DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-156, August 29, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser 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/dxldtd3h.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 1197: WWCR: Sat 1030, Sun 0230 5070, 0630 3210, Wed 0930 on 9475 RFPI: Sat 0800, 2330, Sun 0530, 1130, Mon 0030, 0630, 1230, Wed 0100, 0730, 1330 on 7445 [nominal times subject to delay or pre- emption] WRMI: Sat & Sun 1800+ on 15725 WINB: Sun 0031 on 12160 [for last time] WRN: Rest of world Sat 0800, Europe Sun 0430, N America Sun1 1400 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1197h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1197h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1197.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1197.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1197.ram ** ALASKA. LF beacon gathers additional reports: A low-frequency (LF) beacon in Alaska has drawn confirmed reports from Canada and California. WD2XDW experimental beacon operator Laurence Howell, KL1X, in Anchorage, has reports from Steve McDonald, VE7SL, on Mayne Island near Victoria, British Columbia, and from Mike Silvers, KB6WFC, in Daly City, California. WD2XDW is on the air 24/7 at 137.77350 kHz using very slow-speed CW (called ``QRSS``) -- one dit every minute. McDonald said a week of monitoring had previously yielded ``small bits and pieces`` of the beacon signal, but conditions between British Columbia and Alaska turned excellent the morning of August 17. McDonald said the WD2XDW signal faded abruptly as the sun hit the D layer. McDonald is using an ICOM IC-R75 receiver and a J310 active whip at 25 feet (ARRL August 27 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** ANTARCTICA. 15475.99v, R. Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, LRA36, 0100-0104 28 Au , LA music, unreadable M announcerr in Spanish, more music mixed with soft-spoken W and with same M announcer. Alternating M and W to at least 0120, but just below a readable level. Possible mention of Buenos Aires at 0110 by M. Faded down after 0115. Signal picked back up around 0140, but dropped back down. Seemed to go off at 0204. Gradually drifted also. Tnx to Gabriel Iván Barrera and Arnaldo Slaen for this special broadcast announcement (Dave, Valko, PA, 28 August, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Straggler A reminder of LRA36`s webpage: http://www.fcapital.com.ar/esperanza/pagina_otras.htm (via Adiel Bregado, SP, radioescutas via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. This is an interesting set of statements that Glenn reported (notes on RA Feedback Aug 22). Serving both external and internal audiences is certainly a challenge. I hope they continue to realize that just putting the national 24-hour feed (which normally wouldn't have repeats) on shortwave is not the answer. With today's digitizing of everything, even for production, I would think it ought to be "easy" to produce multiple feeds, albeit with the occasional "hiccups" of mistakes (such as those regularly pointed out among the various BBCWS feeds). A computer list of programs is all it should take to determine the schedule for a feed -- - perfect for the technofile in each office, leaving the actual program production to those who do it best. It can't be that more expensive or challenging, unless of course they haven't yet upgraded to an all-digital production methodology (such as RNW recently announced). But back to the original point of the message --- the program changes. It is too bad that we'll lose unique programming from yet another international broadcaster. The economy is affecting everyone. Cheers from Iowa, "where dreams come true" (Kevin Anderson, swprograms via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Glenn: (With regard to your recent news about RA...) According to John Westland, English Service Exec. Producer, RA's program changes have been scaled back and there will be no modifications to the schedule until the weekend of 6/7 Sept. RA has renegotiated deals with music producers that will permit RA to maintain its weekday music programs for the time being. Weekend changes (from 6/7 Sept.) include the following: Music Show with Andrew Ford -- adding a first run at 0405 UT Sat in addition to its current 1205 UT broadcast. (It's a two hour package.) Business Show -- moves to 0005 UT Sat and is packaged during that hour with Ockham's Razor and Lingua Franca. Background Briefing -- adds an airing at 1005 UT Sat starting 13 Sept. Airing 6 Sept at this time will be a special forum on "smart societies". Keys to Music -- This is a new educational program, produced for ABC Classic FM and presented by Graham Abott and airing at 0005 UT Sun, with a repeat at 1005. The program's description says it "is designed to demystify fine music." (John Figliozzi, NY, Aug 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. NEED CASH? BECOME A CHARITY, ALSTON TELLS ABC By Annabel Crabb Communications Minister Richard Alston yesterday travelled to Ballarat to give the ABC board his latest idea on how the broadcaster can raise money - become a registered charity. . . http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/Weekly2003/08.26.2003/Australia6.htm (The Age Friday, August 29, 2003 via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. ABC JOURNALIST UNDER ATTACK --- By Marcus O'Donnell ABC staff yesterday threatened industrial action unless disciplinary proceedings against religion correspondent Stephen Crittenden were halted immediately. Crittenden, the presenter of Radio National’s Religion Report, was taken off air six weeks ago and suspended on full pay following his publication of an article in the Sydney Morning Herald. The article explored `the clash of civilisations` stemming from the rise of fundamentalist Islamic movements and the west’s militant response. . . http://www.ssonet.com.au/showarticle.asp?ArticleID=2557 A piece on the ABC's Stephen Crittenden from the Sydney Star-Observer, their major gay paper. (I hadn't realized that Crittenden was openly gay.) 73 (Bill Westenhaver, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ANGRY ABC STAFF WALK OUT OVER SUSPENSION By Barney Zwartz August 28, 2003 http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/08/27/1061663850604.html (via Jilly Dybka, Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Hi Glenn, While typing this message about Voice International, Darwin, I`m listening to the CD of Finnish tango legends. On SW I heard I heard the VOICE INTERNATIONAL from Darwin on three frequencies: 13685 kHz in English signing off 15 UT. Hindi service with excellent reception on 13635, scheduled 11-17. The third frequency 7180 kHz is a bit mystery for me. Nice reception noted yesterday 1510 UT with in Bahasa Indonesian programme. Somehow Voice International, Darwin offers much stronger and clearer reception than HCJB Kununurra ever. 73`s (Jouko Huuskonen, Turku, FINLAND, Aug 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. HCJB on 15405, 1700-1730 Aug 29. Instead of scheduled Urdu program, nonstop religious contemporary music. English announcement that "normal programming will be continued as soon as possible" At 1730 s/off in middle of music (Silvain Domen, Belgium, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELGIUM. Gelezen in RVI 'Onder Ons' --- De RTBF is opnieuw via Waver aan het uitzenden, ondermeer met de oude zenders die de VRT/RVI hebben opgegeven. De hele dag door op één frequentie 9970 kHz. De hele dag uitzenden op maar één frequentie is in de wereld van de kortegolf een beetje ongewoon. Maar hoe minder er geschakeld wordt, hoe kleiner de kans dat er iets kapot gaat. 73, (Guido Schtomans, Belgium, Aug 28, BDXC via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. Radio San Miguel en los 4906.58, a las 0321, el 29/08, SINPO 3/3. En virtual "colisión hertziana" con R. Zambia en 4910. El pasado 23/08 la capté en 4905.56, es decir, un poco más abajo (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Yaesu FT-890, Antena TH3MK3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. Amigos DXistas en Conexión Digital! Consulta número. 1: 4600.35 kHz --- aquí en esta frecuencia supongo que transmita Radio Perla del Acre, Cobija, pero parece que nunca se identifique. Perla del Acre ha estado fuera del aire durante largo tiempo. Hace, no recuerdo la fecha exacta, aproximadamente 1 mes comencé a escuchar esta señal siempre con OM-DJ y música. La última vez yo noté Perla del Acre era en la frecuencia de 4600.33 kHz. Alguien en la lista tiene una identificación positiva? (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, Aug 29, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 5045, 0104 24/08 R. Guarujá Paulista, Guarujá (SP). Música "La Bamba", "Love is in the air". Programa "Pickup Musical" com Edson Nunes, "os grandes sucessos de seu ídolo preferido". "Straight from the heart" com Bryan Adams. Programa "Viver e Reviver" com Maria Eli. ID ``ZYK590 1550 KHz; ZYG860 3235 KHZ Ondas Tropicais; ZYG850 5045 KHz Ondas Curtas - Rádio Guarujá Paulista - A Rádio da família - falando para o Brasil". Música Let's Twist Again com Chubby Checker. - 54454 (Marcelo Herondino Cardoso, Florianópolis - SC, radioescutas via DXLD) ** CHINA. China is the world`s 800-pound gorilla, in terms of both audience size and Internet interdiction technology. Xiao Qiang, executive director of Human Rights in China, an international non- governmental organization, told On Line Journalism Review that the People`s Republic ``can dedicate unlimited resources to devleopment and deployment of censorship and surveillance technology. It is impossible for a relatively small number of technically savvy users, Xiao said, ``to defeat state censorship through grassroots efforts without external help.`` Some Internet blocking technology, ironically, is thought to be supplied to Beijing by U.S. firms. The BBG`s Ken Berman, testifying at the Capitol Hill hearing of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, explained some of the measures being taken to counter the jamming of VOA and Radio Free Asia websites. ``What we have essentially instituted,`` he said, ``is a two-prong `push-pull` program that consists of separate but related efforts: ¨ The `push` component consists of pushing e-mail news to those users in China who would find the news interesting or a complement to China`s official, approved news stories. (The e-mails get through because they circumvent the central Internet Service Providers thoroughly filtered by Chinese authorities.) ¨ The `pull` component consists of circumventing an elaborate matrix of Chinese filtering and content filtering techniques to permit users to access the VOA and RFA websites and pull internet content into the browsers of their computers. Because of the support by the Office of Engineering, says VOA East Asia Division Director Jay Henderson, the VOA Chinese Branch now sends more than a sesquimillion e-mails a day. ``We`ve easily surpassed our goal for this year and hope that at the rate we`re going,`` Henderson adds, ``we might reach five million a day long before our 2005 deadline to attain that goal.` As for the `pull` element of the program, one each of those e-mails sent, there are links with two to six different proxy sites, those not prohibited by Chinese censors. The proxy sites contain a wealth of information, including VOA and RFA websites, and can be changed from day to day, just as broadcast engineers over the years have switched from some frequencies to others to confuse jammers. The struggle is onging. Reporters San Frontières, in a report just released, notes that Chinese specialists in April sent e-mails containing specially designed viruses to the VOA Chinese website, and that other sites such as those of the Falunggong movement and pro- Tibet organizations, also were attacked. The Australian TV network ABC reported on April 23 that its website also had been blocked for the first time, just a few weeks before the Dalai Lama was to visit Australia. But countermeasures to blockage of the Internet and the courage of people with a need to know have combined to demonstrate again that no nation can seal itself off electronically in the digital, satellite age of communications. Radio Free Asia Vice President of Programming Dan Southerland says China`s decision to finally announce the gravity of the SARS crisis came after a retired military doctor, Jiang Yanyong, revealed to RFA and Time Magazine that those infected in Beijing were ``a dozen times more numerous than top Chinese officials had admitted`` between January and April 2003. ``As unfortunate as SARS is,`` engineer Ken Berman observes, ``it has been a boon to the freedom of Internet information movement. Our news is anxiously followed, the VOA and RFA Chinese language traffic has doubled, and has allowed Chinese citizens free and unfettered access to a wide range of previously censored information. E-mail news (as of June 5) includes daily SARS reports and statistics, and links to the World Health Organisation and other sites.`` In the end, VOA`s Jay Henderson told the Commission`s June hearing, ``let us ask the Chinese every day between now and the opening of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing how they can expect the world to send its best athletes into their care if their government thinks the proper response to a health crisis is to cover it up. I hope, `` he concluded, ``that the next time a SAES-like crisis hits China, the first response will be: `Let`s get the word out`.`` (from ``China, Iran and the Internet,`` by Alan Heil, The Channel, AIB, July 2003 via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. Armónico de otra colombiana: Radio Mundial (si mal no escuché), se repite en los 2740 kHz, segundo armónico de 1370 kHz OM, con locutor y locutora que hacían comentarios religiosos. Música religiosa. Mucho más fuerte que el armónico de Radio María en 3160 (29/08, 0417 UT). (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Yaesu FT- 890, Antena TH3MK3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Radio Habana Cuba: 27/08, a las 0417. 15230 (5/5), 11875 (5/5), 9550 (5/4), 11760 (3/2), 9600 (5/5 +40dB), 5965 (3/3). (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Yaesu FT-890, Antena TH3MK3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. More about our new transmitters tests. 11760 kiloHertz, 100 kiloWatts beaming to the East Coast of North America in Spanish from 00 to 05 UT, and we may soon add the 05 to 07 UT segment in parallel with 9820 and 9550 in English. Be on the lookout for this new RHC additional frequency that will soon be on the air; again the frequency is 11760 kiloHertz and the time from 05 to 07 UT, with our English language program. Sad day for Cuban radio: both broadcasting and amateur radio in Cuba today are mourning the death of Eduardo Fernández, CO7RR, the founder of Radio Rebelde station that from the Sierra Maestra mountains in 1958 made daily broadcasts telling the people of Cuba and the Americas about the revolutionary war in progress at that time against the Fulgencio Batista dictatorship. Eduardo was a very dedicated and enthusiastic radio amateur operator, and for a number of years was the President of the Cuban Federation of Radio Amateurs. I met him in 1959, just as he came down from the mountains where he was what could best be described as the chief engineer of Radio Rebelde. Eduardo Fernández loved radio and it he helped every one he could to become a radio amateur. Among his favorite aspects of ham radio was operating using radioteletype, a mode that he simply loved. From the days of the mechanical teletype machines, Eduardo patiently explained to every Cuban radio amateur willing to listen, how radio teletype worked, and his participation in several international RTTY contests was always much expected, because at one time CO7RR and later his newer call CO2BB were the only RTTY stations operating from Cuba. A very modest and humble person, he was promoted to the highest military rank of the Ejército Rebelde, the Cuban Rebel Army that fought against Batista, where he was one of the Comandantes de la Sierra. Saying good bye to my long time friend Eduardo Fernández Rodríguez, CO7 Radio Radio, today at the Cristóbal Colón Cemetery in Havana several hundred Cuban radio amateurs joined workers of Radio Rebelde and the many friends and compañeros he had in the military. Adios, mi amigo Eduardo, we will always remember you on the air !!! (Prof. Arnie Coro A., CO2KK, RHC DXers Unlimited Aug 26, via Bob Chandler, VE3SRE, ODXA via DXLD) ** CUBA. NEW ANTENNAS AN EFFORT TO JAM U. S.-BASED RADIO MARTÍ? http://www.cubanet.org/CNews/y03/ago03/28e1.htm HAVANA, August 26 (http://www.cubanet.org) - The Cuban government has installed four large parabolic antennas in Palma Soriano, in easternmost Cuba, which experts have said could be intended to jam transmissions of U. S. -based Radio Martí. "The antennas are about six meters (about 19 feet) in diameter and have been placed in the tallest structures: the water tank on the roof of the Palma Hotel, the Popular Council building, about 80 meters (about 250 feet) high; another on the water works water tank, about 300 meters (over 900 feet) high; and the fourth on the roof of the printing plant, at more than 100 meters (over 300 feet) high," said Juan Carlos Cárdenas, a human rights activist in Palma Soriano. It is widely known that at San Felipe, in southern Havana province, there are several such antennas, as well as in several other places on the island (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) Versión original en español: http://www.cubanet.org/CNews/y03/ago03/27a1.htm Satellite jamming: See INTERNATIONAL VACUUM ** CUBA [non]. CUBA LIBRE: HERNÁNDEZ TAKES REINS --- Radio Martí Has a New Director With a Familiar Mission --- by Steve Sullivan For the heads of most radio stations, success is measured in terms of revenue. But for Jorge Luís Hernández, success will come with the transition of one nation's government from communism to democracy. . . http://www.radioworld.com/reference-room/special-report/02_rwm_marti.shtml (RW Online Sept 1 via DXLD) ** ECUADOR. Radio Quito, 4919, SINPO 33322, a las 0348. Noto que ya no está 24 horas en la banda tropical. (27/08). (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Yaesu FT-890, Antena TH3MK3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. The French service of Radio Cairo announced two e-mail addresses for its listeners: frenchprog@erti.org and oridi@hotmail.com (Mohamed Kallel, Tunisia, Aug 27 DSWCI DX Window Aug 29 via DXLD) ** FINLAND. POWER OUTAGE BLACKS OUT HELSINKI AND VANTAA ON SATURDAY EVENING . . .The blackout disrupted traffic and emergency response centres in Helsinki. Hospitals and airports reverted to back-up systems and avoided emergencies. Emergency response centres were flooded with telephone calls, and all calls to 112 could not be answered. Citizens have been instructed to listen to radio station Radio Suomi in the event of a power failure. However, even Radio Suomi was off the air for eight minutes beginning at 8.45 p.m. Normally, the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) receives power from its own generators, but even this reserve stopped functioning for a short time. The generators failed to provide electricity, and the batteries that form the second back-up could not handle the entire required output. YLE head Arne Wessberg commented that the break in radio transmissions was unforgivable. "People have learned to rely on battery-operated radios during power cuts." YLE relays official statements from authorities during emergencies, but no such statement was prepared about the power outage on Saturday. . . http://www.helsinki-hs.net/news.asp?id=20030825IE3 (Helsingin Sanomat Aug 25 via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** GERMANY. Allerweltshaus Köln --- Quite interesting. The website (obviously not updated during the summer season) states that an Ethiopian group, an Uganda project called Vovi and a Kenya group called Tafungua http://www.tafungua.de meet there, to mention the ones that would fit to CIRAF 48, so to speak. I will try to find out more (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Aug 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Relatively new gospel station Evangelische Missions Gemeinden Deutchland via DTK-Wertachtal on 6015 at 1730-1759 Thu/Fri only (Silvain Domen, Belgium, Aug 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST ** GERMANY. DEUTSCHE TELEKOM T-SYSTEMS SUPPORTS OVER 30 BROADCASTERS The HF facilities at Julich and Wertachtal are now used by over 30 broadcasters on a leased basis. The complete schedule, as a PDF file, updated to August 18, may be viewed, downloaded and printed at http://engradio.org/t-systems.pdf It was submitted by member Alokesh Gupta, India (EDXP Aug 29 http://edxp.org by permission via DXLD) ** GERMANY. DW preview Aug 29-30: One of the topics on Spectrum, DW's weekly look at developments in the fields of science and technology: European DX council: Each year, dedicated listeners manage to tune in to radio stations from thousands of miles away on the AM broadcast band. In fact, the AM band is where DXing began. Back in the 1920s, the first radio stations were keen to know just how far away they were being heard. So they asked for reception reports from listeners, and promised to reply to reports with souvenir postcards confirming that the listener indeed heard the station. In fact, the entire hobby of short wave listening grew from those beginnings. Today, there are hundreds of DX clubs around the world. The European DX Council was formed in 1967 in Copenhagen, Denmark; it is not a DX club, but an umbrella organisation of DX clubs in 17 European countries with a membership of some 6,000. Luigi Cobisi, Secretary-General of the European DX Council, told Rajiv Sharma just how popular the hobby is today (World Radio Network WRN-English-Newsletter@wrn.org (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** GUATEMALA? 4698.71, R Amistad (tentative). I think they may have reactivated. 1100 Aug 29 with a strong carrier, but almost no modulation. Anyone else hearing something here with perhaps better reception? (Hans Johnson, WY Cumbre DX via DXLD) UNID 4698.70, Latin first noted on 18 August with fair signal 1015- 1030, noted since with Latin programming. Also at 0030-0045 . Never pulled an ID, station prone to deep fades. This is regards to Hans Johnson question in Cumbre DX (Bob Wilkner, FL, ibid.) Amigos DXistas en Conexión Digital! Consulta número 2: 4698.75 kHz - La señal está muy débil y de mala calidad. Encontré esta señal hace aproximadamente 14 días y ayer en la mañana escuché el programa "Mañanitas de Amistad". Por esto creo que sea Radio Amistad, San Pedro de La Laguna (Guatemala). Probablemente ha estado fuera el aire durante bastante tiempo. La última vez yo capté Radio Amistad, estuvo en 4698.75 kHz. Alguien en la lista tiene una identificación positiva? (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, Aug 29, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** GUATEMALA. 4780, Radio Coatán, 1100-1131 frequent IDs by M over religious music, excellent signal "estudios de Radio Coatán... las palabras de Dios". Frequency and station ID 1130 [Robert Wilkner, FL, Aug 29,DX LISTENING DIGEST] ** HONDURAS. Música religiosa en 3340 kHz, 0352, SINPO 23221. (27/08). (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Yaesu FT-890, Antena TH3MK3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HONDURAS. Radio Litoral fuera del aire (la medí en 4830.06, el 27/08), durante los días 28 y 29/08 (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Yaesu FT-890, Antena TH3MK3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Voz masculina, parecía un predicador. Cierre con marcha que asumo es el himno nacional, 3249.48 kHz, a las 0344 UTC. SINPO 3/2 (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Yaesu FT-890, Antena TH3MK3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Presumably Radio Luz y Vida (gh) ** INDIA. Glad to note this station AIR Thiruvananthapuram / Trivandrum 5010 kHz once again in the air. 1730 UT a five minute news bulletin in English. Then close down at 1735 UT with really nice reception. No trace of Madagascar. My Merriam Webster´s Geographical Dictionary (Third Edition) tells these facts about THIRUVANANTHAPURAM / TRIVANDRUM: Seaport city, Capital of Kerala, SW India, on Arabian Sea 140 mi. (225 km.) SW of Mandurai; pop. (1991c) 699, 872: produces copra; rope, textiles, soap; 18th cent. temple; observatory; zoölogical garden, museum, university; made of Capital of Kingdom of Travavancore mid-18th century. 73´s (Jouko Huuskonen, Turku, FINLAND, Aug 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. CABLE TV HIS SNAG IN INDIA India is a democracy, yet it controls the availability of broadcast news tightly. At the same time it has enjoyed a highly unregulated cable TV industry. Now there are moves to change that, with the introduction of conditional access television that could throw the cable industry in the country into chaos. It is estimated that there are over 30,000 independent cable TV operators who have rigged up interesting networks by stringing cables from telegraph poles and between trees to serve subscribers owning around 40 million TV sets -- half the total estimate of television sets in the country. Fees are low, ranging from 50 rupees in smaller towns to 400 rupees in the big cities where there`s a choice of 70 or more channels. A key problem is that revenues often don`t find their way back to rights owners --- channel operators --- and that technical standards are often low, with unclear pictures at the subscriber`s home. To solve these issues, and a raft of others --- such as channels using inflated subscriber numbers to attract advertisers --- the Indian government is introducing a conditional access system. Due to start in July in four major cities including Delhi and Mumbai, subscribes will have to rent or buy a new set-to-box with CA technology installed. However, the launch has been thwarted by a shortage of set-top boxes, so it`s likely that it will be the end of the year before the system is introduced (The Channel, AIB, July 2003, via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. Info from Roland Schulze, Philippines, u.o.s.: 3325, RRI Palangkaraya, Jul 30 and a couple of days up to Aug 08, obviously problems with the transmitter or antenna, because the signal is very weak and sounds like 1 kW or less! (Schulze) 3344.8, RRI Ternate was off the air Jul 30-Aug 08 (Schulze) 4753.6, RRI Makassar was off the air Jul 30-Aug 08 (Schulze) 4870, RRI Wamena is not on the air regularly and local evening broadcast times vary (Schulze, Aug 08) 4874.6, RRI Sorong is off the air at present (Schulze, Aug 08) However, it was back on 4870.9, 0924-1005* Aug 15, Azan Magrib call to prayer started followed by 0929 lagu padang pasir (desert songs, i.e. Arabic style) then tedious information but with many mentions of Sorong from around 0935 until unceremonious close. Crazy frequency choice as RRI Wamena not far away on 4870 at similar strength. However, Sorong may have no choice but to use their very old 10 kW transmitter. The usual but extremely irregular transmitter on 4874.6 was first mentioned in WRTH in 1978 and before that 4871v was used. From 1986-88 both transmitters were used, 4871 in local mornings and 4875 in evenings but since then only 4875 (Foster in DXplorer) 4925, RRI Jambi is not on the air regularly and local evening broadcast times vary (Schulze, Aug 08) 9743.6, RRI Sorong has a new time schedule mostly with relays of RRI Jakarta // 9680 and 11860 (Schulze, Aug 08) Heard closing down 0759* Aug 15, just after HCJB 9745 had s/on. Before that was weak but clear (David Foster, Australia in DXplorer) (all: Aug 27 DSWCI DX Window Aug 29 via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM [non]. CUBA E IRAN COMPLICES EN INTERFERENCIA A SATELITE DE E.U. Los países que apoyan al terrorismo no solo amenazan los intereses de los Estados Unidos en tierra, mar y aire, ahora se han unido para atacar a propiedades de los Estados Unidos en el espacio sideral. Al tener éxito en bloquear la señal de un satélite de comunicaciones de los EEUU que se mantiene en órbita sobre el Atlántico, los regímenes de Cuba e Irán han desafiado el dominio de los EEUU en el espacio y la presunción del libre acceso a las comunicaciones de satélite que hacen posible el indisputado poderío militar de los EEUU. . . http://www.lanuevacuba.com/nuevacuba/notic-03-08-2001esp.htm (By J. Michael Waller, Insight Magazine, Washington, E.U.; Traducción: Joaquín Sueiro Bonachea, La Nueva Cuba, Agosto 28, 2003, via Óscar de Céspedes, FL, Conexión Digital via DXLD) Original in English: IRAN AND CUBA ZAP U.S. SATELLITES Posted Aug. 6, 2003, By J. Michael Waller News, information and other programming broadcast by satellite from the United States into Iran fuels the democracy movement in that Muslim country. State sponsors of terrorism not only threaten U.S. interests on land, at sea and in the air, but now they have teamed up to attack U.S. assets in space. By successfully jamming a U.S. communications satellite over the Atlantic Ocean, the regimes of Cuba and Iran challenged U.S. dominance of space and the assumptions of free access to satellite communication that makes undisputed U.S. military power possible. . . http://www.insightmag.com/news/449580.html (Insight Magazine via gh, also via Óscar de Céspedes, DXLD) ** IRAN. Satellite jamming: see just above ** ISRAEL. ISRAEL: ARUTZ 7 INCREASES ENGLISH BROADCASTS Mike Brand reports: Israeli commercial broadcaster Arutz 7 (Israel National Radio) has responded to recent cuts in the English language output of public broadcaster Kol Israel by expanding its own English language programming. The station, which describes itself as the Mideast's only independent newstalk network, now broadcasts in English in the mornings at 6.30 am Israel time (0330 UT) on mediumwave 1143 kHz and FM 105.2 MHz, in addition to evenings from 9.00 pm Israel time (1800 UT) on mediumwave 1539 kHz and FM 98.7 MHz. Live broadcasts can also be heard via the station's site http://www.israelnationalnews.com (© Radio Netherlands Media Network 29 August 2003 via DXLD) ** JAPAN [non]. Radio Japón en 9660, el 28/08, a las 0506, emitía su servicio en español para América Central. El problema: este servicio debe salir por la frecuencia de 11895. Lamentablemente, las antenas de los 9660 no está dirigidas hacia esta zona. Severamente interferida. SINPO 3/2. 73's y buen DX (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Yaesu FT-890, Antena TH3MK3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) via Guiana French ** KOREA NORTH. Re Voice of Korea on 6070: This frequency originates not from the foreign service transmitter centre Kujang but is listed as Kanggye 250 kW, obviously sharing the transmitter with KCBS 6100. Observations by Olle Alm left hardly a doubt that this is one of the Brown Boveri transmitters from the closed Swiss sites obtained by North Korea (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Aug 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA SOUTH. ENGLISH RADIO SET TO GO ON AIR http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200308/kt2003082818193011990.htm SEOUL (Yonhap) -- South Korea's first English-language radio station will begin broadcasting next week on the southern resort island of Cheju, a state-run cable television station said Thursday. Arirang TV said it will air 18 hours of FM stereo programs per day, mostly consisting of up-to-the-minute news on traffic conditions, weather and South Korea's tourist attractions and culture. The launch of English-language radio from Monday is part of the government's plan to boost the nation's image and tourism industry after last year's successful hosting of the FIFA World Cup finals, Arirang TV said. The station began its English-only television programs in 1997, but has yet to air radio programs. It aims to establish similar English radio stations in Seoul and Incheon [sic] next year and in all major cities and provinces by 2006 (via Mike Terry, DXLD) Not only WTFK, but what is the *name* of the station? Geez (gh) ** MONGOLIA. 4865v, Mongol Radio and TV, Dalanzad (presumed), 1300- 1400*, Aug 08 and 09, Mongolian talks by man and woman, typical Mongolian music. The audio is terrible, and the crystal is defect, so it drifts from 4864.90 to 4865.20 (Roalnd Schulze, Philippines, Aug 27 DSWCI DX Window Aug 29 via DXLD) 4895, Mongolian Radio, *2100-2104, Aug 20, Interval signal repeated several times till 2102, then an announcement and National Anthem (choir singing) followed. At 2104 male voice in studio started speaking. 35333. Much weaker on 4830 (I've been able to make a conclusion about program equality only during the Anthem.) Moreover, there was a strange tone signal on 4830 (Dmitiri Mezin, Kazan, Russia, in Signal via Aug 27 DSWCI DX Window Aug 29 via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. Change to RNZI Schedule Effective 9/1/03, Radio New Zealand International is going to a 24 hour schedule, and a new weekday Pacific current affairs magazine, ``Dateline Pacific,`` will join the schedule several times a day. As a result, please note the following changes to the information provided in this month`s SW Guide section (p. 55): 0308 M-F Dateline Pacific 0330 M New Music Releases; T Mailbox/RNZI Talk, W Tradewinds, H World in Sport, F Pacific Correspondent 1100 M-F Pacific Regional News 1108 M-F (as 0308 M-F) 1130 M-F (as 0330 M-F) 1300 S/A RNZ News, M-F (as 0300-0400 M-F) 1308 S Tagata o te Moana, A New Music Releases 1335 S/A tba 1400 D RNZ News 1405 S Touchstone, M-F relay National Radio, A In a Mellow Tone 1430 S Hymns 1500 S/A RNZ News, M-F (as 0300-0400 M-F) 1508 S/A Forces Radio 1600 D RNZ News 1605 S/A relay National Radio, M-F Mana Tagata 1630 M-F relay National Radio Additional information will appear in October`s SWG. In the interim, consult RNZI`s web site at http://www.rnzi.com (Sept MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. Thanks to a tip in the latest DXLD 3-155 have just tuned in to Voice of Nigeria on new 17800 kHz. Strong and clear in English at this time (2145 UT on Thursday 28th). 73s (Dave Kenny, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 17800, V. of Nigeria 8/28 2235-2300*. Program "Global Peace", with man discussing "using democracy to achieve peace in Africa"; 2245-54 YL with news; 2255 "Mental Vision" feature; 2259 closing anmt, address, anthem. Good signal (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Drake R-8. 100-foot RW. Cumbre DX via DXLD) I was listening at the same time, Aug 28 from 2100 with a program on the arts, 2200 five minutes of news, and a mix of other features, plus numerous program promos giving several airtimes for each. But I never heard a frequency announced. If they were going to make a big move from 15 to 17 MHz, they should have been promoting it for at least a week in advance, at least on their own air, if not in press releases to the shortwave/DX media! Why am I not surprised that still on Aug 29, http://www.voiceofnigeria.org/frequency.html claims to be on 15120 with no mention of 17800. The female continuity announcer was relatively easy to understand, but not many of the other speakers, especially externally recorded actualities. Absolutely no interference, and a strong signal tho with some flutter, but the modulation as usual was not up to par. Nothing on 15120. However, on Fri Aug 29 around 1717 there was again a strong but very undermodulated signal, language uncertain, on 15120. By 2100 recheck, nothing on 15120, and a weak and very fluttery signal on 17800 again (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 17800, VON in English must be ex-15120. I haven't heard it for a few days. Thanx for that info! 11770, by the way, is not //7255. I heard them signing on at 1957 on 7255 a few times, but never before that time. Distorted yesterday (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, Aug 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Voice of Nigeria is heard on air at tune in 0640 in English on 17800 today Aug.29. A very strong signal but co-channel with RFI via Issoudun in French. A presumed move from 15120, which is empty. 7255 is still operating and currently [0630] at fair strength in French. (Noel R. Green [Blackpool-UK], Cumbre DX via DXLD) Voice of Nigeria is still on 17800 kHz this morning (Friday 29th), heard in English from tune-in at 0845 UT with very strong signal. This frequency may replace 15120 kHz which is currently unheard. 73s (Dave Kenny, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 17800, V. of Nigeria, Tnx CumbreDX tips, 2236-2247 29 Aug, Interview of M by W in English to 2242. Horrible audio sounding as though it was recorded from inside a cardboard tube!! 2243-2245 program promos for "African Forces", "From the Bookshelf", and "Literary Corner". 2245 ID by W followed by news. Strong but quite undermodulated. Wonder if this is the old 19 mb transmitter (Dave Valko, Dunlo PA, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** PARAGUAY? Re PIRATE (South America). 11420.3, R. Piranha Internacional --- Mmm... it could be Paraguay, too... since there is no jungle in Uruguay, for what we just call "monte" (meaning woods. It is last sentence about BC SW activity that has cue for me --- since Paraguay has most of the channels inactive (Nacional, Encarnación, etc. have been inactive lately, only América but on irregular basis), meanwhile Uruguay has kept its modest presence) (Horacio A. Nigro Montevideo - Uruguay, Aug 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 4992.6, R. Ancash, Huaraz. Here in Chimbote there is a friend of mine working in R. Ancash and he helps me to get QSL verification for my friends. My address is: César Pérez Dioses, Correo Central, Chimbote, Peru (Pérez, Aug 27 DSWCI DX Window Aug 29 via DXLD) ** PUERTO RICO. La puertorriqueña "Notiuno", ha sido escuchada en los 910 kHz, a las 0406 UT, el 28/08, SINPO 3/3, con el programa "Contacto con Notiuno". Señal sostenida. También captada en los 760, con ID's como "Notiuno 630". Me llamó la atención que los programas de ambas frecuencias son diferentes en ciertos momentos y luego se enlazan entre sí. 810 AM, de Puerto Rico, con señal estable, el 28/08, a las 0427, con temas de Michael Sembello "Maniac" y Bee Gees "Night Fever" (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Yaesu FT-890, Antena TH3MK3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. 17705, new "Russian International Radio" program (Cf. DX- Window no. 225) via DTK (joint venture of Voice of Russia and private Russkoye Radio), popping on at 1356, Aug 24, just before published *1400. In mid-program, upbeat format, man talking; full ID at 1400, mentioned both "Radio Kompanya Golos Rossii" and "Russkoye Mezhdunarodnoye Radio," then seeming news by woman, into Russian pop vocals at 1406, ID again 1412, by which time reception had gotten noisy. Pretty good strength, tho still a little fady at this hour. Closed at 1500* after Voice of Russia IS. -- Also, 9405, maybe this one at 2045, Aug 23, poor signal under merciless RTTY, off at 2100, which is their published s/off time; seemed Russian, but nothing definitive on ID (Jerry Berg, MA, Aug 27 DSWCI DX Window Aug 29 via DXLD) "Russian International Radio" is based on an agreement on "strategic partnership" which the head of The Voice of Russia (VOR), Armen Oganesyan and Sergey Arkhipov, the president of the "Russian Media Group" (which owns Russkoye Radio), signed in February 2003. The new service is to be broadcast not only on MW & SW, but also on satellite for the Russian diaspora around the world. Oganesyan expects that the new service could more than double the audience of VOR's Russian language programmes which currently counts 100 million listeners worldwide. Russkoye Radio http://www.rusradio.ru is Russia's commercial network No 1. Not so long ago the station received an award by president Putin for promoting Russian language and culture (Bernd Trutenau in Dxplorer via Aug 27 DSWCI DX Window Aug 29 via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Re ** VIETNAM [non]. Degar Voice (via Atamanovka, Russia) Atamanovka is the transmitter site east of Chita (cf. WRTH 2003 pg. 527 with exact coordinates). 73s, (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, DX LISTENING DIGEST) a.k.a.: Chita (Kail Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The Atamanovka site is listed on the following page under Chita. http://www.mindspring.com/~ttmdoc/shortwave_radio_transmitters_in_.htm (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SAUDI ARABIA [non]. UK-BASED SAUDI OPPOSITION TV REPORTEDLY STOPS BROADCASTING | Text of report entitled: "TV transmission stops 'hopefully temporary'. Radio channel still beamed on the old frequency"; published by Movement for Islamic Reform web site on 29 August Transmission of Al-Islah [satellite] television has ceased once again due to pressure from the Saudi government on Eutelsat, [the company] which owns the satellite through which the channel broadcasts. Eutelsat used the pretext of some missing documents and chose the end of the week in order make it difficult for officials in charge of the channel to resort to lawyers or official and legal parties. The movement [MIRA] hopes that the channel's disappearance will not be for long and that steps will be taken to resume transmission and force the party that discontinued the transmission to pay compensation for the duration of the stoppage. We want to point out that transmission on the radio channel is still being carried on the old frequency: that is, 11096 with vertical polarity. Information for the radio channel: Satellite: Hotbird 6 Satellite Channel: 129 Bouquet: Deutsche Telekom Polarity: Vertical Symbol Rate: 27500 FEC: 3/4 Video PID: 8191 Audio PID: 74 Source: Movement for Islamic Reform web site, UK, in Arabic 29 Aug 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) What about SW??? ** SOUTH AFRICA. Estación en idioma inglés en 3255.05 kHz, la cual a todas luces parece ser africana. ¿Liberia, Botswana? Señal más fuerte a las 0427. Demasiada estática. Ya desvanecida a las 0500. (29/08). (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Yaesu FT-890, Antena TH3MK3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) BBCWS relay from RSA, scheduled 0300-0500 (gh) ** UKRAINE [and non]. Early checking of RUI's new 9810 kHz. August 29, 2003 --- 0000 UT 9805 nothing; 9810 Arabic type music; 9815 unID; 9820 R. Habana Cuba positive ID. 0015 UT same as 0000 0030 UT 9805 R. Farda positive ID; others same as 0000 UT 0045 UT same as 0030. Unable to check August 28, 2003 as we were having terrible thunderstorms, again. 73, (Kraig Krist, VA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. Achala Sharma, head of BBC`s Hindi Service has been awarded the World Hindi Honour at the seventh World Hindi Conference held in Surinam. Sharma has been recognized for her ``significant contributions to the development and popularity of the Hindi language in the field of broadcast and literature``. For 18 years, Sharma has been instrumental in turning BBC Hindi into a leading Hindi-language radio and online service. Among other achievements, she has to her credit two collections of radio plays, `Passport` and `Jaren` (Roots) which were recently released in London. She has also authored two novels and three collections of short stories (The Channel, AIB, July 2003, via DXLD) ** U K. A few months ago I posted a NY Post editorial on the Kelly affair stating (while holding my nose) that it made some good points. That editorial at least had some factual basis for its mostly measured assertions. Today, the Post published a follow-up editorial on the matter and it should be noted that the paper has reverted to its more common, less measured and less factual approach. In short, the editorial is a load of you-know-what. Here it is, annotated with my comments: http://www.topica.com/lists/swprograms/read/message.html?sort=d&mid=1714317527&start=17985 (John Figliozzi, NY, Aug 28, swprograms via DXLD) Further discussion, response by Joe Buch in next message: http://www.topica.com/lists/swprograms/read/message.html?sort=d&mid=1714318704&start=17986 (Joe Buch, ibid.) And John Figliozzi replies: http://www.topica.com/lists/swprograms/read/message.html?sort=d&mid=1714319051&start=17987 (swprograms via gh, DXLD) BRITISH OFFICIAL DENIES ROLE IN NAMING BBC SOURCE By Glenn Frankel, Washington Post Foreign Service, Thursday, August 28, 2003; Page A20 LONDON, Aug. 27 -- Defense Secretary Geoffrey Hoon testified today that Prime Minister Tony Blair's aides, and not him, were behind the government's decision to identify a British weapons expert as the source for a BBC report questioning a public intelligence dossier on Iraq's access to weapons of mass destruction. . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A56091-2003Aug27.html (via Kraig Krist, DXLD) ** U S A. TRAILER PARK MINISTRIES MYSTERY SOLVED One of the longest running mysteries in North American pirate radio DX circles has revolved around The Voice of Trailer Park Ministries. First appearing on the shortwave bands in October 1989, this unusual religious pirate broadcaster created controversy right from the beginning. Host R. F. Fields transmitted religious sermons along with frequent station identifications. Those lengthy identifications normally were, ``Hello and good evening to all our radio friends, American Forces everywhere, and all the ships at sea. You are tuned in to Radio Voice of Trailer Park Ministry, America`s first shortwave pirate religious broadcaster. This is Rev. R. F. Fields.`` However, for more than a decade there has been some controversy about what the actual identification of this station is. Some DXers, including your editor, heard the ID as Radio Voice of Kramer`s Park Ministry. The station announced no address, and thus it had no means of responding to correspondence from listeners. Further, R. F. Fields did not provide any answers to this puzzle by publicizing his station. All of this coy mystery has now come to an end. As we see here, R. F. Fields has now been sending out QSL sheets for ancient receptions of his station by many DXers. They clearly show that Rev. R. F. Fields` station actually is called The Voice of Trailer Park Ministries. Further, Fields claims to be ``The only certified sane radio preacher.`` The text of his QSL sheet reads, in part: THE VOICE OF TRAILER PARK MINISTRIES Reverend Doctor R. F. Fields ``The only certified sane radio preacher`` ``I am sorry to take so long to send this QSL. My radio station has been off the air for over 4 years because an evil neighbor at the Shady Grove Trailer Park called the Orlando Police and said that my radio station interfered with watching Saturday Night Live and the police came out and talked to me and then they came back with a socialist worker and talked to me again and then they came back with the socialist worker and a ambulance and the ambulance drivers chased me and caught me where I was hiding under a doublewide down the street and strapped me down to a stretcher and took me to the hospital and the doctors at the hospital said that I has (sic) loose screws in the steel plate that the Army doctors put in my head after I was shot in the head by an artillery shell in the Vietnamese War and that they needed to fix the screws and that my brain needed a rest. They fixed the screws and put me in the State Hospital for my brain to rest and the nurses at the State Hospital would not let me get online because they said that I got agitated too easy and that my brain would not rest if I got online so I didn`t get to look up my reception reports until now because a doctor at the state hospital gave me a piece of paper that says I am certified sane and told me that they were letting me loose and I can get online now.`` ``I am sending out QSLs to my old listeners now and I want you to know that I am going to get me a new True Light Trailer and Emergency Drive-In Church after I get out of the half-way house where I live now and I will be able to return to the airwaves this fall or winter with an improved station and better coverage so listen for me around 6955 kHz on holiday weekends and other weekend nights around November and December 2003.`` Fields` QSLs also reveal that the station uses a B&W 5100B transmitter with crystal control and 120 watts. The signal is fed into a vertical antenna. As you see here, Fields has future plans to return to the shortwave broadcasting bands. If you hear this one, you will tune in one of the most mysterious pirate stations that has ever bounced a signal off the ionosphere. Also, you will know that the operator of this one actually has a sheet of paper providing medical certification that Rev. Fields is in fact ``The only certified sane radio preacher.`` If you hear him, let us know! (George Zeller, Outer Limits, Sept MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) ** U S A. Hey Glenn! LOVE DX Digest. Right, currently listening to WRMI out of Miami, USA, up here in Alberta, Canada. (My laptop battery charging nearby is adding an interesting background noise.) Figured I'd pass on that they're talking about cutbacks, and are recommending you keep up at their website http://www.wrmi.net as there are big changes afoot, including, amongst other things, frequency changes. Don't know if this is of use for DX Digest, but you ask for people to submit news, so there you go:) Keep up the good work (Steve, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Steve, Thanks for the news, but I am wondering if this really concerns WRMI itself, or some program carried by the station? When did you hear it? Was it Jeff White of WRMI or someone else speaking? Nothing new at the WRMI site, with the program schedule still dated July 1 Regards, (Glenn to Steve, cc to Jeff White, via DXLD) Glenn -- I don't have the slightest idea what Steve is referring to. As you say, maybe it's some program we broadcast (IBC? Christian Media Network?). We certainly haven't said anything like that, that I can recall (Jeff White, WRMI Miami Aug 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. 15650, Pan American Broadcasting, 1430-1445, broadcasts in Arabic under the name ``Catholique Broadcasting Radio``, 55444. The address as heard: PO BOX 144, Michigan, Victoria 3132 USA (Mohamed Kallel, Tunisia, Aug 27 DSWCI DX Window Aug 29 via DXLD) The ZIP-code is not complete. They can also be contacted by e-mail at gbernald@panambc.com (DSWCI Ed) 3132 is an Australian postcode, and indeed Google search on ``Victoria 3132`` produces a town called Mitcham! (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. MORE ABOUT CLASSICAL MUSIC ON RADIO Glenn: Having been the PD of five classical FM stations in the Monterey -San Jose - to San Francisco area over a period lasting a total of 27 years, I can say that this niche format is becoming harder and harder to "service". If you look at the posts to the newsgroup rec.music.classical.recordings you will see that almost no one agrees with anybody else, and that the really dedicated, advanced listeners are INCREDIBLY fussy to the point of neurosis. And even the ordinary "civilian" listeners who used to call and write the stations I worked for often contributed only criticism, never helpful support. It seems to me that this art form is so "delicate" that mass broadcasting to try to reach a common demoninator is next to impossible -- at least in this culture. Perhaps in the thirties, when the opera came on once a week, the Philharmonic-Symphony of New York and Boston Symphonies and Philadelphia Orchestra had their two hour network hookups, and when records of things like the Beethoven Seventh Symphony cost the equivalent of a working man's ENTIRE week's wages, broadcasting a LITTLE bit of mass-appeal classical music made sense. I think historians agree that perhaps 10% or even more of the overall audience heard at least SOME classical music, via radio. Now it's down to 1% --- or less. Figuring the change in population demographics, the number is still appallingly tiny. And if -- in that 1% of the total audience -- the listeners are SO fragmented, cranky, bigoted, opinionated, and picky - - you can see that it will be hard to generate audience satisfaction, station loyalty, and appreciative listeners who will provide supportive feedback to sponsors. Stations are much more likely to get a letter complaining about something than one praising an element in the broadcast. And the letters are all so self-cancelling! One guy HATES the harpsichord and baroque music; another one complains if Stravinsky or Copland or Messiaen are aired. I have even had people write that they dislike Mozart but like Haydn, and vice versa. What is one to MAKE of that? How can you SERVE these people? Now, given the perhaps 2 to 5 mile TOTAL radius of the mono coverage of an LPFM transmitter -- or the -- say -- 1 mile coverage of the stereo multiplex signal with any decent fidelity -- how are you going to reach enough folks to develop a satisfactory audience base? Especially if a large percentage of them -- that is, of the couple of dozen of souls in total -- seem to HATE so much music by so many composers of specific styles, and dislike so many artists' interpretations? Streaming via the web is such a great disappointment. As you pointed out, even the big players like the BBC cannot produce a reliable stream for something like the Proms concert. And can a web stream even BEGIN to deal adequately with the sonic demands of Mahler's Eighth? On the other hand, you can go to the neighborhood Tower store and pick up -- say -- the Sony Essential Classics CD edition of Mahler's Eighth conducted by Michael Gielen (an excellent performance, all contained on one disk) and acquire the piece for about $5-6. The sound is superb, better than ANY possible FM or web transmission; and it's not even a modern recording! It is from an analogue master tape that dates from 1981; yet it's VASTLY superior to the transmission capabilities of state-of-the-art FM stereo. It would be a tremendous technical challenge for a 100 kW multiplex stereo station to transmit this CD without significant compression or reduction in tone quality to a coverage area radius of about 20 miles; outside of that, the signal would be hissy, noisy, and unstable. How many folks are going to be in the coverage radius of the LPFM station that would have the temerity to play the Mahler Eighth? What damage is going to have to be done to the musical characteristics of Mahler's scoring in order to make the work intelligible? Is it worth the effort? Does it promote the culture of music with a significant impact to really help sustain it? I say no. It's time to face facts. Classical music survived BEFORE broadcasting. Schubert quartets were played and loved before Fessenden, De Forest, and Armstrong. They'll be played and loved long after DRM and IBOC are obsolete. We do not require the efforts of ineffectual, flickering, and inconsequential pipsqueak FM signals to keep "culture" alive in our hearts. All we require is the will to seek it out, each in our own individual way, be it via studying singing or playing, attending musical performances, or going to the public library for its available resources. Yours, (Steve Waldee - "reformed" radio station program director, Aug 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. LPFM: ALL THAT FUSS FOR NOTHING? Report Seems to Indicate That FM Dial Could Accommodate More LPFM Channel Allocations by Mario Hieb, P.E. The FCC has released a new study that could change the face of FM radio as we know it. Radio World asked me to study the report and share my observations. The report gives a green light to low -- power FM stations that would operate without third -- adjacent-channel protection to existing stations, and could open the door to more -- lenient assignments of full -- power FMs and FM translators. Lab tests also showed LPFMs are not likely to interfere with digital receivers; the HD Radio signals remained robust, Mitre stated. . . http://www.radioworld.com/reference-room/special-report/01_rw_lpfm_4.shtml (RW Online Sept 1 via DXLD) ** U S A. MAKING WAVES: COMMUNITY RADIO FOR A COMMUNITY THAT CARES LIVING By Kelly Crowley, Roundup staff reporter Tuesday, August 26 A "labor of love" is how John and Lu Carpino refer to their unique radio station, KRIM 96.3 FM. Nearly 20 years together, John and Lu Carpino have embarked on a new venture as the "co-management team" of KRIM 96.3 FM. "John has his forte and I`m his sidekick," Lu said. "We make a good team." Unlike the vast majority of radio stations, KRIM is a public radio station with a multi-format, which means that when you tune in to 96.3, you may hear anything from folk and reggae to jazz and blues. "We were approached by the Payson Council of Music Arts who had obtained a license for low-powered FM," Lu said. "Because of our combined experience in radio, they asked us to assist them in getting it started." Steve Bingham, president of KRIM received the first FCC low-powered FM license in the state of Arizona. When he told John that it would be a multi-format station, he got very excited. "All types of music are valid," John said. "We are trying to expand Payson`s musical horizons and do it in a way that is successful. We rely on community support, so we play music that is tasteful." "It`s kind of like a daily music lesson," Lu said. KRIM first went on the air waves amidst the Rodeo-Chediski Fire. "It was trial by fire," Lu said. "We started going to all the fire briefings and putting them on the air," John said. Between their motley mix of music, John and Lu updated evacuees on the fire. The two joke that while few Payson residents had discovered their new radio station, most of the evacuees were tuned in. "That`s how part of our mission statement came to be," Lu said. "I just happened to say, `community radio for a community that cares` -- and it stuck. Music and public service have always been a big part of life for the Carpinos. Nearly 20 years ago, the two met while they were both teachers in Yuma. "John was performing one night and I was there with some friends who encouraged me to get up on stage and sing with him, " Lu said. "The rest is history." The Carpinos have been a Payson fixture for years, performing, broadcasting and working in the Payson school district. But when the opportunity to run a public radio station came their way, they had to grab it. "Public radio is a beautiful thing," John said. "We are offering something totally special and unique to this area and the community is embracing it." KRIM has started a new alliance with the Sedona Cultural Center and the Putumayo world music label. Because of this new friendship, they have been able to interview international stars from their studio. "We were able to have Oliver Mtukudzi, Zimbabwe`s number one star, on our station -- talking to people in Payson," John said. "Music really is the universal language and we`ve slowly been expanding our selection to include world music -- French folk songs, Mexican music, South African music." No doubt, listeners will hear music that they won`t on stations that play the same top ten tunes every few hours. "I like discovering acts that I`ve heard about but never reach the top of the charts -- the hidden gems," John says. "If you want the top of the charts, you`re listening to the wrong station. We play quality artists with quality songs." Although they expose listeners to the lesser-known artist, the Carpinos still love to play the old favorites. "I`m a Flashback Fridays kind of girl," Lu said. Flashback Friday features music from the 50`s, 60`s and 70`s. While a large part of KRIM`s mission is to expand musical awareness, the fact that it is a public radio station also carries with it a responsibility, according to John and Lu. KRIM is radio by the people, for the people. "We are public radio which is a very different animal than commercial radio," Johns said. "We are a non-profit station run by a non-profit organization." "The station belongs to the community and they dictate what direction we go in," Lu said. The Carpinos have been pleasantly surprised by the positive feedback from the public. "People have really supported us and thanked us for bringing this kind of music variety to Payson," Lu said. The Carpinos make an effort to do a lot for the community through the station. "Part of our mission is to promote the creative and musical arts," Lu said. Several local and regional bands such as Hans Olsen, the John Scott Band, Code Blue and Walkin` Cane Mark, even the high school choir, have visited the KRIM studio and treated listeners to a live performance. John and Lu frequently invite representatives from local nonprofits to come on their morning show, Good Morning Payson, and talk about their organizations or an issue of interest in the community. "Town Manager Fred Carpenter comes in once a month to talk town business and play some music," Lu said. Every Friday morning, KRIM has a trivia game they do in conjunction with the Mazatzal Casino to raise money for charities in town. "When we connected with the casino, Mark Kaplan and I were able to iron out the details of our trivia game," Lu said. "For every correct answer, $10 is donated to a nonprofit." KRIM and the casino have already raised more than $2,000 for organizations such as the Time Out Shelter, the Salvation Army and the Rim Country Literacy Program. "Mark does a great job writing the trivia questions," Lu said. "We all have a good laugh and raise money for local charities." John and Lu Carpino have been a complementary duo since they first harmonized on stage 20 years ago. "John has his forte and I`m his sidekick," Lu said. "We make a good team." John`s creative ability and Lu`s business savvy have resulted in Payson`s very own community radio station -- the only one of its kind in the state. KRIM 96.3 BROADCAST SCHEDULE [UT -7 yearound] Monday through Friday 6 - 7 a.m., House Blend 7 - 10 a.m., "Good Morning Payson" with John and Lu Carpino. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., KRIM`s House Blend. A wonderful mix of light jazz, folk, blues and contemporary album cuts, spiced-up with some tasty hidden gems. Monday through Sunday 6 - 7 p.m., KRIM`s Classical Music Hour ... the music of the masters. 7 - 8 p.m., Big Band Serenade. The best in big band, swing & classic jazz Monday through Thursday 8 p.m. - 12 Midnight, Jazz in the Pines. Friday and Saturday 8 p.m. - 12 Midnight, T.G.I.F. & S. - Blues, Blues Rock and great Album Rock Sunday 6 - 9 a.m., Classical, Baroque and Renaissance 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., House Blend 4 - 5 p.m., The Arizona Music Scene 5 - 6 p.m., Local music spotlight Sunday 8 p.m. - 12 Midnight, Jazz in the Pines Saturday 6 a.m. - 2 p.m., The "Acoustic Siesta" ... our finest blend of acoustic music. 2 - 4 p.m., Bluegrass, Folk and Americana. 4 - 6 p.m., Reggae Under the Rim, Reggae & World Music Seven days a week 12 midnight - 6 a.m., The Night Shift ....Blues, Cool Jazz, Folk and Americana Don`t miss Thank You Thursdays and Flashback Fridays on Good Morning Payson, "Just Ask Lu" Wednesdays at 9 a.m., plus "Trivia Time," Fridays at 10 a.m. Copyright (c) 2002 The Payson Roundup, all rights reserved (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. FCC BLACKLISTS rfb FOR GOOD By IAN BISHOP Reformer Washington Bureau WASHINGTON -- Even with the community squarely behind them, operators of radio free brattleboro will never receive a federal broadcast license, federal regulators said Tuesday. http://www.reformer.com/Stories/0,1413,102~8862~1593867,00.html (Brattleboro Refoermer, Aug 27, via Jill Dybka, DXLD) http://www.thetranscript.com/Stories/0,1413,103~9054~1594492,00.html (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. ANNOUNCEMENTS Labor Day Specials, Monday (9/01) [UT -7] Songs that Work, 9 AM-Noon... An exploration of great American songwriting. Hosted by Liza Richardson. Work Song: A Labor Day Special, 1-4 PM... A look at American music that reflects life and work. Hosted by Rene Engel. Bob Hope: Thanks for the Memories, 4-5 PM... A remembrance of Bob Hope's life and career. Hosted by Susan Stamberg. The Music Makers: Gospel Into Soul, 7-9 PM... A private look behind the public persona of Patti LaBelle. Hosted by Whoopi Goldberg. Chocolate City, 9 PM-Midnight... A special three-hour edition. Hosted by Garth Trinidad (KCRW weekly previews via DXLD) HPFM, webcaster ** U S A. RADIO LISTENERS FACED WITH STATIC BY JULIEN GORBACH keysnews.com http://keysnews.com/285079715769926.bsp.htm Keys residents must wade through a sea of static at the left end of their radio dials because, for the past three years, a National Public Radio member station and a local Christian group have been at loggerheads over a federal license to transmit here. WLRN is the Miami-based station that carries NPR, the nearly 30-year- old, nonprofit content provider featuring news programs and talk shows. The station currently broadcasts to the Keys with four "translators"-- devices that are much less powerful than radio transmitters, and are rendered even less functional by the unique elongated geography of the islands. A person driving from Key West to Marathon has to switch channels three times to follow WLRN's broadcast, picking it up from the translators in Key West, Big Pine Key and Grassy Key. Christian radio listeners struggle with the same problem. Even in the areas where the translators are located, reception is uneven at best. On Feb. 17, 2000, WLRN applied for a license from the Federal Communications Commission to build a transmission facility in Marathon. Responding to the public notice, two more groups filed applications before the deadline, in late April and early May. The first was Broadcasting for the Challenged, a Memphis-based company. The second was Tower of Praise, a nonprofit based in Big Pine Key that has for years been interested in setting up a Christian radio station. All three groups are competing to transmit on 91.5, the last local channel that engineers have determined is still available for noncommercial broadcasts. The FCC never decided who should receive the license because its rules for judgment were challenged. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Washington, D.C. Circuit will hear the challenge next month. Regardless of the whether the rules are upheld or overturned, neither possibility promises good news for NPR fans in the Keys. Under the current system, Tower of Praise has the best shot at the license because the rules favor local applicants. If the rules are overturned, it would take about two years for a new system to be adopted, according to the FCC. WLRN manager Ted Eldredge said he has to explain the problem every day, when Keys residents call in to complain. With nearly 22 million listeners each week, NPR's audience equals the circulation of the top 42 American newspapers combined, according to NPR spokeswoman Jessamyn Sarmiento. "I am very frustrated," Eldredge said. "We have spent the best part of two years trying to find any alternative, and there is nothing that is affordable." Tower of Praise President Steve Lawes asked what National Public Radio was when he was reached about the issue. Lawes, the pastor at the Vineyard Fellowship Church in Big Pine Key, said he was under the understanding that his competitors were Broadcasting for the Challenged and the Miami-Dade school board. WLRN is licensed to the school board, and the board is the entity listed on the station's application. Eldredge said Tower of Praise had been unwilling to negotiate over the license, but Lawes said he knew nothing about negotiation attempts. "It's possible the lawyers all talked, I don't really know," he said. "I don't believe we have viewed ourselves as standing in anybody's way." Lawes believes the real problem is the lack of frequencies. He considers all three applicants legitimate, and said he would be willing to work with them to find a solution. "I am pretty amenable, I think," he said. Representatives of Broadcasting for the Challenged did not return numerous calls for comment. But the company, which has applied for hundreds of licenses nationwide, is generally willing to negotiate with its competitors, according to Marc Hand, managing director for Public Radio Capital, a nonprofit that assists public radio stations expand service by coordinating efforts on a national level (Keysnews.com via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** U S A. Public radio pioneer Phil Goodman, W5YVT, SK: Philip I. Goodman, W5YVT (ex-K4FXB), of Marietta, Georgia, died August 23. He was 70. Goodman was instrumental in establishing the Georgia Public Radio Network -- known formerly as Peach State Radio -- in 1985. The network now includes 15 stations statewide. An Amateur Radio operator since 1953, Goodman was an ARRL Life Member. He`d served as a communications officer in the US Navy and was an avid electronics enthusiast (ARRL August 27 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** U S A. MOVING DAY PART 3 A few months ago I wrote about stations moving on the radio dial to new frequencies. This month, I`m writing about stations that move in the traditional sense – from one city to another. These moves are usually trivial – moving from one suburb to another, etc.. But, occasionally the moves are significant. These changes can seriously affect your ability to DX certain frequencies. An example: WHTE-1690 is the expandedband permit for WDDD-810 Johnson City, Illinois. Johnson City is in extreme southern Illinois, roughly 80 miles southeast of St. Louis and roughly 300 miles south of Chicago. Obviously this station will not be a serious impediment to DXing 1690 in Chicago. Indeed, WHTE could actually be DX for a Chicago listener. However, WHTE has applied to move to Berwyn, Illinois. Berwyn is in northern Illinois; it actually borders on the city of Chicago. If the move is granted, 1690 won`t stay open in Chicago for long. AM moves are relatively simple. The station must show that it can operate with the requested power and antenna at the new location without interfering with other stations, and while providing a ``city grade`` signal across the new city. These are essentially the same conditions that would need to be met if a completely new station were proposed. Only one additional requirement is imposed: the move cannot deprive the original city of its only operating radio station. (WHTE has applied to move coöwned station WDDD-FM from Marion, Illinois, to Johnson City. This would ensure Johnson City would still have a radio station. Marion would still have WGGH-AM and WAWJ-FM.) For FM and television, another step is necessary. FM and TV stations can only be established on channels that are ``allotted`` to the community from which the station proposes to operate. For example, the owners of station WJOI-FM, Springfield, Tennessee, have applied to move the station to Oak Grove, Kentucky. Before they can move the station itself, they must move the station`s 94.3 FM allotment. Only after the new allotment is granted can the station apply to modify its license to specify the new city. It should be noted that translators and low-power TV stations are not required to use allotted channels. They may change city at will (provided interference-protection limits are met). As I noted above with regard to WHTE-1690, sometimes one change in one community triggers more changes. (Some recent moves in Alabama have triggered nearly a dozen changes in two states.) Often these ``cascading`` changes are purely administrative. In WHTE`s case, WDDD- FM already provides a ``city-grade`` signal to both its existing city (Marion) and the proposed new city. (Johnson City). The WDDD tower won`t move, and the station will remain on 107.3 FM. Chances are the only things that will change at WDDD-FM are the hourly identification announcement and the location of the ``public file.`` (Doug Smith, American Bandscan, Sept MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) ** U S A. AL FRANKEN: THROWING PUNCHES AND PUNCH LINES, by Howard Kurtz http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A56418-2003Aug27?language=printer (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. RADIO LAW: ANOTHER RF APPROACH TO ALERT MOTORISTS OF LOCAL EMERGENCIES SIDELINED The FCC`s Office of Engineering and Technology took only three days to dismiss the latest attempt to gain experimental access to broadcast frequencies for alerting motorists of nearby emergency situations. This time, TV Channel 7`s spectrum was in the cross hairs. The proponent was ``EVA,`` short for Emergency Vehicle Alert. While you won`t find this case mentioned in the FCC`s Daily Digest but the full scoop is available in cyberspace at http://www.earthsignals.com/add_CGC/EVA.htm (CGC via Amateur Radio Newsline Aug 29 via John Norfolk, DXLD)) ** U S A. RADIO INTERFERENCE CAUSES STATIC Local emergency communications hampered By JENNIFER FUNK, Staff writer PORT CLINTON [Ohio] -- Off and on interference on countywide emergency radio channels has prompted local Emergency Management Agency officials to ask for help from the federal government. Ottawa County EMA Director Jim Greer wants the Federal Communication Commission to pinpoint the source of the interference and "take the necessary steps to stop" it.. . . http://www.portclintonnewsherald.com/news/stories/20030827/localnews/140864.html (via Jilly Dybka, TN, DXLD) ** U S A. FCC INQUIRY TO STUDY TOWER IMPACT ON MIGRATORY BIRDS The FCC has initiated a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) to gather comment on the impact communications towers may have on migratory birds. ``One of the FCC`s critical responsibilities is to manage the expansion of communications towers in a way that best preserves the country`s environmental resources,`` the FCC said in a public notice. The NOI in WT Docket 03-187 appears focused primarily on commercial antenna support structures. The FCC said that it`s unaware of any studies sufficient to support a reliable estimate of the number of migratory birds that may have died as a result of collisions with communications towers. The NOI seeks comments and information on scientific research and other related data relevant to migratory bird collisions with communications towers. ``While some literature suggests that certain factors--such as tower height, lighting systems, type of antenna support structure, and location—may increase or decrease the hazards that towers pose to migratory birds, there does not appear to be systematic research on an adequate scale regarding exactly how and to what extent, if at all, these factors contribute to any risk to migratory birds,`` the FCC said. The NOI is available on the FCC Web site http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-03-205A1.doc Interested parties may file comments via the Electronic Comment Filing System http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/ ECFS (ARRL August 27 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** URUGUAY. See PARAGUAY ** VENEZUELA. Radio Amazonas ha sido escuchada en los 4939.66 kHz, a las 0345. Transmitía sólo vallenatos. SINPO 3/3. Inusual cierre a las 0404, ya que jamás está hasta tan tarde en onda corta. Con la ausencia de YVTO y de Radio Táchira del cuadrante, Radio Amazonas se convierte así en la única venezolana presente en la onda corta. (27/08). (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Yaesu FT-890, Antena TH3MK3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. CONATEL: 200 PETITIONS TO START ALTERNATIVE COMMUNITY MEDIA STATIONS --- Venezuelan telecommunications regulatory body (Conatel) general director, Alvin Lozada reports that he has received around 200 petitions to set up community broadcast stations. "Currently there are 26 community stations on the air throughout Venezuela ... 20 are radio stations and the rest local TV channels." http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=10470 (via Jill Dybka, DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE. R. Netherlands Weekly Documentary, Sept. 3-6: Two years ago, the Zimbabwean government created the National Youth Service, allegedly to provide skills and teach patriotism to the southern African nation's youth. But the National Youth Service has a far more sinister goal: to intimidate and silence all opposition to President Robert Mugabe and his ruling ZANU-PF party. Former youth militia members recount the beatings, torture and murders they were forced to carry out. And victims speak of the youth militia's random and at times relentless persecution of anyone suspected of belonging to the opposition. Eric Beauchemin travelled undercover to Zimbabwe and reveals a chilling tale of brainwashing, political manipulation, and the undermining of an entire generation. Broadcast times (UT): Wed 10.00 (Pacific/Asia/Far East), 11.30 (Europe/East Coast USA), 12.30 (USA WRN), 13.30 (Europe WRN), 15.00 (Asia/West Coast USA), 18.00 & 19.30 (Africa), 21.00 (Europe), Thu 00.00 (North America), 04.00 (USA WRN) & 05.00 (North America), Fri 11.00 (Pacific/Asia/Far East/Europe/Eastern USA), 15.30 (Asia/West Coast USA), 19.00 (Africa), 21.30 (Europe), Sat 00.30 (North America) (RN weekly previews via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. unID - 5049.92 ARDS? 1153 8/29. YL talking, too weak to determine lang. If ARDS, down a bit from previous 5049.96. Something on 5050, also (John Wilkins, CO, Cumbre DX via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Estación de los 5134 kHz, en LSB, está definitivamente en portugués, aunque hay demasiada estática para identificarla. Captada a las 0341 UT (27/08). (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Yaesu FT-890, Antena TH3MK3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Luego: Hola Glenn, Ahora leyendo la lista me percato de que no es portugués. Sin embargo, las dos veces que lo he escuchado me ha parecido esa lengua. Lo que sí me extraña es que no usen el AM para las emisiones. ¿Desean cubrir más? Saludos, (Adán, ibid.) El uso principal --- si fueara Belarus` --- es para comunicaciones militares, también redifundiendo emisoras entre charlas para llenar la frecuencia y el tiempo (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Re 6069.8v: Dear Noel, The programmes on 6020 and 6060 are not always the same. I noted the same program especially around 0700 or 0800, in relation to the 6069.8v. I listen at this moment at 2056 and 6060 is in // with 6069.7 with the religious network `A Voz da Libertacão`. At 2100 different program for a couple of minutes. From 2104 the same programme. According to `Radio List` published by DX Clube do Brazil, the station on this channel is ZYE765 R Capital from Rio de Janeiro also listed in a 2000 edition of TBL published by Willie H. Passmann. I only heard the ID on 6060 (Nicolás Eramo, Argentina, Aug 27 DSWCI DX Window Aug 29 via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Amigos DXistas en Conexión Digital! Consulta número 3: 6370.02 kHz - he tenido en esta frecuencia durante largo tiempo una estación no identificada, probablemente transmitiendo desde Brasíl (hablando português de Brasíl). Solamente he notado la estación en las mañanas entre aproximadamente 1000 - 1100 UT. Una señal bastante débil. ¿Algien en la lista sabe algo? (Bjorn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, Aug 29, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DRM +++ A couple of news items coming from the HFCC Conference: 1) There will be an NASB joint broadcast (of all members) in DRM and analog weekly, for 22 weeks, starting in the B03 season (probably the week of Oct. 26). More details soon. Also, NASB may make a proposal to host the first HFCC conference in the U.S. sometime in the not-too-distant future (Jeff White, FL, Aug 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I received this press release this morning by e-mail from MAYAH Communications... 2ND GENERATION RECEIVER FOR DIGITAL RADIO MONDIALE TO BE PRESENTED AT IFA IN BERLIN At the Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA) in Berlin from August 29th to September 2nd, MAYAH Communications, leading developer of high quality solutions for the broadcasting and telecommunications market, will introduce the 2nd generation receiver for the new Digital Radio Mondiale standard. As joint development of MAYAH, Coding Technologies, Himalaya and AFG, the DRM2010 will be demonstrated at the ARD/DW/ZDF stand in hall 5.3/Stand 03 (technical and scientific forum of the IFA). The new DRM2010 is a multiband receiver for reception of Digital Radio Mondiale programs in the Long-, Medium-, and Short-wave bands, and is also supporting conventional FM and AM analog reception. As the successor of worlds first consumer DRM receiver as introduced by Coding Technologies in 2002, the DRM2010 is smaller and less expensive. MAYAH's general manager Detlef Wiese about the strategic goals: "This matches exactly our core business. We apply our know how in the professional transmission market to a consumer product. The DRM2010 applies newest technology and is an excellent opportunity to bring the next mile stone to the successful project of Digital Radio Mondiale. The co-operation with all involved partners has resulted in a very innovative digital receiver." For further info: http://www.mayah.com/content/press/releases/130803-drm.html (John Figliozzi, NY, Aug 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ AQUA FM TUNES IN THE POOL --- I.J. Hudson, Tech Reporter The swimming season is ending at a lot of pools, but not at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase YMCA, and we went there to try out the Aqua FM. It was developed by Amphicom, a French company specializing in underwater communications and marketed by Aqua Sphere. It's a snorkel with a built-in FM radio. . . http://www.nbc4.com/technology/2432053/detail.html What every DX'er needs. Now if only we can get one that picks up the BBC World Service!! (Message from Tom McNiff, DXLD) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Ireland looking at BPL ElectricNews.net http://www.enn.ie/frontpage/news-9372044.html reports that Irish Communications Minister Dermot Ahern has confirmed that the Irish government is launching a pilot program to deploy broadband Internet via electric power lines -- power line carrier communications (PLC) or what the FCC has dubbed ``BPL`` (Broadband over Power Line). The initiative -- part of a 50-million Euro project funded by the Communications Ministry -- would connect schools, homes and businesses in Tuam, County Galway. ``Powerline communications (PLC) systems have the potential to provide an alternative broadband infrastructure, which can compete with local fixed telephony, cable and wireless networks,`` Ahern said. The article asserts that PLC ``has been tested successfully`` in the US and Germany and that networks are operational in several areas. ``St Louis-based Ameren, for example, has been a leader in putting the technology in place and already thousands of people near the Missouri city are using PLC,`` says the article by Matthew Clark. It also notes that PLC trials are under way in Spain, Italy and Germany, while PLC is undergoing testing in Chile, Brazil and Singapore (ARRL August 27 via John Norfolk, DXLD) COMMENTARY ++++++++++ RUMORS OF DX DEATH GREATLY EXAGGERATED! Editorial by Doug Smith W9WI Tests of the new IBOC digital broadcasts have FM and mediumwave DXers nervous. Both AM and FM DXers are saying things like ``I`m going to catch all the DX now while I still can!`` I suppose some of you may wonder why there hasn`t been more concern expressed about IBOC in the pages of this magazine. Well, for one thing I don`t like to expend too much energy trying to change things I know can`t be changed... The LPFM (low power FM) proceedings made it obvious that when an industry with lobbyists wants something from government, they`ll likely get it. (I suppose scanner monitors can cite the ECPA and its amendments; and computer users can cite the DMCA.) If the National Radio Club can hire a team of Washington lobbyists, I suppose we might be able to stop IBOC. Somehow I doubt the NRC`s treasury could support such an effort. Existing broadcasters, and their lobbyists in the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), want IBOC. They seem to feel it`ll stem the gradual decline in radio listening by bringing CD-quality sound to the FM band and FM-quality sound to AM stations. Maybe more importantly, the IBOC system brings digital radio without changing the relative coverage areas of existing stations (unlike the Eureka system used in almost every other country that has digital radio). Radio hobbyists and media activists may try to stop IBOC, but without lobbyists bearing campaign contributions, I doubt they will have any effect. Why such a hullabaloo about IBOC? On the AM dial, the digital data is placed in the outer edges of the station`s assigned channel and in the adjacent channels. An analog station on 710 kHz occupies the area from 705 to 715 kHz; an IBOC station on 710 occupies 695-725. A listener with a good receiver can DX 700 and 720 even if he lives near an analog station on 710. If that analog station switches to IBOC, this listener will no longer be able to DX 700 or 720 kHz. On FM, IBOC stations do not spill into adjacent frequencies. However, they do occupy the outer portions of their existing channels. With analog, these areas are ``guard bands`` between stations. The effect is the same: it will prove impossible to DX frequencies adjacent to those used by IBOC stations. So chances are we will have IBOC in the United States. DXers have two choices: Live with it, or give up and take up a different hobby. DXers have learned to ``live with it`` before. Here are some of the developments that over the years have threatened to put an end to the DX hobby: • Seven-night-a-week AM broadcasting • The end of the typical midnight-6am silent period • Power increases on Class C channels, from 100 watts to 250 to 1,000 • FM • TV • Breakup of the ``clear`` channels • Radio Martí and the high-powered retaliatory broadcasts from Cuba • Docket 80-90 (which made hundreds of new FM stations and FM power increases possible) • Low-power TV • Low-power FM • The end of VHF TV in the U.K. • Blanket nighttime operating authority for most AM daytime-only stations • Internet ``radio`` • Cable TV • Satellite TV • Digital TV Yet the National Radio Club, International Radio Club of America, and Worldwide TV-FM DX Association are as strong as ever. People are still DXing. Sure, there are some things you can`t do anymore. You won`t hear California from the East Coast every night. You won`t log Hawaii with a table radio in St. Louis. Double-hop trans-continental TV skip is now a once-in-a-lifetime treat, not an annual event. Many (most) DXers don`t care. They get a thrill out of whatever they hear that`s new and unusual. Just in the last year, many DXers logged the Virgin Islands for the first time, thanks to the expanded AM band. The widespread adoption of unattended computer recording techniques have filled logs with new DX. Record-breaking 850-mile digital TV reception has been accomplished, and then surpassed when a digital TV signal was received via sporadic- E at a distance of over 1,050 miles. We have the first ever reliable report of reception of U.S. FM stations in Europe. And Australian DXers are receiving American UHF TV signals via reflection off the moon. DXers adapt. Wait and See Nor is it a foregone conclusion that IBOC will work. AM IBOC is still experimental; recent tests have left many participants unhappy with the ``codec`` – the software that ``tosses out`` redundant parts of the audio to make the data stream fit in the necessary bandwidth. Because of the adjacent-channel interference problems, the FCC is not allowing AM IBOC operation at night. For much of the year, commuters are driving home from work after sunset. These commuters are the most important radio audience. A digital radio system that doesn`t work at night isn`t going to work in the marketplace. Finally, IBOC is expensive for the station. At the very least, an expensive digital ``exciter`` is necessary. At many stations, the entire transmitter will need to be replaced. At some, an entire separate digital transmitter and antenna may be necessary. At AM stations, complete redesign of the antenna system may be required. Unlike AM and FM, IBOC is covered by patents. Those wishing to build IBOC receivers or transmitters must buy a patent license – and stations wishing to broadcast IBOC will also require this license. Many stations today (especially AM) can just barely afford to pay their existing bills. Extensive transmitter modifications and an IBOC patent license will be beyond their means. Many stations will remain analog. So, to be concise... IBOC digital broadcasting is coming. We can`t stop it. If it succeeds (and it may not), it will change domestic-band DXing. It will never eliminate it (Closing Comments, September MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) MUSEA +++++ HISTORY IN ACTION AT WTAG RADIO TOWERS Broadcast on site this Friday --- by Ria Megnin Holden --- For nearly 70 years, a small concrete building has kept watch over Shrewsbury Street and the WTAG-AM 580 radio towers broadcasting from its hill. This Friday, its doors will be open to the public for the first time in decades. A first-ever broadcast will be made from the site with WTAG`s "Breakfast Club" morning show stars Hank Stolz and Sherman Whitman. . . http://www.thelandmark.com/story.php3?story=6069 (Holden, MA, via Jill Dybka, DXLD) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ VOICE OF AMERICA, A HISTORY --- BY ALAN HEIL Ask any shortwave listener the first station they heard, and chances are, they will respond ``Voice of America.`` Voice of America, A History, written by Alan L. Heil, Jr., is an in-depth history of the VOA`s founding in 1942 until its sixtieth anniversary. Mr Heil worked for the VOA from 1962 until he retired in 1998, serving (among other positions) as a foreign correspondent, chief of News and Current Affairs, and deputy director of programs. Using transcripts of radio broadcasts and numerous personal anecdotes, Heil has given the reader a closeup look into the major events of the past sixty years. The 540 pages provide a very interesting and enlightening story of the VOA through the wake of Pearl Harbor, the Cold War, the first steps on the moon, the Watergate scandal, civil war in Rwanda, and the intense drama of Tiananmen Square. Heil also relates the outbreak of HIV/AIDS in the 1980s, ethnic strife in the Balkans, the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and the continuing struggles in the Middle East. Alan Heil portrays the VOA as an organization continually underfunded and constantly struggling against congressional investigations, reorganization and leadership purges in an attempt to reshape VOA programming. This is a human history of the Voice of America, told by someone who has been there. The VOA, known by millions of people around the world, has delivered the news with fairness and accuracy. This insider`s story, now told to the world, should be on the shelf of anyone seeking a vivid look at events that shaped our history. Alan Heil reminds hobbyists how grand radio listening really is. Voice of America retails for $37.50. For additional ordering information, go to the Columbia University Press http://columbia.edu or ask at your local book store for ISBN (0-231-12674-3) Gayle Van Horn (What`s New, September MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) MONITORING TIMES EXPRESS The monthly magazine costs $26.95 a year in USA for hard copy, but only $19.95 for PDF. This may be downloaded either in low- or high- resolution, the latter running some 20 MB, but no problem with a cable modem or better. Only a few pages of the print magazine are slick, suitable for color, but some illustrations printed only in B&W show up in color on the PDF. MC, Visa, Discover accepted: 1-800-438-8155 toll free in US and Canada; elsewhere 1-828-837-9200; fax 828-837-2216; 7540 Hwy 64 W, Brasstown NC 28902. Or see http://www.monitoringtimes.com/html/mtexpress.html for info about a free sample (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ QST DE W1AW PROPAGATION FORECAST BULLETIN 35 ARLP035 From Tad Cook, K7RA Seattle, WA August 29, 2003 To all radio amateurs Sunspot counts were up this week, but so were geomagnetic indices. Average daily sunspot numbers rose 33% over last week and the average daily planetary A index was up 18%. Solar flux remained about the same. This week didn`t have an extremely stormy day, such as August 18 last week, but the higher A indices were sustained through the week. Active geomagnetic conditions declined through the week, with the most active days August 21-23 (our reporting week runs Thursday through Wednesday). The active days started August 21 because that is when the earth entered a high-speed solar wind, which continued over the next few days. The moderate conditions should continue through this weekend. The latest reading predicts a planetary A index of 12 for August 29-31, Friday through Sunday. Monday has a predicted planetary A index of 10, but Tuesday, September 2 may become active again, based upon recurring conditions from the previous rotation of the sun. Solar flux is expected to remain around 125 through September 1, and then rise gradually to around 135 for September 3-4. The days are getting shorter, and soon it will be the fall DX season, bringing better conditions. The higher frequencies should be opening during the day and 80 and 40 meters will open earlier and more reliably after dark. As an example, over the path from California to Japan, a month ago 10 meters offered no reliable communication. Currently 10 meters may have an opening on some days from around 2100-0430z. But around the equinox, the same California to Japan path on 10 meters looks quite good, with much stronger signals and reliable openings from 2130 to 0130z. On the new 60 meter band from California to Georgia, a month ago signals were very strong from sundown on the west coast until sunrise at the east end. Strongest signals would be from 0400-1030z, with reasonable openings as early as 0130 and as late as 1230z. Currently the strongest signals should run from around 0330-1100z, with possible openings from 0030-1300z. Around the third week in September, strongest results should be from 0300-1100z, with openings generally good from 0000-1330z. September will also have much lower atmospheric noise on the lower frequencies. One caveat about the equinox. During this phase of the solar cycle, although HF propagation should be better, there is also a greater chance of severe geomagnetic storms and aurora. This is because around late September the interplanetary magnetic field near earth tips far to the south. This makes the earth vulnerable to solar wind. For more on the interplanetary magnetic field and how it affects geomagnetic conditions, see http://spaceweather.com/glossary/imf.html For more information on propagation and an explanation of the numbers used in this bulletin see the Propagation page on the ARRL Web site at http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html Sunspot numbers for August 21 through 27 were 86, 126, 125, 132, 146, 124, and 116, with a mean of 122.1. 10.7 cm flux was 119.2, 120.9, 120.2, 116.4, 116.5, 120.8, and 125.7, with a mean of 120. Estimated planetary A indices were 53, 43, 44, 24, 21, 14, and 13, with a mean of 30.3. Copyright © 2003, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved (ARRL via John Norfolk, DXLD) ABSOLUTELY FREE, IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, FOR ALL RADIO HOBBYSTS AROUND THE WORLD... LA NUMBER UNO, ARNIE CORO'S DXERS UNLIMITED'S HF PLUS LOW BAND VHF PROPAGATION UPDATE AND FORECAST.... Solar flux still hovering around 120 units, and the A index still at rather high figures due to the most recent geomagnetic disturbances...The last week of August will take us into September, the month of the auroras in the northern hemisphere, so be prepared for some very interesting aurora E skip, and the classic auroral curtain reflection that is so noticeable on the 6 and 2 meter amateur bands (Prof. Arnie Coro A., CO2KK, RHC DXers Unlimited Aug 26, via Bob Chandler, VE3SRE, ODXA via DXLD) ###