DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-059, April 7, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@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 later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3d.html HTML version of late March issues: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3c.html HTML version of early February issues: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3b.html For restrixions and searchable 2003 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 NEXT AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1176: RFPI: Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0700, 1300 on 7445 [subject to pre-emption] WJIE: Tue 0600, M-F 1200 on 7490 [maybe] WWCR: Wed 0930 9475 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1176.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1176.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1176h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1176h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1176.html WORLD OF RADIO, CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL SCHEDULES UPDATED FOR A-03, DST SEASON: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html WOR/COM/MR/RADIO ENLACE MASTER TIME SCHEDULE FOR A-03: http://www.worldofradio.com/wormast.html ** AUSTRALIA. While not shortwave broadcasting, those of you who have heard the School of the Air on HF/SW may be interested to note they are moving to an internet-type service, and as such will no longer be using HF radio. I'm not sure when the last HF transmission will be, it was Friday 4 April or will be the following Friday (Jeffrey Burford, Port Augusta, Sangean ATS 909, April 5, EDXP via DXLD) It is interesting to read that the School of the Air is or has left shortwave for the internet, I used to listen to this on and off especially before I started working back in the 1970's, used to pick up Broken Hill, Bourke as well as up into Queensland and the Northern Territory, it was most interesting, the last time I listened was last year while on holidays when I listened to Charters Towers in QLD. I guess it means another end of an era and another nail in the coffin for us shortwave listeners. Best wishes to all! (Michael Stevenson, EDXP via DXLD) WTFK?? Sad to see the School of the Air leaving the SW bands after many years of service, although this has been coming for some time now. Several of you know that I am a music teacher by profession. I once had a 45 piece concert band (woodwinds, brass and percussion) on tour in the Mildura/Broken Hill area (1998, I think it was). One of our gigs was to play on the School's Friday morning transmission from the Broken Hill studio. To get 45 student musicians armed with large musical instruments into that tiny studio was a feat of logical engineering! The morning class began with checking the roll, and I think we heard about a dozen students at their radios in far-flung areas of western New South Wales and South Australia. Some of the kids were very young. The band played several tunes, then some of our musos went to the microphone to play their instruments so the kids could hear the different sounds. It was great fun and there was lots of excitement coming across the air waves as the kids asked questions about the instruments and the music we played. School of the Air is usually conducted on a very strict procedure of the teacher calling in specific students to transmit. However, on this day, there were several occasions when a number of the kids all tried transmitting (talking) at the one time! It was laughable. We left the studio that day feeling like we had really made a valuable contribution to the students' learning. It also gave our own school students an understanding of the importance of School of the Air for young people who are so isolated from the way of life and things we take for granted. Wonderful memories (Rob VK3BVW Wagner, April 7, Melbourne, Australia, EDXP via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. 15480, 1559-, HCJB Australia, Apr 5. Finally hear this one with a fair signal. ID at 1600 as 'HCJB, Voice of the great southland', and into Ham Radio Today [Sat]. Better when rechecked at 1655 with religious play. Very good reception at 1713, with locally produced program (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRIA. A couple of weeks ago I told you that I had heard rumours of the imminent close-down of a well-known international broadcaster. In the meantime you might have heard that the station in question is Radio Austria International, the international service of the ORF, the Austrian public broadcaster. For more information I turned to Wolf Harranth, a household name in the world of DXing, and especially in the German-speaking world. Wolf is a veteran at Radio Austria International. He's been producing DX programmes for more than 30 years. His "Kurzwellenpanorama" was first broadcast on May 6 1969; five years ago, on April 4 1997 it was renamed "Intermedia", the logical consequence of new developments in the media. Wolf was also highly active outside the station, as the thriving force behind DX clubs and associations. He published an excellent handbook on DXing and a series of audio cassettes with station IDs, etc. Wolf is also an author and translates books from English into German. So, I called him in Vienna and asked him whether this really was the end of Radio Austria International? SOUND Wolf Harranth Wolf Harranth, journalist, author and translator, producer of Intermedia and DX-Telegramm at Radio Austria International. We'll hear more from Wolf next week. Don't miss it, because, as Wolf said, there is a good way to say good bye. It's something special for DXers who collect QSL cards. FRANS VOSSEN, RVI Radio World April 6 [audio available for one week] listen broadband: http://www.vrt.be/wm/rvi/rw_HI.asx listen narrowband: http://www.vrt.be/wm/rvi/rw_LO.asx (via Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) More from Wolf on next week`s show --``a good way to say goodbye``, special QSL (gh) ** BRAZIL. 4885.03, Rádio Difusora Acreana, Rio Branco. 0120 UT. This station has a program in Spanish every Saturday evening called "Antonio Flores", maybe the name of the program leader, who speaks Spanish with Brasilian accent. Very nice program with music, ads and talk. I listened between 0100-0200 UT and cannot tell if the program starts earlier/ends later. In a previous issue of Glenn Hauser`s "DXLD" in the headings with unIDs, there is a logging of a Spanish speaking LA on 4885 kHz. Maybe this is the answer? The funny thing is that I for the first time here in Quito two days later logged Brasil on MW: Radio Difusora Acreana on 1400.02 kHz! Splendid! (Björn Malm in Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin April 6, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. São Paulo, Radio Bandeirantes, 9645 kHz, 0812 to 0831 UT, SINPO 34132. News about war in Iraq, and commercials. Icom R71A with114-foot inverted-L; John Sandin, Merriam, KS, April 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. I can't figure out why it's CBL here in Toronto, when you would expect "CBT" (which is actually in NF). The CBC was established in 1936. Before that there was the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission (CRBC), with the Toronto station using the call "CRCT", and even before the CRBC, the Canadian National Railways network used the call "CNRT" in Toronto. CNRT/CRCT/CBL's frequency was on 840; they moved to 740 after the 1941 NARBA treaty. CJBC once stood for Jarvis Street Baptist Church. They were an English station until the early 1960s (Mike Brooker, Ont., NRC-AM via DXLD) The present CJBC is not related to the station operated by the Jarvis St. church in the 1920's except that both had Toronto as COL:). In 1935 CKNC went silent as its owner, the National Carbon Co (a battery company which was the Canadian branch of an American company (Burgess?)) no longer wanted to be in the broadcasting field. The CRBC, who operated as pointed out above CRCT in Toronto, brought the station, moving into its studios and keeping the CKNC transmitter as a backup under the calls CRCY. About the time the CBC came into being (Nov 1936) CRCT, whose 5 kW transmitter was in Bowmanville (42 miles east of Toronto) suffered severe QRM on its 840 kHz frequency from 250 kW XERA which made reception in Toronto poor. Thus the 100 watt CRCY transmitter was used to provide service for Toronto for some months as a rebroadcaster of CRCT. In Dec 1937 the CBC put 50 kW CBL on the air from the Hornby site, and the Bowmanville site was retired. CRCY became CBY, and during the war became the flagship station for the second CBC English network, the Dominion network (the other was named the Trans-Canada network, now CBC Radio One). For some reason which I have never been able to discover Ernie Bushnell, then with the CBC, had the calls changed to CJBC. CJBC continued as the flagship of the Dominion network until the demise of this network in the early 60's at which point it joined the French network. The CBY calls were used in Newfoundland later as we all know, after Newfoundland became a part of Canada in 1949. 73, (Deane McIntyre, VE6BPO, NRC-AM April 2 via DXLD) On succeeding the CRBC in 1936, The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reserved for itself the prefix "CB". CRCT became "CBL" Toronto - the "L" because of its location in the Great Lakes region; CRCY became "CBY". As the CBC began to build its powerful 50 kW transmitters, the station calls usually related to their region or purpose, CBF Montreal - French language, CBK Watrous, Saskatchewan, in honour of Kelsey the explorer; CBE Edmonton, CBH Halifax, etc. With all but 4 private Canadian stations limited to maximum power of 1,000 watts (exceptions were CFRB Toronto and CFCN Calgary, both "grandfathered" at 10,000 watts, and CKAC Montreal and CKLW Windsor with 5,000 watts), the CBC proceeded with its objective of increasing its owned-and-operated stations to the maximum power permitted by international agreement. CKGW Toronto was bought from Gooderam and Worts and moved to the "clear frequency" of 740 kHz with power of 50,000 watts (December 1937), and call letters changed to CBL. Coincidentally, in the same year, the Corporation built CBF in Montreal, placing it on 690 kHz - another clear channel. CBF later became the key station of the CBC French Network, embracing newly- established CBV Quebec, CBJ Chicoutimi and private stations in New Carlisle and Rimouski --- supplemented by private stations in Hull, Sherbrooke and Rouyn. CBM Montreal, formerly CRCM, with 5,000 watts took over CBF's English programming. In 1939, the Maritime provinces were given CBA in Sackville, NB on 1070 kHz, and listeners on the prairies were bestowed with CBK, strategically positoned at Watrous, Saskatchewan at 540 kHz - both 50,000-watters. CBR (later CBU) Vancouver and CBO Ottawa, were each given power increases to 5,000 watts - the international limit on their frequencies. (In succeeding years, CBC's Alberta coverage was beefed-up with the additions of CBX Edmonton (ultimately 50,000 on 740 kHz replacing CBX Lacombe), and CBR Calgary in 1964 with 50,000 watts on 1010 kHz. Earlier, in 1948, to improve coverage in Manitoba, CBC bought the original CKY from the Manitoba Government, dubbed it CBW and upped its power from 15,000 to 50,000 watts on 990 kHz). However, while the private stations selected to affiliate with the CBC network were happy to acquire some of the greatest radio attractions in the world, the programming and the income of other broadcasters in two-and-three-station markets suffered. CBC affiliates had first-choice in carrying CBC sustaining (non- sponsored) programs not included in their reserved time agreement, but the CBC did offer the remainder of any they wished to carry to the non-affiliates. In Southern Ontario, where Hamilton and St. Catharines stations existed under the umbrella of CBL's 50 kW transmitter at Hornby, CKOC, CHML and CKTB were regarded only as "supplementary stations". If sponsors paid the extra cost, CBC would add them. Meanwhile, they were welcome to share carriage of the network's sustaining programs. Similarly, in two-station markets across Canada, the CBC obtained extra coverage of its sustaining programs at no cost. | snip | 1940s In the early forties, pressure developed among listeners, advertisers and stations for alternative programming. Sensing this need, and to head-off a possible campaign for a private network, CBC took the initiative to set-up a second coast-to-coast network. CBC lined-up 34 existing and soon-to-exist private stations as affiliates, but lacked a key station in Toronto where CFRB had rejected the invitation to participate (in fact, serious consideration was given to suggestions that CBC should expropriate CFRB - instead, another solution was found). When CBC succeeded the CRBC in 1937, it had also acquired a low-powered Toronto station - CKNC - whose studio facilities it had leased for CBL and which had been founded by the Canadian National Carbon Company. It was given the call sign CRCY and subsequently became CBY. It was usually programmed separately from CBL and also carried sustaining programs (non commercial) from NBC's Blue Network. When CBL carried sponsored programs, CBY's programs were fed over existing lines to CKTB St Catharines and to either CKOC or CHML Hamilton. CBC decided to turn CBY into the key station for its Dominion Network. The power would be increased to 50,000 watts and it could be engineered to share the tower and other facilities of CBL at Hornby. The frequency of 860 - a clear channel - had been previously designated for CBC's use, and CBC moved CBY from 1010 to 860, displacing CFRB which had occupied the channel for several years. CBY became CJBC - the key station of the CBC Dominion Network - when it was formed January 1, 1944. CFPL London and CKX Brandon were deleted from the original network and became Dominion affiliates. The first sponsored program was the intellectual NBC Monday night panel show Information Please chaired by Clifton Fadiman, which, on April 15th, preceded the full compliment of programs that began in the fall. CJBC was the only CBC-owned station on the Dominion Network - all others were privately owned. To manage the new network, the Corporation hired away from CKWX Vancouver Spence Caldwell who, 17 years later, founded the CTV Network. The first CBC network became The Trans-Canada Network. A similar problem had arisen in Montreal when the Canadian Marconi Company's station CFCF refused CBC's wish for it to be the Dominion affiliate. Subsequently, Arthur Dupont, then CBC's Commercial Manager for Quebec, applied for and received a licence to establish CJAD, ostensibly to become the Dominion affiliate. However, before he could get it on the air, CFCF had a change-of-mind, and signed-up as the Dominion affiliate. Perhaps as consolation or compensation for losing the Dominion Network, CJAD was allowed to share with CKAC some programs from the U.S.A. network - CBS. CBR Calgary: 1964 The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. opened CBR on 1010 kHz with 50,000 watts full-time, in October of 1964. Studios located at 1724 Westmount Blvd. Two 473 foot towers used at a site located on the southeast quarter of Section 10, Township 23, near Calgary. Network affiliation ? CBC Trans-Canada. and CBU/CBR Vancouver: 1941 On March 29, CBR moved from 1100 to 1130 kHz with 5,000 watts. 1942 CBR started using low-power relay transmitters to widen its service to B. C. 1947 CBR increased power to 10,000 watts full-time (DA-1). Transmitter: Lulu Island, two 404 foot towers. 1951 CBR became CBU, moving to 690 kHz. 1967 CBU was given permission in December to increase power to 50,000 watts full-time (DA-1) using four 200 foot top-loaded towers. 1975 On November 24, CBU moved to the new CBC Vancouver Broadcasting Centre at 700 Hamilton Street. CBC radio and TV operations in the city had been scattered at various locations. (from http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/index2.html via Eric Flodén, BC, ibid.) ** CANADA. CBC "EXPLODED PIZZA" LOOKS LIKE 1969 LOGO FOR TARGET STORES http://www.targetcorp.com/targetcorp_group/about/history.jhtml (Usenet message in the newsgroups alt.radio.networks.cbc and alt.tv.networks.cbc by Brian Chow, via Joel Rubin, April 7, swprograms via DXLD) ** CHINA [non]. CRI English at 0400 confirmed April 7 now on both 9560 – Canada, and new 9755, presumably French Guiana. In that order by a fraxion of a second; not yet checked after 0500 to reconfirm that neither is on during that hour, contrary to CRI`s own published schedules (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COLOMBIA. 2999.93H, HJLJ, La Básica 1500, Cali. March 2003 - 1050 UT. This station has just begun to be heard with very good signal both mornings and evenings. Belongs to "La Red Sonora". Harmonic from 1500 kHz (2 x 1499.96). (Björn Malm in Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin April 6, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** C I S. FOREIGN RELAYS ON SW THROUGH FACILITIES IN THE CIS kHz Loc kW Azi UTC (A03): April 6, 2003 21780 TAC 200 131 0800-0830 BBC Bengali, Hindi, Urdu 21630 TAC 200 130 1430-1515 Voice of Tibet, Tibetan and Chinese 21585 TAC 100 131 1215-1259 Voice of Tibet, Tibetan and Chinese 17860 VLD 250 247 2300-2345 DW English 17820 SAM 250 175 0900-0930 DW Persian//15605 17770 AA 500 121 1030-1055 DW Chinese//12045 17765 SAM 100 130 0400-1700 WUN The University Network Presents Dr Gene Scott. 17710 IRK 250 224 0230-0300,0810-0820 BBC Hindi 17695 TAC 100 131 1200-1225 R. Vlaanderen International, Dutch//9865 17695 KDR 200 284 1300-1600(Su) RVI Sport Live 17650 KDR 200 284 1100-1130 R.Vlaanderen International 17650 NVS 500 145 1200-1400 DW German//9900 7420 17590 KHB 100 218 2330-0025 RNW Dutch 17570 KOM 120 178 0500-0600(Su.) Voice of Mediterranean, Japanese 17545 KDR 200 128 1230-1300 DW Persian 17485 AA 500 141 1000-1400 DW German//9900 7420 15795 TAC 100 256 0300-0700 BFBS Radio English 15660 VLD 250 230 1400-1500(Tu.) (VOKK)Voice of Khmer Krom, Cambodian 15725 DB 100 117 1215-1259 Voice of Tibet,//21525 15615 15660 AA 500 135 1215-1259 Voice of Tibet, Tibetan and Chinese 15605 KDR 200 128 0900-0930 DW Persian//17820 15605 SAM 250 129 1200-1500 FEBA Tibetan/Punjabi/Urdu etc. 15605 KOM 250 213 2200-2300 DW English 15605 KOM 250 213 2300-2350 DW Chinese//12035 15595 SAM 250 140 1330-1400 DW Dari, 1400-1420 DW Pashto 15595 VLD 500 228 2300-2400 RFI French//15535 15580 TCH 250 230 0015-0200 FEBA Indian Languages/Telugu 15535 IRK 500 180 2300-0100 RFI French//15595 15530 MOS 250 169 0345-0430 FEBA Arabic 15530 KDR 250 188 1100-1300 FEBA Arabic/English(1245-1300) 15525 SAM 250 140 0800-0830 DW Dari, Pashto 15470 KDR 100 188 2000-2100 RCI English 15470 PK 250 244 2130-2200 VOA Korean 15455 KDR 250 290 0500-0715(M-Sa), 0600-0800(Su) R.Maryja Polish 15195 KDR 200 284 0500-0800,1700-1800 Radio Vlaanderen International 13860 TAC 100 256 1400-1800 BFBS Radio English 13820 KHB 100 218 1030-1125 RNW Dutch 13745 TAC 200 130 0100-0130 BBC Hindi 13710 IRK 250 152 0930-1125 RNW English//12065 13695 KHB 100 218 1330-1425 RNW Dutch//12065 9890 13690 VLD 200 320 0000-0100 DW Russian//12070 13590 NOV 100 110 1200-1600 High Adventure Ministries, English/Vietnamese/Chinese 12125 KDR 200 235 1900-1930(M-F) Jakada Radio International (JRI) Hausa 12120 SAM 250 190 1600-1630 Sout Al Watan(Voice of Homeland)//12085 SHRC 12115 SAM 250 188 1700-1800(Sa.) Dejen Radio Tigrigna 12115 SAM 250 188 1730-1800(M.Th.) Voice of Oromo Liberation (Radio Sagalee Oromia), Oromo 12090 MOS 500 068 1200-1400 DW German//17485 9900 7420 12075 NVS 500 125 1200-1300 RFI Chinese 12075 TAC 100 131 1430-1625 RNW English 12070 PK 250 263 0000-0100 DW Russian//13690 12065 PK 250 244 0930-1125 RNW English//13710 12065 TAC 100 131 1330-1425 RNW Dutch//13695 9890 12065 TAC 100 130 1450-1600 Vatican R. 1450 Hindi, 1510 Tamil, 1520 Malayalam, 1540 Eng. 12055 TCH 500 195 1315-1345 Vatican Radio Vietnamese 12045 SAM 250 129 0015-0130 FEBA Indian Languages 12045 IRK 500 152 1030-1055 DW Chinese//17770 12045 VLD 200 110 2200-2300 RFI Chinese//12005 12035 IRK 500 152 2300-2350 DW Chinese 12025 IRK 500 180 1100-1200 RFI Lao, 1200-1300 RFI Khmer 12025 IRK 500 150 0930-1030 RFI Chinese 12010 KDR 250 290 1500-1830 R.Maryja Polish (Sep. 7-,7380 1500-2200) 12005 VLD 500 230 2200-2300 RFI Chinese//12045 11990 NOV 250 111 1300-1500 VOA Chinese 11975 ERV 100 100 1400-1500 VOA Tibetan 11850 TAC 100 153 0100-0400 Christian Vision, Voice International Hindi 11850 VLD 250 230 1400-1430 Radio Free Vietnam 11570 NVS 100 180 0000-0100 IBC Tamil 11530 TAC 250 256 0400-1200 Dengi Mesopotamia Kurdish 11530 KCH 500 116 1200-1600 Dengi Mesopotamia Kurdish 11520 SAM 200 224 1600-1700 Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) Radio- Arabic Voice of Liberty(Lebanon) 9925 KDR 100 284 1700-2100 R. Vlaanderen Int. 9920 NOS 250 84 1500-1530 RCI Russian 9900 IRK 250 152 1000-1400 DW German//17485 7420 9890 PK 250 244 1330-1425 RNW Dutch//13695 12065 9865 PK 250 244 1130-1225 R. Vlaanderen Int. English Dutch//17690 9865 TAC 200 131 1330-1445 BBC Bengali, 1400Hindi 9825 NOV 500 195 1700-1730 DW Urdu 9825 SAM 250 140 1730-1800 DW Dari, Pashto 9540 1500-1600 Bible Voice Broadcasting Network, Vietnamese/English 9530 TAC 200 255 1700-1800 RFI Persian 9495 NOV 1300-1415 FEBA Urdu etc. 9495 KDR 250 129 1530-1630 FEBA Persian 9460 IRK 500 152 1300-1350 DW Chinese 9445 IRK 250 225 2315-0200, 1115-1650 TWR-Sri Lanka, Indian 9415 KDR 250 129 1530-1700 FEBA Pashto/DAri/Hazaragi/Turkmen/Uzbek 7460 IRK 250 225 1400-1615 FEBA Malay/Indian(1500-1600English) 7430 TAC 200 131 1500-1530 BBC Nepali 7420 PK 250 241 1000-1400 DW German//17485 9900 7385 MOS 250 117 1700-1800 BBC Uzbek,/1730-1800(Sa.Su. Russian) 7380 SAM 250 284 1830-2200 Radio Maryja(Sep.7-,1500-2200KDR) 7330 VLD 500 228 1100-1530 BBC Chinese 7320 SAM 250 285 2030-2127 CRI French 7305 IRK 250 152 2200-2245 Vatican Radio Chinese 7295 DB 100 270 0200-0300 RFE Turkmen 7260 KDR 500 104 1600-1630 RFI 7230 KDR 200 132 1800-1900 DW Persian 7210 IRK 250 125 1600-1700 RFA Korean 7150 IRK 250 152 2200-2300 VOA Chinese 6225 KDR 500 188 2000-2130 DW Arabic 6210 SAM 100 0 1610-1640 Vatican Radio Russian 6140 DB 100 264 1900-2000 Radio Fard Persian 6125 SAM 100 265 1700-2000 Radio Radonezh Russian ????? "???????" 6020 DB 200 180 1600-1630 RFI Persian 5860 DB 100 45 1400-1600 RFE Kyrgyz 5860 DB 100 264 1900-2100 Radio Fard Persian 5855 ERV 100 78 1610-1740 TWR-Europa, 1610 English, 1625(M-Th) Kazakh/(SaSu) Turkmen, 1640 Russian(M- Th)/ Kyrgiz(F-Su), 1655(SaSu) Uzbek, 1710(Su) Tajik 5835 KLG 200 270 2030-2125 RNW Dutch 4995 DB 100 45 1400-1600 RFE Kazakh 4760 DB 100 45 0100-0200, 1630-1700 RFE Tatar (Nagoya DX Circle, http://www2.starcat.ne.jp/%7Endxc/relay.htm via DXLD) Note: original has lots of hotlinx ** CONGO DR. 7435, 3.4 1820. Probably R Lubumbashi with a native language here, but due to poor reception and no more substance than it sounded African, I hardly even will say it is tentative. QRK 1-2. RFK (Ronny Forslund, Sweden, SW Bulletin, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 6120.89, Radio Rebelde, Bauta. April 2003 - 0250 UT. Strong signal announcing FM "96.7". 0300 UT a progoram called "Ventana Rebelde". The day after I heard Rebelde on 6140.00 kHz (Björn Malm in Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin April 6, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Radio Havana Cuba will soon be celebrating its 42nd anniversary... And I am studying the possibility of organizing a contest for Dxers Unlimited's listeners... The contest will be a lot of fun, and as soon as I have the rules ready, you will be learning about it... The idea is to run the contest during the whole month of May, so that everyone participating may have a good chance to win one of the prizes !!! (Prof. Arnaldo Coro Antich, RHC DXers Unlimited April 5 via Bob Chandler, VE3SRE, ODXA via DXLD) ** ECUADOR. 2299.81H, HCGB5, La Voz de Riobamba, Riobamba. March 2003 - 1030 UT. It seems that most of the MW-stations in the town are emitting harmonics. ID "La Voz de Riobamba Antena Uno". Harmonic from 1150 kHz (2 x 1149.90). (Björn Malm in Quito, Ecuador, SW Bulletin April 6, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EL SALVADOR. It seems that R Imperial, El Salvador, can be received in old Europe, too. I could observe this station (presumed only) last night on 17835.4 kHz from 21.40 to fade out at around 22.10 UTC. I heard salsa and rumba music, and a male announcer after 22.00. The signal was very poor only, however with some peaks. No ID possible. Maybe that this station will come in with stronger signal during the European summer months, due to the propagation conditions on higher frequencies. bye (Michael Schnitzer, Germany, April 6, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. GERMANY 15275 Radio Fathiriu – Tigrayan International Solidarity for Justice and Democracy (TISJD); 15670 Voice of Ethiopian Salvation/The Voice of Ethiopian Medhin via Julich. Received a reply from Mr. Walter Brodowsky confirming my reports but he failed to indicate the two stations in question. Have sent a e-mail enquiry asking for further clarification. Reply in 72 days (Ed Kusalik, AB, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** FIJI. Fiji on Mediumwave - Part 3 in our mini-series on radio broadcasting in Fiji As was mentioned on a previous occasion, the first radio broadcast in Fiji came from a new 500 watt mediumwave transmitter manufactured by AWA at their factory near Sydney in Australia. This transmitter, designated as No. 1, was installed at the communication facility operated by AWA on the edge of Suva in Fiji. This new broadcasting service was inaugurated in March 1926. As a wartime exigency, this station also began a relay of American AFRS programming for the benefit of servicemen in the wide areas of the Pacific. The same programming was also carried in parallel by the shortwave outlet, VPD. Soon after the end of the Pacific War, work began on a new broadcasting facility in Suva, with a two storey building for the studios and offices, and a new transmitter base some eight miles out of town. The new studios were taken into service in 1954 and the old ZJV transmitter was re-installed in this new location for use as a second program channel in the capital city area. Callsigns were changed at this stage from the historic ZJV & VPD to the more familiar VRH, though callsign throughout the whole network were dropped in 1968. It took another ten years before the new mediumwave base at Naulu (nah-OO-loo) was ready for use, though ultimately several additional mediumwave transmitters were installed at this location. The regional shortwave service was closed in August 1972 and the two remaining shortwave transmitters were converted to mediumwave usage. The first country station was installed in Lautoka (lau-TOE-ka) in 1956 and this was a complete radio station with its own studios, offices and transmitter. These days, Radio Fiji operates eight mediumwave transmitters at five different locations in two networks for nationwide coverage. In addition, there are also several FM networks on the air as well. The QSL cards issued in Fiji over the years have always been prized very highly and the old cards verifying the reception of ZJV & VPD are these days valued historic items. If you should chance to hear Radio Fiji on mediumwave while on location nearby, a reception report will produce a colourful QSL card of an exotic island scene (Adrian Michael Peterson, AWR Wavescan April 6 via DXLD) ** FRANCE. 15605, 1701-, Radio France International, Apr 5. English to Africa with nice ID at 1701 and into world news. Good reception. (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. Radio Francia Internacional emite en español con destino a América Latina de acuerdo a este esquema, vigente desde el 30/03/2003 al 26/10/2003: HORA UTC KHZ 1000-1030 9830 1200-1230 15515, 17860 1800-1830 17630, 21645 2100-2130 17630, 21645 0100-0130 9800, 11665 Todas las emisiones via el transmisor situado en Montsinéry (Guyana Francesa). QTH: R. France Internationale, B.P. 9516, F-75016 Paris Cedex 16, Francia. E-mail: service.amerique.latine@r... [truncated] Web: http://www.rfi.fr (Marcelo A. Cornachioni, Argentina, Conexión Digital April 5 via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Noticed DW in English with a very good signal at 0540 April 6 on 11925 --- if I didn`t know better, I might think it was a North American service (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. From http://www.dxing.info/news/index.dx A bold attempt to get the German youth to return to the AM band has failed. Commercial Mega Radio, which was continuosly expanding, inaugurating new transmitters and introducing short excerpts of local programming, has gone bankrupt. Reportedly this happened already on March 17, but programming on at least 576, 630, 693, 1431 and 1575 kHz continued until the afternoon of April 4. The station website as well as relays via Luxembourg on 1440 kHz were history already earlier. 1440 kHz is nowadays broadcasting RTL Radio in German (DXing.info, April 4, 2003 via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 9680, RRI Jakarta, 1259 April 7. Indo, TOH music, commonly referred to as "Song of the Coconut Isles", 1300 news by man, mention President Megawati. 1311 ID by woman, to continuing talk in Indonesian with several mentions of Indonesia. 1311 to man with talk, then back to woman. Fair signal; and in the clear (Dan Ziolkowski, Drake R8 using ERGO software, Alpha Delta Sloper, Franklin WI, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL. ADVENTIST WORLD RADIO Schedule for Transmission Period A03; March 30 - October 27 2003 Frequency Order kHz kW Unit Location Country Language Day UT --------------------------------------------------------------------- 1602 2.5 2XA Levin N Zealand English Mon 0900 - 0930 1602 2.5 2XA Levin N Zealand English Tue 2100 - 2130 3215 100 Sen1 Meyerton South Africa English Daily 0500 - 0530 3215 50 RN4 Talata Madagascar Malagasy Daily 0230 - 0330 3215 50 RN4 Talata Madagascar Malagasy Daily 1530 - 1630 3215 100 Sen1 Meyerton South Africa English Daily 1800 - 1830 3345 100 Sen3 Meyerton South Africa English Daily 0500 - 0530 3935 1 ZLXA Levin N Zealand English Mon 0900 - 0930 3935 1 ZLXA Levin N Zealand English Tue 2100 - 2130 7125 100 DTK1 Julich Germany Bulgarian Daily 0400 - 0500 7130 250 RS1 Rimavska Sobota Slovakia English Daily 1830 - 2000 7165 300 ROI2 Moosbrunn Austria German Daily 1500 - 1530 7230 300 ROI2 Moosbrunn Austria German Daily 0700 - 0730 9385 100 KSDA4 Agat Guam Filipino EE Daily 1700 - 1800 9600 250 Sen2 Meyerton South Africa Yoruba Daily 0500 - 0530 9610 250 AD2 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Hundi EE Daily 0000 - 0100 9620 250 Sen2 Meyerton South Africa English Daily 1800 - 1900 9645 250 Sen3 Meyerton South Africa French Daily 0430 - 0500 9670 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam Korean Daily 1200 - 1300 9720 250 AD3 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Hindi English Daily 0000 - 0100 9740 100 KSDA4 Agat Guam Korean Daily 2000 - 2100 9775 300 ROI2 Moosbrunn Austria English Daily 0730 - 0800 9820 500 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria English Urdu Daily 0200 - 0300 9955 50 WRMI Miami Florida English Sat 1130 - 1200 11560 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam EE Mandarin Daily 1000 - 1200 11560 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam EE Indian Daily 1600 - 1800 11705 100 KSDA1 Agat Guam Japan. Khmer Daily 1300 - 1400 11710 500 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Oro Daily 0300 - 0330 11750 199 KSDA1 Agat Guam English Daily 2000 - 2100 11770 100 KSDA1 Agat Guam Mand Burmese Dly 2300 - 0200 11850 100 KSDA1 Agat Guam JJ EE Indon. Daily 2100 - 2300 11875 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam Korean Daily 2000 - 2100 11880 100 DTK1 Julich Germany Italian Daily 0900 - 1000 11880 100 KSDA1 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 1400 - 1500 11890 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam Nepali Marathi Dly 1500 - 1600 11900 100 KSDA1 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 1200 - 1300 11930 100 KSDA1 Agat Guam EE Filipino Daily 1000 - 1100 11930 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam Burmese Daily 1400 - 1500 11975 100 KSDA1 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 1100 - 1200 11975 100 KSDA1 Agat Guam Indian. EE Daily 1500 - 1700 11980 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam Japanese EE Daily 2100 - 2200 11945 250 AD2 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Farsi Tigrinya Dly 0230 - 0330 11965 500 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Farsi Daily 0330 - 0400 11975 250 AD1 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Amharic Daily 0300 - 0330 11975 250 AD2 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Kisuahili Daily 0330 - 0400 11980 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam Japanese EE Daily 1200 - 1300 11980 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam English Daily 2000 - 2100 12015 250 AD1 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Somali Daily 0330 - 0400 12015 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Filipino EE Daily 1700 - 1800 12120 100 KSDA2 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 2200 - 0200 12130 250 Sen1 Meyerton South Africa African Daily 1700 - 1800 15105 250 Sen2 Meyerton South Africa English Daily 0530 - 0530 15130 250 Wof2 Wooferton England French Yoruba Dly 2000 - 2100 15130 500 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Dyula FF EE Daily 2000 - 2200 15150 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 1200 - 1300 15160 250 AD4 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Russian English Dly 0300 - 0330 15160 100 DTK1 Julich Germany Arabic French Dly 0600 - 0730 15175 100 DTK1 Julich Germany Arabic French Dly 1900 - 2030 15195 100 KSDA4 Agat Guam Punjabi Hindi Daily 1500 - 1600 15195 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 2100 - 2200 15215 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam English Daily 1600 - 1700 15215 100 KSDA4 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 2100 - 2400 15235 100 KSDA4 Agat Guam English Daily 1600 - 1700 15235 100 DTK1 Julich Germany Bulgarian Daily 1700 - 1800 15250 500 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Arabic Daily 0400 - 0500 15250 300 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Arabic Daily 0600 - 0700 15255 300 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Arabic Daily 1900 - 2000 15270 250 Wof1 Wooferton England African Daily 1900 - 2000 15275 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Bangla EE Daily 1300 - 1400 15320 250 AD3 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Bangla Daily 1300 - 1330 15320 250 AD2 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi English Urdu Daily 1330 - 1500 15330 500 ROI! Moosbrunn Austria Arabic Daily 0600 - 0700 15345 250 Sen1 Meyerton South Africa Ibo Hausa Daily 0530 - 0630 15360 100 DTK1 Julich Germany Romanian Daily 1630 - 1700 15370 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 0000 - 0200 15380 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Sinhala Karen Daily 1400 - 1500 15385 250 Wof1 Wooferton England English Daily 2000 - 2100 15435 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Indonesian Daily 1100 - 1200 15445 100 CBS1 Paochung Taiwan Vietnamese Sat 0100 - 0200 15445 100 CBS1 Paochung Taiwan Vietnamese Daily 2300 - 2400 15460 250 AD1 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi African Daily 1630 - 1800 15520 250 AD2 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Afar Oro Daily 1700 - 1800 15535 300 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Arabic Daily 1800 - 1900 15550 100 CBS1 Paochung Taiwan Vietnamese Daily 1400 - 1500 15575 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Indian Daily 1500 - 1600 15610 100 KSDA3 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 1000 - 1100 15615 100 KSDA4 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 1000 - 1500 15725 50 WRMI Miami Florida English Sun 1400 - 1430 15725 50 WRMI Miami Florida English Sun 2200 - 2230 15725 50 WRMI Miami Florida English Sat 2330 - 2400 17630 250 AD3 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Indian/English Dly 1400 - 1700 17635 100 KSDA4 Agat Guam Mandarin Daily 0000 - 0200 17660 250 Wof2 Wooferton England Ibo Daily 1930 - 2000 17700 250 AD4 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Hindi Sinhala Daily 1400 - 1500 17700 250 AD2 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Nepali M'lam Daily 1500 - 1600 17735 300 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Arabic Daily 1700 - 1800 17740 250 AD4 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi English Russian Dly 1300 - 1400 17780 500 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Dyula FF EE Daily 0800 - 0930 17820 300 ROI1 Moosbrunn Austria Farsi Daily 1630 - 1700 17835 250 AD4 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Mandarin Daily 1100 - 1300 17865 250 AD3 Al Dhabbayah Abu Dhabi Tamil Daily 1330 - 1400 88.5 10 2XA Levin N Zealand English Mon 0900 - 0930 88.5 10 2XA Levin N Zealand English Tue 2100 - 2130 (Adrian Peterson, AWR via Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. Glenn: Re: Do "TinyURLs" or "Makeashorterlink" URLs disappear? From the TinyURL website, it appears that their abbreviated URLs won't disappear unless the service itself disappears: "Are you sick of posting URLs in emails only to have it break when sent causing the recipient to have to cut and paste it back together? Then you've come to the right place. By entering in a URL in the text field below, we will create a tiny URL that will not break in email postings and never expires." See http://tinyurl.com/ --- From the "Makeashorterlink" website: "How long are the shorter links going to last? "For as long as possible. Put it this way: as long as we are in charge of the database, the links will continue to work. If the time comes when we run out of money or interest in maintaining it, we shall make the database available to anyone who wants to take it on. We hesitate to say "forever", because that's a very long time indeed. But the links will remain usable for a long time." See http://www.makeashorterlink.com/about.php --- (Richard Cuff, Allentown, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. MIDDLE EAST TV ON BROADBAND If you have broadband, you can try a site in The Netherlands called The War Television Channels http://www.webcamsue.demon.nl/ It's a portal to all that's available online from the Middle East. It's very comprehensive, and includes the new Arabic-language channel Alalalam, which comes from Iran but can be received terrestrially in parts of Iraq. It has scrolling news in English at the bottom of the screen. Unfortunately the feed is only 50 Kbps, but it's quite viewable at the default screen size. BTW you can also watch Dutch TV via this site. They also have live Baghdad video streams, some with sound! (RN Media Network Blog April 7 via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS. It has been strongly rumoured in "Free Radio" circles that a brand new station is gong to broadcast Love Peace and Good music Offshore. Plans are in an advanced stage to bring back a Free and Peace loving broadcaster off the European coastline, what with all this carnage and killing in the middle east we really need an alternative. Its theme tune is going to WAR by the recently departed Edwin Starr, a sort of tribute to him and a message to peace loving people in Europe. This new station will have a transmitter capable of delivering 100 kW on AM, and also broadcast on Short Wave as well. Due to the 2 grey areas involved in the Radio Bill 0f 1991, this latest venture will only be using 10 kW of RF initially, using a directional beam antenna, aiming its signal to a particular building in Westminster. The backers of this fantastic sensational station have came up with a really original name, they hope it will catch on and give certain people a little "titter" as another Mr Howard used to say. The new name for this poptastic renegade station RADIO SAD-AM on a frequency of 1440 kHz after 2100 gmt, through till whenever, the first record to be played will be Rock Lobster by the B-52s, followed by the Star Spangled banner by Jimi Hendrix, the third record to be aired is not finalised but it is thought that it could either be "The White Cliffs of Dover" by Vera Lynn or "I'm Backing Britain" by Bruce Forsyth, that's of course if it manages to play three songs before being silenced, sank or blown to bits (From The Caroline Community, Geoff Hutton via Mike Terry, April 5, DXLD) April 1? ** IRAN. MEDIA BEHAVIOUR 0600-1400 GMT, 7 APRIL 03 | Text of report by Monitoring research on 7 April The Voice and Vision Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran, or radio and television, maintains its anti-war stance, whereas the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reports gains by the Kurdish forces in the north or anti-Saddam rebellion in Baghdad. A number of pre-reform dailies have criticized the pro-Saddam stance of the Radio and TV. As an example, IRNA quoted a senior pro-reform MP, Elaheh Kula'i, accusing the conservative-controlled state television of backing Iraq in its coverage of the war. The 0930 gmt news bulletins of the radio and TV were dominated by news on anti-war demonstrations all over the world, including Iran. IRNA again reported uprising against Saddam's regime as US forces enter Baghdad. It said: "In the wake of the attack by the American ground forces on Baghdad, we have reports of sporadic armed conflict between the people of Baghdad and Iraqi military forces. An IRNA correspondent in Baghdad reported a few minutes ago that the citizens of Baghdad have rebelled against the Ba'th forces." Fars News Agency also reported on the rally outside British embassy, without permission of the Interior Ministry and added that only "dozens of demonstrators were chanting anti-British and anti-American slogans. They set fire to the British flag and demanded expulsion of the British diplomats and closure of the Tehran Embassy." A radio analyst commented on the talks between Russian and American analyst. A military analyst spoke on the future of war. He predicted fierce fighting in Baghdad. All the Iranian newspapers have updated their web sites. Many of them offer analysis about and criticize the ongoing war in Iraq. The conservative evening daily Kayhan, in its edition today, said: "the British embassy in Tehran has received a bomb threat". Watch is maintained and the next behaviour note will be issued at 2100 gmt. Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 7 Apr 03 (via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. NORWAY, 13800, 1641-, Radio International, Apr 5. Good reception with talk in presumed Farsi, with telephone quality audio. Interview of a male by a woman (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ. KUWAITI PAPER REPORTS IRAQ PLACING TRANSMITTERS IN HOLY SITES Iraq has placed television transmitters in the shrine of the Musa Kadhim (Seventh Imam of Shia Muslims) in Khadimayn, near Baghdad, IRNA reported on 27 March, quoting the Kuwaiti daily "Al-Ray al-Amm." The Kuwaiti paper claimed Baghdad is trying to provoke U.S. and U.K. forces to attack the shrine and thus enrage Iraq's Shia population. The report added that the transmitters allegedly placed in the shrine were made in Germany and imported via Syria. It is not clear from the report whether the transmitters in question were imported prior to the outbreak of the current conflict on 20 March. ("RFE/RL Newsline," 28 March via RFE/RL Media Matters April 7 via DXLD) ** IRAQ. Hi Glenn, Maybe Baghdad did switch to DST a few days late, but http://www.timeanddate.com/ says: Standard time zone: UTC/GMT +3 hours Daylight saving time-adjustment: +1 hour Current time zone offset: UTC/GMT +4 hours Daylight Saving Time DST started on Tuesday, April 1, 2003, at 3:00:00 AM local standard time DST ends on Wednesday, October 1, 2003, at 4:00:00 AM local daylight time. I tend to believe specialised sources rather than US commercial broadcasters :-) 73, (Andy Sennitt, Netherlands, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ [non]. Re. Czech newspaper report from March 26: ´´Since the war started, RFE has been broadcasting to Iraq for 12 hours a day.´´ In fact they are indeed broadcasting 12 hours a day, but only 10 hours to Iraq; the remaining two hours between 2000 and 2200 are still beamed to Europe for expatriates (19 and 35 degrees from Morocco): AB RFE RLIQ 0100 0300 JUL 01 12030 108 AB RFE RLIQ 0100 0600 MOR 10 9865 075 AB RFE RLIQ 0100 0600 KAV 03 9730 108 AB RFE RLIQ 0300 0400 JUL 01 11910 108 AB RFE RLIQ 0300 0400 ERV A 1314 999 AB RFE RLIQ 0400 0600 JUL 01 11930 108 AB RFE RLIQ 1400 1600 MOR 04 17740 075 AB RFE RLIQ 1400 1700 MOR 03 15170 075 AB RFE RLIQ 1400 1500 LAM 07 13755 104 AB RFE RLIQ 1400 1700 KAV 07 9825 104 AB RFE RLIQ 1400 1600 ERV A 1314 999 AB RFE RLIQ 1500 1900 LAM 03 11805 108 AB RFE RLIQ 1600 1700 KAV 09 17740 095 AB RFE RLIQ 1700 1900 KAV 05 17690 095 AB RFE RLIQ 1700 1800 JUL 02 9865 108 AB RFE RLIQ 1800 1900 JUL 02 9705 108 AB RFE RLIQ 2000 2200 MOR 02 11885 019 AB RFE RLIQ 2000 2200 MOR 09 9615 035 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, April 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ [and non]. Returned to Finland a few days ago from a two-week assignment in Qatar, reporting from CENTCOM briefings etc for YLE TV & Radio. Pretty busy all the time, so I barely had time to use a Sangean 909 which I bought just before departure. No new discoveries on the dial, BUT Camp as-Sayliyah proved to be the right place to find out more about Information Radio and Commando Solo: Where do the transmissions on different frequencies really come from? Where are the aircraft based? And how many are they? When and how were the transmissions extended - and how much of it was revealed in the Coalition press briefings? And the rest of the story. All you ever wanted to know about Information Radio Iraq in the article "US steps up propaganda war" at http://www.dxing.info/profiles/clandestine_information_iraq.dx 73 (Mika Makelainen, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: SHOCK AND AWE ON THE AIR --- US STEPS UP PROPAGANDA WAR By Mika Mäkeläinen, Camp as-Sayliyah, Qatar [see original for numerous illustrations!] http://www.dxing.info/profiles/clandestine_information_iraq.dx Surrender or die is the message beamed at the remaining Iraqi Republican Guard soldiers in trenches around Baghdad. Coalition propaganda is aired 24 hours a day over Information Radio, part of a sophisticated psychological warfare operation aimed at winning the war in Iraq with less fighting, less casualties - and more clever persuasion. This article is the most comprehensive report published so far on the technical aspects of the ongoing Iraqi mission of Information Radio. Information Radio, Radiyo al-Ma'ulumat ([blank]) in Arabic, is a US military Special Operations radio station broadcasting anti-Saddam Hussein messages, which are aimed at weakening his support among the Iraqi people and military. [Caption:] A systems operator and flight crewman mans his station on board a U.S. Air Force EC-130E aircraft during a Commando Solo mission in March 2003 (Photo by US Navy) Radio broadcasts are transmitted 24 hours a day from several transmitter sites in the air above Iraq, on the ground in Iraq and on naval vessels in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Until now, these transmitter locations have remained unknown. The programs however are well-known - or at least they should be - because that is the purpose of the mission. Each program normally lasts about an hour and contains an introduction, combinations of regional and Western music and an information message. A radio propaganda operation often precedes a war, and a war had indeed been planned for months. In December 2002, a hectic operation was underway 17 kilometers southwest from the Qatari capital Doha at Camp as-Sayliyah, which was being prepared to serve as the forward headquarters of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) in case of war against Iraq. However, a war had already begun - a war for the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people. [Caption:] A 193rd Special Operations Wing EC-130E Commando Solo is refueled by a 100th Air Expeditionary Wing KC-135 Stratotanker from the Royal Air Force (Photo by US Air Force) For some time, US Special Operations Forces had been operating in and around Iraq preparing the ground for military action. An important part of the work was Psychological Operations (PSYOP). Officially, the purpose of PSYOP is to induce or reinforce attitudes and behaviors favorable to US objectives by conducting planned operations to convey selected information to various audiences in Iraq to influence their emotions, motives, reasoning and ultimately, the behavior of organizations, groups and individuals in Iraq. In short, if the Iraqi military could be convinced that resistance would be futile, the war would become less messy and it would be over sooner than without any psychological warfare. From Doha Airport to the skies of Baghdad The most important field player in the PSYOP warfare is Commando Solo, the 193rd Special Operations Wing of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard. In November 2002 an EC-130 plane had been dispatched from its base at the Harrisburg International Airport in Middletown, Pennsylvania, to Qatar, to launch a radio propaganda operation against the regime of President Saddam Hussein. Qatar has gradually become the most important US ally in the Persian Gulf and a host of a number of new military bases. Still, Qatar is eager to play down its vital role in the war against Iraq in order to maintain good relations with other Arab countries. The US is cooperating by keeping a low profile. American soldiers are confined to their bases to avoid fueling anti-American sentiment in the country. The most important US airbase is located at Al Udeid, built to host up to 10,000 troops and 120 aircraft, but the Commando Solo operation is based at a much smaller Camp Snoopy, which is located at the Doha International Airport just southeast of downtown Doha. US troops were first deployed to Doha in 1996, although construction work for Camp Snoopy really got underway in 2000. The Commando Solo, other US special operations aircraft and transport aircraft are not hidden in shelters, but are sitting on the tarmac not far from the airport terminal, which is mostly used by Qatar Airways. The broadcasts became public in mid-December, when Pentagon announced the start of a new Commando Solo operation. On December 12, 2002, an EC-130 aircraft of the Air Force 193rd Special Operations Wing began flying near Iraq. According to the US Defense Department, initially the plane was not flying in the Iraqi airspace, not even in the no- fly zones. From the start this psychological warfare operation included not only radio broadcasts but also leaflet drops, which actually started already on October 2, 2002. Both the radio broadcasts and the leaflets have been prepared by the 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, which is where the Army Special Operations Command is also located. Leaflet drops increased steadily, reaching 37 million on April 4, 2003. In comparison, during the Gulf War of 1991, a total of over 29 million copies of 38 different leaflets were dropped. The first leaflets contained messages urging the Iraqi military not to fire at US and British aircraft patrolling the southern no-fly zone. Later, leaflets have been dropped on Iraqi military forces encouraging them to capitulate, to refrain from using weapons of mass destruction and to leave oil wells intact. Leaflets dropped over population centers have told Iraqi civilians that Coalition forces are targeting the military. The leaflets encouraged civilians to stay at home and to listen to Coalition radio broadcasts. [Caption:] Leaflets have been dropped to Iraq since mid-December 2002, detailing broadcast times and frequencies of Information Radio. US Central Command has published images of most of the leaflets. The English versions of the leaflets are available only to feed the appetite of the western media, while all leaflets actually dropped in Iraq have been in Arabic, which is the native tongue for the majority of the Iraqi people. Leaflets have been dropped using various platforms from fixed-wing aircraft dropping leaflet-bombs to UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters spreading the leaflets. The leaflets are not dropped by the Commando Solo aircraft, as often reported, but leaflets drops and radio broadcasts are separate operations. Thousands of wind-up radios have also been dropped to facilitate the reception of Coalition broadcasts. Five frequencies around the clock A key function of the leaflets has been to inform Iraqis of the frequencies used by Information Radio. From the start, Information Radio has been advertised to broadcast at 18.00 - 23.00 Iraq local time (equal to 1500-2000 UTC during the winter and 1400-1900 UTC from April 1, 2003) on five different frequencies, 693 and 756 kHz mediumwave, 9715 and 11292 kHz shortwave and 100.4 MHz FM. [Caption:] Another version of the leaflets dropped in Iraq (English translation) DXers and professional monitoring organizations were quick to spot broadcasts on 9715 kHz. The other shortwave frequency, 11292 kHz, was also monitored occasionally with a weak signal, while other frequencies have not been reported heard outside the Middle East. Although the reception of signals on the different frequencies varied greatly, it has been generally assumed that all transmissions have originated from several EC-130E and EC-130J Commando Solo aircraft deployed in the area. However, of a fleet of six aircraft, only one Commando Solo aircraft was being used at any given time, and it has broadcast on 693 kHz mediumwave, 9715 kHz shortwave and 100.4 MHz FM. The power on all of these three frequencies has been 10 kW. The aircraft used in the mission are rotated, but all have roughly the same transmitter facilities. In addition to the single Commando Solo aircraft, from the very start Information Radio has been transmitted also from other platforms. On the ground, HMMWV vehicles (High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle, HMMWV), also known as Humvees or Hummers, are used by other PSYOP units as platforms for mobile transmitters broadcasting Information Radio. Humvees are designed for use over all types of roads, in all weather conditions and are very effective in the most difficult terrain, making them ideal for conditions in Iraq. [Caption:] A Humvee drives out of a C-141B Starlifter (Photo by DoD). A SOMS-B unit can be transported also in one Hercules transport plane. In PSYOP, a system called SOMS-B (Special Operations Media System-B) has been used since 1997. SOMS-B is a combined radio and television broadcasting station packed in two Humvees and a trailer. SOMS-B units have been broadcasting Information Radio from the staging areas of US troops in Kuwait, and soon after the first coalition ground troops entered Iraq, these mobile transmitters have been broadcasting from Iraq. The exact number of SOMS-B units is not revealed, however, it is more than one. Since mid-December 2002, SOMS-Bs have been broadcasting on 756 kHz mediumwave and 11292 kHz shortwave, both frequencies operated at 1 kW of power and transmitting 24 hours a day. SOMS-B consists of two subsystems, a Mobile Radio Broadcast System (MRBS) and a mobile TV Broadcast System (MTBS), but only the radio system has been used in Iraq. The MTBS can transmit television- quality video using PAL, SECAM (used by Iraq) or NTSC standards. The MRBS would be capable of broadcasting also on FM, although so far FM has not been used. [Caption:] Commando Solo on assignment in the Gulf in March 2003 (Photo by US Navy) Both subsystems consist of a primary shelter Humvee, a cargo shelter Humvee and a trailer. The trailer carries a 33 kW generator, an environmental control unit, and a tent system called the Deployable Rapid Assembly Shelter (DRASH). "The coalition continues to push information to the Iraqi population, and at this point we've now pushed our ground-based communications capability further forward by moving a ground base into Iraq. Up until this point in time, it was in neighboring countries," said Brigadier General Vincent Brooks at a Central Command briefing on March 31, in an apparent reference to SOMS-B. However, according to information received by DXing.info, SOMS-B was actually deployed in Iraq already several days earlier. Other coalition countries engaged from February In mid-February 2003, Information Radio transmissions were extended. "We're currently broadcasting on five different radio frequencies 24 hours a day and have been doing so since the 17th of February," said Brigadier General Vincent Brooks in a Central Command press briefing on March 25. However, it was not the five frequencies nor the 24-hour transmissions that were new. What Brooks failed to mention is that for the first time Coalition partners were involved - and that the extended transmissions originated from ships. Broadcasts began from coalition naval vessels patrolling in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman in the northern Arabian Sea. One ship at a time, primarily performing maritime interdiction missions, has been relaying Information Radio programming using whatever transmitters have been available on the particular ships, says Major Peter Mitchell, US Marines Public Affairs official at Central Command forward headquarters in Qatar. [Caption:] A maritime interdiction operation on an Iranian cargo ship (Photo by US Navy). Currently the ships are broadcasting only on 9715 kHz shortwave. Transmitter power depends on the ship in question. Broadcasts begin at 23.00 Baghdad time - when Commando Solo heads back to its base - and end at 18.00 Baghdad time, when Commando Solo once again begins its five-hour broadcast. Together these platforms make 9715 kHz available for 24 hours a day. Ships from at least three Coalition countries (US, UK and Australia) are rotated so that each ship transmits a few days at a time, before handing over responsibility to another ship. In late March 3-4 ships were rotating, but since the beginning of the naval transmissions in February, a total of 6-10 ships have been involved in the broadcasts. Coalition partners have been reluctant to identify the ships in question to maintain operational security. As far as the United Kingdom is concerned, there are three frigates (HMS Chatham, HMS Marlborough and HMS Richmond) and three destroyers (HMS Liverpool, HMS Edinburgh and HMS York) which could be involved. HMS Chatham has previously been reported operating as a platform for broadcasts to Iraq. Commando Solo efforts doubled in March Airborne broadcasts were doubled a few days after the war began. Interestingly, this move was never mentioned in the Central Command press briefings, although for instance the leaflet count has been updated repeatedly. One reason behind keeping a low profile could be that news about a second aircraft would have underlined just how small the Commando Solo resources initially were. The number of Commando Solo aircraft involved in Iraq has never been published in briefings or press releases by the Pentagon and CENTCOM. Around March 25, a second Commando Solo unit began support missions from the Doha Airport. This aircraft transmits on 693 kHz mediumwave, on 4500 kHz shortwave and on 101.4 MHz FM. The broadcast schedule is from 18.00 to 23.00 Baghdad time. Leaflets including the new frequencies have not yet been published, but they exist and have already been dropped in the Northern and Western parts of Iraq, which is where the new Commando Solo operates. According to Mitchell, the second unit is temporary. "This won't be a permanent arrangement. For security reasons, I can't tell you how long two aircraft intend to operate in the Iraqi theater," he says. Officially, 683 kHz has been given as the mediumwave frequency for the second unit, and 690 kHz for the first, but as these split frequencies have never been reported heard by any DXer nor professional monitoring organization, both are likely typos. Only the crew members of Commando Solo would know the truth, but they were unavailable for comment. [Caption:] A member of 193rd Special Operations Wing (SOW) prepares his EC-130E aircraft for take off at the Doha Airport in March 2003. (Photo by US Navy) "My understanding is that we're getting the Iraqis close enough to the actual frequency that they're easily picking up the signal. I'm unaware of the specifics of what hobbyists are reporting. I do know that we have ample evidence that the signal is being received and that Iraqis are tuning in," Mitchell says. The different platforms are operated independently by different PSYOP units, but all share the same programming material. Although they have been observed with different program feeds, this is not an indication of different content, but is only due to different timing of specific programs, Mitchell explains. By late March, Commando Solo aircraft were able to fly not only in Southern Iraq, but practically all over the country. However, despite the improved output and reach, some have expressed doubts about the effect of these transmissions. Iraqi resistance has been tougher than expected and much fewer troops have surrendered than anticipated before the war. While the true impact of Information Radio will not be revealed before the war is over, officials at CENTCOM are confident that PSYOP is working well. [Caption:] A member of 193rd Special Operations Wing (SOW) prepares his EC-130E aircraft for take off at the Doha Airport in March 2003. (Photo by US Navy) "Listenership is currently determined using intelligence sources. Accordingly, I cannot reveal what we believe the listenership to be until such time that Iraq is secure and we can do actual polling after the fact," says Major Peter Mitchell. At least the Iraqi leadership has reacted to the broadcasts. Before the war began, President Saddam Hussein himself sought to ridicule the operation by making fun of leaflets as weapons. In an interview with US Central Command, Air Force Lt. Col. "Mike," a Commando Solo II detachment commander, said that "We call ourselves weapons of mass persuasion". When the war had lasted for two weeks, evidence was mounting that these weapons of mass persuasion have resulted if not in mass surrenders, at least in mass desertions. Not all of this has been achieved by only leaflets and radio broadcasts combined with traditional warfare; PSYOP tools also include email campaigns, telephone calls, messengers and TV transmissions, which were begun by Commando Solo in late March. This was announced by Brigadier General Vincent Brooks on March 28. PSYOP units also use loudspeakers to reach enemy troops up to a distance of nearly 2 kilometers. Finally, there are also weapons of mass persuasion which the Coalition does not admit having. Several clandestine radio operations such as Voice of Iraqi Liberation, discovered by DXing.info, and Radio Tikrit (see article: Monitoring Iraq: War of the Airwaves) broadcast practically the same message as Information Radio, but are presumably run by the US intelligence community. All together, the US has launched the broadest and the most sophisticated psychological warfare operation in modern history to oust Saddam Hussein. (Mika Mäkeläinen, Finland, ex-Qatar, DXing.info April 5 via DXLD) Of the frequencies mentioned, 11292 kHz looks like an interesting choice. A quick search on the Internet revealed that this frequency has in the past been used by Radio Iraq International - as well as by a so-called spy station broadcasting in Arabic, // 6645 or 6647 kHz. Anyone hearing the station on 11292 or other frequencies? (Mika Mäkeläinen, Finland, DXing.info April 6 via DXLD) Some news on the leaflet front. Quite a few leaflet sets have been published, but not the one listing the most recent Commando Solo frequencies (4500 & 101.4). Here's the most recent one (in English) on the CENTCOM website related to Commando Solo [illustration]: Interestingly, only 9715 kHz is said to broadcast 24 hrs a day, although SOMS-B had been 24 hrs a day much earlier, from the start of Information Radio, on two other frequencies. Not exactly broadcast news, but this could also be of interest. If you hear something on 5102 kHz or 31.2260 MHz, it may be an Iraqi officer trying to get in touch with the US military. Iraqi forces willing to surrender to the Coalition have been told to use these frequencies to inform the Coalition about their intentions. Iraqi officers have been told to tell their name, location, unit size and combat vehicles. The frequencies and other contact information were given in a recent set of leaflets available at http://www.centcom.mil/galleries/leaflets/images/izd-8104.jpg (Mika Mäkeläinen, Finland, DXing.info April 7 via DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. As of today, beware of Radio Tashkent now on Information Radio's 9715 kHz, with Arabic at 1700-1730 & 1900-1930. From looking at Tashkent's previous summer schedules, I would expect them to be 9715 kHz 1200-1930 UTC. Regards, (Dave Kernick, UK, March 30, delayed until April 6 via hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** IRAQ. Republic of Iraq Radio Main Service was heard only with very poor/indistinct reception on 909 kHz over the 24-hour reporting period. It was untraced between 2200 5 April and 0628 6 April. [later:] The official main radio station, Republic of Iraq Radio Main Service, has not been heard on the mediumwave frequency of 909 kHz since 1955 gmt on 6 April by BBC Monitoring. The radio has not been heard by BBC Monitoring on any other known frequencies. Associated Press reported at 1027 gmt on 7 April that Iraqi domestic radio had been on the air. Other sources: No other Iraqi state radio, TV or Internet publications can be traced. Source: BBC Monitoring research in Arabic 7 Apr 03 1100 gmt (via DXLD) ** IRAQ. Re Good Morning Iraq 31 March: You can hear the BBC Radio 4 feature on Radio Nahrain (4 mins) if you go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listen/listen.shtml and use the "Search the Sound Archive" feature - put "Radio Nahrain" (without the quote marks) as the keywords, and "Good Morning Iraq" will come up in the search results as the eighth item in the list. Regards, (Dave Kernick, April 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Direct link is http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/radio4/today/listen/audiosearch.pl?ProgID=1049094547 but it cuts off before it is quite finished; anyway, some nice airchex (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ [non]. PICTURE BULLETIN OF VOICE OF THE LIBERATION OF IRAQ 1730 GMT 5 APR 03 | Text of report by Iraq-targeted Voice of the Liberation of Iraq on 5 April 1. Announcer: Huna Sawt Tahrir Al-Iraq - This is the voice of liberation of Iraq; voice of democracy, equality and liberation; voice of peace, tolerance and co-existence; voice of civil society; voice of various ethnic groups, religions and doctrines in Iraq. The newscaster introduces station, time and frequency of broadcast. 2. Music. 3. Announcer addresses Iraqis to tell them that at a time when Uday is hiding underground, his criminal cronies attack coalition forces through the cover of displaying white flags, surrender. The coalition forces are fighting to liberate you from Saddam's bloodthirsty regime. Saddam's supporters have no morale. They abducted Iraqi women. He says Iraqis are aware of these people's crimes. He urges Iraqis not to fight the forces which came to liberate them from Saddam's tyranny. He says the country will be liberated from the crimes of this barbaric man and Iraqis will live free in future Iraq. Then he announces: Voice of the Liberation of Iraq. 4. Music. 5. Spokesman for coalition forces Vincent Brooks says mosques are sacred sites and must not be used for military and objectives. This was an answer to a question on the dictatorial regime's forces hiding inside these sacred Shi'i sites in Al-Najaf to use them as military positions to attack coalition forces. Brooks says only evil forces can engage in such tactics; he says coalition forces will not respond to fire by supporters of the dictatorial regime hiding inside mosques and other religious sites. Voice of the Liberation of Iraq. 6. Saddam loses control over Iraqi people and time has come to liberate Iraqi people. The duty of coalition forces is to topple Saddam's regime and liberate Iraq. Voice of the Liberation of Iraq. 7. Music. 8. Indistinct 9. Iraqi television broadcast statement urges Iraqis to fight coalition forces; coaches of Iraqi soldiers heading to airport in southwest Baghdad; US sends reinforcements to secure airport and changed its name from Saddam International Airport to Baghdad International Airport. 10. Pentagon expresses astonishment about Saddam Husayn's call to Muslims for jihad against coalition forces despite his history on killing thousands of Muslims. 11. US forces say they found thousands of boxes containing unknown substances. 12. US State Department's official says US offered 4m dollars to Iraqi National Congress in order to be able to continue its TV programmes directed to Iraq. 13. US president to head for Northern Ireland next week to hold talks with British prime minister; US president's national security adviser rejects any important role for UN in post-war of Iraq. 14. US Central Command officials say Nida unit of the Republican Army suffered big losses. 15. Music. 16. Appeal: Dictator Saddam has exposed Iraqi people to danger and he producing weapons of mass destruction which he hid in urban areas, sites of worship and schools. This is another attempt to hide his illegal weapons from UN inspectors and from those who work to disarm the dictator and to provide a secure life to the Iraqi people. These attempts expose the Iraqi people to serious dangers and bring destruction and chronic diseases to Iraq and neighbouring countries. The coalition forces are aware of Saddam's coward strategy and will not stop the process of disarmament. Iraqi people, you need to move to guarantee your security, that of your families and the security of your neighbours and to inform members of the coalition forces of any suspicious activity or any information on these weapons. The coalition forces want to eliminate this danger from Iraq. So, move now and rescue Iraq. Voice of the Liberation of Iraq. 17. Receiving Iraqi opposition figures, British prime minister says US-British forces to live Iraq as soon as possible and there will be a transitional authority led by Iraqis. 18. Music. 18. Another appeal on Saddam's invasion of Kuwait, his burning of Kuwaiti oil wells and their effect on environment and health risks; Saddam destroyed Iraq and his people. 19. Music. Source: Voice of the Liberation of Iraq, in Arabic 1730 gmt 5 Apr 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) 24 hours later, the next report showed a lot more music ** IRAQ [and non]. Says Iraq's Youth Radio was model for Information Radio content, says Info Radio is coming from Navy ships http://www.msnbc.com/news/891134.asp?0cv=KB20 Personal story of woman serving with British PSYOPS unit- http://www.caithness-courier.co.uk/news.asp?storyvar=3362 US passing out shortwave radio at checkpoints telling people to tune to VOA http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/6497567p-7441482c.html Item including bit of British station in Basra http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/095/nation/British_say_they_ll_stay_as_long_as_it_takes+.shtml More on the station: http://msnbc.com/news/895580.asp?cp1=1 Wash Post article mentioning that CIA set up clandestine radio stations against Saddam http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24073-2003Apr3.html (via Hans Johnson, April 6, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** IRAQ. SHARING WITH SPECIAL FORCES: Yesterday the Monitor's Cameron Barr stumbled across some US Special Forces soldiers in northern Iraq. As the story he contributed to notes (see story), they didn't have much to do. "They were pretty laid back," Cameron says, "and they were as eager - in a low-key, Special Forces sort of way - for information from us as we were for details about them. I have to say, they got the better end of the deal. They didn't tell us a thing, but we briefed them about world opinion on the war, the results of a recent US-Kurdish operation against Islamist militants, and other less weighty topics. They were so starved for information that I asked if they had a shortwave radio. The guy who appeared to be the commander said he had one but couldn't raise any English news. So I gave him some BBC frequencies." (From Christian Science Monitor April 2nd via Hans Johnson, April 6, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** IRAQ. From a much longer story, THE FIGHT YET TO COME about plans to administer Iraq; Reilly, of course, served only recently as VOA Director, but didn`t get along with the staff: (gh) The man entrusted to broadcast the new order to Iraqis over television and radio airwaves will be Robert Reilly, who, as head of Voice of America, relayed information to the communist bloc during the Cold War. [sic] The Observer has also learnt the identity of the person who will be the new viceroy of Baghdad: Barbara Bodine, former ambassador to Yemen, known for a mixture of her expertise in the region and fervent hostility to a politically organised Muslim world. Baghdad will be one of three administrative areas, the others being territory around Mosul in the North and Basra in the South 'the same provinces with which the Turkish Ottomans ruled what is now Iraq for four centuries'. http://www.observer.co.uk/focus/story/0,6903,930591,00.html (via Jilly Dybka, TN, April 7, DXLD) ** IRAQ [and non]. See also PROPAGATION at end of this issue; and RECEIVER NEWS ** ITALY. RAI 2 is back on 846 kHz. Heard on 7 APR at 1700 UT (Karel Honzik, the Czech Republic (Czechia), AOR AR-7030 30 m Long Wire, hard-core-dx via DXLD) That was a major outlet put off for `electrosmog` problems (gh, DXLD) ** JORDAN. 11690, 1611-, Radio Jordan, Apr 5. English news about Iraq, and then about North Korea. Fair to good reception only, but at least they're in English. 1613 prolonged music bridge, and repeat of news headlines (about Iraq), weather forecast. TC for 15 past 7. Then ID for 'Radio Jordan 9? FM' (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Is English now ending at 1630 as usual during DST? (gh, DXLD) ** KAZAKHSTAN [non]. LITHUANIA (NOT) 9925, 1637-, Radio Dat, Apr 5. I've been checking for them, and have heard nothing for quite some time. Their website http://www.datradio.com has not been updated either, and the RA link is down. Anyone have any information on what happened? Also I think Lithuania has leased out its transmitter to others at this time (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. Today's Washington Post has an interesting story on monitoring broadcasts from North Korea as part of the search for insights into the workings of the Pyongyang regime. See http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37436-2003Apr5.html (Matt Francis, DC, April 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: STRAINING FOR THE REAL MESSAGE IN NORTH KOREAN BROADCASTS Monitors Weigh Pyongyang's Rhetoric to 'Filter Out the Facts' By Doug Struck, Washington Post Foreign Service Sunday, April 6, 2003; Page A19 SEOUL -- North Korea says peninsula on verge of nuclear war. . . . North Korea calls Bush "war monger." . . . North Korea threatens to make Seoul a "Sea of Fire." It's all in a day's work for Kim Tae Won. He listens in his headphones patiently, all day, to North Korea's propaganda broadcasts, sorting through the bluster for clues of real danger in the crisis over nuclear weapons. Kim works at one of a scattering of listening posts around the region – in his case, at the South Korean Ministry of Unification -- that constantly monitor North Korea's radio and television stations to watch for provocative moves during the Iraq war. The rhetoric has become more heated since last fall because of tensions over North Korea's nuclear ambitions. Many analysts anticipated that the communist state, worried that it is next on the Bush administration's list for preemptive wars, would crank things up once the war in Iraq began. But so far, the airwaves have been relatively calm. The North Korean government has reported on the Iraq war with only a light peppering of editorial flavoring, even using some borrowed American television footage. It has not announced that it plans to restart a plutonium reprocessing plant or test a ballistic missile, the steps that Washington and other governments most fear. For the radio monitors, dramatic announcements are only part of their job. Much of what they do, day in and day out, is try to figure out from routine transmissions just what the reclusive government is trying to tell the world. They weigh the rhetoric, ponder the subtleties, and watch for new names or missing ones to determine changes in the regime's lineup. "It's psychological warfare," said Kang Seok Seung, who helps analyze the information Kim plucks from the broadcasts. "We have to filter out the facts." North Korea largely shuns avenues of normal communication with the outside world. The few foreign diplomats who live in Pyongyang say they get few meaningful messages from the government. There is no independent press inside the country, and the occasional foreign reporters allowed in rarely see anyone important in the government. So the official North Korean radio, television and press outlets become the main voice of the government. Listening for the message is like straining to hear a whisper amid shouts, say monitors like Kim, who has been doing the work for 26 years. The propaganda outlets boil with invective and threats. Some recent samples: "The whole Korean nation will not escape nuclear holocaust," North Korea warns. The "plot hatched" by the United States will "spark a nuclear crisis." A U.S. military exercise is moving "murderous equipment" and "entering a stage of real war." America is "escalating the danger of armed clashes." But even among the florid verbiage, there are useful signals. For example, the monitors pay attention to how foreign leaders such as President Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi are mentioned. Koizumi, for example, lately is "Japan's leader Koizumi." In Korean usage, that is lukewarm courtesy, a step down from the more respectful "Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi" he got after a historic summit in Pyongyang in September. Analysts see that as a sign North Korea doesn't want to insult Koizumi too badly and still wants to keep options open for improved relations with Japan. Personal slanders against the South Korean president have disappeared since the North-South Korean summit in June 2000. Bush, by contrast, gets spitting-mad treatment. He is "warmonger Bush, imperialist Bush," or "that crazy Bush who likes war." It is turnabout for the scorn the Bush administration has heaped on North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, whom Bush admits he "loathes." The monitors pay attention to who says what and when on the propaganda channels. Criticism that simply quotes foreign sources gets the least attention. Statements from a Foreign Ministry spokesman are given sharp attention, as are the editorials in the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper. The U.S. and North Korean governments both are adept in the language of signals. According to a knowledgeable U.S. source, the Bush administration recently sent indirect word to North Korea suggesting it make a gesture by broadcasting a formal statement of appreciation for 40,000 tons of food aid donated by the United States. The North Korean government took a grudging half-step: It announced the food aid in a two-sentence item on its broadcast -- without any public thanks -- and sent word through private channels that it appreciated the food. The U.S. Embassy in Seoul monitors the broadcasts around the clock, as do other governments. Several ministries in South Korea -- the ministries of unification, defense and information, and even the police -- do similar monitoring. Ironically, what they do is illegal for private citizens in South Korea. Despite budding democracy here, listening to North Korean radio still is a violation of the National Security Law. The ministries and media companies, like the South Korean wire service Yonhap, have to have special permission. "We listen for North Korea's demands and conditions on their political agenda," said Kang Jin Wook, a monitor and reporter at Yonhap. Monitors say they know those on the speaking end of the microphone mean what they say, according to Tadahiro Motomura, vice president of Radiopress Inc., a company that is an outgrowth of the radio room in Japan's Foreign Ministry that listened to foreign broadcasts for Japanese intelligence during World War II. "As far as we know, there is no live broadcast in North Korea. Everything is prerecorded and checked," he said. "I've never heard a North Korean commentator make a mistake. There's an old story that a broadcaster once made a mistake. He was never heard from again." (via Hans Johnson, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN. 4085, Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan, Salah al-Din near Mosul, Iraq. While the Kurdistan Democratic Front is approaching Mosul supported by U.S. Special Forces, I heard for the first time a message in English via this clandestine. On Apr 05 at 2000-2022 there was as usual a long proclamation against Saddam Hussein in Arabic. This was followed by military band music and an eight minutes long, but badly modulated message in U.S. English about the Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, instructions to Iraqis on how to safeguard themselves and not provoke fatal incidents at Coalition checkpoints, and requirement that prisoners of war should be treated according to the Geneva Conventions. After Kurdish music the station signed off 2033. 44443. Best 73, (Anker Petersen, Denmark, April 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, 20 to 25 minutes past the hours is the favourite time for English there (gh, DXLD) ** KUWAIT. BRITISH RADIO DJ A FAVORITE WITH BAGHDAD-BOUND April 6, 2003 BY SARAH DONALDSON On the outskirts of a vast American army camp near Kuwait City sits a metal cabin that houses a makeshift radio station. Every day, its small staff transmits a morale-nourishing mixture of familiar pop music, news, sports and dedication messages to thousands of soldiers currently deployed in the Gulf. One disc jockey -- breakfast show host Jonathan Bennett -- is gaining a cult following among the camp's GIs. Often, soldiers will knock on the studio door and thank him for playing a song which, for a moment, transported them away from the heat and the sand and back to the familiar comforts of home--perhaps Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run,'' or something by Garth Brooks. But Bennett is no fast-talking, ''Good Morning Vietnam''-style U.S. army jock. He's a 47-year-old Brit from a London suburb. Bennett is in Kuwait to run BFBS Middle East, a temporary branch of the British Forces Broadcasting Service's international radio network. He has worked for BFBS for 21 years, including a stint in Kuwait during the last Gulf conflict, but he's finding this war "the most difficult job" of his life. His audience is more wide-ranging than ever, partly due to an American "policy change", which means they have not set up a Gulf radio station as they did in 1991. This has led to many U.S. troops tuning into British radio rather than the American service, which is broadcast from outside the region. Secondly, improvements in mobile transmission technology mean that Bennett and his colleagues are broadcasting right to the front line. "The guys can actually tune in while they are fighting if they want," says Bennett. "We've got transmitters further forward than any other time since the Second World War. When I go on the breakfast show in the morning, I'm talking to guys who are resting having come off the front line." Bennett says that at first he didn't know whether to be laid-back or serious. "But, in the end, you just read dedications as straight and as sincerely as possible and have as much of a laugh as you can to take their minds of it." Popular song requests include The Animals' 1965 hit "We Gotta Get Out of this Place" and Thin Lizzy's 1976 rocker, "The Boys are Back in Town.'' Last week, an armored unit in the Iraqi desert mocked a battalion further away from the action with D:Ream's 1993 "Things Can Only Get Better.'' Bennett has no doubt that the music he plays provides a vital emotional outlet for the troops. "As the guys at the front line will tell you, war is nine parts waiting, one part fighting. While they're waiting, the radio can take their minds off things." Daily Telegraph http://www.suntimes.com/output/iraq/cst-nws-radio06.html 73 (via Kim Elliott, Jilly Dybka, Mike Terry, DXLD) Yes, that does raise a troublesome question: why isnt`t AFRTS active on the ground over there with local if temporary outlets?? (gh, DXLD) 'AFN MUSIC WAS LIKE A DRUG FOR US' Six decades of U.S. military radio have left a lasting impact on countries where it has been broadcast --- By Jeremy Herron http://makeashorterlink.com/?E25112B14 (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** LESOTHO. 4800, R. Lesotho, 0358-0455 03/30. Vernacular. Booming signal at tunein with Afropops. IS (wind-instruments tones, Balafon?) at 0403, OM with drop in audio reading news until 0409. Lite music, then different OM at 0413, audio back up to prior level, with "animated, rising /falling" talks (religious?) with breaks for choral-style and lite Afropop music. Phone-in program at 0430 with breaks for more choral/lite music. Signal gradually faded under QRN until unusable at 0455 (Scott Barbour, Jr., NH, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** MALAYSIA. RTM, VOICE OF MALAYSIA AND VOICE OF ISLAM - NEW SCHEDULES FOR A03 4845 24-hrs RTM Kajang Tamil domestic 4895 2200-0100 RTM Kuching domestic 4895 0800-1500 RTM Kuching domestic 5030 2200-0000 RTM Kuching domestic 5030 1000-1500 RTM Kuching domestic 5965 24-hrs RTM Kajang Malay domestic 5980 2200-1500 RTM Kotakinabalu domestic 6025 0200-1400 RTM Kajang domestic Malay and dialects domestic 6025 1400-1700 VOI Kajang Malay As 6050 2200-1500 RTM Sibu domestic 6060 0400-1500 RTM Miri domestic 6100 1300-1530 VOM Kajang Thai, Burmese As 6175 0300-0700 VOI Kajang English Indonesia 6175 0700-0830 VOM Kajang English Indonesia 6175 0900-1400 VOM Kajang Indonesian 6175 1700-1900 VOM Kajang Indonesian 7130 0400-0600 RTM Kuching domestic 7270 0800-1500 RTM Kuching domestic 7295 24-hrs RTM Kajang English domestic 9750 0300-0700 VOI Kajang English As 9750 0700-0830 VOM Kajang English As 9750 0900-1400 VOM Kajang Indonesian 9750 1700-1900 VOM Kajang Malay 11885 1030-1230 VOM Kajang Mandarin 15295 0300-0700 VOI Kajang English Au NZ 15295 0700-0830 VOM Kajang English Au NZ 15295 1530-1900 VOM Kajang Arabic ME Footnotes: 1. 9665 is registered with the ITU with 250 kW from Kajang 0300-1230 to Au and NZ, as an alternative frequency to 15295 2. Operating times and days for domestic services from Kuching, Sibu and Miri are variable 3. Voice of Islam English is listed 0300-0600 but may be extended to 0700 on some days 4. Kuching 4895 and 5030 are subject to constant disruption due to technical problems and may be discontinued (EDXP World Broadcast Magazine March 30, http://edxp.org used by permission, via DXLD) ** MEXICO [non]. FORM 1090: So now So Cal has yet one more Sports station, XEPRS/1090, which is targeting the San Diego market specifically. So what? -- Except, it sure was good to hear the voice of an old friend, Wolfman Jack, during that first weekend leading up to their recent debut. 1090 ran a tape loop that weekend, mostly of Sports actualities, et al, but they did give a nod to the heritage of the frequency, and it's most listened to resident, the Wolf...who held court each weeknight at 10PM (right after Reverend Ike) on what was then XERB/1090, circa 1965-1971. Of course, some of us remember hearing the wolf prior to the 1090 engagement, on XERF/1570, out of Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila. Next time you find yourself there, jump across the Rio Grande to Del Río, Texas, and check out the new Museum dedicated to the memory of Wolfman Jack (source? via Greg Hardison, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** MEXICO [non]. Update of a report I sent to http://www.radiolondon.co.uk a few months ago: In 1999, Howie Castle took Webmasters Chris and Mary across the Mexican border from California, to pay homage to the original site where Wolfman Jack had once broadcast from XERB. Now a shopping plaza, the former XERB site contains a 'mini-mast' (left) (see web site) and a plaque commemorating the Wolfman and the station. Now the Texan town of Del Rio "The Best of the Border - where Old Mexico meets the New West" - is to erect a statue to honour the Wolfman, one of America's best-loved DJs, who died in 1995.The howling hero's rock 'n' roll radio career was launched via the Mexican 'border-blaster' stations. Locals have already had the chance to preview a miniature version of the statue, by sculptor Michael Maiden, which was unveiled during a recent music festival held in honour of the Wolfman. The full-sized sculpture will be unveiled on October 31st - a date known appropriately in the US as 'howl-lowe'en'. Wolfman Jack website here: http://www.wolfmanjack.com/ Del Rio Chamber of Commerce site here: http://www.wolfmanjack.com/ (Mike Terry, April 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Informándoles que en el mes pasado, XHMVS 102.5 Best FM, es la primera estación en la ciudad de México en transmitir una señal RDS (Radio Data System). El texto que envía es "BEST FM". Saludos (Héctor García Bojorge, DF, April 5, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** MOROCCO. This morning (at 0428) heard Radio Morocco with excellent signal on 11920 kHz. News on the half-hour, followed by an interesting ID at 0435: "Idhaat ul-mamlyakat il-Maghribiya min Tanjer". Strange, it used to go from Rabat, the capital. Is it a local studio relayed on the waves of country's external service? Does anybody know whether other domestic programs (Casablanca, Marrakech, etc.) can be heard in SW? WRTH says nothing about it. 73, (Dmitry Mezin, Kazan, Russia, April 6, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** PALAU [and non]. The High Adventure Ministries website lists the following stations on their network: - "A transmission site in Germany" (i.e. Juelich) for Europe, Middle East, Asia - "A shortwave facility just north of Los Angeles, California" (i.e. KVOH) - An FM station in Liberia (Monrovia) - "We are currently building a new transmission site in Northern Nigeria where we will broadcast FM, AM and shortwave, eventually reaching most of the continent of Africa." No mention at all of Palau. Does anybody know something about the current status of The Station Formerly Known as KHBN (now something T88..) apart from being used for Radio Free Asia? They once sent me a nice QSL with a nice stamp, it would be nice if there still were some service. 73, -- (Eike Bierwirth, 04317 Leipzig, DL, hard-core-dx via DXLD) Well, this appears in the current client listing of George Jacobs, http://www.gjainc.com --- 9955.0 KHBN PALAU 0800-1700 S ASIA 50.0 280 9955.0 KHBN PALAU 2200-2400 SE ASIA 50.0 280 9965.0 KHBN PALAU 0700-1700 CHINA 80.0 318 9965.0 KHBN PALAU 2200-2400 CHINA 80.0 318 9985.0 KHBN PALAU 0700-1600 KOR/JAP 50.0 345 9985.0 KHBN PALAU 2100-2400 KOR/JAP 50.0 345 12160.0 KHBN PALAU 1000-1600 S ASIA 50.0 270 13840.0 KHBN PALAU 1100-1600 S ASIA 50.0 270 15725.0 KHBN PALAU 0700-1100 S ASIA 50.0 270 KHBN is licensed by the Govt. of Palau as T8BZ The question is whether any or all of the above refers to non-RFA programming, as I suspect it does. HA`s Nigerian plans are long ago abandoned, replaced by a joint venture with WJIE in Liberia, supposedly testing that ex-Lebanon transmitter already on 11515. Has anyone heard it? (Glenn Hauser, April 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 5728.43 – see UNIDENTIFIED ** PERU. 3329.66, Ondas del Huallaga, 0950 with music interrupted by om ID and CHU making its presence felt. 4790, Radio Atlántida, 1102 hyper announcer, exotic music, ID 1105 4750.10, Radio San Francisco, Solana 1020 several ID's Icom R75, NRD 535D modified, Scotka Noise Reducing Antenna Mosquito ~ News http://uk.geocities.com/dxsf/ Mosquito ~ Radio http://uk.geocities.com/dxsf/1959S38.html (R L C Wilkner, FL, April 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CONTINUED as DXLD 3-060!