSGB Yearbook, and an SASE must be enclosed if a QSL card is required in return. Due to the short time scale involved in this experiment, reports via the QSL bureau cannot be accepted. Queries, but not reception reports, may be made by e-mail to gb2rs@boltblue.com or via 01 565 652 652 (Radio Society of Great Britain GB2RS News script June 22 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. New site in IBB list: Jaszbereny HUNGARY, q.v. ** U S A. THE WAY WE LIVE NOW SIGNALS FROM NOWHERE --- By WALTER KIRN http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/22/magazine/22WWLN.html?ex=1057165064&ei=1&en=7cc5f78334eb83ce I used to take a long road trip every year or two, usually in the middle of the summer, with no fixed schedule or specific destination, just a vague intention to try new foods and admire the changing scenery. And though I always took along an atlas, I rarely used it. I navigated by radio. You used to be able to do that in America: chart your course by the accents, news and songs streaming in from the nearest AM transmitter. A drawling update on midday cattle prices meant I was in Wyoming or Nebraska. A guttural rant about city-hall corruption told me I'd reach Chicago within the hour. A soaring, rhythmic sermon on fornication -- Welcome to Alabama. The music, too. Texas swing in the Southwest oil country. Polka in North Dakota. Nonstop Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Jethro Tull in the Minneapolis-St. Paul suburbs. What's more, the invisible people who introduced the songs gave the impression that they listened to them at home. They were locals, with local tastes. I felt like a modern Walt Whitman on those drives. When I turned on the radio, I heard America singing, even in the dumb banter of ''morning zoo'' hosts. But then last summer, rolling down a highway somewhere between Montana and Wisconsin, something new happened. I lost my way, and the radio couldn't help me find it. I twirled the dial, but the music and the announcers all sounded alike, drained, disconnected from geography, reshuffling the same pop playlists and canned bad jokes. What a miserable trip. I heard America droning. Recently, I found out whom to blame: a company called Clear Channel Communications. The mammoth buyer and consolidator of hundreds of independent local radio stations -- along with its smaller competitors, Infinity Broadcasting and Cumulus Media -- is body- snatching America's sonic soul, turning Whitman's vivacious democratic cacophony into a monotonous numbing hum. No matter where a person lives these days (particularly in Minot, N.D., where Clear Channel runs all six commercial stations in town), he's probably within range of an affiliate, if not three or four, since the company buys in bulk: pop stations, rock stations, talk stations, the works. Worse, quite a few of these stations don't really exist -- not in the old sense. They're automated pods, downloading their programming from satellites linked to centralized, far-off studios where announcers who have never even set foot in Tucson, Little Rock, Akron or Boston -- take your pick -- rattle off promos and wisecracks by the hundreds, then flip a switch and beam them to your town as if they're addressing its residents personally, which they aren't. They don't even know the weather there. What results is a transcontinental shower of sound that seems to issue from heaven itself, like the edicts of the Wizard of Oz. In a way that other media companies can only dream of (though a controversial recent F.C.C. rule change permitting concentrated corporate ownership of television stations may eventually make these dreams true), Clear Channel controls its portion of the airwaves as thoroughly as Britannia once ruled the oceans. Even the F.C.C. has faced this fact, which may be why, of all the broadcast media it is allowing to clump together for market share, it made one pointed exception: radio. Clear Channel holds no monopoly by any means -- its nearly 1,250 stations represent only 10 percent or so of the national total -- but considering that the company was founded only in 1996, its growth rate is astonishing. If given another 10 years to spread unchecked, Clear Channel might cover the dial from end to end, not just in some cities, but coast to coast. America would be one big Minot then, with literally nowhere to turn except Clear Channel. This prospect might not be so troubling if radio weren't the most intensely intimate of all electronic media, forging a bond between broadcaster and listener that feels, even though it's not real, like true companionship. Though TV news anchors like to fancy themselves as guests in their audience's living rooms, they sit behind an impenetrable wall of glass that no amount of feigned eye contact can overcome. Between TV and TV land there's always a fence, but radio creates a different landscape -- open, inclusive, neighborly. When a D.J. asks a trivia question and promises concert tickets to the fifth caller who answers correctly, my urge to pick up the phone is instantaneous, as is my urge to wait to hear who won, in case I know him, and very often I do. This sense of connection is fragile, though. Bounce it off an orbiting satellite, cut it with generic pretaped humor bits, then filter it through some distant corporate headquarters, and radioland will be a land of strangers. Clear Channel's critics -- who multiply each day, it seems -- tend to come from the political left. Their big beef is the network's supposed conservative bias, which, for attentive regular listeners, isn't supposition at all. The powerful syndicator of Rush Limbaugh and numerous other popular right-wing talk-jocks is truer and bluer than Oliver North's flag pin. But for me, that's a minor grievance, mere partisan grumbling. It's the creeping paralysis of our national vocal cords and the gradual atrophying of our eardrums that bothers me and would surely have bothered Whitman. That's why I'll probably skip this summer's road trip: I fear that I'll drive my car into a ditch. Radio from nowhere produced by nobodies eventually makes you nod off at the wheel. Walter Kirn is the author, most recently, of ''Up in the Air,'' a novel (NY Times Magazine via Joel Rubin, DXLD) ** U S A. SENATE BEGINS PROCESS TO REVERSE NEW F.C.C. RULES ON MEDIA June 20, 2003 By STEPHEN LABATON The Senate has started the process of reversing the recent decision by federal regulators to loosen media ownership rules. . . http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/20/business/media/20RULE.html?ex=1057101714&ei=1&en=81876404ae2eaffe [registration required] (via Roger Chambers, DXLD) SENATE PANEL VOTES TO ROLL BACK FCC RULES DE-REGULATION OF MEDIA OWNERSHIP TAKEN TO TASK By MARILYN GEEWAX, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, June 19 WASHINGTON -- A bipartisan majority of the Senate Commerce Committee voted Thursday to roll back new regulations that allow greater concentration of media ownership. The legislation faces an uncertain fate in the full Senate and considerable resistance in the House. But the committee's approval boosted the hopes of those who want less media concentration than the Federal Communications Commission granted earlier this month. On a voice vote, the committee approved a bill by Sens. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Ernest Hollings (D-S.C.) that would reverse the FCC's move to increase the share of national audience a TV owner can reach from 35 to 45 percent. The panel added an amendment that would reinstate a rule barring companies from owning a monopoly newspaper and the dominant TV station in the same market. "This was a good day for us," Jonathan Rintels, a screenwriter who works with the Center for the Creative Community, a group representing writers, directors and other artists who want to restrain media ownership. Demands for Congress to get involved began June 2 when the Republican-dominated FCC voted 3-2 along party lines to relax media restrictions. Supporters said the decades-old restrictions had become obsolete in an age of cable TV, satellite broadcasts, the Internet and other technologies. Dissenters say the FCC went much too far, opening the door to mergers that could further concentrate control over information. They fear greater market control by media giants such as Viacom, Walt Disney Co., Fox parent company News Corp., AOL Time Warner, Gannett and Media General. A coalition of consumer advocates, gun owners, civil rights activists, religious groups, writers, musicians and others launched a letter-writing campaign to the FCC in support of tough ownership caps. Before the agency made its decision, it received nearly 750,000 public comments, with 99.9 percent opposed to greater media concentration. Congress members now clearly "think this is a serious issue" and will make something happen, Rintels, the screenwriter, said after the hearing. "I would like the FCC to start all over again," said Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), who expressed concern about "potentially dangerous" newspaper-broadcast combinations. As an example of too little media diversity, she pointed to Cox Enterprises Inc., which owns The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, WSB-TV and several radio stations in the Atlanta market. Cox, parent company of Cox Newspapers, opposed the lifting of the 35 percent cap on national television ownership, but favored elimination of the cross-ownership rule for newspapers and broadcasters. Several lawmakers have suggested using various legislative tactics to reverse the FCC, such as passing a "resolution of disapproval" to overturn the new rules or prohibiting the use of federal money to implement them. The Stevens-Hollings bill takes a more direct approach. But supporters concede its chances for final passage may be slim because Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-La.), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, supports the FCC's new rules. "It'll be a tough slog in the House," Rintels said. In addition, Commerce Secretary Don Evans has indicated the White House supports the FCC's action. But Thursday's vote could provide political momentum for some type of action. For example, Stevens also chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee. Later this year, he may be able to attach the 35-percent ownership cap as an amendment to a must-pass appropriations bill. If anyone were to question the ethics of that, he could note that the Commerce Committee approved the same legislation on a bipartisan vote. "Given our momentum, even Billy Tauzin may not be able to save the industry," said Jeff Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy, an advocacy group that opposed the FCC decision. (c) 2003 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. DIFFERENT KIND OF OLDIES SHOW UPDATE: I will be presenting the show live tonight, a busy work week and a swollen knee made it so I couldn't prerecord a show during the week. So while we can't be at the UGHA show tonight that honors the 50th anniversary of The Harptones, I will be playing the music of this fabulous vocal group tonight on D*K*O*S. Join us tonight on WBCQ for the first hour or via the web at http://www.doowopcafe.net/doowop.ram or http://www.live365.com/stations/15660 for all three hours ("Big Steve" Coletti, June 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. RADIO EUROSTAR: Glenn, Concerning the Eastern European pirate in the Chicago Area reported in reported on DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-108, June 17, 2003 on the frequency of 87.9 MHz. The station in question is Radio EuroStar and they broadcast in the Czech and Slovak languages 24 hours a day. They have been on the air at least since August of 2002. That is when I first heard them. I can hear them well at home in Chicago's western suburb of Wood Dale using an outdoor FM antenna. I can hear them on my car driving in western sububrs of Chicago as well. They are most likely located the northwest part of Chicago. I have noticed their signal to be best in the area of Irving Park Road and Harlem Avenue in Chicago. Incidentally, there is a quite a large Czech & Slovak community in that area. The station gives a phone number of 773-725-6039 (Christos Rigas, Wood Dale, Illinois, June 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Does the FCC care? Seems to be operating with impunity (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. From Greg Majewski: In FRW 386, there was a comment from George Zeller about a letter to the editor mentioning KIPM. As result of the comment, In FRW 387, Kirk Wines commented on KIPM programming and material. Here are my thoughts on the matter. KIPM material is very familiar to me. In the fifties and sixties, I read a lot of ``pulp`` science fiction and horror comics. Many of KIPM shows use the same themes as those stories. Yes, there is a dark side to some of them. The dark side of life has been a part of art. Here are some examples, The Scream. Sophie`s Choice is movie about a parent`s nightmare. The original Twilight Zone had its dark stories, that why it was not a prime time show. The KIPM QSLs (which are well made)have the look of an old horror comic book. There is only one show (The Adversary) that bothered me. The problem was it was too much like real life and the sick things that people can do and have done in the name of God. The issue may be when fiction/fantasy is too close to reality and the imagined fear becomes real. I enjoy the KIPM shows which are excellent productions (as George noted). The KIPM shows are part of the diverse listening that is available only on Free Radio, which I do enjoy. One of the reasons I listen for them (Greg Majewski, Free Radio Weekly June 20 via DXLD) And from Alan Maxwell, the final word: It looks like a good time for me to make a few comments on some of the statements regarding KIPM. First let me say how much I do certainly appreciate all the support and kind letters and emails that I have received not just in the last couple of weeks, but since first firing up the transmitter several years ago. First I would like to comment on the rumor that I have plans to retire KIPM in the near future, or that I might stop future broadcast activity unless I get a bunch of support mail. The fact is I do plan to continue transmitting on a limited basis in the future. How much is hard to say currently, based on many other demands for my time. Also the liability of transmitting is something that I have to continue to weigh. If all goes well, listeners should get a chance to hear new material a few times a year. But the idea that I will stop transmitting because a few folks don`t like what I do is complete rubbish! When I first started producing these shows, I realized that a significant percentage of the listening population would undoubtedly not be able to relate to my format. If I were not creating alienation among some of the listeners out there, I would feel like I`m not doing my job! In fact, I try and post some of the more amusing ``hate mail`` letters on the KIPM website. But I also expected that there would be many listeners that would very much appreciate the format and material. And after over 1000 positive letters and countless more emails, I`m glad to say that your mail has confirmed that what I do does have resonance among many listeners out there! For that I`m quite grateful. What I probably did a bad job of communicating to individuals in the recent past is that if there really was no one out there in the listening community that ``identified`` with what I do, then indeed, there would be no point in continuing to put the time and effort into these shows. But clearly that is not the case. While there will always be a significant portion of the market that do not enjoy what I do, there is a sizable group that feel the other way. I do make comments from time to time that I may give up pirate transmitting on the SW spectrum. This has nothing to do with the fact that listeners like or dislike what I do. It`s more a matter of weighing the size of the listening audience and the time involved versus the associated risk and liability of continuing to transmit on SW pirate radio. I really don`t give a damn what the majority of the listeners think about me, or what I do quite frankly. The day I worry about who or what is going to be offended or ``not get it`` will be the day I hang the whole thing up. I expect (most) of my shows to be controversial, and I would be disappointed if I simply transmitted formats, and ideas that one can get via normal media outlets. The thing that I do take exception with is the recent comments by George Zeller in the FRW that stated his surprise that anyone out there would actually ``identify`` with my format and material. Apparently I`m not the only one that disagreed. I received several emails over that weekend regarding that statement from others that found the comment a bit off the mark. I have no problem with the fact that George may not like what I do, or doesn`t enjoy it, but to make the comment that he is so surprised that there is someone out there in the listening community that identifies with my material is at best misinformed, and at worst mean-spirited. I assume that since George has a monthly column on pirate radio, he would have some idea of what`s going on in the associated community. Perhaps George only associates with a very select group of pirate listeners out there? Just as George has the right to say whatever he feels, soI (as a pirate op) have the right to reply to what I find to be an incorrect public statement. I may not be popular among the ranks that George spends time with, but that`s ok, I just don`t think his comment was completely accurate. Tell me my material sucks, or that my shows are crazy and a waste of a listener`s time, but to deny the fact that I have a large listener following is simply not accurate. I would think that one in George`s position would want to encourage and promote pirate radio, not serve up biting comments about the perceived size of an individual pirate operator`s audience. I`m not looking to start WW III here, but simply to go on the record that I disagree with the accuracy of this statement. That`s not to say I have not agreed with much of what George has said in the past. Another thing that I cannot take all the credit for is the amazing readings performed by the actors who participate in the dramatic episodes. The other actors are also folks from the pirate community, and not only do they not get paid for what they do, they don`t even get credit of having their name mentioned at the end of each show! To these folks I thank them for their incredible performances. My shows would not be what they are, if it wasn`t for the hard work of these individuals. In the end I hope individuals will formulate their feelings about KIPM based on what they experience directly, and not based on what other less informed 3rd party`s suggest as the facts. All I can promise is that shows that air in the future will continue to be just as controversial, different, and with the same strange ambiance that makes KIPM what so many have come to expect (Alan Maxwell, KIPM, Free Radio Weekly June 20 via DXLD) ** U S A. THEATER --- 'FREQUENCY' ZAPS SOCIETY'S BIZARRE OBSESSIONS By Peter Marks, Washington Post Staff Writer, Saturday, June 21, 2003; Page C01 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17825-2003Jun20.html It's possible that even Dan Rather might get a kick out of "Kenneth, What Is the Frequency?," the gleefully malicious poison dart that Ian Allen and Monique LaForce aim at Americans' obsessions with TV anchors, crime-scene reenactments and the endless dissecting of the inane imbroglios of the famous. Recounted in the arched-eyebrow style of hip investigative films like Errol Morris's "The Thin Blue Line," "Kenneth, What Is the Frequency?" suggests that at heart we are a nation of armchair paranoiacs, eager to believe that in every unsolved mystery, the likeliest explanation is also the one that would be the hardest to accept. The title's bizarre query, of course, is the phrase an assailant was said to have muttered to Rather on a Manhattan street in 1986, moments before he pummeled the CBS anchor, for reasons that have never been fully clarified. (A convict, in prison for manslaughter, was later reported to have admitted to the attack, though the playwrights claim that in a recent communication, the inmate implied he wasn't responsible.) The mystifying episode, unfairly or not, has long fed a mythology about a kooky side of one of the nation's pre-eminent news readers: the Dan Rather of the alien gaze, the hillbilly lexicon, the icky sign off. (Remember "Courage"?) Though the newsman is rather wonderfully pilloried in this Cherry Red production by actor John Tweel, who captures both his telltale Texas twang and his oddly formal cadences, the play is only tangentially an easy-target parody. What the authors have created at Source Theatre, where the show plays at 11 on Friday and Saturday nights, is a clever, insightful mocu-drama about our idolatrous devotion to the shadows on the screen and the national conviction that their stories are more meaningful than ours. The piece, directed by Allen and LaForce, is chockablock with nifty notions, not the least of them a hilarious series of climactic scenes enacted with puppets. Still, "Kenneth, What Is the Frequency?" is best viewed as a piece in mid-construction. The authors, clearly smitten by their own conceits, allow too many of them to unfold at extravagant length, or to be repeated too many times. With snappier pacing and an unforgiving red pencil, the show could be pared from about two hours to a sleeker and more digestible 90 minutes. As the production also seeks to mock the melancholy slickness of a Morris documentary or the self-congratulatory tone of a film by Oliver Stone, the technical aspects must be crisp, or at any rate, much sharper than they appear to be now. And just as crucially, B. Stanley, who plays the central role of Narrator, needs to commit his lines to memory. He's got a lot of words to say, to be sure, but the sense of any pulsating urgency is lost when the omniscient presence at the core of the show has to resort to index cards. A more disciplined production need not blot out the show's aura of cheeky whimsy. Indeed, one of the play's charms is its rock-solid belief in its own ludicrous assumptions, starting with a kind of blind faith that "What Is the Frequency?" is the "Rosebud" of our time, a national riddle that keeps us all tossing and turning night after night. Mimicking the pulpy filmic impulse to return to the scene of the crime, "Kenneth" plays and replays that weird encounter on a sidewalk of New York. ("Where was Abraham Zapruder when we needed him?" Cherry Red's satirists seem to be asking.) The stentorian Narrator, looking a bit like Jeff Greenfield in oversize Swifty Lazar spectacles, examines the event with prosecutorial sincerity, presenting the arcane pieces of evidence with a DA's unwavering confidence that this all has to add up to something big. The seemingly nonsensical phrase at the center of the mystery -- a question that inspired a hit song by R.E.M. -- is methodically parsed, subjected to the authors' trial-and-error of absurd alternative scenarios. In a succession of funny blackout sketches, it is suggested that a shaken Rather, mistaken for someone else, misheard his attacker. "Where's the freakin' C, Kenneth?" an addled drug addict demands of Tweel's dumbfounded Rather in one skit. In another, a gay man, confusing the anchorman with a rival for his boyfriend, blurts out, "What, is this freak seeing Kenneth?" Over and over, the words are regurgitated, as if Rather were the hero of one of the unhappier Greek myths doomed to relive the episode throughout eternity. This being a modern fable, however, the space is outfitted with the contemporary tools of mythmaking. Tweel is often bathed in the cool blue glow of tube light; three televisions are perched on the edges of the stage, broadcasting chapter headings, à la Ken Burns, and embroidering the narrative with authenticating photographic details, nicely assembled by Rob Parrish. Naturally, the detective yarn has to come up with its own theory of the crime, and the one Allen and LaForce settle on is outrageously spurious, a conspiracy-spinner's tour de force. It's liberally adapted from a 2001 essay in Harper's by Paul Limbert Allman. The late novelist Donald Barthelme is ridiculously implicated, the clues dizzily excavated from his prose. "What is the frequency?" and a character named Kenneth do apparently make appearances in his fiction. Stanley's Narrator could take a little more pleasure in revealing these wildly flimsy corroborations; the joy here is in our collective media cynicism, our mutual understanding that the modern mechanisms for editing and processing information allow us to reorder facts with ease, often in scandalously misleading ways. The other performers, particularly a terrific Melissa-Leigh Douglass, impersonating several women who figure in the story, are playful pawns in this act of subversion; listen to the way they all put quotation marks around innocuous words, like "rather," in dramatizations of the suspect writer's short stories. Douglass even brings a funny brittleness to the female voices of the waggish puppets (the handiwork of Dawn Swartz and Kevin O'Meara) in scenes that bring the reams of questionable evidence to a coherent finale. The authors of "Kenneth, What Is the Frequency?" are actually assembling the pieces to a more enduring puzzle, about the desperate lengths we go to get to the bottom of everything. Why devote so much imagination and energy to such a silly cul-de-sac in the history of celebrity affairs? Well, yes, exactly. Kenneth, What Is the Frequency?, written and directed by Ian Allen and Monique LaForce, based on an essay by Paul Allman. Set, Kim Deane; lighting, Mike Daniels; costumes, Rhonda Key. With Kwame Wallace, Chalmers Hood, Marcus Lawrence. Approximately two hours. Through July 28 at Source Theatre, 1835 14th St. NW. Call 202-298-9077 or visit http://www.cherryredproductions.com © 2003 The Washington Post Company (via Kraig Krist, DXLD) ** U S A. 60-METER RULES ADD NEW RECORD-KEEPING REQUIREMENT When the five new 60-meter channels become available to US Amateur Radio operators at midnight (12 AM) local time on July 3, the rules will impose a new record-keeping requirement for hams. The requirement applies only to those using something other than a simple half-wave dipole for an antenna on the 5-MHz allocation. According to º97.303(s), a half-wave dipole on the 5 MHz allocation will be presumed to have a gain of 0 dBd. "Licensees using other antennas must maintain in their station records either manufacturer data on the antenna gain or calculations of the antenna gain," the newest addition to the FCC's Amateur Service rules says. Because the new rules also require hams to run no more than 50 W effective radiated power (ERP) on the new channels, the choice of antenna becomes an important compliance factor. The FCC rules stipulate, "For the purpose of computing ERP, the transmitter PEP will be multiplied with [sic] the antenna gain relative to a dipole or the equivalent calculation in decibels." If you use a half-wave dipole -- about 87 feet 3 inches for the "middle" channel according to the formula--setting your transmitter's power output power at up to 50 W peak envelope power (PEP) should ensure compliance. Under no circumstances may amateurs on 5 MHz radiate more than 50 W ERP in any direction, so those choosing to employ gain antennas will have to "do the math" and calculate their ERP. They also will have to keep a record of such antenna gain calculations on file. This might include documentation such as output from a computer modeling program for a homebrew antenna design. For example, an amateur using an array for 5 MHz exhibiting a calculated or modeled gain of 3 dB would have to cut power to 25 W PEP to comply with the new rules. Operating on 60 meters is the subject of the July 2003 QST "It Seems to Us . . ." editorial http://www.arrl.org/news/features/2003/07/01/1/ by ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ. "If we demonstrate that we can use [the 60-meter channels] responsibly, cooperatively and in the public interest, there is no reason we cannot seek expanded access at an appropriate time," Sumner wrote. "If your personal operating practices are inconsistent with that, please do yourself and everyone else a favor and confine your operating to the traditional bands." The FCC Report and Order in ET Docket 02-98 is available on the FCC's Web site http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-03-105A1.doc The ARRL has posted a list of frequently asked questions concerning 5 MHz operation on the ARRL Web site http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/faq.html#sixty (ARRL Letter June 21 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DXLD) See also UK ** U S A. RADIO LAW: HAMS PETITION TO OUTLAW HI-FI SSB On-air experimentation with so called High Fidelity or Enhanced Single Sideband transmissions could be outlawed if the FCC adopts a proposed rules change requested by two radio amateurs on opposite sides of the country. Amateur Radio Newsline`s Paul Courson, WA3VJB, reports from the nations capital: A petition for rulemaking was sent to the FCC and accepted by the agency May 27th. It was not immediately issued a Rulemaking Number so it was hard to find in the public record. However, Newsline has talked with two sources who have seen the proposal, and it calls for what many would consider severe bandwidth limitations on HF phone. The petition asks for a federally mandated bandwidth limit of 2.8 kilohertz for SSB, well below the extended bandwidth needed for what has been called enhanced audio. One of the two hams who submitted the petition told the FCC they are motivated by interference problems caused by two groups of single sideband operators. These groups are portrayed by the petitioners as, in both cases, having cast aside traditional voluntary limits on bandwidth of roughly three kilohertz. The petition therefore asks that these voluntary limits be made mandatory to provide a clear enforcement mechanism for regulators. The petitioners, Michael Lonneke, WOYR of Virginia, and Melvin Ladisky, W6FDR of California, said hams from one of the groups come on during radio contests, and are found tweaking their transmitters to splatter purposely to provide elbowroom on a very crowded band. The two men characterize the other group as those who experiment with High fidelity audio, apparently trying to replicate the sound of FM Broadcast stations. Newsline has recently reported on advisory letters sent out by FCC Enforcement Counsel Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, who wrote to several members of the enhanced SSB group telling them the agency had received interference complaints. The letters did not validate nor dispute the complaints, but warned the stations that if such complaints continued, the unresolved friction could trigger petitions for rulemaking. One such petition is now at hand. A Newsline reporter spoke with Lonneke, who declined to provide a copy of his petition for this report. He said he and Ladisky hold the same views on the matter of excessive bandwidth causing interference, and that they teamed up on the petition to add strength to their call for regulatory intervention. Lonneke declined further comment, and said the petition will speak for itself if the FCC chooses to assign it a rulemaking number and put it to public comment. Members of the enhanced SSB group have told Newsline they believe their experimentation with improved audio is totally in line with the spirit of ham radio, and that when conducted under appropriate conditions, is every bit as justified in bandwidth consumption as any other spectrum-intensive activity, including contesting. But the FCC`s Hollingsworth, reacting to such comments, disagreed, suggesting the mode of SSB was commissioned for the amateur service as a spectrum conservation mode, counter to the idea of high fidelity audio and the bandwidth it requires. Hollingsworth could not be reached to comment on the proposed Petition, and another FCC official declined to comment. The petition also mentions the legacy mode of AM, and said it, quote, does not create the same problems that the burgeoning use of so called `Hi-Fi Single Sideband` creates. Nonetheless, the petition asks the FCC to impose a 5.6 kilohertz bandwidth limitation on AM, with the restrictions asked for on all HF allocations below 28.8 megahertz. Previous regulatory proposals based on bandwidth have failed, including Docket 20777 from the mid 1970s. The conclusion then was that having Loosely defined technical standards allowed the greatest range of experimentation in ham radio, as long as such signals are clean. Indeed, many present day violations of splatter, overdriven amplifiers, and poorly administered audio lashups can already trigger enforcement action under existing FCC rules governing the purity of signal. Reporting for Newsline, Paul Courson, WA3VJB, in Washington. As we go to air, the ten page petition by W0YR and W6FDR has not been assigned a Rule Making number designation. More on this story in future amateur Radio Newsline reports (ARNewsline, W5YI, June 20 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** U S A. RADIO LAW: NY HAM CITED UNDER STATE SCANNER LAW A New York ham has been cited for having radio gear in his car even though the state law governing scanner radios exempts licensed Amateur Radio operators. On May 31st Richard C. Lalone II, KC5GAX, of Calcium, says that he was stopped while driving well under the posted speed limit by a New York State Trooper and given a ticket for having Icom IC 1500 and IC 706 radios in his vehicle. Lalone says via the http://www.qrz.com website that he did try to explain that that he was an Amateur Radio Operator and even provided his Amateur license for the officer`s review. Apparently, this was not good enough and the ticket was issued. Lalone appeared in court on June 10th to answer the summons. At that time he approached the judge with both his license and a copy of New York Traffic Law 397 a copy of PR Docket 91-36. But the Court Recorder immediately took the documentation from the judge and returned it to KC5GAX. The judge then conferred with the Court Recorder after which he told Lalone that he was entering a plea of innocent for him. He then instructed Lalone to seek an attorney and be present in court July 9th. They court then offered KC5GAX paperwork to obtain a public defender, and returned the citation with the new court date. Its not clear as to what will transpire on July 9th. Lalone`s posting did not state if this was a trial date or other type of preliminary hearing. If he is convicted of violating New York`s scanner control law Lalone faces a fine of $1000, 6 months in jail, or both (W6EM, qrz.com, Amateur Radio Newsline June 20 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** U S A. TUCSON FIRES --- BROADCASTERS OFF THE AIR http://www.fox11az.com reports translator station K50FV on Mt. Bigelow is off the air because the power to the site has been cut. K50FV is on the KUAT-TV (channel 6) tower; presumably KUAT is also off. Probably translator K43CW as well, as it too is on the KUAT tower. Several other Tucson TV stations are also on this mountain: KVOA-4, KGUN-9, KXGR-46, five other TV translators, the digital facilities of KVOA/KGUN/KXGR/KUAT, as well as the digital facilities of two other stations whose analog stations are elsewhere. Also presumably affected are KUAT-FM (90.5), KXCI-FM (91.3), and four FM translators. I have no idea what happens to a tower when a forest fire passes it. Hopefully these stations won't find out. Luckily there only seems to be one report of injury --- a firefighter with a broken finger (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View (Nashville) TN EM66, June 21, MT Messageboard via DXLD) There is a tremendous fire on Mt. Lemmon near Tucson. This fire is dangerous and absolutely out of control at present. This mountain is just outside Tucson and has destroyed many houses. The Tucson stations MAY use this opportunity to run high power because of the emergency. Some Tucson stations: 580 KSAZ 690 KVOI 790 KNST 990 KTKT These are the most likely to be heard (Kevin Redding, Mesa, June 20, WTFDA Soundoff via DXLD) At least one radio tower is gone [on Mt Lemmon] (Shellee Smith, Tucson, NBC Nightly News, June 21 via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. YVTO INACTIVA: Hola Glenn... Saludos desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA. YVTO, la estación horaria del Observatorio Naval Cajigal, lleva casi 4 semanas fuera del aire. En su lugar, en 5000 kHz, se captan WWV y WWVH, durante las horas locales de la noche y madrugada (2300-1000 UT). Saludos, (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, June 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. Hoy en Sintonía DX --- Esto es parte de lo que tenemos pautado para hoy en Sintonía DX, el único espacio dedicado al diexismo en la radio venezolana. 1- Calendario Radiofónico con Ruben Guillermo Margenet. 2- Segundo Concurso Trimestral de Radio Korea Internacional, audio original tomado de la onda corta, pero que se oye muy bien. 3- Identificación del recuerdo de Ondas Porteñas, enviada por el colega diexista Henrik Klemetz. 4- Concurso "En Contacto 2003" de Radio Habana Cuba, sonido original tomado de la onda corta pero que se oye muy bien. 5- El colega Gabriel Iván Barrera con sus noticias, para todos los colegas diexistas, sonido bajado de internet a través del Programa Radio Enlace. 6- Radio Amazonas 4940 kHz, sonido grabado de la onda corta. 7- Recuerdos de la radio venezolana, aproximadamente 20 minutos con archivos sonoros que son una auténtica joya para los diexistas de Venezuela y el mundo, archivos que serán puestos de nuevo al aire a petición de radioescuchas que no lograron grabarlos todos. Ésta es una valiosa colaboración del colega Henrik Klemetz desde Suecia. 8- Contestación a la correspondencia de Radio Canadá Internacional, programa completo donde hay una entrevista muy bonita al diexista cubano Basilio Mendoza Santos, quien reside en Ciego de Ávila, Cuba. También se podrá escuchar la invitación que hacen los colegas que conducen este programa a los diexistas y radioaficionados para que les escriban contando sus experiencias con la onda corta, sus radios y antenas. 9- Desde los Estados Unidos el colega diexista Glen[n] Hauser con sus noticias para todos los amantes de la onda corta. 10- Sonia Cho y Ramiro Trost con los comentarios de las pruebas que se están haciendo con el sistema DRM, grabado de la onda corta el dia de hoy. 11- Radio Rebelde, grabación que hice por los 11655 kHz y donde me saludan, grabación de la onda corta de los dias 19 y 20 de junio del 2003. 12- Mundo DX, programa diexista de Radio Austria Internacional. Hoy dedicado a las transmisiones de Televisión por satelite. Este es el penúltimo programa antes de que Radio Austria cierre sus emisiones en español. Este programa es realizado por Francisco Rubio y la ADXB de Barcelona. 13- Programa Universo, enviado por KXCR El Paso, Texas. 14- Radio Reloj de Cuba, informa sobre la inauguración de La Voz Del Faro, en el municipio Manatí, provincia de Las Tunas. Por supuesto que hay muchas otras cosas relacionadas con la radio que extraemos de los diferentes boletines diexistas que nos llegan a través del correo electrónico. Trate de escucharnos entre las 00:00 y las 02:00 UTC [UT Sun June 22] en la siguiente dirección: http://intranet.unionradio.com.ve/intranet/audio/audio_principal_select.asp haga click en AM 640. Desde hoy hago una cordial invitación para que participen en el programa, enviando sus noticias en su propia voz, las cuales seran colocadas al aire. Atte: (José Elías Díaz Gómez, June 21, noticias dx via DXLD) ** VIRGIN ISLANDS US. CAXAMBAS GIRL A PIONEER OF THE VIRGIN ISLES By Betsy Perdichizzi 06/12/2003 http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=2256&dept_id=457701&newsid=8294508&PAG=461&rfi=9 Hazel Stephens Higdon was born in Caxambas on Marco Island during the year of the hurricane of 1910, when all the residents of Caxambas sought shelter in her sister's (Tommie Stephens Barfield) hotel up on the Heights, now called Indian Hill. Preston Sawyer, a child himself then, said the "hotel shook like a leaf." Hazel grew up in the little community of Caxambas, she lived at the Stephens boarding house run by her mother, Annie DeWilla Stephens; played in the water near brother-in-law, Jim Barfield's mercantile store; went to the island school; and attended basket dinners at the community building. Twenty-two years younger than Tommie, Hazel said, "Sister made sure we had everything we needed when growing up." When she wanted to strike out on her own, it was Sister Tommie, against her better judgment, who drove her all the way to California. Hazel knew she wanted "to do something" Hazel and her husband, Raymond Higdon, pioneered radio broadcasting in the Virgin Islands and Caribbean. He was the engineer and she was the petite redheaded businesswoman and sales person. Together they single handedly built the radio tower and established the first radio station, WIVI, now WSTX AM/FM. Hazel was to the Virgin Islands what her sister Tommie was to Marco Island. Now in her 90s, I am helping her publish a book about her experience. Her station, WIVI, known as the little radio station with the big voice, began broadcasting with 250 watts from a 150-foot tower in old Fort Louise Augusta on St. Croix. Over time and with permits, the power was increased to 1,000 watts from a 300-foot tower on top of Blue Mountain. The voice of WIVI was heard in Puerto Rico, Antiqua, St. Martin, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Vincent, St. Kitts, Nevis, Trinidad, St. Thomas, St. Johns, as well as St. Croix. They celebrated the anniversary of their broadcast every May 15 after that. The FCC controlled the use of all radio frequencies. Applications and construction permits went through the commission with a six-month waiting period and were eventually issued. "When it became known that we were going to build a radio station, there was some opposition to the idea. There are almost always people who do not want to see changes and new ventures that have such a potential for affecting the community. Others felt it would destroy the atmosphere, making the island less attractive to tourists." One of the major objectors was the administrator of the island. Appointed by the United States government, he had a lot of influence and wrote to officials in Washington that the island didn't need a radio station. Hazel went to Washington and appeared before the FCC officials with her attorney. She explained the problem to the FCC. They agreed with her and over-rode the objections of the administrator. The FCC seemed to feel that it would be good to have a station built on St. Croix in spite of the administrators feeling that it would adversely affect the tourist business. Ray Higdon, now deceased, wrote of the struggle of bringing the two people's dreams to fruition. The Virgin Islands, a United States territory then, was just emerging from an economy based on a dying industry of sugar cane production. It was more like a third world country than part of the United States. Everything was primitive with little or no infrastructure. Manpower was used when they didn't have machinery to move heavy equipment. Some pieces weighed over 300 pounds. They had problems. A jeep rolled off a cliff into the ocean while workers were having lunch. A donkey fell into a six foot hole they dug for the tower base. Ray fell off the 300 foot tower, saved only by his safety belt, and he had to go back up the tower to finish the job. Next week: Hazel Higdon and Hurricane Hugo. Betsy Perdichizzi, a 14- year island resident, is president of the Marco Island Historical Society and past president of SWFAS Southwest Archaeology Society. She co-authored "A Girl Called Tommie, Queen of Marco Island," a book about Tommie Camilla Barfield (©Marco Island Sun Times 2003 via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. See AUSTRALIA UNIDENTIFIED. Re 1386 instrumental music station --- The music station (or Voice of Russia?) is monitored by TDP once per week at 1931 UT at the IBB RMS posts in Helsinki, Kiev & Moscow. Go to http://www.ibb.gov - monitoring - RMS - Europe/FSU - Washington server - Broadcaster TDP + Languages ALL + Locations ALL + Dates ALL - 1386 (Jan Michalski, June 21, hard-core-dx via Savolainen, DXLD) Interesting. But there seems to be only V. of Russia audible at 1931 in those soundfiles. This music station was not VOR. Both closed down at about 2100 leaving room for weaker but readable KBC Maralal [KENYA] The music station plays a "loop tape", I don't know how long it is, but I heard same songs in same order at least twice during my listening period 1940-2100. Thanks for info (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, June 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 4870.88, 1857-2000 June 20. Talk and music like South East Asia. Strong signal. Little QRM from 4869.96 Wamena. Fair (NOBUO TAKENO, YAMAGATA JAPAN NRD-535D with 10 meters wire, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ UNDERSTANDING THE FCC'S BROADBAND OVER POWER LINE (BPL) NOTICE OF INQUIRY http://www.arrl.org/news/features/2003/06/19/2/?nc=1 (via Jill Dybka, MSIS, TN, June 19, DXLD) The article previously here, with illustrations and hotlinx (gh) A swing past the Enforcement Bureau section of the FCC site could be valuable before preparing your comments. Or, visit http://www.arrl.org and read one of the sections about FCC enforcement letters. It seems the Commission's special counsel for enforcement has been VERY busy dealing with electric utilities that fail to act when informed of line noise problems that are plaguing radio amateurs. IMHO that demonstrates that such utilities are on the record as not being able to keep RF out of frequency bands used in residential locations, even when they aren't *intentionally* generating any RF in those bands. They are most assuredly not qualified to intentionally carry RF! (Doug Smith, TN, NRC-AM via DXLD) DRM +++ DRM LAUNCH STATISTICS Mike Adams of FEBC Engineering Support has worked out that on launch day, 16 June 2003, there were a total of 195 hours of DRM broadcasts worldwide. These came from: 17 different broadcasters 15 different transmitter sites 19 different transmitters Listen to the speech by DRM Chairman Peter Senger and the official launch of DRM on 16 July 2003 (10'39") (http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/html/drm_latest.html 20 June 2003 via DXLD) MAYAH DRM RECEIVER The German Mayah company, otherwise dealing with professional audio coding equipment, announces a DRM receiver. Product description: http://www.mayah.de/content/products/drm2010/content.html A dealer announces that this set will be available around October / November. And the price: About 700 Euro (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) News Flash! - A New "2010" - But . . . It's NOT a 'Sony' its a "MaYaH" DRM 2010 Receiver ! NEW "DRM2010" Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) Radio/Receiver - - - 2nd Generation Multi-Band DRM & Analog Radio/Receiver - - - Offered by "MAYAH" Communications GmbH (Germany) Go to: http://www.mayah.com/index.html In the Left side Column Chick- On [Products] Scroll Down to "PORTABLE PRODUCTS" - - - DRM Receiver 2010 (... 2nd generation Multiband DRM Receiver) Click-On [DRM Receiver 2010] PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: This DRM Receiver is the 2nd generation receiver for the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) standard. It is the result of a joint development effort of MAYAH, Coding Technologies and AFG. The receiver is based on standard components and different to the first generation, it is smaller and lower cost. A DSP module performs all the DRM specific decoding functions. The software of the DSP module can be updated via the USB interface. The USB interface also provides the data from data application for further processing with a PC. The receiver can decode mono and stereo audio signals. The full stereo signal is available at the headphone outputs. The display indicates station name, used frequency, field strength and the number of service components of the received DRM signal. Additional information transmitted will be displayed if available. The station can be selected by directly entering the frequency using the numeric keypad. Beside the DRM standard the receiver also supports reception of analogue AM programs in the MW, LW and SW bands as well as FM programs. NOTE: NO PRICE WAS LISTED OR GIVEN. ~ RHF (ICF 2010 list via John Figliozzi, DXLD) I understand that the unit price for the first generation DRM receiver that is referred to here was approximately US$1800. Of course, there were no economies of scale achieved in that fewer than 100 units were produced and the receiver was not made available to the consumer market. jaf (John A. Figliozzi, NY, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ NEW WEBRECEIVER There is a new web receiver online, Visualradio Maryland. Url is : http://radio.teppodama.com/ (Bradford Wall, CA, June 21, EDXP HF Forum via DXLD) HEATHKIT - A GUIDE TO THE AMATEUR RADIO PRODUCTS If you`ve ever owned a piece of Heathkit amateur radio gear, or wish you had, the Second Edition of Heathkit: A Guide to the Amateur Radio Products, by Chuck Penson, WA7ZZE, is a must for your library. Greatly expanded and updated, this 328-page collection of facts, photos and Heathkit history offers a terrific trip down memory lane for anyone who has built or has owned Heathkit gear. Its published by CQ and available for order on-line at http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com or by phone at 1-800-853-9797 Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern US. time. (CQ) (Amateur Radio Newsline June 20 via John Norfolk, DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ Solar activity has remained quite high this week with a number of M and X class flares up to Jun 17. Solar wind speed was high all week due to coronal mass ejections and a coronal hole, causing the geomagnetic field to be at active to storm levels. Solar activity is expected to decline a bit, though recurrence suggests a continuation of high solar wind speed and coronal hole effects, meaning propagation will continue to be disrupted for the next few days. Prepared using data from http://www.ips.gov.au (Richard Jary, SA, June 20, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ### |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-110, June 20, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3f.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 1187: RFPI: Sat 0130, 0800, 1400, 1730, 2330, Sun 0530, 1130, 1830, Mon 0030, 0630, 1230, Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0730, 1430 on 7445, 15039 WWCR: Sat 1030 [NEW] 5070, Sun 0230 5070, 0630 3210, Wed 0930 9475 WJIE: Sat 1731 13570, Sun 0030 [NEW} 12160 WBCQ: Mon 0445 7415 WRN: Rest of world Sat 0800; Eu only Sun 0430; NAm Sun 1430 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [from early UT Thu] [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1187.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1187.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1187h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1187h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1187.html WORLD OF RADIO ON WWCR: New time replacing Sat 0600: Sat 1030 on 5070, effective immediately (Tammy Bishop, WWCR, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WORLD OF RADIO ON WINB: Glenn- Plan is to air DXPL at 0000, WOR at 0030, and Wavescan at 0100, all UT Sun. We hope to air you tomorrow at 0030 as well as the afternoon time this week. We'd then like to switch the time from afternoon to the evening one, so you'd air once a week on Saturday evening. This would be on 12160. Wavescan would also leave Sunday 1430 (Hans Johnson, WINB, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALASKA. REPORT FROM NICK HALL-PATCH. [I've] been away at sea, working up to 1000+ km offshore. Got to DX. Nothing earth shattering, though many more DU than I expected. May provide a few targets for Graylanders. 73, Nick 530 ALASKA, Adak, "ADK". 1316 5 Jun. "strong" with code ID but only S5 on the meter. (NHP 50N 145W) 550 ALASKA, Anchorage, KTZN?. 1504 10 Jun. "Alaska's total country morning and afternoon", but calls hardly sounded like KTZN; poor-fair in noise (NHP 53N 141W) 560 ALASKA, Kodiak, KVOK. 2010 3 Jun. Ad for Bristol Bay cellular and mention of KVOK; man gave weather forecast, and another KVOK Kodiak ID. Fair strength in ship electrical noise, fairly consistent signal w/another station under. (NHP 50N 145W) 580 ALASKA, Petersburg, KRSA. 1930 2 Jun. "heard daily on KRSA" ID in buzz after mention of Back to the Bible, fair (NHP 50N 141W) 590 ALASKA, Anchorage, KHAR. 1454 9 Jun. KHAR ID out of the blue upon tune in. Good strength in noise (NHP 52N 145W) 620 ALASKA, Homer, KGTL. 2000 2 Jun. A flea market program poor to fair 1943, "KGTL Homer" ID poor in radar noise at 2000 after country mx (NHP 50N 141W) 650 ALASKA, Anchorage, KENI. 1349 7 Jun. "news radio, this is KENI Anchorage" ID at 1400; the other station trading places with it likely Hawaii; also noted 10 June 1342 (NHP 50N 145W 700 ALASKA, Anchorage, KBYR. 1500 9 Jun. "This is talk radio, AM 7 hundred KBYR Anchorage" ID; good strength, format change from last time heard a year ago. (NHP 52N 145W) 750 ALASKA, Anchorage, KFQD. 2000 3 Jun. KFQD ID at top of hour, fair signal in ship's radar noise (NHP 50N 145W) 770t ALASKA, Valdez, KCHU. 1358 9 Jun. NPR mentions, then NPR news // 670 (NHP 52N 145W) 890 ALASKA, Homer, KBBI. 2059 2 Jun. "PRI" mention after what sounded like BBC programming; ID ("KBBI 8-90 Homer" ) on hour by woman followed by wx for Homer and marine forecasts (NHP 50N 141W) 930 ALASKA, Ketchikan, KTKN. 1923 2 Jun. "Ketchikan's news and information station AM-930 KTKN" ID by woman after light pop music, fair (NHP 50N 141W) 1140 ALASKA, Soldotna, KSLD. 1529 10 Jun. "Top of the World... rocking Kenai, this is KSLD" Female announcer between slabs of rock music, fair becoming poor strength (NHP 53N 141W) 1230 ALASKA, Sitka, KIFW. 1743 2 Jun. "you're at work AM 12-30 KIFW", fine signal in broad daylight. This one puts one a good signal into the Pacific (NHP 50N 141W) (Nick Hall-Patch on CCGS John P. Tully at various points in the northeast Pacific Ocean using 60' horizontal wire, matching transformer and Drake R8 driven by laptop, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. 1638 tentative, Sydney, 2ME. 1316 9 Jun. Arabic sounding talk, poor-fair (NHP 52N 145W) 1683.24, Sydney. 1318 9 Jun. Ethnic vocal mx, poor; also noted 3 June at this time, along with weak audio 1665, 1638, 1629, 1620, 1611. (NHP 52N 145W) 1701.17, Brisbane, R. 1701. 1152 14 Jun. Rather murky talk by woman, though fair strength, didn't seem EE. Definite Middle Eastern singing followed. Another coastal inlet surprise. (NHP-Rivers Inlet) (Nick Hall-Patch on CCGS John P. Tully at various points in the northeast Pacific Ocean using 60' horizontal wire, matching transformer and Drake R8 driven by laptop. IRCA soft DX Monitor via DXLD, excerpting only the Oz x-banders) ** AUSTRALIA. I was interviewed last night by Roger Broadbent of Radio Australia for this weekend's "Feedback" program about this very subject [DRM]. The program airs 2105 Fri, 0605 Sat and 0305 Sun (all days and times UT). I asked to be introduced as a writer on international broadcasting and shortwave programming for Monitoring Times magazine here in the States (to try and give the mag some worldwide publicity |g|). Feel free to pass this info on to anyone you think might be interested (John Figliozzi, NY, June 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRIA. Alo amigos, Recebi uma correspondência realmente entristecedora da Rádio Austria Internacional, confirmando uma notícia já a muito veinculada aqui na lista, mas que sentimos a dureza da realidade quando temos um contato de maior proximidade. Apresento em seguida a mencionada correspondência: ********************************************************************** Estimado Adalberto, Le agradecemos la gentileza de escribirnos enviando el informe de recepition y el interés que ha mostrado por los programas de Radio Austria Internacional. Le enviamos con la presente uno de los últimos QSL y así nos vamos despidiendo. Esperamos que nos siga acompaãndo hasta el final de las emisiones en español el 30 de junio próximo. Com saluda cordialmente, Departamento de Correspondencia Rádio Austria Internacional, Vanesa Suvalski ********************************************************************** Na minha opinião, quando chegamos a um determinado tempo de nossa vida, devemos comessar a nos preparar para irmos perdendo os apegos materiais que nos fixam a esta vida. Acredito que quanto mais perdemos, estaremos em melhores condições de fazermos esta passagem, pois não teremos quase nada a que nos agarrar nesta vida material. Porém vejo na prática uma realidade muito diferente do comportamento racional que temos... perder é algo muito difícil... é quase inaceitável. Não pretendo nem fazer o informe da confirmação recebida, pois acho que este QSL representa muita tristeza. É só isso que posso falar sobre este episódio. Um abraço a todos, (Adalberto, Barbacena- MG, PY4WTH via Cumbre DX via DXLD) Estimados colegas y amigos: Aquí podrán leer, meditar y publicar la angustiosa despedida de MANUEL ALETRINO, Jefe de Redacción de Radio Austria Internacional en Español, remitida personalmente por Vanesa Suvalski, personal de ORF. Otro adios, otra emisora que deja un hueco en nuestro dial... Rubén Guillermo Margenet Viena, junio de 2003 Estimados oyentes de Radio Austria Internacional, queridos amigos: Pocos días antes de que se reestructure esta emisora, lo que implica la desaparición de programas en español y francés, quiero despedirme yo personalmente de todos vosotros. Todo en la vida cambia, instituciones vienen y se van, personas nacen y fallecen. Esta vez le ha tocado a una institución que para muchos, oyentes y redactores, es algo que va mucho más allá de ser una mera entidad de radio. Ha sido para nosotros y para muchos de ustedes oyentes casi como un asunto de familia. Y despedirse es "morir un poco", dicen los franceses. Yo comencé a trabajar en ROI en 1970 - soy, por tanto, el más veterano de los que trabajamos en el departamento de español. Lo que no es ningún mérito, más bien señal de cuánto me ha gustado siempre este medio y este trabajo. Y ahora me toca cerrar las puertas y apagar las luces. Queríamos hacer un programa informativo y entretenido. Me he dado cuenta, y quién no lo supondría, de que los programas de entretenimiento - Buzón y Música en Austria - han sido los programas mejor acogidos. "El mensaje se presenta con jarabe", se dice en algún país de Oriente Próximo, y espero que esta mezcla haya gustado. Os agradezco la gran simpatía que nos habéis deparado en varias generaciones de audiencia: ya nos escuchan nietos de nuestros primeros oyentes en los años ´70. A partir del 1 de julio de 2003 deja de existir este departamento. Yo seguiré hasta haber hecho las últimas "diligencias". Ya no contaremos con un servicio de oyentes. Las cartas que lleguen no podrán ser respondidas sino en medida muy limitada. Sin vuestra correspondencia, una emisora de onda corta es como un pez en tierra firme: no puede respirar. Gracias a todos por vuestro cariño y vuestros comentarios, en fin, por todo. No olvidaremos tampoco vuestro apoyo en los últimos trances de nuestra lucha por sobrevivir. En resumen, y como despedida, ¡HASTA SIEMPRE! Os abrazo. Manuel Aletrino Jefe de redacción Radio Austria Internacional en Español (via Ruben Guillermo Margent, Argentine, June 20, DXLD) I wonder if the English staff are also saying such goodbyes to listeners? (gh, DXLD) ** BAHAMAS. Glenn, I have just returned from Nassau in The Bahamas. A new station started broadcasting this month, JOYFM. It is on 101.9, and broadcasts from Nassau. It is intended to cover the island of New providence, where Nassau is located. It is a gospel/inspirational station. Naturally, reception was very good in Nassau (Gerwyn Roberts, Wales, June 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. 6155, R. Fides, 0105-0130, 6/19, Spanish. OM with fútbol match, "Goal" at 0119, several quick mentions of "Coca-Cola" throughout, leads me to believe they are sponsors? "Jingle" ID at 0124, fair signal with QRM splatter until wiped out by co-channel RTE Overseas s/on at 0130 (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, Sangean ATS 818, RF Systems MLB-1, RS Longwire w/ RBA balun, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** BOTSWANA. Hi Joe, try this email address: rbeng@info.bw or Rbeng@info.bw You may be able to get some info from the Botswana Telecom web site http://www.bta.org.bw 73 (Sean, G4UCJ Gilbert, hard- core-dx via DXLD) ** CANADA. Re RCI Report: Yeah, right, we've heard that one before, as RCI gets cut even beyond the bone, and is left with the choice of filling time with domestic CBC programs or becoming the propaganda arm of Canada's version of the Ministry of Truth. 73 (Mike Brooker, Ont., hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. Caracol 1140 captada en 5958.56 kHz, a las 0944 UT, con noticias. 19/06 (Adán González Catia, La Mar, VENEZUELA, June 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO DR. BUNIA REBELS RESTRUCTURE RADIO, NEW RADIO TO START OPERATING | Excerpt from report by Congolese radio from Bunia on 19 June The national press and information secretary, HE Mathieu Amboko Bebedu [phonetic], yesterday, Wednesday 18 June 2003, presided over an important meeting - as previously planned - for managers of local radio stations and RTNC [National Congolese Television and Radio] journalists present in Bunia. The meeting was first about making an inventory of fixtures in these stations after the deliberate destruction by evil forces. It is interesting to indicate the birth of a new radio station at Katoto called "Radio reveil des paysans", which will be officially inaugurated at the end of this month. Secondly, the meeting examined the administration of RTNC-Bunia which is characterized by the absence of several journalists. The media professionals were briefed on the UPC-RP's [Union of Congolese Patriots for Peace and Reconciliation] policies, before being informed about the restructuring of the RTNC, which was carried out by the national information and press secretary [Passage omitted] Source: Radio Candip, Bunia, in French 0500 gmt 19 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** CUBA. Hola Glenn, Saludos desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA. -He captado a Radio Rebelde hoy 19/06, a las 0847 UT, en la frecuencia de 15074.97 kHz. Transmitía salsa y nueva trova cubana en el marco del espacio "A Esta Hora". Una locutora daba a conocer la programación televisiva del día y el tema de La Mesa Redonda: "Los Rosemberg". Despedida del espacio, a las 0857. SINPO 35322. Fe de erratas: la poderosa estación en los 15075 kHz, a partir de las 0202 UT, es All India Radio. Nada que ver con el mundo árabe. Nota: hay algo que me llamó la atención de Música Beat, la extraña emisora de FM en 19 metros. En casi media hora de escucha, no transmitió ni un solo comercial. Si consideramos que las estaciones, por lo general, hacen cortes comerciales cada 15 minutos, el caso de 96.7 MHz, Música Beat, es muy extraño. ¿Será una estación cubana? 73's y buen DX (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, June 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Adan, En realidad, 96.7 es la frecuencia de R. Rebelde en La Habana -- --- entonces todas las captaciones en 15075v deben tratarse de la misma... ¿La sintoniza en 11655 también, alrededor de 1000-1300, como nos informa José Elías? 73, (Glenn to Adán via DXLD) ** CUBA. Hoy fué inaugurada una nueva emisora cubana en la provincia de Las Tunas, la misma lleva el nombre de: Radio Manatí. La información fué transmitida en el programa: Haciendo Radio que se transmite a traves de Radio Rebelde. Hay que averiguar la frecuencia. Mientras en Radio Rebelde anuncian a Radio Manatí como la nueva emisora inaugurada el dia de hoy en Las Tunas, en Radio Reloj informan que se llama: La Voz del Faro. Atte: (José Elías, Venezuela, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** CUBA [non]. CUBA'S CASTRO APPARENT VICTIM OF RADIO PRANK By Frances Kerry MIAMI (Reuters) - Cuban President Fidel Castro or someone sounding very much like him fell for a trap laid by Miami radio pranksters on Tuesday, thinking he was talking on the phone to Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and abusing the callers when he realized he was being duped. The radio station, Spanish-language station El Zol 95.7, delightedly and repeatedly broadcast the recording from its popular program "El Vacilón de la Mañana" (Morning Joker) in a city that is home to many anti-Castro exiles. There was no immediate way of telling whether it really was Castro on the line, but to Spanish speakers familiar with the Cuban leader's well-known voice it seemed to be him. There was no immediate reaction from government officials in Havana. The Vacilón hosts, Enrique Santos and Joe Ferrero, used the same technique they used in January to catch Chávez on the program, when they cobbled together real phrases spoken by Castro to make the Venezuelan leader think he was talking to his Cuban ally. This time, they used phrases spoken in a speech by Chávez. A presenter posing as a Chávez aide wound his way through a series of Cuban official switchboards -- receptive because Chávez is a strong Castro admirer -- with a story that Chávez needed to speak to Castro because he had lost a suitcase with sensitive documents on a recent trip both leaders made to Argentina. Finally, Castro came on the line and listened to the story of the suitcase. The Chávez "aide" asked Castro if he agreed to help by getting his security detail hunt down the suitcase and the Cuban leader said, "I absolutely agree." "Do you agree with the shit on the island (Cuba), killer?" the Chávez "aide" asked, quickly adding, "You fell for it" and announcing he was on the Miami radio program. "What did I fall for, you shit?" said Castro. "What did I fall for, bastard?," he said. He added a few more words of strong abuse before hanging up, as whoops of joy erupted at the Miami end of the call. 06/18/03 08:15 ET (AOL Canada news via Fred Waterer, DXLD) WXDJ/MIAMI MORNING HOSTS PRANK-CALL FIDEL CASTRO Miami DJs claim to have fooled Castro in phone call By RACHEL LA CORTE, The Associated Press, 6/18/03 6:41 PM MIAMI (AP) -- Two radio show hosts who duped Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez into believing he was speaking by phone with Cuban President Fidel Castro now claim to have similarly tricked Castro. A recording provided by the Cuban-American radio announcers has a man they say is Castro responding for about four minutes Tuesday to snippets of a tape recording of Chávez, a Castro friend. He catches on to the prank after he is called an assassin and the conversation disintegrates into him denouncing the caller with a stream of obscenities. The call was played on Miami's WXDJ-FM on Tuesday; disc jockeys Joe Ferrero and Enrique Santos tricked Chávez in January. "This was a big, big fish that we were trying to get," Ferrero said. "Castro really has his people well-trained to avoid these kind of situations, but we were able to persuade all these people." In Havana, Cuban officials who did not want to be identified said Wednesday they did not know about the prank and could not comment. Venezuelan Embassy spokesman Andrés Izarra said he hadn't heard the recording and couldn't confirm whether the DJs actually got through to Castro. Regardless, "it's another prank by these people who are very irresponsible and unethical," he said. "We totally reject these types of jokes." (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) Joe Ferrero and Enrique Santos, hosts of WXDJ's El Vacilón de la Mañana, gained international notoriety in January for successfully conducting a phony phone call between Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and what were actually recorded, random sentences from Cuban President Fidel Castro taken from an earlier conference with Mexican President Vicente Fox. This morning after their show, Ferrero and Santos called the Cuban presidential palace from a WXDJ production studio, and Ferrero posed as a Venezuelan military leader named "Lt. Camille." After 25 minutes, the duo reached Castro — who stayed on the line for several minutes chatting with what was actually Chávez's voice recorded from the duo's January stunt. "We can't believe it ourselves," Santos tells R&R. "We never thought we would be able to top when we prank-called Hugo Chávez." After several minutes, Ferrero and Santos ran out of phrases from Chávez and explained to Castro that there were problems with the phone line. Then, Santos asked Castro, "Are you happy with the crap you've done in Cuba?" A stunned Castro was then told that he was on the air and that all of Miami was listening to him. Clearly insulted after being repeatedly told that he'd been had, Castro called Santos a "faggot" and a "whore" and cursed at him by saying "shit on your mother" before abruptly hanging up. WXDJ will air the bit, which has already become the talk of Miami, at 5 pm today. The station also plans to air the bit on an hourly basis tomorrow (via Brock Whaley June 17,2002, DXLD) MIAMI RADIO DJS HOAX CASTRO HAHAHAHA! And you can hear it here: http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/lamusica/fidel.wax Enjoy... (Mike Westfall, NM, NRC-AM via DXLD) 12 minutes; you may want to skip ahead to the last couple (gh) ** EGYPT. Glenn, 17775, Radio Cairo, June 20, 1400-1430+, Noted Interval signal at 1358 followed by quick ID at 1400 and start of programming, all in Arabic. Signal mixing with another Middle Eastern Station, possibly Tashkent, but not sure. Radio Cairo was at a fair level. Radio Cairo not listed in any of my references on this freq at this time (Bolland, Chuck, Clewiston, Florida, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Chuck, try page 174 of the new Shortwave Guide, where you will find Radio Cairo at that time on 17775 kHz. 73 (Sean (G4UCJ) D. Gilbert Editor: Shortwave Guide, hard-core-dx via DXLD) See PUBLICATIONS ** EL SALVADOR. I just picked up from my library: Rebel Radio; the story of El Salvador's Radio Venceremos, by José Ignacio López Vigil, 1991 It seems to cover the years 1979 to the early 1980s or so; and at a glance, it appears to have broadcast somewhere in the 1540 to 1580 range [maybe, but it was on SW around 7 MHz, and I remember it well - -- gh]. The book seems rather stridently written, so we will see how far into it I get . . . Anyone know anything else about this station? PS: it has a good review by (well-known DXer?) Noam Chomsky on the cover: "A tale of almost incredible courage and ingenuity...", an odd phrase for a linguist to use (Eric Floden, Vancouver BC, NRC-AM via DXLD) I work with several people who were in Salvadoran radio in the late 70's when this station started. In general, the rebel or guerrilla movement was financed and advised by Nicaraguan Sandinistas or Cubans. As the book says, the station was "portable" and moved around to avoid detection and the equipment was carried on donkeys. While that sounds quaint, one of my friends and associates was working at YSHH in Santa Ana when some of the same guerrillas broke in, shot him in the chest and took over the station; he left the country after his recovery... nearly half his family, none of whom were military or political, were killed by the rebels. Another friend was telling me his story just yesterday. He worked at another station in Santa Ana, and was twice attacked while on the air; the second time he was kidnapped with two other staffers and taken to a guerrilla safe house where they played Russian roulette several times on him. Again, he left right after... 2/3 of his direct family was killed in the conflicts, some for simply being on the wrong bus. I worked for a San Salvador FM in the early 80's and once had to wear a Kevlar vest around the station, so frightening was the environment. That should give you an idea why I do not find a station that called for random killing and violence something that is worthy of admiration (David Gleason, CA, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** HAWAII. 620, KIPA, Hilo, 5/19 back on the air // KKON-790 but with very weak signal, even weaker than 500-watt KUAU-1570 and much weaker than the old 1kw KAHU-1060. It's also only audible at night so this must be the Hilo-area tower and not one of the two West Hawaii sites that aired a synchronous signal. Now uses the pompous-sounding slogan "The Voice of Hawaii." (5P-HI) 790, KKON, Kealakekua-Hilo, 4/21 0801 noted reactivated; noted later in May with overmodulated signal and ABC's "Unforgettable Favorites" AdCon oldies service. Some dead air where local ads were supposed to air, corrected during 5/14 recheck. However, master station KIPA-620's West Hawaii relays are still off; sometimes I hear a KSKK-590/KZOO- 1210 mixing product. (5P-HI) 1060, KHBC, Hilo, 5/7 0240 woman named Ululani airing mix of AdCon from 60's to 90's plus Hawaiian and Hawaiian contemporary music, with no ads. Some mentions of "KHBC AM Stereo." At 0300 time check in Hawaiian/English sponsored by KTA Stores supermarket chain, ID "KHBC Radio, Hilo, Hawaii." So KHBC is now the legal call sign as well as a nickname. Ex-KAHU (5P-HI) (Dale Park, HI, IRCA soft DX Monitor June 21 via DXLD) ** HAWAII. REPORT FROM NICK HALL-PATCH --- [I've] been away at sea, working up to 1000+ km. Offshore. Got to DX. Nothing earth shattering, though many more DU than I expected. May provide a few targets for Graylanders. 73, Nick [see also ALASKA, AUSTRALIA] 590 HAWAII, Honolulu, KSSK. 1349 5 Jun. "30 stories above Waikiki KSSK AM-5-90 and 92-3 KSSK" followed by teletalk. (NHP 50N 145W) 690 HAWAII, Honolulu, KORL. 1359 5 Jun. Hyper R. Disney and AM 690 KORL ID, fair strength in noise (NHP 50N 145W) 900 HAWAII, Kahului, KNUI. 1303 10 Jun. KNUI ID upon tune in, fair signal, followed by Hawaiian mx (NHP 53N 141W) 940 HAWAII, Honolulu, KHCM. 1309 10 Jun. Big KHCM ID between country music selections (NHP 53N 141W) 990 HAWAII, Honolulu, ?. 1248 5 Jun. various "Hawaii's talk radio" IDs... but advertising the "Rich Hamada experience on KHVH 830". What's happening here? good signal; dominant (NHP 50N 145W) 1110 HAWAII, Kihei, KAOI. 1356 5 Jun. Mention of Sandalwood Golf Course, ."aloha" etc. "here in Hawaii" "in our islands" then a KAOI ID. Big bassy signal. (NHP 50N 145W) 1370t HAWAII, Pearl City, KJPN. 1300 11 Jun. Couldn't find ID at top of hour, JJ talk by woman, then by man. This one is about 20Hz high on channel? Also noted 1314 10 June. (NHP 53N 136W) 1460 HAWAII, Honolulu, KHRA. 1358 8 Jun. Musical interlude, good strength, followed by Radio Korea ID 1359 (NHP 50N 147W) 1500 HAWAII, Honolulu, KUMU. 1350 11 Jun. Finally, an ID (Music for Memories KUMU AM-fifteen hundred), poorish, and fading down, after lots of laid back mx. Much stronger 1/2 hour before and on other days (NHP 53N 136W) 1540 HAWAII, Honolulu, KREA. 1301 9 Jun. Man w/KK talk of P`yongyangish intensity at fair level voiced over female vocal operatic music followed by "this is KREA Honolulu ....." EE ID (NHP 52N 145W) (Nick Hall-Patch on CCGS John P. Tully at various points in the northeast Pacific Ocean using 60' horizontal wire, matching transformer and Drake R8 driven by laptop, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ** HONG KONG. REPRIMAND OF HONG KONG TALK SHOW HOST DRAWS COMPLAINTS By MARGARET WONG Associated Press Writer APws 06/20 0417 HONG KONG (AP) -- The Broadcast Authority said Friday that reprimands handed recently to a sharp-tongued radio talk show host drew hundreds of complaints from listeners worried Hong Kong's liberties might be endangered. Albert Cheng is well known here for voicing grass-roots gripes and sharp criticisms of government leaders in his popular weekday program, "Teacup in the Storm." The Broadcast Authority censured Cheng last week for failing to "take special care in the use of language" that it said could hurt the reputations of two recent guest speakers -- a top Hospital Authority official and a senior housing department official, whom he described as a "dog" -- a term Cheng uses often. The authority, which is in theory independent but whose head is appointed by Hong Kong's top political leader, Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa, said it acted after receiving 157 complaints against Cheng. But the reprimand drew even more complaints -- 563 so far, Broadcast Authority spokeswoman Mandy Au Yeung said Friday. Au Yeung said the authority planned to open more phone lines to handle the flood of complaints, which it will "take note" of, although it has no mechanism to do anything about them, she said. The fracas comes at a time of heightened sensitivities in this city of 6.8 million. The local legislature is debating anti-subversion legislation that critics fear could abridge civil liberties guaranteed to Hong Kong when Britain handed it back to China in 1997. The recent SARS outbreak and mounting unemployment have added to the anxieties. Some fear that independent Commercial Radio, which broadcasts Cheng's show,might lose its operating license when it expires next year. But Hong Kong's commerce secretary, Henry Tang, said the reprimands had nothing to do with licensing decisions. "The issue of renewing Commercial Radio's license is a very serious matter and we will not let one individual complaint influence such a serious matter," Tang said. Commercial Radio said it had no immediate comment. Saying he believed the reprimands signaled a crackdown on press freedoms, Cheng urged the broadcasting watchdog to be "transparent, fair and just." "What it should protect is the rights of the minority rather than the top officials," he said. Cheng is accustomed to controversy: Five years ago he was severely wounded when two assailants chopped him with meat cleavers outside the radio station in an attack he says was provoked by his outspokenness. But for now, he's had enough. Cheng said he's taking a holiday while he decides whether to stay on the job or retire (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** IRAN. 9910, Voice of David via VIRI. My letter to their address in Lebanon was returned as Post Office Box is closed (P.O. Box 113-718 Beirut, Lebanon) (Edward Kusalik-CANADA, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. CLANDESTINE (Iranian) 7470 Radio Barabari (Forward): My report to their Vancouver address was returned back to me with written notice as 'wrong box' and 'Please let Post Office Clerk know if this name belongs to your box' Obviously, some one at the Post Office was doing some detective work. The address used was P.O. Box 47040 Vancouver, British Columbia, V6G 3E1 (Edward Kusalik-CANADA, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** IRAQ. IRAQI JOURNALISTS MAKE THEIR POINT WITH SHORT-LIVED STRIKE FOR BETTER PAY --- By Sandra Jontz, Stars and Stripes, June 12, 2003 http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=15394&archive=true BAGHDAD, Iraq - Roughly 300 Iraqi journalists, who have worked for 35 days with no pay, went on strike Wednesday, getting their first taste of new-found democracy in Iraq and the negotiations process with the Department of Defense. "I'm happy to see this happen, it's a sign of democracy and though the show must go on, people have their rights," said Ahmad Al-Rilkaby, who heads up the newly formed Iraqi Media Network. "This is the first strike of the Iraqi media," he beamed. The strike was short-lived after Defense Department officials and a representative from DOD contractor SAIC met behind closed doors with a select few Media Network representatives to hash out details of the journalists' demands, which included a building of their own to work out of, overtime pay and incentive pay. One demand was met, and after promises that payment was coming Saturday, the journalists, some begrudgingly, returned to covering the news. "They have a very legitimate grievance," said Bob Reilly, the DOD's senior adviser to Iraq's former Ministry of Information, which is being reorganized by the U.S. government. "They've worked for no pay and we're addressing that as quickly as possible." The journalists, considered civil servants for the time being, will be paid on a salary scale based on job descriptions and years of service, Reilly said. When rumor got out that all journalists would be paid 100,000 Iraqi dinars, or roughly $70 a month regardless of experience, shouting matches exploded in the halls of the Convention Center in downtown Baghdad. Al-Rilkaby repeatedly quieted the crowd, not once raising his voice to do it. Though suffering from a headache, and being pulled in many directions, he found the day's events exhilarating. It's a dream come true, he said. In 1969, his parents were one of the first to oppose Saddam Hussein's climb to the top of the Baath Party and Iraq's helm, and fled the nation instead of being killed, he said. Al-Rilkaby, born in Prague, Czechoslovakia, 33 years ago, inherited that combative spirit. For the past five years, he has broadcast from London news about his homeland and the reigning government on Radio Free Iraq, a station picked up in Iraq on short- and medium-wave radio. To listen to it in Iraq was suicide, but people did it anyway, he said. He became a celebrity. "When I arrived here and I would introduce myself on the streets, people knew my name," he said. "They'd say they heard my radio broadcast and tell me about programs that I now don't even remember. It was amazing." He arrived in Baghdad two days after the April 9 fall of the regime, and immediately went to work setting up a free press. But he's constantly looking over his shoulder. There's a bounty on his head. "Some members of the Baath Party are irritated with me, for obvious reasons, and they'd like to see me gone," he said. Some rumors say he already is. "They say that I am dead and that my tongue was cut out," he said. He laughs. "Actually, the rumors work to my advantage. And some say that I am old, bald, with a white mustache. But these rumors help protect me." (estripes.com Jun 12, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW via DXLD) STRIKE THREATENED AT IRAQI MEDIA NETWORK Excerpted from: US Launches New Hunt for Suspected Saddam Loyalists Reuters, June 15, 2003 http://www.sabcnews.com/world/north_america/0,1009,60544,00.html In Baghdad, scores of media employees held a protest over wages and threatened a strike that would put two United States-backed radio stations and a television channel off the air. The employees of the Iraqi Media Network, set up by the United States-led administration after the fall of Saddam, said they had yet to be paid. "We are working 12 hours a day and we have received nothing but promises," said Eman Sadaq, a presenter (Reuters Jun 15, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW via DXLD) LOUDSPEAKERS SUBSTITUTE FOR PROTESTING IRAQI JOURNALISTS Excerpted from: Latest Operation Out to Rid Iraq of Larger Weaponry By Sandra Jontz, Stars and Stripes, June 16, 2003 http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=16091 BAGHDAD, Iraq --- U.S. military forces ramped up checkpoints and patrols Sunday as the two-week weapons amnesty period expired. The new operation, dubbed ``Operation Desert Scorpion,`` kicked off at midnight Sunday. Military forces throughout the country are on the hunt for weapons larger than 7.62 mm machine guns, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, grenades and other larger weaponry, officials said. Under U.S. imposed rules, Iraqis are permitted to keep rifles, such as the popular AK-47s, and handguns for protection, provided those weapons are kept in homes or places of business. The weapons also must be registered with local officials, said Army Sgt. 1st Class Brian Thomas, a V Corps spokesman. Citizens caught carrying weapons in public without the temporary weapons cards will be detained, their weapons confiscated and they will face fines and jail sentences up to a year. If weapons are found in cars, the cars also will be confiscated, Thomas said. The weapons cards are issued to individuals hired in jobs that require them to carry weapons, such as the police force or security details. Between June 1 and Saturday, locals were encouraged to drop the larger weapons at military checkpoints or local Iraqi police stations --- but that call for arms was met with little turnout. While the low turnout was anticipated by coalition forces, it was a disappointment nonetheless, officials said. In the two-week time span, Iraqi citizens turned in 123 pistols, 76 semi-automatic rifles or shotguns, 435 automatic rifles, 46 machine guns, 162 anti-tank weapons --- such as rocket-propelled grenade launchers --- 11 anti-aircraft weapons, and 381 grenades and other explosive devices, according to a news release. With the local Iraqi Media Network journalists on another strike Sunday, U.S. officials depended on loud speakers, interpreters and fliers to get the word out, Thomas said. Soldiers with the 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, for example, have increased the percentage of their patrol times searching for weapons, said Maj. Clifford Wheeler, the brigade’s executive officer. But Operation Desert Scorpion is more than a weapons roundup effort, Wheeler said. It includes programs to rebuild the country, delivery of humanitarian aid, and disposal of unexploded ordnance, he said. (estripes.com Jun 16, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW via DXLD) SADDAM LOYALISTS ALLY WITH ISLAMISTS By Paul Martin, The Washington Times [Moony], page 1A June 17, 2003 http://www.washtimes.com/world/20030616-113913-8670r.htm BAGHDAD - A shadowy group of Saddam Hussein loyalists calling itself al Awda, meaning "the Return," is forming an alliance with Islamist militants linked to al Qaeda for a full-scale uprising against the U.S.-led occupation in mid-July. The information comes from leaflets circulating in Baghdad, as well as a series of extended interviews with a former official in Saddam's security services who held the rank of brigadier general. Al Awda is aiming for a spectacular attack and uprising on or about July 17 to mark the anniversary of the Ba'athist revolution in 1968, the former general said. The Islamists have indicated they are willing to join forces to battle the Americans, even though they dislike Saddam and his secular Ba'ath Party ideology. A leaflet by Jaish Mohammed, one of two Islamist groups operating in Iraq, said it was willing to work with the Ba'athists despite Saddam's repression of Islamic fundamentalism. The leaflet, obtained by The Washington Times, makes a direct appeal for former intelligence officers, security personnel, Fedayeen Saddam members, Republican Guard troops and Ba'ath Party members to join forces. "The first act will be spectacular, possibly smashing an oil refinery near Baghdad," said the former general, who has been urged by al Awda to join the leadership of the planned anticoalition front. The former officer said the effort goes well beyond the sporadic shootings in the past three weeks that have left at least 10 Americans dead. Al Awda is well-financed, he said. It uses money stashed away by Saddam and his supporters well before the coalition's invasion, and its funds are enhanced by bank robberies and the removal of huge quantities of cash from the central bank early in the conflict. The former officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said he had agreed to join al Awda, though still may avoid full commitment, because "otherwise they'll come tomorrow and throw hand grenades into my house and at my wife and kids." Among al Awda's membership were a considerable number of former Iraqi commandos and well-trained soldiers, who now had no jobs or prospects of employment, the informant said. "The coalition pushed them into the Ba'athists' arms by disbanding the whole army and security services. "That left these men with despair and hatred and so easy pickings for Ba'athists with money and propaganda," he said. He claimed that his own growing contempt for the American occupation led him a week and a half ago to shoot a U.S. solider through the neck using a Russian-made sniper rifle. He said he was the third-best sniper in the armed forces in his younger days and that he believed the American solider died. Less-experienced fighters are being trained in guerrilla-warfare skills and assaults using abandoned buildings and remote locations, the informant said. "At first, they were offering between $500 and $600 to anyone killing an American. Now it's up to 1 million dinars [more than $700]," he told The Times. Copies of a handwritten, signed letter purported to have been composed by Saddam urging an uprising were scattered in several Baghdad neighborhoods yesterday. The two main Sunni Muslim Islamist groups are Jaish Mohammed, or "Mohammed's Army," in the north, which began operating in Jordan even before the war, and Islamic Jihad in the west. Each has similar commitment to the hard-line Wahhabi philosophy, originating in Sa`udi Arabia, that places them within the al Qa`eda sphere. One band from Jaish Mohammed was eliminated by U.S. troops through combined helicopter and land action, killing about 70 in an encampment on the Euphrates River last week. From the camp, soldiers captured handwritten pages from lined notebooks showing diagrams to make bombs and grenades. The papers, seen by The Times, bear the slogan "Either victory or martyrdom." They state that C-4 should be "mixed with RDX, half put into a can of [gasoline], and close it carefully." C-4 and RDX are plastic explosives. For grenades, the instructions say, "Place nails inside to have a bigger explosive effect, and strongly tighten the lid." Other scraps of paper urged fighters to change their names. "Get ready to take action. ... You have to seize the chance to gain intelligence," it advised, and elsewhere added the warning "Beware of traitors and hypocrites." That the Ba'athist al Awda has been wooing the Islamists in recent days is evident from some of the Islamic terminology it is using. It is referring in its underground leaflets to al Awda fighters as mujahideen, a term used for Muslim rebels in Afghanistan and in other conflict zones. The al Awda propaganda is venomously anti-Western. "Teach your children to hate all foreigners," and "all foreigners are enemies," said leaflets distributed in Fallujah and other Ba'athist strongholds. The Islamic groups have been spreading an even more vicious form of propaganda. In attempting to demonize the coalition, its adherents have been calling L. Paul Bremer, the chief administrator, "Bremer Hussein" and using the slogan "One dictator goes, another dictator comes." In a recent sermon in a Fallujah mosque that was packed with adherents and broadcast by loudspeakers to many more outside, a preacher demanded, "Fight the Americans. Don't deal with them. Don't shake hands with them. They are dirty." The preacher added that Mr. Bremer was encouraging Jews to return and reclaim their houses, and any Arab businessman helping this process should be killed. In Baghdad yesterday, a 12-year-old schoolboy asked his father if all Americans - as he had been told - were carriers of AIDS. He said adults had told him this was evident from blood seemingly coming out of the ear of a female U.S. soldier who had visited the school. A Western reporter saw a recent gathering at which men in Western garb sat in rows of white plastic chairs alongside others in white robes - another apparent sign that Ba'athists and Islamists were holding joint meetings. The reporter was unable to hear what was said at the meeting, which took place in the yard of a home near Baghdad airport. Both parties are portraying the uprising as a chance to regain the wealth of the country, its oil fields, from the American invaders. They also are exploiting widespread resentment at U.S. forces' raids on private homes, where doors have been kicked in and women's rooms entered, and this week's stringent stop-and-search policy at roadblocks. Few weapons have been found in these operations, locals say. So far, the uprising plans have been confined to Sunni Muslims and Ba'athist sympathizers. "If they can persuade the Shi'ite Muslims to join in, the Americans will not be able to survive two months," said the former general. The Shi'ites, who make up about 60 percent of the Iraqi population and have been treated the worst of all segments under the old regime, remain on the sidelines, he said. "They are also resentful, but their masters have told them to wait - so far," the former general said (Washington Times [Moony], Jun 17, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW via DXLD) See also QATAR ** ISRAEL. From Ha`aretz --- It mentions that they're cutting about 500 employees from all divisions, "Towards September" -- I don't know if that's a timeframe to look out for regarding Shortwave service... http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=305349&contrassID=1&subContrassID=4&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y Last Update: 18/06/2003 13:47 I IBA PULLS PLUG ON GOOD MORNING ISRAEL DUE TO BUDGET CUTS By Ronny Koren-Dinar The Israel Broadcasting Authority is pulling the plug on Good Morning Israel because of budget constraints. The dawn news show, from 6:45 to 8:00, hosted by veteran anchors Dalia Mazor, Daniel Pe'er and various others, has been aired for ten years now. Its average rating is 2%, after losing ground by the inauguration of Channel 10's competing morning news show. Instead of Good Morning Israel, Channel 1 will show reruns from the night for another two hours. It may maintain an emergency news staff, and show news flashes when events warrant it. The IBA management has tried twice before to ditch Good Morning Israel, back in the days of general manager Uri Porat. Sources at the authority say the show's budget in 2002 was NIS 10 million, but this year it got only NIS 6 million. IBA spokesperson Oren Helman commented that Good Morning Israel, like many other shows, is taking a two-month summer recess, partly in order to save money. The treasury's economic program has reduced the IBA's budget by NIS 200 million a year. Toward September, the IBA will be firing about 500 people from all its divisions. It plans to shut down Channel 33, and all the unprofitable Voice of Israel stations. That actually means all its stations other than Reshet Gimmel and 88FM. The list of doomed radio stations include the Kol Hamusika of classical music, Reshet Aleph, Reshet Heh of shortwave broadcasts to overseas, Radio Olim for immigrants and others. The Arabic station will merge with the Middle East channel (via Doni Rosenzweig, June 18, DXLD) ** ISRAEL. PM SAVES IMMIGRANT RADIO FROM CLOSURE By Lily Galili http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=307165&contrassID=2&subContrassID=1&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y [REKA is the Immigrants network. It broadcasts Amharic (the language that the Ethiopians speak) and Russian. Now if only Sharon would step in on the shortwave! D.R.] Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has personally intervened to try to stop the closure of Reka Radio - Israel Radio's Immigrant Absorption Channel. A statement from his office yesterday said, "the prime minister believes that Reka is a vital, most accessible, and sometimes the only tool for giving up-to-date and dependable information to the million Russian speakers living in Israel." Sharon has succeeded where many others before him failed and Reka will continue to broadcast. Israel Broadcasting Authority chief Yosef Barel wanted to close the channel, which transmits 10 hours a day in Russian and two hours in Amharic, as part of the IBA recovery plan. The decision angered the Russian community. "Immigrants aren't in fashion now," said one community member cynically. Many feel that since the last elections when Yisrael b'Aliyah got just two Knesset seats, the immigrant community has lost not just its political power, but its power as a pressure group. "I hear this from all the immigrant groups who have recently lost their power and status," said one active member of the Russian- speaking community. This sudden impotence was felt by ministers Natan Sharansky and Avigdor Lieberman, who recently met Barel to change his mind about Reka. The meeting with Lieberman was particularly strained - the minister's threat to "punish" the IBA in the Knesset Finance Committee failed to move Barel. Barel stood firm in his meeting with Sharansky, who is seeking to pass legislation to protect the channel from future attempts to close it. These high-ranking petitioners with a 60 percent rating share in the community all failed to convince Barel. But Barel failed to take account of a political campaign, led by Sharon himself, to stop the voters of the Russian community from straying and ensure their firm support for the Likud for years to come. Industry and Trade Minister Ehud Olmert, the minister in charge of the IBA, also supports this. He too threatened to veto Barel's plans to close the station. Two days before the IBA board was due to discuss the channel closure, Sharon pulled his weight and halted Reka's closure (via Doni Rosenzweig, June 19, DXLD) ** LESOTHO. 4800, R. Lesotho (Presumed), 2243-2258*, 6/18. Booming signal with Afropops at tunein, 2 OM with banter, laughter, YL joins via telephone, signal suddenly disappears at 2258. Continued listening, pips noted at 2300 followed by OM and YL in Mandarin, just audible. Presumably co-channel CPBS, China. Doesn't Lesotho normally sign-off at 2200? I was surprised to hear them at this hour (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, Sangean ATS 818, RF Systems MLB-1, RS Longwire w/ RBA balun, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** MADAGASCAR. Radio Madagascar heard this afternoon (19 June) on new (to me) 7105. Interestingly, it's a USB+carrier transmission. Heard from shortly after 1300 in parallel with 6135.07. During the middle of the day the station is on 6135 and 9688.86, and during the evening is on 3287.6 and 5010, so not sure how 7105 will fit into the pattern. Regards (Chris Greenway, Nairobi, Kenya, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALTA [non]. FREQUENCY & PROGRAMME SCHEDULE SPRING SUMMER 03 - VOM I queried whether VOM still had a DX or Mailbag programme and this is the reply. It appears they do not - at least nothing is mentioned in their programme schedule. 73 (Dave Kenny, Jun 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joanna Scicluna" joanna.scicluna@vomradio.com Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2003 11:25 AM Subject: FREQ & PROG SCH SPRING SUMMER 03 - VOM Dear Mr. Dave Kenny, Hereunder please find our current Frequency Table and Programme Schedule. As you can see the latter is about to be changed. The new Schedule which comes into force on 01 July 2003 will be duly inserted in our website. Thank you for your kind attention. Kind regards, Joanna Scicluna, F/Managing Director VOM FREQUENCY TABLE 30 MARCH TO 25 OCTOBER 2003 Time in UTC CET Mon to Sat: 6110 kHz SW 0530 - 0600 Arabic 0730-0800 6185 kHz SW 1700 - 1730 Italian 1900-1930 1730 - 1800 English 1930-2000 12060 kHz SW 1900 - 2000 English** 2100-2200 2000 - 2100 Arabic 2200-2300 ** Except on Friday Friday: 12060 kHz SW 1900 - 2100 Arabic 2100-2300 Sunday: 17570 kHz SW 0500 - 0600 Japanese 9605 kHz SW 0700 - 0800 Italian 0900-1000 0800 - 0900 English 1000-1100 0900 - 1000 Maltese 1100-1200 1000 - 1100 French 1200-1300 1100 - 1200 German 1300-1400 12060 kHz SW 1900 - 2000 English 2100-2200 2000 - 2030 French 2200-2230 2030 - 2100 German 2230-2300 VOICE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN PROGRAMME SCHEDULE - WEEKDAYS - April - June 2003 12060 kHz Monday : This week in history - Vincent Zammit Art focus - Louis Lagana' Travelogue - Albert Storace Tuesday : Cultural café - Tony Cassar Darien Insight - Richard Sladden Malta and Beyond - Victor Shields & Donald Arthur Wednesday : Showcase of Malta - Vincent Zammit Cultural notebook - Henry Frendo Malta - Remains of Atlantis - Francis Galea Thursday : VOM Bookshelf - Fr. Norbert Ellul Vincenti Malta's Ways and Music - Joe Izzo Saturday : The world of operetta - Lino Gatt More Malta Memories - Mike Roberts Random reflections - Godwin Scerri 6185 kHz Monday : Italian : Al corrente - Elsa Romei/John Suda Una finestra su Malta - Elsa Romei/John Suda English : Cultural Café - Tony Cassar Darien Bits and pieces/Today in History - Godwin Scerri Tuesday : Italian : Al corrente - Elsa Romei/John Suda Poeti e scrittori maltesi - Elsa Romei/John Suda English : Human dimension - Omar Grech et al Bits and pieces/Today in History - Godwin Scerri Wednesday : Italian : Al corrente - Elsa Romei/John Suda Racconto - Elsa Romei/John Suda English : Insight - Richard Sladden Bits and pieces/Today in History - Godwin Scerri Thursday : Italian : Al corrente - Elsa Romei/John Suda Cucina maltese - Elsa Romei/John Suda English : Contemporary Mediterranean writers - Karsten Xuereb; Bits and Pieces / Today in History- Godwin Scerri Friday : Italian : Al corrente - Elsa Romei/John Suda Ventaglio culturale - Elsa Romei/John Suda English : The wonderful world of opera - Lino Gatt Bits and Pieces / Today in History- Godwin Scerri Saturday : Italian : Al corrente - Elsa Romei/John Suda Malta ieri e oggi - Elsa Romei/John Suda English : Cultural notebook - Henry Frendo Bits and Pieces / Today in History- Godwin Scerri PROGRAMME SCHEDULE - SUNDAYS - April - June 2003 9605 / 12060 kHz Italian - Elsa Romei / John Suda Al corrente - rubrica di attualita' Angeli a Malta Onde radio - rubrica DX per radio amatori Ieri e Oggi Notizie della settimana English - Margaret Agius / Narcy Calamatta A Thinker's thoughtful think The Sovereign Palaces Malta Today Short stories with Maltese background Weekly news update Maltese - Marthese Brincat / Joe Vella Il-Lingwa Maltija Maltin illum Muzicisti Maltin Grajjiet kurrenti Stejjer ta' Charles Clews Ahbarijiet French - Charles Xuereb / Claudine Camilleri / Paul Camilleri Weekly theme [sics listed in English] Special report Tourist attraction News and view on current affairs German - Anette Butterweck --- The contents of this programme range from the 6,000 years of Maltese history to local customs, towns and villages, places of Interest, cultural themes such as art, interviews with interesting people living in Malta, news and useful tips to help visitors to make the most of their holidays here. 17570 kHz Japanese - Mayuko Vassallo Momosaka --- This programme is packed with information about Malta and its People. Events of the month, charming Malta, legends and folklore of Malta, towns and villages of Malta and Gozo, Malta and the European Union, listeners' letters etc., are among the many interesting features presented in the programme (via Dave Kenny, DXLD) ** MONGOLIA. 12085, VOICE OF MONGOLIA, 1013 12 June, AM Female announcer in EE with commentary. Short local Mongolian tune at 1016. Difficult copy of female with monotone voice. Another short tune at 1020 and back to female announcer. Another mx break which is the same tune played each time, at 1022. Talks about China at this time. This is not the same announcer hrd last fall. A change of staff once again. 1028, This is the end of our Program for today', then to freq schedules. Address given. 'Goodbye', then to IS played 3 times and language change at 1030 (Bob Montgomery, PA, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. I could be the happiest man on earth today. I just received my first QSL full data cards from Radio Nigeria Enugu, Nigeria. It was for my report of 19th November 2002, on 10 kW 6025 kHz. It was signed by Engr. Nnamadi Louis, deputy Director (ES). My self addressed envelop was returned, but I guess my stamp was used for the reply. This again after almost ten years of faithful listening and numerous reception reports and follow ups. I also remember reporting late last year that I called up the station to complain about those QSL cards, and they promised to look into the issue. Apparently after many months of patience, there is finally good news. Finally I want to know if anybody has a QSL card from Radio Nigeria Enugu, and where should I classify this one. Nigeria or Biafra? (Emmanuel Ezeani, P. O. Box 1633, Sokoto, Sokoto State, Nigeria, June 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) To NASWA it`s Biafra; I should think a non-Biafran Nigerian would hesitate. Another Enugu QSL just reported in DXLD 3-102 and followed up in 3-104, so perhaps they are in a QSLing mood. Hmm, wonder if that`s where Kojo Nnamdi is from, WAMU talkhost (gh, DXLD) ** NIGERIA. 6050, R. Nigeria, Kaduna, 2134-2149*, 6/18, English. YL with news re government, DPR Congo and National Consortium, construction contracts. Drums at 2145, OM with signoff announcements, Pledge to Nigeria, NA? Poor, choppy signal (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, Sangean ATS 818, RF Systems MLB-1, RS Longwire w/ RBA balun, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** NORWAY. A discussion in a German web forum indicates that the Norwegian transmission provider Norkring also does some DRM transmissions in connection with the current WARC at Geneve. Many others report the times and frequencies in use from Sveiø; it appears that these details are known amongst the circle of DRM enthusiasts here in Germany. More interesting for me is a comment given today by one of those enthusiasts: He appreciates it that the Norkring test today contained the NRK P3 pop music network instead of "a boring foreign service". (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. 15065, R. Pakistan. June 16 at 1559(IS)-1616(S/off). SINPO 35433. IS and time pips for 1600, followed by news in English. Commentary at 1610 (Iwao Nagatani, Kobe, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** POLAND [and non]. POLNISCHER RUNDFUNKRAT RUEGT "RADIO MARYJA" WEGEN ANTISEMITISMUS Warschau (dpa) - Der polnische Rundfunkrat hat am Mittwoch den von dem Redemptoristenpater Tadeusz Rydzyk betriebenen Rundfunksender "Radio Maryja" wegen der Verbreitung antisemitischer Stereotype geruegt. Der Sender habe entsprechende Kommentare in Hoerersendungen unerwidert gelassen und durch mangelnde Reaktionen "auf diese Weise falsche Uberzeugungen bestaetigt", hiess es im Bericht ueber die Ergebnisse einer dreiwoechigen Uberpruefung der Programminhalte von "Radio Maryja". Ausserdem wurde den Programmberatern Irrefuehrung der Hoerer vorgeworfen. So sei behauptet worden, Papst Johannes Paul II. habe waehrend einer Audienz "Radio Maryja" sowie den ebenfalls von Rydzyk betriebenen Fernsehsender "Trwam" gesegnet. Recherchen der katholischen Nachrichtenagentur KAI haetten jedoch ergeben, dass dies nicht der Wahrheit entsprach. Die polnische Amtskirche hat sich in den vergangenen Jahren von dem Sender distanziert. Bei der vergangenen Parlamentswahl unterstuetzte "Radio Maryja" die rechtspopulistische "Liga Polnischer Familien" (LPR), die wiederholt mit nationalistischen und antisemitischen Aeusserungen fuer Skandale im polnischen Parlament sorgte. dpa (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** RUSSIA [non]. UKRAINE: Radio Krishna Loka was observed crash- starting at 0103 on 18th June on 7434.2 kHz, which had drifted up to 7436.3 kHz when checked at 0250 (nominal span 0100-0300). Reception only fair to poor, but "Radio Krishna Loka" ID quite clear when heard about 10 minutes into the broadcast - hear this on the Interval Signals Archive website at http://www.intervalsignals.net Regards, (Dave Kernick, June 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAIWAN Taipei Radio International (CBS) will change their name to Taiwan Radio International from July 1 (Gaku IWATA, Chiba, Japan Premium via DXLD) All other reports say Radio Taiwan International, but were not originally in English; was this? (gh) An announcement on the 0200 English broadcast on June 20 said that as of July 1, Radio Taipei International will be changing its name to Radio Taiwan International. I'm sure the diplomat types in Chinese Beijing are thrilled with that. ;-) Also, "Instant Noodles" is apparently back on the schedule, now being hosted by Andrew Ryan. "Instant Noodles", for those who didn't hear the previous incarnation (hosted, IIRC, by Shereen Wang) is a program of "news of the weird" from the Asia/Pacific region. Think of RA's "AsiaPacific" not taking itself seriously. (Sorry, John.) Here in the US, RTI can be heard at 0200 and 0300 UTC on 5950 kHz and 9680 kHz. In the northeast, you may also be able to catch the 2200 UT broadcast on 15600 kHz from WYFR in Okeechobee, FL, beamed to Europe, which is a repeat of the features from 0215-0300, although the news is updated (Ted Schuerzinger, June 19, swprograms via DXLD) ** TIBET. 4820, Xizang PBS, Lhasa, 2302-2330, 6/18 Chinese/English. Apparent language lesson with OM and YL in Chinese, lots of repetitive words and phrases. Brief music at 2320 with (presumed) ID by YL with echo effect. YL in EG at 2324 spelling "parrot" and "garden", OM repeats in Chinese. Signal begins to fadedout, gone by 2330. Good at tunein. Logged this one on 5/21, same time and format. WRTH lists CNR 1 relay. 6050, Xizang PBS, Lhasa, 2150-2215, 6/18, Chinese OM and YL with talks noted over co-channel HCJB after Nigeria signoff. Pips and (presumed) ID at 2200, different YL with news, jingles and talk at 2205, HCJB taking over by 2215 (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, Sangean ATS 818, RF Systems MLB-1, RS Longwire w/ RBA balun, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** TUNISIA. Hi folks, I hope you're OK. Thank you very much for your valuable DX activity. I wonder if there is any DXer who will visit Tunisia this summer or in the next months. Please, If you'll visit Tunisia, contact me on my personal e-mail. My FREE DXpedition has failed; no one accepted to participate. May be for security reasons. But, be sure that Tunisia is a very peaceful country. So, I'll try to make some single meetings with some DXers who will visit Tunisia, and this to increase DX activity here. Waiting for your answers. 73's from Tunisia (Achraf Chaabane, CRW North Africa Bureau (Tunisia) achraftn@yahoo.com June 19, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** U S A. IBC RADIO NETWORK ANNOUNCES DISCUSSIONS WITH INTERNATIONAL SHORTWAVE STATION SANTA MARIA, Calif. -- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- June 19, 2003 -- International Broadcasting Corporation (OTCBB:IBCS) announced today that it is in talks with Miami-based International shortwave station WRMI. The discussion involves several different topic areas and IBCS will keep the shareholders informed of the specifics as they evolve. Earlier this year, IBC Radio Network and its strategic partner, Lou Gentile's Paranormal Radio Network (LGPRN), began broadcasting limited programming on WRMI. Recent Network Studio Upgrades IBC Radio Network, a division of International Broadcasting Corporation, based in Santa Maria, CA, recently upgraded its technical broadcasting infrastructure. In a complete technical infrastructure merger with Lou Gentile's Paranormal Radio Network (LGPRN), IBC Radio Network now offers several independent FM radio-quality stereo Internet radio feeds customizable to the listener's Internet connection. These upgrades provide the necessary technical foundation for expanded distribution to AM and FM stations and satellite. IBC Radio Network is also proud to announce that it has expanded its studios and production facilities to two locations, one in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and another on Vancouver Island, Canada. The Canadian studio is the first step in establishing an International presence. About WRMI Since 1994, Radio Miami International has operated FCC-licensed shortwave station WRMI -- a commercial international radio station which transmits to listeners throughout the Americas -- from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego -- in English, Spanish and other languages. The WRMI staff has decades of experience in shortwave broadcasting. Jeff White is General Manager of WRMI. He began listening to shortwave radio as a teenager in 1972, and became a shortwave broadcaster in 1977. He has a journalism degree from Northern Illinois University, where he served as News Manager for the public radio station there for several years. Jeff has worked as a freelance journalist and/or audience researcher for a variety of international radio stations, including the BBC, Voice of America, Radio Canada International, Deutsche Welle, Radio Netherlands, Swiss Radio International, National Public Radio and many others. He co-founded shortwave stations Radio Earth and Radio Discovery, as well as WRMI (of which he is a co-owner). Mr. White currently serves as President of the National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters (NASB). About International Broadcasting Corporation International Broadcasting Corporation is a developmental stage company that endeavors to develop successful publishing, media, and broadcasting related businesses and ventures. The Company is focused on developing and providing online information and entertainment content through three units: IBC Radio Network http://www.ibcradio.com IBC News Network http://www.ibcnn.com and IBC Entertainment Group http://www.cultmoviesonline.com For more information about IBCS and all of the different services, visit the corporate website at http://www.IBCmedia.com. Statements in this press release other than statements of historical fact are "forward-looking statements." Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties including the demand for the Company's services, litigation, labor market, and other risk factors identified from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that could cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements represent the Company's judgment as of the date of this release. The Company disclaims, however, any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Contact: International Broadcasting Corporation Daryn P. Fleming, 805/938-5573 invest@ibcmedia.com (IBCS June 19 via DXLD) I guess there is some arcane legal reason why IBC has to beat around the bush. Presumably the ``discussions`` are about buying cut-rate WRMI at last. What else could this be about? (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. KCUV/1510 and KNRC/1150 are still running \\. But as they prepare to take KCUV dark, I noticed that at approximately :12 and :42 after the hour KCUV is inserting an amusing announcement right over the top of the program audio. It sounds like one of those irritating telephone operator reject messages starting with 3 rude tones. Then the operator says "The radio frequency you have tuned to has changed. The new frequency is AM eleven-fifty. Lock eleven-fifty into your AM dial to continue listening to KNRC and to avoid hearing this interruption again. Hear both sides talk. AM eleven-fifty, KNRC." (Patrick Griffith, N0NNK CBT CBNT, June 18, Westminster, CO, USA, NRC- AM via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. Radio Amazonas, hoy 19/06, con señal bastante buena a las 0938 UT, en los 4939.69 kHz. Modulación distorsionada. Emitía música llanera. SINPO 45443 (Adán González Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, June 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 1386 kHz: On 19 Jun at 1940 on 1386 I noted a station with instrumental music, good old tunes like "Twistin' Patricia" "Bésame Mucho" "Never on Sunday" etc. Non-stop, no announcements at the TOH 2000. During these disturbed conditions was overriding VOR in English on this channel almost completely. I have heard this station also some other days. Haven't been much on MW lately. Is there a game Lithuania vs. VOR going on here? As writing this at 2020 music goes on (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hello Jari and others, we (Ronny Forslund and Jan Edh) heard the same station with the same music twice some time ago (May 29th, June 3rd) at about 2100 and 2000 UT respectively. Both times there were extremely bad conditions, leaving the MW-band almost empty for e.g. German stations, leaving Italians and stations from Southwest Europe/Near East almost alone. We had the same thoughts about possible Lithuania (It was not Kaliningrad), but there were no identifications or other announcements. Best regards from (Jan Edh, Hudiksvall, Sweden, DX-ing from Freriksfors, ibid.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ 2003 SHORTWAVE GUIDE A few weeks ago WRTH Publications issued their 2003 Shortwave Guide with A03 schedules. I have made an evaluation of it which you can read in my review on http://www.dswci.org/news/0306/shortwaveguide2003.html . . .during June 07-14, 2003, I again randomly selected 100 broadcasts in all SW bands and compared them with the details published in the SWG 2. Result: 95 of these broadcasts had all essential details! An increase in accuracy from 68% in WRTH 2003 to 95% in SWG 2 is a fantastic improvement and achievement! You cannot find a more correct Shortwave Handbook right now in the world! . . . Best 73, (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DX LISTENING DIGEST) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ UNDERSTANDING THE FCC'S BROADBAND OVER POWER LINE (BPL) NOTICE OF INQUIRY --- By Rick Lindquist, N1RL, ARRL Senior News Editor, June 19, 2003 Broadband Over Power Line (BPL) technology poses significant interference potential to HF and low-VHF spectrum use between 2 and 80 MHz. [Caption] Power lines used as conductors for RF signals at HF and low band VHF create the potential for interference from radiated emissions. The BPL NOI In a Nutshell On May 23, 2003, the FCC published a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) in ET Docket 03-104 asking how it should regulate the delivery of broadband services to homes and businesses using electrical wiring to conduct high-speed digital signals. The FCC calls this technology "Broadband over Power Line" (BPL)--a technology also known as Power Line Carrier or PLC. This article briefly explains the NOI and what amateurs should know so they can make informed comments to the FCC. BPL uses building and/or overhead power lines to conduct HF and VHF digital signals to network computers. There are a number of ways people can obtain broadband services--from cable modem to digital subscriber line (DSL) to satellite. The FCC views BPL as a competitive Internet access point, and the utilities view the technology as a means to use existing infrastructure to generate additional revenue from something other than power generation and distribution. The NOI asks how BPL should be regulated and states that the FCC wants to remove regulatory hurdles to its deployment. Present rules already permit BPL right now at significant power levels. Utilities would prefer that the FCC authorize even higher power levels. As of mid-June, nearly 1000 comments already had been filed. It is worth your time to become informed by reading the NOI itself and this article and to make your views known to the FCC. Amateurs should outline the important uses they make of Amateur Radio and the impact strong interference from BPL might have at HF and low-VHF amateur frequencies. Electric utility companies will operate many, if not most, BPL systems. ARRL members who have had experience dealing with power line interference and utilities' responses to complaints can describe those experiences in their comments to the Commission. Information on how to file comments is at the end of this article. An ARRL white paper, "Calculated Impact of PLC on Stations Operating in the Amateur Radio Service." provides a more detailed presentation on the technical aspects of this issue. The ARRL's Broadband Over Power Line resource page contains links to worldwide studies and resources to help Amateur Radio with BPL issues. How will the radiation from BPL wiring affect other systems, such as telephone or cable TV? What to Tell the FCC Amateurs filing comments to the FCC NOI might want to consider including words on these topics and points as part of their comments to the FCC: Amateur Radio is a valuable resource that must be protected. Describe the use(s) you make of Amateur Radio, especially those with a public service or emergency communication aspect. The present FCC Part 15 limits for this technology already can result in substantial interference potential to amateur frequencies. BPL systems that radiate on wide swaths of spectrum and that occupy entire neighborhoods have greater interference potential than localized systems, such as switching power supplies or electric motors. The FCC has promised to protect licensed users of the spectrum. We must hold them to that promise. A BPL Tutorial The BPL industry claims that the infrastructure to accommodate this technology already is in place. In many field trial areas, however, the BPL purveyors have had to run optical fiber cable throughout the service area to serve as the Internet backbone for the few hundred trial subscribers. Other BPL systems use overhead medium-voltage wiring, with digital "repeaters" installed every 2000 feet or so along the way. This widely spaced, unshielded wiring radiates a strong BPL signal to nearby areas. Still other BPL systems use IEEE 802.11- protocol wireless equipment to make the connection to homes and businesses. A number of BPL system types are in use or in development. Each employs different techniques and architecture, but all are carrier- current systems--a term describing systems that intentionally conduct signals over electrical wiring or power lines. There are two major categories of BPL: Access BPL and In-Building BPL Access BPL uses electrical distribution lines--overhead or underground--to deliver broadband Internet access to homes and businesses. Because the wiring is physically large and often overhead and extends across entire communities, access BPL poses a significant interference potential to over-the-air radio services. Access BPL uses a number of different techniques, from spread spectrum to OFDM (multi- carrier signals). In-building BPL systems are designed to use the electrical wiring within a building to network computers. In-building BPL can be used to interconnect PCs or other devices within a building by using that building's electrical wiring. Access BPL uses electrical distribution wiring to extend that connection to the Internet. [Caption] ARRL Lab Manager Ed Hare, W1RFI, is investigating the potential for BPL to cause interference to HF and low-VHF users. What Present FCC Rules Permit The NOI is not asking if BPL technology should be permitted. Under existing FCC rules, BPL systems may be built and used in the United States right now . The FCC is asking how the rules might be changed "to promote and encourage new BPL technology," in the words of the NOI. Present FCC rules say that carrier-current systems--this includes BPL/PLC--need to meet the general radiated emission limits for unlicensed "intentional emitters." An intentional emitter is one that transmits a radio signal as a part of its normal operation. At HF, BPL systems are permitted a radiated field strength of 30 uV/meter measured at 30 meters from the signal source. At VHF, they are permitted radiated emissions of 100 uV/meter measured at 3 meters from the signal source. In most cases, the source will be the electrical wiring within a building or the electric-utility lines that pass close to residences and businesses in the US. The FCC Notice of Inquiry The FCC NOI asks a number of specific questions about BPL and how it should be regulated and tested. BPL systems under development and in field trials right now use spectrum between 1.7 and 80 MHz, but the NOI is also asking whether BPL should also operate on other parts of the spectrum. Amateurs are encouraged to read the NOI in its entirety and answer those questions from an Amateur Radio perspective view. Many amateurs have significant professional credentials and experience and this represents an opportunity to use that amateur experience to help the Commission make a difficult decision. The NOI asks additional questions than we cover here, but these are the ones of greatest interest to most amateurs: What changes should the FCC make to existing rules to promote this technology, consistent with the Commission's objective of protecting licensed radio services? What spectrum should BPL use? Is there a need to define specific frequency bands for BPL to avoid interference to licensed services? How can the potential for interference be predicted? Will access BPL be compatible with other systems such as DSL or cable collocated on utility structures? Will in-building BPL be compatible with other devices plugged into the building electrical system? Are there any test results from BPL field trials that analyze or demonstrate the interference potential? Are existing Part 15 rules adequate to protect authorized users of the spectrum from new high-speed BPL technology? Does new high-speed BPL technology pose a higher risk of interference than existing unlicensed technology? What changes should be made the rules that describe how measurements should be made? How can the Part 15 rules be tailored to both ensure protection against harmful interference and to avoid adversely impacting the development of BPL technology? [caption] NTIA Administrator Nancy Victory has praised the FCC's BPL initiative but cautioned the Commission to take interference concerns into consideration. No Harmful Interference FCC Part 15 rules require that the operator of an unlicensed emitter not cause harmful interference to authorized radio services. The absolute emission limits and the non-interference rule work together to allow most unlicensed devices to operate without causing widespread interference. BPL is different from point-source emitters, however. Access BPL systems are not local in nature. They are expected to occupy entire communities. BPL systems do not create "birdies" on specific frequencies. They create radiated emissions at the FCC limits on entire swaths of spectrum. If interference occurs from localized "unintentional radiator" sources such as power line noise, solutions exist. For example, power companies can change cracked insulators. The FCC has been able to enforce these rules when necessary. Indeed, a number of electric utilities have received letters from the FCC, as have the neighbors of hams who own and operate noisy Part 15 devices. In the case of access BPL, if an amateur doesn't have the broadband system installed in his or her own house but experiences interference from signals radiated via the overhead electrical wiring, the only real solution could be to turn off the BPL system in entire neighborhoods. As a practical matter, that is unlikely to occur. BPL Field Trials A number of field trials have been conducted overseas. In many cases, International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) member-societies have carried out tests in the trial areas. In Austria, video recordings were made of some of the field trials. Field trials are just getting under way in the US. To date, none of them have specifically included Amateur Radio nor have any incorporated interference studies. Typical field trials include from a handful to a few hundred homes in suburban neighborhoods. ARRL has identified active field trials in Briarcliff Manor, New York; Cape Girardeau, Missouri; Cullman, Alabama; Emmaus, Pennsylvania; Hyde Park, Ohio; Manassas, Virginia; Potomac, Maryland; and Raleigh, North Carolina. In addition, the FCC has granted experimental licenses to BPL equipment manufacturers or utilities in a number of other states. To ARRL's knowledge, actual field trials have not started there yet. Immunity To ARRL's knowledge, no field trials have studied immunity. What will happen when amateurs operate their stations in areas where BPL is deployed? ARRL recently petitioned the FCC for a tiny amateur LF allocation in the vicinity of 136 kHz. The electric utility industry claimed in comments on the ARRL's petition that its PLC devices-- operating on an unlicensed basis on frequencies below 490 kHz--would suffer harmful interference from 1 W effective isotropically radiated power (EIRP) amateur stations. The FCC agreed and chose not to grant Amateur Radio the LF allocation it sought. Yet the same utility industry, in consortium with BPL manufacturers, is making the claim that on HF and low-VHF--frequencies where power lines make better antennas than they do on LF--BPL signals can coexist with amateur stations that may be running more than 10,000 W EIRP. Hams are generally very concerned about immunity, because they understand and appreciate the social problems that might result when a neighbor's broadband access doesn't work because the amateur is on the air. One technical issue involves the best method to bridging or bypass the typical step-down pole transformer to deliver BPL from the power grid into an office or dwelling. [caption?] File Comments The FCC now is accepting electronically filed comments via its Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS). Under ECFS Main Links, click on "Submit a Filing." In the "Proceeding" field, enter "03-104" and complete the required fields. Comments may be typed into a form or you may attach a file containing your comments. Comments also may be submitted via e-mail per instructions on the ECFS page. The FCC has created a Web page that offers more information about filing comments. There's also a mailing address for those wishing to file comments by postal mail. Supporting ARRL's Efforts on the BPL Issue The ARRL has initiated an important Spectrum Defense Fund campaign to support activities to educate government officials on the potential threat that BPL poses to Amateur Radio. "Although this technology is already allowed, the industry wants the limits to be relaxed--with greater interference to your ham radio operation," notes ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, in an appeal that went out recently to ARRL members. "The staff at ARRL is already hard at work on this issue." To find out more, or to support ARRL's efforts in this area, visit the ARRL's secure BPL Web site. Author's note: ARRL Laboratory Manager Ed Hare, W1RFI, contributed extensively to this article (via Bill Smith, W5USM, DXLD) FYI, here is the actual document. Interesting reading. I for one hope that someone has some sense at the FCC, although money seems to be speaking louder than sense there lately. http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-03-100A1.doc (Bob Combs, KCA6RC, swl at qth.net via DXLD) I also filed a comment against approval. BPL probably would be devastating to all things HF: ham, swl, etc. Filing a comment is very, very easy. Just click Patrick's link and throw in a few sentences. If enough people filed a public comment I think this could have an impact. I encourage everyone on this list to take 30 seconds to do it. (Damon Cassell, ibid.) I filed the following: I am against Broadband Over Power Lines - this will negatively impact communications on MW and SW frequencies for both consumers and for commercial and governmental users. I am heavily involved in emergency communications in support of DOMS, FEMA, and other customers, and rely almost exclusively on MW and HF frequencies. To have any additional barrier in any form, including interference from Broadband Over Power Line emissions, will cripple our emergency services and Homeland Security resources. 73 de (Tomas, NW7US (AAR0JA/AAM0EWA) Hood, ibid.) DRM [and non] +++ ANALYSIS: DIGITAL SHORTWAVE LAUNCHED, US DIGITAL RADIO ON HOLD | Text of editorial analysis by Chris McWhinnie of BBC Monitoring's Media Services on 19 June On 16 June scheduled Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) shortwave broadcasts began, replacing long-running test transmissions. DRM is a non- proprietary digital transmission system for shortwave, mediumwave and longwave. The venue for the launch was the International Telecommunication Union's (ITU) World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-03) in Geneva where DRM Chairman Peter Senger marked the occasion in front of guests at a reception at the Chateau de Penthes in Geneva. A wide range of well-known and not so familiar international broadcasters participated: BBC World Service, Christian Vision, Deutsche Welle, Kuwait Radio, Radio Canada International, Radio France Internationale, Radio Netherlands, Radio Vatican, Swedish Radio International, Voice of America, Voice of Russia and Wales Radio International took part in the event. What does it sound like? BBC Monitoring has listened to the latest broadcasts using a Franhofer DRM software enabled PC receiver coupled to an AOR shortwave receiver with an active whip antenna. The low bit-rate digital audio from DRM does exhibit slight evidence of the process of audio compression. Occasional drop-outs have been observed and the audio quality can degrade to an echo and then either recover or cut to silence for a short period. The audio quality on speech and music is good and all the signals heard so far have sounded less distorted than the lowest bit rates of 48 and 64 kb/s via DAB (Eureka 147 digital audio broadcasting). When one considers that the DRM signal is on shortwave and uses the same radio spectrum as a conventional AM signal, then the results are quite impressive. Regulatory issues There appears to be some uncertainty about exactly how DRM will be used. The improvement in shortwave quality for the main international radio stations is the main benefit. But DRM can significantly improve on mediumwave and longwave reception too. This would involve simulcasting analogue and digital signals, probably on different frequencies. There is also talk of short-range shortwave DRM being used for local programming. It has been said that that DRM and DAB are not not rivals but are instead complementary technology. However this fails to recognise that each is a system intended to deliver terrestrial digital radio signals in a robust fashion. A combined longwave/mediumwave/shortwave DRM receiver with an electronic programme guide, which is already being developed, seems possible and desirable. There are regulatory issues, and commercial broadcasters may cry foul when a foreign station can beam into a country in comparable quality to a local FM, DAB or DRM signal. In addition, if DRM becomes widely available, then suitable shortwave transmission facilities may become a sought-after resource. Rival US system on hold The USA radio industry decided that it needed a single digital radio system which was not DAB - seen as a replacement for FM broadcasting but requiring an additional set of frequencies - or DRM - seen as a replacement for AM only. Instead Ibiquity Digital Corp worked on the Perceptual Audio Coder (PAC) - a compression system which could be used on AM or FM utilizing existing broadcast allocations. This is known as IBOC (in-band on- channel) and the system is mainly referred to as HD (high definition) Radio. In early June, Radio World's web site reported that technical concerns had caused the temporary suspension of standard-setting activities for IBOC. Apparently the engineers wanted time to improve the compression algorithm for the lowest HD Radio bit rates, 36 or even 64 kb/s on the AM band. But a mono DRM signal on the other hand appears to be acceptable at even 20 kb/s, although a digital radio expert told Radio World that audio coding is perceptual and that the DRM and HD Radio compression systems each make different trade-offs. Even with the delay, chip-manufacturer Philips says it will announce the availability of the vital processing components for radio sets within three months. The promise of HD radio sets in US shops by summer 2003 seems optimistic but is ahead of DRM receiver production and roll-out in the rest of the world. HD Radio is politically unlikely to perform a volte-face and adopt AAC+, the DRM coding system, over PAC. So, a world digital AM- replacement standard may be unachievable at present. A question of development There are some questions raised by the development of digital broadcasting. Why did digital radio and TV develop seperately terrestrially, but together via some satellite systems? Will portable communication devices or mobile phones incorporate any of the digital radio systems or use internet protocol for broadcast media? How did the concept of developing separate digital replacements for AM and FM ever come about in the first place? This is in part related to the amount of spectrum available within each band but makes for incompatible chip sets and radios. Why has DAB taken so long to make an impact, and only significantly so in the UK? Why have the enormous spectrum savings afforded by DRM not swept aside the now ageing DAB system? 100 DRM signals of seemingly acceptable audio quality could fit between 106-108 MHz for example. Challenges ahead The challenge for digital radio may be the enormous number of analogue radio sets scattered around most homes and pre-installed in cars; no subscription system to subsidize the cost of new receivers and the reluctance of major manufacturers to commit production facilities to something consumers hardly understand and don't yet think they need. For DRM in particular, the ultimate selling point has yet to be determined because increased choice, rather than just new technology, appears to lead to successful new media systems. Is it significant that the digital radio systems which provide wider content and choice are those with the largest take-up? Sirius Satellite and XM satellite radio in the USA and the free-to-air radio element of the UK's Sky Digital system are all attracting an encouraging number of users. A European direct-to-home satellite system planned by Alcatel and WorldSpace hopes to repeat the success of the US satellite systems. It seems that any new digital radio system which merely duplicates existing choice but requires the purchase a new radio set, whatever the technical advantages, faces a long haul before it becomes the de facto radio system. Source: BBC Monitoring research 19 Jun 03 (via DXLD) see also NORWAY Glenn: Just thot I`d pass this along. Contacted RL Drake last week to ask if they planned a digital upgrade for the R8-B. They do not. Question: am I correct in saying that, if you can get a 12kHz output from the radio (which I have no clue how to do), you could use an outboard decoder to hear DRM programming? (Alan Bosch, DX LISTENIN DIGEST) I think so ... MUSEA +++++ VOA MUSEUM ACQUIRES RADIO ARTIFACTS By Jennifer Edwards, The Cincinnati Enquirer WEST CHESTER TWP. - One of the country's largest museum collections on radio history will leave Cincinnati and make its new home at the Voice of America Museum off Tylersville Road. West Chester Township leaders announced this week they have entered into an agreement with the Gray History of Wireless Museum, formerly located at the WCET Channel 48 (PBS) facilities in the West End, to establish displays and store its large collection at the VOA museum. "The Voice of America Museum is an ideal location for this prestigious collection of artifacts," said Bill Zerkle, West Chester's parks and recreation director. "The Gray Museum and the Voice of America Museum are connected in many ways and both will benefit from this agreement." The Gray History of Wireless Museum is rich in early radio gear, with many items from the beginning of the 19th century. There also are items relating to Powel Crosley, builder of the VOA facility. The Gray museum will remain an independent, nonprofit corporation with its own board of trustees and will retain ownership of the items in its collection. The first phase of a three-part re-creation of the 1940s VOA broadcast building as a public museum should be complete by the Fourth of July. The VOA Bethany Station began relaying news and entertainment around the world in 1944. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, it closed in 1994, and the big radio towers came down in 1997. Now, West Chester owns the VOA building and is converting it into a museum to honor the facility's legacy throughout World War II, the Korean and Vietnam wars, and the Cold War era. "The Voice of America Museum is an ideal home for our collection, making it more accessible to the public and providing a larger display area," said William Strangfeld, president of the board of trustees of the Gray museum. "Eventually, we hope to provide a participatory museum experience for visitors." The Gray museum's transition to the VOA is expected to take place as soon as arrangements are made to provide secure areas for storage of the collections and additional display space. "The Gray museum allows us to take a big step forward in creating a museum that educates the public about the significance of the Voice of America and the history of radio technology and communications," Zerkle said. The first glimpse at the Gray museum here will take place at a display at Freedom Fest June 28-29 on VOA grounds. The VOA has been open for tours and special events for several months. Nearly 1,000 people have visited the historic building to learn more about its past - and future. This is the second year of fund-raising efforts to renovate the museum. So far, hundreds of thousands of dollars of in-kind contributions have been donated from West Chester businesses for renovations and access at the VOA. They include carpeting, paint and new entrance roads off Tylersville and Cox roads, said Trustee Catherine Stoker, who is heading up fund-raising with a veterans group and township staff. About $10,000 in cash contributions from various groups and individuals has been donated to the Veterans Voice of America group for the museum. Those funds have been used to promote the facility through mailings and brochures, she said. This year, Veterans Voice of America expects to raise at least $100,000 for the museum. It should be completely renovated within seven years with one full floor of displays plus modifications for museum offices on the second floor (Cincinnati Enquirer June 18 via Artie Bigley, DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ GEOMAGNETIC INDICES Phil Bytheway - Seattle WA - phil_tekno@yahoo.com Geomagnetic Summary May 20 2003 through June 16 2003 Tabulated from email status daily Date Flux A K SA Forecast GM Forecast Etc. 5/20 115 13 3 no storms no storms 7 21 117 13 2 no storms no storms 4 22 119 19 5 minor minor 9 23 118 26 3 minor no storms 6 24 118 15 3 minor no storms 7 25 117 21 5 minor minor 8 26 121 23 3 minor no storms 6 27 125 17 4 minor minor 9 28 129 25 6 strong minor 9 29 130 34 5 strong minor 8 30 138 76 7 severe strong 10 5/31 117 40 6 moderate moderate 7 6/ 1 113 20 2 moderate moderate 5 2 112 18 4 minor minor 7 3 121 26 4 moderate minor 7 4 115 26 5 minor minor 8 5 106 19 3 no storms no storms 5 6 114 11 3 no storms no storms 8 7 126 12 3 minor minor 7 8 133 22 5 no storms minor 9 9 153 22 4 minor minor 7 10 158 27 6 strong minor 9 11 177 29 4 moderate moderate 5 12 193 22 3 strong moderate 4 13 164 21 4 moderate moderate 5 14 151 21 5 minor minor 7 15 134 46 5 moderate minor 7 6/16 129 31 5 strong minor 7 ********************************************************************** (IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ### ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-109, June 18, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3f.html For restrixions and searchable 2003 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn FIRST AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1187: Wed 2200 on WBCQ 7415, 17495-CUSB Thu 2030 on WWCR 15825 Fri 1930 on RFPI 15039 Sat 1731 on WINB 13570 WRN ONDEMAND [from Fri]: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [from early UT Thu] [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1187.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1187.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1187h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1187h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1187.html WORLD OF RADIO VIA TELEPHONE Someone is putting recording of latest WORLD OF RADIO [complete?] on a phone line at (206) 333-5096 (George Thurman, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So they are, no permission from me, tho the more platforms the better, I suppose. That`s in Seattle. I wonder if Alex has something to do with this, as he used to provide ours and other DX programs via http://members.rogers.com/alexsradio/dxprograms.htm but that no longer works. If anyone knows or can find out who is doing this, please let me know (gh) ** AFGHANISTAN. The penultimate item on the Wed June 18 SOUNDS LIKE CANADA from CBC Radio 1 is: ``Afghanistan Radio -- Radio Rabi'ah Balkhi is located in a two-room apartment on a dusty, commercial street in northern Afghanistan. The purpose of the station is to bring Afghan women back into public life. The project is funded by a Canadian charity called the Institute for Media Policy and Civil Society. Tina talks to Jane McElhone, the project director.`` But it seems there is no audio archive, tho they will be glad to sell you a tape. It might be on the BEST OF show, at 8:05 pm local, the original airtime having been 11:32-11:43 am local as heard on CBW. Started with a recording of station; I never heard a frequency mentioned! (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. 4835, VL8A Alice Springs, 0825, June 18, Current events program until 0830, then a station promo mentioning "ABC Territory Radio" Fair to good copy (David Hodgson, TN, June 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRIA [and non]. ADIÓS A RADIO AUSTRIA... Gracias a la coalición centroderechista del gobierno austríaco y a la desidia de algunos dirigentes "eurocentristas", el próximo 30 de junio nos quedamos sin nuestra querida Radio Austria Internacional. Ya el mismo error lo cometieron varios países. Por ejemplo, Radio Budapest - en 1991- decidió suprimir sus emisiones en español gracias a la "borrachera" de ciertos personajes gubernamentales magiares, al "descubrir" que ya América Latina no les interesaba. La moda era "integrarse" al capitalismo salvaje y a lo que "vendía", y como el español no "vendía", lo eliminaron. En el caso de la ORF, la metida de pata es de dimensiones cósmicas: eliminar todo el servicio exterior de radio es la "moda". Eso no "vende". ¡Patético! Si algunos despistados aún se preguntaban cuál era la diferencia entre la derecha y la izquierda, ¡bingo!, hemos topado con una de ellas. A ciertas tendencias políticas no les interesa el internacionalismo y ¡mucho menos! la integración. Y no me hablen de dinero. Allí está el caso argentino: a pesar de la grave crisis económica de 2001, la Argentina todavía mantiene su servicio exterior de radio. ¿Entonces? Un adiós para Radio Austria que se convierte en un ¡hasta siempre! (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, June 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOTSWANA. In today's mail a returned reception report from Radio Botswana, mailed January 21st 2003. The address I used was: Mr.T. Makgekgenene , Director, Radio Botswana, Private Bag 0060, Gaborone, Botswana. This is the recent PWBR address as well as the address used on recent replies listed on the QIP. The envelope was marked "undeliverable" by the Botswana Postal Service. Try again, any ideas? 73's. (Joe Talbot, AB, June 17, Cumbre DX via DXLD) It is possible that the person you wrote to may no longer works there. According to the Commonwealth Broadcaster directory the current acting director of broadcasting is Mr Habuji Sosome Its probably best not to send reports to named individuals - just use the job title. 73s (Dave Kenny, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** CANADA. I checked yesterday and today for CFRX on 6070 at around 1500. Not heard here, I'm not sure if they are off, though even in poor propagation conditions I can usually hear them, nothing at all here (Steve Lare Holland, MI, June 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Hi Glenn, Don't know if you're aware, but on June 11, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage came out with a massive report on Canadian broadcasting (872 pages) called "Our Cultural Sovereignty" and among its 97 recommendations, one that RCI be strengthened. Details at: http://www.geocities.com/rciaction/HeritageCttee20030611.html What's a bit strange is that neither CBC, nor our own management has informed staff. This morning (Wednesday, 18 June) they'll get the news from the RCI Action Committee. If you need any details, don't hesitate to get in touch (Wojtek Gwiazda, RCI Action Committee - Comité d'action de RCI http://www.geocities.com/rciaction DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS MORE RESOURCES FOR RCI Ottawa, 11 June 2003 - In a massive report on broadcasting in Canada called ``Our Cultural Sovereignty``, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage described RCI as ``an essential international service.`` Among its 97 recommendations the Committee called on the ``appropriate department [to] review the mandate of Radio Canada International, with a view to identifying the necessary resources required to strengthen its services.`` In the two and a half pages devoted to RCI, the Heritage Committee reported that ``Two groups, the RCI Action Committee and the Canadian International DX Club, made passionate submissions to the Committee.`` Quoting from the brief of the RCI Action Committee, the Heritage Committee wrote: ``The RCI Action Committee told the Committee that the government`s support for an international service: ... must go further than just a general statement to ``provide an international service``. The Broadcasting Act must outline RCI`s mandate to ``attract an international audience`` and develop ``international awareness of Canada`` [the CBC`s Corporate Policy No. 14]. It must specifically oblige RCI to prepare such programming in both official languages, English and French. There should be sufficient guidelines in the Act to ensure most regions of the world are covered, and to ensure RCI broadcasts in major foreign languages, and any others deemed important or useful. Without necessarily enumerating each region and language, these directives must be strong enough to prevent anyone but Parliament from being able to change the mandate of RCI. At the moment, there is very little that prevents the CBC from cutting services back radically. This despite the fact that all of RCI funding comes from the Canadian Heritage Department.`` The Heritage Committee has requested that the government respond to its report. The entire report is available on the Heritage Committee`s Website LInk http://www.parl.gc.ca/InfoComDoc/37/2/HERI/Studies/Reports/herirp02-e.htm The text on RCI is in Chapter 7, in the section on International Services. http://www.parl.gc.ca/InfoComDoc/37/2/HERI/Studies/Reports/herirp02/08-Ch07-e.htm#3 [The Committee regards Radio Canada International to be an essential international service through which Canadian perspectives can be shared with the world. It agrees with the recommendation made by the Senate Committee and for this reason: RECOMMENDATION 7.6: The Committee recommends that the appropriate department review the mandate of Radio Canada International, with a view to identifying the necessary resources required to strengthen its services] DIFFICULT TIMES AT RADIO CANADA INTERNATIONAL The Committee`s recommendations come at a time when Radio Canada International is increasingly losing control over services, as it is integrated into the domestic service, CBC/Radio-Canada. Offices are being given away to personnel from the domestic service. There are even days were RCI conference rooms are so booked, that RCI personnel has to meet elsewhere. The master control room that coordinated all broadcasts coming in and out of RCI, has been dismantled. Broadcasts are now routed through the central control of the domestic service. Technical, adminstrative and support services are now all part of the domestic service. Production staff is still working with reduced resources, and a number of permanent positions have not been filled. RCI ORDER IN COUNCIL CHANGED On a legislative level, the Order-in-Council that defines RCI`s existence was changed in March of 2003 (for the first time since 1968). It has been shortened, is less specific in describing RCI`s mandate, eliminates the role of RCI`s Executive Director in dealings with the government, and is vague in the obligations of the domestic service CBC/Radio-Canada. CBC RCI BOSSES SILENT ON COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION Although the domestic service was quick to praise the Heritage Committee`s recommendations about its services, it was silent on the recommendation for increased resources for RCI. And even though RCI management was aware of the recommendation, it has not communicated the information to staff. Staff was informed today (18 June 2003) by the RCI Action Committee. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions to help us, please contact the RCI Action Committee at rciaction@yahoo.ca (via DXLD) ** CANADA. "GO AHEAD, TOUCH THAT DIAL" --- CRTC TO HOLD HEARINGS ON APPLICATIONS FOR NEW STATIONS IN EDMONTON. NINE NEW STATIONS VIE TO SHAKE UP LOCAL RADIO SCENE Edmonton's FM dial will soon be substantially more crowded if proponents of an aboriginal network, a 24-hour urban outlet and various modern-rock formats have their way. Starting Monday, nine potential newcomers to the local radio scene will make their pitches to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. The hearings, at the Shaw Conference Centre, are open to the public. . http://www.canada.com/edmonton/edmontonjournal/story.asp?id=789C11BA-C75F-46BC-8AE2-8FEEA7F4912A 73- (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** CHANNEL ISLANDS. Press Release received from Nick Creed re Island Sport, "high power RSL" on Guernsey 105.3 and Jersey 101.3 for Island Games 22 June - 4 July: 2,500 COMPETITORS, 23 ISLANDS, 1 RADIO STATION Guernsey is gearing itself up to host the 2003 Natwest Island Games. Held every 2 years since 1985, the Games can best be described as an "Olympics" for Islands and have grown into one of the biggest multi- sports event in the world. From the 28th June, Guernsey will welcome around 2,500 athletes and their supporters from 23 islands all around the world, including Greenland, The Falklands, Bermuda and Rhodes. Following the 2001 Games, which were held in the Isle of Man, Guernsey's commercial radio station, Island FM applied to the Radio Authority to run a special high power RSL (Restricted Service License) radio station to cover this year's event. After two years of planning, 'Island Sport - The Games Station' is ready to begin broadcasting. It will be a non-partisan, 24 hour a day service that will immerse itself in the events and become the soundtrack of the Games. A team of around 35 are needed to run the station and as well as using local freelancers, Island Fm is drafting in staff from other stations in the Tindle Group. "Island Sport has been an exciting project to be involved with" said Nick Creed, Managing Director of Island Fm. "This is the biggest event in Guernsey's history and we wanted to be a part of the action. The geography of the islands dictated that low power FM would not achieve the coverage required, so we are delighted to be able to broadcast a 'full power' service!" He added "There is a huge amount of interest both here in the Channel Islands and around the world and our mission is to reflect the fun and spirit of the Island Games." Island Sport will be broadcasting on 105.3 FM in Guernsey and 101.3 FM in Jersey. It will also be available online through the NatWest Island Games Website http://www.guernsey2003.com As well as results, news and travel information, Island Sport will broadcast essential information for those taking part. Each competitor will be receiving an FM radio in their welcome pack when they arrive in Guernsey. The station will begin broadcasting a preview service on 22nd June and continue until the Games closing ceremony on 4th July. ENDS 16th June 2003 For further information contact Nick Creed 01481 242000 (via Alan Pennington, BDXC-UK via DXLD) So what is the definition of ``high power`` or ``full power``? (gh, DXLD) ** CHINA. Today I received a reply from China Huayi Broadcasting from an address in Jiangsu. The envelope contained a nice-looking folder, of which I think it is NOT a QSL but just some advertisement for CHBC. It's entirely in Chinese and there also some restaurant coupons attached to it. Anybody with a similar reply or possibly with a genuine QSL? Anyway, I will try to have the text translated. Best 73's (Hans-Dieter Buschau, Hildesheim Germany, June 18, hard-core-dx via DXLD) I got a "real" nice looking QSL card from the station. On the backside half of it was in Chinese, not written in, and half of it was a printed QSL text in English with all details included and signed by Qiao Xiaoli. He also wrote "2003. No 3" in the upper right hand corner. 73 from (Björn Fransson, the island of Gotland, Sweden, ibid.) ** CHINA. Re Harris: Glen[n], This url appears to be wrong: http://www.bc.harris.com/product_portfolio/prod_media/dx200.pdf Did you check it out? I can't get it to work (Ben Dawson, DX LISTENING DIGEST) No, but I just did: it must be: http://www.broadcast.harris.com/product_portfolio/prod_media/dx200.pdf Just about the specs, not where they have been installed. The wrong URL probably caused by BC-DX`s insistence on replacing the cumbersome word ``broadcast`` throughout the text by ``bc``. Unfortunately, we copied the wrong URL also under ROMANIA and SAUDI ARABIA in last issue (gh, DXLD) ** CHINA. Continuous Chinese instrumental music (presumed CRI) heard June 18 as follows: 1500 on 15680, 15510, 15265, 13690, 13835, 11945 and 11765. 1600 on 15680, 15510, 15265, 13690, 13715, 11945 and 11795. 1700 on 15680, 15510, 13690 and 11945. Reception best throughout above periods on 13690 (Roger Tidy (UK), DX LISTENING DIGEST) You mean distinct from the crash-and-bang jammer service? (gh, DXLD) ** CUBA. 1900 kHz, (2 x 950), R. Reloj, 0750 June 18, 2nd harmonic from one of their outlets on 950 is still making an appearance right in the middle of the 160m amateur band. Both voice and Morse code ID. Good copy (David Hodgson, TN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Yo también capté la Radio Rebelde esta mañana entre 1005-1008 UT por 5025 kHz con fuerte interferencia de 5030 kHz, y además, con un heterodino. Tanto la interferencia como el heterodino desaparecen usando detector sincrónico, y entonces la calidad de la escucha es buena, SINPO=44444. Pero noté que el detector pierde el ancla regularmente; posiblemente está intentando anclar en la señal del heterodino y en Radio Rebelde cuando el fading hacía más fuerte una o otra señal. El programa era el mismo "Haciendo Radio". ¿Cuánto dura este programa? Para la escucha usé el 7600GR conectado a una línea telefónica fuera de uso. Saludos (Elmer Escoto, Honduras, June 18, radioescutas via DXLD) Me alegra saber que estás captando a Radio rebelde en la frecuencia de los 5025 kHz, pero a mí me sucede lo mismo que a tí: en esa frecuencia hay demasiada interferencia de otras emisoras. Mañana debería tratar por los 11655, por donde se está copiando muy bien; lo que me extraña es que ningún otro colega la reportado. En cuanto al programa "Haciendo Radio" ellos dicen en sus promociones que empieza a las 5 de la mañana y termina a las 9 de la mañana, aunque a veces por los 11655, la señal se extiende un poco más y se puede escuchar parte del siguiente programa. Yo la comienzo a sintonizar luego de las 7 de la mañana (1115 UT) luego de dejar a mi hijo en el liceo. Por tu correo personal, te haré llegar archivo de audio para que tengas una idea de como la copio por aquí. Recibe un fuerte abrazo y los 73 cordiales. Atte: (José Elías, Venezuela, ibid.) ** CUBA. Si amigos! This is the mid week edition of DXers Unlimited coming to you from Havana, and now I want to ask those of you living in the Pacific Coast area of North America for a signal report of our new antenna array. It is now on the air on the 9820 kiloHertz frequency from 05 to 07 UT, that is from 9 pm to 11 pm Pacific Standard Time [sic]. Again, reception reports of the new 9820 Pacific Coast of North America antenna will be most appreciated; send them to arnie@r... [truncated] [By] the way, we start using 9820 kHz every evening at 00 UT in Spanish, with our Central North America beam, then at 01 UT we switch to English with the same antenna and operate until 05 UT with it; finally at the end of our broadcast day, we switch to the Pacific Coast of North America new curtain array until 07 UT. We do receive reports of the Central North America beam from the Pacific Coast, but everyone does seem to observe, as expected, a significant increase in signal strength when the beam is switched at 05. With the new antenna, I expect that the signals received in Northern Mexico, the Rocky Mountain States, California, Oregon, Washington state and British Columbia should be much better, but only you there can really say the last word!!! Send your signal report to arnie@r..., [truncated] or VIA AIR MAIL to Arnie Coro, Radio Havana Cuba, Havana, Cuba (RHC DXers Unlimited June 17 via Bob Chandler, ODXA via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. CLANDESTINE from NORWAY? to EUROPE. 7520, Voice of Ethiopia. Checked a number of Javaradios in Europe during the 2000 hour on Sunday June 15. Couldn't hear this one for this listed service in English for Europe; is anyone else hearing them? Last audio file on their website is from June 1 (Hans Johnson, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. DJ TURNS THE DIAL BACK TO THE '60S ONLINE Boredom with current radio trends and nostalgia for early top 40 programming led Richard Kaufman to create his own Web-based radio station. By DAVE SCHEIBER, Times Staff Writer, © St. Petersburg Times published June 16, 2003 http://www.sptimes.com/2003/06/16/Technology/DJ_turns_the_dial_bac.shtml As a kid from New Jersey in the 1960s, Richard Kaufman spent countless hours tuning his AM transistor radio to rock 'n' roll. He loved the music, and the rapid-fire shtick of DJs like Big Dan Ingram and Barnie Pip. They inspired Kaufman to become a radio DJ, too. But he never made the impact or had the kind of free-wheeling fun he dreamed of as a youth. That is, until he traded a home on radio for a home online. On the Web, Kaufman morphs into Ricky the K and brings the '60s alive again. Kaufman's Solid Gold Time Machine site http://www.60sradio.com features old-school DJ chatter, more than 3,000 songs from 1955 to 1971 and classic commercials and jingles from the '60s. That vintage, reverb-heavy radio format faded from the dials with the advent of '70s album rock, and the trend toward more music, less talk FM stations. But now Kaufman, 52, who paid his dues in Florida, Georgia and Oklahoma, is trying to revive the long-gone sound. He's poured his energy and resources into a nostalgic venture beaming '60s radio to baby boomers over the Internet. Kaufman says he draws listeners from across the United States, Canada, England and Australia who pay a subscription fee of $12.95 a month or $119.40 a year. Operating from his home in Dallas, the native of Livingston, N.J., declines to reveal how many paying customers he has, but adds, "I'm making a good living. And it's only getting better." Clearly, Kaufman is targeting the truly hard-core oldies lovers with his play-for-pay site. "In order to make it on the Internet, you have to do something different than, better than and cheaper than (your competition)," he says. "Cheaper than, I cannot do. So instead, what you do is superserve a niche audience. I'm doing that with an audience that is not being served by traditional radio." Kaufman launched his '60s music project in 1998 at the advent of the Internet's popularity. But e-commerce hadn't evolved enough to make subscription payments convenient, and media player technology wasn't as advanced. Listenership was limited. Today, he uses the PayPal online billing system to process subscriptions. With faster computers and high-speed connections commonplace, Web radio links abound, and Kaufman says his station has thrived since last year. Still, making a radio network succeed on the Internet is no easy task, says Larry Magne, publisher of Passport to Web Radio: Music, Sports, News and Entertainment from the Hometowns of the World. "It's very much oriented to a part of broadcasting that's been ignored: the narrow, super-niche market," he says. "For that, it might work. You find a dozen stations can work this way and eke out a living." Magne says the biggest challenge is convincing listeners to shell out more than $100 a year for a subscription. "You can get an awful lot of stuff through cable for 40 bucks a month," he said. "But for one station - unless you've got your slicked-back, Wild Root hairdo - paying $10 or so a month is a lot when there's so much out there for free." As a Webcaster, Kaufman has to pay a fee to the recording industry, ASCAP and BMI, but he builds that cost into his subscription rates. He had thought about pitching his endeavor for radio syndication but wanted to maintain full control. "I didn't want to have it watered down," he says. "If I'm going to be the last dinosaur on Earth, I didn't want to be in a situation of dealing with radio people," he says. "These are the people who messed radio up. I wanted to go directly to the audience." To do so, Kaufman dons one of his many Hawaiian shirts and goes to work in his home studio. He records three five-hour shows - 15 hours of programming - and changes the files once a week. "This way it's convenient for anybody in any time zone to listen," he says. "You just download it when you want. And with all the songs in my library, I don't repeat a song for 12 weeks." Kaufman has gone to painstaking lengths to re-create the feel of the 40-year-old format. He uses much of the same sound equipment employed in the '60s: an RCA 77-DX mike (like the one adorning David Letterman's desk) that provides a big bass boost; tube compressor- limiters, refurbished with parts from 1964, that create a warm, dense sound free from digital distortion; a distinctive "plate" reverb setting; and 31 bands of equalization per channel. "Put it all together and that's the sound of '60s radio," he says. Well, part of it. The rest comes from Kaufman's frenetic, looney approach, which he learned as a youngster by listening to DJ heroes such as WABC's Ingram in New York and Pip of Chicago's WCFL. One of his ongoing routines, inspired by a Miami DJ, is a faux dialogue with Tonto (the late Jay Silverheels) of the Lone Ranger TV show. Kaufman dubbed hundreds of Tonto lines from Lone Ranger tapes to create a Tonto quip for virtually any situation. He recorded them onto separate cartridges and pops them in on the fly. "I have five boxes of Tonto carts, all by category," he says. "To do this kind of radio, you have to be able to find this stuff in about five seconds or less." Then there are the time-warp ads: some 200 old cigarette spots, dozens of soft drink and beer jingles (Reingold, Ballentine, Shaeffer), and movie promos from The Ten Commandments to The Graduate. Kaufman says it takes a lot of effort to do the job right, but he's having a blast as Ricky the K. Though he worked as a radio DJ, starting in 1968, he never thought he reached his true potential. "I wanted to be great, but I was always very average, and I never knew why at the time," he says. Kaufman attributes it to the direction radio moved in the late '60s and '70s, de-emphasizing the role of mega-personality music DJs. "There were maybe about 20 who were really good," he says. "It was very hard to do well, you had to talk about 45 times an hour, but in short bursts, and you needed a quick mind to make it all work. "Then a guy named Bill Drake came along and invented this format that keeps the music moving, and it kind of became the McDonald's of radio: The DJs would only talk over the intros to the songs and outros to commercials. It basically made radio mediocre. Even a great DJ would sound mediocre in a Drake format, and a bad DJ would sound mediocre, too, because less is expected." Kaufman worked at stations in Fort Walton Beach and Atlanta, but left radio disenchanted. He moved to Dallas to write jingles for seven years, producing some for KOMA in Oklahoma City, a 50,000-watt station heard at night in more than 30 states. The program director liked Kaufman enough to hire him as a DJ in the mid-1990s. He worked there for 2-1/2 years, adopting a more rambunctious style, and was encouraged by the response. That's when the idea dawned on him to create his '60s show. "The typical oldies station plays the same 300 songs over and over, and can't sell advertising to anyone over 49," he says. "So if you're over 49, you don't count. Most oldies stations aren't even playing any oldies pre-1968 now. "I play the real oldies, thousands of them. And I make it entertaining like they did when I was a kid." (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. FCC ASKED TO SPURN MURDOCH --- By Frank Ahrens, Washington Post Staff Writer, Wednesday, June 18; Page E04 News Corp.'s purchase of a controlling interest in the DirecTV home satellite service should be blocked because it will mean higher prices and could lead to collusion between News Corp. and cable companies, DirecTV's biggest competitor said yesterday. . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7152-2003Jun17.html At this point why would FCC care? Especially, after recent FCC decision. 73, (-.. . Kraig Krist, KG4LAC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. Myanmar TV International (MRTV3) has begun parttime service on Telstar 5 Ku for North America. It is located on the Pitcomm MUX at 12177GHz, 23000 s/r, 2/3 FEC VID= 4081 AID = 257. MRTV shares the channel with VTV4 Vietnam. (This same PITCOMM MUX is home to WRN and Voice of Turkey-TRT.) (T. Wood, June 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN. In case anyone's interested --- I was interviewed by the folks from VOIRI this week, it will be broadcast Sunday (not sure what time but they usually broadcast to N America and Europe 0030-0230 [UT Mon], they woke me up at 1 in the morning, my time!!! later, 73s, (Sue Hickey, Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland, Canada, June 18, GRDXC via DXLD) ** IRAQ. GIVES WITH ONE HAND, TAKES AWAY WITH THE OTHER By Rohan Jayasekera, Index on Censorship June 11, 2003 http://www.indexonline.org/news/20030611_iraq.shtml Iraq's all-powerful civilian chief L. Paul Bremer III will not tolerate 'hate speech' from Iraq's newly freed media. To prove it he has assigned himself absolute power over the Iraqi press. Freedom of expression is in his gift and only the 'responsible' may enjoy it. Rohan Jayasekera comments. To the average Iraqi, almost nothing the Americans do makes sense. Each one is a schizophrenic beast, as likely to smile and hand out a sweet to a child as it is liable to open fire on a street protest or club a careless driver. The contradiction is in the mission; the US military came to Iraq to win a war, not wage a peace. The majority of US troops believe they came to Iraq as liberators. The Iraqis tend to think differently. The US authorities think their problem is their failure to get their message across. The Iraqis already get too many messages from the Americans, and almost all of them are contradictory. What kind of message did the US military send to the Iraqis when it seized "editorial control" of Mosul city's only TV station because of its "predominantly non-factual/unbalanced news coverage" - meaning the re-broadcasting of Qatari Arab satellite network al-Jazeera? "We have every right as an occupying power to stop the broadcast of something that will incite violence," Major General David Petraeus told reporters after being alerted to the offending broadcasts. "Yes, what we are looking at is censorship but you can censor something that is intended to inflame passions." According to a Wall Street Journal report, a US army major was relieved of her duties and removed from the base when she argued that the order contravened principles of free speech. After all, these are principles guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States, which every US soldier must "solemnly swear" to "support and defend". But these contradictions fly everywhere. Having invested $20 million dollars over three months in the rebuilding of Iraqi state TV & radio, renamed the Iraqi Media Network (IMN), the US officials in charge of the contract began balking at the new network's news output immediately it went on air. Managers were told to drop the readings from the Koran, the 'vox-pop' man-in-the-street interviews (usually critical of the US invasion) and even to run their content past the wife of a US-friendly Iraqi Kurdish leader for a pre-broadcast check. The station rejected the demands and dug in their heels. "As journalists we will not submit to censorship," Dan North, a Canadian documentary maker training Iraqis at the station, told Reuters. US civilian administrator L. Paul Bremer III, in charge of the occupying powers' Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), was said to be infuriated by the conflicting strategies in place at the IMN, which has two TV stations, a brace of local and national radio stations and two newspapers under development. Even more annoyingly for the US chief, the country's Shi'a broadcasters had made much more use of much less extensive support from Iran to get their networks on air, for more hours with more news. Almost all of it was hostile to the US-British occupation forces. A daily drip feed of increasingly embittered media coverage is turning into a flood, with every political faction in the new Iraq opening up new newspapers in Baghdad, and using them to voice popular frustration at the rising crime rate and failing public services on the Americans' watch. Every day brings new allegations and abuse. The papers representing political parties hostile to the US post unattributed reports of all kinds, accusing the western forces of gang rape, robbery and numerous 'insults to Islam'. One of Baghdad's scores of scrappy publications has begun printing clips from the so-called 'Protocols of the Elders of Zion' - the anti-Semitic Russian Tzarist-era forgery that purports to reveal plans for Jewish world domination. But now the US authorities have declared 'enough'. Bremer wants tough new rules governing the Iraqi media to sort the mess out. All Iraqi media must now be registered. Licences will be revoked and equipment confiscated from media sources that break the rules. Individual offenders "may be detained, arrested, prosecuted and, if convicted, sentenced by relevant authorities to up to one year in prison and a $1,000 fine". Appeal is to Bremer only, and his decision is final. His nine point list of "Prohibited Activities" include incitement to racial, ethnic or religious hatred, advocating support for the banned pre-war Ba'ath party, and publishing material that "is patently false and is calculated to provoke opposition to the CPA or undermine legitimate processes towards self-government". Officials say the order is intended to stop 'hate speech' - the kind of hot language they say could trigger violence between Iraqis and westerners, or possibly Iraqi Sunni and Shi'a or Arab and Iraqi Kurd. "There's no room for hateful and destabilising messages that will destroy the emerging Iraqi democracy," former IMN official Mike Furlong told the Associated Press in June. "All media outlets must be responsible." This is a long way from the stand made by Furlong's IMN colleague Don North the month before. "This whole idea (IMN) was about starting the genesis of an open media," he said at the time, "so we will not accept an outside source scrutinising what we produce." No more. And Bremer's order was only the start. It also marks a transformation for the IMN - from independent broadcaster driven by First Amendment principles to something else again entirely. The IMN is to be transformed into a mini-ministry to replace the old Iraqi ministry of information, made world famous by wartime Saddam propagandist minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf. Bremer will "reserve the power to advise" the IMN on any aspect of its performance, "including any matter of content" and the power to hire and fire IMN staff. Thus the man in absolute authority over the country's largest, richest and best equipped media network is also his own regulator and regulator of his rivals, with recourse to the US Army to enforce his rulings. Under the direction of former Voice of America chief Robert Reilly, the IMN was created in April 2003 by US defence technology giant Scientific Applications International Corp (SAIC) under contract to the Pentagon. SAIC's relevant speciality is what it calls "Information Dominance/Command and Control" - a nine point programme, according to its website, that begins with 'Battlefield Control' and ends with 'Information Warfare/Information Operations'. This kind of seamless link between military command and media management was what the Pentagon had in mind when it issued the contract to SAIC. A successor to the fuzzy TV broadcasts from USAF EC- 130E 'Commando Solo' psyops (psychological operations) planes and the radio broadcasts beamed from US army transmitters mounted on Humvee jeeps. It was the Pentagon that objected loudest to the resignation of the politically conservative Reilly as the director of the Voice of America, and welcomed his appointment as chief of the Defense Department's media programme in Iraq. Reilly fell out with the VOA board of governors over his 'ideological' views on what he and the Defense Department thought was the VOA's duty, to tell America's story to the nations it opposed. He famously called the fighting in Afghanistan a "war of ideas," with the VOA "on one side in that war". With Reilly gone the VOA joined a 'coalition of the unwilling' with the Pentagon in Iraq. "We are not in the psychological operation or propaganda business," VOA middle east chief Norm Pattiz told the Christian Science Monitor, citing the Pentagon initiatives. "Without the credibility of balanced, reliable, and truthful news, we would have no audience." "Under the last regime, it was illegal to criticise the government," Bremer told Iraqi journalists. "Now you are free to criticise whoever, or whatever you want." But, he added, "with freedom comes responsibility". Reilly says he hopes IMN will evolve into a "PBS-style" responsible public broadcaster. Even the censorious paratrooper Petraeus told the Washington Post that Iraq needed "something akin" to the Communications Regulatory Agency set up in Bosnia "to establish standards and procedures for cases in which those standards are broken." The issue is whether Reilly, and the IMN - a media network sired by Pentagon contract out of US Army psyops, soon to be Iraq's largest, most powerful and only truly national media corporation, topped by L. Paul Bremer III, a man with absolute power over its activities and its rivals - have taken the right route to these destinations. If Iraq needs media regulation, it should be independent. If it needs media at all, it should be more independent than this. (Index on Censorship Jun 11, 2003 via N.Grace-USA for CRW via DXLD) see also QATAR ** ITALY [non]. Volevo comunicare che da domenica 6 luglio, nella prima parte della trasmissione in lingua italiana di AWR - Adventist World Radio, irradiata dalle ore 0900 alle ore 1000 UT sulla frequenza di 11880 kHz (da Julich, Germania), andra' in onda, con cadenza settimanale, un programma di 20 minuti dedicato ai BCL, SWL e radioamatori dal titolo "Studio DX", da me curato e presentato. Tutti i rapporti di ricezione corretti saranno confermati con cartolina QSL speciale. Indirizzo e-mail : studiodx@e... . [truncated] Indirizzo postale : AWR, Viuzzo del Pergolino 4, 50139 Firenze. Buon ascolto, Stefano Mannelli, IZ5ENH (KC9AJF) http://www.smscluster.org http://www.awr.org http://www.rvs.firenze.net (BCLnews via DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH. QUIZZES FOR PRIZES ON RKI It is the 50th anniversary of RKI and they have some quizzes, sent to regular emailers, (I have their complete CC which they stuck in), and on their web page. Email survey about RKI shortwave, and Webpage about AudioOnDemand and such. http://www.rki.kbs.co.kr (Daniel Say, BC, June 17, swprograms via DXLD) ** LAKSHADEEP ARCHIPELAGO. Details of my latest AIR QSLs received {a.k.a. LACCADIVE ISLANDS} AIR KAVARATTI (Lakshadeep) 1584 kHz 1 kW. Full data verification letter received in 1 month from Mr. R. Periasamy, Asst. Station Engineer, AIR Kozhikode who is in charge of this station. It`s my 101st AIR station to be verified. The Lakshadeep archipelago is a Union territory of India and these coral Islands lie in the Arabian Sea on the South Western part of India, off the coast of Kerala. Of its 36 islands only 10 are inhabited. Kavaratti is the capital which is only 3.6 sq km in area with about a population of 7000 (1987). It seems that it is counted as a separate radio country in some bcdxing circles also like in Amateur Radio. (If so mine is the first known QSL from this radio country). It is about 400 km away from my native place in Kerala and use the same mother tongue of mine i.e. Malayalam. The native people are Muslims who originally came from our state of Kerala. Special permission is needed even for Indian citizens to visit these islands. I used to monitor AIR Kavaratti whenever I go home every year. At first they had some local programs but now a days they relay AIR Thiruvanatapuram, the capital station of our Kerala State which broadcasts in the same language. They have local IDs at sign on and play some music also then. AIR Kavaratti started on January 1, 1994 and I picked up the inaugural broadcast by chance and was trying for its QSL till now by sending several reports to them. This time I contacted them on telephone and the in charge told me that the Station Engineer of AIR Kozhikode is in charge of their station and to try for the verification through him which ultimately worked. AIR Kozhikode by the way has daily broadcasts in the evenings for these Islands. Incidentally, I had visited Kavaratti by ship in 1989 and stayed there for 45 days taking part in the VU7 Ham Dxpedition. At that time this station was not there. Then I visited the 10 watt solar powered TV stations and LW Radio Beacons there at Kavratti & Minicoy Islands. The present monitored schedule of AIR Kavaratti is: 6:40-9:45 am (Sun 8.30 pm) IST [= UT +5.5] 12:00-3:00 pm 5:00-8:30 pm Reception Reports of AIR Kavaratti may be sent to Station Engineer, All India Radio, Kozhikode 670032, Kerala. It`s a difficult catch outside South India as many other AIR stations are also using the same frequency (Jose Jacob, dx_india via DXLD) ** LEBANON [non]. CLANDESTINE from CIS to MIDDLE EAST. 11645 (Presumed), Voice of Liberty (via Javaradio Sweden), 1603 June 16, fair signal, well produced program, but I didn't catch an ID. All in Arabic, mostly short items, such as one about a rocket attack on a television station in Lebanon, and plenty of music. Tuned out at 1630 (Hans Johnson, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** MADAGASCAR. I heard the tests from the Radio Netherlands relay mentioned in DXLD 3107, that is yesterday, 17 June, at 0400 on 4930 and at 1630 on 3215, and today at 0400 on 6040. There's still one more to come: tonight at 1630 on 4930. Programming appears to be continuous unaccompanied choral singing (I only did brief checks, not listen to the whole thing). The 4930 test was noticeably weaker than the signal at the same time from Radio Madagascar on nearby 5010 (Chris Greenway, Nairobi, Kenya, June 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I also checked the 6040 broadcast, and it was quite marginal here (gh, Enid, DXLD) ** MAURITANIA. ATTEMPTED SEIZURE OF STATE RADIO CRW with wire reports [Jun 8] Attempts to seize Radio Mauritania by Islamist soldiers seeking the overthrow of the drought-stricken West African nation's president appear to have failed. With intense fighting between the kalashnikov-toting rebels and pro-government troops breaking out in the capital city the radio station has largely remained off the air and is believed to have been looted. Its absence from the airwaves suggested to wire journalists - most of whom were reporting from neighboring countries - that state-run radio and television had been seized early on Sunday, June 8. An announcement by the mutineers, in fact, had been expected. When Radio Mauritania returned Sunday morning, however, it stated that Nouakchott was still "under the enlightened guidance" of the president and urged residents to "remain calmly in your homes." Forty five minutes later, Reuters dispatched, the station was again silent. An Agence France Press (AFP) stringer placed a call to Radio Mauritania's main telephone line and reached someone claiming to be a pro-government soldier. "There is no problem now," he said. "We are from the presidential army unit. The premises have been pacified." Residents, meanwhile, told AFP that the state radio and television compound and education ministry were "ransacked" by looting prison escapees whose guards had fled. Mauritanian President Maaouya Sid'Ahmed Ould Taya is considered a pro-Israel U.S. ally in Saharan Africa who has come under fire from Islamist and pro-Arab forces inside his country that rejected his support for Operation Iraqi Freedom and crackdown on Islamic extremists (N. Grace, USA, Jun 8, 2003 for CRW via DXLD) ** MOLDOVA. 5960, R. Pridnestrovia has just verified my reception report from December 2002 on their English broadcast. They wrote: ``The Direction of the Radio DMR has received your letter and is glad to learn that our English program is listened in Europe. We thank you for having given a detailed description of the edition heard by you. It is very important for us to learn that the Radio DMR has found its listeners in Europe and raised their interest. We have received letters from Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. We will be glad to get new letters from you. Feel free to express your opinions and wishes regarding our program. Best regards, Director of the Radio DMR : Arkady D. Shablienko Editor-in Chief and author of the English program : Antonina N. Voronkova Editor and translator : Ernest A. Vardanean And the narrator : Vadim A. Rudomiotov`` Their address is: Radio Pridnestrovia, ul. Rozy Luksemburg 10, 3300 Tiraspol, Republic of Moldova. They broadcast in English Wednesdays at 1600-1630 on 5960 (A. Petersen, Denmark, Jun 9, 2003 in DXplorer-ML via CRW via DXLD) ** QATAR. AL JAZEERA: "FAIR," "BALANCED," AND BOUGHT: IT TURNS OUT THAT THE ARAB TV NETWORK WAS ON SADDAM'S PAYROLL. SURPRISE! by Stephen F. Hayes, The Weekly Standard, May 28, 2003 http://www.weeklystandard.com/content/public/articles/000/000/002/736nibie.asp AS FIERCE FIGHTING in southern Iraq claimed the lives of coalition fighters in early April, Ali Moh'd Kamal, the marketing director for al Jazeera, defended his network's willingness to show British and American soldiers captured by the Iraqis. "This is the first time the Arab media have had the upper hand on the western media," he told the Mirror, a London newspaper. He was right, of course. On Tuesday, when al Jazeera fired its director general, Mohammed Jassem al-Ali, the world was reminded once again of one significant reason --- Saddam Hussein's regime infiltrated media outlets throughout the region, including al Jazeera. According to a dispatch from Agence France Presse, hardly a pro- American outlet, al-Ali was canned after the Sunday Times of London reported earlier this month on documents uncovered linking him and two other al Jazeera employees to Saddam's regime. Al Jazeera has confirmed the report of Al-Ali's dismissal, but denies that he was let go because of suspicions about his ties to the Iraqi regime. On May 11, 2003, the Mirror's Marie Coyle wrote: "A document headed 'Presidency of the Republic, Mukhabarat Service,' indicates apparent contact between the intelligence agency and Mohammed Jasim Al-Ali, the station's managing director." While Coyle reported that there was not yet evidence that al-Ali had been paid off, the documents directly implicated two other al Jazeera employees. According to one document, authored by an Iraqi operative working in the regime's embassy in Qatar, an al Jazeera employee Iraqi intelligence referred to as Jazeera 2 passed letters from Osama bin Laden to Saddam Hussein. "[Jazeera 2] has a distinguished stand in the co-operation with us, continuously providing us with the information we request. I made him aware of the appreciation of his efforts. He has been presented with a set of gold jewelry for his wife." The documents also stressed the importance of keeping quiet the contacts between al Jazeera and the regime for fear that any disclosure of the relationship could cause Iraq to "lose [Al-Jazeera] as an instrument employed by us." These revelations support claims in a CIA document first reported by The Weekly Standard earlier this month. That report, "Baghdad's Propaganda Apparatus," offers a detailed analysis of the regime's efforts to co-opt Arab journalists with cash and gifts. It also named Rahim Mizyad, a close associate of Uday Hussein, who coordinated Iraqi media, as one of the agents working for al Jazeera: "Saddam's son Uday . . . assigned a writer, closely associated to him, Rahim Mizyad, as the correspondent to the al-Jazirah satellite television channel. Mizyad also is head of several weekly newspapers in Iraq and General Press Coordinator of all Iraqi governates, but Uday oversees his work." The efforts of the regime to win propaganda were hardly limited to al Jazeera. The CIA report, along with firsthand accounts from Arab journalists, paints a troubling picture of the Arab media coverage --- or, as important, lack of coverage--of the Iraqi regime. The Iraqi Ministry of Information, under the guidance of Uday and Tariq Aziz, "focused on determining the stories to be pushed, and assigning Iraqi resources overseas to conduct media operations." The Information Ministry coordinated its efforts with the Iraqi Intelligence Service (the Mukhabarat), which, according to the CIA report, "participates in the internal decision-making process, recruits media and other assets, delivers propaganda material and instructions to them, and provides payoffs. A variety of reporting indicates that journalists in the Middle East and Europe have been recruited to assist Iraq." Some of the transactions were obvious --- like cash handouts to journalists at the Iraqi Embassy in Amman, Jordan. Others were hidden. Saddam "would award big contracts to newspapers in Jordan to publish all sorts of stuff, like Iraqi schoolbooks and other things," says Salama Nimat, a Jordanian journalist who investigated connections between the Iraqi regime and politicians and journalists in Jordan. "The contracts were worth millions, and no one ever found out if they ever printed the books. No one cared." These practices are not new. They were covered both before and after the first Gulf War. "For years, the Iraqi leader has been waging an intensive, sometimes clandestine, and by most accounts highly effective image war in the Arab world," wrote Wall Street Journal reporters Jane Mayer and Geraldine Brooks in an exposé published on February 15, 1991. "His strategy has ranged from financing friendly publications and columnists as far away as Paris to doling out gifts as big as new Mercedes-Benzes." Curiously, as the American press struggles with questions about its own credibility, editors here have taken a pass on what one might think is a major story overseas. The New York Times ran a 98-word item on the al Jazeera firing on May 28, and it got a brief mention on MSNBC. It may be that the news about the dismissal broke too late to include it in newspapers out Wednesday. But the broadcast networks have largely skipped the story and only a handful of reporters followed up on the previous reports of collusion between the Iraqi regime and al Jazeera. Will this time be different? (Weekly Standard May 28, 2003 via N. Grace, USA for CRW via DXLD) ** QATAR [non]. AL-JAZEERA OPENS BAGHDAD STUDIO NAMED AFTER KILLED REPORTER Qatari Al-Jazeera satellite TV announced the opening of a new studio in Baghdad during the 17 June episode of its daily Iraq After the War programme, broadcast from Baghdad. At the beginning of the programme, presenter Muhammad Kurayshan said: "Dear viewers, greetings and God's peace and blessings be upon you. We welcome you to the penultimate episode of this programme which has a special flavour. With this episode, we inaugurate, with God's blessings, our new Al-Jazeera studio in Baghdad. This is the first studio our TV station has outside Doha. Out of loyalty and gratitude, Al-Jazeera Satellite Channel has named this studio after martyr Tariq Ayyub, our colleague who fell here in the Iraqi capital as the martyr of freedom and truth more than two months ago [following US shelling of the Al-Jazeera offices in Baghdad]. Martyr Tariq Ayyub studio was built by an enthusiastic group of Iraqi and Qatari young people under the daily and direct supervision of producer Farid al-Jabiri and supported by our Baghdad Bureau Director Waddah Khanfar." The programme then went on to discuss the plundering of Baghdad Museum, particularly focusing on stolen and retrieved artefacts. Appearing as guests on the programme were the director-general of research at the General Institute of Antiquities and Heritage in Iraq, Dr Doni George, and Iraqi archaeologist Dr Bahnan Abu-al-Suf. Source: Al-Jazeera TV, Doha, in Arabic 1605 gmt 17 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. 7437A, R. Krishnaloka (Tentative) (via Javaradio Sweden) 0218 June 18 with music, hard to describe. 0223 man talking over music plus he had a bit of echo. Not really sounding like Russian to me but hard to tell with the echo and music. 0227 slight break and more of the same over some New Age type music. Whole thing reminding me of the Falun Gong broadcasts. 0235 more music, chorus of men, but sounding more Middle Eastern than 'Krishna' to me. 0240 more talk, much easier to recognize as Russian. Another talk starting at 0247 with signal improving at this time, although there were still some deep fades. 0255 Singing by woman and then going instrumental. 0301 fast announcement by woman, I heard the word "radio" but nothing sounding like Krishnaloka. Another instrumental, dead air at 0304, pulled plug a minute later (Hans Johnson, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** SOMALILAND. Radio Hargeysa must have replaced its transmitter over the past few months. Earlier this year it was more-or-less on channel (7530) and operating USB with a carrier, so OK to listen to in AM mode. Now it is on 7530.6 or so and the carrier is so heavily suppressed that listening in AM mode is impossible. Even in USB mode the audio sounds very rough. A pity, as the signal strength is reasonable. Regards from a rather wintry Nairobi, (Chris Greenway, Kenya, June 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ? How can it be wintry on the Equator? (gh) ** SWEDEN. RADIO SWEDEN--Coming up on Radio Sweden: Thursday: In "HeartBeat" -- a mother's cure for skin disease and Doctors Without Borders Friday: Midsummer Eve Special on food, religion and culture in the Nordic region Saturday: "Spectrum" visits two plays Sunday: "SONO" goes wild at an art exhibition and rapper Timbuktu has a bone to pick with the Prime Minister (rerun) We reported last time about our DRM broadcasts from Canada, and mentioned that we'd have our own test broadcasts from Sweden soon. Well, soon is now, as those broadcasts began on June 13. We're using a 10 kW transmitter in Hörby mornings local time on 6065 kHz. As these are tests, the schedule is irregular, and we're trying different directions (Anders Backlin, Radio Sweden) (SCDX MediaScan June 18 via DXLD) ** SYRIA [non]. CLANDESTINE from CIS to SYRIA. 12120, Arabic Radio (via Javaradio Sweden), 1500 June 18, with at least six time pips. Music, and then ID's with slogan of "Free Arab Syria." Sked given as 1500-1600 on 12120 and 12085 and 0430-0530 7510. Lots of comments, decent signal, some deep fades. Much weaker on 12085. No sign of any jamming. All in Arabic (Hans Johnson, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** TAIWAN. At http://www.cbs.org.tw/French/index.htm A compter du 1er juillet, Radio Taipei International devient Radio Taiwan International pour les émissions en langues étrangères de CBS. Le 1er janvier 1998, Central Broadcasting System change de statut, et Radio Taipei International représente alors la radio de Taiwan à l`international. Durant ces cinq ans, des auditeurs de différents pays ont appris à mieux connaître et comprendre Taiwan, et nous ont contacté, nous permettant de nous rapprocher d`eux dans le monde entier. Mais nous avons découvert dans les lettres des auditeurs que certains avaient du mal à associer ``Taipei`` à ``Taiwan`` ; beaucoup estiment par ailleurs préférable d`utiliser directement le nom de ``Taiwan``. C`est pourquoi à partir du 1er juillet 2003, les émissions diffusées dans les douze langues étrangères de Central Broadcasting System le seront désormais sous le nom de Radio Taiwan International, remplaçant ainsi l`appellation Radio Taipei International. Nous espérons que ce changement gagnera le soutien des auditeurs de RTI. Central Broadcasting System No.55 Pei An Road Taipei, Taiwan. R.O.C. http://www.cbs.org.tw (via Daniel Say, BC, DXLD) Naming for the country rather than the city would certainly be in order, but one excuse above is that dumb listeners are having a hard time making the connexion between the two! Interesting that we are still awaiting a report of this in English (gh, DXLD) Hola Glenn, Saludos desde Catia La Mar, Venezuela. El pasado sábado 14/06 (domingo universal), la locutora Bonnie Cheng (si mal no recuerdo) anunció que a partir del 1ero. de Julio del presente año, Radio Taipei Internacional pasará a llamarse Radio Taiwan Internacional. Creo que la idea no está nada mal. 73's y buen DX (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, June 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAJIKISTAN [non]. We are looking for someone that can translate from Tajik to English. This is a part time job. 15-20 hours a week from home. All work it to be done at your home and email docs to us (Chris Stallings 757-548-4959 cstallings@theresumezone.com June 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TIBET. 7385, Xizang PBS, 1645 June 13, 44423 English program Holy Tibet [started at 1630?]. Over the previous 4 days I was in a journey for the 'Holy Spirit vacations' on the Mount Kerkini - Belles- 80 km NE from Thessaloniki for some relaxing as well as tripping across the area. Kerkini is one with fishes under preservation. We stayed in the very small village Ano Poroia, 900 m above sea , about 5 km from the Kerkini lake. The radio I used is Kchibo CC300 cassette sized PLL with digital readout and its own telescopic antenna. This radio shows good sensitivity across the upper bands (9, 11 13 and 15 MHz so that antenna needed not to be fully unfolded , but for lower bands full unfolding is necessary. Please notice that images can be heard in several bands. More info on this radio on my web page http://www.geocities.com/zliangas/ (please look at kchibo.pdf) (Zacharias Liangas, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TOGO [non]. CLANDESTINE from CIS? to TOGO. 12125, Radio Togo Libre (via Javaradio Sweden) 2001 June 15 with IDs and talk by man in French. Perhaps it was news, but I didn't hear any place names. Fair signal, bad QRN. After some music, gave a number of ID's at 2020. No joy in hearing them via Javaradio Sweden at 1305 on 21760 today Jun 16 (Hans Johnson, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** U S A. http://www.winb.com/DxPgms.htm (Hans Johnson, June 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Glenn: Information about the WLC HF e-mail service for the Great Lakes is available at http://www.marinenet.net/WLC.htm I hope this isn't an old un-updated site. 73 (Kim Elliott, DC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) And also other MarineNet stations, frequency lists, etc. (gh) ** U S A. Hi. I thought the following might be of interest to some on the SWL list. While this came over the NDB list (longwave) they will also be using some shortwave frequencies. 73 de Phil, KO6BB DX begins at the noise floor! Merced, California 37.18N 120.29W CM97sh -----Original Message----- NDB List Information Page: http://www.beaconworld.org.uk/info.htm Hi All, Here's a chance to hear the loudest MF station in California. You may want to brush up on your 20 WPM code copying speed beforehand :O) GL de Mike KB6WFC --- Richard Dillman ddillman@igc.org wrote: To: KPH-OTA@mindspring.com, MF_Monitors@yahoogroups.com Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2003 21:46:58 -0700 Subject: [MF Monitors] KPH On The Air - Night of Nights IV HISTORIC MORSE CODE RADIO STATION WILL RETURN TO THE AIR Stations KPH and KFS To Be Heard Once Again In the fourth annual event that has become known as the "Night of Nights" historic Morse code radio station KPH will return to the air in commemoration of the last commercial Morse message sent in the United States. KPH, the ex-RCA coast station located north of San Francisco, will return to the air for commemorative broadcasts on 12 July at 1701 PDT (13 July at 0001 GMT), 4 years and one minute after the last commercial Morse transmission in the US. These on-the-air events are intended to honor the men and women who followed the radiotelegraph trade on ships and at coast stations around the world. Transmissions are expected to continue until at least midnight PDT (0700 GMT). For this fourth annual Night of Nights one frequency for equally historic coast station KFS will also be activated. Veteran Morse operators, including many former KPH and KFS staff members, will be on duty at the receiving station at Point Reyes, CA listening for calls from ships and sending messages just as they did for so many years before Morse code operations were shut down. The transmitters are located 18 miles south of Point Reyes in Bolinas, CA at the transmitting station established in 1913 by the American Marconi Co. The original KPH transmitters, receivers and antennas will be used to activate frequencies in all the commercial maritime HF bands and on MF as well. KPH will transmit on 4247.0, 6477.5, 8642.0, 12808.5, 17016.5 and 22477.5 kc on HF and on 500 and 426 kc on MF. KFS will transmit on 17026.0 kc. These frequencies have been made available through the generous cooperation of Globe Wireless, the current owner of the KPH and KFS licenses. Many of the transmitters will be 50s vintage RCA sets. Power output will be 4 to 5 kW. The transmitting antennas include a Marconi T for MF, double extended Zepps for 4, 6 and 8 Mc and H over 2s for 12, 16 and 22 Mc. Operators will listen for calls from ships on 4184.0, 6276.0, 8368.0, 12552.0, 16736.0 and 22280.5 kc on HF and 500 kc on MF. KPH and KFS will send traffic lists, weather and press broadcasts and commemorative messages, many of which will be sent by hand. At other times the KPH and KFS "wheel" will be sent to mark the transmitting frequencies. Reception reports may be sent to: Ms. DA Stoops, P.O. Box 381, Bolinas CA 94924-0381 USA Members of the public are invited to visit the receiving station for this event. The station will be open to visitors beginning at 1500 PDT (3:00 pm). The station is located at 17400 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and is on the route to the Point Reyes lighthouse. Watch for a cypress lined driveway on the right about a mile past the entry to Coast Guard station NMC. KPH is operated by the Maritime Radio Historical Society in cooperation with the Point Reyes National Seashore, part of the National Park Service. Further information may be found on the Maritime Radio Historical Society Web site at http://www.radiomarine.org or by contacting Richard Dillman at +1 415-990-7090 (email: ddillman@igc.org) or Tom Horsfall at +1 510-237-9535 (email: wa6ope@hotmail.com). VY 73, RD Richard Dillman, W6AWO Member of the Maritime Radio Historical Society http://www.radiomarine.org Collector of Heavy Metal: Harleys, Willys and Radios over 100 lbs. (via Phil Atchley, swl at qth.net via DXLD) ** U S A. PLAN TO CLEAR THE AIR FOR POLICE RADIOS HITS SNAG By Paul Davidson, USA TODAY A proposed swap of airwaves to cut cellphone interference with dozens of police and fire radio systems nationwide has been held up by a less complex proposal from others in the industry. The rival proposals have vexed and divided the staff of the Federal Communications Commission as few issues have, in part because each plan would in some ways benefit the party proposing it. The impasse threatens to delay resolution of a problem that has been hampering emergency response capabilities since the mid-1990s. The FCC appeared headed toward approval of the airwave swap -- proposed last December by Nextel Communications and a coalition of public-safety agencies -- until Motorola and a group of wireless companies stepped in with an alternative plan last month. The root of the interference problem is that frequencies used by public safety agencies, Nextel and other mobile radio services are interlaced. As a result, the far more numerous antenna towers Nextel uses for its cellphone service sometimes drown out public-safety radios, resulting in ''dead spots'' in coverage in several dozen cities, including Seattle and Miami. In fall 2001, Nextel first proposed giving up spectrum that would allow creating an interference-free public safety block. In trade, Nextel would get contiguous airwaves in a band now reserved for satellite phone services. Nextel agreed to pay $850 million toward costs for public safety and private carriers to reprogram equipment or buy new gear. But mobile phone carriers say the plan unfairly hands Nextel prime spectrum that otherwise could be sold at auction by the FCC for billions of dollars. Critics of the Nextel plan also say the spectrum swap would disrupt about half the nation's 2,200 public-safety agencies, even though interference incidents are isolated. In addition, it would take nearly four years to complete, and it might not fully eliminate the interference. Last month, Motorola, which makes most public-safety radios, told the FCC it has developed a device that can filter out Nextel's signals while still receiving public-safety transmissions. ''We think there's a technical solution,'' says Motorola's Steve Sharkey. Public-safety agencies can get the device when they upgrade to new radios, which could take years, or they can retrofit existing radios. A group of wireless firms backs that plan in tandem with stronger interference protections. But the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials calls the proposal ''reactive'' to interference events. And it's unclear who would pay for the upgrades under the alternative plan. ''You've got to fix the underlying problem,'' says Nextel's Larry Krevor. He says interference is more widespread than critics say, and it's growing. He says only a swap can cleanly address all the causes. Some observers suggest Motorola may be opposing a swap because that could open its market to rival radio makers. But others say Motorola would benefit from equipment upgrades in either case. (c) Copyright 2003 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc. (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. WARNING: EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM FULL OF HOLES; SAFETY EXPERTS PRESSING FOR HIGH-TECH UPGRADES --- By Mimi Hall, USA TODAY A truck transporting a toxic substance turns over on a highway near your house. A terrorist's radioactive ''dirty bomb'' goes off blocks from your downtown apartment building. A line of tornadoes is bearing down on your church. How will you be warned right away and told what to do? Chances are you won't. The nation's emergency alert system is broken. And despite frequent warnings from federal officials that terrorists could strike again -- possibly with chemical, biological or radiological weapons of mass destruction -- little has been done since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, to fix it. As a result, many Americans risk not knowing about a potentially dangerous situation until it's too late to do anything about it. ''If you get warned, it's as much luck as anything else,'' says Kenneth Allen, executive director of the Partnership for Public Warning, an organization of government emergency managers and industry executives. The partnership is raising concerns about the lack of a unified, coherent warning system. Most Americans have heard the three test beeps associated with the Cold War-era Emergency Alert System (formerly the Emergency Broadcast System) on their radio or TV. But experts say that system is functional in only a handful of states -- and outdated even where it works. It relies on television networks and radio broadcasters voluntarily turning over air time to government officials in an emergency. But decades after it was created, the system is hobbled by outdated equipment and lack of local participation. If the president needed to warn the nation of an impending nuclear attack, he would have access to thousands of TV and radio stations to do so. But for state and local emergencies, the system is spotty at best. Even if the president were to activate the system nationally -- something no president has done -- he would reach only those people tuned in to a TV or radio network. ''We live in a much more complex, diverse, mobile society, and we face threats that our grandparents never faced,'' Allen says. ''They didn't have chemical-truck spills or nuclear accidents or terrorists.'' His organization and members of a Federal Communications Commission advisory committee say the nation should turn to high-tech solutions to warn people about emergencies and suggest how to respond. Information could be delivered by telephones, cellphones, pagers and computers. Computer chips could be embedded in TVs and radios to make them turn on automatically when warnings are broadcast. ''We have the technology. We can do it,'' says Craig Fugate, director of Florida's Division of Emergency Management and chairman of the public-warning partnership's board. He says chips could be installed in all new TV sets for about 50 cents per chip. But that has never been done because industries worry that they would be held liable if the chips failed. Technological advances would make it possible to alert small groups of people to an emergency, such as those living in a 10-block area or on a suburban cul-de-sac. Warning just those affected would reduce panic that might be caused by a broad-scale alert. Weather radios that turn on automatically to broadcast tornado warnings are popular in some parts of the country. But less than 10% of the population owns them. By Wednesday, the FCC advisory group will vote on suggestions for a new high-tech system. Ira Goldstone, the Tribune Co. technology coordinator who heads the panel, says he hopes the issue will pick up momentum. But no federal agency has taken the lead. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge has expressed support for a new national warning system, but it has yet to become a top priority. Michael Brown, the undersecretary for emergency preparedness and response, says the department isn't going to ''jump in with both feet.'' He says the public will rely on news media for information during major disasters. But he says new technologies will lead to better regional warning systems. Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., who is running for president, says that's not good enough. The current system ''depends on television and radio that most people won't hear in the middle of the night when an attack could come,'' he says. ''Public warnings save lives, so we have to make sure they get to every American.'' The Senate tried to include $10 million toward that end in this year's budget -- a small amount by federal government standards but more than enough, experts say, to develop a decent public-warning system. But the money was stripped out of the budget. Some wonder whether the nation needs a new warning system in an age of 24-hour news coverage. On and after Sept. 11, for example, stations broadcast information from officials around the clock. ''If there was a national crisis, chances are that most radio stations and TV stations would put (the president) on,'' the partnership's Allen says. ''But if you're watching TNT (Turner Network Television) or the shopping channel, you might never know there was something going on. I've got 130 channels on my cable network. How many would broadcast a presidential alert? Maybe 10.'' Even if most channels broadcast government warnings, Fugate says, ''if there's a chemical spill in the middle of the night in your neighborhood, you're probably not going to be watching CNN.'' (c) Copyright 2003 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc. (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. BROADCAST BAND UPDATE by Greg Hardison THE OBVIOUS: By now, I don't have to tell YOU that the FCC orchestrated their historic ownership vote on June 3, etc., etc. The original Radio de-reg proposal would have allowed the mega-group owners to possess up to 10 stations in one market. The most significant radio-development was the move allowing Arbitron to define what constitutes a "market", in the bloodshot eyes of the FCC. It's been a while since I was thoroughly familiar with such flotsam, but ARB recognizes at least two markets in each area...the internal, primary example, and the "TSA", or Total Survey Area --- which in the case of Los Angeles, extends out to beyond Lancaster and Victorville. (The TSA designation is based on areas of basic Television service, as recognized by marketing-types circa 25 years ago. In central Texas, for instance, the Dallas/Ft. Worth TSA used to extend some 250 miles southwest toward San Angelo, and on beyond south toward I-10 --- as WFAA-TV (Ch.8), KTVT (Ch.11), and KERA-TV (Ch.13) were relayed via microwave to most Cable systems in that part of the state, well into the 1980s. Similarly, the Los Angeles TSA at least used to extend to the Nevada and Arizona state lines.) The June 3 vote now legalizes the NBC arrangement in Los Angeles, for example, spotlighting common ownership of KNBC-TV Channel 4, with Spanish-language TV outlets KWHY-TV Channel 22, and KVEA Channel 52. Firms in the "largest" markets (certainly NYC, L.A. and Chicago) can now own as many as three TV stations in one of these markets. Locally, Infinity no longer has to sell KFWB in order to remain sanctioned, and common (Tribune Co.) ownership of The Los Angeles Times and KTLA Channel 5 will go on as planned. Richard Wagoner writes an excellent weekly Radio column in the South Bay (Calif.) Daily Breeze. A brief sample of his thoughts from the June 13 column reads thus: "You can blame the FCC, but it really was Congress that started the whole problem with the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. That is the act that opened the way for three large group owners to control an estimated 50 percent of radio listening in America. And it was Congress that formed rules forcing the FCC to evaluate media regulations every two years under an order to drop or change any regulations that couldn't be defended on a competitive standpoint. So it`s humorous to watch members of Congress trample over themselves to be the first to condemn the FCC on its latest action, loosening rules for cross-ownership and ownership caps for television stations and newspapers." -- Indeed, the surplus of ignorance among those who are designated to "lead", arguably stems from an overabundance of book-learning, without any real expertise in the ways of Real Life. Some of us remember (without fondness) the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986, which prohibits U.S. residents from even tuning in frequencies used for Cellular operations --- despite the existence in 1986, of Digital- cellular technology. The Digital touch by design would prevent anyone except intended recipients from making any sense out of cellular transmissions. Ironically, this Digital technology was put into widespread use in the past five years (and remember, the actual technology dates back to around 1980), which means the 1986 bill was ALWAYS completely unnecessary for privacy, from the git-go! The original '86 bill would have prohibited use or possession of receivers capable of pulling in those high-UHF frequencies --- which happen to fall between Channels 74 and 83, on the U.S. UHF-TV band. Geez, that would have meant that 75% or more of the TV sets in use at that time (capable of tuning past Ch. 69) would have been illegal to own! (I've fantasized many times over what the collection/confiscation procedures would have entailed - -- they probably would've resembled the "Morlocks dinner call" scene from "The Time Machine", either the 1961 or 2002 versions!) Obviously, the bill was amended, but actual communications receivers which tune those same frequencies lost FCC-type acceptance (meaning approval for domestic sales), in the first quarter of 1994. Sound familiar? Think back to the days of the Cold War, when folks in the Soviet Bloc faced criminal sanctions for listening to Radio Free Europe or Radio Liberty. Some legislative model, no?? More news on the overall subject now, from All Access http://www.allaccess.com another superb source of info: - "Rep. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT)'s bill to overturn the FCC's new media ownership bill is coming to the House on THURSDAY (6/12), and the Congressman told a VERMONT State House press conference that "what we are seeing now are people from across the political spectrum coming together and saying that American democracy means the flourishing of ideas, differences of opinion, and not a centralized media controlled by a handful of large corporations." The RUTLAND HERALD also reports that Rep. MAURICE HINCHEY (D-NY), a co-sponsor of SANDERS' bill, also plans to introduce a re-regulation bill in the future." -- Apparently, there is some thoughtful attention being paid to this mess by at least SOME members of Congress. The questions remain: who will pay off whom to overturn this effort, and will we ever know?? DIGITITIS: For the true Radio Phreaks among us, this marks the 70th year of the National Radio Club --- a splendid non-profit organization specializing in long-distance AM reception, and of course, covering many related topics. While I'm sharing a few of My Favorite Things (helluva song title, no?) with you, here's one more: Leonard Kahn's answers to AM technology. An article written by NRC member Fred Vobbe of Ohio, and published in the NRC'S "DX News" (volume 70, #26, page 22) summarizes some of Mr. Kahn's latest hijinks. His system is called Compatible AM-Digital, or Cam-DO for acronymic purposes, and is set to restore full 15 kHz audio response (equal to FM), to AM signals. (Several years ago, the National Radio Standards Committee arranged for all U.S. AM stations to roll-off the sound at 10 kHz, in an effort to reduce adjacent-channel interference. Those of us with Wideband AM receivers could definitely tell the difference --- age-related hearing losses notwithstanding!) Those using standard low-pass AM receivers would notice markedly improved sound under the Kahn setup; others with these Wideband rigs would jump for joy. Of course, the functional need for such receivers would be addressed by the development and marketing of Digital-AM sets, delivering CD-quality sound with full frequency response. The Kahn group is arranging tests, mostly on stations in the Midwest, to be conducted during both daytime and nighttime conditions, in order to evaluate the effects of fading, and other generally distance-related issues. Additionally, Kahn Communications Inc. filed a petition for rule-making with the FCC in January, which would require the agency to appoint a blue-ribbon panel of experts, who would be charged with revising review procedures involving new Broadcast technologies. The goal: to remove undue corporate/pork- barrel influences, from the FCC-approval process in general. One can dream, can't one? SIGN UP TODAY! A shameless plug for the aforementioned NRC follows: a one-year membership is available for U.S. addresses, for $28 ($38 in Canada and $52 elsewhere); just send check or money order to: RON MUSCO, P.O. BOX 118, POQUONOCK, CT 06064-0118 --- again, this is a wholly non-profit organization; their annual convention takes place each year over the Labor Day weekend. This time around, in Dallas, Texas. Until the next, Peace and Prosperity! (--GREG HARDISON, June 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1680, KTFH Seattle WA, P/d letter and business card in 7 days. Says they came on the air 5/21 at noon. Says the programming is Hindi from 1200 to 2400 and // with KKMO in SS from 2400 to 1200. [UT -7] V/s Monte Passmore, CE (Griffith-CO) expanded band QSL #40 2003 QSL #19 (Patrick Griffith, N0NNK CBT CBNT Westminster, CO, USA NRC AM via DXLD) ** U S A. WPTR TRIBUTE SITE: I stumbled across the below 1540 WPTR (Albany, NY) tribute website yesterday. I grew up listening to this station in the '70's and spent a nostalgic few minutes checking out airchecks, photos, music surveys, etc. Anyone remember screaming Shotgun Johnny Ringo? He DJ'ed at this station in the mid to late 70's. http://www.fifteenforty.com/ Regards, (Peter Jernakoff, Dupont Titanium Technologies, Wilmington, Delaware, NRC-AM via DXLD) I remember Shotgun Johnny Ringo; he sure was a standout. I listened from Lowell, MA. The 1540 signal practically burned my radio --- He aired lots of callers from the "counter-culture", straight from a Cheech and Chong casting call --- wished I airchecked his shows. They were different. My memory is a bit fuzzy, but the playlist gave me more of the impression they were AOR-leaning than Top 40. Or maybe they just played the AOR crossovers... it was cool for this early teen to listen to nonetheless. Led Zepplin and Deep Purple on AM radio... you gotta love it. Thanks WPTR. Thanks, Peter for posting the URL. There probably are a few folks who weren't aware of the WPTR tribute site. I found it from an earlier mention (Ron Gitschier, Palm Coast, FL, ibid.) ** U S A. TNN SAYS RULING IS COSTING IT MILLIONS Reuters Wednesday, June 18, 2003; Page C07 NEW YORK, June 17 -- Media giant Viacom Inc.'s TNN network told an appeals court today it had lost nearly $17 million since film director Spike Lee blocked the cable channel last week from changing its name to Spike TV. . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7719-2003Jun17.html 73, (-.. . Kraig Krist, KG4LAC, DXLD) ** U S A. DOWNS STILL HAS PLENTY TO SAY --- By HEATHER RUTZ LIMA - Though he's no longer paid for it, Hugh Downs couldn't resist a little commentary Tuesday afternoon. After emceeing his 65th Shawnee High School class reunion, the Emmy-award winning broadcaster had plenty to say, especially about his own business. "Appalling," Downs said about Monday's Federal Communications Commission ruling easing rules governing ownership of newspapers, television and radio stations. The changes allow companies to own TV stations reaching nearly half the nation's viewers and to own newspapers and TV and radio stations in the same city, according to the Associated Press. Critics are already challenging the changes, saying they will lead to a few giant companies in control of the media. Downs, 82, who used to offer commentaries as part of his hosting duties on ABC's newsmagazine 20/20, was quick to agree. Downs said he ended his career partially because network lawyers had begun nitpicking his words while on the air. "It's not good for the public, which has trouble enough getting unbiased news," Downs said. Clear Channel, which controls 1,200 radio stations across the country, provided a recent example of how large companies control what information people receive, Downs said. "No matter what you think about the Dixie Chicks, a giant radio corporation, Clear Channel, banned them (after the band made anti-war statements)," Downs said. "Imagine a merger between AOL and Disney, and pretty soon there would be a big sign over the Capitol building. Then you get what these giants want you to hear." Downs' family moved to Lima when he was two years old. An Army veteran of World War II, Downs started in broadcasting at Lima radio station WLOK. He logged a 64-year career in broadcasting, including hosting the Tonight show, the Today show and 20/20. Downs retired in 1999 and now splits his time between Arizona and New York. These days, Downs is writing more books, lecturing and giving speeches. His latest book, Letters to a Great-Grandson, will be released in the fall. The book is for the public, as well as his own great-grandson. "What I wouldn't give for a document like that from my grandfather or great- grandfather," Downs said (via Fred Vobbe, Lima OH, June 15, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. TOWER WORKER DIES IN NEBRASKA Goehner, Nebraska (AP) -- Authorities in Nebraska say a faulty piece of safety equipment may have led to the death of a worker who fell 12- hundred-feet from a television transmission tower. The Seward County sheriff says Carlos J. Muñoz of West Monroe, Louisiana, was attached to the tower through a harness system moments before he fell. The sheriff says a piece of the harness system apparently hooked to the tower was found bent at what was termed ``a disturbing angle.'' Munoz was one of five employees of SpectraSite Broadcast Group of Irving, Texas, who'd been working on the 15-hundred-foot tower 30 miles west of Lincoln, Nebraska for the last two weeks. A spokeswoman for Cary (North Carolina)-based SpectraSite says the company is working with federal and local authorities to investigate the incident. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is being asked to help with the investigation. It was Nebraska's fourth death involving a tower accident in the last 14 months (via Bob Carter, amfmtvdx at qth.net via DXLD) What`s the station?? A 22-year-old man was killed yesterday afternoon when he fell 1,200 feet from a television transmission mast in Nebraska, USA. The man, who was working as a technician, fell from the mast and died immediately. The mast is used by KOLN/KGIN. The man was not employed by the station and the fall was witnessed by several fellow crew members. The fatal fall comes more than a year after a worker was killed working on a Nebraska Educational Television Network mast. Tim Culpepper, 29, was killed after being struck by falling debris when a hoisting rope snapped on top of a 1,524-foot mast in April 2002. His body dangled nearly eight hours before rescuers could reach him. Two Illinois workers died in September last year when a 1,965-foot tower collapsed (From Waveguide 18 June 2003 via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** U S A. Today is Idaho's 50th TV Anniversary; it was 50 years ago today KFXD-TV first signed on as Idaho's 1st TV station. It only lasted about 3 months, being one of the shortest lived stations in the US. On 7/12 KIDO (now KTVB) came on the air and they usually claim they were first (Frank Aden, Boise, June 18, NRC FMTV via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS +++++++++++++ FIRESIGN THEATRE RE-RELEASES Back in March you (I think it's you) wrote: ``Sony Music/Columbia has done absolutely no followups to last year`s (or year before last--it`s hard to me to remember) CD reissues, which means that my favorite Firesign albums, ``The Tale of the Giant Rat of Sumatra`` and ``Everything You Know Is Wrong`` remains unavailable. Laugh.com has reissued these on CD; see http://store.yahoo.com/laughstore/firtheatsket.html And while has another DVD,``The Firesign Theatre`s All Day Matinee, Martian Space Party and The Yokes of Oznard`` in their computer, every time I try to order it it comes back as being unavailable. In case it is, the UPC number for that is 688321202527 (John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)`` This has been axed, but will probably come out eventually (Brian Westley, firesigntheatre.com webmaster June 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ RDS SCROLLING Although scrolling text is broadcast in England I do not get it on my DX-398. My daughter has a Roberts R9917 which I assume is a badge engineered Sangean and it does do AF, TA and Station ID but not scrolling. In England scrolling seems largely relegated to car radios and Home Stereos but more and more portables are appearing with RDS features such as the Roberts R9917. Virtually all cars here have RDS radios (except the very, very cheapest-I have only seen one car without RDS). When I lived in Germany stations used more in the way of scrolling. I certainly do not use all the RDS features of but I do use the TA and AF functions in addition to station ID as they can be most helpful on journeys. On Sunday we went across England and listened to Classic FM (our first national commercial station) even though this meant several changes of frequency we did not have to adjust the car radio and traffic reports came in as they were broadcast even though they might be on another station. Somehow I think the `Bottom Line` (I must confess that this brings up the vision of a posterior :-0) would improve if people did not have to retune frequency, were able to get traffic reports whilst listening to their favourite station and knew what the station name was. ``Thar is gold in them thar hills``. For a good description of RDS go to http://www.rds.org.uk/rds98/whatisrds.htm (Brian Millson in Sunny England, DX-398 yahoogroup via DXLD) DRM +++ RECEIVER NEWS - THE "2010" LIVES [sic] Mayah Communications of Germany has introduced a DRM portable with an USB interface for firmware upgrades. Visit http://www.mayah.com "This DRM Receiver is the 2nd generation receiver for the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) standard. It is the result of a joint development effort of MAYAH, Coding Technologies and AFG. The receiver is based on standard components and different to the first generation, it is smaller and lower cost. A DSP module performs all the DRM specific decoding functions. The software of the DSP module can be updated via the USB interface. The USB interface also provides the data from data application for further processing with a PC. The receiver can decode mono and stereo audio signals. The full stereo signal is available at the headphone outputs. The display indicates station name, used frequency, field strength and the number of service components of the received DRM signal. Additional information transmitted will be displayed if available. The station can be selected by directly entering the frequency using the numeric keypad. Beside the DRM standard the receiver also supports reception of analogue AM programs in the MW, LW and SW bands as well as FM programs." (T. Wood, June 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PROPAGATION ++++++++++++ BLACKOUT I was just listening to a station (WYFR) in the 19 meter band when it took a sudden dive and disappeared about 2250 UT. Checking WWV on the various frequencies shows absolutely nothing from either WWV or WWVH. This on both the SP-600 and Yaesu VR-5000 receivers and both antennas. At 2310 the SP-600 is starting to show some life from WWV on 15 MHz. While it's understandable on the SP-600/HC-10 combination, it is "just discernable" on the VR-5000 (with the DSP off). 73 de (Phil, KO6BB, Atchley, Merced CA, June 17, swl at qth.net via DXLD) There was an M6-class flare at 2255Z June 17, 2003. That is quite a flare. Knocked out HF on the sunlit side of Earth... 73 de (Tomas, NW7US (AAR0JA/AAM0EWA) Hood, swl at qth.net via DXLD) Talked with a ham today. He was working 2 meter E-skip to quite a wide area yesterday evening (6-16). Mainly NM, Mexico, AZ, TX and NV. While talking on 2 meters with Las Vegas, they decided to try 220 mHz. They CONTINUED to talk on 220 MHz until around 2300 MDT! Anybody see/hear any of this on FM/TV? BTW, 6 meters was open to Honduras, Japan, and east coast of Canada (Bill Frahm - Boise ID, June 17, AMFMTVDX mailing list via DXLD) [This may have nothing to do with propagation, but timing is close:] I was trying to listen to the BBC African service on 15400 kHz at 2200 UT on 6/17/03 and encountered an odd sort of noise that made listening very difficult. I was wondering if others heard it too and if anyone could identify it. I realize that this is listening off the back of the antenna, but usually that transmission at that time is fairly clear, even though somewhat weak, and definitely understandable here in St. Louis, MO. It's often better than reception in mid-morning of the Americas service on 15190! Anyway, what I was hearing was a sort of whining motor-like noise that accompanied the program audio. It wasn't present on other nearby frequencies, which were either clear with the usual atmospheric noise at a low level, or just about perfect reception of a strong signal on 15410 kHz. So I'm wondering if this is a known type of transmitter defect producing this machine-noise effect? If so, is there a standard term to use to refer to it? I suppose the closest I can come to describing it is like you were trying to listen to a radio while a lawn mower was running at about an equal sound level; the desired signal's understandability varied with time. The female announcer's voice came through much clearer than the lower-frequency male's voice. Thanks for any comments or explanations! 73, (Will Martin, MO, swprograms via DXLD) OUR EXCLUSIVE AND NOT COPYRIGHTED HF PLUS LOW BAND VHF PROPAGATION UPDATE AND FORECAST Solar activity may switch again into high gear, with former sunspot region 365 now well in sight. Many solar flares, and a huge coronal hole will certainly have an impact upon HF propagation during the next three to five days. As a matter of fact, it is expected that more aurora borealis and aurora australis events will occur during this week. Solar minimum is still expected to happen sometime between 2005 and 2007, with the most likely YEAR OF THE QUIET SUN happening circa 2006. Forecasters are predicting a solar minimum sunspot count of around 6 to 8 during the bottom of cycle 23, and as always they are expecting that sunspots from the new cycle are likely to appear very soon, perhaps by the very early months of 2004 (Arnie Coro, CO2KK, RHC DXers Unlimited June 17 via Bob Chandler, ODXA via DXLD) Major geomagnetic storm conditions this morning with estimated kp index of 7. Heavy auroral flutter on signals above 6 MHz. As is often the case with such conditions, there seemed to be an enhancement of lower band signals form the tropics. Thankfully, static crashes were at a fairly low level for this time of year (David Hodgson, TN, June 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) e.g., AUSTRALIA; CUBA FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 18 JUNE - 14 JULY 2003 Solar activity is expected to range from low to high levels during the period. For the first half of the period Region 386 will have the potential for M-class and X-class activity. On 27 June, Region 375 is due to return and may have M-class potential during the second half of the period. A greater than 10 MeV proton event is possible early in the period because of the potential for a major event from Region 386. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux is expected to reach high levels on 21 – 23 June, 30 June – 03 July, and again on 06 – 07 July. The geomagnetic field is expected to range from quiet to major storm levels during the period. Unsettled to major storm levels are possible early in the period and again on 29 – 30 June due to coronal hole high speed streams. Minor storm levels are possible on 18 – 20 June, 25 – 26 June, and again on 03 - 07 July due to more high speed streams. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2003 Jun 17 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 Jun 17 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2003 Jun 18 125 30 5 2003 Jun 19 120 30 5 2003 Jun 20 120 25 5 2003 Jun 21 120 20 4 2003 Jun 22 120 20 4 2003 Jun 23 125 20 4 2003 Jun 24 130 30 5 2003 Jun 25 130 25 5 2003 Jun 26 120 25 5 2003 Jun 27 120 15 3 2003 Jun 28 120 15 3 2003 Jun 29 120 30 5 2003 Jun 30 120 30 5 2003 Jul 01 115 25 5 2003 Jul 02 115 15 3 2003 Jul 03 125 20 4 2003 Jul 04 130 25 5 2003 Jul 05 135 25 5 2003 Jul 06 140 25 5 2003 Jul 07 145 25 5 2003 Jul 08 155 20 4 2003 Jul 09 150 15 3 2003 Jul 10 145 12 3 2003 Jul 11 135 20 4 2003 Jul 12 130 20 4 2003 Jul 13 120 15 3 2003 Jul 14 120 20 4 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via WORLD OF RADIO 1187, DXLD) ### |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-108, June 17, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3f.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 1186: RFPI: Wed 0100, 0730, 1330 7445 15039 WWCR: Wed 0930 9475 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1186.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1186.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1186h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1186h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1186.html FIRST AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1187: Wed 2200 on WBCQ 7415, 17495-CUSB Thu 2030 on WWCR 15825 Fri 1930 on RFPI 15039 Sat 1731 on WINB 13570 WORLD OF RADIO ON WWCR: WWCR confirms that something else has replaced WOR Saturdays at 0600 on 5070. A different time may replace this (gh) UPDATE ON JIM CONRAD Good news, everyone! Jim was discharged from the hospital today! He's making good progress and says he's feeling much better. Apparently he had surgery when he was admitted to the hospital. He's under doctor's orders not to lift anything for a while. If you'd like to send an e- card or message to Jim, his e-mail address is: jol677@yahoo.com (Evelyn Hampton June 15, via Joe Olig, DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN. The Kabul transmitter on 1296 is 400 kW and is a solidstate Harris. It consists of a pair of DX 200 power blocks combined. Harris DX 200 mediumwave transmitter website: {corrected} http://www.broadcast.harris.com/product_portfolio/prod_media/dx200.pdf (via U. Volk, Germany, BC-DX May 23 / June 6 via DXLD) ** ANTARCTICA. 15476, Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, Base Antártica Esperanza, 1925+, June 16. Spanish. Very nice Argentina folk songs. Short talks about the Rio Negro province co[a]st and Viedma- Carmen de Patagones region. ID's as: "Saludamos a todos los que sintonizan la frecuencia de 15476 kHz en la banda de 19 metros. Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, Base Esperanza de la Antártida Argentina" and "Desde el Sector Antártico Argentino transmite LRA36 Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel en la frecuencia de 15476 kHz, en la banda de 19 metros. Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel".44444 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. Olá amigos, Esuctado hoje às 0519 Z a Rádio Continental em LSB, 5339.91 kHz, com abertura de programa noturno com apresentadora (YL), "6 grados de sensación térmica". SINPO 54444. Receptor FT-767GX, ant dip W3DZZ. Até mais! (Flávio Archangelo, Jundiaí - SP, radioescutas June 16 via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA [and non]. GOD TUNES INTO THE DIGITAL AGE [stupid headline] (Sydney Morning Herald 16th June 2003) By Deborah Cameron http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/06/15/1055615675929.html In Australia's new northern bible belt, happiness is a warm transmitter. From Darwin and Kununurra, two big Christian missionary broadcasters want to win souls in Asia and this week their on-air evangelism enters the digital age. "It will make a huge change in short-wave broadcasting because it will be as clear as an FM signal on a local station," said the director of ministries at HCJB World Radio, Dennis Adams. As anyone with a short wave radio knows, an analog signal is prone to fade, whistle or erupt into static. From this week short-wave licence holders can begin broadcasting in digital format. Mr Adams, who doubles as station manager of HCJB's six-month-old Kununurra transmitter, describes digital as a "real breakthrough", especially for radio missionaries. The other big broadcaster, Voice International, beams programs in Indonesian, English, Chinese and Hindi from its Darwin transmitter into a region with a population of 2.8 billion. The audience has grown most rapidly in Indonesia, says Voice International spokesman Richard Daniel. Partly this is due to the popularity of radio host Riady, who Mr Daniel describes as "an Indonesian John Laws" recruited by talent scouts in Perth. It is also because of a playlist that, though sprinkled with religious crooners, features Coldplay and Avril Lavigne. By comparison, HCJB (which stands for Heralding Christ Jesus's Blessing) plays country music, middle of the road classics and national folk songs. Both want to expand. In East Timor, Voice is setting up a Portuguese language broadcaster and has used its network to recruit 50 pastors from Brazil who are in East Timor building schools, Mr Daniel said. Mr Daniel, who hails from Broken Hill where he owns the secular 2BH and Hill FM and has a 26-year history in radio, signed onto Christian broadcasting last year. He says that for the modern missionary, radio, email and SMS go hand in hand with field work. Both organisations are phenomenally wealthy. They expanded to Australia after a 1999 law allowed broadcasters other than the ABC to transmit internationally. While they face obstacles with digital broadcasts because listeners need to have a digital receiver, both networks are so well organised and funded that they are understood to be prepared to provide receivers or at least subsidise their $100 cost (via Robert Williams, Australia, Jilly Dybka, TN, DXLD) There you go. HCJB is ``phenomenally wealthy`` --- so why all the cutbacks from Ecuador? (gh, DXLD) ** AUSTRIA. En el programa: El Buzón del Radioescucha que se transmitió hoy Domingo por esta querida emisora, informó la amiga conductora del programa Isabél Miró, que habían sorteado el radio Grundig prometido y la ganadora resultó ser: Monserrat Aminto Casanova, Ella vive en la provincia de Barcelona, en España. Así mismo nombraron a una cantidad de oyentes del programa que recibirán premios especiales. Nota: Yo pensaba que este sorteo iba a ser el próximo domingo, pero me llevé la sorpresa cuando nombraron al ganador el dia de hoy. FELICITACIONES. Atte: (José Elías, Venezuela, Conexión Digital via DXLD) Efectivamente José... Además, en este penúltimo programa "Buzón Internacional" de Radio Austria Internacional (te corrijo el nombre, veo que tú también tienes un amor muy especial por KBS) magistralmente conducido por Isabel Miró y Jaime Carbonel durante 20 años, aludieron a miles de cartas recibidas en las últimas semanas (la mayoría de entristecidos oyentes que referíann al cierre de las emisiones en español) y se repasaron las tarjetas postales y navideñas, los obsequios recibidos de muchos radioescuchas que han acompañado a la querida ORF durante su rica historia. Agradecimientos retrospectivos - de los años '80 y '90- se hicieron mencionando a varios nombres como los de Liliana Mabel Delfino y Jorge Castelli de Buenos Aires (a quienes Mable Miró conoce personalmente), Bruno Alcaráz, Lilián Rivero de Uruguay, Ramiro Giraldo Fernández de Colombia, Alfredo Santamaría de Costa Rica, Jesus Claros Zurita de Cochabamba, Bolivia, Juan Morales de España, Néstor Vargas de Venezuela, Sara Lagos de Francia, Ildina Guisandor de Rumania... Estos y otros miles de oyentes han quedado registrados, según afirmaron Isabel y Jaime, en la colección de correspondencias que guardarán para siempre como un documento testimonial de la sección española de Radio Austria Internacional cuyas emisiones terminarán el próximo 30 de junio de 2003. También el Ayuntamiento de Viena ha destinado regalos para muchos oyentes elegidos al azar como Daniel Lamberti, Oscar Scirocco, de Argentina, David Laiza Juamán de Perú, Jorge Callejo y Sara Arteaga López en España, David Salazar Guillén y Julio Trenard de Venezuela, John Freddy Castellón Gil y Gustavo A. Rodríguez de Colombia, Dennys Taboada en Honduras, Gianela Guzmán en Canadá, Paulo Jorge Ferreyra, Rogelio Kruguer, Leoniodas Dos Santos do Nascimento y Elio Brekenfel, todos de Brasil, Víctor Castaño en Uruguay, Ximena Bishman de Chile, Fernando Perera Jordán de Cuba y otros. El próximo domingo 22 de junio será la despedida del programa y todos son convocados para escuchar (y grabar!) esa media hora final. Radio Austria quedará en nuestro recuerdo y -sin dudas- mucho de nosotros formará parte de la historia de esta emisora que fue la mejor embajadora de la realidad austríaca en el mundo hispano. De mi parte gracias amigos de ORF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Rubén Guillermo Margenet, Argentina, June 16, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** BELARUS. 10 June, 4982 kHz, ~03:35, in Russian, commercials, following by morning exercises by radio. ID at 0340 "V efire Radio Stalitsa". Carrier was partially suppressed; therefore I had to use BFO. I think station that has been relayed before 0340 was the 1st program of Belarussian Radio. Unfortunately I was not able to check whether that all was parallel to LW 279 kHz, because LW band was very noisy at the moment (open_dx - Yaroslav Derevyagin, Odessa, Ukraine, via Signal via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 4924.97, 2235-2320 [June 16] R. Emisora Rural, Tefé. Full ID in Portuguese at 2306, after usual Voz do Brasil slot. Fair signal and moderate QRM from co-channel RRI Jambi. Real Audio clip available upon request. To South European DXers: I'm monitoring the bands on a regular basis these days and almost daily tips are posted on my blog: http://www.faiallo.splinder.it Although written in Italian, I hope that some information (e.g. frequency, time and date, name of station) could be useful to non Italian-speaking DXers too (Renato Bruni JRC 525 - 60m longwire Parma, Italy, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** CANADA. Freq change for DRM test of Radio Canada Inter effective June 15: 2000-2400 NF 9795 SAC 250 kW / 268 deg, ex 9740 0000-0200 on 9765 SAC 250 kW / 268 deg deleted 1000-1200 on 6055 SAC 250 kW / 268 deg deleted 1000-1600 on 9730 SAC 250 kW / 268 deg deleted (Observer, Bulgaria, June 17 via DXLD) ** CHINA. Harris has two 600 kW units for China up. Harris DX 200 mediumwave transmitter website: http://www.bc.harris.com/product_portfolio/prod_media/dx200.pdf (via U. Volk, Germany, BC-DX May 23 / June 6 via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. 5973.5, 0742 May 20, R. Auténtica fair with Colombian pops, regular TC by FA every minute over music (Paul Ormandy, June NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. 4955, 16.6. 0020- COL: HJCQ, Rdif Nacional, Bogotá. Various programmes, music and religious "horas". Off 0200 (Listeners: Pauli Holm & Jari Lehtinen. QTH: Maakeski, So. Finland. Receivers Racal RA1792 & Yaesu FRG-100. Antennas different 100-meter long wires, hard-core-dx via DXLD) Are you quite sure about this one? Has been inactive for decades (gh) ** COLOMBIA. MIDI examples of Colombian music styles, starting with national anthem: http://www.geocities.com/fjmejia/english.html (via Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Saludos cordiales amigo y colega Glenn. Espero te encuentres muy bien. El motivo de mi correo es para informarte que estuve escuchando a Radio Rebelde con señal bastante por Venezuela en la frecuencia de los 11655. Exactamente a las 1313 UT la señal ha quedado fuera del aire; si retorna nuevamente te aviso. Como muestra te anexo el siguiente archivo que acabo de grabar cuando despedían el Programa: Haciendo Radio. Atte: (José Elías Díaz G., Venezuela, June 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Apparently they turn off 11655 as soon as the Haciendo Radio program is over, at this odd time, altho the final timecheck on the recording was ``9 de la mañana``, so was it really made at 1300, not 1313? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Rebelde, en la frecuencia 11655 kHz a las 1110 UT y hasta las 1255, cuando están transmitiendo resumen de noticias antes de salir del aire a las 1300; a veces la señal se queda un poco más en el aire tal como pasó el dia de ayer. Cuando redactaba esta información, salió del aire la Radio Rebelde, La Emisora de La Revolución, como dice su slogan. Atte: (José Elías, Venezuela, June 17, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** CUBA. Radio Cuba ¡ Todas las emisiones de Radio y Televisión desde Cuba en vivo ! Listen and watch to all live stream transmissions of Cuban Radio and TV! Hören und sehen Sie Radio und TV aus Kuba - live! http://www.geocities.com/casamalecon/radiocuba/ (via Curtis Sadowski, WTFDA via DXLD) Based in Switzerland? I found the reason behind the N logo Cuba uses (while watching Cubavisión via the web). At the top of the hour, they showed a large NTV on the screen, and in an animated sequence, the letters came together into the large version of the N logo they use at the bottom of the screen. The T forms the left part of the logo, and the V fits into the right side of the N. The program they had on before the hour was fairly amusing, consisting of a panel show (similar to the one I caught on channel 4 Sunday) about the terrorists in Miami (they used the word gusano quite a bit) working to subvert the present Cuban government. They used some clips of President Bush in the show, obviously taken off American broadcast television (one clip had a seven logo typically used by urban ABC stations). With luck, I'll be able to watch future offerings of this show via DX (Curtis Sadowski, Paxton, Illinois, June 16, WTFDA via DXLD) ** CUBA. Nice to hear from you amigo! TV Ch 4 is the new "CANAL EDUCATIVO" national educational TV network in Havana. The TV 5 is probably Santa Clara or Santiago de Cuba. The TV 6 is either Havana CUBAVISION or Camagüey CUBAVISION Now we have several new UHF stations relaying the CANAL EDUCATIVO educational network: Pinar del Rio city CH. 14 Pinar del Rio, Sierra del Rosario relay is on CH 19 Camagüey is on CH 18 And many more are now being installed as the third national network will cover all of Cuba soon. A fourth national TV network is expected to be starting broadcasts pretty soon too. 73 and DX, Your friend in Havana, Arnie Coro, CO2KK (via Jeff Kadet, WTFDA via DXLD) ** CUBA [non]. CASTRO FOE SWITCHES TO AIRWAVES [misleading headline] By Madeline Baró Diaz, Miami Bureau, Sun Sentinel Palm Beach edition Posted June 16 2003 http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-pdbrothers16jun16,0,2603377.story?coll=sfla-news-palm MIAMI --- José Basulto's television station can fit in a suitcase and be broadcast from a small plane. In his South Miami home, Basulto demonstrates his $4,000 worth of equipment, a camcorder, a transmitter and devices to measure and amplify signals. The shoestring operation, which Basulto has employed twice, was an attempt to show that if a couple of amateur radio aficionados could broadcast to Cuba, so could the U.S. government with its $10 million-a-year enterprise, TV Martí. "It's so crummy, so poor, so Radio Shack," he said of his amateur equipment. Such is Basulto's life these days. Basulto became nationally known as the head of Brothers to the Rescue, the group that patrolled the Florida Straits for rafters and was credited with saving thousands of lives. This year, however, he announced that the rescue mission of Brothers was kaput, an acknowledgement that now that U.S. policy mandates the return of most Cubans found on the high seas, the Brothers' rescue efforts were obsolete. Continuing them, he said, actually could lead to the repatriation of rafters who were trying to flee Cuba. Basulto, 62, hung up his rescuer's hat, but not his activist's hat, continuing his efforts to support the internal opposition in Cuba through non-violent means. Broadcasting was his latest high-profile pursuit, fueled by his belief that TV Martí, broadcast for a few hours every night, is an important venture but one that is not reaching the majority of Cubans. "I do not know one Cuban [on the island] who has ever seen TV Martí," he said. But in recent years Basulto has also rubbed some hard-line Cuban- Americans the wrong way by taking controversial positions such as supporting Cuban dissident Oswaldo Payá, whose effort to bring a referendum on civil reforms in Cuba has been viewed with suspicion by some exiles. "I don't think he has a major leadership role at this point," said Max Castro, senior research associate at the University of Miami's North- South Center. "He seems to be working hard to maintain some sort of relevance." Basulto was a young man hoping to free his country from Fidel Castro's grip when he returned to Cuba prior to the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961. Basulto said he was trained by the U.S. government in weapons, explosives and communications. His mission was to tell his fellow Cubans that the United States would be there for them when they rose up against Castro. Basulto began publicizing his broadcast venture this year when he announced that Brothers to the Rescue was taking to the skies again to show that a broadcast to Cuba was possible, despite the U.S. government's contention that Cuba's jamming of the signal made that impossible. The first flight was on Feb. 24, the anniversary of the shootdown. Before the flight, Brothers to the Rescue were featured on a segment on TV Martí where they showed Cubans how they could fashion a TV antenna out of materials like a hanger, a broom handle and a toilet plunger. Basulto said their transmission, from 100 miles southwest of Marathon, near where the planes went down, was seen in Havana. On May 20, Basulto and a colleague, Osvaldo Pla, made another attempt but their amplifier failed. That same night the federal government used Direct-to-Home satellite service and a transmission system on a military plane to broadcast TV Martí, in an attempt to enhance the signal. TV Martí officials say they will conduct further tests before determining how to proceed. That was not enough for Basulto, who does not know whether his activities pushed the U.S. government to respond. "We are asking for 365 transmissions a year," he said. Basulto's exploits have caught the attention of the Federal Communications Commission, which sent him a notice of violation informing him that his ham radio license did not allow him to broadcast to Cuba. He did not mind, though; he had made his point. "I wanted to get a message to the White House," he said. "We have raised the veil of hypocrisy. Mission accomplished." Copyright © 2003, South Florida Sun-Sentinel (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** EGYPT. Dear Glenn, after doing some digging concerning these new stations on the FM Band in Cairo, I figured out that as I was expecting that they are not 100 % state owned stations. We have a new media company called Good News For Me http://www.goodnews4me.com and the are sharing the whole project of the 24/7 Arabic and English musical stations with the Egyptian Radio & TV Union. The share of Good news for me is 40% and 60% for the ERTU. Good news for me is having a cooperation with Radio 1 (a famous FM radio station in Lebanon) to operate the station; 2 British DJs are already in Cairo trying to set up the whole thing. They originally working for Radio 1, the station still broadcasting music and jingles, no shows; according to my source in Good news for me they soon will start having talk shows, night shows, request shows, etc. All the best, Glenn. Yours (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, Egypt, June 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Website Cannot Be Found. ``Good News`` is a Christian catch-phrase --- I assume not the case here, even if Coptic? Frequencies? (gh, DXLD) ** EL SALVADOR. Hello Glenn, The same day I read DXLD log and comments regarding Radio Imperial reception and fax-only QSLs, I received this in the mail. Apparently they do QSL postal reports. Radio Imperial, 17835, Personalized, frequency only, photo-copy of "Otorga el siguiente certificado" and personal letter, in Spanish, in 52 days for $2 and an English report. v/s Nubia Ericka Garcia, Administradora. I used a free on-line translator which did a so-so job . The certificate is in "recognition of our signal which transmits daily" (Scott R Barbour Jr, NH, June 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. I received word that the German service of Deutsche Welle will start to broadcast from Bonn on August 4. Since today they use a back-up studio at Köln for continuation in order to free the previously used studio for dismantling. So much for today, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY [and non]. DEUTSCHE WELLE LAUNCHES DRM DIGITAL SHORTWAVE BROADCASTING | Text of press release by Deutsche Welle on 16 June; subheadings as published: Today, Monday, 16 June 2003, Deutsche Welle began daily radio transmissions via digital shortwave. This was the official launch of the new broadcasting standard for long, medium and shortwave developed by the Digital Radio Mondiale Consortium (DRM) under the auspices of the World Radio Conference of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) in Geneva. DRM chair Peter Senger has handed over the forward-looking system to the 192 member states of the ITU for use in their respective countries. DW Director-General Erik Bettermann says: "Thanks to the immense improvement in quality over analogue transmission," Deutsche Welle is expecting "a worldwide renaissance of radio and an increase in the numbers of listeners". DW will take full advantage of the great opportunities that this new mode of transmission offers, particularly in international radio. Test broadcasts have proven the advantages of DRM, which are not only to be found in better audio quality and reception. "In the long term, Deutsche Welle also expects the lower energy consumption of digital transmitters to lead to a drop in operating costs," Bettermann added. Twelve hours daily upon launch Deutsche Welle is starting its digital broadcasts with 12 hours daily to Europe and the Middle East in German, English and Arabic. "This will be the first step towards a new Deutsche Welle multilanguage European channel," according to Uta Thofern, editor-in-chief of DW- Radio. "For daily German programmes, we have chosen our current affairs magazine `Funkjournal' and alternating background information programmes such as the Nord-Sud-Forum and the European magazines. Initially we will be broadcasting news in English to the Middle East. In addition, to demonstrate the outstanding audio quality of DRM - we will offer musical programmes." Altogether over 100 programming hours are be broadcast daily in the DRM standard. Nine other radio stations are participating in the launch including BBC World Service, Radio France Internationale and Voice of America. The Swedish and Canadian international broadcasters were also involved from the start of the project as well as another German station DeutschlandRadio. By the end of 2004, the DRM Consortium expects to be broadcasting 300 hours per day in the new digital standard. Transmitters need only be modified Deutsche Welle is now continuing to modify its existing transmitters at relay stations in Sines, Portugal; Trincomalee, Sri Lanka; Kigali, Rwanda; and Antigua in the Caribbean for DRM operation. Negotiations for modification work on transmitters are under way with operators in Germany and Russia. After modification, the transmitters can be operated either in the digital or analogue mode, or in both simultaneously. The DRM Consortium has about 80 member stations from over 30 countries. Peter Senger, Director of Marketing, Sales and Engineering at Deutsche Welle, has chaired the steering committee since DRM was founded in 1998. At the official launch in Geneva he stressed that in future the listener will need just one receiver for all frequencies under 30 MHz, that is for short, medium and longwave. The DRM Consortium expects that the first receivers at prices consumers can afford will be on the market by the end of 2004 and that one million receivers will have been sold by the end of 2006. The intervening period, according to Peter Senger, will be needed to optimize transmitters for the target region. "The DRM standard", he explains, "only works if the frequencies used are properly calculated and coordinated. When scheduling frequencies for VHF-FM, DAB and TV you are more less assured of getting good results, but on shortwave you have to factor in the time of day, the season and sunspot activity." Digitalization opens up a wealth of new opportunities: it will no longer be necessary to search for the right frequency, station IDs lead the listener to the desired station and receiver will switch to the best frequency without interrupting programme reception. Information about the programme can also be transmitted at the same time as this programme itself. "Deutsche Welle will test each of the options and implement them if feasible," said Senger. Source: Deutsche Welle press release, Cologne, in English 16 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** HONG KONG. HONG KONG COMMERCIAL RADIO WARNED OVER TALK SHOW HOST'S REMARKS | Text of report by Radio TV Hong Kong audio web site on 15 June The secretary for commerce, industry and technology, Henry Tang, has spoken out in support of the Broadcasting Authority following its warning to Commercial Radio over comments by talk show host Albert Cheng. The authority said the host had used language that may have hurt the reputation of two government officials who appeared on his show. Commenting on the warning, Mr Tang said the Broadcasting Authority was impartial and fair and there was no need for him to take further action. Commercial Radio's licence comes up for renewal next year and Mr Tang said this was still under consideration. However, he would not comment on whether the warning would affect the renewal. Mr Tang said the government would inform the station one year in advance if it was decided not to renew its licence. Source: RTHK Radio 3 audio web site, Hong Kong, in English 0700 gmt 15 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) TALK SHOW HOST THREATENS TO QUIT AFTER WARNINGS | Text of report by Gary Cheung: "Albert Cheng threatens to quit radio show", carried by Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post web site on 17 June Popular radio talk-show host Albert Cheng King-hon is considering quitting his Commercial Radio programme Teacup in a Storm in protest at repeated Broadcasting Authority warnings. Mr Cheng, who announced he was taking leave as of yesterday for two months, said: "There is no room for my programme if we have to meet the stringent requirements set out by the authority. I may have to consider quitting the show." His remarks came after the Broadcasting Authority issued warnings on Saturday [14 June] to the radio station on the grounds that two officials had not been treated fairly during two editions of Teacup in a Storm on 24 and 25 April, which have triggered 157 complaints. Some of the complaints relate to comments Mr Cheng made on 24 April when he called Deputy Director of Housing Lau Kai-hung a "dog-like" official for turning a blind eye to "exploitation" of manual workers. During another on-air war of words between Mr Cheng and the then- acting chief executive of the Hospital Authority, Ko Wing-man, a day later, Mr Cheng criticised Dr Ko for failing to address medical workers' needs, which prompted a public offer from Dr Ko to "resign if necessary". The authority ruled that in both cases, the hosts had not taken special care when using language that was capable of adversely affecting the reputation of the individuals. The radio host, who is nicknamed "Taipan", said he had taken holiday voluntarily, without any pressure from the radio station. "I have been feeling a lot of pressure as if there is a knife at my throat. I have been attacked by gangsters and sued for defamation, and now the government is trying to limit my freedom of _expression," he said. "The Broadcasting Authority is trying to set a rigid model for talk- show programmes which allows equal time for hosts and guests. What's the point of letting officials waste our time by talking nonsense?" Source: South China Morning Post web site, Hong Kong, in English 17 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** HUNGARY. R. Budapest, English half-hour to NAm at 0100 on 9590 spars with VOIRI Iran English at 0030 \\ 1920 with repeat at 0130. Budapest does an English NAm service at 0230 on 9570 (Bob Thomas, CT, June 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ICELAND Right now at 1215 on June 16 I again can hear AFRTS Keflavik back on 13855 in USB after some weeks absence. However, the signal is weaker than early May and there seems to be some transmitter problems. 24232 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DXplorer June 16 via BC-DX via DXLD) See also under: http://myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil/radio/shortwave/ Current Shortwave High Frequencies. Keep checking this web page for the posting of new freqs and txs when they become available. Location Band Daytime Nightime Keflavik, Iceland Upper Sideband 13855 13855 Diego Garcia Upper Sideband 12579 4319 Guam Upper Sideband 13362 5765 Key West, FL Upper Sideband 12689.5 12689.5 Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Upper Sideband 10320 6350 RR, Puerto Rico Upper Sideband 6458.5 6458.5 Shortwave broadcasts of the AFN Interruptible Voice Channel (IVC). To look at a schedule go to http://myafn.net/radio/afn/schedules The IVC is often interrupted with live sport events. For a current sport schedule go to http://myafn.net/radio/sports If you would like to submit a SW reception report and request a QSL verification card please send your request directly to Navy Uplink Reception at QSL@m... [truncated] (AFN website via BC-DX June 16 via DXLD) The website has in the past been very lethargic in putting in new info (gh, DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 9743.6, 0740 June 16, RRI Sorong, presume the one here with ballad followed by announcement in BI. Poor signal with some modulation issues(Paul Ormandy, ZL4TFX, EchoLink Node 87378, Host of The South Pacific DX Report http://radiodx.com DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL. While it lasts, there is a javascript link at http://www.theconnection.org/shows/2003/06/20030612_b_main.asp to a bunch of antique ham QSL cards in Connexion with the recent show about ham radio, which is also audio archived: http://realserver.bu.edu:8080/ramgen/w/b/wbur/connection/audio/2003/06/con_0612b.rm (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL [non]. Summer A-03 schedule for some clandestines stations as of June 15: [time order, rather like TDP] IBC Tamil Oli Radio in Tamil: 0000-0100 Daily 11570 NVS 100 kW / 180 deg ================================================ Hmong Lao Radio in Laotian: 0100-0200 Fri 17540 TAC 100 kW / 131 deg ================================================ Radio Sedoye Payem e Doost in Farsi: 0230-0315 Daily 7460 KCH 500 kW / 116 deg ================================================ Voice of Homeland in Arabic: [for SYRIA] 0330-0400 Daily 7510 SAM 250 kW / 188 deg ================================================ Voice of Mezopotamya in Kurdish: 0400-0800 Daily 15675 KVI 200 kW / 110 deg ================================================ Voice of Mezopotamya in Kurdish: 0800-1600 Daily 11530 KCH 500 kW / 116 deg ================================================ Voice of Tibet in Tibetan/Mandarin Chinese: 1212-1300 Daily 15660/15670 DB 100 kW / 117 deg 21560/21570 TAC 100 kW / 131 deg ================================================ Radio Free Vietnam in Vietnamese: 1230-1300 Mon-Fri 9930 WHR 100 kW / 285 deg ================================================ IBC Tamil Oli Radio in Tamil: 1230-1330 Daily 17495 MDC 050 kW / 055 deg ================================================ Radio Togo Libre in French: 1300-1400 Mon-Fri 21760 MEY 250 kW / 328 deg ================================================ Que Huong Radio in Vietnamese: 1330-1400 Mon-Sat 9930 WHR 100 kW / 285 deg ================================================ Voice of Khmer-Krom in Khmer: [for VIETNAM] 1400-1500 Tue 15660 VLD 250 kW / 230 deg ================================================ Voice of Tibet in Tibetan/Mandarin Chinese: 1430-1517 Daily 17520/17540 TAC 100 kW / 131 deg ================================================ Democratic Voice of Burma in Burmese: 1430-1530 Daily 5910 TAC 100 kW / 132 deg 17495 MDC 050 kW / 055 deg ================================================ Voice of Homeland in Arabic: [for SYRIA] 1500-1530 Daily 12085 SAM 250 kW / 188 deg 12120 SAM 250 kW / 188 deg ================================================ Voice of Liberty in Arabic: [for LEBANON] 1600-1700 Daily 11645 SAM 200 kW / 224 deg ================================================ Radio Anternacional in Farsi: 1630-1700 Daily 13800 KCH 500 kW / 116 deg ================================================ Voice of Iran in Farsi: 1630-1730 Daily 17510 ISS 500 kW / 090 deg ================================================ Voice of Komalah in Farsi: 1700-1800 Sun 7560 KVI 200 kW / 110 deg ================================================ RTV Mezopotamya in Kurdish/Farsi: 1700-1800 Tue/Wed/Fri 7560 SAM 250 kW / 188 deg ================================================ Dejen Radio in Tigrina: 1700-1800 Sat 12120 SAM 250 kW / 188 deg ================================================ Radio Solidarity in Tigrina: 1700-1800 Sun 12120 SAM 250 kW / 188 deg ================================================ Sagalee Oromiya in Oromo: 1730-1800 Mon/Thu 12120 SAM 250 kW / 188 deg ================================================ Voice of Eritrean People in Tigrina: 1730-1800 Sun 9990 KVI 200 kW / 140 deg ================================================ Voice of Ethiopian Mehdin in Amharic: 1800-1900 Sun 7520 ARM 200 kW / 235 deg ================================================ Voice of Ethiopian Mehdin in Amharic: 1830-1930 Sun 12120 SAM 250 kW / 188 deg ================================================ Radio Sedoye Payem e Doost in Farsi: 1800-1845 Daily 7480 KCH 500 kW / 116 deg ================================================ Voice of Reform in Arabic: [for SAUDI ARABIA] 1800-2000 Daily 15705 KVI 500 kW / 125 deg ================================================ Jakada Radio International in Hausa: 1900-1930 Mon-Fri 15170 MEY 250 kW / 335 deg ================================================ Voice of Ethiopia WS in English: 2000-2100 Sun 7520 KVI 200 kW / 140 deg ================================================ Radio Togo Libre in French: 2000-2100 Sun 12125 MEY 250 kW / 335 deg ================================================ Voice of Biafra International in English: 2100-2200 Sat 7380 MEY 250 kW / 335 deg ================================================ Fang Guang Ming Radio in Mandarin Chinese: 2100-2200 Daily 6035 SAM 200 kW / 297 deg 9625 SAM 200 kW / 297 deg ================================================ Democratic Voice of Burma in Burmese: 2330-0030 Daily 9435 JUL 100 kW / 080 deg 9760 MDC 200 kW / 055 deg (Observer, Bulgaria, June 17 via DXLD) ** IRAN. ANALYSIS: IRAN REPORTED "JAMMING" OPPOSITION TV | Text of editorial analysis by BBC Monitoring Media Services on 16 June 2003 Iran on 16 June sent an official protest to the United States over what it called blatant interference in its internal affairs. The move followed remarks by President Bush describing six nights of pro- democracy protests in Iran as a positive development. During the previous week, Iran blamed US-based satellite TV channels which support exiled Iranian opposition groups for inciting the student-led demonstrations. "America is waging a psychological war against Iran," Intelligence Minister Ali Yunesi asserted. Iran has responded by stepping up the "jamming" of opposition broadcasts. Reuters news agency on 16 June said that since the end of the war on Iraq in April, "there is heavier jamming of US-based Iranian satellite television stations carrying entertainment and dissident messages calling for anti-government protests". However, none of the opposition stations monitored by the BBC in recent days has actually reported interference to the reception of their programmes. Iranian opposition broadcasts Curbs on receiving satellite television in Iran are less severe than before. It is tolerated to some extent. News and cultural programmes from about a dozen US-based Iranian opposition TV and radio broadcasters are available via satellite in Iran. The leading opposition stations include National Iranian Television http://www.nitv.tv run by Reza Pahlavi, the son of the late Shah, and Azadi TV http://www.azaditv.com US-funded broadcasts US international broadcasting's Persian-language services have also devoted considerable airtime to the ongoing anti-government protests in Iran. Voice of America's Persian Service http://www.voanews.com/persian/ and Prague-based Radio Farda http://www.radiofarda.com have both broadcast interviews, discussions and analyses, and made them available on the Internet. VOA has also broadcast them via satellite TV. Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, chairman of the US Broadcasting Board of Governors http://www.bbg.gov said: "We're providing accurate news and information that Iranians intent on more freedom are unable to get from their own media." Health fears over Iran's "jamming" In recent months the Iranian Students' News Agency has reported that apparent "jamming" or interfering signals, from known fixed and mobile transmitters, are disrupting some foreign satellite stations and satellite-delivered Internet data. Iran's health and environment ministries earlier this year expressed fears about the impact on public health of signals being transmitted to block satellite broadcasts over Tehran. In April, the deputy chairman of an Iranian parliamentary commission said "a certain organization had been identified as the source of signals being transmitted from Tehran to jam satellite broadcasts". However, MPs decided not to reveal the name of the organization to the media, "for fear that the issue might become political," and so jeopardize efforts to stop the interference. The interfering signals seem to appear with some degree of official sanction or protection - be it military, political or religious. How "jamming" works There are two main options for causing harmful interference to satellite signals. The first and most obvious, is to influence directly the uplink to the satellite. This may take the form of an interfering signal which would render the wanted broadcast unmonitorable, or replacing the wanted broadcast with an alternative signal. To accomplish this, the interfering signal must originate from the general area of the legitimate uplink, although this would depend on the individual satellite used, the configuration of the uplink/downlink equipment on board and the parts of the world covered by particular transponders. For example, if the uplink source is in USA, the interfering signal would also need to emanate from the same area covered by the beam of the satellite. This method was recently used successfully by the Falun Gong sect in China, when they replaced the China TV signal with their own messages and programmes. The second method of causing deliberate interference to satellite signals is to flood the reception area with microwave frequencies similar to those being used by the satellite downlink. These signals would need to be very strong to mask the official broadcast and they would almost certainly cause interference to other satellite and communication systems operating in the same band. The use of such jamming methods could be restricted to specific areas. Source: BBC Monitoring research 16 Jun 03 (via DXLD) ** IRAN. I've been listening to some of R. Farda this afternoon [June 14] and can't hear any Iranian jammers - they usually jam at least one frequency on SW. 17750 17670 [co-channel AIR] 13680 and 9435 [co- channel IBA?] were all 'jam-less', and now 11845 [Iranawila] and 11705 [Lampertheim] have come on at 1700, and there is still no audible jamming. They are co-channel with BBC Russian on 11845. I wonder if the trouble in Iran has tempted the Iranian government to switch them off --- I would have thought the opposite would be the case - or have they found new Mujahadin targets which are more important to jam? There is jamming this morning [June 16] on R Farda 15290, but I can't hear any on 17835 or 9510. IRIB broadcasts were well audible on 17 MHz so why not jamming --- if it's on air? (Noel R. Green-UK, BC-DX June 14/16 via DXLD) ** IRAQ. US FORCES CLOSE NEWSPAPER, TV STATION ACCUSED OF "INCITEMENT" | Text of report by Iran-based radio station Voice of the Mujahidin on 17 June The US troops have closed a newspaper and a television station in Holy Al-Najaf that are run by a newly-formed Islamic organization, the Supreme Council for the Liberation of Iraq, headed by Mahdi al-Awwadi. Press reports said that US troops stormed the newspaper offices and arrested all the staff. They also stormed the television building, which was previously used as a post office, in Al-Kufah and arrested the employees. The Americans accuse the newspaper and the television station that are run by the Supreme Council for the Liberation of Iraq of promoting incitement, in violation of the law that bans incitement against the occupation troops. Source: Voice of the Mujahidin, in Arabic 0700 gmt 17 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) WATCHDOG CONCERNED OVER US EFFORTS TO REGULATE LOCAL MEDIA IN IRAQ | Text of letter sent by the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on 13 June 2003 to L. Paul Bremer III, Senior Administrator, Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq Dear Mr Bremer: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is writing to express its concern about efforts under way by the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq to regulate local media. US officials have indicated that they have drafted new regulations prohibiting, among other things, "incitement" in Iraqi media. According to US officials, the regulations aim to control inflammatory coverage in Iraqi media, including unsubstantiated news that officials believe will foment social unrest or hostility toward American troops. To CPJ's knowledge, details of the new regulations have not been released, but The Los Angeles Times reported this week that violators would face warnings, fines and possible detention. While we appreciate your concerns about false, misleading or even fabricated news disseminated by media, we fear that the use of highly interpretative prohibitions such as "incitement" could be used to restrict media discourse. Moreover, we deplore any regulation that provides for the arrest or detention of journalists in response to what they publish. As new Iraqi media emerge, it is imperative that they be allowed to operate in an environment free of government restrictions. That includes ensuring that newspapers and broadcasters can function free of unreasonable licensing regimes, censorship, criminal prosecution and arrest or detention. CPJ respectfully calls on you to make public any regulations devised by the coalition authority for Iraqi media. We also call on you to undertake all possible measures to ensure that Iraqi media is able to operate with maximum freedom and without official interference. Sincerely, Ann K. Cooper, CPJ Executive Director Source: Committee to Protect Journalists press release, New York, in English 16 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** IRELAND. DUBLIN: NEW FM RTÉ OPT-OUT A test-tone has appeared on 87.6 MHz in the Dublin area. This frequency will be used by RTÉ for Radio 1 opt-outs, which will also appear on 567 kHz, during the Special Olympics (From Radiowaves via Mike Terry, DXLD) These are special games for disabled athletes the former South African president Nelson Mandela and the former heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali will participate in the grand opening ceremony for the Special Olympics. The organisers of the biggest sporting event to take place in the world this year have also confirmed Hollywood actor Arnold Scwarzenegger, U2 and The Corrs on the star studded list for the opening of the games. Overall 7,000 athletes will be in Ireland over the next few days and the games will open next Saturday (From http://u.tv/newsroom/indepth.asp?pt=n&id=33461 via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** ITALY. Observed a spurious signal of Rai International on 12040 kHz (10 June at 0310), // 11800. Weak and hoarse audio, FM-like carrier. This unwanted signal causes interference to RUI. Went off the air at 0335, simultaneously with its fundamental frequency 11800 kHz (open_dx --- Alexander Yegorov, Kyiv, Ukraine, via Signal June 17 via DXLD) ** JORDAN. ARMED FORCES LAUNCH RADIO FANN - FM ENTERTAINMENT STATION Petra-JNA, the official news agency of the Jordanian government, on 11 June carried the following news item (in Arabic 1028 gmt): "Amman, 11 June: Within its celebrations of the Army Day and the Great Arab Revolt anniversary, the Jordanian Armed Forces today launched their new radio station, Fann [Arabic for "art"]. The station will transmit on FM to all parts of the Kingdom on the following channels: Amman 104.2, Irbid 91.3, Aqaba 91.1, Al-Tafilah 94.7, Ajlun/al-Karak 94.3 and Petra/Al-Azraq 105.4 MHz. The station employs high-standard professional and technical staff and uses the most sophisticated radio transmission technology." Monitoring observations indicate that the station, Radio Fann, had been testing for the previous week. It was observed in Amman on 104.2 and 105.4 MHz carrying Arabic and Western popular songs. Radio Fann has a web site http://www.radiofann.com/ The site carries the following announcement in English: "Tune into the hippest radio wave in town and turn up the volume of your life! Fann FM is a new radio station broadcasting across the Kingdom live from Amman and pulsating with the hottest tunes from the region and the world." Radio Jordan, the official radio of the Jordanian government, carries a daily two-hour broadcast called Voice of the Jordanian Armed Forces at 1300-1500 gmt. It consists of radio programmes targeted at Jordanian army personnel. It is heard on Radio Jordan's frequencies of 612, 693, 801, 1035, 1485 and 11810 kHz. Voice of the Jordanian Armed Forces was inaugurated by King Abdallah on 13 November 2001. Sources: Petra-JNA news agency web site, Amman, in Arabic 1028 gmt 11 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** KASHMIR. PAK TO START RADIO PROPAGANDA IN KASHMIR Monday, 16 June , 2003, 17:46 Jammu: Pakistani authorities have launched new Mobile Radio Stations to air programmes in Gojri and Pahari languages along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch and Rajouri sectors of Jammu region. An All India Radio official said they were unable to counter the Pak propaganda due to lack of funds and policies. A radio station -- Sadai-Hurriyat -- operating from Muzaffarabad in POK [Pakistani Occupied Kashmir??] had also been airing anti-India and anti-security forces programmes in Urdu language recently. These are heard in the Balakote, Mendhar, Rajdhani, Khari Karmara, Sabjian, Ajote, Loran and Mandi areas of twin border districts. The programmes launched by the radio since the last decade mostly reached the upper regions of Kashmir Valley and Doda district. http://sify.com/news/international/fullstory.php?id=13173601 (Sify News, India, via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) WTFK??? Probably not SW? This is a reference to the station known in English as the Voice of Jammu and Kashmir Freedom (Media Network via DXLD) The Muzaffarabad station, that is ** KOREA NORTH. 9450 at 1521 on 6/15 R. P`yongyang. I always hear them on 9335 but last week on 9235 and now on 9450. I guess things are "heating up"? (Gary Crites, location unknown, hard-core-dx via DXLD) English? ** KUWAIT. KWT was again in good old AM on 15110, so perhaps their tests in DRM are over? (Noel R. Green-UK, BC-DX June 16, via DXLD) ? ** LUXEMBOURG. I guess is the noise on 6095 --- it was on air at 0625 and still there at 0830 (Noel R. Green-UK, BC-DX June 16, via DXLD) Yes, DRM 6095 usual 15 kHz wide signal today (wb, ibid.) ** MEXICO. I`ve noticed another XE listed in the FCC database on 1630 kHz. There has been XEUT in Tijuana for some time now, but there is a new listing at Tizayuca, Hidalgo with the customary expanded band U1 10000/1000 setup. Tizayuca is about 50 km NE of Mexico City, so should be hearable if conditions are right (Bill Hale, DDXD-West, NRC DX News June 16 via DXLD) ** MOLDOVA. Moldavia, 9665 kHz, Radio Moscow, full data "Moskva River Near Kremlin" card with site (Kishinyov Moldavia), no V/S, in 2 months, for 1 IRC, received sticker, summer schedule and letter from Ms. Ol`ga Troshina, World Service In English (Joe Talbot, Alberta, Canada, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I have received 7 replies from SWL group DXers, to my posting of the Radio Moscow Moldavia QSL asking how I did it. I have replied to those DXers and in all fairness pass this on to you all. I heard the Radio Moscow broadcast April 19th/03 0433-0500 sign off on 9665 kHz with a excellent signal; during the broadcast I heard it was mentioned by the announcer that "...ending transmissions to North America". The sked I received notes 9665 kHz in English to North America: 0100-0200/0200- 0300/0300-0500, this from March 30th to September 6th/03. Please keep in mind that Radio Moscow is only verifying the Moldavia site 0433- 0500 sign off as per the QSL. The other times above may not be via Moldavia, they could be switching sites on-the-fly so to speak, 4 hours is a big propagation window. 0400-0500 is probably a safe bet? The Radio Moscow staff, Ms. Ol`ga Troshina, World Service in English, Voice of Russia, was very nice in her letter, so it may not be a bad idea to send your reports direct to her. A nice report and a small souvenir for the lady? It may take me several months, but I always get some sort of thank you letter or post card back to the QSLing station, help (???), can't hurt! Give this a try and in the next while I hope to see all your Moldavia QSL reports posted here. 73's. (Joe Talbot. Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, swl at qth.net via DXLD) I have a number of VOR QSL's from Moldavia. In fact, the first VOR QSL (1995) that I received from them (after losing all my old Radio Moscow = USSR cards) was from Moldavia for a Europe beamed broadcast. For awhile I = was trying to receive QSL's from all the old Radio Moscow sites (that are = still on the air) and kept getting Moldavia QSL's for transmissions that "Passport" and WRTH indicated originated elsewhere! And you're right, Ms. Olga Troshina usually puts a nice little note in = with the cards. 73 de (Phil, KO6BB Atchley, DX begins at the noise floor! Merced, California, ibid.) ** MYANMAR. 5985.84, R. Myanmar 1150-1207 June 16. Exotic flute music, YL announcer, then lite vocal music to 1200 IS; YL announcer talked in [unknown] language to 1206, then more vocal music. VG signal (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Drake R-8, 1oo-foot random wire, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. VOICE OF NIGERIA EXTERNAL RADIO SERVICE LAUNCHES SERVICES IN IBO AND YORUBA | Text of report in English by French news agency AFP Lagos, 15 June: The Voice of Nigeria (VON), the arm of Radio Nigeria directed at audiences outside the country, has started to broadcast in two of the nation's main languages, an official of the radio said here Sunday. The VON, a state-run [shortwave] radio which began in 1962, recently began transmitting its programmes in Ibo [alternative spelling Igbo] and Yoruba languages, two of the main languages spoken in southern part of Nigeria, the official said. "The aim is to reach as many Nigerians outside the country as possible while not forgetting to export our culture, of which the local languages are part," said the official, who requested anonymity. Yoruba is also spoken in nearby Benin, Togo as well as in Brazil, while Ibo is used in western part of Cameroon. The radio, which broadcasts from both Nigeria's economic centre Lagos and its capital Abuja, added these two local languages to its English, French, Arabic, Swahili and Fulfude services. Source: AFP news agency, Paris, in English 1717 gmt 15 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) These languages were already mentioned some weeks ago here referencing the VON website schedule (gh, DXLD) ** PERU. El 15/06, a las 0602 UT, en los 6114.89 kHz, fue captada la emisora Radio Unión, 103.3 MHz, La Rumbera. Emitía música rumbera y salsa, con un locutor rapidísimo. Llamadas al aire con felicitaciones por el Día del Padre. SINPO 4/3. Muchos 73 y buen DX (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PHILIPPINES. FEBC will conduct test to South India from June 18 to June 22: 0100-0200 Sindhi on 15240 BOC 100 kW / 278 deg 1530-1600 Sindhi on 12100 BOC 100 kW / 278 deg (Observer, Bulgaria, June 17 via DXLD) ** ROMANIA. Harris is in the process of finishing an order for Romania that consisted of 6 x 400 kW rigs, a 200 kW long wave rig and a stand alone 200 kW rig on 909 kHz. Harris DX 200 mediumwave transmitter website: {corrected} http://www.broadcast.harris.com/product_portfolio/prod_media/dx200.pdf (via U. Volk, Germany, BC-DX May 23 / June 6 via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Special Digital Radio Mondiale services are listed from transmitters at Moscow, for the period June 9 until August 9, as follows: 7325 0600-0800 to Central Europe 15780 0600-1200 to Western Europe 15780 1300-1600 to Western Europe Regards! (Bob Padula, Mont Albert, Vic, Aus, June 17, EDXP HF Forum via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. The past two mornings at 0105-0230 I have heard the Russian religious station R. Krishnaloka drifting around 7435.8 - 7437.0 with strong signal first, then fading out after 0200. They are scheduled with tests 0100-0300 from a 150 watt transmitter. Programs are in Russian airing sermons and cultural talks of the Krishna worship which originates from India. Around 0110-0140 there is a sermon in English with translation to Russian (Anker Petersen, Denmark, undated, Signal June 17 via DXLD) ** SAO TOME & PRINCIPE. IBB`S SÃO TOMÉ TRANSMITTING STATION FACES UNIQUE CHALLENGES SÃO TOME --- IBB`s São Tomé transmitting station, set on an island in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa, offers unique challenges for the staff charged with ensuring that Voice of America (VOA) programs are delivered to millions of listeners by medium wave (AM), FM and shortwave. ``São Tomé gives us wonderful access to Central and Western Africa,`` said George Moore, director of IBB`s Office of Engineering and Technical Services, which oversees the São Tomé station. ``If we didn`t have our station there, we wouldn`t be able to reach nearly as many listeners in more than six languages.`` IBB`s permanent facility opened in 1996 on São Tomé, an island about 30 miles long and 15 miles wide. Along with its sister island, Principe, São Tomé forms one of Africa`s smallest countries with a population of roughly 155,000. A former Portuguese colony, São Tomé is 135 miles off the coast of Gabon. Staffed by about 30 people, including three IBB employees sent from the United States, the São Tomé site is located on 346 acres about five miles from the capital`s center. The facilities include a 600 kilowatt AM transmitter, several shortwave transmitters, a power plant, a warehouse and staff housing. The FM transmitters, which allow São Toméans to listen to VOA, are located several miles away. Although São Tomé is thought to sit upon vast, undeveloped oil reserves, fuel must be delivered to the IBB transmitting station about every eight months. More than 300,000 gallons of diesel fuel are brought in regularly to allow the São Tomé station to generate its own power. This complex offloading procedure takes about 24 hours. [Caption:] Satellite antennas outside the main transmitter and administration building at IBB`s São Tomé Relay Station. http://www.bbg.gov/reports/02anrprt.pdf (BBG 2002 Annual Report via gh, DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. Harris is in the planning stage to handle an inquiry to deliver Harris DX 200 MW transmitter to Saudi Arabia [as it already has to Afghanistan, Romania, q.v.] Harris DX 200 mediumwave transmitter website: {corrected} http://www.broadcast.harris.com/product_portfolio/prod_media/dx200.pdf (Wolfgang Bueschel, June 15, BC-DX via DXLD) ** SERBIA & MONTENEGRO. R. ``Yugoslavia`` is now calling itself: ``International Radio of Serbia-Montenegro`` at start of English and during transmission, daily except UT Sun at 0000 to ENAm; daily to WNAm at 0430, both on 9580. They still run the sung ``Radio Yugoslavia`` ID after the news (Bob Thomas, CT, June 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SEYCHELLES [non]. RUSSIA(non): Freq changes for FEBA Radio via RUS txs with kW, azimuths: [Chita; Armavir] 0015-0045 Sun/Thu Kannada NF 15425 TCH 250 / 230 ex 15580 0015-0030 Mon/Wed/Fri/Sat Kannada NF 15425 TCH 250 / 230 ex 15580 0015-0030 Tue Tulu NF 15425 TCH 250 / 230 ex 15580 0030-0045 Fri/Sat Badaga NF 15425 TCH 250 / 230 ex 15580 0030-0130 Mon-Wed Tamil NF 15425 TCH 250 / 230 ex 15580 0045-0130 Thu-Sun Tamil NF 15425 TCH 250 / 230 ex 15580 1530-1630 Daily Persian NF 9650 ARM 100 / 150 ex 9495 (Observer, Bulgaria, June 17 via DXLD) ** SOUTH AMERICA. Dear free radio friends, We are really sorry, but at last minute, to the moment of to start our transmitter, the transmitter has burned a tube. We shoud suspend the planned transmissions. Amigos piratas, Lo lamentamos pero por razones técnicas tuvimos que suspender la transmisión planeada para el día de hoy, debido a que al momento de encender el equipo, una valvula fue quemada. Realmente, lo lamentamos muchísimo. FFFR (Cachito, Radio Cochiguaz op. http://www.geocities.com/rcochiguaz June 14 via hard-core-dx, not delivered until June 16, via DXLD) That doesn`t explain why I couldn`t hear them on 11440 just before 0300 UT Sun. The reason is that I would not have been able to hear them anyway (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWEDEN. First, note that Radio Sweden is considering dropping one of their multiple English language broadcasts; see the item towards the bottom of the quoted text. Feedback / input wanted -- AHEAD of time for a change!! Second, and more as an FYI, Radio Sweden is also on the list of organizations with regular (in this case, daily) e-mails regarding programming news. To subscribe, visit http://www.topica.com/lists/radioswedennews@topica.email-publisher.com/ or send e-mail to radioswedennews@topica.email-publisher.com. (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, swprograms via DXLD) --- Special announcement: We're considering discontinuing one of our broadcasts, but before we change our schedule, we'd like to check with listeners first. We want to hear from those of you who usually tune in at 11:30 hours UTC; how you would feel if we dropped this transmission, but maintained the rest of our schedule, and if there's an alternative broadcast you could listen to? If our shutting down that broadcast would absolutely devastate you, please write in and let us know. We'll be rewarding one of those responding with a CD. The postal address is: Radio Sweden SE-105 10 Stockholm, Sweden Or send us an email to english@radiosweden.org (via Richard Cuff, swprograms via DXLD) ** TAIWAN. Last night June 15, I heard on Radio Teipei International Spanish service that this station will be changing its name to: VOICE OF TAIWAN --- RADIO TAIWAN INTERNATIONAL This change will be from July 1st. Thanks (CESAR PEREZ DIOSES, CHIMBOTE, PERU, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TOGO [non]. R. Togo Libre: I'm sorry to say that I wrote down the wrong details of this station`s Sunday broadcast, and there was nothing to hear when I tuned in. I don't see why this broadcast on 12125 should not also come via Meyerton, but we can only know from listening to it or see a report about its location. Meyerton is listed on 12130 at 1700-1800 for AWR, so they are no "strangers" to this part of the band (Noel Green, UK, June 16 via Kai Ludwig, DXLD) Just to clarify my point: Do we know for sure that 12125 originates from Meyerton? It was my impression that no fully reliable information on this matter is available, and so I noted down another possibility that would fit [Russia], just to prompt some monitoring. Of course I yesterday forgot to tune in :-( (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RADIO TOGO LIBRE SEEKING CORRESPONDENTS IN TOGO Despite operating under difficult conditions, the clandestine broadcaster Radio Togo Libre (RTL) is seeking local correspondents in the main town of each prefecture in Togo, namely Tsévié, Atakpamé, Kpalimé, Sokodé, Kara and Dapaong. An announcement on the Togodebout.com Website says that the station also wants to recruit journalists and correspondents who speak and write one of the national languages: Ewé, Kabyè, Kotokoli, Akposso, Ifè, Ouatchi, Moba. RTL is preparing to launch a listener participation programme directed at Togolese both inside the country and in the diaspora. "Paroles de Togolais" (Words of the Togolese) will enable listeners to express their opinions about the situation in Togo, or what's happening in their own locality. The station asks listeners wishing to particpate to E-mail their telephone number. RTL is currently broadcasting Mon-Fri at 1300-1400 UTC on 21760 kHz, and on Sundays at 2000-2100 UTC on 12125 kHz. It began operations on 1 June 2003, and its existence was first reported in DX Listening Digest (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 16 June 2003 via DXLD) Yes, there is a second website now including this page: http://www.togodebout.com/rtl.html (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [non]. RUSSIA(non): Frequency change for BBC in Uzbek: 1700-1800 NF 13860 MSK 250 kW / 117 deg, ex 7385 \\ 9580 and 9915 73 from Ivo and Angel! (Observer, Bulgaria, June 17 via DXLD) ** U S A. The U.S. Broadcasting Board of Governors 2002 Annual Report is now available at http://www.bbg.gov/bbg_press.htm Or request a printed copy via the website or Broadcasting Board of Governors, 330 Independence Avenue SW, Washington DC 20237. 73 (Kim Elliott, DC, June 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) v., e.g., São Tomé ** U S A. WLC, ROGERS CITY MI --- Hi Glenn, yes I'm trying to remember that edition too, WOR 919, or 918? If you are interested, I do have pictures of WLC from 1997 when I visited the station. I can only remember that I faxed you the information about WLC in Rogers City, MI closing down on November 28th, 1997, after 75 years of service to the Great Lakes Maritime Community. The fax contained the time of the last transmission, and the frequencies. Sorry, I don't have the copy of the fax anymore (Joe Olig, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WMNR (88.1 Monroe CT) marks its thirtieth anniversary later this month. John Babina put the station on the air December 11, 1973 as a low-powered high school station. A decade later, WMNR began boosting power, adding relays around the Nutmeg State and programming a full-time classical music format. Next Saturday (June 21), Babina will host a reunion of the student staffers from WMNR's first decade, with the help of former WMNR student engineer Bill DeFelice; you can hear it on the Web beginning at 2 PM [1800 UT] at http://www.capitalradio.us (Scott Fybush, NE Radio Watch June 16 via DXLD) ** U S A. Legal ID just prior to the hour: "The Bridge. AM 16-80 KTFH Seattle. A service of Salem Communications" Cheers, (Paul Ormandy, New Zealand, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Salem is primarily a religious broadcaster: look out for them to be trying to convert the Hindus on this station (gh, DXLD) [Earlier:] 1680, 0722 June 17, KTFH Seattle WA, very good with Spanish music, IDs "Somos Radio Sol 13-60, la primera emisora de la cadena marinero cristiano [sic]". Address: 2815 Second Ave. #550, Seattle, WA 98121 (Paul Ormandy, ZL4TFX, New Zealand, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 10'S PACE APOLOGIZES FOR GESTURE Saturday, June 14, 2003 FEATURES - ACCENT & ARTS 03D By Tim Feran, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Viewers of Thursday night's episode of Without a Trace had a surprise during the popular CBS drama: a still video clip of WBNS-TV (Channel 10) anchorwoman Angela Pace making an obscene gesture to the camera. Hundreds of complaints jammed Channel 10's switchboard yesterday. "Was it embarrassing? Sure,'' said Channel 10 general manager Tom Griesdorn. "Was it unfortunate? Indeed. Was it unprofessional? Yes. Was it intentional? No. I think Angela was simply goofing around with the studio crew. It wasn't intended to offend anyone, but it certainly did and should.'' Griesdorn said the clip of Pace exhibiting an upraised middle finger was an outtake from work on a public-service announcement. "At the end of taping, some information was incorrect, and Angela made a gesture to those working with her,'' Griesdorn said. "They thought it would be fun to send it to the newsroom.'' A technical error put the clip on the air soon after 10 p.m. and wasn't realized by the station's master control room for seven seconds. "There's a rule in the business: No matter what, you always assume the microphone is on and the camera is on,'' Griesdorn said. "You don't fool around. It's beneath the standards of WBNS and unprofessional.'' Pace apologized for herself and the others involved in the incident to viewers during the 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts yesterday. "It offended many of you, and it should have,'' she said. "I made an inappropriate gesture.'' The incident was "clowning around,'' Pace said, and was never intended for viewers. "I apologize wholeheartedly,'' she said. Griesdorn said he has taken disciplinary action against Pace, the director and the technical director involved. All three will remain with the station. "I can't punish them any more than they've punished themselves,'' he said. "They're sick with guilt. "We've all made mistakes,'' Griesdorn said. "But I need to apologize to all the viewers of 10TV and set about insuring that this never happens again.'' (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) RED FACES AT CHANNEL 10 It started as a joke. But WBNS 10-TV General Manager Tom Griesdorn says it ended up on air. He says anchorwoman Angela Pace was recording a public service announcement when she jokingly made an inappropriate gesture. He says through a series of mistakes, it ended up on the air in the 10 p.m. hour during the primetime program "Without a Trace." Channel 10 management will continue to investigate how it happened. Griesdorn says no harm was intended. CLICK HERE for the actual video via: http://www.610wtvn.com/news/local/index.html (via DXLD) ** U S A. CANCELED CONCERT --- STATION TAKES ON ETTA JAMES WITH LAWSUIT Two weeks ago Etta James refused, at the last minute, to take the stage at a concert at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. WCIN, the local, independent radio station that had sponsored her concert, had to eat the cost. It gave refunds to concertgoers, who'd been left waiting in a drizzle. Then, two days later, WCIN sued James, a blues, R&B and soul legend, alleging fraud and breach of contract. The lawsuit seeks $663,000 in actual and punitive damages. It pits an internationally known, Grammy-winning diva against a local, black-oriented radio station. . . http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2003/06/13/loc_amos13.html (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. A LOSS CAUSE --- AN ADVOCATE FOR THE BALDING PLUGS INTO UNGROWING RADIO MARKET http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A62982-2003Jun15?language=printer&content=article (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. THE DTV TRANSITION The "horse's mouth" is on http://www.fcc.gov/mb/policy/dtv ====================================================================== To be concise: Commercial stations affiliated with the top 4 networks (ABC/CBS/Fox/NBC) in the ten largest TV markets were to be on with DTV by 1 May 1999. Top-network stations in markets 11-30 were to be on by 1 November 1999. All other commercial stations were to be on by 1 May 2002. All non-commercial stations were to be on by 1 May 2003. ====================================================================== Which means *all* stations are supposed to be on with DTV by now. Obviously, many aren't. According to the FCC, the status as of 21 May: Top-30 network affiliates: 108 of 119 on at full licensed facilities, five with low-power STAs, six off the air. (five of the six are NYC stations that lost their transmitters in the 9/11 attack. I suspect the sixth is in Denver where local opposition has stalled tower construction.) Other commercial stations: 273 of 1196 on at full licensed facilities, 523 with low-power STAs. Apparently 400 have extensions. Non-commercial stations: 112 of 373 on at full licensed facilities. 60 with low-power STAs. 201 have extensions. ====================================================================== At the end of this year, commercial stations whose analog and digital channels are both "in core" (between channels 2 and 51 inclusive) must choose which channel will be used for their permanent digital facility. Stations whose analog or digital channel is outside core have no choice to make! Non-commercial stations get an extra year to decide. Currently, stations with low-power STAs are protected from interference to the distance that would be served by their full authorized facilities. (this means there's an area where they provide no service, but where they preclude other stations from providing service) This extra protection will be lost on 31 December 2004 for commercial stations, and on 31 December 2005 for non-commercial operations. Commercial stations that want to keep their full coverage area have roughly 18 months (from now) to increase to full power; non- commercials have 30 months. The definition of a "city-grade" signal will also tighten on these dates. Stations are required to put a "city-grade" signal across their city of license. For analog stations this signal is 62dBu. (for UHF, it's lower for VHF) For digital, the current standard is only 41dBu! On these replication dates, the standard will increase to 48dBu. Which is still awfully low. (this leads to an interesting situation here in Nashville. Our Pax affiliate WNPX is licensed to Cookeville, roughly 65 miles east of Nashville. Their DTV transmitter is located *in* Nashville. It just barely meets the current 41dBu standard for their signal across Cookeville. And it's operating at over 700 kw ERP. A 7dB power increase would exceed the maximum permissible power for DTV stations. It seems to me they'll have to either move the transmitter or change the city of license when the new requirements kick in. I suspect the latter. Cookeville already has another TV station (WCTE-22) so it would be possible to move the DTV channel 36 allotment somewhere else.) ====================================================================== Analog is supposed to close on 31 December 2006. This date can be pushed back if 15% of households still have only over-the-air analog TV. The figure is currently estimated at roughly 20%. Will that gap be filled in three years? Good question. ====================================================================== LPTV stations and translators do not receive separate channels for DTV. They may choose to convert to DTV operation at will. Reportedly WTHC-LP [42] Atlanta has done so - the only one to do so at this point. Several DTV translators are reported operating in Utah under STA. They aren't in the FCC Database. (STA and experimental stations usually aren't) There are no multiple-ownership restrictions for LPTVs. It would be legal for a LPTV operator to buy another LPTV in the same city, using one for analog operation and the other for digital. I have seen nothing to indicate LPTVs will *ever* be prohibited from analog operation. It would seem possible for a DTV station to purchase one or more LPTVs in the same city and use them to continue analog broadcasts after the 2006 closure of full-power analog broadcasts. I wouldn't count on that happening though. ====================================================================== Most of the channel 52-69 spectrum being freed by the transition will be auctioned for commercial use. (four channels in 60-69 will be held for public-safety communications) It has been reported that TV broadcasting will be considered an acceptable use of the auctioned spectrum - there may continue to be at least some TV here. On the other hand, the value of this spectrum may be pretty great - it may prove economically impossible for anyone to make enough money at TV to pay for their bids. It is possible that *analog* TV will be considered an acceptable use of auctioned spectrum. So we could have all digital TV in channels 2- 51 and some analog in 52-69. I wouldn't count on that either, same economic reason. ====================================================================== Canadian stations are allowed to apply for DTV permits, and the Canadian government has allotted DTV channels for all transmitters. (even LPTVs and translators, unlike in the U.S.) Only one station (CITY-57 Toronto, DTV channel 53) has applied; they're already on the air. Canada has set no fixed date for DTV conversion. I have read reports that the CBC plans DTV transmitters only in the country's very largest cities. Viewers elsewhere wishing to receive CBC HDTV would be expected to use DSS satellite. ====================================================================== There is one regularly-operating DTV station in Mexico; XETV-DT 23 in Tijuana is on. They're the Fox affiliate for San Diego. DTV experiments have been run in Mexico City. ====================================================================== I'm trying to write a comprehensive review of how DTV works, both technically and from a regulatory standpoint. Hopefully this fall... Robert Cooper wrote: "Having an over the air of some kind." Not suggesting at this time the TV stations can close down ALL transmitters. Again, they only have to continue to operate OVER THE AIR with sufficient power/tower height to reach TWO locations - cable headend and satellite uplink site." Even there, often the local cable headend and the satellite uplink site are fed by optical fiber. That's certainly the case for the major Nashville stations. From a *technical* standpoint the transmitter is indeed unnecessary for reaching cable or satellite subscribers. As Robert says, outlying cable systems could be fed by satellite. The only issue is administrative. If the station no longer has an over-the-air signal, arguably its regulatory standing is no different from Fox Sports or CNN or Showtime etc.. There ceases to be justification for forcing cable systems to carry the station. So either you change the rules (to accept that the government can require a cable system to carry a particular channel with no particular justification) or you accept that locally-administered independent-of-the-cable-operator stations are going to disappear. I'll leave that decision to the politicians and lobbyists |grin|... maybe |frown| is more appropriate! (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66, http://www.w9wi.com June 17, WTFDA via DXLD) Doug, Thanks, that is pretty much what I was hoping you'd post. A nice, easy to read explanation of how this is all going down. And there are also rules coming down on the TV set manufacturer's to begin *real* mass production of the DTV sets. Because nobody will spend 1,000 bucks on a 27" TV set. At some point real soon the price of this equipment will have to drop and be comparable to existing analog equipment or the idea is not going to be very well accepted by the American public. Kind of like how they don't like to be told how heavy and gas guzzling a car you can drive. The old "You're trying to take away my SUV again aren't you?" mentality, only reversed. "You mean to tell me that I HAVE to buy that $1,000 set or NOT watch TV anymore?!!" This will be sure to make people VERY uncomfortable buying one of the new sets. The spin masters will be doing overtime on this one trying to convince everybody that they MUST get a new set "because it's better." If congress passed a bill that made the cost of the new equipment a one time tax deduction, that is if you could only use the purchase of replacement sets as a tax deduction, maybe folks would be more inclined to go out and get the new sets. And it should have been tied in with a national reclaim/recycling program whereby the older analog sets would be sold to third world countries or ground up and the materials reclaimed instead of filling up landfills. We know a lot about how that goes here in Niagara County, home of the Love Canal! and CECOS and the Lake Ontario Ordinance Works. (That's were the Army stored waste products from the first atomic weapons programs. It took DECADES of work to clean that mess up!) There are ways to do this that would be economically feasible given a large enough stream of raw material (TV sets). But most homes have 2 or even 3 or 4 TV's in them. Here in our house there are 4 sets - ones in each bedroom and one in the family room, and I think that may be pretty typical in a household that has teenagers living in it. Anyway, I don't want to talk anybody's ear off. Back to checking for more skip!! of the analog variety (Guy T. Falsetti, Lockport, NY, ibid.) ** U S A. 87.9 PIRATES IN CHICAGO --- Yes, plural... ====================================================================== I drove through Chicago this morning on my way home from Milwaukee. My attention was elsewhere (mostly, on the road...) much of the way down from Wisconsin, but I did check out 87.9 at the junction of the Edens and Kennedy. (I-94 and I-90 northwest of downtown) A station I presume to be the one Neil Kaz reported was in with a fair signal. Rock music with lyrics in an Eastern European language. I didn't hear any announcements, though I suspect they did one while I was driving under the Post Office. It continued until I reached the Skyway, (where I-90 and I-94 split again south of downtown) where I tuned elsewhere. The signal was weak but clear through the downtown area. I would wild-guess something on the order of 100 watts ERP from a site in one of the very near west suburbs or the extreme west part of the city itself. ====================================================================== My attention was then with the Skyway (and 6 meters) until I got near I-80 on Indiana 912 (Cline Ave.) in Gary. There was a billboard for WGVE-88.7 there, and I was going to check out the programming on this long-silent station. (which did reappear last summer) Never got that far. There was *another* pirate on 87.9. Rap music, soul oldies, several ads for the Coliseum Bar on Indianapolis Boulevard in East Chicago. My bet is that the station is owned by the same people who own the bar. If the transmitter was there, then this was a 10-watter. It wasn't in very long, but in the time I was listening I didn't hear any objectionable lyrics (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66, June 15, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U S A. ALL LPFM STATIONS ARE OPERATING ILLEGALLY?! http://www.ccbroadcasters.com/group5bgrantables.htm Got your attention? This is not an "April Fool's Day" joke several months late. We believe that the shocking headline above is true. Ray LaForge, Chief, FCC OCT (Office of Engineering and Technology), Measurements and Calibration Branch today told CCB that all LPFM transmitters must be "FCC Type Certified." Previously, in 1998, the FCC replaced its regulation that all AM and FM transmitters be certified with the requirement that equipment could "self-certified" by a process called "Part 73 verification." According to Mr. LaForge, when LPFM was established in 2000 the FCC established tougher standards for LPFM, "because of the pirate problem." Because the changes in FCC regulations were poorly cross- referenced, apparently no one realized that LPFM broadcasters had stricter equipment requirements than all other broadcasters! Even Mr. LaForge was not aware of the change in regulations for a period of many months. Because of this confusion, he will recommend that the Enforcement Branch not sanction or penalize any manufacturer or LPFM broadcaster who was unaware of the certification requirement if they take action now to correct the problem. Equipment manufacturers may now either seek Certification from the FCC itself, which is a very slow process, or use independent testing laboratories - called TCBs - which charge $5,000 to $10,000 and can grant certification in a week or two. The FCC will probably allow manufacturers to send a Certification decal to be placed on the transmitters rather that requiring units to be returned to have a metal plate affixed. LPFM operators should contact their equipment manufacturer to determine how soon their equipment will be Type Certified and keep this information in file to show FCC inspectors. It is the manufacturers' responsibility to solve this problem for their customers. For the latest in professional guidance concerning underwriting guidelines: http://www.dovebroadcasting.com/underwriting.htm (John Broomall, Christian Community Broadcasters, June 16, WTFDA via DXLD) ** URUGUAY. Re: Hay osos en Uruguay? no :))) (Horacio A. Nigro, Montevideo - Uruguay, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Hola Glenn, Saludos desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA. La emisora "Música Beat", 96.7 MHz, se escuchó en la extraña frecuencia de 15075.07 kHz. La captación fue el día 15/06 a las 0129 UT, con SINPO 2/2. Transmitía baladas clásicas en español, salsa y raggamuffin' estilo panameño. Desconozco de donde pueda ser la estación. Audible hasta las 0202 UT, cuando la frecuencia es ocupada por los Emiratos Árabes Unidos, si no me equivoco [creo que no --- gh]. Identificaciones como: Música Beat 96.7 MHz, "El Gran Sonido". (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ NEWS FLASH ! RBDS: SCROLLING AND MOVING TEXT IS NOT ALLOWED IN THE USA United States "Radio Broadcast Data System" (RBDS) Standard http://www.nab.org/SciTech/Nrscgeneral/rds.asp "The RDS signal is a low bit rate data stream transmitted on the 57 kHz subcarrier of an FM radio signal. Its data rate is 1,187.5 bits per second – though 10 out of every 26 bits transmitted are error correction codes used to combat signal distortions that occur in the transmission path. Consequently, there is only about 730 bits per second of usable data in an RDS signal. The data in the RDS signal is transmitted in 104-bit groups, each of which consists of four 26-bit blocks. Because 10 of the 26 bits in each block are used for error correction coding, there are 16 bits of information in each block. The type of information included in each block is dependent on the group type. There are 32 different group types (0A, 0B, 1A … 15A and 15B). Certain types of information, such as the Program Identification (PI) code used to identify the transmitting station, are transmitted in every group type." - - - In the USA Radio Listeners know RDS mostly through its ability to permit RDS radios to display a Radio Stations Call Letters [.] US(A) Broadcaster generally only use the RBDS "PS" Code Feature to Transmit their Radio Station Call Letters. DEFINITION: Program Service Name (PS). Used for receiver displays of an 8 Character Alpha Numeric "Program Service Name" which may use Upper or Lower case characters. - - - Examples: KKSF, KKSF1037, LiteJazz, The Bone, ETC. Read Page #4 Section II Summary Differences Items 3 and 4. http://www.nab.org/scitech/rbdsrds.pdf Read Page #6 Item 3 - "DYNAMIC Program Service Name" The Requlation required a 'Static' Text Display Only. - - - It is against the Law to have Scrolling or Streaming RBDS Text in the USA. http://www.nab.org/scitech/rbdsrds.pdf Read Page #7 - "RBDS Standard" The Program Service (PS) Name is 'limited' to Eight (8) Characters. http://www.nab.org/scitech/rbdsrds.pdf Read Page #7 Item 4 - "Phase Out of Fast Program Service (PS) Feature." Newly designed equipment Shall Not have this Feature. - - - Broadcasters can NOT in the future have equipment that can transmit Scrolling or Moving Text. http://www.nab.org/scitech/rbdsrds.pdf Here is a website with several good webpages on RDS. http://murray.newcastle.edu.au/users/staff/eemf/ELEC351/SProjects/Hoppper/ Click-On the Topic [Modulation] in the Left Hand Column for specific information on how the separate RBDS Signal is transmitted via 57 kHz 'Off Set' using "Double Side Band - Supressed Carrier" (DSBSC) Transmission. This is a one page description with four go diagrams of how the RBDS Signal is structured and transmitted. About the RDS/RBDS Hardware and Technology http://www.semiconductors.philips.com/pip/SAA6588T_V2.html "The RDS/RBDS pre-processor is a CMOS device that integrates all RDS/RBDS relevant functions in one chip. The IC contains filtering and demodulation of the RDS/RBDS signal, symbol decoding, block synchronization, error detection, error correction and additional detectors for multi-path, signal quality and audio signal pauses." + Program Service (PS) Name (Call Letters & Frequency) - Traffic Program (TP) identification - Traffic Announcement (TA) signal - Alternative Frequency (AF) list - Program Identification (PI) - Enhanced Other Networks (EON) information + NOTE: Most USA FM Radio Stations 'only' use the "Program Service (PS) Name" Feature to transmit their: Call Letters, Frequency or Marketing Brand Name [.] WHY ? - Don't Ask Me Why ! - - The Revised Standard 'happen' in 1998 - - - Blame It On Bill Clinton :o) REMEMBER: When All Else Fails... - Read the Instructions ! - - Read the Manual ! - - - Read the Book ! More That You Wanted To Know ~ RHF (June 16, DX-398 yahoogroup via DXLD) This is interesting except that I never owned an RDS radio until I got my 2000 Chevy Impala, and on that radio I found scrolling text on several Boston radio stations. After tuning to the station, you would see first the Call Letters, then something like "Up next", "Beatle"s. Next you would see "Yesterday", and then.... "Rolling" ..."Stones"... etc. This is scrolling text and it was in the summer of 2000. I will be travelling to Boston again just after the 4th of July (in the same car) and will see if things look any different (Jay, ibid.) Jay, Besides the Primary RBDS Features like Program Service Name (PS). http://murray.newcastle.edu.au/users/staff/eemf/ELEC351/SProjects/Hop per/ Click-On [Services] RBDS has several "Secondary Features" like these 1. Programme Type (PTY): 2. Decoder Information (DI): 3. Programme Item Number (PIN): 4a. Other Networks (ON): 4b. Enhanced Other Networks (EON): 5. Music/Speech Switch (M/S): 6. Clock-Time and Date (CT): 7. Radio Text (RT): 8. Transparent Data Channel (TDC): 9. In-House Data (IH): MAYBE: The station(s) that you saw may have been using these other RBDS Features in their transmissions. IMHO: I would think that if the FCC was concerned about Car and Truck Divers being 'distracted' by the Scrolling or Streaming RBDS Text. They could have 'created' a requirement that 'AUTO' Radios could only display Fixed Text and Home/Portable Radios could display any form of text transmitted (~ RHF, ibid.) The American approach to RDS is extremely interesting. Awful actually (full of awe and wonder like a disaster), this is a great piece of technology that should be implemented. It seems that some very narrow commercial interests have held up its introduction. I understand that the same was true of door knobs --- most of the rest of the world went to door handles a long time ago --- much easier to open but some narrow commercial interests in the US insisted that builders stick to the old door knob. Life grows curiouser and curiouser (Brian Millson, in Sunny England, ibid.) I have a friend who is a chief engineer at a radio station in the San Francisco Bay area. This is from our email exchange on RDS: RDS, in Europe it's RDS, here it's RBDS. An interesting technology that would never make it in the states due to the homologous monopoly of stations and competitive reasons. What, management would say, scan by format? They might not pick ours if they knew there might be a station doing the same thing on the dial? And what's this change channel stuff when you begin to get out of range! No WAY! The technology was launched about ten years ago, the EIA (Electronic Industry Association) came to each station and asked if we wanted to put RBDS on, we said yes and we put it on. They gave us the gear. I fully implemented it, we ran the spots on the air, if you had a fully functioning RDS radio you could see the name and artist scroll across on the radio text, it would scan to the format, show the call and set your clock. Radio manufacturers didn't make full function radios, with the exception of Delco. The NAB went up in arms over it. I wondered if anyone had an RDS radio that could radio text, so I put up "If you can read this call the station and win a free CD" No one called, so I took it off the air. Nobody called to say they missed it. Interesting to note, the last couple of GM cars I rented all had full function RDS radios. Hmmm. Maybe I should hook it back up now? The stations in the city that have the RDS indicator light up are only running the call sign; the rest of it is empty. Yet another experiment that the manufactures didn't go with. We also gave them FMX, and AM stereo. No one implemented it widely in their radio lines. John (via Russ Kiehne, WB6NIU, ibid.) RK, Your friend is telling the truth. - If RBDS Does NOT - - Add To The Bottom Line - - - WHY DO IT ? A Radio Station is a Business - A Very Big Business - - Not a Public Service - - - That Includes NPR and PRI (~ RHF, ibid.) Perhaps a sense of public service would be a fantastic reason for doing it, of great moral merit rather than some disgusting narrow financial interest. Actually the manufacturers in much of the world did go for it in a big way. If you tried to sell a car radio in Europe without RDS, you would go broke very quickly. Regarding scrolling text --- As far as safety goes telling a driver that an accident is at such and such a junction or that there was a jam ahead would be considered a safety feature rather than a danger to safety (we use RDS here for that all the time). Interestingly while RDS is promoted in a big way here in cars. MacDonald's and Burger King and their ilk are not allowed to place billboards by the motorway for fear of distracting motorists. I certainly regard our radio stations as not only businesses but public services too and my licence fee goes towards that. Radio 1, Radio 2, Radio 4, Radio 5, BBC 6, BBC 7 [not Radio 3?] (Brian Millson in Sunny England :-), ibid.) ANTENNAS GET SMART Adaptive antenna arrays can vastly improve wireless communications by connecting mobile users with virtual wires http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa001&articleID=000853F1-DD7F-1EDC-8 E1C809EC588EF21 (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) DRM +++ INTERNATIONAL RADIO STATIONS START DIGITAL SERVICE By ALEXANDER G. HIGGINS, The Associated Press, 6/16/03 6:05 PM GENEVA (AP) -- The British Broadcasting Corp., Voice of America and other international broadcasters launched digital short-wave radio service Monday, promising to provide near-FM quality in the place of static-filled signals. Digital broadcasts don't increase a station's range, but they eliminate static and let broadcasters transmit text, such as news updates and song information, with the audio signal. For now, digital radio receivers are considerably more expensive than analog radios. The Digital Radio Mondiale consortium launched its digital service at a global radio meeting in Geneva. "DRM's introduction will forever alter the course of radio broadcasting," said Peter F. Senger, chairman of the consortium, which has more than 80 members. The initial signals were transmitted from a nearby mountain in France shortly after 8 p.m., when Senger gave the word during a ceremony in conjunction with the World Radiocommunication Conference in Geneva. The conference is held every few years to decide airwave issues such as the sharing of radio and satellite frequencies. Simultaneously, other short-wave broadcasters started using digital transmitters in different parts of the world. The transmissions received at the reception featured voices in Chinese, French, English, German, Russian and Spanish, followed by static-free music. For the foreseeable future, broadcasters will use both traditional analog systems alongside the digital transmissions so people with traditional radios will still be able to tune in. At first, broadcasts will be aimed at Europe, North America, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand. Digital radio signals are duplicated enough so that even if some are lost from interference, the receiver is able to put the transmission back together so it can be heard correctly. And Senger said the system uses much less electricity than analog, which will save broadcasters considerably on their biggest cost item. Although the Federal Communications Commission has approved a different digital standard for U.S. domestic broadcasters, Senger said the new system is meant to be universal and could eventually be used in the United States. Other broadcasters in Europe, Asia and Canada have been using digital transmissions for several years. That system, known as Eureka 147 or DAB, uses a different set of frequencies than traditional AM, FM or short-wave bands. ------ On the Net: http://www.drm.org (via Mike Cooper, Mike Terry, Art Preis, DXLD) See also CANADA, GERMANY, RUSSIA DRM FEEDBACK Commenting on last month`s special feature on digital shortwave broadcasting, Johnsonville member BILL SANGSTER comments ``it appears that in order to receive DRM, I`ll need a complicated and probably expensive modification to my shortwave radio, as well as a compter. This begs the question about the continuation of conventional AM transmissions on shortwave in the near and distant future. Will DRM revitalise our hobby?`` CHRIS MACKERELL responds ````Yes, right now a computer is needed, but that will change over the next year or so. At the moment, modifying an existing receiver, and using a computer to decode the signal is the cheapest option. There are commercial DRM receivers available, but they are expensive, partly because they include a PC in the receiver box to do the decoding! Having the decoding done on a PC is actually good at the moment because it allows bugs in the decoding software to be fixed much more easily than in any hardware solution. Keep an eye open for DRM receivers coming out from mainstream manufacturers in the near future. With regard to the modifications required to an existing radio to receive DRM, the practicality and cost depends on the radio involved. I`m currently playing with a $50 DRM module that I have plugged into the back of my AR-7030. It isn`t perfect, but it does work. Will DRM revitalise our hobby? Well, it already has for me! Really, this is the first major technical revolution to come to shortwave radio since international broadcasting began and I`ve found it very exciting to have some small involvement in it. If it keeps a few more countries broadcasting on shortwave I`m all for it. It`s an SWL medium more than a DX medium, but I think there will be plenty of non-DRM stations around for many years yet to keep the DXers happy. Of course, DRM could go the way of Beta video, but only time will tell.`` Thanks for the update Chris! (NEW ZEALAND DX TIMES PAGE 25 JUNE 2003 via DXLD) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ IMPORTANT SPAM UPDATE - THE 3RD ANNUAL NIGERIAN EMAIL CONFERENCE http://www.20six.co.uk:80/-/de/weblogEntry/v1mlhzyesmi7 (Email From a blog called "buzzin'" via Tom Roche, DXLD) ### ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-107, June 15, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3f.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 1186: WBCQ: Mon 0445 7415 [long version] RFPI: Mon 0630, 1230, Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0730, 1330 7445 15039 WWCR: Wed 0930 9475 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1186.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1186.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1186h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1186h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1186.html JUNE DXLD HTML ARCHIVE is now underway: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3f.html ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. 18940 *1430-1545 NOR 07-06 R Afghanistan via Kvitsøy, Dari IDs, talks about Afghanistan, 1500 news, 1528 speech with applause, 35433 AP-DNK (Anker Petersen, Denmark, @tividade DX via DXLD) 18940, Radio Afghanistan, 7 June, 1438-1453, SINPO 44333, in Dari till 1452, then changed to Pushtu. Talks, a kind of a radio play after 1446. How can I contact the station? (Dmitry Mezin, Kazan, Russia, Signal via DXLD) So it`s still on despite new 400 kW MW 1107. I recall that they have the same old P O Box in Kabul as previous incarnations (gh, DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN. AFGHAN'S FIRST PRIVATE RADIO STATION TAKES TO THE AIR WAVES --- Agence France-Presse Kabul, June 15 http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_281133,00050004.htm From a house in one of Kabul's relatively unscathed districts, Afghanistan's first commercial radio station is taking the city by storm with a mix of music and chat by male and female DJs that would have had the Taliban summoning the religious police. Surrounded by posters of Western and Indian pop stars and footballers, Massouda Zalmai, 18, and her co-host Abdul Azim, 23, present Radio Arman FM's lunchtime show with a mix of friendly banter, gossip about rising Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi and more serious discussions on the dangers of smoking, interspersed with music. Radio Arman FM 98.1 went on air April 16 as Afghanistan's first ever private radio station, serving up a mix of entertainment, information and education for the capital's millions. The station broadcasts Afghan, Indian, Tajik, Uzbek and Western music 24 hours a day, with bilingual DJs using Dari and Pashtu, Afghanistan's two main languages. Arman FM's format of music, gossip and chat has long been the staple of radio stations elsewhere, but the presenters' informal approach and use of colloquial Dari has drawn criticism from some listeners unused to hearing young men and women chat together on air even 19 months after the toppling of the puritanical Taliban. Others among those who aired their views on state-run TV last week have accused the fledgling radio station of being unprofessional in recruiting young presenters with little or no training (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** ALASKA. 11765, KNLS, *0800-0825, 6/12, English. Familiar format with ID, "This is Alaska Calling, you`re listening to KNLS, Anchor Point, Alaska, USA", "Eye on.."rpts, golden oldies, "Postcard from Alaska" and Mailbag program. Usual religious bits throughout. Overall fair signal, with splatter from HCJB, 11770 (Scott Barbour, NH, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) Back on scheduled frequency; recently reported on 11675 (gh, DXLD) ** BOTSWANA. 909 kHz was recently mentioned as used for the VOA service to Zimbabwe 1700-1800. This was originally direxional south when South Africa was the main target, but now we see in the IBB frequency schedule that the azimuth is ``999`` --- meaning, I assume non-direxional to distinguish that from 000 which would mean due north, a more appropriate direxionality for the present service to Zimbabwe. Maybe it`s about time the second transmitter and antenna farm in the original plans be built for northward direxional coverage. But by that time, Mugabe would probably be ousted and the US no longer care (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 3205.00, [Rádio?] Ribeirão Preto. June 2003 - 0300 UT. Normally the frequency is totally clean from signals here in Quito but at one occasion this Brazilian came up with good strength (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin June 15, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. I received an email from a RCI Audience Relations Representative in response to an inquiry about an item I had heard on the "Maple Leaf Mailbag" program concerning RCI and DRM. The email stated that RCI would begin broadcasting in the DRM mode for several hours a day on June 16, 2003. They state that this is IN ADDITION to their usual analogue transmission, and that any total changeover to DRM "would be years down the road." 73, (Joe Wood, TN, NASWA Flashsheet June 15 via DXLD) ** CANADA. And in Canada, the CBC offers groups tours (by advance reservation only) of its massive Broadcast Centre in Toronto. I'm trying (well, Saul Chernos is trying) to set one up for WTFDA this July; I'll try to do one for NRC next year as well if there's interest. Local CBC studio facilities will also do tours on request; I've visited Moncton, Ottawa and Vancouver that way. And the staff at the RCI transmitter site in Sackville, New Brunswick LOVES visitors. I still haven't figured out how to get a tour of the Radio-Canada/RCI "Maison Radio Canada" facility in Montreal... s (Scott Fybush, NY, NRC-AM via DXLD) See also FRANCE; UK ** CHILE. Concerning to RADIO SANTA MARIA, 6029.7v khz, I have the confirmation from a friend that is living in Coyhaique, that the station by a budgetary problem is off the air and currently they are broadcasting only on MW fq. Is uncertain when the station could return again on SW, but everything will depend of the interes of the director of the station that in fact have not any has been their attention the radio. He is a priest that is concerned of other interests. Regrettable. Also, comes to collation the low receipts product of the great competition of radio stations, specially FM stations via relay stations from Santiago, mostly. Is shame because the SW frequencies in this zone, is very important because has access to places of very difficult access. The world integration of the Internet and the interest of to listen Stereo music of great quality added to the administration lack, implies that at this time the short wave of Radio Santa María is outside of the air until somebody puts the point to the "i" and look about the importance that has this radio station. The important is that all equipments and the antennas are in guards by the personal of Radio Santa Maria, but, for the moment, we should only wait (Gabriel Iván Barrera, Argentina, in DXplorer List via Conexión Digital June 15 via DXLD) ** CONGO. 30 May, 2055-2103 5985 Radio Congo in French till 2100. At 2100 broadcast in Spanish started, with ID "Aquí Radio Congo" !!! Slight sideband splash from the Voice of Turkey; I was able to suppress it with synchrodetector. 44444. Voice of Russia (transmitter in Germany) caused considerable QRM before 2100, but nevertheless signal of Radio Congo could be recognized downunder. I've got a feeling that Radio Tanzania was also audible on this frequency (after checking 5985 kHz against parallel 5050). Both Voice of Russia and Radio Tanzania leave the frequency at 2100, opening the way for Congo (open_dx - Sergey Mulyk, Chervonograd, Ukraine, via Signal June 15, via DXLD) ** CUBA. RDS from the station on 90.3 displays as ``PROGRESSO`` (Bruce Elving, June FMedia! via DXLD) Surely the Cubans know how to spell it ** CUBA [non]. ESTADOS UNIDOS --- Quem gosta da parte religiosa do hobby, a dica do José Moacir Portera de Melo, de Pontes e Lacerda (MT), é a sintonia da missa para os cubanos, emitida, nos domingos, pela Rádio Marti. Vai ao ar, às 1100, em 9805 kHz. A missa é celebrada na Ermita de la Caridade del Cobre e "os destaques são para os cânticos e a organista que os acompanha", conforme Portera. (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX June 15 via DXLD) Standard rant about separation of church and state. I really can`t understand why all the other sects aren`t banging on the doors of Radio Martí demanding equal time. Or, are they? Someone should publicize this in the NRB (gh, DXLD) ** CZECH REPUBLIC. REPÚBLICA CHECA --- Aqui vai mais uma dica do Leônidas dos Santos Nascimento, de São João Evangelista (MG), para os amantes do idioma francês: a Rádio Praga leva ao ar, nas terças, o programa "73 de Rádio Prague", com informações aos radioescutas. O esquema da emissora é o seguinte: entre 0600 e 0627, em 5930 e 7345 kHz. Das 0800 às 0827, em 11600 kHz. Entre 1630 e 1657, em 5930 e 17485 kHz. Das 1830 às 1857, em 5930 e 13580 kHz. Por último, entre 2200 e 2227, em 11600 e 13580 kHz (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX June 15 via DXLD) ** DENMARK. Denmark. A collection of Danish QSL cards up through the years can now be seen at: http://www1.dr.dk/pubs/nyheder/html/programmer/kortboelge/qsl.html 73, (Erik Køie, Copenhagen, June 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. It might be a good idea to check all HC stations on SW, both active and inactive when the economic situation in the country is rather depressed. 3 million school pupils have been without education for at least a month but the conflict is ended on Monday. How they will manage to come to their schools is uncertain when a big transport strike starts the same day. The situation is also bad due to closed gas stations and strikes among oil workers. On top of that is strike among the doctors with closed hospitals. It will be interesting to see how long the president, Lucio Gutiérrez, can keep his office. 4879.00, Radio Nacional Espejo, Quito. On behalf of WRTH I am updating the addresses for the stations in the province "Pichincha". Nacional Espejo said they are looking into the possibility to take up SW transmissions again. I hope this will be a reality as very few area active on SW nowadays from Ecuador. 4899.77, Radio Saquisilí y Libertador, Saquisilí. June 2003. Has had an active period now with broadcasts early evenings and late mornings local time which make them hard logged back in Sweden. 73 från BM in Quito! New address: bjornmalm2003@yahoo.com (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin June 15, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR [non]. As you have heard on this week's DX Partyline, WINB will be airing the program. DX Partyline and HCJB were instrumental in my growth as a DXer starting way back in 1976. It is a great honor for me to be able to air the DXPL on WINB nearly 30 years later. We'll be airing it starting next Saturday, June 21st from 8 to 8:30 PM on 12160 kHz (This is UT Sunday, June 22nd at 0000-0030.) We'd welcome reception reports which can be sent to WINB, PO Box 88, Red Lion, PA 17356 USA or winb40th@yahoo.com (Hans Johnson, Sales and Frequency Manager, WINB, Cumbredx mailing list June 15 via DXLD) How about that! Same time as used to be on HCJB. Wonder when they`ll update the online program schedule (gh, DXLD) ** EL SALVADOR. Haven't heard Radio Imperial 17835.16 for some time... not even a carrier beating against Japan. Anyone else hear them recently? (Paul Ormandy, Oamaru, New Zealand, June 15, dxing.info via DXLD) At least their fax machine is broken, the only way they would QSL: (gh) {not so: see 3-108} Estou enviando uma informação muito importante sobre a Radio Imperial e espero que colegas até mesmo de outros países possam aproveitá-la. Em contato com a administradora desta emissora (Erika García), ela informou que o equipamento de faz deles está danificado, impossibilitando assim o envio de confirmações. Para os colegas que desconhecem este caso, a dita emissora tem registros de confimações apenas por este meio. Para a minha sorte, recebi a informação que a minha confirmação por carta está a caminho e além disso, receberei um certificado de "ouvinte especial" da emissora (Ivan Dias - Sorocaba, SP, 11/06/2003, @tividade DX via DXLD) ** FINLAND. YLE, R. Finland Sked 30 March to 26 October 2003 Finnish, except other languages as specified below 558 24 hrs 963 24 hrs 6120 0400-2200 9560 0530-0600 9655 0400-0600 9705 1300-1500 11755 0500-2000 11895 2330-2345 11990 0100-0200 13665 2330-2345 13730 0100-0200 13775 0430-0500 15135 0600-0800 15335 1700-1800 15400 1200-1300 15445 0400-0530 15515 1900-2000 Th 17625 1300-1400 17670 0700-0800 Sa, Su, 1200-1300, 1530-1600, 1700-1800 Su 17710 1700-1900 21595 1000-1100 21800 0830-0945, 1000-1200 Special Finnish: 1555 17670 1945 6140 558 2055 6120 963 0245 6120 558 0845 17615 558 Latin 1555 17670 Su 1945 6140 558 Su 2055 6120 963 Su 0245 6120 558 Mo 0845 17615 558 Mo Swedish 0530-0600 9560 Su 0630-0700 15135 Su 1000-1100 15530 Su 1235-1300 15400, 17670 Sa 1300-1900 9630 | Radio Vega relay: 1400-1600. | R.Vega/R. Extream rly: 1630-1900. Russian 0200-0245 6120, 558 0445-0500 Helsinki 97.5, Tampere 88.3, Turku 96.7, Lahti 90.3, Kuopio 88.1, Jyvaskyla 87.6 0700-0800 17615 Sa 0800-0845 558, 17615 1900-1945 558, FM (see above), 6140 | Radio 1: 1955-2000 ------------------------------- Local stations relay: 0700-0800 11755, 6120, 963 | Mo Kainuun Radio, | Tu - Etela-Savon Radio, | Wd - Pohjos-Karjalan Radio, | Th - Turun Radio, | Fr - Tampereen Radio, | Sa - Radio Keski-Suomi (till 0900) 0800-0900 11755, 6120, 963 | Mo - Ita-Uusimaa, | Tu - Radio Perameri, | Wd - Kymenlaakson Radio, | Th - Radio Hame, | Fr - Radio Keski-Pohjonmaa. 1000-1100 11755, 6120, 963 | Mo - Lahden Radio, | Tu - Satakunnan Radio, | Wd - Tampereen Radio, | Th - Etela-Karjalan Radio, | Fr - Lapin Radio. 1200-1300 11755, 6120, 963 | Mo - Turun Radio, | Tu - Radio Savo, | Wd - Ylen lantinen, | Th - Oulu Radio, | Fr - Pohjanmaan Radio. 1315-1400 9630 in Swedish | Mo - Radio Aboland, | Tu - Radio Vastnyland, | Wd - Radio Osterbotten, | Th - Radio Mellannyland, | Fr - Radio Ostnyland 1315-1400 11755, 6120, 963 & 9705 (-1330) | Mo - Fr Ylen aikainen. ------------------------------------ Capital FM Helsinki 97.5, Tampere 88.3, Jyvaskyla 87.6, Turku 96.7, Lahti 90.3, Kuopio 88.1: | 1800 DW in German, | 1830 RFI in French, | 1900 BBC in Russian, | 1905 YLE in Russian, | 1945 Special Finnish, | 2000 CRI in English, | 2030 NPR in English, | 2100 CBC in English, | 2130 NPR in English, | 2200 BBC in English, | 2230 CBC in English, | 0000 ABC in English, | 0030 BBC in English, | 0300 VOA in English, | 0330 NPR in English, | 0400 BBC in English, | 0430 YLE in English. Helsinki 97.5, Tampere 88.3, Jyvaskyla 87.6: | 0900 NPR in English ( Su -1200), | 1500 BBC in English. Helsinki 97.5: | 0500 DW in German, | 0530 RFI in French, | 0555 Sr/Su YLE in English, | 0600 BBC in English, | 0700 ABC in English, | 0800 DW in German, | 0830 RNE in Spanish, | 1000 DR in Danish (Sr BBC -1100), | 1030 SABC in English, | 1100 DW in German, | 1130 RFI in French, | 1200 RV in Italian (Sr,Su BBC), | 1230 BBC in English (Sr BBC -1700), | 1300 CBC in English, | 1400 NPR in ENglish, | 1530 NRK in Norwegian, | 1600 VOA in English, | 1700 DW in German, | 1730 RNE in Spanish. (via Sergey Kolesov, via Alan Roe, June World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** FRANCE [and non]. FRENCH CLANDESTINES STATIONS IN 1943 Good evening Glenn, I am sending you an article in French on the secret stations which spread towards the Maghreb in 1943 in Arabic and French. This article is based according to documents which exist in the National Archives in Paris and which mention the activities of Propaganda Abteilung in France. This Nazi organization which operated in France used broadcasting station Allouis`s short waves to spread programs towards North Africa. Documents are drafted in German (I possess the photocopies of these archives). Between 1939 and 1945 the Nazis also had broadcasts of disintegration against France. From January 10, 1940 a broadcasting station becoming identified "Le Réveil de la France" began the broadcasts on short waves, follow-up some days later by "la Voix de la Paix". These two last stations used the broadcasting stations of Radio Warsaw. Broadcasts existed also under the name of "Radio Humanité" which had to give the impression to have between the hands of the French Communist Party of which the leader was then Maurice Thorez. Another SW broadcasting station known in French under the name of "Radio Metropole" operated it seems from Semlin in Yugoslavia until 1944. When I shall have a little more time I shall make an article about that. For the moment the article on broadcasts towards the Maghreb is in French. I have no time to make a translation of it in English (Bernard Chenal, France, June 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) LA PROPAGANDE ALLEMANDE VERS LE MAGHREB PENDANT LA 2E GUERRE MONDIALE Il y a très peu d`écrits qui ont été menées concernant la propagande allemande vers le Maghreb. Il y a cependant quelques historiens allemands qui ont brièvement ébauché ce sujet dans le cadre d`une étude générale de la propagande allemande vers l`étranger. Bien que le sujet soit un peu plus vaste que celui étudié ici, je me contenterai de relever brièvement certaines émissions clandestines que l`on pouvait entendre en 1943. Au Maghreb très peu de personnes possédaient des postes de radio. Il en existait 4660 au Maroc en 1938 et 9833 en Algérie en 1941. Radio Alger avait inauguré un journal en langue arabe de 15 minutes en 1936 en réaction à la propagande italienne de l`émetteur italien de Bari qui ne se gênait pas pour attaquer la politique colonialiste des Français et des Anglais. Depuis Bari, les fascistes envoyaient des émissions dans les différents dialectes arabes pour inciter la population du Maghreb à se soulever contre la domination française ou anglaise. C`est la BBC qui ripostera la première en lançant ses premières émissions en langue arabe dès janvier 1938, suivie par Radio Paris Mondial en avril de la même année. A partir de septembre 1939, ce sont les émetteurs de Zeesen (Berlin) et de Radio Stuttgart qui entrent dans la danse en diffusant des nouvelles et des bulletins en arabe et en français vers le Maghreb. Plus tard, les allemands y ajouteront trois autres émetteurs ondes courtes. Un propagandiste chevronné resté célèbre au Maghreb, Younis Al-Bahri officiait sur l`émetteur ondes courtes de Zeesen. L`émetteur était semble-t-il mal reçu en Algérie, mais beaucoup mieux en Tunisie. Ce speaker s`exprimait dans un arabe littéraire difficile à suivre pour les maghrébins. Même si son message n`était pas parfaitement compris (parce irakien), Younis al-Bahri était écouté par des cercles attentifs avec admiration et respect. Un autre speaker arabe, Yassine Abderrahman, de nationalité tunisienne (ex-membre du Comité d`Action Révolutionnaire Nord-Africain - C.A.R.N.A) présentait chaque jour sa chronique sur l`émetteur de Zeesen. Radio Stuttgart qui émettait depuis Mulhacker en Allemagne en français par la voix d`une speakerine sans accent, était facilement captée le soir au Maghreb. Les émissions de Radio Stuttgart étaient beaucoup plus violemment anti-française que celle de Radio Bari ou Radio Tripoli. La propaganda Abteilung de Paris avait mis en route depuis la France de pseudos postes clandestins dirigés vers le Maghreb . Le plus important d`entre eux était sans conteste Radio Brazzaville N 2 qui émettait cinq fois par jour pendant 15 minutes sur 11700 kHz. Ce poste était également audible en France dans la bandes des 49 mètres. L`émetteur est en fait celui d`Allouis qui rayonne avec ses 100 Kw. Le responsable de cette radio est le fameux Dambman, plus connu sous le nom de Docteur Friedrich qui excelle aussi sur Radio Paris Allemand. Il est secondé par des collaborateurs membres du Parti Populaire Français (PPF), tels Roger Nicolas, René Fonjallaz (journaliste suisse) ou encore des autonomistes bretons pro-nazis comme Olier Mordrel et Paul Gaignet. Le studio de Radio Brazzaville N 2 se trouve au 120 avenue des Champs Elysées à Paris. La station se définit comme un "poste de combat pour la France éternelle et indivisible". Plus tard, elle se met à attaquer le général Giraud en Afrique du Nord, qui ne s`était pas encore rallié au général de Gaulle. Radio Brazzaville N 2 fustigeait "les traîtres" et recommandait aux soldats français de rester fidèles à leur chef légitime, le Maréchal Pétain et de "combattre les envahisseurs anglo- saxons". En mai 1943, trois émetteurs aux dénominations curieuses font leur apparition : Radio Lutte Sociale, Radio Libération, et Radio Torchon qui incitaient les musulmans à "brutaliser les juifs et à résister contre les autorités américaines et Gaullistes". En vue d`accroître la confusion politique, le premier émetteur était sensé appartenir au Parti Communiste Français, le second aux Gaullistes d`Afrique du Nord, et le troisième comme un poste clandestin reflétant "l`opinion publique nord-africain". Les trois stations clandestines sont animés par des membres du P.P.F. Il s`agit de MM Brun, René Fonjallaz, Jean Grappard (né le 24 juin 1916 à Paris), Rogère et Peretti. En 1943, Radio Libération Ondes Courtes émet cinq fois par jour, à 11h49, 12h49, 13h49 et 15h49 pendant 15 minutes. Radio Torchon fonctionne chaque lundi, mercredi, et jeudi de 13h15 à 13h30 et Radio Lutte Sociale chaque dimanche, mardi et vendredi à la même heure vers l`Europe dans la bande des 49 mètres. Une émission similaire a lieu vers l`Afrique du Nord les mêmes jours entre 13h15 et 13h30 pour Radio Torchon et entre 13h45-14h pour Radio Lutte Sociale sur 11700 et 11720 kHz. Le 25 mars 1944 à 16h30 et 21h15, la station clandestine de la Résistance française "Honneur et Patrie" (qui était exploitée par le Political Warfare Executed –PWE) affirmait sur ses antennes que "le studio du soit disant poste clandestin Lutte Sociale se trouvait au siège de l`ancien Poste Parisien, 118 avenue des Champs Elysées. Il a pour rédacteurs deux membres du P.P.F. qui appartenaient naguère au Parti Communiste Français. Ce sont Fouché, délégué adjoint à la propagande du P.P.F. et Renaud". Le 26 mars 1944 Radio Rabat rectifiait le tir en affirmant qu`il s`agissait de Bougère et non de Fouché. Le nom de Bougère, quelque peu écorché, était en réalité Rogère. Jean Renaud travaillait en réalité sur le poste " La France Fidèle " du gouvernement de Vichy. Lutte Sociale avait comme speakerine une nommée Mme Peretti. On ne connaît pas la portée de ces émissions et les dégâts qu`elles ont pu provoquer. Mais une chose est certaine : la propagande nazie n`est jamais parvenue à jeter le désordre chez l`ennemi, car de nombreuses stations à travers le monde combattaient le nazisme. La partie était vraiment inégale et de plus la politique allemande n`a jamais voulue appuyer le mouvement de libération arabe. Emissions vers le Maghreb en 1943 (les heures indiquées sont GMT +1) = Broadcasts towards the Maghreb in 1943 Radio Zeesen : Maghrébin : 1800-1900, 2115-2215 sur 19m83, 25m24 Français : 16h45-1800, 1900-2000 sur 19m83, 2015-2115 sur 25m24 Radio Brazzaville N 2 (Propaganda Abteilung) entrée en fonction le 23 décembre 1942 jusqu`au 15 avril 1943. En Français vers l`Europe à 10h49, 11h49, 12h49, 13h49, 14h49 (heures d`Europe centrale) sur 49m26 (11 minutes par émission) Vers le Maghreb à 10h15, 11h45, 12h45, 14h45, 15h45 via Allouis sur 11700 kHz (15 minutes par émission). "La France Fidèle" (poste officiel du gouvernement de Vichy) = Official station of the government of Vichy ) Vers le Maghreb : Français : 1100-1200, 1300-1330 Arabe : 1330-1400, 2015-2045 Français 1915-2015, 2300-2400 Dans les bandes des 31, 41 et 49 mètres Radio Révolution Ondes Courtes (gouvernement de Vichy) clandestine En français (vers la France et l`Europe) 2000-2030 dans les 31, 41 et 49 mètre en plus de l`émetteur de Toulouse sur 308 mètres (qui appartenait au groupe de Jacques Trémoulet (décédé en 1971) qui avait fondé Radio Andorre et Radio Africa Maghreb à Tanger et qui à la libération sera condamné à mort par contumace pour " collaboration avec l`ennemi ", puis gracié par la suite). Vers l`Afrique Orientale et Equatoriale française : Français : 0545- 0630,0645-0730, 1230-1315, 1415-1540,1923-1945,2100-2145, 2200-2245 sur 31m19, 19m68, et 25m33 Radio Torchon Entrée en fonction le 11 mai 1943. Diffuse pour commencer en français, d`abord les lundis, mercredis et vendredi puis à partir de juin 1943 tous les jours de 13h15-13h30 sur 11720 kHz et dans les bandes des 49 mètres. A partir du mois d`août 1943 cette station commence à diffuser en arabe et kabyle en plus du français (horaire et fréquences non connus) Radio Lutte Sociale (disait appartenir au Parti Communiste Français) Elle a commencé à émettre le 18 mai 1943 les dimanches, mardis et jeudis. Dès août 1943 cette station animera une émission journalière en langue française de 13h45-14h00 sur 11700 kHz. Emettait aussi en arabe et kabyle (horaires et fréquences non précisés) Radio Libération (affirmait appartenir aux Gaullistes d`Afrique du Nord) A pris la suite de Radio Brazzaville N 2 lorsque celle-ci a cessé d`émettre. Elle est entrée en fonction le 5 mai 1943 d`abord en français à 1149,1249,1349,1449, et 15h49 sur 11700 kHz ( 15 mn par émission) vers le Maghreb et vers l`Europe dans la bande des 49 mètres. Emettait aussi en arabe et en kabyle. (Nota : Les horaires et fréquences ainsi que les commentaires sont extraites de pages dactylographiées en allemand de la Propaganda Abteilung dont les notes se trouvent aux Archives Nationales de Paris (Je possède environ une cinquantaine de pages chez-moi, des photocopies faites à partir des originaux). (Bernard Chenal, France, June 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. In Paris, Lisa and I took a tour of Maison Radio France, the home to all of France's state radio services, including Radio France International. The tour is given entirely in French, and I probably understood about 40 percent of what the guide was saying and picked up another 30 percent by context. (Our Quebecois contingent would enjoy this experience!) The highlight of that tour is about an hour that's spent in the Musee Radio France, a very well appointed small museum that tells the history of broadcasting from a very French perspective. Access to the museum is only by guided tour. The rest of the tour is relatively skimpy by comparison; we walked past several of the national networks' studios, a newsroom, and visited the very big auditorium/studio where orchestral concerts and other large events are broadcast. s (Scott Fybush, NY, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** GALAPAGOS. Radio Santa Cruz Writes from the Galápagos Islands: We would be very thankful if you would update the information on our radio station, as follows: Name: RADIO SANTA CRUZ Frequency: 88.7 FM. Stereo (1000 kw) Director: P. Segundo Clarito Pucachaqui Thanks for doing that. We also want to tell you that our own website is http://www.puertoayora.com/radiosantacruz and its e-mail is radiosantacruz@gpsinter.net Franciscan Brothers Galápagos, Ecuador (Catholic Radio Update June 16 via DXLD) Probably the world`s most powerful FM station, and thus a DX target even under non-DX conditions, unless they really mean 1000 watts . . . But according to site it is on 92.1 and has a webcast, audible on wm player. Listened around 1500 UT Sunday with live DJ, CST time chex, music with religious angle, and frequency as 92.1. Almost seemed like DX from such an isolated(?), exotic(?) location (gh, DXLD) ** GERMANY. New DW address: Deutsche Welle, D-53111 Bonn, Germany. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, June 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. RELAUNCH OF INDIA WORLD RADIO This info from Mr Raman Nanda (earlier used to work with BBC-Hindi) via cr-india mailing list. Regds (Alokesh Gupta, dx_india) India World Radio, one of the country's first independent radio (broadcasting on Internet) has been relaunched and now has a magazine format. May I request you to visit http://www.indiaworldradio.com --- listen to the programmes that interest you and give us you feedback. Let me tell you that all the programmes presently out there have been presented by first time broadcasters who got into the flow of producing and presenting programmes during an intensive three week workshop conducted by Media Arc in Delhi. The programmes include: "Good News Delhi", "Osho: Conversation between a father and daughter", "Books `n` Authors', 'School Junction' and 'Sex and Spirituality'. Look forward to your feedback. With regards Raman Nanda Internet Radio? Experience it: http://www.indiaworldradio.com http://www.media-arc.net/samples_radio.htm Radio for Schools: http://www.media-arc.net/ryanradio.htm Our work with an International TV channel: http://www.channel4.com/kumbhmela Applications of live, interactive audio: http://www.indiatalkslive.com Contact Details: Email: raman@media-arc.net Tel: 91-11-2649 5658, 91-11-2649 5748, 98681 27916 Add: 1st Floor, 118, Shahpur Jat, Near Asian Games Village, New Delhi- 49 (via Alokesh Gupta, dx_india via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. MUSLIM GROUP TO AIR SATELLITE TALK SHOW 'Washington Live' will offer insights on U.S. Muslim community CAIR-NET: Muslim Group to Air Satellite Talk Show In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (WASHINGTON, D.C., 6/10/03) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) will air a new satellite talk show tonight dealing with issues of concern to the North American Muslim and Arab communities. The weekly hour-long program, called "Washington Live," will be broadcast out of the nation's capital to North American and worldwide by the Arab Radio & Television (ART) satellite network. SEE: http://www.art-tv.net/arabic/ It will air every Tuesday at 8 p.m. (Eastern) and is available in the United States through the Dish Network, on cable and by satellite in other parts of the world. [UT Wednesdays 0000, a rather inconvenient time in the Middle East] SEE: http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/programming/international/packages/arabic/index.shtml Tonight's program is scheduled to include segments focusing on the recent defamation lawsuit filed by American Muslim charitable institutions against CBS's "60 Minutes," a recent congressional hearing on the targeting of Muslims and other minorities following the 9/11 terrorist attacks and on a poll showing that the image of the United States dropped worldwide following the war on Iraq. "We are excited to bring this unique programming to Muslims and Arab-Americans who have long sought a media outlet that reflects their views and concerns," said CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad, the host of the program. "'Washington Live' will focus on practical social and political issues that CAIR deals with on a daily basis and that impact Muslims and Arabs living in North America." Awad said "Washington Live" will be co-hosted by CAIR Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper and will include guests, such as elected officials, policy-makers and commentators, who offer a broad spectrum of views on current issues. CAIR, America's largest Islamic civil liberties group, has 16 regional offices nationwide and in Canada. - END - CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-Mail: cair@cair-net.org; Rabiah Ahmed, 202-488-8787 or 202-439-1441, E-Mail: rahmed@cair-net.org NOTE: CAIR offers an e-mail list designed to be a window to the American Muslim community. Subscribers to the list, called CAIR-NET, receive news releases and other materials dealing with American Muslim positions on issues of importance to our society. To SUBSCRIBE to CAIR-NET, go to: http://cair.biglist.com/cair-net/ ----- CAIR -- Council on American-Islamic Relations 453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726 Fax: 202-488-0833 E-mail: cair@cair-net.org URL: http://www.cair-net.org (CAIR list via Fred Waterer, DXLD) ** IRAQ. U.S. RADIO IN BAGHDAD INCREASES SURRENDER APPEALS By JIM KRANE, Associated Press Writer The United States is increasing its radio appeals for Iraqis involved in weapons of mass destruction programs to surrender for trial, offering leniency for those who cooperate. On Sunday, an AM radio station in Baghdad operated by U.S. Army's Psychological Operations personnel broadcast an appeal to Iraq's former weapons scientists to give up. "It's time to leave your hideouts," an announcer said in Arabic. "If you come voluntarily and give information about weapons of mass destruction and their launch vehicles, the United States will do its best to give you a just trial in accordance with the law." Nearly three months of searching have turned up no Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, and pressure is mounting on President Bush to explain the failure. Last week, U.S. military units assigned to track down the banned weapons appeared to slow their search - with some assigned to other duties - as some officials said they had run out of places to look. A Pentagon intelligence team is coming in to take over the effort, relying more on leads from interviews and documents. Saddam Hussein's alleged caches of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons were the main justification offered by the United States to go to war. The Army Psyop broadcasts is aimed at helping the effort to find more candidates to interview. The station, which is called Information Radio and is operated from a portable radio transmitter, has broadcast similar appeals since April. The Army's Psychological Operations force in Iraq is the largest in U.S. history, with 11 companies and almost 1,000 psyops personnel in the country or in support roles in the United States, said Lt. Col. Glenn Ayers, commander of the 9th Psychological Operations Battalion based in Fort Bragg, N.C. In the past two weeks, the station has increased its appeals - broadcasting them multiple times daily. "If you choose to cooperate today, you'll get tolerance and mercy for what you've done. If you refuse to cooperate today, you'll be arrested later," the announcer repeats (Wilmington Star June 15 via DXLD) WTFK? ** KURDISTAN [non]. UNIDENTIFIED, 10 June, 4380 kHz - 0230, ID OM: "Aira dengi syureshi yiran" - repeated twice, then "Dengi syureshi yiran, da kurdistan lawo dagistan". "International" anthem played, then YL speaking in a middle-eastern language. 34443. Nothing heard at re-check at 02:49 (open_dx - Yaroslav Derevyagin, Odessa, Ukraine…) My suggestion: you've heard the Voice of Iranian Revolution. Program is prepared by Kurdish Communist Party of Iran. // 3880 kHz. (open_dx - Sergey Mulyk, Chervonograd, Ukraine, via Signal June 15 via DXLD) ** LUXEMBOURG. During the WRC at Génève RTL will again do DRM tests via Jünglinster on 6095, this time carrying seven RTL group stations, including 104.6 RTL from Berlin, on a hourly rotation scheme. I guess Radio Polonia will appreciate it (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 104.6 RTL press release: 104.6 RTL goes DRM Berlin (ots) - Anlässlich der World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC 2003) in Genf sendet der Berliner Radiosender 104.6 RTL ab dem 16. Juni 2003 im Übertragungsmodus DRM (Digital Radio Mondial). Im stündlichen Wechsel sendet Berlins Hit-Radio zusammen mit sechs weiteren Stationen der RTL Group auf Kurzwelle 6095 Khz. Durch diesen Testlauf sollen Chancen und Vorteile von DRM aufgezeigt und die Weiterentwicklung der technischen Standards vorangetrieben werden. Die Übertragung erfolgt von Luxemburg aus mit einer Tagesreichweite von mehr als 15 Millionen Hörern. DRM ist weltweit der einzige nicht patentrechtlich geschützte digitale Übertragungsmodus für Kurz-, Mittel- und Langwelle, der bereits existierende Frequenzen nutzt. DRM-Übertragungen sind in punkto Klangqualität dem Standard FM Stereo beinahe ebenbürtig. Das heißt: FM-Sound mit AM-Reichweite. Die RTL Group ist mit 22 Radiostationen in acht Ländern der führende Radioanbieter in Europa. ots Originaltext: 104.6 RTL Digitale Pressemappe: http://presseportal.de/story.htx?firmaid=23869 Pressekontakt: Sabrina Rabow - Pressesprecherin - 104.6 RTL und RTL Radio Deutschland Tel.: 030 - 884 84 252 Fax: 030 - 884 84 259 sabrina.rabow@104.6rtl.com (via Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 14, DXLD) ** MADAGASCAR. The R. Netherlands station at Tananarive is listed to carry 60 mb test transmissions as follows: only one day each time: 4930 at 0400-0430 on Jun 17 only, 3215 at 1630-1655 on Jun 17, 6040 at 0400-0430 on Jun 18, and 4930 at 1630-1655 on Jun 18. The purpose is to cover only Madagascar with a religious program, per Frequency Office of RN (Gabriel Iván Barrera, Argentina, DX-plorer via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. Radio 538: "What is the significance of ``538`` in the name? Not a frequency" --- A wavelength, corresponding to 558 kHz, used by an offshore station back in those days... Anoraks nostalgia. And those who can receive Hulsberg 891 complain about a low modulation depth, suggesting that the new processing equipment Radio 538 wanted to have installed first is not properly adjusted yet. By the way, I guess that the primary goal of this refitting is to achieve an improved audio bandwith, similar to Lopik 675 where in 1998 a new Optimod 9200 with steep 6.5 kHz lowpass filtering replaced the previously used 9100. And 675 indeed sounded quite good when carrying Radio 10 FM (the overshooting Arrow Classic Rock now is another story). (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Dutch station names Hi, Glenn, The significance of 538 is that it was the wavelength in metres (not frequency) of Radio Veronica in the last period its existence as an offshore station prior to closure in 1974. Another Dutch station, which failed to get a licence this time, is Radio 192. It's run by some ex-Veronica people. 192 metres was also the original wavelength of Radio Veronica. Radio 192 even used the old Veronica logo with the name changed. The Dutch have a "thing" about stations named after numbers, often wavelengths: we also have Radio 10, of course, and in the past there was a station called Cable One. I think this use of numbers in station names and slogans dates back to the offshore era of 1964-1967, where all the offshore stations announced their wavelength (often inaccurately so it rhymed with the station's name or jingle). Some I remember off the top of my head were: Radio 270 Radio 390 Radio Caroline on 199 (actually 197 for Caroline North and 201 for Caroline South) Radio City: "it sounds fine on two nine nine" which was actually about 290 (1034 kHz) etc. Why do they do it today? The Dutch get very emotionally attached to their favourite radio stations. When Veronica closed in 1974, they did so with an emotionally charged message that said it spelt the end of democracy in The Netherlands! It didn't, of course, but it felt like it to many people at the time. Using names that have a significance in Dutch media history immediately give the station and edge: every Dutch listener knows the significance of 538. If they don't remember it, they've read about it or been told by their parents. It's a way of getting an immediate "brand" name, and there have in the past been some court cases here about the right to use certain names, slogans and logos. 73, (Andy Sennitt, Netherlands, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That makes sense, except holding onto a number once it is no longer applicable! (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. OETA is just celebrating its 50th anniversary: http://www.oeta.onenet.net/OETAHISTORY.html Had a special show UT Sun 0100-0230 with dignitaries, 13-minute HDTV produxion on ex-NCHOF museum. Hmm, anniversary was actually the week of May 6. Turns out that the extreme right E. K. Gaylord of the Daily Disappointment was OETA`s early secret underwriter. But this week OETA is supposed to start carrying the POV season (via Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. KCSC-FM Programming Notes June 2003 -- Kent Anderson For many years one of KCSC/KBCW's most popular locally-originated features has been the "Classical Birthday Hour," weekday mornings at 9:00 [1400 UT], during which we pay tribute to composers born on that date. It's been a pleasure to re-visit and, in some cases, to discover music by composers from the Renaissance to the 21st century. Beginning this month, you may notice some unusual listings in the birthday hour. There are a handful of days during the year on which there are no composer birthdays in our database. At the same time, there are composers --- primarily from the Renaissance and early Baroque periods --- who do not have a documented, exact birthdate. I've decided to put these two factors together and give those "undocumented" composers their due by plugging them into the "empty" days on the calendar. These are musicians like Thomas Tallis, John Dowland, and Giovanni Gabrielli, just to name a few --- important musicians, to be sure, but whose exact dates of birth cannot be verified. I hope you enjoy this expansion of the Classical Birthday Hour (Kent Anderson, Program Director, KCSC-FM via DXLD) KCSC`s stream was Not Found when checked around 2208 UT Sunday for Community Curtain Call --- but it`s one of the very few classical stations I can actually pick up on ---- a radio! No thanks to the Enid gospel huxter translator on the next frequency 90.3, on most receivers forcing me to sidetune to 90.05 or 90.0. Playlist, but not in advance: http://www.kcscfm.com/programming/playlist/playlist_daily.asp (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PARAGUAY. Dear Friend Glenn Hauser: Greetings from Paraguay! This is to advise that we have had very good results with our test transmissions, on 41 metres. We have discontinued the use of 7300, 7385 and 7737 kHz, but still test on 7370. At this moment, we are testing on 9983 and 15185, in simultaneous form. These frequencies retransmit the regular programming of ZP20 Radio América, which also broadcasts on 1480. As well, we are testing on 1590, from Radio Villeta. The programming is locally-originated, different from that of ZP20 Radio América. All transmissions are on-air, the 24 hours, daily, save for power outages or for technical adjustments. Reception reports will be very welcome at: radioamerica@lycos.com or ramerica@rieder.net.py Printed QSLs will be posted to the listeners, for correct reports. With best regards (Adán Mur, Radiodifusión América, Asunción, Paraguay, June 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 6042.59, Radio Melodia, Arequipa, 0546-0552, Jun 14, Spanish, musical program, man announcer, news about Toledo president (travel to United States), IDs " a través de la Onda Corta internacional desde la programación de Radio Melodía", "la programación del sábado a través de Melodía", tc & ID "nueve minutos para la una de la mañana en Radio Melodia", 24322. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Location: Villa Lynch, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Receivers: Icom IC R-75, Kenwood R-2000, Sony ICF-2010, Antennas: T2FD, V Inverted 10 mts with balun, V Inverted 11 mts with balun; Others: MFJ 959B Receiver Antenna Tuner/Preamplifier (Nicolás Eramo, Argentina, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 5009.62, Radio Altura recently reactivated for some occasional days but just now on air daily. Radio del Pacífico, which has been on exactly 4975.00 kHz is down on 4974.77. New Peruvian radio station on 6163 kHz or just a BM "joke"? This line was in an "SWB América Latina"-mail June 3. Our member Henrik Klemetz mailed an answer completely corresponding with the following: 6163.00v, Radio Unión, Lima. June 14 2003, 1015 UT. I watched this frequency for a few days, strong signals but semi distorted audio. I first believed something more exciting because of a weather report for Chiclayo. ID: "Radio J.H.C.", a MW-station with QTH in Chiclayo. Some minutes later a "Unión"-ID. Was also heard on its fundamental 6115 kHz but very weak. Now back on its usual frequency. 4975.00, Radio del Pacífico, Lima. May 2003 --- evening. "La Cadena de Milagro" with reverend Yeye Ávila. A religious program from Puerto Rico linked by satellite to various radio stations in Perú. The mentioned reverend "Yeye Ávila" is found on this web-address: http://www.yiyeavila.org/Revista%20La%20Fe%20En% I couldn`t hear all stations mentioned but here are a few: Radio Manantial de Vida, Cajamarca 82 25 79. Radio La Voz de Dios, unknown QTH. Nueva Estación Cristiana, Cajamarca 83 00 87. Radio Vida, unknown QTH. Radio Amanecer, Bambamarca 84 32 60. Radio Buenas Nuevas, Tumbes 52 31 61. Radio Jerusalén, Piura 30 77 70. Radio Televisión Cristiana, Chincha. Radio Buenas Nuevas de Salvación, Talara. Radio Haleluja, Tingo María 68 37 38. Radio Príncipe de Paz, Tumbes. Radio Rio, Moyabamba 56 23 48. The numbers are telephone numbers. I have never before heard of this "cadena" so if you have more info please give me a mail. Good "site" with valuable info for us DXers --- Besides links to several radio stations in Latin America you can download a list of all stations in Peru having a licence: no less than 2184 stations. Choose between PDF- or Excel-format. You get there by clicking on this link: http://www.radiodifusion.com/radios/peru1.htm (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin June 15, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SINGAPORE. R. Singapore International printed sked as at 20 May 2003 English: 1100-1400 UT 6150 9600. Also broadcast on FM in Singapore from 8 pm to 9 pm local time (1200-1300 UT) on "Newsradio 938". (via Patrick Travers, World DX Club, via Alan Roe, DXLD) But there are also lots of domestic network relays on SW (gh) ** TOGO [non]. Re: ``2000-2100 Sunday on 12125 (55444)`` -- Probably this one originates not like 21760 from Meyerton but from Russia instead? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Because, I suppose, a number of other clandestines in this 12 MHz range are via Russia" Yes, and TDP brokered ones and aiming at Africa. Wolfgang, Noel, Olle, perhaps you can remember to check it out tonight if I once again fail to do so? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. My wife and I went to London a year ago - mainly for pleasure, but while there I interviewed some folks at BBC World Service for an article about their new digital audio distribution system for Radio World. World Service is at Bush House, near The City (the financial district) and St. Paul's. All I got to see there, despite being a visiting journalist from abroad, was a conference room and the offices of the Albanian Service. Show up without an appointment and all you'll see is the BBC Store on the ground floor :-) And even though I asked very nicely and gave their PR person nearly two weeks' advance notice, all I was able to see of Broadcast House (on Portland Place in the West End, just south of Regent Park and a few blocks north of Oxford Street, where your wife will be shopping :-), home to the BBC's domestic radio services, was the BBC Store on the ground floor and the front lobby, where there was a nice display of the plans to renovate and expand the facility. BBC TV's main production center, located in "White City," outside the touristy areas on the outskirts of West London, does offer public tours, though we didn't get the chance to take one. http://www.bbc.co.uk/tours/ has all the information on these, by the way. Reservations required - but it sounds like it's worth the 8 pounds. I'll have to put it on the list for "next time," whenever that might be. I can offer some tower-hunting tips as well if you're interested... s (Scott Fybush, NY, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. Re: ``Washington, D.C., June 12, 2003 -- "Radio Theatre-- Live" is back! (VOA press release June 13 via DXLD) But when to be broadcast????`` Nothing in the PR said this was to be broadcast anywhere -- I suspect the PR is simply the fact that the LATW is performing at the VOA auditorium. See http://www.latw.org/stations.html for a rather short list of stations broadcasting LATW -- all 3 of which webcast; most notably, KPCC, Sundays 0300-0500 UT (Saturdays 8 - 10 PM PDT). (Rich Cuff, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) VOA has actually broadcast some previous plays, saved up for holidays. Here are the others from above site, if still current. They got KPFA wrong: 94.1, and it`s Berkeley. See also BOTSWANA (gh) KPFA 94.7 San Francisco Airs Sundays 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm [0200-0400 UT Mon] Series Start Date ~ October 6th, 2002 (Series available to 56 college stations nationwide through weekly satellite uplink.) Visit KPFA for programming updates. KUOW 94.9 Seattle Airs Fridays 10:00pm - Midnight [0500-0700 UT Sat] Series Start Date ~ January 10th, 2002 Visit KUOW for programming updates. (via gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Wavescan will remain at 1430-1500 UT Sundays [on WINB 13570] (Hans Johnson, WINB, June 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, sounded like Barosoain this week. See also ECUADOR non (gh, OK, DXLD) AWR's "Wavescan", edition 441, heard via WINB, 13570, from 1430 to 1500 on June 15th (Bill Matthews, Ohio, USA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. The Story of Radio Station WINB --- References ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Year Date Event & Reference ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1950 Oct 22 WGCB AM inaugurated; BCYB 1972 B182 & AMP visit RMI 81 1960 Oct WGCB FM inaugurated; AMP visit RMI 81 1960 CP issued; WINB = World in Need of the Bible; MT 3-00 14 1962 Oct Began broadcasting 50 kW Continental 417B; RMI 143 & NASWA 1-94 33 1962 Oct Rhombic to Europe at 62 degrees; RMI 143 & WINB Schedule 1962 Oct WINB = World Inter National Broadcasters, 1.5 m E Red Lion; WINB Schedule 1962 Dec Already heard in Holland & New Zealand; R&H 79.15 1-63 103 1963 Testing completed, 2 channels to Europe & Africa; R&H 79.15 2-63 1963 McIntire Inquiry; R&H 77.14 7-63 103 & MT 3-00 15 1970s Mid Used WGY GE MW transmitter 4BT50A1 purchased for conversion, not used 1976 Jun 8 CP issued for rhombic to Latin America 160 degrees; WINB folder 1977 Rhombic to Latin America under construction; AMP visit RMI 153 1993 Summer Latin American antenna dropped by grass cutter; NASWA 1-94 33 1994 Plans to rebuild original Continental; NASWA 1-94 33 1995 Apr 19 Transmitter problem, off air; MT 3-00 16 1997 Jan WINB re-activated; MT 3-00 17 2003 Now oldest commercial shortwave station in USA; MT 3-11 14 WINB information; 84.156 91 (Adrian Michael Peterson, AWR via DXLD) Accompanying previous feature ** U S A. WJIE gives the world yet another chance to hear old WORLD OF RADIO 1179, as quickly checked around 1645 UT Sunday June 15 on 13595 with the usual CODAR QRM. I wonder if all the preachers are also having their old April shows repeated over and over; might be harder to tell (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. DAVID BRINKLEY INFLUENTIAL PIONEER FROM THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICAN TELEVISION NEWS Godfrey Hodgson, Saturday June 14, 2003, The Guardian X-URL: http://www.guardian.co.uk/Print/0,3858,4691136,00.html David Brinkley, who has died aged 82, was one of the most admired and influential journalists in what is coming to be remembered as the golden age of American television news. From 1956 to 1970, his partnership with Chet Huntley, as the joint anchors of the NBC Nightly News, established the formula that virtually all news programmes have followed ever since. Their sign-off, "Goodnight, David", "Goodnight, Chet", became a byword. After Huntley retired to a cattle ranch in Montana, Brinkley's partnership with John Chancellor failed to develop the same chemistry, and CBS News, anchored by the avuncular Walter Cronkite, pulled ahead. Brinkley did not retire, as he could well have done. Instead, in 1981, he went to ABC News and developed an authoritative Sunday morning political chat show, This Week With David Brinkley. The title of the second of his two books said it all, and with his customary brevity. It was David Brinkley: 11 Presidents, 4 Wars, 22 Political Conventions, 1 Moon Landing, 3 Assassinations, 2000 Weeks Of News And Other Stuff On Television, And 18 Years Of Growing Up In North Carolina (1995). Unlike some American anchors, but like most of the best of them, Brinkley was not a glamour boy but a hard-working reporter with an inquisitive mind, a vast knowledge of the workings of Washington DC and a deft writing style. His first - and better - book, Washington Goes To War (1988), was an interesting account of the US capital in the second world war, a vanished world few of his contemporaries could remember as he did. He had a fairly short fuse; he notoriously called President Bill Clinton "a bore" - and other unflattering things - on election night in 1996. Brinkley apologised on air, and Clinton graciously said, "I always believe you have to judge people by their whole work, and if you get judged on your whole work, you come out way ahead". Brinkley grew up in the small southern town of Wilmington, North Carolina, and started reporting for his high school newspaper. He studied at three good southern universities - North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Vanderbilt in Nashville, and Emory in Atlanta - and after working for smalltown papers in the south, and for southern bureaux of the United Press, moved to Washington in 1943. He thought he could get a job at CBS, but was hired instead as NBC's first White House correspondent. Modestly, he said, "I didn't create anything, I just got early". It was true that he was in the right place at the right time, and that his timing was perfect. Wartime Washington, not long before a sleepy, segregated southern town with a few boarding houses for congressmen, was rapidly becoming the capital of the world, and under Franklin Roosevelt the presidency was becoming the key institution of modern America. But network television was still in the future. Brinkley remembered in his memoirs how he was in the NBC bureau when "a large, odd-looking object arrived at the Washington studio". It was the station's first television camera. With Huntley and their producer Reuven Frank, he worked out many of the basic techniques of television news, including the habit of switching back and forth between Huntley in New York and Brinkley in Washington. Brinkley was known for the quality of his television writing, using sharp, declarative sentences. Frank praised him for a skill only fellow professionals would recognise. "Brinkley writes silence better than anyone else," he said, meaning that his man knew when to shut up and let the picture tell the story. Brinkley liked to maintain that he would not be able to get a job on air today because he didn't look like a news anchor - perhaps a gentle swipe at the trend toward hiring good-looking but intellectually challenged anchors. At any rate, he was neither a matinee idol nor smooth. His delivery was jerky, and that temper famously fragile. At his zenith, he was extraordinarily successful. During the tense Democratic party convention at Atlantic City in 1964, with President Lyndon Johnson coyly secretive about whether or not Robert Kennedy would be his vice-presidential running mate, and fireworks on the floor over which of two delegations, one white and one largely black, would represent Mississippi, Brinkley and Huntley won a stunning 84% of the audience. Inevitably, after 50 years, as Americans became more cynical about politicians, Brinkley came to seem almost too much a Washington insider. But he remained a shrewd and witty observer, and he was never anyone's man. He is survived by three sons from his first marriage, to Ann Fischer, of whom the eldest is the American historian Alan Brinkley. In 1972, he married Susan Benfer, with whom he had one son. David McClure Brinkley, journalist, born July 10 1920; died June 11 2003. Guardian Unlimited (c) Guardian Newspapers Limited 2003 (via Tom Roche, DXLD) ** U S A. WRR 101.1 Dallas TX is using its classical format to help combat road rage. ``Road Rage Remedy`` airs weekdays at 7:20 am and 5:20 pm [CDT = 1220, 2220 UT], providing 10 minutes of uninterrupted, tranquil music. ``Within a matter of months, `RRR` became one of WRR`s most popular features,`` said Greg Davis, GM. Selexions of music with anti-road rage messages have made it onto a CD the station sells. It features humorous images of irate drivers, and is intended to get buyers to be curious about the music on the disc, and what the station plays. It is also sold in stores. Selexions include compositions by Brahms, Dvorak, Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Debussy, Beethoven, Handel, Massenet and Bach (June FMedia! via DXLD) Hmm, my (I think) unmodified MS Word spellchecker recognizes only Beethoven from this list. What does that tell us? And ten minutes of tranquil music should not be the noteworthy exception! (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. WRAL 101.5 Raleigh NC [one of the Ibiquity stations in last issue], still with [dagger]M,R, Seeburg. It is one of the few stations nationally with two music SCSes. I talked with Keith Harrison, CE, who confirmed that the SCSes have not been interfering with or been interfered with by so-called ``HD Radio,`` which they have tested. ``but a few other broadcasters told me on their car radios the scanning has stopped on white noise. I have not heard this. It might be only in certain locations or on certain radios.`` (Bruce F. Elving, FMedia! June via DXLD) ** U S A. GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY AT WGRV --- By Duncan Mansfield GREENEVILLE, Tenn. (AP) --- For 50 years, friends and neighbors in Greene County have gathered around the radio at 12:30 p.m. every weekday to hear the news from the same familiar voice. "Good afternoon, this is Maxine Humphreys ...," the newscaster greets her WGRV-AM listeners, immediately jumping into a commercial for a funeral home, her long-time sponsor. "I will have the latest on the local scene after this ..." Since 1953, Humphreys, who won't reveal her age but is likely in her early 70s, has delivered her 15-minute dispatches daily with the authority of Walter Cronkite and the homespun appeal of Aunt Bee from The Andy Griffith Show. Her broadcast May 19 was typical, despite a 50th-anniversary celebration. A fatal car wreck, a meth lab arrest and a trailer fire led her report, followed by a listing of the winner and all six runners-up in the Miss Iris beauty pageant, a reading of 10 obituaries and a reminder about an upcoming high school play. WGRV, a 1,000-watt country music station that doesn't reach much beyond the 65,000 residents of this East Tennessee county bordering North Carolina, may as well be named "Maxine's station." That's what locals call it, general manager Ronnie Metcalfe said. "She is a legend in Greeneville," said Joe Hickerson, president of Doughty-Stevens Funeral Home, her sponsor since she took the job. "It wouldn't surprise me if one of every two radios in Greene County, and maybe more, is tuned to the noonday news with Maxine." In a community without a network TV station, farmers plan their chores and lunch around her newscasts. When locals tell one another, "Maxine said it," no further explanation is needed. Paul Metcalfe, the retired patriarch of the family-owned radio station, said a doctor told him that he stopped making house calls at noon because his patients "wouldn't tell him what was wrong until Maxine was off" the air. Accolades poured in to recognize Humphreys' 50th anniversary. "You've distinguished yourself as one of the truly dedicated broadcast professionals in our business," wrote Edward Fritts, president and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters. U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander and Bill Frist, as well as Gov. Phil Bredesen, sent congratulations. The General Assembly compared her in a resolution to national radio commentator Paul Harvey. It was inconceivable to Humphreys that she would make such a mark when she took the part-time news reader job an estimated 14,500 newscasts ago. But, without ego, she said it is where she was meant to be. "I feel like I have been where God can use me because I am doing things for the people," she said. "I have really taken it to heart." A Greene County native, she was in her early 20s working in the employment office at Tennessee Eastman in Oak Ridge when the WGRV job came open. Armed with a high school diploma and a year studying voice at Tusculum College in Greeneville, she applied. "First thing, she has a nice voice. It carries well. That is very important in radio," Paul Metcalfe said. "And she was pretty, personable, a local girl. She had all those things going for her." Over the years, Humphreys took correspondence courses, learned to type and began working full-time, handling everything from the station's books to its radio bingo game. When her late husband, Ransom Humphreys, fell ill seven years ago, she considered retiring. The Metcalfes persuaded her to continue doing the newscasts part time. She has no regrets. "I don't know how much longer I will be here, see. But I say, 50 years and counting," she said. Acknowledging the milestone, she ended the broadcast with a rare personal note. "It would be just fine if I go to Heaven from here," she said. "I love you radio land. Thanks for listening." (via Mike Cooper, and from Harry van Vugt, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, June 12, DXLD) ** U S A. R. Disney: It's not supposed to be directly profitable. That comes directly from a Michael Eisner statement to investment analysts (David Gleason, CA, NRC-AM via DXLD) As another station is about to flip to it, 1680 in MI (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. WESTERN STATES TIS UPDATE: -- mostly UT, WY The following update is the result of a meandering 4,675 mile car trip taken May 23 - June 7, 2003, with overnight stops in Lone Pine, CA; US highway 6/50 at the NV/UT border; Eureka, NV; Ketchum, ID; Yellowstone Lake Village, WY; Green River, WY; Teasdale, UT; and Las Vegas, NV. All times are ELT. [he means: UT -4, a timezone irrelevant to the area -- but really, there are hardly any times mentioned in the first part of this report] 530 KOC913 ID Arco (area) - INEEL (Idaho National Environmental/ Engineering Laboratory) station is on the air with a brief tape loop about the nation's first nuclear power plant. 4 transmitters were originally licensed, but I would agree with a web article I read a while back implying that only the station near the US-20/26 split is on. 530 (WPIW323) ID Idaho Falls/Roberts - No station noted here as we drove through town. 530 (WPET783) ID Twin Falls - No station noted here as we drove through town. 530 (KOJ876) NV Hoover Dam - Not noted as we drove south on I-15. Used to be an easy catch from I-15, so they may be silent again. 530 (WPWF496) NV Wells - This recently-licensed station does not appear to be on the air yet. It was not on as we drove through Wells. 530 (TIS) UT Glen Canyon NRA - There is no trace of a TIS station anywhere in the Utah portion of this park, at least in the areas where any roads exist (US-89, UT-95 Hite Canyon, UT-276 Bullfrog/Hall's Crossing). I don't believe this station exists. 530 (WPBF898) UT St. George - "Color Country" station is still silent, perhaps gone for good? Used to get out well when it was on. 530 (TIS) UT Vernal-Jensen - I don't think this station is still on, although we were only in Vernal and didn't drive over to Jensen. 530 (KCP271) UT "Vernal Annex" - I don't think this station is on; no sign of a station on 530 when we were in Vernal. 530 TIS WY Jackson (area) - National Elk Refuge TIS is still active and getting out well during the day. Station is north of Jackson, WY, probably near the visitor center. 530 (KCP272) WY Rock Springs - This station appears to be long gone. No trace of them when we drove through, and the Ashley National orest ranger at Green River had never heard of these stations. 660 "KRSX" CA Victorville - Good signals with oldies (mostly pre- British invasion) and slogans "Cruisin' Oldies" and "The big 66." I read about this station in Route 66 Magazine; it is run by the former owner of KMIN-980 [Grants NM?] and runs with 0.1 watts. Commercials sell for $1 each. The signal was audible for 15 or 20 miles along I-15 as we returned on June 7th. 1000 WPFM428 CA Barstow - CalTrans HAR is still getting out well. Message very similar to WPSG912-1610 and WPSE479-1610. 1570 UNID NV Las Vegas - Some kind of a low-power station, noted along Charleston Blvd. with a woman interviewing the author of a children's book. 1590 WPLP689 ID Victor - Wyoming DoT station for ID side of Teton Pass is active, but with a very short tape loop and a very long gap between messages. I did not get over to Jackson, WY, to hear the companion station at the other end of the pass, but it was on when we drove through in May 2000. 1600 WPWA784 MT West Yellowstone - MT Fish and Game department TIS getting out well with a message about aquatic pests carried by boats from one lake to another. Announcer mis-IDs as WDWA784. Contrary to someone's report a few years ago, the West Yellowstone (national park) TIS did not move to 1600. This is a new station. 1610 -- CA Chula Vista / Otay Ranch - Talking house for Arroyo(?) Realty advertising a 7-bedroom(!) house. Tape loop includes clips of the song "Takin' Care of Business." 1610 KMC723 CA Manzanar NHS - New station is on the air with a short test loop. (Manzanar is only now being prepared for tourist access). Logged from Lone Pine at night and for a few miles along US 395 during the day. [Japanese WW II internment camp] 1610 (WPSG912) CA Mountain Pass - Station was off as we drove through their coverage area. Signs posted 10 miles from their transmitter on each side of I-15 say the station is only on when the lights are flashing. The big road widening project has now moved 14 miles west of the transmitter site. 1610 WPSE479 CA Needles - CalTrans station is getting out well with a message that is almost identical to that of WPFM428-1000 and WPSG912- 1610 except for the interstate highway numbers (15 and/or 40) and city. Logged from AZ, UT, and NV at night. 1610 KNEC996 CA Yosemite (west side) - Can be logged from NV and UT at night with CalTrans road information, mixing with WPSE479. 1610 -- ID Driggs - Talking house noted for new Creekside development and a local mortgage company. 1610 (TIS) ID Teton Scenic Byway - Recent Internet articles mentioned TIS coverage on 1610 for the scenic byways (ID highways 31, 33, 32, 47) but none were noted and no signs were posted. 1610 (KNNV605) ID Idaho Falls - Not noted as we drove through town. I think the Pocatello station is still on the air (have heard these calls at night on recent trips) but we didn't get to Pocatello on this trip to confirm. 1610 KOE780 ID Sunset Cone - Craters of the Moon NM station was not on when we first saw the signs on US 20/26/93. Rangers didn't realize the station was off, and they turned it on when I told them about it. Gets out poorly, possibly carrier current or talking-house transmitter, only audible within a few hundred feet of the visitor center. Message emphasizes safety hazards of exploring caves and lava tubes. Announcer seems to have gotten the idea that his station's calls are "XRC01"! 1610 (KII596) MT Cooke City - We found no trace of a station here. The station at the NE entrance to Yellowstone is only a few miles away from here, so it's unlikely a station has existed in Cooke City recently. 1610 KOP796 MT Deer Lodge - Grant-Kohrs Ranch TIS is getting out well with information about the self-guided walk. 1610 (KII605) MT Gardiner - Delete this old listing. The Yellowstone north entrance station is located in Gardiner. 1610 KOP708 MT Gardiner (Yellowstone NP North entrance) - Local monitoring indicates the station is located at the north entrance gate at Gardiner, not in Mammoth Hot Springs. It gets out amazingly well through the canyons and 2000-ft. elevation gain from Gardiner to Mammoth, and is still strong enough in Mammoth to fool you into thinking it might be located there. 1610 (TIS) MT Madison River Canyon - There is no evidence of the listed station here, which is a shame. The Madison River Earthquake area has some fascinating local history, and there are numbered road signs all along this road that don't make any sense until you stop at the visitor center near the north end of the canyon. 1610 KOP709 MT Silver Gate (Yellowstone NP NE Entrance) - Gets out pretty well with the same message as the other entrance stations. 1610 (KHA517) MT Targhee Pass - We've never heard a station at this location. If it existed, it has probably been gone for years. 1610 KOP710 MT West Yellowstone (Yellowstone NP West entrance) - Station is still here (did not move to 1600 as someone had reported a while back) but much weaker than before. Gets out about a mile at best with same message as other Yellowstone entrance stations. 1610 WPXK767 NV Carlin - NV DoT HAR station (also licensed as WPWF496) is running a test message and getting out well. 1610 WPXK767 NV Dunphy - NV DoT HAR station (also licensed as WPWF496) is running a test message almost identical to the Carlin station. 1610 -- NV Elko - Station noted running NOAA weather seemed to be coming from Elko as we drove by. There is a license for LaMoille listed in the FCC database (same group of stations as Carlin and Dunphy) but not Elko. 1610 -- NV Ely - White Pine Middle School in the center of town is operating what sounds like a talking house transmitter with local school news (e.g., interviewing a student who had recently won at a track meet). 1610 (Part 15?) NV Mesquite - Local oldies station "the boss" was off the air as we drove through this time. They were on last June when we drove through, and were mentioned in a recent Internet article, so maybe just temporarily silent. 1610 (TIS) UT Fremont Indian State Park - Evidently, there was indeed a station here at one time. Signs are still up on I-70 a few miles on either side of exit 17. No trace of a station on either day we were in this area. Note that KCP260's message does make mention of this park. 1610 (KOJ777) UT Fry Canyon - No sign of a station here. There is basically only a single private lodge building at this location, and it isn't currently open, so there's nothing for a TIS station to talk about. 1610 KOP798 UT Bryce Canyon NP - This station is on with park shuttle info, but it does not currently get out anywhere near as well as the Garfield County station which covers some of the same information in its message. 1610 TIS UT Kolob Canyon (south of Kanarraville) - Station near I-15 exit 40 is on the air but putting out horrible weak signals. Male voice with tape loop about vehicle restrictions for the Kolob Canyon scenic drive. 1610 (KOQ516) UT Mackinaw - Fish Lake Forest TIS was silent all 3 days we were in this area. They were on last year with good signals. 1610 WPBE828 UT Panguitch (Red Canyon) - Garfield County Information Station has gone back to a longer message (covering Bryce Canyon and all of the other attractions along scenic highway 12) and is easily logged at night throughout NV, UT, and even WY. It is especially easy to mistake this for the Bryce Canyon station (KOP798), which does not get out as well and only mentions the Bryce Canyon Shuttle and the 1590 station, both of which are also mentioned on this station. 1610 "KCEU" UT Price - "Broadcasting live from a janitor's closet at the College of Eastern Utah, this is KCEU, Price, Utah." Typical rock format. 1610 (KOJ494/KOJ499) UT Steinaker - Two old US Department of Interior stations were listed for this state park near Vernal, but there is no sign of a station. This location is within the midday coverage area of KCP270. 1610 KCP260 UT Salina Canyon - Tape loop contains some basic information assembled at a visitor center in Richfield, plus 3 additional tape loops from Wayne, Sevier, and Emery counties. 1610 KCP270 UT Vernal - Former Ashley National Forest TIS is now run jointly by several government agencies. Tape loop describes various attractions in "Dinosaurland." Of all the stations listed in this area, this is the one that is actually on the air. 1610 KOJ723 UT Virgin-La Verkin (Zion NP) - Zion's monster TIS station is now using these calls (station is audible for about 30 miles along I-15 middays despite being located well east of the freeway). There are 5 stations in Zion NP; this is consistently the one that gets out. 1610 WPLP689 WY Dubois - Mobile HAR station warning motorists about the numerous accidents involving cars striking migratory deer and elk (158 incidents per year in this location, with an average damage of $2000 to each vehicle involved). Located at the WYDOT maintenance yard in Dubois. 1610 (KCP270) WY Green River - Delete the old listing for an Ashley National Forest station at this location. The senior ranger at this location had no memory of such a station, and the calls are in use by the station in Vernal, UT. (It seems as though most old Forest Service stations have either been taken over by other federal or local government agencies or gone off entirely). 1610 (KOP714) WY Madison Junction - This inside-the-park station was active in 2000, but is currently silent. 1610 KOP701 WY Pahaska Tepee (Yellowstone NP East entrance) - Station is on and getting out pretty well with the same message as the other entrance stations. 1610 KOP711 WY South Entrance (Yellowstone NP) - Same messages as other entrance stations, gets out for about 5 miles each way. 1610 KOP718 WY Yellowstone Lake Village (Fishing Bridge) - Station is here (not 1550) with an "inside the park" message emphasizing staying away from wildlife and how to handle food so as not to attract bears. 1620 -- UT Roosevelt - Talking house near the intersection of US 191 and Utah highway 121. 1650 Pirate NV Las Vegas - Pirate station in Summerlin area is getting out pretty well. A word about Yellowstone NP stations: The only active TIS stations in Yellowstone are the 5 entrance gate stations and the station at Lake Village - Fishing Bridge, all on 1610. Another inside-the-park station was active at Madison 3 years ago, but not this year. Most of the other two dozen or so listings for stations at individual attractions in the park (all of which would be very useful if they did exist) have probably been gone since the fire of 1988 and should be deleted. 73, Tim Hall, Chula Vista, CA http://www.inetworld.net/halls/dx/index.html [Above listing includes the many listed stations he did not hear; below are the stations he did hear, now including dates and times, and otherwise duplicative, but too much bother to weed out --- gh] TIS and OTHER: 530 KOC913 ID Arco (area) - 5/27 1500 - Idaho National Environmental/ Engineering laboratory station is on the air with a brief tape loop about the nation's first nuclear power plant. 4 transmitters were originally licensed, but I would agree with a web article I read a while back implying that only the station near the US-20/26 split is on. (TRH-ID) 530 TIS WY Jackson (area) - 6/1 1110 - National Elk Refuge TIS is still active and getting out well during the day. Station is north of Jackson, WY, probably near the visitor center. (TRH-WY) 660 "KRSX" CA Victorville - 5/23 1220 - Good signals with oldies (mostly pre-British invasion) and slogans "Cruisin' Oldies" and "The big 66." I read about this station in Route 66 Magazine; it is run by the former owner of KMIN-980 and runs with 0.1 watts. Commercials sell for $1 each. The signal was audible for 15 or 20 miles along I-15 as we returned on June 7th. (TRH-CA) 1570 UNID NV Las Vegas - 6/7 1245 - Some kind of a low-power station, noted along Charleston Blvd. with a woman interviewing the author of a children's book. (TRH-NV) 1590 WPLP689 ID Victor - 5/27 1611 - Wyoming DoT station for ID side of Teton Pass is active, but with a very short tape loop and a very long gap between messages. I did not get over to Jackson, WY, to hear the companion station at the other end of the pass, but it was on when we drove through in May 2000. (TRH-ID) 1600 WPWA784 MT West Yellowstone - 5/27 1840 - MT Fish and Game department TIS getting out well with a message about aquatic pests carried by boats from one lake to another. Announcer mis-IDs as WDWA784. Contrary to someone's report a few years ago, the West Yellowstone (national park) TIS did not move to 1600. (TRH-MT) 1610 KMC723 CA Manzanar NHS - 5/24 0749 - New station is on the air with a short test loop. (Manzanar is only now being prepared for tourist access). Noted later that morning for a few miles along US 395. (TRH-CA1/CA) 1610 WPSE479 CA Needles - 5/25 0154 - CalTrans station is getting out well with a message that is almost identical to that of WPFM428-1000 and WPSG912-1610. (TRH-UT1) 1610 KNEC996 CA Yosemite (west side) - 5/25 0747 - Good with CalTrans road information, mixing with WPSE479. (TRH-UT1) 1610 -- ID Driggs - 5/27 1621 - Talking house noted for new Creekside development and a local mortgage company. (TRH-ID) 1610 KOE780 ID Sunset Cone (Craters of the Moon NM) - 5/27 1115 - Station was not on when we first saw the signs on US 20/26/93. Rangers didn't realize the station was off, and they turned it on when I told them about it. Gets out poorly, possibly carrier current or talking- house transmitter, only audible within a few hundred feet of the visitor center. Message emphasizes safety hazards of exploring caves and lava tubes. Announcer seems to have gotten the idea that his station's calls are "XRC01"! (TRH-ID) 1610 KOP796 MT Deer Lodge - 5/27 0141 - Grant-Kohrs Ranch TIS is getting out well with information about the self-guided walk. (TRH- ID1) 1610 KOP710 MT West Yellowstone (Yellowstone NP West entrance) - 5/27 1845 - Station is still here (did not move to 1600 as someone had reported a while back) but much weaker than before. Gets out about a mile at best with same message as other Yellowstone entrance stations. (TRH-MT) 1610 WPXK767 NV Carlin/Dunphy - 5/26 1203 - NV DoT HAR stations (also licensed as WPWF496) are currently running a short test message (TRH- NV). 5/27 0155 - The Carlin station is the one that gets out at night. (TRH-ID1) 1610 -- NV Elko - 5/26 1315 - Station noted running NOAA weather seemed to be coming from Elko as we drove by. There is a license for LaMoille listed in the FCC database (same group of stations as Carlin and Dunphy) but not Elko. (TRH-NV) 1610 -- NV Ely - 5/25 1303 - White Pine Middle School in the center of town is operating what sounds like a talking house transmitter with local school news (e.g., interviewing a student who had recently won at a track meet). (TRH-NV) 1610 WPBE828 UT Panguitch (Red Canyon) - 5/25 2343 - Garfield County Information Station has gone back to a longer message and is getting out like gangbusters. It is especially easy to mistake this for the Bryce Canyon station (KOP798), which does not get out as well and only mentions the Bryce Canyon Shuttle and the 1590 station, both of which are also mentioned on this station. This station was logged almost every night of my trip, along with KOJ778 Glen Canyon NRA, AZ, and KOJ723 Zion NP (Virgin-La Verkin, UT). (TRH-NV1) 1610 "KCEU" UT Price - 6/3 1457 - "Broadcasting live from a janitor's closet at the College of Eastern Utah, this is KCEU, Price, Utah." Typical rock format. (TRH-UT) 1610 KCP270 UT Vernal - 6/3 1140 - Former Ashley National Forest TIS is now run jointly by several government agencies. Tape loop describes various attractions in "Dinosaurland." Of all the stations listed in this area, this is the one that is actually on the air. (TRH-UT) 1610 KOJ723 UT Virgin-La Verkin (Zion NP) - 6/3 0435 - Zion's strong TIS station is now using these calls. (TRH-WY2) 6/6 1600 Confirmed by local monitoring (station is audible for about 30 miles along I-15 middays). (TRH-UT) 1610 WPLP689 WY Dubois - 6/1 1315 - New mobile HAR station warning motorists about the numerous accidents involving cars striking migratory deer and elk (158 incidents per year in this location, with an average damage of $2000 to each vehicle involved). Located at the WYDOT maintenance yard in Dubois. (TRH-WY) 1610 KOP718 WY Yellowstone Lake Village (Fishing Bridge) - 5/27 2100 - Station is here (not 1550) with an "inside the park" message emphasizing staying away from wildlife and how to handle food so as not to attract bears. (TRH-WY1) 1620 -- UT Roosevelt - 6/3 1224 - Talking house near the intersection of US 191 and Utah highway 121. (TRH-UT) Currently the only TIS stations in Yellowstone are at the 5 entrance stations plus Fishing Bridge near Lake Village. All are on 1610. The 5 entrance stations all air the same message. (Tim Hall, IRCA via DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. [Continuing DTV+ discussion in last issue]: In a few cases a station's interim UHF assignment is "outside core" - is in the channel 52-69 band that is to be turned over to land-mobile. In those cases, stations will be FORCED to retake their present (VHF, in some cases) analog assignment for their DTV operation. In many more cases, the station's *present* analog assignment is "outside core", in which case they will be FORCED to remain on their new DTV assignment. An example of the former case is WTVF-5 Nashville, whose DTV assignment is 56. This is outside core; WTVF will be required to move their DTV operation to channel 5 after transition. An example of the latter case is WJFB-66 Lebanon, whose DTV assignment is 44. Their *analog* assignment is outside core; WJFB will not have the option of moving their DTV station to channel 66 after transition. I should mention, I believe the station being used as an example here (KCBS Los Angeles) falls into the former case - if I recall properly their DTV assignment is 65? (don't have my database conveniently handy) "Which two? The cable headend and the satellite uplinker's receive site. After those two, the one-by-one homes become very expensive on a per-home basis to even mess with or worry about. Add to that the trend for even cable systems to take the in-market satellite feeds from Echostar's DISH and Murdoch's soon owned DirecTV and you can eventually eliminate even getting "out" (transmitting as far as to) the cable headends in their market area." Do consider that many markets have multiple cable operators. For example, Comcast in the city of Nashville but Charter in Clarksville. (which at over 100,000 population is well worth worrying about|grin|) Charter does still use off-air pickup for the locals; the tower is next door to our county Wal-Mart |grin|. Guaranteed cable coverage is obtained through having an over-the-air signal of some kind. Drop the transmitter altogether and you either drop guaranteed carriage, or you make some significant changes to regulatory policy. Or the existing over-the-air broadcasters disappear altogether - they cease to exist even as programmers of a cable channel. A complete switch to cable/satellite distribution is IMHO somewhat less likely in the USA than it might be in a country with a more-regulatory telecommunications policy. "Clear VHF channels, reception like Bob Seybold's legendary stuff in the 50s from Brasil/Brazil? Well, that's a giant step of faith." Absolutely. Especially at high band. That spectrum is simply too valuable to sit unused. On low-band, if TV doesn't use it my money would be on greatly-expanded use by very inexpensive unlicensed Part 15 devices. (baby monitors etc.) "options. And that will indeed leave for a period of time - perhaps a decade - the VHF channels largely (if not completely) free of (USA) stations making" Well, the third case are stations that have both existing analog and new DTV assignments on VHF. Example, my employer WSMV-4 whose digital assignment is channel 10. I really believe the FCC contemplates the use of all 12 VHF channels for TV broadcasting for as long as over-the-air television continues to exist. Whether that's 3 years or 30 is the question (Doug Smith, WTFDA via DXLD) Multiple cable operators" --- I accept that all markets have many-many cable operators. Off-air is convenient but not mandatory. Off satellite through DirecTV and /or DISH is another alternative and sooner or later it will be a better one than off-air. "Having an over the air of some kind." Not suggesting at this time the TV stations can close down ALL transmitters. Again, they only have to continue to operate OVER THE AIR with sufficient power/tower height to reach TWO locations - cable headend and satellite uplink site. If they have to run mega power and tall stick to reach further out cable headends, everyone would be better off financially if the further out cable headends switched from their own tall tower and signal processing gear to DISH/DirecTV (thus my KTLA into Bakersfield example). Why build 500 foot cable TV receiving towers to capture quality signals from 70 miles or even 50 miles away for cable service when a 2 foot dish at ground level will produce a better video signal to noise ratio? No reason I can think of! (Bob Cooper in New Zealand, ibid.) It appears to me that countries like Mexico are going to be in a "damned if they do, damned if they don't" situation when it comes to converting to DTV. Problems like analog set prices increasing, many very poor people, a poor economy overall, the high costs of DTV broadcast equipment, etc could possibly cause the loss of TV service. Some over-the-air stations and networks could close down entirely. The wealthy minority will have cable and satellite TV, regardless (Danny Oglethorpe, Shreveport, LA, ibid.) ** U S A. There's a new IBOC article at http://radioworld.com/reference-room/guywire/gw-06-10-03.shtml I could not agree more with RW. For maybe 5 years, a large part of my work was audio coding and specifically performance issues. At this point in the game, the fundamental properties of the algorithm can only do so much. Any tweaks might make the DSP SW run faster or with less memory needs or fix a specific small issue. It's really unlikely that the basic algorithm can be changed enough to take a so-so codec operating at dial-up bit rates and make it FM quality. No one else has done it either. I'm no longer in touch with those at the forefront of new codecs, but I'm not hearing any whispers of anything in progress that can make 36 kb/s sound like FM stereo. I think iBiquity is in deep trouble over the audio quality issue, and I'd guess they know that. Were I them, I'd be looking for a backup plan like full digital mode on certain channels even though that will slow market penetration enormously. Better than nothing, I suppose. I do wish these guys would say something about the interference to and from IBOC but I guess they don't feel comfortable making big proclamations about that. With the audio issue, it's easy. We have test clips and our ears to tell us what the quality is. With interference, RW needs to hear real live IBOC at a handful of points and judge for themselves whether the interference is fatal. That day shall come (Chuck Hutton, June 15, NRC-AM via DXLD) [Raising hand] How about scrapping IBOC AM/FM, and put all digital services in the UHF band on unused TV channels, or restructure a portion of the UHF band so that say all TV is moved out of 14-19, and the digital stations are placed there. If people want the digital, they will go there to get it and analog will die on the vine from lack of interest. But, it does not ruin radio for those of us with "heritage" receivers (Fred Vobbe, ibid.) ** U S A. During the recent FM translator window, 13240 applications were filed with the FCC. . . Nationally, several were religious groups. The following are believed to be religious applications, with the most filed by: 2454, Radio Assist Ministry 1766, Edgewater Broadcasting Inc. 875, Educational Media Foundation 271, Calvary Chapel of Twin Falls, Inc. 257, Covenant Network 165, Educational Communications of Colorado 158, Way FM Media Groupo {sic} 124, Robert J. Connelly Jr. 118, Turquoise Broadcasting Company LLC 114, CSN international 114, Radio Training Network 111, Indiana Community Radio Corp. 104, Big Bend Broadcasting 104, Public Broadcasting of Eastern Indiana 103, Edward A. Schober Total from the 100+ applicants: 6838. All other applications: 6507. Over 50% of the applicants were filed by 15 parties (June FMedia! via DXLD) Note those names well, especially the ones with ``Educational``, ``Community`` or ``Public`` in their name! There ought to be a law preventing gospel huxters from co-opting such names. It`s obviously no accident as they try to disguise their true colors. WWJD? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. A new chart of US amateur radio frequency allocations, including the new 60 meter band, is now available from the ARRL at http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/bands.html You can choose between two pdf files, color or black and white, or you can go to the text version at http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/allocate.html (graphics) http://www2.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/allocate.html (text) Meanwhile, Field Day is coming up during the last full weekend in June (this year, June 27-29). The W1AW schedule for this event will be: W1AW FIELD DAY BULLETIN SCHEDULE Day Mode Pacific Mountain Central Eastern [UT] FRIDAY CW 5:00 PM 6:00 PM 7:00 PM 8:00 PM 0000[+day] Teleprinter 6:00 PM 7:00 PM 8:00 PM 9:00 PM 0100[+day] Phone 6:45 PM 7:45 PM 8:45 PM 9:45 PM 0145[+day] CW 8:00 PM 9:00 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 PM 0300[+day] SATURDAY CW 7:00 AM 8:00 AM 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 1400 Phone 8:00 AM 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM 1500 CW 5:00 PM 6:00 PM 7:00 PM 8:00 PM 0000[+day] Teleprinter 6:00 PM 7:00 PM 8:00 PM 9:00 PM 0100[+day] Phone 6:45 PM 7:45 PM 8:45 PM 9:45 PM 0145[+day] SUNDAY CW 7:00 AM 8:00 AM 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 1400 Phone 8:00 AM 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM 1500 PSK31 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM 12:00 PM 1600 W1AW will operate on the regularly published frequencies. The special PSK31 bulletin will be transmitted on the regular W1AW frequencies. CW frequencies are 1.818, 3.5815, 7.0475, 14.0475, 18.0975, 21.0675, 28.0675 and 147.555 MHz. Teleprinter frequencies are 3.625, 7.095, 14.095, 18.1025, 21.095, 28.095 and 147.555 MHz. Phone frequencies are 1.855, 3.99, 7.29, 14.29, 18.16, 21.39, 28.59 and 147.555 MHz (ARRL via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. Radio Táchira on 4830.02 has been off air for a while (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin June 15, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. See BOTSWANA and next item UNIDENTIFIED. 4880; new: R Africa, presumably from Sao Tomé, June 12th, until 19.00 in E, then Portuguese. together with good friends I spent some nice days on the antenna farm of Wilhelm Herbst in Denmark. Normally the month of June is not the season for good reception on TB and MW. So we had some disturbing noises caused by thunderstorms. Nevertheless there are some DX-results, presented as survey below. Not all stations were heard with clear ID. (Michael Schnitzer, Homepage: http://home.arcor.de/mschnitzer/ Location: Fjerritslev, Denmark Receiver: NRD-525 Antennas: 80m Beverage, hard-core-dx via DXLD) Surely Zimbabwean clandestine SW Radio Africa, via South Africa; but Portuguese? Mixed with some other station? São Tomé (national station, not VOA), 4807.5, has been gone from SW for some 20 years, per Anker Petersen (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ BORDERHUNTER SUMMER SW/MW MEETING IN HOLLAND SATURDAY JUNE 28 Soon it is time again for the meeting in the border area of the Netherlands and Belgium. On Saturday the 28th of June at around 1500 local time [1300 UT] the meeting will start for every listener or pirate on Short-Wave or Mediumwave. There will be again a barbeque and lots of beer, soda or what ever you like to boos. Just like before the option to stay overnight is there again. Are you coming, Let us know at summermeeting@hotmail.com and the route to the meeting will be mailed out to you. Greetings and See Yea!!! The Summer meeting team. Binnenkort is het weer zover, de Borderhunter zomermeeting 2003. Zaterdag 28 Juni vanaf 15.00 uur is er een meeting voor luisteraars en stationoperators voor MW en SW liefhebers. Dit alles duurt tot laat in de nacht en overnachten is mogelijk. Gaarne aanmelden via summermeeting@hotmail.com en je krijgt de routebeschrijving thuisgestuurd. Tot ziens! source: http://www.alfalima.net/cgi- bin/teemz/teemz.cgi (via bclnews via DXLD) NATIONAL FEDERATION OF COMMUNITY BROADCASTERS NFCB announces its 29th annual community radio conference April 21-24, 2004, in Albuquerque. Host station is KUNM *89.9; the conference is at the Hyatt downtown, ``two blocks from Route 66.`` (June 2003 FMedia! via DXLD) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ CONQUISTADOR Don't know if there are any SF fans out there but I am reading an interesting alternate-history novel, 'Conquistador" by S.M. Stirling, fellow discovers an alternate Earth (no Europeans) in 1946 while listening to his shortwave radio, the radio generates a window to this alternate world! Amazing what shortwave can do...73s, (Sue Hickey, Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland, Canada, June 15, GRDXC via DXLD) RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ WELCOME TO THE RIGPIX DATABASE The source of information and pictures of radios, accessories and more- This is the original, online since 2000-04-07. Check http://www.rigpix.com/whatsnew.htm for latest updates. Preferred screen resolution is 1024*768. Please note that some of the equipment presented here may not be generally available in all parts of the world (73 de SM0OFV/Janne, SW Bulletin June 15 via DXLD) DRM +++ Re. DRM: "And Kunz is ready to back up his claim: aacPlus delivers CD quality starting at a data rate of 48 kBit/s. The MP3 process, which is popular because of the economical way it works with resources, requires 100 Kbit/s to do the same." --- MP3 gives CD quality at 100 kbit/s? That's simply nonsense, assuming that we talk about stereo. A realistic bitrate for MP3 files that deserves to be labelled as "CD quality" is 192 kbit/s. When slight, unobtrusive quality degradations are acceptable a suitable bitrate is 160 kbit/s. Anything less has nothing to do with "CD quality", and at 96 kbit/s the degradation is really obvious. Unfortunately I cannot say much about AACplus, except for listening experiences with DRM at 14.5 and 17 kbit/s: The first one was simply AM quality, the second one sounded brighter but with so much audio artifacts that it was still far away from FM quality (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also LUXEMBOURG Hi Glenn, Contrary to your assertion, nobody involved in DRM has, to my knowledge, ever described other technologies as 'outmoded'. That would be daft, since we're all still using them! The word was used by the writer of the Electronic Times piece, Christoph Hammerschmidt, who displays his own ignorance of the subject by referring to "Long wave, short wave or mid-range wave" and asserting that "hardly any listeners still tune their radios to these outmoded [sic] frequency bands any more." That's patent nonsense. He doesn't even know the correct terminology! By "mid-range wave" I assume he means mediumwave. I don't believe it's fair to blame the people who developed DRM - engineers - for the more extreme exaggerations of hacks. Many of these engineers are radio hams in their private lives and use these "outmoded" technologies all the time. 73, (Andy Sennitt, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ### |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-106, June 14, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3f.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 In case anyone be confused, previous issues were 3-102 and 3-103, tho the subject line of the first one read 3-012. Evidently all other references and hyperlinx were correct (gh) NEXT AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1186: RFPI: Sat 2330, Sun 0530, 1130, 1830, Mon 0030, 0630, 1230, Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0730, 1330 7445 15039 WWCR: Sun 0230 5070, 0630 3210, Wed 0930 9475 WJIE: Sun 1030, 1630 7490 13595 [maybe] WBCQ: Mon 0445 7415 WRN: Rest of world Sat 0800; Europe Sun 0430; North America Sun 1400 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1186.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1186.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1186h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1186h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1186.html WORLD OF RADIO on WWCR [non] WOR not heard Sat 0600 again --- I just checked the tape and found that once again, something other than WORLD OF RADIO was broadcast UT Saturday at 0600 on WWCR (John Norfolk, OKCOK, June 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) For the second week in a row. We are making enquiries (gh) MUNDO RADIAL en UNION RADIO Gracias Glenn. Puedes anunciar con toda confianza la transmisión de tus informaciones a traves de la señal de Union Radio Porteñas 640 para todo el oriente de Venezuela é islas del caribe. y en internet a traves de la siguiente dirección: http://intranet.unionradio.com.ve/intranet/Default.htm haciendo click en audio de emisoras y luego en AM 640 Atte: (José Elías, Venezuela, DX LISTENING DIGEST) JIM CONRAD Fw: Update on Jim Conrad -- Just letting you know about this, Glenn. Thanks to you for letting me meet Jim back in 1992(?) in the Wisconsin Dells for Jim's Conrad Family Reunion. As I get more information on Jim I will pass it on to you. 73's, (Joe Olig, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Gerry Dexter called yesterday to let me know our friend Jim Conrad had suffered a heart attack. Apparently Jim and his mom were going out to dinner when he collapsed. His heart stopped and he had to be zapped three times before he came back. He was taken to the hospital and placed in intensive care. Mom is staying with him in a "companion" room. Today Jim was moved from ICU to a regular patient room. I talked to him for a few minutes. He's awake and alert when I called and seems upbeat. He's wearing a cardiac monitor but is not hooked up to a bunch of machines. He said he's eating full meals (actually, more than he usually eats at home!), and not in discomfort because of the medications he's on. His sense of humor is intact, and he's making wisecracks. Gerry and his wife drove to Waterloo and are going to see Jim later today. I'll keep you posted on how Jim is doing. This past year has been difficult for him, with his dad Wendell passing away, then Mom fell a couple of times, and then she broke her ankle. Jim is one of the good guys, so please keep him and his mom Lee in your thoughts and prayers. 73s from (Evelyn Hampton, June 12, via Joe Olig, DXLD) ** ANGOLA. 4950, Radio Nacional de Angola Full data (wrong date however) tri-lingual computer generated QSL card in 4 months for a fresh report after numerous follow-ups since 1997 went un-answered. A big thank you to Marcelo Toníolo who helped me translate my report to Portuguese (George Maroti, NY, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) 11955.7 kHz, Radio Nacional De Angola, full data RNA Tower Globe Card, no V/S, In 7 months, for English report and 2 IRCs, received a short letter in Portuguese. The station had addressed the QSL to a wrong address, the envelope was stamped "Mail Delayed Wrong Address And Postal Code", then my correct address was written on the envelope by someone. The return address typed on the envelope is: Radio Nacional de Angola, Rua: Rainha Jinga, C.P: 1329, Luanda-Angola. Angola is my 32nd African country verified. This QSL report is NOT meant for DXpress/DXplorer publication! (Joe Talbot, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. Cumbre DX et al via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Re: UZBEKISTAN(non): New schedule for Voice International in Hindi: 1100-1700 on 13635 via DRW 250 kW / 303 deg ||||| cancelled Please note the Voice International Hindi transmission at 1100-1700 on 13635 still continues and has not been cancelled. Regds, (Alokesh Gupta, India, June 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. And...they DID give the frequency, for this new community FM station in Sydney. 73- (Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) BETTER LATE THAN NEVER After years of setbacks, Sydney's first community station dedicated exclusively to local music and culture is set to launch ... almost. Sue Javes reports. The studios in Alexandria are not quite finished, some announcers have yet to sign on, a key part is missing from the transmitter and the playlist is still being fed into the computer. Nevertheless, barring disasters, Sydney's long-awaited community station FBi will start broadcasting at 94.5 FM, at least in test mode, from June 28. The official launch is set for August 29. . . http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/06/11/1055220640167.html (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** AUSTRIA. Saludos colegas diexistas. El pasado Sábado en el programa: El Buzón Internacional de Radio Austria, la amiga y colega locutora Isabél Miró dijo lo siguiente: "Quiero anunciarles que nuestro último Buzón Internacional, no tendrá lugar el último Domingo de este mes de Junio, sino un poco antes, es decir el dia 22 de Junio, porque los dos últimos dias de las emisiones, el sabado y domingo últimos de este mes estarán dedicados a dos emisiones especiales, así que para estar con nosotros, para que nos podamos despedir como hay que hacerlo, estén aquí con nosotros en la emisión del 22 de Junio.....será nuestro último Buzón" De acuerdo a lo escuchado en emisiones anteriores, este dia se sorteará un radio receptor Grundig como agradecimiento a todos los oyentes de radio Austria por haberlos acompañado durante tanto tiempo, así como otros regalos cortesía de la emisora. Atte: (José Elías, Venezuela, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. TRANSATLANTIC TV DX --- CONCLUSION Well, I thought I'd write to CKCW and I had a reply in a matter of minutes! The guy must have been sat on the computer checking his e mails at the time! The reply ... Hello John Thank you for your inquiry concerning distant reception of Channel 2 I've listened to your audio file and I'm happy to report that you did indeed listen to the ATV signal last Saturday morning. I was able to hear the on air announcers in Halifax during the promos that ran. The programming for CJCH and CKCW is identical except for the occasional commercial spot. Unfortunately I was not able to discern any local commercials on the file which would allow me to say conclusively that you were watching Channel 2, however we are the only high power Channel 2 in the ATV system in Atlantic Canada so I would say you were indeed listening to our transmitter signal. The CJCH signal is Channel 5 and the CJCB signal in Sydney, Nova Scotia is Channel 4. A few facts about Channel 2. Perhaps you already have them. Power 56,000 ERP Visual -- 9200 ERP Aural. Transmitter located in Albert county New Brunswick on Caledonia Mountain. Elevation 1300 feet, tower height 300 feet. Antenna is a GE Ultra Power 4 slot. Transmitter is a Larcan 12 KW. I've checked out your web site. Very interesting. If you have any more questions about our system please don't hesitate to contact me. Hope this helps. I've attached an ATV/CTV logo. atvjpeg.jpg Carson McDavid Director of Engineering ATV/CTV Moncton New Brunswick It's great to hear this straight from the station. I'm not really a QSL collector, but I suppose this actually counts as a QSL. What a catch! I could even print off the e mail attaching the logo they sent! So the station itself is confirmed but not necessarily the actual transmitter, though with this being the only high powered CKCW station on the channel.... Hmmmm! Wonder what the lower powered ones are at? a few hundred watts?? It was really bizarre to be able to listen to the audio from such a distant signal for the best part of two hours. I guess we're talking at least double hop, possibly triple since the theoretical limit for double from New Brunswick would place the signal roughly at the west of Ireland. I'm sure there will be a repeat performance sometime. After all, TA on 6 is fairly regular throughout the summer months, so fingers crossed! A VERY BIG THANKS to everybody who has given help on this. Good DX (John Faulkner, john.faulkner@skywaves.info http://www.skywaves.info June 12, WTFDA via DXLD) ** CANADA. Here's a good DX challenge for you this weekend: "Radio Grand Prix" is on the air until Sunday night in Montreal on 104.7 broadcasting in French and English in mono. This is the official radio of the Canadian Grand Prix. Technical info from last year: CKGP-FM - ERP: 40 watts - EHAAT: 12 meters! Reception here is pretty good, I'm one mile away from the race track! There is also lots of activity in the 450 to 512 MHz range. LOTS of international broadcasters feeds. Channel 14, 15 and 20 on TV are showing lots of interference!! 73, (Charles Gauthier, St-Lambert, PQ, June 13, WTFDA via DXLD) ** CANADA [and non]. Very good article on the future of DAB in Canada and IBOC in the US. At the National Association of Broadcasters massive convention in Las Vegas this year, rumour had it that DAB - Digital Audio Broadcasting, the Eureka standard adopted by most of the world including Canada - is dead. Um, not exactly. In Ottawa, CBC services are now available on the second of three DAB transmitters planned for the region. The third transmitter is scheduled for switch-on before the end of this year. . . http://www.broadcastdialogue.com/magazine.asp (Second story down) (via Brian Smith, ODXA via DXLD) ** CANADA. GLOBAL VILLAGE SPREADS ITS WINGS WITH AN EXCITING NEW CONCERT SERIES, GLOBAL VILLAGE IN PERFORMANCE, FRIDAY NIGHTS AT 8 P.M. http://www3.cbc.ca/sections/newsitem_redux.asp?ID=2871 Global Village, CBC Radio's award-winning world music program, premieres GLOBAL VILLAGE IN PERFORMANCE, beginning Friday, June 27 at 8 p.m. on CBC Radio Two, during the regular timeslot of the preeminent concert program In Performance. GLOBAL VILLAGE IN PERFORMANCE is an eight-part series of culturally diverse world-music concerts recorded in Canada and presented by Global Village host Jowi Taylor and special guest co-hosts. The works in this series will include: Tasa, a Toronto-based jazz fusion group rooted in the classical traditions of north India; co-hosted by Ghazal singer Kiran Ahluwalia Maria del Mar Bonet, a heroine of Catalan culture; co-hosted by Catalan broadcaster Margarita Ramón* Liu Fang, an internationally recognized master of the Chinese pipa and guzheng; co-hosted by Chinese musician Jie Hong The Istanbul Oriental Ensemble, injecting Turkish classical music with gypsy spirit; co-hosted by Brenna MacCrimmon, musician and Global Village correspondent* Desandann, a Cuban vocal group dedicated to the preservation of their Haitian heritage; co-hosted by Haitian musician, songwriter and presenter Ronald Jean* Misia, an inspired approach to Portuguese Fado by an international star; co-hosted by actress and playwright Aida Jordao from Portugal* Masters of Persian Music, who draw from ancient Sufi texts and contemporary poetry to produce neo-classical Persian music; co-hosted by journalist Maryam Aghvami from Iran The Global Divas, who offer music that blends elements of Cuba with India, Portugal, Venezuela, Brazil and more; co-hosted by Claudia McCoy, a writer for Urban Mix Magazine* ***These concerts will also be broadcast during August on Global Village, which is heard Wednesdays at 8 p.m. during the summer and Saturdays at 7 p.m. throughout the year on CBC Radio One. Says Executive Producer Ann MacKeigan: "This series is a wonderful opportunity to present listeners across Canada with a culturally diverse series of concerts, and to provide them with meaningful context for the music." Global Village has broadcast reports from 331 places in 110 countries around the world. It is a unique hybrid of radio program and Web site produced at the CBC in Toronto, Canada. It is broadcast weekly across Canada on CBC Radio One, to most of the world by shortwave and satellite on Radio Canada International, and in streaming RealAudio from the main pages of both cbc.ca and rcinet.ca GLOBAL VILLAGE IN PERFORMANCE is produced by Ann MacKeigan, Paolo Pietropaolo, Andy Sheppard and Malcolm Gould. An extensive Web site on the project can be found on ARTSCANADA at cbc.ca (via Ricky Leong, DXLD) ** CHINA. CRI English programs: all transmissions start with 30 Minutes of NEWS AND REPORTS (China Related News, World News, Sports News, Business News, News On Culture --- Showbiz, Sci-Tech, Press Clippings.) On Sat & Sun reduced to 15 minutes and includes: China Related News, World News, Sports News. Feature programs: Mon: PEOPLE IN THE KNOW Tue: BIZ CHINA Wed: CHINA HORIZONS (Zhejiang Special, Nanjing today, Wuxi Journal, Changzhou Report, On the Road) Thu: VOICES FROM OTHER LANDS Fri: LIFE IN CHINA Sat: CUTTING EDGE, LISTENERS` GARDEN (You Ask Us -- You Tell Us, Chinese Folk Song, Idioms and Their Stories, The Week Ahead, Learn to Speak Chinese) Sun: REPORTS ON DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, IN THE SPOTLIGHT (Cultural Carousel, In Vogue, Writings from China, China Melody, Talking Point) (via Michael Beesley, June World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. Hola Glenn, Saludos desde Catia La Mar, Venezuela. RCN "La Voz de Guaviare", captada en los 6039.99 kHz, a las 2220 UT, el 12/06. Anunciaba el teléfono 58-40-154 para mensajes al programa "Campesinos, buenas tardes". SINPO 5/4. Mejor que la señal de Caracol 5958 kHz. Promoción al aire de un concierto del venezolano Reinaldo Armas, a realizarse el 21/06 (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CROATIA [non]. HRT via DTK T-systems Germany as revised 23 May, showing lots of overlap on 9925, two targets at once: A03web05 23.05.2003 Gesamtplan frq start stop ciraf ant azi type day from to loc pow broad 9925 2300 0059 11 - 16 202 230 218 1234567 300303 261003 JUL 100 HRT 9925 0100 0400 11 - 16 202 230 218 1234567 010503 261003 JUL 100 HRT 9925 2300 0100 6 - 10 112 300 216 1234567 010503 261003 JUL 100 HRT 9925 0100 0259 6 - 10 112 300 216 1234567 300303 261003 JUL 100 HRT 9925 0300 0459 2 - 10 119 325 216 1234567 300303 261003 JUL 100 HRT 9925 0500 0700 2 - 10 119 325 216 1234567 010503 261003 JUL 100 HRT 9470 0400 0500 55,59,60 202 230 218 1234567 010503 261003 JUL 100 HRT 9470 0500 0659 55,59,60 202 230 218 1234567 300303 261003 JUL 100 HRT 13820 0600 0700 58,59,60 208 270 218 1234567 010503 261003 JUL 100 HRT 13820 0700 0859 58,59,60 208 270 218 1234567 300303 261003 JUL 100 HRT 13820 0900 1000 58,59,60 208 270 218 1234567 010503 261003 JUL 100 HRT (via Alokesh Gupta, India, DXLD) ** CUBA. A las 1230 UT quedó fuera del aire la señal de radio Rebelde por los 11655 kHz; de repente se escuchó la identificación musical de Radio Habana Cuba, comenzaron a indicar sus frecuencias y cuando las decían, la transmisión se cortó quedando fuera del aire la señal mencionada. [10 minutes later at ``7:50 am``, whatever yahoogroups zone that be] De nuevo en el aire la frecuencia 11655 kHz con la señal de Radio Rebelde. Indicaron el número telefónico de la radio: 554360. Hubo una llamada de un oyente que dijo que Radio Rebelde es la Radio de la Revolución. Y el locutor dijo luego, que les importaba poco y que hablaran lo que les dé la gana el pueblo norteamericano sobre las marchas del pueblo cubano el día de ayer. Hubo una identificación musical de Radio Rebelde que dice: Manténgase en sintonía con Radio Rebelde. La grabación está a la orden. Atte: (José Elías, Venezuela, June 13, radioescutas via DXLD) During Tip for Real Living on DXPL, June 14 at 1250, I tuned over to 11655 to check for R. Rebelde, but no sign of it, just Australia on 11650 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Cuban TV listings can be found at http://www.jrebelde.cubaweb.cu/sumarios/tv.html BTW, there is a new 3rd network - TV Educativo - which is mainly UHF, although I think there is a Channel 8 Santiago de Cuba and possibly other VHFs. There are plans for a 4th network soon. Ch 6- could be CMJB Camagüey, I think Havana is 6z. These offsets are from 20-year old WTFDA publications, so who knows what the current situation is. On my trip to Cuba, they had only 2 Cuban stations on the hotel cable (others mainly US/Latin) - there was Channel 2 Havana, which is Tele Rebelde - except it breaks for local programming (called "Tele Centros") from 4:25 to 5:55 E[D]T, such as CHTV for Havana, Tele Camagüey for Camagüey, etc. Channel 6 Havana is Cubavisión. I don't know what channel is used in Havana for TV Educativo. The 2 networks Tele Rebelde and Cubavisión sometimes have identical programming - especially for Castro speeches and news discussions. (VEM3ONT22, William Hepburn, WTFDA / CIDX, Brampton, Peel, ON, CAN, WTFDA via DXLD) ** CUBA [non]. U.S. TAXPAYERS PAY FOR A CUBAN BROADCAST THAT NO ONE SEES --- From ABC.com June 13, 2003 TV Martí is a U.S. government-run TV station in Miami used to promote democracy in Cuba. It costs U.S. taxpayers almost $10 million a year to keep TV Martí going. But few - if any - Cubans see it. (ABCNEWS.com) Newscast to Nowhere --- By Jeffrey Kofman Fifty-five reporters, editors and producers --- all U.S. government employees --- work seven days a week in a television newsroom in Miami. Each day they earnestly assemble, record and broadcast 4½ hours of news and information programming in Spanish. And no one sees it. The intended audience is the people of Cuba. Like those Voice of America radio broadcasts the United States used to beam across the Iron Curtain during the Cold War, TV Martí is meant to promote democracy in Communist Cuba. But since it began in 1990 the only thing it has successfully promoted is scorn here in the United States. Because from the beginning, the Castro government has successfully blocked the TV Martí signal. It costs the Cuban government just pennies a day to operate the jamming antennas that are strategically perched on top of Havana's highest buildings. It costs U.S. taxpayers almost $10 million a year - more than $100 million since TV Martí began - to keep broadcasting TV Martí's anti- Castro invective into the ether. ABCNEWS Havana producer Mara Valdes checked to see if people on the streets of the Cuban capital had ever heard of the U.S.-based newscast that is produced just for them. "No," said one man as he shook his head, "because I haven't seen it on TV." "Never," added a woman, "because it can't be seen." 'Never Been Seen in Cuba' "TV Martí has just never been seen in Cuba," said Republican Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., one of chorus of congressmen who think TV Martí's funding should have been cut long ago. His conclusion: "It's a jobs program. Frankly, I think it's a political payoff." According to Flake, TV Martí is zealously protected by Miami's three Cuban-American congressional representatives who reward their hardline supporters with jobs. "I'd like to say it's something different, but given the amount of time and effort we put in trying to change it and the resistance we had, you can only conclude that it's a jobs program," he said. The newest director of TV Martí and its sister operation Radio Martí (which is heard in Cuba, although even U.S. reports suggest it has very few listeners) is Pedro Roig. A real estate lawyer with no broadcasting experience but deep roots in the anti-Castro exile community in Miami, Roig gets a salary of $132,000 a year. "I am not looking at the past, but at the future," said Roig when asked what he has to say to critics of his newscast to nowhere. "And my answer to the critics is this: This could be a valid criticism. Give us a few months. Give us time." Roig wants time to explore alternative methods of transmission. Possibly from a satellite - although few Cubans have satellite dishes - and possibly from a U.S. government broadcast plane that would make daily flights just outside Cuban airspace. He doesn't know what that would cost. And while he and others explore options. The news goes on. To nowhere. (via Mike Terry, DXLD) Saw this on World News Tonight, June 12 (gh) ** CZECHOSLOVAKIA. Here's the BBC story on the jailing of Karel Hoffman for shutting down Czechoslovak radio in 1968. 73- (Bill Westenhaver, DX LISTENING DIGEST) FIRST JAILING OVER PRAGUE SPRING --- THE FIRST SENIOR CZECH COMMUNIST OFFICIAL IS JAILED IN PRAGUE FOR HIS ROLE IN THE 1968 SOVIET INVASION http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/europe/2978008.stm (via Westenhaver, DXLD) COURT: HOFFMAN ABUSED POWER COMMUNIST-ERA OFFICIAL SENTENCED TO FOUR YEARS FOR STOPPING BROADCASTS By Kevin Livingston, Staff Writer, The Prague Post, (June 12, 2003) The June 9 conviction of former Telecommunications Minister Karel Hoffman spawned mixed reactions from former political prisoners and the office in charge of investigating communist crimes. Hoffman, 79, was sentenced by a Prague City Court to four years in prison on charges that he abused his authority during the 1968 Soviet- led Warsaw Pact invasion when he ordered Czechoslovak Radio off the air. . . http://www.praguepost.com/P03/2003/Art/0612/news3.php was sent to you by: (Westenhaver Bill, DXLD) ** DENMARK. Re: ``I am sure that it would be possible to reactivate the transmitter at Kalundborg which was previously in use on LW 243 kHz during morning hours.`` To avoid possible misunderstandings: 243 is still on air as always. By the way, this outlet is operated at Kalundborg with a certain Telefunken transmitter model of which only three ones were built at all (the other two ones are the 153 and 207 units here in Germany). (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, As far as I am informed Danmarks Radio still uses the frequency longwave 243 kHz from Kalundborg. (Listening in when writing these lines). It is on air from 05.34 to 00.30 local time (UT +2 during summer) with as well P2 as P1 and Special programs. More to be found here (unfortunately in Danish) http://www.dr.dk/pubs/nyheder/html/programmer/kortboelge/Kalund.jhtml Best 73s (Ydun Ritz, Denmark, June 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR [non]. This week I actually monitored DX Partyline at 1230 UT Sat on 15115 --- excellent reception; can`t tell me this is not really for NAm. Finally revealed identity of US station to carry the show; surprise: WINB. But no details yet of day, time, frequency or start date. 15115 went off afterwards by 1300* (Glenn Hauser, OK, June 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, I heard DX Partyline this morning June 14; tuned at 1250 UT when they had the South Pacific DX report. After that Allen Graham read some tips from a South American DXer; then at signoff said they would be back one week from today with the Electronic DX Press report and off the air at 1300 on 15.115 MHz. No other programs heard but DX Partyline (Ron Trotto, Waggoner, IL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. Hi Robertas and Glenn. Re item Egypt on 9755 in DXLD 3-104. On 13 Jun at 1710 tune in there was a program in English with terribly bad modulation. Features, Arabic, Italian and African songs. I kept the audio on (what a pain) while doing some other things. Could not catch the ID but just prior 1830 when heard Radio Cairo mentioned within closing announcement of English program. 1831 there was a program in some African language. So, as Robertas said, this seems to be Radio Cairo. 1630-1830 transmission to Africa in English moved from previous 15255? With this kind of horrible audio --- what a waste of time, money, program producers` efforts, etc. Jees (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, June 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The modulation on the day I listened to was rather good, compared to their other frequencies. Is this changing from day to day, or does it depend on the receiver? (Robertas Pogorelis, Belgium, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Typically it does, on other English transmissions (gh) ** GERMANY. Bonn 774 is off, perhaps permanently since it is no longer announced in the special VERA service (all traffic jam announcements all the time) WDR carries at times on mediumwave; since yesterday they mention only 720 anymore (Stephan Kaiser, June 14 via Kai Ludwig, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUYANA. Voice of Guyana con señal algo deteriorada en 3291.26 kHz, a las 2237 UT. SINPO 2/2 (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HUNGARY. R. Budapest 0100 UT 9590 kHz. No, this isn't another complaint about the Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran causing moderate to severe QRM to R. Budapest. I have a question about the transmitter site for the R. Budapest broadcast. Is this via a transmitter in Hungary? Reason I ask is Radio Canada Int. is on 9590 kHz until 0100 UT. I do not notice a change in transmitter signal before Radio Budapest begins transmission. 73, (-.. . Kraig Krist, KG4LAC, VA, June 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Kraig, If this is a relay, they`ve really pulled a fast one. I suspect the two signals overlapped so it seemed like there wasn`t a break. You might try watching the S-meter closely and on different dates when there might be a significant difference in signal level if Europe is not propagating so well. 73, (Glenn to Kraig, DXLD) Glenn, Thanks for the reply. I will check again, if thunderstorms allow! I noticed, turning my weekly monitoring of R. Budapest, the immediate switch from RCI to R. Budapest for quite some time now. Today was the first I remembered to email about it. I also emailed R. Budapest asking about the transmitter for the 0200 UT 9590 kHz broadcast. Hopefully, I will receive a reply. [Later:] Glenn, OK. I checked on June 14, 2003. RCI, until just about 00:59:55 with a max reading of S9 +50 dB. Then R. Budapest begin, around 00:59:56 with a max reading of S9 +40 dB. The RCI transmitter really cuts things close. 73, (-.. . Kraig Krist, VA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HUNGARY. BBC AND RFI LAUNCH MULTILINGUAL RADIO BROADCAST BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) -- Two international broadcasters on Wednesday jointly launched a 24-hour, multi-lingual radio channel in the Hungarian capital Budapest, officials from the two broadcasters said. The British Broadcasting Corporation will broadcast in English and Hungarian, and Radio France International will broadcast in French and German on the 92.1 FM frequency. "The service will bring ... an international perspective that makes us unique in the broadcasting world," Nigel Chapman, the deputy director of BBC World Service, said. With the exception of some locally made programs from the BBC's Hungarian Service, most programs will be taken from the normal international programming of the two companies, focusing on news, current affairs and culture. Chapman said the service was being launched at a time when Hungary is preparing to join the European Union and that several programs will be focused on the issue. Hungary is expected to join the EU in May 2004. Jean-Paul Cluzel, the head of RFI, said the new service would add to the information channels available to Hungarians. "We want to contribute to the pluralism of information in the world," he said. The new channel will reach around 650,000 people in Budapest, though the broadcasters hope they will be allowed to extend the reception area in the future. The license to broadcast is valid for seven years. Originally, German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle planned to take part in the project, but later withdrew due to financial considerations. (kpk/rp) (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** INDIA. BBC COULD SOON AIR ON YOUR LOCAL FM STATION 13th June '2003 NEW DELHI: Your daily dose of FM could soon include music, plays and entertainment programmes from none other than the BBC, if the Prasar Bharati Board has its way. A move is under way to bring BBC radio programming to All India Radio's FM channels and, while the Board has approved the idea, the BBC is said to be open to exploring all possible opportunities before it spells out its mind. Prasar Bharati CEO K S Sarma will be flying to London on Saturday, armed with the Board's nod to work out a deal which will be mutually beneficial to both broadcasters. Said Sarma, ``We are looking at equal time programming, by which AIR will supply programmes to the BBC and the latter will do the same with no money involved in the arrangement.'' Sarma also said, that while the BBC was open to the idea of sharing AIR's news, the latter was bound by law not to outsource its news and current affairs content. ``We can have their music while we give them the news from here'', said Sarma. AIR's aggressive forays with the BBC comes in the wake of the plight private fm operators in the country find themselves in today. While Win 94.6 radio station in Mumbai shut its operations in Mumbai only a few days ago, unable to pay up the steep licence fee, other private FM operators are lobbying hard for the reduction of what they call ``steep licence fees'' for private FM operators. Ever since the Government auctioned frequencies in March 2000, a group of private companies submitted huge bids in their bid greed to capture the virgin FM market _ but since then they have been asking for help from the Government. Review of the annual licence fee (ranging between Rs seven and 12 crores with an annual 15 per cent escalation cost) _ is top of the agenda. With most of the operators pegging their cumulative losses at Rs 120 crore last year, they are hoping the Information and Broadcasting Ministry will come to their rescue. (newindpress.com - 13 june'03) Regds, (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. U.S.-BASED TVS ON FRONT LINE OF IRAN PROTESTS By Firouz Sedarat DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (Reuters) - U.S.-based Iranian television stations got prime-time billing this week when they helped rally the biggest protests Iran has seen for months, filling a gap left by stifled local media and weakened opposition groups. But analysts said it remains to be seen if these satellite stations can overcome infighting and heavy jamming by Iran to make a lasting impact on a public hungry for uncensored news and change in the 24 year-old Islamic republic. Thousands of Iranians, many heeding calls from the dozen or so TV and radio stations, demonstrated for a second night against clerical rulers in the capital Tehran in the early hours of Thursday. "The U.S.-based stations owe their success to internal media not covering political issues adequately and reformists and dissidents having very little room left to maneuver," said Paris-based veteran Iranian journalist Safa Haeri. Hard-line courts have closed scores of newspapers and jailed dozens of reformers and dissidents, while the exiled opposition is highly split. PASSIONATE CALLS While state media condemned the protests as instigated by the United States -- Iran's arch foe -- the exiled stations carried impassioned calls for people to take to the streets. "When America backs movements toward regime change in Iran, we appeal to our dear viewers to please also support students -- our sons and daughters -- marching against dictatorship," an announcer said on a Los Angeles-based television station. The protests were also widely covered by Radio Farda, a 24-hour station set up by Washington to try to woo young Iranians with a mix of pop songs and news. It has largely steered away from political advocacy. "I'm standing near the Gisha bridge where a lot of the protesters have gathered, you can probably hear their slogans," a caller using a mobile phone told the Prague-based station. The station could get more funds if the Congress passes the Iran Democracy Act, proposed as Washington has toughened its rhetoric against the Muslim state, which it brands part of an "axis of evil." U.S. hawks have called for actions aimed at destabilizing Tehran's government. One analyst said the stations could play a role similar to that of tapes of speeches by revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in the 1979 Islamic revolution. The secretly distributed cassettes helped mobilize ever-growing protests. "Their outreach is even wider than tapes. But these stations are their own worst enemies when they bicker against each other or exaggerate the news," the Tehran-based analyst said. Haeri said exaggerations also had other drawbacks. "Some of these stations are reporting the protests as a definite final countdown for the regime. This has prompted senior Iranian officials to plan a violent response," he said. Iran, where satellite television is illegal but widely used, has intensified its jamming of the stations and started blocking Internet sites deemed immoral or subversive. The measures drew criticism from reformists who voiced concern over the possible public health dangers of radiation from powerful jamming transmitters. Iran's powerful hard-liner say the curbs are needed to fight Western cultural influences and disinformation by enemies. (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) Hey, BBG too!: U.S. INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTERS SPOTLIGHT ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTS IN IRAN Washington, D.C., June 13, 2003 --- U.S. international broadcasting`s Persian-language services are providing detailed, comprehensive coverage from Tehran and around the world of the on-going anti- government protests in Iran. ``Please cover this revolution,`` one listener emailed Voice of America`s Persian Service http://www.voanews.com/persian/ which, along with Radio Farda http://www.radiofarda.com has filed numerous stories on the student-led protests which began June 11 in Tehran. Both stations have made interviews, discussions and analyses available on the Internet. VOA has broadcast them as well via direct-to-home satellite television. ``We are aggressively covering events in Iran on radio, television and on our Internet sites,`` said Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors http://www.bbg.gov The BBG oversees all U.S. nonmilitary international broadcasting, including VOA and Radio Farda, a partnership of VOA and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty http://www.rferl.org ``We`re providing accurate news and information that Iranians intent on more freedom are unable to get from their own media,`` he said. Correspondents for Radio Farda, a round-the-clock service aimed at young listeners, have filed dozens of reports from reporters on the ground using mobile telephones. The stories, filled with background noise, honking cars and people shouting pro-democracy slogans, have described the mood of the demonstrators, and the location and nature of the clashes between protesters and security forces. Protest leaders are interviewed regularly throughout the day. One spoke of the ``bankruptcy of the Iranian political system,`` while another described tactics used by security forces against protesters. Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), who has urged the Bush administration to pay close attention to protests in Iran, has been interviewed by both services. In his interview with VOA, he said, ``We should have an official clear policy that our position towards Iran is to support those who support democracy.`` The interview will be broadcast in its entirety Friday on VOA`s radio/TV/Internet simulcast, Roundtable with You. Both services have scored interviews with key figures in the protest movement as well as with analysts and experts. VOA interviewed Amin Bozorgian, a student editor in Iran, and Heshmat Tabarzadi, head of the Iranian Democratic Front. He called for students and people inside and outside Iran to unite in a fight for democracy. Radio Farda`s Iran This Week program featured an interview with, among others, Reza Pahlavi, son of the late Shah of Iran. Police in Tehran have cracked down heavily on the student-led protests, which began June 11 and attracted up to 3,000 demonstrators one night. The protests, which first arose over student concerns about reported plans to privatize elements of the state university system, have escalated into criticism of the country`s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as well as of reformist President Mohammed Khatami. On Friday protests were smaller in number. Police fired tear gas at student demonstrators who lit fires inside the Tehran University campus and anti-riot squads kept cars from getting too close to the university. Khamenei has accused Washington of trying to drive a wedge between the Iranian people and the government. Radio Farda is a 24-hour service available on shortwave and medium- wave (AM). VOA`s Persian Service, broadcast on shortwave, airs six hours a day. It has two weekly Persian-language TV programs, Roundtable with You and Next Chapter. (BBG press release June 13 via DXLD) Trouble-makers ** IRAN [non]. Voice of Mojahed back? I was about to ask this question whether Radio Mojahed is back on the air. Soon after the war began the station went off the air and our favourite ham band for local contacts 7 MHz became absolutely clear of any jamming and the cat and mouse game between V. of Mojahed and Iranian jammers. Now the jamming is back which is severe and I can't get any ID or distinguishable audio from VOM. I suppose the CIA wants to use it to destabilize Iran. Jammers heard at 1630 on 7029 (by 1645 moved to 7010. Other jammers heard at 1630 UT 8900 8530, 8320, 5630 (G. V. A. Goonetilleke, Sri Lanka, Jun 5, 2003 for CRW via DXLD) ** IRAQ. THE STATIC-FILLED FACE OF FREEDOM -- IRAQI TV STATION POOR BUT THRIVING --- By Anthony Shadid, Washington Post Foreign Service, Friday, June 13, 2003; Page A12 KARBALA, Iraq -- Unshaven, imperious and weary from overwork, Khalil Tayyar lives in a cloak-and-dagger world, rife with conspiracies and hidden agendas. He casts a wary eye at the Americans and their designs on Karbala TV, the fledgling station he set up a week after the fall of president Saddam Hussein's government. The Iranians, he insists, are not far behind. Ever so lightly, he has negotiated with the clergy, who wield great authority in a city considered one of the most sacred in Shiite Islam. . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52268-2003Jun12.html 73, (-.. . Kraig Krist, KG4LAC, Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** ISLE OF MAN [and non]. Reference the Belgian contributor to DXLD 3- 104 regarding Manx Radio on 1368 kHz, there are in fact 3 BBC stations on that channel, namely Southern Counties radio, Radio Lincolnshire and Radio Wiltshire. Here in NW London, Manx Radio often dominates the frequency during the hours of darkness, even sometimes well past sunrise (I guess the skip distance must be just right). (PAUL DAVID, Wembley Park, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. N. KOREA ACCUSES US OF INFILTRATING RADIOS From various agencies: 14 JUne 2003 SEOUL: North Korea said yesterday it had found a new enemy in its territories: tiny transistor radio sets that bring outside news into the world`s most isolated, communist country. For months, US-based human rights activists have said they planned to send thousands of tiny, solar-powered radios into North Korea so people can listen to foreign stations, such as Washington-based Radio Free Asia or Voice of America. North Korea tolerates no independent news media and no public Internet access. Control of information buttresses Pyongyang`s totalitarian rule of the hunger-stricken nation of 22 million people. Yesterday, Pyongyang`s state-run newspaper Rodong Sinmun said the United States is waging ``psychological warfare`` against the North through Radio Free Asia, which was created by the US Congress in 1996 to give information to Asian nations without a free press. ``Recently, the US imperialists brought a great number of transistor radios into the DPRK to destabilise the DPRK, while letting the radio broadcast in Korean day and night,`` Rodong said in a commentary carried by North Korea`s main news agency KCNA. (DPRK is the acronym for the North`s official name, Democratic People`s Republic of Korea). (via Mike Terry, DXLD) Really? ** LEBANON [non]. 11645, V. of Liberty, Jun 9 *1600-1610 33232 Arabic, 1600 s/on and ID. Music. ID. Arabic music. 1609 ID (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan Premium, via DXLD) ** LIBERIA. I've posted some photos of Voice of Liberty, Liberia at http://www.dxing.info/community/ See the Africa forum (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland via DXLD) http://www.dxing.info/community/viewtopic.php?t=968 ** NETHERLANDS. Hello from Hilversum, There's never a dull moment for those of us who work in the Dutch media. Wednesday's "non-story" about Radio Netherlands on the TV programme Nova was picked up by some media Web sites and mailing lists, but the press release and special Newsletter we sent out yesterday managed to kill the story. Yesterday evening I added some personal thoughts on the matter in the Media Network Weblog. http://radio.weblogs.com/0121781/ COMMENTARY: NEVER LET THE FACTS GET IN THE WAY OF A GOOD STORY That seems to be the motto of some Dutch TV journalists and, sadly, of those who have chosen to convey their message to the world beyond The Netherlands. If you've been looking at media-related mailing lists or Web sites today, these are among the statements you may have read: "Dutch Television programme Nova just announced that in a still secret report can be read that there is an advice to stop many activitities and cut in the money of Radio Nederland." "Management consulting company McKinsey has produced a report aimed at dramatically cutting costs at Radio Netherlands." Both these statements are wildly inaccurate. The McKinsey report is not "secret". It's due for publication by the end of June, at which point it will be in the public domain. It's only "secret" in the sense that tomorrow's newspaper is a "secret". Its existence can hardly have been kept from Radio Netherlands, since Radio Netherlands was one of the organisations that commissioned it! Neither is the report "aimed at dramatically cutting costs at Radio Netherlands." The report is aimed at examining possible ways of saving money in the public broadcasting sector as a whole. Now, the people who wrote the report are not broadcasting experts, they're number crunchers. You can tell they're not broadcasting experts because they've came up with the fanciful notion that the information Radio Netherlands provides can be provided by other means - and as an example they mention Dutch embassy Web sites!! So why did Nova pick on Radio Netherlands? That's an easy one. While Radio Netherlands has already embarked on a cost-saving restructuring, the domestic public broadcasters - and there are a lot of them here - have just begun to think about it. And, as Corporal Jones would have said in Dad's Army, "They don't like it up 'em." Now, it so happens that McKinsey - as they were asked to do - produced various scenarios that would deliver the required savings. One was the almost complete elimination of Radio Netherlands. And why is this option interesting to the domestic broadcasters? Simply because, if it was chosen, they would be left virtually unscathed. Can't you see what's going on here? As the report nears publication, the public domestic broadcasters, concerned about their own future, have tried to seize the agenda and put ideas into the heads of the politicians. Their tactics were crude. Last night's programme used black and white footage from the 1950's of a Radio Netherlands broadcast in Afrikaans! It would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic. What saddens me is that today I have been receiving a constant stream of E-mails from people, some of them personal friends, who believe there can be no smoke without fire. Well, that depends who started the fire, and for what purpose. There are ways of saving money in the public broadcasting sector. Domestic public broadcasting here is saddled with a structure that dates all the way back to the 1920's. It may be democratic, but it sure isn't efficient. But will the different public broadcasting organisations be prepared to look at cost-savings through structural changes? Don't hold your breath. (Disclaimer: These comments are entirely my own, and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of Radio Netherlands). (Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) TIME TO GRASP THE NETTLE --- Why Dutch broadcasting needs a regulator The Zerobase project was supposed to sort out the mess on the Dutch FM band. But it has created new problems. Andy Sennitt makes the case for a media regulatory body. (13-06-03) http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/features/html/ned030613.html (Media Network June 13 via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. RADIO 538 TO PRESS CASE FOR CLASSICAL CHANNEL Dutch commercial broadcaster Radio 538 has informed the Dutch government that it intends to press the case for the awarding of a licence to run a popular classical music station in the commercial sector. Although a package of frequencies has been reserved for a classical station, no licence was awarded for the eight year period that started on 1 June because of a clause in the legislation stipulating that no broadcaster could have more than two national stations. Sky Radio, which had been running classic FM, was awarded the golden oldies licence ahead of Radio 10 FM, and chose to accept that licence at the expense of Classic FM. The other applicants for the classical licence similarly fell foul of the rules. Classic FM had a market share of 3%, and Radio 538 believes that it can run such a station economically (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 13 June 2003 via DXLD) What is the significance of ``538`` in the name? Not a frequency (gh) ** NEW ZEALAND. RADIO NZ NEWS CHIEF TO HEAR IF SHE CAN LEGALLY RETURN TO WORK --- 13.06.2003 By MATHEW DEARNALEY Radio New Zealand's news chief, who has accused her boss of harassment, should hear today whether she is legally entitled to return to her job. . . http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3507216&thesection=news&thesubsection=general (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** PARAGUAY. Radio América, del Paraguay, está realizando algunos cambios en sus transmisiones. Aquí las novedades, extraídas de parte de un correo electrónico que me envió hace algunas horas el amigazo Adán Mur, encargado técnico de la joven estación paraguaya de ondas cortas: "...Lastimosamente, una tormenta eléctrica, de las cuales tenemos muchas, ocasionó daños, durante la semana pasada. Estamos operando con potencia reducida, en la onda corta. Las transmisiones actuales son así: 1480 KHZ, 1 KW, Omnidireccional, Ñemby. 1590 KHZ, .2 KW, Omnidireccional, Villeta. 9983 KHZ, .2 KW, Dirigida hacía los 90 y 270 grados. [ex-7371v] 15185 KHZ, .2 KW, Dirigida hacía los 184 grados. Todos los transmisores están en marcha, las 24 horas. La programación de ZP20 Radio América se transmite en los 1480, 9983 y 15185 KHZ. La programación local de Radio Villeta se transmite en los 1590 KHZ. Hemos substituido la frecuencia 9983 por los 7370, experimentalmente. Yo sé que tendrá ninguna dificultad, durante las horas de luz. De noche, naturalmente, tendremos problemas, desde Noruega y los EUA. Los 9983 kHz funcionan con una antena dirigida, de polarización horizontal, orientada hacía los 90 y 270 grados. La antena tiene una ganancia teórica de 3.16 dBi, o, apróximadamente, un aumento de dos veces la potencia de transmisión. La frecuencia de los 15185 kHz está dirigida directamente hacía tu casa, utilizando nuestra antena más potente: un reflector de esquina de 25 dBi de ganancia. Teóricamente, la potencia se multiplica por 316 veces, o un PIRE de 63.2 KW. La antena es bien grande: 82 metros de largo, en tres lados, por 26 metros de alto. Se integran cuatro torres; tres soportando 184 reflectores, en tres lados, y una torre alimentada, al punto de 3,8 longitudes de onda, en la boca de la antena. Estamos en camino hacia los aumentos de potencia. Hemos mejorado la protección contra rayos, y los transmisores en Villeta están listos para operar con 5 kW, cada uno. Faltamos algunos semiconductores, únicamente..." (via Arnaldo Slaen, June 14, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** PERU. Radio Atlántida "La Fabulosa", en los 4790 kHz, a las 0034 UT, el 13/06. Transmitía el programa "Guía Informativa". SINPO 3/2. Radio Santa Cruz, captada el 13/06, a las 0950 UT, en los 6134.8 kHz. Emitía música andina y la lista de precios en mercados de Santa Cruz, Lima y Cochabamba. SINPO 3/3. Primera vez que escucho esta emisora. 73's y buen DX... Saludos, (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH AMERICA. From the South American Andes SOUTH AMERICAN PIRATES --- Times UT --- RADIO COCHIGUAZ probably will be active today night hoisting the pirate flag, testing on 11440 kHz USB, at 0200-0300 (June 15), on this opportunity, with our good friend Jorge García of Radio Piraña Internacional on board at this time, as DJ of the program. For reports write to: (Please add return postage) Radio Cochiguaz, Box 159, Santiago 14, CHILE. Radio Piraña Int., Box 159 Santiago 14, CHILE. RPI e-mail: rpi@writeme.com FFFR, ;-) Cachito Radio Cochiguaz op. http://www.geocities.com/rcochiguaz (via hard- core-dx June 14 via DXLD) ** TAIWAN. A partire dal prossimo 1 luglio, Radio Taipei International assumerà la nuova denominazione di Radio Taiwan (Roberto Scaglione http://www.bclnews.it bclnews yahoogroup via DXLD) Ayer día 12 de Junio escuché Radio Taipei Internacional. Informaban que a partir del 1 de Julio pasaría a llamarse Radio Taiwan. 73 DX (José Bueno EA7-0641-AER, Córdoba - España, June 13, noticias dx via DXLD) Awaiting any equivalent news of this in English ** TOGO [non]. Under Togo (non) / South Africa: ``2000-2100 Sunday on 12125 (55444)`` -- Probably this one originates not like 21760 from Meyerton but from Russia instead? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Because, I suppose, a number of other clandestines in this 12 MHz range are via Russia, a somewhat flimsy assumption (gh) ** U A E. Glenn, I would like to know if United Arab Emirates Radio in Dubai has a web site and if so do they stream audio? I hope that you can be help locating this site. Thanks for all your work (John Galeota, June 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) There`s a link at the Media Network hitlist, and yes, there is stream of the 92.0 FM English service, tho the program schedule for that does not show news and features at the times we hear them on SW, and I have not checked to find out if those are actually on the stream (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. John Tusa, former managing director of BBC World Service, has received a knighthood "for services to the arts." He is now director of the Barbican Centre in London. http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page3913.asp 73 (Kim Elliott, June 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The Queen's Birthday Honours List was released at 2300 UT on 13 June, and amongst the zillions of names included therein are 2 radio-related personalities. John Tusa, former MD of the BBC World Service, receives a Knighthood, which means we now have to get used to say "Sir John Tusa". David Willie, BBC Correspondent in Rome for an absolute eternity, receives an OBE (Order of the British Empire). There may of course be others I don't know about (PAUL DAVID, Chairman, Brent Visually-Handicapped Group, Registered Charity No.: 272955, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. I tuned into the BBC World Service just before 0906 UT on 13 June expecting to hear Science in Action. However, at the end of the news there was a *considerable* period of silence, both on DAB and MW. Eventually, after what seemed an eternity, instead of Science in Action, the BBC WS cut into the middle of an interview from Brussells conducted by William Horsley as part of World Update, which I think is carried on all other streams of BBC WS as well as PRI in the US. We stayed with World Update until the half-hour break, when we heard a trail for the programme The Ticket, followed by the News Summary, and then into Westway, as scheduled. At no time during this period was there any explanation for the change in programme, either by host Vicky Barker, nor the Continuity Announcer on the half-hour. Is it conceivable that nobody at Bush House even knew of the change. I do of course have 3 further chances, at least according to the schedule, to hear Science in Action, but I am not holding my breath. Let's hope the programme appears at least once when it is supposed to. (PAUL DAVID, Wembley Park, England, DX LISTENING DIGEST) There is no substitute for having a genuine human being control operator on duty at all times and paying attention to what is going on the air. This is so obvious, but so seldom the case any more, both at domestic and international broadcasters (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. "RADIO THEATRE -- LIVE!" RETURNS TO WASHINGTON Washington, D.C., June 12, 2003 -- "Radio Theatre-- Live" is back! The Smithsonian Associates and the Voice of America present the L.A. Theatre Works production of William Inge's "Bus Stop," starring Anson Mount ("Crossroads"/"Urban Legends: The Final Cut") and Rachel Miner ("Bully"). Performances will be held on June 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the Voice of America Auditorium, 330 Independence Avenue S.W. (entrance on C Street). "Bus Stop," which opened on Broadway in 1955 and later released as a film starring Marilyn Monroe (as Cherie, the saloon singer), centers on a group of five bus passengers trying to sort out their lives as they wait, stranded by a snowstorm, in a Midwestern diner. Washington's own Nick Olcott will direct the performance under the auspices of Ford's Theatre. Some of Washington's most talented actors, selected by Casting Consultant Beverly Marable, complete the cast: Megan Anderson, Terrence Currier, Kyle Pure, Lynnie Raybuck, Jefferson Russell, and Gary Sloan. "Radio Theatre-- Live" offers audiences a fascinating, behind-the- scenes view of live radio drama in production and a chance to be part of the studio audience for the future broadcast on the Voice of America worldwide and on public radio in the United States. General admission tickets are $25 and Resident Members tickets are $20. For tickets, call The Smithsonian Associates at (202) 357-3030 or visit http://www.residentassociates.com. The Capital Group Companies Charitable Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and The Hotel Rouge are providing support for the performances. The Smithsonian Associates provides educational and cultural programs that highlight and complement the work of the Smithsonian through a wide variety of formats that range from lectures and courses on the National Mall to study tours around the world. L.A. Theatre Works is a pioneering laboratory for playwrights, directors and other theater artists committed to the discovery and development of contemporary work in theater and radio. Executive Producer Susan Albert Loewenberg began producing radio drama in 1987, resulting in more than 500 hours of award-winning programming including 320 plays, two full-length novels, and many short stories. (VOA press release June 13 via DXLD) But when to be broadcast???? ** U S A. Voice of America (VOA) lists current frequencies and times for its transmissions to Zimbabwe. Shona/Ndebele : 1700-1730 UT (Local time 7 pm-7:30 pm) on 909 kHz (Medium Wave), 15730 kHz and 17895 kHz (Shortwave). English to Zimbabwe : 1730 UT (Local time 7:30 pm-8 pm) 909 khz (Medium Wave), 15730 kHz and 17895 kHz (Shortwave). Information from their website. What is interesting to note is that VOA is using 909 (Medium Wave) for these transmissions. This would most likely be their facility in Botswana, a neighbouring country. These transmissions will be more easily heard and more have greater coverage in Zimbabwe than the Shortwave transmissions. Most rural people with radios will have those with FM/MW (Medium Wave) reception capabilities rather than SW (Shortwave). VOA has announced an 'English to Zimbabwe' service using the same frequencies from 1730-1800 UT. This is listed separately to their 'English to Africa' service and programming. (DXLD contribution: David Pringle-Wood, Harare, Zimbabwe) ** U S A. Regarding the maritime station for the Great Lakes that closed down back in November of 1997 that you mentioned on WOR # 919 if my memory is still good. It's now back on the air, but I have not heard it yet. It's broadcasting in SSB, but not voice, but SSB HF e- mail. 73's, (Joe Olig, June 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WOR summary archives don`t go back quite that far even at the angelfire site. Details? (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. REACTION TO DAVID BRINKLEY'S DEATH Thu Jun 12, 6:17 PM ET NEW YORK "I was a high school sophomore watching the first night (Huntley and Brinkley) came on the air, and it really changed my life. A small bulb went on in the back of my mind and I thought, `That's the kind of work I'd like to do.'" — Tom Brokaw, NBC News anchor. ___ "One of the loveliest men in this business, one of the most generous and greatest reporters." — Barbara Walters, ABC News. ___ "David was a good friend and a fierce competitor with his famously dry wit and deep wisdom. He once told me that he was weary of the wit appellation. `Can't they think of any other adjective for me?' he said." — Walter Cronkite, former anchor, CBS News. ___ "It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of David Brinkley. I had great respect for David. Both Barbara and I considered him a friend. We admired his fairness and the integrity that he brought to his profession. Journalism, electronic and print, now cries out for more David Brinkleys. We will miss him." — Former President Bush ___ "He set a shining example for everyone in broadcast journalism. ABC News has a richer heritage because of his many contributions to the network. I will miss his grace, elegance, wit and, above all, his tireless devotion to world-class journalism." — David Westin, ABC News president. ___ "His signature was crisp writing and a distinctive clipped delivery. At least two generations of broadcast journalists, especially those at NBC, honored him by trying to emulate his style ... David Brinkley was a fierce but fair competitor." — Dan Rather, CBS News anchor. ___ "He developed a style of delivering television news that you can still hear echoing across the business. That kind of clipped, witty, sardonic way of delivering the news became almost a generic definition of what a news guy sounds like. When people are doing a parody of what a news broadcaster sounds like, they're doing Brinkley and they don't even know it." — Robert Thompson, director of Syracuse University's Center for the Study of Popular Television. ___ "David Brinkley served NBC with style and aplomb for almost 40 years, and in the process had a tremendous influence on the profession of broadcast journalism. With his keen intelligence, dry wit, and crisp delivery, David Brinkley set the standard for those who followed in his path." — Bob Wright, NBC chairman. ___ "His career was remarkable for a lot of reasons. One is the sheer length of it. Television is an ephemeral medium and he had four decades in it." — Jeff Greenfield, CNN. ___ "When he teamed up with Chet Huntley for the 1956 political conventions, America saw something brand new: reporting that brought personality and intimacy to the screen and at the same time was of impeccable accuracy and authority." Neal Shapiro, NBC News president. ___ "Until David came along, broadcast writing was nothing more than rewriting what was written for print. It was David who pioneered the idea that seems so obvious now: that you ought to write for broadcast the way you speak for broadcast ... He set the style of broadcast writing that is taught in every journalism school in the country."_ Joseph Angotti, chairman of the broadcast program at Northwestern University and a former Brinkley producer at NBC. ___ "One of the great dilemmas about working with Brinkley over many years was to sit beside him for long periods of time on Election Night or a political convention and be absolutely certain that before too long you were not trying to talk like him. It was very distinctive and unmistakable." — Peter Jennings, ABC News anchor. ___ "I always thought that ABC News made him a star but NBC made him a legend" — Jane Pauley, former "Dateline NBC" host. (Source? via Brock Whaley, DXLD) ** U S A. NYC PIRATES There's one on 91.9 now --- they're calling it "Warp Radio Underground." It's probably in NYC and is even stronger here than the 87.9 one, which is also on the air right now. Both are playing hip-hop and r&b, but the 91.9 one is a little more uptempo. Keep them in mind during Es openings (Eric Fader, Briarcliff Manor, NY, June 13 2033 PDT, WTFDA Topica list via DXLD) ** U S A. CHICAGO AREA PIRATE ON 87.9, RADIO EUROSTAR For the past few days I've noted a pirate with Czechoslovakian music and a Slavic language on 87.9 FM. It is strongest is the northwestern Chicago city limits and makes it all the way to the loop and is still heard somewhat in Arlington Heights. Surprising, I have yet to hear it at home (about 30 miles away) with the DX set up. I'd estimate that it gets out like a 25 watter. The ID's sound like Radio Eurostar and there's an occasional ID in accented English ``only Czechoslovakian radio station, Radio Eurostar, 87.9``. [Later:] I found a website for this station !! http://www.eurostarfm.com/lide.html They are also in weakly here in Barrington this morning on the DX setup. (APS 13 and modified Onkyo T-4711) I cannot believe this station is legal! 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, IL, June 14, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U S A. WGN ENTERS DIMENSION OF RADIO'S 'TWILIGHT ZONE' June 11, 2003 --- BY ROBERT FEDER SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST http://www.suntimes.com/output/feder/cst-fin-feder11.html Cue the scary music: The nationally syndicated radio version of "The Twilight Zone" will finally be available to Chicago listeners, thanks to WGN-AM (720). Starting July 5, the hourlong science-fiction drama series will air at midnight Saturdays on the top-rated news/talk station. [UT Sundays 0500-0600; also webcast?] Based on Rod Serling's original scripts from "The Twilight Zone," which aired on CBS from 1959 to 1965, the radio series is produced by Carl Amari's Schaumburg-based Falcon Picture Group and hosted by Stacy Keach. Since its debut last October, the series has been airing on more than 100 radio stations nationwide and on XM Satellite Radio, Sirius Satellite Radio and the American Forces Radio and Television Service. But until WGN signed on this week, "The Twilight Zone" had been without a local outlet in its home market. "We're thrilled that Carl [Amari] has brought it to this level," said Todd Manley, production director and assistant program director at WGN. "We see this as a way to support something that's brand new from one of the cities that gave birth to early radio drama. It's really an exciting thing for us." After obtaining the rights to Serling's scripts, Amari and producer Roger Wolski lined up an impressive array of stars to bring the classic stories to life. Among them were Jason Alexander, Jane Seymour, Lou Diamond Phillips, Ed Begley Jr., John Ratzenberger, Adam Baldwin, Daniel J. Travanti, Stan Freberg, Morgan Brittany, Shelley Berman and Orson Bean. Amari's credits include creating and syndicating the old-time radio series "When Radio Was," "Radio Movie Classics" and "Radio Super Heroes." He sold his first company, Radio Spirits Inc., to Audio Book Club in 1998 for $12 million. Amari's adaptation of "The Twilight Zone" marks the first time since "Have Gun Will Travel" in the 1950s that a television series has been turned into a radio show. For more information about the radio series and the sale of audiocassettes and CDs, see: http://www.twilightzoneradio.com (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** U S A. DESPITE RULING, TNN STILL PINS HOPES TO SPIKE TV Filmmaker Spike Lee has gone to court to keep TNN from appropriating his first name. (File Photo/Markus Schreiber -- AP) [caption] Saturday, June 14, 2003; Page C07 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A57478-2003Jun13.html TNN yesterday lost its appeal on the temporary injunction that prevents it from changing its name to Spike TV on Monday. But the network says it will go ahead with its scheduled rollout of new programming that was to have closely followed the planned name change. The first of the programs, a block of animated series, will debut on June 26. "We are continuing on our path to build the first network for men, and we will proceed on schedule with the premieres of our exciting new programs," the network said late yesterday in a statement. "We are pleased that our argument will be considered by the full panel of the Appellate Division next Tuesday, and we trust that the Court will agree with us. Until this matter is resolved, we will remain The New TNN." On Thursday, a judge of the State Supreme Court in Manhattan granted filmmaker Shelton "Spike" Lee a preliminary injunction that prevented TNN parent Viacom from changing the cable network's name to Spike TV. Lee and his lawyer, Johnnie Cochran Jr., had successfully argued that Shelton Lee has the corner on the name "Spike." At a hearing earlier in the week, the two men testified that Lee believed Viacom took the name for the male-skewing channel from him; he prefers the name Spike, by which he is commonly known. This may have surprised the millions of kids who have doted on Viacom's "Rugrat" dog, Spike, for about a dozen years. (Spike, by the way is starring in a new Viacom movie, "Rugrats Go Wild," and actually speaks, with a voice provided by Bruce Willis rather than Shelton Lee.) The judges' decision also may have been a head-scratcher for the millions of fans of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" -- which aired on Viacom's UPN network -- who think of Buffy's main vampire squeeze when they think "Spike." State Supreme Court Justice Walter Tolub, in granting Lee's request for a temporary injunction, ordered him to post a $500,000 bond to cover Viacom's costs in case the studio prevails. Which would so not cover Viacom's costs if it has to start over on its new-name awareness campaign. Whether it's called Spike TV or TNN, the cable network still plans on June 26 to debut animated "Gary the Rat," "The Ren & Stimpy Adult Party Cartoon" and "Stripperella" -- all shows with which Shelton Lee said he did not wish to be associated. © 2003 The Washington Post Company (via Kraig Krist, DXLD) Let this be a warning, before any cable network tries to rename itself ``Glenn TV`` (gh) ** U S A. Portland's KBPS is moving to buy its FM station from the city's public schools for $5.5 million. The school board will vote on the sale Monday. http://www.allclassical.org/KBPSSale.php (via Current, DXLD) ** U S A. WMHT in Schenectady laid off four on-air radio staff yesterday in an effort to break even financially. The station had already laid off 16 employees last month. http://www.wmht.org/May03LRelease.htm (via Current, DXLD) ** U S A. NEW MEXICO FM RADIO STATION FOR SALE - asking $295,000 This FM Radio Station is KFLH in the resort and summer home community of Chama, New Mexico. KFLH is the only radio station in the market, with yearly cash sales over $200,000 deposited in the bank. KFLH is a Class "A" FM station with 1000 watts effective radiated power and outstanding coverage from its solid-state transmitter on Rabbit Peak, and may be upgraded to Class "C3" or "C2" up to 50,000 watts. The station was built in 1999, and since has become the center of the community. The station has a live morning program and various live specialty programs, as well as Jones Soft AC. KFLH-FM is an excellent opportunity with substantial business in place. For more information please e-mail or call (505)837-0301 and leave a message which will be returned promptly. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2537592374&category=11762 (Ebay June 14 via DXLD) ** U S A. ALGORITHM CONCERNS SLOW HD RADIO IBOC Standard-Setting Temporarily Suspended' By NRSC by Leslie Stimson Has radio's digital rollout hit a slight pause, or a big glitch? That depends on who's being asked. Standards-setting activity for IBOC was suspended temporarily in May by the steering committee of the National Radio Systems Committee's DAB subgroup. After a private demonstration at National Public Radio, several NRSC sources said they found the artifacts in the system using the PAC audio coding algorithm "unacceptable." In a memo to fellow members of the DAB Subcommittee, the steering committee stated: "DAB Subcommittee members who attended the NPR demonstration do not consider the audio quality demonstrated by the Ibiquity 36 kbps PAC technology to be suitable for broadcast." . . . http://www.rwonline.com/reference-room/iboc/iboc-06.04.shtml (via Rich Toebe, IRCA, June 13 via DXLD) FIXING THE HD RADIO BREAKDOWN -- Guy Wire We were just getting ready to leave the on-ramp and join all the other electronic media racing down the digital super highway. Uh-oh. Funny noises coming out of the PAC transmission suddenly have forced HD Radio to the emergency lane in need of repairs. This is not merely about hitting a pothole or changing a flat. There is a flaw in the vehicle that needs fixing. As first reported by Radio World, the NRSC has temporarily halted the standards-setting process for HD Radio. The leaders of the DAB Subcommittee said the 36 kilobits-per-second PAC compression algorithm used for AM radio is simply not good enough to use as a systems standard. At least not yet. Up until this bombshell, radio stations had been ordering and installing HD Radio transmission gear and receivers were promised for delivery to store shelves this summer. Many industry participants anxiously await the rollout of radio's most important technological innovation in more than 50 years. How damaging is this revelation to the HD Radio rollout? Will Ibiquity Digital be able to fix the problem quickly as promised? Only time will tell. We fervently hope they'll deliver on that promise, but it will not be that easy. . . http://www.rwonline.com/reference-room/guywire/gw-06-10-03.shtml (via Rich Toebe, Davis CA, IRCA via DXLD) ** U S A. [Note: this is totally biased publicity puff, not a news item, and is greatly at variance with the above --- gh] BROADCASTERS SEEING SUCCESS WITH IBIQUITY DIGITAL'S HD RADIO(TM) TECHNOLOGY; TRANSITION TO DIGITAL BROADCASTING YIELDS SIGNIFICANT TRIUMPHS COLUMBIA, Md. and WARREN, N.J., June 12 /PRNewswire/ -- iBiquity Digital Corporation, the sole developer and licenser of HD Radio(TM) technology, announced today that broadcasters implementing the HD Radio system are seeing rapid success with the transition to digital broadcasting. According to a number of recent reports from converting stations, which are available at http://www.ibiquity.com/hdradio/SuccessStories.htm broadcasters spanning diverse markets on both the AM and FM band are excited about their experiences with HD Radio technology. From sound quality improvements to ease of installation to excellent digital coverage and new promotional opportunities, radio stations are seeing the benefits of digital broadcasting. KROQ-FM 106.7 - Los Angeles, CA Now known as the "World Famous" Alternative Rock station, KROQ has established itself over the decades as a place on the FM dial where new music fans can get the latest and greatest alternative sounds. Not only is the station at the forefront of new music, KROQ also prides itself on being at the forefront of new technology. As the first station to begin full-time operation of HD Radio technology on the west coast, KROQ has experienced extensive coverage with the digital signal, but without the static, hiss, pops, or fades often associated with analog transmissions. Scott Mason, west coast regional engineer for Infinity Broadcasting, remarked, "KROQ's HD Radio signal offers surprising coverage for such a low power level. Any doubt we had about coverage was erased when we heard from a local receiver manufacturing executive that he was receiving a perfect signal 44 miles away." WOR-AM 710 - New York, NY Dubbed "America's Talk and Information Station," WOR has been home to some of the greatest legends in broadcasting and owns a well-earned reputation as a broadcast pioneer. It was, therefore, no surprise when they became the first AM station in the U.S. to widely test the HD Radio system. Impressed with the technology and audio quality, WOR became fully-licensed in December 2002. Tom Ray, corporate director of engineering for Buckley Broadcasting (owners of WOR) says of HD Radio, "I love it. The digital signal has the same quality as FM radio, including stereo. This is the biggest improvement in radio, quite possibly, since FM stereo was introduced in the 1960's." WRAL-FM 101.5 - Raleigh, NC Serving the Raleigh community for over 55 years, Capitol Broadcasting's WRAL boasts over 200,000 weekly listeners for its adult contemporary format. As the first station in North Carolina to adopt HD Radio technology, WRAL viewed the transition to digital as the next step in providing its listener base with the highest quality audio and data services available. During the 2003 North Carolina Auto Show, WRAL demonstrated their HD Radio signal with a Visteon HD Radio Auto Receiver at their exhibit booth. Listeners were prompted to come by the booth for a listening demo during the on-air promotion campaign by station talent. In discussing the station's transition to digital, Ardie Gregory, Vice President and General Manager of WRAL-FM said, "We're proud and excited to be at the forefront of bringing this new technology to our listeners. It will allow us to provide even better service and a stronger commitment to the community -- not to mention a significantly improved audio product." WJLD-AM 1400 - Birmingham, AL WJLD has been serving the Birmingham community for over 60 years dating back to its first-ever broadcast on April 19, 1942. It was the first commercial AM station in the U.S. to convert to an HD Radio broadcast and has since reported full 15 kHz fidelity and stereo separation comparable to FM during listening tests through an HD Radio receiver. Gary Richardson, WJLD station owner and engineer, says of the station's transition, "Switching between analog and digital was like switching from AM to FM." He added that the time to install and implement the new AM HD Radio system took less than three hours from start to finish. ***** "The successes being seen by these stations clearly show the benefits to be realized by HD Radio -- for both broadcasters and their listeners," said Robert Struble, president and CEO of iBiquity Digital Corporation. "As we continue to license stations across the country, these types stories will become more and more commonplace." About iBiquity Digital Corporation 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 SOURCE iBiquity Digital Corporation -0- 06/12/2003 /CONTACT: Gil Chorbajian, Alexander Ogilvy, +1-202-721-9725 (office), gil.chorbajian@@ogilvypr.com, for iBiquity Digital Corporation; or Laura Taylor, iBiquity Digital Corporation, +1-410-872-1555 (office), taylor@@ibiquity.com/ /Web site: http://www.ibiquity.com http://www.ibiquity.com/hdradio/SuccessStories.htm / CO: iBiquity Digital Corporation; KROQ-FM; Infinity Broadcasting; WOR- AM; Buckley Broadcasting; WRAL-FM; Capitol Broadcasting; WJLD-AM ST: Maryland, New Jersey, California, New York, North Carolina, Alabama IN: ENT RAD CPR SU: SVY (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. DETECTING DTV and PROSPECTS FOR OPEN VHF BAND I agree that it's not always easy to distinguish "regular" snow from DTV snow. I have a weak local here on channel 4, and I've tried to capture some images of what their DTV snow looks like during an Es opening. The result always ends up just looking like a weak Es signal. I guess DTV snow just doesn't photograph well :-) Here's how I detect DTV signals... I primarily use the WinTV-D "diagnostic" screen's Carrier Offset reading. A low, stable reading at or under 25.000 indicates a DTV signal is present. 1.250, 3.750, 7.500, 10.000 KHz are typical carrier offset readings when a DTV signal is present. A randomly fluctuating high number means no DTV is present. A stable high number (like 158.75), indicates that only an analog signal is present. The WinTV-D's carrier offset reading provides a *very* sensitive method for detecting the presence of a DTV signal. I've observed that DTV signals can be detected in this manner even through strong analog signals. This method takes a little practice, but is the best method I've found for detecting the presence of DTV signals. For a quick "heads up" I also use the audio and S-meter on my Icom R8500 receiver. If I'm watching Es on channel 2, I'm always listening to the audio on the Icom. If the picture disappears and the audio is covered by static, but the S-meter indicates a strong signal, it's a pretty good bet that a DTV signal is present (Girard Westerberg, Lexington, KY, June 10, WTFDA via DXLD) If and when all US analog stations are forced to abandon their analog channels and move to DTV, do you think it's possible we may return to the golden days of television when you could get easy double-hop Es on low band? Has anybody thought about this? Will the low band be as empty as it is now at that time? Will we all be getting Mexico and Canada interference-free? Or, like Bob Seybold and Bedford Brown, BRAZIL?? Sorry to sound like Bogdan :-). (Jeff Kruszka, June 14, WTFDA via DXLD) This is a Doug Smith question for as I understand it, the present (primarily UHF) DTV channel assignments are intended to be "interim" for as long as the analog stations continue to operate. Correct me if wrong please Doug, but as/after the analogs finally pull the big switch the "interim -mostly UHF" will have the OPTION of retaking their present (some VHF) channel assignments with their DTV service. In which case, what we MIGHT expect to see is less UHF but more or less the same number of Vs as at the present time. Now, will UHF DTVs actually spend millions of bucks to go back to their analog VHF channels? Lots of factors here including the costs. For example, if --- and surely it will happen --- the trend towards satellite and cable delivery continues past the present 85% or so homes-served level, and KCBS (for example) is already reaching the cable and satellite market even from its UHF-DTV channel, why should it bother to spend ANY money to go back to VHF as DTV? To catch the Radio Shack DTV-available hand held sets? To catch the in-car sets? To catch the (by then under 10%) of homes NOT taking their TV from satellite or cable? I consider that unlikely except --- EXCEPT --- in those situations where the "interim UHF" service is simply not working for them. But it only has to "work" to TWO receiving locations to by then catch 85-90% of their original analog homes-served coverage. Which two? The cable headend and the satellite uplinker's receive site. After those two, the one-by-one homes become very expensive on a per-home basis to even mess with or worry about. Add to that the trend for even cable systems to take the in-market satellite feeds from Echostar's DISH and Murdoch's soon owned DirecTV and you can eventually eliminate even getting "out" (transmitting as far as to) the cable headends in their market area. Why would a cable system in Bakersfield bother with an expensive off-air system to receive KTLA (which they now do) if they can spend $200 for a DirecTV package and get a much cleaner signal off satellite? Why should KTLA move back to channel 5 as DTV at tremendous expense if there are no financial benefits to do so?? Increasingly, with consolidation of broadcasters and conglomerates such as Murdoch expanding rapidly, TV is all about making money. Public servivce? Not now --- not EVER before making money! In the 1940s and 50s and 60s, on several occasions the FCC SERIOUSLY considered changing the allocations and moving all TV to UHF. In 1947 it was because the then-proposed CBS color system required between 12 and 16 megacycles (this was before megaHERTZ!) of channel width to produce color. In the later 50s it was because UHF stations were finding it difficult and often impossible to compete in mixed markets with existing Vs and the FCC wanted to equalise the stations at a technical level. Fresno (California) for example had a channel 12 plus several UHFs. Channel 12 was swapped for channel 30, the market became "deintermixed" and everyone was then on UHF making the stations more "equal" in coverage. In the 60s, the US military version of the FCC (yes --- there is a non-private version of the FCC even today --- called IRAC!) thought for awhile they would like to take over at least the low band TV channels and the FCC spent lots of money and time studying channels 7-83 with some additional VHF channels just above channel 13 thrown in to sweeten the pot at the FCC. So getting all TV off of VHF has been an FCC dream for decades. Now with DTV, they may finally mostly get what they first thought they wanted as far back as 1947! But not because it was a better idea - then or now. In this case, DTV made it happen. Clear VHF channels, reception like Bob Seybold's legendary stuff in the 50s from Brasil/Brazil? Well, that's a giant step of faith. Brasil, for example, is also adopting a version of DTV and it will mostly not be at VHF so there goes Brasil (their VHF analogs will ALSO shut down). The smaller the market, the more economically backward the market (for example Haiti), the longer analog will hang about. Take the Bahamas as an example. Assuming that in five years all Florida stations are DTV (and mostly UHF --- those with present VHF --- DTV assignments may find they are FORCED to move to UHF as well eventually), could not the Bahamas suddenly elect to create a chain of (analog) VHF channels because now they don't have to work around the pre-existing Florida VHF analog assignments? Perhaps. But in five years most Bahamians will probably be watching US programming via DirecTV and/or DISH anyhow so as "fall out" from the USA shift to DTV + cable + satellite, why should they bother? My forecast, and it is clearly that, is that by the time USA stations can reclaim their present analog channels for DTV, most will not and that will in turn allow the FCC to withdraw that possibility from broadcaster's options. And that will indeed leave for a period of time --- perhaps a decade --- the VHF channels largely (if not completely) free of (USA) stations making it possible for statesiders to begin (as in the 50s) to log those really long haul signals from places like Venezuela. If in Brasil the analogs stay on the air PAST the time point where the last channel 2 and 3 analog USA stations are on the air, a smaller but identifiable span of time where once again they will be possible as well. But longer term --- even Haiti will go DTV --- it is inevitable simply because at some point TV set makers will no longer offer low cost and eventually ANY COST analog TV sets. When digital set production equals analog set production in any given year, that will be the turning point for continued analog set production. Past that point, we will have analog sets in decreasing numbers and at increasing prices (hold onto those 1980 Zeniths and keep them in good running order!). Haiti and New Zealand (yes - this country is dragging their feet on terrestrial digital as well) and other "third-world-market regions" that delay too long the transition to digital will find themselves facing consumers who do not understand why analog TV sets have suddenly become so expensive. As the production of analogs goes down, more expensive sets (followed by NO sets at all!) is inevitable. Ten years? Perhaps. Twenty years? Probably. The changeover from analog to DTV has always had a master plan which has been little understood even at government levels. Whose master plan? Hard to say with confidence but one must at least suspect the TV set makers who have watched in some dismay as analog TV sets have dropped down to throw-away-when-broken pricing and the PROFIT motive for producing such sets has disappeared. Hey --- if you had a commodity which created millions/billions of dollars in profits per year in 1980, and you watched those profits slide into a fraction of that --- what would you do? If you had the opportunity to make all of those cheap products obsolete and restart your business with a similar but brand new line of goods that took you back to the profit levels of the 80s, what would you do? (Bob Cooper in New Zealand, June 14, WTFDA via DXLD) {continued in 3-107} ** URUGUAY. Past weekend I was a-travelling with my friend Nicolás Eramo for a lot of small towns in the Buenos Aires province (Ayacucho, Las Armas, Maipu, General Guido, Dolores, Castelli & Chascomus). Saturday night and Sunday morning we were in Maipu, 276 km to southeast from Buenos Aires city. The very interesting logs include: 6155.1, Integración FM, Acegua, via Banda Oriental, Sarandí del Yí. 1111+, June 8. Spanish transmission. Horse`s competence. Complete ID as: Transmite Integración FM, con un agradecimiento especial a Sinfonia FM de Santa Clara de Olimar, en el punto 95,7 de FM, junto a Radio Sarandi del Yi y a Banda Oriental, la onda corta, para cubrir toda América, y CW121 Radio Libertador, de Vergara y 106,5 Boreal FM, Durazno". Local ads: "Panaderia y confiteria El Osito goloso, donde todo es mas sabroso". 44444 73's & 55's (Arnaldo Slaen, hard-core-dx via DXLD) Hay osos en Uruguay? ** VENEZUELA. Radio Amazonas con casi excelente señal, escuchada en los 4939.68 kHz, a las 2234 UT, el 12/06. Con el programa "La Verdad sin Tapujos". SINPO 5/4 (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. See USA: VOA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ SPANISH AND PORTUGUESE REPORT FORMS Here are some resources that will provide assistance in preparing reports in Spanish and Portuguese: 1. Ariel Crocco in Argentina has a useful little web site, which has samples of reception reports in Spanish and Portuguese. Click on: http://arieldx.tripod.com/english/manualdx/variantes/dxlatino.htm 2. The Hard-Core DX web site has the same sort of thing. This site is a bit of a "dog's breakfast" in the way it is laid out…… it's difficult to find things. But I have dig out the following link for you: http://www.hard-core-dx.com/nordicdx/dxlab/latinam4.html (Rob Wagner, Vic., EDXP HF Forum via DXLD) DRM +++ DIGITAL RADIO BRINGS NEW LIFE TO AM From http://www.electronicstimes.com/bus/news/OEG20030613S0008 By Christoph Hammerschmidt EE Times 13 June 2003 (9:45 a.m. GMT) MUNICH --- Long wave, short wave or mid-range wave -- hardly any listeners still tune their radios to these outmoded frequency bands any more. But new life is coming back to old waves, and the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) consortium is planning to revolutionize AM with digital technology. Next Monday (June 16th) DRM plans to commence transmitting. The consortium consists of more than 70 members including radio companies such as Deutsche Welle, BBC, Radio France International, Radio Vaticano, All India Radio and Voice of America. The cream of equipment manufacturers is also represented, for example Dolby Laboratories, Hitachi, JVC, Bosch and Sony. Chip manufacturers such as Micronas and Atmel are also represented, and the group photo is rounded out by international organizers like ITU or the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) from the USA. The consortium intends to replace AM transmissions gradually with new digital technology. Digitizing AM technology, which is about 80 years old, should offer advantages to all involved: for listeners, sound quality on a par with FM, improved reception conditions in the long, mid and short wave frequencies that are frequently subject to interference from loss of and mixing of frequencies, and more convenience -- radios could display additional information in the form of text, for example the transmitting station, but also stock quotes, traffic messages or other types of service information. The new technology should bring enormous energy savings to broadcast stations. Until now, the electrical bill of the most powerful transmitter networks has accounted for up to 80 per cent of operating costs. At the same time, the new digital technology allows for new business models, for example specialist programs intended for specific listener interests. Thus there are already plans in many European countries for a specialized radio station for long-haul truck drivers. It could be used as a guidance system for free truck rest stop spaces, for example. And equipment manufacturers are hoping above all for a new source of income. The revitalization of the AM range could also act as a shot in the arm for equipment sales for these broadcast ranges. AM frequencies are especially popular in the third world. So what is at stake is replacing a world wide installed base of 2.5 billion AM receivers -- a monumental business opportunity for manufacturers of chip sets and radio equipment. To satisfy contemporary demands for sound quality, DRM is relying on new modulation processes such as COFDM (Coded Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing). But the greatest contribution to modernization will probably be made by the coding process for data compression. It is called aacPlus and represents a further stage in development of the well-known MP3 technology. This process is already in commercial use in the USA: XM Satellite Radio uses aacPlus to broadcast its radio programs. "Currently it is the most effective coding process by far", says Oliver Kunz, Vice President of Strategic Marketing at the Swedish- German company Coding Technologies. And Kunz is ready to back up his claim: aacPlus delivers CD quality starting at a data rate of 48 kBit/s. The MP3 process, which is popular because of the economical way it works with resources, requires 100 Kbit/s to do the same. That could be one of the reasons why aacPlus has become part of the MPEG-4 multi-media standard. The entire transmission process of DRM including its use of aacPlus has been recognized as a standard by ITU, ETSI and IEC. To promote greater acceptance, DRM will keep to the existing frequency grid and the normal AM bandwidths. "That makes it possible to effect the transition to digital technology one step at a time. For instance, a transmitter can broadcast a digital program on one of its frequencies and provide the same program in conventional format on another frequency", explains Kunz. The issue at hand now is to foster acceptance among those involved. This applies especially to equipment manufacturers. Coding Technologies has manufactured a small series of DRM receivers under its own direction and has brought them to market. Chip manufacturers like Texas Instruments and STMicroelectronics have already introduced corresponding chip sets based on DSPs. Now there are demands for the industry to deliver the second generation of devices. Nevertheless, in view of the huge installed base, no one is counting on AM technology being entirely replaced any time soon. Future DRM receivers will also allow for reception of AM programs and will include an AM section similar to today's radio equipment without buyers having to pay any more. But a rapid change is still illusory. "It will probably be at least ten years until the conversion is complete", says Kunz. (via Mike Terry, DXLD) Why can`t DRM stand on its own merits (if any), without denigrating [analog] MW, SW and FM as ``outmoded``?? Note that IBOC and DTV as applicable to the USA are generally filed in the country section. U.S. INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTERS PARTICIPATE IN DRM TESTS Washington, DC., June 13, 2003-- U.S. international broadcasters are participating in tests of Digital Radio Mondiale http://www.drm.org) broadcasts designed to provide potential listeners with improved shortwave and medium-wave (AM) reception. The Broadcasting Board of Governors http://www.bbg.gov which oversees all U.S. nonmilitary international broadcasting, said DRM planned to test broadcasts from Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), Radio Free Asia (RFA) and Radio Sawa, the Arabic- language station, during June. "We're always interested in looking for new technology that will allow us to deliver accurate and objective news and information to more people around the world," said Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, the BBG's chairman. DRM, a consortium of 80 members from 29 countries, is a digital system for short-wave, AM and long-wave with the ability to use existing frequencies and bandwidth across the globe. The BBG's engineering office was an early partner in the consortium, which started in 1998. The first DRM broadcasts are set to begin this month in conjunction with the World Radiocommunication Conference in Geneva, Switzerland. Commercial DRM receivers are not yet available for sale (BBG press release via DXLD) Details?? RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ TESTING: POLICE WARNINGS THAT OVERRIDE YOUR CAR RADIO When an emergency vehicle driver puts on his lights and siren to clear a path, many drivers refuse to get out of the way. To remedy that, three Florida agencies are testing out a device that would broadcast warnings over car radios so that drivers would be more likely to yield to approaching emergency vehicles. The device would over-ride radio signals within 1,050 feet, broadcasting the message, "Police emergency, prepare to yield." The system wouldn't work if the car radio was turned off, or if the stereo system was playing a CD or tape. This from the radio trade F.M.Q.B. on June 13. I wonder if it overrides the IF signal? (Brock Whaley for DXLD) The same question I raised, along with some other scenarios, the last time this came up a few weeks ago (gh, DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ PROPAGATION REPORT Early in the week the geomagnetic field remained disturbed as forecast, with active conditions noted, ranging to storm levels at higher latitudes. MUFs were generally depressed at night and intense SpE noted on Jun 8 in some areas. Flare activity continued during the week with a number of C and M class flares reported, Jun 10 being particularly busy. Some X class flares were also noted on Jun 11. The coronal hole effects declined over the first part of the week, however the flare effects and coronal mass ejections have meant that geomagnetic conditions and propagation continue to be disturbed. Conditions will remain similar for the next few days depending on the flare activity noted. Prepared using data from http://www.ips.gov.au (Richard Jary, SA, June 14, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) SPACE WEATHER: CONTROLLABLE WITH RADIO WAVES? By Larry O'Hanlon, Discovery News http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20030609/spaceweather.html (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ### |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-105, June 12, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. [continued from 3-104] ** SERBIA & MONTENEGRO. RADIO SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO FACES CLOSURE OVER LACK OF FUNDS | Text of report in English by Yugoslav state news agency Tanjug Belgrade, 12 June: Radio Serbia and Montenegro (SCG) Director Milena Jokic announced on Thursday [12 June] that the broadcasting of one of the joint electronic media of the state union is expected to stop any moment. In a press release, Jokic said that the radio has not been receiving funds from the budget for the past three months and that their electricity will soon be cut off due to unpaid bills. The damage would be inestimable, because this would mean not only a new damage to the transmitter and aerial systems, but also a definite loss of international frequencies that the state is using, said Jokic. I believe that a prolongation of the tormenting is impermissible because the status of the radio has yet to be defined since the foundation of the new state, said Jokic, adding that Serbia's officials claim that Montenegro is not interested in informing the world public via short waves, while Montenegrins claim just the opposite. All our questions regarding the financing of the radio are met with the same reply, and that is that Serbian Finance Minister Bozidar Djelic does not want to give the money, said Jokic. "If this is true, the question is whose is the money that Djelic does not want to give, and is he the political treasurer who is authorized to discontinue the communication of information by this state union to the world," said Jokic. Source: Tanjug news agency, Belgrade, in English 1248 gmt 12 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) a.k.a. R. Yugoslavia ** SEYCHELLES [non]. SOUTH AFRICA: Frequency change for FEBA Radio via Meyerton: 1515-1530 Daily Nuer NF 12070 MEY 250 kW / 007 deg, ex 11885 1530-1545 Daily Dinka NF 12070 MEY 250 kW / 007 deg, ex 11885 1545-1600 Daily Makonde NF 12070 MEY 250 kW / 032 deg, ex 11885 1600-1630 Thu-Sun Amharic NF 12070 MEY 250 kW / 019 deg, ex 11885 1600-1630 Mon-Wed Guragena NF 12070 MEY 250 kW / 019 deg, ex 11885 1630-1700 Daily Amharic NF 12070 MEY 250 kW / 019 deg, ex 11885 (Observer, Bulgaria, June 11 via DXLD) U A E: Frequency and time changes for FEBA Radio via Al-Dhabbaya: 0130-0200 Daily Telugu NF 15435 DHA 250 kW / 105 ex 15580 via TCH 0530-0715 Fri Persian on 9660 DHA 250 kW / 245 ex 0530-0700 1200-1230 Daily Tibetan NF 15525 DHA 250 kW / 085 ex 15605 via SAM (Observer, Bulgaria, June 11 via DXLD) ** SPAIN. Have logged the following SER local stations here in Belgium (local announcements usually 5 min before to 5 min after the top of the hour): Radio Pontevedra 1116 Radio Murcia 1260 Radio Pamplona 1575 Radio Gandia 1584 Radio Vitoria 1602 (Robertas Pogorelis, Leuven, Belgium, June 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWEDEN [and non]. RADIO SWEDEN--Coming up on Radio Sweden: Thursday: In "GreenScan" IT for the environment, and chemical weapons from World War II Friday: Our weekly review Saturday: "Sweden Today" Sunday: "Sounds Nordic" Radio Sweden is to begin digital shortwave broadcasts, using the new DRM system, or Digital Radio Mondiale. DRM is the new mode for digital broadcasts on shortwave and medium wave, the result of years of discussions and work by radio stations, transmitter and receiver manufacturers, computer chip-makers, and others. We'll be joining a package hosted by Radio Canada International, using their transmitters in Sackville. Starting June 16th, listeners lucky enough to have DRM receivers can hear us on 9795 kHz at 22:30 hrs UTC, which is 6:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time, beamed to the East Coast of North America. The entire package is: 20:00 - 20:30 UTC Vatican Radio 20:30 - 21:00 UTC Radio Nederland 21:00 - 22:00 UTC Radio Canada International 22:00 - 22:30 UTC Deutsche Welle 22:30 - 23:00 UTC Radio Sweden 23:00 - 00:00 UTC BBC World Service We can also mention that we'll soon be conducting our own test broadcasts in DRM from our transmitters in Hörby in southern Sweden. We'll have more information on that as the time approaches (Anders Backlin, Radio Sweden) Some months ago we started once a week relays on short wave of our domestic service programs for immigrants here in Arabic and Kurdish. We'll be making some changes in that schedule with the start of the new transmission period at the end of October. We'll continue to relay Kurdish on short wave, but instead of Arabic, we'll relay our domestic service in Aramaic. In addition, we'll be relaying our domestic service in Romani cheb (Gypsy) on medium wave (SCDX/MediaScan June 12 via DXLD) {Aramaic, really, the dead? classically Biblical tongue? Or does he mean Amharic, certainly the alive language of Ethiopian immigrants?} ** TOGO [non]. Hoy por la mañana pude identificar por tres veces a Radio Togo Libre, en los 21760 kHz. Llegaba con muy buena recepción a Buenos Aires, con programas en francés. Las identificaciones las escuché a las 1300 UT pero la emisión venía de antes y prosiguió luego de esa hora. A propósito, escuché una charla en francés sobre el proceso electoral en ese país africano, y luego un breve comentario en vernacular. También difunde algo de música moderna de Togo. 73's (Arnaldo Slaen, BUENOS AIRES, Conexión Digital via DXLD) SOUTH AFRICA: New station relay via Meyerton - Radio Togo Libre in French: 1300-1400 Mon-Fri on 21760 (45444) 2000-2100 Sunday on 12125 (55444) (Observer, Bulgaria, June 11 via DXLD) RADIO TOGO LIBRE ENCOUNTERS LOGISTICAL PROBLEMS The new clandestine radio station Radio Togo Libre (RTL), which began experimental transmissions on 1 June, says it's having problems getting its programmes on the air in a timely manner. RTL is a joint initiative of the National Dialogue of Civil Society (CNSC) and the Togolaise Diaspora for Democracy and Development (DIASTODE). The programmes of RTL are produced in Togo by members and collaborators of the CNSC, at great personal risk. The finished programmes are delivered via Internet to a satellite uplink, and the satellite signal is then used to feed the shortwave transmitters. However, since June 1, Togo has experienced electricity cuts and blocking of Internet connections. This has affected the programming of RTL, such that today's [June 10] transmission is a repeat of the one broadcast last Thursday. The CNSC and the DIASTODE say they are working on solutions which will be implemented if the test phase proves to have been successful. RTL is currently broadcasting Mon-Fri at 1300-1400 UT on 21760 kHz, and on Sundays at 2000-2100 UT on 12125 kHz. The location of the transmitters is not disclosed; however the transmissions are listed on the Web site of the Belgian airtime broker Ludo Maes. The programmes, in French, are also available in MP3 format on the DIASTODE Web site (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 10 June 2003 via WORLD OF RADIO 1186, DXLD) DXLD 3-099 a week ago was certainly first with news of R. Togo Libre, and thanks to a number of monitors who duly acknowledged our tip, not including the above, and a few other DX publications which have not even mentioned it at all, perhaps not bothering to read DXLD, or out of jealousy? And does BBC Monitoring quote DXLD about this? No, but as soon as Media Network does a story on it, that gets quoted (gh, DXLD) ** U K. BBC CHIEF LEAKED DYKE'S DONATIONS Jason Deans, Thursday June 12, 2003, The Guardian Former BBC executive Will Wyatt has admitted he was the insider who nearly scuppered Greg Dyke's campaign to become director general by leaking details of his Labour party donations to the Times. The stories, printed four years ago, sparked a political row and a war of words in the broadsheet between pro and anti-Dyke supporters. However, it did not stop Mr Dyke taking the top job at the corporation. At the time, the Times and the Daily Mail campaigned to stop him winning the battle for the top job. Mr Dyke was favourite for the post but the newspapers claimed his Labour party membership and the fact that he led a fundraising campaign for Tony Blair compromised his impartiality. Mr Wyatt, who retired as chief executive of the BBC's Broadcast division at the end of 1999 after 35 years at the corporation, makes the admission in his autobiography, The Fun Factory: A Life in the BBC. He also claims former BBC director general, Lord Birt, was in the stop-Greg camp. This contradicts Sir John's version of events surrounding the appointment of his successor, as told in his own autobiography, The Harder Path. Mr Wyatt's part is revealed in a book by his former BBC colleague, now Channel 4 chief executive Mark Thompson, published yesterday in the Royal Television Society's magazine Television. "He is so opposed to Greg Dyke's candidacy as director general that he finds a way of passing damaging information about Greg to the Times without fingerprints, Thompson wrote. Mr Wyatt writes that he took "professional satisfaction" in leaking information about Dyke's -L-50,000 donation to Labour funds without being fingered as the culprit. Guardian Unlimited (c) Guardian Newspapers Limited 2003 (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. VOA replied: Dear Mr. David: Thank you for listening to "Our World" on VOA. We appreciate your interest in the April 5th broadcast. We are currently trying to fix the problem of the April 5th audio file. We have the correct file, but have not yet been able to put it on the web site. Thank you for letting us know your concern. In this week's show, Rosanne plans to reply to some of our viewers' letters - so stay tuned! We hope that you will continue to write to us with your questions and comments about "Our World." Let us know what subjects you would like to hear in future broadcasts. We plan to read from listeners' letters and to incorporate the comments into our show on a regular basis. Join us every Saturday for a radio expedition into our world! Sincerely Yours, Rachel Loube, VOA Intern Obviously, Ms Loube forgot she was actually discussing a VOA *radio* programme (Paul David, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Later it was put up ** U S A [non]. Frequency changes for Voice of America: 1300-1330 Vietnamese NF 6160, ex 5955 1300-1500 English NF 5955, ex 6160 1330-1500 Khmer NF 6160, ex 5955 plus additional NF 9710 (Observer, Bulgaria, June 11 via DXLD) 6160 used to be reliable in C/WNAm for VOA English; Philippines before and now 5955? (gh, DXLD) VOA intensifies broadcasts to Zimbabwe: q.v. ** U S A. THE STORY OF THE AMERICAN SHORTWAVE STATION WINB This is now the second week that Wavescan is on the air from station WINB in Red Lion Pennsylvania, and, as promised, here is our Station Profile on their station. This is the interesting story of the long- time shortwave station WINB. It was back more than half a century ago that Rev John Norris Senior inaugurated his mediumwave station, WGCB, in a rolling country area 2.5 miles east of the small town Red Lion in Pennsylvania. Ten years later, he inaugurated an FM station with the same callsign, and he was also granted a Construction Permit for a shortwave station with the callsign WINB. At the time, the letters WINB stood for "World in Need of the Bible", though these days their QSL card shows that the letters stand for "World Inter National Broadcasters". It took two years to put this new shortwave station on the air and it was inaugurated in October 1962. The original transmitter is a Continental 50 kW unit, the antenna is a three wire rhombic beamed towards Europe, and the facility was installed into a unique old building that was previously in use on a chicken farm. Contemporary radio magazines at the time indicate that the new station was quite quickly heard in Europe, Africa, Australia and New Zealand, as well as of course in the United States itself. Ten years later, another 50 kW transmitter was procured, a used General Electric unit from mediumwave station WGY in Schenectady, New York. It was originally intended that this additional transmitter would be converted for shortwave usage, though this project has never been implemented. However, around the same time, an additional rhombic antenna was installed for coverage into Latin America. In 1995, the original transmitter mal-functioned and the station was off the air while this unit was rebuilt. The station again became fully functional in January 1997. Radio station WINB in Red Lion Pennsylvania is now the oldest commercial shortwave station on the air in the United States, with its more than 40 years of service. At the time when this station was inaugurated, the shortwave scene in the United States was very different. For example, the Voice of America was on the air from seven different locations, only one of which is still on the air today. These old VOA stations were: KCBR & KNBH in California WGEO & WDSI in New York WBOU & WDSI in New Jersey; and WLWO in Ohio. The modern counterpart of station KCBR in Delano (de-LAH-no) [sic –as one who heard the ID countless times, it`s de-LAY-no, -- no, not DEL- un-no either as in FDR! --- gh] California is the only VOA station still on the air today. At that time, there were just two other commercial stations on the air in the United States and these were; KGEI in San Francisco California and WRUL in Scituate Massachusetts. Both of these stations were subsequently closed, though the Family Radio station WYFR in Okeechobee Florida is a direct descendant of the original WRUL. Over the years, station WINB has proven to be a reliable verifier and they have used at least four different QSL cards. These could be described as follows: Black & white card with text only Color card showing antenna and microphone Color card with text only; and The current large card showing the American flag (Adrian Michael Peterson, AWR Wavescan June 15 via DXLD) ** U S A. The first broadcast of the AWR DX program, "Wavescan" on station WINB In Red Lion, Pennsylvania was aired last Sunday at 1600 UT on 13570 kHz. In view of the change of time, the offer of the limited edition QSL card for the broadcast of Wavescan over WINB will be extended to include next Sunday, June 15 (Dr Adrian M. Peterson, DX Editor, June 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So will it be at 1430, or 1600, or ???? from now on? (gh) ** U S A [non]. 'Insight for Living' to Cut Back International Broadcasts An international radio ministry is being forced to cut several programs due to a lack of funds. Because of a $2.1-million shortfall, Insight for Living International announced that it will be ending its programs in Swahili, French, Tamil, Telagu, Bengali and Malayalam -- languages that cover parts of Africa and India. Chuck Swindoll's daily 30-minute radio program, "Insight for Living," can be heard in 16 languages on more than 2,100 outlets around the world. Quelle: Mission Network News, 6/6/2003 (via Dr Hj Biener, DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Dear Listener, Bible Voice Broadcasting: Effective June 30th we will be changing our frequencies as follows to the Middle East: 7430 will be found at 15680 - 19 meter band 7430 from 1900 UT will be on 13710 - 22 meter band Our Arabic programming will be found at 15750 on the 19 meter band at 1615 UT Monday-Friday moved from 15680 English programming will also be found on 15750 on the 19 meter band at 1700 UT on Sat/Sun We look forward to hearing from you....you can also hear the programs again at our web site http://www.biblevoice.org Please let the programmers know that you enjoy their programs! Thank you (Mrs. Marty McLaughlin, High Adventure Gospel Communication Ministries, Bible Voice Broadcasting, http://www.biblevoice.org 1 800 550 4670 "A voice of one calling..." Isa 40:3 via Swopan Chakroborty, Kolkata, India, DXLD) ** U S A [non]. U A E: Frequency change for Bible Voice Broadcasting Network /BVBN/ via Al-Dhabbaya: 0030-0100 Daily Bengali NF 7210 DHA 250 kW / 085 deg, ex 7180 (Observer, Bulgaria, June 11 via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. U A E: Frequency and time changes for Athmee Yatra He/Gospel For Asia via Al-Dhabbaya 2300-2400 Daily As langs NF 6040 DHA 250 kW / 085 deg, ex 6145 0000-0130 Daily As langs on 6145 DHA 250 kW / 085 deg, ex 2300-0130 (Observer, Bulgaria, June 11 via DXLD) ** U S A. Hi Glenn, Something that will bring a smile to your face: I've been updating our "list of lists" and came across a YahooGroup called HigherPowerWorldwide, which apparently belongs to Assemblies of God. The description reads: World wide radio and television outreach, broadcasting by shortwave radio to more than 300 nations on 7 continents. Set up on Feb 15 2003, the group boasts a membership of - wait for it - one !! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HigherPowerWorldWide/ 73, (Andy Sennitt, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. SUBCOMMITEE HEARING TO BE WEBCAST NEWINGTON, CT, Jun 10, 2003--A hearing, ``The Spectrum Needs of our Nation's First Responders,`` will be webcast via the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Web site http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/Hearings/06112003hearing951/hearing.htm ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, is scheduled to address the Wednesday, June 11, session, set to get under way at 11 AM EDT. Haynie will testify on behalf of HR 713, the Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act. The time of his appearance was not available. Haynie will speak and take questions for approximately 10 minutes. If approved, the Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act would amend the Communications Act to require the FCC to provide ``equivalent replacement spectrum`` to Amateur Radio if the FCC reallocates primary amateur allocations, reduces any secondary amateur allocations, or makes additional allocations within such bands that would substantially reduce their utility to amateurs. Haynie says he's looking forward to the opportunity to state the League's case. Haynie's appearance in support of the legislation is considered critical to enhancing the measure's credibility, and it marks a major step toward getting HR 713 through Congress this year. The most recent cosponsors to sign aboard HR 713 include representatives Sam Farr (D-CA), Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), Steve Israel (D-NY), Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD), Clay Shaw Jr (R-FL), John Duncan Jr (R-TN), Dennis Rehberg (R-MT), David Price (D-NC), Gary Miller (R-CA) and Bart Stupak (D-MI). HR 713 is sponsored by Florida Republican Michael Bilirakis, a subcommittee member. Idaho Republican Michael Crapo has introduced an identical version of the legislation, S 537, in the US Senate. Haynie continues to encourage ARRL members to urge their senators and representatives and to cosponsor the bills. A sample letter is available on the ARRL Web site at http://www.arrl.org/govrelations/arspa.html Those writing their lawmakers are asked to copy their correspondence to the League via e-mail at specbill03@arrl.org The text of HR 713 and S 537 is available via the Thomas Web site at http://thomas.loc.gov/ (ARRL July 10 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Later: PRESIDENT HAYNIE TESTIFIES ON BEHALF OF AMATEUR RADIO SPECTRUM PROTECTION ACT NEWINGTON, CT, Jun 11, 2003 -- ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, testified June 11 on Capitol Hill on behalf of the Spectrum Protection Act of 2003, HR 713. The ARRL initiative would require the FCC to provide ``equivalent replacement spectrum`` to Amateur Radio if the FCC reallocates primary amateur frequencies, reduces any secondary amateur allocations, or makes additional allocations within such bands that would substantially reduce their utility to amateurs. Haynie was the last of 11 scheduled witnesses to speak during the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet hearing, ``The Spectrum Needs of Our Nation`s First Responders.`` ``We are indeed a first responder,`` Haynie said on behalf of the nation`s some 680,000 Amateur Radio operators. Ham radio is more than ``just having fun playing on the radio,`` he told the panel, a subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee chaired by Rep Billy Tauzin (R-LA). ``It also produces capable, trained volunteer communicators in systems of emergency telecommunications that are impervious to disasters of all sorts,`` Haynie said. ``These volunteers are ready to respond--and do respond immediately --- when all other systems of communications fail, including public safety communications whey they`re overloaded, destroyed or lack interoperability.`` Among other examples, Haynie pointed how Amateur Radio operators answered the call on September 11, 2001, in New York City, at the Pentagon and at the Western Pennsylvania crash site of the fourth hijacked airliner. Hams also assisted federal authorities in the debris search following the February 1 shuttle Columbia disaster, Haynie pointed out, and aided in the response to tornadoes in the Midwest and South earlier this year. Haynie told the subcommittee that hams have lost more than 100 MHz of VHF and UHF spectrum over the past 15 years and that another nearly 360 MHz of VHF and UHF spectrum ``has been substantially compromised.`` Haynie said hams have shared spectrum successfully with government users on VHF and UHF and have been able to ``make do with less,`` but ``that concept has reached a breaking point with our service,`` he added. The 2.4 GHz area, once left largely to amateurs, in recent years has become ``polluted`` with wireless activity, Haynie told the panel. ``Interoperability`` was the watchword of the day at the subcommittee hearing, which got under way at 11 AM EDT and continued well into the afternoon. What was to be a short lunch break was extended after some members and participants became trapped in a stuck elevator in the Rayburn House Office Building and were delayed in getting back to the hearing room. Several witnesses testified that a lack of interoperability among public safety responders at disaster scenes --- including the World Trade Center --- prevented warning those in danger and resulted in a tragic loss of life. Haynie was not alone in offering supportive words about Amateur Radio. HR 713 sponsor Frank Bilirakis (R-FL), quoted a paragraph from the submitted testimony of Norman Jacknis of the Westchester County, New York, Department of Information Technology. ``In the first hours following the attack of September 11, 2001, the only way we could coordinate the sharing of firefighting, medical examiner, health, and information technology resources with New York City officials was through the highly trained, volunteer Amateur Radio (ham) operators,`` Jacknis said. ``This irreplaceable resource must be protected from incursion by other interests.`` Bilirakis later cited a letter from James B. Massey, N3OHM, of the Lighthouse Amateur Radio Club in Palm Harbor, Florida. ``The Amateur Radio bands should be considered a national resource like the militia during the American Revolution, which was called upon in a time of emergency,`` the letter declared. Bilirakis asked that the letter be made a part of the official hearing record. In 2000, after the Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act legislation was first introduced, Massey had arranged for Bilirakis to meet with hams in ARRL`s West Central Florida Section. One of the two amateur licensees in Congress, Rep Greg Walden, WB7OCE (R-OR) --- a subcommittee member --- cited the value of spectrum to Amateur Radio operators who, he said, were ``promised`` spectrum on which they could operate and experiment and provide emergency communication at no cost. ``And yet the erosion that has occurred in the spectrum that was made available [to amateurs] is astonishing, and it needs to stop,`` he said. ``Time and again, if you find an emergency, you find a ham radio operator.`` FCC Office of Engineering and Technology Chief Edmond Thomas also cited the contribution of Amateur Radio operators to public safety. ``The ham radio community has offered invaluable service to first responders during emergency situations,`` the OET chief said. He also noted the recent FCC Report and Order giving amateurs additional secondary spectrum at 5 MHz and elevating amateurs from secondary to primary status at 2400 to 2402 MHz. Haynie subsequently took advantage of an opportunity during the hearing to publicly thank the FCC for the 5-MHz grant. Earlier this year, subcommittee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) agreed with a request from Bilirakis to include an opportunity for a member of the Amateur Radio community to testify. Upton, who told Bilirakis that he shares his interest in protecting Amateur Radio, subsequently invited Haynie to testify on Amateur Radio`s behalf. A Senate version of the Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act, S 537, was introduced earlier this year by Sen Michael Crapo (R-ID). The Senate bill is being considered by the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, but no hearing on the measure has been set. The text of HR 713 and S 537 is available via the Thomas Web site at http://thomas.loc.gov/ To listen to the testimony of ARRL Pres Jim Haynie, W5JBP, before the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2003/06/11/101/Haynie-Subcomte061103.mp3 [6:08] To hear an interchange between Rep Bilirakis and Pres Haynie during the question-and-answer session of the committee hearing http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2003/06/11/101/Bilirakis-Haynie.mp3 [5:39] (ARRL June 11 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. K1D to be on the air for Kid`s Day: Special event station K1D will be on the air June 21 for ARRL Kid`s Day --- see http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/kd-rules.html Peter Schipelliti, W1DAD, and his wife Jeanne, K1MOM, will be on the air as K1D prior to Kid`s Day to promote the event. Their youngsters Geena, 8, and Luciano, 6, also will be on the air for Kid`s Day. ``Any noises in the background will be Francesca Rose --- 22 months,`` Peter Schipelliti said (ARRL June 11 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. The second hour of The Connection, from WBUR and on many other public radio stations, Thursday June 12 originally airing at 1506-1600 UT is --- not to be confused with DX listening! ``Tuning in to the World`` An early homemade radio transmitter and microphone [captions] View QSL cards from around the world. Images from "Hello World: A Life in Ham Radio" Long before you could boot up, log on and point and click your way around the globe, there was ham radio. Churning out an audio cocktail of beeps and whirs, chirps and static, the ham radio was a passport, of sorts, for a particular kind of technology-loving, wander-lusting, basement-dwelling Good Samaritan. Someone who knew and relished the difference between a picofarad and a millihenry. Someone who appreciated the random fortune of a favorable ionosphere and a continent-hopping connection. But there's no need to talk about ham radio in the past tense, because some two-and-a-half million hams world wide still consider 20 megahertz the preferred way to fly. You can keep your broadband. Ham radio. On a wing, and a bandwidth. GUESTS: Bob Hopkins, Director of the Computer Center at Cooper Union, and "Elmer" for the book, "Hello World: A Life in Ham Radio," by Danny Gregory and Paul Sahre [calls frequently given on show, not here!] Moody Law, California Ham Joe Leto, Iowa Ham Harry Han, Shanghai Ham http://www.theconnection.org/shows/2003/06/20030612_b_main.asp The shows are archived, and there should be an obvious link to play it. The publicradiofan.com page showing all the stations carrying the show at a later time: http://www.publicradiofan.com/cgi-bin/program.pl?programid=12 Note that not all stations carry both hours. One reliable repeat, and the final one of the day, is WPR Information network at 0306 UT Friday. However, WPRi will be making major schedule changes June 30; e.g. Kathleen Dunn, local host, now weekday afternoons 2006-2300 UT moves to the mornings displacing The Connexion live, but will still be on evening repeats: http://wpr.org/schedule/DisplaySchedule.cfm?iStationID=32 (Glenn Hauser, OK, non-ham, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. KDNA, GRAINGER, YAKIMA VALLEY, WASHINGTON Radio KDNA La Voz del Campesino. Revisando algunas cosas por la red, me encontré con esta pagina que estoy seguro les va a gustar. Hagan click donde aparece Radio KDNA La voz del campsino y disfruten de un video muy bonito sobre esta emisora. http://kdna.org/multimedia.htm Atte: (José Elías, Venezuela, June 12, Conexión Digital, via DXLD) Includes a video of the history of the station (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. DAVID BRINKLEY DIES AT AGE 82 NEW YORK (June 12) - David Brinkley, who first gained fame as one-half of NBC`s Huntley-Brinkley anchor team and for more than a half-century loomed large in the newscasting world he helped chart, has died at the age of 82. Brinkley died Wednesday night at his home in Houston of complications from a fall, ABC News said Thursday. During his career, which in recent years took him to ABC, Brinkley won 10 Emmy awards, three George Foster Peabody Awards and, in 1992, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation`s highest civilian honor. Former President Bush called him ``the elder statesman of broadcast journalism,`` but Brinkley spoke of himself in less grandiose terms. ``Most of my life,`` he said in a 1992 interview, ``I`ve simply been a reporter covering things, and writing and talking about it.`` He stepped down as host of ABC`s ``This Week with David Brinkley`` in November 1996 but continued to do commentaries. He left amid a rare controversy, and an apology: Late on Election Night, after a long evening, he had said unkind things about President Clinton on the air, including calling him a ``bore.`` Clinton sat for an interview for Brinkley`s last show anyway, and after Brinkley apologized, told him: ``I always believe you have to judge people on their whole work, and if you get judged based on your whole work, you come out way ahead.`` Based in Washington and focusing on politics, Brinkley was known for his gentlemanly manner, wry wit and, as the Clinton incident illustrated, occasional suffer-no-fools bluntness. Playing against such refinement were a boyish appearance and a jerky style of delivery that suggested a mild case of hiccups. ``If I was to start today I probably couldn`t get a job,`` Brinkley once said, ``because I don`t look like what people think an anchorperson should look like.`` Perhaps not. But in 1956, his distinctive presence was paired with craggy, leading-man-handsome Chet Huntley for NBC News` coverage of the Democratic and Republican national conventions. It was a perfect fit. Following that success, the two took over NBC`s nightly newscast, with Huntley in New York and Brinkley in Washington. The program, at first only 15 minutes long, switched back and forth between them. Beyond that regular report, Huntley and Brinkley led NBC as it interrupted regular programming to cover space shots, assassinations, riots and other breaking news with a thoroughness summed up by the unofficial byword ``CBS plus 30 (minutes).`` With Chet and David at the helm, NBC News enjoyed ratings dominance throughout the 1960s. During the 1964 Democratic convention, NBC, up against CBS and its anchor Walter Cronkite, won an astonishing 84 percent of the viewership. But their fame extended far beyond the realm of journalism. A consumer-research company found in 1965 that these co-anchors were recognized by more adult Americans than were John Wayne or the Beatles. Despite their mutual disdain for it, their ``Huntley- Brinkley Report`` signoff - ``Goodnight, Chet``; ``Goodnight, David`` - became part of pop culture. Then in 1970, Huntley retired. He died four years later. Brinkley co-anchored the renamed ``NBC Nightly News`` with John Chancellor, then became the program`s commentator. But the spell was broken. ``The CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite`` had taken the ratings lead, and NBC News had stumbled. Entering his 60s, Brinkley in 1981 began the second act of his career by exiting the organization he had joined 38 years earlier. He lent his heavyweight status to ABC News, a late bloomer then on the way up. There he flourished, particularly on ``This Week with David Brinkley,`` a Sunday morning interview and discussion program. Despite having been present for the creation of TV news, Brinkley insisted ``I didn`t create anything. I just got here early.`` Born in Wilmington, N.C., on July 20, 1920, Brinkley was still in high school when he began writing for his hometown newspaper. He was educated at the University of North Carolina and Vanderbilt University, and after Army service he worked in Southern bureaus for the United Press syndicate. He moved to Washington, D.C., thinking a radio job awaited him at CBS News. Instead, he had landed a job four blocks away at NBC News. He became White House correspondent - NBC`s first. Not long after that, as Brinkley recounted in his 1995 memoir, ``a large, odd-looking object arrived at the Washington studio ..., so big it could barely be rolled through the door. It was our first television camera.`` Brinkley was divorced from his first wife, Ann, in the 1960s and married Susan Benfer in 1972. Among his four children, Alan is an American Book Award-winning historian and Joel is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. The author of three books, Brinkley aptly summed up his career and life in the subtitle of his memoir: ``11 Presidents, 4 Wars, 22 Political Conventions, 1 Moon Landing, 3 Assassinations, 2,000 Weeks of News and Other Stuff on Television, and 18 Years of Growing Up in North Carolina.`` ``If I were 20 years old, I would try to do the same thing again, all of it,`` he told a New York Times interviewer - his son Joel - in a February 1997 profile. ``I have no regrets. None at all.`` AP-NY-06-12-03 1030EDT Copyright 2003 The Associated Press (via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. NBC MONITOR --- By BOB BETCHER, Scripps Howard News Service During a recent visit to a South Florida radio station, a staffer mentioned that he had a compilation of the old NBC weekend radio series "Monitor." "Monitor," for those who never heard of it, was a program that ran continuously from 8 a.m. Saturday to midnight Sunday out of NBC headquarters at Rockefeller Center in New York. It was broadcast from 1955 to 1975, according to http://monitorbeacon.com a wonderful Web site loaded with everything "Monitor." NBC stations were allowed to weave in local news, weather, and ads during breaks, but it basically was a solid network feed of news, sports, comedy, interviews, music, and remote pick-ups from around the world. As a kid, I remember hearing it on New York's WNBC (660 AM). But it was heard from coast to coast on NBC radio stations. The other night, I spent an evening at home listening to the compact disc, complete with the "Monitor beacon," a series of distinct beeps that were actually cues to affiliates to switch in and out of the show. The sound was so vivid, long-time listeners can probably still hear it in their heads right now. The series was created by then NBC President Sylvester "Pat" Weaver Jr. The live show was hosted by a variety of broadcasters and notables of the era, including (in no particular order) Dave Garroway, Hugh Downs, Ben Grauer, Ed McMahon, Gene Rayburn, Joe Garagiola, John Cameron Swayze, Red Barber, Mel Allen, Frank McGee, Brad Crandall, and Garry Moore. Many of these folks were associated in some way with NBC, and you got the feeling they just drifted in to say "Hi," as if they were calling you personally by phone. "Monitor" originated from the fifth floor at 30 Rock; one floor up at NBC was "The Tonight Show" studios. It wasn't all fun and games. NBC News had a major presence. On the CD I heard, newsman Frank McGee (a former "Today" show host) interviewed Martin Luther King Jr. about race relations in the South. The interview went on for at least 10 minutes - an eternity in [commercial!] radio today. As times changed, affiliates and listeners began to lose interest and television took a stronger hold on their lives. NBC eventually cut the show back in time, and stations followed by bumping more and more hours. When "Monitor" went off the air on Jan. 26, 1975, only about 100 stations carried the show. The last hours were filled with a glorious retrospective of the previous 20 years of network radio. The final hosts were "Big" Wilson, who hosted weekday mornings on WNBC radio and broadcaster John Bartholomew Tucker. Sadly, the "beacon" sounded for the final time. Bob Betcher is media columnist for Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers in Stuart, Florida (From Harry van Vugt, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, DXLD) ** U S A. KADZ 1550 was taken dark on June 1. This was one of the 2 Radio Disney stations in Denver. It has been // to KDDZ 1690 since 6/3/98. The signoff date was 2 days short of 5 years. I talked to a rep at the station today and verified that they were forced to surrender one of the two licenses by the FCC. The person I spoke with indicated that something else might be appearing on the 1550 frequency in a month or so but wouldn't confirm who or what. I airchecked KDDZ today and they are still IDing with the old liners as KADZ Arvada, KDDZ Arvada-Denver. Radio Disney actually signed on under the call signs KQXI on 1550 and KAYK on 1690 in 1998. Before Radio Disney bought KQXI they were Kingdom Radio, part of the Mid-America Gospel Radio group. Their studio and transmitter were in a double-wide mobile home adjacent to the Platte River about a mile north of the present antenna site. The present transmitter site is located on the Englewood CO sewage processing plant property (Patrick Griffith, N0NNK CBT CBNT Westminster, CO, USA, June 11, NRC-AM via DXLD) Seems it'd be a lot longer than a month if they have indeed surrendered the license, though. Somebody would have to apply for 1550 in Arvada, there'd be a bunch of competing applicants since Denver is a big rich market, etc. I wonder if the guy meant that they've been forced to sell the license instead of turn it back in? But then why is the FCC picking on this x-bander in the first place? They haven't enforced the "simulcast for five years and choose which one you want to keep" threat with anybody else, have they? (Steve Francis, Alcoa, Tennessee, ibid.) I initially thought the same thing Steve. But don't forget that Radio Disney is a division of ABC radio. So I'm wondering if maybe they have another ABC source in mind that will come on the air quickly. If this station is for sale, that would make 2 AMs for sale in the Denver market. KCUV/1510 is still simulcasting with KNRC/1150 and is supposedly up for sale as well (Patrick Griffith, N0NNK, ibid.) And I think I agree with Patrick. A few X-banders have shut down their original facility right away when turning on the X-band, either because they had to (1620 Atmore AL was too close to the original 1590 for both to diplex) or because they wanted to get rid of an expensive directional array (1390/1700 Des Moines, 920/1690 in Maryland, 540/1650 in Los Angeles, 570/1620 in Biloxi). A few more kept operating close to the five-year limit (1560/1630 Iowa City comes to mind, 1210/1700 Miami, 1140/1680 in Ada, Michigan, 1580/1620 South Bend; Patrick, your 990/1650 in Denver must be getting close too, isn't it?) And remember: there are two X-banders that are NOT bound by the five- year limit. 1530/1660 Elizabeth/Jersey City and 1190/1640 Vallejo CA were created by that special "Elizabeth clause" that automatically granted first preference on the X-band to any community with a population over 100,000 and only a daytimer. My understanding is that the clause was inserted by a New Jersey congressman as a favor to WJDM's owner, with the idea that it would apply only to WJDM - nobody realized Vallejo had also grown over 100,000 people in the meantime! s (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.) That reminds me, Steve, that WTDY 1670 Madison's 5th anniversary is fast approaching-- June 29. Correspondence with the station last October revealed that they had no plans to turn in either of their licenses, WTDY or in-band WLMV 1480. They also had no intention of selling either station, nor have they sold them. Here is the message that the station e-mailed me: ``Since WLMV 1480 will no longer be affiliated with 1670 WTDY (except for a brief simulcast of Sly, and the farm report) other than the having the same cluster ownership, neither station will be required to turn in their license.`` I will keep the list posted as to the status of these stations after 6/29. However, I have no doubts that both will be on the air. It's too bad, too. Ever since 1670 went on, I had looked forward to gaining 1480 as a DXable frequency. Two others come to mind, both in the Midwest: WKSH Sussex WI 1370/1640 and KQWB 1550/1660 West Fargo ND. If I remember correctly, the Sussex in-bander was closed because it would be too expensive for the religious organization that was running it to maintain two facilities. I am not sure of the reason why the West Fargo station went silent so early. Scott, did you ever get positive confirmation that WVMI 570 Biloxi did indeed go silent? 73 (Bill Dvorak, Madison WI, ibid.) I'm about 99.9% sure it's gone. IIRC, KQWB had a directional array on 1550 that they wanted to tear down. s (Fybush, ibid.) WMVI-570 is indeed gone per my QSL. Isn't KCJJ-1560 gone too? I think when they moved to 1630, they shut off the 1560 shortly afterwards. 73s, (Patrick Martin Seaside OR, ibid.) ** U S A. From today's "Inside Radio" -- A possible drunk driver nearly took out KGO's tower early this morning. The driver was charged with driving under the influence -- but at least she wasn't hurt, after being fished out of the water. Her car ran off the Dumbarton Bridge, says the Mercury News -- just east of the tower of San Francisco's KGO (Wally Wawro, WFAA-TV, June 12, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. Re Clear Channel catering to MW DXers: Considering former Clear Channel Radio head honcho Randy Michaels is an avid MW DXer (yes, really; he has some sort of longwire at his home near Cincinnati, among other things --- of course, he also used to DX from his private jet!), I wouldn't be in the least surprised. s (Scott Fybush, NRC-AM via DXLD) The only negative thing, in my mind, about what has happened with the big guys getting bigger and bigger and bigger, is the loss of 'localization' in many smaller markets. Time and time again we've heard of a contributor to this e-muse forum saying they attempted to hear local conditions when in the throes of a bad weather situation, only to hear non-stop, satellite-fed music with blah-blah-blah coming from nondescript, uncaring talking heads in New York or Dallas who couldn't spell Des Moines or Pocatello, let alone find them on a map. These stations are not fulfilling their commitment to their local community. Isn't that rule in there, someplace? The same goes for these religious satellite-fed, FM translators all over the country. The same goes for the Disney affiliates. What happened to the rule about having a local phone number, a public file, etc.??? My 2 cents. (Bill in Fort Worth Hale, ibid.) These rules are still on the books, and will raise heavy fines if violated (they do *not* apply to translators though). (Doug Smith, ibid.) Bill: Your question is a valid one. In my role with the office of Homeland Security, I hear the echo of your statement in other communities. The big cities don't seem to have too many problems, however I hear there were some difficulties in Oklahoma City. The areas that get killed are the rural areas where either the only station that served them was removed to become a big city rim-shot, or the station is owned by a big company that does not consider the station's service area important in the overall scope of their regional ad dollars. Personally, I think that all stations should have a local access, and not just putting the public file at the local library or an attorney's office. There should be an office, people there 9-5, and a phone number to call for questions. I also think that license renewal should be based on what you do for a community. If a licensee is not willing to commit to a community 100%, then they should not own the station 100%. Along with reinstating the 7/7 rule, I would also suggest that the license fee be increased by $1,500 to allow a stations public file, financial, and ownership records to be audited yearly and base the license renewal on the results. I think that would remove the shell games played with stations, and improve the level of service to the general public. When companies get super big, they can't provide the customer service that customers expect. Although I enjoy a low long distance rate, I would rather take a beating than deal with either the local telco or LD service. And as a big company they often abuse customers and get away with it. I think Clear Channel gets picked on because, traditionally, they were the ones who pioneered the buy spree and lobbied the most vocally for deregulation. Also, it doesn't help when the business is so big that a small player can't get in. As one of my friends put it, "It's not the fact that I can't, it's the fact that there is no opportunity. It's like I'm a black trying to buy a home in a white neighborhood. Every house is sold, or the prices are 10x market value giving the buyer no opportunity for a chance." (Fred Vobbe, ibid.) Fred, I didn't know that you were involved with Homeland Security. Is your role with them broadcasting related? I was recently issued Department of Homeland Security 'essential emergency personnel' credentials as an adjunct to my role with the US Public Health Service. I have been an intermittent employee of PHS since 1995 and am a member of the PHS-2 Management Support Team based in Rockville MD. My grade is GS-13. The primary mission of PHS involves the duties of about 60 Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT). However, we also operate several National Medical Response Teams for Weapons of Mass Destruction strategically positioned throughout the US. The WMD teams and the level 1 DMAT teams are each equipped with a $1.5M+ cache of ready response equipment. My primary duties involve the deployment and field management of tactical communications and IT equipment and operating staff. PHS is now under the Homeland Security umbrella, thus the new credentials (Patrick Griffith, N0NNK, CBT, CBNT, ibid.) My primary job is that of VP and Chief Operator of the NBC affiliate in town. Several years back I joined up with the local EMA office on their PIO team (Public Information Officer). That is a minimal part time job. Like a fireman, I only work when the stinky stuff hits the air moving device. |g| My formal position is Communications Officer, and I'm responsible for establishing lines of communications between the agency and government or the public. This may be just calling CBers out to help direct traffic around hazmat areas, or it could be for developing and deploying a radio pathway on HF or other means between our county and the state capital, or DC. The broadcaster tie- in comes from my additional role in the area's EAS. I'm also co- chairman of the Lima-Allen County EAS. This side of the fence has me working with local broadcast stations, as well as dealing with the government explaining their role in how it works and could be used in the event of an emergency. The biggest part of this position is educating the public, broadcast, and government side on how it all works, what to expect, and how it is to be used. A lot of work is just fielding questions, assisting in programming EAS boxes and sometimes fielding complaints from public. The only other "job" I have is the publishing of the DX Audio Service, which if the truth be known I prefer the best (Fred Vobbe, ibid.) ** U S A. This is a bit dated, but I figured I'd post it anyway. 1710 kHz --- 0008 UT 5-28-03: Man calmly talking in English about the Talmud and the Torah. Very discernible, however QRM was severe at times. No IDs provided during the duration of my listening. This one had me stumped for a while. However, I eventually stumbled upon the correct set of keywords and, via Google, came across the below link from 'The Man Who Hears (Literally and Figuratively) Everything' a.k.a. Glenn Hauser: http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/wor1108.html WORLD OF RADIO #1108, produced December 5, 2001 by Glenn Hauser *1710 kHz Jewish station heard by many is Lubavitcher Radio, probably in Brooklyn; check http://www.chabad.org or http://www.radiomoshiach.org Thanks, Glenn! Looks like you nailed it for me. My QTH is Wilmington, DE. Does anyone have any information about transmitter site or power? There's nothing that I can find on the indicated links that answers these questions (Peter Jernakoff, Dupont Titanium Technologies, June 9, NRC-AM via DXLD) Referred them to DXLD searching (gh) It's located in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, I believe. Someone on this list I believe actually pinned down an address (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA, ibid.) The web site claims they're legal, but I find that hard to believe, given the distance that some people have heard the station. Interesting that the website indicates that the station is on 1620 kHz, while all of the reception reports indicate 1710. Question: do all x-band capable radios go all the way up to 1710? And assuming that they are indeed legal in terms of power output, etc., is 1710 a legitimate frequency, or is it allocated to some other service - or does frequency somehow not matter under part 15? (Brian Leyton, Valley Village, CA, ibid.) The station is not licensed, and is also not legal (Russ Edmunds, PA, ibid.) The QSL letter for 1710 indicates the address as Lubavitch World Headquarters, 770 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn NY 11213. The letter entitled "Chabad-Lubavitch is a philosophy, a movement, and an organization" ends with a brief statement verifying reception: "A member of our movement noticed in a recent National Radio Club DX News bulletin that you were listening to our station on 1710 kilohertz on November 29, 2001 at 10:50 p.m. EST. We are pleased that you had an opportunity to tune in." The letter was anonymous / not signed. The envelope was postmarked Providence RI. QSL letters were received by many who initially reported reception in DX News (Bruce Conti - Nashua NH, ibid.) "770" is (as is stated in the letter) the World HQ for the Chabad Lubavitch movement, which is in the Crown Heights neighborhood. In much of the Jewish world (though much more so in the Orthodox community), you only need refer to it as "770", and they'll know what you're talking about. Chabad-Lubavitch is quite proud of that building (a large brownstone). So much so that when their HQ here in L.A. (actually Westwood, on Gayley Ave., adjacent to UCLA) burned down many years ago, it was rebuilt as a replica of "770". They're putting up a new school on Pico Blvd. right now, and from the artist's rendering on the sign, it looks like it's going to be another replica. Though I've never seen 770 in person, I imagine that as a typical brownstone, it doesn't stand out nearly as much in Brooklyn as it does here in L.A. Despite the fact that they dress only in black suits & white shirts, they're a very colorful bunch of people, with some very interesting beliefs - most of which are shared by other Orthodox Jews, but many which are not. They're widely admired for their outreach efforts. Pretty much anywhere in the world where you might find Jews, you'll find a representative of Chabad Lubavitch. I find it interesting that they would be so bold as to send a QSL letter, taking credit for the station, when it's quite likely illegal. But then again, Chabad is VERY politically connected, so maybe they figure they can get away with it. At least they're smart enough not to run the transmitter from "770". (Brian Leyton, Valley Village, CA, ibid.) ** U S A. [During an intense sporadic-E opening] a signal began wiping out Tucson [NWS Weatheradio] on 162.400. It began shortly after 1640 MST, [2340 UT] with a climatic summary. With fast fades and Tucson to contend with, no clues there. Faded during timecheck, and stayed gone for a few minutes. Came back with "the extended forecast for the listening area." Still no clues. Generally, the first temperature reading in the cycle is from the programming office or the area served by the NWS transmitter. So, shortly after the timecheck of 6:55 PM Central Daylight Time, the current temps began, and the first reading was Tupelo. The climatic summary given also matched the climatic summary for Tupelo, MS. We blind folks don't find the maps very instructive, but if it fits, I suspect the station I got was KIH53 in Booneville, MS, 700 watts, programmed from the Memphis office, which also handles the Tupelo climatic summary. FM lasted about an hour, but this time I didn't worry about it much. The 162.40 was far more exciting, especially since it had to conquer Tucson to be heard (Rick Lewis, Glendale AZ, June 9, amfmtvdx via DXLD) ** U S A. "The people of North Korea are dying of salvation at the hands of a ruthless dictator." (Sean Hannity on Fox News Channel Monday night via Brock Whaley, DXLD) ** U S A. ONE SMALL STEP FOR CLASSICAL MUSIC For the past month I have been actively involved in a lobbying campaign to convince the Salisbury University Foundation (Salisbury MD) to not sell its classical music and NPR-news formatted station. The effort was a success as the Foundation board voted unanimously last night to keep but with some changes. The option was considered as a result of a feeler from WYPR in Baltimore which is trying to build a statewide network. WYPR acquired the old WJHU of Johns Hopkins University which once was a very good classical music station. Today WYPR broadcasts little if any classical music in their talk oriented program stream. The Salisbury Daily Times has the story (Joe Buch, DE, DX Listening Digest) WSCL TO STAY, BUT MAY SEE CHANGES By John Vandiver, Daily Times Staff Writer, Thursday, June 12, 2003 SALISBURY -- Public radio station WSCL at Salisbury University will continue to broadcast, though changes to its all-classical music format are possible. The SU Foundation's Board of Directors voted unanimously Wednesday to retain the station, ending a month of speculation whether the rights to WSCL would be sold to a Baltimore-based radio group. The prospect of losing the station's classical music and news programs prompted an outcry from WSCL supporters across Delmarva. Part of the agreement to retain the station is an understanding that WSCL staff will work with Salisbury University to make the station more reflective of the campus culture. "In recent years, WSCL has had few linkages with the university, its academic programs, students, faculty and staff," SU President Janet Dudley-Eshbach said during Wednesday's meeting. "For Salisbury University to continue to support WSCL, and I believe we should do so, a stronger relationship must be established with the university." Since the SU Foundation was contacted by Baltimore station WYPR in March about acquiring WSCL, questions have been raised about the lack of student involvement at the station and its educational value. SU's funding to WSCL has been scrutinized as the university faces a budget crisis that has resulted in the elimination of 15 administrative positions, and school officials brace for another round of cuts. "To maintain the status quo between Salisbury University and WSCL is not an option," Eshbach said. To justify continued support, she said the station needs to provide internship opportunities, feature cultural events at the university and reflect the listening interests of a wider audience. "Programming should take into consideration the interests, not only of off-campus listeners, but also the interests of the individuals who live, study and work at Salisbury University," she said. A five to seven member panel of university officials, students and WSCL personnel will be formed to review the station's format. After one year, WSCL's effectiveness in serving the interests of the community and Salisbury University will be evaluated. WSCL was founded in 1987 and receives about $100,000 in support annually from the university. Yet, most of the station's roughly $800,000 budget comes from listener donations. More than 50 supporters of the station attended the public meeting in the Wicomico Room of the Guerrieri Center. Opinions were mixed over the possibility that WSCL could include a more diverse program format. Though mostly middle-aged listeners attended Wednesday's vote, there were some young supporters. "I'm not naïve enough to believe that a majority of students like classical music, but we're out there," said SU junior Tom Hamill, who favors the all-classical format. Hamill said he stumbled upon WSCL as a high school student in Easton, seeking music to listen to while exercising. "I think it was through WSCL that I first heard about Salisbury University," he said. When the SU Foundation had the value of WSCL appraised for a potential sale, Board of Directors Chairman Henry Hanna said he was not surprised that it provoked outrage from many listeners. "We didn't go out looking to sell the station. What we received was an unsolicited proposal. We felt a responsibility to review it and the station's role with the university," he said. Barbara Schmid, a native New York City resident who moved to Ocean Pines several years ago, said she was relieved that the board voted to keep the station. "The first thing we did when we moved here was join WSCL. If some changes need to be made that's fine. The thought of losing the station was depressing," she said. Copyright ©2003 DelmarvaNow. All rights reserved (via Joe Buch, DE, DX Listening Digest) For illustrations and sidebars see: http://www.dailytimesonline.com/news/stories/20030612/localnews/463367.html Previous story suggesting that classical music is snobbish! http://www.dailytimesonline.com/news/stories/20030611/localnews/457335.html Related story about WYPR Baltimore: http://www.sunspot.net/templates/misc/printstory.jsp?slug=bal-to.tvradio11jun11§ion=/printstory (via Current, DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. THE SIP (INTERAMERICAN PRESS SOCIETY) STATES THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS DOES NOT EXIST IN VENEZUELA...WOULD YOU ADAM AND EVE? A France Press cable released last Tuesday June 10th, informs the SIP (the Interamerican Press Society) states the freedom of the press does not exist in Venezuela. This organisation also claims the situation will get worse if the new Radio and TV law is approved. Curiously, this has been the same point of view of the IBA (International Broadcasting Association) which has not got any vacillation to condemn what they have called as "attacks on freedom of speech" in Venezuela. Well, I would like to ask both international organisations one thing: where were they when Venezuelans were the subject of censorship during the April 11th-13th 2002 private media promoted blackout? Were not our civil rights violated by private media through all those days? The period between April 11th to 13th, 2002, has passed to the Venezuelan Contemporary History as a time of shame for domestic journalism. In those days, most of the journalists decided not to inform about what was really happening in the streets. While people were protesting in the streets and claiming for their ousted free- elected president, private media networks preferred to broadcast cartoons, Major League Baseball games or repeat -time after time- that everything was normal. Was not that an actual attack on Venezuelans' freedom of information? I ask again: where were the SIP and the IBA? Did they say anything about that violation of the Venezuelan media users' rights? No, they did not. I think people in the world have to know the truth related to private media owners in Venezuela. It is publicly known they supported the April 2002 coup d'état against president Chávez and that is why nobody fools us in here with that "the-freedom-of-the-press-in-danger" story. I invite everybody to come to Venezuela in order to confirm "lively and directly" what I am saying. Freedom of speech is a reality in this country. Perhaps, the SIP and the IBA people are lost in outer space! (Adán González, Radio Announcer Licence 26950, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, June 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. Yesterday (June 9th) I heard SW R. Africa on 4880 kHz ending its broadcast with a *very* strong signal, SIO=454. The reception was good even with an old Sony connected to the central heating system (=grounding). It seems like anything gone wrong is caused by the president of the country. Does anyone know the whereabouts of the transmitter? When drawing (possible antenna direction) lines on great circle maps, Meyerton is a very obvious QTH. The Numbers Lady started her messages right after 1900 UT, right after the SW R. Africa signed off (Matti Ponkamo, Naantali, Finland, Drake R4-C, Sony 2001D, 15 metres of wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RSF CONDEMNS TREATMENT OF VOICE OF THE PEOPLE JOURNALISTS International press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has condemned the arrest and beating of two Zimbabwean journalists working for Voice of the People, the independent shortwave station that broadcasts into Zimbabwe via the Radio Netherlands Madagascar relay station. Shorai Katiwa and Martin Chimenya were seized on 2 June by supporters of President Robert Mugabe's African National Union Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) who interrogated them, took away their mobile phones and tape-recorders, and beat them after accusing them of belonging to the main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). They were then taken to a police station, where they admitted that they sent their reports from a computer at the home of VOP coordinator John Masuku. Police went there and confiscated the computer and the station's office records. They found nothing suspicious, so returned the items and freed the journalists. This is the latest in a series of attacks on the VOP. In August 2002 its offices in Harare were destroyed by a bomb, widely believed to have been planted by Mugabe supporters. The Zimbabwe government is clearly rattled by the continuing presence of Voice of the People and the other independent station broadcasting to the country, UK-based SW Radio Africa. These stations are clearly having an impact. A listener in Harare, writing to DX Listening Digest last week, said "I have been a DXer for 20 years but at no stage did I think that shortwave radio would be more important to me and my fellow countryfolk as it has been this week." (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 11 June 2003 via DXLD) VOA INTENSIFIES BROADCASTS TO ZIMBABWE The United States government funded Voice of America (VOA) radio service has intensified broadcasts to Zimbabwe in response to Harare's continued control of the airwaves, according to VOA director David Jackson. The Zimbabwe governments stranglehold on the airwaves has resulted in alternative views being denied space on radio and television. In an interview in the latest edition of ' Washington File', Jackson said VOA had introduced Shona and Ndebele broadcasts to ensure that Zimbabweans had access to "uncensored" information in the country. "What we are doing in Zimbabwe goes to the heart of the VOA mission : to provide a free Press in countries that do not have it, to open up discussion among people of a variety of political persuasions and provide a medium for voices of the opposition," said Jackson. Zimbabwe's radio and television channels have been accused of bias towards the ruling ZANU PF and the government and of denying space to the Movement for Democratic Change, Zimbabwe's main opposition party. They have been accused of "demonising" the opposition and organisations perceived to be anti-government. Critics say the State- controlled media has since 2000 been reduced to government mouthpieces that can only churn out government propaganda while denying the opposition a chance to put across its views. The government has also refused to allow independent players to come into the broadcast sector, despite mounting pressure from the civil society. Broadcasting industry commentators say censorship on the airwaves has in the last few months been extended to include a blackout on music that is perceived to propagate anti-government messages. Among some of the musicians who have been affected by this censorship are Chimurenga music guru Dr Thomas Mapfumo, many of whose most recent songs have a strong anti-government tone. Several disk jockeys (DJs) working for the State-controlled Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) have also claimed that they have been instructed not to play particular songs because of the sentiments they express about the government. There are reports that some ZBC DJs have been fired for playing songs deemed to be anti-government. Gwen Dillard, the head of VOA's Africa division, said the Zimbabwean service was the only Press freedom advocacy service VOA had on the continent:"The new Zimbabwe programme is literally the only surrogate (free Press advocacy) service we have on the continent", he said. Jackson added: "Surrogate services act as a replacement in countries that do not have a free and reliable news media. As Zimbabwe continues its repressive measures, the people have an even greater need for information. Now Zimbabweans who speak Shona or Ndebele have a new source of straight and uncensored information from the Voice of America." SOURCE: The Daily News -( an independant Zimbabwean newspaper ) - Thursday 12 June 2003. Article submittted to DXLD by (David Pringle- Wood, Harare, Zimbabwe) Actually the addition of Shona and Ndebele occurred a few weeks ago as reported here, but nice to see this is finally news in Zimbabwe (gh) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ IARU TEAM ON THE JOB AS WRC-03 OPENS IN GENEVA GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, Jun 11, 2003 -- The International Telecommunication Union's (ITU) World Radiocommunication Conference 2003 got under way June 9 at the Geneva International Conference Center adjacent to ITU Headquarters. More than 2600 delegates and other participants are expected to attend the four-week conference. As the first order of business, Dr Veena Rawat of Canada was elected Chairman of the Conference by acclamation. "Several items on the conference agenda are of great importance to radio amateurs, so the International Amateur Radio Union has fielded its largest team of observers at an ITU conference in more than a decade," noted IARU Secretary (and ARRL CEO) David Sumner, K1ZZ, who's part of the IARU delegation in Geneva. In addition to Sumner, the core IARU team consists of IARU President Larry Price, W4RA, Wojciech Nietyksza, SP5FM, Michael Owen, VK3KI, and Ken Pulfer, VE3PU. Past ITU Radiocommunication Bureau Director Robert W. Jones, VE7RWJ, is serving as a consultant to the IARU. Approximately a dozen other radio amateurs representing their national IARU member-societies are participating on national delegations, along with members of IARU regional executive committees who are serving on delegations and in other capacities. Among these are IARU Vice President David Wardlaw, VK3ADW, who is on the Australian delegation; Region 1 Chairman Ole Garpestad, LA2RR, who is on the Norwegian delegation; Region 1 Vice Chairman Tafa Diop, 6W1KI, observing for the African Telecommunications Union; Region 2 Vice President Dario Jurado, HP1DJ, observing for the IARU; and Region 3 Secretary Keigo Komuro, JA1KAB, who is on the delegation of Japan. In addition, literally dozens of radio amateurs are present at WRC-03 in a wide range of professional capacities. Amateur Radio is but a small part of the conference, which is trying to complete work on more than 40 agenda items. Three are especially important to Amateur Radio: Realignment of 7 MHz allocations (Agenda Item 1.23), revision of the regulations governing the amateur and amateur-satellite services (Agenda Item 1.7), and consideration of an allocation for satellite-borne synthetic aperture radars (SARs) in the 70-cm band (Agenda Item 1.38). Two other agenda items with potentially great impact are the drafting of an agenda for the next WRC, scheduled for 2007 (Agenda Item 7.2) and the revision of footnotes to the Table of Frequency Allocations (Agenda Item 1.1). A member of the IARU core team has been assigned to follow each of these five items, but the greatest focus is on 7 MHz, Sumner said. Except for SARs (Committee 5) and future conference agendas (Committee 7) the critical agenda items for Amateur Radio are all in Committee 4, chaired by Germany's Eberhard George, DL7IH. His selection to chair a key committee was based on his years of experience in ITU affairs, however, and not on his holding an amateur license, Sumner said. Committees 4 and 5 held organizational meetings June 9 and set up Working Groups that met June 10 and 11. Working Group 4C, chaired by Alan Ashman of Australia, has Agenda Items 1.23 and 1.7, among others. Sub-Working Groups of 4C have been established but have not yet met. These include 4C1 chaired by Don Messer of the United States (Agenda Item 1.23 and two other Agenda Items related to HF broadcasting, 1.2 and 1.36) and 4C3 chaired by Keigo Komuro, JA1KAB, whose panel will deal with Article 25 of the international Radio Regulations, Agenda Item 1.7.1. "After just the first three days there are, of course, no final decisions on any issues and there has not even been formal discussion of the major issues although there has been plenty of informal discussion in the hallways and over coffee," Sumner said, "It is important to remember that nothing is final until the second reading of a document in the Plenary, which in the case of controversial issues will not take place until the final week of the conference, June 30-July 4."--IARU news release (ARRL June 11 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DRM +++ RFI (RADIO FRANCE INTERNATIONALE) TO JOIN DRM`S INAUGURAL BROADCASTS ON JUNE 16TH WITH 24 HOUR-A-DAY, LIVE SHORT-WAVE DIGITAL BROADCASTS. ``It is an historical event,`` says Michel Penneroux, head of TDF SW broadcasting and Chairman of the DRM Commercial Committee ``TDF is proud to make these new service and quality available to Radio France and Radio France Internationale. All these DRM programmes on the air from the entire world together with ETSI and IEC standards mean also a GO given to the industry to enter into the DRM capable digital receiver manufacturing process``. TDF, Radio France and Radio France Internationale are founding members of the DRM consortium in 1998. TDF will broadcast to the Geneva region starting on June 12th, 2003: 12 program hours per day from Radio France, in MW (frequency 1179 kHz), in French, and 24 program hours per day from Radio France Internationale, in SW (frequency 25775 kHz), TDF will make DRM mobile reception available during the conference. RFI, a founding member of DRM, believes in digital broadcast`s ability to give its short-wave transmissions a sound quality approaching FM broadcasting. From 12th to 18th of June, during the WRC organised by the ITU, RFI will broadcast its live, short-wave programmes in Geneva with a DRM transmitter installed on Mont Salève thanks to the French operator TDF. The transmission will take place in the 11 meters band on 25.775 MHz. For the past 10 years RFI has sought to diversify its transmission. Its programmes are on satellite, on FM (more than 100 relays throughout the world) and on the Internet http://www.rfi.fr RFI has nevertheless kept important short-wave facilities to ensure worldwide reception of its programmes. In the future, DRM will provide RFI`s short-wave listening audience with a near-FM sound quality. RFI / Radio France Internationale RFI is one of the major international broadcasters. Together with its daughter-company RMC-Moyen-Orient in Arabic it reaches 45 millions listeners in the world. A team of 350 journalists based in Paris and a network of more than 300 correspondents throughout the world allows RFI to broadcast a programme in French with 58 news bulletins per day, 24 hours a day; RFI also broadcasts in 19 other languages (yet another DRM press release via DXLD) 25775 was DXed some months ago and turned out to be very low power. Is this still the case? (gh, DXLD) 14 LEADING BROADCASTERS TO AIR THE WORLD`S FIRST, LIVE, DAILY, DIGITAL RADIO MONDIALE (DRM) BROADCASTS DURING WRC 03, JUNE 16TH Geneva --- Using a new, universally standardized digital system for short-wave, medium-wave/AM and long-wave, the world`s leading broadcasters will create radio history next week during the International Telecommunications Union`s (ITU) World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC 2003). International, national and local broadcasters will simultaneously send the world`s first live, daily Digital Radio MondialeÔ (DRMÔ) broadcasts toward Geneva, and across the globe, on Monday evening, June 16th, 2003. The non-proprietary, DRM system has received a broader ITU recommendation -- one that spans short-wave, medium-wave/AM and long- wave -- than any other digital radio system in the world. DRM uses existing frequencies and bandwidth. With clear, near-FM quality sound that offers a dramatic improvement over analogue, DRM will revitalize radio in markets worldwide. With the flick of a switch, DRM Chairman Peter Senger will mark DRM`s debut at a glittering evening reception at the Château de Penthes, in Geneva suburb Prégny-Chambésy, June 16. International broadcasters BBC World Service, Christian Vision, Deutsche Welle, Radio Canada International, Radio France Internationale, Radio Netherlands, Radio Vaticana, Swedish Radio International, Voice of America, Voice of Russia and Wales Radio International will participate. Their DRM broadcasts will reach Europe, North America, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand. Within Europe, national broadcasters DeutschlandRadio and Radio France, plus local station Georg-Simon-Ohm-Fachhochschule in Nuremberg, will showcase DRM broadcasts on medium-wave/AM. ``DRM`s introduction will forever alter the course of radio broadcasting,`` says Mr. Senger. ``The fading, noise and interference that have hampered analogue broadcasting for decades will be replaced by DRM`s excellent reception quality. DRM will create exciting new opportunities for broadcasters to expand their audiences and increase time spent listening.`` Coding Technologies GmbH has announced that production of a second- generation, DRM-capable, world band receiver is underway, for distribution in late 2003. Further commercial DRM-capable receivers should become available in stores within two to three years. Also participating in DRM`s debut are Fraunhofer IIS, Nozema, TDF, Telenor/Norkring, Thales Broadcast & Multimedia, T-Systems Media&Broadcast and VT Merlin Communications. WRC delegates will have the opportunity to hear live, DRM test transmissions in listening sessions at the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) on June 12, 13 and 16, and live, daily DRM broadcasts after the June 16th debut, June 17-20. DRM will run free shuttle buses from the CICG (the WRC 03 meeting site) to the EBU on these days. Listening sessions are by appointment, and may be booked at the DRM desk in the CICG lobby starting on June 9th (DRM Press release from Siriol Jane Evans June 11 via DXLD) Not been listening to broadcast stations much recently due to me taking up amateur radio, but on Friday I listening to Wales Radio International --- the first time I had heard it. At the end of their broadcast they announced two hour-long DRM tests as follows: June 17th 1000-1100 UT 9590 kHz, June 19th 1000-1100 UT 9590 kHz Regards, (John R Wells. Derby, June 11, BDXC-UK via DXLD) Latest DRM skeds: http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/html/drm_latest.html (WORLD OF RADIO 1186, DXLD) See also RUSSIA, SWEDEN, and. . .? POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ THREAT TO SHORTWAVE I haven't seen any discussion of this on any of the mailing lists I subscribe to, but the FCC is currently entertaining a proposal for broadband over powerlines that would have the unfortunate side effect of destroying our hobby. Some idiot unfortunately left a good part of the call-to-arms out of this month's NASWA Journal (yes, that would be me, thank you very much), but you can read about it on the NASWA web site at http://www.anarc.org/naswa/issues/200306/tech200306.html (Ralph Brandi http://www.brandi.org/ Shortwave loggings database: http://www.brandi.org/logs/ Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) PLC has been covered extensively in DXLD, which Ralph refuses to read (gh) RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ AM LOOP FEATURED IN BHM Hello Glenn, I just received my copy of the July/August Backwoods Home Magazine and was pleasantly surprised to find it contains an article entitled, "Supercharge Your AM Radio," by Charles A. Sanders, on pp. 66-69. Sanders describes how to build a simple passive AM loop antenna. Included are simple diagrams and a brief sidebar listing web sites, such as http://www.dxing.com and http://www.amfmdx.net BHM is a survival/self-reliant-living magazine, and this article is aimed at those particularly in rural areas who want to enhance AM listening. I'm not a builder, so don't know how reliable the instructions are for this project, but assume it wouldn't be too difficult for those so skilled and inclined to try it. I believe BHM is available on news stands, and several of each issue's articles are posted on their web site at http://www.backwoodshome.com Articles for this new issue may not be available online until late June or early July, though (John Wesley Smith, Hallsville, MO, June 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 11 JUNE - 07 JULY 2003 Solar activity is expected to range from low to high levels during the period. Regions 365, 375 and 380 have the potential to produce major events during the period. A major event is possible from Region 375 and 380 early in the period and from Region 365 when it returns to the visible disk on 15 June. Late in the period Regions 375 and 380 are due to return to visible disk and will keep the forecast at moderate levels through the end of the period. A greater than 10 MeV proton events is possible early in the period in association with a major flare event from Region 375 or 380. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux is expected to reach high levels on 11 – 13 June, 30 June – 03 July, and again on 06 – 07 July. The geomagnetic field is expected to range from quiet to major storm levels during the period. Quiet to active levels are expected during the first half of the period with isolated minor storm levels possible. With the return of a large southern coronal hole on 28 June activity is expected to be at unsettled to minor storm levels with isolated major storm levels possible. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2003 Jun 10 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 Jun 10 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2003 Jun 11 150 20 4 2003 Jun 12 145 12 3 2003 Jun 13 140 10 3 2003 Jun 14 135 10 3 2003 Jun 15 130 12 3 2003 Jun 16 130 12 3 2003 Jun 17 130 20 4 2003 Jun 18 120 25 5 2003 Jun 19 115 20 4 2003 Jun 20 115 20 4 2003 Jun 21 115 20 4 2003 Jun 22 120 20 4 2003 Jun 23 120 20 4 2003 Jun 24 120 30 5 2003 Jun 25 120 25 5 2003 Jun 26 120 25 5 2003 Jun 27 120 15 3 2003 Jun 28 120 15 3 2003 Jun 29 120 30 5 2003 Jun 30 120 30 5 2003 Jul 01 115 25 5 2003 Jul 02 115 15 3 2003 Jul 03 125 15 3 2003 Jul 04 130 20 4 2003 Jul 05 135 20 4 2003 Jul 06 140 20 4 2003 Jul 07 145 20 4 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via WORLD OF RADIO 1186, DXLD) ### ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-104, June 12, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3f.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 In case anyone be confused, previous issues were 3-102 and 3-103, tho the subject line of the first one read 3-012. Evidently all other references and hyperlinx were correct (gh) NEXT AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1186: RFPI: Fri 1930, Sat 0130, 0800, 1400, 1730, 2330, Sun 0530, 1130, 1830, Mon 0030, 0630, 1230, Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0730, 1330 7445 15039 WWCR: Sat 0600, Sun 0230 5070, 0630 3210, Wed 0930 9475 WJIE: Sat 0930, Sun 1030, 1630 7490 13595 [maybe] WINB: Sat 1730 13570 WBCQ: Mon 0445 7415 WRN: Rest of world Sat 0800; Europe Sun 0430; North America Sun 1400 WRN ONDEMAND [from Fri]: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1185.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1185.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1185h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1185h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1185.html [soon] MUNDO RADIAL, junio-julio 2003: ESCUCHAR A PEDIDO: BAJABLE: http://www.k4cc.net/mr0306.rm CORRIENTE: http://www.k4cc.net/mr0306.ram GUIÓN: http://www.worldofradio.com/mr0306.html DIFUSIÓN: a partir del 13 de junio, cada viernes alrededor de las 2115 y miércoles 2100 en WWCR, 15825; en segmentos por Radio Enlace de Radio Nederland, los viernes y domingos. MUNDO RADIAL EN SINTONIA DX Saludos cordiales Amigo Glenn Hauser. Espero se encuentre Ud muy bien. El motivo de mi correo es para participarle que he bajado sus informaciones de internet y serán colocadas al aire a traves del programa Sintonía DX, en dos partes de 7 y 8 minutos cada una, los dias sabados entre 8 y 10 de la noche hora local de Venezuela. [UT Sun 0000-0200]. Espero contar con su autorización y valiosas informaciones, para seguir consolidando a Sintonía DX, como el único programa diexista que se realiza en Venezuela con dos horas de duración y donde solo se hacen comentarios de la radio, a través de Unión Radio Porteñas 640, en Puerto La Cruz, Estado Anzoátegui, Venezuela. Atte: (José Elías, Venezuela, June 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANGOLA. ANGOLA TO ALLOW PRIVATE SHORTWAVE RADIO STATIONS Under legislation currently being prepared in Angola, the government will lose its monopoly of shortwave broadcasting. Media Minister Hendrick Vaal Neto announced this week that not only will private TV channels be allowed under the legislation to be presented to the National Assembly, but also the establisment of privately-run short wave radio stations. The legislation involves modifications to the existing Press Bill, However, Vaal Neto cautioned that financial considerations might limit the number of new stations that are actually set up (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 12 June 2003via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA [non]. UZBEKISTAN(non): New schedule for Voice International in Hindi: 0100-0400 on 11850 via TAC 100 kW / 153 deg 0500-0800 on 13630 via TAC 100 kW / 153 deg ||||| new transmission 1100-1700 on 13635 via DRW 250 kW / 303 deg ||||| cancelled {NOT} 73 from Ivo and Angel! (Observer, Bulgaria, June 11 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Radio Itatiaia (Belo Horizonte) which is quite a rare station here in the middle of Europe due to its early sign off (listed as 1900 UT) has been heard on 5969.94 kHz this morning (12 JUN 2003, around 0400 UT). They had long comments on Copa do Brasil (soccer championship) with replays of the best goals. Heard until fade out at 0450 UTC (almost 2 hours after our local Sunrise)... GOOD DX, (Karel Honzik, the Czech Republic (Czechia), AOR AR-7030 30 m Long Wire, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** CANADA. BROADCAST REVIEW PROPOSES OVERHAUL By SIMON TUCK, With a report from Gayle MacDonald in Banff Thursday, June 12, 2003 - Page A4 OTTAWA -- A two-year study of Canadian broadcasting has called for a vast overhaul of both the industry's public and private wings, but points in a starkly different direction than a parallel parliamentary committee did just six weeks ago. The report by the House of Commons heritage committee, the industry's first major review since the introduction of the Broadcasting Act in 1991, calls on Ottawa to provide more financial support for the industry, greater Canadian content in programming and advertising, and a greater emphasis on local programming, and to amalgamate departments and laws that guide the industry. . . http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPPrint/LAC/20030612/UCASTN/TPNational/ (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) Another version: KEEP LID ON FOREIGN OWNERSHIP: BROADCAST REPORT By SIMON TUCK, Globe and Mail Update, UPDATED AT 6:12 PM EDT, Wednesday, Jun. 11, 2003 http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030611.wbrd0611/BNPrint/Entertainment/ (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** CANADA. TORONTO CN TOWER FM OUTAGE PLANNED MONDAY MORNING Not only is there a planned outage of the FM stations at the CN Tower this Monday morning from 2-4 am (approx) but look at Bill Hepburn's tropo map for that morning. Things could get, well... let's only hope the forecast doesn't get downgraded over the course of the next few days. Although Toronto is on the fringe and in the blue, we're close enough to get in on any action, if it happens as predicted. http://www.globalserve.net/~hepburnw/tropo.html Keep in mind that Monday morning means very late Sunday night. Some stations use reduced, auxilliary power. Watch for the following: 91.1, 94.1, 97.3, 98.1, 99.9, 100.7, 102.1, 104.5, and 107.1 (Saul Chernos, Ont., June 12, ODXA via DXLD) No, it doesn`t really mean late Sunday night. The new day starts at local midnight. Honest! Only those extremely out of touch with reality would think it`s still Sunday. That would be 0600-0800 UT Monday June 16 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. METRO MORNING GETS ITS GROOVE BACK --- CBC Radio wakeup show turns 30 after vainly trying to reposition itself with younger listeners -- MARTIN KNELMAN Andy Barrie --- the mellow-voiced guy from Baltimore who came to Toronto by way of Yonkers and Montreal --- does not usually have to dress for his job as host of Metro Morning, CBC Radio's local wakeup show. Today is different. Barrie is slipping into a double-breasted polyester leisure suit, the better to celebrate the program's 30th anniversary, on air today from 6 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. . . . http://tinyurl.com/e1g6 (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** CANADA. B.C. STATION FIRES TALK-SHOW ICON RAFE MAIR Last Updated Mon, 09 Jun 2003 18:17:40 VANCOUVER --- One of British Columbia's best-known talk-show hosts has been fired from CKNW radio after 19 years on the air. Rafe Mair was forced to leave following complaints by his female producer about his behaviour. She accuses Mair of forcing her to get his coffee and swearing in her presence. The 71-year-old Mair denies forcing her to do anything, and while he admits he swore, he says the words weren't directed at her. FULL STORY: http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/06/09/mair030609 PS: There's a link to an audio interview with Mair and CBC Vancouver's Rick Cluff (From Vancouver.cbc.ca via Bill Doskoch, Sometime CBC.ca worker bee, Toronto, ON via Ricky Leong via DXLD) JUST A TEMPEST IN A LATTE CUP? By Paul Sullivan, Globe & Mail, June 11 They can't fire Rafe Mair, can they? Yes, Virginia, they can. Go to Rafe's spot on the AM dial, CKNW 980, the same spot he's been in for 19 years, and Vancouver's favourite blowhard is gone. Backup blowhard Peter Warren is on the air, manfully pinch-conducting Rafe's orchestra of call-in cranks as they saw away through standards from the repertoire -- as this is written, it's the ever popular welfare-bums-should-get-a-job lament. The man who became the voice of a people, who just said "no" to the Charlottetown Accord, who stopped an Alcan megaproject because it would spoil a salmon stream, has apparently been done in because he used the F word at the office and asked his producer to schlep his shoes. Or was it because he expected her to have coffee with him and put the sprinkles on his latte? Or maybe it was because he once accused the same producer of "acting like a little girl with her knickers in a knot." Is that it? Is that what knocked over the highest-rated talk show host in the history of hot air? We may never know, because while the 71- year-old, self-described "miserable SOB" is no longer broadcasting on the Corus radio network, he is telling his side of the story to anyone who will listen, but the alleged complainant, producer Dallas Brodie, is laying low. And CKNW's program director will say only that CKNW has "ended its relationship" with Rafe Mair over "an internal matter." Full stop. So unless Corus comes clean, this story will remain shrouded in rumour and myth, festering in the "Remedial Media" trash heap of Frank Magazine. Meanwhile, Rafe's 100,000 listeners, not to mention his assorted targets -- politicians, business leaders, celebrities and competitive media bloviators -- are left to mumble in their morning coffee and contemplate the giant black hole that was, until last week, a reliable beacon of blab. Corus and Ms. Brodie, who routinely conspired with "Canada's most contentious radio host," as he's described on his own dust jackets, to kick over rocks and skewer reputations, are now content to broadcast dead air when they should be practising the kind of disclosure they demanded from others day after day. Why do media organizations turn into a combination of the Kremlin and the Vatican when they're the story? U.S. media strategist Mandy Grunwald, writing in the Washington Post about the Jayson Blair-New York Times scandal, puts it bluntly: "The truth is that journalists are used to judging others and not being judged." Ms. Grunwald, who cut her teeth in the Clinton White House, issues a warning that shell-shocked Corus functionaries may want to heed: "The first instinct of most people or organizations in trouble is to close the door and hunker down with your closest associates. This is usually the worst thing to do." The self-congratulatory, four-page attempt by The New York Times to put a lid on the Blair scandal fell short, because "any casual reader -- not in Times management -- could have told them that this 'tell- all' told nothing about the heart of the story. The questions of race or the Times culture or [executive editor Howell] Raines's personal style were glossed over." So while program director Tom Plasteras tries to put a lid on the Rafe Mair firing by eulogizing him as "an icon in our industry and we thank him for 19 brilliant years at CKNW," he says nothing about the "heart of the story." Is there, despite Rafe's protest that he did nothing wrong, real cause for dismissal? And if there is, why won't Corus live by its own standards and tell the whole story? Or any of the story, for that matter? What we need is someone like Rafe Mair to get the boss behind the mike and sweat some answers out of him. But Rafe Mair's gone sailing, and in his place, there's a deafening silence ringing in Vancouver's collective ears (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** CHINA. Today I got a very nice looking QSL card from China Huayi Broadcast Co. I listened to them on 4940 kHz (15 kW), but they are nowadays on 4830, 6185 and 783 kHz. V/s: Qiao Xiaoli, Feng Jing Xin Cun 3-4-304, Changshu, Jiangsu, 215500, P R China. I am quite satisfied with my 20th regional Chinese station verified! Best wishes from (Björn Fransson, the island of Gotland, Sweden, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** CHINA. Six QSLs were sent out: to: Jussi Suokas, Finland Jyrki Hytonen, Finland Bjorn Fransson, Sweden Gert Nilsson, Sweden Jim Solatie, Finland David Martin, Australia All via airmail! If you receive it please tell your friends, or if you could not receive your QSL please tell me! For foreign DXers who don't know any Chinese, CHBC add some English IDs in its DX programme, "The Sky of BCLs"; keep tuning in CHBC on 6185 kHz every Sunday 1600- 1700 UT. Good listening. (Qiao Xiaoli, 2883752@163.com QSL Manager of CHBC, My email address is: dxswl@21cn.com (Qiao Xiaoli, May 30, dxing.info via DXLD) So what is that numerical-looking E-mail address just before it??? There must be a better translation of the program title (gh, DXLD) That reminds me, ** CHINA [and non]. The Thu June 12 VOA TALK TO AMERICA looks very interesting, and I plan to get it from the archive when I can spare 50 minutes: Does Asian Orthography Curb Creativity? - June 12, 2003 Guests: Molly O. Sheehan, Author of WRITING ON THE WALL: HOW ASIAN ORTHOGRAPHY CURBS CREATIVITY. We will discuss Hanna`s thesis that the creativity of East Asians is hampered by their script which according to the author is unwieldy and inefficient (via Glenn Hauser, DXLD) I suppose they are talking about Chinese? There are lots of different ``East Asian orthographies``, some of which are alphabetic or at least syllabic (gh, DXLD) ** CONGO DR. Haven't been on the bands really for ages --- listened in on 6030 kHz as Radio Okapi from (Kinshasa?) would be new to me. Tuned in at 2218 and lovely Congolese songs and western soul was heard. But a hard nut to crack - only once heard the DJ (though then very clear) say 'Okapí --- ' then a few words on local language. Some later DJ announcements which could have been in French - very hard to judge, but absolutely no 'Okapí' could be heard there, and on top of tunes. No other IDs, seemingly, until I left at 2305. Signal peaked here at 2240. Easily reported on soundtrack, but hardly possible 'the old fashioned way'. Not easy to ID at this music hour. 73's OMs (Finn Krone, Denmark, June 10, hard-core-dx via DXLD) Good to hear that you are still alive! Welcome back to the DX-world! The old japanese junk still going strong? I never heard Okapi on 6030, but deep in the night with a very weak signal on 11690 kHz. Yes, they are very tough one to report, hours of african music and a few pop songs in between. Never heard many announcements, just the sung "Okapi"-Jingles every now and then. -- 73 (Martin Elbe, Germany, ibid.) Couple of nights ago Okapi was surprisingly strong on 6030 here and yes: _nice_ to see Finn back on ;-) vy73 (Harald Kuhl, Germany, June 11, ibid.) ** COSTA RICA. Pleased to note RFPI`s 15039 back on air by UT June 10 after perhaps a week`s absence (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COSTA RICA [and non]. [RFPI-Vista] RFPI Online NewsLetter Part Two RADIO FOR PEACE INTERNATIONAL IN NICARAGUA Yes, we get everywhere! At the end of April, our program director Naomi Fowler visited Nicaragua where she helped deliver a three-day radio production workshop and gave a talk about Radio For Peace International at the Ben Linder house in Managua. (Ben Linder was an engineer who worked in Nicaragua as a volunteer helping to set up electricity systems to serve remote areas and was killed by the US- sponsored Contras. The house was built in his memory.) Some of the people who came for the talk at the Ben Linder house had also attended the week-long radio production workshop held at the Radio For Peace studios in Costa Rica back in January with Pauline Bartelone of Free Speech Radio News. Here's the story: I arrived in Managua in the early afternoon, having left San Jose in Costa Rica in the early hours of the morning and travelling through the beautiful mountain ranges between the two countries, passing by the huge lake once across the border in Nicaragua which is surrounded by three dramatic volcanoes, one with the top completely blown off. I was whisked off to a political meeting where I sat in on a discussion about the state of affairs in Nicaragua and criticism of National Assembly representatives who earn huge amounts of money and have perks too numerous to mention whilst so many in Nicaragua are living way below the poverty level with little prospect of anything being done to improve their lot. There was then a speaker talking about the pressure from the IMF on Nicaragua to nationalize their water and the possibilities for resisting this and a discussion on the effectiveness (or otherwise) of Bolaños, Nicaragua's current president who took over from the notorious Alemán, who appears to have stolen more money from his country than all other Nicaraguan presidents put together. I met some members of the Witness for Peace team, some of whom took part in the radio production workshop. Witness for Peace, like the World Association of Christian Churches (WACC) seems to be one of many religious organizations based in Nicaragua with a progressive agenda. Witness for Peace dedicates its time to informing the US public about the effects of their foreign policies on other countries, such as Nicaragua, through visits from delegations which they organize as well as many articles and pamphlets that they research and write aimed at informing and inspiring action back in the US. In the sense that we at Radio For Peace International are all about making visible the connections between actions and consequences (for example, of corporations, governments and of world citizens who allow these things to take place), so are some of these organizations based in Nicaragua. I was impressed by the work many were involved in, and their very thorough knowledge, understanding and sensitivity about Nicaragua. It is not always the case. Although RFP I does not share their religious views, we certainly do share the same vision for the future we would like to see in terms of a total change in the foreign policies of the most powerful governments in the world and we recognize that we are working for the same goals. Some of the streets in Managua and the politically charged atmosphere reminded me in some ways of Cuba. Managua is a surprisingly spread-out city with lots of unexpected greenery and very wide streets. The greenery, it was explained to me, was because of past earthquake damage and fear and lack of money to rebuild. I kept coming back to a feeling of disbelief that there can be so many incidences where a country and its people can be cheated so outrageously, so many times by so many different ideologies, individuals and organizations. I plan to return again soon to make some programming about Nicaragua and the realities of life there today after such a history of revolution, terrible war and its complex aftermath. So, listen out for that on Radio For Peace International. I was interested to visit Nicaragua after having encountered such negative reactions from so many Costa Ricans about Nicaraguans. As is often the case with such attitudes, they often serve among other things as a marker against which we measure ourselves and that which we wish to consider ourselves not to be; something that has its roots in a feeling of insecurity that actually has little to do with Nicaragua or whoever it is who has become the 'bottom of the pile.' The anti-immigration lobby is strong in Costa Rica, despite a tiny population and the fact that immigration boosts the economy. Their largest immigrant population is from Nicaragua and they work at the jobs Costa Ricans tend to consider beneath them. The Costa Rican experience of a not so distant harsher economic reality is still in their recent past and very much motivates what I see as their headlong and largely uncritical rush towards 'Gringolandia' and all things 'Gringo,' cheer-led on by their extremely commercialized media. The Nicaraguan relationship with and concepts of the US are of course flavored by a very different experience. People in Nicaragua told me that the only reason the Nicaraguan economy is still standing is due to migrant workers sending in their wages to their families from all over the world, including from within Costa Rica, and that an average of $2 million US dollars comes into Nicaragua this way each day. 2003 is a pivotal year for Central America with the CAFTA talks (so called Free Trade in Central America). Abel Pacheco (the Costa Rican president) looks set to roll over and say 'yes' to everything. The Nicaraguan President looks set to say 'yes' to whatever he can manage logistically, which, bearing in mind the current complicated state of affairs and the power, not to mention money vacuum, may not be very much very fast. Costa Rica may come to regret their greater state of preparedness and their more positive view of the US. There is at least some talk at least in the media in Costa Rica (and much more in the Nicaraguan media) about Mexico's experience so far of 'free trade' and the very good economic reasons why Costa Rica and Nicaragua should really be thinking very carefully about making any agreements at all. It is going to be a turbulent time. Neither country wants their water privatized and they will come out onto the streets to stop it happening. I can only hope that their governments are more democratically minded than in my own country, Britain and take some notice. Costa Rica is in great danger of falling foul of US foreign policy, like the neighboring countries it has tended to distance itself from in the past. II am reminded of John Donne's poem, 'no man is an island entire of itself' and in some ways I am reminded of my own country Britain isolating itself within Europe (as Charles de Gaul so rightly predicted) in favor of the 'special relationship' with the US and how that continues to problematize our participation in Europe and a lot more besides. I sat and talked with two long distance lorry drivers on the border between Nicaragua and Costa Rica on my way back to RFPI and found myself being asked which Latin American country I liked best. It was obviously a loaded question and when I said I had found Nicaraguans to be extremely friendly, they smiled approvingly. I asked them if they were Nicaraguan. No, they told me, one was from Guatemala and the other from El Salvador. They told me that of all the Central American countries they drive through each week, they disliked driving through Costa Rica because of the discrimination they said they were subjected to, but when they entered Nicaragua, they felt they were coming home. I wonder how opposition to the CAFTA talks will manifest itself this year in Central America. In Nicaragua, it looks like the struggle against water privatization is gaining momentum and will be big. In Costa Rica, those such as Rodrigo Carazo (Costa Rican ex-president and RFPI Board member) will continue to speak out against the agreement and RFPI will focus increasingly this year on covering this issue. We are also focusing more and more on bringing you independent news from the Central American region in our new daily RFPI news shorts at 2130 UT. We hope to build on this Central American progressive news service with help from our colleagues in Nicaragua in the future. You, like us, will have noticed that some parts of the world do not seem to exist in other parts of the world. That's what we are all about here at Radio For Peace International and with your help and support, we will go on trying to facilitate access to the airwaves of these issues, people and countries who seem to be invisible or 'un- newsworthy' to other media groups who are not motivated by the same principles as we are. Members of the group I met in Managua plan to work on a weekly progressive news report about Nicaragua for RFPI, and I also talked with people who work with indigenous groups in Nicaragua with whom we may work in the future in a project similar to the one we are currently embarking on with the Huetar indigenous group in Costa Rica where the radio station is located. We are helping them set up an AM community radio station and there are also plans to make a series of recordings of their oral history as well as a special project to preserve their language which is dying out. The Huetar eventually want to build a National Indigenous Learning Center and a school not just for indigenous children but for all children. We are very happy to be a part of such projects and we will update you on their progress as well as any new ones which may come up in Nicaragua in the future. With trips such as this latest one to Nicaragua, we can build on our network bringing you even more independently sourced information and analysis from around the world. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Radio For Peace Internacional, PO Box 75, Ciudad Colón, Costa Rica Central America Tel. +506 - 249 1821 Fax. +506 - 249 1095 Web site: http://www.rfpi.org Email: info@rfpi.org For Pay Pal donations with a visa credit, visa debit or mastercard, you can click on the Pay Pal icon on www.rfpi.org -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- (RFPI-Vista mailing list June 11 via DXLD) ** CUBA. Radio Rebelde, captada en la frecuencia de los 11655 kHz a las 1236 UT, estaban transmitiendo el programa: Haciendo Radio, donde entrevistaron a Hebe de Bonafini, presidenta de Mujeres de La Plaza de Mayo, quien dijo "La visita de Fidel a la Argentina ha sido algo maravilloso para nuestra juventud y su discurso fué magistral; nos dijo los pasos a seguir para salir de la crisis que sufre nuestro pueblo". Atte: (José Elías Díaz Gómez, Venezuela, Conexión Digital via WORLD OF RADIO 1186, DXLD) That`s certainly a new frequency for them (gh, DXLD) ** CUBA. RADIO TRANS MUNDIAL (RTM) ESTÁ EN CUBA RTM está acondicionando un estudio de grabación en La Habana. Se espera que los primeros programas comiencen a ser grabados en septiembre. Estos serán transmitidos a partir del próximo año desde Bonaire donde se encuentra el transmisor más cercano a Cuba. El Estudio formará parte del Centro Bautista ubicado en la esquina Zulueta y Dragones de La Habana Vieja. En las grabaciones participará un equipo formado por personas provenientes de diversas denominaciones evangélicas existentes en la Isla. Del 19 al 22 de mayo pasados tres líderes de RTM impartieron en Cuba el Seminario ``Comunicación por radio``. El objetivo fue entrenar a los posibles miembros de lo que quedó finalmente conformado como el grupo RTM-Cuba. Unas 40 personas acudieron a dicho entrenamiento en el Campamento Bautista ``Marta Cabarrocas`` en el Valle de Yumurí, Matanzas. Los entrenadores fueron: Alan Bachmann, directivo de RTM; Lemuel Larrosa, Presidente de la programación iberoamericana y su hijo Esteban Larrosa que preside el grupo RTM-Uruguay. Como parte del seminario se impartieron diversos talleres y conferencias tales como: ``Teología de la Comunicación Cristiana``, ``Diez maneras de superar la sequía del productor de radio``, ``Fortalezas y limitaciones de la comunicación por radio``, ``¿Cómo hacer entrevistas y presentar testimonios en radio?``, ``Escribiendo para la radio``, ``La importancia de una buena voz para la radio``, y otros. A propuesta de RTM los cubanos grabarán dos programas. Uno dedicado a la familia de 28 minutos semanales y otro de reflexión con formato de cinco minutos con cinco frecuencias semanales. Por acuerdo del grupo RTM-Cuba los respectivos programas se llamarán ``Asuntos de familia`` y ``Desafíos para la vida``. Al frente de RTM-Cuba se encuentra Alberto González, destacado líder evangélico cubano y prolífero escritor. Él será el contacto entre RTM Internacional y RTM- Cuba y coordinará el proyecto a nivel nacional. Para los evangélicos cubanos involucrados en el proyecto este constituye una valiosa oportunidad de utilizar la radio nuevamente. Estos grupos religiosos tuvieron diversos programas radiales hasta 1962. Sólo al Consejo de Iglesias de Cuba se le concede actualmente (desde finales de los 90) la posibilidad de un programa de 20 minutos al mes a través de la emisora CMBF ``Radio Musical Nacional`` conocido como: ``El Evangelio en marcha``. Sin embargo la mayoría de los evangélicos cubanos considera insuficiente esta opción. RTM es una organización internacional misionera de difusión evangélica que trasmite programas semanales en más de 185 idiomas y dialectos desde 13 lugares principales, a través de satélite y 2300 emisoras afiliadas. Diariamente la programación de RTM alcanza a millones de oyentes en unos 160 países (Reporte de Mario Lleonart Barroso, desde Villa Clara, Cuba, June 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DENMARK. Re DXLD 3-101: Having read the article about the end of broadcasts from Radio Denmark on shortwave, why do they not add some Danish broadcasting to their mediumwave schedules? I am sure that it would be possible to reactivate the transmitter at Kalundborg which was previously in use on LW243khz during morning hours. They already run several languages for foreign workers in Denmark and I have heard the transmissions sometimes during evening hours. Schedules at present: ENGLISH: 1030, 1710 and 2200 hrs - MW 1062 khz ARABIC: 1035, 1715 and 2205 hrs - MW 1062 khz URDU: 1040, 1720 and 2210 hrs - MW 1062 khz TURKISH: 1045, 1725 and 2215 hrs - MW 1062 khz SOMALI: 1050, 1730 and 2220 hrs - MW 1062 khz BOSANSKI, SRPSKI & HRVATSKI: 1055, 1735 and 2225 hrs - MW 1062 khz TX: MW 1062 khz = Kalundborg, Denmark. Power unknown but probably 250 kW. So why don't they relay a selection of Radio Denmark's national services in Danish on LW 243 khz? Nothing else uses that frequency at present here in UK. Best 73s to all DX-ers (DXDave, Bristol, UK, June 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. Hello Mr. Hauser, I also enjoyed very good reception of DX Partyline at 1230Z Saturday on 15115 kHz from HCJB Quito. Allen Graham commented on the novelty of having breakfast with listeners, did not mention anything about US relays. He did mention the HCJB staff managed to come up with new 4 QSLs for 2003 (they had been using up old ones from previous years for 2003 reception reports). These QSLs will feature Ecuadorian volcanoes, which should be quite worthwhile to send for. In the final two days of the evening releases, the hosts of Studio 9, Musical Mailbag, and Ham Radio Today bid moving farewells to listeners, thanking them for their loyalty to the station. Have also heard mention of an expanded program schedule from HCJB Australia, wondering if they'll revive one of their two popular mailbag programs, perhaps with Saludos Amigos host Yvonne Kennedy who's now back in New Zealand. 73s (Ben Loveless, WB9FJO, MIchigan USA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DXPL`s new webpage has finally appeared: http://www.hcjb.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=173 Altho the homepage above gives the correct schedule, a woefully outdated schedule appears in the new redesigned format at! http://www.hcjb.org/Sections+index-req-viewarticle-artid-174-page-1.html Audio archives finally includes the latest edition, but all pre-2003 files have been de-listed (and de-leted?) http://www.hcjb.org/dxplaudio.php It appears the page linking to the other major DX programs has been eliminated; at least no link to it now appears. Another page, ``Upcoming DX Events`` which is linked has no content, so perhaps they are not quite finished: http://www.hcjb.org/Sections+index-req-viewarticle-artid-174-page-1.html There are certainly lots of Upcoming DX Events, as in the CONVENTIONS AND CONFERENCES sections of many recent DXLDs (Glenn Hauser, June 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Portuguese service is celebrating 39th anniversary. Eunice Carbajal does the DX program in Portuguese ``DX-HCJB`` Sat 0830 on 9745; Sun 0100 on 11920, 12020; 1730 on 15295. New QSL cards for 2003: 4 cards depicting volcanoes in Ecuador active in last few years; one each 3 months. The cards were delivered last week, after pressure from Allen et al. to continue QSLing contrary to previous cost-cutting plans. [Confirming our suspicions,] missing DXPL last week on HCJB-Australia was not intentional, but an automation breakdown (Allen Graham, HCJB DX Partyline June 7, notes by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. R. Cairo in English, 9755, 30 May, 1703 UT, SINPO 33543 (Robertas Pogorelis, Leuven, Belgium, June 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Never had English at this time or frequency. Are you sure? (gh to Robertas) Yes, I definitely heard the ID. Listened to it until 1715 UT, by the way (Robertas Pogorelis, Leuven, Belgium, June 11, WORLD OF RADIO 1186, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ERITREA & ETHIOPIA [nons]. U A E: Frequency change for UNMEE via Al-Dhabbaya: 0900-1000 Sun Amh/Tigr NF 21790 DHA 250 kW / 225 deg, ex 21715 to avoid VOT (Observer, Bulgaria, June 11 via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. RUSSIA: New station via UNID transmitter in Russia --- Radio Solidarity in Tigrina: 1700-1800 Sunday on 12120 (55544), ex 1600-1630 Wed/Sat on 15265 via DTK/JUL (Observer, Bulgaria, June 11 via DXLD) Not new, as recently discussed here (gh, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. ONLINE AUDIENCE WITHIN RADIO'S RANGE --- COMPUTER-SAVVY LISTENERS OFFER STATIONS THEIR LONG-DISTANCE DEDICATION 06/10/2003 By CRAYTON HARRISON / The Dallas Morning News NEW YORK -- Kellie Rogers searched the radio dial in vain for a station that consistently plays music she likes. The Brooklyn resident couldn't stand the New York airwaves, loaded with commercials and rarely straying from a small list of songs in regular rotation. She finally found a station that played the eclectic mix of music she was looking for – broadcasting more than 2,000 miles away in Seattle. Driven by a thirst for music she can't find on local radio, Ms. Rogers is part of a small but growing number of listeners nationwide using broadband Internet connections to loyally listen to stations outside their own towns. . . http://www.dallasnews.com/latestnews/stories/061003dnbusnetradio.1c426.html or http://www.topica.com/lists/SOUNDOFF/read/message.html?sort=d&mid=1713347510&start=3793 (via John Callarman, KA9SPA, Family Genealogist, Krum TX, WTFDA Soundoff via DXLD) ** IRAN. IRAN'S EXTENSIVE INTERNET PORTAL TO CARRY LIVE BROADCASTS, "REPULSE CONSPIRACIES" Iran is hoping that its national portal will become operational within a month. The technical deputy-director of the Voice and Vision Organization, Engineer Afrasiabi, speaking to the radio's Central News Unit, said: "The objective of this very extensive internet base is to develop the domestic technology in this field and to repulse conspiracies of the foreign news media." He added that hopefully the base would eliminate the need for the people to access the international internet network to obtain information. The following is text of a report broadcast by Iranian radio on 10 June Iran's national portal will become operational within a month. This was announced by the technical deputy-director of the Voice and Vision Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Engineer Afrasiabi. He said: Portal is the name given to the service-provider base in the internet network [words portal and internet as heard in English]. He pointed out: The objective of this very extensive internet base is to develop the domestic technology in this field and to repulse conspiracies of the foreign news media. And this base will place the services provided by the relevant institutions of the country's private and state sectors at the disposal of the subscribers. Afrasiabi added: The first service provided by this huge base will be the subjects taught at Science Application University. And moreover, the base will provide computer lessons to the applicants who wish to obtain the international ICDL [as heard in English] certificate. Engineer Afrasiabi, speaking to the radio's Central News Unit, said: [voice recording] In the first phase, we shall provide lessons on electronic mail; and at the same time we shall carry live broadcasts of the [Iranian] radio and television programmes. Furthermore, we shall provide and update news, local and provincial information as well as some of the audio and video material available in the archives of the Voice and Vision Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran. We shall also provide other interesting material demanded by the people. We hope that the first phase of this base will become operational within the next month. We shall also create similar bases in other provinces in order to enable the local people to receive good quality information rapidly, without the need for them to access the international internet network to obtain such information. We hope that such bases will become operational in all provincial capitals of the country by the end of the current year [20 March 2004]. We hope that this will be a major step in accommodating the information supplied by the state departments and the people. In fact, this will realize our objective of having our own national portal. Source: Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Tehran, in Persian 0330 gmt 10 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) What`s the URL, Khamanei? ** IRAN [non]. AZERBAIJAN[non]/IRAN[non] The following article published in March by the Swedish-based, Azerbaijan-related website "Cehreganli" http://www.cehreganli.com/xeberler/radiok-english.txt might indicate that The Voice of Southern Azerbaijan (Güney Azärbaycan Säsi Radiosu) towards Iran has been transmitted (resp. still is being transmitted) from Azerbaijan on SW, and the station has been planning to ask the Azerbaijani Communications Ministry to change from SW to MW - provided that the reported press conference has been taken place in the Azerbaijani capital. Note that the text misspells the last used frequency 9375 as "9537". --- begin quote --- Voice of Southern Azerbaijan to be on air since March 21 Founders of the radio will apeal to the communication ministry to alter the broadcasting from short waves to middle waves 525ci qazet 2003-03-19 Head of the Baku Bureau of Southern Azerbaijan National Revival Movement (SANRM), Hussein Turkeli, head of Swedish Bureau Mahmud Bilgin and employee of the Radio of Voice of Southern Azerbaijan Afsane Sulduzlu gave a press conference yesterday (March 18). In his address H. Turkelli said they decided to strengthen the activity of Radio of Voice of Southern Azerbaijan, which is broadcasted 2 times a week from 20:00 to 20:30 in short waves ranging 31M 9537 [sic] MH frequencies. According to him, key objective of establishment of this Radio was to organize the propaganda of a struggle conducted by 5 Southern Azeris for heir destiny and liberation. However, the Iranian regime is very much concerned by the activity of this radio and set up anti- propaganda campaign in this respect. He said that they are planning to appeal to the Communication Ministry to alter the broadcasting from short waves to middle waves. Sevda Ilhamgizi --- end quote -- The station's webpage http://www.cehreganli.com/media/radio.html provides updated audio files of the broadcasts. The broadcasts are in Azeri, not Farsi as reported in other sources. They might possibly be produced in Sweden, as Stockholm is occasionally mentioned in the programmes (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, June 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN [non]. FRANCE (non): Voice of Iran in Persian via ISS 500 kW / 090 degrees effective June 1: 1630-1730 (ex 1530-1730) on 17525 (55555) (Observer, Bulgaria, June 11 via DXLD) MOLDOVA: Radio Anternacionale/Radio International in Persian now on air: 1630-1700 on 13800 KCH [Moldova] 500 kW / 115 deg, ex 1630-1715 via KVI 250 kW / 105 degrees (Observer, Bulgaria, June 11 via DXLD) ** IRAQ. MARS OPERATIONS BEGIN IN IRAQ; MORE OPERATORS SOUGHT The Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) is poised to start the flow of messages between troops in Iraq and Kuwait and their families and friends back home. The first MARS licenses have been issued to soldier stations in Iraq and Kuwait, and a broad range of frequencies has been assigned for MARS use. MARS also is operational in Afghanistan. Daniel Wolff, assistant affiliate MARS coordinator for Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia, reports that four soldier licenses had been issued as of June 1 but he hopes there will be many more as active hostilities wind down. These new operations will open up MARSgram and phone patch communications for troops stationed beyond the reach of e-mail and cell phones. Just about every company-size unit overseas has high frequency radio equipment in house --- or, more likely, ``in tent.`` While preparedness to provide emergency or contingency communications backup now occupies first place, handling ``morale and welfare traffic`` is another role MARS members still can play. The only drawback is the shortage of stations to receive it. MARSgrams are being handled at least one-way. Those addressed to Iraq or Kuwait are transmitted by radio to the nearest MARS gateway station, then refiled into the Military Postal System for delivery. This shaves days or weeks off the time it takes a message going by mail. Information on sending MARSgrams is available on the Army MARS Web site at http://www.netcom.army.mil/MARS Now that most hostile action has ceased, Wolff says, MARS should be among the organizations assuming a humanitarian and support role --- if only there were more stations in the region. FCC-licensed amateurs may apply for an overseas MARS license much as they would in the US, except that some additional information is required. Commanding officers may also apply for a MARS station license for their units and are exempt from the FCC Amateur Radio license requirement, he explained. Full information and application forms are available to overseas applicants by e-mailing Wolff at aem1wf@qsl.net" or for US amateurs by visiting the US Army MARS Web site at http://www.netcom.army.mil/MARS/ (Bill Sexton, N11N/AAA9PC via ARRL June 11 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ [non]. Just got back from Alexandria with the suntan all over --- HI, and sitting on the beach, watching sunset. It was cool. Back to R. Free Iraq on 15495 kHz. Here's my report about it after getting the frequencies they announce at the beginning of the transmission it was like that: from 1400 till 1700 UT on the following frequencies: 9705, 9825, 11805, 13755, 15170, 17740, 17690 [out of order sic] OK, not a word about 15495 kHz. One more thing: according to their web sites, here's the frequencies used from 1400 till 1900 UT: 1400-1600 1314 MW Every day 1400-1700 9825 SW Every day 1400-1500 13755 SW Every day 1400-1700 15170 SW Every day 1400-1700 17740 SW Every day 1500-1900 11805 SW Every day Here in Cairo I could hear only the following frequencies: 9825 kHz SIO 222 13755 nothing heard 15170 SIO 333 17740 SIO 433 That's according to their web schedule; but according to their announced frequencies: 9705 a very weak station but not R Free Iraq 11805 SIO 222 17699 SIO nothing heard 15495 is the strongest frequency of that punch of frequencies. I'd give it SIO 444. I sent an e mail to the station on iraq@rferl.org and got an automatic reply that really made me a little bit pissed off and confused!! Read carefully: I will be out of the office starting 06/07/2003 and will not return until 06/15/2003. I will respond to your message when I return on October 29. If urgent please contact Acting Director Kamran Al- Karadaghi karadaghik@refrl.org or Secretary Patricie Rejzkova rejzkovap@rferl.org So if they are out of office from 7th till the 15th of June, why would they reply by OCTOBER 29th????? What a quick service. [maybe that was a mistake --- gh] Anyway sent another e mail to Karadaghik@rferl.org and guess what --- wrong e mail!!!! it bounced back!!!!!! So my last hope was Patricie, but she's just a secretary so would she be able to talk technically about 15495?? Where from and that stuff, though I doubt it. But still crossing my fingers, and my toes as well. HI. Will keep you posted. All the best from Cairo (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, Egypt, June 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ [non]. Mezopotamian Radio and TV heard tonight (June 11th) on 7560 kHz at 1700 with a couple of announcements in English during the one hour transmission. The rest of the programming consisted of just very nice music, played non stop. 73 from (Björn Fransson on the island of Gotland, Sweden, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** ISLE OF MAN. 1368 kHz, 26 May, 2300 UT. Announcement: ``It`s midnight on the Isle of Man. This is Manx Radio``. QRM from a BBC station on the same frequency at about the same level, so at times was difficult to distinguish between the two! Received a nice picturesque QSL-card, stickers and printed materials in record time --- one week! (Robertas Pogorelis, Leuven, Belgium, June 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. Here's a piece about possible cutbacks in Israel Radio's domestic networks. 73- (Bill Westenhaver, QC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) GASPING FOR AIRWAVES --- By Zipi Shohat Employees at Voice of Music and Israel Radio's Reshet Aleph have grown accustomed to hearing bad tidings. An attempt made several years ago to transform Reshet Aleph into a religious radio station failed; two years ago, Voice of Music was told to suspend its live broadcasts and on-location recording of concerts - an edict that was subsequently canceled in part. Now IBA director general Yosef Barel has pronounced a new decree, one that is harsher than the preceding orders. As a consequence of the government-approved cutback in the television and radio license fee, Barel has prepared an efficiency plan, in which one of the most significant steps would be the merger of Reshet Aleph and Voice of Music. The new station would broadcast classical music in the morning (between 6 A.M. and 9 A.M.) and at night (from 10 P.M. to midnight). A truncated selection of Reshet Aleph programs would be broadcast in the intervening hours. For Reshet Aleph, the merger would spell the end of its education, literature, science and health programming. . . The URL is http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=301842 (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) This long article never gets around to mentioning anything about the impact of this on shortwave or external services; but: (gh, DXLD) ** ISRAEL. IBA DG CONFIRMS PLAN TO CLOSE FOREIGN SERVICE The Director General of the Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA), Yosef Barel, today presented his restructuring plan to the IBA managing committee. Under the plan, the Foreign Service of Israel Radio will close. The plan has been necessitated by the government's planned budget cut of NIS 230m (about US$52m) in the period through 2006. This year's budget alone will be cut by NIS 90m (approx US$20m). The plan will see 200 employees taking early retirement, saving NIS 30m (just under US$7m). The IBA will also save NIS 65 million (US$14.7m) by merging or closing some of its networks. Israel-Middle East Television (the Arabic-language satellite station) will be merged with Channel 33. In radio, Reshet Aleph and the classical music channels will be merged into a single cultural network. Channels to be closed, in addition to the Foreign Service, are the Moreshet - Jewish Religious Network and the Immigrant Network (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 11 June 2003, WORLD OF RADIO 1186, DXLD) IBA PLANNING TO MERGE SATELLITE, CABLE STATIONS Under the Ministry of Finance plan, Israel Broadcasting Authority will cut NIS 90 million from this year's budget. . . http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=695952&fid=942 (via Jilly Dybka, June 12, DXLD) ** ITALY. Dear friends, Just a short note to inform you that we have updated out page with information on European Gospel Radio. Our International station has been active in spreading the Gospel to millions of listeners worldwide since 1988. Our organization is quite small, independent and non denominational, and for so many years we have helped many Christian producers in covering the world at often less than the cost of a single market at home. We are based in Milano, Italy, and besides Europe, we can now reach such troubled regions as Iraq, China, India, the Middle East, the Pacific and Africa with a very powerful signal (from 10 to 1,000 kW = 1 Mega Watt!). Please check here for more information: http://www.nexus.org/IPAR/christian_broadcasters.html If you may help in any way, with financial or any other kind of support please also visit us at: https://secure.nexus.org I will appreciate if you can forward this to anyone interested to the effect of helping each other in fulfilling our aims. Do not hesitate to correspond with us at: info@nexus.org for any information. With best regards from a hot, and sunny Milano, Italy, (Ron Norton, NEXUS-IBA support, PO Box 11028, 20110 Milano, Italy ph: +39 02 70606603 - fax: +39 02 70638151 e-mail : ron@nexus.org http://www.nexus.org via DXLD) ** ITALY [non?]. 6275, 2049-2101 UT, Radio Tre Network. With Italian, English and French announcements (said ``broadcasting from the centre of Italy``). SINPO 44333 (Robertas Pogorelis, Leuven, Belgium, June 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Date? This was active a few weeks ago; is it still? (gh to Robertas) This was end of May. The last online reference I saw to it was last weekend. Irregular, though, so perhaps not worth mentioning at the moment. I will let you know if I catch it again (Robertas Pogorelis, Leuven, Belgium, June 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KURDISAN [non]. DENGE MEZOPOTAMYA RADIO STATION NOW ON THE INTERNET --- 05 March 2003 KurdishMedia.com - (Translated) The radio station Denge Mezopotamya [Voice of Mesopotamia], which began to broadcast in Kurdish on 18 May 2001, will now reach its listeners through the internet as well. Denge Mezopotamya, which is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, transmits in four Kurdish dialects: Kurmanji, Sorani, Dimilki [Zazaki], and Hewremani. After the radio, which to date has been able to be received in the Middle East, Asia, and Europe, goes into broadcast over the internet, Kurds everywhere who have access to the internet, regardless of what country or part of the world they may live in, will be able to listen to the programs of Denge Mezopotamya and listen live to what is happening all the time. The director of Radio Denge Mezopotamya, Amed Dicle, answered our questions regarding the broadcasting over the internet and the latest status of the radio. Dicle noted that Denge Mezopotamya is listened to particularly in the prisons and by the guerrillas in the mountains, and indicated that now people everywhere will be able to listen to the radio. Dicle said that There are millions who listen to our radio station in various parts of the world. We are in contact with our listeners every day. [not pronounced ``dikkle``, I think, but something like ``didzh-leh`` --- gh] In particular, our people in the East [Iranian Kurdistan] and the South [Iraqi Kurdistan], despite the difficulties with the telephones, contact us and share their thoughts and feelings with us. We hope that, by means of the internet, we will from now on be able to expand these contacts even further. After expressing pleasure at the contacts with listeners, Amed Dicle pointed out that the broadcasting progresses as a result of criticism and suggestions, and said that Without a doubt we have many shortcomings. And many criticisms come to us on account of these shortcomings. We receive these criticisms as being help to us. The guerrillas and prisoners, in particular, criticize our broadcasts a great deal. And we, for our part, are grateful to them for their showing such interest. Dicle also asked for support from prisoners, and said: In particular, we want the people in the prisons to help us in other ways. They could send us essays and stories. Most up-to-date news The manager of the radio, Dicle, likewise drew attention to the strength and degree of support that the radio gets, and continued as follows: Not only the listeners that we currently have, but also large press agencies and corporations want to work with us. This radio has a great influence. For example, we have the most up-to-date news. Because this voice is the voice of the people, and we have correspondents and contacts in every part of Kurdistan and the world. Originally in Kurdish The web-site of Radio Denge Mezopotamya, which at the moment is working on a test basis, will be in Kurdish, just like its broadcasts to date, and likewise will broadcast over the internet in four Kurdish dialects: Kurmanji, Sorani, Dimilki, and Hawremani. To date, the radios broadcasts have been heard in the Middle East, Asia, and Europe, but henceforth, every Kurd, and anyone else, who wants to listen to it and has internet connections can log into the site at http://www.denge-mezopotamya. Amed Dicle stated that the programs of the radio station have been largely political to date and said: Our 12-hour program will be broadcast at the same time on the internet, in other words, those who want to can listen via the radio, while those who prefer the internet can listen via the internet. We intend to strengthen our programming, and in particular political programs. Likewise, there will be request programs five days per week. On this program, listeners can send requests to us via e-mail for particular songs that they want to have played. Dicle indicated that they now have 30 different programs, that they want to diversify their programming, and that they will henceforth strengthen their schedule with literary, cultural, and historical programs as well as political ones. Seven news bulletins per day are broadcast on Denge Mezopotamya. Of these, 3 are in Kurmanji, 3 in Sorani, and 1 in Kirmanjki [Zazaki]. Dicle said that there are currently no such bulletins in Hewremani or Gorani, but that these dialects do have cultural and literary programs, and there is an intention to institute news programs in these dialects as well should this be possible. The broadcasts of Radio Denge Mezopotamya begin as 7:00 a.m. Amed [Diyarbakir] time, and conclude at 7:00 p.m. [UT+2, now UT+3 ???] Frequency: 07.00 to 15.00: 19 m., 15675. 15.00 to 19.00: 25m., 11530. Internet address: http://www.denge-mezopotamya.com Contacts webmaster@denge-mezopotamya.com Tel: 003253648827-29 Fax: 003253641215 Source: Translated from Kurdish by KurdishMedia.com; originally published in Azadiya Welat weekly newspaper, By Sevda Eldemir, edition of 1 March 2003 (via Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, June 12, DXLD) ** LIBERIA. LIBERIAN GOVERNMENT RADIO UNHEARD ON SHORTWAVE FOR OVER TWO MONTHS Radio Liberia International (also sometimes known as the Liberia Communications Network), which broadcast from Monrovia in support of President Charles Taylor, has not been heard on either of its usual shortwave frequencies - 5100 and 6100 kHz - since 28 March 2003. Transmissions from the station had been erratic even before that date. Source: BBC Monitoring research Mar-Jun 03 (via WORLD OF RADIO 1186, DXLD) ** LIBYA. Voice of Africa. 15205, 1930 UT 6 June. Talk in English about the Revolutionary Committees Movement, than into Arabic at 1932. SINPO 45433. Also, 15610, 1156 27 May in French. At 1159 announced telephone numbers in English, the, ID in French: ``Voix de l`Afrique - -- Voix de la Grande Jamahiriya``. Gave postal address and phone numbers in French. Time signals slightly after 1200, then into Arabic (Robertas Pogorelis, Leuven, Belgium, June 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LITHUANIA. 9710 kHz, RADIO VILNIUS, partial data QSL-card (relay site not given), card shows 'station logo and tower', v/s not given, answer (incl. envelope) looks like the station has no extra money to spend but the staff seems to care for the listeners. In 23 days for a report with no rp to Radio Vilnius, English Service, Konarskio 49, 2600 Vilnius, Litauen (M. Schoech, Germany May 2003, hard-core-dx via DXLD) No reason to believe this be a relay site: 9710 is Sitkunai, Lithuania itself (gh, DXLD) ** LITHUANIA. Updated schedule of foreign MW relays via Lithuania: 612 kHz Vilnius (100 kW ND) 0300-0500 R. Liberty in Belarusian 0500-0700 Overcomer Ministry in English (Sat/Sun) 1300-2100 R. Liberty in Belarusian 2100-2130 R. Polonia in Belarusian 1386 kHz Sitkunai (500 kW ND) 2200-2215 Missionswerk Freundesdienst in German 1557 kHz Sitkunai (150 kW ND) 1800-2000 China Radio Int. in Russian 2000-2030 China Radio Int. in Polish 2030-2100 China Radio Int. in English 2100-2200 China Radio Int. in Chinese (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, June 12, MW-DX via DXLD) ** MADEIRA. Regarding (in DXLD 3-102): ``I could not ascertain when this happened, but Estação Rádio da Madeira, Funchal, 1485 kHz 1kW, is no more, ...`` MV-Eko August 2001 says: "1485 Estação Rádio da Madeira has been off the air since 6 August 2000. The licensing authority declared in a decision dated 5 April 2001 that it intends to revoke the station's licence as a station is not permitted to be off the air for more than two months (except in case of force majeure). http://www.aacs.pt/bd/Deliberacoes/20010405e.htm (via OA)" (Olle Alm, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MAURITANIA. 4845: Monitoring here near Albany, NY. Signal very strong, but audio is somewhat muffled. Man is speaking in Arabic in a tone that is more than conversational but less than highly emotional. Talk continued right through and past 0000 UT, so it would seem that this broadcast is anything but routine. Sign off at regular time (approx. 0101 UT) following Kor`an and national anthem. Carrier off at 0103 (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY, UT June 10, Lowe HF-150 stack A/D DX sloper oriented west to east, (Also monitored easily using Sony SW- 07 with built-on whip), swprograms via DXLD) MAURITANIAN STATE RADIO BACK ON THE AIR Mauritania's state-run radio station was back on the air on Monday night after a weekend of confusion as opponents of President Ould Taya launched an abortive coup attempt. Fierce fighting was reported around the station, which had announced early on Sunday that the coup attempt had failed. It went off the air again during the day. According to eyewitnesses the radio and television building and the education ministry were ransacked by prisoners who had reportedly escaped from cells when prison guards abandoned their posts in the chaos. On Monday, a person who answered a phone call to the radio station said that he was from a presidential army unit, the situation was under control again, and the station was under armed guard. Opposition to the 62-year-old President centres on his pro-western stance. The state media routinely reflects the President's opposition to Islamic extremism. Although Mauritania is an Islamic Republic, the country is one of only three Arab League members to have established diplomatic relations with Israel. Radio Mauritania is widely heard abroad on 4845 kHz (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 10 June 2003 via DXLD) Yesterday evening seemed good for Africa with Mauritania booming in on 4845 kHz. Tuned in on 4845 this very moment and found NO signal whatsoever on 4845 agn, i.e. no Mauritania at ard 1910. News reports at scarce here, when it comes to countries like Mauritania, so haven't been able to follow latest developments. 73's OMs (Finn Krone, Denmark, June 10, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** MONGOLIA. MONGOLIAN CHRISTIAN TV STATION CLOSES DOWN AFTER DISPUTE An eight-year old Christian TV station in Mongolia which claimed huge viewing figures has closed down after a row between its US and Mongolian partners over financing and management. Eagle TV was the result of an unlikely alliance between born-again Christians from South Dakota and the Mongolian government. Its aim was to advance freedom and democracy in Mongolia, as well as promoting the Gospel in the former Communist state, whose people are mostly Buddhist. It claims to have converted 2,500 Mongolians to Christianity. In 1992, a delegation of US Senators and businessmen from South Dakota visited Mongolia. During the visit, one of the Mongolian leaders told the delegation his country needed a TV station here that broadcast news fairly and objectively. He said the government had made a number of contacts, but no one was interested because they didn't feel there was any money in it for them. The delegation was invited to help, and on their return to America they formed an organisation of evangelical Christians called the Among Foundation. The Foundation agreed to finance a new station provided it was allowed to broadcast some evangelical programming. The Mongolian government, keen to establish Western-style broadcasting in the country, granted Eagle TV a licence in October 1995, and the station initially went on the air as a CNN relay. In the Spring of 1996, a news department was set up. Eagle TV began to promote itself as Mongolia's source of unbiased, objective news, and began a local news service on Monday through Friday, followed by a half-hour of CNN world news, voiced-over in Mongolian. But the station collapsed in the spring of this year when the Among Foundation accused their Mongolian partners of failing to pay their share of expenses. The Mongolians responded by claiming that the Americans weren't sharing management control. On 21 April, the Americans closed down the station and took away the equipment. The Among Foundation is now trying to get a licence from the Mongolian government for a station financed and run entirely by Americans. (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 10 June 2003 via DXLD) ** MONGOLIA. 12085, Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, received a nice waterfall full detail QSL card in 62d for taped report. They enclosed a 50 note piece and two uncancelled Mongolian stamps, along with a form letter in Chinese and a program sked in English. The report was sent to the Chinese section (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, KAVT Reception Manager, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** MOROCCO. An up-to-date list of MW transmitters in Morocco including power can be found on the new website of RTM: http://www.rtm.ma/radio/frequences.cfm (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, June 12, MW-DX via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. Dutch Television programme Nova just announced that in a still secret report can be read that there is an advice to stop many activities and cut in the money of Radio Nederland. The organization of journalists is afraid this will be the end of Radio Nederland. More to follow, (Max van Arnhem, The Netherlands, June 11, hard-core-dx via DXLD) REPORT CALLS FOR DEEP CUTS AT RADIO NETHERLANDS A draft report by the McKinsey consulting firm says that Radio Netherlands World Service should make drastic budget cuts. The report was commissioned by the Dutch culture ministry and the state broadcasting system, and parts of it were leaked on Wednesday evening in a current affairs television programme. The report, which is aimed at assessing the efficiency of the state broadcasting system, recommends that Radio Netherlands focus its broadcasts on the Dutch Antilles and Surinam, and cut its budget by up to 83 percent. In a reaction, the Dutch Association of Journalists warns that the proposal, if implemented, would amount to scrapping Radio Netherlands. The financial director of Radio Netherlands, Jan Hoek, says the television programme has misrepresented the report's conclusions. http://www.rnw.nl/news/news.html#3631310 (From Radio Netherlands Website, relayed by Harry van Vugt, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, June 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RADIO NETHERLANDS MANAGEMENT RESPONDS TO TV REPORT This is a special edition of the Media Network Newsletter. Unfortunately a highly misleading story is being circulated on mailing lists and has also appeared on some Web sites. It has resulted in my getting E-mails asking if Radio Netherlands is closing down!! In a nutshell, it isn't. Nothing has changed here, apart from a few people making mischief. The regular edition of the Newsletter will be published tomorrow (Fri) as usual. The following also appears on our Media Newsdesk page: 12 June 2003 Radio Netherlands management have reacted angrily to an item in last night's edition of the Dutch current affairs TV programme Nova. The item was based on a leaked copy of the McKinsey report into the efficiency of public broadcasting that was jointly commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Culture and the broadcasters themselves. Nova seized on one section of the report, suggesting drastic budget cuts of up to 83% for Radio Netherlands. Under this scenario, everything except our broadcasts to the Netherlands Antilles and Surinam would be scrapped. The programme interviewed a representative of the Dutch Association of Journalists, who said this would effectively mean the end of Radio Netherlands. In a press statement this morning, Radio Netherlands management pointed out that the purpose of the report was to identify different scenarios where cost savings could be made, of which the example quoted by Nova was just one. They point out that Radio Netherlands, on its own initiative, has already embarked on a major reorganisation based on budget cuts already planned for the next few years. Decisions on the mission of Radio Netherlands are made by politicians in The Hague, not by other public broadcasters or McKinsey. RN management also point out that a motion was to have been put to the lower house of the Dutch parliament last year, specifically ruling out further cuts to Radio Netherlands within the overall budget for public broadcasting. The fall of the government prevented that motion from being discussed or voted upon, but Radio Netherlands has been told that a similar motion could still be on the cards. In a personal message to staff, Radio Netherlands Director General Lodewijk Bouwens said that he is no more pessimistic about the future of Radio Netherlands than he was before the Nova broadcast. Radio Netherlands' Financial Director Jan Hoek and Editor-in-chief Freek Eland addressed a meeting of staff about the Nova broadcast this afternoon. In answer to a question about why the programme did not contain any official reaction from Radio Netherlands, it was explained that Nova had contacted a number of individuals at Radio Netherlands prior to the programme, but had given the impression that it would be a general item dealing with cuts across the whole of public broadcasting. Given that the McKinsey report has not been officially published, the consensus was that Radio Netherlands should wait until it is in the public domain before commenting. The fact the the item actually broadcast was only about Radio Netherlands came as a surprise. Andy Sennitt comments: Radio Netherlands is regularly the target of critical items by domestic public broadcasters. At a time when the whole of public broadcasting is under financial pressure, they would like to get their hands on RN's budget. Unfortunately, some of the items are poorly researched and unbalanced. This turned out to be one of them. A cynic might conclude that the decision to focus on a scenario where the axe falls on Radio Netherlands was deliberately intended to deflect attention away from other scenarios in which domestic broadcasting would suffer more cuts. This has only made journalists here at Radio Netherlands more determined than ever to maintain their reputation for fair, unbiased reporting, even on issues which directly affect us (© Radio Netherlands Media Network via DXLD) I feel these sorts of criticism only makes Radio Netherlands more determined than ever to maintain their reputation for fair, on the face and unbiased reporting, which makes RN only one among the best examples of dedicated and honest journalism you can always rely on. Best Regards (Baiju, Hanjin Shipping, Dubai, UAE, 12.06.03, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RADIO NETHERLANDS: WE WON'T FADE AWAY http://www.expatica.com/index.asp?pad=2,18,&item_id=31962 73 (via Kim Elliott, Jilly Dybka, DXLD) DUTCH PARLIAMENT LIKELY TO OPPOSE FURTHER CUTS AT RADIO NETHERLANDS I am happy to bring you this news item which just appeared on our Web site :-) Andy -- item -- The media spokesman for the Christian Democrats says a majority in parliament would be opposed to any further cutbacks at Radio Netherlands. He was responding to a leaked report from the McKinsey consultancy firm, which says many of the Dutch World Service's operations can be discontinued. Certain sections of the report were disclosed last night on a current affairs programme on one of the Netherlands' public television networks. Referring to the fact that the report actually focuses on the entire public broadcasting system, and that it recommends cutbacks across the board, the management of Radio Netherlands accused the television programme of highlighting just one aspect, and doing so in biased and one-sided manner. -- ends (via Andy Sennitt, RN, June 12, hard-core-dx via DXLD) Dutch TV programme Nova announced today another part of the still "secret" McKinsey report. Yesterday they informed watchers of the TV programme about an advice for budget cuts for Radio Nederland. If the government follows this advice, this will be the end of Radio Nederland. Today's programme informs us that there is another advice to end the transmissions of Radio 747 AM. Also advises of other budget cuts or end of institutions are mentioned (orchestras and newscast organisations). (Max van Arnhem, The Netherlands, June 12, hard-core- dx via DXLD) Radio Netherlands has already issued a clear and emphatic rebuttal to this story. I fail to see the point of repeating it, unless to cause more mischief than has been caused already. This is not some game; you're talking about the careers of 300 people. I hope this will be the last message on this particular subject (Andy Sennitt, Radio Netherlands, June 12, ibid.) ** NETHERLANDS. The following mediumwave pirate stations have been heard recently (frequencies approximate, +-2 kHz): Graaf Van Luxemburg (``De Count``) 1646 kHz, 31 May, 2124-2130, SINPO 35344. Radio Utopia 1646 kHz, 25 May, 2115-2129 UT, SINPO 35333). Technische Man 1636 kHz, 28 May, 2002-2020 UT, SINPO 35433. Also 1646 kHz, 6 June 2334-2353, SINPO 25422. Radio Anton 1646 kHz, 9 June 2218-2228 UT, SINPO 34233. Zender Barcelona (tentative) 1646 kHz, 2209-2214 UT, SINPO 35323. Radio Barones (``De Baro``) (2147-2152 UT, SINPO 45333, the strongest MW pirate. Also heard in this band: Irene Radio, Radio Satellit (tentative, not mentioned in any listings; only a short QSO), and an unidentified pirate whose name sounded like `Radio Falkland`. Almost sure this is not correct, but it did sound very similar and contained `-land` at the end! (Robertas Pogorelis, Leuven, Belgium, June 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND [non]. Hi, Glenn. In response to Ian Baxter, Australia [DXLD 3-101]: Yes, the word "Dosh" is used here in the United Kingdom to describe money (DXDave, Bristol, England, June 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NICARAGUA. See COSTA RICA ** NIGERIA. QSLing Enugu: How the heck did you manage this one, Joe? All of my attempts have met with failure, other than a flood of the financial scam garbage. Congratulations! Do share your secret of success (Duane Fischer, MI, swl at qth.net via DXLD) Hi Duane and group: No, nothing special done! Basic friendly report direct to the station using: Radio Nigeria-Enugu, P.M.B 1051, Enugu (Anambra), Nigeria. A few IRC's and a few local station stickers as a souvenir. Nothing special! As you know, mail theft is a big thing these days; my recent E Mail follow-up to an Argentine DXer who forwards reports to LRA-36 Antarctica, yields his reply that he never received my report. So one never knows, follow-ups! For countries will a history or suspicion of mail theft, I just send a one page report on "onion skin" paper with a hand cancelled or postal label instead of stamps. Don't give them any impression there is anything to steal! Tricks of the trade, sure some countries! Generally keep sending your reports, nice reports, ask yourself this question before you lick that envelope, would I answer this report? Then after 3 months or so try a follow-up! My old DX buddy Ed Kusalik told me once "never give up", he waited 23 years for North Korea and over 30 years, yes 30 years for Maldives! Remember patience is a virgin, opps, I meant virtue, hi, hi. 73's all (Joe Talbot, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, ibid.) In other cases, Joe has used surrogates such as his globetrotting brother, to hand-deliver reports (gh) ** PARAGUAY. CONATEL DIO A CONOCER EL PRIMER PLAN NACIONAL DE FRECUENCIAS --- Extraído de ABC, Asunción 12 de junio 2003 La Comisión Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (Conatel) dio a conocer ayer el primer Plan Nacional de Atribución de Frecuencias del Paraguay, documento que contiene el mapeo completo de todas las frecuencias disponibles en el país para los diferentes servicios de telecomunicaciones. Desde ahora podrá saberse quiénes operan legal e ilegalmente en el país. Es la primera vez que nuestro país tiene un plan de asignación de frecuencias, tarea que se inició hace tres años después de la Conferencia Mundial de Radios en Estambul, en enero del 2000, y en cumplimiento de los mandatos constitucionales, de la Ley 642/95 de Telecomunicaciones y su reglamentación el Decreto Nº 14.135. El Plan Nacional de Atribución de Frecuencias es el documento técnico normativo que contiene los cuadros de asignación de frecuencias así como las normas técnicas generales para la utilización del espectro radioeléctrico en todo el territorio nacional. Con este documento se tienen diseñadas o mapeadas las diferentes bandas, anchos de bandas y frecuencias que se utilizan en las distintas áreas de telecomunicaciones (radio, televisión, celulares, Internet, TV cable, sistemas de microondas, entre otras). Según el presidente de la Conatel, Dr. Osvaldo Bergonzi, toda licencia del uso del espectro está incluida en este plan y se prevén, en banda y frecuencia, las posibilidades de cada licencia, sea para transmitir señales de radio primarias o secundarias. El plan contiene, además, todos los acuerdos suscritos por el Paraguay para aquellas personas que quieran iniciar una labor de transmisión de emisiones de radios en cualquiera de las esferas que están a disposición y va a poder revisar todo el espectro y saber hasta dónde se puede llegar en las peticiones de licencias, señaló Bergonzi. Por su parte, el diputado electo Víctor Bogado, ex titular de la Conatel, quien estuvo desde el inicio de la elaboración de este proyecto, dijo que el documento es importante para saber cómo se encuentra el espectro, pero que para conseguir un ordenamiento efectivo se debe ejercer un mayor control del mismo a fin de erradicar aquellas operadoras que funcionan ilegalmente. Se puede optar por tercerizar el sistema de control, como en otros países, o si se decide que sea siempre la Conatel, se la debe fortalecer en recursos técnicos y humanos para que el control realmente funcione, indicó (via Levi P. Iversen, Paraguay, June 12, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** PHILIPPINES. 15190, Radyo Pilipinas, Pilipino service (via VOA transmitter). 6 June, 1842-1929 UT, SINPO 35433. A strange language, contains many English and Spanish phrases, so easy to follow without any prior knowledge! Talk about how important it is to be organized, then another talk encouraging not to fall into a ``time trap`` by ``living with the past`` but stick to the present and future. I would expect such programming from a religious station, not from a governmental one! (Robertas Pogorelis, Leuven, Belgium, June 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PHILIPPINES. FEBC changes: 1000-1500 Mandarin on 9420 ||||| cancelled 1330-1400 Ch dialect NF 9835, ex 9810 1500-1600 Cantonese on 9420 ||||| cancelled (Observer, Bulgaria, June 11 via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. 6235, Nevskaya Volna (``Neva Wave``, Saint Petersburg), mainly in Russian. 9 June 2050-2101 (sign-off). Russian pop songs, long announcement with repeated IDs in Russian and English. SINPO 35433. By the way, I used SONY ICF SW-7600GR, with a long wire 7 m indoor antenna for SW, and internal antenna for MW (Robertas Pogorelis, Leuven, Belgium, June 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Studio-Garderica St. Petersburg This has been broadcasting on 9th and 10th June 2003 from 1800 to 2100 UT, as pre-announced, on 6.235 MHz. The broadcasts are expected to continue at these times up to and including 16th June 2003. Due to a combination of disturbed propagation conditions, short skip (believe it or not) and seasonal factors, as well as some D region absorption and its unfortunate 60 degrees north transmitter location (which makes it much more vulnerable to the geomagnetic disturbances, we are at present experiencing). It is only the last hour or so, (2000-2100 UT) which is coming in here at a reasonable level, as, at least, here in the North West of England, darkness starts to approach. I would be interested in any 'spot' observations, that it may be possible to put on BDXC News from different parts of the UK, regarding these transmissions, in order to build up a picture of what reception is like, nation wide. The transmitter is believed to be a 200 kW one beamed to North West Europe, situated just south of St. Petersburg. [many thanks to the Radio Netherlands website for that information (although they say Central Europe)]. The broadcasts consist of short news summaries in several (Baltic?) languages, promotions of St. Petersburg and some (quite attractive, light, pop music, with a beat to it (Ken Fletcher, UK, 2258 UT June 10th 2003, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. DRM: The Voice of Russia launched, yesterday, on June 11, digital broadcasting for Europe. One of the radio company's senior executives, Rachelle Staviskaya says that Geneva and Berlin have both received high-quality VOR broadcasts at the wavelength of 15780 Kilohertz. Ms Staviskaya expects the Voice of Russia's digital frequency modulation standard to be presented at a nine-day international conference that is opening in Geneva on June 12. Other leading broadcasters The Voice of America, the British Broadcasting Corporation and Deutsche Welle - will also introduce this standard. The Voice of Russia will be broadcasting from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in English and German as long as the radio conference goes on in Geneva. 06/12/03, (Voice of Russia News via Sergei Sosedkin, IL, DXLD) ** RUSSIA. RADIO VOICE OF RUSSIA Broadcast schedule from March 30 till October 25, 2003 [all languages] http://www.hard-core-dx.com/index.php?topic=rusdx That`s the June issue of RUS-DX; not sure if there be anything new in it, as the schedule first appeared more than two months ago (gh, DXLD) ** SAO TOME & PRINCIPE. 1530, VOA in English, via STP relay. 9 June, 2204-2215, SINPO 32542, under Vatican until 2209. Glad to have caught this! (Robertas Pogorelis, Leuven, Belgium, June 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [Continued as 3-105!] |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-103, June 9, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. [continued from 3-102] ** U S A. CARDINAL COMMENTS ``The FCC`s decision was the product of a corrupt process that was awash in special-interest money, and that saw industries that are supposed to be regulated telling the regulators how to proceed. The Center for Public Integrity recently revealed that over the past eight years, media companies and their associations paid for 2,500 travel junkets by FCC commissioners and staffers, at a cost of $2.8 million. The Center also revealed that FCC commissioners, their aides and top staffers hosted 71 off-the-record meetings with industry executives in the months leading up to today`s vote. At the same time, only five meetings were held with organizations representing the public interest. Already, watchdog groups and members of Congress are calling for investigations of the cozy relationship between the FCC and the firms that will benefit from these rules changes.`` --- Mega Media Madness by John Nichols & Josh Silver, TomPaine.com ``The rap on Clear Channel is that the company has homogenized radio. A commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission even mocked media consolidation as `Clear Channelization.` [John] Hogan [chief executive officer of Clear Channel Communications] is shocked - shocked - at any such insinuation. He says it`s a misunderstanding. There are no national play lists. The company leaves decisions in the hands of local managers, he insists. . . . Hogan said radio is less consolidated than any other medium because there are still 4,500 station owners, 3,800 of them with a single outlet. That argument is debatable in an industry in which his company and Viacom`s Infinity Radio control upwards of half the revenue.`` --- Dan Haar, CTnow.com ``What practical, real world experience do we have to guide us? Radio deregulation gives us powerful and relevant lessons. When Congress and the Commission removed some of the radio concentration protections, we experienced massive, and largely unforeseen, consolidation. Very quickly after taking actions for radio like those we will take today for television and newspapers, there was a 34 percent reduction in the number of radio station owners. Diversity of programming suffered. Homogenized music and standardized programming crowded out local and regional talent. Creative local artists found it evermore difficult to obtain play time on the air. Editorial opinion polarized. Competition in many towns became non-existent as a few companies -- in some cases a single company -- bought up virtually every station in the market. This experience should terrify us as we consider visiting upon television and newspapers what we have inflicted upon radio. ``Clear Channelization`` of the rest of the American media will harm our country.`` --- FCC Commissioner Michael Copps (Democrat) ``Simply and obviously put, the charming pro-corporate FCC vote enthusiastically slaps all-American ideas of diversity and free speech and open-ended dialogue and dissent, and does everything to promote ideas of more and more benumbed media voices owned by fewer and fewer companies that couldn`t care one whit less about anything but profit and control and the further consolidation of power.`` --- Mark Morford, SFGate.com ``When you combine what`s available on the Internet with a media market offering hundreds of TV channels and soon, satellite radio, it`s hard to believe that fiddling with conventional-media ownership caps will crimp the flow and variety of information. Today`s technology and the human urge to defy received wisdom will always carve a path to an audience. Once let loose in the marketplace, telling facts and valid insights can`t be ignored by mainstream media or these media will run the risk of diminished credibility.`` --- E. Thomas McClanahan, Kansas City Star ``It`s a cruel, ironic joke. The rise of cable TV and the Internet were supposed to democratize the media and give us many voices and numerous points of view. Instead, market forces and deregulation have clobbered diversity. The networks and cable channels have the same owners — Hollywood studios, mainly — and the most popular Web sites for news are those of organizations firmly established before the Web was spun.`` --- Bob Edwards, NPR ``Morning Edition`` anchor ``Predicting the demise of Western civilization over an FCC decision to allow a single owner to hold TV stations reaching 45 percent of American households, instead of 35 percent, and to own more than one TV station in a market, might have made some sense in 1968. In those days, few American cities had more than three stations, and many had only one or two. Now the vast majority of Americans – about 90 percent – can choose from 60 channels or more through cable or satellite.`` --- Glenn Garvin, Miami Herald ``The proposed changes are such a threat to First Amendment freedoms that even some Republicans on Capitol Hill have been brave enough to oppose them. . . . Never mind that a diversity of voices — voices with the ability to be heard —is integral to a democracy. While Powell and his supporters claim that the existence of dozens, even hundreds of channels on cable and satellite systems proves there`s diversity unbound, Powell`s critics note that the diversity is a mere illusion if only five fat companies own all those channels.`` --- Tom Shales, Washington Post ``What about the vaunted 500-channel universe of cable TV saving us? Well, 90 percent of the top cable channels are owned by the same giants that own the TV networks and the cable systems. More channels are great. But when they`re all owned by the same people, cable doesn`t protect localism, editorial diversity, or competition. And those who believe the Internet alone will save us from this fate should realize that the dominating Internet news sources are controlled by the same media giants who control radio, TV, newspapers, and cable. So, how does it promote localism, diversity and competition to allow, as we will allow by our action today, more media concentration in the more than 175 markets with over 90 percent of the American population?`` --- FCC Commissioner Michael Powell (Democrat) ``I`m opposed to the changes, but I`m much more upset that this has not produced enough conversation and dialogue. The way Michael Powell has gone about it is to hide the issues as much as possible, organizing it to avoid debate and hearings, and getting it done largely under the cover of night.`` --- Barry Diller, president, USA Studios and media mogul ``Those opposing today`s order have also emphasized that four companies air the programming that is chosen by approximately 75 percent of viewers during prime time. To me, the critical fact is that these providers control no more than 25 percent of the broadcast and cable channels in the average home, even apart from the Internet and other pipelines. Given these other viewing options, I can only presume that this means that Americans are watching these providers because they prefer their content, not because they lack alternatives. It would be anathema to the First Amendment to regulate media ownership in an effort to steer consumers toward other programming. By the same token, concerns about the degradation of broadcast content do not justify government manipulation of consumer choice. ``Degradation`` is just an elitist way of saying programming that one does not like. While I support adopting prophylactic regulations in the interest of ensuring that consumers have ample choice --- as we have done today -- - I refuse to pour one ounce of cement to support a structure that dictates to the American people what they should watch, listen to, or think.`` --- Kathleen Q. Abernathy, FCC Commissioner (Republican) ``History shows that when you borrow a lot of money to buy new properties, you plow profits back into debt service and you cut costs. And viewers suffer.`` --- Andrew Jay Schwartzman, executive director, Media Access Project ``This FCC action will extinguish the substantial consumer benefits brought on by radio deregulation in 1996. Just ten years ago, nearly 60 percent of the nation`s radio stations were operating in the red, cutting news budgets and laying off employees. Deregulation changed all that. But instead of letting radio stations find better and more innovative ways to serve their listeners, the FCC is intent on turning the clock back to a time when the industry was incapable of providing consumers the variety of programming it does today.`` --- Mark Mays, president & chief operating officer, Clear Channel Communications ``In larger markets, one owner can combine the cable system, three television stations, 8 radio stations, the dominant newspaper, and the leading Internet provider, not to mention cable networks, magazine publishers, and programming studios.`` --- FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein (Democrat) Commentary --- THE NEW FCC OWNERSHIP CAPS: A BAD ENOUGH TRAIN WRECK The FCC`s new ownership cap regulations were not the train wreck many had feared, but they were nonetheless a train wreck. Most of the new regulations concerned television. The cap for the maximum audience a corporation can cover with its owned and operated television stations rose from 35% to 45%. The same company can now own a newspaper and television and radio stations in the same town in major and undersize markets. For radio, the FCC will now reconfigure its definition of a market from contour determined to the Arbitron definition of a radio market. This will be a measure that shifts somewhat the number of stations in a given market that can be owned by one corporation. Further, the noncommercial FM`s will now be included in the tally on which the new method of determining the caps for a given market is based. This is an insidious change that none of the trade press caught. Noncommercial FM`s have small audiences. Add the ratings of all the noncommercial FM`s in a market together and you will seldom reach the sum of the ratings of the top two or three commercials stations. This means that if there are 5 noncommercial stations and 20 commercial stations in a given market, the number of stations a corporation can own in the market is now based on 25 and not 20. If the new method allows them to own one more station in the market, that means they will certainly reach more of the real audience than they would seem to under the new FCC rules, because a commercial station typically has a greater audience. Recall that this concerns only one corporation; there may be two or three others that among them divide up all the commercial stations. Chairman Michael Powell railroaded these changes through. He defied a crescendoing public opinion against it (750,000 messages), ignored the protests of the two Democratic FCC Commissioners that such a monumental change should follow a national series of public hearings. The FCC was invaded all the while by a number of radio megacorporation executives who successfully pleaded their cause. For all that, the new measures did not go far enough for Clear Channel Communications` chairman Mark Mays (the company owns more than 1,200 stations and bought some more this past week), Viacom`s Mel Karmazin, and Louisiana Congressman Billy Tauzin (Republican). Congressman Tauzin wanted even more permissive caps, and Mr. Karmazin is hinting at legal action. It was his company that persuaded the Federal judges that Viacom`s freedom of speech was being hindered by the previous FCC caps. We have here a mix of greed and stupidity. Even some Republicans and conservatives were unhappy about the new rules. Senator John McCain (Republican, Arizona) told a reporter that he has since moved from total deregulator to an uncertain position. Senator Trent Lott (Republican, Georgia) was and remains opposed to more deregulation, and has taken the matter up with other senators. Smaller radio and television corporations oppose the new regulations; it is difficult for them to compete now for advertising dollars, given the sweetheart discounts offered by megacorporations, who have also resorted to computerized stations, voice-tracking, skeletal local staffs, and remotely originated programming to effect economy of operation. Groups as disparate as the National Rife Association and the Consumers Union, musicians and recording organizations, have protested the sale. So have Ted Turner and Barry Diller, both media moguls and very successful. Turner wrote in USA Today that, given the present FCC ownership permissiveness, he could not have started his broadcasting empire today. Fact 1: According to Senator McCain, 85% of the media are owned by 5 megacorporations. Fact 2: Nielsen reports that television is the major source of news for 34% of the population. Fact 3: Five major media companies (AOL Time Warner, Viacom, Walt Disney, News Corp. and General Electric), spent $24.6 million in lobbying the past two years. Fact 4: Clear Channel Communications owns over 1,200 stations and is still buying more; its founder says he wants to own over 2,000. The company owns 6 of the 8 stations in Minot, North Dakota. 30% of total radio revenues go into its coffers each year. So what? you say. What does this have to do with Catholic radio? Apart from the fact that we shall all wind up living in an information- and entertainment-impoverished society when this crop of ownership limits starts to bear fruit, we still need to be concerned. Since the Federal Courts have struck down previous, more restrictive FCC ownership limits, we have no guarantees that these sorry judges will not strike them down again, finding for the media megacorporations, a decision that would lead to even looser ownership caps. Prices of radio stations would soar even higher than their astronomical status, putting them out of the reach of lay groups and the rare diocese. Already the FCC has ``frozen`` all applications for station sales until the Office of Management of the Budget approves its new form 314. The OMB typically takes 6 to 12 weeks to do so. During this interval, how many owners who have been willing to sell to a Catholic group will no longer want to? Who knows that the fetching prices will be by then? Who knows what big megamedia will counteroffer a more attractive price to the seller? If you think this is remote, consider that, even before these new regulations, one Catholic group has already experienced just this problem. --- Michael Dorner WHO OWNS WHAT --- THE BIG FIVE AOL Time Warner: AOL, Time Life Books, CNN, Warner Brothers, Time magazine and its fleet; Atlanta Braves, others Viacom: CBS, Paramount, MTV, Blockbuster, Simon & Schuster, TNN, CMT, UPN, Comedy Center {sic}, United International Pictures, Infinity Radio, Black Entertainment Television. Walt Disney: ABC, Miramax, NBA.com, Disneyland, Disneyworld, Hyperion Books, ESPN, ABC Family Channel, Radio Disney, others. News Corp.: Fox, Fox News, TV Guide, The Weekly Standard, New York Post, Los Angeles Dodgers, Harper Collins books, New York Post, many newspapers around the world. General Electric: NBC, MSNBC, History Channel, Bravo, Telemundo. (Catholic Radio Update June 9 via DXLD) ** U S A. REC OPEN LETTER TO REP. MAURICE D. HINCHEY (D-NY) {Name inconsistently spelt also Hinchley, but Google search, and his own website favour Hinchey --- gh} Hon. Maurice D. Hinchey, First of all, on behalf of REC Networks, I would like to personally thank you for taking the stand that you are on the media ownership issue. You appear to be one of the few who are not addressing strictly television ownership but also radio ownership issues. Unfortunately, unless you live in a remote Western community, then your chances of independent ownership of radio station is almost non-existent. Although I am not a constituent of your area, I do have some small ties to the Hudson Valley area, but this media issue is not just an Upstate issue, but is a issue of national importance. It is my understanding, you are currently crafting legislation, which will, in part, reverse the FCC`s June 2, 2003 decision on media ownership. Please keep in mind that there are other ownership issues that are not getting the proper focus that they should be getting. These ownership issues are related to Non-commercial stations and the future of local low power radio. For example, one single organization, Calvary Chapel of Twin Falls Idaho, have two full power FM stations in the same town but they have a network of over 700 translators (either in operation, under construction or applied for). These translators (relay stations) are in communities across the country, from Florida to Hawaii. This is due to a loop hole that allows a licensee of a non-commercial FM station to set up a translator and program it via satellite (vs. over the air reception that is required of commercial stations). Although this rule was intended to bring educational programming into areas not served by full power FM stations (such as in the mountainous western states and remote places such as Alaska), organizations such as Calvary have exploited this loop hole by setting up all of these translators. Another organization, Educational Media Foundation has over 100 full power FM stations (either in operation or under construction) across the country. All of these stations carry very little to no local content. In the case of the translators, they are not required to monitor local Emergency Alert System (EAS) broadcasts. This means that anyone listening to these stations will not be warned of local weather, evacuation notices or local Amber Alerts. To make matters even worse, the FCC opened up a filing window for new translator applications in mid-March. Of the 13,000+ applications that were filed, over 5,000 of them were from a single organization operating under two different fronts. This organization does not have any licensed FM stations (either on the air or under construction), many of the applications were defective (they would cause interference to other stations) and some applications including willful false statements. We also note that this window was intended more for commercial translators since it involved auctions, the non-commercial applicants dominated the filing window (since they are not subject to auction fees). You wonder, why is REC Networks very concerned about media ownership in the non-commercial arena, especially when a non-commercial station has nothing to ``gain``? It`s all about localism. REC Networks is one of several organizations that is involved in the advocacy and advancement of Low Power FM (LPFM) broadcast stations. Unlike the translators, LPFM stations are originated from local organizations, both faith based and secular. These stations are properly designed as not to cause interference to full power broadcast stations. Unfortunately, the LPFM service was substantially affected by a ``pork`` amendment to a District of Columbia spending bill. This amendment, titled the ``Radio Broadcast Protection Act`` imposed additional restrictions on the placement of LPFM stations. Even though the Commission`s own research as well as research performed by independent organizations proved that no interference would happen to full power stations without the restrictions. The bill was very heavily promoted by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB). The NAB used information based on early-70`s technology and provided Congress with a CD that had a ``simulation`` of what LPFM `interference` to full power stations would sound like. As a result of the bill, Congress has ordered the FCC to conduct an independent study using real world stations. This study has been completed. The LPFM community is awaiting the outcome of the results. REC Networks provides various database services to current and aspiring low power broadcasters. This is provided on a ``shareware`` basis. If they appreciate what we have done, they can donate. Trust me, I do not make a living off of LPFM. Since you are considering introducing a ``Reclaiming The Public Airwaves Act``, we need to look at any or all of the following points to include in an omnibus restructure of local broadcasting rules: 1. ORDER THE FCC TO ESTABLISH A NEW ``DISTANT TRANSLATOR`` SERVICE. The Distant Translator Service would be designed to ``provide primary public radio services into remote and isolated areas by broadcasting the signal of a radio station from a very distant community``. The definition of ``distant`` would be a primary station that is over 400km from the translator. All existing non-commercial translators that meet that criteria would be reclassified into the Distant Translator Service. A Distant Translator would be considered ``secondary`` in relation to LPFM stations. This means that if an LPFM station wants to come on the air and there is no space on the dial for the station, the LPFM applicant can displace (or ``bump``) a Distant Translator. In areas that are truely remote, there would not be any displacement. [ED. due to enough channels available.] The goal here is that a local signal should have priority over a distant signal. 2. ORDER THE FCC TO RELEASE THE RESULTS OF THE ``3RD ADJACENT CHANNEL`` STUDY ORDERED UNDER THE RADIO BROADCAST PROTECTION ACT (RPBA). The FCC would release the findings of MITRE and Comsearch, the contractor and subcontractor who did the study to Congress and the general public. 2A. IF THE RPBA RESULTS ARE FAVORABLE, THE FCC SHALL REINSTATE ALL LPFM APPLICATIONS THAT WERE DISMISSED ON MARCH 17, 2003. 3. ORDER THE FCC TO IMPOSE NEW REGULATIONS THAT PUT LPFM STATIONS ON AN EQUAL PLAYING FIELD WITH NON-DISTANT TRANSLATORS as it relates to interference protections afforded to full power stations. Also, Congress should order that the FCC impose rulemaking that will protect 10 watt Low Power FM stations (LP-10). Currently, translators can ``bump`` an LP-10 station. A filing window has not yet opened for LP- 10 stations. 4. INCLUDE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD REMOVE TELEVISION CHANNEL 6 (82-88 MHZ) FROM THE ``CORE`` TELEVISION SPECTRUM AND RE-ASSIGN THIS SPECTRUM TO THE EXPANSION OF LOWER POWER FM BROADCAST AND LPFM STATIONS. As TV stations are currently going through the Digital TV (DTV) conversion, they are being given an alternate channel to transition to. Once the DTV transition is complete, they can transition back to their original channel or they can stay on their digital channel assignment. Because of the potential interference to non-commercial FM stations (Channel 6 is adjacent to the FM band) and due to other technical reasons, Channel 6 (as well as many of the TV channels 6 and below) are undesirable for DTV use. [Currently, there is only one DTV station assigned to Channel 6. Another DTV Channel 6 in Alaska is petitioning the FCC to change channels.] REC is asking that the Channel 6 spectrum be changed to FM broadcast to create 30 new channels on the FM band. In areas with a DTV Channel 5, about 18 of the channels can be assigned. Radio receivers are readily available as this spectrum is the FM broadcast band in Japan. Stations in this band would be restricted to 1,000 watts with an antenna height of 100 meters above average terrain. No translators would be allowed. 5. ORDER THE FCC TO AMEND THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE PRACTICES (47 CFR 1) TO ALLOW FOR MORE PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT AND LOCAL INVOLVEMENT IN THE FM AND TV TABLE OF ALLOTMENTS PROCESS. For commercial FM and TV stations, before a new station can be established, someone must petition the FCC to amend the table of allotments to add the channel to the community. The petitioner is under a burden to prove the community qualifies for allotments. Current administrative practices (specifcally, the Ex-parte rules) restrict public access to the allotment process. This is done through severe restrictions on electronic filing and service requirements that are no longer necessary in this computer age. REC is asking that Part 1 be revised to allow for electronic filing in allotment cases, not to require service unless the pleading is specifically proposing to change someone else`s facility. REC feels that Congress should investigate current FCC practice that permits the owner of a rural broadcast station to move their station closer to a major city while reducing or eliminating local radio service in the rural community. REC would like to see a Congressional investigation into the Commission`s ongoing policy of determining community independence from a major metro are by applying ``Faye and Richard Tuck``. The ``Tuck`` analysis is supposed to protect rural towns from using their communities as city of license in order to program to a major city. Pahrump (Las Vegas), Nevada is an excellent example of this abuse. In addition, Congress should order the FCC to impose a limit on the number of petitions to amend the Table of Allotments by an individual or organization to a fixed amount in a 365 day period. REC recommends 3. In the alternate, require that all petitioners to amend the FM or TV Table of Allotments to submit financial statements stating that they are financially capable of constructing and operating the station themselves. 6. THE FCC MUST BE ORDERED TO RESCIND ALL APPLICATIONS FILED DURING THE MARCH 2003 TRANSLATOR FILING WINDOW AND IMPOSE RESTRICTIONS SIMILAR TO WHAT LPFM WENT THROUGH IN OUR FILING WINDOWS. Besides many of the defective applications, some organizations filed for stations on multiple channels. For example, Calvary Chapel of Twin Falls filed for 9 different channels in El Centro, CA. LPFM was limited to one channel in their filings. REC feels that the translator window be reopened with a reminder that LP-100 stations (including applications that are not on the air) must be protected. In addition, translator applications would be limited to one channel per location and that the number of applications are restricted to whatever ownership restrictions are imposed in this legislation. The bottom line here is that we have Clear Channel-like situations in the non-commercial arena. These issues need to be addressed in any legislation that takes place. Any legislation must be written in a way that it does not appear to be against religious broadcasting. Even though REC is a secular organization, we support LOCAL religious LPFM stations. We feel that a local religious station should have priority over a religious ``chain`` organization. Remember, these local LPFM religious and secular stations are required to have the proper equipment at their stations to receive weather warnings and Amber Alerts (via the Emergency Alert System). Currently, there is still one possible channel for a future LPFM station in Kingston. As a result of actions, such as the translator filing window mentioned above, the following New York communities have lost their chances of ever getting an LPFM station: Jamestown, Saratoga Springs, Amsterdam, Oswego, Gloversville, Olean, Fulton, Corning, Port Jervis, Johnstown and Brockport among many others. If you want more localism in radio, this is what we need to do. If you have any questions about this information. I am willing to work with you to help identify these issues further and assist in the writing of any legislation. REC Networks has a lot of information about LPFM as well as information on other organizations who are also involved in this effort. Please visit our website at http://www.recnet.com/lpmfinfo for more information. Together we can put the word ``local`` back into radio (Rich Eyre for REC Networks, P O Box 40816, Mesa AZ 85274-0816, cc to DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. ACT NOW TO PROMOTE MEDIA DIVERSITY On June 2, the FCC voted to undermine democracy by drastically cutting back media ownership rules that protect the American people. These changes will allow media conglomerates to become even bigger, and will reduce the ability of Americans to receive information from many points of view, and diminish the amount of serious local journalism. After this decision, a single company could own 8 radio stations, two TV stations, the cable company, and the local newspaper in one city. When a single company controls many media outlets, this makes unpopular viewpoints more difficult to be heard, weakening debate on important public issues. This action represents an unprecedented failure to protect the free flow of information upon which democracy depends. Thanks to the public's amazing efforts thus far, the FCC's decision can be overturned. TOGETHER, WE CAN REVERSE THE FCC AND PROTECT AMERICAN DEMOCRACY. On June 19, the Senate Commerce Committee will be considering legislation to reverse much of the FCCs decision. Please contact your Senators to ask them to overturn what the FCC did on June 2. Consumers Union has set up a site that will let you contact your representatives in Congress simply and easily: http://capwiz.com/consumersunion/mail/oneclick_compose/?alertid=2444056 Other ways to communicate with Congress: You can find your Senators using http://www.senate.gov/ Also check out http://www.moveon.org and http://www.commoncause.org for information and activities on this issue. Information about the issue: See Media Access Project's web page: http://www.mediaaccess.org/programs/diversity/index.html#overview The New York Times has built a special section about the media ownership rules: http://www.nytimes.com/pages/business/businessspecial/index.html Recent articles: FCC Votes to Ease Media Ownership Rules By Frank Ahrens, Washington Post, June 2, 2003 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3076-2003Jun2.html?nav=hptop_ Includes a sidebar with links to ownership rules and all the FCC Cmmissioners' statements. Michael Powell and the FCC: Giving Away the Marketplace of Ideas By Tom Shales, Washington Post, June 2, 2003 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1424-2003Jun1.html?nav=hptop_ Cheryl A. Leanza, Deputy Director, Media Access Project (via John Broomall, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U S A. An article from today's LA Times on how the FCC's recent rulings are making for some unusual political alignments in Washington. . . . 73, (Harry Helms, NV, DX LISTENING DIGEST) FCC RULING PUTS RIVALS ON THE SAME WAVELENGTH --- Public opinion, political self-interest spur many in Congress to unite against new media rules. By Jube Shiver Jr., Richard Simon and Edmund Sanders Times Staff Writers June 9 2003 WASHINGTON --- Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer of California and Republican Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi rarely find themselves on the same side of the aisle. The complete article can be viewed at: http://www.latimes.com/la-fi-newfcc9jun09234923,0,713587.story (via Harry Helms, DXLD) ** U S A. Re: [NRC-am] Clear Channel acquires FCC Is there anyone on the list who hasn't already seen this a dozen times? At the risk of being accused of being thin-skinned, I'd suggest that the constant drumbeat of anti-Clear Channel diatribes diverts attention from the real problems with the regulatory process. Clear Channel is a big company, yes. Clear Channel took advantage of changes in the ownership rules (which took place under a White House that was not so easily controlled by Clear Channel PAC money as the current occupant is) to build the largest radio group in history, yes. A lot of good radio people are out of work because of those changes, yes. BUT --- would it have been any different if another big media company had gotten there first? Do you really believe that if there were no Clear Channel, and Viacom/CBS/Infinity/Westinghouse or GE/NBC or Disney or Citadel or Cumulus had gotten to 1200 stations first, that somehow each of those stations would have a live jock on the air all night, a news department of twelve and a playlist of 2400 tunes by local artists? Because I don't - and I think the relentless kneejerk bashing of Clear Channel in particular provides a useful smokescreen for a lot of other operators who are actually a lot worse for the business in the long run, not to mention diverting attention from the regulatory changes that were really behind so many of the changes that so many of us dislike in radio? We know --- because we see the posts here --- that Clear Channel's engineers try very hard to be DXer-friendly. (Thanks, Paul Jellison!) We know --- because we hear it --- that when Clear Channel AM stations stay on day power or fail to ID, it's a rare slip-up and it's taken care of promptly as soon as it's pointed out. Does Bishop Willis do that? (Fred V. --- I know you like to point out the problems WIMA has with its automation in Lima, but tell me honestly: who runs the cleaner AM signal in town - WLJM?) Clear Channel has been a major skeptical force in the industry where AM IBOC is concerned. That should (but won't) earn it the applause of DXers everywhere. And on a personal level, 100000watts.com --- which I know many NRC members use and enjoy, not to mention depending upon as a source for updates for DXN and the Log - was saved from closure by M Street, which is majority owned by Clear Channel, and with whom I'm now negotiating to make sure our club has continued free access to the site. I didn't see Citadel or Susquehanna or Saga stepping forward to pay me for a year to keep the site running. Did I miss something? I'm pretty certain that I'm far from the only one on the list or in the club who counts Clear Channel as an important client or an employer. (FM and TV DXers all know the name of Girard Westerberg; in addition to being our new hero of DTV skip reception, where do you think he works? Yep, he's the director of engineering for Clear Channel in Lexington, Kentucky. Dave Gleason? Hispanic Broadcasting, in which Clear Channel is a major investor. I'm sure there are others as well who have escaped my attention.) (And Saul [Chernos], I don't mean ANY of this as a slam on you. You know that I know your politics, and vice versa - but don't you really mean to be picking on Rogers or Bell GlobeMedia? Talk about your BIG conglomerates... :-) s (Scott Fybush, NY, June 8, NRC-AM via DXLD) As an active AM QSLer I have also observed that the Clear Channel stations are among the best responders to reception reports. In the past 3 years I have received 100% response on reception reports to CC stations while my overall average is about 35%. Since this seems to be pretty wide spread in the CC system, I have to wonder if someone high up in CC made a declaration that caused this (Patrick Griffith, N0NNK CBT CBNT, Westminster, CO, USA, http://community.webtv.net/AM-DXer/ http://community.webtv.net/N0NNK/ ibid.) RADIO LEFT OUT OF RELAXED RULES By JENNIFER 8. LEE, June 9, 2003 WASHINGTON -- It happened in June, but for much of the media industry it might as well have been Christmas morning last Monday when Michael K. Powell, the Federal Communications Commission's chairman, and two of his Republican colleagues dispensed many of the gifts that had been on industry wish lists. Despite the sweeping deregulation the F.C.C. enacted by a 3-to-2 vote along partisan lines, however, one medium was left out of the celebration: radio. Not only were radio ownership caps left in place, some of the restrictions were effectively tightened. How radio got left out of the party is more a tale of politics than of business. And the story almost exclusively centers on Clear Channel Communications, the company that began rising from obscurity in 1996, when radio ownership caps were raised, to amassing nearly 1,250 stations. As it has grown into the nation's largest radio company, owning more than 10 percent of the commercial stations in the United States, Clear Channel has drawn the wrath of musicians, who accuse it of using its concert division to strong-arm musicians, and the scrutiny of Congress, where many members contend that the company has engaged in anticompetitive practices. Although Clear Channel is widely respected on Wall Street, in Washington good business necessarily means practicing good politics, especially for the media business. Politicians, after all, depend on local media outlets to reach constituents through both advertising and news coverage. And as much as it purports to be independent, the F.C.C. is a political creature, influenced by public opinion and pressure from Capitol Hill. These are fundamentals that Clear Channel evidently grasped too late. The F.C.C. ruling last week will make it much more difficult for Clear Channel to continue its longstanding strategy of growth through station acquisitions. "Everyone, regardless of party, is running away from Clear Channel as fast as they can," said John Dunbar of the Center for Public Integrity, who has put together a searchable database of media ownership at http://www.openairwaves.org. "They've had a terrible run of publicity." The company opened a Washington office only last December more than a year after it started drawing criticism for homogenizing radio programming across the country, particularly in smaller markets, where the company sometimes broadcasts disc jockeys who may be thousands of miles away. Now the company has three former Capitol Hill aides working as lobbyists, including Andrew Levin, who worked in the House for the Michigan Democrat John D. Dingell. But the real power of lobbying is in preventing issues from becoming an open debate, and by the time Clear Channel had assembled its Washington team, the debate had long become public. The best its team could do was limit the damage. Clear Channel did not fare well under the glare. When Lowry Mays, its chief executive, testified at the Senate Commerce committee in January, he had to listen to harsh rebukes from the Senators. His defensive replies to questions about the company's policy on payola and its commercial monopoly in Minot, N.D., failed to resonate with the inquisitors. "We have zero tolerance for pay-for-play," Mr. Mays said, even as Don Henley of the Eagles testified that musicians were often billed by record labels for promotional costs charged by radio stations. Because Congressional hearings are as much show as substance, nuanced explanations, even if they hold true, do not make for good sound bites. "Once these allegations get made on Capitol Hill, if they are not refuted with the truth, they become like an urban legend," Mr. Levin said in a telephone interview. As Clear Channel wants the story to be told, it is a capitalist success built largely by one entrepreneur, Mr. Mays, through smart, aggressive acquisitions. The company casts itself as a savior, reviving struggling radio stations and diversifying formats to better serve listeners around the country. Why pick on the radio industry? the company asks. The lobbyists wave ownership charts for the recording, film and cable businesses, showing that radio is the least concentrated media sector. But Clear Channel, despite controlling only about 10 percent of the commercial radio market, stands so far above the second- and third-largest companies Cumulus Media, with 250 stations and Infinity Broadcasting, with 180 that it acts as a lightning rod for fears about big media. In the politically charged atmosphere leading up to the Iraq invasion, the company's management in San Antonio was accused of coordinating the Clear Channel stations across the country to rally support for the war. Though the executives denied any active role in the pro-war rallies promoted by some of the company's individual stations, the controversy highlighted the potential political power than can come with media consolidation. In many ways, Clear Channel's naivete resembles the early political trip-ups of Microsoft, another company that grew huge and found itself unprepared for life in the spotlight of public opinion and government scrutiny. Over time, Microsoft established a Washington presence and formed a political strategy. Clear Channel, too, is reacting to pressure. In April, it announced it would cut ties with the independent promoters whose activities are sometimes accused of skirting antipayola laws. So what exactly do last week's F.C.C. actions mean for the radio industry? One effect involves the maximum number of stations a company can own in a single local market a number that in many cases will shrink under the commission's new methodology. Under the old system, which defined a local market by the reach and overlap of radio waves from adjacent markets, Ithaca, N.Y., was considered to have at least 32 commercial radio stations, which allowed any one company to own up to 7 stations there. But under the new method of counting, Ithaca is considered to have only 9 commercial stations, and any single company can own no more than 5. Though the F.C.C. is not requiring radio companies to give up any stations they already own, the companies say the tighter limits will make it hard to continue expanding to achieve the economies of scale they see as necessary to be profitable. But the F.C.C. did give the radio industry a few consolation prizes. The new rules, for instance, will increase the overall station count in many local markets by including noncommercial broadcasters, like Christian and educational stations, which in some cities could allow a company to own a few more stations. But Clear Channel's competitors say the net effect of the F.C.C.'s new rules will make it even more difficult now for them to catch up with the industry leader. And many industry analysts agree. Clear Channel, though, viewed itself as the victim of an F.C.C. political sacrifice last week as the commission made regulatory life easier for newspaper and television companies. "They needed to have something to point to and say, `We've tightened the rules in this area, so obviously we've done a balanced review,' " Mr. Levin said. "They needed to have a scapegoat." Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. [Before seeing previous issue clearing this up]. Dear Glenn, I'm forwarding this reply I received from Jim Allison, the Program Director at WGMS in Washington. His message was in response to an inquiry I placed after I had heard on World Of Radio that WGMS would be changing format to Fox News simulcasts. While I'm aware that stations do not always make format/ownership changes public, I thought his remarks were worthy of passing on to you and your listeners in case what he says is indeed true, and thus one more Classical music station is safe from extinction, for the time being anyway. Thanks so much for World Of Radio. I tune in every week. Regards, (Jake Longwell, Dundee, New York) Note: forwarded message attached. Message: Dear WGMS, Hello, my name is Jake Longwell. I am 23 years old and reside in the Finger Lakes region of New York state. I am a proud fan of your station thanks to your internet broadcast. And I am writing to you with regard to some rather disturbing news I have recently heard. I am aware that the FCC has now allowed for even more consolidation with regard to Radio/Television ownership. And as a result your parent company will be selling the station to Fox, who will in turn convert WGMS to an all-news station. Is this indeed going to take place? And might there be anything WGMS listeners can do to prevent the format change? Do you think it might do some good to send letters of protest to Fox or other parties involved? If your station IS changing format, I think it is very unfortunate. There are very few stations like WGMS, and the loss of one more will make it even harder to enjoy Fine Arts programming. Jake Longwell, Dundee, New York Thank you for your message; I'm glad you enjoy our online broadcast. I'm curious as to where you heard the rumor you mentioned; we are certainly not changing format here at Classical 103.5 nor being sold. But I thank you for expressing your concern. Thank you for your message and thanks for listening to Classical 103.5 WGMS. (Jim Allison, Program Director, Classical 103.5 WGMS and classical1035.com via Longwell, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. EL GOBIERNO DE EE.UU. ORDENA UN ESTUDIO SOBRE EL ESPECTRO RADIOFÓNICO 5 de junio, 2003 Actualizado: 6:18 PM hora de Nueva York (2218 GMT) WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- El gobierno estadounidense ordenó el jueves un largo y exhaustivo estudio de cómo hacer más eficiente el uso de las codiciadas ondas radiofónicas por parte del estado y la industria inalámbrica para todo tipo de actividades, desde servicios de telefonía móvil a operaciones militares. El presidente George W. Bush pidió al Departamento de Comercio que realice la revisión que determinará las maneras de mejorar el manejo de los escasos recursos y hacer las recomendaciones para mejorarlos. ``Debemos destrabar el valor económico y el potencial empresarial de los activos del espectro estadounidense, a la vez que se asegura que está disponible el suficiente espectro para respaldar funciones críticas del gobierno``, dijo Bush en un memorándum enviado a las agencias gubernamentales. La industria comercial tiene un apetito casi insaciable por más ondas radiofónicas, especialmente las compañías de telefonía móvil que ofrecen servicios de acceso a Internet de alta velocidad y puntos de acceso inalámbrico a la red, conocidos como Wi-Fi. Sin embargo, se han enfrentado con la fuerte competencia del gobierno estadounidense, que recientemente ha exigido más espectro para cubrir las nuevas necesidades militares y de seguridad. El Congreso ya está considerando una propuesta de administración para dar más disponibilidad de las ondas a los usuarios comerciales, al crear un fondo de fideicomiso que obtendría sus ingresos de subastas del espectro y usarlos para cubrir los costos de trasladar las operaciones del gobierno a otras ondas. El Departamento de Comercio formará un grupo de tareas conformado por los usuarios principales del gobierno, que examinaría los procesos, procedimientos y políticas para el uso efectivo del espectro. Un segundo grupo verá y discutirá el uso de las ondas por parte de las entidades no gubernamentales y hará recomendaciones para mejorarlas. Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. Derechos Reservados (via CNN via Ariel Crocco, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** U S A. KHPY RADIO CATÓLICA EL SEMBRADOR NOW AUDIOSTREAMING AND ON THE AIR ON WEEKENDS Burbank, California, June 1 (CRU) --- KHPY Radio Católica El Sembrador 1670 AM has begun audiostreaming at its website, http://www.elsembradorministries.com using Real Player. In his June letter to members, supporters, and listeners of El Sembrador, Canal ESNE-TV, y KHPY, founder Noel Díaz wrote, ``Miracles and a miracle in development is what we could see this past May 17 and 18. If Jesus performed prodigies and miracles, the miracle in development is that of buying the radio station that we now call Radio Católica El Sembrador. The faith and generosity of each one of the people who took a great step forward, saying that here is my Seed of God, has really impacted me. There is no doubt that we are making history in this part of the world. Catholics are not asleep because Jesus lives in our hearts. A thousand tanks for your fidelity in this work of evangelization, together we will continue bringing Jesus to those who have not known him as Lord and Savior in their lives.`` The program schedule on the website says 6:30 a.m. to midnight Monday through Friday, but Catholic Radio Update heard the programming on the weekends, too. A disc jockey with Hispanic Catholic contemporary music closed at noon Sunday, followed by Padre Pedro Nuñez`s ``Mensaje`` program from New Orleans, and then what sounded like an Hispanic Catholic Charismatic meeting. The Spanish Catholic contemporary was to have resumed Sunday evening at 8 o`clock, Pacific time. KHPY Radio Católica El Sembrador 1670 AM was launched at the suggestion of the owner, Delbert L. Van Voorhis, and with a quarter- million dollar gift from Hispanic parents whose daughters were killed by a truck driver allegedly driving under the influence of drugs. El Sembrador Ministries originally began leasing the station Mondays through Fridays, and is looking for 8,000 local Hispanic families who will contribute $1,000 each (``Seeds of Gold``) to raise the $8 million to purchase the expanded-band AM station. KHPY covers almost all of the Los Angeles metropolitan area day and night, and has a special authorization to maintain its 10,000 watts during night time hours because of poor ground conductivity. Re-engineering of the station once it is purchased will allow the station to cover the entire Los Angeles metro area, the largest Hispanic population in the country and the second largest Mexican city in terms of population, after México City. Database Riverside-San Bernardino-Los Angeles: KHPY Radio Católica El Sembrador 1670 AM Moreno Valley (10,000 watts day, directional; 9,000 watts night, directional, different pattern). Format: Hispanic Catholic. Delbert L. Van Voorhis. Leased by El Sembrador Ministries, Inc. 6:30 a.m. to midnight. Ministerio El Sembrador, 2636 N. Ontario St., Burbank, CA 91504. Tel.: (818) 260-0222, fax 557-7796. E-mail: elsembrador1@aol.com. Website: http://www.elsembradorministries.com Noel Díaz, president. Audiostreams using Real Player. El Sembrador also operates the ESNE satellite television channel. (In the Dioceses of San Bernardino and Orange, and Archdiocese of Los Angeles) (Mike Dorner, Catholic Radio Update June 8 via DXLD) ** U S A. There is a solution coming to many of AM's reception problems: HD Radio. This new system of digital transmission will, with a digital receiver, increase both the area in which you can receive our station and the audio quality of your reception. With one of the new AM digital receivers our station will have the audio quality and frequency response of FM. Classical 1360 AM will begin broadcasting, in addition to our analog signal, a Digital signal in the next few months. Consumer receivers will be in the market later this year. We'll keep you informed as to when and where. Due to popular demand we are currently developing a section where you can listen to WKAT over the internet. We anticipate launching this feature shortly, but in the meantime you can still find us at 1360 on your AM dial (WKAT 1360 Miami FL, http://www.classical1360.com/ June 8 via DXLD) ** U S A. RADIO FREE GOMER --- WHY WOULD DALLAS BROADCAST CLASSICAL MUSIC TO RURAL METH LABS? BY JIM SCHUTZE Phew. This talk about changing up the city-owned radio station sure has some odor to it. A group of people in the radio business have offered to "swap towers" with WRR-FM, the city-owned classical music station. WRR gets one of their broadcast towers and some money. They get the WRR tower. You and I, we might ask ourselves why a group of people in the radio business would want to swap towers with the city's station. I guess to be fair we must allow for a range of possibilities: 1) Tower swapping is a relaxing hobby. 2) A voice from the sky has told the radio people, "Go, sell what you have and swap your radio towers to the poor." 3) They stand to make big-time moolah on the deal. . . http://www.dallasobserver.com/issues/2003-05-29/schutze.html/1/index.html RADIO BBQ --- WHY DOES EVERYBODY WANT TO EAT WRR? BY JIM SCHUTZE OK. Let's just cut to the ethical chase on this whole stupid WRR radio station tower-swap deal. This is ridiculous. The city council needs to put some people in chairs, turn on the bright lights and the tape recorders and ask some straight questions . . . http://www.dallasobserver.com/issues/2003-06-05/schutze.html/1/index.html (both via Current, DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. Según una promoción al aire de Radio Nacional de Venezuela, el audio de la emisora está disponible en la página web: http://www.gobiernoenlinea.gov.ve No se ofrecen más detalles. Saludos, (Adán González. Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, June 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) There are links to two services, CANAL CLASICO and CANAL INFORMATIVO. I tried one and it took so long to load, I punched the other, but in a few minutes one started playing, then joined by the other, both playing at the same time on embedded Windows media players. Sounded like the same speaker, and perhaps identical message, as, bemused, I let them both play on. The timer is displaying five *hours* as the length. Enough (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VIETNAM [non]. Was away from my noise-infested Center City Philadelphia home location on Sunday night, so had especially good reception of Voice of Vietnam (Sackville relay) on 6175 kHz Started listening to the Vietnamese broadcast after Monday 0200Z, and enjoyed picking out a few words I remembered from my Vietnam tour in 1966-67 (courtesy U.S. Army). At 0230Z, the English-language "The Sunday Show" came on, with a lovely half hour talking about and playing recordings of the bamboo flute in Vietnamese music. English-language site: http://www.vov.org.vn/2003_06_09/Defaultv.htm (Saul Broudy, Philadelphia, PA USA, June 9, swprograms via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Here are some catches made in the countryside some 70 km South of Moscow in the period of June 7-8, 2003 with SONY ICF7600G and its telescopic antenna: 3285 UNID, Club (discoteque)-like music at 2035 June 7. 3/2 4 3/2 22. Sync detect and SSB weren`t able to improve the quality of reception. Really bad. 2105*. Beforre closing down anthem-like melody and some words (ID?). I recorded this fragment, I must listen more carefully my recording... I caught this strange voice for the second time this season. Maybe Madagaskar? Your opinions? 4760 Venezuela? Radio Frontera? At 0120 June 8 in Spanish with frequent mentions of ``desarollo`` (development) and ``colombiano``, weak. Totally disappeared at 0150. As far as I know, this station is located in San Cristóbal, Táchira on the very board of Venezuela and Colombia. I recorded something like announce, but didn`t look for it clearly yet. (TO COME....) (Artyom Prokhorov, Russia, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ LISTEN TO THE WORLD --- ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRANSMISSIONS Olá Amigos: Talvez alguns já conhecam, ou não.Existe uma lista de emissoras que transmitem em inglês com links para as páginas na web das emissoras, muito boa e bem atualizada. Visitem http://www.swl.nu/listen/#bottom (Alexandre Deves Sailer, Viamão / RS, radioescutas via DXLD) DRM +++ BBC WORLD SERVICE TO JOIN DRM`S INAUGURAL BROADCASTS ON JUNE 16, 2003 Geneva -- BBC World Service`s live, daily Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) broadcasts on the short-wave and medium-wave/AM band will be a part of DRM`s Inaugural Broadcasts event on June 16th, 2003. The event will take place at the Château de Penthes in Geneva, debut during the International Telecommunications Union`s (ITU) World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC 2003). It marks the moment at which leading broadcasters transmit local, national and international DRM broadcasts simultaneously. Since the beginning of the DRM field trials in January 2000, the BBC World Service has been regularly broadcasting digital test signals from Rampisham (operated by VT Merlin Communications in the UK). At the beginning of this year, two transmission hours were added to the daily test schedule, broadcast from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation`s transmission site in Sackville, targeting the East and West Coast of the USA. In April, a daily 6-hour-long transmission slot towards Western Europe was added (0900-1500 UT on 7320 kHz) as well as a daily Russian language hour to Western Russia (1800-1900, 15215 kHz) in May 2003. [via Sackville:] 0300-0400 UT on 11955 kHz and 2300-2400 on 9795 kHz This month, BBC World Service is proud to announce the first regular high-power DRM service on medium-wave, broadcast from VT Merlin Communication`s transmitter site at Orfordness (UK) on 1296 kHz. Initially, 6 daily programme hours will be transmitted towards the Benelux countries. DRM`s members will demonstrate DRM live transmissions in Geneva using various receivers, including a development receiver that supports diversity reception. Transmissions on two frequencies from Rampisham will be time-synchronised through a common DRM distribution system linked over the Hotbird 6 satellite, with the programmes coded and multiplexed in from Bush House control room. ``I`m convinced DRM will completely revolutionise broadcasting in the AM bands`` says John Sykes, Head of Transmission Services, and founder DRM Member. We are very excited by the potential this system offers to both broadcasters and radio listeners, not only in terms of quality, but more importantly, in ease of use. I hope radio manufacturers will take note of our commitment to DRM, and produce exciting and attractive digital radios which make best use of all services which are now being broadcast, be they analogue or digital.`` DRM members Deutsche Welle, Radio Netherlands, Voice of America, CBC/Radio Canada International, Swedish Radio International, Radio France, Radio Vaticana, DeutschlandRadio, T-Systems, TDF and Thales Broadcast & Multimedia have also announced their participation in DRM`s Inaugural Broadcasts event. About BBC World Service The BBC World Service is the world`s leading international broadcaster, attracting audiences of 150 million listeners each week. It aims to be the best known and most respected voice in international radio broadcasting. Its values of accuracy, impartiality, objectivity, trust and internationalism are respected globally. It is rapidly developing into a multimedia broadcaster, using radio and the internet, for all its 43 language services. The BBC World Service is available globally on short wave; on FM in 140 capital cities; and selected programmes are carried on around 2,000 FM and MW radio stations around the world. The BBC World Service`s award-winning website http://www.bbcnews.com contains extensive, interactive news services, with audiostreaming available in 43 languages. It also contains detailed information about World Service broadcasts, schedules and frequencies in all languages. At present over 100 million users access the World Service`s website each month. VT MERLIN COMMUNICATIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN DRM`S INAUGURAL BROADCASTS on June 16, 2003 Geneva -- VT Merlin Communications will participate in the world`s first, daily Digital Radio Mondiale( (DRM() broadcasts on June 16th, 2003. VT Merlin will be providing the DRM transmission platform for a number of international broadcasters, including BBC World Service, Wales Radio International and Christian Vision, as part of DRM`s Inaugural Broadcasts event in Geneva during the International Telecommunications Union`s (ITU) World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC 2003). VT Merlin has two high power short wave transmitters converted to DRM capability, which will deliver digital AM transmissions for Geneva and Western Europe. In addition, they will also be using their new DRM capable high power medium wave transmitter at their MF site in Orfordness, Suffolk, UK to carry BBC World Service DRM programming. The precise moment of the world`s first DRM broadcasts will be marked at a spectacular reception at Geneva`s Château de Penthes. Peter Gordon, VT Merlin`s Programme Manager, Digitalisation said: ``As a founder member of the DRM consortium, VT Merlin is very proud to be playing a high profile role in these inaugural DRM broadcasts. It marks the beginning of what we expect to be a revolutionary new technology for AM broadcasting. VT Merlin has made significant investment in its DRM platform and we look forward to demonstrating the full range of DRM`s capabilities in Geneva, including AM transmissions in near FM quality.`` VT Merlin Communications (formerly Merlin Communications) has been a DRM member since the consortium was formed in 1998. About VT Merlin Communications VT Merlin Communications, part of VT Group plc, is a leading provider of critical communications and broadcast services to customers in the broadcast, defence, space communications, emergency services and security sectors worldwide. 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. Our range of critical communications services includes technical support services, communications facilities management, as well as project and programme management. VT Merlin has extensive experience in the design, build, operation, maintenance and support of critical transmission facilities worldwide. Customers include BBC World Service, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), European Space Agency (ESA) and QinetiQ. CBC/RADIO CANADA INTERNATIONAL TO JOIN DRM`S INAUGURAL BROADCASTS ON June 16, 2003 Geneva -- DRM member Radio Canada International (RCI) will commence its live, daily Digital Radio Mondiale( (DRM() broadcasts on June 16, 2003. Its transmissions will debut in conjunction with DRM`s Inaugural Broadcasts event in Geneva, during the International Telecommunications Union`s (ITU) World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC 2003). The precise moment of the world`s first DRM broadcasts will be marked at a spectacular reception at Geneva`s Château de Penthes. The RCI content will be part of a programming stream taken from the existing CBC/Radio-Canada and RCI schedules, to be transmitted daily from CBC`s short-wave site in Sackville, Canada. CBC will also transmit programs from DRM member broadcasters, including BBC World Service, Deutsche Welle, Radio Netherlands, Swedish Radio International and Radio Vaticana. In an internal communiqué, CBC noted that the bouquet of services to be transmitted from Sackville is intended to showcase the DRM technology to other major international broadcasters, thereby fostering awareness and promoting rapid adoption of this new digital system. CBC Transmission and RCI have been active in DRM`s development, providing test and demonstration transmissions to different parts of the world. They have relayed DRM test transmissions of the BBC World Service, in English, from Sackville since January 2003. DRM Members DRM`s members are Commercial Radio Australia (Australia); Nautel Ltd., Radio Canada International/CBC (Canada); Academy of Broadcasting Science of China (China); RIZ Transmitters (Croatia); HFCC (Czech Republic); ESPOL, HCJB World Radio (Ecuador); Digita Oy, Kymenlaakso Polytechnic (Finland); CCETT, Radio France, Radio France Internationale, TDF, Thales Broadcast & Multimedia (France); ADDX, APR, Atmel Germany GmbH, Coding Technologies GmbH, Deutsche Welle, DeutschlandRadio, DLM, Sender Europa 1, Fraunhofer IIS, Georg-Simon- Ohm – University of Applied Sciences Nuremberg, Innovationszentrum Telekommunikationstechnik GmbH IZT, IRT, Medienanstalt Sachsen- Anhalt/Digitaler Rundfunk Sachsen-Anhalt, Micronas GmbH, Robert Bosch GmbH, Sony International Europe, SWR Südwestrundfunk, TELEFUNKEN SenderSysteme Berlin AG, T-Systems International GmbH, University of Applied Sciences - FH Merseburg, University of Hannover, University of Ulm, VPRT (Germany); Antenna Hungaria, Communications Authority Hungary (Hungary); Basamad College, Tehran (Iran); Hitachi Kokusai Electric Ltd., JVC Victor Company of Japan, Ltd., NHK (Japan); Libyan Jamahiriya Broadcasting (Libya); Broadcasting Centre Europe (Luxembourg); Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (Malaysia); Nozema, Radio Netherlands, Technical University Delft (Netherlands); Radio New Zealand International (New Zealand); Voice of Nigeria (Nigeria); Telenor/Norkring (Norway); Radiodifusao Portuguesa (Portugal); RTRN/The Voice of Russia (Russia); Arab States Gulf Cooperation Council (Saudi Arabia); Universidad del Pais Vasco, (Spain); Swedish Radio International (Sweden); EBU, International Committee of the Red Cross, ITU (Switzerland); Arab States Broadcasting Union (Tunisia); BBC, Christian Vision, VT Merlin Communications, QinetiQ, RadioScape Ltd., Roke Manor Research Ltd., WRN (U.K.); Dolby Laboratories Incorporated, Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation, Harris Broadcast Corporation, IBB/VOA, IDT Continental Electronics, Kintronic Laboratories, Inc., National Association of Short-wave Broadcasters, Sangean America, Inc.,TCI, a Dielectric Company, Via Licensing Corporation (U.S.A.); and Radio Vaticana (Vatican City). (from combined News Releases June 9 from DRM via DXLD) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ WTFDA 2003 WESTERN NEW YORK UPDATE! Hi folks! Your host committee for WTFDA 2003 Western New York is looking forward to welcoming you to our part of the world in just over one month's time. The rain has lifted, and it was a beautiful sunny 80 degrees here today. The official deadline to make your room reservations at our host hotel, the Batavia Days Inn, is TOMORROW - Monday, June 9. You need to call the hotel directly (585-343-6000) and mention WTFDA to get our special $72/night rate; after June 9, the hold on our block of rooms is released, and we can't guarantee that rate. (Remember, you can always make a reservation now and cancel it later if you're still not 100% sure you're coming.) If you've made hotel reservations and haven't told me yet...please drop me a line and let me know! You can now register for the convention itself as well. By check, send $25, payable to "Dave Janowiak," to me at the address below. You can also register by PayPal at the WTFDA homepage, http://wtfda.anarc.org --- be sure to specify it's for the convention! There's still a seat or two available for our big "pre-convention" event. On THURSDAY, JULY 10, we've arranged a rare tour of the FM/TV transmitter facilities at Toronto's CN Tower. Only ten lucky WTFDA'ers will get this experience, so if you're interested and haven't yet contacted me, please do so right NOW. We'll travel to Toronto in Jerry Bond's van (and another car, if there are enough of us), leaving Rochester at 8 AM Thursday and picking people up at the hotel in Batavia at about 8:40 AM, returning to Batavia around dinnertime. (Special thanks to Saul Chernos for setting this one up!) Those arriving later on Thursday can attend a pre-convention dinner at a nearby restaurant. Things get into full swing on FRIDAY, JULY 11, when we'll caravan to Buffalo to see "KB Radio 1520" and other radio sights of the Queen City. Our convention room at the Days Inn will also be open for those wishing to DX (equipment on hand will include at least one DTV tuner.) Later in the evening, Jim Renfrew will open his home (just a few minutes from the host hotel) and the big fields behind it for a picnic and DX'ing late into the night. On SATURDAY, JULY 12, Tim McVey will host a morning tuner clinic for those who need narrow filters in their lives. In the afternoon, we'll head to Rochester for tours of several newly-renovated broadcast facilities. And in the evening, it's the nearly-legendary WTFDA banquet, included in your $25 registration fee, followed by friendly companionship and DX'ing in our convention room. And on SUNDAY, JULY 13, the room will remain open in the morning for those still in town. There won't be a DX convention of this magnitude in Western New York again until --- um, next year, when NRC comes to town. But don't wait for the AM guys (who'll have one whopping shindig of their own in Dallas/Fort Worth later in the year) --- come to Western New York and see what we have to offer! So again: make those hotel reservations. Call or e-mail me with ANY questions. And get ready for the biggest DX experience in Western New York since the days of Ray Edge... (I'm cc'ing this to the NRC AM and FM-TV lists; please feel free to pass it along to any other groups - ODXA, etc. - who should know about it!) wtfda2003@fybush.com phone 585-442-5411 (10AM-10PM Eastern, no collect calls) send registrations to: 92 Bonnie Brae Ave, Rochester NY 14618 (Scott Fybush, NRC-AM June 8 via DXLD) SUMMER GET-TOGETHERS IN THE PACIFIC NW PHIL's SUMMER GET-TOGETHER My summer Get-Together will be on Saturday, July 19 2003, beginning at 2 PM [UT -7]. Here's your chance to meet other radio listeners and talk about hobby stuff - medium wave, SWBC, utility, TV/FM, or whatever listening you like to do. Feel free to bring stuff like receivers, antennas, QSL cards, etc to show off or demonstrate. Also, bring your favorite junk food or drink. My address is 9705 Mary Ave NW, Seattle WA. Mary Ave is between 14th and 15th NW. We are a couple of blocks North of Holman Road on Mary Ave. Please RSVP… or if you have questions, my phone number is (206) 784-5145 --- or you can email me at: phil_-@yahoo.com. [truncated] GET-TOGETHER IN BC --- AUGUST 23 2003 Dan Sys`s GTG will be held at 27423-32nd Avenue in the Aldergrove area of Langley, BC starting at Noon. This is 35 miles southeast of Vancouver on the #1 Freeway and 4 miles north of the Lynden-Aldergrove border crossing on Highway #13. E-mail: dsy-@yahoo.ca [truncated] or phone me at (604) 856-2130 for more details. Guest of honor will be Dario Monferini from Italy. Hopefully the weather will cooperate so we can sit in the back yard and relate our radio experiences to each other while indulging in beverages and snacks. We'll pass the hat around for pizza later in the day (both from Phil Bytheway, June 9, IRCA via DXLD) THE 10TH ANNUAL MADISON GET-TOGETHER FOR DXERS AND RADIO ENTHUSIASTS will be held on Saturday, August 16, 2003. This year`s hosts are Bill and Nina Dvorak, and the event will take place at their home, 501 Algoma Street Madison WI 53704-4812. Activities will begin at 1 PM and end when the last person leaves (come when you can and leave when you must). What can you expect at this event? Good fellowship and lots of DX talk in an informal atmosphere. Please feel free to bring any equipment, QSL`s, station souvenirs, log books or anything else that you would like to show to or share with the group. We encourage everyone to participate in a group photo, so bring along your camera. Snacks and soft drinks will be provided at this event. If you prefer another beverage, please feel free to bring your own, and we will keep it cold for you. Dinner is planned at the Esquire Club at approximately 5 PM, and we will regroup at Bill and Nina`s afterward. For more information, contact Bill Dvorak at dxerak.aol.com or mail me at the above address. I can also be reached at 608-244-5497. When e- mailing, please include reference to the 10th Madison DX GTG in the subject line. If you do plan to attend, please notify me beforehand for planning purposes. I can provide directions by e-mail, or if you prefer, I will send you a map that includes a handy list of accommodations. A word about the GTG: The Madison area DXers have held this event in late August every year since 1994. We have brought together an average of 17 DXers per year, and over the years five states and the District of Columbia have been represented at the Madison GTG. Last year we had a record 26 DXers attend. This is an all-band event, and draws a diverse group of hobbyists. We hope that you can come, and look forward to seeing you! Participation by WTFDA members has been strong in past years. Last year, eleven WTFDA`ers attended. Come and meet your fellow club members! 73 Bill & Nina A note from Tim Noonan: Bill Dvorak and I have been alternating as hosts of this event, and according to that arrangement, I should be the host this year. While my commitment to the event remains as strong as ever, developments in my life suggest that hosting will be difficult for us this year. My part-time employment since 1996 at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee will become full-time beginning this fall. As a result, we will move to the Milwaukee area this summer, and the move and settling into our new location will coincide with the get-together and the necessary preparations for it. Bill and Nina Dvorak have shown a kind understanding for our situation and have graciously offered to host this year. I commit to hosting the event in 2004, beginning a new tradition of ``Madison`` get-togethers alternating annually between Madison and Milwaukee (WTFDA via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ ANTIPODAL MEDIUMWAVE DX RECEPTION The WYFR transmitter in Taiwan, 1557 kHz, heard again here in Brazil. More info and audio on http://www.faiallo.org/taiwan2003.html 73's (Rocco Controneo, Rio de Janeiro, June 9, MWDX via DXLD) Very impressive recording indeed! On the webpage you write: ``How can a medium wave signal jump over 18.438 km (11.523 miles), nearly the maximum possible distance on the Earth? Hard to say. Still, for the third year in a row, the winter solstice here in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, brought this incredible signal from the WYFR transmitter located in Taiwan, on 1557 kHz.`` I think the explanation for this phenomenon is quite simple: It's the antipodal-effect. Stations exactly on the other side of the globe should be a relatively easy catch. Imagine a station exactly on the North Pole using an omnidirectional antenna. In theory the rays would go into all directions, but there is exactly one point on the globe, where they should concentrate again: the South Pole! There one should expect quite high signal strength again, even if the distance is the highest possible. (Of course we all know, that propagation is a lot more complicated, but this abstract shows the principle of the antipodal-effect quite well). Now, given that Taiwan and Rio de Janeiro are on the opposite sides of the globe (haven't checked that yet), this would be an explanation. By the way: A very interesting report on your Patagonian DX-pedition on faiallo.org! 73's (Martin Elbe, Germany, ibid.) Close to antipodal; actually the opposite of Rio is closer to Iwo Jima, about 2300 km ESE of Taiwan. If there is a MW transmitter on Iwo Jima (I doubt it), that would be worth pursuing in Rio (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I think it's more-less easy to explain: both (RX, TX) points are at terminator line. You'd explain more for yourself if doing minute-by- minute daily extended monitoring during few weeks at around 20-21z: how sharp S-peak is in time (how it changes from day-to-day). QSLed them? Good luck. Regards, (Vlad Titarev, Ukraine, ibid.) DTV OUTDISTANCES ANALOG TV? Since I don't use a DTV decoder, I don't feel qualified to comment on matters concerning DTV. However, I've seen a lot of DTV snow during the last couple of years. When I first saw the strange, bright, long-grained snow mixed with TV stations from the Great Lakes area via Es in May of 2000, I didn't report it to this list. My thought was it might be WKYC-DT, yet it could be another source of unknown RF interference. After seeing the snow a few more times I finally reported it to this list. All Es to my location from the Great Lakes area has had periods of snow mixed with the signals these past three years. These days snow is also appearing here via Es from the west and northwest. Just tonight KNOP-2 North Platte was received mixed snow. [so KOTA-DT Rapid City?] As I understand it, DTV was supposed to work well with lower ERP than analog TV requires. As for distances, it seems to me that this snow gets out via Es better than analog TV signals. The DTVs operate with very low ERP in comparison to the anlogs, yet that snow somehow travels comparable distances (Danny Oglethorpe, Shreveport, LA, June 8, WTFDA via DXLD) Yes I have read much about the DTV "snow". I'm not sure I can identify it!! Snow is snow. I've had a few people explain it to me, but I'll be darned if I can see any difference. How could one be SURE it's from a DTV station? Especially considering that the Es we normally see is a complete mish-mash of staticky, snowy pictures with brief spurts of clearer picture --- enough to ID a station? I wish that one of you guys that have a web site would put up a picture of DTV snow as compared to just snow. Then we'd all be able to watch for it, or at least GUESS that what we're seeing is DTV snow (Guy T. Falsetti, Lockport, NY, ibid.) Snow from a complete lack of signals is completely random. It's a random signal that can take on any amplitude at any instant. This snow is generated by random motion of electrons in the antenna, the receiver wiring, and various electronic components. The amplitudes it may take are relatively small. Snow from a DTV station is mostly random. However, it can only take on one of eight specific amplitudes, and the use of a data randomizer guarantees that it *will* use the lowest and highest permissible amplitudes at frequent intervals. This snow is generated by a high-powered transmitter; the amplitudes it may take are rather large. The amplitude of a TV signal is reflected in the contrast. The contrast control on a TV literally attenuates the received signal --- literally throws some of it away as heat. (an automatic gain control protects you from having to change the contrast control setting when switching from a strong local station to a weaker, more distant station. But this gain control doesn't work with signals that don't have synchronization pulses --- digital signals, or for that matter, noise.) So the point is, (as Danny mentioned) snow from a DTV station has higher contrast than snow from a lack of signals. The difference is subtle. I've found it most dramatic to use an old TV with a continuous (not click-stop) UHF tuner. Tune through a channel containing a local DTV station. You'll notice a distinct change in the character of the snow as you tune across the station. You may also notice a change in the character of the *audio* noise --- it becomes louder. I would *presume* (I've never seen DTV snow via Es) that the effects of such a signal would be fairly apparent. In Danny's case he has a local on channel 3; I would imagine there would be some amount of adjacent-channel "splash" on 2 from this station. A strong DTV signal on channel 2 would cause that splash to disappear - the channel would appear completely blank. Does he routinely receive weak groundwave signals from channel 2 stations like Dallas, Tulsa, or Little Rock? These would vanish under a strong DTV signal as well. Finally, I suspect the disappearance of *all* Es signals (especially if there was still strong Es CCI on channel 3 and/or higher channels) would be pretty conclusive evidence an Es signal was present. One final note for scanner owners. DTV stations *do* have a carrier signal. It's 310 kHz above the bottom of the channel. (so for channel 2, it would be on 54.31 MHz) Unfortunately it appears unmodulated (actually it's modulated with the 8VSB data) so you can't tell *which* DTV station it's from, but you can confirm that it *is* a DTV station that way. One thing to remember is that DTV power figures are "apples" while analog are "oranges". ====================================================================== The power of an analog TV station is measured at the peak of the synchronizing pulses. When an analog station is transmitting video, the power radiated depends on the brightness of the picture at any given spot - the darker the picture, the more power radiated. To make it easy for the TV set to find the synchronizing pulses, they're transmitted at considerably higher power. (the blackest part of the picture is transmitted at 75% of the transmitter's maximum power. Synchronizing pulses are transmitted at 100% power.) The *times* when the synchronizing pluses happen are also predictable; horizontal sync comes along 15,734.234 times per second, vertical 59.94 times a second. Sync pulses are easy to find and are always of the same level. The *average* power of an analog transmitter (averaged over any period of more than 1/15,000 of a second) varies wildly depending on program material. If you watch an *average* power meter attached to an analog transmitter broadcasting program material (not a test pattern or other still image) you'll see the meter swing all over the place. So analog TV power measurements are *peak* - the highest power the transmitter ever radiates. ====================================================================== A digital TV station *has no* synchronizing pulses. The DTV transmitter output can assume one of eight permitted amplitudes at any given instant. A "data randomizer" ensures that it will assume each of these eight for an equivalent amount of time --- but you can't predict *when* each of these eight amplitudes will be used. The point is that there are no signals of predictable amplitude in the DTV signal. Except for the "pilot carrier", but that's buried among the much stronger data signals and very difficult to measure the amplitude of accurately. At the same time, the power, averaged over any reasonable time, is constant --- doesn't vary with program material. (I've watched an average power meter attached to a DTV transmitter; it's just as rock-solid as a peak power meter on an analog transmitter.) So DTV power measurements are *average* power, averaged over a few hundred milliseconds. ====================================================================== What this means is that a DTV station running 40,000 watts average power is *not* running 1/5 the power of an analog station running 200,000 watts. Indeed, the stations are pretty much "at parity". ====================================================================== I'm having a hard time drawing any conclusions about relative DTV and analog powers. We have four DTV stations in the Nashville market running approximately full power, and three operating at LPTV power levels under STA. Three of the four full-power DTV stations [0] are somewhat more difficult to receive than their analog counterparts --- requiring that the antenna be pointed more-or-less in the right direction, while usable analog reception is possible all the way around. The STA stations can be coaxed into delivering a stable DTV signal if the antenna is within about 20 degrees of the correct heading. On the other hand, when this is achieved I get a steady, perfect picture. Analog LPTVs at the same distance (and in one case on the same tower) are noisy and essentially unviewable. [0] The fourth DTV station's transmitter is some 35 miles west of their analog counterpart, and that much closer to my location. -- (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66, http://www.w9wi.com ibid.) I think some DT signals get out very well in comparison to their analog counterparts. Two examples are WRTV-Indy and WCMH-Columbus. I believe both are running full-power on their DT signal. I can see both of them often when analog signals from the same market are quite weak. I haven't really noticed the DTV snow. I can't tell a difference, except the snow sometimes looks slightly darker than plain old analog snow. Typically when dealing with a weak signal, I'll use the WinTV-D to see if a signal is there, then dial it in on the Zenith, which will decode a weak signal better than the WinTV-D. (Glen Hale, location unknown, ibid.) OFFSETS FOR MY TA DX - 7TH JUNE Hi All, Many thanks for the e mails regarding my transatlantic TV reception last Saturday. It's a similar thing with directions over here, we tend to beam south through north-east where most of the action should be, so we too could easily miss DX from the west. However, you may be interested in the following... What helps us to spot these things here are a combination of two things and I am sure it will work for you guys too. If you follow the spots on DXers.info and Kolombus, etc. you're half way there. Check for signs of TA activity and then link the audio output from your scanners to your PC and run Spectrum Laboratory software, or similar. http://www.qsl.net/dl4yhf/spectra1.html This is what some of use over here. The beauty is you can "see" video carriers at VERY low signal levels - way below the audio threshold in fact. If you see 50 Hz sidebands on a signal then you will see you may have a non-American signal - even on strengths which are still way too low to produce video! So, you may not necessarily need to be beaming west. I see the 60 Hz sidebands of your carriers when looking for TA conditions. These carriers are clearly visible on Spectrum Lab even if I am beaming into Europe. You should be able to see these signals clearly yourself too, so there may be no need for you to be beaming west. For the record, I thought I ought to state the actual offsets for you, so you could see which were at zero, - or +. 1015 55.259.973 1030 55.250.028 1049 55.260.174 1051 55.240.075 1135 55.240.068 I've got a full account of this reception, with some of the e mails received included at: http://www.skywaves.info/tadx07-06-03.html Best wishes (John Faulkner, http://www.skywaves.info WTFDA via DXLD) ### |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-102, June 9, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3f.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 1185: RFPI: Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0730, 1330 7445 WWCR: Wed 0930 9475 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1185.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1185.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1185h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1185h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1185.html WORLD OF RADIO ON RADIO STUDIO X, MOMIGNO, ITALY, 1584 et al. Hi Glenn! How are you? I'm writing again because following a recent big change in our programmes timetable (now everything starts beginning the top of the hour), was forced to move the Sunday Edition of World of Radio 30 mins. back (from 9:30 to 9 pm local time). Promise this will be the last change ... :) Thank you again for your patience and for your good work!!! Regards, (Massimiliano Marchi, RADIO STUDIO X, June 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So now Sunday 1900 UT UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIAL Glenn, as always, many thanks for your program and your dedication to it. 73 to you and yours (Zeke Russell, Williams AZ, June 7) ** ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS. Spent the weekend at Parawa, about 60 km south of Adelaide, South Australia. 35 deg 33' 36.7 S, 138 deg 21' 28 E. INDIA, 4760, AIR Port Blair, 1230 June 8, English news to 1235 then Hindi, some static crashes (Richard Jary, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** ANTARCTICA. Still able to hear LRA36 with variable results [15476 around 1900-2100, presumably]. Alas, my reception report some time ago did not snag a reply (Zeke Russell, Williams AZ, June 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. To any Argentinian that may be reading this e-mail: please tell the engineers responsible for the RAE/Radio Nacional broadcast on shortwave that ALL of their frequencies on the air are being terribly interfered as of today, Sun Jun 8. After checking several times between 23 and 01 UT, 6060, 11710 and 15345 it can be assured they are quite well blocked by HCJB, an unID Arab station and RFA/the Chinese music jammer on their respective frequencies. Poor Argentina, as it runs low on money; it is a shame to see their government spend power on shortwave broadcasts that won't certainly reach their audience (from Perú, Moisés Corilloclla, June 8, hard- core-dx via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. Un cambio trascendente se asoma en el horizonte radial, que producirá múltiples consecuencias tanto para el área técnica como para la artística. La pronta irrupción del sistema DAB (Digital Audio Broadcast) es el ``tema`` de la cuestión. La inminente llegada de la radio digital de AM es el gran desafío de la actualidad. Este punto, de hecho, y para las nuevas autoridades de la Asociación de Radiodifusoras Privadas de Argentina (ARPA), se constituirá en el principal foco de atención de la flamante gestión en la entidad empresarial radial. La radio AM digital tendrá la misma calidad de sonido que las de FM y después de muchos años volverá al primer plano de atención: este pie de igualdad borrará fronteras técnicas. Al parecer algunos coches de marca alemana que circulan en la Argentina ya poseen este sistema. En Japón y Estados Unidos lo tendrán en el último tramo del presente año. Los coches de Brasil vendrán con radios de sistema digital en 2004. Las emisoras líderes ya saben cuánto deberán invertir para reconvertir su actual sistema analógico en digital: alrededor de 70 mil dólares, y también se conoce que las AM con sistema digital alcanzan un radio de 600 kilómetros a la redonda con un sonido cristalino como el de un CD (extraido de La Nación, via Arnaldo Slaen, Conexion Digital June 7 via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. NEW EDUCATION SERIES ON RADIO AUSTRALIA "AUSTRALIA NOW" On this past weekend's "Feedback" program, one of the subjects was a promotional piece for a new ABC Education piece beginning this coming week on Radio Australia, "Australia Now". It's a 13-part (I think) series focusing on domestic life / domestic issues in Australia themed to an international audience, along with the increasing student audience for those studying abroad in Australia. Shortwave airtimes will be 2130 Wed and 0830 Sun (UT). "Australia Now" will also air on the World Radio Network Sundays 0705 -- handy if you're out and about at 3 AM ET with your Sirius satellite radio. The WRN feed is available on-demand (as the '0800' feed) for the following week, until refreshed with another Sunday broadcast. It is encoded at 21 kbps, a decent-quality stream. These programs are normally well-produced, and have websites associated with them that provide rich content that augments what you can hear on the radio. Normally the entire series of these education programs is cumulatively available on demand as new editions are produced. I can recommend this series without qualification, presuming the series is crafted with the same level of effort that prior ABC Education series have shown. [this week`s topic: see below] RADIO AUSTRALIA "FEEDBACK" AVAILABLE ON-DEMAND VIA WRN As I was checking my notes for the item regarding "Australia Now", I noticed that "Feedback" -- typically not available on demand directly from the ABC website, is available on-demand from the World Radio Network website. It's part of the 0800 daily webcast -- specifically, the Sunday webcast; "Feedback" begins 32 minutes into the hour, following the news and the current ABC Education feature. Visit http://www.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=17 and click on the "0800 UTC" link for Sunday; for those whose browsers can't navigate the WRN website, the URL for the Real Media version of the webcast is http://tinyurl.com/dsva or http://www.wrn.org/listeners/stations/demand.php?location=usa&f=abc_english_0800&d=sunday&format=rm (you might need to cut & past the long version by hand into your browser due to the line break). (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, June 8, swprograms via DXLD) 2130 UT Wed.: {new series} AUSTRALIA NOW - Program #1: "Postcard from Down Under". Tourist images tend to perpetuate stereotypes that connect in particular with rural Australia in particular, the bush and the beach lifestyle of `Sunny Australia`. As a result, overseas tourists often don`t get much further than Australia's largest city, Sydney, the Gold Coast beaches of Queensland, `The Sunshine State` and the red heart of Central Australia. When visitors do travel to other parts of the country they're quite surprised at what they find. Similarly, tourist images of Indigenous Australia are largely derived from Central Australia so that visitors to other Aboriginal cultural sites around the country are frequently disappointed if they don`t hear the `didjeridoo`, a musical instrument made from a hollowed out tree branch or see `dot paintings` that are actually quite specific to Central Australia (John Figliozzi`s RA Previews, swprograms via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. HCJB Australia program schedule: [formatting lost day of week lineup; 0700 entries are 6 days per week and the rest we hope have been figured out correctly. Note that not only DXPL but Ham Radio Today is still on the schedule here, if up to date.] South Pacific Release: 0700-1200 UT 11770 kHz (25) 0700 10 Minute News, News Commentary, Joni and Friends 0730 Sun Hour of Decision Mon Focus On The Family Tue Chords of Love, Family Foundations Wed Words of Hope Thu Adventures in Odyssey Fri Words For Women, Book & The Spade Sat Fresh 0800 Sun Wonderful Words Of Life, The Sower Mon Destinations --- The Great Southland Tue A Slice Of Life Wed Destinations --- New Zealand Thu The Music of New Zealand Fri A Slice Of Life Sat Reality Zone 0830 Sun Discipleship Hour M-F Stories of Great Christians 0845 Sun Search For Truth Mon Family Care Tue Wonderful Words of Life Wed Family Care Thu Science, Scripture, Salvation 0900 Regional News, Commentary 0915 Sun Did You Hear? M-F Pastor To The Slums Sat CCR Drama 0930 Sun Encounter M-F Renewing Your Mind Sat DX Party Line 1000 Sun Crossway Hour Mon International Friendship Tue Let My People Think Wed Inspirational Classics Thu Family Life Today Fri Walkin` In The Sunshine Sat A New Beginning 1030 M-F Rendezvous Sat Ham Radio Today 1045 M-F Precept 1100 Sun Sunday Night M-F Plain Talk Sat Unshackled 1130 Sun Sunday Night M-F 5 Minute News, In Touch Sat 5 Minute News, Country Music Asian Release: 1230-1730 UT, 15480 kHz (19m) 1230 Sun International Friendship Mon Music of Australia Tue Music of Asia Wed Music of New Zealand Thu Music of South Pacific Fri Music of Asia Sat A New Beginning 1300 Sun Hour of Decision Mon Focus On The Family Tue Chords of Love Family Foundations Wed Words of Hope Thu Adventures in Odyssey Fri Words For Women, Book & The Spade Sat Fresh 1330 Sun Wonderful Words Of Life, The Sower Mon Destinations – The Great Southland Tue A Slice Of Life Wed Destinations – The Long White Cloud Thu Destinations – Pacific Pearls Fri A Slice Of Life 1400 Regional News, Commentary 1415 Sun Did You Hear? Mon Search For Truth Tue Family Care Wed Health Care Thu Family Care Fri Science, Scripture, Salvation Sat CCR Drama 1430 Sun Discipleship Hour M-F Precept Sat DX Party Line [contrary to 1230 cited by EDXP] 1445 M-F Radio Class Room 1500 Sun Sunday Night `Alive` M-F Renewing Your Mind Sat Reality Zone 1530 M-F Rendezvous 1545 M-F Stories of Great Christians 1600 Sun Crossway Hour Mon International Friendship Tue Let My People Think Wed Inspirational Classics Thu Family Life Today Fri Walkin` In The Sunshine Sat Ham Radio Today 1630 M-F In Touch, Joni and Friends Sat Country Down Under 1700 Sun Encounter M-F Plain Talk Sat Unshackled (via Baiju, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Desde Tefé (AM), Paulo Roberto e Souza envia mais algumas informações sobre a Rádio Baré Ondas Tropicais, emissora recentemente reativada em 4895 kHz. Está no ar, entre 1900 e 1100. Porém, o período de transmissão deve aumentar. A emissora responde a cartas e informes de recepção enviados em português para os endereços: Avenida Carvalho Leal, 250, Cachoeirinha, CEP: 69065-000, Manaus (AM). Também para: Avenida Humaitá, 336, CEP: 69065-000, Manaus (AM). Fax: +55 (92) 234.0161. Telefones: +55 (92) 231.1299 e 232.1379. A Rádio Baré Ondas Tropicais é gerenciada pela agência de propaganda PROCLIP. A direção da empresa está a cargo de Rosivaldo Ferreira. BRASIL - Uma dica de sítio onde você encontra algumas vozes de locutores que fizeram história no rádio brasileiro: http://www.vozesbrasileiras.com.br/html/galeria.html Confira! (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX June 8 via DXLD) ** CANADA. CHYR follow-up By Kelly Patrick, Windsor Star Staff Reporter The manager of a Leamington greenhouse said a Caribbean migrant worker who claimed he was "sacked" for whining about a radio station wasn't fired at all -- he asked to be sent home, then turned violent when the manager agreed. "He asked me to go home so I sent him home," said Gilles Paquette, 39, the manager at Hazel Farms, a 10-acre tomato operation. "I don't know why they made all that stuff up," he said. Eldred Greene, 33, said he was fired six months before his contract with Hazel was slated to end because he complained about the omnipresence of CHYR-FM (96.7), a Leamington adult contemporary station that doesn't play any of the reggae or soca he prefers. A second worker, Theodore Dacaul, 24, said he was fired for supporting Greene's anti-CHYR revolt. But Paquette, a second supervisor, and three Hazel workers from Greene and Dacaul's Caribbean home of St.Vincent and the Grenadines, said Greene and Dacaul weren't asked to leave until Greene began cursing and pulled a machete -- normally used to cut tomatoes from their fibreglass growing bed -- on a group of workers who refused to back his insurrection against music for "moms in minivans." "He complained about the radio station and then said we weren't supporting him," said Andrew Christopher, 40, a St. Vincent native and four-year veteran at Hazel. Christopher said Greene waved the machete and, "said he would destroy us." One caller to The Star backed the workers' version of events and said others spoke up to protect their jobs. But Nettie Neufeld, Hazel's packhouse supervisor, said Greene and Dacaul gave management trouble from the moment they arrived at the farm in late April. The real problems didn't start until Greene brought a mini-CD player with a pair of headphones to the greenhouse on Tuesday. "The boss came to him and told him to take it off, said worker Wendell Audain, 39. "He (Greene) said, 'If I can't wear the headphones, then change the radio station.'" But Neufeld said the majority of workers at the farm prefer CHYR so she and Paquette refused to switch it. The next day Greene donned the headphones again, was scolded again, then asked to be sent home. An intense argument ensued, followed by the machete incident. Paquette decided to call Chip Stockwell, the farm's owner, at his home in Florida. "Chip said if he (Greene) is making threats against workers, we need to get them out of here," said Neufeld. Around 4:30 p.m. Neufeld and another supervisor drove the pair to the Sun Parlour motel on Talbot Rd., paid for the room and gave them money for dinner at a KFC across the street. But Caribbean worker Patrick Knights, 41, said Greene and Dacaul returned to the on-site bunkhouse where Hazel's 16 other migrant workers sleep, asking for food. "Some of the other guys gave them some food and they left," around 9 p.m. Knights said. "We haven't seen them since." Dacaul and Greene flew back to St.Vincent Thursday with about $1,000 of the $7,000 they would have made if they had worked seven months (From Harry van Vugt, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, June 9, DXLD) ** CAYMAN ISLANDS [and non]. Oh, to live on an island... I just got back from Grand Cayman, and I must say, I am now really jealous for those lucky enough to live in such a fine location. I carried perhaps the most primitive 6m station one can imagine -- 5 watts and 9' of 300 ohm twin lead made into a folded dipole, draped across the balcony of my hotel room. The most impressive thing I heard was the awesome stuff the local 6m op was working; double-hoppers are plain routine for him; having hop #1 over water made a big difference. I did not work as much as he did, of course, but did make a couple of double-hop Qs, and a handful of singles. Not bad, I guess for what I was working with. AS FAR AS BROADCAST IS CONCERNED -- I have little to add since my last trip in February. Formats remain the same. I did get more time in town this trip, and took a few photos of the local stations. I can send them to anyone who might be interested once they are developed. The local inhabitants all seem to have small parabolic dishes on their houses, most often hanging from about 30' of Rohn 25 tower. 'Not quite sure what they are about, MDS I suppose. Further, they also seem to have a small UHF yagi just below. I shot that, too, if anyone can enlighten. I did make one TV "logging." My walkman has TV audio, and I was able to ID 2 from Houston. Nothing big, but it's an ID. 800 miles, or so. The AM band is interesting, again illustrating how useful water can be. There are no local AMs on the Caymans, but the band is still pretty active Daytime. The closest land is Cuba, and one hears many of those. Radio Reloj on 790 is especially strong. Jamaicans can he heard, as well as some obvious Mexicans. It's too bad there aren't more folks on the bands down there. It would be very interesting to see how things work when one has real stuff to work with (Peter Baskind, J.D., LL.M./AG4KI, Germantown, TN/EM55, June 9, WTFDA via DXLD) ** CHINA [non]. RUSSIA: Frequency change for Fang Guang Ming Radio in Mandarin Chinese: 2100-2200 NF 9625 (55444) via SAM 200 kW / 297 deg, ex 9945 \\ 6035 also via SAM (Observer, Bulgaria, June 9 via DXLD) ** CUBA. RHC English (to somewhere if not Europe), noted at 2045 UT June 9 on both 9505 and 11760, actually somewhat better on the lower, but no sign of it on 13750 as in the below schedule, whose source and date are missing, probably current RHC website, but I fear highly out of date and/or suspect. That being the case, I am not going to reproduce all of it, and advise caution in believing any of it. ``Langston Wright`` is really out of touch: at 2129 closing he announced ancient and long-dropped 13750 and 13660-USB for this transmission (still not heard on either). French opening at 2130 gave frequency correctly as 11760 --- but not 9505 which indeed ceased paralleling but was still on with something Frenchy --- Kriyol? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) TRANSMISIONES EN INGLES EUROPA 13750 KHZ 22 M 20:30 - 21:30 UTC ESTADOS UNIDOS 9820 KHZ - 31 M 01 - 05 UTC CHICAGO 6000 KHZ - 49 M 01 - 05 UTC PACIFICO 9820 KHZ - 31 M 05 - 07 UTC 6180 KHZ - 49 M 05 - 07 UTC 9665 KHZ - 31 M 05 - 07 UTC ALÓ PRESIDENTE (Programa dominical del Presidente de Venezuela Hugo Chávez Frías) CENTROAMERICA 13680 KHZ - 22 M 14 UTC ANTILLAS 11670 KHZ - 25 M 14 UTC ESTADOS UNIDOS 13750 KHZ - 22 M 14 UTC RIO DE JANEIRO 17750 KHZ - 16 M 14 UTC . . . (via Swopan Chakroborty, India, June 9, DXLD) ** ECUADOR. My ``strangest case`` happened in 1965 when I was living in Quito, Ecuador. At that time, offices closed for the lunch hour, which was really from noon to 2:30. On this particular day, I was at home having lunch, with my station, HCRM1, ``Radio Musical,`` playing in the background. Suddenly, I heard the record that was being played scratch across its grooves, followed by silence. At first, I thought the announcer had bumped the tone arm, but within a moment, there was a voice saying that a proclamation from a guerilla group would be read. The ensuing few minutes were consumed by a diatribe against the government, capitalism and the sheep-like attitude of the people. I lived only about 12 blocks from the station. I grabbed a fire poker, not thinking that it was probably not the weapon of choice to combat guerrillas, and started running to the station. Of course, I was 18 at the time and good sense may not have been a paramount consideration! When I arrived, carrying my transistor radio, of course, the speech was over and there was dead air. I rushed into the offices only to find the guerrillas gone. The DJ was bound with tape, lying in a corner of the studio. He had been beaten, but was not seriously hurt. I removed the tape, and together we put some music back on the air. Within a few minutes, police and the military started arriving. They were initially skeptical, probably believing there had been an inside job. When they saw the front door had been kicked open, and the jock roughed up, they focused on the perpetrators. Within a few minutes, they realized the guerrillas had escaped via the trash chute, which opened to the rear of the building. We had a guard stationed in the studios for a few days, a couple of newspaper stories and the episode was filed as yet another instance of Cuban-backed urban insurgency (David Gleason, NRC-AM via DXLD) Wasn't it in Ecuador, sometime in the late '40s or early '50s, when the folks at a rural station decided they'd emulate Orson Welles' "War of the Worlds," and after the same panic that resulted from the original Halloween broadcast simmered down, people in the angered audience swarmed the station, torched it, and executed the broadcasters? Be happy the guerillas escaped without confronting you and the fire poker. Aha. I plugged "War of the Worlds" and Ecuador into Google search and came up with this URL for an article ace DXer Don Moore wrote about the incident. I'm old enough, I remember the article in Time Magazine I read in my high school library in 1949. http://www.swl.net/patepluma/south/ecuador/martians.html And also my memory placed the station in rural Ecuador rather than in Quito itself (John Callarman, KA9SPA, Family Genealogist, Krum TX, June 7, NRC-AM via DXLD) It was definitely in Quito. I went to school with the grandson of the founder of El Comercio in '64 and the story was still very well remembered then (David Gleason, ibid.) ** ECUADOR. Em relação às recentes informações de que a HCJB - A Voz dos Andes poderia mudar para o Brasil, a apresentadora do DX HCJB, Eunice Carvajal, esclarece que, na edição do dia 14 de junho, o Diretor da emissora, Curt Cole, participará do programa com o objetivo de informar todas as mudanças na estação. Entretanto, Eunice esclarece que "a possível mudança para o Brasil" não passa de "planos para o futuro". Por enquanto, segunda ela, a emissora está mais preocupada "em mudar de prédio e trocar algumas antenas" (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX June 8 via DXLD) See also AUSTRALIA! ** ETHIOPIA [non]. Powerline noise is a difficult situation in listening. Noise level is standard all over the band with S9 to 10. All logs below use two antennas (16 m H, 16 m V, MFJ 1025 double antenna noise canceller and bhi NES 10-2 audio noise canceller) Clandestine, 12120, V. of Ethiopian Democracy, 1700 June 6, OM giving web address, mixed with background music, mentions of Ethiopian Tigray and aboutt democracy. Lang presumably Amharic, Signal S10 444444 (Zacharias Liangas, Retziki Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Some DTK changes: with kW and azimuth Bible Voice Broadcasting Network /BVBN/: 0030-0100 on 11975 NAU 250 / 095 Sat to SoAs Hindi cancelled 0130-0200 on 15520 WER 250 / 090 Mon-Sat to SoAs Hindi new txion 0500-0530 on 13840 WER 125 / 120 Mon-Fri to ME Arabic new txion 0845-1015 on 17595 WER 125 / 135 Fri to ME Arabic new txion 0900-1000 on 17810 WER 125 / 150 Fri to ME Arabic cancelled 1515-1530 on 15680 JUL 100 / 115 Sat to ME English new txion 1530-1615 on 17655 JUL 100 / 090 Mon-Fri to SoEaAs En/Hindi ex Mon/Tue 1530-1630 on 17655 JUL 100 / 090 Sat/Sun to SoEaAs En/Hindi ex Wed-Sun 1730-1745 on 15680 JUL 100 / 115 Mon-Fri to ME English new txion 1900-1930 on 5970 WER 125 / 060 Sun to EaEu English new txion 1800-1815 on 13845 JUL 100 / 100 Sat to ME English new txion 1815-1845 on 13845 JUL 100 / 100 Sat to ME Persian new txion 1845-1900 on 13845 JUL 100 / 100 Sat to ME English new txion 1800-1900 on 13845 JUL 100 / 100 Sun to ME Persian new txion 1900-2000 on 13710 WER 250 / 120 Sat to ME English cancelled Radio Rainbow: 0800-0900 on 6180 JUL 100 / ND Sat to WeEu Amharic cancelled Brother Stair /TOM/: 1300-1400 on 13810 JUL 100 / 115 Daily to ME English, ex 13-16 1300-1600 on 6110 JUL 100 / non-dir Sun-Fri to WEu English, ex 14-16 1300-1700 on 6110 JUL 100 / non-dir Sat to WEu English add 1900-2100 on 3965 JUL 100 / non-dir Daily to WEu English cancelled Salama Radio: 1830-1915 on 13855 JUL 100 / 175 Daily to WeAf Hausa cancelled 1915-2000 on 13855 JUL 100 / 175 Daily to WeAf English cancelled RFE/RL/Radio Free Iraq: 0100-0300 NF 7205 JUL 100 / 108 Daily to ME Arabic ex 12030 IBRA Radio: 1730-1745 NF 15450 WER 125 / 135 Daily to EaAf Somali, ex 15770 1730-1830 NF 15695 JUL 100 / 145 Daily to EaAf Swahili, ex 15780 1830-1845 NF 15695 JUL 100 / 145 Daily to EaAf English, ex 15780 (Observer, Bulgaria, June 9 via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. I wanted to write and tell you that, on average of once a month, V. of Indonesia`s broadcast at 2000 on 15150 suddenly becomes a great signal. Perhaps you`ve caught it yourself. First time I heard it, I thought there was a new domestic broadcaster on the frequency. Sure enough, tho, it was VOI. Usually I need headphones for this station, but on those occasions when it`s booming in, you can listen right from the speaker with perfect clarity. What do you suppose is the reason for the occasional great signal? Are they beaming to the USA by accident? Running higher power? It shows what they could do if they really tried (Zeke Russell, Williams AZ, June 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I suspect both propagation and transmission variations are involved (gh) ** INDONESIA. RE: RRI stations in de zomer Beste mensen, Ik zal ook proberen mijn steentje bij te dragen (vooor zover ik tijd heb natuurlijk). Twee kanttekeningen bij de opmerkingen + lijst van Max. 1. Ik heb vaak opgemerkt dat RRI stations goed doorkomen in de eerste fase van een geomagnetische storm. (ik snap nog steeds niet waarom, maar dat is een ander verhaal). 2. Ik mis 4925 RRI Jambi. Hoort m.i. ook bij de "regelmatigen". Ik weet niet of ze nu aktief zijn, maar als ze er zijn, dan ook bijna altijd hoorbaar. Groeten, (Aart Rouw, Bühl, Duitsland, June 9, BDXC via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. Hi Glenn, Re: 7470, a reception report sent to Sout el Watan - Voice of Homeland, c/o Mr. Bashir Kyle, P.O. Box 7897, OSLO 01673, Norway, on March 28, was returned back with: "Insufficient address" (Naj). Try info@radiobarabari.net --- the current homepage is http://www.radiobarabari.net (Trutenau)`` This is a mixup in DX Window No. 221; the reference to Sout el Watan does not belong here. The station I commented on is Radio Barabari, below my original lines. 73s, Bernd Address Updates: 7470 Radio Barabari -- My follow-up reception report for December 2002 to info@barabari.org came back after four days as 'undeliverable' from my mail server (Edward Kusalik) Try info@radiobarabari.net --- the current homepage is http://www.radiobarabari.net 73s, (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ [non]. 15495 UK? KUWAIT? Radio Free Iraq: This frequency is now listed on IBB's RFE/RL website for the 1400 broadcast, but of course this site doesn't give transmitter locations. On the Internet some say Woofferton while others suggest Kuwait since there's a gap in Radio Kuwait on this frequency between 1305 and 1800. Here might be a clue. I've heard this a few times the past several days, and there's always a continuous tone just before the broadcast begins. On 4 days, June 4-7, the start of the tone varied from 1357 to 1358. It always ended a few seconds before the program began, so I suspect it's from the same transmitter. I've never heard such a tone when Woofferton signs on --- or Radio Kuwait for that matter. 15495 is slightly behind Briech on 17740 --- the only other frequency I can hear at that time (Wendel Craighead, KS, NASWA Flashsheet June 8 via DXLD) No usage of 15495 now shown on IBB monitoring schedule dated June 8 (gh, DXLD) ** IRAQ. Interrogation Music --- NPR's Linda Wertheimer speaks with Christopher Cerf, who has written songs for Sesame Street for over 30 years, and is most recently the co-editor of the Iraq War Reader, about a new tactic used by the United States military on Iraqi prisoners of war. U.S. Psy Ops is playing heavy metal music and songs from the children's programs Sesame Street and Barney for extended periods in order to persuade the prisoners to reveal secret information. .. http://www.npr.org/dmg/dmg.php?prgCode=WESAT&showDate=07-Jun-2003&segNum=5&mediaPref=RM (NPR Weekend Edition Saturday June 7 via DXLD) ** IRAQ [and non]. RADIO SAWA EXPANDS COVERAGE INSIDE IRAQ Washington, D.C., June 06, 2003 -- Radio Sawa, the Arabic-language music, news and information service, has increased the number of correspondents and the amount of news coverage inside Iraq as it marks the first-year anniversary of broadcasting information tailored specifically for Iraqis. Since the fall of Saddam Hussein`s regime in early April, Radio Sawa has expanded its number of correspondents to 15 people across the country, including Baghdad. The service produces news twice an hour as well as a daily 30-minute newsmagazine focusing on local news, including interviews with officials around the country, educators, health and social workers, artists and musicians. Radio Sawa also has a number of special programs, including ``The Free Zone,`` a weekly show dedicated to democracy issues; ``Ask the World Now,`` a three-times-a-week program examining U.S. policy; a health tips program that runs three times a day, and ``SawaChat,`` an interactive question-and-answer feature. ``I`d like to thank you so much for this great radio,`` one female listener emailed Radio Sawa from Iraq. ``It`s really getting our hearts. Radio Sawa seems to be everywhere, in supermarkets, taxies, restaurants, homes … You are doing a great job out there.`` Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors http://www.bbg.org which oversees all non-military U.S. international broadcasting, said Radio Sawa ``has provided Iraqis with the kind of information they need and want for over a year. We`ll continue to serve the people who are free after so many years of living under a brutal dictatorship.`` Norman J. Pattiz, chairman of the BBG`s Middle East Committee and creator of Radio Sawa, said ``the overwhelming success of Radio Sawa in attracting audience is a testimony to the effectiveness of proven Western broadcast techniques. Building the largest possible audience for our news and informational programming in order to create maximum impact is among the BBG`s highest priorities.`` Radio Sawa http://www.radiosawa.com a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week service, has expanded distribution since April in Iraq, enabling millions more to listen. The Iraqi stream can be heard on AM (1548 MW); FM (100.4 in Baghdad, 100.5 in Erbil and 88.0 in Sulimaniyah); shortwave, digital audio satellite and Internet. Radio Sawa has three other streams going into the Middle East. Radio Sawa`s dedicated Iraq stream was launched in June 2002. During the war the service, heard primarily on AM transmissions from Kuwait, gained wide listenership with news and information about the conflict. Radio Sawa is only one of the U.S.-sponsored broadcasting products going into Iraq. Voice of America`s Kurdish Service http://www.voanews.com/Kurdish and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty`s (RFE/RL) Arabic service, known as Radio Free Iraq http://www.iraqhurr.org are also transmitted into Iraq (BBG Press release June 6 via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. Updated A-03 schedule of Kol Israel: ARABIC 0300-2115 5915 12150 ENGLISH 0400-0415 9435 15640 17600 1015-1030 15640 17525 17545 1630-1645 15640 17545 1900-1925 11605 15615 15640 17545 FRENCH 0500-0515 9435 15640 1000-1015 15640 17525 17545 1530-1545 11605 15640 17545 1645-1700 15640 17545 1930-1945 11605 15615 15640 17545 HEBREW 0100-0500 13580 0330-0500 11590 0400-1800 15760 0500-0100 17535 1600-0330 11585 1800-1845 15640 1800-0400 15760 till Aug.31 1800-0400 9345 from Sep.01 2000-2115 15640 HUNGARIAN 1645-1700 9435 15650 LADINO 1025-1040 15655 PERSIAN 1400-1525 13850 Sun - Thu 15640 17545 1400-1500 13850 Fri & Sat 15640 17545 ROMANIAN 1625-1645 9435 15650 RUSSIAN 1730-1900 9435 11605 SPANISH 1500-1525 15640 Sat only 17520 17545 1545-1555 11605 15640 17545 1700-1715 15640 17545 1945-2000 11605 15615 15640 17545 YIDDISH 1000-1025 15655 1600-1625 9435 15650 Note: From October 3 to October 25, 2003 all transmissions will be 1 hour later (Observer, Bulgaria, June 9 via DXLD) If they still exist ** ITALY. Yes, RAI CALTANISSETTA on 6060 and 7175 and 9515 kHz is CLOSED. On 6060 is RAI Prato Smeraldo (near Rome) night service (Dario Monferini, Italy, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KURDISTAN [non]. VOICE OF MESOPOTAMIA, Clandestine station operated by the Kurdistan workers party, 15675 at 0440 to 0515, Arabic songs until 0500, ID ``Mesopotamia`` caught, then talks. Signal got weaker at 0515, almost unaudible. Question: Does anyboy know how to QSL this station? Thanks (CESAR PEREZ DIOSES, CORREO CENTRAL, CHIMBOTE, Perú, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** MADEIRA. I could not ascertain when this happened, but Estação Rádio da Madeira, Funchal, 1485 kHz 1 kW, is no more, and this is true for both outlets, i.e. VHF-FM & MW, so still on "business" is just PEF-Posto Emissor do Funchal, Funchal 1530 kHz 10 kW & Santana 1017 kHz 1 kW (northern coast), which is the PEF outlet I usually receive with a slightly stronger QSA then // 1530 due to its location, but unlike Funchal 1530, Santana gets adjacent QRM from Spain on both sides of the channel. {see 3-104} Also active of course are the several RDP Madeira outlets: 531 kHz 10 kW in the island of Porto Santo and 603 kHz 10 kW Pico do Areeiro, 1125 kHz 1 kW Ponta do Pargo & 1332 kHz 1 kW Senhora do Monte, all 3 in the island of Madeira itself. Still a final note re. RDP Madeira local programs which are broadcast as follows (this applies to RDP Antena 1 only) M-F 0700-2000, Sats 0800-1800 & Suns 0900-1800 local POR Summer time, i.e. UTC+1 h; RDP Madeira e-mail addr. is rdpmadeira@rdp.pt Carlos Gonçalves in an email (3/6-2003) (Ydun`s MW News via DXLD) ** MALAYSIA. See MAURITANIA just below ** MALI. 4835.0, Radio Mali, Bamako. While trying to catch Mauritanie on 4845 (due to a coup attempt), I just came across this one. Programs in vernacular language (or so it seems, since it was hard to follow their speech and it never sounded like "African" French) at 2320 UT. Recheck at 2341 with subsaharan African music style mixed with announcements. Sign off at 2359 with short announcement in French ("Ici l`Office de Radiodiffusion et Télévision du Mali") followed by national anthem, unfinished due to premature sign off. SIO 222 (from Perú, Moisés Corilloclla, June 8, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** MAURITANIA. Radio Mauritania, Nouakchott currently silent at 1945 UT on 4845 kHz following reported coup against President Taya there today (Sun 8 Jun). However, there is a strong carrier on frequency with hum from off channel (4844.93): Kuala Lumpur with Tamil music audible underneath. Carrier probably is Nouakchott which is normally strong at this time on 4845. BBC news item on coup and reported capture of the radio station by mutineers is at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2972550.stm (Alan Pennington, BDXC-UK, Caversham UK AOR 7030+ / longwire, June 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Following today`s coup in Mauritania I am as yet (1930 UT) unable to detect even a carrier from ORTM on 4845 kHz. This does have a positive side as RTM Radio 6, Kajang, Malaysia is audible with clear signal on 4844.93 kHz. If you haven`t managed to hear RTM 6 from Malaysia before on 4844.93, then tonight would appear to be your best chance (Graham Powell, Editor - Online DX Logbook, June 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) A full list of English Broadcasts from the Middle East is available Free at http://www.shortwave.org.uk Indeed, VOA News Now reported at 1726 that ``Mauritania`s state radio, which had reported that government forces were back in control of the capital, Nouakchott, has gone off the air again.`` (Andy Sennitt, June 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Mauritania is inactive tonight, no carrier also here in south Italy. Every night 9+20 (Roberto Scaglione, Sicily, http://www.bclnews.it June 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) R. Mauritania audible again this evening (9 Jun) on 4845 kHz - yesterday's coup is reported to have been foiled (see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2974006.stm ) Currently mixing with Kuala Lumpur on 4844.93. Nouakchott fading up on 4845.0 with man with Arabic rhetoric and chanting (19.15 UT) (Alan Pennington, BDXC- UK, Caversham UK AOR 7030+ / longwire, June 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) R. Mauritania, 4845 kHz is back on air again. Been audible since 2030 UT June 9 --- and strength increasing. 73's (Alf Aardal, Norway, hard- core-dx via DXLD) ** MEXICO. Until summertime noise wiped it out, I was hearing the harmonic of R. Centro, 1350, San Luís [Rio Colorado, Son.?], on 2700 (Zeke Russell, Williams AZ, June 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MÉXICO. THE UNTHINKABLE HAS HAPPENED: RADIO MARÍA LAUNCHES IN MÉXICO OVER XELT 920 AM GUADALAJARA Guadalajara, Jun 7 (CRU) --- The unthinkable has happened. Radio María México, México`s first solidly Catholic station, has begun operations over leased XELT 920 AM in Guadalajara, Jalisco. The 24-hour operation makes use of XELT`s 10,000 watts day and 250 watts night, directional antenna. It is owned by Radio Tapatía S.A. de C.V. and previously operated as Radio Escucha. The station plant in suburban Tlaquepaque was blessed and inaugurated on May 31 by the Cardinal Archbishop of Guadalajara, Dr. D. Juan Sandoval Íñiguez, attended by other bishops and numerous priests and a large crowd of laity. A solemn Mass was said and broadcast live over Radio María México. The day is the Feast of the Visitation. México prohibits churches and religious groups from owning radio stations, although it does license stations to schools and universities operated by the Catholic Church. XHMER Estéreo Mendel 103.7 FM in Aguascalientes and XHUIA 90.9 FM in México City are examples. For that reason, Radio María México, a group of enthusiastic laymen in Guadalajara, have had to lease a local station. Several years ago, the national legislature passed laws allowing the broadcast of religious programming by commercial stations, and the fundamentalists and charismatic Protestants have been quick to buy up large blocks of air time. Apparently Catholic efforts have been much more modest, until now. Radio María México has been planned for a long time. Writing in the April newsletter of Radio Maria Italia, Radio Maria World Family officials Emmanuele and Vittorio said, ``Dear friends, obviously you cannot know how many people in the world have many times asked us to clarify how it is possible for Radio Maria to be in so many Latin American countries and not in México. In fact, México with its population of almost 110 million inhabitants, according to the statistics, is one of the most important countries for Catholicism because almost the entire totality of the population is of the Catholic religion. Not only that, it is one of the countries in the world where the faith is most alive and conscious, in a particular manner the Marian Devotion.`` They were speaking of Our Lady of Guadalupe, where almost 500 years ago the Virgin [allegedly] appeared to St. Juan Diego, an Aztec Indian on his way to early morning Mass. ``It is a phenomenon of proportions that has no equal in other parts of the world, inasmuch as the devotion to the Madonna really touches everyone, even nonbelievers, and during her feast day, the 12th of December, millions of people go on pilgrimage to her sanctuary. How then can Radio Maria be lacking in the most Marian country of the world par excellence?`` the World Family writers ask. The answer impacts. México has had a long history of virulent and violent anti-Catholicism, headed by Free Masons, anti-clericals, and apostate intellectuals. ``If God has asked of other peoples of the Earth that the people confess Him with deeds and words, He has asked of the people of México and singularly those of Jalisco in those years [the first decades of the last century] a confession of suffering and blood, along with the generous surrender of the fight for religious liberty,`` says the Archdiocese of Guadalajara in its website http://www.arquidiocesisgdl.org.mx ``The so-called Cristero War, the only legitimate and clean revolution, unmixed with other interests, came and passed.`` It was the Cristeros who rose up and put an end to the murder of priests and religious, to the profanation, destruction, and closing of churches. Centered in the traditionally devoutly Catholic region of Jalisco state, of which Guadalajara is the capital, their uprising was brutally suppressed by a series of Mexican generals and presidents. ``In those glorious years the blood of the martyrs made fecund the vineyard of the Lord,`` the Archdiocesan historian goes on. ``The seminary of Guadalajara has celebrated with great happiness its 15 martyred priests, now proclaimed blessed by Pope John Paul II. And the innumerable army of those who suffered and died for Christ. The seminary suffered persecutions and exile to the point of looking for help beyond the frontier and the oceans.`` The biographies and short accounts of the death of 15 priests in Guadalajara archdiocese can be read on the ``Santos de Jalisco`` page at the archdiocesan websites. Thousands of Cristeros were brutally murdered after being taken prisoner; passengers on railroad trains saw a Cristero hanging from every telegraph pole along the rights-of-way. Firing squads worked long hours saturating the Guadalupean soil with the blood of martyrs across México, including Blessed Miguel At one point there were few priests left in the country; those not shot or hanged were exiled. The same thing happened to religious; the editor of Catholic Radio Update was taught by several who had been placed atop boxcars and rode for their lives into the United States. Pope Pius XI stood firm against the brutal Mexican governments, writing two encyclicals, Iniquis afflictisque in 1926 and Acerba animi in 1931. In the 1940`s the ecclesiastical laws were applied with less force and by 1992 México had restored diplomatic ties with the Holy See. Through all the persecution, however, the faith was kept burning: witness the ecstatic greetings Pope John Paul II in 1979, 1993, and 2002. A century has elapsed, and some things remain the same. The pages of El Informador, one of Guadalajara`s principal dailies (most Mexican cities, unlike American ones, have several), are still permeated with Catholic culture. More sobering and even ominous was the assassination of the Cardinal Archbishop of Guadalajara, Don Juan Jesús Posadas, in the parking lot of the Guadalajara airport where he had gone to meet an incoming ecclesiastical dignitary on May 24, 1993. The mystery has not been solved. Who ordered and who carried out the murder, done with automatic weapons at close range and involving several gunmen? The Church has amassed information to show that that it was not a case of mistaken identity --- the national government had said that it was the shoot-out of rival drug cartels, and the cardinal apparently was mistaken for one of the kingpins --- but a clear case of political assassination on the part of high authorities. Even the presidency of Vicente Fox, the first elected president of the Catholic Partido Acción Nacional (PAN), has achieved nothing in solving the case. A government official has said that there is no evidence to support the Church`s allegations. Summing it up, Emmanuele and Vittorio write, ``Considering the almost five years of work and the previous and numerous vain attempts to have a frequency and to start broadcasting, it seems to us to be a true miracle, perhaps a miracle of the Virgin of Guadalupe?`` Database Guadalajara, Jalisco: XELT Radio María México 920 AM (10,000 watts días, 250 watts noches). Arrendada desde Radio Tapatía S.A. de CV. Radio María México, Avenida Cruz del Sur 3195, 3 Piso. Lomas de la Victoria, 44580 Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, México. Tel.: +52 (33) 3367- 10000. E-mail: director.mex@radiomaria.org or administration.mex@radiomaria.org. No website. 24 hrs (Mike Dorner, Catholic Radio Update June 8 via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. HOLANDA - Saiu as novidades envolvendo o futuro de alguns departamentos da Rádio Nederland. A partir de outubro, a programação, em espanhol, será irradiada entre 0000 e 0300. Já os jornalistas brasileiros vão permanecer na emissora. Também estudam a emissão de futuros programas em português para a África. Uma das vozes noturnas da Rádio Nederland, em espanhol, é de Dante Landeo Cordero. Ele apresenta os noticiários. Dante é peruano, nascido em Huancayo. Trabalha na Rádio Nederland desde 1995. Também produz programas para moradores latinos de Utrecht (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX June 8 via DXLD) En el programa dominical "CARTAS..." de Radio Nederland, Jaime Báguena dio a conocer el nuevo horario de las emisiones en español que regirá desde Octubre de 2003. Será de 3 horas a partir de las 0000 UT. Otra novedad. Se agregará el idioma árabe a las emisiones por Internet (Hugo López, CHILE, Lista Conexion Digital, 02/06/2003 via @tividade DX June 8 via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. 6025 kHz, Radio Nigeria-Enugu, two cards for same report, one "Tourist Mask From Northern Nigeria" and the other "Wood Carving From Benin City Nigeria", date and frequency cards with statement "Your reception report of January 11th 2003 is hereby acknowledged. You reported on our 10 kw NEC Short Wave transmitter on 6025 kHz", V/S Engr. Louis Nnamuchi, Deputy Director (ES), in 5 months, for 2 IRCs. Report sent direct to station and reply from Enugu (Joe Talbot, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada June 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. Freq change for Radio Pakistan effective June 1: 0500-0700 Urdu WS NF 17755, ex 21460 \\ 15100 1600-1615 English NF 17720, ex 17820 \\ 11570 15065 15725 1700-1900 Urdu WS NF 15065, ex 9400 to avoid Radio Bulgaria in Fr/En \\ 11570 (Observer, Bulgaria, June 9 via DXLD) ** PERU. PERUANAS CON MUY BUENA SEÑAL --- Hola Glenn, Saludos desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA. Radio Tarma de Perú, captada el 08/06, a las 2332 UT, por los 4775 kHz. SINPO 4/3. Anunciaba los 1510 kHz en OM, 99.3 MHz (FM STEREO) y la frecuencia de banda tropical. Una selección musical bastante ecléctica: Raphael "Sin Ella", Scorpions "Wind of Change" y Roberto Carlos, ente otros. El programa en cuestión: Telemúsica Dominical. Radio Huanca (Juanta??) [Huanta! -- gh] 2000, el mismo día, a las 2349 UT, en los 4750 kHz. Transmitía música tradicional con un locutor de guardia. SINPO 3/3. Estas escuchas fueron cortesía de la Madre Naturaleza, que al fin nos envió un poco de lluvia por estas latitudes y por una noche desapareció el molesto ruido de las líneas de alta tensión, muy característico de estas épocas. Saludos, (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, June 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. About the "Pacífico Radio" broadcast, rest assured that these people are running 4975. I happen to live a mile away from their transmitter center and this signal obliterates signals 50 kHz up and down the frequency. Greetings (from Perú, Moises Corilloclla, June 8, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** PHILIPPINES [and non]. 11590, FEBC, 2230 June 7 (presumed) in Chinese over V. of Strait heard as well; strange frequency choice for the two that close (Richard Jary, Spent the weekend at Parawa, about 60km south of Adelaide, South Australia. 35 deg 33' 36.7 S, 138 deg 21' 28 E, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. 7436, Radio Krishnaloka really broadcasts around 0140 with solid signal in Russian. Lecture about voyages to India. Thanks to DXSIGNAL INFO for the tip! (Artyom Prokhorov, Russia, June 8, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** SEYCHELLES [non]. RUSSIA: Freq change for FEBA Radio via SAM 250 kW / 129 deg to India, Nepal, Tibet: 1200-1500 NF 15225, ex 15605 to avoid VOIROI/IRIB in Kurdish, Kirmanji from 1430 (Observer, Bulgaria, June 9 via DXLD) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. One mystery: for a few years now, I`m hearing BBCWS on 5020 from at least 1200 to 1500. The reference books show Solomon Islands BC off the air at this time. Could they be relaying BBC? It`s obviously coming from the Pacific Rim. The only ID at the top of hour is ``BBCWS``. I`ve never seen the frequency listed anywhere. I have reported it to Monitoring times, but they never list it, perhaps because they can`t verify it. They do print my other contributions (altho I`m rarely credited). One thing I`m sure of; I`m hearing the BBC. Any ideas? (Zeke Russell, Williams AZ, June 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, indeed, we have had numerous reports of SIBC relaying BBCWS overnight on 5020 (gh) ** SOMALILAND. Powerline noise is a difficult situation in listening. Noise level is standard all over the band with S9 to 10. All logs below use two antennas (16 m H, 16 m V, MFJ 1025 double antenna noise canceller and bhi NES 10-2 audio noise canceller) 7530.6 at 1754 June 8, talks in Somali, 1800 with local music for all the part I listened until about 1845. Signal was QRMed in both sides, an FSK signal on 7532 of same level. About S5 (Zacharias Liangas, Retziki Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAIWAN. Dentro del ``Buzón Aéreo`` del pasado día sábado 30 de mayo, a través de Radio Taipei Internacional, su conductora Bonnie Cheng se refirió a los siguientes temas: MONITORES OFICIALES Para ser elegido Monitor Oficial de RTI, Bonnie dijo ``Solamente usted tiene que mandar su petición, expresar que usted tiene el deseo de ser elegido como Monitor Oficial y después, cuando termine el plazo de vencimiento del año, nosotros estaremos eligiendo nuevos monitores. Pero muchas veces yo aconsejo a los oyentes que, para sobresalir de todos los candidatos, es siempre mejor adjuntar los informes elaborados, es decir que si usted ya tiene algunos informes elaborados ponga su petición así nosotros estaremos prestando con más atención a quienes tienen los informes adjuntados porque el trabajo de monitor consiste en que tiene que colaborar con sus informes de recepción, tiene que ser responsable de hacernos llegar las informaciones en cuanto a las condiciones de escucha de su país, de su zona... Y a cambio va a poder recibir algunos materiales, así como la revista que están recibiendo los monitores oficiales de la radio y un certificado que dice que usted es el Monitor Oficial...`` DE LA VOZ DE CHINA LIBRE A CBS RADIO TAIPEI INTERNACIONAL: Los oyentes Jorge Cobos Ponce y John Freddy Castellón Gil preguntaron por qué se le cambió el nombre de La Voz de China Libre a CBS Radio Taipei Internacional. ``Esta pregunta es interesante`` dijo Bonnie Cheng y respondiendo agregó ``Les quiero decir que La Voz de China Libre pertenecía a una corporación cuyas siglas eran BCC y la CBS Radio Taipei Internacional pertenecía al Gobierno, mejor dicho, al Ministerio de Defensa Nacional en esa época. Y en el año 1998 La Voz de China Libre salió de la BCC y se incorporó con la CBS Radio Taipei Internacional y, a la vez este instituto, la CBS, salió del Ministerio de Defensa Nacional y se formó por sí sólo una radioemisora y decimos entonces que nosotros somos una Radio Nacional; nosotros no dependemos de ningún partido, es decir que al cambio del partido gobernante, la CBS Radio Taipei Internacional va a existir para siempre mientras que haya presupuesto dado por el gabinete de la Cámara Legislativa. John Freddy Castellón Gil había hecho la pregunta de ¿Por qué ese 75 aniversario y también ese 5 aniversario?. Al respecto dijo Bonnie ``El 75 es por la fundación de la CBS y el 5 aniversario es por la reestructuración de La Voz de China Libre con la CBS Radio Taipei Internacional, es decir que a partir del año 1998 nosotros solamente emitimos bajo el nombre de la sintonía de la RTI y dejamos en el pasado a La Voz de China Libre. Todo esto se debe a los planes de reestructuración del Gobierno y lo que es más evidente, para evitar la intervención política cuando se cambia algún mandato. En los años anteriores era el Partido Nacionalista el que estaba en el poder, ahora es el Partido Democrático Progresista, pero nosotros estamos aquí siempre acompañando con una posición bien equilibrada, nosotros no dependemos de la sobrevivencia de ningún partido político y para eso nosotros nos reestructuramos y ahora somos una radio nacional...Y si todavía tienen dudas me pueden escribir que les voy a contestar por e-mail`` bonnie@cbs.org.tw Recepción en los 17845 kHz (0240 UT), grabación, trascripción y adaptación de (Rubén Guillermo Margenet, Rosario, Argentina, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TOGO [non]. On Sunday, 8th June, I checked R. Togo Libre 12125 broadcast at 2000. Rather weak signal, lots of local noise, but readable with familiar opening announcements. Their schedule is M-F 1300-1400 on 21760 and Sundays 2000-2100 on 12125 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S S R [non]. PRAGUE HOSTS COMMEMORATION OF FIFTY YEARS OF RADIO LIBERTY BROADCASTS (Prague/Washington -- June 6, 2003) U.S. international broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is marking the fiftieth anniversary of broadcasts to the countries of the former Soviet Union this week with a series of events including a major conference today in Prague, Czech Republic. The conference, "On Liberty," took place at RFE/RL's Broadcast Operations Center. The conference reviewed various aspects of liberty in the world today, including discussions of the relationship between liberty and human rights, sovereignty, religion and education, civil society development, and the media and Internet. Czech Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda gave the keynote speech at the conference. Conference speakers included former Russian parliament chairman Ruslan Khasbulatov, former Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yushchenko, Ukrainian parliament deputy Mustafa Cemilev and longtime Russian human rights champion Ludmilla Alekseeva. Audio and video of the conference will be available on RFE/RL's website, at http://www.rferl.org/specials/50radioliberty/ Other events planned for the celebration include an exhibit of the "Faces of Liberty" -- portraits of the most famous voices heard during the last fifty years of Radio Liberty Russian Service broadcasts, and an exhibition of books written by RFE/RL authors. RFE/RL President Thomas A. Dine also hosted a reception in Prague for current and former employees of Radio Liberty. "Radio Liberation" broadcasts in Russian, Tajik and Turkmen began on March 1, 1953. These programs were joined within days by broadcasts in Armenian, Azeri, Belarusian, Georgian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz and Uzbek, and programs in Tatar-Bashkir and Ukrainian debuted only a few months later. Built on the surrogate broadcasting model of Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty (as the broadcasts were renamed in 1959) worked not only to inform its audience but also to convince listeners to use the information they received from Radio Liberty to decide for themselves how best to struggle against communist dictatorship, no matter how bleak the prospects seemed for change. Radio Liberty programming was subject to severe and constant jamming by the Soviet government from its first broadcast until the jamming was stopped on order of Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev in late November 1988. Radio Liberty merged with Radio Free Europe in 1975, to create the current corporate structure of RFE/RL (RFE/RL press release June 6 via DXLD) ** U K. Hi Glen[n], These are studio to transmitter links. Regards, (Martin Peters, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The 48 MHz frequencies used by some UK hospital and university stations are either studio to transmitter links, or relays to feed the programme to a nearby hospital or to a separate part of the university campus, for example. From there it may be redistributed via cable or an inductive loop system, or via a freely-radiating AM or FM transmitter. In the past, hospital and university stations could only use cable or inductive loop systems which strictly limited coverage to the building itself. However, for the past few years, freely-radiating low power licences have been available to hospitals, colleges, army bases and even prisons. Output power is limited to 1 Watt e.r.p. (which means up to perhaps 30 Watts transmitter power to achieve the 1 watt output from an inefficient aerial). There are now around 70 of these freely- radiating low power AM services on the air, with another 15 or so operating very low power (50 mW) on FM 87.7 MHz. The AM services mostly use 1287, 1350, 1386 and 1431 kHz with just a handful of stations on other channels such as 1134, 1251, 1278, 1449, 1575 and 1602 kHz. These LPAM and LPFM services operate with five-year licences from the Radio Authority, not to be confused with the temporary restricted service licences (RSLs) which are for up to 28 days. Both LPAM and mediumwave RSL stations may be audible up to perhaps 10 miles from the transmitter on a good domestic radio, much further using communications receivers. However, the LPAM stations (unlike RSLs) are not permitted under their licence to publicise the fact that they can be heard outside the hospital or university --- presumably this is to protect nearby commercial stations. DXing UK LPAM stations seems to be quite popular, and several of our members report regular reception of some of these 1 watt stations from as far away as Finland! Paul David mentioned being able to hear Hemel Hospital Radio. This operates with a 1 watt LPAM licence on 1350 kHz and could be audible in Wembley on a good receiver. On the other hand, Northwick Park only has an inductive loop system on 945 kHz, so it won't be heard much beyond the building. Freely-radiating LPAM licences are only available outside the Greater London area. Full details of all the LPAM and LPFM services are contained within the British DX Club publication Radio Stations in the United Kingdom. See http://bdxc.org.uk for further details (Dave Kenny, BDXC-UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. JOHNNIE WALKER REVEALS CANCER FIGHT LIVE ON AIR 7pm Julia Day Thursday June 5, 2003 The Guardian http://media.guardian.co.uk/Print/0,3858,4684897,00.html Veteran DJ Johnnie Walker has revealed live on air that he is fighting a battle against cancer, calling it `a toughy`. Walker, 58, shocked listeners to his BBC Radio 2 drivetime show by revealing, five minutes before he went off air at 7 pm, that he had been diagnosed with cancer of the colon. He said although he would have liked to have kept his battle private, he had decided to go public because he would have to take time off from his show for treatment. He said: ``Before I go there is something I want to mention. It is something that normally a person in my position would want to keep close to their chest but, because of the occasional time off I might be taking, I wanted to go public with it. ``Five weeks ago I was diagnosed with cancer, non-Hodgkin`s lymphomas, which is apparently a very treatable type of cancer. I am kicking off the treatment tomorrow and will be taking a week off and will see how it goes. ``To all those who are facing that challenge - and those who love people and are part of a family facing that challenge - it`s a toughy isn`t it? I know how you feel.`` He ended the show, which he dedicated to cancer-sufferers, with Simon and Garfunkel`s Bridge Over Troubled Water. Walker is one of the longest serving DJs at the BBC, where has worked on and off for 34 years. He most recently hit the headlines in 1999 when he was caught by the News of the World`s infamous undercover reporter, Mazher Mahmood, and was secretly filmed cutting lines of cocaine in a London hotel. Mahmood alleged he discussed supplying undercover reporters from the News of the World with cocaine and prostitutes on a regular basis. The BBC suspended Walker but reinstated him after he pleaded guilty to possession and received treatment for drug abuse. Walker was born Peter Dingley and was brought up in Solihull, West Midlands. His off-the-wall attitude to life was revealed at an early age: he has said he deliberately failed his O-levels because he did not believe a piece of paper should dictate his path for life. He became a car salesman but his love of pop music led him to become a DJ on the pirate station Radio Caroline, where he made his name in the 60s. In common with many of his contemporaries - Tony Blackburn, Tommy Vance and Kenny Everett - he eventually went legitimate, moving to BBC Radio 1 in 1969. On his Radio 1 lunchtime show he pioneered names such as Steve Harley, Lou Reed, Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles and Steely Dan. However, he later rowed with the BBC over the type of music he wanted to play. After he called the Bay City Rollers` songs ``musical rubbish``, angry fans jammed the BBC`s switchboard. He told them to ``take a running jump``. Walker left the country for San Francisco in 1976, where he recorded a weekly show for Radio Luxembourg. In the early 80s he returned to England and had stints with local stations in the west country before returning Radio 1 to present the Stereo Sequence and then moving to the Radio 2 drivetime show. The show was nominated for the best daily music programme prize at the Sony Awards in 2001 and is broadcast weekdays between 5pm and 7pm. The BBC Radio 2 controller, Jim Moir, said: ``We offer Johnnie every good wish and will give him all the support he needs during his treatment.`` MediaGuardian.co.uk C Guardian Newspapers Limited 2003 (via Dave Williams, June 6, uk-radio-listeners yahoogroup via Paul David, DXLD) Those of you who read the papers will already know about this. Very sad, imho. Personally I think Johnny is a fine broadcaster and hope he makes it back on-air very soon (Dave Williams, ibid.) MACONIE HOLDS FORT FOR RADIO 2'S WALKER Julia Day, Monday June 9, 2003, The Guardian Music journalist and broadcaster Stuart Maconie is to deputise for BBC Radio 2 veteran Johnnie Walker while he undergoes treatment for cancer. Walker, 58, shocked listeners by revealing, five minutes before signing off the drivetime show last Thursday, he had been diagnosed with a form of cancer called non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He began treatment for the disease today and is due back on air on Monday June 16. Maconie, a former NME journalist, will hold the fort for Walker, whose show attracts 5 million listeners between 5 and 7 pm. "Stuart will do all Johnnie's deputising. He is due back on the 16th but, if doesn't feel up to it or needs any more time off, Stuart will stand in," said a spokeswoman for Radio 2. Maconie gained acclaim when he co-presented a Radio 1 comedy programme with Andrew Collins. He was voted best music broadcaster by the Sony Award judges in 2001, has become a ubiquitous pundit on music TV shows and makes regular appearances on youth and lifestyle programmes. Maconie presents Radio 2's The Critical List, a guide to the ultimate record collection, on Saturday nights and hosts the weekend breakfast show on BBC digital radio station 6 Music. His two-part series The Blur Story begins on June 14 at 9pm on Radio 2. MediaGuardian.co.uk (c) Guardian Newspapers Limited 2003 (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U K. PICK OF THE DAY Phil Daoust, Monday June 9, 2003, The Guardian The BBC doesn't have programmes any more. It has Nights or Weeks or Seasons or Celebrations. But just when you're ready to throw up at the marketing-led consumer-friendliness of it all, along comes something deserved, like this week's homage to Peter Tinniswood, the much-loved writer who died of cancer earlier this year. The mini-season runs until Friday, the day of Tinniswood's memorial service. BBC7 begins today's offerings with Uncle Mort's Celtic Fringe (11.45 am), featuring Tinniswood's miserable but indomitable northerner and his nephew Carter Brandon, on holiday in Wales. Radio 4 chips in with the writer's last play, Anton in Eastbourne (Afternoon Play, 2.15 pm), created for Paul Scofield to celebrate his love of Chekhov. Scofield himself stars. Still on 4, five of Tinniswood's Tales from a Long Room get an airing from Monday to Friday (3.30 pm). Today's tale, Polar Games, has the race to the South Pole between Amundsen and Scott being decided by a cricket match in Antarctica. A few miles further down Memory Lane, Edward Seckerson and Sheridan Morley remember Noel Coward in Stage and Screen (4 pm, Radio 3). It's hard to believe the wartime BBC was so lacking in a sense of irony that it banned Coward's Don't Let's Be Beastly to the Germans, for being soft on the Nazis: "Though they've been a little naughty / To the Czechs and Poles and Dutch / I don't suppose those countries / Really minded very much." Guardian Unlimited (c) Guardian Newspapers Limited 2003 (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U K / U S A. BBC TARGETS US HISPANIC AUDIENCES | Text of press release by BBC World Service on 9 June BBC World Service is targeting Hispanic audiences in the US and encouraging them to sample its online sites with a public forum on the state of education for Latinos, supported by US media. The debate, which takes place at Garfield High School in Los Angeles on 11 June 2003, is being webcast by the popular BBC Spanish language site, bbcmundo.com It is also being promoted by the BBC's partners and affiliates in the US, including La Opinion newspaper, which is running four free print advertisements, and New California Media, which is promoting the forum through its newsletter and affiliated web sites. Los Angeles-based PR agency Durazo Communications was appointed by BBC World Service Marketing Communications to coordinate the forum, working closely with the BBC marketing and programme makers based in London. James Painter, Head of BBC Mundo, says: "The issue of Latinos dropping out of school is one we know really concerns our Spanish speaking US audience. This forum means we can reach those directly affected. We can encourage them to debate this and other Hispanic-related issues and direct them to the wealth of information and materials we make available via bbcmundo.com" BBC online sites attract over 120m page impressions a month, of which over 30 per cent come from the US. The bbcmundo.com site averages 4 million page impressions a month. To follow the event and audience reaction to the initiative, visit http://bbcmundo.com [bbcmundo.com is the site of the BBC Spanish language service BBC Mundo. BBC Mundo programmes are beamed by satellite to more than 300 stations in Latin America and the USA.] For more information contact: Lala Najafova, International Publicist, BBC World Service +44(0)207557 2944; lala.najafova@bbc.co.uk Source: BBC World Service press release, London, in English 9 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** U S A. Todos os dias, entre 1130 e 1200, a emissora [VOA] apresenta o Enfoque Andino, com informações, entrevistas e especiais sobre países desta área da América do Sul. A Voz da América possui correspondentes destacados em diversas cidades de tais países. Anote os horários e freqüências em que a Voz da América emite em espanhol: das 0100 às 0200, em 9560, 9735, 9885, 11815 e 13760 kHz. Entre 1130 e 1200, em 9535, 11925 e 13790 kHz. Também das 1200 às 1230, em 7370, 11890, 11925, 13770, 15360, 15390 e 17875 kHz (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX June 8 via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Deleted freqs for Voice of America in Arabic: 0200-0300 on 11985; 1400-1700 on 11840; 0700-1400 on 12045 73 from Ivo and Angel! (Observer, Bulgaria, June 9 via DXLD) ** U S A. Hi Glenn, re WWRB spur: 100% definitely 5034.22 --- at first instant thought it may be Bangui back on, but not so lucky! (Paul Ormandy, NZ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [continued as 3-103!] |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-101, June 8, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3f.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 1185: RFPI: Mon 0030, 0630, 1230, Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0730, 1330 7445 WBCQ: Mon 0445 7415 WWCR: Wed 0930 9475 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1185.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1185.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1185h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1185h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1185.html WORLD OF RADIO ON WINB, WJIE, WWCR: See USA ** AFGHANISTAN. URL Correxion: Listed in DXLD 3-099: http://www.schoechi.de/crw/afghan.html Correct: http://www.schoechi.de/crw/crw-afghan.html 73 (Olle Alm, Sweden, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA [and non]. Hi Glenn, You wrote: ``I wonder how many listeners have initially been duped into listening when they hear the Oz accent and assume it be R. Australia``. I was! Heard them recently with a news bulletin, and it took quite a while to sink in that it wasn`t RA. But I can do better than that - not too long ago I thought I`d found RA on a new frequency in the 21 meg band. Ozzie announcer, international news...then at the end of the bulletin the newsreader said ``I`m Grant Coburn``. Yes, he was in the studio downstairs, about 50m away from my desk in the RN building :-) I do, for some reason, find it difficult to identify the accents of individual Ozzies, even ones I know well. A pity I didn`t recognize the frequency, though :-) [yes, you can publish this and give everyone a laugh] 73, (Andy Sennitt, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, did you listen to DXPL this morning (boy do we have to get used to THIS after all those years of prime-time listening...)? [Sat 1230 on Pifo 15115 --- no, I didn`t; hope they get the audio file up soon]. There was a ``Christian Radio Update`` feature about ``Voice`` and its shortwave broadcasts, with particular interest to the Australian transmissions from Darwin. It was pointed out that Voice-AUS is aiming its target audiences to the 18-45 group, using music and entertainment, and not preaching, to entertain and inform listeners -- a different approach to HCJB and other religious stations that aim their content at families, among others, with spiritual and traditional religious fare (Joe Hanlon, now in Mays Landing, NJ, June 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) HCJB-AUS has approached Family Radio (WYFR) concerning its use of 11770 for the Portuguese service to Brazil 0800-1045, which is causing havoc to HCJB-AUS in New Zealand. Kununurra operates 0700-1200, azimuth 106 degrees, with a primary service area of Eastern Australia and the South Pacific. WYFR uses 100 kW, azimuth 142 degrees, to South America, and is widely heard in the Pacific region. I sent a message to EDXP members in Australia and NZ a few days ago asking for reception quality details on 11770 --- no response came from NZ, but these Australian members came back with useful information: Tim Gaynor (Queensland), Craig Tyson (WA), Ray Roche (ACT), and Mike Stevenson (NSW). I am in discussions with HCJB-AUS Frequency Management about 11770 in NZ --- we are now relying mainly on the IBB`s Remote Receiver in Wellington for reception data. DX Partyline will continue to be broadcast over HCJB-AUS at 0930 Sat on 11770 and 1230 Sat [sic --- used to be 1430] on 15480 (to India), and will include the EDXP News Reports each month, produced in Quito. I am privy to some proposals about future plans for HCJB-AUS, which will be released at an appropriate time. Note that there are two antennas currently in use at Kununurra: 1. Azimuth 106 degrees, used for the Australia/S. Pac service on 11770 2. Azimuth 307 degrees, used for the Indian service on 15480 At present, neither of these antennas can be operated on all bands. There is back-radiation from both antennas, which is the reason why 15480 is audible across the Pacific, and 11770 in Asia. All schedule/frequency variations have to be submitted to, and authorised by the Australian Communications Authority, in Canberra, then notified to the Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (Kuala Lumpur). Programming currently consists of a mix of local Australian content, complemented by material provided by HCJB-Ecuador. The Australian studios are at Kilsyth, an outer suburb of Melbourne, which also accommodates the IBB`s remote receiver facility, designated as ``MEL``. Program distribution to Kununurra is via a dial-up wideband ISDN link from Kilsyth. There is no satellite feed. Antenna towers include 30 metre masts. There are two technical officers on duty at the site, and output power is 100 kW maximum. The transmitter was constructed in Ecuador. Local transmission signal monitoring at the site is by RACAL equipment. Correspondence, including attention to QSL requests, is managed from Kilsyth (Bob Padula, EDXP World Broadcast Magazine June 7, used by permisson from http://edxp.org via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. STATION ``X`` --- An allocation has finally been released by the ACA for the use of 2365.5 [sic === 2368.5 in DXLD 3- 099] (120 mb) of a private station, under the category of ``HF Domestic Broadcasting Service``. The licence has been granted to a Mr Peter G. Tate, for 1 kW, subject to special conditions that harmful interference is not caused to any broadcaster operating outside of Australia in accordance with the ITU regulations. The antenna location is at Labrador, Queensland, co-sited with the ``Vodaphone`` facility. Antenna characteristics are not indicated (Bob Padula, EDXP World Broadcast Magazine June 7, used by permisson from http://edxp.org via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. MAJ0R [sic] COMMERCIAL CHANGE FOR ``RADIOWISE - AMT`` This Australian-based organisation announces that as from July, the free access to its Web-based material will cease, which includes a weekly newsletter covering developments across the broadcasting industry worldwide, with an emphasis on the Australian region. The subscription rate will be A$156 per annum, with all content available only at its Website. The service includes extensive advertising for products and vacant jobs and in the Australian broadcasting industry. I advise that I have used AMT as a source of information for some time, but I`m afraid that I will not be paying $156 to maintain a subscription! (Bob Padula, EDXP World Broadcast Magazine June 7, used by permission from http://edxp.org via DXLD) ** AZORES. Here`s some material, mostly taken from Friday evening, Saturday & even Sunday morning observations on the SW coast. 1503 kHz, AFN, Lajes air Base, Terceira island --- no longer an easy and steady catch (even during daytime in certain periods of the year) --- was logged on MAY 17 2204-2214 airing a relayed sports program. 54433, co-channel QRM de RNE-R5, a station which became a ``pest`` after its La Línea (near Cádiz & Gibraltar) transmitter was installed; otherwise the R5 transmitter in Galicia alone was easily nulled via the 250 m CAm Beverage. AFN was dominating this time though. AFN Lajes webpage: http://www.lajes.af.mil which includes much info and data on our archipelago of the Açores. Authorized power is 1 kW. The MW scene there is a bleak one these days. While the RDP Açores is active via its 3 transmitters, R. Lajes --- A Voz da Força Aérea Portuguesa (FAP), Lajes Air Base, Terceira island, 648 kHz 1 kW and R. Club de Angra --- A Voz da Terceira, 909 kHz 10 kW, both became irregular, and the Estação Emissora do Club Asas do Atlântico, Vila do Porto, Santa Maria island, 1566 kHz 10 kW is deliberately silent for some years now due to costs saving. They all remain pretty much alive on VHF-FM though (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DSWCI SW News May-June- July via DXLD) ** BAHAMAS. AM & FM monitoring from Florida Keys: see CUBA [and non] ** CANADA. Channel 2 from Maritimes et al. DXed by multiple-hop sporadic E in UK June 7! See PROPAGATION below ** CANADA. CFRX, Toronto, ON, 6070, JUN 7 at 0043 - with ``News-talk 10-10 Sport`` promo. Fairly good signal, but with pretty intense splatter from 6065. It`s the first time I hear them that late in the evenings; at other times all I could hear was 6065/6075 splatter. I guess more day-light (on 49m) means more absorption of the 6065/6075 signals, so less splatter and less interference for this extremely short-haul signal! (Bogdan Chiochiu, QTH: Montreal (Pierrefonds-Est), QC, Rx.: Sangean 606 with long-wire in the yard, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. June 16 is the official kick-off of Digital Radio Mondiale. RCI will provide daily DRM broadcasts from Sackville, including: 0700-1000 to Europe on 11685 kHz 1955-0000 to NE America on 9795 kHz (Bill Westenhaver, QC, RCI, CKUT International Radio Report June 8 via Ricky Leong, swprograms via DXLD) see DRM at bottom ** CANADA. LAUGH IN A HALF: Join host Walter Rinaldi this Saturday for Laugh in a Half, a half-hour of classic comedy with a penchant for the best in Canadian talent. This week`s inaugural show features the legendary ``Bricklayer`s Letter`` by Gerard Hoffnung - perhaps the most requested bit of comedy from the BBC in recorded history! Also, Woody Allen, Monty Python, The Frantics, Gilda Radner, Jeremy Hotz and a psychedelic serenade from Captain Kirk. Join Walter Rinaldi in his global quest for comedy classics, on Laugh in a Half, Saturday evening at 6:30 p.m. (7:30 AT; 8:00 NT) on CBC Radio Two and Sunday afternoon at 1:00 (1:30 NT, 4:00 PT) on CBC Radio One. This program appears to be a summer replacement for Madly Off In All Directions. So I expect you will find it on RCI at 2230 Saturday on 6.140, and 9.590 MHz beamed 240 degrees from Sackville, and 15.455 MHz beamed 253 degrees. ~*-.,_,.-*~`^`~*-.,_,.-*~`^`~*-., (Joe Buch, DE, SW programs via DXLD) -*~`^`~*-.,_,.-*~`^`~*-.,_,.-*~`^ OK, but basically another play-the-records show summer sub (gh, DXLD) ** CANADA. DON`T PLAY THAT `FUNKY` MUSIC! By Brian Cross The Windsor Star LEAMINGTON --- Two Caribbean migrant workers were on a plane Thursday, ``sacked`` they say, from a greenhouse after protesting the non-stop play of radio station music aimed at ``moms in minivans.`` ``It`s been one station (96.7) they play since we came here,`` said Theodore Dacaul, 24, referring to Leamington`s CHYR-FM and its ``adult contemporary`` format. Dacaul arrived from the island of St. Vincent at the end of April. He was supposed to have been on a six-month contract as an agricultural worker at Hazel Farms. The migrant workers` living quarters are inside the greenhouse complex, so the music was a ``constant beat in your head,`` said Dacaul. ``Every day for 100 times a day, the same song plays, it drives you crazy. We are from the Carribean, you can`t expect us to listen to it.`` He claims he was fired on Wednesday after supporting fellow worker Eldred Greene, 33, who was working on a production line with the speaker located directly behind him and complained about the music to a supervisor. ``I simply said to him: `Please lower the music, or change the station, it`s disturbing,``` said Greene, who had been working in the greenhouse since mid-April. The two prefer their familiar island music - reggae and soca. What ensued was a heated exchange and the supervisor ultimately telling the pair they were finished. Telephone calls to Hazel Farms were not returned on Thursday. The two men say they were driven to a Leamington motel by one supervisor who referred to their constant whining. On Thursday at 11:15 a.m., a local taxi arrived for a trip to Tilbury, where another driver was hired to take them to Toronto for a flight home. They were scheduled to go home in November, and so left with substantially less (around $1,000 each) than the approximately $7,000 they had hoped to pocket. ``It`s a very heavy-handed approach, and it`s heavy-handed throughout the industry,`` said Stan Raper, the director of the Migrant Agricultural Workers Support Centre, established in Leamington by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. ``Workers are sent home all the time for complaining. The attitude is: `How dare you question me?``` There are about 3,000 migrant workers in the Leamington area, he estimated, from the Carribean and Mexico, working under contracts that pay $7.50 an hour without overtime. Raper plans to send letters to Human Resources Minister Jane Stewart and the liaison office for West Indian migrant workers to complain that these two men should at least have had the opportunity to transfer to another greenhouse, instead of being turfed out of the country. Raper said there are provisions in the regulations for transfers, but they simply don`t happen. MP Joe Comartin (NDP - Windsor-St. Clair) said there are usually two sides to a story when an employer fires an employee. But when it comes to these cases involving migrant workers, ``the real problem is the power balance here is so unfair,`` he said. If a Canadian was fired, he`d have various ways to fight for his job, including the courts. CHYR-FM`s target market is females aged 25 to 49, driving around town with their kids, according to station manager Jim Heyens. Typical artists are Jann Arden and Barenaked Ladies, with the occasional foray into edgier musicians such as the Tragically Hip. (Windsor is a city of about 200,000 divided from Detroit only by the Detroit River and an international boundary. Leamington, a town of about 15,000, is 30 miles southeast of Windsor, and is renowned for its greenhouse industry and rich soil in the surrounding area. CHYR-FM began life as daytime-only CJSP on 710 AM. Later, it had an oddball existence as CHYR-AM on 710 in the daytime, and CHIR-AM on 730 AM at night, before moving to the FM band, where its signal is powered by 91,000 watts. From Harry van Vugt, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. HAIXIA ZHI SHENG (Voice of Strait) latest schedule: News Channel 2225-1700 11590 4940; Entertainment Channel 2225-1700 7280 5050; Amoy Channel 2225-1700 6115 4900, including English 0930-1000 Fr and Su) NEI MENGGU RADIO STATION latest schedule: Mandarin 2150-0115 and 0905- 1605 6045 4620 4000, 0120-0900 9520 7165 7105; Mongolian 2150-0115 and 0805-1605 6195 4785 4525, 0120-0800 9750 7210 7270 (Bob Padula, EDXP World Broadcast Magazine June 7, used by permisson from http://edxp.org via DXLD) ** CHINA. It`s been a week since the Three Gorges Dam started storing water on June 1, marking an historic step closer to the completion of the world`s largest hydroelectric project. On its June 8 broadcast, In the Spotlight will explore how cultural relics are being rescued and protected in this project area (Jim, CRI/English http://pw2.netcom.com/~jleq/cri1.htm swprograms via DXLD) ** COSTA RICA. RFPI missing again from 15039 for several days as of June 8; hope we are not in for another lengthy outage as in March- April (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Zephyrs from Zecchino: The mighty 590 is back with R. Rebelde and good audio. The 670 is somewhat diminished in strength with absolutely putrid audio. 660 and 690 R. Progreso are consistently back of late, both strong here. Took bearings on these over the weekend, some discrepancies from established lines. 1290 R. Taíno seems to be off the air, now audible is Dobleve outta Santa Clara, I think; will check the `list`. 1260 R. Enciclopedia is a bit off its usual strength as well, while 1270 Musical which was good in the fall is now down in the muddle. 910 Metropolitana is gone, now Reloj from some local hellhole or other is busting in here on the key; will write up all as soon as bearings are completed. First time in months the dread Red Plague has given local a respite from its toxic choking fumes; impossible to get near the beach until just this Sunday past (Paul V. Zecchino, Englewood FL, NRC IDXD June 6 via DXLD) ** CUBA [and non]. TOCOBAGA DX #69 (PT. I -- RADIO) - 8 June, 2003 CLEARWATER, FLORIDA, USA E-mail: tocobagadx@earthlink.net ``Florida Low Power Radio Stations`` is at: http://home.earthlink.net/~tocobagadx/flortis.html © 2003, Terry L Krueger. Retransmit or quote all or any portion only with full credit given to TOCOBAGA DX and all attributed sources. All logs by Terry L. Krueger unless otherwise stated. All times/dates are LOCAL (EASTERN DAYLIGHT) and frequencies in kiloHertz unless otherwise stated. ------------------------------------------------------------ Just back from a few days in the Florida Keys. The usual radio observations follow below, broken into two segments: ``CUBA/CARIBBEAN LOGS`` and ``FLORIDA LOGS (PIRATES & LICENSED)`` to separate categories. [under USA] Overall, no significant Cuba changes noted in my admittedly very brief scans. The primary daytime Cuba bandscan was conducted at Long Key State Park this time. This site has become my overall favorite location for making a portable radio scan. I always park in the empty-to-nearly- empty Golden Orb Trail parking lot (N. 24.48.86, W. 80.49.30), near the boardwalk entrance. These logs were made from 1200-1415 EDT (1600- 1815 GMT) on June 1. At Long Key, a German tourist couple saw me in the usual portable remote DX mode (loop antenna, DX-399, piles of papers on the roof of the car, Pilsner Urquell and Zephyrhills water bottles nearby). They proceeded to videocam me and the car license plate, then departed in their car. Fully expecting the worst (and certain that I was not going to be appearing on the next edition of Snoop Dog`s ``Girls Gone Wild``), I made sure the beer bottles (Florida State Parks violation) were disposed of and sure enough, 30-minutes later a ranger showed up to ask what I was doing. I had no trouble explaining and he left me alone after a mere three minutes. The last laugh is now on the touristas, though they will never know it. A second but very cursory scan was made from Ft. Zachary Taylor Historic State Park, at one of the picnic benches under the trees near the water (N. 24.32.79, W. 81.48.64). The park is located near the southeast end of Key West. These logs were made from 1300-1400 EDT (1700-1800 GMT) on June 2. LOGGINGS KEY: [FDES] = logs made at Ft. DeSoto County Park, south Pinellas County, Florida. [FZSP] = logs made at Ft. Zachary Taylor Historic State Park, Key West, Florida. [LKSP] = logs made at Long Key State Park, Layton, Florida. NNdR = ``Noticiero Nacional la Radio`` -- the national Cuban news feed that many stations relay, currently airing (summer) 1300-1330 Eastern Daylight Time. *** (after the frequency) = something new (for me, at least) or changes (such as not heard, etc). CUBA/CARIBBEAN LOGS 526 BAHAMAS ZLS beacon, Stella Maris, Long Island; fair. [LKSP] 530 TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS Radio Visión Cristiana, South Caicos; strong with usual Spanish preacher. [LKSP] 550 CUBA Radio Rebelde; very good. [LKSP] 580 JAMAICA RJR, Baileys Vale/St. Mary; local Jamaican preacher describing how God will cure the Jamaican economy. Very good, and parallel weaker 700 kHz. [LKSP] 590 CUBA Radio Rebelde (the ex-R Musical Nacional transmitter); silent this day, only the Clewiston, FL Mexican ``fiesta`` format station alone and strong here. [LKSP] And still unheard mid-day June 7th. [FDES] And unheard 0735+ June 8th at home QTH. 620 CUBA Radio Rebelde; xlnt. [LKSP] 627.5 CUBA Radio Progreso; apparent bottom-end spur of 640 kHz from they Keys to the home QTH. See 652.5 kHz. 630 CUBA Radio Progreso; xlnt but in huge het though no other audio detected. [LKSP] 640 CUBA Radio Progreso; eastern bearing, xlnt. [LKSP] 652.5 CUBA Radio Progreso; continues to be heard from the Keys to the home QTH. Apparently a spur of 640 kHz, with 627.5 kHz also present but virtually no audio making it. 660 CUBA Radio Progreso; xlnt. [LKSP] 680 CUBA Radio Rebelde; very good but telco audio. [LKSP] 690 CUBA Radio Progreso; very good. [LKSP] 700 JAMAICA RJR, Hague/Trelawny; fair, parallel 580. [LKSP] 710 CUBA Radio Rebelde; very good, mixing with the Miami Spanish station. [LKSP] 750 CUBA Radio Progreso; xlnt. [LKSP] 810 BAHAMAS Radio Bahamas ZNS3, Freeport, Grand Bahama; gospel vocals (on a Sunday morning), Abaco Region Episcopal Church program from 1245+. Never parallel the always-gospel 1240 ZNS2, Nassau. [LKSP] 820 CUBA jammer; xlnt and alone (mission accomplished at this location). [LKSP] 840 CUBA Dóbleve; very good. [LKSP] 870 CUBA Radio Reloj; very good but mixing with City of Key West (WGW861) TIS. [LKSP] 880 CUBA Radio Progreso; xlnt. [LKSP] 890 CUBA unidentified; giant open carrier, looping to western Cuba. Presume a malf[unx]ing audio feed. [LKSP] 910 CUBA Radio Metropolitana; fair. [LKSP] 930 CUBA Radio Reloj; fair, telco audio and mixing with carrier (see below). [LKSP] 930 CUBA unidentified; zero-beating carrier looping to western Cuba, under Reloj. [LKSP] 940 CUBA Radio Reloj; very, very poor under Miami. [LKSP] 950 CUBA Radio Reloj; good. [LKSP] 960 CUBA Radio Enciclopedia; fair. [LKSP] 980 CUBA Periódico del Aire COCO; COCO ID, then into NNdR at 1300. Strong. [LKSP] 990 CUBA Radio Guamá (presumed); good with NNdR. [LKSP] 1000 CUBA Radio Guamá (presumed); good with NNdR. [LKSP] 1020 TURKS & CAICOS [NOT] Caribbean Christian Radio, Grand Turk; no trace of this during my sporadic day and night checks. This was briefly reactivated with soul and pops, for maintenance purposes maybe? 1030 CUBA Radio Musical Nacional; xlnt with usual classical music. This National network has got to be on last legs, with hardly any channels remaining (what with 590 being sporadic and seemingly switched to Rebelde when active now). ``Radio Liberación`` anyone? [LKSP] 1050 MEXICO Radio Pirata XEQQQ, Cancún, Quintana Roo; usual huge signal with Spanish pop music, frequent canned ID`s, commercial spots for Señor Froggy`s and other nightclubs I well recall from my visit ages ago. [LKSP] 1060/1061 CUBA unidentified; possibly up to two Cubans here (CMKS and Radio Victoria in the past). Huge het with Cuban Spanish talk, but unable to make any details or parallels out of these. Even here at home, I get these hets (especially with the St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport TIS running open carrier only as of late). The measured het offender (no audio making it) measured to exactly 1061 at the home QTH. [LKSP] 1080 CUBA Radio Cadena Habana; xlnt. [LKSP] 1090 CUBA Radio Cadena Habana; fair. [LKSP] 1090 CUBA Radio Guamá; 1159 w/ female ``Esta es Radio Guamá...`` Very good, with R Cadena Habana poor underneath. [FDES] 1100 CUBA Radio Cadena Habana; xlnt. [LKSP] 1110 CUBA Radio Cadena Habana; very poor. [LKSP] 1120 CUBA Radio Cadena Habana; xlnt, nice ID coming out of NNdR at 1330. [LKSP] 1180 CUBA Radio Rebelde; mixing with Radio Martí (see coments under the ``FLORIDA LOGS (PIRATES & LICENSED)`` section). [LKSP] 1180 CUBA Radio Reloj; barely audible under Rebelde and Martí. [LKSP] 1190 UNIDENTIFIED Spanish, possible Cuban, not parallel Rebelde. [LKSP] 1200 CUBA Radio Sancti Spíritus; overmodulated, parallel very very poor 1210. [LKSP] 1210 CUBA Radio Sancti Spíritus; very very poor. [LKSP] 1240 BAHAMAS Radio Bahamas ZNS2, Nassau, New Providence; the reason I come to Long Key -- to always hear this one! And as usual, all- Bahamian gospel programming, promos for churches and events with the 242 area code, PO Box N-xxxx addresses, etc. Very good and as always in a tight bearing. However, this time no Radio Veintiséis present. [LKSP] 1250 CUBA Radio Caibarién (presumed); xlnt with Spanish vocals. [LKSP] 1260 CUBA Radio Enciclopedia; very good with Percy Thrillington-ish instrumentals, about equal to 1270 kHz. [LKSP] 1270 CUBA Radio Enciclopedia; very good, parallel 1260. [LKSP] 1290 CUBA Dobleve; xlnt, paralleled to 1310. No trace of Radio Taíno here or in Key West. [LKSP] At the home QTH, presume Dobleve 0725+ June 8, mixing with an English domestic. Not parallel Progreso or Encilopedia, and no other Dobleve outlet in the clear for paralleling; 840 kHz outlet apparently not making it up this far for me. 1310 CUBA Dóbleve; xlnt. [LKSP] 1330 CUBA Radio Jaruco; xlnt, parallel 1390. [LKSP] 1390 CUBA Radio Jaruco; xlnt, parallel 1310. [LKSP] 1400 CUBA Radio Musical Nacional; very good, see 1030 parallel comments. [LKSP] 1450 CUBA Radio Guines; tune-in to NNdR, ID coming out of the feed at 1330, man and woman announcers, soft ballads. Very good. [FZSP] 1470 CUBA Radio Ciudad Banderas; tune-in to NNdR feed, 1140 kHz potential parallel in a huge mess of QRMing stations. However at the end of NNdR, ``Radio Ciudad Banderas, desde Matanzas, Cuba`` by reverbed female. Very strong. [FZSP] 1490 CUBA Radio Camoa (presumed); slow Cuban ballads, fair. [FZSP] 1530 CUBA unidentified; man and woman mentioning various Cuban provinces. Radio Morón? Fair. [LKSP] 1540 BAHAMAS Radio Bahamas ZNS1, Nassau, New Providence; Bahamian- accented gospel programming (Sunday), into ``Turning Point Ministries`` canned program with 242 area code and PO Box from 1405 EDT. [LKSP] 1540 CUBA Radio Sagua; very good when Radio Bahamas ZNS1 nulled. [LKSP] Xlnt with all-Mexican oldies tunes program, then female ``Exactamente 2 de la tarde... CMES, Radio Sagua, desde Sagua la Grande...``. Later, mention of ``AM y FM`` but no specific channels given (106.6 MHz was last reported mentiond on-air for FM). [FZSP] 1560 CUBA Radio Enciclopedia; fair, parallel 1260, 1270, 1570. [LKSP] 1570 CUBA Radio Enciclopedia; very very poor. [LKSP] 96.1 MHz BAHAMAS Cool 96, Freeport, Grand Bahama; noted at 9:15+ EDT June 1 on US-1, north Key Largo, but gone by mile marker 102. Badly- cued Bahamian hip-hop, dead air, potting the wrong audio, etc. Finally a station promo and into soul, reggae and gospel reggae on a Sunday morning. Never heard this one so far south. No trace of ZNS-FM 104.5, previously heard in this vicinity. 96.7 MHz CUBA Radio Rebelde; on the way down, unheard until Key West during the Ft. Taylor monitoring sweep. But upon my return home, audible up to around Islamorada. Signal (power?) doesn`t seem as good as in past years, though maybe a propagation factor too. MAPS -- The great little store ``!Cuba, Cuba!`` is still open, located at 814 Duval Street in Key West. I bought a fresh Cuba map (pricey at $18.95US but well worth it) to replace my tattered old one. This edition (the usual Hungarian source, Cartographia Kft.) is copyright 2001, and printed on better paper stock that also appears to be somewhat water and puke-resistant. (Terry L. Krueger, Tocobaga DX June 8 via DXLD) See also USA for other observations from the Keys and Florida pirates! ** CYPRUS TURKISH. 6150.7, R. Bayrak International, Yeni Iskele, 2210, May 27, English with western songs, mostly English language themes, ID+FM channels. 54433 but somewhat worse QRM-wise 2230 due to splatter de ORF 6155. And I must apologize to the editor as well as to all the DXW readers for my mistake in edition 220 regarding my mention of Singapore 6150.8 on May 16: it was not SNG but CYP, only that my mind seems to have focused on SNG as I was indeed looking for their 41 & 49 m outlets, and forgot to correct it when prepared my mail for Anker (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DSWCI DX Window June 4 via DXLD) On Jun 03 at 0230 Gene Scott [COSTA RICA] had frightened R. Bayrak further away from nominal 6150, as I heard it on 6151.72 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window June 4 via DXLD) You gest, I assume ** DENMARK. Protests from the DSWCI and Dansk DX Lytter Klub to the Danish Minister of Culture against the possible closure by the end of 2003 of shortwave broadcasts from R Denmark lead to a meeting between the Director of Radio Broadcasting , Mr. Leif Loensmann and the two Club Chairmen, Anker Petersen and Stig Hartvig Nielsen, on June 2. We explained that not all Danes abroad are able to get news from R Denmark via the internet or telephone, but are depending on shortwave. It was a useful meeting and we hope it will have influence on the coming decision (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window June 4 via DXLD) ** ECUADOR. Glen[n], I heard the DX Partyline on June 7 from 1230 to 13 on 15115, arm chair level here in upstate NY (Sangean ATS 909, Daryl Rocker, Herkimer, NY, June 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Anything yet about a US outlet? Awaiting the audio file here (gh) ** GHANA. Ghana BC, Accra; 6-7-03; 4915 kHz; 0600-0615 UT; English; Interval signal (drums) followed by ID: ``The time is six o`clock, from Radio Ghana, Accra.`` News after ID; SINPO 53132; Icom R71A with folded dipole for 60 meters (John Sandin, Merriam, KS, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ICELAND. 13855, AFRTS Keflavik, May 28. This station can no longer be heard (Køie and Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window June 4 via DXLD) ** INDIA [and non]. A spot of listening in the middle of the night focused on stations from the Indian Subcontinent. The following were heard between 1600 and 1630 UT (2 am local): 3223 AIR Shimla 3365 AIR Delhi 4775 AIR Imphal 4790 R. Pakistan, Islamabad 4800 AIR Hydrabad (mixed with China) 4820 AIR Kolkata (mixed with Tibet) 4840 AIR Mumbai 4860 AIR Delhi, strongest on the band 4880 AIR Lucknow 4895 AIR Kurseong 4910 AIR Jaipur 4920 AIR Chennai 4970 AIR Shillong 4990 AIR Itonagar, s/off noted at 1630 However, the Indian stations on 3245, 3315, 4850, 4950 and 4960 were not heard on this evening. Several of these frequencies had high noise and some digital hash which may have covered their signals at this location. I`d appreciate it if our Indian members could give further information on the above stations (and any others I have missed in this listing), especially s/on and s/off times and the service or programming carried by each station. This would make a handy reference source for other EDXP members. I have also heard a rumour that many AIR stations on these bands will be closing down soon. Can our Indian friends confirm this and, if so, when this might happen? EDXPers may wish to QSL these stations before they disappear. Best Regards, (Rob Wagner VK3BVW, Receivers: Yaesu FRG100, Sangean 909, Antennas: 14 MHz dipole and 5 MHz T2FD, June 7, EDXP HF Forum via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. RRI STATIONS IN DE ZOMER Naar aanleiding van de zonerontvangsten van de 2 mhz Australiers, PNG en RRI stations, hiermee een lijstje van RRI stations om te proberen. In onze zomer is de beste tijd : 2100-2200 UT. De meeste stations komen om 2100 of 2200 UTC in de lucht met hun IS. Wie luistert er mee? Reglematig in de lucht: 3266.4 RRI Gorontalo 3325 RRI Palangkaraya 3344.8 RRI Ternate 3905 RRI Merauke 4000.1 RRI Kendari 4753.3 RRI Makassar Af en toe in de lucht: 3976.1 RRI Pontianak 4606.4 RRI Serui 4869.96 RRI Wamena 4874.6 RRI Sorong Waarschijnlijk niet actief of soms actief: 3239.1 RRI Bukittinggi 4789.1 RRI Fak Fak 4845.2 RRI Ambon 5040 RRI Pekanbaru (Max van Arnhem, June 8, BDXC via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. 7470, a reception report sent to Sout el Watan --- Voice of Homeland, c/o Mr. Bashir Kyle, P.O. Box 7897, OSLO 01673, Norway, on March 28, was returned back with: ``Insufficient address`` (Gian Luigi Naj, Astii, Italy, DSWCI DX Window June 4 via DXLD) Try info@radiobarabari.net --- the current homepage is http://www.radiobarabari.net (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, DSWCI DX Window June 4 via DXLD) {See 3-102 for corrected version of above item} 7525, R. Yaran, via Kvitsøy, Norway. Last winter exile Iranians collected money for SW broadcasts in March-April 2003 during the Iranian New Year celebrations in order also to reach people in Iran who are unable to receive the daily TV broadcasts in Farsi from this station via satellite. Listening to this station is strongly forbidden in Iran (Nader Javaheri, Italy, DSWCI DX Window June 4 via DXLD) ** IRAQ. Despite this [Grace`s report that Information Radio had shifted to land-based platforms], I heard on May 28, 2045-2059, Arabic announcement and Arab songs on 9715. 45444. From *2059 QRM Russian program (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window June 4 via DXLD) But any definite ID? R. Bopeshawa: on Jun 1, 2003 I was unable to hear it on 9960 at 1100- 1200 or 1500-1600 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window June 4 via DXLD) ** JAMAICA. Daytime monitoring from Florida Keys: see CUBA [and non] ** MEXICO. XEJN, Radio Huayacocotla, Veracruz, 2390, f/d paper card in 5.5 months for Spanish report, $1.00, SASE (used). V/s Pedro Ruperto Albino, Coordinadar (Greg Myers, Clearwater, FL, hard-core-dx via DXLD) Monitoring from Florida Keys: see CUBA [and non] ** MYANMAR. 5973, Myawaddy R. Station has not been heard here for a while (Cf. DX-Window no. 220) (Goonetilleke) 6570, Defence Forces BC, Tanggyi has not been heard here either in about two weeks (G. Victor A. Goonetilleke, Sri Lanka, Jun 4, DSWCI DX Window via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. For those of you who haven`t been following developments here in The Netherlands, the news of interest to MW DXers is that as of 0400 UT this morning Radio 10 FM (which failed to get a terrestrial licence and was threatened with becoming a cable-only station) is now on 1395 kHz from Lopik, having done a deal with Quality Radio b.v. which was awarded the licence for that frequency. Initially the deal is for one month, with the option of an extension. I`m not sure whether Radio 10 intends to go off the air in the evening while Trans World Radio is on the air from Albania, as Business Nieuws Radio did, but for the moment the signal strength here, about 6 km west of Hilversum, suggests they`re running at or near the maximum power of 120 kW. If you want to know the full story of how they ended up on 1395 kHz, read our Weblog at http://radio.weblogs.com/0121781/. (Andy Sennitt, June 7, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. [Re DXLD May 19, Ralda Cushen`s new address]: As most of you know, Arthur was blind and therefore choose radiomonitoring as a profession during the second World War besides his DX-hobby, greatly supported by Ralda. The DSWCI was greatly honoured in 1969 when Arthur and Ralda joined a DSWCI Local meeting here in my home on June 17. At the beginning of my guestbook, Ralda wrote the opening remark: ``17-6-69 Greetings + many thanks for a lovely evening. (Your furtherest visitors) Arthur + Ralda Cushen``. Other members who joined than memorable evening were: Alan Roth (USA), Wouter Franken and Bob Grevenstuck (The Netherlands), Preben Høybye Mortensen, Hans Erik Malmstrøm, Hans Dall, Carol Feil, Bent Nielsen, Carsten Holberg, Finn Krone and your editor. When I visited New Zealand in 1998 at the 50th anniversary of the NZRDXL it was evident to me that the recent death of Arthur was a big loss for the League as it was for us on the other side of the Globe. I have just sent Ralda a greeting card from the DSWCI (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window June 4 via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. RADIO READING SERVICE NEW SCHEDULE --- Radio Reading Service, Levin, is now only scheduled on one SW frequency - 3935, with 1 kW, 24-hrs daily. Operations on 7290 and 5960 have been discontinued. Mediumwave transmissions are in parallel on 1602, 2XA, for the Horowhenna area. A LPFM service operates on 88.4 VHF (Bob Padula, EDXP World Broadcast Magazine June 7, used by permisson from http://edxp.org via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND [and non]. Hi Glenn, ``Dosh`` is a word/slang for cash or money. e.g. ``Have ya got any dosh on ya mate`` :-) Not sure if used in UK, but certainly used here. Funny lot aren`t we? Cheers (Ian Baxter, Australia, June 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** POLAND [non]. Reported years ago, then obviously forgotten but still existing as I learned by chance today: The relays of Radio Jasna Góra by Radio Maryja. Today Radio Maryja joined Radio Jasna Góra at 1900. I was busy, so I could not follow how long this relay continued, probably until 1915 since Radio Jasna Góra itself relays Radio Maryja daily from 1915. Radio Jasna Góra is like Radio Maryja a Catholic station, broadcasting from Czestochowa (the charset here does not include a character required for displaying the name of this town properly [e + cedilla, I assume, meaning nasalised -- gh], hence replaced by an ordinary e), otherwise on a single but high powered FM outlet (100.6, 60 kW). Website: http://www.rjg.pl By the way, the audio of the Radio Maryja shortwave transmissions from Tbilisskaya (that`s the actual site now, current schedule reported as Mon-Sat 0500-0715 and Sun 0600-0800 on 15455, daily 1500-1930 on 12010, the Radio Maryja website contains completely outdated data) is horrible due to a combination of low bandwith, a high amount of non- linear distortion and background hum. I guess at least partly the feed circuit is to blame (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SAO TOME E PRINCIPE. An exclusive report on my visit to VOA São Tomé can now be read in the Member Area of http://www.dswci.org It will later on be published in ShortWave News (Copyright). (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window June 4 via DXLD) Incentive to join ** SICILY [non]. Re 3-100, 6060 at 2300: This is from Roma Prato Smeraldo, that broadcasts ``Notturno Italiano`` from 2200 to 0400 with 100 kW (Roberto Scaglione, Sicily, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SINGAPORE [non]. Correxion: See CYPRUS TURKISH ** SOMALILAND. Somalia (``Somaliland``): 7530.6, R. Hargeisa at 1922 tune in heard with news and current affairs program in English on 7 Jun. Uses slogan ``Voice of the Republic of Somaliland``. Mode is USB plus carrier, a bit difficult ``bottle-sound`` audio. Around 1939 switched to Somali language. Sign-off at 1957 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAJIKISTAN. Tajik Radio transmitter in Yangiyul on 4635 seems to be in rather bad shape. The carrier is wobbling and modulation is weakish. It also puts out harmonics. Not only 9270 that I reported earlier, but also 13905. Noted here 7 Jun at 1720 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TOGO [non]. If you read this in time, a reminder to check for the Sunday-only broadcast of R. Togo Libre, 2000-2100 on 12125, as in DXLD 3-100; Site? (gh, DXLD) ** TURKS & CAICOS. Monitoring from Florida Keys: see CUBA [and non] ** U K. With regard to the recent report of hospital radio stations from the UK being heard in Italy, it should be noted that most of these stations do in fact broadcast on ordinary MW or FM frequencies on long-term restricted service licences. Most of them can be heard strictly within their hospital area, or for a very short distance outside. For a period last year I could hear Hemel Hospital Radio on 1350 kHz with a listenable signal from about 15 miles away, 24/7. However, this has not been possible of late. One hospital much nearer to where I live, namely Northwick Park, oeprates on 945 kHz, but I cannot hear that station here in Wembley at all, although it did put quite a good signal into the Hospital itself which I regularly would listen to during my 22-day in-patiency last year. Some of the stations broadcast on internal wire distribution on a channel of the Hospital bedside system. Radio Northwick Park did this in stereo. The entertainment system at University College Hospital, where I was recently an in-patient for 19 days, was worse than useless - so much so that I didn`t even bother with it most of the time (PAUL DAVID, Chairman, Brent Visually-Handicapped Group Registered Charity No.: 272955, Wembley Park, England, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So what is the purpose (besides Es DX targets) of the broadcasts (?) on 48 MHz band? (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. VOA: For the past many weeks I have been trying to listen to the edition of Our World broadcast on 5 April, unfortunately without success. Unfortunately, due to a period of hospital in-patiency, I missed the programme on the day it was broadcast. I have however read the script and found it somewhat interesting. The message on the link simply says that the audio file is currently not available. There is no reason given, nor any indication as to when, or even if, the audio file is ever going to be available. This, I think you would agree is a most unacceptable situation, particularly if they are not going to tell us the reason for it. I have written to them once already, and will do so again (PAUL DAVID, Chairman, Brent Visually-Handicapped Group, Registered Charity No.: 272955, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. Hi Dan, Many thanks for the good hint [Ferguson`s previous post with schedule already in effect of DRM via Morocco]. Radio Nederland still mentions in their latest DRM schedule of June 6th at http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/html/drm_latest.html that the IBB transmissions are scheduled from June 12 to 20. But R. Sawa is coming in loud and clear right now at 1300 UT on 15430 kHz, however only with a low bitrate of 9.4 kbps, sounding like mediumwave (instead of the mono FM quality from most other broadcasters using 20.9 kbps). I have not yet tried the other transmissions. Best wishes (Michael Bethge, WORLDWIDE DX CLUB, Bad Homburg, GERMANY, SWBC via DXLD) ** U S A. WINB will begin airing two DX programs this weekend. Glenn Hauser`s World of Radio Sat (starting June 7) 1730-1800 UT 13570 AWR`s Wavescan Sun (starting June 8) 1430-1500 UT 13570 WINB is very pleased to air both of these excellent programs. WINB will QSL reception reports on these DX programs. You can email your reports to winb40th@yahoo.com or mail them to the station at: WINB, PO Box 88, Red Lion, PA 17356 USA (Hans Johnson, Sales/Frequency Manager WINB, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) I made a point of monitoring; in the park during a jazz concert on the portable ATS-909, WOR 1185 confirmed Sat June 7 starting a bit late about 1731, but played in entirety; modulation during show seemed inferior to the IDs before and after. However, Sun June 8 at home at 1453 check I heard some screaming preacher instead of Wavescan, judging from the exhortative tone, not at all Barosoain-like! The 13570 signal here is quite marginal, at least under current propagation conditions during the daytime, even with external antenna. Presumably the first hop comes down to the east of OK where it should be heard better. Unlike me, Adrian made a big deal of his début there offering special QSLs, etc., tsk. WORLD OF RADIO ON WJIE: This Sunday June 8 we started monitoring 13595 at 1625, but WOR did not start until slightly after 1630 as scheduled; trouble is, it was STILL #1179, produced April 23! My hypothesis is: the only person responsible/able to download it and put it in the automation system, Doc Burkhart, has been away in Africa for a sesquimonth attending to much more important matters. The audio seems somewhat improved altho still undermodulated. Strangely enough, the only frequency in the ID just before was 7490, which was inaudible, if on the air, below the local noise level. 13595 suffered from continuous swisher/swiper/windshield wiper/CODAR QRM. The preacher on before us, Bob Roberts? mentioned setting up the transmitter in Uganda instead of Liberia as he asked for donations (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WORLD OF RADIO ON WWCR: This week John Norfolk is quite sure that something else aired UT Sat June 7 at 0600 on 5070; we hope and assume this was only a temporary change, as WOR still appears at that and all other previously scheduled times in the printed June WWCR program schedule (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also COSTA RICA ** U S A. 5034.22, 0613 June 8, WWRB US-accented religious programming, referring to biblical passages with the odd musical interlude, //5050 & 5085 though much weaker. Spurrie??? (Paul Ormandy, ZL4TFX, New Zealand, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Spur normally lands on 5015v; just to be sure, did you mean to say 5014.22? (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. ``I was absolutely stunned today to see the attached letter to the editor printed in the June 4 edition of `Cleveland Scene.` This is one of the three weekly alternative newspapers that are currently published in Cleveland. The circulation of these papers has to be somewhere around 50,000 in a town like Cleveland. ``I assume that most of you are aware of the programming format that this guy discusses from Alan Maxwell at KIPM. This has to be one of the best produced pirates on the air today, but it also has to be by far the most bizarre of the stations. Virtually all of the shows on this station are literally insane drama programming, often about insanity itself. ``So, I was stunned for two reasons when I saw this. It is almost unheard of to see a discussion of pirate radio like this in a non-radio newspaper. Further, this guy is about the first guy I ever heard of who really identifies with KIPM. . . . `` The aforementioned letter, printed below, is from John Taddeo of Parma, OH. ``The only things missing from Darren Keast`s recent article on shortwave radio were photos of pirate-radio-station QSL cards [``Waves of Fascination,`` May 14]. ``Pirate radio stations broadcast without an FCC license. Typically, there are on late at night and during weekends and holidays, and their programming is truly unique. ``My favorite pirate broadcaster is Alan Maxwell`s KIPM. Alan`s radio dramas are like the `Twilight Zone` for radio. The stories and the audio effects are incredible, and it`s amazing to think that Alan does it all. You can hear samples of Alan`s work at http://homepage.mac.com/kipm ``The pirate broadcasters encourage listeners to send in reeption reports--typically to a secret mail-drop site. This is called `QSLing` in radio lingo. In reponse to your report, the station will send you a QSL card. The cards usually feature creative artwork and are prized by many shortwave listeners.`` (George Zeller, Cleveland OH) ---E-MAIL ADDRESSES FOR STATIONS--- KIPM: kipm_outerlimits@hotmail.com (Free Radio Weekly June 7 via DXLD) ** U S A. 1620/1630 ??? NY, New York Pirate on 24/7 with preaching and gospel music. Only announces as ``Here on 1620 and 1630.`` The 1620 transmitter is in Harlem in Manhattan somewhere around 110 street. The 1630 is around 180th street in Eastern Bronx just below Yonkers. Both reasonably strong. I can hear them for quite a period of time using a very spartan Walkman radio sitting on a commuter train. They announce phone numbers, take dedications and even played a few ads. This is a bold operation! (Karl Zuk, N2KZ, June 7, IRCA via DXLD) There`s a powerful pirate on 87.9 located southwest of me, toward NYC or its near northern suburbs, playing hip-hop and r&b in stereo. Thanked a caller for calling ``103-the Buzz,`` which sounded like it might have been taped, but then a minute later said ``Listen up New York, here`s Nigga With a Gun, on 87.9.`` (Eric Fader, Briarcliff Manor, NY, June 7, WTFDA via DXLD) More x-band unIDs: UNIDENTIFIED ** U S A. according to Northwest Broadcasters, KGHO-920 has gone to all-comedy (!!), 12 hours/day. Are they the only such station? http://members.shaw.ca/nwbroadcasters/recentnews.htm and from the Seattle P-I, here is part of their article on the new format: Lots of radio stations think they`re funny, but now there`s one that`s leaving the comedy to those who are pros at it. Olympia-based KGHO-AM (920) has switched the 6 a.m.-6 p.m. portion of its schedule to all comedy -- sketches, stand-up routines and songs from current and past stars including Monty Python, Jerry Clower, Steven Wright, Woody Allen, Bill Cosby, National Lampoon, Jeff Foxworthy and Bill Engvall. Station manager Sandi Shore says she`ll stay away from the more abusive material from performers such as the Jerky Boys. The other half of its broadcast day is devoted to oldies. Why the switch? ``Why not?`` says Shore. ``It`s an AM station. Frankly there`s not a lot you can do to get people to listen to music (on AM). ... Talk`s been done to death.`` It`s also a way for a station that`s not part of a large chain to stand out. ``It`s basically my family,`` Shore says. ``We`re trying to run the whole thing out of my house.`` full story is at: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/tv/125037_radiobeat05.html (Eric Flodén, BC, NRC-AM via DXLD) Eric, It seems that we out west are enjoying a resurgence of variety across the AM dial. I have noticed that there seems to be far less stations carrying the same old `Art Bell w/out the bell` show. As I tune across the band it is refreshing to hear stations return to local programming. There seems to be a good selection of stations playing rock/oldies/classic country now. I used to scan the dial and at least every second frequency would be carrying the `Area 51` show. Many frequencies could be observed with more then one Art Bell program being broadcast. It leads me to believe that this widely heard show is loosing listeners and affiliates.(thank Goodness). More and more stations in the pacific NW seem to be breaking away from the `belly button` norm. Variety is the spice of life, and 30 years ago there was no shortage of variety. The many sounds and voices heard back then is what brought me to BCB DXing. Good Listening (Lance Thomas, in Airdrie, June 6, ibid.) ** U S A. The strangest thing I ever remember was a Conelrad test in the early 60`s that lasted over an hour. I remember the stations signing on and off from different transmitter sites all over the Southeast Michigan Area. Some were strong, some were weak. I don`t recall the duration each station was on, but it was less than 30 seconds if I recall. Then they would switch to another transmitter. This was during the height of the ``Duck and Cover`` Days. If I recall, the purpose of this was so enemy bombers couldn`t locate a city by homing in on a radio station. In reality it was a joke, but it made people feel better (Paul Smith, W4KNX, Sarasota, FL, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. UNCHAINING THE CHANNELS (program on Radio Australia) http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/mediarpt/stories/s871500.htm Summary: Just as the Australian government wrestles with how to reform media ownership, in the US regulators have gone for the no-holds-barred option. The Federal Communications Commission has decided to set aside restrictions on cross media ownership. You can own as many media outlets as you can afford. So will it mean unshackling the media for a more diverse, creative environment, or will the big operators just get bigger? on real audio: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/mediarpt/audio/mediarpt_05062003_2856.ram 73 (via Mike Brooker, Toronto, ON, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. Glenn, I heard a report on WOR 1185 [from DXLD 3-096] that claims my dcrtv.com site reported that Bonneville was going to sell DC`s only classical commercial WGMS to Fox for a relay of Fox News Channel. That was based on a parody (!) column I wrote (my ``Rant``) regarding the recent FCC decision to allow more corporate ownership of US radio and TV media. I speculated about what MIGHT happen. There is no truth to the demise of DC`s classical WGMS - just yet, anyway. Thanks..... Oh, and keep up the GREAT work on WOR!!! (Dave Hughes, dcrtv.com editor and webmaster DCRTV Dave Hughes http://www.dcrtv.com http://www.dcrtv.net DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Just to potentially help solve someone`s future unID... At 8:30 this morning, TBN was running *wrestling*. No, not the real kind they have in the Olympics - it was the same kind that runs on UPN. Cleaned-up language and no scantily-clad girls, but plenty of (fake) violence. Yes, I`m certain it was TBN. (I wonder how long before we see TBNFL Football?) -- (Doug Smith W9WI, Nashville TN, Sunday June 8, WTFDA via DXLD) According to Zap2it listings for KTBO-14, the show at 1330-1400 UT Sundays is: Dr. David Jeremiah (spiritual). No mention of wrestling involved; and no repeat times (gh, DXLD) This opens lots of possibilities. Like a ``reality`` series. How about ``TBN SURVIVOR``? Paul and Jan Crouch could take on lions in an arena. Just a thought (Tom Bryant / Nashville, TN, ibid.) No, wrong plot line. They sit Jan Crouch out in a meadow in the rain and you get to watch what she turns into when she gets wet. BTW, she is really a man! (Karl N2KZ Zuk, ibid.) ** U S A. TOCOBAGA DX #69 (PT. I -- RADIO) - 8 June, 2003 CLEARWATER, FLORIDA, USA E-mail: tocobagadx@earthlink.net ``Florida Low Power Radio Stations`` is at: http://home.earthlink.net/~tocobagadx/flortis.html © 2003, Terry L Krueger. Retransmit or quote all or any portion only with full credit given to TOCOBAGA DX and all attributed sources. All logs by Terry L. Krueger unless otherwise stated. All times/dates are LOCAL (EASTERN DAYLIGHT) and frequencies in kiloHertz unless otherwise stated. There is probably no shortage of FM and even AM band illegals operating in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties despite the recent raids, fines and at least one jail sentence. However my monitoring was limited to passing through south Broward and Miami-Dade on the Florida [Ronald Reagan] Turnpike at 80-m.p.h. A separate, non-radio report on Keys observations will go out with this to some of you. If you do not receive it and are interested, send me an e-mail request. A RadioShack DX-399 and RadioShack 15-1853 portable loop were used for most logs, along with the car radio as backup. Finally, a few random logs from local Ft. DeSoto county beachside park made daytime June 7th are also included, using the car radio. [see CUBA non for key to monitoring sites in brackets] *** (after the frequency) = something new (for me, at least) or changes (such as not heard, etc). FLORIDA LOGS (PIRATES & LICENSED) 530 (TIS) KNNI706 Southwest Florida International Airport, Ft Myers, FL; fair in the Ft. Myers vicinity on I-75, usual male parking info. 530*** (TIS) Tropical Everglades Visitors Center WPAC338, Florida City, FL; not active. 870 (TIS) City of Key West WGW861, FL; huge signal with usual male looped parking, etc. info. Signal noted in mid-Key Largo, mixing with Radio Reloj. This one has to eventually end up being logged by someone in central Florida or points beyond. 1180 Radio Martí, Marathon, FL; surprised how well this gets through since my last Keys visit, when it was barely audible daytime past Marathon due to Radio Rebelde`s huge signal block. This time, audible considerably over Rebelde even in Key Largo. And in Key West, still dominating with Rebelde only fair underneath. So, this must be making it at copiable level on a portable in the Habana area these days. Cudos to the engineers and brute 100 kW, I guess. Back at home, it`s virtually untraced; but then home isn`t Habana. 1320 WLQY ``Haïti Antenne Plus``, Hollywood, FL; presumed the one at good level with semi-proper French chatter. [LKSP] 1500*** WKIZ, Key West, FL; dropped in on the old studios that (were) shared with the Spanish LPTV equipment at 527 Southard. After knocking on the glass door for awhile, an older and very tentative Cuban gent claimed that the previous owner of WKIZ is no longer affiliated with the LPTV and thus no longer located in this building. After prodding, he said their studios are now on Stock Island. He pointed to the corner where the old CD changer, small board and big painted Cuba wall map (latter still there) was, and simply said, ``see?`` before shutting the door on me. Didn`t have the energy to further pursue or try to track down anyone such as Jacques Combeau, my contact when visiting in 2000. Format remains mostly canned Cuban oldies vocals. 1510 (TIS) WPUR527 Peace River Bridge (near) Port Charlotte/Punta Gorda, FL; on I-75. Still active. This is the northbound version of 1640 kHz operation. Still active with multiple (four and seemingly more for each direction) transmitters, collectively a good signal for bridge reconstruction updates. Construction appears to be at least 50% complete. 1600 WKWF, Key West, FL; 1055+ good with usual satellite-fed sports talk, splatter from the local 1590 being the only problem. Funny to hear something from where I just departed from. [FDES] 1610*** (PIRATE) ``La Única 16-10/Radio R-C-H``, Homestead, FL; at least two of the ID`s anyway. Huge, massively overmodulated signal noted late afternoon May 31 at Florida City with Kreyol vocals. Recheck a short while later, in Spanish with tejano and modern Mexican vocals, male DJ. Bearing on the portable was due east/west this at about one mile north of the Card Sound Road exit on US-1. Despite the huge signal (obviously very close), the signal vanished only a couple of miles south of the Card Sound exit. During the Spanish programming, a sole but clear ``La Única 16-10`` ID was noted. By 2030 EDT on May 31, they reverted back to Kreyol programming. The next morning, June 1 at 0730 EDT, Kreyol church services were in progress. And at 0830 EDT, English black church revivals and English preacher were in progress. Then upon my return home early afternoon June 5, this was noted with Spanish again, and several clear ``Radio R-C-H`` slogans. The signal dropped out on the Turnpike before SW 112th Avenue. So, this one is running Kreyol, Spanish and English blocks for the migrant workers in the vicinity, possibly even 24/7. Though the signal range is fairly small, I wonder if this accounts for some of the non-New England unidentified Kreyol logs in the past. 1610*** (TIS) Florida Bay Research Radio WQO743, US-1 Mile Marker 111, on the mainland (north of Key Largo), FL; not active. 1620*** (TIS) north Key Largo (?), FL; sporadically reported but never IDed. Noted this on June 5 early afternoon, only audible on US-1 right around the Lake Surprise and CR-905 Card Sound Road/US-1 junction with male loop. Impossible to make anything out with horrid powerline noise. 1620*** (TALKING HOUSE) Key Largo, FL; noted in the Winn Dixie shopping center, north Key Largo on US-1. Didn`t catch the exact address in the line noise, but obviously nearby based on references with looped Realtor man ``...[uncopiable URL with Realtor`s name incorporated within]... or you can call me direct at 305-852-8585. Do it now... We`re only a hop-skip-and-a-jump from Blackwater Sound...`` 1640 (TIS) WPUR527 Peace River Bridge (near) Port Charlotte/Punta Gorda, FL; southbound I-75 version of 1510 kHz operation. 87.75 MHz WTVJ Channel 6 TV, Miami, FL; amused to note frequent promos while watching cable in Key West, where they state, ``NBC 6, now on channel 58 and 88.7 FM`` (all while showing a digital stereo receiver tuned to 88.7). Of course, this is merely the audio channel location for channel 6, which happens to just make the bottom of US- manufactured radios. Good use of what`s already there from a marketing angle. [KOTV and a number of other channel 6s do this; but they hesitate to say 87.74, 87.75 or 87.76 MHz --- gh] 87.9*** MHz (PIRATE) unidentified, Tampa, FL; noted this one for the first time June 7th 1500 local, with Kreyol kompas. Made a quick drive of the signal across the Howard Frankland Bridge to the Courtney Campbell Causeway to confirm it is in Hillsborough County. Indeed, peaked around Rocky Point, so presume it`s located in the west Tampa/stadium area. Nonstop music while listening, so no slogan ID heard. Either new or morphed one of the several inactive Haitian pirates. ``Radio Sonique`` on 99.1 MHz was active at the same time, so at least that one can be ruled out. [FDES] 93.5 MHz*** (PIRATE) unidentifed, Homestead area, FL; huge signal on the Turnpike around SW 112th Avenue, with emotional Spanish preacher. Signal lost on the Turnpike by SW 40th Steet sign northbound, and shortly thereafter, the English Caribe ``Action Radio`` appeared (see below). 93.5 MHz*** (PIRATE) ``Action Radio``, north Miami-Dade or south Broward; about the time the crying Spanish preacher faded (see entry) this one appeared while heading north on the Turnpike. Huge signal covering a good portion of Miami-Dade and Seemingly all of Broward, lost finally a few miles past the US-27 exchange on I-75 westbound. All Caribe hip-hop, reggae and soca with live Caribe English DJ, frequent ``Action Radio`` ID`s, station number (uncopied, but believe it was a Broward exchange), several Caribe store ads and events promos. Same as the old 90.9 MHz ``Action Radio`` of past? 101.1*** MHz (PIRATE), Miami-Dade, FL fair with Caribe hip-hop and soca with Caribe-accented English male DJ late afternoon May 31, mixing with ``WAVE 101`` (WAVV, Marco Island/Naples) in the parking lot of Miami MetroZoo (SW 152nd St.). Lost the signal southbound on the Turnpike rather quickly. Presumed something unlicensed. 102.3*** MHz WAEM, Miami, FL; the once-experimental county/state FM TIS of sorts is definitely inactive (as previousy observed by others). Not located on a quick Db search. Formerly with multi-language looped tourist info, focusing on how not to be carjacked. Didn`t see any of the blue/white signs along the Interstate and Turnpike that once existed for this either. 102.5*** MHz (PIRATE) unidentified, Miami-Dade, FL; Spanish vocals noted very poorly in splatter from 102.7 MHz. Seemed domestic and guess pirate, as no E-skip was noted at the time. Heard briefly on Card Sound Road and in Homestead, poor. 104.5*** MHz (PIRATE) unidentified, Miami-Dade, FL; Spanish vocals, announcer noted poorly, mixing with ``WORC`` (see entry) while on Card Sound Road. No E-skip conditions were detected, so guessing this was a pirate somewhere in south Miami-Dade. Signal lost around Homestead. 104.5 MHz (PIRATE) ``WORC Ocean Reef Club Radio``, north Key Largo, FL; still active and still in mono mode. Really big signal now. Audible on CR-905 south of the Card Sound Road intersection, and along Card Sound Road all the way to the last gasp of audio at the US-1 junction! Format remains mostly lounge lizard (Lou Rawls, Sinatra, 60`s/70`s soft pop and one unidentified group with ``Celebrate Jesus`` -- apparently to ensure the Club remains Hebrew-free). One canned ``WORC, Ocean Reef Club`` ID drop heard. 106.7*** MHz WGGP-LP ``106.7 Grace FM``, Big Pine Key, FL; believed to be the first Florida LPFM`er (100 watts) to activate a few months ago, quickly located this one on Key Deer Blvd. a mile or so off of US-1. Their antenna (as previously e-mailed to me with photo attachments by L. Vencl in November, 2002) is behind the Baptist church property. Signal was first beginning to break in over the the Miami Spanish station (WRMA) northbound US-1 around Shark Key, and nearly gone by Bahía Honda Key, lost completely on Seven Mile Bridge. Live programming of modern (Petra, etc.) and soft traditional Christian vocals along with some canned sermon programming. Note the slogan heard used frequently. Live ID`s on the hour, at least. Also noted a battered old white van with the station calls painted on the side parked behind the church. 106.9*** MHz (PIRATE) unidentifed, Miami-Dade; yet another very poor level Spanish with mostly traditional-ish Cuban vocals in splatter from the licensed 106.7 Spanish station. Heard briefly on the Turnpike in Homestead/south Miami. 107.1 MHz WIIS ``The New Rock Alternative - Island 107.1``, Key West, FL; dropped in on this very low powered FM`er again (2.5 kW, but I was told they are much lower than that most of the time), studios at 1025 Duval. Still with the great alternative/Active Rock mix and no more than three spots per hour ever heard. Sadly, Rachel the babe DJ in the 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. slot is long gone (``I think she`s working somewhere down here for a promotions company`` I was told). ``Alison`` (who is not too shabby looking either) is now in her time slot. The station is still owned by the now reportedly retired plastic surgeon who runs this as a hobby, it appears. Their URL is defunct. The slogan is slightly different now (``The New Rock Alternative`` portion). OTHERNESS: CUDJOE KEY AIR FORCE SITE -- Home of the two blimps used for TV Martí and radar surveillance were observed on the ground mid-afternoon Sunday, June 1st. On June 5th, around 1100 EDT, one was high in the air. I got a pretty good shot of it from Blimp Drive, and of course good shots of the one on the ground with the telephoto. The blimp that was up could be seen very well throughout Big Pine Key. SADDLEBUNCH KEYS U.S. NAVAL AIR STATION -- I was interested in seeing what kind of antenna farms were here, what with some of the giant shortwave Yagi`s having been dismantled three or so years ago but well-placed sources indicating that a new monitoring site is under construction. Indeed, there appear to be more of the ``telephone pole`` antennas installed, and the big medium wave towers that were used for dummy load tests on 640 many years ago -- and for Radio Martí while Marathon was refurbished -- remain. The road (once labelled ``Constitution Blvd.`` and then enterable part-way) is of course still gated and armed with remote cameras, so getting anywhere within a mile of the antennas is impossible for the average snooping DX`er. BOCA CHICA NAVAL AIR STATION, EL CHICO SPOOK SITE --- Located at 300 Boca Chica Drive, this old VHF/UHF antenna array certainly appears to be inactive. Most of the aluminum Yagi-ish antennae atop the (mostly) wooden telephone poles are dangling and/or mangled badly; Hurricane Georges no doubt finished them off. The gate is still padlocked, but there was a white van with the painted words ``Naval Morale, Welfare & Recreation`` on the side next to the block building. However, no sign of human activity short of me outside the gate was detected. FBIS MONITORING FACILITIES, KEY WEST -- I just don`t understand how this happened, but I accidentally tresspassed along the Ft. Zachary Taylor Historic State Park shoreline about half-way up to the Foreign Broadcast Information Service (Central Intelligence Agency) antennae farm, seemingly undetected except by two tourist guys who were pointing at the sticks on the Ft. Zach side. They started eyeing me upon seeing my emergence past the plastic yellow barrier wall (my Nikon and telephoto lens in hand). Fortunately, my accidental incursion coincidentally happened at the end of my beach stay and I departed in the car without any problem. All the VHF/UHF towers are of course pointed at Habana, and the satellite dishes remain (Terry L. Krueger, Tocobaga DX June 8 via DXLD) See also CUBA [and non] for much more! ** VIRGIN ISLANDS US. I taped 1620 kHz the past three nights while at work and this afternoon when I finally got a chance to go over them, lo and behold, look what I found in the first hour of last night`s recording! WDHP Frederiksted, US Virgin Islands 6.6.03 0300z fair with full ident and country western music. ``You are listening to WDHP, 1620 AM ... United States Virgin Islands``. Real Audio clip here: http://members.aol.com/j999w/DX Email if you would like the .wav file. That`s country number 7 for me! USA, Canada, Mexico, Cuba, USVI (all recorded) + Venezuela, Colombia (not recorded). WhoooHoooo ! [doing a little dance] (John Wilke, WB9UAI, Milwaukee, WI, Icom R71a, 55ft vertical in pine tree, hard-core-dx via DXLD) 1620 WDHP, US VI (presumed), 06.27 relaying BBC`s Phil Mercer, ``John Howard not retiring and fight for opposition leadership``, good at this time but weak earlier (David Norrie, Heard on 7th June at Whitford Forest, near Auckland, AOR 7030 and fence post antennae pointing North east, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. Hi Glenn, Just to let you all know propagation in the 60 m band (4880 kHz) varies from almost S4 to S9 around local sunset until it gets dark here in Zimbabwe. Even after dark the 60m band is subject to fading of this transmission, perhaps due to low transmitter power. SW Radio Africa is most likely using the South African facilities of Sentech from Meyerton. If this is 100 kW as reported this should be sufficient. I know the station director of SW Radio Africa, Ms Gerry Jackson, and information of their transmitter site still remains undisclosed. SW Radio Africa, 4880 kHz can be heard here in Zimbabwe easily on a portable receiver but propagation changes from one day to the next and even during their transmission. (My RXs: Sony ICF 2001D (the` best` radio ever made!), Yaesu 7700, Yaesu 8800,and a few others) (David Pringle-Wood, Harare, Zimbabwe, June 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, SW Radio Africa is heard, here in Zimbabwe on 4880 kHz (60m band) easily. I monitored this band from around 1430-1630 UT to check propagation. East-West conditions were reasonable with many Chinese domestic stations heard as well as AIR on the same frequency that SW radio Africa uses. At 1600 UT, Sw radio Africa signs on, with 60bB of signal strength on this frequency heard here. It is most likely (and I say I almost know it!) the transmitter facility of SW Radio africa is from Sentech, Meyerton, South Africa (David Pringle-wood, Harare, Zimbabwe, June 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi again Glenn, re the QRM from the``German number station``, reported by Bob Padula, let me say just that using LSB, that rather boring ``program`` is totally exterminated from my loudspeakers --- or phones --- the latter almost never used here. But of course we cannot expect that Zimbabwians in general could take advantage of this kind of receiver trickery. 73 (Johan Berglund, Trollhättan, Sweden, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 1570: We just got back from vacation (mostly Yellowstone via NV and ID, returning via UT and NV). I`ll post some tips (mostly TIS updates) later this weekend. On the way home this morning, we had an interesting UNID on 1570 in Las Vegas. This was 1645-1700 UT and it seemed to be a low power station, maybe a part 15 or a pirate. It was audible for a few miles along Charleston Blvd. between the 15 and the 515 freeways. The host was interviewing the author of a children`s book. Can any of our Las Vegas members shed any light on this? 73, Tim Hall Chula Vista, CA P.S. The ``Summerlin`` pirate on 1650 (reported by Harry Helms if I recall correctly) was on the air today too. http://www.inetworld.net/halls/dx/index.html (Tim Hall, CA, amfmtvdx via DXLD) UNIDENITIFIED. ID help needed - 1640 AM. The x-band is jumping tonight with lots of TIS, HARs, etc that I have never heard before. Here is the repeating text of one I am hearing at 1640. ``???-Bravo. This condition is declared when an increased or more predictable threat of terrorist activity exists. Even though no particular target has been identified, the measures of this ??? must be capable of being maintained for weeks without causing undue hardship affecting operational capabilities and aggravating relations with local authorities.`` Any ideas? (Russ Johnson, Lexington, NC (along I-85 between Charlotte & Greensboro) June 6, k3pi@radiointel.com NRC AM via DXLD) The now defunct Vance AFB TIS on 1610 used to run a similar loop (gh) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PROPAGATION +++++++++++ This morning I was fortunate to catch some exceptional transatlantic E`s with several TV signals getting through on channel A2. To simplify things I have created a web page at http://www.skywaves.info/tadx07-06-03.html I have included a SpectrumLab screen grab and a link to the audio highlights of this reception. CTV audio was possible for almost two hours! and heard mixing with other stations on occasions. I don`t know the sites, but if anyone can help with any ID`s from the information given on this page I would naturally be very grateful. Video was present on the D100. Fascinating to see several north American signals battling it out! Unfortunately I could not lock the picture due to my monitor not having any H/V hold controls, but Paul Logan in NI said he saw a ``starburst`` logo top left on one of the signals. Trust you`re enjoying the incredible E season over there too. Best DX and long may it continue! John Faulkner http://www.skywaves.info IRC Chat: #bfmtvc http://www.skywaves.info/tadx07-06-03.html Click image to enlarge (106 kB) Extract from logbook ... A2 1015 ? 55.259.973. Good A2 1030 CAN 55.250.028. At weak video levels on D100 at times V good A2 1049 ? 55.260.174. Good A2 1051 CAN 55.240/075. Weak audio at times. YL and OM talking about family matters. Good A2 1135 CAN 55.240/068. Also with audio. Video on D100. V good Click on http://www.skywaves.info/audio/A2_audio.mp3 (2.6 MB) to hear selected audio clips of the above. This is taken from over one hour`s worth of recordings. Receivers: Icom PCR1000, HS D100, HS 4 element beam, Spectrum Lab software. Good DX! John Faulkner, Nottinghamshire, UK (via WTFDA via DXLD) Great stuff to listen to. I`m sure some Canadian members can help more than I can. I heard one Halifax mention and ads for the multi-cultural festival in Dartmouth June 20-22 (it`s listed on the web) as well as a CTV mention. I believe your station to be CJCH-TV-5 in Sheet Harbor NS which isn`t even full-powered! Awesome stuff...73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, IL, ibid.) While it is ``fresh`` --- John Faulkner`s report of Canadian (Maritime) double hop Es reception in UK to point. Earlier around 10.30 AM UT (fellow UK TV DXer) Mark had posted ``Anyone online? What`s CKCW actually showing at the moment ... 7.30 Atlantic time Mark`` John later posted, ``This morning I was fortunate enough to catch some exceptional transatlantic E`s with several TV signals getting through on channel A2. ... CTV audio was possible for almost two hours and heard mixing with other stations on occasions.`` Point: This implies a MUF of easily 59.75 (60) MHz on double hop Es. The suspected target area is Nova Scotia/Newfoundland. Point: One might assume - perhaps in error - that if there is 60 MHz EE covering the transatlantic path that some pretty exceptional things might be happening at 6 meters / 50 MHz simultaneously over the same path. I went to a pair of 50 MHz reflector boards to check this out. There was but ONE (!) posting by a group that misses absolutely nothing (there are so many hams on 6 meters on both sides of the ``pond``), to wit: ``0944 (UT) VO1 (Labrador) beacons into Europe.`` Point: Perhaps what this is telling us is that 50 MHz propagation reports (http://dxworld.com and others) may NOT be the best indicator of EE (double hop Es) at a frequency that is only slightly higher (60 MHz). Point: June 5 1955. I lived in Fresno (California), had stacked Winegard all-channel antennas 100 feet above ground and it was a Sunday morning local time. When I turned on my TV DX gear at 7AM local there was very heavy Es from channels 2 to 6. I was also active on six meters (50 MHz) and immediately turned on the 6 meter receiver. Nothing at all. Humm? Now this was long enough ago that on a Sunday morning many TV stations were still coming on the air with programming rather late in the day (ahh - the golden old days!). Those that were on were running local church services and similar unique-to-each- station programming. Imagine that - test patterns with big fat call letters and local church services! Life seldom got much better than that. Point: For the next 3 hours I sat there dumbfounded as WBZ-4, WTTG-5, WCBS-2, WSYR-3 ... something like 21 channel 2-3-4-5 and yes 6 DOUBLE HOP TV stations filled my 12 inch screen. Essentially coast to coast with nothing but the eastern zone stations on the channels for the first couple of hours. No sign of single hop stations at all and six meters was dead as a door nail. Point: I was so excited that I ran indoors from my garage ``shack`` and called Ed Tilton (amateur W1HDQ) who at the time was the VHF editor for (amateur radio publication) QST. He immediately got on 6 meters (``band seems dead here,`` said he) and verified it was indeed dead in central Connecticut. I then read him the text on the screen from WBZ-4 which was coming through simultaneously to our conversation - WBZ being 100 miles east of him, and for good measure, told him of the live church service on WCBS channel 2 which was 100 miles to the SW of him. Point: Three hours into this, the last double hop station I logged was on channel 6 (!) out of Ohio. I have regretted not getting up earlier of course. After Columbus on channel 6 dropped out I then had several hours of strong Es from stations in Kansas, Nebraska - the usual single hop stuff. Synopsis: As the ``collector`` for ham 50 MHz reports and as the simultaneous collector for TV DX reports for his Radio Electronics column, Tilton would later confirm that this was a ``Bob Cooper only`` opening - nothing of double hop Es reports for that entire day on 6 meters. I was not set up for FM DXing at the time, probably would have had some equally exciting reception there as well as the audio on channel 6 was very potent for several hours as the stations on the screen verrrry slowly changed from one to another. The physical dimensions of the ``target area`` ranged from Norfolk, Va (Ch 3) on south to Boston on north all along the coast (including Philadelphia on 3 and 6) and inland to Ohio and West Virginia missing almost nothing that was on the air at the time within that zone. The assumption that to have double hop distances we must simultaneously have single hop reception may under some circumstances not be valid - as my subsequent reception of Puerto Rico and others of even triple hop distances would later strongly suggest as well. So while we are experiencing a cracker of an Es season, perhaps it would be advisable to ``forget`` some of the ``MUST have `A` to equal `B` rules.`` And that includes high band Es that occur even when low band seems essentially dead at YOUR location. (Bob Cooper in New Zealand, June 7, WTFDA via DXLD) I noticed something similar. I usually monitor two boards: http://dxworld.com/50prop.html http://maps.dxers.info/2hr.php?b=6m The former had virtually no mention of transatlantic DX. The latter had dozens of transatlantic reports. In my monitoring of these two sites for the last year or so, seems to me that dxworld is VERY US centric, and has few reporters from Canada and Europe. dxers.info has decent participation from the USA, but much much better participation from the Europeans. Conclusion: DX`ers monitoring trans-atlantic Es should monitor dxers.info. USA DX`ers looking for general Es indicators should monitor both. Again, dxers.info did do a great job of showing the double-hop Es yesterday and today. Here are a few snapshots of 24 hour intervals. These are very cluttered since they cover a large time period, but you can easily see the dozens of transatlantic 6M ham reports that were made during the period. The site also has more readable real-time 2 hour reports (see the link above), but they don`t archive those. http://maps.dxers.info/6m/24hrs/20030607.png http://maps.dxers.info/6m/24hrs/20030606.png (Mike Hawk, Omaha, NE, ibid.) You just never know what to expect with those E`s. I have never heard anything like it. It`s certainly an interesting season over here with some lengthy openings mostly along southerly paths like Spain, Portugal and the Canaries on occasion here in western Europe, but only when the solar activity allows (and there have been plenty of days of high A/K indices recently), so, solar activity permitting it`s been a superb season so far. I usually follow the pages at http://oh2w.kolumbus.com/ and it is interesting to note that there were several TA QSO`s on 6 around my reception period. Yet not as many as were indicated yesterday evening! During the more intense openings on FM I find that the DX on band 1 sometimes fizzles out so I can only agree with your comments on those few MHz making all the difference. From memory this pattern has been more prominent in recent years. Going back to my earlier days of TV DX in the late 70`s/early 80`s I can remember that you just didn`t get band 1 E`s unless 10 metres was very active. Then when band 1 became active it would spread higher into FM. This pattern never really changed much. These days it seems more common to find FM e`s when band 1 is quiet / completely lacking e`s. Just a personal observation. Incidentally I did not note anything above A2 this morning but Paul Logan in NI had higher channels as I believe I mentioned, though less strong. Some other UK TV DXers also had this TA reception on A2 too. Like you say - forget the rules - just check anyway, you don`t know what`s lurking on those higher channels! Thanks for the help with these recordings. Good DX! (John Faulkner, UK, ibid.) I might put in a good word for http://oh2aq.kolumbus.com/dxs This site is in Finland (hence the weird spelling of Columbus!) and seems roughly evenly split between North American and European participants. 50 MHz reports from Japan and other Asian countries are not unusual. DX Summit reports considerable 50 MHz trans-Atlantic skip, starting with a beacon in Newfoundland at 0937 UT, disappearing just before 1300. It then reappeared briefly around 1415, and again at 1530, and 1630, and 1730... (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66, ibid.) Consider this phenomenon: Some of my best catches on ham bands occur when the band is seemingly dead. Ham radio is unlike broadcasting. Broadcast TV channels are almost always occupied. Ham bands are not. My greatest catches like French Polynesia, Antarctica, New Zealand (all on 2 watts CW QRP) have happened when I called CQ when the band seemed dead as a door nail. Everyone was listening and no one was transmitting. I have created pile-ups by being brave and sending CQ to a ``dead`` band. My best indicator is to become familiar with beacons and listening for them regularly. These transmissions are reliable indicators on 10 and 6m. I applaud the idea of thinking ``break the rules.`` Great DX on channel 6 does not guarantee great DX on channel 2. This season has been great fun so far and it`s only just begun. May you all enjoy rabbit hop Es! 73 de (N2KZ, Karl Zuk, ibid.) Heavy Es also noted here June 7, but bands dead June 8 (gh, OK, DXLD) K-INDEX HIT 8 ON MAY 29 On May 28 a dense complex of about 42 sunspots rapidly developed. 15 small and one extra large ``X-Class`` flare were observed from this region of the sun. They covered about 1.2 billion square kilometres or more than twice the entire surface area of the Earth ! The flares threw coronal mass ejections toward the Earth and the Solar Flux was measured to a high of 130. Therefore on May 29 the Geomagnetic A-index suddenly jumped up to 89 which is three times its normal High level. During the same evening and night the Planetary K-index reached a seldomly seen high value of 8. Already on May 31 the geomagnetic activity was back to normal with an A-index of 17 and the K-indices around 2. If some of you saw Aurora Borealis and noticed strange reception conditions, this was the reason. Karel Honzik was listening the night May 29/30 at 2200-0110 and wrote in HCDX: ``Especially Brazil was coming in with nice signals in the 60- and 49 meters. Not so often heard stations like R Guarujá 5980, R Difusora, Taubaté on 4925. Angola on 4950 was just in Hi-Fi quality. `` On June 03 at 0200-0245 Angola was still extraordinary strong here in Denmark with SINPO 44444 (Anker Petersen, DSWCI DX Window June 4 via DXLD) SPECIAL REPORT: IN PATAGONIA - A DXPEDITION AT THE END OF THE WORLD by Rocco Cotroneo What follows is the story of a test (or should I say a ``taste``) for a future serious medium wave DXpedition at the end of the world, la fin del mundo, as Argentineans call their extreme Patagonia region. Since I live in South America, I had always wondered how conditions were like down there, if I could find a place comparable to legendary Nordic AM DX sites like the Scandinavian ones, Newfoundland, Grayland, or in this hemisphere, like New Zealand and Australia DXped spots. The adventure was fast, just two nights, but exciting and the answer to my question is definitely yes. Approaching the South Pole too, things are great for radio. At 53 south, a 100 km from the end of continental Americas, I suspect this has been the most austral DXped ever. What was I doing there? Not tourism, not Chatwin remembrance but work... Yes, it was also a free round trip. I was covering the new Argentinean president Nestor Kirchner in his hometown, Rio Gallegos, and had decided before leaving Rio de Janeiro to take my AOR 7030, together with some basic stuff in the photographer bag I usually carry for fast DXpeds. Wires, camping battery, earphones, minidisk recorder, frequencies lists. The idea was to take a 2-3 days off, after the assignment. There was not much I could arrange in advance, as my newspaper asked me to leave home with just a 24 hours advice. A fast search on the Internet and a few telephone calls almost killed my dream in advance. There was not one single hotel or ``estancia`` (farm) for tourism open in this season out in the countryside. Everything there closes down after Easter break for winter. I cried out when in Rio Gallegos with local tourism office. No way. Then Adrian came... I knew him through a friend of a friend of a friend of the president of the local ham club. The Rio Gallegos radio club was my last and desperate resource to find a place far enough from my city hotel, where conditions were extremely noisy and the only exotic thing I could hear were Falkland Islands on 530 and 550, right off this coast. Argentineans, true, are lovely people. The ham gang helped me immediately, even without understanding, as often happens with them, what I was talking about. Adrian himself has nothing to do with radio. He is a nice estanciero, a sheep farmer, in his thirties, who was heading to his land with his Toyota jeep, some stuff for the farm and four dogs. He just said, ``Ok, come with me. Just know that we have no electricity after 10 p.m. and we eat lamb twice a day, everyday.`` I had a camping battery with me and I love ``cordero.`` What more could I ask? The place: The ``Estancia el Relincho`` is located at 240 km west from Rio Gallegos, not far from the Chilean border. It`s hard to imagine a place in the middle of nothing like this. The first electric pole is 18 km away, the first tiny town at 40. Around the estancia, in theory, it`s possible to put an array of a ten, fifteen 1km-long beverages antennas... and sheep don`t like wires too much, I was told. I had only two 200-m tiny wire rolls with me. After a three hours drive, we arrived there at 9 p.m. It was freezing and dark outside and Adrian helped me to lay the wires on the ground. Any other antenna arrangement would have been difficult. I had only 48 hours to spend here and the first night was about to start. As from an azimuthal map I made before leaving, the most interesting target was supposed to be South Pacific. I laid the first wire at approximately 240, beaming New Zealand and Australia, and the other one at a right angle, heading South Africa and Asia. I was not very interested in Europe or Middle East for a number of reasons: first, the location was too far from the Atlantic Ocean, secondly Europe and its powerhouses are common catches for me in Brazil. Last but not least local sunset hours, usually good for TA reception in South America, were not usable because the energy generator in the estancia is too noisy until it is turned off. As for North America, I had not the slightest idea whether reception was possible. I was more worried about interference from Argentina and Brazil if putting a north wire. It was a blind date. What happened? When I switched on my radio, at 23 p.m. the first night (0200 UT) I realized I was going to have a painful problem. My battery has six hours autonomy and austral winter nights are long. I had to spare [save] energy as much as possible to get through the most interesting hours. My laptop had enough battery charge and grey line software advised me I should wait at least 0400 (all times are UT from now on) for Tahiti sunset and 0530 for New Zealand. On the northern front, the whole Americas would have been in the dark by 0330. Propagation would then decide what to listen to. Surprisingly, the dial was crowded with local and semi local signals on any frequency. I had expected a quieter situation. Patagonia is well away from densely populated areas, Central Argentina is 2000 km away as the most populated areas in Chile. Still, all Buenos Aires stations were strong and stable, as Santiago`s. Peru on 1470 and 1500. The big Brazilians (1040, 1100, 1220, 1280) made up easily the big distance, too. Inland AM propagation is not easy in Latin America. I have never heard Peru from Rio de Janeiro, for example, and just a few stations from Chile and Venezuela, in special conditions. Another interesting discovery was the huge number of split, off-frequency stations, mostly presumably from Chile and Peru. X-band was crowded too, with Argentinean pirates, but the first real DX came in right here, at the very top of the dial. At 0400, after a long no-stop music program followed by ABC news, 1700 kHz revealed to be Oldies Radio KQXX Brownsville, Texas. Not bad. The signal stayed here, weak and with long fading, all night long. Propagation was heading north at 0415, when TWR Bonaire boomed in on 800, fading out the Mec station in Rio de Janeiro. Few minutes later was Ecuador`s turn, Radio Splendid Cuenca on 1040, to kill the dominant São Paulo station. Distances were getting interesting. Splendid is supposed to be a 10 kW at a good 6.000 km. Signal was strong. At least my wires were working. At 0420 an even stronger signal came in on 1090. US, definitely, with sport, mixed with another station. ``Sporting News Radio,`` damn... no way to ID it... On 750 and 810 two big Caracol from Colombia and I realized that the west side of the continent had almost totally faded out the Atlantic side, Brazil and La Plata dominant stuff. At 0520 everything was clear, I was experiencing a US West Coast opening! On 740 ``traffic and weather together`` with San Francisco temperatures announced the KCBS strong ID ``all news 74.`` At 0600, on 1530, ABC news started after an exciting KFBK jingle from Sacramento, California. Network programs with talk shows, with fast fade-outs, showed up on 810 and 1200. The big signal on 1090 was still on. Now I am almost sure it was nightlong ``Sporting News`` program from Mighty 1090. The former, I guess, XEPRS transmitter from the Mexican border for San Diego, California. It was time to check Pacific channels and excellent Bruce Potzer`s Pacific Asian Log was the right tool. A carrier on 738 preannounced me Tahiti, but it never turned into a real signal to listen to. Just few seconds with soft music. My Pacific wire was too short and I decided to focus on high frequencies. At 0650, yes, it came in... Radio Sport from New Zealand. I taped a tentative ID from what was possibly the Wellington 5 kW outlet. I think I had never been able to ID such a weak signal in my whole DX life. The quietness of the estancia did it and I also want to thank veteran New Zealand DXer Paul Ormandy who confirmed the catch. Just the time to listen to weak music on 1098, another talk station on 1593 and the battery died... At 0720, with five more hours of darkness... Hawaii? Australia? Japan? I will never know if even more exotic catches were to show up or not. Second night was much less exciting. Propagation was all the other side. More common catches like Virgin Islands on 1620 and Bahamas on 1540, a good WTOP ID on 1500, suggested me that US West Coast is not a everyday meal here and that I had been lucky enough the previous night. (Thanks also to Neil Kazaross to and Mark Hattam for helping me on 1620 and 1540). My battery kept on until 0830 but Pacific bubble was so weak that no significant emerged from 1503, 1314 and 1098 carriers. It was a great experience anyway, I could not expect more from such a fast planning. California is 10000 km away and 2.5 kW New Zealander ``just`` 8000. Next time I will need a couple of car batteries, more wire and most of all a couple of voluntaries with their receivers and experiences to share the excitement. *** Audiofiles and pictures are available on the multimedia version of this article, http://www.faiallo.org/patagonia.html (NRC IDXD June 6 via DXLD) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ FCC corrects comment, reply comment dates in Broadband over Power Line proceeding: The FCC says comment and reply comment deadlines in its Broadband over Power Line (BPL) Notice of Inquiry (ET Docket 03-104) published May 23 in the Federal Register were incorrect. In a correction issued June 3, the FCC announced that comments from the public in this proceeding are due on or before July 7, 2003. Reply comments are due on or before August 6, 2003. Nick Leggett`s web site on citizen participation in technology: http://home.earthlink.net/~nleggett/home.html (News from the ARRL via Nickolaus E. Leggett, N3NL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DRM +++ DRM MESSES UP 31mb During this morning`s EDXP chat, Bob Padula drew my attention to the horrible mess on 9795 kHz at 2300-0000. The digital hash signal of BBC via Sackville spread all over 9790 and 9800 as well. It completely covered R. Bulgaria on 9800 until it signed off at 0000 when Bulgaria emerged. And this Sackville signal was coming via the long path as well!! As I have written before, this DRM issue is about a few big boy broadcasters bullying their way around the HF spectrum with digital signals that obliterate other things around them. Understand that this DRM medium is not about economical use of frequency space. It`s about stomping over other small, less wealthy stations with ordinary AM signals. DRM and AM cannot live side-by-side under the current 5 kHz channel allocation system. DRM should be placed out-of-band while these tests continue. Best regards (Rob Wagner VK3BVW, Receivers: Yaesu FRG100, Sangean 909, Antennas: 14 MHz dipole and 5 MHz T2FD, EDXP HF Forum June 8 via DXLD The official Australian position being advocated at this month`s World Radiocommunications Conference in Geneva is that: a. Australia supports the introduction of DRM for HF broadcasting b. DRM should be positioned in the ``Extended Bands``, to reduce harmful interference to broadcasters using analog modulation processes The commercial interests of the DRM Consortium appear to be subsuming those broadcasters who are not members, with disastrous consequences for any transmission within 20 kHz of the nominal centre frequency for DRM services. DRM tests to date have revealed that a 40 kHz modulator bandwidth is required to provide the shoulder attenuation needed for 10 kHz wide digital signals. ITU recommendations are that DRM signals should not cause more interference to existing AM signals than existing analog services. Broadcasters are required to keep their output within then spectrum mask that is applied to analog transmissions. What is occurring with these DRM tests is that the 10 kHz wide signal is produced, occupying 20 kHz of spectrum space at the -50 dB points. This is very much greater than a conventional double-sideband AM transmission, occupying 5 kHz total bandwidth at the -50 dB points (with separate sidebands extending out to +2.5 kHz or -2.5 kHz from the nominal carrier frequency. Note that DRM signals do not have ``carriers``, and the present tests consume 20 kHz of spectrum space at the -50 dB points. At the -60 dB points, actual spectrum usage is a massive 40 kHz! At -70 dB, spectrum usage is 60 kHz....! The present tests are causing havoc to existing broadcasters operating up to 20 kHz either side of the nominal DRM centre frequency. Regards (Bob Padula, Mont Albert, Vic, Aus, ibid.) SHORTWAVE AS MUSIC ++++++++++++++++++ Now I`ve seen (and heard) everything! You won`t believe how corny this stuff is. You can actually listen to the songs using Real Audio. http://www.lastres.com/ajhuddle/hamband.html (Sheldon Harvey, Radio H.F. - Canada`s specialist in radio communications http://www.total.net/~radiohf President-Canadian International DX Club Canada`s national radio monitoring club since 1962 http://www.anarc.org/cidx/ June 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ### ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-100, June 6, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3f.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 1185: RFPI: Sat 0130, 0800, 1400, 1730, 2330, Sun 0530, 1130, 1830, Mon 0030, 0630, 1230, Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0730, 1330 7445 15039 WWCR: Sat 0600, Sun 0230 5070, 0630 3210, Wed 0930 9475 WJIE: Sat 0930, Sun 1030, 1630 7490 13595 [maybe] WINB: Sat 1730 13570 WBCQ: Mon 0445 7415 WRN: Rest of world Sat 0800, Europe Sun 0430, North America Sun 1400 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1185.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1185.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1185h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1185h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1185.html ** AUSTRALIA. In light of recent reports of Voice International lacking any religious content I forced myself to listen for a few minutes when I ran across Cox Peninsula, 13685 at 1315 UT June 6. Yes, they kept mentioning God and missionary work, hymn after 1320, so at this moment at least, it was not so stealthy despite elimination of the very word ``Christian`` from their name. I wonder how many listeners have initially been duped into listening when they hear the Oz accent and assume it be R. Australia (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. CHINA'S CONTROL OF NEWS AND INFORMATION MAY HAVE WORSENED SARS EPIDEMIC, BROADCASTERS SAY Washington, D.C. June 5, 2003 - China's control of news and information prevented people from receiving information about SARS and may have worsened the epidemic, U.S. international broadcasters told a federal commission today. "To this day, China's statistics remain dubious and not credible," Jay Henderson, director of the Voice of America's http://www.voanews.com East Asia and Pacific Division, told the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission on Capitol Hill. "But, as the SARS disaster reveals, Beijing believes total control of ideas is still vital to national security." Noting that VOA and RFA aired Mandarin reports on SARS in February, two months before China acknowledged a problem, Henderson said: "One cannot help but wonder if the scale of the SARS crisis might have been held down if the Chinese had not been jamming our broadcasts and blocking our web pages." . . . http://www.bbg.gov/_bbg_news.cfm?articleID=74&mode=general SARS IN CHINA: IMPLICATIONS FOR MEDIA CONTROL AND THE ECONOMY TESTIMONY OF DAN SOUTHERLAND, VICE PRESIDENT OF PROGRAMMING AND EXECUTIVE EDITOR, RADIO FREE ASIA --- Presented to the U.S.- China Economic and Security Review Commission on June 5, 2003: http://www.bbg.gov/_bbg_news.cfm?articleID=77&mode=general (BBG press releases via DXLD) ** CUBA. Selon un message de Radio Havane Cuba reçu par Gilles Garnier, la station informe n'émettre plus qu'épisodiquement vers l'Europe. Le motif serait la remise en état de l'émetteur (Gilles Garnier - 03 juin 2003 --- les informations sont issues de http://perso.wanadoo.fr/jm.aubier via DXLD) ** CZECH REPUBLIC. RADIO FREE EUROPE HEAD SAYS PRAGUE BRANCH WILL BE RELOCATED WITHIN PRAGUE | Excerpt from report in English by Czech news agency CTK Prague, 6 June: The Prague branch of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) will not stay in the building of the former Federal Assembly near Wenceslas Square, but will be relocated to a different place in Prague, its president Thomas Dine told CTK today. The contract for the lease of the complex expires next year and it is not yet quite clear whether it will be extended. Dine told CTK that RFE/RL was conducting talks with property owners in Prague. He said that the search only concerned Prague. When asked whether the option that the offices would stay in their current place was still valid, he said that this was no longer foreseen because everyone had agreed that it was time to leave. [passage omitted] There is still the question of who will pay for the costs of the relocation. [Czech Foreign Minister Cyril] Svoboda indicated earlier that the Czech Republic would not do so. [passage omitted] Source: CTK news agency, Prague, in English 1103 gmt 6 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** FINLAND. SCANDINAVIAN WEEKEND RADIO JUNE 6-7: Next transmission starting 21 hours UT this Friday evening. Our frequency schedule is here: Summer schedule: UT 48mb 25mb 21 5990 11720 22 5980 05 6170 11690 10 11720 14 5980 16 6170 19 5990 11690 Changes in frequencies might happen without beforehand notice! Check http://www.swradio.net (Alpo Heinonen, Scandinavian Weekend Radio, June 6, dxing.info via DXLD) ** GUATEMALA. En esta oportunidad les informo que estoy escuchando Radio Cultural, como no la había escuchado antes, señal fuerte y clara. La he sintonizado en dos frecuencias, en los 2400 kHz y en los 3300 kHz. Mejor en los 3300 kHz. Fue captada a la 0148 UT en las dos frecuencias, ya que las pude monitorear rápidamente para verificar si era la misma señal. Estoy utilizando un radioreceptor Siemens y un amplificador de antena para onda corta de Radio Shack, conectado a mi antena hilo largo de 27 metros. Atte: (José Elías, Venezuela, Cumbre DX et al. via DXLD) Another DXer who needs to be made aware of 2 x IF receiver images (gh, DXLD) ** INDIA. GOVERNMENT MULLS OPENING UP FM RADIO TO NEWS, CURRENT AFFAIRS | Text of report by Indian broadcast industry web site Indiantelevision.com on 6 June New Delhi: The Indian government may open up FM radio sector to news and current affairs programming as also the content being provided by a foreign broadcaster, which would mean restructuring the policy guideline regarding FM radio, private participation and foreign holding in such ventures that is not allowed at the moment. This may happen as Auntie Beeb or BBC World Service (the radio service of the British Broadcasting Corporation) wants to hop onto the FM bandwagon in India and has opened up talks with the Indian government in this regard. Admitting that BBC is keen to use the FM radio vehicle and has evinced interest, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told indiantelevision.com today: "Personally, I am not against news and current affairs on FM radio, but the issue of a foreign broadcaster doing so has to be looked into in detail before any stand on this can be taken by the government." Prasad also hinted that BBC is keen to forge a tie-up in this regard with India's pubcaster Prasar Bharati [Indian Broadcasting Corporation] and use the vast network of the All India Radio [AIR] for FM broadcasts. Recently, while in London, Prasad visited the BBC's headquarters and spent almost a day there soaking in the functioning of BBC. He also visited Rupert Murdoch-promoted BSkyB's DTH [direct-to-home] facility in the UK. But, if the government allows BBC radio to hook up with AIR and provide news and current affairs content to the AIR's FM channels, it also cannot keep such programming out of the private FM radio stations who have been crying themselves hoarse that they should also be allowed to air news and related programmes to woo a wider spread of listeners. Moreover, if BBC World Service is allowed to hop onto the FM bandwagon, the government also cannot bar foreign investment, irrespective of the quantum, in private FM radio stations. At present, foreign investment in private FM radio ventures is disallowed, except FII shareholding as per the Reserve Bank of India guidelines, which is taken as portfolio investment. Source: Indiantelevision.com web site, Mumbai, in English 6 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) What a wacky idea in the first place that news & current affairs should be banned from FM! The inscrutable Indian (gh, DXLD) ** ITALY [non?]. IRRS-Shortwave: new programs and latest schedule Hello There from Milano, Italy, Last week we heard other rumours of more Shortwave stations preparing to shut down transmissions as well as their entire broadcasting facilities before year's end. We regret the loss of jobs among our friends and colleagues, and much more the loss of International news and information through a convenient, small, portable Shortwave receiver. Such decisions seem again to be dictated by incompetent politicians or consultants in an attempt to save money, regardless of the effectiveness and importance of the Shortwave media. Cynically, NEXUS-IBA seems to be left alone in Italy to continue providing a good signal and varied, interesting programs on Shortwave. If you are interested in our view of this issue, please check the front page article at http://www.undpi.org entitled: "Shortwave radio still viable and effective in the 21st century" Back to programming on IRRS-Shortwave: we are announcing two new programs via our 10 kW outlet to Europe, and we celebrate 10 years of broadcasting on behalf of Radio Santec: - This week we welcome Radio Abeokuta as a new member of NEXUS-IBA. Radio Abeokuta will start their first broadcast on Friday, June 6, 2003, at 2000-2030 UT (2200-2230 CEST) on 5,780 kHz via IRRS- Shortwave, aiming at reaching the large community of Nigerians living in Europe. They will air plenty of African music - seldom heard on our airwaves - and information for all concerned. Radio Abeokuta will be heard each Friday via IRRS-Shortwave at 2000-2030 UT on 5,780 kHz, with a repeat on the following Wednesday at the same time and on the same frequency. For more information please visit http://www.abeokuta.org - Next week-end June 14-15, 2003, as every second weekend in the month, you can listen to Radio Rasant, the students' radio at the "Realschule" in Sundern, Germany. Students with the help of their teacher Reinhard Marx went all the way from interviewing, production, editing and broadcasting locally and internationally a series of radio programs with a wealth of information on current topics and music, especially interesting to the youngest generations. From Dec. 3, 2002 to April 4, 2003 the students at Radio Rasant took part to the workshop "Girls in the media professions". Throughout their participation they produced three radio programs. Next week`s program is in German, but it's easy to listen to even if you do not understand German, with lots of music, and IDs in various languages. Radio Rasant will be on the air Saturday June 14, 2003 via IRRS- Shortwave: from 0830-0930 UT (1030-1130 CEST) on 13,840 kHz from 1930-2030 UT (2130-2230 CEST) on 5,780 kHz repeated at the same time and on the same frequencies on Sunday June 15, 2003. More information on Radio Rasant at http://www.radiorasant.org email: info@radiorasant.org or write to their address mentioned on the air. - These weeks we celebrate ten years with Radio Santec, a NEXUS-IBA member since 1993. Radio Santec produces radio, music and TV programs in various languages from Wuerzburg, Germany. Radio Santec approached us in 1993 to report on their situation, where members of their community were assaulted and accused locally of breaking the local tradition with a more radical approach to life and religion. According to the NEXUS-IBA's charter and our "free access", non discriminatory policy, we gladly allowed the world to hear "what they have to say" - without any filter. Samples of interviews that we carried back in 1993 are available on line at http://www.nexus.org/IRN Radio Santec can be heard via IRRS-Shortwave every Sat & Sun at 0930 UT (1130 CEST) on 13,840 kHz. More information on Radio Santec at: http://www.radio-santec.com Lastly, we would like to remind you our current broadcast schedule on Shortwave: daily 1900-2030 UT (2100-2230 CEST) on 5,780 kHz, and : Sat & Sun only 0800-1200 UT (1000-1400 CEST) on 13,840 kHz. Our broadcasts are beamed to Europe, but - propagation permitting - reception may also be possible outside our target area. All programs are in parallel 24/24, 7/7 at http://mp3.nexus.org We welcome your reception reports at reports@nexus.org and especially your comments to our programs, that are very useful to all our program producers. Please feel free to forward this information to anyone interested, and let's keep the Shortwave radio flag high on our mast! Take care and best 73s, de (Ron Norton, IBA, June 6, IRRS-listeners mailing list: http://nx1-2.nexus.org/mailman/listinfo/irrs-listeners via Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** KASHMIR. RADIO KASHMIR CALLS THE SHOTS, BUT IT`S STILL A FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL ------------------------------------------------------------ MASOOD HUSSAIN, TIMES NEWS NETWORK, FRIDAY, MAY 30, 2003 05:12:54 AM SRINAGAR: Hardselling its reputation of being the most powerful of all the mass media across strife-ridden J&K, the Radio Kashmir Srinagar (RKS) is fighting a battle to get its due share from the surging market. While the primary channel continues to show a gradual improvement in its revenue collection in the last two years, it is not the same in the Vividh Bharati, the Commercial Broadcasting Service (CBS). Says Rafiq Masoodi, director RKS, ``The main factor is that the CBS is no more available on the Medium Wave after we switched over to FM in December `00. People here do not have FM receivers but we are picking up.`` Adds another executive, ``Our revenue pattern does reflect the situation. Militancy waxes and wanes; so do the preferences of our clients. I can count instances in which some clients after signing the agreements backtracked as they were targeted for extortion.`` Even the Jammu-based CBS is witnessing a decrease in the revenues. Against a total of Rs 7.14 lakh that it collected in `01-02, the figure nose-dived to Rs 1.4 lakh. There, however, the factors seem to be different. Many of CBS clients in Jammu have switched over to cable TV as some city cables have offered a better viewership. ``Officially it is just a year old station,`` added another officer. RKS, seniors in the radio said, has remained quite a famous institution for current affairs and the drama sections. ``Over the years while the regional news unit had to remain out for many years, no new dramas were recorded. Till recently we were replaying the earlier recorded programmes for around 10 hours a day. Even though the new programmes were recorded, the artists remained unpaid. At one point of time some needy artists who survive on one booking, once in three weeks, threatened to set themselves afire. Admits Mr Masoodi, ``It might be incredible that RKS had a liability of Rs 1.85 crore from January `99 and we released it in almost one month with the help of our CEO.`` These included over 3,500 artists. Despite being part of the Prasar Bharati Broadcasting Corporation run AIR, RKS retains its special nomenclature. All the AIR run stations across J&K are prefixed by Radio Kashmir instead of All India Radio. Expenditure on developing a new software is quite low. In the fiscal `02-03, total expenditure of RKS was Rs 10.05 crore. Rs 3.58 crore was the wage bill and almost the remaining amount was spent on maintaining the huge hardware. Only a sum of Rs 97.8 lakh was spent on professional services. Expenditure on professional services was Rs 67.05 lakh of a total expenditure of Rs 9.45 crore in `01-02 against Rs 71.92 lakh on new programmes of the total expenditure of Rs 8.78 crore in `00-01. Knowing that they have no immediate competitors other than in current affairs, Masoodi says, ``Unless we do not make good programmes, why should people listen to us.`` For any good programme, he says, sponsors really fight with each other. An evening current affairs programme - Sheharbeen, is quite a hit. ``We have already started recording new dramas and songs and I hope it will generate better income.`` Prasar Bharati, however, has given him a total of Rs 70 lakh for the new programmes against the minimum demand of Rs 1 crore. However, he is sure that the rest of the amount will come after the budget estimates are revised in November (From : economictimes.com) Regds, (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, DXLD) ** KURDISTAN [non]. See NORWAY again ** NETHERLANDS. Radio 10 FM just announced that they will use Trintelhaven 1395 from tomorrow, they said around the clock, contrary to the original tender as well as the practice of the previous user BNR to transmit only during daytime due to co-channel Flläke. For the time being this arrangement will be in effect for one month. First they tried to get 1008 but Nozema refused to lease the transmitter to them for a single month only (Kai Ludwig, summary translation of the below, DXLD) Hallo Leute, Soeben hat Radio 10FM angesagt, daß die Unterhandlungen mit Sky Radio gescheitert sind. Ab morgen wird auf 1395 gesendet. Die Zeit wurde nicht angesagt, normalerweise schaltete BNR um 0600 (LT) ein, die Lizenz gilt für 'tagsüberem Gebrauch' (und brachtete der Staat stolze € 1.111). Dennoch würde um 2017 gesagt daß die 24/24 senden würden. Auf Rammkurs mit Albanien? So wird es vorest einen Monat weiter gehen, mit Option auf Verlängerung. Es würde zuerst versucht um auf 1008 auf Sendung zu geben, die Nozema wollte aber nicht Ihre Sender für eine einzige Monat vermieten. Laut http://www.radio.nl/home/medianieuws/001.zero_base/zerobase_nieuws/default.asp?readid=14863 Als kleine Anfüllung auf heutige Diskussionen wäre noch zu erwähnen daß manche FM Kawel klausiert (also mit einem vorbestimmten Format) vergeben würden. Welche Gesellschaft dann diese Aufgabe verfüllt in Nahmen des Frequenzeinhabers ist ziemlich Wurscht. Das können ja normalerweise ja auch freie Mitarbeiter sein. Dieses galt u.a. auch für das Kawel A02 Oldies, auf denen jetzt 'Radio 103 - de Gouwe Ouwe Zender' senden wird. Auf AM waren die Kawel sowieso unklausiert, obwohl ein Businessplan und 'Programmvornehmen' gefragt waren, womit Bonuspunkte zu verdienen waren. Da es nur eine Anfrage gab für 1395 wurden diesen nicht betrachtet. Ich nehme an, daß die Investionen sich lohnen werden für Quality Radio/Ruud Poeze, der Lizenzeinhaber. Radio 10 hat wieder der Rechtsweg angekündigt. Die Situation bleibt also dynamisch. Deswegen auch alle Angaben so sie mir jetzt bekannt sind aus zuverlässig geachteten Quellen. Schönes Wochende, alle (Wian Stienstra, A-DX via Kai Ludwig, DXLD) Have just noticed 675 is on an all rock format! Quite rare these days. Virgin is diluted rock. Arrow Classic Rock 675 kHz in Dutch from Lopik Holland. It's playing all the old tracks you might have heard on Radio Caroline or RNLI. Go for it ! (Mike Dawson, ENGLAND, June 6, hard- core-dx via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. RADIO NEW ZEALAND GETS DOSH FOR FM From http://www.nbr.co.nz/print/print.asp?id=5835&cid=1&cname=Media (National Business Review via Mike Terry, June 5, DXLD) I think we had the same info a few weeks ago, and indeed the above is dated May 7. But what`s a dosh? Kiwese for ``crore`` or ``lakh``, in this case meaning $14.58 million? (gh, DXLD) ** NIGERIA [non]. Ron, de Nexus.Org, me informa que este semana van a retransmitir a RADIO ABEOKUTA, cuya transmisión será hoy viernes 6 de Junio a 2000-2030 UT en 5780 khz, via IRRS-Shortwave. Sus programas están destinados a la comunidad nigeriana actualmente viviendo en Europa. Radio Abeokuta será escuchada todos los viernes via IRRS- Shortwave a 2000-2030 UT en 5780 khz, con una repetición al miércoles siguiente en el mismo horario y frecuencia. Para más informaciones, visiten: http://www.abeokuta.org 73's GIB (Gabriel Iván Barrera, Conexión Digital via DXLD) English version see ITALY ** NORWAY. RADIO PROPAGANDA: TERRORIST GROUP BROADCASTS FROM NORWAY Voice Of Mesopotamia in Kurdish on 15675 from 0400-0800 allegedly comes from Norway. According to clandestineradio.com this one is backed by the PKK (Silvain Domen, Belgium, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. VOR --- What`s New: SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING In the next edition of the program, on the air as of June 9th our Science Correspondent Boris Belitzky will first be speaking of Russian Arctic exploration, resumed after an interval of over ten years. He will then be answering listeners' questions about diabetes and about superstring theory. You can hear Science and Engineering on Monday at 0310, 0610 and 2010, Tuesday at 1610, Wednesday at 0410, 0710 and 1710, Thursday at 0310 and 2010, Friday at 0610, Saturday at 0410 and 1810 and Sunday at 0510 and 1610; all times UT. MOSCOW YESTERDAY AND TODAY In the first edition of Moscow Yesterday and Today in June – on the air on June 2 and the week following – we'll tell you about Russian literary genius Alexander Pushkin and about the time he spent in Moscow, which the poet himself described as the happiest in his life. The next three Moscow Yesterday and Today programs will focus on the history of Russia's ancient capital. We'll be speaking about Arbat, one of Moscow's oldest streets, which is over 500 years now. We invite you to tune in to the three consecutive editions of Moscow Yesterday and Today, beginning Monday, June 9. The program goes on the air on Monday at 0830 and 1930 UT and is repeated throughout the week. Our program guide can be found at: http://www.vor.ru/ep.html (via Maryanne Kehoe, GA, June 6, swprograms via DXLD) actually times should be :11 and :31.5 (gh) ** RUSSIA [non?]. ~7436.35, Radio Krishnaloka, 5 June, 0136-, SINPO 35433. A song ("hare, hare...") till 0142, followed by some music and ID at 0143. Station identifies itself as Radio Krishnaloka, announces frequency 7438 kHz (which is not exact) and invites to write to radioveda@m... [truncated] (Dmitry Mezin, Kazan, Russia, Signal June 5 via DXLD) There are some news regarding station's return (only in Russian) at: http://www.sanga.ru/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=news&Number=8824&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&part= And they are considering a plan to rename the station to Radio Veda. (Konstantin Gusev, Moscow, Russia, ibid.) Don't mix it up with Radio Vedo which operates from Volgograd in MW/FM! (open_dx ? Vasily Guliayev, Astrakhan, Russia, ibid.) ** SEYCHELLES [non]. Hi Glenn, In the midst of the generally poor reception conditions, there was one good signal here in the U.S. Midwest: Far East Broadcasting Association Radio via Moosbrunn Austria; 6/6/03. 9465; 0139-0200; SINPO 24333; F. Announcer to South Asian musical bridge until 0145; FEBA interval signal once; sign on in another language to M. announcer; south Asian music to sign off 0200. Schedule shows Sindhi until 0145; Siraiki 0145-0200 to Pakistan (Mark Taylor, Madison, WI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SICILY [non?]. Just heard ``Buona sera`` at 2300 UT June 6 on 6060, a pretty good signal. Is Caltanissetta really closed or is this Rome? (Chris Hambly, Victoria, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. HAM LICENSING CONFUSION Meantime, in the Southern Hemisphere, some questions and some possible answers regarding the confused state of ham radio licensing in the Solomon Islands. Q-News Graham Kemp, VK4BB, has the details: Sam Voron, VK2BVS, spoke to QNEWS from an Internet kiosk at Dubai airport. Sam was en route to Somalia, but paused just long enough to answer a few rumors regarding the Solomon Island H44 prefix licenses. According to Voron, there had been no way for people to get a license in the Solomons because there are no exams there. So in 2002 the H44 national radio regulatory body called Spectrum printed 21 novice licenses with the call signs chosen by students at a radio school. These are people took the Unrestricted level license class of ham radio training. But Spectrum said that it first wanted to issue Novice licenses because it felt new operators should start with an entry level ticket before moving on to a full license. But Voron admits that at least two of these licenses may have been issued with Unrestricted privileges. According to Voron, the Secretary of the H44 national ham society has now drawn up an Unrestricted exam. Students not happy being forced into the novice license when they spent 6 months studying for the Unrestricted will be able to take the exam. If they pass, they will go directly to the Unrestricted instead of the Novice class operating privileges. In further news just in and unsubstantiated as yet, the real exam is ready. Spectrum has directed the candidates to sit for it. The school and candidates are said to be delaying because they are frightened that it may be to hard. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I`m Graham Kemp, VK4BB, of Q-News, down-under, in Brisbane, Australia. No matter when that first upgrade test is held, it appears as if a method is at least now in place for native born Solomon Islanders to take an Amateur Radio exam (Q-News via Amateur Radio Newsline June 6 via John Norfolk, DXLD) 'HAPPY ISLES' ON THE BRINK OF ANARCHY" CANBERRA CONSIDERS ARMED INTERVENTION ON SOLOMON ISLANDS --- Friday, June 06, 2003 Government tourism promotions tout the Solomon Islands as the "Pearl of the Pacific" -- an unspoiled natural paradise of pristine, sandy beaches, butterflies as big as birds, rare orchids and submarine volcanoes. In reality, the "Happy Isles" have become a living hell, torn by ethnic conflict, rampant lawlessness and a collapsed economy. . . http://www.nationalpost.com/world/story.html?id=5641F964-1A49-4F28-AF50-03F93DE8CD10 Not exactly radio-related, but the Solomon Islands problems have gotten little press in NAm. 73- (Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** SOMALIA. SURVEY OF THE COUNTRY'S MEDIA ENVIRONMENT Overview - a fragmented media scene The media environment in Somalia - a "failed state" - presents a paradox. The prolonged absence of an effective government has, on one hand, resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of media sources, while on the other it has put journalists at risk from kidnappers, extortionists, murderers and warring factions interested in controlling information and propagating their individual viewpoints. During Muhammad Siyad Barreh's authoritarian administration (1969-91), Somalia's media consisted of a handful of state-owned and government- controlled outlets: two radio stations, one television station, one daily newspaper and a few other periodicals. The civil war that followed Siyad Barreh's downfall led to a fragmentation of authority and a proliferation of new media sources, many of them closely tied to one or another of the factions and self-declared independent authorities competing for power. Somalia now has a wide variety of newspapers, radio stations and Internet sites, but they operate in a dangerous environment that undermines both professional journalism and press freedom. Radio is the most accessible form of media in the country, where a literacy rate estimated at only 38 per cent limits the readership for print media. There are, however, a number of short, photocopied daily newspapers published in the larger cities. Most of the newspapers and radio stations have a local or regional audience, rather than a national one. The Internet sites, many based in the United States, Canada or Europe, have an international reach and an audience of Somali expatriates, but relatively few people in Somalia itself have access to the Internet. Because of technical and financial problems, few Somalis have access to television. Somali is the principal language of the country's media, including the Internet, though there is English and Arabic-language content in some media, and some English is used on the Internet. Restrictions on media freedom Independent observers agree that there is very little media freedom in Somalia. Reporters Without Borders http://www.rsf.org classifies Somalia as a "difficult situation" for the media, citing as reasons both "repression by official authorities" and "threats by warlords". The Freedom House Press Survey of 2002, published on the organization's web site http://www.freedomhouse.org found Somalia to be one of the least free in Africa. Freedom House also included Somalia among the 16 most repressive states in the world in its 2003 Special Report to the UN Human Rights Commission. Because Somalia's Transitional National Government (TNG) does not control the entire country - or even all of Mogadishu - it does not exercise effective control over the country's media. Local warlords and clan leaders, however, do exercise considerable influence on various media outlets, many of which serve as mouthpieces of their political sponsors. The governments of the self-proclaimed republics of Somaliland, in northwest Somalia, and Puntland, in the northeast, have established somewhat stronger control over their territories and the media. Like the TNG's Transitional Charter, Somaliland's Constitution and Puntland's Charter provide for freedom of the press, but authorities in both entities restrict journalists in practice, according to the US State Department's 2002 Human Rights Report. The last 12 years of disorder have also seen a reduction in levels of journalistic professionalism. Before the collapse of the government in 1991, the country's two radio stations, Radio Mogadishu and Radio Hargeysa, had a total of "500 staff, most of whom were graduates of the Faculty of Journalism at the National University", according to "Up in the Air: The State of Broadcasting in Eastern Africa", a study by the Panos Institute, an international NGO interested in media issues. The study estimated that the number had fallen to less than 50 by 2000. "Present-day broadcasters are not required to be qualified and are not paid proper salaries," the study says. Journalists have been making some efforts, however, to improve the state of the profession. In November 2001, for example, a group of journalists formed the Haatuf Media Network, a cooperative publishing venture designed to allow journalists greater editorial independence. In August 2002, reporters from major Somali web sites established the Somali Journalism Network, Sojon, the first organization of Internet journalists in Africa. Sojon has become a lobbying group for press freedom and has sponsored training programmes for Somali journalists. In May 2003, Somali journalists announced the formation of a 23-member committee to promote press freedom and protect the human rights of journalists. Radio Radio is the most accessible form of media in Somalia. Chinese-made receivers, usually designed as imitations of major brands such as Philips and Sony, are widely available at low cost throughout the country. Radio sets are often shared appliances within a village or neighbourhood, where people gather to listen to a favourite programme. Somalia has at least a dozen radio stations, including at least seven which broadcast from Mogadishu; others are based in the self-declared autonomous states of Somaliland and Puntland, and elsewhere. All broadcast in Somali, though some of the stations also have English- language programming. Some stations in southwest Somalia use the local Rahanwein language. Recent years have seen a trend away from shortwave (SW) broadcasting and towards FM. In 2001 there were as many as five SW stations broadcasting, while by the end of 2002 there was only one. This trend could be due partly to technical problems with the older SW transmitters, but that it could also reflect a desire on the part of the faction leaderships to concentrate on audiences in their immediate area of influence rather than to reach a national audience. The FM stations tend to be located in urban areas, so as SW broadcasting decreases, the population outside the major cities is rendered more dependent on foreign SW broadcasting, such as the BBC. In the Panos study, "Up in the Air", Abdalla Musa Abdi describes the use of more than 500 radiophones throughout Somalia. The phones, known locally as "the Internet", provide an unofficial, unregulated means of gathering and disseminating information within the country. According to Abdi, even "journalists with international news agencies rely on them for news from remote areas and the Mogadishu-based newspapers often quote them as sources". In addition, they are used for advertising in Somalia's surprisingly brisk local economy. Subject to no controls, the radiophones contribute to "confusion on the airwaves", but Abdi sees them as playing a "pivotal role" in local communications. According to the US State Department's 2002 Human Rights Report, the majority of Somalis get their news from foreign broadcasts. The BBC World Service in Somali has long been a popular and trusted news source, but there have been reports that some Somalis complained that during the war in Iraq in 2003 BBC reporting was biased against Muslims and Iraq. Some Somali communities in Canada and Europe operate radio stations, such as the Toronto-based Radio Golis http://www.radiogolis.com and the Hague-based Radio Dalmar http://www.soneca.nl whose primary audiences are diaspora Somalis. Some radio stations, such as Mogadishu-based Radio Banaadir and Radio HornAfrik, as well as Radio Golis and Radio Dalmar, make their content available via their web sites. Expatriate Somalis make up the principal audience for these services as well. Experienced media observers note that Somali radio stations receive most of their financial support from political factions or clans. Some stations carry advertisements, but advertising has not yet become an essential source of revenue. Martin Breum, journalist and deputy director of International Media Support, has listed Radio HornAfrik, Radio Banaadir, and Radio STN (Somali Telemedia Network) as among the stations financed, at least in part, through advertising. Some stations sell broadcasting time to aid agencies, such as UNICEF, for their educational and informational programmes. Radio stations in Mogadishu Radio HornAfrik and Radio Banaadir are, according to long-time observers of Somali media, the most influential radio stations in Mogadishu. Radio HornAfrik broadcasts on FM. Established in 1999, the station has become the most popular one in Mogadishu. HornAfrik includes programming from the BBC, CNN and Al-Jazeera in its regular broadcasts. The station makes its content available on a web site http://www.hornafrik.com in audio as well as in English and Somali textual formats. Though owned by members of interim President Abdiqasim Salad Hasan's Habargidir sub-clan, Radio HornAfrik is respected as a relatively independent radio. In fact, three HornAfrik officials received a "freedom of the press" award in Canada in November 2002. HornAfrik's independent attitudes may have annoyed the TNG, notwithstanding its clan affiliations. On 10 January 2003, for example, heavily armed gunmen stormed HornAfrik's premises, forcibly shutting down radio and television transmitters. A report on the Swedish-based Internet site Somaliweyn linked the attack to the TNG president's threats to arrest the HornAfrik radio station management and claimed that the president's body guards were among the attackers. HornAfrik continues to broadcast. Founded in late 1999/early 2000, Radio Banaadir is a privately owned radio station that currently broadcasts on FM and shortwave. It also has a web site - http://www.radiobanadir.com According to media observers, clans, factions and ordinary Somalis respect Radio Banaadir for its professional, objective reporting. Its newscasts regularly cover the activities of the interim president and his government, as well as those of major clan leaders and opposition figures. It reports on factional fighting in an objective tone and without taking sides or assigning blame. The station reports the activities of civil and social leaders - especially efforts by public groups and clan elders to work for an end to fighting. Somalia's TNG operates an FM radio known as Radio Mogadishu, Voice of the Republic of Somalia. The radio suffers from financial troubles, which took it off the air for several weeks in July 2002. According to various news reports, the station had failed to pay debts owed to businessmen whose generators supplied electricity for the radio's transmitters, so the electricity was shut off (Mogadishu Ruunkinet Internet site, 6 July 2002). The radio reopened in August, having moved to a different location. Radio Mogadishu's news bulletins focus primarily on the activities and statements of members of the TNG. In January 2003, a TNG minister praised the station and pledged to provide "the latest equipment" to Radio Mogadishu to improve its signal. In May 2003 it was reported that the TNG president had bought a SW transmitter for the station; the report noted that, at present, Radio Banaadir was the only station in Mogadishu to operate on SW (Dayniile web site, 5 May 2003). A similarly named radio - Radio Mogadishu, Voice of the People of the Somali Republic - also broadcasts in Mogadishu. This radio - which serves as the mouthpiece of faction leader Husayn Muhammad Aydid, the Somali National Alliance and the Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council - strongly opposes the TNG. Aydid inherited the property of the former state-owned radio, which had been captured by his father in 1991. According to the Panos Institute study, as of 2000 this station owned the only broadcast studio worth the name in the country. A third Radio Mogadishu, this one with the suffix "Voice of Somali Pacification", used to be heard broadcasting in support of faction leader Uthman Ato. This station began broadcasting in 1995 but has not been confirmed as operational recently. According to the Panos Institute study, it used military and police radiophones to broadcast. Somali Telemedia Network Radio (STN) is a commercially oriented radio available on satellite and FM. It was set up in October 1999 with technical assistance from the JVC company of Japan and Germany's Grundig. Its target audience, according to media observers, is the Somali diaspora. Holy Koran Radio, another FM station, identifies itself as "the voice of Ahlu Sunnah Waljama, Mogadishu". The privately owned station, founded in the mid-1990s, includes regular news bulletins in its programming but generally steers clear of controversial and international subjects. Ahlu Sunnah Waljama is a mainstream Sunni Islamic organization. Radio Shabeelle, another private, commercial FM station in Mogadishu, has a sister station in Marka, a town about 50 miles southwest of Mogadishu. Its Internet site http://www.shabele.com/Profile.htm outlines the station's "free, neutral and unbiased" media mission and claims an audience of more than 1.8 million. Government actions against Mogadishu radio stations The Somali TNG has from time to time taken action against radio stations for programming deemed to be offensive in some way. Attorney- General Ilyas Hasan Mahmud, for example, accused Radio HornAfrik of violating Article 2 of the national constitution, which forbids propagating any faith other than Islam, by airing a Christian programme (Toronto-based SomaliNet, 30 May 2002). Radio HornAfrik countered by saying that the programme in question was simply a relay of a BBC broadcast over which Radio HornAfrik had no control. In June 2002, two reporters of Radio HornAfrik were summoned before the national prosecutors to answer charges of "disseminating news detrimental to the existence of the Somali nation", a charge that had been made against the station in the past (TNG's Radio Mogadishu, 24 June 2002). In August 2002, the speaker of the TNG parliament banned Radio Banaadir from covering events in parliament and then gave a stern lecture to other reporters, telling them to stop their "negative and contemptuous" reporting. According to the Mogadishu web site Codka Xoriyadda (13 August 2002), parliamentary leaders had been annoyed by the radio broadcasting interviews with "rebel MPs" and reporting on the "malpractices of parliamentary leaders". In reaction, a number of local media owners and journalists met and agreed that all would cease covering parliamentary activities until the Speaker changed his attitude. A few weeks later, the TNG Speaker forced through parliament a new press law requiring all media to be licensed by the government and forbidding the publication of any material deemed "contrary to the common interest" (Somaalijecel web site). Following another round of strikes and protests by journalists, the president promised to return the law to parliament for revision. The issue remained unresolved as of May 2003. Radio in Puntland Early in May 2002 Colonel Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmad became the new leader of Puntland by taking control of Puntland's major port city, Boosaaso, by force. Within weeks he ordered the closure of the Somali Broadcasting Corporation's (SBC) radio and television stations in Boosaaso. According to media reports, Yusuf shut down SBC in Boosaaso - while allowing the SBC substations in the capital Garoowe and the third-largest town of Qardho to operate -because the Boosaaso station supported the administration of Jama Ali Jama, the former elected Puntland leader (UN's Integrated Regional Information Network, IRIN, 28 May). The new Puntland authorities, however, explained their actions in a press release charging that SBC disseminated hate material and that its owner, Ali Abdi Aware, was a prominent member of the militant Muslim group Al-Ittihad Al-Islami, which has been accused of having links with Al-Qa'idah (AllPuntland.com, 22 May 2002). In May 2003, Puntland's information minister announced that, on the instructions of Abdullahi Yusuf, his ministry was restoring the broadcasting licence of SBC radio and television. In a separate action, Puntland authorities in August 2002 banned two BBC correspondents, who they claimed were not being objective in their reporting (IRIN, 19 August 2002). Unaffected by the action against SBC were a shortwave radio in the town of Gaalkacyo and an FM station in Boosaaso called Radio Midnimo. Radio Gaalkacyo, on its web site, claims its goal is to provide "a line of non-political information" and that its target audience includes "all communities, excluding political factions and those who are not promoting peace, stability and coexistence". The radio has received funding from international organizations, such as Oxfam Canada, with an interest in promoting peace and reconciliation in the region. Nevertheless, media observers note that the radio has always been closely tied to Abdullahi Yusuf. The radio demonstrated allegiance to Abdullahi Yusuf, for example, by continuing to refer to him as "president" after his term expired in June 2001 and he unilaterally extended its mandate. Though Puntland's elders rejected his claim in July and elected Jama Ali Jama president in November, Radio Gaalkacyo continued to refer to Abdullahi Yusuf as president in its news reports. Press reports have indicated also that Abdullahi Yusuf's clan has provided financial support to the radio. Radio Midnimo - Midnimo means "unity" in Somali - is a privately owned radio. The station's majority shareholder (60 per cent) is Puntland's deputy information minister, Abdishakur Mire. The station has broadcast from Boosaaso during the administrations of both Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmad and his rival Jama Ali Jama. Radio in Somaliland Radio Hargeysa, controlled by the government of the self-declared independent "Republic of Somaliland", broadcasts via both FM and shortwave transmitters. It is currently the only radio in the territory of Somaliland. The government of Somaliland banned all privately owned radio stations in June 2002, forbidding anyone from bringing private radio broadcasting equipment into the country and requiring people to surrender all such equipment to the Ministry of Information. In announcing the ban, the Ministry of Information declared: "No other voice can be heard on the airwaves except Radio Hargeysa, which is the national voice" (Radio Hargeysa, 20 June 2002). Its web site is http://www.geocities.com/radiohargeisa Newspapers Experienced media observers note that print media have more influence in urban areas than in rural areas. Newspapers are widely available in major cities, where many people can afford to buy them. In rural areas, the lack of transportation and retail infrastructure to distribute newspapers limits readership. The country's low literacy rate also limits newspaper readership, though those who do read newspapers often share the content with illiterate neighbours and family members. The country's papers are all published in Somali, though some have English-language content as well. Somalia has over 15 newspapers, but the number is always fluctuating and regular publication is not always reliable. The majority of newspapers are typewritten and then photocopied (Human Rights Report 2002). With the exception of the Mogadishu-based Qaran, which prints 800 copies daily, circulation figures range between 100 and 600. Several Somali newspapers have Internet versions, making them easily available to Somalis living abroad. Just as with the print versions, most of the content is in the Somali language, though some is in English. In addition to standard news articles, mostly dealing with domestic politics and clan warfare, Somali newspapers have political cartoons, advertisements and a few obituaries. Travel agencies, restaurants, pharmacies and health clinics are among the more common advertisers. Advertisements tend to be simple and drab rather than eye-catching or glossy -partly because subsidies from clans and factions, not commercial advertising, provide most of the funding for the papers. Most of the world news stories in Somali papers come from foreign news services. Occasionally, Somali journalists write about major policy issues, such as Europe's relations with Somalia; elections in Europe, the United States or Arab countries; and major sporting events, such as the World Cup. Somali newspapers regularly carry foreign news items in which Somalia is mentioned either positively or negatively. They also publish major news stories taken from the BBC, the Voice of America, leading US newspapers and television stations, Al-Jazeera TV and Arabic-language dailies from London such as Al-Sharq al-Awsat. Newspapers in Mogadishu Mogadishu, the seat of the TNG, has at least three privately owned daily newspapers that consistently publish articles on the political situation in Somalia - Qaran, Ayaamaha and Xog-Ogaal. Qaran - the name means "nation" in Somali - was one of the first neutral sources of news. According to experienced observers, Qaran tries to avoid taking sides on issues that divide clans. Media observers report that Ayaamaha and Xog-Ogaal are considered relatively balanced, although some observers question the accuracy of Ayaamaha's reporting and the objectivity of any Mogadishu-based source. All three of these newspapers have Internet versions. The primary audience for these newspapers, according to media observers, consists of Mogadishu residents, as well Somalis living in Eastleigh, a section of Nairobi, Kenya, heavily populated by Somalis. The readership of these papers comprises a range of political affiliations, including the TNG, the United Somali Congress, the United Somali Congress-Somali National Alliance, the United Somali Congress-Peace Movement, the Somali National Alliance, the Somali Reconciliation and Reconstruction Council, the Somali National Front, the Jubba Valley Alliance and the Somali Democratic Movement. The subclan affiliations of the people who are likely to read these papers include Hawiye, Darod and Digil-Mirifle. Newspapers in Puntland Puntland's newspapers include Riyaaq, which is published in the town of Garoowe, and Kaaha-Bari, published in Boosaaso. Both papers are regarded by media observers as independent, in that they do not seem to represent the voice of a particular faction. Kaaha-Bari, with a circulation of about 300, is the most popular newspaper in Puntland, and it offers the most in-depth reporting. Riyaaq tends to be more critical of the government. The Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmad regime in Puntland issued a statement in May calling Riyaaq the "official mouthpiece of Al-Ittihad in Puntland" (AllPuntland.com, 22 May 2002). The charge was made to justify action taken against a local BBC employee who also runs Riyaaq. Though this was not the first time Abdullahi Yusuf had made this claim, no-one else seems to have ever asserted a connection between Riyaaq and Al-Ittihad. The readerships of Kaaha-Bari and Riyaaq are largely confined to their cities of publication. According to media observers, members of the Majerten and Dulbahante subclans of the Darod clan are likely to be the primary audience of these publications. Newspapers in Somaliland The principal newspapers of Somaliland are Jamhuuriya http://www.jamhuriya.com and Mandeeq. Both are based in Somaliland's capital, Hargeysa. Jamhuuriya is critical of the Somaliland government's policies, though it does support the Somaliland secessionist movement. Jamhuuriya has a more sophisticated page design and layout than most of Somalia's newspapers. Its content includes news, human-interest stories, and cartoons. Most of Jamhuuriya's readers are Somaliland residents, but it also has readers in Puntland, Mogadishu, and the Middle East. Mandeeq is closely linked to the president of Somaliland. It offers routine reporting on government officials and defends the government's position on various issues. According to media observers, both of these Hargeysa publications are likely to be read by Somaliland authorities and members of the Udub, Ucid, Sahan, Ileyska, Asad, Hormood, Birson, Kulmiye and Umad political parties, as well as members of the Isaq, Warsangeli and Gadabursi subclans. The Somaliland government's supporters and opponents alike are likely to read both these papers in order to know what the other group is saying. In November 2001, a team of Somaliland journalists who worked for Jamhuuriya, feeling "deprived of an institution that would enable them to practise their profession with dignity and editorial independence," established the Haatuf Media Network. In addition to producing the Somali-language newspaper Haatuf and the Arabic-language Al-Haatef, the Haatuf cooperation association launched an English-language weekly, The Somaliland Times, in January 2002. The Haatuf group maintains a lively presence on the Internet http://www.haatuf.net/ and http://www.somalilandforum.com/news/haatuf/ Television Television is not widely available because of the high cost of television sets and the lack of electricity throughout most of the country. In Mogadishu, though, a few tea kiosks and restaurants have televisions playing for customers. Mogadishu has two television stations, Somali Telemedia Network (STN) and HornAfrik TV. Both are privately owned. Both stations rebroadcast Qatar-based Al-Jazeera TV and CNN. In Somaliland, government-run Somaliland TV is available for people living around Hargeysa. In addition, a private commercial cable television is available in the city of Hargeysa and serves, according to the Panos study, approximately 350 customers. Puntland has no television station. In addition to news and locally produced sitcoms, Somali television programming also includes talk shows, which, according to media observers, are becoming increasingly popular. Rival faction leaders sometimes appear on talk shows together, discussing a range of issues, while their militias are facing each other on the ground. Internet Somalia was the last country in Africa to obtain local Internet service. Now, Somalis in Somalia and the diaspora have embraced the Internet as a tool for spreading information about the political situation, hosting chat rooms, and advertising money transfer and telecom services. Media observers have noted that there does not appear to be any objection to the Internet in Somalia, as there is in Sudan, where radical Islamists condemned the Internet because it could spread Western ideals. Prior to November 2001, the Somali Internet Company was the ISP for Mogadishu, as well as for Hargeysa in Somaliland and Boosaaso in Puntland. The company went out of business, however, following the attacks on 11 September when the United States took action against one of its principal partners, the money-transfer company Al-Barakat, which was suspected of facilitating the financing of Al-Qa'idah operations. Somalia was without Internet service for two months until in January 2002 a company called NetXchange filled the void. NetXchange initially claimed to have "40 call shops and Internet cafes with a total of 2,000 telephone lines". The high cost of service, however, and the lack of a functioning telecommunications infrastructure in the country make widespread access to the Internet impossible. Despite barriers to Internet access, Somalia has a high number of news web sites reporting on domestic events. Many of these are set up by Somalis living abroad, or are designed to serve them. According to media observers, most of the sites reflect the opinions and interests of Somalis of a particular region or political affiliation. The AllPuntland.com site http://www.allpuntland.com/ for instance, supports Colonel Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmad, the leader of Puntland. The Ottawa-based Radio Somaliland site and the Vancouver-based Somaliland Net http://www.somalilandnet.com support the government of Somaliland and appeal to an audience of emigrant Somalis who come from that region. An Arlaadinet site, based in Bankstown, Australia, supports the Rahanwein Resistance Army faction and appeals to Somalis originally from the southwest towns of Bay and Bakool. Many sites such as these, based in Canada, Australia and Europe, make use of reporters still living in Somalia, and thus provide accurate and current information about developments in the country. The Internet sites often provide unique information derived from telephone conversations with individuals in Somalia. They also post material from Mogadishu newspapers and other sources. Source: BBC Monitoring research Jun 03 (Chris Greenway, Kenya, BBCM via DXLD) ** SRI LANKA. Here is some latest info on Sri Lanka: SLBC has swapped their 9 and 11 MHz channels again. Today on 9770 English Service noted (ex 11905)rather than the usual Hindi Service which was heard on 11905 (ex 9770)like in the past. Must check up their evening schedules and see what`s going on. Sked: English 0030-0430, 1230-1530 Indian 0020-0400, 0800-1530 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, ATOJ, June 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation External Services (Revised schedule as monitored on 6.6.03 by Jose Jacob, India) English 0030-0430 6005, 9770(ex 11905), 15745 (S.Asia) 1230-1530 6005, 9770(ex 11930), 15745 ,, Hindi 0020-0400 7300, 11905(ex 9770) (S.Asia) 1330-1530 7300, 11905(ex 9770) ,, Kannada 0800-0830 7300, 11905(ex 9770) (S.Asia) Malayalam 1000-1130 7300, 11905(ex 9770) (S.Asia) Sinhala 1545-1900 11775 (Middle East) Tamil 1130-1330 7300, 11905(ex 9770) (S.Asia) Telegu 0830-1000 7300, 11905(ex 9770) (S.Asia) English 1900-2000 6010 (Skelton) Saturdays (Europe) 73 Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, ATOJ National Institute of Amateur Radio Box 1555, Somajiguda Hyderabad 500082, India Telefax: 91-40-23310287 To join dx_india reflector which specialises exclusively on Broadcasting in India, send an email to dx_india-subscribe@yahoogroups.com (via DXLD) ** TAIWAN. Try your hand at creating lyrics for Groove Zone's new theme song, and you could win a prize! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Groove Zone Theme Song Lyrics-Writing Competition Have you ever wanted to try your hand at writing lyrics? Now is your chance! The Groove Zone is looking for help creating lyrics to fit into our new theme song. All you have to do is listen to the new song by clicking at the RTI website. You can also hear the song twice in each edition of Groove Zone on June 7th, 14th, and 21st. (Click (here) to see our program schedule for the time and frequency of Groove Zone broadcasts). We are looking for lyrics which fit the mood of our show, and fit the flute melody that can be heard about half way through the song. (Andrew and Ellen hum the melody on the program). Please send your lyrics by June 22nd at the latest. If we choose your lyrics for our theme song, you will win a prize. The new song (complete with Ellen and Andrew singing the lyrics) will be broadcast on the 6/28 edition of Groove Zone. Good luck, and thanks for listening to Groove Zone! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Central Broadcasting System No. 55 Pei An Road Taipei, Taiwan. R.O.C. http://www.cbs.org.tw Regds (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi,India, GRDXC via DXLD). ** TOGO [non]. Thanks to tip from Glenn Hauser (in DX Listening Digest 3-099) tuned into Radio Togo Libre this afternoon (Fri 6 June) on 21760 at 1300-1400 UT. Programme in (African) French with many IDs as "RTL - R. Togo Libre". Schedule often repeated with patriotic dialogue interspersed with Afro-Cuban rumba style songs (one of which concluded the broadcast at 1400). Fairly weak signal but interference-free with moderate fading. As usual with TDP arranged relays, guess as to the transmitter site --- only scheduled Mon-Fri 1300-1400 on 21760 (as Channel Africa from Meyerton here 1300-1500 at weekends). (Also scheduled per TDP website via DXLD Sun 2000-2100 on 12125 kHz). (Alan Pennington, BDXC-UK Caversham, UK AOR 7030+ / Datong active, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thanks to Glenn Hauser and his DX Listening Guide, I`m just now 1325 UT listening to R TOGO LIBRE with many IDs. Heard French on this channel long before scheduled 13-14 UT [M-F only]. Another given frequency is 12125 kHz 20-21 UT [Sundays only]. Never heard this/about this station. Origin of transmitter?! 73`s (Jouko Huuskonen, Turku FINLAND, PS. Turku was born 1229 and it`s the former capital of Finland, June 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Togo Libre heard 6th June 1255 to past 1335 on 21760, talk in French 1255, time pips on the hour, possible identification but buried under local noise, mix of talks and African music, faded up 1328 and clear "Radio Togo Libre" identification by man on the half hour, continued with African music. Weak to fair with fading and poor copy at times fighting local noise level. I notice Meyerton uses 21760 for Channel Africa English 1300-1500 Sat, Sun, TDP has this one scheduled 1300-1400 Mon-Fri per Glenn Hauser in DXLD 3-099 (Mike Barraclough, Letchworth, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Mike. I was listening exactly at the same time. I'm not sure if the program in French before 1300 was Radio Togo Libre. Did not sound like them. At 1300 time pips and into Togolese song. Then ID by male "Radio Togo Libre". The first couple of minutes program content sounds exactly the same as the audiofile at their website http://www.diastode.org/Nouvelles/nouvelle1391.html Just wonder what program in French was at 1255 if not RTL then (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Thanks to the info from Glenn Hauser DXLD 3-099, I managed to hear this clandestine. Radio Togo Libre on 6 Jun at 1300 on 21760 with rather good signal. Togolese song and ID in French. At 1255 on this frequency was also heard French programming, but I don't think it was RTL then. The 1300 RTL program-start sounded exactly the same as the audiofile at http://www.diastode.org/Nouvelles/nouvelle1391.html 73 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, hard-core-dx via DXLD) Hi Glenn. Re: Radio Togo Libre DXLD 3-099 item. There is some info about RTL at http://www.diastode.org/Nouvelles/nouvelle1391.html Including an audio of their first (?) broadcast. Nice ID with frequencies in the beginning of the audio file. Later... I tuned to 21760 on 6 Jun at 1255 and there was a French program in progress. Did not get ID but sounds like it was not R Togo Libre at that moment. At 1300 time pips and then into Togolese song and R Togo Libre ID. After listening for a few minutes, the program did sound same as the one I mentioned earlier (on their website). I have nasty noises on 21 MHz from the computers inside the house, but the signal strength was rather good. So, what's the transmitter site...? 73 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [Later:] RFI is scheduled 1230-1300 in French via Meyerton on 21760. So, R Togo Libre starts at 1300 just after RFI time pips. RTL must be from Meyerton, too, as there was no gap in carrier/program. Clockwork (Jari Savolainen, dxing.info via DXLD) Radio Togo Libre. The most probable site for this station on 21760 "could" be Meyerton, South Africa. Radio Togo Libre 1300-1400 21760 Mon-Fri. I checked other usage of this frequency, and it fits perfectly into these ones: 21760 R.FRANCE INT. 1200-1300 All days French Meyerton 21760 CHANNEL AFRICA 1300-1455 Sat, Sun English Meyerton The other broadcast 2000-2100 12125 Sun, seems to fit into the pattern of other TDP brokered broadcasts via Russian sites. In addition I can confirm that the music on their website http://www.diastode.org/Nouvelles/actualites.html indeed is the national anthem of Togo. I compared it with the midi-entry on http://www.thenationalanthems.com/ (Silvain Domen, Belgium, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The website: RADIO TOGO LIBRE, LA RADIO DU COMBAT POUR L'ALTERNANCE DÉMOCRATIQUE (Diastode.org, 1er juin 2003) À l'occasion des élections présidentielles de ce 1er juin, et surtout en prévision de la suite des choses, la Concertation Nationale de la Société Civile (CNSC) et la Diaspora Togolaise pour la Démocratie et le Développement (DIASTODE) se sont associées pour mettre sur pied une station de radio en ondes courtes, dénommée Radio Togo Libre. Pour éviter que les bourreaux du Peuple ne n'empêchent l'émission de la radio, la mise en ondes et la retransmission seront faites hors du Togo, par système satellitaire. Cette procédure a généré toutefois des problèmes de transfert de fichiers audio à partir du Togo. Ainsi, de multiples difficultés techniques et matérielles ont malheureusement empêché le démarrage de la radio, qui était prévu pour le vendredi 30 mai 2003. Une première plage d'émission a été réalisée pour ce dimanche, mais n'a pas pu être mise en ondes à temps, pour les mêmes raisons. Elle le sera incessamment. Les réalisateurs mettent les bouchées doubles, pour que les choses soient opérationnelles prochainement. Écouter la première plage d'émission de RTL http://www.diastode.org/Musique/EMission1.mp3 Radio Togo Libre (RTL): la Radio patriote, le combat pour l'alternance démocratique. Les fréquences: 12125 KHz et 27760 KHz Contact: rtl@diastode.org (website via DXLD) Indeed, it is brand new. Ha! Got their own frequency wrong --- imagine all the poor Togolese trying to hear them on 27760; anyway, above says they have had lots of problems transferring the audio to the transmitter site, but they are using satellite to avoid jamming. I seriously doubt the two SW frequencies come from satellite. The audio file of first broadcast is nice, 128 kbps mp3. The opening ID also says 27760, but the second and further references get it right, 21760 --- meaningless numbers, anyway, to the uninitiated. Since this service is prompted by an election, perhaps it will soon vanish? Get it while you can. In the sixth minute, they switch from French to some African language (gh, DXLD) ** U K. TELEVISION`S CROWNING GLORY On 2 June 1953, BBC TV announcer Sylvia Peters introduced live coverage of the Coronation of HM Queen Elizabeth II. It proved to be the occasion that propelled the UK into the television age. . . http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/features/html/uk030606.html (Andy Sennitt, RN Media Network 06-06-03 via DXLD) ** U S A. PARTIAL DEREGULATION Donna Helper, media consultant and college prof, posted the following on another forum a couple of days ago. I believe those who participate here will also appreciate it. ------- (Donna wrote:) There is a very thorough article by Boston-based media critic Dan Kennedy in the new issue of the Phoenix, about the FCC decision and its ramifications. Okay fine, I am quoted in it, but it's still a good article! ------- Here's the URL: http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/top/features/documents/02931075.htm I found it both comprehensive and objective. Maybe there's at least a ray of hope for derailing Commissioner Powell's runaway train after all (Tom Bryant, TN, June 6, WTFDA Soundoff via DXLD) ** U S A. Re Tampa TV station: Bob, I've made it sort of a minor-hobby into looking for the lies in broadcasting. When I listen to airchecks I'm entertained by the music and presentation, but there are also some jewels that pop through. People don't check the facts, so there are often some "claims" that are far from the truth. A white lie would be where a station promos we bring you 10 minutes of local news every hour. When you add it up, they come to around 7 minutes, but that is counting (2) 45 second weathers during the hour, and (1) "here's what coming up at the top of the hour". Then, the cast is repeated (the same content) for an 8 hour period without an update. Another case in the white lie dept is when the station claims that ABC news is part of their local news. A stupid lie is when they promo as being "the station to turn to when severe weather happens". I've heard a few of them where a major thunderstorm is happening, and their automated report is saying "partly cloudy with a chance of storms." Every so often you catch the voice track lie, where a station has a lot of voice tracking and the wrong weather is sent, or the announcer slaughters the name of a city. Then they plug the end of the weather forecast with "I'm ____ in the WZZZ weather forecast office." Someday I'll have to visit the station and ask to see the office. |grin| BTW, the best voice track gaff I heard was when a local station aired weather forecasts for another town some 200+ miles away, complete with the tag for the station out of town (And it was an FM station ID on an AM station, too). The lie that really bothers me is when a station claims to have integrity in their broadcasts, yet they have problems delivering inventory properly. Case in point was when a station had their promos and other spots playing at the same time as another schedule spot. What you heard on the air was two commercials and liners on the air together. And, the client was billed for that commercial. Now, in fairness, the station did comp the client some extra spots; however they were out of the normal flight and I always wondered if all the advertisers for that three week period were compensated for the loss. Sad, but when you listen to radio these days you have to take what you hear with a grain of salt (Fred Vobbe, Lima OH, June 5, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. CONDITION OF STUNT JUMPER IMPROVES By DAN HERBECK, News Staff Reporter, 6/3/2003 The condition of an Amherst man who was injured when he parachuted off a television broadcasting tower was upgraded to "fair" Monday at Erie County Medical Center. Hospital officials said Martin Schaefer, 32, is recovering from multiple injuries suffered after jumping an estimated 420 feet off the WIVB [Buffalo NY] television broadcasting tower in Colden late Friday night. Schaefer was hurt while taking part in a controversial "underground sport" called BASE jumping, authorities said. BASE is an acronym for "building, antenna, span and earth," referring to the structures that participants use as jumping-off points. Police believe the leap that nearly took Schaefer's life was his third BASE jump. "His family has told me that, last year, he jumped off a mountain in Norway, and off a bridge in West Virginia," said Senior Detective James Hatch of the Erie County Sheriff's Department. "This was to be his "antenna jump' Friday night." Hatch said Schaefer is expected to be transferred soon to a rehabilitation facility but may be bedridden for up to two months. Hatch said Schaefer sustained serious injuries to his pelvis, his spleen and a knee, and initially was listed as critical. "I spoke to his parents, and they are not thrilled that he has been doing this," Hatch said. "I was told that he promised his surgeon he wouldn't do any more BASE jumping." Schaefer, identified by police as a U.S. Navy veteran who served aboard a submarine, declined an interview request, as did his family. Jon Tucker, of Springville, who was observing from the ground as Schaefer's official witness for the jump, could not be reached to comment. Authorities intend to file criminal trespass charges soon against both Schaefer and Tucker, according to Chief Deputy Richard T. Donovan. "(Schaefer) will additionally be charged with criminal mischief, because he had to break a lock on a gate to enter the area where the tower is located," Donovan said. "The (WIVB) people put a fence around their property to protect it from just this kind of thing." Investigators are still trying to determine exactly what happened to Schaefer and his parachute. They believe that either Schaefer or his parachute struck a guide [sic] wire shortly after he jumped off the tower. "The parachute did open, but obviously not enough to prevent him from being seriously injured," Hatch said. BASE jumping experts estimated that at least 54 jumpers have died while engaging in the sport over the past 25 years, but supporters argue that it is no more dangerous than automobile racing, motorcycle racing or other high-risk sports (via Fred Vobbe, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. BELFAST, MAINE - SITE OF EARLY BROADCAST STATION From: Belfast Republican Journal, ME http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1466&dept_id=182766&newsid=8228969&PAG=461&rfi=9 RADIO ARCHAELOGY by Dave Piszcz June 05, 2003 BELFAST [Maine] - Amateur historians and radio buffs have uncovered evidence pointing to the city's important place in the history of telecommunications. A 400-acre parcel of land, including a site on Congress Street and the original Armory building, was home to two massive Beverage Wave Antenna systems and a Radio Corporation of America (RCA) shortwave relay station, according to Harold Nelson of Newport and Bruce Clark of Belfast. The pair, in concert with Belfast Historical Society, is looking for artifacts and photographs related to the installation. In March 1925, the Belfast station received and relayed the first trans-Atlantic broadcast by the British Broadcasting Company (BBC). According to an old recording of the broadcast, the program featured an English dance band playing a number called "Alabamy Bound," amid dense static, from station "5XX, Daventry, the High Power Station of the British Broadcasting Company." The Belfast station received the program on the Beverage antenna via long wave signal, and rebroadcast it by shortwave to WJZ in New York and WRC in Washington, D.C. It was the first time American radio listeners had ever heard live music from across the Atlantic. At that point, most radio transmissions consisted of the dots and dashes of Morse code, rather than audio signals, so the broadcast of music was a major event. "This technology was evolving as fast as computers today," said Nelson. Coded messages were relayed from Europe or from ocean liners and relayed to telegraph facilities in New York. The original wireless station was known by the call sign 1XR and was licensed in 1920 to the International Radio Telegraph Company as a ship-to-shore communications device. The entire outfit, including 400 acres of land, was sold to RCA in September 1921, becoming station 1XAO. Radio experiments began in 1923. A three-story brick building, now part of Belfast Armory, was constructed around 1926, to house the control room and staff quarters. The May 5, 1927, edition of the Journal reported the new station was "of brick and concrete construction, entirely fireproof and certainly the last word in receiving station design." The building held 12 long wave receivers and 16 separate radio telegraph channels, and operated with its own power plant and water system. "To handle the volume of traffic going through the Belfast station alone, including radiograms from Norway, Sweden, Great Britain, Germany, France, Holland, Poland and Italy requires a permanent staff of ten men," the Journal noted. Part of the reason the station required so much land was the need to construct Beverage antennas to capture signals from England and South America. The technology was named for its inventor, Harold Henry Beverage, born in North Haven in 1893. He graduated from the University of Maine in 1915. He worked first with General Electric in 1916 and a few years later, joined RCA. Beverage designed an antenna system at Otter Cliffs on Mount Desert, which picked up the first word that the Armistice had been signed, ending World War I. He went on to become chief research engineer for RCA and died at the ripe old age of 99, in January 1993. Nelson and Clark believe there were two Beverage antennas, which consisted of two parallel lines of utility poles carrying a pair of wires, set out in a V-shaped pattern and generally aimed in the direction of the incoming signal. Nelson believes a 14-mile-long Beverage antenna stretched from Belfast to Monroe, aimed at South America. Clark speculates a second Beverage line, probably the one that captured the historic trans-Atlantic broadcast of 1926, stretched from Congress Street across Route 52 to Dog Island on Little River. The other end of the antenna ran down the hill toward the city center. Some of the old poles were still standing in the 1940s, Clark said. Few traces remain today. "They looked different from the electric poles and they went in the wrong direction," said Clark. Old aerial photos have revealed what may have been the path of one of the Beverage systems. The Nelson-Clark expedition is seeking photos and artifacts such as wires or insulators, once part of the antenna systems. Long wave technology proved unsuitable for commercial uses, being replaced by shortwave, and, for the Golden Age of Radio, by Amplitude Modulation (AM), and later Frequency Modulation (FM) signals. The operation was closed down in October 1929 and apparently abandoned until 1941, when the city purchased the land and the building for about $5,000. Belfast Airport was also being built that year, spurred on by rising concern over the war in Europe. The city deeded the property to the state for the purpose of building an armory on the site. Belfast's place in the development of wireless technology faded into the mists of history, until the Nelson-Clark expedition this year. Persons with any information, documentation, photographs, artifacts or knowledge of station 1XAO are encouraged to contact Megan Pinette at Belfast Museum at 338-9229. ©The Republican Journal 2003 (via Alan Pennington, UK, June 5; Kim Elliott, DC, June 6, DXLD) ** U S A. ENFORCEMENT: LOCAL CHARGES FILED AGAINST OHIO CB OPERATOR Complaints from a group of neighbors experiencing interference on household appliances from phones and TV sets to baby monitors have resulted in a court case against a citizens band radio operator. http://www.lancastereaglegazette.com/news/stories/20030521/localnews/339596.html (via N6RU, Amateur Radio Newsline June 6 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** U S A. FILLING IN FOR TEXACO AT THE MET Friday, June 6, 2003; Page A26 Richard Cohen hopes that another company will "take up the slack" and replace Texaco -- rather, ChevronTexaco -- as sponsor of the radio broadcasts of the Metropolitan Opera [op-ed, May 27]. He implied that it is some corporation's duty, that it could "say to its stockholders that it owes something to the public." What he doesn't say is that it might be a good public relations investment, as it was for Texaco in 1940. One year before the United States entered World War II, the press was reporting on Texaco's alleged undercover sales of oil to Nazi Germany. Texaco then removed its board chairman and, apparently to foster a proper public image as the country headed toward war with the Axis, decided to sponsor the weekly Saturday afternoon broadcasts. That started the longest-running sponsorship in the history of American radio. The first program with Texaco as sole sponsor was on Dec. 7, 1940, one year before the attack on Pearl Harbor. Given the apparent motivation for Texaco's sponsorship -- fostering a noble image in the face of growing negativity in the minds of public -- the list of companies Mr. Cohen might have mentioned as potential successors for Met sponsorship is lengthy indeed, beginning with Enron, WorldCom (now MCI), Arthur Andersen and Halliburton. JOHN C. CAMPBELL, Washington Bravo to Richard Cohen for his piece on Texaco dropping the Metropolitan Opera Saturday afternoon broadcasts. I too was exposed to these broadcasts at an early age, and they resulted in my lifelong enjoyment of opera. It is a sad commentary on the state of culture in this country when almost four times as many people watch "American Idol" as listen to the Met. I fear our children and grandchildren will be deprived of so much that is beautiful in what we refer to as the classics. I doubt that New Yorkers will give up on the Met soon, but the Texaco broadcasts served the country. The relative pittance it costs Texaco for the broadcasts surely could be justified as a continuing contribution to our cultural preservation, particularly in light of the obscene levels of compensation corporation chiefs are given nowadays. I hope that Texaco reconsiders or that a corporation such as GE ("We bring good things to life") or someone such as Bill Gates or Warren Buffett takes up the baton. WALTER KIDDE II, Hobe Sound, Fla. (c) 2003 The Washington Post Company (letters to the editor via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. Thanks to tip from Lynn Hollerman, WJNT 1180 Jackson MS DX test heard here, June 6 at 0529 UT with slow Morse IDs several times, and voice ID as WJNT, Pearl-Jackson, CNN news on half hour. Earlier had been hearing the unmistakably boring tones of Bruce Williams. More or less dominated the frequency with 50 kW non direxional but quite a bit of Spanish and other QRM (Glenn Hauser, Enid, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UZBEKISTAN. With the help provided by Magsum Galimov (Bugulma, Tatarstan, Russia) I've got to know all translations of Uzbek Radio programs' names. 1. O'zbekiston - Uzbekistan 2. Yoshlar - Youth 3. Mash'al - Flame 4. Do'stlik - Friendship (Dmitri Mezin, Signal Ed., June 5 via DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. Hi Glenn, For some reason African stations in tropical bands propagate exceptionally well here in Nordic countries. SW R Africa 4880 kHz around 18 UT has been offering the strongest signal from African continent this week. I`ve been several times on vacation in Canary Islands off the coast of Morocco. Signals from Afrostations are always stronger in Finland than in the Canary Islands (Spain). My travel receiver is Sony ICF-7600G. SW R Africa easily heard even with Sony. It`s only about a week to our five week summer vacation. In October our destination will be Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil. 73 (Jouko Huuskonen, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, what you write (in 3-099) is extremely true. I know the problem is right there, what is needed is the knowledge about the transmitter site. Then we could do better. I think that that kind of info is forbidden for them to give out, by the contract that SW Radio Africa most probably has underwritten with the distributors to get the transmissions going out at all. As my letter (report) to them reveals, I was moved and also infuriated at the same time. I leave all the technical matters to people who know, and let's presume that it is indeed Meyerton on 4880, and they should move to the 90 mb ? How the hell can I, a mere stupid owner and user of an AOR AR7030, convince them ? I wish I knew. 73 (Johan Berglund, Trollhättan, Sweden, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Uncle Glenn, 4880 Radio Africa. Transmitter site is Meyerton, 100 kW, azimuth 005 degrees, to CIRAF 57N, 1600-1900, brokered through Merlin- VT As monitored here in Melbourne, there is a problem with the co- channel "German Numbers" station! (Bob Padula, Victoria, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ UPCOMING JAVARADIO TUCSON Javaradio is planning addition of web radios in Tucson (Arizona), Hong Kong, and Prague soon. Prague was formerly a member of the network but has been offline several months. Javaradio url is http://www.javaradio.com/ (Bradford Wall, San Bernardino, California, USA, June 6, EDXP HF Forum via DXLD) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ BROADBAND OVER POWER LINES CLOSER TO REALITY Utilities testing another option to deliver Internet. By Jennifer MearsNetwork World, 06/02/03 http://www.nwfusion.com/news/2003/0602carrspecialfocus.html The 16 police officers in Ossining, N.Y., have an always-on connection to the townspeople. In an effort to step up community policing, Chief Kenneth Donato has instituted a program that calls for his officers to personally meet all 5,500 of the town's residents. "The officers have personal business cards, and the cards have e-mail addresses," Donato says. "We're encouraging residents to communicate with us via e-mail." A year ago, such a program would have been difficult to undertake. Until six months ago, the department's only connection to the Internet was a dial-up connection. "It was painful; painful, to say the least," Donato says. Today, the department has a high-speed, always-on connection. And it's getting it through its power company. The department is part of a field trial that Consolidated Edison, an investor-owned utility that serves more than 3 million customers in New York City and Westchester County, N.Y., has been running for about a year to deliver broadband via its electrical distribution network. And it's not alone: power line communication (PLC) is being tested in a dozen states in field trials conducted by utilities such as Pepco in Washington, D.C., Ameren in St. Louis and Pennsylvania Power & Light. The idea of moving data over electrical wires is nothing new. Utility companies have used low-frequency signals sent across their networks to remotely manage equipment and monitor power distribution for years. In the 1990s, companies such as Nortel and Siemens recognized the broadband potential and launched initiatives to send IP packets over power grids. But technology at the time faced hurdles. For example, to transmit data along noisy electric lines, the signals had to be turned up so high that it interfered with emissions from other devices such as radios and military equipment. Troubles like that, however, largely have been addressed, and the technology continues to mature. Today, companies such as Ambient, which also is conducting the field test with Con Edison, Amperion, Current Technologies, and Main.net, have developed technology to move bits across medium- and low-voltage lines. "It's like Wi-Fi three years ago when Wi-Fi was nothing. Now all of a sudden it has become pervasive," says Leif Ericson, manager of business development at Southern Telecom, a subsidiary of Southern Company that provides long-haul and metropolitan dark fiber. "The jury is still out as to whether this will be commercial or not. But we say it's moving in the right direction." Southern Telecom is conducting a field trial with Ambient in Alabama and recently announced plans to launch another trial with Main.net in Atlanta. "You have different models of deployment, and you also have different technologies," says Alan Shark, president of the Power Line Communications Association. "The technology is there. The question then becomes: Which technology?" PLC is a last-mile technology. Data is handed off from a fiber-optic or T-1 line, for example, and injected into a medium-voltage line. In the past, the hurdle for PLC, and the point at which technologies most greatly differ, has been what happens when those signals reach the transformer that converts medium volts into the low volts that are sent into homes and businesses. Amperion uses Wi-Fi to go directly into homes, avoiding transformers and the low-voltage lines altogether. A broadband connection then is accessed through a Wi-Fi hookup. The others either go around a transformer or through it, sending IP packets onto low-voltage lines and then directly to power outlets. The connection is accessed via a standard HomePlug-certified device that plugs into a wall. The HomePlug Alliance has created a standard for in-home networking using power lines. Providers claim throughput speeds of between 500K and 3M bit/sec, on par with DSL and cable, but say they can sell the service for $30 per month, less than the $50 per month that DSL and cable users typically pay. As a result, PLC - or broadband over power line, as the FCC refers to it - is getting more attention as a possible third pipe to deliver broadband access to homes and businesses. The allure of PLC is that the infrastructure is already there - any site with power outlets could be hooked up to a broadband connection. "It lends itself to what people are hoping to find, and that's a cheap solution without having to do anything different to the wiring in the house or business," says Kathie Hackler, vice president and telecom analyst at Gartner. "And it's getting a lot of interest now because there is so much focus on broadband, both from consumers and from the industry looking at this as something that's going to perk up the communications sector." FCC Chairman Michael Powell was impressed by what he saw when he got a demonstration of the technology in the Current Technologies/Pepco trial in Potomac, Md. "This is within striking distance of being the third major broadband pipe into the home," he told reporters. Observers say such a strike could happen soon. First commercial deployments are expected in the next few months, and that could unleash a rush, they say. "Utility companies are watching to see how those commercializations go. If they're successful, I think you'll see a lot of the utility companies adopt it and this thing will take off," says Brett Kilbourne, director of regulatory services for the United Telecom Council, an IT trade association for electric, gas and other critical infrastructure firms. However, regulatory issues still must be cleared up, Kilbourne says. The FCC is reviewing whether regulations need to be modified to oversee PLC. In April, the commission unanimously approved a notice of inquiry seeking public comment on the technology. Public utilities commissions at the state level also are looking at how this new service should be regulated. The focus is to ensure that regulatory issues don't sidetrack adoption. The FCC's notice of inquiry "explores ways to update our rules to ensure that regulatory uncertainty does not in any way hinder the deployment of these new services," Powell said in a statement. "Ultimately, it will be for the marketplace to decide how broadband over power lines fits into tomorrow's competitive telecommunications landscape, but we welcome them to the frontier of the digital migration." Another issue, analysts say, is how the utilities will deliver the service. At this point, utilities are cautious, but if the technology is proven they might end up wholesaling the service to ISPs. For instance, Con Edison doubts it will become an ISP, but recognizes that wholesaling the service could be "another source of revenue for us," says George Jee, director of resource planning. ISPs are watching the technology closely. AT&T and EarthLink, for example, are looking at PLC as a broadband connection into their networks. "We are closer to commercial reality with PLC than we've ever been," says Seth Libby, a senior analyst at The Yankee Group. "But we're not out of the woods yet. We need to get out there and show that it works." However the technology ultimately is delivered, users seem ready to give it a try. Donato of the Ossining police says PLC will be on his list along with T-1, cable and DSL when the department's PLC trial ends. "You can be anyplace and just plug in," he says. "You can't beat the versatility - you're not restricted to one corner of the room where the phone line is coming or the cable line is coming in. You just pick up your computer and plug it in anywhere, and there you are." Powered upUse of electrical lines for broadband moves closer to commercial reality. Advantages: Challenges: [mixed together here, it seems; don`t dare say ``Disadvantages`` !!] • Established infrastructure eliminates need to run cable or DSL into homes or businesses. • Utilities are cautious and moving into this area slowly as revenue-generating details remain unclear. • Lower prices than other broadband options are possible because that infrastructure is already in place. • DSL and cable users will likely be slow to switch to an untested service unless the price is much lower. • Technology has matured to where it's ready for deployment. • Experts question whether the tech-nology will work on all power lines. • Backing from the FCC should help ensure regulations don't get in the way. • Utilities need to decide whether they want to be in the broadband business or if they plan to partner with ISPs. • In addition to commercial service, utilities can use broadband over power lines to better manage electric grids. • Utilities must arrange backhaul net-works to hook in to the Internet. Copyright 2001 Network World, Inc. All rights reserved (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) Have they really got the problem of interfering with radio reception licked, as claimed???? Surely not at weak-signal levels (gh) DRM +++ VOICE OF AMERICA TO JOIN DRM`S INAUGURAL BROADCASTS ON JUNE 16, 2003 Geneva – The International Broadcasting Bureau/Voice of America (IBB/VOA) will commence its live, daily Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) broadcasts on June 16th, 2003. Its transmissions in Arabic into Western Europe will debut in conjunction with DRM`s Inaugural Broadcasts event in Geneva, during the International Telecommunications Union's (ITU) World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC 2003). The precise moment of the world's first DRM broadcasts will be marked at a spectacular reception at Geneva's Château de Penthes. "We are thrilled to be contributing to the launching of DRM that is synchronized with the ITU-R's WRC 03 in Geneva,`` says the IBB's Dr. Don Messer, who is DRM's Technical Committee Chairman. "As the U.S. government's chief delegate on the agenda items for short-wave and medium-wave/AM regulatory matters, I am certain that these DRM broadcasts from several broadcasters will be of great assistance in promoting the views of the broadcast community at the Conference." (DRM press release via Siriol Jane Evans, June 5, DXLD) Details? PROPAGATION +++++++++++ PROPAGATION REPORT Solar flare activity has been quite high over the past week with the sun appearing to return from a fairly quiet period with a vengeance. A shock in the solar wind speed was noted around 1530 UT May 30 from a coronal mass ejection, things calmed a bit on Jun 1 before picking up again on Jun 2-4. All this has meant a number of fadeouts, and fair to poor HF conditions over mid and high latitude paths. Conditions are expected to remain disturbed 5-9 Jun before becoming quieter - the timing of this is bound to be because I am on a DX pedition returning Jun 9 :-( Prepared using data from http://www.ips.gov.au (Richard Jary, SA, June 6, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ### ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-099, June 5, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3f.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 1185: RFPI: Fri 1930, Sat 0130, 0800, 1400, 1730, 2330, Sun 0530, 1130, 1830, Mon 0030, 0630, 1230, Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0730, 1330 7445 15039 WWCR: Sat 0600, Sun 0230 5070, 0630 3210, Wed 0930 9475 WJIE: Sat 0930, Sun 1030, 1630 7490 13595 [maybe] WINB: Sat 1730 13570 WBCQ: Mon 0445 7415 WRM: Rest of world Sat 0800, Europe Sun 0430, North America Sun 1400 WRN ONDEMAND [from Fri]: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [from early UT Thu] [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1185.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1185.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1185h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1185h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1185.html ** AFGHANISTAN. A special page inside the CRW homepage contains an up to date list of all broadcast stations that Dave Stanley in Kabul has been able to monitor in Afghanistan during April/May 2003. http://www.schoechi.de/crw/afghan.html The photo of the destroyed SW building at Pulecharchi, near Kabul was taken by D. Stanley in Aug 2002 (Clandestine Radio Watch June 5 via DXLD) 404 not found when I checked June 5 (gh, DXLD) {See 3-101} ** AUSTRALIA. Hi Glenn, this is the assignment for Station X Gold Coast Queensland Australia, as per the ACA Database, http://www.aca.gov.au/pls/radcom/assignment_search.lookup?pACCESS_ID=1144521&pDEVICE_ID=2217923 1144521-2217923 2.3685000 MHz 6K00A3E 1138969 Peter G Tate (85365) from the Labrador Vodaphone site, Horizontal (may change to vertical), 1 KW. 73 (Tim Gaynor, Q, Dxerscalling, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. Hi Glenn, I read Rhodes/Glen piece in your Australia section of DXLD 3-096. Since I don't have their email, can you ask them what the OTHR sounds like? Is it like the old Russian Woodpecker? Or like the CODAR frequency Sweeper ("swoosher')? Tones? thanks, (Paul McDonough, June 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) HI, The OTHR I hear is a rapid clicking, several times per second, is very broadbanded, in that it spreads over many kHz. Occasionally will shift up and down the band, but often stays on the same channels for some time. Can be very strong signals and will at times overpower even a strong broadcast signal, such as Radio Japan to Oceania. There are many sites, and the Aussie one is called Jindalee project. Regards (Don Rhodes, Vic., DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRIA. Hi Glenn, I assume that this ``´merely playing "The Blue Danube" over and over again`` was the result of a malfunction, probably even a complete crash, of the continuity system (CARAT from Siemens Austria, no longer on the market if I'm not terribly wrong). Nobody is there at night, and so of course nothing can be done if the system runs amuck. On the other hand the transmitter engineers at Moosbrunn (at least I think that always an engineer is there) are hardly in a position to decide that the transmission can be dropped, and so of course they leave it on, even if it contains nothing but the ID theme over and over. And just as a reminder, ROI will cease to exist altogether in three and a half weeks (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. Estimado G.Hauser, Sera que tengo hermano aqui y no sabia? ``Yuspayrampa Jila Marcelo Aragaoru Quchapanpata, Diuspargayki Marcelo Aragao weraquchaman Quchapanpamanta, Muchissimas gracias a Sr. Marcelo Aragao de Cochabamba por su primera informacion sobre esta estacion!!! (Artyom Prokhorov, Russia, Cumbre DX via DXLD)`` 73, QRV (Rogildo Fontenelle Aragão, Cochabamba - Bolivia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I was too impressed by the lingo to notice the disparity (gh, DXLD) ** CANADA. EVEN MEDIOCRITY COMES IN EXTREMES By WILLIAM THORSELL, UPDATED AT 9:16 PM EDT, Monday, Jun. 2, 2003 In recent weeks, we've had the opportunity to hear compositions by Louise Farrenc, George Chadwick, Johann Schobert, Josef Mysliveceh and James Paisible, among other unknowns who live In the Shadow on Tom Allen's excellent CBC Radio program, Music and Company. It is an affectionate conceit to explore the works of second-rate composers every Thursday morning on Radio Two, a feature, introduced thematically by Beethoven's opening bars for the Fifth Symphony, which puts about 90 per cent of everything ever composed in a shadow. The lives of these also-rans are interesting for their balancing acts between aspiration and disappointment, notice and dismissal. Their biographies are often admirable to a fault -- earnest in the manner of a student politician, naively hopeful, indefatigable in the face of rejection, stoutly prideful and inexplicably unlucky in love. These are the masterworks of pretenders, if not amateurs, and one comes to them with a curiosity bred of the unfamiliar, an empathy based in feelings of fair play, and, perhaps, a prurience seeking pleasure in someone else's stupid pretence. The problem, after all this is said, is the quality of the music, of course. Mr. Allen introduces a lively work for strings and winds that bongs on with 1.2 ideas going nowhere, brimming with activity signifying nothing much, justifying every dollop of oblivion attached to the composer's forgotten name. A few minutes of this mediocrity generates desperate aural claustrophobia and, despite one's admiration for the premise of In the Shadow, the point is made with a switch to another station. One must learn to recognize the signposts of mediocrity in life which, as a friend intoned recently, is too short to drink bad wine. A decade ago, trundling around town looking to buy a house, the phrase "recently renovated" popped up on many ads and MLS listings. At first, this looked liked good news. Excellent: Renovations will not be required! And then, you'd get through the front door. Everything was wrong. Vast sums had been spent to ruin the proportions of rooms, install ungainly fireplaces, build hobbit-like kitchens and sink hot tubs into closets. Colonial flourishes had been applied to Victorian staircases, Mexican roof tiles to Edwardian townhouses. Amateurs with means had run amok, as they often do in building country homes that express childhood ideals of castles, bomb shelters and Lego sets. "Recently renovated" soon came to stand for "recently ruined," along with the marriages that explained why the houses were on the market. So one shifted the focus to estate sales, where nothing had been done to a house for 60 years, allowing for either simple restoration or a competent approach to more radical surgery. Probably 90 per cent of the renovations in our major cities would qualify for a visual version of In the Shadow -- cautionary tales of mediocrity rampant on a field of good intentions. (Home renovations have another variant by their nature -- the "professionally designed" effort, produced by an overwrought window-dresser turned interior decorator with a penchant for ceramic dogs, dried weeds and colour-coded art. But let's not strike too close to home.) Condo ads that show nothing but young couples kissing passionately or sailing in the bay are signs of tiny cells for sale in the sky, with sliders in the living-room windows. Opera ads sometimes tout "rarely performed" work by a well-known composer such as Puccini, or just a rarely performed work by the likes of a Chadwick or Paisible, who are marketed as diamonds in the rough. One soon learns to avoid these numbing rarities as deserving of rarity, like butterscotch pudding, Romanian preserves or calf brains. The canned laugh track on television is an efficient signal of mediocrity in sitcoms, allowing for fast flipping through myriad channels on the way to a good book. Someone wearing a brimmed hat and driving a Buick with their hands glued to the top of the steering wheel is a sure sign of mediocre driving skills. One either drops back a length or gets by fast. Any vegetable in a can, any fabric made from natural gas, any flower bred for fluorescence, any movie featuring a Celine Dion soundtrack and any music chosen by Tom Allen to be played in the shadow of Beethoven should be avoided in the name of serenity and the efficient use of time. It is the process of manufacturing mediocrity that is admirable -- the hope, the effort, the aspiration of the unsuccessful creator. It is the product that needs gentle squishing, elegant rejection, decent burial or the sometimes blessed relief of amnesia and bad hearing. William Thorsell is director and CEO of the Royal Ontario Museum. Bell Globemedia (c) 2003 Bell Globemedia Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** CANADA. RICK MERCER TO BE HONOURED IN BANFF FOR SKEWERING POLITICIANS AND AMERICANS --- JUDY MONCHUK CALGARY (CP) - He made laughing at Americans' ignorance of all things Canadian a national obsession and humanized stuffy Preston Manning by having him struggle with a child-proof lighter. But political satirist Rick Mercer's finest hour was a tongue-in-cheek cyber-petition to force Stockwell Day, then leader of the Canadian Alliance, to change his name to Doris Day, the 1960s singer who personified purity. What began as a wickedly biting dissection of Alliance referendum policy became one of the most memorable aspects of the 2001 federal election. "At one point, 42 people a second were signing that petition," said the former star of This Hour has 22 Minutes and Made in Canada, who will receive the Peter Ustinov award for achievement in comedy Monday at the Banff Television Festival. "In the blink of an eye, this was being e-mailed all over the world and within two weeks (Day) changed his campaign song to Que Sera Sera," laughed Mercer, with obvious glee. At 33, the acerbic Mercer seems a tad young to be accepting a lifetime achievement award. He prefers to view it as recognition for a body of work that has garnered him 20 Gemini awards. In fact, Mercer was stunned to be added to a list of that includes John Cleese, the late John Candy, Martin Short, Bob Newhart and Tracey Ullman. "It's kind of mind-boggling," said Mercer, who will also co-host Monday night's Rockie Awards saluting international television. "I think if we were all in the same room, I'd have to be the bartender or something." The St. John's, Nfld., native, who has spent the past decade working in CBC-TV, began doing comedy in high school and was inspired by the Wonderful Grand Band, which was "must-see TV" in Newfoundland and featured future Codco stars Greg Malone and Tommy Sexton. Mercer says federal subsidies for Canadian programs are "imperative" for the industry's survival, just as Canadian content rules for radio airplay were needed 15 years ago. "People realize those rules and those subsidies played an awful large part in (developing) an industry that is now dominated globally by Canadian artists," he said from Toronto. "You don't hear people complaining about that anymore." Not with artists such as Shania Twain, Celine Dion and Avril Lavigne topping music charts. Mercer notes that Made in Canada has been exported all over the world, but the current affairs format of the popular This Hour has 22 Minutes leaves it with limited marketability. "Who else would watch it? People in Ohio don't care about (Federal Heritage Minister) Sheila Copps or some provincial politician," he said. Ottawa has refused calls for a multimillion-dollar infusion for homegrown TV programming. Mercer calls that short-sighted. "If it's an hour-long drama, it's never going to be able to compete with the hour-long drama based in Baltimore that costs $20,000 (to buy)," he said. "We can't do that in Canada, so what you're really saying is 'I've thought about it and our country can't afford to have a culture when it comes to hour-long dramas.' " There will be a sharp focus on Canada's TV industry during this year's Banff festival, as producers, broadcasters and other stakeholders from around the world descend on the Rocky Mountain resort town a hour west of Calgary. Charles Dalfen, president of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, will respond Monday to two reports critical of reduced funding for Canadian programming. The cash-strapped Canadian Television Fund will hold a special meeting Tuesday, and experts from Australia, France and Britain will discuss fostering homegrown industries. "We are an international festival, but if you've got a critical situation and the whole Canadian industry is here, you can't put your head in the sand," said Pat Ferns, president of the Banff festival. The festival will also feature a tribute to U.S. TV and honour James Burrows (writer/director of Will and Grace, co-creator of Cheers) and Sopranos creator David Chase. And documentary producer David Attenborough will be given a lifetime achievement award. Mercer returns to political commentary in January with the Rick Mercer Show, a CBC production that will play up his sarcastic nature and allow him to travel the country skewering current events. Mercer says his job isn't to simply report the news, but to have an opinion and attitude to match. "Journalists are supposed to be unbiased and just report the facts: I don't have to worry about that," he said (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** CHILE. 6010: how is this station actually called? I have seen already 3 versions of its name: Parinacota, Parinocota, Paranicota. In Finland we had adopted one more version, just for fun. Pärinäkota - literally meaning in Finnish "a wigwam of motorcycle engine interference" - it applies perfectly to the noise one can sometimes hear on shortwaves. And yes, the reception could be better too. :-D (Jari Lehtinen, Lahti, Finland, hard-core-dx via DXLD) A quick check with Google produced: Paranicota 66 hits, Parinocota 13 hits, Parinacota 6020 hits. On that basis, I'd say Parinacota must be the correct spelling :-) (Andy Sennitt, ibid.) ** COLOMBIA. SENSUAL RADIO SHOW URGES COLOMBIAN GUERRILLAS TO DESERT Associated Press Wire June 1, 2003 http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2003/06/01/2003053523 A soft, sensual voice speaks over the radio to rebels in the jungles and mountains of Colombia, urging them to put down their weapons and rejoin society. "We must surrender," murmurs the government-employed radio announcer known as the Flower of the Wilderness. "We must depend on our authorities, on the military institutions of our country." The broadcasts are part of a major campaign by hardline President Álvaro Uribe to entice rebels to desert, while also squeezing them through military action and increased police presence in rural areas. TV commercials feature first-person testimonies of others who have deserted, who say they have been well treated. Airdrops of leaflets proclaim: "Escape! Many of your companions have done it!" Deserters are promised clothing, food, protection for themselves and their families and given the opportunity to change their identities. They also have access to health care, education and work training under the government's rehabilitation program. Uribe's campaign has shown quick results. Since the beginning of this year, 640 insurgents, including leftist rebels and right-wing paramilitary fighters, have turned themselves in -- 40 percent more than the same period last year. In a proposal to be presented to Congress in July, even deserting rebels accused of serious crimes would receive a form of government- monitored parole instead of prison sentences. Let the rebels "divide themselves between those who will eternally remain professional bullies" and those who will surrender, Uribe said Friday at a military ceremony. Part of the challenge is convincing the rebels they won't be tortured or killed if they turn themselves in -- which is what their commanders often tell them, said Vice Defense Minister Andrés Peñate, who is in charge of the US$12 million campaign. In an interview late Thursday, Peñate said about 20 percent of those who desert are younger than 18 and many are in their 20s and 30s. Critics say this type of deserter is easy to replace and point out that the core leadership of the rebels remains intact. Military analyst Alfred Rangel said that even if the trend of rebel desertions continues, it would take 27 years for the nation's main rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), to demobilize -- and only if there are no new recruits. Nonetheless, many believe the increase in deserters -- especially those authorities say are high-ranking -- is demoralizing the high command of the FARC. In April, Rafael Rojas, purportedly in charge of the FARC's 46th Front, turned himself in. Uribe interviewed Rojas on TV when the desertion was announced and urged other rebels to follow his lead (AP Jun 1, 2003 via U. Fleming-USA for CRW, via DXLD) ** CUBA. 9505, Radio Havana Cuba, 2030-2045 English. World news with ID every few minutes. Signal good but possibly skipping over Clewiston, Florida periodically (Chuck Bolland, June 4, 2003, DX LISTENING DIGEST) But where will they be tomorrow? Back on 11760? ** ECUADOR. Allen Graham (DXPL, HCJB) provides the following information about the HCJB Ecuador transition: "Our webmaster is making a change of server this week. Most everything has been changed over and he is working on the "pointers" right now. The dxpl.hcjb.org address won't work yet. In fact when I tried updating it this weekend, material reverted back. The current page on the new server can be accessed by going to http://www.hcjb.org and on the right-hand side choosing the program DX Partyline. The morning schedule for the English Language Service is also going up on the new server and should be there by the end of the day today... Morning in the Mountains is not part of the current schedule. Once some of the staff return from their short Home Ministry Assignment (i.e. furlough), MIM is scheduled to start up again. This should be early August." Allen also provided this interim schedule for the morning release: 1100 Sun Let My People Think M-F Insight for Living Sat Down Gilead Lane 1130 Sun Renewing Your Mind M-F Family Life Today Sat Adventures in Odyssey 1200 Sun Moody Presents M-F Precept with Kay Arthur/Proclaim (1215) Sat Hour of Decision 1230 Sun The Living Word M-F Renewing Your Mind Sat DX Partyline (via John Figliozzi, June 4, swprograms via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. ``RADIO JUSTICE. As per BBCM's report in DXLD 3- 096: Sundays 1700-1800 on 12120 in Tigrigna. Because of this frequency, I went to look at TDP's website and found it scheduled as Radio Solidarity. Was previous scheduled via DTK Julich Wed/Sat on 15265. Never heard this one due to the Chinese musicjammer active at the same time. Is this frequency still used, has it ever been used? (S. Domen-BEL Jun 2, 2003 in DXLD 3-097)`` According to the New [sic] updated schedule of Deutsche Telekom (DTK T-systems) as of Jan 10: Tigrean International Solidarity for Justice and Democracy: 1600-1630 15275 JUL 100 / 145 Wed,Sat EaAf Tigrina this was on 15275 kHz, not 15265. So Silvain seems to mix up the new station with the station R Suthid (Tigre International Solidarity for Justice and Democracy) ? The latter station has been last reported in CRW in March 2003 [log below]. (M. Schoech, Germant, Jun 5, 2003 for CRW) Radio Solidarity 15275 kHz, Radio Suthid (Solidaridad Internacional Tigre para la Justicia y la Democracia), 1600+, 15 Marzo, ID, cxs en tigriña por locutora, mx. SIO: 232. (N. Pugliese-ARG Mar 15, 2003 in ConDig 204) --------------------------------------------------------- (Martin Schoech - PF 1136 - 06201 Merseburg - Deutschland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) HOWEVER: Addition to CRW 135 / Breaking news Ethiopia But then I wonder [why] does TDP, who seems to broker this station, put it in its schedule-list as "Radio Solidarity". It clearly comes from the same organisation. As the BBCM report says : "Radio Justice is prepared with the goodwill of Tigrayan International Solidarity for Justice and Democracy." All A03 lists I have seen give the frequency as 15265... 15275 was a B02 entry for Radio Solidarity. = Tigrean International Solidarity for Justice and Democracy: = 1600-1630 15275 JUL 100 / 145 Wed,Sat EaAf Tigrina This comes from the B02 (winter) schedule, and yes I have heard them on that one. Here the entry I made in my personal logbook kHz UTC Date ITU Station Details L SINPO 15275 1601 06/11/02 D (c) Radio Solidarity/Julich Tigrigna, poor audio, Wednesday (also Saturday) X 35343 Take a look at DTK's schedule from 16.04.2003 (as found via BCLNEWS): 15265 1600 1629 47,48 304 145 217 47 300303 261003 JUL 100 TIS TIS Tigrean International Solidarity for Justice and Democracy But as I said, this frequency is inaudible because of the China Musicjammer on it at the same time... As BBCM says the identification is: "This is Radio Justice broadcasting from Washington DC [Tigrinya: Ezi kab Washington DC zmehalalef Radio Fthi eyu]. And this is from the Clandestineradio.Com website, compare the Tigrean ID : Radio Solidarity Identification: (Tigrean) Radio Fathiriu Active Since: Sep 2001 Contact Address: Dade Desta, P.O. Box 60040, Washington, DC 20039 Conclusion: This is the very same station and organisation, moved away from DTK, and now hiring airtime (probably cheaper) via TDP. (S. Domen, Belgium, Jun 5, 2003 for CRW) As it seems it was not Silvain who mixed up things but BBCM (and also CRW). I have nothing to add the conclusion at the end of Silvain additional report, only 'sorry and also thank you for not blindly believing everything you read !' (M. Schoech, Germany, Jun 5, 2003 for CRW via DXLD) ** GUATEMALA. Hoy a las 0400 UT tuve la oportunidad de sintonizar a Radio Verdad, en la frecuencia de los 4050 kHz [4052.5??] banda de 75 metros. Esta emisora transmite desde Guatemala, Centro America según pude escuchar cuando estaban identificando. Al momento de la escucha estaban presentando el programa: Ofrenda Espiritual. Luego se presentó una fuerte interferencia y lo único que logré entender es que estaban dando el número de una cuenta de ahorros para que depositaran sus donaciones a nombre de:Promociones Radio Verdad. Tambien dijeron que les escribieran a su dirección, la dieron, pero no la pude entender, lo que si entendí fué cuando dijeron: Nosotros responderemos todas sus cartas. Tambien hubo una identificación en ingles a las 04:36 UTC. Equipo Utilizado: Radio Receptor Siemens modelo RK-769. y un amplificador de Antena para Onda Corta Radio Shack conectado a la antena hilo largo de 27metros. Atte: (José Elías Díaz Gómez, Venezuela, Cumbre DX et al., Jun 5 via DXLD) ** IRAN. Radio Barabari, 7470: My follow-up reception report for December 2002 to info@barabari.org came back after four days as 'undeliverable' from my mail server (E. Kusalik-CAN May 27, 2003 for CRW) Bernd Trutenau wrote me: 'try info@radiobarabari.net --- the current homepage is http://www.radiobarabari.net '. I did check out their website and there is a separate listing for e-mail letters. Going to try and get a reply from them (E. Kusalik-CAN May 29, 2003 for CRW via DXLD) {Corrected in 3-102} ** IRAN/IRAQ/KURDISTAN [and nons]. Rumen Pankov has made the following observations which update the listing of Iraqi clandestine and Kurdish broadcasts on p.21 of last month's Communication [May]: 3870/80 V of Communist Party of Iran: 0230-0330, 0430-0530, 1430- 1530, 1630-1730 // 4380 3900 Voice of the Iraqi People 0300-0420, 1755-1925 //5880 3900 Radio Freedom - not heard since 1st May. Silenced or poor conditions? 3928 Voice of Komala 1600-1730, 0230-0400 // 4620 3975 Voice of Iranian Kurdistan has been reactivated. It was heard on 29 April 0205-0225, and on 5 May at 1505-1530 s/off in Persian 4025 Voice of the People of Kurdistan - not heard since 5th May (poor conditions?) 4085 Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan now 0330-2055 4120 Radio Kurdistan ~1600-1700 has been reactivated 4160 Voice of Independence, 1600-1700. 4235-45v Voice of Kurdistan Toilers 0200-0400(presumed), 1430-1730 (s/off varies 1700/1800) 4260 UnID "Eira Dengi Kurdistani Irana" (Voice of Iranian Kurdistan? cf 3975) reported on 4th, 5th, 13th May at 1600-1700 in Kurdish and Persian. 4355 UnID in Kurdish 1600-1630 s/off. Jammed by Iran 4380 V of Communist Party of Iran: 0230-0330, 0430-0530, 1430- 1530, 1630-1730 // 3780 4620 Voice of Komala 1600-1730, 0230-0400 // 3928 5880 Voice of the Iraqi People 0300-0420, 1755-1925 // 3900 Iranian jammers are heard on 3870, 3930, 3975, 4355, 4380 and 4620 kHz (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, 1-13 May, British DX Club Communication, June, via Dave Kenny, DXLD) ** IRAQ. Radio Bopeshawa, 9450 (Radio Forward). My letter to their address in Canada (A.K.P.I. P. O. Box 491 Domains Postal Station North York Ontario M3C 2T4) was returned after ten days as 'return to sender moved/address unknown' So that postal avenue is closed (E. Kusalik-CAN May 27, 2003 for CRW) I wrote to WCPI (at wcpi@sympatico.ca) for Radio Bopeshawa, asking for information for a postal address for letters (I did not indicate reception reports at all) and here's their reply which came back within 24 hours. "Dear friend, sorry for the inconvenience, we don't have a postal address at the time, it is best that you write to us via email. yours, sabah". So will be sending out two enquiries and see what happens (E. Kusalik-CAN May 29, 2003 for CRW via DXLD) ** IRAQ. IRAQI RELIGIOUS GROUP TURNS TO TV AND RADIO [this story was summarised in 3-093] By Charles Clover in Baghdad Published: May 28 2003 5:00 | Last Updated: May 28 2003 5:00 http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1051390368510&p=1012571727179 A powerful Shi'a political group in Iraq plans shortly to begin its own radio and television broadcasts from Baghdad, a key step towards promoting its influence in the country. Hassan Grebawy, head of the Centre for Public Islam, said he had received both oral and written permission from US forces to start the broadcasts, which will be financed by the Hawza, a loose grouping of Shi'a religious schools in the southern city of Najaf. Mr Grebawy's centre, set up under the patronage of Shi'a cleric Moktada al-Sadr, will broadcast from the al-Hikmah mosque in the Shi'a suburb of Baghdad. He said the range of the broadcasts would be 50km, enough to encompass Baghdad, and plans are under way to extend the broadcasts to the rest of the country, where the Shi'a form a 55 per cent majority. The television and radio stations should serve as powerful tools for consolidating Mr Sadr's influence. Already, an overwhelming majority of Shi'a in Baghdad profess allegiance to him. He is not known for his tolerance of US forces in Iraq, though he is rarely heard from publicly. His followers have frequently organised mass demonstrations in Baghdad calling for an end to US occupation. Mr Grebawy made it clear that the broadcasts, to be named "Baghdad reports" and introduced with the calligraphic symbol of Iraqi state television, will not be friendly towards the US presence: "If I come to your house riding on a tank, and take over your oil, and take over your money, and tell you that you need my permission to do anything, then is this justice?", he asks. Coalition forces have been tolerant in allowing Iraqis to express dissenting views, considering it a useful exercise in democracy building. Numerous newspapers have been set up in Baghdad, many critical of the coalition presence. "The Americans said they have no objection in principle to these broadcasts," said Mr Grebawy. He showed a letter from the US 1st Brigade, charged with security in Baghdad, giving permission for a radio station. "The 1st Brigade Combat Team would like to thank Sayid Ali [a member of Mr Sadr's group] for his support of US forces in the liberation of Iraq," said the letter. Mr Grebawy said they had received verbal permission for the television station, and a letter would follow. The 1st Brigade could not be reached for comment. US forces have relied heavily on Shi'a religious leaders to help them restore basic services such as garbage removal and medical facilities in their neighbourhoods, and the letter seemed to be partly a quid pro quo for this help. But ultimately, giving Shi'a Islamist groups access to their own television station could undermine the US goal of keeping Iraq a secular state. Asked what political message they would be broadcasting on their TV channel, Mr Grebawy said: "The political content of the broadcasts will be that religion is politics and politics is religion. We are only expressing the reality of the Iraqi street. "We need television broadcasts which will express the views of all Iraqis, about their problems, including the American occupation." (Financial Times May 28, 2003 via A. Sennitt, Holland for CRW via DXLD) ** IRAQ. Re : Control over the content of a television station in Mosul in [crwatch] CRW 134 Extra WHAT DO You Know About Major Means? US ARMY MAJOR Charmaine Means ...assigned the tricky task of public relations in the sensitive city of Mosul, in northern Iraq. When she was given an order that she could not in conscience obey, she did what all good officers do. She chose to follow in Gandhi's footsteps. She refused to obey. The order was to close down the television station in Mosul, because it sometimes broadcasts Al-Jazeera. That's the Arab-language TV network that U.S. officials love to hate, because it is truly independent. Mosul has no newspapers and no radio station, according to the Wall Street Journal. The TV station was the only means of public communication for a very large city. Major Means said she could not in good conscience close it down, just to suppress free speech. Her superiors could not ignore that. .... They relieved her of duty and flew her out of Mosul, right away. A Google News search found not one single mention of this event. Is the story really not newsworthy? Could the WSJ's editorial judgment about news priorities be so out of line with every other editor in the country? Or is the story just too dangerous to report? Could only the venerably conservative WSJ, whose "pro-American" credentials are beyond question, take the risk? (I. Chernus, USA, Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder May 28, 2003 via M. Watts-USA, Clandestine Radio Watch via DXLD) This is the WSJ story mentioned in the Washington Post article in CRW 134 Extra: ARMY ORDERS TROOPS TO SEIZE TV STATION IN NORTHWEST IRAQ: A MAJOR BALKS AT DIRECTIVE AND GETS RELIEVED OF DUTY By Yochi J. Dreazen, Wall Street Journal May 8, 2003 MOSUL, IRAQ -- The U.S. Army issued orders for troops to seize this city's only television station, leading an officer here to raise questions about the Army's dedication to free speech in postwar Iraq, people familiar with the situation said. The officer refused the order and was relieved of duty. The directive came from the 101st Airborne Division's commander, Maj. Gen. David Petraeus, who has ultimate authority in Mosul and the rest of northwest Iraq, the people familiar with the matter said. They said it was aimed at blocking the station from continuing to broadcast the Arabic news channel al-Jazeera. The order has not yet been publicized in Mosul, which has no radio station or newspaper, and Army officials here said they had no plans to do so. Late Wednesday night, it wasn't clear whether soldiers who had been on the grounds of the station, which is near the city's university, had moved into the station building itself and taken control. The incident may add fuel to suspicions in the Arab world about the Bush administration's promises to bring open elections and other Western-style freedoms to Iraq. The move also could further strain the already-tense relations between the Pentagon and al-Jazeera, a satellite channel based in Qatar that is the most popular source of news throughout the Mideast. Pentagon officials have long accused al- Jazeera of being biased against the U.S. and criticized it for broadcasting material such as bloody images of civilians killed or maimed by U.S. bombs. Al-Jazeera's Baghdad office was unintentionally shelled by the U.S. on April 8, killing one journalist. The order to seize the station, which had been under the unofficial control of a local Iraqi militia leader, was discussed at a contentious meeting among American officials based in a former hospital here. During the two-hour meeting last night, the head of the Army public-affairs office in Mosul, Maj. Charmaine Means, said she could not agree to seizing the station and posting troops there. She argued that the presence of armed soldiers would intimidate the station's Arab employees into airing only programming produced by, or acceptable to, the American military. Maj. Means was told to pick up a nearby telephone. On the other end, Col. Thomas Schoenback, chief of staff of the division, ordered her to go along with Gen. Petraeus's plan to take the station, according to people familiar with the matter. When she again refused, he relieved her of her duties. A short time later, she was told that she would be flown out of Mosul on an Army helicopter early Thursday morning. Neither Gen. Petraeus nor Col. Schoenback could be reached for comment. In Washington, the Pentagon could not immediately confirm the order to seize the station. Officers familiar with the matter said military officials were uncomfortable with the station's programming. They wanted to apply a U.S. military formula for gauging the station's accuracy, balance and trustworthiness, and if the programming fell short, the station would be shut. As word of the decision filtered through the main American base in downtown Mosul, several officers condemned it. The officers said they were particularly incensed that the military had allowed the Iraqi militia leader, Meshaam Jabori, to broadcast political messages for weeks without interference, only to seize it Wednesday after it occasionally showed al-Jazeera programming. The station also airs programming from other Arabic news channels, as well as from NBC. Mr. Jabori couldn't be reached for comment (Wall Street Journal May 8, 2003 via N. Grace, USA for CRW via DXLD) ** IRAQ. ANOTHER SMALL VICTORY FOR THE 'PSYOPS' TEAM By Jack Kelly, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 14, 2003 http://www.knoxstudio.com/shns/story.cfm?pk=IRAQ-PSYOPS-05-14-03&cat=II NEAR THE SYRIAN BORDER, Iraq - Sgt. Mark Hadsell noticed that when he was talking to Iraqis in Baghdad, the men would try to stand behind something, or would stand in front of their wives or daughters. He thought this was curious. So he asked why. "They'd been told that when they wear their sunglasses, American soldiers can see through clothing," Hadsell said. Hadsell handed his sunglasses to the Iraqi who told him this and had him put them on. One more rumor dispelled. Another small victory for the team from the 361st Psychological Operations Company, a reserve unit based in the Seattle suburb of Bothel, Wash. It has already been a long year for Hadsell, 38, a mechanical engineer in Lacey, Wash., in civilian life, and his teammates, Cpl. Kent Yost, 29, a buyer for Amazon.com in Seattle, and Pfc. Joseph Knitschuk, 23, an auto restorer in Sammamish, Wash. The trio spent January and February on a mission in the Philippines and had just enough time in the United States to trade in their jungle-green uniforms for desert-brown before shipping off to Iraq. "We finished up that gig, kissed the tarmac, and jumped on another plane to come here," Yost said. The team was always slated to support the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, which is now overseeing peacekeeping operations in western Iraq, but arrived in country before the regiment did. So the "psyops" soldiers went to work for the 3rd Infantry Division in Baghdad. The chief task of psyops soldiers is to communicate to the Iraqis certain broad themes about U.S. plans for Iraq. They have a loudspeaker atop their Humvee and prerecorded tapes in Arabic warning Iraqis to stay away from U.S. military operations, informing soldiers how to surrender, and so forth. But most of their communication has been face-to-face. Neither Hadsell, Yost nor Knitschuk speak Arabic, but, Yost said, "in Baghdad there were enough people who spoke English that it was helpful to have interpreters, but not essential." The chief messages the psyops soldiers have been communicating is that Iraqis should go back to work, and that it is up to Iraqis to determine how long U.S. soldiers remain in their country. "When you tell them that we don't want to be here, they are in awe," Hadsell said. Since Iraq under Saddam Hussein was a thoroughly totalitarian state, few Iraqis have any idea what freedom is like, Hadsell said. "They couldn't leave one job for another without having both a letter from their old employer releasing them from their job and another letter from their new employer accepting them," Hadsell said. "It blows their minds when we tell them they should just do what they want, they don't need our permission or anybody else's to change jobs." "They're good people, but it's going to take some time on training wheels," Yost said. Each week, Aouf Abdul Rahman al Samari, the lead Iraqi interpreter for the 3rd Regiment's Tiger Squadron, goes to Baghdad and buys every newspaper he can find. Hadsell, Yost and Knitschuk then distribute them. The psyops soldiers also hand out cheap radios and schedules printed in Arabic of Voice of America broadcasts. "The only satellite (TV) channels the locals can get are Syrian, and they are always bad-mouthing the United States," Hadsell said (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette May 14, 2003 via N. Grace, USA for CRW via DXLD) This time feedback for BBCM and RN MN BBCM : Chris McWhinnie was interviewed (by my hometown public radio station)! http://www.theworld.org/latesteditions/20030410.html (May 31, 2003 via N. Grace-USA for CRW) No audio link? (gh) RN MN : RNW and A. Sennitt`s work about R Tikrit are looped into a dissertation on the bell curve. http://www.srv.net/~msdata/bell.html "Just so, that Radio Netherlands observed that "radio tikrit" included an astrological forecast is a matter of fact, public record-- but whether that meant that the U.S. was trying to convert those within its broadcast range to astrology is a matter of interpretation." (May 31, 2003 via N. Grace, USA for CRW via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN [non]. See NORWAY ** MALAWI. BAN ON COMMUNITY RADIO NEWS BROADCASTS CONDEMNED | Text of report by UN regional information network IRIN on 4 June Johannesburg, 4 June: A group of concerned journalists in Malawi have called for the repeal of a media law that bans community radio stations from broadcasting news. The issue has dogged Malawi's broadcasters for some time, but it rose to prominence again during an international conference on the role of community radio, held in the southern city of Blantyre earlier this week. A spokesman for the National Media Institute of Southern Africa (Namisa), Innocent Chitosi, told IRIN that Evans Namanja, director- general of the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra), reminded delegates of the controversial Section 51 (3) c of the Communications Act. Chitosi said the warning appeared to have been directed at the Malawi Institute of Journalism (MIJ) radio station, although a number of other community radio stations broadcast news. Macra has previously accused the MIJ, considered a training ground for journalists, of biased reporting and warned that it risked losing its licence. Chitosi said the latest warnings have been seen as an attempt to silence media other than the state-controlled Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) and Television Malawi, ahead of next year's elections. "The MBC news is just about the ruling United Democratic Front and the president's diary," Chitosa said. "But the MIJ puts people first and quotes the opposition." A statement released by Namisa said: "Community radio gives all political players and ordinary citizens a platform to air their views." Chitosi said that Namisa, the Malawi chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa, had a meeting scheduled with parliament's media committee later in June to discuss the matter. "Although the act stipulates that community radio stations can't broadcast news, it is against [Section 35 and 36] of the Malawi constitution which provides for freedom of the media and freedom of expression," he said. Chitosa said they would also ask for a review of the MBC and Macra boards to ensure that they are composed of media professionals. With a high percentage of Malawi's population living under the poverty line, many people cannot afford television sets or buy newspapers, and rely on community radio stations for information. Source: UN Integrated Regional Information Network, Nairobi, in English 4 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** NORWAY. RADIO PROPAGANDA: TERRORIST GROUP BROADCASTS FROM NORWAY Av: Hanne Dankertsen 05. jun 10:31 A Kurdish group that is registered on the US list of terrorist organisations has been allowed to broadcast radio signals from a short wave transmitter in Rogaland, Norway. Norwegian authorities do not know who is renting and using the transmitter. According to NRK, a growing number of oppositional groups wish to use the radio transmitter in order to send messages to their home countries. Parliamentary Secretary Yngve Slettholm said it is alarming if organisations on the US terrorist list are allowed to broadcast propaganda from Norway. The transmitter is owned by Norkring who does not check its customers against the list of terrorist organisations, according to NTB. According to NRK, one of the organisations that use the transmitter for broadcasting is the Kurdish group PKK, which is registered both on the US list and the EU list of terrorist organisations. ``Our duties according to international law are very clear when it comes to groups that have connections to terrorist organisations. Whether that is the case here, I do not dare comment on», said spokesman KarstenKlepsvik at the Norwegian Ministry for Foreign Affairs. http://www.nettavisen.no/servlets/page?section=1706&item=270987 73 (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) What`s the station, Kenneth, not to mention the frequency? Checking http://www.shortwave.be which is TDP`s listing of clandestine stations we find V. of Independent Kurdistan (PKK) which links to the website http://www.pkk.org/ which is entirely in Turkish! -- not Kurdish. It`s not among the stations on TDP`s own client list at http://www.airtime.be/schedule.html so I suppose Merlin is to blame for this as much as NRK. A google search indicates PKK has rarely been mentioned in DXLD, in fact not since 2-124 last August 5, under TURKEY – it`s the Kurdish Worker`s Party, which is of particular concern to Turkey; at that time they were going to be allowed to broadcast, but nothing about clandestine on shortwave. So what broadcast via Norway, exactly, is the above article referring to? It is not included in the probably incomplete list of clandestines via Norway at the foot of DXLD 3-079 nor in 3-038. Here`s what Media Network has on it at http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/features/html/kurdistan.html The group currently in the spotlight, the PKK, operates a clandestine station called Voice of Independent Kurdistan. It has broadcast since February 1993, albeit with a two year break from September 1995 to August 1997. Regular transmissions are scheduled on or near 6215 kHz from 0400-0530 and 1400-1530 UT. In October 1998 the station was also heard on 4170 kHz between 1600 and 1630 UT according to the Clandestine Radio Intelligence Web. http://www.clandestineradio.com/intel/kurdistan.htm But this station is not among the many listed there (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) {See 3-100} ** PHILIPPINES. SHIFTING WAR IN AIRLANES By Froilan Gallardo, MIndaNews, May 12, 2003 http://www.mindanaotimes.com.ph/news/story.php?id=9442 ILIGAN CITY (MindaNews) --- The rebel commander`s voice came out very clear over the radio. Abduraman Macapaar alias Commander Bravo of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front is telling radio listeners about the progress of a rebel attack somewhere in Lanao del Norte. A few minutes later, the voice of Lt. Col. Francisco Simbajon, spokesperson of the Army`s 4th Infantry Division, was heard over the same radio program. Simbajon was denying everything Macaapar said. The Army Colonel claimed it was the military, not the MILF, that was gaining an upperhand in the Lanao del Norte firefight. ``People here are already used to listening to Commander Bravo and Col. Simbajon every morning. In fact, they look forward to this every day,`` says Ramil Emborong, station manager of Radio Mindanao Network`s dxIC [sic]. ``There is a propaganda war here. Everyday, the MILF and the military wage a war on air to win the hearts and minds of the people,`` he said. Emborong said Macapaar or Bravo as he is popularly known, usually calls their radio station everyday, even before the MILF attacked the towns of Kolambugan and Maigo in Lanao del Norte last April 24. The attack killed at least 15 persons and wounded at least 31. At the height of the attack, Macapaar went on air. ``We have not hostaged any civilian. We sent them to pier in Maigo so they will not be caught in the crossfire,`` Bravo told dxIC listeners. Bravo, who speaks fluent Cebuano and Tagalog then proceeded to rattle off the names of civilians killed in the fighting. He also said the attack was done to cripple the country`s economy. Simbajon has this to say about their daily airlane joust with Bravo. ``He is a big liar but I am glad Bravo is on the air everyday. At least we know his intentions,`` he said. Simbajon said Bravo has a tendency to divulge their plans especially if he gets mad at him. So Simbajon makes Bravo angry by daring him to meet with him. The harsher the tirade the better to make Bravo angry, Simbajon said. ``It`s all about psyops actually. If he answers back, then I know Bravo is still alive and creating some mischief,`` the Army colonel said. The propaganda war over the airwaves in Iligan City and Lanao del Norte highlights the continuing war between the MILF and government. Radio listeners would sometimes join the fray. Their views depend on whose side they are on or whether they are inclined to war or peace. (Mindanao Times May 12, 2003 via N. Grace. USA for CRW via DXLD) Frontline/World just had a story on this, PBS-TV UT Friday (gh, DXLD) ** POLAND. Dear Glenn: On May 31 2003 earlier morning local time 0259:03=0325:05 / 1859:03-1925:05 UT, I heard Radio Polonia's Russian program with good and clear on 7180 than previous days, at 1859:03 with first IS (piano mx) then ID as " Radio Polonia " by a male announcer and followed by every two IS and once ID till 1859:55, at 1900:08 announces as "Govorit Russiawa nofonia Radio Polonia . . ." by a female announcer, during the Russian program mentioned many times of "President George W. Bush", and signing off at 1925:05 after jazz mx. The program mentioned above was good than their Ukrainian program just before during 1830-1855 UT on same frequency (Yin Yung-chien, Taipei, Taiwan 6/5 13:06, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TOGO [non]. Radio Togo Libre is at the bottom of the page of stations broadcast via TDP at http://www.airtime.be/whose.html Is this something very new, or very old? I don`t recall hearing of any such station currently active. No advisory of such a new addition has been received via the very seldom used TDP mailing list. The current TDP client schedule at http://www.airtime.be/schedule.html shows: Radio Togo Libre 1300-1400 21760 mtwtf.. French Radio Togo Libre 2000-2100 12125 ......s French [i.e. Sunday] and the ``whose`` page links to http://www.diastode.org/ which is Diaspora Togolaise pour la Democratie = Togolese Diaspora for Democracy which unseems to say anything about broadcasts, but automatically plays some music, presumably the Togolese national (or revolutionary?) anthem? I hate websites doing that, since I am almost always already listening to something of my preference!! A google search on Radio Togo Libre gets only one hit, to the diastode page (Glenn Hauser, OK, June 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UKRAINE. UKRAINIAN PAPER LISTS OWNERS OF KIEV'S FM RADIO STATIONS A list of the owners of Kiev's FM radio stations shows several names appearing more than once, writes correspondent Serhiy Kovtunenko. Although no-one can own more than two stations, the law says nothing about relatives of owners, Kovtunenko says. Quality of the stations is low and they are a poor news source, he concludes. The following is the text of the article published in Ukrainian newspaper Stolichnyye Novosti on 3 June: We have recently been seeing the appearance of new radio stations in Kiev almost every month. Their claims to originality and sophistication are frankly laughable. But you cannot deny their ambitions. There are already 25 of them in the capital, or at least 25 so far. The main thing is that the number of self-proclaimed masterpieces on the air waves has absolutely no influence either on the quality of the product itself or on expansion of the advertising market or, if I may say, on the political views of our people. It made one sick and still makes one sick to listen. Of course, there is no point in answering the question of why things are wrong here, for one of the most important postulates of business has been violated: most of our radio stations did not buy the right to broadcast, but received it thanks to their political sponsors. That is the root of the whole problem. For example, the cost of a licence to broadcast on the FM band in the USA is over 2m dollars. And naturally, someone investing that sort of money will strive to get it back. But in our conditions, when licences are issued by the national council [for TV and radio broadcasting], whose composition is distinguished by its political commitment, the right to broadcast is primarily obtained by people who have their hands in circles of the authorities. Well, anyway, this article is really about something else entirely. It is to define who owns what and with what aims. After all, if the owner is a people's deputy or someone from the authorities, then it is clear that he needs the radio station not just for beauty. We are looking at Kiev stations, since it is precisely in the capital that the centres of virtually all network radio stations are concentrated. Using some data from opinion polls by a number of rating agencies, it can be defined with a small margin of error what audience the owners can count on in fulfilling political orders. [Table organized by:] Station name, frequency, network (+ or -), controlled/owned by Yevropa plyus-Ukraina, 95.6+, Karpiy/Lozhkin Era, 96.0+, [Andriy] Derkach [an influential pro-Russian businessman and MP, member of the pro-presidential Working Ukraine parliament faction] [Era is one of the BBC Ukrainian Service's rebroadcasters in Ukraine] Renessans, 96.8-, Pinchuk/Yevtukhov [Viktor Pinchuk is an influential businessman and President Kuchma's son in law, the informal leader of the Working Ukraine faction, has interests in the steel industry] Khit-FM, 96.4+, Pinchuk/Yevtukhov Russkoye Radio-Ukraina, 98.5+, Pinchuk/Yevtukhov Nostalzhi, 99.0-, [Volodymyr] Satsyuk, [member of the pro-presidential majority in the Ukrainian parliament] Avtoradio, 99.4+, TRK Pilot-Ukrayina Gala-radio, 100.0+, Joseph Lemir Super Nova, 100.5-, foreign investor Kontingent, 100.8-, Serhiy Sholokh [Kontynent rebroadcasts the BBC, the Voice of America and Deutsche Welle in Ukraine. The station and its chief, Serhiy Sholokh, have repeatedly complained of government pressure, linking it to the station's independent reporting] Melodiya, 101.1+, Karpiy/Lozhkin Myuzik radio, 101.5-, OOO Music-Radio Shanson, 101.9+, Pinchuk/Yevtukhov Prosto radio, 102.5+, AOZT Radi.O Lyuks FM-Kiev, 103.2-, Karpiy/Lozhkin Radio Roks, 103.6-, PP Lyamin Pauer-FM, 104.0-, Pinchuk/Yevtukhov Apelsin, 104.6-, Pinchuk/LUKoil [Russian oil company] Promin, 105.0-, Derkach Stolitsa, 105.5-, Satsyuk Shanson, 106.0+, Karpiy/Lozhkin Kiss, 106.5+, Pinchuk/Yevtukhov Yevropa plyus-Kiev, 107.0+, Pinchuk/Yevtukhov Dovira, 107.4+, [Serhiy] Tyhypko [the chairman of the Central Bank of Ukraine, leader of the Working Ukraine party. Had extensive business interests of which he says he divested himself following his appointment as central bank governor] Nashe radio, 107.9+, Pinchuk/Alfa-kapital "+" means networked through Ukraine; "-" means not networked. The Niko-FM network, which covers several, predominantly western, regions, does not broadcast in Kiev. It belongs to Petro Poroshenko. [Poroshenko is an influential member of reformist former prime minister Viktor Yushchenko's Our Ukraine bloc and chairman of the parliamentary budget committee.] Apart from these stations, there are others, of course, but their share, even in their home towns, cannot be compared with established networks. Two stations with the same name, Shanson, currently enjoy the most popularity in virtually every town in the country. The only difference between them is their owners, and one of them carries in parenthesis the words Adult Radio. There is one other clarification. According to current legislation, one legal entity does not have the right to own more than two radio stations or TV channels. And if one looks at the founding documents of the listed stations, then we do indeed find completely different founders. Only sometimes one may be somewhat surprised to see masses of relations among the co-owners. Well, the law does not say anything on that score. As far as political predilections are concerned, they are forgotten during gaps between elections, and virtually all the stations try not to burden the airwaves with politics. This is all the more true, in that there are only two news stations, Era and Dovira, with a developed network. Moreover, the latter has sharply cut the amount and time of providing material from Radio Liberty, which is relayed on its frequencies. There is a belief in Ukraine for some reason that radio news is nonsense for our country and that cheap pop music and gangster songs are more suitable for us. Well, if those are the conclusions of the agencies that compile the picture of the potential listener, that is how he will be. In other words, we deserve what we hear. Speaking of potential leaders on the political advertising market, the situation in the Top 10 now looks like this (according to data from the MMI, JFK, 059 and VIP-consult agencies). [Table organized by:] No, station name, percentage of listeners in Ukraine Shanson (Adult Radio), up to 15 per cent Shanson, 9 per cent Melodiya, up to 7 per cent Nashe radio, 3-5 per cent Russkoye radio-Ukraina, 3-5 per cent Khit-FM, 2-2.5 per cent Dovira, 2-2.5 per cent Era, 1.5 per cent Yevropa plyus-Ukraina, 1-1.5 per cent Niko-FM, up to 1 per cent. All the others either do not want to play politics or will have to do it at local level, which will not bring in much money, but can bring headaches. Source: Stolichnyye Novosti, Kiev, in Russian 3 Jun 03; p 12,13 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** U K [and non]. [vhfskip] sp-E opening to UK Hi all! brief massive sporadic-E opening late this afternoon towards UK and Atlantic Belgium and France. Unfortunately, the opening had just an hour slot, so I only tried to focus on 48 MHz studiolinks. Signals were quite loud but the MUF was a bit low (no 70 MHz fire channels could be heard). RX : Icom IC-R7100 ANT: Dressler ARA1500 active wideband vertical QTH: Italy FREQ/MODE DATE TIME Z STATION/QTH/REMARKS ----------------------------------------------------------------- 48300 WFM 04jun 1700-1715 UNID Indian MX station. Good until final fadeout. Long chants. Have no idea about the ID, but it's one of the many Indian community stations in the UK. Maybe BBC Asian Service? 48325 WFM 04jun 1650 TWC-FM, Melton Mowbray, Lincs. Had the DJ with an advertised quiz about a 70's TV serial soundtrack. Prizes are food bonuses. Gave the phone number 01664 822132 and the internet URL http://www.twcfm.co.uk Some 60's and 80's hits (Hey Jude, Michael Jackson, etc). Impressive WFM signal at times. 48425 FM 04jun 1655 BHBN (Birmingham Hospital Broadcasting Network). Short local news headlines, then girls' choir jingle. Loud at times 48475 WFM 04jun 1630-1715 UNID always weak and unreadable. 48525 FM 04jun 1630-1715 HHR Hemel Hospital Radio, Hemel Hempstead, Herts. Powerful signal peaks up to S9! Caught some ads: "Solid Gold Music Show" broadcast; "Hemel Hempstead Carnival Society" on July 13th. The jingle was unreadable in the middle of a QSB, but internet searches confirmed it was HHR. 49 MHz 04jun 1630-1715 In-house pagers (UK?). 12.5 kHz step. 50041 CW 04jun 1630 ON0SIX Ham beacon Nivelles, Belgium. Locator JO20EP. Many of the stations appearing on 48 MHz are "Hospital Stations" broadcasting to patients and surgery staff. I suppose these are not "studio links" but in-house loudspeakers' broadcasting devices reaching every room and ward inside the hospital. A very good website having a list of stations and every info you need to have, is http://www.hospitalradio.co.uk/ Best wishes of a fruitful sp-E summer! de Ciccio Munaron (via Brock Whaley, DXLD) ** U S A. CLEAR CHANNEL TO PURCHASE FCC (Press Release) WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Federal Communications Commission FCC) announced today that it has agreed to be acquired by Clear Channel Communications (CCU) of San Antonio, Texas. In announcing the deal, FCC Chairman Micheal Powell said "This transaction will greatly expedite the demise of the antiquated concept of local ownership of media outlets. Critics of deals such as this need to understand that Clear Channel embodies all that is good and decent in the broadcast industry, and anyone that believes otherwise clearly isn't listening to the news." In a statement issued today, Clear Channel CEO Lowry Mays said "This acquisition is a perfect strategic fit for Clear Channel. The FCC has been a wonderful business partner for the past several years, and has carried out our directions with great enthusiasm. We are proud to welcome the FCC into the Clear Channel family of companies." Although terms of the deal were not immediately available, It is said that the acquisition will include all components, operating units and assets of the FCC, except for its soul, which was sold in a prior transaction to Satan, Inc. in 1996. Clear Channel, which owns broadcast facilities, shopping malls, billboard advertising, and concert promotion units all across North America, has been on an acquisition binge for the past several years, and has recently broadened the scope of its acquisitions to include government entities. In a recent deal, CCU purchased a 50% interest in the U.S. Congress, and is reportedly close to striking a deal to purchase The White House. Clear Channel's Stock stood at $42.09 at the close of Monday's trading, up $1.39, or 3.42% (Stolen from another list via Paul Smith Sarasota, FL, June 3, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. COZY WITH THE F.C.C. -- June 5, 2003 By BOB HERBERT The latest government giveaway to big business came Monday when the Federal Communications Commission eased a number of media ownership restrictions that had been designed to enhance competition, foster independence and provide the public with a wider variety of views and perspectives across the media landscape. What we will get instead is a further consolidation of news and entertainment outlets under the control of a handful of giant corporations. The assets and the tremendous power of these media biggies were enhanced - and the interests of the viewing, listening and reading public were eroded - by the controversial 3-to-2 vote of the F.C.C. commissioners. This was, understandably, a big story. Not so widely covered was an interesting and enlightening study by the Center for Public Integrity on the "cozy" relationship between F.C.C. officials and the telecommunications and broadcasting industries they are supposed to be regulating. The center examined the travel records of F.C.C. employees and found that over the last eight years, commissioners and staff members have taken 2,500 trips costing $2.8 million that were "primarily" paid for by members of the telecommunications and broadcast industries. Can you say conflict of interest? Can you imagine how maybe - just maybe - the interests of ordinary men and women, who don't have the money or the entree to lobby the F.C.C. and entertain its staffers, could be overlooked? How about trampled? "This shows us just how close, how incestuous, the industry and its regulating agency are," said Charles Lewis, the center's executive director. According to the study: "The top destination was Las Vegas, with 330 trips. Second was New Orleans, with 173 trips. And third was New York, with 102 trips. Other destinations were London (98 trips), San Francisco, Palm Springs, Buenos Aires and Beijing. I wish I could tell you this was unusual. But the fact is that many government agencies accept millions of dollars annually from industries and other special interests for trips to meetings, conferences, retreats, whatever. The government beneficiaries of this largess are frequently wined and dined in luxurious settings. They network. They party. And they will tell you they are not influenced at all by this wonderful treatment. The F.C.C. is overridden - "like locusts, really" said Mr. Lewis - by lobbyists and top industry executives. Control of the nation's airwaves, which is the most direct and effective way of controlling how we think and feel and vote and spend our cash, is one of the great prizes America has to offer. Each opportunity to grab additional control is seized upon ferociously by the big media honchos. The Center for Public Integrity reported that there were more than 70 closed-door meetings in recent months between F.C.C. officials and representatives of the nation's top broadcasters, including very powerful chief executives, to discuss the relaxation of media ownership restrictions, the key issue that was voted on Monday. The two major groups that represented the public on this issue were Consumers Union and the Media Access Project. Representatives of those groups met just five times with F.C.C. officials. A particularly revealing moment occurred Sunday, the day before the vote, on the ABC program "This Week." During an interview with F.C.C. chairman, Michael Powell, the moderator, George Stephanopoulos, noted that a survey of 500,000 comments on the F.C.C. Web site showed that more than 97 percent "were opposed to the new rules." "Doesn't that make you wonder," Mr. Stephanopoulos asked, "whether you might be misreading the public interest here?" Mr. Powell said he didn't think so. He said the F.C.C. had "taken those comments into deep consideration." He even said, "I think that they're valid." Oh? "But unfortunately," said Mr. Powell, "as you can understand, most of the comments are `I'm not for consolidation.' Well, Mike Powell is not for consolidation either. But that is not the specific task we have before us." You can understand that, can't you? http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/05/opinion/05HERB.html?ex=1055812426&ei=1&en=c5942e7fc4b89de6 Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company (June 5 via Roger Chambers, DXLD) ** U S A. ON TV-MEDIA DEREGULATION By FRAZIER MOORE, AP Television Writer NEW YORK (AP) -- This was never about us. Anyone who is still perplexed over this week's vote by the Federal Communications Commission to let Big Media grow even bigger should get a clue. However much we may be affected by that vote, it had nothing to do with us, the nation's media consumers. Sure, we may want to believe that the FCC is committed to stewarding the public airwaves -- our airwaves -- on our behalf. But we apparently are clinging to a quaint, outmoded notion. This has been vividly demonstrated by Michael K. Powell and what we might call his Roadmap for Media Consolidation. The FCC, thanks to his chairmanship and a three-member Republican majority (also consisting of Commissioners Kathleen Q. Abernathy and Kevin J. Martin), is serving interests other than ours: those of media giants and the parties they enrich. With media regulation clearly the province of Beltway and Wall Street insiders, we are relegated to a secondary role. We are meant to be dazzled by the bounty of media outlets, while remaining unconcerned by what goes on behind the scenes: more media acquired by fewer companies; more media in a community controlled by a single owner; fewer voices; less diversity. Such affairs, as the FCC has told us with ringing clarity, are none of our business. Granted, this is disputed by the FCC's other two commissioners, Democrats Michael J. Copps and Jonathan S. Adelstein. For months, they actively sought comments from the public on the proposed changes, which Adelstein on Monday called "gratuitous deregulation." The 3-2 vote changes the national TV ownership limit so a company can own stations that reach 45 percent of the U.S. audience, boosted from 35 percent. One company can own up to three TV stations and a newspaper in a single market. Media conglomerates including Viacom and News Corp. are cheering these and other new provisions. "The Communications Act tells us to use our rules to promote localism, diversity and competition," said Copps, referring to the 1930s legislation that created the FCC. "It reminds us that the airwaves belong to the American people, and that no broadcast station, no company, no single individual owns an airwave in America." Even so, already lax rules have led to a situation where 90 percent of the most-watched cable channels are owned by the same giants that own the major TV networks and cable systems, Copps noted. And as for the argument that such a disparity can be corrected by the Internet, the major Web news sites, he said, "are controlled by the same media giants who control radio, TV, newspapers and cable." Like Copps, Adelstein decried the pro-business focus of the commission's majority, while marvelling that it had chosen to overlook the expressed will of the people. "We have received about three-quarters of a million comments from the public in opposition to relaxing our ownership rules, a new record," said Adelstein, "and only a handful in support." The unlikely coalition of vocal opponents includes media moguls Ted Turner and Barry Diller, consumer advocates, civil rights and religious groups, writers, musicians, unions, the National Organization for Women and the National Rifle Association, and members of Congress from both parties. Nonetheless, the new FCC order "is rife with references to market efficiencies," said Adelstein, "but it's virtually devoid of any reference to consumers -- that is, citizens." Maybe we brought this on ourselves. For too long, we have paid little mind to the FCC. So much of what it does seemed technical, abstruse and downright boring. Such chores seemed best left to the bureaucrats and lawyers who are typical commission appointees. They were the professionals, the experts. But are they really? In 1997, then Commissioner Harold Furchtgott-Roth famously declared that television was taboo in his home. On the other hand, "There is no better expert witness than the American people," Adelstein observed Monday. "We have heard from people who have collectively spent billions of hours watching TV, listening to the radio and reading newspapers," he said. "But today's decision overrides their better judgment. It instead relies on the reasoning of a handful of powerful media companies who have a vested financial interest." But the final shot may not yet have been fired. Lawmakers will consider partly reversing the FCC's decision, Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain said Wednesday. And thanks to a citizenry aroused by its betrayal at the FCC's hands, this media debate could even play a part in the upcoming presidential race. The FCC, Copps said, "awoke a sleeping giant." ------ On the Net: http://www.cjr.org/owners/ http://www.moveon.org http://www.commoncause.org http://www.mediachannel.org http://http://www.fcc.gov (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. Our local "station of record" by-the-way, is again running their hurricane coverage promos, while their transmitter site is in one of the evacuation flood zones. Wonder how that works? (The buildings don't appear to be raised) (Bob Foxworth, Tampa FL, June 4, NRC-AM via DXLD) Which station would that be? ** U S A. HIS NETWORK HAS A STRIPPER, BUT NO SOLICITORS PLEASE By ROBIN FINN June 5, 2003 L ATER rather than sooner comes the main confession from Steve Mendelsohn, executive director of Manhattan Neighborhood Network, the public access television station that is the ultimate bully pulpit for Manhattanites wishing to vent in its freebie studios, as long as they vent without resorting to obscenity, violence or, the ultimate MNN no-no, sales schemes. Psychics and personal trainers, don't go posting your cellphone numbers around here. This minuscule venture may draw the bulk of its $3 million annual operating budget from AOL Time Warner a fiscal quid pro quo the city demanded of Time Warner in return for allowing it to tear up sidewalks to install its cable system but it is a bastion of noncorporate ideals. At least until its franchise is up for renewal in 2008. Also, lest it go unmentioned, anybody who threatens to make mean with an animal, like the guy who brought a live iguana to the studio as a torture prop, will lose his or her MNN camera privileges just as fast as a guy who waxes pornographic. First Amendment rights have their limits. Animals have rights, too. MNN is "democracy in action," Mr. Mendelsohn says. "Anybody who has anything to say can say it so long as they don't break the law." Or recite sales pitches along with their mantras and poetry and recipes and campaign promises. But Mr. Mendelsohn, still ingenuous at 45, tends toward benevolence: he suspends rather than expels broadcast miscreants. Of the 2,000 Manhattan residents who book time in MNN's studios each year, only 30 have had their knuckles rapped for flouting on-air decorum. (Brooklyn and the Bronx have their own public access outlets, but nonprofit organizations with Manhattan agendas are welcome.) He's an optimist, and believes in second chances for everybody except the Federal Communications Commission, which incurred his disdain on Monday by relaxing the rules governing media ownership, a decision that provoked a nonpartisan backlash in Congress. Critics like him say the deregulation invests too much media clout in too few hands (and ideologies). Mr. Mendelsohn, alongside peers in the Alliance for Community Media, is protesting the ruling as an antidemocratic development that, while not imposing on his network, is an insult to the public. If not repealed as he anticipates, he says, it has potential to distort the big picture. "The result will be a limitation of the public's ability to get balanced information," he says, flexing his freckled fists. Back to that confession about MNN's far-and-free-ranging content a confession that, by the way, is not obtained via torture in Mr. Mendelsohn's poorly ventilated but impressively high-tech office at 537 West 59th Street. He makes it freely. And it is, like most of the two-hour soliloquy that emanates from the strawberry blond and blush-prone countenance of Mr. Mendelsohn, delivered with a Howdy Doodyish grin that threatens to spilt his face in two. "Sometimes I'm appalled by some of the things I hear on MNN," he admits, "but I'm also thrilled people can say what they say. We never censor. If someone wants to come in here and agree with the F.C.C., I'm not going to stop them." Since he can't afford to commission a Nielsen rating, Mr. Mendelsohn has no clue about the size of MNN's audience. But he brags about its scope. "We're about targeting niches," he says. "Some people want to watch the stripper who tells jokes while she's stripping; some people want to hear about issues related to the Dominican community. I don't know how many people watch `Biker Billy Cooks With Fire' or `Health's Kitchen' or `Caribbean Body Talk,' " he says. "But there's an audience." A JERSEY-GROWN guy, Mr. Mendelsohn was raised in Glen Rock but gravitated early to Manhattan's arts and theater scene. His parents wanted him to become a dentist; just the thought made him queasy. Instead, he got a degree in economics from the Wharton School and completed his M.B.A. at Harvard. From there, he plunged into the corporate hierarchy, first at Clairol, with a timeout to run the family limousine company after his father's death in 1986, then at American Express, where he spent a decade and was, by 1997, a vice president for foreign exchange services. As corporations go, Amex was good to him and for him. But the death of his partner of 15 years, Phil Kanner, from AIDS in 1995 compelled him to rethink his professional agenda. Mr. Kanner had been a social worker. Mr. Mendelsohn sensed that his own trajectory was a touch selfish. He left his job, traveled, and wound up at Razorfish during the Internet boom: "We were going to help everyone revolutionize everything they did. If you remember what people were saying in the late 90's, it felt true." After the wheels fell off the Internet juggernaut, he agreed to run MNN for five months as its board searched for a permanent executive director last year. With no experience in public access media, or in nonprofit organizations, Mr. Mendelsohn was deemed unqualified for the permanent position. Two months later, he interviewed for the job. The 18-member board grilled him for three hours. "Grueling," he says. "But why I wanted this job is probably why they hired me: I had a vision of what this could become. The more the F.C.C. does things like they did Monday, the more important we are. It's all about people saying, `I want my MNN.' " Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. GREASING THE SKIDS FOR OPERA By Art Buchwald, Thursday, June 5, 2003; Page C03 It goes without saying that oil companies have to think about money -- lots of it. They produce so much money that they feel guilty about it, so occasionally they do a good deed. For 63 years, one of the good deeds for Texaco, now called ChevronTexaco Corp., was to broadcast the great operas live every Saturday afternoon from the Metropolitan Opera. It brought culture and joy into the hearts of millions of Americans who might otherwise never hear an opera -- and it also sold millions of barrels of oil to people who believed Texaco cared. The other day, ChevronTexaco announced that as of 2004 it will no longer be the sponsor. Its reason: The company's focus has changed. No one knew what that meant. You don't have to read between the lines to know that there is a serious brain drain at ChevronTexaco. The whiz kids have decided they can save the company $7 million a year and spend the money on lobbying for drilling in Alaska. Is another sponsor going to pick up the tab and the goodwill that goes with it? You bet your Traviata it will. The Heavenly Oil Co. is very excited. The president of Heavenly called me. "We never thought we could get a chance to sponsor the opera." "Why is ChevronTexaco quitting?" "Because they are stupid. The people who buy gasoline are opera lovers. On Saturday after the performance, everybody went out and bought Texaco gas and oil and even tires. We could feel how loyal the listeners were. Then they produced a public relations disaster. We realized it was coming when Chevron bought Texaco. "Our mole infiltrated one of their meetings and told us a smart-alecky 25-year-old vice president said, 'Now that we own Texaco we have to play hardball. Operas used to drive me crazy at the Harvard Business School when I was studying mergers and acquisitions.' "The mole told us an older vice president said, 'Are we going to get any backlash when we announce what we're doing?' "Our mole reported that an advertising manager said the damage control division could take out ads in the newspapers explaining the reason they did it was to cut down on noise pollution." I asked the Heavenly Oil president, "Did your company come up in the conversation?" "Texaco apparently said we would be suckers to pick up sponsorship. They said culture is changing in America and Mozart is a dead duck." "What did you have to say to that?" I asked him. "If America sees that we like opera, they will let us explore for oil in Iraq." After talking to the president of Heavenly Oil, I called around and found many sponsors who said they might be interested, including Sprint, Nike sneakers, Alpo dog food, Head and Shoulders shampoo and even Viagra. ChevronTexaco made a $7 million blooper and the next time I drive past one of its gas stations I'm not even going to stop to fill up my tires with free air. (c) 2003, Tribune Media Services (c) 2003 The Washington Post Company (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. "STATIC BE GONE: RADIO GOES DIGITAL" Click here to email this story to a friend: http://www.csmonitor.com/cgi-bin/send-story?2003/0605/p13s01-stct.txt Click here to read this story online: http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0605/p13s01-stct.html Byline: Rick Dearborn, Special to The Christian Science Monitor Date: 06/05/2003 This summer's biggest radio hit may not be a pop single, but a new service. When new digital radio - or HD Radio, named after its cousin HDTV (high definition television) - comes to US stores in August, it could change the whole soundscape of the nation. Formerly lower-quality AM radio will sound like stereo FM. FM will sound more like a compact disc. As local radio stations put the new service on the air, listeners with HD-equipped radio receivers can expect to hear an immediate improvement. "On AM, the improvement will be startling. On FM even listeners with 'educated ears' will have a hard time detecting the difference between HD Radio and their favorite CD," says Andy Laird of the Journal Broadcast Group. But while many stations are installing and testing the new system for between $100,000 and $500,000 apiece, some broadcasters aren't sold on the idea. "We took a good look at [HD Radio] and decided that we could not justify the cost of conversion at the present time for any of our 22 stations," says Dennis Orcutt of Renda Broadcasting in Pittsburgh. "[We're going] to hold off and see how the industry and consumers take to this new technology." As the nation's oldest wireless medium, radio has been woven into the fabric of everyday life since its advent in 1903. Today, with HD Radio's expanded capacities, new uses are only beginning to be envisioned. HD Radio works like this: To listen to the service, consumers need new - and relatively inexpensive - radio equipment adaptable to both the HD system and old analog radio. Then, when they tune in to a station providing the signal, at first they'll hear the old analog signal. Then, after about seven seconds, the signal switches over to HD and "the sound suddenly expands out in all directions," Mr. Laird says. Because the HD Radio signal is concealed within the AM and FM radio programming already being broadcast over local radio stations, if listeners opt not to buy the new HD radios their old ones will continue to work just fine. Only at some future point, if HD Radio stations decide to go completely digital, could analog radios become obsolete. Unlike satellite radio, which charges listeners a subscription fee, the only cost to HD Radio listeners will be for new radio gear. Broadcasters will pick up the rest of the tab, in the form of new broadcasting equipment and licensing fees. A Columbia, Md., company called iBiquity will be the sole provider of the technology, which was approved by the Federal Communications Commission last October. "Terrestrial radio is really the only remaining medium not to be all digital," says Dave Salemi, iBiquity's vice president of marketing. "HD Radio now propels radio into the digital age" both in terms of sound quality and possible communications with other new technologies. New radios coming out this summer, for example, will include an informational display showing song title and artist, or other text messages such as emergency alerts. Second-generation FM radios will have even more features, including on-demand local traffic and weather updates automatically sent to car receivers. Additional data channels could even tie car radios to a Global Positioning System receiver that would supply information about restaurants, hotels, and other attractions within blocks of the car's location at any given moment. "The future on-demand audio function will also allow listeners to repeat songs they just heard, or even play the end of a program they missed when they had to leave their car for work," says Mr. Salemi. Still, broadcasters say, there are definite drawbacks. The high cost of installation may put the service out of reach for smaller stations. And as with all new technologies, there are kinks to work out: Since January, some broadcasters have said the sound quality of the AM system is not up to snuff, and have put their plans to install HD Radio on hold until the issue is resolved. What's more, initially AM stations will be allowed to broadcast HD Radio only during the day, due to potential interference with other stations at night. Though this hurdle is likely to be overcome as the AM system is refined, and though higher audio quality across the board may level the playing field between AM and competing FM stations, many small-station owners are still holding, with Sam Stemm of tiny WBGZ-AM in Alton, Ill. "My attitude right now is wait and see," he says. (c) Copyright 2003 The Christian Science Monitor. All rights reserved. (via Roger Chambers, DXLD) ** U S A. Anyone need WJNT-1180 Jackson, MS? I got a message they're testing tonight. 12 am till 1 am CST [sic; surely CDT = Fri June 6 0500-0600 UT] at 50 kw-ND. Morse IDs along with the regular programming: Bruce Williams CBS News - top of hr. CNN News - bottom of hr. Stan Carter, CE, WJNT NewsTalk 1180 AM / 103.9 FM, http://www.wjnt.com See the website to e-mail the CE. Sorry about the short notice!!! (Lynn Hollerman, Lafayette, LA, June 5, IRCA via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. Hi Glenn, Greetings from Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA. I send you an article I have written about the situation in Venezuela with media and the new "Radio and TV law". VENEZUELA: IS FREEDOM OF SPEECH UNDER JEOPARDY? Days before an imminent approval of the new legislation about media known as "Ley de Responsabilidad Social de Radio y TV", many people have shown their disagreement towards this law. The fact of controlling media programming is not a very common situation in Venezuela where the most powerful and wealthiest people have always done what they have wanted to. Control is a bad word for these people. Contrary to other countries in Europe or other parts of the world, the majority of radio and TV stations in Venezuela are under entrepreneurs' control. The first radio broadcaster going on the air in the early 1920's was a private sponsored station. The first TV broadcaster --- in the early 1950's --- was a private station too. Through the years, media owners always had strong relations with government officials in Venezuela. Most of the times, senators and congressmen in the former Parliament were supported by media or directly related to them. Naturally, these senators and congressmen sabotaged --- for more than 40 years --- any attempt of sanctioning a law concerning to radio and TV programming regulation. Nowadays, things have changed and something that is not a surprise is happening: private media owners accuse the government of violating freedom of speech if the law on radio and TV is approved. It is such a natural reaction! They are not accustomed to regulations; they have been operating for more than 70 years without clear regulations! Yes, control --- a bad word for them. The Ley de Responsabilidad Social de Radio y TV document claims to protect children from programs which promote violence, sex and pornography and states that children have to be respected as viewers. The law establishes schedules especially devoted to children-oriented programming, during morning and afternoon hours. The participation of independent producers on private networks airing-time is also an important goal of the new Radio and TV law. However, the worst enemy against the law is ignorance. Many people have taken a stand against the law and they have not even read its text! Last Sunday, a Caracas-based group called "Asamblea de Vecinos", went to the state-owned Channel 8 to carry out a demonstration. They were aired by the station, even when many people on the opposition side say this is not a REAL DEMOCRACY! One of the protesters said that the Radio and TV law was putting freedom of speech under jeopardy. Suddenly, the TV station reporter asked him: "So, could you name --- in numbers --- the articles of that law you are opposed to?". The protester made a pause and started to cry out the "same-old-story- repeating-speech" about the dictator Chávez, the so-called communist project and the media-biased opinions about the "Ley Mordaza" (the media "nickname" to the new Radio and TV law). I strongly recommend to my DXing friends to read --- carefully --- the Radio and TV law document before expressing any comments (Adán González, Radio Announcer, Licence number 26950, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE. Hi Glenn, Just to let you know that your report in June 4 DXLD 3-098 on the Zimbabwe-based reporters of Radio VOP --- "The Voice of the People" was informative and accurate. Local media is subject to huge censorship by the State but shortwave always gets its message across the borders. SW Radio Africa transmitting from Sentech facilities in South Africa and VOP Radio from the 200 kW Radio Netherlands transmitter on Madagascar Island have been informative and directive during this week-long crisis staged against the government of Zimbabwe. I have been a DXer for 20 years but at no stage did I think that shortwave radio would be more important to me and my fellow countryfolk as it has been this week (Dave Pringle-Wood, Harare, ZIMBABWE, June 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. Hi out there, below is one of two answers I got from SW Radio Africa on 4880, and anyone familiar with reception conditions in SE Africa could send on their advice to Richard. I've done my best to answer Richard's mail, but I know that there are better "experts" around. I thought my AOR AR7030 had gone wild yesterday June 3, at 1730 UT... The other and first mail came from Simon Surrey, Technical Manager, SW Radio Africa, just one hour after sending the report. His mail address is simon@swradioafrica.com. I let this correspondence speak for itself. 73 Johan Berglund, Trollhättan, Sweden ----- Original Message ----- From: richard Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2003 1:45 PM Subject: FW: Reception report 4880 kHz Dear Johan, Thank you for this report and your observations. It is exciting to know that we can be picked up in Sweden. In fact you seem to be able to hear us better than many people in our target area of Southern Africa. If it is not too much trouble I wonder if you could explain in a few words how people in Zimbabwe with a short wave radio might be able to get a better signal. At this time of year there is a big problem with propagation and many people cannot hear our programmes, which is frustrating. Is it possible to connect a regular short wave radio to a wire propped against a tree to get a better signal? Is there an optimum length of Arial to pick up signals on the 60 metre band? Again many thanks for your e-mail. Richard - SW Radio Africa 4880 KHz on the 60m band http://www.swradioafrica.com -----Original Message----- From: simon Sent: 03 June 2003 23:54 To: staff Subject: FW: Reception report 4880 kHz I have replied. What a nice report to have. Steve -----Original Message----- From: Johan Berglund Sent: 03 June 2003 23:41 To: tech Subject: Reception report 4880 kHz Trollhättan, Sweden June 3, 2003 SW Radio Africa; Dear Sirs, I congratulate you to the very fine reception of your broadcasts on short wave 4880 kHz in the 60 metre band. Even "way up" here in western Sweden, your programmes are heard very well, with an astonishing signal strength, and fine readability. There was simply no comparison to other signals from Africa in the same metre band at the time. I tuned in at 1730 GMT and stayed with you for an hour. June 3, 2003. The news coverage of what is going on in Zimbabwe also stunned me, with so many details and perspectives of the peaceful demonstrations against Robert Mugabe's illegitimate regime now taking place. This one hour of listening gave me more insight than a dozen newspaper articles. I do listen with a semi-professional radio, the U.K. designed and manufactured AOR AR7030, and a 50 metre outdoor wire for aerial, but I am very sure that any receiver with shortwave covering the 60 metre band would pick it up very well - especially in your "target area" of Zimbabwe. On a scale 1-5 for signal strength, you get 4, interference 4 (just occasional telegraph beeps, and some voice communication, in Russian, I think), 5 for noise (no background buzz) 4 for propagation (steady, only slightly variable signal strength) and 4+ for overall quality of reception. SINPO 44544. A few details from your broadcast (times are GMT) At 1733 an interview with a woman who really had a horror story to tell, how she and her husband going in their car had had a man jumping onto the roof of the car and stabbing it with a knife (or was it a bayonet?), how they had passed policemen not bothering and how they eventually escaped that drama... After that you spelled out you website and at 1943 [sic = CEST] a news story how staff members of The Voice of the People had been beaten up by "war veteran" militiamen. Station identification : -You're listening to the news from SW Radio Africa, Zimbabwe's Independent Voice. Then about the arrests in Harare, MPs in police custody, and an interview with the owner of a Harare farm supply store. The news went on well beyond normal time, you said, because of the vast amount of things to report on. It came to a close at about 1818, with a frequency reminder about 4880 kHz, and the program went on with a long and catchy Zimbabwe Freedom Hymn. I will indeed listen to 4880 kHz tomorrow too, and keep in touch with developments. I strongly support your cause, and this broadcast that I heard made me very much more aware of the terrible situation that freedom and democracy is suffering in Zimbabwe. I have not yet visited your website, just wanted to write this letter first, with a very fresh impression of your program. Thank you so much, and all my best wishes. If you have the time, please just acknowledge that I have heard your program. Sincerely yours Johan Berglund (retired traffic officer) Vabacksvägen 10 S - 461 91 Trollhättan, Sweden (via DX LISTENING DIGEST) How are we supposed to help them when they won`t even confirm their transmitter site? If it be South Africa, as widely assumed, possibly in mid-winter the MUF is falling so low that even 4.8 MHz be too high, and they should go down to 90 meters. There could also be issues of antenna directionality, vertical take-off angle, etc., but how can we advise on this without any data? (gh, DXLD) The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition is disgusted with the level of harassment, intimidation and brutality that has accompanied the week of mass action called by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). Arrests, assault and intimidation continue across the country. There are reports of business owners being forced to open their businesses, and local organisers and activists have been attacked and detained by members of the uniformed forces. This week, the brutality that Zimbabweans have come to associate with mass action has exceeded even its previous limits. Two journalists were attacked in the Harare suburb of Mt Pleasant when they went to cover a story about the University of Zimbabwe students. They were assaulted, driven back into town, and taken to the police station. Rather than detaining the people who had attacked and abducted these journalists, the police took the two to their office, seized some material belonging to the agency, and held it over night. The material was later returned. This flagrant breech of journalistic freedoms is just one indication of the repression Zimbabweans must now confront. Copies of the independent Daily News have been seen torn into shreds and strewn across the streets in Harare and other towns in Zimbabwe. It is reported that pro-government youths and para-military groups are moving about major towns destroying copies of the paper and threatening people found reading it. It is not press freedom alone which is under threat. Many of the Harare residents who have been injured in this week`s wave of assaults have been treated at the Avenues Clinic in Harare. This afternoon, however, (Wednesday June 4) members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police stormed the clinic and created a panic threatening outpatients, those awaiting treatment and even Hospital staff. Victims of violence were easily identified by their bandages, and these people in particular were threatened by the police. Vehicles with number plates from the ZRP and from the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) were observed outside the clinic at this time, and at least two people were witnessed being accompanied by riot details to these vehicles. The behaviour of the ZRP instilled even more fear among people who had already been severely beaten, tortured and brutalised. In Mbare, it is reported that one pro-democracy activist was killed when he and a Harare City Councillor were attacked by pro-government actors. In Warren Park police reportedly fired teargas at a primary school. In Mbare, there have been reports of school children being attacked by pro-government actors when they were coming from school. The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition is disturbed by the increasing lack of humanity that such cases indicate. It is a damning comment on our national character if people are assaulted, and then when they seek treatment, they are further harassed by the same state agents who are supposed to ``serve and protect`` them. Moreover, if school children are not allowed to move freely between home and school, then as a nation we have truly reached a desperate state. 4 June 2003 Crisis in Zimbabwe is a grouping of civil society organisations and coalitions whose vision is a democratic Zimbabwe. The Coalition`s mandate is to address the twin questions of governance and legitimacy. Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition Tel/Fax: +263 4 747 817 Email: info@crisis.co.zw Please forward this message to others, print copies for your office and distribute to your friends and colleagues (via DXLD) I was just listening to Thursday`s Fresh Air on NPR --- the first 34 minutes with the Guardian correspondent just expelled from Zimbabwe (gh, DXLD) ### |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-098, June 4, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3f.html For restrixions and searchable 2003 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn FIRST AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1185: Wed 2200 on WBCQ 7415, 17495-CUSB Thu 2030 on WWCR 15825 Fri 1930 on RFPI 15039, 7445 WRN ONDEMAND [from Fri]: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [from early UT Thu] [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1185.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1185.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1185h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1185h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1185.html ** BOLIVIA. 6585 Bolivia, Radio Nueva Esperanza YEEEEEEEES!!!!!!!!!!!! I got here in Moscow and even recorded more than one hour of it starting from 0036 up till 0143 June 4, mostly talk station, only one music fragment (choral singing), 0054 YL interview, mentioned ``departamento de salud``, some quick IDs with ``... A-EME (AM) nacional, ... banda internacional``, mix in Aymara and Spanish, mentionedd El Alto (suburb of La Paz where the station is located), Urkupina (local festivity), at 0143 station went on the noise level 'cause of local sunrise (0543 MSK) and carrier was heard till 0146. 23322 when I picked it up, then surely worsened. Yuspayrampa Jila Marcelo Aragaoru Quchapanpata, Diuspargayki Marcelo Aragao weraquchaman Quchapanpamanta, Muchissimas gracias a Sr. Marcelo Aragao de Cochabamba por su primera informacion sobre esta estacion!!! (Artyom Prokhorov, Russia, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** CHINA. Mi querido amigo brasileño Celio Romais me cuenta que está desarrollando un proyecto para el sitio en la red del colega Sarmento Campos. Se trata de entrevistas con personas que hablan de la vida y su trabajo en emisoras de radio en ondas cortas. Sarmento Campos lo define como: "A história do rádio por quem a faz". La primera edición estará dedicada a Guilherme Korte, periodista brasileño que trabajó en la Rádio Internacional de China. La entrevista está en el siguiente sitio: http://planeta.terra.com.br/arte/sarmentocampos/HistoriaOndasCurtas.htm o en el portal http://radioescuta.aminharadio.com (Arnaldo Slaen, June 4, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ya ** CHINA [non]. CHINA (CRI) ON MW IN EASTERN EUROPE Dear Glenn, I hope all is well with you and it is quite a while since we were in contact. I just wanted to mention that there have been various DX reports of transmissions of CRI on MW in eastern Europe and I wanted to explain what is going on. Following the success of WRN's transmission of CRI via Luxembourg on 1440 kHz to western Europe we have been carrying out pilot transmissions from sites in eastern Europe. Various times, frequencies and antenna directions are being tried. In a few weeks time, in consultation with CRI, the optimal arrangements will be decided and a regular pattern of use will be established and WRN will then issue a press release. At the moment transmission is in Russian at 1700-1800 UTC on 1548 kHz from Moldova. Regards (Jeff Cohen, World Radio Network, London, June 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. Thanks for all your hard work and interesting publications. In case you're not familiar with the Falun Gong persecution in China, please learn more at http://www.faluninfo.net and http://www.clearwisdom.net as well as http://www.falundafa.org Also, an American citizen, Charles Li, was arrested on trumped-up charges when he went to China to visit family for the New Year and is being held in a labor camp: http://www.rescuecharles.org The Chinese tyrant, Jiang, is being sued for Genocide in a Chicago District Federal court. Learn more at: http://www.upholdjustice.org Finally, the Mainland's attempt to impose its will on Hong Kong via the "Article 23" Law is a blatant totalitarian gambit and must be exposed. http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2003/2/26/32617.html and http://www.article23.org.hk/english/intro.htm This issue seems to have important consequences for Chinese history, culture as well as global human rights and should be more well known! Thanks again! (Gary Pansey, Melbourne, FL, June 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO DR. R. Okapi, Kinshasa, 6030-USB, May 10 at 2210 Afropop/US soul instrumental non-stop music; only two female ID jingles in 30 minutes; SWR [Germany] was absent this night; co-channel jamming to R. Martí from 2305; SIO 353 (Luca Botto Fiora, Rapallo, Italy, Drake R7, Grundig Sat 500, Hitachi KH-WS1, various antennas, June BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) Certainly a rare one, especially on this frequency. Why go to all the trouble to set up the station and network if they are just going to play music? (gh, DXLD) RADIO OKAPI, SEUL MOYEN DE COMMUNICATION DANS L'EST DE LA RDCONGO L'observatoire De L'opinion Dernieres Depeches Culture 3 Juin, 17h16 par Jan HENNOP Sept heures du soir, le jour vient de tomber, et un petit air familier commence `a resonner `a Kindu, petite ville sous controle rebelle dans l'est de la Republique democratique du Congo (RDC). "Okapi, Okapi", chantent les enfants quand l'indicatif de Radio Okapi annonce le programme d'une heure reserve aux nouvelles locales de la zone de Kindu, au bord du fleuve Congo, dans la province de Maniema (centre-est). Pour des millions de Congolais, cette station qui diffuse 24 heures sur 24 est l'unique lien entre le monde exterieur et leur pays ravage par la guerre. . . http://infos.aol.fr/info/ADepeche?id=161680&cat_id=6 (AFP via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** ECUADOR. Monitoring HCJB this morning on off channel 15114.2 kHz. at 1120, now past 1135 UT. There is no longer any program information for HCJB on the internet, whether from Ecuador or Australia. The DX Partyline site can be accessed directly http://dxpl.hcjb.org/ but it has not been updated in some time (January?). Using Google to try and find the "Morning in the Mountains" web page directly yields a link, but that link loops to the main HCJB site http://www.hcjb.org which provides no information whatsoever about the program. The program I am hearing on 15114.2, now past 1145, does not sound like "Morning in the Mountains". It is a lengthy discussion about one family's ordeal and how faith helped them through it. But I will continue to monitor. [Later:] The program between 1130 and 1200 is "Family Life Today". The 1200 program is "Precept" with Kay Arthur. Her references to the "liberal media", praise for Ann Coulter's diatribe "Scandal" and observations about the Florida election fiasco (the Democrats were at fault for vilifying that poor FL secretary of state) makes me wonder if this is a really a religious program at all or a religious station ministering to Latin America in fact. After all, what do the people of Central and South America (including the missionaries) care about this? This program is also on the HCJB Australia schedule. One has to question why. It's really sad what's happened to HCJB. It's probably best that the founders can no longer hear it. 1215 program is "Proclaim" and 1230 program is "Renewing Your Mind", both more conventional religious teaching programs. All of the programs mentioned over my past three posts are M-F daily programs. So, no sign of "Morning in the Mountains", as we've come to know it. The good news is that signal to (at least my NY location in) NAm are very strong and stable (S9+), so DX Partyline should be easy to hear on Saturday morning at 1230 UT. They'll have to recalibrate the transmitter, though --- signal is still on 15114.2 kHz at this time. (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY, Lowe HF-150 stack, A/D sloper antenna oriented west to east, swprograms and DX LISTENING DIGEST) John Figliozzi wrote: ``It's really sad what's happened to HCJB. It's probably best that the founders can no longer hear it.`` Either you are suggesting radio waves cannot penetrate the earth to reach the founders who are down in hell (unlikely given their good works in the 1930's) or that heaven is some sort autocratic fascist regime run by Taliban exiles that does not allow the founders to have shortwave radios. Or are you simply suggesting there is no after life? 8-) Any way you go, you are in trouble. ~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-., (Joe Buch, DE, ibid.) -*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^ I am only suggesting that they can't hear it. As for the metaphysical reasons supporting or debunking that statement --- I'll leave that for you. :-) (Figliozzi, ibid.) ** ERITREA/ETHIOPIA[non] Radio UNMEE heard *1031-1130* June 3rd on 21550, abrupt sign on with lady in vernacular, talks with occasional musical bridges to 1115 when start of English programme announced, this had information on a UN humanatarian conference in Asmara and a children`s party being organised there by the UN, abrupt off mid sentence 1130. Fair to good at first on clear channel though faded down during the broadcast. Is Tuesdays only (Mike Barraclough, Letchworth, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. Radio Ethiopia heard on 9704.2 June 3rd 1945-2000*, Horn of Africa music and announcements, closed 2000 after anthem. Weak to fair, used LSB due to Arabic station on 9705 (Mike Barraclough, Letchworth, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. DW email newsletter has started carrying a link to an interesting test, ``Don`t Compromise --- Germanize!`` So if you have `ever wondered what it was like to be a German? There`s no need to wonder any more. Visit today to take a few tests and join the Germanizer club` --- http://www.germanizer.com (Chirs Brand, Communication Webwatch, June BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** GERMANY [and non]. Remarks from the SRS Drop Box in Merseburg : All reception reports to Pirate Stations are very welcome, but some reports make it quite difficult for me as the drop box operator. Thus the following remarks seem to be necessary : 1 Please include 'SRS Germany' in the first or second line of the address if you want to send a report to the Merseburg Drop-box ! 2 If you do not know how to use the c/o please do not use it ! SRS Germany c/o Station ABC is nonsense ! The correct way would be Station ABC c/o SRS Germany Postfach 1136 06201 Merseburg Germany 3 Do not use abbreviations, use the station name. E.R. can mean Enjoy Radio or Eldorado Radio, thus I have to open the letter .. 4 If you are not sure about what you heard do send the report to me personally (or ask at first via E-mail) or wait for the next log list and try to find out the station name. 5 Do not send unused stamps unless you are sure you use the correct currency. I keep getting reports for Dutch stations with German stamps as return postage. An address in Germany does not necessarily mean that its a German station. Remark for all those outside the Euro-zone : A common currency in the region does NOT mean that stamps can be used in different Euro countries, too ! 6 Remember to enclose return postage. Several listeners do not include return postage. Several other listeners include only simply return postage. The normal value (in Europe) is 2 times the postage value for a simple letter (means 2 normal stamps) or 1 USD (Now at the moment that the USD is falling down this relation is not valid.) Do not send IRC's for reports inside Europe, that is wasting money. For reports from outside IRC's are a good thing, old and new IRC's are valid in Germany as well as in the Netherlands (even if they sometimes tell something different) 7 Try to avoid sending Euro-Coins as return postage. Since letters undergo a 'treatment' in large 'sorting factories' build by the post these letters that contain sharp things are often destroyed since letter run between several rolls that are pressed together .. If you enclose coins secure them with tape to a sheet of strong paper. 8 Please include good details in your reports. I see many reports that consist of details like 'music announcer address'. If I were the radio station I would not issue a QSL for these reports. 9 If you do not get an answer from a certain station please inform me via E-mail. Stations that do not qsl are not allowed to use the drop box in Merseburg. Yours, Martin from Merseburg Information about Pirate Radio Addresses at my homepage : Pirate R Address List http://listen.to/pwdb (Martin Schöch, Germany, June 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. Community radio Date: 2 Jun 2003 05:43:28 -0000 From: "sajan venniyoor" venniyoor@rediffmail.com Subject: all about AIR On Sun, 01 Jun 2003 vincent.dsouza@vsnl.com wrote : This is for the attn of Lakshmi Murthy Assistant Director (Documentation) at the National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management(MANAGE), Hyderabad. Can you tell us what you pay AIR for that time, is it prime time, what are timings, etc etc. Where wil u produce the progs? Will help to compare/share notres on those ppl who want to tap into AIR time and run CR progs. Dear Vincent, Allow me to intercept your query to Lakshmi Murthy. I am sure Dr. Murthy will give you the exact details of MANAGE's deal with AIR, but I have just written an article on CR for Prasar Bharati's house magazine, DarshanAir and I'll reproduce some of the info I've taken from Dr. H O Srivastava, Chief Engineer and Head of AIR Resources (AIR's technical consultancy wing, which handles the leasing of AIR's transmitters and studios). "Since the campus radio scheme wasn't finding many takers, AIR Resources looked to other ways to help educational institutions and NGOs get their programmes on air. During the 10th Five Year Plan, AIR was phasing out many of its old Medium Wave and FM transmitters. These decommissioned transmitters, which would normally have been junked, were perfectly serviceable and Prasar Bharati decided to offer them to potential broadcasters - for a price. For 8 hours a day, AIR would run the FM transmitters at half their power rating for anyone (well, almost anyone) who had the software and could pay the asking price of Rs.24.7 lakhs (Rs 2.47 Mn) a year for a 1 kw transmitter or up to Rs 56.7 lakhs (Rs 5.67 Mn) for a 10 kw FM transmitter. AIR, of course, would pick up the bill for electricity, maintenance and other running expenses. The scheme proved so attractive that the FM transmitter at Hyderabad was snapped up almost immediately by MANAGE, the National Institution for Agricultural Extension Management, which is expected to go on air this June. 16 other FM transmitters and nine 1 kw Medium Wave transmitters are in the process of being resurrected for community radio, in places as far apart as Cochin and Chittorgarh, in small towns like Adilabad and in cities like Delhi and Mumbai." As I have explained, the FM transmitters range in power from 5 and 6 kW to 10 kW, but will be run only at half power. The 1 kW transmitters will be run at full power. Dr. Srivastava also tells me that some of the transmitters are already ready for use, but others need refurbishing and may take between 6 months to a year to put back into action. Just to give you an idea, transmitters/studios are available at Vijawada, Kanpur, Bhubaneshwar, Auranagabad, Sholapur, Adilabad, Nagpur, Pune, Jorhat, Surat, Chandigarh, Mysore, Alwar, Kurukshetra, Banaswara and the four Metros. This is not an exhaustive list. As for the cost of running them, AIR is leasing them out for 8 hours a day at the cost of Rs. 24.7 lakhs a year for the 1 kW Medium Wave, Rs. 43.7 lakhs for the 3 kW FM and 56.7 lakhs for the 5 kW FM transmitters (the original power ratings of the FM transmitters are, of course, 5/6 kW and 10 kW). Since 8 hours a day may be more than some NGO's or edu. institutions need, I think the total airtime can be split between two or more groups on a pro rata basis: you'll have to check this with Dr. Srivastava (hariom47@hotmail.com). The timings shouldn't be a problem, since the regular AIR establishments at all these places runs from 6 am till midnight (round the clock in the Metros). Since the best times for listening are supposedly 6am to 10am and 6.pm to 10pm - with another peak in the afternoon - the users may like to split it up that way. I am sure Dr. Srivastava and/or Dr. Lakshmi Murthy of MANAGE could give you a clearer picture of how the scheme actually operates, but this should give you a fair idea of how it works. Incidentally, I am just as curious to know where MANAGE will produce its programmes. Sajan. Via cr-india mailing list cr-india@mail.sarai.net http://mail.sarai.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/cr-india (via dx_india via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. Voice of Indonesia heard at 2005 on 15150 June 3rd, news headlines in English, fair on clear channel (Mike Barraclough, Letchworth, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ. ANALYSIS: FREE, PLURALISTIC MEDIA A PRIORITY FOR IRAQ - ATHENS MEETING | Text of editorial analysis by Peter Feuilherade of BBC Monitoring Media Services on 4 June 2003 An international group of media specialists has drawn up a plan to promote free and pluralistic media in Iraq after three decades of state control and censorship. Iraqi, Arab, European and US delegates meeting in Athens this week issued policy recommendations intended to ensure that media freedom and independence are enshrined in legal and regulatory reforms in post-war Iraq. Speakers at the Athens gathering said they hoped the draft would complement the efforts of the US administration in Baghdad, which has launched locally produced TV and radio broadcasts and two newspapers. Recommendations Internews, a non-profit organization promoting free and open media, coordinated work on the draft policy recommendations. Their proposals include: \ \ National radio and TV should reflect the ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity of all the people of Iraq. \ Incitement of violence or religious or ethnic hatred should have no place in the Iraqi media. \ Iraqi mass media must be protected from interference by government and non-governmental authorities; censorship should be forbidden. \ Broadcasters in Iraq should be required to seek licensing by an independent authority for the purposes of frequency allocation. \ National and regional government broadcasting should be transformed into public service broadcasters, which would enjoy editorial independence. \ There should be no statutory regulation of the print media, although it may be desirable to set up a media complaints commission. Press not yet independent, says USA Robert Reilly, the US administration official in charge of media, said most of the 150 or so newspapers and pamphlets published in Baghdad now could not be termed independent. "They are party publications, publications tied to a particular religious sect... they are not what is being normally understood as free press," Reuters news agency quoted him as saying. Reilly added that he would take the draft media law back to Baghdad, but would not comment on the chances of it being adopted. The US civil administrator for Iraq, Paul Bremer, sacked more than 5,000 staff formerly employed by Iraqi state TV, radio, the Iraqi News Agency and several newspapers, when he abolished the Information Ministry last week. Need to move fast Media analysts point out that Iraqis are a cultured and sophisticated audience who followed news through international broadcasters for decades, despite tight government controls on the flow of information. In the future, they must be able to believe what they are told by their radio, television and press if they are to trust their fellow citizens and their leaders. "The media must become an essential instrument in making the government transparent and accountable, and in generating national debate on the crucial decisions on the rebuilding of Iraq in the years ahead," Internews believes. The organization sees the short-term priority in Iraq as the building of permanent legal foundations for free media, while providing security and protection during the transition from repression to freedom. Full details of the policy recommendations can be seen on the Internews web site: http://www.internews.fr/iraq_media_conference/default.htm Source: BBC Monitoring research 4 Jun 03 (via DXLD) ** IRAQ. Baghdad Blogger --- His irreverent web diary became an internet sensation during the war. Now, in the first of his fortnightly Guardian columns, Salam Pax reports on life in the Iraqi capital Salam Pax, Wednesday June 4, 2003 The Guardian (London, UK) .... Although the ministry of information has been broken up and around 2,000 employees given the boot, the media industry, if you can call it that, is doing very well. Beside all the papers we now have a TV channel and radio; they are part of what our American minders have called the Iraqi media network. Some cities have their own local stations and there are two Kurdish TV channels. But the BBC World Service killed in one move a favourite Iraqi pastime: searching for perfect reception. The BBC Arabic service started broadcasting on FM here and it is just not the same when you don't hear the static... URL: http://www.guardian.co.uk/Print/0,3858,4683060,00.html (via Daniel Say, swprograms via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. Galei Zahal, 15780.6, May 11 0756 song by Sting, ads, IDs; frequency variable due to transmitter overheating, SIO 353 (Luca Botto Fiora, Rapallo, Italy, Drake R7, Grundig Sat 500, Hitachi KH-WS1, various antennas, June BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** KENYA. Presumed Radio Free Africa (no ID), 1386 kHz, heard June 1st 1920-1950 Z, peaking S3 and mixing with Lille. Played some African music, but mostly western pop and rap. First time heard since France Info is on 24 hours. Nothing today (June 3rd), as Lille is too strong. Missed Kenya s/off 1386, but Guinea is fair at present time (2130 Z) on 1385.9. 73 (Wolfgang Seyfried, Bad Wildbad near Stuttgart, Germany AOR 7030+ slooping wire 15 meters, MW DX via DXLD) ** MADAGASCAR. FRENCH RADIO PLEDGES NOT TO "DROWN" MALAGASY PECULIARITIES IN AFRICAN CONTINENT | Excerpt from report by Malagasy independent newspaper L'Express de Madagascar web site on 4 June Radio France Internationale (RFI) has increased the number of its FM radio transmitters in Madagascar from seven to 10. In addition to the existing transmitters in Antananarivo, Mahajanga [northwestern port], Toliara [southwestern port], Fianarantsoa [souhcentral Madagascar], Toamasina [eastern port], Antsirabe [central Madagascar] and Antsiranana [northern port], three more have been established in Sambava [northeastern port], Nosy Be [islet off northwestern coast] and Tolagnaro [southern port]. The new transmitters were officially inaugurated by an RFI delegation which arrived in the country two days ago. With the three new transmitters, the Big Island [Madagascar] now accommodates 10 per cent of RFI's FM transmitters scattered all over the world. This is certainly not a matter of chance, said Gilles Schneider, head of the delegation and RFI managing director for programmes and information, who spoke straightforwardly about "Malagasy peculiarities" - and "complicity of cultures" which has always existed between Madagascar and France - in a news conference held at Grill du Rova [restaurant, Antananarivo] yesterday. [Passage omitted]. Yesterday's news conference at Grill du Rova was particularly an opportunity for RFI - which had been strongly criticized in the country, especially in the capital, last year at the height of the political crisis - to clarify a number of things. Gilles Schneider emphasized from the outset that "RFI is not the voice of the French government". However, he also admitted that "RFI did experience a credibility problem during the [2002 post-electoral] crisis [in Madagascar]". The crisis, he said, was mainly due to the "slightly stand-offish manner in which we handled our news [about Madagascar], and that was viewed as a taking of stand [in favour of the Didier Ratsiraka camp]". However, RFI, through Mr Schneider, was yesterday anxious to make its mea culpa by acknowledging that it had committed, during the Malagasy crisis, "some blunders and even some mistakes, from which we have learnt a lesson". What lesson? Here is Gilles Schneider's straighforward answer: "Not to drown Malagasy peculiarities in the African continent." [Passage omitted] Source: L'Express de Madagascar web site, Antananarivo, in French 4 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** MALAWI. MALAWI BANS NEWS ON COMMUNITY RADIO STATIONS Even as Malawi hosts an international conference on promoting community radio in Africa, the government has declared a ban on the broadcasting of news on community stations. Evans Namanja, director general of the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority, said this contravened the Communications Act. "Maybe they have misinterpretations as to what a community radio is," he said. Namanja said news was meant to be broadcast to the broader public and not target one community. One of the participants in the conference is Soulé Issiaka, manager of the Radio Netherlands Africa Bureau, who says this is a first in his long career. "In my 35 years in radio, I have never come across a radio station that is stopped from airing news,' he said. "News is what concerns people and the role of every community station is to air news that concerns the community they serve." Denis Mzembe, chairman of the National Media Institute of Southern Africa, believes the authorities in Malawi are trying to stifle criticism of the ruling party. He said there was a real effort underway to undermine dissent on the airwaves (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 4 June 2003 via DXLD) ** PAKISTAN. R. Pakistan, 7571.05, May 23 2116 relay of domestic service to ME, Pak songs, announcements and talk in Urdu, SIO 433 (Luca Botto Fiora, Rapallo, Italy, Drake R7, Grundig Sat 500, Hitachi KH-WS1, various antennas, June BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** QATAR. NEW ACTING DIRECTOR NAMED AT AL-JAZEERA The board of directors of Al-Jazeera Satellite TV have appointed news anchor Adnan al-Shareef as the station's acting director. His predecessor, Mohammed Jassem al-Ali, was abruptly removed from his post last week in the wake of allegations that the station had been infltrated by Iraqi Intelligence. Ali, who retains his position on Al- Jazeera's board of directors, denies the allegations. Shareef, 55, started his career at the Qatari Radio and Television Corporation in 1970. He stayed there for 20 years before moving to the BBC Arabic service, and then to the short-lived BBC Arabic television in 1994. He served as head of Al-Jazeera for just a month before prior to launch, but left to rejoin the BBC when he was passed over in favour of Ali. He returned to Al-Jazeera as a news anchor in 2000 (Andy Sennitt, RN Media Network June 3 via DXLD) ** ROMANIA. Since 1 May, Romania uses new postal codes with six digits. For a complete list see: http://www.posta-romania.ro and click on English translation (A-DX via Peter Kruse, via Tony Rogers, DX News, June BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. MOVIE BY SA`UDI WOMAN DEBUTS ON INTERNET Donna Abu-Nasr AP, Published on Saturday, May 31, 2003 Arab News SAUDI ARABIA'S FIRST ENGLISH LANGUAGE DAILY ALKHOBAR, 31 May 2003 The film is only seven minutes long. It was shot with a video camera, cost $1,000 to make and can only be seen on the Internet. And it is remarkable. Who...? was filmed by Haifaa Al-Mansour in this country, which has no movie industry or even theaters. Haifaa is believed to be the only active female Saudi director. She was inspired to make Who...? by rumors that spread a few months ago in Riyadh and Alkhobar. There were whispers of a serial killer roaming the streets targeting women. The rumors were so strong, officials denied the killers existence in statements carried by local papers. The film shows that people were frightened by something, said Haifaa, who declined to give her age but appears to be in her late 20s. Its their story brought back to them. Who...? was screened last month at a film festival in the United Arab Emirates, where it won a lot of encouragement but no prize. The film was very good. I would have given her a prize because the movie had the potential of being turned into a long feature film, said Mohammed Rida, a movie critic for two Arab dailies who is based in Los Angeles. Who...? begins with this statement: We fear the unknown and yet some of us are without faces, and the question remains: Who? In the opening shot, a woman, played by Haifaa, is having a bad dream in which her sister is being strangled by a man. In the morning, relieved it was only a dream, the woman goes about her daily routine. She sees her son off to school and then goes to the kitchen to chop tomatoes for lunch. The doorbell rings. A beggar cloaked head to toe in a black abaya thrusts a letter into her hand, telling a tale of woe about a sick husband. The woman goes to her room to get some money without closing the door in the beggars face, which would have been considered impolite. When she returns, the beggar is gone. Shrugging her shoulders, the woman returns to the kitchen where the beggar is waiting. The beggar grabs the woman and bangs her head against a table. Screaming, Who? Who? Who? the woman manages to pull down the attackers veil to discover, just before her death, that the assailant is a man. Haifaa said her aim was to show that times have changed in the Kingdom, and that things are often not what they seem. I want people to know that some may use the hijab (veil) in a positive way for virtue while others would use it negatively for criminal purposes, she said. I wanted them to stop and think about it. Society is not as safe as before, she added. People need to be cautious and stop taking their safety for granted. Haifaa, an English-language teacher, had dreamed as a child of making movies. She began Who...? by watching films critically and reading books about film. Then she wrote her script, bought a video camera and enlisted her sister Sara, brother Haroon and nephew Abdul-Aziz as actors. She asked a friend to compose music and another to edit the film all for free. Who...? was filmed in one month. Haifaa shot interiors in the Alkhobar apartment where she lives with her parents and in her brothers apartment. For exteriors, she shot early in the mornings to avoid upsetting people not used to seeing a camera on the street. Haifaa said she would not have been able to make Who...? without the backing of her family. My family never said its a shame to make the film or to have my name made public, said Haifaa. They were very interested in the movie and gave constructive criticism. Haifaa said her only wish was for people to see the movie on the big screen. For the time being, she`s putting the final touches on another seven- minute movie, Bereavement of the Fledgling. Who...? can be viewed at the following url, http://www.haifaa.com/Films.html Copyright (c) 2003 ArabNews All Rights Reserved (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) FEMALE SAUDI DIRECTOR DEBUTS FILM ON NET Article published May 28, 2003 The film is only seven minutes long. It was shot with a video camera, cost $1,000 to make and can only be seen on the Internet. And it is remarkable. "Who...?" was filmed by Haifaa al-Mansour in this conservative Muslim country, which has no movie industry or even theaters. Some Saudis believe it's against their religion to own TV sets or show images of the human form. Al-Mansour is believed to be the only active female Saudi director. She was inspired to make "Who...?" by rumors that spread a few months ago in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, and Khobar, a town in the oil-rich Eastern Province. There were whispers of a serial killer roaming the streets targeting women. The rumors were so strong, officials denied the killer's existence in statements carried by local papers. "The film shows that people were frightened by something," said al-Mansour, who declined to give her age but appears to be in her late 20s. "It's their story brought back to them." "Who...?" was screened last month at a film festival in the United Arab Emirates, where it won a lot of encouragement but no prize. "The film was very good. I would have given her a prize because the movie had the potential of being turned into a long feature film," said Mohammed Rida, a movie critic for two Arab dailies who is based in Los Angeles. "The film is also very exceptional in that it was made by a Saudi woman," added Rida, who lectured at the festival. "Who...?" begins with this statement: "We fear the unknown and yet some of us are without faces, and the question remains: `Who?'" In the opening shot, a woman, played by al-Mansour, is having a bad dream in which her sister is being strangled by a man. In the morning, relieved it was only a dream, the woman goes about her daily routine. She sees her son off to school and then goes to the kitchen to chop tomatoes for lunch. The doorbell rings. A beggar cloaked head to toe in a black abaya - which is how women in Saudi Arabia are required to dress in public - thrusts a letter into her hand, telling a tale of woe about a sick husband. The woman goes to her room to get some money without closing the door in the beggar's face, which would have been considered impolite. When she returns, the beggar is gone. Shrugging her shoulders, the woman returns to the kitchen - where the beggar is waiting. The beggar grabs the woman and bangs her head against a table. Screaming, "Who? Who? Who?" the woman manages to pull down the attacker's veil to discover, just before her death, that the assailant is a man. The ending was shocking partly because in one of the world's most conservative countries, it is rare for anyone to even imply criticism of the requirement that women fully veil themselves. Al-Mansour said her aim was to show that times have changed in the kingdom, and that things are often not what they seem. "I want people to know that some may use the niqab (veil) in a positive way for virtue while others would use it negatively for criminal purposes," she said. "I wanted them to stop and think about it." "Society is not as safe as before," she added. "People need to be cautious and stop taking their safety for granted." Al-Mansour, an English-language teacher, had dreamed as a child of making movies. She began "Who...?" by watching films critically and reading books about film. Then she wrote her script, bought a video camera and enlisted her sister Sara, brother Haroon and nephew Abdul- Aziz as actors. She asked a friend to compose music and another to edit the film - all for free. "Who...?" was filmed in one month. Al-Mansour shot interiors in the Khobar apartment where she lives with her parents and in her brother's apartment. For exteriors, she shot early in the mornings to avoid upsetting people not used to seeing a camera on the street. Al-Mansour said she would not have been able to make "Who...?" without the backing of her family. Women in Saudi Arabia live strict lives. They cannot get an education or a job, travel or even stay at a hotel without permission from a male guardian. "My family never said it's a shame to make the film or to have my name made public," said al-Mansour. "They were very interested in the movie and gave constructive criticism." Al-Mansour said her only wish was for people to see the movie on the big screen. Instead, she had to e-mail it to friends and relatives and posted it on her Web sites with English and French subtitles. "E-mail was not the best medium. It's informal," said al-Mansour. "I wish people had seen it on bigger and official screens." Al-Mansour said it's time things changed for the movie industry in the Persian Gulf, pointing out that even a country as conservative as Iran has a vibrant film industry. "Movies are important. They're entertaining, they carry a message and they document the history of the country," said al-Mansour. Eventually, al-Mansour would like to make a long feature film. But for the time being, she's putting the final touches on another seven-minute movie, "Bereavement of the Fledgling." It's about a young village boy who goes to the city for an education and never returns. --- On the Net: http://www.haifaa.com/Films.html (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) Unfortunately I find no place to play it tho I don`t have Arabic script installed; is it there only? (gh, DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA [non]. SAUDI ARABIA: AL-ISLAH SATELLITE TRANSMISSION ON HOTBIRD REPORTEDLY TO RESUME SOON | Excerpt from report by London- based Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia web site on 4 June The movement [Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia] has learnt from the parties that are following up the issue of Al-Islah TV channel that the French party, which exerted pressure to end the transmission in response to Saudi pressure, has withdrawn fearing a political scandal. The issue now is pending procedural matters that are due to be finalized soon. Several legal and media parties have intervened to inquire about the reasons behind the sudden halt in the transmission. This prompted the party concerned to back away and search for a procedural cover to justify what happened. If everything goes well, the transmission on Hotbird is expected to be resumed within days, God willing. [Passage omitted on Al-Islah transmission on Sesat.] [On 23 May the Movement for Islamic Reform said the French government had put a "block" on Al-Islah TV transmissions via Hotbird and that transmission had been "temporarily transferred to another satellite". The report said: "At the request of the Saudi government, the French government has applied pressure on Eutelsat [Paris-based firm providing transmission service through commercial satellites] to block the transmission of Al-Islah Channel, which was broadcasting on the Eutelsat-owned Hotbird." The broadcasts of Al-Islah TV can also be received via the Sesat satellite at 36 degrees east; transponder: B6; frequency: 11136 MHz polarization: horizontal; symbol rate: 4883; Forward Error Correction, FEC 3/2. ] Source: Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia web site, London, in Arabic 4 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** SOUTH AFRICA. SAFRICAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION NEWS CHIEF RAPS LIBERAL VIEWS ON MEDIA FREEDOM | Text of report by South African news agency SAPA web site The SA Broadcasting Corporation's (SABC) news programming chairman Thami Mazwai has caused a stir again in parliament by dismissing objectivity in journalism as a "delusion" that simply "does not exist". Addressing the National Assembly's communications committee on Tuesday [3 June], he said South Africa's public broadcaster should not be driven by Western, liberal views on media freedom. "Others on the board may feel different, but as Thami Mazwai I feel that objectivity is a delusion... the notion known as objectivity does not exist." All persons, journalists included, interpreted issues or happenings differently, he said. Mazwai faced heavy criticism from opposition parties, and the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu), for comments made before the committee in August last year, such as that the SABC could not afford to be driven by old cliches, such as objectivity or the right of the editor. Democratic Alliance communications spokeswoman Dene Smuts said on Tuesday she was even more concerned by Mazwai's latest comments, saying he was clearly linking SABC news to government objectives. Mazwai said all stakeholders, including political, religious and traditional leaders should come together to help define what was seen as the role of the media in the South African context. People from different communities or cultural backgrounds would have very different perceptions of what was right or wrong. "What I will fight against is the view that liberal values must always be imposed on us... we must allow South Africans to determine what is right or wrong for them. "(We should) define what media freedom is instead of us swallowing hook, line and sinker what the role of the media is," he said. Referring to the SABC's draft editorial policy, CEO Peter Matlare said the SABC had no intention of diluting its constitutional independence. While the normal newsroom decisions should and would continue to be taken by journalists, matters of a strategic nature had to be dealt with at a higher level. If the board and management were responsible for the rest of the business of the broadcaster, there was no reason why news, which was critical to the organization, should be excluded. This policy was based on international experiences, and took into account issues of corporate governance and accountability, he said. Opposition parties have criticized the SABC's proposal of a decision- making system of "upward referral", with responsibility for news decisions ultimately lying outside the newsroom. SABC board chairman Vincent Maphai appealed to MPs to allow the corporation time to consolidate after a tumultuous period of change over the last four years. He said it had been difficult for the SABC to define its place when new regulations or legislation were introduce every six to eight months. "It has been very disruptive, the continuous requirements for fundamental re-thinking of what we are doing is not particularly helpful." After trying to establish an identity for its three channels, the broadcaster now had to make further changes to accommodate the planned two new regional channels. Planning for the new channels should be complete by the end of the year, and the SABC should be ready to be "corporatized" by October this year, Maphai said. Source: SAPA news agency web site, Johannesburg, in English 1215 gmt 3 Jun 03 (Via BBCM via DXLD) ** U A E. THALES INSTALLS 800 KW MEDIUMWAVE TRANSMITTER IN ABU DHABI | Text of press release in English by Thales Broadcast and Multimedia on 4 June Thales [French transmitter manufacturer, formally Thomson-CSF] today [4 June] announces that it has successfully installed an important turnkey radio broadcasting project in Abu Dhabi for Emirates Media Inc (EMI), the foremost news and information media organization in the United Arab Emirates. Working in close collaboration with their local partner Bin Jabr TRS Est and the EMI client team, Thales could hand over the radio station in less than six months following the date of order , which represents a record breaking time for such a complex project. The turnkey radio broadcasting solution for EMI include: 800 kW mediumwave transmitter type S7HP; four-mast directional medium wave antenna system with three switchable antenna patterns (300/0/+60 degrees); new building including access road; mains supply; fresh water supply, etc. The new S7HP transmitters are compatible for future upgrades to digital operation in DRM [Digital Radio Mondial] mode. "Our teams worked hard against the clock," said Willi Tschol, Head of the radio broadcasting activities at Thales Broadcast and Multimedia. "Perfect team work, creative solutions and flexible interface management made this record-breaking time scale possible." The Thales S7HP line of high power transmitters are currently broadcasting daily more than 20m watts of mediumwave or longwave power, while the Thales antenna unit expertise extends to more than 250 high power medium and longwave antenna systems and antenna supporting structures worldwide. The new station is situated only one kilometre away from the existing Dab'iyyah mediumwave station, in service since 1982. This station was already one of the most powerful in the region, with two, one-thousand kW mediumwave transmitters and a four-mast directional antenna system. All equipment was delivered by Thales. Emirates Media Inc are broadcasting services from the new station on 1170 kHz since 8 May 2003. Source: Thales Broadcast and Multimedia press release, Conflans Sainte Hororine, in English 4 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) TFK! ** U K O G B A N I. REPUBLICAN COUNCILLORS WANT RTE TRANSMITTERS IN NO. IRELAND Republican councillors in Co. Down, Northern Ireland, say they're planning to send a letter to the British Secretary of State for Northen Ireland and the Irish Foreign Affairs Minister, calling for transmitters of Irish public broadcaster RTE to be installed in South Down. SDLP councillor Peter Fitzpatrick says he hopes the letter will lead to a discussion on the subject at the next intergovernmental conference. Mr Fitzpatrick said many people in the area could not access RTE or the other channels in the south - TG4 and TV3. "There was a commitment made in the Good Friday Agreement on the part of both governments to make TV channels more accessible in the North and South," he said. Another Republican politician, Willie Clarke of Sinn Fein, supports the idea. "I'm sure money could be found for a transmitter to be installed in the north," he said. However, a spokesperson for RTE said there were no RTE transmitters in the north and there was no plan to install one in the near future (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 3 June 2002 via DXLD) ** U K. ANOTHER RADIO VOICE FOREVER SILENCED News has just reached me of the death from cancer, at the age of 74, of the BBC's former Racing Correspondent, Peter Bromley. In a career spanning over 40 years, on both radio and television, Bromley described over 8000 horse races, including some in the United States, and some of his best commentaries were of course heard on BBC WS (PAUL DAVID Chairman, Brent Visually-Handicapped Group Registered Charity No.: 272955, June 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. VOICE OF AMERICA A History, by Alan L. Heil, Jr., is a new book published by Columbia University Press, 544 pages, 24 photos, $37.50 cloth. 1-800-944-8648 http://columbia.edu/cu/cup (from a display ad in The Channel, AIB, April-May, no ISBN! via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. IBB began test broadcasts in DRM mode June 3. Schedule is: 1200-1400 GMT 15430 kHz 1400-1600 GMT 13605 kHz 1600-1800 GMT 11790 kHz 1800-2000 GMT 9855 kHz All via 50 kW transmitter in Morocco, all carrying Radio Sawa program in Arabic, all beamed 37 degrees (Dan Ferguson, IBB, June 4, SWBC topica list via DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. AVOIDING GOVERNMENT MIND CONTROL As you may know, I am a long time listener to WWCR and other stations/programs which detail the facts about government attempts at mind control. I stumbled across this article, and read it between alien abductions. I am sending it to you as a public service. From a personal survival bunker somewhere in So Ontario. Go to: http://zapatopi.net/afdb.html I'm surprised I haven`t seen this advertised for sale by the survivalists. ===== "To those of you who seek lost objects of history, I wish you the best of luck. They're out there, and they're whispering. " (Clive Cussler) (Fred Waterer, Ont., DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WITH A WHIMPER, NOT A BANG SOMERSET, KEN SHMIDHEISER and JEFF NEAL http://www.somerset-kentucky.com/search.cfm?search=detail&ID=3104 The vocal era of right-wing supremacist Steve Anderson, who once spewed hate and vitriol from his pirate Pulaski County radio station and later ended up in a noisy shoot-out with a Bell County deputy, ended in a whimper Friday. In a plea bargain reached with federal prosecutors, Anderson, 55, of Somerset, entered guilty pleas to: • Unlawful possession of a machine gun; • Using, carrying, brandishing and discharging at firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; • Possession of unregistered firearms. Anderson also agreed to forfeit the unregistered firearms. Anderson`s plea was entered before Eastern District Judge Danny C. Reeves in U.S. District Court in London. Anderson is scheduled to be sentenced before Judge Reeves at 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 12 in London. ``We feel very good that this saga is finally winding down,`` said Gregory F. Van Tatenhove, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Friday from his Lexington office. ``Throughout the prosecution of this case, we have focused on this man`s possession of illegal weapons, combined with his assault on a police officer in Bell County. ``This is a serious crime and it was treated as such,`` Van Tatenhove added. ``Anytime someone possesses a machine gun, pipe bombs, grenades, other destructive devices, and then shows a willingness to enter into a confrontation like he entered into in Bell County ... you can`t help but conclude that there`s a real propensity to act in a violent manner.`` Anderson`s attorney, David Tapp of Somerset, said Anderson ``was in good spirits`` after Friday`s hearing. ``I think everyone is pretty pleased with the agreement,`` Tapp said. ``I think the government got what it needed, and this is what Steve wanted to agree to. The judge spoke to (Anderson) for 30-40 minutes during the hearing, and it was clear that Steve understood everything involved in the plea agreement. He had no questions.`` Van Tatenhove said he expected Anderson to receive ``at least 10 years`` in prison for his crimes, although he pointed out that ``the sentence was at the discretion of the judge.`` ``We feel that this man will be held accountable for his actions,`` Van Tatenhove said confidently. In exchange for Anderson`s plea, the government did agree to drop one count that would`ve called for a minimum prison sentence of 30 years. Tapp said federal prosecutors agreed to dismiss that count during final sentencing. ``(Anderson) is looking at around 15 years,`` Tapp said. ``And although you can get good time credit in the federal system, he`ll serve at least 85 percent of his time.`` Anderson, who was even too extreme for the Kentucky State Militia—one of the most active groups of its kind in the country— and was kicked out of the organization in April 2001, gained international notoriety for his ``United Patriot Radio`` broadcasts. A proponent of Christian Identity, a racist and anti-Semitic religious sect that teaches that whites (``Aryans``) are descended from the Lost Tribes of Israel and are God`s chosen people, while Jews are descendants of Satan and non-whites are soulless ``mud peoples``, Anderson became an extremist among extremists. From a clandestine radio station at his heavily fortified home on Elrod-Martin Road, Anderson filled the short-wave airwaves with inflammatory rhetoric against blacks, Jews and immigrants. He also advocated the use of weapons and violence against law enforcement officers. ``Dead men don`t arrest anyone, dead men don`t kick in doors, dead men don`t prosecute anyone…take care of business….If you`re going to call yourself militia, then be militia,`` he said during a Sept. 2000 broadcast in what was to become a self-fulfilling prophecy. As local and federal lawmen focused their attention on Anderson`s ``compound`` and illegal broadcasts, he became more and more outspoken, at one point threatening a journalist covering his story for this newspaper. Then, on Oct. 14, 2001, as Anderson was returning from a white supremacist gathering in North Carolina, he was pulled over because of a broken taillight by Bell County Sheriff`s Deputy Sheriff Scott Elder. Elder asked Anderson if he had any weapons, at which point Anderson stepped out of his pickup truck and began peppering Elder`s cruiser with gunfire from his semiautomatic assault weapon. Elder`s 17-year-old girlfriend crouched on the cruiser`s floor miraculously escaping injury from more than 20 shots that riddled the vehicle. Elder also escaped uninjured. Anderson, a trained survivalist, fled the scene in his pickup, lost police when he drove his truck onto a rugged unpaved road, and managed to escape into the mountains of eastern Kentucky. When authorities found Anderson`s truck the next day, they discovered six pipe bombs and ammunition in it. A small arsenal of weapons and explosives was discovered during a subsequent search of Anderson`s Elrod compound including a machine gun, two bombs, a silencer, a sawed-off rifle, and 25 other destructive devices, according to Van Tatenhove. For more than a year, Anderson was able to elude capture despite a nationwide manhunt. His luck ran out last November 22. Acting on a tip following a November 2, 2002, episode of ``America`s Most Wanted`` which televised Anderson`s story, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Tobacco and Firearms arrested Anderson without incident in Cherokee, North Carolina. He was returned to Kentucky to face prosecution in federal court. Van Tatenhove told the Commonwealth Journal that Anderson could`ve still faced state charges, such as attempted murder, stemming from the Bell County incident. ``Those types of state charges are not usually forwarded on to federal court,`` Van Tatenhove said. ``There is nothing preventing Karen Blondell (the Commonwealth`s attorney in Bell County) from pursuing state charges against (Anderson).`` However, Blondell said federal prosecutors consulted with her office and Elder, now a police officer in Mercer County, before entering into the plea agreement. Blondell said she would not prosecute Anderson on the state level. ``Both sides talked with (Elder) and he was satisfied with the agreement,`` Tapp added. Elder said he was pleased that Anderson was entering the federal prison system — where there is no parole. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Martin L. Hatfield, formerly a Somerset attorney. Story created Monday, June 02, 2003 at 12:15 PM (Somerset KY Commonwealth-Journal June 2 via DXLD) ** U S A. STUPID ANCHORMAN TRICKS On Wednesday, June 4, the business TV network CNBC interrupted an interview to switch to Aqabah Jordan for a statement by President Bush about the historic meeting, hosted by Jordan, between the heads of the governments of Palestine, Israel, Jordan and the USA. After a few minutes, Mark Haines interrupted the speaker by saying, "I don't know who that guy is or why he is talking so long but we are going to cut away until President Bush comes on." That guy happened to be the king of Jordan. Duh! Folks wonder why we criticize the international coverage provided by our conglomerate-controlled domestic networks. Haines is not a cub reporter in the NBC system nor new to the trade. He should have known better or found out who "that guy" was before exposing his ignorance of the Middle East. His remark was insulting to not only the king but to the people of Jordan. I return you now to an enlightened shortwave news broadcast which is most likely in progress. ~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-., (Joe Buch, DE, DX LISTENING DIGEST) -*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^ ** U S A. THE DEMISE OF ANALOG TV Have you ever laughed so hard you started crying? I felt that way the other night after trying for new DTV catches. After throwing the big switch and calling it a night. It was the contrast between analog and digital DXing. In the courtroom one may have to answer yes or no, but their are a lot of grey areas. All through life their are lots of grey areas. DXing digital is like: there is a signal or there isn`t a signal. Yes or No. But times change and we are supposed to go along with it. I got a computer and trying to learn about it. Like an old dog can learn new tricks. But let me tell you, I for one am going to miss Analog TV. Many a night I spent looking at a weak signal and just trying to log one new station. It was fun. It was a challenge. Many little tricks I learned to enhance DXing. Now the demise of analog TV DXing is like losing a long friendship; it is slipping away in the darkness (Roy Barstow, Cape Cod, WTFDA via DXLD) It's really a kick in the head when you see for yourself that all those channels you *thought* were empty really have dtvs on them. So much has changed. My high band VHF is gone; local DTVs on 10, 11, 12. UHF from 30-40 is one big DTV wasteland. Everything is turned upside down. But we'll adapt, eventually (Mike Bugaj, Enfield, CT, IBID.) Ref Roy's so well stated: "Many little tricks I learned to enhance DXing. Now the demise of analog TV DXing is like, losing a long friendship, it is slipping away in the darkness." ... DVB-T (digital terrestrial) and digital satellite require two sets of computer instructions to work. One is the "software" that is unique to each telecaster and the other is called "firmware" which is the so- called "standard" which all stations use. The firmware has built into it a system of monitoring the number of errors in any given segment of time - such as 1 error (one missing data bit) in say 10,000 data bits. When the data bit "errors" exceed the firmware's pre-programmed threshold point, you have no reception. And in most boxes the screen goes to a blue screen. What is important here is that the firmware determines WHERE this point might be. And the manufacturer who subscribes to the firmware "standard" has adopted that particular firmware "setting" to be in his set top box. Let me make a forecast (I will whether you allow me to do so or not!). Somebody with far more native intelligence than I will work out how to MODIFY the STB (or TV set's) firmware with a new set of instructions, perhaps making the acceptable "error rate" something more like 1 error in 1,000 to still produce a picture - of a sort. The present firmware is VERY consumer conscious - it stops reception when the number of data stream errors exceeds a very small number - in recognition that the AVERAGE consumer would tolerate virtually no "pixelation" before he turns off the TV set. But you (and I) are hardly an AVERAGE consumer when we are chasing DX. We would gladly accept more pixelation if we could reduce the "threshold" of the blue screen switch-on a few more dB. Jim Gould in Indiana and a handful of others have the native intelligence to explore the firmware in STBs and to work out how this "threshold point" can be modified - not for your typical and AVERAGE viewer but for the Roy's of the world. Now that you know it IS possible, all we need is somebody who is smart enough to do something with that knowledge! What follows is a "Coop's Comment" scheduled to appear in SatFACTS Magazine on June 15th. It deals with the satellite world but the points made are equally applicable to DVB-T (American terrestrial digital TV) as well. ... COOP'S COMMENT Bit error rate (BER). The MPEG-2 "standard" establishes 3.456 Mbit/s as the "data rate" for "film/broadcast" television. Programming with a higher rate of motion (a sporting event, for example) has a MPEG-2 "standard" of 4.608 Mbit/s. FEC. Forward Error Correction. For a 36 MHz bandwidth transponder, the total data stream size (# of Mbit/s) is established by the forward error correction (FEC) chosen. If the FEC is 1/2, the maximum symbol rate (the sum of all material carried by the transponder) is 30 Msym/s. If the programmer elects to increase the FEC to 7/8, the maximum symbol (data) load increases to 60 Mbit/s. PanAmSat routinely likes to use higher FECs because this allows them more "data room" in a given transponder width. At FEC 1/2, which equates to 30 Mbit/s, if the programme data stream is 3.456 Mbit/s, the total capacity of the 36 MHz is 30 divided by 3.456 creating 8(.681) programme channels. If the programmer elects FEC 7/8, the maximum number of programme channels at 3.456 Mbit/s per programme channel is 60 divided by 3.456 or 17(.362). However, increased FEC rates require "additional FEC overhead" - Mbit/s set aside to operate the FEC system, so the actual number of Mbit/s available is significantly less (it works out to 48.382 Mbit/s for 7/8 FEC). At FEC 1/2, the original 30 Msym/s is reduced proportionately to 27.647 Mbit/s. Lost? Confused? Stay with me. When we were living in an analogue world, our "threshold" was defined as the point where sparklies (noise) just began to be visible. In the MPEG-2 world, "threshold" is where all reception stops because the receiver's forward error correction is no longer able to cope-with and correct the quantity of data stream errors received. Data stream errors are simply bits of information which "don't fit" the format; think of a wayward data bit as one that tells the receiver it is "a red pixel" in the middle of a sea of blue. The receiver's firmware programming says - "Hey - wait a minute! This is a blue scene - there should not be a 'red' pixel in here" and FEC is told to correct the mutant data bit - back to blue. The firmware "counts" the number of data-bit-errors occurring over a predetermined time span and when there is one too many (i.e. the errors exceed some firmware established 'maximum') the receiver's processor is told to stop working. And you get a full blue screen! Now the important point. It is (computer) programming built into the receiver which establishes the maximum number of errors in a predetermined span of time. Back in the analogue days, when a "pixel" was lost or destroyed by noise or some other contaminant, we had a sparklie. If the picture was truly bad, we had lots of sparklies - but we still had video. As analogue was being phased out some clever folks worked out "threshold extension" systems which took each bad analogue sparklie and reworked it by comparing the sparklie's information to the pixels left, right, above and below. If they were all "blue" then the threshold extension corrected the sparklie and made it blue as well. When you started with a 3 dB C/NR analogue signal (7 to 8 dB C/NR being threshold for no sparklies in a quality analogue receiver), after "correcting" several thousand sparklies the image was - well, washed out. But essentially much better than without threshold extension. So here is a challenge. "Threshold" (resulting in no reception) with digital is established by a set of human-created "written rules" in the processing instructions. Where does it say that we cannot accept a lower grade image, one with pixel errors we can actually "see," that is - digital threshold extension? Can there not be a "threshold defeating program" built into receivers to allow them at user option to accept pixelations of the video rather than the complete turn off of a blue screen? We think there is an "inventive opportunity" here. Analogue "sparklies" were acceptable, terrestrial "snow" was acceptable - why not "digital pixelations?" ... (Bob Cooper in New Zealand, June 4, WTFDA via DXLD) Interesting item. (there is one typo: DVB-T is the *European* (and many other countries) terrestrial digital TV system. It's not used in the U.S. or Canada - we use ATSC.) The specific numbers in the text do not apply to ATSC - the FEC is not adjustable but the assigned program bandwidth is, and to far more than two values. For high definition, figures of 15Mbit/s (or more) are common. But that's just semantics. The premise Bob suggests is a valid one for ATSC TV. Chipmakers are developing new and improved ATSC receiver chipsets as we speak; is it possible they are addressing just this concept? ========================================================== (Bob, can you explain off-list exactly what the FEC numbers mean? I know what FEC *is* but not what a figure of 1/2 or 3/4 etc. signifies.) For what it's worth, the threshold in the WinTV-D is quite low; this card can be convinced to display video in the presence of enough errors to make the picture unrecognizable. (witness the screen capture of Girard's reception of KOTA-DT) Less severe distortion - like macro blocking of half the screen while the other half displays a sensible picture - is not particularly unusual. Unfortunately it looks to me like the WinTV-D's decoder is implemented in the firmware on the card rather than in the software drivers - my impression is that the driver software provided with the card is VERY similar to (if not identical to) that used with their analog-only cards. It does seem to be a growing trend to allow field upgrades to firmware (witness the BIOS in your PC; until the last few years the BIOS was permanently stored in read-only memory and could only be changed by physically changing a chip. Now, you can easily upgrade it in the field.) The downside of this change... ATSC digital TV has a concept called "conditional access". Basically this is the replacement for "scrambling". With CA, the picture is not actually scrambled - rather, a signal is sent that tells your TV to refuse to display the station unless proper conditions are met. As you might imagine, CA is implemented in firmware. Under the DMCA and related legislation, it becomes a serious criminal offense to attempt to circumvent conditional access. Such legislation has been ruthlessly used. Modify your TV's firmware, and if someone finds out, you may end up arguing with a federal prosecutor... (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66, ibid.) I obviously have no idea how DTV DXing will turn out with better technology. Right now, somewhat sarcastically, it seems as if what we need is a super "Text ID" receiver. How narrow is the Text ID bandwidth? Is it at the same freq. for all stations? Would this really be TV DXing? If a few random pixels were on the screen at the same time would this then be TV DXing?? I love analog TV DXing because you can visually see propagation change. Propagation has a lot to do with my interest in DXing. Maybe I'll get into 2 meter and UHF ham DXing instead, having never done it before. Who knows? I know I certainly won't continue TV DXing if and when I no longer enjoy it (Jeff Kadet, IL, ibid.) ** U S A. The story I linked to http://www.techcentralstation.com/1051/techwrapper.jsp?PID=1051-250&CID=1051-060203D made a point about the FCC's position on media consolidation that gets lost here and elsewhere: given recent federal court rulings, the FCC really didn't have much choice other than to rule as it did yesterday. The FCC doesn't make communications law; it has to follow the court rulings until Congress changes the law.. There are competing lobbies and interests. Remember how the recording industries have sought restrictions on new technologies, from cassette tapes and the first VCRs in the 1970s to TiVo and DVD copiers today? There's a reason why the recording industry has failed to get those restrictions, and it's because the manufacturers of recording hardware are much larger and richer---and thus have more Washington clout--- than the recording industries. Now take a look at the companies who are positioning themselves to get a piece of the new wireless action, such as Microsoft and Intel. We're used to thinking of Clear Channel as a giant, but Microsoft could buy CC out of its petty cash fund. The NAB is a pipsqueak compared to the Electronics Industry Association (EIA) and monsters like Microsoft. Stay tuned. We're in for some interesting and bloody battles in the next few years! (Harry Helms W7HLH Las Vegas, NV DM26, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. FCC RULE FIGHT CONTINUES IN CONGRESS OPPONENTS OF OWNERSHIP CONSOLIDATION ALSO PLAN LEGAL STRATEGY By Frank Ahrens, Washington Post Staff Writer, Wednesday, June 4, 2003; Page E01 Several lawmakers and advocacy groups vowed yesterday to fight in the courts and on Capitol Hill to overturn the Federal Communications Commission's new media ownership rules, saying they give big newspapers and broadcasters too much influence over public opinion and hurt smaller media companies. . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10135-2003Jun3.html 73, (-.. . Kraig Krist, KG4LAC, DXLD) ** U S A. NETWORK TECHNICIAN CONVICTED FOX ENGINEER STOLE FROM IRAQI PALACE By Jerry Markon, Washington Post Staff Writer, Wednesday, June 4, 2003; Page A02 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10525-2003Jun3.html A former Fox News Channel technician pleaded guilty yesterday to smuggling paintings from the palaces of Saddam Hussein when he returned to the United States from covering the war in Iraq. Speaking in a firm voice, Benjamin J. Johnson, 27, of Alexandria, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Alexandria to one count of smuggling. His lawyer, Christopher Amolsch, said Johnson "feels horrible about what happened. It was a poor choice, and he has to live with it for the rest of his life." Federal authorities had listed the charge against Johnson in late April as one of five cases in which paintings, a collection of gold- plated knives and guns and assorted other weapons and artworks were looted from Baghdad and brought into the United States. Four of the five cases involved journalists, including a Boston Herald reporter who was detained at Logan International Airport. Authorities said they seized a painting, a wall decoration and other items from him, but he was not charged. Johnson worked in Iraq as a satellite truck engineer for Fox. He was stopped by Customs Service agents April 17 at Dulles International Airport when he declared $20 worth of cigarettes on his arrival from London. Sweating profusely and with his hands shaking, Johnson was questioned by the agents, according to the complaint filed against him. Agents noticed that he had Iraqi monetary bonds and a box with 12 paintings. Johnson initially said Iraqi citizens had approached him on the street and handed him the paintings, the complaint said. But under questioning, he admitted he had picked up several paintings from a ballroom in a building he described as "the new Presidential Palace" and the rest from the palace of Uday Hussein, Saddam Hussein's son. Fox News Channel has fired Johnson. He faces five years in prison when sentenced Aug. 29, but under his plea agreement is likely to receive probation. A charge of lying to a federal agent was dropped as part of the agreement. © 2003 The Washington Post Company (via Kraig Krist, DXLD) ** U S A. THE IBOC SYSTEM - FROM A EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE Barry Fox, of http://www.newscientist.com/ delivers some interesting background on our recent IBOC problem and on competition from proponents of the Eureka digital system at: http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993772 (from CGC Communicator via Fred Vobbe, NRC-AM via DXL:D) ** U S A. WTIR 1680 Winter Garden FL changes calls to WLAA to go with its new Spanish format; WTIR calls move to WXXY 1300 Cocoa FL (100kwatts.tmi.net/updates.html 22 May via Jeff Weston, Medium Wave Report, June BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** U S A. DEBATE OVER RADIO TOWER REVIVES [Boston, Massachusetts] By Andrew Lightman / Staff Writer, Tuesday, June 3, 2003 Tired of hearing WNUR's-1600-AM broadcast in their toilets, hot water heaters and pipes, the 500-member Oak Hill Park Association is fighting to stop the proposed expansion of a nearby radio tower array, With signals interfering computers, answering machines, telephones and televisions throughout Oak Hill Park, residents fear what life will be like when five new radio towers take root in their neighborhood. . . http://www.townonline.com/newton/news/local_regional/new_covneradiotowersdsms06032003.htm (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC TO CARNEGIE HALL Surprise Move Would Give Orchestra Acoustical Edge By Brian Wise, WNYC.org NEW YORK (2003-06-02) Forty years after it left for Lincoln Center, the New York Philharmonic plans on moving back to Carnegie Hall. The surprise move could come in 2006, and gives the orchestra a chance to escape the troubled acoustics of Avery Fisher Fisher Hall without enduring the cost of renovation. It would also make the Philharmonic a managing partner rather than rent-paying tenant . . http://www.wnyc.org/music/articles/16555 [with audio links] (via DXLD) ** U S A. EXAMINING WOMEN'S RADIO SILENCE When their bosses at WRKO-AM dropped ''Daytime Divas'' Doreen Vigue and Darlene McCarthy late last month, McCarthy recalls that the hosts had been told simply: ''This is a business decision.''" . . . To read the entire story, click on the link below or cut and paste it into a Web browser: http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/155/living/Examining_women_s_radio_silence+.shtml (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) U S A. NEW 60-METER BAND TO BECOME AVAILABLE JULY 3! NEWINGTON, CT, Jun 3, 2003 -- The new five-channel 60-meter amateur allocation becomes available to US Amateur Radio operators at midnight local time on July 3. The FCC Report and Order (R&O) granting the allocation was published in the Federal Register, which announced the effective date today. The local time designation means that amateurs in the US territory of Guam likely will be the first to get a crack at the new band. [``where America`s day begins``] The new band will be a secondary allocation -- federal government users are primary--and the first on which the only permitted mode will be upper-sideband (USB) phone (emission type 2K8J3E). The FCC last month announced it would grant hams access five discrete 2.8-kHz-wide channels in the vicinity of 5 MHz instead of the 150 kHz-wide band ARRL had requested--and which the FCC initially proposed more than a year ago. The ARRL remains optimistic that Amateur Radio eventually may be able to enjoy a band segment with multiple mode privileges at 60 meters, but ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, has said that in the meantime hams will have to be on their best behavior when taking advantage of the limited channelized allocation. ``In terms of Amateur Radio spectrum, we usually say, `Use it or lose it,``` he said. ``The watchword for 60-meter operators should be, `Misuse it and lose it.``` Sumner has predicted that, over time, amateurs can and will ``develop a record of disciplined, responsible use of the five channels in the public interest that will justify another look at these rather severe initial restrictions.`` The FCC has granted amateurs 5332, 5348, 5368, 5373 and 5405 kHz--the last channel common to the amateur experimental operation under way in the United Kingdom. The channels will be available to General and higher class licensees. In terms of day-to-day operation, use of the new band is expected to resemble the sort of channel sharing typical on local repeaters. A lengthy period of experimental operation on 5 MHz under ARRL`s WA2XSY Part 5 license preceded the May R&O. Last-minute opposition last fall to the granting of a band segment at 5 MHz came from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which cited the ongoing spectrum requirements of federal government licensees having homeland security responsibilities. The NTIA administers spectrum allocated to the federal government. A compromise between the FCC and the NTIA resulted in the limited allocation at 60 meters. The NTIA selected the channels the FCC authorized to minimize the possibility of interference to federal government users. The NTIA also dictated the use of USB only as an interoperability convenience, so that federal government users -- who also use only USB -- could readily identify amateur stations if necessary. ARRL Laboratory Manager Ed Hare, W1RFI, says hams hoping to operate on the new allocation need to be very careful if they`re considering modifying their current transceiver or transmitter. The ARRL recommends that members check with the manufacturer of their equipment regarding specific modification information. Some modifications not only might void the warranty on a piece of equipment but could affect or alter a transmitter`s operation in unpredictable ways. ``Hams need to be sure that any modifications put them right on the desired channel,`` Hare said. The FCC, following the lead of the NTIA, has said that the channel frequencies in the R&O are all ``channel- center frequencies.`` ``Most hams are used to just having to think about band edges, so on other bands, if a mod were a bit `off,` all operators would need to ensure is that they are not transmitting outside the band.`` But, Hare recommended, on 5 MHz, amateurs must be within ``a few tens of Hertz`` of suppressed-carrier accuracy, and, he points out, amateurs have a mandate not to have any of signal occupy spectrum outside the assigned 2.8 kHz channels. Additionally, hams need to make sure before they go on the air on 60 meters that any mods they`ve made do not have unintended consequences, such as spurious emissions on non amateur frequencies. The NTIA advised in a letter to the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) that users of 60 meters should set their carrier frequency 1.5 kHz lower than the channel center frequency, according to this NTIA chart: Channel Center Amateur Tuning Frequency 5332 kHz 5330.5 kHz 5348 kHz 5346.5 kHz 5368 kHz 5366.5 kHz 5373 kHz 5371.5 kHz 5405 kHz 5403.5 kHz (common US/UK) Noting that high-frequency audio response can vary considerably from radio to radio, Hare has suggested a more conservative approach. He suggests restricting audio bandwidth to 200 Hz on the low end, and 2800 Hz on the high end -- for a total bandwidth of 2.6 kHz. Hare notes that some transmitters that the Lab has looked at are capable of bandwidths of 3.0 kHz or greater. In its letter to the FCC, the NTIA also stipulated that radiated power should not exceed ``the equivalent of 50 W PEP transmitter output power into an antenna with a gain of 0 dBd.`` The FCC R&O set the requirement at 50 W ERP and said it would consider a typical half-wave dipole to exhibit no gain. Hare said that amateurs` willingness to adhere to the channel-bandwidth and power constraints imposed on 60 meters will be an important factor in ham radio`s use of this band -- now and in the future (ARRL June 3 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VATICAN. MUSIC ON VATICAN RADIO: If you spent your teenage nights in the 60s listening to R. Luxembourg and the pirate ships, VR will broadcast something for you every Saturday from 5 July to 27 September. The programme will be called ``Carnaby Street`` and will present British pop and rock music from the late 50s to the mid 70s (that is, as the producers of the show say, from the Shadows to the Pink Floyd). Time and frequencies: 1430 on 5890, 7250, 9645. Same schedule for another interesting programme on Sundays from 3 August to 28 September: ``Glenn Miller & Co``, and this I easily presume will deal with American big bands (Stefano Valianti, Southern European Report, June BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ?? Unclear why the RCC is running such secular music shows; does this mean the church endorses all the lyrics of the pop and rock music played from the 50s to the 70s --- or carefully censors what it does play? (gh, DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. 4880, SW Radio Africa heard on 4880 1835-1900* June 3rd, Interview with white lady farmer in English on land redistribution policy, 1845 speech by MDC leader in English with occasional vernacular translation calling on Zimbabweans to support the nationwide strike action and liberate themselves, 1855 identification announcing 4880 only, song in English and off. Fair, interference at times from utility stations and numbers station on 4879.8 (Mike Barraclough, Letchworth, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [and non]. JOURNALISTS BEATEN, EQUIPMENT CONFISCATED BY RULING PARTY SUPPORTERS | Text of report by Namibia-based Media Institute of Southern Africa web site on 4 June On Monday 2 June 2003, two journalists from the "Voice of the People" Communications Trust or VOP were detained, interrogated, beaten and had their mobile phones and recorders confiscated by ruling party Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) youths and war veterans. In a related incident, the home of John Masuku, coordinator of VOP, was searched and VOP administrative files and a computer used in the production of programmes confiscated. VOP reporters Shorai Katiwa and Martin Chimenya went to the University of Zimbabwe to cover a demonstration by students who intended to march in support of a mass action called for by the main opposition party the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). However, no students were available to comment as the police had dispersed them earlier in the day. On their way from the university, the reporters approached a group of people whom they assumed to be students of the university. The group was, however, was made up of war veterans and ZANU-PF youths. Katiwa and Chimenya were immediately detained and searched and had their two mobile phones and minidisk recorders taken by the group. After interrogation, the journalists were beaten. The war veterans and the ZANU-PF youths were said to have been incensed further when they found business cards of opposition members of parliament in the wallets of the journalists. They accused the journalists of being MDC members and working in support of the mass action. John Masuku, coordinator of VOP, told the Zimbabwe chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-Zimbabwe) that the journalists were taken to Borrowdale Police Station for further interrogation. From Borrowdale they were taken to the ZANU-PF headquarters in the Harare city centre, where they were beaten and further interrogated. The two were asked how they send their programmes for broadcasting, to which they replied that they use a computer, which is kept at Masuku's home. The police and intelligence officers were then called and asked to accompany the journalists to see the computer that is used to send the programmes. Masuku told MISA-Zimbabwe that the police vehicle approached him as he was leaving a shopping centre in his neighbourhood. Armed police surrounded his car and ordered him to step from the car as they wished to question him over the VOP programmes. The police accompanied Masuku to his home where they searched and confiscated VOP administrative files and the computer to the Harare Central Police Station. The two journalists were released into the custody of Masuku and informed to report to the police station the following day. On Tuesday 3 June, Masuku, Katiwa and Chimenya went back to the Central Police Station in the company of their lawyer, Jacob Mafume. The police informed them that they had not found anything suspicious in the computer or the files. These were immediately returned to them. They were however informed said that the police could not do anything about the mobile phones and minidisks and were advised to report the items stolen. Masuku confirmed that they have since made the report to the police. VOP transmits news to Zimbabwe via short wave. Source: Media Institute of Southern Africa, Windhoek, in English 4 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. I heard a Spanish speaking station on 06/01/03, 0020- 0043+ Z bx [?] Latin American music with a fairly strong signal. The announceer was a YL. The signal was readable from 6938 to 6942. I was getting QRM from MW station broadcasting a Braves game on a stated frequency of 910 kHz. The only SW station I know about near 6940 is Ethiopia, and I doubt they have a Spanish service. Does anybody have any thoughts on this one? 73 (Joe Wood, Gray TN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So did you check 910? I suspect you have a local or near-local which is mixing with a strong SW signal, i.e. R. Martí on 6030 to produce 6940. Check 6030 also to see if it match (gh, DXLD) Thanks for the advice. I will check 6030 next time I hear the 6940. Yes, I live within sight of the local 910 tower. 73 (Joe Wood, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ THE SHORTWAVE GUIDE VOLUME 2 Dear WRTH reader, The new edition of The Shortwave Guide has now been published . . . and we think it is even better than the last edition. Once again it has all the A02 [sic! Surely means A-03!] international schedules and the domestic broadcasts shown as color bar graphs, and we have added clandestine broadcasts. Following comments from you, the users, we have increased the size of the bars, and reduced the number of languages identified by a separate color to 12; all other languages are now identified above the bar. Check out all the details at our website: http://www.wrth.com Here's one review of volume 1: "This brand new volume is very easy to read and you can make quick reference for any and every shortwave frequency. The Shortwave Guide is outstanding and a very valuable addition to the current library of every DXer, shortwave listener and international radio monitor. We would ardently hope that we will see a new edition every year" (Adrian Michael Petersen, AWR Wavescan 400). For other reviews visit: http://www.wrth.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To order a copy Visit your usual retailer. In the USA and Canada log onto http://www.universal-radio.com In Australia and New Zealand e-mail: radiobooks@x... [truncated] You can also order direct with free airmail from www.wrth.com We hope you really enjoy using this new guide. 73s from the WRTH team (via Héctor García Bojorge, DF, June 4, Conexión Digital via DXLD) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ 40-METER ``REALIGNMENT`` TOPS WRC-2003 AMATEUR RADIO ISSUES NEWINGTON, CT, Jun 3, 2003--When delegates gather June 9 in Geneva, Switzerland, for World Radiocommunication Conference 2003 (WRC-03), Amateur Radio will enjoy robust representation. The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) is looking to WRC-03 to resolve the longstanding issue of a harmonized worldwide 40-meter amateur allocation. In addition, the IARU has taken positions on several other issues of importance to hams. ``Forty meters is the biggie,`` says ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, who will attend the month-long international assembly in the role of administrative officer of the IARU observer delegation headed by President Larry Price, W4RA. ``It`s complicated, controversial and involves multiple radio services, and there`s simply no way of predicting what the outcome will be.`` Citing its desire to ``meet the needs of communications for humanitarian assistance,`` The IARU has expressed strong support for a realignment of the band to make available to hams globally 300 kHz of spectrum in the vicinity of 7 MHz. While Region 2 amateurs -- including US hams -- now enjoy 7.000 to 7.300 MHz, hams in most of the rest of the world -- Regions 1 and 3 -- may use only 7.000 to 7.100 MHz. Methods to get the issue off the dime must address the incompatibility arising from how, where and on what timetable the broadcasters in Regions 1 and 3 should be shifted to higher frequencies while continuing to meet the needs of fixed and mobile services in the band. The IARU already has expressed its support for three possible plans to phase out broadcasting over a period of time. In addition to Price and Sumner, the IARU delegation to WRC-03-- sponsored by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)--also will include Wojciech Nietyksza, SP5FM; Michael J. Owen, VK3KI, and Ken Pulfer, VE3PU. In addition, Robert W. Jones, VE7RWJ, will serve as a consultant to the IARU during WRC-03. Jones, the immediate past director of the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau and a conference veteran, has a particular interest in the 7-MHz issue. ARRL Technical Relations Manager Paul Rinaldo, W4RI, and ARRL Technical Relations Specialist Jon Siverling, WB3ERA, will serve on the US delegation, headed by Janice Obuchowski, a former assistant secretary for communications and information and former administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Other Amateur Radio-related agenda items include proposed revisions to Article 25 of the Radio Regulations. Article 25 details the requirements for Amateur Radio and includes the obligation to demonstrate Morse code proficiency to operate below 30 MHz. Sumner said he expects the WRC-03 delegates to delete the international requirement, although administrations could continue to require Morse proficiency if they wished to do so. The IARU favors a revision to Paragraph 25.6 to incorporate an ITU Recommendation (ITU-R M.1544) by reference to establish a minimum international standard for Amateur Radio licensing. The IARU also supports adding two new provisions to Article 25. One would urge administrations to take steps to allow amateur stations to prepare for and meet communication needs to support disaster relief. That`s something US hams take for granted, but it`s not commonplace in some other countries, Sumner pointed out. The second would authorize administrations to permit an individual licensed in another country to operate temporarily while in their territory ``subject to such conditions or restrictions it may impose.`` Such arrangements are common, but the international Radio Regulations do not explicitly provide for them. The IARU also has expressed support for giving greater flexibility to administrations in the formation of Amateur Radio call signs, an agenda item that Sumner said ``appears to be non-controversial.`` Expressing concern over interference potential, the IARU opposes allocating any spectrum to the Earth Exploration Satellite Service (Active) to deploy spaceborne synthetic aperture radars (SARs) in the 430 to 440 MHz band. Amateur Radio is co-primary at 430 to 440 MHz in Region 1 and in several countries in Region 2. As an observer at the conference, the IARU can only request that ITU member-states take its views into consideration when deciding on WRC-03 agenda items. ARRL has launched a special WRC-03 campaign to help generate the funds needed to continue the defense of Amateur Radio spectrum. Sumner said ``unquantifiable thousands of hours by volunteers and staff members`` have gone into WRC-03 preparations. https://www.arrl.org/forms/fdefense/wrc-03/ [https: is correct] More than a dozen other Amateur Radio licensees are expected to be in Geneva to help represent Amateur Radio. They include Jim Dean, VE3IQ, of the Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) as a member of Canada`s delegation, IARU Region 1 Vice Chairman Tafa Diop, 6W1KI, as an African Telecommunications Union observer, IARU Vice President David Wardlaw, VK3ADW, on the Australia delegation, Region 1 Chairman Ole Garpestad, LA2RR, on the Norwegian delegation and SRR President Roman Thomas, RZ3AA, on Russia`s delegation. WRC-03 concludes July 4. More information on WRC-03 is available on the ITU WRC-03 Web page http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/conferences/wrc/wrc-03/index.asp and on the FCC web site http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/conferences/wrc/wrc-03/index.asp Given the international nature of WRC-03, the ITU has advised those attending the conference ``to take prophylactic measures in order to reduce to a minimum the risk of contamination`` from SARS--Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. The ITU noted that the World Health Organization was monitoring the SARS situation on its Web site. (ARRL June 3 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ Glen[n], just to let you know I have the Grundig up and running again. If you want to tell your listeners if they need to replace the AC plug on the Grundig 800, Radio Shack no. is 273-1770, and the adaptaplug is 273-1716; the coast $21.00 and some change. To purchase the original, Universal shortwave sells them for 39.95 + 4.95 shipping, wopping $44.90, so Radio Shack is cheaper. 73 (Ron Trotto, Waggoner, Illinois, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ ARNIE CORO'S DXERS UNLIMITED'S HF PLUS LOW BAND VHF PROPAGATION FORECAST Now here is item one: HF propagation conditions continue to be in very poor shape to say the least, as the Earth is constantly receiving the solar wind blasts and radiation that have caused so many interesting events during the last few days. Monday morning here in Havana, I got a call on the metropolitan area primary 2 meter band repeater from a local radio amateur. Arnie, he said, just take a listen to the short wave bands. They are totally dead. I can hear nothing with my two radios. What's happening, Arnie ?, he said. I then moved from my desk, and went to the main operating position at CO2KK my ham radio station, connected the antennas, and started to scan from 5 megaHertz up, only to confirm what the local operator was saying. Nothing heard from 5 megaHertz all the way up to 30 megaHertz. Nothing at all, and when I say nothing, I mean it amigos, the whole HF spectrum was totally dead, like if it was a microwave band!!! Obviously some kind of total ionospheric absorption event was in progress, the so called Moss- Dillinger effect or total short-wave black out. Several other local radio amateurs, that are new to our hobby listened to the QSO between CM2OP Olimpio and myself, and immediately started to explore the short-wave spectrum, witnessing for the first time this interesting phenomenon that can completely wipe out HF reception due to a tremendous increase in free electron concentration at the D layer of the ionosphere that effectivdly blocks all signals going up or down!!! And now as always at the end of the show, here is Arnie Coro's Dxers Unlimited's HF plus low band VHF propagation forecast. Sporadic E events now in full swing, with the Maximum Useable Frequency curve reaching as high as the FM broadcast band several times last week, and more similar events are expected. HF propagation conditions are rather poor due to the effects of recent solar activity specifically from solar active region 10365, soon to turn around and disappear from sight. Solar flux is now going to start moving down, and hopefully the A and K indexes will be also coming down to more HF propagation friendly figures during the next 3 to 5 days (Arnaldo Coro Antich, CO2KK, RHC DXers Unlimited June 4 via Bob Chandler, VE3SRE, ODXA via DXLD) FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 04 - 30 JUNE 2003 Solar activity is expected to be at low to moderate levels. Moderate levels are possible early in the period from Region 375, which has already produced a number of low M-class events. Active Region 365 maintained its size and complexity as it rotated around the west limb. It will return by mid June and may produce moderate levels. A small chance for a greater than 10 MeV proton event is possible from Region 375 early in the period. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux is likely to reach high levels on 08 – 16 June and again on 20 – 24 June due to recurring high speed solar wind streams. The geomagnetic field is expected to range from quiet to active levels with occasional minor to major storm periods. A large recurrent southern coronal hole is currently in a geo-effective position and is expected to produce active to minor storm levels through the 11 June. Recurrent coronal hole high speed streams will likely produce unsettled to active conditions with isolated minor storm levels throughout the latter half of the period (17 – 30 June). :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2003 Jun 03 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 Jun 03 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2003 Jun 04 115 30 5 2003 Jun 05 115 30 5 2003 Jun 06 115 35 6 2003 Jun 07 115 25 5 2003 Jun 08 110 20 4 2003 Jun 09 110 20 4 2003 Jun 10 105 25 5 2003 Jun 11 100 20 4 2003 Jun 12 105 15 3 2003 Jun 13 105 15 3 2003 Jun 14 110 15 3 2003 Jun 15 115 15 3 2003 Jun 16 125 20 4 2003 Jun 17 125 20 4 2003 Jun 18 120 25 5 2003 Jun 19 120 20 4 2003 Jun 20 115 20 4 2003 Jun 21 120 20 4 2003 Jun 22 125 20 4 2003 Jun 23 130 25 5 2003 Jun 24 130 30 5 2003 Jun 25 120 25 5 2003 Jun 26 115 25 5 2003 Jun 27 110 15 3 2003 Jun 28 115 15 3 2003 Jun 29 120 35 6 2003 Jun 30 120 30 5 (from http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio June 3, WORLD OF RADIO 1185, DXLD) ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-097, June 3, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3f.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 1184: RFPI: Wed 0100, 0730, 1330 7445 15039 WWCR: Wed 0930 9475 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1184.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1184.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1184h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1184h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1184.html FIRST AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1185: Wed 2200 on WBCQ 7415, 17495-CUSB Thu 2030 on WWCR 15825 Fri 1930 on RFPI 15039, 7445 DX AND MEDIA PROGRAMS: updated as of June 2 at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIAL [Re: WOR/COM/MR schedule as in 3-095]: Glenn, Your recent lengthy posting promoting your own activities is not appropriate for the EDXP community and has been deleted. Regards from Melbourne! (Bob Padula EDXP ADMIN) ** AUSTRALIA. MEMO ABC STAFF: LET'S SPEAK OUT ABOUT THE THREATS June 1 2003 A call to arms to ABC staff is heating up the row between Canberra and Aunty. Peter Wilmoth reports. Late last week, ABC staff across Australia received a memo from the staff-elected director Ramona Koval. Aside from her summary of board decisions, the Melbourne-based radio presenter said she felt it was time for the board to approve a campaign to educate the public about threats to the national broadcaster. . . http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/05/31/1054177766824.html (via Jill Dybka, DXLD) Tue, Jun 03, 2003 -- We really need our ABC. SO, once again the ABC is under attack by the politicians. There`s nothing new about this. . . http://www.bordermail.com.au/newsflow/pageitem?page_id=596765 (Letter to the editor, via Jill Dybka, DXLD) ** AUSTRIA. R. OESTERREICH PARADOX Glenn: ROI may complain about funds, and cut services...but WHY do they waste bandwidth and energy by merely playing "The Blue Danube" over and over again, desecrating it by repeating the call signature of the station on top of the music in German and English and French...on and on. I have been listening to this for the past fifteen minutes; it's now 0149Z and there's no end in sight. I guess they are going all the way to 0200. That will mean that they will have played the waltz something like 3.5 times. Could not the broadcast station do SOMETHING useful with this air time? I would think it would be preferable to shut off the transmitter -- according to the ILGRadio's latest database, it is 300 kw at 9870. That's a lot of wasted Kronen (Steve Waldee - San José, CA, June 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I suppose this be the default when feed from the studio lost. But why isn`t there an extremely reliable connexion (with backups) between Wien and Moosbrunn? (gh, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. A Radio Cultura através de seus serviços de ondas curtas, oferece-nos 2 boas possibilidades diferentes, como já é de conhecimento de alguns: 9615 KHz retransmite a Cultura AM 1200 KHz 6170 KHz retransmite a Cultura FM 103.3 MHz 17815 KHz (quando está ativa) retransmite a Cultura AM 1200 KHz Detalhe: a ação das piratas de FM é tão acintosa que aqui em São Bernardo do Campo, SP simplesmente não consigo ouvir a 103.3 Cultura, embora esteja a apenas uns 25 km dos seus transmissores e antenas. Um verdadeiro escárnio aos ouvintes e proprietários da Cultura. A minha opção é 6170 ondas curtas. Um abraço, (Rudolf Grimm, São Bernardo, SP, June, radioescutas via DXLD) ** CANADA. ARE TOM, DICK & HARRY NEXT? Tony Lofaro, The Ottawa Citizen, Saturday, May 31, 2003 It's a case of back to the future for KOOL-FM: the popular Ottawa radio station switched its format yesterday to more of an oldies sound. The CHUM-owned station not only changed its format from a contemporary playlist to songs primarily from the 1980s and '90s, it also switched its name to 93.9 BOB-FM. The change became effective yesterday and the station will essentially go without live announcers until June 9 when the same radio crew takes over. The format change was precipitated by a core audience that just got older, Chris Gordon, the station's program director, said. "We had a great run with KOOL, 11 years, and when the station signed on our audience was in the 25-to-34 age group and now those people are in the 35-to-44 age group, Mr. Gordon said . "A lot of our personalities are also in that age group so it was a natural transition for us to go out and research what those people wanted to hear." Mr. Gordon dismissed any notions that the format and name change was due to the recent arrival of HOT 89.9, a hip-hop and dance station that has attracted a younger following. In the radio ratings released this week, HOT 89.9 grabbed most of the 12-to-34 age group and had created a three-way battle for the same listeners with The Bear and KOOL-FM. "We actually made the decision (to switch) even before the ratings came out," said Mr. Gordon. "It's a competitive marketplace on the younger end with HOT and Xfm." As for the name BOB, he said there is already a CHUM station with the same name in Winnipeg, and even Vancouver has a station named JACK. "The name BOB is a different way of doing business, we want the station to feel like it's somebody you know," he said. Mr. Gordon said he expects most of KOOL-FM's advertisers to come over to the new station and to pick up other advertisers because now the station is appealing to older listeners (Relayed by Harry van Vugt, Windsor, Ontario, Canada) ** CHECHNYA. MOSCOW HAS BIG PLANS FOR CHECHEN MEDIA By Timur Aliev Special to The Moscow Times Tuesday, May. 27, 2003. GROZNY -- It is 9.30 a.m., and five journalists from Chechnya's state- owned television get into two cars to go to their separate assignments. Cars are not the only thing lacking here. There is one cameraman for every two or three reporters and one only editing room, where correspondents line up in the afternoon to edit their reports. . http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2003/05/27/003.html (via Jill Dybka, DXLD) {Ooops, duplicate of item in 3-092} ** CHINA. Yes, I know, this has only a tenuous connexion to radio, but I find it fascinating, for historical and linguistic reasons. If CRU were available on a website I would simply link to such a virtually OT item (gh) THE SERVANT OF GOD MATTEO RICCI, S.J. The Diocese of Macerata [now Italy] may be small in size, but it is a giant in another respect: It is the birthplace of Matteo Ricci, a Jesuit priest and missionary rightly called Apostle of China. Born in Macerata, then one of the Papal States, on October 6, 1552, he entered the Jesuits at 19. After attending university and receiving ordination, he was sent to the Far East to be a missionary to China when it opened. Finally, he and another Jesuit, Fr Michele di Ruggieri, were permitted to enter Canton in 1583. He had prepared himself well by studying as much of Chinese culture and history as he could. and he had worked on becoming fluent in Mandarin Chinese. Chinese is a language totally different from those of Europe and Africa. It is a member of the Sino-Tibetan family, a distinct family of languages. Chinese is no one single language, but dozens of dialects. One of these, Mandarin Chinese, was and is the language of the royal courts, the government, the educated classes. The language is monosyllabic and, consequently, because the number of possible syllables in any language is limited, Chinese is also tonal, so that the tone or pitch of the voice when speaking a sound changes the meaning of that sound. There are four tones in Mandarin Chinese; some dialects have as many as nine. Thus, a sound such as ma can mean a number of things, depending on the pitch with which it is spoken. In short, Chinese is not an easy language to learn and speak --- it is worlds apart from any European tongue. Padres Ricci and di Ruggieri decided that their course of action should be low key. They did not announce that they had come to bring Christianity to the people; the Chinese were rightly proud of their ancient civilization that was in many respects far in advance of Europe --- both Chinese and Japanese called the Europeans ``barbarians`` because of their lack of refinement and personal hygiene. What Padre Ricci did as deliberate policy was to open his house to those who wanted to come. The Jesuits had brought the latest technology from Europe— clocks, mathematical and astrological instruments, musical instruments, paintings, prints, maps, expensively bound books. The Chinese were not ignorant, but they quickly saw that the Jesuits had knowledge they did not. These Mandarins and educated Chinese were drawn to the perennially open house the Jesuits held in Canton. Being accepted and respected by the Chinese Mandarins and educated officials and scholars was no small achievement. The Chinese had a rigorous education system. Before a Chinese young man was accepted into Government service, he studied diligently for years and then took a government examination administered annually, the chin-shih. If he passed, honors and a well-paid position were his; if he failed, he was doomed to a life of poverty. Many superb Chinese poets failed to pass the exam and their lives were spent in haphazard employ and frequently ended in alcoholism and despair --- Lu Kuei-meng, Li Shan- fu, Huang Ching-jen, Kung Tzu-chen. After some time had passed and the Mandarins and scholars had accepted Padres Ricci and di Ruggieri as equals, Father Ricci began to explain a bit of Catholicism. He translated the Ten Commandments and wrote them on tablets which he offered as the moral code of the West to his visitors. Thanks to Confucius, the Chinese were keenly aware of morality and welcomed the tablets; receiving one was an honor. The Jesuits did the same thing with maps, which fascinated even the highest officials, for they knew nothing of the rest of the world. Padre Ricci later wrote short books of 25 chapters that discussed moral questions; known as ``The 25 Words,`` these, too, were welcomed, and the Chinese themselves began printing them; hundreds of thousands were printed. Later Father Ricci and a young priest who replaced Fr di Ruggieri moved to Nan-Ch`ang, capital of Kiang-si, an intellectual center. The Jesuits` reputation had proceeded them and they were welcomed by the scholars. In 1601, Emperor Wan-li finally summoned them to Peking, where Padre Ricci lived his last nine years, dying on May 11, 1618. The Jesuits had made only a few thousand converts at the time, but Padre Ricci was delighted with the results. Given the obstacles the Emperor had placed on their entry into China, the difficulty of learning Chinese language and culture, and the time it took to be accepted, Padre Ricci felt their achievement was ``a very great miracle of Divine Omnipotence.`` THE CHINESE RITES CONTROVERSY One of the problems faced by Padre Ricci was how to translate into Mandarin those Latin and Italian theological terms, including the names of God, for which Mandarin had no equivalents. T`ien (heaven) and Shang-ti (Sovereign Lord) to designate God, specifically were problems. After diligent study and thought, Padre Ricci used these terms, convinced that they were in fact equivalent. In this manner, he wrote, by using these familiar terms, Christian missionaries would not alienate the Chinese. Some Jesuits had problems with these terms, the Japanese Jesuits in particular, saying that what the Chinese understood by these terms was not what Western Europeans meant by Heaven and God. In 1704 and 1715, Pope Clement XI, without attempting to determine what these Chinese words really meant --- he certainly was in no position to do so --- said that the terms were to be avoided so that no danger of misunderstanding would result. Use T`ien-chu, he said, to translate God. More troublesome was the issue of the Chinese rites of reverence towards one`s ancestors. Every one in the world by now must know the great reverence Chinese hold for their ancestors. Small altars are found in homes; incense is burned before (in these days) photographs of deceased parents and relatives. Prostrations and sacrifices are offered. The question was and is: Are these acts, these rites, de facto worship of ancestors? Or are they simply the manner, in a culture very different from Western Civilization, ways of honoring one`s forebears and, consequently, one`s family and kin, and ultimately one`s lineage and heritage? Similar rites were held for Confucius. Families and persons who did not offer these rites became social pariahs, ostracized from society. The 1908 Catholic Encyclopedia, a model of orthodoxy, reports: ``After having carefully studied what the Chinese classical books said regarding these rites, and after having observed for a long time the practice of them and questioned numerous scholars of every rank with whom he was associated during this eighteen years of apostolate, Ricci was convinced that these rites had no religious significance, either in their institution or in their practice by the enlightened classes. The Chinese, he said, recognized no divinity in Confucius any more than in their deceased ancestors; they prayed to neither; they made no requests nor expected any extraordinary intervention from them. In fact they only did for them what they did for the living to whom they wished to show great respect. `The honour they pay to their parents [wrote Padre Ricci] consists in serving them dead as they did living. They do not for this reason think that the dead come to eat their offerings [the flesh, fruit, etc.] or need them. They declare that they act in this manner because they know no other way of showing their love and gratitude to their ancestors. . . . Likewise what they do [especially the educated], they do to thank Confucius for the excellent doctrine which he left them in his books, and through which they obtained their degrees and mandarinships. Thus in all this there is nothing suggestive of idolatry, and perhaps it may even be said that there is no superstition.``` True, some of the uneducated may mix superstition in with these rites of honor, Padre Ricci said, but abuse does not vitiate use; that some peasant in Mexico might think a wooden statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe actually has miraculous power does not vitiate the use of statues. Padre Ricci did not come to this conclusion lightly; he had spent 18 years in China and he had interviewed hundreds of Mandarins to arrive at his conclusion. Consequently, Padre Ricci did not forbid Chinese converts to Catholicism to continue with these rites honoring their ancestors. Enter the Dominicans and Franciscans. Alarmed, they wrote the bishops in the Philippines, who in turn wrote Rome. By 20 years after Padre Ricci`s death in Peking, there was heated controversy between the Jesuits on one hand and the newly arrived Dominicans and Franciscans on the other. One Dominican in particular actually traveled to Rome and handed the Pope ten questions regarding these matters. But the Dominican in question had not described the rites as they were practiced; in fact, the Jesuits said, the rites as described to the Holy See were entirely imaginary and did not exist. The Holy Office with the Pope`s approval had declared the rites, based on the Dominican`s alleged descriptions, as illicit. (It should be noted that there was and is a rivalry between Dominicans and Jesuits, between those whose forté is Medieval Scholasticism and those whose forté is Counter-Reformation Christian humanism. The rivalry strengthened over the theological problem of God`s foreknowledge and man`s free will. Recall, too, that it was the Dominicans who were charged with administering the Inquisition.) In 1651, the Holy See sent another Jesuit, Padre Martin Martini, to investigate the matter. When he returned with a true account of the Jesuit missionary practices in regard to the rites, Pope Alexander VII accepted and approved them. In 1665, the Jesuits, Dominicans and sole Franciscan left in China agreed not to prohibit these rites. This should have settled the matter, but enter another Dominican, Fr Domingo Fernández Navarrete, the superior. He traveled secretly to Rome to overthrow the 1665 agreement among the missionaries, without success. It would be yet another outsider, Fr Charles Maigrot of the newly founded French religious order, the Society for Foreign Missions. He arrived in China in 1693 as Vicar-Apostolic of Fu-kien. Before long, he forbade the missionaries to permit the Chinese converts to honor their ancestors or Confucius with these rites, and issued a number or restrictions and injunctions. He said that Padre Martini had not accurately portrayed what was happening in these rites. Was Fr Maigrot really perceptive about the matter? Or was he one of those astringent personalities whose neurotic drives masquerade as zeal? Or simply a man whose episcopal consecration had gone to his head? In any event, he seems to have ridden into Dodge City with guns blazing. Following the now-Bishop Maigrot descriptions of the rites, in 1704 Pope Clement XI sent a personal envoy, whom he consecrated bishop, to China with the command to suppress the Chinese rites. The Emperor heard of it, and his warm welcome to the envoy turned frosty; the envoy was exiled to Macao while the Emperor himself sent an envoy to the pope. In the meantime, the Emperor required every missionary to receive a special diploma from himself, authorizing him to work in China. Some did, so as not to lose decades of work in China; others did not. An additional exchange of legate and views did not heal the matter and, finally, Pope Benedict XIV, in 1742, settled the matter with a Papal Bull condemning the missionaries` practice of allowing the rites among converts, thus settling the matter once and for all. Persecutions, exile, and martyrdom followed for what few missionaries remained. For the next century, effective Catholic missionary work in China was made impossible. The Catholic Encyclopedia writer summarizes the matter very well. ``The popes declared, after scrupulous investigations, that the ceremonies in honour of Confucius or ancestors and deceased relatives are tainted with superstition to such a degree that they cannot be purified. But the error of Ricci, as of his fellow-workers and successors, was but an error in judgment. The Holy See expressly forbade it to be said that they approved of idolatry; it would indeed be an odious calumny to accuse such a man as Ricci, and so many other holy and zealous missionaries, of having approved and permitted their neophytes practices which they knew to be superstitions and contrary to the purity of religion. Despite this error, Matto Ricci remains a splendid type of missionary and founder, unsurpassed for his zealous intrepidity, the intelligence of the methods applied to each situation, and the unwearying tenacity with which he pursued the projects he undertook. To him belongs the glory not only of opening up a vast empire to the Gospel, but of simultaneously making the first breach in that distrust of strangers which excluded China from the general progress of the world.`` In the late 1940`s, Pope Pius XII said that, in view of new knowledge obtained by cultural anthropology and associated studies, that the question could be reopened. But China fell to the Marxists under the command of Mao Tse-Tung, and the matter was never reopened. In view of the fact that so many holy missionaries of various orders agreed on the scene, with few exceptions, that the honor given to ancestors and Confucius was not idolatry or incompatible with Catholicism, one has to wonder who was right. The Popes who viewed the matter unfavorably depended upon what they were told. In view of the things that go on in churches on Indian reservations in the western United States, one can argue that the Chinese rites are far more innocuous. It needs to be said of course, that we must assume that everyone involved acted in good will. The missionaries in China, including Padre Ricci, were holy men undergoing cultural shock of a magnitude unknown to Europeans. Some were innately incapable of understanding other cultures --- the Portuguese friars, for example, systematically destroyed the priceless Scriptural and Liturgical books of the Syro- Malabars and Syro-Malankars on the coast of India, convinced that these were heretical; unfrocked their priests and bishops and forbade them to practice, and sometimes violently forced the Indians to accept the Latin Rite. There is a thin line between zeal and fanaticism. Editor`s Note --- The 1908 Catholic Encyclopedia is found at http://www.newadvent.org For a painting of Padre Ricci, visit the Diocese of Macerata site, http://www2.chiesacattolica.it/pls/ceidocs/bia_pack.info_diocesi?id=107&Regione= Scroll down to the end of the page and click on the paragraph heading about Padre Matteo Ricci, whose cause has been introduced for beatification. On the page that opens you will find files for a prayer for his beatification, a biography of Padre Ricci, and a fine image that can be printed off your computer (jpg file). (Michael Dorner, Catholic Radio Update June 2 via DXLD) ** DENMARK [and non]. DANISH OFFSHORE RADIO - NEW BOOK AND MUSEUM An extract from Hans Knot's newsletter: "During the years people are contacting me from all around the world for information about offshore radio as well as questions if I could provide photos or other materials from the past. So two years ago I got such a question from Denmark and out of the blue came the following message in on May 16th: ``At last I can tell you that the book of The Danish Offshore radiostations, Radio Mercur and DCR, is being published. In June this year the book titled "Pirater i æteren - Radio Mercur og Danmarks Commercielle Radio. Dansk reklameradio fra Øresund 1958-62" is in the bookstores in Denmark - published by The Press Museum of Denmark and the University Press of Southern Denmark. The Press Museum - situated in Odense on Funen -- is presenting an exhibition on the offshore stations with pictures, television- recordings and sound from the Danish pirates. The exhibition runs from June 14th until August 31st 2003. Again I would like to thank you for your help!`` was signed Hendrik Noegaard. http://www.radio-mercur.dk/ So now you know what to do if you`re planning your summer holiday in Denmark." (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** ECUADOR. HAUSER: HCJB ABANDONS NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE http://www.eham.net/articles/5660 (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) This is hardly news now, but FYI, it seems my Closing Comment in June MT has spread (gh) ** ERITREA. STATE RADIO STARTS TRANSMITTING VIA SATELLITE | Text of report by Eritrean radio on 3 June Following efforts by the Ministry of Information to expand its broadcasting coverage, the Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea [VOBME] yesterday, 2 June, started broadcasting via satellite on two channels. VOBME's programmes are broadcast on Arabsat. The radio's first channel broadcasts in Tigrinya, Tigre, Kunama, Hdareb and Nara. The second channel broadcasts in Arabic, Saho, Afar, Blien, Oromo and Amharic. Eritreans living in the Middle East, north Africa and southern Europe have thus started to hear clear audio of VOBME programmes. It will recalled that, in addition to enabling Eritrean television to broadcast via Arabsat last month, the Ministry of Information has also enabled Radio Zara [an FM station] to cover the Gash-Barka and Anseba regions. The ministry has also launched a web site version of the Shabait information network [ http://shabait.bluehill.com/articles/publish ] [State-owned Eritrean Television, Eri-TV, began transmitting via the Arabsat satellite at 26 degrees east in May 2003]. Source: Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea, Asmara, in Tigrinya 0430 gmt 3 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. RADIO JUSTICE. As per BBCM's report in DXLD 3-096: Sundays 1700-1800 on 12120 in Tigrigna. Because of this frequency, I went to look at TDP's website and found it scheduled as Radio Solidarity. Was previous scheduled via DTK Julich Wed/Sat on 15265. Never heard this one due to the Chinese musicjammer active at the same time. Is this frequency still used, has it ever been used? (Silvain Domen, Belgium, June 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. RADIO FRANCE INTERNATIONALE ON STRIKE 3 JUNE Radio France Internationale is observed to be on strike on 3 June. The station's African service carried the following announcement at 0730 gmt: "Owing to a strike, RFI will not carry its usual programmes. Consequently, we will have you listen to some music. Thank you for your understanding." Source: Radio France Internationale, Paris, in French 0730 gmt 3 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** GHANA. ADOPT NATIONAL BROADCASTING POLICY - PROF. QUARMYNE Professor Alex T Quarmyne, a communications and media expert, on Saturday called for a quick action to adopt a National Broadcasting policy to effectively monitor and enforce regulations in the industry. He said there was much indiscipline on the Ghanaian communication highway 10 years after the adoption of a national constitution and nearly eight years of deregulation of broadcasting. . . http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=36570 (via Jill Dybka, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. GROWING PAINS FADING, SATELLITE RADIO READY TO BLAST OFF --- By BRIAN BERGSTEIN, AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) -- Satellite radio comes from space bearing gifts: 100 digital channels with eclectic music options and few or no commercials, beamed directly to cars and home stereos throughout the continental United States. Less than a year ago, potential subscribers and investors were treating it like an unwelcome visitor from another planet. Its dueling providers, XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. and Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., were warning they might run out of cash. Finally, though, the mini-industry seems primed to take off. Automakers are showing more enthusiasm for putting receivers in cars. Design advances are shrinking the tuners and their prices, to as low as $70, from around $300. Subscriber numbers are jumping for XM's $10 monthly service and Sirius' $13 offering. Both companies have abated their cash crunches though financial maneuvers. XM expects to begin breaking even by the end of 2004, and Sirius by mid-2005. XM's stock price has quintupled this year; Sirius' has doubled. Some analysts expect satellite radio to grow the way satellite TV did. If so, XM and Sirius radios won't be standard in cars and homes anytime soon, but both companies still could be budding media giants. "I'm glad to have most of the trying-to-get-everything-set-up behind us, so we can just compete in the marketplace with not only with XM but traditional radio," Sirius chief Joseph Clayton said in a recent interview. "And that's the fun part." When Clayton headed RCA's television sales a decade ago, he once dressed like Gen. George Patton, borrowed a tank from a military museum and drove it over a pile of Japanese TVs. Cameras captured it for an in-house motivational video. These days, it won't be so easy for the hefty Kentuckian to crush his competition. Although Sirius launched its three satellites before XM got its two, "Rock" and "Roll," into space, New York-based Sirius began offering service second, in July 2002, because of delays in getting chip sets from Agere Inc. and what Clayton describes as missteps by Sirius' original management team. Sirius has just 68,000 subscribers and is gunning for 300,000 by December. It has been about a year behind XM's products, such as portable receivers that can be plugged into cars, home stereos or boom boxes. Sirius is catching up this summer with $100 models, prompting XM to drop its price to that level from $129. Washington, D.C.-based XM had its own problems. Original plans to launch service on Sept. 12, 2001, had to be delayed several weeks. Still, XM has used its head start to sign up more than 500,000 subscribers, with 1.2 million expected by December. "It's pretty clear that we're the ice breaker that's breaking the new ground and they are following behind us," said XM Chairman Gary Parsons. But Sirius seems to be getting its act together at just the right time, with so much growth potential still ahead. After all, Parsons believes satellite radio could snare 50 million subscribers. "This marketplace is definitely big enough to have two players," said April Horace, an analyst with Janco Partners. "I think the competition is good to raise awareness for both companies." In a sign of their potential mass appeal, XM radios are now available in 2,100 Wal-Mart stores. XM and Sirius also believe that within a few years, they can drop subsidies to car and boat makers for installing their equipment. XM will be optional in at least 70 car models this fall, including General Motors and Honda autos as part of exclusive deals. GM owns 11 percent of XM; Honda has 8 percent. XM also has ties to traditional radio: Station-owning behemoth Clear Channel Communications owns 3 percent. Sirius radios will be optional in 65 auto models, including those of exclusive partners BMW, DaimlerChrysler and Ford. DaimlerChrysler has a small stake in Sirius; it and Ford each have options to buy 4 million shares. Ford technology spokeswoman Emily Foley said the automaker no longer has doubts satellite radio will take off. Ten of Ford's 2004 models will have Sirius as a dealer-installed option and more will follow. XM and Sirius hope the auto partnerships help lure frequent road- trippers and everyday commuters unhappy with the diminishing diversity of commercial radio. "I have very eclectic tastes in music, and a lot of it is not the stuff you can hear on regular radio," said Mel Harkrader Pine, 57, an XM customer since January 2002. "It's like having almost an unlimited CD library and you just hit a button for whatever mood you happen to be in at a particular time." Sirius has 60 commercial-free music channels and 44 news, talk and sports channels with some ads. XM has ads on half its 70 music channels and most of its 31 news, talk and information channels, helping to keep the subscription price lower. Both companies automate many channels, though XM has some live programming anchored by disc jockeys who can field requests, and Sirius airs live in-studio performances and interviews. Sirius recently began carrying National Public Radio, a deal pooh- poohed by XM because it doesn't include popular shows like "All Things Considered" and "Morning Edition." XM broadcasts audio feeds from CNN and Fox News and has a Playboy adult talk channel that costs an extra $3 a month. Sirius has NBA games and a new station for gays and lesbians. Although Sirius is the challenger, Clayton and his team talk more expansively about the future, like the possibility of Walkman-sized satellite radios. Improved compression technology could add perhaps 20 channels to XM's and Sirius' menus, and Clayton envisions some sending data and video -- perhaps even backseat movies for cars. "Just because you're No. 1 out of the gate doesn't guarantee you success," Clayton said. "The satellite radio industry has just begun." ------ On the Net: http://www.sirius.com http://www.xmsr.com APTV- 05-29-03 1427EDT (via David R. Alpert, ABC News, 818 areacode, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. DISH TV DENIED WJLA IN CONTRACT DISPUTE By John Maynard, Washington Post Staff Writer, Monday, June 2, 2003; Page C07 WJLA, Channel 7, vanished from the sets of local Dish Network subscribers Saturday after station owner Allbritton Communications and the satellite company failed to reach an agreement on carrying the ABC affiliate. Throughout Sunday, Dish subscribers without access to a TV antenna were denied all of WJLA's programming, including ABC's prime- time lineup of the movie "Ever After" and the series "Alias" and "The Practice." . . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1349-2003Jun1.html (via Kraig Krist, DXLD) ** IRAQ. IRAQI MEDIA NETWORK ANNOUNCES SCHEDULE, FREQUENCY | Text of report by Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) satellite TV on 3 June The Iraqi Media Network would like to inform the viewers that it broadcasts its programmes daily for an hour at 1900-2000 Baghdad time [1600-1700 gmt]. The programmes will be repeated at 1100 [local time, 0800 gmt] the following day. The programme are transmitted via Hotbird satellite on 11137 MHz, horizontal polarization. Source: Kurdistan Satellite TV, Salah-al-Din, in Sorani Kurdish 1600 gmt 3 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) What about terrestrial frequencies? Geez! ** IRAQ. A MEDIA EXPLOSION IN IRAQ --- News: Since Hussein's overthrow, dozens of newspapers and radio and TV stations are exercising freedoms not allowed in decades. Originally published Jun 2, 2003 BAGHDAD, Iraq - On one street in the capital, a vendor shouts out news he would have been arrested for trumpeting just weeks ago: "Read all about Saddam's double!" A woman skids her car to a stop and asks for a copy of Assaah - a newspaper published in Iraq without government supervision. Iraqis are now enjoying media freedoms unheard of in the eight decades since the nation was established by British colonialists. . . http://www.sunspot.net/news/nationworld/bal-te.journal02jun02,0,2757396.column?coll=bal-nationworld-utility (via Jill Dybka, DXLD) ** IRAQ. EXPERTS, NGOS PUSH NEW LAW FOR FREE PRESS IN IRAQ By Tomasz Janowski ATHENS, June 3 -- An international group of media experts proposed on Tuesday a plan to promote a free press in post-war Iraq after three decades of state-controlled media and censorship under former President Saddam Hussein. . . http://famulus.msnbc.com/FamulusIntl/reuters06-03-080154.asp?reg=MIDEAST (via Jill Dybka, DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. Hi Glenn, Re Steve's query concerning RNZI in an earlier DXLD: I checked with Adrian Sainsbury of Radio New Zealand International and he advised me of the following: ``That is correct; after we close on 9885 the tx moves to 6095, tunes up and then goes to bed.`` (Mark Nicholls, Wellington, New Zealand, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. MAORI RADIO GOES LIVE ON THE NET Andrea Malcoom, nzoom http://technology.nzoom.com/technology_detail/0,1608,194246-113-380,00.html A Maori radio station in Tokoroa is gaining a new international audience after becoming the first iwi station to stream across the Internet. Raukawa FM went live on the Net six weeks ago and is getting 4000 hits a week. Computer consultant and site creator Colin Heke says while most of the overseas listeners are from Australia, people are also accessing from the US, UK, Canada and Taiwan. The radio station has taken advantage of a new broadband wireless service set up in Tokoroa by Auckland-based Rural Networks and the South Waikato District Council. Instead of using phone lines like Jet Stream, Rural Networks delivers fast Internet and telephone services over the air-waves. Heke says streaming across phone lines via Jet Stream would have cost about $2800 per month, which Raukawa FM couldn't afford. Instead it is paying $60 a month to stream its radio broadcasts as well as connect its PCs to the Internet. Eventually it will also use the broadband wireless connection to make phone calls at little or no extra cost. Heke has set up a direct connection from the console mixer at Raukawa FM's studio to a server. The server has a small antenna plugged into its USB port, which sends the signal to a radio transmitter/receiver tower owned by Rural Networks and the council. From there it is broadcast to cyberspace. Under Project PROBE, the government is funding the use of this technology to give people in rural areas high speed access to the Internet. The South Waikato is one of the first rural regions to get broadband wireless up and running and has applied for cash to extend it further. Check out Raukawa FM on http://www.tearahou.co.nz (Andrea Malcolm, nzoom via DXLD) ** PERU. 5996.53, Radio Melodía, Arequipa, 0430-0500, May 27, Spanish, Musical Program with comments by man and female announcer, tc "once de la noche con cuarenta y un minutos", music from Mexican group Mana, comunicados, ID "Melodía...", 23342, (Eramo, Argentina) 6042.56, Radio Melodía, Arequipa, 0459-0510, Jun 2, Spanish, musical program with comments by man announcer, ID "Melodía en el..." reiteradas menciones de Arequipa, 22332 (Nicolás Eramo, Villa Lynch, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Receivers: Icom ICR 75, Kenwood R2000, Sony ICF2010; Antennas: T2FD, V Inverted 10 mts with balun; Others: MFJ 959B Receiver Antenna Tuner/Preamplifier; DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA [non?]. Observed an unknown Krishnaite radio station on 20/21 May. It operates in Russian on 7436 kHz. Generally, program consists of Indian songs. I guess it the same station which broadcast last September/October under the name Radio Krishnaloka (but frequency was 7415.5 kHz those times). 21 May: 0317, 7436 kHz, music (even European songs were there!), talk about Indian coffee! Sudden switch-off at 0328. I don't know when the broadcast began. SINPO 35443. Fair audio quality, but some lack of low frequencies noted. Last year Walter Salmaniw came out with a suggestion that transmitter of Krishnaloka is located somewhere near Donetsk, Ukraine. Maybe we will be able to estimate signal origin this time? (open_dx, Alexander Yegorov, Kyiv, Ukraine) Indeed, they continue with some of R. Krishnaloka programming. The station provided the following info about itself: Frequency 7438 kHz has been assigned to us on secondary basis, for test transmissions. We are on the air daily at 0100-0300 UTC (0500- 0700 Moscow time). 150 W transmitter is located in Orel, Russia. Transmission is directed to central part of Russia. Uda-Yagi antenna is used, with 4...6 dB gain. (open_dx, Konstantin Gusev, Moscow, Russia) (Which is right, 7436 or 7438 kHz? --- Signal Ed.) Station's name is Radio Veda. Don't mix it up with Radio Vedo which operates from Volgograd in MW/FM! (open_dx — Vasily Guliayev, Astrakhan, Russia) (all via Signal, hard-core-dx June 2 via DXLD) ** U K. I also heard BBC time pips at 1615 UT during Europe Today, listening on C-band analog audio feed. What is the point of this additional interruption? Will they soon copy Cuba's "clock radio"? (Mike Cooper, GA, June 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Tnx for the confirmation; afterwards I suspected it was a garbage truck backing up outside (gh, Enid, DXLD) ** U S A. GOVERNMENT WILL LAUNCH NEWS NETWORK TO COUNTER 'ANTI- AMERICAN' IMAGE --- By Shane Harris June 2, 2003 http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0603/060203h1.htm Middle East airwaves are clogged with ``hate speak --- disinformation [and] incitement to violence`` that is anti-Western and anti-American, said Norman Pattiz, one of America`s most prominent news media executives. Now, armed with a congressional mandate and more than $30 million in government funds, Pattiz and a team of media gurus are going to compete with those networks for hearts and minds on the Arab street. By the end of this year, Pattiz, the chairman of radio giant Westwood One and a member of the government`s Broadcasting Board of Governors, which runs the Voice of America radio broadcast, hopes to launch the Middle East Television Network, a U.S.-based, 24-hour satellite news and entertainment channel that will try to snatch viewers away from Qatar-based newscaster al Jazeera and a number of state-run news media outlets in the region. Pattiz has been planning the network for more than a year, after the successful launch of an Arabic-language radio channel known as Radio Sawa, he said in an interview with Government Executive. But the momentum for the network has been fueled lately by the administration`s view that Arabic news broadcasts are damaging the image of the United States. For instance, throughout the war in Iraq, al Jazeera and other Arabic networks took a critical view of U.S.-led military actions, and frequently showed images not seen in the U.S., including pictures of dead coalition troops and killed or maimed Iraqi civilians. Those images were beamed into homes and public places across the region. Pattiz has been called upon before to counter what`s perceived as the negative portrait of U.S. policy. Immediately after the end of combat in Iraq, the White House asked him to produce a U.S. news program to air in the country, he said. Pattiz used a Washington production studio to dub into Arabic nightly news broadcasts from major U.S. networks, and he also produced original news using Arabic-speaking reporters. The packages were broadcast every day for a month from special U.S. military aircraft flying over Iraq. The new Middle East network will air more than just original news and will have a decidedly Western flare, Pattiz said. A morning show, children`s programs, ``family entertainment`` and an as-yet- undetermined line-up of U.S. television shows and movies will round out the programming schedule, he said. There are ``people on the ground`` in the Middle East now conducting research about what kinds of programs potential viewers want to see, Pattiz said. ``We`re using proven American and Western broadcasting techniques, which are heavily research-driven,`` he said, adding that he`s met with Muslim associations in the U.S. to understand which American programs might offend other cultures. The airing of the U.S. news broadcasts after the war has inspired some controversy, after it was reported that the facilities used to produce the shows are run by the owner of a Christian evangelical news organization, Grace News Network. Washington-based Grace is ``dedicated to transmitting the evidence of God`s presence in the world today [and will air] aggressive proclamations that will `change the news` to reflect the Kingdom of God and His purposes,`` the network`s Web site says. Thorne Auchter, the chief operating officer, said his group had not been involved in producing the news broadcasts shown in Iraq. But he acknowledged that the organization and Grace Digital Media, which produced the segments, are owned by the same woman, Cheryl Reagan, who also runs Federal News Service. Grace Digital Media produces segments for a number of organizations, and it had no control over the editorial content of the Iraq packages, according to a Broadcasting Board of Governors spokeswoman. Pattiz said he wasn`t aware of the company`s connection to the religious group until after it began work. When the Middle East network launches, it will have to compete with another U.S.-funded project. The Iraqi Media Network, created from the remnants of the Iraqi Information Ministry, is producing broadcasts and two newspapers. It`s overseen by the Pentagon agency in charge of Iraqi reconstruction. Iraqi journalists at the network have reportedly clashed with their American overseers over programming. The Washington Post reported that the two sides have feuded over whether to air readings of the Kor`an and whether to subject news content to outside approval (via Jill Dybka, DXLD) ** U S A. 'RADICAL RIGHT' TAKES ANOTHER HIT RUDOLPH'S CAPTURE LATEST OF MANY FOR EXTREMISTS By BARBARA BARRETT, Staff Writer, Tuesday, June 3, 2003 12:00AM EDT Eric Robert Rudolph is only the latest high-profile figure on the far right to lose his freedom or his life. Since July 2002, far-right militia and white supremacist groups have lost some key leaders to death and arrests, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Ala., which tracks hate groups. "The radical right in America is in complete disarray," said Mark Potok, editor of the center's Intelligence Report. . . [mentions ex-fugitive Steve Anderson in connexion with Eric Rudolph] Clayton Douglas, publisher of the monthly Free American magazine and host of a daily shortwave broadcast, said in an interview Monday that Rudolph had plenty of admirers. "They probably see him as somebody who actually did something other than talk about the abortion movement," said Douglas, who operates from Bingham, N.M., and whose magazine features articles such as "Jewish Domination of the Computer World." . . . http://newsobserver.com/news/story/2586908p-2400744c.html (via Jill Dybka, DXLD) ** U S A. FCC HF ACTIONS [Following are excerpts of a much longer document which can be accessed in full below; we here concentrate on broadcasting, and changes in the interaction between broadcasting and non-broadcasting stations. If you have any interest in utility services, do read it all! --- gh] [Federal Register: May 13, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 92)] [Rules and Regulations] [Page 25512-25542] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr13my03-26] ====================================================================== FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Parts 2, 73, 74, 80, 90, and 97 [ET Docket No. 02-16; FCC 03- 39] Below 28 MHz AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final rule. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission amends its rules to implement domestically various allocation decisions from International Telecommunication Union (``ITU'') World Radiocommunication Conferences concerning the frequency bands below 28 MHz. The rules update the Commission's rules so they are more consistent with international regulations, update various rule parts to affect the allocation changes, and update rules that were not recently reviewed. DATES: Effective June 12, 2003. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shameeka Parrott, Office of Engineering and Technology, (202) 418-2062, email: sparrott@fcc.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Report and Order, ET Docket No. 02-16, FCC 03-39, adopted February 25, 2003, and released March 3, 2003. The full text of this Commission decision is available on the Commission's Internet site at http://www.fcc.gov It is available for inspection and copying during normal business hours in the FCC Reference Information Center, Room CY-A257, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554. The complete text of this document also may be purchased from the Commission's copy contractor, Qualex International, Room CY-B402, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554. Alternate formats are available to persons with disabilities by contacting Brian Millin at (202) 418-7426 or TTY (202) 418-7365. Summary of the Report and Order 1. In the Report and Order, the Commission amended parts 2, 73, 74, 80, 90, and 97 of the Commission's rules to implement domestically various allocation decisions from ITU World Radiocommunication Conferences concerning the frequency bands below 28 MHz. 2. International Broadcast Frequencies. The Commission found that implementing allocation changes from World Administration Radiocommunication Conference (``WARC'') 1979 and WARC-92 concerning high frequency broadcast (``HFBC'') would significantly increase the amount of spectrum available for HFBC, and conform to international regulations. The Commission states that implementing these allocation changes would promote national interest around the world and increase the international communications provided by HFBC. 3. To provide more effective use of the WARC-79 HFBC bands, the Commission deleted the fixed service allocation from the WARC-79 bands to make these bands available exclusively to the broadcasting service. These bands are also added to the Commission's rules for international broadcast stations, which provide an additional 850 kilohertz of exclusive spectrum for international broadcasters. Federal government agencies are permitted to operate existing fixed stations in the bands 9775-9900 kHz, 11650-11700 kHz, and 11975-12050 kHz on a non-harmful interference basis to the international broadcast stations. 4. Until the transition of the WARC-92 HFBC bands to exclusive broadcasting service use becomes effective on April 1, 2007, the Commission allocated the 790 kilohertz of spectrum to the broadcasting service on a shared primary basis with existing fixed and mobile services. Consistent with changes being made to the allocation of the WARC-92 HFBC bands, the Commission ceased to issue licenses for new non-Federal government stations in the fixed and mobile services on April 1, 2001. The Commission added informational notes to part 80 (the maritime service rules) stating that radioprinter use of the bands 5900-5950 kHz and 7300-7350 kHz and Alaska private-fixed station use of the frequency 11601.5 kHz is on the condition that harmful interference is not caused to HFBC. 5. The Broadcasting Board of Governors (``BBG'') filed comment in reference to limiting WARC-92 HFBC bands to single-sideband (``SSB'') technology, which BBG believed would limit flexibility and increase costs. The Commission agreed with BBG that international broadcasters would not use SSB techniques because recent ITU studies demonstrated extremely limited availability of SSB receivers. 6. Finally, the Commission amended rules that would update the international broadcasting rules to reflect current practices and make them consistent with ITU Radio Regulations. The Commission revised the frequency tolerance of 0.0015 percent of the assigned frequency to the current ITU standard of 10 hertz in Sec. 73.756(c). Given that there are few HFBC stations and many are non-profit, the Commission is grandfathering existing stations that do not meet this new standard. Also, the HFBC definitions in Sec. 73.701 of the rules are revised to reflect international requirements as specified in the WRC-97 Final Acts. Currently, the band 25600-25670 kHz is used by radio astronomy service and not by HFBC stations. Therefore, the Commission deleted this band from the list of frequencies available to HFBC stations in part 73 of the rules. With the Commission's rules now agreeing with the ITU Table of Frequency Allocations, domestic radio astronomy observations are protected in this range. The Commission also clarified the manner in which the 7100-7300 kHz band is to be used by international broadcast stations by adding cross references to the rules, and replacing the target zone map in Sec. 73.703 with the current ITU target zone map. Finally, the last sentence in Sec. 73.766 is modified by changing the highest modulating frequency from 5 kilohertz to 4.5 kilohertz to reflect a long-standing international provision. 7. AM Expanded Band. The Commission found that the public interest would be served providing additional cleared spectrum in the band 1605-1705 kHz for the AM broadcast service to improve the technical integrity of the service and to remove conflicting regulations from the Commission's rules. Obsolete service rules and frequency references for parts 74 and 90 in this band are removed in order to prevent incompatible frequency authorizations. This decision followed the Commission's deletion of the land mobile allocation from the band 1605-1705 kHz in 1983, in which frequencies within this band were inadvertently left in parts 74 and 90 of the rules. Specifically, the Commission removed the frequencies 1606 kHz, 1622 kHz, and 1646 kHz from Sec. 74.402(a)(1); the frequency 1630 kHz from Sec. 90.20(c)(3); the frequencies 1614 kHz, 1628 kHz, 1652 kHz, 1676 kHz, and 1700 kHz from Sec. 90.35 (b)(3); and the band 1605-1705 kHz from Sec. 90.263. Consistent with removing frequencies 1606 kHz, 1622 kHz, and 1646 kHz from Sec. 74.402(a)(1), the Commission also eliminated all reference to those frequencies from Sec. Sec. 74.402(a) and 74.402(e)(1) and section 74.462(b). Also, mobile travelers' information stations (``TIS'') continue to be authorized throughout the AM Expanded Band as specified in part 90 and Federal government TIS stations operating on 1610 kHz have primary status. 8. With four Industrial/Business Pool and two non-Federal government radiolocation licensees operating in the AM Expanded Band, these licensees are permitted to continue operation on a non- interference basis to AM radio and TIS stations, until the end of their current license term with no provision for renewal. If an Industrial/Business Pool or radiolocation service operation is causing interference to either an AM radio or TIS station, they will have to immediately cease transmission. The Commission found that there is sufficient alternative spectrum to meet the needs of licensees affected by this change and the Commission's staff will work with those licensees to help them find suitable alternative channels if the licensee desires. Also, no application fee will be charged to licensees of affected stations that apply for a modification to obtain alternative channels before the end of their license term. 9. In order to protect the technical integrity of the AM Expanded Band, the Commission deleted from the U.S. Table the Federal government and non-Federal government secondary radiolocation allocation in the band 1605-1705 kHz. The Commission found that these radiolocation operations can be relocated to the band 1900-2000 kHz without significant impact to current operations. Consistent with this decision, the Commission removed the band 1605-1705 kHz from the Radiolocation Service Frequency Table in Sec. 90.103 of the rules and deleted unneeded assignment limitations. The Commission had conversations with NTIA concerning the Federal government's radiolocation assignments in the sub-band 1615-1705 kHz. NTIA agreed to relocate all Federal government stations currently operating in the AM Expanded Band within one year of the adoption date of this Report and Order (February 25, 2004). In response to this, the Commission is allowing the Federal government radiolocation stations to continue to operate during this one-year transition period on the condition that harmful interference is not caused to AM or TIS stations. 10. Continued Use of Frequencies by Broadcast Auxiliary Remote Pickup Stations. The Commission is allowing broadcast auxiliary stations to continue using the band 26100-26175 kHz because use of this band by such stations is significant and their secondary status will ensure that their operation will not hinder public coast stations. A review of the Commission's licensing database showed that there were currently no public coast stations making use of the four maritime frequencies (26110 kHz, 26130 kHz, 26150 kHz, and 26170 kHz). Therefore, remote pickup stations will not impact maritime mobile operations and will allow for greater use of the radio spectrum. [large portion dealing with utility services omitted] By this action, the Commission reallocated 1640 kilohertz of spectrum from the fixed and mobile services to the broadcasting service. This action provides exclusive availability to broadcasting service in the HFBC bands. The Commission made consequential changes to various service rules that updated the rules for bands below 28000 kHz, so that they better comport with international regulations. Finally, this action clarifies the status of services in the AM Expanded Band (1605-1705 kHz). [large portion dealing with Small Business Administration qualification of utility stations omitted] * * * * * US25 The use of frequencies 26110 kHz, 26130 kHz, 26151 kHz, and 26172 kHz may be authorized to non-Federal Government remote pickup broadcast base and mobile stations on the condition that harmful interference is not caused to the reception of either international broadcast stations transmitting in the band 25850-26100 kHz or to coast stations transmitting in the band 26100-26175 kHz. * * * * * US238 On the condition that harmful interference is not caused to the reception of AM broadcast stations or to travelers' information stations, Federal Government stations in the band 1615- 1705 kHz may continue operations until February 25, 2004. * * * * * US366 On April 1, 2007, the bands 5900-5950 kHz, 7300-7350 kHz, 9400-9500 kHz, 11600-11650 kHz, 12050-12100 kHz, 13570-13600 kHz, 13800-13870 kHz, 15600-15800 kHz, 17480-17550 kHz, and 18900-19020 kHz shall be allocated exclusively to the broadcasting service. Beginning April 1, 2007, frequencies in these bands may be used by stations in the fixed and mobile services, communicating only within the United States and its insular areas, on the condition that harmful interference is not caused to the broadcasting service. When using frequencies for fixed and mobile services, licensees shall be limited to the minimum power needed to achieve communications and shall take account of the seasonal use of frequencies by the broadcasting service published in accordance with Article 12 of the ITU Radio Regulations. US367 On the condition that harmful interference is not caused to the broadcasting service, frequencies in the bands 9775-9900 kHz, 11650-11700 kHz, and 11975-12050 kHz may be used by Federal Government stations in the fixed service communicating within the United States and its insular areas that are authorized as of [effective date of the Report and Order published in the Federal Register]. Each such station shall be limited to a total radiated power of 24 dBW. * * * * * PART 73--RADIO BROADCAST SERVICES Sec. 73.701 Definitions. * * * * * (a) International broadcast stations. A broadcasting station employing frequencies allocated to the broadcasting service between 5900 and 26100 kHz, the transmissions of which are intended to be received directly by the general public in foreign countries. (A station may be authorized more than one transmitter.) There are both Federal and non-Federal Government international broadcast stations; only the latter are licensed by the Commission and are subject to the rules of this subpart. * * * * * (f) Assigned frequencies shall be within the following bands, which are allocated on an exclusive basis to the broadcasting service: (1) 5950-6200 kHz, 9500-9900 kHz, 11650-12050 kHz, 13600-13800 kHz, 15100-15600 kHz, 17550-17900 kHz, 21450-21850 kHz, and 25670- 26100 kHz. (2) In addition, the band 7100-7300 kHz is allocated on an exclusive basis to the broadcasting service in International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Regions 1 and 3 as defined in 47 CFR. 2.104(b). Assignments in the band 7100-7300 kHz shall be limited to international broadcast stations located in ITU Region 3 insular areas (as defined in 47 CFR. 2.105(a), note 4) that transmit to zones and areas of reception in ITU Region 1 or 3. In addition, during the hours of 0800-1600 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) antenna gain with reference to an isotropic radiator in any easterly direction that would intersect any area in Region 2 shall not exceed 2.15 dBi, except in the case where a transmitter power of less than 100 kW is used. In this case, antenna gain on restricted azimuths shall not exceed that which is determined in accordance with equation below. Stations desiring to operate in this band must submit sufficient antenna performance information to ensure compliance with these restrictions. Permitted Gain for Transmitter powers less than 100 kW: * * * * * (3) In addition, frequencies within the following bands are assignable to the broadcasting service on an exclusive basis after April 1, 2007: 5900-5950 kHz, 7300-7350 kHz, 9400-9500 kHz, 11600- 11650 kHz, 12050-12100 kHz, 13570-13600 kHz, 13800-13870 kHz, 15600- 15800 kHz, 17480-17550 kHz, and 18900-19020 kHz (WARC-92 HFBC bands). * * * * * Sec. 73.766 Modulation and bandwidth. The percentage of modulation shall be maintained as high as possible consistent with good quality of transmission and good broadcast practice. In no case shall it exceed 100 percent on positive or negative peaks of frequent recurrence. It should not be less than 85 percent on peaks of frequent recurrence. The range of modulation frequencies shall be so controlled that the authorized bandwidth of the emission shall not be exceeded under all conditions of modulation. The highest modulating frequency shall not exceed 4.5 kHz. PART 74--EXPERIMENTAL RADIO, AUXILIARY, SPECIAL BROADCASTING AND OTHER PROGRAM DISTRIBUTIONAL SERVICES (1) The following table describes the bands available for radioprinter simplex communications between ship and private coast stations: Frequency Bands (kHz) 2107-2170 4750-4850 2194-2495 5060-5450 2505-2850 5700-5950 \1\ 3155-3400 7300-8100 \1\ 4438-4650 \1\ After April 1, 2007, use of the sub-bands 5900-5950 kHz and 7300-7350 kHz shall be on the condition that harmful interference is not caused to HF broadcasting. * * * * * (i) * * * Private Communications in Alaska Carrier Frequencies (kHz) 1619.0 \3\ * * * 1622.0 \3\ 1643.0 \3\ 1646.0 \3\ 1649.0 \3\ 1652.0 \3\ 1705.0 \3\ * * * * * * * * \3\ Use of these frequencies is on a secondary basis to Region 2 broadcasting. * * * * * (via Benn Kobb, May 18, DXLD) ** U S A. FCC EASES MEDIA OWNERSHIP RULES PARTY-LINE VOTE CLEARS WAY FOR MORE CONSOLIDATION By Frank Ahrens, Washington Post Staff Writer, Tuesday, June 3, 2003; Page A01 A sharply divided Federal Communications Commission relaxed or eliminated several key media ownership restrictions yesterday, arguing that the decades-old rules were out of date with a rapidly changing media landscape populated by hundreds of cable, satellite and Internet choices. . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5555-2003Jun2.html (via Kraig Krist, DXLD) Get ready for television to degrade into what radio has. We will see what happened because of this for many years to come (Kevin Redding, NRC FMTV via DXLD) http://www.msnbc.com/news/920341.asp?0cv=CB10 FCC EASES MEDIA OWNERSHIP RULES REPUBLICAN-LED COMMISSION PASSES MEASURE WITH 3-2 VOTE Breaking News Associated Press WASHINGTON, June 2 --- Federal regulators relaxed decades-old rules restricting media ownership Monday, permitting companies to buy more television stations and own a newspaper and a broadcast outlet in the same city. THE REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED Federal Communications Commission voted 3-2 -- along party lines --- to adopt a series of changes favored by media companies. These companies argued that existing ownership rules were outmoded on a media landscape that has been substantially altered by cable TV, satellite broadcasts and the Internet. Critics say the eased restrictions would likely lead to a wave of mergers landing a few giant media companies in control of even more of what the public sees, hears and reads. The decision was a victory for FCC Chairman Michael Powell, who has faced growing criticism from diverse interests opposed to his move toward deregulation. ``Our actions will advance our goals of diversity and localism,`` Powell said. He said the old restrictions were too outdated to survive legal challenges and the FCC ``wrote rules to match the times.`` The FCC said a single company can now own TV stations that reach 45 percent of U.S. households instead of 35 percent. The major networks wanted the cap eliminated, while smaller broadcasters said a higher cap would allow the networks to gobble up stations and take away local control of programming. The FCC largely ended a ban on joint ownership of a newspaper and a broadcast station in the same city. The provision lifts all ``cross-ownership`` restrictions in markets with nine or more TV stations. Smaller markets would face some limits and cross-ownership would be banned in markets with three or fewer TV stations. The agency also eased rules governing local TV ownership so one company can own two television stations in more markets and three stations in the largest cities such as New York and Los Angeles. ``The more you dig into this order the worse things get,`` said Michael Copps, one of the commission`s Democrats. He said the changes empowers ``a new media elite`` to control news and entertainment. Fellow Democrat Jonathan Adelstein said the changes are ``likely to damage the media landscape for decades to come.`` The rule changes are expected to face court challenges from media companies wanting more deregulation and consumer groups seeking stricter restrictions. The FCC also changed how local radio markets are defined to correct a problem that has allowed companies to exceed ownership limits in some areas. The government adopted the ownership rules between 1941 and 1975 to encourage competition and prevent monopoly control of the media. A 1996 law requires the FCC to study ownership rules every two years and repeal or modify regulations determined to be no longer in the public interest. Many previous proposed changes were unfinished or were sent back to the FCC after court challenges. As the vote approached, opposition intensified. Critics bought television and newspaper ads, wrote letters and e-mails, and demonstrated outside television stations owned by major media companies. Some ads took on Rupert Murdoch, whose News Corp. owns Fox News Channel, 20th Century Fox TV and film studios, the New York Post and other media properties. Murdoch told a Senate committee last month he has no plan for a media buying spree after the changes, other than his proposed acquisition of DirecTV, the nation`s largest satellite television provider. The critics of eased rules include consumer advocates, civil rights and religious groups, small broadcasters, writers, musicians, academicians and the National Rifle Association. They say most people still get news mainly from television and newspapers, and combining the two is dangerous because those entities will not monitor each other and provide differing opinions. Large newspaper companies such as Tribune Co. and Gannett Inc. wanted the ``cross-ownership`` ban lifted. ``Newspaper-owed television stations program more and better news and public affairs than any other stations,`` said John Sturm, president of the Newspaper Association of America. News Corp. and Viacom Inc., which owns CBS and UPN, stand to benefit from a higher national TV ownership cap because mergers have left them above the 35 percent level. Those companies, along with NBC, persuaded an appeals court last year to reject that cap and send it back to the FCC for revision. Lawmakers have split mainly along party lines. Democrats demand more public scrutiny of the changes while Republicans support Powell. Some lawmakers critical of the FCC have proposed legislation to counter relaxed regulations (via Kevin Redding, NRC-FMTV via DXLD) UPDATE 2-U.S. FCC LOOSENS MEDIA OWNERSHIP LIMITS Mon June 2, 2003 12:39 PM ET By Jeremy Pelofsky WASHINGTON, June 2 (Reuters) - U.S. communications regulators on Monday narrowly approved sweeping new rules that will allow television broadcasters to expand their reach, despite fears about reducing the diversity of viewpoints. The Republican-led Federal Communications Commission voted 3-2 to allow the broadcast networks to own television stations that reach 45 percent of the U.S. audience, up from 35 percent. Citing a need to update decades-old rules to reflect new sources of entertainment, information and news via cable television and the Internet, the FCC also voted to lift a ban that prevents a company from owning both a newspaper and a television or radio station in the same market -- except in cases involving the smallest markets. "I have heard the concerns expressed by the public about excessive consolidation," FCC Chairman Michael Powell said ahead of the vote. "They have introduced a note of caution in the choices we have made." The two Democrats on the FCC opposed relaxing the regulations, arguing that the changes would concentrate ownership in the hands of a few, reduce the diversity of viewpoints and stifle reporting of local news. "The Federal Communications Commission empowers America's new media elite with unacceptable levels of influence over the ideas and information upon which our society and our democracy depend," said Commissioner Michael Copps. The FCC is required to review media ownership rules every two years, but the revamping follows federal appeals court criticism that the agency had not justified the need for them. Stocks of some companies affected by the decision rose, including a 3 percent gain in shares of Viacom Inc. VIAb.N , which owns the CBS and UPN networks. Clear Channel Communications Inc. CCU.N shares rose 4.7 percent, despite the radio company's disappointment with the decision. FCC VOTE PROTESTED Code Pink, a women's peace group, tried to disrupt the FCC vote singing "Mass deregulation of the mass communication is the end of democracy." They were escorted from the commission meeting room by police. Media conglomerates had lobbied the FCC to further relax or eliminate the rules, while consumer groups and smaller broadcasters sought strict regulations. Industry experts think the new rules will likely be challenged in the courts. While some critics expect a rash of media mergers based on the new rules, industry analysts have cautioned investors against expecting a gold rush. Under the new rules, a company can own two television stations in markets where there are at least five stations, as long as one is not in the top four, based on ratings. A company would be permitted to own three stations in markets where there are 18 stations, such as Los Angeles. In markets with nine television stations, a company can own a daily newspaper, a television station and several radio stations. In markets with four to eight television stations, there would be stricter limits on cross ownership. The FCC kept in place a ban on mergers among the four largest television networks -- ABC owned by Walt Disney Co. DIS.N , CBS, News Corp.'s NCP.AX Fox network, and NBC, run by General Electric GE.N . The FCC also revamped how radio markets are defined to prevent a company from owning all the stations in a town and left intact the maximum number of radio stations a company can own, up to eight in markets where there are 45 radio stations. (via Fred Vobbe, NRC FMTV via DXLD) This link has a different perspective on today's FCC action, pointing out today's "spectrum shortage" may be only a temporary phenomenon and we may be on the verge of a chunk of the RF spectrum for everybody: http://www.techcentralstation.com/1051/techwrapper.jsp?PID=1051- 250&CID=1051-060203D (Harry Helms, W7HLH, Las Vegas, NV DM26, June 2, NRC-AM via DXLD) Ironically, Clear Channel is *NOT* happy with yesterday's action. Their press release http://www.clearchannel.com/documents/press_releases/20030602_Corp_FCCStatement.pdf says in part: "Clear Channel is deeply disappointed with today's FCC vote to re-regulate the radio industry. ... This FCC action will extinguish the substantial consumer benefits brought on by radio deregulation in 1996." Unfortunately, the release doesn't specify which provisions of the changes CC doesn't like. My guess is it has to do with the decision to switch from signal coverage to Arbitron market boundaries when enforcing the radio multiple-ownership regulations. As an example, under the old regulations, if you owned eight radio stations in Middle Tennessee including WRLG-FM in Smyrna, you could still buy WJOI-FM in Springfield, because WJOI's coverage area doesn't intersect with WRLG's. However, both stations are in the Nashville Arbitron market. Under the new regulations, you *couldn't* buy WJOI, as it would put you over the limit. On the other hand, when counting how many stations exist in a market, the FCC is now counting non-commercial stations too. Under the old rules, Madison, Wis. had seven AM stations and 14 FMs for a total of 21. Now, the seven non-commercial stations will count too, giving Madison a total of 28. (still not enough to put it into the 30-station bracket but getting close |grin|) == (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, June 3, WTFDA Soundoff via DXLD) C-SPAN had extensive coverage of the historic FCC session and reaxion to it; and plans to cover congressional hearings Wednesday morning with Commissioners testifying; but on CSPAN-3 --- does anyone really get that? I suppose it be webcast (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. TV NEWS THAT LOOKS LOCAL, EVEN IF IT'S NOT By JIM RUTENBERG with MICHELINE MAYNARD June 2, 2003 When viewers in Flint, Mich., tuned in to the Fox 66 "News at 10" last Thursday night, the station's resident firebrand, Mark Hyman, was at the ready to serve up some passionate punditry. "Black, Asian and Hispanic seniors are graduating from colleges this spring in ethnically themed ceremonies that are out of bounds for whites," Mr. Hyman, the station's commentator, inveighed. Before passing the camera's attention back to his colleagues on the Flint news team, he added, "Segregated ceremonies have no place in America's college campuses." If Mr. Hyman's tan looked out of place in central Michigan, or if his commentary seemed ill suited to a city with a large population of minority groups, there was good reason. Mr. Hyman was actually in a studio just outside Baltimore, not sharing a set with the Flint news team. As he does most nights, Mr. Hyman also addressed audiences of local news programs in cities across the country, including Pittsburgh, Oklahoma City and Rochester, from right where he sat in Hunt Valley, Md. Mr. Hyman is part of a national team of anchors, commentators and weathercasters that, when plans are complete, will report for all 62 television stations owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group. Sinclair calls it "Central Casting." To the company, it is an efficient way to cut the costs of local journalism, bringing news to small stations that otherwise would go without. But to opponents of a proposal before the Federal Communications Commission to loosen media ownership rules, the set in Maryland is a frightening sign of things to come. Today the commission is expected to enact new rules that will allow media companies to increase the percentage of the national television audience they can reach from 35 to possibly 45. It is also expected to make it easier for companies to own two or even three stations in a single market or a newspaper and television station in a single market. For all of the derision local news sometimes takes for segments about surfing dogs or waterskiing squirrels, it has become a focal point in the complicated debate over media consolidation. Several civic groups have warned that the more stations a company like Sinclair can own, the more likely that company will make all those stations similar often based on its own out-of-town taste or political disposition. "The goal is homogenization in order to contain costs," said Jeff Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy, a group fighting deregulation. "But that homogenization creates a kind of cookie-cutter blandness." Station owners say that such predictions overlook the complexities of the television business: broadcast stations ultimately succeed by offering viewers quality newscasts with unique local programming. "We don't want to be limited in our ability to grow because of some bogeyman out there," said Fred Reynolds, president of the Viacom Television Stations Group. Those opposed to deregulation say that there is already an example that proves Mr. Reynolds's bogeyman could become real for the American television audience: Clear Channel Communications. After the F.C.C. loosened radio station ownership caps in the mid-1990's, Clear Channel's radio group grew from 36 stations to nearly 1,200. It has been criticized for having similar music lineups across the country, and for passing off some D.J.'s who are really in San Diego or other cities as if they were broadcasting directly from stations in smaller towns. (The company says it has only done this in a small percentage of its stations and that it gives its local program directors far more control than its critics acknowledge.) "We can point to experience on the radio side as the canary in the mine shaft, showing where we're going," said Andrew Jay Schwartzman, president of the Media Access Project, a consumer advocacy group. Advocates like Mr. Schwartzman cite various examples where consolidated television station ownership, which was allowed to occur under waivers from the commission, has led to the loss of a distinct local news voice. For instance, after Viacom acquired KCAL-TV in Los Angeles last year it merged its news operations with the CBS station it owns there, turning two separate newsrooms into one. Likewise, Clear Channel merged the news operations of its two television stations in Jacksonville, Fla., WAWS and WTEV. But Sinclair has caused the most stir with Central Casting. The experiment began in late October at Sinclair's Flint station, WSMH, a Fox affiliate. WSMH's new 10 p.m. newcast begins with a Flint- based team that presents seven minutes of local news. After a commercial break, an anchor on a similar set in Maryland presents national and international news, which is also delivered live to other Sinclair stations around the country with a graphic that labels it "News Central." At another point, the Flint-based anchor may banter about the frigid local weather with one of the meteorologists in the Maryland studio who will act as if he were in Flint. On Friday, Scott Padgett, a Sinclair anchor in Baltimore, said there would be a high of "57 for us here in Flint." With such centralized reports, said Mr. Hyman, who doubles as Sinclair's vice president for corporate relations, the Flint station could finally afford a news program. On its own, he said, the station would have needed the 30 or more staff members its competitors employ to produce news programs. With help from the central Sinclair news desk, he said, it needs only 18. "What we're doing we could not do if we only had a single station in Flint," Mr. Hyman said. And the station's news staff, he said, is free to focus on local issues. Since October, Sinclair has rolled out Central Casting to Raleigh, N.C., Oklahoma City, Pittsburgh and Rochester. In the next 60 days, seven more markets are to get the feed, including Tampa, Fla., and Birmingham, Ala. The centralized news desk, Mr. Hyman said, will ultimately allow the company to bring news programs to 30 news-bereft television stations most of them WB, UPN or Fox affiliates in medium and small markets. The other Sinclair stations that do have local news programs will also become part of the system, sharing camera time with the staff members at Central Casting. Most of the local news programs' sets will eventually be identical to the one in Maryland, Mr. Hyman said. Instead of criticizing the company, Mr. Hyman said, advocates "ought to be applauding us." But Sinclair's new newscasts have received mixed reviews. James Bleicher, news director of the ABC station in Flint, WJRT, credited Sinclair with introducing a news program to an area that could use more and for showing some initiative in its local reporting. For instance, on Friday it included a locally produced "investigation" into whether warehouse clubs were cheaper than local grocery stores. But, he said, "It's a pretty disjointed newcast there's a local segment and then they go away. They've had very little connectivity with the home audience here." (The New York Times Company owns stations that compete with those owned by Sinclair in Oklahoma City, Des Moines, Iowa, and Norfolk, Va.) Many of Sinclair's competitors said they would not follow its lead too closely, because they would not want to risk losing the connection they have with their audience. "If you consistently air a high-quality, serious newscast that reflects a local community's interests, you can create this kind of durable relationship with viewers that is a powerful asset from a business point of view," said Robert W. Decherd, chief executive of Belo, an owner of television stations and newspapers. Mr. Reynolds of Viacom said: "We're in the business of making money. The more diverse you are, the bigger audience you'll garner. Why in the world would we want to have the same voice across multiple television stations?" Though critics in Los Angeles have complained that the same reporters have shown up on both Viacom-owned stations there, Mr. Reynolds said, the one newsroom now serving them has more people to devote to big local stories than the separate newsrooms had combined. Others, like the News Corporation, note that they have resisted merging news divisions at the stations they own in the same markets. But opponents of deregulation said the media companies were on their best civic behavior so as not to cause any controversy while the F.C.C. makes a decision in their favor. "They're sitting, waiting for the sword of consolidation to fall," said Mona Mangan, executive director of the Writers Guild of America East, which represents screen writers. "We have every confidence that the economies of scale will prove irresistible to these corporations." Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) MEGA-MEDIA: BETTER OR MORE OF THE SAME? TAMPA NEWS OPERATION MAY BE A SAMPLE OF THE FUTURE UNDER THE FCC'S RULING --- By Paul Farhi, Washington Post Staff Writer, Tuesday, June 3, 2003; Page C01 It wasn't hard to find the big story in Tampa yesterday. News of the arrest of Tampa Bay Buccaneers football player Michael Pittman on domestic violence charges appeared in the Tampa Tribune, again on the Tribune's Web site, again on TV station WFLA's Web site and yet again on TBO.com, a local news portal. In every case, however, it was the same story, written by a single Tampa Tribune reporter, Katherine Smith. As it happens, all the media that carried Smith's story are owned by the same company, Media General Inc. of Richmond. It is, perhaps, a vision of what's to come for the news media. Yesterday, federal regulators voted to sweep aside long-standing rules that have prevented other cities from adopting Tampa's radical experiment in media convergence. . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5384-2003Jun2.html (via Kriag Krist, DXLD) MEDIA GIANTS HINT THAT THEY MIGHT BE EXPANDING FIRMS EYE NEWSPAPERS, TV STATIONS IN NEW AREAS FOR THEM By Alec Klein and David A. Vise, Washington Post Staff Writers, Tuesday, June 3, 2003; Page A06 The mighty of the media industry will grow mightier while smaller competitors fall by the wayside. . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5450-2003Jun2.html (via Kraig Krist, DXLD) BITTER ATMOSPHERE ENVELOPS FCC UNDER CHAIRMAN POWELL, PANEL MEMBERS MANEUVER, CRITICIZE By Christopher Stern, Washington Post Staff Writer, Tuesday, June 3, 2003; Page E01 Yesterday's decision by the Federal Communications Commission marks the second time this year that the agency's five commissioners have ended a long and fierce debate with a split vote, underscoring the sometimes bitter atmosphere at the agency during the tenure of Chairman Michael K. Powell.. .. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5415-2003Jun2.html (via Kraig Krist, DXLD) ** U S A. FIRE DESTROYS KMYR TRANSMITTER WICHITA, Kan. (AP) -- Instead of hearing Frank Sinatra, Louis Prima and other stars of the swing era, Wichita radio listeners will find only static at 1410 AM after fire destroyed the transmitter for station KMYR. "It'll be off the air for a while," KMYR general manager Terry Atherton said. "We have no transmitter. It was all burned up." Authorities were investigating the cause of the Saturday night fire. No one was in the building at the time, and there were no injuries, Wichita Fire Chief Rich Harris said. Damage was estimated at $150,000 to the building and $250,000 to the contents. Atherton said he discovered the fire Saturday evening when he went to investigate why KMYR had gone off the air. The station broadcasts with sister station KSGL, and the signal is sent by microwave to the transmitting station. "I saw smoke coming out and hoped it might be a grass fire, but in my gut I knew it wasn't," Atherton said. "I was on the phone immediately to the fire department because, while unlocking the door, I saw the smoke pour out." Atherton said he hoped to get KMYR back on the air soon, possibly with a temporary transmitter. The station plays mostly popular music from the 1930s through the '60s, and the destroyed building itself was a bit of local radio history. "It dates back to the '50s," Atherton said. "It used to be KWBB, and I'm sure some people will remember that." (Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APTV-06-02-03 1920CDT (via Rob Zerwekh http://kcradio.tripod.com http://zerwekh.hypermart.net NRC FMTV via DXLD) [Longer version of above, including street addresses]: http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/5993389.htm (via Andy Sennitt, DXLD) ** U S A. There's a whole website devoted to NBC Monitor, with lots of recordings including the "Monitor Beacon" itself: http://www.monitorbeacon.com (Randy Stewart/Springfield MO, June 1, NRC-AM via DXLD) The following is taken from the website: And there was The Beacon -- the unforgettable "Monitor" Beacon. (Pat) Weaver loved the sound -- but RCA (NBC's owner) board chairman David Sarnoff hated it. "He didn't know anything," Weaver said in a personal interview. "He thought it would irritate people because it irritated him. I said, 'General, we don't care about, really, about what you think because, you know, we're really doing it for the population. I don't expect you to listen to the show.'" You can download the "beacon" at the website (Wally Wawro, WFAA-TV Dallas, TX, ibid.) In my first radio job, at KCOV-1240, Corvallis, Oregon, I invented a late night telephone request program called "Rotinom." One of Monitor's slogans was "Going Places, Doing Things." Rotinom's slogan was "Going Places, Doing Things -- To People." For our theme song, we took The Three Suns' version of "The Theme From La Strada," a.k.a. "You and You Alone," and played the 45 rpm version at 78. I had introduced a B.M.O.C. at Oregon State, Bud Dellar, to the station owner and Dellar, who was large, became Rotinom's primary host when I went day shift . . . "Bud Dellar, the Big, Round Feller." We even printed membership cards, which became quite popular, for the "Royal Order of Typical, Idiotic, Nauseating, Overeating Mastadons." We never heard a thing about the program from the owner/manager. We didn't run it by him at the beginning, we just did it. We were competing, in a way, with the other 10-to-midnight show in Corvallis, "Night Train," with the old Buddy Morrow version of the song as theme, which was just a local DJ show, played straight. Most exciting response came one evening when I went to a movie house and, in the warm-up music played on the theater turntable, they played "You and You Alone" by the Three Suns at regular speed, and throughout the theater, people yelled out "Rotinom." KCOV's studios were in the basement of the Corvallis Hotel, and on Rotinom, we called ourselves Corvallis' only underground radio station. This was in 1955, before underground radio reached the surface of awareness. It was on Rotinom that I put three copies of Elvis' "Mystery Train," already heavily loaded with echo effect, on three separate turntables, and released the three versions a split second apart from each other. I doubt you'll find "Rotinom" anywhere on the web. Cep'n hyar (John Callarman, KA9SPA, Family Genealogist, Krum TX, ibid.) murky Monitor began June 12, 1955, according to a little monitorbeacon.com website research . . . and continued 'til the end of 1975, when the handwriting was on the wall because the major market NBC radio affiliates determined there was more income from local personality DJs. Monitor was news oriented, but Bob and Ray regularly and other comedians occasionally spoofed the news. At KCOV we began our Rotinom spoof not long after Monitor began. I recalled particularly hearing Bob and Ray with regular segments on Monitor, but I wasn't absolutely certain (until I checked the website) that it was on "Monitor" or on "The Big Show," which NBC aired Sundays 1950-53. "The Big Show" was more entertainment oriented. Tallulah Bankhead, she of the ostentatious voice and the darling ego, was hostess for "The Big Show," which in turn got spoofed by other comedy shows on network radio. I recall one comedian established a character called "Tura Lura Lunkhead." Anyone else remember "The Big Show?" Wait. Bob and Ray may have been mainstays on "The Big Show," too, because in 1949-51, when I and a bunch of other high school underclassmen were warting KRUL-1340 and I was using the nom de plume (or nom d'aire),"Serutan Yob," stolen from the old Red Ingle satire, I fantasized being on local DJ Don Gay's program in a segment called "Inside Yob and Gay." (Not to be confused with the movie "Our Hearts Were Young and Gay," back when "gay" meant light-hearted and hopelessly romantic.) (John Callarman, KA9SPA, Family Genealogist, Krum TX, ibid.) ** U S A. After reviewing my tapes from 5/30, I found at 8:00 pm [MDT? = 0200 UT 5/31] I got KFTU ch. 3, Douglas AZ, running Telefutura (//KTAZ ch. 24). This is a new one but will probably be a regular. 73 (Frank N7SOK Aden, Boise ID, NRC FMTV via DXLD) I remember seeing the allocation for ch 3 in Douglas ages ago and wondering if it would ever, ever, be used (gh, DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. CHÁVEZ SAYS NEW MEDIA BILL TO BE PASSED DESPITE OPPOSITION | Excerpt from report by Venezuelan newspaper El Nacional web site on 31 May President Hugo Chávez has declared that the Radio and Television Social Responsibility Bill will be passed despite media rejection. "They will not defeat the country (...) [ellipsis as published] the bill goes, that bill has to go, it must be implemented," he indicated. The chief of state claims the new legislation is a "national clamour," and that it will be passed regardless of it being described as a gag law against freedom of speech. "Previously, they used to blackmail and scare governments. We debated the bill they are trying to Satanize," he noted. Chávez argued that the new law will generate "freedom and equality," explaining that the only information "gagging" in Venezuela took place when the media omitted his reinstatement to power following the coup that overthrew him in April 2002. "All around the world there are similar or comparable laws that regulate the media, except here in Venezuela, because there never was any political will to pass them," he added. [Passage omitted] Source: El Nacional web site, Caracas, in Spanish 31 May 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DRM +++ CHRISTIAN VISION TO JOIN DRM`S INAUGURAL BROADCASTS ON JUNE 16, 2003 Geneva – Christian Vision will commence its live, scheduled, Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) broadcasts on June 16th, 2003. Its transmissions will debut in conjunction with DRM`s Inaugural Broadcasts event in Geneva, during the International Telecommunications Union`s (ITU) World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC 2003). The precise moment of the world`s first DRM broadcasts will be marked at a reception at Geneva`s Château de Penthes. ``Christian Vision is thrilled to provide DRM programming for this landmark occasion, and beyond,`` says Tim Boxall, Station Manager for The Voice. ``We anticipate that DRM will improve the listening experience for our worldwide audience.`` Christian Vision has been an associate member of the DRM consortium since 2001. The Voice, until now known as Christian Voice International, is the English language service of Christian Vision. The DRM broadcasts of the Voice will originate from England using transmission facilities provided by DRM member VT Merlin Communications Ltd, and will be targeting Western Europe each Monday, commencing June 16th. Deutsche Welle, Radio Netherlands, Swedish Radio International, DeutschlandRadio and T-Systems have also announced their participation in DRM`s Inaugural Broadcasts event. In the coming weeks, more of the world`s best-known broadcasters and network operators will confirm their participation in DRM`s historic moment. DRM is the world`s only non-proprietary, digital system for short- wave, medium-wave/AM and long-wave with the ability to use existing frequencies and bandwidth across the globe. With clear, near-FM quality sound that offers a dramatic improvement over analogue, DRM will revitalize the broadcasting bands below 30 MHz. The DRM consortium`s membership is higher than ever – 81 members from 30 countries. DRM reached an important milestone in January 2003, when the International Electrotechnical Committee (IEC) gave the DRM on-air system its highest stamp of approval – International Standard. Commercial DRM-capable receivers are expected to be available in markets worldwide in the next few years. About Christian Vision Christian Vision is a non-profit charitable company founded in the United Kingdom in 1988. It is committed to bringing people into relationship with Jesus and has developed a number of global strategies to achieve this, including ``Touch a Billion`` and ``Impact a Nation``. The Touch a Billion project includes using media and particularly radio to reach people in the world`s major languages, providing a continuous and contemporary service to act as a trusted friend for the listener. Christian Vision has studio and transmission facilities in UK, USA, Chile, Zambia and Australia. More information can be found at http://www.christianvision.com (via Siriol Jane Evans, DRM) THALES BROADCAST & MULTIMEDIA TO PARTICIPATE IN DRM`S INAUGURAL BROADCASTS ON JUNE 16, 2003 Geneva, June 3rd, 2003 – Thales Broadcast & Multimedia will participate in the world`s first, daily Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) broadcasts on June 16th, 2003. In cooperation with TéléDiffusion de France (TDF), Thales will install a medium-wave/AM transmitter in Mont Salève, France, and the content will be provided by Radio France, for use in DRM`s Inaugural Broadcasts event in Geneva during the International Telecommunications Union`s (ITU) World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC 2003). Thales will also coordinate key aspects of DRM`s live demonstrations on-site. The precise moment of the world`s first DRM broadcasts will be marked at a spectacular reception at Geneva`s Château de Penthes. Thales Broadcast & Multimedia was a founding member of DRM. ``Thales has been involved in the building of the DRM system, and its progress toward universal standardization, since day one,`` says Pierre Vasseur, who is Director, Advanced Business at Thales Broadcast & Multimedia, Vice-Chairman of DRM`s Commercial Committee and Chairman of the Joint Rapporteur Group ITU-IEC. ``Thales is delighted to devote staff and resources toward DRM`s successful debut on June 16th.`` (via Siriol Jane Evans, DRM, June 3, DXLD) ### |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-096, June 2, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3f.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 1184: RFPI: Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0730, 1330 7445 15039 WWCR: Wed 0930 9475 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1184.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1184.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1184h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1184h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1184.html CONTINENT OF MEDIA 03-03! New edition is now available, on RFPI 7445, 15039: Thu 2000, Fri 0200, 0830; Sat 2130, Sun 0330, 0930 Also via DXing.com: {Stream) http://www.dxing.com/com/com0303.ram (Download) http://www.dxing.com/com/com0303.rm And via our site: (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/com0303.ram (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/com0303.rm (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/com0303.html MAY HTML ARCHIVE OF DXLD is now complete, including correxions and cross-references not in the original individual text issues: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3e.html NETS TO YOU, John Norfolk`s exhaustive schedule of ham nets & broadcasts, June 1 update: http://www.worldofradio.com/nets2you.html UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIAL Glen[n], I wanted to take my turn to say thanks for the DXLD that you publish. I'm not sure what the SWL hoopla was all about, but it doesn't surprise me. I did want to let you know that not only do I run through it for quick data/tips, but I also archive it as a text file. I have researched key words in the past in these files --- this saves me getting on line. Perhaps as a fund-raiser to support your efforts (since you are not non-profit), you may wish to offer for sale a year's worth of DXLDs on a CD for library archival use. . . (Konnie Rychalsky, June 2) ** AFGHANISTAN. RADIO AFGHANISTAN STARTS BROADCASTING THROUGH NEW TRANSMITTER | Text of report by Afghan radio on 2 June Announcement of Radio Afghanistan's broadcasting: A new transmitter station of 400 KW of Radio Afghanistan has started experimental broadcasting from 0530 [0100 gmt] until 2330 [1930 gmt], with a frequency of 1107 kHz equivalent to 271 bands [sic]. Therefore, provincial Radio and TV departments are requested to chase the programme and assure the centre about the result. Dear listeners, you can hear announcements of deaths after the recitation from the Holy Koran on FM wave as well. Source: Radio Afghanistan, Kabul, in Dari 1600 gmt 2 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) And what of 18940 via Norway? BTW, one of the neat things about that band is that its 2 x IF image on cheapo radios not covering it falls around 18.0 MHz, which they do cover! (gh, DXLD) ** ALASKA. 11675, KNLS, Anchor Point. Noisy reception in English with religious presentation. Some audio distortion of this strong signal, 0805 24/5 (Jones, June Australian DX News via DXLD) There they go again; supposed to be on 11765! Is this a frequently repeated punch-up error, deliberate change, or somebody`s typo? Whilst checking the website June 2, noticed this: (gh, DXLD) CONSTRUCTION UPDATE FROM KNLS Construction continues at station KNLS. KNLS Chief Engineer Kevin Chambers reports that construction projects last summer went very well and all tower and antenna foundations were completed as well as all underground electrical service was put in place. This winter, Kevin says the staff have completed refurbishing the interior of the building with new paint and carpet. All old audio equipment and wiring has been removed and space completed for new equipment to arrive in the spring. The transmitter bay is being prepared for the new Continental transmitter that is being built at this time and will also be delivered this spring. One major problem has been this year's warm winter that has left the ground outside not frozen hard enough for the equipment to complete placing the earth anchors for the tower and antenna. This will have to be accomplished now by using a drill mounted on a tracked vehicle. It is planned that the tower be installed during July and the antenna be erected in September Construction photos: Antenna counterweight forms ready for use. Digging the footer for the tower. Worker cutting rebar. Bulldozer clearing antenna field. Digging footer for antenna. Preparing concrete forms. (from http://www.knls.org via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. 10490L, Argentine Army Station. Soft pops 2130, occasional Spanish announcements, off abruptly 2130 before I could get an ID, 17/5 (Craig Seager, Limekilns (near Bathurst) NSW DXpedition, Australian DX News via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. I`m wondering; a week ago at this time 1430 UT I was listening to HCJB Kununurra on 15480. Programme was legendary DX Partyline; now I`m hearing continuous classical music on this channel. I missed the morning transmission to Europe, because of the partial solar eclipse I was watching. I needed some sleep. Total of 85% the Sun was eclipsed. It was annular in Scotland, Greenland and Iceland. Not total anywhere. Who can tell me and other European and N. American listeners, how to hear DXPL?! Is it really still really produced? 73 (Jouko Huuskonen, Turku FINLAND, hard-core-dx via DXLD) See ECUADOR ** AUSTRALIA [and non]. I also get severe QRM from the US station, wipes out HCJB 11770 totally at times, like now at 0955 on 2nd June. HCJB is heard weakly in the background in Yarra Glen on 20 metres of wire in the garden on the FRG7. [which US station? co, or adjacent- channel??? Answer below] Also I wish the OTHR folk would find who they are looking for (OTHR Over the horizon radar). This morning they wiped out NHK in English 17685 totally at 0100 utc. they have been wandering up and down the bands for some months now, (since 9/11?) and often stick on a given frequency for some time. The usual pulse type of transmission (Don Rhodes, Yarra Glen, Vic., EDXP via DXLD) 11770, HCJB-OZ: Maybe the recent increase to 50 kW on 11770 has helped some because they were heard Jun 1 with a much improved signal, QRMed by co-channel WYFR until a little after 1000 but then dominant with fully listenable programming until losing ground again toward 1030 (Jerry Berg, MA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. From Keith Ashton - aus.radio.broadcast: The New South Wales Government says an independent report has found that a radio tower near a new residential development in Sydney's west (Homebush Bay) does not pose any health risks. (Ian's comment: And if you believe that you'll probably believe in the Tooth Fairy too. Many radio station engineers don't like to spend very long in the area. Sceptical (?)...well check out http://www.neilcherry.com/profile.php Neil was well known by a few friends of mine in Sydney & Melbourne. He sadly passed away a couple of weeks ago. He was well respected by many and hated by the Australian government and telecommunications industry for the knowledge he held --- I`ll get off my soap box now) The independent consultant's report has ruled that electromagnetic emissions from the transmitter at Homebush Bay are well below levels that could cause health problems. Earlier this year, the state Government was faced with the prospect of having to pay millions of dollars for the removal of two radio towers at Homebush Bay, after allowing a block of units to be built nearby. The investigation was called after radio broadcasters raised concerns about the health hazards of the radiation in the area. However, the Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Planning, Diane Beamer, says extensive emission measuring was carried out near the tower, including footpaths, adjoining roads and inside the partially completed apartments. The Therapeutic Goods Administration has confirmed the emissions are unlikely to interfere with medical products such as pacemakers (via Ian ---, ARDXC via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. The unidentified station earlier reported by Arnaldo Slaen on 4650.3 appears to be Radio Santa Ana using a standby transmitter. A sound clip sent to me by Björn Malm, in Ecuador, featured a canned off-cue announcement for their message service called El Mensajero de la Mosquitania. Malm logged the station on 4650.35 kHz (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, June 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. 5927.11, Radiodifusoras Minería, Oruro. May 2003, 1150 UT. Is not unusual but never observed this strong before. Somewhat distorted audio. Listen to the recording from this occasion http://homepage.sverige.net/~a-0901/ (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin June 1, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. "Preview" sent earlier by e-mail: May 20: unID "Brazilian" on 6370.00 kHz! It is a long time until next stopdate and I sit here very astonished. Maybe someone can explain this; in such case give me an e-mail. Brazil on this frequency does not feel right but it is hard to believe in a harmonic from a Brazilian MW never logged here in Quito and besides there is only one MW Brazilian in my logbook. Was heard well when I stopped on the frequency at 1010 UT yesterday May 19 but too weak when the tape recorder was ready. I noted the town "Brasília" mentioned a few times and the talk was typical "brazilian- PP". Maybe a backward-ID, i.e., A word plus "Radio"? Yesterday evening and this morning I heard only a weak carrier and distant "weak" talk. Impossible to hear the language. As said earlier, a long time until stop date and, who knows, maybe something exciting! There is a lot of commercial traffic on the frequency so maybe a Brazilian radio operator who plays a little? [Later:] The Brazilian I just reported on 6370.00 kHz, has been heard once more. It means I am absolutely sure it is a "real" radiostation. The question is if a utility transmits the station on ``their`` frequency? (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin June 1, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Rádio Canção Nova, Cachoeira Paulista, is now relayed by way of Rádio Gazeta, São Paulo, which means that their letterbox program Além fronteiras, Sats 2200-2300, can be heard on 5955, 9685 and 15325 in addition to 4825, 6105 and 9675 kHz. The information was given on their progam on May 31 (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, June 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA [non?] 5840, CBC Radio for Northern Territories, ID at 0225, all 5s, then at 0230 program in Arabic. May 31 (Artyom Prokhorov, Russia, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) Switching error? Northern Service on 9625 only (gh, DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. Bien activa: Hola Glenn, saludos desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA. En este momento te informo que estoy escuchando dos emisoras colombianas en 49 metros. La primera es la reactivación --- como reporté el pasado 01/05 --- de Radio Caracol Villavicencio, retransmitiendo el canal 1140 kHz de la OM. A esta hora, 1835 UT, puede captarse en 5958 kHz. SINPO 2/2. La segunda está en 6034.9 kHz y se identifica como La Voz de[l?] Guaviare, captada a las 1837 UT, con dos locutores al aire con música de Carlos Vives y el tema raggamuffin' "Todavía me acuerdo de tí". Señal muy débil, SINPO 2/1. Saludos, Muchos 73 y buen DX... (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA. Receptor: YAESU FT-890/Antena: TH3MK3, May 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COLOMBIA. 2879.98 harmonic, Radio Reloj, Tuluhá [sic]. May 2003, 1058 UT. During the years there have been several harmonics in my bandscans. Just as MW-DX towards LA back home in Sweden the half hour before sunrise is very good. Radio Reloj popped up with good strength 0558 local time, which is 10 minutes before sunrise. Harmonic from 1440 kHz (2x 1439.99). Listen to the recording at http://homepage.sverige.net/~a-0901/ (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin June 1, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 5025.05v, Radio Rebelde, Bauta. May 2003, 2355 UT. Has some transmitter problems as the signal often is weak and varies between 5024.91 to 5025.09 kHz. Sometimes on exactly the same split as Radio Quillabamba which fooled me to believe it was something much more exciting! (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin June 1, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. R. Martí on 6050 and 6040: This was a temporary transmission coinciding with George Bush speech attacking Cuba and extra broadcast only heard over 2 nights, though jammers were present on 6040 and 6050 over the next two nights and 6050 still being jammed on the 29th! (Paul Ormandy, NZ June Australian DX News via DXLD) That`ll teach `em ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. 600 kHz, 25/05 0316, Radio Studio 600 AM digital, Santo Domingo, programa musical, apresentador: "Fin de semana en Studio 600". Também na freqüência, com sinal mais fraco, uma emissora Argentina. A Rádio Gaúcha esteve fora do ar naquela madrugada, 34433. OBS: Havia divulgado nas listas esta emissora como UNID e Studio 25, mas contando com a grande ajuda do dexista venezuelano José Elías Díaz, muito gentil, a emissora foi identificada como Studio 600, Rep. Dominicana, inclusive o José me enviou uma gravação onde é ouvida a mesma identificação. Obrigado, José Elías! (Samuel Cássio Martins, Brasil, @tividade DX June 1 via DXLD) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. 4959.98, Cima 100, Santo Domingo. May 2003, 0225 UT. When "Federación Shuar" [Ecuador] is off, often Cima 100 can be found but normally extremely weak modulation. This date far better and I managed to get an ID for the first time: "La Explosición [sic] Musical por Cima 100", a program with lots of Bachata-music (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin June 1, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. "Preview" sent earlier by e-mail: May 20: Ecuador on 1610 kHz must be a hoax? During the last days I have been listening to Ecuador on 1610 kHz, both mornings and evenings. Nonstop HC-music, sometimes only interrupted by ads for firms in Cuenca so QTH must be in vicinity (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin June 1, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) May 26: 1610.10, HCTP5, Ecos del Portete, Girón. May 20 you got a "preview" containing 3 stations. Managed at last to get an ID as Ecos del Portete in Girón, a small village south of Cuenca. Not far away is "Radio Buen Pastor", 4815 kHz in Saraguro on the other province border to "Loja". Hasse Mattisson Show! Today I got this mail from HM, who most probably managed to hear Ecos del Portete! Read my comments after his mail and you will understand my opinion: HM (Hasse Mattisson): "Hello BM! Time for one of my sporadic contacts! TN forwarded your tip about an unID Ecuadorian on 1610. May 24 late nite check --- nothing! But May 25 between 0105-0230 UT I had a station sounding like your description with what I call "Andean music"! 0105 when I landed on the frequency I heard and recorded "... centro del Perú ..." Then mostly non stop music with some short words between some of the tunes. No ID indications at half or full hours. After 0230 it was impossible to follow. 0144, very good in AM-mode! USB 1610.10-12 a little diffuse. No other TA stations on the Xband. Oh yes, maybe a hint on 1630. Only a "Balkan" on 1621.15. And the rest of the MW absolutely low level. Only hints on 1470 1480 1500 1510. No other Peruvian or Andean stations than on 1470. Do we have the same station? In that case something thrilling!! Almost certainly also heard by others! HM" [presumably in Sweden] BM (Björn Malm): Oh yes, for sure the same station. All said above matches what I can hear. Difficult to get in SSB and heard at its best in AM-mode. A little bit "diffuse" on 1610.10 kHz and lots of music nonstop without any talk or not even any ID at half- or full hour. The music is Andean with cumbias, Ecuadorian "rockolera" and such. Thanks for your mail! Very exciting (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin June 1, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR [and non]. Hi. Tonight I listened to a lot of the programs they ran for their final English broadcast to NAm, Studio Nine, DXPL etc. Kept notes and submitted an email reception report. Then I did a few other things for a while, figuring on tuning in before 0600 to see if I could tape their final English sign/off (hooked the SW to my Sony stereo for the occasion). No such luck, they played instrumental music for about the last 20 minutes and then went off the air with no ID or Sign/off. Perhaps nobody wanted the honor? Anyway, I guess after all these many years of often listening to 9745 in the evenings (how long have they had that frequency, it seems forever?) Nov '95 is the earliest QSL I have for 9745 though I don't remember what the older cards/logbooks that were lost in a move may have shown. My earliest remembrances of hearing "The Voice Of the Andes" goes back to the mid '50s on an old console. 73 de (Phil, KO6BB Atchley, CA, swl at qth.net via DXLD) When they came on just before 0000 there was an announcement about this being the last transmission. And you can still hear HCJB on 9745, as previously reported here, since the Spanish service is being moved there from 9525. No real news about the future of DX Partyline beyond what we already heard is on this week`s edition. Will continue via Australia at present times, [Sat 0930 11770, 1430 15480] but the times will change in July with a new schedule. Also one airing will remain via Ecuador, at a new time, Sat 1230 on 15115. Also on one or possibly two US-based SW stations which have kindly offered airtime, still unidentified; working out details, once have figured out how to deliver the program. TBA on the DXPL webpage (Allen Graham, HCJB DX Partyline UT June 1 0000 on 9745, notes by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well, if they will just put audio up on the DXPL webpage ASAP, we can hear it as usual and any relay station can download it as needed (gh) HCJB-Ecuador will continue to QSL; include return postage. Interesting programming 0300-0530 Jun 1 on 9745, usual English program lineup but with historical focus. Light music 0530-0559, dead air for the last minute, pips 0600, dead air again until 0601* when shut down with no announcement. Last DXPL is posted in RealAudio at [website]. On Jun 1 checked 15115 for English at *1100 and found it strong, but not as good by 1230; QRMed then, tho still dominant (Jerry Berg, MA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) Monitoring HCJB on June 2: Loud and clear at 1200 UT, SINPO-55555. (Surprising to me, as I expected them to be using reduced power and/or a different beam to reach the nominal target --- Central and South America.) Barely audible at 1315 UT, SINPO 15342. (Had to leave the receiver in-between 1200 and 1315 so I'm not sure what happened in the interim. K index was 5 at 1200, but band does not appear to be dead. BBC is audible (S6-7), though level is somewhat depressed today and band is not dead.) (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY, Lowe HF-150 stack, A/D sloper oriented west to east, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WTFK?? Presumably 15115, as they were going to drop the \\ 12005 (gh, DXLD). Following up: In listening more closely to 15115, as the signal occasionally rises above the noise, it appears that the language being spoken is Spanish not English (at 1335 UT) and it is very weak (i.e.: no ID possible). So, I'll go out on a limb and suggest that HCJB's English language morning transmission now closes down at around 1300. In fact, I did not hear them prior to 1130 (on the bedside ICF-2010) when I first checked, so perhaps the morning release Mon.-Fri. is limited to the "Morning in the Mountains" program which has been scheduled from 1130-1255 in the past. In the absence of any info from HCJB at all, the only tools we have are monitoring and speculation (hopefully, not wild!). John, I checked the frequency schedule posted on HCJB's website. English is 1100-1330 UT on 15115 for the Americas with 100 kW, the Morning in the Mountains block. 73, (Keith Anderson, Houston, TX, swprograms via Figliozzi, DXLD) Keith, So, one of the pages is updated! After a little looking, I found it. If one accesses from the main HCJB World site http://www.hcjb.org and then clicks on "Radio Broadcasts" on the left side, and then clicks on "International Shortwave Broadcast Schedule", it comes up as you say. Thanks. Interesting also that the target region is still given as "N/S America" for 15115. The main English Service site http://www.hcjb.org/english (which is what I had bookmarked) remains as it was, though. A little confusing... (at least to me |g|) [slightly later:] The English Service site has just been taken off line --- Using that URL loops now you back to the hcjb.org site (John Figliozzi, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [and non]. A-03 Schedule: Ecuador - HCJB (Revised) International Shortwave Broadcast Schedule HCJB WORLD RADIO A03B BROADCAST SCHEDULE (30 March 2003 - 26 October 2003; Revised 01 June 2003) All broadcasts are daily. UTC UTC Freq KW Deg. Target ENGLISH 1100 1330 15115 100 352/128 N/S America 1100 1330 21455 1 35/225 Eur./S. Pacific GERMAN (High) 0500 0530 9780 100 42 Europe 0500 0530 21455 1 35/225 Eur./S. Pacific 0930 1000 6010 100 155 S. America 0930 1000 21455 1 35/225 Eur./S. Pacific 2000 2030 15545 100 42 Europe 2000 2030 17795 100 38 Europe 2000 2030 21455 1 35/225 Eur./S. Pacific 2300 2400 11980 100 131 S. America GERMAN (Low) 0530 0600 9780 100 42 Europe 0530 0600 21455 1 35/225 Eur./S. Pacific 1000 1030 6010 100 155 S. America 1000 1030 21455 1 35/225 Eur./S. Pacific 2230 2300 11980 100 150/330 N/S America HUARANI 1030 1100 6050 50 18/172 S. America PORTUGUESE 0800 0930 9745 100 100 N. Brazil 0800 0930 21455 1 35/225 Eur./S. Pacific 1530 1800 15295 100 139 Brazil 2300 0230 11920 100 126 Brazil 0000 0230 12020 100 100 Brazil QUICHUA 0830 1000 6125 100 155 S. America 0830 1030 690 50 000/180 Ecuador 0830 1400 3220 8 90 (Vert.) S. America 0830 1400 6080 8 90 (Vert.) S. America 2100 0300 3220 8 90 (Vert.) S. America 2100 0300 6080 8 90 (Vert.) S. America 2130 0000 9745 100 155 S. America RUSSIAN 0330 0430 11865 100 34 W. Russia SPANISH 0100 0500 9525 100 325 Mexico [Padula said this`d move to 9745] {confirmed} 0600 0630 9655 100 42 Europe 1030 1100 21455 1 35/225 Eur./S. Pacific 1030 0500 690 50 000/180 Ecuador 1100 0500 6050 50 18/172 S. America 1100 1300 11960 100 355 Cuba 1100 1500 15140 100 150 S. America 1300 1500 11960 100 323 Mexico 1430 1530 21455 1 35/225 Eur./S. Pacific 2030 2130 15545 100 50 Europe 2100 2300 15140 100 150 S. America 2030 2400 21455 1 35/225 Eur./S. Pacific 2300 0100 15140 100 160/330 N/S America Note: HCJB's shortwave broadcast schedule also includes these programs transmitted from these locations. Arabic 2100 2230 12025 250 150 N. Africa U.K. English 0700 1200 11770 50 120 South Pacific Australia 1230 1730 15480 75 307 India Australia Russian & Central Asian Languages 1600 1700 11760 500 62 Central Asia U.K. (From http://www.hcjb.org via Alan Roe, UK, June 2, DXLD) ** ERITREA [non]. Clandestine -- 5920, Germany (Jülich) relay, Voice of Democratic Eritrea. Intro music at 1400 sign on then male announcer with Tigrigna identification "Demsi Democrasiyawit Eritrea" and talks mixed with lot of fine local music. At 1430 full Arabic identification "Sawt Eritrea al-Dimuqratiya – Sawt Dabhat al-Tahrir al Eritrea" followed by long Arabic talks and occasional local music. Off abruptly at 1458. Saturdays only. Good signal with some fading (Mike Ford, UK, 31/5/03, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. ANOTHER ETHIOPIAN OPPOSITION BROADCAST HEARD: RADIO JUSTICE A new Ethiopian opposition shortwave broadcast has joined a number of other similar stations already in operation. It broadcasts in the Tigrinya language spoken in northern Ethiopia and is heard on Sundays at 1700-1800 gmt on 12120 kHz. It calls itself Radio Justice (Tigrinya: Radio Fthi [sic]). The station's transmission on Sunday 2 June began with the following announcement: "This is Radio Justice broadcasting from Washington DC [Tigrinya: Ezi kab Washington DC zmehalalef Radio Fthi eyu]. Radio Justice is prepared with the goodwill of Tigrayan International Solidarity for Justice and Democracy. Our radio broadcasts every Sunday from 8 to 9 p.m. (Ethiopian time) on 12120 kHz in the 25 metre band." There was then a news bulletin with the following items: 1. A former member of the Central Committee of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (dominant party in the current Ethiopian coalition government), who was also an administrator of East Tigray Zone, has recently defected, accusing Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of failing the country (citing the Ethiomedia web site). 2. The organizers of the recent music concert held in Addis Ababa to raise funds in aid of drought-hit compatriots say it was successful (citing the Ethiopian newspaper The Reporter). 3. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi says the ruling by the Ethiopia-Eritrea boundary commission is incorrect and unjust (citing the Ethiopian newspaper The Reporter). 4. Ethiopian diplomats discuss normalizing relations with Eritrea (citing the Ethiopian newspaper The Reporter). Source: Monitoring research 1 Jun 03 (BBCM via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS. HOT NEWS REPORT Sunday 01/06/03 FROM A POINT AT SEA !! From http://www.earthradio.co.uk/radio_news.htm After our last news report regarding the new radio ship, a lot of people mailed the Earthradio News desk as regards this being the MV Communicator, sorry wrong there!!, the ship that was purchased was bought outside the UK, but not unlike the Ross Revenge, and today is in a port outside the jurisdiction of the EU and the UK, it is being fitted out by people dedicated to Free Radio, and sponsored by supporters both in the Irish Republic, UK and the Netherlands. The people involved in this project hope to rename the ship MV Freedom and after some extensive work , both onboard and on the outside of the ship, they have the intention of moving it to the waters off the Irish coast where it will not be subject to the UK laws and from there with the support of Irish, Dutch and UK free radio supporters; it is intended to bring about a new awareness of free independent radio. More news as it becomes available. © Earthradio Broadcasting Systems 2003 (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** IRAN. IRAN BLOCKS RADIO FARDA, VOICE OF AMERICA PERSIAN WEBSITES Washington, D.C., May 30, 2003— The Iranian government is blocking the websites of Voice of America (VOA) Persian http://www.voanews.com/Persian and Radio Farda http://www.radiofarda.com to prevent Iran`s population from getting accurate and balanced news and information about the world. ``I listen to VOA in Farsi (Persian) a lot, but recently our evil government has tried to prevent people from reaching genuine information. Please help us … We love you and your help. … We are really tired and depressed,`` one man wrote. ``Please help us to return our freedom in our dear country,`` a listener of Radio Farda emailed. The Iranian government ordered new restrictions on the Internet in early May. Newspapers in Iran said the government instructed Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block sites that are political or deemed immoral. Some 15,000 sites were targeted, according to press reports. ``It`s distressing that so many freedom-loving Iranians are unable to access the accurate news and information that we provide through our websites. We hope the situation improves soon for the people of Iran,`` said Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, Chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), which oversees all U.S. non-military international broadcasting including VOA and Radio Farda, a joint project of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and VOA. Radio Farda`s website, which attracted about 728,000 visitors in April, has experienced a decline in visitors since early May, as has the VOA Persian website, which is one of the organization`s most- viewed sites. Despite restrictions, many people in Iran, where web use is popular, have been able to circumvent barriers to gain access to the sites. BBG`s engineers say the Iranian government appears to be using software similar to that used in schools to block access to websites. Engineers are looking at ways to overcome the blockage. Radio Farda and VOA Persian are complementary services aimed at reaching a broad range of Iranians. VOA Persian, which broadcasts primarily on shortwave, has been providing news and information since 1942. Radio Farda, a youth-oriented station carrying news and entertainment, went on the air in December 2002, broadcasting round- the-clock from Prague, Czech Republic and Washington, D.C. Iran joins several other countries that attempt to deny citizens access to websites, including those operated by U.S. international broadcasting. Those countries include China, Vietnam, North Korean, Cuba and Burma (BBG press release via DXLD) ** IRAN. We had yet another phone call from VOIRI Listeners special program, so I passed it on to the wife; it`s on air Sunday 8th at 2130 (our Mon) so they said, 9870 13665 (Don Rhodes, Yarra Glen, Vic., EDXP via DXLD) ** IRAQ. FREE INTERNET ACCESS IN BAGHDAD --- From the latest blog by Salam Pax: "The old state owned Internet center in Adil district has been taken over by anarchists and they are offering internet access for FREE. You just need to dial up a number, no password, no special settings. Whoever heard of anyone doing that? About week ago a rumor spread that the Adil center has put up a sat dish and will be using the setup the Iraqi government used to have to provide the service. [Uruklink.net] is back. The people who used to work there opened the center 4 days ago; you can have an hour of Internet for as little as 2000 dinars. The center is very well equipped, they put together 30 of their best computers and have a very good connection (OK, so 30 computers in a city of 5 million is nothing, but it is a start). They even got military protection. The people who work there got a couple of soldiers from the nearest army checkpoint to take a look; the officer asked if it was OK for his men to check on their emails and stuff. The reaction from the first couple of guys who came in was a very amazed "Wow! Yesterday they put up a piece of paper that said: "we are happy to announce that you can get free Internet access by dialing up this number". A small little paper on the notice board. The telephone network is not fully operational, certain districts don't have phones at all, but as I wrote earlier many of the exchanges that have not been destroyed or looted have been linked together. You will need to keep dialing for an hour to get thru but it works, I tried it. Baghdad will also be getting its first GSM network in about two weeks. A couple of thousand lines as a first step, mainly for NGOs and Administration. I think it is going to be MCI who will set this up." (Media Network June 2 via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. Kol Israel - more info. A few comments I received were: A) The IBA meetings so far have been in relation to the government budget... they didn't specifically discuss shortwave. B) The official stance is that they will stop shortwave BY the end of the year... not AT the end of the year. C) A good address to send letters to protest the closure would be to: Chairman of the IBA Avraham Natan at IBA House, 161 Jaffa Road, Jerusalem 91280. D) Further - here are some translated news articles: (Gal Batuakh was established many years ago after there were a series of deadly scar accidents in the north on rarther poor roads...later it became a 'north' version of 88FM) IBA PLAN TO CLOSE RUSSIAN-LANGUAGE RADIO REQA FLAWED - paper Excerpt from report by Israeli newspaper Novosti Nedeli on 15 May, in Russian, entitled "Secrets of a Byzantine Court" subheadings added editorially: There is hardly a single Russian-speaking citizen who has not heard the news about the forthcoming closure of Radio REQA [Hebrew acronym for Immigrant Absorption Radio]. I must admit that this news has not made any profound impression upon myself. Previously threatened with closure The intention to close down the main herald of all our joys and sorrows, the main supplier of news to the new immigrants has been announced many times. The official, that is, officially announced "closures" have been made no less than three times, if I remember correctly. Each time the high-ranking official (it is easy to guess that the head of the Israel Broadcasting Authority [IBA] is meant in this case) had to go back on his word and cancel the announcement under pressure from the indignant immigrant public. The present IBA head, Yosef Barel, could not break the tradition established by his colleagues who preceded him in this post and pass over a radio station so badly needed by hundreds of thousands of immigrants. "What immigrants are you speaking about?" exclaimed Mr Barel. "Immigration has long run dry, there are 10 times fewer "Russians" arriving in the country as there were in the early 1990's, so why should I spend my budget on Russian-speaking journalists?" Russian is the mother tongue. Evidently it is difficult for a man who watches with admirable accuracy the number of new immigrants walking down the aircraft ladders at the airport to glance at the general picture and see that, in addition to the newest country's citizens, another 1,200,000 citizens reside in the country for whom Russian is their mother tongue. Even if many immigrants have mastered Hebrew, the language of communication in their own milieu is still that of their country of origin. Consequently, in choosing the newspapers to read and the radio and television media to watch or listen to, they naturally give preference to those that are published or produced in Russian. 85 per cent of Russian-speaking immigrants listen to Radio REQA All public opinion polls confirm the conclusion that 85 per cent of Russian-speaking immigrants listen to Radio REQA broadcasts. Not a single media all over the world enjoys a similar rating and, had this station been broadcasting in any other country, its owner would have been happy and swaggering before his colleagues of every type. The reason is simple, any media is considered to be fairly good if it manages to attract some 18 to 20 per cent of its potential audience. However, such would be the situation in any other country, but we live in Israel where everyone has his own point of view and believes it to be the only correct one. The fact that the country's new citizens pay the tax for using the state-owned radio and television whose language they often fail to understand (in addition, they pay all their other taxes to the state's treasury) does not, in the opinion of the official authorities, oblige them to provide services to the immigrants in their mother tongue. Commercial structures mastered Russian-language Thus, an interesting picture has emerged. In the race to entice the Russian-speaking clients, all commercial structures in the country have long ago mastered Russian. The advertisements in Russian for the trade, construction, insurance, and other companies; Russian-speaking saleswomen in shops and large shopping malls; Russian-speaking clerks in health funds, banks, and in the aforementioned companies themselves, everything is being done to attract as many "Russian" consumers as possible. Only the state, represented by its Broadcasting Authority, is trying, with stubborn regularity, to separate itself from the people to whom the state itself opened the way to the country. Policy of budget cuts Yosef Barel's arguments are simple: If the state carries out a policy of budget cuts, including his own agency's budget, he has no other choice but to cut down some of his subordinate structures. The structures have already been mentioned. The Broadcasting authority's board of directors decided that should financial difficulties arise, Radio Network One (Programme 1), the "All Music" channel, and Radio REQA would be closed down, among others. [Passage omitted] Barel - cuts not on the agenda This decision has not been implemented yet; moreover, in an interview with Ha'aretz, Mr Barel went into reverse and said that the closure of Radio REQA was not on the agenda. But I am concerned about other things in this situation (I mentioned above that I did not believe all statements on this theme had been made in earnest). Why should the idea of closing down the "Russian" radio station come to the forefront at each convenient opportunity? All Barel's predecessors based their decisions on economic grounds by saying that Radio REQA was eating up a substantial part of the entire TV and radio broadcasting budget. The new chief was not original and used the same argument. Even if he were correct, I would have the right, as a law- abiding taxpayer, to ask why a state-owned TV and radio company did not believe it possible to broadcast in Russian for the citizens that comprise one fifth of the country's entire population? Who gave it the right to deprive these people of an opportunity to receive information accessible to all the rest of the country's citizens? Had the TV and radio broadcasting been in the hands of private companies, the situation would have been different, but once the state believes it possible to hold the channel of communications with its citizens in its own hands, it must evidently take into account the fact that every fifth citizen knows only Russian at the level of a mother tongue. Intensive activities for over 10 years Well, we must say, for the sake of justice, that Radio REQA's intensive activities for over 10 years testify to the fact that the state indeed takes this fact into account. Then why do the state officials raise so much ado about our radio station again and again? [passage omitted] No, Mr Barel, it is not economic considerations that are behind your activities as far as this matter is concerned. Then perhaps politics is involved? However, hardly anybody would decide to accuse the [Russian-speaking] journalists of a state-owned radio station of carrying out concrete propaganda of someone's political views. Rather, some of their Hebrew-speaking colleagues could be reproached in this connection. But if politics is indeed involved here, it is politics of a quite different type, and it is linked to the personal interests and biases of the IBA chief himself. Since it has become customary in our society to recall the roots of each particular immigrant, I cannot help saying that Mr Barel originates from Egypt, and his country of origin has left the same imprint on his nature as the country of my origin has left upon myself. Describing the situation that has become dominant inside Mr Barel's agency, the media have already described the Israel Broadcasting Authority as a "Byzantine court." Perhaps this is what conceals the "political" cause of the present dissatisfaction with Radio REQA? What sultan would like to have subjects at his court who are independent beyond all measure? Source: Novosti Nedeli, Tel Aviv, in Russian 15 May 03 p 34 LOCAL RADIO STATION CLOSES DUE TO LACK OF BUDGET Text of report by Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot on 25 May Employees of "Hagal Habatu'ah," a local radio station operated by the Voice of Israel [VOI] broadcasting to Haifa and the north, are angry at the decision of Director General Yosef Bar'el to close down the station without prior notice. Some 13 years ago, the station began broadcasting music, traffic reports and local news, and employed 30 people, including VOI Network B correspondents. The VOI spokesman said in response that the decision had been taken during the term of office of the previous director general, Ran Galinka, together with VOI Director Amnon Nadav. The budget had been abolished, and so the station could no longer operate. Source: Yediot Aharonot, Tel Aviv, in Hebrew 25 May 03 p 19 (via BBCM via Doni Rosenzweig, DXLD) ** LEBANON. There was a second Radio Lebanon QSL up on eBay. It just closed at [only] $32.00. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2176349418 (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, May 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBERIA. SIX LOCAL FM STATIONS CLOSED | Text of press release by Media Foundation for West Africa on 30 May The government of Liberia has shut down six amateur FM radio stations operating in Bong County, central Liberia, and Margibi County, some 40km east of the capital, Monrovia. The stations affected include: Y- FM, Bright FM, Jet 89.9, The Voice of Kakata, and the Voice of YMCA. According to Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) Liberia sources, no specific charge has been preferred against them. However, the Director of National Communication Bureau at the Ministry of Information, Emmanuel D. Todo alleged that, "the motives and scope of operations of these stations were not clear to the government." The Association of Amateur Radio Stations (AARS) insists, however, that the affected stations were all registered with the government. The AARS has appealed to the government to allow the stations to resume operation because of the important community service function they perform in serving the news and information needs of their listeners. Source: Media Foundation for West Africa, Accra, in English 30 May 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** LIBYA. PICTURE BULLETIN FOR DAILY LIBYAN RADIO BROADCAST TO IRAQ, 28 MAY A further Libyan radio broadcast to Iraq was monitored on 28 May from 1800 to 1900 gmt on the frequencies 7245, 9605 and 11660 kHz shortwave. 9745 kHz has also been observed to be carrying the programme. The transmission appeared on the air suddenly with no special signature tune or announcements. This is one of two monitored and three announced daily broadcasts to Iraq from Libya. 1. The first item was a talk calling on the Iraqis not to place their destinies in the hands of a certain party, tribe, or sect. The Iraqi people must protect their national unity, it said. The radio said that this century is that of the people, that there is no place for any party that represents part of the people. The sovereignty of the people cannot be divided, the Iraqi people are capable of healing their wounds, overcoming their sorrows, and running their affairs by themselves. Real democracy for the Iraqi people can be achieved by adopting the concept of [the Libyan style] people's conferences and committees, the radio said. 2. The announcer said: "This programme presents some answers to important questions concerning the people's aspirations for freedom." The announcer then discussed various questions concerning the democratic system in the world, saying that democracy could not solve any of the major problems in societies, criticizes parliaments, saying that they have deprived peoples of the right to assume power. He praised the concept of the people's conferences and committees. 3. A talk criticizing the various government systems in the world, saying that they are unable to solve the problems facing the peoples around the world. The speaker said that the people's conferences and committees are the best way to fulfil the needs of the peoples. 4. An interview with a Libyan "thinker" on Iraq. He urged the Iraqi people to run their affairs by themselves without depending on tribes or parties. The interview was followed by the announcement: "This is the general centre for broadcasts beamed from the Great Jamahiriyah: A message to the people of the two rivers [Iraq]" 5. There followed a talk on the role of political parties and people. 6. Sign-off announcement: "With this we end this broadcast beamed to our people in the land of the two rivers. We hope to meet again." The broadcast carried brief musical interludes between talks but no patriotic or pan-Arab songs. Source: BBC Monitoring research 28 May 03 (BBCM June 2 via DXLD) ** MARSHALL ISLANDS [non]. Another story with no real connexion to radio, but to companion the recent item about these isles: ENID A PART OF MARSHALL ISLANDS HISTORY COMMUNITY HOSTS PRESIDENT OF REPUBLIC By Scott Fitzgerald, Staff Writer, 6/1/03 An important dignitary spent Saturday in Enid, talking about recent developments in the nation's capitol that spells good news for continuing United States-Marshallese relations. President Kessai H. Note of the Republic of the Marshall Islands arrived in Enid late Friday. He visited Marshallese First Assembly of God Church Saturday morning. Enid has a large population of residents from the Marshall Islands. . . http://www.enidnews.com/story.php?story_id=42069&c=29&PHPSESSID=43c8670a5025b30baa47c24568d67a39 Obviously, the separation between church and state is not a concept highly esteemed by the ``Marshellese``, the reason for whose presence in Enid is never explained. That misspelling even appears on the church`s peeling sign on North Van Buren. Isn`t it about time the isles adopted a non-colonial name, anyway? (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DXLD) ** MEXICO. XER - "PIRATE" RADIO MEXICAN STYLE --- From Anorak Nation: "Several obituaries of June Carter Cash referred to her early years as part of the Carter Family, singing over XER, a border blaster, one of the extraordinarily powerful radio stations broadcasting to U.S. audiences from south of the Rio Grande. XER was founded in 1931 by Dr. John R. Brinkley..." http://www.nypress.com/16/22/news&columns/oldsmoke.cfm is a good read about the guy who founded XER, one of the biggest 'border blaster' stations operating from Mexico into the US, and who first made his money with a Viagra alternative using goats' testicles. Sounds a great station too: "XER was also the first major national radio station for country music, from the Carter Family to Hank Williams. It had Bible-thumping preachers and astrologers. Entrepreneurs pitched get-rich-quick schemes: oil wells, real estate deals, lottery tickets, all spectacular opportunities for enrichment, and 100 percent guaranteed. Frank the Diamond Man sold genuine simulated diamond rings. There was The Lord's Last Supper Tablecloth, and the man who sold false teeth by mail; cures for hemorrhoids, flatulence and rectal itch." (via Mike Terry, DXLD) This week`s Been There, Done That on WHYY et al. also had a segment about this, with the ``Border Radio`` authors. 5/31 edition will eventually be available in archive via http://www.whyy.org/91FM/btdt/btdt200305.html (gh, DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. NOG GEEN BESLUIT HERVORMING WERELDOMROEP (zondag 25 mei 2003 19:27 ) Het bestuur van Radio Nederland Wereldomroep heeft op 22 mei nog geen besluit kunnen nemen over de ingrijpende hervormingsplannen waarover Kortegolf.Info eerder al berichtte. Oorzaak: het (wettelijk vereiste) overleg met de ondernemingsraad is nog niet afgerond. De OR is onder voorbehoud alvast wel akkoord gegaan met het schrappen van diverse kortegolffrequenties in het komende winterseizoen. Dit omdat alle internationale KG-omroepen deze dagen in Canada onderhandelen over de onderlinge frequentieverdeling. Zou de OR dwars hebben gelegen, dan zou de Wereldomroep een besparing van maximaal 1 miljoen euro kunnen mislopen. Wordt vervolgd. . . (kortegolf.info via DXLD) RADIO NETHERLANDS BEGINS DRM TRANSMISSIONS FROM FLEVO As from today, Radio Netherlands is broadcasting its first regular digital shortwave service. The broadcast, at 0930-1225 UTC on 9590 kHz, carries our English service and is beamed from Flevo towards Geneva, where Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) will be officially launched later this month. For more information on how to receive this, and other DRM transmissions, check out our dossier A Listener's Guide to Digital AM http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/html/drm.html (Media Network 2 June 2003 via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. Nozema did it exactly at 2200:00 UT: Lopik 675 was switched from Radio 10 FM to Arrow Classic Rock (without any carrier break or audio pause) and Flevo-Zeewolde 1008 was cut off. It is not possible to check Hulsberg 891 from here (too much interferences), but I would assume that it was switched from the NOS feed (i.e. the loop aired since Thursday) to Radio 538 at 200 sharp, too (Kai Ludwig, Germany, May 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The cut-over from Radio 10 FM to Arrow Classic Rock last night exactly at 2200, separated by a 1 kHz tone for just a tenth of a second. One has really to wonder how the kind of studio audio that Arrow Classic Rock pours out may sound when received via a Dutch cable net! Also included a recording of 1008 cutting off, exactly at 22:00:00, too. Latest information: 828 (Arrow Classic Rock) stayed on today (now // 675) and is probably still on. 891: Switched off together with 1008 instead of changing immediately to Radio 538. Wian Stienstra says that this is the result of Radio 538 wanting to have new audio processing equipment installed at Hulsberg first. 1332: Radio 192 is still on despite being no longer licenced for this or any other MW or FM frequency. Nobody knows how long this (actually unauthorized) operation will continue. 1485: Haagstad Radio switched off mediumwave already around May 25, but they say on their webpage that they want to get this frequency back. Radio 10 FM now indeed continues on the FM network that was originally allocated to Sky Radio for their Gouwe Ouwe Zender program. Sky decided to purchase the established 10 FM rather than doing with their own, reportedly quite poor programming. But the licence severely limits the amount of current songs that may be played, a circumstance that would require some changes in the 10 FM programming. Last night around 2230 (when they were already off mediumwave) it was said on 10 FM that they had only one packet of paper left due to the amount of faxes they received (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CHANGES IN HOLLAND At the moment, the proposed English language station Radlon Media has not appeared on 1008 kHz. In fact since Dutch midnight, i.e. 2200 UT 31 May, the frequency has been completely blank, not even an open carrier. Time will tell when Radlon appear. Meanwhile, 10FM have indeed been replaced on 675 kHz with rock music, parallel 828 (presumably the Arrow). The signal on 828 kHz appears to be considerably reduced from previous levels, thus causing much less aggro to UK stations. Nothing can be heard on 1395 at the moment either, and 747 appears to be slightly reduced signal here. I have *never* heard any other Netherlands MW channels here in NW London (PAUL DAVID, Wembley Park, UK, June 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) A recent check on the Dutch frequencies audible during daylight here in NW London, just before 0900 UT 2 June, reveals still no action on 1008 or 1395 kHz. By contrast with Sunday, 675 and 828 kHz were carrying separate programming, which could clearly be determined despite the presence of a strong almost local UK signal on 828. I have a hunch that it could be some time yet before Radlon Media appear, and I propose to post no further messages on this subject until they do (PAUL DAVID, Chairman, Brent Visually-Handicapped Group, June 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) REPRIEVE FOR RADIO 10 FM --- last-minute business deal secures future by Andy Sennitt, 2 June 2003 The past week has been a frantic one for several Dutch commercial radio stations as they dealt with the fallout from the licence decisions announced on 26 May. There were some high profile casualties in the bid to secure licences for the next eight years, effective on Sunday 1 June. But with just hours to go, Radio 10 FM - which had lost its terrestrial FM frequencies to rival Sky Radio - saw itself reprieved when Sky Radio agreed to buy it. Radio 10 FM will now occupy the frequencies awarded to the planned Golden Oldies station. . . http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/features/html/ned030528.html (via DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. A new SW broadcast station is planned for the PNG Sandaun Province in the near future. This has nothing to with the NBC. It is expected that the SW transmitter will be used to cover all of PNG. Further info is under wraps at the moment. I don't know if this has anything to do with Johnno's hush hush planned 41 meter band frequencies from PNG. In fact I doubt it given those frequencies, but I could be wrong. You heard it from me FIRST on the ARDXC news reflector (Ian Baxter, Australia. PACIFIC FM MEGABASE [ Research ], http://radiodx.com/fmmegabase May 31, ARDXC via DXLD) ** PERU. Here are some catches made in the countryside some 70 km South of Moscow in the period between May 30 and June 1, 2003 with SONY ICF7600G and its telescopic antenna: 6044, Radio Melodía, Arequipa, YL in Spanish, 0023 May 31, folk-like songs (for those who know Bolivian group Kjarkas, these songs were similar to Kjarkas' ones), 0040 phone-ins, a lot of mentions of Arequipa, 0123 something about soccer, 0128 ID: ``Hasta la tarde, escúchenos de nuevo..., sintonía por todo El Perú através de Radio Melodía... arequipeña...`` (ID recorded). Better in LSB. Weak signal with sport px till 0215. Also June 1: 6044 Perú, Radio Melodía at 0120 with sport program (frequently mentioned word ``deportivo``), 34344 (Artyom Prokhorov, Russia, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) 6041.85v, Radio Melodía (presumed), Arequipa, 1049-1100, June 1. Spanish. News program. Many informations about Arequipa. The speaker mentioned "Arequipa" in several opportunities. 22432 with QRM from Brazilian station on 6040. 6173.27, Radio Tawantinsuyo, Cusco, 1037-1045, June 1. Spanish. Very nice Andean music. ID: "..su Radio Tawantinsuyo" and TC: "las 5 con 43 en Radio Tawantinsuyo... saludos, todos quienes nos están sintonizando", 23422 with QRM from Family Radio in 6175. 6188, Radio Oriente, Yurimaguas, 1015-1030, June 1. Spanish. Announcement, ID & TC: "Así saludamos a todos los amigos que están en sintonía con Radio Oriente... 5 de la mañana con 20 minutos... estamos en Radio Oriente de Yurimaguas... ahora seguimos con el tema Aguedoya". Other ID: "Radio Oriente!!!!!" 44444. 6193.22, Radio Cusco, Cusco, 1103-1110, June 1. Huaynos. Local ads in Spanish and Quechua: "Fotografia... en Galería... Centro Comercial... frente al Palacio de Justicia..."; ID: "Radio Cusco... ahora con más melodías", 32422 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** PERU. 2820.40 harmonic, Radio Olmos: Maybe you remember the logging of the Peruvian radiostation "Radio Olmos" in the province Lambayeque we had in SWB #1503? Completely unknown to all of us until now when the following mail arrived on my desk in Quito from our member Thord Knutsson/TK at the WRTH staff. Thanks, Thord!: TK: "Hello Björn, I have just returned from a very interesting trip to Paraguay. I have managed to take home a new list of Peruvian stations, dated March 12, 2003 containing 1023 pages with a total of 2137 stations on MW, SW & FM. A huge work to go through!! I have found info about a station on 1410 in Olmos, prov. Lambayeque, Dep. Lambayeque regarding your logging from January this year. Now there is a station listed on 1410 owned by Sánchez Villegas Manuel Jesús with the address Calla Tarata s/n, Olmos, Prov. Lambayeque, Dep Lambayeque. Unfortunately only the registered owner/company name and not the "working name". Info from "Ventanaperú": Provincia de Lambayeque, cuya capital es Lambayeque. Sus distritos son: Chochope, Illimo, Jayanca, Lambayeque, Mochumí, Mórrope, Motupe, Olmos, Pacora, Salas, San José, Túcume; con una población total de 220,105 hab. 4799.99, Radio Satélite; Santa Cruz, el departamento de Cajamarca. May 2003, 2341 UT. Has been active for a while but very disturbed by Guatemala. ID: "Satélite tu radio". Info from "Ventanaperú": Provincia de Santa Cruz, cuya capital es Santa Cruz de Succhubamba. Sus distritos son: Andabamba, Catache, Chancay Baños, La Esperanza, Ninabamba, Pulán, Santa Cruz de Succhubamba, Sexi, Uticyacu, Yauyucán; con una población total de 46,219 hab. 5024.92, Radio Quillabamba, Quillabamba, la provincia de Convención, el departamento de Cusco. May 2003, 2355 UT. As Rebelde often is off air this Peruvian can be heard quite well. Often religious programs. Varies between 5024.91-93 kHz. Info from "Ventanaperú": Provincia de La Convención, cuya capital es Quillabamba. Sus distritos son: Huayopata, Echarate, Maranura, Ocobamba, Quellouno, Santa Ana, Santa Teresa, Vilcabamba; con una población total de 152,576 hab. 5637.24, Radio Perú has an activity period just now. 5996.60 Radio Melodía back after a super short visit on 6106.95 kHz. Radio San Antonio on 4940.00 kHz has also been on air for a while. RD Comercial on +6324 kHz has also been on air for a few days. Yes, I can start almost every bandscan like this. Everything depends on if the responsible of the station has some extra time for his spare-time occupation: radio. 6536.06 kHz: Regarding the new Radio San Miguel de Sóndor which I reported in a "preview" these comments comes from our member Thord Knutsson/TK at the WRTH staff (thanks Thord and welcome back from your holiday in Paraguay!): TK (Thord Knutsson); "Radiodifusora Huancabamba is indeed licensed on 3370 kHz. None of the other stations are in Deps list. Dep lists no station in Sóndor, neither on FM nor MW/SW. Perhaps you noticed TIN`s comments that according to MTC there are 70 TV pirates in Peru and a little bit over 800 radio pirates, of them circa 650 on FM. Thus there are circa 150 MW and SW-pirates in Peru. Sounds a little bit too few but anyhow gives a rough idea of the number. Saludos Thord". (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin June 1, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) "Previews" sent earlier by e-mail: May 24: New station in distrito "Sóndor"? 6536.06, Radio San Miguel, Sóndor, la provincia de Huancabamba, el departamento de Piura. May 24 2003 - 0200 UT. In "provincia Huancabamba" it moves a bit, yes almost so you get a little bit dizzy. We start from the beginning: Around April 21 you received a "preview" with info about the new "La Nueva Radio Superior" in "distrito El Faique" situated in "provincia Huancabamba". On nearly the same frequency Radio San Miguel, also in "distrito El Faique" has been heard earlier. At around 6536 kHz for a long time Radiodifusora Huancabamba could be heard; a station during recent month has given ID as "Radio La Poderosa". In WRTH is QTH given as the town of Huancabamba. The Radio San Miguel I now hear on 6536.06 kHz gives ID as "Radio San Miguel de Sóndor". Sóndor is (just as El Faique) a distrito in "provincia Huancabamba". If the former station "RD Huancabamba" was located in "Sóndor" or if this is a new QTH I don`t know. If you have any info please let me know! Listen to a recording from this occasion: Info from "Ventanaperú": Provincia de Huancabamba, cuya capital es Chanchaque. Sus distritos son: El Carmen de la Frontera, Huancabamba, Huarmaca, Lalaquiz, San miguel de El Faique, Sóndor, Sondorillo; con una población total de 125,458 hab. (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin June 1, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) "Preview" sent earlier by e-mail: May 20: 6106.95, Radio Melodía, Arequipa on new frequency! Noted Melodía here May 20 at 0030 UT with political comments and small short "Melodía es Melodía", Melodía en la noticia" - IDs of several variants by a female DJ. I didn`t wait for QTH location but recognize the station well. On 6105.08 kHz a religious Brazilian presumably Radio Cultural Filadelfia. Radio Panamericana, La Paz not on air at this occasion (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin June 1, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) Soon moved to 6043v as above ** POLAND [and non]. POLISH MEDIA COUNCIL REPORT: RADIO MARYJA AIRING ANTI-SEMITIC, ANTI-EU CONTENT | Text of report by Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza on 2 June The National Radio and Television Council [KRRiTV] has declared that Radio Maryja broadcasts carry anti-Semitic content. Gazeta Wyborcza has accessed a report on a monitoring study of the Torun-based network carried out by the KRRiTV programming department at the turn of February and March. The 20-page document contains a general description of Radio Maryja programmes, outlines license requirements, and lists KRRiTV criticisms regarding contents aired by the network. The KRRiTV supports its charges with quotations from Radio Maryja programmes. The document states, for example: "Opposition to Poland's entry into the European Union dominates in the broadcasts and is expressed in various journalistic forms. The network takes advantage of the dissatisfaction of many groups of Polish citizens. During the period in which the broadcasts were monitored, the network encouraged its listeners to support farmer protests and help organize the farmers' prayer meeting at Jasna Gora many times each day." "Opposition to Poland's integration with EU structures voiced in - among others - a statement made by Bishop Edward Frankowski which was broadcast twice has been criticized by many eminent representatives of the Polish Episcopate. Many church hierarchs point out that the network defies the stance of the Holy Father and the policy of the Polish Episcopate. This confirms opinions on European integration are divided. The Torun-based network further deepens the divisions and often leads to new ones," the report goes on to say. The authors of the report state that Radio Maryja programmes carry anti-Semitic content. "Such content is unavoidable as listeners call in, but there is no justification for the lack of adequate reaction, particularly on the part of fathers hosting the programmes," says the document. "Their reactions do not address the essence of the problem. They more or less explicitly express approval for opinions voiced by listeners which defy common sense. The hosts of the programmes do not take the opportunity of presenting the stance of the [Catholic] Church on these issues, and in particular the teachings of John Paul II. This may lead to the shaping of opinions which defy Christian values." The KRRiTV report also points out that the network "frequently highlighted an untrue report on the Holy Father's blessing for Radio Maryja and the Trwam Television network [just launched by the owner of Radio Maryja]". "The monitoring thus corroborates media charges that the network treats the Holy Father and his teachings instrumentally. This is something that should not take place on radio programmes, especially programmes aired by a Catholic network." Source: Gazeta Wyborcza, Warsaw, in Polish 2 Jun 03 p 10 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. La emisora La Voz de Rusia está confirmando con preciosas tarjetas QSLs. Recuerdo que durante años enviaban tarjetas no muy 'vistosas'; después dejaron de enviar QSLs y ahora retomaron la buena costumbre de verificar. Las tarjeas son de un formato más bién alargado vertical, divididas al medio; en la parte de arriba una vista de Moscú y en la parte de abajo la foto de un receptor de comunicaciones en cuyo dial dice 'moscow time'. Muy lindas (Victor Castaño, Uruguay, Conexión Digital June 1 via DXLD) ** SAO TOME E PRINCIPE. From Anker Petersen I have received photos from São Tomé, where he visited the VOA site at Pinheira. There is an additional tower for Radio Nacional's 945 kHz transmissions. Added to: http://www.ydunritz.com/photosto.htm#Radio Nacional (Ydun Ritz (1/6-2003) via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. Hello Glenn, Re my previous report of Sa`udi Arabia on 9675. This continues, and was particularly strong today [June 2nd] around 0800, and it was heard in parallel with 11855 same time --- this frequency was fair only. So, I assume 11855 has been reactivated to carry the 2nd programme and that 9675 has been added. Another Sa`udi frequency also heard today was 9715 on air at 0625 past 0730 carrying the HQ Programme in parallel with 15380 & 17895. The signal only weak to fair. 9715 may have become audible due REE Madrid not being heard on 9710 [or 5985] at this time --- only 12035. Keep up the good work. 73s, (Noel Green, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWAZILAND. SWAZI KING'S SERMON IS A LOAD OF PANTS Mbabane - Swaziland's king has singled out women wearing trousers as the cause of the world's ills in a state radio sermon that also condemned human rights as an "abomination before God". "The Bible says curse be unto a woman who wears pants, and those who wear their husband's clothes. That is why the world is in such a state today," Mswati, ruler of the impoverished feudal nation of about one million, said. The monarch, who reigns supreme in the landlocked country run by palace appointees and where opposition parties are banned, went on to criticise the human rights movement. "What rights? God created people, and He gave them their roles in society. You cannot change what God has created. This is an abomination before God," the king said. Women in the capital Mbabane were not impressed. "The king says I am the cause of the world's problems because of my outfit. Never mind terrorism, government corruption, poverty and disease, it's me and my pants. I reject that," said Thob'sile Dlamini. Mswati is Africa's last absolute monarch. He is currently married to nine wives, with a wedding pending for wife number 10, and has chosen an additional fiancée after reviewing videos of topless maidens performing a traditional reed dance ceremony (Independent, South Africa, May 31 via DXLD) {TWR must be cool with this!} ** SYRIA. 13610, Radio Damascus, 2027-2120 May 31, ID and news in English with a man announcer followed by music features and cultural program. At 2104 the man mentioned news headline were next before signing off with national anthem but after a nice ID ("Radio Damascus, the broadcasting service of the Syrian Arab Republic") music was played, another ID with a "good night" tossed in for good measure but then apparently sign on for another English program (presume the North American feed) with frequency/time announcement and news. Poor to fair with heavy splatter from WEWN on 13615 (Rich D`Angelo, PA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** U K. Besides forcing news headlines upon us at the half-hour, interrupting programing, whether there be any new news or not, BBCWS have found another way to disrupt continuity: time signals on the quarter hour! At least that`s what I heard at 1415 and 1445 UT June 2 as listening to the Americas feed via satellite via local cable. I have no idea why, unless for the convenience of Ghurkas (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. RISING STAR OF BBC RADIO RESIGNS TO WRITE A BOOK From the Independent: By Andrew Johnson, 31 May 2003 One of the BBC's rising radio stars has suddenly quit her prime-time show on Five Live to write a book in New York. Fi Glover, who has presented her live phone-in show for only five months, will take a sabbatical while she writes about a liberal radio station in the land of right-wing "shock jocks". The presenter, considered one of the most recognisable voices on the airwaves, has won a host of awards since joining the radio station in 1997. She recently hit the headlines when she had an on-air spat with Five Live's star broadcaster, Nicky Campbell. But the row had nothing to do with her decision to leave. She said yesterday: "Whilst I am sad to be leaving Five Live after six years, as I've had a great time here, I was really flattered to be asked to write another book." Glover was previously one of the presenters of The Travel Show on BBC2 and has already had success with her first book, published in 2001, I'm an Oil Tanker: Travels with My Radio. Her departure will be a blow for Five Live, which has just lost its main sports presenter, Ian Payne, to Sky. When Glover leaves at the end of June her slot will be taken over by three stand-ins, John Pienaar, Julian Worricker and Juliet Morris, while a replacement is found (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** U K. LABOUR FACES MORE FLAK ON HANDLING OF WAR AFTER TV FILM By Matt Born (Filed: 31/05/2003) The Government is set for a fresh row over its handling of the war in Iraq when a new BBC documentary about the conflict, featuring unprecedented "behind-the-scenes" footage of the military planning, is broadcast next month. The series will reveal that British military commanders were much less bullish about the progress of the war than ministers disclosed. . . http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2003%2F05%2F31%2Fnbbc31.xml (via Roger Chambers, NY, DXLD) ** U K [non]. BBC WORLD SERVICE LAUNCHES ON FM IN BAGHDAD AND BASRA | Text of press release by BBC World Service on 30 May In the key Iraqi cities of Baghdad and Basrah, Iraqis can now hear BBC World Service in high quality FM as well as on shortwave and mediumwave frequencies. BBC World Service is the first international broadcaster to broadcast 24 hours a day in Arabic on FM in Baghdad and Basra. The new FM frequencies are 89.0 MHz in Baghdad and 90.0 MHz in Basrah in Arabic. In Basrah, the World Service can also be heard in English on FM on 88.0 MHz. "BBC World Service has a high standing in Iraq. In recent years Iraqis depended on international radio for their news after satellite dishes were banned. BBC World Service is widely listened to and respected across the Arab world and boosted its shortwave and mediumwave transmissions to Iraq at the start of the war," said Mark Byford, Director BBC World Service and Global News. "Now, for the first time, the people of Baghdad and Basrah can listen to BBC World Service on FM. This is an historic development and we plan to extend FM to other major Iraqi cities," he said. . . Source: BBC World Service press release, London, in English 30 May 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** U S A. SHORTWAVE HATE-RADIO EXTREMIST TAKES PLEA PULASKI MAN FACED U.S. WEAPONS CHARGES By Bill Estep, SOUTH-CENTRAL KENTUCKY BUREAU Posted on Sat, May. 31, 2003 http://www.kentucky.com/mld/heraldleader/news/5982897.htm A man who once broadcast a hate-filled, extremist shortwave radio program pleaded guilty yesterday to federal weapons charges filed after his attack on a sheriff's deputy. Steve H. Anderson, 55, of rural Pulaski County, admitted in federal court in London that he illegally possessed a machine gun, carried and fired a gun during a crime of violence and possessed unregistered firearms, according to the office of Gregory F. Van Tatenhove, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. Anderson faces at least 10 years in prison, Van Tatenhove said. The case against Anderson dates to October 2001, when a deputy sheriff in Bell County stopped Anderson's pickup near Middlesboro to tell him the taillights weren't working. After the deputy, Scott Elder, saw ammunition in the truck and asked whether Anderson had guns with him, Anderson riddled the deputy's cruiser with bullets. Anderson used a semi-automatic assault rifle and also had six pipe bombs, according to a federal indictment. Elder was not hurt and shot back before Anderson drove into the hills. Police found the truck early the next day, but Anderson eluded the manhunt that followed for more than a year. When police searched Anderson's home after the shooting, they found illegal weapons, including a machine gun and silencer, a sawed-off rifle, two homemade bombs and 25 fragmentation grenades, according to a federal indictment. Anderson was once a member of the Kentucky State Militia, which has said it kicked him out before the shooting because of his racist, extremist views. Anderson operated a shortwave radio program from an unlicensed station at his home, promoting anti-government, anti-immigrant, racist and anti-Jewish views, and often espousing violence, according to groups that monitor extremist radio. One group named Anderson's broadcast the top hate-talk show in the country. Anderson also had ties to the Christian Identity Movement, which considers white Christians superior to non-whites and Jews. The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms caught Anderson in the mountains of North Carolina last November after the television show America's Most Wanted profiled his case and someone called investigators with a tip. Federal officials were glad to catch Anderson without another confrontation. "This is a serious crime," Van Tatenhove said. "Anytime someone possesses a machine gun, pipe bombs, grenades, other destructive devices, and then shows a willingness to enter into a confrontation like he entered into in Bell County ... you can't help but conclude that there's a real propensity to act in a violent manner." Karen Blondell, commonwealth's attorney in Bell County, said federal prosecutors consulted with her office and Elder, the deputy, about the plea deal for Anderson. Elder, who now works in Mercer County, said he was pleased with the agreement for his attacker to go to federal prison -- where there is no parole -- and would forgo having Anderson prosecuted on state charges, Blondell said. Anderson is to be sentenced before U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves on Sept. 12, Van Tatanhove said (Lexington Herald-Leader May 31 via DXLD) Indexed as UPR for United Patriot Radio ** U S A. [Re 5072 bonker QRMing WWCR]: Called FCC Tuesday (5/27) morning. Tuesday night 5070 was clean and has been since. Our tax dollars at work? (LOU KF4EON Johnson, Atlanta, June 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. HEADLINE: THE 'LOCAL' IN LOCAL TV IS IN DANGER Byline: Martin Kaplan Date: 06/02/2003 Click here to read this story online: http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0602/p11s01-coop.html (LOS ANGELES) You would think that the first thing the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) would do before rewriting the rules of media ownership in America, would be to find out how well the rules are working. But you'd be wrong. This data vacuum is especially alarming in local news. Since most Americans get most of their news from local TV stations, the kind of attention those stations give to campaigns and elections - not in paid ads, but in journalism - is a measure of the health of our democracy. It's a way to assess how close we are to having the quality information that Thomas Jefferson said we need to be good citizens. But when it comes to informing the voting public, the FCC hasn't a clue how local TV news is doing. Without that data, further deregulation can be no more than a riverboat gamble. The FCC did commission 12 "Media Ownership Working Group Papers" to get ready for its scheduled big vote Monday on whether to relax restrictions on ownership. They're all very interesting. Unfortunately, not one of them analyzes the content of local TV news to find out how local it really is. Not one of them compares the content aired by one television ownership group with the content aired by another. For an agency charged with promoting "diversity" and "localism," wouldn't it be nice to define what those words mean and then go out and actually measure local TV stations against them? This wouldn't be particularly expensive to do. All it would take is a set of objective criteria for localism and diversity, enough VCRs in enough cities capturing enough hours of programming from enough ownership groups, and enough analysts to clock the tapes and crunch the numbers. Imagine what those studies could tell us. They could examine the cities where media duopolies exist, and compare the diversity of news content in those cities with cities without duopolies. Wouldn't it be helpful to the FCC to have that information before it opens the national floodgates to duopolies and even triopolies? Another study could compare how much local news aired is truly filled with stories about that community (rather than with promotions for network entertainment or canned news feeds from corporate headquarters). Before the FCC permits more distant owners to take over more local stations, wouldn't it be useful to know where things stand now? The closest anyone has come to answering objective questions like these is a study my collaborators and I have done of 122 of the top- rated stations in the top 50 US media markets http://www.localnewsarchive.org Our focus was local-news coverage of the 2002 midterm election; we taped and analyzed more than 8,000 half- hours of the country's top-rated early- and late-evening news broadcasts during the last seven weeks of the campaign season. Anyone who thinks that TV stations have a public-interest obligation to perform in exchange for their free licenses will be dispirited by our results. On almost half the evening-news programs we taped, there was no coverage of the campaign - of any campaign - at all. When campaign stories did air, they mostly were less than 90 seconds, contained no sound bites from candidates, and came in the last two weeks before the election. They focused on strategy and polls nearly half the time; aired statewide races over local elections by almost 7 to 1, and were outnumbered by paid political ads by nearly 4 to 1. In other words, most Americans probably saw more prime-time entertainment on a single night than election coverage over an entire campaign season of watching local news. Our study didn't set out to examine the relationship between station ownership and station performance. Even so, our 122-station sample contains 45 stations owned by large owners (with nationwide audience reach of more than 20 percent), 54 by mid-sized owners, and 23 by small owners, so we can use our findings to speculate on what a true ownership study - the kind the FCC should have done - might show. For example, how much coverage was given to local races by local news? The stations in our sample with small and mid-sized owners offered more coverage than the national average, while stations with large owners did less. That same pattern seems true in individual media markets: In 16 of the 22 markets in our sample, stations owned by small or mid-sized owners aired more local campaign coverage. These findings are of potential importance. If a full-scale national study designed to correlate ownership with localism and diversity came up with similar numbers, it would have inescapable implications for the rule changes now under consideration. It's too late to conduct those studies before Monday's vote. But it's not too late for Congress and the public to demand that the Commission find out what results the current system is giving us. Nor should these results, which have been shared with the FCC, be ignored by the courts if the FCC's decision is appealed. Unless the FCC goes out and measures the local news that owners are providing under Monday's policies, it would be a roll of the dice to overthrow those policies. It would be hard to imagine Thomas Jefferson entrusting the future of democracy to a crapshoot. * Martin Kaplan is associate dean of the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and director of the Norman Lear Center for the Study of entertainment and Society. (c) Copyright 2003 The Christian Science Monitor. All rights reserved. (via Roger Chambers, DXLD) ** U S A. MICHAEL POWELL AND THE FCC: GIVING AWAY THE MARKETPLACE OF IDEAS --- By Tom Shales, Monday, June 2, 2003; Page C01 Unless something dramatic and unexpected occurs to stop it, this is what will happen today in Washington: The Republican chairman of the Republican-dominated Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and his Republican majority will revise long-standing rules on media ownership in ways that will hugely benefit, among others, rich Republicans. . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1424-2003Jun1.html (via Kraig Krist, Tom Roche, DXLD) FCC SET TO VOTE ON EASING MEDIA OWNERSHIP RULES --- By Frank Ahrens, Washington Post Staff Writer, Monday, June 2, 2003; Page A06 An ideologically fractured Federal Communications Commission plans to vote along party lines today to relax or eliminate some key media ownership rules, allowing a newspaper to own a television station in the same city and broadcast networks to buy more stations at the national and local levels. FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell is set to join fellow Republican commissioners Kathleen Q. Abernathy and Kevin J. Martin in approving the changes, sources said over the weekend, while Democrats Jonathan S. Adelstein and Michael J. Copps said they plan to vote against the changes. . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1007-2003Jun1.html 73, (via -.. . Kraig Krist, KG4LAC, DXLD) FCC VOTES TO SCRAP CROSS OWNERSHIP RULE Lou Josephs reports: "Today in Washington the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) eliminated the cross ownership rule by a vote of 3-2. The much-anticipated decision is a controversial one. Demonstraters broke up the end of the meeting and they were hauled away. The FCC's vote means that local TV and radio stations can now be owned by the same company that owns the local newspaper. Limits on the number of TV stations a company can own in the same market have been raised. However, Clear Channel Communications failed in its attempt to get the limit on the number of radio stations increased to ten in large markets. Limits on the number of radio stations have not been raised, but the metro definition the FCC has been using will be changed to the same definition as Arbitron (the ratings company). Where stations aren't in a rated market the FCC itself will determine the metro definition. This looks arbitrary and capricious, which means that the National Association of Broadcasters will probably appeal this to the Federal District Court in Washington. The national TV ownership cap gets raised to 45% of the national audience. What this means is that the major companies will now be in a mad rush to buy up every tv station that they don't already own. The winners will be Fox, Disney and Viacom. The FCC did tighten the rules regarding how ownership is calculated. The TV network merger rule stands. So you won't be seeing MSNBC-Fox in the near future." The full text of the decision will be available on the FCC Web site http://www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Digest/2003/ after 1730 UT on 2 June (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 2 June 2003 via DXLD) Gee...what a surprise! Big corporate interests win again...this time with a long-sought plum from the FCC by way of allowing huge media conglomerates to swallow up even more of their competitors --- and increase their presence in almost all markets. Given the track record of the Bush administration, I couldn't help but wonder why they even bothered with comments on the proceedings. They might as well have just ramrodded it through like they do everything else designed to screw smaller/independent owners --- and at the same time probably result in a lessening of diversity of opinion in both print and broadcast media. This decision really steams me --- but I would probably have dropped dead from a heart attack if it hadn't sailed through as it did. These people simply do not care about the 'public interest'. (Tom Bryant / Nashville, June 2, WTFDA Soundoff list via DXLD) They did ramrod it through. The so-called 'public hearings' were a complete sham. As usual in politics today, big money talks big. We don't really need an FCC or an FAA or an FDA etc., etc. They're all in business to serve those whom they regulate, not the public (Russ Edmunds, PA, ibid.) ** U S A. ANOTHER CLASSICAL MUSIC STATION TO DROP FORMAT Looks like WGMS, Washington DC's only commercial classical music broadcaster, will be sold and drop classical music as soon as the FCC relaxation of the multimedia ownership rules are approved by the FCC today. The following was found on the DCRTV web site on June 2: "Rupert Murdoch's Fox will get into the radio ownership business. It'll buy Bonneville's WWZZ/104.1 and WWVZ/103.9 (which will keep the music format) and WGMS/103.5 (which will drop classical for an audio feed of the Fox News Channel)." If the style of top-40 classical music which WGMS plays can't survive, is there any hope that an audience can ever be cultivated for a more in-depth classical music format? I consider WGMS an entry-level station where listeners can hear both short classical selections mixed with traffic reports and commercials. In my opinion, WGMS served a useful function of exposing folks to classical music in easy-to- swallow gulps. We continue to slide down the slippery slope of cultural mediocrity (Joe Buch, DE, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Amen! ** U S A. CAT-CENTRIC TV SHOW SET FOR ITS DEBUT By CHRISTY LEMIRE, The Associated Press, Friday, May 30, 2003; 1:13 AM NEW YORK --- Balls of yarn, little plastic toys with bells inside and the occasional whiff of catnip simply aren't enough to satisfy the entertainment needs of today's sophisticated, high-tech felines. Cats need television. And now they have it. "Meow TV," which bills itself as being for cats "and the people they tolerate," debuts at 7:30 p.m. EDT Friday on the Oxygen network. The tongue-in-furry-cheek comedy mixes video of squirrels and fish with segments titled "Cat Yoga" and "Cat Haiku." An interminably perky host on "The House Cat Shopping Network" urges kitties to "use those paws - you've seen your owners do it, you know how to dial a phone." And an ad for a collection of favorite feline songs includes "Spay You, Spay Me" and "Mice, Mice Baby." Lazy, lasagna-loving Garfield had his own animated series for a while. So did the cranky comic-strip cat Heathcliff and the animated troublemaker Felix. Then there was Salem, the spooky animatronic talking cat on "Sabrina the Teenage Witch." And of course, there was the "Toonces the Driving Cat" sketch on "Saturday Night Live." "Meow TV" executive producer Elyse Roth likened her show to "Cat-urday Night Live," and said at least two more episodes are in the works. Actress Annabelle Gurwitch, formerly of TBS' "Dinner and a Movie," plays host while sitting on the couch with her 9-year-old black cat, Stinky. "The artistic mission was to create programming you could watch with your cat," Roth said. "I don't know that you're going to park your cat and do whatever." (A recent advance showing of "Meow TV" at a Brooklyn loft, however, failed to hold the attention of a certain pair of overfed 11-year-old cats. Cali, the calico, licked herself the whole time, while Silver, who's gray and white, stared blankly out the window, then slinked away for food about halfway through.) But some cats really do watch television, insisted Pat Marengo as she cuddled her brown-and-orange Persian, Maggie. "She watches anything that's fast. She likes sports, she likes cartoons. She likes to see other cats on TV," said Marengo, who lives on Long Island with her husband and a family of cats who act and model. "We have a cat perch near the television, and she goes up, looks at it and tries to touch it." Marengo and Maggie were at the "Meow TV" launch party on Tuesday night. Also in attendance was Vincent Pastore, who starred in "The Sopranos" as Big Pussy. --- On the Net: "Meow TV" Web site: http://www.meowtv.com/ Oxygen Web site: http://www.oxygen.com (c) 2003 The Associated Press (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) Repeated at 1200 UT Sat and Sun, but not clear if there be any further episodes; suspect Meow Mix be behind this (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. It looks like The Renfro Valley Gathering on WJR is produced by the same group as the original Renfro Valley Barn Dance. Check the WJR website at http://www.wjr.net and select Program Schedule. There's a link to the Renfro Valley. The program airs on WJR only for a half hour, 5 - 5:30 am Sunday [EDT; = 0900-0930 UT]. More info about Renfro Valley, "Kentucky's country music capital," can be found at http://www.renfrovalley.com (Bruce Conti - Nashua NH, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. ADDING SOUND TO THE SCENERY 06/02/03 Grant Segall, Plain Dealer Reporter http://www.cleveland.com/living/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/living/1054546564199271.xml You can't tell an angler much about his fishing hole. "There used to be a big grinding mill right here," says Wally Donczak, landing a catfish at Strongsville's Bonnie Park. How does Donczak know about a vanished mill from the 1820s? "I've been coming here for about 20 years, same spot," says the Parma man, tossing back the fish into the gurgling water below a dam on Rocky River's east branch. "I talk a lot to the old-timers here." He chuckles. "They tell you everything when you fish." For those without rods, radios might help. Starting Wednesday, the Cleveland Metroparks will debut "Hear Here!" - believed to be the nation's first radio tour of a regional park system. Hidden stations will broadcast information about Bonnie Park and five other historic Metroparks sites. Even a fisherman might catch a tip or two. Bonnie Park, for instance, stands in what was once the bustling settlement of Albion, with a sawmill, a carding works, three smithy shops, five stores, a distillery and three taverns. But an 1843 fire razed much of Albion, and a nearby 1851 railway slowly siphoned off the rest. Each station will broadcast five minutes of highlights about its site, with background music written and played by parks troubadour Foster Brown. The tiny stations will be hidden for aesthetics and security. But "Hear Here!" signs will mark short-term parking spots reserved for listening pleasure on AM/1620, which most car radios can pick up. The broadcasts will encourage able-bodied visitors to explore the sites on foot and will reach portable radios for several hundred feet around. The messages will repeat during daylight hours until Aug. 10. Then the stations and broadcasts will change to spotlight six more sites of natural interest from Aug. 25 through Oct. 31. Later tours have not been determined. The parks also might use the stations for special events. Metroparks publicist Bob Rotatori hopes "Hear Here!" will draw visitors who are too busy to catch the parks' personally guided tours. He says the program, which costs about $7,000, will be cheaper and neater than posting fliers at the sites. The parks bought the stations from Information Station Specialists of Zeeland, Mich., which has sold similar ones to national parks and other agencies making low-range broadcasts, including the Ohio Department of Transportation (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. Re Sweeper: Marcelo, there are wave sweepers in Monterey Bay, California that occupy ~5040. Could these be the ones that you hear? I don't know about any Oregon sweeper wave frequencies. I'll have to ask friends down at Oregon State -- who run the research center out of Newport, Oregon. PS When did AIR Kolkata move from 4820 to 5040? And where did AIR Jeypore go that was occupying 5040 when I last heard them in March? (Don Nelson, Oregon, Cumbre DX via DXLD) I just made a mistake about 5040 kHz. It should be AIR Jeypore, not Kolkata. I got the wrong information from the ILG list but both Passport and TBL (Tropical Band List) says that 5040 kHz is Jeypore (Marcelo Toníolo, NZ, ibid.) Both WRTH 2003 and the new SWG (volume 2 which has just been published) also list 5040 as Jeypore. 73 (Sean D. Gilbert, Editor: Shortwave Guide International Broadcasting Editor: WRTH World Radio Tv Handbook, ibid.) Here is a website that might give some info on the sweeper http://www.sover.net/~hackmohr/swiper.htm (Bob Montgomery, PA, ibid.) Thanks, Bob The site shows the Jersey installation But the Codar page shows an antenna situated on Goat Island in the San Francisco Bay (Oakland Bay Bridge to left, San Francisco center and you can just make out the Golden Gate to the far right). This one is news to me. Anyone else have any frequency/site information? Thanks (Don Nelson, ibid.) Codar in Newport Oregon (OSU) http://www-currents.oce.orst.edu/seasonde/index.html Codar in Monterey, Ca (Naval Postgraduate) http://www.oc.nps.navy.mil/%7Eradlab/radar.html and UCSC http://sapphire.cse.ucsc.edu/reinas/codar/ Codar in Alaska http://www.ims.uaf.edu:8000/salmon/CODAR/CODAR.html (5 MHz) Codar in Texas/Mississippi http://www.cbi.tamucc.edu/projects/hfradar/ http://128.160.23.41/Products/remote (25-27 MHz) (Don Nelson, Cumbre DX via DXLD) National Geographic about 4 years ago or so had a program on PBS about NYC dumping its garbage in the ocean. The problem is that sometimes they would not go out far enough and the garbage found its way back to the Jersey coastline, closing beaches and Jersey tourist trade hit the can. In fact, medical waste was of major concern. Needless to say, I was a bit shocked at this but in fact have seen the barges being taken out to sea via tugboats. I read somewhere that the reason for the sweeper was to determine the coastal tides so they could determine if the garbage would come back to the coast line and how much further out they had to go. Needless to say, this is a pretty sick thing and have difficulty believing this is actually done. I have seen the barges with black trash bags picked up off the streets of NYC headed out to sea from Staten Island. I am guessing this is a normal thing done by most large cities now. Pretty sad (Bob Montgomery, Levittown PA, ibid.) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. On 2 June at tune in 1815 SW Radio Africa was heard with good signal on 4880. Their website says they now use this frequency instead of 6145. And their ID also mentions only 4880 now (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 4960.41, unID LAm Spanish, unknown QTH. May 29 2003 - 1115 UT. I am a big question mark. I stopped at the frequency at 1115 and at 1118 the station disappeared! Decent signal but thunderstorms spoiled the possibility to get an ID (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin June 1, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 5120.44v, unID Spanish LAm, unknown QTH. May 2003 - 0100 UT. Here is a LAm with nonstop music all the time; I have never heard any talk. Music which I can`t place. Abrupt closedown without any talk at various times between 01 - 0300 UT. Very heavy QRM from ship- utility. I attach a recording from May 28 when closing at 0245 and without any QRM in LSB-mode. This time on 5122.48, as usual without any talk. If you recognize the happy, dance friendly music please contact me. Perú? (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin June 1, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ WEB RECEIVER CLUB We have formed a new, free Yahoo club for anyone interested in listening to live shortwave receivers over the internet. You can find the Web Receivers Club at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/webreceivers/ There are now over 40 web radios around the world; most are Javaradios. 73 (Bradford Wall, San Bernardino CA, June 2, EDXP via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ OUR EXCLUSIVE AND NOT COPYRIGHTED HF PLUS LOW BAND VHF PROPAGATION UPDATE AND FORECAST And now as always at the end of the show, here is our exclusive and not copyrighted HF plus low band VHF propagation update and forecast - -- Expect a very significant number of Sporadic E events during the next five days. Ionospheric absorption on frequencies between 5 and 20 megaHertz should be HIGH, and short wave propagation conditions should be severely affected by the impact of the high speed solar wind that are causing geomagnetic disturbances, that has sent the A index to figures as high as 50 !!!! The big sunspot group that has produced several X class solar flares during the past few days is expected to continue active, so we must be ready for more solar fireworks !!! As I like to say, there is no such thing as poor radio propagation, because what is bad for short wave listeners, may prove to be excellent DX conditions for AM broadcast band lovers!!! Enjoy radio amigos, it's a great hobby 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year !!! (Prof. Arnaldo Coro A., CO2KK, RHC DXers Unlimited May 31 via Bob Chandler, VE3SRE, ODXA via DXLD) ### end of DXLD 3-096 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| end of DX LISTENING DIGEST JUNE 2003 ARCHIVE
