DX LISTENING DIGEST 2-146, September 17, 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 1147: BROADCASTS ON WWCR: Wed 0930 9475 BROADCASTS ON RFPI: Wed 0700 on 7445, 15038.7; webcasts also Sun 1830, Mon 1230, Wed 1300 ONDEMAND http://www.wrn.org/ondemand/worldofradio.html (DOWNLOAD) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1147.rm (STREAM) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1147.ram (SUMMARY) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1147.html WORLD OF RADIO 1148: FIRST AIRINGS ON WBCQ: Wed 2200 on 7415, 17495; Mon 0415 on 7415 FIRST AIRINGS ON WWCR: Thu 2030 on 15825, Sat 0530, Sun 0230 on 5070 FIRST AIRINGS ON RFPI: Sat 0130, 0730 on 7445, 15038.7 ** AFGHANISTAN. INFORMATION RADIO CONTINUES TO BROADCAST ON 8700 KHZ By Takuya Hirayama, CRW Japan Bureau on assignment in Kabul [Sep 15] Information Radio, the U.S. Psyop operation launched during the first days of the American military intervention in Afghanistan last year, continues to broadcast on 8700 kHz in AM mode. Its current schedule appears to be from mid-afternoon until late at night Kabul time. Reception of the station in Kabul is stable but not as strong as had been expected. Reception is actually much better in Islamabad, Pakistan. The medium wave frequency, 864 kHz, also appears to be active, however, our monitoring has only detected a carrier wave and no sound. Recent reports that Information Radio also uses 6100 kHz cannot yet be confirmed. Nothing is audible on that frequency in Kabul (T. Hirayama, Japan/Afghanistan, Sep 15, 2002 for Clandestine Radio Watch via DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN? 6100, Information Radio? 16 Sept 1617 is heard under very low signal, just S2 and also very low audio with music. 8700, Psyops still in the band, 16 Sept 1621 with songs but very low nearly marginal level (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. Current tests from Tajikistan on 801 kHz, i.e. to Afghanistan rather than in Afghanistan. 801 kHz is not an Afghan frequency, but "belongs" to Tajikistan in the ITU Geneva MW Plan. This frequency was used by a transmitter in Orzu in southern Tajikistan with Moscow R 1, until it was closed in the early 1990s. The Geneva Plan limits the power to 200 kW; it is unknown what power was used for R 1, or what power will be used after a reactivation now (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, Sept 10, Sept 18 BC-DX Sep 17 via DXLD) ** ANGOLA [non]. Radio Eclésia konnte gestern (10.09.02) zwischen 1955 und 2000 UT s/off auf der QRG 7205 kHz mit O=3 in Portugiesisch gehört werden. Klare ID um 1959. Zum Sendeschluss ein wohlbekanntes Klavier-thema, ehe die BBC in Mazedonisch (?) den Kanal lautstark uebernimmt. Bei Glenn Hauser wurde über einen Tippfehler gemunkelt. Die von Kathy Otto gemachte Angabe ist somit richtig (H. Pammer, Austria, Sep 11, 2002 in A-DX via CRW via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. 2379.58, (presumed), LRA15, Radio Nacional de Tucumán, (harmonic 2 x 1190), 14 Sep, 0938-1001, Spanish talk with news program mentioning "...Lo Diario del País.." Report from the United Nations from a "Radio Nacional Córdoba" correspondent. 0945 time check, more reports from various correspondents. 1000 signal faded. Time pips, but no ID heard. Overall fair to good signal (Mark Mohrmann, Coventry, VT, DX LISTENING DIGEST) NRD 535D, V-Beam 140m @180 deg. "VT-DX": http://www.sover.net/~hackmohr/ ** AUSTRALIA. The Radio Australia station at Shepparton, Victoria, continues to experience technical difficulties due to the very old equipment still in use. During the early morning period, two of the transmitters operate in parallel on 7240 and 6080 kHz from 1800 until 2100 UT. Unfortunately, a strong spurious radiation is produced on 4920 kHz in the 60 metre tropical band due to the harmonic signal from 7240 kHz mixing with 6080 kHz. This spurious signal causes interference to All India Radio and China National Radio, both of which are operating on the same channel, 4920 kHz. This signal has been monitored right across Australia and into Asia.(Bob Padula, AWR Wavescan Sept 15 via DXLD) ** BELARUS`. 3355, R Mayak / Golos Rossii, 16 Sept 1853, talks by man in Russian something that seems as news. Music at 1858 with man IDing as Golos Rossii. Again at 1900 with ID ``R. Kompania Golos Rossii``. Mode DSB with signal S2-3. Good only in SSB!! (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELIZE. Hi Glenn: The IBB relay near Punta Gorda, Belize, ceased operation 15 September at 0500 UT. It consisted of two 100-kilowatt medium wave transmitters operating on 1530 and 1580 kHz. It was used for VOA Spanish and English (News Now) to Central American and southern Mexico. There was also a low power FM transmitter at the site, which relayed VOA News Now. 73 (Kim Elliott, VOA, Sept 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Tnx for the news. Any word on why it ceased? What will become of the facility? Dismantle and move transmitters somewhere else? Sale? I recall they were trying to rent it out. No takers? 73, Glenn ** BHUTAN. QSL letter and separate colorful QSL Card from Bhutan Broadcasting Service Corporation, verified reception June 8th on 5025 kHz 50 kW, dated on June 17th, 2002, shows their website address as: http://www.bbs.com.bt V/s is station engineer Dorji Wangchuk, at P. O. Box 101, Thimphu, Bhutan. Tel +975 [0]2 323071, 323072, 322866, 322533. Fax Tel +975 [0]2 323073 (Christoph Ratzer, Austria, OE2CRM, BC-DX Sep 16 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 3205.00, Rádio Ribeirão Preto, 16 Sep, 2304-2330, good signal with Portuguese talk, interviews and reports. Announcer with "...Rádio Ribeirão Preto..." ID in passing at 2327 (Mark Mohrmann, Coventry, VT, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BURMA [non]. Democratic Voice of Burma: Due to poor propagation in downunder winter, 9500 kHz signal suffered in the Myanmar target. Now music tests occurred on 12090, and 15620 kHz on other days of the week. The latter frequency - estimated - for regular usage in S-02/D- 02 / or B-02 season til March 2003. 12090 - sooo, nooooo new type of 'Chinese Music Jamming' (W. Bueschel, Germany, Sep 8, 2002 in DXplorer-ML via CRW via DXLD) ** CANADA. CBC previews for Wednesday, Sept 18: DISPATCHES: Los Evangélicos, a documentary from Guatemala. There's a reformation underway across in Latin America. It's the work of thousands of North American fundamentalist missionaries and millions of evangelical converts from Catholicism. That's on Dispatches, with host Rick MacInnes-Rae, tonight at 7:30 (8 NT) on CBC Radio One. [2230 in AT/NT zone, +1/2/3/4 hours in westward zones; also on RCI at 2330] (CBC Hotsheet via gh, DXLD) ** CANADA. CBC AIMS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF ITS FRENCH Radio-Canada, the French language division of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, has announced the creation of a Working Group on Language Quality. The Working Group's mission will be to consider the quality of the French spoken and written on the Première Chaîne, the Chaîne Culturelle and Radio-Canada's Websites. The Group will submit recommendations to guarantee excellence and maintain the standards of French on the air. It should deliver its final report in March 2003. The Working Group will be made up of a number of senior Radio-Canada journalists as well as other communications and French- language professionals. Sylvain Lafrance, CBC Vice-President of French Radio and New Media, said that "the creation of a working group on the French language is essential for Radio-Canada. Indeed, this is one of the responsibilities of public radio to Francophones throughout the country - that is, to ensure that the quality of the language used on the air and the Internet remains exceptional." (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 17 September 2002 via DXLD) ** CHINA [non]. Re: ``CLANDESTINE from RUSSIA to CHINA. 6035 Falun Dafa station reported on this new frequency at 2100-2200 // 9945 (Hans Johnson, Sept 13, Cumbre DX via DXLD) By whom? (DXLD 15 Sept)`` I tuned to 6035 at this time Monday evening (16 Sep) and heard "Zheli shi Hanguo Guangbo Diantai", which in English means "This is Radio Korea". For quite some time before 2100 the station also played its IS with interspersed IDs in Korean and English in addition to Chinese. Maybe this is what the anonymous reporter above heard? (Olle Alm, Sweden, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO DR. 9550, R. Okapi, QSL-card received from Fondation Hirondelle in Switzerland in 5-1/2 months for copy of report and CD sent to them covering March reception. Has logos of R. Okapi and FH and FH handstamp, full-data (though time not filled in and frequency looks like 1550 rather than 9550); FH logo on back (Jerry Berg, MA, DXplorer Sep 16 via BC-DX via DXLD) RADIO OKAPI JOURNALIST ARRESTED The authorities of the Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC) in Gbadolite have arrested a journalist working for Radio Okapi, the UN's radio network in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Franklin Moliba- Sese was initially detained last Friday, and is due to appear before the prosecutor. The MLC authorities criticised Radio Okapi after it broadcast a report last Thursday on the unsatisfactory living conditions of child soldiers waiting to be demobilised in Gbadolite. A spokesman for the UN Mission (MONUC) said that UN Special Representative Amos Namanga Ngongi has been trying to obtain the immediate release of the journalist through contact with the President of the MLC, Jean-Pierre Bemba. The UN argues that as an employee of MONUC, Franklin Moliba-Sese is entitled to diplomatic immunity. (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 17 September 2002 via DXLD) ** COSTA RICA. RFPI`s 15th anniversary Fiesta on the Air, early UT Sept 17, took fewer calls than usual, but presented some insight from staff, including excerpts of Interactive Radio Shows. James Latham told of his depression and self-doubts, especially in the past few months as funding has diminished in the wake of 9/11. He was feeling sorry for himself, and the relatively low wages RFPI staff get, $600 a month; he`s still driving his old Toyota with bald tires, no spare and 500 kilomiles on it. He was thinking about going back to the States to make a decent living as a broadcast engineer. Until he came upon Lacarpio, a shantytown where refugees from Nicaragua live with much less in a hellish situation. His own home in the country is small by American standards, like a trailer. But then he decided to keep going with RFPI, grateful for his blessings, and does what he can to help the residents of Lacarpio. Joe Bernard arrived in Costa Rica 11 years ago with nothing but a backpack containing some toilet paper (rumored to be lacking), intending to return to the US shortly. Now after many years of service at RFPI, Joe is going home to Oregon in October, due to family commitments, but would like to return to CR some day and perhaps be buried in the RFPI back lot. He will, however, remain part of RFPI, operating the North American office, and helping with internet. Since when anyone had a question, the solution was to ``Ask Joe``, he`ll probably be busy e-mailing assistance back and forth. The staff at RFPI have given up a lot --- the careers they would have had in the States, social security, etc., but the annual Fiesta, contact with listeners and supporters, revitalizes them (gh`s summary of comments on the Fiesta, for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 2360.00, Radio Rebelde, Villa Maria (harmonic 2 x 1180), 14 Sep, 0927, Spanish talk // 710 and 1180. Very weak. 2840.0, Radio Rebelde, (harmonic 4 x 710) 14 Sep, 1010, Spanish talk // 2360, 3550 and 4970 (Mark Mohrmann, Coventry, VT, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CYPRUS. Hi Glenn, Apparently Radio Sawa has moved as planned to 990 kHz ex-981. Their Web site has been updated. 73, (Andy Sennitt, Holland, Sept 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hello Glenn, Upon request to IBB I have received this answer in an email: "The 981/ 990 Khz transmitter is registered with the ITU by Cyprus and operates at a power level of 600 Kw. Very Best - George Moore" Best 73s (Ydun Ritz, Denmark, Sept 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [and non]. Hello, just my 0,02 EUR on this topic: The Radio Sawa move from 981 to 990 should be hardly a technical problem; elsewhere mediumwave antennas are used to operate channels much further away from the design frequency of the antenna. Three examples from Germany: Braunschweig/Königslutter 630 (100 kW) uses a mast designed for 548, Wilsdruff 1431 (250 kW) uses a mast designed for 1043, and at Burg a mediumwave mast was even used for 263/261 as substitute for the collapsed longwave mast. And, by the way, it remains to be seen for which frequency the antenna in question is actually designed, provided that this is indeed not a new but an already existing antenna. Regards, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Sept 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CYPRUS. What some of you have experienced on 18 MHz seems to be the British OTHR ("Over The Horizon Radar") on the Island of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Since 16 years it causes severe interference also on exclusive amateur radio frequencies. It is operated by the Royal Air Force and is located on the sovereign base area Akrotiri. The giant antenna site is an ancient salt lake surrounded by the Mediterranean sea on three sides. This OTHR gives the British Forces the possibility to monitor troup movement and air traffic and gives deep sight into focal countries of the Middle East and northern Africa like Turkey, Kurdistan, Aserbaidschan, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Iraq, Sudan etc. DK2OM has analyzed the OTHR signal and found out that it consists of a broad spectrum of pulses separated by exactly 25Hz. The whole spectrum is switched off every 200mS and again switched on after 1 to 30mS. This break is used for evaluation of the reflected signals. There is no legal grounds against this OTHR, because the Radio Regulations of the ITU clearly state that the member countries have total freedom concerning all radio applications of their armies. In July last year soldiers of the 12. Royal Signals Unit started to erect a new 190m high antenna mast and the residents got really angry (rightly so !) because their houses are only about 2Km away and they fear for their health. The riots ended with 40 British Policemen and many more demonstrators wounded, the material damage was estimated at 170,000 US$. This information is based on an article by Ulrich Bihlmayer, DJ9KR, in the May 2002 issue of the German amateur radio magazine "funk". On http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/rdnronald/ you can find information on the work of the IARU Monitoring System in combating abuse of the amateur bands. Send protest notes to the British Government to stop the OTHR on Cyprus! 73 (Karl, DJ5IL, via Mike Terry, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** DENMARK. DANISH BROADCAST JOURNALISTS' STRIKE ENDS | Text of report by Danish radio web site on 16 September From today Danes can again see and hear the daily news broadcasts and magazines on DR [Danmarks Radio - national public-service broadcaster]. The approx. 900 journalists at DR have resumed work after a firm majority voted 'yes' to a new agreement on Saturday [14 September]. Seventy-six per cent voted 'yes' and the percentage who voted was 65. TV-avisen [television news bulletin] and Deadline [television news bulletin] on DR 2 are back on Monday evening [16 September]. DR Nyheder Online [news website] and teletext news will also be updated normally from Monday. Source: Danmarks Radio web site, Copenhagen, in Danish 0703 gmt 16 Sep 02 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. 2700.09, Ondas del Yura, Bonao, (harmonic 2 x 1350), 14 Sep, 0954, Bachata music, 1006 canned ID "...Ondas del Yura..." Steady, fair signal with heavy utility station QRM from above (Mark Mohrmann, Coventry, VT, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EL SALVADOR? When I first tuned in 17833.16 at 2310 UT, I detected not only the "usual" carrier I've had here in the past, but also a ballad with male vocals, but the audio was distorted. Language sounded like Spanish, but it was hard to tell. LSB or LSB plus sync was required, as there's QRM from 17835 kHz. Some more ballads were heard, but then I had to leave the house. I'm now back (2347 UT) and the signal has severely degraded, but something is still there. I'd like to think I'm hearing El Salvador, but since I can only receive it on one antenna, and the audio just doesn't quite sound right, it could be a mixing product or spur. Is anyone else hearing this, particularly those of you down South? (George Maroti, NY, Sept 17, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** FERNANDO DE NORONHA [and non]. 14 REGATA OCEÂNICA INTERNACIONAL RECIFE - FERNANDO DE NORONHA D I P L O M A Comemorativo A Federação Pernambuca de Radioamadorismo - LABRE PE - estará ativada com o indicativo de PY7AA, participando deste evento comemorativo a nivel internacional, juntamente com o Cabanga Iate Clube de Pernambuco, em Recife-PE, local onde serão instaladas as Estações de Rádio. Início: 18 de Setembro de 2002 às 15:00 hs UTC Término: 22 de Setembro de 2002 às 15:00 hs UTC. Bandas: VHF, UHF, 10, 11, 15, 20 e 40 metros. Frequências: 146.880 (Linkadas - Repetidoras do Grupo Corape), 439.850 (Linkada com a Internet), 28.430, 27.605 LSB, 21.275, 14.275, 7.055 e CW nas frequências internacionais de DX. Cartão de QSL: Via direta para: Av.Agamenon Magalhães, 2945 CEP 50050-290 ou Caixa Postal 1043 CEP 50001-970 RECIFE - PE - BRAZIL ou Via Birô. Diploma Comemorativo: Todos os participantes que confirmarem o contato, receberão um lindo Diploma Comemorativo do evento. Clubes de Dexismo e de Radioamadores que confirmarem o contato, receberão um lindo Troféu acompanhado de um Diploma Comemorativo. Radioescuta SWL, que confirmarem por Relatório de Recepção ou QSL receberão um lindo Diploma Comemorativo. 73, (Irapuan Macedo - PY7IM, Diretor de Divulgação da LABRE PE, Recife - PE - BRAZIL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FIJI. INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING FROM FIJI! Unfortunately it's not available on shortwave, but Fiji now has a de facto international broadcasting service on the Internet. Namaste Fiji, a weekly programme for expatriate Fijians, has launched on http://www.Fijivillage.com --- part of the Communications Fiji Limited group, which also includes radio stations Navtarang, FM96, Viti FM, and Legend. It's the only subscription-based website operating out of Fiji. Access currently costs US$35 per year. Namaste Fiji is presented by broadcasters from Radio Navtarang. The station's Programme Director Anirudh Diwakar said: "What's special about this show is that it caters specifically for an international audience. People living overseas will be able to interact or get involved with Namaste Fiji, by sending dedications, birthday calls and other thoughts via the net, so it's really an international radio from Fiji crossing national boundaries." (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 17 September 2002 via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 3266.47, RRI Gorontalo with good signal peaking at about 1030 Sept 16 and firm "RRI Gorontalo" identification. They played pipe music at 1025 and call to prayer at 1058. 3905, RRI Merauke, with powerful signal but not in the clear as New Ireland building in the background, 0836 September 14th (David Norrie, DXing from home and Musick Point, golf course car park Auckland, NZ, AOR 7030, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** KAZAKHSTAN [non]. Radio DAT reply. Radio Dat heard on 9775. It`s not actually a QSL – just e-mail letter in reply to my e-mail report, in 3 days. That’s what they wrote: Dear Igor! Thank you for your big letter. Usually they (=DXers, IZ) simply ask for a QSL, and that`s all. To our greatest pity, the cost of our transmitter (around 1000 kWt) doesn’t allow us to send cards. As you know, we offer our time for all real opposition parties/ movements and for everybody who`s ardent to fight against the fascist regime of Nazarbayev and his jackals. At the moment, the external intelligence of Kazakhstan started a hunt upon our radio station and all our supporters; that`s why we can’t send the views from our windows. Possibly, in the future, we`ll send the pictures to all who supported us in hard times. With respect, Radio DAT. The e mail: info@datradio.com Yours, (Igor Zhurkin, Pravdinskiy, Moscow reg., Russia, Sept 18, dxing.info via DXLD) ** KYRGYZSTAN. Ms. Baima Sutenova, the Vice President of the Kyrgyz State TV and R Corporation, has been v/s for a number of QSLs in recent years. Her email address is: meerim2002@netmail.kg (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, BC-DX Sep 14 via DXLD) ** LAOS [non]. Re the 17540 ULMD report, this webpage was referenced, more about Cambodia, actually, and with no reference to radio, FWIW: http://www.wccpd.org/activity/act23.html Struggle For Democracy In Cambodia Statement delivered at the United Lao Movement for Democracy of Minnesota Conference on Human Rights Violation, Chemical Welfare, Killings Fields, and Restoration of Democracy in Laos Washington, DC - March 18, 1999 By PekThov Tan, Member of the Board World Cambodian Congress (WCC) for Peace and Development... (via CRW via DXLD) ** LIBERIA. 5100, Liberian Communications Network; 2339-2402*, 17-Sep; M with African news to 2342 then sked; said will be on at 7 AM. 2343 Rap & reggae tunes. LCN ID and brief closing announcement at 2401. All in English. Strong RTTY QRM in AM, use USB, SIO=333; better close to 2400 (Harold Frodge, MI, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** MALI. Bamako again, on 7284.4 kHz noted at 0915-0950 f/out Sept 10 airing Vernacular programming with tribal songs. 15331. And as to their best daytime outlet, 9635 kHz, noted at a critical (propagation wise) time of 1122-1324 airing Vernacular programming with tribal songs, talks. Best received via the K9AY loop so as avoid some QRN but also very much thanks to the NRD545 noise filter, which, however, makes readability rather strange and even hard, yet quite enough to clearly ID the station. 25242. On many other occasions though, such noise filter behaves in such a way that it's easier to follow the station mixed w/ noise than via the device (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, BC-DX Sep 14 via DXLD) Heard in Germany on 9634.95 on Sep 8th at s-on around 0806 UT. (BC-DX ed.) ** MOZAMBIQUE. Visited some African radio webpages today. There used to be both mediumwave and shortwave columns, so at least some people could separate. But also the newest schedule does not contain a short wave column (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, Sept 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NAMIBIA. Visited some african radio webpages today. Some remarks. http://www.nbc.com.na/index.htm is still "under construction" but http://www.nbc.com.na/index.html is the startpage for a more or less complete homepage including a map of solar transmitter sites. SW schedule is outdated (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, Sept 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEPAL. Sep 15 R Nepal 5005 signed off at 1715 (for some weeks they used to sign off at 1545). Parallel 6100 was also audible until 1700 (then VOA qrm from 6105). I guess 6100 also signed off at 1715. Also Sep 16 5005 sign off was at 1715. Poor propagation, did not hear them on 6100. There was carrier on 6100.0 with bits of audio. Also another carrier on 6100.2 but no audio heard (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The other maybe being Afghanistan? q.v. (gh, DXLD) ** NIGERIA. Hi Glenn, visited some african radio webpages today. some remarks. http://www.voiceofnigeria.org is both updated and outdated. The program schedule seems to be correct and lasting until December. The frequency schedule is updated, admitting that 11770 is not active but giving old sign-off for 15120: it's closing at 1200 currently (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, Sept 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) imturningpacifistuntilelectiondaychancellorland ** NIGERIA [non ]. 15250, Salama radio, 16 Sept 1924, man with religious topics in presumed Hausa. At 1929 with ID by YL giving program times (8 pm in English) with address in Nigeria. ``Tune in again tomorrow evening``. Religious themes in English after 1830. Signal S9+10 or 44444. On 17/9 with a spiritual song after a religious talks at 1845, then with theme ``in what do you glory`` (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PARAGUAY. 9737.1, R Nacional, 0948 Sept 17, sounded like news commentary, including short clips of Dubbya on Saddam/Iraq translated into Spanish. Male & female announcers alternating. Poor-fair signal. (Paul Ormandy, New Zealand, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 5009.62, R. Altura, good with lively DJ, numerous Id's and football like "Perúúúú....", 1004 September 16th (David Norrie, DXing from home and Musick Point, golf course car park Auckland, NZ, AOR 7030, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** PERU. 4834.92, (presumed), Radio Marañón, 17 Sep, 0921-1002, a very strong carrier here for the past week with apparently undermodulated weak audio coming through occaisionally. This morning Spanish talk and an Andean vocal. I haven't seen them logged since last spring when they had a booming signal. Is anyone down south hearing them well? (Mark Mohrmann, Coventry, VT, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. Re report of Arkhangel`sk on 6160: scheduled as Murmansk: 6160 0100-2100 to zone 19, MUR 20 kW at 335 degrees towards Norwegian Sea/Atlantic Ocean (Wolfgang Bueschel, Sept 18 BCDX, Sept 17 via DXLD) ** RUSSIA: Voice of Russia A-02 schedule (September 1 - October 27, 2002): 0000-0100 Spanish 12060 11750 11510 9965 9890 9860 9830 9480 9470 7330 7180 0100-0200 English 17595 12000 11825* 9725 7180 Russian 21755 17690 17660 15455 12060 11750 9480 7300 648 Spanish 11510 9965 9945 9890 9860 9830 9470 7330 0200-0300 English 17660 17595 12000 9725 7180 Russian 21755 17690 17650 15455 12060 11750 9480 7330 7300 1215 0300-0400 English 17690 17660 17650 15455 12000 11750 7180 1548 603 Russian 1215 0400-0500 English 17690 17660 17650 15455 12000 11750 7180 1548 603 0500-0600 English 21790 17795 17685 17635 1548 1323 603 0600-0700 English 21790 17795 17685 17635 15490 1323 603 0700-0800 English 17795 17685 17675 17635 17525 17495 15490 1323 1251 603 0800-0900 English 17795 17685 17675 17635 17525 17495 15490 1251 603 0900-1000 German 15455 7330 1386 1323 1215 603 1000-1100 Chinese 15605 15470 9480 9470 7400 5940 5905 1251 801 585 Korean 13640 12055 12000 9875 7490U 7330 7315 648 1000-1200 German 1386 1323 1215 603 1100-1200 Chinese 15605 15470 12000 11755 9480 9470 7400 7330 7315 5940 5905 1251 1080 801 648 585 1200-1300 Chinese 11755 9480 9470 1251 585 Japanese 7490U 7340 7330 5905 720 630 Korean 12000 7400 7315 648 Russian 15560 15470 13720 11870 11640 9920 9745 9495 7390 1143 Urdu 17570 15550 15460 11500 Vietnamese 17645 12055 603 1200-1230 Mongolian 15315 5940 1080 801 1200-1400 Pashto/Dari17675 15510 12015 9800 4975 4965 4940 972 648 1230-1300 Mongolian 15315 5940 4850 1080 801 209 1300-1400 Chinese 15605 11755 9480 9470 7315 801 585 Hindi 17570 15460 11500 1269 Japanese 7390 7340 5905 720 630 Russian 17645 15560 15470 11640 9745 9495 1323 1215 999 603 Russian 9920 9735 7370 7330 1251 1143 "Sodruzhestvo" 1400-1500 English 17645 15560 12055 9745 7390 1386 1323 1251 Russian 11830 9920 9495 9735 7370 7315 603 "Sodruzhestvo" Turkish 15540 11985 7325 1170 Urdu 15510 15460 11500 972 1400-1600 Persian 12015 9875 9835 9360 7305 648 1500-1530 Albanian 12060 12040 12000 9470 English 11985 11500 7390 7325 4975 4965 4940 1494 Hindi 15460 11720 9865 9745 972 1500-1600 German 11980 9810 9480 7440 7330 7300 1386 1323 1215 603 Russian 17580 12005 7350 till Sep.28 Russian 12005 7350 7130 from Sep.29 Russian 15540 11830 9495 7370 7315 1314 1170 603 "Sodruzhestvo" 1530-1600 Bengali 17570 15460 11870 11720 9865 9745 English 11985 11500 7390 7325 4975 4965 4940 1494 972 1530-1700 Serbian 12040 12000 9470 1548 936 1600-1700 Arabic 12030 12015 11745 9835 9710 9360 7325 7305 1314 1170 English 15540 11985 7350 1494 648 French 12035 11870 11510 9890 9810 9745 9480 German 11980 7440 7330 7300 1386 1323 1215 603 Romanian 15350 9490 999 Russian 11830 9875 9495 7370 7315 1143 1089 972 "Sodruzhestvo" 1700-1730 Arabic 12030 11745 9710 9360 7305 1314 1170 Finnish 9820 7360 1494 Mon-Fri French 12035 11870 11630 9890 9810 1700-1745 Hungarian 15350 12020 7400 1700-1800 Bulgarian 12000 9490 6000 1467 936 English 11985 11675 11510 9820^ 9775 9745 7360^ 7310 1494^ 1269 1251 648 German 11980 7440 7350 7330 1386 1323 1215 603 Italian 12040 11920 9470 1548 Polish 12010 11930 1143 Russian 9480 7300 5950 Russian 15540 12055 9875 9495 9450 7370 7315 1278 648 "Sodruzhestvo" 1730-1800 Arabic 15595 12030 11745 9710 9360 7305 1314 1170 French 12035 11870 11630 9890 9810 7320 Norwegian 9820 7360 1494 Tue/Thu Swedish 9820 7360 1494 Mon/Wed/Fri 1745-1830 Czech 15350 12020 7400 1800-1830 Arabic 12030 11745 9835 9710 9360 7305 1314 1170 1800-1900 English 11870 9820 9775 9745 9480 7360 7310 7300 1494 French 11930 11630 9890 9810 7390 7350 7320 German 11980 7440 7330 1386 1323 1215 603 Greek 12065 12040 11985 9490 6000 5950 1467 936 Russian 12055 9450 7370 1278 1143 "Sodruzhestvo" 1830-1900 Arabic 15595 12030 11745 9835 9710 9360 7305 1314 1170 Slovak 15350 12020 7400 1900-2000 Bulgarian 6000 1467 936 English 15735 9820 9775 7440 7360 7350 7330 7310 1386 French 11980 11930 11630 9890 7390 7320 1323 Russian 15350 12055 12040 12020 9480 9450 7370 5950 1215 1089 603 2000-2030 Portuguese 9480 7440 2000-2100 English 15735 11980 9820 9775 7360 7350 7330 1494 1386 1323 Russian 12055 9470 7390 7370 7310 5950 1215 1143 1089 999 603 2000-2015 Serbian 6000 2015-2130 Serbian 6000 1548 2030-2100 Spanish 9480 7440 2100-2130 French 9450* 2100-2200 Russian 1386 1323 612 "Sodruzhestvo" 2300-2400 Portuguese 12060 11510 9965 9890 9860 9470 7330 * via Santa Mariya di Galeria ^ Sat/Sun 73 from (Ivo and Angel!, Observer, Bulgaria, Sept 17 via DXLD) ** RWANDA. The antenna farm of Deutsche Welle Kigali-RRW relay site is under renewal at present. Modernization project takes place til May 2003 (FUNK magazine, Sep 2002 via BC-DX via DXLD) So some scheduled broadcasts will not be heard? (gh, DXLD) ** SIERRA LEONE. Radio UNAMSIL confirmed my report sent to them directly on May 17th by a personal and detailed letter. The answer was postmarked UN New York. v/s Sheila Dallas, Station manager and Executive Producer. Address: UNAMSIL Headquarters, Mammy Yoko, P.O.Box 5, Free Town, Sierra Leone. They say they have received around 100 reports from around the world (Harald Kuhl, Germany, DXplorer Sep 16 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** SOUTH AFRICA. "SHOWDOWN" SAID LOOMING BETWEEN GOVERNMENT, STATE BROADCASTER | Excerpt from article Jeremy Michaels entitled "SABC fighting for its independence" published by South African newspaper The Star on 17 September A massive showdown is looming between the SABC [South African Broadcasting Corporation] and the government over the independence of the public broadcaster. Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri said yesterday that while she did not want to turn the SABC into a government propaganda machine, she was determined to hold the public broadcaster's journalists accountable for what they did. But the SABC has warned that the government's apparent bid to control its policies on news and programming, amongst others, is unconstitutional. "I find this lack of accountability problematic. I will fight this to the end," Matsepe-Casaburri said in an interview with Independent Newspapers yesterday. The government merely wanted to ensure that the public got accurate information from the SABC, not to make it "a mouthpiece of the government", she told the portfolio committee on communications. The new Broadcasting Amendment Bill removes a clause guaranteeing the SABC's editorial independence and has new clauses that will force the SABC board to seek ministerial approval of its editorial policies. In a written submission to parliament, the SABC charges that the government is trying to "eliminate" the SABC's freedom of expression by deleting the clause in the current law. The deletion of the clause was "a matter of grave concern to the SABC" as it raised questions about whether parliament intended to eliminate the freedoms and values which were "essential to the robust functioning of a public broadcaster in our constitutional democracy". The proposed change was "an attempt to fundamentally change the structures of control and management of the SABC" by effectively relegating the role of the current board to "one of mere policy making", instead of control over the public broadcaster... Source: The Star, Johannesburg, in English 17 Sep 02 p 1 (via BBCM via DXLD) DOMINANCE OF ENGLISH IN STATE BROADCASTER "UNACCEPTABLE" - PARLIAMENT | Text of report by South African news agency SAPA web site It was unacceptable that 70 per cent of public broadcasting was in English, Nat Kekana, the chairman of parliament's communications portfolio committee said on Monday [16 September]. Speaking during briefings on the Broadcasting Amendment Bill, he said the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) had to change this bias. "Eight years down the line (since the 1994 democratic election) it is very clear that the three (SABC television) channels are not able to provide for all languages. And we need to change this," he said. Pan South African Language Board (Pansalb) CEO Cynthia Marivate said research by the organization had found that the dominance of English in broadcasting had led to "deprivation" of the country's other 10 official languages. The survey found that 85 per cent of South Africans felt disadvantaged because of the predominance of English in news reporting, while only 22 per cent of respondents fully understood speeches and statements by politicians delivered in English only. English was not among the top 6 languages mentioned as a first choice for news coverage, she said. According to Census '96 figures, English is the mother tongue of only 8.6 per cent of South Africans, behind Zulu (22.9 per cent), Xhosa (17.9 per cent), Afrikaans (14.4 per cent) and Pedi (9.2 per cent). Source: SAPA news agency web site, Johannesburg, in English 1312 gmt 16 Sep 02 (via BBCM via DXLD) SABC COULD BE SPLIT UP A parliamentary hearing is under way in South Africa that could pave the way for sweeping changes in public broadcasting. The Communications Committee is taking evidence on proposals that would give the government much tighter control over the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), the structure of which has remained fundamentally unchanged since the days of apartheid. A proposed bill to amend the country's 1999 Broadcasting Act could result in the splitting up of the SABC into separate public and commercial companies, and the establishment of two state-funded regional TV channels. Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri said at the start of the hearing that the intention was to ensure equality amongst the country's 11 official languages. However, the bill would also give the Communications Minister new rights over financial and editorial decisions, and would delete a guarantee that the SABC would remain free from government interference. The SABC has reacted angrily to the proposals, calling them "a matter of grave concern". The independent Media Monitoring Project has also criticised several aspects of the bill. The hearing continues until Friday. (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 17 September 2002 via DXLD) ** SUDAN. You mentioned tentative reception of Omdurman 7200. This has been operating for some time now, but I don't know what their current schedule is, or if it operates every day. The last time I had a decent signal the station went off just after 1900. The 9 MHz channel has not been heard - or seen reported - for a long time (Noel R. Green, UK, Sep 12, Sept 18 BC-DX Sep 17 via DXLD) ** SYRIA [non]. Re SHRC denial of connexion with Sawt al-Watan: My money is still on Mahmud Fathi's report that there is a connection. Why should one simply accept their denial at face value? Wouldn't one expect such a group to deny that it is behind what is a clandestine broadcast? Don't some clandestines try to keep their backer hidden? Someone has gone to a lot a trouble to broadcast SHRC material. If there isn't a connection, then someone has done them a heck of a favor to broadcast their material. Sorry, but favors such as that just don't happen (Hans Johnson, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** TIBET [non]. 7385, Holy Tibet, 16 Sept 1640, with a really good signal at S9 44434. IDed at 1641 with a reference to G. Maroti as a good DXer, YL in very good English (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UKRAINE. R. Krishnaloka, in a reply to Mauno Ritola, Finland: "The potency of the transmitter small - 300 Watt, but is planned it to increase end to proceed (pass) to other type of an antenna. Try to listen to station in dark time of day." (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, BC-DX Sep 17 via DXLD) ** U S A. 2479.98, WGVA Geneva, NY, (harmonic 2 x 1240), 16 Sep, 2255, ID "...1240 WGVA...Finger Lakes News Network..." into ABC network news feed at 2300. Fair, stable signal (Mark Mohrmann, Coventry, VT, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WBBR Update on Downtime. For anyone wondering what happened with the rumored WBBR-1130 silent period, it is still a rumor. The engineers are still working on things and are still wrangling for approval to take the station off the air. I'll keep checking in, and let people know when/if the station will be off. (Rick Kenneally, Wilton, CT, Sept 16, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. The postings have been flying fast and furious on the NRC-AM reflector about IBOC/IBAC, too fast for us to keep up with them, but here are a few more: Terrestrial radio is dead. The corporates want to get rid of terrestrial radio anyway. This will do this. This IBAC will drive people to XM. No one can have a portable radio and hear IBAC. The battery consumption on the chips is far too high and this is going to be a severe problem. No portables, no interest. The interference to stations from IBAC is terrible. Adjacents are going to hammer the hell out of each other. I heard it with my own ears. Running the analog 5 kHz wide is not going to excite people much. Having that 5 kHz signal hammered by an IBAC station next to it isn't going to help. FM interference isn't all that wonderful either. None of this matters because although the people commented on 99-325, the brown paper bags and brown envelopes that are full of corporate largesse are being given to the people who make the decisions and its going to happen. Digital radio is needed and will come; it`s just that the greedy corporate people couldn't seem to find another piece of spectrum to put it on. This is the best thing that ever happened to XM. This should have been placed on a different band and the MW band phased out. FM should have been left alone. It`s a done deal and can't be stopped. It`s just that a lot of people are going to be whizzed when they have to shell out bucks because everything they now have is useless (Kevin Redding, AZ) Cutting by 6 DB is the equivalent of cutting the power by 75% - for example, going from 5,000 watts to 1,250. At least in theory it's the same thing as one "S" unit though tests have shown most radios' S meters are very poorly calibrated (Doug Smith, TN) Perhaps the thought is that "hip" is enough to propel this, and if there are enough 'sheep' convinced to spend on receivers, I suppose that's valid. But I can't see that as being enough - not now. Too many people, especially younger people, are so down on radio already that they may either see that's just a marketing label, or may decide that radio is so unimportant to them that they aren't willing to cash in to make the change. If that scenario plays out, I fail to see how that audience will be lured back, or, in the case of the low-end of that age group, convinced to even consider that radio in any form might be relevant to their lives. Forgetting considerations such as impacts to coverage, interference, I think the idea that AM can be saved as a serious medium may be a case of 'too little, too late'. (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA) They can make portable MP3 players which seem to deliver reasonable battery life and work at least as well as portable radios (which may or may not be saying much but it's obviously adequate for the consumer). I'm not so sure they'll be able to make an IBOC $5 blister-packed throwaway set, but I think from the $25 level up David's statement will probably hold. German radio hams are now building multistandard digital TV transmitters, and they aren't spending the entire DARC budget to do it. You never know (Doug Smith, TN) David, OBVIOUSLY for the CCU people to do this so quickly after the test, this shows that they KNOW there`s a problem. This will decrease the digital coverage even more than the already smaller coverage over analog. This is obvious to CCU that they have already whizzed a lot of people off and they have to do something. XETRA is CCU and running 77 kW. That`s a LOT-O-JUICE. I had WLW IBOC test interference on XETRA out here in AZ. I had some minor interference on 710 KUET which is a semi-local. The 690 interference was more noticeable for me because of the proximity to KUET. I'm a long way from Cincinnati and Harry Helms who also heard the artifacts is further away in California also heard it. The white noise / buzzing is REALLY BAD. People are not going to be happy with this at all (Kevin Redding) ``IBOC will not just help AM; it will help radio...`` Not by overlaying a digital signal over an analog one. The idea of two disparate modulation schemes in the same tiny slice of spectrum is ill-conceived. It was painfully clear to me at the April NAB show, listening to the 1140 [Las Vegas NV] signal that it was flawed. The adjacent channel interference is much too severe over much too large an area. I was in Death Valley, maybe three hours drive from Las Vegas and the digital noise was evident. Having a band full of that noise, especially on and adjacent to local channels, is a recipe for disaster. Spark Gap AM, in effect. ``Radio is, as a medium, 80 years old.`` *WARNING! HERESY AHEAD!* Yes, and AM is obsolete and should be left alone so it can die on its own terms. Trying to make it something it cannot be is like teaching a pig to sing. Wastes your time, and annoys the pig. They didn't try to regenerate navigational beacons with some digital claptrap. They are simply decommissioning them and letting GPS take over. Same with AM. Let it stay as-is until it peters out. 1.2 MHz of spectrum isn't a large swath, despite our attachment to it. ``The "digital" label is hip.`` Apparently not "hip" enough to merit a clean slice of spectrum. Since new radios are required, the band they work on is irrelevant. Allocate space so the job can be done right. Eureka.. ``The data stream that is what IBOC is based on permits a whole array of other services, including interactive.`` So does the Internet. When G3 and later G4 RF connectivity becomes available (2 to 5 years) the small bandwidth available in an IBOC signal will be too little, too late. And the Internet is two-way already. Where's the return channel in IBOC? Sure isn't "in band, on channel". If they need to allocate some return mode, why not simply put everything in the same spectrum right up front? ``If they finally fix the algorithm, talk sounds much more "presency" in IBOC.`` So does satellite, and that's available today. Seems response for that has been underwhelming, with XM treading water and Sirius fending off press reports of their financial woes. The business model for IBOC isn't that much different. ``Remember, there is not much AM talk listening of any kind under age 35; the younger talkers like KLSX are on FM. Plus, this will allow some AMs to be used for niche music formats that can not be justified today. To younger people, AM is totally unhip, useless, dead, etc.`` It's the content, and not the pipeline. More listeners have gravitated to where their action is. The vast majority of people don't give a rat's hindquarters about the pipe. They want the contents. In the case of AM, the pipeline was inadequate to the task of delivering the desired content. IBOC might sound real sweet in high signal strength tests. Put it out there with a bandful of other IBOC signals, especially at night, and it won't be so good. The signal just can't be strong and interference-free over a large enough area for most stations. Maybe the Clear Channel blowtorches, but mom and pop are gonna take it on the chin. Even if they do pony up the Big Bucks to do the conversion. ``There is 100% backing of the IBOC standard, starting at the FCC. AM stereo died in the period of years when the FCC wasted the window of opportunity for AMs to remain viable music stations. And, initially, the technology sucked... platform motion, lack of promotion, near-zero interest by car manufacturers. Not so IBOC.`` Simple. They tried to do the same thing. Cram too much stuff in too small a bag. In my area, that's called a blivet. Ten pounds of ..er.. "stuff" in a five-pound bag. In AM's case, that bag also carries "stuff" from other stations that leaks in. IBOC only spills more in. The fact that the FCC is behind it gives me no comfort. This is the same FCC which screwed up AM Stereo, eliminated ownership limits, and has had a spotty track record on a lot of issues. ``But the big deal is the digital stream, which can carry all kinds of additional data... and become a new revenue source. And they can say "digital" which is the killer buzz word of today in audio.`` And the portable internet services which will be here shortly will run it into the ground. Gotta have a large enough bandwidth to get the content there. IBOC will have the bandwidth for a few pop-up ads. I'll pass, thank you. Were I in a programming position in Radio, I'd be far more concerned with getting the RIAA streaming issue settled to my satisfaction. When G3 and G4 arrive, and I can get an audio stream on my PDA and in my car, suddenly transmitters and over-the-air content will become very unimportant. David, we have discussed this before. You seem set that IBOC is the neatest thing since sliced bread for radio. I'm equally convinced that it's a boondoggle of the first magnitude. You base your opinion on your considerable and varied radio experience. My opinion is based on my 32 years experience as an engineer and consultant. We aren't going to change the other's opinion. We'll just have to see how it shakes out. -c- (Craig Healy, RI) I'm curious how the Eureka system is doing up there. On my recent vacation (which was within range of Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto stations for several days) I did hear a few ads for digital radios. (and I note that applications have been filed for the first digital- only stations, admittedly all with non-mainstream ethnic formats) Are they selling? (Doug Smith, TN) DXed most intensively form 1959 to 1963 in Cleveland, where I verified everything, including all 50 states. DXed a while from Ecuador 1964- 1970, and verified a cou0ple of hundred things, mostly unique ones like US graveyards and TPs. Then DXed Mexicans 1973-75 in Phoenix, with about 240 of them received and verified (when there were less than 500 AMs in all Mexico). I don't send for verifications now as I believe it is a horrible imposition on today's stations. I also realize that most stations don't get reports, and most that they do get are fake or fraudulent, and I don't want to be guilty by association. I currently use a TenTec RX-350 from a place in Palm Springs with a Quantum loop, phaser and several whips on the roof of a condo. I do it for pure fun, not for veries, though. I'll probably get a Drake as a Christmas present to myself, too. As an aside, what many here don't know is that I was a founding member of IRCA, on their first board and even conducted several unique DX tests form Ecuador where I moved stations onto splits for DX purposes. It's not the WLW CE. It is the DOE for Clear Channel who has to decide what is best for hundreds of AMs, ranging form graveyarders to clears. In all cases, the issue is whether it is worth saving fringe adjacent channel reception. Most broadcasters say no, as they get no money outside their own MSA. I would not say that most other broadcasters oppose the 6 db reduction; there has really been no polling of anyone. I sensed no objection in the packed IBOC sessions in Seattle, except that many said, "accept the interference and leave it at current levels." ...YOU were the one who brought up corporate. And, by the way, I'm also consultant; most of the time I am my own boss. I have "posted" quotes because they were germane. I was also the first to say that AM IBOC was not fully ready in April, and I still find it lacking in audio quality. I am also one of the very few on the list who has seen how the sausage is made and who ha had to make a decision as to whether to include IBOC in budgets, in promotion strategy and to take the concomitant risk it involves. IBOC is not like HDTV; it is not obligatory. Terrestrial radio is not dead; there is no evidence yet that satellite delivery will ever make it. I believe it will, but most people in radio are very skeptical about it ever being anything but a 5% to 7% of the market niche. Only one radio company has a satellite investment, and it amounts to less than 4% of one satellite company's stock, and is valued at less than the price the average station in that company's portfolio. Why, then, would there be an interest in killing 99.99% of your investment to save 0.01% of it? In the technical sessions, it was obvious that the newest IBOC chipset designs are no more power consuming than normal radio chipsets. Remember, they are still developing the final versions, and everything out there is a prototype; indications are there will be the capacity to produce from the start 100,000,000 IBOC radios a year. You may not like the programming. You are, then, one of the 5% non- users of radio or the roughly 5% light users (less than 4 hours a week) that have existed since transmitters had rectifier tubes. Buy XM or Sirius. Or buy a bunch of CDs. Or learn to whistle. There is absolutely nothing radio can do to make people like you happy and there never has been. And as America fragments in taste, lifestyle and social groupings as it has since the end of W.W. II, there will continue to be a small group of unsatisfied people who can not find anything to their liking on radio. 95% of Americans cume radio weekly. 90% listen over 7 hours. The average person listens 20:45 a week, about the same as it was in 1950. You can criticize form your point of view the programming, but the fact is that people continue to enjoy and use radio. There is less interest in teens and over 65 persons, but that is due to corporate marketing at auto manufacturers, home product companies, retailers, etc. So where there are no dollars, radio can't program. But radio revenue is up 7.5% in the first half of 2002; radio revenues are now for the first time over 8% of all add expenditures. That does not indicate that all the things are wrong that you believe are. In one sector, mine, radio revenues were up 17% in the first half. Someone must be listening (David Gleason, CA) Losing marginal AM's would be a good thing no matter how you look at it - and not just from a hobby perspective. The same will be true when FM goes digital. There's probably very little argument anywhere that there are too many stations. But what will result from that will be much more concentration than exists today, because in many cases a marginal station is marginal in many ways, often starting with financial. They will fall by the wayside due to the expense. I'm afraid I have to agree with Kevin and others - I see nothing to persuade me to believe that changing to IBOC will cure what's wrong with radio. To the contrary - I think it will instead lead to more of what's wrong on the programming end. I wouldn't argue that 80 years is a long time for a technology - it's probably been too long by at least 10-20 years. Had it been replaced with something better before AM found itself an orphaned stepchild, we probably wouldn't be having this discussion (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA) David, There are many places in this nation that there are no FM and no receivable AM stations. This dooms these people to have one choice and that`s XM or Sirius. Lots of them will be listening to CDs instead. I am sure lots of DXers cringed when they saw that comment because you are telling all of us, the hobby is done and over. Kiss it all goodbye (Kevin Redding, AZ) Nobody but we few care about what happens to DX'ing, nor should they be expected to. We are an accidental by-product - we aren't any real part of the equation. The vast majority of those who are don't even have a hint that anything like DX'ing exists (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA) Kevin, I listened to two FMs and an AM in Seattle, on both a clock radio of the garden-variety hotel kind and my Sony portable which is way to the high end. On neither did I notice anything that would be called disturbing and I had no trouble tuning other stations on the dial that any local listener would want to tune in. No, I could not DX in all likelihood. But this is not about DXing. It is about bringing radio back to a competitive position (David Gleason, CA) Radio needs to not worry about buzz words and all they need to do is fix the programming and stop the processing and loudness wars. If the programming was good, then no one would be worried about IBAC. ``It's "IBOC" (for In Band On Carrier) and not IBAC.`` What I heard on the WLW test and the local FM KJZZ tests and it sounded like it was destroying the adjacent channels. I call it In- Band Adjacent Channel, IBAC (Kevin Redding, AZ) My 2 cents in the debate: I missed NAB this year, but my understanding from friends who were there is that the buzz really was as David describes. From the point of view of the broadcasters, "HD Radio" (the new marketing tag for Ibiquity's digital system) is a desperately- needed magic bullet to stop the erosion in listenership of the last decade or so. They HAVE to believe that this will work. And I agree with David that the impact of MW DAB (sorry, I won't call it "IBOC" as long as so much energy spills beyond +/- 10 kHz) on the DX hobby is of extremely minor import to the broadcast community. But I do think we DXers are something of a "canary in a coalmine" in identifying signal issues that will adversely affect broadcasters, and I think the flawed Ibiquity system is just such a problem. The issue here isn't the WBZ listener in Cleveland or Charlotte (though WBZ actually *does* have a revenue stream it can trace to the huge reach of its overnight signal) - it's the WBZ listener in Worcester, Providence or Manchester, areas that ARE important parts of the WBZ marketing and sales effort. What happens to their signal after dark when KDKA and WHO fire up their HD Radio signals and begin slopping up and down towards 1030 kHz? And even if WBZ has the juice to overcome an increased noise floor to the west, what about the more marginal Boston AM signals like 680 and 850 that go ever-so-directional after dark and whose patterns now miss the huge boom in suburban population in areas like Framingham and Marlborough? Heaven help them when stations like WSCR and WHAS turn on the HD Radio and what's left of their suburban signal is further lost in the hash and noise. (Would I be out of line, furthermore, to suggest that adjacent-channel splat from HD Radio is considerably LESS tolerable as interference to an analog signal than the current analog interference?) Smaller stations being bought and taken dark to reduce the noise floor - or just folding up and blowing away? Maybe...but when incredibly marginal AM signals like the 1360 in Lynn MA, effectively a daytimer, go for seven figures-plus, it's hard to see much relief coming to larger markets that way anytime soon. Yes, a lot of these problems go away when analog goes away and we go all-digital. Heck, even I'll admit that the Ibiquity system would probably work pretty well in an all-digital environment. But, taking our strange hobbyist community aside, will the receiver world really go all-digital in our lifetimes? -s (Scott Fybush, NY) Woke up this Sunday morning to find the great volume of comment on IBOC, programming, the future of DX'ing, et al, ad infinitum. et and cetera. I read it all. I read it but I didn't weep. I've been in the hobby long enough, I've seen (and heard) so many factors that have changed the hobby so drastically, and despite all the changes, many of them aggravating, we're still we're at it. Before I make some of my observations, allow me to thank Dave Gleason for taking the time (and the courage) to share his insights from the standpoint of the contemporary broadcaster. Dave has been involved with the hobby almost as long as I have, and, as I did, followed the route from fascinated, hooked listener into a broadcasting career. Dave's career led to ownership and management, mine stayed at the programming level, specific concentration on news, and because I was motivated to remain in a single, comfortable geographic location, I wound up shifting from broadcasting to newspaper in 1981. I doubt there's another individual involved in broadcast ownership and management who has the understanding of our arcane hobby. We've seen the value of DX'ers to radio stations begin as important sources of information on listenership and propagation, at least in a subjective sense; transcend to a tradition as old-time broadcasters remembered our value in the early days; dwindle to a curiosity for the newer generations of broadcasters or a sympathetic connection to the engineers who are also hams and at least understand where we're coming from; evolve into a nuisance to many who have no interest at all in "freak" reception outside the normal coverage area or into writers of junk mail that goes into the round file with most of the advertising flyers and self-serving press releases that flood the mail rooms (or the secretary's desk.) If there were enough of us to make a real impact on broadcasting, we would probably be head-to-head enemies, because we prefer sunrise-to- sunset daytimers and 6 a.m. to midnight (or earlier) full-timers, and consider the stations we can hear regularly as pests who block the frequencies and keep us from hearing the fragments of signals that we collect. I remember reading a letter to the editor in Time Magazine in the '40s from someone complaining that the first few all-nighters on graveyard channels were interfering with the opportunity to hear those rare stations that made up the romance of radio. Can you imagine Time publishing a letter reflecting our interests today? Since broadcasters have learned they can make, as Eartha Kitt sang it, "beaucoup du loot" with FM signals whose coverage is limited to 40 to 80 miles or so, the whole concept of skywave listenership is going the way of CW on the ham bands. In the '50s, I would have been able to hear Scott Fybush's five-hour interview on WBZ on Labor Day in Texas and might have been able to hear it in Oregon. But if I hadn't been in Lima for the NRC convention, I wouldn't have been able to hear it at all. With programmers concentrating on limited coverage areas and ad buyers showing little, if any, interest in fringe-area listeners (except, maybe, on a truckers' all-night show), it wouldn't surprise me if the AM band (if digital can save it for the broadcasters) wouldn't eventually evolve into 118 graveyard channels, 530-1700, with 20,000 1 kw or 5 kw non-directional stations. Maybe I'd better not mention that ... someone in broadcasting might pick it up and advocate it. Those of us who remember the historical meaning of the words "clear channel" would eventually be causing earthquakes as we turn over in our graves. IBOC's impact on the future of AM broadcasting is probably not so extreme as either the strongest advocates or the staunchest opponents believe it to be, neither panacea nor death. As DX'ers, then, we must look at what our hobby really is. DX is unusual, out-of-the ordinary, reception. A station we hear every day may count in our logs, but unless it programs something we enjoy when we're not "fishing" for new stations, it becomes a pest. Regardless of what the IBOC railroad does to our stomping grounds, there will always be variables in propagation and there will continue to be experiments in directional antenna systems. And maybe the Mark Connellys or Gerry Thomases among us will experiment with selective audio and come up with a way to block the digital hash that will threaten our chase for the "stations between the stations," as the power company engineer in Massachusetts put it in 1967 when Tom Holmes complained about AM QRM from powerlines. I wonder what the Timewave technology can do to the hash. As a technical idiot, I'm dependent upon the work of others to blaze such reactive paths. Potential lifeline or fleeting fad, IBOC looms before us, and we DX'ers can either work around it or find another way to spend our time. If I live as long as my mother, I've got 25 years and counting remaining to enjoy DX'ing, or to put all my hobby time on travel and genealogy, or on writing about the "DX'ing Days of Yore." That's my two cents worth ... a reference to overall value as opposed to the twenty bucks worth of time I've spent writing it ... and while I've been composing this, an additional 20-plus items have been posted to the list. I've paused to read only one ... the submittal from Scot Fybush ... and, as expected, he gives us some valuable insight into the discussion. All those radios to be replaced ... IF they're really being used all that often. OK, enough. It's time to read the other 20- plus entries. Qal R. Mann, Krumudgeon (John Callarman, Krum TX) CCU was part of the test, so their opinions are germane. Obviously, they are looking at benefiting their clear channel and flame thrower facilities. I think that night operation may well be decided on the current levels, as no one cares about WLW and XETRA in Phoenix but they do care about their local metro. When someone with a single station in a small Idaho market applauds IBOC, as I saw, he claps with his life savings in mind. Most broadcasters look at saving AM, and it has nothing to do with programming and everything to do with economics. QAM stereo was too late, and interest was gone when we finally got finished with Leonard Kahn's suits (blame him for killing AM, instead of me, huh?) and the FCC's foot dragging. It was also a system that had serious flaws, particularly for AM directionals in null areas. And then there was platform motion. Horrible out of the gate. If AM is killed, so be it. But sticking with lousy audio everyone agrees is unsuitable to music and most other formats will do nothing to save it. Even receiver manufacturers knew 15 years ago that no one cares about AM quality. All the coupon and interactive stuff is what vehicle mfgrs call backseat consoles. DVD, interactive radio, games, etc. This is a monthly revenue stream based on content. It is hot. Dismissing it by making glib comments is narrow, Kevin. This is the after-the-sale revenue stream car folks have wanted for a long time. XM and On Star were the first, but they all provide dollars every month from every subscriber. Interestingly, the TiVo like capabilities were very much of interest at NAB. The idea of coding news and traffic and weather so a listener could set their radio to replay them when they got in the car is marvelous. Opens up a concept of radio on demand right on your existing station. This is stuff we find all the time in research projects: "I need the traffic when I leave the house" or "how do I get weather when I need it." (David Gleason, CA) Remember --- this IBOC B.S. isn`t about bringing YOU the listener a better listenable signal with better programming --- it`s all about MONEY in THEIR pockets! What the CE of Clear Channels WLW says about lowering the digital signal by 6db is a JOKE! Its all about trying to sweep the issues of IBOC under the rug and get the FCC to pass regulation so that they can start running this garbage down our throats. IF IBOC does make it to the air fulltime, we still have that receiver issue to deal with. I see a repeat performance of the beginning of the AM Stereo days. The stations were broadcasting stereo --- just no receivers were manufactured in great numbers and what receivers that were made and are presently made {mono or stereo} are just pure junk. I get better quality out of an air monitor than I do from a radio! IBOC still has a long ways to go --- and if it does make it to the light of day --- protest IBOC by NOT buying the receivers. It has an amazing trickle down effect all the way down to the advertising level which greatly affects the profit level of the station running the spectral hash generators. Food for thought for you all today. (Bob Carter, Operations/Engineering, Ray Communications Radio Network, SC) I believe that the programming is no good. You believe the transmission method is no good. The problem is that the programming really is no good and the transmission is no good and no one decided to put the new and better [?] transmission mode on a new band with better programming. The die is cast already and if its not made mandatory like the decision that the FCC made on DTV its never going to fly. When people hear that they have to buy new radios and hear the noise, it`s dead (Kevin Redding, AZ) The proof on IBOC isn't going to be made within a tight local coverage area. It's going to come in places such as Scott suggested - Manchester, providence, and Worcester, all of which are vital to WBZ. And there are analogues all over. Even if you put powerful IBOC transmitters in all of the top 50 markets, and take away all analog stations, either the coverage will be so small in order to decrease the sideband problems that it'll threaten viability or else the interference will be so bad they'll all step on one another everywhere outside of some rather ungenerous distance radius (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA) ADOPTION OF DIGITAL RADIO STANDARD TWO MONTHS AWAY? "I am hopeful that the commission will be able to issue a report and order this fall," FCC Commissioner Kathleen Abernathy told the crowd at the NAB FCC Policymakers' Breakfast this morning, "which in my mind means before November." Voicing her support for getting the ball rolling for adopting a digital radio standard, Abernathy said, "We need to act so that terrestrial radio can transition to the digital age." She noted that because iBiquity has completed both its AM and FM IBOC testing, the National Radio Systems Committee has issued reports supporting the technology, and the FCC itself has accepted comments on those reports, "it is time for us to do our job." Still, she notes that even after a standard is adopted more work must be done to transition stations to digital. Meanwhile, in addition to her target for a digital radio standard, Abernathy tells R&R she is hopeful that the FCC will also be able to issue new EEO rules by November (Radio & Records via Gleason) One other thing that someone has not brought up is the QRN from the sidebands causing images in a market. Let`s say a station on 550 in IBOC has a second harmonic on 1100. I guess the sidebands will then QRM 1090 and 1110. What if there is a station in that market on those frequencies.? I can see all sorts of troubles with IBOC. Now once everyone goes to digital (if they do), the problems might end. But it has a long way to go (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR) The WLW CE is here reading all this and said no such thing! I have made no public comment. The tests we did were just that. Tests. Ibiquity tested on WLW at sideband injection levels of -16 and -22 dB below carrier level. I also want to add that both test levels met the CURRENT Nrsc based FCC spectral mask requirements. Meaning the power generated in the side bands meets the existing rules as written. The DOE's for Clear Channel, of which there are several, are watching these tests as well. The type of skywave tests at WLW consisted of digital sidebands switched 1 minute on and 1 off, then the injection levels changed every 10 minutes. But we ran many variations during the test period. They looked at many real world scenarios in their tests. I have not personally seen the results of the IBOC field tests. As for the Comments about outlying service areas. WLW makes A LOT of money from its over night trucking show and its networked stations being delivered on Sky Wave, i.e. WLW, WHAM, KTWO, KWLW and others. As does WSAI selling religion. Also WLW is sold in the Dayton Ohio, an Adjacent market and has added limited service elements for that area. It normally is about a 4 share in Dayton. I know we here at Clear Channel are totally ignorant boobs bent on our own self destruction and don't know how to program a radio station or operate one; despite ourselves we have amassed a rather large company that relies on Skywave in part to make our money. We have went into many of these small market operations loosing money and by applying the cluster business model we have actually made some money with an otherwise unprofitable station. I personally oversee the Technical operations for 60+ stations. We have replaced or will by the end of 2003 every old tube AM transmitter in my region; I know that makes some here cringe. And many older FM transmitters have been replaced as well. We have brought a level of technical expertise that the stations could not have been able to afford otherwise. I could tell you some horror stories of what I have walked into. But I don't have all day. I just wanted to set the record straight on what I said and did not say (Paul Jellison, Clear Channel, WLW) I take strenuous exception to using WLW, one of the premier n/t stations on a privileged frequency as an example of what works for AM stations that are not low-band 50 kW clears. There are too few clears to begin with, and many are already severely hampered in coverage by adjacents near them. Many more are hampered by being in Southern states where stations like KFI and KNX are unlistenable at 100 miles out due to non-US interference. The XMs and other services will eventually kill the trucker shows, and CCU's investment in same shows they know that. Good, skillful planning. I really doubt that more than 10 of CCUs stations make any appreciable money out of non-home metros. No one does. And they make even less money from skywave. Outside of KOA, WLW and one or two others, the home markets are so big and the outlying markets so small that the formula does not add up. I do agree that CCU was nearly singlehandedly responsible (well, Jacor started it) for saving AM as a viable medium, and the technical operations of the company are all far superior to what previous owners had. But that is not the issue. Getting back to skywave and out of market coverage: I invite you to count the stations that have an adequate signal to cover outside their own market consistently, overcoming power lines, dimmers and all manner of man made interference. The issue is that 99% of US stations can't serve anything but the local market, and a large number of those don't even do that well (David Gleason, CA) I find myself siding more with Kevin, Scott, and Craig than Dave on this one. In particular, Healy's comments are dead on the money. Radio is about content, not modulation methods and other technical issues. I listen to two radio programs each weekday in my office: Howard Stern in the mornings (FM) and Phil Hendrie in the evenings (AM). I didn't decide to listen to those two based upon modulation methods, but instead upon the content. Sometimes in the afternoon I listen to the John & Ken talk show on KFI. That's AM. On KLSX, I could listen to Tom Leykis in FM. But I don't. Why? Because I'd rather listen to John and Ken instead of Tom Leykis, regardless of modulation methods used. And I don't care if the G. Gordon Liddy show is broadcast in "interactive digital Cinerama" or whatever --- I'm still not going to listen to him! It's true in book publishing, it's true in music, and it's true in radio: CONTENT IS KING. People will listen because of the content, not because of the "presence" provided by digital modulation. Crappy programming in beautifully enhanced digital audio is still crappy programming. Give people something they want to listen to and they'll listen. But if your programming sucks, then listeners won't give a damn even if it uses a wonderful new digital modulation scheme. And, as Bob Foxworth has noted, the noise and acoustics in a car aren't favorable to a quality audio experience regardless of modulation scheme. People who think radio technology is more important than programming content are just deluding themselves. Relying on technology alone is grasping at straws and little more than techno-voodoo. Dave Gleason wrote, "The digital data stream element allows interactive radios where you can order the song you are hearing, print out a coupon in the car, get directions to the restaurant you hear an ad for." Dave, are you saying IBOC radios will be able to "query" the transmitting station --- that is, send a signal or message from the receiver back to the transmitter, much like web surfers request pages from a site's server? Because that's the definition of "interactive," and if that's not the case, then IBOC is not interactive. And those "benefits" are more than marketing hype; they're plain daft --- who's going to have a printer in their car to print out a coupon, fer chrissakes???? I can see the scene now when you take your car in for service: "Well, your transmission fluid is OK, but you're getting really low on printer toner. . . ." More seriously, those things have all been tried on the web and all failed miserably, so why would they work in a car with an IBOC radio? Are consumers really interested in being able to do any of that? The internet boom-and-bust offers many instructive lessons that what's technically possible and what people want are often two very different things. One only has to look at the wreckage of Webvan, Pets.com, eToys, etc., to see this principle in action. Some very healthy skepticism is in order for claims that IBOC is going to be a cash cow because it will let you print out coupons as you drive, etc. I suppose we'll have to wait and see what impact IBOC has on AM reception for the general public and if the artifacts can be reduced. But based on the WLW test, I think most ordinary listeners will notice a degradation of reception on analog receivers unless they're locals. And I think the net impact could be to actually reduce AM listenership. You don't have to be a DXer to often find yourself in a situation where you tune for non-local stations --- take driving Interstate 15 from the Los Angeles area to Las Vegas. In both day and night, I can get good reception of KFI or KNX on I-15 to the Nevada border, at which time I start looking for Las Vegas stations (usually either 93.1 or 107.5 on FM). But what impact will the reduced coverage area of IBOC have upon such listening? Will KFI still be audible once I'm over the Cajon Pass on I-15? Will I be able to listen to anything around Baker, CA on AM or FM? If you have reduced coverage and a noisier band, wouldn't that just drive more people to an alternative like XM or CDs? I know Dave dismisses XM and other satellite systems as serious competitors to terrestrial radio. I disagree, and we'll see who's right in the years ahead. But XM has already made inroads with some listeners (like truckers) and it's another "monthly revenue stream based on content." And, as Craig Healy noted, 3G/4G systems are looming on the horizon and are really going to shake things up when they hit. Imagine something similar to your current cell phone, but also offering full web access and streaming media services. . . . . . it's coming, and it's going to be huge. Those services will be fully, truly interactive, just like the internet is today. Dave wrote, "There is not enough national bandwidth for the kinds of wireless services people dream of on the web." That statement is not accurate. The models for how to do this are well established; I'm current working with people like Dr. Janise McNair (University of Florida) and Dr. Robert Fontana (founder, Multispectral Solutions) on books about next generation wireless and ultra wideband technologies. These aren't pie in the sky notions; they're both real and inevitable because of the utility and convenience they will offer. Craig is dead-on in his assessment of 3G/4G. If IBOC manages to force some terrestrial AM and FM stations to go dark, that would be a positive IMHO. The big problem facing radio today is too many stations chasing a finite pool of ad dollars. Some contraction of the industry is long overdue, and if IBOC forces some of the smaller players to throw in the towel that would be good (especially since most of the smaller players are just terrestrial relays of satellite-delivered programming and offer nothing innovative or unique.) Will IBOC kill DXing? No, but it will alter things greatly. But life is all about change and how we adapt to it. We might wind up with fewer stations, but more QRM. SRS/SSS DX will get interesting as stations turn IBOC on and off for daytime operation. It's not too hard to imagine our PCs being used to extract some of the streaming data from IBOC signals, allowing us to identify stations whose audio we can't detect. And who cares if the stations and CEs don't understand DXing? We don't need anyone's permission or approval to get a kick out of logging a new, distant station! I can't help but feel trying to make AM "sexy" again with IBOC is like a guy who's 55 and decides to get a face lift, a new toupee, and testosterone injections so he can go to the local club and compete with the 25-year old guys for the hotties. Oh, there's no harm really being done, and I guess it makes the 55-year old feel better about himself, but you can't help but laugh at such a pitiful spectacle. But nonetheless I appreciate everyone's comments and sincerely wish Dave Gleason all the best in his venture with IBOC-¡Vd. tiene cajones más grandes que mí, estimado Sr.! (Harry Helms, AK6C, Ridegcrest, CA DM15) All broadcasters today see themselves as content providers. I work with XM, with net streams and on-air radio. We tackle programming the same way in each: consult the listener and find out what they want and where there is opportunity. Most broadcasters get this. The interactive allows query via a service like on star form GM. You push the radio screen, it provides data, reserves a restaurant, orders a CD, displays a map to the business and so on. The idea is that GM, Ford and the rest want to sell us a service that produces money for as long as we have the car. I have a multi-service thingie in my car that is 10 months old, and it will call if an airbag pops and alert the police based on GPS; I can get travel directions by voice, and also ask technical questions. It's $240 a year, and I will continue to use it after the first free year. Car folks know they can make more on aftermarket than selling the car, and they always have. This is new generation of aftermarket. And it will drive this new stuff. Hey, ask any mom who has DVD in the back of her family van... they would never trade it. I do not dismiss XM. In fact, I program 5 of their channels. I even am a shareholder. But it has its place. Mostly, people not satisfied with the available formats locally. A guy who likes Latin Jazz has no choices anywhere on radio, but XM gives that to them. Or reggae. Or hot jazz. Or many forms of classical, our classic country. They fill a need created by people who could not expect to be satisfied with regular radio. Those people don't listen now, so they are no loss. I too have doubts about AM in the long run. The real issue is that even without IBOC, most AMs are coverage crippled, and can not compete even with other AMs that have better signals. Take a market like San Diego. Only 2 AMs really cover the entire county, which is the metro. And KOGO uses an FM repeater to cover NE SD County better. The rest of the AMs are going to continue to slide and eventually, some will go away or find other sues... maybe datacasting. I have dealt with many other stations in research projects I have moderated, ranging form talk in English in NY to Oldies in Washington, DC. Believe me, with a few exceptions, no one sells outside their MSA. No one cares about TSA numbers, in fact, starting with ad agencies. In SoCal I have heard one out of market advertiser on KFI in 10 years (and I listen to them a lot). That advertiser sat on the border between Riverside and LA market wise, so they probably wanted the LA County consumers, and Riverside local was a bonus. Otherwise, nobody cares what audience they have in other markets, as it is generally "below the line" and insignificant. WFAN gets numbers in Hartford; they could not sell a single spot at NY rates in Hartford, and agencies are not going to pay any attention to bonus listeners as they buy by market, not by tonnage. Then the issue is whether AM is salvageable anyway. For example, in Mexico City, outside of upper income level listeners, there is less than 10% AM shares. But, because the market is so big (23,000,000) they all make some money and are sold, or dragged, into cluster packages and get revenue (David Gleason, CA) But my contention - backed up, I'd add, by some friends in high engineering positions whose opinions I trust wholeheartedly - is that we're not talking about KFI in Ventura or WGN in Champaign or WCBS in Atlantic City. I am not sufficiently convinced, based on what I've seen and heard so far, that we're not looking at significant increases in the noise floor - in very ugly-sounding ways - well within the boundaries of metro areas, even to stations with signals that we think of as very good. I've been working on a book about the history of NYC FM, as many of you know, and spending a fair amount of time down near the city as a result. When I'm down there, I stay with family members in Suffern, in Rockland County some 25-30 miles northwest of New York City. Rockland is well within the NYC metro for both radio and TV, is growing in population and is among the more affluent counties in the metro. And out of the "New York" AM signals, the only ones that are consistently usable in Suffern, day and night, are 660, 710, 770, 880, 1130 and 1560 - and even at that, there's some noise after dark on those. (FM is a bit fringy as well, particularly down low where my cousins' house is). I haven't gone down there with a signal meter to check, but I'd have to believe that ALL of those NYC signals will get somewhat beaten up by adjacent-channel digital at night - and that WOR in particular will suffer badly enough from WLW and WGN to be unusable after dark there. I know the engineers at WOR and Buckley, and I've got to believe they don't want to lose Rockland County from their night signal. (I'm not even getting into how bad the rest of the "New York" AM signals are in Rockland after dark - stations like 1280, 1380 and 1600 aren't even rumors up there at night...) In all honesty, David, do you believe the mom-and-pop station operators from Idaho who were applauding at NAB completely understand the technical implications of the system? This is the one area where we as DXers *do* have an advantage; I think we're in a much better position to comprehend how a system like this will work in the "real world" of the AM dial than even many broadcast owners might be. -s I'm horribly biased on this, I know, seeing as how I work as a consultant for 100000watts, a division of M Street Corp., which is owned by Clear Channel - and what's more, I've had lunch with Randy Michaels and actually enjoyed the experience. So my opinion on this doesn't count for some of you. But: I know a lot of the engineers and engineering executives at Clear Channel. And I would say, vehemently, that if any company has been good for AM in the last decade or so, it's been Clear Channel. They've invested tons of money in cleaning up transmitter sites and fixing technical problems (including big ones, like daytimers operating at night and such) that had gone neglected for years under Ma and Pa. They're vigilant now about patrolling interference to their stations, and they've made moves to clean up some interference-ridden parts of the AM dial by turning stations off and moving others. These guys know AM inside and out and they BELIEVE in it - which is why I'll be very interested in (and will give a lot of weight to) whatever conclusions Paul and his bosses do eventually end up making publicly about the IBOC tests. (Especially in light of what I've already heard behind the scenes...) -s (Scott Fybush, NY) I think we're oversimplifying if we characterize the current discussion as programming versus modulation methods and other technical issues. I sympathize and lean toward agreement with Kevin and others who complain about programming content. There's very little on the air today that appeals to me, but then I am in one of those groups that the broadcasters have deemed a market that does not interest them. But radio programmers, basically, turned me off long before I turned radio off ... and I'm speaking of more than 20 years ago, when I was younger than 55. I think also that the current focus on technical issues can be characterized as a last-ditch effort to reverse the trend toward deterioration and even death of AM broadcasting. It appears we're all in agreement that AM radio as a consumer medium is sick, and IF it is to survive requires some drastic steps. We're in disagreement about what those steps should be. Dave Gleason and Clear Channel have been our whipping boys today. I've read enough of Dave's posts over the past couple of years to recognize that his primary focus is delivering programming that will attract listeners. His comments in the past on the difference between personality-type entertainment and the bland, cookie-cutter radio we find all too often are in the same ballpark as mine. On the ideal radio station I would listen to, I'd program big-band and standard music ... characterized by the terms Broadway and Tin Pan Alley ... with host or hostess who'll talk briefly about the music, with good extemporaneous humor and some indication that he or she knew what was going on in the market in which the station operates. When I was in Seattle last, 1993, KIXI's format filled that bill for me, though I detect Dave's anathema toward my kind of music. (On KAAM-770 a couple of weeks ago, the DJ played the long version of "Sing, Sing, Sing" by Benny Goodman's group, stimulating my long-time fantasy that some of the younger folks would hear the beat laid down by drummer Gene Krupa and the interplay of Goodman's clarinet, Dizzie Gillespie's horn and Teddy Wilson's piano, and similar music, and want to hear more.) After reading comments from several CCU people here today and in the past (and being somewhat more open-minded than perhaps some of my comments over the past few months have indicated), I'm open to the likelihood that Clear Channel is not quite so set-in-stone monolithic as we may have characterized them. WSAI-1530 was locked onto my radio as I drove through northern Kentucky and southeastern Ohio on the way to the Lima convention, and I enjoy hearing the station I worked at in 1959-60, KIXZ-940, as I drive through Amarillo. In my younger days, I probably would have enjoyed the responsibility of programming a cluster of stations in any given market, taking advantage of the creative things that can be done with voice-tracking and other technical tools, paying close attention to clever, attention getting ad content that flows into the programming, and – here`s where I'd probably lose my job or my fortune -- paying more attention to programming by my gut instincts than by consultants' suggestions. I might be able to make enough money on a couple of different rock formats, a country station, a sports animal and a small but lucrative religious station to support my personality standard-and-ballad station, heh heh! There would be no room on any of my stations for some of the tasteless talk shows, both of a political and/or a childish, four-letter-word format. Harry Helms, I'm not entertained by Howard Stern's approach, which sounds awfully juvenile to me, but I can stomach Don Imus ... isn't that a tenuous line to draw? Getting back to reality, in the Dallas-Fort Worth market, and with my musical tastes actually somewhat broad, I do have some choices. KNTU plays some good jazz; WRR has a listenable classical format; KAAM plays standards and big band, with local personality; KHYI plays the Americana country format (rather than what the country charts have become ... when I'm driving through Tulsa, I miss access to the old KVOO-1170 country classic format already), occasionally, I can stand oldies of the '60s and '70s, and I do enjoy most Mexican music, and the opportunity to learn some of the material I can hear when I'm DX'ing XEs.) Unfortunately, I cannot bring myself to listen to right- wing talk show hosts (there are neither liberals nor moderates on WBAP, KLIF, KRLD at night, nor KXXL) or virtually any contemporary music. (I appreciate the availability of NPR/PRN, including Garrison Keillor, "What Do You Know?" and "Car Talk" but I don't really listen as often as I should.) None of my listenables put much of a dent in the Arbitron ratings, sadly. I would agree that content is the first priority, but if your program is on a signal that's fading or hampered by QRM or QRN, a good CD will suffice, thank you. Therefore, technological improvements are important. But I also agree with Harry's statement that, "People who think radio technology is more important than programming content are just deluding themselves. Relying on technology alone is grasping at straws and little more than techno-voodoo." That, I think, sums up the points made by Kevin Redding fairly well. I do not think, though, that Dave Gleason's arguments fit that description. Today's IBOC discussion has been more entertaining to me than most radio that's available here! By the way, I suppose I should comment that, technical idiot that I am, I have not seen anything that convinces me that IBOC, as presently contemplated, would have sufficient benefits that offset its potential damage to the spectrum. But I'm also realist enough to realize that preconceived perceptions are more often believed than truth. That's a good statement on which a Krumudgeon can close ... with 21 new messages on line to read (John Callarman, TX; all: NRC-AM circa Sept 15 via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Radio Sawa is heard here in Dubai on 90.5 FM, "Sawa" in Arabic means togetherness and i guess the stations aim is to unite the western and arab cultures. They broadcast arabic and english music in FM stereo alternatively and also with news round the hour (R. Nambiar, India/UAE Sep 16, 2002 for CRW via DXLD) See also CYPRUS ** UZBEKISTAN. R. Tashkent English night service at 2030-2100 and 2130-2200 UT still on 5025, 9545, and 11905. The latter very loud and clear today Sep 16th, at 2140 UT (Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany, BC-DX via DXLD) 11905, Radio Tashkent; 2038-2058*, 16-Sep; Woman in English with poetic reading and commentaries, vocal and instrumental music. Vocals sound similar to Arabic. SIO= 3+32+/LSB helps but strong QRM on both sides; tough copy. Reported // 9545 is covered. *2130-2138+, 16-Sep; On with "Radio Tashkent Calling" after brief IS. M with news 2132-37. All in English. SIO=3+32+/definitely better than at 2030; LSB helps here too. 11900 QRM is Bulgaria in English; 11910 is in Japanese. Tashkent sign-on covered a French transmission. 9545 is in German (Harold Frodge, MI, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. 4939.65, R. Amazonas (Presumed), 1024 Sept 14, fast LA male vocal, fair signal, in clear. Faded fast and gone by 1040 (Dan Ziolkowski WI, Cumbredx mailing list Sept 17 via DXLD) Bastante irregular en 4940kHz, Radio Amazonas. La potencia no es muy alta y el sonido es algo deficiente. Saludos desde Catia La Mar... (Adán González, Sept 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. RADIO NACIONAL DE VENEZUELA CON PROBLEMAS Hola Glenn, Saludos desde Venezuela. Según un reporte de la dirección de Radio Nacional de Venezuela, dado a conocer el pasado lunes 16, Radio Nacional tuvo problemas técnicos en sus transmisores de La Rinconada y Valencia, los cuales utilizan las frecuencias de 630 y 1050 kHz, para cubrir la zona central del país. Durante el sábado 14 y domingo 15, hubo inconvenientes que incluso provocaron la reducción de la potencia a 10 kW, en el caso de 630 kHz (50 kW), durante el día domingo. De acuerdo con el mismo informe, los técnicos atribuyeron las fallas a "fenómenos atmosféricos". En los últimos días ha llovido bastante en el país. Para ajustar los transmisores se está realizando una pausa entre las 11 y 12 de la noche (0300-0400 UT). Una de ellas estaba programada para el lunes 16. Desde Catia La Mar... (Adán González, Sept 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VIETNAM [non]. Voice of Khmer Krom, 15660. I received a no-data ``London, Ontario`` card and partial-data personal letter in 1 month. My report was sent to Box 28674, Columbus, OH 43228, U.S.A., and this address is given in the letter. However, the letter is on a Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation letterhead with no address but with an Ontario, Canada, phone number (519 659-3920). And it is postmarked London, Ontario. Card and letter are signed by Thach N. Thach (Wendel Craighead, KS, Sep 14, 2002 for CRW via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 5486.7, 1055, Sept 17, High paced male announcer in Spanish, with bits and pieces of Peruvian folk music between comments. Well modulated, but quite weak. Quite a bit weaker then R. Ilucán a couple hundred kHz up. La Reina de la Selva, Chachapoyas has been reported on this frequency in the past, supposedly running .06 kW, but to my knowledge, it has not been logged recently. Perhaps a reactivation? (David Hodgson, TN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ CERTIFICATES Hello Glenn, If you can find the time and space to remind your listeners about the HCI SWL certificate availability, it would be greatly appreciated. They may read the requirements, as well as view a low resolution image of it, on the HCI web site in the SWL area: http://www.w9wze.org They can click on the "SWL Menu" and follow the links. Thanks! (Duane Fischer, W8DBF) dfischer@usol.com ###