DX LISTENING DIGEST 2-187, November 29, 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 1158: RFPI: Sat 0130, 0730, Sun 0000, 0600, Mon 0030, 0630, Wed 0100, 0700 on 7445 and/or 15039 WWCR: Sat 0700, Sun 0330 5070, 0730 3210, Wed 1030 9475 WBCQ: Mon 0545 on 7415 [ex 0515] WJIE: M-F 1300, daily 0400; Sun 0630, Mon 0700, Tue 0630 or 0700, 7490 ONDEMAND http://www.wrn.org/ondemand/worldofradio.html [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1158h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1158h.ram [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1158.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1158.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1158.html UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS God bless you and all the hard work you do every week putting this stuff together..... Happy Thanksgiving......and relax if you can !!!! (Tom Messer, River Falls WI) CIRAF ZONES Hello, gentlemen. I have received a very interesting question from a listener to the Maple Leaf Mailbag on RCI. Following up a recent discussion we had on the programme regarding time zones around the world, a listener would like me to talk about CIRAF Zones. I have done some initial searches on the Internet and have come up with numerous sites, including the ITU site, which give maps and lists of the CIRAF Zone numbers. Unfortunately, not one of the sites I have looked at so far indicates just what "CIRAF" is, or what the letters stand for. We are putting Maple Leaf Mailbag together tomorrow evening. I have plenty of info to talk about with respect to the zones and their use in relation to international broadcasting, but I would be most interested in having the definition of "CIRAF" available for the report. I'm just wondering if any of you might be able to shed some light on this. Thanks in advance for your assistance (Sheldon Harvey, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Sheldon, I did some searching and also found it difficult to find out what "CIRAF" stands for. In a Google search for CIRAF HF I did find one pdf file from Deutsche Welle that was described as Conferencia Internacional de Radiodifusión por Altas Frecuencias ...but the PDF file itself did not have those words, just a good map of the CIRAF zones. But why Spanish? Usually these things are abbreviations of French phrases. Was it perhaps from a Madrid Conference? Or a Buenos Aires Conference? etc. You might try a Google search with that Spanish phrase above in quotes. For general info about CIRAF (but no explanation of the abbreviation), see... http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/terrestrial/broadcast/hf/refdata/index.html All the best, (Kim Andrew Elliott (ex)Producer and Presenter, (ex)Communications World, Voice of America, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well, except for the A in Altas, that could also fit French (gh) ** ALBANIA. Frequency change for TWR in Russian via CER 100 kW / 033 deg: 1444-1559 NF 11615v, ex 11620 to avoid AIR in English and Gujarati \\ 9495 MOS (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 29 via DXLD) MOS = Moosbrunn, Austrial; CER = Cerrik, Albania ** ARGENTINA. Seguidamente, el actual esquema de emisiones en español de RAE, Radiodifusión Argentina al Exterior, válido hasta el próximo 30 de Marzo del 2003: De lunes a viernes, de 12 a 14 en 15345 kHz y de 22 a 24 en 6.060, 11.710 y 15.345 kHz; también ahora los sábados de 20 a 22 por las frecuencias de 6.060, 11.710 y 15.345 kHz. Otro cambio, es que para las emisiones de 00 a 04 que antes salían en 6.060 y 11.710 kHz, para el presente período salen sólo por 11.710 kHz. Dentro de este horario, se emite en portugués de 00 a 02, inglés de 02 a 03 y francés de 03 a 04. Otras emisiones son: de 10 a 12 en japonés por 11.710, mientras que en las frecuencias de 9.690 y 15.345 kHz emite de 18 a 19 en inglés, de 19 a 20 en italiano, de 20 a 21 en francés y de 21 a 22 en alemán. También, -- aunque sin confirmar aún -- probablemente se agreguen dentro de las emisiones en español, algunos microprogramas en lenguas aborígenes de la Argentina (Gabriel Iván Barrera, RN Radio Enlace Nov 29 via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA [non]. Radio Australia in Chinese via MERLIN SNG 100 kW / 013 deg, 1300-1430 NF 15540, ex 1400-1530 on 15435 to avoid LJB in Arabic and BSKSA 1st program in Arabic (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 29 via DXLD) ** BANGLADESH. Frequency Schedule B'02, Bangladesh Betar External Services ----------------- Bangla 1630-1730 7185, 9550 1915-2000 7185, 9550, 15520 English 1230-1300 7185, 9550 1815-1900 7185, 9550, 15520 Voice Of Islam 1745-1815 7185, 9550, 15520 Nepali 1315-1345 7185, 9550 Urdu 1400-1430 7185, 9550 Hindi 1515-1545 7185, 9550 Arabic 1600-1630 7185, 9550 Home Service 0030-0505 4880 Dhaka A 1200-1600 4880 Dhaka A 1200-1710 15520 Dhaka A (via Rifat J. Eusufzai, DX Forum, Bangladesh, Nov 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Olá pessoal, Jaílton e Valter, obrigado pela ajuda. Hoje estive conferindo alguns ADX para meu trabalho de pós graduação e encontrei também uma informação a respeito: do Célio Romais sobre re- transmissão pela Rádio Guaíba, da Rádio Romênia Internacional. Está no ADX n. 213. Apenas uma observação sobre tudo isso: de início considero grave o relay da emissora internacional no Brasil se esta brasileira não dispor de um transmissor alternativo, na mesma hora, para atender os ouvientes locais. Novamente não me lembro qual foi a estação que colocou o sinal da Rádio Vaticano nas ondas curtas, mas devo dizer que foi feito muito porcamente, fazendo um corte brusco na programação brasileira para atnder o horário do relay da Rádio Vaticano. Em termos jornalísticos há de se pensar se programas feitos totalmente no exterior devem ocupar espaço no rádio brasileiro, sem dizer as questões geopolíticas: retransmitir a Rádio China? Por que não as rádios dos exilados tibetanos? Ou seja, há algo mais além do técnico e financeiro que o governo e a sociedade brasileira teima em não discutir e precisamos ficar atentos, pois em coisas assim também se baseia a radiodifusão, embora poucos contem isso: qual a proposta de radiodifusão externa do nosso país como um todo? As nossas relações com as outras emissoras vão ser pautadas nestes princípios? A política externa afetará essas retransmissões ou apenas o fator monetário e técnico será considerado? (Flávio Aurélio Braggion "Ark" Archangelo, PY2ZX - PX2X. Ex-PS0S, PS2V, PQ2A ...., Caixa Postal 1292 - CEP 13202-970, Jundiaí - SP - Brasil, radioescutas via DXLD) Notice the mention above of R. Romania International being relayed by R. Guaíba. I`d like to see the details from A-DX 213. Even the Brazilian DXers don`t seem to have any definite info about SW relays carried out by Radiobrás. The only one I have seen mentioned is China on 9665 at 0300 in Spanish. Here are the Brazilian listings in HFCC B-02 for 9665: 9665 0100 0200 14,16 BRA 250 215 1234567 271002 300303 D B CRI RTC 9665 0300 0400 10-12 BRA 250 314 1234567 271002 300303 D B CRI RTC but also, not actually in use and mutually exclusive for 2 hours: 9665 0000 2400 12,13 BRA 250 315 1234567 271002 300303 D Portuguese B AMZ AMZ 20004 And while I`m at it, searched all the other BRA site listings and in the entire HFCC there are only two more; note that the entry numbers for these (the last figure) are far out of sequence to those surrounding: 6180 0000 2400 12,13 BRA 250 315 1234567 271002 300303 D Portuguese B AMZ AMZ 20003 11780 0000 2400 12,13 BRA 250 315 1234567 271002 300303 D Portuguese B AMZ AMZ 20005 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. HCJB relayed via Sackville! See ECUADOR [non] ** CANADA. CBC RADIO 3 --- http://www.cbcradio3.com CBC Radio 3 is proud to announce an all new CBCRadio3.com. Presented in an innovative online-magazine format, CBC Radio 3 offers captivating stories from across the country with a smart and stylish look at Canadian art and music. The new site also offers highlights from CBC Radio 3's national radio programs and award-winning Web sites (CBC Hotsheet via DXLD) ** CANADA. THE SUNDAY EDITION, R. Canada International, Sun 1400-1700 This may be my favorite. The Sunday Edition is the latest in a line of early Sunday audio magazines (dare I say rotogravure?) that have been on the domestic CBC Radio schedule for years. When longtime CBC journalist Michael Enright took over the helm five years ago (it was then called Sunday Morning), the program took some time to find its bearings. His background belonged more to the pitbull school of investigative journalism appropriate to the program As It Happens from whence he came, and Enright at first seemed uncomfortable in a more conversational mode. Over time, though, he has better molded his on- air persona to the more relaxed Sunday morning atmosphere, and the program, in turn, has molded itself to him. This is all to the good for the listener. Three hours allow the interviews, conversations, essays and documentaries on The Sunday Edition to run their normal course, virtually free of artificially invoked time restraints. It gives them all the opportunity to soar and most times they do just that. The show is beautifully paced, and carefully selected jazz pieces, an obvious Enright obsession, are interspersed throughout. While the various segments of the program can stand on their own, it is when one takes the time to hear the entire presentation that one sees how The Sunday Edition is so artfully put together week to week. This is simply an intelligent encounter with arts and letters, a near perfect radio experience for a Sunday morning (John Figliozzi, Listening At Leisure, Programming Spotlight, Dec MONITORING TIMES, via DXLD) ** CANADA. CBC Previews: CROSS-COUNTRY CHECKUP: Sunday on Cross Country Checkup...public health care. It has been called a defining feature of Canada ...and now it's on the operating table. What's going to emerge? Roy Romanow has spent almost two years charting a solution. Join him Sunday afternoon on Cross Country Checkup with host Rex Murphy, live from the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon. That's on Cross Country Checkup Sunday afternoon from 4 until 6 (EASTERN) on CBC Radio One. Simulcast on Newsworld. And check out the complementary website at http://cbc.ca/checkup (CBC Hotsheet via DXLD) There was also a special CCCU the night after the report was released, UT Fri at 0300+. Must be a big deal (gh, DXLD) ** CANADA. SOUTH BOUND II STILL ON One of the better-known utility stations is usually just called ``Herb.`` When he transmitted from Bermuda, out in the North Atlantic, his vessel tracking and weather service was easy to hear all over the US. When he moved to Canada in 1994, he disappeared from our radios on the West Coast. Many of us were wondering if he had packed it in after fifteen years of eight-hour days in his radio room, gathering and giving out his free information. Well, your vacationing editor can attest that Herb Hilgenberg, also identifying as VAX 498 and ``South Bound II Coastal,`` still gets a perfectly respectable signal into New York City. He`s still on his traditional frequency of 12359 kHz USB, also known as channel 12C, with the presence that has earned him the nickname of ``ghost crew member.`` Herb`s original station, at his home aboard the small sailboat in Bermuda, was quite a sight to behold. Computers, printers, and radios jammed every inch afloat, while satellite dishes and antennas lined the dock. The boat has since given way to a basement radio shack, accounting for the ``Coastal`` callsign suffix. Herb originally got interested in weather forecasting after an erroneous government prognostication nearly caused the loss of his sailboat with his entire family aboard. He decided to study meteorology and try to improve on the information available to small vessels on extended North Atlantic voyages. Improve he did, and when he decided to help out another sailor at sea, his weather info was so good that soon everyone else wanted his help as well. The result, in 1987, was the radio net we still hear today. He listens for calls at 1950 UT. At 2000, the formal roll call begins. It can last for hours in the busy season, and it can become very interesting for landlubbers if a hurricane is about. Everyone gets a position check and a detailed weather forecast generated from many different sources. This is the only shoreside contact some people have, and Herb has called authorities for more than one rescue. While the North Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico are primary, limited coverage is also given the South Atlantic. Some attempts have even been made with the Eastern Pacific, propagation permitting. Alternate frequencies are 8294 kHz (channel 8A) and 16531 (channel 16B). As Herb says, ``Have a good watch`` until next month (Hugh Stegman, HF Communications, Dec MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) ** CANARY ISLANDS. Today, I received a letter from the Full Gospel Las Palmas Church on the Canary Islands. I sent the a receptionreport 25 days ago after hearing their radiostation on 6715 khz. The letter was a thank you letter for my receptionreport and my interest in the broadcasts from the church. V/s is Gyusub Chung, son of Byung-Sung Chung, the Full Gospel World Mission Association, Africa General Council, General Superintendent Reverence. The transmitter output is 100 Watts and is located at the church. schedule: Sunday 1100-1230 and 1900-2030 Wednesday 2030-2130 Friday 2200-2400 (I suppose local Canary Islands Time). [= UT winters] Every Friday, the sound quality gets lower because there are two church services going on at the same time, according to the letter. Approximately 420 people are coming to the church regularly and about 480 people are registered. A lot of Korean people are working in fishery (shipowners, fish-compnay owners, fishermen) and some are having restaurants. Address: Plaza de Agustin del Castillo, 3 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain. (Max van Arnhem, The Netherlands, Nov 27, hard-core-dx via DXLD) 6715U, Full Gospel Las Palmas Church, Nice personal letter from the Pastor's son, Gyusub Chung, similar in wording to those recently received by other DXers. Received in 5 weeks for a postal report and audio CD. Unfortunately my ppc was not returned to me. At best, the wording in this letter is an implied QSL (George Maroti, NY, Nov 28, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** CHILE. Voz Cristiana, 17680, has been splattering widely, down to 17660 more than upwards, around 2330 UT Nov 27. Same was true of 21550 around 1330 (Ron Trotto, IL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Checked at 2340 and did not hear splatter here, tho 17680 quite strong as usual (gh, OK, DXLD) ** CHINA [and non]. The latest English schedule of CRI beginning November 30th, 2002 is as follows: FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE SERVICE North America (East Coast) 2300-2400 13680 [Canada} 0100-0200 9790 [Canada] 9580 [Cuba] 0300-0400 9690 [Spain] 0400-0600 9730 9560 [0400 Guiana on 9730, 0500 Canada on 9560!!] 1300-1400 9570 [Cuba] 1300-1400 1120 AM Relayed by WUST or New World Radio, Washington DC North America (West Coast) 2300-2400 13680 [Canada] 0100-0200 9790 [Canada] 0300-0400 9690 [Spain] 9790 [Canada] 0500-0600 9730 9560 [0400 Guiana on 9730, 0500 Canada on 9560!!] 1400-1600 7405 [direct!] 17720 [Cuba] Caribbean Sea 2300-2400 5990 [Cuba] Europe 2000-2100 9840 5965 2100-2200 9840 5965 1440 AM 2200-2300 7170 2300-2330 (London) 558 AM Southeast Asia 1200-1300 1341 9730 11980 1300-1400 1341 15180 11980 South Asia 1200-1300 1188* testing 1400-1500 11765 (Rawalpindi) 11675 9700 [applies to 1400 listing?] 1500-1600 7160 9785 The South Pacific 0900-1000 15210 11730 1000-1100 15210 11730 1200-1300 11760 15415 9760 1300-1400 11760 11900 East and South Africa 1400-1600 13685 15125 1600-1700 13650 7190 1700-1800 9570 11910 7150 (Dar es Sa.laam) 9695 [applies to 1700 listing?] 2000-2100 11640 13630 2100-2130 11640 13630 West and North Africa 1900-2000 9440 9585 2000-2100 9440 (via Moses Vasanthan Thambu, EDXP Nov 28 via DXLD) As usual, layout is confusing, and in our never ending campaign to eliminate clutter, colons in times, local times, Beijing times, and metric equivalents eliminated. At least we hope the times retained are all UT (gh, DXLD) HORARIO PARA EL INVIERNO Para España 2100-2200 9640 y 6020 2200-2300 7120, 9640 y 6020 Para América Latina 2300-2400 7160 y 7245 0000-0100 7160 y 11650, 5990 y 15120 0100-0200 11650 y 9665 0200-0300 11650 y 13685 0300-0400 9560 y 9665 (via Gianni, Nov 28, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. 5955v, Nov 25 al 28 notada a las 1130 UT con noticias deportivas "Noticiario de Caracol" a las 1130 UT, notada también a las 2130 UT (Yimber Gaviria, Colombia Nov 25-28, 2002) 6010v, Nov 27, LV de tu Conciencia, a las 0325 UT con slogan La Voz de tu Conciencia de Colombia para el mundo. También en Nov 28 a las 1258 UT con programación religiosa en español (Yimber Gaviria, Colombia Nov 27, 2002) 15058v [presumed Atrato x 3] no hay señal al menos en mi receptor (Yimber Gaviria, Colombia, Nov 27, 2002, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. 3749.75, HIBC, La Voz del Progreso, San Francisco de Macorís, (harmonic 3 x 1250) 28 Nov, 0054-0140+, still audible as I type popping up in and around the ham chatter. LA pop music, 0059 ad block and canned ID "...Bonao, San Francisco de Macorís...del Caballero...La Voz del Progreso." Fair signal with very good peaks (Mark Mohrmann, VT, DX LISTENING DIGEST) His previous unID ** ECUADOR. 4960, Nov 25, Notada aquí a las 1125 UT con música ecuatoriana; otras ecuatorianas, 4919 (señal regular), 5040 (señal buena), y 6050 (Fuerte). (Yimber Gaviria, Colombia Nov 25, 2002) 4960 presumably R. Federación, Sucúa (gh, DXLD) ** ECUADOR. Dear Hansjoerg, IMPORTANT NOTICE We are very sorry that we now are financially unable to send QSL's, etc. unless the request for such also includes sufficient postage stamps or money to cover the cost. In order to grant your request for a QSL and/or other material, please send one of the following: one International Reply Coupon (IRC), or one USA dollar, or one Euro, or 3 unused 37-cent USA postage stamps. Correspondence Department, English Language Service - HCJB World Radio We do not receive anything from the German department. Please make an account with us also. Thank you for listening (D. Zambrano, HCJB, via Dr. Biener, Nuernberg, Nov 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Dear D. Zambrano, I am sorry to hear about this recent change in policy. It was not mentioned in the edition of DX Party Line that I was able to listen to nor in the broadcast that I reported on. Your e- mail also seems to shed new light on QSLs received from the English department in the past. Even in the past, I always referred the English department to the mail account at the German service of Radio HCJB and thought that QSLs were sent through them. At least in my naïve thinking, I always thought that your use of my mail account with the German service just involved giving the envelope to the German department. It now seems that there is less internal communication between the departments than I thought. A rather obvious consequence for me as a German listener would be to refrain from writing to the English department. I cannot see any sense in establishing two accounts just for the case I might want to participate in a DXPL special QSL offer. While the Back to God Hour in Dr. Joel Nederhood's era used to be a programme that I followed, the DX Party Line is the only programme of the English service that I try to listen to if I can take the [garble] ... conditions allow. Kind regards, (Dr Hansjoerg Biener, Nuernberg, Nov 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR [non]. HCJB in Arabic to N Africa via MERLIN: 2100-2230 on 12025 now via SAC 250 kW / 073 degrees, ex via SKN 250 kW / 165 degrees (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 29 via DXLD) Ah, just as I thought; still takes getting used to, the very idea of HCJB via Canada... (gh, DXLD) ** EL SALVADOR. 17835.3, Radio Imperial, finally after many tries, heard with three ID's at 2200 Nov 27, announcing shortwave. Then music program hosted by male. Good Reception Continues! [Later:] 17835, R. Imperial hung in till 0052 Nov 28. Deep fades but was coming in good enough for a while to just play out to the house as I puttered around. ID's between most songs. (Hans Johnson, Rio Hondo TX, Cumbre DX via DXLD) NHK on before 0100 (gh) Thanks, Hans, for the El Salvador tip! They're coming in with SINPO 34333 right now (2232 UT) in Mount Kisco. It looks like they may have modified something, as they're now on 17835.3, while in September they were around 17833 kHz. Signal strength is much, much better than before. They're playing Christian contemporary music, in Spanish. (George Maroti, Mount Kisco, New York, ibid.) ** ERITREA/ETHIOPIA [nons]. U A E: UNMEE via MERLIN DHA 250 kW / 225 degrees to EAf at new time: Tue 1030-1130 NF 21550, ex Tue 0430-0530 on 15235 Sun 0900-1000 NF 21715, ex Fri 1900-2000 on 13670 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 29 via DXLD) ** FRANCE [non]. Additional freq for RFI in Pashto via Merlin Comm. SNG 100 kW / 315 degrees: 1600-1630 NF 9705 (44544) \\ 6035 via SNG 250 kW / 315 degrees. Freqs 11665/13580 both via ISS 500 kW / 080 degrees are cancelled (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 29 via DXLD) EDXP reported this as on 9790 (gh) NDR : entre 1600 et 1800, RFI diffuse déjà sur 9790 kHz en arabe et en français depuis Issoudun (les informations sont issues de http://perso.wanadoo.fr/jm.aubier via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Glenn, Listened to Deutsche Welle on November 16, 2002, 0200 - 0245 UT on 13605 kHz. In a reception report to DW I wrote the following. "Program Comment: More info about Germany! I listen to DW for German items not general news items. Other then the learning German segment I could have been hearing the news from any other source." Here is the reply from DW. I wonder if DW actually reads the comments sent to them? Hoping you continue "tuning in" to our broadcasts - and enjoying them! Regards, Margot Forbes DEUTSCHE WELLE ENGLISH SERVICE Tel.: +49 221 389 4144 Fax: +49 221 389 4155 E-mail: margot.forbes@dw-world.de Website: http://www.dw-world.de (Kraig Krist, VA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. On Nov 27 the directors of the ARD member institutions decided to discontinue the common foreign language broadcasts. This concerns the programmes in Italian, Turkish, Serbocroatian, Greek, Spanish, Russian and Polish currently aired between 1800 and 2100 in // by NDR on 702, 792, 828 and 972, by HR on 594, by BR on 729 and 801, by SWR on 576, 666, 711, 1017 and 1485 (within the SWR Cont.Ra program line-up, hence on more frequencies now than previously) and by SR on FM 103.7. These programmes will disappear in their current format by the end of this year. Currently it seems that NDR and HR could continue to have some foreign language stuff on their hr-chronos and NDR 4 Spezial mediumwave networks. The SFB and WDR/RB networks RADIOmultikulti (Berlin 106.8 and low-powered 567) and Funkhaus Europa (Langenberg 103.3, Bremen 96.7, Bremerhaven 92.1) networks are not affected by this decision, at least not immediately. I referred here only to terrestrial outlets, so to make it complete: The ARD foreign language broadcasts as well as all mentioned networks are also transmit via Astra 1 in the proprietary ADR system. RADIOmultikulti and hr-chronos are also available in DVB (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Nov 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GHANA. 3366, GBC, 0614 Nov 27, 90 m outlet fair // 4915 was strong, but suffering slatter from R. Quito a few kHz up. English domestic news program (David Hodgson, TN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HONDURAS. 4832, Radio Litoral 29 Nov at 0142-0220. Vernacular until 0202, then Spanish. No English as per PWBR. Excellent signal, clear Spanish ID. Nice to hear some tropical band action. Heard on my decrepit DX-440 with only an indoor longwire while dogsitting (Liz Cameron, MI, Cumbre DX via DXLD) So back from 4830.1? ** HONG KONG. Radio Television Hong Kong verified with detailed paper QSL-card the 10 minutes weather forecasts on 3940 on the Hongkong- Hainan yacht race (Michael Schnitzer, Germany, Nov 27, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** INDIA. AIR National Channel in Hindi noted from Nov. 24: 1315-0045 on additional NF 9470*\\ 9425. *co-ch VOR Chinese 1300-1500, Turkish 1500-1600, Russian/English 1600-1800 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 29 via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. Decided to try a late afternoon micro-DXpedition up at the local State Game Lands today Nov 28. Went specifically after Somalis so I laid out the 300' Beverage antenna at 70 degrees. Conditions were poor, as they have been for over 2 months now. Solar Flux was 143, A index 16, and K index 4. The weather was a chilly 20 degrees with snow flurries. 9524.88, V.O.I., 2031-2040, OC as early as 2015 Nov 28, soft pop music at 2031 check, so must've signed on around 2030. Woman announcer in English at 2034 but only caught end of it, into more pop music. Nice ID and address (Voice of Indonesia, Overseas Service of R. Republik Indonesia, P. O. Box 1157, Jakarta, Indonesia) at 2039. Instrumental music bridge, and another ID "This is the V.O. Indonesia, the overseas service of R. Republic Indonesia...". Into feature program. Fair but choppy. Slight 9520 slopover QRM (Dave Valko, PA, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** IRAN. Re V. of Iran, Olle Alm`s monitoring, a typo: should read 1630 (as in schedule), not 1530 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN [non]. LITHUANIA: Frequency change for Radio Barobari in Persian effective from Nov. 25: 1700-1730 NF 7470 (55444) probably via SIT, ex 7480 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 29 via DXLD) ** IRAQ. COMMANDO SOLO LEADS THE WAY In plans outlined last August, high technology will play a large part in bombarding Baghdad --- and not just with sophisticated weaponry. Strategies include using newly-developed electromagnetic pulse weapons along with more traditional bombs to disable Iraqi communications. The empty Iraqi airwaves would then be bombarded with messages sent from the specialized Commando Solo aircraft used most recently in Afghanistan --- warning troops to stay in their barracks or be slaughtered, and promising Iraqi commanders that if they use biological or chemical weapons, they will be hunted down. ``The idea is ... to isolate the Iraqi leadership who are hiding in [the] bunkers,`` John Pike of the think tank Globalsecurity.org told the [which?] Post (Communications, Dec MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. Re : Radio al-Mustaqbal heard 1410-1530* and *2100- 2400* on MW 1575.3 (Nov. 1-9) (Robertas Petraitis, Lithuania, Nov 9, 2002 for CRW via DXLD) I doubt this very much. I have NEVER noticed these "Kuwaiti" clandestines off frequency. Now at 1430 I am hearing Iraq Radio on 1575.4 kHz // 908.94 kHz (Mauno Ritola, Finland, Nov 28, 2002 for CRW via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. 6973.08, Galei Zahal, already coming in when I started Nov 28, at 1848!! Phone callers at 2018 check. Mentions of Palestinians, Israel, and politico. 2030 fanfare, then man with presumed news. Good (Dave Valko, PA, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** ITALY. Rai International: 9670 (Rome, Italy). Sent report to allamano@r... [truncated]. In 10 days got a very impressive QSL from Mario Ballabio. It carries a night photo of volcano eruption. Also enclosed were 3 stickers, 2 pens and 2 RaiWay badges (Vladimir Doroshenko, Dneprodzerzhinsk, Ukraine, Signal Nov 28 via DXLD) ** JAPAN. SLOT MACHINE STATIONS: WE FOUND THE CASINO! One of he most nagging mysteries in the shortwave utility hobby is solved. The Slot Machines are Japanese Navy. Some of our veteran readers might remember the discovery about three years ago of these distinctive-sounding stations. Anyone who heard them once was determined, from that moment on, to figure out just what the heck was making all these weird noises. And weird it is. Its many frequencies play the same discordant little ``song,`` in absolutely perfect sync with one another. All this noise sounds like a broken video game, or, better yet, one of those Nevada gambling machines, happily spinning its reels on the way to taking your money. This Vegas reference stuck, to the point where the thing was given the code name ``XSL`` (Slot Machine Oddity) by the ``numbers`` hobbyists in the European Numbers Information Gathering and Monitoring Association (ENIGMA 2000). The first XSL discoveries were made in the maritime bands – not the most logical place to find complex signals. Maritime bands are allocated for narrowband voice and teleprinting signals, or the even more narrow Morse code, but these signals take up quite a bit more bandwidth. They use what looks like six unevenly spaced audio tones in multitone phase shift keying (MPSK). The signal is kind of distorted, with heavy intermodulation between the tones. Eleven times a second, all tones interrupt, or phasereverse, or do something equally bizarre. In the United States, the best frequencies to find the slot machine signal are 4231.5, 4291, 6417, 6445.1, 8588, and 8704 kilohertz (kHz). These appear to be intended as wide-coverage frequencies, always on, and coming and going with the skip. While they`re loudest around the Pacific Rim, reports have also come from Europe and Africa. Tune them as if they were upper sideband (USB). Early on in the investigation of this weird station, a position fix indicated Japan as the source. It was a reliable fix by people understanding the fine points of high-frequency direction finding, but one learns fast in this hobby that nothing is ever 100 per cent certain. Therefore, China and Russia were also suggested as origins. Another clue came, however, when a listener checked the frequencies against those formerly used for a different eight-tone radio modem by the Japanese Navy. Several were so close frequency; also the Japanese had dropped use of this modem on some of these frequencies at about the right time. Finally, the best evidence came from several utility fans that traveled to Japan. They reported local signal characteristics on many additional frequencies, some of which were part time and were being turned on and off as opposed to fading in and out. When the Japanese loggings are added, the full list becomes as follows: 3058 3075 4152.5 4231.5 4291 5643 6249.5 6417 6445.1 6500 6693 6768 8312.5 8588 8704 So what does the Slot Machine really do? Well, as so often happens in HF utility, the secret is in what you don`t hear. When the music stops, the remaining, hissy bursts are obviously high-speed MPSK data. These, in fact, are the reasons for this whole expensive operation. Our slot-machine song thus becomes no more than an idle state, perhaps a synchronization sequence for cryptography. And what encrypted data is being passed? The people who know aren`t telling. It could be weather charts (by fax). It could be just about anything. We`ll leave that part up to the military column (Hugh Stegman, HF Communications, Dec MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) ** KASHMIR [and non]. INDIA (Kashmir) 4950 AIR Srinigar Nov 28 0018- 0130 Carrier from 0115 to 0118 then into IS with open at 0120 with M in local dialect, local music through 0125 then F at low modulation level. Covered by some other signal from 0129-0131 (ute?) then back on with F. Into local dialect chanting at 0135 that sounds very much like call to prayers. Fading by 0137 as local tx sunrise is nearly completed. A few minutes earlier there was a strong het on Leh (4760) with extremely low level music (t Leh) (Don Nelson, OR, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) TERRORIST ATTACK ON AIR STATION IN SRINAGAR Press Trust of India Srinagar, November 28 Terrorists launched a rocket attack on Srinagar Station of All India Radio on Thursday evening damaging some equipment, and two persons were killed in separate incidents in Jammu and Kashmir while police foiled plan to trigger a series of explosions in the city, official sources said. A single rocket, fired by terrorists around 6:00 pm, pierced the music room of the heavily-guarded AIR building located in the heart of the city damaging a window and some equipment, the sources said adding that no one was injured in the blast. However, the deafening sound of the blast triggered panic among the employees. The pro-Pakistan Al-bader terrorist outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack saying its activists fired a missile towards the government-run electronic media centre. Senior police and security officials immediately reached the site and inspected the scene where the rocket exploded. "We are ascertaining were the terrorists carried out the attack from," a security official said. The rocket was supposed to be fired from the front portion as the music room is located near the main gate. Source : Hindustan Times.com (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, dx_india via DXLD) INDIAN TV REPORTS ATTACK ON KASHMIR RADIO, TV STATIONS | Text of report by Indian Doordarshan TV on 28 November Continuing their attempts to disrupt normal life in Jammu and Kashmir, militants launched a rocket attack on the All India Radio station in the heart of Srinagar. While the music room is reported to have been damaged, there are no immediate reports of any casualty in the attack, which took place around six in the evening. Our Srinagar correspondent M.A. Tantray reports: [Tantray] In Srinagar, militants fired a rocket towards Radio Kashmir and Doodarshan complex near high security tourist centre this evening at about 6 p.m. [local time]. The rocket came from Tourist Reception Centre site and hit the outer wall of main Radio Kashmir building near duty room of commercial broadcasting service. There was no loss of life, though the blast created panic among functioning present in the twin stations of Prasar Bharati [Broadcasting Corporation of India]. Senior security officers immediately visited the station and security is being further tightened around the complex. This is fifth attack on government electronic media after onset of militancy in early 1990 and it is a grim reminder of tough situation the two stations have been functioning in for last 12 years. M.A. Tantray, Doodarshan News, Srinagar. Source: Doordarshan television, New Delhi, in English 1430 gmt 28 Nov 02 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** KYRGYZSTAN. 4050 and 4940 music stations: see UNIDENTIFIED below ** LATVIA. NEW ROLE FOR FORMER SOVIET TRANSMITTERS For the past couple of years, Latvia has been a favourite spot for UK broadcasters linked to the offshore and "free radio" scene. The transmitting centre near Riga has a fascinating 56 year history.... http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/features/html/latvia021130.html (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, Media Network Nov 29 via DXLD) ** LEBANON [non]. Re. 11515 1600-1700: ``Does is sound like 250 kW to those who can hear it at all?`` I would say yes. Two days ago I checked 11515 at 1630: Not a powerhouse but a quite good signal. Very good, processed audio. Intriguing was a slow fading, making it smell like a multi-hop signal. Hm, 1630 appears to be a bit early for 25 metres from Sackville... or?? [Later:] Remembered just in time to try 11515 again: Carrier already on at 1557 tune-in, I just caught a single pip, then silence til program audio kick-in at 1600. Would fit to a CIS site but this certainly needs some further work (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Nov 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) If it were Sackville I would certainly be hearing it. I think it`s safe to assume the Eastern Hemisphere (gh, DXLD) Free Voice of Lebanon on 11515 (the correct ID as an Arabic friend told me) FVL, heard yesterday 26 Nov at 1649 with Arabic songs, lighter than ordinary from other Arabic countries. Signal level was only S8 with the 16 m antenna while there was strong QRM from VoR on 11510 and a carrier at 11520. Also today 27 Nov heard with the 16m 'random vertical ' and 2x 12 m dipole (3 S units stronger than vertical) at 1655 with S9+10 db but clear from QRM At 1659 ID in Arabic as ``Sawt al .. Huriya ...Lubnen ...Mustakiya`` giving also email address radio@....dot org then with a closing IS. Signal closed after 1701 showing a program as 'Radio Filizona' or something same with programming in Farsi. Will keep a little more survey on this station (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) This is a "snail mail" address, but I have no idea if it really works to the organisation: Rassemblement Pour Le Liban, 63, Rue de Sainte Anne, 75002 PARIS, France. Best wishes from (Björn Fransson, the island of Gotland, Sweden, hard-core-dx via DXLD) No, it`s quite certainly not connected to a pirate outlet nor to IRRS. And even no connection to the San Marino 'event' in autumn 1997. Pirates simply do not have enough power in order to provide such a signal. And they know that they are 'relatively' sure against a raid from the officials as long as they play music and do not state political opinions. And did you hear any 'musical bridges', old radio comedies, the re-run of the first half hour in the second half hour? Did any lightning-strike suddenly stop the transmission? No? Then it wasn't via IRRS! And the guys from the San Marino station were simply clever, they made a fool of the whole listener-scene (that was the aim of the whole action I suppose). The guys of Radio Senlandlimoj, which was a pirate which even did broadcasts from Liechtenstein were thus forced to prove what they declared, they simply took pictures of themselves while entering the border. No, better to ask TDP for the transmitter site. But since CRW is based on 'Target areas' we here do not need the know the site where the signal is coming from. Screenshots of 3 e-mail QSL-letters can be seen in the CRW Clandestine Radio QSL gallery at http://www.schoechi.de/pic-cla.html (M. Schöch, Germany, Nov 28, 2002 for Clandestine Radio Watch via DXLD) ** LEBANON [non]. RUSSIA: New station in Arabic Voice of Freedom/Radio Tayyar/Radio Streem: 1600-1700 on 11515 (55555) via Samara 250 kW / 224 degrees to ME (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 29 via DXLD) There is a station in Arabic on 11515 that closes at 1830, not very strong here and hard to ID. Anyone know who it is (thought it may be the new pro Aun outlet???). Cheers, (Paul Ormandy, NZ, Host of The South Pacific DX Report, Nov 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LITHUANIA. Radio Vilnius has a new email address: radiovilnius@lrt.lt (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, Nov 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LITHUANIA. R. Barobari, clandestine to Iran: See IRAN [non] ** MEXICO. Caught R. Educación`s media show again UT Thu Nov 28 on 6185, 0430 ID in Spanish for the XEPPM SW service, then ``Sintonía Libre``, note correct title. Started with Canal 11 (the educational channel) winning an award; then 660 changing from La Candela, tropical music format, to Comunicación 660 on Nov 18; and lots of other brief media items, including later a discussion of the lack of female voices (not the case on XEPPM!). After 0500 there was traditional Mexican music, and at 0530 an ID in English asking for reports. Good reception, and less co-channel from Europe than usual under the propagational circumstances (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 2390, Radio Huayacocotla didn't fade out till 1520 this morning Nov 27 and was already back when I checked at 2150 (Hans Johnson, Rio Hondo TX, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** MOLDOVA/PRIDNESTROVYE. 5960, Radio of the Dniestr Moldavian Republic heard 1700 sign on November 27th with identification by male announcer "Here is Tiraspol, the capital of the Dniestr Moldavian Republic", news items, identification 1715 ``Here is the Radio of the Dniestr Moldavian Republic``, political commentary, information on a Dniestr town, programme credits, address announced as Programme Pridnestrovye, ul. Rozy Luxembourg 10, Tiraspol, Dniestr Moldavian Republic. Next programme announced for Wednesday December 4th at 1700. Off with incidental music. Strong signal but adjacent channel splash from even stronger 5955 Radio Netherlands, used synch AM and passband shift (Mike Barraclough, Letchworth, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Indeed, there was an English broadcast from Tiraspol on 5960 from 1700. Carrier on at 1652, 1052.5 Hz tones straight until programme start at 1700 with jingle, no time signal and time announcement. Somewhat low modulation, mike audio noticeably different from the Russian programme on 999 (muffled and with noticeable reverb), so apparently this broadcast was produced in another studio. There were several interruptions by Russian light music, probably feed mess-ups (but which program source could contain light music instead of news immediately after the hour?), probably production screw-ups. The absence of a time signal could indicate that they do this particular transmission by playing out a tape at the transmitter site rather than using the STL from Tiraspol. The programme was announced as edition #22, so these shortwave transmissions apparently exist for a half year now. Unfortunately one of the mentioned glitches killed the announcement "prepared by the editorial staff of" ---- but I guess they would have said news agency Olvia, since Olvia announces this broadcast on its website http://olvia.idknet.com/newweben.htm I again include a record. The muffled sound is corrected here as much as possible without making the background hiss too sharp. Best regards, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Nov 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: Welcome to the news page of "OLVIA-PRESS" press agency Dniester Moldavian Republic THE RADIO DMR The Informational-Analytical Program "Pridnestrovie" Listen to us on short waves, 5960 kHz each Wednesday At 8 PM Moscow time, 7 PM Eastern European time, 6 PM Central European time, 5 PM Greenwich time. The Program "Pridnestrovie" is your guide in the world of politics. Our Address: Rose Luxembourg street, 10 Tiraspol 3300, Republic of Moldova (website above via gh, DXLD; the rest of it had old news bulletins from Aug and Sept) ``Indeed, there was an English broadcast from Tiraspol on 5960 from 1700. Carrier on at 1652, 1052.5 Hz tones`` : are you sure? You wonder how I know? See the enclosed screenshot. Definitely no 905 Hz pips if the question implies this. You can also see that Flevo 5955 was not so much a problem, the het is 25 db below the audio level of the tune-up pips. At -50 db, so not audible anymore but still noticeable in the spectrum is a 15 kHz het, caused by Moosbrunn 5945 I guess. || As was recently noted and is written on the web page you gave, the address they give is in Rosa Luxemburg Str. I know that some years ago this address was already given in the Russian SW programme, while the others (English ...) used a different address, ul. 25 Oktyabrya 45, which is I think also listed in the back editions of WRTH / Sender & Frequenzen. Maybe they had the same situation back then? Thanks anyway for the record, (Andreas Erbe, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I remember that this was once explained to be the office location while the building at the street named after Rosa Luxemburg would be the studio building. I guess the meanwhile well-known picture I include once again shows the latter location, especially considering the satellite dish typical for Russian C-band equipment, certainly in use to relay Radio Mayak when no own programming is on air (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) BTW, the pronunciation is teh-RAS-pol (gh, DXLD) {Rosa Luxemburg was a Marxist writer} Very good reception in Bulgaria for Radio Pridnestrovye in English on Nov. 27, 1700-1730 Wed only on 5960 (55544) (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 29 via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. THE SOUND FOUNTAIN, R. Netherlands, Sun 1200, 1530; Mon 0030; Thu 1230, 1500; Fri 0000, 0500 The Sound Fountain can be said to be the alter-ego of Aural Tapestry. They share the same time slots – the former running in the winter schedule; the latter during the summer. Both place a premium on sound, using it in unique ways to provide the listener with a deeper experience of the topics the producers seek to explore. Both programs demonstrate, as do all Radio Netherlands programming, a keen understanding of radio as a distinct art form. However, that is where the similarity ends, for Aural Tapestry`s brief is culture while The Sound Fountain`s is quite literally the world. Dheera Sujan and Michelle Ernsting are, in essence, producing documentaries; but not documentaries in the traditional sense. Not when the topics covered include different views of Utopia or tracing the use of ancient mythological structures in today`s cinema. These soundscapes are deeply intellectual exercises made accessible through the innovative application of sound. Sujan and Ernsting look at their subjects from unique angles offering listeners a truly creative way of looking at the world. And all you need to invest is a half-hour a week! (John Figliozzi, Listening At Leisure, Programming Spotlight, Dec MONITORING TIMES, via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. 4770, R. Nigeria, 0540-0615 Nov 27, Not a rare catch, but unusually good reception. Afro-pop music, advertisements, ID and time check at 0600. Domestic news covering everything but this Miss World scandal (at least during the 15 minutes I listened). Solid copy (Dave Hodgson, TN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Heard BBC news at 2100 Nov 28 mention that the fatwa against the journalist who endorsed Miss World, had been lifted, after she apologized (gh, DXLD) ** NIGERIA [non]. GERMANY, Salama Radio tells Cumbre DX: We currently broadcast on 13.855 MHz (21 Metaband). We start broadcast daily at 1830 hrs in Hausa and English comes up at 1915 UT (via Hans Johnson, Rio Hondo TX, Nov 27, Cumbre DX via DXLD) So no Sackville 15365 at 19; an earlier plan? (gh, DXLD) ** PAKISTAN. 5027.2 R. Pakistan Quetta? (tentative), 0105 Nov 28, very surprised to hear something here at this time, 0105 talk by man in language, 0106 singing by chorus, brief talk by man then what sounded like Islamic program at 0110. Faded by 0122. Reported by Jacob as External Service in Hindi at this time with listed //'s of 4790 and 7094. Checked the former, nothing there, forgot about the other one. Listed as 10 kW. I've heard it well in Hawaii, but this is only my second log of this one from the mainland, first time to hear it in the local evening (Hans Johnson, Rio Hondo TX, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** PAKISTAN. Frequency changes for Radio Pakistan effective from Nov. 25: 1715-1800 Persian & 1800-1900 Urdu (Islamabad program) NF 7550, ex 7555 to avoid RTTY (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 29 via DXLD) ** PARAGUAY. 7737.1, Radiodifusión América: Nice full data e-mail QSL in one day for an e-mail RR and 4 audio clips. This was for my tentative reception of them while on Dxpedition in Chamberlain, Maine. According to the v/s, Adán Mur their power output at the time was 300 watts. Future plans are to increase their output to 2.4 kW, pending improvement of their electrical power source (George Maroti, NY, Nov 28, Cumbre DX via DXLD) The full text of the e-mail follows: Dear Mr George Maroti: I have the pleasure and privilege of verifying your reception of the experimental shortwave transmissions of Radiodifusión América, Villeta, Republic of Paraguay. DATE: 22 November 2002 TIME: 0045-0107 UTC FREQUENCY: 7737 KHZ The details mentioned and audio recorded were indeed programmes broadcast by ZP20 Radio América, Ñemby, and rebroadcast on Radiodifusión América, Villeta. On the date of reception, the frequency of 7737 KHZ was beamed at 60 and 240 degrees, from Magnetic North, with a transmission power of 300 Watts. Radiodifusión América - ZP20 Radio América are headquartered in the Asunción suburb of Ñemby. The local Medium Wave Service also transmits from here, on 1480 KHZ, power of 1 KW, feeding a quarter-wave tower. The HF transmissions are based in a rural area, near the port city of Villeta, some 37 KM downriver from Asunción. We also have a new Medium Wave tower, of five octaves, installed, there. Presently, experimental HF transmissions take place on 7737 and 9983 KHZ. We are also testing the frequency of 2300 KHZ, using the 125-metre tall tower. We hope to increase transmission power on all frequencies, in the near future. Your reception reports are always much appreciated! With best regards from Paraguay! Adán Mur, Technical Advisor, Radiodifusión América, Asunción, Paraguay E-Mail: ramerica@rieder.net.py (via George Maroti, NY, Nov 28, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** PERU. 4904.71, R. La Oroya, 29 Nov 1009-1022, Campo music, some really beautiful harps. Male announcer with song announcement, next song title, mention of a Provincia (not Yauli), TC, and another campo song. 1015-1019 M announcer over campo music with possibly local news or events with mentions of Junín, several Provincias including Yauli, gave a time once, and also gave at least 2 IDs near the end, then continued with the campo music. M again at 1022 over campo music once again. Nice signal this morning with the pulsing radar off for a change. Signal suffered from some deep fades, though. 4914.38, R. Cora, 29 Nov. 1022-1035, Soft instrumental music, Woman at 1024 with simple TC during song, Echo ID "Desde Cora, Perú", into instrumental version of "Mack the Knife". 1027-1029 2 announcements; first an ad for Banco Nación, and 2nd was a promo. Vocal tango music with man giving ID during song at 1033 again. Really nice signal with the radar off this area. It was in the 4790 and 4440 areas though (Dave Valko, PA, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Yakutsk, 7140 also confirmed in Sweden today with regional programme from 0910 // 7200+7345. 4825 not audible at that time today. 7140 is badly affected by co-channel KRE. Yakutsk on new 6150 now also confirmed at 1030 with regional programme // 7200, 7345. Still no signal on 4825, but may be due to poor 5 MHz propagation (Olle Alm, Sweden, 28 Nov, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. Some additional freqs for Voice of Russia: 1300-1500 Russian WS on 5925 (45544) 1800-1900 Italian on 7425 (55555) 1900-2000 Greek on 6170 (53433) co-ch Radio Liberty in Ukrainian 2000-2100 Russian WS on 6170 (53433) co-ch Radio Liberty in Ukrainian (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 29 via DXLD) See also LEBANON non, SYRIA non for clandestines thought to be via RUSSIA ** SIERRA LEONE. 6137.8, Radio UNAMSIL: Partial data letter direct from Sierra Leone in 3 months for a postal report. V/s Sheila Dallas, Officer-in-Charge of Public Information, Station Manager and Executive Producer (George Maroti, NY, Nov 28, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** SLOVAKIA. Radio Slovakia International sked covering October 27, 2002 to March 30, 2003 received in today's (November 27, 2002) postal mail. English portion 0100-0130 UT 5930 (North America), 7230 (Central America), 9440 (South America) 0700-0730 UT 13715, 15460 and 17550 all to Australia 1730-1800 UT 5915, 6055 and 7345 all to Western Europe 1930-2000 UT 5915, 6055 and 7345 all to Western Europe "Weekly programme outline: MONDAY is devoted to a joint programme of Radio Slovakia International, Radio Austria International, Radio Prague, Radio Budapest and Radio Polonia. TUESDAY covers news, a topical issue, reports and news about tourism, environment and history. WEDNESDAY is the day of business, the series "Economy and Ecology", business news, and a currency update. THURSDAY is culture day with complements reports, interviews and features about Slovak film, theatre, music, art and literature. FRIDAY covers news, a topical issue, and a mix of features on education, science, health and Slovak folk music. The programmer is concluded by regional news. SATURDAY brings news and the best of the week where we re-run the most interesting features of the past weeks. SUNDAY a weekly newsreel starts the programme, followed by the Listeners' Tribute -- the Mail Box From Around the World interspersed with Slovak folk music." 73, (-.. . Kraig Krist, KG4LAC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. RESCUE RADIO: NEW HAMS PROVIDE DISASTER RELIEF We reported their graduation last week. And while the signatures on their ham licenses may not yet be dry, a group of Solomon Island hams are already off on their first rescue radio adventure to Malaita Island: -- That`s right Roy. Q-News reports that three graduates from the Amateur Radio Training School of the Solomon Islands have gone by ship to provide emergency communications for flood affected areas on Malaita Island, near Guadalcanal. With them are with 19 tons of rice along with officials of the National Disaster Council. These new Hams will operate a ham radio station at the Red Cross clinic on South Malaita island. They will report on the distribution of supplies to the National Disaster Council HQ in the Capital of Solomon Islands. This is the first humanitarian deployment of the school's initial graduates. It also provides the Solomon Island hams their first real experience in helping people with radio knowledge of Amateur Radio. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF (Amateur Radio Newsline Nov 29 via DXLD) The three hams making the trip are identified as H44MKA, H44WSB and H44SF. As we go to air they should be operational from a Red Cross clinic set up on the south end of the island. More information is on the web at http://www.h44A.com (Q-News via Amateur Radio Newsline Nov 29 via DXLD) ** SOMALIA. 7530.03U, R. Hargeysa (presumed), 1936-1958* Nov 28; Was getting a very weak het but clear lively instrumental local music at 1937. Flutes at 1938. Male announcer at 1941. More announcements by M and music at 1954 check. Final song to 1958*. Just too weak. Think it could be readable w/good conditions, but only late Nov. and Dec. during earliest sunset (Dave Valko, PA, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** SYRIA [non]. RUSSIA: Voice of Homeland in Arabic via Russian transmitters: 1600-1630 NF 7470 (55555), ex 12115 \\ 12085 strong co- ch R. Damascus in Turkish (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 29 via DXLD) ** TAIWAN. Frequency change of Radio Taipei International in Russian effective from Nov. 25: 1300-1400 NF 11935 (44544), ex 11745 to avoid VOIOI/IRIB in Kazakh (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 29 via DXLD) ** TATARSTAN. Hi Glenn, you were wondering which new alphabet I was refering to: your source BC-DX accidentally had omitted the main part of my item: "This is not directly radio related, but if you'd like to take a look on the new official Latin alphabet for the Tatar language, you can do that at http://www.intertat.ru/index.php?cat=-l (a comprehensive online news site from Kazan`). Other versions of the news are also available incl. English." 73s, (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, Nov 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) {URL no work; is it correct?} ** TOGO. 5047, R. Togolaise (presumed) 2249-2257 Nov 27. Talk by woman in French with short instrumental interludes. 2253 slow vocal music by woman. Poor signal with significant fading and atmospheric interference. Very low by 2257, then blown away when WWRB appeared on 5050. SINPO 24222 at best (Evans, TN, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** TOGO. Glen[n] Hauser's DXLD website mentions a report from Piet Pijpers from Holland, via hard core dx, that Togo is back on 5047 after a long absence. Well the home office here in Bridgenorth can confirm this. I have them coming in very well on this Wednesday afternoon at 2149 UTC with two men conducting telephone interviews in French. I did catch a simple "Radio Togo" ID at 2151. This one can also ID as "Radio Lomé" and the more formal "Radiodiffusion Togolaise". So, those of you participating in the ODXA's DX Challenge have another country to go for (Mark Coady, Ont., Nov 27, ODXA via DXLD) ** U K. WORLD SERVICE UNVEILS STELLAR LINE-UP FOR 70TH BIRTHDAY From http://media.guardian.co.uk/radio/story/0,12636,849017,00.html Julia Day, Wednesday November 27, 2002 Prime minister Tony Blair and UN general secretary Kofi Annan will take part in listener phone-ins on the BBC World Service in December. They join an array of the biggest names in politics, religion, sport and music who are helping to celebrate 70 years of the World Service. The Dalai Lama, Brazilian football star Ronaldo and Sir Paul McCartney are among the other high profile participants. The first to go on air will be Mr Blair, who will answer phone and email questions from listeners in a special edition of the international multimedia programme Talking Point on December 3 [Tue!]. The Iraq conflict, the Middle East, the enlargement of the European Union and poverty in the developing world are among the topics expected to be covered. The Dalai Lama and McCartney will take part in separate editions of News Hour and Ronaldo will appear on the World Football and Sports World programmes. Mr Annan will give the World Service 70th birthday lecture from the UN building in New York on December 11, just three days after the first deadline for Iraqi compliance with the new UN resolution on weapons inspections. He will then answer questions from listeners from around the world. One of the highlights of the birthday celebrations will be a live concert taking place in the UK, Senegal, Afghanistan, India and Mexico. The World Service Global Party will be hosted by veteran DJ John Peel and features Mercury and Mobo award winner Ms Dynamite. The actual birthday, December 19, will be marked by programmes presented from the top of Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa. The location was the site of the World Service's first "rebroadcast", when a broadcast was made from the mountain to London and from there to the rest of the world (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** U K/CYPRUS. Additional frequencies for BBC in Russian Mon to Fri: 1600-1630 on 9825 CYP 250 kW / 077 deg and 11655 RMP 500 kW / 062 deg \\ 7325 9635 11670 13640 15225 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 29 via DXLD) ** U K/OMAN. Frequency change for BBC in Hindi via SLA 250 kW / 100 deg: 0230-0300 NF 11725, ex 11685 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 29 via DXLD) HFCC site code SLA = A'Seela OMAN 21N58 059E27, not Sri Lanka. Strangely enough, BBC is one station not relayed by Sri Lanka (gh, DXLD) ** U K/SINGAPORE. Frequency change for BBC in Burmese via SNG 250 kW / 340 deg: 1345-1430 NF 9540, ex 9590 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 29 via DXLD) ** U S A. E-QSLs from SWBC Stations? Hi Glenn. I didn't know if any stations were involved in "Electronic QSLing" but in this particular case (with Radio Sawa) it worked!! They suggested if I didn't want to mail them my cassette tape of their broadcast, that I just email them a short MP3 file. I did so (making sure it contained an ID) and received a confirmation on the same day. Regards, (Garie K8KFJ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 5260, VOA (transmitter mixing product), 0610 Nov 28, 9480 and 7370 with a separation of 2110 kHz. 7370-2110=5260. French language programing. The 2001 WRTH lists the time and frequencies as the African service, though I do not know where the transmitter site is located. I am guessing here in The USA. Signal went off at 0630, with Yankee Doodle theme. Poor to fair strength. Glenn, Have a nice Thanksgiving. 73, (David Hodgson, TN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Both Greenville-B, French; at this hour it is M-F only (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Another day, another station The announcement that the US is to begin yet another international radio service, this time beamed to Iran, will come as no surprise to those who have been following the so-called public diplomacy policies of the Bush administration in recent months. But while the increasingly fragmented structure of US international broadcasting apparently makes sense to policy makers in Washington, it remains hard to see from here what exactly they're hoping to achieve. I've tried to explain why I take this view in a new editorial. I do of course welcome your comments, especially if you disagree with me! Here at Radio Netherlands, we're happy to air all shades of opinion http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/features/html/editorial.html (Andy Sennitt, RN Media Network newsletter Nov 29 via DXLD) ** U S A: Frequency change for WYFR to Eu/ME: 0400-0500 English; 0500-0600 Arabic; 0600-0700 English; 0700-0745 Italian all on NF 11530 (55444), ex 11900 for B-01. 73 from (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 29 via DXLD) ** U S A. Listened to the entire final 5 hours of KKSU`s existence Nov 27 1830-2330 UT - altho I can get it on 580, I couldn`t help listening to the webcast, which never had any interruptions, and no TVI and line noise as all over the MW band. At one point someone dared to remark that the relationship with WIBW had been rather acrimonious, since they had always wanted fulltime use of 580. Almost all of the finale involved retrospectives, including past hosts and guests on various shows, and after 2030, Ralph Titus out of retirement with a great 2.5 hour history of the station, until the final newscast at 2300. I did tape on 580 the final sign-off (which did not have any special wording) at 2329, and handover to WIBW, but after switch to night facility at 2315, KKSU`s signal was much weaker, contrary to WIBW which boomed in with excessive produxion and commercialism from *2330 --- and forever. Strangely enough, there was not a word of this in the KSU student newspaper online for Nov 27; evidently only the current issue is available. But then the students still have their Wildcat station on 91.9 --- and I would imagine KKSU taking this over (or, why not share it 25 hours a week at least, like with WIBW???) is one of the options being discussed. No doubt the students will be vehemently opposed to broadcasting of any quality by grown-ups from the campus (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Today is 580 KKSU Manhattan's last day of broadcasting... giving up the time share that's been in place for some 78 years to WIBW Topeka. The link is to a story appearing in the Manhattan Mercury this morning. They do have an internet feed, so if you have a chance, I highly recommend listening. Otherwise, I'll be rolling tape (Mark Erdman Herington/Salina KS, Nov 27, NRC-AM via DXLD) http://www.themercury.com/stories/article.8455.shtml THIS IS KKSU SIGNING OFF, by Livi Regenbaum, Nov 26, 2002 The mood was somber at the KKSU radio station this morning as employees prepared to say goodbye to a station that has served Kansans for 78 years. KKSU, known as the ``voice of Kansas State University,`` is signing off Wednesday without a plan in place to make its programming available by other means. Officials said Monday it may be months before a long-term method is identified for making the station`s content — especially university extension research — available to farmers and other listeners. ``We are still meeting with various networks around the state,`` said Larry Jackson, director of KKSU. ``There has been some progress in working with other stations to distribute programming. It is too early to be specific because we are still working on the details and identifying partners.`` First broadcast on Dec. 1, 1924, KKSU (its original call letters were KSAC) provided agricultural, consumer sciences, human ecology and horticulture programs to Kansas listeners. A fair share of the programming always has been dedicated to agricultural issues. In addition to the daily farm news, K-State agricultural experts spoke about contemporary topics, especially production agriculture. The radio station shared its 580 AM frequency with WIBW, taking the air between 12:30 and 5:30 p.m. Serving as radio producer for KKSU for the past seven years, Randall Kowalik said the realization that KKSU would not be on be on the air hit him when he could no longer inform listeners of next week`s programming. ``I think the past several months have been stressful,`` Kowalik said. Kowalik reflected that the loss of the station was sad, but also a part of life. ``Change is always going to happen,`` he said. ``We are going from a comfortable period into an uncomfortable period.`` Several staffers are not yet yielding to that ``uncomfortable period,`` at least not emotionally. Entering Eric Atkinson`s office, one is immediately drawn to a hat that reads,``KKSU, on the air forever.`` It was a gift from Dale Fjell, KSU agronomist. Atkinson, agriculture director for KKSU for the past 20 years, said the station`s departure is a sad occasion and loss for Kansans. ``I am sorry to see something that has been of such great value just go by the wayside in this matter,`` he said. ``KKSU has been a tremendous outreach tool for the university.`` Atkinson emphasized that employees would forge ahead. ``We are employees of the extension service and we are going to help get the information out to our audiences,`` he said. Frustrated with the deregulation of radio stations, Richard Baker, news director of KKSU, said the station will represent an invaluable lost asset. ``The deregulation of radio has destroyed the idea that the airwaves belong to the public,`` he said. ``I hate to see a valuable property like the five hours of frequency given up obviously because of sports, but there is not much that I can do about it.`` Marc Johnson, dean of the College of Agriculture, acknowledged that the loss of the radio station would create a problem for listeners in the short run. ``I am sure that those who have relied on this radio station for years will miss it badly,`` he said. ``Not having specific frequencies and times announced to our listeners immediately means that our listeners will (have) to find us when we get these agreements finalized.`` Johnson noted that people get into the habit of tuning into a particular station. ``There will be an interruption in that and we will get it back as soon as possible,`` he said. In a settlement with Morris Communications this past August, K-State sold the rights to KKSU`s frequency to WIBW. This made it possible for the university to guarantee Mid-America Ag Network rights to broadcast Wildcat football. The settlement resolved a 1969 share-time agreement between the university and WIBW`s parent company. It allowed WIBW to use 580 AM for most of the day, if they also broadcast K-State football games. Despite the station`s departure from the airwaves, Johnson said KKSU officials will still be providing agricultural and family news to 60 stations in the state via a CD rom. But he noted it will be up to the stations` discretion whether to actually air that news (Manhattan Mercury Nov 26 via Erdman, NRC AM; and via Artie Bigley, DXLD) Kansas State University`s KKSU-580 Manhattan is no more. The 78- year-old station had shared its frequency with WIBW in Topeka, operating from 12:30 to 5:30 pm weekdays. A dispute over KSU football rights (which had been granted to WIBW in 1969 in return for an additional 15 minutes of airtime) was resolved by WIBW paying the University $1.5 million to surrender their 5 hours of airtime. A complete story of the KKSU/ WIBW affair is available on http://www.ksu.edu/facsen/facsenate/kksu-wibw.htm (Doug Smith, American Bandscan, Dec MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) Viz.: Office of Faculty Senate September 9, 2002 Kansas State University Office of the President 110 Anderson Hall Manhattan, KS 66506-0112 Dr. Al Cochran President, KSU Faculty Senate Department of Music McCain Auditorium UNIVERSITY Dear Dr. Cochran: I would like to give you a little more background on the lawsuit between Kansas State University and Morris Communications - which owns WIBW Radio - in Augusta, Georgia. As you can well imagine, like many other lawsuits, the litigation involved in this case is very complicated. In effect, the issue between WIBW Radio and KKSU goes back to a shared time agreement that was originally put together in 1928. From 1961 to 1969, KKSU had the hours from 12:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. on WIBW. In 1969, the two parties revised this so-called shared time agreement. KKSU wanted 15 more minutes to be on from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. In turn, WIBW wanted to broadcast the football games. The administration of KSU and the KKSU management in 1969 agreed to allow WIBW to broadcast all football games in exchange for an additional 15 minutes of air time. But no one in the Athletic Department was involved in that decision in 1969. Moreover, for some reason, the KSU administration in 1969 did not insist on a time limit in terms of the number of years for WIBW doing the football games. Meanwhile, the years go on. In 1980, KKSU and WIBW signed a new agreement which would give WIBW the exclusive rights to do all football games in exchange for a certain sum which would go to the Athletic Department. Again, no one with the administration or KKSU in 1980 bothered to relate to the Athletic Department the clause in the 1969 agreement about the non-exclusive ability for WIBW to do the football games. The next big agreement between KKSU and WIBW came in 1997. Of course, now the K-State football program is pretty good and the Department of Athletics could demand more money from WIBW. The two parties signed another exclusive agreement in 1997 whereby WIBW would now pay the Athletic Department $300,000 a year for five years as part of that contract. Even here, if somebody had reminded the Athletic Department about the clause in the 1969 agreement that gave WIBW Radio the right to broadcast football games as a free-standing non-exclusive station, the University and the Athletic Department could very easily have revised the 1969 agreement and eliminated the future problem. Now we get to the fourth year of the 1997 agreement and negotiations are starting for a new five-year agreement. Now that the Kansas State football team is much improved, it will attract even more interest with a new agreement on the horizon. After they received bids for the next five years, the Athletic Department finds that there is great interest. Indeed, four radio companies make bids. At least three companies offered over $1 million per year. One of them offered $1.2 million per year. Thus, if the Athletic Department took the highest bid, they would be increasing their revenue by about $900,000 per year for the next five years. Any good business would have to go with the highest bid. Meanwhile, WIBW says it is only willing to go as high as $600,000 per year. The Athletic Department believed that the most prudent decision would be to take the offer that was twice the offer of WIBW. WIBW had the right of first refusal. The Athletic Director and one of our attorneys met with WIBW to ask them if they would meet the highest bid. The General Manager of WIBW at that meeting pulled out of his briefcase the shared-time agreement from 1969 and indicated that KSU would have to allow WIBW to do all of the football games in a non- exclusive way. If the Athletic Department agreed to that, it would mean that the exclusive agreement with the Mid-America Ag Network would be worth much less money. At that point, the Athletic Director approached our attorneys about this looming dispute. After looking at the shared-time agreement from 1969, our KSU attorneys believed that all of the exclusive agreements signed by WIBW and KSU from 1980 to 1997 would make the football provisions of the 1969 shared-time agreement null and void. A court case became inevitable. Our KSU attorneys were cautiously optimistic that we could prevail in court. The stakes were very high. The Athletic Department stood to make added revenues that would allow the department to somewhat compete with athletic departments like Texas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska that have budgets from $50 million to $60 million compared to $30 million budgets for universities like KSU, Iowa State, Missouri, and KU. I know that our attorneys were quite surprised when the judge issued a temporary injunction for WIBW - which meant that WIBW would be able to broadcast all of the football games as a free-standing station, and the monies that the Athletic Department expected from the new contract immediately fell from $1.2 million to about $300,000. At that point, the Athletic Department decided to hire a couple of outside lawyers who were specialists in radio and radio rights. They hired two new attorneys and they went to work immediately in June. They developed an excellent case. Indeed, the two new attorneys thought that they had a very good chance to convince the judge to vacate his temporary injunction. This second hearing took place on August 8, 2002. Two weeks later, the judge issued his permanent injunction for WIBW. Thus, the truth is that from January of 2002 to August of 2002 the University and its attorneys decided to hold tough on keeping all of the hours for KKSU on WIBW even though WIBW said it would drop the 1969 shared time agreement if the University would give all five hours to WIBW. The University absolutely refused that idea. Instead, the University and its attorneys would work hard all summer to convince the judge to rule in favor of the University and KKSU and the Athletic Department. But, again, the judge ruled against KKSU and Kansas State twice - once in May of 2002 and the last time in late August of 2002. We did seriously consider appealing this case to the Kansas Supreme Court. But we were faced with the reality that we were 0-2 in the courts and, if we appealed, the litigation could go on for another year or two. Now the administration at Kansas State and the Athletic Department were between a rock and a hard place. The litigation had been going on for five months and there was a great deal of media coverage and the resulting controversy which came from the litigation. I think we all know that litigation of any kind often ends up as a lose - lose situation. K-State and its Athletic Department were being asked why they could not settle this controversy. I am sure that WIBW and its parent company, Morris Communications, were being told the same thing. Now, let me back up for a minute. Morris Communications had informed our attorneys after the temporary injunction in May of 2002, that they would tear up the 1969 agreement if the university would give them all five hours - the hours from 12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. It would be an even trade. They were not willing to offer any money for those five hours. Now let me jump to the second week in August, 2002. Morris Communications of Augusta, Georgia, sent me an offer that they would now be willing to pay $800,000 for the five hours and revise the 1969 agreement in exchange for the five hours. In the early Spring of 2002, our attorney, Dick Seaton, asked a radio consultant to give an estimate as to what those five hours might be worth in the marketplace. His estimate was about $250,000 per hour. With that in mind, I asked for even more than that and I told the Morris CFO that they would have to give us $1.5 million for the five hours and drop all litigation. They agreed to do that. It went very fast. It had to. The first game was coming up in four days and, if we did not settle it in two days or less, it might never be settled. Morris Communications wanted to put the case and the litigation behind them and we wanted to do the same. The $1.5 million from Morris Communications goes directly to the College of Agriculture and KKSU. In addition, the Athletic Department has agreed to pay the College of Agriculture $45,000 a year forever- which is the equivalent of at least another million in trust funds. Our Dean of Agriculture, Dr. Marc Johnson, and our KKSU Station Manager, Larry Jackson, believe that they have the resources to reinvent KKSU. Our hope is that the new KKSU will have even more coverage than the old KKSU on WIBW [sic – they had SEPARATE transmitters --- gh]. After all, K-State has 300 agricultural researchers, 260 extension agents, and the 8 full-time people that have always worked for KKSU. Combining those resources with the $1.5 million and the $45,000 per year will allow KKSU to have a whole new and bright future-especially in light of all the possibilities involved with the telecommunications revolution of the past eight to ten years. Several people have commented in different forums that the administration had to choose between academics and athletics. That was not the choice. The choice we had to make was this: what was in the best interest for the entire University. To continue the contentious lawsuit for the next year or so was not in the entire University's best interest. Our administration has put a commitment to academic excellence 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th since 1986. Since 1986, we have constructed 1.8 million square feet of new buildings. Eighty-percent of those new buildings are academic. In 2001-02, the KSU Foundation raised $65 million. Eighty-percent of that goes to our academic departments. None of our new State monies since 1986 has gone to the Department of Athletics. Indeed, for years, any discretionary funds that the Central Administration has ever held have gone to the KSU Theatre Program, the Debate Team, the Speech Squad, the Music Department, the English Department, the History Department, and other small departments in the University. None of these funds have ever gone to the Athletic Department. I have personally committed major funding in several deferred gifts to the KSU Foundation. Those monies someday will go to the History Department and the Library-not the Athletic Department. Finally, getting back to the future of KKSU, I agree with Dean Marc Johnson and Larry Jackson, the Station Manager, that we can reinvent KKSU for the 21st Century. With 300 research scientists and scholars, over 260 extension people, and the excellent professionals that make up the KKSU staff, KKSU will have a bright future. Sincerely, Jon Wefald, President, KSU dh (KSU Faculty Senate website as above via DXLD) ** U S A. [Following remarks that WJR-760 Detroit`s signal has deteriorated...] WJR is one of the top 4 or 5 billing stations out of 62 in the Detroit MSA. It is well kept up and quite well engineered as it is a huge profit center. I have to comment on Portland, as it's unfair to condemn the 620/1190 diplex. The 620 site was condemned under right of eminent domain to create a flood plain to protect some kind of creature; the station was forced off the land. Oregon being one of the strictest environmental jurisdictions in the world makes finding a new site near impossible, particularly for a DA with big towers. The KEX towers, in fact, are near 1/4 wave on 620 and the site affords good coverage of the metro. Today, there is very little money to be made outside the metro. Extended coverage is of very little value. A recent tabulation showed that only 360 stations out of 13,000 in the US show up in ratings outside their home metro (or embedded sub-metros). WFAN is the most extensive, showing up in 6 different markets; most stations don't care about anything more than 40 or 50 miles away (David Gleason, Palm Springs, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. BROADCASTING FROM A SHIP --- On January 1, 2002, KKOL, 1300 kHz, began operating from temporary facilities installed aboard the 175 foot cargo ship "Coastal Ranger" in Seattle’s Elliott Bay. The 1000 watt transmitter facility is said to be the only licensed broadcast station operating in the United States aboard a ship. See the entire story at: http://www.dalke.com/kkol/ (URL courtesy of Marv Collins) (From the CGC Communicator 11/27/2002 via Fred Vobbe, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. When stations like KNX and KFI have severe night interference no more than 50 miles from the transmitter, there is not much hope for AM usage outside the metro (David Gleason, CA, NRC-AM via DXLD) David, I have no idea what KNX is like in LA and Orange County but I can tell you that they have a perfect, flawless AM stereo signal here in Mesa. I listen to them a lot at night for the old radio shows. Their ads really jump right out at you because they are in $tereo. The liners are the same. That is one station that ALWAYS sounds great. Someone there gives a $#!+ (Kevin Redding, AZ, ibid.) The GM at KNX cares very much for AM Radio and likes the listeners. He fought to keep the old call letters from being changed years back. In Rancho Mirage Kevin, Mexicans do interference with both KFI & KNX at night often. 73s, (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, ibid.) ** U S A. Glen[n], On Wednesday Nov, 27th KWKH was using their daytime pattern at night. Last night Nov 28th both KWKH and WBBR were both using their daytime pattern (Charles Gossett Jr., TN, Nov 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Shreveport and New York, both 50 kW on 1130; as I recall, KWKH is normally a tight night pattern toward the west (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. THE SIGNS HAVE EARS Do you DX while you drive? Now your DXing will be DXed... a story in the November 24, 2002 Sacramento Bee reports that, starting next month, "billboards will scan radios and tailor pitches to match listening preferences." Two large electric signs along I-80 in Sacramento and suburban Roseville are being equipped with sensors that pick up radio frequencies from vehicles passing by. According to Alaris Media Network president Tom Langlund, the sensors will be able to determine the radio station playing in 60 percent of the cars passing by. This means that during the day's peak traffic hour, 10,000 cars will be scanned near Cal Expo and 7,000 near the Roseville Auto Mall. Advertisements will be shown based on listener preferences. The signs, made up of thousands of lightbulbs, act like giant monitors capable of showing pictures as as well as text, and can change messages frequently. Langlund asserts that advertisers will find out which stations are most popular during various times of the day, and that a person's favorite station is "a good indicator of a person's demographic group-and buying tendencies." The full story can be found at http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/story/5349258p-6338265c.html (IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ** U S A. KLAC FORMAT CHANGE --- Gary Larson sent in clippings reporting the impending format change from talk to adult standards for KLAC-570, Los Angeles. The new KLAC debuts December 12, Frank Sinatra's birthday. Another clipping reports that Glendale's city council allocated funds for a Travelers Information Station. The antenna will go atop the city's parking structure. KFBK's 80th Anniversary: Gary Jackson was able to attend the KFBK 80th Anniversary "Decades of Excellence" party on Friday, November 8, hosted by Rush Limbaugh at the Hyatt Regency Sacramento. He sent a copy of the program, and it detailed the station's early history. "KFBK signed on in 1922 as KVQ. It was owned by Hobrecht Electric and was founded for the sole purpose of helping them sell radios in their store... In 1925 the station's ownership was partnered with the McClatchy Company, who owned the Sacramento Bee. Eleanor McClatchy took over as KFBK's manager in 1936." [Later, the company was owned by Westinghouse, and finally, through a series of media mergers, became part of Clear Channel Communications (all via Rich Toebe, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ** U S A. Sunday, December 1, 2002 - WLCR-1470, Louisville, KY (COL Shepherdsville, KY) Another DX test will be held at this time to make up for the test held October 21. Time is scheduled for 3:00-4:00 am EST [0800-0900 UT], with 750 watts from 2:45 to 3:15 am [sic, 0745- 0815 UT]. Reception reports may be sent to: Vince Heuser E-MAIL: heuser@iglou.com WLCR-AM WEB: http://www.wlcr.net 3600 Goldsmith Lane Louisville, KY 40220 (Arranged by Lynn Hollerman for the IRCA CPC, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ** U S A. 1700, WPT201, CA, Mountain View, 10/2 1442 [PDT? EDT?] man with tape loop saying center is operating normally but due to heightened security employees must expect delays in getting around & encouraging workers to carpool. ID "The Center Emergency Radio Station at AM 1700 Hundred" and "WPT201 Ames Research Center" with emergency phone number and website www.arc.nasa.gov announced. Fair at 5 miles away (Dale park, DX'ing in Santa Clara County, CA with Toyota car radio, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ** U S A. WSMV REASSERTS ITS RATINGS LEAD FOR 2 NEWSCASTS By BRAD SCHMITT, Staff Writer Longtime Nashville ratings leader WSMV-Channel 4 has recaptured the No. 1 spots for the 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts after losing to WTVF- Channel 5 in the May and July ratings periods, preliminary numbers from November indicate. But Channel 5 held onto the No. 1 spot for the 10 p.m. newscast, the biggest newscast revenue generator for all stations, according to data collected by A.C. Nielsen. Channel 4's re-emergence during the November ratings period as leader for the early evening newscasts comes during a tough time for the local NBC affiliate. Earlier this month, WSMV news was slammed in a survey that compared the quality of local newscasts in selected markets... http://www.tennessean.com/business/archives/02/11/25803909.shtml?Element_ID=25803909 (Nashville Tennessean Nov 28 via Charles Gossett, Jr., DXLD) ** U S A [non]. GERMANY. New schedule for Voice of Hope to ME via JUL 100 kW / 115 degrees on 9860: 1530-1600 Sat English 1600-1700 Sat Persian 1530-1630 Mon-Fri English 1630-1700 Mon-Fri Persian 1530-1700 Sun English 1700-1730 Daily Arabic (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 29 via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. 4830, Nov 28, Radio Táchira, 0318-0400*, "Radio Táchira, mucho más que las demás". (reactivada de nuevo) (Yimber Gaviria, Colombia Nov 28, 2002, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. Hi Glenn, my name is Fernando, can you check what happened to Venezuela shortwave station Ecos del Torbes? 4980 khz? They are not transmitting for more than 2 months, probably. It was a really good station with good music. Thanks for your help (Fernando Cano, KP4FJE, Nov 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Comes and goes, so I wouldn`t be surprised if it reappear; same ownership as 4830 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. Saludos colegas diexistas. Este articulo lo encontré en la prensa de hoy. Atte: José Elías Díaz gómez. AIR EXPRESA PREOCUPACIÓN POR PERIODISTAS VENEZOLANOS La Asociación Interamericana de Radiodifusión (AIR), que agrupa a 17.000 emisoras privadas de radio y televisión de varios países, declaró este miércoles su preocupación por el clima hostil que se está registrando en Venezuela contra algunos periodistas. La entidad señaló que el 19 de este mes se impidió realizar su trabajo a un equipo de la Televisora del Estado Venezolana y Televisión, que cumplía funciones en la Plaza Altamira de Caracas. La AIR destacó que ``este tipo de actos de intolerancia constituyen violaciones inaceptables`` al derecho de la libertad de expresión e información y que ``perturban la paz que todos los habitantes de Venezuela se merecen``. Por tanto, exhortó a todos los actores políticos venezolanos ``a erradicar estas conductas antidemocráticas de intolerancia e irrespeto por los derechos fundamentales de las personas y en especial de los profesionales de la comunicación``. (via José Elías Díaz Gómez, Cumbre DX et al. via DXLD) ** VIETNAM [non]. CLANDESTINE (Germany to Vietnam) 15715, Chan Troi Moi, 1337- 28 Nov., Long talks by M and W in VT (individually) with brief classical music bridges between. Finally, program ending announcement by W including an ID at 1429, but cut off at exactly 1430 in mid-announcement. Fair signal and readable throughout, but there was an echo, sounding like 2 distinct signals (Dave Valko, PA, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) Not clandestine (M. Schoech, CRW) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. 1550, ALGERIA, RASD, Tindouf, NOV 21, 2155 - Fair; Kor`anic recitations over R. Disney WDZK (Bruce Conti, ME, NRC IDXD via DXLD) ** ZANZIBAR. 11734.1, RTZ, 1905-2000 Nov 28, News by M in Swahili with break for ID. News stories started with the QTHs [datelines]. Different M at 1916 and weaker modulation. Kor`an at 1939 check. M again briefly at 1943 very weakly modulated, more prayer with heavy echo, and chanting. 5+1 time ticks at 2000, ID by M. Strong (Dave Valko, PA, Cumbre DX via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Mysteryous musical stations continue to operate on 4050 and 4940 kHz. I decided to examine their fade-out pattern in the early morning of 19 Nov. Read the results below. 4940 kHz - empty at 0220 and later. No audio, no carrier. Either station was off, or it's located very far to the east and had faded out before. Signals from Central Asia (possible origin area) at 0220: Kyrgyzstan: 4010, SINPO 25232, BBC Central Asia service in Russian 4795, SINPO 35222, parallel to 4010. Tajikistan: 4635, SINPO 35222, in Tajik Turkmenistan: 4930, SINPO 45433, in Turkmen 5015, also quite strong, Xinjiang region of China: 4980, SINPO 25232...15211. Disappeared very soon. So, what about 4050 kHz? Typical CIS test tones were there at 0220. At 0228 audio had been swithed on, songs of Central Asian style began. I repeatedly compared signals on both 4010 and 4050 kHz then. Different programs, of course - but technically signals were almost identical! At about 0250 audio became unreadable on both. Last traces of both carriers disappeared at 0340...0345. 4795 kHz faded out 10...15 later. So, what is the conclusion? Mauno Ritola is sure that 4050 kHz comes from Kyrgyzstan. My observation are evidence of that, too. But some confusion remains: during the last 10 years only 2 SW transmitters were active in that country. Initially they used 4010 and 4050 kHz, airing different domestic programs on them; later 4050 has been deactivated, and the new 4795 kHz was introduced. Contrary to 4050, the new frequency became parallel to 4010. Did they have a standby transmitter, or bought an additional one? It would be interesting to compare warm-up procedures on 4010 and 4050. But it requires me to get up even more early... Other possibilities: I don't think it's Russia. Mentioned time of morning fade-out corresponds to location near Novosibirsk or not far to the east of that city. But DXers from that area don't hear musical stations in the daytime. It's not neither Tajikistan nor Turkmenistan. 4635 kHz came with satisfactory quality till 0300, when transmitter has been obviously switched off. 4930 and 5015 kHz are audible even after 0400. But it might be eastern Kazakhstan, e.g. Almaty region (it's very close to Kyrkyzstan). Remember how many SW transmitters were active there a dozen of years ago (Dmitry Mezin, Kazan, Russia, Signal Nov 28 via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Desconocida / No identificada. 13660 Nov 25 +1145-1200*, notada con emisiones en Arabe, con señal regular. Nota: No hay nada en el WRTH 2002 ni en el Passport 2002. Cuál es?? (Yimber Gaviria, Colombia Nov 25, 2002) 13660 0000 1200 39E CYP 300 117 1234567 271002 300303 D G BBC MER 5313 (HFCC via gh, DXLD) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ KOLLEKTIVNIY ANGLO-RUSSKIY SLOVNIK RADIO-TERMINOV INTERACTIVE RUSSIAN-ENGLISH GLOSSARY OF RADIO/DX TERMS Dear DX colleagues, I've set up an interactive Russian-English glossary of radio/DX terms on the web at the following URL: http://it.domaindlx.com/awh/slovnik/scripts/ The purpose is to provide an informal but hopefully useful reference for those of us in the radio hobby who use both languages. The scope is primarily utility and broadcast DX, but peripheral terms about SIGINT, equipment, production, etc., are encouraged as well. The site will allow online editing and addition of new terms. Feel free to use it as you see fit, make corrections, and add any terms or phrases you think might be of use. Feedback is welcome; if you find it useful, please let me know. 73 to all (David E. Crawford, Titusville, FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PACIFIC ASIAN LOG (MEDIUMWAVE, LONGWAVE) There is a small group of enthusiasts across the waters here on the Pacific Coast of North America. Of these, Bruce Portzer maintains a list of all the possible targets in SEA, Oceania, and AU/NZ. Its posted at http://www.qsl.net/n7ecj/pal_7-02_freq.pdf sorted by frequency, and http://www.qsl.net/n7ecj/pal_7-02_country.pdf by country. For a view of some of the loggings by this group, check http://www.qsl.net/n7ecj/grayland.html Best regards (Don Nelson, Oregon, USA, EDXP via DXLD) ANIMAL STORIES, WLS From Bob Walker: ANIMAL STORIES; Volume 3 is here! Our only excuse for not releasing Animal Stories Volume 3 is that we've just been lazy! Believe it or not, we've put together our favorite volume of Animal Stories on compact disc, available now at http://www.animalstoriescd.com And wait until you check out the new website! It's pretty cool and we've even corrected the misspelled words (we told you we were lazy). The best part of this announcement is that we've reduced the price of all three volumes. Now you can own America's Cutest Couple on CD for only $15.95. That's a savings of 25%. It's the perfect "stocking stuffer" this holiday season. Own the long awaited "Uncle Lar' and Li'l Tommy's Animal Stories Volume 3. Happy Holidays, Larry Lujack, Tommy Edwards lujack_edwards@hotmail.com Every afternoon in the 80's or so on 890 WLS Chicago, Larry Lujack & Tommy Edwards presented "Animal Stories". This is some of the funniest stuff ever heard on radio. I can recommend this heartily (Harold Frodge, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ Hi Glenn, I was wondering if you knew of any websites that could provide me with MUF/LUF predictions. I've tried: - http://www.nexus.org/NEXUS-IBA/broadcast/1_9muf.html but that doesn't seem to work for some reason. If you know of any other similar sites that do work, please let me know (Henry Brice, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Have you looked for that at http://hfradio.org/propagation.html (gh) GEOMAGNETIC INDICES phil bytheway - Seattle WA - phil_tekno@yahoo.com Geomagnetic Summary November 5 2002 through November 10 2002 Tabulated from email status daily Date Flux A K SA Forecast GM Forecast Etc. 11/ 5 183 19 4 no storms minor 7 6 185 19 3 no storms minor 8 7 190 13 2 no storms minor 8 8 189 7 2 no storms minor 6 9 191 6 3 moderate moderate 4 10 191 18 2 moderate minor 6 11 185 10 2 minor minor 5 12 178 11 3 minor minor 6 13 182 12 2 no storms minor 5 14 184 9 2 minor minor 4 15 198 12 3 minor minor 7 16 199 7 2 no storms minor 7 17 185 6 1 minor minor 7 18 179 11 3 moderate minor 7 19 168 11 3 no storms minor 7 20 159 16 4 minor minor 9 21 151 38 5 strong minor 7 22 149 22 3 minor no storms 8 23 148 19 1 minor no storms 6 11/24 146 16 2 no storms no storms 8 ********************************************************************** (IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ###