DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-094, May 29, 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 1184: RFPI: Fri 1930, Sat 0130, 0800, 1400, 1730, 2330, Sun 0530, 1130, 1830, Mon 0030, 0630, 1230, Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0730, 1330 7445 15039 WWCR: Sat 0500, Sun 0230 5070, 0630 3210, Wed 0930 9475 WJIE: Sat 0930, Sun 1030, 1630 7490 13595 (maybe) WBCQ: Sun 0445 7415 WRN ONDEMAND [from Fri]: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1184.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1184.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1184h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1184h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1184.html CONTINENT OF MEDIA 03-03! New edition is now available, first broadcast on RFPI 7445, 15039: Thu 2000, Fri 0200, 0830; Sat 2130, Sun 0330, 0930 Also via DXing.com: {Stream) http://www.dxing.com/com/com0303.ram (Download) http://www.dxing.com/com/com0303.rm And via our site: (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/com0303.ram (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/com0303.rm (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/com0303.html (not yet available) WORLD OF RADIO, CONTINENT OF MEDIA ON SIUE WEB RADIO Glenn, I am PSA Director for Web Radio, a student-run radio station at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. I raised this idea with the station's General Manager, Lisa Herman, and she's all for what I am proposing. I am proposing the airing of World of Radio on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. CDT (1830 UT) on Mondays, and Continent of Media (which may be substituted with another WOR airing) on Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. CDT (1830 UT). I am proposing beginning WOR airings on June 2, and COM airings on June 4. The URL for Web Radio is: http://www.siue.edu/WEBRADIO/ The show will be inserted into regular automation, after my shows. "Journey Through The '70s", a program of '70s hits, airs on Monday beginning at noon (1700 GMT) and "Journey Through The '80s", a program of '80s hits, airs Wednesday at noon (1700 GMT). SIUE Web Radio (and sister station WSIE 88.7 FM) have facilities to record programs downloaded from the Internet on audio cassette, and convert them to MP3 files. If you have any other questions, let me know! BTW, I ran Part 15 radio station 107.1 KXLW Hazelwood, MO in the mid-1990s. E.B. Stevenson, PSA Director, Web Radio and 88.7 WSIE Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ** CANADA. CBC-TV FIRES VETERANS DUTHIE, GLOBERMAN Video-journalists to replace reporters; union to file grievance Tony Atherton, The Ottawa Citizen, Wednesday, May 28, 2003 Ottawa CBC TV reporters Dian Duthie and Danny Globerman were told yesterday their jobs would be eliminated by late July -- and replaced with two new positions designed for camera-wielding video journalists. Ms. Duthie, an award-winning health reporter who has worked for CBC television for 21 years, and Mr. Globerman, an arts and entertainment reporter who has been with the public broadcaster since 1978, were not encouraged to apply for the new positions. "They advised me that I could," Mr. Globerman said, but they did not encourage it. Ms. Duthie said the news left her "pretty numb. I was very shocked and sad and angry." Video journalists or VJs -- reporters who do their own camera work and editing -- now account for five of the eight news reporting jobs at CBC Ottawa. After this change takes effect, senior reporter Cory O'Kelly will be the only CBC staffer covering city news who is not a VJ. The Canadian Media Guild, the union representing CBC employees, said it would file grievances on behalf of the reporters, charging the broadcaster breached the union's collective agreement by not offering retraining for the new positions before the pink slips were issued. Ms. Duthie and Mr. Globerman said yesterday they would be interested in retraining. Wendy Robbins, president of the journalists' bargaining unit for the Ottawa branch of the guild, called the handling of the job shuffle "mean-spirited and short-sighted." "Why did they go through this demeaning process of declaring jobs redundant that happen to be held by senior players in the newsroom, when they could have simply said, 'We want to reclassify these jobs, we need more shooting, we're going to offer you all the training you need, and we'll support you because you're valued people here," said Ms. Robbins, who is also executive producer of the CBC series On The Road Again. Lynn Raineault, CBC's regional director for Ontario and Quebec, said she couldn't promise the new jobs to the reporters because their training in the required camera and editing skills might take too long. "Our needs are fairly immediate, so if you had a fully trained VJ from Montreal or somewhere close who applied for the job, we'd have to look at it," said Ms. Raineault. She said the urgency is the result of increasing demand from other parts of the CBC news system for footage from Ottawa. Retraining is always an option, she said, "but it's got to be the best option for that particular job." Even if the guild's grievance is unsuccessful, Ms. Duthie and Mr. Globerman may still be able to continue with CBC. As veteran journalists, they could bump less senior reporters working in radio or on Parliament Hill. They can't displace VJs because they are in a different category. "I'm hoping that retraining could be a possibility," said Ms. Duthie. "On the other hand, there may be producing opportunities or something on radio that would be fun to do." (c) Copyright 2003 The Ottawa Citizen (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** CANADA. for anyone interested in reading about (& linking to broadcasts of) Park Radio (Canadian Rockies -- Banff & area), you can visit: http://www.friendsofbanff.com/radio.htm (Eric Flodén, BC, IRCA via DXLD) viz.: ! Park Radio on the Web: Click Here (requires RealPlayer8) Park Radio is a visitor information radio station located in Banff National Park. It began as a project by Banff National Park in 1992. In 1994, the Canadian Radio Television and Telecommunications Commission (C.R.T.C.) approved the license for the station and it has been broadcasting since 1995. In January of 1999, the C.R.T.C. approved the transfer of the license to the Friends of Banff National Park. Park Radio broadcasts a wide range of park information including: natural and cultural history programming, public safety messages, trail reports, public service announcements, park events, weather and things to see-and-do. Park Radio has office and production space located in the Banff National Park Information Centre, at 224 Banff Avenue, in the Town of Banff. Transmission facilities are located at the Tunnel Mountain Campground Theatre. Our Streaming audio feed on the Internet is hosted by The Banff Centre. Park Radio Mission Park Radio will tell the story of Banff National Park to the visiting public: from the rise of the Canadian Rockies, to the plants and animals who came to inhabit the mountains from the evidence of pre-historic life 11,500 years ago, to the modern adventurers who explore the mountains today of our quest to understand the mountain landscape and our place in it Park Radio will also provide basic information to help visitors better enjoy their stay: weather and trail reports, where to get information, public safety messages and information about park events and facilities Park Radio will use a variety of programming to enlighten and entertain visitors: Stories, interviews, quizzes, documentaries, trivia, music, sound effects and on-location stories For up to date information on all aspects of your trip to Banff National Park - Internet in Real Audio - English - - 101.1 FM - English - - 103.3 FM - Français - The Official Radio Station of Banff National Park (via gh, DXLD) Listened a while: beware of overmodulation; how to scare bears, etc. (gh) ** CHINA [non]. Change for Fang Guang Ming (Falun Gong) on TDP's website: 2100-2200 on 6035 and 9625 (ex-9945) (Silvain Domen, Belgium, May 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. Hi Glenn; Here is the answer I received from Jeff Ingram regarding this weekend`s MM program. 73 Mick Delmage Hello Mick, I just wanted to write in response to your question about the Musical Mailbag. It's kind of a yes and no answer. Yes there will be a Musical Mailbag this weekend. No it will not be aired on Sunday. When Ralph mentioned that there would be one more program, he forgot to mention that it will be aired in the old Saludos Amigos timeslot, right after DX Partyline. So, you can hear the final Musical Mailbag program on Saturday May 31, but if you tune in Sunday... you'll get silence. Thanks for asking (Jeff Ingram, HCJB, via Mickey Delmage, AB, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The Musical Mailbag program usually heard here local Sunday evenings on HCJB will air it's final program this Saturday in NAm (UT Sunday June 1) right after the DX Party Line, thus at 0030 and 0330 UT on 9745 to North America. This should be the case for the European release also. 73 (Mick Delmange, hard-core-dx via DXLD) Also, for Saturday UT (Friday night here in NAm), Jeff Ingram told me "Studio 9 is going to be an hour. That will push Música del Ecuador back a half hour, but you'll still hear it. We're going to pull one of the programs that is provided from an outside broadcaster". That is the only other change to the final weekend schedule. Enjoy. 73 (Mick Delmage, AB, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. A guy from Berlin I consider as reliable told me about interesting observations he made on 855 (Berlin-Britz): One day the transmitter was running some kind of analogue/digital hybrid mode with digital signals above and below a narrow-bandwith (even poorer than it is on 855 anyway) AM signal. So far nobody knows what this was. There were indeed already talks (don't ask me where, I cannot recall) about a hybrid mode on DRM but with SSB+carrier and a digital signal taking the place of the supressed sideband, not this IBOC-like appearance. And I heard a bird chirping that Wertachtal would by no means be ready to start DRM transmissions in June as it was reported recently. It would be surprising how some guys would know, and sometimes it would be better to publish nothing. Yeah, sure (Kai Ludiwg, Germany, May 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) * * INTERATIONAL VACUUM. SKY NEWS TO LAUNCH IN US 10:38 BST, Thursday 29th May 2003 -- by Neil Wilkes Sky News could soon be seen on satellite TV across the US, according to this week's Broadcast. The channel, which could launch as early as July, is said to be on the brink of securing a deal with DirecTV, America's largest satellite service with 11 million subscribers. "Sky News is currently in discussions with various parties in the US about distribution deals," a Sky spokeswoman said, refusing to comment on the DirecTV deal. The channel will just be a rebroadcast of the standard version, similar to the broadcast of FOX News in the UK. The magazine reports that the focus of the channel may shift with time, however, becoming more of an international news station to compete with the likes of BBC World. Sky is also expected to pursue carriage of the channel on US cable networks. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds11167.html (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** IRAN. ANALYSIS - IRAN: REFORM IN THE AIR? | Text of editorial analysis by Chris McWhinnie of BBC Monitoring's Media Services Iran finds itself in a situation where internal politics are in a period of change and tension between the USA and Iran appears to be rising. Washington has piled on the pressure and accused Iran, which it brands as part of the "axis of evil," of harbouring Al-Qa'idah operatives, despite Iran claiming to have expelled 500. The US says intelligence intercepts suggest that orders for the 12 May bombings in Saudi were isssued from inside Iran. The US has also repeated the accusation that Iran is planning to arm itself with nuclear weapons. In Iran, nearly 130 members of the reformist-dominated parliament have signed an open letter to the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamene'i, calling on him to intervene to break the political deadlock holding up reforms. This internal instability, could be exploited from outside, but there seems to be no prospect of US military action against Iran, and the Iranian leadership is keen to avoid provocation. Under the US spotlight President Khatami, at heart a reformer, spoke at the Organization of the Islamic Conference on 27 May about forming collective policies for problems facing the world Islam. In the same speech, he had to denounce terrorism but oppose the USA's "unilateral" policy. He had to support the Palestinians and accused Israel of "organized state terrorism". These are difficult issues for Iran to express while it is under the spotlight of the US administration. Iraq is also a point of contention with the USA: The USA is trying to minimize the influence Iran will have on the political makeup of Iraq. But, in terms of media, there is the operation of the Voice of the Mujahidin radio station, which appears to be affiliated with the Tehran-based Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, SCIRI. This is a direct, if limited, attempt to influence the Iraqi political scene using Iranian state broadcast facilities. Strength of reform The struggle for influence, power and control of reform is played out in the Iranian domestic state media. Moderate reformist President Khatami has been trying to wrench politics and society out of the grip of Iran's highly conservative clerics. President Khatami's popular liberal ideas have, however, put him at odds with Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamene'i, and other hard-liners reluctant to lose sight of established Islamic traditions. The print media is an example of a newfound and enjoyed freedom, which although it had limited success, made some impact too. Dozens of papers emerged, most on the side of the reformers. But the relative freedom of the press, while being a very tangible achievement of President Khatami's reformist government was also a main target for conservatives in their power struggle. Many pro-reform newspapers were closed down and reformist writers and editors jailed. The highly conservative judiciary has led the campaign against the liberal media, with President Khatami and the parliament apparently powerless to intervene. Press control, some freedom Political debate and acknowledgement of Iran's international and domestic predicament is certainly tolerated in the press: The newspaper Etemaad, on 28 May, carried a commentary which suggested that political decisions in Iran are made too late and that the country sends the wrong message to the outside world: "\… The narrowing of our sphere of manoeuvrability and lessening of our available options to a minimum - has been a constant behaviour, to the extent that rivals and outsiders are anticipating Iran's every move\…". The mechanisms for press control can ban publications and take legal action against writers. The newspaper Nasim-e Saba reported on 27 May that the re-appointed Tehran chief prosecutor said that if the approach followed by the press is the same as those previously banned, then he would not hesitate to seek to ban them in open court with a jury. Less freedom for broadcasters The broadcast media under President Khatami has seen some changes but it is more restricted than the press. Curbs on satellite television are less severe than before - it is tolerated to some extent. The government has increased the number of central television channels to five and introduced an international satellite channel for Persian speakers and Iranians abroad and news networks for home and abroad have been launched to compete with foreign TV. Television is very popular in Iran. More than 80 per cent of the population watch TV and do so for more than four hours each day. As over 50 per cent of the population is under the age of 25 it is not surprising that the most popular TV station is the state channel 3, the youth network. The Iranian Student's News Agency has reported that apparent jamming or interfering signals, from known fixed and mobile transmitters, are disrupting some foreign satellite stations and satellite-delivered Internet data. The interfering signals seem to appear with some degree of official sanction or protection - be it military, political or religious and this may be indicative of the divisions between the government and the conservative military. Financial inquiry at state broadcaster The huge financial losses at Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) are also a matter of public and parliamentary concern and wrangling. The head of IRIB has said that the investigation into the supposed financial irregularities was politically motivated and that his organization has been treated in a factional manner. The English- language Iran Daily web site reported on 26 May that law makers sitting on the parliamentary investigative committee have been refused access to IRIB's accounts. Earlier, on 12 May the official IRNA news agency said that IRIB's own on-air reports of the financial investigations and remarks by the IRIB president were "inappropriate" and had been criticized by the council that supervises IRIB. President Khatami has intervened, but did so by asking IRIB to remain politically neutral towards all parties and groups. Talking to IRIB's supervisory council, the president urged the council to perform its oversight function for IRIB without political bias. He stressed that IRIB should present the policies of the state clearly and in a way that cooperated with government to help bolster national security. Internet "filtered" The Internet is also a subject of controversy. On 20 May the Nasim-e Saba newspaper reported 187 web sites being filtered officially by the authorities. Most are dissident sites of political grouping inside and outside Iran. Curiously this net blockage also included the web site of a moderate magazine, Aftab, which is however openly available on newsstands with a permit issued by the same Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. Media - part of the story of reform Iran's media plays a part in the politics of the country and is also tasked with reporting on the changes taking place within Iran. It is inevitably pulled in different directions. It reports the path to reform, there are those parts of the media which seek their freedom and the conservative elements in Iran which seek to impose controls on the media through the courts. Source: BBC Monitoring research 29 May 03 (via DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. Around 1400 UT, RFI signed on, frequency 15495. Radio Kuwait signed off that frequency around 1315 leaving it free!!! One more thing: when Radio Free Iraq was announcing the frequencies used, they never mentioned 15495!?????? Strange! (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, Egypt, May 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re DXLD 3-093 KUWAIT HEARD RELAYING RADIO FREE IRAQ As Tarek says, 15495 is broadcasting Radio Free Iraq, and is heard parallel listed 9825 [KAV] 11805[LAM] 15170[MOR] and 17740[KAV] at 1500 until 1700, so it is an additional frequency. This relatively new entry appears in today`s IBB schedule: 15495 1400 1500 VOA W VAR WOF 08 102 10/23/2003 10/25/2003 15495 1500 1700 VOA W VAR WOF 08 102 10/23/2003 10/25/2003 Could this already be on air and is it this transmitter being heard carrying R. Free Iraq? [i.e. Woofferton, UK, not KUWAIT] Radio Kuwait should not be using 15495 at 1500. Their current HFCC registration says 0200-1305 and 1800-2400 on this frequency. The gap in service between v1305 and v1800 has been in their sched for years. At 1500 they are audible on 15110 [this has Urdu once again at 1600- 1800] 13620 [until v1605] 11990 [from v1615] and 9880. And 15505 is also on air, but carries a different programme, thought to be the Koran service (Noel Green, UK, May 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRELAND. PIRATES ARE SHIPWRECKED - NOT FOR LONG From The Irish Independent 27th May 2003 The pirate radio stations have been silenced by the gardai and the telecoms regulator. JOHN MEAGHER listens to the voices of the alternative airwaves. The airwaves are quieter this week. Aficionados of Radio 1, 2FM, Today FM and the city's local broadcasters, 98FM and FM104 won't have noticed a change in their radio station of choice. But for the growing pirate radio audience the past seven days have been dramatic. Last week, between 15 and 20 unlicensed radio stations were in operation in Dublin. Today, there is no trace of them. The bandwidth on which they used to broadcast is silent. Last Tuesday, gardaí and inspectors from the telecommunications regulator, ComReg, raided small studios throughout the city, seizing equipment and cutting off the power supply. Other stations, hearing of the raids, voluntarily closed down in an attempt to safeguard their expensive equipment. Within hours Jazz FM, Choice FM, ICE FM and Premier FM among others were off the air - possibly for good. Broadcasting without a licence is an offence, according to legislation dating back to 1926, and in recent years ComReg has taken a tough stance. For the past couple of months, stations throughout the country have had their equipment confiscated and transmitters removed. It was Dublin's turn last week. The move will have left thousands of listeners fuming. Pirate radio stations cater for people who feel marginalised by the music offerings of licensed, commercial broadcasters who seem bent on playing the same middle-of-the-road pop songs over and over. In this staid, conservative environment pirates have flourished. Jazz, alternative rock, dance and country - the sort of music that one rarely hears played on day-time radio - receives heavy rotation on the pirates. Some, like Jazz FM, specialise in niche markets. A ComReg spokeswoman says the crackdown on pirates was instigated because of complaints received by air traffic controllers, who claimed illegal radio stations were clogging up bandwidth. She says there had been concerns among the gardaí and ambulance workers that the frequency used by some stations was in danger of interfering with their two-way radios. She would not say how many stations had been raided. Legal operators have pushed for a blitz, too. While there is little advertising carried on the pirate stations, licensed commercial operators have been calling for a crackdown for some time. They claim that pirates, particularly those targeting the youth market, have been taking listeners from legitimate stations. Estimates fluctuate wildly, but it is believed that one-in-five Dublin residents regularly tune into pirate radio stations. Phantom FM, regarded as the most successful pirate, claims to have had a market share of 4pc before it voluntarily closed last week. Although impossible to verify, sources within the Dublin radio industry believe this figure is not far from the mark. And that's impressive, considering Phantom is competing with the heavy marketing spend and brand awareness enjoyed by, say, 2FM and Today FM. Phantom's founder and station manager Pete Reed says it will back be on the airwaves soon. Unlike other pirates, the station - which specialises in independent/alternative music - wants to go legit. Twice turned down for a radio licence, for many it's the real sound of Dublin music radio. A musical sanctuary for those who are switched off by the inane, mid-Atlantic warbling of many mainstream DJs, Phantom is a broadcasting free spirit which is as irreverent towards commercial music as is it authentic in its own tastes. It has championed many domestic musicians, Mundy and Damien Rice among them, long before they were acknowledged by the commercial stations. "It's obvious that there is a market for a station like Phantom," says Reed, a long-serving pirate thanks to his work on the Coast and Spectrum stations. "Unlike other pirate stations that operate in someone's bedroom, this is a professional set-up in every way - from the equipment to the DJs and the schedules." Phantom's studio is housed near a well-known city centre music venue. "We heard on the grapevine that some stations were being raided," he says, "so we took the decision to shut down. The equipment is expensive - thousands of euro worth of stuff - and it would be very difficult to start up again if it was gone." Phantom's directors have voluntarily taken the station off the airwaves before. The last time was during its bid for a "special interest" licence from the Irish Broadcasting Commission (formerly IRTC) and it was off the air for seven months in 2001. "The whole application process cost us about Euro20,000, which we raised ourselves, or borrowed from the credit union, because we had to come up with architect drawings and cashflow projections," Reed says. It was widely assumed that Phantom would win the licence, but it went to a country and western station. The failure stung, and Reed and the 30 or so DJs at Phantom were faced with the dilemma of staying off the air to appease the IBC for any future bids or to start broadcasting again. For music lovers like Reed there could only be one answer. When Phantom went back on air again it seemed to attract even greater interest than before. What motivates people like Pete Reed? "We do this because we love music and because we have complete control over what we play," he says. "When people are bored with the status quo, they want to do something different. Phantom could become Dublin's answer to XFM (the successful London alternative music station that began life as a pirate). Some people out there don't want to hear the latest Westlife song every time they turn on the radio." Reed believes Phantom will eventually be awarded a licence as a result of its growing appeal. Apart from their Dublin listeners, Phantom DJs are picking up new fans in Australia and the US as they can be heard on the internet. Almost all pirate DJs are unpaid and perks are few, unless you count the thousands of free CDs sent in by record companies, all of which seem to be very supportive of pirates (privately at least). A DJ with dance station Nova says the enjoyment comes from playing to people who are "obviously fans of the music" rather than to an audience for whom the music is just background noise. Another factor is less altruistic. "Because you can play what you like, it's a good way of letting club owners and other DJs hear what you're like. DJing on a pirate is putting yourself in the shop window. I think people would be surprised to learn how influential it is." Some pirates never make it past the bedroom, or garden shed, and go unnoticed by listeners. Many use antiquated equipment and because of a lack of soundproof technology, all sorts of noises are picked up by the microphone. The origins of pirate radio in Ireland are dubious, dating back to the Second World War when a Dublin group with Nazi sympathies rebroadcast the speeches of dissident "Lord Haw Haw" from Berlin. The first music-orientated pirate, Radio Atlantis, was established in 1964 by Davitt Kelly, an important figure in the development of the radio sector in Ireland in future decades. The motivation of the early pioneers had nothing to do with making money or influencing the direction of radio. It was just that some people got a buzz out of putting their own show on the air. It had to do with communicating. The 1970s was something of a golden era for pirate radio. These were the days before licensed local radio stations and when the number of broadcasters could be counted on the fingers of one hand. It is widely thought that Ireland's first legitimate pop station, 2FM, was established thanks to the huge listenership enjoyed by the pirates. Many of that station's DJs, including such influential figures in domestic music as Dave Fanning, served their time on the pirates. Anybody expecting Fanning to be sympathetic will be surprised. "There have always been crackdowns. You just have to move on and try something else. I think Phantom is a good station, but I'm don't know what the others are like because I've never heard them. "You play music as a pirate DJ because you love music, not because you want to make money. That's the way I saw it when I worked in pirate radio stations. I think people want me to say something like 'it's awful that this has happened', but I won't. It's life. Get over it." One thing is certain. Pirate radio won't be silent for long. Newcomers will find their place on the airwaves in time and some stations closed last week will be operating again within weeks. John Meagher (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** ISRAEL. I don't have any details yet - but as of an hour ago (1:50 AM Israel Time), Haaretz lists, "01:50 As part of emergency economic plan, Knesset approves reform of Israel Broadcasting Authority" http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/ShTickers.html I gather they'd have a follow up article a bit later. I don't see anything on the Jerusalem Post or IBA website yet (Doni Rosenzweig, May 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. Have any RTTY leads? Hi Glen[n]. Your DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-063, April 11, 2003 is about the only current report I have found thus far on the internet, and I was curious whether you had any RTTY leads that I might be able to copy. I am here on the west coast in San Diego, California, and have found very limited access or reception to finding RTTY that I can copy. I have copied and verified the French Navy running its RY tape on two frequencies, and verified it against an old list I found on the internet. I have also been able to copy HAM traffic both using 170 Hz shift and MFSK16 utilizing HamScope, connected through a Tigertronics Signal Link and my rig. Right now I am in the process of verifying equipment set up and performance, and any fairly current RTTY information you might have would be helpful. Thanks, and hope to hear back from you soon. 73 (Greg Galaski, San Diego, California, May 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY (KCNA) KCNA is the official news agency of the North Korean government. Title in Korean: Choson Chugang Tongsinsa. In addition to radioteletype services in English shown below, KCNA also transmits a facsimile service in English, Japanese and Korean on HF. Tel: +850242149, Fax: +8502812421, Telex: 5475 Name of service: KCNA Radioteletype Service Main studio center: Pyongyang English (400 or 250 Hz shift/50 baud speed) Asia 0400-0600 HMF46 10580 1000-1200 HMF88/HMF46 8152/10580 1500-1730 HMF46 10580 (Pool Items) Europe 0400-0530 HMF26 15633 1000-1200 HMF55/HMF26 11430/15633 Americas 0400-0730 HMF52 11476 (Pool Items) 1230-1430 HMF52/HMF36 11476/13580 2130-2300 HMF52 11476 (Pool Items) Africa 0800-1030 HMF49 11536 1230-1430 HMF85/HMF49 8020/11536 1800-2100 HMF52 11476 (Pool Items) FAX Press Service (350 rpm/60 IOC) 2330-0030 HMF52 11476 2330-0030 HMY36 13580 (via Gayle and Larry Van Horn, Crisis on the Korean Peninsula, June Monitoring Times via DXLD) ** KUWAIT. See IRAQ [non] ** LIBERIA [and non]. The Latest News From WJIE International Shortwave ***** SPECIAL PRAYER ALERT!! ***** DATELINE: LIBERIA WEST AFRICA May 22, 2003 TO: FRIENDS AND PARTNERS ---- WORLD PRAYER BROADCASTING We urgently need you to pray for a very special need. Yesterday we tried to wire our Missionary in Liberia Money. The bank there refused the wire. This morning we received word that the fighting has reached the outskirts of Monrovia. There were 700 westerners there last week…today there are 50 left, as the US Consulate advised evacuation. Patty Heltsley, our missionary representative in Liberia, is very brave and wishes to stay on the ground, but all westerners are evacuating. As a nurse she has a great sense of duty and commitment, doesn’t want to leave, but we feel it is in her safety’s interest that she leave as well. So we need her out now! Please pray that she will drop everything and go. She will be faced with two choices... To try to escape by car and risk encountering rebels and border problems. The second choice will be the airport, which will be the first target of the rebels. So please pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance in this decision. Pray for open doors for a ticket and safe passage. Next, please pray for protection of all our employees in Liberia as they go through this difficult time. A suicide bomber once destroyed this station and the staff was lost... So pray for those that will be left on the ground, pray for God’s divine protection. Please pray that the station and the Church will remain unharmed and that we will still be able to broadcast the Gospel. Finally, we have a praise report to bring to you. Yesterday we were to ship a 100,000 watt transmitter to Liberia from The Seychelles, with a replacement value of a quarter of a million dollars. Yesterday, it was to board a ship for transport to Liberia. We were refused because of one missing piece of paperwork. Today through God’s divine hand we were able to arrange for this to be moved to UGANDA where we already have people and a station on the ground....What a God we serve! There will also be a television station there as well so we praise God. As you have read this email there are people dying in Liberia, so we plead for your prayers. Please forward this as the Lord leads. Please email or doc with your questions, and you comments of support. In Christ Love, Brother Morgan morgan@wjie.org Doc Burkhart doc@wjie.org (WJIE website May 28 via DXLD) Hmm, maybe it wasn`t such a good idea to try to broadcast from Liberia. One can, after all, broadcast into Liberia on SW from a more secure place. And that place is now Uganda?? Note recent reports of something on 11512 presumed to be the Liberian station --- with its original lower-powered transmitter, moved in from Lebanon (gh, DXLD) ** LIBYA [non?]. Re. the new Iraq service from Libya: Actually transmit from where? Issoudun or reactivated Sabrata (or even anything else in Libya) facilities? (Kai Ludiwg, Germany, May 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. It is perhaps telling that the signals and modulation of R. México Internacional are both so poor, even in the neighboring country, that it did not even occur to me to include XERMX when I remarked on page 92 of the June MONITORING TIMES that the departure of HCJB left us with nothing but Cuba and Argentina for Latin American external services in English. Strictly speaking, Mexico should be included, tho that hardly lightens the loss of HCJB. Strangely enough, no one has corrected me on this except myself (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. MOVING MEXICO TV IDS PART 1 Glenn, Thanks for your interest! The list is short; this is part 1: XEPM-2 Cd Juárez. I'm not sure about this one, but it *appears* that they have replaced the two-line upper right ID with a one-line ID across the top, pushed against the left side. Due to bad signal I'm only about 90% sure this was XEPM. XHBQ-3 Zacatecas has replaced the big calls at the top with a small two-line ID upper left. XHAJ-5 Las Lajas has moved their ID from upper center to upper right and changed the wording. The new ID looks like this: TELEVISA LAJAS XHAJ-TV C-5 Also, XHQ-2 Guamuchil, Sinaloa (a full-time relayer of independent XHQ-3 Culiacán and their circle-3 logo) has added a local four-line supered ID upper right. It reads: GUAMUCHIL SON XHQ-TV C-2 TELEVISA TIME/DATE (Danny Oglethorpe, LA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Moving Mexico TV IDs part 2 Add these to my recent list of Televisa relayers that have moved their supered IDs to a different part of the screen: XHHMA-2 Hermosillo (XEQ-9/Galavision relayer) has moved their supered four-line ID from upper left to upper right. XEZ-2 San Miguel de Allende GTO (XEW relayer) has moved their four- line ID from upper right to lower left. (Danny Oglethorpe, Shreveport, LA, May 26, WTFDA via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. The Dutch public network Radio 1 is no longer broadcasting on 1008 kHz from Flevo. The transmitter is now carrying a looped announcement telling people to re-tune to FM. For the oldies amongst us, the voice belongs to Hans Hoogendoorn, now with Radio Netherlands, but well remembered from his days on the Dutch service of Radio Northsea International. Hans has one of the best radio voices I've heard anywhere. For those who haven't been following developments closely, 1008 kHz will become a commercial radio frequency. Currently it, and 747 kHz, are radiated from Flevo with 160 kW using the two masts in a directional pattern towards the south east. The new commercial operator on 1008 kHz, Radlon, plans to use the full power of 400 kW and only one mast will be used, producing a much stronger signal into the UK. The transmissions of public network Radio 747 will be moved back to Lopik. I do not have any details of power/antenna, but in the "old days" it used 120 kW from that site (Andy Sennitt, May 29, hard-core-dx via DXLD) HIGH PROFILE CASUALTIES IN DUTCH COMMERCIAL RADIO Analysis by Andy Sennitt, 28 May 2003 If it's job security you're after, don't become a broadcaster in The Netherlands. As staff at the public stations busy themselves with the practical implications of savage budget cuts by the new government, many in the commercial radio sector are coming to terms with the licence decisions announced on Monday. There have been some high profile casualties in the bid to secure licences for the next eight years, effective on Sunday 1 June. Dutch radio listeners are used to finding their favourite station on different frequencies, depending on whether they're listening via cable or to a terrestrial transmitter. But even they are going to find the mediumwave and FM dial unfamiliar in the coming weeks. On 1 June the final stage of the Zerobase project, a nationwide reshuffling of FM frequencies necessary to make room for additional commercial stations, will come into effect. This also affects the public broadcasters. Predictably, applicants for commercial licences have reacted with either jubilation or consternation to the outcome. There have been some surprises, even a shock or two. At least one unsuccessful applicant has told Media Network that it is 'already starting a court case against the government's decision.' There are some high profile casualties, amongst them Radio 10 FM, which has been around for 15 years and employs a staff of 35. Its bid for a national FM licence was up against strong competition from Sky Radio (for an oldies station), Arrow Classic Rock and Holland FM. The successful applicant, Sky Radio, will pay 33.6m euros for the eight year licence, though the bid from Radio 10 FM was even higher. Radio 10 FM Director Erik de Zwart believes there must be "other reasons". Pending possible legal action, the station says it will vacate its current FM frequencies and mediumwave 675 kHz after 31 May. Radio 10 FM says on its Web site that it received 30,000 protest E- mails in 24 hours, and more are coming in all the time. The station points out that it will remain on the air via cable systems, but the loss of audiences on the move and in the workplace is a savage blow. It will mean a huge drop in advertising revenue, and inevitably job losses. Programme Director Tom Mulder described the feeling as "like losing an old friend." As for its presenters, Peter Holland summed up the mood when he told the newspaper Algemeen Dagblad that, while he wants to remain loyal to Radio 10, ultimately as a broadcaster he wants to reach the largest possible audience. He wouldn't rule out moving to the new oldies station if invited to do so. Another loser is Radio Nationaal, which had spent a considerable sum hiring airtime on a high power mediumwave transmitter in the UK for several months in 2002 in order to raise its profile and enhance its chances of getting a licence. Owner Ruud Hendriks is, naturally, very disappointed that his efforts and expense over three years have been to no avail. He says the station, which has been broadcasting only on cable in recent months, will close down for good on 1 June. Other familiar names will also disappear from the dial, including Radio 192 and Arrow Classic Rock. But it's not all doom and gloom. Over at current market leader Sky Radio, Director Tom Lathouwers is jubilant that his station succeeded in getting the largest of all the FM packages in terms of coverage (67%), though in some parts of the country it will mean shifting dial positions. In the Hilversum area Sky Radio will move to 101.2 MHz. The current Sky Radio frequency of 100.7 MHz will become the new home of Noordzee FM, whose own current frequency of 102.0 MHz will in turn go to Radio 538. No wonder Lex Harding of Radio 538 says that he expects "chaos on the airwaves" as stations play musical chairs with their frequencies. The big question is: will all the listeners follow? Another unanswered question is what will happen to each station at the end of the eight year licence period. After what has happened to Radio 10 FM, nobody can afford to be complacent. Certainly there should be no need for further changes in the distribution of frequencies. The Zerobase project was a one-off exercise designed to correct shortcomings and anomalies in the piecemeal expansion of FM services in recent years. But for the people who work at the radio stations, job security only lasts as long as the licence. For the shareholders, too, investing in a business which can suddenly be crippled by a decision in The Hague is not the most attractive prospect. The lesson is obvious: don't put all your eggs in one basket. If a company owns several stations, or is also active in a field other than broadcasting, the loss of a licence need not be a fatal blow. But for the listener, if your favourite station isn't flavour of the month with the politicians, there's not much you can do. Sadly, when you live in a small, crowded country, you don't get any extra space on the FM dial for everyone's wishes to be fulfilled. Sting in the tail A sting in the tail for the unsuccessful applicants is that the mediumwave frequency of 1008 kHz has been awarded to a station which doesn't even plan to broadcast primarily to The Netherlands, but instead to the UK! Essex based Radlon Media Limited plans to use the frequency to re-launch the former pirate radio station Radio London (Big L) and other programming formats. The transmitter will be used at its full power of 400 kW using a single mast at Flevo, which should cover a population of 20 million people in the South east and east of Britain as well as much of The Netherlands. Currently, Flevo uses 160 kW on both 747 and 1008 kHz with both masts in use to create a directional pattern towards the south east. The transmissions of public network Radio 747 on 747 kHz will be transferred from Flevo to Lopik (via Mike Terry, DXLD) At present many unconfirmed reports or rumours spread about the Dutch mediumwave outlets. Here a summary of what I read so far: 675: Radio 10 FM is the big loser in this game. Originally they intended to leave mediumwave in September because new FM outlets would made a continued operation unnecessary. But all these plannings were smashed; in fact Radio 10 FM lost *all* terrestrial outlets, both FM and MW. The station started a protest campaign, see http://www.radio10.fm/splash/ Allegedly the new licensee for 675 (described as "Music Country") reached an agreement with Arrow Classic Rock (at present on 828) which would result in Arrow being carried on 675 from Sunday. 891: Word is that Radio 538 will be put on this frequency (until now a "twin" of Flevoland 1008) immediately on Sunday. Hulsberg 891 was allocated to Radio 538 because the FM network they won has serious coverage gaps in the southern Netherlands. 1008: The licensee (Radlon Media) plans an English-language service, aiming at listeners in the UK. Once again, these are basically rumours so far. It appears that switches can be expected to take place on Saturday 2200 UT (i.e. midnight CEST) when the new frequency allocations come into force. Reportedly on FM some of the new outlets are already on air. Here is an official announcement: http://www.ez.nl/home.asp?locatie=main&page=/homepages/default.asp%3Fpagina%3Dpersbericht%26iMessage%3D284 As a reference you may use this frequency list: http://home.wxs.nl/~rabrand/zerobase/zerobase2.html (URL's pointed out by Wian Stienstra) [Later:] Indeed Arrow Classic Rock will be carried on 675 from Sunday, see http://www.arrow.nl Chart of the new frequency allocations, including the amounts of money the licensees paid: http://www.hvanbeek.com/medianieuws/zerobase.html And finally NOS already switched Flevoland-Zeewolde 1008 and Hulsberg 891 to a 19 second loop, announcing that Radio 1 can no longer be heard on mediumwave (Kai Ludiwg, Germany, May 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. For two days in a row I have noted Radio New Zealand at close on 9885 at 1310. At that time they shift to 6095 for 5 minutes or so, then off. I'm wondering if they just do this to check out the 6095 transmitter/antenna? I know that on occasion they do use 6095 for sporting events and/or cyclone warnings (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, May 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. Worst Thing [about KWGS in online survey]: Not knowing when KWGS or any other OK public radio station will be broadcasting the entire OK Mozart 2002 series. Help?? (gh to KWGS) The 2002 series broadcasts for all stations have been delayed until Fall of this year. The 2002 season will likely be combined with the 2003 recordings into a longer broadcast series (Frank Christel, Director of Broadcast Services, The University of Tulsa, May 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. Additional changes for Radio Pakistan since May 24th: World Service to Gulf & ME 0500-0700 on new 17755 282deg [API-6 x 21460] and 11570 260deg [API-1 x 17835] API-5 15100 now via 252deg World Service to Western Europe 1700-1900 on new 15065 [API-5 x 9400]. API-6 11570 continues - both via 313 deg. And re this in 3-093: The updated Radio Pakistan A-03 schedule in DXLD 3-092 has them on 17720 at 1600-1615 when the A-03 schedule that appeared in DXLD 3-050 had them on 17820. Can anyone confirm which they are actually on? (Dan Sampson, Prime Time Shortwave, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Their A-03 schedule lists 17820 [API-1 at 233deg] and I don't know of any change, and cannot hear them on either frequency, but they were informed that RCI was also using 17820 at 1600. Best 73s (Noel Green, UK, May 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 6042.55, 0718, COLOMBIA, Radio Melodía, SF de Bogotá, presumed the weak station here with lengthy newscast and the off "Melodía" spoken over the news readers by an FA [female announcer?] (Paul Ormandy, NZ, May 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Paul, this format seems more like that of Melodia, Arequipa. This station seems to be on the move, looking for a clean spot in the 49 metre band. Someone reported hearing them on approx. 6105 a few days ago. Bolivia's Panamericana was off at the time. Cheers, (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, hard-core-dx via DXLD) Me too for this one, today. Fair copy on rather clear channel, this morning 0940, here in Montevideo. Fair QSB kept signal strength varying 0-3, talks on the news by two men, brief canned time checks by male in the background. It is Peru, and almost sure Arequipa, as H. Klemetz says, since heard references to Peruvian facts and places (Horacio Nigro, Uruguay, May 29, Grundig YB400+Marconi 15m long, ibid.) In SWB/Sweden I reported Radio Melodía on 6106 kHz but the station was there for just one or two days. Is now back on 5996 kHz. Female is giving the "IDs": "Melodía es Melodía", "Melodía en la noticia" among others. A talking station with news 90%. 73 de (Björn Malm, Ecuador, ibid.) ** SLOVAKIA. El siguiente es un mensaje emitido por la Jefa de la Sección Española de Radio Eslovaquia Internacional -MARCELA GREGORCOVA- , el pasado domingo 25 de mayo de 2003, a través del programa "Las Cartas de los Oyentes" respondiendo a los reclamos de muchos radioescuchas y diexistas que no han recibido todavía la contestación de la emisora a sus cartas e informes de recepción. "Queridos radioescuchas, efectivamente estamos desbordados de trabajo y en casi todas las cartas que nos envían -que muchísimas gracias de verdad- nos piden lo mismo y nos piden lo mismo casi todos; por ejemplo aquí estoy leyendo: calendarios de bolsillo que no tienen contetación, luego si fuera posible mapa de tipo turístico sobre Eslovaquia y... materiales de su emisora como pegatinas, postales, banderín, boletín de programamción. Otro escribe: espero que todo sea por el retraso inicial pero está realmente ansioso de recibirlos. Nosotros igualmente estamos ansiosos de mandarles todo este material pero queridos señores, señoras, niños, niñas, la verdad no es posible de momento por el trabajo que tenemos, apenas nacimos, apenas estamos agarrando y jadeando la respiración, no será por el momento pero sí en un futuro, quédense fieles a nuestra radio, estamos pendientes del asunto pero paciencia, un beso". Este fragmento será reproducido en la voz de su autora dentro del Informe N 132 que se emitirá a través del programa "Antena de la Amistad" de Radio Corea Internacional, el próximo sabado en los siguientes horarios UTC aproximados, frecuencias y áreas de destino: 1008-1025 en 15210 Khz (para Europa), 9580 Khz (para América del Sur) y 11715 (via Sackville para América del Sur) 2008-2025 en 15575 Khz (para Europa) 0108-0120 en 11810 Khz (para Japón) Entrar a http://rki.kbs.co.kr para optar por los horarios y canales ON AIR o haciendo click en Antena Buzon y optando por la fecha 31.05.03 (archivo que agregan dias después de emitido el programa). Dirección electrónica: spanish@kbs.co.kr Dirección en Rep. de Corea: #18, Yoido-dong, Youngdungpo-ku, Seoul 150-790, KOREA Dirección en Latinoamércia: KBS Radio Corea Internacional, Casilla de Correo 950, S 2000 WAJ, Rosario, ARGENTINA. Gracias por difundir esta noticia. Saludos cordiales de... (Rubén Guillermo Margenet, DX LISTENING DIGEST) This new 2-month-old Spanish service has been inundated by requests from listeners for goodies, and begs them to be patient while the staff try to do their primary job of producing programs (gh, DXLD) ** UGANDA. See LIBERIA. Does that mean the 100 kW ex-FEBA SW transmitter will soon be on the air from Uganda instead of Liberia? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. BIG BBC URL LIST Here's something potentially useful for some people, Glenn. It's a list of the URLs for the streams from the BBC Player so that you can put them into your own player for navigation purposes. You will recall the BBC player at their website does not allow a fast forward or rewind option - you may only step forward in 5 minutes increments which is a pain if you lose connexion towards the end of a 2 hours show. As I recall, this user-non-friendly setup (that's forced on the average surfer) was put in place as a sop to the UK music licensing suits who feared the usual Chicken Little rampant piracy fears.... Anyway this showed up on the alt.digital.radio newsgroup the other day... so any mistakes are not mine. Anyone with a text-only browser could have likely sorted most of this out already, but there are some programmes here I didn't know we could get (Tom Roche, Atlanta, DX LISTENING DIGEST) blues soul reggae rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/6music/ident_funkshow.rm rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio1/goldfinger.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/6music/lively.ra -up yourself rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/paul_jones.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/soulreggae.ra classic rock/pop rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/scotland/radioscotland/g2/air.rm rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/bobharris.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/6music/dreamticket_mon.ra also tue wed thu fri rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/northernireland/friel.rm rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/scotland/radioscotland/g2/anderson_mon.rm -also tue wed thu fri -ian rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/scotland/radioscotland/g2/janice.rm -forsyth rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/shakerattle.ra -and roll rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/steveharley.ra -sounds of the 70s rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/soundsixties.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/critical_list.ra -Stuart Maconie rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/docu1.ra -the r2 docu classical rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio3/cdreview.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio3/choral.ra -evensong rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio3/cotw_mon.ra -comp of week -also tue wed thu fri rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio3/discmusic.ra -discovering music rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/fridaymusic.ra -fri night is music night rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/scotland/radioscotland/g2/gracenotes.rm rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/northernireland/music_now.rm rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio3/musicrest.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio3/privpass.ra -private passions rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/docu2.ra -another r2 docu dance rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio1/nightingale.ra -annie rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio1/blueroom.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio1/breezeblock.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio1/anthems.ra -dance rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio1/essselection.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio1/fergie.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio1/gilles.ra -peterson rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio1/jules.ra -judge rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio1/oneworld.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio1/fontaine.ra -seb drama rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio4/arts/afternoon_reading_fri.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio4/arts/afternoonplay_fri.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio4/arts/book_bedtime_fri.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio4/arts/book_week_fri.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio4/arts/classic_serial_sun.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio4/archers/archers_sunday.ra -omnibus rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio4/arts/friday_play.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio4/arts/saturday_play.ra easy and soundtracks rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/desmond.ra -carrington rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/listenband.ra -listen to the band rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/laycock.ra -malcolm rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/melodies.ra - for you rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/russell.ra -davies rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio3/stagescreen.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/david_jacobs.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/organents.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/wales/radiowales/showtime.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/northernireland/sunclub.rm -the sunday club rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/100best.ra -your 100 best experimental rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio1/blueroom.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio3/mixingit.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/6music/freakshow.ra -bruce dickenson folk and country rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/bhcountry.ra -bob harris rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/scotland/radioscotland/g2/celtconnect.rm rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/northernireland/hugo_mon.rm -country afternoon -also tue wed thu rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/northernireland/culan.rm rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/northernireland/folkclub.rm rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/northernireland/mclean.rm -'s country rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/mikeh.ra -mike harding rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/nickb.ra -barraclough rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/scotland/radioscotland/g2/pipeline.rm rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/northernireland/pipesdrums.rm rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/scotland/radioscotland/g2/takefloor.rm -take the floor rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/scotland/radioscotland/g2/bnopry.rm -the brand new opry rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/scotland/radioscotland/g2/reelblend.rm rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/scotland/radioscotland/g2/morton_mon.rm -tom morton -also mon -fri rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/scotland/radioscotland/g2/travelfolk.rm -travelling folk jazz rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/scotland/radioscotland/g2/bebophiphop.rm rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/bestjazz.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/profile.ra -r2 docu rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/courtneypine.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/northernireland/jazzclub.rm rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio3/jazzfile.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio3/jazzleg.ra -legends rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio3/jazzlineup.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio3/jon3.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio3/jrr.ra news rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio5/brief_lives.rm rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/news/olmedia/n5ctrl/radioseq/bh.ra pnm://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio4/live/farmingtoday.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio5/flreport.ra pnm://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio4/live/fooc.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio4/live/letter.ra -letter from america rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio5/campbell.ra -nicky rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio4/pm/pm.ra pnm://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio4/live/today0.ra (0-6?) rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio5/wakeup.ra -to money rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio4/wato/wato.ra -world at 1 rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio4/sun1300.ra -world this wkend rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio4/worldtonight/worldtonight.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio4/news/tip.ra -today in parly rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio4/news/yip.ra pop rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/usgreatest.ra -us greatest hits rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/pickpops.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/albumchart.ra rock and alt rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/northernireland/atl_mon.rm -across the line -also mon tue wed fri rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/6music/rockshow.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio1/eve_sess_tue.ra -also wed thu rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio1/lamacqlive.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio1/lockup.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio1/r1rockshow.ra pnm://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/northernireland/nireland.rm rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio1/scotland/g2/sessioninscotland.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio1/sessioninwales.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio1/peel_tue.ra - John Peel rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio1/peel_wed.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio1/peel_thu.ra urban rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio1/dtpresents.ra -dreem teem rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio1/fabgroove.ra -fabio rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio1/rnbchart.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio1/westwood_fri.ra -r1 rap show rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio1/nelson.ra -trevor world rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio3/andykershaw.ra rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/northernireland/caschlar.rm rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio3/latejunction_mon.ra -to thu rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio3/worldroutes0245.rm rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/1xtra/worldtour_tues.ra stations rtsp://rmlivev8.bbc.net.uk/farm/*/ev7/live24/england/realmedia/live/asiannetwork.ra rtsp://rmlivev8.bbc.net.uk/farm/*/ev7/live24/1xtra/live/dsatg2.ra rtsp://rmlivev8.bbc.net.uk/farm/*/ev7/live24/6music/live/dsatg2.ra rtsp://rmlivev8.bbc.net.uk/farm/*/ev7/live24/radio1/live/fmg2.ra rtsp://rmlivev8.bbc.net.uk/farm/*/ev7/live24/radio2/live/fmg2.ra rtsp://rmlivev8.bbc.net.uk/farm/*/ev7/live24/radio3/live/fmg2.ra rtsp://rmlivev7.bbc.net.uk/farm/*/ev7/live24/radio4/live/fmg2.ra rtsp://rmlivev8.bbc.net.uk/farm/*/ev7/live24/radio5/live/fmg2.ra rtsp://rmlivev7.bbc.net.uk/farm/*/ev7/live24/scotland/live/radioscotland.ra rtsp://rmlivev7.bbc.net.uk/farm/*/ev7/live24/northernireland/ru-live.ra rtsp://rmlivev8.bbc.net.uk/farm/*/ev7/live24/wales/rwg2.ra pnm://rm.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/live24/liveinfent.ra (via Tom Roche, DXLD) ** U S A. WHERE IS NEW YORK VOLMET? Hopefully, by the time anyone sees this, the routine aviation weather broadcasts from New York Radio will be back on the air. This is the VOLMET, a kind of French-ish contraction of ``flying weather.`` At press time, its frequencies of 3485, 6604, 10051, and 13270 kHz USB were dead, and had been for several weeks. Many listeners, and some pilots who were monitored on the oceanic air route control frequencies, were wondering what happened to the VOLMET. Repeated e- mails and calls to the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA), a mammoth US government bureaucracy which operates these transmitters, were not informative. Most of the people seemed perplexed, never having heard of this broadcast. Some weren’t aware that shortwave aero radio still existed. This maze of public information officers and air control supervisors dead-ended at a voice mail, apparently with stress on the word ``dead.`` (Hugh Stegman, HF Communications, Utility World, June MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Voz Cristiana, 0600 gmt, 6.070 MHz. From Buenos Aires Argentina, In Spanish and Italian, Say they are on 97.1 MHz (FM), so this must be running // along with it, religious programming and music. OM announcer, Signal s9 333 (Colonel Jon Standingbear, Army Radio Station adn3u, P. O. Box 44, Beaumont, Calif, 92223-0044, DX LISTENING DIGEST) via CHILE, of course I have been wondering what kind of Army Radio Station that is --- MARS? Google search on ADN3U led back to DXLD and other bulletin citations, nothing MARS or army, but also to his real ham call: http://buck.com/call/KA6BXC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Something interesting happened this morning. I heard this morning 5040 kHz AIR Kolkata very well (45444). Not a big deal, but guess what ? I could hear on the background the famous "sweeper" that is very annoying on the East Coast of USA. I have lived in New York for 4 years and I know very well how annoying it is. Well...the thing is, I am sure that there was no propagation from the East Coast of USA to New Zealand at 1700 UTC. So....where is this signal coming from? Does anybody know if there are sweepers on the West Coast of USA or anywhere else in the world? Thanks (Marcelo Toníolo, Auckland, New Zealand, May 30, hard-core-dx via DXLD) Marcelo, yes, there are sweepers on the west coast. The best known is centered at 4800 kHz, but affects frequencies about 10 kHz each side. It's apparently located in Oregon, and is used for wave formation research. As for the above, I noted it as well pretty much identical to the 4800, as I recall, while at Greyland, WA in our mornings, about 1200 UT, indicating a site either on the WCNA or to the west (Walter (Volodya) Salmaniw, MD Victoria, BC, Canada, ibid.) Perhaps it is the radar at Jindalee, Australia? http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,6226297%5e15321%5e%5enbv%5e15306,00.html 73 (Jilly Dybka, ibid.) ** U S A. Another Digital Test? I'm trying to listen to WSB 750, but it's been a challenge tonight (5/26). It seems there's an IBOC test going on 760 or 740. I can' t determine the originating station, but it's a familiar sound. Anyone on the list help out with possible source? Need to let WSB know how this is gonna cost a huge audience for Braves games, but would like to know who's doing it to them (Gerry Bishop, Nicelytrashedsignalville, FL, May 26, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. RADIO AND THE F.C.C. --- The New York Times May 29, 2003 To the Editor: In "The Great Media Gulp" (column, May 22), William Safire asserts that "today three companies own half the stations in America, delivering a homogenized product." The actual numbers are much less headline-worthy: the top three radio companies today own about 16 percent of stations. Regarding programming, in 2002, radio debuted more than 3,000 new songs and 550 new artists on 250 discrete formats. The public appreciates radio's strengths: according to the pollster John Zogby, 85 percent of Americans say their local radio stations do a good job in providing listeners with news, information and entertainment. At Congress's direction, the F.C.C. is currently evaluating a multitude of regulations governing media ownership. The gravity of this process demands a fair evaluation of each regulation based upon its individual merits. KATHY RAMSEY, Washington, May 23, 2003 --- The writer is executive vice president, public affairs, National Association of Broadcasters. Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. RADIO DEREGULATION Deregulation isn't the problem; it's allowing companies like Clear Channel and Infinity to own so many stations in a single market. It's interesting how the Feds have put so much time and effort into going after companies like Microsoft --- whose main sin was to have inept, feckless competitors like IBM and Apple --- while ignoring the growing anticompetitive influence of companies like Clear Channel. While Clear Channel has simply taken better advantage of the FCC's policies than anyone else, the result has been a de facto monopoly in several markets; Las Vegas is a notable example with CC having the lion's share of local radio, billboards, and concert promotions. Where are the DoJ trustbusters when you really need them? (Harry Helms, W7HLH, Las Vegas, NV DM26, NRC-AM via DXLD) That's easily answered - the pursuit of Microsoft was instigated in a different Washington than there is now - different administration, different mindset etc. But you're right - the problem is not deregulation per se - rather it's the resulting monopoly (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA, ibid.) Huh???? The antitrust action against Microsoft and the deregulation of broadcasting both took place during the Clinton years. Do a Google search and see for yourself. It doesn't matter whether Tauzin or Markley is heading the House committee that oversees the FCC --- both the Democrats and Republicans are in CC's hip pocket. Clear Channel doesn't make extensive campaign contributions to both parties strictly in the interests of better government (Harry Helms W7HLH, ibid.) There is a big difference between Microsoft and broadcasting per se. There is room for anyone that cares or is foolish enuf to compete with Microsoft. With Radio/TV you are selling the use of a finite resource. Radio spectrum. And it's supposed to belong to the people. Broadcasters are only given a license to use it. They never own it. Try to get a broadcasting license today. Next to impossible. You can open up shop tomorrow if you want to compete against Microsoft (Paul Smith, W4KNX, Sarasota, FL, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. KWKH-1130 Shreveport LA: According to M Street Journal, KWKH-1130 has abandoned their short-lived sports format for . . . . CLASSIC COUNTRY What a concept. They have lost some of their ooomph here lately due to XE QRMers. Can anyone confirm?? 73, (Bill in Fort Worth Hale, May 28, NRC-AM via DXLD) They were announcing the change last weekend --- it was to take place on Memorial Day. Been playing classic country every evening I've checked this week (Randy Stewart/Springfield MO, ibid.) Thanks, Randy. Good stuff for DDXD-West. And a welcome change. Now if only 1170 Tulsa would go back . . . (Bill Hale, ibid.) ** U S A. GOOD MORNING, RABBIT EARS A NEW TV STATION IS BORN, BUT IS ANYONE WATCHING? . . .South Florida's newest television station. Because there has been little promotion, there are likely no more than a few dozen viewers, mostly family members of the station's 30 employees. But the show is important; the station's owners hope it will help convince cable companies to carry Channel 57. Otherwise, WBWP -- which began broadcasting last week -- can be picked up only by rabbit-ears-using viewers from the Broward County line to Port St. Lucie. In addition, investors across the country are monitoring the station's launch to see if its novel approach of stressing local content should be copied. . . http://newtimesbpb.com/issues/2003-05-29/news.html/1/index.html (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) Why couldn`t you get it on a 7 foot UHF parabolic dish, at quite some distance? Or even sesquimegameter trans-Gulf tropo? Only on rabbit ears, indeed! (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. TV STATIONS TO PUT ANTENNAS ON NEW GROUND ZERO TOWER By DAVID W. DUNLAP, May 29, 2003 T he 1,776-foot Freedom Tower planned at the World Trade Center site is meant to send a signal of resilience to the world. Now it will also be designed to send signals of another kind to households from the New Jersey Shore to the end of Long Island to Fairfield County, Conn. Specifically, Channels 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 31, 41, 47 and 68. On Tuesday, the Metropolitan Television Alliance signed an agreement with Larry A. Silverstein, the leaseholder and developer at the trade center site, to install as many as 22 antennas atop Freedom Tower, to be completed in 2008. Freedom Tower is being designed by Studio Daniel Libeskind. There would be roughly 70 occupied floors, reaching 900 feet, and the upper half of the structure would be more of an open latticework. Some antennas could be mounted in the mast that Mr. Libeskind has already designed as the pinnacle of the tower, said Edward Grebow, president of the broadcasters' alliance. Others could be mounted within the latticework. The new agreement would return New York broadcasters to the site they occupied before Sept. 11, 2001. It would also bring Mr. Silverstein a rent-paying tenant "That always helps," he said yesterday that needs space at altitudes where many office workers feel uncomfortable. And, Mr. Grebow said, "It guarantees that Manhattan will dominate the skyline." Until recently, the broadcasters had given serious consideration to constructing a 2,000-foot mast in Bayonne, N.J. Only two months ago, Mr. Grebow said the Bayonne mast would "dwarf the Libeskind tower at the trade center, which, believe us, is not what we want but where we are being forced to go." In April, however, Mr. Grebow attended a luncheon at which Gov. George E. Pataki set out aggressive goals for redeveloping Lower Manhattan. "I came away thinking for the first time, `Yes, this is going to happen in a plausible time frame,' " he recalled. Under this timetable, Mr. Pataki asked Mr. Silverstein to pledge that the cornerstone for Freedom Tower would be laid in August 2004. "I told him we'd do that," Mr. Silverstein said. The governor also asked that the steel be topped out on Sept. 11, 2006. "I said we'd endeavor to do that," Mr. Silverstein said. There are many unknowns about the Freedom Tower project, including the exact design of the building and the cost. The broadcasters would "pay our way" in construction costs for the antennas, Mr. Grebow said, and would also pay rent to Mr. Silverstein, who was their landlord at the World Trade Center, where they paid about $9 million a year. Since the attack, broadcasters have been using the Empire State Building as a stopgap to reach the 700,000 households in the metropolitan area that do not have cable. Their search for a new site has led them to consider Governors Island, Jersey City and Brooklyn. The broadcasters' architects are Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, which would advise them on the Freedom Tower installation, working with Mr. Libeskind and with Mr. Silverstein's architects, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. "One of our big challenges will be to make the antennas aesthetically pleasing," Mr. Grebow said. They range in height from several hundred feet to 30 or 40 feet, he said, and could be concealed within a shell of fiberglasslike material. Twenty-two antennas are needed to accommodate both analog and digital signals from each of the 11 stations, but some channels could be combined. Members of the alliance are WCBS (Channel 2), WNBC (4), WNYW (5), WABC (7), WWOR (9), WPIX (11), WNET (13), WPXN (31), WXTV (41), WNJU (47) and WFUT (68). "What better place for them to be than in New York," Mr. Silverstein said, "from whence they came and where they've always operated." Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) New York Times makes no mention of DTV transmitters for the above channels. And what of channel 68? Won't that six megahertz of spectrum be reassigned by the 2008 tower completion date? (Brock Whaley, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. KID'S DAY II IS JUNE 21! NEWINGTON, CT, May 28, 2003--The second Kid's Day of 2003 will be June 21, from 1800-2400 UTC. There's no limit on operating time. The twice-annual event, held in January and June, offers a chance for amateurs to invest in the future of Amateur Radio by participating in a simple, but rewarding, on-the-air event. Kid's Day is intended as an opportunity to share Amateur Radio with young people--licensed or not--in the hope that they'll enjoy the experience and possibly pursue their own license in the future. Activity for Kid's Day [what`s the rest of the URL?] takes place on 20, 15 and 10 meters--and perhaps your local 2-meter repeater. It's an opportunity to introduce your own youngsters, neighborhood kids and nieces and nephews to participate to the magic of ham radio and perhaps spark a lifelong love for the hobby. Kid's Day is not a contest, and patience is a must. Remember that the kids are not experienced operators. Your part, as the licensee and control operator, is to help with the basics, keep an eye on the technical aspects of the operation, observe third-party traffic agreements and be sure to ID at the proper intervals. Beyond that, relax, and let the youngsters have fun. If they find someone they're comfortable talking with, let them enjoy themselves. In this event, it's quality of the contacts that counts, not quantity. The suggested exchange for Kid's Day is first name, age, location and favorite color. It's okay to work the same station again if the operator has changed. Call "CQ Kid's Day." Suggested frequencies are 14,270 to 14,300, 21,380 to 21,400 and 28,350 to 28,400 kHz, and 2- meter repeater frequencies with permission from your area repeater sponsor. All participants are eligible to receive a colorful certificate (it becomes the child's personalized sales brochure on ham radio). You can help ARRL keep track of the Kid's Day activity and responses. Visit the ARRL Kid's Day Survey page to complete a short survey and post your comments. You will then have access to download the certificate page or send a 9x12 SASE to Boring Amateur Radio Club, PO Box 1357, Boring, OR 97009. Now in its ninth year, each running of Kid's Day typically attracts more than 1000 participants. Originated by the Boring Amateur Radio Club http://jzap.com/k7rat/ the event now is sponsored and administered by the ARRL with the cooperation and assistance of the BARC (ARRL May 29 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DXLD) ** VANUATU. 7260, Port Vila, good signal at 0737 UT 5/29 with news in presumed Bislama with English words, news on Papua New Guinea and other Pacific areas. At 0738 "...news comes from Radio Vanuatu". At 0740 some really nice local music (Drake R8, 14 Meter vertical, Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, hard-core-dx via DXLD) Patrick, I just want to confirm what you said. Vanuatu is very strong here on South Pacific too. 7260 Vanuatu, Port Vila, very good signal (555) at 1855 UT with nice "south Pacific style" song played with guitar and electronic keyboard. National Anthem at 1900, birds singing and "Good Morning Vanuatu...." by YL (Marcelo Toníolo, Auckland, New Zealand, NRD 545DSP Longwire 30 feet with MFJ 959B (Tuner/ Preamplifier), ibid.) ** VENEZUELA. VENEZUELA'S NEWS MEDIA SOUND ALARM OVER CHAVEZ MOVE TO REGULATE PROGRAMMING --- The Associated Press 5/29/03 1:45 AM CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- No live coverage of political violence. Limited daytime newscasts about terror attacks. No radio stations devoted exclusively to rock or other "foreign" music. Venezuela's news executives say all this could happen if President Hugo Chávez succeeds in enacting a law that imposes harsh restrictions on what and when Venezuelan television and radio stations can broadcast. Ruling party lawmakers defend the proposed law, saying it will protect children from violence and end what they call "selective censorship" by the news media, which they accuse of supporting the opposition. The also contend it will make broadcasters accountable to citizens. "This project is a weapon to defend us as a people and guarantee public freedoms," said Juan Barreto, a member of the committee which drafted the bill and a journalism professor at the Central University of Venezuela. It upholds "freedom of expression, which doesn't belong only to channels and journalists but also to the people," he said. Many press rights advocates, however, disagree. They say the law, now before the Chávez-dominated Congress, will allow an increasingly authoritarian government to silence opposition ahead of a possible recall vote on Chávez's presidency. Chávez designed the Law for Social Responsibility in Radio and Television to bring "the news media to its knees," said Víctor Ferreres, president of Venevisión television. "We would have to broadcast a blank screen and ignore almost everything that is occurring in the news" to comply with the law, Ferreres claimed. Chávez has long accused Venezuela's news media of conspiring to topple him. Most broadcasters slanted coverage of a brief 2002 coup against Chávez, and many supported an opposition general strike this year. Among other provisions, the law would ban "rude" and "vulgar" language; prohibit images and sounds related to alcohol and drug consumption, gambling and sex; and ban "psychological" or physical violence, all between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Similar limits would apply to early morning and evening newscasts. Sixty percent of all programming must be produced within Venezuela, and of that, more than half must be created by "independent producers" approved by Conatel, the state media watchdog. Broadcasters say the law will allow censors hand-picked by Chávez to crack down on the mostly opposition news media. Violators can be punished with $37,000 fines or have their broadcast licenses revoked. Advertisers, too, can be held liable -- a provision critics say is meant to starve stations of publicity at a time when Venezuela's news media are confronting an economic crisis. Congress is expected to pass the bill by simple majority vote within weeks. Six of nine members of a committee to enforce the law would be appointed by Chávez. "If there is a terrorist attack this morning, I'd have to tell listeners we have to wait to inform them during the news at 11 (p.m.) because it could be labeled 'violent content,"' said Leopoldo Castillo, a talk show host with Globovisión television news channel. Deputy Willian Lara, a Chávez confidante, said the law won't stop TV and radio from broadcasting news. "The news can be reported like it is now, only the grotesque images are restricted," he said. Critics are wary. The legislation "is completely incompatible with international standards" of press freedoms, said José Vivanco, executive director of the Americas Division of Human Rights Watch. Definitions are so cloudy that some of Venezuela's prized daytime soap operas could be banned, he said. Opposition groups pushing for a referendum on Chávez's presidency later this year are organizing marches against the law. A leftist former army paratrooper, Chávez was elected in 1998 and re-elected to a six-year term in 2000 (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** VIETNAM. Re previous report of 17925 being the 3rd harmonic of 5925 --- no, it isn`t. When will we ever learn to confirm all such reports with the calculator? 17925 would be 3 x 5975, if there be a Viet transmitter there; did not catch in time to correct on WOR 1184 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SHORTWAVE AS MUSIC ++++++++++++++++++ And more(!) about shortwave (and beyond) and music and artform: Rafael Lozano-Hemmers first solo exhibition in his native Mexico. Created specifically for the large church nave at the Alameda Art Laboratory, this installation invites members of the public to scan the radio spectrum using their bodies. A custom-made sensor tracks the projected shadows of participants, and tunes specific radio signals based on their position and size. The piece can sweep all frequencies from 150kHz to 1.5Ghz, allowing monitoring of broadcasts like air traffic control, taxi dispatch networks, wireless phones, short wave radio and many others. The installation can have up to 16 simultaneous channels of audio and the resulting sound environment is a self-organized composition controlled by people's movements. Free access to the radio spectrum, a contested public space, is presented in the context of the increased surveillance of the body. http://www.absolutearts.com/artsnews/2003/05/28/31074.html 73 (Kim Elliott, DX LISTENING DIGEST) COMMENTARY ++++++++++ QSLing, BELLABARBA Mr. Renfrew, I got your letter today. We don't keep audio records of Colorado Rockies baseball games, but I checked the box score of the Rockies game on the 23rd and it matches the script you've provided. KNEC is a 25kw FM in Yuma, Colorado. (Northeast Colorado). I've filled ot your card and I'm sending it back today. About 2 years ago we received a post card from Italy. A person picked up our signal and listened to our daily "Swap Shop" program. Our antenna is on a good hill, but we're only about 475ft above terrain…. Jeremy Weathers, Station Manager, KNEC 100.9FM http://knec.iwarp.com (via Jim Renfrew, NY, DXLD) Bellabarba strikes again! (gh) RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ MORE ON ACCESSORY INTERFERENCE In our April column, a reader asked how it was possible for an electronic device which has been turned off to emit considerable radio interference. Geoff Gidman, KA1EPF, provides one answer. A large percentage of modern electronic appliances are microprocessor controlled; even when the device is turned off, some power remains to allow the microprocessor to receive signals from the remote control to turn back on again. The clock circuit of a microprocessor is essentially a square-wave generator, rich in harmonics, operated at radio frequencies. Other hobbyists have learned that switching power supplies can emit considerable interference as well. Various external filters usually fail to offer much help since the interference may be radiated directly through the cabinet as well as attached cables. One sure cure, however, is to unplug the devices from the wall; this virtually always shuts down the interference – as well as the accessory’s capability to be turned back on by the remote control. Perry Crabill, Jr., W3HQX, went even further, determining which frequencies and which accessories were causing the interference at his home. He contacted Zenith Corporation to confirm that his model SJ- 2065-W TV’s switching power supply was emitting a signal at 36.96 kHz as well as several generations of harmonics clear into the shortwave spectrum. But it was still within tolerance as set by the FCC. Additionally, his Sanyo VHR-3350 VCR was radiating a strong signal at 525 kHz along with harmonics, as was his AT&T model 5500 cordless phone at 300 kHz plus harmonics. He also discovered radiation around 560 kHz coming from his Brother model 600 facsimile machine, and even weak harmonics from his old Kenwood R5000 communications receiver on harmonics of 17.56 kHz. Perry`s sense of humor came through with this final report: Desiring to listen to the VLF spectrum one evening, he unplugged all the offending household electronic accessories, plus the automatic night light which generates considerable broad-band noise, switched off the porch lights` solid-state timers, the fluorescent kitchen lights, and a humidifier control. With great anticipation, he then switched on his radio and discovered that the natural atmospheric noise blanketed everything anyway! He turned off the radio, hooked up all the home accessories and went to bed. Thanks, Geoff and Perry, for sharing your excellent insights (Bob Grove, Ask Bob, Getting Started, June MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) SOURCE OF BEVERAGE WIRE FYI - I got some 18 gauge stranded copper, flaming red insulation, for $12.50 per 500-foot roll from National Electronics. I like to plug this company because they have great customer service - it's where I buy the coax for my long feedlines. Anyway, this wire turned out to be very nice quality, strong yet flexible ("like buttah"). I spooled up 1500' on a single Home Depot plastic orange cord spool and used it for the Long Beach Island DXpedition. I've now got two 1500' spools set aside for future expeditions. The website is: http://www.national-electronics.com For my permanent installations, I've used the Home Depot THHN wire - it is double-insulated, but I've found it to be very brittle (Rick Kenneally, CT, NRC-AM via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ TROPO HI TO CA...AND CA TO HI Last night on IRC chat, Rod Thompson (Sacramento, CA) mentioned the November 1989 VUD, which has the following item about Sheldon Remington and his HI-CA tropo: ------------------------ Greetings to my old friends in the WTFDA. I haven't been a club member for some years, but Pat Dyer suggested I write up the FM reception which took place in June [1989!] and submit it to the VUD. The fabled VHF tropo duct has finally yielded some FM catches. On June 13, the local VHF ham ops were reporting the duct was open to southern CA. At 0955 I noticed some CCI bars on channel 11 and immediately checked FM with my hand held Sony ICF-7600D and built-in whip. For the next 2 1/2 hours I heard many southern CA FM's of which the following were positively IDed: Grover City 107.3, Lompoc 104.1, Santa Barbara 93.7, Ventura 100.7, Los Angeles 92.3, 93.1. 95.5. 97.1, 101.1, 102.7 103.5, 104.3, 105.1, 107.5, Glendale 101.9, Pasadena 106.7, and Santa Maria 102. The next night from 1000 to 1300, the opening had moved south to the Tijuana/San Diego area, yielding Tijuana 91.1, 104.$ and San Diego 94.1, 101.5, 103.7, 105.3, 106.7. The duct dissipated the next day, but returned on June 20 to 23, bringing LA thru Tijuana again, of which San Clemente 107.9 was the only now logging. No openings have been noted since. Distances for these 25 catches range from about 2345 miles for Lompoc to about 2500 miles for Tijuana. Signal strengths were generally low but sometimes reached full quieting and full lit the Sony's LED. I have subsequently added an CM 4408 beam so should do better the next time. Of particular note is that these catches were heard at just 500 ft, above sea level. Conventional wisdom holds that the CA/HI duct is usable only from the 8000 foot level on Mauna Loa, and indeed there is undoubtedly more FM and TV DX up at that site, judging by reports of the hams who word 144 MHz and higher from there. Eventually, I will have to try driving up the volcano to try FM. The duct should yield DX for California listeners as well, except that QRM is much worse on that end. The KOAS translator K276DG 103.1 is the only FM transmitter at a high altitude on this island (the Big Island) situated at the Humuula Sheep Station at 6000' with stacked yagis beaming FSE [ESE?] (note that K276 DG is in the center of the island, nowhere near the location shown in the FM Atlas). It might also be possible to hear KKUA 90.7 on Maui as it's situated part way up Mt. Haleakala. The hams conduct duct liaison on 28.885 MHz, and I can usually be found there doing 6 meter liaison. Well, that's the report for now. ---------------------------- Rod also mentioned to me that Shel at one time also had tropo reception from Imperial, CA. Now, Imperial is east of San Diego by maybe 100 miles. And to get from SD to El Centro (Imperial is close by), you have to cross some mighty steep mountains (I drove that route once on I-8). So, Rod wondered if the mountains between SD and El Centro are too high for tropo to cross over. If they are NOT, then is it unrealistic to expect that Rod in Sacramento would have a prayer of a chance to hear some HI tropo from his end? From what I've learned here from Bob Cooper, people on both ends of the duct must be inside the duct to hear the stations on the other side. And that the ducts can occur at various elevations and can be various widths. If I understand this right, there must not be any obstructions between the CA location and the HI location. But what makes us wonder about all of this is Remington's reception of FM from Imperial, CA. There are 6000' mtns in the way. How was this reception possible? Want to take a stab at these, Bob?? (Mike Bugaj - Enfield, CT USA, May 28, WTFDA via DXLD) I've driven the California section of Interstate 8 dozens of times, and those mountains are a formidable barrier; you can't hear any San Diego FM stations on a car radio from El Centro (best known as the birthplace of Cher). Not only are the mountains high, but there is also a HUGE contrast between the cooler, moist marine air found along the coast and the warmer, dry air found east of the mountains in the desert areas around El Centro; when it's in the 60s and foggy in San Diego, it's often over 100 with humidity in the teens in El Centro. I just don't see how an east-west duct can form along that path, and El Centro is over 100 miles inland as well. Sheldon is an experienced DXer and reliable reporter, so I would be reluctant to dismiss his report out of hand. But reception of an El Centro translator in Hawaii via tropo IMO comes really close to the "it just isn't possible" category (Harry Helms W7HLH, Las Vegas, NV DM26, ibid.) First, I'd like to hear from Shel himself that this HAS happened! The report seems to be several layers down from the source. Now, assuming it did happen, the hams have found on 144 and 432 MHz that stations as far north as the Seattle area and as far INLAND as Reno, Nevada had been able to "couple" into the duct when and if the conditions are "just right." For example, K6QXY lives in Santa Rosa, inland from the Pacific quite a ways but well elevated and at least half of the time the "first reports" of the amateur 144/432 "beacons" from the Hawaii mountain top originate with him - Bob is very good at what he does and it may be (1) he is more alert than others, (2) he has monster antennas - true, or, (3) his inland elevated location has a "duct into a duct" coupling effect. Sacramento is barely feet ASL but hams in Sac (and Modesto and up the valley to Redding) HAVE in fact been able to make it; even east of Sac to Reno over the top of the -not 6,000 feet - but 9,500 feet Sierra Nevada mountain range (admittedly only once but it did happen!). The most important point is to KNOW when it is happening and WHEN to look/listen. One of the many ham radio VHF reflector sites is good for this function. Ref: (Harry H.) "I've driven the California section of Interstate 8 dozens of times…`` It is that CONTRAST between the hot dry air of the inland Imperial valley region and the moist offshore air masses which creates an overruning of the inland skies. That contrast in turn creates a duct from inland to the coastal area. It is not common but it does happen! And, one duct into another is not that rare and given the geography of Southern California, a duct that goes from Imperial westward to the coast at some elevation is in fact not unusual during August-September (a side effect of a weather condition called "Santa Ana Wind"). If the Imperial signal(s) can couple into a duct that is higher than the intervening mountains, and thereby go westward where at some altitude (doubtless 3,000 feet or above) it "couples" into a trans-Pacific duct, the "mystery" is explained without any excessive stretching of the basic laws of propagation physics. As for Shel's 500 foot ASL location (and his simplistic receiving system), hams have worked from coast line California to coast line Hawaii on a few (that means not many but some none the less) occasions with mobile rigs on BOTH ends. This is not a "it NEVER happens this way" world - it is a "it SELDOM happens this way world." One aspect of this amazes me. There has NEVER been even one report of reception from a Hawaii station by a West Coast DXer. A lot of people out there seem to have their antennas stuck in the wrong direction or wasting time making notes on local weather conditions! Best, (Bob Cooper, New Zealand, ibid.) SPORADIC E ``GOING LONG`` Ref Gerard Westerberg and others commenting on beyond Es distance reception at the end of an (intense) Es opening. ``One characteristic of Es is that maximum path distance will occur just below the MUF cutoff. That makes sense because that's the point at which refraction is just sufficient to return the signal to earth. In most cases we can tell that we are reaching the end of an Es event when the path distances "go long.`` --- Once again I strongly urge members to acquire a copy of "Beyond Line of Sight" - "A History of VHF Propagation from the pages of QST" by the ARRL. And in this instance page 146 entitled "Ionospheric Scatter By Field-Aligned Irregularities at 144 MHz." FAI is a little understood artefact of normal Es occurring just as and shortly after the normal E layer propagation has ceased to work. It is of interest here as it at least in time sequence dovetails neatly with the observations reported by Westerberg, Doug Smith and others - reception beyond normal Es distances just as the Es event was terminating. FAI involves a scattering mechanism in the E layer, thought to be the result of the Es cloud breaking up and dissipating perhaps to a slightly higher (more elevated) altitude where there is a momentary (may last up to 2-1/2 hours) recombining ALONG LINES OF MAGNETIC FORCE. The essence is signals at least to 144 MHz (amateur two meter band) have been found to exist over paths in the Es distance region (up to 1400 miles nominally) on around half of the days when 50 MHz Es occurring later in the afternoon/early evening has just died. Note that during the 50 MHz opening itself, normal Es, there was no 144 MHz Es event noted. It is after the event when the FAI propagation seems to appear. Amateur observations dating back to 1978 indicate that FAI is most likely to occur on more or less east-west paths, that FAI events are no more likely to occur after a very intense direct Es opening (i.e. having Es MUFs to 144 MHz does not appear to enhance the likelihood that 144 MHz FAI will follow the break up of "normal" Es). FAI signals tend to be quite stable (not with heavy fading, often with no or very slow fading other than a gradual build up, levelling off, then gradual build down), and at amateur 144 MHz equipment levels, varying from just out of the receiver noise to as much as 30 dB (a bunch in anyone's book) above receiver noise. There may be nothing more than coincidence here but Doug Smith and Gerard's loggings at least fit the time frame for FAI. And almost nothing is understood about FAI - if you think Es is a mystery, try to find authoritative references on VHF FAI! Anyone who really wants to understand the basics of wave propagation needs to have a copy of the afore mentioned ARRL publication. Nothing else comes close to establishing the "limits" of VHF (and UHF) wave propagation in such plain talk language (Bob Cooper in NZ, WTFDA via DXLD) AURORA ALERT Check for unusual propagation tonight, and if clear and atropical enough, look for visual auroral displays; see previous issue. WTFDA members and I were seeing auroral hash on TV and hearing it on FM around 2330 UT May 29 (gh, DXLD) ###