DX LISTENING DIGEST 2-191, December 7, 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 1159: WBCQ: Mon 0545 7415 WWCR: Sun 0330 5070, 0730 3210, Wed 1030 9475 RFPI: Sun 0000, 0600, 1200, 1830, Mon 0030, 0630, 1230, Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0700, 1300 on 7445 and/or 15039 WJIE: M-F 1300, daily 0400; Sun 0630, Mon 0700, Tue 0630 on 7490 WRN: Europe Sun 0530, North America Sun 1500 ONDEMAND http://www.wrn.org/ondemand/worldofradio.html [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1159h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1159h.ram [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1159.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1159.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1159.html WORLD OF RADIO as monitored, by Dave Kenny, Sheigra, Scotland: 2300 Nov 6 on 7415 WBCQ: SIO 222, QRM de Chinese opera music jamming 2300 Nov 13 on 7415 WBCQ: SIO 233, QRM from R. Free Asia, no jammer 1030 Nov 13 on 9475 WWCR: SIO 344 [all on Wednesdays] (Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) Last night, World of Radio was on 7415 and (weakly here) 17495 at 2200 GMT but the Live365 webcast via a shortwave receiver had this guy talking about Johnny Lightning in a Barry Humphrey (Dame Edna Everage)-type falsetto and playing stuff like "California, Here I Come" by Al Jolson (Joel Rubin, NY, Dec 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNITED STATES - MAINE WBCQ 17.495 2310 GMT EE 433 Dec 4th "World of Radio" according to Glenn Hauser. Final s/off tape from KKSU. OM with WBCQ ID and S/off at 2330 hrs. (Stewart WDX6AA MacKenzie, CA) BILL FLYNN, WDX6AF Dear Glenn, my name is Jeff Taylor and I'm Bill Flynn's caregiver. I'm writing to ask you to inform the DXing World that Bill Flynn (WDX7AF) died on November 22 2002 at 5:02 pm pacific time. He will be greatly missed. I took care of Bill for 20 years I will miss him. Regretfully yours (Jeff Taylor, Dec 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So sad to hear this. I`m moved by the fact that despite his own travails, Bill kept sending monthly donations to support World of Radio, the last one, it turned out, mailed the day before he died (gh) ** ANTARCTICA. R. Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, 15475.49, Nov 28 2040-2103*: tune-in to Spanish pops, ballads; 2102 Spanish ID, the only announcement heard, at sign-off. Poor in noise; also next day Nov 29 at 2040-2111* (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15476, LRA36 Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, Esperanza Antarctic Base, 2005-2017. December 5. Spanish transmission. Talk by male about a local rock band. After, argentine rock. 44444 Abrupt s/off at 2017 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentine, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** ARMENIA. Tonight I checked 9960 in the 2130...2200 period: Nothing at all. The Gavar powerhouse on 9960 would be really unmistakable if on (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re the Voice of Armenia logging: Please note that it was 2055 and not 2155 in the original report. Armenia is on for 15 to 20 minutes Mondays to Saturdays only from 2040 till 2100z and is preceded by German. They also do not announce 9960 as being one of their frequencies. Strange (Robin Harwood, Norwood, Tasmania, AUSTRALIA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. During the Nov 2002 Grayland DXpedition, John Bryant reported 4BC 1116 "as the most reliable Aussie," a great signal for 5 kW. The real reason is because they have a true rarity in Australia; a directional array. Their main lobe is about 25 degrees whereas Grayland is about 44 degrees, so we are close to being directly down the bore. Who knows what their ERP is, but it's surely many times the 5 kW transmitter power. Details are at http://www.aba.gov.au/radio/services/services/qld/bris_gc/planning/final_lap/lap_brisbane.pdf (Chuck Hutton, NRC IDXD via DXLD) ** AUSTRIA. From a letter from Eva Binder of ORF Radio 1476: ``AFAIK, no changes have been made to the transmitter`s power output during the last three years. ``Radio Neighbour in Need`` was running 600 kW during the summer months of 1999 but the population of Bisamberg, near the transmitter complained vigorously about problems caused to their electrical systems and electronic equipment by the transmitter. So everything had to be scaled back to the usual 60 kW. However, about two years ago a new kind of sound optimizer was installed in the transmitter and this has clearly improved the signal quality to some extent``. The last broadcast of ``Donaudialog``, the successor to ``Radio Neighbour in Need``, was transmitted on 26th October 2002. It slot has been taken by Radio Africa [sic] International, which is now at 2030- 2100 and 2115-2200. In between,``Nachtjournal`` from Österreich Eins is broadcast (Chris Stacey, East Sussex, Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** AUSTRIA. Radio Austria International -- Radio Österreich International is now on the air to Europe on 6155 and 5945 kHz until midnight gmt, and that means that the final hour of the daily schedule can now be heard on terrestrial frequencies (it was only on satellite and Internet until October 26). This hour is totally devoted to music. After the 8-minute Mitternachtsjournal (or 5-minute Nachrichten at weekends), weekly schedule is as follows: Mondays: FM4-Salon Helga Tuesdays: Klassiknacht Wednesdays: FM4-Lunapark Thursdays: Klassiknacht Fridays: FM4-Projekt X Saturdays: Ö1 Jazznacht Sundays: My Music with Paul Catty (in English) (SOUTHERN EUROPEAN REPORT with Stefano Valianti, Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** AZERBAIJAN. Azerbaijani R., Pirsaat (Baku), 1295 [not 1296!] kHz, Nov 6 at 1900 ID in presumed Azeri, very low modulation; English heard Nov 10 [Sunday, if it matter] at 1801 (Dave Kenny & Alan Pennington, Sheigra DXpedition, Scotland, Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Re 5990 station: Caro Glenn, Sintonizada, em Porto Alegre (RS), em 02/12, a Rádio Senado, de Brasília (DF), às 0815, na freqüência de 5990 kHz. Na oportunidade, Mascarenhas de Moraes apresentava o programa "Coisas do Brasil", com reportagem fora do estúdio, feita pelo jornalista Luca Fontelles, sobre o aumento do salário-mínimo no Brasil. Também ouvida a Rádio Nacional da Amazônia, em 02/12, às 0825, em 6180 kHz. Na oportunidade, o apresentador Maurício Rabello conversava com ouvintes, por telefone. Lembro que Mascarenhas de Moraes, apresentador do programa "Coisas do Brasil", na Rádio Senado, também trabalha na Rádio Nacional, se não estou enganado, nos domingos. Aliás, é antigo apresentador da Nacional ... 73s! (Célio Romais, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil, Dec 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Do the individual stations of the CBC network identify themselves? If so, when can I be on the lookout of it? Last night, I used a timer to record top of the hour IDs and I hear mention of CBC Radio One, but how can I be sure if it's the Manitoba station or the Newfoundland one? Of course, if I didn't use a junk Radio Shack Superradio clone which made WMVP 1000 and local 970 in Pittsburgh come in clearer than the CBC on 990, maybe I might have more luck! Thanks for all your help! (Joe Rocchino, Cuddy, PA, Dec 5, NRC-AM via DXLD) To get any local content from them, you'll have to record the first SIX minutes or so of the hour --- the CBC stations give local, provincial weather forecasts at :05, immediately after the top-of-the- hour CBC network news. You won't get an honest-to-goodness legal ID (they simply never mention call letters anymore), but the NF station won't be doing Winnipeg weather (and vice versa) (Randy Stewart, Battlefield (Springfield) MO, ibid.) As I was going to say Newfoundland is on a half-hour time zone (ELT + 1.5, or UT - 3.5). So if you hear a CBC ID and CBC news at :30 rather than the top of the hour, you've got CBY Corner Brook rather than CBW Winnipeg. 73 (Mike Brooker, Toronto, ON, ibid.) [Wrong! NF is certainly on a half-hour zone, UT -3.5, but as CBC program promos constantly make clear everything is ``half an hour later in Nfld.`` In reality programs are at the same absolute time as feed to the AST (UT -4) zone, so even from Nfld CBC programming has news at the *real* top of the hour; only within Nfld do clocks display it as being on the half hour. Don`t ask me why they do it this way. The real problem is Nfld insisting on this wacky timezone. Perhaps it`s for all the free publicity they get with every single CBC program promo --- gh] If you listen at sunrise, you might hear one of the regional morning shows (i.e. CBLA 99.1 Toronto runs Metro Morning, but the other Ontario CBC affiliates run Ontario Morning), etc., and the morning shows sometimes do give the list of frequencies and the cities of the stations on the provincial network (Eric Conchie, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** CANARY ISLANDS. Might even have time to take a shot at that Korean station in Las Palmas (a lovely little town, but only one newsstand with the Herald Tribune.) (Gerry Bishop, FL, Dec 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) New QSL: CANARY ISLANDS, Full Gospel Las Palmas Church, 6715 kHz USB. I have received today this e-mail QSL fglc@jet.es (Daniele Canonica, Switzerland) Dear Sir, First of all, I apologize for the reply mail being very late. My father, who is the pastor of the ``Full Gospel Las Palmas Church``, was too busy on doing his jobs, and his is not confident with his English, so I, who is the son of him, will reply your mail although it could be not enough for you. I thank you very much for hearing our church’s broadcast on Austria [sic], and has interest on it. Our church’s name is ``Full Gospel Las Palmas Church``, not ``Yoido Full Gospel Las Palmas Church``. ``Yoido Full Gospel Church`` is located in Yoido Seoul, Korea, and it is the church where sent us to here as a missionary. You can find more information about ``Yoido Full Gospel Church`` on http://fgtv.org Our church`s frequency is 6715 kHz, and we`re using 100 watts output power of the transmitter that is located at our church. The pastor ppal [?sic] of the church who is Byung-Sung Chung is the Full Gospel World Mission Association Africa General Council the General Superintendent. Our church`s broadcast is aiming at the Korean crew who work at the fishing ships at the Atlantic Ocean near Africa to hear the live worship of the church. Therefore, the broadcast of course is in Korean. Here is the brief schedule of the broadcast: [== UT] Sunday, 11.00-12.30 and 19.00-20.30 Wednesday, 20.30-21.30 Friday, 22.00-24.00 Twice a year, we do the service in English, and as the same, twice a year, we do the service in Spanish too. During our church`s service, we translate meantime to Spanish, English, and Chinese. [Dates?] Approximately, 420 people are coming to our church frequently, and about 480 people are registered (? I didn`t know how to explain [members?]). In here, Gran Canaria, many Korean people are taking their career as either a fisherman, or the owner of the fishing company, or the fixer etc. I have enclosed the church’s photo inside too. Thank you very much, and we confirm that it was indeed our station that you heard (via Daniele Canonica, Switzerland, RX: JRC 535 D, ANT: T2FD 25 meters, Dec 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHECHNYA [non]. Re: AZERBAIJAN-BASED CHECHEN REBELS' WEB SITE DOWN SINCE 26 NOVEMBER 2002 The Chechen rebels' news web site Daymohk, based in Azerbaijan, has been inaccessible since 26 November 2002. Its URL was http://www.daymohk.info Source: Daymohk news agency web site, Baku, in Russian 3 Dec 02 (via BBCM via DXLD) The website http://www.daymohk.info is hosted in the USA (apollohosting.com) and any "inaccessibility" is linked with the US provider. Currently the site displays the message "You are not authorized to view this page". This does not mean much: the reason can be anything, ranging from server problems or page reconstruction via a possible hacker attack to unpaid bills, or pressure from US authorities... The domain is registered for Daymohk in Manchester CT, the site's administrator is registered as Daymohk in Moscow (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, Dec 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Greetings from sunny Taiwan! I am now in Tainan, SW Taiwan, and some DXing is possible as well. Logging is going on. By now I can tell you this about Voice of Strait broadcasts: At 1400 UT (Dec 5) only 7280 was heard (SINPO 55544), all other SW channels empty. BUT: At 1410 7280 was empty, and now they were on 4940! SINPO 55544 as well. Parallel on MW was 666. This morning I heard all channels, at 0040 UT, Dec 6: Chinese language program on 11590 (55555) parallel to 666 (55555) with Chinese pop and ID. A different programme on 6115 (55444) parallel to 873 (43443, splatter from local 864 station) with talk. And yet another programme on 7280 (55444) I think this was not Chinese language (so the Amoy program, presumably) but I will ask someone Chinese to be more sure (Eike Bierwirth, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, R.O.C., Dec 5, hard-core-dx via DXLD) & see TAIWAN ** CHINA: New B-02 schedule for China Radio International in Russian effective from Dec. 1 0000-0057 1521 5990 7110 0100-0157 1521 0300-0357 15435 17710 17740 1000-1057 5915 6140 7110 7160 7245 7255 9695 1100-1157 963 1323 1116 1521 5915 7110 7245 7255 1200-1257 963 1521 1300-1357 963 1323 1521 5915 5990 6140 7160 7245 7255 1400-1457 963 1323 1521 1500-1557 963 1521 5915 5990 6180 7245 7255 9765 1600-1657 1521 5965 6040 7265 9605 9885 1700-1757 1521 5965 6040 7245 7265 9365 9605 9795 9885 1800-1857 1521 6040 7245 9365 9535* 9605 9795 |||| * ISS, France 1900-1957 1521 7245 9365 9605 9795 2000-2057 7255 9605 9795 2300-2357 5990 7110 (Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 6 via DXLD) ** CHINA. Some frequency changes for China Radio International (B-02 vs B-01): 1100-1257 Mongolian NF 6140, ex 5145 1100-1257 Mongolian NF 7160, ex 5850 1230-1327 Malay NF 15600, ex 15135 1400-1457 Tamil NF 9635, ex 9590 1400-1457 Tamil NF 9665, ex 15210 1500-1527 Persian NF 11700, ex 11750 1600-1627 Turkish NF 11655, ex 11685 1600-1727 Swahili DEL 11600 and 12000 1730-1827 Hausa NF 11640, ex 15125 1830-1927 Arabic NF 11640, ex 15125 1930-1957 Portuguese NF 11640, ex 15125 1930-1957 Portuguese NF 13630, ex 11735 2000-2057 Mandarin NF 7220, ex 7225 2000-2057 Mandarin NF 7335, ex 9765 2000-2127 English NF 11640, ex 15125 2000-2127 English NF 13630, ex 13640 (Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 6 via DXLD) ** CONGO DR. 11690, R. Okapi 2228-2335 Dec 6. Could hear pieces of audio at different times which sounded like reggae, calypso, and hi- life. At 2255 the signal improved briefly when I could copy John Lennon's "Jealous Guy". Immediately after, the Okapi jingle sung by a female was heard twice. SINPO only 13441, but fortunately atmospheric noise was low (George Maroti, Mount Kisco, New York, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) Radio Okapi, a partial QSL sent from Fondation Hirondelle, 3 rue traversière, 1018 Lausanne, Suisse (Switzerland). No indication as to which of my report is being replied to. Must be for a French broadcast (Emmanuel Ezeani, Sokoto, Nigeria, Dec 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COSTA RICA. Glenn, Yes we plan on running it 24 hours (15040) but it is off at the moment due to a part failure. I've just started working on it, if it is not the tube I should have it back on soon. We are also expanding our 7445, now on 2100~1200 (James Latham, RFPI, Dec 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Still off Dec 7 at 1753 check (gh, DXLD) December 3, 2002 ====================== VISTA Online Blurb 1.2 ====================== *NEW* FOUR-WEEK COURSE OFFERED AT RFPI! Radio for Peace International, in collaboration with the Institute of Progressive Communications, is proud to offer a newly revised "Four- Week Course in Peace Journalism and Progressive Media Through Radio". This intensive course will be given on the premises of Radio For Peace International here in El Rodeo, Costa Rica. Classes are taught in English and an optional Spanish component is offered to those students who wish to learn the language or improve on existing skills. Courses will focus on these primary areas of study: peace studies, social justice, human rights, the environment, journalism and media. Students will also be given the opportunity to meet and interview individuals and organizations working in these same areas both here in Costa Rica and abroad. The cost for the four-week course is $1,700 (US) and includes all classes, materials, food, lodging, laundry, transportation within Costa Rica and special events including a welcoming party and graduation ceremony. The first course session in 2003 will begin January 27th and will run until February 21st, 2003. If you would like to learn more about this course, how to register, or would like information about future course dates, you can log on to the RFPI website at http://www.rfpi.org/ipc.html. Or, you can email us at info@rfpi.org. HELP IS NEEDED Please! Help us at RFPI!!! We are always looking for new members to help spread our message and to support our work and you can help us. Recruit a friend to become a new member and introduce them into the RFPI family! We are also sending out a plea for financial assistance. At the moment we are still trying to get back on to high speed Internet so we can transmit once again via the Internet and reach more listeners worldwide!!! We are also in need of extra funding for transmitter repairs, as we have been experiencing problems in the past few weeks. Without our transmitters, we can't reach the people who mean the most to us - our listeners - so if you can help us in any way, we would really appreciate it! CONTACT AND FUNDING As always, we would like to remind our listeners and supporters of our contact information where you can send us comments about VISTA Online, our programming or the radio in general. You can send us an email at: info@rfpi.org Or, you can send us "snail mail" at our US mailing address: [NEW] RFPI Box 3165 Newburg, OR 97132, USA If you are interested in becoming a member, or in making a donation, send us an email at info@rfpi.org or log onto our website to find out how at http://www.rfpi.org That's all for this edition. We look forward to contacting you again in the next few weeks. In Peace, James, Ana, Kevin, Naomi, Connie and Felix, RFPI-Vista mailing list RFPI-Vista@boinklabs.com http://www.boinklabs.com/mailman/listinfo/rfpi-vista (via DXLD) ** CUBA. Re: Have yet to see a B-02 schedule for RHC Glenn, Apparently all of the USB transmissions (11705 01-05, 9665 at 05-07, and 13660 at 2030-2130) are either well-concealed or inactive. I have noted some tentative substitutions for some of the missing AM broadcasts. 6180 has been noted in English, tentatively replacing 9550 at 0500-0700 and 2230-2330. At 2230, this is especially hard because R. Nacional da Amazônia is very strong at that time here. Likewise, 11670 has also been noted in English, tentatively replacing 13750. I say that 6180 and 11670 are both "tentative" replacements, since they have both been noted with very badly modulated audio and don't seem to be always present. However, both are worth watching to see if they become permanent (and stable). I have no idea what's going on with the USB transmissions (Mark J. Fine, Remington, Virginia, USA, Dec 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, indeed, 11670 heard here with RHC in English Dec 5 at 2040 check; modulation pretty good now tho not too strong, as aimed toward Europe. However, by 2115 it as overshadowed by BBC Antigua Caribbean service on 11675, and squeezed on the other side by WYFR 11665. At 2250 I checked 6180, and could hear nothing but a fluttery Brasília; if RHC were on today, I surely would have heard some trace of it? Why do they repeatedly go up against Brasil here? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. Below is the email I received from Radio Cairo after many fellow ups (Emmanuel Ezeani, Sokoto, Nigeria, Dec 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) From: "Niveen Lawrence" niveenl@hotmail.com Subject: Re: report Date: Sun, 24 Nov 2002 14:37:05 +0200 Dear Sir, This is the first time I hear from you. Of course we thank you for your report and would like to receive more. This e-mail will be followed by a QSL letter sent by mail, so it will take few days. Also you will find attached a copy of our latest schedule of B02. Best Regards, Eng. Niveen Lawrence, Head of Shortwaves (via Ezeani, DXLD) Hi everyone, Below is the comprehensive B 02 guide to Radio Cairo. I obtain it direct from the station. EGYPTIAN RADIO & TV UNION (ERTU) BROADCAST ENGINEERING TENTATIVE PROGRAM SCHEDULE (B 02) UTC KHz METERS PROGRAM TARGET AREA 0030-0430 9900 ARABIC E. N. AMERICA 0045-0200 9475 SPANISH N. AMERICA 0045-0200 11680 SPANISH C. AMERICA 0045-0200 11790 SPANISH S. AMERICA 0200-0330 9475 ENGLISH N. AMERICA 0200-0000 12050 GENERAL PROGRAM N. AMERICA & EUROPE 0300-0600 9855 VOICE OF THE ARABS N. AFRICA, S.EUROPE & ARAB GULF 0300-0030 15285 VOICE OF THE ARABS ARAB GULF 0350-0700 9770 GENERAL PROGRAM N. AFRICA, S. EUROPE 0350-0700 9620 GENERAL PROGRAM N. AFRICA, S. EUROPE 0350-1200 9800 GENERAL PROGRAM ARAB GULF 0600-1400 11720 VOICE OF THE ARABS N. AFRICA, S. EUROPE, ARAB GULF 0700-1100 15115 GENERAL PROGRAM W. AFRICA 0700-1500 11785 GENERAL PROGRAM N. AFRICA S. EUROPE 1015-1215 17775 ARABIC M. EAST & AFGHANISTAN 1100-0000 11540 GENERAL PROGRAM N. AFRICA, S. EUROPE & ARAB GULF 1100-1130 17800 ARABIC C. & S. AFRICA 1115-1215 17665 THAI S.E. ASIA 1215-1330 17775 ENGLISH S. ASIA 1215-1315 17665 MALAY S.E. ASIA 1230-1330 15160 PERSIAN TADZHIKSTAN 1300-1800 17675 GENERAL PROGRAM N. AFRICA, S. EUROPE 1320-1450 17665 INDONESIAN S.E. ASIA 1330-1430 17775 BENGALI S. ASIA 1330-1530 11560 PERSIAN IRAN 1300-1600 15220 ARABIC W. AFRICA 1430-1530 9780 AZERI AZERBAIJAN 1500-1600 15170 HINDI S. ASIA 1500-1600 17710 PASHTO AFGHANISTAN 1500-1600 7315 RUSSIAN W. RUSSIA 1530-1630 11635 UZBEKI UZBEKISTAN 1530-1630 15155 AFAR E. & C. AFRICA 1530-1730 11975 SWAHILI C. & E. AFRICA 1600-1800 15170 URDU S. ASIA 1600-1645 15620 ZULU C. & S. AFRICA 1600-1800 6230 TURKISH TURKEY 1600-1800 9950 ALBANIAN ALBANIA 1630-1730 15155 SOMALI E. & C. AFRICA 1630-1830 15255 ENGLISH C. & S. AFRICA 1645-1730 15620 SHONA C. & S. AFRICA 1730-1815 15620 INDEBELE C. & S. AFRICA [usually: NDEBELE] 1730-1900 15155 AMHARIC E. & C. AFRICA 1800-0030 9700 VOICE OF THE ARABS N. AFRICA, S. EUROPE 1800-1900 9988 ITALIAN EUROPE 1800-2100 9675 HAUSA W. AFRICA 1830-1915 15255 LINGALA C. & S. AFRICA 1830-1930 15375 WOLOF W. AFRICA 1900-2000 9990 GERMAN EUROPE 1900-0030 11665 VOICE OF THE ARABS C. & E. AFRICA 1915-2030 15425 FULANI W. AFRICA 1930-2030 15375 BAMBARA W. AFRICA 2000-2200 11990 ARABIC AUSTRALIA 2000-2115 9990 FRENCH EUROPE 2030-2200 15375 ENGLISH W. AFRICA 2030-2230 15335 FRENCH W. AFRICA 2100-2200 9675 YORUBA W. AFRICA 2115-2245 9990 ENGLISH EUROPE 2215-2330 11790 PORTUGUESE S. AMERICA 2300-0030 9900 ENGLISH E. N. AMERICA 2330-0045 15590 ARABIC S. AMERICA 2330-0045 11680 ARABIC S. AMERICA EGYPTIAN RADIO & TV UNION (ERTU) BROADCAST ENGINEERING TENTATIVE PROGRAM SCHEDULE (A 02 ) [also included, but obsolete now] (via Emmanuel Ezeani, Nigeria, DXLD) See also PWBR review at bottom, re 17775. Meterbands eliminated to reduce clutter (gh) ** EL SALVADOR. 17835.3, Radio Imperial coming in with a nice signal at 1314 Dec 6. Same type of music as heard in the evenings (Hans Johnson, Rio Hondo TX, Cumbre DX via DXLD) I noticed that too (gh, OK, DXLD) Well Received here at 1330 (Bob Wilkner, FL, Cumbre via DXLD) ** EUROPE. Recently a ``Free Radio Beacon`` has operated on 6315 in the 48m band. The aim was to find out what is possible with low power and at what time of the day the propagation is the best. The Beacon transmitter site is somewhere in West Europe. The output is 60 mW (0.06 Watts). It is not AM, but the transmitter frequency shifts +/- 100 Hz up and down every second. The best mode to receive the Beacon is in LSB because of the utility / noise stations just above 6315. The antenna is a dipole. On http://frb.port5.com is the latest status info available (on or off the air, output, frequency and reactions/logs of listeners). If you receive this, you are requested to send your report to freeradiobeacon@hotmail.com including as much info as possible about the time of fadeouts and the strongest signal strength. Include a post address in reports to receive a special QSL card. Another new station is RSI --- Radio Spaceshuttle International. Programmes have been scheduled at various times in various bands, but in the main Sunday afternoons in 19m, around 15810. Reports are requested, to P O Box 2702, 6049 ZG Herten, Netherlands, or via radionordmende@hotmail.com (SW-pirates via Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** FIJI. 558, 11/8/02 1417. Quickly into the noise. Program of soft islands music. Parallels with 558 and 1152. Also heard in // with 1152 on 11/10/02. 1153, Raki Raki. 1246 soft islands music program on SW wire only 11/7/02. + R Fiji 1419 soft islands music with M in local language. Only S6 levels 11/8/02 (Don Nelson, Grayland WA DXpedition, IRCA Soft DX Monitor Dec 4 via DXLD) ** FINLAND. Re cabbies paying royalties for radio, 22 Euro = $40: Who made that calculation ?? 22 Euro's are 22 USD today !! (Or do they mean CAN-$ ??) (Martin Schoech, DXLD) It was that way in the story; may have been from a Canadian source (Kim Elliott, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Deutsche Welle has printed a new QSL card for the 50th anniversary next year. The new QSL cards are available in January 2003. The 50th anniversary will be in May 2003. Any reports in January can be verified by a new QSL card (Swopan Chakroborty, Kolkata, India, Dec 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. VOICE OF RUSSIA IN GERMANY The Voice of Russia has become the first Russian radio company to gain official right to broadcast in Germany. A corresponding license for a 5-year broadcasting period was handed to VOA [sic!] President Armen Oganessyan at a ceremony in the Berlin-Branderbourg land on Thursday. The Voice of Russia will broadcast on medium waves throughout Germany in German, Russian and English 18 hours a day. Mr. Oganessyan said the event was of great importance for advancing Russian radio products to Europe. New broadcasting opportunities are the result of visible progress in Russian-German relations, he said. The German T-System radio company owned by the Deutche-Telecom concern will be the VOA’s [sic!] main partner in the project. /VoR News Dec. 5, from VoR.ru/ It appears that VoR had been broadcasting via its transmitters in Germany as a pirate station so far. Also I wonder who is doing the English translations for the Voice of Russia. Is s/he a former VOA worker or what?! :) (Sergei Sosedkin, IL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Probably you wonder about this BBCM item, at least I was just asked what this could mean: ``RUSSIAN RADIO STATION TO START BROADCASTING IN GERMANY Text of report by Russian news agency RIA Moscow, 5 December: The Russian state radio broadcasting company Golos Rossii [Voice of Russia] has become the first domestic Russian radio station to obtain the official right to broadcast on German territory.`` Apparently the bureaucrats at Berlin got their act together and issued an official licence for the 603 service, that's all about this. VoR transmissions for Berlin started already some five years ago as an one year trial on 693. The trial was a success so the transmissions continued on whatever de-facto basis. Later the Medienanstalt Berlin- Brandenburg allocated 693 to Megaradio, and when Megaradio was to start on 693 Deutsche Telekom moved VoR to the current 603 channel. Well, just a few days ago the FAZ newspaper shut down its radio station, programming ceased on November 30 at midnight and the 93.6 transmitter at Berlin was finally switched off after running open carrier for at least a couple of hours. Would be an idea to put VoR on FM like BBC, RFI and (part-time only) VOA... Regards, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY EAST. Looking back, From the New York Herald Tribune, November 6, 1952. 1952: SOVIET RADIO OFFENSIVE BONN: The Soviet Union is building five new giant transmitters in East Germany which Western experts believe will be used in a new radio offensive against Western Europe. The transmitters are expected to go into operation some time during 1953. Experts say that the Russians´ jamming equipment in East Germany already is adequate, so that these five transmitters could only logically be used to drastically increase propaganda broadcasts to Western Europe, particularly to West Germany. My oldest WRTH is the 1964 edition, and stations in the German Democratic Republic in the book were more or less as they have been until the Fall of the Wall: has anyone books, magazines or personal records so that we can identify those stations which went into operation from the GDR in 1953? (SOUTHERN EUROPEAN REPORT with Stefano Valianti, Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Effective from Dec. 2 Bible Voice Broadcasting Network /BVBN/ is on the air to SAs in Bengali via NAU 250 kW / 095 degrees: 0030-0100 Mon-Sat on 7315, ex 0030-0100 Mon-Sat on 7180 via DHA 250 kW / 075 degrees Effective from Dec. 7 Bible Voice Broadcasting Network /BVBN/ will be on air to WEu in English at new time and on new frequency via JUL 100 kW / 290 degrees 0800-0915 Sat/Sun on 5975, ex 2000-2115 Sat/Sun on 7380 via SAM 200 kW / 295 deg (Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 6 via DXLD) ** GREENLAND. There was NO trace of the reported transmissions from R. Greenland on 3815-USB at Sheigra, even tho several MW frequencies from Greenland could be heard during the reported 1500-1600 and 2100-2200 UT slots (Dave Kenny, Sheigra, Scotland DX-pedition Nov 2-15, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** GUYANA [and non]. Hi Glenn: A QSL to report, Guyana Broadcasting Corp., 3291.25, date and frequency (3290) form letter with verification statement, v/s Winston Carr, Maintenance Engineer- Transmitters, with info sheet on Guyana, in 2 months for taped report and 2 IRC's Rp. This after 8 years of trying, this answered report mailed from Cuba. (Joe Talbot, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. N: 52-16-18 W: 113-48-46; Grid: DO32cg ; Rx: Rockwell Collins HF-2050; Antennas: 7 Slinky-28m. T2FD Centered On 90m. 19.7m Tower, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So you think (re)mailing it from Cuba made the difference? I wonder why (gh) Over the years low QSL returns prompted several DXers into searching for an edge in upping the return rates. I had been using, who I loving call "mail-mules" for years, that is having someone carry, hand deliver a report and wait for the reply. In 1982 I carried a report for Radio Zanzibar from Canadian DXer Ed Kusalik with me for nearly a year while in Africa. In recent years, a European DXer had QSLs printed for Radio Zanzibar, he then visited the station, met with the stations management, today Zanzibar is able to QSL reports. In recent years the practice of mailing reports from a second party country does have some merit. My two younger brother move around the world regularly; they post or deliver reports for me and others, recently, in Cuba and the CAR. However dated, it has been my experience that stations are more than happy to welcome visitors in to the station, read the report, verify it and QSL the report. From passed experience stations do keep very detailed "log books" and records of reports. I had met several "QSL Secretaries" over the years, they had their own office and file cabinets. I have photos of the TWR Swaziland's QSL Secretary's file cabinet, that contained files from DXers by country and name, very organized. I can recall reading through the "Canada" file and seeing reports of Canadian DXers I knew. Recently, I received QSLs from Nepal, Laos and Myanmar with reports mailed from Cambodia by my youngest brother. I am becoming more of a believer in the idea some have that mail theft is the cause for low return rates, our reports just are not getting through to the stations. Not to say that every correct report would be verified, but some of the many would be. For those chasing QSLs, creativity and the never give up attitude often pays off. 73's. (Joe Talbot, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, swl via DXLD) ** HAWAII. 990, KHBZ Honolulu. 1206 'KHBZ, business talk radio' 11/8/02 also heard 11/10 0900-1100 with talk radio show and jingles at TOH " nine-ninety KHBZ Honolulu" sung by F. On weekends, this station calls itself "9-90 talk radio" and during the week, "9-90 business talk radio." (Don Nelson, Grayland WA DXpedition, IRCA Soft DX Monitor Dec 4 via DXLD) ** HONDURAS. R. Litoral, 4832.01, Nov 29 0335-0459*: continuous religious talk in local language. 0427 Spanish announcements and into contemporary Spanish Christian music, canned IDs. Good, strong (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. RRI Makassar`s daytime SW frequency 9552v has been off air in recent days as of 24 November. Continues to be heard on 4753 with extended hours for Ramadhan, signing off at around 0030 after relaying news from Jakarta (Alan Davies, Java, DXplorer via Dec BDXC- UK Communication via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL. ZAMBIA/CHILE/AUSTRALIA/UZBEKISTAN: B-02 of Christian Vision: CHRISTIAN VOICE via Lusaka / Zambia English to zones 52,53,57 0300-0600 6065 LUS 100 kW / non-dir 0600-1500 9865 LUS 100 kW / non-dir 1500-0300 4965 LUS 100 kW / non-dir VOZ CRISTIANA via Santiago / Chile Portuguese to zones 12,13,15 1000-1100 11890 SGO 100 kW / 060 deg ||||| new transmission 1100-2100 21500 SGO 100 kW / 060 deg 2100-0100 15475 SGO 100 kW / 045 deg ||||| new transmission 2100-0400 11745 SGO 100 kW / 060 deg Spanish to zones 12,13,15 0400-1000 11890 SGO 100 kW / 060 deg ||||| new transmission Spanish to zones 14,15,52,53,57 2000-2300 15355 SGO 100 kW / 105 deg ||||| new transmission Spanish to zones 10,11,12 1100-1300 11935 SGO 100 kW / 340 deg 1300-1400 21550 SGO 100 kW / 340 deg Spanish to 11,12,13 0000-1200 15375 SGO 100 kW / non-dir ||||| retimed, ex 0000-1400 1200-2400 17680 SGO 100 kW / non-dir ||||| retimed, ex 1400-2400 Spanish to zones 14,16 1000-2200 9635 SGO 100 kW / 030 deg ||||| retimed, ex 1200-2200 2200-1000 6070 SGO 100 kW / 030 deg ||||| retimed, ex 2200-1200 VOICE INTERNATIONAL via Darwin / Australia Chinese to zones 43,44,50 2200-0100 15165 DRW 250 kW / 340 deg 0900-1400 17635 DRW 250 kW / 340 deg 1400-1800 15150*DRW 250 kW / 340 deg ||||| extended ex 1400-1700 * from 1730 totally blocked by Voice of Indonesia in Spanish to Eu on 15149.8v English to zones 43,44,50 0130-0200 17775 DRW 250 kW / 340 deg 0900-1300 13685 DRW 250 kW / 340 deg English to zones 41,49,54 1300-1630 13690 DRW 250 kW / 303 deg 1630-1900 11685 DRW 250 kW / 303 deg 1900-2100 13770 DRW 250 kW / 303 deg ||||| new transmission Indonesian to zones 49,50,54 0030-0100 21680 DRW 250 kW / 290 deg 0430-0500 21680 DRW 250 kW / 290 deg 0530-0600 21680 DRW 250 kW / 290 deg 0600-0900 17820@DRW 250 kW / 290 deg 0900-1300 15365 DRW 250 kW / 290 deg 1300-1800 13660#DRW 250 kW / 317 deg 2330-2400 11935 DRW 250 kW / 290 deg @ strong co-ch AWR in Duyla/French from 0730 # strong co-ch BBC in Arabic Hindi to zones 41,49,54 1100-1400 13635 DRW 250 kW / 303 deg 1400-1700 11750 DRW 250 kW / 303 deg VOICE INTERNATIONAL via Tashkent / Uzbekistan Hindi to zone 41 0100-0400 11850 TAC 100 kW / 153 deg ||||| new transmission 73 from (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 2 via DXLD) ** IRAQ. Republic of Iraq Radio, R. Baghdad, 846 kHz, Nov 11 at 1845 Arabic songs, 1900 ID and news, \\ 908.94 also heard at 1855 (Dave Kenny & Alan Pennington, Sheigra DXpedition, Scotland, Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** IRELAND. Re DXLD 2-190 - Ireland RFI: I was in Ireland from Nov. 13-18. While I spent most of my time in pubs, I did most of my listening to local radio. Their Gaelic network played some great Irish traditional music. I did listen to SW at my hotel in Cork (Jury's) with no particular problems. In Killarney the hotel I stayed at (Killarney Plaza) was just newly renovated and was a smart building with lots of RFI. The building knew when the hallways were empty and shut off the energy-saving lights. The room knew when it was unoccupied and shut off the TV and any lights that might have been left on. The toilet used some kind of a vacuum pump combined with minimal water consumption. Why they bother in a country where it rains every day I do not know. The trigger for the flush function could only be operated while standing. I presume this was a safety feature to prevent amputation of vital appendages as the vacuum sounded like Ross Perot's giant sucking sound. The shower temperature dial was calibrated in degrees Celsius and Fahrenheit. You just dialed your desired temperature and stepped in. No fiddling. The wall thermostat controlled both fan speed and temperature with readouts on an LCD screen. The SW bands in this smart hotel were useless with all this new- fangled, electronic gadgetry. The SW spectrum was one continuous buzz. The Irish are very energy conscious and have already attained the Kyoto treaty goal of deriving 10% of their electric power from wind generators. They are working on making it 20% in the future. So if your anonymous contributor did his/her listening in modern hotels, it is likely that the buzz heard was due to the electronic wizardry that minimized energy usage. Given their conservation goal, the problem is only likely to get worse. I have seen the future and it is very noisy (Joe Buch, Delaware, USA, Dec 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. Kol Israel, 6280, Nov 28 2000-2025* English news, weather, ID, sked, 2025 IS; 2030 back in French. Good \\ 9435 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, I can confirm that Kol Israel has moved to 6280. 2000-2025 English, 2030-2045 French, 2045-2100 Spanish (Silvain Domen, Belgium, Dec 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) (ps- my familyname pronounced as "Doa- mén"... thanks) ** ITALY. FROM RADIO STUDIO X: WATCH OUT FOR PHONY QSLS Hi Glenn ! I'm writing to ask you a favour. I've heard that there is a person non authorized who replies, in place of us, to many reception reports for Radio Studio X. Of course, those replies are totally fakes as we haven't got any relationship with this person. Could you inform your listeners that all reports (past, present and future) which are not printed on our official headed paper and signed by myself have to be considered fakes and not recognized by our station? All reports must only be sent to : RADIO STUDIO X Via Mammianese 687 51030 MOMIGNO (Pistoia), ITALY with 1 USD$ enclosed needed for the reply. Thanks again for your help. Best regards, (Massimiliano Marchi, RADIO STUDIO X, Dec 6, [WORLD OF RADIO affiliate], DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ITALY. 11670 kHz, RAI INTERNATIONAL, full data QSL card in German (site not included), card shows 'grifone alato' (a golden horse) by Mario Ceroli, symbol of the RAI production center in Saxa Rubra Roma, v/s not given, also enclosed schedule and reception report form, in 292 days for a report without rp to RAI International, Casella Postale 320, 00100 Roma, Italien (Martin Schoech, Merseburg, Germany, Dec 5, Cumbre DX via DXLD) http://www.schoechi.de 9875, Rai, A partial data QSL card #1 Etna (Sicily) by night. Received in 20 days for report sent to raiway.hfmonitoring@rai.it and cqmonza@rai.it V/s not given; also contained some stickers and reception report papers (Emmanuel Ezeani, Sokoto, Nigeria, Dec 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KIRIBATI. 846 at 1006. This was the station that I used to set up and test the receivers after arriving late in the evening at the coast. A surprising S9+20 signal off the W beverage that held for over three hours at this level. Local sing-sing style music with conch shells blown between the songs with a female announcer giving commentary - obviously an important event in Kiribati. 11/7/02 (Don Nelson, Grayland WA DXpedition, IRCA Soft DX Monitor Dec 4 via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. 6575 kHz, VOICE OF KOREA, full data QSL card in English (site not included), card shows a red flower, v/s not readable, also enclosed a newspaper, a magazine, a pin, a rr form and a longer personal letter (the first I ever received from them in 15 years), in 57 days for a report without rp to Radio Pjöngjang, Korean Central Broadcasting Committee, Pyongyang, VR Korea (Martin Schoech, Merseburg, Germany, Dec 5, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN [and non]. V. of the People of Kurdistan, Sulaymaniyah, on MW 1206 at 1640 Nov 6 with Kurdish songs, strong \\ 4025 [q.v. below] (Dave Kenny & Alan Pennington, Sheigra DXpedition, Scotland, Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) 3880.6 1602 R. Komala. News in Kurdish, many mentions of Khardar // 4380 kHz. ID 1628, off 1630 343 11/11 dk 3880.75 1618 R Komala. Pop & local music. Announcement including ``Radyo Komala``, s/off at 1628 34 [partial SIO?] 13/11 ap 3880.8 1611 V. of Iranian Revolution. News OM, local songs, s/off 1628 252 10/11 (Luca Botto Fiora, Genova, BDXC-UK...) 3900 1645 R. Freedom, Kurdish station ID sounded like ``Era hezbi azadia - dengi shuria Kurdistan iraq`` anthem, close at 1700. 243 13/11 dk 3926.6 1750 UNID Kurdish clandestine. (V of Komala?) rhetoric but no ID heard 333 14/11 ap 3975 1636 V. of Iranian Kurdistan. Songs, rhetoric, ID ``Dengi Kurdistana Irani`` 343 13/11 ap 4024.2 1650 V. of the People of Kurdistan. Kurdish music // 1206 medium wave 333 10/11 dk 4025.5 2056 UNID YL talk, stringed, piano music at 2108. Band and chorus - 2114 off 232 15/11 DG 4085 1659 V. of Iraqi Kurdistan. Kurdish ID ``Dangi Kurdistani Iraqi``, Kurdish music 333 10/11 dk 4139.8 1652 R. Kurdistan. AA ID ``idaat al Kurdistan``. very distorted audio. Long anthem, closed at 1703 332 10/11 dk 4140.5v 2029 R. Kurdistan (tentative) Tentative Arabic ID, well known tune. Drifting frequency. 333 06/11 ap 4245 1659 V. of Kurdistan Toilers (presumed). Kurdish music, ID in Kurdish sounded like ``Dengi (?dakti) Kurdistan``. Anthem, s/off 1702 333 10/11 dk 4370.7 1627 V. of Iranian Revolution of Kurdistan. ID in Kurdish ``Dangi shurashi Iranya Kurdistana``. 333 13/11 ap 4380.6 1605 R. Komala. News in Kurdish, many mentions of ``Khargar Irana Kuzestan`` ID ``Radyo Komala`` at 1628 233 10/11 dk (u.o.s. Logs at Sheigra, Scotland, DXpedition by Alan Pennington and Dave Kenny, Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** KYRGYZSTAN. Logs: 4010.1 0042 Kyrgyz R1 (presumed) local music, announcements. 444 03/ 11 (David Morris, UK, Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) 4010.2 1754 Kyrgyz R, Bishkek. Classical music, chimes & ID at 1800. 344 14/11 (Alan Pennington, Sheigra, Scotland, ibid. 4050 1650 Hit Music Shortwave (Unid Central Asian). Central Asian and Western sounding music interspersed with EE ID "hit shortwave" and "hit music on shortwave". (old Kyrgyz freq - from Kyrgyzstan?) 233 10/11 (Dave Kenny, Sheigra) 4050 1645 Hit Music Shortwave (via Kyrgyzstan?) Indian style pop, EE ID. 243 05/11 (Alan Pennington, Sheigra, Scotland DXpedition, BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** LITHUANIA. B-02 schedule of transmitter Sitkunai 100 kW / 259 deg to Eu and 310 degrees to NAm: 0000-0100 Daily 7325 Radio Vilnius in Lithuanian/English to NAm 0800-0900 Sat 9710 Fundamental Broadcasting Network English to Eu 0900-1000 Daily 9710 Radio Vilnius in Lithuanian/English to Eu 1100-1200 Sun 9710 Awaye Ashena in Persian to Eu? 1200-1300 Sun 9710 Fundamental Broadcasting Network English to Eu 1300-1400 Sun 9710 Universelles Leben in German to Eu 1700-1735 Daily 7470 Radio Barobari in Persian to Eu? 2300-2400 Daily 9875 Radio Vilnius in Lithuanian/English to NAm (Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 6 via DXLD) ** MACEDONIA [FYROM]. 810 kHz was noted off the air on 4-5 October with Volgograd heard instead. On 5 Oct after 1800, Macedonia was observed with sporadic attempts to keep the transmitter on, usually for two seconds and then off again... (Karel Honzík, Czechia, MWC List via Dec BDXC-UK Communications via DXLD) That`s the new 1200 kW unit - -- or should I say, binit (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. 6175, Voice of Malaysia, 0900-1400; Noted at 1130-1200 Dec 5, a man in Indonesian comments on both 6175 and parallel 9750 kHz with the latter being the best reception at fair. 49 meters was poor (Chuck Bolland, Clewistion, Florida, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Were you listening at 1030 when Voz de la Resistencia has been reported? (gh) ** MARSHALL ISLANDS. 1098, R. Majuro. 1047 Local pop music, at stunning S9+20 level off the west wire 11/8/02. + 0626 F in local dialect just after local sunrise at transmitter. Noted also is a het on 1557 - which would mean a reactivation of Micronesia Heatwave! Faded out after sunset but then reappeared strong at 0744 with islands style music and anncr in local dialect 11/10/02. + 1007 M in local dialect 11/7/02 (Don Nelson, Grayland WA DXpedition, IRCA Soft DX Monitor Dec 4 via DXLD) ** MICRONESIA. 1449, V6AH Pohnpei. 0712 Music on frequency just as Pohnpei enters twilight. 11/10/02. 1503, V6AJ Tofol (V. Kosrae). 1008 music and local islands talk 11/7/02. + 0812 EE announcer with islands music, and a song sung to the cadence of a military marching unit. Off NW wire strongest. Presumed V6AJ but must review the long running MD. Mention at 0824 that they were playing every Friday morning, so come on out. 0829 M with mentions of Tofol. Deep prolonged fades. Back at 0835 with music (24:00). 0842 M DJ mentions phone and Bat Masterson (31:00) and into music. 11/9/02. + 0701 local dialect music - islands style. Better signal than past three nights. Continued islands music. At 0713 a Japanese is also co-channel (twilight in Japan) 11/10/02. 1593, V6AK Weno. 0740 Islands style music with M anncr in local dialect fade in at local sunset. Japanese also fading in co-channel. 11/10/02 (Don Nelson, Grayland WA DXpedition, IRCA Soft DX Monitor Dec 4 via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. One of the oldest locations from the Dutch broadcasting history, transmitting station Kootwijk, which was officially opened by then Dutch Queen Wilhelmina in 1927, will not be broken up. In this station the first connection with former Dutch Indië (Now Indonesia) was made on short-wave. It will be renovated and by sponsoring from government, local authorities and KPN [sic] be rebuilt into a museum (From Hans Knot via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** NEWFOUNDLAND [and non]. I sent an email to VE1AL of the Marconi Amateur Wireless Society regarding any possible special event operations for the centennial of the first radio message across the Atlantic. Personal health problems, rig problems and overall lack of local interest were cited as the reasons for having no special operations planned. Very unfortunate since this club had marked many of the previous anniversaries. I think their last event was in 1999 for the 97th anniversary (Wade Smith, VE9WGS, New Brunswick, Dec 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Er, I thought the 100th was last year, to considerable celebration (gh, DXLD) Hi Glenn, Yes, last year was the centennial of the first transmission across the Atlantic from Poldhu to St. John's where Marconi received the letter "S". And no doubt the most historic event. But the first actual message that proved this was a viable mode of trans-Atlantic communication was sent by Marconi from Table Head on Cape Breton Island to England. I know there are some events to mark this occasion and the special Canada Post stamp has been released to mark the event (DXLD 2-166). The Marconi Radio Club will mark the centennial of Marconi's first message from the U.S. to Europe in January. http://personal.tmlp.com/k1vv/w1aa/w1aa_1001.htm Other than that there has been very little time for anything radio related. Hope to get back to the dials soon. Best Wishes, (Wade Smith, Dec 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA. R. Nigeria [Kaduna], 4769.96, Nov 28 2135-2300*, tune-in to Kor`an, vernacular talk, Af pop music, sign off with NA. Fair. Exactly same frequency re-opened at *0431-0500+ Nov 29: sign-on with drums IS, 0432 choral anthem, 0433 English prayer and opening announcements, vern talk, English religious talk, pop music, 0500 English news; fair. V. of Nigeria, 15120, Nov 28 *1858-2300*: sign-on with lite instrumental music, 1900 English sign-on announcements, 1901 program about local agriculture. 2000 News. Sign-off with ID, address and NA, very good; \\ 7255 weak. Again Nov 29 15120 from *0454-0505+, sign-on with NA, opening English announcements, mentions of upcoming programs, 0500 English news, very weak; much better on \\ 7255 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. PBC, Dera Ismail Khan, 1403.85 kHz at 1510 Nov 14, M&W news in Urdu \\ Quetta 5027 including several ``Radio Pakistan`` IDs in dialogue (Dave Kenny & Alan Pennington, Sheigra DXpedition, Scotland, Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** POLAND. POLISH BROADCASTING AUTHORITY TO MONITOR CONTROVERSIAL CATHOLIC RADIO | Text of report by Polish news agency PAP Warsaw, 3 December: The National Radio and Television Broadcasting Council [KRRiT] decided on Tuesday [3 December] that it will carry out a monitoring of the programmes of Radio Maryja. It will also look again at the station's financial reports for the previous year. These are the results of the discussion around the radio and its director after the transmission of a [documentary] film by [public] Polish Television [TVP]. It will analyse the film itself, "Father Rydzyk's Empire" by Jerzy Morawski, and draw up an evaluation on this basis. Jaroslaw Sellin sought this during a KRRiT meeting. "I suspect that the rules of journalistic thoroughness were broken in this film, and especially at those moments where statements and pictures were used of people who had not expressed their consent to this," Sellin told PAP. According to him, the measures used in the film were disproportionate to the asserted but unproved accusations. "After all, this does not concern an organized criminal gang, but a priest who was buying a daily newspaper or looking at a helicopter - nothing transpires from this," the KRRiT member argued. He also recalled that one of the TVP journalists has recounted that her earlier report about Father Rydzyk was made use of in the film without her consent. In accordance with a suggestion by Sellin, apart from the preparation of its own assessment, the KRRiT will seek an additional expert report from the Media Ethics Council and from the TVP Programme Council, which will in any case be considering the film at an extraordinary meeting on Thursday [5 December]. On Tuesday, the KRRiT also instructed its programme department to monitor Radio Maryja for a selected month of broadcasts by the station. As PAP was told by Joanna Stempien, the press spokeswoman of the KRRiT chairman, the monitoring will be paying particular attention to those programmes that might arouse controversies in society. Despite the KRRiT having long ago accepted the financial report for last year, after the film about Father Rydzyk it has been decided that the legal department will look at it again from the point of view of accordance with formal conditions. "The KRRiT has so decided because reservations about this report have been expressed in the press, radio and television," Stempien explained. The spokeswoman stressed that many people had requested the KRRiT to adopt a stance, both towards the film and towards the radio station itself. After the film was broadcast, such an expectation of activity by the KRRiT was expressed by President Aleksander Kwasniewski. A request for information was also passed to the KRRiT by Deputy Minister of Finance Waclaw Ciesielski, who had himself announced at an earlier press conference that the revenue bodies would be speaking with the Redemptorist Order so as to determine the legal force of the earlier decision by the order's leadership that Radio Maryja was to become "a separate entity for the purposes of taxation". The conducting of a revenue audit at Radio Maryja depends upon the results of these talks. In reply to this, the Warsaw Province of the Redemptorist Order declared that neither Radio Maryja nor the Redemptorist Order conducted commercial activity. In its financial report for 2001, Radio Maryja indicated that its profit was 16m zlotys and that all of this money had been allocated to the activity of the radio [ploughed back] - the balance came to zero. The taxation box contains the figure zero. Before this, the radio only presented the KRRiT with brief reports, stating that it maintained itself from listeners' gifts. As of this year, broadcasters are statutorily obliged to supply the KRRiT with more wide-ranging financial reports. In previous years, this requirement was only written down in the broadcasting concessions [licences]. Radio Maryja now has until April next year to provide a financial report for 2002. It nonetheless earlier lodged a complaint against this statutory obligation to the Supreme Administrative Court [NSA]. The NSA has not yet ruled on the complaint. Source: PAP news agency, Warsaw, in Polish 1952 gmt 3 Dec 02 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** ROMANIA. 9690 kHz, RADIO ROMANIA INTERNATIONAL, full data QSL card in English (site not included), card shows 'north railway station (1872)', but picture taken today, not 1872.., v/s not readable, envelope has two nice stamps (sports), postage was 26500 Lei, also enclosed schedule and programm guide, in 57 days for a report without rp to Radio Rumänien, General Berthelot 60-62, P. O. Box 111, Bucuresti, Rumänien (Martin Schoech, Merseburg, Germany, Dec 5, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. V. of Russia, new 6235, Nov 29 *2100-2158*, English news, commentary, jazz music program. Weak; better on \\ 7300, 7340, 5950. New time for English? (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) MW Relay in Germany authorised: see GERMANY ** RUSSIA. There has been some discussion about the powers used by Yakutsk on its various frequencies. Radio Rossii information from early 2001 says that 7200 has 250 kW. Monitoring shows, however, that there is a rather strong 2nd harmonic on 14400. These harmonics are usually produced by the Sneg model transmitters produced in the '50s and early '60s. The power levels of these transmitters are 50, 100 and 200 kW. As the current HFCC shows 100 kW for 7200, this is likely to be the power now used. No harmonics have been observed for the other frequencies (6150, 7140, 7345). It also seems clear now that the new 6150 is a change from 4825. (Olle Alm, Sweden, 5 Dec, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. R. Pomorya, 6160, 0410 Nov 14, ID ``Govorit Arkhangel`sk, Radio Pomorya``, local news in Russian \\ 918, SIO 242 (Robert Petraitis, Klaipeda, Lithuania, Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA [non]. CLANDESTINE from LITHUANIA? to SAUDI ARABIA. Voice of al-Aslah [sic] is to launch Dec. 7, a test transmission on 7590 for two hours 2200-0000 Local Mecca time. Details here http://islah.org/radio1.htm#3 ...Developing (Mahmud Fathi, Germany, Dec 6, Cumbre DX via DXLD) UT+3? So 1900-2100 UT 7590: led me to the TDP website where there is a listing for a Radio Alislah [sic] daily from 19 to 21 on 7590. Bumped around on the islah.org site, which is in Arabic, but has an English link. Went there and found an article entitled the American Phenomenon and the Bin Laden Phenomenon in which Bin Laden is referred to as a "good warrior." Presumed transmitter site based on past TDP usage and frequency (Hans Johnson, TX, Dec 6, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Hi all, Strong signal on 7590 at 2020z with mostly open carrier and chunks of what sounds like an Imam. Cheers, (Paul Ormandy, New Zealand, UT Dec 6 already, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Also in south Italy, SINPO 55544 (Roberto Scaglione, 2025 UT Dec 6, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** SLOVAKIA. Slovak R., on 2106 = 3 x 702 at 2128 Nov 11, \\ fundamental. Usual muddy audio of harmonics (Dave Kenny, Sheigra DXpedition, Scotland, BDXC=UK via DXLD) ** SRI LANKA [and non]. -- By Amit Baruah NORWAY SUPPLIED COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT TO LTTE: ARUNA New Delhi, Dec. 4. The Norwegian Government has supplied the LTTE with 70 tonnes of communication equipment to begin radio and TV broadcasts, Anura Bandaranaike, Senior Adviser to the Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, alleged. He told the Hindu today that the equipment had been unloaded at Colombo port on Nov. 26 and then handed over to the Tigers at Omanthai. It was transported by road. The Sri Lankan Freedom Party leader claimed that the equipment could be used to ``beam broadcasts`` to the southern parts of India. Underlying his observation were the security implications for India (``The Hindu`` newspaper, 5 Dec. 2002 via Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, ATOJ, dx_india via DXLD) ** SWEDEN [non]. QSLs: Radio Sweden for report of logging of 11/20 at 0340 on 18990 (H X 2 of 9495) Fulldata (minus transmitter location [Sackville]), VS, sked highlighting 700th birthday celebration of Saint Brigid, personal note thanking me for the RR and the nice postcard (note it was for James Bond's new movie) in an incredible 9 days (Joe Miller, Troy MI, Nov 29, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) ** TAIWAN. Frequency change for Radio Taipei International in English: 1600-1800 NF 11560 strong co-channel AWR in English till 1700, ex 11550 (Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 6 via DXLD) ** TAIWAN. Greetings from sunny Taiwan! I am now in Tainan, SW Taiwan, and some DXing is possible as well. Logging is going on. Up to now I have only heard "nothing" on 3335. Between 14 and 18 UTC, when "Dateline with Taipei" is listed. I can indeed hear a Chinese language program on 6145, but only the Mainland China jammers (1 normal and 1 overmodulated radioprogramme) on 7395. I've yet to wait for even 14:00.00 for an ID. [PWBR `2003` lists CBS Taipei on 3335, 100 kW to E Asia at 1400-1800 in Chinese; 6145 RTI 1000-1500 to E Asia; nothing pertinent on 7395] There are lots of Taiwanese stations on MW, also many red China stations. From other countries I have so far heard FEBC Philippines, VoA Poro 1143 and Bangkok 1575. V. of Vietnam 1242 tent. On "exotic" channels so far only white noise (6035, 5985, 4725, 7145...). But I can happily say that there is no local electromagnetic noise, only if I hold the antenna very close to the TV cable, although I'm staying in the middle of a big city. And no thunderstorms or similar noise sources, as in South Taiwan it is dry season now. (On Taiwan's northern parts there's monsoons coming from mainland China, but there are mountain ranges inbetween so nothing is here). 73, (Eike Bierwirth, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, R.O.C., Dec 5, hard-core-dx via DXLD) V. of the Strait: see CHINA Find the current overall shortwave schedule on http://www.eibi.de.vu/ ** TANZANIA. Have not heard R Tanzania on 5050 during evenings for 1-2 weeks. Seems they're off at the moment (Jari Savolainen Kuusankoski, Finland, Dec 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TOGO. R. Togo on 5047 has improved their modulation. Heard on 5 Dec at 2215 UT with what sounded like news reports in French. Several times heard "Radio Lomé" mentioned in the end of each news report. Carrier is strong, but some further work is needed to make the audio good. Well, it seems they're trying anyway (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, Dec 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKMENISTAN. Turkmen Radio schedule for SW: 5015 (programme `Watan`): 0000-2300 4930 (shared by programmes `Çar tarapdan` and `Miras`) 0100-2300 (Turkmen Radio source via Sergey Kolesov, Ukraine, via Bernd Trutenau, DXplorer via Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** U K [non]. I was listening for the moment to BBC WS in English via Ascension on 15400, Dec 5 at 2115, when it was suddenly marred by a nearby station opening with much stronger signal. This proved to be BBC too, 15390, which is via Greenville, supposed to be M-F Caribbean service for 15 minutes only, in English. Instead, it was BBC Spanish! We were invited to stand by for a show called ``Vía Libre`` (or ``Vida Libre``??), which ensued. Is no one paying attention? Not until 2122 when it was half over, did 15390 suddenly switch to the correct Caribbean Report feed, which I had found meanwhile on the parallels from Antigua (see CUBA), 11675, and barely-audible 5975. So the mixed up feed probably happened at VOA Washington (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) More BBC: see PWBR remarks below ** U S A. There are four versions of R. Sawa broadcast simultaneously: Radio Sawa Levant, Radio Sawa Iraq, Radio Sawa Egypt and Radio Sawa Gulf. They are produced and distributed 24 hours a day by satellite (Eutelsat Hotbird 3 and News Skies Satellites 703). All programs are distributed in stereo --- presumably for local FM rebroadcast (station info via Steve Whitt, MW Circle via Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) And presumably more versions to come? (gh, DXLD) Yesterday, Dec 4, on 9835 and 9785 kHz announced "Radio Farda" at 2100 UT after almost continuous music (Matti Ponkamo, Naantali, Finland, hard-core-dx via DXLD) 11960 Radio Farda, 2027-2040, December 5. Talk in ?? (Farsi??) by male. Music. Announcement by male. Short bulletin news read by female. Announcement. Commentary by male about Iran. After, many IDs as "Radio Farda". Very nice song (the singer is a male). SINPO: 43433. // 9785 with 33433 and 9835 with 32432 too (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentine, hard- core-dx via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Some changes for Voice of America in Persian: 0300-0400 on 7200 9435 17855 ||||| retimed, ex 0300-0500 on same 1500-1600 on 1593 ||||| cancelled 1600-1700 on 1593 6160 9875 12110 ||||| cancelled 2000-2030 on 6160 9680 12110 ||||| cancelled 2000-2030 on 1593 only! Freq change for Radio Liberty in Azeri: 1600-1700 NF 9665, ex 9795 73 from Ivo and Angel! (Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 6 via DXLD) ** U S A. Wonder if Greenville has been silenced by the winter storm, which hit NC pretty hard. Not heard on some listed frequencies with R. Martí, etc. (George Thurman, Dec 6 at 1605, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I looked thru the entire current IBB frequency schedule at http://sds.his.com:4000/fmds_w/schedules/cur_freqsked.txt and was struck by how *little* Greenville is used any more, especially at this time of day. In fact the *only* frequencies going during the 1600 hour are R. Martí on 13820, 11930 and 11815. I checked them around 1635 and all were active, tho all were buried by Cuban Commie jamming as usual. Of course, if a disaster took out Greenville, no doubt many transmissions to the Americas would be switched to Delano, depending on priorities and available capacity; and vice versa. We have learnt that this is sometimes done temporarily for maintenance convenience (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. More VoA English on 1197 kHz Since October 27 this year, the Voice of America has increased use of the 1197 kHz transmitter for the English service, and this reminds me of my early days with radio. It was by chance that many years ago, while moving from the Home Service to the Second Programme of RAI from 1331 to 1115 kHz, I found the following on 1286 kHz: "Qui Radio Praga- Ascoltate la nostra trasmissione in lingua italiana." It was quite exciting for me, as a teenager grown up under RAI state monopoly, to discover that there were other voices to be heard on the airwaves. After that, the tuning knob began to be turned up and down every evening (I only discovered shortwaves later!) and the following was soon heard on 1196 kHz: "Time for jazz-This is Willis Conover with the Voice of America Jazz Hour". It was exciting, I had just read an article in the Italian monthly Panorama with all times and frequencies of European stations on which jazz could be heard, and there was the VOA, but on 173 kHz and I didn‘t have a longwave receiver then! After more than two decades of all news and talk, music has now made its comeback to 1197: Mondays to Fridays at 1905-1930 with "Border Crossings" and daily at 2105-2200 with specialized music programmes. The "Classic Rock Show" is on Wednesdays and "Jazz America" on Saturdays and Sundays (SOUTHERN EUROPEAN REPORT with Stefano Valianti, Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** U S A. WMLK, 9465, Nov 28 1630-2100* in English, tune-in to lite instrumental music, 1631 ID and into usual religious talk by Elder Jacob O. Meyer about Yahweh teachings. Very good; M-F only. Also heard next day Nov 29 from *1600 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I noticed 9465 one day, barely audible, blown away by B. Stair on WWCR 9475. There is no comparison between the extreme and minimal signal strength of these two (hmm, that was a comparison), and one can hardly imagine the situation reversed if/when WMLK ever go 250 (or even 125) kW (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. 13820/11735, Radio Africa Int. Partial QSL, v/s by Donna Niemann, and Raphael Mbadinga. No indications as to which of my reception reports and follow-ups was been replied to now. Email radio@gbgm-umc.org (Emmanuel Ezeani, Sokoto, Nigeria, Dec 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. New WMQM, 1600, Memphis TN: See web site for press release on delay and pictures. New date, Dec. 14. Transmission line destroyed by backhoe. Non-directional. No after dark 50 KW at this time. New transmission line will be shipped this Monday for arrival on Tuesday. Installation to begin on Wednesday. ON air Saturday afternoon????? (George McClintock, F. W. Robberts Broadcasting, Dec 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Some news on local radio has found longtime music AM station WCWA-1270 having the adult standards format blown off in favor of more tripe talk. It was an ugly corporate decision based not on poor ratings numbers but a decision that smacks on considering its audience too old to be a viable demographic. Of course, Clear Channel's official position has been no comment, but my inside sources tell me that the standards format was an "embarrassment" to try and sell. WCWA was ranked 2nd among Toledo's AM stations, 3rd if you include Detroit's WJR, and 12th out of 24 total market survey stations, FMers included. Their ratings were in the plus 2 to just under 4 share depending on the particular period book you look at in recent years. The latest showed a 1600 AQH and 24,900 average weekly listenership. Not bad when you analyze it. I've found myself in the midst of fighting this action, taking my campaign to getting signatures on petitions to convince another station or company to take on WCWA's old format, contacting advertisers, sending out letters to newspaper editors in a 50-60 mile radius of Toledo and lining up listeners to call and write local broadcasters to urge someone to do the right thing by a large segment of disenfranchised listeners. (rce, you would be a good candidate for my "army of supporters" if you lived near Toledo, hi!) So far, I've acquired over 250 signatures representing over 20 area communities. I'm trying for 1600 to reach the WCWA average quarterly hour listenership. I may not be able to break the back of the big corporate moguls on this one but I feel a line must be drawn in the sand. Trust me, none of your favorite stations is now safe; big corporate companies are only out for profit and care nothing what product they put out for the public. I'll keep you updated on this effort. I've been amazed at the response I've gotten so far to my undertaking. The WCWA change took place on 11/1/02, so I'm only 2 1/2 weeks into my petition campaign. In spite of this time consuming campaign I have gotten a few new stations in recent weeks... KRJO-1680 LA (My 5000th station received across the 3 band total of AM-FM-TV stations logged!) (Gary Siegel, Toledo OH, IRCA Soft DX Monitor Dec 4 via DXLD) ** U S A. It was announced in the "Connecticut Post" this morning that: Radio legend Bob Steel, a member of the National Radio Hall of Fame and a fixture on WTIC-AM for 55 years, died Friday at 91. He joined WTIC in 1936 (Steve Foisey, Dec 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. RealAudio Recording of the end of WEVD as home of liberal talk shows and brokered medical and financial shows, beginning of WEVD as ESPN radio, NY around midnight, Sept. 1, 2001. http://stream.realimpact.net/?file=realimpact/soundportraits/yiddish/history/wevd_off_air.rm (From http://www.yiddishradioproject.org/ via Joel Rubin, DXLD) ** U S A. It`s that time of year, residual skywave at midday on the `clear` channels. Dec 5 at 1749-1800, just half an hour before local mean noon, I tuned 700 and promptly heard a clear WLW ID; 670 had an about equal mix of Denver, which normally dominates on groundwave, and WMAQ with sports; there is a subaudible heterodyne (SAH, steady fade) of 24/minute between them, which converts to 0.4 Hz. Next stop: 720, where WGN had perpetual Chicago traffic, a mention of Dan Ryan all I needed to hear. 830, WCCO was not making it as it has before: see recent discussion here of its sad grounding situation. 840 did bring WHAS with an ID, and also has a 0.4 Hz SAH! This time no doubt from the Nebraskan, which barely makes it here on groundwave (I think). The big four heard are all more than a megameter distant (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. KKSU DONE AT K-STATE 'Voice of Kansas State University' signs off after 78 years - Published on Monday, December 2, by Sarah Rice Kansas State Collegian KKSU signed off for the last time Wednesday evening, ending its 78- year history as the "voice of Kansas State University." In August, K-State officials sold KKSU to WIBW, owned by Morris Communications, for $1.2 million over a dispute about football broadcasting rights. KKSU has served as public radio station since 1924, funded by the College of Agriculture, and it was utilized as an outreach tool for agricultural and family-life issues. Larry Jackson, station manager, said that although the last day was sad, he and his staff are looking forward to creating a future for the station's mission. "We haven't had a chance to concentrate on our future," Jackson said. "Trying to get to this point has required a lot of effort. Back in August, when the announcement was made, it was surprise and a certain amount of anger. There was a feeling that those making the decisions did not understand the value of what was being given up." But the KKSU staff soon realized the sale was a reality and that their jobs would never be the same. "At that point, the die was cast," Jackson said. "It was inevitable. It is sadness today and a realization that the routine is gone. All of a sudden we don't have a deadline to meet. The job of being the press, we won't have for a while." With no deadlines, KKSU has kept its mission but changed the means of getting that message delivered. Richard Baker, news director, said the station's managers have been contacting commercial radio stations across Kansas to establish contracts to broadcast programs that would be produced in KKSU's studios and then aired on other stations. "We will have time to do things we have been doing part time," Jackson said. "We are talking to stations and asking, 'What within our subject matter -- agriculture, family, consumer science, rural life, health -- can we create that you would be willing to air?'" Baker said he is hoping an agriculture program will continue to be broadcast on these other stations. "I am hoping I can set up a syndicated program that would use the agriculture idea as a basis and how ag affects the average person," he said. The possibility of purchasing another frequency has been discussed. However, Baker said he is unsure if there would be any available or from where the funding would come. As for hard feelings from the sale, Baker said he understands where Morris Communications is coming from. However, he also said some of the staff was disappointed with the decision. "They've always wanted the frequency," Baker said. "We have always had valuable hours during the day. I understand their frustration. We had the frequency first, and they were the ones who came and joined us. You make do with what you've got. Now, they've got everything, and I'm sure they're happy." Although no one will lose a job because of the sale, Baker said he would like to see permanent positions created so that when he retires, he will be replaced. "I would like the university to commit to a permanent position of some kind," he said. "I don't want to have the position because I am here. I am not sure if they are just giving us jobs 'til we leave." Baker said listeners lose the most. "I have been averaging probably four to five calls a week since it was announced," he said. "I think they are the big losers. "'Do people need to hear this?' That's what guided us in our decisions to put something on air. That's not gonna happen anymore." Diane Swanson, associate professor of management, said that after an interview this summer with KKSU, she was impressed with the style of reporting the station used. "I did an interview about corporate ethics and corporate scandal in July," Swanson said. "Of all the interviews I have done, the one with KKSU was the most in-depth, and the producer asked the best questions and had the most insightful commentary." Swanson said this kind of reporting will not be found on commercial radio stations. "From my perspective, the loss is an in-depth kind of news coverage and commentary from the pool of experts at the university," she said. "KKSU was noncommercial and therefore gave in-depth interviews and thoughtful coverage of issues that served particularly the community in Western Kansas. My hope is that the university has plans to resurrect the station in that mode." Jackson said that although the programs and voice of KKSU will continue in a different way, the university has lost access to Kansans. "We can contact, in milliseconds, almost anyone in the state," he said. "In the case of the floods in the early '90s, we put experts on the air. We were there with other catastrophic events as a voice people could turn to for help and access to experts from Kansas State. "K-State has lost control of the message. We lost access to Kansans on an everyday basis. As long as you had access to the signal, you could do anything. But without the signal, you lost media, and you are at the mercy of people who have control." http://kstatecollegian.com/stories/120202/new_kksu.shtml (Kansas State eCollegian, Dec 4, via Brock Whaley, DXLD) AM 580 SWITCHES TO 24-HOUR BROADCAST Ceremony: Executives from Morris Communications were on hand to dedicate station's new home -- By Michael Hooper, The Capital-Journal Generations from now, radio historians will look back at Dec. 2, 2002, as a turning point in the history of WIBW radio in Topeka. For the first time in 75 years, AM 580 WIBW on Monday broadcast from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m., a time slot that previously was used by Kansas State University. Executives from Augusta, Ga.,-based Morris Communications Corp., the owner of WIBW and FM 94.5 Country, on Monday dedicated the station's new home at 1210 S.W. Executive Drive in a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Morris Communications president Will Morris made his debut as a radio announcer as he offered opening comment during the new time slot. Since WIBW radio was launched in 1927, he said, it had shared the right to broadcast over AM 580 WIBW with K-State. "Today, now, at this very moment, all that has changed," Morris said at 12:30 p.m. "From this moment forward, all broadcast rights, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, are assigned exclusively to WIBW and Morris Communications. We're proud we'll be serving our region every hour of every day." The moment was preceded by a montage of music, sports and news from great moments in the radio station's history. Morris thanked the radio station's employees for dedication throughout the changes. The station, without going off the air, moved twice in less than 14 months -- a year ago from the Menninger campus to temporary quarters at Corporate Hill, just northwest of Sam's Club, and then in September to the new headquarters at Corporate Hill. All the while, the staff was preparing to fill five additional hours with new programming. Morris' father, William S. Morris III, chairman and chief executive officer of Morris Communications, said he was delighted to build upon what predecessors have created at WIBW. When he joined the family corporation in the 1950s after graduating from the University of Georgia with a degree in journalism, the company sold its radio stations to buy the newspapers in Savannah, Ga. Later, he said, Morris Communications acquired some good broadcasting properties in 1995 when it purchased Stauffer Communications. Since 1995, the senior Morris said, he has been impressed with the radio business and has expanded the company's holdings, partly because of the leadership of Craig Colbach, WIBW manager. "Craig has re-energized our interest in radio," he said. Morris Communications owns 27 radio stations, including one in Monaco. Morris also talked about journalism as a profession of service, saying, "It's a privilege to gather and collect information and provide it to the people." Morris Communications also owns The Topeka Capital-Journal. The new WIBW WIBW's new home: The $2.5 million building has 16,000 square feet, digital consoles in eight studios, a music library, a satellite uplink that allows the station to distribute national programs, a conference room and a generator in case of a power outage. Open House: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14. Last Modified: 4:09 p.m. - 12/3/2002 [and see for illustrations:] http://www.cjonline.com/stories/120302/bus_wibw.shtml (Topeka Capitol Journal via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. Come on, FCC get yourselves sorted out! Here's an interesting piece of radio trivia. Not only were the FCC not communicating as they are having email problems but they appear to unaware it`s now December! I'm sure the "headlines" below taken from the FCC web site today should refer to Thursday December 5th (it`s definitely not November 5th as that was a Tuesday) (maybe they will have spotted it by the time this reaches DXLD; we will see!!). http://www.fcc.gov/ "12/5/02. NOTICE: Due to equipment problems, no incoming e-mail was received at the FCC between 7:30 p.m. and 11:50 p.m. EST on Thursday November 5th. Anyone who sent e-mail to the FCC during that time was not notified that the message was not delivered. Those messages will have to be resent. This effects e-mail filings in all Dockets, including Docket 02-230." (via Mike Terry, UK, DXLD) ** U S A. Top of UHF TV band ready to go? Report No: AUC-02-49-A Released: 12/02/2002. AUCTION OF LOWER 700 MHZ BAND LICENSES SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 16, 2003; COMMENT SOUGHT ON RESERVE PRICES OR MINIMUM OPENING BIDS AND OTHER AUCTION PROCEDURES. (DA No. 02-3287). WTB. Contact: Howard Davenport at (202) 418-0660, Lyle Ishida at (202) 418-0660 or Linda Sanderson at (717) 338-2888 http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-02-3287A1.doc http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-02-3287A2.xls http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-02-3287A1.pdf http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-02-3287A2.pdf http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-02-3287A1.txt http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-02-3287A2.txt (via Fred Vobbe, NRC FMTV Dec 6 via DXLD) ** U S A. Special event station W2W is active from Baltimore, Maryland, on the 7th and 8th of December to commemorate the event that lead to the United States becoming involved in World War Two - the attack on Pearl Harbor. Activity will be on CW and SSB (RSGB via Mike Terry, DXLD) WTFK?? ** U S A [and non]. TEN-TEC, THALES REPORT FIRST AMATEUR TRANSATLANTIC HF DIGITAL VOICE QSO NEWINGTON, CT, Dec 4, 2002 -- Radio communications pioneers Ten-Tec and Thales have announced that they've used an Amateur Radio linkup to span the Atlantic on HF digital voice for the first time. Ten-Tec's Doug Smith, KF6DX, and Thales' Didier Chulot, F5MJN, successfully transmitted and received HF digital speech signals November 22 between Paris, France, and Ten-Tec's Sevierville, Tennessee, headquarters. "We view this as a significant accomplishment," said Smith. "Amateur Radio has long been at the forefront of technological development. It's nice to be able to show that our legacy is alive and well." Tests are being conducted under the auspices of ARRL's Digital Voice Working Group, which Smith chairs. A written report on the tests is due in January. Calling it "a major breakthrough," a Ten-Tec news release said the two amateur stations "demonstrated the advantages of digital audio during the conversation, including noise-free, FM-like reception and the potential for simultaneous voice and data." The feat was accomplished using Ten-Tec transceivers and Thales Communications digital audio software. Operating as F8KGG, Chulot spoke with Smith for several minutes over the HF digital link, operating within a 3-kHz bandwidth. The contact occurred on 15 meters on 21,218 kHz. "The rigs F5MJN and I used are unmodified," Smith said. "They are being used in regular upper-sideband mode." AM or FM mode also would work, he added. No additional hardware was required beyond the cables connecting the transceiver and the microphone to the PC sound card. Smith said signal strengths were S5 to S7 and readability was R5 in both directions. In terms of audio quality, Smith recorded a "mean opinion score" (MOS) of 3.5 out of a possible 5 in the QPSK mode, which runs at 1200 bits/sec. An MOS of 3 is generally defined as toll- quality --- roughly the same as conventional telephone audio quality. Signals were also exchanged in 16-QAM mode at 2400 bits/sec. The Ten-Tec/Thales system is based on a new international broadcasting standard adopted last year by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Digital broadcast signals occupy up to 10 kHz of bandwidth. The FCC has approved a similar standard for AM broadcasting in the US called "In-Band, On-Channel" or IBOC. An Amateur Radio version of the Thales system is expected to appear on the market early next year, but Smith says he has no information on the software's cost or distribution. "At this stage, the system is experimental-only for ham radio, but it looks like it's going to take off," Smith predicted. In the US, Smith used the new Ten-Tec Orion HF transceiver at 100 W output coupled to a Hy-Gain TH7DX tri-band Yagi at the Ten-Tec factory. In France, F5MJN operating F8KGG, used a Ten-Tec Jupiter running 100 W to a log-periodic antenna. Smith says that simultaneous digital voice and data over radio already are finding favor in public service circles. "Many law enforcement and emergency organizations have gone over to digital radios for secure and reliable digital communications," he said. "In addition, high- definition digital television (HDTV) systems that use digital audio are already in operation in many areas of the world." And, he points out, satellite-based digital audio broadcasting (DAB) began last year in earnest. In terms of Amateur Radio digital equipment, Alinco was the first manufacturer to come out with a digital voice option (the EJ40U and EJ-43U) for some of its transceivers, including the DJ-596 hand-held and four of its mobile units, including the recently released DR-620T dualbander. ICOM debuted its D-Star digital "concept radio" system last May at the Dayton Hamvention --- where Smith chaired the Digital Voice Forum --- and demonstrated it at the ARRL-TAPR Digital Communications Conference in September. The unit, which operates on 1.2 GHz, was scheduled to hit the ham radio market this fall. At its heart is the ID-1 transceiver, which can communicate using FM analog voice, digital voice and data. Smith says the technical details of the Thales system will appear in an article. "International Digital Audio Broadcasting Standards: Voice Coding and Amateur Radio Applications" in the January/February issue of QEX, which he edits. He also has authored two articles on digital voice in QST: "Digital Voice: The Next New Mode?," in the January 2002 issue, and "Digital Voice: An Update and Forecast," in the February 2002 issue. All of these are available on the ARRLWeb Digital Voice page. Additional images and background are available on the TAPR Web site. Look for the Digital Voice Forum page and the presentation by Cédric Demeure.--Ten-Tec news release; Doug Smith, KF6DX A Brief Digital History Work on digital audio began with the telephone at Bell Labs more than 50 years ago, and virtually every wireline telephone conversation today uses digital signals. "Early on, Bell engineers realized it is better to transmit and receive information in binary form than in regular analog form," says ARRL Digital Working Group Chairman Doug Smith, KF6DX. He explains that digital technique, which basically relies on determining the difference between "on" and "off" states, is easier to detect over noisy communications circuits than an analog signal representing the continuous fluctuations of a person's voice, which may take on a vast number of states. In the 1960s, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) adopted digital audio for Project Apollo. The system, developed by the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), also incorporated a ranging feature that allowed astronauts to determine the distance between transmitter and receiver. Audio quality was robust. Smith said. Today's cellular telephones and space communications use sophisticated digital audio coding techniques. Digital audio and video have created a revolution in Internet communications, as well. As even most non-technical consumers know, the recording industry employs digital techniques in CDs and DVDs for the retail market (ARRL via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** U S A. From: Martin Gallas: Let's hope program diversity doesn't suffer too much with this takeover. -------------------- WBEZ TAKES OVER LOYOLA STATION -------------------- December 5, 2002 Loyola University and WBEZ-FM 91.5 have reached an agreement to turn over management of the university's eclectic student-run radio station to the National Public Radio affiliate, university officials said Wednesday. Loyola spokesman Bud Jones said WBEZ took over operation of the studio Tuesday and noted that no major programming changes are in store. "Everything is expected to operate just as it has," Jones said. With a $17 million operating deficit projected for this year, Loyola is looking to trim expenses across the university. Jones said operating WLUW cost the university about $150,000 a year. According to the 15-year agreement, the university and WBEZ will split any deficits for the first three years. After that, WBEZ would foot the bill. Copyright (c) 2002, Chicago Tribune (via Martin Gallas, DXLD) ** URUGUAY. 6010, Emisora Ciudad de Montevideo, 0230 Dec 5, noted with special remote live event about Carnival. Some heterodyne. An advance of what it will be the relays from Summer Theatre ("Teatro de Verano" during next Carnival month (Feb and beginnings of March). (Horacio Nigro, Montevideo, URUGUAY, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** VATICAN. And more music with a seasonal flavour (Christmas is again with us) will be heard this month as usual on Vatican Radio, along with some other interesting offering (all at 1530 gmt on 5890, 7250 and 9645 kHz, and FM 93.3 for Rome, but unluckily due to the ``electrosmog`` situation on no MW frequency). On all Sundays in December and January, ``Venite Pastores`` will feature Christmas music and seasonal talk (for instance about cribs). On Mondays ``Hello, Musical!`` will be about famous American musical productions. Should you like to listen to some Italian ``bel canto``, tune in on Thursdays for a series of programmes called ``Cantando all`italiana``. (SOUTHERN EUROPEAN REPORT with Stefano Valianti, Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** VIETNAM. 13740, R. the Voice of Vietnam. A full data QSL, v/s not given. For my report of September 29th, enclosed too were some Vietnamese stamps, and program guide. Addresses, Overseas service, Voice of Vietnam, 58 Quan Su street, Hanoi, Vietnam. E-mail: btdn.vov@hn.vnn.vn (Emmanuel Ezeani, Sokoto, Nigeria, Dec 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 4330, 0045 UNID Man in UNID lang. Short snatches of mainly jazz style music. Time signal every 2 seconds to 0100 ID, higher tone on 6th pip. 444 03/11 DJM (David Morris, Dorset, Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 4520 (H x 4), 0235 Dec 2. Talk in English between older man and younger woman, apparently on a call in show, signal only lasted about 45 seconds before breaking up, SIO 222. Checking with FCC and Google websites, only 12 nighttime stations on this freq. and due to program content, most likely candidates appear to be KSDO in San Diego CA or WISN in Milwaukee WI (Joe Miller, Troy MI, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) de 1130 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ PASSPORT TO WORLDBAND RADIO 2003 The so-called `2003` edition of PWBR arrived Dec 5 thanks to the generosity of Chris Hambly, whom I sincerely thank. However, it failed its very first test. Thursday afternoon I was enjoying the pleasure of continuous analog tuning once again on my just-refurbished original FRG-7 (which I got from Larry Magne), and at 2157 was listening to some peculiar chirping sounds every few seconds on 9580. This was overtaken at *2159 by ``B-B-C`` chimes, very strong, and then ``BBC, Ying-guo Guangbo Diantai``. Ahá, I wonder what the site on that is, and why is it coming in so well here? Opened up the package and looked up 9580 in PWBR 2003 --- Not there, zilch about BBC. Next stop: HFCC B-02, where the answer came right up with entry 2885: 9580 2200 2300 43E,44 NAK 250 20 1234567 271002 300303 D G BBC MER So it`s 20 degrees from Thailand toward China, but here we are much further in about the same direxion. If more people knew about HFCC, fewer would think they need PWBR. Yes, I`m sure of the frequency; plenty of digital readouts around to double-check it. Just for giggles, I then looked up 9580 in the WRTH SW Guide, whose deadline must have been a few months earlier than PWBR 2003, and it does have BBC on 9580 at 2200 in Chinese, tho of course transmitter sites are suppressed. PWBR`s next challenge, quite by chance: what are the two stations on 17775 at 1430, the stronger with Qur`an, the weaker with talk in unID language? The ONLY activity shown at this hour is AWR via UAE, which would be the weaker. But we have to go to HFCC to find Egypt on 17775 at 1000-1430 at least, apparently extended for Eid. PWBR does not have Egypt on this frequency at all. ID confirmed at 1500* with Cairo`s theme, carrier staying on several minutes. One can also search for 17775 the current DXLD [almost] TO DATE archive http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd02.html Besides a number of Australian and Romanian entries at other dayparts, one finds AWR UAE 1400-1500 in Telugu, then Kannada; and Cairo 1015- 1215 Arabic, 1215-1330 English to SAs, 1330-1430 Bengali. Or for a handful of useful hits do a Google search on DX LISTENING DIGEST 17775 B02 (or B-02 – we ought to be consistent about that) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ GRUNDIG SATELLIT 900 According to a source at Grundig/Lextronix, the long awaited Satellit 900 is to be introduced in May 2003. For those that don't know about the Satellit 900, a prototype was originally designed and built by Grundig Germany. It was to be a successor to the famous Satellit 700 [650 in original posting, corrected to 700]. [Due] to production problems, it never made it to market. The Grundig Yacht Boy 500 looked a lot like the Satellit 900. Some called the Yacht Boy 500, the baby Satellit 900. Should be interesting to see what Grundig/Lextronix has to offer:-). Harvey. (From rec.radio.shortwave via Mike Terry, DXLD) Message In A Lung Wah Fortune Cookie: ``LISTEN FOR THE UNEXPECTED`` +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Hey, that was made for me! Maybe there *is* something to superstition! Before Ivan asks, more about today`s lunch at my `favourite` Chinese restaurant in Enid. It must have been close to a year since I last set foot in there, as the proprietor adamantly refuses to ban or reduce smoking. (I assume Lung Wah means `black lung`.) However, I was hankering for his one dish I crave, Ginger Beef (plus unique white hot-and-sour soup). So after the noon rush, I took a chance and lucked out -- only a few other customers and no one smoking at the moment; the previous pall was dissipating. I go so rarely that gradual changes become obvious, all amounting to a reduxion in service – with no reduxion in price: first he dropped rye bread; whole wheat is the best he can do; crackers are saltines only – I vaguely recall there were once Captain`s Wafers, which I much prefer. Then I had to start brining my own cup to take out excess tea. Then the selexion of hot tea was reduced, no more loose oolong. There is, however, an additional unidentifiable yellowish vegetable ingredient in the soup (which is fine). This time I was refused plastic chopstix, which last time were available on request (but possibly were really intended as exhibits only), so settled for wooden. Fortunately these were re-usable, not further depleting the rainforests of Borneo, rather antique and imprinted with the name of the previous Chinese restaurant on the premises. You may ask why I prefer plastic? True, they are slicker and food is harder to hold, but I figure they are easier to wash and more likely to be clean. The wooden ones have a rougher surface, making them easier to use and harder to clean. Speaking of which, with the usual trepidation I visited the men`s room to wash up, and sure `nuff, still nothing but that much-handled bar of soap, no liquid, no powder in the dispenser, but he does still go to the expense of providing a clean cloth towel roller. At least it looks clean, and I hope it`s from a service. And so it goes (Glenn Hauser, Enid, OK, Dec 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Oops, OT ###