DX LISTENING DIGEST 2-110, July 9, 2002 edited by Glenn Hauser, wghauser@hotmail.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits HTML version of this issue will be posted afterwards at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd02.html For restrixions and searchable 2002 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn WORLD OF RADIO #1138: (DOWNLOAD) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1138.rm (STREAM) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1138.ram (SUMMARY) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1138.html (ONDEMAND) http://www.wrn.org/ondemand/worldofradio.html WWCR BROADCAST: Wed 0930 9475 RFPI BROADCASTS: Wed 0100, 0700, on 7445-USB, 15038.6 WBCQ FIRST BROADCASTS OF WOR #1139: Wed 2200 17495 7415; Thu 0415 7415 DXERS CALLING Hi all, many thanks to all for their kind words with support of the Dxers Calling audio service; it is very much appreciated. After much thought as to how I may be able to provide audio to the many that may require it, I will be restarting Dxers Calling as a free subscription based audio distribution service, and will be willing to distribute DXing with Cumbre with Marie Lamb, World of Radio with Glenn Hauser, SPDXR with Paul Ormandy, Fred Moe and Random Transmissions, Tim Gaynor and Dxers Calling media report (also via Dave N1DK Cybershortwave), from this Saturday July 13 2002. All of the above programs will be offered either individually or as a 16KBPS MP3 Audio file through email. The URLS remain unchanged, http://www.geocities.com/nri3 http://www.angelfire.com/myband/tjg http://nrin.hypermart.net *except for the nrin site, which will provide some Shortwave and streaming news either about dxers calling and will also invite others to become an audio distributor to lighten the work load on myself. group site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxerscalling/post With regard to the streaming royalty issues, I will no longer stream through Live365.com as they will be charging all accounts a $5 U.S. rate to cover royalties, but I am of the opinion that this should not cover spoken word programs unless the program provider requests it. The Dxers Calling site is more of a hobby for me but is also a non- profit audio service of which I derive nothing in monetary terms. So I hope this will be a satisfactory arrangement for all! Any concerns, please email me, *Free Distribution! Thank you (Tim Gaynor, Dxers Calling, Audio from Australia and to the World (via ShortWaveRadio yahoogroup et al. via DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN. DEPUTY MINISTER INTRODUCES NEW HEAD OF AFGHAN RADIO | Excerpt from report by Afghan radio on 7 July At a ceremony, the deputy minister of information and culture on publication affairs, esteemed Abdol Hamed Mobarez, introduced the newly appointed head of the radio and television [organization], esteemed Engineer Mohammad Isaq, to his colleagues today. Bakhtar Information Agency reported, the ceremony, held on the occasion at the radio and television station, was attended by the station's directors, personnel and officials. The deputy minister of information and culture on publication affairs, esteemed Abdol Hamed Mobarez, spoke in detail on the role and influence of radio and television on people's opinions. He said: At this very delicate situation, the radio and television have a very heavy obligation and duty to enhance the national unity, to defend our independence and territory and to inform the public. Esteemed Mobarez praised the vital services of esteemed Engineer Mohammad Isaq, who was one of the closest colleagues of the national hero, Ahmad Shah Masud, during the period of jihad and resistance. He also pledged cooperation on behalf of all officials and personnel of the Ministry of Information and Culture. Following that, Engineer Mohammad Isaq said that he would not spare any kind of cooperation with the Ministry of Information and Culture to improve the affairs of radio and television in accordance with his capability and ability... It has to be mentioned that Engineer Mohammad Isaq was the editor in chief of the Afghan News during the jihad period and carried out the responsibility for a while in Kabul, too. He was the head of Payam-e Mojahed during the resistance period and following that he was a member of the [Islamic] United Front [for the Salvation of Afghanistan] in New York. He used to be a close colleague of the national hero, Ahmad Shah Masud. Source: Radio Afghanistan, Kabul, in Pashto 1500 gmt 7 Jul 02 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. I received a prepared postcard QSL with R. Maranatha written on front + 3 Iguazú post cards + 2 photos from family of Lino Fernández with his 8 childrens !!, and a T-shirt with "Cataratas del Iguazu - Argentina" written on front & picture of waterfalls + very friendly letter. v/s José Lino Fernández, producer of programme "Atendiendo a los Oyentes" and stamped with seal "Iglesia Evangélica Asamblea de Dios Morena", in 38 days. I sent my report directly to the announcer job QTH when I did not know the exact name of the station because on the ID's they have been mentioned firstly both names (Gabriel Iván Barrera, Argentina, DSWCI DX Window July 5 via DXLD) ** BELGIUM. Bob Zanotti, ex-``R. Switzerland International`` as FV calls it, on the sad state of shortwave today, another 8-minute excerpt of his speech at Kulpsville appears on this week`s RVI Radio World: http://www.vrt.be/real/rvi/dalet/rw.ram Next week: Kim Elliott. BTW, if you save this as a RealPlayer favorite, you will always get the latest RVI Radio World show. Same can be done with Ask WWCR and others (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOUGAINVILLE. R. Free Bougainville: This rebel station was powered by a generator running on coconut oil and was last heard by DX-ers in 1998 around 3850 on LSB at *1000-1030*. It verified by QSL (Anker Peterson, Ed., DSWCI DX Window July 5 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Canção Nova in Brazil is making available a chat channel for those radio listeners who want to participate in the Além Fronteiras by computer. It will be available next Saturday (July 13). The objective is to keep a two-way contact with our listeners. I want you help me to try it. Chat = http://www.cancaonova.com/dx Além Fronteiras --- Beyond Boundaries schedule Every Saturday from 22:00 to 23:00 GMT AM 1020 / 60m 4.825 / 49m 6.105 / 31m 9.675 Regards, Eduardo De Moura --- PY2TP, Radio Canção Nova _________________ We confirm radio reports on the air and 100% QSL back (via DXing.info July 8 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL [and non]. Hi, after a question about a harmonic on the radioescutas list, I've done some listening around on the bands and have run into the following MW harmonics. All the identified ones are from Brazil, with one station from my own city. Has anybody else heard some of these stations, or is anybody able to confirm the identity of some of these ? kHz fund date UT Details 2220.13 1110 ? 8/7/2002 0044 tent. R. Cultura, Campos "R. Cultura, voz de Campos" 2540 1270 24h R. Capital, Curitiba 2800 8/7/2002 0130 unid, Brazilian ? 2840.27 8/7/2002 0133 unid 3390 1130 Marialva ????? 3810 1270 24h (very weak) R. Capital, Curitiba 5080 1270 24h R. Capital, Curitiba I'm listening from Curitiba in the south of Brazil, using an Icom R75 and a home-brew T2FD of 15 meters. Regards, (Rik van Riel, Curitiba PR, hard-core-dx via DXLD) -- Bravely reimplemented by the knights who say "NIH". http://www.surriel.com/ http://distro.conectiva.com/ Normally we don`t take MW harmonics heard at local range very seriously, since actual harmonic power may be minuscule and/or due to local receiver overload. So I haven`t mentioned that I can hear KGWA 960 Enid on 2880, KCRC 1390 Enid on 2780, et al. (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BURMA [non]. See NETHERLANDS [and non]. RN Madagascar relay is almost back to normal, including return to that site of DVOB after a few days via Tashkent on same frequency: 2330-0030 Madagascar 11715 055 200 Dem. V. of Burma SE Asia (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. The Voice of Vietnam's 0330 EG transmission via Sackville is off frequency at 6174.97 kHz. This transmitter closes at 0358 and then the transmitter for the Vietnamese broadcast opens on 6175.00 at 0400 (Brandon Jordan - Memphis TN - bjordan@bcdx.org Icom R75 - Palstar R30C - Quantum QX Pro - Wellbrook ALA 330 Please visit the new BCDX website at http://www.bcdx.org July 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Guess this means they are switching from one transmitter to another for some reason. The things you can learn with precision frequency measuring! (gh, DXLD) ** CANADA. New 1610 kHz station returns to testing, includes official IDs and phone number for reporting interference: (514) 287-1288 or pierre@qc.aira.com Signal strength bouncing all over the place. Not always testing with Caribbean music... sometime classical, French standards and pseudo- hip-hop-à-la-Eminem (International Radio Report July 7 via Ricky Leong via DXLD) 1610 Montreal: I've been listening down here in Rochester the last few nights, where the signal is OK but plagued by the RFI that seems to knock out half the X-band for me nightly, and I've noticed something different on their regular test announcements. While Sheldon Harvey initially reported them using the calls "CJWI," I'm hearing them ID'ing as "CJAM" or "CJAN" (say-zhee-ah-em or en). The CJAM-FM calls have long been in use at 91.5 at the University of Windsor in Windsor, ON; CJAN was (is?) the call in Asbestos, Quebec. I'd be happy to send an .mp3 of the test announcement to anyone interested in hearing it; I may also post a RealAudio version at fybush.com this week. Curiouser and curiouser... -s (Scott Fybush, Rochester NY, July 8, R8A/McKay Dymek DA-5 amplified ferrite rod, NRC-AM via DXLD) They're not just using the "CJ" part of their call with "AM" as a slogan cos they're on the AM band? Just a thought (Mark Hattam, UK, ibid.) Or, didn't Sheldon report that the name of the licensee is "CPAM"? (Doug Smith, TN, ibid.) He did, and it is, and the test message makes several references to "CPAM Radio Union.com", the full name of the licensee. But it also - twice - gives an ID of "CJAM (or perhaps CJAN) Montreal," with no mention of the "CJWI" calls that Sheldon heard. My French isn't great (just ask all the Parisians I tried to talk to a few months ago, hi), but I can tell the difference between "AM" and "WI." Something's still strange up there... (Fybush, ibid.) The official call letters, CJWI, are mentioned right at the beginning of the taped announcement running on the station. They are mentioned only once in the announcement. All other references refer to the company "CPAM Radio Union.com" This has been confusing to a number of people already. I had one guy here in Montreal, a ham operator, who insisted that CPAM were the call letters; quite a feat when you realize that the prefix "CP" is allocated to BOLIVIA!! (Sheldon Harvey, QC, ibid.) I've gone back and listened to my tapes of the station from last night a few more times. They seem to keep burying the beginning of the announcement under the end of the previous song, but I did pick out, as Sheldon says, a "CJWI" at the beginning. But it still sounds very distinctly as though the announcer is saying, "Ici CJWI, CJAM Montreal" before giving the "CPAM Radio Union.com" identification. Perhaps I'll be able to pull it in a little more clearly tonight... (Fybush, ibid.) Sheldon has cleared this up with me in private e-mail...what I was hearing is "CJWI, 1610 AM Montreal," which comes out in French as "say-zhee-double-vay-ee (CJWI) seize-dix (1610) AM Montreal." And through the static, "seize-dix" sounded like "say-zhee" (CJ). And hence the confusion. (This is why I let Lisa do most of the talking for me while we were in France!) (Fybush, ibid.) There is definitely some confusion circulating about the call letters for the new AM 1610 station in Montreal. Some of this has been caused, first by the call letters being given in French and, second by the name of the company running the station being CPAM Radio Union.com Here is the lowdown. The call letters, CJWI, are mentioned only once in the announcement, right at the beginning. The first line in French of the ID tape is: Ici CJWI 1610 AM Montréal... Translated, and phonetically, this might help: This is (phonetically) say-gee-dou-bluh-vay-ee The frequency is given as 16-10 which in French is seize-dix (phonetically) saize-dis. Hopefully this helps (Sheldon Harvey, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Tape of it is on this week`s International Radio Report starting 5:15 into the 28:40 show; it`s not that clear even at local range (gh, DXLD) For those who wish to hear this wonderfully confusing bit of audio for themselves, it's now available as an MP3: http://www.fybush.com/cjwi.mp3 Enjoy all the electrical noise of a warm summer night in the Northeast, hi... -s (Scott Fybush, NY, NRC-AM via DXLD) How late was CJWI on testing? I just got back from my first trip to Boston, and heard Latin music on 1610 0220 EDT Sun Morning July 8. Fadey, but heard words such as "Corazón" sung. Or is this one of the Boston-area pirates? Never heard any ID, but I didn't stay with it all that long (Rich Toebe, Davis CA [non], NRC-AM via DXLD) CJWI was on well past 2 AM Sunday night-Monday morning, and they're on now (12:27 AM EDT Tuesday). The ID seems to be running every 10 minutes or so... (Fybush, ibid.) ** CANADA. RADIO STATION TAKES FLIGHT AÉROPORTS DE MONTRÉAL PLANS TO BROADCAST INFORMATION FOR DORVAL USERS NICOLAS VAN PRAET, Montreal Gazette, Tuesday, July 09, 2002 Jamie Quinn, host of Take Off in the Morning on CFYZ, the radio station in Toronto's Pearson airport. [caption] Aéroports de Montréal, the non-profit company that runs the area's two airports, is quietly putting in place a low-power FM radio station that will broadcast parking and emergency information for travelers. But while Toronto already has an established airport station with live hosts and the possibility of fully commercializing its operations, Montreal is only beginning its radio experiment. Airport officials say the station, to be called CHDO, will likely be ready to hit the airwaves on Aug. 1. With a listening radius of 12 kilometres around the Dorval terminal building, CHDO will broadcast in French and English on 89.7 FM. Travelers will hear a looped recording of limited information about Montreal's main airport, mostly about parking. People will also be told what to expect during a storm or an emergency situation. "You'd be surprised at the calls we get about parking," said Jacqueline Richard, spokesman for the airport authority. "People are nervous. They just don't know where to go." Aéroports de Montréal received its license to operate the station from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission last December. By comparison, the Greater Toronto Airport Authority has been operating an airport information station called CFYZ 1280 for 18 years. That station added live programming two years ago. It now has three full-time employees and an annual budget of $300,000. Two announcers and station manager cram into studio space measuring 350 square feet. An estimated 2,000 to 4,000 listeners tune in during a typical 15-minute period. Fed information on four computer monitors in front of them, CFYZ's hosts rattle off the latest satellite weather, flight delays and road-traffic situation around the airport. Station staff produce original news content on the aviation and travel industries and provide listeners with travel advice and tips. "We broadcast literally anything from an adventure holiday that we heard to how do you handle the euro," said CFYZ station manager Stu Holloway. Montreal is a big enough market to support a radio station featuring live travel programming, he said, and the airport authority should consider a more ambitious project. "Disseminating instant information to the traveling public is the critical thing," Holloway said. "A radio station like that could actually be a profit centre." However, Aéroports de Montréal has no immediate plans to beef up the content of its station, Richard said. She said the airport authority's Web site and phone line provide detailed information to travelers. While CFYZ has a commercial license that permits it to sell and broadcast advertising, CHDO's license is non-commercial. As Canada's largest airport and Air Canada's main hub, Toronto Pearson saw more than 28 million travelers transit through its facilities in 2001. Dorval airport processed 8.2 million people. © Copyright 2002 Montreal Gazette (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** CHINA, 3960, Xinjiang PBS, full-data hand written English QSL letter (no v/s but has station seal), Chinese stamps and a post card, in 15 weeks for English report and $1. Envelope has a lot of beautiful stamps. The person who wrote the envelope and letter showed it as "Xingjiang." (Ron Howard, Monterey CA, DSWCI DX Window July 5 via DXLD) ** CHINA. Glenn, I saw this and thought it might be of interest for your show. Don't know if you have heard this before? CULT HIJACKS TV SIGNAL DURING WORLD CUP (07/09/2002) (China Daily) http://www1.chinadaily.com.cn/news/2002-07-09/77002.html Regards, (Ulis Fleming, NJ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CHINESE MINISTRY SAYS FALUN GONG JAMMED TV TRANSMISSION 23-30 JUNE | Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Beijing, 8 July: The Radio Administration of the Ministry of Information Industry Monday issued a solemn statement on the attack of Sinosat by the Falun Gong cult stationed abroad. Manipulated and directed by Li Hongzhi, the Falun Gong cult illegally launched radio signals to jam transmission of China's Sinosat satellite between 23 June and 30 [June], the statement said. As a result, programme transmissions of China Central Television's 9 channels and 10 provincial television stations were seriously affected. In certain areas in the countryside and outlying mountainous areas, people could not normally view news, weather and flooding forecasts, the final games of the World Cup and other programmes, it said. This was a serious criminal act by the Falun Gong cult stationed abroad, manipulated and directed by Li Hongzhi, to disrupt normal broadcasting and reception of the country's radio and television programmes. It violated the basic principles of relevant international pacts and civilian communications, endangered China's national security and infringed upon the rights and interests of the public. It disrupted the normal order of radio airwaves and posed a serious threat to the safety of radio messages. "We strongly condemn such mean acts by the Falun Gong cult stationed abroad which trample on international laws and public morality," the statement said. Radio services were widely used in telecommunications, radio broadcasts, television, navigation, positioning, weather forecasting and many other areas of daily life. The beaming of radio waves must proceed in an orderly way, so that these waves would not interfere with each other, disrupting normal wireless message services and even such important services as aviation and maritime communications and navigation and emergency rescue operations that had great bearing on public safety and people's lives. The consequences would be dreadful to contemplate. Therefore, all countries and international organizations stipulated strict and explicit regulations on the beaming of radio signals, it said. By openly and deliberately attacking Sinosat in contempt of international laws and regulations, the Falun Gong cult was unscrupulously breaking the order of wireless communications and launching a challenge against civilization. "We solemnly warn the Falun Gong cult to immediately stop its lawless disruption of normal communications. We appeal to the international community to condemn such base acts and jointly take measures to crack down on such evil behaviour," the statement said. Source: Xinhua news agency, Beijing, in English 1021 gmt 8 Jul 02 (via BBCM via DXLD) CHINA VOWS TO PUNISH FALUN GONG FOR TV PIRACY INCIDENT Jim Randle, Beijing, China, 8 Jul 2002 14:15 UT Officials in Beijing are vowing to hunt down and punish sympathizers of the Falun Gong spiritual movement, who have been hijacking Chinese satellite TV signals. China blames overseas activists for helping the banned group get its message onto TV screens across the country. The pictures lasted less than half a minute and showed some Falun Gong symbols and members sitting in meditation. Top broadcast officials in China say Falun Gong and its supporters hijacked government satellite frequencies and interrupted broadcasts on June 23, reaching what they called a "vast" number of Chinese television viewers. In Beijing Monday, China's Ministry of Information pointed the finger at unknown overseas parties that allegedly helped plan and execute the broadcast interruption. Liu Lihua, China's top broadcast regulator, refused to say exactly where the signal came from, but insists Falun Gong supporters behind it will be found and "severely punished." "They can run, but they can't hide forever," Mr. Liu says. The satellite hijacking follows at least three incidents since January where Falun Gong supporters hacked their way into Chinese cable television systems on the ground to display programs promoting their illegal group. Falun Gong is such a sensitive topic in China that the British Broadcasting Corporation's TV news program was recently removed from a Chinese-owned satellite system because a program mentioned the Falun Gong. The group was banned three years ago after it alarmed Chinese officials by holding a peaceful but massive demonstration outside the compound where China's leaders live. The group says its exercises and philosophy promote good health, but Beijing has deemed the group an evil cult that brainwashes followers and deceives them into forgoing medical treatments. China's government says Falun Gong once had millions of members. But thousands of supporters have been detained, and others sent to labor or re- education camps. China's crackdown has brought strong criticism from human rights groups and foreign governments (Source: voanews.com via Sergei Sosedkin, IL, DXLD) FALUN GONG IS ACCUSED OF DISRUPTING BROADCASTS By ERIK ECKHOLM, New York Times July 9, 2002 BEIJING, July 8 — Chinese officials accused the outlawed Falun Gong spiritual movement today of "launching a challenge against human civilization" by disrupting satellite television transmissions in parts of the country for more than 12 hours last month. In a news conference followed by a prime-time news special, broadcasting officials heaped new condemnations on the banned movement. Falun Gong has largely been crushed inside China over the last two years but still has closeted believers in China and a large, vocal following abroad. Officials said the operations of the Sinosat satellite, which broadcasts national and numerous provincial television channels to remote corners of the country, had been repeatedly "hijacked" during the week beginning June 23, endangering public security and violating international law. Officials said they had solid evidence that the disruptions were the work of "the Falun Gong cult stationed abroad, manipulated and directed by Li Hongzhi," the group's exiled founder. But they declined to provide backup evidence or to say where they believed the intruding signals originated. For long periods that week, the officials said, viewers dependent on the satellite saw black screens and for more than 20 seconds on June 23 they saw scenes of a Falun Gong rally and hundreds of meditating believers. Officials would not estimate how many viewers had been affected but said signals had been disrupted to 13,000 receiving stations, which distribute signals locally, located mainly in remote mountain areas. Viewers were denied the chance to see vital news, weather forecasts, the fifth anniversary celebration of the return of Hong Kong and some World Cup soccer games, the officials said. Earlier this year in at least two cities, followers cut into local cable stations and broadcast messages in defense of their banned spiritual movement and its leader. But today's statements were the first indication that Falun Gong followers might have taken the more advanced step of jamming satellite beacons and trying to substitute their own broadcasts. Falun Gong claims to harness supernatural forces for improved health and a clean society and attracted millions of believers in the late 1990's. It was outlawed as an "evil cult" after 10,000 members held an illegal demonstration in 1999, circling the leadership compound in Beijing to demand official recognition. The authorities acted harshly to stamp out the movement, sending thousands of die-hard believers to labor camps. But remnants in China and followers abroad have resisted with demonstrations and other tactics, such as the pirate television broadcasts. At today's news conference, called with only a few hours' notice, Liu Lihua, director general of radio regulation in the Ministry of Information Industry, called the airwave disruptions "extremely despicable." He said wireless communications were vital to aviation, navigation, flood warnings and other emergency operations and said interference could have consequences "that are simply too dreadful to contemplate." (via Chuck Hutton, DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. 6064.5, La Voz de Su Conciencia, Puerto Lleras, Meta: La Voz de Su Conciencia now confirmed by email. It is a 5 kW ex- Colmundo transmitter they are using. They will be shifting to 6060 shortly in order to avoid QRM from Family Radio. Asking Russ Stendal for the actual name, here is what he writes: ``It is La Voz de Su Conciencia, (The voice of your conscience) and it is being licensed as an extension of our AM station which is Radio Alcaraván. The Alcaraván is a unique bird of the Llanos (eastern plains) that both runs on the ground and flies (similar to a roadrunner) and it also has a strong clear voice (this AM station puts out a good ground wave and also an excellent sky wave at night). We are presently making a decal of the Alcaraván with both names and frequencies (both AM and short wave) on it to send out to listeners (and DXers) with pictures.`` ``Both of these stations, AM and short wave, have unique experimental antenna systems in which the antennas operate over standing water to help project a better sky wave at an optimum angle. We are still running tests and making adjustments. The initial data that is coming in suggests that this system is even better than we thought it would be. Your input and help obtaining detailed QSL reports from DXers world wide is most appreciated.`` ``We have been low key up until now with the identification over the air for two reasons: 1) Our target audience is guerrilla and paramilitary forces who have almost no tolerance for criticism. 2) Our license is pending and even though we are allowed to conduct ¨tests¨ we have to take it easy until full and final permission is obtained (which should happen in a couple weeks). In a week or so we will be shifting the frequency from 6065 to 6060. When the license is approved we will be upping the modulation from 50 to 70 per cent to 100 to 120 per cent. We will also be shifting the programming to all voice (instead of mostly music) on short wave. The programming that is currently running on short wave is really our AM programming. If all goes well we are also hoping to transmit on the 31 meter band within a few months to see, if that will improve our daytime signal coverage``. I also have no idea how it might differ at night in comparison to the 49 meter band. 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 on to say that the postmail address is Carrera 44 # 13-69, Bogotá, Colombia, and that they are presently working on some material to send out to DXers for QSL. Their short wave license will be an extension of their 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. The address given to me by Russ Stendal seemed a bit strange to me as it does not go to a neighborhood known for any significant business activity, and so I asked 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, Rafael tells me after contacting the bookstore by phone. As earlier reported by Rafael Rodriguez, the street address mentioned goes to a bookstore called Librería Colombia para Cristo, and so this name should preferably also be mentioned on the envelope. There is a website where one can contact the station at http://www.fuerzadepaz.com/webcristo/emisora/contactenos/contactenos.h tm (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, Dxplorer via DSWCI DX Window July 5 via DXLD) I have continued to work on this one, so here is a recap of what I have been hearing. The programming continues to be mainly local music with brief Bible references and religious messages after every few songs. There are longer spoken segments, however, and it is at the conclusion of those that a canned ID can be heard. There is usually a spoken segment starting roughly at 0655 and ending around 0725, at which time there is an ID. One day I heard the ID repeated twice at that time. On Jun 26 there was a spoken segment at 0857-0914, and at 0914 there was a canned ID again. Signal strength Jun 26 was pretty good, though with a lot of static. The canned ID at 0914 Jun 26 was: "En emisiones de prueba, transmite 6065, La Voz de su [or "tu"] Conciencia, desde Bonaire para el mundo." The "0725" IDs are similar, and appear to be: ``Transmite 6065, La Voz de su [tu?] Conciencia, en emisiones de prueba, desde Bonaire para el mundo.`` I heard the Apartado Aéreo 95300, Bogotá address reported by others given in mid- program Jun 24 at 0710. Jun 26 at 0913 at the end of a spoken segment and before the ID, I heard an "Avenida Caracas xxx5, Bogotá" address, probably a program address (Jerry Berg, MA, DSWCI DX Window July 5 via DXLD) Also heard Jun 30 and Jul 4, 0917-1000. Christian music (the singers were female). Religious talk. 15541. Impossible to hear the signal after 1000, when R. Universo, Curitiba signed on on 6060 (Jerry Berg, MA, and Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, ibid.) ** CONGO DR [non]. /GABON 9770, R TV Congolaise, Kinshasa via Moyabi, Jun 21, 23 and 26, *1600-1900*, French/Vernacular announcements, African light songs, Timesignal, news 1800, independence day celebration announcements and scheduled events, weather 1825 followed by more music, 43442 with adjacent QRM from Voice of Russia in English 9775 and CRI 9765 in Russian and then co-channel QRM from VoA 9770 via the Philippines at 1800 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal and Noel Green, England, DSWCI DX Window July 5 via DXLD) ** DENMARK [non]. Last month the majority political parties at the Danish Parliament agreed about domestic broadcasting until 2006. I sent a letter to the Minister of Culture, Brian Mikkelsen, and asked about the consequences for shortwave broadcasting. In a letter dated June 21, he wrote back that the present shortwave and mediumwave broadcasts in principle are going to continue (Anders Brandborg via DDXLK, via DSWCI DX Window July 5 via DXLD) ** EASTER ISLAND. Hisato, 7K1WLE, will be active from here (IOTA SA- 001) for his summer vacation between July 18-24th as CE0Y/7K1WLE. Some may remember Hisato as VY0/7K1WLE last October. Activity will be on 160-10 meters, mainly on CW and some SSB. He will be using a IC- 706+IC-2KL(500W) with a wire antenna. Suggested operating frequencies are: CW - 1826, 3504, 7004, 10104, 14004, 18074, 21004, 24894 and 28004 SSB - 3795, 7088, 14265, 18145, 21265, 24945 and 28465 kHz. He may briefly be active from Papeete, French Polynesia (FO) for one day before and after his stay at Easter Island. QSL via JN1HOW: Toshihiko Niwa, 1081-8 Sakae, Kitakawabe, 349-1213 JAPAN (KB8NW/OPDX July 8/BARF-80 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DXLD) ** GREECE. Friday June 28, I happened to find the weekly version of Learn Greek with English responses shortly after I had made an hourly check of The Voice of Greece at 1200 UT. There is not much English on it and right now they are discussing the touristic values of the various areas of Greece. I have highlighted the new addition to my schedule and the times are the ones that they used this week July 5; last week, it ended at 1215 UT: 1207-1222 Friday on 11730, 12105, 15650, 17900. (The only other change is Delano shifting from 9590 to 11730 at 1200-1500 from May 25) Preceding Learn Greek, there is what I presume to be a part of the ERA Interprogram ``Orientations`` in a foreign language. Since the arrival of my VOG schedules from Athens in April, I have received nothing new from them. When I last sent my reports late in June, I asked Dionisios Angelogiannis to send me a copy of VOG`s program schedule, even though it would be in Greek, so that I might be able to pull out the English segments, but there has been no response so far. They have probably been busy with the Late Greek Easter and I assume that they are busy with their getaway plans for summer vacations, or else they are just too busy working. I seldom hear form Demetri Vafeas, now that he is busy installing FM transmitters in various parts of Greece. The frequency problem seems to have stabilized now that Greece joined the HFCC and they are able to get together on the frequencies that they want to use. When Demetri was the frequency manager, they had many frequency interference problems and were always switching around until I put him wise to the benefits of VOG in joining HFCC to thrash out frequencies. Ever since the gardening season started, I have been busy planting tomatoes, peppers, onions, beans, and potatoes, which tends to cut down my monitoring time, but at least I try to keep up with my hourly reports on VOG`s broadcasts directed to North America. Now that they have the use of Delano`s and Greenville`s transmitters, they seem not to need the information from us monitors. I doubt that they will ever put the donated VOA transmitters into service for the daytime, but they sure could use them on the 0000-0350 UT service. But, now that they have the Internet and 24-hour service on their subscription satellite, they don`t seem to worry about the peasants with their short-wave receivers (John Babbis, Silver Spring, MD, July 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUAM [and non]. Jim Bohannon was back on stream from K57, when checked Tue July 9 at 1307, the topic delayed from night before, beisuboru suturaiku. So I went back to BBC Radio 3. Rechecked at 1407, K57 stream was again background noise only; guess it`s hit and miss. At 1504 recheck, he was back with the third hour, as usual open phones, already underway, with dropouts, when news should still have been on. Mentioned in passing was another affiliate, WROW Albany NY. That station does webcast via yahoo broadcast.com --- so that is still in business, for how long? --- as confirmed at 1535 UT, but no mention found on http://www.wrow.com of Bohannon, nor even a program schedule among all the extraneous stuff! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. 4606.4, RRI Serui, 1306 July 8. Noted as reactivation with Jakarta news in // with RRI Ujung Padang (4753.3) and RRI Jambi (4925). Not heard for some time. Signal was weak compared to the other two Indos. Best in LSB as ute is above (Don Nelson, OR, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ. Does anyone know what has happened to Iraq? I can hear their 11787 kHz transmitter with perfect signal strength, but they have very poor, maybe non-existent audio. Are there any people who can give any suggestions on hearing them on a better frequency etc etc? And has anyone any idea how old Iraq's transmitters are?? Thanks and Gods Blessings to every one (Christopher [Lewis], Host European DX Report, [HCJB], July 8, ARDXC via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. The English Kol Israel broadcasts, as of July 21, are: (UT) 0400-0415 no change 1030-1045 10 minute extension 1630-1645 50% reduction in time and move to later slot 1900-1925 no change That would be (ET): Midnight-12:15 AM 6:30-6:45 AM 12:30-12:45 PM 3-3:25 PM Israel Time 7 AM Reshet Alef 1:30 PM Reshet Alef 7:30 PM Reshet Alef 10 PM Reshet Hey (88 FM Jerusalem) No word on any frequency changes (only one broadcast is actually changing times). (Daniel Rosenzweig, July 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) A couple of new things. Once the July 21st changes go into effect, the 1030 UT (6:30 AM EDT) English broadcast will no longer be available on the live web feed at http://www.israelradio.org The live feed is Reqa part of the day and Reshet Hey 88.2 the rest of the day. Since the 1030 UT broadcast is going to be on Reshet Alef, it will not be available on the web at all. Broadcasts of other languages which have moved to Reshet Alef (such as French) will have similar impacts. The other English webcasts will remain as is. The French and Spanish schedule -- all times ISRAEL Time. [and UT] French: In Reshet Alef: 7:15- 7:30 [0415-0430] 13:00-13:15 [1000-1015] 19:45-20:00 [1645-1700] In Reshet Hey: 18:30-18:45 [1530-1545] 22:30-22:45 [1930-1945] Spanish: In Rehset Alef: 20:00-20:15 [1700-1715] In Reshet Hey 22:45-23:00 [1945-2000] (Doni Rosenzweig, NY, July 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ITALY. ITALY CENSORS BLASPHEMOUS WEB SITES | Text of report by Italian news agency ANSA web site Rome: Five US-based web sites "specialized" in blasphemy against God and the Virgin Mary have been blocked in Italy by Rome's Special Units Command of the Finance Police after an inquiry lasting almost two years: the seizure and blocking of the Rome-based [as published] provider were carried out by Rome's Special Nucleus for Broadcasting and Publishing. During the searches, the men of the special units also discovered a parallel commercial activity consisting in the on-line sale of clothing garments printed with blasphemous sentences from the web sites. Source: ANSA news agency web site, Rome, in Italian 0953 gmt 9 Jul 02 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** LAPLAND [non]. LISTENING IN LAPLAND FOR 30 YEARS In the beginning of the 1970s, DX-listeners paid special attention to the listening results around the area of Oulu in Finland due to the great number of USA-stations and the degree of ``difficulty`` differing significantly from the results achieved in Southern Finland. Coincidentally there was a Finnish work group investigating the passage of medium wave signals and the location of the northern lights causing disturbance zones. The results of this analysis helped to provide a theoretical basis for the model why radiostations from the Vancouver area could be heard more easily in Oulu than in Helsinki! The idea was simple, but apparently correct: the route of the signals from the US West-coast to Oulu goes on a shorter trip through the harmful aurora belt than to the Southern Finland! Was that the magic wand of Oulu DXers? Anyway to some active Finnish DXers there occurred an assumption that the more in the North you listen to the Yankees, the better might the listening circumstances be! No sooner said than done! The first and historical DXpedition was headed for northernmost Finland to Karesuando just before the new year 1972-1973. There were understandingly not too high expectations for that trip, whereas the results of the journey surprised the whole Scandinavian DX-community surpassingly. Nearly the whole attention of the DXpedition concentrated on the good audibility of medium wave stations from the USA, which was from time to time incredibly strong. When it was previously customary to listen to the North-Americans during the night or in the top condition during the forenoon, now in Karesuando the strong radiosignals could be caught even late in the afternoon! Most unexpectedly, many radiostations were just from Alaska, which had been unheard before that in Finland. Publicity in mass media The DXpedition was something new and exceptional and the nation-wide big Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat wrote a feature about that unconventional expedition. The tape-recordings of the hikers were eagerly replayed in the numerous DX-meetings around this country and were kindling many other DXers to make their own adventure to Lapland. After the first DXpedition there have been several DX-entourages every year in Lapland regularly. The now 30 year uninterrupted history of DXpeditions has been an exciting example of continuous new learning. A trip to Lapland is always a very challenging performance. Therefore SDXL decided to publish ``the DXpediton guide`` leaflet already in 1985, in which the editorial staff included many experienced Finnish DXers. The main message of the guide was that ``well thought-out is nearly half-done!`` Quick-learning organization Increasing DX-experiences in the wilds of Lapland brought about many new skills. They learned how to build new long directional antennas. The meaning and importance of the different time of the day in hearing of different kinds of stations was noticed. And of course what is essential – many US radios earlier considered impossible could be caught! The appearance of the first Hawaii radios in Lapland in January 1974 in the Kevo camp must have been one of the most legendary events of DX-history, but already during the next season new headlines ``stopped the presses`` again – the weak only 250 watt ``graveyarders`` were marching into Finnish headphones. These local stations are really very small and hundreds and hundreds of such different stations operate on the same frequency! New steps in DXpeditions were taken next time in the middle of the 1980s, when the tours were more organized, planned one after another. In that way the same antennas could be utilized by several groups, even by ten different teams. So much work and valuable time for building the long directional wires was saved for the more essential listening! Gradually they also learned to figure out the top-DX-conditions according to the situation. During quite a short moment numerous local stations can be heard from a certain area. When developing night-listening at the end of the 1980s, a new type of station came up, daytimers transmitting only during the light time and normally signing off at local sunset. Also Asian DX saw a new dawning as well as listening to the Iberian stations. The network-broadcasting in Spain had nearly worn out interest in Iberia. In Lapland the true local Spanish broadcasts could be heard in the mornings giving a new boost to that hobby, too. Delicacy for dessert When the sun is getting rapidly activated, the geomagnetic field will become restless. This phenomenon can be seen as a transition of the auroral zone more to the South and then the northern lights can be seen even in the Southern part of Finland. Then radio contact to Northern America will be switched off, because the signals then go right into the middle of the disturbance zone. The moment just before the cut-off is anyway very interesting because then short exceptional DX-conditions can occur. The most common disturbance condition type is Quebec conditions! Momentarily the whole radioband can be bustling with well audible French speaking Canadians at 20-21 UT! The Northwest Territory stations are really grand rarities, but during similar DX- conditions even only 40 watt lonely robot transmitters of the Canadian wilderness [LPRTs] have been heard in Finland! The disturbance conditions efficiently prevent other North-American stations from being audible in Finland at the same time. During normal DX-conditions these stations are just impossible to be heard in Finland. The DXpeditions to Lapland have become a horn of plenty, which after 30 years have not shown any sign of ebbing away. The question is whether there will be new DX-generations and their ability to continue this activity. Thanks to the Finnish DXpeditions to Lapland, a huge amount of observations and even scientifically valid material about rare radiosignals has been collected! It is only a question of time before somebody puts all the Lapland DX-stuff analysis on paper and defends his thesis of DX-listening! We congratulate him in advance, whoever he will be! This feature is based on Hannu Tikkanen`s longer article in the book ``The boundless world of Radio`` published by the Finnish DX Association, SDXL. Compiled by Kari Kallio, Lahti Radiohobbyists, Lahti, Finland (via Kallio, DXLD) The text is mainly based on the article written by Hannu Tikkanen. It was published in "Radion Rajaton Maailma" (1996), which is a publication of The Finnish DX Association. Best regards, (Heikki Aarrevaara, Managing editor, Radiomaailma magazine, Finnish DX Association, P. O. Box 454, FIN-00101 Helsinki, FINLAND, DXLD) ** LUXEMBOURG. I just heard Junglinster testing on 6090. At tune-in around 1210 [July 9, a day before the publicized test] there was music, presumably the RTL Radio program feed, then they switched to a 1 kHz tone. Off at 1215 re-check. The signal was quite poor here. A rumour from the gossip: Allegedly Starlet Media considers use of 6090 for the country music program they wanted to establish on 261 (as well-known this channel was allocated to Europe 1 instead). Of course that's merely speculation so far. PS. I took a day off today, actually for some shopping etc., but now I am sitting here in my flat instead due to a heat of about 35 degrees out there. But it is supposed to not last longer than for today, so I am quite glad that I do not sweat in the office now (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Enidisch temp (gh, DXLD) ** MAURITIUS. The Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation audio links at http://mbc.intnet.mu/ seem to be destroyed (Tom Sundstrom, NJ, Net Notes, July NASWA Journal via DXLD) Not when I checked at 0330 UT July 9: Both Kool FM (announcements in French), and Taal FM (Indian music, language) were perfect at 96.5 kpbs. Wonder if they have anything in English, the language of the website (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MONACO [non]. Re: 22768 3AC: One must ask, is the transmitter site for this one really inside Monaco? (gh, DXLD) That's such a tiny country, that the installations are located some 800 meters northwards on French soil, all long lasting rented land behind the Monacan frontiers. 73 wb df5sx (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, July 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS [and non]. FIRE KNOCKS OUT TRANSMITTER 4 AT FLEVO - BUT BETTER NEWS FROM MADAGASCAR On the night of the 5/6 July, a fire broke out in the high tension section of transmitter number 4 at Radio Netherlands´ Flevo transmitting station. The transmitter is off the air and the reserve 100 kW transmitter is in use. As can be seen from the photos, http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/html/flevo020708.html taken by Rocus de Joode of our Programme Distribution Department, the fire has caused a lot of mess inside the transmitter, which has to be cleaned up by specialist contractors. Meanwhile, replacement parts have been ordered from the manufacturer in Germany. It´s expected that the transmitter will be out of service for about a week. But we´re pleased to report that, as the situation in Madagascar is now returning to normal, most of the transmissions that were temporarily moved to other sites will resume from Madagascar on Tuesday 9 July. Our technical schedule http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/html/schedule.html will be updated during the course of Tuesday (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 8 July 2002 via DXLD) [HCDX] Radio Netherlands: Fires r Us During the night on Friday/Saturday, an electrical fault caused a fire inside transmitter no. 4 at Flevo. If you're interested to see some photos of this unplanned barbecue, go to http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/html/flevo020708.html The transmitter is expected to be off for a week or so, while it's cleaned and replacement parts are fitted. Meanwhile we're using the reserve 100 kW transmitter, so Flevo is still broadcasting a full schedule, albeit with reduced power on some frequencies. Meanwhile, our Madagascar relay station is resuming an almost full service tomorrow, 9th July, following the recent departure of former president Didier Ratsiraka to exile in France, and a consequent easing of the tension there (Andy Sennitt, Radio Netherlands, July 8, hard- core-dx via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. [The KOSU Weekly] July 8, 2002 This week on Oklahoma's Public Radio... KOSU News - The candidate filing period begins this week marking the official beginning of the 2002 campaign season. Weekdays during Oklahoma Edition 7:50 a.m. "Oklahoma Audio Almanac" - It was in this week that the last execution was carried out under the authority of the Choctaw Nation. Wednesday morning at 7:30. "Ramblin' 'Round" - Steven Noche Kite visits Dewey, Oklahoma. Friday morning at 7:50. All Times - Central Time [UT -5]. Programs are subject to change without notice. Listen to KOSU live at 91.7 or at http://www.kosu.org This is a closed list. Auto-subscribe/unsubscribe is not allowed. Contact 800-228-4678 to make change/remove requests (via gh, DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 3345, R Northern, Poppondetta, 0756 July 8, male announcer in Pidgin with time-check then "Mr Tambourine Man" followed by "My Boyfriend's Back". ID 0859 and talk about situation in elections and more music. Another ID 0900. Has been inactive since approximately April 2002. There is also weak audio on 3395... stay tuned! (Paul Ormandy, Oamaru, Host of The South Pacific DX Report http://radiodx.com DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 9504.9, R. Tacna, Tacna verified a reception report sent by ordinary mail a few days ago with a electronic message. The V/S is the General Manager, Ing. Alfonso Cáceres Contreras who asked for reception reports to: scaceres@viabcp.com He also wrote that the station broadcasts on shortwave with a small and old transmitter using only 200 watts (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, DSWCI DX Window July 5 via DXLD) ** PHILIPPINES. 9580.5v, PBS, Manila again has transmitter problems. On Jul 1 I heard it very weak here. 11885, PBS, Manila – Overseas Service, Jul 1, *1400-1500*, English on new schedule ex 12015, heard // 15120 and 15270 (Roland Schulze, Philippines, DSWCI DX Window July 5 via DXLD) ** POLAND. Radio Polonia is going to stop renting the SW transmitters in Leszcynka from 1 October 2002 and will instead lease airtime abroad. Transmitters in Germany and Slovakia have been taken into consideration as possible options, but despite of other reports, no final decision has been taken yet (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, July 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. TELEVISION ON THE BRINK OF DISASTER Testifying before the Federation Council's Information Policy Commission on 28 June, Russian Public Television (ORT) Director Konstantin Ernst said that "the majority of Russian television stations are on the verge of catastrophe as far as their technical equipment is concerned," RosBalt reported the same day. Ernst said that the country's television broadcasting system "is hopelessly outdated, and piecemeal repairs are proving more expensive to the channels than replacing it with contemporary equipment would be." He stated that most of the world has switched to digital broadcasting and that the analog equipment currently used by most Russian broadcasters is no longer manufactured. The commission's chairman, Dmitrii Mezintsev, said after the hearing that he agrees with Ernst's assessment and that he will try to secure state support for resolving the technical problems of the broadcast sector ("RFE/RL Newsline," 28 June via RFE/RL Media Matters July 8 via DXLD) ** SOMALIA. GOVERNMENT RADIO OFF THE AIR, APPARENTLY AS RESULT OF BUSINESS DISPUTE The radio station operated by the Transitional National Government (TNG) of Somalia - which calls itself "Radio Mogadishu, Voice of the Republic of Somalia" - has not been heard by BBC Monitoring since 3 July. Observations in Mogadishu indicate that the radio is off the air. According to a report published on the Ruunkinet web site on 6 July, the TNG has been in dispute with two businessmen over the supply of generators for the radio station. The Ruunkinet report said the government, through the then information minister, Zakariye Mahmud Haji Abdi, bought the generators from the two businessmen at a total cost of 19,200 dollars, paying 8,000 dollars as a deposit. Subsequently, the minister was appointed to another post and was replaced by Prof Abdirahman Ibbi. "A meeting between Prof Ibbi and the two businessmen, Ahmed Dahir Madah and Abdinasir Naney, ended in disagreement on 3 July." Ruunkinet cited the businessmen as saying that they were left with no option but to repossess the generators on 6 July. "If the businessmen repossess the generators, the government radio station will fall silent, a situation that will embarrass the government." Ruunkinet noted that the government newspaper, Dalka, had already been closed down. Sources: Monitoring research 3-8 Jul 02; Ruunkinet web site in Somali 6 Jul 02 (BBCM via DXLD) ** SOUTH CAROLINA. At 0000 UT I tried to hear your broadcast but some pyramid scheme has pre-empted it. Some scam to do with health. Two hucksters, male and female, pushing product in a multi-level sales concept. Really annoying. At 0030 I heard your broadcast but I can't get 15039. I had to use 15040, and it was rather distorted and there was much interference. If Sister Stair's e-mail is to be believed, two of the four charges have been dropped, and the judge laughed at the other two. So if there's any truth to this, we can expect Brother Stair to be released rather quickly, within 7 days her e-mail implies. But, when I talked to the court on July 3, the woman there knew nothing about it. My own two-cents' worth commentary: as much as I dislike Stair, I have believed from the start he shouldn't have been put in jail (and certainly not max. security) on charges from disgruntled former members, which by their very nature require skepticism (Robert Arthur, July 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) If and when he does beat this wrap, I prophesy that he will emerge more charismatic than ever to his deluded followers: after all, God must have ordained it (gh, DXLD) ** SWEDEN [non]. TOO EARLY TO COUNT SHORTWAVE OUT The Radio Nord memorial program attracted more attention than expected. It is apparently too early to count shortwave out, says Ronny Forslund, who has received correct reports from many countries, Germany and the UK, Japan, Korea, USA, Canada for a program which was entirely in Swedish. Ronny is particularly happy to see that a majority of reporters are unknown to him, i. e. they do not participate in HCDX or similar forums. The number of reports received so far exceeds one hundred and so his conclusion is that there are lots of "anonymous" shortwave listeners tuning the bands in many parts of the world (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, July 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TIBET. 6240, Xizang PBS, Jun 29, 1630-1647, English news, ID "Hello and welcome to Holy Tibet in Lhasa. Tibet Broadcasting Company.", and music followed with good reception, but rather echoed (Masato Ishii, Japan, DSWCI DX Window July 5 via DXLD) New frequency (DSWCI Ed.) Not a mistake for 5240? (gh, DXLD) ** U A E. Checking again for UAE Radio, Dubai on UT-July 7 at 0300 in Arabic, I noted only 15395 was in use, so what happened the previous day must have been the result of an error in frequency choice at the transmitter site, not aware that both channels were 5 kHz apart (Joe Hanlon in Philadelphia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. MUSIC: WAVING THE FLAG FOR THE LAST NIGHT By Andrew Clark, Financial Times Auntie - otherwise known as the BBC - has got her knickers in a twist over the Last Night of the Proms. As promoter of the world's longest and most popular concert series, the Beeb can't decide what it wants. Should it allow the Last Night bunfight to continue, with its emphasis on party-hats and imperialist-era songs? Or should it take a lead from last year's sombre event, four days after September 11, and jettison rituals that many regard as out of tune with modern, multicultural Britain? The Last Night, one of the select British occasions televised around the world, is a party as much as a musical event - an excuse for Prommers, paying as little as £4 to hear top classical artists in the Royal Albert Hall, to let their hair down after a long summer. The evening traditionally ends with "Rule Britannia", "Jerusalem" and "Land of Hope and Glory" - patriotic songs that usually raise the roof but were considered inappropriate so soon after the attacks on America. Many welcomed that break from tradition, and hoped the BBC would grasp the nettle. It had a variety of options. It could make a permanent break with the past. It could use the opportunity to generate a public debate. Or it could simply give tradition a clear vote of confidence. It has done none of these. It is clearly embarrassed by the event and doesn't know what to do. That became apparent this week, when Leonard Slatkin, the BBC Symphony Orchestra's American chief conductor, disclosed that there would be no "Rule Britannia" at the 2002 Last Night. He was "not comfortable" with it; the words were "outdated" and "militaristic". He went on to say that "though it's wonderful to celebrate who you are and have faith in your country, I don't think we should exclude others". Such arguments do not go down well with traditionalists, many of whom cling to their Last Night rituals as a quintessential expression of Britishness. They might be taken seriously if it was a British conductor taking the stand - as Mark Elder tried to do, unsuccessfully, at the time of the Gulf war. But just when the US appears increasingly bent on a unilateral course on Afghanistan, the Middle East and other international issues, criticism by an American of a harmless British tradition is not calculated to win sympathy. Slatkin apparently has no objection to other flag-waving parts of the programme, such as "Jerusalem" and "Land of Hope and Glory". He has even agreed to conduct a wordless version of "Rule Britannia", apparently oblivious to the fact that the Prommers will join in regardless. Realising the furore Slatkin's comments would cause, the BBC's propaganda department immediately went into damage-limitation mode. The dropping of "Rule Britannia", with its solo verses and choral refrains, was "an artistic choice". It had not disappeared from the Last Night for ever; no decision had been taken about the future. After flatly denying only two months ago that "Rule Britannia" was to be dropped, Nicholas Kenyon, the BBC's Proms supremo, now says the Last Night is reverting to the "original" version of Henry Wood's Fantasia on British Sea-Songs, from which "Rule Britannia" was extrapolated by Malcolm Sargent in the 1950s. Kenyon claims the change illustrates the way tradition reinvents and refreshes itself. "Leonard Slatkin is committed to tradition; I am committed to tradition." You don't need to be able to read music to realise Slatkin and Kenyon are singing from a different song-sheet. If Slatkin is "not comfortable" with "Rule Britannia", he shouldn't be conducting it - in its wordless version or any other. If, as Kenyon says, the reasons for the change are artistic, he should have been trumpeting it at the Proms launch, instead of trying to bury it. The worst of all this is the way the BBC seems to be blowing with the wind. Trying to justify a purely orchestral "Rule Britannia" on the grounds that it is the "original" version is typical of the spurious authenticity that has swept the musical landscape these past 10 years, with Kenyon one of its prime promoters. If Kenyon really wanted the original version, he would go back to the masque by 18th century English composer Thomas Arne from which Wood adapted his Fantasia. Unlike Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1, to which patriotic words were later fitted, the music of "Rule Britannia" was written expressly for its text. Had Kenyon's argument about "original" versions borne any substance, the Proms would present "Land of Hope and Glory" in the form Elgar wrote it - as an orchestral march. Instead of shilly-shallying, the BBC must make up its mind what it wants from the Last Night. It loves the publicity, because it helps to justify the amount of money spent on the season as a whole. Deprive the Last Night of its eccentric English character, however, and the Proms would quickly lose their international ratings profile. There's no easy middle ground. In its present position, the BBC merely looks weak. So does Slatkin, who is already on his way out. After less than two years in his post, he recently announced that he will not be renewing his contract in 2004. The consensus is that he has not been a success. Brought in as a media-friendly conductor of English and American composers, he has turned out to be a dull interpreter specialising in second-rate repertoire. As a celebration of music - its changing tune and unchanging greatness - you can't do much better than the Proms: with audiences often exceeding 5,000 a night and tens of thousands more on the airwaves, they are the ultimate marriage of access and quality. The 2002 season, beginning a fortnight today, should prove their continuing vitality. The Last Night is always the most popular. Few in the audience attach much significance to what they are singing, and even fewer care. When I first went three years ago, the hall was sprinkled not just with British flags, but German, Swiss, Italian and Swedish as well. My neighbours were French. They had a whale of a time, because they entered into the spirit of the occasion. It's a pity Slatkin and Kenyon can't do the same. BBC Proms July 19-September 14. Tel +44 20 7589 8212. © Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2002 (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U K. The new 18th edition of RADIO STATIONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM (ISBN 0-9540223-0-0) is now available from the British DX Club. RADIO STATIONS IN THE UK is a comprehensive 56 page directory of mediumwave and FM radio stations in the UK. It covers all BBC, independent, access and long-term restricted service broadcasters and is a must for anyone interested in UK domestic radio - either as a casual radio listener or specialised DXer. This edition again includes a free supplementary guide to radio stations in the Republic of Ireland. Features include: - All stations listed by frequency as well as in A-Z order - Frequencies cross-referenced to show parallel channels - Transmitter sites and powers, postal and e-mail addresses, telephone and fax numbers. - Full details of the new Access radio stations - Comprehensive listing of Low Power AM and FM stations at hospitals, colleges, schools, sports grounds, prisons and army garrisons - Irish supplement covers all RTE and independent stations RADIO STATIONS IN THE UK is available from BDXC's London HQ: British DX Club, 126 Bargery Road, Catford, London SE6 2LR, UK. PRICE per copy: 3 pounds sterling, or 5 Euros / 5 US dollars, or 7 International Reply Coupons (All prices include postage. For airmail please add 2 Euros/2 dollars or 2 IRCs) Recommended methods of payment:- - UK Cheque / UK postal order payable to 'British DX Club'. - International Reply Coupons. - Cash in Euros or US dollars Full details also on the BDXC-UK web site at: http://www.bdxc.org.uk (via MWDX yahoogroup via DXLD) ** U K [non]. No Laser Radio transmission appeared on 5935 today. The below enclosed posting in the German A-DX lists states without giving a source that this was the result of technical problems at the transmitter site and that they hope to make it on the air next Sunday. Well, if I remember correct the Riga-Ulbroka transmitter had to be switched off for some time during the last Radio Caroline transmission on 5935. Transmitter engineers elsewhere state that difficulties are to be expected when firing up an older rig after it was silent for some time (Kai Ludwig, Germany, July 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ---Ursprüngliche Nachricht--- From: "Simon-Peter Liehr" Subject: Re: [A-DX] Laser Fiel aufgrund techn. Probleme an der Sendeanlage in´s (Ostsee)wasser. Man hofft nun nächsten Sonntag auf Sendung zu gehen. ´73 Simon Hat irgendwer Laser auf 5935 kHz empfangen? Hier nur Rauschen im Wald. Die wollen übrigens gleich 3 Dollar für eine QSL, womit wir wieder beim Ausgangspunkt wären. Grüße (Rudolf Sonntag, 82205 Gilching, Germany, via Ludwig, DXLD) Hallo allemaal, Hopelijk zijn jullie nog niet massaal op vakantie. Gisteren (zo 6-7) zou laser radio op 5935 kHz voor het eerst uitzenden maar ik heb niets gehoord. ik heb om 14:00 utc geluisterd en later nog een paar keer kort maar niets. Heeft iemand wel iets gehoord????? Groeten, (Han Hardonk (BDXC 3196 JFH) ontvanger: AOR AR7030 en Telefunken ELK 639, Antenne : T2FD (17m.lang) / remote controlled MW- loop / ALA 1530; Extra's : MFJ 1026; BDXC topica list via DXLD) News Update The new dates for our Test broadcasts are : Saturday July 13 - 14h00 UT to 22h00 UT Sunday July 14 - 14h00 UT to 22h00 UT If you can hear the broadcast please send a reception report. Your reception reports will help us decide whether to continue broadcasting beyond July on 5935 KHz. LaserRadio.net will broadcast to listeners throughout Europe and the United Kingdom via Shortwave and at a later stage via digital satellite. Our programming on shortwave will feature the latest news from the world of media, technical reviews and items of interest for radio enthusiasts, all blended with a mix of the best music. (from http://laserradio.net July 8 via DXLD) (I also noticed the "contribution" requested for a QSL card has dropped to £2, 3 Euros or US$3 since I last checked the website) (Alan Pennington, Caversham UK, July 8, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** U S A. General Communications Emergency Termination (Jul 8, 2002) -- Through mutual agreement with the president of the ARRL, Jim Haynie, W5JBP, effective today, July 8, 2002, at 1 PM, Eastern Daylight Savings time (1700 UTC), the Federal Communications Commission's July 5, 2002 Declared Communications Emergency terminated. The Declared Communications Emergency was in support of flood relief efforts in Texas. Amateurs can resume using the frequencies 7285 kHz and 3873 kHz (plus or minus 3 kHz). The Federal Communications Commission wishes to thank everyone for their cooperation and dedicated amateur service. Arlan K Van Doorn, Senior Advisor For Public Safety Enforcement Bureau (ARRL via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DXLD) ** U S A. INTERESTING OPERATION OF THE WEEK. Look for the "Naturist Amateur Radio Club's" station, NU5DE, to be active from 0000z, July 8th through 2400z, July 14th, from Austin, TX. Activity will take place during the 27th Annual North American Nude Awareness Celebration. Suggested frequencies are: 7265, 14265, 21365 and 28465. QSL via: Naturist Amateur Radio Club, P.O. Box 200812, Austin, TX 78720-0812 (KB8NW/OPDX July 8/BARF-80 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DXLD) ** U S A. THE KPH PROJECT From http://www.radiomarine.org/kph-proj.html In cooperation with the Point Reyes National Seashore, part of the National Park Service, the Maritime Radio Historical Society has taken on the job of preserving and restoring KPH, one of the most famous coast stations in the world. KPH began its life at the dawn of radio. Its first home was the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, from which it derived its first call letters, PH. After the 1906 earthquake and fire the station moved to several locations. These included Green Street in San Francisco (where the neighbors were kept awake by the crashing din of the rotary gap), Hillcrest in Daily City (where the operators were plagued by the local skunks) and Marshall, on the east shore of Tomales Bay at the long wave receiving station. Eventually the KPH transmitters found a permanent home on the mesa west of the small town of Bolinas while the receiving station and control point was established on the mesa of Point Reyes. Along the way federal regulators added the K prefix to the original PH, creating KPH, one of the most famous radio call signs in the world. Radio operators ashore and afloat came to regard KPH as "the wireless giant of the Pacific". Only the best operators worked at KPH. They were there 24 hours a day, ready to help with everything from the mundane messages of maritime commerce to urgent requests for assistance from ships in distress. The KPH signal literally spanned the globe. Radio operators on ships in the far corners of the world were comforted by the steady signal of KPH in their earphones. As technology progressed the end of Morse code was predicted many times. But KPH soldiered on providing good, reliable service to the maritime community. The end came at Bolinas in 1997 when Globe Wireless purchased the license and the big transmitters were finally shut down. On July 12, 1999 Globe Wireless sent the last commercial messages in Morse code from KFS, their master station near Half Moon Bay. It was the last time the famous call KPH would be heard on the air - or so it was thought. Click HERE for a report on what it was like to be at KFS on the last day of commercial Morse in North America. Today the former KPH facilities are part of the Point Reyes National Seashore which has a strong interest in the important role the station played in the history of radio communications. The Maritime Radio Historical Society has been working with the Point Reyes National Seashore to preserve and restore KPH with the goal of eventually creating a museum dedicated to this great station that was once heard throughout the world. On 12 July 2000 KPH returned to the air from its original location, using its original equipment and its original frequencies - generously made available by Globe Wireless, the current owner of the KPH license and operator of the equally famous KFS from which the last commercial Morse message was sent. Veteran operators, radio engineers and those with an interest in radio history gathered at the Bolinas transmitter building to watch the station come on the air one year and one minute after the last Morse transmission from Half Moon Bay. Commemorative messages were sent by hand by the operators who once stood watch at the station. Contact was made with several of the last remaining ships still equipped for Morse transmission. It was a moving occasion that we came to call "the night of nights". We have assembled a collection of pictures showing KPH at various points in its history for your viewing pleasure. Take an armchair tour of KPH and see how this great coast telegraph station evolved through the years. Enjoy... Photos documenting the history of KPH from 1919 through the 1970s. See the buildings, equipment and operating personnel of KPH in its glory years. Most of these have never before been publicly available. Pictures of KPH as it appears today including the buildings, transmitter gallery and control room at Bolinas, antenna fields and the artifacts that remain from the great days of the Alexanderson alternator. KPH returned to the air one year and one minute after the last commercial Morse message was sent in North America - and 3 years after the station was shut down and left for dead! In a memorable event that we called the "Night of Nights" veteran operators once again sat at the key of KPH to send commemorative messages that were heard worldwide. Join them for an inside look at this great event. Jack Martini "DM" was the last manager of KPH. He worked under Frank Geisel, "Mr. KPH", and was one of Frank's "pillars of strength" along with Ray Smith. When Jack became manager of the station he didn't know he would be the last in a distinguished line. But when it fell to him to finally close the station he left all the receivers on to keep a symbolic watch over the airwaves. That tells you a lot about the kind of man Jack is and how he felt about his job and KPH. Jack kept a journal during his time at KPH. We are privileged to present it here. Read about what life was really like at KPH in its glory days (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** U S A. Interesting games played by the VOA. It appears that VOA News-Now is blocked to USA domains, but the hip-hop VOA MusicMix music is not. If the music is your style --- it is commercial-free --- dial up http://www.voamusicmix.net/ and have a listen (Tom Sundstrom, NJ, Net Notes, July NASWA Journal via DXLD) Has the VOA audio stream link changed? I have this audio link but hasn't worked the last 2 attempts: http://www.voa.gov/stream/live/newsnow.ram If you have the new audio URL - if there is one please let me know (Petro Giannakopoulos, GA, July 5, swprograms via DXLD) There is an apparent lack of co-ordination between the two VOA web sites. The following just worked. http://www.voanews.com/real/live/newsnow.ram (Joel Rubin, NY, ibid.) I just saw/heard VOA Talk to America for Monday July 8. Very interesting about a new planet discovered 2 kilolightyears away. Perhaps it is still ondemand but shortly to be replaced by the July 9 show (Glenn Hauser, 1811 UT July 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. SLUG: 7-36491 Broadcasting in Arabic.rtf DATE=7/5/02 TYPE=English Programs Feature NUMBER=7-36491 TITLE=Broadcasting in Arabic BYLINE=Oksana Dragan EDITOR=Nancy Smart INTRO Today on New American Voices you'll meet Usama Farag, who came to the United States fourteen years ago from Egypt to be a broadcaster in Voice of America's Arabic service. Now he is the executive producer of VOA's new program to the Middle East, Radio Sawa. Your host is ______________. TAPE CUT 1 opening of Arabic program :15 "Radio Sawa, etc. etc." segue to TAPE CUT 2 USAMA "This is a new radio network that's called Radio Sawa, which means 'together', and it's a different radio station. We have changed to become almost an American commercial radio station. Now we broadcast music mix, Arabic and Western music 24 hours a day, add to it newscasts twice every half-hour. And of course we are in the early stages now, we are going to add many programs, many features, Americana, political programs, it's coming up within the next few months." TEXT As part of his duties as executive producer, Usama Farag selects the music for the new program. He says that, based on weekly research reports from the region, he can target Radio Sawa's music mix for each Arab country to which it is broadcast. TAPE CUT 3 USAMA "The amazing thing is that we can have different streams to different areas. We have a pan-Arab stream, we have a stream to Iraq, we have another one coming up to the Gulf and maybe another one to Egypt, so that you can modify your music according to the tastes of your listeners." TEXT Another new feature of the Middle East Radio Network is an emphasis on broadcasting on FM. Although the station also uses some medium wave transmitters, most of the programming is heard on leased local FM transmitters greatly improving the quality of the sound. TAPE CUT 4 sneak Sawa music, up :07 and fade TEXT Usama Faraq was born in Egypt, the oldest of four children of an Army officer and his wife. He was preparing for a career as a diplomat, but instead landed a much-sought-after job at Radio Cairo. After four years there he passed the test to join the Arabic Branch of the Voice of America, and pulled up stakes to move from Cairo to Washington. TAPE CUT 5 USAMA "I was an on-air talent, an emcee and news reader. There is a great deal of specialization, you know over there you can be a news-reader, a program host, a producer. When you come to the States you have to be all of this. And if you can be a producer, translator, newsreader, news writer, then you are really an international radio broadcaster. It takes time, two-three years, but in time you excel and you become much better." TEXT Usama Farag says like many young Arabs, he was fascinated by American pop culture as he was growing up. TAPE CUT 6 USAMA "Actually, unlike many people may think, Hollywood played a positive and very good role in drawing a picture of America in my eyes before I came here. So when I came here I did not feel a stranger, and definitely I think that the movies and the soap operas, and especially the cowboy movies that we loved there, played an important factor in understanding America. When I came here nothing really surprised me that much, I knew almost everything about the society, through what I watched on TV in Egypt." TEXT Usama Farag, who was 28 when he came to the United States in 1988, says that he faced no difficulties and met with no discrimination on account of his Arabic background. TAPE CUT 7 USAMA "Absolutely not. I got great opportunities here in the United States and I benefited from it, I worked hard, and I was rewarded very well". TEXT Mr. Farag is married to a pediatrician, also from Egypt. The couple has three children. Their oldest child and only son, Omar, is seven, and autistic a term applied to children who are self-absorbed and have severe social, communication and behavioral problems. TAPE CUT 8 USAMA "That's our challenge and our struggle. After we established our careers, my wife and I, we have to really provide him with - he's severely autistic, and that's why we have to provide him with a lot of assistance, and therapists, who come at home and deal with him. He is under supervision 24 hours a day He's my favorite kid. (I hope my daughters don't listen.)" TEXT Both Usama Farag and his wife, Samar Hussein, find their professions demanding and time-consuming sometimes at the expense of their family. TAPE CUT 9 USAMA "Basically I'm a workaholic, my wife is a workaholic too, and that's too bad for the kids, but we're trying to make up for it. We have our parents and in-laws coming to help us take care of our kids, because work is really demanding, and we have to work 12 hours a day, easy." TEXT For the present, Mr. Farag is absorbed in developing the sound and impact of Radio Sawa, which went on the air at the end of March. His hopes for the future concern his family. TAPE CUT 10 USAMA "I would like my wife's career to shine even more, she's a very good physician here, and I would hope that I can help my son be able to, you know, mingle and interact within his abilities with the peers around him. And I wish I win the lottery, so that I can spend as much money on him as I want." TAPE Sneak Sawa music, hold :06, fade under (VOA [tran]script via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. Today I saw a bumper sticker for "WTJC 9370 Khz Shortwave" at a local parking lot here in Bristol, CT. This is the first time I have ever seen a bumper sticker for a shortwave station. I use to have an old KUSW sticker in my collection, but I never put it on my car (Kent Plourde, Bristol, CT, July 8, ODXA via DXLD) ** U S A. CONNECTICUT - RADIO ANTENNA ISSUE CAUSING STATIC By Vesna Jaksic, Staff Writer, July 7, 2002 Town residents and some school officials have fiercely opposed building a radio antenna near North Street School, but many experts in the field believe they don't have much to worry about. Several experts familiar with electromagnetic radiation said similar projects have not posed health risks in the past, though one said he is against building radio antennas near schools. The debate surrounds WGCH/1490 AM's proposal to build a 74-foot, 1,000-watt radio antenna on town-owned property adjacent to the school. While the local radio station has not submitted a formal application, the site is the station's best option since it was denied permission to build at the Beacon Point Marina in Cos Cob, said Peter Mutino, the station's general manager. "I'm confident that this is the best site given where we can and cannot locate," he said. Most experts agreed with Mutino that, if approved, the project on North Street would not pose a risk to the surrounding community. Henry Kues, who has reviewed nearly 20 applications for telecommunications towers for the Stamford Health Department, said scientific data show such projects are not dangerous. "What we found to date, without any exception to the sites I've reviewed, (is that) the proposed power levels of these facilities only come to about 1 percent or less of what would be allowed under (Federal Communications Commission) guidelines," said Kues, a senior staff scientist at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md. "The bottom line is, everything we've seen so far, with the individuals that are being exposed, the amount of exposure is so low, it nowhere comes near to the limits the FCC is advocating for." The FCC determines the guidelines for telecommunications facilities based on a number of criteria, including the type and frequency of transmission, proximity to other transmitters, the type of site and the length of exposure. Louis Slesin, editor of Microwave News, a New York City-based newsletter about radiation, said children should be kept away from radio antennas until more research is done to determine their risks. "There are more questions than answers in all this, but I think when it comes to children one should take a precautionary approach, and I don't think you should bring a radio tower near a school," said Slesin, who has a doctorate degree in environmental risk analysis. He pointed to a recent study from Rome, which appeared in the June 15 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology. A study of people surrounding a high-power radio station there - which was more powerful than WGCH's proposal - showed increased risk of childhood leukemia for those living closer to the radio station. But the study came with a warning that it had "limitations" because of a small number of cases and lack of exposure data. This has been the case with numerous studies in the field that pointed out health risks, according to several experts. "There are some reports in the literature that occasionally pop up, (saying) there is some suspicions that there might be increase in incidence in some disease or something. But these, for the most part, these are very poor studies and are not verified," said Dr. Marvin Ziskin, a biomedical engineer and a professor of radiology and medical physics at Temple University. "I can't deny these things don't exist in the literature, but the overwhelming science in the area is pretty in accordance." To get a building permit for any type of a telecommunications device approved, numerous tests are conducted to ensure the amount of radiation is so minimal that it's harmless, said Ziskin, who serves on several national and international committees in the field, including the International Committee on Electromagnetic Safety, which helped establish the country's guidelines for safe use of electromagnetic sources. Caroline Calderone Baisley, director of the Greenwich Department of Health, said she believes most of the opposition to building radio antennas generally comes from people who have not researched the scientific evidence available. "I think what the problem is, is the misunderstanding or the lack of information about radio waves," she said. "You see this thing and right away you think it's dangerous." Based on her readings on the subject, Calderone Baisley said she believes the FCC's guidelines are rigid enough to ensure approved projects do not pose any danger to the public. While she acknowledged parents and school officials' concerns, she also pointed out problems that could arise if the radio station is forced off the air. Mutino has said that the lease on the site where WGCH now has an antenna, 177 W. Putnam Ave., has expired, and if the station cannot build a new antenna soon, it risks going off the air. The station's landlord has said she has tried to reach a deal with WGCH to allow the station to continue broadcasting from its current antenna. "The town really needs to look at this because if they close shop, if they close down, we're not going to be able to communicate in case of emergency," she said. "We can't afford not to have a local radio station. . . We are not saying that (near) school grounds is the best location, we're just saying, we need a site." Copyright © 2002, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc. (via Mike Terry, DXLD) Geez, RF fears from a 1 kW MW transmitter, of which there are thousands in the US? How about all the ERP 100 kW FMs, 5000 kW UHFs in any metro area. Everybody(?) knows that RF is much more hazardous at VHF/UHF/microwave than MF. Even I cringe whenever I have to venture into the NE OKC antenna farm, but now I can worry about Enid`s two 1 kW MW stations a few miles away. Not that I would want to live or work right next to them (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. UPDATE WITH GROSSE POINTE, MICHIGAN'S 1170 AM It appears that the new 1170 from Grosse Pointe is only on for very limited hours, and I'm not talking typical daytime station hours, but when the air personality feels like signing it on and off. I don't know if it is temporary or not, but I posted about them Tuesday right after I had heard them, but they were off a few days, and then last night around 8:00 our time [UT -4] here they were on again. I don't know about the hours, but if anyone else form around the area or out of the area hears them at all let me know and thanks in advance. (Jeffrey Michael Kenyon, July 7, NRC-AM via DXLD) There is something VERY odd about this. The FCC Audio Services Division doesn't list an AM station on 1170 in MI. However, the FCC Mass Media Database under the General Menu Reports lists KPUG on 1170 with the "Facility City" as Grosse Point Farms, MI. It lists the "Community of License" as Bellingham, WA. These are, of course, 1900 miles apart. To add to the confusion there is a TIS station on 1170 in Saint Clair Shores, MI which is the city immediately adjacent to Grosse Point Farms, MI. It is WPNW619 licensed to the City of Saint Clair Shores. (Patrick Griffith, Westminster, CO, USA, ibid.) The FCC Audio Services Division doesn't list an AM station on 1170 in MI. However, the FCC Mass Media Database under the General Menu Reports lists KPUG on 1170 with the "Facility City" as Grosse Point Farms, MI. It lists the "Community of License" as Bellingham, WA. These are, of course, 1900 miles apart. I believe the "Grosse Point Farms" listed under Facility City is simply the address of the station owners. KPUG is (was?) owned by Saga, which is based in GPF, MI (Scott Fybush, ibid.) The address in the "facility" table appears to be the address for official correspondence - where the corporate office is. For *many* stations it is nowhere near the city of license (Doug Smith, TN, ibid.) That's what I thought too although it seems like "facility city" is a rather misleading choice of wording on the part of the FCC. They do have a separate section for the owner`s address in the mass media database as well. But the interesting thing is that someone in the Grosse Point area has reported hearing local broadcasts on 1170. That seems like one heck of a coincidence unless he is hearing that nearby TIS and mistaking it for a broadcast station. I will be in Lansing MI on the 16th to pickup a fire apparatus and deliver it back to Denver. I haven't seen my travel itinerary yet but I suspect I will be flying into Detroit and driving to Lansing. If I get a chance I'll try to check out 1170 (Patrick Griffith, Westminster, CO, USA, ibid.) The reported 'programming' and schedule sounds like a pirate to me. TIS-type stations don't usually have music and DJ-types (Russ Edmunds Blue Bell, PA, ibid.) Well, from what I've been able to tell this is sounding like it is being run out of someone's house and when they have a chance for it, but is this typical of new stations to just operate part time for a while and then go to some type of set schedule with sign on and sign off hours? On 1170? I haven't heard any TIS station on that frequency at all. Grosse Pointe Farms, and St. Claire Shores are actually about five miles a part, but maybe even less then that, but I'm not sure of the exact mileage So far, the 1170 station has been weak, but WWVA has been interfering with the Grosse Pointe Station when it has been on in the morning, so I don't see how this could be a 24-hour operation that easily, but like I said it seems like the Grosse Pointe station is coming and going as it wants. So far, I just have heard one air personality there, and no legal ID, and no request lines or anything like that. I am right on the divider street with the City of Grosse Pointe, and Grosse Pointe Farms, and the station isn't the strongest, but I don't know what the future plans are for the station. Also, if you listen in on 1180 from my location you won't even know there is anything on 1170 it is that weak now. Like I said I don't think it is a TIS, because they talk about gareening [?] and mention playing easy listening music, and play lots of classical and big band music (Kenyon, ibid.) Good morning everyone. This morning 1170 in Grosse Pionte was on and off again from 6:00 until just before 7:00. This time it was stronger, and it was the same old man with classical and big band music This morning I was also hearing WXLA 1180, but 1170 was not strong enough to interfere with 1180 or 1160, but 1170 was still getting interference from WWVA. Like I have posted before it is the same older man who is on the air and this morning he just asked about the holiday weekend, and didn't give a phone number or ID or anything like that. This must be a pirate or test of some kind (Kenyon, July 8, ibid.) Well, I neglected to mention, but back in May I heard maybe one test on 1170, and it was a younger man testing and saying what the format would be, and so far it has consisted of classical music, but they did mention talk about gardening, but there hasn't been any talk about gardening except when this older man makes reference to people doing work around the house or yard or garden. I don't know how 1170 was chosen, but there are a few other spots on the AM dial here in Detroit that could be used in the daytime. I wonder if this person knows about WWVA, and its ability to skip into Grosse Pointe rather well at night and early in the morning when he is operating, WWVA right now is degrading this person's signal with it beating against the local Grosse Pointe signal here. My guess is if this is a pirate it is someone who is upset over WQRS FM's not being around for a long time. WQRS was classical music for many years in Detroit at 105.1, but they went off in 1996. A friend of mine who worked at one of the record stores around here said that he would get customers in all upset because WQRS's being off the air. The morning show host at WQRS used to live in Grosse Pointe, and is a ham, but someone told me that after WQRS went off he moved to California. This person was involved in the community also playing the organ at one of the churches around here, but I don't think he is in town now, and I'm trying to think of who else it would be that would have the know how to start something like this, and could recruit the help of someone younger to test for him (Kenyon, July 9, ibid.) How well does this station's signal get out? Any chance of copying them here in Alabama? Pirates have always been an interesting breed to me. Here locally, we had a long running pirate on 1610 who used to broadcast on Tuesday nights from 7 PM until 11 PM. Their format was an "old school" top 40 rock station thing, using IDs and air checks from "WSGN 610" which had been the top 40 station here in the 60's. They were very professional sounding, with great audio. Signal coverage was good too...covering most of the metro area. "Russ Knight" was the D.J.'s name. They even aired the old "Chickenman" series which I really enjoyed. Finally got an e-mail QSL from them after weeks of trying. Station stopped broadcasting about two years ago, but I'm still hopeful they'll return to the airwaves at some point. Would love to hear this station...I'll set a timer for 1170 tonight if you think it's possible. 73, (Les Rayburn, July 8, NRC-AM via DXLD) What do you hear on 1170? Do you get WWVA at all from your location? I get other clear channel stations clearer then 1170, but you could try for it. Last night they were on, and last week and early this morning around 6:00 A.M. EDT they were on with a stronger signal then what they had had last week, and they were testing in May, and when they tested in may it was around 3:30 in the afternoon. Listen for classical music and mentions of gardening and Grosse Pointe. Last night they were on about 9:30, but I don't know what time they signed on, but I'm going to listen for them more now, because besides WWVA not much happens on 1170. The audio is fine for AM 1170 though with the beating of WWVA as I said (Kenyon, ibid.) So far, KVOO in Tulsa is my only log on this channel. Keep in mind that I just started MW DXing about six months ago. I'll run a timer this afternoon and see what comes up. I think this is a bit unusual for a pirate, only because ego is usually such a large factor in these operations that they tend to "over-ID" rather than avoiding them. But if they are motivated by the loss of a classic music station, perhaps this makes sense. As more and more voices are lost from media, I suspect we'll see more of this kind of thing. 73, (Les Rayburn, N1LF, Birmingham, AL, ibid.) You`re certainly not going to hear a low-powered MI pirate in AL in the middle of summer, hours before sunset (gh, DXLD) Well, I never heard them give a call sign, but last week when they went on the air I just thought they would be another day time station. They would have to be because of WWVA, but they are less then that. Has anyone had stations come on that when they first start operating they don't operate to the full extent that they do once they get going and have been on the air a while? If you are new to this all, you probably already know that this is not the best time of year to DX on AM, but I don't know if this station will be around when next AM DX season comes around or what the situation will be (Kenyon, ibid.) ** U S A. WBBR 1130 DOWNTIME IN EARLY AUGUST WBBR is the process of upgrading their transmitter. In the words of engineer Bob Janney (WB3EBN): "We are in the process of replacing our Aux transmitter ( Continental 317C ) with a new Nautel XL-60. This will become our main transmitter and the current main transmitter (Nautel Ampfet 50) will become the aux transmitter." Now for the good news (received today) for Northeast DXers: "The new transmitter has been installed and tested on the dummy load. Everything went well. We are planning factory comissioning for the first week of August at which time we will have the downtime. I will let you know exactly when as that time gets closer." So watch for WBBR downtime in that first week. I will broadcast the exact info as soon as I get it, but it may not be in time to make it into DXN. Let's hope for early warning and a storm-free night (Rick Kenneally, Wilton, CT, July 8, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. POSSIBLE WOR-710 DOWNTIME IN FALL According to WOR engineering, their transmitter relocation is clearing its various legal and permit hurdles. They will probably be off the air for testing sometime after September. I'll let you know when I know more. Now (pulling out the WRTH) when does St. Vincent sign on?.... (Rick Kenneally, Wilton, CT, July 8, NRC-AM via DXLD) I spent a very pleasant afternoon at the transmitter site with Buckley's director of corporate engineering a couple of weeks ago. The game plan is this: the current site stays up until the new site is finished. The new site, less than a mile away, will have ALL new gear - two new Harris Destiny 3DX50 transmitters, brand new processing and STL gear, three new towers, a new ground system, all courtesy of the state of New Jersey. While there will be a little downtime for testing the new site on-air, the expectation is that there won't be much, since the old site will be able to carry the load until the new one is all ready. (The existing DX50 at the current site will probably find its way to another Buckley station somewhere; if anyone wants the Continental 317 aux for home use, let the station know! :-) (Hey Fred, how about THAT for the next WNRC?...) -s (Scott Fybush, NY, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. PUBLIC RADIO STATION ADMONISHED FOR RUNNING ADS DAYSTAR PUBLIC RADIO, INC.. Issued an admonishment against Daystar Public Radio, Inc., licensee of WKSG(FM), Cedar Creek, FL for broadcasting advertisements and conducting impermissible fundraising in violation of Section 399B of the Act. Action by: Chief, Investigations & Hearings Division, Enforcement Bureau. Adopted: 07/03/2002 by MO&O. (DA No. 02-1580). EB http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-02-1580A1.doc http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-02-1580A1.pdf http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-02-1580A1.txt (via Fred Vobbe, July 9, NRC FMTV via DXLD) Here`s the entire document, text version; is KAYE paying attention? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) *Pages 1--5 from Microsoft Word - 19492.doc* Federal Communications Commission DA 02- 1580 Before the Federal Communications Commission Washington, D. C. 20554 In the Matter of DAYSTAR PUBLIC RADIO, INC. Licensee of Noncommercial Educational Station WKSG( FM), Cedar Creek, Florida EB- 01- IH- 0484 Facility #9714 MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER Adopted: July 3, 2002 Released: July 8, 2002 By the Chief, Investigations and Hearings Division, Enforcement Bureau: I. Introduction 1. In this Order, we admonish Daystar Public Radio, Inc. (``Daystar``), licensee of noncommercial educational station WKSG(FM), Cedar Creek, Florida, for broadcasting advertisements and conducting impermissible fundraising in violation of Section 399B of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (`` the Act``), 47 U. S. C. § 399b, and Section 73.503 of the Commission's rules, 47 C. F. R. § 73. 503. Daystar responded to our April 30, 2002, inquiry by its submission filed May 17, 2002. We have carefully reviewed the record, including Daystar’s response, and conclude that the licensee has violated the pertinent statutory and Commission underwriting rule provisions. While we believe that no monetary sanction is warranted at this time, we find that an admonishment is necessary to redress the statutory and rule violations. II. Background 2. Advertisements are defined by the Act as program material broadcast ``in exchange for any remuneration`` and intended to ``promote any service, facility, or product`` of for-profit entities. 47 U. S. C. §399b( a). As noted above, noncommercial educational stations may not broadcast advertisements. Although contributors of funds to noncommercial stations may receive on-air acknowledgements, the Commission has held that such acknowledgements may be made for identification purposes only, and should not promote the contributors' products, services, or business. 3. Specifically, such announcements may not contain comparative or qualitative descriptions, price information, calls to action, or inducements to buy, sell, rent or lease. See Public Notice, In the Matter of the Commission Policy Concerning the Noncommercial Nature of Educational Broadcasting Stations (1986), republished, 7 FCC Rcd 827 (1992) (`` Public Notice``). At the same time, however, the Commission has acknowledged that it is at times difficult to distinguish between language that promotes versus that which merely identifies the underwriter. Consequently, it expects only that licensees exercise reasonable, good- faith judgment in this area. See Xavier University, 5 FCC Rcd 4920 (1990). 4. In addition, the Commission has narrowly construed what constitutes permissible fundraising on noncommercial stations. Specifically, the Commission has held that, in the absence of a waiver, noncommercial stations are prohibited from conducting any fundraising activity which substantially alters or suspends regular programming and is designed to raise support for any entity other than the station itself, and for purposes other than station operations. See Commission Policy Concerning the Noncommercial Nature of Educational Broadcasting Stations (`` Policy Statement``), 90 FCC 2d 895, 907 (1982), recon. granted, 97 FCC 2d 255, 264- 65 (1984); Ohio State University, 38 RR 2d 22 (1976). III. Discussion 5. The key facts in this case are not in dispute. Daystar admits that the station broadcast the five sponsored announcements described in our letter of inquiry and set forth in the attached transcript; that the sponsors are for- profit entities; and that it received consideration for airing the messages. The station also acknowledges that it broadcast a seventeen- minute interview with the proprietor of for-profit EZ Access Transporters, Inc., during which the station announcer solicited investment funds to assist the newly founded company in producing its product, the EZ Tilter Platform. Moreover, Daystar acknowledges that the announcements, ``as a whole,`` do not comply with Section 399B of the Act, and the pertinent Commission policies and rules. It also states that the interview ``violate[ s] FCC policies.`` Daystar contends that it assumed its management ``better understood`` the appropriate ``parameters of `on-air acknowledgments` `` and was disappointed to discover management`s grasp of this issue was faulty. The licensee asserts that it has since taken steps to ensure underwriting rule compliance by revising the station’s donor acknowledgment policy and practice. It also states that the fundraising interview ``would never get by the present criteria of WKSG policies.`` 6. We find that the subject underwriting announcements exceed the bounds of what is permissible under Section 399B of the Act, and the Commission’s pertinent rules and policies, in light of the ``good- faith`` discretion afforded licensees under Xavier, supra. In addition, we find that Daystar engaged in impermissible fundraising through the seventeen-minute interview with the proprietor of for- profit EZ Access Transporters, Inc., during which the station announcer solicited investment funds to assist the newly founded company in producing its product, the EZ Tilter Platform. In this regard, we note that the fact that the licensee did not receive consideration from broadcasting these fundraising pleas is not relevant to the question of whether the fundraising appeal itself was appropriate. Solicitations of the type conducted here are prohibited. IV. Ordering Clauses 7. In view of the foregoing, we conclude that a sanction is appropriate. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that Daystar Public Radio, Inc., licensee of noncommercial educational station WKSG(FM), Cedar Creek, Florida, IS ADMONISHED for broadcasting advertisements and for conducting impermissible fundraising in violation of Section 399B of the Act, 47 U. S. C. § 399B, and Section 73. 503 of the Commission's rules, 47 C. F. R. § 73. 503. 8. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that a copy of this Memorandum Opinion and Order shall be sent, by Certified Mail -- Return Receipt Requested, to Daystar Public Radio, Inc., 1403 Indian River Avenue, Titusville, Florida, 32780. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Charles W. Kelley Chief, Investigations and Hearings Division Enforcement Bureau ATTACHMENT The following text was transcribed from audio-taped recordings of underwriting announcements broadcast on WKSG(FM), Cedar Creek, Florida, on July 30, 2001: 1. Precision Air Heating and Air Conditioning (60 seconds.) For every system purchased, Precision Air Heating and Air Conditioning will donate $100.00 to the Bullet-Proof Vest Fund, Inc., a not-for- profit corporation. Donations may be made at any one of the eleven locations of Sun Trust Bank. . . . Again, thank you to Dave Leonard at Precision Air, home of the ``Trane Home Heating and Cooling Systems.`` Precision Air focuses on service, and when you call, you will speak to a live service representative, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That`s Precision Air Heating and Air Conditioning, 3330 S. E. 58 th Avenue. . . . The phone number is 352-624-4000. That`s 624- 4000. And when you call, they haul. AC decision? Call Precision. 2. Lord`s Gym (90 seconds.) Why settle for being merely physically fit when you can be spiritually fit as well? At Lord’s Gym, we believe in giving you the tools you need to be the person you always knew you could be. It`s more than the recumbent bikes, the elliptical trainers, and stair- steppers. We`re revolutionizing the fitness industry with our Christian fitness center, right here in north central Florida. Lord`s Gym is more than you expect. We adhere to a different and, we feel, more complete vision of what it means to be ``in shape.`` The staff at Lord`s Gym is here to help you. Our personal trainers offer comprehensive one-on-one training sessions, and they look forward to helping you maximize your potential— inside and out. And don`t forget Kid’s Power. The exercise program just for kids, aged 6-12. It`s a circuit training workout. Kid`s Power is a comprehensive fitness program for children aged 6-12 years old. Non-competitive games, activities, are implemented in a fast-paced 45-minute class. As many as 20 children can participate in Kid`s Power. It`s Kid’s Power, growing strong together, at Lord`s Gym. Located at 2467 S. W. 27th Avenue, in the Shady Oaks Plaza. The phone number at Lord`s Gym is 352- 629- 7757. 3. All- County Plumbing (45 seconds.) I want to say thank you to my friends at All-County Plumbing. . . . The entire crew out there is just something special. All-County Plumbing specializes in repairs, remodels, new construction, 24- hour service, sewer and drain cleaning. They are Marion County`s premier drain surgeons. That`s right— you call them at 687-0806. 687- 0806. You call— they come. They`ll be wearing the white heats [sic] because they`re good guys. And you know, good guys always wear the white hats. 4. Sears Hearing- Aid Center (90 seconds.) [We] would like to say thank you to the Sears Hearing-Aid Center for their continued support of Daystar Radio. Sears Hearing-Aid Center is located in the sears Store in Paddock Mall in Ocala, Florida. Sears Hearing-Aid Center offers the Miracle Ear Hearing-Aid System. Miracle Ear has been in business since 1947 offering unparalleled service to the hearing impaired for over half a century. Sears Hearing-Aid Center is a family-owned and operated business priding itself on its professional and personal one-on-one service. And let me say that excellence is not expensive, it`s priceless. Ricky and Deidre Richardson along with Ricky`s twin brother Dicky promise that they will make your visit and testing an absolutely pleasant experience. Guaranteed. It`s the Sears Hearing-Aid Center in the Sears Store in the Paddock Mall in Ocala, Florida. The phone number in Ocala is 352- 237-1665. 5. Hiers-Baxley Funeral Services (90 seconds.) Honor to those you love is the highest priority of Hiers-Baxley Funeral Services. Understanding and guidance are essential tools of the Hiers-Baxley Funeral Services professional staff. Hiers-Baxley Funeral Services is a place of family. We are proud to be Marion County`s oldest business still in operation. The Hiers and Baxley families have given our company the strength to remain the only independent funeral service provider in north central Florida, who offers your family complete funeral, crematory, and advance-planning services. Hiers-Baxley Funeral Services has been serving families since 1885 and will continue to do so for generations to come. Hiers- Baxley Funeral Services – when trust matters most (FCC via DXLD) ** U S A. Robert Feder column on Chicago radio personalities who have been fired: http://www.suntimes.com/output/feder/cst-nws-feder07.html (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. In the Fast Lane -- METRO NETWORKS' LISA BADEN PULLS OUT ALL THE STOPS TO KEEP UP WITH TRAFFIC By Paul Farhi, Washington Post Staff Writer Tuesday, July 9, 2002; Page C01 Just before she goes on the air -- which she does roughly 60 times every weekday morning -- Lisa Baden employs an old radio announcer's trick. She smiles. Smiling loosens Baden's jaw and facial muscles, making it easier for her to get her mouth around such popgun phrases as "backup on the Beltway to St. Barnabas Road." More to the point, Baden smiles to pump up her game -- in effect, to transform herself into a bigger, better, friendlier-sounding Lisa Baden. You can hear the change. Off the air, Baden can be understated, with an occasionally inaudible voice and a high tittering giggle. When she's on, she's the Traffic Queen -- authoritative, assertive, as whimsical as she wants to be.... http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A41416- 2002Jul8?language=printer (all about traffic reporting, via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. Boston Globe has a weekly column, apparently on Tuesdays, previewing mostly classical music available on local stations and webcast, as far as KAMU in Texas, BBCR3, etc. This week`s is at: http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/190/living/The_air_this_weekP.shtml (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. Globovisión has enemies GRANADA FRAGMENTARIA CONTRA GLOBOVISIÓN Pánico vivió la gente de guardia en el canal noticioso ante un atentado terrorista con armamento de guerra: una granada fragmentaria. Esta fue lanzada contra el estacionamiento a la 1:30 de esta madrugada. No se reportaron vícimas, pero sí daños materiales. Source: http://www.analitica.com July 9, 2002 Detailed info in all major Venezuelan newspapers (via Henrik Klemetz, DXLD) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. 7460, New e-mail address for RNS (Radio Nacional Saharaui): rasdradio@yahoo.es (Rudolf Sonntag, A-DX via Ratzer, DSWCI DX Window July 5 via DXLD) ** ZAMBIA. 6165, ZNBC, Lusaka, Jun 23, *0243-0305, Intervalsignal of crying birds until 0250, then orchestral anthem, 0252 ID and religious talk in English, hymn, faded out. QRM 6165 R Netherlands, via Bonaire, in Spanish, 32322 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window July 5 via DXLD) ** ZANZIBAR. TANZANIA 6015, R Tanzania, Zanzibar, Jun 23, *0258-0310, Drums Intervalsignal, National Anthem, 0300 timesignal, ID in Swahili by man, Call to Prayer, 25232 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window July 5 via DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE. POLICE RAID PRIVATE RADIO STATION The Daily News (Harare) July 9, 2002 The police last week raided the offices of the Voice of The People (VOP), a private radio station in Harare, and confiscated 133 tapes and files. According to a spokesman for Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)-Zimbabwe, the police, accompanied by officers from the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe, (BAZ) and armed with a search warrant, raided the VOP offices on Thursday around 4pm in search of a transmitter and any other broadcasting equipment. After failing to find any transmitters, the police "confiscated 133 tapes and files from the office". Bruce Mujeyi, of Gollop and Blank, the radio station's lawyers, who was present when the police searched the offices, said the police and the BAZ officers wanted the transmitter the VOP was "using" to transmit its programmes. Mujeyi said the VOP trust deed disappeared in the confusion during the search and it is suspected the police or BAZ officers took it. Mujeyi said in terms of the law, the police must return everything they seized. "We are waiting for a decision on whether to apply to the court for a speedy return of the confiscated equipment or appeal against the harassment to which VOP staff were subjected," Mujeyi said. MISA-Zimbabwe said it was reliably informed that VOP had no transmitter in Zimbabwe or anywhere else, and was not violating any part of the Broadcasting Services Act 2001 because it is not broadcasting. The Broadcasting Services Act 2001 bars anyone from broadcasting without a valid licence. No other broadcasters have been licenced since the law was passed in 2001. Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, controlled by the Department of Information and Publicity in the President's Office, remains the only broadcaster in the country. Copyright © 2002 The Daily News http://allafrica.com/stories/200207090478.html (via Dave White, DXLD) ?? Doesn`t everybody know they broadcast via Madagascar 7310 at 0330- 0430? Should be interesting to hear if there is anything there tonight (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. I have Español on 7.310 Mhz blasting in here 10/4+ Totally obliterating all weaker stations. A religious station on 7.311 in English, female speaking. More Spanish at 7.315. The big signal is doing the South American sports at the moment (Duane Fischer, W8DBF MI, swl, posted at 0326 UT July 8) [Later at 0348: I heard DXing With Cumbre on 7.315? A strong station in Espanol with some classical music at the sign off on 7.325 at 0342 UTC, more Espanol with a huge signal on 7.310. This station is so strong I can not even center the frequency. But the religious station around 7.311 is gone, female and in English. Nothing from Africa Stewart. Huge signals all over the place. Great DX out there tonight! (Duane W8DBF Fischer, ibid.) Vatican has Spanish at 0330 on 7305, if you are not sure of the frequency (gh, DXLD) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ DX-399 ON SALE Glenn, RadioShack has a super price on remaining DX-399 receivers, cat no 20-229 (a.k.a. Sangean ATS-606). I'm guessing many will be demo's and in some area's may already be sold out. Price $ 69.97. With AC adapter and carrying case. Any store can check remaining stock within their district. A great buy while they last.... Regards, (Dave Zantow, Janesville, WI, July 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Dave's Radio Receiver Page : http://members.fortunecity.com/swradios PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ SHORTWAVE GUIDE Dear Mr Hauser, I have just read Joe Hanlon's review of our new Shortwave Guide posted on DXLD at dxld2109. He raises two good points: why did we put the ITU of the originating country rather than the ITU of the transmitter site, and why did we leave out Norway. Both these decisions were mine although they followed the advice I was given. Whatever the reasoning behind the first, I have already decided that putting the country of origin was a mistake. In the next edition we will certainly put the ITU of the transmitter site. On Norway, I was informed that NRK was not intending to broadcast the domestic service internationally, and was just filling the air time, but nor was it a domestic broadcast. It is of course an international broadcast even if that is not the intention and so should have been included. I would be happy for you to post this response on your site if you feel your members would be interested. Best wishes (Nicholas Hardyman, Publisher, The Shortwave Guide, July 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RADIO STATIONS IN THE UK See entry above under U K. ###