DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-126, July 15, 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: Wed 0100, 0730, 1330 on 7445/15039 WWCR: Wed 0930 on 9475 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 FIRST AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1191: Wed 2200 on WBCQ 7415, 17495-CUSB [and 5100-CUSB?] Thu 2030 on WWCR 15825 Fri 1930 on RFPI 15039 Sun 0032 on WINB 12160 ** AFRICA. OK, OK. As many people had problems with the zipped file and the server doesn't handle normal .xls-files properly, I've now uploaded AFRICALIST as zipped .doc (60 kB, editable) or standard .pdf (120 kB). http://africa.coolfreepage.com/africalist/ (Thorsten Hallmann, Muenster, Germany, July 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. HCA (HCJB Australia) changes wef 21st July '03 0100 0130 UT - 15420 South Asia URDU Daily 0130 0330 UT - 15420 South Asia ENG Daily 1230 1700 UT - 15390 South Asia ENG Daily 1700 1730 UT - 15405 South Asia URDU Daily 0800 1200 UT - 11750 South Pac ENG Daily 1800 2030 UT - 11765 South Pac ENG Daily Regds, (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, July 15, DX LISTENIN DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Right now (0237 UT) I'm listening to what I presume is Radio Gaucha on 11916.2 kHz (all databases say it's 11915). Male announcer in Portuguese which I "no comprende". It looks like the Brazilians are going to be coming in well tonight. SINPO 34333 on the R-390A, just barely discernible on the Yaesu VR-5000. Sloper antenna. 73 de (Phil, KO6BB Atchley, CA, July 15, swl at qth.net via DXLD) ** CANADA. Aboriginal Voices Radio's CFIE (106.5 Toronto) has been granted a power increase. It'll go from 350 watts to 1100 watts from its First Canadian Place transmitter; right now, it gets killed by co- channel interference from WYRK (106.5 Buffalo) as close in as Etobicoke! And the CRTC is getting out of the low-power business: it announced last week that it will no longer require parks information, traffic information and weather stations to submit to its licensing procedures as long as they're less than 100 watts on AM, 50 watts at 60 meters on FM. Those stations will still have to get technical approval from Industry Canada --- and, this being Canada, will have to pledge to comply with the Canadian Association of Broadcasters' guidelines on gender portrayal! (Scott Fybush, NE Radio Watch July 14 via DXLD) ** CANADA. NEW RADIO STATION AIMED AT GREEK COMMUNITY NTR Thursday, July 10, 2003 Montreal's Greek community will be able to listen to a new FM radio station this winter that will broadcast primarily in Greek on the frequency of 105.1. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission recently granted Canadian Hellenic Cable Radio the license to launch the new commercial station. The station, which will be known as CKIQ-FM, will aim its broadcasts primarily at the city's Greek community, but will also broadcast in Armenian, Serbian, Croatian, Russian and Tagalog. CKIQ will also integrate certain elements of its programming in French and English. (c) Copyright 2003 NTR (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** CANADA. RADIO STATION ACCUSED OF LINK TO TAMIL TIGERS --- SMEAR CAMPAIGN ALLEGED: Cabinet to decide this week whether to revoke licence Stewart Bell, National Post, Tuesday, July 15, 2003 http://www.nationalpost.com/home/story.html?id=330749D2-F735-4CF7-B2E7-B2422654F6EA TORONTO - The federal Cabinet is to decide this week whether to cancel a radio licence granted by the CRTC to a Toronto company with alleged links to a South Asian terrorist organization. The new station, to be launched this fall in Toronto at 101.3 FM, denies any ties to extremists and insists it is the target of a smear campaign by opponents of its plan to broadcast to the city's ethnic communities. But government officials are concerned by allegations the broadcaster is affiliated with the World Tamil Movement (WTM), a fundraising front for the Tamil Tigers, a Sri Lankan terrorist group. The RCMP is aware of the allegations and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service has been advising the government on the matter. Cabinet is to decide by tomorrow whether to overturn the CRTC decision. The allegations come as the Cabinet is taking criticism for failing to outlaw the Tamil Tigers under Canada's Anti-Terrorist Act. Stockwell Day, the Canadian Alliance's foreign affairs critic, has launched a campaign to ban the group. Allegations of terrorist ties were brought to the attention of the CRTC last summer by Sri Lankan Canadians, who wrote letters opposing a radio licence application by Canadian Multicultural Radio. The letters claimed the numbered company behind the radio bid was tied to the WTM. The letters also claim WTM volunteers had gone door to door in Tamil neighbourhoods in Toronto to intimidate Sri Lankans into supporting the radio licence bid. The CRTC approved the licence anyway on April 17. Denis Carmel, a CRTC spokesman, said of the "thousands and thousands" of responses to the proposed station, only a few raised concerns about terrorism and the station responded to all the allegations in full. "We felt there was a competitive process and people were being a little too passionate," he said. "The language of these letters was vague and there was a lot of interventions, most of them favourable." The Privy Council Office has since received 47 petitions seeking an appeal of the decision. They have been referred to the Department of Canadian Heritage, which has made a recommendation to Cabinet. It must announce its decision by July 16. Several of the petitions allege a link to the Tamil Tigers, also known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or LTTE. Though the organization has not been banned, the federal government has frozen since the fall of 2001 on suspicion of terrorist links. "It is well known in the Sri Lankan community that the people who are behind the licence ... are the fronts for the LTTE's major organizers in Canada," said one petition. The station denies the claims. S. Sivakumaran, the radio station's chief operating officer, said some of those who complained were supporters of competing bids. The company has tried to track them down to serve them with defamation suits, but has not been able to find them, he said. "I don't even know if some of these people exist." He said the station has responded to each of the allegations in detail and will make its written response available after the Cabinet decision is announced. "It's a smear campaign," he said. "I could sense that, from having looked at these appeals, it's a joint effort by some of the members of our community who did not get the licence and some of these same people wrote support for the other applicants during the application process." The allegations do not concern members of the radio station team but rather their relatives and friends, he said. "They are trying to say that he's got a friend of so-and-so, he's got a relative. We're in no position to comment about a third party. It's ridiculous.... "Post-Sept. 11, everyone's worried about terrorist link and terrorist things and whoever is doing the strategy for these guys has told them to write stuff like this because it gets everyone anxious and everyone's attention. "If [members of the station's board] have any links, I'd be sure that the Privy Council would get the RCMP and CSIS to give them a report." He said neither agency had contacted the company concerning any investigation. The Tamil Tigers have frequently used terrorist tactics such as suicide bombings and political assassinations during a two-decade insurgency that sought independence for the island's ethnic Tamil minority. The violence was financed largely by expatriate Tamil communities, particularly in Canada. CSIS has estimated the Tigers raised millions in Canada through front organizations and crime. The Tigers agreed to a ceasefire last year and entered peace talks with the government. But they walked away from the negotiations in April and there have been reports the LTTE is preparing for renewed war. "I can tell you for sure that concerns with respect to security that have been expressed, the RCMP is aware of them," said François Jubinville, of the Privy Council Office. The RCMP confirmed it was aware of the allegations but would not comment further. "It's not our practice to identify who or what might be the subject of a criminal investigation," Corporal Benoit Desjardins said. "We are aware of it, but in regard to is there an investigation, I cannot comment on whether there is one or not." (via Mike Brooker, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** CANADA. VETERAN OF OLD HAPPY GANG RADIO SERIES, EDDIE ALLEN, DIES AT AGE 82 --- Canadian Press Monday, July 14, 2003 http://www.canada.com/search/story.aspx?id=604a2dd3-d7dc-409f-8dc4-b9a2204465c3 (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** CANADA. If Clear Channel is going to buy WWV ("give us 20 minutes, we'll give you 20 minutes"), can CHUM Ltd. buy CHU? With a change to slogan "the Chew", or "Tock 3330/7335". Horrors, they're one of the few Canadian stations still using a call letter ID. 73 (Mike Brooker, Toronto, ON, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** CUBA. RHC is providing decent signals here in Europe. Try 9820 for Habana's 0200 US service. Regards and 73's (Dan Goldfarb, Brentwood, England, July 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yawn ** CUBA. Since RHC incessantly beats the drum about 5 Cuban political prisoners in the US --- and I`d dearly like some OBJECTIVE info about their cases --- it is only fitting that we refer you to info about Cuban political prisoners in Cuba, who are held in appalling conditions, unlike whatever is going on with PPs in the US. One case is that of Martha Beatriz Roque; search on her name and you will find pages such as this with links to many others: http://www.marporcuba.org/marthabeatriz/ ``Cuba --- último territorio esclave en América --- Patria o suerte, ¡pensaremos!`` (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. DENUNCIAN QUE CUBA INTERCEPTA SEÑALES DE EXILIADOS IRANÍES Tomado de la edición electrónica del diario "El Nuevo Herald" con fecha martes 15 de julio del 2003. Nota: informacion ya aportada en inglés por Glenn Hauser http://www.miami.com/mld/elnuevo/news/world/cuba/6304036.htm (El Nuevo Herald | 07/15/2003 | via Óscar de Céspedes, FL, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. 5009.68, Radio Cristal, *1028 -1040 11 July. National Anthem , "la emisora Radio Cristal... en todo el país... transmite...", many mentions de Santo Domingo. "Ésta es Radio Cristal..." (Icom R-75, JRC NRD 535, Drake R7, Pompano Beach, Florida, US, Bob Wilkner, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ERITREA. VOICE OF AMERICA CORRESPONDENT REPORTEDLY ARRESTED | Text of report in English by Eritrean opposition Awate.com web site on 12 July On 8 July, Eritrean security officers arrested Mr Aklilu Solomon, the Asmara-based correspondent for Voice of America (VOA.) The security personnel were described as armed and wearing plainclothes. The reporter's home was rummaged and his telephone line was forcefully unplugged from the wall. The reporter has disappeared since and his grieving mother has been informed by the security officers that they do not know of his whereabouts and that she should report his case to the police department. On 20 June, VOA had reported the announcement of the names of Eritrean soldiers killed in the Eritrea-Ethiopia war of 1998-2000. In contrast to the government-owned media who reported that the families of the deceased had received the news with "cheers, ululation and victory-to- the-masses chants," Mr Aklilu Solomon, who covered one of the announcements held at the cultural hall in Geza Banda Tilian (a neighbourhood in Asmara) reported of families "wailing and crying," and fainting and described the city as "engulfed in a cloud of sadness." While searching his home, the arresting officers accused the reporter of compiling news to "please the enemy." Mr Aklilu Solomon, who is 32, was raised in Ethiopia and moved to Eritrea in 1992, shortly after the nation achieved its independence from Ethiopia. The Tigriyna broadcast of the Voice of America is popular among taxi drivers, students and members of the Eritrean military. Source: Awate.com web site in English 12 Jul 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) The following statement was made by Voice of America (VOA) Director David Jackson regarding the detention of a VOA reporter in Eritrea: Washington, D.C., July 15, 2003 -- "We strongly object to the detention of Voice of America reporter Aklilu Solomon. He has distinguished himself as a journalist by telling the world of the urgent needs of the Eritrean people during the drought which has afflicted his country, and all of us at the Voice of America are proud of his contributions. His reporting has put VOA at the forefront of this important humanitarian story. We demand that Eritrean authorities free him immediately." (VOA press release July 15 via DXLD) CPJ CONDEMNS ARREST OF VOA STRINGER IN ERITREA The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has condemned the arrest of Eritrean journalist Aklilu Solomon, an Asmara-based stringer working for the Tigrigna service of the Voice of America (VOA). It brings to 18 the number of journalists currently under arrest in Eritrea. State security officers arrested Solomon on 8 July and took him to an undisclosed location. Ten days earlier, the authorities had stripped him of his press accreditation for reporting on the families of soldiers who died during Eritrea's 1998-2000 war with Ethiopia. Solomon had reported that the families were anguished over the soldiers' deaths, contradicting earlier claims by the state media that the families had celebrated when the government publicly announced the names of the dead. On World Press Freedom Day, 3 May 3 2003, CPJ named Eritrea one of the world's 10 Worst Places to be a Journalist. "With Aklilu Solomon's outrageous arrest, the government has eliminated one of the few remaining sources of information about Eritrea," said CPJ executive director Ann Cooper. "We call on Eritrean authorities to immediately release Solomon and his 17 colleagues, and to cease persecuting the independent press." (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 15 July 2003 via DXLD) ** INDIA. This afternoon I noticed AIR booming out (today was a great 90 degree DX zone from Europe) on 11620 as // 13710 from 1330 to 1500 in English. Perhaps Jose can indicate whether Bangalore has more than 6 transmitters since using both 9425 and 10330 for much of the day indicates they may have recently increased capacity (Dan Goldfarb, Brentwood, England, July 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. Summer A-03 schedule of All India Radio: ARABIC 0430-0530 13620 15770 17845 1730-1945 9910 11585 13620 BALUCHI 1500-1600 1071 6165 9620 11585 BENGALI 0300-0430 and 0800-1100 594 1445-1515 and 1600-1730 1134 BURMESE 0100-0130 9950 11870 13630 1215-1315 11620 11710 15415 CHINESE 1145-1315 11840 15795 17705 DARI 0300-0345 9845 9910 11735 13620 1315-1415 7255 9910 ENGLISH 1000-1100 1053 13695 15020 15260 15410 17510 17800 17895 1330-1500 9690 13710 1745-1945 7410 9445 9950 11620 11935 13605 15075 15155 17670 2045-2230 7410 9445 9575 9910 9950 11620 11715 2245-0045 9705 9950 11620 13605 FRENCH 1945-2030 9910 13605 13620 GUJARATI 0415-0430 15075 15185 17715 1515-1600 11620 15175 HINDI 0315-0415 11840 13695 15075 15185 17715 0430-0530 15075 15185 17715 1615-1730 7410 9950 11585 12025 13770 17670 1945-2045 7410 9950 11620 2300-2400 9910 11740 13795 INDONESIAN 0845-0945 15770 17510 17860 KANNADA 0215-0300 11985 15075 MALAYALAM 1730-1830 7115 12025 NEPALI 0130-0230 594 3945 6045 7250 9810 0700-0800 7250 9595 11850 1330-1430 1134 3945 4860 6045 7410 11775 PERSIAN 0400-0430 11730 13620 15770 17845 1615-1730 7115 9910 PUNJABI 0800-0830 and 1230-1430 720 PASHTO 0215-0300 9845 9910 11735 13620 1415-1530 7255 9910 RUSSIAN 1615-1715 11620 15140 SARAIKI 1130-1200 702 SINDHI 0100-0200 1071 5990 7125 9635 1230-1500 1071 6165 9620 11585 SINHALA 0045-0115 1053 11985 1300-1500 1053 9820 15050 SWAHILI 1515-1615 9950 17670 TAMIL 0000-0045 1053 4790 9835 9910 11740 11985 13795 0115-0330 and 1100-1115 1053 1115-1215 1053 13695 15050 15770 17810 17860 1215-1300 and 1500-1530 1053 TELUGU 1215-1245 13695 15770 17810 THAI 1115-1200 13645 15410 17740 TIBETAN 0130-0200 9565 11900 13700 1215-1330 7410 9575 11775 URDU 0015-0100 1071 6155 9595 0100-0200 6155 9595 11620 0200-0430 1071 6155 9595 11620 0830-1130 702 1071 7250 9595 11620 1430-1600 702 3945 4860 6045 1600-1730 702 1071 3945 4860 6045 1730-1930 702 1071 4860 6045 (Observer, Bulgaria, July 15 via DXLD) ** IRAN. Hola Glenn: Saludos cordiales en la distancia. Con mucho pesar te informo que continua la amenaza contra la onda corta, esta vez le ha tocado el turno a La Voz de la Republica Islamica de Iran, IRIB. He recibido de ellos un e-mail de ellos del cual te doy algunos fragmentos de interes a continuacion: "... el servicio exterior de la Voz de la Republica Islamica de Iran, pretende estudiar el caso de eliminar la onda corta, para asi­ sustituirla por el internet; ya que algunas autoridades opinan que conseguir las transmisiones de la Voz de la Republica Islamica de Iran, resulta mas barato a traves del internet..." "... solicitamos que tenga la gentileza de comunicarnos cuanto antes (De ser posible hasta mañana) sus opiniones al respecto, teniendo en cuenta las circunstancias económicas existentes en su país..." Por ahora me despido hasta un próximo QSO. Solidariamente, (Julio Trenard, Apartado Postal 41, Cumaná 6101, Venezuela --- Visita mi pagina web: http://usuarios.lycos.es/trenard July 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) IRIB is thinking of cutting off SW in favor of less expensive internet, and the Spanish section, at least, needed listener reaxion by tomorrow = today! Another slightly premature idea, but should we tell them? IRIB has really built up its external SW services in the last sesquidecade, to become one of the major players with scads of 500 kW transmitters, which no doubt are expensive to maintain and power --- and they are no doubt needed for more and more jamming instead, as a number of the broadcast transmitters they have purchased are already otherwise unaccounted for (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN [non]. Ich beobachte bereits seit 11.00 Uhr UTC einen Sender auf 15810 kHz der Wort-Programme in Persian ausstrahlt. Nachmittags setzten Stoersender ein. Bei der 15810 KHz scheint es sich um die Voice of Iran zu handeln. Die Programme werden leicht zeitversetzt auch ueber 15750 via Frankreich ausgestrahlt (Andreas Tschauder, Austria, A-DX July 9, via BC-DX via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. IRAQ Voice of Mojahed (presumed) observed on July 7: 0300 -0510 and 1400-1725 on 4650, 5350, 5650, 6450, 6750, 7010, 7750, 8280, 8550, 8950, 9250 with talks in Persian and jammed by Iran (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, BC-DX July 7 via DXLD) ** IRAQ [and non]. THE MEDIA IN POST-WAR IRAQ - 15 JULY 2003 | Text of report by BBC Monitoring Media Services dated 15 July 2003 New publications continue to appear in Iraq at a prolific rate. Over 100 daily and weekly newspapers have become available since the fall of Saddam Husayn's regime in April 2003. Independent radio and TV stations, however, have been slower to emerge. The Iraqi Media Network, operated by the US Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance, continues for the time being to dominate domestic broadcasting. International broadcasters such as the BBC, Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East and the US-run Radio Sawa are all available on FM in Baghdad and some other Iraqi cities. Internet services are on offer in the capital, and the state internet service provider, Uruklink, is back in operation after several months offline. The following new Iraqi press and broadcast sources have been traced since the previous 5 June 2003 issue of "The media in post-war Iraq": NEW RADIO BROADCASTS IN IRAQ SINCE 5 JUNE 2003 Radio Monte Carlo on FM in Baghdad Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East, a subsidiary of Radio France Internationale, is on FM (93.5 MHz) in Baghdad for 24 hours a day, it was announced on 13 July. Previously the station had broadcast to Iraq only on mediumwave. NEW TV BROADCASTS IN IRAQ SINCE 5 JUNE 2003 Al-Thaqalayn TV This channel, affiliated to an Iranian cultural institute of the same name, is targeted at viewers in Iraq and broadcasts religious programmes, the Tehran Times newspaper reported on 14 July. People in Iran's Ilam Province can watch the programmes as well, the report noted. NEW IRAQI PRESS SINCE 5 JUNE 2003 [exhaustive list snipped for DXLD; if anyone really needs it, please contact the editor] POST-WAR BROADCAST MEDIA --- RADIO FM BAND IN BAGHDAD (MHz) 89.0 - BBC World Service in Arabic 89.9 - Iranian Payam network in Persian 90.1 - Iranian Voice of the Mujahidin in Arabic 92.3 - Continuous US pop music 93.0 - Iranian Javan (Youth) network in Persian 93.5 - Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East 95.0 - Voice of Freedom from Baghdad in Arabic (operated by the PUK) 97.4 - Continuous US pop music (as 92.3) 97.7 - Continuous US pop music (as 92.3) 98.1 - BBC World Service in English 98.3 - Iraqi Media Network, Radio Baghdad in Arabic 100.4 - US Radio Sawa in Arabic 107.4 - Continuous US pop music (as 92.3) AM/MEDIUMWAVE (kHz) 531 - (Iranian) IRIB Radio Sarasarye network in Persian 540 - Radio Kuwait Main Programme in Arabic 558 - IRIB Radio Farhang network in Persian 576 - IRIB Arabic Service 585 - (Saudi) BSKSA General Programme in Arabic 612 - IRIB Arabic Service 630 - Radio Kuwait Koran Programme in Arabic 657 - Unidentified station in Arabic and Kurdish 666 - IRIB Radio Sarasarye network in Persian 693 - Information Radio in Arabic 711 - IRIB Ahwaz regional in Arabic 720 - Voice of the Mujahidin in Arabic 729 - Abu Dhabi radio, UAE 756 - Iraqi Media Network in Arabic 783 - BSKSA 2nd Programme in Arabic 819 - Syrian Arab Republic Radio Main Programme in Arabic 864 - Radio Nejat in Persian 900 - IRIB Radio Sarasarye network in Persian 936 - BSKSA Koran Programme in Arabic 954 - Radio Qatar in Arabic 972 - IRIB Radio Sarasarye network in Persian 1026 - Iraqi Media Network, Radio Baghdad in Arabic 1134 - Radio Kuwait Main Programme in Arabic 1161 - IRIB Arabic Service 1170 - (US-run) Radio Farda in Persian 1206 - Voice of Israel in Arabic 1224 - IRIB Arabic Service 1233 - Radio Monte Carlo Middle East in Arabic 1251 - IRIB Radio Sarasarye network in Persian 1269 - Radio Kuwait Modern Arabic Music Service 1296 - Voice of Azerbaijan in Azeri - Radio Liberty relay 1314 - (US-run) Radio Free Iraq via Abu Dhabi 1341 - Radio Kuwait 2nd Programme in Arabic 1350 - Turkish-English Christian broadcast 1395 - Voice of Armenia in Armenian 1440 - BSKSA General Programme in Arabic 1449 - IRIB World Service in Russian 1467 - BSKSA General Programme in Arabic 1476 - Emirates Radio, UAE, in Arabic 1485 - IRIB Radio Sarasarye network in Persian 1503 - IRIB Radio Sarasarye network in Persian 1521 - IRIB Radio Farhang network in Persian 1539 - (US-run) Radio Farda in Persian 1548 - (US-run) Radio Sawa in Arabic 1566 - Radio of the Land of the Two Rivers in Arabic 1575 - Radio Al-Mustaqbal 1575 - Radio Asia, UAE, in Urdu 1593 - (US-run) Radio Farda in Persian Iraqi Media Network, Voice of New Iraq - operated by the US Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance. Has also identified as Republic of Iraq Radio from Baghdad and Voice of Free Iraq (Sawt al- Iraq al-Hurr). Broadcasts on 98.3 MHz FM in Baghdad. On 27 May 2003 the station was observed on 1026 kHz announcing as Iraqi Media Network, Radio Baghdad. The US-run radio now has a satellite relay in addition to the mediumwave 1026 kHz relay. Satellite details are Hot Bird, 13 degrees east, 11137 MHz, horizontal polarization. Radio Nahrain Since the end of March 2003, Radio Nahrain, also known as Twin Rivers Radio, has been transmitting on FM on 100.4 and 94.6 MHz from a location south of Basra. It has also been monitored on 909 kHz mediumwave. The station is operated by British forces, but was due to be taken over at some stage by the Coalition Provisional Authority. Voice of Freedom, Voice of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan radio in Arabic and Kurdish is operated by the PUK. It broadcasts daily from 1000-1900 gmt on 95.0 MHz. Turkomaneli TV and radio was launched in Kirkuk in April 2003 and broadcasts on behalf of the Iraqi Turkoman Front. Turkomaneli Radio opened radio stations in Talla'far and Mosul on 6 and 8 May respectively, the Iraqi Turkoman Front newspaper Turkomaneli reported on 11 May. Dangi Komal-Kirkuk radio broadcasts on 1341 kHz in Kurdish, Arabic and Turkish to Kirkuk on behalf of the Kurdistan Islamic Group. The Worker-Communist Party of Iraq's "Radio Bopeshawa" is reportedly back on the air. The internet site of the Worker-Communist Party of Iraq http://www.wpiraq.org reports that Ila al-Amam (Forward) Radio [usually rendered as Radio Bopeshawa, meaning "Forward"], voice of the Worker-Communist Party of Iraq, broadcasts for one hour a day on shortwave from 1100 gmt (half an hour in Arabic and half an hour in Kurdish), to the areas of Arbil, Kirkuk and Mosul. The same programme is repeated between 0500-0600 gmt the next day. The following are among stations in operation before April 2003 that continue to be heard inside Iraq: Voice of the People of Kurdistan, operated by the PUK Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan, operated by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) Radio Azadi, Voice of the Communist Party of Iraqi Kurdistan Ashur Radio - The station reportedly began operation in April 2000 and is operated by the Assyrian Democratic Movement, an opposition organization in northern Iraq. It broadcasts in Assyrian and Arabic on shortwave, reportedly from a transmitter in Azerbaijan. Voice of the Iraqi People, Voice of the Iraqi Communist Party - The station broadcasts from northern Iraq, possibly using Kurdish facilities. Voice of the Mojahed, the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization's radio, may still be located in Iraq, but this seems unlikely. This radio was previously broadcast via shortwave, satellite and with archive audio files on the internet. Studios were believed to be located in Baghdad. Following the fall of Saddam Husayn the station was observed to have ceased broadcasting for a few days in April. The station recommenced broadcasts only via satellite with archive audio files on the internet and its studio location is unconfirmed. The web site of the radio station is at: http://www.iran.mojahedin.org and the satellite is Telstar 12 at 15 degrees west. Al-Mustaqbal [The Future] radio is operated by the Iraqi National Accord. TELEVISION The Iraqi Media Network launched on 13 May. The Washington Post reported on 11 May that the US planned a nationwide Iraqi TV network to succeed the airborne Towards Freedom TV. The programme, initially for two hours but projected as a 24-hour full-service network, includes 30 minutes of news each night, including a local news segment, the report said. The station began broadcasts amid squabbling between its US and Canadian advisers, and complaints from its Iraqi journalists about "American censorship", international agencies reported. Since around 20 June both the Iraqi Media Network and another digital TV channel, Twin Rivers TV, have broadcast to Iraq from Eutelsat W1, located at 10 degrees east. Karbala - a local TV channel was launched on 16 April, according to United Arab Emirates Abu Dhabi TV on 6 May. Similar small-scale local channels are reported to be operating in Najaf and Kut, according to BBC News Online reporter Tarik Kafala, who visited the stations in June 2003. Freedom TV [Al-Hurriyah TV] is a PUK-sponsored television station that began test transmissions from Baghdad on 30 April. A PUK statement said viewers can access Freedom TV on UHF channel 38 from 1700-2200 gmt. Mosul TV was the "first station" to resume transmission in Iraq after the overthrow of Saddam Husayn, Dubai-based news channel Al-Arabiya TV reported on 10 May. Kirkuk TV channel started broadcasts on 23 April "under the supervision of the coalition forces", according to a report by the Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) newspaper Brayati on 25 April. Turkomaneli TV and radio was launched in Kirkuk in April 2003 and broadcasts on behalf of the Iraqi Turkoman Front. Turkomaneli Radio opened radio stations in Talla'far and Mosul on 6 and 8 May respectively, the Iraqi Turkoman Front newspaper Turkomaneli reported on 11 May. The Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization's (MKO) "Vision of Resistance TV" (Sima-ye Moqavemat) which was relayed by the former Republic of Iraq Television before and after normal broadcasting hours has not been reported on the air recently. Reportedly the studios were in Ashraf, north of Baghdad in Central Iraq. The only MKO TV programmes being traced at present are via satellite on the station "Simaye Azaidi Iran National TV" (Vision of Freedom National Iran TV), which is not located in Iraq but which the sat-address.com web site gives UK-based contact details. The web site is http://www.iranntv.com and satellites are the trans-Atlantic Telstar 12, Telstar 5 for North America and Atlantic Bird 3 covering all of Europe and the Middle East. KurdSat, the television station of the PUK, has expanded its broadcasts to Kirkuk and Khanaqin The KDP's television station Kurdistan TV now beams its programmes to Kirkuk and Mosul. The Iraqi newpaper Al-Qabas reported on 3 June that eight million satellite dishes would be imported from the United States, Japan, Korea and China. TV BAND IN BAGHDAD (sound frequencies in MHz) VHF 194.75 - Pro-coalition Media Network Television 222.75 - Unidentified Persian broadcast (possibly Al-Alam TV) UHF 484.75 - Pro-coalition Media Network Television 508.75 - Iranian Television First Channel 532.75 - Iranian Television Regional Service 604.75 - Pro-coalition Media Network Television 644.75 - Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Radio (in parallel with radio transmission on 4025 kHz) IRANIAN BROADCAST MEDIA ACCESSIBLE IN IRAQ TELEVISION The Iran-based Al-Alam TV channel in Arabic and English is a 24-hour news channel transmitted on four satellites (Arabsat, Asiasat, Telstar and Hot Bird satellites) and can be received in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and America. Al-Alam broadcasts into Baghdad from a powerful transmitter about 150 km away, just over the Iran-Iraq border. It is the only foreign channel that can be viewed by Iraqis without a satellite dish. That has sent its viewership soaring among Iraqis, who cannot afford a satellite dish and receiver. The Arabic channel began broadcasting in February 2003. English content currently is limited to horizontal news subtitles or news tickers. The station has a web site at http://www.alalamnews.com Sahar Universal Network 1 and 2 television, Iran's external satellite TV service on the Hot Bird 1-6 satellites, is viewable across Iraq and includes Arabic programming. It broadcasts on the 13 degrees East Hot Bird 1-6 satellite daily at 0500-2300 gmt. Its web site is located at http://www.sahartv.com Vision of the Islamic Republic of Iran television in Arabic is based in Tehran and sponsored by the state-run Vision of the Islamic Republic of Iran. It broadcasts daily to Iraq on the satellite parameter 11172 MHz V (6.8 MHz) 62 degrees East Intelsat 902. Al-Thaqalayn TV This channel, affiliated to an Iranian cultural institute of the same name, is targeted at viewers in Iraq and broadcasts religious programmes, the Tehran Times newspaper reported on 14 July. People in Iran's Ilam Province can watch the programmes as well, the report noted. Resistance Channel - this TV channel is called "Al-Estiqamah TV" in Arabic; in April 2003 it was reported to be using the facilities of Iranian radio and TV, including the aerial of Iran's Education Channel, to broadcast to Iraq. The station was inaugurated in early April 2003 by Ayatollah Baqr al-Hakim, the head of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq [SCIRI], according to the Tehran- based Baztab web site. The channel was untraced when checked from 5-7 July 2003, and may no longer be operational. A search of internet sites on 6 July revealed that the channel has left Intelsat 902, Hot Bird and Arabsat. RADIO Voice of the Mujahidin First observed on 17 April and broadcasting in Arabic, the station's content suggests that it is operated by the Iranian-backed Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI). In addition, the station is transmitting on one of several frequencies used by Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting for its external transmissions. Has been heard on 90.1 MHz FM, in parallel with 720 kHz. The content generally parallels that of the main SCIRI web site located at http://www.majlesaala.com Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran (VIRI) external service in Arabic can be heard on mediumwave and shortwave inside Iraq as well as via the Internet at http://www.irib.com Voice of Rebellious Iraq - broadcasts in Arabic and supports the Iranian-sponsored Shi'i group, the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI); believed to transmit from Iran. The station was untraced when checked from 5-7 July 2003. INTERNATIONAL MEDIA Major international radio and television stations, such as pan-Arab satellite television stations, the BBC Arabic and World service radio, US Radio Sawa, the Paris-based Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East and US- sponsored Radio Sawa and Radio Free Iraq are available in Iraq. BBC World Service is now 24 hours a day in Arabic on FM in Baghdad and Basra. The FM frequencies are 89.0 MHz in Baghdad and 90.0 MHz in Basra in Arabic. In Basra, the World Service can also be heard in English on FM on 88.0 MHz. Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East is now on FM on 93.5 MHz in Baghdad for 24 hours a day. Radio Sawa is on FM in Baghdad (100.4 MHz), Arbil (100.5 MHz) and Sulaymaniyah (88.0 MHz), as well as on 1548 MW. Since mid-May 2003, Libya has been broadcasting specifically to Iraq in Arabic. The shortwave broadcasts carrry the following announcement: "This is the general centre for broadcasts beamed from the Great Jamahiriyah: A message to the people of the two rivers [Iraq]." Libya broadcasts to Iraq daily on 7245, 9605 and 11660 kHz at 1800-1900 gmt. [see also LIBYA] Syrian Arab Republic Radio is the Syrian state-owned radio's external service. It broadcasts on shortwave on 12085 and 13610 kHz. It has also been heard in Iraq on the MW frequency of 819 kHz between 1100 and 1145 gmt. Its satellite parameters are 11572 MHz H (7.2 MHz) on 16 degrees East Eutelsat W2, and 3803 MHz LCHP 40.50 W NSS 806. Its broadcast times are 1100-1145, 1350-1450, 1830-1915 and 2215-2315 gmt. Radio Kuwait is the state-owned Kuwaiti radio. It can be received in Iraq on the MW frequency of 504 kHz at 1100-1145 gmt. Voice of Israel is Israel's state-owned radio. It broadcasts daily in Arabic on shortwave at 0300-2115 gmt on 5915 kHz and 12150 kHz. Access to all broadcast media is limited by the availability of electricity, radio and TV sets and the satellite equipment. INTERNET Uruklink, the Iraqi state internet service provider, was observed back in operation on 12 July after several months offline. The web site at http://www.uruklink.net includes links to live audio streams from the BBC Arabic Service, Radio Sawa and Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East. The US-led Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) that is administering postwar Iraq has launched a web site http://www.cpa-iraq.org The web site 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. An official source at the Ministry of Transport and Communications announced at the end of June 2003 that internet services to private subscribers in Baghdad would be resumed soon, and would be "free of charge", Al-Shira newspaper reported. SECURITY AND THE MEDIA The International Federation of Journalists on 7 July warned that Baghdad is "still a deadly war zone where no journalist's safety can be guaranteed," after a weekend in which a sniper shot and killed a British freelance and an Australian TV soundman died of wounds he received in a grenade attack a week previously. Their deaths brought the official media death toll of the war in Iraq to 19 journalists and media staff killed, with two journalists still missing. For a full list of media victims in the war in Iraq see the IFJ web site: http://www.ifj.org/ Source: BBC Monitoring research 15 Jul 03 (via DXLD) ** IRAQ. NEW TELEVISION STATION LAUNCHED IN MOSUL | Text of report by Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) newspaper Al-Ittihad on 14 July The governor of Ninawa, Ghanim Al-Basu, has launched the Ninawa television station, which covers an area of 100 km. It will reach all the administrative districts and subdistricts in the governorate. It is the second television channel after Mosul television channel, which broadcasts only to the city of Mosul. The city has also an independent radio station, called Ninawa radio broadcast. The two television stations broadcast from 1700 to 0200 [local time - 1400-2300 gmt]. The commander of northern operations region, Brig-Gen David Petraeus, also attended the launching of Ninawa television channel. Source: Al- Ittihad, Baghdad, in Arabic 14 Jul 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. PRANK MESSAGE VIA GOOGLE MOCKS WMD SEARCH By MATTHEW FORDAHL, AP Technology Writer, July 14 The hunt for weapons of mass destruction isn't going so well in Iraq.It's not going so well on Google, either. Type "weapons of mass destruction" into the Internet search engine and hit the "I'm feeling lucky" button. What you'll get is an authentic- looking error message created as a lark by a British pharmacist now enjoying his 15 minutes of Internet fame. "These Weapons of Mass Destruction cannot be displayed," it reads. "The country might be experiencing technical difficulties, or you may need to adjust your weapons inspectors mandate." No hacking was involved — or necessary. Anthony Cox, 34, of Birmingham, England, created the site in February to get a few chuckles from friends. Those friends — and friends of their friends — started linking to his page from their sites and Web diaries. The number of links to a particular site is a major factor that Google considers when indexing pages to be returned via its search engine. The "lucky" button takes users to the top-ranked page for a particular search. Cox, previously best known on the Web for his day job of studying drug safety, says he had no idea the page would reach the top of the list for WMD searches. "It was really just a private joke among a few individuals and then I sent it off to a newsgroup," he said. "It just spread like wildfire throughout February. ... And then it started to die down during the war. During that time it had accumulated links from other Web sites, which pushed it up the Google page ranking system. "Then it just went through the stratosphere in terms of hits," he said. "It became even more funny that Google couldn't find any WMD." Cox's site isn't the only popular page to take a tongue-in-cheek approach to serious queries. Type in "French military victories" and hit the "lucky" button. A page designed to look like it's from Google asks, "Did you mean: French military defeats." Mountain View, Calif.-based Google declined to comment on specifics, but a spokesman confirmed that those sites are at the top of the list because they scored the highest under the company's automated system. For users who hit the regular search button, Google returns 1.4 million pages on the search "weapons of mass destruction." Though Cox's joke is on top, the remainder are mostly serious. Cox says the number of hits reached a crescendo during the week of July 4 and has not showed any sign of slowing down. He's received hundreds of e-mail messages, including from weapons inspectors who found it amusing. A number of e-mails criticized Cox, who said he was not against the war. "It's been widely seen as anti-war, but that's not what my intention was," he said. Cox does not spare "Old Europe" either. "If you are an Old European Country trying to protect your interests, make sure your options are left wide open as long as possible," it reads. "Click the Tools menu, and then click on League of Nations. On the Advanced tab, scroll to the Head in the Sand section and check settings for your exports to Iraq." Cox says he hasn't experienced any major repercussions from the joke. "I don't have the White House or Donald Rumsfeld breathing down my neck yet," he said. "There hasn't been a SEAL extraction team to get me yet." On the Net: Cox's site: http://www.coxar.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ Google: http://www.google.com (via Daryl Rocker, NY, DXLD) ** IRELAND. RTÉ are running another transmitter test on 252 kHz today with a relay of RTÉ Radio 1 parallel MW 567kHz. Observed from tune in at 1340 UT. I understand that no decision has been taken over future use of the LW transmitter so this is likely to be another short test (Dave Kenny, Caversham, July 15, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. I was told, that at Sharon's press conference last night in London, a reporter asked him about plans to cut KI's Short Wave service. He said he had not heard about it, and it should not be allowed to happen (Doni Rosenzweig, July 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ===== NEW ARABIC-LANGUAGE RADIO STATION TAKES TO THE AIR By David Ratner Gaon Communications Group has `ambitions of coexistence' From Haaretz http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=317979&contrassID=2&subContrassID=1&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y Israel's only legal, commercial, Arabic-language radio station was dedicated yesterday on the outskirts of Kibbutz Ein Hahoresh, upon a hill topped with pine trees. Radio A-Shams is the 14th radio station to be created within the framework of the Second Authority for Television and Radio. The Second Authority is pinning big hopes on the new station, particularly after the stinging failure of Radio 2000, which operated in Nazareth between 1996 and November 2000. That station suffered an economic failure and during the October 2000 Arab Israeli riots, a problematic content aspect came to light in its broadcasts. Radio A-Shams is getting a head start. First, the Second Authority, rather than designating A-Shams a northern station broadcasting just to the Arab public in that region, decided to designate it a sectorial station aimed at Israel's entire Arab population. Reception will be beefed up in Jerusalem, Ramle, Lod and Jaffa. Second, A-Shams owners should provide a strong foundation for the station: Businessmen Suheil and Amal Kram control 51 percent of the station; the Gaon Communications Group - owned by Yehoram and Benny Gaon - holds another 20 percent; Sami Shimon owns 16 percent of A- Shams shares; Robar Asraf 10 percent; and Yazid Hadid 3 percent. The invitation to the opening indicated the station is situated in "Nazareth-Ein Hahoresh," but the site is far from Nazareth and close to the homes of Kibbutz Ein Hahoresh. The station was established on land owned by Soheil and Amal Kram that was once a Histadrut labor federation-run convalescent home. Yesterday's opening was like a vision of the New Middle East. The broadcast center housing the studios, called by senior Second Authority officials the most impressive in Israel, was stuccoed in orange and surrounded by an expanse of green grass upon which sat together Jews and Arabs, senior Christian figures and business people, Sheikh Kamal Khatib, deputy head of the Islamic Movement and its most senior figure not currently in detention. Mira Awad, star of "My Fair Lady," sang at the event, accompanied by guitarist Ron Lauer. "The joint establishment of the station brings more business," Yehoram Gaon said. "In the past, there hasn't been nearly any business between Arabs and Jews. This radio is not a place where investors are looking for big money; we certainly have ambitions of coexistence and cooperation." Despite Gaon's expressions of utopia yesterday, business is business. The Gaon Communications Group is responsible for handling Radio A- Shams' marketing, while the Krams will deal primarily with the station's day-to-day operations. Some $1 million were invested in the establishment of the new station. Investors note the potential for advertising and sponsorships in the range of NIS 5 million annually. There is also the technical side. The station will broadcast a program - similar to that of other regional stations - including Arabic and foreign music, with a separate news and current events department. While there will be light programming, unlike regional stations in the center of the country, profanities will neither be uttered nor alluded to. Sports will hold a big slot in the programming lineup; the station is pleased with the standing of the two Arab soccer teams in the Premier League and has already secured rights to broadcast their matches. But the pride of A-Shams is centered on the new station's news bureau. Because the station is not able to purchase Hebrew news broadcasts from other stations, it is forced to produce its own news reports. A- Shams is thus employing eight field reporters who will be spread out between Fasuta in the north and Jerusalem in the south. Veteran newsman Mustafa Abd Elhalim, who heads up the A-Shams news department, said there will be five-minute news reports every hour between 6 A.M. and midnight. The station will also broadcast three extended news programs of two hours total and "light" two-hour current events programs every morning. Nava Bat-Tzur, the Second Authority's deputy general manager for radio affairs, said the authority will not dictate A-Shams content but will monitor the station's as it does those with all stations operating under its authority. "We have the experience of what happened with Radio 2000. During the October 2000 riots, they broadcast inciteful mosque sermons, they referred to the Israel Defense Forces as the `occupation army.' We didn't force them to change, but we were certainly involved. I have no doubt that A-Shams will walk a fine line; but it will need to find its own way." Gaon also said the news bureau will be independent. "I wouldn't want to them to come to loggerheads with the state. All in all, this is my homeland but the station will certainly be free to reflect the public it is serving," he said. News manager Elhalim said he was still undecided. For example, Elhalim said he will not refer to the "Israel Defense Forces" - an expression that does not sit well with the Arab public - when reporting on IDF operations. On the other hand, he will not allow the use of the term "occupation army." Elhalim said the solution will be to simply use the term "army." News reports dealing with suicide attacks raise another problem. The Arabic word "shahidim" - martyrs - will not be used on A- Shams, but neither will the word "terrorists." The happy middle ground, for the meantime, is "life-taking operations." (via Doni Rosenzweig, DXLD) ** KURDISTAN. TURKEY: RADYO DUNYA SUSPENDED FOR AIRING KURDISH SONGS | Excerpt from report by German-based Kurdish newspaper Ozgur Politika web site on 15 July Radyo Dunya, which broadcasts locally in Adana, was closed for one month by the Radio and Television High Council [RTUK] for airing Kurdish songs on the programme entitled the "History of the Kurdish Language and Literature." Another ban on the broadcasts of Radyo Dunya was imposed by the Telecommunications Institution Mersin Regional Directorate. The broadcasts of Radyo Dunya were temporarily suspended on the grounds that it occupied a frequency over the "Air SS and Communications Systems". [passage omitted] Source: Ozgur Politika web site, Neu-Isenburg, in Turkish 15 Jul 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) WTFK? ** KUWAIT. Re DXLD 3-124, DRM on 15110 Still in effect? No --- the DRM transmissions on 15110 ceased on or about July 10 and the station is now transmitting AM signals once again. I wonder if they have regained their audience in South Asia? 73s, (Noel Green, England, July 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBERIA. V. of Liberty, 11515v: The station is now off the air, here's the latest info from Morgan Freeman, received in connection with an email confirmation of my report from May 13: ``This station is located in Monrovia Liberia and it is in the middle of a war right now. We are not broadcasting becasue we ran out of fuel and the banks are closed. As soon as the troops get their and the banks open we will be on the air.. Thank you so much. please see if you can here our other stations 17.775 13.595 7.490 thank you`` (via Mika Mäkeläinen, Finland, July 15, dxing.info via DXLD) i.e. KVOH, WJIE and WJIE --- KVOH yes, WJIE no (gh, OK, DXLD) ** LIBYA [non] via FRANCE??: LJB service in Arabic to Iraq noted in USB mode: 1203-1303 on 17600 (55444) ||||| new additional transmission 1800-1900 on 11660 (53543) co-ch China Radio International in Mandarin Chinese/French in AM mode (Observer, Bulgaria, July 15 via DXLD) ** MALTA. Re 998.85: Hi Stig, Salvo Miccichè and I, here in south Italy, noted Radju Malta out of frequency since last year. We sent also a couple of email to PBS (Roberto Scaglione, Italy, http://www.bclnews.it DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALTA [non]. /ITALY: Frequency change for Voice of Mediterranean in It/En via ROM 100 kW / ND 1700-1800 Mon-Sat NF 6185 (55555), ex 9605 to avoid BBC in Hindi/Urdu (Observer, Bulgaria, July 15 via DXLD) ** PALESTINE. PALESTINIAN RADIO HEARD AGAIN AFTER "TECHNICAL MALFUNCTION" Palestinian radio Voice of Palestine which is usually heard with good reception on the FM frequency of 90.7 MHz, was unheard at tune in at 0400 gmt on 15 July. The station abruptly became unheard at 1522 gmt on 14 July. At 0642 gmt on 15 July, the station was heard again on the FM frequency of 90.7 MHz. The announcer welcomed listeners back on the air and said the station would now resume transmission "following a technical malfunction in the radio station's transmitter". The announcer added that Voice of Palestine could now be heard on the FM frequencies of 90.7 MHz and 99.5 MHz. The station then carried music and a review of Arab press. Palestinian TV (Gaza, in Arabic) continues to be heard with good reception since tune in at 0400 gmt on 15 July and is carrying regularly scheduled programming consisting of newscasts, talk shows and children's programmes. Palestinian news agency Wafa web site (Gaza, in Arabic) continues to carry normal traffic on the latest developments in the Palestinian territories. Source: Voice of Palestine, Ramallah, in Arabic 0642 gmt 15 Jul 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) N.B.: DXLD country headings often differ from those used by sources quoted. BBCM used to head items like this ``WEST BANK & GAZA`` but now they come with no country heading at all (gh) ** PERU. Hola Amigos! 1610 kHz es Radio Sabor... desde Paucarpata, Arequipa. PERÚ Hello my friends! 1610 kHz is Radio Sabor, from Paucarpata, In Arequipa, PERÚ. 73 (Alfredo `Space Master` Cañote, Perú, July 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 1610.10 per Malm ** PUERTO RICO [non?]. 5446.5, Armed Forces Radio and Television at Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico verified an e-mail report with a Word attachment in 1 day from April Ball, Broadcast Operations Specialist indicating "The signal originates from Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Station, Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico." My reception report was consist with published reports that initially put this freq as coming from the Florida Keys so the reply is somewhat confusing. I have not heard from them for my 7 MHz report and a follow up e-mail inquiry about tx sites has gone unanswered (Rich (D`Angelo, NASWA Prez, DXplorer July 13 via Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Starting from this afternoon a new Russian broadcaster (program) is on the air. Unfortunately, I do not remember their exact mediumwave schedule via our high-power transmitters (I will define it tomorrow), but here are some details (UT): 1215 kHz 1900-2100 1386 kHz 1900-2000 or 2000-2100 1494 kHz 1500-1700 1494 kHz 2000-2100 (starting from August 10) Just checked them at 1500 on 1494 kHz: news at the beginning, ID at 1504 as "Russkoye Mezhdunarodnoye Radio --- Rossiya vsegda s toboi" (= "Russian International Radio - Russia is always with you"), a lot of Russian modern lyric pop songs, at 1518 they announced their schedule as 1600-0100 Moscow time (=1200-2100 UT). I could not find any // SW frequencies during my short monitoring at beginning of the hour. My friend Alexander Beryozkin (he is a well known Russian DXer from St. Petersburg too) just informed me that Russian International Radio is a joint project of our Voice of Russia and our Russkoye Radio (latest one is a world's biggest FM network including more that 700 local FM transmitters here in Russian and in the CIS). No any information about their postal/e-mail addresses yet. If you will check any of these MW frequencies please send me a copy of your possible future messages to any DX electronic lists (Mikhail Timofeyev, Russia, July 15, hard- core-dx via DXLD) ** RWANDA. Yes, Rwanda is in the clear from 2027 to 2100 [on 6055]. Nice signal here in south Italy (Roberto Scaglione, http://www.bclnews.it Italy, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SAO TOME. The fellow in Massachusetts who reported receiving IBB/VOA São Tomé is almost surely correct in his ID of it, as Glenn points out. Just for fun, I did a couple of fast calculations of anticipated signal strength from Sao to Boston using various formulae from ITU and FCC. The distance is about 9000 km. Depending upon the formula used, the 10% time signal at SS + 2 or at midnight (some formulae use one and some the other) could be as much as 115 uV/m, which is certainly a receivable signal. The azimuth from São to Boston is about 312 degrees true, and São radiates an ERP of about 2 megawatts in that direction. (Referenced to the nominal 300 mV/m/kW/km. The major lobes of the antenna pattern are at about 330 and 110 degrees.) Nice to see that it's working so well after the tower replacement and Graham Powell's consequent readjustment! (Ben Dawson, July 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SRI LANKA. LTTE flap in CANADA: q.v. ** SYRIA. I have heard noise within 25m from Syria 12085 when it has been operating mornings. Currently it is not on air. There are supposed to be 4 X 500 kW THO of 500 kW at Adra, but I have some doubts about this, having never heard 4 simultaneous Syrian frequencies on air. And why continue to operate this faulty unit on 12085 if there are two others available? A strange situation (Noel R. Green, UK, BC-DX July 12 via DXLD) ** U K. BBC vs ISRAEL: q.v. ** U K. BBC NORTH AMERICAN AUDIENCE "INCREASES BY 70%" SINCE 2001 According to the BBC's Annual Report and Accounts, published today, the BBC's audience in North America has increased from 2.3 million to 3.9 million since shortwave transmissions of the World Service were dropped in July 2001. That's an increase of 70%. BBC World Service coverage of the conflict in Iraq was taken by 353 US public radio stations compared to 265 in March 2002. The BBC says that, on average, 22% of "opinion formers" in Boston, New York and Washington listen to the World Service each week. The full report is available online: http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/report2003/ [link also via Daniel Say] Andy Sennitt comments: Raw figures, of course, only tell part of the story. Many of the people who used to listen to the BBC on shortwave did so for many hours a week, taking in a whole range of programmes covering music, the arts, science, and sport as well as current affairs. Most of the people listening to the BBC via public radio stations will only hear news and current affairs, and usually in small doses (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 15 July 2003 via DXLD) ** U K. The BBC as the offspring of the Church of England? ANGLOSPHERE: ANTI-DISESTABLISHMENTARIANISM --- By James C. Bennett, United Press International, Published 7/14/2003 8:07 AM WASHINGTON, July 13 (UPI) -- One of the interesting differences within the Anglosphere is the variety of ways to run national broadcasting industries. Anglosphere newspapers are all alike, financially speaking -- they are all pretty much privately financed enterprises -- but each Anglosphere broadcasting system is structured in its own way. The two principal models are the American one of privately owned networks supported by advertising revenues, and the British one of a tax-supported organization, the British Broadcasting Corp., governed by a politically appointed board, that is supposed to provide a "national" voice representative of the whole nation and its various viewpoints. Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and other Anglosphere nations tend to fall somewhere in between these two models, although the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. resembles the BBC substantially. What is interesting about the two competing models is the way they echo, in certain ways, the differing approaches to the organization of religion that have historically held sway in each country. Interestingly enough, this parallel continues to be instructive today, as both the Church of England and the BBC are increasingly subject to debate over whether they should be disestablished. . . http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20030713-113006-7095r An interesting thesis (via Harry Helms W7HLH Las Vegas, NV DM26, DXLD) ** U K. SALARY BILL FOR TOP BBC MANAGERS UP BY 13% Executives face grilling by MPs over Yentob's extra earnings Matt Wells, media correspondent, Tuesday July 15, 2003, Guardian The salary bill for the BBC's most senior managers went up by 13% in the past year, the Guardian has learned. According to a leaked copy of the BBC's annual report, due to be published today, the total amount paid to its executive committee - which includes the director general, Greg Dyke, and TV supremo Alan Yentob - rose from -L-4.707m in 2001-02 to -L-5.316m in the last financial year. The report also shows that Mr Yentob, the director of drama, entertainment and children's programmes, was paid an extra -L-20,000 for presenting the arts documentary series Imagine - in total, he took home -L-321,000. Senior BBC executives will be questioned on the report by the Commons select committee for culture, media and sport today. . . http://www.guardian.co.uk/Print/0,3858,4712507,00.html (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U K. BBC TO DEFEND BALANCE AS CHIEFS FACE MPS By Tim Burt and James Blitz, Financial Times; Jul 15, 2003 The BBC will today issue a strong defence of the corporation's impartiality as a Commons select committee prepares to question executives over its public service remit and finances . . . http://makeashorterlink.com/?H14C11645 (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U K. BBC CHIEFS ROASTED BY MPS By Vanessa Allen, Chief Reporter, PA News 15 July 2003 Senior BBC executives were today criticised for producing a "complacent" annual report as they appeared before a committee of MPs. The 133-page review of the BBC's performance and accounts was likened to "an Enron annual report" by Chris Bryant, a member of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee. "This is just about the most complacent report I have ever seen," he told senior representatives of the corporation. He said he had been unable to find any major criticism of the BBC's performance. . . http://news.independent.co.uk/low_res/story.jsp?story=424683&host=3&dir=62 (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U K. THE death of Hamilton Duckworth, head of the BBC's Arabic Service 1976-81, must have added significance in the wake of the Iraq war. Full article: http://www.thescotsman.co.uk/obituaries.cfm?id=768892003 (via G. Pollard, July 15, DXLD) ** U K. PIRATE DJS OFFERED CHANCE TO GO LEGAL By Ian Burrell, Media and Culture Correspondent 15 July 2003 Media After being branded the scourge of the airwaves for more than 40 years, pirate radio DJs are to be offered the chance to win their own shows on legal stations. The Government's radio authorities have approved a controversial scheme being launched today by Kiss 100 to give pirate broadcasters the chance to perform lawfully to a national audience. Four pirate radio DJs will be allowed to play on Kiss for two hours each, with the winner promised his or her own show on the station. The Radio Authority, the government agency that approves licences for legal broadcasting, has given its approval to the scheme in the hope that it will encourage the pirates to respect the law. Mike Phillips, the authority's senior programme and advertising officer, said: "It's a good way to try and lure people away from illegal stations." Mr Phillips said he hoped other legal radio stations would set up similar competitions. The authority is concerned at the proliferation of pirate stations. The Radiocommunications Agency, aligned to the Department of Trade and Industry, made 1,000 raids on stations last year and increased prosecutions by 145 per cent. Mr Phillips said: "There are a couple of pirate stations I listen to because they are a cut above the ones who only go on air to give shout-outs to their mates down the road. It would be nice if some of the better-run stations did take up the Kiss offer." Kiss, which broadcasts to 1.5 million people in the London area and a further million nationally on digital radio, has been warned not to mention the frequencies of unlicensed stations on air. The launch of "Pirate Radio Soundclash" also marks a return to its roots by Kiss, which was once Britain's best-known pirate station, but is now a mainstream broadcaster in the Emap media empire. Before it obtained its licence in 1990, Kiss gave a platform to DJs such as Trevor Nelson, Tim Westwood, Judge Jules and Danny Rampling, now some of the biggest names in British dance music. The four semi-finalists will play back-to-back one evening in September. Listeners will be asked to vote for the DJ worthy of a three-month contract to present a show. (c) 2001 Independent Digital (UK) Ltd (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. On the IBB front I was delighted to catch both Vietnamese and Korean RFA coming thru with good strength and totally unjammed betwenn 1400 and 1500. Needless to say all Mandarin is still overwhelmed by the crashing cymbals (Dan Goldfarb, Brentwood, England, July 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) No further details ** U S A. Re R. Farda non-QSLing: The problem for international broadcasters is that as budgets have been cut, the amount of secretarial time available for filling out QSL cards is limited. When cuts are made, they're made as far as possible outside the areas of programme production and delivery. Sending out QSL's is not seen as a "core business", particularly for stations like Radio Farda which frankly don't need reports from people beyond their target audience. If you receive anything at all, it's done as a courtesy. The other problem is that - present company excepted - the standard of reception reports these days is often appalling. Nobody takes the trouble to learn how to do it properly (though we still have Writing Useful Reception Reports on our Web site). I see some reports that are sent to Radio Netherlands by E-mail, and frankly if it were up to me I'd send the reports back with a standard covering letter explaining why they could not be verified (I did this years ago when I did some QSL'ing for World Music Radio. If you have a QSL card bearing my signature you have a real rarity because I didn't send out many.) Trying to check these bad reports is time-consuming and explains why more and more broadcasters are automating the process. I agree that an automated QSL is not like a "real" QSL, but frankly sometimes it's all you're going to get. Having said that, at Radio Netherlands the reports are still checked by human beings :-) (Andy Sennitt, Radio Netherlands (which does not necessarily endorse my personal opinions), hard-core-dx via DXLD) see also ERITREA ** U S A. The NASB continues to grow. We want to welcome our newest member, KAIJ in Dallas, Texas, directed by Mike Parker. KAIJ was originally founded as KCBI back in the 1980's, and the call letters were changed when it was sold to its current owners. Also recently joining us is Word Broadcasting, which operates WJIE in Kentucky and KVOH in California. KVOH had already been an NASB member through its former operator, High Adventure Broadcasting, but WJIE is completely new to us. NASB's membership now stands at 14 organizations representing 18 of the 25 FCC-licensed shortwave stations. Our newest associate member is VT Merlin Communications, which operates the world's largest shortwave transmitter network. Some of our NASB members are affiliated with Merlin. You'll find an article about them elsewhere in this Newsletter, and you'll be able to meet them personally at next year's NASB annual meeting. The NASB Board has approved a one-year publicity campaign aimed at increasing awareness of the Association and its members (and associate members) among shortwave listeners in the three primary target areas of NASB member stations -- North America, Latin America and Europe. (Eleven of our 14 members broadcast to Europe and North America; 10 broadcast to Latin America.) We are putting together a large professional display with photos of all of our member stations, and we will take it to the largest gatherings of shortwave listeners on each of the three continents. The first event will be the Mexican National Meeting of DXers and Shortwave Listeners to be held in Tizayuca, Hidalgo (just north of Mexico City) July 31-August 3, 2003. The second event will be the Shortwave Listeners Winterfest in Kulpsville, Pennsylvania in March of next year. And finally there's the European DX Council Conference to be held somewhere in Europe in the summer of 2004. I am happy to report that as of this writing in mid-July, already over half of our members have sent their photos for the display and a great variety of items to be handed out to listeners at the meeting in Mexico -- program schedules, stickers, pens, keychains, t-shirts, bags, pennants and many other promotional materials. I have also been asked by the meeting's organizers to give a presentation about the NASB and our participation in the recent HFCC Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa. Many shortwave club leaders, publication editors and program producers attend these meetings, and our objective is to introduce the NASB to these people and obtain contact information so we can provide them with news releases and articles about our future activities. We will also have the chance to chat with listeners about their likes and dislikes, listening habits, etc. And we will be able to meet colleagues from various Mexican and international shortwave stations who also attend the meeting. This campaign is being carried out at a very modest cost and should provide us with a lot of free publicity in the future which will reach our listeners and potential listeners in our primary target areas. We want to thank WSHB, which has loaned us a very nice professional display for these events. It would have cost us over $1000 to buy such a display (Jeff White, July NASB Newsletter via DXLD) ** U S A. WRMI WELCOMES IBC RADIO ON WEEKENDS Beginning July 19, 2003, the IBC (International Broadcasting Corp.) Radio Network will be broadcast for 28 hours each weekend on WRMI. IBC Radio, like WRMI, believes in the concept of commercial shortwave broadcasting. Its weekend programming is an eclectic format consisting of excerpts of newscasts and other programs from various international broadcasters, old-time radio theatre (such as "The Twilight Zone"), music programs, commercial announcements and much more. Frequent spots during its programming invite shortwave listeners to invest in the medium by becoming shareholders in the International Broadcasting Corporation, a publicly-traded company http://www.ibcradio.com IBC Radio Network will be broadcast on WRMI at 1200-2200 UT Saturday on 15725 kHz, 0300-0900 UT Sunday on 7385, 1400-2000 UT Sunday on 15725, and 0300-0900 UT Monday on 7385 kHz. Incidentally, WRMI has a new QSL card featuring tourist attractions in the state of Florida which listeners will receive for all correct reception reports sent to WRMI, P.O. Box 526852, Miami, Florida 33152 USA. WRMI will take part in the NASB (National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters) exhibition at the National Meeting of Mexican DXers in Tizayuca, just north of Mexico City, from July 31 to August 3. Shortwave Listeners and DXers from throughout Mexico -- and some from the U.S. -- will be at the event, as well as representatives from Mexican and international shortwave radio stations. A demonstration of DRM digital shortwave reception will also take place at the meeting. Listeners from any country are welcome to attend. The meeting itself is free of charge; attendees pay for their own food and accommodations. For more information, write to: info@wrmi.net. Jeff White, General Manager, WRMI Radio Miami International 175 Fontainebleau Blvd., Suite 1N4, Miami, Florida 33172 USA Tel +1-305-559-9764 Fax +1-305-559-8186 E-mail: radiomiami9@cs.com http://www.wrmi.net (July 14 via DXLD) Arriving almost simultaneously was this; so now we know what the `discussions` were about --- (gh) For Immediate Release --- IBC RADIO NETWORK ACQUIRES LARGE BLOCKS OF SHORTWAVE AIRTIME ON WEEKENDS SANTA MARIA, CA -- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- July 14, 2003 -- International Broadcasting Corporation (OTCBB:IBCS) reports that its discussions with International Shortwave Station WRMI are progressing positively. WRMI is a 50,000 watt International shortwave station based in Miami, Florida. In the first phase of discussions, IBC Radio Network http://www.IBCradio.com has acquired four large blocks of shortwave airtime on the weekends. The schedule is as follows: [EDT, judging from UT timings above from WRMI itself] Saturday 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. on 15725 kHz (10 hours) Saturday 11:00 p.m.-Sunday 5:00 a.m. on 7385 kHz (6 hours) Sunday 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. on 15725 kHz (6 hours) Sunday 11:00 p.m.-Monday 5:00 a.m. on 7385 kHz (6 hours) This expanded shortwave airtime will increase worldwide awareness of International Broadcasting Corporation, its products and services, as well as IBC Radio Network and its strategic partners and advertisers. In light of this expansion, the IBC Radio Network schedule will be adjusted for maximum benefit. About IBC Radio Network IBC Radio Network is a unique radio service focused on providing niche programming not found on major radio networks. On the air 24 hours per day, seven days per week, the service provides pioneering shows like "Stock Talk LIVE," the very first 7-hour long, fully interactive business radio talk show focused exclusively on micro-cap stocks each and every stock market day. "The Lou Gentile Show" and "Encounters," explore the world of the paranormal. "Late Night Extreme Talk," and "Talk Show America" tackle some of the hottest political issues of our time. "Sound Explorer with Wade Gordon," traces the humble origins of synthesizers to the digital glory of today. "Changesurfer Radio" discusses cloning, futurism, space, technology and a multitude of other fascinating topics. "Old Time Radio" provides a glimpse into the history of radio, with old time radio shows from the early part of the 20th century. Hosted by Stacy Keach, "The Twilight Zone®" Radio Series is a new radio drama provided by Falcon Picture Group. Each episode is a radio adaptation of the popular science fiction television series and stars some of Hollywood's hottest celebrities. "The Shortwave Report" and "Shortwave Radio Network" is a compilation of English language shortwave radio programs from different countries all over the world, making IBC Radio Network a "one stop shop" for worldwide broadcasts. Shortwave Radios are available online at http://www.ibcradio.com/shortwaveorder.htm About International Broadcasting Corporation International Broadcasting Corporation is a developmental stage company that endeavors to develop successful publishing, media, and broadcasting related businesses and ventures. The Company is focused on developing and providing both online and offline information and entertainment content through three units -- IBC Radio Network http://www.IBCradio.com IBC News Network http://www.ibcnn.com and IBC Entertainment Group http://www.cultmoviesonline.com Statements in this press release other than statements of historical fact are "forward-looking statements." Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties including the demand for the Company's services, litigation, labor market, and other risk factors identified from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that could cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements represent the Company's judgment as of the date of this release. The Company disclaims, however, any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements. Contact: International Broadcasting Corporation Daryn P. Fleming, 805-938-5573 [805 = Los Ángeles] invest@ibcmedia.com Source: (International Broadcasting Corporation, July 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) IBC RADIO NETWORK ACQUIRES LARGE BLOCKS OF SHORTWAVE AIRTIME ON WEEKENDS (ON WRMI) [same] http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/cb_headline.cgi?&story_file=bw.071403/231955673&directory=/google&header_file=header.htm&footer_file= (via Kim Elliott, Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Hi Glenn, Here`s one I've meant to ask you about for some time. Recently while doing my frequency monitoring (don't ya just love it when ya have to put in an "all nighter") I observed once again something interesting. According to my freq database, I have listed Dr. Gene Scott's University Network from Russia as; 0000-0200 9940as; 0300-1600 17765as; 1700-2300 9940as. Has anyone EVER heard either of these frequencies at any hour? I never have in my many hours of monitoring, and I wondered if you had. Is this station active? Maybe some of your readers might enlighten me, and I could do some updating for MT. Could there be a new freq for these hours? I'm not a big fan of 'Doc", but you have to admit he is entertaing to watch on satellite. (W3/20). (Gayle Van Horn, Monitoring Times Frequency Manager, QSL Report, SWBC Logs Columnist Grove Enterprises, the publisher of Monitoring Times magazine Telephone: 828-837-9200/ FAX: 828-837-6100 http://www.grove-ent.com gaylevanhorn@monitoringtimes.com Your NUMBER ONE source for current worldwide English shortwave frequencies...updated monthly! Why look anywhere else ? DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. This morning I quickly checked the Family Radio test on 3955 at 0445: Only a weak signal, hardly better than WYFR 9985 and on the other hand much weaker than Wertachtal 3995 (which however already suffered from noticeable daytime absorption), indicating that this was indeed Skelton. Of course an absolutely disappointing result for a single-hop transmission (Kai Ludwig, Germany, July 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Hi Bill, Any chance of reviving your TIS info site? 73, (Glenn to Bill Harms, via DXLD) I have given up (for now) on the TIS site. With the proliferation of BC stations which inhibits long distance DX of TISs, up-to-date information which can be found at the FCC's site for local government TISs, time commitments here, it become more of a chore than a fun thing to do. I think there is a need to assemble a Federal government TIS list and maybe a low-powered unlicensed TIS list, and I might try to tackle that (Bill Harms, Elkridge MD, July 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. And here in Rochester, we heard a rather high-power signal calling itself "100.9 the Pirate, Rochester's Rock Station" over on the west side of town last week. (We also heard one in Burlington, VERMONT when we were up there a few weeks back - "Radio Free Burlington" on 87.9.) (Scott Fybush, NE Radio Watch July 14 via DXLD) I just took a listen for the Rochester pirate, and easily got it. After one classic rock song, the announcer said, "Now here's another 70's request on The Pirate 100.9 FM stereo The Rock of Rochester". The signal is very stable and is quite strong even here on the east side of town in Penfield (~~~Tim Katlic~~~Rochester, July 14, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U S A. Re used vehicle promotions on public radio: WRVO in Oswego, NY has has had a similar promotion as well for quite some time, though I have not heard it in the past few weeks (Roger Chambers, NY, July 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) On KUNM it`s not just cars, but motorcycles and boats they want (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. The Todd Mundt Show is a daily hour of interviews on Michigan Radio and a number of other public stations http://toddshow.org/stations.asp We had heard rumors that it was coming to and end and now the website http://toddshow.org/ says ``Our final show is July 25th`` Check daily topics at the site; airs M-F 1706 and 2406 UT on Michigan Radio (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. AFTER ITS REBELLIONS, A NEW KPFK Michael Hiltzik, July 14 2003 Among the hallmarks of truly independent thinkers is that they're impossible to manage. This is why productive research labs are often hives of unkempt corporate rebels and why conferences of anarchist political parties invariably deteriorate into, well, anarchy. The complete article can be viewed at: http://www.latimes.com/la-fi-golden14jul14,0,1144689.column (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** U S A. PBS, CNN NOT SO ARTFUL AS DODGERS EXECS CAN'T SPIT OUT ANSWERS TO CRITICS http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/07/15/DD227485.DTL (Tim Goodman, San Francisco Chronicle via Current, DXLD) ** U S A. JOHN TWEEL, EERILY ATTUNED TO DAN RATHER'S FREQUENCY By Jane Horwitz, Special to The Washington Post, Tuesday, July 15, 2003; Page C05 Actor John Tweel's portrayal of Dan Rather in "Kenneth, What Is the Frequency?" is so accurate it's almost spooky. Cherry Red Productions' original play runs Fridays and Saturdays at 11 p.m. [= 0300 UT Sat & Sun] through Aug. 9 at Source Theatre. Getting the voice was tricky but not daunting. The CBS News anchor, says Tweel, "sounds like a normal guy, which is kind of tough. He has a Texas accent. He has the clipped cadences, the formal sense of speech, [as if] he's checking everything he's saying to make sure it'll come out right." The real problem was acting Rather. "All the situations that we placed Dan Rather in -- getting beaten, on a train, at a party . . . -- I took my own reactions, what I would do in those situations . . . and put on top of all that Dan Rather's voice and mannerisms," Tweel said. Cherry Red's hip, ironic, even (Heaven forbid) existential play examines the weirdness that took place in October 1986 on New York's Upper East Side when Rather was accosted by two men who kept asking him, "Kenneth, what is the frequency?" while they beat him up. A convicted felon and psychiatric patient named William Tager confessed to the attack, but playwrights Ian Allen (Cherry Red's artistic director) and Monique LaForce don't buy that version. Their play is based on a December 2001 essay in Harper's Magazine by Paul Limbert Allman and additional research by LaForce (a research librarian by day). In a nutshell (oddly appropriate, but we digress), the writers believe Rather was attacked by people connected to fiction writer Donald Barthelme. Rather and Barthelme (who died in 1989) were fellow Houstonians who had plenty of opportunity to cross paths, they say. And Barthelme's prose contains the phrase "What is the frequency" and the name Kenneth. Allen says he was "captivated" by Allman's article, noting, "It seemed like such an interesting puzzle." Says LaForce: "It's an exceedingly bizarre incident that happened to a very famous and well-known person that has never been solved. So I think people find [it] very fascinating." In the play, the attack on Rather is reenacted several times, "Rashomon"-style. It ends with a puppet show written in Barthelme's avant-garde style. "We wanted people to understand that this is make-believe," Allen says. "The puppet show is actually the leap of faith . . . a bridge to get to the point where we can actually believe in these theories." (c) 2003 The Washington Post Company (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. WTAM outage TONIGHT! FYI for anyone wanting to poke around 1100 tonight. Message below from Dave: "WTAM 1100 will be off tonight at 12:06 A.M. (presuming a storm free night) and will most likely be down until 2:30 A.M. Wednesday morning. We need to recheck our base impedance for both main and aux. towers and perform some other routine maintenance. Anyone DXing tonight might enjoy this.... Dave Szucs, Director of Engineering, Clear Channel Radio Cleveland" (via Paul Jellison, CC Cincinnati, July 15, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. U.S. X-BAND AT A GLANCE July 2003 Compiled by Tony King, Greytown, New Zealand 1610 CJWI Montreal QUE FF Caribbean music. 1620 WBUB Atmore AL Yet to be heard in US x WPHG & WPNS WDND South Bend IN ESPN Radio 1620 KOZN Bellevue NE ESPN Sport .``The Zone`` WTAW College Station TX `Newstalk 16-20 WTAW` CBS Nx KBLI Blackfoot ID SS ``Radio Fiesta`` KYIZ Renton WA Urban/Contemporary Soul KSMH West Sacramento, CA Rel. ``Catholic Radio KSMH`` WDHP Frederikstad, US Virgins BBC WS to 0900. ID at :59 1630 KCJJ Iowa City IA Hot AC /Classic Rock KKWY Fox Farm WY C&W AP nx `` K-W-Y`` KNAX Ft Worth/Dallas TX SS. Radio Vida/ Radio Dos Mil Dos. EE ID :58 WTEL Augusta GA `Newstalk 1630 WTEL` x WRDW 1640 WKSH Sussex WI Disney KDZR Lake Oswego OR Disney KDIA Vallejo CA Talk/religious/life issues WTNI Biloxi MS ``news,Talk, AM1640 WTNI`` ABC News KMKZ Enid OK Construction Permit granted. Pwr FCC approved KBJA Sandy UT SS/Radio Unica EE ID on hour 1650 WHKT Portsmouth VA ``AM1650 WHKT Portsmouth, Radio Disney`` KDNZ Cedar Falls IA Talk/ Sport ``The Talk Station``//KCNZ KWHN Fort Smith AR `Newstalk 1650 KWHN` KBJD Denver CO Talk. ``KNUS-2`` KFOX Torrance CA Korean/ EE ID on hour 1660 KTIQ Merced CA Sporting News Network `The Ticket`` WWRU Elizabeth NJ PP & SS Radio Unica/R. Portugal. CP10 kW nites WCNZ Marco Is FL `Newsradio 1660` AP nx. WQSN Kalamazoo MI Sports/talk ESPN KRZX Waco TX ``Newstalk KRZX`` (off 0600 UTC) KQWB West Fargo ND Standards ``Star 1660 is KQWB AM` CNN news KXOL Brigham City UT ``Oldies Radio`` (60`s rock) KXTR Kansas City KS `Classical 1660` WGIT Canóvanas PRico SS oldies ``El Gigante`` 1670 WRNC Warner Robins GA Urban Gospel ``1670 The Light`` WTDY Madison WI Sports/Talk. ``The Big one is 1670 WTDY`` ``The Team`` KHPY Moreno Valley, CA Radio Catolica SS (nites) s/off 0800 UT. EE s/off. KNRO Redding CA ``Redding`s ESPN Radio 1670 KNRO` 1680 WTTM Princeton NJ Ethnic - Hindi WTIR Winter Garden FL ``Traveler Information Radio`` WJNZ Ada MI Urban/AC KAVT Fresno CA Disney/SS KTFH Seattle WA ``The Bridge, AM 16-80 KTFH Seattle.`` KRJO Monroe LA Gospel. ``Gospel 1680`` 1690 KDDZ Arvada CO Disney KFSG Roseville CA SS rel. `regional Mexican` x KSXX. EE ID on hr WPTX Lexington Park ``Newstalk 1690 WPTX`` CNN News 1700 WJCC Miami Springs FL SS/Rel/``Radio Luz`` WEUV Huntsville AL Black Gospel ``Music of your Life``//1600 WEUC 1 kW KTBK Sherman TX Sporting News Radio ``Sports Radio 1310 KTCK.`` KBGG Des Moines IA `The new AM 1700 KBGG``. CNN KQXX Brownsville TX `Oldies Radio 1700 AM` (July NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** U S A. ZCZC AG47 QST de W1AW ARRL Bulletin 47 ARLB047 From ARRL Headquarters Newington CT July 14, 2003 To all radio amateurs SB QST ARL ARLB047 FCC DECLARES COMMUNICATIONS EMERGENCY FOR TEXAS COAST The Federal Communications Commission, in cooperation with ARRL South Texas Section Manager Ray Taylor, N5NAV, has declared a general communications emergency for the Texas coastal area due to Tropical Storm Claudette. The FCC Enforcement Bureau issued the declaration under the authority of Section 97.401 of the FCC rules. Effective immediately, the FCC said, the frequencies 7285 kHz (days) and 3873 kHz (nights) require protection. ``Amateurs are required to refrain from using those frequencies, plus or minus 3 kHz, unless they are taking part in the handling of emergency traffic,`` said the declaration from James Daily, Chief of Homeland Security within the FCC's Enforcement Bureau. The declaration remains in effect until it's rescinded. NNNN /EX Copyright © 2003, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved (via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Previous info about this was under INTERNATIONAL WATERS where we wish it would stay UNIDENTIFIED. Hello from Vermont, Can anyone down south get a handle on this Unidentified presumed LA harmonic I've been hearing the past few nights? 2859.98, 0136-0259, Spanish announcer, mentions "la voz de la noche" (maybe a program?), LA pop music and ballads. Fair to poor signal strength up here, and naturally a lot of QRN. Weak but pretty consistant so far. If you get a chance to listen and hear anything let me know. Thanx. Take care & 73's de (Mark Mohrmann, Coventry, VT, July 15, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ FIRHAV 2004 Came across this info on the FRC (Cuban Amateur Radio Federation) website. They're organizing an international ham radio conference in Havana called "FIRHAV 2004" for the week of March 15-18, 2004. Looks like it would be an excellent opportunity to combine a winter vacation away from our cold winter weather with ham radio! The programme looks quite interesting too including, DX, contesting, digital modes, space communications, VHF/UHF/microwave, Emergency/Community Service and equipment experimentation. Complete details are at http://www.frc.co.cu/firhav/firhav3.htm 73 (Bob Chandler, VE3SRE Ham Radio Editor, "Listening In" Magazine, ODXA, July 14, via DXLD) WRC 03 The ITU's World Radiocommunications Conference 2003 (WRC 03) just ended at the beginning of July in Geneva. There were three main items on the agenda of interest to HF broadcasters. According to reports we have received from Don Messer and John Wood of the IBB, amateur radio operators were given an additional 100 kHz of spectrum from 7100-7200 kHz in Regions 1 and 3. In Region 2 (the Western Hemisphere), their allocations remained the same, but as a consequence of the amateur realignment agreement, 7350-7400 kHz was allocated to Region 2 for the broadcasting service, effective March 29, 2009. This doubles the existing 7 MHz band allocation of 7300-7350, which will be implemented in 2007. The old requirement that HF broadcasters convert to single sideband transmissions was eliminated, and the new regulations permit (and encourage) transmissions in the DRM digital mode. Unfortunately, the U.S. plan to give broadcasters extra spectrum between 4 and 10 MHz (apart from the 7 MHz band situation) was tabled until the 2007 conference, but of course the FCC will continue to allow out-of-band broadcasting on a non-interference basis (Jeff White, July NASB Newsletter via DXLD) Previous unofficial report said the boundary would be 7450 instead of 7400, if that really matter (gh, DXLD) And finally, we were happy to accept the generous offer of WEWN to share expenses so that we can have an official NASB representative at the next HFCC shortwave frequency planning conference August 25-29 in Tromsö, Norway. Our rep there will be WEWN's Dennis Dempsey. We urge the frequency managers of all of our member stations who will not have representatives in Norway to send Dennis copies of your B03 schedules so that he can check for any inaccuracies or collisions at the HFCC Conference. Dennis' e-mail is: ddempsey@ewtn.com (Jeff White, July NASB Newsletter via DXLD) DRM +++ At the Mexican shortwave meeting, we will have the pleasure of hosting the first-ever demonstration of DRM (digital shortwave) reception in Mexico at our NASB booth. Thanks very much to Adil Mina of Continental Electronics for this suggestion. The DRM Coalition (of which NASB is a member) is supporting us with dozens of brochures about DRM and CDs showing the difference in quality between analog and digital shortwave broadcasts. The Ten-Tec corporation is providing us with one of its new RX-320D DRM-ready receivers. VT Merlin is providing us with a license for the software necessary to use with the receiver. The Mexican organizers are providing a PC, external speakers and a longwire antenna. And Kim Elliott of the Voice of America is loaning us a sound card for the event. It is expected that we will be able to demonstrate reception of live DRM broadcasts from Sackville, Canada and Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles, among other sites. And speaking of DRM, Mike Adams of FEBC was our NASB rep at the recent inauguration June 16th of regular DRM broadcasts which took place at the WRC 03 Conference in Geneva. Elsewhere in this Newsletter, Mike reports that the inauguration went extremely well, and no doubt many of you saw the publicity for the event in trade publications and even the general-interest media around the world. Mike is working on a proposal for a possible joint NASB DRM program in the not-too-distant future (Jeff White, July NASB Newsletter via DXLD) ### POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ If you want to hear what Broadband over Power Line (BPL) sounds like, go to http://www.qsl.net/rsgb_emc/pltsounds.html This could be our future. This was forwarded to me by our chief engineer here at KSMU, who's a ham --- glad ARRL is trying to fight this, but how much influence do they still have...? (Randy Stewart/Springfield MO, NRC-AM via DXLD) Despite diminished influence over what it once had, ARRL probably still has more influence than one might expect. I wouldn't underestimate them. I would hope that the broadcast indutry would use its far greater influence to oppose this as they'll certainly be harmed as well (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA, ibid.) I'll tell you what is going to ruin AM radio.... That is the car manufacturers. I recently rented a 2003 Lincoln Town Car. This car has like 500 watts of Alpine stereo in it. The AM really sounds terrible. I wrote a letter to Ford Motor company, and their response was that they had to narrow the bandwidth of the AM section to 3 khz so that they can be ready for IBOC. Even though this car received all kinds of stations on AM, the audio sounded like a continuous phone call. Worst car radio I ever heard and that's the way it is (Paul Smith W4KNX Located in Sunny Sarasota Florida, ibid.) They have had an EXCEPTIONAL amount of complaints on this. There's even a recall. The stock radios are far worse. Re write and tell them that that isn't so, stations running IBOC will have 5 KhZ audio, and even WOR has been getting satisfactory results testing IBOC with 6.2 KhZ audio. And tell them that you WON'T purchase one of these vehicles if the audio on the AM is so bad. The VISTEON IBOC radios ( not the Alpine ones) have AM Stereo.....though those may not make it into the Ford cars until later. Powell E. Way III, ibid.) BPL will kill AM IBOC. Most AM stations are already unlistenable in the car while driving through city/urban environments due to overhead powerline noise. Listening to any of the Boston metro area AM stations in downtown Nashua is futile day and night whether it's 50 kW WBZ or regionals like 800 WNNW. AM basically doesn't work until I get out on the freeway, away from powerlines. I can't imagine IBOC having the ability to overcome such noise as it is. BPL will be the nail in the coffin if AM broadcasters don't make themselves heard (Bruce Conti - Nashua NH, ibid.) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 16 JULY - 11 AUGUST 2003 Solar activity is expected to range from very low to moderate levels with predominantly low level activity. Early in the period, activity is expected to be at low levels with the possibility for an isolated M-class event from Region 409. Regions 397 and 400 are due to return to the visible disk on 23 July and 27 July respectively. These regions may also have the potential for isolated M-class events. No greater than 10 MeV proton events at geosynchronous orbit are expected during the period. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux is expected to reach high levels on 16 – 18 July, 20 – 28 July, 30 July – 02 August and again 09 - 11 August on due to recurrent coronal hole high speed streams. The geomagnetic field is expected to range from quiet to major storm levels during the period. On 18 – 20 July, a coronal hole is expected to produce minor storm levels. A large southern coronal hole is due to return on 23 - 27 July and may produce periods of major storm levels. The trailing portion of this large coronal hole will be in a geoeffective position on 29 July – 01 August and is expected to produce minor storm levels. A third returning coronal hole is expected to be in a geoeffective position on 07 – 09 August and may produce major storm levels. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2003 Jul 15 2211 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2003 Jul 15 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2003 Jul 16 125 20 4 2003 Jul 17 120 20 4 2003 Jul 18 120 20 4 2003 Jul 19 115 15 3 2003 Jul 20 115 20 4 2003 Jul 21 115 25 5 2003 Jul 22 115 15 3 2003 Jul 23 120 15 3 2003 Jul 24 125 30 5 2003 Jul 25 125 30 5 2003 Jul 26 130 25 5 2003 Jul 27 130 20 4 2003 Jul 28 130 15 3 2003 Jul 29 135 15 3 2003 Jul 30 135 15 3 2003 Jul 31 140 20 4 2003 Aug 01 140 20 4 2003 Aug 02 130 25 5 2003 Aug 03 135 25 5 2003 Aug 04 135 15 3 2003 Aug 05 125 10 3 2003 Aug 06 120 10 3 2003 Aug 07 120 25 5 2003 Aug 08 120 20 4 2003 Aug 09 125 15 3 2003 Aug 10 125 15 3 2003 Aug 11 125 25 5 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via WORLD OF RADIO 1191, DXLD) ###