DX LISTENING DIGEST 2-148, September 21, 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 1148: FIRST AIRINGS ON RFPI: Sun 0000, 0600, Mon 0030, 0630, Wed 0100, 0700 on 7445, 15038.7; webcasts also Sat 1330, 1800, Sun 1200, 1830, Mon 1230, Wed 1300 BROADCASTS ON WWCR: Sun 0230 5070, Sun 0630 3210, Wed 0930 9475 BROADCAST ON WBCQ: Mon 0415 on 7415 BROADCASTS ON WJIE 7490: Maybe Sun 0515, Mon, Tue... 1200; any others? BROADCASTS ON WRN: Rest of world Sat 0800; North America Sun 1400 ONDEMAND http://www.wrn.org/ondemand/worldofradio.html (DOWNLOAD) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1148.rm (STREAM) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1148.ram (SUMMARY) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1148.html WORLD OF RADIO ON STUDIO X, MOMIGNO, ITALY: Hi Glenn! First of all, we'd like to make our congratulations for your good job; we're glad to rebroadcast on our station your World Of Radio which is of a great success among many of our listeners. I'm writing to let you know and all radio enthusiasts of a change in our programmation concerning World of Radio. Since next Sunday, your weekly programme will be broadcast at 9.30 pm [1930 UT] instead of the usual 6.30 pm (local time). The other day and time remains the same (every Saturday at 12.30 am, always local time) [Friday 2230 UT]. This is to increase the chance for WOR to be heard by our listeners throughout Europe on the MW frequency (1584 kHz, the other 1566 is temporarily off). Best regards, (Massimiliano Marchi, RADIO STUDIO X, Sept 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AFGHANISTAN. INDIAN FILMS BACK ON KABUL TV Kabul, Sept. 18: State television in the Afghan capital Kabul was showing Indian movies once again from Tuesday after a ban was lifted in what was seen a victory for moderates over Islamists within the government. Women singing could also be heard again on State radio, after a special media commission appointed by President Hamid Karzai overruled restrictions imposed by the head of Kabul TV and radio. Engineer Mohammad Ishaq, Kabul TV and radio chief and a senior figure in the Northern Alliance movement that dominates Karzai’s government, imposed the restrictions without warning in August. Indian films, with their mix of melodrama, romance, songs and theatrical fighting have been hugely popular in Afghanistan. After five years of Taliban rule, when sharia was imposed, including a ban on all public music and television, Afghans have been enjoying new freedoms. The removal of the restrictions was seen as a victory for Karzai and Information Minister Sayed Raheen Makhdoom, who had sacked Ishaq’s predecessor, Abdul Hafiz Mansoor, in July after a row over what should be shown on television (Deccan Chronicle, Hyderabad, 19 Sept 2002 http://deccan.com/neighbours/template.shtml#Indian via: Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, dx_india via DXLD) ** ANDAMAN ISLANDS. 4760, AIR Port Blair (presumed), 1140-1215. Program of music from the subcontinent, primarily solos by men and women with string instruments in the background. Very short announcements by woman between selections. 1200 Announcement by woman, then talk between man and woman. 1205 Music resumed, this time much slower. Rather poor signal, increasing in strength 1145-1155, then declining to fadeout at 1215. SINPO 24222. Have been hearing talk on 4760 all week, barely above the noise. First log of this station (Jim Evans, TN September 19, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** AUSTRIA. Hi Glenn, There hasn't been a logging of Radio Afrika International from Austria since January, 2002. I heard them today with an English phone number and e mail address, so here's a logging. I'm going to try the e mail to see if I can get a QSL. Will keep you informed. Radio Afrika International 9/21/02, 17875, 1530­1600. Sign on in French with news, to High Life music. In vernacular (possibly West African language) with talk, many IDs ``Radio Afrika International, Vienna, Austria`` and West African music. Canned ID in French to English ID and phone number (00 431 494-4033) and e mail address r.Africa@sil.au Voice of America Sign on at 1600 obliterated the signal. Enjoyable program and very good reception. As a reminder, this is the student domestic program re-broadcast via Moosbrunn, Austria not the United Methodist Church effort also called Radio Africa International. (See DXLD 2-017) (Mark Taylor, Madison, WI, Sept 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Quite by coincidence, here we go again: ** AUSTRIA. 17895, R. Africa Int'l. Nice F/D Map card in 81 days for a f/up via NY address. V/S Donna Newman, Executive Producer, and Raphael Mbadinga, Associate Producer (John Wilkins, CO, Cumbre DX via DXLD) [NON]. Too bad these otherwise accomplished DXers don`t read DXLD, or we would not keep seeing confused reports like the above, already explained (and we also told the UMC people directly about this): Oops! If Niemann and Mbodinga QSLed this, they are just as confused as you are. The 17895 broadcast from Austria at this hour was ****not**** the Methodist ``R. Africa International``, which originates in NY and is transmitted at other times and other frequencies via Germany, but instead the Vienna ethnic station which has been carried at certain times via Moosbrunn. There is **no** connexion between them, as we have pointed out several times before, except that unfortunately they use the same name! Goes to show what can be accomplished in relentless pursuit of so-called ``verifications`` by not paying attention, on the part of broadcasters as well as listeners (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST 2-108 via DXLD 2-148) How many more times will I have to repeat this? ** BELGIUM. Liz Sanderson of RVI has been quite ill for a while and has been on leave. Frans Vossen fell while on a trip abroad and broke his knee. So, Radio World has not aired for several weeks (Bob Thomas, CT, Sept 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) And the previous one stays ondemand ** BOLIVIA. Radio Fides Bolivia Updates Website Address: Dear Friends: We are visiting your page and we have discovered that the access link to the page of Radio Fides [listed on the website] is no longer functioning. The new address is http://www.radiofides.com We await your visit to this site and any suggestions will be welcome. (Rafael Mendieta, Radio Fides – Fides Virtual, La Paz, Bolivia, Sept 23 Catholic Radio Update, Sept 21 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 4775, Rádio Congonhas, Praça da Basílica 130, Congonhas, MG Cep 36.404-000, Brazil. QSL letter full data in 20 days. V/S: unreadable. Sent a sticker of Congonhas city, other small station`s sticker, a 2002 calendar and tourist material of Congonhas: "cidade dos profetas". (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentine, Sept 21, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Caro Glenn, O horário de funcionamento da Ternura 4845 é: das 0800 às 1300 UTC. Depois, fica apagado o transmissor até às 1900 UTC, quando é religado e segue funcionamento até às 2100 UTC. De acordo com o diretor e proprietário, Roque da Rosa, são os horários em que o transmissor tem o melhor ganho. E concordo com ele, pois ninguém escuta uma emissora em 60 metros às 1200 UTC. Por exemplo, aqui em Porto Alegre, não ouço nada após às 1100 UTC. Quem chega forte até este horário são as duas emissoras de Londrina (PR): a Difusora, em 4815 kHz, e a Alvorada, em 4865 kHz. Depois, nada mais. Só ao entardecer. A Rádio Cultura, de Manaus(AM), dificilmente é sintonizada aqui em Porto Alegre. Após às 2100 TU, quem aparece é a Rádio Mauritânia. Nas vezes em que captei a Cultura foi por volta de 0100 em diante. 73s! (Célio Romais, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 31m bandscan, UT Sept 14 starting at 0000, all Portuguese: 9515, R. Novas de Paz, 0000-0200+, lite instrumental music, talk, Braz ballads, ID, promos, jingles. Fair, \\ 6080.06 poor-weak. 9530.22, R. Nova Visão, 0000-0213*. Talk, ID, religious programming. Contemporary Christian music. Mentions of R. Transmundial. Good, \\ 5964.95 weak-poor; listed 11735 not heard. 9565.07, R. Tupi, 0000-0315+, religious programming, talk by M & W, religious music, recitations. \\ 11765.05, 6060, all weak. 9630.17, R. Aparecida, 0000-0201*, talk, phone talk, ID, announcements, jingles. Religious programming with religious music and recitations. \\ 5035.1, 6134.76, all fair-good [Catholic --- gh] 9645.2, R. Bandeirantes, 0000-0300+, talk, ID, announcements, ads, jingles. Good, \\ 11925 which was poor. [around 1300 et al., I hear a het on 9645, assumed to be TIFC --- gh] 9675, R. Canção Nova, 0000-0230+, Braz pops, ballads. Phone talk, promos, jingles, ads. Fair, \\ 6105, 4824.97, both weak. 9683.78, R. Gazeta, 0000-0100+, talk, ads, jingles. \\ 15324.85, both weak (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. MONTREAL'S CJAD ON 26 MEGS Even after three hearings, on 26.200 MHz, of CJAD's narrow FM mode cueing signal, a Canadian presence in the 26.10 to 26.47 MHz band is still something of an exotic novelty. Mark Kavanagh of CJAD has given the following information: The signal on 26.200 MHz comes from a one Watt transmitter, made by Comrex, situated in the radio commentary booth at Molson Stadium in Montreal. It is only used for football games. The 1-Watt transmitter serves to extend the studio cueing link from the commentary booth down to CJAD's field-level roving reporter. The 26 MHz equipment was added to CJAD's commentary system during the 2001 football season. The main audio feed from stadium to studio is through a telephone company hi-fi land line. In the reverse direction, this same cable also carries the studio instructions to the commentators. The reporter who pounds the touch line has headphones and a 26 MHz Comrex receiver and, for his contribution to what the listeners hear, a microphone and a small transmitter. Molson Stadium in Montreal is on the lower slopes of our local hill, which is optimistically named Mount Royal. My place is about 6 km (4 miles) away and, if it wasn't for the houses in-between and some other factors, I'd be getting this signal by line of sight reception. One thing I noticed on the first two instances of hearing this was that the signal started out at fair strength with every word audible but, as dusk came on, the signal faded down to become quite unusable. Something didn't jive here. Onset of darkness is not supposed to affect short-range ground wave propagation at this frequency. Observed fact disagreed with the known behaviour of radio waves. It took two weeks for a likely explanation to come to mind. The Montreal Alouettes football team is thriving since adopting a "small is beautiful" policy. They abandoned the unpopular but impressive looking Olympic Stadium, known as The Big "O" or, as some wags would have it, The Big Owe. As soon as they set up shop in the down-town, open-air Molson Stadium, crowds surged in. Every home game is a sell out. Bill Westenhaver, who lives in the area, reports that people are still streaming into the ground when the game is fifteen minutes old. So, by the end of the first quarter, there are something like 20,000 "other factors" jammed into the terraces. Enough bodies, perhaps, to absorb much of the horizontal radiation coming from a transmitting antenna. If this theory is true, then sometime in the fourth quarter, when spectators start going home, the signal reaching me may fade back up to its original strength. Something for me to check out with the next home game. So much for the ground wave part of this signal. What could become of the part of the transmitted signal that shoots out above the terraces? True, somebody in an aircraft may be able to hear it, but most of the sky wave just zooms out into interstellar space. Except when there's E-skip. On the relatively rare occasions when the ionosphere's E-layer makes these signals bounce back, DXers in the following areas may be lucky enough to catch some of CJAD's 1 Watt signal on 26.2 MHz and hear how well the Alouettes are doing : the Labrador coast, eastern NF, Bermuda, from SC to FL, IL to TX, WI to SD, western ON & MB, Hudson Bay to Baffin Island. This kind of propagation does occur. Some months ago, David Hodgson in TN heard a 1W studio cueing signal from CHEM-TV, Ch 8, in Trois Rivières QC. A sample of what he heard was available on the internet and it didn't take an advanced knowledge of French to make out the ID it contained. So, given the right conditions, a keen listener in TN may, one day, hear Montreal's CJAD on 26 MHz (Alan Roberts, QC, 25 Plus, Sept CIDX Messenger via Sheldon Harvey, DXLD) Another explanation of fade could be battery running down (gh, DXLD) ** CHINA. MW Observations: The last few days have offered some openings for Chinese stations in the MW band and there are some observations to report. Xinjiang PBS 738 Chinese and 1107 Kazakh both with satellite delay compared to SW, so the station seems to have different MW and SW sites. 1107 (formerly on 909) has had badly distorted modulation for decades and has also been off frequency but now heard with clean audio and spot on frequency, so the old rig seems to have been replaced. The new 1200 kW rig on 1134 has been rather strong, perhaps the strongest of the Chinese domestic transmitters at my location, but with much European interference. The audio is synchro with the new Golmud (in Qinghai) transmitter on 4800, so this could also be the location of 1134. Building a combined complex would make sense. 1377 was recently listed in a schedule for Tibet (Xizang PBS) as the MW frequency of the Chinese channel, but it is still heard with only CNR-1 at times when 4820, 6050, etc. have local Chinese, so either is the big one on 1377 located elsewhere or is the Tibet schedule misleading. Other channels heard were 945, 981 (two transmitters) and 1593, all known to be exclusive CNR-1 relays. 981 is a traditional channel while 945 and 1593 have popped up in the past few years (Olle Alm, Sweden, 20 Sep, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. FALUN GONG TV PROGRAMS BROADCAST FOR 70 MINUTES AROUND BAODING CITY AND BEIJING: Broadcasts Vut [sic?] through Distortions and Fabrications about Falun Gong Spread by PRC Propaganda [Falun Gong press release] http://www.faluninfo.net/DisplayAnArticle.asp?ID=3D6228 NEW YORK, September 4, 2002 (Falun Dafa Information Center) -- Falun Gong practitioners in China have once again turned the tables on one of the Chinese leader's most potent weapons for spreading propaganda about Falun Gong -- state-run television. On August 23 and 27, video programs at least 70 minutes long were broadcasted on prime time television over a wide area in and around Baoding City, Hebei Province. Witnesses in the Fangshan area in Beijing say they saw similar videos on local TV stations earlier in the month. The videos -- entitled "Witness and Testimonies" and "Falun Dafa Around the World" -- expose the human rights abuses suffered by practitioners of Falun Gong under Jiang Zemin's regime as well as report on the support of the practice worldwide. These broadcasts mark the ninth incident to be verified by the Falun Dafa Information Center since January, 2002, when practitioners of Falun Gong in China first attempted to have their voice heard over television airwaves. "With mass media under the tight control of China's leader," explains Falun Dafa Information Center spokesperson Erping Zhang, "Falun Gong practitioners in China have used more creative methods to break through the propaganda campaign against them, such as overriding television broadcasts, broadcasting radio programs from speakers placed in hard-to-reach areas, distributing flyers and leaflets, etc." Mr. Zhang continued, "The regime uses its money and power to mislead the public into thinking that Falun Gong is bad, and the persecution campaign doesn't exist. Practitioners of Falun Gong, on the other hand, are using their hearts to let the people know Falun Gong is good, and that people are being persecuted horribly for their beliefs." Round-up of Falun Gong Practitioners Sources in China report that authorities quickly mobilized a strike force and declared martial law from August 27-30 in Xushi County and neighboring areas in an attempt to round-up those responsible for the broadcast. One source reports that a mini-van containing three Falun Gong practitioners was fired upon and rammed three times by local police. One practitioner in the van was arrested while two others managed to escape, this source says. After the second broadcast on August 27, officials from Baoding City and surrounding counties set up a 24-hour patrol of their broadcasting facilities, sources in China say. Meanwhile, as in Changchun and other areas where Falun Gong videos were successfully broadcast, police began indiscriminately rounding up practitioners and harassing their family members. Debunking Jiang's Propaganda Machine The content of the videos debunk many of the propaganda news stories that are broadcast regularly by the state-run media in China. The state-run broadcasts typically slander and distort the teachings of Falun Gong and falsely depict Falun Gong practitioners being treated "humanely" while in police custody. The propaganda also depicts Falun Gong as a small group within China that is either non-existent or repressed in countries outside China. The video "Falun Dafa Around the World," however, presents quite a different picture -- that Falun Gong is practiced in over 50 countries around the world, and that Falun Gong and its founder, Mr. Li Hongzhi, have received over 600 awards and proclamations in North America alone for contributions the practice has made to local communities and public health. Mr. Li is a three-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee. Before Falun Gong practitioners began overriding television signals in January, 2002, to broadcast these types of programs, none of these facts had ever been broadcast publicly in China. (http://www.faluninfo.net Sep 4, 2002 via N. Grace, for CRW via DXLD) CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN By Gerry Oberst, Via Satellite, September 4, 2002 China experienced its equivalent of "Captain Midnight" in late June this year. Although the facts are murky, and may never be fully known, it appears that the [practitioners] of the Falun Gong spiritual [practice] overpowered the regular feed to the Sinosat 1 satellite and broadcast a banner for several minutes on channels of China Central Television. There are varying reports on the Chinese incident. Most of China Central Television's 10 channels, and the same number of provincial channels on the same satellite, experienced interruption from 10 seconds up to 15 minutes, according to early Hong Kong and Australian news reports. Some even said Chinese television was disrupted for eight days, which is not credible, given the technology. Press reports labeled this a case of "sophisticated hacking" and said this is a sign of a new level of attempts to circumvent government suppression. Regardless of who blasted the Sinosat satellite, it is hardly new, sophisticated or even hacking. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) faced a similar deed almost two decades ago and devised a simple regulatory response. A disgruntled college dropout with a technical bent and access to a satellite uplink transmitted the forever-famous "Captain Midnight" message from the Central Florida Teleport in April 1986. In what now seems strikingly naive, this part-time operations engineer struck a blow against pay TV, scrambling the HBO signal with a four and one- half minute message complaining about the $12.95 monthly charge. Interrupting a commercial satellite signal, however, is not an especially sophisticated issue. All it takes is a stronger signal on the right frequency and polarization. The technical chat room community noted, not long after the Chinese incident, all the Falun Gong would need is a 5-meter earth station anywhere in Asia that could see the Sinosat satellite. In any event, the Chinese incident was not really "hacking." Although it resembles a denial of service attack in the computer jargon and some call it "information warfare," it is not in the same league. Nevertheless, again from the chat room community: "There is nothing new here. This is an old 'strong signal override' trick. These aren't the hackers you're looking for. You can go about your business. Move along..." (Sep 5, 2002 via N. Grace for CRW via DXLD) FALUN GONG HIJACKS TV BROADCASTS By Christopher Bodeen, Associated Press, September 5, 2002 BEIJING (AP) - Members of the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement hijacked a television signal and broadcast protest videos to areas on the outskirts of Beijing last month, police and television station employees said Thursday. Falun Gong videos were briefly shown on the nights on Aug. 23 and 27 in Baoding, a city southwest of the Chinese capital, said a woman who answered the phone at a television station there. She wouldn't give her name or any details of the broadcasts. The programming was seen within at least a 60-mile radius, including the Fangshan district of Beijing, said a television station official in the nearby town of Xushui. He refused to give his name, saying employees had been ordered not to reveal the incident. There was no immediate explanation of how Falun Gong activists took over the television signal. Falun Gong supporters have broken into cable television systems in at least four cities this year to show videos protesting the government's 3-year-old crackdown on the group. In June, a state-run satellite television signal was hijacked and briefly displayed messages of support for the group. The communist government say the broadcasts are proof of what it says is Falun Gong's disruptive, anti-social nature. Yet they also show that determined members are defying the crackdown. A statement issued by activists abroad said the August broadcasts showed videos documenting support for the group outside China and condemning the crackdown and alleged police abuses. The group says Chinese authorities have killed hundreds of members in detention. A police officer reached by telephone in Fangshan said several Falun Gong followers suspected of arranging the broadcast have been arrested. He wouldn't give his name or other details. A man who answered the phone at a state company in Xushui said he saw a few seconds of images showing people standing in front of Falun Gong founder Li Hongzhi doing the group's slow-motion calisthenics. Traditional Chinese music played in the background. "Then the screen suddenly turned black and white," said the man, who wouldn't give his name. China's communist leaders banned Falun Gong in 1999, alarmed by its membership that numbered in the millions and its organizational ability. The government calls the group an "evil cult" and accuses it of leading followers to their death by suicide or refusing modern medicine. The government has put enormous effort into demonizing the group, especially abroad, where it boasts a large membership and some public support. Falun Gong promotes a mixture of eastern mysticism, meditation and traditional Chinese exercises, which is says promote health and clean living (AP Sep 5, 2002 via N. Grace, for CRW via DXLD) CHINESE FALUN GONG MEMBERS IN COURT FOR TV TRANSMISSION SABOTAGE | Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Changchun, 18 September: Fifteen Falun Gong cult follower stood trial in the Intermediate People's Court of Changchun city, the capital of northeastern Jilin province Wednesday [18 September] for sabotaging cable TV facilities earlier this year. According to local public security department, at about 7.00 p. m. on 5 March, residents in Changchun and Songyuan cities in the province found their normal cable TV programmes interrupted by a video broadcast about Falun Gong cult. Investigations showed that some Falun Gong devotees had hijacked the TV transmission lines and used self- made mini-broadcasting equipment to spread propaganda about the cult. Four urban districts in Changchun city were affected as two trunk cable TV transmission lines were cut off. In Songyuan city, 16,000 subscribers were affected as regular TV programmes suspended for 210 minutes. The cult's illegal actions severely disrupted the public order of society, according to the relevant Chinese laws and regulations. The Criminal Law of China stipulates that those breaching broadcasting and public telecom facilities and undermining public security can be sentenced to three to seven years of jail terms, while those who cause more severe damages can be sentenced to imprisonment for more than seven years. According to measures for dealing with cult crime cases released by the Chinese Supreme People's Court and Supreme People' s Procuratorate, cases of producing and publicizing cult propaganda which cause severe results can be dealt with according to Clause One under the Article 300 of the Criminal Law of China, and they would be accused of disrupting law enforcement through organizing and utilizing cults. A relevant leading official from the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television said that the radio and TV stations, and their launchers, antennas, cables and other TV and broadcasting equipment and facilities constitute important basic infrastructure of the country. Any kind of breach to these facilities will be penalized according to the law. China issued the relevant regulations on radio and TV administration in 1997 and regulations on protection of Radio and TV facilities in 2000. The rules stipulate that no organization or person be allowed to intrude and to damage the radio and TV equipment and facilities, to affect the broadcasting of programmes, or to use the cable TV transmission network to broadcast programmes for their own purpose. The damage of radio and TV transmission network facilities and disturbing of signals and frequencies are also defined as illegal according the rules. Source: Xinhua news agency, Beijing, in English 1210 gmt 18 Sep 02 (via BBCM via DXLD) CHINA SENTENCES FALUN GONG TV HIJACKERS TO PRISON | Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Changchun, 20 September: Fifteen Falun Gong cult followers were sentenced to prison terms ranging from four to 20 years by the Intermediate People's Court of Changchun City, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, on Friday [20 September]. The Falun Gong cult followers were convicted of damaging radio and TV property, and of conspiring to use the cult to undermine Chinese law enforcement earlier this year. Source: Xinhua news agency, Beijing, in English 0632 gmt 20 Sep 02 (via BBCM via DXLD) CHINESE AGENCY INTERVIEWS FALUN GONG MEMBER ON TV HIJACKING A Chinese news agency has interviewed one of the 15 Falun Gong followers sentenced to prison for hacking into two cable television networks to broadcast their own material earlier this year. The 5 March broadcasts in the northeastern city of Changchun and nearby Songyuan criticized the authorities' crackdown on Falun Gong. The Chinese government banned Falun Gong in 1999 as an "evil cult". Following is text of the report by Jun Feng and Ya Ping: "Zhou Runjun, suspect in Changchun 'Falun Gong' '305' case confesses the 'Greater Law' above the law" from Chinese news agency Zhongguo Xinwen She (China News Service) Changchun [northeast Jilin Province], 19 September: Zhou Runjun, the suspect involved in the Changchun "305" [5 March] case shamelessly told the court of her crime on 18 September, but stopped short of admitting she had broken any law. She said, for the sake of "Greater Law" [Chinese: da fa; Falun Gong is also known as Falun Dafa], there is no law. "Greater Law" is above the law. When I interviewed Zhou Runjun, the prime suspect in the "305" case, whom the "insiders" dubbed as "Auntie Zhou", at the detention centre today, I was appalled at her plight. She said, cutting cable television circuits is not against the law, but cutting out the cables and selling them for money is. As long as it is for the spread of "Greater Law", it is not against the law. Like many other innocent people, Zhou Runjun, a worker aged 50 plus at the Changchun Fur Factory, crossed over the threshold to "Falun Gong" on the advice of others, because she has an illness that needs a cure. She began from exercising to reading books about "Falun Gong", and was converted from a non-believer to one who was obsessed. She is now completely full of fallacious ideas, which seem so perfectly correct to her. She told me mankind would one day become extinct. The only way to avoid extinction is to follow the Master, and go on to the next era. It is the Master who has given her this chance. She said, "The Master has turned down an invitation from the president [sic] of Canada to preach "Falun Gong" to all the people in Canada. The Master said he would wait until a certain time when he would be out to preach all mankind". I do not know where this woman, who does not have much of an education, has got all these preposterous ideas, but she told me time and again to write down what she had said. She said, "Leaders of all countries in the world support 'Falun Gong', except the leaders of China. They are afraid they will be upstaged by [founder] Li Hongzhi". She went on to say that she admitted everything she had done in court, but the law could not be compared with the universal "Greater Law". The governments also could not be compared with the universal "Greater Law". Zhou Runjun's thoughts have all been taken up by the universal "Greater Law". She said the universal "Greater Law" created all human lives. Maybe she does not even know there are so many different religions and so many legends about the origin of man in the world. Perhaps she has yet to realize her muddled beliefs have offended the faiths of other countries and other peoples. It is so sad to note that, as mankind has already entered a world of information, we still have someone like Zhou Runjun espousing such beliefs. But the people feeding these ideas to Zhou Runjun behind the scene may not be ignorant about this. But to Zhou Runjun, it may not be so clear. Perhaps one day, when Zhou Runjun has come to realize this, the "Greater Law" that is now possessing her will dissipate right away. Source: Zhongguo Xinwen She news agency, Beijing, in Chinese 19 Sep 02 (via BBCM via DXLD) FALUN GONG FOLLOWERS SENTENCED FOR TV HACKING IN CHINA China's official Xinhua new agency has reported on the trial of Falun Gong members for hacking into two cable television networks and broadcasting their own material. Fifteen followers of the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement were sentenced to prison terms of up to 20 years for "sabotaging television broadcast facilities, and for forming and making use of a heretical society to obstruct law enforcement". In March, state-run broadcasts disappeared from thousands of television screens in Changchun, in north-eastern China, and were replaced for several hours by programmes espousing the virtues of Falun Gong. Following is text of the report by Niu Jiwei and Li Yabiu: "Defendants in the Changchun case found guilty and sentenced" from official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Changchun, 20 September: The Intermediate People's Court of Changchun Municipality, Jilin Province, began the initial trial today in the case concerning television broadcast facilities in Changchun and Songyuan municipalities being sabotaged on 5 March this year, and of the obstruction of law enforcement by a heretical society. The 15 defendants, including Zhou Runjun, Liu Weiming, Liang Zhenxing and Liu Chengjun, were sentenced to four to 20 years of imprisonment respectively. The Changchun Municipal People's Procuratorate brought charges in the Changchun Municipal Intermediate People's Court on 6 September against four of the defendants, Zhou Runjun, Liu Chengjun, Liang Zhenxing and Liu Weiming, for sabotaging television broadcast facilities, and for forming and making use of a heretical society to obstruct law enforcement. Charges were also brought against 11 of the defendants, Lei Ming, Zhao Jian, Yun Xingbin, Zhang Wen, Sun Changjun, Li Dehai, Liu Dong, Zhuang Xiankun, Wei Xiushan, Chen Yanmei and Lie Xiaojie, for sabotaging television broadcast facilities, and for making use of a heretical society to obstruct law enforcement. The Changchun Municipal Intermediate People's Court, as required by law, formed a collegiate panel and started a public trial on 18 September of the accused on a public prosecution brought by the Procuratorate. The court has found Zhou Runjun, Liu Weiming, Liang Zhenxing, Liu Chengjun and the 11 other defendants, had premeditatedly acquired tools and cable television broadcast interruption equipment and, after coming up with a plan to carry out the crime, sabotaged the main transmission circuit of the cable television network sometime after 1900 hours [local time] on 5 March, 2002, and pre-empted an on-going broadcast with the propaganda of the "Falun Gong" evil cult contained on a compact disc. As a result, a part of the cable television network in Changchun and Songyuan municipalities was interrupted for several hours, preventing television audiences in the two cities from watching normal programmes. Their action of making use of a heretical society to obstruct law enforcement constituted a crime, and their sabotage of television broadcast facilities also constituted a crime. The 15 defendants raised no objections to actions taken by the court, which were supported by a large amount of evidence, such as objects collected, on-site written investigation notes, conclusive verifications and witness statements. The court noted that the 15 defendants had previously been given administrative punishments for their involvement in "Falun Gong" cult activities, and despite re-education, they remained unrepentant, and continued to carry out criminal activities organized by the heretical "Falun Gong" cult. The conduct of the defendants has put public security in jeopardy, upset social order and infringed on the legitimate interests of the public at large. The consequence of their action is serious, and the damage done to the society tremendous. They deserved to be punished by law. According to the "Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China", to the provisions set out in "Explanation (2) on Certain Questions Regarding the Laws Applicable to Cases Involving the Forming and Making Use of a Heretical Society to Commit Crime as Laid Down by the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate", and to the roles played by each of the defendants in the crime, the defendants were found guilty by the court of sabotaging television broadcast facilities as well as making use of a heretical society to obstruct law enforcement. With charges lumped together, Zhou Runjun and Liu Weiming were each sentenced to 20 years in prison and deprived of political rights for five years. Liang Zhenxing and Liu Chengjun were each sentenced to 19 years in prison and deprived of political rights for five years. Zhang Wen was sentenced to 18 years in prison and deprived of political rights for four years. Lei Ming was sentenced to 17 years in prison and deprived of political rights for five years. Sun Changjun and Li Dehai were each sentenced to 17 years in prison and deprived of political rights for four years. Zhao Jian was sentenced to 15 years in prison and deprived of political rights for five years. Yun Xingbin was sentenced to 14 years in prison and deprived of political rights for four years. Liu Dong was sentenced to 14 years in prison and deprived of political rights for three years. Wei Xiushan was sentenced to 12 years in prison and deprived of political rights for three years. Zhuang Xiankun was sentenced to 11 years in prison and deprived of political rights for three years. Chen Yanmei was sentenced to 11 years in prison and deprived of political rights for three years. Li Xiaojie was sentenced to four years in prison. The court or the families of the defendants had appointed or hired lawyers to represent the defendants, and the defendants had also spoken in their defence during the trial. Over 300 people from all walks of life in Changchun Municipality attended the public trial and sentencing. Source: Xinhua news agency domestic service, Beijing, in Chinese 1040 gmt 20 Sep 02 (via BBCM via DXLD) CHINESE AGENCY DISCLOSES DETAILS OF FALUN GONG TV HACKING A Chinese news agency has carried an in-depth report on a TV hacking incident earlier this year when Falun Gong followers commandeered cable TV networks and broadcast their own material. On 5 March, Falun Gong members aired pro-Falun Gong messages to cable TV viewers in the northeastern cities of Changchun and Songyuan. Following is text of the report by Chinese news agency Zhongguo Xinwen She (China News Service) Changchun, 19 September: At 1919 [local time] on 5 March 2002, cable television signals were interrupted suddenly in some areas of Changchun City, Jilin Province, when the television began to play the so-called Falun Gong "truth" for almost 40 minutes. According to police estimates, more than 10,000 residents of four districts in Changchun could not receive the regular cable television programming during that time, and some users even received the heretical propaganda of Falun Gong. The police of Changchun formed a special investigation group for the "5 March" case immediately after they received reports from residents. They arrested the suspect Lei Ming in the act and later captured other 14 suspects, including Liang Zhenxing, Zhou Runjun and Zhao Jian. After investigation, the police made clear the plotting, organization and implementation of the case. According to the confession of Zhou Runjun, he and Liang Zhenxing got the idea of using cable television networks for Falun Gong propaganda after they read the commands and technical guidance from the web site "Minghui" [Falun Gong web site, http://www.minghui.org/]. Then Zhou found other Falun Gong followers Liu Mingwei, Zhang Wen, Liu Chengjun and Zhao Jian who were familiar with cable television techniques. They established a secret office in Room 506 of Teacher's Building No 6 in Songjia, Kuancheng District of Changchun City for plotting how to conduct the crime. Later on, the office had between 11 or 12 additional Falun Gong followers. The suspects of the "5 March" case got technical training four times in the secret office. The technical training was mainly on how to cut cables of the television network and install VCD [video compact disc] transmitting equipment. Liu Mingwei and Zhang Wen were responsible for teaching the techniques and the trainees practised as they received the training. Through the training Lei Ming and other Falun Gong members mastered the techniques of cutting cables and installing VCD transmitting equipment. Before they conducted the crime, Liu Weiming brought a sample divider to his fellows. Then, financed by Liang Zhenxing, Zhou Runjun bought other 30 dividers from the Huanghe Electronics Store and Liang bought several sets of VCD transmitting equipment. Zhang Wen brought a shoe clamp for pole climbing. Now they had enough equipment prepared for the crime. On the dawn of 5 March, Lei Ming and Zhang Wen came to the place they selected before and peeled off the outer aluminium covering of the major television cable with their tools. Then they came back to their secret office. On the same morning, they tried and adjusted their self-made transmitting system once more. At about 1900 that evening, according to their work division and previous site investigation, Lei Ming, Zhang Wen, Zhao Jian and other four people formed a group. They brought a transmitting system and other tools with them to No 2 Jingyue Alley, north of the Liangcheng supermarket in 117 Changchun Dajie of Nanguan District of Changchun City. They cut off the major television cable and installed their transmitting equipment with Falun Gong CDs. At the same time, another group including Zhou Runjun and Liu Weiming came to the roof of a house between the south wall of the Jilin Provincial National Tax Bureau and the living quarters for workers of the Jilin Hotel in Qingming Street of Nanguan District of Changchun City. They also cut off the major television cable, installed their transmitting equipment with the Falun Gong CDs and played them. According to the confession of Lei Ming, Zhang Wen put on the shoe clamps and protective gloves for pole climbing at this time and climbed up the pole. Lei Ming handed him the tools, and he cut off the cable and installed their equipment. The whole cutting and installation process took about 20 minutes. In that period, Zhao Jian and other members of the group were on the lookout for Zhang Wen and Lei Ming. Lei Ming was caught in the act by the police and television maintenance staff, while the other members of the group fled to their secret office. According to the police, at about 1800 on the same evening, Liu Chengjun and other three suspects came to a building of the previous County Kindergarten and another building of the County Forestry Bureau of the Guoerluosi Mongolian Autonomous County in Songyuan City of Jilin Province with their equipment and tools. They also cut off the major television cable, installed their transmitting equipment complete with the Falun Gong CDs and played the CDs. They disrupted the regular cable television programme of the county for 210 minutes. Source: Zhongguo Xinwen She news agency, Beijing, in Chinese 18 Sep 02 (via BBCM via DXLD) FALUN GONG MEMBERS SENTENCED FOR BROADCASTING OF PROTEST FILMS By Philip P. Pan, The Washington Post, September 21, 2002 BEIJING — Fifteen members of the outlawed Falun Gong spiritual movement were sentenced Friday to up to 20 years in prison for cutting into cable TV networks in northeastern China and transmitting films protesting the government's crackdown on the group. The sentences, announced on state television and by the official New China News Agency, are among the stiffest meted out to Falun Gong practitioners in the three years since the government banned the organization as an "evil cult" and are comparable to the longest sentences given to political dissidents in China. The sentences' severity appeared to reflect the ruling Communist Party's concern about an ongoing Falun Gong campaign that has challenged the government's control of media by hijacking television signals and broadcasting videos accusing authorities of torturing and killing hundreds of practitioners. State media said the defendants convicted Friday were responsible for hacking into cable systems on March 5 in Changchun, about 560 miles northeast of Beijing, and nearby Songyuan — the first time Falun Gong has done this, as far as is known. Since then, Falun Gong has interrupted TV programs in several other cities, and it managed to hack into a state satellite system in June and briefly beam its message to millions. Falun Gong supporters have also risked arrest by bombarding residents with fliers, videodiscs and automated phone calls that play recordings attacking the government (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** CHINA [non]. RUSSIA(non): B-02 schedule for Fang Guang Ming Radio in Mandarin Chinese: 2100-2200 6035 SAM 200 kW / 297 deg 9945 SAM 200 kW / 297 deg [Samara] (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Sept 20, via DXLD; note: all Observer items in this issue concern advance info for B-02 season starting Oct. 27) ** CONGO DR. 9550, R. Okapi, Logo QSL-card (Date and Frequency indicated) from Fondation Hirondelle in Switzerland. Card had the Logo of the organization on the front, with details of the station on the reverse. Reply in 115 days. Also my US $1.oo was returned! (Ed Kusalik, Alberta, Sept 20, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** CUBA. Hola Glenn, espero que estés muy bien. Acá te envío otro reporte. El pasado 21/09, luego del fin de la emisión en inglés de Radio Habana Cuba e inmediatamente después del himno nacional, pudo ser captada la estación Radio Reloj, a partir de las 0652 UT. El monitoreo se extendió hasta las 0748 (cuando salió abruptamente del aire). Fue en los 9550 kHz, con un SINPO de 43443. Con noticias e información acerca de los vuelos de Cubana de Aviación a las 0723. Al parecer, los locutores de guardia (Alexander Niepa y Jorge García Suárez), trabajaban con un sólo micrófono, debido al costante golpeteo de fondo entre los turnos de cada narrador (desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Adán González, Sept 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CYPRUS. In a recent edition of DXLD you mentioned the frequency change for Radio Sawa from Cape Greco from 981 to 990 kHz. Ken Fletcher suggested that this change could cause problems to listeners in West Wales trying to listen to Radio 5 Live via the Tywyn transmitter on that frequency. Mr Fletcher ought to know that his suggestion is very mischievous one, given that there isn't a cat in hell's chance of any MW signal from Cyprus - no matter what power - coming anywhere near the UK. For instance, the last time I heard BBC Zygi on 1323 kHz was all of 25 years ago. I should think that Radio Devon is more likely than Radio Sawa to cause trouble for Radio 5 Live, or there are some other stations in Western Europe - but certain not Cyprus! (PAUL DAVID, UK, September 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Concerning the SAWA transmissions from Cyprus on 981 or 990, I have checked nearly every night LT if the station transmits. I have found no program with Arabic and western music. I have found yesterday 20 at 2300 a station from Spain under ERAsport Athens (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, Sept 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Or could be you are in a null from them? (gh, DXLD) Zacharias Liangas` message on audibility of R SAWA on 981- and 990 kHz. I`ve not been able to hear this station either of these frequencies after several attempts. On 990 kHz dominating station is DEUTSCHLANDRADIO in parallel with 6005 kHz. Easiest way to hear R SAWA is to try i.e. 11670 kHz around 05 UTC. 73´s (Jouko Huuskonen and Matti Ponkamo Turku/Naantali FINLAND, hard-core-dx via DXLD) R. Sawa HAS been heard here in Eastern Finland every evening this week with normal signal on 981 kHz. Now at 1630 the signal is very good. But note that it carries separate programming stream than 1548 kHz. 73, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** EL SALVADOR? 17833.25, 1857...2305+, 20-Sep; het but no audio; too much QRM from BBC in English on 17830 via Ascension till they went off at 2059:30, but still no detectable audio. 2155, QRM is Radio Canada via Japan s/on 17835 in French and continued in Chinese at 2300. First sign of audio at 2250 with music, but very buried. Presume Radio Imperial reported on this frequency recently (Harold Frodge, MI, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Hello all, additionally to the fine info on Radio Imperial, 17833v, on http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtb02.html and http://www.worldofradio.com/dxld2147.txt I just found http://www.gospelcom.net/lpea/spanish/radio/elsalvador.html which indicates also that this is a normal shortwave transmission rather than a harmonic. 73, (Willi Passmann http://www.radio-portal.org _/_/ The Radio Search Engine Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) The same Luis Palau site was referenced here months ago in the previous surge of interest in this outlet. Note that 17835 is also shown for YSKO in San Miguel (gh, DXLD) ** FINLAND. The station at Preiviiki [near Poro] at present uses all its capacity for Radio Finland, but when the external broadcasts are reduced, the French TDF may buy more than the 49% of the shares it owns today, and then leasing of airtime to other broadcasters is likely (Anker Petersen, DSWCI report on EDXC Conference in August via DXLD) Previous reports implied but did not state explicitly that the weekly Capital Weekend English hour has been cancelled already; yes, nothing audible at 0007 UT Sunday Sept 22 check on 13730, 11990 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I've put online some scanned pics made at the European DX Conference in Pori. Find them at: http://members.v3space.com/estrella/fin2002/indexen.htm or http://dxsignal.by.ru/fin2002/indexen.htm (Or, alternatively, come to http://listen.to/dxsignal, click on English flag, then select DX Library and Finland 2002) 73 & good DX, (Dmitry Mezin, Russia, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** FRANCE. Another possible TIS station, on 25775 AM, heard from 1200 past 1900 UT, first on Sept 19, stronger than last year`s La Rochelle outlets on 11m. Has a 51-52 minute loop, half in French, half in English (Alan Roberts, QC, 1918 UT Sept 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 25775.1, FRANCE UNID (possibly Comité Department du Tourisme de la Charente-Maritime), 1850-2110 Sep 14 and again 2010-2035 Sept 15, noted with French language features and pop songs followed by English segments. No IDs noted but English features were called Weekend Adventures and include discussion about Normandy, interview with author Tiffany Capote about her book "Regards to Indochina," feature about an image technology park in France and music by Rolling Stones, The Who and Led Zeppelin before returning to French program. The host was a guy named Eric with some narration help from a Peggy Thompson. Poor to fair reception with some very deep fades. Also, noted again at 2105 Sep 16 and 1430 Sep 21 with Rolling Stones "Brown Sugar" but with a much weaker signal (Richard D`Angelo, PA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** GREECE. Effective 21 Sep, Voice of Greece will use 5865 (instead of 12105) for its broadcast at 1900-2100 (via Fyodor Brazhnikov, Irkutsk, Russia, Signal via DXLD) ** GREECE [non]. Glenn, Regarding DX LISTENING DIGEST 2-145, you might want to know, that after this weekend's games, the Greek soccer league games will take a break for about a month. They will resume on October 26. That way you don't have to worry about your favorite program being pre-empted by a ballgame. Unlike you, I enjoy listening to the soccer games, however what I don't understand is the break in the transmission from Delano between 1500-1600 UT. This break usually happens in the middle of the game, and when the transmission resumes at 1600, the game I was listening to is usually over (Chris Rigas, IL, Sept 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUATEMALA. 4845, R. K`ekchí, 1036 21 Sept, Very strong signal now but audio a little distorted. Caught canned FM promo in echo by man as "Aquí estéreo 92, su progreso FM FM". Finally live male at 1039 in K`ekchí followed by usual full canned ID, and contuined with live M again (Dave Valko, Dunlo, PA, USA, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [and non]. IT'S ALL EYES ON ISIDORE FOR HURRICANE WATCH NET, W4EHW NEWINGTON, CT, Sep 20, 2002 -- With Isidore now upgraded to a category 2 hurricane, members of the Hurricane Watch Net are continuing to keep their eyes on the storm, which is closing in on Western Cuba. A Tropical Storm Watch for the lower Florida Keys has been discontinued, however. According to the HWN, tropical storm warnings and hurricane watches now have been posted for portions of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula -- including the island of Cozumel. "All interests in and along the Yucatán Peninsula and Gulf Coast Areas should pay close attention as Isidore moves into the warm Gulf of Mexico by Saturday," an announcement on the Net's Web site warned. The HWN activated on 14.325 MHz September 19 for the first time this hurricane season, while Isidore was still a tropical storm. The storm has continued to gain strength, however, and now packs winds of 100 MPH, with higher gusts. As of 1800 UT September 20, the National Hurricane Center was predicting that Isidore was about to make landfall over Western Cuba. A hurricane warning remained in effect for several provinces. Well-known Cuban amateur and International Amateur Radio Union Region 2 Area C Emergency Coordinator Arnie Coro, CO2KK, said it appeared that the main impact of the storm was poised to strike the Isle of Youth (Isla de la Juventud) and the western part of Pinar del Rio Province. "We request that 7040 kHz, 3740 kHz and 7125 kHz be protected if all at possible," Coro said, adding that there were excellent relay stations at several locations. He said amateur operators were deployed at CO9BNA at the Cuban weather service, Instituto de Meteorología. Isidore was moving at about 8 MPH to the west-northwest. Heavy rainfall of up to 30 inches and damaging surf conditions were forecast for the storm's path. Official advisories are available on the NHC Web site. Assistant Amateur Radio Coordinator Julio Ripoll, WD4JR, at W4EHW at the National Hurricane Center, reported that W4EHW also commenced operations on September 19. W4EHW has HF stations on both 20 and 40 meters. W4EHW is collecting reports via APRS, e-mail and its on-line Hurricane Reporting Form. The Hurricane Watch Net and W4EHW at the National Hurricane Center work hand-in-hand to gather and disseminate real-time, ground-level weather data and damage reports from Amateur Radio operators to assist forecasters. The HWN also functions as a backup communication link for the NHC, emergency operating centers and the National Weather Service (ARRL via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** ITALY. World of Radio on Studio X --- time change: see top ** KAZAKHSTAN [non]. "You are listening to Radio Dat -- Free Radio for Free Citizens of Kazakhstan!" Since 8 August, people in Kazakhstan can tune in to Radio Dat in Kazakh and Russian languages. (In Kazakh, "Dat" can be translated as, "I demand a say," and was used by Kazakh nomads when they wanted to be given the floor during public discussions.) While it is not clear which country serves as the home base for the new station, it is clear that the number of such underground media outlets may grow -- particularly if Kazakhstan's hot summer is followed by a hot autumn and a hot winter (Merhat Sharipzhan, reporter for RFE/RL's Kazakh Service, [concluding a much longer article] RFE/RL Media Matters Sept 20 via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. CLANDESTINE: 6348 Echo of Hope, via KBS, Korean Broadcasting System, #18, Yoido-dong, Youngdungpo-gu, Seul 150-790, South Korea. QSL card from KBS full data in 77 days. Sent KBS magazines (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentine, Cumbre DX via DXLD) So KBS openly acknowledge they are responsible for this station? Or `automatic` response like UMC for the wrong R. Africa International? see AUSTRIA (gh, DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH. Original report said Han Hee Joo was becoming Executive Director of RKI, but when I finally was able to listen to her final Multiwave Feedback show ondemand --- it took them over a week to put it up --- she said `Assistant Director` (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LATVIA. Laser / Caroline: see UK [and non] ** NEW ZEALAND. Allen Little from ZLXA advises their web-site has been revamped. It looks very good too! Photos of the aerial and studios etc. Some pages are not yet completed and I'm sure the photo gallery will be interesting too... maybe some snaps of DXers tuning in ZLXA from the other side of the world will appear! http://www.radioreading.org (Paul Ormandy, NZ, Sept 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA [non]. GERMANY - 5905 V. of New Nigeria via Juelich. PFC, nice letter, sked, and photo of Julich facility in 135 days for followup on a 1997 logging. V/S Walter Brodowsky, Account Manager (John Wilkins, Colorado. Drake R-8, 100-foot random wire, Cumbre DX Sept 20 via DXLD) Service is long gone now (gh, DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 3275, R. Southern Highlands, 1043-1107 21 Sept, Long talk by M at tunein with mention of province, talk. Nice island music at 1050. Live native vocals at 1053. 1056 different male with mention of "goodnight", then another M announcer in vernacular, 1003 live M announcer with mentions of Southern Highlands, talk talk, then long English PSA for a provincial educational conference held several nights next week. Slightly distorted during talk at tunein, better audio later. Fair with slight local noise. Picked up towards local sunrise at 1101. 3235, R. West New Britain, 1110-1128 21 Sept, Saturday evening countdown program with male announcer host. 1116 gave a live PSA thanking the informer several times in English. Different M announcer then, followed by fast Punk-like song. Male announcer again w/"good evening", song announcement, mention of Saturday night, listener acknowledgment, long list of PSAs. Fairly decent signal but faded quickly after 1120, plus the local noise became too great. No Manus this morning. 73's (Dave Valko, Dunlo, PA, USA, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** PERU. 3172.78, 1000 prompt sign on but still in the mud at 1020, best with the 10 meter ground wire antenna 20 Sept. R75, Drake R7, NRD 535D modified, Sony 2010 (Bob Wilkner, Margate, Florida, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See previous for presumed ID ** PERU. 4995.60, R. Andina, 1023-1032 21 Sept, very long ad and promo block from tunein. One at 1029 mentioned about 20 OA towns and the next at 1031 included IDs and mention of "la voz de esperanza". Still going with announcements when I left at 1034. Nice signal this morning with a little QRM from WWV bleedover (Dave Valko, Dunlo, PA, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** PERU. RADIO SAN ANTONIO AM-FM, ATALAYA, TARGETS FAR-FLUNG RURALS Submitted by Señor Rafael Rodríguez of Bogotá, Colombia Atalaya, Perú (special) -- Radio San Antonio AM-FM— ``Volunteer radio at the service of education and cultural exchange among peoples.`` Radio San Antonio belongs to the Parish of Atalaya. A radio station at the service of education, it is formative and spreads the Christian faith; its programming is varied and complete: there are programs of news, health, education, the environment, and national and international music. ``The FM transmitter is of ESSE CI manufacture with 130 watts of power, operating on 95.5 MHz, from a tower 31 meters high. For shortwave, we depend upon an Omnitronic transmitter of American manufacture with 1,000 watts of power and operating on 4940 kHz, in the 60-meter band. The antenna is an inverted V with an elevation of 15 meters. Radio San Antonio AM-FM is kept solvent by donations and volunteer help. The transmitters, equipment, and accessories are donations from individual people and institutions, both Peruvian and foreign. ``The shortwave is directed with the distant, rural listener of Atalaya province in mind; it is in rural areas that one finds the greater part of the population lives, but where the educational efforts of the Government and the Church do not reach because of lack of means, roads, and the enormous distances between one town and the next.`` Database: RADIO SAN ANTONIO AM-FM: OBW8U 95.5 Mhz FM, OAW5A 4940 Khz shortwave. Señor Juan López Encinas, director. Calle Iquitos 499, Villa Atalaya, Ucayali, Perú. Tel. + 51 64 461240 E-mail: rasat@terra.com.pe (Sept 23 Catholic Radio Update, Sept 21 via DXLD) ** POLAND [non]. Dear Glenn --- Tried to get a good ID from R. Maryja, but the best reception (5x5) is at sign on, on 15455, but the last two mornings they only had an ID in Polish...but I'll keep on trying a few more days...anyway, here's the 12010 ID at 15 UT. 73, (Erik Køie, Denmark, Sept 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [recording was enclosed] ** RUSSIA. What transmitter carries the signal of Voice of Russia's Sodruzhestvo service in Russian on 9735 kHz? Time is 1300-1500. Some electronic sources distribute VoR official schedule, but surprisingly it does not contain Sodruzhestvo program before 1400 at all. 9735 kHz is not reflected in schedule either. Frequency is apparently in use since 5th September. The signal is very strong in Astrakhan. But it's unfortunately co-channeled with TWR Russian broadcast (Vasily Gulyaev, Astrakhan, Russia) You may open the handbook "Broadcasting in Russian" (electronic version is available at http://www.radio.hobby.ru/download.html and read on page 37: 1300-1400 9735 250 Samara 140/CAsia Obviously the next hour (1400-1500) is from the same site? (Konstantin Gusev, Moscow, Russia, Signal Sept 21 via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. According to Russian online sources, digital tests (DRM) are being conducted via a transmitter in Moscow on 1134 kHz since 11 September, with Radio Mayak as programme feed. This transmitter is listed with 20 kW at Kurkino and is scheduled to carry a relay of Radio TEOS from St. Peterburg during the evening hours (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, Sept 19, MWDX via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. (Eur.) 11945 Radio Space Moscow via Balashikha. I sent a follow-up for my report of March 1992 (to their address in Moscow) after seeing a reply posted by Jerry Berg. After a response of 117 days, received a full data Radio Space Staff Card with site, it was signed by Andrey Nekrasov. What was different was it was mailed from a US address! The return address was Andrey Nekrasov, 8678 Bay Parkway, Apt. B7, Brooklyn N.Y. 11214 USA (Ed Kusalik, Alberta, Sept 20, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ?? What was this? I don`t recall such a `station` (gh, DXLD) ** SIERRA LEONE. MEDIA BODY CURBS PRESS FREEDOM -- Reporters sans Frontières (Paris) September 13, 2002 Posted to the web September 16, 2002 ...At the end of August, the IMC refused an operating licence to West Africa Democracy Radio (WADR) for reasons of "national security" and "public safety." The station wanted to broadcast on short-wave nationwide and in other countries of the Mano River Union (Liberia and Guinea). The IMC said Sierra Leone had been destabilised in the past by groups based in these two countries. http://allafrica.com/stories/200209160700.html (via Jill Dybka, TN, NASWA Flashsheet Sept 21 via DXLD) ** U K. BBC ENGLISH: NOT TO EDUCATE, BUT TO REFLECT Ginko Kobayashi, Special to The Daily Yomiuri There is a movement away from Received Pronunciation, which has acted as the standard for spoken English in Britain for many years. This is the first of a two-part series on changes in the standard of English. LONDON --- Smooth, serious and respected, BBC news has held a special place in people's hearts since the world's largest noncommercial broadcaster was established in the 1920s. Though highly praised as the purveyor of the best spoken English and viewed as a world standard, BBC English--based on Received Pronunciation (RP), the English spoken by the upper and upper-middle classes in Britain--has at times been accused of being too square or snobbish. How has this standard been kept intact, and what, if any, changes have occurred over the years? To find out, I visited the BBC Television Centre in London to meet Peter Donaldson, chief announcer at BBC Radio Four.... http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20020917wob2.htm (via Jill Dybka, NASWA Flashsheet Sept 21 via DXLD) ** U K. BBC OFFERS STAFF JOB SWITCH FOR A DAY London, Sep 19. The 25,000 employees at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) are being invited by their boss to switch to another job for 24 hours in a bid to boost morale. http://news.sify.com/cgi-bin/sifynews/news/content/news_fullstory_v2.jsp?article_oid=11944315&page_no=1 (via Jill Dybka, NASWA Flashsheet Sept 21 via DXLD) ** U K [and non]. "LOOMING LASER LIGHTENS LETHARGIC LEGACY" The latest news from Caroline Central http://www.carolinecentral.com Silent since its July tests from Latvia using 5935 kHz short-wave, LaserRadio.net has started to hint at its future plans. These seem to include a multi-platform approach to delivering programming, which will include shortwave, the internet and Sky Digital. Commenting on the non-stop music tests from LaserRadio.Net during July, spokesman Dave Graham told Caroline Central, "Our primary target is the UK. We need to get an acceptable signal back into the UK. Today's radio listeners will not tolerate the type of fading and interference that was the everyday norm when listening to Radio Luxembourg. Unfortunately, the signal from Latvia was similar. It will be our intention to use such transmitters in the future as part of our multi-platform approach, but our core platform will have to be something far more acceptable." Pressed to explain this further, Graham added, "The only 'free' platform in the UK is Sky Digital, but that won't be enough on its own. We are looking at a 24-7 Sky Digital service, integrated with a fascinating internet based back-up service, and specialist programming also using AM or short-wave as we see the need." Asked about WorldSpace, he pointed out that the UK was the target of the LaserRadio.net broadcasts. "We are about breaking down barriers throughout Europe and the World, but right now the UK audience are starved of 'free radio'. They are all too quickly forgotten. We need to get to them first as a matter of urgency." Discussing the programming, Graham explained that a lot was being kept 'under wraps', but "We will be the ultimate anoraks' station. We aim to bring that famous Laser fever pitch back to radio, and to move ordinary members of the public to become anoraks again!" Further announcements about LaserRadio.Net can be expected towards the end of October. http://www.carolinecentral.com/news/39.html Want to comment on this story? Talk about it on The Caroline Community by hitting 'Respond' or e-mailing caroline@carolinecentral.com News you wish to share? E-mail it to newsdesk@carolinecentral.com. (via Mike Terry, Sept 21, DXLD) ** U S A. VOA CHIEF RESIGNS UNDER PRESSURE By Eli J. Lake, UPI State Department Correspondent From the International Desk Published 8/29/2002 6:40 PM WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- The director of the Voice of America resigned Thursday under pressure from the Broadcasting Board of Governors over his tenure as chief of the U.S. government's largest foreign broadcast service. "Basically this guy had zero credibility (with the board)," one source familiar with the dynamics between Reilly and the governors -- who oversee the Voice of America as well as Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia, Radio Sawa and Radio Marti -- told United Press International. In a statement released to the press, Robert Reilly said he had left to "seek opportunities in which I can more directly employ my talents in helping support the president and this administration in the war against international terrorism." Reilly was named director of VOA shortly after Sept. 11 and was quickly faced with balancing pressures from Congress and the White House to remake America's image abroad while contending with a news department dwarfed by recent budget cuts. "He wanted to be all things to all people," said the source, "he wanted to be loved by the staff, loved by the board and loved by the unions. He wound up being loved by none of them." Indeed, in July the Broadcasting Board of Governors ordered Reilly to find money for a new 24 hour Farsi service to be broadcast into Iran. To meet the budget needs, Reilly opted to close VOA news offices in Brussels, Geneva, Hong Kong, Mexico City and Tokyo. His announcement to the news staff earlier this month was met largely with contempt, according to one VOA reporter who asked not to be identified. Reilly will be replaced by David Jackson, a former correspondent for Time Magazine and editor in chief of DefendAmerica.gov, the Defense Department's Web site for the war on terrorism. "The board is delighted to have a journalist of Jackson's experience to lead VOA in a period when it must play an important role in presenting the truth about what is happening in the world," Kenneth Tomlinson, the BBG's newly confirmed chairman, said in a statement Thursday. "I'm very excited about this opportunity to join such a respected organization, and I'm looking forward to working with my fellow journalists to carry on and enhance VOA's worldwide reputation," Jackson said. Reilly said he would remain with VOA for a period of time to help Jackson during the transition. VOA broadcasts news worldwide in English and 52 other languages. Copyright © 2002 United Press International (via Jill Dybka, NASWA Flashsheet Sept 21 via DXLD) ** U S A. Voice of America is beginning to refer to itself as "Voz de América" in its Latin America broadcasts, rather than "Voz de Los Estados Unidos, [de América]" as during the past 45-50 years! To mere mortals, that may mean little, but it's a tremendous change for anyone who has know VOA for decades. It had very frequently been referring to itself as "Voa [Boa, like the snake]" for years, as have its listeners (Charlie Taylor, Delano, Sept 19, IRCA via DXLD) About time; yes, we know the Latins are just as much Americans as we are, but they should accept our calling the station by its proper name without taking offense (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Hi, I'm back to listening after a hiatus and would like to listen to Music Time in Africa but don't know when or where. If anyone can help I'd appreciate it. Thanks - (Jim, ODXA via DXLD) VOA at 1730 and 1930 UT Sun. Try 17895, 15580. 15455, 15410 (John Figliozzi, swprograms via DXLD) I was trying to confirm that, wasted several minutes hunting thru VOA websites for a simple program schedule, gave up and complained to Kim. Last I noticed 15580 wasn`t on before 1800. Excellent show. I did find that it`s available ondemand among many others (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Spectrum returned two weeks ago (0300 UT Sundays on 5070). It`s via phone line. Latest woes: they lost the building where studio was in NJ. Also, there was a break-in before they could vacate and a lot of gear stolen. They`re running it out of a living room. Over the years, what was once a good show has become a comedy. I sent my remarks last month. They were off 2 or 3 weeks. Omega is in limbo. Over the years they`ve lost Hal Turner and The Right Perspective. Limping by now (Bob Thomas, CT, Sept 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 7489.95, WJIE, Upton KY; 2302-2313+, 20-Sep; Lengthy ID 2311 then Grace Fellowship religious program. All in EE. SIO=544/strong signal but audio broken up (Harold Frodge, MI, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Yes, I noticed they were back around 1700 UT Sept 20 after a week off. Further spot checks UT Sept 21: after 0500 strong open carrier; 1200 mixing with DVR, no WOR on Sat; after 1300 missing; before 1400 back (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WRNO Worldwide on 7354.9v at 0100 with off the wall religious talk on 9/11, America and God. Strong signal but distorted with very poor modulation. Tough copy and almost unlistenable on the R75/SE-3, but the Palstar/SE-3 provided listenable audio. Not earth shattering DX by any means, but this is the first time I've noticed them in quite a while. 73, (Brandon Jordan - Memphis TN, Sept 20, Cumbre DX via DXLD) N.B., WDX6AA ** U S A. WMLK, 9465, Sept. 2 *1502-1530+, usual English preaching about Yahweh. Very, very weak. Barely audible. Carrier fairly strong but just very low modulation. Gone at 1740 check. Never heard this weak before. Mon-Fri only (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, groundwave range?, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. I finally received a reply September 19 from WWRB - via email. It was in response to my latest follow-up report on September 16. Here it is: "This is to confirm the reception report of WWRB. Sorry for the delay in the QSL response; we are still under the construction of station WWRB and all efforts are diverted to this since the FCC only gives a certain amount of allotted time." (Monte B. Carroll, WC4MBC, Nashville, Tennessee USA, rec.radio.shortwave via Hans Johnson, Cumbre DX via DXLD) No data? How is this worth anything? (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. STATE MILITIA ON DECLINE AFTER LEADER IMPRISONED http://www.courier-journal.com/localnews/2002/09/08/ke090802s272373.htm (via Jill Dybka, NASWA Flashsheet Sept 21 via DXLD) Viz.: Outfit tries to regroup, but few are interested By Joseph Gerth, The Courier-Journal LEXINGTON, Ky. -- The militia movement in Kentucky, once a stronghold of paramilitary activity in the United States, appears to be waning. With former Kentucky State Militia commander Charlie Puckett in prison and Steve Anderson -- another high-profile member of the group -- being sought as a fugitive, the militia is in disarray, despite recent efforts to regroup. The state militia is dead without Puckett's leadership, militiaman Roger Shanks of Lancaster said recently when Puckett was sentenced to 30 months in prison on federal weapons charges. ''It's not anymore,'' Shanks said when asked how the organization is faring. ''When I joined, I joined because of Charlie Puckett.'' The Kentucky militia's decline follows a national trend that has seen the number of civilian paramilitary groups drop from 858 in 1996 to 158 last year. Militia activists cite a number of reasons for the decline, from apathy about what the government is doing to federal prosecutions of militia leaders. But militias are trying to reorganize, including Kentucky's. ''We're just deciding where we go next'' since losing Puckett, said Terry Lee Ingram, a state militiaman who said he's a master sergeant in the group. Ingram said an Aug. 20 meeting for members was ''postponed due to lack of participation,'' but will be rescheduled on a weekend. The original date, on a weeknight, made it difficult for members with jobs to attend, he said. The sharp growth of militias and patriot groups followed the 1993 siege of Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas, and the 11day Ruby Ridge standoff in 1992 in Idaho with fugitive Randy Weaver. With the Murrah Federal Building bombing in Oklahoma City in April 1995, militias saw a surge in membership as critics of the federal government claimed the government engineered the bombing to crack down on potential terror groups. In Kentucky, the state militia met regularly and held training sessions in which members were schooled in survival and guerrilla warfare. But virtually all of the activity has stopped. IN RECENT YEARS, militias have had little to rally around, said Mark Pitcavage, national director of fact-finding for the New York-based Anti-Defamation League and a militia expert. ''They have not had a cause celebre,'' he said. Even people in the movement acknowledge that interest has declined. ''I don't think people are educated enough to know how much the militia is needed,'' said Patrick Perry, a former Kentucky militia member who ran the group's Web site until last spring. Mark Potok, a spokesman for the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Ala., said that Norm Olson, the head of the Northern Michigan Militia-Wolverines, recently announced he is moving to Alaska ''because he couldn't get anyone to come to meetings. He's disappointed in the fact that all the patriots have disappeared and gone back to their TV sets and wives and children.'' Another prominent Michigan militiaman, Mark Koernke, was convicted last year on charges stemming from a high-speed police pursuit. Koernke founded the Patriot Broadcasting Network and hosted a pro- militia shortwave radio talk show, ''The Intelligence Report.'' Some militiamen and others blame the movement's decline on criminal prosecutions of such activists. ''It seems like a kind of Greek tragedy sort of thing -- cut the head off the snake and the body will die,'' Ingram said. Charles Whitley, a friend of Puckett's who isn't in the militia, said he's convinced the case against Puckett was designed to destroy the militia in Kentucky. BUT U.S. Attorney Greg Van Tatenhove of the Eastern District of Kentucky denied that. ''We really don't focus on the group in this instance as much as we do an individual involved in illegal conduct,'' Van Tatenhove said. ''As federal law enforcement we've not targeted the militia, but in the militia some participating personalities have emerged who are committed to illegal acts. Mr. Puckett is an example of that.'' Pitcavage said the decline of civilian paramilitary groups has happened faster in other parts of the country than in the Midwest, where militias have remained relatively strong. Kentucky, however, appears to be an exception for the region, he said. According to Potok, the passing of Y2K drained some of the interest in militias. Some groups claimed there would be an apocalyptic event as the new century came: The United Nations would take over the country, or the Clinton administration would use the failure of computers to declare marshal law. ''None of those things happened,'' Potok said. ''This really set off a lot of patriots who felt they had been led down the primrose path.'' The criminal cases also hurt, Pitcavage said, citing Puckett's arrest, the Anderson matter and a case out of Cloverdale, Ind., in which two leaders of the 14th regiment of the Indiana State Militia were charged with plotting to kill another member of the group. ''That really kind of puts a damper on mild-mannered ones who don't want to be arrested,'' he said. PUCKETT, 56, was charged in February with possessing firearms, pipe bombs and nearly 35,000 rounds of ammunition in violation of federal law. One of the charges alleged he also had a device to convert a rifle from semiautomatic to automatic fire. Two weeks after being charged, Puckett fled house arrest, only to return to Lancaster in Garrard County in April, with his attorney saying he had left the militia. Puckett pleaded guilty in May to possessing a handgun, attempting to intimidate a witness and possessing an instrument used to convert a rifle into a machine gun. Anderson, a white supremacist who operated an illegal radio station from his Pulaski County home, was kicked out of the state militia last fall, about the time he allegedly shot at a police officer who tried to stop him for a traffic violation. Anderson fled into the woods and hasn't been seen since. Ingram said Anderson caused division in the militia with his extreme views, especially among Western Kentucky members who broke off and created their own group, 911/ KSM. But Jesse Horn, former commander of 911/KSM, said last week that the group is ''pretty much dissolved. I know a lot of people who still say they're active but they just don't come out. Everybody wants to go to the Wal-Mart, go to a game, stay at home and watch cable TV.'' Horn said apathy about what goes on in the government and the militia's negative image in media reports have made it nearly impossible to recruit new members or keep old members active. He also blamed the prosecutions. ''Everybody is still out there, but it's no use playing the game with these people,'' he said, referring to federal law enforcement. FOR CRITICS, the militia decline is welcome. They note the ties of some members to the Ku Klux Klan and other hate groups. Anderson, for example, allegedly held KKK meetings on his property and was a member of the anti-Jewish Christian Identity Movement. State Rep. Kathy Stein, D-Lexington, the only Jewish member of Kentucky's General Assembly, said she doesn't think Puckett or Anderson ''had anything good planned for this commonwealth.'' But Ingram said the militia was never about racism, religious hatred or opposing the government. It was to provide a backup for the Kentucky National Guard if needed, he said. ''This was not a right-wing, gun-nut type of organization,'' he said. ''. . . We raised our hands and swore the same oath that a police officer or a member of the armed services swears.'' Van Tatenhove, the federal prosecutor, said militia activity still concerns him, despite its weakened state. ''I do think to the extent that the militia movement moves to the fringe, it's an unhealthy thing -- particularly because of that tendency to become anti-government and to fabricate justifications for operating outside of the law,'' he said (Louisville Courier-Journal Sept 8 via DXLD) ** U S A. Looks like we have a pirate here in Topeka. Over the last several days I've been hearing something on 94.7 --- sometimes dead carrier but usually gangsta rap. Now that WIBW-FM has moved, the pirate has taken over 97.3. Finally caught a voice this morning, ID'ing as "KAOS 94.7" and playing 70's and 80's punk --- heavy on the Clash and Ramones. 73, (Todd K0KAN Sept 21, AMFMTVDX mailing list via DXLD) ** U S A. The 100 Mile-Per-Gallon Carburetor HOW ULTRA WIDE BAND MAY (OR MAY NOT) CHANGE THE WORLD By ``Robert X. Cringely`` http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/pulpit20020124.html (via Robert Ellis, Sept CIDX Messenger, via DXLD) ** URUGUAY. 6010, Emisora Ciudad de Montevideo, Montevideo, 1620-1628, Sep 21, Spanish, musical program, ads, TC and ID, 35333. 6140, Radio Montecarlo, Montevideo, 1640-1700, Sep 21, Spanish, musical and News program, ads Montecable, 35443 (Nicolás Eramo, Argentina, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. 4939.65, R. Amazonas, *1000 Sep 14 (though carrier had been on for at least 40 minutes). Opened with frequency announcement, then YV NA, long anthem of the state, then programming ended until picked up again around 1015. So-so signal. Also heard 0100 Sep 12, light Spanish vocals, announcements in between, bad modulation, and voice less strong than music (Jerry Berg, MA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. Según un reporte del 18/09, el ingeniero en jefe de Radio Nacional de Venezuela, Ismael Arrae, informó que la emisora acaba de adquirir dos transmisores de AM y tres de FM. Uno de los transmisores de AM (de 25 kW), será para el canal 1310 kHz de Puerto La Cruz (ciudad ubicada al oriente del país); y el otro (de 50 kW), será para el canal de 1240 kHz, ubicado en la península de Paraguaná (en la parte occidental de Venezuela). Saludos (desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Adán González, Sept 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VIETNAM. The Voice of Vietnam continues to use several HF channels for relaying its Domestic Service to rural areas. 5925 *2200-1600* (XM) 50 kW 5975 *2200-1600* (ST) 50 kW 6020 *2200-1600* (ST) 20 kW 7210 *2200-1600* (ST) 20 kW 9530 *2200-1400* (ST) 50 kW 9875 *0200-1000* (ST) 50 kW These channels carry relays of Networks 1, 2, 3 or 4, to a varying schedule, in Vietnamese, as well as programming in various dialects for ethnic communities. Network 1: Mainly news Network 2: Mainly educational and cultural features] Network 3: Music and news Network 4: Programming for ethnic minorities At 0200, 5925, 5975 6020 7210 9530 and 9875 all carry the same news summary from Hanoi. The Hmong Service, which is part of Network 4, has recently extended its transmission hours, to accommodate extended broadcasts to ethnic minorities, as foreshadowed in EDXP earlier in 2002. New frequencies in the 9 MHz band are now in use, to improve coverage during daylight hours. This is now heard: 5035 *2200-0000* (XM) 15 kW (previously *2200-2300*) 5035 *1130-1330* (XM) 15 kW (previously *1200-1200*) 6165 *2200-0000* (XM) 50 kW (previously *2200-2300*) 6165 *1130-1330* (XM) 50 kW (previously *2200-2300*) 9855 *0430-0600* (XM) 50 kW (previously *0500-0600*, new frequency) 9650 *0430-0600* (XM) 50 kW (additional new frequency) Both of the new frequencies 9855 and 9650 gave excellent reception in the countries I visited. Until recently, the morning and evening services were carried on 5 and 6 MHz, and the midday service only on 6 MHz. Now, the midday broadcast is on 9 MHz. Transmitter locations: XM Xuan Mai ST Son Tai Note: The transmitter operating on 9875 also carries the VOV Asian Service (Network-6) at other times, on 7285, to this schedule: 0000-0030 Khmer 0030-0100 Lao 1100-1130 English 1130-1200 Thai 1200-1230 Khmer 1230-1300 Lao 1300-1330 Russian 1330-1400 Khmer 1400-1430 Lao 1430-1500 Mandarin 1500-1530 Cantonese Domestic radio broadcasting in Vietnam is being continually developed and extended. Population coverage is now more than 90%, and the government plans for each household to have at least one radio set. There are 61 provincial stations and 528 district stations, including 319 operating on VHF. The remainder are on MF. There are also over 5000 public address systems operating at village level. Half of the district stations have been upgraded to achieve better coverage, and all remote and mountain districts now have low powered VHF transmitters (Bob Padula, Electronic DX Press Sept 13 via DXLD) ** VIETNAM. CANADA. 9840, Radio Voice of Vietnam via Sackville. Full data logo card with site in 83 days. I reported the site as Son Tay, but dispute my evidence as being this site, the result was the above (Ed Kusalik, Alberta, Sept 20, Cumbre DX via DXLD) I still don`t believe it. What were time, language? Would not be first time a station doesn`t know its own schedule. 9840 is a longtime direct frequency, doesn`t show on RCI schedules. More evidence that QSLs don`t necessarily prove anything (gh, DXLD) ** YUGOSLAVIA. Hi Glenn, R Yugoslavia resumed SW broadcasts today Sept 20 (first heard on 6100 at 1713). English heard on 6100 at 1830 UT so must be sticking to their published schedule. English transmission started with message from Director of R Yugoslavia about resumption of SW. (Thanks to the tip from Media Network) (Website actually said SW broadcasts restarted "Friday 9 September" but as there is no such date, presume they meant today?) [earlier:] Radio Yugoslavia heard again on shortwave this evening - well known interval signal on 6100 (pres via Bijeljina, Bosnia-H) at 1713 UT and programme in (presumed) Bulgarian at 1715. If they're sticking to their published schedule - English should be at 1830 UT on 6100 (to Eur). Other English scheduled: 0000 9580 (except Sun) to N Am 0430 9580 to N Am 2100 6100 to Eur 2200 7230 (except Sat) to Aus (all programmes half hour) Full schedule at: http://www.radioyu.org/ 73s (Alan Pennington, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Yugoslavia heard on 6100 Sept. 20 in Russian at 1800 and English 1830, announcing the agreement to operate via Bijeljina followed by news. Strong signal with some audio hum. At 1858 IS on 7200 followed by Spanish 1900. Their A02 sched for the rest of today should be: 6100 : 1930 Serbian, 2000 German, 2030 French, 2100-2130 English 7230 : 2130 Serbian, 2200-2230 English 9580 : 2230 Chinese, 2300 Spanish, 2330 Serbian, 0000 English, 0030- 0100 Serbian and 0430-0500 English. next transmission 1400 in Arabic on 11800 [1430, it says to me -- gh] 7200 is occupied by what sounds Sudan in Arabic. News c1803 then talk and typical Sudanese sounding music and song. And at 1900 IRIB IS heard followed by programme in Hebrew - Kol David? (Noel R. Green, Blackpool, UK, Sept 20th, Cumbre DX via DXLD) From the Radio Yugoslavia website: We would like to inform our listeners that after a several-month break, during which it published news bulletins on the Internet, Radio Yugoslavia will resume its short-wave programming in 12 foreign languages and in Serbian for the diaspora on Friday, September 9 [sic]. Radio Yugoslavia’s morning and evening news bulletins in Serbian, French, Spanish and Russian can be found at http://www.radioyu.org INFORMATION Well, right now (2020) 6100 is on, but all they broadcast is their interval signal. [Later:] Now at 2030 Radio Yugoslavia on 6100 started French. On the Radio Yugoslavia website the page for German news is empty, too, so apparently they just have no editorial staff for German broadcasts at present. By the way, I wonder if the now finished silence period was really the result of legal problems again, since I recall earlier reports describing it as just another case of "pay no bills, get no mainpower". (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Sept 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Dear listeners, at the beginning of our programme, and on the occasion of the resumed short-wave transmission, here is a message by the director of Radio Yugoslavia, Milena Jokich. After a several-month intermission, Radio Yugoslavia is again transmitting its short-wave programme from transmitters in Bijeljina, the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The licence for programme transmission issued to Radio Yugoslavia by the Communications Regulatory Agency in Bosnia-Herzegovina, on the basis of a framework agreement reached between the Ministerial Council of B-H and the Yugoslav leadership, is a result of mutual efforts to arrange this field of cooperation between the two countries in the spirit of the Dayton Accords. We would like to thank CRA representatives and the Ministerial Council of B-H for their understanding owing to which the programme of Radio Yugoslavia, which has existed for more than 65 years, can again be heard all over the world and in our diaspora in 12 languages and Serbian. We are also grateful to you, dear listeners, for writing to us during the period when we were present only at the Internet and looking forward to the resumption of our programme. Your letters in which the most frequent question was why we are not in the ether represented a valuable support to us. Now you will be receiving important and objective information through short-wave transmissions and the Internet. You will be informed about all the important events at the political, economic, cultural and social scene in the country. We wish you a good reception and are looking forward to your remarks and suggestions in future as well. (not dated; I found this message on radioyu.org on Sept. 20) (Sergei Sosedkin, IL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Nothing heard except hams on 7230 at 2200, nor was RY expected here; but I was waiting on 9580 at 2358, and there was their very nice IS again, 0000 sharp opening in English, starting with reading the statement about the SW resumption. It seems no one has jumped on their frequency in the meantime, leaving it open. How considerate. Not so good at 0430 repeat; 9580 itself fairly clear, but RY weaker now, splash from Bonaire 9590, and VOA 9575. Now RY need to work on their accents... (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Dear Glenn, Thanx to tip via DXLD 2-147, I logged Radio Yugoslavia (via Bosnia?) as detailed below. 9/21 0440-0502* 9580 R. Yugoslavia - News heard at tune-in followed by "singing" ID at 0442. Program "Front Pages(?)" with newspaper lead stories; topics regarding elections and candidates. Program; "(Yugoslav?) Heritage" featuring native music. Closing announcements; "Thank you for listening to our programs"; Tas [?]/frequencies and IS(piano?) before sign-off. Fair signal but "splatter" via 9575 VOA hampered reception; tuning up to 9582 helped (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., NH, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glad to hear Radio Yugoslavia is back. Hearing them here in English on 9580 at 0434 UT on 9/21/02. They signed on late at 0433. Nice signal using USB to avoid interference (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) R. Yugoslavia on 9,579.99 kHz at 0005 in English with news. In the clear with a very good signal although there seems to be some humm in the audio. Thanks to Noel for the tip! 73, (Brandon Jordan, Memphis TN, Cumbre DX Sept 20 via DXLD) Hi Glenn, I was wondering if anyone else has noticed this announcement on the Radio Yugoslavia Web site, which is why I was unable to say for sure when they would resume. I just checked and it's still there as of Saturday morning, with no indication that they have actually resumed. "We would like to inform our listeners that after a several-month break, during which it published news bulletins on the Internet, Radio Yugoslavia will resume its short-wave programming in 12 foreign languages and in Serbian for the diaspora on Friday, September 9." Is Yugoslavia really 11 days behind the rest of us? :-) 73, (Andy Sennitt, Netherlands, Sept 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE. ZBC ROBBING MOTORISTS 9/18/02 8:38:02 AM (GMT +2) By Pedzisai Ruhanya, Chief Reporter In its desperate bid to raise money, the financially troubled Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) is illegally collecting funds from motorists who have radios in their vehicles, investigations have revealed... http://www.dailynews.co.zw/daily/2002/September/September18/7232.html (via Jill Dybka, TN, NASWA Flashsheet Sept 21 via DXLD) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ HATE RADIO UPDATED Hello from Hilversum, For some time now we've been working on major updates to our dossier Counteracting Hate Radio. But there have been so many developments in recent months that we decided to publish it this week, even though there is still some additional material which we will add as soon as possible. We'll also be adding audio clips of some of the stations mentioned in the dossier. Some people believe that Hate Radio is a phenomenon that started and ended in the mid-90's, notably in the Great Lakes region of Africa around Burundi and Rwanda. This dossier shows that hate radio continues to be a constant danger. Hate radio killed more than 800,000 people in the last decade. Its influence should not be ignored. This is very much a "work in progress", and we invite your comments, questions, suggestions and contributions. http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/dossiers/html/hateintro.html (Media Network newsletter Sept 20 via DXLD) ###