DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-204, November 12, 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 http://www.w4uvh.net/dxldtd3k.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 FIRST AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1207: Wed 2300 on WBCQ 7415, 17495-CUSB Thu 0230+ on WINB 9320 Thu 2130 on WWCR 15825 WRN ONDEMAND [from Fri]: 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 1206 (high version is in two parts): Part I: (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1206h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1206h.rm Part II: (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1206i.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1206i.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1206.html WORLD OF RADIO 1207 (low version) [from early UT Thu]: (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1207.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1207.rm UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS Thanks, Glenn, for all of your hard work over the years. You are a wonderful asset to the SWL community! (Mike Gorniak, MN, with a donation via PayPal) Hi Glenn, This past weekend the Mohawk Valley Shortwave Listeners Club, Utica, NY held its 10th DX camp at Camp Aldersgate, Braningham Lake, NY. Three members attended this year. Daryl Rocker, Herkimer, NY, Chet Dougherty, Whitesboro, NY, Roger Chambers, Utica, NY. We logged 99 countries. One of the weekend highlights was Satirday night. We threw some logs on the fireplace and tuned our radios to World Of Radio via WWCR Sun at 0330 UT on 5070. It was great weekend. One other thing: we had a side by side with Roger`s 2010 and my 909. Bottom line you would have to split hairs to tell them apart listening between 15- 17 MHz. Keep up the good work, Glen[n], your program helped make a difference at this year`s camp (Daryl Rocker, MVSWLC, Nov 11) ** AFGHANISTAN. TV STATION COVERING NORTH AFGHAN PROVINCES TO BE LAUNCHED SOON | Text of report by Afghan news agency Bakhtar Bakhtar Information Agency, Kabul, 11 November: Establishment of Aine TV in Sheberghan. A colour television equipment named Aine, has been assembled and installed in Sheberghan city. According to a Bakhtar Information Agency correspondent, the television equipment has been imported from Turkey by Sayd Fahim, a businessman from Maymana [capital of Fariab Province], at the cost of 3m US dollars. The assembly and installation operations have been completed and broadcasting will start soon. According to Sadat, the manager of this television station, it can broadcast [programmes] to the radius of 150 km. It covers all areas of Jowzjan, Balkh, Fariab and Sar-e Pol provinces and some border regions of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The immediate problem of the television station is the shortage of professional and programme making personnel. Source: Bakhtar news agency, Kabul, in Dari 1230 gmt 11 Nov 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN. NEW RADIO STATION TO TACKLE WOMEN'S PROBLEMS © IRIN Radio provides one of the most powerful ways to reach and educate Afghan women [illustrated] http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=37755&SelectRegion=Central_Asia&SelectCountry=AFGHANISTAN HERAT, 10 Nov 2003 (IRIN) - Sitting behind a microphone, Nurbegum Sa'idi speaks to her female audience on a wide range of women-related topics, thereby rendering Radio Sahar [Dawn], a newly established independent women's community radio station in the western city of Herat, an invaluable mouthpiece for thousands of Afghan women. "It's great when you feel you can bring about change. The feedback we have been getting from listeners tells us that Sahar is providing new hope for the women in Herat," the radio presenter and former school teacher told IRIN. She is one of four women to be chosen out of over 100 candidates to speak on the two-hour-daily, first-ever, women's radio programme in the province. Radio Sahar is the latest in a network of independent women's community radio stations to spring up in the country, following Rabia Balkhi in the northern city of Mazar-e Sharif, which began broadcasting in March, along with the Kabul-based Voice of Afghan Women. Such initiatives are vital. Given the high percentage of illiterate women in Afghanistan with little or no access to education, radio provides one of the most powerful ways to reach and educate women, allowing them to connect in this conservative male-dominated society. "For many Afghan women who still live very isolated lives, radio can serve as a bridge to the outside world. It can help them develop skills to survive in their daily lives. It can help them feel less alone," Jane McElhone, the project director for the Institute for Media, Policy and Civil Society (IMPACS), a Canadian charitable organisation committed to the protection and expansion of democracy and to strengthening civil society, told IRIN in Kabul. Working alongside Internews, an international nonprofit organisation supporting open media worldwide, the group has received funding from the Canadian International Development Agency and USAID. "We also provide start-up funding for a six-month period and long-term training and mentoring in radio, journalism, management and fund-raising skills," the IMPACS project director explained. Looking at the larger picture, IMPACS believes that establishing women's community radio stations provides more women the opportunity to be journalists, producers, technicians, fund-raisers and decision- makers. In assuming these roles, they learn new skills, develop greater self-confidence and awareness, and become active participants in their own communities. McElhone added IMPACS hoped to establish additional stations in the provinces of Konduz and Badakhshan, providing a network capable of linking women up country-wide. Sahar has an outreach of about 50 to 70 km, with two hours daily programming comprising educational items and around 20 per cent music as entertainment. "We don't have professional women. We may extend the outreach and the time of the programmes once we ourselves learn more about this new experience," Hulan Khatibi, the editor of Sahar and director of the Women's Activities and Social Services Association [a Herat-based agency], told IRIN in Herat. Radio programming at the station addresses primarily cultural, social and humanitarian matters, but stays clear of political issues, she said, adding that she and the other women had to perform all the jobs including technicians, presenters, reporters and all other relevant works. "We coordinate and work jointly. All we have to do is become self-sufficient for the longer term," Khatibi noted. Sahar is supported by a community radio advisory board, composed of a variety of people from the local community. "This board is also mandated to assist the station, to offer advice, and to ensure the station reflects the needs of the community and, in particular, the needs of women," she underlined. According to Khatibi, lack of awareness and ignorance remained endemic among the women of Herat, often leading to depression and other psychological ailments - and sometimes suicide. "Our top priority is to raise the awareness and education of women. We unfortunately witness women burning themselves or attempting other types of suicide. It all originates from their lack of awareness of basic rights and their capabilities," she explained. The material contained on this Web site comes to you via IRIN, a UN humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies. If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post any item on this site, please retain this credit and disclaimer. All materials copyright © UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2003 (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** ANGOLA. I had heard hints of this one 3 or 4 times in the past week, though usually in late afternoon local time. With conditions so poor earlier yesterday, I was surprised to hear this on a last check on the radio before bed. 4950 kHz, 0358 UT, Rádio Nacional de Angola, with music; 0400 with time pips, announcement of ``cinco horas`` and ID, YL in Portuguese with news, items separated by brief bursts of music, an item on Zimbabwe, several mentions of Angola, time check at 5 after the hour, voice and sung jingle IDs, ``Radio Nacional de Angola,`` into EZL music, then what sounded like a meditation / prayer over music. SINPO 33222 originally, peaked at 33223 at 0410, fading and noisy by 0415, audible to about 0430. Nov. 12. SONY 2010 with 40 foot long wire (Roger Chambers, Utica, NY, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4949.98, Rádio Nacional, Luanda 0340 all-nite program of EZL music, 0400 4 time pips, W "bom dia," RN ID, two minutes of brief local news stories, followed by morning magazine-type program. Best at tune-in, steadily losing ground, but still solid and in the clear at 0420 Nov 11 (Al Quaglieri, NY, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARMENIA. Re 4890: Can you exclude a spur/harmonic? Was 4810 on at the same time? Both Yerevan 4810 (which is a rather old tx) and the high power MW relays in Gavar (1314 kHz etc) have been heard carrying Armenian National Radio as fillers between or before relays at certain times. 4810 is scheduled to start with Voice of Armenia in Arabic at 1745. 73s, (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) Hi Bernd. I did check against 4810 and it was not parallel. On 10 Nov the signal on 4890 was not too strong and there was nasty ute just below the frequency. So checking the LSB was a bit difficult, but I'd say there was no LSB modulation. A year ago this station was also only USB. So I can't believe it could be a harmonic/spur of an AM modulated transmitter. Then it should have both sidebands audible...right? Well, with the aged transmitters anything might happen. This station was still audible past 1800. 73 (Jari Savolainen, Finland, ibid.) ** AUSTRALIA. NT RADIO SERVICES TO BE REORGANISED? An MP representing Barkly, in Australia's Northern Territory, says he would like to see a compromise reached in relation to the ABC's proposed changes to the delivery of local radio to the Northern Territory. The proposal would see the Alice Springs station broadcasting to Tennant Creek and Alice Springs only, with Darwin covering the remainder of the Territory. Elliott McAdam says he has spoken with people from Borroloola, King Ashe Bay and Ali-Curung who are very concerned about receiving local radio from Darwin. But he says ABC management have told him they are looking at a compromise, which could see Alice Springs broadcasting to the centre, and Darwin to the Top End. (Source: ABC Darwin news) Andy Sennitt comments: Any changes to ABC's Northern Territory services would surely impact on the shortwave transmissions, which are DX targets for many people. At various times ABC uses some of the following frequencies from three transmitter sites: 2310, 2325, 2485, 3230, 3315, 3370, 4835, 4910 and 5025 kHz. # posted by Andy @ 09:50 UT Nov 11 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Having missed this week`s Feedback on R. Australia SW, I went looking for it in the archive now promised at http://www.abc.net.au/ra/feedback/ -- but the ``latest`` show referenced is Oct 8! Further, the transcript does not match the audio file bearing that date! How cavalier and slipshod they are (Glenn Hauser, OK, Nov 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. I'm sorry to disagree with John about this, but RA's "The Science Show" was AGAIN on Sunday at 1405 UT on Nov 10 '03, not the scheduled "1305" as shown in the RA listings he helpfully posts. Encounter was aired at 1305. I don't know what came on at 1505 UT. I re-tune at that hour to NPR and leave the SW. The later time is actually better for me, so this isn't a complaint. Two weeks in a row seems to me to be a schedule change, not just an error. Somebody who changed this isn't getting the info to the person responsible for updating the on-line schedule (Will Martin, MO, Nov 10, swprograms via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA [and non]. VOICE INTERNATIONAL via Australia (DRW=Darwin) Chinese to China 2200-0200 15165 DRW 250 kW / 340 deg ||| ex 2200-0100 for B-02 0800-1200 17635 DRW 250 kW / 340 deg ||| ex 0900-1400 for B-02 1200-1500 13790 DRW 250 kW / 340 deg 1500-1800 15150 DRW 250 kW / 340 deg ||| ex 1400-1800 for B-02 English to China 1000-1300 13685 DRW 250 kW / 340 deg ||| ex 0900-1300 for B-02 English to Indonesia and South East Asia 0900-1100 11955 DRW 250 kW / 316 deg 1300-1400 13685 DRW 250 kW / 303 deg ||| ex 1300-1700 for B-02 1400-1800 13635 DRW 250 kW / 303 deg ||| ex 1700-1900 for B-02 1800-2100 11685 DRW 250 kW / 303 deg ||| ex 1900-2100 for B-02 2100-2300 9795 DRW 250 kW / 303 deg ||| new txion Indonesian to Indonesia 0030-0100 21680 DRW 250 kW / 290 deg 0430-0500 21680 DRW 250 kW / 290 deg 0530-0600 21680 DRW 250 kW / 290 deg 0600-1000 17820 DRW 250 kW / 290 deg ||| ex 0600-0900 for B-02 1000-1300 15365 DRW 250 kW / 290 deg ||| ex 0900-1300 for B-02 1300-1800 7245 DRW 250 kW / 316 deg 2330-2400 9630 DRW 250 kW / 290 deg Hindi to India 1100-1400 13635 DRW 250 kW / 303 deg VOICE INTERNATIONAL via Uzbekistan (TAC=Tashkent) Hindi to India 0100-0400 11850 TAC 100 kW / 153 deg 0500-1100 13630 TAC 100 kW / 153 deg (Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 11 via DXLD) Following transmission is still missing from your list ! Hindi to India - 1400 - 1700 UTC on 9855 TAC 100 kW / 153 deg Regds, (Alokesh Gupta to Observer, cc to DXLD) ** BELARUS`. 7105, R. Minsk, 11 Nov, 2125-2142, Sounded like [Byelo?]Russian program to 2130, then IS and multi-lingual IDs by M, full English ID with sked, address (spelled out), e-mail, and Web URL. Then world news focusing on Belarus` by alternating M and W announcers. Occasional IDs between news items as simply "You are listening to R. Minsk". Soft vocal music after the news. Fair signal but getting some CW QRM. Could possibly have been // 7210 when I checked before the English program but Benin was QRMing (Dave Valko, Dunlo PA, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. Quito 10/Nov/2003 21:15. Amigos DXistas! Saludos desde "la mitad del mundo"! 6085.27 kHz Radio San Gabriel, La Paz, 10/Nov/2003 - 2345 UT. Back on this frequency after some time on 6080 kHz. Quite strong but distorted signal. NRD 535 - HF 150. MFJ 616 - MFJ 1025. Ant. 1: "Horizontal Sloped Inverted L" 18 meters Ant. 2: "Horizontal Sloped Inverted L" 36 meters + Magnetic Longwire Balun (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SWB América Latina, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 5993.11, R. Senado, 10 Nov., 1008-1045, Contemporary ZY Pops, 1010 talk by live M announcer with ID and mention of São Paulo and Brasília. 1017 same M again with mention of Nacional, Brasil, and song announcements. Couple more songs, then M returned at 1025, followed by several men talking to 1044, and back to music. Gradually fading and pretty much gone by 1045. Frequency drifted some too. Not that bad of a signal and about 100% copy at tune-in (Dave Valko, PA, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Radio Cultura desliga transmisor novamente !!!! Caro Glenn, Tal como você noticiou recentemente no DX Listening Digest, a Rádio Cultura-SP, voltou novamente a sair do ar, somente que agora por um pequeno período de tempo. Isso ocorreu hoje 10 de novembro de 2003, entre 1622 e 1623 UT quando eu a estava ouvindo na frequência de 9615 kHz. Achei a falha curiosa e me lembrei da informação que vc havia prestado anteriormente. Um abraço, (Adalberto Marques de Azevedo, py4wth, Barbacena - Minas Gerais - Brasil, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. My previous unID on 4875 is definitely Brazilian, heard again Nov 12 at 0630, song in Portuguese, 0634 Brazilian-intoned announcement, otherwise uncopiable. The only station listed here is Rdif. Roraima, Boa Vista, but not at this hour. Perhaps it has gone 24h or DST has advanced an already early sign-on of 0700 listed in WRTH 2003. However, http://www.worldtimeserver.com says Roraima, next to Venezuela, is currently on standard time at UT -4. The only significant signal on 60m after Mauritania 4845. Then I check Mark Mohrmann`s current LA DX log and find this is already known: 4874.95 BRAZIL * Rdif Roraima, Boa Vista[0440-1009/2205- 0353*](74.7-75.01)Oct 03 X 0353->0402* 0415 (skd 0600-0335 Sa0700- 0455 Su0800-0325) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Frequency changes for Radio Canada International effective from October 30: 0000-0100 French del 13640 to SoAm \\ 9755 11865 2000-2100 French add 11745 to WeEu \\ 7235 9710 11725 13650 15325 2100-2200 English add 11835 to WeAf \\ 5850 7235 7425 9710 9805 13650 2300-2330 English del 11865 to SoAm \\ 5960 9590 2330-2400 Spanish del 13730 to SoAm \\ 9755 11865 (Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 11 via DXLD) Some further changes are needed! After checking 9560 for the RKI jamming problem, see KOREA SOUTH, UT Nov 12 at 0200, I looked for the scheduled RCI English frequencies: 11725 and 9755 inaudible, presumably due to propagation, and 6040 has a heavy clash with REE in Spanish, \\ 6055! I imagine there is a third station underneath, and that would be RRI Romania, also scheduled in English to NAm! The frequency managers really screwed up on this. REE has plenty of parallels and doesn`t really need 6040 plus 6055; and this leaves RCI without any usable frequency for its USA broadcast at 0200 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHILE. VOZ CRISTIANA [Miami] via Chile (SGO=Santiago) Portuguese to Brasil 0400-1100 11890 SGO 100 kW / 060 deg ||| ex 1000-1100 for B-02 1100-2200 21500 SGO 100 kW / 060 deg ||| ex 1100-2100 for B-02 2100-0100 15475 SGO 100 kW / 045 deg 2200-0400 11745 SGO 100 kW / 060 deg ||| ex 2100-0400 for B-02 Portuguese to Southern Africa 2000-2300 15355 SGO 100 kW / ??? deg Spanish to Mexico 1100-1300 11935 SGO 100 kW / 340 deg 1300-1400 21550 SGO 100 kW / 340 deg Spanish to Northern South America and Caribbean 0100-1200 15375 SGO 100 kW / non-dir ||| ex 0000-1200 for B-02 1200-0100 17680 SGO 100 kW / non-dir ||| ex 1200-0100 for B-02 Spanish to Southern South America 0000-1000 6070 SGO 100 kW / 030 deg ||| ex 2200-1000 for B-02 1000-2400 9635 SGO 100 kW / 030 deg ||| ex 1000-2200 for B-02 (Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 11 via DXLD) ** CHINA [non]. Yes, I dared not hope the Cubans were fixing the whistling Chinese transmitter, for it was back as usual Nov 11 around l430 UT on 17720 with CRI relay in English (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COSTA RICA. RFPI update --- Chuck Scurich of KPFA sent this note today about RFPI: [Time is probably PST] I just talked to James at 8:30 am this Morning, Monday, 11/10, and he is still in the station. He says he is still off loading equipment. He hopes to get all the equipment loaded to the donated land up in the mountains. The transmitter is the biggest challenge. There is legal action taken to the 4th court ("supreme court") of Costa Rica, claiming that the Univ. for Peace does not have the right to do this. I did not get details about this legal action (via Franklin Seiberling, DXLD) When I called James's cell phone today at 1:30 PM CST, a man whose name is Ruddy answered the phone (didn't catch the last name.) Ruddy, who will be in charge of the RFPI San José office for the next several months while shortwave transmission is on hiatus, said that he thought RFPI Internet live streaming would be up and running within a week. (Keep in mind that a Costa Rican "week" is more like 14 days.) (Franklin Seiberling, Iowa City IA, Nov 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RFPI Monday update Dear Glenn, Radio For Peace International – progressive shortwave radio station - has been taken off the air on Wednesday, Nov 5, 2003 RFPI is a shortwave radio station operating from Costa Rica, distributing public affairs programming throughout the world, over shortwave and the internet. RFPI wholly owns its studio building, but the building is on the campus of the UN-charted University for Peace. The University for Peace has been taking more and more aggressive actions against RFPI in the past few years. RFPI staffers and volunteers are now locked in the studio building after being taken off the air about 5 days ago. One week ago, UforP officials cut phone and water to the besieged facility. Then two days later, their electricity was cut, taking this vital public resource off the air. The broadcast equipment is being moved out of the building, through the barbed wire and armed security guards. The plan is to build another radio station, completely independent of the United Nations and its University for Peace. A loyal listener in Costa Rica has donated his land to RFPI to build the new station. However, according to James Latham, general manager of RFPI, this may take up to 6 months to complete this project. In the meantime, the airways of RFPI are off the air. There are legal actions taking place against the United Nation`s University for Peace, and the supreme court of Costa Rica will be making a ruling soon. However, in the meantime the United Nations can still compel the University for Peace to stand down and allow RFPI to go back on the air. Many listeners have written emails to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, who has jurisdiction over the conduct of the University for Peace. Contact him immediately and demand that RFPI be allowed to continue broadcasting from their wholly-owned facility on the University for Peace campus in Costa Rica: CALL Kofi Annan --- he is currently on a multi-country trip through Latin America. He can be reached via his spokesperson's cell phone (a US number): +1-917-892-1708 (this is the number of Secretary General spokesperson Manoel de Almeida da Silva) or email Kofi Annan: annan@un.org and sg@un.org For more information: http://rfpi.org/locked_out.html (donations accepted here) http://www.saverfpi.org/ http://copyexchange.com/_wsn/page3.html Yours truly, (Chuck Scurich, Oakland, CA, Nov 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The Tico Times story of last week reappears here: http://www.infoshop.org/inews/stories.php?story=03/11/10/2842757 http://www.ticotimes.net http://www.ticotimes.net/images/weekly_11_07_03_p.jpg plus: FROM THE SCHOOL OF IT-ISN'T-BLEEDING-YET, SO-WHY-SHOULD-IT-LEAD-THE- NEWS-THAT-MATTERS? Even with the Radio station as a resource on many sites touting independent media, this is what we hear: We --- http://www.indymedia.org --- have posted our second feature about the problems at RFPI. And the Tico story is on the wire. We are wishing this was a hotter topic, but it looks like it will be a sleeper, that the reaction will be, at best slow. (scratches head) gee, isn't alternative supposed to mean IT MATTERS? (ghastly shadows of CNN, nightmares of Brokaws in the grass, aiming; and the station slips into the sunset)... Source: http://www.duckdaotsu.org/rfpi.html (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) Last URL didn`t connect, but http://www.duckdaotsu.org does (gh) RFPI PRESS RELEASE -- NOV. 7, 2003 These past 19 months Earth Communications / Radio for Peace International (RFPI) (an Oregon non profit operating in Costa Rica since 1987) has been facing a struggle for its very existence, as the United Nations´ University for Peace has progressively intensified its acts of aggression against RFPI, violating its right to freedom of expression. (Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights). As of two days ago, this United Nations mandated peace education institution has cut-off all basic services to RFPI´s installations. There is no telephone or electricity. All food must be delivered across a fence, since access to the station has been prevented by barbed wire. Water, a basic human need, has also been denied. These acts violate the very preamble of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states "…human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want … as the highest aspiration of the common people." Based on the International Agreement for the Establishment of the University for Peace, its Charter and Costa Rica Law 6754, the University, although founded by United Nations resolution 35/55, is completely autonomous. Apparently it cannot be held accountable for its actions, by its own International Council, the United Nations itself, its host government or even by public opinion. The existence of an institution under these terms violates the concept that "everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by the law" (Article 8 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights). In addition, the University for Peace has proclaimed itself judge and jury in this dispute by denying RFPI´s right to "recognition everywhere as a person before the law" (Article 6 UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights) and by performing acts which can only be mandated by a judge after due deliberation. To date, no Civil or Penal Court in Costa Rica or the United States has judged the case. RFPI has presented its case to the Constitutional Court of Costa Rica asking for an injunction against the University for Peace until a Civil Court has the opportunity to view the facts and present its decision. We are awaiting the courts decision as to whether it feels it has jurisdiction over this autonomous UN mandated entity. In 1987, RFPI set up its station and built its transmitting facilities in El Rodeo, by invitation of the government of Costa Rica and the same University for Peace. Since then RFPI has been transmitting its message of peace from its buildings, constructed by donations from listeners and supporters, located in a small corner of the more than 300-hectare campus donated to the University by the people of Costa Rica. Today RFPI reaches 6 continents with its large array of programming, covering news that would otherwise go unheard, a voice for the voiceless. Short wave radio is the only means of communication for many people around the world who do not have access to high technology Internet and computers. Now, their source of information has been silenced. Our listeners from China, Russia, Australia, Bolivia, Africa and the mayor industrialized nations will no longer hear from the station that was completely autonomous; no connection to either governments, corporations or religious organizations. In recent days, in view of the dire situation, the majority of the members of the Board of Directors has resigned, nevertheless they will continue to give of their time and work towards wrapping up the final business of the station in its El Rodeo installations. It is with great sadness that we leave behind this project for which so many people worked diligently – leave behind the building for the University for Peace to take over without any compensation whatsoever to RFPI. One can only think, "How can such an institution enrich itself so blatantly?" The University for Peace and other such organizations who are starting to stray into the lucrative realm of training military, police and security personnel ``on improved control of legal trade and eradication of illicit traffic in firearms and ammunition`` (web site --- UPeaceSecurityTraining) must be monitored. Since RFPI can no longer do this, we pass on this responsibility to you, our listeners and supporters, to keep a watch on developments! Make public this great injustice occurring in Costa Rica, a land of peace and democracy! To our faithful listeners and supporters we can only say thank you! Thank you for sleepless nights, kind words, donations, support, assistance and hope. Hope keeps open the doors to a future of peace and justice for us all. Goodbye for now! Please forward to all your contacts. Address questions or comments to radio_peace@yahoo.com (via Charlie Wilkins, saverfpi.org Nov 11 via DXLD) Another site supporting RFPI, where the above release was found: http://www.hdtl.org/rfpi.html The concept of being associated with a University for Peace is at first appealing, but it has become clear to me that the University for Peace is not actually a peace organization. It is not apparent to me what recourse may be available but this is a problem that must always be kept in mind when entering any agreement. The idea of a world trade organization may be appealing but that does not keep big busness from controling it. Is the United Nations realy a peace promoting organization? I don't know but I do see the following quote at http://www.upeace.org/aboutus/history.htm "Kofi A. Annan, Secretary- General of the United Nations, is the Honorary President of the University for Peace. As part of the continuing process of United Nations reform, Secretary-General Annan has taken a number of measures since early 1999 to reorganize, strengthen and internationalize more fully the University for Peace so as to enable it to contribute more effectively to the peace and security objectives of the United Nations." One thing that I think should be done is to recognize that UPaz is not a peace promoting organization and attempt to minimize its funding. I think putting some organized effort behind that idea is waranted. From Article 16 of the UPaz charter "The University shall derive its revenues from voluntary contributions made by Governments, by intergovernmental organizations and by foundations and other non- governmental sources, and from tuition and related charges" so there is plenty of room for defunding (Authored by: wrr on Tuesday, November 11 2003 @ 09:45 PM EST comment to above release, saverfpi.org via DXLD) ** CUBA. 6120.02, Radio Rebelde, 12/Nov/2003 - 0315 UT. "Música Viva 96.7" and "Frecuencia Súper Estéreo para una noche sensacional 96.7 La Exclusiva". Not in // with Radio Rebelde 5025 kHz (news and sport drifting between 5024.29 - 5025.11 kHz). Very "hot" music far away from the normal programming of Radio Rebelde. 73s (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SWB América Latina, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Trying to resolve contradictory info about RHC`s Caribbean service in English, on 9550. Was 2230-2330 originally, then was 2300- 2400 for a while, affecting the timing of DXers Unlimited, but Nov 10 at 2320 check there was no sign of RHC on that frequency (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. There`s no particular name for it, but to explain what happens to produce the `whistling` transmissions gh has noticed from RHC, CRI relays, and KAIJ: It comes from solid state modulators, which have 48 cards which turn on in alternation to input the audio. That many are needed in a 100 kW transmitter, since each one of them is fragile and can`t handle much power. The controller box is linked to them by fibre optics. When a card becomes damaged, it may leave a `hole` in the audio; 75% of the time it shuts down and no tone is heard when the module fails; but 25% of the time it doesn`t sense that the card can`t be fired (George McClintock, WWCR, Nov 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. Radio Martí --- SWM readers will be familiar with this CIA funded propaganda radio station transmitting to its target audience in Cuba. TV Martí is a lesser known `service` that transmits propaganda into Cuba using a high band (Band 3) [channel A-13, not to mention three UHF channels --- gh] transmitter on a blimp some 10,000 ft high anchored to Cudjoe Key, Florida. The CIA funded TV service being jammed, the latest trick is to uplink the TV Martí programming out of the USA onto the Spanish HISPASAT 30 W satellite which in turn downlinks into Cuba using Ku band, for its estimated 20,000 satellite equipped viewers with illegal dishes. I anticipate the Cubans will easily jam the input uplink circuit from the Cuban mainland. This may result in TV Martí being linked into Europe; a secondary hop then accesses the satellite from Europe (which the Cubans cannot jam) for the downlink cross-patch into Cuba. We therefore may see TV Martí content --- but if the CIA use a transatlantic fibre patch --- we`ll see nothing (Roger Bunney, Satellite TV News, Nov SW Magazine, UK, via DXLD) I think we get the point that Roger thinks Martí is totally a CIA operation, since he mentions it three times in this brief item. As the Office of Cuba Broadcasting is openly funded by the US government, and there is nothing really secret about the Martís, why would the CIA need to be involved? Old ideas die hard. No doubt the CIA is blamed for this along with everything else, by the dentrocubanos, but why does Roger buy into his? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DENMARK [non]. DR Radio and the Ministry of Culture have been negotiating about the closure of our short wave service. Thursday, Nov. 6, it was finally decided that Denmark will leave short wave by the end of this year. Kind Regards, (Erik Köie, DR Radio, Nov 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also next ** DEUTSCHES REICH [non]. DANISH NAZI RADIO STATION TO LOSE GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY | Text of report by Danish radio web site on 11 November; subheading as published: Automatic subsidy to the Nazi radio station Oasen [Oasis] will now be stopped. Today Culture Minister Brian Mikkelsen is presenting a proposal which will make it possible to stop state subsidy to the Nazi radio station. Up to now Radio Oasen has received money from the state just like other non-commercial radio stations. This year alone Oasen has received 78,000 kroner [about 12,058 dollars] to produce radio programming and has received approval for a corresponding sum next year. Over the six years it has been in existence it has received almost 400,000 kroner [about 61,833 dollars] in subsidy. Criteria for support However, according to the culture minister public subsidy will no longer be awarded automatically. In future radio stations must fulfil a range of criteria in order to be considered. In addition, local radio and television committees will decide which radio stations will receive subsidy. "It has always seemed unreasonable to me that a neo-Nazi radio station automatically receives subsidy," says Brian Mikkelsen. This is why he is now proposing that the subsidy regulations should be changed. For example, emphasis will be placed on whether an applicant has extensive contact with the local community and whether an applicant contributes to any local media-political objectives. "Whether you cooperate with other associations will also be decisive, just as membership numbers, listening figures and democratic participation are included in the various criteria. This should exclude extremist local radio stations," the culture minister says. Source: Danmarks Radio web site, Copenhagen, in Danish 1246 gmt 11 Nov 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** EGYPT. With the log of R. Cairo in English in last issue at 2130 on 9990, I should have pointed out that this proves they did not move to 9985, as was indicated in 3-182 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ERITREA [non]. ERITREAN OPPOSITION RADIO CHANGES FREQUENCY | Text of report by Eritrean opposition web site Nharnet on 11 November Notice to all listeners of the international broadcast of the Voice of Democratic Eritrea. We would like to inform our listeners that the ELF-RC [Eritrean Liberation Front-Revolutionary Council]-owned radio station, the Voice of Democratic Eritrea, has changed its frequency. In the past the radio station was broadcasting on 15670 MHz [sic] on 19 metre band to its listeners in the Horn of Africa and Mid-East, but as from Thursday, 6 November 2003, it has changed its frequency to 9820 MHz [sic] on 31 metre band and will start broadcasting from 2000 to 2100 hours Eritrean time [1700 to 1800 gmt] every Monday and Thursday. Its every Saturday broadcast to listeners in Europe which was on 5925 MHz on 41 metre band will remain unchanged. [Signed by] Administrator of the Voice of Democratic Eritrea 6 November 2003 Source: Nharnet web site in Tigrinya 11 Nov 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA. v9560, Radio Ethiopia at 1400-1800 UT --- While in Andalusia in southern Spain off the Moroccan coast, came across the "External Service of Radio Ethiopia" fine modulated signal in French on Tue/Wed 4th and 5th, on odd 9561.00 kHz at 1700-1800 UT, much stronger than TRT these days, but much weaker on Nov 8th to 10th, when recording made. But Sat 8th started on 9559.7 kHz at 1600 UT in English, wandering down to 9559.5 at 1625 UT, clear ID "External Service of Radio Ethiopia" in English at 1629, news at 1630, see attached recording. QRM by TRT in Turkish which starts at 1658. Radio Ethiopia in French at 1700-1800. On Nov 9th External Service of Ethiopia heard on 9560.1 kHz. Here northerly in Germany, heard interference of the RCI Ukr/Rus services on nearby 9555 kHz, so helped me to use USB mode. RCI 1600 UT via Wertachtal 250 kW 60 deg; 1630-1730 UT Skelton 300 95; 1730-1800 UT Moosbrunn 100 55 (Wolfgang Bueschel, Andalusia Spain, BC-DX Nov 4/5/8/9/10 via DXLD) ** FRANCE. Don`t you believe the time signals on RFI. Nov 11 at 1459 on 11670, heard multilingual IDs, including French, Spanish, English; 1500 timesignal 8 seconds late compared to WWV and into a Slavic language (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Two pages with nice pictures of the Wilsdruff transmitter ("we do not wish to make a public statement about the site") --- I am simply not interested in further researching this strange paranoia: http://www.team-delta.de/unterwegs/sender1.htm http://www.team-delta.de/unterwegs/sender2.htm (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HAWAII. Low dial position. Syncro xmtrs. Only $75,000! KIPA-AM/Hilo PRICE: $75,000 TERMS: Asset sale for cash BUYER: Skynet Communications Inc., headed by Director/owner Thomas Troland. Phone: 808-934-8866. It owns one other station. This represents its entry into the market. SELLER: Pacific Radio Group Inc., headed by President Richard Bergson. Phone: 808-877-5566 FREQUENCY: 620 kHz POWER: 5 kw FORMAT: Lite AC COMMENT: Pacific Radio Group is purchasing eight stations in Hawaii from Big Island Radio for $2.9 million. One of the eight stations, KIPA-AM/Hilo, HI is being assigned by Pacific Radio Group to Skynet Hawaii for $75,000. (radioandrecords.com via Brock Whaley, DXLD, November 10, 2003) ** INDIA. The Vividh Bharathi Service is heard from tune in around 0230 UT today Nov 11 on 10245 kHz instead of the normal 10330 kHz. It`s via Bangalore 500 kw. Must be some error. The 9425 kHz frequency of Bangalore is also reported on some odd frequencies lately like this (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS/AT0J, Hyderabad 500082, India, dx_india via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. TV Martí via satellite: See CUBA [non] ** IRAN. Dear Wade Smith, Many thanks for your interest in IRIB English Service. In the near future we are planning to cut off shortwave frequencies and you can just listen to it via internet. So we kindly ask you to refer to IRIB web site http://www.iribworld.com and inform us your opinion as well as the quality of the voice received. We would also like to know your idea in general on removing shortwave. By the way, we will send you a parcel in the coming weeks. Best Regard, IRIB English Service, englishradio@irib.com Nov 10, via Wade Smith, NB, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Almost identically worded message, with same typos, also to Joé Leyder, via Kai Ludwig, DXLD) ** IRAN. The Voice of Justice --- I was tuning across the 19 meter broadcasting band last evening just prior to going off to bed when I came on a station 15550 broadcasting in English. It was at 1152 [sic] with news and commentary read by a male and a female announcer. For some reason I immediately thought I had stumbled on a LDE of 20 to 30 years from Radio Peace and Progress. It sounded identical with a heavy anti-American and anti-Zionist bias. I was not sure if I had heard the ID correctly for it sounded like the "Voice of Justice". Following these commentaries there was a telephone interview with Ramsey Clark, the former US attorney-general under Lyndon Johnson. The topic was of course alleged American war crimes in Iraq. At the end of the interview, Clark said he was always glad to speak to his friends in Iran. Then I clearly heard an ID -- "This is the Voice of Justice in Teheran"! Another commentary followed and this was really anti - Zionist. At approximately 1110 [sic] the station cut carrier without any sign-off announcement. Has the VOIRI entirely dropped English or is this a separate Iranian clandestine station? (Robin L. Harwood, Norwood, Tasmania, Nov 11, swprograms via DXLD) ** IRAQ. U.S. ARMY IN IRAQ MUST FIX RADIO PROBLEM NOW --- Nov 7 2003 http://miva.jacksonsun.com/miva/cgi-bin/miva?OPINION/opinion_story.mv+link=200311075543068 We only can shake our heads in wonder and disbelief at a story involving donated CB radios being sent to help protect our soldiers in Iraq. The radios were requested by the commander of a Brownsville- based Tennessee National Guard Unit because standard military-issue communication equipment was breaking down, leaving the unit vulnerable while performing its duties in dangerous areas in Iraq. How can this be? Also wondering what is going on is U.S. Rep. John Tanner, D-Tenn., in whose district the guard unit is based. He did the right thing by sending an urgent letter to the Pentagon demanding an explanation and information about the Army's communication system in Iraq. Lt. Thomas "Hud" Moore, commander of the 1175th Heavy Equipment Transport detachment, asked for the CB radios in a recent e-mail message home. His unit transports tanks into Iraq from Kuwait and often has to travel through dangerous areas where convoy communications are critical. But Army issue equipment is proving inadequate. Donors responded with 63 radios. Brownsville resident Jackie Barnes is sending the radios to Iraq. But Col. Michael Armor, commander of the Tennessee National Guard's 230th Area Support Group, is trying to dissuade Barnes because such radios are prohibited by Army regulations and could endanger soldiers since CB radio communications aren't secure. We would point out that they are no less secure than no communications at all, which apparently is what the unit faces. Countless billions of dollars are being spent in Iraq to fight the war, fight terrorism and to stabilize and rebuild the country. Billions being spent and our troops have to request CB radios be donated from home? This is a story befitting the Russian Army, not the U.S. Army. Tanner should stay on this issue and force something to be done. The Pentagon must respond with an explanation. Most important, our troops should get the communications equipment they need and deserve. That such an issue even arose is an outrage. That it doesn't get fixed immediately is wholly unacceptable (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. I was just looking over the Armed Forces Radio site at http://www.dtic.mil/armylink/abs/index1.htm and they have this little blurb on the opening page: ---------- AFRTS Radio News on Shortwave Radio There have been some reports on FOX News and CNN that U.S. troops in Iraq are telling reporters that the only source of news they are able to receive from the outside is via BBC shortwave radio. This is incorrect information; AFRTS radio news is also available via shortwave. The frequencies are: Upper Sideband; 12579 kHz - Night; 4319 kHz - Day [sic] ----------------------- (Ray Colbert, W5XE, El Paso, (FAR WEST) TEXAS, swl @ qth.net via DXLD) No offense towards the message but I wonder if AFRTS ever thought that these guys may not have SSB radios, as most may not have heard of the frequencies and most of the radios I have seen might be a little bit [big?] for the back packs (Larry Fields, n6hpx/du1, ibid.) ** IRAQ [non]. WORLDSPACE TO IRAQ -- WORLDSPACE SUPPORTS TROOPS From http://www.skyreport.com WorldSpace, the Washington, D.C., satellite radio operator targeting audiences globally with its audio service, is doing its part for U.S. troops in Iraq. WorldSpace said Monday it will deliver 10 of its satellite receivers to the 354th Civil Affairs Brigade stationed in Iraq. The unit, based at the PGCM USAR Center in Riverdale Park, Md., has about 250 reservists serving in Operation Enduring Freedom. With the receivers, the reservists can listen for free to WorldSpace's service in overseas countries, including Iraq. Family members of the unit will be able to send personal messages to the unit by calling WorldSpace's UPop radio station. Organizations can also send messages to employees called to duty. WorldSpace said it chose the 354th Brigade because the head of its Government Sales Unit - Wilson Baker, Jr. - was a member from 1988 through 1998, including a stint in Desert Storm. Baker will deliver the receivers personally to troops next week, the company said. Starting next week, family members and others can send messages to the unit via the UPop hotline at 1-866-876-7123. Messages will be aired live during the above hours or recorded for later playback. ~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-., (Joe Buch, DE, Nov 11, swprograms via DXLD) -*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^ ** JAPAN [non]. He who reported NHK Warudo R. Japan on unlisted 17820 in English at 1400 interfering with RCI must not be reading DXLD, because in a previous issue this was shown as one of the Rampisham replacements for Ekala, Sri Lanka, temporarily --- Oops, that was I (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA SOUTH [non]. UT Nov 12, I finally got around to checking 9560 for the reported jamming bothering the RKI relay via Canada at 0200 UT. Tuning in early at 0155, I encountered VOA (not R. Martí) Spanish, which now includes the Cuban show at 0100-0130, and could barely hear jamming underneath the huge VOA signal; it closed slightly after 0200 uncovering not RKI, but the continuing unnecessary jamming. No sign of RKI, but perhaps the MUF was not coöperating, as RCI itself could not be heard on scheduled 9755 at this hour. See also CANADA (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KYRGYZSTAN. Re 4050, in 3-203: Hi Glenn. The date 5 Oct that I mentioned was correct. So it has not been heard by me for more than a month. I didn't report this earlier as I thought it could be just temporary. But not anymore :). 73 (Jari Savolainen, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALI. 4782.70 kc, RTV Malienne, Bamako 11/09/03 2218-2230 UTC SIO 444 African and U.S. pop music, ID in French at 2229 UT (Thomas F. Giella, KN4LF, Plant City, FL, USA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Does anyone know what power XERF 1570 Ciudad Acuña Coah. uses? Most all of us heard of the 250 kw days, which was 150 kw in actuality? I thought I seen that it was 22 kw now. Is it still NDA? It doesn't seem to be a regular visitor here in Northeastern / East Central Florida at night at all. IMER doesn't want to rebuild it to former glory? Curious (Ron Gitschier, Palm Coast, FL, NRC-AM via DXLD) Supposedly, 17 kW. When they ran 250 kW, they never operated daytime. Only nights. Now, they are part of IMER, dedicated to local service to the border zone around Cd. Acuña, and run limited power. The 250 kW power was real (David Gleason, CA, ibid.) ** MEXICO. I guess I should have reported what I heard one night last week on the car radio, prior to 7 p.m. CST. XEN very loud on 690 and sizzling sounds obliterating 680 and 700. I had not heard IBOC before here in North Texas, so I wasn't sure what I was hearing. Sounded like the worst case scenario line noise, but it was limited to 680 and 700. I haven't heard it since. 7 p.m. is Mexican radio's year-round delineation between daytime and nighttime, so this could damage a lot of sunset skip (John Callarman, KA9SPA, Family Genealogist, Krum TX, Nov 9, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** MEXICO [non]. Radio Free Cascadia International --- Hi Glenn, I wanted to let you know I made a page that is a digest of all the mentions of RFCI from DX Listening Digest. Please let me know if it`s okay with you. It`s on the web at http://riseup.net/radiofreecascadia/dxld.htm The way folks will be directed there is from http://riseup.net/radiofreecascadia/rfci.htm At the top of the left frame there is a link to RFCI in the media, which takes you to http://riseup.net/media.txt There are several links there to your stuff. Let me know what you think. Thanks, (miskreant) http://riseup.net/radiofreecascadia (via DXLD) Fine with me, tho I think chronological order would be better than the reverse (gh, DXLD) ** MOLDOVA. 5960, Radio DMR, 1701-1722 Nov 5, English ID, program preview, exhibition news. 1720 Final announcement giving also address and e-mail address as 'radiodmr@' couldn't figure the rest - anybody? Next English 7th November. 1721 into French. Heavy splash 5955 (Finn Krone, Denmark, BC-DX Nov 7 via DXLD) THE RADIO DMR The Informational-Analytical Program "Pridnestrovie" Listen to us on short waves, 5960 kHz each Wednesday. At 8 PM Moscow time, 7 PM Eastern European time, 6 PM Central European time, 5 PM Greenwich time. The Program "Pridnestrovie" is your guide in the world of politics. Our Address: Rose Luxembourg street, 10 Tiraspol 3300, Republic of Moldova eMail: oliva@mailru.com (from http://www.olvia.idknet.com/newweben.htm via Kay [DE1KRW], A-DX Nov 8 via Wolfgang Büschel, DXLD) ** MOROCCO. Longwave 207 kHz from Morocco. Transmissions seemingly irregular during Ramadan season, Heard on Nov 3rd and 4th, but missed 5th and 6th. Also transmission closed down at 2200 UT already when checked late night, on other Ramadan nights still on air at 0415-0530. Station was irregularly on and off in week Nov 1st till 9th. Also sometimes suffering by a weaker signal of their standby transmitter of estimated 50-100 kW, never 800 kW then. When off, the co-channel DLF Regensburg Aholming on air with thiny S = 2-3 signal. Nador 171 kHz longwave [and SW 9575 kHz] surprisingly poor, at 0 degrees true North off the station`s main lobe to my listening post location. Main direction is 90 degrees towards Egypt, Libya and Tunisia. Suffers from an unknown co-channel whistle on upper flank, measured around 171.8 kHz during daytime, but not at 0400-0630 UT. Similar whistle on approx. 218 kHz hetting MCO 216 kHz (Wolfgang Bueschel, Andalusia Spain, BC-DX Nov 8, 2003 via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. Dutch Week on WNYC --- In association with radio station WNYC in New York, Radio Netherlands is holding a Dutch week starting on 17th November. WNYC is the largest public radio station in the United States. Under the theme 'Old Amsterdam, New Amsterdam', various political and cultural aspects of the Netherlands will be featured. WNYC will be transmitting programmes produced by Radio Netherlands' English department; from documentaries to human interest programmes. RN music productions will also be featured, including traditional music, jazz, and modern music with a Dutch connection. There will also be plugs for our English Web site where New Yorkers can find our more about the Netherlands. There are perceptible historical links between New York and the Netherlands. Names such as Brooklyn (Breukelen) and Harlem (Haarlem) are only two examples of the links between the past and the present. # posted by Andy @ 18:16 UT Nov 11 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. MAORI RADIO LAUNCHES INTERNET SITE | Text of report by New Zealand government web site on 11 November Maori Radio goes global, Listeners of Maori Radio will welcome the ability to tune into their local Iwi station on the internet according to Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia. Irirangi.net is being launched in Wellington this afternoon [11 November]. http://irirangi.net This new vehicle opens up a wide range of possibilities for the many dedicated listeners of Maori Radio as well as potential new audiences," said Parekura Horomia. "This technology will allow whanau hapu and Iwi living outside of their tribal areas to listen to news and events at home. "It will also open up Maori Radio to the global market via the Internet. Maori living abroad will now be able to find their own iwi stations on the net while others living abroad will have access to indigenous Aotearoa programming." Earlier this year Te Mangai Paho commissioned a survey of almost 28 thousand Maori which found that half of those living in areas covered by Maori radio were tuning in on a regular basis. Maori Radio has led the broadcasting industry. In the past New Zealand artists struggled to get airplay on mainstream radio while Maori stations instituted self imposed quotas to ensure local artists were given higher airplay priority. "13 years on we now see acts like Moana Maniapoto making a huge impact on the international scene. Hopefully Irirangi net will provide opportunities so that other Maori artists can launch long and successful careers," said Parekura Horomia. Source: New Zealand government web site, Wellington, in English 11 Nov 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. Fox TV in New Zealand: two perspectives -- Note the contrast in these two NZ stories (Kim Elliott, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PRIME TV ANNOUNCES OVERNIGHT NEWS DEAL THE THE USA'S FOX NEWS CHANNEL, STARTING DECEMBER 1ST --- NZ City 10 November 2003 http://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/default.asp?id=36927&c=w Prime TV has announced the signing of a deal with the USA's Fox News Channel. From December 1 2003, Prime will screen Fox News overnight. Prime Television's CEO Chris Taylor says the deal means New Zealand news-seekers will now have instant access to one of the world's premier news providers. Vice President of Fox News Distribution Janet Alshouse says Fox News is the world's fastest growing news channel. Fox News, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, was at the centre of controversy over its coverage of the war in Iraq, which many media commentators claimed was insufficiently critical of the Bush administration. MEDIA: PRIME TV GOES WITH FOX NEWS http://www.nbr.co.nz/home/column_article.asp?id=7511&cid=1&cname=Media The Kerry Packer-owned Prime Television, available on the UHF band and on Sky Digital, will be showing Rupert Murdoch's high-rating US-based Fox News channel overnight from December 1. Prime CEO Mr Chris Taylor, announcing the new partnership, said: "Prime is thrilled to have Fox News on board to deliver New Zealanders the best of international news. This partnership also marks a significant step forward for Prime TV as it truly becomes a 24-hour a day free-to-air television network." Vice president of Fox News Distribution Janet Alshouse says, Its great to know that Fox News is now available to New Zealanders via Prime TV. We are the world's fastest growing news channel and Prime is New Zealand`s fastest growing free-to-air network. Its a nice synergy and a win-win for both broadcasters." The partnership is a major achievement for Prime as viewers can now access premium international news free-to-air. Viewers will be able to keep up-to-date overnight with worldwide developments as they happen, from a "news provider with the legacy of unbiased news coverage." While many media commentators would not agree with this latter statement, Fox News will at the least provide a welcome antidote to the relentlessly anti-American bias of BBC World. National Business Review (New Zealand) 10-Nov-2003 (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** NIGERIA. Since the discussion under ZANZIBAR about offset-tuned frequencies being reported, I have been trying to recall any similar instances that probably need to be corrected. Here is one from 3-191: 3325.25, R. Nigeria, Lagos, 2135-2158*, Oct.21, EG, YL with US pop music; Phil Collins, PM Dawn, PSA re "education" and "love one another". Off mid-song without ID or NA (Scott R. Barbour Jr., Intervale, NH, R-75, MLB-1, RS longwire w/ RBA balun, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Nominal 3326, not 3325 {so it probably really was 3326} ** PERU. ```What do you mean by ``TC format matching Peruvian standards`` --- a peculiar way of giving the UT -5 differing, from, say, the way they would give it in UT -5 Ecuador? Lacking Archipiélago conversion? (gh)``` Glad you didn't ask me to explain why I feel the speaker's accent is Peruvian. That´s a bit tougher to determine than TC formats. In the book I produced in 1987, "Latin America by Radio", I tried to describe TC standards in most of the Spanish speaking countries of Latin America. Some of the samples mentioned as non-standard formats at that time, for instance the Peruvian "...minutos nos separan de las...", appear to have become more frequent over the years. This is the format you hear on Malm's clip. In Ecuador they would not necessarily give the Galápagos time, which was rather common some years ago, but they would tend to use a mix of the 12-hour and 24-hour format. And while at it, some Ecuadorians would say, for instance "veinte y dos horas" instead of the standard "veintidós horas". (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, Nov 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 3234.8 kHz, Radio Luz y Sonido, Huanuco, with male religious harangue from 1000 UT, nasal female vocals, brief music, talk, YL/OM alternating, possible ad, ID, followed by a jingle sung ID, male harangue, brass band music at 1015. SINPO 22222. November 8th. Heard at DX camp with Drake SW 8 and 200 foot long wire (Roger Chambers, Utica, NY, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 6536 kHz, R. La Poderosa, 0019 UT Oct 28. Music program with male host giving the time and a Radio La Poderosa ID every song or two. Closing announcements and Peruvian NA to 0145*. Poor to fair with occasional ute QRM (John Sgrulletta, Mahopac, NY, USA, JRC NRD- 515/K9AY & A/D Sloper, Nov 11, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** PERU. 5906.19, Radio Melodía, Arequipa, 0840-0855, November 9. Spanish. Tecnocumbias. ID: "Melodía en los Andes". TC: "3 de la mañana con 55 minutos". Other ID as: "...en Melodía en los Andes, saludos a los amigos que están sintonizando su programación", 34333 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** PERU. Hello my DX friends! Radio Unión wants some reception reports about the SW transmission on 6115. If you have one, please send it to me: dxspacemaster@yahoo.com and I will share the info with the managers at the meeting (Thursday). Thanks (Alfredo Cañote) DX e-mail (100 letras máximo): 7169586329 @ bellsouth.net.pe (DXSPACEMASTER, Chaclacayo, Perú, Nov 11, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** PERU. 6020.23, Radio Victoria, 0422 Nov 11, M canned religious program "Voz de la Liberación" in Spanish, 0458 M announces all stations that broadcast the program (including R. Victoria). 0500 full length OA NA, then immediately into more canned religion. Tough until 0450, then in the clear after V. of Turkey leaves 6020 (Al Quaglieri, NY, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. Good afternoon Glenn, Maybe some of your listeners may be interested in listening to this story, Thanks. Best regards (George J. Poppin, Technical Monitor, San Francisco, Nov 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) George John Poppin Dear George, Just a quick line to let you know that we`ll broadcast your Second World War story in YOU WRITE TO MOSCOW on Friday, November 21, at 1645 UT. The program will be repeated on Sunday, November 23, at 0345 and 0845 and on Monday, November 24, at 2145. Best wishes, (Ol`ga Troshina, World Service in English, Voice of Russia via GJP) ** RUSSIA [non]. The official B03 schedule for Russian International Radio shows the following SW transmissions: 1500-1600 on 9555, 2000- 2200 on 5965/5975, 2100-2200 on 5990 kHz, all to ME via DTK Jülich with 100 kW. Email: rir @ vor.ru (Info received from the station by Alexey Osipov, Russia, via Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, Nov 12, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** RUSSIA [and non]. This story mentions Murdoch's past dealings in China, and clashes interestingly with the NZ stories (Kim Elliott) MURDOCH PLOTS RUSSIAN SATELLITE DEAL Owen Gibson Monday November 10, 2003 The Guardian http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,7493,1081830,00.html News Corporation mogul Rupert Murdoch is planning to expand into one of the last major markets he has yet to conquer after being linked with Russian television network NTV. Despite being embroiled in a nepotism row in the UK over the appointment of his son James to head BSkyB, the pay-TV broadcaster in which News Corp owns a 35.4% stake, Mr Murdoch is prepared to court further controversy by expanding into Russia. According to reports in the New York Times today, Mr Murdoch has been in talks with NTV, one of three major television networks in Russia alongside Channel One and Rossiya, over the acquisition of its satellite assets. The deal under discussion is worth 120m. The channel's parent company, Gazprom, has been looking to restructure its assets for some time and sources speculate a sale of pay-TV satellite business NTV Plus to News Corp could take place after a board meeting scheduled for later this month. NTV also broadcasts terrestrially throughout the country and has a 10% share of the national 140 million-strong audience. The satellite service, in which Mr Murdoch is interested, is available in 200,000 homes but a deal would be seen as a significant inroad to a virtually virgin commercial TV market. Mr Murdoch is used to doing business within tightly regulated media markets; he spent years trying to charm the Chinese and Indian governments in an effort to gain a foothold for his Asian satellite network Star TV. "Murdoch's got no problem doing business with the state. He can toe the party line, like he did in China. He is loyal and he gets the business because he is looking down the road five or 10 years," one source close to Gazprom Media told the New York Times. The 72-year-old mogul famously agreed not to carry the BBC World channels on Star TV after the Chinese government raised objections. His son James, the former Star chief who last week took the helm at BSkyB, once denounced the persecuted spiritual movement Falun Gong in an attempt to ingratiate himself with Chinese officials. Vladimir Gusinsky, a media magnate who was often critical of the Russian government, launched NTV in 1993 when the end of the Soviet era prompted an explosion in the number of newspapers and television channels. Mr Gusinsky was forced to sell the broadcaster to Gazprom, the gas supplier in which the Russian government has a minority stake and maintains close links with, after Vladimir Putin became the Russian president in 2000. An arrest warrant for the media magnate was issued after he was accused of swindling the government and he now lives in self-imposed exile in Israel. Mr Putin has sought to gradually muzzle the news programmes broadcast in Russia and TV ratings have suffered. Earlier this year Boris Jordan, an American of Russian descent who was brought in to run NTV after Mr Gusinsky's departure, was fired amid speculation the Kremlin was unhappy about the network's critical coverage of the Moscow cinema seige by Chechen rebels. Mr Murdoch already has satellite and broadcasting interests in America, the UK and Ireland, Italy, Australia, Latin America and Asia through News Corp's control of Fox, DirecTV, BSkyB, Sky Italia, Sky Latin America, Star TV and FoxTel. However, he has said repeatedly that News Corp is not planning any major acquisitions in the near future following the completion of his ambition to buy US satellite broadcaster DirecTV, realised in April through a 4.1 gigadollar deal to take control of its parent company, Hughes. MediaGuardian.co.uk Guardian Newspapers Limited 2003 (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. Re Clara Listensprechen`s review of the music on The Overcomer Ministry: This `off-key` singing has roots in Elizabethan times, when settlers originally came over into the Appalachian mountains, and developed from there in relative isolation, and is deserving of more respect. It`s a cultural thing, like `whooping` amongst African Americans. The Center for Southern Folklore has been recording and archiving this dying tradition (George McClintock, TN, Nov 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SRI LANKA. ANALYSIS: SRI LANKAN MEDIA MINISTER SACKED IN PRESIDENTIAL POWER PLAY | Text of editorial analysis by Lewis Macleod of BBC Monitoring on 12 November 2003 Sri Lanka's president on 4 November sacked three key cabinet ministers, including Mass Communications Minister Imthiyas Bakeer Markar, while the prime minister was on a visit to the USA. The move has thrown the country into political turmoil. President Chandrika Kumaratunga's surprise move came in the wake of publication by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of their proposals for a devolved administration for the north and east of Sri Lanka. The president and the prime minister are from different parties, and cohabit uneasily in power. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe has been driving forward a peace process with the former rebel group against a backdrop of a cease-fire that has lasted almost two years. The president's party believes the proposals are unacceptable and that the government is giving away too much ground to the LTTE. Following nearly two years of criticizing Kumaratunga, the state-run media shifted allegiance after she sacked the mass communications minister, together with the interior and defence ministers, and assumed control herself. Newspapers belonging to the state-run Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd, known as Lake House, had to change their tune after soldiers were posted outside the Lake House building and other official media outlets in central Colombo on 4 November. A temporary state of emergency was announced the following day. A story on the front page of the flagship English-language newspaper The Daily News said the company had a new chairman. Headlines in English and Sinhala-language newspapers praised Kumaratunga. "Sri Lanka's president supreme in defence," Dinamina, the state-run Sinhala-language newspaper said on 6 November. The president's office issued a statement saying the boards of directors of the state media bodies were under the purview of the president. "The president has ensured the media full freedom of _expression. The first obligation of these media institutions will be to inform the country [of] the facts and events without prejudice or conscious partisanship," it said. The statement was the first official acknowledgement by the president that she was now running the largest news network in the country. "It is amazing how some desk editors changed colour," a Lake House reporter, who declined to be identified, said. The reporter said an official from the President's Office had appeared at Lake House on 5 November to direct coverage. "He got all the headlines changed, and the papers led with stories of the president," the reporter said. Editorials which had been sharply critical of the president for opposing Wickremasinghe's efforts to win peace with the LTTE were much more laudatory on 6 November. "President's actions will bolster the country's security," said an editorial in Dinamina, although The Daily News did appeal in an editorial for the political rivals to cooperate. Lake House was nationalized in 1973 by Kumaratunga's party under the leadership of the president's mother Sirimavao Bandaranaike. However, an informed media source said that around 80 per cent of staff were supporters of the PM's United National Party. Meanwhile, observers said the same shift to a pro-president slant had also been ordered at state-run television and radio stations. As Wickremasinghe was meeting US President Bush at the White House to secure Washington's support for the peace process with the LTTE, his cabinet denounced as "gross abuse of presidential power" Kumaratunga's decision to sack the three ministers and suspend parliament for two weeks. "There is no vestige of justification for the president's actions," government spokesman G.L. Peiris said, announcing a cabinet decision demanding the reconvening of parliament and reinstatement of the ministers. Wickremasinghe returned to Sri Lanka on 7 November. The political crisis is still unfolding with Kumaratunga's party now better placed to contest parliamentary elections. The president is now in charge of the ministries that control the army, police and the state-run media. Source: BBC Monitoring research 12 Nov 03 (via DXLD) ** SWEDEN. RADIO SWEDEN--Coming up on Radio Sweden: Thursday: In "GreenScan" blood tests and mercury Friday: Our weekly review Saturday: "Spectrum" visits the Uppsala Film Festival and the Royal Ballet Sunday: In "Sounds Nordic" Kids in the future and September (SCDX/MediaScan Nov 12 via DXLD) ** TUNISIA. ANALYSIS: TUNISIA OPENS UP TO PRIVATE RADIO AND TV | Text of editorial analysis by BBC Monitoring Media Services on 11 November 2003 Radio Mosaique, Tunisia's first private radio station, went on the air on 7 November. The launch of the station marked an end to the monopoly of the country's state-run broadcast media, news agencies reported. It coincided with an announcement that day by President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali that private radio and TV stations would be authorized to operate. "We are announcing today our decision to open the audiovisual field to radio and television stations in the private sector so they can contribute to enriching the national media landscape, together with public organizations," Ben Ali said in a speech in Tunis marking the 16th anniversary of his coming to power. The Higher Communication Council will be in charge of considering applications for the establishment of private broadcasters. Radio Mosaique will initially broadcast on FM in and around Tunis from 7 a.m. to midnight before expanding to other regions of the country. The station is run by Nureddine Butar, a journalist from the independent daily Arabic-language newspaper Echourouk, the French news agency AFP reported. On its first day the new station broadcast a mixture of news, sports, music and talk shows. "This will be a mainly music channel but it will carry news flashes," Butar told AFP. No details of the station's finances were available, the agency noted. President Ben Ali also pledged new efforts to bring internet access to more Tunisians, for example through lower dial-up prices. An estimated 500,000 Tunisians currently have access to the Internet. The figure is expected to rise to 3 million, or 30 per cent of the country's population, by 2006, the government recently estimated. Concern over media freedom International watchdogs like the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF) have expressed concern about Tunisia's media freedom record. A CPJ briefing in October 2003 noted that since President Ben Ali came to power in 1987, "Tunisian journalists who have criticized the regime have been harassed, threatened, imprisoned, physically attacked and censored, and two Tunisian journalists are currently in prison." And according to Paris-based RSF, Tunisia continued its harassment of journalists throughout 2002, "with arrests, harassment and propaganda attacks on the media - despite the release of a few from prison." Plethora of TV from abroad Tunisia is one of five countries in the Maghreb which have yet to open up broadcasting to the private sector to any extent. The others are Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Mauritania. Tunisia currently has three domestic terrestrial TV channels, three radio networks and five regional radio stations, all state-run. However, as the Tunisia Online web site noted, "the overwhelming majority of print media institutions and internet service providers are already privately owned". TV viewers in Tunisia can also receive channels from France and Italy, as well as pan-Arab satellite TV and two London-based satellite TV channels, opposition Al-Mustaqillah TV and Islamist opposition Zeitouna TV. Radio Mosaique has now joined the ranks of the few independent broadcasters in the former French colonies of North Africa. Another is the French-Moroccan commercial radio station Medi-1, which broadcasts from Tangiers to listeners across the Maghreb. In Algeria, meanwhile, listeners with satellite receivers can tune in to Al-Salam radio, which broadcasts anti-government programming on behalf of the outlawed Islamic Salvation Front (FIS). Morocco has announced plans to open up its airwaves to independent broadcasters next year. But in Algeria, where the independent press came under pressure in summer 2003, there are no plans to do the same. And in Libya and Mauritania, broadcasting remains firmly under the control of the state. Source: BBC Monitoring research 11 Nov 03 (via DXLD) ** TURKEY. Frequency change for TRT Voice of Turkey effective from November 10, 2003: 1800-2255 NF 9840#, ex 7100 # co-ch 1800-1900 Radio Liberty in Russian/Avari/Chechen/Cherkessi 1900-2000 Voice of America in English Mon-Fri 2000-2200 China Radio International in English (Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 11 via DXLD) ** U K. MEAN BECOMES EASY --- Whilst listening to what used to be Mean Country 1035 this evening, following the 9:00 pm news from IRN there was an announcement indicating that London's newest radio station, to be called Easy Radio London, would launch at 6:00 am on 1 December. Meantime they are advertising for people in all manner of positions, including Presenters, Journalists, Sales Reps and others. People wanting more details are asked to email jobs @ easyradio.com I have heard no other contact information so far, so I know not whether the station will continue to broadcast from Wembley Hill Road, within a mile of where I live. Also, and significantly, the voice on the announcement was an Asian one, and one I think I have heard on Sunrise Radio. As we all know, Sunrise Radio Ltd have taken over Mean Fiddler Media, and have obviously had a complete clear-out of the radio station (PAUL DAVID, Wembley Park, UK, Nov 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. On 7450 I happened upon an SSB net at 1440 UT Nov 11 called Broadway Consumer, NCS call 57T with checkins from stations with similar call format, such as 61C, 59W. This was still going past 1535, upon occasional rechecks. Seemed they had nothing to chat about except how much rain they had had, or in most cases, not had. But the group has loftier goals. A Google search soon found http://www.az.ngb.army.mil/aecss/bc.htm where we learn this is the Arizona Army National Guard, ARIZONA EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT SYSTEM (AECSS). HF net schedules in MST [UT -7]: Alpha Mon-Fri 0700- 0900, Charlie Thu 1800-1900, Bravo Sat & Sun 0730-0830 but frequencies not given. I heard nothing but Good Ole Boys, as confirmed in the photos of the month: http://www.az.ngb.army.mil/aecss/bc-photos.htm ``Thanks to all members for remembering we operate on military frequencies. And that comments on our nets should be short, not lengthy QSOs better accomplished on amateur frequencies.`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re harmonics and spurs from SW broadcast stations, such as WWRB on 1805 kHz: most mixing products are more of a problem on the high side of the frequencies, so it`s easy to overlook those on the low side when checking on a spectrum analyzer. Still, these are likely at very low level, perhaps 1/100 of a watt, but audible on sensitive ham equipment. How much harmonic suppression is required depends on the standard in effect at the time the transmitter was made, so old ones do not have to have so much suppression. Ours have to be 80 dB down, and we measure them in the -81 to 83 dB range. On the other hand, channel 2 in Nashville, next to the 6 meter ham band, has to be only 20 dB down, so from 100 kW ERP they can and do legally trash the hamband with spurs up to 1 kW, tho probably more like 100 watts (George McClintock, WWCR, Nov 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also CUBA for explanation of the `KAIJ whistle` ** U S A. BBCWS loses an outlet -- JPR EXPLAINS ACQUISITION OF KZPN By Chris Durant The Times-Standard, Eureka (California) Monday, November 10, 2003 - http://www.times- standard.com/cda/article/print/0,1674,127%257E2896%257E1757215,00.html What may be the only British Broadcasting Corp. World Service radio station in the United States will change formats around the first of the year after it was purchased by the Jefferson Public Radio Foundation in September. KZPN (91.5 FM), based in Bayside, has been airing BBC programming for 11 years. Jefferson Public Radio is Southern Oregon University's public radio station based in Ashland, Ore. KZPN was owned by Humboldt Education Enhancement Radio Service Inc. The station was operated out of the Freshwater home of Monica Olsen. In an April interview, Olsen said she started the BBC station in 1992. "There's a style of broadcasting, and I think it's in Canada as well as Europe, that I miss," Olsen said. Pending Federal Communication Commission approval of the ownership change, JPR said it will no longer air the BBC World Service and will air its "Rhythm and News Service." The "Rhythm and News Service" airs nonclassical music and National Public Radio news programming. Director of FM Programming for JPR, Eric Teel, said there will be some duplicate airing of NPR programs also heard on KHSU (90.5 FM) in Arcata. "Basically the only shows that we'll air that will also be on KHSU are 'All Things Considered' and 'Morning Edition,'" Teel said. There will be no more than 20 hours a week of duplicate programming, Teel said. He said about 25 people have contacted JPR about the recent acquisition. He said most of the concerns are related to the removal of BBC programming. It was numerous requests for the "Rhythm and News Service" of JPR from people in Humboldt County over the past five years that led to the acquisition, according to Teel. KZPN will be the sixth station in the JPR network. Other than its flagship station in Ashland, the network has stations in the Redding area, Klamath Falls, Ore., Coos Bay, Ore., and Mount Shasta. (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** U S A. Dutch week on WNYC: see NETHERLANDS [non] ** U S A. Don't shoot the messenger --- I didn't want to ask the Macs/PCs question at Rock the Vote, but didn't think it would elicit so much hate, either --- By Alexandra Trustman Heraldsphere: The online service of The Brown Daily Herald Monday, November 10, 2003 | vol. CXXXIX, no. 110. View this story online at http://www.browndailyherald.com/stories.asp?storyID=1867 (via Tom Roche, DXLD) ** U S A. MUSICIANS TAKE TO STAGE TO LOBBY AGAINST NEW MEDIA OWNERSHIP RULES By SHARON THEIMER The Associated Press 11/11/03 1:32 AM WASHINGTON (AP) -- Balladeer Woody Guthrie sang of the hardscrabble life of America's poor in the 1930s. Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger protested the war in Vietnam. Contemporary musicians have come together for hunger relief in Africa and aid to American farmers. In the latest version of musical efforts to promote social consciousness and challenge the government, some rock, blues and country artists have embarked on a tour to fight changes in federal rules governing ownership of newspapers, television and radio stations. Billy Bragg, Lester Chambers, Steve Earle and other artists on the "Tell Us the Truth Tour" contend the rules from the Federal Communications Commission will make it harder for many performers to get airtime. The musicians are making their case in song in a tour that began Friday in Madison, Wis., and ends Nov. 24 in Washington... http://wizzer.advance.net/cgi- free/getstory_ssf.cgi?a0404_BC_MusicalLobbying&&news&newsflash-washington (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** VIETNAM [and non]. Well, well, it appears that VOV, like Turkey, have abandoned the borderline ham frequency of 7100, at least for English, the only language apparently concerned here (gh, DXLD): VOICE OF VIETNAM UPDATED FREQUENCY LIST ------------------------------------------------------- (27 minute program - From 26 October to 30 March, 2003) Target Area Hanoi Time UTC Frequencies ----------- ---- ----- ----------- Europe 100 1800 9730 7280 5955 Europe 200 1900 9730 7280 Europe 330 2030 9731 [sic] 7280 Europe 630 2330 9840 12020 North East America 800 100 6175 [via Canada] North East America 930 230 6175 [via Canada] Central America 1030 330 6175 [via Canada] Hanoi 1700 1000 101.5 South East Asia 1700 1000 1242 9840 12020 South Asia 1800 1100 1242 7285 Hanoi 1930 1230 101.5 South East Asia 1930 1230 9840 12020 Europe 2030 1330 9730 7280 Hanoi 2030 1330 101.5 Central Asia 2100 1400 1242 South Western Asia 2200 1500 1242 Central Asia 2300 1600 9730 7280 Europe 2300 1600 9731 [sic] 7280 Hanoi 2300 1600 105.5 Central Asia 2330 1630 1242 English Program, Overseas Service Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu, Hanoi, Vietnam Tel: 84 4 9342 456 Fax: 84 4 8266 707 http://www.vov.org.vn btdn.vov @ hn.vnn.vn (Updated on November 2003) (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, Nov 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. 7460. National Radio of the Saharan Arab Democratic Republic, from 2000 to 0000 s/off, November 1. At 2000 UT weak, heard mentions of "Nacional". 2210 possible news in Arabic. 2215 Arabic guitar music and Kor`anic recitations. 2300 man with full ID in Spanish "Radio Nacional...". Continued in Spanish until closing about 0000 UT. Good signal (Harold Sellers, Ont., DXplorer Nov 9 via Büschel) Harold, just back from a short autumn highschool holiday break stay, off the Moroccan coast in southern Spain: RASD Polisario Radio has a carrier-on at 1700 UT already, program starts [varying] between 1704 and 1707 UT on both, even 7460.00 and 1550.00 kHz. MRC security authority jamming is always 2.5 [or up to 3.5 kHz] upper flank, oscillating signal on 1552.5 kHz, but mostly underneath RASD. Jamming starts around 1840 UT on 1552.2 kHz. Seldom jamming could be heard on 7460 lately, sometimes jamming rush like white noise, but not annoying. But compared to former observations by some 'look through' people in Europe, Portugal and the Canary Islands in last decade, both RASD channels have now a more professionalized technical level and are much stronger than in previous months. I guess the Algerian Telecommunications helped them to set up powerful equipment. Beware: but there is another 1548 Arabic station nearby. Is that Libya?? Against Kuwait propaganda? RASD is always stronger than Arabic 1548 and MRC jamming on 1552.5 kHz (Wolfgang Bueschel, Andalusia Spain, BC-DX Nov 5/7/8, 2003 via DXLD) ** ZAMBIA. Winter [sic] B-03 schedule of CHRISTIAN VOICE via Zambia (LUS=Lusaka) English to Southern and Central Africa 0300-0600 6065 LUS 100 kW / non-dir 0600-1500 9865 LUS 100 kW / non-dir 1500-0300 4965 LUS 100 kW / non-dir (Observer, Bulgaria, Nov 11 via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 4552.74 kHz, unID LA Spanish speaking 12/Nov/2003 - 0230 UT. This evening 11th of November local time there is a LA with music non-stop on 4552.74 kHz with fair and stable signal. More than one hour without talk, music with fast rhythm. Two years ago I had an unID "Radio San Juan"(Perú) on 4552.83v kHz. Quito 11/Nov/2003 22:46 73s (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SWB América Latina, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. UNKNOWN, 4780, 0030 GMT, Spanish, SIO 333, Nov 10th. OM with continuous music. Another OM with comments. The following FOUR stations are listed for this frequency - Guatemala, Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. The several OMs heard were all using Spanish and what a challenge for me!!! (Stewart H. MacKenzie, WDX6AA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So how many stations were in at the time? Just one? (gh) I do not know if you can read down to Hz. If you heard the station (as in your log) on 4780.00 kHz is my bet Radio Coatán, San Sebástian Coatán (Guatemala) that has returned to 4779.98 kHz after being off air for a while. Here are the LAs I have heard beside Coatán: 4780.01 Radio Sátelite, Santa Cruz (Peru) has been off air for a long time. 4781.00v Radio Tacana, Iturralde (Bolivia) returned some weeks ago but just for a couple of days. 4781.24v Radio Oriental, Tena(Ecuador) is for the moment active every day but off during weeks/months sometimes. 73s (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SWB América Latina, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 9530 heard an unID jamming, seemingly 24 hours from Iran, as previously heard in past years already. Scheduled is VoA Sawa program in Arabic as 9530 1800-2300 to zones 37,38 in N Africa from Woofferton-UK 300 kW at 180 degrees. Note attached recording of both jamming and VoA Woofferton crash start (Wolfgang Bueschel, Andalusia Spain, BC-DX Nov 7, 2003 via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ RADIOS4YOU.COM Glenn: Re your news item about radios4you.com: I purchased a JWin MX-J14 SW portable from them for $35. I received it in five days. That particular radio is available from other vendors cheaper, but radios4you.com has a unique inventory of quirky Chinese radios you don't find anywhere else. I like my JWin quite a bit for a simple single-conversion analog-tuned digital-display receiver. 73, Dave Invisible Disability: http://www.davidmoisan.org/invisible_disability.html ATS-909 FAQ: http://www.davidmoisan.org/radio/sangean/ats909faq.html (David Moisan, N1KGH, ARES/SKYWARN DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Crap – RS 12-9416 Radio Shack has an AM/FM/SW radio on sale (RS# 12-9416) regular price $ 39.95 - Sale price a meager $ 24.95. I picked one up Saturday and returned it tonight (Monday). It is a piece of crap (Larry Magne can quote me on this). It is a small receiver about the size of the new G1000 from Grundig with many similar looks to it. This radio has a 12 hour clock and tunes AM/FM/ and SW in 8 bands. It is very insensitive on shortwave and mediumwave. To listen to a Toronto mediumwave outlet, outside of AM 740, you need to use a loop antenna like the Select-A-Tenna or Terk to hear it at half decent levels. HELLO! I am only 60 km from Toronto. Shortwave is a waste - only North American stations come in well. Radio Australia, when it booms in on 21740, is barely audible. Tuning this radio is a chore as the tuning knob is quite stiff so you can fly past your station before you know it - this is the same on all bands. The only redeeming virtue is the fact that it has a clock and FM is rather good on it. HELLO! I can get a clock radio with FM on it from Dollarama for $1. Radio Shack should be ashamed for peddling this piece of crap. If you see it and are tempted remember one thing - YOU'VE BEEN WARNED (Mark Coady, ODXA via DXLD) DELPHI INFORME LES CARTELS DE SON PROJET POUR GRUNDIG L'Observatoire de l'Opinion Dernieres depeches Finance 9 novembre, 14h38 FRANCFORT, 9 novembre (Reuters) - Delphi, le premier equipementier automobile mondial, a informé [à] l'Office des Cartels allemand de son intention de racheter la division autoradios de Grundig, lit-on sur le site internet de l'Office. Volker Barth, président de Delphi Europe, Proche-Orient et Afrique, avait dit aux médias allemands en octobre que l'equipementier américain etait interessé par cette division. Grundig a deposé son bilan en avril. L'Office précise que la notification a été présentée le 4 novembre et ajoute qu'aucune conclusion ne peut être tirée quant au resultat de son examen ni quant à sa durée. /WYE (Reuters via Mike Cooper, DXLD) IBIQUITY/IBOC NEWS "Skywave reception of so-called clear channel stations will probably go away if digital radio becomes widely used by stations at night, Morgan said"; "Without broadcasters taking the lead and investing in IBOC installations, I fear that IBOC may become stalled or simply die a slow death"; and "a leader of the body that develops standards for IBOC says that if stations should fail to transition, he fears terrestrial radio eventually may migrate to a new band - one in which frequency allocations would be auctioned" are just some of the terrific quotes in this article: http://www.radioworld.com/reference- room/iboc/03_rw_hd_radio_show_2.shtml More than ever, I'm convinced IBOC will be to radio what Cinerama was to movies (Harry Helms W7HLH, Las Vegas, NV DM26, NRC-AM via DXLD) The article sure appears to me that they are admitting that there is serious problems with AM IBOC at night. I think what they are trying to do is see if they can handle the problem politically. If the Clear Channel's and other owners agree to scrap skywave coverage, it will fly. If not, it won`t. I would love to be a fly on the wall in some of those meetings (Paul Smith, W4KNX, Sarasota, FL, ibid.) Thanks for the link, great article. On the one hand, we hear how so many operations don't make money, or don't make a lot of money. On the other here's the NRSC chair urging stations not to wait, but to go digital now, as though this is the only way to secure a future. Surely he meant to say this was the only way to secure Ibiquity's future. Maybe it's just me, but is there truly a demand for "digital" services, or is the demand simply for any kind of service? Sorry, but IMHO every new phase of the IBOC rollout comes with an increasing stench of fertilizer. This is no exception to the trend. Cheers, (Gerry Bishop, Niceville, FL, ibid.) I on the other hand think digital AM would be a success if done properly. I'd can the hybrid mode to reduce the bandwidth. I'd then force each station to reduce power to the point where it served the same area as it previously served in analog mode in the pre-terrible- noise-over-the-whole-band era. That would mean essentially the same level of interference to other co-channel stations as they had pre- IBOC. First and second adjacent interference would be drastically reduced by the elimination of hybrid mode. Eliminating the high bandwidth of hybrid mode also would mean more antennas can be used as is and it would simplify the process for those few antennas that need work to pass IBOC. Had this happened, had iBiquity used the correct codec, and had the equipment been open sourced through international standardization à la DRM, I believe IBOC could have had a reasonable chance at success. Pipe dream, huh? (Chuck Hutton, WA, ibid.) CITIZENS ADVISED TO BUY "ALL HAZARDS RADIO" http://www.wroctv.com/news/story.asp?id=10967&r=l 73 (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) I.e., weather radio with alarm DRM +++ DRM OVERVIEW Radio World has an interesting article online which nicely summarizes the technology behind DRM. http://www.rwonline.com/reference-room/iboc/05_rw_hd_drm_part_II.shtml Part I can be found at: http://www.rwonline.com/reference-room/special-report/03_rw_drm_5.shtml (Rich Toebe, Davis CA, IRCA via DXLD) SPECIAL RNW DRM TRANSMISSIONS FOR INDIA In connection with the New Delhi Digital Seminar, Nozema and Radio Netherlands will conduct DRM transmissions from Flevo towards India in the period 17-20 November. Time: 09:00-12:57 UTC Frequency: 21790 kHz Azimuth: 90 degrees Antenna: AHRS 4/4/1 DRM Power = 40 kW Programme: English language programme of Radio Netherlands. The DRM transmission from Flevo on 9850 kHz between 10:00-12:57 UTC will not take place on these four days. # posted by Andy @ 10:01 UT Nov 11 (Media Network blog via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ RE: LUNAR ECLIPSE There is no scientific evidence of which I am aware which suggests any relationship between MW propagation and the moon, or an eclipse. Over the past couple of weeks, several people have posted to the list that they've observed that auroral effects on MW were present from local sunset until sometime around 2100 LT, and that seems to be pretty much similar to what was observed on the date of the eclipse. I believe that this is simply a continuation of the conditions which have prevailed over the past few weeks, and that the coincidence of the eclipse is just that - a coincidence (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA (15 mi NNW Philadelphia), NRC-AM via DXLD) NW7US PROPAGATION UPDATE: 11-XI-2003 The large coronal hole that was predicted to move into geoeffective position by 11-XI-2003 has indeed, affecting the solar wind. The solar wind has been elevated since 10-XI-2003, with a consistantly southward orientation (Bz is negative) in the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). The solar wind stream is expected to continue at this higher speed for the next few days, with a high possibility that the IMF will remain orientated southward. This will cause the geomagnetic field to remain at least active, but most likely at minor to major storm levels (at least a G2-level geomagnetic storm, Kp levels between 4 and 7). The Ap is expected to continue to rise, up to a possible 70, during the next few days. But, the 10.7-cm flux is also rising a bit, with 95, 98, and 100 expected from today, 11-XI-2003, through 13-XI-2003. There have been a series of B-class flares from the new sunspots (498, 499, 500). This has caused very minor degradation of the middle HF bands in geographical areas directly facing the sun. Type-II radio emissions have been recorded, as well, indicating minor coronal hole mass ejections (CME), further enhancing the solar wind stream. As I write this, the first M-class flare peaked at 1351Z 11-XI-2003, at about M1. It is unclear to me yet where this flare came from. It might have been from region 500, or, highly possible, from the now- returning sunspot region 484 (we saw activity from this one several weeks ago). The possible return of large active regions that contributed to the high activity of the last 3 weeks is expected between 11-XI-2003 and 16-XI-2003, starting a new surge of flaring activity for several weeks. In the meantime, the very large coronal hole should be the main source of Earth disturbances. Overall conditions, then, on HF will be poor to fair. The high geomagnetic activity for a period of many days will degrade or even shut down polar and high-latitude paths, while leaving mid- and low- latitude propagation paths only marginal. There will be exceptions to this across paths of sunlight, due to the higher flux levels. VHF conditions could be enhanced due to the active aurora conditions and elevated geomagnetic activity. More at http://prop.hfradio.org/ 73 de Tomas, NW7US (AAR0JA/AAM0EWA) 1415 UT Nov 11, swl at qth.net via DXLD) Conditions seem to have tanked over the past 36 hours or so. With an Ap Index of 35 and K Index of 4 this am heard on WWV at 0918, up to 45 and 5 heard at 2318, things are tough, and unstable (2300-2330 UT on the 11th). (K Index went from 4 in the morning to 5 at 2318) However, north-south paths are to be found, particularly Brazil and Argentina (15345 kHz 2305 UT, SINPO 44323) Brazil: The ones that usually come through, seem enhanced. 6180 kHz Radio Nacional do Amazonia SINPO 44444 9675 Radio Cancho Nova, SINPO 44444 (this one a bit surprising) 11780 Radio Nacional do Amazonia SINPO 44444 Surprisingly, no Brazilians audible on 60 meters, where 3 or more are usually present at this hour. However, the absorption seemed to be enough to keep weaker outlets in Brazil from getting through on the higher bands. Forget any Asian DX for tonight, and time to start typing up the logs for the DX Challenge (Roger Chambers, Utica, NY, 0019 UT Nov 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###