DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-105, June 12, 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. [continued from 3-104] ** SERBIA & MONTENEGRO. RADIO SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO FACES CLOSURE OVER LACK OF FUNDS | Text of report in English by Yugoslav state news agency Tanjug Belgrade, 12 June: Radio Serbia and Montenegro (SCG) Director Milena Jokic announced on Thursday [12 June] that the broadcasting of one of the joint electronic media of the state union is expected to stop any moment. In a press release, Jokic said that the radio has not been receiving funds from the budget for the past three months and that their electricity will soon be cut off due to unpaid bills. The damage would be inestimable, because this would mean not only a new damage to the transmitter and aerial systems, but also a definite loss of international frequencies that the state is using, said Jokic. I believe that a prolongation of the tormenting is impermissible because the status of the radio has yet to be defined since the foundation of the new state, said Jokic, adding that Serbia's officials claim that Montenegro is not interested in informing the world public via short waves, while Montenegrins claim just the opposite. All our questions regarding the financing of the radio are met with the same reply, and that is that Serbian Finance Minister Bozidar Djelic does not want to give the money, said Jokic. "If this is true, the question is whose is the money that Djelic does not want to give, and is he the political treasurer who is authorized to discontinue the communication of information by this state union to the world," said Jokic. Source: Tanjug news agency, Belgrade, in English 1248 gmt 12 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) a.k.a. R. Yugoslavia ** SEYCHELLES [non]. SOUTH AFRICA: Frequency change for FEBA Radio via Meyerton: 1515-1530 Daily Nuer NF 12070 MEY 250 kW / 007 deg, ex 11885 1530-1545 Daily Dinka NF 12070 MEY 250 kW / 007 deg, ex 11885 1545-1600 Daily Makonde NF 12070 MEY 250 kW / 032 deg, ex 11885 1600-1630 Thu-Sun Amharic NF 12070 MEY 250 kW / 019 deg, ex 11885 1600-1630 Mon-Wed Guragena NF 12070 MEY 250 kW / 019 deg, ex 11885 1630-1700 Daily Amharic NF 12070 MEY 250 kW / 019 deg, ex 11885 (Observer, Bulgaria, June 11 via DXLD) U A E: Frequency and time changes for FEBA Radio via Al-Dhabbaya: 0130-0200 Daily Telugu NF 15435 DHA 250 kW / 105 ex 15580 via TCH 0530-0715 Fri Persian on 9660 DHA 250 kW / 245 ex 0530-0700 1200-1230 Daily Tibetan NF 15525 DHA 250 kW / 085 ex 15605 via SAM (Observer, Bulgaria, June 11 via DXLD) ** SPAIN. Have logged the following SER local stations here in Belgium (local announcements usually 5 min before to 5 min after the top of the hour): Radio Pontevedra 1116 Radio Murcia 1260 Radio Pamplona 1575 Radio Gandia 1584 Radio Vitoria 1602 (Robertas Pogorelis, Leuven, Belgium, June 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWEDEN [and non]. RADIO SWEDEN--Coming up on Radio Sweden: Thursday: In "GreenScan" IT for the environment, and chemical weapons from World War II Friday: Our weekly review Saturday: "Sweden Today" Sunday: "Sounds Nordic" Radio Sweden is to begin digital shortwave broadcasts, using the new DRM system, or Digital Radio Mondiale. DRM is the new mode for digital broadcasts on shortwave and medium wave, the result of years of discussions and work by radio stations, transmitter and receiver manufacturers, computer chip-makers, and others. We'll be joining a package hosted by Radio Canada International, using their transmitters in Sackville. Starting June 16th, listeners lucky enough to have DRM receivers can hear us on 9795 kHz at 22:30 hrs UTC, which is 6:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time, beamed to the East Coast of North America. The entire package is: 20:00 - 20:30 UTC Vatican Radio 20:30 - 21:00 UTC Radio Nederland 21:00 - 22:00 UTC Radio Canada International 22:00 - 22:30 UTC Deutsche Welle 22:30 - 23:00 UTC Radio Sweden 23:00 - 00:00 UTC BBC World Service We can also mention that we'll soon be conducting our own test broadcasts in DRM from our transmitters in Hörby in southern Sweden. We'll have more information on that as the time approaches (Anders Backlin, Radio Sweden) Some months ago we started once a week relays on short wave of our domestic service programs for immigrants here in Arabic and Kurdish. We'll be making some changes in that schedule with the start of the new transmission period at the end of October. We'll continue to relay Kurdish on short wave, but instead of Arabic, we'll relay our domestic service in Aramaic. In addition, we'll be relaying our domestic service in Romani cheb (Gypsy) on medium wave (SCDX/MediaScan June 12 via DXLD) ** TOGO [non]. Hoy por la mañana pude identificar por tres veces a Radio Togo Libre, en los 21760 kHz. Llegaba con muy buena recepción a Buenos Aires, con programas en francés. Las identificaciones las escuché a las 1300 UT pero la emisión venía de antes y prosiguió luego de esa hora. A propósito, escuché una charla en francés sobre el proceso electoral en ese país africano, y luego un breve comentario en vernacular. También difunde algo de música moderna de Togo. 73's (Arnaldo Slaen, BUENOS AIRES, Conexión Digital via DXLD) SOUTH AFRICA: New station relay via Meyerton - Radio Togo Libre in French: 1300-1400 Mon-Fri on 21760 (45444) 2000-2100 Sunday on 12125 (55444) (Observer, Bulgaria, June 11 via DXLD) RADIO TOGO LIBRE ENCOUNTERS LOGISTICAL PROBLEMS The new clandestine radio station Radio Togo Libre (RTL), which began experimental transmissions on 1 June, says it's having problems getting its programmes on the air in a timely manner. RTL is a joint initiative of the National Dialogue of Civil Society (CNSC) and the Togolaise Diaspora for Democracy and Development (DIASTODE). The programmes of RTL are produced in Togo by members and collaborators of the CNSC, at great personal risk. The finished programmes are delivered via Internet to a satellite uplink, and the satellite signal is then used to feed the shortwave transmitters. However, since June 1, Togo has experienced electricity cuts and blocking of Internet connections. This has affected the programming of RTL, such that today's [June 10] transmission is a repeat of the one broadcast last Thursday. The CNSC and the DIASTODE say they are working on solutions which will be implemented if the test phase proves to have been successful. RTL is currently broadcasting Mon-Fri at 1300-1400 UT on 21760 kHz, and on Sundays at 2000-2100 UT on 12125 kHz. The location of the transmitters is not disclosed; however the transmissions are listed on the Web site of the Belgian airtime broker Ludo Maes. The programmes, in French, are also available in MP3 format on the DIASTODE Web site (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 10 June 2003 via WORLD OF RADIO 1186, DXLD) DXLD 3-099 a week ago was certainly first with news of R. Togo Libre, and thanks to a number of monitors who duly acknowledged our tip, not including the above, and a few other DX publications which have not even mentioned it at all, perhaps not bothering to read DXLD, or out of jealousy? And does BBC Monitoring quote DXLD about this? No, but as soon as Media Network does a story on it, that gets quoted (gh, DXLD) ** U K. BBC CHIEF LEAKED DYKE'S DONATIONS Jason Deans, Thursday June 12, 2003, The Guardian Former BBC executive Will Wyatt has admitted he was the insider who nearly scuppered Greg Dyke's campaign to become director general by leaking details of his Labour party donations to the Times. The stories, printed four years ago, sparked a political row and a war of words in the broadsheet between pro and anti-Dyke supporters. However, it did not stop Mr Dyke taking the top job at the corporation. At the time, the Times and the Daily Mail campaigned to stop him winning the battle for the top job. Mr Dyke was favourite for the post but the newspapers claimed his Labour party membership and the fact that he led a fundraising campaign for Tony Blair compromised his impartiality. Mr Wyatt, who retired as chief executive of the BBC's Broadcast division at the end of 1999 after 35 years at the corporation, makes the admission in his autobiography, The Fun Factory: A Life in the BBC. He also claims former BBC director general, Lord Birt, was in the stop-Greg camp. This contradicts Sir John's version of events surrounding the appointment of his successor, as told in his own autobiography, The Harder Path. Mr Wyatt's part is revealed in a book by his former BBC colleague, now Channel 4 chief executive Mark Thompson, published yesterday in the Royal Television Society's magazine Television. "He is so opposed to Greg Dyke's candidacy as director general that he finds a way of passing damaging information about Greg to the Times without fingerprints, Thompson wrote. Mr Wyatt writes that he took "professional satisfaction" in leaking information about Dyke's -L-50,000 donation to Labour funds without being fingered as the culprit. Guardian Unlimited (c) Guardian Newspapers Limited 2003 (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. VOA replied: Dear Mr. David: Thank you for listening to "Our World" on VOA. We appreciate your interest in the April 5th broadcast. We are currently trying to fix the problem of the April 5th audio file. We have the correct file, but have not yet been able to put it on the web site. Thank you for letting us know your concern. In this week's show, Rosanne plans to reply to some of our viewers' letters - so stay tuned! We hope that you will continue to write to us with your questions and comments about "Our World." Let us know what subjects you would like to hear in future broadcasts. We plan to read from listeners' letters and to incorporate the comments into our show on a regular basis. Join us every Saturday for a radio expedition into our world! Sincerely Yours, Rachel Loube, VOA Intern Obviously, Ms Loube forgot she was actually discussing a VOA *radio* programme (Paul David, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Later it was put up ** U S A [non]. Frequency changes for Voice of America: 1300-1330 Vietnamese NF 6160, ex 5955 1300-1500 English NF 5955, ex 6160 1330-1500 Khmer NF 6160, ex 5955 plus additional NF 9710 (Observer, Bulgaria, June 11 via DXLD) 6160 used to be reliable in C/WNAm for VOA English; Philippines before and now 5955? (gh, DXLD) VOA intensifies broadcasts to Zimbabwe: q.v. ** U S A. THE STORY OF THE AMERICAN SHORTWAVE STATION WINB This is now the second week that Wavescan is on the air from station WINB in Red Lion Pennsylvania, and, as promised, here is our Station Profile on their station. This is the interesting story of the long- time shortwave station WINB. It was back more than half a century ago that Rev John Norris Senior inaugurated his mediumwave station, WGCB, in a rolling country area 2.5 miles east of the small town Red Lion in Pennsylvania. Ten years later, he inaugurated an FM station with the same callsign, and he was also granted a Construction Permit for a shortwave station with the callsign WINB. At the time, the letters WINB stood for "World in Need of the Bible", though these days their QSL card shows that the letters stand for "World Inter National Broadcasters". It took two years to put this new shortwave station on the air and it was inaugurated in October 1962. The original transmitter is a Continental 50 kW unit, the antenna is a three wire rhombic beamed towards Europe, and the facility was installed into a unique old building that was previously in use on a chicken farm. Contemporary radio magazines at the time indicate that the new station was quite quickly heard in Europe, Africa, Australia and New Zealand, as well as of course in the United States itself. Ten years later, another 50 kW transmitter was procured, a used General Electric unit from mediumwave station WGY in Schenectady, New York. It was originally intended that this additional transmitter would be converted for shortwave usage, though this project has never been implemented. However, around the same time, an additional rhombic antenna was installed for coverage into Latin America. In 1995, the original transmitter mal-functioned and the station was off the air while this unit was rebuilt. The station again became fully functional in January 1997. Radio station WINB in Red Lion Pennsylvania is now the oldest commercial shortwave station on the air in the United States, with its more than 40 years of service. At the time when this station was inaugurated, the shortwave scene in the United States was very different. For example, the Voice of America was on the air from seven different locations, only one of which is still on the air today. These old VOA stations were: KCBR & KNBH in California WGEO & WDSI in New York WBOU & WDSI in New Jersey; and WLWO in Ohio. The modern counterpart of station KCBR in Delano (de-LAH-no) [sic –as one who heard the ID countless times, it`s de-LAY-no, -- no, not DEL- un-no either as in FDR! --- gh] California is the only VOA station still on the air today. At that time, there were just two other commercial stations on the air in the United States and these were; KGEI in San Francisco California and WRUL in Scituate Massachusetts. Both of these stations were subsequently closed, though the Family Radio station WYFR in Okeechobee Florida is a direct descendant of the original WRUL. Over the years, station WINB has proven to be a reliable verifier and they have used at least four different QSL cards. These could be described as follows: Black & white card with text only Color card showing antenna and microphone Color card with text only; and The current large card showing the American flag (Adrian Michael Peterson, AWR Wavescan June 15 via DXLD) ** U S A. The first broadcast of the AWR DX program, "Wavescan" on station WINB In Red Lion, Pennsylvania was aired last Sunday at 1600 UT on 13570 kHz. In view of the change of time, the offer of the limited edition QSL card for the broadcast of Wavescan over WINB will be extended to include next Sunday, June 15 (Dr Adrian M. Peterson, DX Editor, June 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So will it be at 1430, or 1600, or ???? from now on? (gh) ** U S A [non]. 'Insight for Living' to Cut Back International Broadcasts An international radio ministry is being forced to cut several programs due to a lack of funds. Because of a $2.1-million shortfall, Insight for Living International announced that it will be ending its programs in Swahili, French, Tamil, Telagu, Bengali and Malayalam -- languages that cover parts of Africa and India. Chuck Swindoll's daily 30-minute radio program, "Insight for Living," can be heard in 16 languages on more than 2,100 outlets around the world. Quelle: Mission Network News, 6/6/2003 (via Dr Hj Biener, DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Dear Listener, Bible Voice Broadcasting: Effective June 30th we will be changing our frequencies as follows to the Middle East: 7430 will be found at 15680 - 19 meter band 7430 from 1900 UT will be on 13710 - 22 meter band Our Arabic programming will be found at 15750 on the 19 meter band at 1615 UT Monday-Friday moved from 15680 English programming will also be found on 15750 on the 19 meter band at 1700 UT on Sat/Sun We look forward to hearing from you....you can also hear the programs again at our web site http://www.biblevoice.org Please let the programmers know that you enjoy their programs! Thank you (Mrs. Marty McLaughlin, High Adventure Gospel Communication Ministries, Bible Voice Broadcasting, http://www.biblevoice.org 1 800 550 4670 "A voice of one calling..." Isa 40:3 via Swopan Chakroborty, Kolkata, India, DXLD) ** U S A [non]. U A E: Frequency change for Bible Voice Broadcasting Network /BVBN/ via Al-Dhabbaya: 0030-0100 Daily Bengali NF 7210 DHA 250 kW / 085 deg, ex 7180 (Observer, Bulgaria, June 11 via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. U A E: Frequency and time changes for Athmee Yatra He/Gospel For Asia via Al-Dhabbaya 2300-2400 Daily As langs NF 6040 DHA 250 kW / 085 deg, ex 6145 0000-0130 Daily As langs on 6145 DHA 250 kW / 085 deg, ex 2300-0130 (Observer, Bulgaria, June 11 via DXLD) ** U S A. Hi Glenn, Something that will bring a smile to your face: I've been updating our "list of lists" and came across a YahooGroup called HigherPowerWorldwide, which apparently belongs to Assemblies of God. The description reads: World wide radio and television outreach, broadcasting by shortwave radio to more than 300 nations on 7 continents. Set up on Feb 15 2003, the group boasts a membership of - wait for it - one !! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HigherPowerWorldWide/ 73, (Andy Sennitt, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. SUBCOMMITEE HEARING TO BE WEBCAST NEWINGTON, CT, Jun 10, 2003--A hearing, ``The Spectrum Needs of our Nation's First Responders,`` will be webcast via the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Web site http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/Hearings/06112003hearing951/hearing.htm ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, is scheduled to address the Wednesday, June 11, session, set to get under way at 11 AM EDT. Haynie will testify on behalf of HR 713, the Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act. The time of his appearance was not available. Haynie will speak and take questions for approximately 10 minutes. If approved, the Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act would amend the Communications Act to require the FCC to provide ``equivalent replacement spectrum`` to Amateur Radio if the FCC reallocates primary amateur allocations, reduces any secondary amateur allocations, or makes additional allocations within such bands that would substantially reduce their utility to amateurs. Haynie says he's looking forward to the opportunity to state the League's case. Haynie's appearance in support of the legislation is considered critical to enhancing the measure's credibility, and it marks a major step toward getting HR 713 through Congress this year. The most recent cosponsors to sign aboard HR 713 include representatives Sam Farr (D-CA), Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), Steve Israel (D-NY), Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD), Clay Shaw Jr (R-FL), John Duncan Jr (R-TN), Dennis Rehberg (R-MT), David Price (D-NC), Gary Miller (R-CA) and Bart Stupak (D-MI). HR 713 is sponsored by Florida Republican Michael Bilirakis, a subcommittee member. Idaho Republican Michael Crapo has introduced an identical version of the legislation, S 537, in the US Senate. Haynie continues to encourage ARRL members to urge their senators and representatives and to cosponsor the bills. A sample letter is available on the ARRL Web site at http://www.arrl.org/govrelations/arspa.html Those writing their lawmakers are asked to copy their correspondence to the League via e-mail at specbill03@arrl.org The text of HR 713 and S 537 is available via the Thomas Web site at http://thomas.loc.gov/ (ARRL July 10 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Later: PRESIDENT HAYNIE TESTIFIES ON BEHALF OF AMATEUR RADIO SPECTRUM PROTECTION ACT NEWINGTON, CT, Jun 11, 2003 -- ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, testified June 11 on Capitol Hill on behalf of the Spectrum Protection Act of 2003, HR 713. The ARRL initiative would require the FCC to provide ``equivalent replacement spectrum`` to Amateur Radio if the FCC reallocates primary amateur frequencies, reduces any secondary amateur allocations, or makes additional allocations within such bands that would substantially reduce their utility to amateurs. Haynie was the last of 11 scheduled witnesses to speak during the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet hearing, ``The Spectrum Needs of Our Nation`s First Responders.`` ``We are indeed a first responder,`` Haynie said on behalf of the nation`s some 680,000 Amateur Radio operators. Ham radio is more than ``just having fun playing on the radio,`` he told the panel, a subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee chaired by Rep Billy Tauzin (R-LA). ``It also produces capable, trained volunteer communicators in systems of emergency telecommunications that are impervious to disasters of all sorts,`` Haynie said. ``These volunteers are ready to respond--and do respond immediately --- when all other systems of communications fail, including public safety communications whey they`re overloaded, destroyed or lack interoperability.`` Among other examples, Haynie pointed how Amateur Radio operators answered the call on September 11, 2001, in New York City, at the Pentagon and at the Western Pennsylvania crash site of the fourth hijacked airliner. Hams also assisted federal authorities in the debris search following the February 1 shuttle Columbia disaster, Haynie pointed out, and aided in the response to tornadoes in the Midwest and South earlier this year. Haynie told the subcommittee that hams have lost more than 100 MHz of VHF and UHF spectrum over the past 15 years and that another nearly 360 MHz of VHF and UHF spectrum ``has been substantially compromised.`` Haynie said hams have shared spectrum successfully with government users on VHF and UHF and have been able to ``make do with less,`` but ``that concept has reached a breaking point with our service,`` he added. The 2.4 GHz area, once left largely to amateurs, in recent years has become ``polluted`` with wireless activity, Haynie told the panel. ``Interoperability`` was the watchword of the day at the subcommittee hearing, which got under way at 11 AM EDT and continued well into the afternoon. What was to be a short lunch break was extended after some members and participants became trapped in a stuck elevator in the Rayburn House Office Building and were delayed in getting back to the hearing room. Several witnesses testified that a lack of interoperability among public safety responders at disaster scenes --- including the World Trade Center --- prevented warning those in danger and resulted in a tragic loss of life. Haynie was not alone in offering supportive words about Amateur Radio. HR 713 sponsor Frank Bilirakis (R-FL), quoted a paragraph from the submitted testimony of Norman Jacknis of the Westchester County, New York, Department of Information Technology. ``In the first hours following the attack of September 11, 2001, the only way we could coordinate the sharing of firefighting, medical examiner, health, and information technology resources with New York City officials was through the highly trained, volunteer Amateur Radio (ham) operators,`` Jacknis said. ``This irreplaceable resource must be protected from incursion by other interests.`` Bilirakis later cited a letter from James B. Massey, N3OHM, of the Lighthouse Amateur Radio Club in Palm Harbor, Florida. ``The Amateur Radio bands should be considered a national resource like the militia during the American Revolution, which was called upon in a time of emergency,`` the letter declared. Bilirakis asked that the letter be made a part of the official hearing record. In 2000, after the Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act legislation was first introduced, Massey had arranged for Bilirakis to meet with hams in ARRL`s West Central Florida Section. One of the two amateur licensees in Congress, Rep Greg Walden, WB7OCE (R-OR) --- a subcommittee member --- cited the value of spectrum to Amateur Radio operators who, he said, were ``promised`` spectrum on which they could operate and experiment and provide emergency communication at no cost. ``And yet the erosion that has occurred in the spectrum that was made available [to amateurs] is astonishing, and it needs to stop,`` he said. ``Time and again, if you find an emergency, you find a ham radio operator.`` FCC Office of Engineering and Technology Chief Edmond Thomas also cited the contribution of Amateur Radio operators to public safety. ``The ham radio community has offered invaluable service to first responders during emergency situations,`` the OET chief said. He also noted the recent FCC Report and Order giving amateurs additional secondary spectrum at 5 MHz and elevating amateurs from secondary to primary status at 2400 to 2402 MHz. Haynie subsequently took advantage of an opportunity during the hearing to publicly thank the FCC for the 5-MHz grant. Earlier this year, subcommittee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) agreed with a request from Bilirakis to include an opportunity for a member of the Amateur Radio community to testify. Upton, who told Bilirakis that he shares his interest in protecting Amateur Radio, subsequently invited Haynie to testify on Amateur Radio`s behalf. A Senate version of the Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act, S 537, was introduced earlier this year by Sen Michael Crapo (R-ID). The Senate bill is being considered by the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, but no hearing on the measure has been set. The text of HR 713 and S 537 is available via the Thomas Web site at http://thomas.loc.gov/ To listen to the testimony of ARRL Pres Jim Haynie, W5JBP, before the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2003/06/11/101/Haynie-Subcomte061103.mp3 [6:08] To hear an interchange between Rep Bilirakis and Pres Haynie during the question-and-answer session of the committee hearing http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2003/06/11/101/Bilirakis-Haynie.mp3 [5:39] (ARRL June 11 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. K1D to be on the air for Kid`s Day: Special event station K1D will be on the air June 21 for ARRL Kid`s Day --- see http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/kd-rules.html Peter Schipelliti, W1DAD, and his wife Jeanne, K1MOM, will be on the air as K1D prior to Kid`s Day to promote the event. Their youngsters Geena, 8, and Luciano, 6, also will be on the air for Kid`s Day. ``Any noises in the background will be Francesca Rose --- 22 months,`` Peter Schipelliti said (ARRL June 11 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. The second hour of The Connection, from WBUR and on many other public radio stations, Thursday June 12 originally airing at 1506-1600 UT is --- not to be confused with DX listening! ``Tuning in to the World`` An early homemade radio transmitter and microphone [captions] View QSL cards from around the world. Images from "Hello World: A Life in Ham Radio" Long before you could boot up, log on and point and click your way around the globe, there was ham radio. Churning out an audio cocktail of beeps and whirs, chirps and static, the ham radio was a passport, of sorts, for a particular kind of technology-loving, wander-lusting, basement-dwelling Good Samaritan. Someone who knew and relished the difference between a picofarad and a millihenry. Someone who appreciated the random fortune of a favorable ionosphere and a continent-hopping connection. But there's no need to talk about ham radio in the past tense, because some two-and-a-half million hams world wide still consider 20 megahertz the preferred way to fly. You can keep your broadband. Ham radio. On a wing, and a bandwidth. GUESTS: Bob Hopkins, Director of the Computer Center at Cooper Union, and "Elmer" for the book, "Hello World: A Life in Ham Radio," by Danny Gregory and Paul Sahre [calls frequently given on show, not here!] Moody Law, California Ham Joe Leto, Iowa Ham Harry Han, Shanghai Ham http://www.theconnection.org/shows/2003/06/20030612_b_main.asp The shows are archived, and there should be an obvious link to play it. The publicradiofan.com page showing all the stations carrying the show at a later time: http://www.publicradiofan.com/cgi-bin/program.pl?programid=12 Note that not all stations carry both hours. One reliable repeat, and the final one of the day, is WPR Information network at 0306 UT Friday. However, WPRi will be making major schedule changes June 30; e.g. Kathleen Dunn, local host, now weekday afternoons 2006-2300 UT moves to the mornings displacing The Connexion live, but will still be on evening repeats: http://wpr.org/schedule/DisplaySchedule.cfm?iStationID=32 (Glenn Hauser, OK, non-ham, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. KDNA, GRAINGER, YAKIMA VALLEY, WASHINGTON – Radio KDNA La Voz del Campesino. Revisando algunas cosas por la red, me encontré con esta pagina que estoy seguro les va a gustar. Hagan click donde aparece Radio KDNA La voz del campsino y disfruten de un video muy bonito sobre esta emisora. http://kdna.org/multimedia.htm Atte: (José Elías, Venezuela, June 12, Conexión Digital, via DXLD) Includes a video of the history of the station (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. DAVID BRINKLEY DIES AT AGE 82 NEW YORK (June 12) - David Brinkley, who first gained fame as one-half of NBC`s Huntley-Brinkley anchor team and for more than a half-century loomed large in the newscasting world he helped chart, has died at the age of 82. Brinkley died Wednesday night at his home in Houston of complications from a fall, ABC News said Thursday. During his career, which in recent years took him to ABC, Brinkley won 10 Emmy awards, three George Foster Peabody Awards and, in 1992, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation`s highest civilian honor. Former President Bush called him ``the elder statesman of broadcast journalism,`` but Brinkley spoke of himself in less grandiose terms. ``Most of my life,`` he said in a 1992 interview, ``I`ve simply been a reporter covering things, and writing and talking about it.`` He stepped down as host of ABC`s ``This Week with David Brinkley`` in November 1996 but continued to do commentaries. He left amid a rare controversy, and an apology: Late on Election Night, after a long evening, he had said unkind things about President Clinton on the air, including calling him a ``bore.`` Clinton sat for an interview for Brinkley`s last show anyway, and after Brinkley apologized, told him: ``I always believe you have to judge people on their whole work, and if you get judged based on your whole work, you come out way ahead.`` Based in Washington and focusing on politics, Brinkley was known for his gentlemanly manner, wry wit and, as the Clinton incident illustrated, occasional suffer-no-fools bluntness. Playing against such refinement were a boyish appearance and a jerky style of delivery that suggested a mild case of hiccups. ``If I was to start today I probably couldn`t get a job,`` Brinkley once said, ``because I don`t look like what people think an anchorperson should look like.`` Perhaps not. But in 1956, his distinctive presence was paired with craggy, leading-man-handsome Chet Huntley for NBC News` coverage of the Democratic and Republican national conventions. It was a perfect fit. Following that success, the two took over NBC`s nightly newscast, with Huntley in New York and Brinkley in Washington. The program, at first only 15 minutes long, switched back and forth between them. Beyond that regular report, Huntley and Brinkley led NBC as it interrupted regular programming to cover space shots, assassinations, riots and other breaking news with a thoroughness summed up by the unofficial byword ``CBS plus 30 (minutes).`` With Chet and David at the helm, NBC News enjoyed ratings dominance throughout the 1960s. During the 1964 Democratic convention, NBC, up against CBS and its anchor Walter Cronkite, won an astonishing 84 percent of the viewership. But their fame extended far beyond the realm of journalism. A consumer-research company found in 1965 that these co-anchors were recognized by more adult Americans than were John Wayne or the Beatles. Despite their mutual disdain for it, their ``Huntley- Brinkley Report`` signoff - ``Goodnight, Chet``; ``Goodnight, David`` - became part of pop culture. Then in 1970, Huntley retired. He died four years later. Brinkley co-anchored the renamed ``NBC Nightly News`` with John Chancellor, then became the program`s commentator. But the spell was broken. ``The CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite`` had taken the ratings lead, and NBC News had stumbled. Entering his 60s, Brinkley in 1981 began the second act of his career by exiting the organization he had joined 38 years earlier. He lent his heavyweight status to ABC News, a late bloomer then on the way up. There he flourished, particularly on ``This Week with David Brinkley,`` a Sunday morning interview and discussion program. Despite having been present for the creation of TV news, Brinkley insisted ``I didn`t create anything. I just got here early.`` Born in Wilmington, N.C., on July 20, 1920, Brinkley was still in high school when he began writing for his hometown newspaper. He was educated at the University of North Carolina and Vanderbilt University, and after Army service he worked in Southern bureaus for the United Press syndicate. He moved to Washington, D.C., thinking a radio job awaited him at CBS News. Instead, he had landed a job four blocks away at NBC News. He became White House correspondent - NBC`s first. Not long after that, as Brinkley recounted in his 1995 memoir, ``a large, odd-looking object arrived at the Washington studio ..., so big it could barely be rolled through the door. It was our first television camera.`` Brinkley was divorced from his first wife, Ann, in the 1960s and married Susan Benfer in 1972. Among his four children, Alan is an American Book Award-winning historian and Joel is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. The author of three books, Brinkley aptly summed up his career and life in the subtitle of his memoir: ``11 Presidents, 4 Wars, 22 Political Conventions, 1 Moon Landing, 3 Assassinations, 2,000 Weeks of News and Other Stuff on Television, and 18 Years of Growing Up in North Carolina.`` ``If I were 20 years old, I would try to do the same thing again, all of it,`` he told a New York Times interviewer - his son Joel - in a February 1997 profile. ``I have no regrets. None at all.`` AP-NY-06-12-03 1030EDT Copyright 2003 The Associated Press (via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. NBC MONITOR --- By BOB BETCHER, Scripps Howard News Service During a recent visit to a South Florida radio station, a staffer mentioned that he had a compilation of the old NBC weekend radio series "Monitor." "Monitor," for those who never heard of it, was a program that ran continuously from 8 a.m. Saturday to midnight Sunday out of NBC headquarters at Rockefeller Center in New York. It was broadcast from 1955 to 1975, according to http://monitorbeacon.com a wonderful Web site loaded with everything "Monitor." NBC stations were allowed to weave in local news, weather, and ads during breaks, but it basically was a solid network feed of news, sports, comedy, interviews, music, and remote pick-ups from around the world. As a kid, I remember hearing it on New York's WNBC (660 AM). But it was heard from coast to coast on NBC radio stations. The other night, I spent an evening at home listening to the compact disc, complete with the "Monitor beacon," a series of distinct beeps that were actually cues to affiliates to switch in and out of the show. The sound was so vivid, long-time listeners can probably still hear it in their heads right now. The series was created by then NBC President Sylvester "Pat" Weaver Jr. The live show was hosted by a variety of broadcasters and notables of the era, including (in no particular order) Dave Garroway, Hugh Downs, Ben Grauer, Ed McMahon, Gene Rayburn, Joe Garagiola, John Cameron Swayze, Red Barber, Mel Allen, Frank McGee, Brad Crandall, and Garry Moore. Many of these folks were associated in some way with NBC, and you got the feeling they just drifted in to say "Hi," as if they were calling you personally by phone. "Monitor" originated from the fifth floor at 30 Rock; one floor up at NBC was "The Tonight Show" studios. It wasn't all fun and games. NBC News had a major presence. On the CD I heard, newsman Frank McGee (a former "Today" show host) interviewed Martin Luther King Jr. about race relations in the South. The interview went on for at least 10 minutes - an eternity in [commercial!] radio today. As times changed, affiliates and listeners began to lose interest and television took a stronger hold on their lives. NBC eventually cut the show back in time, and stations followed by bumping more and more hours. When "Monitor" went off the air on Jan. 26, 1975, only about 100 stations carried the show. The last hours were filled with a glorious retrospective of the previous 20 years of network radio. The final hosts were "Big" Wilson, who hosted weekday mornings on WNBC radio and broadcaster John Bartholomew Tucker. Sadly, the "beacon" sounded for the final time. Bob Betcher is media columnist for Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers in Stuart, Florida (From Harry van Vugt, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, DXLD) ** U S A. KADZ 1550 was taken dark on June 1. This was one of the 2 Radio Disney stations in Denver. It has been // to KDDZ 1690 since 6/3/98. The signoff date was 2 days short of 5 years. I talked to a rep at the station today and verified that they were forced to surrender one of the two licenses by the FCC. The person I spoke with indicated that something else might be appearing on the 1550 frequency in a month or so but wouldn't confirm who or what. I airchecked KDDZ today and they are still IDing with the old liners as KADZ Arvada, KDDZ Arvada-Denver. Radio Disney actually signed on under the call signs KQXI on 1550 and KAYK on 1690 in 1998. Before Radio Disney bought KQXI they were Kingdom Radio, part of the Mid-America Gospel Radio group. Their studio and transmitter were in a double-wide mobile home adjacent to the Platte River about a mile north of the present antenna site. The present transmitter site is located on the Englewood CO sewage processing plant property (Patrick Griffith, N0NNK CBT CBNT Westminster, CO, USA, June 11, NRC-AM via DXLD) Seems it'd be a lot longer than a month if they have indeed surrendered the license, though. Somebody would have to apply for 1550 in Arvada, there'd be a bunch of competing applicants since Denver is a big rich market, etc. I wonder if the guy meant that they've been forced to sell the license instead of turn it back in? But then why is the FCC picking on this x-bander in the first place? They haven't enforced the "simulcast for five years and choose which one you want to keep" threat with anybody else, have they? (Steve Francis, Alcoa, Tennessee, ibid.) I initially thought the same thing Steve. But don't forget that Radio Disney is a division of ABC radio. So I'm wondering if maybe they have another ABC source in mind that will come on the air quickly. If this station is for sale, that would make 2 AMs for sale in the Denver market. KCUV/1510 is still simulcasting with KNRC/1150 and is supposedly up for sale as well (Patrick Griffith, N0NNK, ibid.) And I think I agree with Patrick. A few X-banders have shut down their original facility right away when turning on the X-band, either because they had to (1620 Atmore AL was too close to the original 1590 for both to diplex) or because they wanted to get rid of an expensive directional array (1390/1700 Des Moines, 920/1690 in Maryland, 540/1650 in Los Angeles, 570/1620 in Biloxi). A few more kept operating close to the five-year limit (1560/1630 Iowa City comes to mind, 1210/1700 Miami, 1140/1680 in Ada, Michigan, 1580/1620 South Bend; Patrick, your 990/1650 in Denver must be getting close too, isn't it?) And remember: there are two X-banders that are NOT bound by the five- year limit. 1530/1660 Elizabeth/Jersey City and 1190/1640 Vallejo CA were created by that special "Elizabeth clause" that automatically granted first preference on the X-band to any community with a population over 100,000 and only a daytimer. My understanding is that the clause was inserted by a New Jersey congressman as a favor to WJDM's owner, with the idea that it would apply only to WJDM - nobody realized Vallejo had also grown over 100,000 people in the meantime! s (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.) That reminds me, Steve, that WTDY 1670 Madison's 5th anniversary is fast approaching-- June 29. Correspondence with the station last October revealed that they had no plans to turn in either of their licenses, WTDY or in-band WLMV 1480. They also had no intention of selling either station, nor have they sold them. Here is the message that the station e-mailed me: ``Since WLMV 1480 will no longer be affiliated with 1670 WTDY (except for a brief simulcast of Sly, and the farm report) other than the having the same cluster ownership, neither station will be required to turn in their license.`` I will keep the list posted as to the status of these stations after 6/29. However, I have no doubts that both will be on the air. It's too bad, too. Ever since 1670 went on, I had looked forward to gaining 1480 as a DXable frequency. Two others come to mind, both in the Midwest: WKSH Sussex WI 1370/1640 and KQWB 1550/1660 West Fargo ND. If I remember correctly, the Sussex in-bander was closed because it would be too expensive for the religious organization that was running it to maintain two facilities. I am not sure of the reason why the West Fargo station went silent so early. Scott, did you ever get positive confirmation that WVMI 570 Biloxi did indeed go silent? 73 (Bill Dvorak, Madison WI, ibid.) I'm about 99.9% sure it's gone. IIRC, KQWB had a directional array on 1550 that they wanted to tear down. s (Fybush, ibid.) WMVI-570 is indeed gone per my QSL. Isn't KCJJ-1560 gone too? I think when they moved to 1630, they shut off the 1560 shortly afterwards. 73s, (Patrick Martin Seaside OR, ibid.) ** U S A. From today's "Inside Radio" -- A possible drunk driver nearly took out KGO's tower early this morning. The driver was charged with driving under the influence -- but at least she wasn't hurt, after being fished out of the water. Her car ran off the Dumbarton Bridge, says the Mercury News -- just east of the tower of San Francisco's KGO (Wally Wawro, WFAA-TV, June 12, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. Re Clear Channel catering to MW DXers: Considering former Clear Channel Radio head honcho Randy Michaels is an avid MW DXer (yes, really; he has some sort of longwire at his home near Cincinnati, among other things --- of course, he also used to DX from his private jet!), I wouldn't be in the least surprised. s (Scott Fybush, NRC-AM via DXLD) The only negative thing, in my mind, about what has happened with the big guys getting bigger and bigger and bigger, is the loss of 'localization' in many smaller markets. Time and time again we've heard of a contributor to this e-muse forum saying they attempted to hear local conditions when in the throes of a bad weather situation, only to hear non-stop, satellite-fed music with blah-blah-blah coming from nondescript, uncaring talking heads in New York or Dallas who couldn't spell Des Moines or Pocatello, let alone find them on a map. These stations are not fulfilling their commitment to their local community. Isn't that rule in there, someplace? The same goes for these religious satellite-fed, FM translators all over the country. The same goes for the Disney affiliates. What happened to the rule about having a local phone number, a public file, etc.??? My 2 cents. (Bill in Fort Worth Hale, ibid.) These rules are still on the books, and will raise heavy fines if violated (they do *not* apply to translators though). (Doug Smith, ibid.) Bill: Your question is a valid one. In my role with the office of Homeland Security, I hear the echo of your statement in other communities. The big cities don't seem to have too many problems, however I hear there were some difficulties in Oklahoma City. The areas that get killed are the rural areas where either the only station that served them was removed to become a big city rim-shot, or the station is owned by a big company that does not consider the station's service area important in the overall scope of their regional ad dollars. Personally, I think that all stations should have a local access, and not just putting the public file at the local library or an attorney's office. There should be an office, people there 9-5, and a phone number to call for questions. I also think that license renewal should be based on what you do for a community. If a licensee is not willing to commit to a community 100%, then they should not own the station 100%. Along with reinstating the 7/7 rule, I would also suggest that the license fee be increased by $1,500 to allow a stations public file, financial, and ownership records to be audited yearly and base the license renewal on the results. I think that would remove the shell games played with stations, and improve the level of service to the general public. When companies get super big, they can't provide the customer service that customers expect. Although I enjoy a low long distance rate, I would rather take a beating than deal with either the local telco or LD service. And as a big company they often abuse customers and get away with it. I think Clear Channel gets picked on because, traditionally, they were the ones who pioneered the buy spree and lobbied the most vocally for deregulation. Also, it doesn't help when the business is so big that a small player can't get in. As one of my friends put it, "It's not the fact that I can't, it's the fact that there is no opportunity. It's like I'm a black trying to buy a home in a white neighborhood. Every house is sold, or the prices are 10x market value giving the buyer no opportunity for a chance." (Fred Vobbe, ibid.) Fred, I didn't know that you were involved with Homeland Security. Is your role with them broadcasting related? I was recently issued Department of Homeland Security 'essential emergency personnel' credentials as an adjunct to my role with the US Public Health Service. I have been an intermittent employee of PHS since 1995 and am a member of the PHS-2 Management Support Team based in Rockville MD. My grade is GS-13. The primary mission of PHS involves the duties of about 60 Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT). However, we also operate several National Medical Response Teams for Weapons of Mass Destruction strategically positioned throughout the US. The WMD teams and the level 1 DMAT teams are each equipped with a $1.5M+ cache of ready response equipment. My primary duties involve the deployment and field management of tactical communications and IT equipment and operating staff. PHS is now under the Homeland Security umbrella, thus the new credentials (Patrick Griffith, N0NNK, CBT, CBNT, ibid.) My primary job is that of VP and Chief Operator of the NBC affiliate in town. Several years back I joined up with the local EMA office on their PIO team (Public Information Officer). That is a minimal part time job. Like a fireman, I only work when the stinky stuff hits the air moving device. |g| My formal position is Communications Officer, and I'm responsible for establishing lines of communications between the agency and government or the public. This may be just calling CBers out to help direct traffic around hazmat areas, or it could be for developing and deploying a radio pathway on HF or other means between our county and the state capital, or DC. The broadcaster tie- in comes from my additional role in the area's EAS. I'm also co- chairman of the Lima-Allen County EAS. This side of the fence has me working with local broadcast stations, as well as dealing with the government explaining their role in how it works and could be used in the event of an emergency. The biggest part of this position is educating the public, broadcast, and government side on how it all works, what to expect, and how it is to be used. A lot of work is just fielding questions, assisting in programming EAS boxes and sometimes fielding complaints from public. The only other "job" I have is the publishing of the DX Audio Service, which if the truth be known I prefer the best (Fred Vobbe, ibid.) ** U S A. This is a bit dated, but I figured I'd post it anyway. 1710 kHz --- 0008 UT 5-28-03: Man calmly talking in English about the Talmud and the Torah. Very discernible, however QRM was severe at times. No IDs provided during the duration of my listening. This one had me stumped for a while. However, I eventually stumbled upon the correct set of keywords and, via Google, came across the below link from 'The Man Who Hears (Literally and Figuratively) Everything' a.k.a. Glenn Hauser: http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/wor1108.html WORLD OF RADIO #1108, produced December 5, 2001 by Glenn Hauser *1710 kHz Jewish station heard by many is Lubavitcher Radio, probably in Brooklyn; check http://www.chabad.org or http://www.radiomoshiach.org Thanks, Glenn! Looks like you nailed it for me. My QTH is Wilmington, DE. Does anyone have any information about transmitter site or power? There's nothing that I can find on the indicated links that answers these questions (Peter Jernakoff, Dupont Titanium Technologies, June 9, NRC-AM via DXLD) Referred them to DXLD searching (gh) It's located in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, I believe. Someone on this list I believe actually pinned down an address (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA, ibid.) The web site claims they're legal, but I find that hard to believe, given the distance that some people have heard the station. Interesting that the website indicates that the station is on 1620 kHz, while all of the reception reports indicate 1710. Question: do all x-band capable radios go all the way up to 1710? And assuming that they are indeed legal in terms of power output, etc., is 1710 a legitimate frequency, or is it allocated to some other service - or does frequency somehow not matter under part 15? (Brian Leyton, Valley Village, CA, ibid.) The station is not licensed, and is also not legal (Russ Edmunds, PA, ibid.) The QSL letter for 1710 indicates the address as Lubavitch World Headquarters, 770 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn NY 11213. The letter entitled "Chabad-Lubavitch is a philosophy, a movement, and an organization" ends with a brief statement verifying reception: "A member of our movement noticed in a recent National Radio Club DX News bulletin that you were listening to our station on 1710 kilohertz on November 29, 2001 at 10:50 p.m. EST. We are pleased that you had an opportunity to tune in." The letter was anonymous / not signed. The envelope was postmarked Providence RI. QSL letters were received by many who initially reported reception in DX News (Bruce Conti - Nashua NH, ibid.) "770" is (as is stated in the letter) the World HQ for the Chabad Lubavitch movement, which is in the Crown Heights neighborhood. In much of the Jewish world (though much more so in the Orthodox community), you only need refer to it as "770", and they'll know what you're talking about. Chabad-Lubavitch is quite proud of that building (a large brownstone). So much so that when their HQ here in L.A. (actually Westwood, on Gayley Ave., adjacent to UCLA) burned down many years ago, it was rebuilt as a replica of "770". They're putting up a new school on Pico Blvd. right now, and from the artist's rendering on the sign, it looks like it's going to be another replica. Though I've never seen 770 in person, I imagine that as a typical brownstone, it doesn't stand out nearly as much in Brooklyn as it does here in L.A. Despite the fact that they dress only in black suits & white shirts, they're a very colorful bunch of people, with some very interesting beliefs - most of which are shared by other Orthodox Jews, but many which are not. They're widely admired for their outreach efforts. Pretty much anywhere in the world where you might find Jews, you'll find a representative of Chabad Lubavitch. I find it interesting that they would be so bold as to send a QSL letter, taking credit for the station, when it's quite likely illegal. But then again, Chabad is VERY politically connected, so maybe they figure they can get away with it. At least they're smart enough not to run the transmitter from "770". (Brian Leyton, Valley Village, CA, ibid.) ** U S A. [During an intense sporadic-E opening] a signal began wiping out Tucson [NWS Weatheradio] on 162.400. It began shortly after 1640 MST, [2340 UT] with a climatic summary. With fast fades and Tucson to contend with, no clues there. Faded during timecheck, and stayed gone for a few minutes. Came back with "the extended forecast for the listening area." Still no clues. Generally, the first temperature reading in the cycle is from the programming office or the area served by the NWS transmitter. So, shortly after the timecheck of 6:55 PM Central Daylight Time, the current temps began, and the first reading was Tupelo. The climatic summary given also matched the climatic summary for Tupelo, MS. We blind folks don't find the maps very instructive, but if it fits, I suspect the station I got was KIH53 in Booneville, MS, 700 watts, programmed from the Memphis office, which also handles the Tupelo climatic summary. FM lasted about an hour, but this time I didn't worry about it much. The 162.40 was far more exciting, especially since it had to conquer Tucson to be heard (Rick Lewis, Glendale AZ, June 9, amfmtvdx via DXLD) ** U S A. "The people of North Korea are dying of salvation at the hands of a ruthless dictator." (Sean Hannity on Fox News Channel Monday night via Brock Whaley, DXLD) ** U S A. ONE SMALL STEP FOR CLASSICAL MUSIC For the past month I have been actively involved in a lobbying campaign to convince the Salisbury University Foundation (Salisbury MD) to not sell its classical music and NPR-news formatted station. The effort was a success as the Foundation board voted unanimously last night to keep but with some changes. The option was considered as a result of a feeler from WYPR in Baltimore which is trying to build a statewide network. WYPR acquired the old WJHU of Johns Hopkins University which once was a very good classical music station. Today WYPR broadcasts little if any classical music in their talk oriented program stream. The Salisbury Daily Times has the story (Joe Buch, DE, DX Listening Digest) WSCL TO STAY, BUT MAY SEE CHANGES By John Vandiver, Daily Times Staff Writer, Thursday, June 12, 2003 SALISBURY -- Public radio station WSCL at Salisbury University will continue to broadcast, though changes to its all-classical music format are possible. The SU Foundation's Board of Directors voted unanimously Wednesday to retain the station, ending a month of speculation whether the rights to WSCL would be sold to a Baltimore-based radio group. The prospect of losing the station's classical music and news programs prompted an outcry from WSCL supporters across Delmarva. Part of the agreement to retain the station is an understanding that WSCL staff will work with Salisbury University to make the station more reflective of the campus culture. "In recent years, WSCL has had few linkages with the university, its academic programs, students, faculty and staff," SU President Janet Dudley-Eshbach said during Wednesday's meeting. "For Salisbury University to continue to support WSCL, and I believe we should do so, a stronger relationship must be established with the university." Since the SU Foundation was contacted by Baltimore station WYPR in March about acquiring WSCL, questions have been raised about the lack of student involvement at the station and its educational value. SU's funding to WSCL has been scrutinized as the university faces a budget crisis that has resulted in the elimination of 15 administrative positions, and school officials brace for another round of cuts. "To maintain the status quo between Salisbury University and WSCL is not an option," Eshbach said. To justify continued support, she said the station needs to provide internship opportunities, feature cultural events at the university and reflect the listening interests of a wider audience. "Programming should take into consideration the interests, not only of off-campus listeners, but also the interests of the individuals who live, study and work at Salisbury University," she said. A five to seven member panel of university officials, students and WSCL personnel will be formed to review the station's format. After one year, WSCL's effectiveness in serving the interests of the community and Salisbury University will be evaluated. WSCL was founded in 1987 and receives about $100,000 in support annually from the university. Yet, most of the station's roughly $800,000 budget comes from listener donations. More than 50 supporters of the station attended the public meeting in the Wicomico Room of the Guerrieri Center. Opinions were mixed over the possibility that WSCL could include a more diverse program format. Though mostly middle-aged listeners attended Wednesday's vote, there were some young supporters. "I'm not naïve enough to believe that a majority of students like classical music, but we're out there," said SU junior Tom Hamill, who favors the all-classical format. Hamill said he stumbled upon WSCL as a high school student in Easton, seeking music to listen to while exercising. "I think it was through WSCL that I first heard about Salisbury University," he said. When the SU Foundation had the value of WSCL appraised for a potential sale, Board of Directors Chairman Henry Hanna said he was not surprised that it provoked outrage from many listeners. "We didn't go out looking to sell the station. What we received was an unsolicited proposal. We felt a responsibility to review it and the station's role with the university," he said. Barbara Schmid, a native New York City resident who moved to Ocean Pines several years ago, said she was relieved that the board voted to keep the station. "The first thing we did when we moved here was join WSCL. If some changes need to be made that's fine. The thought of losing the station was depressing," she said. Copyright ©2003 DelmarvaNow. All rights reserved (via Joe Buch, DE, DX Listening Digest) For illustrations and sidebars see: http://www.dailytimesonline.com/news/stories/20030612/localnews/463367.html Previous story suggesting that classical music is snobbish! http://www.dailytimesonline.com/news/stories/20030611/localnews/457335.html Related story about WYPR Baltimore: http://www.sunspot.net/templates/misc/printstory.jsp?slug=bal-to.tvradio11jun11§ion=/printstory (via Current, DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. THE SIP (INTERAMERICAN PRESS SOCIETY) STATES THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS DOES NOT EXIST IN VENEZUELA...WOULD YOU ADAM AND EVE? A France Press cable released last Tuesday June 10th, informs the SIP (the Interamerican Press Society) states the freedom of the press does not exist in Venezuela. This organisation also claims the situation will get worse if the new Radio and TV law is approved. Curiously, this has been the same point of view of the IBA (International Broadcasting Association) which has not got any vacillation to condemn what they have called as "attacks on freedom of speech" in Venezuela. Well, I would like to ask both international organisations one thing: where were they when Venezuelans were the subject of censorship during the April 11th-13th 2002 private media promoted blackout? Were not our civil rights violated by private media through all those days? The period between April 11th to 13th, 2002, has passed to the Venezuelan Contemporary History as a time of shame for domestic journalism. In those days, most of the journalists decided not to inform about what was really happening in the streets. While people were protesting in the streets and claiming for their ousted free- elected president, private media networks preferred to broadcast cartoons, Major League Baseball games or repeat -time after time- that everything was normal. Was not that an actual attack on Venezuelans' freedom of information? I ask again: where were the SIP and the IBA? Did they say anything about that violation of the Venezuelan media users' rights? No, they did not. I think people in the world have to know the truth related to private media owners in Venezuela. It is publicly known they supported the April 2002 coup d'état against president Chávez and that is why nobody fools us in here with that "the-freedom-of-the-press-in-danger" story. I invite everybody to come to Venezuela in order to confirm "lively and directly" what I am saying. Freedom of speech is a reality in this country. Perhaps, the SIP and the IBA people are lost in outer space! (Adán González, Radio Announcer Licence 26950, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, June 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. Yesterday (June 9th) I heard SW R. Africa on 4880 kHz ending its broadcast with a *very* strong signal, SIO=454. The reception was good even with an old Sony connected to the central heating system (=grounding). It seems like anything gone wrong is caused by the president of the country. Does anyone know the whereabouts of the transmitter? When drawing (possible antenna direction) lines on great circle maps, Meyerton is a very obvious QTH. The Numbers Lady started her messages right after 1900 UT, right after the SW R. Africa signed off (Matti Ponkamo, Naantali, Finland, Drake R4-C, Sony 2001D, 15 metres of wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RSF CONDEMNS TREATMENT OF VOICE OF THE PEOPLE JOURNALISTS International press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has condemned the arrest and beating of two Zimbabwean journalists working for Voice of the People, the independent shortwave station that broadcasts into Zimbabwe via the Radio Netherlands Madagascar relay station. Shorai Katiwa and Martin Chimenya were seized on 2 June by supporters of President Robert Mugabe's African National Union Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) who interrogated them, took away their mobile phones and tape-recorders, and beat them after accusing them of belonging to the main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). They were then taken to a police station, where they admitted that they sent their reports from a computer at the home of VOP coordinator John Masuku. Police went there and confiscated the computer and the station's office records. They found nothing suspicious, so returned the items and freed the journalists. This is the latest in a series of attacks on the VOP. In August 2002 its offices in Harare were destroyed by a bomb, widely believed to have been planted by Mugabe supporters. The Zimbabwe government is clearly rattled by the continuing presence of Voice of the People and the other independent station broadcasting to the country, UK-based SW Radio Africa. These stations are clearly having an impact. A listener in Harare, writing to DX Listening Digest last week, said "I have been a DXer for 20 years but at no stage did I think that shortwave radio would be more important to me and my fellow countryfolk as it has been this week." (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 11 June 2003 via DXLD) VOA INTENSIFIES BROADCASTS TO ZIMBABWE The United States government funded Voice of America (VOA) radio service has intensified broadcasts to Zimbabwe in response to Harare's continued control of the airwaves, according to VOA director David Jackson. The Zimbabwe governments stranglehold on the airwaves has resulted in alternative views being denied space on radio and television. In an interview in the latest edition of ' Washington File', Jackson said VOA had introduced Shona and Ndebele broadcasts to ensure that Zimbabweans had access to "uncensored" information in the country. "What we are doing in Zimbabwe goes to the heart of the VOA mission : to provide a free Press in countries that do not have it, to open up discussion among people of a variety of political persuasions and provide a medium for voices of the opposition," said Jackson. Zimbabwe's radio and television channels have been accused of bias towards the ruling ZANU PF and the government and of denying space to the Movement for Democratic Change, Zimbabwe's main opposition party. They have been accused of "demonising" the opposition and organisations perceived to be anti-government. Critics say the State- controlled media has since 2000 been reduced to government mouthpieces that can only churn out government propaganda while denying the opposition a chance to put across its views. The government has also refused to allow independent players to come into the broadcast sector, despite mounting pressure from the civil society. Broadcasting industry commentators say censorship on the airwaves has in the last few months been extended to include a blackout on music that is perceived to propagate anti-government messages. Among some of the musicians who have been affected by this censorship are Chimurenga music guru Dr Thomas Mapfumo, many of whose most recent songs have a strong anti-government tone. Several disk jockeys (DJs) working for the State-controlled Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) have also claimed that they have been instructed not to play particular songs because of the sentiments they express about the government. There are reports that some ZBC DJs have been fired for playing songs deemed to be anti-government. Gwen Dillard, the head of VOA's Africa division, said the Zimbabwean service was the only Press freedom advocacy service VOA had on the continent:"The new Zimbabwe programme is literally the only surrogate (free Press advocacy) service we have on the continent", he said. Jackson added: "Surrogate services act as a replacement in countries that do not have a free and reliable news media. As Zimbabwe continues its repressive measures, the people have an even greater need for information. Now Zimbabweans who speak Shona or Ndebele have a new source of straight and uncensored information from the Voice of America." SOURCE: The Daily News -( an independant Zimbabwean newspaper ) - Thursday 12 June 2003. Article submittted to DXLD by (David Pringle- Wood, Harare, Zimbabwe) Actually the addition of Shona and Ndebele occurred a few weeks ago as reported here, but nice to see this is finally news in Zimbabwe (gh) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ IARU TEAM ON THE JOB AS WRC-03 OPENS IN GENEVA GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, Jun 11, 2003 -- The International Telecommunication Union's (ITU) World Radiocommunication Conference 2003 got under way June 9 at the Geneva International Conference Center adjacent to ITU Headquarters. More than 2600 delegates and other participants are expected to attend the four-week conference. As the first order of business, Dr Veena Rawat of Canada was elected Chairman of the Conference by acclamation. "Several items on the conference agenda are of great importance to radio amateurs, so the International Amateur Radio Union has fielded its largest team of observers at an ITU conference in more than a decade," noted IARU Secretary (and ARRL CEO) David Sumner, K1ZZ, who's part of the IARU delegation in Geneva. In addition to Sumner, the core IARU team consists of IARU President Larry Price, W4RA, Wojciech Nietyksza, SP5FM, Michael Owen, VK3KI, and Ken Pulfer, VE3PU. Past ITU Radiocommunication Bureau Director Robert W. Jones, VE7RWJ, is serving as a consultant to the IARU. Approximately a dozen other radio amateurs representing their national IARU member-societies are participating on national delegations, along with members of IARU regional executive committees who are serving on delegations and in other capacities. Among these are IARU Vice President David Wardlaw, VK3ADW, who is on the Australian delegation; Region 1 Chairman Ole Garpestad, LA2RR, who is on the Norwegian delegation; Region 1 Vice Chairman Tafa Diop, 6W1KI, observing for the African Telecommunications Union; Region 2 Vice President Dario Jurado, HP1DJ, observing for the IARU; and Region 3 Secretary Keigo Komuro, JA1KAB, who is on the delegation of Japan. In addition, literally dozens of radio amateurs are present at WRC-03 in a wide range of professional capacities. Amateur Radio is but a small part of the conference, which is trying to complete work on more than 40 agenda items. Three are especially important to Amateur Radio: Realignment of 7 MHz allocations (Agenda Item 1.23), revision of the regulations governing the amateur and amateur-satellite services (Agenda Item 1.7), and consideration of an allocation for satellite-borne synthetic aperture radars (SARs) in the 70-cm band (Agenda Item 1.38). Two other agenda items with potentially great impact are the drafting of an agenda for the next WRC, scheduled for 2007 (Agenda Item 7.2) and the revision of footnotes to the Table of Frequency Allocations (Agenda Item 1.1). A member of the IARU core team has been assigned to follow each of these five items, but the greatest focus is on 7 MHz, Sumner said. Except for SARs (Committee 5) and future conference agendas (Committee 7) the critical agenda items for Amateur Radio are all in Committee 4, chaired by Germany's Eberhard George, DL7IH. His selection to chair a key committee was based on his years of experience in ITU affairs, however, and not on his holding an amateur license, Sumner said. Committees 4 and 5 held organizational meetings June 9 and set up Working Groups that met June 10 and 11. Working Group 4C, chaired by Alan Ashman of Australia, has Agenda Items 1.23 and 1.7, among others. Sub-Working Groups of 4C have been established but have not yet met. These include 4C1 chaired by Don Messer of the United States (Agenda Item 1.23 and two other Agenda Items related to HF broadcasting, 1.2 and 1.36) and 4C3 chaired by Keigo Komuro, JA1KAB, whose panel will deal with Article 25 of the international Radio Regulations, Agenda Item 1.7.1. "After just the first three days there are, of course, no final decisions on any issues and there has not even been formal discussion of the major issues although there has been plenty of informal discussion in the hallways and over coffee," Sumner said, "It is important to remember that nothing is final until the second reading of a document in the Plenary, which in the case of controversial issues will not take place until the final week of the conference, June 30-July 4."--IARU news release (ARRL June 11 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DRM +++ RFI (RADIO FRANCE INTERNATIONALE) TO JOIN DRM`S INAUGURAL BROADCASTS ON JUNE 16TH WITH 24 HOUR-A-DAY, LIVE SHORT-WAVE DIGITAL BROADCASTS. ``It is an historical event,`` says Michel Penneroux, head of TDF SW broadcasting and Chairman of the DRM Commercial Committee ``TDF is proud to make these new service and quality available to Radio France and Radio France Internationale. All these DRM programmes on the air from the entire world together with ETSI and IEC standards mean also a GO given to the industry to enter into the DRM capable digital receiver manufacturing process``. TDF, Radio France and Radio France Internationale are founding members of the DRM consortium in 1998. TDF will broadcast to the Geneva region starting on June 12th, 2003: 12 program hours per day from Radio France, in MW (frequency 1179 kHz), in French, and 24 program hours per day from Radio France Internationale, in SW (frequency 25775 kHz), TDF will make DRM mobile reception available during the conference. RFI, a founding member of DRM, believes in digital broadcast`s ability to give its short-wave transmissions a sound quality approaching FM broadcasting. From 12th to 18th of June, during the WRC organised by the ITU, RFI will broadcast its live, short-wave programmes in Geneva with a DRM transmitter installed on Mont Salève thanks to the French operator TDF. The transmission will take place in the 11 meters band on 25.775 MHz. For the past 10 years RFI has sought to diversify its transmission. Its programmes are on satellite, on FM (more than 100 relays throughout the world) and on the Internet http://www.rfi.fr RFI has nevertheless kept important short-wave facilities to ensure worldwide reception of its programmes. In the future, DRM will provide RFI`s short-wave listening audience with a near-FM sound quality. RFI / Radio France Internationale RFI is one of the major international broadcasters. Together with its daughter-company RMC-Moyen-Orient in Arabic it reaches 45 millions listeners in the world. A team of 350 journalists based in Paris and a network of more than 300 correspondents throughout the world allows RFI to broadcast a programme in French with 58 news bulletins per day, 24 hours a day; RFI also broadcasts in 19 other languages (yet another DRM press release via DXLD) 25775 was DXed some months ago and turned out to be very low power. Is this still the case? (gh, DXLD) 14 LEADING BROADCASTERS TO AIR THE WORLD`S FIRST, LIVE, DAILY, DIGITAL RADIO MONDIALE (DRM) BROADCASTS DURING WRC 03, JUNE 16TH Geneva --- Using a new, universally standardized digital system for short-wave, medium-wave/AM and long-wave, the world`s leading broadcasters will create radio history next week during the International Telecommunications Union`s (ITU) World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC 2003). International, national and local broadcasters will simultaneously send the world`s first live, daily Digital Radio MondialeÔ (DRMÔ) broadcasts toward Geneva, and across the globe, on Monday evening, June 16th, 2003. The non-proprietary, DRM system has received a broader ITU recommendation -- one that spans short-wave, medium-wave/AM and long- wave -- than any other digital radio system in the world. DRM uses existing frequencies and bandwidth. With clear, near-FM quality sound that offers a dramatic improvement over analogue, DRM will revitalize radio in markets worldwide. With the flick of a switch, DRM Chairman Peter Senger will mark DRM`s debut at a glittering evening reception at the Château de Penthes, in Geneva suburb Prégny-Chambésy, June 16. International broadcasters BBC World Service, Christian Vision, Deutsche Welle, Radio Canada International, Radio France Internationale, Radio Netherlands, Radio Vaticana, Swedish Radio International, Voice of America, Voice of Russia and Wales Radio International will participate. Their DRM broadcasts will reach Europe, North America, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand. Within Europe, national broadcasters DeutschlandRadio and Radio France, plus local station Georg-Simon-Ohm-Fachhochschule in Nuremberg, will showcase DRM broadcasts on medium-wave/AM. ``DRM`s introduction will forever alter the course of radio broadcasting,`` says Mr. Senger. ``The fading, noise and interference that have hampered analogue broadcasting for decades will be replaced by DRM`s excellent reception quality. DRM will create exciting new opportunities for broadcasters to expand their audiences and increase time spent listening.`` Coding Technologies GmbH has announced that production of a second- generation, DRM-capable, world band receiver is underway, for distribution in late 2003. Further commercial DRM-capable receivers should become available in stores within two to three years. Also participating in DRM`s debut are Fraunhofer IIS, Nozema, TDF, Telenor/Norkring, Thales Broadcast & Multimedia, T-Systems Media&Broadcast and VT Merlin Communications. WRC delegates will have the opportunity to hear live, DRM test transmissions in listening sessions at the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) on June 12, 13 and 16, and live, daily DRM broadcasts after the June 16th debut, June 17-20. DRM will run free shuttle buses from the CICG (the WRC 03 meeting site) to the EBU on these days. Listening sessions are by appointment, and may be booked at the DRM desk in the CICG lobby starting on June 9th (DRM Press release from Siriol Jane Evans June 11 via DXLD) Not been listening to broadcast stations much recently due to me taking up amateur radio, but on Friday I listening to Wales Radio International --- the first time I had heard it. At the end of their broadcast they announced two hour-long DRM tests as follows: June 17th 1000-1100 UT 9590 kHz, June 19th 1000-1100 UT 9590 kHz Regards, (John R Wells. Derby, June 11, BDXC-UK via DXLD) Latest DRM skeds: http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/html/drm_latest.html (WORLD OF RADIO 1186, DXLD) See also RUSSIA, SWEDEN, and. . .? POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ THREAT TO SHORTWAVE I haven't seen any discussion of this on any of the mailing lists I subscribe to, but the FCC is currently entertaining a proposal for broadband over powerlines that would have the unfortunate side effect of destroying our hobby. Some idiot unfortunately left a good part of the call-to-arms out of this month's NASWA Journal (yes, that would be me, thank you very much), but you can read about it on the NASWA web site at http://www.anarc.org/naswa/issues/200306/tech200306.html (Ralph Brandi http://www.brandi.org/ Shortwave loggings database: http://www.brandi.org/logs/ Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) PLC has been covered extensively in DXLD, which Ralph refuses to read (gh) RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ AM LOOP FEATURED IN BHM Hello Glenn, I just received my copy of the July/August Backwoods Home Magazine and was pleasantly surprised to find it contains an article entitled, "Supercharge Your AM Radio," by Charles A. Sanders, on pp. 66-69. Sanders describes how to build a simple passive AM loop antenna. Included are simple diagrams and a brief sidebar listing web sites, such as http://www.dxing.com and http://www.amfmdx.net BHM is a survival/self-reliant-living magazine, and this article is aimed at those particularly in rural areas who want to enhance AM listening. I'm not a builder, so don't know how reliable the instructions are for this project, but assume it wouldn't be too difficult for those so skilled and inclined to try it. I believe BHM is available on news stands, and several of each issue's articles are posted on their web site at http://www.backwoodshome.com Articles for this new issue may not be available online until late June or early July, though (John Wesley Smith, Hallsville, MO, June 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 11 JUNE - 07 JULY 2003 Solar activity is expected to range from low to high levels during the period. Regions 365, 375 and 380 have the potential to produce major events during the period. A major event is possible from Region 375 and 380 early in the period and from Region 365 when it returns to the visible disk on 15 June. Late in the period Regions 375 and 380 are due to return to visible disk and will keep the forecast at moderate levels through the end of the period. A greater than 10 MeV proton events is possible early in the period in association with a major flare event from Region 375 or 380. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux is expected to reach high levels on 11 – 13 June, 30 June – 03 July, and again on 06 – 07 July. The geomagnetic field is expected to range from quiet to major storm levels during the period. Quiet to active levels are expected during the first half of the period with isolated minor storm levels possible. With the return of a large southern coronal hole on 28 June activity is expected to be at unsettled to minor storm levels with isolated major storm levels possible. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2003 Jun 10 2211 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2003 Jun 10 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2003 Jun 11 150 20 4 2003 Jun 12 145 12 3 2003 Jun 13 140 10 3 2003 Jun 14 135 10 3 2003 Jun 15 130 12 3 2003 Jun 16 130 12 3 2003 Jun 17 130 20 4 2003 Jun 18 120 25 5 2003 Jun 19 115 20 4 2003 Jun 20 115 20 4 2003 Jun 21 115 20 4 2003 Jun 22 120 20 4 2003 Jun 23 120 20 4 2003 Jun 24 120 30 5 2003 Jun 25 120 25 5 2003 Jun 26 120 25 5 2003 Jun 27 120 15 3 2003 Jun 28 120 15 3 2003 Jun 29 120 30 5 2003 Jun 30 120 30 5 2003 Jul 01 115 25 5 2003 Jul 02 115 15 3 2003 Jul 03 125 15 3 2003 Jul 04 130 20 4 2003 Jul 05 135 20 4 2003 Jul 06 140 20 4 2003 Jul 07 145 20 4 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via WORLD OF RADIO 1186, DXLD) ###