DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-189, October 24, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser IMPORTANT NOTE: our hotmail accounts are being phased out. Please do not use them any further, but instead woradio at yahoo.com or wghauser at yahoo.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits HTML version of this issue will be posted later at [note change] http://www.w4uvh.net/dxldtd3j.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 1204: WWCR: Sat 1030, Sun 0230 on 5070, 0630 on 3210, Wed 1030 on 9475 RFPI: Sat 0130, 0800, 2330, Sun 0530, 1130, Mon 0030, 0630, 1230, Wed 0100, 0730 on 7445 [times nominal, subject to great variation] WRMI: Sat 1800+ on 15725 WBCQ: Mon 0515 on 7415, 5105 WRN : Rest of world Sat 0800, Europe Sun 0530, North America Sun 1500 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 WORLD OF RADIO 1204 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1204h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1204h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1204.html WORLD OF RADIO 1204 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1204.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1204.rm UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIAL Dear Glenn: Just a few words to let you know that I enjoy 100% your WOR DX Listening Digest via e-mail. Keep up the good work!! (Serafin Pagan Caro, Jinotega, Nicaragua) ** AFGHANISTAN. NEW FM RADIO LAUNCHED IN LOGAR PROVINCE | Text of report by Afghan radio on 23 October An FM radio, called Paygham-e Meli [national message], was launched today in Mohammad Agha District, Logar Province. According to a report by Bakhtar Information Agency, Abdol Hamid Mobarez, deputy minister of information and culture in charge of broadcasting, spoke at the inauguration ceremony and referred to the cultural and social programmes of the government and said: The Ministry of Information and Culture is trying to launch FM radio networks throughout the country in order to convey cultural, health and social messages to the people. Mobarez added: Some 65 per cent of the people have been deprived of learning to read and write as a result of the continuation of war in the past in the country. Radio is the only means of communication between the people and the government. The existence of radios at a time when we move step by step towards the process of holding the Loya Jerga and elections is very important. Similarly, the programmes of local radios will play an important role in consolidation of national unity and policy awareness of the people. During the inauguration ceremony, Shahzadah Masud, ministerial advisor, a number of officials of Mohammad Agha District and Eng Tareq, the official in charge of the mentioned radio were present. Radio Paygham-e Meli will have four hours broadcast on FM 94.0 frequency. The radio has been set up with the assistance of Internews. Source: Radio Afghanistan, Kabul, in Dari 1430 gmt 23 Oct 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. [R. Amani], B-03: 15615 1630 1730 Fri MNO Armavir 100 104 AFGHANISTAN PEACE AS, SW AS HR 2/4/1 (via Andreas Volk, Germany, ADDX, Sept 23 via Wolfgang Büschel, via Mike Barraclough, extracted from complete Merlin schedule by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALBANIA. Radio Tirana, B'03 Albanian Europe 0900-1000 7110, 1395 1500-1800 7270, 1215 2130-2300 7295, 1458 North America 0000-0300 7270 0300-0430 7270 English England 1945-2000 9510, 7210 2230-2300 7130, 9540 USA 0245-0300 6115, 7160 0330-0400 6165, 7160 French 2000-2030 7210 German 1830-1900 7185, 1458 Italian 1900-1930 7240 Serbian 2215-2230 6135, 1215 Greek 1815-1830 6130 Turkish 1800-1815 6130 The Foreign languages transmissions are from Monday to Saturday. Regards, (via Swopan Chakroborty, Kolkata, India, DXLD) ** ANGOLA [non]. R. Ecclesia, smtwtfs B-03 via Merlin, South Africa: 7205 1900 2000 MNO Meyerton 250 328 ECCLESIA AF HR 4/3/0.5 S348 (via Andreas Volk, Germany, ADDX, Sept 23 via Wolfgang Büschel, via Mike Barraclough, extracted from complete Merlin schedule by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANTARCTICA. 15476.1, R Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel (LRA36), Base Esperanza, noted on 21 Oct 2036-2058* in Spanish with songs, talks IDs and program announcements prior to a brief s-off announcement. 35433 with adjacent QRM only. At 2100, the frequency was occupied by A Voz Crista, Chile, in Portuguese, but they announced 11745 only (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, BC-DX Oct 21 via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. LISTADO DE ONDA MEDIA ARGENTINA Está a disposición de quien lo solicite, la lista que comprende a todas las estaciones de radiodifusión que transmiten en Onda Media desde la República Argentina. En dicho listado se incluyen a las emisoras que se encuentran autorizadas para operar legalmente y aquellas que no cuentan con licencia oficial otorgada por la autoridad competente. La lista se halla editada en formato TXT, para aquellos que posean computadora, y existe la posibilidad de poder imprimirla en papel para quienes así lo requieran. La misma puede ser enviada por e-mail y su costo es de tan sólo $ 3,00 para residentes en Argentina (pagaderos en efectivo o estampillas), y de US$ 1,00 o 2 IRCs para residentes en el exterior. Quienes deseen la lista impresa, deberán además abonar el valor de las fotocopias a $ 0,10 cada una, más el costo del envío postal. Su valor es simbólico, ya que lo recaudado será destinado a ampliar la gama de nuevos servicios que planea llevar adelante el GRA. La lista contiene información relativa a cada emisora de OM argentina ordenada por frecuencia; incluyendo además su señal distintiva, cadena a la cual pertenece la emisora, QTH, teléfono/s, fax, e-mail, página Web, nombre del director general o propietario, si opera en FM, potencia de emisión, etc, etc. La lista es muy completa y se va actualizando a medida que se producen novedades en el dial. Un material muy recomendable para todos aquellos amantes de las ondas medias y diexistas en general. La nueva dirección electrónica del Grupo Radioescucha Argentino es: E-Mail: conexiongra @fullzero.com.ar Las cartas, colaboraciones y suscripciones para \"Conexion GRA\", deberán ser remitidas a la siguiente dirección: Conexión GRA Marcelo Anibal Cornachioni Alvarez Thomas 248 B1832DNF Lomas de Zamora Buenos Aires, Argentina (Arnaldo Slaen, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA [and non]. La página en Internet de LS5 Radio Rivadavia ya está funcionando a pleno. Es buena y tiene un fantástico servicio de diarios y periódicos del mundo on line. Pueden visitarla en http://www.rivadavia.com.ar/ (Arnaldo Slaen, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** ASCENSION. From B-03 Merlin schedule, some odd smtwtfs relays other than BBC, NHK, WYFR, UN Radio, etc.: [Czech Republic not mentioned; apparently a late addition; since these schedules were dated Sept 23, there will have been a number of revisions by now and before going into effect Oct 26, N.B.] 7270 0400 0500 RFI 250 114 RFI FRENCH S AF HR 2/2/0.75 11765 0130 0230 RAI 250 295 RAI ITALIAN C AM HR 4/4/0.5 S30 (via Andreas Volk, Germany, ADDX, Sept 23 via Wolfgang Büschel, via Mike Barraclough, extracted from complete Merlin schedule by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) NOTE: in this any many other Merlin entries below, HR and the following figures denote the parameters of a curtain antenna; there is an occasional LP = log periodic, and RHO = rhombic (gh, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Re 3-188: Glenn, ARDS at the moment, will not get a good signal into the north [5050v] until the necessary antenna adjustments are made. Apparently, the signal is directed more towards the Coral Sea, than in any other direction, which I think is roughly East, 73 (Tim Gaynor, Dxerscalling Australia, Oct 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA [non]. B-03 Merlin-brokered smtwtfs R. Australia relays via Tinian: 21615 0000 0030 ABC 250 255 ABC INDONESIAN SE AS HR 2/4/0.5 S348 21780 0400 0430 ABC 250 255 ABC INDONESIAN SE AS HR 2/4/0.5 S348 (via Andreas Volk, Germany, ADDX, Sept 23 via Wolfgang Büschel, via Mike Barraclough, extracted from complete Merlin schedule by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also SINGAPORE; TAIWAN ** BELGIUM [non]. RUSSIA 7560 "TDP Radio" (did I read that is this via Tbilisskaya, Russia) 18 Oct, 1953-2059:30* Big carrier and test tones, program began at 2000 with an English ID that was obviously meant to sound very techno (deep, robotic voice) but was just plain hard to understand, pounding techno/trance music, program ended (and so did my headache) with similarly clipped, canned annt; SINPO 45554 (Jean Burnell, NS, Dxplorer, Oct 19, via BC-DX via DXLD) A brief sample from Kai Ludwig`s recording, and that is plenty, is on this week`s WORLD OF RADIO 1204 (gh, DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. See PROPAGATION ** BRAZIL. See PROPAGATION ** CANADA. B-03 Merlin smtwtfs relays via Sackville: 6010 0000 0100 BBC 250 268 ENGLISH (AME) N AM HR 2/1/0.5 *** 6010 0400 0500 BBC 250 253 ENGLISH (AME) N AM HR 2/4/1 S13 *** 12025 2100 2230 HCJ 250 73 HCJB ARABIC N AF HR 4/4/1 S13 13640 1830 1900 RTE 250 277 RTE N AM HR 2/1/0.5 (via Andreas Volk, Germany, ADDX, Sept 23 via Wolfgang Büschel, via Mike Barraclough, extracted from complete Merlin schedule by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) *** DRM, tho not specified see PROPAGATION ** CHINA. CRI now has on their website what they call `Special English` -- but it doesn`t have a limited vocabulary like VOA`s, just spoken slowly (Kim Elliott, VOA Talk to America Oct 24, notes by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also CUBA ** CHINA. SHANGHAI PLANS NEW ENGLISH TV CHANNEL | Text of report by Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post web site on 24 October Shanghai plans to set up an English-language television station, probably late next year, industry officials have revealed. The move is part of reforms to the city's tightly controlled media sector. The Shanghai Media Group, the city's near-monopoly television broadcaster, is believed to have started seeking more staff in anticipation of the launch, although it has yet to announce a formal plan. Industry officials said yesterday that moves towards setting up the station had faced some opposition from state broadcaster China Central Television, which operates the mainland's only nationwide English channel, CCTV9. Shanghai's English station could bring more competition for both advertising revenue and viewers, depending on the geographical scope of its broadcasts. "This will be a competing channel. They want to do better than CCTV and they want to make money," said a professor of journalism at a Shanghai university. The group aims to beam the English channel nationally and even internationally. Officials in the industry said such a plan would need approval from the central government authorities. Shanghai Media Group has just rebranded its satellite channel, Shanghai Broadcasting Network, which previously aired some English- language programming. The group launched the new Dragon TV channel yesterday. Shanghai started its 24-hour satellite channel in 1998. Dragon TV said on its web site that its programming could now be seen domestically as well as in Japan, Australia and Hong Kong, with plans to expand to North America. Some English programming will still be carried on Dragon TV before the launch of an independent English channel under the group. A number of city and provincial stations carry some English programming, but this would be only the second station on the mainland solely dedicated to it. Shanghai Media Group owns the city's two major broadcasters, Shanghai Television Station and Shanghai Oriental Television. Shanghai has already introduced more competition in the English- language newspaper market with the setting up of The Shanghai Daily by the Wenhui-Xinmin United Press Group in 1999. The city's other English newspaper, The Shanghai Star, is part of the Beijing-based China Daily Group. Source: South China Morning Post web site, Hong Kong, in English 24 Oct 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** CONGO DR. R. Kahuzi, 6210, regularly reaches Nairobi and most of Congo, as well, all-fives. Would like to schedule an overnight DX test for the Americas; when would be best time of year for this? Asked a person with the station who has contacted Kim Elliott before, during his appearance on VOA Talk to America, Oct 24. Kim responded, dead of northern winter when conditions would be best for us, and the details will be worked out and notified to Kim via E-mail. We very rarely see a DX report of this one from anywhere (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. RHC English, 0542 Oct 24 on 9820 was suffering from exactly the same `whistling` artifacts as heard on the CRI relay from 1400 on 17720, likely the same transmitter, but the problem usually confined to CRI audio. \\ 9550 and 11760, the latter rather weak, while jammer on 11775 against Martí was overpowering, an index of Cuba`s misplaced priorities (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) AM I IMAGINING THINGS OR IS CUBAN RADIO DESTRUCTING? Glenn: I have been listening with morbid curiosity, off and on, to Cuban SW since the time of Castro's revolution, though it's not now as weirdly amusing as in the heady days of the cold war and height of "the Red menace." For a while, immediately prior to 9/11, Radio Habana Cuba almost seemed to be getting warm and fuzzy; and the fidelity was superb, with powerful and rich audio and effective modulation. It was a blast enjoying Cubana music late in the evening here in the California Pacific coast. And the communist agit-prop was at a low ebb, permitting a loyal US citizen to listen -- at least occasionally -- without cringing too much. But that era has ended suddenly, and the anti-western, anti-democratic propaganda campaign of the Castro regime seems now to have risen to a fever pitch, though -- ironically -- we really can't seem to hear more than a faint whiff of it! For Radio Habana has deteriorated to a puny, unintelligible, distorted mess. It strikes me that Arnie Coro, who seems to have pretensions to be a radio technology expert, should be ashamed of himself, if he has anything to do with the status quo of Cuban shortwave transmission. When broadcasts from such countries as Mali, more than twice as far from here as Cuba, come in night after night in perfect clarity; when Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, even the Solomon Islands, are clearly heard; why is the Cuban broadcasting authority not able to produce transmission quality that makes their deceptive, distorted, one-sided, and unfree propaganda programming intelligible? The only explanation *must* be that the resources have either disappeared, or have been diverted almost entirely into jamming operations. If Radio Habana's programming seems to have almost none of the occasionally-positive qualities heard in the period immediately prior to 9/11, during a mild thaw in relations between the Cuban dictatorship and the United States, then perhaps it's good riddance. But the very fact that the island's various 49 and 31 meter band transmissions now have only about 20% amplitude modulation; severe harmonic and intermodulation distortion and audio asymmetry; hum, birdies, and apparently studio-transmitter link noises and fuzz; deficiencies of audio spectral response; and off-frequency carriers, must surely signify a huge deterioration in their ability to provide broadcast services or even to make the most cursory attempt to assert the nation's presence alongside all other professional international broadcasting ventures. Or, could there be insidious (and successful!) sabotaging of the transmissions and internal program relays? Hmmm... It's not that I'm complaining; it's merely that it is time to observe the obvious and point it out, even though I don't particularly relish the Cuban power elite pretending to have a legitimate international broadcasting service in the fashion of democratic countries with honest, balanced, and enlightened programming (with the BBC, or Radio Nederland, as obvious models.) Now the Cubans are not even *pretending* any more, apparently. If the Cuban government, in its own perverse way, wishes to ruin its broadcast services in parallel to the job being done by the voracious market forces in larger nations, it can scarcely blame the results on capitalism! Yours, (Steve Waldee - retired broadcast station engineer, San José, CA, Oct 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) They blame the blockade ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. See PROPAGATION ** ECUADOR [non]. HCJB relays: see CANADA; UK; See PROPAGATION ** FRANCE. /CORSE 1404 - Has anyone noticed the "echo" on France 1404? I assume at least one of the transmitters - Ajaccio? - is being fed by delayed satellite. Maybe there is no need to synchronise them, but I think it would be audible, except in areas very adjacent to the other transmitters (Noel R. Green, UK, BC-DX Oct 22 via DXLD) ** FRANCE [non]. Some RFI relays via Merlin facilities, all smtwtfs: 6010 1600 1630 RFI Duchanbe 200 180 RFI PASHTU W AS HR 1/1/0.3 17770 0600 0657 RFI Kigali 250 280 RFI FRENCH C AF HR 4/4/0.5 S345 (via Andreas Volk, Germany, ADDX, Sept 23 via Wolfgang Büschel, via Mike Barraclough, extracted from complete Merlin schedule by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also ASCENSION, UAE ** GUATEMALA. 4698, Radio Amistad is down until the volunteers from Chattanooga, TN can take a replacement power transformer back down there -- hopefully later this month. 4845 Radio K'ekchí has been operating now and again using the backup transmitter on commercial power while awaiting completion of repairs to the main transmitter. It is getting too expensive to run everything off the diesel generator, and they have purchased a small gasoline powered generator to operate the FM transmitter up on the mountain until there is commercial power available (Larry Baysinger, KY, Oct 19, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** HONG KONG. Nothing found on website of Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club http://www.rhkyc.org.hk/chinacoastraceweek.htm about weather broadcasts but we see that there are two separate events comprising China Coast Race Week 2003, Friday 31st October to Friday 7th November 2003: China Coast Regatta, Friday 31st October to Sunday 2nd November Hainan Race Series, Tuesday 4th to Friday 7th November (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) According to broadcasts in previous years, here is the tentative schedule. RTHK special weather broadcasts are underway: Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) returns once again briefly on SW for a boat race. Weather forecasts intended for boats participating in San Fernando Race will be aired on 3940[????] kHz as follows: November 03-07 at 1003 UT; November 04-08 at 0003 UT (wb, Oct 23) website http://www.rhkyc.org.hk The usual autumn Race see http://www.rhkyc.org.hk/sailing/downloads/chinacoastraceweek/prenor03.jpg Those wishing to receive a QSL can contact: Cape D'Aguilar HF stn, P.O.Box: 9896, GPO Hong Kong. Tel: +852 2888 1128. Fax: +852 2809 2434. Lam Chi Keung, Assistant Engineer, is the verification signer (Richard Lam, Singapore, Feb 26, 2002, via BC-DX Oct 24, 2003 via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. Virgin Radio UK and WorldSpace Corporation announce a strategic partnership VIRGIN RADIO UK BECOMES FIRST CONTENT PROVIDER FOR WORLDSPACE'S INTERNATIONAL EXPATRIATE AND MILITARY SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE LONDON and WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 23, 2003) - Virgin Radio UK and WorldSpace Corporation, the pioneer of direct satellite delivery for digital audio radio services (DARS), today announced a strategic partnership. Under the agreement, Virgin Radio will be featured as a premium channel on WorldSpace's satellite service. Initially available for free during a promotional period, Virgin Radio will become a cornerstone of WorldSpace's new international premium subscription service "Home Team Radio," specifically created for US and UK expatriates as well as military stationed overseas. Once the service transitions to a paid subscription, both companies will benefit from additional revenue streams. With a weekly audience in the UK of almost three million people, Virgin Radio is the UK's rock and roll station and has been providing "today's best music and classic tracks" since 1993. "Virgin Radio has one of the world's best media brands and this deal with WorldSpace allows us to reach millions overseas," said Lee Roberts, Virgin Radio's Sales Director. "Virgin Radio has been the world's largest online radio station since webcasting was invented and now we can expand into mobile satellite listening across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. This continues our strategy to expand onto all potential platforms." Different targeted versions of "Home Team Radio" will be offered to customers in the various geographic markets covered by WorldSpace's two satellites: AfriStar (the Middle East, Africa and Western Europe) and AsiaStar (Asia and the Middle East). Virgin Radio will initially be available on WorldSpace's AfriStar satellite. "Virgin Radio's success to date shows its strong ability to create true premium content. We knew an agreement would ensure WorldSpace is offering expatriate and military audiences with what they want to hear, where they want to hear it," said Noah Samara, Chairman and CEO of WorldSpace. "This partnership is yet another validation that WorldSpace is clearly making strides in delivering on its new subscription-based business model." Via TESUG anorak @ anoraknation.com (via uk.radio.listeners via Mike Terry, via Paul David, DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. On September 27th the clandestines toward to Iran were on DST feat. Voice of Mojahed etc., but since Sept 28th really on normal time (1 hour later), according to OM Anker Petersen. One of them has ID 'Eira dengi Mojahedini Kurdestana Iran', or 'Here is the Voice of the Mojahedins in Iranian Kurdistan' vary in range 4250-4280 kHz *0300-0400* and *1700-1800 UTC now. A big puzzle for me for several years of observations are two stations operating on v3880 and v4380: 'Voice of Iranian Revolution' (in Kurdish) and 'Voice of Communist Party of Iran' (in Persian). The evening transmissions in the summer are at *1455-1558* and *1655- 1757*, but in the winter *1525-1628* and *1725-1828* (mornings summer are from *0225- * and *0425-*, winter *0325-* and *0525-*. Does anyone know please for that one and a half hour later in winter? (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, BC-DX Oct 17 via DXLD) ** IRAQ. POST-HUSSEIN MEDIA ENVIRONMENT. Kathleen Ridolfo, Iraq expert for RFE/RL's Regional Analysis team, has published a study on the current state of the press in Iraq: "The Post-Hussein Media Environment in Iraq." The report can be accessed at http://www.regionalanalysis.org/publications/regionalvoices/en/2003/10/9B59A422-7FC1-451B-A96D-0ADC2C909EAB.ASP The media in Iraq has flourished since the overthrow of the Hussein regime. Over 100 newspapers are currently publishing in Iraq, representing a wide spectrum of political and religious viewpoints. The Iraqi Media Network (IMN) was established by the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq (CPA) to replace the defunct Iraqi Information Ministry, which oversaw the media in Iraq under Hussein. The network includes a television station, two radio stations, and a newspaper. Meanwhile, "The Washington Post" reported on 16 October that the U.S. Army is now soliciting bids on behalf of the CPA for a private contractor to expand the Iraqi Media Network into a "world- class" media organization to be called the Al-Iraqiyah Network. The network would broadcast over two land-based channels, one of which would be an all-news channel, and two radio stations, one all news. The news channels would also be available via satellite. Independent radio and television stations have also been established (RFE/RL Media Matters Oct 24 via DXLD) Pending: another BBCM media roundup ** IRAQ [and non]. Over the past two days I've had a couple of interesting phone calls from the UK. One was from an associate producer at BBC Television who's working on a documentary called (probably a working title) The Secret War. Due to air sometime next spring on BBC1, this will be about psyops (psychological warfare operations) in Iraq. She was asking me about Radio Tikrit - the intelligence services in the US and the UK are, unsurprisingly, denying any knowledge of it. They will make either one or two programmes, depending on how much material they're able to get. Could be up to 90 minutes of airtime on the BBC's main TV channel (and no doubt in some form on BBC World) which should be enough time to explore psyops in some detail (Andy Sennitt blog Oct 23 via DXLD) ** IRELAND [non]. RTE relays: see CANADA, SINGAPORE, UK ** ISRAEL. Moshe forwarded two attached scheduled - schedule sw26-10- 03PUB.xls does not match, the B03amended.xls It seems that B03amended is correct... looking at the israelradio.org and the IBA site http://bet.iba.org.il/?lang=23 Shortwave announcement --- Here is an announcement for shortwave listeners: From Sunday, October 26, the English News frequencies are being slightly changed. The broadcast at 7 a.m., 5 hours UT, will be on 9435, 11605, 17600 and 6280 kHz. [6280 was not supposed to start until Dec 15, ex-7 MHz] The broadcast at 13:10, 1110 hours UT, will be on 15640 and 17454 [sic – means 17545] kHz. The broadcast at 8 p.m., 18 hours UT, will be on 11605 and 17545 kHz. And the broadcast at 10 p.m., 20 hours UT, will be on 13720, 11605, 9435 and 15615 kHz. 23.10.2003 14:17 (via Doni Rosenzweig, DXLD) ** ISRAEL. MORE COMMENTS ON THE ARUTZ-7 RADIO CLOSURE 16:10 Oct 23, '03 http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=51592 "This is a painful story," said Atty. Ilan Papo. "How is it that in the course of 15 years, the nationalist public, and especially its MKs, were unable to legislate some kind of law that would enable Arutz-7 to broadcast? After all, Arutz-7 is not just some fly-by-night pirate station - it represents an entire public sector in Israel, much larger than its tens or hundreds of thousands of listeners..." He also noted the essential lack of fairness in the court conviction, in that Abie Natan was allowed for many years to operate his left-wing Voice of Peace station from a ship anchored the same distance from the shore, or less, as Arutz-7's ship... From Mike Brand: For the latest picture of the Arutz 7 ship "Eretz Hatzvi", go to my site http://www.offshore-radio.de/Israel.htm and press on "Latest Offshore Radio news from Israel Mike (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** ITALY [non]. Rai relays via Merlin: see ASCENSION; SINGAPORE ** ITALY [non?]. Just a short note to remind you that as every Friday this Oct. 24, 2003, IRRS-Shortwave will raise the power to 100 kW on its evening broadcast on 5,775 kHz Shortwave, aiming at reaching Europe, Africa and the Middle East with a powerful signal. Last week we also received several reports from Australia and New Zealand, reporting very good reception until just about sunrise in those regions. Please notice that on this coming Oct. 24, we will run an extended schedule until midnight Central European Time, and host three special programs, hosted by new members of NEXUS-IBA: This week high power schedule will run as follows: Date: Fri Oct. 24, 2003 Freq: 5,775 kHz at 100kW Targets: Europe, Africa, Middle East Time: 2100-0000 Central European Time (1900-2200 UT) We will be hosting the following programs in English on Fri. Oct 24 on 5775 kHz (100 kW): 2100-2200 CET (1900-2000 UT) EGRadio with: Reformed Bible Church of Southern California [shux; missed it!] 2200-2230 CET (2000-2030 UT) The World This Week 2230-0000 CET (2030-2200 UT) European Music Radio "The World This Week" is a 30 mins of news, current affairs and interviews with people in the news, produced with reporters and correspondents around the world. The show is presented by our new member Nathan Morley in Nicosia and Matthew French in Helsinki. Correspondents include Dave Bender in Jerusalem, Pete Combs in Washington. The programme is transmitted on various affiliates including Radio Napa (Cyprus), Radio Greco and RRH 91.5 FM in Finland. "The World This Week" will air regularly each Sunday starting Oct. 26 on 5,775 kHz at 2200 CET (2100 UT, wintertime, w/20 kW), with a repeat on Wednesday at 2130 CET [2030 UT] on 5775 kHz. European Music Radio has been heard every month with a 90 minute program especially produced in London. This is their first broadcast via our 100 kW stream. All programs may be heard in parallel via our streaming audio service at http://mp3.nexus.org Please send all reports to: reports@nexus.org or by snail-mail to: IRRS-Shortwave, PO BOX 10980, 20110 Milano, Italy. For more information and updated schedules please check: http://www.egradio.org and http://www.nexus.org (via Johno Wright, Australia, ripple via DXLD) ** JAPAN. Some R. Japan relays via Merlin: see SINGAPORE; UK ** KOREA SOUTH. B-03 BBC smtwtfs relays via Merlin, Kimjae site: 6035 2200 2330 250 285 MANDARIN CHN HR 4/4/0.5 S15 6035 2330 2400 250 285 ENGLISH (ASE) FE HR 4/4/0.5 S15 6065 1300 1530 250 290 MANDARIN CHN HR 1/1/0.5 (via Andreas Volk, Germany, ADDX, Sept 23 via Wolfgang Büschel, via Mike Barraclough, extracted from complete Merlin schedule by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) RKI relays: see UK ** KURDISTAN [non]. Denge Mezopotamya, 11530, enjoyable listening Oct 24 from 1330 tune-in, haunting music, some vocal, some instrumental, but with typical Real Player buffering hiccups, and even 4-tone temporary crash at 1345 and a few minutes later, I am all too familiar with on my own system. Alternated with live call-in hosted by woman, which did not have buffering problems. Some flutter, but quite listenable; 1334 briefly some lite bubble-jamming in background; 1349 gave website which I could not copy accurately but www, iraq, denge and mezopotamya were included; at 1359 the WEWN choir tuned up co- channel, slightly stronger. Previous dates I have noted the two mixing at more or less equal levels after 1400, tho this varies from day to day. Kudos to the Kurds for managing to accomplish even that in such a co-channel clash. NDXC`s Foreign relays on SW through facilities in the CIS page, http://www2.starcat.ne.jp/~ndxc/relay.htm already labeled B-03, says it is Samara, Russia: 11530 SAM 500 116 0900-1700 Denge Mezopotamya Kurdish (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Is Radio Educación 6185 missing? Not heard (but have they been off the air?, not heard recently (Roger Chambers, Oct 24, ODXA via DXLD) The few times I have checked, to parallel 6185 to 1060 on the AM band, 6185 has been absent. I haven't followed their operating sked on SW, though (Saul Chernos, ibid.) Nominally 2300-1100, soon 0000-1200 UT; also missing here last night or two around 0500 check (Glenn Hauser, OK DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO [and non]. Elementary Mexico TV ID tip The Azteca América and U.S.-based Galavisión (not Mexico's XEQ-9) program services run many programs // (within a few seconds) to Mexico's Azteca-13 and XEW-2 networks. For example, Galavisión runs XEW's weekday morning programs (7 AM-Noon CT), which include the live programs, "En Contraste" and "Hoy." In addition, some of the sporting events on Galavisión are aired on Televisa independent stations like XEFB-2 Monterrey. Naturally, the commercials, promos, etc., are different for the U.S. audience (Danny (Shreveport, LA) Mexico TV ID tips: http://www.geocities.com/doglethorpe/ Oct 23, WTFDA via DXLD) ** MOLDOVA. Les émissions à compter du 26 octobre sont annoncées une heure plus tard. L'adresse électronique est radiopmr @ ibox.ru (Christian Ghibaudo - 23 octobre 2003, informations issues de http://perso.wanadoo.fr/jm.aubier via DXLD) Re 5960, English M-F 1600- 1620, French/German/English 1620-1640 to be latened an hour (gh) ** NETHERLANDS. End of the world!! RNW goes to the hour!! It must be the end of the world. On the 26th the new winter season shows Radio Netherlands going to the hour from the half-hour. How can the BBC compete with this change? O woe! (Daniel Say, who likes the alternative start of broadcasts, swprograms via DXLD) I, too, find this annoying. I had even remarked on how convenient it was for RN to start at half-hours when I was interviewed by phone by Howie Shannon some years ago for an exchange aired on Sincerely Yours, and I had the impression he (and RNW in general) agreed with that viewpoint. It certainly helps competition with other broadcasts. I noted another listener complaint about this change on the final Sincerely Yours, too. I cannot understand how changing this specific programming practice saves any money. Going from 2 hours to 1 obviously saves transmitter and studio time, but starting at XX00 UT instead of XX30 UT does nothing. Is Andy Sennitt seeing this? Can he address the rationale for this particular revision? As an aside, in one of my e-mails to RN from which they selected text to read in the final Sincerely Yours, I had mentioned that they needed a new, more-flattering picture of Howie Shannon on the SY website page. The photo there now makes him look sad and rather menacing. The thought that came to mind was "football hooligan", though I did not say that. :-) But now I learn that the poor guy has been let go as part of the staff reduction. So I suppose the picture reflects his true current feelings and probably should remain as-is until it's deleted entirely and all memory of him is erased from the collective RNW psyche... Regards, (Will Martin, MO, swprograms via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS [and non]. Attached please find the B03 schedule of Radio Nederland once again as published on their website today, Oct. 23rd. Please notice that there have been many changes and corrections since yesterday. Best wishes, (Michael Bethge, WWDXC via Wolfgang Büschel, DXLD) RADIO NETHERLANDS SCHEDULE VALID 26TH OCTOBER 2003 - 28TH MARCH 2004 UTC Site kHz Beam kW Language Target 0000-0100 Bonaire 9845 350 250 English N Am e 0000-0200 Bonaire 15315 170 250 Spanish S Am s 0000-0200 Madagascar 9895 265 250 Spanish S Am n/ Carib 0100-0200 Bonaire 6165 335 250 English N Am c 0100-0130 Madagascar 12060 35 250 R Sweden S As 0200-0300 Bonaire 9845 290 250 Spanish Mex/Carib 0200-0300 Bonaire 6165 275 250 Spanish C Am 0200-0400 Madagascar 9895 280 250 Spanish Mex/C Am 0230-0330 Madagascar 3215 20 50 AWR Madagascar 0300-0355 Bonaire 6165 335 250 Dutch N Am w 0300-0355 Bonaire 9590 290 250 Dutch Mex/C Am 0400-0500 Bonaire 6165 320 250 English N Am w 0400-0500 Bonaire 9590 320 250 English N Am w 0400-0500 Bonaire 6100 305 250 DW English N Am w 0430-0500 Madagascar 12060 335 250 V of Hope E Af (Sat-Tues) 0430-0500 Madagascar 15320 335 250 V of Hope E Af (Sat-Tues) 0500-0600 Bonaire 9590 320 250 RVI N Am w 0500-0600 Bonaire 15255 230 10 English (DRM) Au/NZ (Sat/Sun) 0600-0655 Bonaire 6165 320 250 Dutch N Am w 0600-0700 Flevo 7125 123 500 Dutch C & S Eu 0600-0700 Flevo 6015 191 500 Dutch S Eu 0600-0900 Flevo 9895 127 500 Dutch SE Eu 0600-0700 Wolvertem 1512 ND 300 Dutch C + W Eu 0600-0700 Hörby 5955 190 500 Dutch W+SE Eu 0700-0900 Flevo 9895 205 500 Dutch SW Eu 0700-1800 Flevo 5955 ND 500 Dutch W Eu 0700-1800 Flevo 9895 127 500 Dutch SE Eu 0700-0900 Flevo 11935 191 500 Dutch S Eu 0700-0755 Bonaire 9625 230 250 Dutch NZ/Au 0700-0755 Bonaire 11655 230 250 Dutch NZ/Au 0900-1600 Flevo 9895 205 500 Dutch SW Eu (Sat/Sun) 0900-1600 Flevo 13700 191/123 500/500 Dutch S & SE Eu (Sat/Sun) 0930-1015 Bonaire 6020 110 250 Dutch Surinam (Mon-Sat) 1000-1100 Bonaire 9785 230 250 English NZ/Au 1000-1100 Irkutsk 12065 152 250 English E + SE As 1000-1100 Petro. Kam. 7260 244 250 English FE 1000-1100 Khabarovsk 13820 218 100 English E As 1000-1200 Flevo 9850 ND 40 English (DRM) W Eu 1100-1200 Bonaire 9715 170 250 Spanish S Am n 1100-1130 Bonaire 6165 320 250 Spanish Carib/Fla 1100-1300 Madagascar 17580 85 250 Indonesian Indonesia 1100-1300 Madagascar 21480 85 250 Indonesian Indonesia 1100-1300 Singapore 11690 140 250 Indonesian Indonesia 1100-1300 Bonaire 21780 50 10 English (DRM) Eu 1200-1300 Flevo 9850 ND 40 Dutch (DRM) Eu 1200-1255 Bonaire 9890 350 250 Dutch N Am e 1200-1230 Bonaire 9715 290 250 Spanish C Am 1200-1300 Sackville 5965 240 250 English N Am e 1300-1515 Flevo 9815 ND 40 DRM Bouquet W Eu 1300-1355 Tashkent 12070 131 100 Dutch SE As/WAu 1300-1355 Madagascar 17815 85 250 Dutch SE As 1300-1355 Madagascar 21480 45 250 Dutch South As 1300-1355 Petro. Kam. 7375 244 250 Dutch FE+E SEAs 1300-1355 Khabarovsk 13820 218 100 Dutch E As 1330-1400 Flevo 9815 ND 40 R Sweden /English (DRM) W Eu 1400-1430 Flevo 9815 ND 40 RCI (DRM) W Eu 1400-1600 Madagascar 12080 50 250 English South As 1400-1600 Madagascar 15595 50 250 English South As 1400-1600 Tashkent 12070 131 100 English South As 1430-1500 Flevo 9815 ND 40 English (DRM) W Eu 1429-1526 Madagascar 17495 55 50 Dem. V. of Burma SE As 1500-1514 Flevo 9815 ND 40 Vatican R /German (DRM) W Eu 1528-1626 Madagascar 3215 20 50 AWR Madagascar 1600-1800 Flevo 13700 191 500 Dutch S Eu 1600-1800 Flevo 9895 127/205 500/500 Dutch SE+SW Eu 1600-1655 Madagascar 15335 360 250 Dutch E Af 1600-1655 Madagascar 17695 350 250 Dutch Middle E 1630-1700 Madagascar 3215 20 50 Fiangonana Lote- rana Malagasy Madagascar 1657-1755 Madagascar 7120 265 50 V of the People Zimbabwe 1700-1755 Madagascar 11655 355 250 Dutch E Af 1700-1755 Madagascar 6020 255 250 Dutch South Af 1800-1900 Madagascar 6020 255 250 English South Af 1800-2000 Madagascar 11655 320 250 English E Af 1800-2000 Flevo 9895 142 500 English E Af 1900-2100 Madagascar 7120 270 200 English C + S Af 1900-2100 Bonaire 17810 80 250 English W Af 1900-2100 Bonaire 17725 350 250 English N Am e (Sat/Sun) 1900-2100 Bonaire 15315 335 250 English N Am c (Sat/Sun) 1900-2100 Sackville 17875 285 250 English N Am w (Sat/Sun) 2000-2059 Flevo 11725 191 500 RCI N Af 2000-2100 Madagascar 11655 305 250 English C + W Af 2000-2100 Flevo 9895 191 500 English W Af 2100-2155 Bonaire 15315 133 250 Dutch Surinam/NE Brazil 2100-2155 Bonaire 17810 80 250 Dutch West Af 2100-2155 Madagascar 7120 280 250 Dutch Central Af 2100-2155 Madagascar 11655 305 250 Dutch Central Af 2100-2155 Bonaire 11730 50 10 English (DRM) Eu 2130-2200 Sackville 9800 268 70 English (DRM) N Am e 2200-2300 Wolvertem 1512 ND 300 English C + W Eu 2200-2300 Bonaire 15530 320 10 English (DRM) N Am w 2200-2255 Bonaire 15315 170 250 Dutch S Am s 2200-2400 Madagascar 7285 85 250 Indonesian Indonesia 2200-2400 Madagascar 9590 75 250 Indonesian Indonesia 2200-2400 Singapore 6120 140 250 Indonesian Indonesia 2200-2257 Bonaire 11730 350 250 RVI N Am e 2300-2355 Sackville 9525 189 70 Dutch S Am n/ Carib 2300-2359 Bonaire 17605 170 250 NHK Japan S America 2300-0100 Bonaire 6165 320 150 Adventist World R. C Am/FL 2300-2355 Bonaire 15315 185 250 Dutch S Am w 2300-2400 Flevo 9895 260 500 Spanish S Am n/ Caribbean 2330-0030 Madagascar 12055 050 50 Dem. V. of Burma SE Asia (RNW website October 23rd, 2003 via Bethge & Büschel & gh, DXLD) Hi, Glenn... Having been a Radio Netherlands listener since 1966, I've seen a few schedule overhauls along the way, most notably in 1969, 1977, and 1994. With the budget cuts at RN I thought it would be interesting to compare the difference in daily shortwave transmitter usage from the Summer '03 sked to the Winter '03/04 lineup. Looking over their tech skeds I find: Flevo hours: Old schedule: 57 hours New schedule: 41 hours Bonaire hours: Old Schedule: 36 1/2 hours New schedule: 24 hours Madagascar hours: Old schedule: 29 hours New schedule: 30 hours (an increase!) "Other" site hours: Old schedule: 26 hours New schedule: 14 hours These figures do not include DRM transmissions, nor the "weekend only" broadcasts. Also, when two beams are shown on one frequency (from Flevo) I'm assuming they are using two synchonized transmitters. I also didn't include non-RN users of the RN sites. Wonder if we'll see them follow VTMerlin and Deutsche Telekom and start selling a lot more airtime to other broadcasters? (Stephen Luce, Houston, Oct 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS [?]. Early birds piratecatch available this weekend (if conditions allow...)! Radio Spaceshuttle turns its aerial to North- America at Saturday and/or Sunday. Frequencies in use will be on 19 mb and servicetime sometime between midday to 1600 UT. As known our signal will be very weak, so please try to listen as long as possible --- we might suddenly rise audible from backround noise for awhile. So, we will be on quite long times, but might (and will) have some breaks and frequency changes. Frequencies: before midday on 15780 kHz LSB, from midday to 04 PM UT on 15810 (+/- 3kHz) LSB. If frequencies scheduled occupied might be somewhere else on 19 mb (15740, 15850/ 55/ 60/ 65... LSB). Best chances to catch us might be around before and after midday UT in EastCoastUS and Canada, from (midday) 01 PM in Central parts and around 02 PM --- 04 UT in Mountain area. PLEASE, put messages of results (also during transmission) to our e- mail: radiospaceshuttle @ hotmail.com Reception reports wanted and recordings wellcom as well. Send these to our address: Radio Spaceshuttle International P. O. Box 2702 6049 ZG Herten, The Netherlands Good luck! DJ Spacewalker, Radio Spaceshuttle International (via Hans Johnson, Oct 24, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. 6095, RNZI monitored on 20 Oct at 1531-1800 with programs in English/Vn/French (new: Pacific Press Review) and an ID in Spanish[!] possibly targetting the coast of SAm. 34443 with adjacent QRM only (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, BC-DX Oct 21 via DXLD) Certainly not at 1800; exactly when was the Spanish? (gh, DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. Here`s the latest on upcoming new X-bander, KMMZ, 1640, as per the latest call change, Enid. Owner Hiram Champlin tells me Oct 24 that the construction is just about complete at the site east of Hennessey, now awaiting OG&E electrical hookup. Hopes to begin testing in the next week. Format still undecided; `Memories` formerly with those calls on 96.9 FM, an unlikely possibility, or more likely a talk format. Will run 24 hours, of course. Not AM stereo, but may go IBOC/HD later but holding off on that at first; will just need to plug in a module to do it (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. See PROPAGATION ** RUSSIA. Some Merlin smtwtfs relays B-03 of BBC via sites in Russia: 15510 0230 0300 BBC Irkutsk 250 224 HINDI S AS HR 4/4/0.8 7330 1100 1530 BBC Vladivostok 300 228 MANDARIN FE HR 4/4/1 [this is the one jammed by China with distorted home service] (via Andreas Volk, Germany, ADDX, Sept 23 via Wolfgang Büschel, via Mike Barraclough, extracted from complete Merlin schedule by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) FEBA relays: see SEYCHELLES [non] ** RWANDA. RFI relays via here: see FRANCE [non] ** SAUDI ARABIA. OPPOSITION GROUP ACCUSES SAUDI GOVERNMENT OF "JAMMING" AL-ISLAH CHANNEL | Text of report by London-based Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia web site on 24 October The movement has learned that the reason for the stoppage of the Al- Islah channel's transmission was the sophisticated jamming of the satellite's bouquet that transmits it and other television channels from a land-based station whose site could not be determined. After failing to pressure the government of the country from where the transmission is made and failing to bribe the server company, the Saudi government apparently resorted to this method that is internationally categorized an international crime. The server company had received a threat from an unidentified party and ignored it, only to be surprised by this jamming later on. Praise be to God, the movement was able to operate a new channel on the same satellite [satellite details not stated] on frequency 11938 [MHz], horizontal polarity. The present channel will return soon, God willing, so that the movement will have two channels at its disposal simultaneously. Source: Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia web site, London, in Arabic 24 Oct 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** SEYCHELLES [non]. FEBA B-03 smtwtfs relays via Merlin facilities: 7365 0030 0145 FEB Erevan 100 125 FEBA TAMIL S AS HR 4/8/1 7340 1400 1615 FEB Irkutsk 250 224 FEBA TELEGU S AS HR 4/4/1 9875 1630 1745 FEB Moscow 250 159 FEBA PERSIAN WAS HR 2/4/0.5 (via Andreas Volk, Germany, ADDX, Sept 23 via Wolfgang Büschel, via Mike Barraclough, extracted from complete Merlin schedule by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SINGAPORE. B-03 miscellaneous Merlin relays via Singapore, other than BBC: 9730 2300 2330 ABC 100 13 ABC KHMER SE AS HR 4/2/0.75 S348 12010 1300 1430 ABC 100 13 ABC CHINESE CHN HR 4/2/0.75 S348 17865 0500 0530 ABC 250 13 ABC KHMER SE AS HR 4/2/0.75 S348 17865 0530 0600 ABC 250 13 ABC VIETNAMESE SE AS HR 4/2/0.75 S348 15280 1000 1030 RTE 250 135 RTE AUS HR 2/2/0.75 11920 1000 1100 RAI 250 140 RAI ITALIAN OC HR 2/2/0.75 S340 11740 0600 0700 NHK 250 1 NHK ENGLISH SE AS HR 2/2/0.75 S21 11740 0700 1000 NHK 250 1 NHK JAPANESE SE AS HR 2/2/0.75 S21 11740 1030 1100 NHK 250 1 NHK BURMESE SE AS HR 2/2/0.75 S21 11740 1130 1200 NHK 250 1 NHK THAI SE AS HR 2/2/0.75 S21 11740 1200 1230 NHK 250 1 NHK VIETNAMESE SE AS HR 2/2/0.75 S21 11740 1230 1300 NHK 250 1 NHK CHINESE SE AS HR 2/2/0.75 S21 11920 0700 1000 NHK 250 140 NHK JAPANESE OC HR 2/2/0.3 S340 11920 2000 2100 NHK 250 135 NHK JAPANESE OC HR 4/2/0.75 11920 2100 2200 NHK 250 135 NHK ENGLISH OC HR 4/2/0.75 12045 1500 1700 NHK 250 315 NHK JAPANESE S AS HR 4/2/0.75 (via Andreas Volk, Germany, ADDX, Sept 23 via Wolfgang Büschel, via Mike Barraclough, extracted from complete Merlin schedule by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SRI LANKA [non]. SLBC relay: see UK ** SYRIA. 1071, Idhaatu Felastin(?) (via S.A.R. Radio), 14 Oct, 1542, 43443, in Arabic, anti-Israeli propaganda (Sharon mentioned every now and then), revolutionary song. I can't decide whether it's a relay of a clandestine station or a mere internal program name ona Syrian radio. There was a non-standard parallel frequency 824 kHz. Broadcast continued at 1602 and later (Alexander Mak, Lutsk, Ukraine, Signal Oct 24 via DXLD) ** TAIWAN [non]. Taiwan test in Spanish via Skelton 3955, also in \\ on 6120 kHz, Sunday 26th to Tuesday 28th only, 2100-2200 UT. 73 (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAIWAN. Merlin-brokered relays via Taibei, B-03: 11550 0900 0930 smtwtfs ABC 250 205 ABC INDONESIAN SE AS HR 2/4/0.5 11550 2130 2330 smtwtfs ABC 250 205 ABC INDONESIAN SE AS HR 2/4/0.5 15110 2330 2400 smtwtfs ABC 250 225 ABC VIETNAMESE SE AS HR 2/4/0.5 15445 0100 0200 ......s AWR 100 250 AWR VIETNAMESE SE AS LP 15445 2300 2400 smtwtfs AWR 100 250 AWR VIETNAMESE SE AS LP 15550 1400 1500 smtwtfs AWR 100 250 AWR VIETNAMESE SE AS LP 11780 1000 1100 smtwtfs SHB 100 352 SHB ENGLISH CHN HR4/3/.5 (via Andreas Volk, Germany, ADDX, Sept 23 via Wolfgang Büschel, via Mike Barraclough, extracted from complete Merlin schedule by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) RTI (`CBS`) relays: see UK ** TAJIKISTAN. RFI relay via here: see FRANCE [non] ** TINIAN. R. Australia relays: q.v. ** TURKEY. Update to previously published TRT VOT B-03 schedule: 6005 (x5980) 1600-1700 EMR 250 32 Tatar TUR TRT 7100 (x6185) 1800-2300 EMR 500 252 Turk TUR TRT (Observer, Bulgaria, via BC-DX 'Oct 25' via DXLD) ** UKRAINE. 11980.26 - 11980.38 kHz: Um 0652 UT war hier die Dniprovska Volna mit einer Uebernahme von Ukrainske Radio und einer lokalen ID um 0700 UTC zu hoeren. 24322 (Patrick Robic, Austria, A-DX Oct 18 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** U A E. Complete schedule of Merlin-operated relays via Dyabbaya, B- 03: 6015 1800 1900 smtwtfs RFI 250 340 RFI PASHTU ME HR 4/2/0.5 6035 0000 0030 smtwtfs AWR 250 100 AWR HINDI SAS HR 2/2/0.5 S15 6035 0030 0100 smtwtfs AWR 250 100 AWR ENGLISH SAS HR 2/2/0.5 S15 6145 0000 0130 smtwtfs MNO 250 85 GOSPEL FOR AS SAS HR 2/2/0.5 6145 2245 2300 smtwt.. MNO 250 85 HERALD TRUTH SAS HR 2/2/0.5 6145 2300 2400 smtwtfs MNO 250 85 GOSPEL FOR AS SAS HR 2/2/0.5 6175 0000 0030 smtwtfs AWR 250 75 AWR HINDI SAS HR 2/2/0.5 S15 6175 0030 0100 smtwtfs AWR 250 75 AWR ENGLISH SAS HR 2/2/0.5 S15 7105 0030 0100 smtwtfs MNO 250 85 BIBLE VOICE SAS HR 4/4/0.5 9565 1600 1630 smtwtfs RFI 250 45 RFI PASHTU ME HR 2/2/0.5 S345 9610 0200 0230 smtwtfs MNO 250 90 BIBLE VOICE SAS HR 4/4/1 9785 1600 1630 smtwtfs MNO 250 85 GOSPEL FOR AS SAS HR 4/2/0.5 9860 1300 1330 smtwtfs AWR 250 20 AWR RUSSIAN CAS HR 4/2/0.5 9860 1330 1400 smtwtfs AWR 250 20 AWR ENGLISH CAS HR 4/2/0.5 11805 0230 0300 s.....s MNO 250 75 BIBLE VOICE SAS HR 4/4/1 S345 11945 0230 0300 smtwtfs AWR 250 45 AWR FARSI ME HR 4/4/0.5 11945 0300 0330 smtwtfs AWR 250 225 AWR TIGRINYA EAF HR 2/2/0.5 S345 11975 0300 0330 smtwtfs AWR 250 230 AWR AMHARIC EAF HR 4/4/1 S330 11975 0330 0400 smtwtfs AWR 250 210 AWR SWAHILI EAF HR 4/2/0.5 12015 0330 0400 smtwtfs AWR 250 205 AWR SOMALI EAF HR 4/4/0.5 12035 0700 0800 ....t.. BBC 250 45 PERSIAN ME HR 2/2/0.5 S345 12035 0700 0900 .....f. BBC 250 45 PASHTO ME HR 2/2/0.5 S345 12035 0800 0845 smtwt.s BBC 250 45 PERSIAN/PASHTO ME HR 2/2/0.5 S345 12035 0845 0900 ....t.. BBC 250 45 PERSIAN ME HR 2/2/0.5 S345 12035 1100 1300 .....f. BBC 250 345 PERSIAN ME HR 4/4/1 S15 12035 1800 1815 smtwtfs TWR 250 225 TWR VARIOUS EAF HR 2/2/0.5 S345 12035 1815 1830 s.....s TWR 250 225 TWR VARIOUS EAF HR 2/2/0.5 S345 15135 1200 1230 smtwtfs AWR 250 85 AWR ENGLISH SAS HR 2/2/0.5 15135 1230 1300 smtwtfs AWR 250 85 AWR BANGLA SAS HR 2/2/0.5 15170 1230 1330 smtwtfs MNO 250 85 GOSPEL FOR AS SAS HR 4/2/0.5 15210 0400 0600 smtwtfs RFI 250 255 RFI FRENCH ECAF LP 15215 1400 1500 smtwtfs MNO 250 100 GOSPEL FOR AS SAS HR 2/2/0.5 S15 15215 1500 1530 smtwtfs AWR 250 75 AWR NEPALI SAS HR 2/2/0.5 S15 15215 1530 1600 smtwtfs AWR 250 75 AWR ENGLISH SAS HR 2/2/0.5 S15 15225 1400 1500 smtwtfs AWR 250 60 AWR URDU SAS HR 2/2/0.5 15225 1500 1530 smtwtfs AWR 250 75 AWR PUNJABI SAS HR 2/2/0.5 S15 15225 1530 1600 smtwtfs AWR 250 75 AWR HINDI SAS HR 2/2/0.5 S15 15235 1330 1400 smtwtfs AWR 250 60 AWR ENGLISH SAS HR 2/2/0.5 15385 1300 1500 smtwtfs AWR 250 60 AWR MANDARIN WCHN HR 4/4/1 S330 15520 1400 1500 smtwtfs YFR 250 85 YFR HINDI SAS HR 2/2/0.5 15520 1500 1700 smtwtfs YFR 250 85 YFR ENGLISH SAS HR 2/2/0.5 15520 1700 1730 smtwtfs AWR 250 225 AWR AFAR EAF HR 2/2/0.5 S345 15520 1730 1800 smtwtfs AWR 250 225 AWR OROMINYA EAF HR 2/2/0.5 S345 17585 1000 1100 smtwtfs NHK 500 315 NHK ENGLISH SEEU HR 4/4/1 17595 1630 1700 smtwtfs AWR 250 225 AWR SOMALI EAF HR 2/2/0.5 S345 17595 1700 1730 smtwtfs AWR 250 225 AWR AMHARIC EAF HR 2/2/0.5 S345 17595 1730 1800 smtwtfs AWR 250 225 AWR TIGRINYA EAF HR 2/2/0.5 S345 17720 0800 1000 smtwtfs NHK 500 285 NHK JAPANESE ME HR 4/4/1 (via Andreas Volk, Germany, ADDX, Sept 23 via Wolfgang Büschel, via Mike Barraclough, extracted from complete Merlin schedule by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. ANOTHER BBCWS ANOMALY Was listening this AM to the BBC WS supposedly-Americas stream on 15190 kHz and noted that at 1345 UT, instead of the scheduled "Off the Shelf" following "Outlook", they instead aired the "Instant Guide" program on e-mail. I was actually pleased by this, as I had heard the subject announced yesterday and I had planned on listening to it, but probably would have forgotten... :-( But I was surprised to hear that program at that time. I just tried connecting to the BBC site and looking at what was really listed on the current week's schedule, but the system slowed to a crawl as I tried to get to the schedule pages and then displayed text stating that the "schedules" section was not available at this time for technical reasons. (Maybe they are fixing/updating it?) So was this just another instance of the BBC airing the wrong thing? Or is stuff in flux this week? I expected gh's famous "week of confusion" *next* week, following the time change, but mayhap they are practicing the confusion early in order to get more of it on the air? :-) Anybody notice any other anomalies on this or other streams? Regards, (Will Martin, MO, Oct 23, swprograms via DXLD) [Later:] I can offer more data on this. "Off The Shelf" was replaced at other times and again today by an old version of "From Our Own Correspondent". I was finally able to get the screens showing the BBC on-line schedule for the Americas to come up, and the replacement prgrammes for "Off The Shelf" ARE actually listed and therefor "official". There is nothing explaining this in the "Off The Shelf" programme web page, though. I suspect that this is a "rights" issue regarding the recording of "Day of the Jackal", and the Americas stream is cut off from that. But there should have been an explanation about this on the programme's own web page, plus on-air announcements (taking only a few seconds) at the start of each regular air time. "Off The Shelf" is back on the Americas schedule next week at the regular times, listing the contents being the results of the BBC's short story competition. I've written to "Write On" about this; maybe something will be acknowledged. Regards, (Will Martin, MO, Oct 24, ibid.) Since we and Western Europe now both change to Winter Time / standard time on the same day, the "week of confusion" only applies in the spring, when the two continents are one week off. You might want to send a note to worldservice @ bbc.co.uk; they tend to be responsive and also appreciate knowing of anomalies when they occur. Since most of my BBCWS listening is on-demand these days (sorry) I haven't noticed anything unique (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, ibid.) ** U K. Miscellaneous B-03 Merlin relays other than BBC via Rampisham: 7180 1900 2000 smtwtfs KBS 500 140 KBS ARABIC N AF HR 2/2/0.3 7235 1800 1900 smtwtfs KBS 500 62 KBS RUSSIAN RUSS HR 4/4/0.8 9750 1700 1800 smtwtfs NHK 500 62 NHK JAPANESE EUR HR 4/4/0.8 9850 1800 1830 smtwtfs RTE 500 105 RTE ME HR 4/4/0.5 9850 1830 1845 .mtwtf. UNR 500 105 UN RADIO ME HR 4/4/0.5 9850 1900 2000 smtwtfs YFR 500 105 YFR ARABIC ME HR 4/4/0.5 11760 1700 1800 smtwtfs HCJ 500 62 HCJB RUSSIAN RUSS HR 4/4/0.5 17625 1130 1200 ......s MNO 500 62 WALES RADIO INT OC HR 4/4/0.5 17860 1700 1715 .mtwtf. MNO 500 125 BIBLE VOICE EAF HR 4/4/0.5 S20 (via Andreas Volk, Germany, ADDX, Sept 23 via Wolfgang Büschel, via Mike Barraclough, extracted from complete Merlin schedule by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. Miscellaneous B-03 relays other than BBC via Merlin, Skelton: 3955 0500 0600 smtwtfs YFR 250 106 YFR GERMAN W EU HR 2/1/0.4 S356 13720 1800 1900 smtwtfs YFR 300 140 YFR ARABIC N AF HR 4/4/0.5 S30 3955 1800 1900 smtwtfs MNO 250 175 CBS ENGLISH W EU HR 2/2/0.3 3955 1900 2000 smtwtfs MNO 250 175 CBS FRENCH W EU HR 2/2/0.3 6170 1900 2000 smtwtfs MNO 300 110 CBS GERMAN W EU HR 2/3/0.5 3955 2000 2100 smtwtfs KBS 250 106 KBS GERMAN EUR HR 2/1/0.4 S356 3955 2200 2230 smtwtfs KBS 250 106 KBS ENGLISH EUR HR 2/1/0.4 S356 6145 2100 2200 smtwtfs KBS 300 180 KBS FRENCH EUR HR 2/2/0.3 9535 0700 0800 smtwtfs KBS 300 110 KBS KOREAN EUR HR 2/4/0.5 5975 0500 0600 smtwtfs NHK 250 150 NHK ENGLISH W EUR HR 2/1/0.5 6090 2100 2200 smtwtfs NHK 300 140 NHK ENGLISH W EUR HR 4/3/0.5 S30 6115 2200 2300 smtwtfs NHK 300 125 NHK JAPANESE W EUR HR 4/3/0.5 S15 6175 1700 1900 smtwtfs NHK 250 150 NHK JAPANESE W EUR HR 2/1/0.5 6180 2100 2200 smtwtfs NHK 300 70 NHK ENGLISH EUR HR 4/2/0.5 S340 11710 0800 1000 smtwtfs NHK 300 70 NHK JAPANESE EUR HR 4/2/0.5 S340 11710 1100 1130 smtwtfs NHK 300 70 NHK GERMAN EUR HR 4/2/0.5 S340 11710 1130 1200 smtwtfs NHK 300 70 NHK RUSSIAN EUR HR 4/2/0.5 S340 6010 1900 2000 ......s SLB 300 160 SLBC S,W EUR HR 4/2/0.3 340 7110 2130 2200 .....f. MNO 300 110 WALES RADIO INT EUR HR 2/3/0.5 12025 2100 2230 smtwtfs HCJ 250 165 HCJB ARABIC N AF HR 2/2/0.5 12025 2100 2230 smtwtfs HCJ 250 165 HCJB ARABIC N AF HR 2/2/0.5 13775 1830 1845 .mtwtf. UNR 300 180 UN RADIO N AF HR 4/4/0.5 15495 1700 1715 .mtwtf. UNR 300 180 UN RADIO N AF HR 4/2/0.3 15495 1730 1745 .mtwtf. UNR 300 125 UN RADIO ME HR 4/4/0.5 S15 (via Andreas Volk, Germany, ADDX, Sept 23 via Wolfgang Büschel, via Mike Barraclough, extracted from complete Merlin schedule by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. Merlin B-03 schedule shows smtwtfs non-BBC relays via Woofferton, including something new: Educational Development Council, to EAf == What`s that? 9760 0300 0500 MNO 300 140 EDUCATIONAL DEVT CNC E AF HR 4/4/1 12015 1800 1900 MNO 300 126 EDUCATIONAL DEVT CNC E AF HR 4/4/1 S12 15275 1700 1800 MNO 300 140 EDUCATIONAL DEVT CNC E AF HR 4/4/1 and: 9810 1700 1900 YFR 300 75 YFR RUSSIAN RUSS HR 4/4/1 (via Andreas Volk, Germany, ADDX, Sept 23 via Wolfgang Büschel, via Mike Barraclough, extracted from complete Merlin schedule by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [non]. Some BBC WS smtwtfs relays via odd Merlin sites, B-03: 21455 0900 1130 BBC Moosbrunn 100 115 ARABIC ME HR 4/4/1 S30 9525 0100 0400 BBC Okeechobee 50 285 ENGLISH (AME) C AM LP (via Andreas Volk, Germany, ADDX, Sept 23 via Wolfgang Büschel, via Mike Barraclough, extracted from complete Merlin schedule by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also KOREA SOUTH, RUSSIA, UAE, UZBEKISTAN ** U K [non]. Complete B-03 Merlin schedule of BBC via Yamata, Japan: 6110 2100 2200 smtwtfs 300 290 ENGLISH (ASE) FE HR 4/2/1 9605 0900 1030 ......s 300 290 ENGLISH (NEWS) FE HR 4/2/1 9605 0900 1030 smtwtf. 300 290 ENGLISH (ASE) FE HR 4/2/1 9605 1030 1100 smtwtfs 300 290 BBC ENGLISH (ASIA E FE HR 4/2/1 9605 1100 1530 smtwtfs 300 290 MANDARIN CHN HR 4/2/1 11945 0000 0030 smtwtfs 300 290 ENGLISH (ASE) FE HR 4/2/1 11945 2200 2300 smtwtfs 300 290 MANDARIN CHN HR 4/2/1 11945 2300 2400 smtwtfs 300 290 ENGLISH (ASE) FE HR 4/2/1 (via Andreas Volk, Germany, ADDX, Sept 23 via Wolfgang Büschel, via Mike Barraclough, extracted from complete Merlin schedule by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. ONE MILLION TUNE IN TO BBC DIGITAL STATIONS The BBC's newly-launched digital-only stations have picked up more than a million adult listeners, despite only around 200,000 homes having sets to receive them. More than £15 million was invested into launching the stations last year as the corporation promoted the use of digital. The biggest success among the four new stations is Radio 1's 1Xtra, which has 331,000 adult listeners each week. It is the first time figures for the BBC's new services have been released by Rajar. When the stations began broadcasting only a handful of people had receivers but prices have dropped from around £300 to under £100 and are becoming more widely available. However many listeners are using the Internet and digital TV to listen to the stations - Five Live Sports Extra, 1Xtra, 6 Music and BBC7. BBC director of radio Jenny Abramsky spoke earlier this week about the importance of the corporation converting to digital to stop radio becoming obsolete. Although a modest start, the BBC is pleased with the figures and believe they will grow in the long term. A BBC radio spokeswoman said: "These are very encouraging figures. This is an investment for the future. "The BBC has always said it has to kick-start digital radio. On the scale of setting up a national radio station, our initial investment was not a lot of money." Story filed: 14:33 Thursday 23rd October 2003 http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_831643.html (via Mike Terry via Paul David, DXLD) ** UNITED NATIONS [non]. Dear Sir/Madam, Could you please send me a copy of your latest program and frequency schedule (B'03) by e-mail. This will enable me and the other member of the "DX Unlimited" Group http://groups.yahoo.co./group/dxunlimited & http://www.reboot.at/dxunlimited to be better updated with the changed frequency information. If the copy of the same is available in printed form, the same can be sent to Mr. Sandipan Basu Mallick 20, "Q" Road, Netajigarh Howrah 711 108 West Bengal, INDIA Looking foward to receive an early reply from your end. Thanking You, Sincerely, Sandipan Basu Mallick for DX Unlimited Dear Sandipan Basu Mallick, Thank you for you interest in UN Radio. We hope that you are enjoying our programmes. I have attached the Winter 2003 schedule, in Excel format. Please know that the updated schedule is always available on our website at: http://www.un.org/av/radio/news/latenews.htm The schedule's link is at the bottom left-hand corner of the page. (See attached file: Winter03.Web.xls) With best regards, [name removed by request] United Nations Dept. of Public Information Audio-Visual Promotion & Distribution tel: 917.367.5007 fax: 212.963.6869 Viz.: UNITED NATIONS LIVE RADIO PROGRAMME SW FREQUENCY SCHEDULE WINTER 2003 Frequency Start Time GMT Finish Time GMT Transmission Days = M-F Transmitting Site Power Target Area Language Bearing Array CIRAFs 7170 1700 1715 Meyerton 100 SAf French 76 LP 53S 57NE7 21535 1700 1715 Meyerton 250 S&CAf French 342 HR 4/3/0.5 S335 46 47 52 15495 1700 1715 Skelton 300 NAf French 180 HR 4/2/0.3 37S 38 17810 1730 1745 Ascension 250 W&CAf English 65 HR 2/2/0.75 46 47 52N 7170 1730 1745 Meyerton 100 EAf English 5 LP 48SW 53W 57NE 15495 1730 1745 Skelton 300 ME English 125 HR 4/4/0.5 S15 38E 39 9850 1830 1845 Rampisham 500 ME Arabic 105 HR 4/4/0.5 38E 39 13775 1830 1845 Skelton 300 NAf Arabic 180 HR 4/4/0.5 37S 38 (all via Bill Westenhaver, RCI, Oct 23, DXLD) see also UK ** U S A. VOA`s Talk to America, will temporarily? no longer be available on TV, just radio starting B-03, on these frequencies, M-F at 1705-1755 UT: ME/NAf/Eu: 6040 97690 15205; Kuwait also on FM 96.9 Af: 13710 15240 15445 17895 909; last two cut away at 1730 [for Zimbabwe service] As: 5990 6045 6110 7125 9525 9645 9795 11955 12005 15255 15395; MW 1143 1575. Europeans should also try these SW frequencies Main Street, the show Kim appears on, changes to Sat & Sun only at 2233, 0033, 0433, 0633, 1233, 1633 [so, as we suspected, the 2233 times are actually UT Fri and Sat, contrary to previous version putting them last!]; at the same times on M-F: Coast To Coast (Kim Elliott, VOA Talk to America Oct 24, notes by Glenn Hauser for DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also CHINA; CONGO DR ** U S A. Tentative RFA schedule in B-03, valid eff Oct 26th, 2003 til March 27th, 2004. D-03 = tilL March 6th, 2004 only. RFA currently broadcasts from 1100 to 0700; there are no transmissions between 0700 and 1100. Daily programming includes Mandarin for 12 hours, Cantonese increase from two to four hours, Uighur for two hours, and Tibetan for eight hours. RFA uses IBB txs in HOL/H=Holzkirchen Germany, IRA/I=Iranawila Sri Lanka, SAI/S=Saipan & TIN/T=Tinian NoMariana Isls. And Merlin relays TWN/N=Taiwan and UAE=Al Dhabayya-UAE, as well as irk=Irkutsk-RUS and uss=Ussuriysk-RUS relays. Additional transmitter sites have been researched but deleted from this list upon request of RFA to suppress this info, to avoid pressure from China upon the host countries. Are we to assume that China has no way to find out this sensitive info except through DX publications? [gh] RFA B-03 tentative schedule. 0000-0100 LAO 11830I 13830 15545T 0030-0130 BURMESE 11535 11570 13710S 13815I 15155T 0100-0200 UIGHUR 7480 9365 9580UAE 9690UAE 15270T 17570T 0100-0300 TIBETAN 7470-D03 7560 9670H 11695UAE 15220T 17730 0300-0600 MANDARIN 13625T 13760T 15150T 15665T 17495 17525 17615S 17880S 21540T 0600-0700 MANDARIN 13625T 13760T 15150T 15665T 17495 17525 17615S 17880S 0600-0700 TIBETAN 17515 17540 17720 21570T 21715UAE break 1100-1200 LAO 9355S 9775T 15555I 15680 1100-1400 TIBETAN 7470 9365-D03 11540 13625T 15435UAE 15185H-(from 1200) 1230-1330 CAMBODIAN 11510 13725I 15395T 1300-1400 BURMESE 7550 9355 11795T 12105I 15250T 1400-1500 CANTONESE 9825T 11950S 15255T 1400-1500 VIETNAMESE 9365 9455S 9930W 11520 11535 11605N 11760T 13660I 13725P 15470T 21625I 1400-1500 KOREAN 5855 7475 12000T 13625T 1500-1600 TIBETAN 7470 7495 11520 15385UAE 1500-1600 MANDARIN 7540 9905P 11945T 13670T 13745T 15510T 17565T 1500-1600 KOREAN 648uss 11870S 13625T 1600-1700 KOREAN 7210irk 11870S 13625T 1600-1700 UIGHUR 7515 7530 9865UAE 11720T 13725I 1600-1700 MANDARIN 7540 9455S 9905P 11945T 13670T 13745T 15510T 17565T 1700-1800 MANDARIN 7540 9455S 9905P 11850S 11945T 13670T 13745T 15510T 17565T 1800-1900 MANDARIN 7455 7540 9355S 9455S 11745S 11790T 11945T 13670T 13745T 15510T 17615T 1900-2000 MANDARIN 7455 7540 9355S 9455S 9875P 11745S 11790T 11945T 13625T 13670T 13745T 15510T 2000-2100 MANDARIN 7540 9355S 9455S 9875P 9885T 11900S 11950T 13625T 13745T 15510T 2100-2200 MANDARIN 7540 9455S 9875P 9885T 11900S 11950T 13625T 13745T 15510T 2200-2300 CANTONESE 9570S 9845P 11740T 11785T 2200-2300 KOREAN 7460 9455T 11775S 11905T 2230-2330 CAMBODIAN 7185I 7530 9930P 15485T 2300-2359 MANDARIN 7540 9905P 11785T 11995S 13800T 15430T 15550T 2300-2359 TIBETAN 6010UAE 7415 7470 7550 9875H 2330-0029 VIETNAMESE 7515 9490 9930P 11580 11605N 11965T 13720S 13865I (various sources, Oct 22, BC-DX via DXLD) ** U S A. Greetings! Global -4 , 12.172 and our 045 Rhombic is a flame thrower. Reports received are exceedingly strong signal. Transmitter at times has occasional Temper Tantrums! We are working out all of the final bugs! We no longer will allow the promotion of web casting (Non compete clause) over our station. I am hoping that other US private stations follow suit as this is HURTING shortwave as a whole! Only a fool would allow someone to try and move his bread and butter audience to a competing media. When a listener (supporter) gets on the internet the initial cost involved: 1. Computer and accessories $ 800 to 2500 dollars 2. Protection software cost $ 150 + subscription cost 3. Internet access cost $ 300 per year 4. Tel co line cost $ 300 per year (2nd line) 5. Web casters begging for $$ $ 240 ++ per year Total average expenditure: $ 2690.00 first year cost to get on internet. Other cost are perpetual and recurring each month after the first year Demographics: The average American Family is lucky to have, after all of the basic household bills are paid to clear $200 dollars a month of disposable income! Getting on the Internet / Computer Gobbles up 13 months worth of the families disposable income! The result? No financial support for the programming, stations, this is hurting everyone concerned! The ONE time cost for a good shortwave radio? $100 dollars! No further cost to the listener which results in more disposable income in the pocket to support the broadcasters and station whatever the format is liberal or conservative (Dave Frantz, WWRB, by e-mail, Oct 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 5105.2, Radio Caroline via WBCQ, Monticello ME; 2244-2300+, 21-Oct; EE DJ with not-so-oldies. WBCQ spot 2257, but didn't mention 5105. WBCQ ID at 2300 and into religious program. All in English. SIO=4+54. Not // 7415. 7415, WBCQ, Monticello ME; 2136-2155+, 19-Oct; Unexpurgated pirate program, Radio Free Euphoria with Maharishi's Neighborhood, Mr. Rogers spoof. Ads for Whisker Biscuits & Cowboy Dick ice cream. Interview with Andy Yoder. QSL via captainganja@ganja.com SIO=554+ (Harold Frodge, MI, MARE via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. WSHB B-03 smtwtfs relays via Merlin, Russian and Taiwan sites: 7340 1300 1400 Irkutsk 250 224 SHB ENGLISH S AS HR 4/4/1 9585 1200 1300 Komsomolsk 250 213 SHB ENGLISH SE AS HR 2/4/0.5 11780 1000 1100 Taipei 100 352 SHB ENGLISH CHN HR4/3/.5 (via Andreas Volk, Germany, ADDX, Sept 23 via Wolfgang Büschel, via Mike Barraclough, extracted from complete Merlin schedule by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. WYFR relays via Merlin: see UAE; UK ** U S A. NO HIGH, LONESOME SOUND Friday, October 24, 2003; Page A24 While WAMU radio's downturn can be seen in many areas [front page, Oct. 20], Jennifer Frey barely referred to the area most plainly clear to the listening audience: dropping bluegrass programming from the afternoon lineup. After decades of afternoon bluegrass, the station dropped the show in favor of playing the same afternoon lineup another area station plays, shunning its local roots and identity to become more corporate-friendly. This to me was a red flag for the station's changing culture. I quit donating and listening when it was clear the bluegrass was gone for good. Perhaps if WAMU returned to programming that reflected its roots rather than its desired corporate image, the station would rediscover some old friends. JULIE EISENHARDT Washington (c) 2003 The Washington Post Company (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. trials and triumph --- Excellent series on the rise, fall and rise of FM radio. Go to http://www.michiguide.com/ Here is the heading for the series: From Fledgling to Floundering to Flourishing: A history of FM Broadcasting in Michigan from the 1930s through the 1960s By: George Bednarik, © 2003 George Bednarik (Via Harry van Vugt, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, DXLD) ** U S A. FM DX Tool --- this was sent to me and I thought it would help to ID FM stations during sporadic-e. It is about five to ten minutes behind the stations. Unfortunately it only lists FM stations, no AM, on the few markets I've checked. I'm not on any of the FM DX lists, so I hope someone will pass this along. http://www.yes.net/ Ever hear a song on the radio, but don't know what it's called? The YES web site will tell you. Just enter the city, then choose from local radio stations. It will list all the songs that were played on that station in the past 24 hours (via Pete Dernbach, Manchester, MO, amfmtvdx at qth.net via DXLD) ** U S A. ENFORCEMENT: HAM CHARGED IN AIRLINER CASE A 20 year old ham radio operator and college junior has been charged with breaching airport security. The FBI says that Nathaniel Heatwole, WZ3AR, has admitted to planting box cutters, bleach and matches on two airliners. Amateur Radio Newsline`s Paul Courson, WA3VJB, gives us a profile of Heatwole and his involvement in the hobby: If you`re a contester, you may have worked WZ3AR, licensed to Damascus Maryland, a suburb of Washington DC. In research for Newsline, a profile of a fairly ordinary young ham radio operator has emerged. His listing on QRZ.com shows a willingness to QSL both to short-wave listeners and the amateur community alike. The Advanced Class licensee appears to have been primarily active on HF, in the specialty of contesting. In August of this year he won a thousand dollar scholarship from the Foundation for Amateur Radio, a coalition of radio clubs in the area around Maryland, DC and Virginia. In a club newsletter, he was shown as headed into his 4th year at Guilford College in North Carolina, pursuing a double major of Physics and Political Science. His former call is KB3CBW, and an internet search has found a snapshot of a young man closely resembling who now is a 20 year old seen in television footage and accused of trying to breach airline security. As KB3CBW, he is listed several times with photos a Dayton Hamvention, 1999 gallery. His call sign also turns up on a contest log dupesheet for Field Day 1999 on 40 meters phone, and in other contests including a Maryland- DC QSO party. On a contest e-mail reflector, someone signing that name and call sign is asking questions about the beverage antenna, and how he plans to buy a better contesting radio than his Kenwood TS-140S, that the person was using as of the posting dated 1999. By February 2000, the former KB3CBW was turning up as WZ3AR on the webpage minutes of the Potomac Valley Amateur Radio club, which serves the same area as his licensed station location in Maryland. This call sign also shows up in various contest logs, including an Islands on the Airwaves event and Field Day. WZ3AR was shown in 2001 as operating from Virginia`s Chincoteague Island on 15 meters sideband. One message thread refers to a June 2001 issue of CQ magazine, and an article on keeping a footswitch from sliding around. There was other advice. In a contest discussion board, someone signing those call letters rejected the practice among certain hams of tape recording contest activity to later enter the information in a competitive logbook. The posted message said such a practice raises ethical questions, and that he advised against doing so. The New York Times has quoted friends as saying he has offered Strong pacifist views and is highly principled. For now, he is charged with carrying a concealed dangerous weapon aboard jetliners, reportedly as a test of airline security and to demonstrate his alleged protest to perceived flaws in that security. In Washington, Paul Courson, WA3VJB, for Newsline. After a court appearance Monday, October 20th, Heatwole, a junior at Guilford College in Greensboro, N.C., was released without bail for a preliminary hearing slated for November 10th. If tried and convicted, he faces a hefty fine and up to 10 years in a Federal prison (ARNewsline, published news reports via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** URUGUAY. Re 3-187: ``¿Is it Sinfonia or Sinfonía? Presumably the one WRTH 2003 has as Banda Oriental, 6154v in Sarandí del Yí (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)`` -- Glenn, It's Sinfonía. And certainly this is Banda Oriental, Sarandí del Yí, Departamento de Durazno, carrying live sport coverage in network with other stations of "Gran Cadena de la Amistad", of which Sinfonía FM, Santa Clara de Olimar, Departamento de Treinta y Tres, is one of them, presumably the one leading at that moment. By the way, Oriental/Montecarlo are unheard since about a week according to my monitoring (6140/9595/11735), usually made when I wake up, around 1030 UT --- then I go to work. The one that has became active is Radio Sarandí Sport, on 6045. Tiny modulation. SODRE 9620/6125 are active, the first one 24h with usual CX6 contents of classical music, the later relaying CX38, except Sat/Sun 1400-1500 when switches to CX26 with the "Radioactividades" media program (more miscellaneous historic topics than media (Horacio Nigro, Uruguay, Oct 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UZBEKISTAN. B-03 Merlin-brokered smtwtfs relays via Tashkent, including BBCWS: 5995 1800 1900 RFI Tashkent 200 255 RFI PASHTU ME RHO 7375 0100 0130 BBC Tashkent 200 131 HINDI S AS HR 4/4/0.8 7430 1329 1400 BBC Tashkent 200 131 BENGALI S AS HR 4/4/0.8 7430 1400 1445 BBC Tashkent 200 131 HINDI S AS HR 4/4/0.8 7430 1500 1530 BBC Tashkent 200 131 NEPALI S AS HR 4/4/0.8 (via Andreas Volk, Germany, ADDX, Sept 23 via Wolfgang Büschel, via Mike Barraclough, extracted from complete Merlin schedule by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VATICAN. Iniziato e subito rinviato il processo a Radio Vaticana Da http://www.ilte.net/mercati/radio_e_tivu/news_estesa.asp?ID=2239&DAT=SHORT via Talkmedia: Radio Vaticana, il processo è ripreso ed è subito stato sospeso. Appena ricominciato dopo che la Cassazione aveva annullato la sentenza di non luogo a procedere, é stato subito rinviato il processo ai responsabili di Radio Vaticana, accusati di "getto pericoloso di cose" in merito al presunto inquinamento elettromagnetico a Cesano, a Nord di Roma, e nelle zone limitrofe. L'avvocato difensore Marcello Melandri ha sollevato due eccezioni alle notifiche: il giudice, Luisa Martone, ha rinviato l'udienza al 9 dicembre. Gli imputati al processo sono padre Roberto Tucci, presidente del Comitato di gestione di Radio Vaticana, padre Pasquale Borgomeo, direttore generale, e Costantino Pacifici, della direzione tecnica. Ma anche un secondo fascicolo con l'accusa di omicidio colposo risulta aperto a carico dei tre responsabili di Radio Vaticana. Le indagini sono scaturite da una denuncia presentata dai residenti di Cesano nel 2001, in cui si ipotizzava il collegamento tra alcuni casi di leucemia e tumori mortali e la presenza delle antenne di Radio Vaticana. In seguito la procura di Roma incaricò alcuni consulenti di compiere una perizia il cui risultato fu depositato lo scorso anno: nella relazione non si escludeva una correlazione tra le morti e l'inquinamento elettromagnetico dell'emittente. Per questo è stata decisa, come atto dovuto, l'iscrizione dei tre nel registro degli indagati con l'accusa di omicidio colposo (via BCLNews.it Oct 24 via DXLD) ** WALES [non]. Wales Radio International via Merlin: see UK UNIDENTIFIED. [160m] S GA or N FLA Broadcast Parasitic --- I still need additional ears looking for a broadcast station in S GA or N Florida. This station is most likely in the very north part of Florida east of Tallahassee or in the very southern and eastern part of Georgia. It has a moderately strong parasitic that wanders around the band. Today it was on 1832-1835, drifting around. It is a Spanish language BC. The Spanish language parasitic can be heard here any time it is dark. The music sounds like Mexican style tunes, rather than Latin beats. I can copy it on AM, but never catch a callsign. It moves around between 1820 and 1835, maybe even wider range. It is S/SE of me (near Macon GA), and east of Terry K4RX (near Tallahassee FL I think). This thing hasn't gotten any better for months, it moves around the entire low end of the band. If anyone in S GA or N FL can get an ID or match the audio to an AM BC station or hear it groundwave, please let me know!! It IS a domestic station. It definitely is in the region between N FL and S GA. 73 (Tom Rauch, 160m list via Nick Hall-Patch, IRCA via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 6108.24: No guardé mi grabación de la emisora andina captada por mí el 19 de Octubre. Después de esa fecha no he notado absolutamente nada en la frecuencia de 6108.24 kHz. Según Alfredo es una emisora peruana y probablemente tenga razón. Mencioné Radio Integración, El Alto (Bolivia) por tres razones: Por lo que pasó en la ciudad de El Alto justo ese día cuando 6108.24 kHz estuvo en el aire, la guitarra de "Charango" y información de la lista de Mark Mohrman: 6108.7 BOLIVIA R Integración, El Alto (off) ex 6123 73ss de (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador - SWB América Latina, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DRM +++ B-03 schedule of smtwtfs DRM tests via Merlin, Rampisham, UK: 7320 1000 1500 500 115 DRM TEST PROGRAMS EUR HR 4/4/0.5 S10 9410 1100 1300 500 105 DRM TEST PROGRAMS EUR HR 4/2/0.5 (via Andreas Volk, Germany, ADDX, Sept 23 via Wolfgang Büschel, via Mike Barraclough, extracted from complete Merlin schedule by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ HISTORICAL AURORAL SUPERSTORM Scientists are beginning to understand a historic solar storm in 1859. One day, they say, it could happen again. FULL STORY at http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2003/23oct_superstorm.htm?list458954 (NASA Science News for October 23, 2003 via Russ Edmunds, WTFDA via DXLD) SOLAR FLARE MAY ZING SATELLITES, WIRELESS NETWORKS --- By Matt Hines Experts warn that a geomagnetic storm generated by eruptions on the sun could reach Earth on Friday and potentially interfere with a number of technologies... http://news.com.com/2100-1033-5096394.html?tag=sas_email (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) RE: LARGE CME FROM SUNSPOT 484 http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,100981,00.html I don't think that this news story fully explores the current event. The latest warning/alert forecast for this is as follows: (From NOAA): Forecast for next 24 hours: Space weather for the next 24 hours is expected to be minor. Geomagnetic storms reaching the G1 level are expected. Radio blackouts reaching the R1 level are expected. This takes into account that the IMF is mostly oriented toward the north. When this is oriented south (Bz is negative), then it will affect the geomagnetic field. But, if north (Bz is positive), then it will not affect the geomagnetic field. When the CME glances the Earth's magnetosphere, the IMF has to be south (Bz negative), if it were to cause a geomagnetic storm. The thinking at this time is that the Bz will not go negative, or if it will, it will not go very far. Thus, the geomagnetic activity level should not go too high, at most minor storm level during the late afternoon and early evening of the 24th (local time). By the way, the large sunspot is not the cause of geomagnetic storms. The IMF and solar wind speed, along with enhancements from CMEs, cause geomagnetic storminess. If the sunspot group throws a flare, however, we might have a short radio blackout. The forecast is for minor to moderate flaring. So, what is in store for the contest (CQ WW SSB) weekend, starting tomorrow? Solar activity is drastically higher than just a week ago. Now, we have two very large sunspot groups. Things look great, in terms of the flux levels expected. On the other hand, what is in store for the geomagnetic activity and flare activity? The latest forecast created on 21 October, 2003 shows the following: 2003 Oct 24 165 20 4 2003 Oct 25 165 15 3 2003 Oct 26 165 10 3 2003 Oct 27 165 10 3 Now, from NOAA/SEC, we have this issued on 22 October, 2003: The geomagnetic field is expected to be at predominantly active levels through day one of the forecast period. The partial halo CME from today is expected to arrive mid-day on the 24th of October and may produce periods of major storming. Day three should see a return to unsettled to active conditions. Predictions for flare activity are: Event Probabilities 23 Oct-25 Oct Class M 70/70/70 Class X 30/30/30 Proton 15/15/20 PCAF yellow Expected flux: Penticton 10.7 cm Flux Observed 22 Oct 154 Predicted 23 Oct-25 Oct 160/165/170 And, Ap numbers/Geomagnetic conditions: Geomagnetic A Indices Observed Afr/Ap 21 Oct 028/039 Estimated Afr/Ap 22 Oct 020/038 Predicted Afr/Ap 23 Oct-25 Oct 020/030-040/045-015/025 Geomagnetic Activity Probabilities 23 Oct-25 Oct A. Middle Latitudes Active 40/30/30 Minor storm 25/40/20 Major-severe storm 10/25/05 B. High Latitudes Active 45/25/40 Minor storm 35/40/25 Major-severe storm 15/30/10 Looking at all of the data, I think that at most we will have active geomagnetic activity for most of the contest. Combined with the very high flux, however, the conditions for most bands at and below 15 meters should be hopping! Specifically, I predict that the start of the contest (at 0000Z on 24 October, 2003, which is evening time for most of the USA) will be somewhat rough - polar paths and paths over high latitudes will be degraded more than mid-latitude paths. Higher bands will shut down quickly. Low bands should be fair. The full day of Saturday will fare better. Perhaps, because of the lower Ap and expected Kp, along with stronger Flux, we'll see great conditions as high as 15 meters. 10 might still show promise. While the geomagnetic field will be active for the remainder of the period, it will be decreasing. That can make lower bands hot. So - I would try my luck at it. Think of it - a flux of 150 to possibly as high as 200. That will open up the higher bands and will also open up many paths around the world throughout the day and possibly during the night, on 40 through 20. Geomagnetic activity will degrade the strength and duration of the openings on the highest bands, but not as closed as it could have been if the flux was at or slightly below 100, as it has been lately. Again, I think that the combined high flux and the moderately active geomagnetic field will balance out for good to possibly excellent conditions depending on the band and time of day, and so forth. Of course, it is possible that the sun will surprise us, with massive flares and that the Bz will turn sharply and strongly south. If that were to happen, spend time with family and friends. :) 73 de Tomas, NW7US (AAR0JA/AAM0EWA) -- : Propagation Editor, CQ/CQ VHF/Popular Communications Magazines : : http://hfradio.org/ -- http://prop.hfradio.org/ -- Brinnon, WA (via swl at qth.net via DXLD) UPDATE: CQ WW SSB Weekend Propagation (24-X-03, onward) Howdy, fellow HFer. I just finished a long conversation with NOAA's Bill Murtagh, the solar forecaster on duty. We discussed several things, including the press' obsession with the current solar conditions. Here is a summary of our discussion. NASA released a press release regarding a historical solar sunspot back in the 1800's. See http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2003/23oct_superstorm.htm Many journalists and news outlets (like Fox News) did not get very much past the headline. They joined the press release with the current sunspot group, and incorrectly thought that we are in for a massive, historical storm. This is not going to be the case. While the Kp readings might reach 7, or at most 8, this initial CME shock has already hit, and will subside by tomorrow (early, we think). The Kp will fall to about 4, maybe 5. Sometime on Sunday, another CME might glance us. This will not cause excessive, record-breaking massive geomagnetic storminess. It will just be stormy. Like it has been many times in the last few years. On the other hand, what is significant is the flaring activity. As I write this, for example, we are under the influence of a long-lasting, slowly declining M-class flare. Not just a quick, "hello" flare, this one is dragging out. This is causing radio blackouts over the sunlit side of the ionosphere. These radio blackouts are somewhat regional (at least on the sunlit side), and possibly short-term (unless, like with this M-class flare, it lasts for a long while). Geomagnetic storms, on the other hand, will degrade propagation for all locations, generally speaking (night and day side). Now, what's the outlook for HF propagation over the weekend? My original forecast holds some theoretical plausibility - the geomagnetic storminess should subside during Saturday. The higher flux (180 or so) should help balance out conditions on the higher frequencies, and the lower frequencies will fare well. Unless.... yes, unless... the flaring continues. There is a great chance that we will have issues because of the continual flare activity. At least those who are trying to make contacts or SWL those areas where the signal path is through daylight regions will see a degradation of propagation. Low band DXing (especially at night) should be fair to good, however, when the Ap/Kp falls. This was not something we could see coming down the pike. Normally, we could take a 27-day solar cycle and make a reasonable forecast on how conditions might be. Based on 27 days ago, we should have had a GREAT weekend. Now, at best, we will have a good weekend. Most likely, a fair weekend. Or, a terrible weekend. And, as Bill and I agreed, it is hard to assess because we don't have enough data to create a working model, yet, we cannot for certain say who will have a great weekend, and who will have a lousy weekend. Conflicting reports tend to come in after such a chaotic event. Some find that these conditions don't degrade THEIR working conditions, while others report a complete loss of signal. And, there's no real pattern. I find that has held true in the past contests when conditions were rough. Some said that they had record-breaking results, even so. Others said that they decided that it was a waste of their contesting energy. So, go figure. One thing I came away with from this discussion with Bill is that we amateur's really need to become more scientific in our data collection process. We need to record more information about our working conditions, our QSO's, and the other details that, when gathered together into a database, would allow us to begin to unlock the secrets of propagation, such that we can begin to forecast better how these events will affect us. Bill is hoping that by the end of this current solar cycle, enough new data is collected that we can begin to make correlations about these events with something of a pattern and model things more accurately. At the moment, the data shows the Bz is positive. Can we trust that reading? Kp readings of 7 have been recorded. Is that in keeping with a positive Bz? How can Kp be so high, if the Bz is positive? This is another question Bill and his group are asking right now. In the end, my forecast remains a bit more conservative, only because of the flaring that might cause radio blackouts. Otherwise, I feel that the geomagnetic forecast should hold true. I will certainly continue to review this event and report on it in future e-mails. I hope to hear from many of you about real-world conditions from your perspective. Oh, one more thing: Because of the unwarrented press due to the miss- reading of the NASA press release and its timing with the current sunspot activity, NOAA website resources are overwhelmed. Tell folks that they can relax. On the other hand, Bill chuckled at the idea that maybe all this press is helpful when they go for the hearing on October 31, 2003, regarding the funding they need to stay alive. (See http://prop.hfradio.org for a look at this hearing). More to follow, as new information becomes available... 73 de (NW7US, HFRadio Propagation forum Oct 24 via DXLD) POOR RECEPTION VERY poor reception this morning [Oct 22nd], among the worst for a long time (disregarding shortlived blackouts). Early Tuesday evening the heavens offered a splendid display of northern lights with a multicoloured curtain sweeping slowly from northeast to northwest. There was even a brief display of corona (crown), which is an unusual phenomenon consisting of rays emerging from a zenith point and spreading over an angle of approximately 180 degrees like one half of a very big Christmas star. Later in the evening I saw the depressing multiple auroral bows which mean that protons are killing all useful propagation. Proton auroras are weak and greyish and just boring, but have a strong effect on propagation. (Olle Alm, Sweden, Oct 22, BC-DX via DXLD) and Oct 23: If you take a listen when you receive this you'll find a fade out in progress - just when we were thinking it couldn`t get any worse. I tuned around the bands up til about 0710 this morning and again switched on around 0845 and found this had happened. Perhaps when the sun came up? But, I was earlier hearing CRI 17720 & 15245 and CNR-8 weak on 15415 as well as RNZI 11820 - but not Australia. However, there was hardly anything from the west - a weak VOA 6035 and weak WWCR 5070 was all I could hear. But Brazil 9665 was good. Now, there is nothing on 49 & 41 mbs, and a very variable and low signal on 9545 from DW is the only one on 31mb. RFI 11670 is weak, but little else. The 17 & 15 MHz bands are dead. So, now we really can say "things can only get better"! (Noel R. Green, UK, BC-DX Oct 23 via DXLD) HIGH ANDES PRE-STORM ENHANCEMENT? Early this a.m., I made some interesting observations on propagation, likely related to the impending geo magnetic storm expected sometime later today. Despite very noisy local QRN that is a problem in nearly any urban area, the signals from the high Andes region were INCREDIBLY strong this a.m. Many stations below are assumed / presumed, as I was more interested in the propagation aspect than positive ID or lengthy listening. Many of these signals were the strongest or near strongest ever heard. DOMINCAN REPUBLIC 5009 kHz, Radio Pueblo at 1029, with music and ID. SINPO 33333, though poor modulation. BRAZIL 4875 kHz, Radio Difusora Roraima, Boa Vista, at 0935 UTC. Portuguese, or Indian language with Portuguese numbers, time checks, regional Brazilian pop/ accordion music. "Roraima" clearly heard. SINPO 22222, fade out prior to 1000 UT. BOLIVIA 4845 kHz, s/on 1002 UT with brassy anthem and male chorus, incredibly strong signal, though poor modulation SINPO 53232+, possibly Radio Fides, Bolivia. ID was too muddy to be sure of. ECUADOR 4815 kHz, Radio Buen Pastor, Ecuador presumed at 1005 UT with rooster crows and Andean flutes. Strong signal, but better on USB. Much better at 1040 with SINPO 44334. 4919 kHz, Radio Quito at 1025 UT, SINPO 33333 with guitar music. 4960, Radio Shuar, presumed, at 1037 UT with Andean flutes and Indian language program. 5040 kHz, La Voz del Upano, presumed, at 1040 UT with religious talk in Spanish. PERU 4790 kHz, Radio Atlántida, Iquitos, at 1015 with time checks, talk, SINPO 43333. 4824.5 kHz, La Voz de la Selva, Iquitos, presumed, with regional music. Other 60 meter observations WWVH on 5000 kHz was conspicuous by its absence, and not a hint of Solomon Islands on 5020 kHz, or Papua New Guinea on 4890 kHz, usually at least audible at this hour. I doubt if conditions to Indonesia or PNG are good this morning. Curiously, 90 meters was completely dead at 1045 UT, save a very weak CHU signal. On 49 meters, while CKZN from St. John's, Newfoundland, was in the clear at 1030 UT, CFRX on 6070 was barely audible and totally unusable. Radio Educación, on 6185 was not heard (but have they been off the air?, not heard recently). At 1045 UT, 41 meters dead, but that is usually the case at that hour. 31 meters was weak, 9550 Cuba very weak, 9580 Radio Australia weak, not much DX at all. 25 meters totally dead save Gene Scott on 11775 Anguilla. All observations with Drake SW8 and 50 foot sloper. I am curious what the "experts" have to say on this as a predictable phenomenon on lower frequencies (60 meters in particular) prior to such an expected solar storm. And I would be interested in any other observations supporting or refuting these conditions in relation to the time frame of such storms (Roger Chambers, Utica, New York, October 24th 1130 UT, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###