DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-078, May 6, 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/dxldtd3e.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 1180: RFPI: Wed 0700v0815, 1400v1515 7445, 15039 WWCR: Wed 0930 9475 WJIE: M-F 0730 7490, 13595? WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 FIRST AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1181: Wed 2200 on WBCQ 7415, 17495-CUSB? Thu 2030 on WWCR 15825 Fri 1930 on RFPI 15039 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html from early UT Thu: [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1181.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1181.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1181h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1181h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1181.html SOLICITED TESTIMONIALS Since I was getting zero response from members of the qth.net swl list, and since the system was bouncing my DXLD issue notifications, I proposed to quit posting them on that list, while referring people to other lists if they really wanted them. This led to a handful of responses from the hundreds on the list, and Duane Fischer persuaded me to resume (gh) Goodbye Glenn, I will continue as I have with your newsletter, reading ONLY the DX portions and ignoring everything else! (Eric Cooper) Glenn, I always read your DXLD. It shows up on several lists that I belong to too. As a person involved in doing columns, I know that there are those out there who dislike your column. All they have to do is hit the "DELETE" key and away you go!!! Keep up the good work and I will keep reading and pass on your news items to the two local groups in my area. Good Listening and DX!!! (Stewart H. MacKenzie, WDX6AA) Well, I for one hate to see you go and I guess I will have to read your info in other groups, as your info has been like a daily shortwave news to me. I have over the years enjoyed reading your daily news, and personally I want to Thank you for posting my info on the Guam radio stations. 73's from (Larry Fields, n6hpx/mm, now presently heading back to homeport away from the Gulf) I don't know how this all started, but this list will be just another list without Glenn's input as far as I am concerned (Chuck Bolland, KA4PRF, Clewiston Florida) Glenn, you must spend hours compiling DXLD every week and you have done for years, no other list (and there are some very good ones) is as comprehensive and up to date. Its a pleasure to read, and its free! Here's to many more years of DXLD. Thanks (Mike Terry, UK) Your posts are valuable, appreciated and extremely helpful, Glenn. But if you think subscribers are going to send you love letters, think again! Of the almost three hundred on this list, about ten percent post on a frequent basis, another ten percent on a once in a while basis. That leaves a silent majority of 80% who read, but never post. It does not mean they do not care or that they are not appreciative, they simply do not post to anyone. This is true of the vast majority of mail lists, regardless of the server, source or topic. I would like to keep your valuable posts appearing here, Glenn (Duane Fischer, W8DBF, swl List Admin) Thank you Glenn! I am glad to see you back. 73 (Gregory Mengell) Hi, Glenn. I've been following the thread on the swl list re: DX Listening Digest, and am glad the technical and other issues have been worked out and your posts are back. FWIW, i appreciate and mostly agree with your views on "religion" and other topical issues. I understand you add occasional comments to offer listeners/readers another perspective and cause us to at least contemplate our values and beliefs. apparently, it works. please continue. Best regards, as always (Jim Wishner, MN, May 6) Glenn, it's been a while so I felt obligated to contribute --- as everyone who reads your material should (Phil Marshall, Bradenton, FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See COLOMBIA ** AFGHANISTAN. CANADIAN ORGANIZATION HELPS SET UP RADIO TRANSMITTER IN FAYZABAD | Text of report by Iranian radio from Mashhad on 3 May A radio transmitter will go into operation in a few days in the town of Fayzabad, capital of Badakhshan Province in northern Afghanistan. A source from the Afghan Culture and Information Ministry told IRNA [Islamic Republic News Agency] that broadcasts from this transmitter can easily be received within a 50-km radius in northern Badakhshan Province. The transmitter will be set up with the cooperation of a Canadian organization. The radio transmitter will be managed by five Afghan women. Its programmes will focus particulary on women's lives. Many organizations are active in the mass media in Afghanistan, and are endeavouring to expand the work and activities of the media in Afghanistan by setting up more radio transmitters in the country. Source: Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mashhad, in Dari 1330 gmt 3 May 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) WTFK? ** ALASKA. KNLS schedule effective 28 April to 27 July includes English: 0800-0900 11765, 1300-1400 11870 (KNLS via Tony Rogers, May BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. This morning (6 MAY 2003, 0500 UT) there were no signals on usual Radio Australia frequencies from Shepparton (15240, 15415, 17750, 21725 kHz). Only on 15515 kHz I could hear a weak signal. Contrary - there was a very good signal comming from New Zealand on 17675 kHz (until 0500) and on 11820 kHz (from 0500). (Karel Honzik the Czech Republic (Czechia), AOR AR-7030 30 m Long Wire, hard-core-dx via DXLD) BTW, the transmitter site in Victoria is spelt Shepparton, whilst the movie studio in England is spelt Shepperton (gh, DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 6105.48, Radio Panamericana, 1015-1023 May 6. Ordinary music presented with comments by a man and woman between tunes. ID at 1021 by man, "La hora, Panamericana ..." Signal was poor at 1015, but picked up by 1021 (Chuck Bolland, FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. De Tefé (AM), Paulo Roberto e Souza informa que entrou em contato com a direção da Rádio Vale do Rio Madeira, de Humaitá (AM), questionando o porquê da emissora nunca ter emitido na freqüência de 3205 kHz. De acordo com a estação, para o futuro, há planos de emitir em ondas tropicais, desde que a ANATEL mude a freqüência, ato que já foi solicitado. No momento, a Rádio Vale do Rio Madeira emite em 660 kHz, entre 0800 e 0400. O telefone da emissora é o seguinte: 0xx 97 373.2073. BRASIL - As duas emissoras de Goiânia (GO), que emitem em ondas curtas, têm boa sintonia na Europa. Roberto Scaglione ouviu, em 5 de maio, na Itália, a Rádio Brasil Central, pela freqüência de 11815 kHz, às 2255. Já a CBN Anhangüera foi captada, às 2300, em 11830 kHz. Scaglione edita o sítio: http://www.bclnews.it (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX May 4 via DXLD) ** CANADA. UTILITÁRIA, 7335 - CHU, Ottawa - 30 dias. Recebi o QSL mostrando a reprodução de uma pintura de propriedade The Confederation Life Gallery of Canadian History, que apresenta uma cena de Sanford Fleming numa reunião em Toronto em 1879. Muito bonito o QSL. QTH: Rádio Station CHU, National Reserch Council, Ontário K1A OS1, Canada (Adalberto Azevedo, Barbacena, MG, @tividade DX May 4 via DXLD) ** CANADA. Mister Elving will be proud of me; I went on a polite E- mail rampage today to all the Toronto area TV stations individually to point out Broadcast Regulation 7.3.1 which states how stations "shall" ID on the hour with calls and city. None do anymore in Toronto. (CFMT Channel 47 was the last one to ID properly, but doesn't anymore. CITY- TV uses "Everywhere" as its city (literally)). I'll report on my results... The regs can be found at http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/pics/sf/bpr1-e.pdf (Bill Hepburn, Apr 29, WTFDA via DXLD) ** CANADA. With Ryan Grabow's logo website being the inspiration, I now have a Canadian logo website up & running at http://members.rogers.com/tvdx1/can/logo-2.htm Channel 2 & 3 has full data. Channel 4, 5, 6 have maps only for now, but full data will be added soon. The Canadian scene is much different than the American scene, with very few local stations - instead mostly regional or national stations. Included is pertinent info that will help tell network relayers apart (Bill Hepburn, ON, May 3, WTFDA via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. Hola Glenn, Saludos desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA. Como ya había informado anteriormente, en mi captación del pasado 01/05, Radio Caracol se ha reactivado en onda corta al retransmitir su canal de onda media 1140 AM, a través de los 5960 kHz. He vuelto a sintonizarla --- un poco más abajo --- 5958kHz, a las 2120 UT, el 04/05. Emitía la sección "El Rey del Gol", dentro de la transmisión de un partido de la liga neogranadina, entre el Deportivo Cali y El Palmira. SINPO 34322. Ya a las 2300UTC es "neutralizada" por Radio Canada Internacional. Por otra parte, Radio Melodía sigue silenciada por los 6140 kHz. Buen DX y muchos 73 (Adán González, VENEZUELA, May 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Is CARACOL turned on only for sports specials? (gh, DXLD) 5958.10, LV de los Centauros, Villavicencio in Spanish with full ID by OM at 1059 then CARACOL ID as they joined the network and news by OM at 1100 on. This is a reactivation and last time I heard them was about 5 years ago on 5955v. Very good signal here in Florida (Phil Marshall, Bradenton, FL, Drake R-8 w/85 ft longwire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COSTA RICA. RFPI - 2 days for e mail follow up to report from 2 January 2003. Naomi Fowler promises a card now in the mail. Very gracious and warm response. 7445 at 0730 (David Stevens, NSW, May ADXN QSL report via DXLD) RFPI`s 15039.0 resumed on May 5, and still on May 6 at 1345 check in Democracy Now, including local KPFA program promos and rebuffering pauses; sounds like up to full power. That ended at 1400, then 15 minutes of an unID program and after 1418 This Way Out, which is on the http://www.rfpi.org/SkedPDF.pdf grid at 0100 UT Tuesdays, so it would normally repeat 12 hours later at 1300. Ditto University Forum at 0130, starting at 1448. Therefore the repeat cycle in this case was delayed about 78 minutes (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CROATIA [non]. For the past week I`ve been hearing expanded English from Croatian Radio, ``Croatia Today`` at 0200 until 0220 or 0225 on 9925 via Germany. Not sure if it runs every two hours (Joe Hanlon, PA, UT May 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) After a music break, started Spanish at 0230 May 6 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. I have a station in English on 9505 kHz at 2115 with a lot of news about South Africa and the surrounding countries. Doesn't sound like a VOA transmission. Announcer has an African English Accent. ?????? anyone know who it is ???? [Later:] Judging by the interval signal they're using now, my tip was Havana Cuba. They are now in French and heard the ID in same (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston Florida, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So that`s where RHC went --- at least today; 2030-2130 English was on 11760 briefly. Using 9 MHz at this time to Europe in summer is absurd. Who is their propagation expert? (gh, DXLD) ** CUBA. THE COMING CRISIS IN CUBA Ernesto Betancourt, Published May 2, 2003 The Washington Times [Moony] During the week the war in Iraq ended, Fidel Castro sentenced 75 dissidents to a total of 1,454 years in prison for owning faxes and computers, writing unapproved reports, meeting with American diplomats and surfing the Internet. . . http://washingtontimes.com/commentary/20030502-90529854.htm (via David Crawford, FL, DXLD) ARTISTS, WRITERS DEFEND CASTRO The Washington Times [Moony] May 3, 2003 From combined dispatches HAVANA - Singer Harry Belafonte, who recently called Secretary of State Colin L. Powell a "house slave," has joined actor Danny Glover and more than 160 artists and intellectuals to defend Fidel Castro's government against criticism over its recent crackdown on dissent. . . http://www.washtimes.com/world/20030503-95018311.htm (via David Crawford, FL, DXLD) ** CUBA [non]. TV MARTI'S CHIEF EYES BETTER SIGNAL http://www.cubanet.org/CNews/y03/may03/05e3.htm BY RUI FERREIRA. El Nuevo Herald Pedro Roig, new head of Radio and TV Martí, has two precise goals: finding a way to make sure that Cubans on the island can watch the U.S. government's TV Martí service and gauging who listens to Radio Marti and what they want to hear. ''We want the Cuban people to have the chance of having this formidable window that the government of the United States offers them to get accurate, credible and very objective information, and at the same time promote democracy, which is a mission of ours,'' Roig said in an interview last week in Miami-Dade County. A veteran collaborator at Radio Martí, where for years he hosted an interview and cultural affairs program, Roig said his priority is to make TV Martí easy to watch in Cuba. Cuban jamming makes the signal virtually impossible to pick up. ''This is something that is in its early stages,'' he said. "After all, I've only been here 11 days, but [TV Martí] has something that is worth watching.'' Running a finger over a chart of the Florida Straits, Roig seems to find a possible clue to how to boost the TV Martí signal on the island. ''Here it is,'' he said. "Look, Sand Key, south of Key West.'' It's a spot where the United States has jurisdiction. The idea is to have an aircraft flying within U.S. airspace, but closer to the Cuban coast than the existing balloon used by the U.S. government to beam the signal from Cudjoe Key, north of Key West. ''I don't know if this will work, but I believe it's worth trying,'' Roig said. "Cubans must have access to images from the world.'' Roig also wants to make Radio Martí more responsive to audience demands (via David Crawford, Titusville, DXLD) Hey, I`ve got an idea! Since this is an extraordinary situation, illegal international telecasting subject to jamming, why not just go whole hog and broadcast TV Martí to Cuba from a satellite? Enough with puny balloons or aircraft, already. Not on satellite frequencies, but on regular VHF channels accessible to any Cuban TV set! Maximum possible power should be used, of course, and highly directional spot beams to avoid interfering with US and other countries` terrestrial TV. Broadcasting on all 12 VHF channels would slightly disrupt Cuban domestic TV, but doesn`t it deserve to be? With such saturation, it would be impossible for Fidel to effectively jam Martí for a change. This`ll make him wish he`d gone with the Russian TV system when he had a chance (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CZECHOSLOVAKIA. CZECH RADIO HISTORY -- By Miroslav Krupicka The first attempts at radio broadcasting in Czechoslovakia began after the First World War. The first radio programme, made up of words and music, was broadcast on the first anniversary of the establishment of independent Czechoslovakia on October 28th, 1919, from the telegraph station at Prague's Petrin lookout tower. . . http://www.radio.cz/en/article/40370 (via Jill Dybka, TN, DXLD) ** DENMARK. In DXLD 3-077 I saw: "BFBS 13860 signed off around 1800 and then no splatters from them. Around 1803 an ute-station came on the frequency with "CQ DE OXT" and later with presumed facsimile broadcast." On the North coast of this island (Zeeland or Sjaelland in Danish) our coastal transmitting station, Skamlebaek Radio, is located. For years it has been transmitting ice charts covering the southern part of Greenland to ships up there using the callsign OXT. As far as I remember the schedule was never changed, thus you now find the frequencies in the new broadcast bands. They ID in CW before the facsimile transmission. Their schedule, taken from http://www.dmi.dk/vejr/gron/index.html (click: iskort - iskort) is: Information Frequency Time UTC Chart 2 (or 1) 9360 0003-0025 Chart 2 (or 1) 5850 0028-0050 Chart 1 5850 0943-1005 Chart 1 9360 1008-1030 Chart 1 9360 1153-1215 Chart 1 13855 1218-1240 Chart 2 (or 1) 9360 1243-1305 Chart 2 (or 1) 13855 1308-1330 Chart 2 (or 1) 17510 1333-1355 Chart 1 13855 1803-1825 Chart 1 9360 1828-1850 AFN on 13855 USB is also rather strong here in Copenhagen, but faded somewhat after 16 UT. Still heard when writing this at 18 UT on May 5. 73, (Erik Køie, Copenhagen, Denmark, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EL SALVADOR. 17835.215, 0054-, Radio Imperial, Apr 29. Nice reception with Spanish programming including an address in Florida (religious), then ID for Radio Imperial at about 00:50. Pretty much wiped out by NHK IS at 0056. Some deep fades, but then faded up to good/very good levels. Still occasionally overpowering NHK. 17835.20, 1354-, Radio Imperial, May 3. Fair reception at this early morning hour with Spanish religious vocals (Walter (Volodya) Salmaniw, MD, Victoria, BC, Canada, DXing the world using AOR 7030+/ERGO, Rockwell-Collins HF-2050, Racal 1792, JRC NRD 535D, Kenwood R5000, Collins R390A, Sony 2010, and Sony 1000T with the following antennae: T2FD, K9AY, 60 meter horizontal loop, Eavesdropper, 25 meter dipole, 25 MHz vertical, and random wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ERITREA/ETHIOPIA [nons]. R. UNMEE via Dhabbaya, presumed, 21550 at 1120-1130* Apr 24 in English talk, weak/clear, SIO 232 (Tony Rogers, BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** FINLAND. Recently I heard Radio Finland on 6120, signal very weak if I am using my JVC model UX-V3 receiver. I can't hear clear, so I use JVC receiver as an amplifier and cassette recorder and a Philips D-1875 portable radio receiver as a tuner. This method can improve the lack of sensitivity of JVC receiver in receiving many weak stations, and hearing clearly on 6120 Radio Finland during 2000-2130 UT. At 2130 UT Radio Nederland's Indonesian program signs on with good signal and covers Radio Finland's signal (Yin Yung-chien, Taipei, Taiwan, May 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. Dear Glenn: On April 8 2003 earlier morning local time 05:30 / 2130 UT, I heard RFI's Polish program on 7135 kHz with strong signal and at 14:18 local time I sending an e-mail reception report with an mp3 file to service.pologne@rfi.fr Then two hours later I received a reply e-mail from Mr. Casimir Piekarec, chief of the Polish section RFI as: Dear Sir, I'm very grateful indeed for your reception report, certainly the first one we ever got from a listener in China. I told this good news immediately to all our little Polish team. Everybody is impressed by such a far provenience message! Unfortunately we are not able to send you an appropriate formal QSL card, because RFI dosen't practice that old and respectable custom. May be my e-mail answer should play the role? Thanking you warmly for your report, so exact and exhaustive, I wish you the best condition for listening RFI programmes. With kind regards I am Yours faithfully, Casimir Piekarec, chief of the polish section RFI (Yin Yung-chien, Taipei, Taiwan, May 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. DW will broadcast from June from their new home in Bonn. New address will be: Deutsche Welle, Kurt-Schumacher-Str. 3, D-53113 Bonn, Germany. Tel.: +49/228/429-0. Technical Advisory Service can not be conaced via +49/228/429-3208(T) or +49/228/429-3220(F); e-mail: tb@dw-world.de (Peter Kruse, May BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** ICELAND. Re your mention of ISBS being on 13855 before, under item USA [or non] AFRTS. On 4 May at 1745 I heard them on 13865 USB+carrier with music program. At 1800 ID "Utvarp Reykjavik", into news. At the same time AFN was on 13855U with similar strength (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) also see USA non Here is a reply I got from Keflavik, Iceland to my question about AFN 13855U transmissions (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) -----Original message----- From: Huizinga, Patricia OIC (NASKEF NMC) patricia.huizinga@naskef.navy.mil Sent: 6. May 2003 20:23 To: Jari Savolainen Subject: RE: AFN on shortwave Yes indeed. You are hearing a signal that you may continue to hear for some time. It is transmitted from Keflavik, Iceland, but the original program is sent to us from California. Here at Keflavik, we insert some local "spots" and IDs. We have started to send out the signal so that any US ships in the area could listen to US programs. Best Regards from a slightly overcast Iceland! (Trish Huizinga, Officer-in- Charge, Naval Media Center, via Savolainen, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. SATELLITE RADIO REACHES THE PC From http://www.forbes.com/2003/05/02/cx_ah_0502tentech.html?partner=altavista Ten O'Clock Tech --- Arik Hesseldahl, 05.02.03, 10:00 AM ET NEW YORK - As if there weren't already enough ways to listen to music on a personal computer, you can now add satellite radio to the list of options. If you've been curious about the satellite radio services but don't spend enough time in the car to warrant the expense of the equipment and the monthly subscription fee, the folks at XM Satellite Radio (nasdaq: XMSR) this week announced a new receiver designed to be connected to a PC. It's called the XM PC Receiver and it's selling for about $70 directly from PC Connection (nasdaq: PCCC). The receiver connects to a USB port on the PC, which gives it sufficient power to operate. It also requires an audio cord to the line-in port on the PC's audio card or to a pair of powered speakers. The company says it works best if the receiver is placed near a south- facing window. (You also need to live in the continental United States.) You don't need to be connected to the Internet, though -- the music comes directly from XM's satellites in orbit and its repeaters on the ground. And that, the company says, is a nice advantage over Internet-based streaming music services. Listen to a streaming service and you run the risk of having other things you do online slow down, especially while on dial-up connections. You control the receiver directly from the PC, changing channels and whatnot. The software that comes with the receiver also displays in real time what's playing on all of XM's 101 channels, so if you see something you like on another channel you can switch quickly. The XM service costs $10 a month plus a $15 onetime setup fee. And if you already have an XM unit in your car, you can add a second one for an extra $7 a month. Between the two satellite radio services, Washington D.C.-based XM and rival Sirius (nasdaq: SIRI) in New York, XM appears to be having the most success. It just recently said it had signed up a half- million subscribers. But both have struggled to stay afloat financially. In its most recent quarter, XM reported a $161 million loss on sales of $9 million. But it also landed a new funding package worth $475 million that included $225 million in cash and $250 million in deferred payments from investors and bondholders, including General Motors (nyse: GM) and Honda (nyse: HMC). The financing plan should keep XM operating into 2004 when it says it expects to break even. The picture is much darker at Sirius. In its most recent quarter Sirius lost $134 million on sales of $685,000 and finished 2002 with just 30,000 subscribers -- though it is forecasting 300,000 by the end of 2003. It also says it needs about 2 million subscribers to break even. But it recently announced a recapitalization plan worth $1.2 billion, the crux of which was a debt-for-equity swap with bondholders worth $636 million. It also sold $200 million in common stock to three private-equity firms, OppenheimerFunds, Apollo Management and The Blackstone Group. It was enough to avoid bankruptcy, but its stock price hasn't closed above the $1 mark since early February. It next reports earnings on May 14. People are generally listening to music at their PCs more often than ever before, if for no other reason than to drown out distracting noises while they're trying to work. But the appeal of this PC receiver may be stronger for existing subscribers who want to listen outside of their cars than it will be for new subscribers. Sirius already offers live streams of most of its programming through its Web site. The company used to provide unlimited Web streams for everyone, but now only subscribers can listen to unlimited streams on their PCs, though at no additional cost. Non-subscribers can listen too, but only for 20 minutes at a time. Generally those who like satellite radio make a point of getting it. But as the numbers show, the companies are having a tricky time convincing consumers to pay for radio. Obviously some are willing to pay for specialized programming, like channels that are all jazz or all classic rock that don't go fuzzy when you drive across the country. But if most people are unhappy with the music they can hear on local conventional radio stations, they can always fall back on their CD collections at no additional cost. And as that's true in the car, it's true on a PC. And there's the problem (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** IRAN. Having missed Chris Hambly`s expected phone interview on VOIRI May 4, I checked their audio archive, which is supposed to cover the previous week, both the sesquihour and monohour broadcasts in English. One of them had a continuous tone, the other was not in English -- I think. At 8 kbps it was pretty much unintelligible in any language. So much for that (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGTEST) ** IRAQ. VOICE OF NEW IRAQ PROMOTES SAFETY IN BAGHDAD Saturday, May 03, 2003, 5:12:24 PM (Baghdad, Iraq-AP) -- Coalition forces are using broadcasts on a radio station they call the Voice of New Iraq to promote safety in Baghdad. An announcer urges Iraqi parents to keep children away from leftover war objects that could explode. US-led forces are also warning of potential attacks on their vehicles by allies of "the big traitor Saddam Hussein." US officials say children should avoid approaching military vehicles. There have been scattered reports in recent weeks of children and some adults being wounded by bomb fragments and other live weapons. US forces are using several methods to secure peace in postwar Baghdad. Repeatedly asking for Iraqi cooperation is one cornerstone of their strategy. Tomorrow, authorized police officers armed with pistols are scheduled to start patrolling the streets. Copyright The Associated Press (via KCRG-TV via Jilly Dybka, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** IRAQ. ATTACK BY GUNMEN OBSTRUCTS TV, RADIO TRANSMISSION | Text of announcer-read report over video, from the "Al-Jazeera at midday" programme, broadcast by Qatari Al-Jazeera satellite TV on 5 May The temporary building from which the temporary Iraqi television transmits has come under an attack by unidentified gunmen. The studio was damaged, thus obstructing the launching of the experimental transmission, which was scheduled to last six hours daily. Differences persist between Abdallah al-Shaykh, who was appointed by the Americans and Mustafa al-Rubay'i, who was selected by the television workers to supervise the transmission. [Fa'izah al-Azzi, Al-Jazeera Television correspondent in Baghdad - recording] The engineering team supervising the restart of Iraqi television transmission was frustrated as soon as it arrived at the television offices. It found that the studio was destroyed and many pieces of equipment were stolen. The television was supposed to start an experimental transmission of six hours a day. [Imad Abd-al-Aziz, Radio and Television engineering affairs director] We met with Mr Mikes [name as transliterated], ORHA [Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance] official for media affairs. We gave him an integrated plan for television and radio transmission, not covering Baghdad alone but all of Iraq. We gave him a full inventory of the transmitters and studios and their locations, both the damaged and safe ones. We requested only protection. Anyone who saw the report should have been happy. However, the man was not happy, for he does not want us to start transmission. [Al-Azzi] Iraqis have been awaiting the return of the media facility since the end of the war. The party behind the targeting of the facility is still unknown. As for the radio and television employees, who are looking forward to returning to their jobs, the destruction inflicted on the main studio has doubled their concern about the possibility of returning to their jobs. [Muhammad al-Qadi, from the US-appointed committee for running Iraqi television] I personally believe that the transmission will be limited to guiding the citizens about what to do and how to temporarily run their lives until stability is restored. Transmission will be full and require all the technical staff. [Al-Azzi] Many believe that resuming transmission hinges on providing protection for the place, after many institutions were looted and burnt. [Unidentified man] A group of gunmen came yesterday. They wanted to attack the satellite channel and radio buildings and loot what remained. However, some employees and managers collected some equipment so that they could operate the radio. [Unidentified man] We want only an approval by the US forces to arm some young men who have expressed their readiness to volunteer for free to protect this institution, which is ours. This is a voluntary matter. We can now provide you with 100 men now. [Al-Azzi] Between providing protection and securing the electricity required for transmission, the Iraqis are suffering media vacuum and widespread rumours. People here are in a race with time. They are wondering in whose interest is this delay in providing protection, and whether it will actually be an Iraqi transmission. Source: Al-Jazeera TV, Doha, in Arabic 1350 gmt 5 May 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** IRAQ. US GARNERS NO FAVOUR WITH IRAQI LISTENERS AND VIEWERS The US Civil Administrator in Iraq, Retired Lt. Gen. Jay Garner, has admitted to being disappointed at his inability to inaugurate an extensive television and radio broadcast system for Iraq. The TV service broadcasting so far has been available to only a few Iraqis. "We haven't done a good job," Garner admitted to journalists. "I want TV going to the people, with a soft demeanor - programs they want to see." Andy Sennitt comments: Somebody needs to get a grip and set up an interim regulatory authority; otherwise it will be anarchy on the Iraqi airwaves. The regulators need to include people with technical, administrative and programming backgrounds as well as those who understand the political and ethnic complexities involved. You won't create a democratic broadcasting system by allowing 20 or 30 groups of people with different agendas to have a station each. People will only listen to the ones that reflect their own views. Nor is it satisfactory to fill the airwaves with non-Iraqi voices, however well- intentioned these efforts are. It would make much more sense to me if the Iraqi journalists currently working for Radio Sawa, Radio Free Iraq and other such stations were to go to Iraq and teach fellow Iraqis how to make good quality radio programmes. Then they would be making a real and lasting contribution to Iraqi society. Otherwise, instead of discussion and debate you'll get a lot of people shouting into the ether, to very little positive effect (Media Network May 5 via DXLD) ** IRAQ. According to observations by the RMS systems in Kuwait, Iraq Media Network on 1170 is no longer broadcasting any IDs, just test music, something like IS! Attached is a file with that IS (Tarek Zeidan, Egypt, May 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ. CHINESE FIRM SENDS 100,000 DIGITAL SATELLITE RECEIVERS TO IRAQ | Text of report by Chen Wen entitled: "One hundred thousand Changhong digital satellite receivers are on charter flight to Iraq", carried by Chinese news agency Zhongguo Xinwen She Mianyang, 25 April: On the afternoon of 25 April, the first batch of 100,000 digital satellite colour TV receivers manufactured by Changhong was loaded into trucks, delivered to the Shuangliu International Airport of Chengdu, and taken on board a charter plane for a flight to Iraq where reconstruction is desperately needed in every field. Sichuan Changhong has become the first Chinese enterprise to enter the market of post-war Iraq. It is learned that Changhong has received intended orders for exporting more than one million digital products to Iraq and the Middle East this year. At present, large numbers of additional orders and down payments are pouring into Changhong. Products "made in China by Changhong" are acknowledged by clients and consumers alike in the Middle East. According to a responsible person at Changhong, the company has made an assessment of the market of post-war Iraq but, judging from the present ordering situation, the assessment is not adequate. Currently, all of Changhong's production lines are working longer hours and extra shifts and are operating at capacity in an effort to satisfy the tremendous demand of global customers. After five years of endeavours, Changhong possesses the capacity to produce three million digital satellite colour TV receivers a year. The company boasts the country's strongest production development capabilities and has gradually acquired a unique key competitive edge. Changhong has gained a stable market share in Europe, Southeast Asia, and Australia; and in the Middle East, in particular, the company has taken up 30 per cent of the market share. Source: Zhongguo Xinwen She news agency, Beijing, in Chinese 25 Apr 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** IRAQ. IRAQI TURKOMAN FRONT RADIO, TV STATIONS LAUNCHED IN KIRKUK | Excerpt from report by Iraqi Turkoman Front newspaper Turkomaneli on 4 May Following the liberation of beloved Kirkuk and other Turkoman areas from the fist of the ousted dictatorial regime, Turkomaneli TV and radio was launched in Kirkuk. A delegation of the Iraqi Turkoman Front information office, led by Isam Tarzi Bashi, opened the radio station on 12 April 2003 and the TV station on 30 April 03. In order to shed light on this important national achievement, which adds to the achievements made by the Iraqi Turkoman Front for our people, our correspondent interviewed Isam Tarzi Bashi, the head of the information office who visited Kirkuk personally on the first day of its liberation. He was the first speaker in our original Turkomani language and he called our people to integrate, unite and work together under the Iraqi Turkoman Front's banner. Tarzi Bashi's call had great moral impact on our Turkoman people's spirits. Tarzi Bashi congratulated our Turkoman people on the occasion of the opening of the Turkomaneli TV and radio. He offered his thanks and appreciation to all those who participated in this achievement, saying: "I would like to take this opportunity to offer my congratulations to all our Turkoman people in particular and the Iraqi people in general on their liberation from the dictator's claws. I address our Turkomani people in the Turkoman city of Kirkuk on the occasion of the inauguration of Turkomaneli TV and radio. This achievement was accomplished with the sincere efforts of everyone who participated in it. In the last few days, I visited Kirkuk with a delegation led by Safin Kurachi, the director of Turkomaneli radio, and Iyadoghlu, the director of Turkomaneli TV in Arbil, to prepare for the inauguration of Turkomaneli TV and radio in Kirkuk. With the efforts of those who participated in making this historical achievement, we started TV and radio broadcasting in Kirkuk City. I take this opportunity to say many thanks to those who supported us including: Ayyub Mayyas, Yalman Zaynal, Muhammad Hadi, Nadim Nur-al-Din, Hasan Husayn, Sa'di Tawfiq Kuperlu, Najm-al-Din Qassab, Qadir Uthman, Ra'uf Kurachi, Muwaffaq Sidiq, Adnan Uzjwan and Manulya Ma'sum... Regarding a question on the test TV broadcasting in Kirkuk (Kirkuk test), Tarzi Bashi said: Kirkuk test transmission is done under the local council formed in Kirkuk to run the city's affairs. This directorate includes Arabs, Turkomans, Kurds and Assyrians. To my knowledge, this channel will broadcast for eight hours daily (after the test period) in Turkoman, Arabic, Kurdish and Assyrian; two hours in each language... Source: Turkomaneli, Arbil, in Arabic 4 May 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) WTFK? ** IRAQ. V. of Iraqi People: Tonight they were on the normal 4025.3 kHz. 73, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, May 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ [non]. WORKER-COMMUNIST PARTY OF IRAQ'S "RADIO BOPESHAWA" REPORTEDLY BACK ON AIR | The internet site of the Worker-Communist Party of Iraq http://www.wpiraq.org on 27 April carried the following announcement in Arabic: "As of Tuesday, 26 April 2003, Ila al-Amam (Forward) Radio [usually rendered as Radio Bopeshawa, meaning "Forward"], voice of the Worker- Communist Party of Iraq, started its experimental transmission on two shortwave bands: 49 metres, corresponding to 5000 kHz, and 41 metres, corresponding to 7000 kHz [frequencies as published]. The radio will transmit daily from 1500 Iraq time [1100 gmt] for one hour only. It will transmit for half an hour in Arabic and half an hour in Kurdish. The transmission will cover the areas of Arbil, Kirkuk and Mosul. The same programme will be repeated between 0900 and 1000 [0500-0600 gmt] the next day. The radio will be available on the Internet at a later time." The radio was not monitored on the abovementioned times and frequencies when checked on 4 and 5 May. The Worker-Communist Party of Iraq was observed to update its site on 2 May 2003 in Arabic and on 4 May in English, but no new information about the radio station was provided. In February 2002 the web site had carried an announcement saying: "For better radio transmissions and more appropriate broadcast times, Radio Bopeshawa has stopped transmitting its programmes for the time being." Radio Bopeshawa broadcasts in support of the Worker-Communist Party of Iraq. Bopeshawa (meaning "Forward") is also the name of the party's newspaper. Radio Bopeshawa began broadcasting in Arabic and Kurdish on 1 February 2001. The station was first monitored on 14 February 2001 from 1500 to 1600 gmt on 9450 kHz. In the past, it announced a London address and was believed to have broadcast via a hired shortwave transmitter in eastern Europe. A station called the "Voice of the Worker-Communist Party of Iraq" had been monitored on 4000 kHz from 3 May 1999 until Radio Bopeshawa came on the air in February 2001. The Worker-Communist Party of Iraq's web site, http://www.wpiraq.org, also gives information on its Iranian counterpart, the Worker- Communist Party of Iran, whose own web site is http://www.wpiran.org. Source: BBC Monitoring research 4-5 May 03 (via DXLD) ** IRELAND. TIPPERARY MID WEST RADIO - THE REAL VOICE OF TIPPERARY This is interesting. You can listen to Irish Country-Western music while drinking your long neck Guinness and eating your Tex-Mex blood pudding (Tom McNiff, Burke, Virginia, USA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) http://www.tipperarymidwestradio.com/ Tipperary Mid-West Radio broadcasts LIVE on the World Wide Web. If you have Windows Media Player installed on your computer click on the image above to tune in Live. http://www.tippnet.ie.screaming/tmw.asx But, but, there is no image on my computer, just ``ad-size``. How I enjoy missing all those ads!! Programme schedule (not including weekends, even tho 24/7! They are not alone; I have seen a number of US stations/networks ignore what they do on the weekends) http://www.tipperarymidwestradio.com/schedule.html Also has links to CNN --- nothing but tornadoes in the --- Midwest! Why won`t CNN handle more than one big story at a time??? All 9 CNN items were various versions of the tornado story, with one BBC item on Iraq to round out the top ten (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. According to an announcement on the 1030 GMT Israel Radio English news, English news on Independence Day, Wednesday, will be on Reshet Aleph at 1600-1610 GMT instead of 1630-1645. There will be no other changes in the schedule on Tuesday, Memorial Day or Wednesday, Independence Day (Joel Rubin, swprograms via DXLD) Why is it so hard for them to keep English broadcasts on at the same time, all the time? (gh, DXLD) ** ITALY. Thanks to tip from David Duckworth near Salisbury, who heard this Italian from Momigno on 1584 kHz in stereo on his AM-Stereo Walkman earlier this evening, I was surprised to hear Glenn Hauser's World of Radio (last week's edition 1179) via Studio X with fair peaks in the mix on 1584 this evening (Sun 4th May) from 1935 tune-in through to Glenn's "standard disclaimer" at 2003 UT when reverted to Italian with an Italian song. Fair peaks when Studio X dominant (around sunset here) but also faded out for 2 or 3 minute periods at times. Studio X is also scheduled to carry World of Radio Fridays at 2300 on 1584 (and 1566 which is blocked by UK stations here though). (Alan Pennington, BDXC-UK, Caversham UK, AOR 7030+ / K9AY, Sun May 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Should have had current 1180 on; wonder if such delays often happen there too (gh) ** JAPAN. I truly wish I could like R. Japan, because I`d love to know more about the world`s second-largest economy, its culture and its issues. Unfortunately, Radio Japan tends not to dig too deeply into the economic and cultural issues facing the nation. The programming is certainly more interesting than the infamous recitation of mundane (and inflated) economic statistics on Eastern European stations while the Warsaw Pact was in force, but I wish R. Japan challenged Japanese icons and issues a bit more thoroughly. The most significant schedule change for R. Japan for the A-03 time period is the shortened length of its newscast from 15 to 10 minutes; a new 5-minute music program, Songs for Everyone, follows the weekday newscasts in the 1100 broadcast, and the Tue-Sat news in the 0000 broadcast. Another new music program, Japan Musicscape, airs in the 1100 broadcast on Wednesdays (Richard Cuff, PA, Easy Listening, May NASWA Journal via DXLD) ** KASHMIR. Dear Hans Johnson, On 4830 it is Radio Kashmir, Jammu and on 4950 Radio Kashmir Srinagar. Yours sincerely, (Jose Jacob, India, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** MOLDOVA. As a matter of fact, the GFC is continuing to register the Moldovan SW frequencies (radio centre Maiac) with the HFCC as "KCH" (= "Kichinev"), not GRI=Grigoriopol. However, in contact with foreign clients, the GFC is usually referring to the transmitting site as "Grigoropol" (reflecting the fact that this site is not located near the Moldovan capital). As a result, e.g. DW or TWR is listing this site as GRI or Grigoriopol. On the other hand, the Moldovan and Russian press has generally been calling this site by its "real" name "Maiac" ("Mayak" in Russian), there have been various articles over the years in connection with antenna problems and other matters (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, May 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND: FUNDING BOOST FOR RADIO NEW ZEALAND | Text of news release from New Zealand government web site on 6 May Radio New Zealand is to receive new funding worth 14.58m dollars over four years to to set up a nationwide FM service and meet the rising costs of its core services, Broadcasting Minister Steve Maharey said today. National Radio will receive an additional 3.396m dollars over four years to progressively establish FM services across the country and 2.646m dollars annually to maintain its programming. Around 93 per cent of the population will be able to receive the FM service by 2006, the same penetration currently achieved by Concert FM. The current AM service will be retained, providing service to those listeners unable to tune in to the FM band. Steve Maharey said the package, part of Budget 2003, will enable the nation's public radio network to make a larger contribution to the development and maintenance of national and cultural identity. "National Radio provides an essential service reflecting and analysing New Zealand news, information and experiences and broadcasting the best international programming 24 hours a day. No other broadcaster approaches its range and depth of coverage. "The funding package will enable National Radio to continue to meet its charter obligations and is the first boost in resources for core services since 1997. "The migration to the FM band will enable National Radio to continue to build its audience by attracting younger listeners who, in general, do not tune in to AM radio stations. All major radio networks in New Zealand operate on the FM band. "The FM service will be progressively rolled out over the next three years, starting with the four main centres by the end of 2004. National Radio will continue to be simulcast on the AM band for those unable to tune in to FM. "Radio New Zealand International will also receive 0.6m dollars to enable it to increase its daily broadcasts of original programming, and in particular Pacific current affairs. This also supports legislation currently before parliament which amends RNZ's charter to require it to provide an international radio service to the South Pacific," Steve Maharey said. Source: New Zealand government web site, Wellington, in English 6 May 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) BROADCASTING MINISTER'S SPEECH HON STEVE MAHAREY'S SPEECH TO PARLIAMENT ON RNZ FUNDING: 06 May 2003 Supporting public service radio Introduction Hello to you all. Thank you for the invitation Brian. I am very pleased to be here with you this evening and to have the opportunity to speak to you directly. You are the people whose work is critical to achieving the public service broadcasting goals of Radio New Zealand. Funding Announcement That is why I am especially pleased to be able to announce that as part of this year's Budget Radio New Zealand is to receive new funding worth $13.98 million over four years. The increase is to establish a nationwide FM service for National Radio and to meet the rising costs of core operations. The funding package will enable Radio New Zealand to continue to meet its Charter obligations, cover operating cost increases, maintain quality programming and editorial services and address recruitment issues. Radio New Zealand International receives $600,000 over four years to enable it to increase its daily broadcasts of original programming and in particular Pacific current affairs. This also supports legislation currently before Parliament which amends RNZ's Charter to require it to provide an international radio service to the South Pacific. Public Service Broadcasting The new funding reflects this government's appreciation of what Radio New Zealand is about. Our policies recognize that the role of the government includes providing for a range of broadcasting choice beyond what strictly commercial considerations will produce. The public broadcaster is free of the constraints and pressures advertiser-driven broadcasters find harder to resist. Broadcasters motivated entirely by profit are susceptible to the business interests of their owners and advertisers. The public broadcaster, as an independent entity with public funding, has a mandate to operate in the broad public interest. Public broadcasting is driven by the belief that broadcasting makes a difference to the health of a society or culture. The work that you as broadcasters do every day bears out this principle. Some critics have argued that Radio New Zealand is too focused on politics and too Wellington-centred. However Radio New Zealand provides an integrated service. News and current affairs hook listeners in and other shows induce them to stay. 40 percent of its music is home grown. Drama, features, talk, documentaries and Maori programmes speak to audiences far beyond Wellington's reach. Your value and power as public broadcasters is in your capacity to be heard in nearly every kitchen in New Zealand. National Radio currently reaches about 96 percent of the population. Some small communities like Twizel, Te Anau, Te Kuiti and the Chatham Islands which are outside the transmission range are so keen to get a signal they've raised money themselves to enter into a cost sharing scheme with Radio New Zealand for satellite reception. The news, stories and programmes you produce connect New Zealanders with each other, offering loyal audiences throughout New Zealand a stimulating life-line. Migration to FM band That life-line will be technically enhanced by National Radio's move to FM transmission. The network will receive an additional $3.396 million to progressively establish FM services throughout New Zealand. Listeners in central Auckland, Taupo and Greymouth can already pick up National Radio on FM. The service will be rolled out in stages, starting with the main centres by the end of next year. Around 93 percent of the population will be able to receive the service by 2006. The AM service will be retained, simulcasting for those listeners unable to tune into the FM band. The move to a superior transmission service signals a great leap forward for Radio New Zealand. It is a demonstration of this government's commitment to RNZ's future and our expectation that the broadcaster will remain relevant and attract new audiences. FM transmission is clearly the preferred medium for younger radio listeners and without the migration National Radio risks a declining audience. All radio competitors in New Zealand broadcast on FM and all major international public service broadcasters have FM transmission technology. Current AM broadcast is undoubtedly an inferior service and the move will ensure that RNZ can compete successfully in the national and international marketplace. The sound quality is much better, the signal allows enhanced penetration into high-rise and built up areas and many new cars have radios capable only of FM. The challenge for National Radio is to provide exciting, compulsive programming that attracts and holds listeners as they browse the FM band. New Zealand has the most deregulated radio industry in the world with the greatest number of stations per capita. However, Radio New Zealand is distinctive and that point of difference can be turned to competitive advantage. It is my hope that a new range of FM listeners will want to add National Radio to their regular diet of radio stations; that they will dip into National Radio for a particular feature, New Zealand music show, or in-depth examination of a complex issue. Increase in funding for core services New Zealanders' thirst for innovative, informative, companionable radio should not be underestimated. Increased funding of $2.646 million a year for core operations will allow Radio New Zealand to better deliver its services and programmes. This will take RNZ's ongoing baseline funding from the previous amount of $22.4 million to the new amount of $25.046 million. Radio New Zealand's operating costs have progressively increased for a number of years. Until recently these costs have been absorbed within the company. However more recent rises in operating costs have eroded the ability of the company to absorb them while maintaining service levels. Radio New Zealand services are characterised by a high level of local content in news, current affairs, features and music. National Radio has 90 percent local content and Concert FM has 15 percent. Local content is costly. But RNZ is a proven performer in contributing to the social and cultural wealth of the nation and has, since it was established in 1925, played a significant role in developing New Zealanders' sense of identity. New Zealanders are also global citizens and, as a particularly mobile population, are very much in touch with world events. Radio New Zealand consistently provides not only comprehensive, impartial news coverage of international stories but features, documentaries and interviews that take listeners to every corner of the planet. Through its Charter Radio New Zealand is geared towards serving special needs and yet, ultimately, providing something for almost everyone. Its value is in its ability to explore every aspect of human activity from analysis of the Iraqi war on Morning Report and Checkpoint to Monica Lewinsky's revelations on Kim Hill to the Karaka yearling sales on Country Life to Dale Husband chatting with a kaumatua on Mana Tangata. Listeners are informed and entertained. No other broadcaster approaches the same range and depth of programming mix, led by a flagship news and current affairs platform. The government is providing the increased funding to safeguard RNZ's critically important role. It recognises there have been substantial cost pressures in providing a service that reflects and explains New Zealand issues, and broadcasts the best international programming, 24 hours a day. Increase for Radio New Zealand International Radio New Zealand International is receiving an increase in its baseline funding of $150,000 a year, bringing its total annual funding to $1.716 million, to offer more programming for Pacific audiences. The new money will enable RNZI to increase targeted programming from four hours to ten hours each day. It will strengthen the service's ability to provide a comprehensive, reliable and independent source of Pacific regional and New Zealand information to a region which has been markedly more volatile in recent years. More Pacific language programming will enhance the respect and partnership that exists between RNZI and its listeners and boost New Zealand's standing in the Pacific. The goodwill that is generated by the broadcasts plays an important role in maintaining close relations between this country and its Pacific neighbours. Looking back I take personal pleasure in making these announcements to you this evening. My own political involvement in broadcasting began a decade ago, spurred on by my firm commitment to ensuring a future for public radio. In 1993, as opposition spokesperson for broadcasting, I introduced the New Zealand Public Radio Charter Bill to give expression to the principles of public broadcasting. The National government introduced the Radio New Zealand Bill in 1995. During select committee hearings the charter, developed from my private member's bill, was included. The Charter has given Radio New Zealand distinct goals and a legitimate place in the life of the nation. I recall, at that time, the way in which the company staunchly endured more than a decade of turmoil and change as the lone voice of public broadcasting. During the late 1980s and early 1990s New Zealand moved towards becoming one of the most deregulated broadcasting systems in the world. Government decisions were effectively relegated to deciding who should be allocated television and radio licences. RNZ was the last bastion of public service broadcasting to survive. The company sought to maintain a strong public service focus in a hostile environment in which commercial goals were paramount. Then, it had every reason to feel nervous, bullied and uncertain. Under the National government Radio New Zealand struggled against political reluctance to maintain its funding and, through public pressure and its own lobbying, managed to secure the continuing existence of two networks, National Radio and Concert FM. Many of you here will have been taken part in those battles because you know that public radio is worth fighting for. New challenges There is no that doubt Radio New Zealand, through its people, has the determination, creativity and flair to prosper in its public service role. It is a place where broadcasters pursue excellence in their craft. The latest list of Qantas Media Award finalists confirms, once again, that you are a highly talented group. But there are challenges ahead. The time is right to capitalize on the synergy of news, current affairs, features, drama and music – all generated by the one broadcaster with an ethos of public service and social and cultural commitment. It is time to stand up to challenge and overcome the predictable, tired accusations that Radio New Zealand is dull and boring. All of us in this room know better than that. We know that telling real stories with the depth and texture that your Charter allows, playing music that is the heart of this nation, and celebrating the drama that is its soul is the most exciting opportunity radio can offer anyone, anywhere. I know that Radio New Zealand can grasp this opportunity. Via http://www.beehive.govt.nz/ViewDocument.cfm?DocumentID=16660 7/May/2003 (via Paul Ormandy, NZ, April 7, DXLD) RADIO NEW ZEALAND GETS DOSH FOR FM Radio New Zealand is to receive new funding worth $14.58 million over four years to set up a nationwide FM service and meet the rising costs of its core services, Broadcasting Minister Steve Maharey announced on Tuesday. National Radio will receive an additional $3.396 million over four years to progressively establish FM services across the country and $2.646 million annually to maintain its programming. Around 93 per cent of the population will be able to receive the FM service by 2006, the same penetration currently achieved by Concert FM. The current AM service will be retained providing service to those listeners unable to tune in to the FM band. At present National Radio is only heard on FM in central Auckland, Taupo and Greymouth. It is aimed to have the four main centres on FM by the end of next year. Mr Maharey said the package, part of Budget 2003, would enable the nation's public radio network to make a larger contribution to the development and maintenance of national and cultural identity. The FM service will be progressively rolled out over the next three years. The government has said it is examining the possibility of implementing a digital FM network, but this proposed funding round does not appear to contain any movement in that direction. An extra $150,000 a year over four years will go to Radio New Zealand International, which broadcasts in shortwave to the Pacific, to provide increased original programming and current affairs aimed at Island listeners. The hours it produces will rise from four hours a day to 10. Via NBR http://www.nbr.co.nz 7/5/03 (via Paul Ormandy, NZ, DXLD) ** NIGERIA. Yesterday, May 4th, Voice of Nigeria on 11770 was dominating over VOA NN from 1900-1958*. Signal was good, but very low audio making voices unreadable. music somewhat better. French, few announcements, mainly music. Off without ID. The Usual VON tune at 1958 interrupted after a few seconds (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, the sunshine state, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. 9385.68, 1415-, Radio Pakistan, May 3. Poor reception of Russian service. No IS heard before the commencement of broadcast. Can't make much out...just a OM and YL talking (Walter (Volodya) Salmaniw, MD, Victoria, BC, Canada, DXing the world using AOR 7030+/ERGO, Rockwell-Collins HF-2050, Racal 1792, JRC NRD 535D, Kenwood R5000, Collins R390A, Sony 2010, and Sony 1000T with the following antennae: T2FD, K9AY, 60 meter horizontal loop, Eavesdropper, 25 meter dipole, 25 MHz vertical, and random wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. Short return of Radiostantsiya Tikhiy Okean to SW is expected on 7, 8, and 9 May. This air is sponsored by TGTRK "Vladivostok", main broadcasting company of Primorye. Frequencies are 810 kHz MW, as well as 11760 kHz SW. Broadcast will go out at 0615- 0700 UT. Putting those broadcasts on the air, TGTRK "Vladivostok" has a hope that some of fishing companies will allocate some funds for their continuation. But you know, Radiostantsiya Tikhiy Okean does not verify (open_dx - Alexey Koropskiy, Vladivostok, Russia, Signal via DXLD) By the way, 17 April was the 40th anniversary of the first air of Tikhiy Okean (open_dx, Igor Ashikhmin, Primorskiy kray, Russia, ibid.) ** SRI LANKA. From yesterday SLBC is noted on 7302.5 in parallel to 7115. The sked is 0030-0400 & 0800-1530. Some days earlier they were noted testing on 7300 for about 5 minutes with Sinhala HS programming. 7115 SLBC Hindi Service still blocked by VOA Sri Lanka from 0100 to 0300 (Jose Jacob, India, May 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SYRIA. SYRIAN GOVERNMENT GIVES GREEN LIGHT TO PRIVATE RADIO STATIONS | Text of report by Syrian News Agency SANA web site Damascus, 4 May: It was learned today that initial approval was given to license four private commercial radio stations to broadcast on the FM wave. The approval was given in cognizance of Decree 10 issued in 2002 and the pertinent executive instructions outlined in Decision 4126 issued on 17 August 2002. These private commercial radio stations will air entertainment programmes, songs and commercials, provided their broadcast range would cover all of Syria and far areas in neighbouring countries. This new step would open new horizons geared towards developing national economy by introducing Syrian services and products through commercials that will be aired via these radio stations, thus assist in increasing exports and delivering Syrian goods to new consumer markets. It was also learned that the Syrian Radio and Television Corporation has gone along way in making technical preparations to enable the best radio broadcast conditions. The four private companies are expected to start working for founding the radio stations, making technical and administrative preparations, and securing the necessary requirements within the coming few months. Source: SANA news agency web site, Damascus in Arabic 0000 gmt 4 May 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** THAILAND. This 6676 frequency is used by some aviation weather VOLMET stations in the area. Here I can hear Singapore R H+20/H+50, Bangkok R H+10/H+40 and one, possibly Sydney at H+00/H+30. After seeing your tip, I checked this frequency on 02 May at 1650 and there was Far-East music blocking badly the Singapore transmission. After couple of minutes it disappeared and left the frequency clear for Singapore. Also at 1715 just when Bangkok R ended their bulletin, there was some seconds of music. It is hard to believe that Bangkok, by purpose, would transmit "interval music" interfering the other stations using this frequency. It could be a malfunction in their equipment (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, dxing.info via DXLD) ** U K. BBC CIRCLES INDIA -- Shobita Dhar Mumbai, May 4: In a bid to bring you the latest developments before the others do, already a dozen news channels are slogging it out. And now, the international players have taken note of the growing competition. Recently, in a bid to attract more viewers in India to its channel, BBC World floated a new concept, that of an exclusive India correspondent. Previously, BBC World combined British and Indian correspondents for its South Asia Bureau based in New Delhi. . . http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=51034 (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** U K [non]. Laser is currently running an engineering test Posted to me at 04 May 2003 19:42 From andrew_yeates Laser is currently running an engineering test of continuous music on 9520 kHz. We started at about 1654 UT and should run for about 3 hours or so. Reception reports via email most welcome. Andrew [Later:] I think the transmitter might be switched of at around 20h00 UT as we are apparently only authorised to run till that time for this test. It's taken a LOT of discussion and effort to get this test on- Air. Please send any reception reports to - studio@laserradio.net We hope to be have a 'regular' Sunday broadcast again very soon ... (Andrew, Laser Radio via Mike Terry, DXLD) Too late, even when received on Sunday ** U K [non]. I must have been very tired after the night up listening, so I have to correct once again: Laser Hot Hits should be on 4025 kHz at 2313 (and not 4045 or 4050 as earlier mentioned). Sorry for that. 73 de (Lennart Weirell, Västerås, SWEDEN, EDXP via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. On May 6, 2003 I heard Voz Cristiana [via CHILE] on 17680 program in Spanish, noticias start at 2203, 34333 but has signal decay at 2207. Voz Cristiana on 15475 program in Portuguese has good signal heard in here during 2222-2234. I just heard 45444. And 11745 channel is not well heard in here because Radio Sawa uses same frequency 11745 kHz, program in Arabic with strong signal covers Voz Cristiana program in Portuguese during 2200-2300 UT but still can hear the weak signal from Voz Cristiana. Sincerely yours, Your faithful reader, (Yin Yung-chien, Taipei, Taiwan, May 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. UNKNOWN, 13855, 1544-, AFN, May 4. AFN programming exactly in parallel with equally weak 12689.5 from Key West. Poor to fair (Walter (Volodya) Salmaniw, MD, Victoria, BC, Canada, DXing the world using AOR 7030+/ERGO, Rockwell-Collins HF-2050, Racal 1792, JRC NRD 535D, Kenwood R5000, Collins R390A, Sony 2010, and Sony 1000T with the following antennae: T2FD, K9AY, 60 meter horizontal loop, Eavesdropper, 25 meter dipole, 25 MHz vertical, and random wire , DX LISTENING DIGEST) unID. 13855U, AFN, new frequency discovered by Don Nelson-OR, heard at 0200 May 3 ending Paul Harvey, going into AP Network News, then CBS News Weekend Roundup at 0205. Fair signal, same programming [on 6458.5?] (Puerto Rico) & 12689.5 (Florida), both about the same as 13855, and 10320 (Hawaii) which was weaker. By 0530, 13855 was much weaker, as it still was at 0930; however, by 1030 it was much better and fully listenable; weaker again at 1430 re-check. Thought to be Iceland by others who are hearing it (Jerry Berg, MA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) See also ICELAND ** U S A. 15305 unID 2244 with program 'V of the Renovation' in English. 34323 (Zacharias Liangas, Greece, April 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The only thing in HFCC at this time is: 15305 2200 2400 49,50 IRA 250 73 1234567 300303 251003 D CLN IBB IBB And IBB Sri Lanka would certainly not be carrying some gospel huxter And in IBB`s own online schedule: 15305 2200 2400 VOA P ENGL IRA 03 073 (gh, DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Re: the Bangkok VOA 1000 kW transmitter was never a Collins. Initially it was a Continental Electronics .... My fault. My source correctly mentioned Continental. Somehow I often tend to confuse these two companies (Olle Alm, Sweden, May 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [This refers to DXLD 3-076, before the item in DXLD 3-077:] Re: Thailand VOA item and related Okinawa item Mr. Hauser: I never did get to Okinawa before it went out of service, but there are some comments on items in the sections on the three Far East IBB/VOA sites that I believe I can correct: 1. The megawatt medium wave transmitters at these sites were/are Continental Electronics ("CEMCO") model 105B. So was the LF one at Munich, modified, of course, for operation on 173 kHz. The one at Poro, La Unión, Philippines, is still in service for occasional use. 2. The transmitter at Ban Phachi (Rasom, near Ayutthaya) is now dismantled. It was serial #1, and the explanation which has been consistently given by all parties who I have encountered who are likely to have knowledge of the matter is that it was assembled by CEMCO from the original prototype a dozen or so years after the delivery of the other 3, since the prototype was part of the original VOA contract and therefore owned by VOA. Parts of the disassembled Ban Phachi transmitter were shipped to Poro as spares. 3. A useful source for this type of data is the series of user lists issued by CEMCO periodically up until at least 1990 showing the location, customer, and frequency of every transmitter they had manufactured to each publication date. 4. At Poro the HF transmitters in use were (2) Collins 35 kW and (2) GE 100 kW, with (3) Gates 50 kW in transportable buildings added later. Hatfield & Dawson Consulting Engineers 9500 Greenwood Avenue North Seattle, WA 98103 USA 206 783 9151 206 789 9834 Facsimile ben-dawson@hatdaw.com (Benjamin F. Dawson III, P.E., May 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. MCCARTHY HEARINGS PUBLISHED The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations has published all of the transcripts of executive sessions held while Senator Joseph R. McCarthy chaired the subcommittee from 1953 to 1954. Publication of the transcripts, which marks the 50th anniversary of the hearings, constitutes the opening of the largest collection of documents related to McCarthy's anti-Communist investigations. http://www.senate.gov/reference/reference_item/mccarthy.htm Transcripts of the McCarthy hearings dealing with the Voice of America are available online: Text file 5.1 Mb http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=107_cong_senate_committee_prints&docid=f:83869.wais PDF file 2.4 Mb http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=107_cong_senate_committee_prints&docid=f:83869.pdf (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) MCCARTHY HEARINGS REVEAL DISQUIET ABOUT VOA The US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations has released the previously closed executive session transcripts for the 83rd Congress (1953-1954), chaired by Republican Senator Joseph R McCarthy. The 161 hearings, with over 500 witnesses, deal largely with allegations of subversion and espionage within the government and defense industries. The volumes were edited by the staff of the Senate Historical Office with the cooperation of the staff of the Center for Legislative Archives at the National Archives and Records Administration. The transcripts are available on the official Web site of the US Senate. There are five downloadable PDF files, each approximately 2.5 Mb. Each contains hundreds of pages of testimony. International broadcasting historians will be especially interested in the substantial amount of detailed testimony on matters related to the Voice of America. McCarthy saw VOA as a powerful weapon against Communism, and the hearings produced accusations of financial mismanagement relating to the building of VOA transmitter sites. For example, former VOA project engineer Lewis J. McKesson told the hearings that in his estimation $31m had been wasted. Interestingly, there is an error in the transcript of what McKesson told the hearing about the floating radio station aboard the Courier, which operated off the coast of Greece. It quotes him as referring to "235 kilowatt shortwave transmitters" which ought to be rendered as "two 35 kilowatt shortwave transmitters." We will be examining these documents more closely in the coming days (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 6 May 2003 via DXLD) ** U S A. Glenn, Here is an update on the status of WRNO that I just received today. Stewart H. MacKenzie, WDX6AA, "World Friendship Through Shortwave Radio Where Culture and Language Meet" ASWLC - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ASWLC/ SCADS - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SCADS/ Subject: Re: WRNO SHORTWAVE Hi Stewart: The bottom line is that WRNO is still around! A sad combination of Joseph Costello's untimely death, a disastrous fire at the transmitting plant, years of legal arguing between heirs, and finally about a year ago, sale and transfer of the station remains to a religious organization that is having difficulty, as are most religious organizations these days, in raising sufficient funds to purchase a 50 kW or 100 kW transmitter and repair and modernize the transmitter building, etc., has kept WRNO from returning full power to the air. The FCC has been very understanding and lenient, and has permitted WRNO to operate on 7355, 7395 and 15420 kHz under a "Special Temporary Authorization" (STA) with a low power 500 watt licensed auxiliary transmitter. All of this time, WRNO Management, old and new, have paid the required FCC Frequency and other fees. The new owners of WRNO, Good News World Outreach, have recently informed the FCC that they are in the final stages of purchasing a 50 kW transmitter which they plan to have installed and operating within a year. So, there is finally beginning to be some light at the end of a very long tunnel! You can pass this information along at the next scud meeting. 73, George Jacobs, P.E. Broadcast Engineers Since 1941 8701 Georgia Ave. Suite 711 Silver Spring, MD 20910 (P) 301-587-8800 (F) 301 587 8801 http://www.gjainc.com (George Jacobs, W3ASK, via Stewart MacKenzie, WDX6AA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Note a new high-power channel 3 on the air in Utah. Price 3 KUTF NW# 70 kw/658 m, 39-45-22/110-59-22; CC for new station I've not been able to dig up any programming information on KUTF. With those call letters, I would not be too surprised if it turned out to be a Telefutura outlet. Also, UPN affiliate K15DR in northwest Arkansas has moved to channel 4 with 3 kW. The only other UPN station I know of on channel 4 is a 750-watt LPTV in Florida. This one should stand out! (Doug Smith, TV News, May WTFDA VHF-UHF Digest via DXLD) ** U S A. To find details on the 13,240 translator applications go to: http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_sear.htm Choose the following options: service = FM translator; Application Type: Original Construction Permit; File Number (second - right hand window) 2003% The percent sign is a "wild card" to select all translator applications filed in 2003 (John Broomall, Christian Community Broadcasters, May 1, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U S A. Early History of TV in the US: Some days ago Scott Fybush wrote: "Incidentally, the reason channel 2 has always occupied its own transmitter site somewhat apart from the rest of the Wilson stations (I was told) was that Lee's family actually owned a chunk of the mountaintop long before the days of TV. That seems like an awfully convenient coincidence, doesn't it?" W6XAO-KTSL / Don Lee inaugurated mechanical scanning TV in 1931 using 2-3 MHz low resolution HF channels and licensed as W6XK. In December 1931 ex-Farnsworth engineer from San Francisco, Harry Lubcke, new Director of Television for Don Lee (a Pacific Coast radio network at the time), created an all-electronic system using motion picture films as a programming source shown onto a CRT (cathode ray tube) as a "flying spot scanner" using various frequencies between 40 and 60 megacycles. Don Lee's television development was from downtown Los Angeles ("The Don Lee Building" at 7th and Bixel Streets, which also housed Lee's automobile new car agency for Cadillac). The station had several 300 megacycle region special experimental FCC licenses and it developed remote pickup capabilities using Lubcke designed and built cameras (sourcing image dissector tubes from Farnsworth) and in fact in 1933 provided three days of continuous coverage of the devastating Long Breach Earthquake using both intermediate film and remote pickup. By 1936 licensed as W6XAO, the station pioneered ahead of RCA 300 line x 24 frame video. The first full length movie feature ("The Crooked Circle") was telecast in 1933. The first long term TV soap opera, 52 weeks of "Vine Street," a written for TV production, done from their studio in the Don Lee Building, was aired in 1937 (slightly ahead of the BBC's first "scheduled" programming, I might add!). By 1939 the station was averaging 7 hours daily, six days a week ("never on Sunday") at a time when CBS was not even on the air with its first test pattern and RCA was still futzing around with demonstrations from the World's Fair, in New York City. Also in 1939 - here is the answer to your question about "Mt Lee" - Don Lee purchased a sizeable plot of ground on top of a mountain located between Hollywood and Burbank. This property had been owned by the estate of movie pioneer Mack Sennett and the mountain was promptly renamed "Mt Lee." By mid 1939, the world's first built-for-TV production facility was nearing completion on the site and it included such innovations as totally copper screen/sheet shielded exterior and interior walls to reduce or eliminate any opportunity for stray RF (radio frequency) fields to sneak into the custom built TV studio and transmitter building to cause interference with their TV operations. The new facility was formally dedicated in October 1939 by Los Angeles Mayor Fletcher Bowron. Obviously Harry Lubcke was quite a bit ahead of his eastern compatriots (including RCA CBS, Philco and others). And "no - it was not a coincidence" that Don Lee "happened to own land on a mountaintop between Hollywood and Burbank." (Bob Cooper in New Zealand, Apr 24, WTFDA via DXLD) Ah...but I wasn't talking about Mount Lee, of which I'm well aware. The channel 2 facility on Mount *Wilson*, where KTSL moved in the summer of 1951, is itself set apart from the rest of the Mount Wilson towers, which are in two big clusters - one that's home to channels 4, 5, 7 and 13 and the other to channel 11 and later to some of the UHFs. And my understanding is that Lee's family owned that patch of land on *Wilson* as far back as the late 19th century. So...mystery not yet solved. Best regards, s (Scott Fybush, ibid.) This flying-spot scanner was an interesting concept. It was described in the ARRL Radio Amateur's Handbook well into the 1970s as a simple and inexpensive way of generating a video signal in a time when there was no such thing as a cheap camcorder... I've heard tell some commercial flying-spot scanners were also sold to TV stations as a way of generating test patterns. The idea was to display a solid white picture on a CRT, then hold a transparency (slide, or movie film) in front of the screen. A photocell would be placed on the opposite side of the transparency. As the electron beam scanned the CRT screen, the amount of light that passed through the transparency and reached the photocell would depend on the darkness of the particular spot in the transparency. Voila! - video. – (Doug Smith W9WI, ibid.) ** U S A. MUSLIM TV NETWORK PLANNED FOR US A group of investors plans to start a television network aimed at the estimated 8 million Muslims living in the United States. The network, which could begin broadcasting in summer 2004, is being named Bridges TV because it hopes to build bridges of understanding between Muslims and other Americans. The network says it has $1 million and is seeking 10,000 Muslim-Americans to pledge $10 a month for the service to convince cable and satellite operators of a demand. Bridges TV says it will be "a very patriotic channel." It envisages broadcasting four to six hours per day at the start, offering a mix of news, talk shows, sitcoms, children's programming and movies. The hope is to eventually become a full-time network (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 6 May 2003 via DXLD) ** U S A. WSM-AM HIRES NEW PROGRAM DIRECTOR By Chris Lewis, April 29, 2003 Brian Landrum, an 18-year radio veteran credited with improving ratings at country music stations in the Southeast, has been named new programming director of WSM-AM, Gaylord Entertainment Co. officials announced Monday. . . http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/index.cfm?section_id=10&screen=news&news_id=22414 (via Jilly Dybka, TN, DXLD) ** U S A. AMATEURS RESPOND IN DEADLY STORMS' AFTERMATH NEWINGTON, CT, May 5, 2003 -- Amateur Radio operators are assisting relief and recovery efforts in the aftermath of deadly tornadoes and severe weather that struck the US midsection May 4. . . http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2003/05/05/100/?nc=1 (via Jilly Dybka, John Norfolk, DXLD) ** U S A. CONCERT CD'S SOLD ON THE SPOT BY A RADIO GIANT By MATTHEW MIRAPAUL Clear Channel Communications, the radio broadcasting and concert promotion giant, plans to introduce a venture today that will sell live recordings on compact disc within five minutes of a show's conclusion. The venture, Instant Live, will enable a band's still- sweating fans to leave with a musical souvenir instead of say, a pricey T-shirt or a glossy program. . . http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/05/business/media/05DISK.html?ex=1053238627&ei=1&en=349da459c25ffe45 (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. R. Táchira, 4830: I heard it the same day from 0350 with a musical program, followed by ID/QRG, hymn and sign-off at 0359. SINPO 33333 (Valter Comuzzi, Pasian di Prato (Udine), Italy, DX One Pro - JRC 545, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. COHA: VENEZUELA'S MEDIA: MORE THAN WORDS AT STAKE Council on Hemispheric Affairs (COHA) analyst Manuel Rueda writes: Venezuela’s Bolivarian government is once again performing a balancing act ... and this time free speech hangs perilously on the line. In an effort to make media coverage more representative of a wider section of Venezuelan society, if not explicitly fair to both the government and the country’s middle class opposition, government legislators and cabinet officers are pushing for a series of laws to regulate TV and radio programming. But critics of the proposed reforms argue that attempts to regulate media content will only discourage any prospect of quality reporting and ultimately will do little to enable Venezuela’s poor to better voice their views. . . http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=6678 (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** ZAMBIA [non]. Re previous report of Christian Voice heard on 3200 and 3240 at 2115-2240 fadeout: I guessed they might be relays via Manzini, Swaziland, which uses 3200 and 3240 but at other times. Andrew Flynn, Head of Engineering, Christian Vision confirmed they were only scheduled on 4965 at this time, and schedule at http://www.christianvision.com was correct. CV has not been heard since on 3200 or 3240. Andrew flyunn concurred that the most likely explanation was ``it must be TWR playing around``. (Alan Pennington, May BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ FM ATLAS Our friend Bruce Elving writes to tell me he was recently in the hospital being treated for colon cancer. he says he must "take it easy" for a while, but indications are he will have a full recovery. also, his long-awaited next edition of the FM Atlas (19th edition) will soon be available, and he is taking orders. it will likely also be available through the usual sources (e.g. MT, book stores, ham fests). Best regards, as always (Jim Wishner, MN, May 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ ICOM R75 DISCONTINUED According to messages on the R75 mail group, Icom have discontinued production of the R75 with no indication, yet, if anything will take its place. It has disappeared from the Japanese web site, http://www.icom.co.jp/world/info/index.htm I wonder which way Icom will jump (Ian Johnson, May 6, ARDXC via DXLD) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS As if disintegrating SW broadcasts to North America is not enough, a new threat to our hobby has arisen. Similar technology has already been proposed and rejected in Japan and Germany but FCC Chairman Powell is likely to push this through as a way to provide additional competition for cable, DSL and satellite broadband technology unless we can stop him. I saw Powell on network TV (World News Tonight with Peter Jennings) viewing the tests currently in progress and commenting on how wonderful he thinks this technology is. The FCC is hot to trot on a new broadband technology using the power lines for interface between your computer and a pole-mounted modem that will translate the signal into an optical fiber lightwave. The spectrum will cover 3-30 MHz. Tests run by the American radio Relay league and the developer of the standard (HomePlug) showed that there was significant interference potential both from the system to HF amateur radio receivers and from amateur radio HF transmitters into the system. The ARRL was able to negotiate gaps in the HomePlug standard spectrum which reduces this susceptibility. This will do nothing to help shortwave listeners whose frequencies fall outside the ham bands. Organizations like NASWA and ANARC can represent SWL interests but individual SWL's should also send their comments to the FCC. The following article appears on the ARRL web site at: http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/ along with additional information. The complete FCC Notice of Inquiry is at the FCC web site: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC- 03-100A1.doc [as in DXLD 3-077?] (Joe Buch, DE, NASWA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) NPR SELLS GRUNDIG SW National Public Radio`s shopping page is selling five models of Grundig AM/FM/SW Radios: Grundig Yacht Boy 400PE AM/FM/SW Radio $149.95 Grundig G2000A AM/FM/SW Radio $79.95 Grundig FR200 Emergency AM/FM/SW Radio $39.95 Grundig Classic 960 AM/FM/SW Radio $149.95 Grundig S350 AM/FM/SW Radio $99.95 Details at http://shop.npr.org/catalog/Category.jhtml;jsessionid=Y0JDV0T0BDI1BLA5AIOSFEQ?CATID=6 (Prompted by a plug on NPR newscast, Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) STUDY: CELL PHONES PUT PLANES AT RISK By Will Sturgeon Special to CNET News.com May 2, 2003, 12:16 PM PT The U.K.'s air safety regulator has released research about cell phone use on planes, warning of the serious effects that it can have on a plane's navigational equipment. The Civil Aviation Authority http://www.caa.co.uk research found that standard cell phone use can cause a compass to freeze or to overshoot its actual magnetic bearing. Also, flight deck and navigation equipment indicators can be rendered unstable and inaccurate, and transmissions can interfere with critical audio outputs. Cell phone use has long been banned on airplanes, along with use of many other electrical devices. http://msn-cnet.com.com/2100-1033-954588.html?tag=nl But passengers have often accused airlines of being over-officious in their enforcement of the ban, even suggesting that it is unnecessary. Many airlines have had experience of passengers who are willing to break the ban in order to make a call. This latest research may frighten passengers into compliance with the rules. In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) bans the use of cell phones on airplanes because of worries that calls could interfere with a plane's navigation system. A number of anonymous posters on the Professional Pilots' Rumour Network--a popular online community for airline pilots and crew-- expressed mixed feeling over the findings. One poster said: "Occasionally during the taxi out, we overhear the characteristic rapid chirping of a mobile phone through our headsets. More often than not, it turns out to be a crew phone, we switch it off, then continue with no ill effects. "Sometimes, however, it becomes necessary to hold clear of the runway and make (an announcement) reminding (passengers) to switch their phones off. At the very least, something back in the cabin is emitting enough of a signal to be picked up by the cockpit intercom. I think that once in a while I have observed deviations in some of the aircraft (navigation) kit while the interference is going on." Another poster on the site expressed concerns over the issue, suggesting that it is almost impossible to ensure all cell phones are switched off. "If (the findings are) true, then we can never eliminate the possibility of an active phone on board by simply issuing instructions that all mobiles must be switched off. We either need a foolproof system of scanning for active phones (tricky because they can be 'quiet' for minutes at a time) or we need to 'harden' aircraft systems so this ceases to be a threat." Silicon.com's Will Sturgeon reported from London (via DXLD) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ WTFDA CONVENTION 2003! JULY 11, 12, 13 IN BATAVIA, NY Our hotel will be the Days Inn of Batavia. Rates are $72/night. Batavia-Days Inn, 200 Oak St., Batavia, NY 14020 US Phone: 585-343-6000 Fax: 585-343-5322 EASY ACCESS TO I-90 http://www.the.daysinn.com/batavia04801 (May VHF-UHF Digest via DXLD) COMMENTARY ++++++++++ QSLing BELLABARBA There is no conflict about Bellabarba between 'Norden' and 'Italy'. The conflict, if one must use this word, is between serious DXers and fake-QSL collectors and their supporters. Regardless of sex, race, nationality or religion. I don't understand Mr. Schoech's discrimination between Norden, Italy and 'we others' - or should we go deeper into the racist mud and say Italian Spaghetti, Norden Herings and German Kartoffeln? That's nonsense. Nordic DXers are highly respected and the DX tradition of Nordic countries is recognized everywhere. I usually write kHz, and so do my Italian friends, despite being among 'they all'. Some German DXers made and make mistakes sometimes - like everybody else. So what? Please stop this racist drift, or Bellabarba will have won at least one match. The divide must be between serious DXers and morons like Bellabarba and their friends. Regardless, I repeat, of sex, race, nationality or religion. Thanks and best greetings, (Enrico Oliva, Milan Italy, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, I think we have had enough of that (gh) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ THE ES SEASON Apparently in North America the amount of month-of-April Es has attracted some attention and those who live dangerously are offering prognostications about the season. Two facts: #1) Es has been measured in one way or another from 1933-1934, through seven solar cycles (averaging 11 years each). Profiles measuring the frequency of occurrence of Es and alternately the percentage of the observing time during which Es exceeds (pick a number: 50 MHz, 100 MHz, 150 MHz or any you like) a specific frequency have been recorded, plotted, and carefully studied. If you analyse plots based upon "total minutes of Es" exceeding 50 MHz, you come to the conclusion that the highest such annual numbers occur in the year, next year or next-next year following a solar maximum. That says 2002/2003/2004 either taken together or individually should have more Es than we have experienced going back to at least 1993/1994/1995 and more likely back to 1982/1983/1984 as there are indications that this particular measurement cycle runs to 22 years, not 11. #2) This is April. In the northern hemisphere my April is the same as your October which will help you identify with what follows. In the 12 years I have lived here in the southern hemisphere, the month of April - your October - has averaged under 4 days of Es observations (45 MHz and above). This April - the one we are now in - has had Es which I have noted in my log book on 11 days so far and the month is not finished (April 26th locally). The longest duration this month has been in excess of 7 hours of Es which all by itself exceeds by a factor of two the "normal April" cumulative total time. Does any of this suggest you northern guys are in for a bang-up summer? I think so! (Bob Cooper in New Zealand, Apr 25, WTFDA via DXLD) FROM: Spaceweather.com (May 5th) METEOR SHOWER: Right now Earth is gliding through a stream of dusty debris shed by Halley's Comet. This encounter is causing the annual eta Aquarid meteor shower. The best time to watch is just before local dawn on Tuesday, May 6th, when the shower is expected to peak. Sky watchers in the southern hemisphere, where the shower will be most intense, could see more than 30 meteors per hour. [observing tips] [sky maps: south, north] Ian's note: Also check out from May 21st to 28th for Meteor FM DX opportunities, mid am times. AURORA OUTLOOK: Earth is heading for a solar wind stream flowing from a coronal hole on the Sun. Gusts could spark auroras as early as May 6th, although May 7th is more likely. The best observing sites will be at high latitudes: e.g., the southern regions of New Zealand and Australia, northern Europe, Canada, and northern US states like Wisconsin and Michigan (via Ian ---, May 5, ARDXC via DXLD) SCIENTISTS TO CAPTURE SOLAR STORM Scientists from Birmingham have helped capture these images of violent solar storms, which can cause catastrophic effects on earth, for the first time. Launched in January this year in California, the Solar Coronal Mass Ejections Imager was the result of eight years' work by the university and is now operated from a US Air Force base in New Mexico. http://makeashorterlink.com/?A54832574 (Birmingham Post Apr 17 via Jily Dybka, DXLD) FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 07 MAY - 02 JUNE 2003 Solar activity is expected to range from low to moderate activity. Activity is expected to be at low levels early in the period until Region 338 returns to the visible disk on 11 May. Region 345/349 are due to return on 19 May. These regions are expected to present isolated M-class potential for the remainder of the period. No greater than 10 MeV proton events are expected during the forecast period. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux is expected to reach high levels early in the period, 07 – 09 May. High levels are also expected on 12 – 23 May and again on 27 May – 02 June. The geomagnetic field is expected to range from quiet to isolated major storm levels. Early in the period a large negative polarity coronal hole high speed flow is expected to produce unsettled to minor storm conditions. On 13 – 14 May, isolated major storm levels are possible with the return of a large coronal hole high speed flow. Late in the period a positive polarity is due to return and may produce unsettled to major storming on 27 – 30 May. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2003 May 06 2211 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2003 May 06 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2003 May 07 110 25 5 2003 May 08 105 20 4 2003 May 09 105 15 3 2003 May 10 100 15 3 2003 May 11 100 20 4 2003 May 12 100 20 4 2003 May 13 100 25 5 2003 May 14 100 25 5 2003 May 15 110 20 4 2003 May 16 115 20 4 2003 May 17 120 15 3 2003 May 18 125 20 4 2003 May 19 130 20 4 2003 May 20 130 15 3 2003 May 21 130 20 4 2003 May 22 135 20 4 2003 May 23 145 15 3 2003 May 24 150 15 3 2003 May 25 150 15 3 2003 May 26 155 15 3 2003 May 27 155 15 3 2003 May 28 150 25 5 2003 May 29 145 20 4 2003 May 30 145 12 3 2003 May 31 140 8 3 2003 Jun 01 125 15 3 2003 Jun 02 115 15 3 (from http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via WORLD OF RADIO 1181, DXLD) ###