DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-123, July 11, 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/dxldtd3g.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 1190: RFPI: Fri 1930, Sat 0130, 0800, 1400, 1730, 2330, Sun 0530, 1130, 1830, Mon 0030, 0630, 1230 on 7445/15039 WWCR: Sat 1030 on 5070, Sun 0230 on 5070, Sun 0630 on 3210 WINB: Sun 0030 on 12160 WBCQ: Mon 0445 on 7415 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA]: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1190.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1190.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1190h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1190h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1190.html DX/SWL/MEDIA PROGRAMS UPDATED JULY 11: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIAL Hi Glenn, Just had to drop a quick line and say hello, after seeing that you’re as active as ever in the shortwave scene! My 12 year old son recently dusted off my old Icom IC-R70 and is having a ball listening to various broadcasts, and adding pins to his world map as he logs new stations. I have to admit, it’s rekindled my interest a bit as well. Many things have changed in the 20 years I’ve been away from it, but a lot has remained pretty much the same, as well. I shouldn`t be surprised to see that, after all these years, ole GH is still the best source of up-to-the-minute information. Well done! (Scott McClellan, Battle Creek, MI, July 9) Hello Glenn, First of all many thanks for providing the DX community with information over the years. Your newsletter is a very valuable resource that is appreciated by many all over the world. All the best (from Sweden Ronny Forslund, Radio Dellen) See also PLC abottom ** ANTARCTICA. TERRITORIO ANTARTICO --- 15476, Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, desde Base Esperanza, en el Territorio Antártico, chequeada la frecuencia el pasado martes 8 y ayer 9 de Julio, pero ninguña señal fue detectada, inactiva. [Luego:] Más sobre la inactividad temporaria de LRA36: 15476 khz, Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, está inactiva desde el pasado martes 8 de Julio por causas de una fuerte temporal antártico que rompió dos de los tres brazos que tiene la antena irradiante rómbica. Esto tomará sus [sic] días en arreglarse según me han informado hace unos instantes de Base Esperanza. 73's GIB (Gabriel Iván Barrera, Argentina, July 10, Conexión Digital via DXLD) Ya está en el aire Radio Arcángel San Gabriel, Base Esperanza, Antártica Argentina en los 15475.95 kHz. Abrió emisiones a las 1822 UT con la canción "Color Esperanza" de Diego Torres. ID en varios idiomas. SINPO 44444 (Hugo López C., SWL - CE3 TIB, July 10, ibid.) Me alegro que esté nuevamente en el aire, Hugo, pero si difunde esa música, entiendo si el transmisor se quiere apagar sólo! (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, ibid.) ** BRAZIL. My daily monitoring of the 49 mb provided a nice surprise: 6080 R. Anhanguera 9/7 2245-2350 At 2245 with Voz do Brasil, but wiped out by splats from 6075. Then getting better with sports in // 4915 with IDs and usual canned "Goias!" short jungle with echo effect. It's unlisted in latest Morhrmann list http://www.sover.net/%7Ehackmohr/sw.htm and to my knowledge must have been off air since January 2002 (Renato Bruni, JRC 525, 70m longwire, Parma, Italy http://www.faiallo.splinder.it Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** CANADA. Hemos estado en Canadá. También estuvimos con los colegas de RCI en Montreal. Quizás te interese publicar y difundir una noticia que será del agrado de los caza QSL. http://www.rcinet.ca/Scripts/default.asp?s1=Programmes&s2=ProgrammeLangue&s3=24 http://www.rnw.nl/sp/toolbar/cartas@rn.html El pasado domingo 6 de julio (22.30, 00.30 UTC e internet) se transmitió a través de RCI en español una original audición dentro del programa de contacto con los oyentes. Contestación a la Correspondencia de Radio Canadá Internacional y Cartas@RN de Radio Nederland transmitieron un programa conjunto. Por primera vez juntos en la onda corta compartiendo las misivas de los oyentes. Radio Nederland retransmitirá el programa el domingo 13 (con repetición el miércoles 16) y una segunda parte el domingo 20 (con repetición 23 de julio) en todas sus emisiones. Los informes de escucha enviados a ambas emisoras (o a una de ellas) serán verificados con una QSL donde llevarán los logotipos de RCI y RN. Radio Canadá Internacional, Apartado 6.000, Montreal, Canadá correo-e: correo@cbc.ca Radio Nederland, Programa Cartas@RN, Apartado 222, 1200 JG Hilversum, Holanda correo-e: cartas@rnw.nl En el mes de agosto Radio Nederland transmitirá en el programa Radio-Enlace un reportaje sobre Radio Canadá Internacional con interesantes declaraciones (Jaime Báguena, Radio Nederland, July 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. 6030, CFVP still in the clear on UT Mondays [when R. Martí is off]. 0417 with S7 signal and ID (Hans Johnson WY, Jul 7, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** CANADA. Low Power stations in Canada (100 watts or less AM, 50 watts or less FM) no longer need a licence. That includes our Canadian AM & FM Weather Radio stations! This will mean lots of more unID stations. See the CRTC notice at http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Notices/2003/pb2003-35.htm (William Hepburn, Ont., July 10, WTFDA via DXLD) ** CANADA. CRTC CONSIDERS IMPORTING AL-JAZEERA CANADIAN PRESS http://tinyurl.com/gnbi Canada's broadcast regulator is inviting public comments beginning Friday on proposals to import the signal of the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera news network, sometimes referred to as the Arab world's CNN during the Iraq conflict. Calling Al-Jazeera's coverage in the Middle East anti-Semitic, the Canadian Jewish Congress and B'nai Brith Canada have promised to intervene against it. "By granting them a licence, the kind of stories that they carry could contravene the Criminal Code," warns Keith Landy, CJC president, referring to what he calls the network's racist and hate content. Ron Singer, the CJC communications spokesman, says they are still putting the final touches on their formal brief. The National Council on Canada-Arab Relations, though, has argued that carriage in Canada would "broaden the horizon of the Canadian public" on Middle Eastern issues. The organization has also made the point that many Canadians are already spending up to $100 a month using the TV black market to watch the channel via the U.S. DirecTV satellite service. "Opposition to Al-Jazeera's presence undermines Canadian core values of freedom of thought and speech," NCCAR executive director Mazen Chouaib said Wednesday. "Keeping Al-Jazeera from the Canadian market would serve extremists, alienate moderates and deal a blow to our collective freedoms." The Canadian Arab Federation also calls the CJC's opposition extreme and disingenuous. "Allowing Al-Jazeera to broadcast in Canada tests our fundamental commitment to free speech," says Raja Khouri, the federation's national president. "A free and healthy society is one in which all voices may be heard." But Landy asks what Khouri might say to a station that referred to Arabs as apes and pigs and Muslims as murderers and worms to be exterminated. "For that is how Jewish people are described on Al-Jazeera." But Khouri says Al-Jazeera's policy is to get both sides of the story. "While any hateful speech is contemptible, the views of the people who make the news should not be confused as the views of the station that airs it." Videotron, the Montreal-based cable company, was one of the first to apply to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission for carriage last February after it was persuaded by Al- Jazeera representatives that there was a customer demand. The application is supported by the Canadian Cable Television Association. However, Taanta Gupta, communications vice-president for Rogers Cable, says there hasn't been a huge demand for them to pick up the Arab- language service. And Tim McGee, president of Bell ExpressVu direct- to-home satellite service, says the same. "There are applications into the CRTC to put it on the available list. We will monitor that and make a decision if and when the CRTC makes it available." Al-Jazeera incurred criticism from Muslim countries during the recent war that it was too pro-Western, others were impressed by its balance, while still other critics denounced the news channel's broadcast of inflammatory taped statements from Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein. Originally a proposed creation of the BBC and a Saudi private interest, the idea collapsed over the issue of Saudi censorship. In 1996, the Emir of Qatar and other Arab financiers provided the necessary funding, although much of the network's revenues are said to come from the sale of images to U.S. and other western broadcasters (Toronto Star via Fred Waterer, DXLD) See also QATAR ** CANADA. FANS COMFORT JILTED DAVIS --- Is the popular morning talk- show host a victim of the radio ratings war? NICK MCCABE-LOKOS ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER Erin Davis has more close friends than she'll ever know. For the last 15 years people have been woken up by her voice. She's been there when they stepped out of the shower. She's followed them to work. She's consoled them when loved ones were sick. Played them songs when family members died. So when Erin Davis, 40, was fired three weeks ago from the morning show she hosted with Bob Magee on CHFI, her listeners were mystified, angry and hurt. "I got a call on a Saturday at the cottage and was told I didn't have to bother coming back to work on Monday," said Davis by telephone as she and her husband Rob drove toward Ottawa for a brief vacation. Since her last show on Friday, June 13, Davis has been inundated with e-mails sent by former listeners to her personal Web site. People have expressed their sympathies and explained how Davis has touched their lives. "I've got an inbox now with close to 3,000 e-mails in it. It's just been astounding," said Davis as she took a break from answering people's messages, the computer still sitting on her lap. Davis says if she answered 100 e- mails a day, it would take her a month to get through them all. And despite the amount of time it takes to write back, each person is getting a personal message. "These people, they wrote so much from their hearts that it would be a great disservice to them to send them some b.s. form letter. So that's why I feel they deserve responses. They may have to wait till September but I'm going to get through them all." more at: http://tinyurl.com/gnbw [illustrated] (Toronto Star via Fred Waterer, DXLD) ** CHINA. This morning (10 July) CNR-1 was well heard on 17910 from just before 0400 to past 0500. I cannot find a natural explanation for this signal, neither on-channel jamming nor a mixing product. The time span coincides with VOA Tibetan and some CBS transmissions. Maybe one of these emits a spurious signal on 17910 and attracts jamming? The CNR delay on 17910 was equal to 15490 and one each on 17880, 15270 and 13760 and belongs to the double satellite delay group (Olle Alm, Sweden, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Hmmm, I heard R. Rebelde on 15570; and previously as in 3-110 it was reported on 15075. Could the latter have been a punch-up error? (gh, DXLD) ¡Saludos, Glenn! Ayer (Jul. 10 UT) yo estuve escuchando programas de Radio Habana Cuba sobre 15010 kHz, alrededor de las 0040-0050 UT. La calidad de recepción era mala (25321), en paralelo con 15230 kHz (SINPO aquí es 55544). No encontré ésta frecuencia de 15010 kHz en ninguna de las listas que tengo... ¿será una frecuencia normal o será algún producto? Intentaré sintonizar nuevamente hoy (UT Jul. 11) (Elmer Escoto, Honduras, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Probable producto. Busque si funcione alguna emisión cubana (talvez releve) al mismo tiempo en 15120, la mitad entre las dos frecuencia (gh) ** CUBA. 670, R. Rebelde, Arroyo Arenas: Listening on 670 looking for Torreón, when at 0100 CDT on 7/10 R. Rebelde took over the frequency with slogans, promos, etc., almost as if they are testing a high power outlet here. Still in at 0915 with a few bars of the famous Cuban anthem head on "Radio Habana Cuba", into sports at 0925. 3 hours after SUNRISE! Must be testing 150-500 kW, probably the later, if it stays in all day! I've got an open water path straight to Cuba, but at 1000- 1200 miles even their 50 kW stations don't make it here daytimes! I'll keep it monitored. 73's de Steve/AB5GP [Later that same day:] heard at 1400 CDT with a few notes from the Cuban anthem (same one as Radio Habana Cuba plays). Poor-fair with salsa and Cuban music 1451. Steady signal no fading. 1000+ mile daytime reception. I need to take a measurement. Woman DJ in Spanish with announcements 1452 (Steven Wiseblood, Boca Chica Beach, TX, Times in CST[sic], July 10, IRCA via DXLD) http://www.stevenwiseblood.com/ At 0230 UT July 11 check, not much on 670, but by 0238 it faded up, a lot stronger than Chicago which did not need to be nulled --- but that could just be solstitial and/or prevailing propagation conditions, so am not prepared to draw conclusions about power hike (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Havana FMs as of January 2003, according to someone I know who was down there with an RDS Radio. Freq Station RDS PS 90.3 R. Progreso PROGRESO 91.7 CMCK R. Coco 93.3 R. Taino TAINO 94.1 CMBQ R. Enciclopedia 94.9 R. Ciudad de la Habana 96.7 R. Rebelde REBELDE 98.3 R. Metropolitana METROPOLIT 99.1 R. Musical 99.9 R. Cadena Habana 101.5 R. Reloj 106.3 R. Progreso PROGRESO 106.9 Habana Radio 107.9 R. Rebelde REBELDE (Rich Shaftan, NJ, July 9, WTFDA via DXLD) ** EGYPT. THE VOICE OF THE ARABS IS SPEECHLESS AT 50 Kamel Labidi, The Daily Star, 7/10/03 On July 4, Egypt`s Sawt al-Arab (Voice of the Arabs) radio station, once the most influential broadcast medium in the Middle East and North Africa, turned 50. This occurred amid general indifference and an unprecedented increase in the number of dissenting Arab voices on the airwaves from Morocco to Qatar. Mohammed Fayek, an information minister under the late president, Gamal Abdel Nasser, and head of the Arab Organization for Human Rights, described the station this way: ``Sawt al-Arab was a nationalist project aimed at helping Arabs turn the page of colonial occupation and division of their nation into small entities and build a better common future.`` Fayek is one of Nasser`s few followers to have metamorphosed into a human rights defender. His conversion came after he served a 10-year jail term for political reasons under Nasser`s successor, Anwar Sadat. Nasser and his fellow Arab nationalist Free Officers, who toppled King Farouk in July 1952, used Sawt al-Arab to raise Arab awareness about foreign hegemony and the dispossession of the Palestinians, but also to settle scores with Arab regimes opposed to Egypt`s regional influence. The station`s audience rose, particularly after the 1956 nationalization of the Suez Canal: ``People used to have their ears glued to the radio, particularly when Arab nationalist songs were broadcast calling Arabs to raise their heads and defend their dignity and land from occupation,`` said Abdullah Sennawi, editor of the Nasserite weekly Al-Arabi. Sawt al-Arab had a galvanizing effect on Arabs striving to end colonial rule and topple frail and decaying monarchies in Tunisia, Iraq, Yemen and later Libya. ``No other Arab country was able to play such a role,`` said Fayek. Like many Egyptians, he nostalgically recalls the days when the most populous Arab country was also the most influential regionally, no matter how much Nasser`s police state abused human rights and silenced its critics. Many Arabs recall the thundering voice of commentator Ahmed Said calling for independence, Arab unity and the liberation of Palestine from ``the sea to the (Jordan) river.`` Conversely, the Egyptian media, particularly Sawt al-Arab, attacked Arab leaders opposed to Nasser, portraying them as ``lackeys of colonialism and imperialism.`` In 1965, Tunisian President Habib Bourguiba provoked Nasser`s ire (and prompted Said`s insults) when he called on Palestinians and Arabs to face reality and accept the 1947 UN partition plan dividing Palestine into two states. For Sennawi, Sawt al-Arab ``played a pioneering role in radio journalism in the region … that went hand in hand with Egypt`s leading political role under Nasser.`` He explained the station`s eroding popularity as the result of a ``lack of an Egyptian leadership role after Nasser`s death.`` However, Arab nationalists like Sennawi play down the fact that Sawt al-Arab`s credibility was shattered after the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. Ironically, Arabs learned of the humiliating Israeli occupation of the Sinai Peninsula, the Golan Heights, East Jerusalem and the West Bank and Gaza from Western media. Sawt al-Arab ignored the defeat, trumpeting fictitious Egyptian military successes over Israel. Though the impact of Sawt al-Arab is today insignificant, even inside Egypt, Arab rulers and their information ministers still seem influenced by the station`s style, which played on listeners` emotions without respecting their right to be informed. Former Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Said al-Sahhaf was not the only Arab official to have adopted Sawt al-Arab`s method of disinformation. Sahhaf`s popularity may have had something to do with his entertaining linguistic skills, but also with the high illiteracy rate in the Arab world and the lack of human rights education. The estimated illiteracy rate among adult Arabs is 43 percent, higher than the international average, ``and even higher than the average in developing countries,`` according to the 2002 Arab Human Development Report. Sahhaf`s former colleagues, tasked with keeping the media on a tight leash, recently met in Cairo at the 36th session of the Arab Council of Information Ministers. They issued the usual boilerplate political injunctions, but Syrian Information Minister Adnan Omran, who previously chaired the council, surprised everyone when he acknowledged that Syria had achieved nothing during its chairmanship. Even a plan to improve the image of Arabs abroad, especially in the US, was not implemented, he remarked, ``for lack of funds.`` Like the founders of Sawt al-Arab, the information ministers seemed unaware that the best way to improve the Arab world`s image was to let independent journalism, the rule of law and transparency gain ground in their respective countries. Meanwhile, money is being wasted as Arab governments, notably Saudi Arabia, pour money into the coffers of influential public relations firms to improve their image in the US --- all to no avail as long as their societies remain closed. In the 1950s and 1960s, Sawt al-Arab aired nationalist songs by the great Egyptian diva Umm Kalthoum and the singer Mohammed Abdel Wahab. Perhaps there is a cautionary tale in the fact that those same songs were played by state-controlled Iraqi television and radio before the fall of Baghdad on April 9. Kamel Labidi is a freelance journalist in Cairo. he wrote this commentary for THE DAILY STAR (via AL-Jazeerah July 10 via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** GERMANY. New edition of DTK T-Systems schedule A03web07 04.07.2003 Gesamtplan frq start stop ciraf ant azi type day from to loc pow broad includes: 15775 1330 1430 49,50 202 70 218 1234567 300303 261003 JUL 100 NHS (via Alokesh Gupta, DXLD) But NHS is not explained. What`s that? (gh, DXLD) ** HAWAII. DEATHS --- FUSAYO KOIKE WAILUKU, Maui (AP) -- Fusayo Koike, whose Japanese-language show was a fixture on Maui's radio waves for nearly 50 years, died Monday. She was 93. "The Yamato Program" first aired on KMVI in 1947 and featured Koike and her husband, Haruo, providing music, news, death notices, information on club activities and live interviews with visiting entertainers and officers from Japanese training ships that called at Kahului Harbor. Koike was born Feb. 23, 1910, in Keahua Camp on Maui. In 1942, when she was pregnant with her second child, her husband, a scholar and Japanese language teacher, was held at an internment camp on Maui and later transferred to a camp in New Mexico. Koike moved in with her parents and was working at a plantation store when Haruo returned home after three years of internment. In 1947 she was offered a job as a radio announcer at KMVI. A couple of months later, Haruo joined the show, and the Koikes were on the air six days a week. When her husband died in 1977, Koike kept the program going herself. She gradually scaled back the number of shows per week before retiring in 1994. She was honored with a proclamation signed by President Reagan in recognition of having the longest-running ethnic radio show in America (APn 07/04 0445 via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** ICELAND. 13855, AFRTS Keflavik, 0640-0715, July 11, English, returned after some weeks of absence, strong and clear on USB, many announcements for VoA, AFN-sportsreport and finally ID as "AFRTS Washington" at 0700. 44444. Best 73's (Bjarke Vestesen, Denmark, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Strange to be announcing about VOA ** INDIA [and non]. BBC, VOA ALLOWED TO USE AIR STATIONS ON RECIPROCAL BASIS The Prasar Bharati [broadcasting] Board of India decided to allow British Broadcasting Corporation and the Voice of America to use the All India Radio platform to broadcast some of their programmes; provided the AIR is allowed to use their radio stations to air its own programmes. Since both public broadcasters are governed by rules which do not permit them to raise revenues, the Prasar Bharati has decided to market the programmes they bring in and keep the revenue. Also, in the case of VOA — which does not have a domestic channel — the Prasar Bharati has retained the option of charging the broadcaster a slot fee if the AIR does not want to air programmes on its overseas radio stations. A decision to this effect was taken after both BBC and VOA approached the Prasar Bharati. While the Board warmed up to the idea on a reciprocal basis, it has been stipulated that neither broadcaster would air programmes relating to news or remotely connected to current affairs. The Prasar Bharati was apparently influenced by the manner in which private television channels — be it NDTV or Aaj Tak — entered the business using the Doordarshan platform. Wiser by the experience, it decided to make use of the window of opportunity opened by the request of BBC and VOA to its own advantage and take AIR's programmes on to other media vehicles. (source? via Prabakar, July 11, Monitoring Times via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. INDONESIA'S RADIO REVOLUTION By Kalinga Seneviratne JAKARTA --- The hundreds of community-owned radio stations beaming local music and people's voices across the huge Indonesian archipelago today reflect a sea change from the Suharto years, when a handful of the former president's business cronies dominated the local media. Today, five years after Suharto's ouster from power, people such as Ali Pangestu, coordinator of the Indonesian Community Radio Network, say that they are enjoying the dividends that democratic change is bringing to a media landscape where all newspapers were owned by Suharto associates and all radio and television were in government hands. . . http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/EG11Ae02.html (Asia Times July 11 via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. SATELLITE RADIO GETS ROUGH RECEPTION AT HOME Outside the car, the signal gets spotty By Edward C. Baig Some pairings are meant to be. Take satellite radio. I'm convinced this wonderful technology was destined for the automobile. I've become such a devotee of XM Satellite Radio in my Honda that I sometimes regret reaching my destination, because I'm so caught up in the nostalgia of the '60s channel or drowning in the blues at Bluesville. I get equally positive vibes from XM rival Sirius. I'm not the only one: XM claims more than 690,000 subscribers; Sirius, 100,000-plus. Why not? Each delivers 100 channels of static-free, mostly ad-free coast-to-coast radio, organized by musical genre or by sports, news and other specialties. So satellite radio should be a natural for the home too, right? Not necessarily. Outside the car, we are no longer captive to the dashboard radio or CD; we've also got TV, PCs and books. If you subscribe to satellite TV or digital cable, you can also listen to multiple music channels via those services. But even if satellite radio is your top choice, you might run into challenges. As I frustratingly discovered, reeling in signals in the house proved more difficult than when I was at the wheel . . http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20030709/5307578s.htm (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS. Hurricane Watch Net activating for Claudette (Jul 10, 2003) -- The Hurricane Watch Net will activate today at 1800 UT on 14.325 MHz to track and gather reports for rapidly developing Tropical Storm Claudette. HWN members share storm information with forecasters via WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center. Claudette is forecast to become a Category 1 hurricane as it approaches landfall near Cozumel, Mexico, later today or tonight. At 1500 UT, the government of Mexico issued a hurricane warning for the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, from Chetumal to Cabo Catoche. A tropical storm warning is in effect along the northern and western coasts of the Yucatan Peninsula. The government of Belize has issued a tropical storm warning from Belize City northward to the Belize-Mexico border. A tropical storm warning remains in effect for Grand Cayman. The storm is moving to the west-northwest at 16 MPH with maximum sustained winds of nearly 70 MPH. This motion could bring the center of Claudette near or over the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula late tonight or Friday (ARRL July 10 via John Norfolk, DX LISTENING DIGEST) NHC RELIES ON HURRICANE INFO FROM HAMS By ADRIAN SAINZ, The Associated Press, 7/10/03 9:28 AM MIAMI (AP) -- Max Mayfield and his team of hurricane forecasters were poised to downgrade Hurricane Michelle to a tropical storm when they got the call from a ham radio operator. A sailboat near the Bahamas was reporting 100 mph winds, directly contradicting satellite reports showing Michelle was losing steam and becoming disorganized. Michelle had already killed 17 people as it blasted through Cuba, Honduras, Nicaragua and Jamaica. With the Bahamas in its path, forecasters had to decide whether to believe the satellite or the ham radio. They chose the report from the ham radio, scrapping plans to downgrade Michelle and keeping Hurricane warnings for the Bahamas. . . http://wizzer.advance.net/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?n3645_BC_FL--Hurricane-HamRadi&&news&apadvisories (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** IRAN. IRANIAN 'HATE' BROADCASTS CONTINUE INTO IRAQ Al Alam TV, Tehran's version of al Jazeera, remains an obstacle for coalition troops in Iraq. Its slick presentation and high-powered transmitters are still dominating the 'ratings war' on a playing field that's understandably empty. While the propaganda mouthpiece for the Iranian mullah's interests in Iraq stops short of advocating attacks against the coalition the bias in its programming is clearly meant to incite violence. But to what end? Al Alam TV is clearly an attempt to shatter the confidence of the Iraqi people in the U.S., which they hope will lead to instability and usher in another Lebanon - the same scenario that seems to be hoped for in Damascus. And if the graphic video and timely press releases from anti-American snipers aren't enough to send the message to U.S. intelligence analysts, Al Alam TV provides its own news scroll on the bottom of the screen - in English (Nick Grace, CRW Washington, Jul 11, Media Network blog via DXLD) BBC Monitoring has been publishing daily analyses of the content of Al-Alam TV, the Iranian service in Arabic which reaches into Iraq. Here are their latest conclusions (gh, DXLD) AL-ALAM TV CONTENT SURVEY 10 JULY 03 | Text of editorial analysis by BBC Monitoring Middle East desk on 10 July . . .In terms of consistency in the use of what could be described as loaded language, Al-Alam TV talks both about the "Zionist government" and "Israel" and about the "Zionist war minister" and the "Israeli defence minister". There does not seem to be any specific reason why one term is used instead of the other. Al-Alam TV is at pains to present itself as an objective channel. The following trailer clearly sums up this pretension: "Events are unfolding rapidly one after the other. Those in a position to speak are competing with one another. Al-Alam network opens up another area of freedom for the viewers to make their voices heard and enable them to express their opinions because what goes on concerns them." Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 10 Jul 03 (via DXLD) ** IRAQ. Iraqi call signs being issued: Fred Matos, W3ICM/YI3DX, reports that he has issued 25 YI calls since he has been at the Ministry of Transportation and Communications in Baghdad. Matos, of Annapolis, Maryland, is on assignment in Baghdad and tasked with setting up an Iraqi telecommunication authority. Matos has a 100 W rig with him and is trying to gain access to antenna space on the roof of a former Republican Guard palace. QSL via S57DX (The Daily DX via ARRL July 10 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** IRAQ. BAGHDAD BANDSCAN I have a good friend (non DXer) who's currently in Baghdad with the U.S. Army Reserves. I spoke with him the other night and asked if he could get ahold of an AM radio and do a bandscan. Here is what he sent me. I believe the receiver used was the stock receiver in a Toyota Prado (sp?) SUV. If you want any more details about these signals, feel free to email him directly I'm sure he wouldn't mind monitoring on a "when he has time" basis. He speaks English and Chinese but not Arabic, Farsi, etc etc. Anybody know what any of these are? Just curious. Interesting to see a 702 and a 711 signal, I'd think they'd interfere with each other, unless it was just a case of the scan function in the radio stopping on both frequencies for a single, relatively strong signal? Also, I don't know if this was taken at night or daytime. My friend also mentioned to me that he normally listens to a BBC World Service outlet in Baghdad on 98 MHz FM (Earl Higgins, St. Louis, MO, USA, IRCA via DXLD) james.-@us.army.mil [truncated] wrote: Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2003 21:23:31 -0700 Subject: AM stations hey got signals -- 540 576 612 630 657 702 711 972 1026 later, james --- Smile, make the world wonder what you are up to.. 1 914 360 3572, SPC James Hsiau, HHD, 1138th Engr Bn, APO AE 09335 (via Earl Higgins, IRCA via DXLD) ** IRAQ. IRAQI AUTHORITY LAUNCHES WEBSITE. The U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) that is administering postwar Iraq has launched a website http://www.cpa-iraq.org The website carries transcripts of speeches by CPA administrator L. Paul Bremer and other officials, fact sheets on Iraqi ministries, public-service announcements, press releases, and official documents such as regulations and orders issued by the CPA. ("RFE/RL Newsline," 8 July via RFE/RL Media Matters July 11 via DXLD) ** ITALY. Radio Rasant on the "Astrid-Lindgren Prize" via IRRS- Shortwave As every second week-end in the month, we are announcing another program from Radio Rasant, a student's radio production from Sundern (Germany). This week program contains features on the "Astrid-Lindgren Prize", as well as plenty of music to suit everyone. Radio Rasant via IRRS-Shortwave can be heard at the following times on Saturday July 13, 2003: from 1030-1130 CE[D]T (0830-0930 UT) on 13840 kHz from 2130-2230 CE[D]T (1930-2030 UT) on 5775 kHz repeated on Sunday July 14 at the same times and frequencies. Check: http://www.radiorasant.org email: info@radiorasant.org. IRRS-Shortwave is now on the air daily to Europe on 5775 kHz at 1900- 2130 UT (2100-2230 CE[D]T) and on Sat & Sun also on 13840 at 0800-1200 UT (1000-1400 CE[D]T). Check http://www.nexus.org/NEXUS-IBA/Schedules for schedules and http://mp3.nexus.org for our 24 hrs streaming audio service. 73, Ron -- Ron Norton, NEXUS-IBA support, PO Box 11028, 20110 Milano, Italy ph: +39 02 70606603 - fax: +39 02 70638151 e-mail : ron@nexus.org http://www.nexus.org (via Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** JAPAN. Toshi Ohtake, del JSWC, me ha mencionado que como ya muchos lo saben, la NSB (Radio Tampa), de Japón el próximo 1 de Octubre 2003 cambiará de nombre. Por esa razón, están editando una nueva QSL que confirmará todos los reportes recibidos entre el 1/7 y el 30/9/03. Aquí se la escucha muy bien en las frecuencias de: Programa # 1 : 3925, 6055 y 9595 khz en // Programa # 2 : 3945, 6115 y 9760 khz en // Sus programas son en japonés y es una excelente verificadora (Gabriel Iván Barrera, Argentina, July 10, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. Perhaps the most bizarre is North Korea, whose government broadcaster holds a contest for listeners every year. They invite ``our foreign friends`` to submit lyrics for a birthday song to sing the praises of the Great Leader, Kim Jong-Il (Sue Hickey, NF, CIDX Forum, July Messenger via DXLD) Er, isn`t he the Dear Leader? ** KURDISTAN. IRAQ/TURKEY: TURKISH KURDISH GROUP RESUMES RADIO BROADCASTS FROM NORTHERN IRAQ | Text of report in English by Egyptian news agency MENA Kirkuk, 11 July: After a long hiatus, the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), self-styled now as the Kurdistan Freedom and Democracy Congress (Kadek), resumed its radio transmission on Friday [11 July] from an area in northern Iraq. MENA correspondent in northern Iraq said almost all bulletins broadcast so far warn PKK/Kadek members inside and outside Turkey against being fooled by the amnesty bill which is being mulled by the Turkish parliament. The would-be law offers PKK/Kadek members a pardon in return for their return to Turkey and supplying information about the activities of their organization. The radio described the bill as tantamount to an insult to all the organization, demanding full clemency to include first of all their leader Abdullah Ocalan, now jailed on the Turkish prison island of Emrali. Without a total amnesty, the bill would yield no radical solution to the problem in southeast Turkey, said the radio. Source: MENA news agency, Cairo, in English 1402 gmt 11 Jul 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) Dear MENA: would it be too much trouble at least to name the station, if not the frequency? (gh, DXLD) ** LEBANON [non]. VOICE OF FREE LEBANON -- RADIO LIBAN LIBRE Les émissions commencent par un code morse. Salut nationaliste de Liban libre + un chanson patriotique + une homme qui demande au libanais vivant hors du Liban de retourner a bayrouth + annonce radio Liban Liban libre la radio de l`amour, la paix et la révolution. + une chanson de Fairous. + Une autre annonce `la voix de libération`. Le commentaire politique : l`approche du fin du gouvernance de la famille Asad (Kallel.Mohamed, location unknown, July 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Merci, mais quelle est la fréquence, Kallel? (gh) ** LIBERIA. Latest info on V. of Liberty, 11515v, received 7/7: Our Church has started two Radio stations in Monrovia Liberia. We have an FM that reaches Monrovia and a shortwave that reaches the Muslim areas of Northern Africa. We have remained on the air during this war. We have been the only ones offering hope to these people but now we need your help. We need your prayers and we need Pastors and bible teachers to do radio programs and we need your support. Please email me morgan@wjie.org and I will send you photos and send me your fax number and I will fax you letters from Liberia. In Christ (via Jarmo Patala, Finland, July 10, dxing.info via DXLD) Doc Burkhart`s take on the Liberian situation and US involvement: http://www.wjiesw.com/NewsUpdate.htm (via gh, DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. RN joint broadcast and QSL with RCI: see CANADA ** OKLAHOMA [and non]. LARGE LIST OF NON-MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE FM TRANSLATOR APPLICATIONS PUBLISHED - PETITION TO DENY PROCEDURE OUTLINED A large number of FM translator applications was filed in March, in response to a public filing window. Now, the Commission has released a list of timely filed "singleton" applications that are not mutually exclusive with other applications submitted at that time. Here is the list: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-03-2095A2.pdf All applicants shown have been asked to submit complete FCC Form 349 applications by August 29, 2003. FCC staff will then study the applications for acceptability and "CDBS-generated Public Notices" will list those applications determined to be acceptable for filing. A Petition to Deny must be filed within 15 days following the release of the pertinent Public Notice. Note that all of the California applications shown are in the commercial portion of the FM band (Channels 221-300). Since all entries are listed by channel number, the following web tool may be used to convert channels to frequencies: http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/bickel/findvalues.html#FMFREQUENCY To read more about this important proceeding, see: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-03-2095A1.doc (via CGC Communicator via Fred Vobbe, NRC-FMTV via DXLD) Here`s the Oklahoma portion; Educational Media Foundation = gospel huxters, but note the legitimate public radio stations involved: OU apps for Ada, Shawnee and Seminole, presumably to extend KGOU Norman - -- which OUGHT to be statewide; Chickasha for KCCU Lawton: In call cases, ``BNPFT`` appeared in the first column, removed here 20030311AJQ 141595 ADA OK 240 THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA 20030311AJS 141599 ADA OK 251 THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA 20030317IFL 150396 ADA OK 286 EDGEWATER BROADCASTING INC. 20030311AFF 142233 ALVA OK 229 GREAT PLAINS CHRISTIAN RADIO, INC. 20030317KVJ 147238 ANTLERS OK 235 K95.5, INC. 20030317FMD 153227 ANTLERS OK 281 EDGEWATER BROADCASTING INC. 20030317JKF 156927 ARDMORE OK 271 THE SISTER SHERRY LYNN FOUNDATION 20030317JKN 156939 ARDMORE OK 299 THE SISTER SHERRY LYNN FOUNDATION 20030317KWD 147243 ATOKA OK 225 K95.5, INC. 20030317FMK 153233 BARTLESVILLE OK 289 EDGEWATER BROADCASTING INC. 20030317LXK 157891 BIXBY OK 299 JOHN JASON BENNETT 20030317KTQ 157301 BRISTOW OK 268 JOHN JASON BENNETT 20030311AMM 142416 CHICKASHA OK 261 CAMERON UNIVERSITY 20030314BVJ 140527 CHICKASHA OK 265 EDUCATIONAL MEDIA FOUNDATION 20030311AKR 142431 DUNCAN OK 300 THE SISTER SHERRY LYNN FOUNDATION 20030317IHO 154557 EL RENO OK 261 EDGEWATER BROADCASTING INC. 20030310BHT 138882 EL RENO OK 265 CSN INTERNATIONAL 20030310BHR 138885 EL RENO OK 276 CSN INTERNATIONAL 20030314BWP 140496 ENID OK 222 EDUCATIONAL MEDIA FOUNDATION 20030317HQS 156415 ENID OK 227 E-STRING WIRELESS, LTD 20030317GBF 148125 GOLDSBY OK 253 EDUCATIONAL MEDIA FOUNDATION 20030317IHT 154564 GROVE OK 255 EDGEWATER BROADCASTING INC. 20030317KPR 157239 HENRYETTA OK 271 JOHN JASON BENNETT 20030314BWA 140510 HENRYETTA OK 275 EDUCATIONAL MEDIA FOUNDATION 20030317IHV 149514 HOBART OK 273 EDGEWATER BROADCASTING INC. 20030317KYP 147250 HUGO OK 241 K95.5, INC. 20030317IHX 154570 HUGO OK 262 EDGEWATER BROADCASTING INC. 20030310BHJ 139146 KENO OK 247 CALVARY CHAPEL OF TWIN FALLS, INC. 20030317KNH 157028 LAWTON OK 234 FRED R AND EVELYN K MORTON 20030317KPF 157040 LAWTON OK 247 FRED R AND EVELYN K MORTON 20030317KOQ 157037 LAWTON OK 288 FRED R AND EVELYN K MORTON 20030313BJQ 140455 LEXINGTON OK 290 EDUCATIONAL MEDIA FOUNDATION 20030317IIB 149518 LINDSAY OK 257 EDGEWATER BROADCASTING INC. 20030317LFQ 157289 MCALESTER OK 298 K95.5, INC. 20030317FNJ 153252 MUSKOGEE OK 285 EDGEWATER BROADCASTING INC. 20030317DZQ 155787 NEWPORT OK 276 CALVARY CHAPEL OF TWIN FALLS, INC. 20030317BIF 145396 NORMAN OK 276 EDUCATIONAL MEDIA FOUNDATION 20030313BIQ 140182 NORTH ENID OK 291 EDUCATIONAL MEDIA FOUNDATION 20030310BHO 142069 OKLAHOMA CITY OK 221 CSN INTERNATIONAL 20030312AWV 139527 OKLAHOMA CITY OK 231 COMMUNITY BROADCASTING, INC. 20030317KEE 142082 OOLOGAH OK 234 JOHN JASON BENNETT 20030317IIN 146382 PAWHUSKA OK 233 EDGEWATER BROADCASTING INC. 20030312APU 142080 PAWHUSKA OK 257 THE LOVE STATION, INC. 20030317LRH 157750 PRUE OK 300 JOHN JASON BENNETT 20030317LMB 157688 PRYOR OK 260 JOHN JASON BENNETT 20030317JJY 156917 PURCELL OK 245 THE SISTER SHERRY LYNN FOUNDATION 20030317DZC 147381 SAND SPRINGS OK 293 EDUCATIONAL MEDIA FOUNDATION 20030311AIY 141575 SEMINOLE OK 252 THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA 20030311AJD 141580 SEMINOLE OK 276 THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA 20030311AJJ 141583 SEMINOLE OK 297 THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA 20030311AIS 139404 SHAWNEE OK 251 THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA 20030314BXG 140491 STILLWATER OK 292 EDUCATIONAL MEDIA FOUNDATION 20030314BVS 140516 TAHLEQUAH OK 263 EDUCATIONAL MEDIA FOUNDATION 20030312BBO 140427 THE VILLAGE OK 238 COMMUNITY BROADCASTING, INC. 20030314BFL 140310 TULSA OK 232 SHAMROCK COMMUNICATIONS, INC. 20030317DYO 147372 TULSA OK 255 EDUCATIONAL MEDIA FOUNDATION 20030317KKE 157206 UNION CITY OK 290 CHARLES EDWARDS 20030317LAU 147258 VALLIANT OK 293 K95.5, INC. 20030314BYJ 140450 WAGONNER [sic] OK 281 EDUCATIONAL MEDIA FOUNDATION (via gh, DXLD) ** PALESTINE. PALESTINIANS TAKE STEPS TO REDUCE MEDIA INCITEMENT By Mohammed Assadi RAMALLAH, West Bank, July 9 - The Palestinian Authority has instructed local media to tone down anti-Israeli rhetoric in accordance with a U.S.-backed peace plan, and called on Israeli media to exercise restraint.. . http://famulus.msnbc.com/FamulusIntl/reuters07-09-104629.asp?reg=MIDEAST (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** PARAGUAY. Adán Mur, from Radio América, told me the new schedule for Radio América,: 1480 KHZ, 1 KW, ZP20 Radio América, Ñemby 1590 KHZ, 0.2 KW, Radio Villeta, Villeta 9905 KHZ, 0.2 KW, ZP20 Radio América, Villeta 15185 KHZ, 0.2 KW, ZP20 Radio América, Villeta (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, July 10, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** PERU. 9504.78, Radio Tacna, Tacna, 1045-1050, July 9. Spanish. News from CNN. Local ads: "Librería La Esperanza atiende diariamente..."; announcement and ID as: "Radio Tacna!! ...con sus jornadas deportivas, estará junto a usted... con Radio Tacna... fútbol profesional peruano..."; 33422 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** QATAR. TV Preview --- AL-JAZEERA, A CHANNEL TO ANOTHER WORLD By Ken Ringle, Washington Post Staff Writer, Thursday, July 10, 2003; Page C01 For those Americans who see the Arab world only dimly across a vast cultural gulf, "Exclusive to Al-Jazeera," a documentary showing tonight at 10 on WMPT and WETA, is TV viewing as arresting as it is instructive. . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35827-2003Jul9.html (via Kraig Krist, DXLD) Saw it on OETA; See also CANADA ** SOMALIA. Glenn, other friends, Following the tip in DXLD, I checked this out and heard Radio Galkayo on 6980 today at 1600. Good to have them back. A reasonable signal here in Nairobi, but spoilt by low audio level. Meanwhile, the audio on Radio Hargeysa 7530 has become more-or-less worthless. Regards, (Chris Greenway, Nairobi, Kenya, July 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN. Radio Exterior de España: Programa Dexista: "Amigos de la Onda Corta" (em Espanhol) - Apresentado na Transmissão para as Américas, aos Domingos, dentro da emissão de 0100 às 0200 UT nas seguintes frequências: 6.055 KHz para a América do Norte, 9.535 e 15.160 KHz para a América Central e em 6.020, 9.620, 11.680 e 15.160 KHz para a América do Sul. - Apresentado na Transmissão para a África, aos sábados, dentro da emissão de 1800 UT na frequência de 17.755 KHz. - Apresentado na Transmissão para a Europa, aos sábados, dentro da emissão de 1100 UT nas frequências de 13.720 e 15.585 KHz. - Apresentado na Transmissão para o Japão, aos Sábados, dentro da emissão de 1100 às 1159 UT na frequência de 9.660 KHz - Apresentado na Transmissão para o Iriente Médio, aos Domingos, dentro da emissão das 1600 UT, na frequência de 21.610 KHz (REE via Adalberto Marques de Azevedo, Barbacena - MG - Brasil, July 9, radioescutas via DXLD) ** SWEDEN. Radio Dellen is broadcasting on a temporary license on 1602 kHz until 2200 UT on Monday, July 14 (midnight local time) and the last four hours of the broadcast we will have many guests on the show, wellknown performers, radio profiles and many more. So far Radio Dellen has received many reports from the Nordic countries (Norway, Sweden, Finland) and also Germany. Further info about our station can be found on http://www.rock.x.se/radiodellen.htm (Ronny Forslund, Radio Dellen, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The two weeks with Radio Dellen 1602 kHz on air are soon gone, but still we have one great evening for DX-ers. Although most of the program will be in Swedish some parts also will be in English. Monday night (July 14th) from 1800 up to 2200 UT (when Radio Dellen is closing down) there will be a special program hosted by Ronny Forslund and with some other members in Delsbo Radioklubb (DRAK) participating. There will be DX-tips, interviews with DX-personalities and much more. And of course some nice music. You´re welcome to phone in to the last transmission. Our number is +46 (0)651 15519. Or you can mail us on: radiodellen2003@hotmail.com For more information, and more updates closer to the program, please visit: http://www.rock.x.se/radiodellen.htm Welcome to listen to Radio Dellen 24 hours a day up to July 14th. 2200. Best regards (Jan Edh, Hudiksvall, Sweden. July 11, dxing.info via DXLD) ** SYRIA. 13610, R. Damascus, 2124-2142, 09/07, English. OM with news re GW in Africa, ferry sinking in Bangladesh. Arabic pops into commentary re Israel and Palestine. Full ID at 2137, "You are listening to Radio Damascus, the External Service of the Syrian Broadcasting System" followed by "Review of the Syrian Press". Good music audio; vox audio ranged from whisper-quiet to booming, QRM splatter via 13615, WEWN (Scott R. Barbour, Jr. NH, Sangean ATS 818, RF Systems MLB-1, RS longwire w/ RBA balun, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** SYRIA [non]. ARABE RADIO -- ÉMISSION DU 20-06-2003 Les émissions sont commencées par 07 minutes du Koran et après une chanson islamique. La première émission du jour est `kayr kalem ma kala wa dal` ce qui veut dire `le mieux des paroles c`est parle peu avec une qualité meilleur`. L`émission consiste a une femme qui lie une information de l`actualité syrienne et un homme qui commente en critiquant le gouvernement Syrien et le partie Bath. Fin brutale des émissions à 1530 UT (Kallel.Mohamed, location unknown, July 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Merci, mais quelle est la fréquence, Kallel? (gh) ** TIBET. In 3-117, we had a schedule; it subsequently dawned on me, but I forgot to bring it up until now, that just as happened last year, the schedule for this station was in LOCAL time, not UT!! This becomes obvious when you notice that the earliest time is 0650 and the latest 0135. If this were UT, it would be very odd indeed not to sign on until the local afternoon and then run until sunrise or so. Again assuming Tibet is now on UT+8 like its Chinese imperialist masters, here is the schedule converted by subtracting 8 hours. BEWARE in the future of schedules from this station! The last portion about the English broadcast, strangely enough, was really in UT already, at 1630 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) China Tibet PBS Tibetan channel is scheduled [corrected] 2250-0735 on 594 4905 4920 5240 6110 6130 6200, 0950-1700 4905 4920 5240 6130 6200 7385 9490, 2250-0200 7125 7385, 1000-1535 9490 9585, 0950-1735 6110. English programme is 1630-1700 on 7385 (Sergey Kolesov, Ukraine, July World DX Club Contact via Mike Barraclough, DXLD) ** TURKMENISTAN. New Turkmen traffic rules ban smoking and mobile phone conversations [AND listening to radio] -- Source: Hoovers UK, 2003-04-19 Intro: In a resolution signed on 31 March 2003, our esteemed [Turkmen] President Saparmyrat Turkmenbasy [Nyyazow] the Great has approved the introduction of [new] traffic regulations which are to come into force as of 1 May this year. The document clarifies the duties and responsibilities of drivers, pedestrians, passengers and officials concerning the safety of traffic movement. The new regulations, updated to meet the present-day requirements, introduce certain measures such as a ban on smoking while driving a car, holding [mobile] phone conversations, listening to the radio and other measures all aimed at ensuring safety of movement and ensuring the mutual coordination and respect of its participants. http://www.tobacco.org [!] (via Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, DXLD) ** U K. SACKED BBC PAIR BEGIN LEGAL PROCEEDINGS Owen Gibson Thursday July 10, 2003 The Guardian The two BBC World Service journalists sacked by the corporation after it claimed to have spent £1m defending "malicious and vexatious" claims from the pair have started legal proceedings against BBC governors. Since the controversial sackings in February, Adli Hawwari, a Palestinian, and Dr Abdul-Hadi Jiad, an Iraqi, have consistently claimed the BBC flouted employment law by dismissing them without a fair hearing. Backed by the National Union of Journalists, they have organised a series of protests and pickets of BBC buildings, the latest coming yesterday when they campaigned outside the Radio Festival in Birmingham during a speech by the director general, Greg Dyke. Dr Jiad said today the two men and their supporters yesterday came face to face with Mr Dyke for the first time since they were sacked. "He was just blank-faced. I asked him to check if I had ever been warned or disciplined prior to my sacking and told him that we had been sacked on unfounded grounds. We spoke to him again on the way out and he told us to speak to his people." The two men are being represented by Imran Khan, the lawyer who acted for the family of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence in their case against police, who has issued proceedings demanding to see all the BBC's documentation on the case. Their solicitor, Lawrence Davies, has already written to the BBC chairman, Gavyn Davies, asking him to reconsider the corporation's decision to deny the two men an appeal hearing, which they say is in contravention of employment law and the European Human Rights Act. Mr Davies replied that he was standing by the decision of Mr Dyke and World Service chief Mark Byford to dismiss the men, who worked as producers in the Arabic department. The case is expected to come to court in November. Dr Jiad said today he was confident of success. "We have recovered from the initial demonising onslaught from the BBC. Firstly because the claims were unfounded and secondly because people up and down the country don't believe their claims. The response from our colleagues, trade unions and other journalists here and abroad has been tremendous," he said. The BBC claimed at the time the men had "made spurious and malicious complaints against colleagues", affecting the health and morale of staff. The pair had been involved in 17 employment tribunals and 20 appeals and had spent 51 days in court and numerous other hearings over the past five years. The NUJ, backing the two men, said the corporation's charges were "riddled with half-truths and falsehoods, attempting to justify their illegal action" and that its actions flouted the BBC's own internal guidelines (© Guardian Newspapers Limited 2003, via Daniel Say, DXLD) BBC PENSION FUND COMES UP £1BN SHORT Final salary scheme will stay in place Nils Pratley Thursday July 10, 2003 The Guardian The BBC yesterday moved to reassure staff that it remains committed to offering final salary pensions as the corporation revealed that its pension fund will show a deficit of more than £1bn in next week's full-year accounts. The results, due to be presented to parliament on Tuesday, are nevertheless expected also to demonstrate the large gap between the BBC's cash resources for programming and those of its terrestrial rivals. Spending on content will have risen by 35%, or £616m, since Greg Dyke became director general three years ago, while BBC Worldwide, the corporation's main commercial arm, is understood to have generated £123m of cash last year, a rise of 16%. The pension fund deficit of £1bn - calculated under the new FRS17 accounting standard - compares with a surplus of the same amount a year ago and partly reflects the general decline in stock market values. The BBC described FRS17 as "contentious", even though John Smith, its director of finance, is a member of the Accounting Standards Board which introduced it. Under traditional actuarial methods, the fund has a surplus of £207m, down from £441m a year ago. It has 55,000 members, who are entitled to pensions worth two thirds of their final salary; the BBC wrote to them yesterday saying it is determined not to follow the example of many quoted companies in abandoning defined benefit schemes. "We see it as a key part of the overall remuneration package, and it is one of the benefits of working for the BBC which we wish to remain," wrote human resources director Stephen Dando. Mr Smith added: "The fund is healthy: it earns more income from its investment and contributions than it pays out. "It is essential that we take a long term view and do not get swayed by the ups and downs of the stock market and the short term impact it has on the scheme's value." He added that the modest bounce back in stock markets since the balance sheet date means that, even under FRS17 rules, the deficit is now £245m lower. Despite that bullish assessment, the BBC has already started to increase its contribution to the scheme from 4.5% of salary to 6%, and staff will begin the same process from next year. The BBC's increased spending reflects a three-year revamp of BBC1 under Mr Dyke and the launch of digital services, such as BBC4, and an expanded digital radio offering. The increased contribution from Worldwide - one of the most politically sensitive areas of the BBC, given the potential for cross-promotion - has been led by The Office, which has been sold to 60 countries and achieved sales of 1m on DVD and video within four months of its release. Other successes included Blue Planet and three children's programmes, The Tweenies, Bob the Builder and Teletubbies, now a perennial money spinner. Sharply higher content spending, however, means that the BBC's accounts are likely to show that the corporation is in debt for the first time since 1995. The BBC is legally obliged to limit its borrowing to £200m, and it is thought the figure is well within that ceiling at about £74m. It means, however, that the corporation has spent the £244m proceeds from the sale of its transmitter business a few years ago. That sum was always earmarked as funding for the launch of new channels. By 2006, the end of the BBC's current charter, the corporation should still be able largely to eliminate the debt. The licence fee will rise at 1.5% above inflation until then, and more effective collection is generating an extra £50m a year. Next week's accounts are understood to show that evasion rates have fallen from 7.9% to 7.2%. Mr Dyke and Gavyn Davies, the BBC chairman, will appear on Tuesday before the commons select committee for culture, media and sport to be questioned on the accounts. Guardian Unlimited (© Guardian Newspapers Limited 2003 via Daniel Say, DXLD) ** U K. Speech given by BBC Director-General Greg Dyke to the The Radio Academy - Radio Festival in Birmingham 8 July 2003 http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/speeches/stories/dyke_radio_festival.shtml (via Mike Barraclough, DXLD) Very long and wide-ranging, on topics such as; de-regulation in the US; BBC buildings, and programming; new local radio station for Coventry, etc. (gh, DXLD) ** U K. HIGH STAKES IN GOVERNMENT FEUDS WITH BBC --- The British and Israeli prime ministers both claim the broadcaster is unethical and reckless. --- By William Wallace, Special to The Los Angeles Times LONDON -- With its dulcet tones and extensive reach into the synapses of the nation, the British Broadcasting Corp. has a presence in British living rooms that long ago earned it the affectionate nickname "Auntie." The public broadcaster still is regarded as the default channel on big national occasions in Britain. And in the digital age, the BBC has evolved into a global, round-the-clock news brand, with a pedigree as the gold standard of independent journalism. But Auntie also has a sharp tongue. And at the moment, the BBC's words have embroiled it in unusually nasty and high-stakes clashes with two prime ministers: Labor leader Tony Blair at home, and Ariel Sharon in Israel. The two leaders have accused the BBC of being reckless and unethical in recent coverage. Both prime ministers have fought back ferociously, contending the broadcaster's lofty reputation makes it impossible to shrug off stories they believe are wrong. These are not polite protests. Sharon's government has severed relations with the BBC, denying it access to officials and refusing to rule out forcing the BBC to close its operations in Israel. The Israeli government's outrage followed the worldwide broadcast last month of the documentary "Israel's Secret Weapon," which examined the country's alleged development of biological, chemical and nuclear arms and included a claim that Israeli forces used a mysterious new gas against Palestinians in Gaza in February 2001. The Israeli government also has long-standing complaints about how it is portrayed on the BBC. The broadcaster's overall attitude toward Israel is "verging on anti-Semitic," spokesman Danny Seaman told British newspapers last week, adding that the BBC had an agenda "to delegitimize Israel [that] showed some of the attitudes once familiar in [the Nazi journal] Der Störmer." The BBC issued a statement defending its reporting and said Seaman's choice of words was "unfortunate." For his part, Blair contends the BBC did nothing less than "lie" when it ran reports suggesting that Downing Street manipulated British intelligence information last fall in order to - as the BBC report put it - "sex up" the case for war with Iraq. Facing persistent criticism over the failure to uncover the banned weapons on which he largely based his case for war, Blair said he could not allow claims of doctoring intelligence information to go unchallenged. "You could not make a more serious charge against a prime minister, that I ordered our troops into conflict on the basis of intelligence information that I falsified," Blair said in an interview Sunday with the Observer newspaper. "The charge happens to be wrong." On Monday, both the broadcaster and the government rushed to claim victory after a parliamentary committee studying the handling of intelligence on Iraq issued its report. The findings were sufficiently vague to allow each side to assert it had been exonerated. There is no sign anyone is ready to kiss and make up. The BBC's battle with Blair is perhaps the most ill-tempered exchange between broadcaster and politician in recent memory. In an open letter to Downing Street, the BBC's director of news, Richard Sambrook, accused the prime minister's office of trying "to intimidate the BBC in its reporting of events leading up to the war and during the course of the war itself." Relations between the occupants of Downing Street and the rich broadcaster, which boasts eight TV channels, 10 radio networks and an annual budget of $4.25 billion, are, by nature, perennially fraught. Blair's office already had a reputation for confronting and castigating journalists whose stories it didn't like, a culture nurtured by Alastair Campbell, the prime minister's acid-tongued communications director. "Alastair's attitude is you should keep the pressure on the media the whole time, keep them on the defensive," said Lance Price, Campbell's former deputy at Downing Street. "Especially the BBC. He likes to prod the beast and see how it reacts. And it works." Campbell's tirades over coverage he deems unfair to Blair are legendary at the BBC. "Let's just say a letter from Alastair is no rare thing," one senior BBC journalist told The Times. The reporter said he had seen some of the private correspondence Campbell sent to BBC executives during the Iraq war, and the language was "very, very bitter." The current storm, which has been front-page news in Britain for two weeks, stems from one controversial BBC radio report. On May 29, the broadcaster quoted a single, unnamed official who alleged that in the months leading up to the war, Downing Street insisted - against intelligence advice - on pushing the dubious claim that Saddam Hussein's regime could launch chemical or biological warheads in as few as 45 minutes. Campbell and Blair first tried privately to get the BBC to retract the allegation. When the BBC refused, and after what he described as "a sheaf of correspondence," Campbell took his argument into the public arena. On June 26, in testy exchanges with the House of Commons committee investigating the use of intelligence on Iraq, Campbell said he found it "incredible that people can report, based on one single, anonymous, uncorroborated source, that the prime minister, the Cabinet, the intelligence agencies, people like myself, connived to persuade Parliament to send British forces into action on a lie." "Until the BBC acknowledges that is a lie, I will keep banging on, that correspondence file will get thicker, and they had better issue an apology pretty quickly." Instead, the BBC fired back with its own accusations. In another open letter, Sambrook said Campbell was "conducting a personal vendetta against a particular journalist whose reports on a number of occasions have caused you discomfort." That prompted Campbell to show up unannounced at the studios of rival broadcaster Channel 4. In a moment that would be comparable to White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer storming ABC's World News Tonight to trash the journalism at NBC's Nightly News, Campbell walked onto Channel 4's live evening news broadcast for an extraordinary 10-minute finger-jabbing attack on the BBC. "I don't want 12 pages of weasel words, sophistry and a defense of unethical journalism," he said of the BBC. "Far better would be a 12- word apology." The BBC said it would not apologize. On Sunday, the broadcaster convened a meeting of its board of directors, which reviewed the reporting that went into the original story and then came out counter- punching. The board "emphatically rejects Mr. Campbell's claim that large parts of the BBC had an agenda against the war," its members said in a statement. "We call on Mr. Campbell to withdraw these allegations of bias against the BBC." The BBC's refusal to cave in has astounded critics. For one thing, the broadcaster's top executives are Labor government appointees. Chairman Gavyn Davis, an economist, is a close friend of Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown (Davis' children were part of Brown's wedding party and his wife, Sue Nye, works as an unpaid advisor to the minister). And Director-General Greg Dyke, the BBC's senior day-to-day executive, was widely regarded with suspicion by his journalists when he was appointed in 1999 because of his personal links to Blair. His arrival aroused public anxiety about whether the BBC would keep its independence, especially after it was revealed that the independently wealthy Dyke had donated more than $70,000 to the Labor Party (critics took to calling the BBC the Blair Broadcasting Corp.). But he has shown feistiness in his defense of BBC journalists during the current furor. "We all think Greg has come through wonderfully," a BBC journalist told The Times. The broadcaster also is operating under the shadow of having to apply to renew its 10-year charter, or license, in 2006. That charter is awarded at the government's discretion, and several official reviews of how the BBC provides its services are pending. Meanwhile, private broadcasters and hostile right-wing newspapers have begun grumbling about the license-fee arrangement that provides the BBC with about 90% of its revenue. Each household in Britain pays $183 annually for the right to have a television, something critics describe as a cultural poll tax. For their part, both Downing Street and the Israeli government insist the issue propelling their anger is the BBC's responsibility to a higher standard of journalism. Tabloid newspapers can tailor their coverage to conform to particular political views, Campbell told the House of Commons committee, saying he happily did so himself back when he was an "avowedly pro-Labor, anti-Conservative" editor of the Daily Mirror. "The BBC is different," he said. "The BBC has got a deserved reputation around the world, but when they have bad journalism amid the good they have a responsibility to admit that." Seaman echoed that theme in an interview in Jerusalem with The Times. "It's the organization we have a problem with," he said. "If it had been any other organization, it wouldn't have mattered so much." "But because of the reputation of the BBC and because of the history, it compounds the disappointment." Times staff writer Megan K. Stack in Jerusalem contributed to this report (via Shoptalk Magazine via Fred Vobbe, NRC-AM via DXLD) GOVERNMENT STEPS UP PRESSURE ON BBC By James Blitz and Tim Burt, Financial Times; Jul 09, 2003 The feud between the government and the BBC was rejoined last night when the Ministry of Defence claimed it had identified the source of allegations that Downing Street "doctored" dossiers on Iraqi weapons and that he was not "involved in the process of drawing up the intelligence parts of the report". . . http://tinyurl.com/gnsa (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U K. SURVIVAL LESSON FROM A BBC COMPANY MAN BY STEFAN STERN --- Financial Times; Jul 09, 2003 Organisations have survived delayering, downsizing, right-sizing and restructuring. Company man (and woman) has survived too. But when the writer Anthony Sampson published Company Man: the rise and fall of corporate life in 1995, he described a world in which the old-style organisation or corporation had, in his view, almost vanished. . . http://tinyurl.com/gnrk (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U K. EUROPE: BBC WORLD NOW FREE-TO-AIR IN EUROPE | Text of press release by BBC Worldwide on 10 July BBC World, the BBC's commercially funded 24-hour international news and information channel, is now broadcasting free-to-air across continental Europe on the Astra 1H satellite at 19.2 degrees east. With this new satellite position, BBC World has become available in an additional 2.4 million households across Europe, in particular France, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria and Switzerland. Jeff Hazell, Director of Distribution, BBC World, said: "We are delighted that BBC World is now being broadcast in digital on Astra 1H. This new orbital location will further strengthen our distribution in Europe, making the channel more accessible to cable and satellite platform operators." Source: BBC Worldwide press release, London, in English 10 Jul 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** U S A. Save VoA/RFE! --- Ask Your Member of Congress to Help Save Baltic Language Radio Broadcasts --- July 8, 2003 Washington, DC (JBANC) --- The House subcommittee that deals with funding for Baltic language radio services is scheduled to begin deliberation of the State Department Appropriations bill on Wednesday, June 9. Floor votes on both appropriations and authorization bills are also possible in the coming days. Please contact your Members of Congress to ask them to support the restoration of funding to the Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) Baltic language services. For the Appropriations bill, it is especially important to contact Chairman Bill Young (R-FL) of the House Appropriations committee and Chairman Frank Wolf (R-VA) of the Commerce, Justice, State (CJS) subcommittee. Other important members to contact are Appropriations Committee Ranking Member David Obey (D-WI) and CJS Ranking Member José Serrano (D-NY). Other CJS subcommittee members are: Harold Rogers (R-KY), Jim Kolbe (R-AZ), Charles Taylor (R-NC), Ralph Regula (R-OH), Vice Chair David Vitter (R-LA), John Sweeney (R-NY), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Alan Mollohan (D-WV), Bud Cramer (D-AL), Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) and Martin Olav Sabo (D-MN) A complete list of Appropriations committee members and contact information can be obtained by visiting http://congress.org (U.S. Congress/House Appropriations in the drop down menu). Talking Points --- Language in both Senate and House versions of the State Department Authorization bill supports saving the services. The Senate bill (S.925) asks for restoration of $8.9 million. The House bill (H.R. 1950) supports a two-year buffer before any of the 14 language services, including Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian, can be eliminated. The authorization language should be supported. Please mention that the language promoted by Senators Richard Lugar (R-IN) and Joseph Biden (D-DE) in the Senate authorization bill and Congressmen Henry Hyde (R-IL) and Tom Lantos (D-CA) in the House bill favors the restoration of the language services. Please remind your Members of Congress that by losing broadcasts to the Central and East European region and the Baltic countries, the United States is risking losing leverage for its public image there. American public diplomacy has been on the defensive and it is too early to let go of its presence in the region. It is vital that America’s voice be heard. Baltic language broadcasting offers objective news and analysis about America and the world. /A press-release from The Joint Baltic American National Committee, Inc./ (via Sergei Sosedkin, July 9, DXLD) ** U S A [non?]. Hi Glenn, We got this as spam in the RCI e-mailbox, but I thought you'd like to see it. I wonder if the [1620-40] station they mention is that Hasidic pirate in the NYC area [1710] which has often been mentioned in DXLD? 73 (Bill Westenhaver, QC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) In case you haven't heard, there's a new program making waves (Tsunami style) on the radio: Living With Moshiach "Living With Moshiach" can be heard live every Tuesday evening, 9:00, on the clear, strong signals of 620-AM, WSNR, a station with a listening audience of 25,000-50,000 people per program. * Living With Moshiach can also be heard at *** Talklinecommunications.com ***(live simulcast), Chabad.info (all week), and (twice daily) on Radio Moshiach And Redemption [1620-40]AM. Hosted by Rabbi Eliezer Gold, Living With Moshiach features various experts on the Rebbe's teachings on Moshiach and Redemption, and focuses on the relevance of these teachings to our current era. * Living With Moshiach invites your suggestions, advertisements, and participation. Simply pick up the phone and dial {718} 467-8330 or by email: livingwithmoshiach@verizon.net Learn about Moshiach -- http://www.moshiach.com (via Westenhaver, DXLD) ** U S A. A LOS ANGELES RADIO STATION JOINS OTHERS IN SUSPENDING MICHAEL SAVAGE The number of radio stations that have pulled controversial radio talk-show host Michael Savage off the air following antigay remarks he made on his since-canceled cable TV program has grown to five. Los Angeles's KRLA-AM (870) suspended Savage Nation on Tuesday . . . http://www.advocate.com/new_news.asp?id=9216&sd=07/11/03 (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) SAVAGE APOLOGIZES FOR REMARKS THAT LED TO FIRING Michael Savage, the conservative talk-show host fired by cable news channel MSNBC for wishing AIDS on a caller, on Tuesday apologized for his remarks. . . http://www.advocate.com/new_news.asp?id=9205&sd=07/10/03 (via Jill Dybka, DXLD) ** U S A. MORNING RADIO CO-HOST SUES STATION THAT FIRED HER Posted Monday, July 7, 2003 - 7:38 pm, By Andy Paras, STAFF WRITER A former Upstate radio personality says she was fired for opposing the U.S. invasion of Iraq, according to a lawsuit filed Monday. Roxanne Cordonier, who went by the name Roxanne Walker on the air at WMYI-FM/MY 102.5 in Greenville [SC], alleges she was belittled, reprimanded and ultimately fired on April 17 for disagreeing with her co-hosts on the "Love and Hudson" show. WMYI, its parent company Clear Channel Communications, Bill McMartin, the company's regional vice president and general manager and Greg McKinney, station program director, are all named as defendants in the suit . . http://www.greenvilleonline.com/news/2003/07/07/200307079700.htm (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. NEW RADIO SIGNAL TO GIVE BOOST TO SMALL AIRPORTS By LESLIE MILLER, The Associated Press, 7/10/03 7:05 PM HERNDON, Va. (AP) -- Airplanes will eventually be able to land in bad weather at thousands of small airports thanks to a radio signal switched on early Thursday morning at the Federal Aviation Administration's command center. It took nine years, nearly a billion dollars and a team of space scientists to get the satellite-based signal to do what it's supposed to: tell pilots where they are in the air within 5 feet. The system corrects the global positioning system's signal, which is only accurate within the space of a football field. Federal aviation officials said turning on the signal was a huge step forward in exploiting the potential of GPS for air traffic control. Once the system is fully deployed, the FAA will be able to phase out some of its expensive ground-based navigational aids. "It is a form of rocket science," said FAA chief Marion Blakey, acknowledging the project is several years behind schedule and over budget. Still, she said, the wide area augmentation system represents a huge technological leap from the days before World War II, when pilots navigated by following bonfires on the ground. The new system works like this: Signals from GPS satellites, which get distorted in the ionosphere, are received by a network of ground reference stations. The stations correct the signals and relay them through a master station, which relays them back up to communications satellites. Pilots receive those signals in the cockpit. Phil Boyer, president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, predicted small airports will flourish because they will no longer need at least $2 million worth of ground-based navigation systems for planes to land on their runways in bad weather. The system will also allow airline pilots to fly shorter, more direct routes and faster descents, so more planes will be able to land per hour, Blakey said. Charlie Keegan, the FAA's associate administrator for research and acquisitions, said the system will make it safer and easier to fly. Pilots using the wide area augmentation system can fly their approach to the runway by aligning the plane with a line on a display in the cockpit. The FAA has designed 560 approaches for 281 airports and will design another 300 within a year, Keegan said. Only a dozen or so pilots now use the wide area augmentation system with ground-based backups in their planes, he said. The FAA hasn't certified receivers yet, but expects to do so by this fall. Boyer said 25,000 private pilots have a receiver that can receive the new signal with a minor upgrade. Japan and Europe are building similar systems that will be compatible with that in the United States, creating a worldwide navigation capability. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta said commissioning the system "moves us closer to realizing the aviation potential of GPS and the precision it can add to the world's safest and most complex airspace system." ------ On the Net: Federal Aviation Administration: http://www.faa.gov Wide area augmentation systems: http://gps.faa.gov/Programs/WAAS/waas.htm (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. GOODBYE BAR CODES: PACKAGES WITH TRANSMITTERS ON THE WAY By EMILY GERSEMA, The Associated Press, 7/9/03 3:09 AM WASHINGTON (AP) -- Razor blades and medicines packaged with pinpoint- sized computer chips and tiny antennae that eventually could send retailers and manufacturers a wealth of information about the products -- and those who buy them -- will start appearing in grocery stores and pharmacies this year. Within two decades, the minuscule transmitters are expected to replace the familiar product bar codes, and retailers are already envisioning the conveniences the new technology, called "radio frequency identification," will bring -- even as others are raising privacy concerns. A grocery store clerk will know immediately when the milk on the shelf has expired, for example, and replace it before a customer can choose it. Stores could quickly pull from the shelves tainted and damaged products that are recalled or have expired, especially important in health care items. "It would help you manage your inventory a lot better," says Todd Andrews, spokesman for the Rhode Island-based CVS pharmacy chain that will soon test the chips and antennae on its prescription medicines. CVS's 4,000 stores fill millions of prescriptions each year but many customers forget to pick them up. "If you could utilize RFID technology to tell you that a prescription is in the waiting bin, maybe the product could say: 'I've been here 10 days and I haven't been picked up yet.' Then, you could call the patient," Andrews says. The technology builds upon the UPC (Uniform Product Code) symbol and bar codes that, when read by a scanner, enable manufacturers and retailers to keep up with their prices and inventories. A computer chip smaller than the head of an ant and a thin antenna attached to a bottle, box, can or package will alert retailers and suppliers when a product is taken off a store shelf or moved out of a warehouse. A radio signal is beamed to an electronic reader, which then delivers a message to a computer in the store or factory. CVS, Procter & Gamble and The Gillette Co. are among the 100 retailers and manufacturers that have put up a total of $15 million for research on the new tags at the Auto-ID Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Other Auto-ID labs at the University of Cambridge in England, Adelaide University in Australia, Keio University in Japan and USG-ETH in Switzerland are also working on the technology. Radio frequency identification technology is not new. The tiny chips and small antennae already are familiar to workers equipped with security cards that, when waived in front of a receiver, unlock the doors to their offices or relay information about the bearer to a guard. The technology's potential for sending retailers and others information about consumers is already raising privacy concerns, however. Marc Rotenberg, executive director of a watchdog organization, the Electronic Privacy Information Center, said retailers should be required to disable the tags before a consumer leaves a store. "Simply stated, I don't think most people want their clothes spying on them," Rotenberg said. "It's also clear that there could be some very invasive uses of these techniques if merchants use the tracking technology to spy on their customers after purchase." Researchers developing RFID tags for products so far have focused on the supply chain and limited the range at which a product could be detected. Once their use becomes universal the cost of the tags could be as little as a nickel each, they say. Sanjay Sarma, the lead researcher at the Auto-ID Center in Massachusetts, says that by adding more functions to the chip, installing a battery and attaching a longer antenna, a receiver far away could read all the information on a chip, including its exact location. Homes equipped with receiver-readers could alert consumers when they are running low on orange juice or their prescription for heart medicine is about to expire. Hooked up to a national network like the Internet, the at-home devices could also provide details to marketers about a family's eating and hygienic habits. Sarma acknowledges that gigantic privacy concerns the technology raises, saying one way to address them would be letting consumers disable the chips once they leave a checkout counter. "Any technology can be abused and we've got to be prepared, be watchful for the abuse," Sarma said. Ron Margulis, a spokesman for the National Grocers Association, said the privacy concerns are far outweighed by the benefits of RFID. Retailers, he said, could respond much more quickly to product recalls and prevent people from becoming ill from tainted products. "You do give up a bit of privacy but the benefit could be that you live," said Margulis. ------ On the Net: Auto ID Center: http://www.autoidcenter.org/main.asp (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** URUGUAY. 11735, Radio Oriental, Montevideo --- Los pasados dias 8 y 9 de Julio, he escuchado a una emisora emitiendo en español entre 1955-2025+. Escuché el nombre 'Oriental', pero no la pude identificar al 100% debido a un fuerte heterodino en la misma frecuencia por interferencia cuando estaba buscando a Radio Tanzania desde Zanzíbar. También, mucha molestia de un 'jamming' con música china en 11740 khz. Puede ser la reactivación de Radio Oriental, estoy seguro en un 95%. 73's GIB (Gabriel Iván Barrera, Argentina, July 10, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** UZBEKISTAN. R. Tashkent is also running a contest called ``The Friendship Bridges`` where you can win ``great prizes`` -- last time I won a videotape and I can`t watch it because it`s in European format! The questions are too long for me to get into here right now, but they deal with things such as ``when did your country establish diplomatic relations with Uzbekistan`` If you want the questions e-mail me or better yet, check out the station`s Web site (Sue Hickey, sue.hickey@warp.nfld.net CIDX Forum, July Messenger via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MUSEA +++++ HISTORIC RADIO PICTURES Chalk Hills Educational Media`s Virtual Museum is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preservation and presentation of historically and culturally interesting inventions, events and places. There are some photos of various AM radio installations back in the 1930s and 1940s at the The Historic Radio Pictures page: http://www.chalkhillmedia.org/Musem/historic_radio_pictures_page.htm (Sheldon Harvey, July CIDX Messenger via DXLD) COMMENTARY ++++++++++ RADIO AS A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT People tend to think of radio and music as two separate things. Fortunately for the human race, some folks have thought "outside the box" when it comes to these. The results of using radios as instruments, including radio sounds in compositions, has enriched the collective whole of art and culture. Various people have discovered that radios are great sound sources. Artists like John Cage, as long ago as 1942, had performers tuning AM radios and the resultant output of the receivers was considered to be the "music." Other composers have taken recordings of radio signals and mixed them in with their compositions. Karlheinz Stockhausen was renowned for his blending of short wave signals in with his ensemble's music. His Hymnen and Kurzwellen albums are good examples of this. Stockhausen also wrote interpretive scores for short wave receivers. The latter part of the twentieth century was filled with people sampling radio sources and mixing them in with tunes. From The Beatles' I Am The Walrus to assorted avant-garde groups like Can, various musicians discovered how beneficial such a merger could be. Bands like Negativeland even made a career of this. One excellent work of theirs is Time Zones, a piece using such divergent elements as Radio Moscow broadcasts, WWV's leap second announcement, ham radio repeater chatter, and AM talk show samples. The British group Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark cleverly used the scan function of a Sanyo short wave radio to create a catchy riff on Radio Waves. The one factor which links all these different talented people is that they weren't afraid to try radically new techniques. They viewed radio, not just as a way to deliver music but to actually compose it. Since there will always be those who refuse to be in lock step with everybody else, society is sure to continue having it's creative element coming up with new uses for technology. Yours, (Bruce Atchison, freelance writer and electronic music composer http://gideon.www2.50megs.com ve6xtc@telusplanet.net July 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) "Why is there only one Monopolies Commission?" --- Screaming Lord Sutch See Bruce`s website for free downloads of some of his own compositions and to order his CDs (gh) DB'S AND S-UNITS In DXLD 3-122 [AUSTRALIA] David Hodgson KG4TUY was quoted with a technical argument about the reason hams may not be able to communicate when the band is open from the USA to Australia for higher power signals like Radio Australia. His argument contained some technical inaccuracies you should be aware of: "The difference between 100 kW and 1 kW is over 18 db." This statement is true but inexact. The power difference between 100 kW and 1 kW is exactly 20 dB. "Assuming you had a nice solid S9 copy of RA, 30db below that, would be S0." The accepted standard for SW receivers is 6 dB per S-Unit. Thus 30 dB would be the equivalent of 5 S-Units. So if a signal measures S-9 on a receiver whose design corresponds to the 6 Db per S-Unit standard, a signal 30 dB below that level should measure S-4. "Even though SSB is a more efficient mode then AM 30+db more signal is a huge difference." SSB transmission has a 6 to 9 dB advantage over AM depending on whether one is dealing with peak or average power. There were several articles about this in the ham literature in the 1950's as the war raged between the proponents of this new fangled technology and the AMers. One article in the 1970's by an AMer, gasping for air as his ship slowly sunk below the waves, attempted to show that AM was more efficient if sync detection was employed on the receive end and the sideband energy was coherently added between the upper and lower sidebands. The outcome of this flap was a general consensus that 6-9 dB was probably a representative advantage for SSB under conditions and using equipment normally used by hams. The analysis by Mr. Hodgson ignores the fact that SWL's typically use a fairly non-directional pattern receive antenna simply because they normally do not use yagi antennas. Hams on the other hand normally do use beam antennas at 21 MHz. The receive gain of such an antenna must be factored into the analysis in addition to the transmit gain. That will reduce the advantage Radio Australia has over a full power ham station by about 9 dB since the ham link typically has a yagi at both ends at this frequency. So SSB and receive antenna gain will narrow the advantage by as much as 18 dB (9dB SSB plus 9dB receive antenna gain). Instead of the calculated 30 dB advantage, Radio Australia to a non-directional receive antenna would only have a 12 dB advantage (30 dB minus 18 dB) or about 2 S-Units. Bottom line is that one should have had an S-7 path for two first class ham stations if the RA signal on AM was S-9. A better explanation for the absence of 2 way ham conversation is more likely related to the time of day. At 2315 UT on Monday, July 7, it is mid-day Tuesday in the more populous areas of Southeastern Australia. Most of the mates were probably toiling while their billy boiled as they quaffed a Foster's while they waited for Matilda to quit waltzing and make some bloody lunch. You did not hear anything from North America at this time because the skip is normally to the west near sunset and your first hop from Enid, OK probably landed in the Pacific Ocean. 73, ~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-., (Joe Buch, DE, July 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) And see next item -*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^ POWERLINE COMMUNICTIONS +++++++++++++++++++++++ Glenn: I have done my very small part concerning the fight against BPL by letting the FCC know my views during their NOI via the Electronic Comment Filing System, making a donation to the ARRL spectrum defense fund, and perhaps most importantly, I`ve discussed the BPL issue at length, with other hams over the air both locally on a 2 meter repeater, as well as over a number of hf frequencies. With the further deregulation of media ownership by the FCC in early June, I think we will see even more of a decline in the diversity of view points expressed over commercial media, than we have so far. There are some very real free speech issues at hand when one entity owns most of the media outlets in a major market. I think it’s inevitable in such a situation that a subtle manipulation of public perception will take place, dictated by the political bias of the media owners. Fewer and fewer people will have direct control over what the masses see on TV, hear over the radio, and read in newspapers. With this in mind, I think it is important that short wave radio in general, and amateur radio in particular, be preserved. There is no commercial motivation and little commercial value (outside the manufacture of radio gear) to short wave listening or ham radio. These hobbies exist not because of profit, but because a shared love of the medium of radio which dates back to the earliest days of experimentation. Certainly this same spirit motivates you, Glenn, in your production of DXLD. In the process of doing so you are providing a valuable forum for the exchange of ideas that would not be possible by any commercial outlet. The FCC`s recent position on deregulation of media ownership, and especially the commission`s unreserved support of BPL, show that the FCC has a definite agenda when it comes to promoting the interests of corporations and the process of money making over other interests such as amateur radio and public utilities. This agenda appears to be so strong among some commissioners, that there is a willingness to disregard the protection of radio spectrum of licensed services even including police departments, ambulance, and other "first responders" who are licensed for operation well below 80 MHz, i.e. in the proposed range of BPL. The publication of books, the internet, and short wave radio are perhaps the last forums of pure free speech we have. The medium of television and radio in this country are increasingly manipulated by the power of profit, and the effect this is having on our liberty is alarming. For the first real response to the FCC concerning BPL by the ARRL check out: http://www.arrl.org/news/features/2003/07/08/?nc=1 Thanks again Glenn for providing a medium for my thoughts and views. 73, (David KG4TUY Hodgson, TN, July 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RADIO STAMPS ++++++++++++ EKKO EKKO stamps that were printed back in the 1920s and 1930s by the American Bank Note Company for the EKKO stamp company in Chicago. The American Bank Note Company printed many items, including money for foreign countries in addition to postage stamps. Postage stamps are ``legal documents`` which is why you will find them on old documents, canceled, such as birth certificates, etc. These stamps were issued to AM broadcast band stations. Just do a search on EKKO STAMP; for starters: Adventist World Radio included the EKKO on their QSL card: http://www181.pair.com/otsw/AWR-Stamps.html ``the 1920s broadcast radio's equivalent to ham radio's QSL cards`` Some nice close ups of the stamps: http://www.antiqueradio.com/gilbertcombs_ekko_6-97.html Like the stamps that were made for the mattress tags, whiskey caps, etc. the EKKO stamps are known as ``cinderellas`` to the stamp world, although unlike the others mentioned, are not depicted in stamp catalogs: http://www.rigastamps.com/cindprim/columns/ekko/ This link actually shows the EKKO stamp album: http://home.earthlink.net/~mri/ This site actually has a ``proof of reception`` form and card: http://uv201.com/Misc_Pages/letterheads_6.htm http://www.uskafr.ch/articles/hb9rs/hb9rs_qslstamps.pdf (Konnie Rychalsky, July 7, swl at qth.net via DXLD) One of the best places to get info on these stamps is: http://home.earthlink.net/~mri/ They are on EBAY all (most of) the time, usually go for $5 plus per stamp. KFI (Los Angeles) gave them out a few years ago with QSL cards (70's), although they were not the EKKO printed stamps varieties. I recall one not to long ago (within 10 years) from some AM radio station or another, but can't put my finger on it right now. A slight clarification: ||Like the stamps that were made for the mattress tags, whiskey caps, etc. the EKKO stamps are known as ``cinderellas`` to the stamp world, although unlike the others mentioned, are not depicted in stamp catalogs|| One major difference here. While all of these stamps mentioned above are called "cinderellas" (a term used to mean non-main stream stamp issues), only the items that actually resemble stamps should be considered as cinderellas. The prime difference is that most of these stamps (caps, etc) were issued by some form of government in order to show proof of a "tax" having been paid on the item. They were usually printed by the government and issued as some form of revenue stamps (items). The EKKO and other "radio verification" stamps were issued as a promotional affair to get people interested in listening to radio stations and trying to hear all 50 states (for awards). These "stamps" were also printed by a private printing company. Quite a large hobby developed around the collecting of these items. Hence, they aren't ever going to show up in "Stamp Catalogs". You can get them (not cheaply) at a lot of stamp dealers, internet auctions, and yes Martha, even estate sales from time to time (the last being the cheapest way to get them). Hope this helped somewhat. Check out the above site and all your questions will be answered (Bob Combs., KCA6RC New Mexico, ibid.) RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ SHETLAND ISLANDS WEB RECEIVER SOON Javaradio plans to have a new web receiver in the Shetland Islands soon, maybe in about a month. I believe the receiver will be an Icom PCR 1000. The return of Prague Javaradio still hasn't happened. You can find Javaradio at http://www.javaradio.com/ Independent web receiver in Zamora, Spain hasn`t been online for a while, as far as I know. I hope this radio isn't gone for good. Likewise Visualradio web radio in Switzerland may be gone also (Bradford Wall, San Bernardino, California, USA, July 3, EDXP via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ CUMBRE DX PROPAGATION REPORT Three M class flares have occurred over the last week, On July 6, 9 and 10, all causing fadeouts. Solar wind speed was elevated due to coronal hole effects until July 7, leading to only fair conditions over high latitude paths. A coronal hole windstream is currently affecting the earth, with possible minor storm periods in the geomagnetic field for the next 2 days. Solar wind speed is not that high at present but is quite southward oriented causing the elevated levels. After July 12 this should calm and good conditions are forecast until July 18; however isolated M class flares are still a possibility which may cause some fadeouts. Prepared using data from http://www.ips.gov.au (Richard Jary, SA, July 11, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ###