DX LISTENING DIGEST 2-106, July 2, 2002
        edited by Glenn Hauser, wghauser@hotmail.com

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obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn

WORLD OF RADIO #1138 [already available early UT July 3]:
(DOWNLOAD)  http://www.k4cc.net/wor1138.rm
(STREAM)    http://www.k4cc.net/wor1138.ram
(SUMMARY)   http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1138.html
            [probably available later July 3] 
(ONDEMAND from Friday) http://www.wrn.org/ondemand/worldofradio.html

FIRST BROADCASTS ON WBCQ: Wed 2200 17495 AND 7415; UT Thu 0415 7415
FIRST BROADCASTS ON WWCR: Thu 2030 15825, Sat 0500, Sun 0230 5070
FIRST BROADCASTS ON RFPI: Fri 1930, Sat 0130, 0730, 1330, 1800...
                          on some of: 7445-USB, 15038.6, 21815-USB

DX PROGRAMS UPDATE: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html

DXERS CALLING CANCELS AUDIO STREAMING

Dear supporters, it is a with a heavy heart I have to tell you that 
I've decided to take all my audio off air at live365.com, due to 
royalties that will be implemented in 30 days time. I have been 
relaying and providing audio for 2 years now for no cost and being 
charged nothing as a founding live365 account holder, so this is a 
difficult decision to make. I will be looking at alternatives to 
making audio available via other means, but for now will be taking a 
break; all my webpages will continue. I will keep you informed of 
other arrangements, Thanking you 

Tim Gaynor, DXers Calling Australia 
http://nrin.hypermart.net http://www.geocities.com/nri3 
http://www.angelfire.com/myband/tjg 
(via W9WZE site via WORLD OF RADIO 1138, DXLD)
Included WOR but music hardly an element there (gh, DXLD)

** AFGHANISTAN. USA/AFGHANISTAN: US BROADCASTING PROJECTS UNDER WAY 

Text of remarks by Marc Nathanson, chairman of the US Broadcasting 
Board of Governors, at the National Press Club in Washington on 26 
June, carried on Broadcasting Board of Governors web site 

Thank you all very much for coming today to hear about the new 
developments in the War on Terrorism by US international broadcasting 
entities after 11 September. 

First, I want to welcome my fellow governor, Norm Pattiz, who is here 
with me today. Norm is chairman of our Middle East subcommittee and 
the father of MERN [Middle East Radio Network]. 

Also joining me are Bob Reilly, the director of the Voice of America, 
and Tom Dine, the president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which 
is based in Prague. 

The Broadcasting Board of Governors - the BBG - is responsible for all 
US non-military broadcasting including radio, TV, satellite and 
Internet delivery. Created as an independent agency nearly three years 
ago, the BBG supervises VOA, RFE/RL, Radio Free Asia, Worldnet 
Television and Radio/TV Marti. Altogether, we broadcast to over 100 
million people each day in 65 languages to 90 countries. 

Today, I want to focus on one country - Afghanistan - and tell you 
about our international broadcasting initiatives that are helping to 
rebuild that country, and, hopefully, promote peace and democracy. 

Other countries have pledged a lot of media assistance to the Afghans 
since the Taleban were expelled, but we've been told by Afghan 
officials that we're really delivering on our promises. Here are the 
BBG projects that are under way in Afghanistan: 

1. We signed an initial agreement with the Afghan government in May 
2002 to install two mediumwave transmitters that will have nationwide 
reach. VOA and RFE/RL will use one transmitter; the other will be used 
by Radio Afghanistan, operated by the Afghan government. Millions of 
people with AM radios will be able to hear programmes in Dari and 
Pashto as a result of this project. 

Both transmitters are 400 kilowatts, meaning they'll reach millions of 
people listening to AM radio. The 10.2m-dollar project, which will 
include constructing, transporting and installing the equipment, is 
expected to take about six months. Under the agreement, the United 
States will also help the Afghans to return to operation a mediumwave 
transmitter that is currently inoperable. 

2. We've also shipped two FM transmitters to Kabul, and they began 
operating last month. These transmitters provide service to listeners 
in and around Kabul. One transmitter carries Radio Afghanistan on 
105.2 FM. The other transmitter, 100.5 FM, carries RFE/RL and VOA 
programming in Dari and Pashto 24 hours a day. There is a tremendous 
influx of cheap FM radios coming into the country from Pakistan. 

This infrastructure is important because existing broadcasting 
equipment in Afghanistan is obsolete. Some 75 per cent of 
Afghanistan's mediumwave transmitters were either destroyed or were 
inoperable. Each of the country's six shortwave transmitters were also 
ruined. 

We hope new equipment will help the Karzai government spread a message 
of reconciliation and democratic transformation to Afghanistan's 
citizens. 

3. To give the people of Afghanistan more objective and accurate news 
and information, the BBG has increased broadcasting in Dari and Pashto 
via shortwave radio and FM since 11 September 2001. 

VOA now broadcasts and rebroadcasts in about four hours each of Dari 
and Pashto. We've more than doubled programmes into Afghanistan, and, 
with funding from Congress, we've added hours in Farsi, Turkish, Urdu 
and Uzbek. 

It's important to note that prior to the War on Terrorism, VOA had a 
huge shortwave listening audience of about 80 per cent of the male 
population. The Taleban forbade measuring female listenership. 

And it's not only VOA that's active in Afghanistan. Congress allocated 
19.2m dollars for RFE/RL to create Radio Free Afghanistan, which 
launched in January. To date, RFE/RL is broadcasting a total of 10.5 
hours daily in Dari and Pashto, 8.5 of them live. 

The VOA-RFE/RL Dari and Pashto streams are coordinated and integrated 
to assure maximum coverage of news both inside and outside of 
Afghanistan. 

US international broadcasting is already having an impact. 

VOA and RFE/RL provided complete coverage of the presidential 
election, and broadcast the speeches of leaders from Afghanistan's 
many regions during the Grand Council of Afghan leaders [Loya Jerga]. 
Both services carried events live, mixing in commentary, analysis and 
music. RFE/RL and VOA journalists interviewed dignitaries, delegates, 
and passers-by. Ad hoc roundtables were convened with hand-held 
microphones. Special call-in shows allowed ordinary Afghans to present 
their views on the future of the country. RFE/RL placed a particular 
emphasis on women, organizing women's roundtables and going out of the 
way to interview women. And RFE/RL received international attention 
when First Lady Laura Bush came to the studios in Prague last month to 
record a speech for the people of Afghanistan. 

4. VOA and RFE/RL have increased staff in and around Afghanistan. More 
than 30 correspondents and stringers work for the services, covering 
national, local, health, education and humanitarian events. 

Training is another important component. With a 436,753-dollar grant 
from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), VOA is 
training more than two dozen freelance reporters and broadcasters in 
and around Afghanistan. RFE/RL is also training Afghan journalists on 
fundamental journalism techniques. Already about 20 people have 
undergone a one-week course learning how to conduct interviews, 
distinguish between news and commentary and use basic equipment. The 
services have translated the "Guide to Radio Journalism" into Dari and 
Pashto. 

The RFE/RL's Kabul bureau is already a major hub of journalistic 
activity and training for local journalists. The bureau has a Local 
Area Network with desktop computers and transmitters. Stringers have 
been taught basic recording, editing and production training. 

Reaction to our work from our most important constituency - the Afghan 
people themselves - has been overwhelmingly positive. Hardly a day 
goes by without some statement of popular gratitude for these 
broadcasts - from the taxi driver in Kabul to the refugee camps in 
Pakistan. Mohammad Rahim Aliyar, governor of the remote, ethnic Hazar 
province of Bamyan, expressed appreciation best to one of our 
reporters. "The only contact my people have with the outside world," 
he said, "is due to international broadcasters such as yourselves." 

Our journalists along with other international reporters are doing the 
job of reporting the news to the Afghan people under very hazardous 
conditions. They do this because they know it is vital to the future 
of freedom and democracy in Afghanistan. 

Contact: Joan Mower; Email: jmower@ibb.gov; Phone: 202.260.0167 

Source: Broadcasting Board of Governors web site, Washington, in 
English 26 Jun 02 (via BBCM via WORLD OF RADIO 1138, DXLD)

** AFGHANISTAN [non]. 18940, R. Afghanistan via Kvitsøy: I checked at 
1230 and 1330 on 28/6 & 29/6, but no sign of them. I wonder if it has 
moved since? Should propagate into here on this channel, as the other 
Scandinavian stuff on this band generally well heard at present (Craig 
Seager, July ADXN via WORLD OF RADIO 1138, DXLD)

** AFGHANISTAN [non]. Heard what I thought was Radio Free Afghanistan 
via 18980 at 1430, Arabic sounding language (Christopher Lewis, UK, 
June 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ?? Not on RFA schedule

** ALGERIA. Where is Algeria??? Have they gone off air? Have not heard 
those folks for years (Christopher Lewis, UK, June 30, DX LISTENING 
DIGEST) Ask him?

** ALGERIA. NEW NATIONAL RADIO DIRECTOR-GENERAL APPOINTED | Text of 
report by Algerian radio on 30 June 

Minister of Communications and Culture and Spokeswoman of the 
Government Khalida Toumi today at the National Radio Company appointed 
Mr Zouaoui Benamadi as director-general of the National Radio, 
succeeding Mr Hamza Tedjini, who has been called to other 
responsibilities after having led the institution for two years. The 
ceremony took place in the presence of the managers of the National 
Radio Company. The new director-general is a professional journalist 
who had worked for Algerie Press Service [APS]. He managed several 
national newspapers. He was also the director of the UN radio in 
Rwanda and former Yugoslavia. Source: Algerian radio, Algiers, in 
Arabic 1700 gmt 30 Jun 02 (via BBCM via DXLD)

** ARGENTINA. 10015-LSB, LR9 R. América, B.A. 1830, programa: 
"Entretiempo" con entrevista sobre la situación argentina actual, al 
Presidente de Asociación de Funcionarios Postales. SINPO 35534. 
//MW1190. No estaba allí a las 1900 (Horacio Nigro, Uruguay, Jun 30, 
radioescutas via WORLD OF RADIO 1138, DXLD)

** ARGENTINA. ARGENTINA INVESTIGA A LA IGLESIA UNIVERSAL DE DIOS POR 
SU ENTRADA EN RADIOS Y TV  (Foto de Edir Macedo, líder de la iglesia)

El Gobierno argentino ha iniciado una investigación sobre las 
actividades de la Iglesia Universal de Dios en el país. Originario
de Brasil, este grupo religioso desembarcó en Argentina en 1990. Desde 
entonces no ha dejado de expandirse, sobre todo en medios de 
comunicación, contraviniendo una ley que prohíbe la tenencia por un 
culto extranjero de estos medios. En Argentina, la Iglesia Universal 
de Dios se ha valido de testaferros locales para adquirir emisoras y 
estaciones de televisión. En septiembre de 1999 compraron el paquete 
mayoritario de Radio Buenos Aires, por el cual pagaron 15 millones de 
dólares (cifra casi igual al traducirse a euros). 

Oficialmente la radio pertenece a Ricardo Cis, un argentino que vivio 
durante años en Brasil. Como mínimo, resulta extraño que Ricardo Cis 
haya pagado 15 millones de dólares para adquirir esa radio cuando su 
patrimonio en ese año, según la Hacienda argentina, era de unos 28.000
dólares. El Gobierno argentino comenzó a investigar a este poderoso 
grupo, que cuenta con más de 80 templos en Buenos Aires, ante la 
inusitada vorágine de adquisición de espacios radiofónicos, tanto en
OM como en FM, y televisivos. Esta iglesia tiene programas en las 
emisoras Rivadavia, Splendid, Libertad y El Mundo, y en gran número de 
emisoras de FM, por los que el grupo religioso paga 700.000 dólares al 
mes. Cuenta el empresario Carlos Ávila que el grupo le hizo una oferta 
para comprarle el canal de cable Cablevisión Noticias y una parte del 
paquete accionarial del Canal 2 de televisión hertziana. Se  sabe que 
el grupo se interesó por adquirir Radio Rivadavia, la tercera emisora 
en audiencia del país, perteneciente al empresario argentino Luis 
Cetra.

Artículo de http://www.religiondigital.com 
(via Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, June 30, Conexión Digital via DXLD)

** ARGENTINA. Using a Beverage for R Baluarte/R Maranatha 6215, here's 
what I could get, which was marginal at best: heard on 22 June 2203-
2221 in Portuguese airing songs, rated at 23432, QRM being from 
adjacent pirate station Laser Hot Hits 6220 kHz plus something I 
wasn't expecting, i.e. a cost-ship USB QSO between 2 Brazilian 
stations on approx. 6218, so neither the CAm Bev nor the too shortened 
and the partly damaged SAm Bev were of much help (Carlos Gonçalves, 
Portugal, BC-DX Jun 24 via DXLD)

** ARMENIA. 11685: Today I finally tried 11685 Armenia. They went on 
around 1553 with a modest signal and not so good modulation. At 1557 
CRI sign on with a stronger signal and a RCI sign off. At 1600 CRI 
went to Turkish as scheduled. The CRI freq was somewhat low, so most 
likely this is Xi'an as listed.

Armenia was spot on frequency, but with a low freq variation (buzz). 
At 1610 Armenia had the usual FS sign on procedure. The program was in
Armenian throughout, but the style was different, information type 
program before 1610 and cultural (radio theater) after 1610. All in 
all it seemed to be a home service relay with a FS ID inserted at 
1610. The station went off some time before 1655.

This could well be from the Arinj site, which has a 300 degrees 
antenna. At best, the signal here was in level with CRI, i.e. using 
the SE antenna. The mystery is, who do they hope will stay tuned to 
this service?

Arinj is the "name" I have given to the old site, this being the 
closest town. The new site nowadays is called Gavar, formerly Kamo, 
due to a change of name of the nearby town. Arinj is the first town 
north of Yerevan, but actually it is not physically separated from 
Yerevan. If you search for Arinj on the Internet you will get a 
substantial number of hits (Olle Alm, Sweden, BC-DX Jun 25/26 via 
DXLD)

11685: It seems that I am getting the best signal here from Armenia 
here in the UK - it's usually way over all else. And reception has 
improved since Jordan 11690 went off. Yes, the transmission does seem 
to suffer some "noise", which is probably as described by Olle. I note 
the change in program at 1610 - this is obviously what Olle describes. 
I'm not totally familiar with this language, but I thought there were 
some Russian sounding words at times. Is Arinj the "old" Yerevan site 
which you referred to in connection with the recent map - Olle? - or 
the one usually referred to as Kamo. I didn`t realise that two sites 
were available.

Who can guess how many Armenian nationals/speakers there are within 
the general European area. They must be the theoretical audience. I 
was surprised to learn that there are 5000+ Koreans resident in a part 
of London - and they all appeared to be watching yesterday`s football 
game! (Noel R. Green, UK, BC-DX Jun 26 via DXLD)

Today I followed 11685 until s-off, which was at 1642, in mid program. 
It seems that they start a news program just after 1600, preceded by a 
home service ID. Again the program after 1610 was a cultural style 
service.

The odd s/on and s/off times also seem to indicate that this 
transmission originates from the Arinj (old Yerevan) site rather than 
Gavar.

I checked the 4810 transmitter today at 1940, when the English program 
opened. I found the frequency to be somewhat low, so this channel may 
also originate from the Arinj site (Olle Alm, Sweden, BC-DX Jun 27 via 
DXLD)

All very interesting, and the s-off time is similar to what I heard. 
It seems to be an extract of their HS, then, but with a FS ID included 
at 1610! It's a regularly strong signal here whenever I tune it. But 
4810 is also very low here. I wonder if this is a 50 or 100 kW unit
(Noel R. Green, UK, BC-DX Jun 28 via DXLD)

** AUSTRALIA. VNG: The 8638 kHz frequency is 10 kW nominal according 
to http://www.nsc.gov.au/PDF_WORD/Info/L15.pdf which I found with a 
VNG Frequency search in Google. They almost certainly have the 
transmitters throttled back however. I don't recall having noted the 
lower frequencies in a long time but neither have I looked for them. 
The 2500 kHz at 1.5 kW would make a nice catch!

VNG coming through at a good steady level on 12984 with the old 
familiar time pips. ID in slow morse at 0944:15 for about 6 repeats 
over the pips. 24 June 2002. Poised to disappear as Australia falls 
behind the times (Tony Ward, Ont., VE3NO, DXplorer June 26 via BC-DX 
via DXLD)

** AUSTRALIA. AUSTRALIAN MARITIME RADIO - END OF AN ERA  

At 2359 June 30 maritime radio services came to the end of an era.  
The network of coastal radio stations operated by Australia's virtual 
monopoly telecommunications giant, Telstra was closed as the contract 
was not renewed.

The Australian Maritime Safety Association has contracted for services 
to shipping around the country to a new operator and new transmitters. 
Two sites have been established about as far away from the coasts of 
Australia as possible. They are VMC at Charleville in Western 
Queensland and VMW at Wiluna in a remote part of Western Australia.

I listened to Perth Radio closing its weather forecast and traffic net 
at 2348 on 8176 kHz with "that is all for now - and for ever from 
Perth Radio". The new service began at 0000Z on eight frequencies in 
the 4, 8, 12 and 16 MHz bands. Signals on all but the 4 MHz band from 
both sites were very strong at my location at the southernmost point 
of the mainland coast, some 170 km southeast from Melbourne. The 
information now being broadcast seems to be far more comprehensive 
than the limited amount given out by each of the old coastal stations 
VIM VIS VIT VID VIP VIA etc.

Details of the new services are given on the Australian Bureau of 
Meteorology web site at http://www.bom.gov.au/marine  The Acrobat file 
MWS_brochure2.pdf gives the essential information. As broadcasts begin 
at hh00 round the clock, the frequencies will provide a good reference 
for propagation conditions for many 
listeners around the world.

Frequencies to check are VMC 4426 8176 and 12365 (24 hrs) plus 16546 
(daytime) and 2201 and 6507 (nighttime); VMW 4149 and 8113 (24hrs) 
plus 16528 (daytime) and 2056 and 6230 (nighttime). Daytime is 2100-
0800 for VMC and two hours later for VMW. An additional 12 MHz 
frequency for VMW will be added shortly as the originally planned one 
was found to cause interference with a New Zealand service (Morrison 
Hoyle, Victoria, July 1, WORLD OF RADIO 1138, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** AUSTRALIA: RA preview, Friday, July 5 at 2305 -

LINGUA FRANCA - about language. "Why Censor Chekhov?". Jeanne Heifetz 
on battling the New York State Education Department's Sensitivity 
Guidelines. To graduate from high school, New York public school 
students must pass compulsory tests set by the New York State Board of 
Regents. As part of the English Language Arts exam, students are set 
an essay topic accompanied by excerpts from literary works. When her 
step-daughter brought home last year's exam paper, Jeanne Heifetz 
found that the excerpt from Isaac Bashevis Singer's memoir, In My 
Father's Court, and another, from Chekhov's short story, The Upheaval, 
had been bowdlerised, cleaned up, censored. After further research, 
she discovered the State Education Department's 'Sensitivity 
Guidelines'. In following them (since 1980), the examiners have been 
overriding the First Amendment to the US Constitution and breaching 
authors' copyright. So began Jeanne Heifetz's campaign to stop 
censorship of literature in the State Education Department's 
examinations. [Transcript available] Repeated 0530 UT Sat (via John 
Figliozzi, ODXA via DXLD)

** AUSTRALIA. BIG RADIO ANNIVERSARY IN AUSTRALIA; THE FORMATION OF THE 
ABC

It was just 70 years ago that a dozen mediumwave stations located in 
10 cities in 6 states throughout the Commonwealth of Australia were 
formulated into a national network of government radio stations. That 
event occurred on July 1, 1932 and today they are celebrating their 
fabulous 70th anniversary with a whole host of special programs.

This is how it all began.

The first permanent radio station in Australia made its inaugural 
broadcast in Sydney on November 13, 1923 under the callsign 2SB. At 
the time, station 2SB was owned and operated by a small commercial 
company, ``Broadcasters Sydney Limited``. Their original callsign, 
2SB, was derived from the initial letters of their ownership, Sydney 
Broadcasters, with the digit 2 indicating the state of New South 
Wales.

In anticipation of the inauguration of this new commercial radio 
station, test broadcasts were conducted from the station location on 
the rooftop of a newspaper company, ``Smith`s Weekly`` and ``Daily 
Guardian`` in Philip Street, Sydney. The first test broadcasts were 
made from an amateur radio transmitter running just 10 watts under the 
callsign 2HP. A few days later, when the commercial transmitter was 
ready for action, low powered test broadcasts were conducted from this 
unit.

This first new radio station in Australia commenced a regular 
broadcast service with a flourish, and the inaugural live broadcast 
included local Sydney musical talent, both vocal and instrumental. One 
month later, an official inaugural ceremony was broadcast and this 
included a speech by the Postmaster General of Australia, under whose 
jurisdiction were all matters associated with wireless broadcasting.

Some three months after the initial commencement of programming over 
station 2SB, the callsign was changed to 2BL and this new callsign was 
also taken from their ownership name, Broadcasters Limited. This new 
callsign was taken in order to avoid confusion on the part of 
listeners because of the similarity in sound between 2SB and another 
mediumwave station now on the air, 2FC.

Radio station 2FC was inaugurated as Australia`s second wireless 
station about three weeks after the inauguration of the first station 
2SB. Likewise, temporary accommodation was secured for this station on 
the top of another large building in downtown Sydney, the departmental 
store of Farmer & Company. 

Soon afterwards, a large transmitter facility with tall antennas was 
installed at Willoughby, overlooking the beautiful Sydney Harbour. 
This location was in use for only three years, before an even more 
suitable location was secured, at the AWA transmitting facility at 
Pennant Hills, an outer suburb of Sydney.

As time went by, the interests of both stations, 2BL & 2FC, became 
intertwined, until they were amalgamated into one large broadcasting 
company with studios and offices in Market Street, Sydney. At first, 
the ownership was under the New South Wales Broadcasting Company, and 
then the Australian Broadcasting Company. 

Finally, the Commonwealth Government took over and these two ``A`` 
class radio stations became the headquarters operation for the 
Australian Broadcasting Commission. Station 2BL is still 2BL, though 
in 1971, the callsign of station 2FC was changed to 2RN, standing for 
``Radio National``. 

Both of these pioneer radio broadcasting stations in Australia were 
involved also in shortwave broadcasting. The very first shortwave 
broadcasts in eastern Australia were made from station 2BL in February 
1926, using the amateur transmitter 2YG, owned by Roy Allsop, the 
station engineer. 

These shortwave relays originating from station 2BL were on the air 
spasmodically for a period of three years and they were then 
transferred to the sister station, 2FC. At this stage, the regular 
mediumwave transmitter at Pennant Hills was re-tuned at night to a 
shortwave channel for this special shortwave programming. 

As time went by, further changes took place and these shortwave 
broadcasts were taken over by AWA under the callsign VK2ME. At the 
commencement of the European Conflict in 1939, this shortwave service 
from Pennant Hills was taken over by the ABC as ``Australia Calling``, 
the forerunner for Radio Australia, and the experimental callsign 
VK2ME was regularized into VLQ.

Both 2BL and 2FC issued QSL cards in the early days and today these 
items are quite historic. One of these early QSL cards shows also the 
shortwave channel for 2FC, as 28.5 metres, corresponding to 10675 kHz.

These two original commercial stations in Sydney became the 
headquarter stations for the Australian Broadcasting Commission on 
July 1, 1932, which is the big anniversary that the ABC in Australia 
is currently celebrating. At the time of the formation of the ABC, 12 
mediumwave stations were incorporated into the new government radio 
network. These stations were located in all six state capitals, though 
Darwin in the Northern Territory had no radio station of its own at 
the time. 

In addition to the capital city stations, a further four relay 
stations in country areas were also absorbed into the ABC network, and 
these were :-

                2NC Newcastle, New South Wales,
		2CO Corowa, in the border area between NSW & Victoria,
		4RK Rockhampton, Queensland; and
		5CK Crystal Brook in South Australia.

In addition to the 12 mediumwave stations, the PMG department also 
operated an experimental shortwave station at Lyndhurst under the 
callsign, VK3LR. This transmitter took its programming as a relay from 
the two ``A`` class mediumwave stations in Melbourne, 3LO & 3AR. 

The callsign 3LR was a combination of the callsigns of the two 
mediumwave stations. The experimental callsign VK3LR was regularized 
just prior to the commencement of the war, as the more familiar VLR, 
though this station was closed a decade or two back.

A few days ago, I phoned the ABC in Australia for additional 
information regarding their 70th anniversary celebrations, and the 
receptionist girl at the switchboard gave the identification simply 
as, ``702``. This of course, is the frequency for their mediumwave 
station 2BL. Today, the ABC operates a nationwide network numbering 
more than 500 AM, FM and shortwave stations throughout Australia.

One of the major 70th anniversary events is a historic broadcast with 
program input from the twelve original mediumwave stations in the ten 
cities in the six states. 

Another significant event that will occur on July 1 is the launching 
of the ABC`s seventh radio network. This new network will be an 
Internet only radio service featuring contemporary Australian music 
for the age bracket ranging from 30 - 50 years.

We here at Adventist World Radio, and our DX program ``Wavescan``, 
honor the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on its auspicious 70th 
anniversary (Adrian Michael Peterson, AWR Wavescan June 30 via DXLD)

** AUSTRALIA. 2325, 1241-, ABC Northern Territory Jun 30 Good strong 
signal, with a program about religion (what do we do when we pray). 
Parallel 2485 was a bit weaker, and 2310 only poor (Walt Salmaniw, 
Grayland WA DXpedition, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See UNIDENTIFIED at 
bottom for DXpedition remarx

** AZERBAIJAN. I checked R. Dada Gorgud, the Voice of Azerbaijan again 
and heard the following on 6110 kHz \\ 1296 MW: 1200-1230 German, 
1230-1300 French, 1600-1700 Arabic, 1700-1730 English, 1730-1800 
Russian. In English ``6125 kHz`` is still announced and this broadcast 
is heavily interfered by TRT Ankara on 6115, apparently a move from 
6120 (Maarten van Delft, Report from Georgia, July BDXC-UK 
Communication via DXLD)

** BOLIVIA. 5952.45, 1058-, R. Pio Doce Jun 29 Fair reception with 
talk by male in Spanish. Lots of splatter. ?ID by YL at top of hour. 
Too weak to be sure of content (Walt Salmaniw, Grayland WA DXpedition, 
DX LISTENING DIGEST) 

6155.07, 0246-, R. Fides Jun 29 Decent signal best on LSB to avoid a 
lot of splatter from upper side. Latin music without any 
announcements. Brief ID at 0301, but otherwise continuous music (Walt 
Salmaniw, Grayland WA DXpedition, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 

** BOLIVIA [and non]. Para quienes amamos la escucha de emisoras 
andinas, creo que puede ser de mucha utilidad para comprender mejor 
las transmisiones en aymara visitar la página http://www.aymara.org/
Allí, encontrarán la historia de este idioma, reglas de pronunciación, 
consejos para conjugar verbos, un glosario de expresiones y palabras 
más empleadas, etc, etc. Para quienes estén interesados en conocer más 
sobre esta lengua aborigen y no puedan acceder a la red de redes, yo 
les haré llegar por correo electrónico toda la información que pueda 
bajar de esta excelente página (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, Conexión 
Digital via WORLD OF RADIO 1138, DXLD)

** BOUGAINVILLE. ABC-TV screened part of Sean Dorney's excellent 
series on Papua New Guinea, 'Paradise Imperfect' on Sunday 30 June. 
Dorney was the ABC's correspondent in PNG for many years. It focused 
on the Bougainville conflict and provided an excellent overview of the 
history of events on Bougainville during the 90s. For DXers, one item 
stood out - his visit to Paru Paru and interview with a guy, Michael 
Nike, who put together a home-made hydro power station using an 
assortment of bits and pieces salvaged from the Panguna copper mine. 
Dorney reported that this helped to power for a short time Radio Free 
Bouganville. A video excerpt is available on the ABC's web site at 
http://www.abc.net.au/png25/episode/epis_2.htm#part2 (Matt Francis? 
ARDXC June 30 via DXLD) See also PAPUA NEW GUINEA for a B. log

This was the ABC story/program I watched presented by long-time ABC 
Pacific regional correspondent Sean Dorney. And yes was hydro powered 
(here's me listening to Johnno and agreeing that it was coconut 
powered ...:-)..oopps. Here's the specific Real Audio audio/video link 
referencing Radio Free Bougainville for those of us with 56k, else use 
the main link provided by Matt. 
http://www.abc.net.au/png25/episode/hydro_56.ram
(Ian, ARDXC via DXLD)

** BRAZIL. 4914.96, 0320-, R. Difusora Jun 29 Nice jingle ID as Radio 
Difusora. Fair + signal in Portuguese (Walt Salmaniw, Grayland WA 
DXpedition, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 

11815, 0258-0300*, R. Brasil Central Jun 29 Beautiful full ID at 
sign-off in Portuguese. Interesting propagation as 11815 best using SW 
Beverage, while stronger 4985 best using W Beverage (Walt Salmaniw, 
Grayland WA DXpedition, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** BURMA [non]. NEW ZEALAND 9500, 1430-, Democratic Voice of Burma Jun 
29 Excellent reception. Open carrier until 1430, when signed on in 
presumed Burmese, with many mentions of kHz. Best using LSB to avoid a 
bit of adjacent splatter (Walt Salmaniw, Grayland WA DXpedition, DX 
LISTENING DIGEST) 

** CANADA. Re new Montreal 1610 kHz station: As was the case on Friday 
night, at some point last night the music stopped and they went to the 
open carrier again. In fact, it seems to happen right after I report 
hearing them on with music. :-) I'm sure you'll have little problem 
bagging them once they go to a regular schedule (and begin operating 
legally!). I wish these kinds of services would stay on FM subcarrier 
and not pollute the AM band. Grrrr... (Barry McLarnon, Canada, June 
30, NRC-AM via DXLD)

For those of you who would like to learn more about this new station, 
here is the link to the CRTC decision on the station.  It dates back 
to November 2001. You will see that they have applied for a lot
of special conditions regarding the content of the station.

http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2001/db2001-678.htm

I know that people in the DXing community may not be happy about this 
decision, but much like the plight of the secondary TIS users of the 
frequency, we as DXers are the secondary beneficiaries of the radio
frequencies. Like it or not, we're not going to have much to say in 
matters like this.

Here in Montreal, the population who will most likely use this station 
is very, very large and is very poorly served at this point in time.  
Sub-carrier stations are fine, but to reach the masses, they just
don't do the trick. A few that already exist in Montreal barely exist 
and usually are supplying pretty crappy radios to the community to 
listen to them on.

It's a tough break for the DXer, but we are much smaller minority than 
the people who will use a service like this (Sheldon Harvey, June 30, 
NRC-AM via DXLD)

LATEST ON 1610 KHZ 

I just got off the phone (1:05 PM Eastern, Monday July 1) with Maitre 
Jean Ernest Pierre, the owner of the new station currently testing on 
1610 kHz in Montreal.

He confirmed that it is in fact his station doing preliminary on-air 
tests on 1610 kHz. He was really appreciative to hear from someone who 
had heard the signal and was very pleased to hear about DXers in other 
locations having heard the signal.

Here is the vital information, at least some of it, as passed along by 
Mr. Pierre.

The call letters for the station are CJWI-AM. They are using 1000 
watts, but the modulation is currently suppressed awaiting some 
additional equipment.

They will continue testing today, but will step up the procedure 
tomorrow in conjunction with inspectors Industry Canada and the CRTC.

I asked about the exact location of the antenna, but he seemed 
somewhat reluctant to give me a precise location at this point; 
perhaps not surprising considering that he didn't really know who I 
was and what exactly my interests in this information were. Also, 
given the friction in the Haitian community in Montreal at present, it 
may have been even more understandable.

I asked him about the insertion of legal station IDs and information 
on contacting the station. He told me that they would be inserting 
IDs, most likely beginning tomorrow. I suggested that there will be 
DXers looking to send in reception reports, and that it would be a 
very good idea to have a mailing address and e-mail address included 
in the on-air announcements. He said he would do his best to make this 
happen.

I spoke with him in French, so I do not know the level at which he 
would speak or understand English, but given that he is a lawyer, 
practicing here in Montreal, I would think that there is a very good 
chance that he would be bilingual, or at least have staff working with 
him who could assist him if not.

So that's the latest from here on Canada's 135th birthday. Our 10th 
annual Canada Day block party kicks off in about 3 hours! (Sheldon 
Harvey, QC, July 1, WORLD OF RADIO 1138, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** CHINA. I used to love shortwave radio, but in the last sesquidecade 
I have been inactive. It is sad the state of the broadcast bands now –
-- almost dead and very quiet. I grew up in the age of jamming 
transmitters when things were lively. I now hear a station playing 
non-stop Chinese instrumental music rom 1500 UT using at times 7540, 
9355, 11945, 11955, 13625, 15510, 15680 and 17640. I presume this is 
jamming of R. Free Asia`s Mandarin programmes (L. J. Illingworth, 
Redruth, Cornwall, July BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD)

We remember him from long ago as an active DXer, perhaps regular 
contributor to Sweden Calling DXers when it actually covered SW. See 
also CUBA below (gh, DXLD)

** COLOMBIA. Answering my query as to the address where reports can be 
sent, Russ M. Stendal says that his personal email address is fine:
Russell Martin Stendal rms05001@neutel.com.co  In his email letter he 
goes to say that the pmail address is [BUT see below] Carrera 44 # 13-
69, Bogotá, Colombia, and that they are presently working on some 
material to send out to DX ers for QSL. Their short wave license will 
be an extension of our AM station which has a distinctive of HKI-81 on 
1530 kHz. ``It remains to be seen if we will be given a separate 
distinctive for the short wave``. Over the next couple weeks they will 
be making adjustments to the antenna and transmitter hoping thereby to 
improve clarity and modulation.

As earlier reported by Rafael Rodríguez, the street address mentioned 
goes to Librería Colombia para Cristo, and so this name should 
preferably also be mentioned on the envelope. A partial list of books 
on sale can be found at 
http://www.fuerzadepaz.com/webcristo/libros/catalogo/catalogo.htm 
These books and others such as "Rescue the Captors", "Guerillas Have 
Taken Our Son" and "Guerilla Hostage" are available in English from 
Ranson Press International, P O Box 400, Moorehaven, FL 33471 or 
GStendal@aol.com (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, July 2, WORLD OF RADIO 1138, 
DX LISTENING DIGEST)

[Later:] The address given to me by Russ Stendal seemed a bit strange 
as it does not go to a neighborhood known for any significant business 
activity, and so I asked my friend Rafael Rodríguez to doublecheck the 
info. Sure enough, the address info is wrong and should be changed to 
Calle 44 No. 13-69 Barrio Palermo, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia. There is a 
website where one can contact the station at
http://www.fuerzadepaz.com/webcristo/emisora/contactenos/contactenos.htm
(Henrik Klemetz, July 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

NEW COLOMBIAN SW STATION

Escuchada desde comienzos de junio, en 6064.5 kHz, en fase de prueba, 
la nueva emisora colombiana, identificada por el nombre de "La Voz de 
tu Conciencia", manifiesta deseos de recibir informes de recepción.
En respuesta a mi pregunta, Russell M Stendal, director de la radio, 
me dice que los informes de recepción relativos a "La Voz de tu 
Conciencia", 6064.5 podrán ser enviados a la emisora a/c de la Libería 
Colombia para Cristo, cuya dirección es como sigue: Carrera 44 No. 13-
69, Bogotá, D. C., Colombia. Están preparando ahora el material que 
pretenden enviar a los que les envíen informes de recepción.

Mientras tanto, continúan en fase de prueba, y tratándose de un 
antiguo transmisor de 5 kW de Colmundo Radio, se supone que llegará 
lejos (ya se captó en Europa). Sin embargo, en el Cono Sur, pienso 
que la frecuencia de 6060, en donde próximamente piensan transmitir, 
será un poco complicada. Entre los libros que se venden en la 
mencionada librería – y que parece ser que también podrán ser bajados 
por internet – se encuentra "Secuestro y reconciliación", un relato 
del secuestro por parte de la guerrilla colombiana que le tocó vivir a 
Stendal. Ver: 
http://www.fuerzadepaz.com/webcristo/libros/catalogo/catalogo.htm
(Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, July 2, radioescutas via DXLD)

We have very good news from Colombia. Russell has the sound studio 
fully operational and is producing all the programming for the station 
out in Bonaire. He is able to cut CDs, both messages and music to use 
on the FM station that has been running 24 hours a day for several 
years now. The feedback has been excellent from the listeners to this 
station. For many, who live out in the area controlled by the Marxist 
guerrillas, this station is their only link with Christianity. The 
churches have been closed and house meetings are forbidden. These 
people live on scattered farms and small towns out in the remote areas 
of eastern Colombia. 

Russell is also producing CDs made up of "shorts", messages of only a 
few minutes. These shorts are being received and aired on over 50 
radio stations in other parts of Colombia. (Almost all of the radio 
stations in Colombia are in the cities and the population centers.) 
Right now he is producing a series of shorts made up of Scripture 
portions. 

Several months ago Russell was granted permission to operate an AM 
station out at Lomalinda/Bonaire. He is going ahead with setting up 
the AM station before the permission expires. He has ordered the 
transmitter and still owes $6,500. This station will have far greater 
coverage than the present FM. The AM will be great for reaching many 
more people at long distances, but the FM will still keep broadcasting 
as the quality of music is much better, and it will still be the 
station of choice for all within its range. He will use the present 
tower but eventually will have to set up a separate tower. Below, you 
will see the four different covers of the New Spanish Bible.... 

These Bibles are being very well received by all the different groups. 
The actual printing costs are about $5.00 apiece for each Bible, 
however Russell feels that behind each Bible lies at least double that 
amount of developing costs. 

These Spanish Bibles will soon be available in the United States on a 
freewill offering basis. Russell hopes that you will keep in mind 
these hidden costs and that your generous offerings will enable us to 
meet the printing bill as well as the other financial demands of this 
ministry. We do not want to be a "begging ministry" but pray that the 
Lord will raise up "cheerful givers" to enable us to keep moving 
forward on "all fronts" as the Lord keeps opening up opportunities. A 
heartfelt thanks to each one of you who has given so sacrificially to 
meet the needs so far. Both the Christian printer and the supplier of 
the radio transmitters are giving us 90 days to meet these bills. 

We need prevailing prayer for the prison radio station. It is all set 
to go on the air, but the prison department wants a more powerful 
station than first planned so as to reach all three prisons in Bogotá. 
Of course it will then reach the rest of the city as well. On the 
basis of this, Russell sold the transmitter he had ready and ordered a 
larger one. The papers are now in the hands of the government 
agencies. Only two frequencies are available, and there are many 
requests. Pray that the Lord will cut through the red tape and give 
all the required approvals. 

Chad and I have been traveling in the eastern United States and Canada 
this last month. On May 30 we will return to Colombia. We request 
prayer for our safety and that of all our family and coworkers in 
Colombia at this difficult time. Keep praying for the Christian Kogis, 
and we will give you an update on them soon.
(from http://gloriastendal.tripod.com/stendalnews/id3.html dated May 
2002, via DXLD)

** CONGO DR [non]. GABON/CONGO 9770, Following recent DX news, I 
observed [Congo via] Moyabi 9770 kHz, viz. at 1735-1832, and this 
cannot be but another confirmation that this is actually Kinshasa's R. 
TV Congolaise; heard in French airing African light songs, TS, news 
1800, independence day celebration announcements and scheduled events, 
weather 1825 followed by more music; rated 43442 with adjacent QRM de 
VOR in English 9775 and CRI 9765 in Russian and then co-channel QRM de 
VOA 9770 via the PHL at 1800 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, BC-DX Jun 26 
via DXLD)

What you hear between 1600 and 1900 on 9770 is definitely RTNC 
Kinshasa relay, presumably via Moyabi-Gabon. I've heard them yesterday 
from *16h00 till after 18h00. Every time I checked they were in 
French. I believe that the transmitter is in Gabon as has been 
reported, but I would expect a better signal here from Gabon. 
Yesterday it could not be described better than "fair" at the best of 
times. I've heard this stn in January 2002, but have not been 
monitoring this freq to say whether it has been on air regularly 
(Vashek Korinek, RSA, BC-DX July 1 via DXLD)

** COSTA RICA. Radio For Peace International's Weekly Program Update 
for the week of 30 June - 6 July 2002 
================================================================= 
Frequency Schedule: BAND FREQUENCY/MODE UTC/GMT TIME 
(frequencies/hours subject to change without notice) 
40 meters:  7.445 MHz (USB): 2200 - 0800 
19 meters: 15.040 MHz (AM):  2200 - 0800 
13 meters: 21.815 MHz (USB): 1200 - 0200 (currently off the air for 
maintenance) And streaming live on the Internet in MP3 at 
http://www.rfpi.org (RFPI via WORLD OF RADIO 1138, DXLD)

** CUBA. A few items I am trying to obtain if anyone could help me: a 
photostat of the R. Salas, Habana 9030 kHz QSL showing the Habana 
racecourse; a copy of the R. Progreso, Habana, 9362 kHz QSL letter 
[pre-revolutionary]; the list of Cuban SW stations in the 1958 WRTH. 
Both R. Salas and R. Progreso had outlets in the 16m band, tho whether 
they were ever used I do not know. I am also interested in Circuito 
CMC [CMQ??] on 9670. Please write to L. J. Illingworth, c/o Chris 
Thomas, 2a Cross Street, Redruth TR15 2BU, UK (July BDXC-UK 
Communication via DXLD)

** CZECH REPUBLIC. RADIO FREE EUROPE TO STOP CZECH BROADCASTS, SAYS 
CZECH RADIO | Excerpt from report by Czech radio on 2 July 

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has decided to stop in three weeks' 
time its broadcasts in Czech. At present Radio Free Europe [RFE] 
broadcasts in Czech in cooperation with Czech Radio, using the CRo 6 
frequencies... Source: Czech Radio1 - Radiozurnal, Prague, in Czech 
1600 gmt 2 Jul 02 (via BBCM via DXLD)

** ECUADOR, 4919, 0855-, R. Quito Jun 29 Fair reception with frequent 
IDs in Spanish. Talk by man and woman (Walt Salmaniw, Grayland WA 
DXpedition, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 

** GEORGIA. During a recent visit to R. Georgia, I got this schedule 
from the Director of the Foreign Service Department. However, the 
Dusheti transmitters are often silent due to the ongoing energy crisis 
in the country:

To Oslo: 0500-0530 Russian, 0530-0600 English, 0600-0630 German on 
11805. 1830-1900 English, 1900-1930 German, 1930-2000 Russian on 
11760.

To Munich: 0700-0730 French, 0730-0800 English, 1700-1730 German, 
1730-1800 English on 11910.

To Tel Aviv: 0830-0900 English, 0900-0930 Georgian on 11910; 1530-1600 
English, 1600-1630 Georgian on 6180.

To Iran: 0400-0500 Tue & Thu Georgian; 1630-1800 Sat & Sun Georgian on 
6080.

To Armenia: 1415-1445 Armenian on 6080.

To Azerbaijan: 1500-1530 Azerbaijani on 4540.

R. Khara, 4540 and 4875, not to be confused with above broadcast on 
4540; [mailing address confirmed as 52 Rustaveli Avenue, Tbilisi – 
Dave Kenny]

The grave economic situation, and the continuing energy crisis, also 
affect broadcasting. The LW transmitter on 189 kHz is too expensive to 
operate daily and it is now only used on special occasions requiring 
nationwide coverage such as every Monday at 0600 for the weekly 
address to the nation by president Edward Shevardnadze.

On MW, Georgian Radio (``Sakartvelos Radio`` in Georgian) now only 
uses 1215 kHz regularly. This is a relatively low-power transmitter at 
Dusheti, just 40 km north of Tbilisi. Even in the capital it suffers 
from co-channel QRM from Sari, Iran in hours of darkness. However, 
this outlet is frequently off during power cuts, and this also applies 
to other transmitters. Therefore the relays of Voice of Hope and AWR 
were only short-lived.

The Tbilisi transmitter, listed for GR2 on 1044 kHz, is now used by R. 
Iveria which belongs to the Georgian Orthodox Church (Iveria is an 
ancient name for Georgia). The station is on the air 24 hours a day 
and mainly broadcasts religious, cultural and educational programmes. 
Address: King Erekle Str. 1, 380005 Tbilisi (Maarten van Delft, Report 
from Georgia, July BDXC-UK Communication, retyped by gh for DXLD)

** GERMANY. Recent DW website changes have dramatically improved the 
accessibility of on-demand audio programming. The more user-friendly 
URL of http://kleist.dwelle.de/english/dpradio/audio.html 
brings you to a list of programs; the most recent edition of each can 
be obtained with one click. Even better, this page was just two clicks 
from the main DW website. Much, much improved. However, program 
scripts and archives aren't available as they were previously, nor is 
the dynamic list of programs and airtimes. I'm guessing this might 
still be a work-in-progress, but the reorganized audio availability is 
certainly a plus, IMHO (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, swprograms 
via WORLD OF RADIO 1138, DXLD)

** GERMANY. See http://www.swr.de/frequenzen/mittelwelle.html

In the beginning only 576, 666, 1017 and 1485 will carry the new SWR 
Cont.Ra, 711 is to follow not earlier than mid-July. This should be 
the result of a STL problem: There are no longer feed circuits to the 
three 711 transmitters, instead they use Ballempfang from the next FM 
site for SWR 1 programming and the Astra satellite system for the 
Native Language Broadcasts (that's the official name of the broadcasts 
for foreign workers) with timers for the switches. Now they have to 
establish an alternative feed, which should be in practice the same 
one than for the Eureka-147 transmitters. Interesting that Freiburg 
828 will stay with SWR 4 Radio Breisgau, provided that the table is 
correct.

So far this frequency table is still the only mention of SWR Cont.Ra I 
could find on the SWR webpages. By the way, if anybody wonders about 
the 1485 outlet not listed in the Germany section of WRTH 2002: It is 
missing there by error and was in fact always on air (Kai Ludwig, 
Germany, June 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

Indeed Südwestrundfunk started its new SWR Cont.Ra program this 
morning at 0400. For the time being this program goes out on 
mediumwave only, the Astra satellite transmission will follow on 
September 1. Regarding Eureka-147 it is said that transmissions are to 
start not earlier than by the end of this year, and even then this 
will probably remain a poor L-band service with only local coverage. 
Why bother, there are the proven mediumwave outlets... Meanwhile SWR 
has a press release out: 
http://www.swr.de/presse/archiv/2002/07/01/2117/index.html 
Between 1700 and 2000 SWR Cont.Ra still includes the ARD broadcasts 
for foreign workers. As announced the SFB program infoRADIO is now 
relayed from 2000, tonight after a rather rough switch with a 1 kHz 
tone burst, followed by a loud crack. Evidently also the audio levels 
needs to be adjusted. I include a record (made on 1017) of the switch-
over from the foreign workers stuff to infoRADIO, identifying itself 
as "Inforadio dreiundneunzig-eins" acc. it's 93.1 Berlin outlet, then 
news announcer Siegfried Fiedler welcomes the Südwestrundfunk 
listeners. The audio on 576/666/1017 is about a half second behind 
Calau 93.4. Regards, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, July 1, DX LISTENING 
DIGEST)

** GERMANY [and non]. Re DXLD 2-105: Hi Glenn, There can be various 
reasons for audio delays, but at high power SW stations the most 
likely explanation is to even out modulation peaks between different 
transmitters, which makes for a smoother and more efficient use of 
power. A reduction in power surges can prolong the life of expensive 
components such as tubes. I know we do this at Bonaire, and I imagine 
they also do it at Wertachtal. To my recollection, this has been 
mentioned a number of times before in DXLD and other publications 
(Andy Sennitt, RN, Netherlands, July 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 

** INDIA. AIR External Service has started Kannada language 
transmissions from July 1, 2002, beamed to the Middle east at 0215 to 
0300 on 11985 and 15075, both via Bangalore 500 kW (Thanks to Alok Das 
Gupta also for the info)

Kannada is the mother tongue of the people of the South Indian state 
of Karnataka and the state capital is Bangalore. The new programs  
originate at AIR Bangalore itself according to the announcements that 
I heard.

The AIR National Channel programs on 9425 at 1320 to 0041 UT are tests 
and the transmitter is of 500 kW from Bangalore.

There are plans for a new day time SW Service also for Home Service, 
probably relaying the FM II Service from Delhi (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, 
Somajiguda, Hyderabad 500082, India, dx_india via WORLD OF RADIO 1138, 
DXLD)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
     This group specialises exclusively on Broadcasting in India! 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
            Important Dates for Broadcasting by AIR :
                     ----------------------
        1927 - July 23 - 2002 :  Platinum Jubilee of AIR
----------------------------------------------------------------------

** IRAN [non]. DAILY SAYS FOREIGN RADIO STATIONS PLAN TO CREATE 
TURMOIL IN IRAN | Text of report by Iranian newspaper Jomhuri-ye 
Eslami web site on 2 July 

In the past few days, foreign radio [stations] have launched an 
extensive propaganda campaign to create turmoil on the anniversary of 
the Tehran University campus on 18 Tir [9 July]. 

The monarchists living in America plan to hold gatherings in the 
streets of Tehran in support of the elements who staged a riot in 
Tehran between 19 and 22 Tir 1378 [10 and 13 July 1999]. At the same 
time, using the media at their disposal and foreign radio [stations], 
they are also planning to organize riots in Tehran. These campaigns 
are mainly oriented towards the youths and university students. 

Therefore, the youths and university students should deal with such 
provocation with awareness in order to foil this plot. The street 
riots of 19-22 Tir 1378 [10-13 July 1999] were organized by American 
agents and on those days the heads of America and Israel openly 
declared that the lifetime of the Islamic Republic system had ended! 
That plot for toppling [the government] was foiled with an epic 
demonstration by the united people on 23 Tir [14 July]. Source: 
Jomhuri-ye Eslami web site, Tehran, in Persian 2 Jul 02 (via BBCM via 
DXLD)

** IRAQ [non]. IRAQ SAYS CZECHS HELP ITS ENEMIES BY ALLOWING RADIO 
FREE EUROPE BROADCASTS | Excerpt from report in English by Czech news 
agency CTK 

Prague, 2 July: The Iraqi government views Radio Free Europe (RFE/RL) 
broadcasts from the Czech Republic as an act of enemy, Iraqi Foreign 
Minister Naji Sabri Ahmad al-Hadithi says in the daily Hospodarske 
noviny today. He stresses that the Radio Free Europe broadcasts from 
Prague to Iraq have had a very negative impact on bilateral elections. 
"The Czech Republic has trampled down the long-lasting good relations 
which were between our countries," the paper quotes Sabri as saying. 
Sabri says, however, that the broadcasts from Prague do not influence 
the situation in Iraq in any way and mean nothing for Iraq. "We are 
standing up to American and British bombs and missiles," he says. 
However, Baghdad resents the fact that the Czech Republic provides 
"space to our (Iraq's) enemies and allows the CIA (the US intelligence 
service) to spread anti-Iraq propaganda", he says... 

Once expanded relations between the communist Czechoslovakia and the 
Baghdad authoritative regime deteriorated after the fall of the Iron 
Curtain in Europe and the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August 1990. The 
relations further cooled in the autumn of 1998 when RFE started 
broadcasts to Iraq from Prague. Iraq officially protested against the 
broadcasts but later said that it would not hamper the RFE signal as 
it is not bothered by it... Source: CTK news agency, Prague, in 
English 0559 gmt 2 Jul 02 (via BBCM via DXLD)

** JORDAN. Glenn, Here is some news. I have not noticed Radio Jordan 
on their regular 11690 frequency during their regular hours. Have they 
changed frequencies? (Christopher Lewis, UK, June 30, DX LISTENING 
DIGEST, WORLD OF RADIO 1138)

R. Jordan, 15290, June 6 at 1124 in English, ``HRW worries over Loya 
Jurga``, SIO 444 (David Gascoyne, Kent, BDXC-UK Communication via 
DXLD) Not supposed to be in English here; presume wrong programme fed 
to transmitter (Tony Rogers, BDXC-UK ed., via WOR 1138, DXLD)

However, R. Jordan was still reported on 11690 in English the same 
date at 1559 with time signal, news of Syria dam casualties, SIO 444, 
also by David Gascoyne; and on June 15 at 1600 with news on Israel and 
Palestine, SIO 444 (Clare Pinder, Cumbria, BDXC-UK Communication via 
WORLD OF RADIO 1138, DXLD)

** KASHMIR [non]. This morning at 0015 I noted two stations 
synchronized on 4790, obviously AIR and Azad Kashmir. There was also a 
signal spot on freq until about 1710, so it seems that the technicians 
at Rawat finally fixed the long standing frequency offset. The nasty 
het from AIR at 0000 must have prompted them to do something (Olle 
Alm, Sweden, BC-DX Jun 25 via WOR 1138, DXLD)

This morning I was able to pick up 4790 again at the 2340 sign on. 
Indeed this was the usual very buzzy transmitter, so they have 
corrected the frequency offset of the existing rig. The frequency 
synchronisation with AIR is next to perfect. Clearly, they are using a 
crystal drive for this channel (Olle Alm, Sweden, BC-DX Jun 26 via 
WORLD OF RADIO 1138, DXLD)

** KOREA NORTH. Pyongyang heard on 13760, also 15245 --- thanx to your 
tips. 1900 UT (Christopher Lewis, UK, June 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** LAOS. 4662.28, 1208-, R. Houa Phan Jun 29 Weak talk, but equal to 
parallel 6130. This morning, 1123 30/6 weak, but in the clear on 
4662.24. A tentative logging. Difficult for me to tell this from a 
Vietnamese station. I'll check again at 1200 for //6130. Confirmed 
with Big Ben type gongs just before 1200 (Walt Salmaniw, Grayland WA 
DXpedition, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 

** LAOS. 7145, 1325-, R. LAOS Jun 29 Relatively strong signal in 
French until just before 1330, then dead air until 1331 and ID as Lao 
National Radio, in English. Modulation must have diminished, because 
little heard after this. Lots of adjacent splatter. Following morming 
at 1311 tune in, 30/6 French monotone by YL. About same strength as 
yesterday (Walt Salmaniw, Grayland WA DXpedition, WORLD OF RADIO 1138, 
DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** LITHUANIA. RBWI test for RFE/RL via Sitkunai, Litauen-1386. Very 
detailed QSL-letter from v/s: Rimantas Pleikys, who also sent his 
booklet "Radio Censorship" in Russian (Björn Fransson, the island of 
Gotland, Sweden, July 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** LITHUANIA. Heard Radio Nord, 9980, started 2001. Signal plagued by 
QRM, little disappointed (Christopher Lewis, UK, June 30, DX LISTENING 
DIGEST)

9980, Radio Nord, 1955 June 30, fair with mostly talk in Swedish 
between two men, canned "Radio Nord" slogan. More IDs including jingle 
at 2000 (Paul Ormandy, Host of The South Pacific DX Report 
http://radiodx.com DX KUSTEBUBG, or rather LISTENING DIGEST)

** MAURITANIA [and non]. I don't know what might have happened to R. 
Mauritanie's MF outlet of 783 kHz as reception vanished for quite some 
time. Meanwhile, I logged Nouakchott again on a Sunday, viz. 23 Jun 
1506 at 24443 airing Vernacular program for some talk and chantings. 
Neighbouring MALI 7285 was also tried, but nothing was heard. The last 
time I managed to pick up MTN on 41 mb was also a Sunday afternoon, 
viz. on 5th May last. To some extent, I doubt they're using 100
kW on 41 mb (Carlos Goncalves, Portugal, BC-DX Jun 24 via DXLD)

Further to my previous report, I did manage to get a successful try on 
25 Jun 2120, when they were heard at 22431 \\ to 4845 airing a Vn 
program with some talk and chantings; co-channel QRM de En+POR despite 
using a K9AY. Another observation today 30 Jun 1501 airing Vn program 
on 7245 rated at 15341 also thanks to the K9AY loop only (Carlos 
Goncalves, Portugal, BC-DX Jun 25 via DXLD)

** MONGOLIA. 12015, 1021-, VOICE OF MONGOLIA Jun 29 Good to very good 
signal with English program of Mongolian music with the same woman 
who's been presenting for years! Nice to hear them so well again! 
(Walt Salmaniw, Grayland WA DXpedition, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** MOROCCO. USA, 14370, VOA, (2 x 7185), 0457 July 1, Noted this 
strong second harmonic just above the 20 meter ham band a couple of 
minutes before their 0500 sign off (David Hodgson, TN, harmonics 
yahoogroup via DXLD) Site is Morocco, per current online sked, 7185 
used only at 0430-0500 in Croatian (gh, DXLD)

** MYANMAR. 5985.80, 1427-, R. Myanmar Jun 29 Burmese vocals at fair 
level. More or less obliterated by splatter by 1430 when English 
scheduled (Walt Salmaniw, Grayland WA DXpedition, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 

** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Very nice 90 meter reception from PNG this 
morning July 1. Near greyline propagation and relatively quiet band
conditions allowed for the best DX from PNG at this location in quite 
a while. Here are some of the stronger stations:

3205, R. Sanduan, 1020, July 1, Phone in show. ID by YL at 1036. 

3235, R. West New Britain, 1025, July 1, Man in Pidgin, S9 peaks on 
base loaded vertical. ID by announcer at 1030. Beautiful traditional 
choral music at 1034. Nice solid copy.

3355, R. Simbu, 0909, July 1, English news and announcements till
0930. ID in passing. Poor EQ on announcer`s mic, all bass. Very muddy. 
Into national type news in English at 1000.

3385, R East New Britain (presumed), 1045. Nice signal also
S9 here. Regional pop, time check "9 minutes to 9:00". Didn't stick 
around for ID (David Hodgson, Nashville TN, July 1, WORLD OF RADIO 
1138, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 1737 kHz, 1250-, NDB aerobeacon KUT Jun 29 Fair 
reception with continuous slow CW K-U-T (Walt Salmaniw, Grayland WA 
DXpedition, WORLD OF RADIO 1138, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 

** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 2410, 0845-, R. Enga Jun 29-30 Noted with poor, 
but building strength on the 29th. I neglected to check on the 30th. 

3204.98, 0855-, R. Sandaun Jun 29-30 Radio West Sepik (Sandaun) good 
reception with Tok Pisin. Following morning, measured on 3204.96. Did 
not break for national news at 1000. Non-stop island music, the a 
Johnny Cash piece, and a gospel medley. Tok Pisin at 1021, but no 
definite IDs noted. Time check for 20 past 8:00. 

3220, 0845-, R. Morobe Jun 29-30 Very good reception with IDs in Tok 
Pisin. Following day, monitored them from before 1000 with 'Let me be 
there in the morning', then into the national news, but not until 
1001:45. Encountered a major problem with echos, which resolved after 
the relay ended. 

3235, 0925-, R. West New Britain Jun 29 I'm thrilled to see that many 
of the PNG stations have returned. Now's the time to monitor them 
again, as I suspect this is a temporary reversal of the general 
decline of SW broadcasting in PNG, owing to national elections. Tok 
Pisin, with many mentions of provincial elections, ballot boxes, 
provincial administrator William ?, and West New Britain heard 
numerous times. Good reception. Following morning heard after 0930 
with religious hymn, 'Ballad of St John'. Full ID noted after the 
ballad. 

3245, 0845-, R. Gulf Jun 29-30 Fair to good reception with Tok Pisin 
about the 4th of July. Following day noted after 0930 with much music 
and talk, but no definite ID. Best reception on LSB to avoid QRM. 

3260, 0930-, R. Madang Jun 30 No mention of this station on the 29th 
in my log, and specifically noted not on the air on the 30th after 
0930. 

3275, 0940-, R. Southern Highlands Jun 29-30 Fair reception with 
election talk, into local music. Poor to fair on the 30th. 

3290, 0942-, R. Central Jun 29-30 Poor signal due to heavy utility 
interference, but heard with Tok Pisin, into local music. Fair 
reception the following day after 0930 with the hets eliminated by the 
notch filter. 

3290, 0907-, R. Central Jun 29 Nice steady S7 to S9 signal with local 
guitar and vocals. Lower modulation woman in Tok Pisin at 0909. Other 
PNGs audible at this time: 2410 (poor), 3204.96 (Radio West Sepik 
good/vgd 1-12). 

3305, 0945-, R. Western Jun 29-30 Poor reception with Tok Pisin on the 
29th. The following day, heard at same time with country and western 
music at fair to good levels. 

3315, 1049-, R. Manus Jun 29-30 Not on the 29th, but back on the 30th. 
National news at 0900, and also heard at 1049 at good to very good 
level with C&W music, Tok Pisin with mentions of transparency, and 
accountability. Interviewed Vanuatu's PM, Mr Edward ?. LSB found to be 
best to avoid QRM. At 1053 there was a conch shell call, followed by 
information about an Australian website concerning the colonial 
legacy. Local time check, and into western music. 

3325, 2129- [sic; means 0929?], R. North Solomons (Radio Bougainville)
Jun 29-30 Not heard on the 29th, but logged after 0930 with fair
reception with some cochannel interference. 

3335, 0930-, R. East Sepik Jun 29-30 Not on the air on the 29th, nor 
the 30th. 

3345, 0900-, R. Northern Jun 29-30 NOT heard either day. My notes have 
no reference to this station, so not sure if the transmitter still 
exists or not. 

3355, 0950-, R. Simbu Jun 29-30 Strong signal but with muddy audio 
with talk, and into western music after open carrier for some time. 
Following morning, again very strong with religious talk re Sarah 
and Abraham, and mentions of Christian radio, thank you, Mondai, 
Number 1 asking in Tok Pisin. 

3365, 0945-, R. Milne Bay Jun 29-30 Not heard on the 29th, and only 
came across a weak het on the 30th, so I'm not sure about this 
one. 

3375, 0950-, R. Western Highlands Jun 29-30 Good reception 29/6. Same 
time on the 30th with Tok Pisin, mentioning private enterprise, 
education, white man, Great Britain number one. ID at 1043. National 
news at 0901:40 on the 30th, with switch to local program at 0914. 
Fair to good. 

3385, 1009-, R. East New Britain Jun 29-30 Heard on both days. After 
the national news relay, reverted to local programming at 1011 
answering a call from the field from a correspondent. 'Hello. We have 
you loud and clear. Count number 12 ballot box....' The language did 
not sound Tok Pisin, but rather more likely one of the many indigenous 
languages. Reception was very good, but utterly boring with the counts 
of each ballot box. Apparently (thanks for the information from Don 
Nelson), there has been major concern re ballot rigging, due to past 
fraudulent results, and so major care was undertaken to prevent this, 
this time around. Continued with this same format past 1311, long 
after the other stations had signed off (or faded out). This same 
count by the box continued the following day with some utility 
interference. 

3395, 0900-, R. Eastern Highlands Jun 30 No mentions in my logbook for 
the 29th, and definitely not on the air on the 30th. 

3905, 1000-, R. New Ireland Jun 29-30 Very nice to see this station 
back. Beautiful signal with full ID and time check for 8:00 in Tok 
Pisin. Following day heard at 0930 with just minor ham QRN. Local ID, 
and then a public service announcement for AIDS: 'Use condoms all the 
time'. A Scottish piece followed. 

4890, 0930-, NBC Port Moresby Jun 29-30 Usual superb reception on both 
mornings. Heard well past 1200 (All: Walt Salmaniw, Grayland WA 
DXpedition, WORLD OF RADIO 1138, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

An announcement today July 1st 2002 by NBC Karai National News 
indicates that a majority of the PNG provinces have extended their 
election polling date deadline to July 6th.

So for us DXers this may (?) translate into the continued 
possibilities of extended transmission hours by many of the provincial 
NBC Kundu service SW stations to this date (Ian Baxter, ARDXC June 30 
via WORLD OF RADIO 1138, DXLD)

Some stations were running all-night, UT July 1: 3205 and 3385. Good, 
because reception here is much better in the morning (Chris Hambly, 
Victoria, WORLD OF RADIO 1138, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** PARAGUAY. Estuve chequeando en las últimas dos semanas la 
frecuencia anunciada a través de la cual Radio América, del Paraguay, 
emitirá en onda corta: 7300 khz. Y nada. No pude captar nada desde 
Buenos Aires y tampoco desde Lobos, donde las condiciones de recepción 
son sensiblemente mejores que desde esta megalópolis. Acabo de entrar 
a la página en Internet de la emisora 
http://www.radiodifusionamerica.com.py/ y encontré estos datos que 
reproduzco: 

ZP20 Radio América
9 de Agosto c/Acceso Sur, Ñemby, Paraguay.
Cartas a:
Casilla de Correo N  2220 Asunción Paraguay
Teléfonos: (595-21) 960 228 / 964 100 Fax: (595-21) 963 149
E-mail: ramerica@r... [truncado por yahoogroups]
Director General Pastor José A. Holowaty 
Nada se dice en la pagina web de la salida en onda corta de la 
emisora.

No es facil encontrar sitios en Internet de emisoras paraguayas. No 
sólo para intentar su escucha sino también para recabar datos sobre 
las mismas. En http://www.yagua.com/ hay acceso a las siguientes 
estaciones... [incluyendo a América]: (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, June 
30, Conexión Digital via DXLD)

Yo "cada rato" chequeo la frecuencia y nunca se escucha nada. Estoy 
más o menos a 200 km del QTH de la planta y tendría que entrar como 
"cañón" aquí. Creo que todavía "no pasa nada". Deben tener problemas 
de algún índole.... En esta semana estaré en contacto con el Sr. Mur. 
No le he querido molestar tanto, porque sé que quiere poner la radio 
lo más pronto posible y cuando se complican las cosas no da gusto ser 
"molestado" ;) Hace algunas semanas pasé por cerca de las nuevas 
instalaciones y pude observar la nueva antena para AM y también
parte da la antena para la onda corta. Saludos (Levi Iverson, 
Paraguay, ibid.)

** PERU. 4746.85, 1027-, R. Huanta 2000 Jun 30 Spanish programming at 
weak levels, presumed to be this one. EZL and Andean music, and talk.

4826.45, 1033-, R. Sicuani Jun 30 Weak audio in Spanish. Again a 
presumed logging, with two men talking (Walt Salmaniw, Grayland WA 
DXpedition, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 

** RUSSIA. 11840, 0850-, Radio Sakhalin Jun 30 Local ID in Russian, 
then into American C&W song, Lone Star. Very good. Presume this hour 
has local programming (Walt Salmaniw, Grayland WA DXpedition, DX 
LISTENING DIGEST) 

** RUSSIA. Regarding rumours about a relay of a European classic rock 
station via Bolshakovo, a well informed source in Russia has confirmed 
that a nighttime project is under preparation for 1386 kHz, but no 
further details are available yet. The start could take place in about 
2 or 3 months (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, MWDX list via Dave Kenny, 
July BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD)

** SAUDI ARABIA. NEW INTERNATIONAL ARAB TV STATION PLANNED

A member of the Saudi Royal Family has revealed plans to launch an 
international satellite TV station from London to help clear up 
misconceptions about Arabs and Muslims. Prince Mansur bin Nasser bin 
Abdul Aziz told the Al-Watan daily that the station would be on the 
air "after finalising some necessary procedures," but declined to give 
a launch date. The Prince says that capital funding has been secured 
through charities and international bank loans. Operating revenue will 
come through sponsorships and advertisements for Arab and Islamic 
products. The station will initially broadcast in English to the 
United States, Canada and Europe. Later, programmes in German, French, 
Spanish and Italian will be added. As well as seeking to present the 
Arab and Islamic world in a more positive light, another aim of the 
station will be to highlight investment opportunities and tourism in 
the region (© Radio Netherlands Media Network July 2 via DXLD)

** SEYCHELLES [and non]. Allen Graham interviewed two representatives 
of the Far East Broadcasting Association: Mike Proctor works from 
Cyprus, and Theodora Hanidis works from their U.K. headquarters. Both 
of them are affiliated with FEBA's "Spotlight" broadcasts in 
Specialized English, which is derived from the Voice of America's 
Special English slow-speed English broadcasts, although FEBA Radio has 
no connection with VOA. Specialized English uses slowly-spoken English 
with a limited vocabulary, for listeners who have a limited knowledge 
of English. These broadcasts began in 1999. Mike and Theodora recently 
visited HCJB and Ecuador to meet the station staff and to meet 
"Spotlight" listeners. This program is being carried on FEBA, HCJB, 
TWR Swaziland, and FEBC Manila. The schedule is available at 
http://specialized.english.net/bxplans.htm 

Mike and Theodora also talked about FEBA in general. Most of its 
transmissions are from Seychelles in the Indian Ocean, where FEBA owns 
three 100-kW transmitters. Their antenna array includes 6 curtains and 
7 masts, arranged in an arc. They cover Sri Lanka, the Indian 
subcontinent, the Middle East and southern Africa on shortwave. They 
also own or co-own a number of local FM stations in Africa. More 
information is on their website at: http://www.feba.org.uk/schedule 
FEBA Radio may have to move its transmitter site due to a government 
land reclamation project; tests are being done to determine if FEBA 
can still get out its shortwave transmissions without harm to the 
people who will live on the reclaimed land. Updates on this are 
available from time to time at http://www.feba.org.uk  QSLs are 
available for FEBA transmissions, but reports must be sent to the 
Seychelles transmitter site, to avoid delays that happen when the 
reports are sent to the U.K. headquarters and have to be forwarded. 
The postal address: FEBA ** P.O. Box 234 ** Seychelles ** Indian Ocean 
(HCJB DX Partyline June 29, notes contributed By: Marie Lamb, 
Syracuse, New York, USA, W9WZE site via DXLD) 

** SIERRA LEONE. 6137.5, 29.6 2210, UNAMSIL was heard with really bad 
strength with mostly nonstop, boring music, making a report was not 
possible. Unfortunately. 2. OVE (Ove Fransson, Sweden, SW Bulletin via 
DXLD)

6137.7, 28.6 2340, UNAMSIL with a program very hard to report about 
the British and Camerunian soldiers in Freetown. DO (Dan Olsson, 
ibid.)

** SOMALIA. DETAILS OF RADIO DMC AND RADIO MIDNIMO 

Radio DMC 

Radio DMC (Democratic Media Concern) is based in Baydhabo (alternative 
spelling: Baidoa), the capital of Bay region in south-central Somalia. 
It broadcasts on 88.8 MHz FM in the Somali and Rahanwein languages 
(the latter is sometimes referred to as Maay). The radio claims to be 
independent and not affiliated to any of the political factions in 
Somalia. 

Baydhabo is currently controlled by the Rahanwein Resistance Army 
(RRA), the faction which controls the Bay and Bakool regions and which 
is opposed to the Transitional National Government in Mogadishu. Radio 
DMC is reportedly owned by local Somali businessmen and some in the 
diaspora. 

Radio DMC is a separate station from the RRA-controlled Radio 
Baydhabo. This latter station used to be heard on shortwave (6810 kHz) 
but has been untraced on that channel for a while. Radio DMC's daily 
programming includes news in Rahanwein at 1400 gmt and in Somali at 
1700 gmt. The station closes down at 2000 gmt. 

Radio Midnimo 

Radio Midnimo (the Somali for Unity) broadcasts on FM from Boosaaso, 
the main port and commercial capital of the self-declared state of 
Puntland in northeast Somalia. 

Boosaaso was captured by forces loyal to Col Abdullahi Yusuf in May 
2002. It had previously been held by those loyal to Jama Ali Jama. 
Subsequently, Yusuf's authorities closed down another radio station in 
the town, Somali Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Radio Midnimo 
broadcasts news in Somali at 1030, 1300 and 1700 gmt. Close-down is at 
1900 gmt. Source: BBC Monitoring research Jul 02 (via DXLD)

** SOUTH AFRICA. Radio Veritas, 3280. E-mail, long personal letter 
from v/s: Emil Blaser OP, eblaser@iafrica.com  Address: P O Box 134, 
2110 Mondeor, South Afrika. Claims that they have got reception 
reports from Bologna (I think I know from whom?) and Australia too 
(Björn Fransson, the island of Gotland, Sweden, July 1, DX LISTENING 
DIGEST) 

** SOUTH AFRICA. 7235, 0400-, ADVENTIST WORLD R. Jun 29 Incredibly 
strong signal in African accented English and into religious music 
(Walt Salmaniw, Grayland WA DXpedition, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 

** SOUTH CAROLINA. Thanx for updating the news about Stair. As far as 
I know he is still there in his cell (Christopher Lewis, UK, June 30, 
DX LISTENING DIGEST)

I today received a handwritten letter from Brother Stair. It is two 
pages long (one sheet of paper but written on both sides of).

Also, the outside of the envelope has the following rubber stamped 
onto it. "The Colleton County Detention Center has neither censored 
nor inspected this item. Therefore this facility does not assume
responsibility for its contents."

I had sent him two blank sheets of paper, but only one of them came
back. Same envelope with the excessive postage in case he wrote back 
after June 30.

Here's one paragraph:

"Brother, I am in Maximum Security locked down for 23 hrs in a single 
cell with a bunk & toilet and water and they bring 3 meals a day."

A little later: "No Radio - TV - [begin underline here] a phone yes to 
all here local."

He also says he's in maximum security because one of the other 
prisoners got saved and was joyous all night. "He Just shouted and 
sang and rejoiced all nite and through the next day."  (all sic from 
his handwriting). So they declared Brother Stair to be too "carmatic" 
(charismatic) and put him in maximum security.

He also says, "No Hot drinks or meals no hard pen or any thing that 
can be used as a weapon. "

Also: "Yes they open the mail and I am sure they read it. So your
letter may even be copied. I don't know."

He refuses to answer my question about his own guilt. But he writes: 
"Some men here are guilty and others have been charged with that that 
seem so unfair. Only God Knows."  (all sic)

He ends: "Hope to Be Out Soon on Bond or charge Dropped God Willing." 
The word Bond is underlined and the words God Willing double 
underlined. Signed "Brother Stair."

He answers less questions than he answers, but I got more than I
expected. On the outside of the envelope he wrote for the return 
address not the jail's but the Overcomer P. O. Box (Robert Arthur, 
June 28, WORLD OF RADIO 1138, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

Check out http://rickross.com/groups/rgstair.html Has links to several 
articles, plus some lovely pics. ;-) 73/ (Liz Cameron, WORLD OF RADIO 
1138, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

Including two clumsily edited audio files apparently from unattributed 
``network`` TV coverage, but really local:
http://www.thenetteam.net/newspt1.ram and
http://www.thenetteam.net/newspt2.ram

...and this story we have not seen before:

FATHER CLAIMS SON'S DEATH WAS FOUL PLAY 
Father of a young man who recently died at a Canady's religious 
community, the Overcomer Ministry, says he suspects foul play. 

The Press and Standard/June 14, 2002 By Libby Roerig 

An autopsy revealed Stanley Crawford Bean, 27, died of cerebral 
herniation on Tuesday, May 28, according to Chief Deputy Coroner 
Willard Long. Bean, who had been living at the Overcomer Ministry in 
Canady's for about one year and a half, had a history of seizure-like 
symptoms. 

"The man wanted to go," Teresa Stair said in an earlier interview. "He 
really wanted to be with the Lord. He said, Sister Stair, I am so 
happy if I am going to be with the Lord." 

Teresa Stair is the wife of the Overcomer Ministry's leader Ralph 
Stair, 69, who is currently being held without bond at the Colleton 
County Detention Center on two counts of criminal sexual conduct and 
two counts of breach of trust. 

In the weeks proceeding Bean's death, fellow community members say 
Bean had been complaining of a variety of medical problems including 
losing his vision, Long said. 

"Brother Stan and I prayed for him two days before he died," said 
Teresa Stair. "The Lord sent me to him, and I prayed for him. I just 
believed he going to live." 

Considering his age and medical history, Stan Bean's father George 
believes his son's death was deliberate. 

"I believe foul play is involved, He walks in there healthy and comes 
out on a stretcher," George Bean said. "I really have the feeling 
myself that something was done to Stan to make him have a hemorrhage 
of the brain." 

"I think its bad, they could have saved him. He was sick for two days, 
and they didn't do anything. They just watched him die. I don't trust 
those people." 

Though Stan Bean died shortly before 11 PM, his father says he wasn't 
notified until about 8:45 AM the next day. The Colleton County 
Coroner's office wasn't notified until 9:30 AM, according to Long. 

"The cell phone rang," he said. "I forgot who it was, but they said, 
`Your son Stan passed away peacefully in his sleep.'" 
Though the ministry has offered to pay for a portion of the burial 
costs, George Bean says that gesture isn't enough. 

"I'm sort of bitter anyway. There's nothing that can be done now, 
because my son is dead and buried," said George Bean. 

Stan was always a pillar of great health, his father says. "When Stan 
left home, he was well," George Bean said. Active in many sports such 
as baseball, basketball and football, Stan Bean also excelled 
academically and was voted most popular by his high school class, his 
father said. "He was a normal everyday kid,"he said. After finishing 
high school, Stan Bean's behavior changed, as he became reckless and 
wild. 

George Bean says the death of his wife in 1998 instigated his son's 
desire for salvation. Stan Bean, who worked in construction, began 
attending service at the Seventh Day Adventist church, and shortly 
thereafter began following Stair. 

"I wish I knew how he got involved with that cult," George Bean said. 
"I don't know how they do it, but they brainwash those people. 

"I really would like a way that no other young people could be brought 
into that place, ever, ever." 

Stan Bean and several other men moved to Nickels, Ga. They would work 
during the week and attend church services on the weekend. "They were 
giving all their money to that cult," he said. "He gave them 
everything he had." 

After Stan Bean moved to Canady's, George Bean says he made two visits 
to the farm. "I wanted to see where my son was," he said. "I wanted to 
meet Stair, but they said he didn't meet people." 
Another thing that bothered George Bean was the fact that he never 
could be alone with his son. "Every time he came out of the 
Overcomers, he had this guy named Samuel with him. It was like they 
didn't want him alone," he said. 

George Bean recently made another visit to the farm to collect his 
son's belongings. 

"It looked like someone had been through his stuff," he said. 
Since his younger son's death, George Bean says he thinks of him all 
the time. Stan bean's older brother committed suicide in 1990. "It's 
been a shocker. I'm still numb," he said. (via Rick Ross cult site as 
above, via WORLD OF RADIO 1138, DXLD)

** TANZANIA. 5050.1, 0356-, R. Tanzania Jun 29 Poor to fair reception 
of this African, with local music, and talk in local language. 
Generally a lot of noise tonight (Walt Salmaniw, Grayland WA 
DXpedition, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 

** TIBET. 4905, 1231-, Tibet Peoples BS Jun 29 Good reception of Lhasa 
in either Chinese or Tibetan presumably. Parallels noted 4920, 5240, 
and 6200 (all weaker). Rechecked at 1255 with even better signal, to 
hear Cuban music! Short talk by male, then more traditional Chinese 
music. Just before top of hour announcement by YL and into rather 
martial sounding NA. Followed by further talk by YL and OM (Walt 
Salmaniw, Grayland WA DXpedition, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 

** TIBET. Xizang PBS, Lhasa, Tibet, China-6130. 3 pages handwritten 
letter in English from v/s: Tse Ring Deky, who says: "Your letter 
brightened my day"! 73 from (Björn Fransson, the island of Gotland, 
Sweden, July 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** TUNISIA [non]. Millennium Voice via Woofferton, 21550, June 8 at 
1340 news and talks in Arabic, various canned IDs in English, such as 
``On 21550 kHz shortwave, broadcasting to Tunisia, Algeria and Central 
Africa, this is Millennium Voice.`` 1430*, SIO 242 (Tony Rogers, 
Birmingham, July BDXC-UK Communication via WORLD OF RADIO 1138, DXLD)

I haven`t tried yet, but with Chile curtailed on 21550 to 1300-1400 
only, MV should be in the clear for us at last, after 1400 (Glenn 
Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1138, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U K. From: ``Donald Field`` g3xtt@lineone.net 
To: kb8nw@barf80.nshore.org 
Subject: GB50_-_Wrap_Up? 
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2002 10:08:32 +0100 

GB50 (Great Britain Fifty) at Windsor Castle ended operations at 1900 
UTC on 9th June. 

GB50 was probably the highest-profile special event station ever to 
be activated from the UK. For those of us fortunate enough to be 
involved, it was quite something to participate in the Queen`s Golden 
Jubilee in this way, surrounded by the pageantry and history of 
Windsor Castle. As well as achieving 24,727 QSOs in 145 DXCC 
entities, several hundred visitors to Windsor Castle each day took 
time out to watch the operation and to tour the RSGB (Radio Society 
of Great Britain) Amateur Radio Experience exhibition. They were also 
given the opportunity to exchange greetings via the ham bands. Many 
visiting amateurs from around Europe and also from JA, W, etc. took 
the opportunity to operate the station. GB50 was also visited by His 
Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh, Patron of the RSGB. A full 
write-up and photographs will appear in the RSGB magazine RadCom and 
also on the GB50 Website http://www.gb50.com 

Some statistics: 

QSOs by band: 
80 461 
40 4124 
30 1463 
20 4167 
17 3921 
15 6790 
12 1408 
10 1174 
 6 849 
 2 370 

QSOs by mode: 
CW  12,221 
SSB 12,214 
FM     126 
RTTY   113 
PSK     53 

And a reminder from previous News Releases: 

Operating Awards: See previous announcements, GB50 Web site and K1BV 
Web site. See also RSGB Web site for details of additional awards 
related both to GB50 and to the special GQ/MQ/2Q prefixes being used 
during June by UK stations. 

QSL Route: Owen Cross, G4DFI, (bureau, or direct to: 28 Garden 
Avenue, Bexleyheath, Kent DA7 4LF, England). 

Web Sites: 
GB50: http;//www.gb50.com  RSGB: http://www.rsgb.org 
Golden Jubilee: http://www.goldenjubilee.gov.uk 

Info - Don Field G3XTT, Publicity Officer g3xtt@lineone.net 

Once again, many thanks to Icom UK, who provided the equipment for 
GB50. 

Regards, Don G3XTT (KB8NW/OPDX July 1/BARF-80 via John Norfolk, 
OKCOK, DXLD) 

** U K [non]. Dear Glenn: Heard Radio Ezra's last broadcast of the 
current series at 0500 to 0530 on 30 June. Reception was terrible and 
didn't understand much beyond the initial ID. The signal was pretty 
much buried in the noise. Hill's website says he hopes to have a 4th 
series of broadcasts on starting in October. Cheers, Bill Wilkins, 
Springfield, MO, July 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

RUSSIA 17735, 0458-, R. EZRA Jun 30 Final broadcast in the present 
series, with usual transmitter tones, and into programming at TOH. 
0504 time check, ID, and mention of program to WCNA. Good with mild 
fades. Latter, reception becoming more difficult with only a S3 to S5 
signal. At the end of transmission, mentions he'd like to come back 
and broadcast perhaps to Africa. Unfortunately the late hour for the 
west coast causes reception to be highly variable, from excellent to 
poor. I found the 2330 transmission much more dependable. Thanks John 
for your efforts (Walt Salmaniw, Grayland WA DXpedition, DX LISTENING 
DIGEST)

** U K [non]. This received from SRSnews:

We are pleased to advise Laser Radio will be running our first test
broadcast this coming Sunday 7 th July, on 5935 kHz shortwave.
We shall be transmitting with 100,000 watts from 1400 until 2200 UT.

Reception reports to :

Laser Radio
BCM Aquarius
London WC1N 3XX
England

Our website has also been updated - http://laserradio.net
(via SRSnews, also via David Hodgson, TN, WORLD OF RADIO 1138, DXLD)

Anyone know where this transmission is from - Latvia on 5935 (as used 
by Caroline) springs to mind? Although they don't mention it above, 
the Laser website says they are printing "only" a quantity of 2002 QSL 
cards and request a donation of £4 or 6 Euros or $5 if you want a card 
(!) - (Alan Pennington, BDXC-UK via WORLD OF RADIO 1138, DXLD)

** U S A. STATE OUT OF STEP, By WILLIAM SAFIRE, WASHINGTON
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/01/opinion/01SAFI.html?ex=1026514390&ei=1&en=d8380c3c6d489474 
[also at http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/01/opinion/01SAFI.html 
--- Kim Elliott]

In a column soon after 9/11 titled "Equal Time for Hitler?," I noted 
that our taxpayer-supported, government-sponsored Voice of America was 
"balancing" reports of the terrorist outrage by broadcasting 
interviews with Muslim supporters of terror. 

The anti-U.S. propagandist given air time by V.O.A. that especially 
stirred my ire was Yasir al Serri of the Gama'a Islamiyya, warning 
that Americans must make no accusations against Islamists "before 
knowing the full truth." V.O.A. failed to identify the group of which 
al Serri was spokesman as one that had in 1997 killed 58 foreign 
tourists and 4 Egyptians.

The same V.O.A. news department ignored our State Department's protest 
and provided a world broadcast platform to Muhammad Omar, the Taliban 
leader harboring Osama bin Laden. Listeners the world over were 
informed by Omar on our network that "America has created the evil 
that is attacking it" and should stop "imposing its empire" on Islam. 

After a blast by Senator Jesse Helms and my provocative headline, an 
interim V.O.A. chief issued a soothing guideline that "we will not 
give a platform to terrorists or extremist groups." The new Bush-
appointed V.O.A. boss, Robert Reilly, had conservative backing and 
tries to resist giving equal time to murderers on U.S. government 
facilities. 

In the old days of 2001, moral clarity was in fashion at Foggy Bottom. 
But last week, in the posh reception room of the State Department, at 
a ceremony blessed by the attendance of an approving Secretary Colin 
Powell, the same news director who approved the previous policy of 
equal time for terror emerged triumphant. 

Andre de Nesnera was given an award by the American Foreign Service 
Association for "constructive dissent" in refusing to follow the 
suggestion from State last September to deny terrorists U.S. airtime. 
Champagne corks popped, Secretary Powell's presence was taken to be an 
official apology, and de Nesnera was hailed by foreign service 
officers for "the courage to challenge the system from within."

Within hours of having been lionized by the accommodationist 
diplomatic establishment for having etched his profile in courage, the 
triumphant news director fired a member of his staff named Stephen 
Schwartz. An excuse may be leaked, but I think the real reason is 
ironic: the former San Francisco Chronicle reporter is an outspoken 
dissenter from the news director's views.

Schwartz, a contributor to the conservative Weekly Standard, is 
critical of Saudi and Syrian support of terror: in September, 
Doubleday will publish his likely best seller, "The Two Faces of 
Islam: The House of Saud From Tradition to Terror." The abrasive 
reporter, 53, who covered the war in Bosnia and Kosovo firsthand, was 
unpopular with deskbound colleagues. Nor did he join the 100 V.O.A. 
employees who signed a petition last year supporting the news 
director's defense of its offer of a platform to al Serri and Mullah 
Omar. 

The U.S. government's newsroom tilts pro-Arafat and anti-Sharon. Four 
times in one week, director Reilly had to pull stories that featured 
Arab justifications of suicide bombing. Last week, he was too late to 
catch a broadcast interview about reaction to President Bush's Middle 
East speech that called terrorists "freedom fighters" engaged in a 
"resistance movement." In analyzing Bush's presentation of the U.S. 
position, a Hamas leader's diatribe was supposedly balanced by an 
Arabist former U.S. diplomat. Belatedly, that story was yanked from 
the V.O.A. Web site. 

Why can't the White House, State, Congress and the moribund 
Broadcasting Board get a handle on a unified public expression to the 
world of America's resolve? When V.O.A.'s new Middle East Radio 
Network took control of medium-wave transmitters located in Kuwait, 
that unplugged our AM broadcasts in Farsi to Iran and Radio Free 
Iraq's Arabic broadcasts to Iraq. Now a half-hour of music is followed 
by four minutes of news and not one pro-U.S. editorial. Why? Because 
V.O.A. bureaucrats have been spending months asking focus groups what 
Arabs want to hear. 

We are getting our act together on homeland security, and may even 
work out a rapprochement between the C.I.A. and F.B.I. But when it 
comes to knocking heads together to get our wartime message out — to 
persuade Islamic people that freedom is in their political interest, 
and that the path of democracy offers their best hope for a good life 
— our Voice is faint and our public diplomacy a flop. 

Forum: Join a Discussion on William Safire's Columns (Moderated)
(NY Times Op-Ed July 1 via Tom McNiff, VA, Harry Helms, CA, DXLD)

Information about Andre de Nesnera's creative dissent award is at... 
http://www.voanews.com/article.cfm?objectID=B5EDCCE9-C15F-4FD2-9517F0556A866010&title=VOA%20Receives%20Ethics%20Award%20for%20Mullah%20Omar%20Interview 

By the way, any news releases about Radio Sawa/MERN, and about BBG, 
can be found at the BBG website -- http://www.bbg.gov/bbg_news.htm -- 
rather than at voanews.com  73 (Kim Elliott, DC, July 1, DX LISTENING 
DIGEST)

VERY SAD, VERY SAD indeed.

Maybe the best idea would be to suspend the shortwave, medium wave, 
FM, internet et al. and just a present a service Members of Congress 
and Mr. Safire, feel comfortable with. No sane listener will be fooled 
by a propaganda service. Too many international broadcasters like 
Swiss Radio International, Radio Austria International, and DW have 
decided the people of the Foreign Ministry are the most important
audience, the rest of audience be dammed, 'all they want is a QSL card 
anyway.' AND YOU KNOW SOMETHING, they are right, the programs are so 
boring, only someone who needs a QSL card would bother to listen 
anyway.

I hope the VOA will maintain a higher standard! It should useful for 
soemthing other than obtaining QSL Cards (Larry Nebron, CA, swprograms 
via DXLD)

** U S A. U.S. RADIO CHARM BLITZ HITS CRACKED NOTE FOR ARABS 
   By Joseph Logan 

BEIRUT, Lebanon (Reuters) - Hoping to soothe Arab anger at its 
policies, Washington is spinning frothy pop tunes and the United 
States take on Middle East news across the region, but the signs are 
that even those who like to dance cannot stand the message. 

As many Arabs seethe over a Middle East policy speech by President 
Bush demanding that Palestinians reject their leadership to achieve a 
state, the United States faces a tall order in persuading the region 
it is an honest broker of peace rather than Israel's mouthpiece and 
cash cow. 

U.S. officials believe Radio Sawa -- an Arabic language service mixing
music with news reflecting Washington's view of the region -- is 
making inroads toward easing the resentment America was forced to 
confront in the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States. 

Arab listeners, however, say they'll take Sawa's heavy dose of Arabic 
and English-language pop but have no use for the world view of 
Washington, which they deem the power that keeps Israel afloat and 
gives it the green light to oppress Palestinians. 

"I like the music, I hate America," said one listener, a 20-year-old
Palestinian woman studying at the American University of Sharjah in 
the United Arab Emirates. 

Part of a public diplomacy campaign launched after the attacks of 
Sept. 11, Sawa hopes to boost U.S. stock in the region through the 
tactics of American mass marketing, using government funds through the 
Middle East Radio Network. 

It hit the airwaves in late March, and is heard clearly in Amman, 
Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait on FM, and with less success in Egypt and 
Lebanon via AM transmissions. It has also received permission to begin 
transmitting from Cyprus. 

Most of the programming is dedicated to music, but Sawa -- which means
"together" in Arabic -- has short news bulletins, a sample of which 
quoted only Western leaders such as Bush and British Prime Minister 
Tony Blair. 

U.S. Undersecretary of State Charlotte Beers, an advertising industry
pioneer whose job now is to pitch America abroad, says consumers need 
to know the product as it is, arguing that ignorance, not U.S. policy, 
is the source of resentment in the Middle East. 

CHALLENGE TO COMMUNICATE, ARAB AWARENESS 

"We have ... a challenge to communicate our policies and values to the
world more effectively," she told the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations 
Committee, explaining that Sawa was making inroads on that front. 
Some Middle East listeners, however, said Sawa's task would be much
tougher, and that its real problem was that Arab audiences know 
America all too well. 

"Merely broadcasting in Arabic will not change Arab hatred of America
because of its bias toward (for) the Zionist enemy," said Jamil Abu-
Bakr, acting head of Jordan's largest political party and mainstream 
opposition group the Islamic Action Front. 

"Arab awareness about their cause and America's position towards it is 
much deeper than to be influenced by this media campaign to improve 
America's image."

Other listeners seemed willing to be wooed by the music, but resented 
the political mission. "It's really nice. It has good English and 
Arabic songs and no programs, so I don't have to keep switching 
stations," said Dara Robehmed, a 29-year-old Jordanian who works in 
advertising in Dubai, who was surprised to learn what Sawa's mission 
was. 

"I had no idea that it was launched to improve America's image," she 
said. "I think using our (Arabic) music to try to improve relations 
with us is a slap in the face." 

On the other side of the broadcast battle for Arab sympathies, the 
head of al-Manar, the television station run by Lebanon's Hizbollah 
guerrilla movement, said that the moment Sawa's values bled into its 
content it would lose its audience. 

Nayef Krayem, whose station covers the Palestinian uprising as an 
armed struggle against the terrorism of Israel and its U.S. patrons, 
said Arab listeners would hear advocacy for Israel in between Sawa's 
songs, and reject it. 

"In the view of Arabs, the U.S. and the Israel positions are one, or
rather, the U.S. position is the cause of the Israeli position because 
of its unlimited support for Israel," he said. 

"If the station is pushing these positions, then it's going to fall on 
deaf ears and won't resonate. Arabs will recognize it as indirect 
marketing of Israel's policies." 

YOUR MARTYRS ARE MILITANTS 

Some listeners said Sawa's political bent was there for all to see in
descriptions of Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group that has carried 
out suicide attacks on Israelis by bombers described as martyrs by the 
Arab media. 

"I noticed something was wrong when they described Hamas as an 
extremist militant group," said Mariam al-Dabbagh, a 20-year-old 
studying at the University of Sharjah. "The news glorifies the United 
States and in a way undermines the Arab role in the peace process." 

In Lebanon, where few can hear Sawa and several stations offer the 
same fare of Western and Arab pop music, there seemed to be little 
room for either the station's content or its views. 

"Radio What?," said Rosy, a 21-year-old student at the Lebanese 
American University. "I guess I would listen if I like the music, but 
I already have stations that play what I like. And the idea of the 
U.S. news in Arabic, it sounds silly." 

"It doesn't matter what language they say it in, no one agrees with 
what they say." 

Sawa's signal is also weak in Cairo, where some people suggested the
station's political mission and the sense that it was just another 
mouthpiece for America's pro-Israeli bias would turn off listeners 
even if they could hear it. 

"I wouldn't want to listen to it because I'm sick of all things that 
are American. I boycott their food, clothes and their media," said 
Naglaa Mohamed, a 35-year-old housewife. "As long as the American will 
is controlled by Israel, then nothing the United States does will 
improve its image in the Arab world." 

Additional reporting by Ghaida Ghantous in Dubai, Suleiman al-Khalidi 
in Amman, and Heba Kandil in Cairo) (REUTERS via Mike Cooper, July 2, 
DXLD)

** U S A. Rumor has it that WJIE has approached KVOH about the 
possibility of using their SW transmitter, either in California, or to 
replace the one in Kentucky (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A. *** LATEST NEWS ***

WUOT has been declared an "essential service" by the University of
Tennessee and WILL remain on the air in the event of a partial state 
government shutdown. UT  officials will use the station as a primary 
communications tool to inform the public about UT activities during 
this most unusual time. WUOT will maintain normal broadcast 
operations, but will pre-empt regularly scheduled programming if 
events warrant.

The status of a state appropriation for WUOT in FY '03 is still 
unknown at this time (Denise Carpenter, WUOT Knoxville June 30 via 
DXLD)

** U S A. IS THIS THE END OF INTERNET RADIO FROM THE USA?  
   From  radiolondon.co.uk

The fight for Internet Radio has been struck a blow, with the decision 
of the US Library of Congress to charge companies a crippling fee for 
all the music they play. John Schneider http://www.radiopoly.com 
updates us:

Bad news folks. The Librarian Of Congress cut the performance royalty 
rate for webcasters in half yesterday. That sounds good when you say 
it, until you learn that the formula is still per song / per listener, 
instead of a rate based on a percentage of revenue like the long 
existing ASCAP & BMI fees. The result? For traditional stations 
(terrestrials) that simulcast online, no change. For internet only 
stations (like Radiopoly WILL be), the fee will be half of what was 
originally proposed, or 0.07 cents per listener, per song. Doesn't 
sound like a lot, I know, but it adds up very fast. The difference for 
the vast majority of webcasters (you know, all the people that AREN'T 
Yahoo, MSN, AOL, etc) is a rate that represents only about 100% of 
revenue instead of about 200%. Oh joy.

Just when you think someone in Washington has the nerve to be fair to 
a fledgling industry, they get sucked in by the massive vacuum inside 
the beltway. If you feel so inclined to write to your representatives, 
tell them the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) MUST be amended 
NOW, to COMPLETELY ELIMINATE a performance royalty fee for webcasters. 
While you're at it, ask them this: "How could it possibly make sense 
that webcasters, who are executing the same business model (and 
actually improving on it) as terrestrial broadcasters are subject to a 
per performance royalty that does not exist (and never has) for 
terrestrial broadcasts?"

Kick ass and take names. John (via Mike Terry, UK, June 30, DXLD)

Monkey Love. God save Pirate Cat Radio. Least you could do, after 
forsaking the webcasters.

BY DAN REINES

So the librarian of Congress screwed pretty much everyone last week, 
in case you missed it.

James H. Billington, who runs the government agency that oversees the
Copyright Office, ruled on June 20 that Internet broadcasters will pay 
back royalties to performers in the sum of seven cents per listener 
per song -- half what arbitrators proposed back in February, but still 
not the revenue-based flat fee that small-time webcasters claim they 
need in order to survive. In other words, everyone involved is pissed.

So what's it all mean to you? Well, it means your listening menu just 
got slimmer. Again.

Not that it wasn't already waiflike. Ever since the Telecommunications 
Act of 1996, media leviathans like Infinity Broadcasting and Clear 
Channel have been buying up the commercial radio dial, turning 
hundreds of stations into homoplastic clones of one another. Which 
means that instead of dozens of DJs and program directors picking 
music based entirely on personal taste (and maybe some hookers and 
coke, compliments of the labels), now the playlists are determined by 
one or two regional PDs based on nationwide phone-tree focus groups 
(and a barely legal system of de facto payola, but apparently no more 
hookers). It's why commercial FM radio comes in three colors nowadays:
black, white and country. It's also why all three colors suck.

It's worth noting that despite the crap we've given KCRW -- and yeah, 
morning does become narcoleptic with all that techno-infused AOR they 
play – at least they're unique. Maybe you like Nic Harcourt's taste in 
music, maybe you don't, but at least he has taste, rather than just a 
ream of market research.

Anyway, there's good news. Pirate Cat Radio is back.

Maybe you remember DJ Monkey Man -- Daniel Roberts to his real-life 
friends. Roberts ran a pirate radio feed at 87.9 FM out of his 
Hollywood apartment until March, when he packed up and headed for 
Santa Cruz. But Roberts came back in early May, and now he's running 
for mayor of Hollywood (assuming Hollywood secession goes through), 
and more importantly, he's back on the air. Not that we're blowing his 
cover or anything.

"It took the FCC three days to find me," he says. "They know my m.o. – 
they know what's going on."

The FCC may know all about him, but so far they haven't done a whole 
lot other than bury him in form letters. And for the moment, at least, 
Roberts is still broadcasting because of what he says is a loophole in 
the law, something he found in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, 
title 47, section 73.3542: If you're in the process of applying for a 
license, apparently, "authority [to broadcast] may be granted, on a 
temporary basis, in extraordinary circumstances." Conveniently enough, 
those circumstances include a state of war.

It was one of those "holy shit!" discoveries for a guy who's been 
running pirate radio stations and dodging the government since the 
mid-'90s. "I'm like, "Oh God, it can't be that easy,'" says Roberts.

Of course, it's not that easy, or at least not according to the FCC. 
"There are no such loopholes," says an informed (and really, really 
stern) source over at the agency's enforcement bureau. "There. Just. 
Are. No. Such. Loopholes. If he's operating on the air, he will be 
found, and he will be stopped. And severe penalties follow." The 
source didn't say anything about tire irons or missing thumbs, but his 
point was pretty clear.

No. Loopholes.

Whatever, it's not your concern. Your concern is finding a radio 
station you can stomach. And while Pirate Cat Radio may be 
ridiculously small (the light under which you're reading this story 
puts out more wattage), it is available within about 20 miles of 
Roberts' apartment, and thank God.

Roberts broadcasts all day, every day, with the help of a couple of 
PCs and about 260 gigabytes of MP3s, which is a whole fucking lot of 
music.

Which means that if you tune in on your way to work one morning, you 
may hear Blondie's "Dreaming," or the Waitress's "I Know What Boys 
Like," or what the hell, maybe some obscure spoken-word stuff. It's, 
you know, kind of a crapshoot. But whatever you hear today, you won't 
be hearing tomorrow.

"Lately the playlist has been nothing but punk, ska, new wave, some 
Brit pops and, I don't know, some weird Belle and Sebastian or the Who 
or whatever," says Roberts, laughing. "I don't know. Donovan. It's 
getting really weird lately."

And that, really, is kind of the point, ain't it? After all, with KROQ 
you know exactly what you're going to hear on your way to work because 
it's the same thing you heard while you were brushing your teeth. It's 
Papa Roach. Dear Lord, save us all.

Or at least watch over the Monkey Man. Least you could do after 
forsaking the webcasters.  newtimesla.com | originally published: June 
27, 2002 (via Tom Roche, DXLD)

** U S A. GENERAL COMMUNICATIONS EMERGENCY RESCINDED 

(Jul 1, 2002) -- At the request of Arizona Section Manager Clifford 
Hauser, KD6XH, effective today at 3 PM Eastern Daylight Time (1900 
UTC), the Federal Communications Commission's declared communications 
emergency will terminate. The declared communications emergency was 
in support of relief efforts in Arizona. Amateurs can resume using 
the frequencies 7265 kHz and 3990 kHz plus or minus 3 kHz. The 
Federal Communications Commission wishes to thank everyone for their 
cooperation and dedicated service. 

W1AW will resume its 3990 kHz phone bulletin, transmitted daily at 
0145Z, Monday evening. (ARRL via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DXLD) 

** U S A. Concerned about the rash of AM stations running daytime 
facilities at night, when they are supposed to be lower powered, 
direxional, or even off the air? We understand that reports of such 
violations in DXLD do eventually come to the attention of the FCC. 
Other violations of interest: EAS incapability; towers over 200 feet 
must have their registration number attached, or at least on the gate 
to the property. This is often not the case. Altho it may take a 
while, stations are likely to face fines and cease-and-desist orders. 
Lack of legal IDs, however, is not a concern (Glenn Hauser, DX 
LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A [non]. Family Radio [via Merlin, frequencies now available:]
Details Time (UT) Tx Site Freq Coverage Area Program Language

1400-1700 Abu Dhabi (UAE) 17800 IND En & Hindi
1900-2000 Woofferton (UK)  9590 ME Ar
1700-1900 Woofferton (UK) 15290 WeRUS Ru
1700-1800 Asc Isl         21680 CeAF En
2000-2100 Asc Isl         15195 Ce&WeAF En
1900-2100 Meyerton (SoAF)  3230 SoAF En.

For further information about this press release, please contact:
Laura Jelf, Marketing Manager Merlin Communications International Ltd
Tel: +44 (0)20 7969 0000 Fax: +44 (0)20 7396 6223
e-mail: laura.jelf@merlincommunications.com
http://www.merlincommunications.com (Merlin Comm, WWDXC Jun 25 via BC-
DX via DXLD)

** U S A [non]. RFA A-02 updated schedule of July 1st.

0000-0100  LAO        12015I 13830  15545T
0030-0130  BURMESE    13680T 15660  17525  17835S
0100-0300  TIBETAN     9365  11975H 11695UAE 15225T 15695  17730
0100-0200  UIGHUR      9350  11520  11895UAE 11945UAE 15405S
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

1100-1300  TIBETAN     7470  11590  13625T 15510UAE 15695
                      17855H-(from 1200)
1100-1200  LAO         9355S  9545T 15560I 15635
1230-1330  CAMBODIAN  11520  13765I 15525T
1300-1400  BURMESE     9385  11765T 11540  13745T
1300-1400  TIBETAN     7470  11590  13625T 15510UAE 15695  17855H
1400-1500  CANTONESE   9445S 11955S 13625T
1400-1500  VIETNAMESE  9455S  9635T  9930W 11510  11520
                      11605N 11765T 13775P 15705
1400-1500  KOREAN      7380  11790T 13720T 15625
1500-1600  TIBETAN     7470  11510  11780UAE 13835
1500-1600  MANDARIN    9905P 11765T 11945S 13625T
                      13690T 15510T 15680  17640T  927N
1600-1700  UIGHUR      7460   9370   9555UAE 9675UAE 13625T
1600-1700  MANDARIN   9455S-(fr 1630) 9905P 11750T 11795T 11945S
                      13690T 15510T 15680  17640T  927N(1630-)
1700-1800  MANDARIN    9355S  9455S  9905P 11750T 11795T 11945S
                      13690T 15510T 15680  17640T  927N(-1730)
1800-1900  MANDARIN    9355S  9455S 11520  11740T 11945S 11955T
                      13680T 15510T 15680  17640T
1900-2000  MANDARIN    9355S  9455S  9905P 11520  11740T 11785T
                      11945S 11955T 13625T 13680T 15510T 15680
2000-2100  MANDARIN    9355S  9455S  9905P 11520  11700T 11740T
                      11785T 11935S 13625T 13670T 15515T 15680
2100-2200  CANTONESE   9355S 11785T 13675T
2100-2200  MANDARIN    9455S  9910P 11700T 11740T 11935S 13625T
                      15515T 15680
2200-2300  CANTONESE   9355S  9955P 11785T 13675T
2200-2300  KOREAN      7460   9455T 11670S 11935S
2230-2330  CAMBODIAN   9930P 11570  15175I 15485T
2300-2359  MANDARIN    9910P 11785T 13800S 15430T 15550T 15680
                       7290  11960
2300-2359  TIBETAN     7470   9365  9805UAE 9875H 15695
2330-0029  VIETNAMESE 11540  11560  11580  11605N 11670T 13720S 15560P
(various sources, updated on July 1st, 2002, BC-DX via DXLD)

** URUGUAY. 6155, 28.6 2320, R. Sarandí del Yí was a surprise this 
night. Was heard really well with short notices about tourism in 
Uruguay followed by a notice about a music fiesta in Treinta y Tres 
with orchestras from Brazil and Dom Rep. Q 4 DO (Dan Olsson, SW 
Bulletin June 30, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DXLD)

** UZBEKISTAN. 17775, 1340-, R. TASHKENT Jun 29 Good reception from 
Radio Tashkent in English about economic matters. Other parallels not 
heard today. Long lists of contact addresses, email, phone numbers! I 
suspect these are business contacts, rather than for Radio Tashkent 
(Walt Salmaniw, Grayland WA DXpedition, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** VIETNAM. 5925, Xuan Mai's outlet of R. V. of Vietnam hrd again on 
23 Jun 2206-2226 at a fair level of 35433, airing Vietn pxing w/, 
presumably, news and later with songs (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, BC-
DX Jun 24 via DXLD)

** ZIMBABWE [non]. MADAGASCAR. 7310, 0330-, VOICE OF PEOPLE Jun 30 
Fine signal tonight despite WHRI being back on the air. Crash start at 
0330 with African music program. Must be a weekly Saturday night (UT 
Sunday morning) program. About the best I've heard them except when 
7315 off the air (Walt Salmaniw, Grayland WA DXpedition, DX LISTENING 
DIGEST) 

** ZIMBABWE [non]. QSL Report: SW Radio Africa, Zimbabwian clandestine 
via South Africa-6165. E-mail from v/s: Richard, webmaster: 
richard@swradioafrica.com  web: http://www.swradioafrica.com (Björn 
Fransson, the island of Gotland, Sweden, July 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

UNIDENTIFIED? 5080, 1358-, Russian 'names' station Jun 29 First time 
I've heard anything like this. Rather than numbers, ongoing lists of 
Russian names are read. Seems to originate from Russian Far East, as 
strongest on NW Beverage. Anyone else hear anything like this? Ended 
at 1405:45. 

A very enjoyable weekend, as always in Grayland, WA DX site using 3 
700+' Beverage antennas aimed NW, W, and SW terminated on the Pacific 
Ocean. Receiver this time was my AOR 7030+ using ERGO 3 computer 
control software. Unlike other DXpeditions, conditions did not seem to 
favour any one area, as you can see by my loggings below. Thanks to 
John Bryant and Don Nelson for erecting the antennas before the 
arrival on Friday of myself and Nick Hall-Patch. Happy listening, and 
happy Canada Day to all Canadians, and an early Happy 4th of July to 
the Americans (Walt Salmaniw, Grayland WA DXpedition, DX LISTENING 
DIGEST) 

UNIDENTIFIED. 10197.128, 1628 July 1, 11 x 927, Very weak (Tim 
Bucknall, UK, harmonics yahoogroup via DXLD)

UNIDENTIFIED. Vietnamese sounding station heard on 11640, 1925 hours, 
did not say it was Voice of Vietnam (Christopher Lewis, UK, June 30, 
DX LISTENING DIGEST) But, why not? (gh, DXLD) ###